And now, for the exciting conclusion!
*******************
Lois clutched Clark to her. His head was on her chest. Her right arm was curled around his body. Her left hand was stroking his head comfortingly. Her faded purple t-shirt was wet with Clark's tears. His body was shivering as he once more relived the mental and physical horrors that had befallen him on New Krypton. Lois bent her neck and buried her lips into Clark's silky black tresses. She kissed him lightly several times. Clark relaxed a little as she caressed him. He listened to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, the one heartbeat in the world that he knew as well as his own.
"I'm sorry, Lois," he said after a minute.
"Sorry? For what?"
"I must disgust you."
"Disgust me?" she echoed. "Clark, you could never do anything that would make me look at you with anything but love."
Clark shifted and sat up. He looked at the woman at his side, the one woman in the universe that he'd ever loved. Lois reached over and brushed away the tears that glistened on his cheeks.
"But..." he stammered. "When I was telling you about what happened in that dungeon, you shuddered."
"That's because I never realized how close I was to losing you," Lois said, a warm hand caressing his cheek.
Clark couldn't meet her gaze. "I killed a man, Lois."
"A man who would have killed you," she pointed out. "Clark, you acted in self-defense."
"That's inexcusable for me!"
"Clark," Lois said, cupping her hand beneath his chin to raise his head, forcing him to look at her. "If General Zod had killed you, everyone on New Krypton would have suffered and died under Nor's rule."
Clark sighed heavily, dropping his haunted eyes to the comforter once more. "I know. But it still doesn't wash away the guilt that I feel. I've never had blood on my hands before. Not as a direct result of my actions. It has always bothered me when I am too late to save someone. But to have taken a life...it makes me sick." He paused a moment, fresh shame washing over him. "It's not just that. Lois, I tried to kill myself out there. I wanted to. The only thing that stopped me was my lack of nerve. I was weak. I mean, I knew that killing myself wouldn't do any good. I knew it would only give Nor his victory. I knew it would only disappoint you. But God, all I could think of was ending my pain. I should have been holding on for you. Thoughts of you should have been what stayed my hand. I couldn't do it because I was a coward. Lois, I've always valued the sanctity of life above anything else. How could I even entertain the idea of taking my own life? Even if only for a second?"
Lois drew Clark into a hug. "Clark, stop being so hard on yourself. What you endured no one should ever have to experience. I can't imagine what it must have been like for you. So, you had one fleeting moment of weakness. You rose above it. Something within you recognized that life is worth holding onto."
"What if I had done it?" he pressed, his voice husky and tortured. "Do you know how many suicide attempts Superman has foiled? How can I go back out there and tell people how wrong it is, how nothing is so bad that they need to end their life? I'd be a fraud."
"No," Lois said, shaking her head as she pulled away. She looked deep into his eyes. "If anything, Clark, you understand those people even better now. And you did rise above that moment of utter despair. I've seen you talk people down from ledges before when they've wanted to jump. I've seen you talk a man out of putting a gun to his head. Those are times when I've seen the real man behind the suit shine through. Those are the times when the aloof personality of Superman vanishes and Clark's good and caring soul comes to the forefront. People respond to you because they can see how much their lives mean to you. And now...you've lived what they are going through, worse even. I think they'll recognize that aspect of you, even if they don't know why. Clark, every experience that we live through helps to shape who we are. We all have to choose whether our experiences will destroy us or if they will strengthen us. What will you decide?" There was a mild note of challenge and defiance in her voice.
Clark's mouth quirked up into a slow smile. God, how he loved Lois' fire and determination! He'd always thought of himself as the eternal optimist in their relationship. Now the tables were reversed. She truly was his rock.
Outside the bedroom windows, the sky was painted in pastel blues and pinks. They had talked the night away. A new day had dawned.
"Thank you," Clark said sincerely.
Lois smiled sweetly at him as she saw some of his vitality return. "For what?"
Clark pulled her against his chest. "For loving me. For listening to this whole, horrific story. For standing by me. For not turning away from me."
"I'll always love you, Clark. I'll be here for you, no matter what. No matter how long it takes for you to heal."
"I think," Clark said slowly. "I think I already have begun to. I mean, some of the scars on my body have faded away already. And as for my mind...I feel...lighter...now that I've told you everything. Lois, I've dragged my feet long enough. I need to start living again. I think it's time for Clark to return to work, say...on Monday? I think I've been ready for the last week or so. I've just been...kind of nervous about it. I know I've been moody and withdrawn lately. I knew that I couldn't go back so...changed. It would raise too many suspicions." A thought occurred to him. "Do Jimmy and Perry know that I'm back?"
"Yes," she said, feeling a little guilty. "They suspected it the day after you came home. I guess I must have looked more relieved than I had in months. I told them that you needed some time before you could come back. They understood, but they miss you. Especially Jimmy. He looks at you like an older brother."
"I know. I've missed them too. Even Perry's ridiculous Elvis stories."
"Maybe you don't have to wait until Monday to see them. Remember the Metropolis Series I told you about?"
"Yeah. All the local papers are playing charity softball games."
"Well, our last game is on Saturday to see who makes it to the finals. We could use another player. Chuck slipped on his son's skateboard last week and broke his arm. You can hit, right?"
She was teasing him now and he knew it. He grinned, his face lighting up as bright as the noonday sun. How she'd missed that! It made her heart skip a beat. For the first time since Clark had come home, Lois' worry for him lifted a little.
Clark snorted in mock indignation. "I think I can manage. Who are we playing?"
"Team Daily Planet against Team National Inquisitor." She did her best announcer voice.
"The National Inquisitor?" Clark repeated, incredulous. "As in, Leo Nunk?"
Lois nodded. "Yep."
"Oh, we definitely can't let him win." A fresh, mischievous grin curved his lips.
"Good! I'll get you one of the extra shirts and iron KENT on the back after work today."
"How about we go out for dinner tonight?"
"Sure. Where do you want to go? I can make reservations."
"I was thinking...I know this great little farmhouse in Kansas. The food is excellent and so is the company. It's been far too long since we've been there."
"I think your parents would love that," she agreed.
"Oh! And one more thing."
Lois caught the light of hope and love in Clark's eyes. "What's that?"
"Lois Lane, will you marry me? No planning, no waiting. Let's just do it. Before anything else can interrupt us."
Lois smiled against his firm chest. "Absolutely." She pulled away to kiss him deeply.
After their kiss, Clark's gaze glazed over. Lois knew the look well.
"Someone need you?"
"Yeah," Clark said, haltingly. "There's a fire."
"Well go!"
He hesitated for a few, precious seconds.
"Clark, you've been avoiding this for two weeks now. I know it's killing you inside to ignore the cries for help."
"I guess I've been afraid that...well....Superman wouldn't be welcomed. I...he...left them, Lois."
"Trust me. Superman will always be welcome. The world has really missed him. Now go!"
He considered her words. In an instant he'd spun into the once familiar blue and red suit. The spandex was still a little loose in places. Clark still had some weight and muscle to gain back. He flashed a smile at her and bent to kiss her lightly. In the next instant, he was gone. A sonic boom rang out in the air beyond his apartment. Lois lay back against the pillows, awaiting his return, planning. In a few hours she'd call Clark's parents and let them know they would be coming by for dinner. She'd also have to tell Perry once she got to work that Clark was ready to return. She'd swear him to secrecy so that Clark could surprise Jimmy. They'd also have to set up a press conference for Superman so that he could formally announce his return to Earth. It wouldn't take long for word to spread once he appeared at whatever crisis he'd flown off to. But fact would be tainted by rumors. They would plan it for the next morning, giving them the day to carefully construct the official story that he'd give the world. It would be up to him to decide just how much he wanted to tell. But she could help him by editing his copy. She figured that they would do it at The Daily Planet, since that was where Superman had announced his departure.
Meanwhile, Clark hadn't needed to fly far. There was an apartment fire on Chelsea. Firemen were standing back from the blaze, trying to control it. Flames roared as a team was preparing to enter the inferno to look for those trapped inside. An ambulance wailed in the distance as it sped to the scene. Beyond the police barricades, onlookers were gathering in the early morning light.
As soon as Superman was spotted, fingers began to point upwards. A cheer rang out as the knowledge sunk into the crowd. Their hero had returned to them.
Superman alighted next to the fire chief.
"Superman!" the man gaped, surprise evident on his face.
"What's the situation in there, sir?"
"The top five floors are inaccessible from the inside. The flames are too thick. We've got a crew getting the ladders into position now but it's a lot of ground to cover."
Clark leapt into action. He shot away in a blur of blue and red. Seconds later, he appeared with an elderly man in his arms. As soon as the man was on solid ground, Clark was away again. For twenty minutes he repeated the process, finding survivor after survivor. The blaze was still out of control. He stepped back to X-ray the place to look for anyone else when a couple approached him.
"Superman, our little girl is still missing. Please, you have to save our Mandy." It was the child's father.
"Which apartment?" he asked.
"9B."
Clark shot away and into the apartment in question. Carefully, he picked his way through the burning timbers. He called out to the little girl. He scanned with his X-ray vision and tuned his hearing, trying to pinpoint a heartbeat.
"Mandy!" he called out. "Mandy! Where are you?"
He came to a door with flowers painted on it. A little girl's bedroom door. He pushed it open.
"Mandy!"
He heard the sound of a cough a moment after he caught the sounds of a heartbeat. Both were nearly drowned out in the roar of the blaze. He opened the closet door, careful not to move too fast and scare the child. A blonde little girl of four years looked up at him with fear-filled green eyes. As she registered the suit he was wearing, she stood and stepped into his arms.
Clark stooped to pick her up. He held her securely against his chest. Her arms tightened around his neck. He smiled at her in reassurance. She buried her face against his neck.
"Let's get you out of here," he said.
In the next instant, he had retraced his steps out of the apartment and out of the window that'd he entered by. A second later, they were free of the inferno. Clark floated gently back to the ground. He placed the child in her father's waiting arms. He turned back to the blaze. Quickly, he scanned the building once, twice, then a third time. Satisfied that no one was left inside, he drew a deep breath and began to blow out the flames. In minutes, his super breath and the firemen's hoses had quenched the last of the fire.
As he surveyed the smoking building, Clark felt a tiny tug on his cape. He turned. Mandy was at his side, staring up at him. He knelt, bringing himself to her eye level. She smiled shyly at him and then threw her arms around his neck once more, hugging him.
"Thank you, Superman," she said. "Welcome home."
Clark beamed a smile as he hugged her back. He could already feel some of his mental scars beginning to heal.
The End.
