Thanks to all who read and gave feedback when this was in its infancy. Please feel free to suggest changes! This is a far shorter piece and more tight I hope!
nancy
A Future for Us
By Nancy V. Sont nancyvsont@superaje.com
Rated PG
February 2005
Clark decides his only hope for a future with Lois will be if Superman proposes to her. As she gets to know
Superman's favorite hangouts and activities, she realizes that she had no idea what a fun guy he can be,
quite like Clark actually.
All disclaimers apply.
I wondered how things would have turned out if Superman hadn't rejected Lois on that fateful spring night. I
wanted to read some stories with that theme, but wasn't able to find them, so I began one of my own. Any
comments would be helpful and much appreciated.
My thanks go to Julia Kraemer, Nan Smith, Ingra, and Verena B. aka Sira, who have been wonderful beta
readers. They really helped me turn a raw piece of writing into a real story worthy of the archives!
In this story, the Daily Planet isn't bought or blown up by Luthor.
Part 1
Clark hovered above the clouds, flat on his back, pondering the worst, most important personal problem he'd
ever had. Lex Luthor had proposed to Lois and she was actually considering marrying him. How could she? Was
she insane? Why was she looking beyond her best friend; Clark, her partner who brought her coffee, who played
games with her, teased her, helped her through her troubles, challenged her when things were going smoothly?
What did she see in Luthor? He was all flash and dazzle, manners and money on the outside, but she didn't
even know him! Clark had tried to talk some sense into her. That hadn't gone well. Then he'd talked to her in
the park, pouring out his own feelings to her, hoping that she would forget about Luthor once she realized
how important she was to him and how much he loved her.
'You must know I love you, Lois,' he had said. But even though she had said she also loved him in return,
she'd clarified that it was the love of a friend. She was too blind to see that their love was the kind that
makes a good marriage. It was silly to think what they had was no more than friendship.
He let out a moan, rolling in the clouds, slowly at first, and then spinning more and more, hoping to burn
off his confusion. It didn't do any good. His racing mind wouldn't calm down.
After he'd poured out his feelings to her, she'd asked him to let Superman know she needed to talk to him.
When Clark had asked about Luthor's proposal, she'd said, 'I won't say 'yes', not until I speak to someone. I
think you know who it is.' Sure, he knew who it was. It infuriated Clark that she was so devoted to his
alter ego. It was just a load of hero worship! She wanted to be with Superman. But he wasn't ready to go to
her apartment in the red and blue suit yet. What was he going to do when he arrived? Would he say there was
no future for them, since she'd just rejected Clark's love? What would he say to the woman he loved more
than life itself? What would the consequences be?
He shot up in the air, higher and higher, passing clouds until they were far below, and the air becoming
dangerously thin. He let himself float slowly downward, watching the bright green land, the blue ocean, and
the white clouds move below him.
She'd said she wouldn't say 'yes' yet. What did that mean? Probably that if she couldn't have a future with
Superman, she'd say yes to Luthor. But, he couldn't let her marry Luthor, never.
She didn't want a romantic relationship with Clark. Not yet, anyway. He pondered the things they'd been
through over the past year of working together at the Planet. So many things had happened. She'd gone from
detesting him to loving him as her best friend. That had taken a year.
Given time, she might decide she loved him romantically. He'd been willing to wait for however long it took
her to fall in love with him after she'd spurned him when they first met. She'd seen the smitten look in his
eyes and warned, 'Don't fall for me Farmboy.' He had anyway. Now the time for Clark to wait patiently was
over.
He shot through the air again, circling the globe, finally coming to a rest high above the frozen white
arctic. He gazed dully at the light blue icebergs floating in the dark blue ocean.
Whatever happened when Superman went to her apartment tonight was going to alter the rest of Clark's life
completely. He'd lose her forever, or he'd have her forever.
If he rejected her, would she actually blindly marry the devil, without investigating him? Where was her
reporter instinct when she was around either Superman or Luthor? She was so stupid and pigheaded sometimes.
He felt sick to his stomach imagining the most beautiful, brilliant woman being married to that devious
fraud, that murderous villain. How he wished she'd listen to reason! But just like she'd fallen for the flash
and dazzle of the Superman suit and his powers, she'd done the same thing with Luthor. He'd taken her to
Italy for dinner! That wasn't a quick flight like it would have been with Superman. It had probably taken
seven hours. One would hardly be interested in dinner after a seven hour flight! Blinded by the bright lights
of Luthor's world, that's all there was to it.
When she had talked about marrying Luthor, it wasn't with that same look she had for Superman. She hadn't
been swept off her feet. What could Clark do now, but let her dream relationship with Superman develop?
'For Pete's sake, Clark,' he scolded himself, 'what's wrong with her being in love with Superman? What's
wrong with Superman being in love with Lois? Isn't Superman already in love with her?'
Of course he was. It took all of his effort to keep himself from showing her his true feelings, to keep her
at arm's length, acting as the distant, aloof superhero. What would be wrong with letting her love him, with
developing a romantic relationship with her as Superman? It would save her life. It would save Clark's life,
too. Was it dishonest to do that? How could it be any more dishonest to love her as Superman without
revealing his alter ego, than to love her as Clark without telling her his secret?
Could he even keep his secret from her as Superman? Certainly not for long. When they spent time together,
could he just be himself, without the crossed arms, without the distant attitude?
She'd seen Superman humble before. She'd seen the pain in his face when things hadn't gone right in the
rescuing business. She knew he wasn't always strong, that he had weaknesses. She just hadn't seen much of
them. But she did love him as a man, more than just a two dimensional figure. She'd comforted him before.
So what was she going to say to him tonight when he arrived at her window? Was she going to tell him Luthor
had proposed and that she wanted Superman more...but she'd settle for Luthor if Superman rejected her?
Probably not. She'd want to see where they stood.
Well, Superman could save Lois Lane and Clark Kent and their future, if he gave her hope for their
relationship. But without question, instinctively, he wanted to give her the brush off. What a slap in the
face to reject Clark to his face and then to turn to his alter ego and want Superman instead?
Should Superman ask her to marry him? He loved her. She loved him. But, how could they ever marry? Okay,
the names on the marriage license wouldn't be that hard. His name was Kal-El. His parents were Lara and Jor
El. But what about Martha and Jonathan coming to the wedding? No, marrying her as Superman was ridiculous.
Would she marry Superman if she found out that he was Clark? It was too dangerous to be too close to
Superman. She did love Clark, she'd said so already, as a friend, of course. He couldn't actually marry her
until she knew he was Clark. Did Superman and Lois even know each other that well? Better than she knew
Luthor, that was for sure.
If he didn't propose, but just let her know that there was definitely hope for them as a couple would that be
enough to keep her from marrying Luthor? Probably. Luthor would undoubtedly find out and try harder to kill
Superman and to woo Lois. Luthor wasn't a quitter. He was behind practically everything bad that happened in
Metropolis. But he always came out smelling like a rose! What a case study Luthor was!
Okay, if Clark did let them have a relationship, Superman and Lois, against all his better judgment, what
about Lois' safety? Would she be a target if they were seen dating? Of course, she would. But what were the
options? If she married Luthor, wouldn't she be just as much a target? Luthor must have many enemies. Wasn't
kidnapping Lois from Luthor, the third richest man in the world, as good a way to get something, as it was to
kidnap her from Superman? Wasn't she already a target just because she was Superman's friend? If Superman
couldn't protect Lois Lane, what better bodyguard existed to protect anyone?
His mind churned out questions and answers as the sun set, spraying color over the clouds beneath and above
him. He had to make a decision. He flew back to his balcony, landed and went inside. He drank a glass of
water, and then set the glass heavily onto the counter.
If Lois thought she would have a life with Superman, he had to propose
something to her, a deeper relationship, or marriage. Otherwise, as soon as she married Luther and woke up
from the moonlight and roses, she'd learn the depth of his evil for herself. What would Luthor do to her when
she blew the whistle on him, as she certainly would? She'd expose him and he'd have to deal with her. His
true selfishness would surface. No, she certainly wouldn't be safe with Luthor; once he found out she was on
to him.
If Superman rejected Lois tonight, where in the universe would Clark be able to go to escape the pain of
knowing what he'd lost? No, he had made up his mind. He'd give her whatever she wanted from Superman. He'd
tell her the truth, and the real truth was that Superman was in love with her.
He stepped to his bedside and removed a velvet blue box from the drawer. It contained the ring Clark had
made in case Lois had accepted Clark's love. Superman would do it. He would propose to his true love, let
the chips fall where they may. He shot up into the sky from his balcony and headed to Lois' apartment.
He landed gently in her living room in a gust of wind. Lois was sitting on her couch, reading a book. She
turned when the wind blew her hair against her shoulders. She stood, happy that he'd come.
"I heard you wanted to see me," Superman said.
"Yes...um...come in." She approached him and put her hands on his folded arms, and touched the 'S' emblem on
his chest with her forefinger while looking into his eyes.
He was annoyed to have been put in this position. He wanted her to love him, all of him, as Clark, not just
the dazzling superhero.
She began to speak. "I'm just trying to figure out...I have a lot of changes going on in my life and I just
want to make the right decision...and I can't do that until I know how you feel. Superman, is there any hope
for us? You and me? I'm so completely in love with you. I can't do anything else without knowing," Lois
asked, looking up into his eyes. She was practically holding her breath as she waited for his response.
All her defenses were down. The businesswoman that Clark usually saw at work had disappeared. Superman could
see that Lois was truly humble, ready to accept whatever he said. Her life was in the balance. She was scared
of losing him, scared of making the wrong decision. He knew she'd never felt this way about anyone before.
She thought he was so good, so completely honest, and so trustworthy.
Seeing her open to him, radiating such love for him; his still partially hardened, broken heart, melted. He
dropped his arms to his sides.
"Oh, Lois," he began, unable to hide his love for her behind that phony stone face. She wasn't acting. The
woman he'd loved for so long was completely in love with him. She'd do anything for him. She'd fight against
anyone who said an unkind word about Superman.
He placed his arms gently around her and kissed her forehead, then drew her to him in a tender embrace.
Meeting her eyes he said, "I've tried to hide my feelings from you for so long. It's one of the hardest
things I've ever done. I've tried to keep you at a distance, to keep you from getting hurt."
She looked up at him, searching his watery eyes. "Oh Superman!" she gasped, her arms going around him,
beneath his cape. He didn't look the same as he usually did. She'd never seen emotions like these in his eyes
before.
"How do you really feel about me, Superman?" she ventured. She thought she knew, but she had to hear him tell
her. She had to know for sure. Everything depended on it.
"Oh Lois," he pulled her closer and rubbed his face in her silky hair. "I've loved you for a very long time."
All he'd worked for in trying to keep his distance from Lois when he was in costume seemed of no consequence
now. He had no other choice; he couldn't possibly let her turn to Luthor if he continued to push her away,
always hoping she'd begin to love him as Clark. Darn it, he wasn't just Clark. He was Superman, too.
"Yes, Lois, there is a lot of hope for us, if you'll have me."
Her eyes were pooling with tears as she looked up into his loving eyes.
Their lips met in a soft caress.
"Lois, you mean the world to me. The more time we've spent together, the more my love for you has grown.
You've been there for me from the beginning and I've tried to be there for you. I've watched over you the
whole time I've lived here in Metropolis. Every night when I fly over the city to make sure things are calm,
I check to see if you are all right. I know your voice, and if I ever hear it, I follow that sound first. I
know your heartbeat. When you arrive at a rescue, I hear it and I know where you are and that you're looking
for me. Countless times, it's taken all my willpower to keep myself from rushing over to grab you and fly
away."
"Really?" She looked up through her tears of joy. She'd never imagined that she'd be hearing these words from
the only man she'd ever really loved. Her heart overflowed. "I never knew how you felt about me," she sobbed.
"I mean...I knew you liked me! But I never knew you felt that way about me!"
He held her tightly with one arm and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. If she could accept a
proposal from Luthor who she barely knew and probably didn't love, then surely she'd accept a proposal from
Superman who she did know, at least as much as she'd been allowed to know. She seemed to love him deeply.
Was it really just a crush? He was ready to throw caution to the wind. He had to have Lois as his wife, as
the mother of his children, if that was possible. Did he dare just date her? No. If she refused his
proposal because they didn't know each other well enough, then they could always fall back into dating. She
was already thinking of marriage.
"Lois, I know you don't know me that well. I mean..."
"But I can see beyond that, Superman. I can see who you really are, the good you stand for, the way it tears
you up when someone's in pain, when you can't save everyone. How you rush to help everyone, no matter whether
they deserve it or not."
"There's so much more to me than you know. I'm not as perfect as you think."
Lois hugged his waist tighter. "I'd love you even if you were just an ordinary man."
He swallowed, trying to stifle the stabbing pain those words evoked. She'd just rejected the ordinary man.
He wanted to shoot out of the room, go somewhere far away and lick his wounds. He made himself relax and
ignore the pain. What she was really saying was true; the man she loved, Superman was solid to the core, a
decent man. He may have been crossing his arms, standing tall and acting aloof and emotionless, but she was
looking beyond that, he realized. Even as Clark, she'd grown to love him as a close friend. She had much
stronger feelings for Superman. Wasn't that only natural? Superman had always come to rescue her from the
jaws of death while Clark had always gone for help. Clark ran away, but Superman came to help. No wonder she
loved Superman so much. He was the man who always came.
He swallowed the painful lump in his throat. "Even when you find out that I have faults? I mean, sometimes I
don't think you see any of my faults."
She looked into his deep brown eyes and saw pain and sadness there.
"Superman, I know you must have faults, but whatever they are, with so much goodness in you, you're by far
the best man on this planet." She grinned offhandedly and continued, "And you know, I always go for the very
best!"
He smiled, holding her close. Maybe he should take a chance on proposing.
But shouldn't they develop their relationship more first? Memories of all the times they'd spent together,
both as Superman and as Clark, raced through his mind. He thought about dating Lois. As Clark, he'd had to
bottle up his feelings for her to avoid her rejection. As Superman, she'd never rejected him. Certainly, they
should date before he proposed to her. But at the moment, it didn't seem like there was much standing between
them. She knew as much about him as she needed to know. He would make sure he told her the truth about his
identity before they actually got married. He certainly loved her.
His arms loosened and he reached around to retrieve the box he'd tucked into his belt behind his back. "Lois,
I know that our relationship has been rather strange, and that you don't know everything about me." Then
going down on one knee, his cape laying behind him on the floor, he opened the small blue velvet-covered box
to face her. "Lois Lane, will you marry me?"
Lois was stunned. Her mouth dropped open. Could this possibly be happening? The man of her dreams was
actually proposing to her? She'd had no idea he'd wanted to marry her.
How scared she'd felt when she'd seen the aloof look on Superman's face when he'd arrived. He truly had
looked like a man of steel. She'd wondered what she was thinking, pouring her heart out to him. She'd felt
desperate. She'd had to find out, to get things out into the open. He'd never given her much encouragement,
but he had seemed to enjoy her attention.
All her reservations about men and the terrible way they'd treated her, came to mind. But here was her
superhero who would never treat her badly. She knew that as certainly as she knew she was Lois Lane. If she
could consider accepting a proposal of marriage from Lex, how much more wonderful to accept a proposal from
Superman!
"Oh, yes, Superman, I will!"
The tears were flowing freely as he stood and swept her up into his arms and the air, his lips finding hers.
Clark felt wonderful. His sweetheart was going to have him! Or at least part of him. He'd had no idea how
wonderful it would feel to tell her his feelings, not just the feelings of Superman the superhero, but his
true feelings, the feelings he had as both Clark and Superman. How wonderful not to have to hide them from
her anymore. It was bad enough to still keep his big secret. He hated lying to her all the time, but his
secret was important. That would come later.
But for now, it felt wonderful to unlock this tightly secured box to let her know just how he felt about her.
He wanted to tell her how much it had hurt when she'd rejected him as Clark so many times, but that would
have to wait. Actually, she'd see that for herself when she knew who he really was.
Landing on the floor together, he took the sparkling diamond ring out
of the box and slipped it onto her finger, then lifted her hand to his lips. "I love you, Lois. Thank you for
saying 'yes'." He pulled her close and mumbled into her hair. "Thank you."
"Thank you for asking," Lois giggled, leaning her face up towards his.
They floated as they kissed. He'd kissed her before, but it had never sent
such intense feelings through his very soul. This time it had so much meaning. Filled with joy, they floated
out the window then quickly up into the clouds. They somersaulted, drifted, and spun in the gentle breeze as
they kissed.
Now she'd get to know him as Superman. He'd have to leave her to be Clark, who would now be the secret
identity. But he didn't want to think about that, not now. He didn't want to have any secrets from her. He'd
deal with that eventually, when the time came, but right now, he just wanted to feel her in his arms, her
soft lips upon his, her steady heartbeat close against his chest. He breathed deeply of her intoxicating
fragrance and nestled his face into her hair.
Embracing, they sailed through the silence, beneath the moon and the stars, far above the lights of
Metropolis, murmuring into each other's ears as they kissed, hugged, and looked at the enormity of space.
It had really happened. He'd proposed and she'd accepted. It had worked. She would forget about Luthor.
His dreams would come true. They'd get to know each other better, he'd tell her his secret, and they'd
marry, find a place, and have a family. All of his dreams were embodied in this one woman in his arms. He'd
never seen her so happy, so radiant, so beautiful. What he had missed out on, not letting her display her
feelings for Superman before, always dashing away before she suspected that he was really Clark, never
enjoying her kisses or this incredible feeling of love. He'd never known that love could feel like this, a
beautiful, heavenly bubble. Lois was going to marry him!
Lois clung to Superman, listening to his heartbeat against the silence
surrounding them. How she'd dreamed of him expressing his feelings for her. She'd longed to be with him, to
be what he needed in a companion, to soothe him when he was distressed, to listen to his words of wisdom, to
learn to be more like him: good, honest and filled with love for humanity and all that was just and true.
She envisioned them together, working to unravel difficult cases,him using his powers and her using her
digging skills. She'd never imagined he'd really ask her to marry him. She'd never really considered living
with him for the rest of her life. She thought about what being married to Lex would have been like in
contrast. A man who she didn't love and therefore couldn't hurt her emotionally; versus a man who would
accept and return her love, with whom she could truly be full of life and happiness.
What would it be like when he had to dash off in the midst of everything to save someone? Would it bother
her? Would she be able to put aside her selfishness and be the wife of a Superman, who like a doctor was
always on call? Would she feel second best? It was
hard to imagine Superman ever making her feel second best. She looked up into his eyes again. No, he never
would. His face displayed utter devotion, hopelessly lost in his love for her. No, he'd have to go answer
calls for help, but he'd never want to leave her, but he'd do it because he was on the Earth to help. It was
his calling in life. But he'd always be there for her. She sighed and smiled.
He stiffened as his attention changed. His eyes clouded over. His brow furrowed. He clenched his teeth and
swallowed as he turned to look far below.
Lois followed his gaze. She could barely see a building burst into flames, followed by the sound of an
explosion. Their moment of bliss was over. Lois knew they had to go. "Let's go!" she said, embarking on a
whole new world with her fiancé.
"Hold tight, this is going to be a faster flight than usual," he said tensely, covering her head and body
with his cape.
Lois ducked into his chest. She was safely enveloped in his aura as he sped as fast as he could without
endangering her. From beneath the protection of his cape, she'd barely felt the wind, though she could hear
its roar as they flew downward. In moments, her feet touched the ground, some distance from the
conflagration. She could feel the heat, even from several blocks away.
He kissed her and said goodbye before they landed in a gust. He rushed as a blur to the fire and smothered it
with a gust of frosty breath.
The screams of the tenants trapped in the flaming building ripped at him as he moved like lightning. He found
the dying, burning and injured. He had to fly much more slowly as he brought them safely to the pavement
some distance from the building. Lois ran to them, all the while sirens becoming louder. Soon the sidewalk
and road were filled with bodies. It reminded her of a war scene from Gone with the Wind.
She walked among the victims as their numbers grew. Many of them were
practically dead, some burned beyond recognition. Superman had brought only the living out first. He flew in
the smoke-filled darkness from heartbeat to heartbeat, sending broken beams and flaming furniture out of the
way to rescue people. Over and over he returned to the sky, blowing ice wind on new flames, then returning
through the billowing smoke for more victims. Many times he paused to suck the smoke from around him and blow
it outside.
The high-rise had been full. The residents of the 600 apartments included newborn babies, school children,
mothers, fathers, and grandparents. They'd returned to the security of home after a day of work, school, and
errands. The explosion had been unannounced. No one had been able to run from the building.
Lois watched in horror as the number of people on the road grew. Their cries of pain were deafening as she
roamed among them, doing what little she could to comfort crying children. Ambulances arrived one after
another. Soon a continual procession to fill the city's many hospitals began. Rescue workers lifted the burn
victims onto stretchers.
Hours went by. The flames started up many times. Fire trucks surrounded the building. Water arches reached
wherever there were flames. Superman flew the wounded to emergency rooms once his work at taking them out of
the building was finished. Then, without any warning, the building fell to the ground, leaving a heap of
cement and metal beams on the bodies that remained within.
The pile burst into flame again, while Superman worked as a blur to move the heap, piece by piece, to rescue
the dead. He worked all night, recovering all those that were within. The fingers of dawn were reaching over
the horizon before he landed on the ground beside Lois.
The road where the wounded victims had lain was stained with blood. None of the rest of those still on the
road were alive.
There was no smile on Superman's face anymore. Memories of the joy he'd felt before, when he and Lois had
gotten engaged had vanished. Soot stained his face, suit, and boots. His hands were black. He smelled like
acrid smoke, blood and burning flesh. Lois leaned against him, hugging him, in awe of what he had done
throughout the night.
"I'm dirty, Lois," he choked out, not wanting to make her clothes any more filthy than they were already, but
too tired and in too much emotional pain to remove her arms from around his waist.
"Here, I'll fly you home." He put his arms around her and took to the air. They flew silently over the city.
A layer of smoke hung in the air and Lois coughed. Superman sucked it up and blew it high above the city,
then wrapped his cape around her. They clung to one another for comfort from the horror they'd just seen.
Before they reached her apartment, he let himself fly higher, hovering high above the lights of the city
where
they'd been before. It was comforting to feel her in his arms, to feel her arms around him, her voice
soothing away the horrid visions in his eyes. Eventually, he sighed and lowered them through Lois' living
room window.
She looked up at him. "You are so incredible. Thank you for all you did tonight. Thank you for taking me
with you. I only wish I could have done more to help."
Any happiness that phrase would normally have imparted to him was lost on his despair. He nodded and mumbled,
"I'd better go get cleaned up."
"Where will you go?" Lois asked, suddenly realizing that she didn't even know where he went when he was out
of the public eye.
Clark remembered that she didn't know about his other life; that he lived in a perfectly nice apartment where
he had a shower and a comfortable bed and a closet full of suits. He almost distanced himself out of habit to
say, 'I have places,' but remembered he was now engaged to her.
He wanted his secrets from her to be as few as possible. "I usually swim in the ocean until the smell is
gone, then rinse off in a lake," he said. "I'll probably go to the arctic; maybe the ice water will numb my
mind." It was the truth, but not all of it. When he was clean enough, he'd go home.
"But where do you shower to get rid of the saltwater?" she continued.
Seeing where this conversation was leading, he hesitated, wearily.
"You can use my shower," she suggested. "I can wash your suit in my washing machine." She pictured Superman
wrapped in a towel while he waited for his suit to be cleaned. She pulled her mind away. "Do you have other
suits somewhere?"
Her tired mind was curious now. How many suits did he have? Had he brought them with him when he'd arrived
from Krypton? Did the suit come off? Oh, of course it did, he was a man beneath it! He was going to marry
her, for Pete's sake!
He hadn't thought any of this out yet. He still had to protect his secret from her, until she could finally
love him as Clark. But how would that ever be possible? Now, she would have to push Clark away, simply
because she would be completely faithful to Superman.
"Lois, I think I'd better go," he managed. He could see her face sadden. He was too devastated by the
carnage he'd dealt with all night to talk anymore.
"Oh, don't go, not yet," she said as she reached up and pulled his face down to her kiss.
"Lois, I have to. It's nearly sunrise. You need to get some sleep." He felt bad pushing her away, but was too
overwhelmed to communicate with her or with anyone. "I need to be alone for awhile, after all that horror."
She looked into his distraught eyes and could only imagine what he'd seen as he'd been pulling victims out.
It had been sickeningly horrible from her vantage point. Her heart had been devastated by the pain of the
people she'd seen. How much worse it must have been for him. She pulled him to her again and he buried his
face in her hair.
"You can talk to me about it, Superman. I want to be here for you, to
comfort you, to be an outlet for your feelings." Lois said, hugging him tightly.
"Lois, it was so awful." She could feel him sob quietly against her head.
"I should have seen it coming; I should have heard more and gotten there faster, maybe smelled the gas leak."
The images of children and babies, pregnant mothers and all the rest flooded back into his mind.
"Lois, I love you with all my heart, but I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow." He kissed her briefly and flew
through the window before she had a chance to respond.
She closed the window, and then wrapped her arms around herself. She was smoky and dirty with dried blood on
her hands and clothes. 'That poor man, how can he possibly blame himself? He has no idea how much he was able
to do tonight. Several hundred more workers would have been needed to make the difference he'd made tonight,'
she thought.
She looked at her hands, then gingerly picked up the remote and turned on the TV. LNN was showing footage of
the explosion; Superman working, the rows upon rows of wounded and burned on the road, the flashing red
lights of the police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks, and the billowing black smoke rising into the dark
night sky. She even saw herself crouching down among the wounded.
She was exhausted, mentally, physically and emotionally. She turned off the television. What she needed was
a nice hot bubble bath. She dragged herself into the bathroom and drew the water, and then lay back amid the
bubbles, remembering. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw rows and rows of limp, blood and smoke stained
bodies covered in burned and tattered clothing. She watched Superman fly above the building over and over,
reliving the night, seeing vividly the light from the flames illuminating the other tall buildings that lined
both sides of the street, his flapping red cape and his shiny blue body. That man, that superhero was soon
to be her husband. She smiled and sighed.
Finally wearing clean and dry clothes, she rubbed her wet hair with a towel as she melted onto her couch.
She pulled her computer onto her lap, opened it, and began to type. Eventually, she clicked send before
closing the laptop and heading to bed. She'd be sleeping in late today. She turned off her alarm clock and
closed the drapes.
