A/N: Sorry this is so short, but I just had to share it. Thanks for all of you still hanging in there with me. Just a friendly reminder I am a HUGE fan of happily ever after...so Doomsday? well, it will all work out in the end, I PROMISE! : )

"Clark, come on, it can't be that bad?" Lois spoke from outside the bathroom.

"Oh it's bad alright," Clark whined. "What on earth….er Krypton, was he thinking?" he spoke. Lois just rested her head and a palm against the door. "And to think my own mother made this?" he groaned.

"Come on Clark Please?" Lois asked, there was no response. She rubbed her palm against the door. "Baby please open this door?" she asked in her sweetest voice.

"No," he spoke. "Oh no. Nonononononono,"

"Maaarrrrrtttthaaaaaa!" Lois shouted. "He won't come out of the bathroom!" Martha, Tao, and Chloe came up the stairs to join her outside the bathroom.

"Clark?" Martha asked sweetly. "Honey, really we're all family here." Nothing, Lois just shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Unfreakingbelievable." she sighed.

Martha just shook her head and took her place at the front of the line at the door. "Clark Jerome Kent, you get your behind out here this instant!" she used her best mom/senator voice.

"I love you mom, and I've never really disobeyed, but ohhhhnooooo," he spoke. Martha just shrugged and shook her head and then looked to Tao. He only smirked and gestured for her to step aside. She raised her index finger wanting one more chance. He nodded.

"Clark I'm going to give you just ONE more chance to open this door on your own, or else."

"What? NO!" he spoke.

"You can't say she didn't warn you cousin," Tao spoke and closed his eyes and gestured. The door was pulled from its hinges and moved aside. Clark turned eyes a big as saucers, not sure what to do, flee or just face the music. There was a collective gasp from all of the women. A giggle leaked from Chloe's mouth and Martha just shot her a lethal look. She immediately covered her mouth with her hands.

"Well.," Martha spoke digging deep to hide the emotion that was trying to surface, amusement was clearly on her face. "That wasn't so bad was it?" she sighed. "Now, get your behind downstairs, NOW!" she spoke and turned, directing Chloe to head down the stairs. It was a stare down with now with Tao and Lois vs. Clark. Tao grinned arrogantly.

"Nice cape," he teased then turned and headed down stairs. Clark groaned, he just wanted to disappear into the floor. Left alone with Lois, the silence was killing him.

"Aren't you gonna laugh at me too?" he turned to face Lois head on.

She took in and released a deep breath. "Well, at least they won't be looking at your face?" she shrugged and smiled as she walked into the bathroom. He had always worn red and blue so it wasn't the colors that drew her in. It was the surprisingly revealing tightness of it, and the underwear on the outside. The symbol blazoned on his chest, was just …..guh.

"Lois?" he asked shaking his head, more uncertain than he had ever been in his entire life.

"Clark, really? It's not so bad." she smiled as she rested her hands on his chest, her fingers tracing the edge of the emblem sewn there. " Really nothing left to the imagination,"

"Lois," he whined.

"Really!" she nodded. "I promise, no one will be looking at your face." she grinned. "Hiding in plain sight right?" she tried to be optimistic. He just sighed.

"Claarrkk?" Martha called from the living room. He just groaned and closed his eyes.

"Now, come on, it's your mother, your cousin, and Chloe? How bad could that be?" she smiled. Clark pulled her into a kiss then rested his forehead against hers.

"Thank you." he whispered. Lois looked into his eyes and saw the pure relief and absolute love reflected in his gaze and it melted her heart.

"No problem," she winked, pulled back, took his hand in hers and led him down the stairs.

00000

After a full inspection, the room for Clark was uncomfortably silent. He was completely aware of the intense scrutiny as he too was taking stock of the situation. The fabric felt weird, alien to his alien skin. The boots were nothing like he had ever worn and he could only play with the edges of the cape while facing the scrutiny of his family waiting for someone to say something.

"Cousin," Tao spoke first. "Your father didn't do this to humiliate you." he spoke. "This is one more way for him to protect you. To keep your identity hidden. It may feel revealing, but once you take flight, you might actually appreciate the aerodynamics of it." he spoke.

"Father never mentioned this at all," he spoke spreading the cape out with the splaying of his hands.

"Some things in your lessons were more important then this," he spoke plainly.

"You know.." Lois interrupted. "Something still isn't quite right," Lois spoke looking at him, studying him. She tapped her index finger on her chin, trying to figure it out.

"You're so right," Martha spoke examining her son closely. She stood and walked around him.

Chloe had been gesturing just like Lois when her face lit up, "Oh, I got it," Chloe squealed. She bolted up the stairs and came back a few minutes later holding a tube of extra hold gel. Lois smiled at her cousin.

"Perfect," she smiled. Lois took the tube from Chloe and opened it and poured a large glob in her hand. "Do you mind?" she asked him as she surveyed how much taller he was then her. Clark groaned and knelt before her. She then put nearly the whole tube of gel in his hair, slicking it back. There was one wayward curl that refused to stay in place and would drop over his forehead. "Well?" she asked the other folks in the room.

"Perfect," Chloe spoke.

"Absolutely perfect," Martha spoke. She stood and went to Clark who was still kneeling and kissed his cheek. "Now, I'm going to start dinner, you kids have fun." she winked at him and headed into the kitchen.

"Cousin, there is so much we should discuss." Tao spoke. "But, I think Lois here should get to experience your newest….skill?" he teased.

"What?" Lois asked.

Clark stood and wrapped his arms around Lois, "Come fly with me." he whispered in her ear.

"What like now?" she asked. "What about checking the weather, isn't it to hot out, to bright out?" she babbled. Clark kissed her gently to silence her protests.

"No time like present?' he smirked and scooped her up and carried out of the front door and disappeared.

Chloe sighed then felt the reassuring arms of Tao around her. "Did you ever think you'd ever see that?" he asked.

Chloe turned to face him, her eyes filled with tears. "No, I never thought I would." She sighed and shook her head as tears began to fall.

"Why the tears?" he asked. He could feel her hurt, her confusion, her fear, and it nearly dropped him to his knees. But he needed her to put words to it, to help mend her broken heart.

"It's like waking up from a dream." she spoke shaking her head. She couldn't really articulate why if felt like an ending and a beginning all wrapped into one. Tao's expression didn't change. Chloe paused so afraid that she was going to hurt or anger him. "But he's who he's supposed to be and with who he's supposed to be with."

He sighed, "Letting go is hard," he spoke softly. "And it doesn't happen over night. You were there for him from the very beginning. When it really mattered, vested a large interest in helping him discover what he was terrified to discover." he spoke cupping her face in his hands. "Your feelings are very real, and I won't judge them or discount them." he held her gaze with a very intense gaze. "You are my mate, my wife Chloe. You are linked to me in the most elemental way, and nothing can change that or change my feelings for you." he leaned and kissed her. A kiss that started merely as a reassurance then turned heated.

"Well, well, well." Martha spoke leaning against the door way to the room. Chloe blushed and rested her head against Tao's chest. "I do believe congratulations are in order," she smiled. "I'm so happy for you Chloe," she entered and hugged her. "And you to, Tao," she smiled hugging him. "But don't think you're off the hook for some sort of party." she teased him and winked.

"No, Ma'am," he smiled and kissed the top of Chloe's head.

"Good, now, I need a few things from town, you mind going for me?" she asked the pair.

"Not at all." Chloe spoke. Martha handed her a list and she and Tao headed to his SUV.

00000

Perry White sat in the office of his home, staring at all his journalism awards. At this moment they were empty, hallow, and meaningless. He was caught between a rock and hard place and was being forced to set up not only a star reporter but one young lady he thought of as a friend, hell thought of as a daughter. Lex Luthor had him over a barrel. He needed to warn Chloe, but knew he was being watched. He absently rubbed his chin and sighed, "Great shades of Elvis, what am I going to do?"

000000000

Davis sat on the floor of his apartment a piece of artists charcoal in hand and a one of now at least a hundred renderings of the woman that's smell was nearly intoxicating to him. The smell had infiltrated his senses and on his down time in between calls he would close his eyes and an image began to form, confused by his thoughts he made his partner go with him to a craft store where he bought some charcoal and drawing tablets.

He couldn't get out of the station fast enough at the end of his shift. The image that had been forming in his mind was now more solid and the only way to purge it was to draw it. He had never ever been an artist, but he had to do this.

The beast within let the man have the thoughts, draw the image. His mate was in the city, he had never had such cravings in all his life and the scent of the woman soothed him, haunted him, aroused him. The human shell would draw her to him, and he would claim her.