Winner Takes All
Folc4evernaday
Part 26
***
Two Days Later…
Clark awoke early. He made sure to begin patrolling Metropolis early to assure his attention would not be on Metropolis rather than Lois during the ceremony. He returned back to his apartment to find his parents dressed and finishing up breakfast.
“Hi, honey, do you want some breakfast?” Martha held up a plate of French toast.
Clark smiled at his mother. He couldn’t even contemplate eating right now. His stomach was a bundle of nerves. This was his wedding day. He was marrying the woman he loved and the mother of his child. He couldn’t seem to wipe the grin off his face.
“Can’t stop smiling, huh?” Jonathan asked, bemused.
Clark laughed. “No. I…” He smiled. “I’m getting married today.”
Martha smiled proudly at Clark. “It seems like just yesterday we found you in Schuster’s Field…”
Clark smiled at his mother and gave her a hug. “It’ll be okay, mom.”
“I always cry at weddings,” Martha explained, brushing away a few stray tears.
“We know.” Jonathan and Clark said in unison.
Martha smiled. “You couldn’t have found a better woman. I’m so happy for you, Clark. I was afraid you’d never find someone to settle down with.”
“Lois is definitely one of a kind,” Clark said. “She’s…”He stopped short when he saw the familiar glow illuminating the room. He looked up and saw the globe floating above him.
“What in the world?” Martha asked.
“Just…watch,” Clark instructed. He reached up to capture the globe and was rewarded by a flash of light. The man that had identified himself as Jor-El reappeared once more.
“There is no longer any doubt. The chain reaction has begun. As panic spreads, the population awakens too late to it’s fate. Our future is inevitable.”
Jor_El and Lara held each other close as another tremor shook around them. An alarm began to sound and Jor-El moved towards the console in front of him to turn it off. Lara stood behind him with a look of sadness and remorse on her face. The emotion on her face rocked Clark to the core. These were his parents suffering from these tremors and facing a dying planet while they said goodbye to him.
“At last the computers have located a suitable destination: a planet physically and biologically compatible with Krypton whose inhabitants resemble ours, and whose society is based on ethical standards which we too, embrace in concept, if not always in deed. The inhabitants call it, simply Earth.” The image showed Earth from outer space, floating amongst the many planets and stars.
The light that had dispersed into the room moments before was swallowed up by the globe. It sat in his palm, lifeless as it had times before.
“Wow,” Jonathan said, breaking the silence. “That’s something.”
***
Lois eyed herself critically in the mirror. She wore a long spaghetti strap gown with beaded crystals sewn into the fabric. The top of the gown was white lace while the bottom half flowed into a bell shape. Her hair was pinned up with a white rose intertwined between a few strands of hair. She rested her hand protectively on the growing bulge the just barely poked out from beneath the fabric. It was simple; nothing outlandish or extravagant. This was the perfect dress to get married to Clark in.
They had flown to a small out of the way resort in the where ‘Superman Express’ had flown everyone out. It was the perfect place to get married.
The tradition was to be given away by her father in front of all her friends and family. She couldn’t do tradition. She’d never done anything the traditional way; so why start now? Her father had never shown up so it was her, Clark, his parents, her mom, Lucy, Jimmy, Perry, Alice and the minister.
She smiled back at her reflection. She was getting married today. “Mrs. Clark Kent…..Perfect.”
Ellen lightly knocked on her door. “Lois?”
Lois smiled, turning to her mother as she opened the door with Lucy behind her. “They’re just about ready…” Ellen smiled, looking at Lois, “You are so beautiful…I still can’t believe we got this planned in such a short amount of time…” Ellen was dressed in an elegant cream suit with sequins embedded into the fabric. Lucy was in a strapless red dress with a shear sequins covered fabric along the back.
Lucy laughed, hugging her sister, “You look gorgeous, sis. I love you so much!”
Ellen hugged Lois and Lucy, “My girls…I was afraid I screwed you both up so much…I thought you’d never have your perfect wedding day…”
Lois smiled, “Mom, I’m marrying the man I love. It is perfect,”
“Ladies?” Perry knocked on the door. “It’s about time,”
Lucy opened the door and smiled when she saw Perry in his tuxedo, ready to walk Lois down the aisle. Sam had never shown, but Perry had graciously stepped in to give Lois away. “Let’s go,” Lucy said, grabbing her bouquet.
***
Lois took a deep breath as the doors to the wedding hall opened. Clark stood next to the elderly minister with Jimmy standing next to him and his parents behind them. Lucy stood on the other side with her mother and Alice. She felt the tears in her eyes begin to flow. She was so in love with this man. He caught her gaze and she smiled. So much had changed over the last few months. She had always thought she would never meet the man of her dreams. She had given up on love a long time ago. Now, she had Clark. He was everything she’d ever wanted and more.
“You ready?” Perry asked, patting her arm. She nodded, smiling as she walked down the aisle to the man of her dreams. Clark took her arm. They turned to face the minister. He smiled at them. “You look beautiful,” Clark whispered. She smiled at him, gently squeezing his hand.
“We are gathered here to celebrate one of God’s many gifts: Love. A gift bestowed on you. What is life worth living if you don’t have love? So, today we celebrate your love by unifying you as one for all to see.” The minister handed Lois her ring. “Ms. Lane.”
They had decided to write their own vows. Lois smiled shyly up at Clark, “Clark, you’re my best friend. Until I met you I never had a best friend. You make me laugh when I need to and hold me when I cry. I was fighting falling in love with you from the first time you smiled at me, but I think it was too late; because I was already halfway in love with you. I don’t know why I fought it so long. You have such gentle grace, and such quiet strength, and mostly such incredible kindness. I’ve never known anyone with as pure a heart. Today, I give you everything I am. I give you my heart, my honor, and our life together.”
She slipped the ring on his finger, smiling shyly up at him. The minister handed Clark the ring. Clark took her hand in his, “Lois, I have been in love with you from the moment you stormed into Perry’s office demanding attention. I love everything about you. I love your humor, your passion, the way you just dive right in….” Lois couldn’t help but smile at that, “..even when you shouldn’t. You’ve saved me from myself so many times because you refuse to just watch injustice. You demand that the world be a better place and because of you, it is. That fire inside you is what made me fall in love with you in the first place. You mean everything to me and I promise to protect you and our family for as long as we both shall live. Today, I give you my heart, my soul, and our future.” She smiled as he slipped the ring on her finger. With that, she leaned up to kiss him.
In the back of her mind, she seemed to register the minister saying, “By the power vested in me …I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now ….continue kissing the bride.”
She smiled up at Clark, wrapping her arms around him as she deepened the kiss.
***
“I love you, Clark,” Lois whispered, leaning up to kiss him as he carried her inside their hotel room. The room was lit by candlelight, the lights were dimmed.
“You like?” He asked, gesturing towards the bedroom. The bed was covered in white rose petals and had two long candlesticks lit by the bed. A bottle of champagne sat in the ice bin at the end of the bed.
“Very nice.” Lois murmured. “Six weeks….Hmmm, What to do?” Lois teased, cupping him through his dress pants.
“Yes, what to do….” He murmured brushing his lips against hers.
Clark laid her on the bed then began moving at super-speed to unpack their things. The candles in the living area were put out and he returned in front of her a few seconds later; having discarded his jacket and tie with a proud smile on his face. “All done.”
“I knew there was a reason why I kept you around.” Lois teased, pulling him onto the bed with her.
He kissed her softly, cupping her cheek gently as his lips caressed hers. “I love you, Lois Lane Kent.” He whispered.
“I love you, Clark Kent.” She gently stroked his cheek, “Husband…I love the sound of that.”
“Mmmm hmm,” He lowered his mouth to hers. “Wife doesn’t sound too bad either.” He whispered. His thumb stroked her hip, grazing lightly against her growing abdomen. He looked down at the evidence of their unborn child growing inside her and smiled. “Amazing…” He murmured. He looked at her in concern. “How are you feeling?”
“Like it’s Christmas morning and I have everything I wished for plus more.” She kissed him lightly.
“All I’ve ever wanted was for us to be together; start a family. You’ve made me the happiest man alive. God, I can remember a time when I thought I’d never have any of this.” He laid a protective hand over her abdomen. “Everything else; it doesn’t matter.”
“Oh, Clark….” She linked her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. “I love you so much.” She murmured against his lips. He recaptured her lips once more, allowing his hands to roam up and down her body.
***
“Six weeks?” Jimmy asked dumbfounded.
“Well, you know Lois never really used up any of her vacation time.” Perry smiled at Jimmy. “After the chaos, they’ve been through in the past few months I figure they both need the time off.”
“Dang. So if I get married I get a six-week honeymoon too?” Jimmy asked.
“We’ll talk about it when you have a girlfriend,” Perry said swatting him with a folder.
“Fair enough.” Jimmy sighed. “I doubt it’ll be happening anytime soon.”
***
TBC...
