AN: And here is the very last chapter...

With the very tip of his finger he touched the bullet before it sunk into Lois's heart. It did not stop it; rather it veered in another direction, a direction that went upwards and struck the guard holding her in the shoulder. He screamed in pain and slumped against the nearest wall.

Lois dared to breathe again, but she still felt lightheaded. She looked up into a pair of concerned blue eyes soaking in every inch of her. Suddenly his hands were holding her face, and she wrapped her trembling arms around his waist. When they finally remembered the world around them a few moments later, a certain noise registered.

Lex Luthor had yelled incoherent words the moment he fired the shot and now was holding his left hand gingerly. In his haste, Jason had broken a few bones of the villain's hand when he took the kryptonite from his grasp.

Jason did not waste any time to run in the other direction toward his mother and father. Lois was almost bowelled over by the little boy as he found safety in her arms.

"Whoa there kiddo! You're going to have to be more careful around us mere mortals," she said with a faint smile.

Superman turned around to face Lex. The fury earlier impeded by his weakness had nothing to hinder it any longer. His slow purposeful steps were suddenly noticed by Lex. Holding his broken hand to his side, he began to back away and search desperately for anything to defend himself with. There was nothing left but his words.

"You won't kill me, Superman," he sneered. "What are you going to do? Lock me up in prison again? You know that won't stop me anymore than being stranded on a deserted island did. You can't stop me for long."

"But I can." Superman loomed over him, the strength in his muscles stretching the blue fabric. The chiseled angles of his face seemed even harsher as he gazed down in rage. "I made a promise, Lex Luthor. And I intend to keep it."

Lois hugged Jason tightly to her chest and watched with riveted eyes. Clark wouldn't actually kill him would he? If he did, would she stop him?

Superman took two fistfuls of Lex's coat and hauled him off the ground. With one hand still clutching the coat, the other let go and wrapped around Lex's throat. Even with death hovering around him, Lex's eyes still radiated defiance. Clark wanted so desperately to tighten his hold. All it would take was just a little bit more pressure and the plague upon the world would be gone. No, I won't do it. He's defeated and defenseless.

"Cl…Superman!" Lois corrected her slip immediately. "Don't!"

Her voice cut through his haze of blind anger even though he already made his decision. He flung Lex across the room. But that doesn't mean I won't bring his own creation crashing down around him. Lex smashed into the wall hard enough to cause extreme pain but not enough to kill him or knock him unconscious.

"Stay here with Jason," he ordered Lois. "I'll be right back."

In a burst of power that stirred her hair, he disappeared. But they could hear him. Echoing rumbles and thunderous crashes assaulted their ears.

"It's all right Jason," Lois whispered into his hair. "Your dad's making sure the bad guys don't have anywhere to go." She felt Jason nod under her chin. His fear dissipated whenever he knew Superman was taking care of them. Lois smiled when she realised she felt the same way.

Superman threw a fist through another support beam, then another, and tore through walls with his heat vision. Chunks of rock and dirt bounced harmlessly off his body as he destroyed what once was Lex Luthor's underground fortress. When he came across a storage room stocked with weapons and explosives, he paused. An instant later, a few of the boxes were set afire and he was bursting through walls to get Lois and Jason.

Relief flood Lois's senses when Clark suddenly appeared again beside them. His eyes spared Lex—who was struggling to get up and using the wall for support—another glance before scooping Jason up in one arm and holding Lois tight against him with the other.

The first wave of explosions sent a shock through the mines. Jason clapped his hands over his ears and buried his face in Clark's shoulder. Lois looked into his eyes questioningly.

Instead of comforting them with words, he held them firmly but gently in his arms and looked up.

Lex choked out a last shout. "I'm not the only one, Superman! You still haven't won." His fists clenched so tight his nails drew blood.

"Goodbye Lex Luthor. I'll be glad to never see your face again. And I kept my promise: this is the last time we meet."

He kept his eyes upwards and used his heat vision and strong gusts of breath to make a path for them to the surface. He kept Lois and Jason from any stray debris as they shot up out of the earth even as the ceiling and walls began to crumble and collapse. Clark listened as Lex's erratic heartbeat abruptly calmed…then stilled.

Silence.

The only two heartbeats he wanted to hear were rhythmic and steady, their bodies warm and close. He slowed in the air once they were well above the ground.

"Are you both all right?" he asked softly.

Jason nodded his head, looking rather tired.

"Yes," breathed Lois. She was fingering the engagement ring on a chain around her neck. "Thanks to you. My very own superhero I can keep around."

He could not completely hide his smile. "You can keep me around anytime, Lois Lane." With a glance, he realised Jason's eyes were closed and his breathing slowed. "Wow, how can he fall asleep so fast after that?"

"He is your son…"

Clark's expression lost its playful glint as he grew serious. "I have a feeling this isn't the last time I'm going to be proud of him. I'd never wish anything like that on him again, but he was very brave." He snuck a glance at Lois. "Must have got that from his journalist mother."

She rolled her eyes and clung to him tighter. She also became more grave when the reality of the situation settled. "What happens now? Are you going to inform the police?"

"Yes, and I'll tell them where to find what they need, although not much will be left."

The wind rippled along his red cape and caressed Lois's skin. The beauty of a flight high above the earth with Superman was never lost. She rested her head against his neck and watched the gilded clouds roll past.

Lex Luthor was finally dead. And the three of them were about to start a new life together. It still wouldn't be easy, but they wouldn't have it any other way.

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Epilogue

"Watch where you're going Kent!"

A broad-chested jock yelled at him when he accidentally bumped the guy's shoulder. Fortunately, it wasn't too hard or the football player would not be casually walking away. They really needed to make wider halls at Metropolis High.

Jason Kent sighed and shouldered his backpack. Even though it was his senior year, he still had to keep a low profile to a certain degree as he had for the past thirteen years since his abilities began to show. Now at eighteen, all the powers of the blood of Krypton were emerged and developed in him even though he was part human. Also, somehow the weaknesses of both races were cancelled by each other. They discovered that the eventful day Lex Luthor died and, as a little boy, Jason showed no effects of kryptonite poisoning.

He towered over most the students in the hall at 6'4" with broad shoulders and lean powerful limbs. He lost the gangly awkwardness sophomore year and was filling out a frame much like his father's. The handsome features of his face looked more like his father's as well the older he grew, but strong aspects of his mother still stood out. They all agreed that was for the best: they did not want anyone to find obvious similarities between him and Superman.

The bell rang just as he rushed into the classroom. His longish messy hair fell over his forehead and his beautiful azure eyes landed on the only open seat. It was in the front of course.

As the teacher dove into a lecture, his mind wandered from the advanced math. In fact, he easily could have graduated much earlier, but as he and his parents agreed, he needed to lay low. What he really wanted to be doing was practicing his flying.

A small grin crept over his lips. The flying definitely needed some work.

It was not until his English class the day was pleasantly improved. The old bearded teacher called on a few students to read their papers in front of the class. Just as his parents, Jason had a talent for words and was often told he could one day garner a Pulitzer just like his mother, Lois Lane.

Actually, the ceremony for her third Pulitzer was that night.

His thoughts screeched to halt the moment the girl up front read the title of her paper: "Dreams of Flight." He stretched out his long legs and listened more intently this time. Her long dark hair was partially pinned back from her face, a nicely-shaped face with high cheekbones and full lips. She seemed slightly tall for a girl, and her voice was soothing. The paper consisted of her dreams of what it would be like to fly, and she even mentioned her envy of Superman and his ability to soar to great heights.

When she finished, polite clapping sprinkled across the classroom, but all Jason noticed was her eyes when she looked up. He could not even guess the color until she walked past. They were a stunning blue, green, and grey.

He did not remember seeing her before and wondered if he really had gone half the semester in the same class with her. Her writing was creative yet intelligent, and there was light in her eyes and warmth in her smile he found comforting. A smile slowly brightened his countenance as soon as an idea formed in his thoughts. Well, she wants to know what flying is like? Maybe she'll find out someday…

"Come on Lois! You don't want to be late for your own Pulitzer!"

Clark shook his head and grinned while he adjusted his tie. Some things never change, he thought.

Lois came clomping down the stairs and, before he could admire the view, hurried over to straighten his tie with her small nimble fingers. Her navy blue and black-accented dress hugged her figure and fluttered to an end around her knees. Her hair was pinned up and she reached a little higher on him with her navy pumps.

She finally looked up and caught him staring. Her eyes sparkled. "What?"

"You look beautiful," he said. He toyed with a loose curl between his fingers. "But when do you not?"

She playfully smacked his arm and tugged at his suit jacket. "And you look as dashing as ever, my dear. Oh! Don't forget your glasses. We can't have Superman showing up as my date instead of my husband."

"Superman is your husband," Clark declared as he settled the black rims on his nose. "Has been for twelve years in case you've forgotten."

"Oh, trust me. I haven't forgotten." She leaned up and soundly kissed him.

A door upstairs closed and Jason came bounding down the steps. "Hey, how long…Can't you wait till I'm not around?" To his dismay, he walked in on his parent's passionate kiss. On one hand, it was disturbing. On the other, he was glad his parents were still in love and more so as the years went on. He just did not want to see it firsthand so much.

Lois laughed and assessed her son's attire. "Well, you look like a handsome young man, Jason. I can't believe you're almost graduated…" She spun around and urged them towards the door. "We've got to go now otherwise your father will be flying us to make it on time."

"You mean the two of us would fly while you tagged along?"

"And Clark would be carrying me," she said. "I don't trust your flying skills quite yet."

Clark laid a hand on his son's shoulder before they got in the car. "You're doing great. It just takes practice like all the other powers we have. It actually needs less practice, I think, since it's fairly basic."

The conversation continued as they drove.

"So…hypothetically, I could take someone with me if I wanted?"

Lois and Clark exchanged a puzzled glance.

"I suppose," said Clark slowly. "Who exactly did you plan on telling your secrets to and taking them for a flight in the clouds? Not Richard, I assume."

Richard White discovered Clark's identity not long after the incident at the mines and Jason's kidnapping. They could not hide from him the fact that Lois and Clark were going to get married, live together, and raise Jason. And who else would Lois marry so soon after splitting from Richard because of her love for Superman? He had taken it rather well—although he laughed at first until Lois said she was serious—and still was an important part in Jason's life.

"No, not Richard. I was just saying hypothetically."

"Right," Lois snorted. "Is there something you haven't mentioned? Something of the female sort?"

The silence was as good as a spoken 'yes' from their son.

"We may have a talk about this later," pressed Lois.

She glanced at her son in the rearview mirror and noticed his soft smile. It sent her back to memories of the first time she met Superman and the night he took her soaring amongst the clouds. At the time, she did not ever imagine Superman would return her affections, her being a mere mortal, and eventually fall in love. That her best friend and partner at the Daily Planet would turn out to be the same man. Or that he would return five years after leaving her alone and pregnant. What surprised her most of all was the fact that everything turned out the way she had wanted it from the beginning. Yes, they'd had their share of villains over the years even after Lex Luthor, but Superman overcame them all.

She almost missed the turn to reach their destination. She pulled up to the front of the building, and they all clambered out. A few other last-minute guests also straggled in, dressed to impress or simply look professional or elegant.

"Well, I'd say we're the best looking family here tonight," Lois teased as she threaded her arm with Clark's.

He adjusted his glasses and gave her a sly smile. "If I have to…you know…make an exit, don't be angry with me. I'll try not to listen the best I can, but…"

"It will be fine, Clark. After all these years, you should know by now that it doesn't bother me because I know exactly why you disappear and exactly what it means for the people you help."

"I know you understand, but sometimes I still feel guilty for speeding off so often. You are important to me too, not just my 'other' job."

For a moment the bumbling Clark Kent reporter disappeared and a regal Superman stood beside her. Sometimes the glasses didn't hide him so well. It still amazed her how humble he was when the entire world adored him and looked to him for hope. He saved the lives of so many every day and night while choosing to live a humble and simple life the rest of the time. Her arm tightened around his. He always had wanted to be normal.

So it was not a surprise when Clark disappeared during the ceremony—after she received her award luckily—and a shadowy figure of azure and crimson floated up into the sky then shot off faster than a speeding bullet.

Jason smiled as he watched his father disappear from the shadows of the tall building. As soon as Clark had slipped out, he followed. A strong desire to keep following tingled in his veins. He glanced around to make sure no one was nearby. His knees bent, his head gazed up into the star-scattered heavens, and he shot up from the ground into the night following in his father's footsteps.

LAST NOTE: Well, this is the end! It's been so much fun to write this story and the first part. But what made it fun was hearing from all you amazing readers and reviewers :). You guys are great and have been helpful! Thanks so so so much!

I am tempted to write a story about Jason much like the epilogue but I'm pretty sure that won't happen. I feel like this is the end of Superman stories for me. For now...It just feels good to be done. Thanks again and I hope it's been an enjoyable read!

Please do let me know what you think of this last chapter! I'd love to hear from all of you :). All of you...lol.

Sincerely, Beloved of Aragorn