Hi everyone! decided to replace this chapter with a longer and hopefully better version. If you read this before 3/5/25, please re-read it! This mostly wraps up this story, though I will probably post an epilogue as well.

Chapter 15: Afterglow

Clark wanted to get to work before Lois to try and fend off any unwanted office attention. Unfortunately, a bridge collapse in Ohio delayed him, and he still had to stop to pick up coffee from Lois' favorite place. He exited the elevator almost 30 minutes late.

As soon as he stepped off the elevator, he felt people's eyes glancing toward him and heard their whispered conversations. He usually tried to filter out those conversations, but he let himself listen in. Thanks to Lois kissing him in the middle of the bullpen, there was no hiding their relationship and no way to stop people from gossiping.

He decided to pretend like none of that was happening. He focused in on Lois, who had looked up when he entered. She had been watching for him and smiled. He also smiled as he walked toward her desk and deposited her coffee.

"You're late," she teased. "If only you had a good excuse."

"I'm doing great. How are you this morning?" he said. His smile turned into a cheeky grin. "Tired?"

"I slept pretty well. Wonderful dreams. A little sore though." She sipped her coffee. "I might have to start working out to keep up." She lowered her voice. "What are they all talking about?"

"Us mostly. Lots of different opinions. After your show yesterday, I don't think you need to worry about anyone thinking we aren't together." Clark focused in on a particular conversation. "Oh, and apparently, Ron is mad about losing some bet. You don't happen to know more about that, do you?"

"We should probably talk about that privately, away from the listening ears. We also need to talk about how to explain things to Jason. This morning he told me that you should be my boyfriend."

"Really? He asked me if I was your boyfriend a little while ago, but I told him we were just friends. What did you tell him?"

"That he had to go to school, and we can talk about that later. Redirection is the first rule of parenting."

"Good to know." Clark paused. "Am I?"

"What?"

"Am I your boyfriend?" Clark said nonchalantly, trying to hide his desire to hear her explicitly state their relationship.

Lois stared at him. "After last night, I would hope so."

Clark raised one eyebrow.

"You are going to make me say it, aren't you?"

Clark nodded his head.

"Clark, you are definitely my boyfriend."

Clark felt something give way within him, the small part of him still unsure this was happening. He wanted to grab Lois and kiss her until she ran out of breath but he held back.

Instead, he let a large, stupid grin spread across his face. "Lois, you're my girlfriend."

SSSS

Cat Grant watched Clark and Lois openly flirt with each other with mixed feelings. She couldn't hear their conversation, but it was obvious that they had finally redefined their relationship.

Part of her was proud of playing unintentional matchmaker, while another was annoyed that Clark was now unavailable. Cat never went after taken men, and Clark appeared completely taken.

Well, at least she could still look at him, and since he had started dressing better, it was quite a pleasant sight.

SSSS

When Perry had told Lois to make up with Clark Kent, he hadn't quite expected this result. He should have though. The two of them had been dancing around each other for so many years, both before and after Clark's hiatus. He should have expected that they would consummate things eventually.

He was willing to accept their new relationship status as long as they didn't break up and ruin his best reporting team. He was not willing to accept that this turn of events would take up all of the newspaper team's attention.

He exited his office and loudly cleared his throat. The newsroom quieted in anticipation "May I remind everyone here that this a NEWSPAPER. You should be spending your time REPORTING the NEWS, not gossiping about your personal lives."

He headed back into his office and slammed the door, having done his part.

SSSS

After Perry's announcement, people resumed their work and the rumors quieted down, at least somewhat.

Lois and Clark were able to get back to their work as well, but by the end of the day, they were both eager to return to their personal life.

During lunch, they discussed a game plan for what to tell Jason. Lois advised that they should probably start by explaining their current relationship. They would save the truth about Clark's identity as Superman and Jason's father for a later date.

Lois also had many questions for Clark, but she knew they would have plenty of opportunities to talk now that the biggest secrets were out of the way.

She left the Planet early to pick up Jason and take him home. Clark would meet them there once he had turned in his latest article.

"Hi, Mom!" Jason said enthusiastically, excited to see Lois after spending so long with his aunt.

"Hi, honey," Lois said kissing him on the top of his head, "How was school today?"

"It was okay. Mike caught a frog during recess, but we had to let it go." Jason went on for a while describing the frog and how they had caught it.

Jason was silent for a while after that conversation, watching out the window as they drove home, pulled into the parking garage, and took the elevator up to the apartment. Once they got inside, Jason broke his silence.

"Is Mr. Clark here?"

"Not right now, but he should be by later."

Jason smiled. "Good. I want to tell him about the frog. He likes animals."

Lois was curious. Jason had latched onto Clark even before Richard had left, and before she had taken Clark into her confidence again. She had never thought to ask why.

"Honey, why do you like Mr. Clark so much?"

Jason looked startled. "I don't know. He's just nice, I guess," he said uncertainly, sounding like he was trying to hide the real reason. He seemed to have inherited his inability to lie from his father.

Lois' curiosity turned to suspicion. "Jason, I don't think that's the real reason you like Mr. Clark. Whatever the reason is, you can tell me."

Jason paused. "It's a secret," he finally said.

Lois' suspicion deepened. They may not need to "reveal" as much to Jason as they had thought. Still, she didn't want to assume.

"Honey, is this your secret or Clark's secret?"

Jason now looked at her suspiciously.

Lois continued. "Because if it's your secret, you don't have to tell me. If it's Clark's secret, Clark and I don't keep any secrets from each other." At least not now.

"So…you know that Clark is Superman?" Jason asked.

Lois sighed with relief. "Yes, yes, I do. How long have you known this?"

Jason shrugged. "Since forever. But no one else ever acted like he was Superman. I figured out it was a secret."

Wow, Lois, outthought by a child. Then again, he was the son of two investigative reporters. She needed to make sure he didn't start spreading this information around though.

"It is a secret. A secret that you shouldn't tell anyone else about unless Mr. Clark or I tell you it's okay. Now, why don't you watch TV until he gets here?"

SSSS

A couple of hours later. Clark, nervous, stood outside of Lois and Jason's apartment holding dinner for the three of them. He knocked on the door, even though he already had a key. It just felt like the right thing to do.

"I can get it," he heard Jason yell from the other side of the door.

Jason opened the door, grinning excitedly. "Hi, Mr. Clark! Do you want to hear about the frog I caught today?"

"Sure, kiddo," Clark said, kneeling down to Jason's level. "Let me talk to your mom first though."

Clark headed toward the small kitchen, where Lois was doing some dishes.

"I brought dinner." Clark lowered his voice. "I figured we should eat first before we talk to him."

"We should," Lois replied. "I should let you know though that he already knows about.." She made a diagonal motion with her hand to simulate flying.

Clark's eyes widened in shock. "What? How?"

Lois shrugged. "He said he's known since 'forever,' whatever that means."

Clark couldn't believe it. Found out by a child when surrounded by the world's best reporters.

"How did you find out he knew?"

"Well, he's always liked you since the day he met you. Talked about you all the time, actually. I finally asked him why and convinced him I already knew all your secrets."

Clark remembered Jason latching on to him very early. He hadn't minded because it gave him more moments with his son.

"He knows he's not supposed to tell anyone, right?"

"He figured that out too. I had to coax him into telling me. He's a terrible liar, by the way." Lois gave him a knowing look.

The small family sat down to dinner, eating the Thai food that Clark had brought. Jason regaled them with his frog story, and Clark soaked it all in. He was starting to realize they had a chance to be a real family now, without any secrets or lies.

As they finished up, Lois signaled Clark with her eyes. It was time to talk to Jason.

"Hey kiddo," Lois started. "Mr. Clark and I have something we want to talk about. Do you remember this morning when you suggested that Clark should be my boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Jason said.

"Well, Mr. Clark also told me you asked him that earlier as well, and he told you we weren't."

Jason looked down, disappointed. "You should be," Clark heard him mutter under his breath, too low for Lois to hear.

Lois continued. "When he told you that, it was true. Mr. Clark and I have been friends for a long time, but our relationship has changed. We have decided to be a couple."

Jason looked up, excited. "Wait, so he is your boyfriend now?"

"Yes, Jason, Clark is my boyfriend."

Jason's face lit up. "Does that mean I can tell people he's my dad?"

Lois and Clark looked at each other, both silently asking the other how they wanted to proceed. Clark looked into Lois' eyes and nodded his head. She nodded back in assent.

Clark spoke up. "Jason, what do you mean by that? What makes you think I'm your dad?"

Jason looked at him, confused. "Because Mommy said you were."

Clark looked at Lois who was as confused as he was. Suddenly, he saw it click.

"Jason, when did I say Mr. Clark was your dad?" Lois asked.

"You told Superman that he was my dad in the hospital. And since Mr. Clark is Superman, he's my dad."

"So, you've known Mr. Clark was your father for over a year and didn't say anything?"

Jason just shrugged. "It seemed like it was a secret."

Lois just threw her hands up in the air and glared at Clark. "He is definitely your son."

Clark watched this exchange in astonishment. Jason already knew he was his father. He didn't need to hide it anymore. He was free to love them both as publicly as he wanted. A huge grin spread across Clark's face, and he started laughing uncontrollably.

Lois looked at him, concerned. "Clark, are you okay?"

Clark gained enough control over himself to reply. "Lois, I think I might be the best I've ever been."

She still looked uncertain, so he stood up, crossed to where she was sitting, pulled her out of her chair, and kissed her. He turned to Jason, who was watching them wide-eyed.

"Jason, I would love for everyone to know I'm your dad."