They had dropped Jimmy off at his apartment, once he had finished asking Clark questions about what it was like to be Superman it was obvious that their kidnapping was long forgotten. All Jimmy really cared about was learning more about Superman and Krypton. He almost seemed like a small child, that was disappointed when they had to leave.

Irene and Clark lay in bed together and for all the talking they were doing at Jimmy's, they had both fallen into silence when they had gotten home. Her head was resting against his chest and she felt as he placed a kiss on her head. "Are you sure you're okay."

Rolling her eyes she lay flat on her back looking up at the ceiling. Irene didn't understand why he seemed to insist that there was something wrong. Other than the bruise on her cheek she hadn't been hurt. "For the hundredth time I said I'm fine."

"You scared me today." He stated causing her to sit up. She never really thought she was in any real danger, in fact most of the time she was worried about him. Irene had never considered that Clark would be scared for her too. And she realized that it was selfish of her to believe.

"I'm right here." She assured him as he pulled her back down in his arms. Every time she was in Clark's arms Irene couldn't help but feel safe, and she was sure that she would never tire of the feeling. She never wanted to be in another arms. "I don't want to share you with anyone else."

Clark chuckled as he pulled her closer. "There's never going to be anyone else."

"I hope that isn't true." Irene found herself saying against her better judgment as she rested her head on his chest. Being tied to a chair for hours gave her a lot of time to think. Many were things that she had hoped to keep to herself, but she knew it would be something that could not be ignored forever.

"What do you mean?" Clark questioned sounding truly confused and when Irene said nothing he sat up suddenly, causing her to sit up too. Clutching the sheets to her chest Irene finally met Clark's eyes. "Irene what do you mean?"

"I mean that scientifically you're going to live a lot longer than me." She replied from the shocked expression on his face she knew that it was something that he had not thought about. It shocked her as she thought it was something that he had always known, but now she almost felt guilty for bringing it up. "You age a lot slower than I will. I'll grow old and then you won't want me anymore. And I'll understand."

That wasn't entirely the truth. She would be heartbroken the day that it would happen. To her misfortune she couldn't imagine a life without Clark Kent anymore.

"My heart is so full of you, I can hardly call it my own anymore. That won't change. So, you're wrong. I'm yours Irene, even when you grow old and even after I've lost you."

"Clark I..."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Clark stated firmly as he fell back into bed, he looked up at the ceiling and she knew that the conversation really was over. That he probably had no intentions of ever bringing up the topic again.

The thing was that she hadn't intended to continue to conversation, but she was still determined to tell him what she intended even if he no longer wanted to speak. She climbed on top of him and his hands instinctively went to her thighs, holding her in place.

"Clark I love you." She told him and as he moved to tried to sit up, she placed her hands on his chest forcing him down again. Of course he had the strength to resist but he let her keep him down. It seemed it was mostly out of shock as he looked up at her in disbelief. "I ironically may not be able to put it into words the way you can. But I love you with every breath I breathe."

Clark smiled as he now sat up. "You put it into words just fine."

She had woken Clark up early into the morning so that they could finish writing their story together in order for it to make the morning edition. The spent the entire morning perfecting it until she knew that Perry could never deny them the front page.

Irene was overcome with excitement as they entered the Daily Planet, however Clark seemed incredibly nervous.

"Alright you know Perry you have to be a little stern," Irene told him as the stepped into the elevator and the moment the doors closed she reached forward to straighten Clark's tie. "or else he won't respect you. This is a front page story and we won't accept anything else."

The moment that the elevator doors opened Irene headed straight to Perry's office, she knew that he had been expecting them. His door was left open for them to enter. Irene simply placed their story on the desk and took a seat. Clark did the same though he looked at Irene curiously as Perry didn't say a word as he began to read.

Irene and Clark sat in silence as Perry read their story, the editors face revealed nothing about what he thought. Irene was used to it, Clark on the other hand seemed nervous. When he was finally finished Perry set the draft to the side as he finally looked up to meet the two reporter's eyes.

"Looks like you two had quite and adventure." Their editor in chief commented as he leaned back in his chair.

"You could say that." Clark replied, and Irene couldn't help but smile at how nervous Clark was. This was going to be his first big story, it was a career defining moment for him.

"Congratulations Kent this is going to be your first front page story." Perry finally said after a long moment, before he looked over to Irene.  "Miranda good job."

Irene smiled, although she knew that their story was guaranteed to be front page news she loved getting validated for her work. "Great."

"I'll also need you two to sign this." Perry stated as he placed a sheet of paper on his desk sliding it towards the two of them.

Clark and Irene both reached for it but she got it first, looking up at Perry. "What's this?"

"It's for HR to keep on file."

It was a Consensual Relationship Agreement, and Irene was so shocked she almost laughed. She hadn't expected though she knew it would be inevitable at some point. "Irene you're a senior writer at the Planet. Clark is not."

She understood. Of course she did, not signing one could mean trouble if they ever were to break up. But Irene was so sure that it would never happen that it had never come to mind. Maybe that was foolish of her, all couples had their problems. Irene and Clark were still so new that they had yet to come across anything that they truly didn't like about each other.

Irene nodded in understanding as she handed the agreement to Clark to read. "Everything look good?"

"Yeah."He confirmed as he handed the paper back to Irene.

Irene sighed as she picked up a pen from Perry's desk signing above where her name was already printed before sliding the piece of paper back to Clark.

"You've had this for a while haven't you?" Irene questioned not at all surprised that Perry had figured it out. He had probably predicted he would need one before they even got together.

"Yup." Was his only response as he took the agreement and placed it inside a file in his desk.  "Now go get me another front page story."

Irene smiled already excited to begin working on the story she had in mind since her phone call with Barbara. In truth the story that they had just handed still had some loose threads that needed to be addressed. Perry didn't know that yet, and they had left out any mentions of Lex Luther knowing that it was too risky. Without any real motive or proof it was all just accusations against the most powerful man in the city."I already have one in mind."

Perry seemed intrigued by her statement as he looked at her pointedly. "Care to share?"

"Not yet." She replied knowing that she needed more before she could even pitch the story to Perry.

"At least now I know I'm well protected of you taking advantage of me." Clark mused as they stepped out of Perry's office.

Irene stopped as she looked at Clark so shocked by his words that a small laugh escaped her lips. "Taking advantage of you? You're thirty one. You're six years older than me and the most powerful being on the planet so if anything you could take advantage of me."

"I think we both know that you're the one that holds all the power here." He whispered to her. She smiled at his words, and had they not been at work she would have kissed him then. Clark must have seen it in her eyes as he smiled in return, but she simply turned around and headed towards her desk.

There was always work to be done, and she could not let herself be so easily distracted by Clark anytime he was around.

A/N: What better way to start the New Year than with an update? The last two chapters of book 2 are going to be cute filler chapters.