DCU Superman #23

A day later…..

 

Lois opens her eyes to find herself in a hospital room, she looks around to see the tv playing what looks to be an episode of Law & Order, which she assumes must mean Clark must’ve taken her here.

 

“Hey.” She looks at the entrance to see Clark, with a cup of coffee, dressed in his sweater.

 

“Hey.” she responds.

 

“Got you some coffee and sweets, wasn’t sure which you wanted, so I just got cookies.” He said with a warm smile.

 

“Thanks.” She replied softly, focusing on the cup of coffee, trying to avoid “the talk”. The awkward silence lasted for what seemed like minutes until she finally spoke up.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing.” He gives a somber look before replying.

 

“I got the gist of it from your detective friend.” He walks up and sits beside her on the hospital bed.

 

“And I get why you were investigating this lead, you probably wanted to get the criminal who was responsible for countless murders throughout the decades, you thought it was a way you could honor the people he’s wronged.”

 

“You make it sound like what I was doing was heroic.” She lets out with a weak laugh.

 

“What do you mean?” He asks, looking concerned.

 

“It was in ‘88, the day of school before christmas break, I was getting dropped off by my mom, and on the way there, I noticed some files, when I asked her what they were, she said it was some paperwork about a business meeting.” She gives him a look he’s…. Never seen before, a look of pain, not physical, but emotional.

 

“A couple hours later, the school day ends. I spent nearly two hours waiting for my mom to pick me up. When someone finally picked me up, it wasn’t her, it was Perry. When I asked where she was, he said……” She choked up for a few moments. Tears started to form from the corners of her eyes.

 

“She died, and I later found out those files weren’t paperwork for some business meeting, they were case files that involved the guy I was dealing with yesterday. He said the police claimed it was an accident, but I knew it wasn’t. I spent night and day for years trying to find out why and who did this, I found bits and pieces, but I could never find him. He was what made me kept going.” She finally looks up to him, tears streaming her cheeks.

 

“What made you stop?” He finally asks. She sniffles before letting out a soft laugh and says.

 

“You.” She looks down.

 

“I bet I’m not so heroic now, am I.” She mutters out. He got closer and hugged her tightly.

 

“You’re wrong, you are a hero. Even if you thought the reason to do it was to solve your mom’s death, you also knew that you had to stop this man from hurting other people. The way I see it, you are a hero.” He lets go to see her let out a smile before joking.

 

“Please stop praising me, you’re gonna make me blush.” He smiles back.

 

“There’s the Lois I know and love.”

 

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Hours later...

 

I’m standing around, waiting for the boy in blue to show up. Been waiting for an hour for the prick to show up. As I’m midway through my cigarette, I notice a giant shadow in front of me.

 

“Took you long enough.” I look up to see the big blue boyscout himself, Superman.

 

“I would’ve come sooner, but I had to deal with some stuff.” He responds

 

“Of course,” I mutter.

 

“So what did you want to ask that I haven’t already answered?” The boy in blue is silent for nearly a minute before asking.

 

“Why?” I look back at him.

 

“Why? Why what?”

 

“Why did you get her involved?” I scoff, she told him.

 

“I didn’t force her, she chose to meet with me. I just simply offered her a chance to meet her mom’s killer.” He stares at me, a long stare, before letting out a few words.

 

“You’re lying. You wanted her.” I let out a laugh.

 

“Why would I need her? She didn’t provide anything new to the case.”

 

“I have a feeling you knew her mother.” I’m silent. I look down to the ground before I tell him.

 

“I did, she was a nice woman, had a nice kid, helped me from a dark place. Wanted to do her justice.” I look up back at him. He gives a… confusing reaction before landing onto the ground, walking towards me and gives his hand out.

 

“Thank you.” He gives a soft smile, I grab and shake his hand. I walk away and pull a new cigarette out.

 

“This doesn’t change anything!” I yell out.

 

“I think it does.” He says before he flies off into the night. I look to the city lights before I think to myself.

 

“Case closed I suppose. But where one mystery ends, another mystery is made.” I walk to the edge of the roof, thinking to myself.

 

“Clark.”

 

Done