A/N: this is the end, folks. Once again, thanks for sticking with the story and reviewing it.

Also thanks to Nightlyeclipse for her help with the court scene in this chapter.

Chapter 17

Richard The Lionheart

"…I saw the despair in Miss Kowalski's eyes. She had to choose from two bad things: kill my enemies, one of whom happened to be her boyfriend, or let me die… and she chose what we could probably call 'the lesser of two evils'." Superman shook his head. "I wouldn't want to be in a situation like this ever, and I'm sure, Your Honour, and esteemed members of the Jury, that neither would you. Having to choose between someone you love but who's evil, and someone you don't even know but who might be… useful for mankind, is extremely hard. It's not the usual 'listen to your heart instead of your mind' sort of thing… Miss Kowalski's predicament was much more difficult than that. When she killed Luthor and one of his goons, she gave up love for the future of mankind. She saved me so that I can continue saving you. And therefore, Miss Kowalski is a heroine."

The prosecutor gave Superman a dark glance. "You said Miss Kowalski gave up on love. But we've heard certain… rumours saying she actually loved you."

"Your Honour, I object!" Kitty's attorney said.

"Overruled," replied the judge.

Superman gave the prosecutor an indulgent smile. "Those rumours were published in the Daily Star, Sir, which we all know is a paper about as credible as The Quibbler in Harry Potter."

Some people in the audience snickered.

"I can assure you," Superman looked around, his eyes shifting from the prosecutor to the judge, and from the judge to the members of the jury, "that, despite what the Daily Star claims, I never had sex with Miss Kowalski."

"That's what Bill Clinton said too," someone spoke up in the audience. "Er… wait, that was Lewinsky, not Kowalski..."

Superman shrugged, still smiling. "I regard Miss Kowalski as a friend who saved my life, and that is all. The verdict is in your hands." He looked at the jury, then slipped into the nearest vacant seat, next to a lady in her forties, who almost fainted on the spot.

"You all right, Miss?" he whispered to the woman.

She nodded numbly, fanning herself with a copy of the Daily Star. Her eyes were the size of saucers as she stared at him. "Would you… would you give me… an autograph?"

The judge turned to Kitty's attorney. "You may now present evidence in favour of the defendant," said the judge, and there was the shadow of a smile on his face, "though… I doubt you could present us with anything better than Mr. Superman just did…"

o

Half an hour later, the jury finished discussing Kitty's case and returned to the courtroom.

The head juror handed the paper with the verdicts to the judge, by way of the bailiff.

The judge quickly read it through, then looked at the jury. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have, Your Honour," said the head juror.

The judge nodded. "In the case against Katherine Kowalski for the murder of Alexander Joseph Luthor on the count of murder in the first degree, what say you?"

"We find the defendant, Miss Kowalski, guilty," replied the head juror.

"And in the case against Katherine Kowalski for the murder of Michael Stebbins on the count of murder in the first degree, what say you?" asked the judge.

"We find the defendant, Miss Kowalski, guilty."

Superman saw Kitty shudder in the foremost row.

"However," the foreman of the jury continued, "in the light of the testimony given by Superman, we suggest that Miss Kowalski be put on probation."

o O o

"How can I ever repay you for this?" Kitty asked as she and Superman left the courtroom amidst the flashing of cameras.

"You have saved my life, Kitty, that's something that I can never repay you. Besides, I promised you to set you free." He stopped before a woman whose hair was dyed a disturbing shade of red. "Jillian Connor from the Daily Star?" he asked with an almost-smile. "May I ask you not to lie about me in any of your future Superman-related articles?"

The woman's face turned just as red as her hair and she held a microphone out towards him. "Of course, if you would just-"

"I'm not giving interviews," Superman replied. "Especially not to you, Miss Connor. Come on, Kitty."

The journalists followed them for quite a while after they left the court, and finally, Superman had enough. He turned around, held out a hand and said, "No interviews, ladies and gentlemen. You heard everything you needed to hear in the courtroom. I'm sure that's just enough for you to write your sensationalist articles. Good-bye." With that, he turned around and continued to walk alongside Kitty.

They drew quite a bit of attention from the passers-by as well, but Superman merely sent them a smile, as though it were completely natural for him to be strolling among 'mortals'.

"You're one weird guy," Kitty remarked. "You could fly, but you're walking."

"I could have flown you home, but picking you up instead of walking side by side with you would have just added fuel to the fire."

"That's true, but you don't need to take me home, I'm a big girl, I can go on my own," she pointed out.

"I know, but I wanted to make sure you got home all right, without being disturbed by these jackals and their questions." He shrugged as they reached Centennial Park and began walking across the grass. Some children playing around gaped at Superman, some even waved at him. He returned the waves with a friendly smile.

"Jackals? Hey, you're talking about your colleagues," Kitty laughed lightly.

Superman pulled a face. "Don't even remind me. Some of my so-called colleagues have absolutely no inhibitions. I'm just protecting you from them. One of the reasons why I've chosen to walk instead of fly you home is that I wanted some time to talk to you, ask you how you were doing… I hope they didn't treat you badly in these past five weeks…"

She shook her head. "No, not really. Of course, there were some nasty remarks about you and me in a… relationship." She rolled her eyes. "Was it that red-haired tramp who spread the rumours? Well, I hope now they believe us. After all, they think the Man of Steel cannot lie…"

He gave her an embarrassed grimace. "You know I didn't lie about this… but there are things I mustn't tell the truth about."

"Like your relationship to Lois and Jason… Er… speaking of which, what about you and Lois?"

Superman heaved a sigh. "Enough to say I screwed it up, so she's getting married to Richard."

"Oh… I'm sorry," Kitty said with a compassionate expression.

"Me too. And guess what, they asked me to be their best man."

The woman stopped in her stride, her eyes wide. "They didn't!"

"Yes, they did. Richard says Jason wants me to be the best man… and you know, sometimes a father just can't say no to his son."

"Mr. Superman, Mr. Superman!" A little boy came running towards them. "My ball's stuck on that tree, could you get it down?"

With a gentle smile Superman floated up to the foliage and gave the child his ball back. "There you go. Next time try to not throw it that high."

"Thank you, Mr. Superman!" The boy beamed and ran away.

"You're a wonderful father, Clark, you're natural with kids," Kitty observed. "I'm so sorry it didn't work out with Lois… she loves you so much. And I know you love her."

"I'd rather not talk about that, Kitty. At least… not yet. Later, perhaps…"

"Then let's talk about something else," she said and resumed walking. "Like… how did Clark Kent get a medical certificate saying he was horribly ill?"

"He has connections in the right places… rich and powerful connections who can buy anything... even a forged medical certificate." He smirked. Thanks for the help, Bruce…

Kitty raised an eyebrow at him. "So even Superman has dishonest friends?"

"Not dishonest… just willing to help a man in distress. Come to think of it, as Clark is allegedly ill, he can't go to work tomorrow. I'm going to take the day off and visit the Machu Picchu. I always wanted to photograph llamas."

Kitty chuckled. "You're weirder than I thought. But in a good way. It's nice to have you as a friend."

He smiled down at her. "The feeling is mutual."

o O o

The remaining two weeks till the wedding passed in a blur for Clark. On Monday the 20th November, he returned to the Planet, claiming to have healed perfectly, and immediately took on twice as much work as usual. He also found that he was almost thankful for all the skirmishes he had to save people from, because these things occupied him and helped him keep his thoughts off the wedding. In the evenings, he either took Jason out to dinner or met Kitty for a bit of friendly talk.

As it turned out, Kitty had been invited to the wedding too, which surprised her very much. "Imagine the look on my face when I got the invitation," she said one night as she was trying not to slip in Centennial Park's skating rink. "Lois even enclosed a short letter in which she wrote she was very grateful for my help in the villa, and she regards me as a friend. I haven't been to weddings since I was ten… what on earth should I wear?"

Clark found he enjoyed having Kitty around. The last female friend with whom he could talk about absolutely anything, had been Chloe Sullivan back in Smallville. He was aware of Kitty's feelings for him, but she didn't even try to be pushy, just offered her company when he needed someone to talk to, and she didn't seem to mind if he wanted to talk about Lois. And - especially in the last few days before the wedding - he quite often wanted to talk about Lois.

Lois herself spent less and less time at the Planet – Clark suspected she was busy with the wedding preparations.

In the last week before the wedding, he only met her once when he went for Jason on Wednesday evening to spend a few hours with him. Normally he would have picked the boy up from school on Friday, but Lois insisted that Jason had to get into bed early on Friday night as the wedding on Saturday was going to be very tiring for a boy of his age.

"My tuxedo is so cool, you've got to see it!" Jason said enthusiastically as he and his father arrived back to 312 Riverside Drive, after they had been to the cinema to watch Happy Feet.

"I'm going to see your tux in three days, Jason," Clark reminded the boy. From the looks Lois was giving him, it was clear for him that she didn't want him in the house any longer than absolutely necessary. "I've got to go now. Good night, Son."

"Good night, Father." Jason hugged Clark and ran up the stairs, leaving his parents in the hall.

"Er… You're practically glowing, Lois," Clark said, knowing his awkward his voice sounded. "You look like a really happy bride."

"Don't be ridiculous, Clark," she replied with a scowl. "I know I'm far from glowing… too tired for that… But I intend to be a happy bride on Saturday. By the way, the seamstress is here right now, adding the final touches to my dress, so if you don't mind…"

"Oh, okay. I don't want to disturb. Good night, Lois."

He exited the house of the White family and began walking towards his apartment. Truth was that Lois's sight had almost frightened him. Only the gentleman in him had made him compliment her, given the fact that she had looked downright sickly. Her face had been paler than usual, there were shadows under her eyes suggesting she hadn't slept much recently, and what most shocked him was the complete lack of happiness in her eyes. She's suffering because of me. Because I screwed up her life, not once, not twice… only God knows how many times. Heavens, I hate myself.

o O o

Saturday, 2nd December

"At least smile a bit, Lois," Ella Lane sighed as her older daughter examined herself in the full-length mirror. Lois wore a fairy simple, cream-coloured dress that tightly hugged her frame. She had refused outright to wear a hoop skirt and a veil, and insisted on picking a dress that wasn't snow white ('I'm not exactly a virgin, Mom, I have a son, if I may remind you!'). The only embellishments on her wedding dress were a few flower-patterns formed by tiny pearls, running along the neckline and the cuffs of the long sleeves. In her hair, she wore a single small orchid, and not even that was white but a very pale shade of yellow.

"I am smiling, Mom," Lois replied and forced a smile on her face, but she couldn't fool her mother.

"Oh, honey… is it because you love someone else? That… Clark Kent?"

Lois almost dropped her bouquet of yellow orchids. "W…what? What makes you think that… Clark…?"

Ella squeezed her daughter's arm. "I have eyes to see, honey. I've only seen him twice, but both times I noticed the way you looked at him… Why are you marrying Richard? Because he proposed and Clark didn't?"

"Mom… I would appreciate if you stopped this. Richard and I belong together, and Clark is just a friend. Accidentally the father of my son, but so what?"

Ella opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment General Lane entered. "You're beautiful, Daughter," he said. "Honestly, that idiot Richard doesn't deserve you."

Lois rolled her eyes. "You've found any guy I ever dated an idiot."

Her father shrugged. "Well… now that you mention it… he's still better than that Mark Kent."

"Clark."

"Whatever." The general held out his arm for Lois. "Come, Daughter, let's get you into that limousine."

o O o

The limo stopped before a tiny church in the outskirts of Metropolis, and Lois swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. She and Richard had deliberately chosen a tiny, insignificant church, as they wanted a small wedding with only the family and their closest friends from the Planet present.

As she got out of the car, snowflakes settled into her hair – it had started to snow a few minutes earlier. Her sister Lucy's daughter was waiting for them before the church, shivering in her frilly pink bridesmaid dress. Lois sent the child an encouraging smile, but found that it wasn't very convincing, as she herself needed encouragement to go through everything that awaited her today… especially seeing Clark as the best man.

A familiar music began playing as she absent-mindedly grabbed her father's arm, letting him lead her into the church.

Lohengrin, she told herself, her heart sinking. A song that Clark loved above all. Last time they'd heard this song together, they had both been so much happier... True, Clark had had amnesia then, but there still had been some hope for… for what? – Lois mused. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but already by the Niagara, a hidden part of her soul had wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. And here she was now, walking towards Richard White, about to bind herself to him for all eternity.

As she walked down the aisle, she desperately thought that she felt like someone who was being led towards the gallows to be hung, not the altar to be married.

She saw familiar faces staring at her from the pews around: Richard's parents, Perry White, her own sister Lucy and Lucy's husband and sons, Jimmy Olsen, Kitty Kowalski, her own son holding the cushion with the rings… But where was Clark?

As she and her father stopped before the altar, she looked around. Clark was definitely missing.

For some reason, she felt relieved. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her marry Richard.

The music died away, and the minister began, "Dearly beloved…"

Richard held up his hand. "Excuse me, Reverend, but the best man isn't here. Funny, a moment ago he was still here… must've gone to the toilet or something…"

Lois frowned at Richard. "It doesn't matter. We can get married without him." She turned to the minister. "Please, carry on."

"Are you sure, Lois?" Richard asked. "After all, he's still the best man!"

"The best man is only needed for delivering the speech after the ceremony," she hissed at him.

Richard crossed his arms. "I'm not marrying you without Clark being here."

"What?" Lois gasped. Murmurs ran down the crowd on both sides of the aisle.

"Please, honey, let's just wait for him, he'll be back, I'm sure," Richard said in a placating voice. And indeed, the next moment Clark Kent stumbled through the door, his dark hair splattered with snowflakes. He adjusted his glasses and swept snow off his shoulders as he ran up to the altar. There, he nearly knocked off the bridesmaid, Lois's niece. Mumbling an apology, he assumed his place behind the groom.

Wonder what he had to rescue people from this time. Earthquake? Volcano eruption? Terrorist attack? Lois thought, stifling a sigh.

"Well, then, let's get started, shall we?" the minister said in a cheery voice, clasping his hands. "Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant…"

Lois wasn't really paying attention to whatever the reverend was saying. Her mind was somewhere else, her heart was hammering in her throat, and she chanced a glance at Clark over her shoulder. Seeing that he was also eyeing her, she quickly looked away, feeling her cheeks burn.

"…in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between…"

Why is he staring at me like that? Is he still staring? As unnoticeably as possible, she turned her head, and their eyes again met. Why are you torturing me, Clark? Why did you take on Richard's offer to be the best man? You shouldn't even be here!

"…and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God. Into this union Lois and Richard now come to be joined. If any of you can show cause why they may not be lawfully wed, speak now, or else forever hold your peace."

Say something, Clark! Don't let me do this! Lois squeezed her eyes shut. Oh heavens, what am I thinking?

A few moments of silence ensued, then the minister carried on.

"I charge you both, here in the presence of God and the witness of this company, that if either of you know any reason why you may not be married lawfully and in accordance with God's Word, do now confess it."

I do know a reason…actually, two. I love someone else, not the groom. I'm going to have someone else's child, not the groom's. Good enough reasons for you?

Lois felt a compulsion to look at Clark again. His blue eyes held sadness, and as he noticed she was eyeing him, he looked away. At this clear gesture of rejection, she felt her throat constrict and the familiar burning feeling in her eyes. I won't cry. I don't want to cry. Please, no…

The minister turned to the groom. "Richard, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together with her in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful unto her as long as you both shall live?"

Gulping, Lois looked at Richard, who was looking at her in a very peculiar way, as if he were trying to glance into her very soul. He took a deep breath and said, "No."

Lois gasped, and so did everyone else.

"W…what? Richard, I fear you didn't understand the question," the minister said with a nervous laugh. "I asked you if you wanted-"

"I said no, Reverend, and I meant it."

"What does this mean, Sonny?" General Lane spluttered.

Richard didn't reply to his almost-father-in-law, but stepped away from Lois, never taking his eyes off her. "Lois, it is not me who is supposed to be standing here next to you. There is a man here who has once… actually, twice, made a mistake in leaving you, the woman he loved. Now, he's about to make the same mistake over again, partly to spare me the suffering, and partly because you, Lois, in your fury, made him promise he'd leave you alone. However, this man forgets that if I marry you, Lois, then all three of us will suffer, and I'm not going to let that happen." He turned to the best man and raised his voice, "Clark Kent, for once in a lifetime, be a man and do the right thing!"

Clark seemed to have shrunk. Blinking, he pointed at himself. "M…me?"

The silence in the church was so deep that one could almost hear snowflakes settling onto the stained glass windowpanes.

Lois's eyes shifted from Richard to the dumbstruck Clark, then back to Richard. "How could you?" she hissed at her fiancé. "How could you put me in a situation like this? What… what if… he doesn't even want to marry me?" She pointed at Clark, her eyes flashing with fury.

"I bet he does, Mommy!" Jason chimed in.

Richard arched an eyebrow at Clark. "I seem to remember you said something about this when we talked on the Planet's roof… you said you wanted to marry Lois, but you were always late and I always got lucky. You also said you only left her alone because she made you promise you would. But we both know she didn't mean it. So, what do you say?"

The expression on Clark's face was unreadable, so Lois didn't even try to comprehend it. He seemed confused, shocked and… exhilarated?

Richard had planned this, she realised. That's why he didn't want to start the ceremony before Clark was back. He wanted to say the 'no' instead of the 'I will' when Clark was around to assume the role of the groom. And, judging by the look on Clark's face, he hadn't known about Richard's well-planned 'betrayal'.

Clark fidgeted nervously, pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, and when he started to speak, his voice was wavering. "I… I have no… no greater desire than to marry you, Lois. I love you. You know… know that… don't you?"

The tears that she had so far managed to fight back, now welled up in her eyes. Silently, with a small smile on her face, she nodded.

"Um, Lois… I've really screwed it up, there's no denying it… and I can't… can't express with words how sorry I am. I want to make up for it… and make you happy, as long as we live… If you would only give me a chance… Will you give me a chance? Will you marry me?"

Lois bit into her lower lip and glanced at Richard, who sent her a warm and friendly smile. Richard plucked the orchid off his tuxedo and held it out to Clark.

Clark caught the flower and stared at it, his expression still that of disbelief, then looked up and his eyes locked with Lois's. He gave her a timid smile, his eyebrows arched, as if urging her to answer his question at last.

"Yes, Clark, I will."

The man's timid smile widened, and in an instant he was beaming so brightly that Lois thought his whole body was emanating light. But perhaps it was just a figment of her imagination, a trick of a mind blinded by love… In a few quick strides, she crossed the distance between them, caught his tie and pulled his head down to hers so that their lips met in a passionate kiss.

As if a sonic bomb had exploded in the church, everyone started to talk at once.

"What – does – this – mean?" General Lane's voice boomed. "Clive… Mark… Richard, what the hell did you do?"

Richard's parents nodded eagerly, awaiting an explanation from their son.

"Just something that these two were too proud and too blind to do," Richard replied with a sad smile, watching as Lois and Clark were snogging happily, oblivious to the shock they had given their guests. Jason was eyeing his parents with a delighted grin on his face.

"Er… Lois, Clark…" The reverend gently patted them on the shoulder. "We haven't yet reached this part…" As the flushed couple parted (Clark's glasses sitting askew on his nose), he opened his arms in a friendly gesture. "Well… I think we should start the whole ceremony over, from the very beginning, what do you think?"

o

"Lois and Clark, having witnessed your vows of love to one another, it is my joy to present you to all gathered here as husband and wife. Clark, now you may kiss the bride." The reverend winked at the groom.

As they shared another long and passionate kiss, music began to play again.

"Is this another part of Lohengrin?" Lois whispered to her husband.

"No," Clark whispered back, "the one at the beginning of the wedding was the Bridal Chorus from Wagner's Lohengrin, but this is the Wedding March from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream."

"I know you love Lohengrin, but… I like this one better because…" she melted into his arms and whispered so lightly that only someone with super-hearing could hear it, "because Lohengrin played when I entered the church, thinking I was going to marry Richard… and this one is playing when I'm already married to you."

He smiled at her, a smile so warm it made her melt and her knees go weak. He offered her his arm, and they began walking down the aisle, towards the church door.

Jason joined them on the aisle, slipping his hand into Clark's. As they walked past Jimmy Olsen, they heard him whisper to Perry White, "Funny, I really thought she was in love with You-Know-Who…"

"Who, Voldemort?" Jason frowned up on the young photographer.

"I don't think Jimmy was referring to Voldemort," Richard said from behind Jason.

"I don't think so either. Lois has better taste than that," a female voice spoke up, and Richard turned to see a very pretty Kitty Kowalski grinning at him from one of the pews.

"Yeah, I certainly hope so." Richard grinned back and stopped by Kitty's pew. "Clark's a nice guy, and he and Lois deserve each other. But you know what? There's something good in their marriage for me too. It's not me who got General Lane as father-in-law, but Clark."

The groom, whose super-hearing had apparently registered the little conversation, turned around, his eyes wide with shock.

Kitty snickered. "I think Clark has just realised that himself…"

o O o

The snowstorm was raging heavier and heavier outside Clark's apartment, but he found he enjoyed looking at the dancing snowflakes from the soft warmth of their bed. Their bed. It felt funny to think of it as that. He looked down at his wife who was sleeping in his arms, her head bent on his shoulder – her favourite position after lovemaking.

Clark couldn't help but feel grateful to Richard for the sacrifice he'd made today – it had required a great deal of courage, compassion and generosity to give up on the woman he loved to make her happy. Richard White had been brave enough to take that step – a step that not even Clark himself had been brave enough to take. For that, he admired his one-time rival. And not only did Richard give up on Lois, but he also took on to take care of Jason for the night, giving the newlyweds some time just for themselves.

Tomorrow, Clark told himself, they would visit his mother, together, as a family: Jason, Lois and him. He was sure his mother was going to be devastated to find out she'd missed her only son's wedding, but he was sure that the chance to spoil her grandson to her heart's content would at least partly make up for that.

Caressing Lois's shoulder and letting himself be lost in a daydream about their future as a family, Clark felt more at peace with the world than ever before. His eyelids began to droop and he started drifting off to sleep when, in the complete silence of the room, his super-hearing suddenly registered something.

He sat bolt upright, his eyes wide with surprise. Lois's groan suggested she missed her comfortable pillow – her husband's shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, yawning. "What happened?"

"I… I heard something, Lois."

"You always hear something, Clark," she said, propping herself on her elbow. "You yourself told me so, when you took me flying the day you saved the crashing plane… You said you heard everything… Is there trouble? Do you need to fly to someone's rescue?"

He shook his head, his eyes still wide. "I heard… something in this room. A… a heartbeat."

"Yours? Mine?" She smiled.

"No… Much fainter… coming from… here." He placed his hand on her belly.

"Can you hear it… already?" she whispered.

"Already? L…Lois…?" he stammered. "You knew you were pregnant, and… never cared to tell me?"

She sighed. "Things were too complicated, Clark… I was mad at you for having rejected me again… I know it wasn't fair of me to not tell you…"

Looking a little hurt, he nodded. "And Richard? Did he know, or… did you intend to lie to him… again?"

"Of course he knew… I will never forgive myself for having lied to him about Jason, and I wouldn't… couldn't have done it again… If you… if you hadn't agreed to come to the wedding, he would have undoubtedly married me, and he would have been father to this child as well, even though he knew it wasn't his…" She heaved a sigh. "I knew it was all wrong, but I was so… so angry with you, Clark! I felt you let me down… again… But that still doesn't justify my not telling you about the baby. I'm sorry."

"No…" He shook his head. "I am sorry. It was my fault." He cupped her face, his eyes boring into hers. "I want us to live our life in a way so that we won't have to be sorry for anything again. Do you think it's possible?"

She covered his hands with hers, tears of joy glistening in her eyes. "Of course it is, Clark. We're strong together. We'll manage that. I have faith in you… in us."

His eyes seemed to water for a moment, but he blinked back his tears. "Just a few weeks ago, you seemed to have… given up on faith… when you made me promise to stay away from you." He shook his head in disbelief. "I would have done it, Lois, out of respect for you… and had Richard not forced me, us, to come to our senses, I don't know what would have happened… Since that day on the roof when I made you that promise, I died a little every day."

"So did I… but not from that day on… much earlier. Since that night on your farm when you taught me the constellations. I was so mad at you, especially when I realised I was pregnant!" Her eyes flashed for a second. "When I asked you to leave me alone… it was my anger working in me… and you're right… if it weren't for Richard's sacrifice, I… I don't know what would have happened. We both… no, all three of us, would have made a huge mistake. I think we'll never be able to repay this to him."

"Agreed," he replied with a sad smile. "He's indeed a good man, and I hope some day he's going to meet someone as wonderful as you are. Though, I doubt if he would."

"Why wouldn't he?" She frowned.

"Because no one can be as wonderful as you are, Lois Lane Kent."

"You hopeless romantic, you." She looked into his eyes, drowning in their blue depths. Now those blue eyes shifted lower on her body, as if caressing her with their glance, finally resting on her belly.

"Can you… see it? Him? Her?" she whispered.

He sent her a grin. "I'd like to think of it as a 'she'… and yes, I can see her. She's about two inches long. She's beautiful. Resembles you a lot."

"Clark!" She boxed playfully into his chest. "Ouch. I always forget not to mishandle the Man of Steel… But really, babies at this stage don't yet resemble anyone!"

He gently took her sore hand and covered it with feather-light kisses. "But I hope she will resemble you. Jason does too, and he's perfect."

"Actually… I'd be happier if she resembled her daddy. Blue eyes, black hair…"

"I'd rather have a pretty brunette like you."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "I thought you liked blondes…"

He wrinkled his nose. "You will rub that in as long as we live, won't you?"

She gave him a challenging look, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You can count on that, Smallville."

THE END

Author's notes – just to keep you occupied a little longer, and just because you might be wondering what happened to the characters in the future. So…

On Clark's request, Bruce Wayne sent a group of trustworthy men to Luthor's abandoned mountainside villa and retrieved all the Kryptonite, which they destroyed in the labs of Wayne Enterprises. (Whenever they met as Superman and Batman, Bruce never failed to remind Clark that he owed him both for this, and for the fake medical certificate).

One year after Lois and Clark's wedding, Richard married Kitty Kowalski, and they became godparents of Katherine Lara Kent.

Clark never managed to win the sympathy of his father-in-law, who never managed to learn his name and kept calling him Clive and Mark, depending on his mood.

At age fifteen, Jason managed to learn to fly, and he retrieved his father's lost crystals from New Krypton. At age twenty, he began his 'career' as 'Superboy' (wearing a cutesy red suit with blue cape and a tiny black mask for which his sister kept referring to him as 'my idiot brother Zorro').

Whenever he wasn't saving the world alongside his father, Jason taught history and mythology at the Metropolis University of Arts.

Katherine Lara (called Katie by everyone), proved to have a smaller amount of her father's powers than Jason, but she had a Kryptonian talent that neither Clark nor 'her idiot brother Zorro' possessed: she was a natural healer, therefore she became a doctor and worked for Metropolis General Hospital. She married Richard and Kitty's son, Perry White the Second.

Jason – to his father's utter horror – started a family with a very blonde girl by the name of Claudia.

Jimmy Olsen never got married and kept scandalising everyone with wearing jumper with a bowtie.

As for Ripper… he 'married' three times, became father of twenty-five pups and got a role in a Pedigree pet food ad.

o

There's a fanart of Clark and Lois's wedding, linked into my ffnet profile. Go, check it out – but only after you've given me a final review:)