The Real Me (Part 2 of 2)
By: C. Leuch
The Midnight Club resided smack in the middle of Metropolis’s entertainment district, a couple blocks away from theater row, situated among dozens of other similar clubs and restaurants. Just inside the door was a small dance floor and stage for live acts, though on slower nights like this, high tables were set up across the floor, creating a more intimate area for patrons to socialize. Toward the back of the club were four pool tables and three dart boards, which were always busy even when the club wasn’t. In the middle of the club was a sizable bar with seating along three sides, a decent selection of hard alcohol displayed on a series of shelves mounted on a divider wall in the center. In all, the club was large enough to not feel claustrophobic, but small enough that it was possible to see around the whole place once you stepped in the door. It wasn’t a gimmicky bar, and the prices were reasonable, so a decent number of people could generally be found inside, even on a Sunday night. This was someplace where you couldn’t miss someone if you were looking for them, but you would never be there alone, and that’s what Clark was counting on.
He had been there a couple times before with guys from the office or other friends. He found the atmosphere to be relaxed, and he felt comfortable there, which was a good thing considering how nervous he had been all day. The day before, when he had been tortured by the mental image of Lois’s anguish, he had been absolutely certain that revealing himself to her was the right thing to do. Only then could he stop hurting her, and only then could she truly accept him. But today, after having a night to sleep on it, he was second-guessing himself. Far from making his life easier and clearing the way to a happy and loving relationship with Lois, it was entirely possible that finding out his identity would be the very thing that pushes her away, that the fact he kept this from her for so long would cause way more hurt than his disappearing act. In truth, he was terrified of what her reaction would be. But, the more sensible part of himself meekly asserted, the fact that she had feelings for him, for both his guises, should count for something. So should the fact that he had made this her choice. Even if she was mad, at least she would know the truth, for better or worse. Even if she stormed away and proclaimed him the scum of the Earth, he was ready to fight for her, ready to show her what she meant to him. No, wasn’t about to let her go quietly.
Still, he decided as he looked impatiently at his watch, it was probably best to do what he could to set the mood and help guide her emotions down the right path. He dug around in his pocket and approached the juke box, pulling out a few quarters and inserting them into the slot. Lois would be due there in a few minutes, and he wanted the music coming over the speakers to be appropriately sappy. He picked a couple rock ballads, and a few songs with “love” in the title, silently apologizing to any of the club patrons who were there that night to drown their sorrows after a break up or bad fight. Next he wandered to the bar, ordering a soda. Then he took up a spot at a tall table on the far side of the dance floor, away from most of the crowd, but situated such that it would be easily visible upon first entering the club.
As he waited, he absently tapped the twist tie around his right ring finger against the glass. That little thing had caught a few glances over the last day, especially when he was out on rescues. Wearing any type of jewelry when, say, taking people from a burning building probably wasn’t advisable, but it was snug enough that it slipped under his aura, keeping it safe from harm. He briefly wondered if that meant that, at some point in the far future, if he was lucky enough to convince Lois to walk down the aisle with him, then he could wear a wedding ring out…. He shook his head and made himself stop. First things first. The future held no promises, and all he could do right now was stay the course, and wait patiently for her to walk into the bar. He stood up a little straighter, tried to summon some confidence that wasn’t immediately forthcoming, and allowed himself a small smile. His life would be changing drastically in a few moments, one way or the other, and he was as ready as he would ever be.
He took another sip from his drink, gave a contented sigh, and watched the door.
---
Lois stood across the street from the Midnight Club, watching its neon sign blink slowly, seeing patrons occasionally entering and leaving the club, none seemingly aware of or caring about her presence. She was now probably ten minutes late, though she had at least been in front of the club that whole time, staring, waiting, thinking…terrified.
The day to this point had crawled by, her brain torturing her with wild scenarios and theories, her emotions shifting constantly. At one point she had been convinced that Superman was playing some sort of practical joke on her, as if he had it in him to do that. At another, she found herself angry at him for convincing her that Superman was some paragon of virtue since obviously he had been hiding a giant secret from her, from the whole world, for years. But, she decided, she couldn’t be mad at him for that, since that righteous image of him mostly came from her imagination. He had never said that he was a model of honesty, he had never said that he was without sin. What he had said was that he held values that he tried to live by, and he tried to make an example of himself, to make the world a better place through his actions, and that was admirable. Even the most virtuous people were allowed to make mistakes from time to time, and she had no doubt that he was far from the perfect person she had always imagined. It was strange to think that Superman had feet of clay, that he was susceptible to the same failings as everyone else, but she supposed it should be comforting, too.
She kept trying to imagine the person she would see when she finally did meet him, and was no closer to doing so now than she had been when he left her apartment the night before. She had spent a large part of the day wandering the city, thinking, observing. Every man she saw was examined closely, their faces compared to that of her hero. What would that man look like with his hair pulled down, without a beard, in different clothing? Was there recognition in his eyes when he saw her, and if so, was it because of all the posters plastered across town with her and Clark on them, or was it because he knew her somehow? She found no answers, and no green twist ties, and instead began to grow weary. It was silly, of course – Superman was giving himself to her, handing his identity over without expecting anything in return, and somehow she felt the need to look for him despite that, to find him first. What that would accomplish, she wasn’t sure. Nobody ever said she was patient, though.
Still, she had to ask herself why this was so important to her. Why was she out here tonight? Why did she need to know who the real Superman was? They were friends, it was true, but there was a time when she wanted so much more from him. And while those feeling had mostly gone by the wayside, it wouldn’t take much to summon them again, and she knew that this could be the thing that brought them back. A part of her was absolutely giddy at the prospect, but another part of her, something much deeper, was wary. Even after he walked out on her, she couldn’t deny that she had rather strong feelings for Clark. His many charms could certainly trump one bad action, and she really did want to try to make her relationship with him work. However she viewed this night, however she framed her relationship with Superman, she couldn’t escape the strong feeling that it seemed like cheating, like she was pushing Clark aside for her old flame, and that’s what kept her out on the sidewalk, staring at the club, wondering if she should go in and face him.
Well, she thought with a sigh, he WAS Superman. He was probably looking through the wall at her even now, well aware of her presence. It was probably best to get it over with, then maybe let him know that their new reality didn’t change her relationship with him, and move on with life.
Her mind made up, Lois gathered herself, and walked confidently across the street, over the sidewalk, and through the doors of the club. She stopped a couple steps inside the door, absorbing the scene, looking at faces. At the bar were a half dozen people, most as couples, none looking toward the door. People in the back were playing games, their thoughts obviously far away from her. Her eyes swept around, making note of the people she saw, trying to locate solitary individuals, before, ultimately, they came to rest on…Clark?
Lois frowned. What was he doing there? He was a known friend of Superman, she supposed, so it was possible that he had gotten the same visit that she had last night. Maybe the hero wanted to make his identity known to both of them at once, or…? Lois noticed that Clark was looking at her with a small smile, though she could tell he was nervous. On the table in front of him, his right hand gripped a glass of clear liquid, and her eyes immediately became aware of a swath of green on a finger…his ring finger.
Her hands flew up to her mouth as the world seemed to constrict all around her. She could almost hear a clicking sound as all the pieces seemed to come together in her mind at the same time. It all made sense – the running off, the excuses, the strange things he said upon occasion that made no sense before, but put in context made all the sense in the world. The way he seemed to know things that he shouldn’t be able to know, see things that he shouldn’t be able to see. The things he did, the times he left, it wasn’t because of something she did or any desire on his part to humiliate her. It was all because Clark was…he was…Superman.
The way she had looked at her hero at the beginning, the way she had treated Clark… it was no wonder that Superman flew through her open window at every opportunity. It was plainly obvious that Clark was in love with her and probably had been for a very long time, even if he never said as much. And if that was the case, then he undoubtedly drank in the affection she showered on her hero during their private meetings and used it to sustain himself when she treated his other persona like dirt. She wanted to cry in frustration, she wanted to apologize profusely, but she found that her legs were taking her toward him, almost running, her breath catching in her throat as tears started to gather in the corner of her eyes. It only took a moment before she was in front of him. Without hesitation, without really slowing down at all, she flung her arms around him, found his mouth with hers, and let all her thoughts fade away. The kiss was eager, hungry, and she could feel him responding to her in the same way she responded to him. It was the release of all her old preconceptions and fears, all the things that held her back from him before that moment. And it was spectacular.
As the world began to seep back into her consciousness, she became aware of the music playing over the club’s sound system. Roger Daltrey was screeching for love to reign down on him, even as Lois became aware of the tears streaming down her face, raining onto Clark’s shirt. As they pulled apart, she smiled broadly, let out a quick laugh, and let her eyes meet his.
“It’s you,” she said, shifting her gaze down to the twist tie wrapped around his finger. She brought one of her hands from around his neck to grasp his hand, running her thumb over the tie before intertwining her fingers in his. She looked at his face again, taking in the details, wondering how she had missed him for so long when he had been in plain sight. The glasses, worn like a mask, the career that allowed him to slip out of the office without anyone batting an eyelash, the amiable personality that allowed him to fade into the background…all of it she had figured out, but she wouldn’t let herself even consider that he could be the person she was looking for.
He nodded and smiled shyly. “It is,” he answered.
“That’s…a huge relief,” she said, eliciting an amused gaze from him.
“I thought you were supposed to be angry,” Clark said lightly, wrapping his free arm around her waist, holding her firmly, possessively, against him. There would’ve been a time when the closeness would’ve made her uncomfortable, but now it just felt right, natural. “I had this big speech planned out, a bunch of arguments and counter-arguments against all the ways that I am a no good lying liar or the biggest rat in the history of mankind. I don’t think I expected relieved.”
Lois melted a little into his embrace, leaning into him, knowing that a man who could wrestle hurricanes could certainly hold her weight without any trouble. “Give it time, I’m sure the anger will show up eventually, once I get a chance to think everything through. But for now…?” she gave a contented sigh, letting the music wash over her. “I stood outside that door for the longest time, trying to convince myself to come in, because the more I thought about it, the more that indulging in this meeting with…” she glanced around and lowered her voice to a whisper, “Superman felt like cheating on you, Clark.” Her voice returned to its normal volume at the end of the sentence. “But I came in, because I couldn’t let a friend down, and now…” she looked into his eyes again, seeing raw affection reflected there, mirroring her own feelings perfectly. “Now I have everything I ever wanted. The man I was beginning to think of as much more than a partner and best friend, and the man that had always sparked that raw desire in me, all in one perfect package. And I want to enjoy that for a while.” She used her free hand to caress the area under his ear, gently pulling his head down and capturing his lips with her own for one more short kiss, this one much sweeter, gentler than before. As they pulled apart, she bit her lower lip and turned away, looking absently toward the ground. “But the biggest relief is in knowing that you didn’t leave yesterday, or any of those other times, because of something I did to drive you away.”
She heard him sigh as he gently squeezed her hand. “I wanted to apologize for that. It’s actually part of why I did all this.” The arm that had been draped behind her back fell away, and was used to gesture as he continued to speak, one of the little personality quirks of his that, she realized with some surprise, shone through no matter what wardrobe he was wearing. His voice became soft, yet forceful. “Making those dumb excuses, covering for when I need to leave to take care of something, has almost become a reflex at this point. The hiding, the subterfuge, it was all drilled into me a long time ago. My dad used to worry that the government would come and take me away if anyone knew what I could do, and he wasn’t wrong.”
“Trask,” she whispered, and he nodded.
“But yesterday, as I left you in the street, as I saw how that hurt you, I began to wonder why I had to hide from you.” He stopped gesturing and cupped his hand under her chin tenderly. “You opened your heart up to me even though you could’ve easily lumped me in with all those other men who hurt you in the past. You trusted me, and what kind of jerk would I be to not return that trust in kind?”
More tears sprung to Lois’s eyes, but she blinked them away, sniffing deeply. He was right – she did trust him, she did let him behind her protective armor. She had always assumed that it was it was his inherent charm and patience that had broken down those defenses, and maybe it was, but now she was beginning to see that he knew a thing or two about hiding himself away from the world, too. Maybe he was able to get inside because he knew how she felt, that he was more like her than she had ever been able to see before. And it made her even more grateful that he cared enough to open himself up to her. As she tried to formulate a response, she noticed the song playing on the club’s speakers had changed, and suddenly Huey Lewis was singing about the power of love. Her eyes located the speaker, then shifted to Clark’s face in time for her to see him react to the new music, appearing almost embarrassed for a moment. A smile spread across her face as she realized that the playlist was probably intentional. “I’m sensing a theme to the music at this place,” she said. The humor was back in his expression as he looked at her.
“I plugged the jukebox,” he admitted. “I thought it might help to set the mood…”
“It certainly didn’t hurt,” Lois said. They grinned at each other for a few long moments, the seriousness of the conversation now gone. “I’m beginning to think that there’s a hopeless romantic buried deep inside there, Kent,” she said patting his chest near the heart. “Tell me, are there any other surprises that you have hidden from me? Something big that I still have to figure out?”
His arm slid around her back again, the twinkle returning to his eye, his head cocked to the side. “Did I mention the flying?” he said softly.
Lois could help but laugh lightly. Being with him, bantering with him, had always been one of her secret pleasures. He brought something out of her that nobody else could, and now that she knew all of him, now that she was in on the secret, only made it more fun. “I only kiss men who fly,” she said, nudging him slightly with her hip. He laughed, too, and she felt herself grow warm. Suddenly, the club felt entirely too impersonal, too public for the things she wanted to say and hear. “Do you want to get out of here, maybe talk somewhere more private?” she asked.
“I would love to,” he answered. He reached for the glass he had been holding, quickly downed the remaining beverage, and gestured for the door. As they walked out, the hands that had been intertwined remained firmly together. Rather than immediately heading toward Lois’s car, though, Clark started for the alley next to the building, and she followed silently along, peripherally aware of what he was doing. The alley was deserted, though it was lit from a couple different sources. The dumpsters halfway down the alley hid everything beyond from the street, making it one of the more private places they could go without being behind closed doors.
Once they were beyond the dumpsters, Lois tugged him over next to the wall of the building, leaning against it and disengaging his hand. As he stood in front of her, she reached up and slid his glasses off his face while he watched her, unmoving, as if he had been waiting for her to do it. What was revealed was Superman’s face with Clark’s hair and wardrobe, an interesting dichotomy that her mind still struggled to believe was real, though she couldn’t dispute what her eyes were seeing. “The real you,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
He took a deep breath and clenched his jaw, watching her without any shyness or fear, waiting for her reaction. She knew she should feel that giddiness well up inside of her at the fact that she had finally conquered her hero, whose face she only now was able to see clearly. But instead of the instant swoon that she had expected at this sight, she felt a deep tenderness, happiness, and she knew it was reflected in her expression. That seemed to be the response he was looking for, and all of a sudden he seemed to exude raw determination. She held the glasses to him, and he slipped them into his shirt pocket, straightening up as he did.
“The real me wants to fly you into the heavens and let you see the stars the way that they were meant to be seen,” he said, his hands reaching up to slowly unbutton his shirt at the top. “The real me wants to take you to the top of a glacier, or the middle of a forest of redwoods, or the edge of a pristine mountain lake, just to show you all the beauty that Earth holds. The real me wants to whisk you off to Paris or Hong Kong or wherever you want to give you a night that you could only dream of.” As the first, then second, then third buttons were undone, Lois could see a flash of blue spandex under the shirt, and she could feel her eyes go wide. “I want to give you the world, Lois, because…” his voice got soft, but the intensity behind his words stunned her. “Because you are the world to me.”
She placed her hand over his, stilling his motion. She brought her other hand up and ran it over the suit, feeling the stitching on the S, the slick coolness of the spandex surrounding it. “Yesterday you promised me a normal night, a walk in the park. Let’s start there,” she said gently, feeling him relax under her touch. “This…it’s going to take some time to get used to.” She released his hands and started to button his shirt back up, then looked him in the eyes, feeling humbled at the intensity of emotion that she saw there. “I mean, the partner I knew wasn’t a superhero.”
“Yes, he was,” Clark said softly. “You just didn’t realize it.”
Once she finished buttoning his shirt, she let her hand linger on his chest. He covered it with one of his own. “That’s the thing. I don’t know you, do I? Not really, not deep down.”
“But you do,” Clark answered, moving closer to her. “I’m still the same person. I never mislead you about who I am, just the things I can do. And anyway, no matter what I’m wearing or doing or thinking, deep down there’s one undeniable fact that will never change: I love you, Lois.”
She nodded, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. It was one thing that he had always had trouble hiding in her presence, either as Clark or Superman. She used to yearn for that affection in the eyes of her hero, and be scared when she saw it in the longing gaze of her friend. But now that it was Clark, just Clark, saying the scary words, regarding her with naked affection, she couldn’t turn away, and she couldn’t love him more. “I love you, too,” she said, the words coming out before she had time to stop them, not that she wanted to stop them. And her reward was a smile that could light a city block. There was no way she could resist that smile, so she kissed him, reveling in the way it made her feel. Maybe, once the newness of the situation wore off, once she was able to stop and examine her history with Clark and his other identity, maybe then she would find things that would make her mad, that Clark would have to explain. Right now, though, being with him, kissing him, felt perfect, and she thought she would give about anything to stay in that moment forever. But it had to end eventually, and after a few delicious moments he pulled away, though the smile remained.
She licked her lips and laughed self-consciously, knowing she had lost control of herself for a few moments. “Come on,” she said, patting his chest and pushing away from the wall. “Let’s take that walk. I want to hear all your stories, all the ones that you’ve never told anyone. Then, maybe, we can try out some of your…deluxe features.”
“Okay,” he said, putting his glasses back on and grasping her hand again as they turned and walked down the alley. He looked almost excited, and she wondered how long he had waited to find someone who accepted him, all of him. Lois blinked a few times and pushed away the thought that threatened to bring the tears back again. Better to clear her head and give him her undivided attention, listening, absorbing, probably teasing. It sounded like heaven.
They entered onto the sidewalk and turned toward Centennial Park, which was a few blocks away. They walked in relative silence for a moment until she became aware of the twist tie on his finger pressing against her hand. She shifted her grip and fingered it, bringing a sideways glance from him. “So, are you going to keep this thing?” she asked. He shook his head.
“Probably won’t be a good idea for Superman to be seen wearing the same makeshift ring as I am. I mean, it is pretty visible,” he said, and Lois couldn’t disagree. That didn’t mean that she couldn’t be disappointed, though.
“That’s a shame,” she said. “I kinda like the world knowing that my man is taken.”
He smiled crookedly and held up his hand, giving it a good look. “Well if that’s what you want, there are more…traditional ways of showing it.”
Lois laughed incredulously, wondering how the conversation had morphed into marriage jokes. “Let’s just slow that train down for now,” she said. “Though I’m sure Superman flying around with a…traditional ring on would probably cause a little more discussion than a silly twist tie.”
He shrugged and brought the hand down. “At least it would stand out less.” Lois kept her withering stare, and he ducked his head and relented. “Okay, staying away from there…for now. But,” he said, the smile returning, “maybe I could give you something instead. Just a little token that shows that we’re going steady.”
“Going steady?” Lois said, trying to sound skeptical, though it couldn’t hide her amusement. She loved the way that the country boy in him seemed to come out at random times, adding to his natural charm. “You are so old fashioned.”
“Not old-fashioned, just hopelessly romantic, remember? Yeah, I could give you my class ring on a nice chain to wear around your neck and show the world that you’re spoken for.”
Lois slowed a little and looked at him. “So, let me get this straight. The most powerful man on Earth wants to give me something to let other guys know that they shouldn’t hit on his girlfriend? Sounds pretty insecure, Clark.”
He gave her a look that he often did when he knew he was being teased, usually before dishing right back at her. His eyes narrowed a little even as he gave a sly smile. “I’m sure you don’t need me to defend your honor,” he said, very sensibly, and she bobbed her head in agreement. She was more than capable of fending off unwanted advances, and he was well aware of that, having been on the other end of it before, more than once. “I see it more as a little piece of me that will always be there with you, next to your heart, even when I can’t be. A reminder, I guess, that I will always come back.” His voice was very soft and sincere, and Lois squeezed his hand and leaned in toward him as her heart leapt yet again. The statement was romantic, corny, thoughtful, and sweet, all at the same time. It was so…him. Now all that was missing was the stinger…. “Plus, I always thought Smallville looked really great on you,” he said, drawing to mind images of her in a calico dress.
“THAT’S the real you,” she said with certainty, and was rewarded with his best grin, raised eyebrows, and small laugh. She understood now. There might be more to him that she had realized before walking into the Midnight Club, but that didn’t really change much. The core of what made him who he was – the Midwestern values, the sense of humor, the knowledge gained from traveling the world, the talent for putting together a story – those things were still there, augmented by other experiences and abilities. She looked forward to seeing how this new side of him manifested itself, colored the man she knew and loved. “So tell me about the first time you flew,” she said as they walked along the empty sidewalk and into the future.
---
EPILOGUE
Lois frowned as stood in Perry’s office and listened to Daniel Scardino, DEA agent and walking Hawaiian shirt, spout off about some guy named McCarthy. She should probably be interested in what he had to say, assuming it was true, but all she could think about was the fact that he had come on to her after tying her and Clark up in Mayson Drake’s office, and how badly she wanted to punch his smug face as he continued to leer at her.
It had been her idea for her and Clark to disguise themselves as janitors and root through the files in Mayson’s office. Clark probably could’ve looked through her office from afar just fine, and probably could’ve found exactly what they needed in a matter of seconds. But he knew she wouldn’t be happy taking a back seat when it came time to do some hands-on investing, so he had played along, bless him, and it had been fun for a few minutes. Then came Mr. Meatball Sandwich. It took some nerve for him to hit on her while she was incapacitated, with Clark there no less, and she probably would’ve just chalked him up as another jerk making an ass out himself while he had the perceived advantage, and left it at that. But then he had to come into her office, presented himself as a Federal agent, and expected her to play nice.
As he finished talking, Scardino looked at her and flashed what he probably thought was a charming smile. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but are those eyelashes real?”
Lois reached for the class ring that hung from a chain under her shirt. Clark had followed through on his gift to her, and as cheesy as it seemed at first, she found herself quite attached to it, and to the sentiment that it represented. It made her feel valued, loved, secure, and gave her strength. “I don’t know who you think you are, pal, but you need to back off. I’m taken.”
Across the room, Clark’s eyebrows rose, and she could see a smirk start to form on his face. He probably found the whole situation humorous, and she was sure that she’d join him in having a big laugh about it later, when they were alone. Clark was well aware of what awaited Scardino if he continued down the path he was traveling, but Scardino didn’t seem to know or care, and he just smiled wider at Lois’s words. “Boy, they’re pretty,” he continued, and Lois felt her face become warm. She contemplated grabbing his shirt and roughing him up a little, but assaulting a potential source in Perry’s office probably wouldn’t win her much favor with the boss, and anyway the direct approach didn’t seem to work with this guy. It was time for a different tactic.
Lois gave Scardino a look of death, then forced herself to calm down, let go of Clark’s ring, and stood a little taller. “Clark, sweetheart,” she said, drawing a look of anticipation from him. “I think we’re done here.”
Clark nodded, and as he crossed the room toward her, she reached out and wrapped one arm around his waist, slowing his progress just enough to allow her to snake the other around his neck, pulling him down into a kiss. What had been intended to be a little peck on the lips quickly got out of hand, and she peripherally became aware of his hands on her, pulling her closer even as all thought of Scardino or anyone else, for that matter, faded away. After a few moments, she heard Perry clear his throat, and she forced herself to separate from Clark. With a little smile, she glanced at Scardino, who was now properly scandalized, and walked with Clark hand-in-hand from the office. Once the door closed behind them, she heard Clark give a chuckle.
“Glad I could help you take care of that creep,” he said, garnering a sideways glance from her.
“Yeah, my hero,” she said sarcastically.
“If this is what saving you looks like, I think I’ll have to put some more time into the hero gig,” he said.
“That’s assuming that I’m going to need more rescuing from guys like that in the future.”
“Well, why not? I think you’re the perfect woman – smart, beautiful, talented. A guy has to be crazy not to fall instantly in love with you. I’m actually surprised that this kind of thing doesn’t happen more often.”
Lois felt a blush spread across her whole body, and she couldn’t help but squeeze his hand and lean in to him, reveling in how right being with him felt. She let out a contented sigh and looked into his smiling eyes. “Just for that, I think we should get going so you can rescue me a few more times at my place.”
He gave a sound that almost seemed like a deep rumbling purr, smiled at her, then changed course to snag his suit coat from his desk chair. She went with, her hand still locked into his, and together they walked past her desk, then made for the ramp to the elevators. “Then later maybe I could get some take out,” he said. “From…out of town.”
“You know, in the interest of full disclosure and all that, maybe you could show me this mysterious take-out location of yours first hand,” she said.
“Then, full disclosure, I was kinda hoping that you would ask. What fun is it to do what I can and not show off for my girl every now and then?” he asked, his grin seeping into his words as he gathered her into a hug and entered the elevator. It was all so surreal still, the fact that Clark was Superman, that her hero had been hiding all this time behind her partner’s warm façade. But now that she knew, now that there were no more secrets, it was hard to believe that there had ever been a time that she hadn’t loved him completely, and it was hard to think of him as anything but extraordinary. And he was extraordinary, not just because of all that he could do, through that was certainly part of it. It was the way that opened up the world to her, the way he opened up himself to her. But it was also because of who he was and how he made her feel, and how she knew that her happiness was more important to him than his own.
“Thank you,” she said softly, wrapping her free arm around him.
He gave an amused half smile, which only made her want to hug him tighter. “For what?”
“For inviting me to the Midnight Club to meet the real you,” she said. “For trusting me with your secret. For letting us experience this.”
“What, this?” he said, leaning down and engaging her in a gentle kiss. She laughed lightly as she pulled away.
“I can’t imagine what life would be like right now if you hadn’t told me. Would I be mad because you leave at inopportune times? Would I be questioning my feelings for you, trying to justify them away just because I was mad at you? Would I have given into that creep Scardino’s lines?”
Clark scoffed. “I don’t see you falling for some smooth talker wearing THAT shirt.”
Lois shrugged. “Magnum P.I. was pretty sexy in a Hawaiian shirt. But that’s not my point….”
“We’ll never have to find out, will we?” Clark asked. “Anyway, I don’t like dwelling on what if scenarios. You know what you know, and there’s no going back now. You’re stuck with me.”
“Well, when you put it that way…” she said teasingly. He was right, of course. Dwelling on far-fetched scenarios was a sure way to go crazy. It was best to appreciate what she had, which was better than she could’ve even believed possible. “I love you, Clark,” she said softly.
“And I love you, too. Always,” he answered. They looked into each other’s eyes wordlessly, until they were interrupted by the tone of the elevator as it arrived at the parking deck. Something mischievous flashed in Clark’s eyes, then he quickly leaned down and scooped her up, carrying her out of the elevator and trailing kisses down her neck. The sound of her laughter followed them toward her car. Well, she thought happily, he did promise a night of many rescues, and it was off to a roaring start. This wasn’t necessarily how she had pictured life with Superman would be like back before she knew who was under the spandex, but she had to admit that this was so much better than those old fantasies. Because unlike her fantasy hero, Clark was real, and he was hers. Forever.
