u/shira-hazel

Lois had already been at the Wayne mansion for two weeks when she found the video.

Grumbling and sulking about revealing his identity Bruce Wayne gave her one of the most advanced laptops in the world, a computer as secure as only a man like him could build. He knew Lois was going to kick as many anthills as possible and he wanted to make sure she was safe, for Clark and the entire league. Lois had a plan to take Lex down, but she still didn't trust Bruce, and he still didn't trust her, and she wanted to make sure she covered all the corners before asking for his help. Elliot managed to unfreeze her assets and to allow her to access them without being tracked he transferred everything to an account in Canada. This led to a special federal unit being parked in his office for a week and him spending a night in a holding cell in Smallville, but he considered that Hazel agreeing to go out with him was adequate compensation.

That evening Lois was digging deep into the internet, as far back as she could go, looking for a mysterious internet creature with the nickname Oracle when she landed on a trove of military clips. The clip database was part of a website that collected secret leaked materials. The clips depicted interrogations and torture of terrorism suspects and subversion of the government. Each of these clips was shocking but Lois couldn't help but look and then she came across the name Clark Kent. Clicking on the link led her to a trove whose highlight was a video of Colonel Barker torturing Clark. It was so obvious that it was torture for torture's sake. Clark in the video was in no condition to enlist, he suffered irreparable damage, and the colonel did not ask him questions. As Lois went through all the additional material related to this, she began to get a fuller picture of what happened. She understood how it happened that her father decided to intervene and why. He did it to avoid a scandal. Someone leaked this video on purpose and the amount of people who watched the video was huge.

When Bruce returned tired and exhausted from his night patrol Lois was waiting for him in the cave.

"What the hell are you doing here? How did you find the cave?"

"I'm an investigative journalist, Wayne." Bruce growled. "Do you care to explain it to me?"

In front of his stunned gaze, Lois activated the sophisticated computer system in the cave and the main screen broadcast the clip, the same clip that had prevented him from sleeping for the past four years. Lois stood with her back to the screen, cringing again with each scream of pain.

"Stop the clip!" Lois pressed the keyboard nearest her.

"You knew about it! Why didn't any of you help him?? Where were you?"

"Lois..."

"He always respected you. He was always the first to help any of you who needed him, regardless of the price it took from him, and you let him give up his powers! You let him suffer like this! You left him alone!!" She pushed him hard. "Where were you?? Mister tall, dark, and scary? Why didn't you break in there and free him? Why didn't you kick Barker’s butt? What? Someone must have green hair and a creepy grin for you to put them in a hospital?" She pushed him again. "I can't believe how stupid I am. I was sure that more than anyone else I could trust you to be by his side. But you'd rather stay in Gotham, fighting mobsters while your best friend is being tortured!!" She shoved him again and then turned furiously on her heel and turned away from him. "It was a mistake to come here..."

"This clip caught us by surprise." Lois froze. There was a lot of pain and guilt in Bruce's voice. "And I admit that I did not react correctly when I learned that he had given up his powers. I told myself that it was his business and moved on. Looking back, that was the point from which everything went downhill."

"You didn't do anything..."

"Do you think that if I had the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't do everything differently??" Bruce sighed and removed the mask. Lois turned to him. "I don't usually dwell on 'what ifs' but in this case...after your father intervened, I was able to get to Smallville. Clark was still in a coma. His sight in the hospital stars in my nightmares every night."

"I don't believe you. You leaked this clip to get my father involved because you were all too cowardly to do it yourself!"

"No. I know who leaked the clip." Lois put her hands on her hips.

"Who?"

"Lex Luthor." Lois paled. "He wanted to break the fierce resistance of the press and the independent media and at least for a while it succeeded but he made a mistake. He misjudged the public's reaction to this particular video and that is why he sent your father to intervene."

"I don't understand. What mistake?"

"Clark Kent became the martyr of the Lex Luthor resistance movement."

"Clark didn't say anything about it."

"Clark doesn't know." Bruce went to the computer and showed her what he meant. "There's a secret internet, a layer beneath the internet. It was created quickly right after Lex was elected president. The underground one calls it Undernet. The computer I gave you can access it. The computers in the compound at the Kent farm can't, except for Clark's computer."

"And you control this network."

"No but I do have some control over Clark's computer."

"Why keep him unaware of all these articles and blogs and posters and everything?"

"He doesn't need to know."

"He's all alone there! What's wrong with knowing he has such support?"

"Because Barker needs to continue to believe that Clark is a nice guy who hides away. Someone he can make his life miserable. If they think they can't control him, Clark will be gone."

"But I..."

"Getting the soldiers off the farm was a smart move, Lois, and having a man like Elliott James in charge of it only reinforces the way Barker sees Clark." Bruce turned to her from the computer. "The video caused a rift in the military. A lot of heroes like Captain Atom resigned in protest of Clark's torture. Lex underestimated the level of esteem people in the country felt for Clark. The people in Smallville were outraged. I don't think Smallville has had a political awareness since the anti-alcohol campaign during the Great Depression."

"And the league?"

"It caused us all to lower our profile. We were scared."

"You thought he broke and exposed you." Bruce nodded. "You too?"

“No. I obtained Barker's private personal report on what happened there. I know better than anyone the damage done to Clark.” Lois looked at him blankly.

"And you blame yourself." Bruce didn't look at her.

"Hal said you had a plan to take Lex down."

"I have an idea; I don't know if you can call it a plan."

"Let's hear it."

"Lex murdered 367 American citizens. Last time I checked that's against the law, even if you're president."

"The Appalachian Massacre."

"Exactly. That's his big win. He destroyed Superman, made the entire nation believe that Superman was a threat. Even Clark believed it! And with Superman not in the area Lex has no real resistance and I'm willing to bet you that arrogant son of a @#$% must have kept a video showing exactly what happened. With a close-up on Superman's face when all these people died around him."

"So, there must be some sign of that somewhere."

"And in order for the satellites he sent later to be able to find Clark, there has to be that energy signature somewhere. To unlock this lock of the satellites on Clark we need to do one of two things; change Clark's energy signature or delete the energy signature from the computer it's on. The first one might reveal Clark's identity so there's only one thing left."

"It would be almost impossible to find it."

"What I was thinking of is a two-pronged operation. Infiltrate someone as an undercover agent as close to Lex as possible so that he can find the scientific information or at least his location and hack into that computer to copy the incriminating information on Lex. The information on the energy signature to destroy and the information on the massacre spread in the media."

"Lex has complete control of the media, Lois. How are you going to do that? We don't have a Daily Planet anymore."

"No, but we have this." Lois went to one of the keyboards and opened a website. "The Torch." Bruce smiled without her noticing. "It's a blog that's the closest thing there is to the Daily Planet today. I just don't know who runs it. I've never heard of Joseph Clark." She turned to Bruce who was still smiling. "What?"

"You do know who runs it. You know him better than anyone else."

"What are you talking about?"

"I have to admit he's got hiding in plain sight down to an art." Lois looked at him in confusion. "Which journalist do you know whose middle name is Joseph?"

"I'm sure there are many. Oh..." Her eyes widened. "But it can't be!"

"His mother's maiden name before her marriage was Clark." She looked at him in shock and Bruce had to laugh. "I helped him start the blog, Lois. When he chose the name, I didn't believe him but he insisted that people see what they want to see. And who like him knows? Joseph Clark is Clark Kent." She sat down on the chair.

"I don’t understand." Bruce crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the table.

"I stayed in Smallville until he woke up. General Lane showed up, made sure the bracelet was on Clark's leg and that Clark understood the rules. I was at the farm, helping the League prepare the compound when Clark came home from work at the “Smallville Post” and asked me to help him set up the blog."

"But why did you agree? You knew he was putting himself at risk. And he was on edge anyway."

"For the first time since the massacre that something moved him, that was so important to him. He was still mourning you but when he talked about this blog, about what he could do with it he came alive. He said something about the power of the press." Lois smiled, "And he was right. This blog has saved lives."

"He didn't tell me."

"You know Clark."

"Yes." Bruce looked at her. "My Shy Smallville."

"I have the resources to help you chase the cuckoo out of the nest, Lois."

"I know. That's one of the reasons I'm here. Lex is about to find out what happens to those who mess with the people I love!"

תנאים:

עבור 4 מבוגרים

באוקטובר או נובמבר

5 ימים לכל היותר

לאירופה בלי גיאורגיה.

מאורגן

הטיול צריך לכלול:
מוזיאון או שניים

ערים ונופים

מסעדות

מפלי מים

The first rays of the sun gently caressed Clark's face and he woke up. He blinked for a moment in surprise as he woke up in an unfamiliar place and then remembered. Lois spun around in his arms denying the morning had come and he smiled. He scattered soft kisses on her neck and face.

"Hmmm..." A satisfied and sleepy smile spread across her face.

"Time to get up." Her smile disappeared and she hid her face in his chest.

"No." He chuckled.

"The sun has risen, and you are leaving after breakfast."

"It's not the sun. It's Hal's ego." Clark laughed, "And I'm not waking up. No." He removed hair from her face and kissed her again. "You are a cruel man. And you do not love me."

"How can you say such a thing?" She half opened her eyes and looked at him.

"You can't wait for me to leave anymore." He smiled sadly and ran his hand gently over her bare back. She kissed him.

"I'd like to leave with you, Lois."

"I know, I'm sorry. I was just teasing you." She kissed him again. "How did you sleep?"

"Well, I slept really well."

"Really? No nightmares at all?"

"No nightmares at all." There was wonder in his voice. "I was sure I wouldn't be able to fall asleep because..."

"Because I'm leaving."

"Yes." She held his face in both hands.

"I'll be back, Smallville. I'm not leaving you, you're with me wherever I go." He kissed her neck and Lois tilted her head back giving him full access. "Hmm… I want you to promise me something."

"And what is this?" He continued to kiss her neck softly going down to her shoulders, his right hand moving in circles on her back.

"That you take off the bracelet every now and then..." A sigh of pleasure escaped from her mouth; the man drove her crazy. He chuckled.

"Promise."

"I'm serious, Smallville." He raised his head and looked into her eyes.

"Promise." He kissed her on the nose.

"Good. Now continue what you were doing." she instructed him. Clark smiled and kissed her again.

 

 

An hour later they went downstairs to the kitchen. Lois refused to let him walk away from her. They did everything together this morning, their last together for an indeterminate amount of time. Yawning Hal sat by the island in the kitchen drinking coffee. Martha placed two plates full of food on the island in front of Clark and Lois and they sat down to eat. Martha poured coffee into a small thermos.

"I made coffee for you to go. Although why I encourage this addiction, I have no idea." She closed the thermos and placed two translucent plastic boxes next to it. "This one has cookies and this one has fruit." She looked intently into Lois's eyes. "And I expect you, young lady, to eat all the fruit."

"Yes, Ma'am." Lois said with a smile. Martha placed a pile of small coffee bags next to the rest of the luggage. "What is it for?"

"Currency passes to merchant." said Hal.

"Huh?"

"There are places where coffee is worth more than gold. Especially when you have to go through barriers." Lois opened her eyes wide.

"Oh."

"Although on the trip to Gotham we probably won't need it. I can get us through without being noticed."

"Where am I supposed to keep all this? I leave the suitcase here; everything is packed in the backpack I borrowed..."

"You stole." Clark said with a smile. Lois ignored him.

"That I borrowed from Smallville."

"Backpack?" Martha said. "What's wrong with the suitcase?"

"I need to be mobile, and the suitcase is a bit bulky. Where do you think you're going?" She questioned Clark who stood up without missing a beat.

"Be right back." He kissed her and left the house before she could say anything else.

"Where does he go?" she asked Martha.

"Eat the tomatoes too, Lois, not just the bacon."

"I will, I will." Martha looked at her firmly and Lois stuffed a fork full of vegetables into her mouth. Martha approached her and kissed her head. "I'll miss your food, Ms. K." Clark returned after a few moments with a messenger bag like the one Lois had lost in the Congo. "Is this for me?" She jumped out of the chair and ran to him.

"Yes," Lois grabbed the bag from him and opened it. "I asked Hazel, my secretary, to buy it about a week ago. She also bought you a wallet."

"Clark! It's a Planet's notebook!" Her eyes shone with excitement. "And here is a notebook and a million pencils and pens!"

"I won't be with you to find all the pencils you lose." Lois pulled out a thermos cup from the bag with the Superman symbol on it and looked at Clark with a smile. He moved uncomfortably. "Hazel insisted it was the only kind they had. On the other hand, she knew it was for you."

"What really happened with that?" Hal said looking at Lois amused, she was acting like a child at Christmas. Clark looked at him questioningly, "All the proceeds from Superman's products, where are they?"

"I don't know. I didn't think about it at all."

"I'll ask Bruce when I get to Gotham." Lois said. Both men froze. She lifted her head from the bag, "Oops."

"Lois?" Clark asked. Now it was Lois who moved uncomfortably.

"Hmm... Maybe we'll forget I said that?" She looked at Clark who shook his head.

"I do not think so." Lois sighed.

"Well, I've known about the Prince of Gotham's hobby for a while now. I knew before I left for Africa."

"How?"

"A lady doesn't reveal. A journalist certainly doesn't."

"Does he know you know?" Lois smiled, revealing pearly white teeth. "He does not know." Clark said running his hand through his hair.

"It should be interesting." Hal smiled happily. "And to think I was going to drop her off in Gotham and move on. I'm not going to miss that for any fortune in the world." Lois put the bag on the table and hugged Clark.

"That's a great gift, Smallville."

"Lady doesn't tell, eh?"

"You shouldn't be jealous of Bruce."

"What does he have to envy of?" Hal said finishing his coffee, "Bruce has money, property, he's allowed to go anywhere, do whatever he wants, date whoever he wants." Clark looked at Hal with a murderous look. Lois grabbed his head and turned him to her.

"But he doesn't have me."

"Now he will have it."

"Clark Joseph Kent! Do you really think I'm going to sleep with another man?" Clark's eyes widened. "Oh, Shit!"

"What I meant is that you will be in his life, you won't be here." He tried to get away from her.

"Don't you dare!" She pulled him back to her. "I haven't slept with Bruce and I have no intention of doing so. Get those thoughts out of your head. I am engaged to you and no one else. And considering that I have never had any intention of marrying anyone, you must understand how seriously I take this. " He nodded but the sadness remained in his eyes. "I'll be back, Clark." She kissed him. "And we'll get married and go back to work at Planet." She kissed him again. "You have to trust that."

"I know, you're right." She hugged him again and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love the bag, Clark, it's perfect. It has room for all the things I need."

"I would buy you a cell phone but that would raise a lot of questions."

"It's okay, I'll be fine."

"Lo..." she kissed him.

Martha put the thermos and the coffee bags into the bag and the two boxes into the bag.

"One moment." Lois said. She broke away from Clark's embrace and ran to her backpack which was placed by the door. She took a picture out of it and put it in a hidden outer compartment in the bag and then looked down at the bag.

"Lois?" Martha asked, "Everything okay?"

"I don't want to go. I don't want to leave."

Hal looked at Clark, nodded, picked up the backpack and walked out. Martha pulled Lois into a hug. Clark walked away from the kitchen.

"I don't want to leave Clark alone. I've done this too many times and the last time I didn't see him was five years. I don't want to leave." Tears were in Lois's eyes, and she fought them back.

"Shhh... sweetie. Clark will be fine." Lois shook her head in the negative, "When he came home four years ago, he was just a shadow of the man I raised and everything he's been through since then hasn't helped but you've been here less than a month and he's smiling and walking straight and really looking ahead to the future."

"But what if something happens to him, what if he needs me and I'm not with him?"

"Quiet, that's not the attitude I expect to see in the Lois Lane I know." Martha said in a scolding voice. Lois sniffed. "Clark found you the perfect woman for him. I knew it from the first moment he said your name. We spoke on the phone and his voice filled with life and light. He lost it for a while, but you brought it back full force. He'll be fine and so will you. Okay?" Martha wiped Lois's face with a handkerchief. Lois nodded. "You have to go, sweetie. We don't want that. Not you, not me or Jonathan and certainly not Clark. But in life you don't always get what you want."

"I'll miss you guys."

"And we're over to you. Enough with the tears before I start crying and we both sit here in a puddle." Lois giggled and straightened up. "Now, I know you're eating what's available but you're a lot thinner than I'd like to see you so make sure you eat properly, okay?" Lois nodded, "And I know it probably won't be easy to do but find a way to let your mother know you're alive and okay. I'm sure she's worried about you."

"I promise."

"Okay, sweetie." Martha handed her the bag and the bag with the boxes. "Remember that we love you and think about you." Martha kissed her.

"Thank you, Martha." Martha forced a smile on her face and Lois smiled back.

"Time to go." Clark said quietly and Lois turned to him and ran to him for one last hug. "I love you."

"I love you."

"Try sometimes to look before you jump." Lois giggled.

"Don't let anyone bully you, okay?"

Still hugging her, legs in the air Clark moved towards the door. Martha opened it for him, and he stepped out with Lois in his arms.

"Don't let Bruce scare you, hmm?"

"Ok." He went down the back porch steps.

"And kick Lex butt for me." She giggled again. She looked at him and he kissed her.

Lois took a deep breath and pulled away from him. She looked at him and fixed his glasses and tie, not looking into his eyes, then took another breath and looked on his face. Clark tried to be strong for her and she smiled encouragingly.

"Bye, Smallville."

"Bye, Lois."

She quickly turned around before she would regret it before the tears would break out again and hurried into the passenger side of Hal's car. Clark took a breath and put his hand in his pocket.

"We'll keep an eye on her, Clark." Hal said and Clark nodded. Hal got into the car and started the engine.

Martha left the house and stood next to Clark. Hal activated his ring, and the car was surrounded by a green light. They set off and the car was gone in a flash of green before it even reached the farm gate.

After dinner Lois and Clark went for a night walk. They were about to return to the barn, Clark unable to sleep in his room, when Clark sat down on a fallen tree trunk and Lois sat next to him.
"What happened?" She looked at him worriedly. Clark put his hand on her shoulder hugging her to him.
"We need to talk." She looked at his face.
"No!" She stood up immediately and stood in front of him.
"Lois..."
"No! You're not leaving me! I won't let you!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.
"It's a bit of a problem to leave you when you're at my house. And no, I'm not going to leave you."
"So what?"
"You need to leave."
"No!!"
"And you know it."
"I don't want to leave you!" He tugged lightly on her hand.
"Sit, please." She sat down next to him and after a moment buried her head in his shoulder. He kissed her head. "Right now, I'm like the blue kryptonite bracelet to you."
"No."
"I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay with me, here, safe. But it's not you."
"I can be anything I want to be!"
"If you stay here, you will be Mrs. Clark Kent, not Lois Lane. It will kill you little by little and one day you will look at me across the dinner table and not know who you are and who is the man sitting across from you."
"Not true!" He lifted her head and looked into her eyes.
"Are you willing to stay here until Lex dies? Be a housewife hiding underground when a satellite passes by? Not see your family, not work as a journalist? Are you willing to watch Lex turn the country into a dictatorship without doing anything about it?"
"I don't want to leave you behind. Not again." Clark shook his head.
"It was a mistake to wear the bracelet, I know that now. I thought at the time it was the right thing to do but it was a mistake. I gave Lex exactly what he wanted. I let him make me a prisoner." Lois rested her head on his shoulder, and he kissed her head. "I know there must be a hundred different plots running through your head at any given moment to overthrow Lex." she smiled. "And none of them will come out of Smallville." She clung to him even more. "I want you to stay with me, but I need you to free me, only you can do that, and you can't do it from here."
"You'll be alone again and if they hurt you again, I won't even know it, I won't be able to help you!"
"The biggest help you could give me would be if you freed Superman." She hugged him again.
"You need me here. You can't even sleep in your room." he moaned.
"Lois, right now I kind of hate myself…" She raised her head and held his face.
"No, don't say that."
"Honey, it's the truth. I'm a coward. I'm far from Superman, I'm not even sure I deserve to be Clark Kent."
"You will always be Clark Kent to me."
"No, Lois. I'm no longer the man you knew, I'm not the Clark Kent who managed to drive Intergang out of Metropolis, I couldn't drive some soldiers out of the farm. But I promise to work on it, Lois. I'll do everything to be worthy of you, to be the man you remember. " She hugged him, "And I need you to be Lois Lane the Daily Planet gun reporter who takes no prisoners and lets no one get away with murder."
"Lex killed 367 people."
"And will you stay here on the farm and learn to bake bread, or will you go out into the world and shape it?"
"I can do both!" She straightened and Clark smiled.
"But what's more important right now?" She was silent, but Clark already had his answer. A few minutes passed before she spoke again.
"I'll be on my way the day after tomorrow." He swallowed and closed his eyes.
"Why not tomorrow, Lois?"
"There is something I promised myself to do before I leave." He kissed her.
"Ok but the day after tomorrow, Lois, not a moment later."
"Not a moment later." She kissed him.

 

The next day when Clark came home from work Lois wouldn't let him go upstairs.
"Lois, I'm tired, and I want to take a shower."
"Take a shower in the compound." She stood with her hands on her hips between him and the staircase. Clark narrowed his eyes.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing! What a suspicious mind you have."
"Long experience with you. Did you break the shower?"
"I didn't break the shower."
"Lois, come on, confess. The sooner you tell me the sooner I can fix it."
"I didn't break the shower!"
"Ok, I need clothes." Lois pointed to a neat pile on the kitchen table.
"Everything is waiting for you there." he moaned.
"Lo..." She took his coat and bag from him, pushed the clothes to his chest and then turned him towards the door. "Lo..." she kissed him.
"Dinner will be ready in an hour. Don't be late. Bye, Smallville." She waved him goodbye and closed the door.
With a devilish smile she ran up the stairs.
After dinner Hal and Elliot went to a pub on the outskirts of Smallville and Lois, Clark and the Kents sat down in front of the TV and watched a movie. The movie was stopped in the middle by a news flash announcing a severe earthquake in Japan. Clark leaned forward, his eyes unable to tear themselves away from the background, from the reports of the dead and missing. Lois exchanged glances with the Kents.
"Clark?" She put a hand on his back. He rubbed his face.
"I could be there now, helping. All these people, all this suffering would have been avoided if I hadn't chosen to hide like a coward."
"You didn't see any other option."
"I had to find one." She turned his face to her.
"I'm not letting you do this to yourself anymore."
"Lois..."
"No one judges themselves more harshly than you! You may be superman, but you are not a god, you make mistakes like everyone else."
"But look how many people are paying for my mistakes!"
"And you didn't pay for it? You didn't suffer because of it? Clark, what you went through in the last four five years, another person wouldn't have stood for it. Other people would have given up, surrendered. You kept fighting your way." He bowed his head towards her. He was so tired. "I'll find a way to free you from the chains Lex has you in, I promise." She kissed his head and then kissed his mouth. "Come with me."
She stood up and held out her hand to him. He took her hand and stood up. Lois led him upstairs after her and stopped in front of his bedroom door. Lois took a key out of her pants pocket and gave it to Clark.
"What is that?"
"Open the door, come on." Clark took the key and opened the door. His mouth fell open and his eyes widened.
His room hadn't changed much since he left to Metropolis after high school. The room was painted bright yellow, there was a single bed against the wall opposite the door with its legs to the door, a ruffled blue and yellow carpet covered most of the wooden floor. On the walls were pictures of stars, a map of the solar system, and flags from Smallville High School and Matt-U. There was a small cabinet in the corner, one of whose doors was covered with a long mirror. There was a small desk and next to it stood a bookcase full of books. On various shelves in the room was a football and the championship trophy from the twelfth grade, various stones that Clark kept, memorabilia and other books. Now, when Clark opened the door, he found a completely different room. The walls were painted blue, and the ceiling looked like a very accurate imitation of the night sky. The room looked big. More, more spacious. The rumpled carpet was gone and in its place was a small soft blue rug beside the bed. The wooden floor had been sanded and polished. The single bed had been replaced by a large double bed with a hand-carved wooden frame. On the walls hung posters of galaxies and a map of the updated solar system. Someone He went to the trouble of rehanging all the flags. The closet looked like it had been repainted and the desk was replaced with a slightly larger one. There was a purple lava lamp attached to the bedside table and next to it was a picture of him with Lois.
"Lois?" Clark looked at her, his voice full of surprise.
"Hal was a big help and Elliot loaned me the money until he could get me access to my accounts. Your dad built the bed frame. He was going to change your bed for your birthday..."
"My Dad?"
"You think they don't know what you're going through? They want to help but don't know how."
"Blue walls?"
"I looked it up. It turns out that blue gives you a feeling of security. People sleep better under blue. Your Elmer Pad lamp is in the dresser drawer if you don't like the lava lamp and Elliott made me copies of all our photos that I took to Africa. We put them in the desk drawer ..."
"I..." he said still shocked, "Lois, I don't even know..."
"Is that okay? Do you like it? Because I know we didn't ask permission, but I wanted to do something for you. I wanted a place that was all yours, I wanted you to have a place where you felt safe but if it wasn't..." He put a finger on her lips and Lois fell silent. Her eyes seek confirmation in his face.
"It's perfect, Lois." Her smile glowed.
"I'm just warning you, Smallville. You see that bed? It's a double bed and there's only room for one woman. Me!" She waved her finger in front of him and Clark smiled, "Don't take that as permission to screw around, you hear me?" She jabbed her finger into his chest, "You belong to me, and I've never learned to share with others. No other woman, Smallville!"
"As if there are other women in the universe besides you." Her smile grew even bigger.
"You have a smooth tongue, Mr. Kent." He kissed her for a long time.
"I love you. Thank you, Lois."
"I love you." She kissed him. "Step by step, Clark. We'll make it better." He rested his forehead against hers, "And you'll disappear on me to save the world before you even know it." He closed the door.
"Have you packed yet?"
"Yes, almost everything."
"Then we have all night." She giggled as he turned off the light.

Three days later Colonel Barker and his troops were forced to evacuate the farm. Following Elliott's success in doing so and along with the recommendation of Clark and Hal, Clark received approval from the underground regarding Elliott. The soldiers left early in the morning and after breakfast Clark took Elliott and Hal to the compound. They found Lois in the conference room, eating breakfast, and yelling at the TV.
"Oh, come on, Miranda! Why are you going with him? You know he's just waiting for an opportunity..." came a scream from the television, "to do just that." she sighed. "I told you!"
"You know they can't hear you, Lane, right?" Elliott said. Lois turned in their direction and a big smile appeared on her face.
"Elliot!" She ran to him, and he hugged her in a bear hug.
"Where have you been for five years?" She broke up with him.
"As if you missed me at all." He pulled her into a hug again. "I'm fine, Elliot, I promise." He released her and she smiled. "And if you're here, does that mean you succeeded? Did the soldiers leave the farm?" Elliot smiled and looked from her to Clark.
"With ease." Lois smiled a triumphant smile that lasted until she looked at Clark.
"Clark!" She rushed to him, her hand cupping his bruised face. Her eyes latched onto his broken hand. "No! What did they do to you?"
"I'm fine." She ran her hand over his upper body looking for more injuries. "Lou, I'm fine, really."
"I'm sorry, Clark, I…"
"It's not your fault and now Barker will have a much harder time getting to me. Elliot wouldn't let him be alone with me." Lois gripped Clark's good hand tightly and turned to Elliot.
"Thanks, Elliot. I owe you." Elliot looked between Lois and Clark then smiled in understanding.
"Oh, you're together, huh?"
"I'd say it's about time." Hal said with a smile, Lois turned to him in surprise.
"Hal Jordan, Lois Lane." Clark said with a smile, "Hal is a test pilot in Coast City, he helped me find Elliot."
"Thank you too." Clark leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
"I have to go. If I don't show up for work Barker will get suspicious."
"Ok, I'll see you in the evening?"
"Wild horses will not be able to stop me." Clark looked at Hal, "Do you mind staying here today? Look after her?"
"Hey, Smallville, I can take care of myself!"
"Lois, just for my peace of mind, please?"
"No problem, Clark." Hal said with a smile. Lois hugged Clark.
"I'll be very careful, Lois."
"I'll watch over your guy, Lulu. Don't worry." Elliott said. Clark looked at Lois with a smile and raised an eyebrow.
"Lulu?" She slapped his good arm. He kissed her. "Bye, Lois."
"Bye, Clark." But none of them moved. Elliot chuckled at the end.
"We'll go now." He grabbed Clark's arm and pulled him away.

 

Lois then left the compound and fell in love with the Kents. They treated her like a daughter. Elliot found himself an office to work in, a place that belonged to a lawyer who retired and found himself overworked and the place was only open for three days. Clark came home one day to find Lois covered in flour staring angrily at a lump of coal she had moments before taken out of the oven. Martha looked at her with a smile of sympathy and Hal hid in the living room, trying to contain his laughter.
"I do not understand it!" Lois exclaimed. "He did it on purpose!"
"Lois, you set the oven to double the temperature needed!" Martha said.
"I thought it would speed up the process!" Martha giggled.
"What does Phil Collins say?" Martha raised an eyebrow, "You can't rush love, and neither can baking bread." Lois blushed and when she finally noticed Clark standing in the doorway she blushed even more.
"Hey. Need to call the fire department?" Lois put her hands on her hips angrily and Martha smiled.
"No need, Clark. We're fine."
"I'll learn to do it. You'll see!" Lois pointed at him. He smiled for a moment.
"I have no doubt. To order pizza for dinner?" Lois threw a towel at him.
"It's okay, dinner will be ready in half an hour. Lois was a big help." Lois looked at Clark with a proud look.
"I made a salad, and I didn't cut myself even once!" Clark was grinning from ear to ear.
Clark walked up to her and pulled her in for a hug and a kiss but when he looked at his mother over Lois's head the smile disappeared, and Martha nodded.
"Why don't you go get cleaned up? I'll set the table."
"Ok." She kissed him on the cheek and disappeared up the stairs.
"Clark."
"I know, mom."
"I know this is the last thing you want to do but in the long run..."
"It's the right thing to do."
"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. Your father and I love her very much and I know how important she is to you... I'm sorry." Clark hugged his mother and kissed her on the head.
"I'll talk to her tonight."

Elliot James got out of Hal's sports car and put on his sunglasses. He was a tall black man who held himself very confidently. He drew glances from the women passing by on the street.
"Charming." said dry concrete.
"Charming and boring little town." replied the god.
"I actually like it."
"No tropical beach here or lots of girls in minimal clothing."
"But a lot of girls in uniform..." He looked over the frame of his glasses at two junior officers passing by on the street and smiled. "So? Where's that guy of yours? What's his name again?"
"Clark Kent and he's here." Hull pointed to the “Smallville Post” offices.
"You didn't tell me he was a journalist."
"Does it matter?"
"That he's one of Luthor's rubber stamps? You can be sure of that!" Hal smiled, revealing white teeth.
"The last person to be rubber-stamp of Lex Luthor is Clark Kent. Trust me on this one, flying fish." Elliot still didn't move, "I swear to you, Elliot, I trust Clark with my life."
"I left for Mexico to get away from it all."
"Elliot, have you heard of Lois Lane?"
"I heard about her? The girl managed to sneak onto my plane at the academy!"
"She's his friend, and she's in Smallville." Elliot looked at him for a moment and then walked with long, quick strides to the office of the “Smallville Post”.
It was a small office with five people, one of whom was the secretary. Elliot stood in front of her.
Hazel Stone was a young woman from an old farming family. Maureen and Manuel Stone brought five daughters into the world, all of them had red hair and were beautiful and Manuel was proud of each of them. Hazel was the middle one. Stubborn, determined, and intelligent, she reminded Clark of Lois. On his first day as editor, when he opened the offices of the “Smallville Post” after they had been closed for months, Hazel appeared and sat down at the secretary's desk as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She decided to be Clark Kent's watchdog, and nothing changed her mind.
Elliot didn't wait for her to finish the phone call she was in the middle of.
"Where's Kent?" He barked at her.
She pointed towards the door on the other side of the office. Eliot rushed there and Hal immediately followed. He opened the door with more force than necessary. The man sitting behind the desk was not what he expected. He was expecting an arrogant blond guy straight out of the pages of GQ, and he got Clark Kent who looked up without excitement as the door slammed into the wall. Somewhere Elliott noticed the bruises on Clark's face, the sling his left hand was hanging from, but he continued without comment.
"Where is she? What did you do to her?" Clark studied him and then looked at Hal who was standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"Hal."
"Hey, Clark. How are you? You don't look so good."
"Enough with the small talk! I want answers!" Clark lifted his glasses.
"I take it you're Elliot James."
"Exactly. And if you hurt her in any way, I'll be nice and let you choose how I kick your ass."
"Lois can kick people's ass all by herself." Clark said smiling. "You'll have to stand in line."
"You still haven't answered me!" Clark stood up.
"This is not the place to talk about it." Elliot lost control.
He grabbed Clark by his shirt and pushed him hard against the wall.
"Elliot!" cried Hal.
"Where's Lois?" Clark looked at him with narrowed eyes, but before he could say anything a new voice came from the doorway.
"I've been trying to get him to tell me for two weeks. As you can see without success." Hal and Elliot slowly turned towards the opening. "Maybe he'll talk when his other hand breaks."
"Mr. Jordan, Mr. James, this is Colonel Barker." Clark said formally.
Elliot released Clark, suddenly realizing what he had just done. He looked into Clark's eyes and saw only understanding in them. Eliot straightened to his full height and turned to face the colonel, standing instinctively between Clark and Barker.
"Mr. James still hasn't had an answer to his question, Clark."
"He doesn't have to answer." Elliott said.
"Oh, I think I should insist." Barker said.
"Do you accuse him of anything?"
"Accusing him of anything, Mr. James? What about hiding fugitives from the law?"
"Has Lois Lane been accused of any crime?"
"No, but the people who kidnapped her broke the law. Clark is cooperating with them." Eliot noticed how the colonel consistently addressed Clark by his first name as if he were a child.
"And what evidence do you have?"
"I didn't see that you needed any proof to demand answers from him a moment ago." Barker smiled.
"I'm his lawyer, but you're not even a cop."
"Planning to sue someone, Clark?"
"And it's your business, how exactly?" Elliot quickly said before Clark could answer.
"I see life in Smallville is about to get a lot more interesting." Barker flashed a toothy grin, "I'll see you later, Clark." He turned and left the newspaper offices. Elliot turned to Clark.
"Swell." Clark said.
"What did he mean?" Elliot looked at him. Clark arranged his clothes with one hand.
"I'd rather put off this introduction as long as possible. Never mind. It's already lunchtime, let's go eat."

 

"Clark, what the hell is going on?" Hal said as they finished eating and Clark led them on a tour of Smallville. Not that there was much to see.
"Where did you hide Lois." Elliot said stiffly.
"I'm sorry, Elliot, I can't tell you."
"Can't or won't?" Clark didn't answer. "There is such a thing as attorney-client privilege."
"It's beyond that. I'm sorry." Elliot shook his head, "I can tell you she is safe, and sound and it was actually her idea to bring you here."
"So, you talk to her." Clark nodded.
"The last time we spoke was four days ago."
"Clark," said Hal, "your arm, how did it break? And why are you limping?"
Clark glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and changed direction. A few minutes later they were sitting on the benches in the high school football stadium.
"Colonel Barker has been staying at my parents' farm since Lois evaded her military escort in Metropolis. Lois asked me to hire Eliot to get rid of the soldiers at the farm."
"Clark, what interests me now are your injuries. Not Lois!" said Hal.
"Hal, think." Elliott said. Hal looked at him and then at Clark. "The limp looks like an old injury." Clark nodded.
"That's because I didn't enlist. Barker wanted to make it clear that he was running things in the area, the top dog."
"Why didn't you leave?"
"My parents can't defend themselves. When Barker's persuasion began to endanger my life, General Lane intervened. General Lane wanted me alive and cooperating so he found a solution that would make everyone happy..." Clark revealed the ankle bracelet. Elliot leaned back looking in disbelief at the sky and sighed. "I can't get out of Smallville's jurisdiction without putting everyone on high alert."
"You are a prisoner in your own home." said Hal.
"I live in a position where I can help people."
"Lois is aware of the situation?" Elliott said.
"Yes." Clark took the envelope Lois had given him and handed it to Elliot. "This is research she asked me to give you."
"Lois Lane is doing research of her own free will?" Clark smirked. "It's going to take a while to get over it. I'm going to need a place to stay."
"What about the motel we passed on the way here?" said Hal. Elliot looked at Clark.
"I think living on a farm would suit me much better." Clark chuckled.
"You attacked him just an hour ago, and now you invite yourself to his house?"
"Look at him, Flyboy. He's the kid at school that all the bullies bully. I'd be a bad lawyer if I didn't defend my client. I'm not going to give a sadist like Barker a chance to break his other arm."
"Thanks, I think."
"It will be crowded in this farmhouse. Do you think there will be enough room?" said the god.
"We'll get along."

For a fanfic I'm writing, I need a map of Metropolis. I need to find a neighborhood in the city that's close enough to the Daily Planet and that's seedy enough that Clark and Lois can buy a small house there, renovate it, and live in it.

I know that in the comics Bruce Wayne gives them an apartment as a wedding gift. In this story they live together before they get married. I was thinking about an apartment but the option of a small house in the city fits the story better.

Ideas?

They lay in the center of the training hall, Lois exhausted and sated curled up on top of Clark and he wrapped his arms and legs around her.

"Hmm." she whispered and clung to him even tighter. Clark brushed her hair from the nape of her neck and planted a kiss on her.

"Are you OK?" She raised her head and looked at him with a warm smile.

"If I knew mind-numbing sex was part of your abilities...”

"Then?”

"I would never let you leave my apartment." He chuckled. "Hmm...”

"Well, I finally managed to lure you into my love lair." He kissed her.

"Clark?”

"Yes?”

"About the ring...”

"Lois, you don't have to..." she put her finger on his lips.

"I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. My answer is yes, Smallville." His smile grew, lighting up the whole room.

"Better late than never." she giggled. "I love you.”

"There's just one tiny problem.”

"Oh?”

"I didn't take into account that your bruises would disappear. You can fake a limp, but I won't hit you and I'm not ready for you to hit yourself.”

"Don't worry, the soldiers will do it for me.”

"Then they will disappear again and the whole story will start from the beginning." Clark shook his head sadly.

"I was able to visit you today because Barker went to Washington. When he's not in the area the soldiers are much more tolerable. They'd rather sit and idle in their tents than follow me. But he'll be back in a few days, and I don't know when I'll be able to come down here again.”

"Clark? Can you get me a certain book?" she said after a few minutes.

"Which book?”

"The Constitution of the United States. My copy was drowned in the Congo.”

"I have one in my room. What do you need it for? I can feel the wheels turning in your mind.”

"I have an idea, I just need to make sure I'm remembering something right.”

"Ok...anything else?”

"Not right now. Right now, I'm pretty happy. If you try to move, we'll have a problem." He chuckled and kissed her. She caressed his face. "I love you like that.”

"Like what?”

"Calm, smiling.”

"It's only because of you. I didn't have many reasons to smile before."

"I'm going to stick around and give you plenty of reasons to keep that smile on your face." He kissed her.

They continued to talk about small things, reminiscing. Lois smiled as she watched him fight his sleep. She knew that as Superman he didn't really need sleep, but he had been sleep deprived for over three years and that sleep deprivation didn't go away just because his powers returned. She kissed him softly.

"It's okay, close your eyes.”

"No. Hmmm… we need blankets. You're going to get cold." He picked her up in his arms and took her to her room. He placed her between the covers and got up to leave when Lois grabbed his hand and pulled him to her.

“Come sleep with me.”

"No, Lois, I'm fine.”

"Come on." He looked at their clasped hands and did not move. "Smallville, come on."

"I am...”

"I know you're tired.”

"No, I'm fine, really." Lois removed the blankets in invitation and then tightened her fingers on his. "I can't, Lois. I...”

"I'll take care of you, I promise. Nothing will happen." He looked at her scared like a little child and Lois wanted to go out at that moment and find Barker and drown him in acid. "Please, Smallville.”

"I'll have to get up early in the morning and I don't want to wake you up. I'd rather sleep at home." He turned to turn around. Lois didn't let go of his hand.

"In the bed Barker slept on?" Clark froze. She felt him tremble. She straightened up in bed, still holding his hand and with her other hand pressed the button that activated the illusion that hid the staircase. He turned to her slowly.

"Lo..."

"We'll leave the rest of the lights on. Come, honey, come.”

Clark lay down next to her and she covered them both. When she put her hand on his chest, she felt how frightened he was.

"Close your eyes." He did as she said. She turned off the light and then lay down next to him.

She felt him tense and stressed next to her and decided to try something else. She lay on her back and rested his head on her chest.

"I want you to forget everything and just listen to my heart, okay?”

"Ok.”

"Nothing exists but the two of us in this room. No past, no future. Only this moment, only the next beat." She stroked his hair with her hand and slowly she felt him relax and after a few minutes she knew he had fallen asleep.

Who is capable of such cruelty, to make a person afraid to sleep? Hurt him just because you have power over him? Clark did nothing wrong to anyone. He didn't oppose her father or Colonel Barker, why hurt him like that? And why did no one protest, oppose, stop them? Lois kissed his head. Her broken hero.

Her sleep was light, she wasn't that tired, and she promised to look after him, if her sleep was heavier she wouldn't have noticed it until it was too late. Nightmares assaulted Clark, from his reaction she assumed they were horrible, coming straight from dark depths in his soul. The fear that radiated from him scared her. He didn't cry, didn't scream, just curled up in a ball, his teeth clenched. Lois panicked, momentarily not knowing what to do. He was the rock on which she leaned for years; the reversal of roles unsettled her but only for a moment. A second later she hugged him. Her hands caress his head, his shoulders, her hands comforting him, reminding him that he is safe. She kissed his hair, whispered soft words of encouragement. The face contorted with fear relaxed, the large tense muscles softened, and he was no longer curled up in a ball. Lois pulled him to her for a tight hug. He mumbled something in his sleep and before she knew what was happening, she found herself wrapped in his arms. She kissed him with a smile and felt him sink deeper into sleep.

 

 

If Lois hoped that in the following nights there would be an improvement, she was disappointed. Clark had a lot more to lose and the nightmares got worse. She pulled him into bed every night and Clark sadly gave in to her and every night he suffered from nightmares. A week later, Clark showed up earlier than usual with a cardboard box. Lois reached for the bracelet, but he shook his head.

"I can't stay.”

"Barker is back." He nodded. He placed the box on the table in the conference room and took out large containers of orange juice.

"Lois, promise me to drink at least a glass of juice a day.”

"Why?”

"You've been in the dark for ten days and I don't know how much longer you'll have to stay here. It's not healthy to be away from the sun for so long, you'll get sick."

"Oh. I promise." He hugged her and kissed her. "I need you to do something for me." She picked up an envelope from the table and gave it to him and then also gave him a note with a name on it.

"What's all this?" Lois pointed to the note.

"Elliot James is one of the best lawyers in the country. He was a pilot in the Navy. Find him, convince him to come to Smallville, hire him and give him this envelope.”

"Is he a military man?”

"Navy! And it doesn't matter. He's a moral man. He takes his oaths with abysmal seriousness. If I know him, he's probably getting drunk on some beach in Mexico.”

"And the envelope?"

"I promised you to take care of Barker. It's research." Clark was grinning from ear to ear.

"Lois Lane doing research of her own free will? I need to see that." She hit his arm.

"Don't be rude!" He kissed her and her eyes sparkled. "You had four years to work on this and I still have to teach you how to overthrow a president.”

"You certainly don't think small." Her eyes filled with anger.

"Lex destroyed the country I love, made a joke of the constitution I grew up on and tried to destroy the love of my life. I don't go through things like this in silence." He kissed her again.

"Lois Lane, I missed you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. The red lights flashed. "I have to go. I will do what you asked. You must drink a glass of juice a day. Ok?”

"Ok." He kissed her again and left the compound.

 

 

"Truth and justice." Hal Jordan rubbed his face. "Are you sober?"

"Who is?"

"Blue." There was silence on the other end of the line. "Green, I don't have much time, are you sober?"

"I’m on my way there?"

"I need you to find me someone and bring them here. A naval pilot." Jordan grinned.

"If you need a flying lesson, I'll give you a free one."

"He's a lawyer." Jordan didn't respond. "Are you okay?"

"You keep radio silence for three years and call to ask me to find you a lawyer? Blue..."

"The nightingale is here."

"So, the rumors are true! This is good news! The lawyer is for the nightingale?"

"Sort of. His name is Elliot James."

"Hey, I know him! It'll take a few days, but I'll get him to you."

"Thanks."

In the days that followed Lois had a lot of time to think. She wasn't good at thinking, that was more Clark's domain. She was always the impulsive one, brilliant under pressure. Running, not responding. But things have changed. Clark was exhausted and stuck in a routine that wore him out physically and mentally, he didn't have the time to sit and think.
That first night they shared the meal Clark had brought down for her and then sat down to talk, but Clark couldn't keep his eyes open. She insisted on putting him to bed and Clark fell asleep within seconds. He woke up in the middle of the night in a panic, unintentionally waking her up. He calmed down a bit when she turned on the light, but then he hurriedly put on his shoes and went back upstairs. She hasn't seen him since; she hasn't seen anyone since. All she had was time and thoughts.
She explored the entire compound, discovered all its defense mechanisms. The place was like an atomic shelter. There were red lights in all the rooms, and the hallway and Lois assumed their purpose was to warn those inside of danger outside. She found buttons in the walls and when she pressed one of them, she was surprised to see how the staircase leading down from the barn disappeared and turned into an opaque-looking concrete ceiling. Another click and the staircase returned, and everything was quiet, without noise. In the conference room she found a television and old-fashioned telephones but nowhere was there a computer. She ended up spending most of her time in the training room.
After four days she had a plan. Not the most amazing or confident or smart, but she had a plan. Next to the conference room was a library full of used books and issues of the major newspapers from around the time she disappeared until the media was nationalized by Lex Luthor and after going through it all she could understand his refusal to remove the bracelet. The newspapers extensively reported on the Appalachian Massacre as they called it and even the Daily Planet had trouble defending Superman mainly because the Man of Steel was nowhere to be seen and did not defend himself. In the court of media and public opinion Superman was found guilty and Lois knew that Clark took this verdict to heart and without her there to neutralize at least some of the slander he sentenced himself to house arrest.
Clark appeared that evening. There were new bruises on his face. They were sitting in the conference room enjoying dinner.
"It doesn't look like the soldiers are going to leave anytime soon. What do you want to do?" Lois changed the subject.
"Where are all the other people?”
"Sorry?”
"It's a big place and with everything that's going on out there someone surely needs a safe place to hide.”
"Most people don't stay here long.”
"So who is ‘Uncle Sam’? Because I'm guessing it's not you. You're too exposed.”
"What are you talking about, Lois?" She leaned forward with a smile.
"You've always been a bad liar. You're part of the underground. You must be. Building a place like that under the noses of the soldiers at Fort Ryan takes money and sophistication."
"Am I not sophisticated enough for you?”
"You do but you don't think in underground terms. You don't have the cunning mind to hide the staircase in the illusion of a concrete floor." Clark smiled.
"I may not have all my abilities, but my brain is intact, and I learned a great deal from you.”
"Smallville." she said in a plaintive voice.
"Okay, okay. After I became editor of the “Smallville Post” I decided not to feel sorry for myself anymore. I used the paper to warn people in Smallville and then the underground contacted me. I kept in touch with the league and became the liaison between the two groups.”
"Do the people in the underground know the truth?"
"No. There was no point in telling them, Superman was no longer in the area. With my parents' consent, the farm became a station for the underground. The isolation of the farm and my connections were important advantages. The fact that I was a well-known journalist and didn't disappear into camps in North Dakota only helped despite the proximity to Fort Ryan and despite the great interest Colonel Barker took in me. The League built the complex.”
"So where is everyone?”
"We received word that you were arriving around the time you boarded the plane in Africa.”
"And they left because they didn't know if I could be trusted." He nodded.
"You are General Lane's daughter. Even if you stand by them, you will attract a lot of unwanted attention." She was silent, playing with her food. "Lois? What do you want to do?"?”
"I need a computer with an internet connection."
"In the meeting room on the north wall there is a panel that opens a closet. There are secure computers there. What are you planning?”
"Is someone investigating Lex? Trying to take him down? Or are you all just hiding?”
"Most journalists are in re-education camps in North Dakota or have already been 're-educated' and work for the government. Like me." A sad smile appeared on his face. "Everyone else, federal agencies, judges, senate and congressional committees, prosecutors, anyone who dares to speak is dead or silenced in some way." Lois got up and sat on his lap.
"That's what I exist for." He kissed her.
"Will you tell me what you are planning?”
"Not yet. If I tell you ahead of time you will stress and worry, and you have enough trouble right now."
"And that's supposed to calm me down? I don't have superpowers now; I can't save you if you get in trouble." She kissed him.
"You'll have to trust me." She took off his glasses.
"I need them.”
"No, you're not. Take off the bracelet, Smallville.”
"I can’t." She kissed him, placed her hand on his chest and then looked into his eyes.
"We're underground in a compound that Lex's satellites haven't found in over three years. They won't find you here. And you know it.”
“Lo...”
"It wasn't your fault!”
"They died because of me."
"No, they died because of him!" She cupped his face with both hands. "You have punished yourself enough." He hugged her, burying his face in her shirt. Lois stroked his hair. When she spoke again her voice was soft and gentle, "I need you, whole and healthy and strong. If things go on like this, you won't make it to Christmas.”
"I can’t bear another death on my conscience.”
"You don't have to. You're not responsible for the deaths of all these people but if you keep letting Lex win..." He lifted his head and looked at her.
"What are you talking about? I'm not letting him win! Look around you!"
"He made the whole world believe you were responsible for this massacre, even you believe him! And every day you wear that bracelet is another day Lex Luthor banished Superman and humans lost hope. You once told me that your father wanted you to be a beacon of light and hope for humankind. How can you carry the hope of the whole world when you don't believe in yourself, when you let people like Barker abuse you, torture you, kill you piece by piece?”
He was silent, considering her words.
"I can't be Superman as long as these satellites are up there and if I try to get out of Smallville they'll stop me." He looked up at her. She smiled.
"You can be Superman here. I'll find a solution, I promise you. Now, the bracelet." She held out her hand to him. "I'll keep it with me whenever you enter the compound." He looked at her worriedly.
"Are you planning a long stay here?”
"Do you really believe these soldiers will get bored and leave? No, we have to get them to leave, and I have an idea how, but it will take time. The bracelet, please.”
"Lois, if it's only when I'm in the compound…" she giggled.
"You are like a child who refuses to part with his teddy bear.”
"Okay, fine, but I'm going to need your help.”
"That's what I'm here for." He stood her up and stood up himself and took her hand. "Where are we going?”
"I don't know what will happen when I take the bracelet off. It's better to have plenty of room just to be safe." He led her to the training room.
"Where do you think you are? In a Walt Disney movie?"
Clark laughed. It felt so good, so right to talk to her, to hold her hand. And when she looked at him with a winning smile, happy that she made him laugh, he laughed even more. They stood in the center of the hall, and he leaned down and kissed her. How? How could she taste like peaches and sunshine even after four days in the dark? They stopped to catch their breath.
"You won't get away with it with kisses, you know.”
"I know.”
Without taking his eyes off her he removed the bracelet from his hand. Without taking her eyes off his, she took the bracelet and put it in the back pocket of her jeans. For a few moments nothing happened and then Clark felt as if someone had turned on the sun in his body. Energy flowed through his veins. He called aloud as his knee suddenly buckled. Lois held him tightly not letting him fall. The pains in his body stopped one after the other and the relief itself almost made him lie on the ground.
Lois's eyes widened as she saw the bruises on his face disappear completely. His skin took on the golden, warm, healthy hue she remembered. His stance between her arms changed, filled with confidence, strength. She put her hand on his chest feeling his big heart as if taking a breath and relaxing. No more pain, she realized, no more effort. She looked up at him and was completely lost in his blue eyes.
Clark felt so alive, full of energy and felt a strong need to share it with Lois. She looked at him as if mesmerized. He kissed her like he had never kissed her before. Lois's hands gripped his plaid flannel shirt. She pulled hard and buttons flew in every direction. Clark pulled his lips away from her and she sighed in disappointment.
"Are you sure?”
"I'm not running away this time." He smiled and kissed her again.

I wrote a story and wanted a picture of one of the characters. I knew what the character looked like, but I wanted a picture not to publish, just to have one. I made one with AI. I'm good with words but when it comes to painting or sculpting I can't express myself. I think the picture came out really well. It's not 100% what I had in mind, but it's as close as possible. I used AI, and it turns out it's not acceptable because it's very trendy to hate AI content. So what now? Is it legitimate to use it?