A.N: I know I said I wouldn't post until after Christmas, but I started writing tonight, and the story has come to an end. This is in fact the final chapter. Please read the Author's Note after this. It'll explain everything.

Chapter 34

Lois opened her eyes and realized she was lying on a comfortable bed. She looked down at herself and saw her clothes, to see they were clean. Had she been dreaming?

"How are you feeling?"

She turned to the giant window, where the voice was coming from, to see Clark come closer to the bed.

"Where am I", she asked trying to sit up.

"Don't sit up", he super sped to her side, "You're still a bit weak."

She looked up at him and nodded, lying back down. "So it wasn't a dream."

"It could have been classified more like a nightmare."

"For me", Lois said nonchalantly, "Or for you…"

"Both", Clark answered honestly, "I've never been so scared. I thought I'd never see you again."

Lois's eyes welled up, and she brought her hand up to her face, to stop the tears from falling.

"Neither did I", she whispered.

"Lois, what were you thinking", he asked sitting next to her on the bed, "Putting yourself in that kind of danger."

"It's not like I woke up that morning looking for it", she said, "It just happened."

"It always just happens", Clark laughed softly, "It's like you have a quota for the amount of heart attacks you have to give me…."

She smiled. "Thanks for saving me. You always do."

"And I always will", he said seriously, "But I can't take all the credit this time."

"So where am I", she asked again, "This is not as nice as the hotel I was staying in and definitely not my apartment."

Clark sat back. "Wayne Manor."

Then it clicked in her head. "Bruce is…"

"That's a conversation you need to have with him", Clark stopped her.

She nodded. "Did you get him?"

Clark shook his head. "He got away. But we blew his hideout up."

She nodded understanding.

"Lois… we have to talk about-"

Lois tucked herself under the covers more.

"I'm a little tired still", she sighed, "Can we talk later?"

"Sure", he said standing up and walking toward the door. He stopped before opening the door, "You can't avoid me forever, Lois. I'm always around."

She sucked in a breath at his words. She waited until he left to let the tears fall, crying herself back to sleep.

*-*-*-*-*

Lois was awakened again when she heard her door open. Feeling scared she hid under her covers. She counted to ten, hoping who ever it was would go away.

The "intruder" pulled her covers back and she shrieked.

"Lois", Chloe whispered, "Shh… it's just me…"

Lois opened her eyes seeing her cousin sitting on her bed next to her.

"Chloe", she whispered and sat up to hug her cousin, "I thought…"

"I know", Chloe said rubbing her back, "But he's gone now… and he's not coming back…"

"He's out there…", she was trembling in her cousin's arms.

"It's okay Lois", Chloe whispered holding her and drawing comforting circles on her back.

"Can you sleep with me tonight", Lois asked.

Chloe's heart broke seeing her older cousin so broken. She felt tears sting her eyes, watching the strongest and bravest woman Chloe had ever known, looking like a little girl asking her to check for monsters under the bed.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, Lo… I'll be here until you need me to."

"Thank you", Lois whispered and scooted over to give her cousin room on the bed.

Chloe watched Lois sleep that night. She could see her cousin fighting with inner demons through her frantic movement and sweaty forehead. She sighed knowing that this would be the first of many nights Lois wouldn't sleep right, if she would ever be able to sleep right again.

*-*-*-*-*

"How'd she sleep last night", Clark asked Chloe the next morning while drinking coffee in Bruce's kitchen.

"Not good, Clark", Chloe said shaking her head, "I've never seen Lois so scared so broken…"

Clark lowered his head.

"Wait", Chloe said stepping closer to him, "Don't start blaming yourself. This is in no way your fault."

"I should have been there", Clark said, "I should have been protecting her, but because I was jealous…"

"Clark, you couldn't have known", Chloe said, "What the Joker did to Lois, no one could have predicted…"

"It should never have happened, Chloe", Clark said.

"But it did", Chloe stopped him, "Now the question is how are you going to be there for her?"

Clark stared at her, wondering if he should even be in her life. Ever since Lois Lane had become a part of his life, her life had been in danger.

"Ever since I met her and pulled her into my world she's been in danger", Clark said leaning against the counter, "Maybe I need to let her go, so she can have a normal life."

"Clark", Chloe said, "If you seriously believe that, then you are more demented than I ever thought. It's because of you that Lois and I are even alive today. How many times have you saved us?"

"How many times has it been my fault you've needed saving?"

"Clark", Chloe shook her head at his retreating figure, "If you walk out of her life at the time she needs you the most, she'll never forgive you", he stopped in front of the door, "I'll never forgive you."

Clark lowered his gaze to the floor and walked out the door.

*-*-*-*-*

"Where's Clark", Bart walked into the kitchen finding Chloe alone.

"Running scared", Chloe said picking up her coffee and leaving the kitchen angrily.

"Did I miss something", Bart asked in the empty kitchen.

"What's with Chloe", Oliver asked walking into the kitchen heading for the Cocoa Puffs.

"I'm not sure, but man is she pissed."

Oliver shrugged taking a bite of his cereal.

*-*-*-*-*

Lois was sitting in the garden, watching the scenery of Wayne Manor. She lowered her gaze when she felt a familiar breeze creep up behind her.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that", she smiled facing Clark.

He tried to smile genuinely, but found it difficult, and sat down next to her.

"What's wrong, Clark", she asked watching his facial features give off every emotion he was holding inside.

"I came to say good bye", he said staring ahead. He couldn't even look at her, because he knew one look would convince him to stay, and at that moment he couldn't risk it.

"Good bye", she brought him back from his thoughts, "You are going back to Metropolis?"

"No", he said.

"Smallville", she tried.

"I'm leaving for good Lois", he said finally looking at her. And that's what broke his resolve and he felt the tears sting his eyes.

"Leaving", she asked, "But-"

"I have to protect you and Chloe and I can't do that if I'm around…"

"How do you expect to do it when you're away", she cut him off desperately.

"I", he started, "It's my fault all these things happen to you…"

"Clark", her voice broke, "It's not your fault."

"Yes it is", he said, "I can't protect you when I know I'm the reason you put yourself in danger…"

"That doesn't make sense-"

"Of course it does", he said, "You put yourself in danger because you know Superman will save you…"

He was right about that, and her silence only confirmed his theories.

"What if I don't get there in time", he asked her, "What if the next time I can't save you? I can't take that risk…"

She stood up and walked away from him. "So you think that because you're gone, crime is just going to stop, and bad things won't happen…?"

"No", Clark sighed, "But they won't happen to you to get to me."

"Clark, you're being so selfish", she tried to reason with him, "This isn't you…"

He touched her arm.

"This is the most unselfish thing I've ever done", he looked into her eyes, "And it's what I should have done all along. I'm giving you up to protect you."

"You unimaginable bastard", she shook her head finally letting the tears fall from her eyes; "You think that leaving me is going to save me?"

He lowered his eyes to the ground, feeling the tears fall from his face.

"I know it will."

"The only one hurting me right now, is you", she said coolly.

"I know", he said.

"I hate you", she whispered.

Clark licked his lips. "I'm sorry, Lois."

"Don't expect me to be here when you get back."

"I'm not coming back, Lois."

She let the tears fall freely, realizing the seriousness of the situation.

"Clark…"

He cut her off when his lips touched hers. She returned the kiss hungrily, thinking that if she held on a little longer, he'd stay. He pulled away first.

"I'll always love you, Lois."

She nodded, sobbing as tears flowed from her eyes. She watched him turn around and fly out of her life. She heard the sonic boom, as he broke through the clouds above her. She felt the rain fall down on her, soft at first and then much harder. She stayed there sitting in the rain, sobbing, until Bruce came and brought her inside. Bruce handed her dry clothes and watched her walk numbly to the bathroom to change. When she emerged in dry clothes he tucked her into the bed, under the covers since she was trembling.

"Go to sleep, Lois", he said and kissed her forehead.

He turned out the lights and closed the door softly behind him.

"Fly back to me, Clark", she whispered into the darkness, "I love you too."