CK stood trembling in the middle of his apartment, hardly aware of the usual nauseating effects of the transition between universes. He’d done the right thing, that was for sure, but right now...
He took one unsteady step forward, then another.
Then in a sudden burst of anguish, he sped to the nearest window, barely allowing himself time to wrench it open before launching himself upwards, higher and higher into the sky. When he broke through into the stratosphere, he turned and began to speed around the Earth, flying faster and faster until he could feel the heat on his skin.
He flew for hours, criss-crossing the planet in every direction, trying to obliterate all thought and feeling from his body. The only way to do that was to push himself harder and harder, going to the very edge of his abilities and beyond. He held his breath until he was barely conscious, flying further away from the Earth towards the Moon, then plummeted back into the atmosphere to take dizzying gulps of air. When that didn’t work, he did it again, flying even further towards the limits of his endurance, until he hardly had the strength left to remain aloft.
Finally exhausted, he flew shakily home. The window through which he’d escaped now seemed an impossibly small target, but somehow he managed to thread himself through it and stumble to a standstill. Then, on legs like rubber, he made it to his bedroom and fell onto his bed, pulling the cover half over himself as he curled up to sleep.
*************
Lois leant over the rails of Jon’s crib, gazing fondly down on her sleeping baby. He looked so innocent and peaceful. How lucky he was not to be aware of the emotional tussle which had taken place over his future.
“Welcome back, Jon,” she whispered.
Clark stirred beside her, drawing in a slow, deep breath. “We are *so* lucky,” he murmured.
“Yeah.” She reached down and stroked Jon’s baby-soft hair. “We should tell him everything, when he’s old enough. I want him to know what a wonderful father he has.”
“Me too.” He slid an arm across her back. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t think we’re crazy when we start talking about alternative universes.”
Lois chuckled. “No more crazy than when we tell him about the flying.”
“I guess.” Clark sighed. “Do you think CK will be okay?”
Lois straightened and wrapped herself around him. “If he’s anything like you, which I suspect he is, then he will be. Like your father says, he’s strong where it counts.”
“I hope so.”
*************
“Clark.”
The voice was a soft whisper at the edge of CK’s consciousness.
“Clark.”
There it was again.
“Who is it?” he mumbled.
“Clark, open your eyes.”
A touch like gossamer silk fluttered down the side of his face. The gesture seemed familiar.
“Clark, open your eyes.”
“I’m asleep,” he protested.
“Open your eyes, you great lunkhead, before I bop you one on the nose!”
He frowned. That sounded an awful lot like...but it couldn’t be. She was...
“I’m counting, Clark - Five, four, three, two-“
He opened his eyes.
She was leaning over him in the darkness, a soft, indulgent smile gracing her familiar features. “About time,” she said. “I’ve been calling you for ages.”
She was just as he remembered her. The smiling, intelligent eyes, the cute nose, the soft lips and the short dark hair cut into a soft bob. She was even wearing her favourite sweater. “Lois,” he murmured in wonderment. “How...?”
He reached out hesitantly to touch her face, but to his dismay, his hand passed straight through her.
She grimaced. “Sorry about that. I’m a little new at this.”
So she wasn’t real. Yet she seemed real. “Are...are you a ghost?” Which was a crazy question to ask, since he didn’t even believe in ghosts. There wasn’t anything else he could imagine, though, to explain her presence.
“No idea. Does it matter?” she said, still smiling down at him. “What’s important is that I’m here. With you.” She closed the distance between them as she spoke, and to his surprise, he felt the soft press of an incredibly delicate and weightless kiss against his lips. He responded tentatively, loath to destroy the magical moment by reacting too eagerly. His reward was a beautifully gentle, tender kiss as sensual as any he could recall.
“Oh, honey,” he whispered, his voice catching on the words. “If you only knew how much I’ve missed you.”
“Me, too,” she replied, brushing again over his mouth with the merest hint of soft lips. “But we have to talk, Clark. I don’t have a lot of time.”
She straightened up, and he protested softly, reaching for her again, only to be frustrated by his inability to touch her. “I don’t want you to go,” he murmured.
“I know, but I have to,” she said, and he felt the gossamer-light flutter of movement down his cheek as she reached out to stroke his face. He didn’t understand why she could touch him when he couldn’t touch her, but he was grateful for any contact, however fleeting. “But first, we should talk about Jon.”
He stared up at her in surprise. “You...you know about him?”
She chuckled. “Of course I know about him, silly – I gave birth to him. Believe me, I’m not going to forget that particular experience in a hurry.” She cocked her head on one side. “I hear you’ve left him in that other place with another Lois and Clark.”
“Oh, Lois, I’m sorry! If I’d known you’d-“
“It’s okay,” she said calmly. “I think you made exactly the right choice. It’s the best place for him, right now. In fact, that’s why I’m here – to tell you just that.”
“You...you don’t mind that our son is being raised by strangers?” He reached up and traced the contours of her face with his hand, filling in the missing sensations of touch with his imagination. If he concentrated hard enough, he could even believe he was really touching her.
She shook her head slightly. “They’re not strangers, they’re you and me in another world. He’ll have the best parents we could ever hope for, Clark. And you’ll make a great father for him to visit. I’m sure he’ll be proud of you.”
Tears stung the backs of his eyes. “I wish you’d come back,” he said huskily. “We’d have made pretty good parents ourselves.”
“Shhhh.” A gentle, feather-like wisp of air brushed his hair back from his forehead. “I can’t, sweetest. It’s not possible. That’s the other reason I’m here.”
“To tell me I can’t have you back?” That seemed awfully cruel to CK; he didn’t need the reminder!
“No, to help you. I can feel your loneliness, Clark - it hurts so much it almost has physical presence.” He nodded at her in agreement. Even now, with the joy of being reunited with Lois still fresh in his thoughts, there was a dull ache in his soul that blunted all of his emotions. “And I know all about your little escapade today to try and rid yourself of the pain,” she added, shaking her head slowly. “It didn’t work, did it?”
A tear escaped from his eyes and rolled down his face to the pillow. “No,” he confessed miserably. “What do I do, Lois? How do I stop myself from going insane?”
“Clark, you, of all people, won’t let that happen. You’re too strong to let this overwhelm you – just look at what you’ve come through so far. I know it doesn’t feel this way right now, but as time goes by, you’ll find that you can deal with it. Not by shutting yourself away, or putting up barriers against the world, but by engaging yourself with people.” She smiled. “You’re good at that.
And as he looked up into her eyes, he remembered how things used to be. Yes, he’d enjoyed meeting people and listening to their stories, getting to know them and understand their hopes and their fears. He’d enjoyed it even more when Lois had been at his side; their shared interest in people was what had made them such a good reporting team. But that seemed like a very long time ago; so much had happened since those early, happy days. “I used to be, maybe,” he replied. “I’m out of practice.”
“You’ll learn,” she said. “I’ll help you.”
“Help me? How?”
She grinned. “By keeping an eye on you. I won’t be here every night, but I intend to drop by now and then.”
His heart leapt. “You mean I’ll be seeing you again?!”
“Yes, but only until you don’t need me any more.”
“I’ll always need you, Lois.”
“No, you won’t. One day you’ll find that you’re ready to let go.” She dipped down towards him and kissed his forehead. “But for now, let’s just get you through the next few days.” She sat up and fixed him with a firm gaze. “Your first task is to invite someone over for dinner. Doesn’t matter who, although Perry would be a good choice. Think you can do that?”
She was giving him homework? This was weird. “I...I’ll try.”
“Okay. And don’t forget I’ll be checking up on you, so you better have good news to report. We ghosts can get mighty cranky, you know.”
“I thought you said you weren’t a ghost.”
She shrugged and grinned mischievously. “I lied.”
At that moment, she looked and sounded so much like the Lois he had fallen in love with, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. If only she were real...
“Lois, can I hold you? I mean, I know I can’t really, but maybe if you just lie down beside me, we can try...?”
Even before he’d finished speaking, she was moving to lie face to face with him. “You mean like this?” she murmured.
He reached out an arm to wrap around the shape of her body. He couldn’t feel her, but the illusion of closeness was as much as he’d dared hope for. “I still love you,” he whispered.
“I know. Close your eyes, Clark.”
He did as he was bid, and once more felt her soft lips press delicately against his own; felt her hand caress his shoulder. He even felt her breath on his face. “Sleep well, honey,” she murmured.
And with that, her presence slowly melted away from him until he was once more alone in the darkened room.
Except that he wasn’t alone any more. Lois was with him, and would stay with him for as long as he needed her.
He turned onto his stomach, half-covering the place where she’d lain, and drifted into a peaceful, contented sleep.
****************
THREE MONTHS LATER
Lois ducked down in front of the mirror in the living room and fiddled with her hair for the umpteenth time. “Do I look all right?”
Clark regarded her from behind, running his gaze up and down her body before coming to rest very pointedly on her posterior. “Looks fine from where I am, honey.”
She looked at him via the mirror, noticed where he was looking, and jabbed her elbow backwards to dig him in the ribs. “Hey, you! Behave. You’re setting your son a bad example.”
Clark had reeled playfully from her blow, partly to save Lois from earning a nasty bruise where her elbow collided with his rock-hard and invulnerable body, but now he straightened and placed his hands on her shoulders. “On the contrary, I’m showing him how a husband properly appreciates his wife.” He kissed her cheek. “You look great, honey,” he murmured. “Besides, I don’t think CK will be that interested in your appearance – no offence. Jon’s the star of this show.”
As if on cue, Clark felt a pair of small hands clutch at his leg. He looked down. “Hey sport, do you want up?”
Jon’s answer was to reach upwards with his arms towards his Daddy. Clark bent down and scooped him off the floor. “Here’s our star,” he announced, looking back at the mirror to address Lois.
She smiled. “And what a handsome star he is. Better looking than his father, I’d say.”
Clark raised his eyebrows. “Really? I have competition, do I?” He looked at Jon. “You and I may have to have words about this later, my son,” he said sternly.
Lois laughed. “I’m afraid it’s too late – I’m already smitten.”
“Written off for a younger man already,” said Clark with a theatrical sigh. “And I’m not even forty.” He checked his watch. “CK should be here by now. Wonder what’s keeping him?”
“Nerves?” suggested Lois. “If he’s feeling anything like me, he’s got a whole butterfly farm in free flight roaming around his stomach.”
“Yeah.” Clark was feeling it, too. This first visit was a little scary – there was so much they didn’t know. Would CK have changed? Had they changed without realising it – would they even still like CK and vice versa? Perhaps CK would ask for Jon back - he might have had a change of heart after three months on his own. Anything was possible. “It’ll be fine,” he said, reassuring himself as much as Lois.
The doorbell rang.
Clark took a deep breath. “That’ll be him.” He glanced at Lois. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” she said.
They all crossed to the front door, and Lois opened it.
A small, dapper man wearing a pin-stripe suit and a bowler hat stood before them. As they stared at him, he doffed his hat. “Good afternoon, Lois. And Clark. Oh, and Master Kent! Goodness me, he’s grown a lot since I last saw him.”
His initial shock wearing off, Clark’s temper flared up rapidly. “Just what do you think you’re playing at, Wells?” he growled. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, showing your face in this house. Either that, or you’re just plain stupid.”
Wells blanched. “Oh, dear. Things are worse than I expected. If I-“
“Things?!” exploded Clark. “Do you have any idea – any idea at all – of the misery you’ve caused? Of the heartache and pain we’ve all suffered because of you? You talk about ‘things’ as if we’re all part of a big game to you, but I’ve got news-“
“Clark, not here.” Lois’s hand touched his forearm in a warning gesture. “Let’s go inside.”
Clark stared angrily at Wells, breathing heavily. This man, who stood there so calmly as if he were out on a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, was single-handedly responsible for so much anguish, Clark felt like yelling at him until he was hoarse. If he didn’t believe in non-violence, he could also quite cheerfully strangle the guy.
“Clark, you’re upsetting Jon.”
He dragged his eyes away from Wells to his son, who was just beginning to make little sounds of distress. The last thing he wanted to do was to frighten Jon, so he stepped back to let Wells pass through and tried to put a lid on his temper. “Come in,” he said tersely.
Once in the living room, Clark handed Jon to Lois before rounding on the time-traveller again. “Okay, Wells, what’s this all about? What misery have you come to inflict on my family this time?”
Wells hung his head. “Actually, I came to apologise.”
**************
CK checked himself in the mirror one last time. Yeah, he looked okay, he supposed. And Jon wasn’t going to care what he looked like, anyway. So long as he was reasonably presentable for Lois and Clark, that would be enough.
He glanced around the room. He was hoping to bring them all back here for a short visit, so it was important that the remnants of last night’s dinner party were cleared away and that the place looked clean. He spotted a dirty coffee cup hiding behind the ficus and disposed of it at superspeed.
Okay. The dinner party had been Lois’s latest assignment, and, knowing she was likely to drop by tonight or tomorrow night, he’d finally had to stop procrastinating and arrange it all at the last minute. The night before his first visit with Jon hadn’t exactly been his preferred choice of date, but it had been the only Saturday evening available.
To his relief, the event had gone pretty well and he was looking forward to telling Lois all about it. He could even boast that he’d entertained two women in his own age-bracket – and that hadn’t even been part of the deal. Okay, so one was married and the other was rumoured to be a lesbian, but it was a start, wasn’t it?
Satisfied the apartment looked suitably tidy, he pulled out the device and pressed the necessary buttons. Funny how Wells still hadn’t turned up to reclaim it...
***************
Clark stared at Wells. “Apologise?” He scoffed. “Just like that? You cause a total disaster for everyone concerned, with repercussions that are going to affect all of us for the rest of our lives, and all you can say is sorry?”
“It’s all I can do,” replied Wells. “But if I may suggest-“
“Oh, no, you don’t!” said Clark. “No suggestions, no ideas to fix time, no hopping between universes, no nothing, okay? We’ve had enough, haven’t we, Lois?”
“Yes, we have,” said Lois. “And if I didn’t want to avoid scaring Jon, I’d tell you exactly what I thought of you, Mr H G Wells!” She drew in a slow, calming breath. “As it is, can we all please cool it? Jon’s suffered enough...”
But her voice trailed off as she stared open-mouthed at a far corner of the room. Clark whirled to follow her gaze, to find a swirling haze of colours which slowly coalesced into the shape of CK.
CK stood swaying for a few moments, apparently not quite in touch with his surroundings. Then he seemed to come to his senses and gazed around the room. Inevitably, his gaze settled on Wells.
“You!” he spat. “What are you doing here?”
Clark rushed across the room and placed a hand on CK’s chest just as he began to lunge forward towards Wells. “He’s come to apologise,” said Clark dryly. As CK’s eyes flared in renewed anger, Clark nodded. “I know. But Jon’s here, so please don’t say or do anything to frighten him. Okay?”
CK drew his furious gaze away from Wells to focus on Clark. “Did you arrange this?”
“No, this was all his own bright idea,” said Clark heavily. “Come on, let’s all sit down and try to get through this as calmly as we can.”
Once they were all settled, Clark turned to Wells. “All right, Mr Wells, the floor is yours.”
Wells stared down at the hat in his hands for a few moments before replying. “When I first embarked upon this great journey through time and universes, I was a young man. Young men, as you know, are full of enthusiasm and lofty ideals, and I was no different. I travelled far into the future expecting to find advanced civilisations where men had left behind their struggle for power and domination in favour of intellectual and spiritual advancement.
“Imagine my disillusionment when I found a society where the thirst for knowledge had died; where men and women lived out their days as empty vessels, merely concerned with the superficial. I tried to change them, to rouse them somehow, but it was too late. They were too content as they were. And so I left, now a frustrated and embittered bitter young man who was crushed by his own inability to change that which he did not like or condone.
“I should have heeded that lesson. I should have learned then that when travelling it is wiser to merely observe than to attempt to change things to suit one’s own ideals. But the temptation is strong, and I am weak.
“I’ve seen many sad and cruel events during my travels, and oftentimes I’ve managed to reign in my desire to intervene. However, the sight of a newborn baby orphaned by a double stroke of cruel fate finally broke my resolve. Particularly since that child was the offspring of parents for whom I held tremendous respect.”
CK sat forward in his chair. “But he wasn’t an orphan. I was still alive on New Krypton – you should have known that. And you could have travelled forward in time to find out if I’d return or not.”
Wells nodded. “Perhaps so. But you forget that you were gone far longer than you had anticipated – had announced at your departure. Also, I am bound to Earth. I have no knowledge of events on other planets. I grant that I could have searched for you further forward in time, but the search would have been akin to locating a needle in a haystack. Where, or rather when, would I have looked for you? When would I know I had searched enough? After you’d been gone so long, why should I even assume you’d return at all? Time is a very complicated business, you know.
“So complicated, indeed, that even I knew that it would be unwise to attempt to change the events leading up to the poor child’s circumstances. However, a simple transfer between universes seemed less harmful, particularly since the child had no ties to his own universe. I truly believed I was solving two desperately unhappy situations – an newborn orphan and a childless couple.
“I now know that I was extremely foolish and naïve to think that one could mend things so easily. One simply cannot tamper with human life so carelessly, no matter how good the intention.
“And so I have come here to offer all of you my sincerest apologies. I cannot right my wrong; to attempt any further meddling would be reckless, if not criminal. I can merely tell you that I have made the strongest resolution possible never again to intervene in the affairs of time.”
Clark’s mouth twisted cynically. “Until you’re tempted again. You’re a chronic do-gooder, Wells.”
“Yes, that much is true. Which is why I’ve brought you this.” He rummaged in his pocket and produced a large golden key. “This is the key to my time machine. Without this, it won’t operate.”
He leant across and handed it to CK. “The day has come when I should end my travels. I’m not getting any younger, and I’ve visited enough worlds to supply me with wonderful memories for the rest of my life.”
CK took the key hesitantly, studying it curiously for a few seconds before looking back at Wells. “I can’t believe you’re doing this,” he said quietly.
Wells rummaged in his other pocket and produced a facsimile of CK’s universe-hopping device. This he handed to Clark. “Now you may visit each other freely, and as Jon grows up, he’ll be able to visit his father whenever he chooses.”
Clark accepted the device and looked across at CK, momentarily speechless with surprise. He’d expected a fairly lame, if sincere, apology from Wells, but never had he anticipated this level of contrition and sacrifice. CK seemed equally at a loss for words.
“But where will you go?” Clark asked eventually, turning back to Wells.
Wells smiled. “Oh, I’ve found a beautiful spot in the Swiss Alps. It’s a modest house, but it will suit my needs perfectly. I’ve already transferred my library there, together with all the treasures I’ve collected on my travels. I shall be very happy there, I assure you.”
“But how will you get there?” asked CK.
“Ah.” Wells fiddled with his hat. “I rather hoped...I know it’s a great deal to ask, after all that I’ve done, but...you see, the fact is, I’ve never actually flown with Superman, and I’ve always wondered how the sensation would compare to time travel...”
Clark’s mouth curled cynically. Wells might be contrite, but he still wasn’t above taking advantage of Clark’s and CK’s unique abilities. Clark also reflected that Wells would be forever stuck in the same universe, and in the same time-frame, as himself. He hoped Wells didn’t expect social visits!
“Are you absolutely sure you want to stay in this time period?” questioned Lois. Clark had to suppress a smile – trust Lois to come right out with it. “Surely there must be other time periods which have more to offer than this one. We’re materialistic and greedy, and we’re pretty useless at solving world poverty and hunger – on the other hand, we’ve got a real talent for war.”
“Alas, you’re right. But in fact you’d be surprised at how well this compares to other time periods. Of course, my second choice would have been...ah, but I mustn’t tell you,” he said, correcting himself quickly. “I must keep such things to myself – which is why my cottage in the Alps is so perfect. I can enjoy the peaceful solitude whilst walking through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.”
Clark stood up. “Well, if you’re sure. And I guess you know where these are,” he indicated CK’s key and his own device, “if you ever change your mind.”
Wells nodded. “Indeed. So am I to be granted a flight with Superman? Which of you shall it be?”
Clark looked at CK. “How about we both go?”
“Sure.”
*****************
CK stood on top of the Eiger, gazing out across the incredible landscape of snow-capped peaks. Up here, the sun shone brightly on the snow, making every contour stand out in stark relief and causing the mountains to sparkle with a brilliance which was almost blinding. The wind buffeted his face and caused his cape to billow out behind him, but he enjoyed the sharp, refreshingly cold air on his skin. It cleared his head and helped him focus.
This was one of those rare but magical moments, when life itself seemed to pause and give you time to reflect. He and Clark had come here after dropping off Wells, agreeing their destination almost telepathically as they flew in tandem across the sky. Now they stood shoulder to shoulder, drinking in the awe-inspiring scenery.
“Wells was right about one thing, at least,” mused CK.
“Yeah?” said Clark.
“This really is beautiful.”
“Yes. Makes you realise how lucky we are.”
“Yeah,” breathed CK.
By mutual agreement, they fell silent again, simply enjoying the majestic views without need for conversation. CK reflected that perhaps Wells’s decision to retire here wasn’t so crazy after all. It was a good place to settle after a lifetime of adventure and excitement.
“So how are you, CK?” asked Clark, breaking the spell.
CK heard the unspoken question – how was he coping? “I’m fine. I’m hoping to move back onto the city desk soon, in fact. Seems there’s a vacancy opening up, and meanwhile the sports editor wants someone who actually knows something about sport on his team.” He flashed a quick smile at Clark. “I managed to bluff it out for a while, but I got found out.”
Clark grinned. “I guess it does help if you know your slam dunks from your triple plays.”
“Yeah. And the apartment’s really convenient for work, too. Both jobs, that is.”
“So the lack of a balcony wasn’t a problem after all, I guess.”
CK shook his head. “No, I just leave a window open and fly straight through it at superspeed.”
“Sounds good.” Clark paused. “No regrets, then?”
Again, CK heard the unspoken query. “Nope. Everything’s just fine.”
“That’s great.” Clark fell silent again as he digested CK’s answer. Then he turned to face CK. “We were pretty worried about you that day when you left, you know. I’m glad things have worked out.”
CK sighed. He hadn’t really planned on bearing his soul to Clark, but it was clear that Clark wanted to know if he was all right or not. He supposed he owed the guy at least that much. “Look, I know what you’re asking. And yes, I’ll admit things weren’t easy to begin with. Those first few days were some of the hardest in my life. But I’m getting there, Clark. The job is going well, Superman is back, and I’m even starting to get a social life. Yes, I miss Jon, but I know he’s happy where he is, so I can cope.”
“Great. Any time you want to visit, just let us know.” Clark smiled. “At least, I know you can’t phone, but maybe you could drop by with a note or something – just to give us a few day’s notice.”
“Sure.”
For a second, CK considered confiding in Clark about Lois’s visits. No-one else knew, and frankly no-one else would understand like Clark would. “Clark, do you believe in ghosts?”
“Huh?”
“You know, people who’ve died and then come back to...”
“Haunt you?” Clark stared out across the mountains. “I don’t know. I’ve seen more than my share of weird things, so I wouldn’t automatically rule anything out these days. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, no reason.”
Clark glanced briefly at CK. “Have you seen something?”
CK hesitated. He didn’t want Clark to think he was crazy, after all. He caught Clark’s gaze and held it, finding only genuine interest and perhaps even a certain knowledge in those steady brown eyes.
He nodded. “Yeah. Quite a few times, actually.”
Clark turned his gaze back to the scenery. “Love is such an incredibly powerful force. I’m happy for you, CK.”
He knew. More than that, he understood and accepted it as normal; a blessing, even. CK relaxed. He was pleased he’d shared his experiences with Clark - it was good to have a friend who didn’t judge, but just listened, absorbed and understood.
With more confidence, he replied, “Me too. She helps me so much...” In fact, he was sure he wouldn’t have survived the last three months without her. She always seemed to be there when he needed her, comforting him or encouraging him – sometimes just listening while he offloaded his feelings onto her. Quite simply, she sustained him.
He cleared his throat. “Shall we go back? Lois will be waiting for us.”
“Yeah. And you need to say hi to Jon.”
The two men took off together, flying side by side with their capes billowing out behind them. They’d started their relationship as antagonists, neither trusting the other or being able to exchange more than surface pleasantries. Then, their conversations had been terse and brittle, with little more than the minimum of information passing between them.
Now, their relationship was so close that they still didn’t need to say much to each other, but the understanding and knowledge which passed between them during just a few short sentences would fill several copies of the Daily Planet.
CK twisted his head to look across at Clark. His friend grinned back, winked playfully and swooped headlong into a spectacular nosedive, daring CK to join him. Without hesitation, CK followed him enthusiastically, enjoying the quick rush of adrenaline and the chance to play air-tag with the person he considered his closest friend – in any universe.
************
Later, Lois sat on an easy chair in CK’s apartment, sipping Oolong tea while watching her husband and CK make fools of themselves on the carpet with Jon. It seemed to her that Jon had his two fathers completely wrapped around his little finger – no sooner had one tired of playing a game with him, than he had the other engaged in some daft horseplay. He was giggling constantly, a very happy little boy who was later going to be a very tired and no doubt fractious little boy. Lois had dark misgivings about bedtime, but it was a small price to pay for all this fun and laughter.
The visit had gone well. Once Clark and CK had returned from Switzerland, they’d all sat down at the table to enjoy one of Clark’s wonderful Sunday lunches. Jon had sat on CK’s knee, causing his father much difficulty in eating his dinner while dealing with a wriggly baby, but CK hadn’t seem to mind at all.
Lois had been pleased to see CK looking so relaxed and happy. Somehow, he’d managed to pull himself together despite the loneliness of his situation and was emerging as a self-assured, highly pleasant individual. He wasn’t Clark – he was still edgier and less confident, but he had a lot in common with her husband. All her misgivings about the visit had melted away, and she’d allowed herself to begin enjoying the afternoon.
After dinner, Lois had sent CK out to the park with Jon while she and Clark cleared away the plates. On his return, they’d all travelled across to CK’s universe to visit his new apartment.
Now the day was growing long, and it would soon be time to give a worn-out little boy his evening meal and put him to bed. Lois was about to interject something to that effect when CK hoisted himself to his feet and scooped Jon into his arms.
“Okay, little guy, I think it’s time for you and me to say goodbye.” He kissed Jon’s forehead and then wrinkled his nose briefly. “Lois, do you want me to change him before you leave?”
She rose to her feet shaking her head. “No, it’s okay. Clark can do it when we get back.”
“Me?” said Clark, also rising to his feet. “Why me – I cooked dinner.”
“Yeah, so it’s your fault he needs changing,” she replied with a grin.
“Is that the new rule?” said Clark. “I don’t recall agreeing to this.”
“You didn’t. I just made it up.”
Clark looked at CK. “Back me up here.”
CK shook his head. “Sorry, pal. My specialty is journalism, not marriage contracts. You’re on your own.”
Clark turned back to Lois. “We’ll take this up later,” he said. “I believe I have one or two bargaining points in my favour – unless of course you don’t like home-made chocolate mousse any more...?”
Lois groaned. “Torturer,” she accused. Then she turned to CK. “Thanks, CK. It’s been a fun day.”
“Yes, and I’ve had a good time too.” He hugged Jon tight and kissed his cheek. “Don’t give your Mom and Dad too hard a time tonight, okay?” he murmured. “And I’ll see you soon.”
He handed Jon over to her and stepped back, his expression sad. “This is the hard part, I guess,” he said.
“But at least you know you’ll be seeing him again in a few weeks,” said Clark, and Lois nodded in agreement. They’d arranged the next visit already, and agreed that CK would have him all day Saturday and overnight into Sunday. And Lois was beginning to realise the advantages of a second Dad – she and Clark already had a few ideas about a romantic night in a nice hotel somewhere. Paris had even been mentioned.
CK smiled. “Yes. I’ll look forward to it.” He regarded Jon, who was already beginning to doze in Lois’s arms. “You’d better get him home,” he observed. “Thanks for coming.”
Lois agreed, and moved close to Clark while he programmed the travel device. “Take care of yourself, CK,” she said, as the room began to swirl and fade away from her.
****************
CK stood at the kitchen sink, slowly washing up the mugs and plates from tea-time. The day had been a success, he mused. Even Wells’s interruption had turned out for the good, and CK himself felt a strong sense of closure now that he’d met the man again and helped get him started on a new chapter in his life, safely away from the temptations which had caused CK and the others so much pain.
In fact, CK realised that he himself had embarked on the next chapter in his life. The final piece of the equation had been his visits with Jon, and now he felt that they were well on the way to becoming a normal part of his everyday life.
So he had a good job, a nice place to live, a fledgling social life, and even, in a pretty non-conventional sense, a family. Okay, so his partner was a ghost and his son lived in another universe, but lots of people weren’t even that fortunate.
All in all, life was pretty good – not bad for a battle-scarred veteran who’d been close to breakdown just a few months ago.
He finished the washing and walked into his bedroom.
“So when do I get to meet Jon?”
He froze. She was lounging on the bed, smiling up at him with raised eyebrows.
“Um...I’m not sure if that would be a good idea,” he said carefully. “Babies don’t really understand about ghosts.”
Her face darkened, and for a moment, he wondered just how much fury a ghost could unleash on him. He wasn’t afraid, except that this was Lois...
She burst out laughing suddenly, her face radiant with amusement. “Your face...oh, boy, that was so much fun! I should try that more often.”
“Lois...” he growled.
“Oh, shut up and come here,” she said. “Tell me all about the visit.”
He gave her his best stern Superman look, but he couldn’t hold it for long – this was Lois, after all. He joined her on the bed and rolled over onto his back, taking her with him so that she was lying on top of him. “You’re evil, you know that?” he said.
She grinned slyly down at him. “I’m a ghost. What more can I say?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Lois, you-“
But his words were silenced by her lips, pressing delicately against his own. He sighed happily and let her explore him thoroughly, content as he’d never been since leaving her for New Krypton so long ago.
At last, the world in which he’d grown up had welcomed him back, and he truly was home.
THE END
