NOTE: Well, only one chapter left after this...:'( that's sort of sad. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I especially like the last scene. Thank you to everyone who's reading this and who reviewed. You guys are all great!
Enigma Starflare: Sadly yes, but the sequel I'm writing is much the same so I hope you read that one as well. Thank you for the compliments and the review :)! It's good to hear from new people.
Angel452: Um, Jason found out Superman was his father in chapter 9 so I'm sorry you missed that...Yup, Richard still works at the Daily Planet but will not show up again till the sequel. Thanks for the review!
Kala Lane-Kent: Wow, thank you. I'm very glad it's come across realistically. I certainly didn't want all their problems to just disappear :).
Mr. Firenze: Lol, yeah heat vision again would be awesome. Thanks! I'm glad the father/son relationship is working well :). There'll be a lot of that good stuff in the sequel too...
The Kiss of Death: I really hoped the father/son bonding would come across well. Yeah, superpowers would be awesome...:). Thank you very much.
1eclecticreader: Ah, thanks! That's great to hear that the characters make you feel happy because they do me too :). And yes...I do indeed have another story brewing...;).
Beeto: Well, I'm very glad it was an easy read. It was a reprieve to write after all the deep, emotional scenes from the rest of the story. Thanks for the review!
malfoysvixen: Yeah, I'm really having fun with Clark and Jason being close. That'll definitely be a big part in the sequel too. Thanks:)
red lighting: Thank you!
Maddi-B: Here's the next chapter. 2 left (including this one)! Thanks for reviewing!
Jedi X-man Serena Kenobi: Haha, I'm glad the popcorn thing went off okay. Thank you a bunch!
Nette: ;D, well...maybe not quite that...Haha, thanks for the review!
Nightcrawler8: Thank you so much, I'm glad it actually came across as funny :D. I was in a weird mood...Thank you again for your lovely reviews!
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Jason could not run through the grass, somersault head over heels, or leap about like normal children. He was continually warned by his parents to be careful because he was of a more fragile nature. So whenever he was at the park, he was watched every moment and had to temper his energy. He did not want to anymore. He wanted to be free of bodily impairment.
Lois sat on a wooden beach as Jason went to climb over the fort and metal contraptions. There weren't very many people there with them. She glimpsed one other mother with her two sons and an older couple walking along the path. She pulled out some of her materials for her latest story to work on.
Jason saw she was occupied and climbed to the highest tower. He sat atop it and began searching the skies. It was a pretty decent view though obscured by the trees somewhat. He gripped the edge of the plastic roof to keep from sliding off. His mother would not be pleased to see where he was, but he had to see.
As he leaned his head back, he missed the dark figure making his way towards Lois. The man was average height and build. His hair was long and slightly mussed to his shoulders matching his two-day's growth of a beard on his face. His eyes were piercing and sharp.
He strolled over to the bench with his hands casually in his pockets and a friendly smile.
"Working out here on such a fine day?" he joked.
Lois was startled by the sudden address. "Um, yes." She felt her intuition screaming warning at her even though the man seemed perfectly normal. She lowered her head back into her notes.
"Don't you think you should stop and enjoy the day first?"
She set her pencil down firmly and looked up at him. "I can enjoy it quite all right while I work on this. Thank you for being so interested in my enjoyment of my day." The sarcasm was subtle but he heard it.
"Well, only trying to look out for a lovely young lady," he smirked.
She studied his features for a moment and realized he could not be that much older than her. "Thanks for the concern," she mumbled.
His eyes were beginning to pry into her, and her stomach turned. She tried to ignore him while he continued to hover over her. Finally, she closed the notebook on her lap and squared her shoulders.
"Is there something you want?" she asked in exasperation, not observing the dangerous gleam in his eye.
"Since you asked," he plopped down beside her on the bench, "there is something…"
She leaped to her feet. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to let me get back to my work and leave me alone."
He was on his feet again too, looking down at her far too intimately.
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Jason heard his mother's raised voice and brought his face down to see what had caused it. He saw the man drawing too close to Lois, and his heart thudded in his chest.
"Mommy?" he called. She had not heard but was fumbling in her purse for something while backing away from the thug. He could sense his asthma on the rise and tried to will it back.
He feared what he might do if he let his labored breathing pass into another spell of physical power.
He lifted his head to the heavens and cried out. "Superman! Help Superman!"
Lois could not find her mace in her bag. Panic was starting to quicken her pulse. The strange man no longer acted so kind and conversational. It was obvious what he wanted now.
Her eyes dared to glance in Jason's direction for a split moment. He was yelling something into the sky…
The vagrant saw her distraction and lunged for her. Lois smacked him hard across his face, leaving a vibrant red mark throbbing on his cheek and nose. The impact sent him reeling for an instant, and she took it to escape. Yet he reached out and caught her arm in an iron grip.
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A father knows the voice of his son no matter the distance or the strength of sound.
Just as Lois was being jerked back into the clutches of the vile man, he was thrown across the expanse of grass like a rag doll. Lois shuddered and whirled around in a surge of relief and elation. She came face to face with the large, red 'S' on his broad chest before her eyes rose up to his face.
"I've never been so glad to see you!" She threw her arms around his waist, and he quickly did the same, holding her close to his heart. They stood there for a long moment as her fear completely subsided in the safety of his embrace. Then he gently pushed her back.
"I have something to attend to if you're all right."
She nodded, and he glided to the offender with his jaw set in determination and righteous anger. He lifted the man from the ground none-too-gently. His head lolled as Superman carried him closer and dropped him again. Superman saw his son atop the fort and flew up to take him in his arms and give him to his mother.
"Thank you so much," said Lois. She hugged Jason to her waist. "I didn't even know what to do at first. Jason here helped save me again, though I do think your head's going to swell up with anymore of these incidents, Superman." She pronounced his name carefully and pointedly.
He was glad to hear her sense of humor was still intact. "And I'll say it again for the hundredth time: you're a magnet for trouble, my dear. I'd like to stay here with the both of you, but…"
"It's all right," she said with a knowing smile. "You need to get that creep put away."
"Actually, I do want to talk to you though." He had drawn closer and was looking directly into her eyes.
Why does he have to do that? I would agree to anything when he does that! I need to find a way to resist that look of his… "You know how to find me," she said aloud.
"Thanks for my room," Jason chimed in. "I really like it."
"You're very welcome, Jason. I thought I'd make you feel more at home. Well, I'll see you around, both of you."
His charming smile melted Lois's heart and she watched as he floated up out of the trees with the unconscious man in tow.
"I've got to be the luckiest woman on earth…"
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Lois leaned against the railing on their small balcony as daylight sifted through the sky's fingers and darkness fell. The moon was full and bright and the stars were clear and unveiled. It was a chilled winter evening, and she was wrapped in a warm blanket.
She heard a familiar fluttering and thudding of boots. She turned and smiled. "It's about time. I thought I would freeze out here." Their gentle bantering was back in full swing.
Superman returned the smile and drew close to her, his radiating warmth enveloping her as he held her in his arms. He looked down into her shining eyes.
"I can't stay long, but I wanted to discuss an important matter."
"All right. What is this 'important matter'?" She snuggled up against him.
His gaze wandered over the lights of Metropolis. "I haven't said much concerning myself and where I came from; so maybe this is the night."
Lois was snagged. She had been waiting for this for some time. He trusted her completely now.
He began to explain about his past: where he grew up, the parents who raised him, and his journey into his destiny as Superman, the savior of the world. It was a briefer account than he planned; however, it still impacted Lois. She listened with intense interest and never interrupted with any questions: unusual for Lois Lane.
"My mother is alive still in Smallville and…" he caught her gaze, "…I would like you and Jason to meet her. We could stay there awhile now especially that Jason's having more incidents."
"Wait, more? I only know of one."
Superman was not looking at her. "You know how Richard's seaplane had trouble, and I brought them back home…"
"Yes."
"…well, Jason left the armrests a bit misshapen and the plane unexplainably slowed down while it was falling to the water."
"Jason? I…" She sighed. "Does he know what he did?"
"No, I don't think so."
"I'll talk to him. For now though, I'll tell you that I agree with your idea." She entwined her arms about his waist. "I've wanted to meet the mother and father who raised up such a remarkable man for a long time. I'm sorry I can't see your father."
"So am I. He was a great man. My mother will enjoy a visit, I am sure. I haven't seen her much for a while: only once when I returned to earth. I'll go ahead of you and talk to her so I can meet you when you and Jason arrive."
"Clark?"
"Yes?" He could see the wheels turning in her mind.
"We should tell her about Jason together."
"I know." He bent to kiss her cheek then her lips. "I have to go."
She let go and stepped back, drawing the blanket tighter around her.
"You should head inside where it's warm," he remarked just before lifting off into the night, the wake of his departure stirring Lois's hair.
"I'm already warm, thanks to you," she murmured with a faint smile.
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NOTE: And so we come to the final chapter...I will not say anything about it ;). It's pretty obvious what's going to happen after Lois and Superman's discussion. It will not be a cliffhanger but a very happy ending to an emotionally charged story (except it won't exactly be the end of the story)...
Since this is second to last chapter, I would really appreciate feedback. Please review unless you absolutely don't have time :)
