β πππππ ππ !
Summary β a life intertwined from the start, sharing every milestoneβfirst love, first kiss, first time. a forever kind of love forged through years of shared dreams and memories. But life shifted, strained by the weight of Clarkβs dual existence as a reporter and Superman, and the devastating loss of your baby girl. Grief and unspoken pain drove a wedge between you, his absence growing as he buried himself in work or missions, leaving you to grapple with self-doubt and loneliness.
Warnings β Explicit Language, Sexual references, Mention of miscarriage, and lots of angst! MDNI!!
You stared at the message from Clark, the words glowing coldly on your phone screen:
Canβt make it in time. Donβt have to wait up.
Donβt wait up. Each letter felt like a tiny shard of glass, slicing deeper into the ache that had settled in your chest. This was the third time this week heβd bailed, and the sting of it wasnβt new anymore.
You werenβt surprised he was avoiding youβnot really. Whether he was off saving the world as Superman or chasing a deadline for The Daily Planet, Clark was a ghost in your life lately, slipping through your fingers like smoke. The absence of I love you in his text felt louder than the words themselves, a silence that echoed in the hollow space between you. When had it started to unravel? You couldnβt pinpoint the moment, but the weight of it pressed against your heart, heavy and unrelenting.
Your mind drifted, pulling you back to a memory that felt like a lifetime ago.
You were sitting on the edge of the bathtub, the cool porcelain grounding you as Clark paced the small bathroom, his broad shoulders tense with anticipation. His blue eyes sparkled with a mix of nerves and boyish excitement, like a kid waiting to open a long-awaited gift. You felt it tooβthat electric hope buzzing in your veins, tempered by the quiet fear that had lingered through too many heartbreaks.
The sharp beep of the timer snapped you out of your thoughts, and your breath hitched, lodging in your throat. Clark stopped pacing, his gaze locking onto yours, soft but intense, like he could see right into your soul. βReady, baby?β His voice was a gentle caress, warm and patient, moving at your pace despite the eager tremor beneath his words. You could feel how much this moment meant to himβhow much it meant to both of you. Us. The word felt sacred, a vow youβd both clung to through every loss, every tear, every fragile hope.
You stood, legs shaky, and crossed the short distance to the sink where four pregnancy tests sat face-down, lined up like soldiers awaiting judgment. Different brands, because youβd both been too anxious to trust just one. Your hand trembled as you reached for the first, your heart pounding so loud it drowned out the world. Slowly, you flipped it over.
Positive.
Your breath caught. You flipped the next.
Positive.
Then the third. Positive.
And the fourth. Positive.
The world blurred as tears spilled over, hot and unstoppable, streaming down your cheeks. You didnβt even know why you were cryingβrelief, joy, disbelief, all tangled together in a knot you couldnβt unravel. Clarkβs arms were around you in an instant, pulling you close, his warmth enveloping you as you soaked his shirt with your tears. His heartbeat was steady against you, grounding you in the chaos of your emotions. So many losses, so much pain, and yet here it wasβa miracle, a blessing youβd both fought so hard for.
βAre you okay? Please donβt cry, babyβ¦β Clarkβs voice cracked, his own eyes glistening as he cupped your face, thumbs brushing away your tears. His worry was so tender, so him, it only made your heart swell more.
βNoβ¦ no, happy tears,β you managed, your voice thick with emotion as you looked up at him. A wobbly smile broke through, bright and raw. βSo happy.β
His face lit up, a grin spreading wide, mirroring yoursβtwo people caught in the gravity of a moment that felt too big for the world to hold. He pulled you closer, laughing softly, a sound that vibrated with joy and relief. βWe did it,β he whispered, his forehead resting against yours. βWeβre gonna have a family.β
The memory was so vivid, so full of light, that it made the present feel even darker.
You clutched your phone, Clarkβs curt message staring back at you.
Where was that man now?
The one whoβd held you like you were his whole world? The one whoβd cried with you, laughed with you, dreamed with you? You didnβt know when things had started to go wrong, but the distance between you felt like a chasm too wide to cross. And yet, despite the hurt, the love youβd felt in that bathroomβthe love youβd built through every trialβstill flickered, stubborn and unyielding, refusing to let go.
The dinner youβd spent hours preparing sat cold and forgotten on the table, a silent testament to another night alone. You let your phone slip from your fingers onto the couch, the weight of Clarkβs message still burning in your chest.
With heavy steps, you trudged toward the bedroom, your heart dragging behind you like an anchor. Piece by piece, you shed your clothesβjacket, blouse, jeansβtossing them into the laundry bin with a carelessness that mirrored the numbness creeping over you. Your fingers worked your Burmese curls into a messy bun, each twist of your hair a small act of defiance against the chaos swirling inside.
You stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower, the hiss of water filling the silence. Steam began to curl in the air, but your eyes caught on your reflection in the mirror. You stood there, bare, staring at your body. Your belly was almost back to its pre-pregnancy shape, just a soft pudge remaining where your baby girl had left her mark. Sheβd added weight to your frame, a gentle curve youβd once loved because it reminded you of her, of the life youβd carried. But now, under the harsh bathroom light, doubt slithered in.
Maybe Clark didnβt like it. Maybe he saw the extra softness and turned away. Maybe he blamed youβfor the weight, for the losses, for the babies you couldnβt carry to term. The thought twisted like a knife in your gut.
You chuckled bitterly, the sound low and hollow, barely audible over the running water. βCanβt do anything right, huh,β you muttered to yourself, the words dripping with self-loathing. They hung in the air, heavy with the pain youβd been carrying alone for too long.
βHey, Alexa, play βPray You Catch Meβ by BeyoncΓ©,β you called out, your voice cracking just slightly as you grabbed your towel and shower essentials. You wrapped your hair carefully, tucking your curls beneath a scarf, and stepped into the warm spray of the shower. The water cascaded over you, but it couldnβt wash away the ache in your chest. You closed your eyes, letting the music fill the room, haunting melody wrapping around you like a mournful embrace.
βNothing else ever seems to hurt like the smile on your faceβ¦β The lyrics spilled from your lips, soft at first, your voice trembling as you sang along.
βWhen itβs only in my memory, it donβt hit me quite the sameβ¦β The words felt like they were written for you, each note slicing through the fragile walls youβd built around your heart. Tears welled up, hot and relentless, mingling with the water streaming down your face. You didnβt bother wiping them away; there was no one here to see, no one to judge the way your shoulders shook with silent sobs.
You leaned your forehead against the cool tile, the contrast jarring against your heated skin. Memories of Clark flooded inβhis warm smile, the way his eyes used to light up when he looked at you, the way heβd held you all those months ago, both of you crying tears of joy over those positive tests. That Clark felt like a ghost now, replaced by someone who couldnβt even spare you an I love you in a text. The distance between you wasnβt just physicalβit was a growing void, one you didnβt know how to bridge.
βPrayinβ I catch you whispering, Iβm prayinβ you catch me listeningβ¦β Your voice broke as you sang, the lyrics a desperate plea to understand where it all went wrong. Did he see your pain? Did he even care? The weight of your losses pressed down harderβeach miscarriage, each hope shattered, each moment youβd blamed yourself for not being enough. The shower water couldnβt drown out the voices in your head, the ones that whispered youβd failed him, failed your family, failed the dream youβd both held so tightly.
You sank to your knees, the water pounding against your back as the tears came faster, raw and unstoppable. The steam felt suffocating now, but you didnβt care. You hugged your arms around yourself, as if you could hold together the pieces that were breaking apart. βWhat are you doing, my love?β BeyoncΓ©βs voice sang, and you choked on a sob, wondering if Clark would ever call you that again.
The love youβd felt in that bathroom moment, the joy of building a future together, felt like a cruel mirage nowβone you kept chasing, even as it slipped further away.
You stayed there, curled under the water, letting the music and your tears carry the weight of your grief. The shower was your sanctuary, the only place you could let the facade crack, where you could admit how much it hurt to love someone who felt so far gone. And yet, despite it all, a stubborn spark of hope flickered deep insideβa longing for the Clark whoβd held you like you were his world, a belief that maybe, just maybe, you could find your way back to us.
The sharp clink of dishes jolted you awake, your heart lurching as you sat up in bed, the remnants of last nightβs tears still clinging to your lashes. βClark?β you called softly, your voice thick with sleep and the weight of yesterdayβs sorrow. You slipped out of bed, the cool floor grounding you as you padded toward the kitchen, the sound growing louder with each step.
There he was, standing in the dim morning light filtering through the window, cleaning up the dinner youβd left forgotten on the table. Clark Kent, looking as handsome as ever in his rumpled button-up, sleeves rolled to his elbows, his dark hair slightly mussed like heβd run his hands through it one too many times. But the sight of himβso familiar, yet so distantβtwisted something deep in your chest. He probably thought less of you now, you thought, your insecurities whispering that you werenβt enough, not after everything youβd both lost.
He turned at the sound of your voice, his blue eyes softening with a mix of guilt and regret as they landed on the untouched lasagna and homemade garlic breadβhis favorite. βWas this for me?β he asked, his voice low, almost hesitant. βIβm sorry.β
You forced a small smile, the kind youβd perfected over months of pretending you were okay. βYeah, but itβs fine. You had to work.β The words were gentle, but they carried the weight of all the nights youβd spent alone, all the times youβd swallowed your hurt to keep the peace. You stood there, arms crossed, suddenly aware of your disheveled stateβbonnet long gone, your Burmese curls wild and free, edges slightly fluffy but still framing your face. You probably looked a mess, but Clarkβs gaze lingered, and for a moment, you felt exposed under the intensity of it.
Clark set the plate down, his jaw tightening as he looked at you, really looked at you. He felt like shit. Things had been so different since youβd lost your baby girl, a wound neither of you knew how to heal. He couldnβt explain the ache in his chest, the helplessness that consumed him every time he saw the pain in your eyes. He knew heβd been distant, pulling away when he shouldβve been holding you closer, but youβd said you needed space, and heβd taken it too literally, too afraid to push you when you seemed so fragile.
Now, seeing you standing there, so beautiful despite the sadness etched into your features, he felt the full weight of his mistakes.
βYou didnβt have to do all this,β he said quietly, gesturing to the food, his voice thick with emotion. βI shouldβve been here.β He took a step closer, his eyes tracing over you like he was seeing you for the first time in months.
The pregnancy had changed you in ways that made his heart stutterβa glow that hadnβt faded, even after the loss. The extra weight you carried, the soft curves that had settled in all the right places, drove him wild in a way he hadnβt admitted out loud. Your hips, your breasts, the way your cheeks had gotten just a little chubbierβit was all so perfect, so you. He thought youβd never looked more beautiful, and it killed him that he hadnβt told you enough.
You wanted to believe the warmth in his eyes, the way he looked at you like you were still his everything, but the distance between you had carved a wound too deep to ignore.
βCan we talk?β you asked, your voice barely above a whisper, trembling with the weight of everything unsaid. You werenβt sure if you were ready for this, but the words slipped out anyway, raw and desperate for somethingβanythingβto bridge the gap.
Clarkβs eyes softened further, a flicker of hope breaking through the guilt etched into his features. He nodded, setting the dish heβd been holding back on the table, his movements careful, like he was afraid of shattering the fragile moment. βYeah,β he said, his voice low and earnest. βOf course, baby.β
The word baby hit you like a tidal wave, stirring memories of happier timesβnights spent tangled in each otherβs arms, laughter filling the spaces where pain now lived. You swallowed hard, trying to keep your composure as you gestured toward the living room. βLetβs sit,β you said, needing the distance of the couch to feel grounded, to keep from falling apart under the intensity of his presence.
You settled onto the couch, tucking your legs beneath you, your wild curls spilling over your shoulders. Clark followed, sitting close but not too close, his hands clasped tightly in his lap as if he was restraining himself from reaching for you. The morning light cast soft shadows across his face, highlighting the lines of exhaustion and sorrow that hadnβt been there a year ago. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the worldβnot just as Superman, but as the man who loved you and didnβt know how to fix what was broken.
He could tell you didnβt know how to begin this conversation, the look on your face broke him.
βIβve been a shitty partner,β he started, his voice rough with self-reproach. βI know Iβve let you down, pulling away when you needed me most. I thoughtβ¦ I thought giving you space was what you wanted, but I see now how much I hurt you.β His eyes searched yours, pleading for you to understand. βLosing herβour baby girlβit gutted me. I didnβt know how to talk about it, how to be there for you when I could barely hold myself together. But thatβs no excuse. I shouldβve fought harder to stay close.β
Your throat tightened, tears threatening to spill again as his words echoed the pain youβd both been carrying. βI needed you, Clark,β you said, your voice cracking under the weight of your honesty. βI needed you to see me, to hold me, to tell me weβd get through it together. But you were goneβphysically, emotionallyβand I started to think maybe you blamed me. Maybe you thought I wasnβt strong enough, that I failed us.β The confession poured out, raw and jagged, each word cutting deeper as you laid bare your insecurities.
Clarkβs face crumpled, and he shook his head vehemently, leaning closer. βNo, God, no. I could never blame you. Never.β His hand reached for yours, hesitant at first, then gripping tightly when you didnβt pull away. βYouβre the strongest person I know. You carried us through so much, and Iβ¦ I let you down. I was scaredβscared of saying the wrong thing, of making it worse. But I see you, I always have. Youβre so beautiful, inside and out, and I hate that Iβve made you feel like youβre anything less than everything to me.β
His thumb brushed over your knuckles, and you felt the warmth of his touch seep into you, thawing the cold ache that had settled in your bones. The way he looked at you, with such raw adoration, made your heart stutter. βYou still think Iβm beautiful?β you asked, your voice small, almost disbelieving. βEven now, afterβ¦ everything?β
Clarkβs gaze softened, a small, sad smile tugging at his lips. βEspecially now,β he said, his voice thick with emotion. βThe way youβve carried yourself through all of this, the way you still find a way to smile, to make me dinner even when I donβt deserve itβ¦ Youβre breathtaking. The way your curls frame your face, the way your curves make my heart raceβGod, I canβt stop thinking about how perfect you are. Our baby girl wouldβve been so lucky to have you as her mom, and I know she will be, one day, no matter how long it takes.β
The tears youβd been holding back spilled over, but this time they werenβt just from painβthey were from the flicker of hope his words ignited, the possibility that you could find your way back to each other. You squeezed his hand, your voice trembling as you spoke. βI donβt know how to do this, Clark. I donβt know how to keep going when it hurts so much. But I miss us. I miss you.β
He leaned forward, his forehead resting gently against yours, his breath warm against your skin. βI miss us too,β he whispered, his voice breaking. βIβm here now, and Iβm not going anywhere. Weβll figure it out together, okay? One step at a time.β
You nodded, your tears mingling with his as you sat there, foreheads pressed together, hearts raw and open. The pain was still there, sharp and unrelenting, but so was the loveβa stubborn, resilient thing that refused to let go. For the first time in months, you felt like you werenβt facing it alone, and that small spark was enough to make you believe, just maybe, that you could rebuild what youβd lost.
You sat there for what felt like an eternity, the warmth of Clarkβs forehead against yours a fragile anchor in the storm of emotions that had been raging inside you for so long. His breath mingled with yours, steady and reassuring, a rhythm that slowly began to sync with your own erratic heartbeat. The tears continued to fall, silent now, tracing salty paths down your cheeks and onto his hands, which had found their way to cradle your face with a tenderness that made your chest ache.
Clark opened up about his own vulnerabilities, the pressure of being the Man of Steel when inside he felt like crumbling clay. βI need you to know,β he said, setting down his fork to take your hand across the table, βthat youβre my strength. Not my powers, not the suitβyou.β The words wrapped around your heart, mending cracks you hadnβt realized were there.
As evening fell, the city lights twinkling outside the window, you found yourselves back in the bedroom, undressing not with the frantic passion of old but with a deliberate slowness, rediscovering each other inch by inch. His hands explored the new softness of your body, whispering praises that made you blush, while you traced the scars on his skinβreminders that even he wasnβt invincible.
The lovemaking was tender, emotional, tears mixing with sighs as you connected on a level deeper than physical. Afterward, wrapped in sheets and each otherβs arms, you lay in contented silence, the weight of the past still there but lighter now, shared between two instead of borne alone. Clark pressed a kiss to your forehead, his voice a rumble in the dark.
βNo matter what comes next, weβre in this together.β
You smiled against his chest, the first genuine one in months, feeling the pieces of your shattered world slowly knitting back together. It wasnβt a fairytale endingβjust a beginning, raw and real, but yours nonetheless.














