NOTE: Thank you all for your overwhelming response. You guys all gave such good ideas I'm having a hard time choosing! For now I won't tell you all I plan to do, but I will say that I will probably end up doing a sequel to this story (kind of like what Jennifer suggested) with Lex Luthor or some other villain of my own. I would prefer to do Lex, but it will be separate from this piece. Thank you so much for all of your advice! It was truly helpful. This chap. is kind of sad actually but, trust me, it won't last long ;). All credit for the 'dancing scene' goes to Maddi-B! Enjoy and let me know how it is...

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Thanks to Alphie, I realised I needed to change the last scene with Richard and Lois. He was right and I was rushing a bit, so I hope I improved it and it is more realistic and impacting. Thank you for the advice Alphie!

Maddi-B: Thanks for the dancing suggestion. I used it :); except a bit different than you imagined, I think. Hope you like it!

Jedi X-man Serena Kenobi: Yes, I totally agree and I would certainly keep him from being cheesy in any way. That is a bit of a disappointment for me too when people just throw in someone like him who is a perfectly complex character to be handled well...and don't :D. But that's okay for them. Thanks a bunch! Read your 1st chapter!

gu61: Thanks, but I really don't know any of those villains at all. Thank you for helping though!

Jacqueline Roget: I watched that show but I was like 7 years old or around that age so I don't remember much. Thank you though!

Leli1013: Yeah, him knowing that is a very juicy bit of plotline :). I think I'll use it eventually. Thanks for the input!

Jennifer: That was very good advice. I will probably do a sequel using Lex Luthor so whoever doesn't like him anymore can just not read it. I'm glad you liked the 'realisation' part. I thought that too. It seems she gets really angry at Superman in other stories...a lot of the time. Thank you!

Mr. Firenze: Gee, thanks :). I'll :) 'dredge up' some more for sure including Lex some time soon.

heartnut: Yeah, I actually am thinking about doing my own villain. Thanks for the idea! That was a good one. Nice last comment :D.

CindyB: yum?...:) This chap. definitely has a yum factor...;)

ksb:Yeah, the movie totally did leave it open for Luthor and so I may use that opening. Thank you for the compliment :). I'm glad you like the characters. More's coming!

LostSchizophrenic: lol! Hmm...I think I will try and do better than a giant rubber chicken :). I think you will find your question answered in this chap. too. Thanks!

Angel452: Yes, Richard is still not back yet ;). Actually both your questions are answered this time.

Amylion: Thank you! I think he's the perfect adversary too.

skinnyrita: Thank you so much! I'm glad it's progressing well for you :).


Lois was talking in a small group at the ceremony when she felt the need to get away. She excused herself and stepped outside into a small garden they had. A good space of lawn was ornamented with blossoms closed for the night and a few stumpy trees. Two lamps provided some light and a view of other buildings close by.

A few drops of water hit her bare skin so she raised her head to the sky. It was starting to sprinkle.

But before she turned around to head inside, someone joined her.

Clark stood beside her, and she looked up at him. He was unmistakable now.

"I hope you're not smoking out here, Lois Lane," he said.

She smirked. "No, of course not."

They were silent as they considered the heavens and the garden.

"Clark, what's going to happen with us?"

He was caught off guard by her soft-spoken question and could not answer for a long while. "I can't say. It depends on what you do next, but I don't want to lay such a heavy burden on you."

She made a noise of displeasure and shook her head. "But it is all my choice. I have to…to choose between you and Richard."

"Lois, stay with Richard and let Jason grow older without all this chaos." He held her head in his hands as he spoke and held her gaze with his own. "I don't want to destroy your lives. I want you to be happy and Jason most of all."

The pain it brought him to say it tore through his soul, but he knew it had to be done. If Lois would not make the decision, he would make it easier for her. He wanted to fly away right then and cry out with all his might where no one would hear the anguish.

"What? No! I can't do that!" she cried. "Is that best for Jason? Shouldn't he have his true father to raise him and care for him when no one else knows what he will have to endure?"

"He believes Richard is his dad. Are you going to take that away?"

"Jason is stronger emotionally than physically and smarter than you may think. He would understand. He already likes you so much he talks about you all the time."

"He knows. He knows about me and Superman."

She stared at him. "How…?"

"Sometimes the eyes of children see more than we do. Why do you think he hangs around so much at the office? We should tell him soon." He glanced at the doors of the building. "They'll wonder where you've gone."

"Let them. We still need to talk."

"Richard will be back soon."

He started to turn away, but she grabbed his arm.

"You said you wanted us to be happy. Well, I'll tell you right now that I wouldn't be happy if I had to let you go again." She released his arm. "That day in the hospital when you were close to death, I realized how much it hurt to imagine losing you again. I told myself I wouldn't let that happen." Her feisty reporter's will was surfacing, and her frustration overcame her despair.

The sprinkling was turning into rain and neither really noticed until Clark's glasses were covered with water. Lois reached up and carefully slid them off his face, folded them, and held them in her hand. The rain soaked his hair, so he ran a hand through the longish tresses and out of his face, unknowingly improving his appearance more towards Superman. With her other hand Lois traced his jaw, cheekbones, and lips. He leaned into her tender touch and shuddered at how it brought him down when nothing else could.

She dropped her hand and her head. "Clark, I…"

He stopped her. "No, don't blame yourself." He cocked his head. "The music."

Lois listened and heard a slow waltz drifting out the windows. It was graceful, elegant, and haunting as it spun its lovely web around them.

He offered her his hand. She stared in wonder at it and then up at him. It was hard enough to be so near him and restrain the overwhelming sense of wonder and adulation she always felt in his presence. But to actually touch him again? Could she contain her emotions after allowing herself to do it once already?

I suppose I'll find out, she said to herself as her bold nature surfaced again.

She slowly placed her hand in his and drew closer. Her other hand rested gently on his shoulder. It was electric, and her skin tingled. She felt his remarkable warmth radiate into her as he placed his right hand on her waist. His touch was light and subtle, but to her it was like the weight of the world.

If only she had known how he felt. Having her close and being aware of their hands clasped together brought back the emotions of the past. She was like a sweet fragrance to his soul he neither could escape nor get closer to.

Little by little they moved in simple dance steps to the music. Their hands became more comfortable, and Lois finally raised her eyes to Clark's face instead of staring at his dark blue tie. Around they went in the small garden beneath the stars and clouds, the rain curtaining them in streaming silver. It seemed they danced out of time and were all alone in the world with the weight of their troubles washed away with the water.

The song ended.

Clark gazed at her and began to bend his head towards hers. She hesitated only a moment before standing on tiptoe and lifting her face. Their lips met there in the rain, both of them wet and dripping, and neither pulled away. Clark slid his hand under her head, and she grasped his lapels.

When they finally separated, it was Clark who stopped it.

Lois's heart was rent for there mingling with the raindrops streaming down his face were tears of anguish. She had never seen Superman weep, and it only made it the worse knowing she was the cause. Tears of her own spilled from her stormy blue eyes, and he wiped them away with gentle fingers not even caring about his own.

"I have to go." Her voice sounded odd and unfamiliar as she barely choked out the words. She fled from that small garden and did not look back.


Lois trudged back inside. Her dress was wet and her hair soaked. She wiped her face when Perry confronted her.

"What happened? Did you fall in a pond?"

"It's raining."

"Obviously. Richard just got back."

She saw Richard hanging up his jacket by the doors and went to him. "Richard, I'm ready to go. I've stayed long enough."

"Oh, all right." He could see she was deeply troubled. "Let's go then."

When they got into the car, he waited to start it and drive.

"Do you want to talk?" he asked softly.

"Maybe later. I can't right now."

He decided not to ask why she was so wet either.


Superman left Metropolis and flew to the Fortress of Solitude where he had so often received guidance. But when he floated down within, he remembered that his crystals were gone. He stood at the panel and stared down at it. His father was gone with them.

He fell to his knees and bent his head to the ground. He pressed his eyes with the heel of his palms to stop the tears from coming. Just when he thought he could harden himself against the sorrow and disappointments of the past few months, Lois could merely touch him and he was shattered again.

I have to let it go. I have to. Or we will all suffer. He raised his head and stared at the glistening crystal in front of him. But she did not want to let me go either. What is going on?

He suddenly listened and was gone off to California where he heard someone shouting about a bomb. He did not want anyone to be killed or hurt for the sake of his own pity part. His personal life had to wait as he put others before himself.


Richard watched Lois putting clothes in the laundry.

"Lois, who is Jason's father?" He had a pretty good idea, yet he couldn't be sure.

Her hands stopped, and she turned her head. "It's not important…"

"No, Lois. It is. I thought he was my son!"

She flinched at his passion. He had been much calmer when she first told him, but now she knew he had been holding it all in. A trace of guilt laced through her thoughts.

"I'd rather it wasn't between us."

"It already is."

She looked at him askance and struggled with whether or not to let him know. "I know it's hard, but I don't know if I should tell you. It won't exactly make things any better. Worse maybe."

"I still want to know," he said holding her eyes with an intense gaze. "Don't I have a right when after all this time I believed a lie?"

She was beginning to worry for she had never seen him so intensely forward before. But she also knew he would press until she gave. "I think you know." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she closed it again and took a step back.

Silence stretched out between them for a long time.

"Superman," he murmured. His heart fell further. Not only did Superman have Lois's love but was the father of whom he thought was his son. It only added to his belief that the choice he made was right.

He backed up against the dryer and slid to the ground. His head dropped into his hands, and he shuddered with the pain. Lois fell to his side and timidly reached out a hand to touch his shoulder.

"I'm sorry but you wanted to know." She removed her hand and waited for him to even move again.

When he finally lifted his head, large tears streaked his tan cheeks. "Lois…I don't even know what to say."

"Neither do I." Her voice was so low he hardly heard it. "I lied to you when you asked me that one day whether I loved him. I said 'no,' and that wasn't true. I did love him and more than I could bear. Jason was the only thing that kept me from falling away from the world when he left. I hope you can forgive me..."

"Then what are you still doing with me?"

"Richard! I really did fall in love with you, and I still am." She abandoned the laundry she had picked up again to come to him and grip his hands. "You're the best father to Jason, and you protect us and love us so much. How could I take that from you?"

"You're right. You couldn't. But I can."

"No, you don't have to do this…"

"Lois." He cupped her face in his hand. "You still love him."

A tear escaped from her eyes as her world spun. "Yes. You don't deserve this. You deserve a woman who can give herself fully to you. I feel like a tramp going back and forth between two men."

"I don't think of you that way. I knew all along I was second best and that you would never stop loving him in some way." He smiled sadly. "That's how I knew you accepted my engagement but we would never plan a wedding. I was willing to accept it until I saw how much it hurt you to be torn. We can't both have you."

"You know, he told me to stay with you."

He hung his head. That made it more difficult. "If I'm giving you to someone else, there is no one better than Superman: a man who is willing to sacrifice his one love for your happiness. He's a man of sacrifice."

"You're doing the very same thing, Richard." She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder.

The light had gone from his eyes. He wiped the tears from his face and tried to quell the rising frustration and torment. Jason was lost to him as soon as Lois told him he was not really his and now he had lost him again to the man he envied most in the world.

"Does Jason know?"

"Not yet. He's still so young." She turned his head towards her. "I'm sorry to put you through this, Richard. I didn't want to put you through anything like all this trouble."

"It's okay. I should have known what I was getting myself into."

"Should we tell him tomorrow?"

He drew a deep breath. "Sure."

He pulled away and left her on the floor of the laundry room. She began to weep softly for when he was gone, it was like the bond between them snapped.