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Chapter 2 - Pictures

Clark arrived at the office very early, on purpose the next morning. He had several reasons for doing so. As soon as the elevator doors closed he hovered up and opened the trap door allowing him to retrieve the clothes he had discarded two days earlier when he had left in search of Lois on that fateful day.

Entering the bullpen he disappeared into the storeroom to retrieve his suitcase and change out of the flannel shirt and jeans he was wearing and into one of his few remaining suits still suitable for the office. Once dressed for work he walked over to Lois’ desk and without hesitation picked up two pictures the one with the frame he had accidentally broken and a second one with Jason’s sweet face smiling up at him which sent shockwaves up and down his spine as soon as he looked at it.

Funny what a difference a few days made.



Clark smiled as he settled into his chair just short of two hours later having left his suit along with a few other things at a 24 hour cleaners but that was not what was causing the smile. No the smile was due to the picture in his hand. He had stopped at a drug store and made duplicate copies of both pictures and replaced the broken frame with a very similar one.

He looked over his shoulder to Lois’ desk where he had returned the borrowed items. Satisfied everything was where it should be he pulled his phone out and called his mom knowing she would be up even at this still early hour.

“Mom, it’s me.”

“Clark, I’m so glad you called early, I hardly slept last night with worry about you. How are you feeling today?”

“Mom, I’m great. When are you heading back? Can we meet for breakfast?”



Just a short time later Clark entered the restaurant and saw his mother waving him over to where she sat with Ben. Before he was able to sit down she had risen and given him a hug kissing one cheek then the other in her enthusiasm.

“Mom. Mom, I told you last night I’m alright…really.” Blushing he was finally allowed to take a seat as she pulled him down making room on her side of the booth. He gave an apologetic smile to the man sitting oposite him. “Good morning Ben. I know Mom appreciates you bringing her here but it really wasn’t necessary. I’m not hurt.”

“No problem. I enjoyed the ride and pleasant company plus it was rather interesting coming here and seeing that crowd yesterday. Good thing you weren’t hurt you couldn’t have gotten within a block of that hospital yesterday. That is unless you were Lois Lane.” He chuckled.

Martha saw the hurt and embarrassed look on her son’s face knowing he had most likely hated all the attention. Nonetheless, she felt she needed to keep the charade going to protect his cover. “Well, if you weren’t hurt why didn’t you answer my calls and let me know?”

Ben smirked then rubbed his nose feeling sorry for the boy who seemed to have gotten very uncomfortable.

Looking flabbergasted and hurt he replied, “Mom, I was just so busy…I… I didn’t even realize you had called. I’m sorry. Now can we just order, I’m starving.”

After they finished eating Martha excused herself leaving Ben and Clark alone. “You know son, your mother really worries about you a lot. I know your life must seem too busy to call home all the time but you really should call her more often. She thinks the world of you and would do anything for you.”

“I know. I…” he sighed frowning and looking away sadly, “I don’t really deserve her. She never thinks of herself.”

“I’m afraid that goes with the job of being a parent.”

Nodding agreement, “Thanks again for being there for her when I wasn’t. I’ll do better in the future. I think I understand how she feels now.” Finally looking back in the man’s eyes he continued “And Ben, you must know she thinks the world of you too.”

Ben shrugged and smiled looking down at his hands, now he seemed a little embarrassed at the attention.

“Ahem." he cleared his throat, "Just what are your intentions towards her?”

Ben thought for a few seconds before responding. “I asked her to marry me about a year ago. But she said she wasn’t ready. I keep thinking she was waiting for you to get back to give her the O K.” he raised knowing eyebrows.

Clark chuckled softly, “Mom doesn’t need my permission. If you love her don’t let her get away while you worry about what someone else might say or think.”

As Martha returned both men stood and Clark let her back into the booth. Ben cleared his throat. “Well, my turn I guess.” He headed away leaving the mother and son a few moments in private.

Before Ben was even out of sight, Martha, having heard about the wound, surreptitiously put her hand on her son’s lower back slowly moving it around as if comforting him. When she felt him flinch she stopped.

“Mom, please!” He squirmed away as far as he could on the seat.

“If you’re alright then why did you flinch like that?”

“I told you I’m still a little sore but really I’m fine.”

“I’ll be home late tonight, alone. I want you to stop by so I can see for myself.”

”I’ll stop by but not for that reason, I have something to tell you that I can’t tell you here.” His eyes spoke volumes of someone holding a marvelous secret, “I will tell you it’s something wonderful.”

“Does it have a mop of wavy brown hair, the cutest dimples and big blue eyes?”

Clark’s mouth fell open but he had to swallow his shock as Ben arrived back at the table.

“Well, Martha we had better start out if we want to make it home before nightfall. Clark, don’t be such a stranger. Oh, and I already paid the check.”

Martha looked over her shoulder at Clark who had gotten up to let her out and was following behind her as she and Ben made their way out of the restaurant. She couldn’t help but be amused at his still bewildered expression. He might be a superman but he was still so naive about so many things.



Clark went back to find the office still empty. He quickly booted up his computer and started typing. Not more than fifteen minutes later he heard the elevator open and someone come up behind him.

“Kent, I hope you have something good to make up for your absence all day yesterday.”

“Uh, Chief…” The man’s eyes narrowed at him. “Um Sir, uh, I mean yes Sir. I was just putting the finishing touches on it and was about to send it to you.”

The older man stood in place his expression guarded. Then relaxing somewhat he nodded. “Good. I would hate for you to let me down after I just re-hired you.” He started to continue on to his office then he stopped and turned back. “Kent, next time at least check in. Jimmy was worried that you were buried under a pile of rubble somewhere.”

Clark relaxed and after sending Perry the file pulled up google to see if there had been any word or speculation of what had happened to Luthor. Finding none he pulled out his cell and contacted a source at the MPD. Still he found out nothing except what Lois had already reported in the Daily Planet the day before. He kept searching all the while thinking, that man and his goons had to be somewhere. No doubt wherever they are, they’re most likely bragging about beating up Superman. That video is going to show up somewhere on the net. Just how far could that helicopter have taken them?

The office started to fill up. Lois and Richard entered just as Perry poked his head out of his office. “Kent, get in here now.”

Clark took a deep breath and got up taking his pen and pad with him. He had to stop and let Lois pass before he entered the aisle. She barely gave him a look as she continued to her own desk. Entering the private office he smiled questioningly. “Chief, you wanted me?”

“How’d you get this? No one has seen him since he left the hospital except a few people at that gang shootout downtown just shortly after he disappeared from the hospital.”

“Sir, I can’t reveal my sources….”

“Clark, this isn’t an unknown source, if it’s real then the source has to be Superman.”

“Um what I meant to say is I can’t reveal how I managed contact with my source. Lois isn’t the only one he contacts you know.”

“That’s right you did have several exclusives with him before he left. Alright, good job, it’s going on the front page. What are you working on now?”

“I’m trying to trace down Luthor. So far nothing has turned up.”

“Good keep at it. See if Lois has anything.”



Clark had never been one to watch the clock. His life had always been so busy filled with trying to maintain two separate identities with two full time jobs that he didn’t have time to worry about something as mundane as what time it was. Today was different starting around 10AM. Every few minutes he would look at the clock or check his watch. Time seemed to be crawling. At 2:31 he wondered, What time did they usually bring Jason to the office after school anyway? At 2:43 he surreptitiously looked through the wall to the street below thinking he heard a child’s voice. Wrong child. 2:58 still no sign. Then just as he was checking the clock at 3:17 he heard a cry for help. Darn, gotta go.



As soon as the elevator doors opened Jason ran into the bullpen heading for the back of the office. Seeing the desk empty he looked around briefly hoping to find what he was looking for then looked up at the television monitors showing Superman arriving at the scene of a collapsed crane. Smiling he pulled something from his backpack and handed it to his mother who had just come up behind him. “Mommy, Mr. Clark’s desk is too lonely. Could you put this picture I made on his bulletin board?”

“Are you sure, don’t you want to give it to your Daddy he might like a new picture?” Looking at the picture she saw it was his new favorite subject, this time Superman carrying a small child in his arms. Maybe it was better he didn’t want to give it to Richard.

“Uh huh” he shook his head. “Daddy has lots of pictures in his office. I made this one for Mr. Clark. He seems lonely and he only has that one picture.” He said pointing at a picture of Clark smiling with an older woman with silver white hair.

Lois nodded “Well, I guess Clark might like some artwork on his bulletin board.” She stapled the picture to the board using Clark’s stapler. “Okay, Munchkin can you go and entertain yourself for a little while in Daddy’s office so Mommy can work?”

Jason nodded and padded to the office where Richard greeted him. Soon he was hard at work but every few minutes he looked around the office as if looking for something. Finally he looked up and grinned, Mr. Clark was back. The little boy watched the tall man notice the new artwork and smiled when he appeared to touch it with his fingertips as if making sure it was real. As the man turned around their eyes met and Jason wiggled his fingers in a tiny secretive wave.

“Daddy, is it alright if I go say hi to Mr. Clark?”

Richard didn’t bother to look up from his work. “Sure Jason. Just come right back.” He said half listening.

Jason jumped up and ran out of the office and raced over to Clark. “Do you like my picture? I made it special for you.”

Clark stopped what he was doing and swiveled in his chair to give the small boy his full attention. “Yes, I like it a lot. Thank you.”

“I can make you more if you want. I like to color and draw.”

”I’d really like that.”

Lois coming back from retrieving a new cup of coffee appeared at the boy’s side. “Jason, are you bothering Clark. I’m sure he has a lot of work to do.”

“Lois. no… no it’s okay, he’s not bothering me…really. I was just thanking him for the great picture he gave me.”

”Well, your space is a little bare of personal effects. Hey, nice job on that article you turned in. Perry showed it to me.”

“I hope you don’t mind. You did say you didn’t want Superman forced back in your life. When he contacted me I just thought…”

“He contacted YOU?” She shook her head in bewilderment then continued. ”Clark, it’s fine. I guess I did say that. It… it’s just complicated.” She frowned then shaking her head turned her attention to Jason brushing the hair out of his eyes. Clark nodded in understanding.

“Come on let’s go see what your Daddy’s doing.” She smiled as she herded Jason in front of her then looked back at Clark, “You do know you’re liable to have a wall full of artwork in the next few days don’t you?”

Clark laughed, “I can live with that.” he sighed under his breath and thought to himself, I can definitely live with that.

Clark went back to work but found he could hardly keep from checking on Jason every few minutes. As often as not the little boy was smiling back at him. He had to leave a couple of times to handle something as his alter ego and each time he noticed the little boy was observing his coming and going, funny that, no one else had ever paid him so much attention. He shrugged it off figuring Jason was just intrigued with him since he was new to the office.

After one such outing he returned to find Jason kneeling precariously on his desk trying to staple a new picture to his bulletin board next to the one already there. This one showed Superman flying high in the sky with a woman waving to him from the ground and a little boy hanging out a window. A third picture still on the desktop showed a man with big glasses sitting at a desk working on a computer.

“Here let me help you with that.” Clark took the stapler from the small boy and helped him off the desktop as he looked around wondering where Lois and Richard were. He noticed that they were both in Perry’s office deep in discussion about something and Richard’s office door was open. Obviously the little boy still feeling ‘Daddies’ office is boring’ had taken advantage of his mother and father being busy with Uncle Perry to roam the office unattended. No one else seemed to have noticed.

Jason stood next to the tall man as he attached the new pictures with ease. The little boy’s eyes traveled to the spot where Superman had been stabbed just a couple days earlier. He tentatively reached his hand out and ever so gently touched the spot with one finger and whispered. “Does it still hurt?”

Clark turned to face him and reacted aghast, “What.. what do you mean?”

Jason just smiled in answer, then once again in a serious but whispered tone. “I’m glad you are all better. If you visit me again tonight can you come before I go to sleep?”

Clark’s mouth once again fell open. There was no doubt what he had meant now and he didn’t have a clue how to answer.