Lois sat on the porch staring out over the rolling fields that surrounded the Kent farm. She hadn't known this was where he meant to take them but was glad that he had for, no sooner had Jason been settled in bed, Clark had left her with an "I'll be back soon." Too much had happened in too short a time and she knew, if not for Martha, she would have fallen to pieces. She was not good at the emotional stuff but the universe seemed determined she get good by swamping her with situations that required copious amounts of weeping. She barely had time to digest one event when the next disaster loomed large on the horizon. Now though, she was determined, the tears shed last night whilst telling Martha the tale were the last ones she was going to shed. Ever. Well at least unit next month! She stood up, angry now, and began to pace. Where the hell was Clark? How could he just leave her like that? Again. Things were going to have to change! She stopped suddenly, and sat down heavily on the steps again. Was this what happened before? Had she tried to change him? Logically she knew that things would never change, he would always be needed. She didn't actually want him to change, but she was only human, wasn't she entitled to resent the world from time to time when she needed him too? She began to chew her thumb nail as thoughts whirred through her mind. Was she capable of sharing him? Honestly, she didn't know.

Clark let the sunlight bathe his injured body and felt the healing energy coursing through him. The trip back to Metropolis had been almost too much for him but he had to see for himself that Luthor was dead, he had to be sure. He had looked into the still and lifeless face of his tormentor and had been satisfied that the madman would no longer be a threat to his son. He had flown back to the Vanderworth estate then, had spoken with the police, and then searched himself both inside the house and on the boat, but the last vile of serum could not be found. So who had it? It seemed the nightmare was not over after all.

Lois heard the crunch of footsteps and turned from the fence to greet him. He was still wearing his Superman suit and she wondered why.

"Hello" she said with a timid smile.

"Hi" he stopped just out of arms reach and clasped his hand behind his back.

"So, where have you been?" she tried to sound nonchalant, but even to her she sounded aggrieved.

"I'm sorry I left you like that Lois but I had to be sure that Luthor was dead." Lois nodded, this at least made sense and she was glad herself to know that he would not be coming back this time. She leant against the fence again and they stood in silence. Finally she asked him.

"When you told me before Clark, did I try to change you?" she heard him sigh and turned around to look at him.

"Lois…"

"Did I Clark?" He ran a hand through his hair.

"You were… not entirely happy with the situation." He said at last.

"I see." She moved towards him and laid a hand on his arm as she looked up into his face "Is that why you made me forget? If I had been able to share you with the world would you still have left?"

"Does it matter now Lois? What's done is done."

"It matters Clark, it matters if we want this to work, it matters if we don't want to make the same mistakes this time, it matters because I don't want ever to forget you again." She put her arms around him and laid her head against his chest but he kept his hands behind him. Lois drew back and looked at him once more.

"Perhaps that would be for the best Lois." He said in a tortured whisper as he disengaged her arms from his waist.

"Is that what you want?" she asked aghast as she watched him walk towards the fence.

"I want what is best for you and for Jason." He said his back towards her "My personal feelings are immaterial."

"Yeah?" Lois said angrily "Well my personal feelings are not! Damn you Clark, how can you say such a thing to me after all we've been through? What was the point if you're just going to run away again?" She stopped as, slowly, his words filtered through the haze of anger "my personal feelings are immaterial" he didn't want her to forget! This was why he'd kept the suit on to show her, remind her, he would always be Superman. With a lump in her throat she moved to stand behind him, snaking her arms around him once more.

"You self-sacrificing idiot Clark Kent." She felt him take a deep breath.

"Are you sure Lois?" he closed his eyes as he waited for her reply, he wished he could take back the words, he didn't want her to forget him, he didn't want to be without her again.

"Yes." she said, his eyes snapped open and he turned in her embrace "But if you ever try it again I swear I will find a way to kill you myself!"

"Yes ma'am." He said smiling and drew her to him.

Things would never be easy for them, Lois knew, but she was prepared to fight to make it work. Yes she would be resentful sometimes, yes she would be scared, but the thought of being without him for even one more day was more terrifying than anything Lex Luthor or anyone else could do to them. She was going to have to practice patience and compromise, not two of her strongest attributes to be sure but she could work on that.

"Come on," Clark pulled away "let's go eat, I smell pie."

Men, she thought, no matter what planet they were from, they were ruled by their stomachs.

Richard White was torn. He did not want to admit it but he had enjoyed giving Superman a beating. The power the serum had given him had made him feel invincible and exacting revenge on the man, the Superman, who had stolen his family had assuaged some of his pain. He knew he shouldn't feel this way, he considered himself an enlightened man, not prone to fits of temper or violence. But… what a rush. He rolled the vial of green liquid between his fingers. What a rush!