A Different Crimson

Chapter 4

The next day Lois and Clark were getting things ready so everything would be taken care of for the next two weeks. Clark went and talked to Mr. Hubbard about taking care of the farm while he was gone and Lois called her boss at the Inquisitor and told him that she would be taking two weeks vacation to travel the world. Lois then had to call her father and tell him the same thing. The General was not happy about Lois leaving her job for a few weeks just to go off and have some fun.

"Lois, you don't have the money to be doing this. You need to stay and work. Is that Queen boy taking you, because that is the only way I can see this working for you." General Lane said.

"No daddy, Oliver and I broke up. This is just to get back on my feet and out of the funk that I was in because of the break up." Lois said.

"So, you are going to waste money that you don't have just because you broke up with a boy. I thought I taught you better than this Lois." The General said.

"Daddy, I called you so that you knew that I would be out of town as a courtesy. I didn't call to ask your permission. I am going whether you like it or not. So, live with it." Lois said as she hung up on the General.

"I am guessing that didn't go so well." Clark said as he walked up into the loft.

"About as well as I expected it to. I should have just left it alone and not called him." Lois said.

"No, you did the right thing. At least now he will know that you are not at home. He would probably be worse if he tried to call you and you didn't answer." Clark said.

"You are probably right. So, when do we need to leave today?" Lois asked.

"There is no set time. Not like Jor-El gave me after the last meteor shower anyways. That time I had to be back by sunset and I didn't make it." Clark said.

"What was your punishment for that?" Lois asked.

"He took my powers away until he had no choice but to give them back." Clark said.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Lois asked.

"Because you are right to." Clark said.

"Ok, we said we were going to tell each other everything now, so spill Smallville." Lois said.

"Ok, well, a lot of stuff happened while you were off looking for Lucy. First I was helping the town rebuild, but it was hard without my powers. These guys for Belle Reve broke out and took us all hostage and I had to help them do what they wanted and I got it done just in time and the Sheriff showed up just in time as well. A couple of days later a guy that Chloe knew from high school kidnapped her and shot me. Chloe was taken to a missle silo where this kid was going to use the nuke to destroy the town. I was rushed to the hospital and I didn't make it. Jor-El had me transported to the fortress by way of Lionel, who Jor-El was using as a vessel. I was brought back to life and had my powers back. The thing was though, that in order for me to live someone else had to die. Kind of like a life for a life type of thing. Anyways, I raced back to Smallville and stopped the nuke and saved the town." Clark said.

"Shit. You mean to tell me that the love of my life died and I didn't even know anything about it. What the hell Smallville?" Lois asked.

"Sorry Lois, but at the time we barely even thought of each other as friends, so I didn't see the reason to tell you that." Clark said.

"At least in our conscous mind anyways. Now that I think about it. I think there was always something there between us." Lois said.

"Yeah, I think you are right. So, anymore questions?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, two. What do you mean that Jor-El used Lionel as a vessel and what about this life for a life thing?" Lois asked.

"Lionel was Jor-El's vessel for a while. Something happened to Lionel during the meteor shower and he somehow got knowledge of all things Kryptonian. I really don't know much else about it. As for the life for a life thing, it is pretty much just what it sounds like. There has to be a balance, so for me coming back to life someone else had to die." Clark said.

"You aren't telling me everything Smallville. Continue." Lois said.

"Ok, so I lived the day that dad got elected twice." Clark said.

"What?" Lois interrupted.

"I will explain if you give me a chance. Anyways, I felt that Lana was pulling away from me so I had the bright idea of proposing to her and doing it at the fortress and telling her everything while we were there. She didn't answer for a while and later on she met me at the house where we met up to go to the election party. She said yes then. We went to the party and found out that dad won. Lana left to go and see how Lex was doing and Lex found out that we were engaged. Let's just say he wasn't happy about that so he asked Lana why she would agree to marry me with all the secrets that I have and he could see right through Lana and knew that she knew my secret. Lana ran out of the house and Lex chased her down the road in his car. She called me and told me what was going on and I left to help her. When I got to the crossroad her car was overturned after being hit by a bus and she was dead. I went to Jor-El and he sent me back in time for a day and I lived it all over again. This time I didn't tell Lana anything and she was pissed at me and I went upstair to find you laying in water about to get shocked, so you were just about taken from me. Lana still ended up being chased by Lex and I got there in time to stop the bus from hitting her though. Then we got home and dad was having his heart attack and died." Clark said.

"So, that is why you always felt so responsible for your dad's death? I hate that you had to go through all of that Smallville but it wasn't your fault." Lois said.

"I know that now. At the time I didn't think that way though. Anyways, enough about that. So, let's go and get ready to leave. The sooner we get to the fortress the sooner we can get back to our lives." Clark said.

"On that we both can agree. Although, I need to find something better than the Inquisitor for a job. It like everyone says, it's not even good enough to wipe your ass with." Lois said.

"Well, you can work on that when we get back. I am sure you can show some of your work to the Daily Planet and they would hire you now that you have some experience." Clark said.

"Maybe you are right. Anyways, I do have to say one thing about your do over day." Lois said.

"And what might that be?" Clark asked.

"I am glad you didn't propose to Lana again because then I would have had to kick her ass." Lois said.

"I am sure you would Lois. I am sure you would." Clark said as they both went in the house to pack and get ready for what would be six months for them and only a week for the outside world. They both then sped to the caves and used the portal to the fortress where they would make their home for the next six months.