Love and Heroes

Love and Heroes


Richard called out “Jimmy, Jason, let’s go get these intrepid reporters something to keep them going.” Jimmy got up from his desk, as Clark looked on smiling slightly, as Jason exclaimed excitedly “Burritos!” Richard said “Come on, Canhead.”

Richard asked Jimmy “We’re going this way. Do they have anything other then burritos?” Lois rubbed her eyes wearily and turned to face Clark, as Jimmy could be heard telling Richard “I think they have fries and burgers.”

Lois leaned back in her chair and asked Clark. “So have you found a place to live yet?” Clark replied “No, I’m still looking.” He added as he walked towards her, as she started to raise from her chair. “You know, Lois, I wanted to ask you about that artic-“ He was stopped mid sentence by Lois as she walked forwards.

“Hey’ I’m gonna run down stairs for some fresh air.” Suddenly she exclaimed irritably “Great!” as her open handbag tipped forwards, causing all of its contents to spill out onto the floor. Clark came forward and bent over along with Lois, to help replace the fallen items into her handbag.

But as he kneeled, his glasses slipped off of his face completely, falling to the floor. Lois picked them up, handing them to Clark without once looking up from what she was doing. If she had, she would have seen the complete bare face and exposed eyes of Clark. She surely would have figured out who exactly he was.

Clark paused, holding his glasses. He thought of allowing her to see who he was, see him without his glasses. He paused for a moment longer before he slowly replaced his glasses sadly and reluctantly upon his face. He decided now was the not the time, she wasn’t ready to know that right now.

He picked up a few items and carefully tossed them into her handbag, and watched as she placed a recording device into one of the pockets of her skirt. They both stood up straight. Lois looked up at Clark and told him “Let’s talk when I get back.” Clark replied “Sure.”

He watched her turn on her heel and walk down the isle separating each side of the room from the other. He continued to watch as she walked out of the double glass doors, then into the elevator.

There was a small and gentle loving smile on his face, as he continued to watch her. It softened his face, but the expression was clearly tinged with sadness and deep longing.

He used his super-vision to watch her inside of the elevator, as it descended upwards, towards the roof. He frowned, noticing she was not heading down like she said she was. He decided then and there that it was time he and Lois had a talk. He as in Superman and not Clark Kent.

Meanwhile, Lois was on the roof of the Daily Planet. She took a cigarette out of her handbag before removing a lighter and lifting it up to the cigarette held firmly in between her slightly parted lips. Just as she ignited it and held the naked flame to the end of the cigarette it flickered out. She tried again, but still got the same result.

She frowned in annoyance before startling, as she turned at sound of the rich, velvety smoothness that said “You know, you really shouldn’t smoke, Miss Lane.” Lois felt her heart jump inside of her chest, as she took in the breath taking and majestic sight of the man of steel, cape and blue spandex and spit curl and all, in all of his splendid glory.

She barely dared to breathe out loud, as he floated downwards. He said apologetically as he landed smoothly, flawlessly and soundlessly, bar the sound of the slight fluttering of his cape. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

Lois quickly replied, far too quickly in fact. “I’m fine. Really.” Superman knew other wise. She had answered far too quickly for her answer to be anything but genuine, plus her body betrayed her. He could hear her heart beating more rapidly then usual.

She added “I just wasn’t expecting you.” Her hands were resting on her hips. Her tone could have be classed as anything but pleasant, if not hostile. Superman replied “With all the press on the plane I wasn’t sure it was the best time for us to talk.”

Lois folded her arms across her chest, in what was supposed to be a relaxed, easy pose. Superman knew differently. She was not entirely defensive towards him. But he knew it wouldn’t take much from him, to provoke that in her.

Lois replied “Well, there’s no press around now. Except for me, of course.” Superman gave a brief smile at this. Thinking ‘Oh but Lois, you are more wrong then you can imagine. If only you knew I was fellow member of the press when out of the cape’

He spoke up “I know people are asking questions now that I’m back. I think it’s only fair that I answer those people.” Lois eyed him and said “So you’re here for an interview?” Lois barely paused for a moment, before saying “Ok” then turning on her heel and heading towards where she left her handbag.

She bent down and started to search her handbag. She mumbled out loud to herself “Where did I put that thing?” Superman already knowing exactly what she was searching for called out “Right pocket.”

Lois looked up at him from her crouch position. She slowly rose to her full height. She then pressed the on button and her palm sized recorder and held the device out in front of her. She then got down to business.

“Let’s start with the big question” she said. “Where did you go?” she added. “Superman replied “To Krypton.” Lois shook her head slightly and said “But you told me it was destroyed. Ages ago.”

Superman nodded briefly before replying “It was. But when astronomers thought they found it, I had to see for myself.” Lois replied, after he had turned back to face her “Well, you’re back, and everyone seems to be pretty happy about it.”

He eyed her intently and walked towards her and said “Not everyone.” He added “I read the article, Lois.” Lois replied off handily “So did a lot of people. And I received a lot of heat from my cousin in the process, considering tomorrow they’re giving me the Pulitzer-“

For once it was Superman who cut Lois off, instead of Lois interrupting Clark. He asked “Why did you write it?” Lois replied coldly, wanting to hurt him as much as he had her. Meaning it was the reason she chose the words she said next. “How could you leave us like that? I moved on. So did the rest of us. That’s why I wrote it. The world doesn’t need a savoir. And neither do I.”


I'm all dressed up in my finest attitude
pretending I don't care.
Guess I really messed up by trying to be two,
when only one heart can be there.


Superman turned away looking pained. He looked far off, looking at something Lois was unable to see. After a moment he turned back to face her and said “Lois. Will you come with me?” Lois shook her head and asked “Why?” Superman replied “There’s something I wanna show you.”

Lois sighed again, turning away looking troubled. Superman pleaded “Please.” Lois bit her thumb anxiously, before slowly giving in and walking up close to him. She told him “I can’t be gone long.” He shook his head and replied “You won’t be.”

Lois stepped closer, until she was in his personal space and could feel the warmth that was purely him, radiating off of him. She carefully stepped out of her high heeled stilettos and stepped onto his feet, standing on tip toes, as she placed her hands on his biceps.

She suddenly commented “Clark said the reason you left without saying goodbye is because it was too unbearable for you. Personally, I think that’s a load of crap.” Superman asked “Clark?” Lois replied unconcernedly “He’s just a guy I work with.” Superman replied “Maybe Clark’s right.”

Lois, who was feeling less then loving towards Superman, decided she wanted him to hurt, like he had hurt her, and brought up the one subject she knew, that would do just that. Richard.

“You know, my-“ she faltered slightly. This was enough to tell Superman all he needed to know, that what Chloe had told Jimmy and him as Clark, had been correct. How could Lois marry a man who she had a problem using his name in a sentence without faltering.

Lois finished her sentence “Richard, he’s a pilot. He takes me up all the time.” Superman shook his head and replied with a sure and firm certainty “Not like this.” ‘Never like this’ he thought to himself.

Why can't I be just what I am,
and speak my love without any shame?
Why can't she see what I am,
is a costumed fool trapped in a tragic game?

Lois looked down, and gasped, instantly wishing she hadn’t. She allowed her grip to tighten on his biceps and leaned in closer to his body, as she took in the sights down below, as everything seemed to be shrinking as they ascended higher and higher into the cool night sky.

He slightly lowered his head to hers, taking in her scent, not sure whether he will ever be this close to her again. He sighed as she looked up at him, and placed her hands on his back, sending a tingling shooting all over his skin.

She commented, with wonder lacing her voice “I forgot how warm you were.” He didn’t answer, and merely continued to float upwards, with her still held firmly in his arms.

The enormous and majestic beauty that was the golden globe representing the Daily Planet, stood behind them, dwarfing them, so they were only a tiny spec in the sky, due to its enormity.

Charades and pretty lies
they hide what's deep inside me.
Charades do disguise
all the love I keep inside me.

Lois could not help nor suppress the look of delighted awe that graced her features, as she took in the breath taking beauty that was the lit up wonder of Metropolis, from a great height of hundreds maybe thousands of feet off of the ground.

They finally paused in the sky, floating. Lois wondered why they had stopped and what it was he wanted her to see. He had obviously brought her up he for a reason. But what exactly was that reason?

Superman said “Listen” he asked “What do you hear?” Lois replied after a brief pause. “Nothing.” She was wondering why he had asked her that, it puzzled her greatly. Her puzzlement was soon banished when he spoke up breaking the silence between them. His tone of voice was quite and calm. “I hear everything.” He paused looking down at her before adding “You wrote that the world doesn’t need a savoir, but every day I hear people crying for one.”

Charades! Can't see me,
But can you feel the real me,
the real me behind my charades?

Lois looked down with a blank expression. But on the inside she felt like she had been slapped across the face, that the air had been punched out of her. And much to her annoyance, she felt ashamed. She also realised that she now understood where her cousin had been coming from, why she was so enraged by the article. Yes finally she understood.

They were silent for a long while, before he broke the silence and said “I’m sorry I left you, Lois.” He added after a brief pause and smiled sadly “I’ll take you back now.” Lois suddenly did not want to be parted from him. It was almost a desperate feeling deep inside of her.

Superman adjusted their position, so they were both stretched out horizontally, side by side. They then flew over a large river. Lois looked down taking in their reflections in the water, side by side. They looked stunning next to each other.

Lois carefully reached down and touched the still water with the tip of her finger, as they went by. She marvelled, as the water rippled at her touch. Superman smiled lovingly at her child like antics.

Oh, please don't mind me,
performing at my hardest
as I paint upon the air.
You won't find me
Cause it's a portrait of the artist
as a man who isn't there.

Lois looked to her left, as they flew past the house she shared with Richard and Jason. The lights were on, and Richard’s seaplane was still tied to the dock, on the river.

She turned back to face Superman. He smiled gently at her, and looked on a head, as she eyed the ring that encircled her left ring finger. She felt a sense of guilt, when she wistfully thought if she stared long enough at the suddenly offending metal and rock encircling her finger, then it would disintegrate, freeing her of its binding nature and meaning.

Lois watched all of the evening traffic flowing passed them. They flew passed many sky scrapers and other such tall buildings, before he tilted them upwards once more, continuing to fly upwards. The Daily Planet building blurred as they flew. Until finally they were floating above the roof. They floated in a brief circle before landing softly back where they had started.

Charades and pretty lies
They hide what's deep inside me.
Charades do disguise
All the love I keep inside me.
Charades! Can't see me,
But can you feel the real me,
The real me behind my charades?

Lois was reluctant to move away from him, even slightly, as she stepped back into her stilettos and removed her hands from his back. She then looked up at him, and instantly knew she could not resist any longer.

They both closed the gap between them, and slowly their face inched closer. They were so close, that their lips brushed, they could feel the others hot breath against their lips.

But then Lois was hit with an image of Richard’s smiling and trusting face. She inwardly moaned, pulling away, reluctantly. She couldn’t do it, no matter how she desperately craved to feel his lips caressing her own, even if it was just once and for a couple of seconds.

She closed her eyes and said sadly “Richard’s a good man.” She looked up at him and added firmly “And you’ve been gone a long time.” He sighed and reluctantly agreed as he replied “I know.”

They reluctantly put more distance between themselves. Lois spoke up before trailing off and closing her eyes and shaking her head “I-“ she paused before finishing “So will I see you around?” Superman smiled gently and replied “I’m always around.”

He nodded to her with one last sad smile and finally said, as he floated upwards, gaining speed until Lois was merely a spec down below. “Goodnight Lois.” Lois looked on in awe as he left. She looked troubled as soon as he was out of sight. She sighed wearily before grabbing her handbag and returning inside.

Can't you feel the real me,
Behind my charades?
Have I lost the real me,
Behind my charades?

AN: I thought this song was prefect for this chapter and the relationship between, Superman/Clark/Lois. It was Charade from the movie Grease 2, sung by Maxwell Caulfield.