With two white and green paper cups of black coffee in her hands and a bag of muffins in her bag, Maddie carefully eased into the crowded elevator at The Daily Planet. She glanced to make sure the right floor was lit up as the door slid shut, then relaxed and listened to people conversing about deadlines and news and Superman. A secretive smile turned up the corners of her lips.

Moments later, the door opened and riders spilled out the doors. Just before the door closed, she noticed a familiar face from her past. Richard White glanced up, their eyes meeting for a second; his eyes grew wide as she nodded at him, her smile freezing in place. 'Not exactly the person I wanted to see...'

The next stop was hers, and the moment she stepped out of the elevator, she was almost knocked over by a rushing photographer.

"Watch where you're go—" Jimmy's angry expression smoothed into a happy smile as he recognized her. "Hey! Maddie! Whatcha doing on our end of town?"

"Well, hey, darlin'!" Maddie smiled and held up the coffee in her hands. "I'm just droppin' somethin' off for Clark. Mind pointin' me in the right direction?"

"Sure!" He grabbed her shoulders and gently spun her to her left. He pointed past her head to a desk where, sure enough, Clark Kent sat looking too big for the space. "Head on over there. I'd walk with you, but I'm on a mission." Jimmy waved over his shoulder as he stepped into the elevator and disappeared.

Maddie chuckled as she walked across the newsroom, ducking various reporters that were rushing back and forth trying to meet deadlines. She strutted confidently in her heels, knowing that she was looking pretty damn good.

"Hey honey, is that coffee for me?" A man whistled from across the room. She shot him a look and he shut up, but elbowed his buddy and whispered something to him. She zoned in on Clark, stepping quietly behind him as he hung up the phone.

"Hey darlin'," Maddie murmured, kissing him on the cheek. The entire floor seemed to hush for a moment as they realized this beauty was here to see… Clark Kent.

"M-Maddie!" Clark exclaimed, surprised, but happily so. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, since you're busy bein' a grown-up at your 'adult job', I brought coffee and a treat." Maddie handed him a cup and pulled the bag of muffins out of her purse and placed them in his other. She turned and leaned her butt against the edge of his desk, cocking her head to the side and studying him. "You look like you're havin' fun, darlin'."

"Not really," he admitted, taking a sip. "We're trying to hit a deadline and all we're hitting are dead ends."

"Whatcha writin' about?"

"Superman." His eyes sparkled underneath his glasses.

"Interesting!" She winked, putting her coffee on his desk and grabbing the paper bag back from him. She pulled out the blueberry muffin she had gotten for herself and started to peel the wrapper back. Clark took back the bag and grabbed his own. "I ain't gonna get you in trouble, am I?"

"I don't think so," Clark scanned the newsroom. Satisfied at Chief's absence, he started unwrapping his muffin. "We're fine, the boss is out of the office."

"Good," she smiled. "How you been, hon? It's been a few days since I last heard from you."

"Hanging in there!" Clark's goofy smile made Maddie's heart melt. "Just been… busy."

Maddie hummed, breaking off a piece of the muffin's top and popping in her mouth. As she chewed, she looked up to see a rather angry looking woman with dark hair walking their way. "You sure the boss is out?"

Clark spun in his chair, swallowing hard. It was easier to see Lois now, especially with Maddie there with him, but his heart still ached a little at the family he had given up. Worse, behind her trailed a small, frail looking boy trying his hardest to make a yo-yo spin back up the string: Jason.

"Clark, do you look up the coordinates of the last known Superman rescue?" Her voice was impatient and irritated.

"Y-yeah, they're here somewhere." Clark stuttered and shuffled the papers on his desk, trying to do it with the muffin in his hand. Maddie's eyebrows rose and she reached out to take it from him, freeing his hands. He shot her a grateful look, and she just winked. "Ah, here." He handed the woman a piece of plain paper with a paragraph and some numbers scribbled on it.

"Thanks." She snatched the paper from him and started reading the paragraph, silently mouthing the words. She glanced up at Maddie. "Who's this?"

"Uh, Lois, this is Maddie." His face melted into a goofy grin. "My girlfriend."

Lois's eyes widened in surprise, as though the thought of Clark having a girlfriend (especially one so attractive) was ridiculous. "Huh. Girlfriend." She stuck out her hand for Maddie to shake. "Lois White, nice to meet you."

"Maddie Brooks, and the pleasure is mine." Her southern timbre sounded like honey compared to Lois' sharp city accent. "I've read a few of your articles; you've got quite a talent."

"I'm flattered." Lois' smile seemed fake and suspicious.

"HI!" The child at her side directed a wide grin towards Maddie. "I'm Jason."

Maddie knelt down so she was at eye level with Jason. "Well, hey there, Jason. I'm Maddie." She held out her hand, and he shook it politely. Clark's heart pounded painfully in his chest.

"You talk kinda funny," he commented without batting an eyelash. His mother blushed and placed her hand on his head.

"Jason, that wasn't very nice."

"It's okay," Maddie smiled up at Lois, and then she turned back to Jason. "That's because I ain't from around here, darlin'."

"So you're like Mister Clark!" He beamed, looking up at Clark, whose eyes were wide with surprise.

Maddie laughed. "I was born a bit farther away than Mister Clark. I'm from Georgia." Jason's eyes widened as he processed just how far away that was. Maddie's heart skipped a beat when she saw how bright blue his irises were; she'd only seen eyes that blue once before.

"C'mon, Jason," Lois intervened. "We should go find Daddy so we can get you to art class." That fake smile was back as Maddie stood. "It was nice to meet you, Maggie." Maddie hardly flinched. Lois turned to Clark. "Keep looking into those numbers and see if there's a pattern. I'll check back with you later." With that, she took Jason's hand and they set off towards the elevators.

Maddie whistled a low note. "Ouch. She an ex or somethin' like that?"

Clark's smile was uncomfortable. "Something like that."

"I should go, anyways," Maddie grabbed her coffee from the desk and straightened her bag across her chest. "Will I see you later?"

"I'll see what I can do."

"Great!" She grinned and bent down, kissing him softly, but sensually on the lips. Clark, fighting to stay in character, closed his eyes, but stayed frozen. "I'll see you later, sugar," she hummed against his lips. She winked, straightened up, and walked quickly to the elevators.

Clark slumped in his chair.

"Hey Kent, how much you paying her?" Someone shouted from across the room. Clark's face burned as he sat back up quickly and awkwardly shuffled his papers. The day passed slowly as he watched the clock tick down the minutes until he could leave; the room had become horrifically stifling as Maddie left. 'Five can't come soon enough.'


"Maddie? Is that you?"

Maddie jerked her head up, making eye contact with the man entering the elevator. A polite smile crossed her lips. "Well, hey Richard! How you doin', darlin'?"

"I'm doing all right. I mean, I'm doing great!" Richard White looked uncomfortable as he stepped next to her. "I'm still working here, just got married; life's pretty… pretty good."

"Well, that's great to hear, sugar! I think I just met your blushin' bride a little while ago. Lois?" He nodded. "She's wonderful." 'Skip the sarcasm, honey; don't make enemies.'

"She's something, isn't she?" Richard laughed awkwardly. "So how are you?"

"I'm doin' just fine!" She took a sip of her coffee, looking at him over the brim. "Workin' at The First Base, still living in the same place. Just got a new man… can't complain."

"Really?" Was that a hint of jealousy in his voice? "Is that why you're here?" She nodded silently. "Who's the lucky man?"

"Clark Kent." She spoke proudly, her smile genuine.

Richard laughed. "Good ole' Clark, huh? Well, he's a good guy; farm boy. You two are a good match."

"Thanks for your approval," Maddie said jokingly. "He's wonderful, actually."

"I know, I wasn't kidding." His smile softened. "You look good, Maddie. Better than the last time I saw you."

"I know." Maddie toyed with her purse strap. "I cleaned up a bit." She sighed and looked up at him. "You don't look so bad yourself."

The elevator doors opened into the lobby. She noticed Jason and Lois standing off to the side the same time Richard did. "I better run. It was nice seeing you, Richard. Take care, darlin'." With a grin, she gently touched his shoulder before strutting out of the elevator to the large glass doors leading to the street. She could feel Richard's eyes on her, as well as everyone else in the lobby. Stepping into the street, she paused, looking up at the building behind her, hoping that the one pair of eyes she loved most were looking back down at her.


'Maybe he's just been really, really busy workin' with that Lois chick,' Maddie thought as she took another sip of wine. 'Maybe she chained him to the desk tryin' to find… him.' She shook her head, staring at the burgundy liquid in her glass.

It'd been a week since she had visited The Daily Planet, and she hadn't seen Clark… or Superman… anywhere other than on the news. And he was everywhere: Britain, France, Africa, China, New York…. That's probably why he's been gone, but the drunk female in Maddie made her want to think otherwise. The truth is, she just missed him.

Maddie swigged the last of her wine and walked to the kitchen to drop the glass in the sink. It was almost midnight, and even though it was early for her, she was ready for bed. Walking into her bedroom, she noticed a shadow on her balcony. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she took a step back. The shadow moved, and in the moonlight she saw a flash of red and blue.

"Clark," Maddie breathed, her melancholy mood dissipating. She crossed the room in a few quick steps and threw open the glass doors. "Hey!" She grinned. "I've missed you!"

Superman stepped in through the door, and in the light his face was contorted with exhaustion and pain. He took a step closer to Maddie and stumbled, falling to his knees. Maddie caught his elbows and knelt with him, trying to soften his fall. "Clark! What happened?" He leaned on her, panting.

"Just… so tired…"

"Baby, what happened?" She reached up and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. His skin was clammy and he was drenched in sweat. "Talk to me, you're scarin' me."

Superman looked up at her and managed a small smile. "Just… flew… from Los Angeles."

"Isn't that just a walk in the park for you?"

He choked out a laugh. "Normally. I haven't been feeling well."

"I can tell." Maddie felt the nurse in her taking control. "Here, let's get you off the floor."

"Wait." Superman took a deep breath and reached up with a shaky hand to cup her cheek. He pulled her into a sensual kiss, and Maddie could feel a warm tingle starting where their skin touched. His other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to his firm torso as she deepened the kiss.

They stayed like that for minutes, until Maddie felt dizzy. It was Superman who broke the kiss, a soft smile on his lips. The tremor in his hands was gone as he took her hands in his and pulled her to her feet. You wouldn't have been able to tell that just moments ago he had seemed… vulnerable.

"Clark?" Maddie couldn't hide her confusion, and her eyes begged for an explanation. Superman hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words.

"Remember when you said you feel… different when we touch?"

"Yes," she said slowly.

"When we kissed that first time, I felt like I could use the world as my personal shot-put," he laughed. "And like I said, I haven't been feeling all that well. This was kind of an… experiment."

"Experiment, huh?" She bit her lower lip. "Did you get the result you wanted?"

"And then some," he murmured. "You're incredible, Maddie; but you already knew that."

Maddie blushed. "You gonna run off again?"

"I probably should," Superman shrugged. "You look like you're calling it a night."

"No!" She squeezed his hands; it felt like squeezing stone. "Please stay! I was kind of waitin' for you all night," she admitted.

Superman chuckled. "I don't have any normal clothes."

Maddie looked off the side, her blush turning darker with embarrassment. "I might have some stuff you could wear." She moved closer to him, pouting innocently. "Please?"

He sighed, feigning defeat. "I suppose you win."

Maddie's face could barely support her grin as she dashed over to her dresser. She dug through the clothes until she found a large shirt and a pair of black sweatpants that seemed big enough to fit the Man of Steels ridiculously muscular legs. "These should work." She tossed them over to him and he caught them with ease. "I'll let you change, okay?" Her face burned again as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and walked quickly out her bedroom. She settled in an armchair that faced away from the bedroom and reached up to fiddle with her necklace.

She was hardly sitting for three seconds before she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders. Maddie jumped, but relaxed when she felt Clark's lips on the crown of her head. She smiled. "That didn't take you long."

"Superman," he said in a teasing tone. "Remember? Faster than a speeding bullet?"

"Touché." She reached up and placed her hand on his.

Clark stepped around the chair and pulled Maddie to her feet. The t-shirt was snug to his body and accentuated every muscle; it was hard for Maddie to pull her eyes away, even though is eyes demanded her attention just as much. He took a few steps backwards towards the couch and fell down into it. Maddie followed, and he pulled her to his chest as they melted together on the couch. She tucked her legs underneath her and closed her eyes.

"Hey Clark?"

He hummed in response. She turned her head and looked at him; his eyes were closed and his face seemed much more peaceful than it had minutes before.

"When I asked you about Lois bein' an ex, you just said 'something like that'. I gotta ask, what were you talkin' about?"

Clark smiled and shook his head. "You're hung up on that, aren't you?"

"I'm a girl, it's kind of written in our code," she justified.

He chuckled. "All right, Lois and Superman used to be a thing, a while ago." He rested his cheek on the top her head, his smile disappearing. "She moved on when I left on my five year hiatus, with Richard."

Maddie accepted that information with a nod. "Did Superman move on?"

"Without a doubt," Clark said immediately.

"What about Jason?"

Clark's eyes shot open and his breath caught in his throat, and Maddie noticed his discomfort. "What about Jason?" He asked carefully.

"He has your eyes," she said quietly.

Silence followed for a few moments as Maddie patiently waited for a response.

"I think he's mine."

Maddie turned around on the couch to look at him, speaking softly. "That's gotta be hard for you, darlin'."

"It was. It is," he admitted. "But it's easier now that I see that it all wasn't meant to be."

"It's hard fightin' fate," she agreed.

The two fell silent. They gazed thoughtfully at each other for a few minutes before Maddie turned around so her cheek was against his bicep. His finger traced circles on her knee as she wrapped her arm around his.

"Tell me about where you've been?" Maddie asked. "I've seen you've been busy the past couple of days."

Clark smiled brightly and started describing the sparkling sands of the Middle East, the Eifel Tower lit up against a starry sky, and the majesty of the Statue of Liberty standing guard over New York. Maddie closed her eyes and listened; using her imagination, she could almost see the image he painted. They talked for hours, enjoying each other's company until the hands on the clock pointed to twelve and three.

Maddie yawned, and Clark noticed her eyelids drooping. "Maddie, you're exhausted."

"Now you just worry about yourself, Clark Kent," she scolded half-heartedly. "You looked ten times worse a little while ago."

He laughed and turned, easing his way out from underneath her. He stood, turning to glance at the clock. "I need to sneak out anyways. I can't leave here while it's light; I don't have my glasses." He stretched his arms over his head, the shirt lifting a few inches.

"Clark, what's that?"

Clark looked at her, his expression questioning. Maddie sat up and turned him around again so his back was facing her. She gently lifted his shirt and traced her fingers over a thick, jagged scar. The scar from Luthor's assault normally burned, but under her touch, it felt cooler, like putting aloe on a sunburn. While he didn't want her to stop, he knew he didn't have the time or the heart to tell her about it tonight.

He spun to face her, pulling his shirt back down. "That's a story for another day," he said. "It'd nothing to wor—" He stopped when he saw Maddie staring at her fingers; they looked as though she rubbed them with green chalk. She stood slowly, Clark quickly moving to put a hand under her elbow to help her.

"Interesting," they both said at the same time as they looked at the slightly glowing discoloration. Slowly, the green disappeared. Maddie wiggled her fingers and turned her hand over, looking for it elsewhere. The two made eye contact.

She stood on her toes and he tilted his face down towards hers. Their kiss was urgent, more sensual than past kisses. His hand tangled in her hair, and hers clutched at his rocklike arms. They stood locked in that passionate embrace, both wanting to take it a step further, but unsure whether or not the moment was right.

As the tingle spread to every square inch of their bodies, they pulled apart to breathe.

"I have to go, Maddie," Clark sighed, disappointed he had to be the one to end their time together.

"I know." She fought with herself to let go of him. "Fly safe?"

He smiled. "I will. Good night, Maddie" He pressed his lips to hers one more time before disappearing through the bedroom door, the clothes she gave him left lying on the floor by the bed.