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Chapter 29

They didn’t make it into work until late afternoon. When they did finally arrive, the first thing they noticed was Jimmy and Claude sitting hunched over the tracker while they organised all the evidence they had collected on the Vice President of the United States, ready to hand over to Henderson the next day. Lois felt a small pang of guilt for not having been there to help them, then reminded herself that they were likely safer here without her.
She also realised that if Lex had spies watching the Planet, their presence would be known to him very soon. It was best they stay as far out of Jimmy and Claude’s way while they finished up as possible.

With that in mind, she gave a nod to both of them and headed to her desk where she and Clark spent the rest of the afternoon organising their own notes and writing up the preliminary story, which they would edit later after the arrest had already taken place — assuming everything all went to plan, they wouldn’t have to change anything. But Lois knew better than to assume.

She managed to lose herself in her work for an hour or so before Claude came over to inform them that he was doing his usual lunch run, asking if she or Clark wanted anything. She and Clark both gave him their orders and he left.

“He’s made himself awfully useful,” Clark commented as they waited for their food. Lois nodded.

“He has a lot to make up for,” Lois replied, thinking back to their conversation and the apology he offered her. “He knows that. I think he’s trying, though.”

“I can’t pretend I will ever like him, knowing how he hurt you,” Clark said, his voice quiet and contemplative. “But I think I can understand the desire to make up for past sins.”

“Yes,” Lois said, feeling slightly dazed with a sudden flash of understanding. She knew exactly what Clark was talking about. Wasn’t that what she’d been trying so hard to do ever since the original Lex fiasco? Make things right? Not just to Clark, though there was a certain degree of guilt there for not believing him about Lex in the first place, but more than anything, she’d been trying to find a way to redeem herself — so that when she looked in the mirror, she would no longer see the woman who had almost married a cold blooded killer. She would no longer see the woman who had hurt the only man she truly loved because she was scared to trust something real. She would be free.

She wanted to be free.

“Lois, you okay?” Clark was asking.

“Hmm?” she replied, her mind still elsewhere with thoughts too complex for the newsroom.

“You zoned out on me there,” he said, his brow crinkled ever so slightly.

“I was just thinking,” Lois murmured, “about forgiveness. About how sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself. Clark, I don’t think it’s my forgiveness Claude is looking for.”

“What makes you say that?” Clark wondered, sounding curious. Lois gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand.

“Gut feeling.”

“Well, I know better than to go against your gut.” His tone was light, but the meaning behind his eyes was clear.

Before she could respond, the elevator doors opened and Claude exited, heading in their direction with the sandwiches they’d ordered. Lois touched Clark’s shoulder and stood up.

“Can I talk to you?” she asked Claude as she gestured to the conference room. He looked surprised, but nodded, handing Clark his sandwich and not making eye contact.

Lois led the way, and when they found themselves alone in the room, Lois suddenly had no idea what to say.

“Was there something you needed?” Claude asked her, frowning slightly after a moment of silence.

“No, it’s just…” she trailed off, trying to form the thoughts that were just racing through her head not thirty seconds ago. She eventually realised that she couldn’t articulate them even if she’d wanted to. The thoughts themselves were gone — ephemeral and intangible, but the feeling remained. She trusted herself. She trusted her instincts. She knew what she had to do.

“I just wanted to let you know that I’ve decided what I am going to do with Lex’s money,” she told him, her voice businesslike, lest he get the wrong idea. “I’m going to use some of it to buy back Dupont Airlines.”

“You’re…” Claude looked stunned. He couldn’t have looked more surprised if she’d announce to him that she was planning to leave the Planet and become a singing waitress. “You’re what?”

“Buying back your company,” she repeated. She was slightly amused by the shock on his face, but didn’t let it show. “I will transfer the shares over to you. Your family will own it outright once more.”

“But…but why?” he asked, his voice having gone up an octave. He looked almost nervous. As if he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” she said, speaking slowly and deliberately. “Because it will help to destroy Lex’s hold over people. Because I plan to do the same for every company Lex has bought out under a false name, and because your family did not hurt me. They shouldn’t be the ones to suffer.”

“That’s…” He blinked again, still looking rather stunned. She watched as he fumbled for words, and eventually, as if realising that no words would be suitable, said the only thing that came to mind. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” Lois replied, her tone somewhat brusque. “I am not doing this for you. But you are going to do something for me.”

“What can I —”

“After Lex is brought down once and for all, I am going to go into Perry’s office and tell him that I wrote the story that you won that Kerth award for,” Lois told him, her tone matter-of-fact and leaving no room for debate. “I’m telling you not because I want your permission or your blessing, but simply to give you the courtesy of not being blindsided if and when Perry confronts you.”

Looking over at him sitting there, she noticed him winced at the mention of Perry. Even now, though he didn’t work for the Planet, Perry seemed to inspire a certain level of respect. Lois had been in Perry’s doghouse a time or two and she knew first hand that, like a loving, but strict parent, Perry’s anger was not nearly as bad as his disappointment. And Perry would be both angry and disappointed in Claude. Then, as if wanting to remind Claude that lying was useless, she spoke again.

“Perry will believe me. I know this now. I should have known it then.” She sighed and watched as Claude sank into the nearest chair. “Don’t try to deny it. For both our sakes. You’ll only make it worse.”

“And that’s what you want me to do?” Claude asked her, suddenly looking even older and far more tired than she’d ever seen him. She shook her head.

“No, that’s what you’re going to do,” she said. “What I want you to do…the favour I will ask of you once this is all over, is that you tender your resignation from your newspaper once you return home and leave the field of journalism for good.”

Claude’s head shot up in surprise, maybe in shock.

“You want me to —”

“Quit your job as a journalist,” she repeated. “What you did when you stole my story was bad enough, but you won an award for it and still you didn’t come clean. You’ve built your career on a lie — a career that is supposed to be built on honesty and truth. How can the public have any faith in us if we don’t live that truth every day? Not to mention that once it becomes known that you stole my story — a story that won you an award, you may end up being fired by your paper anyway. This way you would get to leave on your own terms.”

Claude nodded, his shoulders slumped in resignation. He looked defeated, and for some reason that didn’t make her happy, nor did it make her sad.

“What will I do with myself?” he asked, but more to himself than to anyone else. And this time, Lois did allow herself to feel a flash of anger.

“That’s not my problem,” she replied, her voice tight. “But you will thankfully have a family company that you can go and work for, should you choose, which is more than most get.”

“You’re right,” he agreed, standing up and straightening his shoulders. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry. And…thank you.”

He was at the door before she could respond, exiting into the bullpen while she finally allowed herself to sink down into the chair, trying to figure out what exactly she was feeling and whether it was positive or negative.

She didn’t even notice that Clark had come in until the sound of a chair scraping beside her caused her to look up and into his warm, loving eyes. He smiled and all was right with the world again.

“Everything okay?” he asked softly. She nodded, but said nothing. Clark reached for her hand and squeezed it softly. “Just remember, if you want me to give him a very gentle non-Superman punch in the nose, I will.”

He gave her an endearingly boyish grin that somehow caused her stomach to flutter in a way that seemed unique only to him.

“I appreciate the offer,” she said, shooting him a slightly mischievous grin of her own. “But I think there are better uses of your time.”

“Oh?” Clark said, raising an eyebrow. She found her gaze drift down to his soft, full lips — lips she knew to be capable of making her feel incredible things and her heartbeat just a little bit faster. “And what can I do to make better use of my time?”

“Kiss me,” Lois murmured. “I’d always rather have you kissing me.”

The words were barely out of her mouth when he took her face in his hands and kissed her thoroughly and in a way that promised so much more than he was able to give in this moment.

She sighed as they finally parted.

“Suppose we have to join the real world, now?” she asked him.

He nodded and took her hand.

“For a few more hours,” he said, as he led her to the door of the conference room. Then, leaning over, he murmured in her ear in a tone that caused her entire body to come to life. “But I promise, when I get you home, you’re all mine.”



Chapter 30

​​ Clark made good on his promise, and under any other circumstances, she would have slept soundly, his body wrapped around her like a shield. But on this particular night, her sleep was fitful and broken, her anxiety over what was to happen the following day invading her every thought.

The sunlight streaming into the windows broke her out of a troubled sleep, and she sat up, yawning deeply and following the smell of fresh coffee that she could hear bubbling in the kitchen.

Though Clark was awake, he too looked tired and apprehensive. The press conference started in two hours. If everything was to go to plan, the President would be inviting the Vice President into his office for a last-minute debrief while Lois and Clark drank their coffee. He would then be arrested and detained in the Presidential Suite of the Lexor hotel until Mills was in custody and Lex could do no more harm.

Though Lois knew their plan was solid, the idea that something might go wrong was omnipresent.

Clark sat a cup of coffee down in front of her in his wobbly mug. He must have noticed the worry in her eyes because when he spoke, his voice was calm and reassuring, though the expression on his face wasn’t entirely convincing.

“I flew by Mills’ place today. He was getting his weapons ready. It didn’t look like he was aware anything was amiss.”

“Good,” Lois said, only slightly mollified. Second thoughts were swirling through her mind. “Are we doing the right thing, Clark?”

“What do you mean?” Clark asked, his eyebrows knit together in a frown.

“Well, the President might be a hologram, but the people there for the conference won’t be. What if something goes wrong and Mills shoots someone?”

“He won’t,” Clark replied, and this time he did sound a bit more confident. “I’m not going to let Mills get the chance.”

Lois felt a bit more reassured by the determination in Clark’s eyes. She knew how keenly he felt the burden of responsibility that was being Superman on a day to day basis. It was times like this that the feeling must be magnified ten-fold.

She took another sip of her coffee and checked the time.

“Oh no, Henderson will be here in twenty minutes, I’ve got to get ready!” she exclaimed as she jumped up, nearly spilling the contents of the wobbly mug all over the table.

She rushed into her bedroom and flung on the first pantsuit she could find, noting that Clark hadn’t changed. She knew it was because the moment Henderson arrived to escort her to the outdoor convention centre stage, where the President was supposed to be giving his speech, Clark would spin into the suit and Superman would follow Mills. No point getting dressed when you’re just going to change again. Even if you could change at super speed.

She emerged from the bedroom running a brush frantically through her hair before racing into the bathroom to brush her teeth and promising herself she would shower after the press conference. Clark had used his heat vision to toast a bagel for her and was spreading cream cheese on it as she looked around for her purse and keys.

A knock sounded on the door a few moments later, just as Lois had taken her first bite of the bagel. She watched as he scanned the door and gave her a nod to let her know that it was, indeed, Henderson.

Henderson entered and quickly took stock of the apartment as he said hello. Lois realised it must be weird for him to be in her home — like seeing a teacher outside of school. Pleasantries exchanged, things quickly became awkward.

“I have an unmarked car across the street,” Henderson told her, likely to break the tension. “We’ll take it to the press conference and you’ll stay with me to the left of the stage while Superman arrests Mills. It should be an easy bust. We got the Vice President this morning. He confessed everything.”

“Good,” Clark said with a nod. “I’ll be right behind you. I just need to stop at the Planet and file last night’s story with Perry.”

“Might be all over by the time you get there,” Henderson warned. “If everything goes to plan and Superman does his job, then the hologram of the President will cancel the press conference because of an upset stomach and it will be rescheduled. Likely people will be leaving when you arrive.”

“We should get going,” Lois interrupted, hoping Henderson wouldn’t ask too many questions about why it was so important for Clark to file his story this early in the morning. Henderson nodded to her relief, and Lois gave Clark a quick kiss on the lips. She wanted to say more but didn’t want to express what she was feeling in front of Henderson. Thankfully, the look in Clark’s eyes said everything she needed to hear.

It will be okay.

She kept that thought in her mind as they walked towards Henderson’s unmarked police car and got in. The ride to the venue was silent. Lois got the feeling Henderson wasn’t much for small talk, and she wasn’t sure what she would say to him even if he was. Mercifully, the ride was also brief, and Lois felt nerves gather in her stomach as they made their way to the right side of the stage. Several other police officers personally vetted by Henderson himself were standing there, and as they closed ranks around her, Lois wondered if this was what politicians and celebrities felt like every day.

She dismissed the thought almost immediately, thinking that it was likely something they were used to. She herself was somewhat of a public figure because of the Lane and Kent billboards as well as the original Lex Luthor scandal, and thus was occasionally recognised getting her morning coffee or running errands, but it was nothing compared to the security and scrutiny that followed someone like the President. She was grateful for that.

In no time at all, everyone had taken their seats, and it occurred to Lois that at this very moment, Clark was hovering somewhere above Mills, waiting to see him pull out a gun before swooping down to apprehend him.

A moment later, a hush fell over the crowd as the Mayor of Metropolis walked onto the stage. Her heart began to race. It was the Mayor’s job to introduce the President, which meant that in just a few more moments, Lex Luthor would be finished for good.

She didn’t hear a word the Mayor said, but eventually the applause told her he was finished and she watched, hands shaking, as the Mayor left the stage. Moments later, the President’s hologram walked on. She watched as he headed to the microphone and saw behind him that one of Henderson’s men was getting a message relayed to them via a walkie talkie. The hologram appeared to be clearing his throat as one of the men gave a nod and eventually the hologram spoke.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out today. I appreciate your interest in these talks and what they mean for our two nations. Unfortunately, I don’t appear to be feeling very well. Nothing serious, just some breakfast that didn’t agree with me. I think it’s best we reschedule this press conference for when I am at my best. I thank you all for your understanding.”

Without waiting to take any questions from reporters, who all started clamouring at once for more information, the hologram turned and exited the stage. Lois let out a breath she hadn’t even realised she was holding and shot a look at Henderson who looked equally as surprised it had actually worked.

“We should get backstage,” Henderson said to her as people began to head back to their cars. Lois followed Henderson as he headed behind the stage and she fought the urge to run up and fling her arms around Clark, who stood there in the iconic red and blue suit, handing Mills over to Henderson’s men along with the high-powered sniper rifle he’d brought with him to do the job.

“I flew by the President’s Suite and checked on him to make sure he was safe,” she overheard him saying to the men. “Everything was fine.”

“We can’t thank you enough, Superman,” Henderson said as they arrived and Clark noticed Lois. There was a softening in his expression meant only for her — something so small that only someone who knew what to look for would see it. She gave him a meaningful look in return and knew he had understood.

“Superman,” she said, making her way towards him. “Could I get a statement for the Planet?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, his tone serious but his eyes warm. He looked over at Henderson then and spoke to him. “Why don’t I escort Miss Lane back to the Planet? That way you can personally make sure Mills ends up in the least comfortable jail cell at the precinct.”

“Sounds great, Superman,” Henderson replied with a nod. “And thank you again for all your help.”

Lois waited while the police, led by Henderson, left and fought the urge to collapse into Clark’s arms.

“Thank God it all worked out,” she murmured under her breath. “Are we really going to go back to the Planet right now?”

Clark replied shook his head. “I’ll fly us over the precinct to make sure that nothing goes wrong booking Mills into custody and then we will go home. I think we’ve earned some rest.”

“Yes,” Lois said softly, thinking of how utterly perfect it would feel to be curled up in bed with Clark’s arms holding her tightly for the rest of the night. “Let’s go home.”