Mmmm. And you start right off with that word "always" again. This whole story is just one long promise between them.
It was nice that, once she'd had some time to adjust, Lois realized that she had hurt Clark every bit as much. And he's too nice back to her - she freakin' devastated him in the park that day! But this, this line just devastated me:
“I couldn’t tell you, then, Lois. I needed to know that you would choose the ordinary guy hiding under the Suit. And… you didn’t… You were after a fantasy. He’s not really me, it’s just… something I can do. And I couldn’t stand the idea that you would have force yourself into accepting someone you barely even tolerated, for the sake of living out that fantasy.”
I think that is the best explanation ever for why he never told her. It wasn't just that he wanted her to love him for him. He thought she barely even
tolerated him as Clark. Why have her in love with the "superhero" if the real him was so distasteful to her? Good stuff, Lara.
I also loved her telling him to "be careful" as he was leaving to help. It is a conditioned response and it was very telling that she was thinking of him as Clark in that moment even if he was in the Suit. Loved, too, that he doesn't give her a weird look or roll his eyes. He just tells her, "I will."
She came to sit closer to him and stroked his arm gently. She knew it couldn’t possibly be enough to soothe him
On the contrary, Lois, I think it soothes him immensely. I like to think that Lois is his balm, the one person who can counteract all the horrible things he sees.
“Oh, absolutely,” she said, trying to sound assured even though she was suddenly shaking like a leaf inside.
She's just promised him "always", although she didn't use those exact words. I'd be shaking too.
! Wonderfull 
I've always loved how devastated he is after rescues where he couldn't save everyone - it shows how human he ![[Linked Image]](http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t206/princessanna_83/hug.gif)
*sigh* I love hugs. Good to know they help Superman as much as the rest of us. 
