Lois slowly found her way back to their spectacular corner office, still trying to process the kiss, Superman—the Blur. She walked around the bullpen in a daze, unbelieving that Clark Kent—her farm boy partner and best friend—no, more than friends. Between that kiss and her memory of rolling in the sheets with him, it was time he got elevated to more than just best friend---but that her Clark was the Blur.
It made perfect sense, really. She had always seen a hero in him in one form or another, reluctant as she had been to admit it at times. But the thought that Clark was really the Blur sent a thrill through her. How many sleepless nights had she wrestled with her heart, trying to reconcile her budding feelings for Clark and for the mysterious Blur? She knew at the time that it had been folly to hope there could ever be anything between her and the Blur, as he needed to remain anonymous in order to save the world—but if Clark was the Blur… couldn’t that open up a world of possibilities?
She stood for a long time in front of the window, gazing into the clear sky over Metropolis, still in partial shock. The Blur could fly? Since when? She hoped she’d see him again… She simply couldn’t believe Smallville was actually a hero in tights, running off to save the day, who kissed like a god, and—it was simply too much to process.
She made her way over to her executive desk, staring at the computer screen for a long moment, still lost in her thoughts.
“Pull yourself together,” she eventually admonished to herself, realizing she could be doing some research to answer a few questions about her sudden change in circumstances. Once she set that task for herself, Lois was able to settle in and start digging through the Planet archives on the Intranet. The first page, which showed the current issue of the Daily Planet, shocked her. Not because of the articles, but because of the date.
2017.
“Holy smokes… This is the future?” Not an alternate reality. Not a strange dream. But the future. Her future…
She glanced at the ring still on her finger, trying to understand how it brought her here. She didn’t remember taking it off before on her travels to the alien invasion, but she recalled having put it back on in order to return to the present. Yet she was scared if she did take it off now, it would send her immediately back to her present time, and she wasn’t ready to leave just yet.
She wanted answers.
She wanted to see Superman again.
She wanted to kiss Clark again…
There were definitely things she needed to learn before she whooshed back to the present.
Lois scanned through the archives, looking for when the Blur became Superman. She didn’t know why she felt that was the most important thing to find out first, because her other big question was one Clark himself would have to answer.
Namely, when did they become a couple? Were they married? And most importantly, did he really love her?
All of her life, Lois had felt left behind, had struggled to get out of the shadow of the men in her life with seemingly greater destinies than her own. It was part of the reason she had broken up with Ollie. And why her relationship with the General was always on edge. And now, as wonderful as it was learning that Clark was really the Blur, she still wondered if she could keep up with a destiny like that.
The screen blinked, bringing her back to the present. She had found it.
May 13, 2011. Superman’s debut.
She was proud to see she had written the article, and it made her curious to know where her career had gone on from there.
So, she next put in her name in the search engine, getting over 700 hits. She narrowed the search to ‘Lois Lane’ and ‘Superman’, which brought up 420 articles. Then she saw a button for ‘prize winning articles,’ and couldn’t resist clicking on that.
She couldn’t help but gasp with pleased surprise. Under her name, were five Kerth awards and two Pulitzers. And just cause she couldn’t help her curiosity, she then put in Clark’s name. Two Kerths, and one of the Pulitzers she had won, had also been his.
So they were still partners.
Obviously. If the shared executive office hadn’t been an indication. But still, it was nice to know that they were partners in print as well.
But still…did she take a back seat to his superhero duties? Sure, she held her own in journalism, but did he really need her?
She stared at the empty chair across from her, thinking of the often-empty chair across from her old desk on so many days. The whole superhero thing certainly explained Smallville’s random absences… but it also made her wonder.
Even with all of her accomplishments to evidence, what she still needed to know was, was there really room for her in a life as full of responsibility as his?
~\S/~
After her curiosity was satisfied, Lois began to fidget, wondering how she would explain herself to Clark. He had to know that she wasn’t—well, herself. Not exactly, anyway. And apparently her future self was off interviewing the President of the United States, which even she admitted, was pretty awesome.
She didn’t have to wait long for Clark, though. He came back a short while later, looking even more handsome than she remembered, even with the slicked back hair and geekazoid glasses.
“Hey, Lois. Surprised I didn’t see you downtown, covering the fires,” he said, hanging his jacket on the coat tree.
“Clark, we need to talk,” she said a little tersely, having been freaking out for the last hour about her recent discoveries and subsequent questions.
“What is it, Lois? Is everything all right?”
She shook her head, crossing her arms, as she leaned her hip against his desk. His cornflower blue eyes looked at her with concern, and he reached to rub her upper arms gently. “What is it?”
“Clark—“ she said, and then, unsure of where to begin and unable to really speak with him so near, she lifted her hand with the gold ring on it and showed it to him. “I’m not who you think I am… well, I am—but—“
He took her hand in his looking at the ring, and then his eyes met hers. “You’re from the past?” he asked, realization suddenly dawning. “Lois, what were you doing with the Legion ring in the first place? I hid that thing---wait, I remember. You disappeared the afternoon that—“ he paused, his jaw moving as he chewed on a thought.
Then, with sudden decisiveness he said, “Lois, everything will be fine. Just take the ring off, and put it back on again, thinking of home.”
She pulled her hand out of his, lest he try to send her back himself. “Clark, I’m not Dorothy, clicking her heels to head back to home-sweet-home Kansas, and I want to talk to you first!” she said, his close proximity making it hard to breathe and just a little irritable—all she could think about was that kiss! And… Superman! How the hell did Smallville keep all of this under wraps for so long?
“When were you---did you—tell me that you are the Blur?” she finally blurted, surprising herself with how hurt she sounded. “I mean, I get the need to protect your secret---but---why did you keep it so long from me?”
His eyes met hers, and she could see the concern he felt for her there. She wondered how much her own conveyed the hurt she felt.
“Chloe knew, didn’t she?” she asked quietly, as a hundred little things about her cousin’s relationship with Clark suddenly began to make sense. “Was I the last one to know?”
“Lois—you have to understand. There were so many times when I had wanted to tell you. I kept it from you because I didn’t want to hurt you---but Lois, I did eventually tell you,” he said patiently.
“Well, obviously,” she shrugged, as unexpected tears welled up in her eyes.
“Please, don’t cry. I can’t stand it when you cry, Lois,” he said, handing her a tissue, his voice laced with anguish.
“It’s not your fault…this is all just a lot to take in. But---um, are we---married?” she asked after a moment, the other burning question finally coming to the surface.
He raked his fingers through his hair and then laughed ruefully. She looked taken aback, but he quickly shook his head. “You don’t understand. You and I have been trying to get married for almost seven years. But every time—there’s something that stops us. Plane crashes. Asteroids. Villains… you name it, it’s somehow managed to come between us and a wedding altar. But Lois,” he said her name tenderly, taking her hands in his. “We are married, in our hearts. There’s no one else for either of us. And someday, we’ll make it official. “
She let go of some of the worry that had been building up inside her, seeing how much he cared about her.
“I’m proud of you, Clark,” she said eventually, sincerely, when she could breathe again, her emotions back under control. “I always knew the Blur could become a symbol for hope in the world, and it looks like you’ve accomplished that.”
“Lois, I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Really?” she asked, sounding unconvinced.
He looked at her in surprise. “You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
He continued to hold her hand, gently stroking her palm as he spoke. “Lois, I couldn’t be Superman without you. I couldn’t sustain this life day after day, without having you by my side. I—“ he seemed to change what he wanted to say, and he shifted so he was propped up on his desk next to her. “Do you remember those three weeks you were gone? When you told me about those visions you had of Zod?”
She nodded. “For me, it was just last night that I told you.” She suddenly turned to him. “What happened? Did you defeat Zod? Well obviously you did—I mean you’re here—in the far future—“ Her head was spinning with this time traveling stuff.
“Lois, calm down. Everything worked out fine. I destroyed the RAO tower shortly after they started building it.”
She began to breathe a little easier.
“But Lois, back to what I was saying… You wondered where I had been while you were away. I was training, learning about my heritage—but I—“ he shook his head. “It’s a lot to explain, and I want to save some of the good parts for my past self to tell you,” he said with a secretive smile. “—but my point is, I came back to the Daily Planet because of you, when I was honest with myself. You see, I had tried to walk away from being Clark Kent. But Lois, when I saw you on that train, my heart told me—even if my head wasn’t listening at the time—that my place was with you.”
She looked into his eyes, touched and surprised by his confession.
“And I don’t---get in the way of you being… Superman?” she shrugged a little sheepishly, taking in his boxy suit and glasses, which served to disguise the fantastical figure she had witnessed on the roof.
He laughed heartily, rolling his eyes, “Lois, you get in the way all the time!”
She started to pull away, hurt, but he tugged her back to face him. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said tenderly.” I expect to see you in the middle of the action. That’s where Lois Lane thrives. And I’ll always be there looking out for you. Lois, when you go back to your own time and talk to the man I was, just remember, that you—just being you—helped make me the man that I am today.”
“And what, pray tell, do I tell you?” she asked him in slight exasperation. “I mean, granting that I even remember this little trip into the future… and that it’s not all a dream,” she said a little sadly. She moved from the desk, looking out across the city as she had done earlier, her pose slightly self-defensive with her arms lightly crossed. “I want you to trust me enough to tell me the truth yourself,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to force it out of you.”
He suddenly came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, like he had done in her dream of that other future, that other time. “Then don’t,” he whispered behind her ear. “I’ll tell you, Lois. If you can wait for me… “
She turned in his arms, her eyes meeting his. She knew this might all feel like a dream later, and she wanted to hold onto it, remember it, and have it give her strength when she went back to a Clark who was a bit lunk-headed when it came to the trust department. She wanted to hold onto what it felt like to be loved by this Clark. This was even more compelling than those moments of passion in the apocalyptic world; that love had been almost circumstantial. But this—what she saw in his eyes, was for keeps.
“I would wait for you all my life,” she whispered, leaning up to kiss him.
He obliged her, leaning in to meet her, wrapping his arms around her waist as her arms came over his shoulders, her fingers wending their way through his hair. She kissed him, full of all the possibilities that could lie before them. She kissed him with the promise that she wouldn’t abandon him, that she would give him the gift of time… that eventually they would come full circle to this place in their lives where they loved and supported each other openly and freely.
His kiss was full of promise as well. Showing her what it would be like for them, that he trusted her with his heart, with his secret. All those that had found out about it, had used it against him one way or another, or held it over his head when the tough got going. But not Lois. Never Lois. She trusted him, loved him enough to wait until he was ready to tell her the truth, and it had made all the difference.
He pulled away after a moment, to look in her eyes. He brushed her hair out of her face and his eyes suddenly lit up with impish delight. “Lois? How would you like to go flying?”
~\S/~
They were on the roof a few moments later, giddy as children. Lois watched in awe as he changed once more into his super-persona.
“Wow, that is so much better in Technicolor,” she breathed, taking in the sight of his blue suit, taught over his incredibly muscled body, and his scarlet cape, swishing in the wind behind him.
He stepped toward her, a confidence in his eyes that thrilled her. The Clark of her present had such a long way to go yet, but she couldn’t wait to make the journey to become this man with him.
“Are you ready, Miss Lane?” he asked playfully, scooping her up in his arms.
“Are you kidding? This is not something you can prepare for, Smallville!” she laughed, snuggling tighter into his embrace.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” he said, slowly taking them up into the air.
Lois was breathless for the first few moments of flight, aware only of Clark’s arms holding her securely, and the gentle whisper of wind in her ears. She never felt a moment of fear, only thrilling excitement; this moment was kismet and destiny. She felt as if she had flown in Superman’s arms a hundred times, in different lifetimes, in different places… but this was their special destiny, and her heart thrilled to witness it firsthand.
The sun was beginning to set around them, casting a golden and pink glow over the city, reflecting off the glass buildings and dancing across Hobb’s Bay. The city was alive with magic for Lois, and she couldn’t imagine anything more perfect than flying like this, in Clark’s arms, as only Clark could do.
“When did you learn to fly?” she asked after a while, in between Clark pointing out various landmarks across the city.
“I always had the ability in me… but you---you were the last piece of the puzzle, Lois. Once I understood what we would mean to each other, everything came together after that. I became Superman because of you.”
“That’s a lot for a girl to be responsible for,” she said.
“But it only works because we love each other. That we help each other.”
“True partners?“ she interrupted softly.
He nodded. “Exactly. Just remember that.”
Eventually they flew back to the roof of the Planet. Lois, not wanting the magic to end, held onto him, even when his feet landed on the rooftop. She stared up at him, in awe, in love.
She knew it couldn’t last, and she groaned, conveying her reluctance that this should end eventually. “Do I really have to go back? Can’t we just pick up things from here?”
He laughed ruefully, his eyes dancing, “Lois, you know it won’t work that way. My Lois will be back tomorrow, and paradoxes can’t sustain themselves in time travel. Besides, I need you to go back…” He seemed to suddenly remember something, as the levity from his expression disappeared and was replaced by seriousness, “Lois, you have to go back to save me.”
“What? What do you mean?” she asked frightfully. “Please tell me you are speaking figuratively.”
He shook his head. “No, unfortunately I’m not. Lois, I can’t explain. But it’s a necessary piece of the puzzle, Lois. Just please, it’s time that you return.”
She nodded, trusting his urgency, even if she was sad to let this version of her hero go.
Watching her expressions, he tried to smooth over her regret. “Lois, I’m your future. There’s no reason to be disappointed,” he said, cupping her cheek in farewell.
He looked off to the side, like she had seen him do earlier.
“Another emergency somewhere?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yeah, I have to go, Lois. Please, put the ring back on.”
She nodded, preparing to do just that, but then she suddenly changed her mind, and ran the few feet to him and tossed her arms around him again, laying another kiss on his lips. “For good luck, soldier. See you in the trenches,” she whispered tenderly.
He kissed her again, quickly, and then lifted off slightly from the ground, hovering. “Go, Lois. I need you.”
She nodded, and then slipped the ring back on. The last thing she saw in the blinding light was a streak of red and blue, flashing across the Metropolis sky.
~\S/~
Lois found herself back on the rooftop in Metropolis, but no beautiful sunset greeted her. Instead, a steady rain and a nighttime sky, the rain soaking her and leaving her cold. It was as if this was the flip-side of that other world… here, there was still chaos, still secrets… and she longed for one more moment in the presence of a Clark who knew who he was and what his place was in the world.
“Wait,” she breathed in, joy suddenly overtaking her. “I remember everything!” There was no confusion like before. No headaches, no flashes of terror, only a beautiful memory that was a glimpse of a sure and happy future.
She even did a little dance in the rain, but then quickly calmed herself and glanced around… When was she? Was Zod still around, lurking around a corner to pounce on her?
And Clark had said that he needed her…
She suddenly took off running into the building, not bothering with the elevator, but dashing down the stairs. Why had Clark said that he needed her? Did Zod have Clark? And what could she possibly do to save Clark from a super-powered alien?
Funny, she hadn’t even bothered to ask Clark about being an alien. She smiled to herself, even as she doubled her pace. As long as she wasn’t too late, she’d be able to ask Clark all about it in due time.
Finally, she made it to the bullpen. It was mostly empty. She was wet and shivery, and vaguely realized she must look like a drowned rat, soaked from the rain on the roof.
“Clark!” she called, startling one of the cleaning crew.
He wasn’t here…. Where was he? Why hadn’t the ring taken her to where she could help Clark?
Feeling like she was running out of time, she took to the stairs again, this time to head out onto the street. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but her only thought was to save Clark, to save the man she loved. So they could have a future together as brilliant as she had seen merely moments ago.
Though rain still poured down heavily, early morning sunlight was starting to break up the clouds. It was then, that she saw him. Clark was lying in the street, a strange stake stuck into his chest.
“No! Clark!” she called, her voice choked with fear as she rushed to his side. God, was she too late?! Clark had needed her—what if she had missed the chance to save him?!
“No, come back to me! Clark!” she cried, tears mixing with the rain on her face. She leaned down towards his chest, listening for a heartbeat, but she couldn’t hear anything through the pouring rain.
She looked closer at the stake. It looked foreign, alien. And she knew that it must have been Zod that had done this.
‘How was I to save you, Clark? You said you needed me! How could I have faced Zod?’ she thought wildly, fearful at the thought that Clark was dead, that she was too late. Had it been the flight? Had taking that one indulgence been what made her too late?
“Clark!” she called again. Then, desperate to try anything, she yanked the stake from his chest, the odd blue glow glinting wickedly in the sunlight that was beginning to slow the rainfall. She tossed the fearful blade aside, and then miracle of miracles, heard Clark take in a gasping breath.
“Okay, okay,” she whispered, nearly hysterical, as she got up to give him space.
How she longed to stay there by his side and hold him, comfort him that she was there. But it would mean revealing his secret, and Superman’s words were still in her mind. She had to give him time, which would mean being a hero in the shadows for now, as much for him as for herself.
She ran across the street, hiding behind some construction equipment to watch him.
As the rain slowed, and the sun came out once more, Clark staggered to his feet, miraculously alive. Lois watched in joy and awe; she made it. He would be all right. Whether it was the power of her love, or the power of the sun that brought him back, she didn’t care.
Her hero was alive.
