Never Be Alone || SMALLVILLE • CK/OC【AU】

1

Not everyone can be saved.

It is a great truth and harsh reality.

When you're a hero it's heartbreaking knowing you can't save all of the strangers stuck in a burning building or all of the strangers stuck on a sinking ship.

But you have to learn how to move on because that's all you can do. Whether or not if you were there or not, people would still die. The benefit of a hero is that maybe not everyone will.

As a hero himself, Clark Kent got caught in this cycle, which isn't a bad thing he doesn't think, but it didn't prepare him for the day where the person he couldn't save was someone he knew– someone he loved.

Something so common. So normal. But came without warning. A car crash.

Lois Lane died because of a car crash driving home to Smallville from Metropolis.

With all the powers he has, there was no way of saving her. She was gone by the time he got the phone call.

Nothing could have prepared him for the crushing feeling knowing that there was nothing he could do to save her. Lois was gone forever and he had to learn how to live with that. He learned the consequences of turning back time.

It's been two years without her now and Clark thinks about her everyday. He passes her now-filled desk at the Daily Planet everyday. Memories of sitting across from Lois exchanging banter, smiles, and jokes with her replay in his head like movie scenes he wants to remember forever. Sitting across from her empty desk felt wrong without her there so Clark had to find somewhere else to work on the floor before someone took her place.

The only desk they had available was in the back corner where the lights never worked. No matter how many bulbs were changed or repair teams came in to fix it, the lights never would come on. Clark didn't mind so much and learned to get used to it. It was like a little fortress of solitude. Somehow everything was quiet and slow-paced in his lonely corner. At first he wasn't sure if he liked it, but he adjusted. He rarely left the spot and no one really came to it. It made it easier for him to duck his head and lay low.

That is until today. After a hiring event two weeks ago, just about everyday this week a new hire makes their appearance in the basement. They fill in an empty desk and immediately get to work, just as a new hire should. Clark wasn't anticipating anyone taking the desk across from him. It wasn't the ideal work area and he quite honestly didn't know if Perry White was accounting it as a vacancy. His relocated desk was a catchall for the reporters for years until Clark took it. It would make sense for Clark to assume that the desk was up for grabs.

But you know what they say about assuming.

There is a new name plate on the desk this morning.

'ELEANOR JOHNSON'

Undoubtedly, Clark is struck with shock when he arrives and sees the new name. He turns on his feet and walks towards the door of Perry White's office. Clark gently knocks on the door.

"The door is open." Perry calls from behind his desk.

Clark enters the office. The editor-in-chief knows what this is about as soon as he realizes that it is Clark walking into the office.

"Good morning, Mr. Kent." Perry White looks away from his computer and in the direction of the 6'3" Kryptonian.

"Good morning, Mr. Perry." Clark greets, ready to push the pleasantries out of the way.

Perry recognizes Clark's look of confusion and discontent. "I suppose you're here to ask about your new partner."

"I am."