Chapter 12

Lois had just come home from work, following up on the story of the disappearance of Lex. News broadcasts have been covering up on their missing president, it's been a week since his disappearance and she had a feeling that sooner or later, he would turn up in a surprising way. He always does. She was typing away at her laptop when she heard a faint knock on the door. She looked at the time, confused, Chris was sleeping over at Oliver and Chloe's. Who would be knocking at her door at this hour? She walked up to her door and swung it open. Clark was standing before her with an anxious look. Lois did not expect to see him again. She thought he had left the night she saw him. No one even mentioned he was still here! Her heart started pounding so hard, that it could jump out of her chest any moment now. She held her breath for a moment as she just stood frozen in shock just like last time, staring back at him. Clark shifted his weight on his other leg, he took a deep breath and spoke calmly, unsure of what's to come in this encounter with just them two alone. "Hi."

Lois released her breath, and gulped, "What are you doing here." She said with a stern voice.

Clark sighed, "You didn't think I was going to leave things the way they were did you?"

Lois huffed, "I don't know. You're the expert when it comes to leaving things."

Clark tilted his head at her, his eyes were filled with sadness and Lois could see it, the same eyes that her son carries. "Lois I needed to see you. We need to talk."

Lois shook her head, wincing at the way he kept saying her name, in a sympathetic way, "What is there to talk about. Chloe said everything. So I guess it's time for you to be on your way now." She was in the process of closing the door on him when he stopped it with his hand. She tried pushing it against his hand, knowing full well it was useless. Frustrated, she slammed the door on his hand that block it from closing as hard as she could, his hand made a hole in the door from the impact. She walked away in anger.

"I'll fix that."

"I don't need you to fix anything. I'm used to fixing your mess." She looked at him with those same cold eyes again. Just like last time. Clark was expecting this from her. She was stubborn and hard headed. He knew what to expect from his wife. As he stared back at her, she got impatient, "What do you want!"

Clark took a step towards her, "You cut your hair." He commented on her new hair, which looked like Chloe's bob cut, but with brown, "I like it."

Lois wasn't going to respond to that. She wasn't in the mood to have small talk with him. "Say what you need to say and leave Clark. I'll be okay. Trust me. "

Clark shook his head, "Putting you through hell was the last thing I wanted Lois. I never wanted this. I wanted you to be happy. You and Christopher."

Lois winced, and then looked at Clark with tears forming in her eyes, "I've been the master manipulator...Clark. For four years I made everyone believe that I was happy. Trust me, I was happy whenever I saw my son smile. I was doing it for him and him only. That's what you wanted right? For me to be a good mother to Chris. And that's exactly what I did. But I didn't need Jor-El to do it for me. Makes me wonder how little you believed in me."

"No Lois you don't understand! I do believe in you.. so much. I just didn't want you to ever feel pain because of me..."

Lois nodded, "So you took away my pain for YOU. So that you wouldn't feel as guilty for leaving. Well sorry to say that your son still felt the pain of your absence. Who had to pay for that? YOUR SON!"

Clark swallowed, "I only wanted to protect you two from the burden of knowing my secret. If anyone finds out, they go after you Lois!"

Lois took a glass cup and threw it fiercely at Clark who dodge it as it hit the wall behind him, he looked at her in shock, "YOU PROMISED! YOU PROMISED ME THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME! YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE CHRIS YOU PROMISED! YOU LEFT ME CLARK! YOU LEFT ME AND YOU BROKE YOUR VOWS WHEN YOU MARRIED ME... FOR BETTER AND FOR WORSE!" Lois let it all out and let Clark have it. She screamed so loud, she was going to lose her voice tomorrow. Lois started breathing hard, and crying, "You broke your vow, you broke me, and you abandoned your family. You just gave up on us Clark! You're a coward and you know it! You're a coward! You left when the going got tough and you left me to raise Chris alone! You don't deserve to have a place in his life! Who had to pick up the pieces for him whenever he asked why he didn't have a daddy like his other friends? ME! You're a bad person! You're no hero to us... you didn't mean any of it Clark. I don't even believe if you ever loved me!" Lois was crying hard now. She fell onto a chair and started balling her eyes out, her head was buried into her head.

Clark was standing there in shock, staring back at her. He had truly broken her heart. His own heart was breaking at the sight he was witnessing. He started to slowly walk towards her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. She shoved his hand away and stood up, looking at him with nothing but anger. Clark forced back tears, he said softly at her, "I'm sorry Lois. I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this. I never meant to hurt you in any way. I thought I was doing the right thing. There was never a day where my heart didn't ache for you Lois. There wasn't a single day in these four years apart where I never thought about you. I'm sorry for all of the pain I've caused... I am glad though that you've finally let it all out. I hope you finally find peace now." He took a deep breath. He yearned to touch her again. She kept pulling back, refusing to let him lay a finger on her. All he wanted to do was pull her into a hug and embrace her until the world came to an end. Clark closed his eyes, once he opened them, Lois' back was facing him, she was looking down at the floor, crying silently. Clark turned around and walked out the door silently, he turned back around to say one last thing to her, "I'll fix the door." And walked away.

Lois leaned against the wall and slid down to seat herself on the floor. She started sobbing hard for a couple of hours when she heard the door open again. Her tears blocked her field of vision so she couldn't see who came through the door. The person sat next to her and put his arms around her, making shushing noises as she sobbed against his chest. Oliver rubbed her arm, hugging her, saying, "It's gonna be okay Lois."