An: Final chapter! Here we go!
Three hours later Lois pulled into the dirt driveway that led to a familiar yellow farmhouse. She smiled as she drove under the old wooden sign that proudly said "Kent Farm." Since Jonathan had died Lois and Martha had become very close. The woman was practically a surrogate mother to her. Martha was especially appreciative of Lois' visits and phone calls, she often got very lonely without Clark or Jonathan around but she had also spent the last six years staying very busy with the Talon. So busy that she had turned it into a money-making success, allowing her to keep the family farm, though she had two local kids hired to do the chores. Lois parked and walked to the front door. It was open and she heard a radio playing within. She walked into the kitchen, one she helped build she proudly thought, and Martha looked up.
"Lois! Come in sweetie I haven't seen you in a month! I saw the news I'm so glad you're ok!" Martha ran up and gave Lois a hug. "Oh that doesn't look good." She frowned as she saw the bruise on the side of Lois' face.
"Yeah it didn't feel too good either." Lois joked.
"Well I'm glad to see your spirits weren't affected."
"Martha I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner, work's just been really hectic and I know how hard this time of year is for you."
"Oh don't be silly Lois. I've been staying very busy. I hardly even noticed that its been six years. I went up to his grave with Lana on the anniversary and gave him some Tulips. I really miss that man."
"I do too Martha." Lois paused. "Have you heard from Clark recently?" Lois asked hopefully.
"No not in a very long time." Martha said with a hint of worry.
"Aren't you mad at him that he walked out on everybody right after his dad died?" Martha smiled.
"No. Clark left because his father told him to make him proud, that he wasn't ready to live a quiet life on the farm. I agreed with Jonathan and I still do. Clark will come home someday when he feels the time is right. It doesn't help me not miss him though."
"I understand that. I just hoped since he was just in Columbia maybe he had called... or asked about me..." Martha never really knew what had happened between Lois and Clark before he left but he knew that she missed him more than she ever told anybody. When Clark did call it was always brief but he did ask if Lois was well. He only wanted a yes or no answer. No details. Keeping them at arms length was his way of making his self-imposed exile easier.
"I'm sorry honey. I haven't heard from him since the last time. He always asks about you though." Lois seemed to like that.
"I thought I saw him in Gotham. Twice."
"Really?" Martha asked hopefully. A gang lord had just been brought down, it was possible Clark was involved.
"Yeah when Chloe and I checked in at the hotel I asked a man to hold an elevator for me but the doors were already shutting and he didn't hit the button fast enough. I caught a glimpse only but I could have sworn it was Clark."
"Oh that could have been anybody Lois."
"I know I know. But I also thought I saw him when I was pulled out of the fire. I couldn't see and was almost unconscious but I swear Clark pulled me out of the fire."
"Well that does sound like Clark."
"Yeah he always tried to be a hero. That's why wherever he turns up always make since. His articles have really helped people."
"Ok now Lois I want you to be very honest with me. How hot is Bruce Wayne in person." Lois smiled. She loved Martha Kent.
Clark descended from the clouds on a deserted country road. Nearby a large sign proclaimed "Welcome to Smallville, Meteor Capital of the world twice!" Clark smiled as he looked around and saw cornfields and the small buildings that made up his home. 'Its good to be back.' He knew exactly where he wanted to go first and he took off at a dead run. Seconds later he stopped. Nobody was in the cemetery. Clark took in the silence and approached a grave. Here lies Jonathan Kent, Beloved Father Husband. He sat down in front of it, overcome with emotion. "Hey dad, I'm sorry it took so long for me to visit. Man there's so much for me to tell you. I've missed you so much." Clark's eyes began to water. He saw some tulips. They looked pretty fresh and he assumed his mother had been there recently. Clark reached into his battered backpack and pulled out a woven bracelet that had been given to him by a native farmer in Guatemala after Clark had stopped a mudslide from destroying their farm. "From one farmer to another dad." Clark's super hearing heard the sound of footsteps and then a gasp. He turned around.
"Clark? Is that really you? Clark! You're really here!" Lana had tears in her eyes and she looked like she had seen a ghost. Clark stood and walked up to her and enveloped her in a big hug.
"Lana." was all he could say. She looked about the same to him. Still beautiful. Her hair was a little bit shorter but she was still Lana Lang.
"Clark. I kept my promise to you. I come to see him every week. I never expected to find you here though."
"To be honest neither did I."
"Clark where have you been."
"Everywhere. Honestly. I only just got back. This is the first place I wanted to go." Lana stepped back and looked at him. He was still as handsome as she remembered him when he left, but he was more muscular and had definitely grown up.
"Clark I missed you so much." She put her hand to her mouth. "You have no idea."
"Lana I missed you too." Clark answered honestly.
"So Clark what are you going to do now that your home." Lana asked hopefully, hoping he would tell her he was going to move back to his farm and stay.
"I got a job with the Daily Planet today. I start in a month so I have time to find a place in Metropolis."
"Oh." Lana sounded very disappointed. She had hoped after six years Clark would have wanted to start things up with her again. Clark heard the tone. Even though she was Lana Lang, the girl he had loved all his childhood he had spent the last six years thinking of only one woman and it wasn't Lana.
"Lana. Its really good to see you." Clark said genuinely.
"You too Clark. Listen you probably should get home and see your mom. She's been pretty lonely without you and your dad, even though she'll never admit it."
"You're right." Clark picked up his backpack and started to walk off.
"Hey Clark."
"Yeah Lana."
"Don't let it be another six years till the next time I see you okay?"
"Okay." Lana turned around and looked at Jonathan's grave, she heard a whoosh of air and Clark was gone.
"Clark?" 'How the hell does he always do that?'
Martha had to run to the Talon. There was a "coffee emergency" as she called it so she left Lois in charge of the farm, which pretty much meant that Lois should just hang out. Lois was now sitting up in Clark's loft, which remained the same as it was the day that he kissed her and then walked off into the sunset 'never to be seen again.' Lois though pessimistically. She remembered that summer six years ago when she helped rebuild the house and during which she realized how much she cared about Clark. Something she thought he returned when he left. 'Why did I have to realize that the day he has to leave!' Lois got up and went to the window where Clark's telescope still sat. She admired the sunset, they were always so beautiful from this loft. She eyed the telescope 'What the hell nobody's here' So Lois began to peer through the telescope. She accidentally bumped a knob and it dropped to look at the road that ran by the farm. A very familiar somebody walked past the lens. Lois jumped back. 'Clark!' She looked out the window and there walking down the driveway with the same backpack and shirt that he had on the day he left was Clark Kent. Lois didn't know how to react. Seeing him brought back a rush of emotions, the first of which was anger at him for leaving. Clark walked past the barn and onto the porch of his house. The door was open so he went inside and shouted "Mom! I'm home! Where are you?" Clark x-rayed the house to see that his mom wasn't home. "Not home, just my luck." he said aloud.
"She had a coffee emergency at the Talon. She'll b e home soon." a voice said from the door behind him. That voice took the breath right out of Clark's lungs. He turned around slowly and saw Lois Lane standing in the doorway.
"Lois." He smiled. He had seen her only for a second in Gotham and he hadn't been able to stay, unless he wanted to answer awkward questions for the press.
"Oh hey Smallville." She came inside and walked up to him.
"Loi..." he started to say when she interrupted him.
"Where the HELL have you been Clark! Why haven't you called any of us! What the HELL were you thinking for SIX years!" she berated him as she punched his chest with each question. She finally stopped and Clark could see that she had tears in her eyes. He gently placed his hands on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.
"Lois I've been all over the world for the last six years. Not a minute went by that I didn't want to call any of you, that I didn't want to come home but the truth is that I was running. I didn't know how to face the world without my dad and I was scared to come home. As long as I was somewhere else helping other people I didn't have to come home and face the fact that he was gone."
"Clark you never would have been alone."
"I know. I realized recently what an idiot I was. I'm done running." Lois softened a bit and calmed down a little.
"You swear."
"I swear."
"You'll never just up and leave the people who care about you again."
"Lois I promise you I'll never leave again. I'm here to stay." Lois smiled and fell into Clark's arms, wrapping him in a huge hug.
"I missed you so much Smallville. I missed you so much it was irrational. Even Chloe got over you but I couldn't!" Clark held her close and smelled her hair. In all of his dreams he dreamt of something like this they never came close to the reality of her smell or the softness of her hair. Clark gently touched the bruise on the side of her face.
"I can't believe I'm finally standing here with you again." Lois leaned into him. "I'm so happy you're back." The door opened behind them. Clark heard a coffee mug drop and shatter on the floor. He quickly spun around and saw his mother, looking pale faced and not believing what she was seeing.
"Clark? Is that really you?"
"I'm home mom." Martha practically sprinted across the kitchen and hugged Clark so tight that it would hurt a normal person.
"Oh honey I'm so glad you're safe. I've worried about you every day since you left. I missed you so much." Martha backed away and began to examine Clark, smoothing out wrinkles on his clothes and mussing his hair. Lois smiled as she watched Martha fuss over her son and Clark standing there taking it without complaint. For a moment she was transported back in time six years to the happy family that had lived here before the second meteor shower.
"Clark are you here to stay?" His mother asked. Lois listened with interest.
"Yeah. I got hired by the Daily Planet today! I'm gonna find a place in Metropolis soon."
"Oh honey thats great news! I'm so proud of you."
"You're gonna be working with me Clark?" Lois said, excited at the fact she'd get to spend more time with Clark.
"Yeah, but the only thing was that Perry wanted me to have a partner. It was weird."
"Clark follow me!" Martha dragged Clark into another room and showed him a wall of clippings of all of the articles he had written over the years.
"You kept them all?"
"Yep! But now Clark you're going to tell Lois and I all of your stories." Clark smiled brightly at the two most important women in his life.
"You sure you got the time."
"We have all night Clark" Lois chimed in. So Clark spent the next several hours telling his mom and Lois all about his adventures all over the world. He left out the super-hero parts but his journalism exploits were as full of adventure as his hero ones were. Finally Clark finished and Martha hugged him one more time before going to bed. Lois excused herself to go to the bathroom and Clark walked outside to his loft.
He looked around the familiar space. His mom hadn't changed anything. He felt a hand on his shoulder and a soft "Hey." Clark turned around and saw Lois. They sat down on his couch together. "I really wish I could have seen all that stuff with you Clark. It sounded amazing."
Clark brushed a stray hair behind one of her ears. "Lois. You were with me every step of the way." Clark reached into his tattered backpack and pulled out his faded picture of Lois. Lois was speechless. She wasn't much a sucker for romantic sentiments but Clark Kent could pull it off. Then Clark leaned in and kissed her. It was a kiss that let go of six years of longing. Lois immediately responded. When the kiss broke she leaned her head into Clark's chest and sighed.
"Its seems like right when we find each other one of us has to leave again!"
"Lois I'm never going to leave you again."
"I'm going to the Bahamas tomorrow! Paid vacation Clark!" Clark just smiled at Lois.
'Maybe one more trip for old times sake.' he thought.
The End
Thanks to everyone who has read my stories. I hope you've enjoyed them. They are the first fan-fics I've done. I'm going to take a break from writing for a little bit to move back to College and then I'll probably start a new one. PS I'm so excited for season 5 after seeing that teaser for it on the WB.
