Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Superman and Lois
Summary: My version of what happened the "day after the reveal"
Spoiler alert: Truth and Consequences
Title: The Day after
Lana raised her hand and checked the time on her smart watch. Still only 4am- too early to go to the office for a 9am meeting, but she couldn't sleep either. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him floating in the air in front of her.
"You're Superman," she'd said after he landed. He still held his glasses out with one hand,
"Yes." They were both silent regarding each other, the new knowledge between them. The tension drained from his shoulders with the need to pretend for another person. His smile was tentative, a sign of hope, that she'd accept it.
Lana was shocked. "You kept this massive secret from me, for 20 years," she told him. And then she felt like she kicked a puppy as his face fell.
"I'm sorry, I…" a small voice.
The apology renewed her anger. "Don't even…" she raised her hand cutting him off, not ready for explanations. "You're my best friend, but I feel like I don't know you anymore." She got back in her car, and snapped her seatbelt on. She decided to give him a little hope. "I need time with this Clark," she drove off, glancing in the rearview mirror afraid he'd follow, knowing he could do that, and more if he wanted.
Giving up on sleep Lana wandered into the living room, avoiding the glass-filled carpet, and broken cabinet door. She settled in front of the cabinet under the television where they kept old photo albums and pulled hers out. It covered high-school until she married Kyle. She flicked through the images. Candid of her smiling down at Clark while he slid the corsage on her wrist. The grins in the outdoor posed photos. If she'd known that was the last time, she'd see him for 5 years she might have enjoyed the way he held her while they danced. She might have kissed him, told him not to go.
She saw him every so often when he came to visit Martha. Usually in the grocery store, or the diner; never somewhere either felt comfortable talking at length. When they finally had coffee, she sensed he was different. He was a puzzle; there were moments he'd drop his guard and it was if he'd never left town. Others when it was clear she was at arm's length. It was right around the time Superman appeared. That made sense now.
The last page of the album was at his, and Lois' wedding. They spent some time catching up, and Lana found the edges softened a little. "Welcome to married life" she said.
"Thanks," he looked down at his ring with wonder. "Any advice"
"Love each other. No matter what,"her and Kyle were fighting a lot, but she still loved him.
Clark watched Lois with his mom. "No worries about that." Moments later Lois looked over, and smiled at him. It made Lana smile to see the devotion between them. She took the photo wandering into the kitchen, and slipped it into her work bag; a useful reminder of the other side of Clark Kent.
It was 6am by then, and she decided to bake some muffins for her staff to show appreciation. She put the coffeemaker on, and when they were out of the oven, she slipped back to the shower. She closed her eyes under the warm spray. All she could see was him laying on the floor, with kryptonite sticking out of him; shards surrounding a dagger. "You can do this Lana," 'How many times had she heard Clark say the same exact thing? Her hands shook, not wanting to cause him unnecessary pain. She felt him getting stronger as she got rid of them. And then her hands tugged at the final dagger, telling herself she'd rip part of his cape if he needed a bandage. It was out, and then she was out of the handcuffs a moment later.
Lana was storing her muffins in a container when Sarah arrived. It was 7:45 by then. "First day outfit check," she called to her mother.
Lana snapped the top of the container and stood in the kitchen doorway. "How do I look?" She twirled; a tailored suit from her days at the bank, with a blue top peeking out of the blazer. Her makeup wouldn't be the greatest, but it was expected after the day she'd had.
Sarah approved by clicking a selfie with her. "Remember to pick up your sister after school," Lana reminded her daughter.
"Yes mom. We'll be at dad's for a while before I bring her back here," Sarah added.
Lana kissed the top of her head. Sarah took the container of muffins as Lana grabbed her bag. They put both in the seat behind the driver.
"Good luck mom," Sarah hugged her and was gone.
It was 8:20 by the time she was in the office. "I guess I'm really going to have to get the worm to beat you here," Emily said. She was putting the finishing touches on her own office.
"I couldn't sleep," she put the container on the table in the open area of the office.
Emily took one and broke off a piece. "I let Lois into your office. She was pretty insistent on seeing you first thing,"
Lois stood as Lana entered, and was seated again once Lana was as well. The weariness got to her, compounded by the fact one of the last people she wanted to deal with was in her office. "I'm not ready for this conversation," she told her.
Lois understood the shock. Clark told her that it didn't go how he wanted, but was determined to give her some space. She was there on a separate mission to make sure Lana knew the jeopardy she was in. "There's more to it, than what he told you," Lois knew she had a short window to tell her everything.
"Of course, there is," Lana answered sarcasm evident in her tone. One day to be angry with her best friend for 20 years of lying was apparently too much to ask.
Lois took it as an invitation to continue. "He followed Ally into a portal to an alternate earth. Where he met our opposites. Your double has powers, and a suit. She came through the portal yesterday and was chased back by John Henry, and Natalie…"
"And she wants to kill me," Lana's sarcasm put an unintended edge on her comment. She took a deep breath. Lois wandered over to the table, taking a coffee cup from the cardboard tray.
Lana opened it, letting herself be grateful for the other woman's friendship. She blew on it, thinking of Clark's display the night before. "Is this what it's like? Being in danger all the time because you're close to him?" Maybe she was starting to understand.
Lois was determined not to get between Lana and Clark. But she would speak for her own situation. "When I first found out, I was shocked, and angry. It felt like he treated me like a fool for three years. All the while we were dating. Every single time I talked to Superman; I didn't see what was right in front of me. He let me have a week to myself, and I discovered that, life with him in was better than life without him. The secret was worth it because it meant I had all of him in my life.
"All those years without being himself…" Lana mused. The anger was starting to dissipate, leaving a raw feeling behind.
Lois noticed Jenny through the door. "I've said my piece. I'll let you get back to work," she took her coffee.
"Tell him I'll see him later," Lana decided she should at least talk to him. Test their new dynamic out.
Lois left room for Jenny to take her place, and gave a small wave to Lana from the doorway. The rest of the day was a blur of staff interviews, and briefings on different files. They planned a quick transition so that she could get to work.
By the time the final briefing ended, Lana was picturing a bubble bath, before having pizza with the girls as an ideal evening. She shouldered her bag, containing briefing files for the next day, and made her way home.
She poured a glass of wine, and sat down at the table with a folder open and a notebook beside her for notes. She was just past the executive summary when the doorbell went. 'Perfect timing girls,' she thought as she moved to answer. She opened the door to Clark standing in the same place he had the day before, and she blinked the image of Superman away.
"Come in," she said.
"I can clean that up if you want," Clark offered. It was theoretically his son that did it.
"Maybe later," Lana suggested, knowing he would get every last shard if he had to pick them up by hand.
They returned to the kitchen, and Lana took out a wine glass. "Would you like a glass?"
"Yes, thank you." Clark answered and sat down across from her realizing that there would be other questions.
"I think I get it now, part of it. Anyone who knows you're him, would automatically be in danger. And the world was a cruel place when we were young, and it's even worse now. Your… she struggled a few moments. Abilities made you standout anywhere, and that's the last thing a teenager wants when they're struggling to figure out their lives."
The hopeful smile appeared on his face. "I didn't know what the limits of my powers were, or when they'd come. It was difficult to talk about something when you didn't know yourself. By the time I realized the full extent, I'd left Smallville." He answered.
"Was there any point where you considered telling me?"
Clark took a deep breath considering his answer, knowing only the truth would do. "Yes. Almost every time we met,"
Lana sipped her wine steeling to ask the question she really wanted an answer to. "Why didn't you?"
"I was afraid you'd laugh. I'd made myself this…" he gestured to himself, "guy nobody looks at twice. The least likely man to be a superhero. Someone so clumsy that his kids still tell a story about how I fell off a ladder putting the star on top of the Christmas tree.
Footsteps echoed on the gravel driveway. She hadn't started thinking about how his identity would affect the kids. "Sarah's confused about Jordan," Lana explained. She now realized he was the son with the powers.
The door opened, and Sarah addressed her mom. "Sophie is staying with dad, and he'll bring her home after dinner."
Clark felt in his pocket for Jordan's letter Lois slipped to him before he left. He held it out to her. "Jordan wrote you a letter, but before I give it to you, there's something I need to tell you for it to all make sense,"
Lana stood gesturing that Sarah should take her seat. She poured a glass of hot water from the sink and set it in front of her daughter. She looked up, puzzled.
Clark took off his glasses placing them beside his wine glass. He stood hanging the jacket across the back of the chair. He forced himself to stand straight, and blew lightly on her glass.
"You really are Superman," Sarah took the words right out of his mouth. Both adults looked at her, and then each other. "I've had my suspicions. Jordan tried to sell me on the idea that he got his abilities the same way Tag and the others did. But the others didn't react the same way to green kryptonite; you did. She sipped from the glass.
Lana had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Sarah took advantage of the stunned silence. "You rescued me from Tag and managed to burn to the kryptonite out of your body," Although he'd managed to turn his head away, the glimpse of red eyes wasn't easily forgotten.
'Kids see more than we think,' Clark thought to himself. "I'm…"
"You couldn't help it," Sarah explained for him.
"You don't have to hide from us anymore," Lana added, a small smile.
