As I post this last part, I just have to send out a huge and emotional THANK YOU to my awesome BR CC AIken, for sticking by me with this monster from beginning to end. CC, I would have never finished this without you.
And last but not least, I wanted to give you, my readers, one huge hug to thank you for all your wonderful feedback and comments over the last year and a half that I've been posting this. You have no idea how much you have motivated me to finish this. I love you guys!!
I hope you have enjoyed this journey as much as I have, and will enjoy this final part, as well.
~*~*~*~*~
From part 33:
She nodded, the smile she'd been struggling to contain finally spreading across her face. "I've decided to move to Metropolis."
Clark's jaw fell open. He stood, speechless, for a long moment, as he tried to digest what she'd just told him. When it finally sank in, tears sprang into his eyes and he let out a whoop of joy. He rushed over to her, picking her up and twirling her around, kissing her over and over again. His tears mingled with hers as he continued to hold her long after he'd set her back down.
"Lois, you're really coming?" he asked when he finally pulled back, tears glistening in his eyes. "But what about your job? What about your apartment?"
"There's a waiting list a mile long for these apartments. Getting out of my lease won't be a problem. As far as my job goes..." Her smile slipped a bit and she looked apprehensive. "Do you really think I could get a job at the Planet? I don't want to give my notice here if I don't have a job to go to in Metropolis."
"I'm sure getting hired at the Planet won't be a problem. Why don't you call and talk to Perry in the morning? He's always there early."
"I think I will." Lois nodded.
Clark pulled her once again into his arms. "I promise you don't have anything to worry about. Everything's going to fall into place; you'll see. I'm just so happy that we're going to be together."
Lois sighed and snuggled deeper into his arms. "Me, too," she admitted, closing her eyes and feeling like the dream was finally coming true. "Me, too."
**********
PART 34
**********
Lois's alarm clock rang earlier than usual the next morning. Lately she had been slow to rise, but this morning, her nerves--as well as the alarm clock--jarred her awake.
She had decided to phone Perry before she left for work that morning, and she was a nervous wreck. It was all she could do to apply her makeup with her shaking hands, and then sip a bit of orange juice for breakfast.
When she finally picked up the phone and dialed the direct line to Perry's office that Clark had given her the night before, she couldn't remember ever feeling so nervous. There was a lot riding on this phone call, she realized. What if the Planet didn't have any job openings? What if Perry had to force her to send in an application and go through a waiting and interviewing process like any other applicant? She didn't think she could bear the length of time that would all entail.
In the end, she shouldn't have worried. Clark had apparently mentioned to Perry that morning that Lois would be calling to discuss something with him, so Perry was expecting her call. When he heard that she was inquiring about hiring on there, he'd been ecstatic. They'd talked for a while and he'd made her a great offer, with salary, benefits, and hours comparable to what she was making at the Chronicle. When she'd accepted the terms, Perry had hired her on the spot over the phone.
Lois felt as if she were floating by the time she hung up the phone. Getting a job at the Planet had been the last big obstacle in her plans to move, and now that employment was no longer an issue, she it made everything feel more real.
She was giddy with excitement with the realization that it was finally going to happen--she and Clark were going to be in the same city, working together on a daily basis. She didn't think anything could bring her down off cloud nine...
...until she stepped off the elevator at the Chronicle.
Her feet stopped moving as she looked at Jim's office across the hall. Now that she knew she had a job waiting for her in Metropolis, there was no excuse not to give her notice. It was something she had been dreading ever since making the decision to move. Jim had taken a leap of faith and hired her on so many years ago when she was fresh out of college. She'd had to pay her dues like everybody else--obituaries, auction notices, community affairs.... But even as she was toiling away on the undesirable assignments, Jim had given her the freedom to prove herself with stories she'd gone after on her own. He had believed in her. His faith in her had helped her get to where she was today. It made it that much harder to walk into his office to give him her notice.
She forced her feet to move and walked across the foyer to his office door. With great effort, she managed to lift her hand and knock on the closed door.
"Come in," Jim's deep voice boomed from within.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside. Jim looked up from the paperwork on his desk and smiled. "Lois! How are you feeling this morning? You're not overdoing things, are you?"
His protectiveness--reminding her so much of someone else she knew--made her smile. "No, Chief, I'm fine. Umm...do you have a minute?"
"Sure," he said, setting his pen down on his desk. "What's up?"
She moved to the chair in front of his desk and sat down. Sitting there across from him, his eyes on hers attentively as he waited for her to speak, she suddenly had an attack of nerves. She moistened her lips, then shifted nervously in her chair, forcing herself to speak.
"This is really hard for me to say, so I'm just going to come right out and say it," she began, rubbing her damp palms on her slacks. "As much as I hate to, I'm giving my notice."
Jim's dark eyes widened. He sat in stunned silence for a long moment. Then he leaned forward in his chair, clasping his hands together and resting his forearms on the top of his desk. "Lois, why?"
She swallowed past the tightness in her throat. "I didn't arrive at this decision lightly, believe me," she reassured him. "But I'm moving back east--to Metropolis, actually. Remember Clark Kent, the reporter I met at the Daily Planet when I went out there to do the Superman story?"
"Sure, I remember. You guys have been seeing each other these past few months, right?"
Lois nodded. "Yes, and it's gotten pretty serious. It's been hard to have a long distance relationship, and we finally just got to that point when we wanted to be together more, and live in the same city. So I've decided to move there. In fact, Perry White at the Planet offered me a job."
Jim smiled, but there was a lingering sadness in his eyes. "Perry's a good man. He'll treat you well." Then he shook his head. "I have to say, Lois, I hate to see you go. I'm going to miss you. You've always livened up the newsroom. I wish I had even one other reporter with your passion and intensity."
"Yeah, well, look where that sometimes gets me." She held up her cast, and Jim chuckled.
"Even so," he said, "you've been a pleasure to work with. You keep in touch, you hear?"
"Of course," she told him with a sad smile. "Thanks for believing in me all these years, Chief."
He inclined his head. "It's hard *not* to believe in you. And I'm just going to have to put in a call to Perry White and tell him just how lucky he is to be getting you."
"Just as long as you only tell him the good things about me," she joked as she stood up from her chair.
Jim laughed softly. "Okay, I'll do my best." He reached out to give her hand a warm shake. "We'll *all* miss you around here, but I wish you the best."
As Lois left her editor's office, she felt a little teary-eyed. But she was excited, as well.
She was on her way--to a new city, to a new life.
A life with Clark.
And she could hardly wait.
**********
The next few weeks were filled with chaos. Lois spent her weekdays finishing up her pending stories at work and her nights and weekends packing, which turned out to be a monumental task within itself. The weekend after Lois had given her notice, Clark had flown her out to Metropolis to go apartment hunting.
They had talked about the possibility of moving in together in Clark's apartment, but as much as Lois liked the idea of being with him 24/7, she ultimately decided she wanted to find a place of her own to help her establish her independence in a new city. She'd been relieved when Clark had understood. Even so, Lois decided to look for an apartment that didn't require a long-term lease. She didn't know what her future held, and she wanted to leave her options open.
Luckily, she had found just the place. It was in a five-story brick building not far from Clark's apartment, and an easy drive to the Planet. The apartment was slightly smaller than the one she had in San Francisco, but the rent was reasonable, and only a short-term contract was required.
She loved the floor plan, the hardwood floors, the gorgeous trim work, the large windows in the living area, and the larger-than-expected bedroom and bathroom. She knew she'd have a tough time fitting all of her furniture into the space, but she decided she'd be willing to put some of her belongings in storage until she settled into her new job and her new life. When she did, she could go from there.
As moving day neared, Lois hired a moving company to take her bigger items and furniture since the Planet had offered her a small relocation expense, then accepted Clark's offer to fly the smaller and more important items--her laptop, a few boxes of clothes and incidentals--to her new apartment. But with every box that was packed, a sense of sadness filled Lois's heart.
Finally, the last night in her apartment arrived. She found herself standing in the middle of her crowded living room, staring at the boxes and furniture that would be picked up by the shipping company the next morning. Once everything got loaded up and the moving truck headed out, she, herself, would be on her way. Since the next day was Saturday, Clark had offered to stay with her that night, then fly her to her new home in the morning after the moving company left with her things.
Blinking back tears, she looked around the apartment she had called home for so many years. She'd leased the apartment as soon as she'd been hired on at the Chronicle. She had fallen in love with it the moment she'd seen it, and had met Agnes the very first day she'd moved in. It held probably the dearest memories she had. It was going to be hard to leave all those behind.
She smiled as she looked out at her terrace, knowing she would miss it most of all. It held so many memories of those first few months together with Clark. She nearly laughed out loud as she thought of how little she and Clark had managed to slip past Agnes. Here they'd thought all of Clark's comings and goings had been so stealthy, yet Agnes hadn't been fooled.
When Lois had told Clark that Agnes knew all about Lois's terrace doubling as his personal landing strip, he'd been stunned. But he trusted Agnes and had even been relieved. He knew it would only help Lois and Agnes realize how easy it would be for them to stay in touch after she moved.
And it did make it easier, Lois realized. But she was still going to miss her daily interactions with her elderly neighbor, and she would miss the memories she had made here in her home.
Feeling more than a little lost and misplaced, she looked up at the sound of a soft knock on her back door. She smiled when she saw Clark coming in through the very sliding glass doors she'd been contemplating just moments before.
"Hi, beautiful," he said as he came over to take her into his arms and kiss her. Then he saw the sadness on her face. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing." She sighed and turned back to look around the apartment. "I've just been feeling a little nostalgic, that's all."
Clark slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "I'm sure you are. It's got to be hard, leaving this place. I know you have a lot of good memories of this place, and of the Chronicle." When she nodded, he turned her around to face him. "I thought you should know, I had a nice talk with your editor yesterday."
Lois's eyebrows lifted. This was news to her. "You did?"
"I did." He smiled mischievously. "I can't tell you everything we talked about, but I told him how I was in town helping you move and wanted to stop by to meet him. He had nothing but wonderful things to say about you."
A pang of sadness struck her once again. "My last day was Wednesday, and it was so hard to leave. I may not have formed any really close friendships with my coworkers there, but there were a few I did things with. It was hard to say goodbye."
"I'm sure it was." It was quiet for a moment. Then Clark spoke again, trying to sound more upbeat. "Hey, I know what will cheer you up. How about some really amazing takeout? From anywhere in the world. You name it."
The hint of a smile returned to her face. "Anywhere?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.
He nodded. "Absolutely."
She thought for a minute, then her smile grew at the thought of the indulgence. "It probably sounds mundane, but I'd kill for some authentic Chinese food."
"Chinese food it is." He nodded and stepped toward the back door. "I'll be back in a minute."
He took off with a 'whoosh,' and for once, there was nothing in the apartment for him to send fluttering. Before Lois could let that gloomy thought draw her back down into her previous depression, another 'whoosh' sounded, and Clark was standing before her with a large bag in his arms.
"That was fast."
He grinned. "I was trying to impress you. Did it work?"
Lois laughed at his teasing and walked over to take the bag from his arms. "I'm always impressed no matter how many times you do that."
Just then there was a knock on her front door. Lois paused, then looked at Clark questioningly. Clark concentrated on the door for a moment. "It's Agnes," he reported.
Lois smiled. "I love that you can do that. Here." She handed him back the bag. "Why don't you set up a little carpet picnic for us here in the living room and I'll get the door."
She went to open the front door and smiled when she saw Agnes standing there with a covered plate in her hand. "Hi, Agnes."
"Hello, dear. I thought I'd come and see how the last minute moving details were going."
Lois motioned her in, then shut the door behind her.
Agnes stopped, momentarily startled, when she realized Lois wasn't alone. "Oh, goodness!" she exclaimed, her hand flying to her throat when she saw Clark kneeling on the floor--still dressed in his Superman costume--and pulling several cartons of food out of a bag.
Clark looked up and smiled. "Hi, Agnes. It's good to see you."
Agnes's startled look quickly faded and she smiled. "Hi, dear. It's good to see you, too." As Clark busied himself once again with the food, Agnes turned back to Lois, a twinkle in her eye. "That suit leaves very little to the imagination, doesn't it?"
"Agnes!" Lois gasped.
The elderly woman chuckled. "I'm not dead, you know. I remember what it was like to be young and interested in a fine specimen." She winked, then looked down at the foil-covered plate she held in her hands. "I made up some turkey sandwiches, thinking you might be over here starving, but it looks like you have dinner ready for you." She eyed the cartons of Chinese food spread out on the floor. Then her eyes widened in surprise at the unique cartons and boxes. "Is that...really from China?"
Lois laughed. "As a matter of fact, it is. Would you care to join us?"
"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude," Agnes said with a quick shake of her head. "It's your last night here, after all."
"Which is just one more reason you should join us, Agnes," Clark chimed in, coming over to take the plate from her hand and offering her the one chair in the room that didn't have boxes stacked on it. "Please. I know it would mean a lot to Lois if you joined us, and it would mean a lot to me."
Agnes contemplated for a moment. "Well, if you're sure..."
"We're sure." Lois took her arm and led her to the chair. "And thank you for the sandwiches. They'll be perfect for lunch tomorrow when my fridge is loaded onto the truck and I'll be facing an empty apartment."
Agnes sat down and took the paper plate Clark offered her.
"What would you like?" Lois asked, gesturing to the cartons of food.
The elderly woman's eyes twinkled as she selected a few items and then they all began to eat. Agnes laughed and shook her head as she enjoyed the authentic Chinese food. "I can tell you're going to be one handy guy for Lois to have around. Lois, you did good."
Lois laughed. "Why, thank you. I think so, too." She leaned over to kiss Clark lovingly.
They spent the next hour eating and talking, and Lois was sad when their impromptu dinner party broke up. Agnes complained about old age getting her to bed earlier and earlier each year and reported she was going to turn in.
Lois and Clark walked her to the door. "Oh, Agnes, I'm going to miss you," she said as she hugged her neighbor tightly. "I'm going to miss your fussing and your dinners, and even your silly little dog."
Agnes laughed. "I'm sure she'll miss you, too. Though I don't think she likes you very much." She pointed a finger at Clark and grinned. "I think she knew from the start that you were hiding something."
Clark chuckled. "I think you're right."
Lois hugged Agnes once more, then shut the door behind her neighbor when she left. She felt a little melancholy when she and Clark were alone once more.
"Are you all right?" he asked, rubbing her shoulders lightly.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just all these goodbyes and all the moving details...it's hard."
"I know." Clark nodded solemnly. Then he took her into his arms and hugged her. "But I promise it will all be worth it."
When at last Lois pulled out of his embrace, she gestured to the bathroom. "I'm going to go change and get ready for bed. You're staying the night, aren't you?"
"Sure." Clark chuckled as he looked at the large air mattress, pillows, and blankets in the corner of the front room. "Are you sure you want to, though? I can fly you out to my apartment for the night, then bring you back here in the morning before the moving company comes for your things. "
"Thanks," she said with a sad smile before turning look around the room once more. "But I just want to spend my last night here, you know?"
Clark nodded in understanding. "Then go ahead and get ready for bed and I'll make up the bed."
When Lois returned a few minutes later, Clark was dressed in his customary sleep attire of a T-shirt and boxer shorts and lying on the mattress. He leaned over to give her a long kiss as she sat down next to him.
Lois returned his kiss only half-heartedly, and Clark realized she was having an even harder time than he'd expected. He climbed under the blankets with her and lay down, happy when she curled up next to him and rested her head on his arm.
Neither of them said anything for a long time. Clark was content to let her keep to herself, but when a wet object fell on his arm, he turned and looked at her in surprise.
"Lois, are you crying?"
"No," she sniffled.
Clark pulled his arm out from under her head and propped himself up on his elbow. He studied her damp cheeks with concern. "Yes, you are," he said gently, reaching out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "What's wrong? Is this just about being sad to leave?"
She let out a long, heavy sigh. "Yeah, but there's something else I've been giving a lot of thought to."
"What's that?" he asked quietly, moving his hand to her arm and trailing his fingertips along her smooth skin.
"Remember that night back in your apartment after you'd been shot, and we'd talked about how I've been dealing with my parents' and Lucy's deaths? Or not dealing with it, I guess," she corrected herself softly.
"That you needed to let yourself grieve and then move on with your life?" He nodded. "Yeah, I remember."
She paused to take a deep breath. "Well, I've been thinking a lot about what you said, and...you're right. I've never completely let myself mourn their loss. I was hoping to take a step toward that tomorrow morning before I left. I thought I'd visit their graves, to kind of say goodbye."
Sympathetic tears filled Clark's eyes and he nodded. "I think that's a good idea, Lois," he said quietly.
"I was kind of hoping..." Her voice faltered. "Clark, would you go with me?"
He squeezed her arm lightly. "Of course I will, Lois. You don't even need to ask."
Lois let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She leaned forward against Clark's chest and his arms went around her. "Thank you, Clark," she said at length.
"Anything for you, Lois," he told her softly. "Now get some sleep."
**********
The next morning dawned bright, the cheeriness of the sunny, late-fall morning with its unseasonably warm temperatures not quite matching Lois's melancholy mood.
She and Clark gratefully accepted Agnes's invitation to have pancakes and eggs at her apartment, then got ready for the movers to arrive. They finally did in a flurry of activity, and by late morning, the movers had loaded everything into their truck and left.
When she and Clark were alone once more, Lois took a final walk through her empty apartment. Clark's arm went around her as she at last stood in the living room, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the city that had long since been her home. She blinked back tears as she realized this was the last time she'd be enjoying this view that she so loved.
Clark's arm tightened around her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," she whispered emotionally. After a long minute, she finally nodded and then turned to him. "I'm ready to go. Is it still okay if we stop at the cemetery?"
Clark gave her hand a squeeze. "Absolutely."
Taking her into his arms, they took off for the final time from her terrace and headed north. Lois gave him directions to the cemetery, and before she was ready, Clark was landing them in a nearby grove of trees. He quickly changed into the jeans, T-shirt, and jacket he'd worn at her apartment that morning.
Noticing her hands were shaking, he reached for one of them and entwined his fingers with her. He waited patiently for her to gather her courage, then walked alongside as she moved toward the paved path that wound through the cemetery.
Neither of them spoke as Lois soon turned off the path and crossed the lawn. When she slowed her steps and then stopped in front of a set of graves, Clark stayed back a couple of steps, not wanting to interrupt her private moment.
For long moments, she stared down at the three grave markers in turn, then squatted in front of the last one. Clark could see the lettering from where he stood: "Lucy Lane, beloved daughter and sister." He watched as Lois reached out to trace her finger along the lettering, a solitary tear sliding down her cheek. At last, Lois stood. She continued to gaze down at the grave marker for a long time, her arms crossed over her chest.
Clark slowly moved to her side. When she lowered her hands, he took one of them in his. He looked at Lucy's marker with her for a long minute, then moved with her as she went to stand before her parents' graves.
"They would be proud of you," Clark said softly, tightening his hand on hers. "Proud of the person you've become."
"I hope so," Lois said, her voice a hoarse whisper.
"I know so. You've given them so much to be proud of."
She reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Thanks, Clark." After a minute, she spoke again. "There are just times when I miss them, you know? I hear an expression they used to use, or see Lucy's favorite food, and it all comes back. It doesn't hurt as much as it used to, but it still hurts." She paused again, struggling with her emotions. "But even more than that, though, I worry about forgetting them."
"What do you mean?" Clark asked quietly, turning to look at her.
Lois drew in a breath, then exhaled slowly. "You know how you have a mental image of people in your mind, and whenever somebody mentions their name, you instantly have that picture in your head?" When Clark nodded, she went on. "Well, I'm losing that. And it scares me. It's like they're slowly being erased from my memory. I guess I'm worried that if I really let them go, those half images will disappear for good."
"Oh, Lois," Clark said, his voice full of sympathy. "I think it's normal for those mental images of people you've been away from for so long to start to fade. I had good friends in high school that I don't have clear mental pictures of anymore. That doesn't mean my memories--or yours--will ever completely fade away."
Lois nodded. "I know. It's just.... Maybe that's why I've been having such a hard time letting them go. I feel like I'm betraying their memory, or not doing my part to keep them alive in my mind by forgetting them."
Clark's hand tightened around hers. "Lois, you're not betraying their memories by letting them go. You're meeting new people and having new experiences and moving on with your life. And maybe by letting go of all the guilt you've been holding onto all these years, and only remembering the horrible memories about that tragic night, you'll actually be able to allow the good memories back in." When she looked up to meet his gaze, he offered her a gentle smile. "Your parents and sister would want that, wouldn't they? To have you remember the good things rather than the bad?"
"Yes, they would," she whispered, his words touching something deep inside of her.
"Then remember that," Clark encouraged. "Remember what kind of life you had with them, and remember the good things rather than the bad. It will make it easier to let go of all that guilt and move on with your life."
Lois sniffled and glanced down once more at the markers. "You're right," she said quietly. "You're absolutely right."
Letting go of Clark's hand, she moved once more to stand in front of each of the stones. The last of her tears slid down her cheeks, but Lois was surprised to discover that the heavy sadness that had been with her for so many years was no longer weighing down her heart.
"Bye, Mom and Dad. Bye, Lucy," she whispered. "I probably won't be back for a while. I'm moving to Metropolis and starting a new life." She lingered for a moment, then set down one of the three flowers she held in her hand on each of the grave markers.
Finally, she stepped back. Clark moved to her side once more and slipped his arm around her shoulders. She reached up to hold his hand, dropping her head against it for a long moment.
At last feeling ready to put her tragic loss behind her and move on with her life, she exhaled long and slow. Then she turned to Clark and gave him the beginnings of a smile. "I'm ready. Should we go?"
Clark tightened his arm around her and nodded. They walked in silence back to the grove of trees, each lost in their own thoughts. When Clark was back in his costume, he took Lois in his arms and looked around to make sure nobody would see their departure. All was quiet.
They lifted off, slowly spiraling up toward the open expanse of the cerulean midday sky above. They flew slowly over the city, well out of sight of any casual viewers from below. To their right, the ocean stretched out toward the horizon as far as the eye could see. A glorious sun shimmered on the body of water that was speckled with the colorful sails of the boats on its surface. Lois's gaze lingered on the water, then moved inland.
The city below, with its distinguishable landmarks and skyline filled her heart with warm familiarity: the Golden Gate Bridge, the Coit Tower, the Transamerica Pyramid, and Telegraph Hill. They'd all become a sight she'd always loved--a sight that told her she was home. But now she would have a new home, one far removed from this place that had held her heart for so many years.
Clark sensed the emotion welling up inside of her and held her closer. "You're going to miss it."
She nodded. "I will. I've loved the years I've spent here."
"We can come back, you know," he told her with a reassuring smile. "You still owe me some sight-seeing, remember? We never did get to hit the beach."
Lois laughed softly, remembering the promise she'd made to him so long ago, but hadn't been able to fulfill. So much had happened since that day, both good and bad.
"I promise I'll take you there one of these days when we come back to visit Agnes," she told him. "And we could visit some of the museums. I know you'd love the displays they have there." She took one last look at the city and the ocean beyond, then turned to look at Clark. "But I know Metropolis will have sights and sounds and places that I'll grow to love. It will be your turn to show me around *your* city."
"Our city," Clark clarified, his eyes filled with tenderness. "Oh, Lois," he murmured, leaning closer and touching his forehead to hers. "It's going to be so amazing, having you there with me. Thank you for making this sacrifice. I sometimes feel guilty that you're the one making the sacrifice to move instead of me..."
Lois shook her head and put a finger to his lips. "Don't feel guilty, Clark. I made the decision, and I'm happy with it. I'm ready to move on to the next chapter in my life."
"So am I." Clark lowered his head to kiss her tenderly. When they finally pulled apart, Clark inclined his head toward the east. "Are you ready?"
"To start my new life with you?" A slow smile worked its way across her face. "I can't wait. Let's go."
**********
It was late afternoon a couple days later as Lois reached into the back of the moving truck for the box one of the men held out for her. She struggled with it for a moment, then staggered up the steps to her new apartment building. Mostly blocking her view, the box threatened to tumble out of her hands when she collided with something solid.
A laugh let her know that 'something' was a person. The sound of Clark's voice filled her heart with warmth and familiarity as he spoke. "Lois, you're deadly with that thing," he teased, still laughing as he reached for the box. "Here, let me help."
"I can get it," she protested.
But he ignored her as he took the heavy box from her and carried it effortlessly toward the stairs. When she caught up with him, he let go of the box with one arm so he could put his free hand on the small of her back to guide her up the stairs.
She smiled and rolled her eyes at his show of strength. "Show off."
Clark laughed again. It was something he did a lot of these last few days.
Ever since arriving in Metropolis, he'd been happier than she'd ever seen him. And she had to admit, his cheeriness was contagious.
They walked together to her second floor apartment and into the living room crowded with unpacked boxes. When Clark set the box he was carrying down with the others along one wall, she shook her head. "I can't believe how quickly you've already gotten all these boxes up here. I think the movers are starting to wonder if they should hire you."
He grinned. "Then I should apply. Maybe they have a job opening."
"Not on your life." She shook her head. Sauntering up to him flirtatiously, she pressed herself against his chest and lifted her face to his. "I'm keeping you all to myself."
"Mmmm, I like the sound of that," he murmured against her lips. When they finally pulled apart, Clark stepped back toward the door. "Why don't you start unpacking the couple of boxes in the kitchen and I'll go finish helping the movers. I'd get it done faster than you would, anyway."
"I can't argue with that. Besides, it shouldn't take me long to unpack the kitchen by myself. It's not like I ever bought a lot of pots and pans and utensils since I don't cook."
Clark laughed. "Well, now that we're in the same city, I plan to fix that."
"Oh, great." Lois groaned. "That means more cooking lessons, doesn't it?"
"You bet it does."
Clark left the apartment and Lois rolled her eyes. "Maybe if I blow up something he'll give up on me."
"I heard that!" Clark called out to her from down the hall.
Lois laughed and shook her head. Living nearer Clark where they could be together almost all the time was going to be interesting, she was sure of that. And more wonderful than she could ever imagine.
She was almost done unpacking the few dishes and pans she owned when Clark came bustling back in through the door, an armload of boxes shielding his body and face. But as soon as he set them down, she caught the huge smile on his face.
"What?" she asked curiously. "What are you grinning about?"
He hurried over to her, grabbed her hand, and dragged her toward the door. "Come with me. There's something I've got to show you."
Giggling at his child-like enthusiasm, she followed, playfully demanding to know where he was taking her. Her questions were met only by a mischievous grin as he pulled her into the back stairwell and up the remaining two flights of stairs. Finally they burst through the door, emerging onto the roof.
With a grand gesture of outstretched arms encompassing their surroundings and the horizon, he glanced back over his shoulder at her, awaiting her reaction. "Just take a look at this, would you?"
Lois let out a gasp. She'd always heard people complain about city life--smog, tall buildings, congested traffic.... But clearly there was beauty to be found if only one knew where to look. And she had found just such a place.
The early evening sunlight glinted off the windows of the tall buildings in the distance, turning the cityscape into a wall of mirrors, reflecting the beautiful pinks, yellows, and reds of the sunset onto the buildings around it. This sunset wasn't any less beautiful than the ones she had witnessed from her own balcony reflecting off the ocean's surf. This one was just different in that it had a beauty all its own.
Lois paused, taking a few minutes to enjoy the sight. "Clark, it's beautiful," she whispered in awe. She walked to the edge of the roof and crossed her arms along the chest-high brick wall surrounding the space. For a long moment, she was silent as she took in the beauty of the city around her.
The sounds of horns honking below drew her attention and she leaned forward enough to stare down at the traffic below.
"Careful," Clark warned, putting a hand on the small of her back. "It's a long way down."
She smiled at a sudden memory and turned to look at him standing beside her. "This reminds me of the first time I came to Metropolis to get your story. I spent that whole first day on the beat trying to get an exclusive...me and a thousand different reporters." She made a face and then laughed. "I was so frustrated! You never even glanced my way, and I wasn't used to being overlooked. I felt like just one of the crowd. So I decided to do something drastic to get your attention."
A grin flashed across his face. "You? Do something drastic to get a story?"
She laughed and elbowed him in the side. "Yes, I was resorting to whatever measures I deemed necessary. At that time, it meant jumping off the Daily Planet's roof."
Clark's smile quickly faded and his eyes widened. "You tried to jump off the Daily Planet's roof to get my attention?"
"Well, I didn't make it as far as actually *trying*," she reassured him with a smile. "I got as far as peering over the edge before I chickened out. I kept worrying you wouldn't hear me in time, or that you were too far away to hear me."
"Lois, you could have been killed!" Clark's voice raised a notch.
"I didn't actually go through with it," she protested sheepishly.
Still, he scowled at her. "Lois, it's just like you, considering something so dangerous to get a story. Don't make me talk to you again about how you've got to be more careful--"
"I know, I know..." She rolled her eyes at his scolding. "But the way I figure it is, I don't have to be quite so careful now that you're within shouting distance, right?" She grinned mischievously.
"Lo-is..."
Her grin broadened. "Geez, Clark, lighten up. I'm only teasing."
The taut muscles in his face visibly relaxed, and he managed a smile. "Well, I guess there's some comfort in the fact that you didn't end up resorting to such drastic measures, *and* you still managed to get your exclusive. That ought to have taught you something."
"Yeah, well...don't get your hopes up, Clark." Her eyes were sparkling with mischief. "As far as living less dangerously...there's only one guarantee I can give you about that."
"Oh yeah?" He looked hopeful. "What's that?"
"There are no guarantees."
He chuckled and threw an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "I figured as much."
They stood, staring at the sunset for a long time, savoring the moment together as they watched the sun slip down beneath the towering buildings, leaving smudges of pastel colors across the horizon in its wake. Soon the pastels deepened in hue, becoming oranges and reds and purples, until finally, the sun dropped beneath the horizon and the sky dimmed in color to a more even inky blue.
A sigh escaped Clark's lips as they watched the last of the colors fade. "I can't tell you how great this feels, standing here, watching the sun set with you at my side, knowing you're going to be here tomorrow when the sun returns. It feels like a whole new life is beginning for me."
"For us," Lois agreed, snuggling into his side and letting her head fall to his shoulder. "It was hard to leave San Francisco, but I know this move was the right thing for me to do."
A breeze picked up, causing Lois to shiver. Snow was predicted that night--Metropolis's first snow of the season. And Lois was surprised to discover that she was actually looking forward to it. It would be her first snow storm. She smiled. There were a lot of 'firsts' in her life lately. And she was loving every minute of it.
Clark nudged her, rousing her from her contented state. "Come on. I have one more thing to show you."
Lois laughed at his continuing enthusiasm as he took her hand and pulled her back toward the stairs. "You're just full of surprises today, aren't you?"
"Of course." He grinned back at her over his shoulder. "You're in a new city. I couldn't let you be bored, could I?"
They went down the flights of stairs and reached the apartment just in time to see one of the moving men setting the last box in her living room. They thanked him, then Clark shut the door behind him and locked it.
Clark was grinning mischievously when he took her hand again and led her into the bedroom. When they stood in the doorway, Lois's jaw fell open.
The dozens of boxes that had cluttered the bedroom only a short time before were gone, and her bed had been set up, made, and her furniture arranged in the way she'd told Clark days ago she'd wanted.
"Ta-dah!" he sung, opening his arms and gesturing at the room the same way he'd done on the roof a short time before.
"Clark, when did you do all this?" she asked, stunned, as she walked into the room and gazed around the immaculate room in wonder.
"A little while ago. You were downstairs trying to help the movers unload those boxes."
She shook her head, then turned and stepped into his arms. "Clark, you are just amazing. Thank you."
She nestled herself against Clark's chest, sighing happily. It felt good to be here this way with Clark. Right. And she just knew things would continue to get better and better.
"By the way," Clark said a minute later, causing her to pull back and look up at him. "I took the liberty of unpacking a few things into your chest of drawers. I hoped it might make you a little less homesick."
Curious about the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, she crossed the room over to her chest of drawers. She quickly spotted Tusky, her stuffed elephant, sitting on top of it just as he had in her old room. She smiled fondly at the sight. Then she opened the top dresser drawer.
Inside lay two large, hardcover scrapbook albums. She lifted out the first one and opened the cover.
A gasp escaped her lips as she saw the pictures inside. There was one of Jim Langley and her co-workers standing in the newsroom, holding a banner in front of them that said, "We love you, Lois! We'll miss you!"
Tears sprang unbidden into her eyes as she noticed that Clark had tucked the same banner in the picture into the front sleeve of the album. She pulled it out and saw that everyone had signed it, saying nice things about the time they'd spent working with her and wishing her well.
"How did you do this?" she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
Clark took a step closer, peering over her shoulder with her at the photograph. He shrugged, but the look on his face told her how touched he was by her reaction. "I told Jim what a tough a time you were having with the thought of missing everybody, and we came up with this. You talk about him being hard-nosed, but it's obvious he has a soft spot for you."
She smiled. "I know he does. That's one of the reasons it made it so hard to leave."
Clark squeezed her shoulder. "I know." After a moment, he urged, "Turn the page."
She did, and this time she saw a series of pictures taken of her apartment, Agnes, and even Princess. Lois's heart tightened at the pictures, and she suddenly realized how much she missed her friends and the familiar places of her old home.
Turning the page, she let out a little gasp. The next dozen or so pages were filled with pictures she'd collected over the years of her parents and Lucy, as well as of her friends.
Clark's hand squeezed her shoulder. "Agnes tipped me off that you stored a bunch of pictures in a box on your hall closet shelf. She helped me sort through them and put in the ones that we thought might mean the most to you."
Lois's tears finally spilled over and coursed down her cheeks. "It's perfect," she whispered, barely managing to keep the sob from escaping her throat.
She turned the last page, then closed the album. With tears streaming down her face, she turned and hugged Clark tightly. "Thank you," she whispered fiercely, "for understanding how important this last chapter of my life has been to me."
He hugged her tightly in return and bent his head to kiss the top of her head. "You're welcome. I know what a big decision this was to make, and it just means all the more to me, knowing the sacrifice you made."
"It wasn't so much a sacrifice, really," she said, pulling back to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I just knew this was the next step I needed to take in my life. And as much as I'll miss what I've left behind, I know I'm going to love what I have right here even more."
"I'm glad you said that," he said with a grin, stepping back with purpose, "because you haven't opened the other album yet."
"There's more?"
He nodded, his eyes twinkling. "There is."
She stepped back to the dresser and reached in the top drawer for the other hardbound book. Setting it on the top, she opened it and gasped in delight. The picture Martha had taken of them in Smallville not so long ago as they'd cuddled on the porch swing stared back at her. Clark had had it blown up and inserted it into the sleeve on the first page.
"I guess your mom was right. I'm glad now she convinced us to let her take the picture." She traced a finger along Clark's smiling face in the photograph. "We do look cute together, all cuddled up like that, don't we? I guess I can see why she darted back in for that camera of hers."
"Yeah, well, thanks to Mom, my picture album is jam-packed, while I'm sure yours has always been a little lacking. I wanted to make up for that."
She smiled in appreciation and turned the page, seeing pictures of Martha and Jonathan, the farm, and even a picture taken of Jimmy and Perry inside the newsroom, working.
"The other album is of your past," he explained. "This one is of your future...one that I hope you'll always let me be a part of."
"Oh, Clark, of course you will be," she told him, reaching up to touch his face lovingly. Then she turned back to the album and turned the next page. When she did, she froze.
Taped to the next page, devoid of pictures, was a large, glittering diamond solitaire ring.
Her exclamation died in her throat. For several long moments she felt unable to move, unable to breathe. Her heart hammered so loudly in her chest she could hear it in her own ears.
When she was finally able to regain control of her emotions, she looked up into Clark's eyes with her own tear-filled ones. "Clark...?"
With trembling hands, Clark reached for hers and got down on one knee before her. "Lois, my life changed dramatically the day I met you. For so long I felt like I didn't fit in, that I would always be alone. But the moment I saw you sitting in Perry's office, something happened. My heart finally started beating. I knew then that there was something special about you, and every second I spend with you confirms that's true. You are the person I'd never thought I'd find. And now that I've found you, I never want to spend another day without you--without knowing you'll always be mine. Lois...will you marry me?"
Tears once again started to course down her cheeks as she looked at the man kneeling before her. "Oh, Clark," she managed past the lump in her throat. She opened her mouth to say more, but found herself at a loss for words. Finally she simply dropped to her knees before him and threw her arms around his neck, their tears mingling as they cried tears of joy.
After long minutes, Clark's smile curved against her cheek. "So, is that a yes?"
Her shoulders started to shake, and he pulled back to look into her face. But instead of crying, he saw she was laughing. She nodded vigorously, a large smile splitting her face. "Yes, that's a yes."
Releasing his breath in a laugh of relief, he drew her to her feet. With one arm still securely around her waist, he reached for the ring taped to the page of the album. He pulled it off carefully, then turned back to her. He lifted her shaking hand with his own and slipped the ring onto her left hand.
Seeing the ring shimmering from her finger, his heart skipped a beat. Never before had he seen such a glorious sight. Unable to contain himself, he gathered her once again into his arms and held her tightly.
"Oh, Clark, I'm so happy," Lois breathed, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "Agnes told me she thought it was only a matter of time before we got engaged, but I wasn't sure I wanted to believer her. I mean, I figured it was going to happen eventually, but...." She broke off. "It just makes it feel like everything has fallen into place."
"It has, Lois." He smiled softly. "And I want you to think of this move here as a new beginning...the beginning of our life together."
Lois tipped her head back to look up into the familiar warm, brown eyes she'd grown to love so much in such a short amount of time. "A new beginning," she repeated in a contemplative whisper. Then she nodded as a slow smile spread across her face. "I can hardly wait."
**********
"And this is where we keep the coffee machine and the donuts." Clark waved at the break area as he showed Lois through the newsroom a couple days later. "But if you want the good donuts, you have to get here early."
Lois laughed. "I'll remember that."
She looked around the break area--the last stop on their office tour--and felt an odd sense of comfort in knowing the Daily Planet's newsroom wasn't that much different than the newsroom she'd spent so much time in back in San Francisco. But what made this newsroom so special was the fact that she was going to be in this one with Clark, working alongside him every day. She could only imagine the stories they could write, the investigations they could handle. Between the two of them, she knew there was nothing they couldn't do.
Those thoughts brought her back to the story they'd been investigating together the last few months, and her face took on a determined look.
"You know, Clark," she began as she leaned back against the break area's counter, "now that I'm here in Metropolis, we really need to talk to Perry about everything we've learned about Luthor and Bureau 39 and Mesopotamia, Inc. I'm sure he'd agree to put us on this story and let us really dedicate some time to it."
Her eyes began to sparkle and her hand gestures became more animated as she went on. "I mean, there's no way Perry would say no. Just think would happen to the Planet's circulation if we exposed Luthor--third richest man in the world and so-called philanthropist--for the criminal we're sure he is! We're talking an expose of epic proportions. We could even be looking at a Pulitzer Prize, or the very least, a Kerth Award. Wouldn't that be great?! Our first major expose together. If we could really run with this, and are able to use the Planet's resources to trace back all these connections, we could.... What?"
She broke off as she saw that Clark was standing before her silently, a smile spreading across his face.
After a long minute, he shook his head, the look of admiration he had for her shining clearly in his eyes. "Nothing. It's just... You're babbling again. Do you have any idea how much I love listening to you babble?"
Lois rolled her eyes, then laughed softly. "Sorry. I know; I tend to babble when I get nervous or excited."
"No, don't apologize," Clark told her quickly. "That's what I love about you, Lois. You're so full of life...so full of passion and excitement for what you do. I can't wait to share that enthusiasm of yours every day for the rest of my life."
Her expression softening, she smiled and pushed off from the counter to reach for his hand. "I can't wait to share it with you, either."
Clark sighed deeply and pulled her into his arms. "Ohhh, it feels good to have you here, Lois. You have no idea how good."
Lois hugged him back, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms. And what was even better, she knew she wasn't going to have to be separated from him before day's end. She was looking forward to that more than anything.
When she finally pulled back from their embrace, she lifted her hand to stroke the silky fabric of Clark's wild red and yellow tie. She smiled and shook her head.
"Your crazy taste in ties aside," she said, giving Clark's tie a playful tug, "I'm going to love seeing you every day, too. It's going to be great, working together, isn't it? But you're going to have to work hard, you know." She gave him a playful, scolding glare. "I don't just partner up with anybody. I'm going to expect you to pull your weight. And just so you know--as far as work goes, I live by three rules."
Clark cocked an eyebrow at her curiously. "Oh? What rules are those?"
She held out her hand and started to tick the rules off on her fingers. "Number one, never get involved in your stories. Number two, never let anyone else get there first. And number three, never sleep with anyone you work with."
Clark threw his head back and roared with laughter. "Lois, I think you're going to need some new rules! Since I've known you, you've already gotten involved in your stories, let *me* beat you to the exclusive story about Superman, and..." his voice dropped to a whisper, "...you've already slept with somebody you work with. Me." He flashed her his devastating grin. "And just so you know, I don't plan to stop sleeping with you just because you work here."
Lois laughed as he leaned down to kiss her. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that."
Their kiss deepened, and Lois wrapped her arms around his waist.
Just then a loud, gruff voice boomed out around them. "Hey, hey, hey! Enough of that!"
They quickly broke apart and turned to see Perry approaching.
"I didn't hire you to distract my reporters," he scolded Lois when he came to a stop in front of them. "I hired you because you're a no-holds-barred investigative journalist! You're not going soft on me, are you?"
"No, sir," Lois replied, momentarily intimidated by his gruff tone until she saw the underlying twinkle in his eye. A relieved smile slipped across her face.
Perry winked imperceptibly at her. "Good. Now, Kent..." He turned to Clark and shook a finger at him. "I'm counting on you to look after her. You show her the ropes and make sure she doesn't jump in without checking the water level first. Got it?"
"Got it, Chief," Clark said with a barely disguised grin.
"And Kent, make sure to spread that 'Mad Dog Lane' nickname of hers around," Perry told Clark with a conspiratorial grin. "It'll warn people of that temper Jim Langley told me to watch out for."
Lois gasped and whirled on Clark. "You told Perry my nickname?"
"Sorry." Clark smiled sheepishly. "It kind of slipped out when we were talking about your work habits before you arrived."
Lois rolled her eyes, and Perry's laughter boomed out around them. "Don't worry about it, Lois. I like it. I'd certainly want a 'Mad Dog Lane' working for me instead of somebody else. Besides," his voice softened, "Jim also told me you were one of the best investigative journalists he has ever known. We're proud to have you with us."
Her anger dissipated and she smiled. "Thanks, Perry."
Perry turned to Clark, all business again. "You almost done with that follow-up I asked you to write?"
"Actually, it is done." Clark nodded. "I just need to print it off for you."
"Great! Then I want it on my desk in five minutes." Perry's eyes drifted to Jimmy as the younger man walked past, and his attention shifted. "Jimmy! Where are those pictures you promised me by deadline?"
Perry walked away, leaving them alone once again. Clark walked with Lois back to his desk, and he gestured at the one across from his where Perry had stationed her. It was littered with boxes of research and supplies. "Do you need help getting your things set up?"
She shook her head. "No, I'm okay. I need to get some files uploaded onto my computer, and you really can't help with that."
"Well, let me know if there is anything you need, okay?"
Lois smiled. "I will."
When Clark sat down at his desk--blissfully, only a few feet from hers--she pulled out her own chair and sat down. Her hands fell onto the smooth, hard surface of her desk and she stroked it in wonder.
She was actually here at the Daily Planet. At the desk across from Clark. Beginning a new life. With him.
Never in a million years would she have dreamed she'd be here in Metropolis, working side by side with the love of her life. If someone had told her a year ago that she'd be here today, she would have told them they were crazy. But here she was. It had really happened.
Perry's loud voice sounded from somewhere nearby, and she looked up to see him glowering at the errand boy who had apparently been a step slow. She smiled and continued to let her gaze pan the bustling newsroom. Jimmy was walking down the ramp with a stack of papers, whistling a carefree tune. One of the city reporters was leaning back in his chair, doodling, while he was on hold on the phone. Another reporter was trying to convince an errand boy to go pick up his early lunch from a nearby takeout spot. Even three thousand miles away, the feel of the newsroom was the same. And she loved it.
She glanced down at the glittering solitaire on her left hand, a warm glow filling her heart.
'New beginnings,' Clark had said. She smiled.
Once upon a time, beginnings had scared her. She'd had too many of them in her life, and not necessarily good ones. But this time...this time she knew things were going to be different. The prospect of this new beginning glowed as gloriously in her heart as the noon-day sun did in the bright Metropolis sky. She had no doubt her life there with Clark was going to be wonderful.
With a contented sigh, Lois slid her chair closer to her desk and inserted a disk into her computer. It was amazing, she thought. In all her life, she'd never quite felt such a feeling of complete and utter contentment as she did right then.
She glanced happily around the bustling newsroom once more, then let her gaze fall on Clark. He was sitting there watching her, the emotion in his eyes telling her that he was as happy as she to be sharing the same space with her. And as he smiled at her, the warmth of his beautiful brown eyes and his humble, tender soul burned into her heart forever.
And right then, she knew.
She was finally home.
The End.
