I can only hope she is smart enough not to sign such a stupid form saying that she will foreswear any money when they get divorced. But Lois has always been a smart kid.”

“Lex, I…” Lois muttered uneasily, trying to evade his grip, but he wouldn’t let her go.

The muscles of Clark’s jaw tensed as he continued watching Luthor, ready to throw him at the other side of his penthouse if he dared to hurt Lois.

“Clark,” she breathed and for a moment he thought she would leave it at that. The simple word – his name – seemed to tell him more than anything else she could have said. It conveyed that she missed him, that she forgave him for being the idiot he had been. It meant that she trusted him, needed him. Her saying his name was like a gentle caress that touched not his surface but his heart, embraced and warmed it with a force that Clark wouldn’t have thought possible.

“Oh, no I won't!” Clark said in a voice that would have scared the boldest thug.

It did nothing to intimidate Ellen Lane, and he seriously doubted that wearing the Suit would have done anything to increase his chances. Clark wondered not for the first time that day what he was doing there anyway. It was downright ridiculous to consider Superman being dragged somewhere he didn't want to go, least of all by a woman who barely came up to his shoulders. Yet, this was what was happening.

“Where is that fiancé of yours?” Ellen asked curiously and looked around as if she expected to find Luthor hidden underneath one of the expensive Ming vases.

“He's… he's busy,” Lois replied with a hint of anger in her voice. “He is doing some series *K*, which he refuses to tell me about.”

< Please don't go, > a faintly whispering voice asked.

Clark blinked and wondered if wishful thinking had made him hallucinate. Had that been Lois? He searched her face for any indication that she had indeed asked him to stay. And really, her eyes seemed to convey a silent plea for him not to leave her alone with Luthor and her mother.

In a second, she was with him. Inexplicably, Lois had managed to join him before the elevator doors had closed completely. And before anything could stop it, the elevator was on its way down, despite Luthor's angry yells. But Clark was too confused to waste a thought on Luthor. He stared at Lois. Her dark brown eyes, the almost longing expression in them as she was looking at him, made her all the more beautiful, irresistible. Clark couldn't have been angry at her if he had wanted to.

&#8220;Clark,&#8221; she breathed and for a moment he thought she would leave it at that. The simple word &#8211; his name &#8211; seemed to tell him more than anything else she could have said. It conveyed that she missed him, that she forgave him for being the idiot he had been. It meant that she trusted him, needed him. Her saying his name was like a gentle caress that touched not his surface but his heart, embraced and warmed it with a force that Clark wouldn't have thought possible.

They were on the streets and Clark still didn't slow down. He looked around as if he was searching for something. Lois would have cursed him if she had had enough breath for it. Her feet were killing her for she was wearing high heels. Clark could have warned her that she'd need to run today. She made a mental note to wear sneakers the next time she was around Clark. Finally, he dragged her into a lonesome alley.

&#8220;Lois, I'm sorry. I had hoped to tell you this in a better moment than this,&#8221; Clark apologized before he became a whirl of colours. &#8220;I love you,&#8221; he said as he picked her up and took off into the sky of Metropolis.