Thank you, KSaraSara.
TOCPart 14 Later that night, after Lois and Martha had come back from town and Martha had made dinner, Lois and Clark sat on the porch, watching the sunset. Sitting on the bench hanging off the front porch, his arm around her, Clark felt at peace with their decision.
“You know we still have to figure out some logistics when we get back to Metropolis,” Lois said, patting his thigh right above his knee.
“Like?” he asked.
“Where are we going to live? Are you going to be angry with me if I don’t change my name professionally?” Lois asked.
“Of course, not Lois. I know you have worked hard for your career. As long as you are my wife, don’t care if you go with Lois Kent or Lois Lane. And living at your place probably isn’t the best decision. My apartment has easy access to the roof to do rescues. I know it’s not in the best neighborhood, but I think it’s bigger anyway.”
“I still have another five months on my lease. Should we see about renting it out? Or just break my lease?” Lois asked.
Clark watched her tilt her head, probably going through a list of people she knew might need a new place to live.
“There’s always Jimmy,” Clark replied.
“I can’t see Jimmy being able to afford my place. I don’t think he could even afford the fire escape. Even if he got another roommate, I don’t see him living there,” Lois responded.
“We’ll figure it out. But I do need to get to the county clerk’s office as soon as it gets dark. I don’t want anything to stop this wedding from happening in three days,” Clark said with a smile. He squeezed Lois slightly before standing up. “I’ll be back in fifteen to thirty minutes.”
“Be careful. I don’t need you to get caught. Hopefully they don’t have cameras,” Lois warned.
“Funny thing is I think the banks are the only places that have cameras in Smallville,” Clark said. “I’m going to go change and be off. Love you.”
A couple of minutes later, he flew off to town. He knew Lois had seen him, since she had stood up, walked to the end of the porch, and leaned against the railing to watch as he disappeared in the sky. He knew that Dawn and Lana would go to any length to stop this wedding from happening. So he had to make sure the marriage certificate was filed correctly without Dawn realizing her plan had failed.
As he landed in the back of the courthouse, he caught sight of a camera by the back door. He didn’t think they’d updated things, but now it seemed he would need to be more careful about how he maneuvered around the courthouse. He decided the best solution was super speed and heat vision to take out the first camera. Taking out that camera would make sure he wasn’t seen near the door.
Within seconds, he was inside the office, putting the marriage license in the correct folder to be sent straight to the county clerk. He made sure their document was not the first, but more toward the bottom of the pile. Clark didn’t need Dawn to see their application right on top.
Now it was time to get back to Lois before his parents figured out he was missing. Lois and Clark thought it was best not to tell them about Dawn and Lana trying to sabotage the wedding. Clark knew if his mom found out, she would be heading straight to Lana’s parents’ house and that would throw a wrench into the whole plan
As Clark landed behind the barn back at the farm, he noticed his dad sitting on the porch.
“I’m guessing your disappearance has something to do with Lana,” Jonathan said, standing up from the rocking chair.
“Dawn decided to bury our marriage license application today,” Clark replied.
“Don’t mention it to your mother,” Jonathan stated.
“I didn’t plan on it,” Clark informed his dad. “I know how Mom feels about Lana.”
“Good. Lois is sitting on the couch reading, and your mom already went to bed. This wedding planning has been keeping her very busy. She loves it though,” Jonathan said, going over to the railing and leaning over. “Your mom always worried that you wouldn’t find someone to lean on.”
“I felt that way too for a few years, but the first time I saw Lois — something changed,” Clark stated.
“The two of you are good together. When I first met her, I knew you were infatuated, but I wasn’t sure about her until the last couple of days of her first visit,” Jonathan explained. “She fought it for so long, but the end is what matters.”
“Yes, it does,” Clark said, turning around to look inside the house. A smile came across his face as he watched Lois sit on the couch reading. She was leaning against the armrest with her legs up on the cushions. Every few seconds, she would bite her lip, look up, then go back to her book.
“Well, son, I’m going to go to bed,” Jonathan said, patting his son’s shoulder. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Dad,” Clark replied as he watched his dad walk into the house. For a moment Clark’s eyes met with Lois’. Both of them smiled briefly before he stood up and walked inside.
***
The book she had been reading the past thirty minutes had made her blush as she read the steamy scenes. She wasn’t sure why she had pulled this book out of her suitcase. It was about a woman who had been a chemist and felt like she was invisible to the opposite sex until she met a Navy Seal by the name of Matthew Reynolds also known as Wolf. While on a commercial flight, Caroline had smelled something strange in her drink and told Matthew not to drink anything of his. After most of the passengers fell asleep from what was in their drink, Matthew and Caroline decided to pretend to sleep also until they knew what was happening. Two days later, after Matthew and Caroline helped save everyone on the plane, they were lying low out in a cabin, trying to hide from the terrorists responsible for the attempted hijacking.
Matthew and Caroline tried to keep their distance from each other, but nothing could stop them from being together. Not Caroline’s stubbornness on trying to take care of herself, nor Matthew’s ability to keep the bad guys away from them. Lois smiled as she remembered the first time she and Clark had tried to sleep in a bed together. They knew it was too soon to cross over the intimacy threshold, but it didn’t stop them from getting right up to the line.
“What are you reading,” Clark asked as he stood at the end of the couch. “Whatever it is, it must be really good because your heartbeat keeps jumping up and you are blushing.”
Lois flipped the book down and put it over on the coffee table. Afterward, she tried to move her feet, but Clark just grabbed her legs and sat down, putting her legs on top of his thighs.
“How did it go earlier?” Lois asked.
“No problem. We are all set. Tomorrow, I have to finish building something I thought we could use at the wedding. Then, I have to head to the church and get the chairs,” Clark explained.
“Your mom and I were going to bake some pies for the wedding reception and the farmer’s market the day after the wedding.”
“Okay, let’s head to bed since we have so much to do before the wedding,” Clark suggested as he reached his hand out to her. “Oh, and bring that book, I might read to you.”
Lois took in a deep breath and blushed once again. She knew they were waiting for their wedding night to cross the line, although making the other feel good felt way too good.
After they got ready for bed, each of them having brushed their teeth and changed their clothes, they crawled into bed. It would be another hour before they actually fell asleep, satisfied and in each other’s arms.
The next morning came too quickly, Lois thought as she slowly opened her eyes to find an empty bed. When she reached out to feel the sheets, they were cold, meaning it had been awhile since he had woken up. Looking over at the clock, Lois realized it was after nine. She got out of bed and started getting ready. Martha had probably already baked three pies. The Kent family did not sleep past seven in the morning and now she would have to play catch-up. After making the bed, brushing her teeth, and changing her clothes, she entered the kitchen to the smell of fresh coffee and apple pies.
“Sorry I slept in, Martha,” Lois said as Martha rolled out the crust to another pie while two pies rested on the counter.
“No problem, Lois. Jonathan helped me with the first two. Then he went outside to help Clark on the wedding arch… Darn it, that last part you didn’t hear from me,” Martha said with a laugh.
Lois got a cup of coffee, turned around, and leaned against the counter. She chuckled at Martha’s apparent inability to hide a secret.
“It’s okay, Martha. I figured that’s what he was going to build. He hinted at it a couple of times yesterday,” Lois replied, both hands wrapped around the hot coffee cup as she took another drink.
“There’s a plate for you in the microwave,” Martha stated, putting the pie dough over the pan.
Lois warmed up her breakfast of sausage biscuits and gravy. After it was ready, she grabbed the plate, sat at the table, and began to eat her breakfast. She flipped through the Smallville Gazette, reading about the church fundraiser, the new playground being built, and the town council meeting. Lois noticed the paper didn’t have any major crime stories other than the teenagers who had spray painted the dugouts at the high school or the hold-up at the gas station. By the end of that story, she realized it was just a woman desperate to buy diapers for her eight-month-old.
“Not much crime here in Smallville,” Martha said, looking over at Lois.
“Yeah, the Daily Planet is sixteen pages during the week and thirty on Sunday, but Smallville Gazette has six pages. Two of those are want ads and advertisements,” Lois stated, folding the paper back up.
“Are you ready to get back home?” Martha asked with a hint of sorrow in her voice.
“In a way, yes, but coming here was good for us. I haven’t taken a vacation in years, and even though this wasn’t a vacation, it was a good way to unwind. I think Clark needed this also. Finally, he realized he can’t hold everything in and that he isn’t responsible for all of the deaths around the world,” Lois explained as she finished her breakfast.
“He seems to think because he has these gifts that the weight of the world is on his shoulders. One reason I know you are so good for him is that you knew what he could do but didn’t expect him to do it all. Lois, you treated him like a person, not some god or an alien,” Martha explained.
“Before I knew Clark and Superman were the same person, I always compared the two of them. And both of them had the same qualities, such as kindness and a big heart. Maybe it’s one reason that I didn’t want to notice that it was a ruse.”
Lois stood up and took her plate to the sink and washed it off. Neither of the women said anything for a couple of minutes until Martha closed the oven door after putting another pie in the oven.
“He hated lying to you. Quite a few times, even before the two of you started dating, he would tell us he was thinking about telling you the truth. Although, once you started dating, it was even harder on him. He kept contemplating what you would do and the one thing he didn’t want was to lose you.”
“I understood why he created Superman and why he kept it from me at the beginning. There were so many times he could have told me, but he got scared. Everything did work out in the end, but I don’t want him to ever think he has to choose between us. It can’t be a Superman or me, sort of thing,” Lois explained.
“I know, but Lois, you can’t believe he’ll be Superman for the rest of his life. I think he might retire those tights after you have children,” Martha said before looking over at Lois. “Unless you didn’t want children. I mean, it’s none of my business, really.”
Lois walked over to Martha and stood in front of the wonderful woman, amazing mother, and understanding wife.
“You know I didn’t have the greatest role models. Yet, after meeting Clark and getting to know you and Jonathan, I changed my mind on children. I know that if I have the three of you in my corner that I can be a better mother than my mine was. She didn’t know how to put her children before her own feelings or resentments of what they lost. Watching how you and Jonathan raised Clark makes me realize that our child doesn’t need to be blood to love it as our own.”
“Oh, Lois. You’ll be a great mom, and your parents are still alive, maybe one day, they will surprise you,” Martha said before giving Lois a hug.
While they were hugging, Jonathan and Clark came into the house for a break. The men were laughing yet suddenly stopped when they noticed their women in a hug.
“Is everything okay?” Jonathan asked as he walked over to the kitchen island.
Martha and Lois pulled away and laughed for a moment. Lois walked over to Clark and gave him a peck on the cheek.
“Lois and I were just talking about grandchildren,” Martha said with a smile as she patted her husband’s arm.
“Mom!”
“What?” Martha asked.
“We haven’t even had a wedding yet. And you’re asking for grandchildren. Isn’t it a little fast?” Clark warned, putting an arm around Lois’ shoulders and pulling her close.
“It’s okay, Clark,” Lois said. “She’s fine. I told her the truth.”
***
Clark couldn’t believe what he had heard a few hours earlier. Lois had told his mom that she wanted to have his children. Was it even possible? He was happy Lois had changed her mind about children. He recalled the time during their first year as partners when Lois had Aymee Valdes stay with her. Lois was so out of her element with the smart kid who was stealing and blackmailing the rich people around Metropolis. Sometimes Clark wondered what ever happened to those children from the Beckworth State School. Maybe once they returned to Metropolis, Clark would look into where Aymee and the others had moved onto.
For now, though, he finished working on the white wedding arch where he and Lois would be married. He knew Lois wanted yellow roses, white calla lilies, and red tulips in her bouquet. Clark knew that, even though they weren’t getting married in a church, that Lois still wanted some of the traditions of a wedding. And he couldn’t wait to see her in the wedding dress. He knew that it was the same dress his mom had worn. Lois would look great in a burlap sack, he had once told her, and it was true.
The flowers will be arriving tomorrow morning. And his mom was planning on helping him finish putting everything together before the guests arrived. They had only invited about thirty people, and that included Perry and Jimmy. Yet Clark wasn’t sure of their flight times or when they would arrive..
“Lois is going to love it,” Martha announced as she stood a few feet behind Clark. Clark had worked behind the small shed that was between the pond and the house. Lois had kept herself away from the area even though she had told him it was torture.
“I hope she does,” Clark replied as he stepped back next to his mom. Tilting his head slightly to the left, he looked at the arch again. It was made with white oak in a lattice format just like the one that his parents had at their wedding.
“It reminds me so much of the one that was at the park where your dad and I got married,” Martha said as she leaned her head against her son’s arm.
“Lois and I were looking at your wedding album and she mentioned it. I thought it would be a terrific addition at the altar. Plus it will match perfectly with the chairs from the church,” Clark explained as he put his arm around his mom.
“I can’t believe my boy is finally getting married,” Martha said with enthusiasm.
“I know, mom, you have only stated this fifty times since we told you we wanted to have the wedding here.” Clark laughed. “Sometimes I wonder if they would have been proud of me.”
Clark looked up into the clear blue skies with wonder.
“They would have been very proud of the man you have become, don’t ever doubt that, Clark. You have given this world so much of your time, strength, and compassion. Even if they didn’t, know that your dad and I love you and have enjoyed every moment we have had with you. No matter what, we will always be proud of you.”
Clark and Martha stood there a few minutes more in silence until Clark felt Lois coming toward them. Clark let go of his mom and rushed to cover the arch with a tarp before Lois could see it.
“Perry and Jimmy called,” Lois stated after Clark turned around.
“Yeah, are they coming? Do they need a lift?” Clark asked quickly, stepping closer to Lois.
“They will arrive at the Topeka airport around three-thirty this afternoon,” Lois said.
“Are they getting a rental or do they need a ride,” Martha asked following Clark.
“Perry said they are getting a rental since Jimmy should know his way here already. But I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. It was a couple of years ago and a lot has changed since then,” Lois explained with a smile. Clark put his arm around Lois’ shoulder, leading her toward the house.
“If the plane arrives on time, and with Jimmy driving, I expect them by six,” Clark said.
“Well, I should go see what we have for dinner. I remember how that boy ate the last time he was here — I’m going to need extra,” Martha said with a laugh.
Martha walked toward the barn, where the deep freezer was stored.
Clark stopped and turned to Lois, taking her hands into his. “I can’t believe we’re getting married tomorrow. Is there anything you want me to do before I head to the church to get the chairs?” Clark asked.
Lois looked up into his eyes, then she grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him close.
“Yeah, you could kiss me,” she demanded before her lips crashed into his. His arms wrapped around her waist as hers found their way around his neck.
When they parted, their foreheads were still touching.
“I missed you this morning. Why didn’t you wake me? Lois asked.
“You looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you, plus you were snoring a bit,” he teased.
“I don’t snore,” she said, pulling away and slapping him playfully on the arm.
Clark just tipped his head back and chuckled slightly.
“Whatever you say, Lois,” he said, putting his arm around her and leading them toward the house.
***
After Clark led Lois into the house, he grabbed a snack while she wrapped up the last pie Martha and she had baked earlier. Lois couldn’t believe she had helped bake twelve pies with Martha. There were four of each pie flavor: apple, blueberry, and cherry. Lois had learned so much about cooking and baking while spending time with Martha.
Lois walked up to Clark as he leaned back against the counter while eating an apple. She put her hand on his chest as he held the apple out to offer her a bite.
“No, thank you. I kept stealing pieces of fruit while we were working on the pies,” Lois said. “Can we go somewhere private for a few minutes? There is something we need to discuss that I would prefer your parents not hear.”
Clark arched his eyebrow, then nodded his head. She turned toward the hallway and he put his hand on the small of her back as they went toward his bedroom. After they entered his bedroom, she closed the door, and stayed facing the door for a moment. This was going to be a complicated conversation and Lois didn’t want Clark to run out. She took a breath and turned around, watching him stand there as sexy as ever. Oh, this was going to be even tougher than she thought.
“Lois, you’re scaring me,” he stammered, reaching out for her.
“I know this is going to sound stupid, and I don’t know why I’m even thinking about it. But after everything we have been through, I think some traditions we need to follow.”
“Okay,” he replied as he took a step toward her.
She put up her hand to stop him from coming any closer. This was difficult as it was, and having his hard body close to hers, and his scent that drove her crazy.
“I love that you are the last thing I see at night before I close my eyes. When I get cold, you wrap your arms around me, pulling me closer. In the morning, I can still feel the warmth where you lie next to me,” Lois explained, not being able to look up at him.
“Lois, sleeping next to you lately, is one reason I know things are going to be okay. With you next to me, I don’t feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, you ground me.”
“Keep thinking that,” she stammered, stepping away from him and walking around to the bed. She sat down, knowing she needed to be seated to explain this. “With the wedding tomorrow, I think it’s best that we sleep apart.”
Looking up at him for an answer, she noticed his body stiffening, then he turned around, putting his hand through his hair, like he usually did when he didn’t know what to say.
“Oh, honey,” he said with a smile. He kneeled in front of her, taking her hands in his. “I thought it was something huge.”
Lois’ eyebrows scrunched together as her lips curled down.
“I meant like you had second thoughts about getting married,” he explained. “I didn’t mean to downplay this. I mean, I know we have been sleeping together lately. And I know tomorrow night we will be doing more than just sleeping. But I understand why tonight you want to sleep alone.”
He covered her cheek with the palm of his hand like he had done so many times. The devotion and pleasure she felt for him exploded even more as she leaned over and kissed him lightly.
“I love you, Clark Jerome Kent,” she said, softly. “And I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“I love you, Lois Joanne Lane,” Clark replied. He removed his hand from her cheek, leaned closer to her, making her fall back onto the bed. “And I’m looking forward to being your husband.”
He lingered over her with her legs between his. One of his hands was placed next to her head making sure he didn’t put his full weight on her. His other hand found its place on her hip. She didn’t mean for this to happen, although being physical with Clark wasn’t ever a bad thing. There was so much to do before tomorrow, yet the feeling of Clark’s being so close made her feel warm inside. The way her breath hitched as his mouth found hers, she couldn’t stop no matter how unsure she was of this moment.
She moaned as his hand began to tease her.
The slow caress of Clark's tongue against hers made her want to just throw their todo list out the window and continue what they were doing all night.
She wrapped her arms around him, trying to pull him even closer. It was like they couldn’t get enough of each other, especially when his hand found its way under her shirt.
“Clark, are you still going to the church,” Jonathan said as he opened the bedroom door.
Clark jumped up, grabbed a pillow to cover himself while Lois straightened her shirt.
“Jonathan, hi,” Lois frantically said, standing up. “I have something I gotta go do.”
Lois’ face was warm, and her heart was beating erratically as she left the bedroom. As she entered the kitchen, she found Martha standing near the kitchen sink, and she turned when Lois’ entered the room.
“I told him to wait a few more minutes, I’m sorry,” Martha said with a smile.
Lois swept some of her hair behind her ear and looked down. Suddenly, she felt like a hormonal teenager being caught in her boyfriend’s bedroom.
“It’s okay, Clark should have left for the church ten minutes ago,” Lois said.
Clark walked out of the bedroom with his head down and even he was flushed. Without saying a word, he grabbed the keys off the hook by the door and walked out of the house.
Lois watched as Jonathan strolled out a couple of minutes later. She needed something to do and keep her mind off her “super” fiance. Noticing the list on the table, she sat down and started checking off the items that were completed already.
“Grandchildren,” Martha mumbled as she shook her head.
Lois looked up at her soon-to-be mother-in-law and chuckled a bit. They had a lot to do, but taking a second to enjoy a moment with Clark had rejuvenated her.
Lois looked up to the clock over the kitchen sink and noticed the time. It couldn’t be that late already. Lois realized the day had gotten away from her — the flowers still had to be delivered and the chairs set up. Her pulse spiked, being frazzled at the small amount of time she had left to get things done.
Knock. Knock.
The sound of someone at the front door snapped her out of it a little. She hoped it was the flowers and Perry and Jimmy.
“I called the restaurant. They are running on schedule. Food should start being delivered by ten thirty,” Martha said as she walked through the kitchen toward the front door.
Lois nodded and tried to relax her shoulders. She may have been engaged once before and even walked down the aisle, but she didn’t have to worry about anything this time. This time, the wedding and the man meant more to her than anything. Lois chuckled a bit and realized she would go through these wedding preparations again and again if she knew marrying Clark was the result. A small outdoor wedding was more their style than an over-the-top ceremony where she didn’t know many attendees.
“Umm, Lois, you have a visitor,” Martha announced as she stepped into the kitchen.
Lois turned her head, and the sight before her made her shoulders tense right back up. Her blood pressure didn’t just skyrocket, but shot well over the one-fifty range. Nothing could have prepared her for the man standing before her.
“Daddy,” she mumbled, standing up from the table.
“Princess,” Dr. Sam Lane said as his arms went out to his sweet daughter.
