Author's note: and so at least, the end is here...this is the final chapter, and I want to thank everyone who's stayed with me, and everyone who's just coming on board now.

Once again, this chapter got NO reveiws on Livejournal. Please help me better that.

And i should probably mention at this point, since I consistantly forgot to do it, that I own neither Superman characters nor "Acquainted with the Night"; one belongs to Byran Singer and a bunch of other people, the other to Robert Frost.

Acquainted with the Night

At the end of it all, there was Lois and Superman.

Lois stared at the cigarette in her hand. Richard had been trying for five years, mostly seriously, to get her to quit. But all she could think of now was a voice saying "You know, you really shouldn't smoke, Miss Lane."

"Good night!"

Lois spun to see Jason hanging half way out of his window, waving at something over her shoulder. About to yell in warning, Lois stopped and turned, slowly, looking up…

At Superman, hanging some way above her head.

"I thought you were…" She broke off, blinking hard, aware of Jason behind her. Superman drifted a little lower, smiling that half-amused smile again.

Forcing a casual tone, she asked, knowing he'd know what she meant, "Will we see you? A-around?"

He smiled again and answered, as she'd hoped he would, "I'm always around, Lois."

Hearing Richard move around inside the house, Superman's gaze flicked to Richard's window. The boy had vanished, obviously not wanting to get in trouble with his father.

That simple word—father—caught at him as never before, and he was acutely aware of Lois' gaze. Sooner or later, he thought with a mental sigh, we'll have to discuss this. You, me, Jason…and Richard. Your son will need me, Lois…

…But he doesn't need me tonight.

Superman smiled faintly, taking one last look at Lois before turning away and heading straight up. The sun had set over Metropolis so he shifted his path to the west to pick it up, basking in the warmth for a moment before arching back down and heading home.

Back to his family.