Hi,

It's been so long since I posted a fic, that I'm very rusty, so I hope I get this right.

As I'm a slow writer, and I haven't yet finished this story, I'll be posting on a schedule of once a week ... every Monday.

This story is a sequel to The Forgotten. A couple of months have passed. In this story - - My Wife the Boss - - we explore Clark's journey to get his life back on track. The title was taken from a line of dialogue in the episode Stop The Presses, though that will be the only resemblance to that plot.

I hope you enjoy and that you find time to leave me some fdk.


My Wife The Boss

Chapter One
A New Start

Clark Kent stood across the road from the Daily Planet building, gazing up at the famous globe which seemed to dwarf the building, while in his stomach giant butterflies played havoc with his innards.

This was the first time he'd actually viewed the new improved logo of the famous newspaper since he'd returned from China. Lois had suggested, on a number of occasions, that they take a walk past the headquarters of his old workplace, perhaps even visit his ex-colleagues, but Clark had been unusually reticent. Besides, most of his closest workmates had visited him at home.

Now, he was wishing he'd listened to his wife's advice. Walking cold turkey into this building on his first day back at work wasn't ideal. Why did he ever believe that he knew better than Lois?

He should have gone into work with her, but Bernie had been adamant that his first days back at The Planet should be on a part time basis, and Lois had an early morning staff meeting. Clark was disappointed that the partnership of Lane and Kent was over, but Lois had moved on and was now co-editor-in-chief of the newspaper. In fact, she was shouldering more of the responsibility now that Perry was considering retirement.

So he stood alone, staring at the impressive edifice and wishing he could run home. He wasn't sure he knew how to be a reporter anymore. Perhaps he couldn't cut it on his own, especially since the part of his brain that had made him into a respected writer was truly rusty. Maybe he should have asked Lois if he could start as a fact-checker, though he supposed he was a little old for that post.

Unconsciously, his hand threaded through his peppered gray hair; hair that had darkened only a mere fraction with the removal of the kryptonite-coated chips from his brain, just as a shadow of his superpowers had returned. It was a pity his finger hadn't grown back ... but that was the stuff of science fiction ... or wasn't there some lizard that grew back a damaged tail?

<Come on, Dad. Stop messing about!>

Clark heard a young male voice admonish him, though he had no doubt who was talking and to whom. Only one person spoke to him inside his head.

<I'm not messing about, Matt. I'm just admiring the scenery.>

<Oh, and I'm Batman!> Matt laughed. <You'll be fine. Remember Mom's band aid theory ... and she'll be waiting for you.>

<I know. That's part of the problem. Not that I don't appreciate her help .... I just don't want to let her down.>

<That's not going to happen. Mom doesn't expect you to write any Kerth winning stories today. Maybe tomorrow .... >

Clark heard Matt laugh again and couldn't help but join in. <I guess your mother is just as competitive as ever.>

<You guess right, but she does understand. I'll bet she's just as nervous as you. Didn't you notice, she took real sugar and cream in her coffee this morning? We were placing bets on whether she'd fish out the chocolate ice cream.>

<For breakfast? Wow! She was uptight.> Clark stuck his hands deep into his pockets to keep them from shaking and walked to the edge of the sidewalk, waiting for the light to cross the road. Moments later he was at the front entrance, noticing that the revolving doors had been replaced by automatic glass ones. He breathed deeply. <Here I go, Matt. Wish me luck.>

<You don't need luck, Dad, but you have it anyway.> The concern in Matt's voice was evident, but cut off by a quick sigh. <Oh, I've gotta go now, gotta get to my next class.>

<Thanks, son.> Clark wasn't sure that the channel to Matt was still open, but he was grateful for the superhero's help in crossing that road. Was it just a road? It had felt like crossing the Gobi desert.

“Good morning, Mr. Kent,” a voice hailed him from the reception desk and he turned to see a middle-aged man addressing him. “Mrs. Kent said you'd be in later. It's good to have you back where you belong.”

“Good morning, Ma... Ken?” Clark's voice lifted in a question, but when the man returned his smile, he relaxed a little. He had remembered the first face he came across and put the right name to it. “It's good to be back,” he added, and was surprised by how jaunty his voice sounded. Maybe he could do this.

Ken came from behind his desk and ushered Clark over to the elevators. “Let me get that for you, Mr. Kent. You'll find the newsroom has been expanded to take in the sixth floor. That's were you'll find Mrs. Kent's office. She's expecting you.”

Clark had already been told this a number of times by Lois, but the man's gesture of kindness helped him enter the elevator and press the button for the sixth floor with only the smallest of tremors in his hand.

This was a new start for him, and he just hoped he didn't let anyone down. Himself included.

*****

Lois was dealing with an irate accountant about what he called “over-the-top” expense reports and watching the clock in the bullpen outside her office. Her toe tapped as she grew more frustrated with the grating bean-counter. She had wanted to be downstairs to escort Clark up to the newsroom.

Her attention swung to the elevator as it arrived on the floor and she cut the phone conversation short when a nervous looking Clark walked onto the platform above the bullpen. She watched mesmerized as her husband's gaze scanned the large room, from the rows of screens that covered the side wall, all linked by satellite to news outlets around the world, to the rows of desks on the floor below him. He seemed to be searching for something or someone familiar and her heart went out to him.

Lois was certain he hadn't looked so hesitant years ago, when he'd first interviewed at The Planet, though she had to admit she hadn't paid much attention to the greenhorn who was sitting in the Chief's office that day. Now, all her concerns were focused on the tall figure who stood by the wooden rail surveying his place of work a little like a Christian about to be thrown to a pride of hungry lions.

Was it too soon for Clark to return to work?

No. She knew Clark was growing stir-crazy staying at home. Even when he'd lost his memory due to his encounter with the Nightfall Asteroid, he had continued at The Planet. And he'd worked all the time he was in China, just not as a journalist. They'd already discussed the timing and agreed he was ready, so it was pointless to second guess herself at this late stage.

Pushing her worries aside, she strode into the newsroom, her face lighting up in a welcoming smile.

“Clark,” she called, alerting those colleagues who hadn't already noticed his entrance. “I'm glad you made it in.”

Clark's startled glance settled on her, his body appearing to freeze as others turned to look in his direction. Lois quickened her pace as she willed him to move down the ramp to meet her.

“What do you think of the new bullpen?” Reaching the bottom of the ramp, she was grateful to see Clark walking toward her, though with less than his easy stride. She felt a presence by her shoulder and wasn't surprised when she heard Jim's voice.

“Hey, CK, my man. How ya doing?” Jimmy moved closer to Clark's side and a wide sweep of his arm covered the large room. “Come on, take a look around. It's probably a little different from the last time you were here. Everything is high tech these days. All the reporters' computers are linked to our online edition. We have video links and blogs ....”

“Jim! Give Clark a chance to get his bearings,” Lois said quietly, yet with authority. Scaring Clark off first thing wasn't exactly high on her agenda. “Even I'm not totally at home with all the new technology. One of these days, I guess they'll do away with the paper and ink version of The Planet, but it will still be the reporter's skills which make a good newspaper.”

“I wouldn't argue with you there, Chief,” Jimmy said, taking Lois' unspoken hint.

Clark blanched, hearing his wife called Chief for the first time.

My wife the boss.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, that phrase struck a chord. Lois had been promoted to editor-in-chief once before, and though his memory of that time wasn't clear, he had the uncomfortable notion that it hadn't been a good time in their lives.

Yet, who was he to cavil? Lois deserved her position. She'd fought hard to get here and had more than enough talent to match her determination, while he now felt he was masquerading as a journalist. Pretty soon he'd be found out, and Lois would be put in an awkward situation. Still, she'd never doubted that he was fit for the task, and Perry had backed her. At that thought, Clark's nerves stretched tighter than a bowstring and the butterflies in his stomach morphed into a herd of stampeding elephants.

Fortunately for Clark, he was given no time to wallow. A small group had surrounded the trio and Clark was soon shaking hands with smiling people who weren't quite strangers. Thankfully, he recalled most of their names, with only a couple of mistakes. A few minutes passed in exchanging pleasantries, then Lois cracked the whip and everyone returned to their jobs, leaving him alone with Lois and Jimmy.

“Let's go into my office while Jim here makes sure your desk is set up and ready to go. I had the IT people install your computer.”

Lois' hand settled on Clark's back, shepherding him forward, but her heart constricted a little as Clark allowed himself to be led. She hoped his confusion was due to first-day nerves and that he would soon feel more comfortable in an environment he obviously found a bit intimidating. But she wouldn't permit any negative thoughts to cloud her enthusiasm. Clark had come through so much and regaining his rightful place as one of The Planet's top investigative journalists was bound to be a piece of cake.

Oh, if only she believed that with more certainty. But if she could be sure of one thing, it was that she would be there to offer him encouragement when he needed it.

*****

Once they were locked in the privacy of her office, the blinds slatted as a warning to any inopportune visitor that the editor-in-chief was not to be disturbed, Lois directed an appraising look at her husband.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

Clark walked into the middle of the room, taking in the general décor and atmosphere. “Fine. I'm feeling OK.” He accompanied his statement with a firm nod of his head, yet he didn't turn in her direction.

Lois frowned. “Clark! Why don't you try looking at me when you say that?” She took a couple of steps toward him. “And remember, we tell each other the truth, no matter what.”

There was a pause and Lois found herself holding her breath, then, almost casually, Clark swung round, but there was nothing casual in his stare.

“OK. I'm a bit apprehensive,” he admitted, closing the small gap between them. “Honey, what if I never get this part of myself back?”

Her first instinct was to dismiss his fear. After all, they'd had this discussion a number of times since she'd suggested he return to work, but she also realized that actually being here had probably increased his doubts. She took a couple of deep breaths and spoke calmly, repeating the now-familiar argument.

“Clark, all the other parts of your personality have come back ... why not this?”

“But they haven't, Lois. Even you have to admit that I'm not exactly the same.” He grabbed hold of the hand she'd held out to him. “Superman can't ever come back.”

“Superman is back. He was never just about the powers. Superman was you, Clark. The caring, compassionate man behind the suit and the cape ... that man is here. I know some of your memories are still a bit hazy, and your powers aren't full strength, but your experiences are helping Matt a whole lot.”

“He told you?”

“Of course, he told me. He appreciates your suggestions, even if you can't be out there with him physically.”

“I don't really do much.” He hung his head.

Lois dipped her head a little to catch Clark's eye. “That's not Matt's opinion, but right now, we're talking about Clark Kent. You know you have all you need to be the journalist you once were.”

“I wish I had your faith.”

“Clark, I know it might take a while. I'm not expecting you to jump into the deep end.” She tightened her hold on his hands and offered him a grin. “Not yet, anyway.”

She wondered if he was aware she was putting up a front ... and hoped not. She had to be strong for him.

“Just as well,” he returned her smile ruefully. “I'm pretty certain I'd drown.”

“Then it's just as well you have lots of friends who are only too happy to help you.”

“I guess ... but I'd bet a lot of the people out there think I'm the teacher's pet.” Clark glanced at the blinds. “They've earned their positions. They're probably just waiting for me to fall flat on my face.”

“Will you stop?” Lois' voice had an edge to it. She would not allow him to spiral into a pit of self-doubt. “Believe me, you've earned the right to be here. You've won awards and you've more talent in your little finger than a lot of those others. And before you remind me that you've been away for a few years, I'll have you know that Mac gave you a glowing reference.”

That brought his attention back to her face. “You asked Mac for a reference for me?”

Lois smiled. “Not exactly. Last time he called, I mentioned you were coming back to work and he said that I'd got mysel' a fine laddie who wasn'ae afraid of hard work and knew how to use his own initiative. Mind you, I still haven't gotten the accent right, but I totally agree with him.” Lois led Clark to the couch and pulled him down beside her. “Clark, I'm not expecting this to be a walk in the park, but I seriously doubt you've lost the ability to be a good journalist. You have to have more faith in yourself, and I can tell you that all of the people who knew you before are rooting for you. You were a very popular member of the staff. No one wants to see you fail.”

Again there was silence in the office as Lois and Clark regarded each other, the former encouragingly, the latter with some trepidation.

“Come on, Clark.” Lois bumped her husband's shoulder teasingly. “Where has the 'Clark Kent is a very lucky guy' gone to?”

Her voice was playful, but her dark eyes told Clark a different story. Lois was putting on a brave act for his benefit. He suddenly felt ashamed. Once again, Lois was suffering for his sake, and he'd promised himself he'd never intentionally hurt her.

He forced a lightness into his tone which he wasn't exactly feeling. “I'm sorry, honey. I think he went AWOL for a minute there.”

“A case of unexpected shell-shock, maybe?”

“You could be right, Chief.”

“Well, you got that part down pat. The Chief is always right.” Her eyes twinkled as she smiled.

The strange thing was that Clark did feel his mood brightening. “You know, I think Clark Kent is going to be OK,” he said, allowing his hand to touch Lois' cheek. “He's got the best backup team in the world.”

Lois covered his hand with her own for a moment, then stood erect. “And speaking of backup ... Jim is going to show you around, introduce you to the people you don't know and give you a crash lesson on our computer systems. I'd liked to have given you the tour myself, but Jim's the techno-nut and I have some editing to do. We update our online edition in about an hour, and there are some stories that need polishing. But maybe we could catch up for a late lunch.”

Clark too stood and backed off toward the door. “OK, boss,” he said, wiggling his brows in his own inimitable way. “I look forward to lunch.”

The rest of the day for Clark went better than he'd been expecting. His colleagues seemed genuinely pleased to see him, and he hadn't been expected to write any stories. Mostly, he'd caught up on the workings of a busy newsroom and hadn't made a fool of himself over Jim's computer tutorials. In fact, according to Jim, he'd been pretty quick on the uptake, better than most. Clark wasn't sure if this was true or his friend was just trying to boost his confidence. Either way, he appreciated Jim's kindness.

The high spot of his working day had been lunch with Lois, but he'd even felt a little ambivalent about that. Did Lois have lunch on a regular basis with her staff? He had memories of Perry eating with Lois, himself and Jimmy on occasion, but mostly their boss had been too busy. He had a feeling Lois had set time aside for him on his first day back and that he shouldn't expect such treatment too often.

That thought saddened him and as he made his way home alone, he felt a deep nostalgia for the writing team of Lane and Kent. Fortunately for Clark, his kids were waiting for him and they soon fell into the routine of cooking dinner and chatting about their respective days, and this time he actually had some interesting input into the conversation.

So, all things considered, today hadn't been a bad day.

*****

Later that night, Lois sat in front of her dressing-table mirror, liberally applying cleansing cream to her face. Now that she was in her late forties, she'd decided that nature deserved a helping hand in keeping those facial lines at bay. Not that Clark would agree. She'd all but forgotten how much Clark could boost her ego by just one appreciative glance. But thinking of Clark caused tiny wrinkles to appear between her eyebrows. Just how well had he coped with his first day back at work?

She heard the shower switch off and moments later, Clark emerged, wearing only his sleep shorts. She watched him crawl into bed behind her, thinking sexily that his body was still wonderfully defined. Yet, the faint shadows beneath his eyes told her he was tired and she set those thoughts aside for now. She concentrated on removing her own eye makeup and spoke as casually as she could manage.

“So, how did today really go?”

Clark plumped up his pillows, giving himself a moment's distraction before answering. “Good. It was good ....”

She watched his reflection in the mirror, her fine eyebrows arching as she repeated her question. “How did it go, Clark?”

“OK, I guess.” As he had before in her office, he prevaricated, but when he caught her glance in the mirror, he caved. He was never very good at hiding things from Lois. “Well, I suppose I was a little anxious.” Still Lois stared. “Who am I kidding? I was petrified. Now that I remember most of my past, I know I've faced bad guys and bullets; kryptonite and quantum disrupters.” On the last word, his voice rose in a question, but at Lois' nod he continued, satisfied he'd got the name of the weapon correct. “You'd hardly think that starting back at The Planet would make me feel so jittery.”

“You had your full range of superpowers when you faced that stuff, honey,” she said somewhat apologetically. “And you've been through some really hard times. All those things have to have made a difference.”

“I didn't have my superpowers in China, yet I managed to hold down a job.”

Lois made a final sweep across her cheeks with a tissue, then turned on the stool to face Clark. “I think that's because Letour had no memory, so he had no expectations. Now things are a little different.”

“Or maybe Mac and Marge took more care of me than I realized ....” Clark's right hand toyed with the stub of his missing finger.

Lois nodded. “They were good friends to you, that's for sure. I hate to think what could have happened ....” She rose and crossed to sit next to Clark, stilling his nervous fingers with her own. “But I refuse to be frightened by what might have been. You're home now. But don't be too hard on yourself. This was only your first day back. It was bound to be strange. Once you settle in, your ability to write will return. For instance, you haven't lost your parenting skills.”

Clark sat up in bed just a little higher. “Are you joking, sweetheart? The kids are looking after me these days.” His eyes twinkled, proving to Lois that he wasn't totally upset by this observation.

“They just want you to know how much they love you and how much you were missed.” Lois stretched out on the bed beside him, her head coming to rest on his chest. “We haven't really talked about this much, I guess mainly because you seemed so fragile when you first came home ... and then there was the surgery ....” Lois shivered slightly and felt Clark's arm tighten around her, giving her the courage to go on. “Those four years when we thought you were dead were hard for all of us. Suddenly, you lose your reason for living ... but life goes on. You want to stop the clocks, but you can't. Somehow you have to keep going, even when you feel you'd rather not. There's this big hole in your life ... and yet it does get easier with time.” She laughed self-consciously. “Why is it that all the important things in life are covered by clichés?” She sat up and stared into Clark's eyes. “But just because we managed doesn't mean we want to be without you again. You have to make allowances if we're a little over protective.”

“Lois, I understand.” He slipped his hand into the silkiness of her hair. “Letour had amnesia, but he was very aware he was missing something precious. Honey, I don't mind you all being protective, in fact, I kinda like it. It's just that maybe you shouldn't treat me with kid gloves at work, otherwise you might have a strike in the newsroom.”

Lois shook her head emphatically. “That's not going to happen. I wouldn't let it. Now you just let me moisturize, then I'll show you just how protective I can be ....”

An expectant grin lit Clark's face. “You know, sweetheart, I really don't mind the kid-glove treatment in the bedroom ... or any other kind....”

Lois' eyes gleamed lasciviously as she leaned over to plant a kiss on his lips, giving Clark a glorious view of her curves. “In that case, stand by to be stunned ....”

*****

tbc