"So, are you ready to head to Smallville?" Lois asked with a smile, coming up behind Clark to give him a hug.
He nodded, "Soon, but I have something I have to do first. I'd like you to come with me." Suddenly, he stepped back to turn into Superman. He grabbed a large bag from out of the hall closet and hoisted it over one shoulder, turning to with her a silly grin.
"Don't tell me, you're going to play Santa Claus?" she laughed.
He smiled, slightly embarrassed as he pulled out a Santa hat and put it on. "Sort of. I promised to stop by the Children's Hospital..."
"Okay, no problem," she giggled, enjoying watching 'Super-Santa' get ready.
"How do I look?" he asked, still grinning with the sack of toys for the kids slung over his shoulder.
"Wonderful," she answered truthfully, her heart full of love for this man in front of her, who would don tights to save lives and still make time for children at Christmas.
"Any reason the Planet can't take the exclusive on Superman's visit with the children?" she asked pretending to be serious, while she playfully adjusted his Santa hat.
"Always looking for a story, aren't you?" he teased in return, stopping her playing with his hat by giving her a quick kiss. "No, it shouldn't be a problem. Besides, it's a good cover so my wife can come along," he winked.
Clark finished settling the large sack of toys comfortably over his shoulder and then scooped up Lois with his other arm.
"I don't think Santa could manage both me *and* the toys," she giggled, wrapping her arms more securely around his neck.
"Heh," he laughed boyishly. "Well, he doesn't have to. Besides, I love having you fly with me."
With that comment, he took off to the skies and Lois snuggled closer to him, glad that Clark was so warm. The winter air was especially biting this time of year, and snow was predicted to start at any moment.
They landed shortly at Metropolis General Children's Hospital, which was decorated festively with lights and tinsel.
When they entered the hospital, the kids that were well enough to be up and about sat around a large Christmas tree. As soon as
Superman entered the room, their faces lit up. Clark felt a warm glow as he passed out teddy bears and small toys he had collected through
the Superman Foundation for the sick children. Many of the children didn't know if they'd see another Christmas, and he was glad that he could at least make this one special. Lois shared a small smile with him over the crowd of children as she passed out her share of toys. She was enjoying this as much as he was.
At last, the presents were all handed out and Superman made his excuses to leave.
"Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!" he said as he waved, leaving the hospital with Lois by his side.
"Merry Christmas, Superman!" cried the children, some of whom were already too occupied playing with their new toys to wave good-bye to their hero.
Once they finished up at the hospital, Clark scooped Lois back into his arms and headed west.
"Okay, Lois Lane. That was just the warm-up act. Ready to see how Christmas is done in Smallville?" he grinned.
She grinned back. "Can't wait!"
~Smallville~
A thin layer of snow was on the ground at the farmhouse when they landed. Soft, wispy flakes fell from the sky, shimmering like tiny stars when they passed through the lamp light on the barn.
Lois stood a moment, entranced, as she took in the world around her.
"Do you hear that?" she asked softly.
"Lois, I hear a lot of things. Can you be more specific?" Clark asked patiently.
"The snow. It's 'chisping.' I read that word in a book somewhere a long time ago. I never really understood what it meant until now. But the snow really is...'chisping," she said, sticking her tongue out to catch some flakes.
Suddenly Clark's arms were around her again. "Now, that is one cute little tongue."
She giggled and subconsciously covered her face.
"Uh-uh. We need to have a closer inspection of that oh so cute little tongue," he said, leaning in to kiss her thoroughly.
"Clark? Is that you?" called Johnathan from the porch.
Lois erupted into giggles as Clark answered back. "Yeah, Dad. Lois and I will be in, just a minute."
Lois buried her nose into his upper arm, just enjoying him holding her for a moment more before they went in.
"Come on, you must be freezing," he said gently, coaxing her towards the house.
When they entered the living room, Jonathan had just finished pulling out all of the trimmings for the Christmas tree. A simple fir tree stood in the corner, nearby the cozy fireplace which warmed the room gently with its glow.
"Merry Christmas, you two!" cried Martha, coming in the living room to greet them, a spoon still in her hand. "Do you believe I've been cooking *all* day!"
"Oh, Martha, let me help you," Lois offered. They all exchanged looks, knowing Lois' limits in the kitchen. "What? I can do something, as long as I'm told exactly what to do and it doesn't involve any kind of... um, cooking."
They erupted into laughter and Martha shook her head. "Don't worry, dear. Everything is just about ready. Clark, why don't you and Lois set the table?"
Everyone settled into their little tasks, moving quietly and comfortably in the farmhouse. To Lois, it was all so beautiful. The scents of Martha's cooking, the warm fire, the smells of Christmas. She turned and smiled at Clark as he was finishing the place settings.
"You know, I never can remember which fork goes where," he said, half seriously.
Lois came up beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't think it matters... it will be perfect no matter how you set it," she said sweetly, earning a kiss from her husband.
In moments, they were all at the table, comfortably enjoying each others company and the lovely food Martha had prepared. Conversation was light and pleasant. Clark told his parents about their escapade with Tempus, but even that didn't seem to dampen the mood. There was too much love in the room for anything to ruin it.
After dinner, they all moved to the living room and finished trimming the tree. Lois watched as they shared memories of Christmases gone by, and souvenirs from when Clark was growing up. Finally, they got to the topper for the tree. Martha handed Clark a silver star to put on top, but Lois stopped them.
"I almost forgot!" she cried, digging for something in her purse. "Clark gave me this on our first... unofficial Christmas together," she said with a smile at the memory.
She handed Clark the star--the *real* star-- that he had somehow gotten for her from the heavens and preserved so it still kept its magical sparkle.
Clark floated up just enough to top the tree with the lovely star and everyone stepped back to take in the effect.
"Oh, it's beautiful!" cried Martha, turning to Jonathan.
"That's some tree topper, Clark," he said admiringly.
"Only the most beautiful star for Lois," Clark responded, happy now that he could admit how important that gift had been when he gave it to her. She simply looked up at him, in awe and in love.
Martha and Jonathan eventually moved to the kitchen to finish up the dishes. Lois and Clark moved to the sofa and she leaned into his shoulder gazing at the tree, thinking. "I guess this is how it's always been for you, huh?"
"What do you mean?" he asked softly.
"This wonderful Christmas feeling that pervades this house, and your folks. It truly is wonderful, Clark. And I can see why you always believed in Christmas."
"And you still don't?" he asked sadly.
"I believe in you. I believe in the love that surrounds this family. But Christmas, I don't know, Clark. I mean, it was wonderful to give those poor sick children a moment of happiness, but there is so much--selfishness, evil, in the world... I just..."
"Hold that thought," he said suddenly, standing up and reaching out a hand to her. "Fly with me?"
"Always, but--where?"
He only smiled and grabbed her into his arms once again as they headed out of the house and took to the skies.
*-*-*-*
They flew for a few moments in comfortable silence until Clark turned to her and said, "I have a Christmas gift for you, Lois. It's one I sort of--give myself every year. And this year, I want to share it with you. You've given me so much and taught me so much about what it means to be a hero. But that gift has also been a burden, one I gladly carry, yet, being Superman also makes me privy to all of the evil in the world, the corruption. You know that too, as a journalist. And you know how wearing it can be to try and make things right, uncertain if there is anything worth striving for. There is, Lois. I want to show you a part of it. This one time of year, all of that bad seems to stop, at least for a little while, and you can peek in to see the good that is in people's hearts. And it feeds my soul a bit and confirms in my mind that, that what my father Jor-El said to me of the people of earth, 'They can be a great people. They wish to be,' is true. It's at this time of year where I can truly see the goodness that he so believed is here," he finished, gesturing to a bustling London street below them.
"All I see are people shopping. How is that humanity at its best, Clark?" she asked in dismay, but trying to try to understand
him, moved by his speech.
"No, look closer, Lois. See that young boy help the old lady across the street? And the street vendor? He gave away some chestnuts
to the homeless man over there. And see, through that shop window? The manager is setting aside toys to be given away to charity. All small
acts of kindness that come together in a feeling that is... Christmas. Come on, I'll show you more."
Swiftly they flew over Europe, till suddenly, they were over a lively German Christmas market. Fanciful decorations were on display on the small wooden structures. A child's imagination could run rampant with the mystery and wonder of Christmas amid all of the lights, characters, and warm little huts that sold sweets, sausages, and gifts.
"Again, commercialism!" sighed Lois, gesturing to the scene below them.
Clark shook his head, "Take another look. There, you see? A baker is teaching a small group of children how to make cookies--for
free. Sharing a passion that has probably been in his family for generations. Over there, that choir is singing carols. And that sign under the
donations, says that any money they make is going to charity. See that little girl over there?"
Lois nodded. "She has ten euros in her pocket, in
change, which tells me she's probably been saving it a while. And she's at that stand, looking at cutting boards for her mother. Does that seem
like a selfish Christmas to you?"
Lois slowly shook her head, finally beginning to see what he wanted her to see. "How do you do it, Clark?"
"Do what?"
"See the good in people? How... how did you see the good in me?" she asked in a low voice, thinking of how she was in the early
days of their relationship.
Her sadness tore at his heart, "Lois, I always saw the good in you. You had just been so battered and bruised that you needed...
well, love. Without any strings or boundaries. Without judgment, without hurtfulness."
"'Love is patient, love is kind,'" she whispered, echoing his sentiment, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't remember the rest, but... thanks, Clark."
"For what?"
"For everything. For being you. For the love we have together... without strings or boundaries or judgment... or hurtfulness. Even if it took us a while to get there," she said, her voice tight with happy tears, as she gently reached up to stroke his face.
She looked up into his eyes, shining like the many stars that twinkled above them, shining like the star on their tree at his parents' house. She reached around his neck and leaned up to kiss him.
"Merry Christmas, Superman," she whispered, and gifted him with her love, sealed with a kiss.
~End~
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The word 'chisping' I don't think is in the dictionary anywhere, so I'm fairly confident that my favorite author, Diana Gabaldon, made it up. She wrote a most excellent time travel series (Scotland, 18th c) called 'Outlander'. There are seven hefty books in the series, but I have no clue which book had the word 'chisping' in it!
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Here are some pictures of the Christmas markets in Germany. I had to have Lois and Clark share in them--they are simply magical!
Dresden Christmas Street Market (\'Streizelmarkt\') Clark wasn't lying. Dresden actually has a mini-baking school (which I'm FAIRLY certain is free) for kids set up for the holidays.
Baking school for kids The detail on these booths is just amazing!
Booth1 Booth2 Happy Holidays, everyone!! <:0)
