Disclaimer: I own nothing from the DC universe. The characters I created are mine.

A/N: To anyone who read the prologue and is wondering where it went, I took it out. I decided it didn't really fit the story. Anyway, this is my first story and I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1

Clark opened his eyes.

He felt the satin sheets and heard Lois' breathing and realized he had been in his bed the entire night. An unusual occurrence for him, as he was normally up well before Lois was awake or he came to bed long after she had fallen asleep. His normal wasn't normal after all.

For the typical citizen of the great city of Metropolis daily struggles usually consisted of minor annoyances like finding the best coffee dealers, dodging traffic, and trying to hail a taxi. But Clark Kent was not a typical citizen. His struggles pushed and pulled him across the globe at all hours of the day. He saw the horrors and triumphs of humanity and then he wrote about it for his work. His minor annoyances were being in the middle of a movie, or in the middle of an investigation, or in the middle of a make-out session with Lois, or basically being in the middle of anything and having to leave. This had been his life for the past six months.

And he loved it.

Every minute he was out saving people he knew he was fulfilling his destiny. There was the pause button on the DVD player and the story would always be there, interruptions be damned. And Lois...She was probably the most understanding and supportive partner he could have ever wished for. She was the anchor to his ship in a wind tossed sea. She was the wind in his sails. The energizing sun on his face. Because of her his days were adventurous and somehow also tranquil, whether he was wearing the cape or not.

Still he enjoyed the quiet moments. These were the moments where he could remember no matter the scale of his struggles for so many reasons, he was truly blessed.

Like the night before. He had stopped a couple of robberies, a handful of fires, and a hoax suicide from an enamored fan-girl that turned into a real rescue when she slipped and almost fell off the roof of her apartment building. So a relatively slow night for him. As such, he was able to spend most of the evening with Lois in their apartment. They spent the night enjoying authentic Chinese food, Die Hard, and a late night flight around the city. It was an unexpected treat for the both of them.

Staring at Lois' sleeping face, he smiled warmly.

Their relationship had blossomed ever since their kiss during the battle with Zod. A relationship that hadn't been easy since its inception. Everyone was up in arms about Lois and the 'Super-Kiss' as it was dubbed by tabloids; and the internet nearly exploded from all the traffic the pictures garnered. Eventually it all died down to a heat of the moment adrenaline induced impulse no one could really blame her for. However if gossip rags were fresh out of their usual celebrity fodder they would throw it out in trying to boost sales, but word in the bullpen was that Lois had a new beau: the freshmen stringer, Clark Kent.

Although they tried to keep it a secret initially, the sexual tension between them was palpable and so, was obvious to the bullpen. In fact there was a poll about when they would finally kiss. However, it still took some time and a few secret rendezvous in the copy room before Lois and Clark came out to the office officially as a couple. The announcement resolved the poll and relentless gossip, and made it plain to the office staff that unequivocally Lois Lane liked the nerdy type as a steady boyfriend instead of the god-like.

Unbeknownst to them, Clark Kent and Superman were the same person. A secret Clark found an irreplaceable partner in Lois in keeping. A person outside of the situation might wonder what would possess the incognito superhero to work in a place where people were paid to ferret out truths, but Clark believed that it was the perfect cover. He could hide in plain sight while keeping an ear out for disasters, while having a completely legitimate reason to bear witness to a variety of events. An ingenious plan in theory, but the practice part was a bit rough at first.

His sudden hiring roused some people's suspicions and his resemblance to their new resident superhero were disconcerting to some. He was turning heads both as a rising journalist and as a good-looking man. His finesse with prose proved him to be a talented writer and cemented the legitimacy of his employment at the Planet. It was his face that was the problem. Glasses aside, he still kinda looked like Superman.

"You disappear an awful lot, Clark. What, are you putting out fires?" they would say nervously laughing, but eyeing him a little too closely for his comfort. So then he would spill his coffee and any thoughts of his uncanny likeness to the Man of Steel were laughed away while he and Lois shared a private glance.

With the help of Lois, he finally found a rhythm and persona where he didn't fall completely into the background, but he didn't stand out too much either despite his robust stature. Simply he emphasized certain aspects of his personality in both the glasses and the cape. As Clark Kent, he was mild-mannered and often less sure-footed than his caped counterpart who was confident, commanding, and graceful. Often Lois told him that she found his clumsiness and bookishness endearing.

"Give me a nerd with glasses any day." She would say before kissing him squarely on the lips. Eventually he became so confident in his super-secret security that he even joined in on the joke that he looked a bit like Superman.

So his extracurricular activities were running smoothly with his day job and thanks to Lois, he always had help in thinking of an excuse for his sudden comings and goings, which he loved. He loved that he got to see her everyday in her element and that he was a part of it without smothering her. And he loved that he was able to share with her something so vital to him. His life was actually kind-of normal. Something that he wasn't accustomed to.

Most of his life he had drifted in and out of places and identities with very little notice. Now it was different; people cared about him here. For the first time he didn't have to endure uncomfortable smiles and sideways glances. People laughed at him, but they undoubtedly respected him as a person and a journalist. And although he technically had three identities, he felt that the amalgamation made a whole person. He was Clark, Kal, and Superman, even though very few people knew that.

It was okay though. He felt safe, and for once he actually belonged somewhere.

After spending an uneventful morning with Lois, they arrived at work early. His morning coffee was fresh and Lois got a chance to go over her notes before the daily staff meeting. Since it was so easy-going this morning, he couldn't explain why his stomach was knotted and his body was tense. Usually when things started going right for him, something awful was about to happen. He did not eagerly await the revelation, but unfortunately, it arrived within a few minutes of the start of the weekly staff meeting.

"Cat, I'm rejecting your story about Superman as a security threat."

"Perry!" A woman with cropped blonde hair jumped out of her seat in outrage.

"Catherine, your prose was weak and didn't present any evidence to support your thesis. I can't run an article like this," he explained calmly.

"No evidence? What about the fact that the 'Superman' caused damage right along with the invaders? Or that he refuses to divulge his identity to the authorities? Also there are several reputable sources that agree the 'Superman' threatens our national and global security."

Perry sighed exasperated.

"'The Superman?'" Lois whispered.

Clark chuckled to himself. Cat was one of the few people at the Daily Planet who didn't care for Superman, but trying to share that obsessive dislike with the rest of Metropolis was a new trend. When he had started working, she could be heard, loudly, debasing the super hero with a few coworkers who smiled uncomfortably. Generally she had been a harmless annoyance. Clark respected free speech (he was a reporter after all), but he also believed in manners. Having an opinion was one thing; having the discretion and grace to know when and how to share it was another.

Until a few weeks ago, she had never tried to put anything in print. Then almost abruptly she started with her article about Superman's threat to security, which she had attempted to convince Perry of printing ever since. Obviously, anything to do with Superman was important to him, but he was also curious about who these reputable sources were. Opening his mouth to ask, he was cut off by someone else.

"Who is that exactly?"

Everyone turned to see a slim Asian woman with steely grey eyes standing with regal confidence. Her ebony hair was swept up in an elegant ponytail and she was holding a legal pad in her hand. Clark had never seen her before and judging from the staff's confused stares, neither had they.

Slightly bewildered Cat did not immediately respond. To cause that to happen was an impressive feat from anyone, but within a few seconds, she had gathered herself.

"Senators Francis and Clay-" Cat started.

"Those two?" the woman asked with thinly veiled derision. "They and their friends have had it in for Superman the moment he showed up in his cape. And no matter how much they dislike Superman, they don't have any legal recourse. Even with their lame attempts at labelling him a terrorist. Besides any action against Superman would be political suicide what with his 96% approval rating. That's higher than our President's. Not to mention Superman's allies in the United States Armed Forces, as well as the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the President himself. Your 'story' would be nothing but an opinion piece that will displease consumers and damage the reputation of the Daily Planet," the woman replied dryly.

"He doesn't have a 96% approval rating. Since his arrival we have had terrorist attacks beyond our atmosphere. More and more vigilantes are coming out, undermining the rule of law. And it's all because of him." Cat hissed, as she pointed emphatically at a framed copy of the Daily Planet.

"Hope Arrives" was emblazoned on the headline of the first picture taken of Superman and the first article about him written by Lois Lane. It was the first article written after the Daily Planet's reconstruction (which miraculously happened in 3 weeks). The day that paper sold was the best business that the Daily Planet had seen in years, and thus was framed among the other more well-known editions a few weeks ago. It was possible that the immortalizing of that article was what had sparked Cat's crusade against the Man of Steel to go from word of mouth to pen and paper. It was hard to tell however. As a sign of protest she had never acknowledged it until that moment.

"You have no evidence that Superman is linked to any of the masked vigilantes," she parried easily with a lazy swipe of her hand.

Clark furrowed his brow. She was right: he wasn't linked to any of them. But even he noticed that after his first test as Earth's savior, more heroes had come out of the shadows. As his goal was to inspire humanity, he considered it a triumph. It just wasn't what he had expected. The individuals of which the current discussion entailed were remarkable people with abilities that Clark had originally believed to be impossible for humans. He smiled a little to himself. This world constantly amazed him.

"So I don't have evidence per se, but it's still an important story."

"A story that could get the Daily Planet sued for libel."

Cat narrowed her eyes, an odd smile on her face. "I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't. My name is Kassandra Lee-Ahn. I am the new legal consultant to the Daily Planet. I also write the legal column here." She replied smoothly.

"Well, Kassandra-"

"Kassandra. Ah-n-dra."

"Whatever. Anyway, you're new here, so I'll give you some leg room. But you don't tell me what to write."

"But I do," Perry interjected sternly. "Catherine, I'm sorry, but she was making my point exactly. My decision is final; I'm not printing this."

Perry handed the paper to Catherine who snatched it away, her face pinched in disdain. She sat down in a huff and pouted. There was an awkward silence where everyone stared at each other until Perry started speaking again.

"Although I'm sure you gathered as much from that little display, we have a new addition to our staff. I would like you to meet Kassandra Lee-Ahn. She's going to be working on our legal team."

There was a smattering of applause and 'nice to meet you's' from the rest of the staff. Clark could see Lombard staring at her and wondered if he should warn her. Though considering how she handled Catherine he figured she could thwart Lombard's advances with ease.

"Alright, that's enough. So now that we're all acquainted, let's continue with the assignments."

The meeting continued on without incident. Both Cat and Kassandra were silent for the rest of the meeting and no one else spoke unless they asked a question about a specific story. Assignments were given out like normal and they were promptly dismissed. While gathering his notes, Clark had the distinct feeling of being watched. Turning slightly, he was startled to see Kassandra staring at him in what only could be described as barely concealed disbelief. He made eye contact and smiled. She smiled briefly and left the room. Hardly moved by her astonishment, he decided to introduce himself. Most people felt that when they saw him for the first time. All he had to do was put on a little show and the idea of him as Superman would be put to rest.

Despite his confidence though, he felt something was off. Just a feeling, a tingle in the back of his mind about Kassandra. Regardless, he wanted to introduce himself. If she could handle Cat so easily, he imagined they would get along just fine.

In full Clark Kent mode, he walked up to her desk being careful to knock over a pencil holder as he went and cleared his throat. After a beat, she raised her eyes. Her face showed the slightest hint of surprise as her hands stopped momentarily. And she looked around as if he were addressing someone else. Satisfied she was the object of his attention, she turned her eyes back to him although she resumed typing on the keyboard. Upon closer inspection, he realized that her eyes were grey with specks of blue in them. He found them unusual.

"Hi. I just wanted to introduce myself. I know what it's like to be the new person and I thought I should extend a welcome to you. My name is Clark Kent." He stuck his hand out with a bright grin.

Smiling a little, she shook his hand, but she continued to stare him in the eyes. The action was discomfiting. "Thank you. That's very kind of you. Certainly better than the welcome I got from...," She scrunched her face, thinking.

"Catherine. Yeah, she's...something," Clark said slowly.

She chuckled. "Yeah she really doesn't like Superman," she said, her hands clacking away on her laptop, her eyes now roving over his face.

"Well, she's entitled to her opinion," Clark stared at her fingers for a few seconds, trying to ignore her appraisal of him.

"She's not entitled to be a bitch," she countered.

Clark's eyebrows shot up. He didn't want to say anything bad about Catherine, but she could definitely be cantankerous and overtly hostile to his alter-ego. Years of verbal abuse made him a little defensive about this aspect of his life. But in spite of himself, he sometimes thought she had a point. His battle with Zod and his cohorts had caused a lot of damage and he didn't do the best job in mitigating the destruction. The guilt of the carnage was something he would have to live with for the rest of his life. Including the grisly ending. He would never deny that his abilities could be dangerous, but he would like to believe that he could help humanity. If only Cat and others like her could see that. Clark held out hope that she would eventually accept him, but he wouldn't make it his main focus. No matter what he did, there would always be critics and detractors. There would always be people who hated him. That was a truth he had to live with as well, no matter how difficult it would be for him to accept. But he took comfort from the fact that there would always be people who believed in him. Like Kassandra. Her defense of Superman was touching. So regardless of her blunt gregariousness and disconcerting stare, he decided he liked Kassandra.

"You seem to really support Superman."

"Who in their right mind wouldn't? The man is a global hero. He sacrificed everything to save us, so defending him is the least I can do." She spoke easily, but her eyes were lit with passion and her fingers finally stopped.

Clark felt humbled. He had never spoken to someone with such an ardor for Superman. Except Lois. He was lost in thought until he heard the clicking of keys resume.

"How are you doing that?" he said a little dumbly.

"I'm really good at dividing my attention," she replied with the first genuine smile he had seen from her. "It was nice to meet you Clark."

Clark mumbled "you too" as he distractedly walked away, so much so he wasn't pretending when he ran into the mail cart. He mumbled apologies, thoroughly roused from his personal universe and quickly went back to his desk. Lois looked at him questioningly.

"What did she say?" she whispered.

"Uh-"

Clark was at a loss for words. Although she hadn't said anything strange, Clark felt a knot form in his stomach and his heart was only then returning to a normal rate. Her mannerisms were a little off, but other than that she was perfectly agreeable. To him at least. Also his performance in his opinion was spot on and should have negated any suspicions she held about him. So it made no sense that there was still a niggling at the back of his mind.

"I think we should talk about it at home," he finally said.

Lois looked a little concerned, but otherwise didn't press the matter. Regardless of the rough start, the day went on as usual, but the whole time Clark couldn't shake the feeling that there were grey-blue eyes watching him.