Born To Fly

By Serena Kenobi

Rating: T (just to be safe)

Author's Note: Thank you all SO much for your fantabulous reviews!! I really appreciate it!!! So happy you all like this story.

Disclaimer: Why? Why should I EVEN torture myself?

Chapter 5 - The Truth

Lois was the first to notice that something was up. Richard was the second. Clark was the third. Jimmy was just pretty much clueless, as usual. And Jason... well... Jason was getting ticked off at the very annoying lady who just didn't want to shut the heck up.

"I SAID, you little brat, get out of my way!" Sue shrieked, glaring daggers at Jason, who was lying on the floor, drawing harmlessly.

Jason blinked. Blinked again. Then went back to drawing, decidedly ignoring her. Sue rolled her eyes and made a small furious sound, ready to strangle the kid. He had been getting her in way and bugging her nonstop the entire day now, and she had had enough.

"What part of 'get out of my way' don't you understand, you rodent?!" Sue ridiculed, clenching her fists at her sides.

Clark rolled his chair back and scrutinized Susan critically. "It's okay, I'm letting him stay at my office space," he spoke up, staring at her with a condescending gaze. Susan turned and smiled sweetly.

"Oh, okay. Do you know whose child he is?" she asked gently as she possibly could, peering somewhat shyly at Clark with large doe eyes.

Jason looked up at Clark, giving him a look. Clark looked back at Jason, raising his eyebrows.

"He's mine," Lois added, her arms folded over, glaring at Susan defiantly. Sue stiffened and flashed her a phony smile.

"Oh," she replied, "I didn't know. I'm glad I do now," she continued innocently, twirling her little glossy pen around in her perfectly manicured hand. Lois muffled an unladylike snort, not wanting to continue the conversation.

"Sure," she muttered, and knelt down in front of her son. "Wow, hon, that's a fabulous picture!" she exclaimed, examining the drawing.

Jason beamed happily. "I'm giving it to Mr. Clark, mommy!" he replied enthusiastically, waving it in the air.

Lois glanced up at Clark, who gave her a knowing grin before gazing tenderly down at Jason. Lois nearly melted at Clark's heart-warming stare, and tried not to smile back. She merely stood up, ruffled her son's hair, and made for her desk.

Clark glanced at her one more time, smiling knowingly, and then pushed up his glasses and began to type. He hoped that Lois was finally starting to think about HIM, not just Superman. Maybe she would get to know both of them and fall in love with the man and hero. It wasn't too late.

Susan had observed the whole scene with jealousy, anger, and frustration. This wasn't how it was supposed to be going! She needed a better plan. And needed to think up one fast. It wouldn't be too long before Lois dumped Richard, and then what was to keep her and Clark from hooking up? Well, maybe Superman. That was it. Make Lois jealous when she and Superman got together!

Oh Susie, you're really too brilliant, she mused, heading back to her cubicle. She didn't notice Richard staring after her thoughtfully before turning a suspicious and slightly pained glance towards Clark, Lois, and Jason.

Sue had finished her report on the museum and entered Perry's office. "Um, excuse me, sir," she began, "I was wondering if I could do a report on Superman. I mean, not to question your judgment or anything, I just think Lois's tired of all the attention she's getting."

Perry eyed her for a second, and Sue hoped he bought it. "Fine," he said, "I want you to go down to Florida - Superman recently stopped a heist there. Get all the info you can, okay?"

Sue blinked. This wasn't the kind of assignment she had hoped to get. "Sir, if I may, Metropolis is where Superman is most, maybe I can get an interview out of him," she protested, "Please, just let me ask around, I'll see what I can get."

"Fine," Perry snapped, "Just do SOMETHING and don't bother me!" he put his glasses back on and glared menacingly. Sue nodded stiffly and went out, a smug look on her face. She had gotten what she wanted. Well, partially.

Susan walked up to Lois's desk with a smile that gave Lois the creeps. "Well, it looks as if Superman won't be getting to know just you anymore, Miss Lane," she bragged. "Chief just gave me an assignment to find out more about him..." she leaned in, "But off the record, I intend to get to know him... shall we say... up close and personal." She grinned wickedly.

If looks could kill, Susan would be fried, buried alive, torn to pieces, and starved to death for six weeks right now.

"That all depends on IF you find Superman," Lois shot back. "Which I doubt you will. He doesn't like to hang around one place for long. He just saves the people and flies off."

"Then how did you get to know him?" Susan asked, narrowing her eyes. "Just because you're pretty, well, sort of, he decided to stop by and buy you a drink?"

"No," Lois said, grinding her teeth, "He likes ME for who I am, not because I threw myself at him. We got to know each other through friendship, not by instantly making out."

Nearby, Clark snorted, grinning profusely. The two women glanced at him, and he abruptly cleared his throat, trying to look innocent. Sue turned back to Lois.

"Well, don't worry, I'll find him," she whispered determinedly, and strode off, entering the elevator. Lois watched her leave, shaking her head. Susan wouldn't get five feet even close to Superman. Right?

Right.

Maybe...

Of course not!

No?

Yes?

"Shut up!" Lois hissed angrily at herself, typing furiously about another catastrophe Superman recently had fixed.

"What?" Clark inquired, putting his head up.

She stared at him. "Oh, sorry, I wasn't talking to you. More, um, to myself." Thinking of how stupid that sounded, she decided not to say anything more, hoping to keep at least a shred of what dignity she had left.

- - -

"Look, it's Superman!!" a lady screamed as the familiar blue and red hero zoomed into the street in front of the oncoming truck. Its brakes weren't working properly, and it couldn't stop; everyone was breathlessly waiting for the inevitable.

Superman put both hands out and let the huge truck ram right into him at full speed. He didn't budge one foot; the truck's front, however, wasn't so lucky. It was completely smashed in. Superman tore off the door and stepped up to the dazed driver.

"Are you all right, sir?"

The man stared at him for a second. "Uh, yeah, I think so..." he groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Thanks for the help, man."

Superman grinned and patted his shoulder. "Not a problem," he answered, "Here, I'll just lift this so it won't be in the way." He easily lifted the truck to a close parking lot and set it down. The press was already on his back when he landed. "Excuse me," he spoke politely, "I don't think I'll be taking any questions today."

But Susan, who had seen the whole thing, called after him, "Wait, Superman!" He turned around mid air. "May I have an interview with you as soon as possible?" she asked sweetly, smiling up at him adoringly.

But the hero just stared back at her somewhat disgusted. "We'll see, Miss Lynn," he replied with no emotion, "I'm not sure." With that, he was gone.

"He knows my name!" Susan gasped, surprised beyond belief.

- - -

Lois drove home that night and put Jason to bed. She then cleaned up a bit and headed outside, just wanting to think things over. Richard wasn't home yet, but she didn't mind. He was in a poor mood, anyways, and she just wanted some time alone.

"Good evening, Lois," a familiar baritone voice spoke up.

So much for the alone time.

Lois turned to see Superman floating in the air, gazing at her intently, his familiar blue eyes flashing in the faint light.

"I wondered when you were going to show up," she stated calmly, putting her hands on her hips.

Superman smiled and dropped to the ground, never breaking his gaze from hers. "I was just seeing Jason before I talked to you," he said, "He's very strong, just like his mother." She couldn't help but blush under his unwavering, tender gaze.

"Richard doesn't know yet," Lois sighed, glancing up again, "I have to tell him that he isn't the father. He already knows, well, suspects, that I'm..." she broke off her sentence, not sure what to say next.

Superman took a few strides towards her, staring at her more intensely than before. "You're what?" he asked quietly, and brought her chin up with his hand, his touch sending shivers down her spine.

Lois opened her mouth to give him the answer, but what woman on earth could answer when one of the handsomest guys on the planet was merely inches away?

The sound of Richard's car approaching took them out of the moment. Lois stepped back, face extremely red, and glanced from the car to Superman. "You should go, or he'll see you."

Superman nodded solemnly, flying into the air; he seemed a bit disappointed that he didn't have more time.

"Wait!" Lois called, and he halted, looking back down hopefully. "Meet me on the beach, say five days from now," she continued. "I'm extra busy for the next few days, but after that, I'll be okay." He agreed, gave her a smile, and zoomed off just as Richard's car pulled into the driveway. Lois hurried into the house, where she found Richard, looking annoyed.

"Here goes nothing..." she muttered under her breath. But as she closed the front door, a startling and unexpected revelation hit her like a load of bricks.

She knew where she had seen those familiar blue eyes before.

They were hidden behind thick glasses.

They belonged to . . . Clark Kent.

Wait…

CLARK KENT??!!!

Farm-boy, Smallville, gee-wiz, oh golly, huge klutz Clark Kent??

Lois gasped, realizing that all the coincidences... were not coincidences. It was all adding up. Whenever Clark disappeared, so did Superman. Clark was gone for five years, and so was Superman. Clark looked like Superman, and Superman looked like Clark. They were kind, gentle, and caring. How on earth could she have been so stupid? That must have been one of the reasons why she had begun to actually notice, and become attracted to Clark.

But that also meant that Jason was Clark's son. So that was why Clark liked to spend so much time with him! She didn't blame him that much for not telling her the truth, but she wished she had realized it sooner. But would he tell her, or would she have to tell him that she knew who he was?

First, she had to talk to Richard. She knew she didn't honestly love him to begin with, but had hoped he could replace Superman. Well, that plan didn't work, because Superman was back, and he was going to stay, since Krypton was destroyed. It was no use pretending anymore.

- - -

"Let me get this straight," Richard began, still in denial, "You're in love with Superman, you had an affair with him, and now I find out that Jason isn't even my own son, he's the son of some superhero that's not even human? This is unbelievable."

Lois quickly lashed out at him, "Don't you dare talk about him that way! He's a good man, Richard, and you know it!"

Richard shook his head in disbelief. "I just don't get it, Lois. How could you lie to me like this?" He sat down, staring at his hands.

Here came the guilt. "I'm sorry, Richard, I never meant to hurt you," Lois broke in, feeling pained. "I didn't realize that Jason was his son until a few months ago."

Actually that wasn't true, she had known since the day she knew she was pregnant; she just wanted to make it easier on him.

"Oh, and you're just deciding to tell me this NOW?" He looked up, the anger returning. The hurt was apparent, though.

"Richard, calm down, please, you'll wake Jason up!" Lois's guilt was quickly being replaced by anger.

Richard shot back, "You're telling me to calm down? I can't calm down, not with this on my mind! Lois, you lied to me! You lied. You were supposed to be my fiancée... but it doesn't look like that's going to be that way anymore."

Lois looked at the ring on her finger and slowly took it off. "Richard, I said I was sorry," she said quietly, "but I can't change the past, or what I did, or how I felt, or how I feel today. All I can do is apologize." She handed him the ring, and he reached out and took it, staring at it resentfully.

Richard sighed, becoming deflated. "I somehow knew that this wouldn't work," he said regretfully, "You always loved Superman. Even though you said that you didn't, I knew that you weren't telling the truth."

Lois sat down again. "Richard, I never wanted to string you along," she began, "I just... I don't know."

"You just love him?" he finished, sounding resigned. "All right. I know. I'm sorry for being so harsh there a second ago, you didn't deserve it." He stood up again. "I'll be staying at a nearby hotel, and then I'll ask Uncle Perry tomorrow if I can transfer to another place."

Lois's eyes were watery. "Richard, you're still Jason's father just as much as you were before," she said weakly, though she could tell Richard thought otherwise.

He shook his head, rubbing his eyes. "It's not the same," he said, defeated, "Sooner or later you'll have to tell Jason the truth. I just know I'm not his father." He took his jacket off the hanger. "I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen," he finished. "Goodbye, Lois. I wish you the best. Tell Jason I'll always love him."

"He knows," was her reply.

He nodded, shut the door behind him, and Lois watched the car as it turned out of the driveway.

One single tear fell down her face before she wiped it away, turned off the lights, and went to bed.

I kinda feel for Richard, I mean, the poor guy really can't compare to Superman. Don't forget to leave me a review!