Injustice

Folc4evernaday | Teaser

'Marry me.'

Two words had never had such a profound effect on Lois Lane's life before. As soon as Clark uttered the words, she had responded with an enthusiastic 'yes.' There were no doubts. There were no second-guessing questions or weighing the good versus the bad. She had seen what life with Clark was like. The good. The bad. The ugly. Still, through it all, she found herself unable to imagine her life without him.

Lois ran a hand through her dark locks, looking in the mirror as her reflection stared back at her in the elegant white gown. She fidgeted nervously with the gold band wrapped around her finger, smiling at the small glimmer that came from the diamond on her hand. A flutter ran through her abdomen, and she took in a shallow breath, reminding herself that she was not dreaming.

"Lois?"

She looked back at her sister, seeing her dressed in a simple red spaghetti strap dress with a bouquet of roses. Despite their desire to just elope and share the moment with their families, there were some traditions her mother wouldn't set aside. Having the wedding party and the bride in a traditional wedding attire was one of those traditions.

It wasn't that she didn't want a big wedding.

She wanted to celebrate her marriage to Clark with her friends and family and share the joy and love she felt was about to burst. She wanted it all, but at the same time, she knew tempting fate just by planning anything extravagant was only borrowing trouble. After everything they had been through, she had learned the hard way it was the little things that mattered.

They had rented a small gazebo on the waterfront properties Franklin Stern had out in Florence and arranged for all of their families to fly in Superman express. Perry had offered to officiate for them, so the ceremony would remain under wraps until after she testified.

'No.' she told herself, shaking her head. She was not going to think about that today. Today was about celebrating her and Clark's marriage and the start of their lives together. She would not let Lex take that from her too.

It was hard to believe it had been nearly a year since she'd been forced to go on the run after nearly dying at Lex Luthor's hands. Still, through everything, she found a strength she never knew she was capable of. She had seen everything she loved torn from her and been forced to endure isolation that echoed inside her like a hollow drum. It wasn't after she had found Clark and helped rescue him from the torturous prison Lex had built for him that she had finally escaped her own solitude.

The life she had lived as Leila Kane seemed like a distant memory, and even more distant was the person she had been before all of this. Through it all, she had found herself and discovered just how deep her love for Clark truly was. After nearly losing everything, they had come together through the pain and torture they had endured – stronger than before. She couldn't imagine her life without him, and after today she wouldn't have to.

Her Mother laid a hand on her shoulder, helping to adjust the clip in her hair that held the veil. "You look gorgeous, sweetheart." A smile crossed her elderly face as she looked back at Lois. "Perfect."

Lois felt a nervous flutter run through her abdomen, "I hope I got all the auburn out." She touched the back of her hair uncertainly. Even after months of trying, she still found stray hints of auburn from her former life as Leila Kane. Today she didn't want anything reminding her or Clark of their time on the run. Today was about the future. Their future.

She placed a nervous hand to her abdomen, smoothing out invisible lines on her dress as she stared back at her reflection.

"You look fine, Lois," Martha reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Ellen dabbed her eyes as she handed her the bouquet of white roses. "Oh, sweetheart, you look...stunning."

"Hold on," Lucy said, walking up behind her with a small drawstring bag. "Almost forgot something. Just because you two decided to throw caution to the wind and elope doesn't mean you get out of tradition."

Martha laughed, nodding in agreement as Lucy pulled the drawstring to open the bag. "Yes, tradition."

"I'm afraid to ask." Lois looked between the three women warily.

"Now, now, we spent the last two days planning this out," her mother announced as Lucy pulled out a silver chain with a single teardrop pendant inside a silver heart with the engraving 'LLK' around the edges of the heart.

"It's beautiful," Lois commented as Lucy reached over to help put the necklace on her.

"This is your something new," Lucy explained as she fastened the necklace around her neck.

"Thanks, Luce," Lois smiled back at her sister's reflection in the mirror.

"These are your grandmother's. They were my 'something borrowed' when I married your father." Her mother held up a small blue velvet box and opened it, revealing a pair of matching teardrop earrings for her to wear with a hint of blue in the teardrop earrings. "And they count as something blue."

"They're beautiful, mom," Lois whispered back to her mother, knowing how painful the memory of her mother's marriage to her father was for her.

"This is your something old." Martha held up a silver bracelet and helped her slip it on her wrist. "I wore this when I married Jonathan, and my mother wore it when she married my father."

Lois looked down at the bangle, reading the inscription, 'Love is patient.' She turned to Martha and smiled, "Thank you, Martha, it's gorgeous."

"Maybe one day you'll be giving this to your daughter or daughter-in-law to wear," Martha said wistfully as a crack in her voice could be heard from the emotion of the day, weighed on her.

"I'd like that," Lois said, reaching over to squeeze her hand.

"Are you ready?" Lucy asked, pointing to the door behind them.

"Never been more ready for anything in my entire life." Lois quipped, smiling at her sister with an eager grin.

Clark watched in awe as Lois Lane walked down the small stone pathway with Sam Lane on her arm. He couldn't be certain, but he could swear her father might be shedding a few tears as he approached with her.

The emotion from the day weighed heavily on him as he watched Lois move toward him and Perry. He looked to the small audience they had gathered in the seats up front. After his proposal to Lois a few nights ago, everything had become a blur. There had been a short debate over when to have the wedding. But in the end, they both had come to the decision to elope. They had worked with her parents to arrange for a ceremony both families could be happy with all the while keeping the news that Lois Lane was alive and well out of the presses. They had agreed that after the trial they would make the announcement and have a large reception to celebrate. He hated that Lex Luthor still had the power to keep him and Lois from living their lives, but it was a small price to pay for not having to wait for God knew how long it would take for the trial to finish. Lois refused to wait for the other shoe to drop or tempt fate.

Now here they were, on a small hilltop in Florence, Italy as far away as they could get from Lex Luthor's reach and the heart of the city of art that had given the world some of the greatest artists in the world. It was a perfect day, and the perfect setting to close the chapter the last year had put them through and embrace his future with Lois.

"You look gorgeous," Clark whispered, offering his elbow for Lois to hook her arm into.

She smiled at him, reaching a hand out to stroke his cheek as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. They turned to face Perry, who was watching them with a broad smile. "A beautiful day for a beautiful couple to get married," Perry said, looking to the small crowd of family and friends that stood behind them.

"I think we all can agree that this is not how any of us imagined spending our Saturday." Perry gestured to the beautiful waterfront behind them with the carefully crafted gazebo surrounding them. "I watched the two of you come together as begrudging partners, then friends…and that's where each successful relationship thrives. Friendship. Marriage is so much more than a piece of paper or a promise you make in front of your family and friends. It takes dedication and love and respect for one another. You have your good days and your bad. But well, you both know that already. You've lived through the worst that life could give you and came out stronger."

Clark felt the corners of his mouth twitch as Perry continued to monologue. Life had certainly handed him and Lois a doozey over the last year. Now even after everything, they had found themselves unwilling to face another day without one another. They had been tested and found the strength to persevere and turn to one another through the good, bad, and incredibly ugly trials they had been forced to endure. He knew in his heart there wasn't anything they couldn't handle together.

"Life puts each of you through trials you couldn't imagine." Perry looked to both of them and smiled with a twinkle in his eyes. "But even through it all, you two still come out on top. Nothing about marriage or life is perfect. We have a beautiful sunset behind me and a perfect day to watch two people I admire and respect exchange their vows. But this picturesque setting is not what marriage is about. It's about you, Lois, and you Clark finding one another and supporting each other. You both have seen each other at your worst and best and will continue to help one another through the trials that life hands you. Once you figure that out, the rest is a piece of cake."

Clark took her hands in his, meeting her gaze with a smile as Perry asked the fateful question. "Clark, do you take Lois to cherish and love for as long as the two of you live? To love her faithfully, through the best and the worst? Facing whatever may come together?"

Clark's hand reached up to cup her cheek as he responded solemnly, not taking his eyes off of her as he responded with an emotional, "I do."

Lois smiled, holding her hand over Clark's as Perry continued, "Lois, do you…"

"I do! I do!" Lois cheered enthusiastically, swaying closer and closer to him as she stared back at him, feeling the heavy weight of the emotion from the day threaten to overtake her.

The small crowd of witnesses let out a good-hearted chuckle as Perry waved to Jimmy and Lucy for the rings. "Okay, now the rings," Jimmy nodded, pulling the velvet ring box from his pocket, "Clark?" Perry gave him the ring.

Lois smiled shyly up at Clark as he took the ring from Perry and took her hand in his, "Lois, I have been in love with you from the moment I met you." He said earnestly, meeting her gaze as he continued, "I love everything about you, Lois. You have the most incredible fire inside you that pushes me to the brink of insanity one minute and fighting the urge to kiss you senseless the next. You are everything to me. I can't even remember a moment where I didn't love you. You demand this world be a better place, and because of you, it is. You challenge me to keep fighting when I want to give up. You push me when I need it. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side." He reached over to cup her cheek, brushing away the tears that escaped the corners of her eyes and slipped the wedding band on her finger. "Today, I give you my heart, my soul, and our future."

'Forever,' Lois added, mouthing the words to him, holding his gaze as Perry silently motioned to Lucy for the ring.

"Lois?" Perry handed her the ring Lucy had handed to him, and she took it, shyly looking back at Clark.

Lois bit her lip, trying to find the words to tell him what she was feeling at that moment, "Clark, you're my best friend. Until I met you, I never had a best friend." A frown crossed her face briefly, and he squeezed her hand, encouragingly. "I know a lot of people say that marriage is about love but for us it's so much more. It's about finding your best friend and not wanting to spend a single second without them. It's about lopsided pizzas and late night movies and wanting to go to the ends of the Earth to bring back your favorite person when they're in trouble." Clark could feel the hard lump inside his throat as he let out a chuckle, holding Lois in his arms as her eyes glistened through her vows, portraying the heavy emotions from the day as she continued her vows. "People fall in love every day and get married and start a family, but not everyone gets to do that with their best friend."

She smiled back at him and added, "Falling in love with you has been so easy. I don't know why I fought it for so long. You have such gentle grace, quiet strength, but mostly, such incredible kindness. I've never known anyone with as pure a heart." His hand tightened around hers as she added, "I could never love anyone else as much as I do you. Today, I give you everything I am. I give you my heart, my soul, my honor, and our life...together." She slipped the ring on his finger, smiling shyly up at him.

Clark reached over to capture her lips with his. Both hands moved to cup the sides of her face, tracing the outline of her jaw as he deepened the kiss, forgetting the small crows of loved ones behind them for the moment.

A soft collection of laughter filled the air, and he heard Perry say, "By the power vested in me …I now pronounce you man and wife. You may ….continue kissing the bride."

The blurry screen flickered as Lex stared back at the image of his attorney. A scowl crossed his face as he waited for the connection to stabilize long enough for him to see a clear image. "You better have some good news, Bender."

"Lex, I'm trying," Bender responded with a huff. "Judge Winkler transferred the case to Judge Randal. He is not giving on the conditions set up by the special prosecutor. Until trial starts you'll remain in isolation."

"And you just rolled over like a yellow-bellied worm, didn't you?" Lex hissed in fury. "I will not live in this cage!"

"Lex, I'm doing everything I can."

"You get me out of here, Bender, or you'll rue the day you crossed Lex Luthor."

The screen flickered into blackness and he slammed his fist against the side of it. "Bender? Bender!"

Lois let out a soft yawn as she reached her hand out to place a hand over her abdomen, smiling to herself when she found her husband's hand already there. She ran her index finger against the gold band wrapped around his ring finger, feeling a thrill run through her at the realization that it was no longer an act, or a role being played.

They were really married.

"How you feeling?" Clark asked, tickling her ear with his breath as he nuzzled the nape of her neck.

"Content," she smiled back at him. "Not a way I've been able to describe life lately, so I'll take it."

He smiled back at her, running his hand over her abdomen with a slow smile. She watched his eyes light up in awe as he gazed down at the hint of a bump that could be seen in her midsection. She reached a hand out to stroke his cheek, "Kinda scary, huh?"

"Unexpected," he amended with a shrug, "but nothing we can't handle."

Lois nodded, still reeling from the news they had discovered the day after Clark's proposal. Who knew a simple blood test to follow up on her healing from surgery would have changed their lives in such a profound way? She had run through every worst-case scenario she could over the last few days. Each time he had an optimistic counter for her. Reassuring her that no matter what they would figure this out together.

"You promise you can hear a heartbeat?"

"I promise," he said solemnly.

"I was shot."

"You survived."

"I was on pain killers."

"That you didn't take regularly." He reminded her with a smirk.

"How is this even possible? I mean, every possible thing in the world that should have worked against …" Lois felt her voice waver with uncertainty as she looked back at Clark. "What if…?"

"Hey," Clark reached his hand over to cup her cheek, "It's there. There is a heartbeat. Against every odd." Clark affirmed.

A smile spread across her face and she looked to Clark with tears glistening in her eyes. She felt so many emotions run through her as she held her hands over her abdomen. A baby. They were going to have a baby. The thought of becoming a mother with anyone would have sent her screaming in the other direction just shy of a year ago. Now it didn't seem so scary.

Sure, she knew there was so much she still was unsure of in regards to child rearing but somehow the knowledge that she had Clark with her it felt like just another thing for them to figure out together. It had taken everything in her not to shout it to the rooftops to her parents and Clark's parents today.

There was still so much they needed to find out before either of them felt ready to tell anyone. For now, they would keep this news to themselves until they had more information which she was sure both sets of grandparents would be asking for.

"I love you," she whispered back to him, reaching her hand out to take his in her palm. He flashed her a smile and she whispered happily. "We're going to be parents."

"I love you, Lois Lane Kent." Clark leaned in to capture her lips with his, cupping her cheek as he held her to him. His hand moved to her abdomen, covering her hand with his as he tore his lips from hers, meeting her gaze with his own.

"I love you, Clark Kent." She reached up to cup his cheek, feeling the tears glisten in her eyes as he rested his forehead against hers.

Three Weeks Later…

Clark slipped his hand inside his wife's squeezing it in his as they waited for her name to be called. This was it. The day they'd been both dreading and looking forward to for the last few weeks ever since Davenport had called with the date of the trial. After his proposal, he and Lois had eloped, and he'd spent the last few weeks trying to keep Lois distracted and not focus on the upcoming trial they both knew lurked around the corner.

"Lois Lane," the bailiff called out.

"This is it," Lois said with a shaky breath.

"I'll be right there in the gallery," Clark reassured, running his hand up and down her shoulders.

"Say it again," she said with a shaky breath.

"You can do this," he reassured, brushing his lips against her forehead. "You are the strongest person I know. You're a survivor. There is nothing you can't do when you put your mind to it."

Her hand tightened in his and the trembling stopped. A determined expression crossed her face. "I'm ready."

Jack Davenport sat in the gallery of the courtroom watching as Emmet Vale exited the witness stand. Agent Rollins escorted him out of the courtroom with two bailiffs on either side. Agent Rollins nodded to him as he heard Sheldon Bender arguing with Vincent Blake, the federal prosecutor.

"Your honor, this case against my client, is a sham! They've done nothing to link these crimes to my client," Bender ranted, pointing an accusatory finger at Blake. "The FBI and the Metropolis Police Department have conspired against my client to sully his good name because of unsubstantiated rumors and a vendetta the newly appointed police commissioner has against my client."

"Mr. Bender, there will be no grandstanding in my courtroom," Judge Randall argued, pounding his gavel.

Vincent Blake argued back, "I'm sorry you feel like the corruption of our nations' government is a waste of your time, Mr. Bender, but the federal government takes organized crime pretty seriously."

"All you've done is proven Nigel St. John is the boss. There is nothing and no one to connect him to…"

Davenport saw Clark Kent enter through the double doors and take a seat in front of him. Lois Lane followed with an escort of Commissioner Bill Henderson and his director, Victor Talley. He nodded toward her and gave her a thumbs-up signal as the room fell silent.

"Hello, Lex," Lois said smugly as she walked toward the witness stand.

Victor Blake turned toward Sheldon Bender. "I'm guessing from the look of shock on your client's face that he's surprised to see Ms. Lane…alive."

"It's Kent," Lois corrected as she stepped into the witness stand.

Lois kept her gaze focused on the gallery where Clark was seated in the first row behind the prosecutor, Vincent Blake. This was it. Her moment to finally take Lex Luthor down and make him pay for every deplorable act he hand committed against both herself and Clark. Of course, she couldn't put into the record everything he had done. She could at least make him pay for his actions against her.

"I own you. I own this city. No one does anything in this city without me knowing about it."

"Well, it's no matter. His interference has been taken care of permanently. Mrs. Cox saw to that."

Her mind flashed back momentarily to that night in her apartment, summing up the courage to face the gut-wrenching moment that had changed her life so profoundly. She had survived all of it. She had seen her life flash before her eyes, convinced the end would come any moment as Lex had taunted her again and again with Superman's absence.

"You think I wouldn't have a contingency plan, hmm? Your precious Superman? Gone. Your partner? Gone. Your career? You won't be able to show your face anywhere without me knowing. I'll make sure you never so much as edit a note on a post-it. You never should have crossed me."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Lane, could you repeat that for the record?" Sheldon Bender pressed from his seat behind the defendant's table. A smirk crossed his face as she swayed his chair from side to side.

She looked to Clark who nodded in her direction as she cleared her throat, looking Bender and Lex dead in the eye to repeat herself. "Lois Lane Kent."

"Mrs. Kent, you worked with the FBI to build the case against Lex Luthor – a man you had once been engaged to. Why?" Vincent Blake asked, pushing the notebook in front of him away as he leaned back comfortably in his chair.

"Your honor!"

"I'm only presenting the very question the defense will ask on cross-examination," Blake countered, standing up from his seat.

"Bu…" Bender stammered.

"There is no rule that says the prosecution can't ask a question regarding to a witness' motive for testifying." The judge ruled.

"Do you really think Superman will take you back once he knows I've had you?"

Lois stared Vincent Blake square in the eyes before looking toward the gallery and shook her head, "He tried to kill me."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent, could you be more specific." Vincent Blake pressed gently. "Who tried to kill you?"

"Lex Luthor," Lois responded confidently, stealing a glance at Clark.

"We've heard testimony that the boss of Metropolis is, in fact, Nigel St. John. All these violent actions tied to the boss of Metropolis were supposedly all done by Nigel St. John."

"How does it feel to know how close you were to bringing down the boss of Metropolis…and fail?"

"Nigel has made an attempt on mine and my husband's life as well. On Lex Luthor's orders."

"How do you know that?" Vincent Blake asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hearsay!"

"Nice try. I'll allow it." Judge Randall wagged his finger in Bender's direction. "Let the witness have her say. You'll have your say on cross."

Bender let out an aggravated huff and sunk back down to his chair as Lois responded to Vincent Blake's question.

"I attempted to break off the engagement. I realized he wasn't the person I thought he was and unfortunately I realized it too late." Lois shook her head in dismay, feeling as if a huge weight was being lifted off her shoulders as she spoke. "He tried to kill me. I was beaten and threatened and choked. He held a gun on me and forced me to call for help knowing there was no one around to help. He stabbed me and just before he was about to leave me to die… He taunted me." Her tone was cold as she narrowed her eyes, holding back the smile that threatened to break across her face as she watched Lex's confident smirk disappear, knowing just what she was about to reveal. "'How does it feel to know how close you were to bringing down the boss of Metropolis…and fail?'"

Blake let out a low whistle, smirking to himself as he looked at his notes and then back up to Lois, "Well, Mrs. Kent? How does it feel?"

"Objection, your honor!" Bender shot up from his seat.

"Withdrawn!"

"That idiot Kent never could figure that out. I was always twelve steps ahead of him. I'm unstoppable."

"Your witness!" Blake replied confidently.

Bender sat leaned over next to Lex, listening as his client hissed in his ear with his orders. Bender shook his head, but finally, begrudgingly stood to his feet and walked to the front of the courtroom.

"Ms. Lane…"

"Kent," Lois corrected, feeling a smirk cross her face as she saw the fury cross Lex's face when he heard the name.

"I'm sorry?"

"The name is Kent." Lois repeated.

"Right," Bender shook his head. "You married the man my client accused you of cheating on him with. Is that correct?"

"Objection! Relevance!" Blake shot up from his seat.

"I'm establishing character, your honor."

"You have got to be kidding me!" Blake snapped back.

"Mrs. Kent, that's an interesting tale you have told the jury about what my client supposedly has done to you." Bender took a large gulp from his glass of water and then turned to Lois. "But what proof do you have to offer that this supposed attack happened?"

Lois narrowed her eyes at Bender, taken aback by the question.

"Do you have hospital records?"

"I…"

"How about doctor visit records?"

"No." Lois replied coldly.

"So, we're just supposed to take your word for it?" Bender asked.

Lois sat in the witness chair, thinking for a long moment before finally contemplating her next move. She would not let Lex weasel his way out of this on the basis that she had no paper trail for the attack. On paper she had been dead.

"The police investigated him, didn't they?" Lois countered, gripping the hem to her blouse as she stared Bender down with a cold expression.

"Objection, your honor!" Bender countered.

"You opened the door, counselor." Judge Randall shook his head.

Lois stood up in the witness stand, shaking her head, summing up the courage to nip Bender's innuendo in the bud. "I'm not exactly sure what you'd like to prove, Mr. Bender, but you want proof?" She lifted the side of her blouse, just enough to see the large pink scar that still covered her midsection with a very clear inscription of the letters, 'LEX' that had been carved on her nearly a year ago. "Here's your proof!"

"Objection!"

"You asked!" Blake countered.

"Mrs. Kent, please take your seat!" Judge Randall snapped before turning on Bender. "Mr. Bender, unless you have a question for this witness…"

"No, your honor."

"The witness is dismissed," Judge Randall pounded his gavel.

"Prosecution rests," Blake announced.

"We'll take a ten minute recess." Judge Randall ordered and gestured to Blake and Bender. "I want to see both of you in my chambers. Now."

Clark couldn't help but smile as he watched Lois quickly descend the steps leading into the witness stand. He stood up from his seat in the gallery and made his way to the swinging gate that separated the gallery from the prosecution and defendant tables. He watched with amusement as Lex Luthor was taken away in chains before Lois had made it across the length of the front of the courtroom. Vincent Blake had promised to keep Luthor as far away from Lois as he could, and he was indeed keeping his word.

Clark reached his hand out to take Lois' as she reached the swinging gate and stepped behind it, letting out a shallow breath. "Lois, you were amazing…" he reached his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him as he rested his arm across her shoulders.

"I just want to get out of here," Lois said in a shaky breath, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Clark took a deep breath as he waited for the bailiff to bring Luthor back into the courtroom. Lois' testimony had been the last of several witnesses brought forward. Her damning testimony against Luthor, along with Luthor flying into a rage after she'd been sworn in had erased any doubt in the jurors' minds of Luthor's guilt. Bender had tried every attempt in the book to discredit her but she remained completely composed. It had taken the jury less than an hour to deliberate before finding Luthor guilty. Now all that was left was Luthor's sentencing, which would take place in an hour.

He'd already taken Lois back home to rest. She didn't want to be in the courtroom any longer than she had to but he did. He wanted to be there and watch to make sure there was no miscarriage of justice. He had to be sure there was no chance Luthor could wriggle himself out of this. He had to be sure Luthor would no longer pose a threat to Lois.

The knowledge that his enemy still knew his secret identity weighed heavily on his mind. Luthor had tried to out him and he didn't doubt he'd try it again if given the chance. Still, he held onto hope that once Luthor lost all credibility here, the threat of his secret identity being exposed would be gone.

The double doors opened and he saw Luthor being escorted into the courtroom in the orange jumpsuit with the number C100693 printed on the front. Clark felt his jaw tighten as he watched the bailiff lock the chains on Luthor's shackles to the defense table. The bailiff looked up, meeting Clark's eyes with a silent nod before turning toward the double doors leading out of the courtroom. As he passed by he muttered, "Do yourself a favor and try not to kill the bastard just yet. He ain't worth a life sentence."

Clark ground his teeth as he watched the bailiff leave. A chill fell over him as he turned his attention back to the man that was responsible for so much of the pain and suffering both he and Lois had endured over the past eight months. He stood up and strode purposefully toward the defense table Luthor was now chained to and stopped in front of him, slamming his palms on the edge of it just hard enough to make the table shake.

Luthor looked up unimpressed. "Am I supposed to be intimidated now?" He let out a mocking sneer. "You think you've won now, is that it? I'll admit you caught me off my game. Keeping Lois hidden from me was quite a genius move." His eyes darkened as he let out a sinister threat, "You really think you can stop me?"

"It's over, Luthor," Clark hissed in a menacing tone.

"For now, perhaps," Luthor mused. "But I happen to know a secret that every criminal in the world would pay billions upon billions of dollars to know."

"The only criminals you'll be associating with are the criminally insane," Clark bit back, doing his best to not react to the threat. "Your credibility is gone and no one is going to believe the ravings of a delusional psychopath that gets off on beating defenseless women and leaving them for dead."

"Do you really think it's that easy to just move in and take possession of what is mine?" Luthor chuckled. "You really are a desperate fool! Picking up my scraps like a rabid dog…"

Clark smiled back at him. "You can't accept it, can you? Lois finally saw you for the demented monster that you are and you're still holding on to this perverse version of the truth as if it's going to save you somehow." He narrowed his eyes at Luthor and growled out, "If you so much as breathe anywhere near Lois again… I don't care if it's a letter, a phone call, or one of your thugs showing up unannounced…come near her and there won't be enough Kryptonite in the universe to save you from my wrath, you spineless perverted psychopath."

"You think I fear death?" Luthor chuckled.

"You think I'd put an end to your misery? No, that would be too kind," Clark spat out angrily. "I would much rather watch you writhe in pain like the spineless, weak, sorry excuse of a man you are, begging for death that will never…ever come. You will spend every second of every day knowing two things: out of everyone in the world you went up against you were taken down by Lois, and you might have thought you won the battle but she's the one that won the war." His eyes flickered red as he suppressed his anger. "Come near her again, I'll make every day after that a living hell you will never be able to escape."

An uneasy expression crossed Luthor's face and Clark sneered, "Don't look now, Luthor, but your fear is showing." He straightened up and strode toward the back of the courtroom where the bailiff had just reentered. Deciding he had said all he needed to say he walked toward the back of the courtroom as the other bailiff stepped inside, opening the door for the judge to enter. He took his seat in the back of the courtroom and watched as everyone began to slowly trickle in.

"Mr. Luthor, I find the crimes you have committed horrendous and your disdain and indifferent attitude is horrendous. You are a dangerous criminal with no remorse for your appalling actions. Furthermore, you have proven time and time again just how far you'll go to continue a life of crime. My only hope is that the knowledge of your imprisonment and inability to do no more harm on society will bring peace of mind to your victims and their families. May God have mercy on your tortured soul though I doubt you have one." The gavel pounded and the judge ordered, "You are hereby sentenced to thirty life sentences in Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane under maximum security where you will no longer be the disease that you have been on society."

Commissioner Bill Henderson watched from the gallery as Lex Luthor began shouting out threats against his attorney as the bailiffs prepared to escort him out of the courtroom. He turned to see Clark Kent watching from the back of the courtroom with a satisfied smile. Henderson looked back at Davenport who clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's see him bully his way out of this one."

Henderson looked at Davenport. "Why do I have a feeling you had something to do with that sentence?"

"A threat to take one's life should always be taken seriously, don't you agree, Bill?" Davenport winked at him. "Those mental evaluations Sheldon Bender insisted on submitting to the judge helped too."

"Arkham?" Henderson asked uneasily. He'd heard the stories about the place, but never visited.

"I'm sure he'll fit right in," Davenport responded coldly. "Keep him from causing any further damage to his victims too." He was quiet before adding, "Lex Luthor is a delusional sociopath and he deserves everything that happens to him."

Life in Arkham: Luthor's Last Mile

By Perry White

Governor Pierce Connected to Collusion in White House

By Lois Lane and Clark Kent

"I love a front page news story in the morning, don't you?" Lois beamed, looking back at her husband as he handed her a cup of coffee.

"How are you feeling?" Clark asked, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Good." She grinned, running her hand over the gold band snugly wrapped around her husband's left ring finger. Even after only two and a half weeks of marriage she found herself needing the reassurance that this wasn't a dream. "Better than I've slept in…ever."

"You're amazing." Clark beamed back at her. "I love you."

"Hey knock it off, wouldya?" Ralph groaned walking past them. "It's not even nine yet. Can't you save the newlywed crap for after lunch?"

Lois twisted her mouth looking back at Clark. "This weekend can't come fast enough."

"Two weeks." He grinned back at her with a heated gaze, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Yes, now that Lex is locked away on his way to Arkham we can focus on more important things," she whispered, running a hand down the front of his chest.

"Like our long overdue honeymoon," he agreed leaning in to kiss her.

A smile spread across her face as she beamed back at him. It was hard to believe it had been three weeks since his proposal and their subsequent elopement a few days later. After everything they'd been through the idea of waiting to plan a big event just to say "I do" seemed like borrowing trouble. So after some debate on when and arranging to have Jonathan and Martha flown in and catching her mom before her trip to Seattle, they found a small gazebo to rent for an hour and exchanged their vows. Rather than rushing off to celebrate they'd chosen to wait until after the trial was done. They both needed the reassurance that Lex really was locked away forever and she didn't want to spend their entire honeymoon thinking about the trial. Now that the trial was over they could take the time to plan a two-week getaway with just the two of them.

"Among other things," she purred happily, teasing the knot of his tie. "We really do need to start looking at paint samples soon."

"And furniture," he agreed, making a face. "That couch needs to find a new home."

"I know," Lois sighed, running a hand across his. "There's a long list of things to do…"

Now that the insurance money had finally come back and she'd moved everything from her mom's and her old apartment they could begin determining what to keep and what to give away. They still had a few months to decide if they wanted to stay in the one-bedroom apartment they were currently in or find a bigger place.

It still amazed her to think about how far they'd come over the last year and a half. The days of looking over their shoulders and hiding from Lex and his goons were gone. The city's corruption scandal had exposed all of the misdeeds those on the boss' payroll and now with the new Mayor stepping in it looked like everything might settle down long enough for her and Clark to enjoy married life. Well, as normal as Metropolis ever got.

Jimmy held up the phone from his desk and called out, "Chief, there's a hostage situation at the Metropolis Museum of Art." He pointed to the television where coverage of a man in black, holding a round cylinder weapon pointed at the police squad surrounding the building aimed at one of the police cars. The car morphed before the spectators' eyes and exploded.

Lois felt Clark's hand squeeze hers as Perry began shouting orders for everyone to get ready to land the scoop on the newest criminal to dare make a move in Metropolis. She met Clark's eyes, seeing the determined expression on his face. "Sounds like a job for Superman."

They shared a tender look and he led her toward the corridor leading to the back stairwell. "Whoever that guy is it looks like he's gotten his hands on some serious firepower."

"Military connection or leftovers from LexLabs split?" Lois wondered aloud.

"I don't know," he said, loosening his tie. "I'll check it out and we can have STAR Labs take a look."

"Superman has been slacking on his public appearances these last few weeks," Lois said. "You think someone's trying to test the waters?"

"He's been extremely busy what with his insatiable wife having so much energy lately," his eyes sparkled and he cupped her cheek.

"Are you complaining?" she teased with a grin.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he responded, pulling his hand away. "I'll try to make this quick." He moved toward the door to the stairwell and she stopped him.

"Forgetting something?" she asked.

He smirked, leaning in to kiss her, cupping her cheek. "I've got to go."

She finished untying his tie for him. "Try not to turn this into anything too big. We still have to stop by the airport to pick up mom." He gave her a muddled look. "Did you forget already?"

"No," he reassured her. "Dinner with your parents is just…complicated."

"This was your idea," she reminded him.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he reassured her, placing a hand on her abdomen, leaning in for one last kiss.

Lois watched him leave, shaking her head as she allowed her hand to move to her abdomen, resting there for a moment. One thing was for sure. Life was certainly never dull being married to Clark Kent. "You better not be late."

Maniacal laughter could be heard in the halls as Lex Luthor was escorted by two heavily armed prison guards through the gates of Arkham Asylum. Lex looked from one end to another, trying to match a face to the sounds of chaos and mayhem that surrounded him. He glanced to the guards, pondering just how much strength it would take to break away from them.

They reached the end of the hallway where a window with a dimly lit fluorescent light emitted a golden hue across the doorway where an older gentleman awaited them. "Mr. Luthor, I see you made it one piece." The man smiled with a dark expression. "I do hope the guards weren't too hard on you." He pointed to the confines that kept Lex's arms strapped into the straitjacket he was in.

A snicker came from the guard on his left and Lex felt a cold chill run down his spine, pondering just how far he had fallen to be disgraced to this level. "Kidnapping attempted mass murder, racketeering….tsk tsk tsk…Well, we certainly have a lot of work to do," The man's eyes went dark as he smiled back at him.

"I'm Dr. Hugo Strange." The man pulled out a bottle from his pocket and a syringe in another hand, "I do hope you'll enjoy your stay with us, Mr. Luthor. I make the rules around here and I expect them to be followed." A gleeful grin crossed his face as he squirted some of the liquid from the syringe out. "I'm told you have some anger issues, Mr. Luthor. Well, we're going to take care of that, won't we?"

A piercing pain hit Lex's shoulder and he let out a low growl, feeling a fatigue wash over him as the room began to turn. Lex let out a hiss of pain and opened his mouth to respond, "You'll pay for this! I will tear you limb from limb and burn this place to the ground!"

"Let's introduce him to Dr. Crane, shall we?" Dr. Strange nodded to the guards and pointed to the hallway behind him. Lex found himself at the mercy of the guards as they escorted him through the darkened hallways.

The maniacal laughter seemed to be getting louder and louder.

"You can't do this….Do you have any idea who you're dealing with!?"

Lex struggled against the guards, trying to gain some sort of leverage to free himself from his binds but his attempts were futile as the guards laughed in unison with the laughter coming from the cell door they were approaching. The metal door opened, revealing the distorted figure of a man and scars along his face and a cloth mask on his hand.

Immediately Lex recognized who he was face to face with and he struggled against the guards. "No! No! No!"

"Welcome to Arkham."

Clark placed a hand on Lois' shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder, silently giving her the support she needed as they looked over at both pairs of parents who seemed oblivious to the exchange. His parents had flown in earlier in the day and after a quick detour at the Metropolis Museum of Art he had picked her mother up from the airport. Sam had been more than willing to adjust his schedule for dinner when they had called him up.

He and Lois had thrown around the idea of how to tell their parents about the baby. First they had put off telling them because they weren't sure how far along Lois was and then there had been the added stress of Lois testifying against Luthor. Now that Luthor had been sentenced and Lois and he could finally breathe they felt like sharing the news of their upcoming arrival was the next logical step

He knew hiding it any longer than what they'd been able to do for the last three weeks would prove disastrous. They had already lost so much time in the last three months. Lois' lack of appetite and nausea had been chopped up to recovery from surgery or side affects to the medication. Luckily she had never been good with following directions. Her pain medication dosage had only been taken for a few days before being set aside as Lois stubbornly opted to just tough through it when she didn't like how the medication made her feel.

He felt the corners of his lips twitch as Lois reached her hand over to grab her glass of water, looking across the table at his in-laws and parents who continued to be oblivious to the news he was bursting at the seams to tell them.

Lois finally nodded and smiled back at them, "So, I since I have you all here… I know we typically do Christmas at each of your houses but…"

Her mother broke in, shaking her head, "You can't be serious, Lois. I know it's not the most glamorous Christmas party but…! I just spent the last nine months thinking you were dead!

Lois grinned back at Clark before diving into her response, "Mom, I'm not going to be able to fly anywhere during the holidays." She looked at Jonathan and Martha with a glint in her eyes.

A frown crossed her mother's face, "Why not?"

Lois shrugged her shoulders and set two white boxes down in front of each set of future grandparents with a smile. "We had a bit of unexpected news at my last follow up appointment."

Her mother reached over to open her box at the same time his parents reached for theirs. An eruption of "Oh, my God!" and "A baby!" came from each of them as hugs and well wishes were exchanged. Finally, Clark allowed the broad grin he'd been holding back for nearly a month cross his face and turned to his and Lois' parents, preparing to answer the questions they had as best as they could.

Jenna Blake held the wireless headset to her ear as she examined her reflection in the mirror, running a hand through her dark brown hair. Her bright blue eyes glinted off the fluorescent lights behind her as she tucked the microphone inside her blouse. She let out a long breath as she took another look in the mirror.

"We sure this contact is who's moving this drug into Washington?" She asked the team listening in.

"That's what the lead said," her partner and fiancé's voice came in over the line.

"We really need to discuss these undercover assignments in advance," Jenna said, dabbing at the eyeliner under her eyes. "Prostitute isn't exactly what I signed up for when I joined the department."

"Sorry, Jenna, they didn't let me pick the assignment this time."

"Just get in and get out." Came her captain's voice. "Just don't do anything stupid like getting yourself killed, Jenna."

"Yeah, yeah, I can feel the sympathy you have for my plight." Jenna shrugged her shoulders, tugging at the low collar of her top.

"Any word on the girl?" Jenna asked, combing her hair with her fingertips.

"She didn't make it." Her captain's voice came over the speaker. "Just be careful, Jenna."

"When am I not careful?" Jenna responded with a smirk.

Jack Davenport looked at the large conference room that had been packed up from the months and months of investigation that had brought down Lex Luthor. He should feel something. They had won. Lex Luthor was behind bars and wouldn't pose any threat to society where he would be serving his sentence but somehow he couldn't allow himself to celebrate.

"Hey Davenport," a hand clasped over Jack's shoulder and he looked up to see his director, Victor Talley holding an empty glass and a bottle of scotch.

"Celebrating?" Davenport asked.

Talley shook his head, pouring the scotch into the glasses in his hands and passed one of the glasses to him. "When we lose an agent it's like a kick to the gut. It's hard to allow yourself the opportunity to celebrate the wins when you carry that loss with you."

"Wallace was a good agent." Davenport commented, holding his glass up to toast his former partner.

"To Wallace." Talley said, clinking his glass with Jack's. He looked down, staring at the content of his glass and sighed. "Not many cases tear you apart from the insides but this one…This one was a big one, Davenport."

Jack looked to the conference room and commented, "There's a lot of cases that'll probably be bust open by what we've pulled off of Luthor's hard drives and the encrypted files…There's no telling how far his reach truly was."

"Maybe," Talley commented, taking a sip of his Scotch. "But that is for someone else to worry about." He pointed to the door behind him. "I want you to take some time and recharge. This case hit us both in a hard way. I need my best agent at the top of his game."

"Is this your way of saying you're kicking me out?"

"Consider it a strongly worded suggestion with the intention of taking your keys if you try and show up here tomorrow." Talley chuckled.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to work on my golf swing..." Davenport joked.

TBC...