Table of Contents
From Part 3:“This is pointless. Lois, you now know why I couldn’t believe you. Let’s leave it at that. Go home.” He didn’t sound angry now; just very, very weary.
She had to accept his wishes. Even if there was so much more she needed to say - even if there was so much
he didn’t understand. Like how unfair it was of him to expect her to have known stuff she couldn’t possibly have known.
“I’ll go.” She reached for the doorknob. “But there’s one more thing... It’s important,” she added as he made an impatient gesture. “You have to know... Your secret’s safe with me. I’ll never tell anyone. I’ll take it to the grave.”
Then she opened the door and stepped through. Said a silent goodbye to the best friendship she’d ever had... to the man she loved more than she’d ever loved anyone in her life before.
It was over. And it was - mostly - her own fault.
*********
Now read on...At last. She was leaving.
Hell. No! She couldn’t -
But it was what he’d wanted. His apartment, empty of Lois.
Before she could shut the door behind her, he’d stepped into the opening. Without even realising that he was going to do it. “I’ll make coffee.”
It wasn’t the most gracious of invitations. And she knew it - she turned her head halfway around so that she could just see him, and she raised an eyebrow. “And that concerns me how?”
He winced. And knew he deserved to. “Come back in, Lois. Please. You were right - we do need to talk. And this isn’t something we should just leave to drift.”
Yes, she’d hurt him more than anyone ever had in his life before... but even with the pain bleeding out of him every time he looked at her, he couldn’t let it end here.
She didn’t move. “Five minutes ago, you didn’t want me here.”
No. He hadn’t, and he’d made it all too clear. But... this was still Lois, still his best friend, still the woman he couldn’t help loving, no matter what had happened today. Despite what he’d thought, she was still the Lois he knew. After all, she’d just done it again - taken his breath away by not saying what he’d expected her to.
She’d said there was one more thing she wanted to tell him before she left. Bile had risen in his throat again. She’d been going to swear that she still loved him. He’d been sure of it.
And she hadn’t. Instead, she’d reassured him on something he hadn’t even remembered that he needed to worry about.
He’d been wrong. The Lois he’d loved - still loved - was still there.
“I want you here now.” It was a surprise to discover how much he actually meant it. “Come on. You can’t stand out there all night.”
She played with her car keys and, for a moment, it actually looked as if she was going to leave anyway. But then she turned and faced him fully. “You’re right. We should try to talk about this.” Her voice was little more than a whisper. And she walked back to him and through the door.
He closed it behind her. Oddly, some of the heaviness had shifted from his heart.
“Coffee,” he repeated. It would give him something to do while he worked out what the heck he was supposed to say now.
“I don’t want coffee.” She’d paused by the top of the steps again, looking just a little uncertain, seeming to be waiting for something.
He started down the steps into his apartment, watching her out of the corner of his eye. The uncertain expression disappeared and she followed him.
Oh. Because he’d kept her waiting by the door earlier, she’d been unsure that her welcome was real this time.
God, he’d messed up tonight. In so many ways. But then, so had she. And he still had no idea whether they could get past it. Whether, no matter how much he loved her, he’d ever be able to see her as his best friend again.
“No coffee?”
She shook her head. “That’s just procrastinating. There’s stuff we - I - need to say and it’s best just to get on with it.”
He blew out a breath. Despite her ability to avoid the issue when it came to anything personal, she was still able to surprise him sometimes by being so direct it took his breath away. “Okay, then. Want to sit down?” He gestured to the couch.
She shrugged. “Might as well.” And she perched at the furthest possible end from him. The distance that their actions today had placed between them couldn’t be more strongly emphasised.
And then there was silence.
Uncomfortable, he sat staring down at his hands, resting uneasily on his lap. Words refused to come. He’d said enough earlier, anyway.
Shallow. Blind. Uncaring. A lousy friend. A liar.
Words which couldn’t be called back, even if he wanted to. You couldn’t unsay something.
And anyway... harsh though what he’d said had been, there’d been elements of truth in all of it. A lot of truth in some of it.
He’d said enough. Maybe it was time to listen to her.
“Lois?”
“Yeah.” She sighed and turned to him. “You were right. I was... arrogant. And I guess you showed me that and good.”
Yeah, in probably the cruellest way possible. Was that really any way to treat the woman he loved? Even if part of him still wanted to hate her... though that part seemed to be fighting a losing battle now.
“It was pretty stupid of me to say that I knew you. Superman, I mean. But the thing is...” She trailed off and stared into space.
No, she didn’t need to finish it. The thing was that she had a massive crush on his alter ego. Not love at all. She loved what she thought Superman was. No matter how much she denied it, it was all about the powers.
“The thing is,” she continued abruptly, determinedly. “I
do know you. I did know you. Even before I found out that you and Superman are the same person. That doesn’t affect anything of what I meant then.”
What was she talking about now? “You’re not making much sense, Lois.”
She grimaced. “It’s like this, Clark. What I was talking about... Superman’s - you’re - far more than just the powers. I know you thought that’s all it was about, but it’s not. It’s his - your - everything you’re about. Doing good. Setting a higher standard for people to live up to. Making us believe that the world can be a better place. Giving us hope. Even when you can’t help everyone, the fact that you can help
some people gives everyone reason to believe that there’s good in someone. That’s what I meant. That’s why I love - ” She broke off abruptly. “Anyway, that’s what I was talking about.”
He stared at her. It was so far from what he’d thought, what he’d believed... and yet it had the ring of truth. It was so exactly like Lois, like the Lois he’d come to know over the past year. The Lois who’d encouraged him and given him the strength to go on more times than he could remember.
He’d been wrong about her, at least on that. Yes, she’d come across as arrogant and pathetic, and when he’d known exactly how little she did know about Superman, plus how hollow her avowal that she’d love him even if he were an ordinary man had rung given her rejection of him he couldn’t have believed her even if he’d wanted to.
Yet this... Yes, she did know him, in ways he hadn’t realised. Hadn’t even thought of.
Maybe even in ways he hadn’t known himself.
“I guess taking you to Pakistan was a stupid idea.” He shook his head. Why had he ever even thought that she needed that lesson? “You understood about that all along.”
She shrugged. “I’m still glad you did. I knew that’s the sort of thing you have to cope with sometimes, but I never really understood it. It’s different seeing it for myself.” Turning towards him, she added, “I meant what I said. When I get into work tomorrow I’m going to talk to the news editor about doing a follow-up story. I’m not sure if we can get a local news team out to the camp you took me to, but I’ll get something on air.”
“Thanks.” He grimaced. “If the Planet had still been going, I’d have done it myself. Or talked to Perry to make sure the Asia newsdesk had it covered.”
But the Planet was gone, along with his job and, as he’d been thinking earlier, his life in Metropolis...
“I wish the Planet was still there too.” She sounded sad, wistful. And that was a surprise.
“I thought you loved your new job?” He frowned. “Yesterday, you were so excited about it, insisting on showing me around and everything...”
“I wanted you to come and work with me. Wouldn’t have been much of an inducement if I’d told you I’d give anything to be back in print news instead.”
Yeah, she’d wanted him - but as a partner. Not as someone special in her life.
Obviously she remembered what had followed his brief tour of the LNN studios too, for she flushed and looked away. But then she made a cluck of impatience and turned to face him again. “We’ve got to deal with this, Clark. Or else it’s just going to fester. I mean, I don’t know if you can ever be my friend again, but...”
Could he?
It’d be easier now than a couple of hours ago. They were making progress, thanks to her determination.
All the same, he had to be honest with her, and right now he could offer no guarantees.
“I don’t know, Lois. I really don’t know.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath, saw the flinch she tried to hide. But what more could he have said? He couldn’t lie to her and tell her that everything would be okay. Too much had happened for him to be able to do that.
“Okay.” It was little more than a whisper. “I know I hurt you, Clark.” Now she was struggling to find a normal voice. “I... you took me so much by surprise, and I... the thing is, you... I... I guess our relationship’s always been complicated. I didn’t want a partner. I didn’t want a friend. But you became both, and the reason I wanted you to come to LNN is I realised I just couldn’t
not have you in my life. But I never expected that you’d... you’d tell me you love me.”
Her words faded away to a whisper, and she chewed her lip.
“No. You didn’t.” And now the bitterness returned. He couldn’t help it. “Because you were so busy swooning over your god in a cape that you never noticed when your best friend fell in love with you. Let alone even consider maybe loving him back. Yet you found it easy enough to love me when I was dressed differently.”
*********
That was just so... so
damn unfair!
Lois jumped to her feet, breathing heavily, angry words tumbling over each other inside her head, fighting to get out.
But too many words had already been said in anger tonight. If she allowed this to escalate now, then she really would have lost the best friend she’d ever had.
Count to ten. Remember that he was hurting, and he had good reason to be.
“No, I didn’t notice,” she said once she was able to control her voice and answer him without yelling. “But, you know, Clark, you really have to take some share of the blame here.”
“What do you mean?” He was standing too now, glaring at her, looking as if the very last emotion he could possibly feel for her was love.
Didn’t he even realise what he’d done? “You encouraged me! As Superman! You kept coming to see me... you told me I was special... you even kissed me! And I had no idea he was you. What did you think would happen?”
He looked dumbfounded. “I never meant...”
“No? Then why do it? You can’t possibly claim you treated me exactly the same as you did everyone else. You never looked at other people - other women - the way you did me. Or did you tell everyone you met that they were special to you? How many women did you kiss?”
He was silent for a long moment. Then, quietly, he said, “Only you.”
“And you never imagined that I’d fall in love with you? You as Superman?”
This time, he didn’t answer. He shoved his hands deep into his jeans pocket and glanced down at the floor.
“And you never even
tried as yourself - as Clark, did you? Okay, I know I told you right back when we first met not to fall for me, but we didn’t even know each other! You could have... I don’t know, asked me out? I don’t know what I’d have said. Maybe I’d still have said no. I just don’t know. But you could have tried to make me fall for Clark, instead of doing everything you could to make me fall for Superman.”
She hesitated. He still wasn’t responding in any way. But he was listening, she was sure of that. Maybe a bit of ironic humour would provoke a reaction out of him. “There’s this thing about us Earth people. You might have noticed. Most of us are kind of... well, fussy about only being with one person at a time. It’s called monogamy. I know you’ve heard of it. So... if I was already in love with Superman, I couldn’t fall in love with Clark too.”
He gave a short laugh, but it sounded hollow. “You wouldn’t have, though. It wasn’t me - Clark - you were interested in. I was great to have around as a friend, but you made it clear what the limits were. I always knew that there was so far I could go and no further if I wanted to keep your friendship.”
That was true. She couldn’t have made it more clear if she’d put up neon signs. But there were reasons for that, and he knew about at least one of them. “I’ve been hurt before by someone I thought I could trust, Clark. I... didn’t want it to happen again.”
“You knew me well enough to know I’d never do that.” He fixed her with a hard stare. “I’m no Claude, and you know it.”
This was pointless. Why was she even trying to defend herself? She’d been stupid and blind, just as he’d said. The one thing she
knew she hadn’t been was shallow.
“Okay, let’s not argue about what I might or might not have done if you had ever tried... well, before yesterday, I mean. You’re probably right. I probably wouldn’t have given you a chance. But I... I
need you to know that it wasn’t the powers, the flying and everything that made me fall in love with Superman. Even if you don’t believe me, I have to tell you that.”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure that it matters either way. You only loved that part of me. What’s the difference between him and me? He flies.”
God, he could be so stubborn sometimes! “What attracted me to Superman is exactly the stuff I told you about - that he’s kind, and ethical, and he sees good in everyone, and he’ll never walk by when he sees someone who needs help. He’s a force for good in the world - he made *me* believe in something again, and I’ve been a cynic for way too long. And...” She sighed; she was fighting a losing battle, but she’d started now, so... “When he smiled at me, I just wanted to melt.”
Clark didn’t reply. But he was looking at her again.
“The crazy thing is, Clark, I knew all the time that those were your qualities too. And I always admired you for them, even though I told you you were hopelessly naïve and you needed to wake up and see reality. I... I think I didn’t
want to see how like Superman you were. Because then I’d have to admit - ”
No! She’d forfeited the right to say anything like that. And he’d never believe her anyway. So, when he looked at her questioningly, she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
The best she could hope for now was to keep his friendship. The chances of him ever believing that she really did love him - Clark - were none at all. If she tried to tell him, he’d draw the worst possible conclusion. And he’d throw her out.
Clark sighed. “There’s no point in endlessly rehashing this, Lois. I should never have told you how I felt. I... well, as long as you’re not going to marry Luthor, none of this matters.”
Right. Lex. “I want to know about that, you know.” He gave her a questioning look. “Why you think he’s dirty. And, yes, I know I wouldn’t ever listen before,” she added as he raised an eyebrow in her direction. “I want to listen now. Well, not right now. But soon - very soon.”
Another shrug. Then, after a moment, he said, “It bothered me that you never questioned him, Lois. You’re the best there is. And you had someone like him right under your nose and you never once wondered if there was more to him than met the eye.”
Was she imagining it, or was this conversation suddenly layered with meaning too?
She was going to find out. “Clark, is that what really bothers you? That I never realised you were Superman?”
He blinked. Either he hadn’t really been talking about himself, or he hadn’t expected her to realise it. But he looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, “I guess... if I’m honest, yes. You
are the best, Lois. I spent more time with you as Superman than with anyone else. You looked into my eyes... you even kissed me. And you never once saw Clark Kent.”
And that had hurt. The pain in his voice on the last few words told her how much.
“You wanted me to figure it out?”
A grimace. “I don’t know, really. I mean, yeah, part of me must have. Why else would I have felt... resentful that you didn’t? But, at the same time, I went to so many lengths to make sure you didn’t find out. I always knew that anyone finding out would lead to way too many complications. That’s why it’s a secret identity, after all.” He shuffled, looking a little awkward.
But she wasn’t just anyone. And she’d already assured him that she wouldn’t give him away.
“You did it too well. The disguise thing, I mean. And pretending that Superman was a separate person. It never even occurred to me that he could be someone in disguise. And you - you’re so open, as Clark, most of the time. No-one could imagine that you have a big secret. Even when I knew there were things you weren’t telling me, it never occurred to me that it could be something this big.”
He almost smiled. “I guess I should be pleased that it works so well.”
“You know... I’m furious with myself for not working it out. For not even guessing. Like you said, I’m supposed to be a damn good investigative reporter. And I completely missed the fact that my best friend had a whole other life.”
“And that you knew the other life.” That sounded more like her friend Clark, suddenly. He actually smiled at her. “I think maybe it’s just as well I wasn’t with you when you figured it out. You must’ve wanted to kick me for fooling you that well.”
She had to return his smile. How could she not? Clark’s smiles had always been impossible to ignore. Just like Superman’s. How could she never have noticed that they were the same?
“A little. Maybe. But I was too busy kicking myself.”
He blew out a sudden breath. “Let’s make a deal, Lois. I won’t hold it against you that you didn’t figure it out if you don’t.”
She stared at him, her own breath catching. That almost sounded like... an offer of a truce.
There were still so many unresolved issues, of course. She’d hurt him. She’d rejected his heartfelt declaration of love. She’d fallen in love with his alter ego and not him. She’d told him, stupidly, that she’d love him if he were an ordinary man.
And he, in turn, had hurt her. He’d said things to her that, while they had some truth in them, had felt unfair. Had been painful to hear.
But if they could both agree that they wanted to get past it all, to start again, to rebuild their friendship, then there was hope. Wasn’t there?
She nodded. “Yeah. I can do that.”
And, slowly, he smiled. And then said, “How about that coffee after all?”
*********
She had a point. Actually, she had several points.
She hadn’t known that he was both Superman and Clark. So how had he expected her to act? He’d flirted with her. All but come on to her, as Superman. And, as Clark, he’d pursued the path of best friend. It would’ve been perverse if she’d ended up falling for Clark in the face of his behaviour.
And he really did know her well enough to acquit her of only being interested in the powers.
She’d nodded at his offer of coffee and had followed him into the kitchen. It felt like old, familiar times - except that so much now lay between them. They’d begun to build bridges, but lots of cracks remained.
Maybe Lois had the right idea. Maybe, in order to complete the process, he had to expose the deepest hurts, talk about them, perhaps find some sort of healing in at least telling her how he felt.
He poured the grounds into the filter machine. Without looking at Lois, he said, “I think it was you telling me that you’d love me if I was an ordinary man that was the worst. Everything else... well, it might have hurt, but it’s understandable. I mean, I had no right to expect you to love me back. Or not love Superman.”
“I know.” She was leaning against the counter, watching him, and as he stole a glance from the corner of his eye he saw her chew her lip again. “I... that’s the one thing I’d take back if I could. I... I mean, I didn’t know you had an alter ego or that it was you. So I had no idea who I was saying it to. But that’s irrelevant. It was still a... well, just a crass thing to say. Stupid. And, I know now, hurtful.”
Clark poured water into the machine. She hadn’t stammered apologies, or tried making excuses for herself. She’d just acknowledged what she’d done in a way which showed him how bad she felt about it.
She was right. Telling him how sorry she was wouldn’t undo the damage. Pleading excuses wouldn’t make her claim any less unbelievable. Asking him to forget about it was impossible.
So, really, where they went from here was in his hands. He had a choice. He could continue to hold one foolish claim against her indefinitely... or he could forgive her.
Actually, there was no choice. Because he’d already made it. He took down mugs from a cupboard, found milk and artificial sweetener for Lois and cream and sugar for himself, and finally turned to her.
“I forgive you.”
She started. Then swallowed. “You do?”
He nodded. “Have to, really. Can’t go on holding a grudge against my best friend. Just like...” He paused, then took a guess. “Just like you have to forgive me for calling you a liar and shallow.”
The quick widening of her eyes told him he’d guessed right. “Yeah. I do. Clark...” She began to play with the sugar-bowl. “Does that mean we’re friends again?”
About to answer in the affirmative, he hesitated. Did it? Or... “No. It means we’re still friends. We never stopped being, really, did we?”
“Well...” She raised her gaze to his. “I thought you did. I know I made you hate me.”
“Oh, Lois...” He gave her a crooked smile. “There’s a fine line between love and hate.”
“I guess.” She made as if to reach out and touch him, but drew back. He understood. It had to be his move.
“C’mere.” And he took the steps that closed the distance between them and enfolded her in a hug.
**********
It felt so good to be back in Clark’s arms. Wonderful.
Especially as it’d been looking as if she never would be again.
He felt warm and solid and substantial and... just perfect. As always.
“Oh, I’ve missed this!” The words escaped before she could stop them.
“Yeah, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” He drew back a little to look at her, but didn’t let her go.
It had. Weeks, in fact. Ever since Lex’s proposal and his buy-out of the Planet. It had been that long since she’d really had her best friend.
“Thanks for giving me another chance.” She had to hug him again, and he reciprocated.
“I didn’t have a lot of choice.” He smiled, letting her know that he was teasing. “I never wanted to stop being friends with you. Even after what happened in the park. And you’re right. A lot of it is my fault. Including the ordinary man thing.”
“It’s both our faults. I made a
lot of mistakes.” But he was willing to admit he’d made mistakes too, and that was a huge step.
“I don’t think you lied,” he said suddenly. “With the information you had at the time, I believe you thought you really did mean it. You couldn’t have known you were telling the guy you already had turned down.”
And that she wished she hadn’t... but, again, she couldn’t tell Clark that now.
Even still, that was a very generous admission from Clark. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Well...” He gave her a lopsided smile. “Let’s get that coffee before it goes cold.”
Releasing her, he went to pour the coffee. Then, handing her a mug, he said suddenly, “There’s something I’m curious about. Since you came here - since you worked out who I am - you haven’t called me Superman once. You’ve just called me Clark. Is that because I’m not wearing the Suit?”
She had to think about that for a moment. It had just seemed... natural... to call him Clark. It hadn’t even occurred to her to call him Superman.
“No. It’s because that’s who you see yourself as, isn’t it?” And that was it. That was why. It was so obvious - had been in Italy, in retrospect, and here in his apartment. He was Clark. Superman was... well, an adjunct to his real self. “To you, you’re not Superman. You’re Clark Kent who has a second part-time job, right?”
“Yeah, but...”
“You didn’t expect me to realise that.” Her tone was flat. Of course he hadn’t. But then, he still thought, despite what she’d said, that she didn’t know him. “It was pretty obvious, really. You think of yourself as an ordinary man. That was clear once I thought back about your reaction to me saying I’d love you if you were an ordinary man - and anyway, that’s what you told me you were. In Italy.”
“I did, didn’t I?” He looked at her over the rim of his cup. “Yeah. I’m Clark. Superman’s just a disguise I put on to do what I need to do when I have to.”
He would think that, wouldn’t he? He really had no idea at all.
“Clark, Superman’s not a disguise. He’s you. Everything about him is you. I told you, everything that’s so good about Superman... it’s all you. He’s just a side of you that you can’t show to the world because... well, reporters don’t fly, do they?”
He half-smiled at that. “Not as a rule, no.”
“So you’re Clark, but Superman’s a part of who you are. You just don’t want to be Superman first and Clark second. I can see that. And I wish I’d known it before I put my foot in it so spectacularly.”
“Oh, Lois...” He shook his head slowly. “I got it so wrong, too. I accused you of things you’re not. You know me a lot better than I even know myself.” He frowned. “You’re making me wonder whether I should just have told you the truth earlier. When I came to see you, I mean. Instead of trying to prove that you didn’t know me.”
She tried to imagine that, and failed. Telling Superman that she’d love him if he were an ordinary man, and he spinning into Clark as a result. How on earth would she have responded to that?
The answer came immediately. Badly.
And he’d still been angry and hurt. It would have been a disaster from start to finish.
“No, it’s just as well that you didn’t, Clark. Really.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. You’re right. A recipe for disaster.”
She shrugged. “I don’t regret what happened. I’m still glad you took me to Pakistan.”
“Yeah.” He took a sip of coffee. “Actually, I am too.”
Why? Because he’d been able to share it with someone? But he did have... Her eyes widened. “Oh, Clark, I’ve just thought... I’m so glad Superman’s you.”
He seemed surprised. “Why?”
“Because you’re not alone. That’s what struck me most after Pakistan. That you’re alone, the last survivor of your world, and you have to carry all of this stuff alone. All the people you can’t save. All the disasters you can’t avert. You didn’t have anyone to help you through it. But you do. You have your parents. And I can’t think of anyone better than Martha and Jonathan to help you through the kind of things you have to deal with every day.”
“Every time I think you can’t surprise me any more... Yeah, I can’t imagine how I’d do it without Mom and Dad. But you help, too. You always have.”
Really? “I have?”
“Oh, yes. Remember telling me that it’s not what Superman does, it’s the idea of Superman? Giving people hope?”
Yes. She remembered that. Months and months ago, it’d been. Superman had disappeared for a few days. Clark had been very depressed about it, for some reason. He’d asked what use Superman was if he couldn’t save everybody. The answer had been so obvious to her.
“Yeah, I remember.”
“I’d almost given up being Superman altogether then. And what you said convinced me not to.”
She gasped. “Given up being Superman?”
“Long story. It concerns Luthor. Why don’t we save it for another time?”
Lex again. It seemed he really did have good reason to hate the man. But he was right - that wasn’t a conversation for now. “I’ll hold you to it.”
That was really amazing - that she’d helped Superman to do what he needed to do. And more than once, from what he’d said.
“I couldn’t have done this - being Superman - without you, Lois,” he said, almost as if he’d read her mind. “You and my parents. That’s what’s got me through.”
“Wow.”
He gave her a rueful smile. “That’s why I could never stop being your friend, Lois.” He put his coffee down and came over to her again. “You’re way too important to me.”
And he pulled her into another hug. It really felt as if she was being given another chance - a chance to make up for everything she’d done wrong, and to start again with the Clark she now knew him to be.
There was a lump in her throat. She’d so nearly lost it all. So nearly thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Clark - with or without Superman - was so incredibly special to her, and she couldn’t imagine life without him. Couldn’t imagine how or why she’d managed to make him think that she didn’t care about him. Didn’t love him.
As he drew back, impulse made her stretch up and press a kiss to his lips. Maybe, if she couldn’t tell him, she could show him.
He pulled back in shock and stared at her.
Oh god. Mistake. Big mistake.
Now he was going to think that she’d changed her mind about him - Clark - because she now knew he was Superman. That she was still trying to get Superman.
She whirled out of his arms, clapping her hand to her mouth. “God, Clark, I’m sorry! I should never have done that!”
*********
She’d kissed him.
She’d
kissed him!
But
who was she kissing?
He tried to calm his breathing and made himself think.
Earlier, she’d said she didn’t love Clark. She’d told Superman she was crazily in love with him.
Who had she kissed?
Ever since she’d come to his apartment, she’d called him Clark. She’d understood. Clark was who he was. Superman was the disguise.
But, no, she’d said Superman was more than a disguise. That Superman was part of him, too.
Who had she kissed?
There was one way to find out...
“Lois.” He looked straight at her. She was staring at him, wide-eyed, her hand over her mouth, looking horrified and embarrassed. “Why did you tell me - Clark - that you don’t love me?”
She swallowed. “Because... because I thought I... Well, I loved Superman. And I didn’t know...”
“I know. You didn’t know he was me. But how did you really feel about me?”
What was he even looking for from her here? He had no idea. But he’d know it when - if - he got it.
“I... you’re my best friend, Clark. I just hated not having you in my life. I’d been miserable over the last few weeks, when we barely saw each other or spoke. I... cared about you more than I’d ever cared about anyone I’d ever known before. But when you said you loved me, I was... scared.”
He frowned. Scared? But why? “Why scared, Lois?”
She shrugged. “Because relationships and me... don’t get along. Falling in love is... the quickest way to end a friendship. And your friendship means way too much to me to lose. That’s why I was scared.”
That sounded... If he could believe her, that sounded as if she did feel more for him than she’d said.
Could he believe her?
He’d believed her about other things. And he knew Lois. She might lie about little things. Unimportant things. Like stories she didn’t want him to know about, though that rarely happened these days. Like what she’d done in her free time if she didn’t want him to know that she cried over soppy movies.
If it was something important, something she knew meant a lot to him, she didn’t lie.
So he could believe her. It was as simple as that.
“Lois.” He took a step towards her and reached for her hand. She held hers out towards him, letting him take it. “Life’s full of risks. And sometimes you just have to take them, because not taking them... means you risk losing something that could be very precious. Very special.”
“Yeah.” It was said softly, almost tremulously.
“Imagine we’re back in the park, Lois. And I’m telling you how much I love you. I do love you. More than I can tell you - and more now than I did earlier. Me. Clark. Is there a chance that, maybe, you might not tell me you don’t feel the same this time?”
Her eyes widened. And she gasped. “I... thought I’d ruined everything. That you’d never want me now.”
“Told you. I can’t do all this without you. And love’s not something you can just turn off because you have one misunderstanding.”
She squeezed his fingers, then reached up with her other hand to touch his face. “I do love you, Clark. I always did. But it’s always been easier for me to live in denial. I was only able to admit it to myself when I thought I’d lost you altogether - but I never thought you’d believe me so I was never going to tell you.”
“I believe you.” She knew him. She understood him as no-one else ever had, not even his parents. Of course he believed her.
And he loved her.
He tugged her closer. “So, want to give it a try? Us?”
Her smile was as wide as her face, and brilliant as the sun. “Please. I love you, Clark Kent.”
“Just as long as you don’t mind having to put up with Superman too. I mean, I know what you said about you humans preferring monogamy, but I can’t exactly leave him out...”
She giggled. “Oh, shut up and kiss me!”
“Your wish is my command.”
And he did. And it was super.
~ The End ~
