From Part 3:
"Ms. Lane? This is Mr. Thorul again. I just want to make sure that you received our employment contract. I hope you weren't offended that we went ahead and made the appointment for you with Dr. Deter. You have to understand that if we have you return to work full-time, before you're ready, we may be liable for any subsequent mental health issues that may arise as a result. It's on the advice of our legal counsel, of course. A physical examination is standard in all of our employment contracts; yours is expanded because you spent the last ten years in a war zone. Believe me, there is nothing personal about the request." His tone of voice appeared businesslike, but Lois could hear some gleefulness, which really set her off.
"Mr. Thorul – yes, I have your 'contract'; and, as much as I would like to tell you what to do with it – I *want* this job at the Daily Planet, so I won't! Fine, I'll report to Dr. Deter and keep the appointment. I'm sure he'll find that I'm perfectly sane. I'd take this 'concrete jungle' over the one in Brazzaville anytime!"
"Ms. Lane – your sanity was never in question. You ability to handle the stress of the job – which a premier investigative reporter like you is likely to experience on a daily basis – is what's in question."
"Yeah, yeah, this is just corporate baloney, Mr. Thorul, *sir*," Lois replied sarcastically. "You know it and I know it. No matter. I can measure up to whatever benchmark you can throw at me."
<"Holy cow, Lois. I hope you don't really want to go back to the Planet or anything!">
"Well, good. I'm glad to see that we're on the same page here. Report to the Planet after you leave Dr. Deter's office, and bring his sealed report with you. Our interim 'city beat' editor will be expecting you around 10:00 a.m. Good day, now."
Before she could ask the name of the "interim editor", the line went dead. "Clark, it's time to call Perry and schedule that meeting for tonight. After that, I'm going to be more than ready for the honeymoon," Lois lamented.
"You got it, honey. I'll call Perry right now."
~~~~~
4
(Parts of this chapter have been reprinted from the original story - Jungle Love)
Perry had been delighted with the idea of the five of them getting together to do "strategic planning", as it's often referred to in the corporate world. They set up a dinner party at the Mayor's home for 7 p.m. Worried that Edge Enterprises had their phones bugged (despite's Clark's insistence that it wasn't), Lois had made Clark go to a phone booth to set everything up, including confirming the meeting time with James.
The Mayor's home was on the upper west side of Metropolis. Perry and Alice had already started packing, as there were boxes and suitcases populating the foyer of the mansion. They had left a narrow aisle, so their guests could make it into the dining room, where a delicious meal would be served shortly.
Lois and Clark arrived via 'Air Superman' at almost the same time as James was emerging from yet another heart-stopping taxicab ride.
"Hey, Jim! Let's go inside, Lois got a surprise package in the mail this afternoon," Clark informed him. “I can’t wait to tell you *this* one!" They rang the doorbell, and Perry himself opened the door.
"Great shades of Elvis, it's great to see you three!" he bellowed. "Come on in."
~~~~~
"Mark Boyle, please."
"Hold, please."
"Boyle speaking. May I help you?"
"Catch a plane and be here ASAP. I have a job for you in the states."
"Is it worth my resigning from the BBN?"
"Absolutely. You've always made more money from your side jobs with us, than from that one, anyway."
"True. Will I get to see Lois again?"
"See her? Hell, you're going to get to be the acting editor of the 'city beat' at the Daily Planet! She and the 'Boy Scout' got married, however, as soon as they got back."
"Marriage is only a piece of paper. I'll be there as soon as I can catch a plane, probably by Saturday."
"Excellent. Find me as soon as you've arrived."
"I certainly will. Thank you for the opportunity."
"Just don't blow it again. By the way, how's Nigel healing these days?"
"Still wearing some bandages, and has to stay out of the sun. Probably another month before he can make his official debut as my brother."
"Great. Maybe we'll have the 'Boyle Brothers' as my new editing team. By the way, you'll be reporting to Perry White."
"Bloody Hell! You didn't tell me *that* part!" I thought he was Mayor of Metropolis!"
"Olson made him an offer to come back to the Planet as Editor-in-Chief, and he had already resigned from the Mayor's office before I could step in and buy Olson out. The announcement that he was going back to his old post at the Daily Planet had hit the streets; it would have been bad public relations for LNN & Edge Enterprises to renege on it, what with White's outrageous popularity in this city."
"It might be fun to work with Perry again. He's going to hate it, but I'll enjoy it! Good day, Leonard."
"Goodbye, Mark."
~~~~~
Dinner had been enlightening. Perry and James weren't surprised at the news of Lois' employment contract. Perry had even made the point that she *could* be suffering from latent trauma, and that the exam could be a positive thing. Clark agreed somewhat, stating that Lois herself had told him she was going to need years of therapy when she got back home, after witnessing ten years of horrors and injustice.
James had felt guilty, because he felt that if he had been more on top of things at the Planet, Lois would still be working for him. While he felt the psychological exam might be a worthwhile endeavor, he would have *suggested* it, not made it a *mandate*.
They asked Alice what they thought of Perry stepping down as Mayor. She replied that he never left the Daily Planet in spirit, anyway. He was probably too honest to be a politician, sadly, and he missed the pressures of meeting deadlines and out-scooping the competition. She knew, as a loving wife would, that he would be happier at home if he was happy at work. She also realized that with the new corporate owners, they all needed to display a united front.
Perry assured the three of them that, as surreptitiously as possible, they would all work closely to bring down Intergang; if that including bringing down their employer as well, that was fine. Lois expressed concern for her sister's welfare, as she was married to someone who was more than likely "in bed" with Intergang and the underworld. It was suggested by Alice that upon Clark and Lois' return from their honeymoon, Lois could take her sister on a "girl's day only" shopping spree. When Lois was certain that their privacy was not being compromised (i.e., Lucy was not inadvertently wearing any listening devices), they would have a heart-to-heart talk about Lois' fears for her and explain Will's possible Intergang connection. Lois was dreading having to have that conversation with her sister, who was a newlywed as well.
Of course, Lois and Clark said nothing about the real identity of Lenny Thorul. To the group, he was just another thug of Edge Enterprises, a corporate pawn from the West Coast, brought here to "take no prisoners". The gathering concluded around 11:00 p.m. Clark offered to give Jim a 'lift' home, quite literally, but he declined.
"Thanks, Clark, but I need that adrenalin rush of the cab ride home to clear my head," James joked. "I'll see you two when you get back. Have a great honeymoon, and say 'hi' to your folks, Clark. Bye, Lois."
"Bye, James. You take care," replied Lois.
~~~~~
“Wow, what a bizarre couple of days it’s been,” Clark remarked to Lois as they began their descent to “Paradise”, their own personal Isle in the Fiji Islands, to begin their “honeymoon”.
“You’re not kidding. You just can’t make this stuff up!” agreed Lois. “And I find it amazing that with the magic of time zones, we can arrive on Friday morning, leave on Saturday morning and actually be back in Kansas on Friday night, like we promised. Pretty cool,” commented Lois as Clark gently placed her sandaled feet on the white, sandy beach.
“Let’s not talk about what happened at the Planet until the weekend is over, okay? I promised you a honeymoon and, though it will be a short one day, we’re going to make it a great one!”
“You’re right, Clark. Like you said before, all the issues we just dealt with will be there on Monday morning. Now, I want to hear about my 'twin' and how she got here. I know you said we’d talk about it in Smallville, but I would really like to focus on getting to know your folks, not re-hashing a story they already know about. So give.”
“Let me make a fire, you get the ‘bed’ ready, and then I’ll tell you everything,” Clark promised, as he scouted the area to find dry brush. Lois opened the tote bag she had brought; she spread the fleece comforter she had purchased (just for this occasion) out on the snow-colored sand, and smiled as Clark came back, starting a wonderful fire with his eyes.
The morning sun was strong as they were facing east. It was a glorious early April morning. They snuggled up on the blanket. At least for this day, life was wonderful.
Clark proceeded to tell Lois about his engagement to Lana, H.G. Wells, meeting and almost falling in love with her doppelganger from the other universe, and the tale of how "Joe and Mary Lang" arrived here from yet *another* universe. (Refer to "Jungle Love" for the entire conversation).
Lois' head was spinning from assimilating all of the truly fantastic stories she'd just been told.
“Wow. This is really unbelievable. I guess when you hear people say that your life is all planned out ahead of time, it’s true. Now I can’t *wait* to go to Smallville and spend time with your folks. And maybe someday give them the grandchild they never got to spoil in ‘their’ world,” Lois hinted to Clark.
“Lois, I would love to have a family, whenever you are ready. I know you want to get your career back on track and get settled in,” Clark said, with gentle understanding.
“Clark, I’m already in my mid-thirties. I don’t want to be having kids when I’m in my forties. I love you, and, as much as reporting is in my blood, I lived without it for ten years and survived. I would consider having a child and going back to work part-time in a heartbeat,” Lois informed him. "Being alone for that long make you appreciate the value of family."
“Really? Then let’s get started as soon as possible,” he whispered to her, drawing her close to him, nibbling her neck and shoulders with his lips. Slowly undressing each other, their lovemaking was even more intense and passionate than it had been the first time they had been together. The sharing of secrets had strengthened the bond they shared. As they gave each other pleasure, Clark floated them off the blanket, to create a feeling of weightlessness.
Afterwards, they crashed back down onto their makeshift bed. Clark protected Lois from harm with a puff of super breath to break her fall. Smiling and contented, and both at peace for the first time in many years, Clark and Lois lay in the ‘spoon’ position; the sounds of the ocean waves breaking on the shore and the strong tropical sun warmed their bodies, as they drifted off into a heavenly sleep.
~~~~~
TBC
