By Lace Avalon <Lace@happypuppy.com>
Rated PG
Submitted January 1999
Summary: Clark returns from New Krypton to some horrible news.
OK. This is my first attempt at fanfiction and I haven't written anything in a long time, so tell me what you think of it! Comments please! Tell me if you thought this story sucked or not.
This starts off when Clark comes back from saving New Krypton, but it's been two years.
***
"Are you sure you won't reconsider?" Zara asked, even though she knew the answer.
"Yes, I'm sure." He smiled at her. "You and Ching will make great rulers. You don't need me."
"Goodbye, Kal. You will be missed."
"I'll miss you, too. But, hey, maybe I'll come visit you sometime."
They both laughed and hugged each other goodbye.
"Goodbye, Zara." They smiled at each other and Zara got back into the pod that would transport her back to the ship. Clark watched it leave, then walked out of the alley and headed for Lois' apartment.
Lois. He had missed her so much. She was the only thing keeping him alive, driving him these two years. He had seen some horrible things. People being murdered, he himself had been imprisoned for a short while and tortured, but he didn't want to think about that ever again if he could get away with it. He had defeated Nor, and Zara and Ching had been put in charge. But that didn't matter now. All that mattered was that he was home and he knew Lois would be waiting for him. He quickened his step when he thought of her. He felt her wedding band against his skin underneath his shirt. His superpowers hadn't returned yet, otherwise he would have flow to her window.
Clark knocked on her door. She didn't answer. He knocked again. Still no answer. <Oh, well. Maybe she's still at work. It's not that late, the sun hasn't set yet.>
He found a quarter and went to the pay phone down the street. He dialed Lois's number. There was no answer, not even a machine. <Odd.> He hung up and headed his place. The key didn't work anymore, not like he was really expecting it to anyway. Leaving his building he started off for the Daily Planet.
There it was. It felt so good to be back. He looked up at the globe and just stared at it for a while before going in. He pressed the button on the elevator and the doors opened to the newsroom. He stepped out and took everything in. He looked down at his old desk and saw that it was now occupied by someone else. <Oh, well. I just hope I can get my old job back.> He looked down at Lois' desk. It looked different. The things on it weren't hers— He was so preoccupied with staring at Lois's desk, that he didn't see Jimmy till he bumped into him. All of the papers Jimmy was carrying dropped to the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Sorry."
"Sorry." Jimmy looked up at the guy he'd bumped into.
"CK? CK!" they were both standing up now and were hugging. "Omigod! CK! I can't believe it's really you! We all thought you were dead! What happened to you?!"
<Oh, no. I hadn't thought of an excuse! How am I gonna explain why I was missing for two years, when I was only supposed to be on assignment for a few days!>
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Ya. I woke up a couple days ago in a hospital in Canada and I can't remember anything that happened since Superman left."
"Well, that doesn't matter! You're back!" They hugged again.
"Where's Lois?" Jimmy looked away with a sad look on his face. Clark was going to say something when Perry spotted them.
"Great shades of Elvis! Kent?"
Clark smiled as he walked down the ramp to greet him. "Hi, Perry." They hugged (wow, Perry? Hugging?) Most of the employees were new and only knew Clark by reputation. They stared in disbelief at Perry's show of affection towards this man.
"Where have you been, son? We all thought you'd met the maker—" Jimmy interrupted. "He woke up in a hospital in Canada and he can't remember a thing!"
"Well it's good to see you, son!"
"Perry, where's Lois? I tried calling and went over to her place and everything." He stopped when he saw the looks on Perry and Jimmy's faces. "What. What happened?"
"Maybe you'd better come sit down in my office." A sinking feeling was slowly settling in Clark's stomach as he followed him. He sat down on the couch and Jimmy closed the door behind him.
"Well, when you were declared missing, Lois was devastated. After a few months she quit her job at the Planet."
"She quit??"
"Yes. She spent a lot of time with your parents in Kansas. About a year ago, she and your parents were on a plane back to Metropolis, and the engines failed or something and it went down. Clark, son, Lois and your parents died almost instantly." Perry and Jimmy watched him intently as he just sat there with a blank look on his face.
"Oh my god." Clark put his head in his hands and started to cry. Some of the people who still remembered Clark were looking in the windows now. "Hey, get out of here! Jimmy, close the blinds."
"Right, Chief." After he closed all of them, Perry got up.
"Come on Jimmy, let's leave him alone for a while." Jimmy opened his mouth to protest, but Perry shook his head. They closed the door after they were out, leaving Clark alone in the dark.
After about an hour of crying and letting things sink in, he remembered the horrible nightmares he'd had about Lois, but they had gone away after a few months. How could he live without Lois? Or his parents? He had no home, he couldn't go to Kansas, and it was his fault the people he loved the most were dead. <If I had stayed, Superman could have stopped that plane from going down.> In a trance-like state, he got up and left.
"CK?" Jimmy asked. "CK?"
"Let him go, Jimmy."
***
Sitting on a park bench looking up at the stars with tears in his eyes, Clark fell asleep. He had been staying with Jimmy for six months, moping around, being idle, and blaming himself. As Clark drifted off into dreamland, he dreamt of Lois. They shared a long, passionate kiss. "I'm so sorry, Lois. If I had been here, you wouldn't be dead right now."
"It's not your fault. You had to go." She smiled at him.
"I should have stayed. It's my fault." A tear rolled down Clark's cheek.
"No. You have to stop blaming yourself! You can't just sit around and do nothing for the rest of your life! You need to start living again, or you'll die."
"I'm dead already."
"Don't say that! What about all those people who need Superman? They're dying too! There are other people's loved ones who are dying!"
"I can't help them."
"Who are you? You're not Clark. What happened to you?" She gave him a strange look.
"I can't do it. It's too painful. I can't live here any more, I have nothing left. This place isn't my home. Home is with you— There's so much I want to tell you—."
"Clark , look at me." She stared deep into his beautiful eyes.
"I'll always be with you. No matter what. Help them, just like you helped me—"
"Lois! Lois! Don't go! Please don't leave me!"
Clark was being woken up by a homeless man. "Hey, Buddy, wake up, you're shouting."
"Wha…" Clark looked around. It was dawn and he was still in the park where he'd fallen asleep.
"I'll always be with you—" seemed to whisper on the wind. Clark got up and walked around. He closed his eyes and soaked in the sunlight..
"Thank you, Lois."
I live here in exile My home is not in my heart They're miles and oceans apart So I long for the mountains Beyond the grey city walls I pray tonight they'll fall
Then the sun will shine on me Send the light and set me free I'll be off and on my way On my Independence Day All the songs I could not sing All the words I could not say I'll be shouting everything On my Independence Day
Every day I dream of leaving ëCause there's no end in sight I got to shine in my own light Just can't wait any longer For you to make it alright It's time to live my own life
I can feel trouble disappear Anywhere the road will lead If it takes me far away from here.
"Help! Someone, help me!" Clark's super hearing kicked in. Swirling into the suit, he flew off.
Independence Day by Imani Coppola
THE END