Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic I'm Sorry

It’s Ficlet Friday again!

Here’s another installment for my Try Not to Change Anything series. This one is in response to 2025 Kerth challenge # 2.

Kerth Challenge #2: You've Got Mail Challenge!

Something happens to the Daily Planet computers when the powers that be attempt to add an instant messaging system to the Daily Planet computers. It works, but with one hiccup -- you can send a message to anyone in the office, but they can't see where it came from.

When Lois starts receiving messages from someone in the office, she is intrigued.

When Clark initially sends his first message, he doesn't intend to remain anonymous, but there is something freeing in being able to express himself to Lois this way.

Take it from there....

Okay, super specific prompt here. I had to think on this one for a bit to make it fit with the series. Ended up writing a fluff-piece song fic. This takes place just after this timeline’s version of GGGOH, obviously with some changes from the original. Song lyrics in this one are not my own. Credit at the end. Enjoy!

I’m Sorry

They’d argued about it all the way back from Smallville – from the rental to the plane to the taxi. They never should have gone, she said. He shouldn’t have been anywhere near there. He knew what was there. It was too risky. He could have been killed. She could have lost him!

Why couldn’t he understand that?!

Lois opened the bottom drawer of her desk and tossed her purse in with a huff. She’d dropped her suitcase off at home and then gone straight to the Planet. They’d had a morning flight and there was still plenty of light left in the day. She could at least keep her mind busy thinking about her next story instead of reliving those terrifying moments back in Smallville.

It was different this time – it always was. They’d known exactly what was going on over at the Irig farm. Clark had even avoided being exposed to Kryptonite the first time. Lois had asked him why he hadn’t found a way to find and get rid of the stuff before then. How could something as serious as kryptonite have actually slipped his mind? Men!

She turned on her computer and waited impatiently for it to load. Just then, she heard the elevator ding and looked up to see the object of her ire step out. She quickly averted her eyes. Of course he would decide to come in today as well.

He’d decided not to go in as Superman – why give Trask what he wanted? He shouldn’t have gone in at all. He should have let her do the snooping. She could have gathered the evidence they needed to involve the sheriff and Trask would have been arrested . Clark could have stayed far away where he was safe.
But he hadn’t.

The Kryptonite weakened him, made him vulnerable. But that didn’t stop him from jumping in front of her when Trask pulled his gun. The sheriff wasn’t there this time to stop him.

When he fired… it was like that other time, at the night club with Bonnie and Clyde. It was so long ago but the memories came back clear as yesterday. She’d thought he was dead then. This time he really might have been.

There was a new icon on the home screen of her computer – Interoffice Messenger. Lois frowned and clicked on the icon, then waited for the program to load.

Trask’s aim was off. But that didn’t stop the bullet from leaving a huge gash across Clark’s upper arm. It didn’t stop the blood from pooling around them. It didn’t stop Lois from realizing how close she’d come to losing the man she’d loved for more than eighteen years. And it didn’t stop her from being mad at him for taking such a stupid risk.

Her computer chimed and a message popped up on her screen.

SYSTEM MESSAGE: You have a new message.

She clicked on the button.

########: Everybody needs a little time away from each other.

Lois blinked at the strange message and the bizarre lack of sender name. She glanced around the room to see who might have sent it and her eyes landed on Clark. He was flipping through his rolodex and didn’t seem to be paying any mind to his computer at all.

Looking back at her screen, Lois wondered how she ought to reply. The message seemed so random, though there was something vaguely familiar about the words. Was it even meant for her?

Before she could come up with a response, her computer chimed again.

########: Even lovers need a holiday far away from each other.

“What?” Lois asked out loud. “What is this?”

“You alright, Lois?” Jimmy asked, pausing by her desk.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just this new message program. I keep getting messages but it doesn’t say who they are from.”

“Oh yeah. Everyone’s having that problem. It’s a simple fix. I can do it for you if you want,” Jimmy offered.

“That’d be great. Thanks Jimmy.”

Jimmy leaned over to fix the problem, but before he could do anything, Perry barked from his office. “Jimmy! Where are those photos I sent you to get?”

Jimmy stood up quickly. “I’m on it, Chief! Sorry, Lois. I’ll have to get back to you.” Then he dashed off again leaving Lois to continue pondering her mystery messages, just as another one appeared.

########: Couldn't stand to be kept away, just for the day from your body.

Lois’ eyes flew open wide as she read the words. Once again, she looked up at Clark but he was talking on the phone now. But who else would send her something so intimate? And why were the words so familiar?

She decided to find out.

MadDogLane: Who is this?

########: Wouldn't wanna be swept away, far away from the one that I love.

It’s a song! Lois realized suddenly. She was pretty sure this one had played at her senior prom.

########: Hold me now. It's hard for me to say I'm sorry. I just want you to know.

Sorry… he’s sorry. Lois returned her gaze to Clark and, this time, found him staring straight at her, his dark eyes sad and sorrowful. It is him

Her computer chimed again.

########: Hold me now. I really wanna tell you I'm sorry. I could never let you go.

Lois bit her lip. This had to be the strangest apology she’d ever received. It might have worked better if it was actually sung but then… Clark can’t sing.

########: After all that we've been through, I will make it up to you. I promise to.

Lois couldn’t help but smile. They had been through so much together. They’d made it through some crazy obstacles. And they were so close now – so close to that perfect ending they’d begun sixteen years ago.

########: And after all that's been said and done, you're just a part of me, I can't let go.

They were parts of each other – two halves of a whole. He needed her as much as she needed him. That’s why he did stupid things like jumping in front of a bullet for her when he wasn’t invulnerable. As much as she couldn’t bare to lose him – he couldn’t bare to lose her either.

“You’re gonna be the lucky one,” Clark whispered in her ear the final words to the song. Lois spun around to find him standing behind her, a single rose in his hand. Lois took it slowly and held it up to her nose, smelling its fragrance as she contemplated his apology.

“I am sorry, Lois.” Clark continued softly so as to not be overheard. “I never wanted to scare you or to worry you. I can’t promise that I’ll never to anything like that again because I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I love you.”

Lois couldn’t help but smile at his words. He did love her. And she loved him. She really couldn’t stay angry at him for long.

“I love you, too,” she said. She reached up on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss and then patted his chest. “Come on. We’d best stop playing around with the messenger and get this story written up or Perry will have our hides.”

Song lyrics: Hard to Say I’m Sorry by Chicago