Chapter 15

Lois was waiting outside. He could see her figure through the screen door. Her pale yellow dress moved slightly with the wind outside. She didn't move an inch when the door opened and Clark joined her.

"I'm glad you made it." Lois said.

"I wouldn't miss it." Clark said. He stood near her, but still kept his distance. "Did you talk to Richard?"

"I did."

Looking down at his glass of wine, Clark had to control his strength to keep it from breaking in his hand. He was nervous, not really knowing what to think. In one hand, he was afraid Lois had broken up her perfect family with Richard because of him, but on the other, he was hopeful she would return his affection for her.

"He looks at ease." He indicated, referring to Richard.

"Yes. He's doing it for Jason."

"What is he doing… exactly?" He asked, seemingly puzzled.

Finally, Lois turned around to face him.

"I told him I… needed something else." Her voice was trembling, but so was Clark. He stood there facing her and smelling her perfume. "But I need to know something."

"Anything." He said without hesitating.

"I need to know that this time, you won't leave me."

He almost stopped breathing. "I won't."

"I'm not changing Richard for you, Clark." She said then, "If you hadn't come back, this still would have happened. Your presence… it just quickened the inevitable. Do you understand what I'm saying? I'm not doing this because of you."

"I understand."

"And it will be hard for Jason. I know this. But in the long run, I think it'll be better this way. Richard and I still have to decide what to do about that."

"You know I'm here for both of you. Whatever you need."

She stared at him with a new intensity. "I want to know you, that's what I need. If this – us, has a chance of working out, I need to know who you are. Who you really are."

"I'm an open book, I told you that and I wasn't lying."

"Well, I'm willing to give it a try." She smiled at him, ready for her next adventure. But instead, Clark backed away. "What's wrong?" Lois asked, confused at his sudden reaction.

"Just," he began, looking beyond, "that I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I'm Clark Kent, not Superman. I just… want you to understand this, before anything happens. Not to say I don't want it to happen. I just want you to be prepared."

"What's so bad about Clark Kent?"

"Well, for starters," he said, "you never did pay attention to me before."

She looked at him and he finally looked back. After a while, Lois spoke: "I'm still ready to give it a try… if you want."

He nodded, pursing his lips. Then turned around again to face her and he held out his hand. Finally, she took it in hers.

Once again, since that night when Jason had been conceived, they kissed… and it was everything they remembered it to be.

The End.

Thank you all who read my story! And super thanks to those that wrote reviews, I really enjoyed them.

And yes, this is the end of this story, sorry about that. I just hope you'll read my next story.

Cheers!