Two Months Later

Clark was at the alter waiting for Chloe to walk down the isle. As he waited he thought over the last two months and everything that had happened since he proposed to Chloe.

They had both agreed that they wanted to have a short engagement since they knew each other so well and wanted to be able to have their honeymoon and get settled in before they went back to school. Clark had already moved the majority of both of their belongings into their new house so that when they got back all they would have to do is move in the essentials.

Everyone pitched in to prepare for the wedding.

Martha volunteered to handle all of the catering. Both Clark and Chloe thought this was a great idea when she brought it up. Everyone knew that no one could cook quite like Martha Kent. In fact, Chloe had been taking cooking lessons from her. Martha taught her how to make all of Clark's favorite meals and a few of Chloe's favorites too. Chloe had done surprisingly well and Clark thought that she almost cooked as well as his mother, not that he would ever volunteer the comparison. He wasn't that stupid. Truth be told, he was just happy that she could cook at all. Lois had told him a few months ago that Chloe cooked even worse than she did. To Clark, there was nothing more scary than that.

Both Clark and Chloe handled all of the decorating except for a few complicated pieces that Martha made herself. Made with a sheer white cloth and white flowers, they were deceptively simple, but very elegant and tasteful. The decorations were a very good complement to the small church where the ceremony was being held. The church could seat around one hundred and fifty and had classic, hand carved, mahogany pews with red cushions. The windows were a very light stained glass, letting in a lot of sunlight and giving the room an illuminated look that both Clark and Chloe loved.

Jonathon handled all of the administrative details, making sure that everything came together like clockwork. He was also in charge of the rehearsal, which went without a hitch.

Jonathon was also Clark's best man, standing by his side while Clark waited for Chloe to walk down the isle. He could tell that his son was a little nervous, but not enough to where he felt he should say something to calm him down. Clark was handling it better that he had. He had been an absolute wreck. Jonathon smiled at the memory of his own wedding. He had thrown up three times that morning and wasn't sure if he'd survive it until he saw Martha coming down the isle. After that, everything else just seemed to melt away. Jonathon nearly laughed out loud when he thought of how long he had spent in the bathroom that night, just gargling.

Clark had invited only a few people, several of his closest friends that he had made in college, and his grandfather. Of course Pete, who was currently sitting in the front row with his girlfriend, smiling away, was the first person Clark had invited. Pete had confided to Clark after Clark first met his girlfriend that he was very serious about her and was thinking about 'popping the question' in a few months if everything worked out like he hoped. Clark was very happy for him and was even happier to hear that Pete was planning on attending Met U when he graduated from the community college he was currently attending.

Chloe's list had been very similar, only a few friends and a few close relatives. Lois was there and so was the General. Her father was going to walk her down the isle in just a few minutes. He was looking even more nervous than Clark.

As the wedding march began, Chloe steeped out of the doorway and began walking down the isle with her father. She was wearing a long, flowing dress that took Clark's breath away, or at least, it did when she was wearing it.

Chloe stepped forward in time to the music. She had practiced this so much in private that she didn't have to concentrate on it, and instead she concentrated on Clark. She thought he looked very handsome in the black suit he was wearing and she smiled widely at the love for her that she could see in his eyes. She was given to Clark by her father and they both stood together before the alter and repeated their vows to each other, each committing to stand with the other in times of sickness and health, for richer or for poorer, until death parted them. They kissed in front of everyone they cared about and became man and wife, not only on paper, but in their head, heart, and soul.

The wedding lasted for another two hours as everyone ate, talked, and danced. Chloe's father nearly cried during his dance with her. He realized that she wasn't his little girl any more. Now she was Clark's wife and Gabe would miss the little girl she had been terribly, even as he would enjoy getting to know the woman that she had become.

Martha and Jonathon were dancing at the same time as Chloe and her father. Clark, who was watching from the sidelines, could see how lost his parents were in each other and in the memories of their own wedding day.

Shortly after the dancing was concluded everyone left the church and headed to the airport, where they watched as Clark and Chloe boarded the plane to Alaska and began their life together as husband and wife.

TBC

Eight Years Later

Clark came home to be greeted by his children. Kyle, the oldest at seven, was the first to the door, jumping into his fathers outstretched arms with a wide grin and a loud 'daddies home'. He was the most like Clark, dark haired, blue eyed, charming, and protective. He was so protective of his little sisters that it actually bothered them at times, especially Hope, who came barreling in as soon as she heard Kyle's yell.

Hope, the middle child at five, was definitely her mother's child. Bright, precocious, and mischievous, she took after Chloe so much that Clark had once remarked that looking at her was like looking at a miniature Chloe. He never said it again after the ruckus it caused, but he thought it often. Hope was often a handful, and she got into trouble for spying often, but he loved her more than he could ever express.

The last to arrive was Joy, the youngest child at three. Joy was a mixture of both Clark and Chloe. She had her father's hair and chin but she had her mothers eyes and nose, making for an exotic look about her, even at her young age. She was her own person, taking many of the best parts of both parents and adding a few of her own. Those parts came in loud and clear, even at such a young age. Clark knew he'd have his hands full with all of the boys that would be after her when she grew up. She was very trusting and saw the best in everyone, much like her father. He worried about that, but decided it was a good thing. He would just have to make it clear that his daughter was off limits to any boy who couldn't beat him at arm wrestling, and made this comment to Chloe often. Chloe loved hearing it because she knew that it was one of Clark's ways of showing his love and care for their daughter. Besides, she was a bit protective of their children too.

She had good reason to be. All of the children displayed his abilities to varying extents dependent on their ages, but they were very responsible with them and never used them in public. Clark had worried about this a lot in the beginning, but Chloe talked with him and they grew accustomed to making excuses for any mistakes that their children made when playing with others.

Clark played with the children for a few minutes before Chloe walked into the room, having just finished her article for the Daily Planet about Superman and his part in the Trial of the Century. Clark swept her off of her feet and gave her a very sound kiss before swinging her around once and placing her carefully back onto her feet, where she gave him another kiss before becoming serious.

"So, Lex finally lost it. At least we won't have to worry about him being President any more." Chloe said in a somber tone as she watched the children run off to play in the back yard.

"He never should have tried to nuke China. After that, no amount of public relations could prevent his impeachment. No one could deny that he was insane. When I think of the way he used to be and the way he was at the trial, I just hurt. He used to be a good friend, but something changed in him, and now … I don't even recognize him anymore." Clark said sadly.

"Lex chose to walk his father's path. There wasn't anything you could have done to prevent it. He was too far along that path when you met, and his father was too big an influence on his life, for you to turn him around in the short time the two of you were freinds, so stop blaming yourself. Even if you told him everything a couple of years into your friendship, he still would have ended up this way, but he would have dragged this family down with him."

"I know you're right, I'm just having a hard time letting go and realizing that he can't be helped. You're right. He chose his path and now he has to live with the consequences." Clark said sadly.

"What did the court decide?"

"Life behind bars with no option for parole. Ever. He's gone. We won't have to worry about him anymore. They also decided to split up Lexcorp and sell it after a thorough review of all of the black projects Lex conducted there, legitimizing it by saying that he'd nationalized it when he'd given it most of the defense and research contracts. The profits will all go to a charity that will be governed by the world community and the Justice League. The charity will give due compensation to all of the people Lex has hurt over the last nine years. Anything that's left over will go to help create more public awareness of political candidates. By the way, Pete was cleared of all charges since he helped to stop the nuclear attack and turned states evidence. Apparently Lex had been holding his family hostage until just recently, which is why he didn't come forward after the Brainiac incident."

"I wish he would have told us. We could have helped him." Chloe said, grieving for her friend and what he must have gone thorough as Lex's pawn.

"He told me after the trial that he would have, but Lex convinced him that there was no way that even Superman could rescue his family before they were killed."

"At least he's free from Lex now."

"We all are." Clark said in a strange tone that Chloe couldn't quite place. Clark smiled suddenly and said, "Come on, enough moping, it's time to celebrate. It's our anniversary. My parents should be here any minute to watch the kids and J'onn promised he wouldn't interrupt us for anything less than a full alien armada bent on invasion, so we should have the rest of the day all to ourselves." Clark said with a smile.

"Oh really? And what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Oh. I thought we'd make a quick visit to Hawaii. We've never been there, even though we said we would go. Not that I'm complaining. Alaska was great and the views were spectacular. Not that we saw much of it. If I remember correctly, we rarely stepped foot outside of our room."

"And you think we'll see more of Hawaii?" Chloe asked, teasing Clark.

"Probably not, but at least the view on the way there will be better than it was from the plane" Clark said with a huge grin.

"Sounds good to me." Chloe said with a large smile of her own.

Both of them said goodbye to the kids and their grandparents, both of whom had gone directly to the back yard to spend time with their grandchildren. Clark picked up Chloe and held her closely to him as she placed both of her arms around his neck. The entire family watched as Clark took off and they both sped off into the sunset. If you listened closely with super hearing, which Kyle did, you could just make out what they said to each other as they disappeared from view.

"I love you, Chloe Kent."

"I love you too, Clark Kent. My Superman."

THE END