Love and Heroes

Love and Heroes


The next morning Lois handed Perry the interview from her encounter with Superman the previous night. She had been unable to stop thinking about him all night, and that was not necessarily a good thing. She was engaged to be married to another man, even if the current man on her mind happened to be Superman.

Perry looked at the three page article; the title was “Superman Returns”. Underneath was the by line Lois Lane. Perry asked as Chloe, Bruce, and Richard looked on. “Is this real?”

Lois gave a slight nod. Perry asked “Where’d you find him?” Perry could see all the others in his office were more then a little curious to know the answer to that to. Chloe spoke up “Yes, Lois, where did you find him? I figured you and Superman weren’t exactly a well mixed combination of late.”

Lois, she shot her cousin a look that wasn’t friendly nor was it hostile. Lois was just having trouble even silently admitting to herself, that her cousin had been right all along. Lois loathed being the one who was in the wrong. She was a perfectionist to the point that it grated on Richard’s last nerve. Christ, even Lucy and her mother couldn’t stand that trait.

Only Chloe understood it, seeing as she to, had the trait in question, just as strongly as Lois did. That probably explained why both she and Chloe were fierce and well known reporters in their own right. Everyone always thought it was Chloe and Lois who were the siblings instead of Lois and Lucy.

Lois answered both of Perry and Chloe’s questions. “He found me.” Perry marvelled as he scanned the first page and said “Oh, this is great. I can’t wait to read it.”

Lois asked Perry “So, Mr. White, about the blackout-“ Perry cut her off and said “Lois this is the biggest night of your life. Have you picked out a dress, something snazzy?”

Lois sighed and glowered at Perry, as she turned around and threw her hands up in frustration and exclaimed “It just feels a little weird winning for that article. It just doesn’t seem right.” Chloe snorted and said slyly “Ha, and you’re only just figuring that one out now?” Lois turned and glowered darkly at her cousin.

Perry shot Chloe a shrewd looked, which she returned with a raised eye brow and a smirk. This caused Perry to visibly bristle. Sometimes the blond could get under his skin worse then her cousin could, and that had got to be saying something. He decided to ignore Chloe and asked Lois “What doesn’t seem right?”

Lois sighed irritably and spread out her arms again and said “Oh, I don’t know. Winning an award for an article called “Why the World Doesn’t Need Superman.” She moved back over to Perry’s desk and picked up that days addition of the Daily Planet and added “When, according to this newspaper, they do.”

Perry held out his arms wide and said “Lois, Pulitzer Prizes are like Academy Awards. Nobody remembers what you got one for. It’s just that you got one.” Lois went to protest and said “But-“ Perry cut her off again and said “This is your night. You enjoy it. I’m sure Kent’s on the blackout.”

Richard asked Chloe “So will you and Bruce be attending the awards ceremony tonight to cheer Lois on, as she receives her reward?” Chloe looked at Richard incredulously and replied “Richard, have you not been listening to a word of what Lois just said? And just because I’m on better terms with Lois of late, does not mean I approve of the article that won her the award in question. I still strongly believe and stand by what I believed four months ago, two months ago, six weeks ago and two days ago.”

She added “Let me tell you this, the fact it is the night of the awards, isn’t in any way shape or form gonna change my mind and opinion on the matter. So no, I sure as hell won’t be attending the ceremony to cheer on my good old cousin. In order for me to do such a thing, I would have to whole heartedly agree with what she wrote. Which I most certainly do not.”

She snorted “Christ, the woman herself doesn’t agree with her article anymore and doesn’t want to go to the ceremony anymore to receive it. So what on Earth would make you think I would want to go either?”

Richard sighed and glowered at the blond woman standing in front of him. He asked irritably “Why are you still going on about this? You should be supporting your cousin, not being jealous over her success. She was at the ceremony when you received your own Pulitzer.”

Chloe shot Richard a very black look indeed, making Bruce grimace, Perry moan mentally and Lois glowered and pinch the bridge of her nose in anger and part exasperation. Chloe replied icily “Excuse me, but I won my own Pulitzer for my article on September the eleventh, after seeing all the tragedy and devastation.”

She added after a brief pause and sneered in disgust and exasperation. “I did not win that award for writing an abomination of an article that was used to release all of my bitter scorned bitchy-ness, and to air out my dirty laundry for the entire world to examine, after the guy I had been mooning over and making cow eyes at, left without my soul permission.”

Richard looked livid before Chloe cut him off with a look of death, stating ‘say anything buddy before I’m done, then I’ll have you screaming for the man of steel to save your snivelling hind, nephew of my boss or not’

“Answer me this Richard. Say that you were the last of a long dead race, after your home planet exploded in on it self. Your extremely lonely, being the last of your kind, having no one who can truly relate to your situation, nor understand it to the extent required to help you and make life as the soul member of your race that much more bearable.”

She added “Say astronomers think they have found what they believe to be a planet you believed to be long dead. Would you be more then a little curious to know whether your truly the last of your kind or not? Or would you stay behind and continue to be alone, saving the world day in and out, with no one to go home to, no one to call your own, to kiss hello, goodbye, good morning or goodnight. No one to hold during those lonely nights, to comfort and to merely assure you everything is going to be alright. To give you the will and sense to continue.”

She continued “That there is good in this ungrateful world, that you’ve saved day in and day out, without a second thought to the self sacrifices you constantly make for the safety of others you attempt to get close to, in less have them end up in danger, because some nut and whack job decides to use them against you?”

She concluded “Tell me Richard, honestly what would you do, if you loved someone more then living life it self, but you had to leave, but couldn’t bare to say goodbye, knowing this person would more then likely be devastated and more then likely try to talk you out of it. But you know you have to leave, as it is something you desperately need to do?”

Richard and the rest of the occupants in the room were stunned at that little speech of hers. This was truly one passionate woman. Richard sighed and scrubbed a weary hand across his face. As he realised now and finally understood why Chloe was reacting to the article Lois wrote.

He replied “I would want to know whether I was the last. Not knowing would probably drive me crazy. If I didn’t go and see for myself, I would constantly be wondering and dwelling over what I could have found and what ifs and why.”

He added “And as for saying goodbye to someone I love more then living life itself, would most likely tear me apart inside. I wouldn’t be able to bare saying goodbye, knowing I was going to hurt that person. Also knowing they would try to talk me out of it. But knowing it was something I had to do, or continue to live a life of misery, by staying behind and not being able to find out information that could be valuable and precious to me. And whether I wanted to or not, I would end up resenting and hating them for changing my mind.”

Chloe turned to face her cousin and told her “That Lois that is why I find your article a disgusting abomination. It is why I cannot go and endure the sight of you receiving an award for that. Richard by the looks of it seems to understand where I’m coming from, perhaps you could take a page out of his book, Lois.”

Chloe turned from her pale and clearly seething cousin and said to Perry “I shall be leaving in a couple of hours to start my month long break. I’ve not had time off from work in almost a full year. I’m due at least a month.”

She added “The father of my children has returned alive and well, as well as safe. It is time I got reacquainted with the father of my children and my children get to know their father for the wonderful man he is. I intend to take full advantage of that.”

She added around a sight “Plus after he returned, he had to leave and return to put his affairs back in order, and take care of his company and see what had happened to his city in his absence. That’s after he bought the Daily Planet and joined it with the Gotham newspaper.” She concluded “That took him almost four months Perry. I’ve seen him once along with the children since then. I’m certain you can understand where I’m coming from Perry.”

Perry nodded “I understand. I agree you need this time for yourself. Then hopefully you’ll return better then before and ready to work harder then before.” Chloe nodded her consent and turned to leave, not once looking at Lois nor Richard. Bruce followed her out of the door and into the bullpen.

Meanwhile Superman flew up to his fortress and immediately paused. Superman instantly knew something was off, as soon as he entered the fortress. It did not tale long for him to instantly realise what was off, or more like what was missing. The main six vital crystals and seventh crystal, the father crystal, were absent from the main crystal console.

Superman felt like someone had taken a chunk of green k and beat him to death with it. He felt violated. Some bastard had taken away the only source he had of his biological father; they had stolen his father from him.

Clark felt his eyes sting with tears of bitter, seething rage, like he had never known before. He trembled in rage, his face a mask of pure and silent fury. He was completely and utterly incensed.

His feet left the ground rapidly; he launched himself out of the fortress, into the open land the Fortress was built on, leaving a sonic boom in his wake.