Eternity
Part 2
So they both leave for the mountains. Clark has always wanted to go hiking, but life happened, and having so many kids and a husband who had chronic pain in his back never seemed to align with this place. Being with Lois was like the epilogue of a movie; the first few days were amazing. They were never apart, and she was everything he ever dreamed of. They'd go on hikes together. Clark began to learn that hiking was not as fun as just thinking about it; he'll make it work. Lois was the perfect partner, always having good conversational topics that balanced the loss of not being able to talk about their children in front of her. She didn't really want children when they were together, but the loss of not actually having them seemed to hurt her, and it hurt even more when she was reminded that he and Bruce actually had a lot of them.
Mornings were bright. They were also early; he always considered himself a morning person, and he discovered he was just a Bruce kind of morning person. Their morning started at 9. Clark liked to get up a bit earlier to make them both a cup of coffee since B used to wake up grumpy. So now he wakes up at 6 to “enjoy the morning”, when they were together and young, that was their thing, now he needs to get used to it. And also, he needs to stop making two cups of coffee; Lois doesn't like it.
Sometimes he misses his kids. It feels forbidden to talk about them, so anytime that she's elsewhere he goes to The archive. Lois taught him about this place, which is a place in the afterlife where one can visit their memories. It's like a museum where you can re-watch key moments in their lives.
It started as something he did sometimes. Those nights were when he wondered what would happen when their kids reached the afterlife and what their reactions would be when they found out he left Bruce. That was when he made the decision; he was selfish and didn't think about his family. Sometimes he liked to think that maybe one of his kids would go with him, but then that idea slipped his mind; there was no way.
So it became an everyday thing. Whether Lois was asleep, with friends, or simply not around. He'd go to the archives. The archive employee seemed to recognize him every time and gave him the same piece of advice. To leave and not live in the past. But he couldn't. Not when he could watch Damian’s first steps, Tim’s first day at work, Jason’s colleague graduation, Cass first professional performance, Dick’s wedding, the day he met Bruce, the day he got married to Bruce, their first date, bickering in the dinner, on the park, on Dicks wedding, getting kicked out of their favorite restaurant because he laughed so hard he fell. He remembered vividly the last day Bruce was alive, and they were bickering in the car, and they were talking about the vacations they were planning. He replied that whether they'd go, Bruce would be complaining because he loves to complain, and he responded that “That’s not a thing people love”. But watching it in the archives, he just realized what he lost.
And he tried. God. He really tried. When that shitty kid was laughing at him about being out of air, he just smiled like Lois and didn't respond. He got up early in the morning and did not complain (much). When new people arrived in eternity, he went and was nice (enough). The last time he had to socialize like this was when Dick was on the gymnastics team, and moms were all crazy about their kids. But god he missed the life he had; he missed his kids and husband. Sometimes he blamed it on stupid Bruce; he was the one who told him to go with Lois, but deep down, he knew he wanted to go with her. So the stupid one was really him.
“Hey, a new couple just arrived. I already arranged a double date for us at noon.” Lois' voice broke his thoughts.
“If I meet any more new people, I’m going to explode,” Clark responded
“And then what would you complain about?” She snapped back
“What?”
“Come on, Clark, you love to complain.” The tiredness and frustration in her voice did not go unnoticed.
“That’s not a thing people love,” Clark responded, his focus was no longer in the conversation.
“You okay?”
“I made a mistake.”
“Did you lose your skis again?”
Feeling finally brave enough to respond, “No. I, uh… I made a mistake coming h-here with you.”
“Okay. What’d I do wrong now?” Lois seemed even more frustrated.
“Nothing. Oh, nothing. No, you’re perfect. I know you say you’re not b-but you are. You’re kind and brave and smart. That’s how I know.”
“I waited all these years for this. This.” She answers, showing the big house in the woods. “Why can’t you just enjoy it? We’re in a literal paradise.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner. I think I just… I think I just got really caught up in everything.”
“Clark, what the…”
“And maybe it would’ve worked between us in life. You know? Maybe not.” Tears are starting to show up in his face. “But I-I can’t pretend that my world didn’t continue without you.”
“I am not asking you to. I have never asked it of you.” She responds with now visible anger. “Unlike you, I don’t hide things.” She continued.
“Well, what’s that supposed to mean?” Clark answered confused.
“I grit my teeth every single day so you can go to that damn tunnel.” A pause. “Clark, we were happiest together.” She tried.
“Yeah. Of course we were.” Clark responded. “It was young love. It was… It was love without the burden of a mortgage or a job or kids.
It was, you know, the kind of love you feel before knowing loss. It was everything, but…
Love isn’t just one happy moment. Right? It’s a million.
And it’s bickering in the car, and supporting someone when they need it, and it’s growing together, and looking after each other.”
“We can grow together now. We can look after each other now.” Lois answered, almost pleading.
“I mean, Lois. Honestly? Am I living up to the memory? You waited so long in that… that artificial place, but here, this is real. And… And you’re living and… I’m giving you permission. Go live without me.”
“Oh, you’re giving me permission? Are you… Are you giving me permission?” Lois responded, offended at his comment.
“Okay, I’m sorry. That was a little condescending.” Clark reacted.
“Thank you so much, my Highness. I’m your humble servant.”
“Okay…” The situation became awkward.
“Thank you so much for the permission.” She said, mad. She had every right to be mad.
“I’m sorry.” He tried.
“This is not fair. It’s not fair.”
“I know. But… I have to go back.”

















