Chapter 25 - The Pains of Mortality

"I'm ready." The doctor pulled out the chart he had quickly put together on Superman.

"The new solution of Kryptonite does effect you, but in a new way. Your cells are regenerating new cells. Look at this picture. This is a blow up of one of your old cells that hasn't been attacked yet. This is a new cell that has been changed. Superman, you may want to pick a new name, a mortal name. This Kryptonite has changed your cell structure to that of a mortal's."

Chloe looked at Clark in sadness. He had been through this before. Lois held on to his hand as he sunk back into the chair he had been. "I'm so sorry," the doctor finished.

"Can you reverse it? You can, right?" Lois let go and started yelling at the doctor, but felt Superman and Chloe pull on her.

"Lois."

"But why, you're Superman. You have to get back to yourself. I mean Superman just can't disappear like that. You can't let it!" Superman sat in the chair as Chloe tried to calm Lois down, figuring that maybe this was what Superman wanted. What Clark wanted.

"Lois, if they find a cure then great, but I am not going to push for one. Anyway, my life..." Superman started whispering, "my life...could be normal. A family and a job...normal."

"But it's not you - you're Superman. You have been for a long time."

"I know, but maybe this is a sign." Superman took her hand.

"So, now what? What are you going to do?"

"I guess go on with my life. Go home and try to sleep."

"I want you to stay with me for right now." Superman looked at Lois funny wondering why that would matter. Chloe looked at Clark and knew that Lois was jeopardizing everything.

"Lois, I don't think I should."

"I'm not taking no for an answer. You are going to find out this is harder than you think and you will need someone to help you." Lois started toward the door, with Superman's hand in hers, still amazed that she had never felt they were the same before last night.

"You win Lois." Chloe breathed in hard and followed the pair out the door.

"You say that to me a lot you know?" She handed a card to the doctor. "Call if something comes up." Lois shoved Superman in the Jeep and started home after dropping Chloe off.

Chloe walked up to her car door. "You take care – I'll be in touch – I'm going to go get Brit and bring her by and work on this story, and get you back to being Super." Clark hugged her and watched her leave.

Maybe things are looking up for me. Lois and Chloe in my life again.

Arriving at home, Clark started getting nervous because even though Lois knew the truth, he wasn't sure of Brit. Lois walked in and saw Superman lounging on the couch. "You settled? I know this is hard for you, especially after last night. Is there something I could do for you?"

"Not mention that you know and not to mention it this to Brit."

Sitting next to him, Lois was shocked, "She doesn't know?" Clark shrugged an 'I don't know'. "I can keep a secret. Now what else?" She got and headed to the bedroom.

"Could I get something to eat? Something about being human. I'm hungry."

"Just be careful what you eat - no more double fudge anything for you if you want to continue to look like that." Clark laughed at himself, looking in a mirror.

"Do you want something?"

"No, but fix something for your daughter." Lois just realized what she had said. Lois also realized she was screaming. She walked back in the kitchen. "And try not to touch the stove again." Superman looked at her and laughed. She lightly slapped him on the shoulder. Clark decided that sandwiches were simple and safe. Chloe had returned to the apartment with Brit and he tried to overhear what Lois was telling Brit that they couldn't find her father but that Superman was staying with them. Lois was reading Brit the riot act about Superman and her manners. He tried not to giggle.

"Superman, this is Brittany." He kneeled and watched for her reaction. She immediately looked at him put her arms around him. "Guess she likes you. Well Brit, I think he made you something to eat. I'm going to go get ready to call in the story." Lois left the room but turned around to see what was really going to happen with Brit and Superman.

"Come and eat. I hope you like peanut butter and bananas. Lois doesn't have much else."

"That's ok." Brit started to eat. "Could I have some milk dad...Superman." Clark stopped and looked at Brit. She smiled and moved closer to her dad. "I have seen you without glasses daddy. What does Lois think?"

"She knows honey, how about that milk." Clark got up to get milk for her while happy that the people most important in his life knew the truth. Meanwhile, Lois heard that she knew and knew it was time.

"Hello, this is Chloe. Martha, I have Clark over here at Lois's place in Metropolis. He's kind of in trouble. His powers are gone." She could hear Clark's mother gasp. "I know. Just come on over." Martha arrived several hours later.

"Your mom - I thought that she should know about what happened. There were these two people that have invented this stuff that is turning Superman...er, Clark into a mortal." Clark and Brit stood in the living room and waited for his mom's reaction. "Brit, let's let them have some time alone." Lois and Chloe took Brit in the bedroom with her while Clark sat down with his mom.

"How's Brit taking your missing or does she know?"

"She knows. But the thing is that I don't know if I want to go back to being Superman. I may have to make a choice and I don't know if it matters now." Martha looked at her son sternly.

"You have to son. You were raised as nothing else." She knew that he understood that he meant he had to find a way to change his cells back. "I'm going to go back to your apartment Clark. What about you?"

"I'm here tonight, but if you would take Brit." His mom shook her head and called for Brit. Within minutes, Brit and his mom were gone. Lois came back in and saw the couch was made out.

"Are you sure you want that? I can let you have the bed and..." Clark rubbed his hand down her cheek.

"Lois, you need to help me and Chloe find these men. I wasn't thinking before; I have to get Superman back. Can you help me?" Lois felt his hands rub hers and shook her head to agree. "What is it?"

"I just started thinking about how nice it would be for you to be mortal. So much simpler." She stood up next to him.

"Lois, even if I do become Superman again, you will always be special to me like all the times before." Clark turned on the radio and walked back over to Lois. "And I'm really sorry about last night. It was all really shocking and strange." He rubbed his hand through her hair as she leaned into his hand. "Would you mind a dance, say this is our wedding dance I won't have."

Lois felt a little hurt by the statement but couldn't turn him down. She slipped her hand in his and he wrapped his arm around her tiny waist.

Chloe watched from the bedroom and could feel a smile actually creep across her face. For the first time since she knew Clark she was actually happy for him with another woman – you go Lois.

Look at me, I'm in a place

I never thought I would be

Don't have the strength to fight anymore

Or a reason not to leave

So tell me why I still keep holding on

To something I just cannot see

What makes you stay

When your world falls apart

What makes you try one more time

When its not in your heart

At the end of your rope

When you can't find any hope

You still look at him and say

Tell me what makes you stay

"Clark, bring her in here." Chloe motioned to Clark to look at her and put her to bed.

"Lois?" Clark moved his shoulder slightly where she had almost fallen asleep in his arms. He picked her up and took her into the bedroom.

As he passed Chloe, he whispered, "Thank you," as he saw her pick up her purse and leave quietly.

He had never seen the bedroom in her new place. He noticed while looking around the picture of them two in college. He laid her down and tried to remove what he couldn't that she didn't need to wear to bed. He covered her and sat on the edge of the bed. Through all of this, she only slightly stirred. He leaned over to start to kiss her when she turned into him. He ended up kissing her on the lips instead of the cheek. Was she awake? Her lips were inviting. He sunk further on the corner of the bed and pushed her hair back and kissed her again. Whether asleep or awake, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her.

"Lois?"

"Come here." Clark moved closer to her cautiously.

"Are you sure about this?" He looked down seeing her unbuttoning his shirt. Clark started breathing hard. She fiddled with her shirt and then pulled the sheets over both of them.

Clark woke to the sun streaming through the window and hearing a paper being thrown at the door. He looked over and saw Lois still asleep and sighed. He was afraid that things would really change now. He ran his fingers along her shoulder and she turned to face him.

"Lois?"

"Morning Superman. Clark, I still can't keep that straight." She started moving across the bed and then felt there was no clothing between them. "Did we, did I force you?" She felt guilty and couldn't remember a thing. Clark wasn't listening, just looking at her in the sunlight.

"What? I wasn't listening." Lois repeated herself and Clark smiled, "No, I got carried away. I guess we both did. Being human impaired judgement, that is really strange." Lois looked at him longingly without any reply. They sat in bed looking at each other for several more minutes when Lois looked over and laid on his chest. She could feel Clark run his hands through her hair as she closed her eyes.

"You ok Lois?"

"I am. I just want you to know that this meant nothing - just impulse - a stupid impulse that should have never happen." Clark stared at the window.

"Lois, please." Lois decided to stay quiet and drift off to sleep. Clark, on the other hand, went over and over the events that shouldn't have occurred.