~*~

…epilogue…

~*~

"Authorities have placed the death toll at over a hundred…"

Click.

"…spokesman for the mayor has confirmed sightings of what onlookers have called a 'beast'. Humanoid in shape, but…"

Click.

"…the famed superhero that has been operating in Metropolis for over a year…"

Click.

"A woman who claimed she was plucked from the monster's clutches by the Red-Blue-Blur…"

For the first time, Lois had no desire to be the one writing the news. It was bad enough, sitting in the Kents' darkened living room, watching the blurry images of Metropolis going up in flames. Clark and Davis had been locked in combat for hours.

Helicopters and brave – or suicidal – cameramen on the ground had been trying to follow the fight as it raged across the city, but the task was almost impossible. They moved too fast and the blows they landed sent out shockwaves that levelled anyone, and anything standing on the same block.

Lois couldn't bring herself to look away. Everytime she caught a shot of Clark, even if he was just a red and blue smudge on the screen, her heart leapt – because it meant he was still alive. Still fighting.

Still thinking of her?

It was the worst kind of torture.

Especially witnessing it here, in this house. This house that represented safety, and family, and love. The Kents had taken her in. They'd offered her a home and asked for nothing in return. Clark had offered her a foil for her own wit and insecurities and she'd fallen for him. And now she faced the prospect of losing him.

She'd kept up a front when he told her about that prophetic message from the future. What else was she supposed to do? Allow the terror that struck her to overwhelm her and break down? That would have weakened him, seeing her like that. He would have blamed himself.

No, she had to be strong.

But that was then… not now.

Now the weakness showed. Wrapped in Clark's blanket, she hugged her knees to her chest as she perched on the couch, flicking through the channels on the TV and just watching through a film of steady tears.

Finally exhausted by the effort of trying to piece together a coherent thread from all the different newscasts, she just settled on a local channel and waited. Whatever happened, she had to witness it. Hear it for herself. She owed Clark that much.

The anchor-woman – a petite blonde with poufy hair – broke off mid-sentence, holding her hand to her ear as someone off-camera delivered the breaking news.

"This just in" she said, "There are reports of… yes, an explosion. Somewhere on the outskirts of Metropolis…"

The woman stopped to listen again, nodding to indicate that she understood.

"The location has been confirmed as the LuthorCorp Geo-Thermal facility. Ladies and gentlemen, early accounts suggest the entire facility has been levelled. We don't yet know if it's connected to the battle taking place between the Red-Blue Blur and the monster that started this carnage, but… if it is… I'm sure all of Metropolis will join me in praying that the city's guardian has made it out alive."

Lois couldn't take it anymore. Switching off the TV, she pressed her face into the fabric of the blanket and sobbed.

It was over.

She knew it.

She felt it.

Clark was gone.

Lois had no idea how long she sat there. The pale rays of the moon were the only thing to light her shaking form as she let her grief bleed out of her. Then she heard it.

A single footstep behind her.

Lois turned.

For a second, she was convinced he was a ghost. Or just her imagination.

But then he smiled at her, and it was more real than anything Lois had ever known. She was off the couch and in his arms before he could take a step towards her. He smelled of smoke, and sweat and she didn't care. She had no words for this. She planted a thousand kisses all over his face, her hands roaming everywhere, confirming what a part of her still didn't dare believe…

That he was here.

That he had come back to her.

Pulling her into a fierce embrace, Clark breathed in the scent of her hair. It was like flying again. A single soft kiss, in the fleshy part of her neck and he knew he had never felt more alive.

"You were right…" he said, still holding her so tight, "It's a start."

~*~

…the end…

~*~