Superman Movieverse Forum

Jason had run back into the room wanting to share his treat with his mommy just in time to hear Batman say, “Miss Lane, I seem to remember your reporting that the Man of Steel was ‘faster than a speeding bullet’.  Was that all just hype?  Personally I’ve never felt a need to resort to such outright propaganda.” 

He saw the look his mother gave Batman then heard the bedcovers rustle as his daddy mumbled, “I… heard… that.” 

The other people moved closer to the bed but Jason stood in the doorway watching.  His mother seemed happier but she hadn’t liked what Batman had just said so even though he didn’t quite understand he knew it must not have been a nice thing to say.  Running up behind the big man he tugged hard on the black cape.  When the man turned around he put his hands on his hips and said in the toughest voice he had, “You’re mean, Da… Superman doesn’t feel good.  Didn’t your mommy teach you that you should be nice to people when they don’t feel good?”

Batman stared down at the little boy seeing his eyes get big with renewed fear yet the little boy stood his ground.  “Whoa there, I didn’t intend to be mean to your dad.  We sometimes like to spar with words, that’s all.  I just meant it as a joke.  Actually I thought it might just make your mom smile.”  He had been trying to make the little boy feel better but instead the child had pulled back and seemed especially alarmed as he once again looked towards his mother for support then back at Batman. 

Speaking in a scared tone Jason whispered, “I’m not spose’d to tell anybody.”   

Lois scrutinized Batman’s face, he had not been at all surprised at her son’s omission, he had obviously already known.  She looked at Richard, seeing a resigned look on his face and then at Martha who seemed only mildly surprised.  She got up gathering her son in her arms as Richard also joined her in a protective stance.  She asked, “Who told you?  That bit of information is not for public consumption.”   

Batman raised one eyebrow, not than anyone could see it as he answered, “I’m a detective, I figured it out on my own a while back.  The Boy Scout is not too good at lying.  He admitted it to me when I confronted him with it just a few days ago, when he asked me for help in tracking down Luthor.”

“So, I was right, you were that mysterious source he was using.”

“We help each other out from time to time.  We each have our strong points.”  He looked at the little boy as they seemed to scrutinize each other.  He couldn’t help but wonder if the child had his dad’s vision powers yet.  While still looking at the boy he said.  “You don’t have to worry.  My lips are sealed.”  Then to Lois, “I won’t tell anyone what I know about Superman, just as he won’t tell anyone what he knows about me.”    

Lois wasn’t so sure he could be trusted and it showed in her sarcastic response., “You told Doctor Hamilton, didn’t you?”

Batman shrugged it off., “Doctor Hamilton is a very smart man.  I didn’t tell him anything he hadn’t already figured out on his own.  He may be a doctor by trade but he is an astonishing scientist at heart.  He was fascinated by Superman and has devoted a big part of his life for the last seven years learning everything he could.  We both felt sure that Superman would return and he feared that someday his expertise would be needed.  You, Miss Lane, should be thankful that the two of us started working together on this project.”

Lois sighed, softening as she realized he was right. “Of course I am.  I… it’s just that… if word ever got out…”

“Understood, no apology is necessary.  Your son’s safety is of the utmost importance to Superman and I tend to agree with him, on that, at least.”
   
Xoxo

As the evening wore on Richard suggested they head home, that they all needed rest.  Jason was once again sleeping, this time in his lap and Martha seemed worn out as well.  Batman had left earlier, telling them the limo was at their service whenever they needed it.  Lois refused to leave, insisting she was going to stay where she was because Clark might wake up and try to leave again.  The nurses would never be able to stop him without her there. 

Richard reluctantly agreed and left with Jason and Martha.  Martha had wanted to stay with Lois but was worried that it would give her real relationship to her son and the family away to the nurses.  She did manage to give her son a quick kiss on the forehead and whispered to him that she would be back in the morning.

Xox
    
Batman returned and found Lois still at Kal’s bedside.  Satisfied he nodded. “I thought you might still be here.  I brought you a late dinner if you care to follow me.  We don’t want to wake the Boy Scout, now do we?”

She looked up seeing him at the doorway shaking her head at the comment and wondered again about the strange friendship between the two men.  Clark was sleeping peacefully so she nodded acceptance and got up and followed the dark hero hoping to clear up some of the mystery once and for all. 

As she followed him out of the hospital room she noticed the nurse’s station was dark.  Seeing her questioning look Batman responded, “Dr Hamilton sent everyone home.  They’re no longer needed.  He’s still here just in case you do need him for anything.  I brought him food too but he was sound asleep in his office so it will just be the two of us.” 

She was surprised when he insisted that he’d already eaten but then realized it would have been hard for him to eat with that mask he seemed intent on keeping in place.  She found it somewhat intimidating but didn’t let it stop her from filling a plate full of food.  She hadn’t realized just how hungry she was till she smelled the array of food before her.  Dr Hamilton didn’t know what he was missing.

She ate in silence for a few minutes then as she looked up at the man opposite her at the table she asked, “Just how long have you known Clar…Kal?  He has never mentioned knowing you, ever, as far as I’m aware.”

Batman shrugged, “We’ve known each other for years.  You could say that we’re in the same business.  We just go about it in different ways, that’s all.”

Lois stopped eating as she considered his statement nodding agreement., “I’ll say.  I don’t think you could stay out of jail here in Metropolis with your method of doing things.”

“It seems to work out in Gotham, but then Gotham is a much darker place.” 

Lois again nodded agreement as Batman continued,.  “Kal and I look at the world through different perspectives.  If the two of us stood in a field together he would hear and see birds flying among the clouds, hear the squirrels prancing around collecting their nuts.  Me, I would be too occupied with the rats scurrying about and the snakes slithering in the grass to see or hear anything else.” 

He looked up at Lois, “Kal is no dummy, but he can be very naive about some things.  He seems unable or unwilling to see that some people are snakes to the core and that no amount of charming will ever change them.” 

“And you?  You see the snakes for what they are?”

“Yes I see the dark side of people.  I even see it in myself.”

Lois shook her head.  “You two are so different.  How did you ever become such friends?”

“We are very different but in reality at the end of the day we both want the same things.”

“And what might that be?”

“We both want to make this world a better place.  We just go about achieving that goal in very different ways.  Our differences make us good allies. We compliment each other, what one lacks the other has in abundance.  Do you understand what I mean, Miss. Lane?”

“Yes, I think I do.  Why do you think Kal let himself be shot by Luthor?”

“I was listening to the police radio when it was all going down.  He knew the bullets contained kryptonite.  Personally, I think when that snake threatened to shoot the boy he panicked.  It was too close to home and he went in without considering his own safety.  New fathers are like that you know.”

Lois’ mouth opened slightly in shock at his words, then nodded agreement as she realized just how good a detective he really was.    

Xoxo         

Lois sat at the bedside with her head resting on her arms half asleep.  Her left hand was once again clasped around one of Clark’s hands now fully above the covers.  He sighed pleasantly causing her to raise her head up to look at his face hoping that he was finally truly waking up, but he seemed to be just dreaming so she lay her head back down and closed her eyes hoping to follow him to dreamland.  She wanted to be fresh for when he did finally wake up.  Thank goodness he seemed to be having a good dream which was something to be marveled at after all the recent horrors he had lived through.

Their lips were but a whisper away, so close that he could feel her breath… another second and…she pulled away …he opened his eyes to see her looking back at him. 

He tightened his hand around Lois’ and felt something cold and unyielding.   

“…Richard’s a good man. And you’ve been gone for a long time.”

Suddenly breathing hard he pulled his hand away from hers and moved out of her reach to the edge of the small bed.  Lois raised her head trying to once again take his hand but then noticed he was awake and looking at her warily.  He seemed to be almost shrinking away avoiding her touch.  Shaking his head slightly he said dejectedly, “Please don’t, it hurts too much, even worst than the kryptonite.”

Lois shook her head in confusion and opened her mouth to express her dismay when she noticed he seemed to be looking at her hand.  She followed his gaze and inhaled deeply seeing the engagement ring and immediately understood.  “I…um forgot I was even wearing….”  She stopped mid sentence, twirling the ring on her finger nervously then without reservation took it off.  “Richard’s a good man, but he never really replaced you in my heart.  I’m sorry that it took almost losing you for good for me to fully admit that to myself.”

He shook his head, closing his eyes as he turned away forlornly not willing to look her in the eyes. “You’re right Lois, Richard is a good man and you and Jason are better off with him.  You’re just confused from the anxiety you’ve been under lately and don’t really know what you want.”

“You’re wrong. I do know exactly what I want and my place is here with you.”

“I’m going to be fine, so you can stop worrying about me.  I’ll be leaving this hospital soon, so you can go back to your fiancé where you belong.  I don’t want to cause you any more trouble or put either of you in any more danger.”  He still refused to look at her directly.

“No one, not even you, tells Lois Lane where she belongs.  As for trouble or danger, I seem to find that all by myself so quit trying to take all the credit, or is it all the blame?” She climbed fully up on the bed and reached to pull him closer, “I’m staying by your side here or wherever you go so you might as well get used to it.”   

He finally turned back to face her and was about to say something but her face was right there and their lips were but a whisper away, so close that he could feel her breath… another second and…she closed the distance, he caught his breath closing his eyes as her mouth nearly devoured his with pent up emotion.  He opened his eyes to see her looking back at him after the long passionate kiss, her eyes still smoldering.  He was speechless.

“Any more questions about who I want?  And you Farm Boy had better recover fast, because I am not waiting another five years for you to ask me to marry you.” 

His eyes were now wide in disbelief and wonder, all he was capable of was a near smile and a simple shake of the head ‘no’.   

Xoxoxo

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