TOC There are some major themes in this story that I tried to bring together in this part. If I didn't succeed and it seems a little rushed, don't hesitate to tell me
. Please, don't hesitate to tell me what you think, good or bad.
AKA Clark Kent (7/7)
When Penny next glanced at the computer screen, the program was prompting her to enter the search criterion.
Penny shrugged and glanced at the screen and then down to the list and began typing.
Name: Unknown
Age: 25-31
Address/length of residence: Metropolis, New Troy, 4 years.
So far, so good!
Hair: Black
Eye color: Blue, Brown
Height: 6'2-7'0
Weight: 150-190
These were a little . . . less solid.
Job: Police, fire, news, mass communication.
Associated with: Superman
Well, that was everything she had right now. She still didn’t know anyone else he associated with and didn't realize the program wouldn't let her enter personality traits. How stupid! If she entered this, she'd have five million matches! Maybe she should narrow *something* down a bit.
Age? No.
Eye color? No.
Job? Maybe.
She could start by searching news and mass communication, eliminating police and fire.
Job: News, mass communication
She would get tons of results still, but at least she had narrowed it down slightly. Metropolis had far fewer young men involved in the news industry than in emergency services.
With great trepidation, she clicked on the button and the search commenced.
As the program ran, Penny decided to do more research about her superhero. She wanted to know everything about him by the time she finally met him. He was going to be so impressed!
It still seemed like this was way too easy. Someone else *had* to assume the Superhero had a secret identity. It was so obvious! She *was* smart, maybe even a genus, but this idea wasn't *that* difficult.
Then again, she didn’t pay attention to the newspaper other than the pictures of Superman. She never actually read the articles. And she never watched LNN or the local news. There were so many other, better programs!
This was her weakness. She couldn't let Superman know she didn't usually associate herself with the news -- especially if he worked in the field!
How would she research old news stories?
The internet? She could try to search the internet for any reference to "Superman" and "Secret Identity". If it was in recent news, it *had* to be on the internet. Thank goodness for computers! They were her life saver!
Luckily, Diticom had a contract with the "Daily Planet" developing a system to archive their old news stories. And Penny had full access to that cache of news stories from the last year or so. Sometimes it paid to work for the biggest software firm in the world.
"Superman" + "Secret Identity"
A hit! Someone *had* investigated Superman's secret identity! And it had made the newspaper! It was really recently -- only about 14 days ago.
She began reading . . .
Tempus? Who was he? Oh, John Doe.
John Doe? He was certainly a darn nice guy!
John Doe thought Superman was really Clark Kent, reporter for the "Daily Planet." Interesting.
How would John Doe know something like that? He did seem to have it out for Kent because he had helped to crush Doe's campaign.
Shame, John Doe was Papa. He was going to shepherd the flock.
No, he was a crook!
Kent had refuted his claim. But . . .
Kent and Superman did have a strange resemblance. They looked almost like brothers. Same strong chin, same nose . . .
Could they be related?
Could they be one and the same?
No, Kent was clearly different. He wore glasses. His hair was a little curly. No, he wasn't Superman.
While Penny was fully engrossed staring at the picture of Clark Kent and Superman, the computer beeped loudly indicating the search was complete.
The first result of 192 was a 98% Superman match . . .
Clark J. Kent.
Really? Clark Kent? Was the computer serious? Could John Doe have been right?
But she had been looking at a picture of Clark Kent and Superman together. How was that possible?
She printed the picture and held it close to her face trying to study both men intricately. They looked so alike but so different. Kent had glasses. Superman didn't need glasses.
Maybe Kent's glasses weren't real. Maybe they were like a disguise or something. It didn't seem like people recognized him as Superman on the street, so maybe if he was Superman, the glasses deterred people from discovering his true identity. A flawed man couldn't be Superman.
If it was his disguise, it was so simple, yet so ingenious! But maybe he needed the glasses. If he did, then he certainly wasn't Superman! But they looked so alike. The resemblance was uncanny!
Penny took a pen and drew glasses over Superman's face. Then she made some little curls on his forehead. They looked . . . almost like the . . . same person.
Could they be twins? Was one man Superman while his twin was lowly Normalman? It didn't seem possible.
Clark Kent. Was he Superman? *Could* he be Superman?
She had a lot more research to do, but now she had a solid lead.
***********
What a horrible day. It had started out so painfully, then it had gotten better with the promise of romance, and now it was a horribly mundane day at work without even a new, juicy investigation.
And Clark wasn't there.
He had never returned after he had left to put out the fire in Suicide Slum. Lois had been left alone at work . . . actually *working*. It was the last thing she wanted to do today!
Plus, she'd had to fight off questions about Clark's birthday all day. It seemed like everyone and their brother expected her to try to throw him a surprise birthday party and they all expected invitations.
Please, all they both wanted to do was spend a couple of uninterrupted hours together! Alone. Not surrounded by fifty of their closest friends! Right now, Lois didn't really like any of them!
Lois had followed Superman to the massive warehouse fire both to watch her husband and to get the story for the "Planet". She couldn't stand to watch as his muscles rippled in the suit as he flew around trying to control the fire. It almost ruined her concentration.
She regretted having to go back to work and hated it even more that Clark wasn't coming with her! When the fire was finally under control, he had heard a news report, this time about an earthquake in Japan.
How rude! Didn't Japan know to control its tectonic plates? Why did they have to move right now? Superman needed a day off.
At four o'clock, when it didn't seem like Clark was going to come back to work today, Lois decided to leave. She had done more than enough. It was her husband's birthday and this time her birthday surprise would go off without a hitch!
"Lois, darlin', where's the birthday boy?" Perry touched Lois on the shoulder stopping her attempt to flee from the newsroom.
Argh! Why hadn't she heard him come up behind her? Was everything in the world against her? How could she explain this one? It was Clark's birthday. He wasn't at work and hadn't been there all day. Maybe someone had noticed them fighting in the conference room this morning and told Perry.
"He's . . . um . . . well . . . he's at home." She decided to go the noncommittal route.
"At home? Aren't you working on that . . "
Lois interrupted, "Check your inbox." She and Clark had finished the investigation earlier this week, and she had finished confirming with sources and writing the article earlier this afternoon. It had alleviated her boredom somewhat and had almost made the day bearable.
Perry's face lit up and he patted her on the back. "I knew I could count on you two! It's a shame I can't congratulate the birthday boy."
Lois shrugged. She wasn't sure how to answer. "I'll tell him for you, chief. I had him get the car from the shop while I finished the story. I didn't want to make him work on this birthday." Hopefully, Perry wouldn't press the issue.
Perry nodded, and said, "Okay, Lois, get out of here and see that husband of yours. Tell him 'happy birthday' from me!"
"I will!" Lois smiled at her boss before she turned and made her way to the elevator.
Soon, she was in the parking garage and finally ready to escape the shackles of work. A plan for tonight had been circling in her mind for hours and she couldn't wait! She sped home, hoping she'd have enough time to get ready before Clark got home.
It was going to be amazing. She hoped to give him the best birthday present he could imagine. There was still a chance to give him a birthday he would never forget.
*************
Clark Kent. Superman. They had so much in common.
Penny spent the rest of the day, gasp, at the library! And she found *a lot* of strange coincidences! Beyond the facial similarities, Clark Kent and Superman seemed to have so much in common. Clark Kent was born in Smallville, Kansas. When those weird New Kryptonians came to take over Earth, their base was in Smallville, Kansas. Jason Trask, that insane government agent went to Smallville, Kansas to find Superman's space ship. And there was an abundance of Superman stories written by Clark Kent.
She found some biographical information about him as well.
Clark Jerome Kent was born on February 28, 1966 in Smallville, Kansas, to common farmers, Martha and Jonathan Kent. Wow, that meant that today was his thirty-first birthday! He played high school football, was the salutatorian of his class, went to Midwestern State University on a football scholarship and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Journalism. He began working at the "Daily Planet" in 1992, around the first time Superman appeared on the scene in Metropolis.
Interesting.
So it was possible.
In October, Clark Kent was married to Lois Lane another reporter at the "Daily Planet". She seemed to be his partner. Her name appeared next to his in many of the articles Penny found.
Superman was married? To Lois Lane? Well, that made sense! Then the "National Whisper" had been right! He *did* have sex with a married woman -- because he was a married man!
Could Superman really be married?
It didn't seem possible! He didn't wear a wedding ring.
There were too many coincidences. It *was* possible. Even though he was married, there was still a high probability that he was Superman. Someone had beaten her to the man of her dreams!
It wasn't possible.
*She* was the woman Superman was destined to be with. Superman was her soulmate. They were supposed to be together.
Still, thirty-one *was* a little old for her. But not *that* old. She would be able to deal with it. He was Superman. She could deal with *anything* he threw at her.
Except another wife. They didn't live in Utah and definitely weren't Mormons, so she wasn't sure she if he would be able to take her on as his wife! No! That couldn't be possible! Oh no! Her plans would be ruined.
Or else once he met her, Superman would immediately divorce that stupid wife of his so he could marry her and she would become Mrs. Penny Superman. The name just flowed off her tongue. Mrs. Penny Superman. It was destiny.
She wasn't completely sure that Clark Kent was Superman after all. Sure, they had a lot in common, but maybe they were just good friends. They might have grown up together.
Or they might be the same person. But maybe they weren't.
Penny needed to find out. Superman *could* be Clark Kent. But he could also be any one of the over one-hundred other people that came up in her search.
She needed to do some more detailed research. Maybe she could talk to the people he was close to -- and by that, she meant Lois Lane. Or maybe she could just go straight to the source.
Staging an accident. It was the only foolproof way to meet Superman. Sure, it was a very plebian method, but it was the only way. She couldn't resist any longer. The more elegant method had given her a lead, but she couldn’t waste any more time. Tonight she would meet Superman and determine once and for all if he was Clark Jerome Kent, investigative reporter for the "Daily Planet".
*************
It was twilight by the time Clark finally reached Metropolis. The earthquake had caused a lot of damage in Japan, and it had taken him hours to assist the clean up effort. The whole time, visions of what he could have been doing with his wife invaded his mind. He needed to pull himself together!
Now he was so close to home, he could let the images flood his mind again. Lois. Lois. Lois. He needed her. He wanted her. He was desperate for her. Stupid fire! Stupid earthquake! Stupid Superman!
What a great birthday. The world didn't stop for Superman's needs, as much as he begged and pleaded.
He needed his wife. Or else he would go crazy.
Lois, Lois, Lois.
One thought was on his mind as he approached his bedroom window. He needed her so badly. The desire increased, the closer he got to her.
When he flew through his bedroom window, the room was dark, but the bed was not empty.
Lois. Lying on the bed. Wearing a robe. Only a robe.
She stood up to meet him as he landed lightly on the floor. She needed him. Now. Right now. She couldn't wait another minute. No, change that. She couldn't wait another millisecond!
Lois reached up and cupped his face with her hands, bringing it down to her level. She hungrily captured his lips with hers and it felt like a spark of electricity passed between them. They were energized with a tension that was dying to be released.
He sighed deeply Lois guided his hand to the tie on her robe. Lois pulled away from the kiss and whispered, "Happy birthday!"
"Lois," he breathed.
She took a step back, pulling the tie, hoping to give Clark the hint of what she wanted him to do. "Open your present, honey."
Lois grinned at the lustful expression on her husband's face. She had managed to surprise him. He obviously hadn't been expecting this ambush she'd planned.
Clark didn't hesitate and pulled at the one piece of thin terrycloth that held his wife's robe in place.
Suddenly, he froze with his hand on her robe's tie.
Lois moaned in protest, but she immediately realized what was happening. Now? Why now? Why did his Superhearing have to work even when he was sexually aroused?
"No, no, no!" he exclaimed.
"What is it?" she asked. She was resigned to believe that Superman would ruin every night they tried to share together until the end of time. If it wasn't an earth shattering international disaster, she wasn't going to let him go.
"Hostage situation."
"What?"
"At the International Trade Building."
"You've got to be kidding."
"I don't think I *could* joke about something like this."
"Oh *that* old excuse again. Sorry, honey, not tonight, there's another hostage situation. Jeez, can't the criminal element be quiet for just one night to let me have sex with my husband?" It was getting almost hilarious.
His eyes were filled with pain as he nodded slowly. "I can't believe it."
Lois sighed and said, "Just go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back."
"God, Lois, it's been so long. I need you."
"Don't go," she said simply.
Clark shook his head. "No, I won't go." He pulled her close and kissed her.
Lois stepped back and said, "You have to go. People might be killed."
"I . . . can't . . . go." Each word was punctuated by a kiss.
Lois pulled her mouth away and said, "You have to, Clark."
"I have to." His hearing picked up a gun shot from the scene and someone frantically calling for him. "It's been so long," he moaned.
"Almost nine days, honey."
"Eight days, fourteen hours, forty-two minutes, and three seconds."
Lois smiled woefully. As much as she wanted to tell him to stay, she couldn't forget the people waiting for Superman to save them. "What about the people being held hostage?" She sighed and said, "What's another few hours?"
"Oh god, it shouldn't have to be like this! One night with you, Lois, that's all I asked for!"
Lois traced the "S" shield on his chest and said, "Come home soon. I love you."
Clark looked at her pitifully, knowing that he *had* to go or lives would be lost. But he didn't *want* to go. "I love you, too" he said simply as he flew out the window.
Sometimes the sacrifices he had to make to be Superman were more than he could handle.
**********
"Help, SUPERMAN!"
Late that night after the hostage situation was finally resolved, and everyone had gotten out safely, it was *finally* time for a weary Clark to go home. He wanted, no, needed, to finish what he and Lois had started. The memory of what had happened before he'd been called away tortured his mind.
He picked up his pace and flew at full speed towards his bedroom window, praying he would find Lois in the exact same position as he had left her.
But, no, of course not. Someone *else* needed his help. What would this city do without him? Couldn't the world give him just one night off? Didn't they realize how much he needed to be with his wife tonight? Come on, it was his birthday! Didn't that count for something?
"Help, SUPERMAN! SUPERMAN, HELP!"
"I'm coming!" he muttered under his breath. No, the world wouldn't let him rest.
He wasn't sure what was going on, but this woman seemed to need him desperately. He changed direction and raced towards the desperate voice.
He landed in a dark, abandoned alley and looked around for the person in distress. Instead, he saw a young, pretty woman with long blond hair dressed in an evening gown staring at him.
"Superman," she breathed, her eyes fixed on the S.
"Can I help you, Miss?" Clark was always uncomfortable whenever anyone stared at him like that. It made him feel objectified.
"Superman! I can't believe you're really here, that I'm finally meeting you! I'm your biggest fan!"
Clark sighed deeply. She wasn't the first woman that had tried to meet him like this. He had no respect for someone who cried wolf. What if there was another emergency going on somewhere else in the world that he missed because he was here with this woman? And *she* had pulled him away from the biggest emergency in his life. He wanted to spend the rest of his birthday with his wife! Instead, he was here with this crazy woman! How unfair! What an utter waste of his valuable time!
"Well, thank you, but, what's your trouble?" He had to deal with this somewhat diplomatically. Even though he wanted to fly away and never think about this again. He needed to get back to Lois. His birthday was fading away so quickly. And it had been so long since he and Lois had been together.
"Oh, no, I just desperately wanted to meet you." Penny grinned at him, hoping he would notice her beautiful pearly, white teeth. She was such a good catch! And he, well he was an absolutely beautiful man specimen. He was even more gorgeous in person than she had ever imagined. Pictures didn't do him justice! And he had brown eyes. Beautiful, large brown eyes. He was so awe-inspiring. She was in love.
As much as he hated it, he did have to deal with this diplomatically. It would ruin his reputation if he snubbed this woman. Why did he have to be a nice person? He needed to be selfish once in a while! "I'm really flattered, but . . ."
The woman extended her hand and interrupted, "Like I said, Mr. Kent, I'm Penny Barnes and . . ."
Clark's breath caught in his chest. What did she say? Clark Kent? No, no, no, no one was supposed to know that! How did *this* woman know? God, what a horrible birthday! She must be a criminal. It always seemed like the criminals found out his true identity. Yet she didn't look that dangerous. He interrupted, "Who?"
She was right! The expression on his face said more than his words. He looked shocked, like someone had caught him in the biggest lie of his life. Well, she had caught him in the biggest lie of his life! Her! Penny Barnes! Genius! "Mr. Kent, don't try to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. I work for Diticom Technologies . . ."
Clark's heart raced as he tried to talk his way out of the situation. "I'm sorry, but you're mistaken. I'm not Clark Kent. He's my friend, but we're not the same person."
Someone had found out his secret. But how on Earth? Diticom Technologies? The software firm? What did he know about Diticom? They were working with the "Daily Planet" to set up an online archive of all old articles. *And* he and Lois had done an article recently about the new people search software they were developing and its legal merits and invasion of privacy.
Apparently they were still developing the software although it was deemed illegal.
Typical.
"Mr. Kent, don’t try to deny it. I have solid proof."
Clark didn't want to deal with her right now. He needed to talk to Lois. She'd know what to do. "Look, if you're not in danger, I have to leave."
Penny wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "But I am in danger. In danger of falling, falling madly in love with you." She placed a soft kiss on his cheek and moved to his lips.
Before Penny could kiss him on the lips, Clark shrugged out of her embrace. "I'm sorry. I hear another cry for help. I have to go now."
Why hadn't he thought to do this last night? Well, at least he had done it now. He needed to escape! A crazy, obsessed fan who knew his true identity was five-million times worse than a group of boorish celebrities!
Before she could protest, Clark took to the air and flew home as fast as Superhumanly possible.
Before he knew it, he was home and in their dark bedroom again. He spun into a pair of shorts, and exclaimed, "Lois! Lois, honey, where are you?"
Lois came out of the bathroom quickly, again dressed in her robe. "Clark, you're home! Are you ready for a replay?" Then she noticed the frantic look in his eyes. "Are you okay? What happened? Is that *lipstick*?"
"Some crazy woman ambushed me. She *knows*. Lois, she *knows*!"
"Knows what?"
"She knows I'm Superman."
"No."
"She's crazy. We have to do something. How can she know?"
"Calm down, Clark." Even though Lois's heart was racing, she knew she had to be the rational one in this situation. Clark was traumatized knowing that someone knew his true identity. "What happened?" She put her hand on his arm and guided him to the bed. "Take a deep breath."
"After I helped resolve the hostage situation, I was flying home when I heard someone calling for me. She sounded like she was in a lot of trouble, so I hurried to help her. And to make a long story short, she kissed me and called me 'Clark Kent'. What are we going to do?"
Lois took a deep breath before she said, "Honey, what did you say?"
"Well, I told her she was wrong, obviously. But she didn't believe me."
"Okay." If Lois knew Clark, he wasn't very convincing in his denial. Poor guy never learned how to lie correctly. How had he had a successful secret identity for so long? It seemed almost counter intuitive that a man that couldn't lie successfully protected the biggest lie she knew!
"I'm scared. How do we convince her I'm not Superman? I *know* she isn't going to be pacified so easily."
Lois squeezed his thigh, hoping to reassure him as she said, "It will be okay; I know it. We'll think of something."
They needed to come up with a plan to change this crazy woman's mind. She realized that Clark needed her as "Superman" just as much as he needed her as "Clark".
They would get through this. Together.
For the moment, Lois wanted to get Clark's mind off his problems. There wasn't anything they could do about it tonight. They would be able to deal with it in the morning.
And that bare chest was driving her crazy.
It was still Clark's birthday, and he deserved to celebrate. "Make love to me, Clark," she whispered.
And then . . .
There was a frantic knock at the door.
"No!" Clark exclaimed. "No, no, no!"
"Ignore it!" Lois inched closer to him, hoping the person at the door would go away. She needed her husband. Now. They were so close, so ready to consummate their marriage again.
"What if it's important?"
"Who could it be at this hour, Clark? We both know it's probably Jimmy. He can wait!"
Clark looked down through the door and sighed loudly. "It’s her."
"Her? Senorita Psychopath? Make her wait!"
"The woman who knows about me. What are we going to do? I think we *have* to answer it."
"Fine, that means you're volunteering."
Clark moaned, "Lois! I can't answer it! Not like *this*. I'm gonna need a minute or two."
"Or three for both of us. It's been that long."
The doorbell rang again.
"Fine! I'll get it. But you owe me." She gathered her robe and reluctantly put it back on. This girl was in for the wrath of Mad Dog Lane. That little hussy had better watch out!
**********
Lois glared at Clark, angry that they had been so rudely interrupted . . . again.
Before launch into another full-blown protest, the doorbell rang again. That stupid woman was nothing if not persistent.
"I'm coming!" Lois exclaimed in frustration. Didn't she have any patience?
She jogged downstairs and adjusted her robe to make sure everything was covered before she flung the door open. "Hello?"
The young, blonde girl outside bubbled with enthusiasm as she said, "Does Superman live here?"
"Excuse me?" Lois looked at her in exasperation. "Do you know what time it is? Who are you?"
"Lois Lane, I presume." The girl extended her hand and said, "I'm Penny Barnes. Superman and I met earlier. I wanted to talk to him."
Lois's jaw dropped. How could this woman be so bold, so forward? She was obviously a force to be reckoned with. Clark hadn't been exaggerating. She was insane!
"And you came here? Why would you come here to see Superman?"
"Aren’t you married to Superman?"
Lois looked at her incredulously. "No. My husband's name is Clark Kent. I am *not* married to Superman."
"Don’t you know? Clark Kent *is* Superman!"
"What are you talking about?" Lois answered automatically. "Don't you think *I'd* know if my husband was Superman? I *do* see him every day. And I know him quite intimately. In fact . . ."
"Well where is he? Is he on a patrol of the city?" Penny looked around looking for some evidence of Superman.
Instantly, she came up with a plan. She hoped Clark was listening. "No, he's upstairs. He's not feeling well today, so he was sleeping. It *is* 11:45. Some of us have to get up for work in the morning."
"He's sick? He can't be sick. He's Superman."
"How did you ever get that idea? Clark and Superman are friends, but definitely not the same person. Not even close." Lois laughed internally at the look on the younger woman's face. "I love Clark, but he's no Superman."
"They look *exactly* alike!"
"Well, they do sort of look alike, but not really. They look totally different in person. I think the resemblance is just their hair color. Superman's a lot taller and a lot more muscular. His voice is a lot deeper, too. And Clark's vision is horrible. He can’t see two inches in front of him. And he gets sick all the time -- terrible allergies. The poor guy is allergic to everything."
"But he can’t be allergic to anything. He's invulnerable."
"I guess the only way I'll ever be able to convince you how different they actually are is for Clark to come downstairs." Hoping Clark had heard everything she'd told this Penny, Lois called up the steps, "Clark, honey, can you come down here for a second."
Seconds later, a groggy-looking red-cheeked, sweaty Clark appeared at the top of the staircase dressed in a robe that was too big for him. "Lois, what is it?" Then he collapsed into a fit of sneezes.
Wow, he had definitely heard her. No one would believe he was Superman from the way he looked. She didn't really want to know how he had made himself so sweaty and red-cheeked, but she had a pretty good idea.
"Mr. Kent! Are you okay?"
Clark gasped for breath as he walked down the stairs hunched over. He collapsed on the couch and said, "Fine, thanks. It's just a little cold."
Penny walked towards him with her mouth gaping. Maybe he *wasn't* Superman. He almost looked like he was dying! Superman didn't get colds. She glanced at Kent's face and gasped. Blue eyes! Kent had blue eyes! Superman, he had dark brown eyes.
Maybe she had been wrong. Kent and Superman couldn't be the same person, could they?
Lois moved to get Clark a pillow, inwardly laughing at his Oscar-worthy performance. As she leaned down to give him a reassuring kiss, she noticed something different about his face. His eyes were blue! Clark must be wearing those blue contact lenses she'd tried to wear as a teenager! What a good idea! He was brilliant. She was brilliant, too. No, *they* were a brilliant team.
"But what about Superman?" Penny flopped down into the chair and sighed dejectedly. "I may never find his secret identity."
"Secret identity?" Lois gasped in mock-shock.
"How else would he have a normal life? He's the love of my life."
Clark looked at Lois and said, "Superman can't have a normal life."
Lois added, "He belongs to the world. It's a full time job."
"With overtime. And he doesn't get paid a cent."
"But he loves it." Lois stroked Clark's arms calmly. "I don't think he would trade it for the world."
"Doesn't he want a normal life, a job, a wife, me?"
Clark bit his lip, willing himself to tell a huge lie. It was for self-preservation. No one would get hurt. "I think Superman is content with the job he already has. I don't know him that well, but to me, he comes off as almost asexual. I don't think he needs a wife to be happy. He's married to the world."
Lois added, "I don't think it's fair for him to take a wife. They wouldn't have any time together, beyond his regular rescues around the world, he has tons of charity events, fund raisers, hospital reopenings . . . no time for a wife."
Penny stared at them slack-jawed. She hadn't even considered it that way before. Maybe being married to Superman wasn't exactly everything she had imagined. It wouldn't be glamorous, and it would involve so much suffering. Was he worth it? After the way he had treated her tonight, she wasn't sure any more. Maybe Doris was right. She needed to meet a real man. One that would want her just as much as she wanted him.
Penny turned around and headed towards the door. "Sorry to bother you, Miss Lane, Mr. Kent. I think I've realized Superman might not be the man of my dreams."
Before Lois or Clark could respond, Penny was already out the door.
"Good riddance," Lois whispered.
**********
Lois climbed on top of Clark and spread out languidly. "Very well done! And the contacts, nice touch!"
Clark laughed slightly. "I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it fast enough."
"You're Superman," she whispered. "You're always fast enough."
"Did you really mean what you said to her?"
"Mmm, what?"
Clark took a deep breath, almost afraid of her answer. "Do you really think it was unfair of me to marry you?"
Lois laughed. "Only if you think you're asexual and married to the world. I am *not* your mistress!"
"No, Lois, I didn't mean that! See, that's the problem with lying. Someone always gets hurt."
Lois tried to calm him, kissing him on the top of the head. "Clark! I was kidding. Sometimes lies are *necessary*. Honey, I don't think you're married to the world. And I *certainly* don’t think you're asexual. I'm *glad* you chose me and I'm *proud* to be married to Clark Kent *and* Superman."
"Really? Even after everything I've done to you?"
"That's all minor stuff. It can be fixed so easily. It's just a matter of prioritizing, of giving me a bigger part in your life."
Clark nodded slowly.
"I don't want to do anything to control you; I just want us to communicate better. I want to be involved in your life."
"I promise. You will come first in my life. We're married now, and I have to remember that I'm not alone any more."
"You'll never be alone again."
"I love you so much," Clark breathed into her hair. "I can't guarantee it will never happen again, but I can promise to try."
"That's all I ask of you."
“Superman just needed to get his priorities straight,” Clark whispered, his mouth poised inches from hers.
“Mmm, where are Superman’s priorities now?”
“Right where they’ve always been . . . right here, right now. I am only interested in you and me and our time together. You are more important to me than anything Superman can do. I love you, Lois; I love being with you. I want to spend every waking moment with you.”
"Oh, Clark!"
“I'll never put our relationship on the back burner again. And I *promise* we'll *never* go nine days without making love again.”
"Oh, god, nine days!" Lois was at her wits end. They needed to resolve this situation immediately.
Lois kissed him so passionately they both shuddered with anticipation.
“I love you, Clark. I love you more than I ever thought possible. Happy birthday, honey."
Clark glanced at the clock and saw that it was 12:06. “It’s not even my birthday any more.”
Lois stood before him and said, "You still need to open this one last present!"
As Clark pulled her to him, he realized how much he needed her. She completed him. He couldn't live without her.
After everything they had been through in the last day, he knew they could survive anything. They were so much stronger together than either was alone.
Their love could survive anything.
The End
I really hope you enjoyed this story. It was my first story with an A Plot and I hope it wasn't horrible.
I'd like to thank everyone that helped me with this story: everyone on #loisclark that helped me brainstorm, everyone that beta read parts of the story and offerred to help when I was ready to scrap the whole story! And, especailly, thanks to Tricia for sticking with me through this whole story! I am really grateful to everyone for all of their help. This story would be in my recycle bin without your help -- hmm, that could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you thought of the final product
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