Three days after the death of Richard White, a small funeral was held in the Metropolis Cemetery.
Lois Lane and Jason Lane were standing by the coffin, dressed in black mourning. And there was nothing Clark or Superman could do to take their pain away.
Jason hadn't spoken since, except for when he called out in feverish nightmares. Lois had been walking around like a zombie, barely eating. And Clark Kent could do nothing but let them live at his apartment, since their house had been consumed by a raging inferno.
The pain he felt at seeing Lois and Jason like this, at seeing Richard die in his arms was like a kryptonite blade cutting through his heart. He watched as if in a trance the coffin was lowered into the ground. For the first time Jason cried out, before Lois grasped his small shoulders and held him back. Clark made his way over to them, unsure of what to do. Yes he could deflect bullets, stop trains, could even throw entire continents into the sky. But he had no idea how to comfort the two people who meant the world to him.
He settled on just standing there, his shoulder brushing slightly against Lois'. The minister spoke the final words and the coffin was completely placed in its final resting spot. When the crowds of people who had gathered began to leave, Lois turned to Clark, her eyes red rimmed and tears still flowing steadily down her cheeks.
Without another word, Clark had gathered her in his arms and was holding her tightly, unable to do anything else. Her body was so small and fragile in his arms. He closed his eyes tightly and for the millionth time, cursed himself.
He hadn't been fast enough, strong enough. Just like he hadn't been fast enough to save his father. He had failed, failed Lois, failed Jason. A small part of him resisted this censure, but for the most part he was consumed with a wracking guilt.
Lois released him a few moments later and he looked down to see Jason tugging on his leg.
He knelt down, unable to resist pushing back a lock of his son's hair from his eyes.
"My Daddy's dead," he said softly. It was the first words he had spoken in days.
Pain shot through Clark again. "He was trying to save you, he loved you so much."
"I don't have a Daddy anymore."
"Oh Jason, you do, honey, you do," Lois knelt down to Jason and Clark's level.
Jason looked from his mother to Clark and seemed to sigh with wisdom beyond his years and the weight of the world on his small shoulders. "My Daddy died three days ago," Jason said. He walked quietly away toward the benches by his father's grave.
Lois turned quickly from her son's retreating form at Clark's sharp gasp and saw just before it was hidden away the deep pain in his eyes.
"I was… a fool to think… that he could accept me… so quickly," He managed to get out.
A moment after he seemed to shake himself out of it, though deep down his clear blue eyes were a tempest.
Reaching out to him, Lois pulled his mouth down on hers for a sharp, hard kiss that was over before it even started.
"You are his father Clark Kent, just as much as Richard was." At the mention of Richard her bravado somewhat faded.
They simultaneously both sought out Jason, when they saw the park bench he had previously occupied empty.
"Jason!" Lois yelled, frantic.
Clark whipped his head around and saw his little boy running away fast. There was no time to become Superman. Without another thought, he was a blur as he shot across the cemetery. Jason was picking up speed, probably without his even being aware of it. Soon both Jason and Clark were moving so fast they were undistinguishable.
Clark reached out and caught Jason around the waist, halting him in mid step.
A semi truck sped down the street, inches from where Jason was just about to place his next step. Without another word, Jason had wrapped his arms tightly around Clark's shoulders and was sobbing as Clark made his way back to Lois.
When they reached Lois, who had been sprinting after them, she threw her arms around her little boy. He refused to let go of Clark, so she hugged them both. She had thought she was all out of tears but fresh ones came as she thought about how close she had come to losing her baby. Her face was buried against Clark's chest, inches from Jason's.
She reached one hand not tightly encircling Clark's waist to Jason, looking into those blue eyes.
"You scared me, honey," she said, tears choking her.
"I'm sorry Mommy; I didn't mean to do that!" His face was panic stricken at the thought of his mommy being scared.
Clark set down both Lois and Jason and glanced around surreptitiously. A moment later Superman was extending a hand to both of them.
"I think it's time we go home," He cringed after he said the word, hoping he hadn't reminded them of the home they had lost. The firefighters had told him it had started because the stove was left on, but he had been unable to tell Lois that.
Fortunately for him, neither Jason nor Lois seemed to notice and a few minutes later, he was setting them down gently in his apartment. Clark immediately lifted his exhausted son and settled him down in his bed.
As he stroked his son's soft hair, his words rang through his mind as clearly as if they were being spoken now.
My Daddy's dead. My Daddy died three days ago.
Pulling the coverlet up to Jason's chin, Clark ran his fingers through his hair as he walked back to Lois.
He knew how heartbroken Jason was. He had lost his father too. And at such a young age… He knew he could never replace Richard in Jason's life, but he hoped to God that he might earn the smallest place.
With one Lane settled and asleep, Clark turned his attention to the other one.
"Lois, this day has been terrible. You need to rest too," Clark said softly.
"I-I'm not that tired yet… do you mind if we just talk?"
Clark pulled her down next to him on the sofa, keeping his hand in hers loosely in case she wanted to pull away.
"Of course Lois," he looked at her earnestly. He didn't know what she wanted to hear right now. Did she want to talk about Richard? Did she want to scream and blame him? He wouldn't blame her if she did. He had failed her.
"Before… before Richard---" She couldn't bring herself to say died. "Before Richard was… gone, he told me something." She swallowed and tightened her fingers around Clark's. "He said that he knew that he had already lost… and that was why it was so hard for him to find the will to fight."
"But he did fight Lois," Clark said. "He fought so hard to save you. I—I wish I could have just saved him."
Clark's voice broke and he turned away slightly. Realization dawned slowly on Lois' face. "You blame yourself! Clark Kent! You blame yourself!"
"Why not Lois? It was my fault. If only I had been more insistent that he stay, had been faster! If I had been faster he might still be alive and Jason wouldn't hate me and you'd still have you child's father."
A moment later Lois Lane slapped Clark Kent squarely across the face. Clark saw the blow coming just in time and gave just enough to protect her wrist from shattering.
He stared at her in blank astonishment as she reached up to grab his lapel and yank him closer to her.
"You are my child's father. And you didn't have enough time to save him! It was a miracle you could go fast enough to save me! And Richard came up there by his own will I'm quite sure of that! So don't you blame yourself! Don't you dare blame yourself!" She broke down then, sobbing into his arms.
He pulled her as close as he could to him and rocked her back and forth, murmuring gentle words in her ear until at last, she fell asleep in his arms.
Wow, that was a massive response to last chapter, some good and some bad. I really do feel terrible about killing Richard. I know Lois probably said this a million times, but he was a good, good man. And I am getting way too attached to a fictional character. Tries to extract self from Superman world Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter… I hope I got the feelings of all adequately portrayed. Thanks for the reviews again.