The 2200 Series

by Nautica7mk

One event changed everything.

3. 2200 Resurrection

Title: 2200 Resurrection (3 of 3)
Author: Nadia Mack
Spoilers: Smallville, LnC, Comics, Superman, etc.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: The Conclusion to the 2200 Series. After the events of Taken and Aftermath, Lois and Clark embark on a more arduous journey. Memories of the past threaten to take away little of what's left in Lois's mind as family and friends race to save her.

It's been over a month since the revelation of Lois Lane's life unfolded before her like a ball of string, and after the few days spent back at the Kent Farm, Perry White, Lane and Kent's Editor at The Daily Planet, urged them to return to work immediately.

Tension has pretty much made its presence known as Lois and Clark tried to go about their work day normally. The outside world completely oblivious to their marriage of five and a half years. News stations like CNN and 20/20 continue their attempt to get an exclusive interview with Lois Lane and question her about the uncharacteristic fall of her engagement to multi-billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne.

"Ugh!" Slamming the phone on her desk, she looks at Clark apologetically, who sat opposite her desk. "That's about the 300th call I've received," she says tiredly. "I need to hire myself a secretary," she remarked jokingly.

Clark chuckled. "We can always change your extension," he suggests.

"Not gonna happen." She covers her head with her hands. "My profession is public domain and so is my number," she lightly reminded him. Their relationship had been... interesting.

Lois was grateful that Clark was neither pulling nor pushing; he was simply there and it made all the difference in the world to her.

For Clark, he was just happy they were kind of together and still married.

"Maybe it'll do you some good if you just make some kind of formal statement, you know, to make the media happy"

"I appreciate the support, Clark, really, but I can't. I won't."

"Why?"

Lois sighed and eyed the conference at the other side of the room. Clark nods subtly, knowing what she was trying to say. They have become quite adapt to silent communication, especially when everyone around them is under the impression that they were just co-workers.

Sadly, it's partly true, technically, they were anything but.

Closing the door behind him, Clark reached out and shut the blinds. "All right, Lois. Why?"

Outside, Jimmy Olsen watched curiously as Clark, or C.K., as he often calls him; close the blinds of the conference room. After a second of contemplation, he is rocked out of his thoughts by Chief's infamous growls.

"Dammit, Olsen, what the hell are you standing around for?" he uttered loudly as he almost ran into the kid.

"Sorry, Chief"

"Get back to work!"

"Right away, Chief." Jimmy gathered up his things, quickly forgetting all about Lois and Clark.

In the Conference Room, Lois continued to give Clark the silent treatment, not out of malice or anything; she just wanted to sort out her thoughts correctly so there wasn't any misunderstanding. Clark though, remained impatient.

"Well..."

"It's not that simple"

"What?" he wondered.

"The truth"

Clark isn't buying it. "Lois, you're just going to tell them that you and Bruce separated on good terms, what could possibly go wrong there, particularly since Bruce himself agrees"

"This naiveté of yours is adorable, but get REAL, Kent," she commented.

If there has been any forward motion in their relationship, it would be that they're very open about their attraction to one another - Lois no longer tip-toes around the idea of Superman and Clark Kent were one of the same, she had gotten used to the fact weeks ago. But that knowledge alone didn't stop the growing feeling that has done nothing but increase since the moment she discovered who Clark really was to her. She knew now that it wasn't all about their forgotten marriage.

"The media craves news," she continued getting back on track. "Once I put my voice out there, they'll dig and dig and dig, and when they find something that could sell their story, they'll bury me," she explains with great seriousness.

"You don't know that"

"That's the thing," she replied. "I do, because it's the exactly what I would do." Off Clark's surprise look, and when he tries to put a voice in, Lois's hand stops him. "I'm been doing this longer than you, so let me explain. When an injustice has been committed, we have an obligation to the public to protect them."

She uses her earlier words to emphasize her point. "And I'll dig and dig and dig, and when I find something legitimate, I'll bury them," she said passionately.

Stopping to relax herself, she looked at Clark, her eyes softening in front of his gaze. "Superman fights against the bad with his strength and power," she pauses. "I fight them with my words," she completed using Superman in a third-person point-of-view.

Nowadays, all they could do is be careful.

After everything that they've been through, Clark stares at his wife in deep and utter amazement. Lois always managed to surprise him. How she does it so effortlessly makes him fall deeper in love with her than he already has, if such a thing was possible. She was right; they were heroes in their own ways. Clark as Superman. Lois Lane as a Journalist. They knew their calling, and they accepted it. They accepted it because they believed in it.

"You saved me, you know that." The words left his lips before he can contemplate what he had said.

It was Lois's turn to look surprised.

He continued. "You always had a way of making everything, even the most impossible situation, make sense."

She didn't question his confession. "I've had a very vigilant listener," she complimented him.

Clark's attention suddenly skyrocketed past her. He could hear sirens just a couple of miles away. Lois catches the change and understood immediately.

"Go"

"What about you?"

"I'll deal with Chief," she assured looking out that window that displayed The City of Tomorrow. "They need you," she adds, referring to the people calling out for help.

"So do you"

Clark really needed to stop and think before he blurts something like that out. Yet again, to his surprise, Lois doesn't take offense.

"I'll manage," she smirked. "Now, go"

Before Clark could stop himself, he instinctively reached to grab her hand, lifting it to his lips before reluctantly letting it go. He ran out of the conference room, and when it was safe enough, he speeded off as Superman.

At the opposite side of the world, on a base in Okinawa, Japan, General Sam Lane stood commandingly, with a cigar held in one hand.

He takes a puff.

"What the hell do you want?" He questioned without feeling.

"You went back on your word"

"My word," he turned to him dangerously. "Nearly took the life of my daughter. Don't think I haven't forgotten"

"An unfortunate side affect. You knew the risks"

"You knew it better," he strikes back, the sting his failure to keep his daughter safe still feeling fresh. He hadn't spoken to her for over a month. He even went as far as picking up the phone to call her, but he always fell a few digits short of dialing.

Lois, his first daughter, was never far from his thoughts. He often wondered what his life would be like if her mother, his wife, had lived. Would they be the happy family he had once dreamed of? That would always be the question that lingered in his mind, even when he wished he didn't.

"It's all in the past, General. We have a lot more important matters to discuss"

At this, the now 4-Star General couldn't keep his cool. He grabbed the man and slammed him against a wall, his left forearm sinking deep in his throat as he dangled his cigar with his other hand dangerously close to his face.

"My daughter is IMPORTANT," he whispered deadly.

The young man felt paralyzed.

"We had a deal," he says back, his lungs struggling to breath.

The General threw him off on the side.

"Get out of my sight, or I'll kill you right now"

"You'll regret this"

He shook his head mockingly. "No I won't. I've got nothing else to regret." He takes another puff of his cigar, leaving.

Alone, standing there and watching General Lane leave, he picked up his cell phone and flipped it open. Putting it to his ears, "This is Luthor, get me my father, we have a problem."

Its night time and the stars in the sky were blocked by Metropolis's tall skyscrapers. In Lois's apartment, she is seen stirring in her sleep, and dreaming of the first few days coming out of her coma.

Dream

Surrounded by white walls that seemed to move for miles.

"So what we're looking at here is anterior-gray amnesia. Basically short-term memory loss. Nothing to get too worried about," the doctor explained as he wheeled her down the hall and into another examination room.

"Nothing to get too worried about," Lois repeated dryly. She just wanted to go back to sleep and never wake up again.

"These episodes usually sort themselves out in a couple of days, a couple of weeks."

"You're telling me that I lost 3 years of my life," the whole situation seemed so surreal to her.

"Think of it as if your life's a puzzle that's been jumbled up. All the pieces are still there, we just have to put them back together. Fit them in the right order and place."

End of Dream

Eyes flapping open, she surveyed her surroundings and was relieved to see that it was all a memory, that she was safe back in her apartment. But what is safe nowadays?

Nowadays, no one is ever safe, whether walking down the street or in one's own mind.

Nothing is truly ever safe.

Sitting up, she took a good look out her window and wondered if Clark was out somewhere, like in Asia, stopping a volcano or something.

Unable to keep herself from chuckling at the thought, even at the privacy of her own home, she can't help but continue to think about the dichotomy of one Clark Kent, and how truly amazing he is. How he even keeps up this charade of dual identities continues to astound her.

On more serious matters, her headaches have become increasingly worse. Her memories hitting her hard and fast, and the worst moments are when it lingers.

Standing up and walking in her bathroom, she opens the medicine cabinet to pop a couple of painkillers. Washing her face in cold water, she found herself looking in her mirror, and a memory hits.

"Nothing like a North by Northwest action to get the blood pumping," she says as she entered a steam-filled bathroom.

At the same time, Superman had arrived back to his apartment and changed into his boxers. It had been a long night of rescuing, and he was exhausted. Going into his bathroom and running the shower, he couldn't help but stop and remember a particular memory.

Clark realizes he isn't alone in the bathroom. Peering out, he sees Lois.

"Um... we usually take turns in the bathroom"

"Oh, don't start with me, Smallville. You're the one taking the marathon shower. Besides, my delicate feminine sensibilities weren't offended the first time I got a glimpse of, uh, Clark Junior" she teased mercilessly.

Back then, he was mildly embarrassed, now, he found it quite amusing. He sorely missed those days. The playfulness is still there, but he still knew that she was keeping him at a distance, and while it's understandable, it doesn't stop him from missing her.

Back in Lois's apartment, she gravely shook the memory off, and at this point, it's become equally hard differentiating what's real and what's not. She had even gone as far as egging Clark to tell her a little bit about herself when they first met, and found that her memories were very much linked to his. As far as she could conclude, all the memories she had remembered have been real and had really happened.

Before thinking any further, she hears a knock on her door.

Opening it, "Chloe," she gasps.

They haven't seen each other since she left and come back from Smallville six weeks ago. She had wanted to talk to her while she was briefly in Smallville, but she regretfully felt like being alone and having her and Clark just deal with it by themselves. It was such a bad idea, and as soon as she was ready to see her, she had gone on a business trip overseas.

"Hi, can I come in?" Her little cousin asked nervously.

"Yeah"

"Thanks"

Lois smiles, "At least I didn't slam the door on you," she says, but then added sarcastically, "I think I've grown." She headed towards her kitchen counter to make coffee.

Chloe gives her a warm smile back, grateful that at least some things were getting back to the way it use to be.

"I'm glad you're doing well"

"Define 'Well'..." she says as she poured a hot pot into a Starbuck's mug, then handing it to Chloe. The night she broke down and Chloe was there to see it, all the hate and anger disappeared. She was happy to have Chloe back in her life, and however way it was didn't much bother her.

Taking the mug, "What do you mean?"

Lois tries not to express her frustrations over the last few weeks; she didn't want anybody to worry. She's already had enough on her plate as it is.

"Can I ask you something?" But she needed to talk to someone before she goes insane.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at the question, it sounded pretty serious.

"Sure, anything"

"What was I like?" Her older cousin asked in a childlike voice. "I mean, before, when I was with you and Clark back in Smallville. What was I like?"

Lois had learned a lot of things about herself from Martha and Jonathan, and from Clark, too, but back then, even with the familiar feelings, she didn't know them. At least with Chloe, she knew a portion of who she is, or was in her case.

Instead of wondering why Lois would ask her instead of Clark, Chloe answered her question truthfully.

"Well, you were confident, uncompromising, fun, energetic, and terribly self-reliant," she mused, noting that nothing much has changed, but she couldn't help but give a hearty laugh at the last description.

"Actually, Clark hated that part about you," she added with extra amusement.

"Really," She wasn't surprised. "Which part?" Lois deadpanned.

Chloe laughs. "You were always very forward with people, particularly Clark. You know that saying 'the truth would set you free?' You two basically applied that with each other on a regular basis. You totally detested one another when you first met"

Lois is amused.

"How's that?"

"Because you were never afraid to hurt his feelings"

"What?" Lois's voice obscure.

"I'm serious. Back in Smallville, everyone in town practically thought Clark was the perfect small town boy. Selfless and kind. He got along with basically everyone he met"

"And I shot him down because of that?" she says, thinking how insensitive she must've presented herself to be. Her teenage years did err on the side of rebellious.

"No, you didn't do it to spite him or anything. You just didn't like how everyone perceives him as the perfect boy, and whenever he does something weird or out-of-character, people forgive and forget. You were just never afraid to challenge him and tell him otherwise."

"We sound like such a happy couple," she said sarcastically.

"You two are," Chloe confirmed without hesitancy. "I know you're very confused right now, but you and Clark... You meant the world to one another."

By hearing her last words, Lois crosses her arms; her expression was that of sorrow and regret. You could barely hear her next words.

"I know," she spoke, hardly audible.

"I mean -" Chloe stopped when she barely heard her speak and realized the implication of her words. "Wait, what? You know?" she says repeating her words.

Lois remained silent and just looked away.

"Lois, are you remembering?" Chloe wasn't quite sure whether she should press.

Lois turned back and looked at her with slight tears in her eyes.

"Promise not to tell?" she says so softly.

"Oh my God, Lois." Chloe closed the gap between them and held her in a tight hug. "When?" she whispered in her ear, they slowly part.

"A while now," she sadly admitted.

"This is great!" Chloe replies ecstatically, but Lois's demeanor expressed otherwise. "Isn't it?"

Wiping her tears, "I'm sorry," she tells her weakly. "It is, it's just..." she paused with reluctance.

"Just what, Lois?"

Chloe was worried; she'd never seen her look so afraid.

"It hurts... to... remember"

"What do you mean?" she wondered not understanding. "I know it'll take some time, but not all your memories are bad"

"No! It's not the memories." She stopped short before continuing. "It's what comes afterwards, or during…"

"Lois, what's wrong?" Chloe was deeply concerned now.

"When I would remember, that's when it happens. The headaches. The migraines. It takes forever for them to stop."

Understanding what she meant.

"Have you told Clark?"

She shakes her head. "I don't want him to worry"

"Lois, he's your husband"

"Don't you think I know that? He's been so great, Chloe. And he's been through so much on my behalf, I don't want him to have to go through even more problems, he's got enough on his plate as it is"

"So what? You're going to wait until your brain dead before he learns about it?" She shot back, aggravated by her cousin's pride and stubbornness.

It was only over a month ago since Lois used those kinds of words to berate Clark about secrecy and lies. That's symmetry for you.

Lois sighed. "Thanks"

"Lois! This is insane." She stopped again. "Did you just thank me?" Her ears had to be deceiving her.

"I just wanted reassurance." She put her hand on her forehead. "I'll tell Clark in the morning"

It was Chloe's turn to sigh in relief. "Oh, thank god!" She reached out again and hugged her. "It's going to be okay"

In her heart, she deftly hoped so, but in her mind, she feared the worst.

A couple of hours later, Chloe leaves and Lois are left alone once again to face her dreams alone. Taking in a couple of Nyquil gel caps, she falls fast asleep.

It wouldn't take long for the dreams to come rushing back in.

And when it did, it woke her up startled and nervous, the throbbing in her head pounding like a West Point Marching Band taking permanent residence. She gasps in pain, falling off the bed and crawling into the corner, rocking back and forth, forcing the pain to leave her head.

Author's Interruption. WARNING! It's going to get intimate here, so beware. Turn back now or skim down if it's not your cup of tea. Seriously...

On the other side of Metropolis, Clark awoke with a dreadful feeling.

Clark flies at super speed towards Lois's apartment, neglecting to change into his suit. Something was wrong with Lois, and in a single moment, to him, nothing else mattered.

Rushing into her apartment, Clark found Lois curled up at the corner of her room. The sight before him tore him to pieces.

"Lois," he spoke softly.

With eyes closed, she looked up. "Clark?" She couldn't share it with him right now. She knew she said tomorrow, but 2AM in the morning wasn't what she had in mind.

He didn't super speed to her side; he didn't want to frighten her. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Clark was frantic. She's hurting and he doesn't know what to do. But then, he saw something in her eyes. It wasn't sadness, or anger, or even fear. It threw him off balance.

"Lois," he softly repeated.

She looked up at him once more, her eyes darting up and down.

"You're naked." Lois couldn't help but notice.

"What?" Like an anvil falling on him, he looked down and noticed she was right. He was practically naked wearing just his boxers. He knew he had forgotten something.

Embarrassed and almost blushing, "I… uh…" he felt all too much like a schoolboy all of the sudden.

"I… meant… to…" This was not the time for him to fall apart. He thought he was the one rescuing her, but it seems like it's now the other way around. "Forget it! Lois, I forgot my suit." He gave up to the embarrassment.

She laughed, and despite the situation, he was relieved as well and smiled back at her.

"I'm sorry for bringing you out here"

He shrugged. "It's no problem, I felt something was wrong. I had to make sure"

"Thank You." She gets up, but the moment she moved, Clark had come beside her like the gentleman that he is and helped her up.

"I was worried when I saw you on the floor," Clark says with concern. He moved his hand to cup the side of her face. He was mentally aware of the territorial danger he was in, but he couldn't quite get his feet to move away.

He had nothing but his boxers, and she had nothing but her nightgown. Could this night get any more tempting?

"Bad dream." She says nothing more.

They stood there, absolutely still, gazing at one another. The fear was gone. Any regrets gone. The hurt and pain was gone. All that was left was longing. And they both felt it at full force when another feeling overcame them.

And that feeling was primal.

Taking that leap of faith…

Their lips meet halfway, Clark leaned down and Lois rose for his kiss. With their state of mind, they knew it was wrong, but they couldn't stop the feeling that has completely overwhelming them.

Clark sighed and slipped his arms around Lois's waist, pressing her against him as his tongue slipped into the sweetness of her mouth. Lois's fingers trailed up the sides of his neck to bury themselves in his damp hair. She moaned softly when he pulled back briefly but then just changed the slant of his mouth so that he could deepen the kiss.

"We can't… do… this," he whispered between kisses.

"I know," she replied, her mind and body focused on one person.

"We could… regret… this later," he was completely losing himself in her warm embrace.

"You… want this," she was losing control, but she didn't care. She needed him now, needed every part of him.

"Lois," hearing her words registering in his thoughts.

Clark slid his hands down past her waist to cup her derriere, causing her back to arch and her center to press even closer to his desire for her. Lois continued his motion as she wrapped her arms around his neck for support and then wound her legs around his waist, returning his kiss with equal passion.

"I want… this too," she added breathlessly. Clark's mind gave in, his instincts and his love for her taking whatever resolve he had left and throwing all of them out the window.

She was also right; he wanted her.

He lowered her to the bed, never breaking the kiss. As his body was pressed against her, he trailed kisses all over her neck. He levered his weight up off her and hooked his fingers in the elastic neckline of her nightgown. She continued to stare into his eyes as he lowered it past her breasts and down to her waist.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, reverently leaning down to worship her with his lips. He has missed the feel of her body against his.

Lois wound her fingers in his hair. Her back bowed, bringing herself closer to him.

She sat up slightly and helped him push the boxers down his legs. Seeing him nude for the first time, Lois caught her breath. Everything about him was truly amazing. He placed his hands on both sides of her shoulders and when he lowered his body to cover hers, Lois sighed in immense pleasure. Just the feel of his bare skin rubbing against hers was nearly enough to drive her over the edge.

"Lois," he tried to get his thoughts straightened. He never could, whenever he's with her. She opened her eyes and watched Clark. His breathing ragged and his hips were moving ever so slowly, filling her to the limits and then leaving her empty and aching for his possession again. "I love you…" He took a shaky breath. "I couldn't make… myself stop… I love you so much." He moved even further into her again, causing her to gasp at the feeling. "I know you… may not…"

"Love you too," she finished for him. Lois stroked his face lovingly with her hands as he kept up the rhythm that almost made her unable to speak. "I know how I feel, Clark," she murmured. "And I don't want to feel, but I can't make it stop."

Clark nodded wordlessly and then let his full body weight settle against her as he seized her lips in a ferocious kiss. The wind that came up and breezed across their bodies couldn't cool the fiery explosion that was building. The stars seemed to explode behind Lois's eyes as she reached the heights she never had before in her life. The pulsing pleasure was just receding when she felt Clark increase the rhythm of his movements. He leaned down and sucked her earlobe as he reached his peak, and when Lois felt the shower of Clark's warmth deep inside her, she hugged him to her and her spasms started once again.

Several minutes later, Clark rolled to Lois's side and gathered her into his arms. He stroked her hair gently. "I wasn't sure if we should've gone there, you know"

Lois looked up at him, understanding etched across her face. "I wasn't sure either"

Clark cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. "Why?" He traced her kiss-swollen lips with his thumb. "I've been… I've wanted to feel this again with you for a long time." He took a deep breath. "I didn't want to push, and if I did that, I'm sorry"

Her eyes widened, amazed at how she could easily lose herself with him. "I'm not," she kissed him back, equally tender.

Clark nodded and continued to stroke her face with his thumb.

"I'm selfishly glad we did, Lois." He kissed her again, couldn't prevent himself from loving her more than he already did, and she gave in to that love. For the first time, Lois felt absolutely safe.

The next morning, Lois and Clark laid sound asleep, covered in each other's arms, the comforter laying comfortably on the ground, while on the bed, only a thin layer of linen stayed and looked like it has been strategically placed not to have too much flesh exposed.

If the first time they made love was frenzied and frantic, the second time was prolonged and thorough. The two lovers looked like they were cataloging every inch of each other's bodies.

Waking up and feeling herself against Clark's bare torso, she titled her head towards him, watching him sleep peacefully, as his breathing rise and fall steadily. She was actually happy. Being with him, she felt his strength and his passion consuming her.

Last night had been the first night where she woke up without a dream wrestling her out of hours of sleep.

Last night, she felt all the things she thought most of her life couldn't be real. She couldn't make herself regret what they had just experienced.

Slowly waking up, Clark reluctantly opened his eyes while simultaneously bringing Lois closer to him. She smiles at him adoringly.

"Hmmm," he mumbled.

"You look terrible," she whispers by his ear, teasing him.

"So do you," he shot back tirelessly.

Nibbling his ear. "Oh, yeah. How do you know that?"

"X-ray… vision, remember," he replied groggily.

Lois stopped and arched an eyebrow. "Really? You can do that?"

With his eyes closed Clark smiles devilishly. "No," he admitted with amusement. "Only works with my eyes open." So when he did, he's met with a pillow shot his way.

"Real cute, Smallville"

They both break out in little fits of laughter. Staring at each other again, somehow, the two seemed to be linked to one another, because before either of them even stopped and tried to think, they were already engulfing each other in another love match.

But then the sound of the phone ringing broke their blissful state.

Reluctantly breaking their kiss, Clark stared deathly at her phone. "I've never despised your phone as much as I do at this moment"

She chuckled. "Easy, Smallville…" she gives him a long and lustful kiss as she reached for her cordless phone. Kissing him still, she puts it to her ears.

"Hello," she greeted, a sudden heat aroused within her as Clark led kisses down her body.

"Ms. Lane, this is Dr. Carr," the man says from the other line.

"Doc…" she paused, her focus shifting. "Hi"

Clark looked up at the change. Lois sat herself up on the dashboard and listened in. She could tell that Clark was forcefully not invading her call, and she was grateful. A minute later, "I'll see you then. Thanks." She hangs up.

Clark continued to look at her with worried eyes.

"Is everything okay?"

The one thing she never wanted to do was hurt Clark.

"I've been keeping something from you"

There's something I've been keeping from you. Her voice played in a continual loop in his mind, deathly afraid of what she was about to say next. Clark leaves the comfort of his wife's side to stand at the end of the bed, after he had had picked up his boxers and put it on.

"That was Andrew Carr, my doctor" she continues breaking him out of his thoughts.

Clark instinctually crossed his arms, his muscles tense and his back straightening.

"What did he want?" He had to know.

Lois had to wince a little, his change in demeanor made him appear strong, uncompromising... Superman. Lois pulled her legs up to her chest, the covers still covering her.

"I went to see him yesterday"

"Why?" He replied monotonously.

"To take some tests." This was going to be harder than she thought. "I've been having these bad headaches lately..." she began to reveal carefully, letting one revelation out a teaspoon at a time.

Suddenly, Clark's body and face softened. One of these days, Lois would have to steal an Oscar from the Academy Awards and give it to him as a gift. No time for jokes, Lois scolded herself.

"Is everything okay?" He feared the worst.

"No," she blurt out quickly while shaking her head. "It's getting worse, I think." She stops to rephrase her words. "Actually, I don't just think it, I can feel it" br
"Why didn't you tell me? How long has this been going on? Were you afraid to tell me?" Clark was throwing one question after another like a semi-automatic while Lois tries to keep a level head.

"No, I wasn't afraid," she replied earnestly. "I didn't want to tell you," she added honestly.

Clark blinked. "Why?"

"Because there's more," she says. She didn't want to be dependent on anyone, least of all, to a man that she's feeling very vulnerable to. Clark Kent has made her feels things, need things and want things she never imagined herself even capable. The power he held over her was overwhelming, and last night, solidified that.

"Lois, just tell me what's wrong"

"I remember," she spoke out ever so softly.

Clark look at her passively and initially didn't comprehend what she had said until he stopped to think. His eyes widening in shock... Could she be saying what he thinks she's saying? "Remember?" He repeated her words

She nods. "Not all... just... a lot"

"You mean, remember? Like in our life, remember?" Clark wanted to be absolutely certain.

Lois looked away shamefully. Chloe was right; she should've told him sooner, she should've taken her own advice.

"I remember our first kiss, and how completely unexpected it was. I remember how I ended up living with you and your parents after I got kicked out of Met-U." She chuckles a bit at that, her eyes glistening beautifully even with the tears fighting its way through. "Our wedding... the first time we made love..." She smiled like a teenager caught with her hands in the cookie jar. "... Long before our wedding"

Clark couldn't believe it. He was torn between complete and utter happiness and complete and utter fear that he was going to lose everything. She remembered. Lois, his wife, is remembering their life together, and perhaps, even the feelings associated with them.

But then, she still kept it from him, just when he promised he would never do it again to her. Was this punishment? A test? He hoped it was neither.

"Clark. Clark!" Lois called out. Clark turned to her, his face still expressionless. "Talk to me... please," she says once more.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I can't quite tell if you're angry or not." Normally, she was good at reading people, but Clark Kent was in a class all of his own.

"Were you ever planning on telling me?" He couldn't stop the tiny bitterness from his throat.

He was definitely angry. "Yes!" she answered him.

"When?"

"Today!"

"Before or after the phone call?"

"In general, Clark." Their exchange was fast and furious. "I planned on telling you today regardless of the phone call," she tries to explain calmly.

"How can I believe you after everything you told me about lying?"

Dammit, she knew that was coming. "Just hate me already!" She screamed.

"I don't HATE you!" He screamed right on back. "I can never hate you even if I tried." Clark looked around, mildly shaky before sitting down on a nearby chair. He brushed a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath before saying anything further. "I can't lose you," he spoke out in an almost hushed whisper.

Lois tried to make herself move to him, but her body refused to comply.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner"

Clark stared blankly at his hands. "I almost went crazy when I lost you last time," he reveals softly. He gestures to himself. "Every day I felt like giving up... because... because a life... a future... without you in it, was a future I wanted nothing to do with." Blinking away the tears forming in his eyes, he forced himself not to look at Lois, afraid he'd lose himself in them.

"It takes a lot for me to be afraid... For so long, after everything I've been through, after everything my parents have been through, the danger became second nature to me. Then came this girl... this woman..." he catches a glimpse of his wife before turning away again. "... And she made me love everything about myself." Clark paused. "Whether I was Clark Kent from Smallville or Kal-El from Krypton," this time, he stood up from his seat and slowly made his way to her, kneeling, and staring at her intently. "It never mattered to you," he confessed with deep and pure love. "If there was anything that scared me most... it's failing you. Both as Superman and your husband."

She reached out and held his face in her hands, silent tears streaming down her face. Kissing his forehead, she laid his head gently above her stomach, brushing her hand through his hair in soft caresses. Holding onto him like her life depended on it.

The weird thing is, it did.

"You'll never lose me," she whispered lovingly to his ear, as her husband sobbed quietly against her body. "I promise"

In Smallville, Martha and Jonathan Kent are just about to leave for the store when the familiar sound of a very expensive engine of a very expensive car pulls in the driveway.

They immediately knew who it was.

Lex Luthor.

Now hitting his thirties, Lex Luthor approaches the Kent's with a calmness he has never exhibited before. He almost looked, carefree.

"Mr. Kent," he greeted, removing his sunglasses. He looks to Martha to greet her as well, "Mrs. Kent."

"Lex, what are you doing here?" Martha asks in surprise.

Jonathan protectively moves to his wife's side, a gesture not lost on Lex, yet he didn't let it get to him.

"Don't worry; I'm not here to cause trouble… I've got information I thought you should know."

"And what would this information cost us?" Jonathan Kent spat out.

Lex knew his words alone won't garner their trust, but he had to start somewhere. Lex reaches into his coat pocket to reveal a CD, and throws it to Mr. Kent.

"It's all there. All the Information gathered since the meteors fell. Unexplained events. News reporting, both legitimate and not. Profiles of every meteor-infected person. Clark Kent." He pauses. "Superman." He uttered, garnering the undivided attention of both older Kent's. "For as long as I've known your son, this family… he's done nothing but help people, even when the people in question didn't deserve it."

"How did you…" Jonathan and Martha were next to speechless.

"As soon as Superman made his presence known, it wasn't that hard to piece together. It's funny, all this time I thought Clark was the answer to everything. But he's not, and my mind's finally at peace because of it."

"I don't know what to say," says Jonathan.

Lex gazes at him a second longer. "Believe me when I tell you it isn't over," he adds receiving a look of shock from Jonathan and Martha's faces. He continues, "My father is alive and well, and he's been a ticking time bomb for Clark"

"How do you know all this?"

"Besides the fact that he's my father… I let him"

"What?" Jonathan's voice turned angry.

"I'm not going to pretend I didn't hate Clark, not to mention every other person on this planet. My father laid out his motives and I stepped back and didn't do anything. That's what I'm guilty of, and to be honest, I'm tired. Unfortunately, my father holds a different standard of stamina, and he's been on this crusade of destroying you and your family, so that's why I'm here. I'm not asking for forgiveness, I don't even expect a thank you, I just wanted you to know."

"Lex," says Martha in an almost motherly tone.

"Even if we could trust you, how do we know Lionel would ever stop? That man is crazy"

He laughs disdainfully at the truth. "In the depths of madness lies genius, and that is the ONE thing my father doesn't lack. He's even got junior doing a lot of his dirty work for him."

"You mean Lucas?" questioned Martha.

"Same one," he answered.

"Who else is involved?" Jonathan asks, finally letting down his guard. Lex is grateful, but he didn't let it show.

Lex looks away and hesitated answering.

"General Lane"

Later that morning at STARLabs, Lois held Clark's hands as they walked the halls leading up to Dr. Carr's office.

"You didn't tell me your doctor worked here?" Clark spoke through Lois's ear. He found himself thinking like Superman, always searching doors for a possible exit in case something went wrong and he needed to get Lois out of there, x-raying rooms to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary, and holding tightly onto his wife's hand in fear that if he let go, the past two days never had happened.

"He's Bruce's personal physician," she explained, garnering a quizzical look from her husband. "Relax, Clark, I trust him"

"I don't doubt that"

"Then why the look?"

"I'm just surprised"

"Bruce and I have been friends longer than we were actually together. Despite everything that's happened, he's a good man, Clark"

"How well do you know him?" He instantly regretted the question as soon as it left his lips. He knew Bruce Wayne was Batman, but he often wondered if Lois knew too.

She gives him a look of uncertainty, not understanding exactly what he was implying by the question. Before she got to ask him any further about his sudden interest in Bruce Wayne, they were greeted by Doctor Carr.

"Lois," he called out as he approached them.

Lois goes to hug the doctor, much to Clark's surprise.

"How's the Mrs.?" Lois asked. The doctor raised his hand happily. "Still married," he answered. "And the kids?" she asked. "Growing," he says excitedly. The exchange brightened Clark's day. It was nice to see Lois interacting with good people, and from what he saw, this Dr. Carr seemed like one of them.

Lois turned her attention towards Clark.

"Doc, this is Clark," she introduced. Clark reached out to shake the doctor's hand when suddenly, Lois added, "My husband"

Doctor Carr stopped, their hands stopping at mid-air. He looked at Lois with a mixture of shock and well, shock. And Clark… well, he was just as surprised as the doctor.

"I didn't realize…" he looked at the tall handsome young man in front of him. "Umm… congratulations," he says very unsure of himself.

Both Lois and Clark gave out a small chuckle.

"Lois and I have been married a while," explained Clark.

With raised eyebrows, "A while?" He turned to Lois again, "I had no idea"

"You and the entire planet," she tells him. "We'd really appreciate it if you could keep this bit of information confidential"

He nods assuring her that he won't say a word. "Of course." He gestures to his office. "I've been reviewing your test results"

Lois and Clark exchanged looks of unease and Lois found herself gripping Clark's hand tighter, as Clark leaned down to kiss her forehead, reminding her that she isn't alone, and that from now on, whatever happens, they'll face it together.

Clark felt so numb on his way back to his apartment. Shortly after their visit with Dr. Carr, their editor had called them once again to look into a lead in an upcoming story. On their way to meet a source, Clark had to leave for a rescue, and even though he was highly reluctant to leave his wife, Lois had insisted that he do what he must to protect the city, and kissed him to ensure that'll she be there when he returns.

He wanted that moment to last forever.

Now back and pacing around in his apartment, he debated whether or not to give Lois a call. He wanted… no, he needed to see her and hear her voice. He stopped to look up at the only other person in the room.

"Just when I think everything's going to be okay, something happens that makes it ten times worst"

Chloe looked at him with sad eyes, understanding every word he said.

"You and Lois have gone this far," she paused. "You'll get through this."

Clark saw the hesitancy in her voice; even he knew that Chloe was having doubts. It made him even more fearful than he already was.

Holding onto a nearby chair, "My life… without Lois in it is unacceptable," he slammed the chair down so hard he broke it to pieces.

"Clark, calm down!" Chloe's voice was desperate to break through his anger – The only other time she found him this angry and fearful was regretfully, the time when she was looking into his past against his wishes.

Clark forced to calm his breathing, truly scared of losing his wife again.

"I can't," he says in defeat.

He was so near the breaking point again that Chloe tried not to look at him. It wasn't fair. If anyone deserved a happy ending, it was her two best friends.

Twenty minutes later, Chloe found herself at the Daily Planet to see her cousin. She tried calling her apartment, but only got the message machine. Then she tried her cell, but apparently, it was either on silent mode or turned off, and she was far too worried for Clark to ask him to find cousin.

Exiting, she walked towards her desk, and nonetheless, there she was. Her eyes glued to the screen like a moth to a flame.

"Lois," she voiced out, careful not to scare her.

She looked up. "Chloe," she says with happy surprise, a reaction light years better than the first time she visited Lois.

The two cousins hug.

"You look – Happy," observed Chloe, noticing her cousin's smile radiating across the dim lit room.

"I thought it was about time for a change," she remarked funnily.

"Are you okay?"

She shook her head honestly, but remained optimistic for her cousin's sake. "No, not really – Just as things were finally getting on track, something happens to mess with it"

"It never ceases to amaze me how well you and Clark think alike"

"Should I be worried?" she mused.

Chloe beamed. "No, not at all. It makes you two unique."

Chloe decided to keep quite a moment, unsure of how to proceed with the next question. Even though she had a good grip on what's happening, Lois and Clark have been tightlipped about it that she really didn't know what was happening.

"It's that bad, huh"

Lois's face remains indifferent at her cousin's comment. She was always better at masking her emotions than Chloe.

"We're taking it a day at a time"

"In other words, you and Clark are ignoring the problem"

"No!" defends Lois. "I prefer the word 'delaying'"

"And the difference would be..." Chloe dragged.

"Ignoring would imply avoidance and never, while delaying is more in accordance with postponement"

"Oh, come on. This is serious"

"Which is exactly the reason why it's better off dealt with later than now"

"Enlighten me, Lois," Chloe deadpanned.

"Look, Clark and I are trying to get our relationship back on track and neither of us can do that if we have to deal with all our problems at once."

"And that's understandable, but…" Chloe's eyes go wide. "Ahh!" she screamed in delight. "You and Clark are back together!" She pulls her in for another hug. Finally, it was official.

"When… how… how are you guys doing now?" she asked all at once in pure excitement.

Lois held out her hands before her, "Whoa there, cuz… one question at a time," she says. "First question… last night," she started to answer. "How'd we get together?" She stopped and grinned, her face blushing. "No comment." And lastly, "Until this morning, everything was fine"

"What happened?"

"I don't really want to get into it right now"

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh"

"Positive?"

Lois sighed before grabbing her dear cousin's hand, holding it tight.

"Everything's going to be okay"

"Why don't I believe you?"

She scoffs playfully. "Because we're stubborn," she shrugged. "And it's in our genes"

The two girls spent the rest of the time catching up with each other's lives. Besides, it had been a long time coming.

Later that night, it took Clark a couple of hours, but he really wanted to see Lois so much, he changed into Superman and found himself hovering near her balcony that he didn't even realized how he got himself up there so fast.

"You don't have to hover outside like that every time you come to see me; standing on my balcony is just as affective"

Clark snapped out of his trance and saw the most beautiful thing in the world in front of him.

"Lois!"

She arched an eyebrow, "Did you expect anybody else?"

As Superman, he slowly landed himself on her terrace. He fluttered with a very un-Superman response. "I was just…" Losing his train of thought. "I didn't think…" He paused to try again. "I missed you," he finally says.

Lois forced herself to keep a steady smile, trying her damn hardest not to blush at Clark's misuse of words and phrases. And the vision of him as Superman can do… a lot of things to a girl, let alone his wife.

"It's only been a few hours," Lois spoke softly, her voice almost teasing.

He shook his head, smiling. "More like years." Clark took a step forward, but stopped to take it back. He'd temporarily forgotten about the suit he had on.

Lois caught it though, and was flattered. He was just being careful in case someone, though highly unlikely, someone had been watching.

Daring herself, she turned back into her apartment.

"Where are you going?" Clark asked her from behind.

He watched as Lois looked back to wink at him before turning back around to walk across the living room. At the same time, she removed her business jacket and unbuttoned her blouse, allowing it to fall on the floor, making a trail towards her bedroom.

The last sight he saw was seeing her release the knot that tied her hair up and her long beautiful hair falling back afterwards.

Superman had to hold back his breath before obediently following suit.

On the balcony, he was Superman, but as soon as he walked into her apartment, in a blink of an eye, he was dressed as Clark Kent. He thanked God that Lois had tinted windows, so no one could see them inside.

Slowly making his way across the room just as Lois did mere moments ago, he made sure to follow his wife's example and trailed pieces of clothing on the floor next to hers until he made his way to her bedroom.

They both knew that what they needed was each other, right now, and without consequence. And for a night, they did so without burdening themselves with the troubles that lay ahead of them.

This night was there's.

And in the morning…

Well…

In his boxers and a t-shirt, Clark sat at the bar counter that was adjoined with Lois's stove in the center of her kitchen. He smiled happily at her as he watched his wife make breakfast.

Grabbing a piece of bacon from her frying pan, "I don't recall you ever being this good in the kitchen," he comments with a mixture of sincerity and sarcasm. Lois Lane and the word cooking in the same sentence could warrant a 'high alert' warning.

She rolls her eyes in an amusing fashion. "It took me starving in my own home to finally convince myself to take a couple of classes"

Clark eyed her in surprise. "You took classes?" He never thought he'd ever see the day that he could eat her food and actually like it.

"Ha, ha," she replied sarcastically, but knowing how badly her cooking was just four years ago, his disbelief was not without reason. "Remind me to revoke your marital privileges," she threatened lightly and with a smirk.

Clark pretended to look shocked.

"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," he says in his defense, enjoying their always lively back and forth verbal repartee. Nine years later and it still hasn't gotten old.

A sudden thought hit him, and he desperately wished he hadn't.

Lois notices.

"You okay?" she asked in deep concern.

"It's nothing," he tried to wave off.

"I know I'm sort of new at this whole 'wife and marriage' thing, but I've been a journalist for a long time and I can tell when someone's not being totally truthful. Come out with it, Smallville. I don't bite"

"I don't know if I should or if I have a right to"

"We won't know unless you ask it now, won't we?" She tried her best to make him feel comfortable, but she had a feeling, that whatever it was that he wanted to ask her, the question must be sensitive.

"Have you… with someone… I mean, somebody else…" he stopped before he made things any worse. "I'm not asking this right, am I?" He looked away from her. "Let's just forget I tried to ask"

Lois remained silent as she watched Clark's inner turmoil display across his features. About halfway through his attempted question, she knew right away what had been on his mind.

He wanted to know if she had ever been intimate with anyone else.

She smiled weakly at him before moving around the counter to cup his face with her soft hands, and kissed him lightly but lovingly on his lips.

"I've never slept with anyone else if that's what you were trying to ask," she answered him honestly.

Clark looked at her intently, continuously mesmerized at the woman before him.

"You've never?"

She nods no.

"Ever?"

Lois smiles before shaking her head again, confirming once more that the only man she has ever been with has been him.

"You look surprised?" She broke the brief silence that befell them.

"I assumed…"

"That Bruce and I have been together," she finished for him.

Clark gives her a nod that he had thought about it, and even, convinced himself that they have.

She chuckles softly. "In the beginning, after I woke up from my 'fake' coma, I was too confused and a little messed up in the head that getting myself involved with anyone would just complicate things. As time went by, sex wasn't something I didn't want to use just for the sake of sex. Don't get me wrong, though, I've totally thought about it, and there were times where it nearly came to that," she stopped to breathe a little and so did Clark. She continued, "It just, never felt right, you know." She caresses his cheek. "Not like when I'm with you," she admitted without regret.

"You have no idea how relieved I am about that"

She smiled. "Consider relieving it both ways. Have you ever…" it was Lois's turn to ask the question, but remarkably, she didn't seem as nervous to ask it as Clark.

"What do you think?" he smirked. He pulled her in for another kiss, and held it there until they both noticed the frying pan going on fire.

"Oh great!" she reluctantly broke out of their embrace.

Clark stops her. "Here, let me," he insisted before blowing a small gust of very cold wind across the pan. In mere seconds, the fire was out and the smoke quickly dissipated.

"God, I love having you around," she commented to herself, but not out of earshot of her husband. She smiles adoringly to him.

An hour and a half later, a quick… umm, reprieve, and a shower, they debate how they were going to approach their workplace from now on.

Going through her purse, "So many things have been happening; we haven't even had a chance to stop and think things through"

"Like…" Clark wondered.

"Our marriage, for one," she answered. "We've led separate lives for almost six years; someone's bound to find out that there's something going on between us, especially at work in a room fool of journalist, who, by profession, are paid to be nosy"

"Then we tell them," Clark highly suggested. "We got to start somewhere, Lois. I don't want to have to hide how I feel for you – I won't."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" It seemed any plan they come up with ends up being the wrong plan.

Clark had to think of it more before answering.

"Perry"

"What?"

"Chief," he says again. "We could tell Chief. We don't have to tell everyone all at once. We could start with Chief, then Jimmy, so on and so forth"

"And you think that'll work?"

"Lois, I'd rather have the people I like know first than the other way around"

Biting her lip, she understands completely.

"Sounds like a plan"

"Not a good plan" somebody says out from across the room. Lois and Clark turned as soon as the uninvited party spoke.

Clark knew who it was.

Unfortunately, Lois did too.

General Sam Lane.

Lois stared at the figure before her coldly before directing her question towards her husband. "Tell me I'm not seeing who I think I'm seeing," she uttered without remorse.

The General twisted inside by her words.

Clark stood beside Lois, not knowing what to say. It's been years since the three of them were in the same room together, and the last time they were, it didn't start, nor end in good terms.

"What are you doing here?" Clark questioned cautiously.

"Nevermind that," Lois waved and looked at General Lane deathly in the eye. "How the hell did you get in?" She demanded forcefully.

The General remained calm.

"The door was unlocked"

"I could have you kicked out for trespassing," she says, her temper flowing out of her quickly.

"Would you have let me in if I had called for you?"

The tension in the room suddenly jumped from 1 to 10.

"You are done making decisions for me," she replied, the anger in her continues to raise an all-time high.

"I am still your father," he reminded her.

"Only biologically"

If General Lane wasn't as equally angry at the situation he put them in, he would've winced at her words.

"Maybe we should calm down and talk," Clark reluctantly interjected. He remembered all the times Lois had argued with her father during her stay with his family in Smallville many years ago, and how he was always a little hesitant to interfere. They haven't always had the steadiest relationship, and walking into their arguments can feel like you were walking into a mine field.

"What… you're taking his side now?" Lois turned to Clark in aggravation.

Clark tried not to rebuke. He closed his eyes and wished they were back in bed. "No, that's not it," he says trying to calm everyone down. "You haven't seen him in months, so I figure he's here for a reason. We might as well hear him out," he added, always the rational referee.

"Thank you," agreed General Lane.

Lois points to her father with an almost menacing glare. "Oh, don't you dare," the nerve he had to suddenly treat Clark with respect. Where was that six years ago? "You can't just come in here, disrupt our lives again and again, and expect me to just stand by and forget everything you took from us!"

"Us?" The General repeated. "You two have reconciled," he stated rather blandly. Somewhere, deep beneath all his pride and ego, he always knew they would find their way back together, no matter how much he tried to prevent otherwise.

"Don't act so surprised, it's insulting"

"Lois…"

"Don't even say my name," she shot back, her anger against him not subsiding. "I can't even look at you right now without getting sick, so just stop." She rushed towards her coat rack and pulled a long overcoat from the hook.

Clark's attention immediately drifted towards his wife.

"Whoa, where are you going?"

"It's getting a little too crowded in here," she replied while putting on her coat. Clark understood her need to put space between her and her father, and simply took the part of supportive husband by helping her put her coat on.

Cupping her face, "Come back soon," he tells her softly.

Away from the General's hearing, Lois sadly looks at Clark. "I just… can't… be in the same room with him right now. Whatever he has to say, I won't be able to keep a level head. I know how you feel about him, but…" she didn't quite know how else to finish her question.

"I'll hear whatever he has to say," Clark assured her, then kissed her softly on the lips. "I won't let him take you away from me again, I promise"

"Be careful, Clark," she whispered to him.

Her eyes showed regret for not being strong enough to confront Sam Lane together, but Clark knew the conflict she was experiencing and felt the need to protect her from it.

"I'll find you when he's gone," he says, lifting her hand to his lips before letting go.

As he watched her walk out, Clark turned around to face General Sam Lane. His calm façade remained the same.

"What do you want?"

"What do you want, General?"

"My daughter happy," he answered matter-of-factly.

Clark's calm demeanor was replaced by total skepticism. "You have an aggressive way of showing it," he scoffed.

"Contrary to popular belief, I do love Lois"

Clark would hear none of it. "I'm going to ask you again, and this time, be specific," he forewarned. "What do you want?" He seriously wanted to throw him off the ledge.

"To help you"

What the hell is he up to now, thought Clark. "With complete offense, General, I'm finding that hard to believe"

"Then why don't you tell me this… has Lois been having headaches lately?"

Clark's eyes widen, but said nothing.

"I put her through that procedure, Kent. Don't think I didn't know the risks that were involved," the General stated.

Clark's blood boiled above Earth's average temperature as he heard him utter those words. "You knew and you still put her through it"

"I was told there wouldn't be any serious repercussions"

"And you believed them?" Clark was getting angry now. General Lane consciously knew the hazards he placed his own daughter in when he took her memories. This wasn't just emotionally pain for Lois now, it's physical, and it's draining her and there has been little he, her husband, could do about it.

"I didn't know"

"Don't!" He interrupted, desperately holding his anger together. "Do you know what's happening to her?" Clark practically had to force those words out.

"Yes"

"How do we make it stop?" Clark wanted to scream.

"I don't know"

"Don't give me that answer," the young man demanded.

"I'm a soldier, not a scientist"

"And I'm neither, but I'm a man who's trying to save his wife"

"You're not a man"

"So you keep diligently reminding me," he replied un-offended by the comment.

As far as conversations go, this has been the first time Sam Lane and Clark Kent spoke so honestly with each other, even despite the backstabbing and heavy handed words.

"She wouldn't be in this position if she never met you"

"Here we go again," Clark responded to the General's underhanded accusation with an immature expression.

Clark Kent at 17 would probably put himself on a broody guilt trip, but not him and certainly not now. He's a grown man with a wife and two jobs, one of which is regularly helping people. He will not allow Sam Lane belittle him, regardless of how many stars he has on his uniform.

"You don't comprehend the seriousness of this situation"

"How many people have died by your orders, General? How many have you consciously killed with your own hands?"

"What does my duty – "

Clark cut him off. "Exactly! Duty. I've never killed anybody, but you treat me like I'm a menace to society. I didn't wake up one morning in my crib and decided to hop on a plane and fly to Earth. My home was dying, and one last act of desperation from my birth parents brought me here." Clark saw the General's face react when he revealed what had happened to his home world, but chose to ignore it and continued. "I'm not going to apologize for that, and I'm certainly not going to let you ruin Lois and I because of your inability to let her go"

"Don't go there, Kent. You don't know what you're talking about"

"And you do?" Clark argued back. "You don't know a thing about me. You've never wanted to… and I accept that, I do, but you crossed a line when you took her life away from her," and away from the family that truly loved her so.

"I did what I thought was right"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Doing what you thought was right never made anyone in your family happy"

"Don't push it, Kent"

"Oh I'm pushing it, alright. You're scared right now; I can see it in your eyes, I can hear your heart beating twice its normal rate. What are you so afraid of, General? Is it because I'm right or because I am her family?" Clark never imagined he could speak like this towards anyone, but General Lane certainly has brought out the very different human side of Clark, the human side that needs. He needs Lois, just as he needs the light of the yellow sun to fuel him.

Clark would die first before he let anyone tear them apart again.

"I'm trying to do right here"

"You can't make it right, not like this! Do you have any idea how much I love her?" When the General didn't answer. "Do you!" Clark asked him once more as the man before him remained silent. "Or do Lois and I even have an opinion?"

"The situation required me to take action"

"Stop!" Clark finally broke down and yelled at him, silencing the General, who stood surprised at his sudden outburst. Despite seeing him in his red and blue outfit on television and in the newspapers, Superman has been a far more dominant presence in the Clark Kent he's been speaking to than he ever was back in Smallville.

Clark continued, "Please stop making excuses and admit that you're wrong."

"Will that change anything?" the General asked weakly.

"No," Clark replied honestly. "But it's a start"

Outside, along the streets of Metropolis, Lois walked in no specific direction. She could barely picture the man who gave her life. The man that practically raised her. The man she was ashamed to call her father. After all these months, why couldn't he just have left her alone?

Walking, she is taken out of her thoughts by a familiar voice in the background.

"Lois Lane"

She stopped and turned when the voice called out to her. As if her earlier surprise visit was shocking enough, this just tops it.

"Mr. Luthor"

He smiled weakly at her. "I see formalities are in order. How are you, Miss Lane," he paused. "Or do you prefer Mrs. Kent?"

Lois was expressionless. She didn't want to play word games with anyone and just remained silent before turning to leave. Her lack of response caught Lex by surprise.

"Lois, wait!"

She stopped once more, sighing. "What now?" Her back remained turned from him.

"There's something I need to speak with you about"

Caressing her temple, a headache would do good right about now. "What?" The most unprofessional question she no doubt has uttered since getting into professional journalism.

"I assume that your father has come to see you already"

Lois's attention sprung quickly at the mention of her father. "What?" Second time she's used the term within a span of a minute. She's losing her touch. "Don't tell me you were involved in what happened to me"

Lex shied his eyes away, confirming the truth to Lois' already angry façade.

"It's a lot more complicated than that," he defended himself ever so weakly.

With an aggravated sigh, "I'm running out of tolerance, so say what you have to say before I do something I'd really regret," she threatened.

"I'm here to help you"

She chuckled an annoyed look. "Help me with what?"

"Take my father down and help you regain your life"

Shaking her head defiantly, "There is nothing you or anyone could do to give me back the three years that was raped from me on top of five years I've lost with my husband. So why don't you just leave us alone"

"I can't do that"

She spun around, "And why the hell not?"

"Because you're dying"

"Repeat that by me again"
Reluctantly, Lex does what she asked. "I said your – "

"Nevermind," she cut him off quickly. "How is it that you know of my terminally ill condition?" Lois began to question, her face masked with no emotion.

Flashback to the previous day…

After polite introductions were made, Lois and Clark sat opposite of Dr. Carr's desk, waiting dreadfully at the news of Lois's results.

"So, doc… what's wrong with me?"

It took but a single question to change the doctor's happy face to one of sadness. Clark could tell he was trying to hold off his emotions, and caught the sound of his heart beating almost erratically in his chest. That made Clark all the more nervous.

When the doctor didn't respond, "Well…" Lois continued.

Dr. Carr takes a deep breath before placing his hands and arms above his desk. "As your friend Lois, I want to tell you that everything is going to be okay…" he fell silent as if trying to choose what words to use next.

"But…" Lois spoke out of turn.

"But…" Dr. Carr continued forth. "As your physician it is my medical obligation to tell you all the facts." He shook his head. "It doesn't look good"

"Yeah, I kind of saw that coming," she says trying to hold herself together. Lois felt Clark's hand reach for hers like a lifeline.

The three sat silently, Dr. Carr giving her the space she needed to comprehend the news he had just given. When a couple minutes pass and no one has said a word, Clark Kent broke the silence.

"What's the problem?" his voice cracked.

Dr. Carr went into detail about all that he has discovered. By the end, "Every memory you regain affects your brain, a feeling that I could only imagine feels like…"

"A migraine gone whacked," she completed with her trademark sarcasm. Though, the three had nothing to smile about.

"It's going to get worse"

Lois breezed through his additional comments, intentionally not paying attention. Unfortunately for Clark, he heard every word.

"Can you treat it?"

"I don't know"

"That isn't good enough!" He spoke out of line but Dr. Carr understood his outburst and remained calm.

Lois' head jerked sideways when she heard her husband speak at her behalf.

"Clark," she tried to speak out.

"No, Lois," he says. "I'm not giving up and neither are you!" He looked back at the doctor. "There has to be something we can do"

"It's not that simple, Mr. Kent. The file she gave me had no details on the specifics of the operation. Without knowing exactly how she got there, it'll take a little more time to back step the procedure. Look, the human brain is not only the most fragile, but it's the most mysterious. These sort of procedures…"

"Experiments," she corrected. "This is what it was. A win-win situation for the people involved"

Dr. Carr was at a loss about what she was talking about, but Clark Kent seemed to know exactly what it was. For General Sam Lane, if the procedure had worked, Lois and Clark would be separated forever, and for whoever executed the procedure, they would have a live human being to test for it. Either way, the only people that lost was Lois and Clark.

"How long?" Lois suddenly asked.

Dr. Carr knew the answer he was about to give was an answer they didn't want to hear.

"There's no time frame. Could be tomorrow, could be a few months. All I could surmise is that your headaches are getting worse and it only takes that 'one' to end it."

Lois abruptly stood up. "I think I'm going to be sick." She rushed out of the office to a nearby restroom.

Clark was just about to go after her when Dr. Carr reached for his wrists. "Leave her, Mr. Kent… give her some time alone"

Clark looked at him pleadingly. "Call me Clark." He looked back at the direction his wife had left. "I have to go to her"

"She needs you to be strong for her when she can't be"

End of Flashback

"You don't seem surprised"

Closing in on a nearby bench, Lois slowly sat down. "We found out yesterday," she says as she fiddled with her fingers.

"I'm sorry"

Her head jerked up at his direction. "I don't think you are"

Offended by the accusation. "I admit I'm no boy scout, but I never wanted any of this to happen"

"But you know who did it," she stated without question.

Lex shamefully bowed his head. "Yes"

"And you didn't do anything about it"

"No." Lois Lane sure knew how to make a guy feel like crap. "I can continue apologizing or you could let me walk you back home and talk about this with your husband and father."

She sighed. "Must you say the f-word?"

Even if the situation was terrifying, Lex had to laugh a bit at her attempt to damn her father. It was about the only thing he and Lois had in common.

Lois stood up, tightening her jacket around her. "I guess this is the part where I bring you to my home and prepare for World War 3." Lois announced, knowing all too well that bringing Lex Luthor to her apartment in the vicinity of both The General and her husband would no doubt create a high degree of tension and animosity.

As Lois led the way, Lex silently whispered to himself.

"Won't this be fun," he muttered sarcastically.

Making their way up to Lois's apartment, she and Lex exited the elevator and walked to her door.

Lex went immediately nervous.

"Oh, what's wrong now?" says Lois noticing him fidget with his very expensive wrist watch.

"It's been a long time since I've seen him"

"Really?" Lois faked. "That's funny, because just a few months ago, me too," she added, her sarcasm at the situation coming out at full force.

"Your distaste and lack of trust of me is noted, Lois"

She put the key into the key hole. "Just making sure you didn't forget," she returned without a sweat. Turning the knob, she is greeted by a very silent husband and well… if she must think it, father.

Clark perked up when he sees Lois enter. He hurriedly made his way to her, hugging her like there was no tomorrow.

"You're never leaving me alone with him ever again," he whispered into her ear.

Lois couldn't help but smile.

"I'm afraid that our non-guest isn't the only surprise visitor today." Clark reluctantly let her go.

"Who else is there?" Clark asks cautiously.

Lois sort of kind of waved to the side. Vana White has nothing on her. So when Lex Luthor appeared in her doorway, Clark's demeanor quickly changed.

"What is he doing here?"

"To help apparently," she returned sardonically.

"Help with what?" Clark asks dryly.

The General took the wrong moment to speak up. "With Lois's condition," the General added.

Lois annoyed at the intrusion, remembering his connection to Luthor. "Did I ask you to talk?" Lois interrupted with contempt. As the General opened his mouth to answer, his daughter beat him to the punch. "I didn't think so"

"Please, could we act like adults here?" Lex interjected.

"That'd be a first," Clark acknowledged with contempt that rivals even his wife's.

Lex tried to keep a straight face. "Don't start with me, Clark," he replied trying to attempt to reason with his once-best-friend.

In the same room, father and daughter were having their own tense interaction. "I'm just trying to help," The General spoke out determined to get through his daughter.

"You're trying to run my life… as always." Lois battled against her father with intensity. "And don't tell me I'm being immature about this, you're not the one who's dying… which by the way, I completely blame you for!"

"Then let me make it right!"

"Tell that to the fellowship of the migraine society, they never leave me alone," she scorned. She silently wished she'd have one of those headaches to prove to The General just what he had done and how far he had gone to do it.

The General turned to Clark. "Kent! Will you please talk to your wife?"

Clark turned his quarrel with Lex Luthor away and paid heed to General Lane's failure to communicate with his daughter. Communication has been a complete failure since the four of them were put in one room. All they needed now are 24-hour cameras and a sign saying 'Big Brother,' it'll surely be a ratings hit.

"Right… like she ever listens to me," he countered, which he regretted soon afterwards when Lois gives him a raised eyebrow, then a smirk. He shrugged then mouthed soundlessly, 'You know I'm right.'

"This is getting a tad ridiculous, don't you think?" Lex interfered.

All three pairs of eyes look at him disdainfully. Lex repented, raised both hands, and took a step backwards. These people, regardless of the hostility they share with one another, are still, in fact family.

Lex nodded sideways. "I'll be in the corner," he says panic-stricken and then adds, "By the exit."

Clark had to double-back for a second. He wasn't used to seeing Lex Luthor look and sound so… What was the word… relaxed. His jokes would normally sound dry and apathetic, but now there was actually some playfulness in his tone. Not the sort of Lex he was expecting.

Regardless though, it'll take a lot more than change-in-attitude for Clark to trust him again.

"I'll be in my terrace," Lois uttered loudly, getting all the men's attention. Clark rushes to her side.

"You're leaving me with them?" Clark's eyes pleaded to convince her otherwise.

"I've dealt with Lex, and I'm already related to the other one over there." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Your turn," she deduced as Clark growled in between kisses.

"Do I have to?" He complained. Honestly, he couldn't stand the people occupying their living room. Clark leaned down and touched his forehead with his wife's.

"Be brave," she assured him with confidence.

Clark smirked. "Uh-huh"

"I'll deal with him in my own time, Clark"

"Time is a luxury we don't have, Lois," he reminded her. They knew the problem had to be dealt with openly, and soon.

Lois looked away from him for just a moment. "I know," she whispered in return. This husband of hers has far too much control over her. "Fine!" she says denouncing her earlier plan. Clark immediately smiles. "But feel free to fly me out of there when things get hostile"

"Consider it done," he nodded. Taking her hand with his, "Let's do this"

Lois inhaled deeply.

"Let's"

Walking hand in hand back into the living room, Lex remained close to the door as The General just stood there… waiting. How that aggravated her so.

"Let's get this over with before I get an aneurism"

Clark's head bobbed down at Lois' remark. How she can look at the situation so calmly is beyond his understanding. He's been going crazy since they got back from Dr. Carr's clinic yesterday, and last night's interlude was about the only thing that kept his mind off it.

One excruciating hour passed. Lois had attempted to leave their presence but the speed of Clark's hand coming up to stop her prevented her from fulfilling her plan. She couldn't stand being around Lex and The General anymore than he could.

When it ended, Lois walked back out into the terrace with Clark close behind.

"Oh my God! There was far too much brain power in that room"

Clark chuckled. "Differences aside, I thought it went well"

"Always the optimist, even in the face of hopelessness," she says with a wry smile.

"Ever since I found you again, I can't help but hope for the best. We've gone this far, I'm not losing you now… or ever"

Lois stared in amazement.

"What?" Clark wondered why she was suddenly staring at him.

"You," she answered. "The way you just seem to see the best in people. It's a little overwhelming, especially for a cynic like me"

He smiles. "It's overwhelming for me too"

"How's that?"

"Even when you don't remember everything, you say things so much like you six years ago. It happens a lot. I've never told you, but there are things that you say and respond to that's kinda happened before"

"I didn't realize… I mean, sometimes I get the feeling of déjà vu, but I never really thought too much about it"

"I know we decided to take things slow"

Lois laughs playfully. "That agreement was pretty much shot to hell, don't you think."

Clark blushes before adding a comment of his own. "It's a good thing there was no contractual ink-signing involved," he says.

"Now that would be a problem," she surmised. Their bantering was always a release for them. Then, reality set back in. "We're going ahead with the plan, aren't we?"

Clark could only reach for her hand and lay a kiss gently on it, and with a voice so soft that even Lois could barely hear... "You're going to be okay," he stated pulling her in and engulfing her in a kiss that was deprived of them for one whole hour.

"Ahem," Lex hesitantly interrupted.

Lois and Clark parted and didn't want to pay attention but did anyway as General Lane appeared behind Lex Luthor, who had just hung up on his cell phone.

"It's time," The General announced.

Lois, Clark, and Lex stood before him, taking a deep breath, and dealing with what was about to come.

It's night time; the moon is hidden behind tall buildings that make up Metropolis' skyline. From the sky, the view would be spectacular, but from the ground, it is mesmerizing in its own right.

In a van not too far from one of the bigger buildings in the district, Lex Luthor pulls out a high tech military binocular provided by The General. "Doesn't seem to be closely guarded tonight," he observed through the night vision binoculars.

"That's because you're looking at the wrong entrance," Clark interrupted, lifting his wire-rimmed glasses back to the bridge of his nose with a couple of fingers. He x-rayed the place as soon as they were close enough for him to get a proper see through.

Lex scoffs saying, "Well, I'm sorry if we don't all have superhuman powers." Lex revealed to Clark earlier that night that he knew of his alien lineage. He hoped his silence was enough to earn him even a little trust back, but Clark didn't budge.

"Boys, boys," Lois intrudes playing referee. "Save playtime for the jungle gym, I have a migraine with a 10 kiloton yield going off in my head so if you please…" She looks at Clark, then Lex and then to Clark again. "Play nice"

Shutting the ignition of the van off, The General turns to his daughter in parental worry that he made sure he didn't overtly show. "Are you ready?"

"Though not from lack of choice, just lack of options, I'm entrusting my life to you and Lex Luthor," she says to her father with calm anger in her eyes. "So to answer your question, yes"

"Hey, I can hear you!" Lex complained in the back.

Back in the rear of the van, Lex turned back to Clark as they continued to prepare themselves. With the four of them in such close proximity, you could cut the high level tension with a butter knife.

"Still don't trust me, huh"

"You haven't given me a reason to," Clark simply answered.

"Coming from you Clark, I've come to really not care"

"Then stop asking, because I don't." Clark turned to the front passenger seat. "Honey, you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she responded, giving him a wink.

Clark winks back.

"Oh, please," says Lex. Seeing the two all playful together just adds even more reasons why he should really hate Clark Kent.

He just can't make himself hate him.

Both The General and Lois exits the front to join the other two in the back. Sliding the side door open, The General peruses through a black duffel bag and removes four communication devices.

"Here, put these on." He hands one to each of them.

Getting herself ready, Lois explains the plan. "Okay, according to these blueprints, we enter through a shaft in this building, from there we'll bypass security by going under it," she says tracing her steps along the paper.

"We're going in pairs," The General interrupted. "Lois will go with me"'

"Not gonna happen," Clark defied.

"Whoa, wait a second, I'd rather be paired up with Lane than Kent," Lex chimed in. For once since they've met up, he agreed with the former farm boy.

"She's my daughter and she's coming with me"

"Like hell she will, she's my wife, or have you forgotten already," Clark argued defiantly at the Four-Star General. He turned to his wife for support.

"He's right," she answered swiftly, getting surprised looks all around. She avoided her father's stare and focused on her husband's. "He started all this, seems fitting he should be the one to end it"

"Lois, please…" Clark pleaded with her.

Lois extended her hand to take him outside, away from everyone else. The General stood back and let her do what she needs to do to make Clark understand that this was the best way.

"Lois," he started in a whisper. "I can't protect you from him"

She put a hand softly to his cheek. "I can handle my father; I need you to keep an eye on Lex and do your part," she says softly. "One way or another, this is going to end tonight. I'm tired Clark… I just want us to get on with our lives"

Before Lois could remove her hand from his cheek, Clark lifted his hand to cover her own and kept it there a little longer. "Promise me you'll be careful"

"As careful as I need to be"

"Promise me," he urged.

With both hands, she pulled him towards her and kissed him with all the love and promise she could give. When they parted slightly, their lips still grazing each other, she whispers "I promise" to him before kissing him again.

Walking back to the van, The General turned to hand Lois a pistol. "I'm sure you remember how to use one of these," he says.

Lois takes it from him without so much as a flinch, snapped the clip out and pushed it back in with ease.

She eyed all three men in her sight. One she hated. Another she loved. And one she could probably never figure out even if he wrote an autobiography of himself and was put under an autopsy table.

A second later, Lois takes the lead with the General close behind, but before he could reach her side, Clark pulls him back.

"If anything happens to her," he began slowly, his voice becoming a dangerous whisper. "No army on this earth will keep you from me." Clark lets him go.

Walking ahead of him, the General smiled.

Now inside, they maneuvered themselves as careful as they could. Once they reached a fork in their road…

"Clark, you and Lex go this way, we'll meet each other at the top"

"I still think we should stick together"

"Yeah, and get captured together. No, Clark. Go!"

With one last glance, he obeys. Lex just stands there for a second completely amazed. The strongest most powerful being in the planet, if not the universe, was under the complete control of a mere human being, albeit, it was Lois Lane.

"I don't get you," Lex whispers to Clark as they walk carefully through the corridors.

Clark remains impassive, but Lex continues.

"You can be and do anything you want, but instead, you sit behind and desk and write stories and wear glasses you certainly don't need"

"News"

"What? The man speaks?" he joked.

"I write news, Lex, not stories"

"Oh, right, news, how can I forget," he remarked.

They reach a locked door. A single x-ray around their area, Clark easily breaks it open with his light push of the hand.

"Knowing it was one thing, but to see you actually do it is far different"

"This is what you always wanted to know, wasn't it? All those investigations into my life, my family back in Smallville…"

"You could've just told me"

"Right… like you made it easy for me when you're friendly one minute and a manipulative asshole the next"

"Granted, I was curious, but don't you think I deserved the truth"

"No"

Lex sighed in frustration.

At the other side of the building, Lois and her father have just made it to the top floor. After putting the sleeper hold on a couple of guards, the facility has been relatively calm and empty.

It troubled her greatly.

"Something's not right"

"What do you mean?" The General asks.

"This is Luthor owned; security would be a lot heavier, but there isn't. There was hardly any." The two reached the center of one of the rooms, the entire place was empty. "Okay, something is seriously wrong here," Lois continued to voice out her assumptions.

"Lois, I don't think…" Suddenly, the floor beneath them opened up and swallowed them whole and in mere seconds everything went dark.

"What have you got for me son?" A dark raspy but familiar voice spoke out in a distance.

The boy he had been talking to approached the two unconscious figures lying on the marble floor. He knelt down, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

"A Lane," he answered. "Both of them"

The older man stepped out of the shadow and revealed the face of an aged enemy.

Lionel Luthor.

Clark and Lex walked through the empty corridors when a feeling caused Clark to worry. "Something's wrong," he says. Lex just looked at him oddly.

"What, are you psychic now?"

He avoided his sarcastic words and closed his eyes to concentrate but he found nothing.

"Lois," he says opening his eyes with worry. "She's gone"

"What?" Lex says confused.

"I can't hear her," he expressed in deep concern; he turns to go back where they came from and used his x-ray vision to see through the walls. He saw nothing but empty spaces.

"What the hell do you mean, 'can't hear her'?" Lex questioned, following him as quickly as he could manage.

"I don't see anyone either," he adds. He was about to change into Superman when he realized he wasn't wearing his suit. "Nobody at all. No one's in this building, Lex." He turned to him; Clark's eyes a mixture of concern and anger.

Lex raised his hand in defense.

"Hey, I had nothing to do with that"

"I wasn't making accusations. Come on, let's go. They have to be around here somewhere"

Ten stories below the surface, Lois stirred her eyes awake, nausea threatening to spill over. The slide down was no fun at all.

"General," she called out, lifting her head as it throbbed.

"Would it kill you to call me dad," she heard a voice say in the dark.

Lois rolled her eyes and tried to face his direction. "Do you really want me to answer that?" she replied sarcastically, picking herself up. Clark's x-ray vision would do her good right about now… wait, scratch that, his heat vision would have added a lot more.

Now standing up, she waved her hands around in the dark, trying to get a feel for her surroundings. So far, all she could assess was that they were being held in some kind of cell.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know," her father calmly answered.

"Any ideas?"

"Working on it"

"Can't you hurry it up?" she pressed urgently. Being stuck in a cell with her father was like a nightmare come true.

"If I knew this was the only way we could have a conversation together, I would've made sure I practiced beforehand," he quipped at her, something he rarely, if ever, did. Even though she hadn't known her mother long before she died, she knew that being cousin to Chloe Sullivan had been proof enough which parent she got her wit from.

"I don't know where we are, Lo," General Lane finally admitted.

"Great! Just great!" she says dusting off her pants as she continued to maneuver herself around.

A moment later, the lights come on, blinding the cell's occupants in a submission like state.

"Ah! For God's sake!" she said aloud.

"Mm… mm… mmmm…" somebody dangerously murmured in the background. "Haven't your parent's taught you not to say God's name in vain?"

Adjusting her eyes again in the environment, she turned to the direction of the voice.

"I can honestly say… No," she answered, keeping her voice leveled. She could almost feel the General behind her when she answered her captor. "Who the hell are you? Luthor's minion?"

"Haha, funny Miss Lane, or wait, I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent right? Or are you more prone to Mrs. Superman?"

Lois was beginning to tire of the references. First Lex, now this guy. Was there a memo floating around some where? Taking a closer look…

"Lucas Luthor," her father voiced out. She had totally forgotten that she wasn't alone in the room.

She gives out a small chuckle. "Lucas," she repeated, facing the young boy. "So you're the bastard younger son of Lionel Luthor"

The boy tensed, his eyes growing angry.

Lois didn't care. Her words were her weapons, and she was going to use it.

"Shut up! You're not long for this earth," he threatened.

Lois sighed in annoyance. "Uh huh… right… I think you've been watching one too many fantasy movies. Why don't you go get daddy dearest. I'm here to talk to a man not a boy."

"Bitch"

"I'm not offended," she responded with a smirk.

"She really isn't," the General added. Lois gives him a look of 'stay out of it.' Clearly, General Lane refused. A stubborn trait that unfortunately his daughter inherited from him.

Lucas ignored them both.

"In a matter of time, this little cat and mouse game our family has been playing is going to end," he revealed mischievously.

"What would that make you? The cheese?"

Slap! Lois crumbles to the ground. General Lane burst up ready to hurt the boy when he is greeted by a .35 to the heart.

"I don't think so General." Lucas raising the gun to his face.

On the floor, Lois shook her head from the impact. Touching her jaw, she couldn't help but get a word in.

"That all you got?" she challenged him.

"Lois!" her father pleaded with her to stop provoking the boy.

Lucas hits her again, her face getting better acquainted with the floor. She began spitting out blood.

General Lane got up to attack him but Lucas got the upper hand and shot him but missed when Lois put herself between them.

"LOIS!" Sam Lane, widowed husband and father of two screamed towards his oldest daughter.

He takes her in his arms, cradling her with the most fatherly affection he had ever given her since she was born.

"Lois!" his voice cracked, it wasn't supposed to be this way.

She could barely keep it together anymore. With the headache she was feeling and the bullet that went through her stomach accompanying it, she felt her strength draining. Even hearing her father's distraught voice made her forget about his lack of parental guidance for the last fifteen years.

"Daddy," she spoke softly.

"Shh… little Lo, it's going to be all right," he whispered by her ear as he cradled her in one arm and the other hand pressed strongly down on her wounded stomach.

"I'm still mad at you," she whispered back, she struggled to breath.

A sad smile spread along her father's face as he continued to hold her. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry"

"Aww… isn't that sweet," Lucas says with a fake smile. "Makes me want to hurl," he adds without remorse. He removes a green necklace from his jacket pocket.

General Sam Lane knew what it was.

Kryptonite

Lucas throws it to the General. "Put it on her," he ordered.

"No!"

Lucas cocks his gun and aims it at his dying daughter. "Now!"

Lois cried in agony within her father's arms and he forced himself to do as he was told. He never wanted to hurt her like this, never this. His selfish pride has brought her here and now he knew was being punished.

Suddenly, the floor begins to rock like a miniature earthquake. With Lucas' gun still pointed at father and daughter, he grins at them.

"Game over"

High above them, the roaring drill-like sound drew nearer and the shakes grew stronger and before either men saw it, a whirlwind fell through.

General Lane opens his eyes widely.

It was Clark.

As the dust cleared around him, Clark stepped out and saw Lois crouched to the ground, her father holding her.

"Lois!"

Clark super sped to her side only to collapse in heaps of pain halfway to her.

Lucas takes a couple of steps toward him, smiling. "And people call you super," he scoffed.

Clark struggled to hold himself together. There is only one substance on this earth that can hurt him, and at the moment, he couldn't focus his thoughts straight enough to figure out where it's located. He lifted his head trying to focus his energy on getting to Lois when he saw the necklace around her neck.

Kryptonite.

But it was too far and too small for him to be affected.

"I'll take it from here," a familiar voice echoed before them. He stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself finally to all.

Lionel Luthor.

"It's been a long time, Mr. Kent," he sneered dangerously. He takes a glance over to a dying Lois. "Too bad, she's a hell of a journalist… but she's served her purpose"

When he heard him mention his wife, never in his entire life did Clark want to kill anybody more than Lionel Luthor right now.

The nearer the old man got, the more pain seared through his body. Where is it coming from? Lionel must have the Kryptonite on him. If he could just get it away…

"You've been a thorn on my side for a long time"

Clark coughed, he can barely hang on.

"Let me finish him off, father," Lucas interrupted.

"Patience, my son"

"Please…" Clark says in desperation, his strength waning by the second. "Lois…"

"Is dead," Lionel completed. "Soon, anyway." He kneels before a weakened Clark Kent. "Hurts doesn't it?" he taunts evilly. "To have finally found her only to lose her again. This time, you get to watch her die"

"No, no…" Clark gathered all his strength to grasp Lionel's collar.

"What's wrong, Mr. Kent?" he continued to taunt him before unbuttoning his shirt. "Looking for this…" On Lionel's chest was a thick scar and it took just a second for Clark to use his x-ray vision to see that his heart was no longer within him.

"We did some testing a few years ago. The poetic irony in it amuses me. The one thing that hurts you is the very same thing that's giving me life"

Clark loses his grip on him and collapsed once more.

Less than fifty feet away was General Lane with Lois's head gently lay atop his lap. Lucas Luthor held a gun to his head if he so much as moved.

"This is MURDER!" General Lane says to the young Luthor.

"Of which you are partially the cause," he retorts. "It's too bad," he looks down at Lois desirably. "She's a pretty girl"

Unbeknownst to Lucas, Lois held a butterfly knife in her pocket, and as soon as Lucas' attention was diverted to her father, she held the pain in her to open her knife up and embed right through his foot.

Lucas screamed out in pain and the General sweeps him off his feet, the gun skidding towards Lois's hand.

"Help Clark" Lois ordered in a soft waning voice.

"I can't." He refuses to leave his daughter's side.

She aims the gun at him. "Please!" She didn't want to argue, if he doesn't help him, they all die.

Then, out of nowhere, a loud shot was heard. Lois feared that Lionel had killed Clark but all she saw was a weakened Clark and a still body next to him, Lionel Luthor. She looks away to find Lex Luthor, a gun in his hand.

"Lex?" she whimpered, her voice losing its own strength. Her father was immediately by her side. "It's okay, little Lo, we'll get you to a hospital"

"Clark," she whispered.

The General's head snapped up. "Lex!" he yelled. "Help Clark!" He stared down at his daughter with heavy guilt. He traced her face with his hand, remembering how she so much reminded him of his long dead wife, Ellen. In a way, he kept his distance so he wouldn't have to be reminded, and now for the first time, all he saw was not his wife, but his daughter. His beautiful daughter.

With a quick tug, General Lane snaps the Kryptonite necklace off and throws it to a corner. He kept his daughter from her husband once, he would never do it again.

Back to Lex, he was lost in his thoughts as he held the gun in his hand. He killed his father. After all these years, and all the close calls, he had finally done it.

"Lex!" he heard someone call for him. When he finally snapped out of his own shock, he sees Clark grasping for air next to his dead father.

"Clark!" he rushes to his side, quickly putting his arm over his shoulders and dragging him as best and fast as he could away from the Kryptonite that infested within his father.

"Lois," Clark whispered weakly.

Lex took a moment to look up. The two people who'd struggle the most throughout this ordeal are the two who ended up fighting for their lives. Despite their differences, he's learned to be happy in his life and he didn't want this happening them.

As they reached far enough for Clark to regain his strength, he immediately took Lois away from the General's arms and into his. He takes one more look at Lionel Luthor, then Lex Luthor.

"Thank You"

"I don't deserve it," responds Lex. "But you're welcome. Go; take care of your wife"

And then he flies her off.

Lex picks up his unconscious half-brother Lucas. What nobody knew was that Kryptonite heart Lionel planted in him set off a self-destruct code of C-4s strategically placed throughout his building's foundation. Before running after them, he ordered the building's low security staff and all other people to leave the premises immediately.

Lex knew of his father's surgery years ago, and letting the bomb go off is the only gift he could give Lois and Clark and the only way to keep his secret safe. This building housed many secrets, and he wanted to bury those secrets so he could finally have some peace in his life.

Epilogue

Six Months Later

Upon arriving home, Lois parked her vehicle in the driveway. Halfway to the door, she smiled when she noticed the 'For Sale' sign up on the huge yard. She walked back and grabbed the sign, removing it from its hook. She looked at it for a moment with hope and happiness before gripping it securely under her arm and headed back to the front door.

Unlocking the door, "Honey, I'm home!" Lois walked in, grinning. She will never get used to saying that, but it nevertheless amuses her.

She walked further into the house, putting a hand on the beautiful deep dark brown staircase that led to the second floor.

The staircase faced the front door of the house, and on opposite sides held the kitchen, dining room, and if you go even further, the entertainment room and of course, the living room. She wasn't even going to start describing the other three rooms that made out the first floor.

The whole experience was still under processing.

This is their home.

Lois and Clark's home, that is.

All around, various size boxes lay atop the oak finish floor in every room.

A few months ago, Lois went through intense physical therapy after getting shot as well as dozens of test to help cure the headaches that has threatened to take her life. Fortunately, the headaches ceased. Unfortunately, she has to take medication twice a week to act as a precautionary measure until they were absolutely sure it was no longer a threat.

She didn't care at that point, she was just happy that she was alive and free to love her husband without fear that it all will be taken away.

"Hey, you're home," Clark says as he descended the stairs, a huge smile on his face. "I was just fixing up the bedroom, you shouldn't be home early, I wanted to surprise you"

She raised her eyebrows. "Surprise me? Now that's a surprise," she quipped playfully.

He gives out a hearty chuckle. "Actually, I wanted all the furniture ready before you got home." He moves in to kiss her lightly on the lips. "How'd the article go?"

"Perry's happy, and Jimmy is very insistent that we hold a house warming party once we're settled in"

He nodded in understanding. "They're still recovering from the surprise of our marriage, huh."

This time, it was Lois that chuckled. "I've got half the newsroom sending me belated wedding cards, and there's those bins filled with them from our readers since they found out."

"You're forgetting the fruit basket from the President," Clark chimed in, his face beaming. They really did get a fruit basket from the President of the United States of America.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget," she says with a wink.

The writing team between Lane and Kent has been and continues to be a surefire hit with both critics and readers. They were also the subject of much tabloid fodder and news, so when they finally went public with their relationship a month ago, the world was stunned that it flew clearly across their radar.

"So have you sent out all the invitations?"

"Every card," she says giving him a nod.

"You sure you want to go through this again, I mean, we're already married. I don't want to pressure you"

She smiled lovingly at him. "I'm not pressured. After everything that's happened, it feels right to do it again. I mean, how many times can someone say that they've fallen in love with the same man twice"

Clark kissed her passionately. "I'm never letting you go"

"I'm holding you to that, Mr. Kent," she says, kissing him back.

They're going to renew their vows, and after being apart for so many years, they deserved a clean slate. Even Lex Luthor was invited.

And with the house, it was finally nice to leave the building that housed their apartment and move into an actual home with a real yard, garage and most importantly space and privacy.

It was like starting anew.

Holding her in his arms, "Oh, my parents called. They'll be driving here this weekend," he informed. It'll be the first time they'll get to see their new home and they're both very excited about it.

Ding Dong, the doorbell rang.

"Hmm," Lois turned. "Are you expecting anyone?" She asked Clark.

"No. You?"

Lois shook her head. "You should finish up upstairs; it could be the first door-to-door salesman I can shoo away"

"Well in that case…" his eyes twinkled. "Upstairs I go!"

She laughs, opening the front door. Her eyes open wide at the person she sees behind it.

"Dad"

For the first time in an incredibly long time, Samuel Lane stood in front of her daughter dressed in civilian clothing, holding behind him what seemed to be… flowers?

"Hi Lo"

"Dad," she repeated, not quite believing what she was seeing. Though she made it clear to him that she still has a hard time getting past what he did to her, or even if she would ever, Sam understood that and works by her terms and her terms only.

She is his daughter. She always will be. It took many misguided beliefs to finally make him look up and take notice, so he wasn't about to screw it up again.

"You look… happy," he says, taking the flowers behind him and awkwardly holding it up for her to take. It was obvious that it was a gesture not done by him often.

She takes it gratefully. "I am," she responded. "Thank you for the flowers"

There was a long pause.

"I just… wanted to say hello and… and see how you were doing?" he spoke out first.

"I'm good, everything's going real well"

"And your headaches?"

"Gone"

"Your husband?" he added sincerely.

She smiled at that, and he returned her smile with one of his own, another rare act for him. "He's doing great, too. He's upstairs; do you want to come in?" She's taking a risk, but it's been half a year already and she was honestly tired of the drama and just wanted to move past the hurt and move into the future.

"Would he mind?" Samuel Lane seemed to be taking it cautiously as well. Last thing he wanted is to upset anyone.

She shook her head in honestly. "No, he wouldn't. Please." She gestured inside, closing the door as he slowly walked ahead of her. Ending up in the kitchen, she reached for a vase and placed the flowers in water.

"You have a nice home," he complimented, staring into the rooms that was in his view. Even the back yard was gorgeous, equipped with its own swimming pool, too.

"Thanks, it was pricey, but we both really wanted it"

If it had been another time, he would've jumped in and helped with any payments she would need, but he knew all too well now that if she needed help, she'll come to him herself. She's a big girl, and he knew she could very well take care of herself. The past several years have confirmed that. Probably even longer than that, and he just refused to accept it.

"I'm sure you'll manage," he replied instead.

"Lois, who's…" Clark stopped when he noticed who their company was. Even with his super hearing, he has harnessed the ability to control what he wants to hear and what he doesn't.

Clark stared at the General in civilian clothes. The same thoughts crossing his mind just like his wife's earlier.

"Hi, General," greeted Clark.

Sam kept a straight face. "Clark, it's good to see you. And formalities are unnecessary; I'm not a General anymore"

Lois looks up in surprise.

"You retired?" she asked, shell shocked. Growing up with him, she was pretty sure he'd die before giving up his rank.

"It was official two weeks ago," he replies without regret.

"Oh," she could only mutter.

"It was time to move on," he explained. "Besides, if you'll let me," he started again. "I was hoping you and I and Clark can… perhaps have lunch or something?" he asks with uncertainty. The two were distant from the older Lane and he understood why, so he was hesitant to ask in fear of rejection.

Lois and Clark stood rather dumbfounded. Lois's father, The General, is inviting them for lunch.

When Lois didn't answer, Clark took the initiative to intervene.

"That would be nice," he says to Sam while at the same time, he put a hand behind the small of his wife's back, assuring her that it's okay.

It was more of a shock to her than it was to Clark. After everything that's happened with Lionel Luthor, Samuel Lane seemed to have changed dramatically. It was a strenuous relationship at first, but he stood steadfast and wouldn't leave Lois's side after he had taken her to the hospital. He wouldn't leave until he was absolutely sure his daughter was safe.

Lois suddenly snapped back to reality. "Oh, yeah, right… that would be nice," she added.

Sam breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Good, that's…" he stops to smile. "Thanks." He takes a deep breath. "I should get going; you two have been pretty busy people."

Sam turns to head towards the exit.

Clark nudges Lois and she looks at him with a 'What?' expression. 'Go' he mouthed to her, but Lois was still a little too stubborn when it comes to her father. She felt him nudge at her again and she twisted to face him, mouthing an 'Okay!' annoyingly.

Clark grinned, winning the round. Besides, she has had plenty victories.

"Hey dad," she called him out just he stepped out of the house.

"Yes"

It was no or never, Lois thought to herself. She moved a few steps toward him.

"Stay"

Sam knew his daughter well enough to know when her words don't match her feelings, but looking in her eyes, he knew she was being genuine.

He smiled once more. "I'd like that"

By night's end, Lois looked out of their bedroom balcony, looking up at the stars into the telescope Clark grew up with in Smallville. It meant too much to the both of them to have left it there.

"Honey," Clark utters softly, coming out of the bathroom all freshened up. He wore nothing but his pajama pants while Lois took the liberty of wearing his matching shirt.

She takes advantage of that a lot.

Clark stopped to look at his wife in awe, she is always so beautiful no matter what, and seeing her outside, under the blanket of the moonlight and stars was breathtaking.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" he asks, joining her.

Her eye in the sight, you can see her lips form a smile. "Never better." The past few months have been like a never-ending honeymoon, neither thought would ever end. They wouldn't want it to, anyway.

"You seem distracted all day"

"I was just surprised to see him that's all," she assumed.

"Actually, I was talking about before"

She glanced at him before looking back into the sight of the telescope.

"Oh"

He leans on the rail. "Lois, is everything okay?" he asks in concern.

"I saw the doctor today," she began, her heart quickening. Clark is so naturally attuned to her that he heard her heart rate change practically immediately.

"Something's wrong?" He hoped to God he was only exaggerating.

She smiled warmly at him. It was anything but wrong. She cupped his face with her hands and pulled him in for a deep loving kiss, touching her lips with his cheeks and when she got to his ear, she whispers to him.

His eyes widen in surprise when he heard her words.

I'm pregnant

The End