The dialogue in the first three paragraphs is taken from Superman II. This little vignette was not beta-read. All characters mentioned herein to Warner Brothers and DC Comics.
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A Kiss to Remember -- A Superman II Plot Untwist (1/1)
By Lynn S. M.
Rated PG for some veiled sexual references
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"Don't you know that this is killing me?" Lois asked through her tears. "Do you know what it’s like to have you come in here every morning and not be able to talk to you? Not be able to show I have any feelings for you? Not be able to tell anyone that I know who you are? I don't even know what name to call you."
The words shattered Clark far more than Kryptonite bullets ever could. Lois -- the woman he loved more than life itself, the woman for whom he had turned back time -- wished she hadn't known the real him. He whispered, "I don't know what to say."
Lois turned to face him. "I don't know. Just say you love me."
He had gladly sacrificed his powers for her, but now he must make a far bigger sacrifice…His happiness for hers. Clark took off his glasses and tossed them on Lois' desk. He committed to memory the way love shone through her eyes; he knew he would never see that look again. He brushed her tears away with his thumbs, then leaned in to give her the kiss which would obliterate her memory and his joy. He couldn't keep himself from caressing her cheek during the kiss.
At last, he reluctantly pulled away. Lois slapped his cheek. As she nursed her hand, she said, "How dare you?"
Time for bumbling Clark to show himself. "Gosh, Lois. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'll never do that again."
"Darn right, mister! But cut the Clark act. I know who you are."
"How --?"
"How did I keep my memory, you mean? I'm an army brat. When other little girls were learning to dance and to play piano, I was learning how to shoot a gun and how to resist enemy interrogations -- including how to resist hypnosis." She chuckled bitterly. "Never needed either skill until you came along. It's funny, Dad's lessons first let me prove and then let me remember who you were." Her voice hardened. "I love you, Clark, but don't you *ever* try a stunt like that again."
"But you hated knowing about me. You said so yourself. I thought I was doing what you wanted."
"I never said I hated knowing about you. I said it was hard sharing you with the world and learning how to interact with bumbling-Clark now that I know the real you. I was blowing off steam -- venting, you know? You were doing what you thought I wanted -- not what I really wanted. If you had actually *asked*, I would have told you that you're worth it, you big jerk."
Clark couldn't resist taking her in his arms once more and using his thumbs to brush the fresh tears from her cheeks. He said sadly, "But we can't be together. My mother said --"
"You're a grown man, for goodness' sake! You don't have to do what mother says! Just because she says we can't be together doesn't make it so. Do you want to be with me?"
"Of course I do. More than anything."
"Then we'll make it work. We might have to be a little creative in some areas, but we can do it. You gave up your powers for me; I can give up the idea of having a 'normal' relationship to be with you. I'm grateful for whatever we can do together."
Her willingness to make such a big sacrifice for him did the impossible -- it made him love her even more. And she was right about his mother's counsel; that was all the encouragement Clark needed. Once again he leaned in to give her a kiss. But this would be a kiss to remember.
