Always and Forever…

"I need you to help her father… I know it's selfish… but right now I don't care what the repercussions will be…" said Clark as he was on his knees, with bowed head and tears in his eyes.

"Kal-El…" started saying Jor-El before he was interrupted by Clark looking up with determination in his face.

"She goes… I go! Simple as that!"

Silence followed. Clark remained on his knees with a grim determination on his face. Then Jor-El's voice echoed in the vastness of the Crystal structure.

"Son… the Sun Crystal is the temple itself. Once you use its powers it will be no more!"

"I understand!"

"Very well then…"

A blinding light emanated from the centre of the temple as a crystal shaped form appeared on the floor and on it Lana laying still. When Clark saw that he ran towards her. He knelt down and looked at her face. Strangely enough she wasn't pale. She looked as beautiful as ever and seemed peaceful. Clark stroked her cheek lightly with tears in his eyes and leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

A wave of energy shot from the top of the temple and engulfed them both. When Clark's eyes were adjusted again, he was standing in a white space and Lana was standing in front of him. He immediately ran and embraced her tightly.

"Clark… what's going on?" asked a perplexed Lana.

"Don't you worry about a thing Lana… Everything will be alright now…"

"Clark what did you do? You shouldn't have jeopardized so much…"

"Lana… I can not be without you… besides it was the least I could do after that stunt you pulled in my house…" said Clark smiling.

"But you're way more important to the world Clark…"

"No Lana… It's people like you who are more important to the world. What I offer to the world is a short-term solution to problems they should really be dealing with, themselves. People like you make the world not need someone like me. And that's a thousand times more important."

Lana smiled sweetly at him. "I never realized you saw me like that… although I really think you're not giving yourself enough credit."

Clark smiled warmly at her. "Well…besides… you've made me somewhat selfish, and now… well… I just can't live without you…"

Lana smiled and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Then they remained embraced as if that's where they always belonged, in each other's arms… as one.

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Lana opened her eyes and saw she was in her room. She felt confused at first not quite sure what had happened. Then the memories came flooding back. Lex threatening Clark, the fight and then the sharp pain in her back. She remembered being in the hospital and learning she was going to die. She remembered the crippling emotion of knowing that she was not going to see her daughter or Clark again and then she remembered Clark taking her to a place and … then her memories were very cloudy. She had the distinct feeling though that Clark had done something very important. Some sort of sacrifice, but she wasn't sure. She then realized that the pain in her back was gone.

She got out of bed and put on a t-shirt and jeans. As she was getting dressed she looked in the mirror and saw that she didn't even have a scar or any mark on her back.

She got out of her room and headed downstairs. Something smelled beautifully. When she went to the kitchen she smiled amused. Clark was in there with an apron and was apparently cooking as he was explaining what he was doing to Laura, who was looking at him very interested in the arms of Nell.

"So you see Laura… if you let the spaghetti boil for a long time, it becomes very soft puddy-like… we don't want that… so…"

As Lana giggled they all turned towards her. Laura fought to get free from the arms of Nell and she let her on the floor, as Laura run excitedly to Lana. "Mommy!"

Lana wrapped Laura in a warm hug as she kissed her. Nell also came near her and hugged both of them. "I was so worried…" said Nell as she started crying, while holding Lana and Laura.

Clark watched them smiling satisfied. He had taken a very big risk with what he had done, but he would do it again and again if he had to. Nothing mattered to him like the family he had come to consider his own.

After Lana Laura and Nell broke their embrace, Lana turned to Clark and smiled to him sweetly. He approached her and looked her deep in the eyes with such love, that made Lana tear up. He then smiled at her. He tenderly wiped the tear that had just started to make its way from her beautiful eyes down her cheek.

"I love you." He said as he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. He then took her in his arms and held her like he was holding her for the first time.

They remained like that for a few seconds till they felt something down on their legs. As they looked down they saw little Laura hugging both their legs trying to be part of the hug.

Clark laughed and took her in his arms as they hugged again all three of them; as a family.

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Lana rolled around as she pulled on the sheets around her. Clark laughed and tried to pull the sheets back.

"Quit hogging the sheets." He said as he started to tickle her so that she let go of the sheets.

"Hey… that's not fair…" Lana managed to say in between bursts of laughter.

"What do you need it for anyway? You can't get cold…" said Lana. "I'm cold…" she said making a puppy face to him.

Clark laughed. "Look who's talking about fair… you know I can't say no to that face you make…"

Lana smiled triumphantly as she wrapped the sheets around her and Clark fell back on the bed in defeat. "You know… I'm afraid I will spoil you… I can't seem to be able to say no to you… then you'll become a spoiled little girl." He said smiling slyly to her.

"And that's bad why?" said Lana sexily as she traced with her fingers the muscles on his chest.

"Well… if you put it that way…" said Clark as he kissed her passionately.

When they broke the kiss they remained in each other's arms as Lana rested her head on his chest.

"Clark… what happened with the hospital?" asked Lana hesitantly.

"What do you mean?"

"How did you explain the whole thing to them?"

"Oh… that… Well… Lionel contacted me while you were still there, and he wanted to apologize that things turned out the way they did… he then told me that anything I needed I could call him… so I did… and he sort of… covered up the whole thing…" said Clark not feeling comfortable with the whole situation.

"I hate it that the Luthor's were involved again. What do you think will happen to Lex?"

"Well… after he surrendered himself to the police, I'm not sure… I mean… if Lionel was honest with what he told me… I'm sure he will try to help him… but… that remains to be seen… Lana… Let's not talk about the Luthors anymore… I will make sure they never interfere with our lives again. Right now and from now on… all I care about is you and Laura…"

Lana lift her head and looked at him sweetly. "You still mean what you said the other day?"

"What is that?" asked Clark feigning ignorance.

Lana shot him an evil look as she slapped him on the shoulder. "You know what I'm talking about."

Clark smiled. "Yeah… about that… well… you know… I …. I was…"

"Clark!" said Lana as she sat up on the bed annoyed.

Clark smiled again and pulled her down to a passionate kiss. After they broke the kiss, Clark looked at her smiling. "I wouldn't have it any other way my love!"

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Some years Later…

A small boy burst out of the door of a farm house giggling. He ran straight into the yard and paused on the outer door. He looked expectantly towards the door of the house, as it swung open and Clark stepped out.

"Jonathan come back here, your mother will be sad when she sees you didn't finish your dinner."

Jonathan giggled again and super-sped out of the yard and into the field. Clark smiled and super-sped after him. He chased him around in the large field that stretched out from their house.

Lana came out of the house with Laura beside her. "Boys…don't get all sweaty… we'll have to leave soon…" she shouted towards them. Clark paused for a while and gave her a thumbs up as he kept on chasing Jonathan.

"Mom… can I go run with them too?"

Lana smiled at her daughter. "Laura your dad and your brother will have to take a bath again when they return… you don't want to do that again?"

Laura looked at Lana in protest. "No… I just had a bath… I'm not a fish mom!"

Clark finally reached his son and took him in his arms. "Come here you little devil."

Jonathan giggled excitedly as his father carried him on his shoulder, back to the house. For a minute Clark felt something inside him. A sense of peace. He paused for a while looked up and smiled. He then kept on walking towards his family.

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"You will not be able to embrace who you really are Clark. Not now. Not until you've lived life and realize who you are and what you want. Until that day comes you will be trying. And through it, that realization will eventually come.Then, I promise you, you will be at peace." -Martha Kent

THE END

Yep. That was the end guys. Thanks to everyone who commented on my story. I hope you enjoyed the ride.

Tayrion.