Note: Standard disclaimer's apply to the use of the song Everything, by Alanis Morrisette
Lois endured the separation from Clark with grim impatience. She endured the presence of a loving mother intent on planning for her daughter the most beautiful wedding imagineable. And although Lois loved her mother and appreciated her efforts, and knew that they would be lost in this venture without her, all she could do was think about Clark and how much she longed to be with him.
And then finally… Lois and Clark were together, enjoying themselves in the aftermath of Lana's wedding. The wedding had been beautiful and gloriously private. If anyone had thought it strange that Lana had invited her former fiancĂ©, nobody said anything about it – or even indicated surprise in any other way.
Lana's guests were of the discreet ilk, and for that, Lois and Clark were keenly grateful.
And now together, on the dance floor, they lost track of everything else but each other.
Lois leaned in close to her soul-mate, savoring the feel of his large and strong body against hers.
So right. This is so right.
She loved this song. The first time she heard it, she had broken down crying at how it so accurately reflected how she saw herself. How she saw them. And she had downloaded it and then played it over and over and over again, bringing herself to a heightened state of emotional response every time she heard it.
You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can't relate
And you're still here
That was so him. He saw her – saw all of her, in a way that no one ever had. Not her parents. Not her sister, and not Lord Kal. Just saw her for what she really was – without the use of any kind of super powers. He knew her. Knew her so completely. And he still was here – in her life, hers… a part of her. Forever. And she didn't know what gods she should propitiate and offer up thanks for this incredible celestial gift. So instead… she cried, unable to hold back the emotion.
He felt her response, and tightened his arm, bringing her even closer. Comforting as usual. He didn't ask, and he didn't misunderstand. Didn't assume she was scared, just brought her into his heat, closer, comforted, cherished.
I'm terrified and mistrusting
And you've never met anyone as,
As closed down as I am sometimes.
Had the author of this song actually looked into her soul when she wrote these words? For so long, she had reacted to him with fear and hate. She had mounted a hate-campaign again, making his coveted assimilation into the ranks of humanity a laughably out-of-reach prize. She had stirred up the ranks of Superman-detractors. She had taken the somewhat comfortable existence he had, after so many long months, finally carved out for himself, and … she turned it inside out, upending him onto the floor, out into the cold. She did that without blinking. At one time, she had even contemplated working with the government agent who had seemed so slightly off his rocker… she had contemplated it, because it didn't matter to her if Clark was innocent. He could hurt them, and therefore, he should be contained. Should even… be killed? Could she have killed him? If she had access to that kryptonite poison she had given to the clone? Could she have done that? Snuck it in his coffee?
You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can't relate
And you're still here
And that said it all. He loved all of her, even that part of her that was so dark and lost. That part of her that let her kill the clone, that might even have let her kill him. That let her endure even a second of being in Lex Luthor's company, because she had a far bigger fish to fry.
What I resist, persists, and speaks louder than I know
What I resist, you love, no matter how low or high I go
This unconditional love that he gave her. Oh, it was so intoxicating.
I'm the funniest woman you've ever known.
I am the dullest woman you've ever known.
I'm the most gorgeous woman you've ever known
And you've never met anyone as, as everything as I am sometimes.
You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can't relate
And you're still here
And you're still here
And you're still here...
The music came to an end, and she found herself stricken by the emotion, unable to let him go, unable to act casual, like nothing had happened. Unable to care that they were in a roomful of people, that this was somebody else's special moment, that she could wreck it all, if she didn't get herself back where she belonged. Under control.
But as the song said, there's not anything to which he couldn't relate. He did dig this part of her that she was ashamed of. He loved her, and he welcomed anything she cared to be. Including a scene-causing emotional wreck.
She backed away slightly, and looked up at him, her love shining so brightly through her wet eyes. She stared at him a long while like that, and he looked back at her, understanding, loving, awed and humbled by her… and she knew it, she could sense it. She could feel it.
“I love you,” she said, not caring who heard.
“I love you too,” he answered, as she knew he would.
[tbc]
