FOLLOWUP

Clark was rather distracted when he picked up Kara to take her to her appointment with Lili, and even more so when they arrived at her office. Lili was there alone, waiting for them, dressed in an emerald green blouse the exact shade of her eyes with a neckline that barely hinted at cleavage, and a slender brown pencil skirt that hugged with a delicate balance between allure and modesty. Clark made a conscious effort not to let his gaze linger too long, feeling a flush of self-consciousness wash over him as he glanced awkwardly around the room. Lili, for her part, looked him up and down several times, somehow without even appearing unprofessional.

"Clark, it's nice to see you again," Lili greeted them, extending her hand, and giving them a warm, dimpled smile. Lili turned her attention to Kara. "And you must be Kara. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, offering her hand to Kara, who responded with a silent nod as they shook hands.

Lili led them into her counseling room and gestured for them to make themselves comfortable on the couch. Kara seemed as enamored by the doctor's beauty as Clark was, staring at her unabashedly. Clark tried to be a bit more subtle.

"For this first session, I think it's a good idea for you to be here, Clark. But I hope Kara and I can get to be really good friends soon and she'll feel comfortable spending time here with me without you."

Clark looked at Kara and nodded. Kara returned his gaze. "She's how I always dream my mother looks like."

"Wow, I'm flattered," Lili said gently, smiling and batting her eyelashes. "I'm sure she must be very beautiful. You're a very pretty girl."

Kara smiled at her.

"I don't really know hardly anything else about you. Clark didn't tell me much. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

"Mr. Luthor's friends raped me." Kara's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, and she felt Clark stiffen on the couch beside her. She had avoided openly discussing the ordeal of her captivity with him, fearing his strong reactions would be overwhelming and painful for her. His promise from the day before to keep his emotions in check replayed in her mind, but the tension radiating from him was unmistakable. His jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists, but he stayed silent, his eyes fixed on a distant point in the room. Kara, feeling a pang of guilt, met his gaze and gave him an apologetic look as she added, "...a lot."

Lili didn't miss a beat. "Clark did tell me that much. That's why he brought you here."

"Isn't that what you want to talk about?"

"We can talk about whatever you want to talk about. But I was hoping today to learn a little more about you, not just about what other people have done to you."

Kara eyed the small table with paper, crayons, and markers in the corner of the room. "I like to draw."

"Oh." Lili got up and gestured for Kara to join her at the little table. "That's a great way for us to get to know each other. I also like to draw…."

Lili sat down next to Kara, picked up a pencil and began to doodle casually on a sheet of paper. Kara watched for a moment, then slowly picked up a pencil as well. "What do you like to draw?" Dr. Lucus asked, her tone light and friendly. Kara shrugged, looking a bit shy, but Lili didn't press. Instead, she continued drawing, occasionally chatting about her own favorite things to draw and inviting Kara to join in when she felt ready.

Clark watched this interaction from his seat, struck by how Lili's beauty seemed almost trivial now compared to her presence and skill. He observed how effortlessly she made Kara feel comfortable, how she created an environment where Kara could express herself without any pressure. Lili's questions were gentle, designed to build rapport rather than delve into anything too deep just yet.

As Kara began to relax, drawing a small garden scene, Clark saw her start to open up, sharing little details about her favorite flowers and colors. Lili listened intently, her responses encouraging and affirming. She made sure that Kara knew she was heard and that her thoughts and feelings were important.

Clark's initial attraction to the therapist faded into the background as he became more impressed by her professional demeanor and skill. She wasn't just beautiful; she was incredibly adept at making Kara feel safe and valued. He marveled at how she managed to make this first meeting so positive, setting the stage for future sessions where deeper conversations could take place.

In that moment, Clark felt a deep sense of gratitude and admiration for Lili's ability to connect with Kara, to make her feel at ease and understood, something truly special. Clark realized that they had found the right person to help Kara begin her healing journey, and he was more in awe of her with each passing moment.

After the session was over, Kara rummaged through the prize chest and then went to the restroom.

Clark stayed behind, feeling a mixture of hope and anxiety. He approached Dr. Lucus, who was tidying up the art supplies. "So, what do you think?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Lili looked up, her expression thoughtful yet kind. "I think we need to have a talk."

A flicker of worry crossed Clark's face. "Is everything okay? Is there something wrong?"

Lili quickly reassured him with a gentle smile. "No, nothing like that. I just mean that I'm going to need your help to support Kara. We'll have to work closely together to help her through her trauma."

Clark felt a wave of relief wash over him, though he couldn't ignore the slight emphasis she placed on the word "closely." Her gaze lingered a moment longer than necessary, and there was a softness and playfulness in her eyes that hinted at something more.

"Of course," Clark said, clearing his throat. "I'll do whatever it takes. Kara's well-being is the most important thing."

The counselor nodded, her smile deepening. "I can see how much you care about her, Clark. That's going to be crucial in her recovery. We'll need to keep communication open and make sure we're aligned on her progress and needs." She paused before continuing. "One approach we might use is exposure therapy. It will be essential for Kara to face and work through her fears gradually. I'll need your help to implement it. I'll need to train you…. so we'll need to… meet… just the two of us." Lili smiled subtly and nodded her head.

"OK." Clark certainly wasn't averse to spending more time with Lili. "Can we discuss it over dinner ton…" He didn't want to sound too eager. " ….morrow night?"

Lili seemed surprised by his suggestion, but after a moment her face broke out inti a full smile, revealing her dimple in all its glory. "Sure. That'd be swell."

Now it was Clark's turn to smile. "Swell?"

Llil chuckled. "Sorry, my college friends used to say "swell" all the time. It was kind of our inside joke, and now it's a habit."

"I like it," Clark confessed. "Can I pick you up at 5:30?"

Lili nodded.

"OK then," Clark said enthusiastically. "It's a date."

Clark brought Kara back to Smallville and stayed for dinner. On his way back to Metropolis, he took a detour to Nepal.

Biratnagar was experiencing some pretty nasty flash floods. He spent 2 hours there, rescuing scores of people and shoring up critical infrastructure. He reinforced weakened structures, diverted water away from vulnerable areas, and provided support to emergency response teams working tirelessly on the ground.

Whenever he noticed a news camera trained on him, he tried to flash the secret signal he and Jason had devised in case the boy was watching the news. Nowadays, everyone with a phone could send newsworthy videos all over the word. But Clark couldn't send the signal every time someone aimed a phone at him, so he only did it for professional news cameras, and Jason made sure to watch the news regularly. Clark wondered if they should let Kara in on their little secret, or if he and Kara should make up their own secret symbol. He sighed as he considered the feasibility of sending 2 separate signals. People were going to think he was developing tics.

En route between Biratnagar and Metropolis, Clark interrupted a bank robbery and 2 gang wars, almost castrated 3 would-be rapists, saved a person from drowning, and stopped 6 muggings and 3 armed robberies. And yes, he even saved a cat stuck in a tree. He tried to find at least one whenever he went out on patrol. Amazingly, he was always successful. It was quite perplexing, because cats were actually pretty good climbers.

Arriving back in Metropolis, Clark wondered if Lois was ready to talk with him yet. He flew to their side of town and hovered briefly over 312 Riverside Drive, watching Richard and Jason toss a football in the backyard with one of Jason's friends. Lois was lounging on one of the deck chairs, facing in their general direction, but staring off into space.

Clark descended in a blur behind a shrub and donned his street clothes before stepping out into the open of the backyard. "Hi Lois."

Lois's head snapped to the side as she startled at the sound of his voice. Her gaze followed Clark as he casually walked to the deck chair next to hers. "May I?"

Lois silently gestured for him to take a seat, which he did.

Work had been super awkward after they returned to their desks earlier that day. While Clark managed to meet his one o'clock deadline, Lois found herself unable to focus amidst her whirlwind of emotions. She spent most of her time stealing glances at Clark until Perry called her into his office for an impromptu meeting at 2:45. Even then, her attention remained fixated on Clark through the windowed wall. They hadn't had an opportunity to return to the roof for a follow up conversation.

Jason spotted Clark and ran over to him. Richard had just mock-tackled Jason's friend, resulting in a brief tussle before they both rose to their feet and made their way over to join the rest of the group.

"Uncle Clark!" Jason leapt into Clark's lap.

Clark gave Jason a hug and tousled his hair. 'Hey buddy!"

Lois knit her brow. Clark never called Jason 'buddy.'

But Superman did.

"Oh my god!" Lois burst out angrily.

Jason's eyes widened in surprise at his mother's outburst. "What?"

Lois cast an angry look at Clark. "He already knows?"

"Knows what?" Jason asked.

"I told your mom our little secret today."

Jason knew instantly what Clark was referring to and he was delighted at the news. His face broke out into a wide smile. "Does this mean you can start taking me to the park again?"

Jason and Clark both looked at Lois expectantly. "We'll see," she muttered, still glaring at Clark.

"Heads up, Mr. Kent!"

Clark looked up just in time to see Jason's friend throw the football at him. As it came hurtling towards him, Clark flailed his arms erratically. The football bounced off his chest as he pretended to try to cradle it. As he fumbled the ball, the deck chair beneath him gave way, tilting precariously until he seemingly lost his balance. Jason jumped off before Clark, with a theatrical gasp, toppled backward. Clark's arms continued to flail awkwardly as he fell, but he managed to snatch the football out of the air in a strange and clumsy-looking maneuver.

"Got it!"

Jason's friend walked up to Clark and looked down at him with a disappointed expression.

"Hi Kane!" Clark smiled up at the boys as Lois hid her face in her hands and tried to choke down her laughter.

Jason Kane was Jason White's best friend. His mother, Victoria Kane, was a friend of Lois's. When they both had baby boys just a few days apart and they were both named Jason, and neither had middle names, Victoria joked they would need to call them 'Jason Kane' and "Jason Lane.' Even after Lois informed Victoria the baby would be taking Richard's last name, Victoria thought the pair of names was too cute. She continued to refer to them by those names, or sometimes simply as "Kane" and "Lane," whenever she needed to differentiate between the two when she was speaking, or yelling, whatever the case was at any given moment. Lois and Richard, and everyone else eventually followed suit. The boys, for their part, always called each other 'Jason.'

"I was going to ask you to play." Jason Kane hesitated, eyeing Clark with a mixture of uncertainty and amusement. "But…"

"Yeah, then we would have two teams," Jason Lane pointed out. "Mom won't play. She said she's 'aggratted.'"

Clark, still lying on his back, turned his head to look at Lois. She was still hiding her face and her whole body was convulsing with laughter. "She's what?" he asked, confused.

"Aggravated," Lois managed to sputter through her chuckles. "Super aggravated."

Clark turned his head back again to look at the Jasons. "I need to speak with your mom. You guys go play." He chucked the ball up to Jason Lane and the boys ran back to their makeshift playing field.

Clark sat up and dusted off his pants as Richard approached. "Hey Clark. What brings you here?" Richard offered Clark a hand up.

Clark took his hand and stood up, giving him a cautioning look before glancing at Lois, who was still trying to catch her breath. He leaned toward Richard and whispered, "I told her today."

"Oh," Richard mouthed, nodding in understanding. That would explain a few things, like Lois's strange mood since this morning.

Lois took her face out of her hands and noticed the two men whispering. She caught on right away and her mood instantly pivoted. "What the fuck! He knows too?"

"I'll… just… leave you guys to talk…" Richard waved his fingers impishly at them and headed back to join the Jasons.

"Why am I the last to know?" Lois growled.

"You're not the last. Jimmy doesn't know," Clark offered weakly.

Lois's expression changed from anger to incredulity. Jimmy? Really? Was that supposed to make her feel better?

"In my defense, I didn't tell either of them. Jason figured it out himself, and he told Richard."

"Oh, of course!" Lois threw her hands up in exasperation. "A seven-year-old boy could see past those glasses…."

"He was five, and he's my son, and half Kryptonian. Of course he would figure it out." Clark righted the deck chair, dragged it close to Lois, and sat down. Leaning forward and placing his elbow on his knees, he put on an earnest expression. "Do you want to talk now?"

"I thought I did… till you threw me two more curveballs," Lois muttered, a glum expression crossing her face before she averted her gaze. What an emotional rollercoaster this day had been.

"That's a baseball thing." Clark nodded to the three football players on the other side of the yard. "I think you mean a 'double reverse."

Lois gave him an exasperated look.

He smiled back at her and then turned serious. "How angry are you… on a scale of one to ten?"

Lois let out a sigh. "One and a half," she answered quietly.

Clark's brow furrowed and he retracted his neck in a perplexed gesture. Lois was undeniably the most confusing, or as Richard had put it, mysterious person he had ever known. "Really? You seem way more upset than that."

Tilting her head to the side thoughtfully, she responded, "I'm very upset. But I'm not angry… or at least I'm trying not to be."

"Why? You have every right to be angry with me."

"No." Lois shook her head slowly. "I don't… Clark…" She called him by his name with a concerted effort, the strain in her voice painfully apparent. "…I can't judge you."

"Sure you can. I make mistakes like everyone else, lapses in judgement. I'm not above reproach, and I should be held accountable."

"Not by me. I was wrong to be angry with you all those years, and writing that stupid article. Truth is, I didn't even know if you were alive or dead, but I was angry either way, and I had no right to be. I didn't know the pressure you were under, about the prophesy of the Last Son…"

Clark scoffed as his eyes narrowed. "Don't even go there…"

"Even if it's not true, you thought it might be, then. I can't imagine what that's like. I can't even begin to fathom the complexities of your existence with the weight of two worlds on your shoulders, not just Earth, but Krypton too."

"You're being too easy on me. I should have at least said 'good-bye.'

"It's my prerogative to be easy on you. I meant what I said yesterday about being supportive. I want to be there for you in whatever capacity you need me. If that means I need to forgo righteous anger, then so be it. It's the least I can do. I just…" Lois lowered her gaze and bit her lip for a moment before continuing. "I feel so… stupid."

"You're not," Clark assured her.

"It's all so obvious now." Lois looked at Clark square in the face. "How I didn't see it all these years…"

Clark smiled at her. "I didn't want you to. It's as simple as that."

"So what changed? Why'd you decide to tell me now?

Clark thought about the question for a few moments. "In the last couple of years, I've seen how happy you and Jason are. Richard is amazing. I know I could never be the man and the father that he is…"

"Clark…"

"It's true, and it's OK. I'm OK with it and I'm really happy for you… all three of you. I'm just mentioning it because I'm trying to explain that I've been ready to move on. I just haven't felt the need to, until now."

"Move on?"

Clark's smiled broadly. "I met someone."

"Lauren?" Lois knitted her brow, confused. She had been a little tipsy the previous evening and had assumed Clark and Lauren were on a date. But now that her mind was clearer, she realized something about that didn't seem right.

"No, Lilian Lucus."

Lois nodded her head. "Oh, that makes more sense."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it's just…" Lois paused, not sure if it was her place to say anything. "…nothing. You know, she and Lauren and I were in Met U together."

"I did not know that."

"Yeah, we weren't in the same circle of friends, but we were acquainted."

"I've wanted to tell you for so long, Lois, but I was so nervous. I didn't know how you'd react and how you'd feel about me afterwards. But I felt I needed to tie up loose ends with you before I start another relationship. I wasn't planning on ever having another relationship. I didn't think I had the time or the headspace for it. And also, to be honest, I've been doubting whether it's a good idea at all." Clark paused and looked at Lois intently, as if waiting for her to express her opinion on the matter.

"What do you mean?" Lois asked."

Clark shifted his gaze to look out over the river into the distance. "I had a high school sweetheart." He let out a sad sigh before continuing. "By tenth grade I had already proposed to her that I would propose to her the day after graduation." His lips curled slightly at the memory. "I hadn't told her who I was. I mean, I didn't even know who I was. I just knew I was different. She had no idea. But I didn't make it to graduation. My dad, my Earth dad, died a few weeks before and that triggered the AI of my Kryptonian dad to send me away from Smallville. I had no idea what for or for how long. But the day before I left, I told Lana everything I did know. I proposed to her and I begged her to wait for me. She said 'yes,' and it was the happiest moment of life, up until then." Clark's face became etched with sorrow and pain. "But she came back the next morning and gave me back the ring." He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "She had been up all night crying. You see, her dream had always been to stay in Smallville and live in a little house with a white picket fence. I would come home every evening and sit at the head of the table with our three kids and she would serve us dinner and I'd sneak the dog scraps under the table.

Despite the tears in her eyes, Lois let out a little chuckle at that. Clark briefly returned her smile before turning serious again.

"She knew. Even then, she already knew my destiny was too big to fit into her dreams. We were both devastated." Clark took in a sharp breath, as if he was going to say more, but he fell silent for several moments while Lois wondered about the emotions playing out on his face.

"I swore I would never make that mistake again. If I ever had another relationship, she'd know from the start what she was getting into. But even that wasn't enough. Before I left, you and I both thought you weren't interested in settling down. Being domestic, being a mother—it wasn't what either of us imagined for you. But look at you now. You've found a happiness you didn't even know you wanted. How can I be sure that any woman I date doesn't really want that too?"

"You can't, Clark. Nobody can, and that's life. All you can do is be honest with her and then trust her to make her choice. And Clark, I don't believe that I am any happier than I would have been if you had never left, except for the fact that now I have both you and Richard in my life. But you did leave, and that sent our lives on different trajectories, and there was no going back."

"I've already committed to total honesty with Lili. Ever since I met her, my whole perspective has changed. It's hard to describe. Everything seems clearer and simpler, even my relationship with you. All the anxiety I had about telling you my secret was gone. I knew I was ready to tell you and ready for however you were going to react."

Lois gave Clark a warm smile that was tinged with a hint of sadness. "I've always assumed that you don't have a lot of people in your life that you can talk to and confide in. I wanted to be that for you. I always wanted you to feel like you could tell me anything."

Clark smiled back at her. "I have always felt I could tell you anything… anything but that." He let out a little chuckle before leaning forward, taking her hand in both of his, and meeting her gaze with intensity and warmth. "But you're so much more than a confidant. I've never told you how I really feel about you. Words are inadequate, but I'm going to try. Without you, I would have lost my way a long time ago. You're my anchor. You ground me when the world seemed too vast and my burdens too heavy. In the storms of emotion and doubt, you are my lighthouse keeping me from drifting into despair. When I face the darkest aspects of humanity, you are my beacon of hope, reminding me of the goodness and decency that exist in the world. You are my connection to humanity, even more so now that you're the mother of my child. You and Jason are the reason I fight to make this world a better place every day, and the real source of my strength." He brought Lois's hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "And no matter where life takes us, you always will be."