One month later.

Perry slid a folder across Clark's desk.

"I didn't want to come to you until I was sure. I know how you feel about having all the information."

"What's this?"

Clark flipped the folder open and scanned over the photos inside.

"You told me to follow up on that last Luthor shipment."

"Yeah. Something about his change of mind didn't sit well with me."

"For good reason." Perry pointed to a photo of an open container. "He didn't remove the people."

"Rat bastard."

"One of them died."

"Why didn't our guys find it in the search before shipping?"

Perry pushed another photo forward. "He had help."

Clark pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you sure this photo is accurate? He helped traffic people through my company?"

"I'm positive, sir. I never mentioned it before, but one of Mr. Wayne's men told me months ago that Zod was on the take. I thought it was gossip, but I checked a few things. There was nothing concrete. Until this."

Clark clenched his fists. "Don't let Luthor find out we know. Tell Zod to meet me down at the warehouse."

"Do you need me there, sir? Zod has been with you for a long time."

"I appreciate that, Perry, but no. Round up the boys and send them over. Tell them to grab Zod as soon as he comes in. He'll put up a fight."

Perry nodded, and left without another word.

—

Zod was on his knees, surrounded by three men, face bloodied. He looked up as Clark came in, and he spit.

"You know why you're here," Clark said.

"Do I?"

"No people. It's my strictest rule."

"Stupid rule. Do you know how much money you could make?"

"You want to make money from selling people into slavery?"

"Safe passage to a free country is slavery?"

"Safe? You call being crammed in a container full of four people's piss and shit with almost no food or water safe? You call dying safe?"

"They think it's worth the risk."

"And you know for sure that when they get here they'll be free?"

"None of my business."

"No. It's my business."

Zod scoffed and mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said you're going soft."

Clark backhanded him, but Zod laughed.

"You've been soft for years, but ever since that little piece of ass came along, you're the softest piece of—"

Clark grabbed a gun from one of his men and shot Zod between the eyes. The force knocked Zod onto his back, and his men stood dumbfounded.

"Anyone else think I'm soft?"

"No, sir." They all spat out.

"Take care of this and report back to Perry."

—

"There you are." Gwen sat up on the sofa and set her book aside. "It's after ten. I was starting to worry."

"Sorry." He lay his jacket over a chair, and pulled his loosened tie from his neck.

"What's wrong?"

Clark shook his head.

"Don't lie to me, Clark. Something's wrong." Gwen stood in front of him. "What is it?"

Clark cupped her face in his hands and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Tell me you love me."

"I… I can't do that."

"Lie to me."

"What?"

"Everyone else does."

"Someone lied to you?"

"I just need to hear you say it."

"Why?"

He brushed his lips past the corner of her mouth and let out a shuddering breath, but he knew he shouldn't kiss her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then whispered in her ear.

"I love you."

He walked away before she could respond.

"Clark, wait."

"Why?"

"I can't say those words back to you, but I do care for you. I want to be here for you. To comfort you."

"How?"

"I don't know. Maybe I could hold you for a while."

Clark stood in front of her again, so close she had to look up.

"You'd do that?"

"Whatever happened today, I want to help make it better."

A tear slipped down Clark's cheek, and Gwen wiped it away.

"What happened?"

Clark wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and held her close.

"You'll hate me."

"I'd never hate you."

Clark sank to his knees, his arms still tight around her legs, and Gwen ran her fingers through his hair.

"Clark, please. Tell me what's wrong."

"I had to do it."

"Do what?"

"He didn't leave me a choice."

Gwen lowered herself to the floor and took Clark's face in her hands.

"Who made you do what?"

"Zod. I had to… He betrayed me."

Gwen's eyes went wide. "No."

Clark nodded. "I'm sorry, Gwen. He helped smuggle people on one of my shipments. A girl died."

Another tear slipped down his cheek, and Gwen wiped it away. Her hand trembled.

"This is really bothering you," she said.

"I hate it. I hate myself for doing it."

"Don't say that."

"It's true. He was right. I'm getting soft."

"Because you have a conscience? I wouldn't have stayed as long as I have if you didn't, Clark. I can tell you're hurting, and I'm so sorry, but if you weren't in this state right now after doing that… I can't care about a person like that. And I do care for you."

"You don't hate me?"

She shook her head as a tear fell from her eye. "I don't."

Clark dropped to sit on the floor and wrapped his arms around her until she was next to him.

"Can I ask you something?" she said.

"Yeah."

"Do you really love me, or were you just trying to soften me up?"

Clark pulled back and brushed a thumb over her cheek.

"I meant it. I've loved you for a while now, but I didn't want you to think I was pushing you."

Gwen wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He would never have imagined she would be sitting here holding him after admitting what he did. He'd stayed at the office and drank enough to get the courage to even come home.

"Thank you for staying."

"Thank you for not hiding it from me."

Clark pulled away and got to his feet.

"I need a shower. You should get some sleep."

"Clark, I can stay up if you need me."

"I love you for that, but I need some time to think."

"Ok."

"I'm staying home tomorrow. We can talk more then, if you want."

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay up?"

"I'm sure." He kissed her cheek. "Get some sleep."

—

Gwen searched the house for Clark the next morning. He lay on a lounger outside, under the balcony, still in his robe.

"You're usually dressed by now," she said.

"Not today. I don't plan on going anywhere. Did you sleep well?"

"Not really."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I did a lot of thinking last night. A few months ago, what you did would have driven me away. I can't deny that. When you told me last night, I was scared. I was angry." She sat on the edge of his lounger. "But what I felt most was heartbreak."

"Gwen, I—"

"Let me finish."

Clark nodded, and Gwen took his hand.

"You were so hurt by what you felt you had to do. You removed any doubt in my mind that you're a good person. Despite that part of your life, you are good."

"I don't feel like a good person right now."

Gwen smiled. "And that's why you're good. And if that doesn't mean anything to you, maybe this will."

She brushed her hand over his cheek as she leaned over, then pressed a firm kiss to his lips.

"I love you, Clark."

Clark stared into her eyes. "Last night I asked you to lie to me."

"I'm not lying. I will never lie to you."

Clark sat up and crashed his mouth to hers. She parted her lips and he deepened the kiss as his hands roamed over her back.

"Say it again."

"I love you."

He lay back and pulled her on top of him, his mouth searching hers.

"I feel like I've been waiting for years to hear you say that. And to have you say it now… I don't deserve you."

"I've been fighting it. I didn't want to give in, but when I realized how much I still cared for you, even after your confession, I knew. I can't fight it anymore. I don't want to fight it."

"I love you, Gwen."

"I love you."

Gwen trailed her fingers down his neck, then along the edges of his robe, through the hair of his chest.

"I have a feeling you've been wanting to do that for a while," Clark said.

"You knew I found you attractive."

"And you stared at my chest a lot."

"Not a lot," Gwen chuckled.

"Enough that I noticed."

Gwen buried her face in his neck with a groan.

"Hey, I was glad. You can't love someone you're not attracted to. After that, I knew you liked something about me."

She opened the gap of his robe and played over his chest.

"The first time I saw this was my downfall."

Clark slipped his hands beneath her shirt and slid them up her sides. His thumbs stopped just below her breast, and she gasped.

"We're still on your timetable here," he said. "I won't do anything you don't want."

Gwen smiled, remembering how strong he came on during their first week together, and how much he respected her hesitancy afterward.

She placed a soft kiss to the middle of his chest.

"I want it all."

Clark closed his eyes and sighed.

"Please don't be joking, because if you're serious—"

"I'm not joking. I love you. I want you."

One of his hands covered her breast as he kissed her, and Gwen groaned.

"Shit. Hang on," he said. "This isn't right."

"What's not right?"

"You deserve a special night. I mean, what would this be? A quickie before you go to the hospital?"

"Oh my gosh! I forgot about the hospital."

Clark smiled. "You really do love me."

"I hate to leave now."

Clark sat them up. "Go. When you get home, we'll have all night together. I waited all these months. I can wait a few more hours."

She trailed her fingers down his chest once more.

"And what will we do tonight?"

He shook his head. "Surprise."

"What if I don't like surprises?"

"That's tough."

"Oh, really?"

She brushed her lips over his, but Clark took control of the kiss with a hand at the back of her head.

"I have to go, Clark."

He groaned. "I know."