February 14, 2013

Her eyes flicked continuously between the television and the broad expanse of the dark Metropolis sky. Every once in a while, the hazel orbs would rest on a clock, and a slightly audible sigh would escape her lips.

Lois was used to this, of course. Used to spending holidays alone. It happened when a girl was married to the Man of Steel. She'd known it going in, and was generally okay with it, knowing that what her husband was doing was so important, and feeling a great sense of pride in him and how he'd become such a symbol of hope to a world that had sorely needed it.

But it didn't mean she didn't miss him like crazy in the meantime. And, of course, it was compounded by the fact that today was Valentine's Day. Their first Valentine's Day as a married couple. Actually, thinking back, it would also have been the first Valentine's Day they'd spent together in years.

Leaning against the balcony railing, her back to the twinkling lights of the Metropolis skyline, she once again turned her attention to the television. The 24 hour news networks absolutely loved Superman. She was thankful for that, always having the ability to flip to one and check in on her husband. Sure, she knew he was pretty much invulnerable but there was always that worry, that fear, that an enemy even stronger than him would show up. Or that while he was helping, wherever he was, some Kryptonite would be unearthed, incapacitating him. Not to mention, one never knew when Lex Luthor would make his next move in his quest to take down Superman.

Currently, though, he was doing just fine, as he helped out Peruvian officials looking for survivors and general relief efforts after a devastating earthquake. She could hear the anchorwoman reporting that Superman had been able to find and rescue about 20 survivors so far on his own, and that, thanks to his superior strength, had cleared quite a bit of the rubble, allowing rescue workers to find even more.

She'd been watching the coverage since she'd arrived home from the Planet. It had been a long day, made longer by the fact that she hadn't seen Clark since the previous morning, when his superhearing had picked up the distress in Peru. He'd kissed her quickly, assuring her he'd try to be home for Valentine's Day the following night, which Lois had told him not to worry about.

And she'd meant it. She knew that the crisis in Peru, or anywhere else for that matter, came before their plans of just spending the night together at home, shutting out the world, as best they could anyway, and just being together. She also knew, though, that if it was within Clark's power, he'd be there.

So, she'd gone to the Planet, telling their boss, Perry White, that Clark had come down with the flu (not her best excuse, but it'd worked), and had gotten busy pursuing an article on the recent wave of robberies in Metropolis, all the while checking in on the streaming newsvideo on her computer, catching glimpses of her husband in action.

And hoping that 24 hours would be enough time for him to get things under control, but knowing, in her heart, it probably wouldn't be.

It didn't stop her, though, from getting things ready for their quiet Valentine's celebration. A girl had to be prepared, right?

So she'd stopped on her way home from work the previous night, and picked up the red, lacy teddy that had caught her eye a few weeks ago. Lois wasn't necessarily the Victoria's Secret type, but she knew how much Clark loved her in red, and what the hell, it was Valentine's Day.

That morning, on her way to the Planet, she'd stopped at the patisserie on the corner, placing an order for their sinfully delicious chocolate mousse, planning on picking it up after work. She'd seen, that morning, that the rescue efforts were going well, causing a bit of hope to well up inside her, but she'd forced herself not to get too excited. The important thing was that Clark was obviously okay and that he was making a huge difference in the relief efforts in Peru.

After continuing to research her article for most of the morning, she'd pulled out the menu to their favorite Thai place, planning what she was going to order for them for dinner (he'd made her promise not to cook before he'd taken off the previous morning). Her perusal of said menu, though, was interrupted by the appearance of a visibly nervous Oliver Queen, who had immediately started pacing in front of her desk as soon as he'd said "hello".

She'd listened with an amused smirk as Oliver anxiously went over every detail of his plans for that night, and his romantic (he hoped, anyway) proposal to one Dinah Lance. Seeing her usually unflappable ex-boyfriend in such a flustered state was not only pretty priceless, it was also endearing. Lois had watched Oliver and Dinah's courtship over the last year, and though initially not the female superhero's biggest fan, had come to like her and even form a friendship with her. What had impressed her most, though, was her effect on Oliver. Sure, the brash, cocky billionaire was still there, but his love for Dinah, and hers for him, had softened him up a bit, and it was…nice. When Lois had called him on it, though, Oliver had simply rolled his eyes, muttering how she was one to talk about love softening up one's rough edges, and had pointedly glanced at her then fiancée's nameplate gracing the desk across from hers.

After assuring Oliver that all would go well and that there was no doubt in her mind that Dinah would happily accept, she'd gotten a call from Chloe, who was busily preparing a Valentine's surprise for Jimmy, and had wanted Lois' input, which she'd given, with the condition that she not get any of the intimate details, not needing the picture of the Planet's ace photographer and her baby cousin doing anything involving blindfolds and chocolate. Of course, that snark had earned a giggle from Chloe, who'd shot back that she didn't exactly like to visualize her cousin and her best friend either.

She'd left work around 6, stopping at the Thai place to pick up their order before heading home. Knowing, even as she'd lit a few candles and set out the food, that he wasn't going to be showing up for a while at best, if at all. When she'd arrived home and turned the TV on, she could see Clark still heavily involved in the relief efforts.

So, now, it was 11:50. The candles had long been blown out, and their dinner sat in takeout containers in the refrigerator. Instead of donning the very revealing lingerie she'd purchased, she instead had wrapped herself in Clark's old football jersey – her favorite thing to wear to bed when he wasn't around.

Sitting down on the couch, she glanced at the now turned off television, leaning her head back against the cushions. It was silly, really. It wasn't like she'd ever been a huge fan of Valentine's Day.

She'd known going in that, being married to Superman, there would be days like this. Holidays, moments she'd have to sacrifice, for the greater good. And she was okay with that because it was for the good of the planet and the citizens who inhabited it. More importantly, she knew that the second he was able to, he'd come home to her.

But, still. She missed him. She always did when he was off somewhere, doing his Superman thing, but it was especially hard on Valentine's Day, a day filled with nothing but reminders of love and devotion.

So, as she had for the last few Valentine's Days, she climbed into an empty bed, watching as the clock hit midnight, and the day turned into February 15th.

***

He could fly faster than even the fastest jets.

So, why was it, that tonight, it felt like it was taking hours to get back to Metropolis?

Clark had left the site of the earthquake earlier, after helping clear the rubble to get to any survivors and helping to erect shelters to house people who had lost their homes. Order had been mostly restored, and he left knowing that things were pretty much under control, though he'd be keeping an ear out, just in case. On his way back, he'd spotted a fire in Mexico City, so he'd made a stop there to help firefighters put it out and make sure that everyone in the tall apartment building had gotten to safety.

But after that, he'd set his sights on Metropolis. And his wife.

He had no idea what time it was, though he was fairly certain it was at least still Valentine's Day. He'd hoped to get back in time to even spend a few minutes of the day with her. She'd giggle at that, of course, teasing him that he was totally the sap in their relationship, and it was an accusation he really couldn't argue. But he knew, deep down, she loved it.

It was all the more important to him since this was their first Valentine's Day since they'd gotten married. Not that they'd had great Valentine's Days before that. In fact, Clark mused as he flew through the chilly February skies, the last Valentine's Day they'd actually spent together was when they'd both been mind whammied by red kryptonite.

Not exactly one for the romance books.

Sure, they didn't have big, elaborate plans for the night. Really, they'd just wanted to stay in and spend some time alone. That, with their lives such as they were, was the most romantic way they could both think of to spend the lovestruck holiday.

But when he'd heard the distress in Peru the prior morning, his heart had sunk a bit. Because he knew that the odds of him getting back in time weren't great.

He also knew, though, that Lois would understand. And there was a part of him that hated that she had to. His dual identity allowed him to live his life with her as Clark Kent, and he loved every minute of that. It kept him sane and more importantly, made him happy, happier than he ever thought he'd be as, growing up, he'd always imagined he'd end up alone, given the destiny set out before him.

And he had embraced his destiny. Openly, too. The teenager who'd been so reluctant to accept his abilities had grown into a man who understood that those powers would help him make a difference in the world, a difference he loved making. Once he realized he could have the best of both worlds – the ability to help and a life and love of his own – everything fell into place for him. His life, their life, was everything he'd ever wanted and, as a stubborn teenager, never expected to actually have.

But, still, there was sacrifice. Sure, Valentine's Day was pretty trivial in the scheme of things he dealt with, but that was the thing. In his heart, it wasn't. Those normal days, those small moments, they were important to him. He had wanted nothing more than a candlelit dinner and then to spend the remainder of the night making love to his beautiful wife. His responsibilities, though, they came before everything, and they both knew that, and they'd accepted it, taking their moments when they could and treasuring them for all they were worth.

His cape whipped behind him as he the Metropolis skyline zoomed closer. Seeing the clock tower in the distance, a grin graced his handsome face, hoping that Oliver had gotten the answer he'd wanted to his proposal and that the darkened windows he could see in the distance were a good sign that the couple was celebrating their new engagement.

His smile quickly disappeared though as he registered the hands of the clock above Oliver's apartment.

1:00.

He didn't think it was possible, but he actually felt his heart sink. He'd known, when he'd left the disaster site, that he was pushing it and, if he was lucky, he'd arrive back in Metropolis with only maybe a half hour left of Valentine's Day at best. And when he'd stopped to help with the fire, that time estimate had taken a big hit.

But he'd hoped, maybe they'd have even just a few minutes. Sure, it would be symbolic more than anything, the ability to say that they'd actually spent some of their first married Valentine's Day together, but still. He'd wanted that.

He landed gracefully on the balcony of their apartment, noticing the darkness right away, and figuring she'd probably already gone to bed. Quietly opening the glass door, he slipped inside and headed to their bedroom.

Clark was unsurprised to find her curled up in his jersey. She always wore that when he was gone. She had his pillow grasped tightly in her hands, the sight melting his heart just a bit. Walking over to the bed, he sat down next to her, reaching out and gently brushing her hair back from her forehead.

Stirring slightly, she rolled onto her back, a contented sigh escaping her lips at his gentle touch. His fingers trailed softly down her cheek, his lips quirking up into a small smile as he watched her fight her way into consciousness.

Groggily, she blinked slowly a few times, her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. As the fuzziness began to fade, the outline of the very familiar House of El symbol that adorned her husband's broad chest began to make itself clear to her. Sitting up suddenly, shaking her head to try and rid it of the sleepy cobwebs that had formed, she threw her arms around his neck.

"You're home," she said softly, pressing him tightly to her.

"I'm home," he whispered back, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, they still have some work to do, but it's nothing the authorities can't handle on their own."

Pulling back, she gazed into his gorgeous face, gently pushing an errant lock of hair behind his ear.

"Good."

He leaned forward, brushing a tender kiss against her lips.

"I'm sorry."

"For?"

He glanced at the clock on her nightstand, then shifted his eyes back to her.

"I missed Valentine's Day."

"Clark, I think an earthquake in Peru is a little more important than red hearts and chocolate."

"That may be…but still, I was looking forward to spending it with you," he said quietly.

"Well, look at it this way," she said, moving in to quickly capture his lower lip between hers. "It's only 1 AM. It's still Valentine's Day somewhere in the world, right? I'd say that counts, Smallville."

With that, she grabbed the edges of his cape and pulled him closer, pressing her lips to his. He responded quickly, one hand finding its way beneath his jersey, reveling in the warmth of her skin. Pushing her back, he pressed his tongue against her lips, a request she quickly granted, opening up to him with a soft sigh.

She was just about to start making quick work of ridding him of his suit when suddenly, he pulled back, eyes wide. She narrowed her eyes in response, a look that turned into disbelief when he jumped up from the bed and began opening a drawer of their dresser. Without warning, a pair of jeans suddenly landed on her lap.

"Put those on."

"Wait…you want me to get dressed? Because, I gotta tell you, I had the complete opposite in mind."

He grinned at that. "Later. I promise. But right now, just…trust me."

"Did I forget to mention the very lacy, very red, very revealing Valentine's surprise I got for you?"

"Lois, just….wait, really?"

She bit her lip teasingly, seeing her chance to get things back on her terms.

"Really."

He groaned slightly at that, his ability to resist her when she looked at him that way weakening rapidly.

But, at the heart of everything, despite the enticingly sexy image his mind had created at her description, Clark Kent was nothing if not a romantic, and so in the end, that was the side that won out.

At least, for the next little while. He had every intention of seeing his Valentine's surprise before the sun rose.

With resolve, he walked over to their closet and picked up a pair of her shoes, tossing them to the floor next to the bed, making his decision clear to Lois.

She considered him for a moment, before snatching up the jeans and throwing them on. Clark chuckled softly, listening to her mutter under her breath about farmboys who teased her with the goods before ripping said goods away from her. After pulling on her shoes, she took his outstretched hand, still glaring a bit at him much to Clark's amusement.

He led her out onto their balcony, then released her hand to wrap an arm around her waist. Recognizing what he was about to do, she looked up at him.

"Where are we going?"

Looking down at her with a heartstopping smile, he simply answered, "Somewhere in the world."

Intrigued, she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the familiar rush as he launched them into the sky. It never got old for her, even as many times as she'd flown with him, nestled against his strong, warm body as he guided them through the dark night, the sound of his cape whipping in the wind.

After about five minutes (he had gone a bit slower than normal, as he always did with Lois, not wanting to shock her system with his normal flying speed), he stopped, hovering above a misty cloud.

"So…where are we?" Lois asked, looking down at the sea of lights below them.

"Star City."

"Okay," she responded slowly. "Why?"

Keeping one arm wrapped securely around her, he reached with his other hand to push a few windblown strands of hair behind her ear.

"Because it's only 11:20 here," he said softly, a grin on his face.

Lois' brow furrowed momentarily at that, before realization set in and a smile lit up her face.

"It's still Valentine's Day here."

"For another forty minutes," Clark affirmed.

Brushing her fingertips over his lips, she shook her head. "You're such a sap Smallville," she said with teasing affection.

"You love it, Lane."

"That's our secret," she warned, grinning, before brushing her lips against his in a tender kiss.

"Hey, you keep my secret, I keep yours."

She giggled at that, snuggling into him as a sea of lights swam both above and below them. He reached around her, grabbing the edge of his cape and enclosing it over her, protecting her from the chill in the night air, even over the always moderate Star City.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

Lifting her head, she lost herself in the depths of his gorgeous eyes. "Happy Valentine's Day."

They stayed there a few more minutes, wrapped around each other in the quiet of the night, before Clark cleared his throat, getting her attention.

"So…I believe something was mentioned about a surprise? Red, lacy, revealing…"

Lois grinned up at him, planting a kiss on his chin.

"How fast can you get us home?"

Her laughter lingered in the air as he answered her question by turning and whooshing them off toward Metropolis.

Sure, being Superman, being married to Superman, there would always moments they had to give up. There would always be sacrifices that had to be made.

But as they flew toward Metropolis, content in each other's arms, they both knew beyond a shadow of a doubt.

They wouldn't change it for anything in the world.