13 The Request
Clark noted with silent amusement that the General had paused to grab his coat but refused to let Clark pick up his own; he supposed it was his way of saying that he wanted him to be as uncomfortable as possible. Clark silently thanked his aversion to different temperatures as he followed the General down the driveway to the sidewalk; someone from the city had come through and paved it down along with the streets. The moment they appeared, Clark noticed J'onn sitting on a bench just a few houses down.
Going somewhere? J'onn asked in his mind.
Lois' father wanted to discuss a few things with me, Clark mentally replied.
Do you need an escort?
No. I'm afraid I can't call for backup in this particular battle.
The Martian's laughter echoed in his mind. Stay close, he advised, his mental tone sounding humored.
I will.
They trudged past a couple of houses in anticipated silence. Clark wisely chose to let the General make the first move. They crossed the street, the houses transforming into apartment complexes. The General pulled Clark into the first available alley and folded his arms, looking menacing. Clark kept his expression neutral and waited.
The General's pattern of allowing his anger to boil over before speaking was very similar to Lois. Clark had to keep the grin from sliding on his face as he realized just how alike they were; Lois even had the General's eyes.
"Carl," the General began in full shout, "who the heck do you think you are?"
Clark raised an eyebrow. "A farm boy from Kansas, sir," he said, deciding on giving him part of the truth.
The General, of course, took this as sarcasm. "Are you cracking wise?" he snapped. Without waiting for Clark to reply, he plunged into his tirade, pacing back and forth. "You got my daughter pregnant and left her! I'm assuming you didn't even think to contact her after having that one night stand?" he shot Clark a nasty look. Clark's silence seemed to answer that question so he kept going. "And then you have the gall to waltz right back into her life, ruin her relationship with a good man, and steal her son from the only father he's ever known! What gives you the right?
"I don't approve of the way you do things, boy! You made a foolhardy decision and ran away instead of taking responsibility! You only came back when it was convenient for you! Waited until he was older so you didn't have to face all the responsibilities of a new father, huh? You'd rather have a good hardworking man do all the dirty work and then swoop in for all the credit! Well, I don't approve of it. I don't approve of your relationship to my daughter or to my grandson no matter if your blood flows through his veins. And I certainly don't approve of you!"
The General's spit flowed from his mouth, pieces of spittle flying onto Clark's face even though the man was a head shorter than him. Clark didn't move an inch through the whole confrontation. He wasn't even angry as the General showered him with such negativity because he understood where he was coming from. He even felt he deserved it. In a strange way it felt good to have someone besides him shout all the guilt he had self inflicted on himself ever since he got back.
The General breathed heavily and then jabbed a finger into Clark's chest. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Carl?!"
Before Clark could speak, the familiar sound of a gun clicking out of its safety lock resonated through the alley just behind him. Both he and the General froze as a cold voice whispered, "Sorry to break the love chat but I'm in no mood to sit around and wait until you're finished. Now turn around real slow-like."
Clark did as told, holding up his hands. He tried to shield the General as much as possible. "Sir, I really don't think you should be doing this," he said calmly, very unlike the usual Clark Kent.
"Shut up!" the man cried, holding the gun aloft. He was poorly dressed, his sweats covered in stains, his hoodie pockmarked with holes. He didn't have any shoes. The poor soul was obviously freezing to death. Clark wondered where he'd managed to pick up a gun but figured he'd probably stolen it.
"What do you want?" Clark asked.
"What do you think, man?" he said sarcastically but nervously. His eyes darted up and down, back and forth, constantly checking to make sure they weren't interrupted.
Clark sighed. "Sir, I'm not going to give you anything."
"And neither am I, junior," the General said, stepping out from behind Clark in open defiance. "Put down the toy before you get hurt."
Insulted, the man turned the gun on the General and fired. Everything slowed down for Clark and he watched the bullet slowly whizzing through the air towards Sam Lane. Why was it that when it came to the Lanes, he always found himself in an alley saving them from bullets? Who was next, Lucy? Almost lazily, he reached up and snatched the bullet from the air. Everything went back into normal speed. The General blinked, the mugger looked on in confusion and Clark stood to his full height. Terrified, the mugger shot the remaining bullets out of the barrel. Clark caught every single one. For dramatic effect, he held out his fist, opened his fingers, and allowed the now crunched up bullets to fall into the snow.
The mugger's eyes widened. "Oh my-!" he turned tail and ran out of the alley.
"General, please stay here," Clark said in his deep timbre Superman voice.
The General looked on in shocked disbelief as Clark spun on his heel, changed into his suit, and took off after the mugger. He didn't have trouble finding him. In his escape the poor man had tripped into a snow bank. Superman picked him up gently by the back of his hoodie and pulled him free of the snow.
"Don't hurt me!" the man cried, shielding his face. "I didn't mean to do it! I was desperate!"
"Sir, calm down," Superman said, setting him down. "Contrary to whatever it is that you've heard I don't bodily injure criminals."
"I'm not a criminal," the man said.
Superman raised an eyebrow. "You tried to mug me and my friend in an alley and shot at us when we wouldn't give in to your demands."
The poor guy started to blubber. "I was desperate! I…I ran out of cash. I'm in a rough spot Mr. Superman, sir. I lost my job and my apartment when the company went bankrupt. I've hit rock bottom. I wasn't always like this. I used to be a good law abiding citizen. Now look at me," he muttered pitifully, "Living on the streets, stealing a gun from the store, and trying to mug someone who turns out to be none other than Superman!"
Superman studied the man silently before taking his cape off and throwing it over his shoulders. "You need it more than I do," he said at his stunned but questioning expression.
Immediately he tried to give it back. "I can't take this!"
Superman stepped back. "Sir, it's a gift. You really do need it. You're going to get pneumonia from being out in the snow without any shoes. Now, what's your name?"
"David Jenkins," the man muttered, shivering and wrapping the cape over his shoulders.
"Well David, I can't allow you to walk away when you've committed crimes but I do have a few friends who may be willing to give you a job."
David looked at Superman and his eyes slowly filled with tears. "I…I don't deserve this," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Superman smiled. "Times can be really rough, David. I help where I can. You're a good man. You've never shot someone before today."
"How did you know?"
"Your aim. I've had plenty of people shoot at me."
That caused him to smile. Superman was glad to hear his heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm. "So, what happens now?" he asked timidly.
Superman sighed. "Well, I'm going to have to take you in, I'm afraid."
David looked downcast. "Okay."
"I'll make sure they go easy on you," Superman promised.
Lifting David by his arms, Superman took to the sky, landing in front of Metropolis' Police Department two minutes later. After explaining the situation, the guards assured they'd show David the best hospitality that could be given in a police department.
"Let him keep the cape, please," Superman said. "It's a gift."
The officers raised their eyebrows. Superman brought in criminals all the time but he never left them his cape. They looked at David with renewed interest. David looked at Superman with admiration and gratitude.
"Wait," he said as the officers began to lead him away. They paused. "Superman, can I talk to you for a moment, just a moment."
Superman nodded his consent. David walked over to him and muttered quietly, "It's not any of my business but, sir, may I ask why you were dressed like a normal guy?"
Superman grinned. "Sometimes I have to go undercover when I'm tracking criminals down. That man was one of my sources."
"He was yelling awfully loud."
"Did you hear what he was saying?"
"No," David said with a shake of his head and from the sound of his heartbeat Superman could tell he'd spoken honestly.
Superman gave him an assuring smile. "It was all an act to keep people away. Awkward situations tend to make people uncomfortable."
David's eyes filled with understanding. "Oh…! Right! Well, thanks again for the cape and…for not pounding me to a pulp."
Superman placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Mr. Jenkins. I'll try to see if some of my friends would be willing to hire you after you've been released."
"You don't have to go to all that trouble," David muttered.
"It would be my pleasure," Superman assured. He then waved to the officers and left capeless. As he flew away he heard the officers as they escorted David through the station.
"He never gives his cape away. If I were you I'd keep that forever."
"I will," David muttered, his voice full of respect.
Superman smiled. He landed in the alleyway, finding that the General hadn't moved a muscle. After checking that the coast was clear, Superman spun on his heel and changed back into civilian clothes. He pulled his glasses out of his pocket and replaced them on his nose before turning back to the General.
Deciding to keep his voice the same usual Superman tone, he stood tall. "Sir, I want you to know the accusations made concerning me I agree with ninety nine percent."
"What?" was all he managed to say for he still appeared to be in a state of shock.
Clark continued anyway, ignoring the stunned expression. "I say this because there is one thing I need to make clear with you though it won't change what's resulted in my departure five years ago. When I left to travel to Krypton, I didn't know that Lois was pregnant with Jason. Had I known, I would have stayed here on Earth. I would have married her. And I would have raised Jason from birth. Unfortunately, that did not occur and I'm truly sorry for that. I have apologized to Lois and was completely willing to stay out of her life and allow Richard to continue to raise my son if that would have been as she wished. However, Richard stepped down and Lois and Jason needed someone so I stepped up. I took them in, I revealed myself, and we have decided to try our relationship again.
"I have done my utmost to not repeat the past. I have dated Lois traditionally and have done nothing to bring in additions to our family. I want to do things right and therefore, after having officially dated Lois of her own free will for several months, I find this the opportune time to ask your permission to marry her. I promise I will not leave her or your grandson every again, I'll provide for them, I'll keep them safe, and I'll do everything to live up to your expectations."
Clark knew that it was quite the bomb he'd just released on the General but he knew an opportunity when he saw one. The General had already released the worst of his wrath. It had been Clark's plan all along to reveal himself to him; it was the only way he could justify receiving the General's permission to marry Lois. David had provided the perfect opportunity. Clark knew that somewhere fate was smiling upon him. He'd learned long ago that when things like this happened they weren't merely coincidences but planned incidents from a higher power. And he would be stupid for not taking action so he had.
The General appeared to be picking his shock up off the snow ridden floor. "You're Superman?" he muttered quietly.
"Yes," Clark replied.
Unlike most people who would probably fall over at the revelation, the General merely smacked his forehead and leaned against the wall. "Of course," he muttered. "Lois would never settle for anyone less after breaking up with Richard. He was the best, well, second best, compared to you. Everything about him was similar to you, you know that? All of us could see why she was attracted to him. The man is as close to you as a human can get. I was shocked at first when she said she was bringing another man over for the holidays. But now that I know who you are, everything makes sense now."
He looked over at Clark, giving him a once over. "Your disguise is good."
"Thanks."
"A pair of glasses and a made up story of being a farm boy."
"Well, the glasses may be fake but when I said I was a farm boy from Kansas I wasn't lying." The General raised a disbelieving eyebrow. Clark smiled. "I know; hard to believe that the Man of Steel was raised on a farm. Most people assume I grew up on Krypton and made my way to Earth as the last survivor. Well, their wrong. My parents sent me here when I was a baby. I arrived on Earth about the age of three. Jonathan and Martha Kent found me and raised me as their own. I don't know why they didn't turn me over to the government when they saw me and my ship lying in a cornfield but I'm grateful. I was raised just like everybody else although not like everyone else seeing that my powers developed as I grew. It's a good thing I was raised out in Smallville; it helped conceal the unexplainable things that I could do."
The General shook his head. "You know I'm part of the government right? I could have the Kents arrested for withholding information."
Clark smirked. "But you won't."
The General kept his stern expression but replied, "You're right, Clark. I won't."
Clark noted that he called him by his name rather than Carl. He must have done it to intimidate him. Smart man, Clark silently mused.
"So you want to marry Lois."
Clark looked him right in the eye and said with all the sincerity and seriousness he could muster, "More than anything, sir."
General Lane observed him silently for ten painstakingly long minutes. Clark had an idea of his inner struggle. He was sure it was everything that Clark had going through in his head when he'd considered marrying Lois before. Clark decided the man had to come to whatever resolve he decided on his own so he remained silent, waiting. After what felt like an eternity, Clark saw the toughened outer exterior diminish, allowing a much softer interior to be displayed within the General's eyes.
"You love her," he said softly, tenderly. It wasn't at all the gruff, rouge tone he'd usually spoke with.
"Yes," Clark replied, his voice oddly filled with passion he normally wouldn't display.
"And she loves you," the General said, his own voice now thick with emotion.
"I believe so," Clark muttered though he was confident.
"Oh, she does, son, believe me, she does," the General said with a pleasant chuckle. "I know my little Lo very well even if we repel like magnets. Fathers tend to know their daughters."
Clark nodded, remaining silent.
General Lane folded his arms, his decision having been made. Clark prepared himself for whatever may come. "Before I speak my mind, I have to know…who's asking the question?"
"Um…sir?"
The General smirked. "Is Superman asking or is Clark Kent?"
Clark wondered if his answer depended upon whether or not the General would grant him his desire. After a moment he decided to answer honestly. "Publically and privately, Clark Kent is asking the question but privately Superman is as well."
A satisfied smile reached all the way up to the General's eyes. "You've really thought this through, haven't you?"
"I've had five years to think it over," Clark confessed. "Traveling in a spaceship for that long tends to make you reflect upon the most important things."
The General laughed. "Well, I trust you, Clark. Even though you left, it all makes sense why you did now that I know. And because I know who you are, I know that anything concerning Lois will always be spoken of by you as truth." He stepped forward and put his hand on Clark's shoulder. "I give you both my blessing under strict understanding that if you ever hurt her again, I'll stake you with kryptonite myself."
Clark's smile widened, his happiness surging all the way down to the cores of his soul. "If I ever do sir, I'll help you."
The General laughed.
"Thank you," Clark muttered. "I promise I'll love her forever."
"I don't doubt it, son. Now come on, it's freezing out here and I'm hungry." The gruff general was back. Clark smiled and followed him with a spring in his step as the two made their way back to their loved ones and a delicious turkey dinner.
Once they'd entered the house, the smells of fresh Thanksgiving dinner caused their stomachs to growl. The General looked at Clark with amusement. "So you eat like everyone else?" he asked quietly.
Clark laughed. "Sorry," he said, chuckling at the General's bemusement, "it's just that Lois asked me the same thing in our first interview."
"Oh," the General muttered, understanding.
"I do eat. I also sleep but I don't need as much as humans do. I can go for about a week without it before exhaustion catches up with me. I guess being raised as one of you, I got used to the pattern of sleeping every night so I do."
The General took this in stride as he hung up his coat. He paused as he looked at Clark who was brushing snow off his shoulders. "I'm sorry I didn't let you grab your coat. Would it have mattered?"
Clark smirked. "Actually, no; I'm indifferent to temperature. Whether hot or cold I can't feel it. No matter the weather it's always a comfortable temperature to me."
The General frowned. "Must be nice," he muttered just as Lois rounded the corner, unable to stay away from the two men any longer.
Clark kissed her lovingly on the forehead the moment he was close enough to reach her. The General watched in awed silence as Lois's face softened, her guard completely thrown down from such a simple gesture. In all his years he'd never seen any man break that wall, not even Richard. It was confirmation that Clark Kent, Superman, was meant for her and she for him. He wouldn't have believed it; an alien was going to marry his daughter. But, he wasn't anything like the alien portrayals in movies and cartoons. No, Clark Kent was just as human as the rest of the planet.
Lois looked from Clark to her dad. Her eyes demanded an explanation. Clark squeezed her shoulders lightly. "He knows."
The General watched Lois's eyes widen as she looked from Clark to him and back again. "After all those years of keeping yourself hidden you go and reveal your biggest secret to my father?" she asked, flabbergast.
Clark actually laughed aloud. "Lois, relax."
"How can I relax?! You realize he's a General in the US Army, right?"
Clark took Lois by the shoulders and looked right into her eyes. "Secrets aren't for families, Lois."
She looked stunned. Overwhelmed, she rubbed her eyes and then looked at Clark again. "Clark, you're not going to…are you?"
"Are you suggesting I don't?" Clark asked.
Lois bit her lip. "It's not that I don't want you to…"
"But?" Clark prompted.
"Well, it's just…it's a big secret to keep, Clark! The more people who know, the bigger the danger!"
"You're right, it is a big secret to keep," Clark agreed, "but Lois, I'm willing to share it – and protect those involved – for the sake of you having your family to support you should the burden sometimes feel too heavy to bear alone."
888
I couldn't believe Clark had just said those words to me. How did he know that this particular fear had been on my mind for weeks? This man…every day he surprised me and it only deepened my love for him. Still, I was going to be stubborn. "I don't know," I muttered.
Clark rolled his eyes. "Lois, I know you. I know that you would rather bear things alone than involve other people; it's part of your independent personality that I love so much. But, sweetheart, you're not invincible. You can't keep something all to yourself, believe me. If I didn't have my mother to confide in, I would have literally gone crazy from keeping who I really am from the world. I can't tell you what a relief it is to have other people know. And it's definitely a bonus when things get hard. I know you're concerned about safety for everyone involved but I feel it's appropriate to tell your family about who you're really dating. They have a right to know."
I wanted to keep the debate going, to stall him from including Lucy and Ron, but he had brought everything to the table and it was undeniably comforting to see the blessings of letting my family know. It was also touching to me that Clark trusted my family enough to let them know who he really was. This was one of the many things he'd done to show me that he truly loved me.
"Fine," I finally caved, "but only Lucy and Ron should know. Rosy and Claire are too young."
"Lois, Jason knows and he's six."
"Jason's your son. It's different," I hedged.
Clark surprised me then by turning to my father. "What do you think, sir?"
The General's eyebrows rose towards his hairline. "Why are you asking me, Clark? This is your secret to share."
"You're the patriarch of this family," Clark replied. "I find your opinion valid where your family is concerned. Whatever your decision, I support it, sir."
The General smiled and I had to keep myself from letting my mouth drop open. Since when did the General look at any of my boyfriends with such respect and, dare I say it, pride?! He hadn't even looked at Richard like that and he'd confessed to me once that he was the best man I'd ever brought home. Now he and Clark go for one walk, come back, and Clark has him eating out of his hands, his approval is so profound! I couldn't wrap my mind around it.
"I think, for the sake of safety, the girls should be kept in the dark for now," the General answered. "Only when things get out of hand do I think we should tell them."
Clark nodded, seeming thoughtful. "They don't act like Lois, do they?" he asked.
I punched his arm. Anticipating the move, he shifted away from the impact so I wouldn't break my hand. I realized that all those times I'd punched Clark in the office he'd done this. That…! Oh my gosh, even if I hit him as hard as I could, it would probably feel like a breath of air to him. Why did that annoy me?
Clark smirked from my indignant stare. The General chuckled. "No, they act more like their parents, why?"
"If they were like Lois and found out after everyone else has known, they'd be sure to tear all of us to pieces," Clark explained while I huffed angrily.
"I don't do stuff like that," I lied.
Clark laughed. "Of course you don't." He kissed my hair.
Stupid Clark.
The General chuckled. "I hope you're willing to put up with her, Clark. She can be quite the fireball."
Stupid General.
"I think I can handle anything she throws at me," Clark assured. Then he leaned in and added in a quiet whisper, "It only deepens the spell she has on me."
I shivered and tried really hard not to blush up to my ears. "Clark," I said a little forcefully, "when are you going to break the news?"
"Later," Clark muttered, suddenly sounding rushed.
It was then that Lucy came around the corner. "What are all of you whispering about?" she asked, obviously feeling left out. "Daddy didn't wait until they got back to try to shoot Clark did he?"
"Nobody is going to get shot today, Luce," the General replied, walking past Lois and Clark with false indifference.
Lucy grinned. "You approve."
The General continued to frown. His back to Clark he shrugged and vaguely replied, "For now."
But everyone within the sound of his voice heard the smile hidden behind the words. I reached up and kissed Clark on the chin. "Welcome to the family."
Clark grinned.
After dinner, while the kids were distracted with a movie, Clark shared his secret with Lucy and Ron. They'd taken the news well even though they were still in shock when he said goodbye to them later that night. It would take a while to get used to but I could see that Clark was incredibly happy that they hadn't rejected him. So was I. Lucy demanded that we get together sometime as sisters to catch up on things. I promised I would fill her in on all the details later.
888
"WHY in the world does everyone have to punch and kick and shove just to try to get a toy?" I grumbled as I literally elbowed someone in the side to get out of the crowd of angry people in the mall.
Clark laughed beside me, his glasses askew as he disentangled himself from the bodies. "You weren't exactly waiting patiently yourself, Lois."
I glared at him. We were in the middle of the mall on Black Friday. I don't know what possessed me to join the madness every year but it had its perks; there were always stories to be found from being one with the action and Perry loved when I had eyewitness of someone getting thrown from one of the most expensive stores in Metropolis for disturbance of the peace to shoplifting on the busiest day of the year.
Clark adjusted his glasses and looked around. People were shoving and yelling as they ran through the crowds trying to reach the stores they desired to get the best deals. He sighed. "This isn't what Christmas should be about."
I bumped him lightly with my hip. "Come on, Smallville, lighten up. The ugly stuff only lasts a day."
"Yeah but it doesn't make it right, Lois."
"I didn't say it did. People act like wild animals when they sniff out a good deal. I don't like it any better than you do but if you focus on everything you see on the surface you're going to get depressed. I try to look for the motivation behind the desperation and that helps me to see that the reason why everyone is so frantic to get what they came for is so they can give the perfect gift to the ones they love. That's why we're here. We're shopping for Jason because we care about him and we want to give him a Christmas he'll never forget."
Clark looked at me and then kissed my forehead. "You're remarkable, you know that?"
I blushed, surprised by the open affection when surrounded by such chaos. "There's nothing really to be stunned over, Clark."
He smiled, took my hand, and squeezed it gently. "You always know how to calm me down. I love you for that, Lois."
I smiled, clearly pleased. "I love you too. Now, come on, we need to book it before all the other things we came for are gone."
I dragged Clark back into the fray, passing Hal Jordan in the process. He and Barry had decided to brave the masses and watch Clark through the shopping spree. Barry had already beat everyone to get the things he wanted at top speed and Hal liked to shop throughout the year for his gifts so as to avoid the lunacy that Clark and I had decided to join. Hal sent us a firm nod before returning to pretending to look at the stores like he was wondering which one he should enter.
After three hours, Clark and I found ourselves sitting on a bench in one of the courtyards with several bags filled with toys, clothes, and other paraphernalia. Hal and Barry had joined us and were wearing similar smirks as they eyed the purchases clearly for Jason. The kid was going to own more superhero stuff than he knew what to do with; it wasn't my fault all he'd written on his list were things inspired from the Justice League.
I pulled out Jason's list from my bag and double checked to make sure we had gotten everything. Clark hadn't helped in some cases, seeing this was his first Christmas in five years and he had a son to spoil. I had to stop him from buying a grand piano. I shuddered to even think about how much of his salary he'd been willing to sacrifice on monthly payments for three years. I convinced him that an electric piano would be fine for now since Jason was still too young to determine whether he'd want to pursue the piano in the future.
"I think we got everything," I muttered, finally reaching the bottom.
"That last purchase was a nightmare to watch," Barry laughed. "You nearly yanked that woman's hair out, Lois!"
"Well, I had my hands on the action figure first," I defended. "It wasn't my fault she latched onto it and tried to rip the arms off in an attempt to get me to let go."
"Yeah, but going so far as to step on her foot…" Hal muttered.
"Look, that was the last thing Jason wanted and though I don't know why he would want a three foot tall action figure of Batman when he can see him anytime, I wouldn't want to see his disappointed face when he received every other member of the Justice League except for the Dark Knight on Christmas morning."
Hal and Barry shrugged, but didn't try to respond from my agitation. Clark patted my shoulder. "You're a good mother, Lois."
I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing my temples. I hadn't meant to snap at Hal and Barry. I was just stressed. Even though I'd bought everything needed for Jason – after working everything out, Richard had returned the money he'd taken from the accounts that rightfully belonged to me – I still hadn't found something for Clark. What could you get the Man of Steel? I'd been stressing about it for a while and now that the day of good deals had finally arrived I didn't know what to do. I wanted to get him something special; something that would mean something. But what?!
My thoughts were interrupted as the glass ceiling above our heads shattered. Clark leapt over the top of me as a shield from the falling shards while Hal and Barry sprang into action. Due to the chaos and everyone screaming to get out of the line of fire nobody noticed as Hal slipped on the ring and changed into Green Lantern or Barry who disappeared in a whirl of wind to come back as the Flash.
Green Lantern created a dome over the area, sparing people from the glass while Flash ran around helping people to their feet. I looked up just in time to see a man fall through the exploded ceiling onto Green Lantern's dome. He was wearing a red trench coat and large brown boots and had flowing brown hair.
"Which bounty hunter are you?" Green Lantern asked as he watched the man slide down the dome to the floor.
He looked up at Green Lantern with soulless black eyes…four eyes. I shuttered. Clark picked me up and carried me off to the side to join the other shoppers who'd gathered to watch the spectacle. Clark kissed my cheek before slipping into the crowd. I sighed in anger. If that creature ruined any of the presents I got for Jason, I'd kick him into space myself! I was not in the mood for another bounty hunter.
"I am Hanz, Green Lantern 2814," he answered. "And I don't fear you or the Corp. I've evaded capture for years. You will fail at detaining me just as much as the other-"
He was interrupted as a blur of red and blue slammed into him from the side, crashing him into the wall. Superman stood over him looking thoroughly ticked off. "I'm not in the mood to deal with this today," he stated, picking Hanz up by the gruff laced cravat he had around his neck.
Hanz used this opportunity to smash a hidden blade into Superman's arm. The metal shattered against his skin, the chips flying everywhere. Several cut into Hanz's face leaving little trails of orange blood. Four black eyes widened revealing a hint of white, the creature's expression one of absolute shock.
"But…that blade was made of Amoriana," he muttered, "It's an indestructible metal on my planet. That blade has killed every opponent I have ever faced."
"I guess you overused it," Superman said sternly. Before Hanz could respond, he lifted his finger and flicked the alien in the forehead. Hanz went out like a light, his body slumping in Superman's grip. He turned to Green Lantern and Flash. "Really?" he muttered to them both. "This guy was a bounty hunter?"
Green Lantern shook his head with an exasperated smile. "Superman, Hanz is a pretty famous criminal. Even I've heard of him and he is usually known for wreaking havoc on the other side of the universe. That blade you just shattered was his ace. The poor guy was probably in complete shock."
Superman frowned. "Want to turn him in, Lantern? Flash and I will clean things up here."
Green Lantern made a cell out of his ring, encasing Hanz. "I'll be back in an hour," he replied before shooting through the open roof.
Flash appeared at his side. "So, clean up duty, huh? Race you?"
Superman smirked. "You're on."
The crowd watched as a red blur mixed with a blue and red blur whizzed around in a swirl of fierce wind. Ten seconds later Superman and Flash reappeared. The floor was completely devoid of glass, the roof had been repaired, and the wall Superman had smashed Hanz into was now smooth. Flash held a small shopping bag in his hands containing the remains of the shattered blade. "Take that to Batman so he can analyze it," Superman said, using super speech which could only be used and understood by people who possessed super speed.
"Will do," Flash said also in super speech. "Don't you dare leave the mall until you see one of us."
"I won't," Superman promised.
Flash disappeared, Superman waved to the citizens and flew out of the mall's doors. I quickly walked over to my purchases, all accounted for including the Batman action figure I had to fight so hard to buy. I sighed as I sat down on the bench, thinking about Hanz and all the other bounty hunters who'd shown up in the last two months. This was getting ridiculous. Surely the government had noticed the extraterrestrial visits; why hadn't they reported it to the intergalactic government yet? Maybe they already did and were aware of the problem. These threats were in the Green Lantern's jurisdiction after all and he was taking care of it. Hal had probably brought in more criminals alone than any other in the Corp. What worried me was that this was sure to come back to haunt us. We were making a ton of enemies that didn't even dwell on Earth.
At this point I wanted to find the Preserver and beat the crap out of him. At this rate he was going to ruin Christmas and I was not going to stand for that. The next bounty hunter that showed up was going to end up tasting my six inch high stilettos. I'd had enough. I looked up at the ceiling with vengeful thoughts when Clark reappeared, pecking me on the cheek. "Hey, beautiful," he muttered.
"I want a statement later," I said.
Clark smiled, my demand lightening the mood just as I hoped it would. "Of course, Miss Lane," he said softly.
"Alright, now that that's out of the way, ready to go? I want some hot chocolate."
Clark looked around and stopped to stare at a rich blond making his way out of a suit store, a cell phone on his ear. Clark raised an eyebrow. I looked over and recognized the blond as none other than Oliver.
"Oliver brought a car for us," Clark revealed. "It's waiting just outside with the keys under the mat. He'll follow behind on his motorcycle."
"He's riding a motorcycle in this weather?" I asked incredulously while looking out at the falling snow.
Clark smirked. "He doesn't mind. Come on; let's get that hot chocolate to go."
888
It had been a week since Black Friday and Clark was relieved that it had been bounty hunter free. It had been nice to be able to go back to only worrying about earth-bound criminals and natural disasters. He'd had his hands full at the Planet too; Perry felt to pour loads of stories on both him and Lois to keep each other so busy they hardly had any time in the evening to privately be together. He found time each day to be with Jason who appeared to love nothing more than to spend his time sitting at his desk coloring pictures and doing his homework.
Richard had come back to the Planet to be the Assistant Editor after Thanksgiving. Everyone seemed happy to see him back, especially Perry. He was usually in his office typing away at his computer. Clark glanced over at Richard; he'd just returned from refilling his coffee in the break room. He appeared to be deep in a story. Clark looked at his watch. Lois had run out to meet with a source and wouldn't be back for twenty more minutes. Jason was busy coloring a picture of Batman next to him. Clark stood; it was now or never.
"I'll be right back, kiddo," he said, ruffling Jason's hair.
"Okay, Daddy," Jason said.
Clark walked over to Richard's door and knocked. The man started, looking up from the notes he was poring over. "Oh, hey Clark," he said while setting his notes aside. "What's up?"
Clark walked into the office and shut the door, an unusual occurrence. Richard looked at him questioningly. Clark appeared nervous. What would make the Man of Steel so uncomfortable?
"I was wondering if you were still available to watch Jason tonight," he said.
Richard, though surprised, nodded. "Yeah, I told you I would. Are you alright?"
Clark ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "I'm just nervous."
Richard's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. "You're Superman. What on earth would have you so nervous?" Clark didn't answer. He looked uncomfortable. Richard observed him for a moment more and then comprehension dawned. "You're going to propose, aren't you?"
Clark flinched and shuffled his feet, suddenly becoming very agitated. "Yeah," he confessed, his eyes on his shoes.
Richard smirked. "Well it's about time."
Clark froze. "What?"
Richard's smile deepened. "Clark, I haven't been with Lois for seven months. There's no reason to feel like it's too soon. She's been waiting for this for seven years. So have you. I'm honestly shocked it's taken you this long to get up the courage to put a ring on her finger when it's so obvious it's what both of you have always wanted."
Clark opened and closed his mouth several times, humoring Richard further; he'd caused the Man of Steel to be speechless. Too bad he couldn't brag about that to anyone.
"Go get her, Clark," he urged.
Clark continued to be rooted to the floor. "You're serious?" he gasped.
Richard laughed. "Yes."
Clark swallowed. "Are you sure?"
Richard paused, testing out how he truly felt about all of this. Yes, he still loved Lois but now it had transformed to being a love that a brother would have for a sister. He wanted nothing more than to see her happy and truth be told she'd been happier in the last four months than she had ever been with him. He knew the source of that happiness was Clark and even if he had to drop kick Clark into getting on with sealing the deal, he'd do everything he could to make sure they were together. Oddly, it wasn't a painful thought to see Lois with Clark. In fact, it was surprisingly a huge relief!
Richard realized his silence was being misinterpreted; Clark's face was filled with guilt. "Clark! Before you get the idea that I'm not happy, let me correct you. I was simply thinking about how you really are meant for Lois and she for you. And that doesn't make me sad! I'm actually quite happy about it. In all the years I was with Lois she never truly let down the walls of her heart. Sure I broke in further than anyone but when I reached the last defense I realized it had a lock on it so thick only you could break it. I mean that Clark; no other person on this earth could crumble that wall but you. You're the one she needs."
"But what about you?" Clark muttered.
Richard couldn't believe his ears. Clark had just been handed everything he'd ever wanted and he was concerned about his love life? The man was out of this world…well, he wasn't from this world…but still! Richard couldn't comprehend Clark. He'd never met another man who would show such genuine concern for someone who was almost responsible for ripping all happiness from his existence. Clark really was one of a kind.
Clark continued, "I left for five years and you stepped into Lois and Jason's lives. You provided for them, made memories with them, and loved them. What right do I have to take all of that away from you? I never would have wished this to happen. I'm sorry, Richard."
Richard shook his head. "You are, by far, the weirdest man I have ever met, Clark. Only you would think backwards."
"What do you mean?" Clark asked, bemused.
"I was the one who almost took everything away from you not the other way around. You had Lois first. Jason is literally your son. I just rushed in the moment you couldn't be found flying around through the skies anymore. I wasn't an idiot, Clark. I knew very well who Lois was when I started to pursue her. In fact, it was because she was Lois Lane that I even pursued her at all. I hate to admit it but I was first attracted to all the exteriors of Lois. It wasn't until I really started dating her that I fell in love with who she really was. And through all five years of our relationship I knew that she could never fully love me. When you came back, yeah, I was hurt. I was jealous. But after I got my head out of all of that and opened my eyes, I saw the transformation in both Lois and Jason. It was like someone had dunked my head into a barrel full of water and I finally woke up. You're her missing puzzle piece, Clark. Now, get out of my office and get ready for the most important date of your life."
Clark looked as if he wanted to say more but he closed his mouth, stood to his full height, and nodded. Turning on his heel, he walked towards the door but then paused to turn around. "Richard?"
"Yeah, Clark?"
"Thank you."
No further words needed to be said between them. Richard smiled widely and Clark returned the gesture with one of his trademark goofy grins before going back to his desk. After informing Jason that he would be spending the evening with Richard, Clark turned off his computer, ruffled his son's hair, gathered his things, and left to go get ready for a night he truly hoped would be one to remember.
888
I had such a rough day. None of the sources I went chasing after had panned out not to mention my feet hurt from running all over the place in my heels. I shouldn't have worn stilettos today but I had really wanted to catch a certain superhero's eyes so I sacrificed comfort for a little bit of attention. Though Clark hadn't outright said anything about them when I'd walked into the office earlier in the day, I did notice his eyes follow my legs as I made my way towards my desk. That had been the one good thing to happen this whole day.
I sighed as I trudged up the stairs to my apartment, my desire solely to put my feet up, cuddle with Clark, and watch a movie. Richard had sent me a text saying he really wanted to spend the evening with Jason. Things being as they were, I was fully supportive of any time Richard wanted to spend with Jason; I wanted them to have as much time together as possible so both of them knew that Clark and I were more than fine with them continuing the relationship they'd always had.
I plopped down on my couch, closed my eyes, and let out a sigh. I needed a shower. Raking my hands through my hair, I stood up and made my way into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, I emerged in a pair of sweats and a hoodie. It felt good to walk around in my fuzzy socks, devoid of any heels. Grabbing my phone, I realized I had a message from Clark.
Lois, I know this is late notice but seeing as it's a beautiful night, I was wondering if you'd like to spend it with me. I know you're in the shower right now – I didn't peek! I hear the water running – so I figured I'd give you an hour from the time you get this text to get ready. Let me know.
I looked out the window. It wasn't snowing but there was a nice thick blanket of white all over my fire escape. I had a strange feeling that when Clark meant to spend the evening with him it wasn't to sit on the couch and watch a movie in my sweats. I was torn. I wanted to be with Clark but not if it involved going anywhere. But if he sent me this text that meant he had made plans and it wasn't a coincidence that Richard had asked to watch Jason on a school night. I grabbed my phone.
Give me twenty minutes.
The reply came instantly: Take as much time as you need.
I smiled. I was sure Clark would wait until Armageddon if I needed that much time to get ready. I rushed into my room and looked through my closet. It was going to be a cold night tonight. Even if Clark took me flying and I was wrapped close to his amazing body heat it would be beneficial to dress warm. Rummaging through my sweaters, I found a rather pretty knitted turtle neck of the richest shade of red. Coupling it with dark denim jeans and a pair of knee high black boots – without a heel – I went into the bathroom and applied the usual amount of makeup with a dash of cherry red lipstick and a light spray of perfume. My hair was almost dry but it wouldn't do to walk out with it in that condition in the current weather.
It took five minutes to find my stupid hairdryer; it was buried in a box in my closet. Frantically plugging it in while checking the time, I turned the thing on and prayed that my hair would magically dry with the first few strokes. I'd already gone ten minutes past the twenty I'd originally told Clark I'd be ready. Stupid hair, I thought to myself. It was the one thing I curse over inheriting from my mother when in a crisis like this. The thickness was about two inches when I pulled it all back into a ponytail. Another five minutes later, my hair was done. Grabbing my black coat, keys, and phone, I rushed to the door.
There was a distinct knock as my hand touched the knob. Though slightly flustered, I had to smile. For all I knew, Clark had been waiting for this moment since I'd gotten home. He was the most patient man alive. I yanked the door open and sure enough there he stood in an outfit that took my breath away. He was wearing a formfitting bright blue button down shirt, black jacket, and black slacks. His new glasses were missing, his hair a mixed style of Superman and Clark, and his posture was relaxed but firm. His confident smile reached all the way up to his stunning blue eyes, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Hey," he said. His tone, to my surprise, was ranged in between Superman's deep timbre and Clark Kent's high pitch. It was a resonating baritone and it was more stirring to my heart than the usual familiar guises he used.
I searched his eyes as I breathed in the fresh smell of cornfields and spices. The more I stared, the bigger Clark's grin became. My observation concerning his appearance led me to one conclusion: this was the real Clark Kent. This was Kal-El. My heart did a little flip at the realization; the two blended forms of the man I loved were more attractive to me than either individual identity. I slipped my hand through his.
"Hi," I breathed, trying to stop from physically drooling all over myself.
Clark leaned in and kissed my cheek. "You look beautiful," he said, pulling away.
"Thanks," I stammered, my heart pounding a thousand miles a minute. "You look…"
"Different?" he offered.
"Yeah," I muttered.
His face faltered a fraction. "Do you…like it?"
"What? Of course I do! Why would I not?" – Clark relaxed – "It's just, this is the first time you've let me look at the real you. And let me assure you, I like what I see…Kal-El."
I felt him shiver as I said his name with a seductive caress in my voice. His voice sounded more like the usual Clark at the office as he stammered, "I thought we could go for a walk since it's…you know…a nice evening."
"Lead the way, Smallville," I said leaning in closer to him.
Clark regained his composure and took charge again, leading me gently down the stairs out into the crisp, chilled air. We walked in silence, enjoying each other's company, while admiring the frost clinging to the branches of leafless trees every few feet on the sidewalk. Street lamps and the night lights of the city were coming to life, bathing the world around us in an artificial but not unpleasant glow. Our shoes crunched down the snow, causing a strange rhythmic sound to mingle with the city music coming from cars, people, and electronic devices.
Clark guided me to Metropolis City Park, the same place he'd crashed after lifting New Krypton into the sky. There were plenty of people milling around despite it being past nine; children participated in snowball fights or building snowmen while parents chatted with cups of hot chocolate in their hands. A few couples could even be seen amidst the trees, deeply enjoying each other's company. Surely Clark didn't have a similar idea of publicly making out under a snow covered tree?
Just when I thought he was going to stop to mingle around the populated spot of the park, he turned down a small seemingly forgotten path between two sets of bushes. After looking around, he used his heat vision to melt the two feet of snow down to an inch like the current path we were on. I was surprised that his heat hadn't made the surface slippery or slushy to walk on but he might have breathed on it to cool it down since when we started walking across the snow it crunched just like the rest on the main path.
When the path opened up five minutes later, it revealed a heartwarming scene. A bonfire, already a blaze, was in the middle of an open clearing, a blanket resting on a large fallen tree, and a thermos located near the fire filled to the top with what I was sure was hot chocolate. Clark squeezed my hand, invited me to sit down on the natural bench, before joining me, wrapping the thick blanket around us. I almost forgot that I was outside because of the heat of the fire combined with Clark's heat trapped under the blanket. I cuddled close to him as he played with my fingers under the blanket with his right hand.
"I'm sorry I took you away from a comfortable evening," he muttered.
"This is way better than what I had in mind," I sighed happily.
Clark kissed my hair before busting out the hot chocolate. It slid down my throat and tickled my insides in a pleasant manner. It was some of the best hot chocolate I'd ever tasted.
"Not that I want an audience," I said after a while, "but where are the usual prying eyes?"
Clark smirked. "Oh, they're around. They're just keeping their distance."
I raised an eyebrow. "I wonder why…they're normally within sight and sound."
Clark shrugged. "I guess they just didn't want to interrupt a romantic evening. Intimate situations tend to make people uncomfortable."
"Except for the people directly involved," I said cheerfully, leaning up and planting a soft kiss on his chin.
He chuckled and squeezed me. "I suppose you're right on that one."
As we sat there and the night stretched on, we talked about so many things: the current stories Perry was making us do, the coming court trial for Lex Luthor in three months, and Jason. After half an hour, Clark got a faraway look on his face. I frowned. Why did our evening have to end like this? This always seemed to happen when I was thoroughly enjoying my time with him. Clark noticed my slight frown. Kissing my forehead, he stood up. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, okay?"
I smiled. "Okay."
He made sure that I was bundled up in the warmth of the blanket before disappearing in a blur of blue. I sighed and concentrated on the fire, my thoughts currently on Jason and if he was having a good time with Richard. I was just beginning to wonder if I should call to check on him when something brushed my face. I started as the culprit rested on my hand. Picking it up, I recognized the smooth texture…
"A rose petal?" I questioned aloud.
That's when I looked up to find what looked like millions of bright pink rose petals falling from the sky. They landed in the snow, in the trees, on the bushes, and near the fire. Standing up, the blanket slithering off my shoulders, I walked away from the fire to more deeply appreciate the breathtaking and extraordinary scene. I made it several paces away from the fire when I noticed Clark walking towards me. The pink rose petals continued to fall all around us as he closed the distance and all of a sudden, a conversation from long ago floated into my mind…
"Do you like…pink?"
"I like pink very much, Lois."
A petal grazed my nose and I blushed deeply, the memory fresh on my mind. Clark was now standing in front of me with the same smile he gave when he told me those words all those years ago.
"I'm sorry I had to step away for a moment," he said tenderly, taking my hand. "The area was a little too white for my liking."
I blushed even more deeply as he cupped my face and brushed his thumb lovingly across my cheek.
"Lois, I love you so much," he whispered, his blue eyes bearing into mine unblinkingly. "From the first moment I saw you, I was head over heels in love. Never before had a person affected me so deeply, so maddeningly, as you. I realized that the sun was no longer my source of life. It was you, Lois. It was you when I first saved you from that fall, it was you when I traveled alone for five years in space, and it has been you since I've returned. The odds may be against us but I need you in my life, Lois. You are the only rose that could ever bloom forever in my garden."
His words pierced me to the heart and my breathing hitched as he dropped down to one knee and opened a little black box to reveal a silver ring with a diamond in the center surrounded by two smaller pink stones.
"Lois Lane," he said, his voice a sweet caress, "I promise to be forever yours and yours alone. Will you marry me?"
888
Clark waited for what seemed like an eternity but could surely have only been a couple of seconds in reality as he watched the love of his life stare down at him in silence. She was exquisite, her beautiful dark curls flowing around her face, her hazel eyes sparkling in the distant street lights.
The pink petals had stopped falling now, their resting places scattered all around them mixing lovingly with the whiteness of the snow.
Clark never let his gaze falter as he waited for another second, taking the scene displayed before him. And then he heard Lois's heartbeat skyrocket as tears poured down her flushed cheeks. Her nose turned a bright pink as she displayed a smile that caused her eyes to shine brighter than the billions of stars above their heads.
"Yes," she breathed. "Yes!"
It took all of Clark's self control not to rocket into the sky from the elation that had exploded in his chest. Grinning from ear to ear, he took the ring out of its case.
888
Clark slid the silver metal onto my left ring finger slowly as if he were desirous to slow down time so as to enjoy this moment to the fullest. My eyes followed until the beautiful jewel came to a rest at the base of my finger. Clark stood and I leapt into his arms. He spun me around twice, laughing aloud in joy; I joined him. And then we were kissing – the need to exclaim our joy couldn't be expressed in words. I felt like I was going to slip into utter ecstasy as Clark pulled me close, his hands snaking into my hair and the small of my back. Mine were nested somewhere in his black locks, my fingers knitted in between the soft short tendrils. I had a sense that we weren't on the ground anymore and I opened my eyes just a split second between kisses to find my suspicions were correct. Clark was in so much jubilation that we were hovering three feet above the ground.
"Don't go too high, Smallville," I whispered against his lips.
Clark laughed before sealing my lips with his own, demanding that I refocus solely on him and not on the distance between us and the ground. As I allowed myself to sink into the passion of his lips that expressed the love he couldn't communicate in words, I felt like the luckiest woman in the universe. I was destined to be with this man and all the powers that be had weaved the fabrics of our fates so tightly that nothing could rip us apart. We weren't just joint puzzle pieces or two sides of the same coin; we were something much more. We were soul mates.
The longer he kissed me the more the words echoed through every chamber in my mind: I love you, Kal-El. From now until the end of time, I am, and will always be, forever yours and yours alone.
A special thank you to everyone who has taken the time to encourage me with such positive reviews! Each of them brings a little more sunshine to my day and I'm truly grateful that you take the time to leave a comment. The proposal scene was inspired from the proposal presented in the television show Smallville so a big thank you to those who wrote that episode and made it come alive.
What did you think of Clark's proposal in this chapter? Leave a thought if you feel so inclined! You guys are awesome! :)