Description: Lois has been waiting since she was nineteen to meet a certain, super-special someone. Sequel to
Vision of Destiny and part 2 in the Destiny series.
TOC__________
From Chapter 11Maybe … maybe this was the opportunity to tell him. He must have questions. But possibly he wouldn't feel he could ask them. Lois shouldn't even know that there was any reason for him to worry that she would recognise him, so he definitely wouldn't be asking … 'Why didn't you get scared at the sight of a man in blue spandex? or 'How come you trusted me at first sight? or even 'Don't you recognise who I am?
No, he'd play the stoic hero, but then worry internally.
If she saw even a tiny trace of that worry on his face when he returned she wouldn't be able to stop herself going to him … caressing his face … kissing away the worry lines.
She began pacing again. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling so she crossed her arms over her chest. It became uncomfortable so she uncrossed them and let them dangle once more.
"Argh," she let out as a groan of frustration. She just wanted Clark to come back, to get this over with. Yet she also knew she wasn’t ready. She hadn't figured out what to say. He better not come back yet.
She perched herself on the edge of a table and let her head fall into her hands. Moments later a voice shocked her back to her feet.
"Miss Lane."
He was back. It was time.
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Chapter 12"Su … Superman," she stuttered then smiled, nervously.
"Miss Lane. Are you ready? I promised you a ride home as long as
you promised to leave the colonist transport."
"I'm ready." She frowned. He was acting distant. Getting straight on with the job. Didn't he have
any questions for her? And there was not an ounce of worry showing on his face. After all her pacing and contemplating for the last forty minutes … and they weren't actually going to have
that conversation.
"Superman, I …" she paused and this time he frowned at her, instead. "Thank you … for saving all of us."
"Who is this Superman? Why do you keep calling me that?" Clark strode forward until they were almost toe to toe.
"I …" she faltered and gulped. "It just seemed the most appropriate thing to call you." Gaining confidence she continued in a stronger voice. "What with the large S on your chest, and all. Not to mention the super strength and … other stuff." She waved her hand up and down indicating his stature.
"But …" he frowned once again and looked unsure. "It just seemed that … it's as if you
knew that my name was Superman. It was the very first thing you spoke when I entered. You asked me to help with the bomb. How did you know I could?"
"I …" she faltered again. He actually was asking the questions she'd expected. But, what could she say? Really? Would he believe her if she said that she was privy to memories from a future version of herself? Maybe she should just launch herself into his arms and kiss him senseless. There would be a time, in the future, when he wouldn't be able to resist her, physically. And it was a sure fire way of distracting him from this line of questioning.
"Please? Tell me. Do you know who I am?" Lois recognised the look on Clark's face, completely at odds with Superman's usual 'emotionless guardian' look. He was pleading with her, he was after information from her. He looked like a lost little boy.
This was completely unexpected. She'd thought that he would ask if she'd
recognised him, and that there would be fear and worry in his eyes. Instead, it seemed like he was hoping she knew who he was. But Lois got the impression that he wasn't meaning 'Clark'. He didn't think she'd recognised him, but rather he wondered how she knew about his
abilities.
Did he not know? He wouldn't be asking in such an eager way if he did.
Lois widened her eyes in shock. Her heart pounded and her mouth dropped open. Clark didn't know who he was, where he came from, why he was different. And her reactions to him had given him hope that maybe
she could tell him.
But the only way she could explain - the only way to tell him that he was an alien from … some planet she could never quite get the name of - was to tell him about OL; to tell him about her memories; to tell him about …
them … as a couple.
She couldn't tell him that. Not yet. They needed to be closer friends. He needed to trust her. He needed to be, at least a little, attracted to her first. Until then, this information needed to wait.
So she closed her mouth, gulped and shook her head in answer to his question.
Immediately his face was wiped clean of emotion. "I'll take you back now." There was a tightness to his voice.
"All right." She kept her eyes fixed on his face as he swept her up into his arms.
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This was it. She was in Clark's arms … and they were flying. Superman was flying her back to the Planet. Superman was real. It was, for Lois, the final confirmation of all her mashed up dreams and memories.
As they flew she couldn't help but stare at him, her heart racing, breathing shallow, and body trembling.
He was acting distant and aloof again while she knew her face was betraying all her inner emotions, but she couldn't help it.
This was number two on her list, and she was finally experiencing it for real, rather than through OL's patchy memory. It was only a few days ago that she got to experience number three - being in Clark's arms, held tightly, gently and safely. Now it was number two.
When would she get number one for real?
Her rapidly thumping heart skipped a few beats as she realised how close to that first kiss she really was. Clark's mouth was actually only inches from hers. She could reach out … stretch up just a little.
But how would he react?
Somehow she knew it would be too much of a shock for him. Despite sometimes interpreting the looks on his face as affectionate, hopeful, wistful, even loving, Clark had actually shown no interest in her romantically, nor had he made any moves. She'd thought he was about to ask her out on a date once, and also anticipated a kiss on another occasion, but she could have easily just been projecting her own feelings onto the situations.
In fact, his predominantly distant attitude over the last hour, while dressed as Superman, had pretty much sealed the idea in her mind that he had no romantic interest in her. Surely he would have had reservations about her recognising him if he was at all interested … surely he would have been nervous. Instead, his one break of emotion had been eagerness, rather than worry. So, she concluded, any offer on her behalf would be summarily rejected.
Her wildly beating heart plummeted.
Someday … probably quite a distance in the future … he would want her, and it would be fantastic, passionate, soul-changing love. But right now, she was a new acquaintance, a work colleague and potential great friend and partner. She'd have to wait, be patient.
But 'patient' was something Lois Lane didn't do. She'd work on him over the next few weeks. She'd invite him to her apartment for 'work assignments', she'd have lunch with him, she'd be his best friend and she'd make herself indispensable to him.
If he wasn't already attracted to her, then he soon would be!
The silence continued on. She realised that it was creating a metaphorical distance between them, and the longer the flight continued the more the distance was increasing. She attempted to reach out to him. "Thank you, again."
"You are welcome, Miss Lane."
There it was again, that stoic, polite voice.
"I told you, my name is Lois." She tried to hide the hurt from her voice but didn't succeed.
"Okay. Lois, then." He finally turned his head to look at her as they drifted along. Their eyes met and she suddenly read hurt in
his gaze. What had hurt
him? Had he
wanted her to recognise him as Clark? But why? Possibly he was disappointed that she'd shaken her head at his questions about himself. Did he
want her to know?
Her heart lurched and she lifted a hand from round his neck. She cupped her hand to curl around his cheek, but just before they actually touched she remembered their circumstances. She couldn't comfort him in what would become the 'usual' manner, but she could still use words. If he was hurt - for some reason - then she needed to encourage and uplift him. She needed to reassure him, whenever he doubted himself.
"I don't think I can ever say enough how grateful I am … and the colonists, of course." She smiled at him, and let all her love for him show in her eyes. "You were fantastic. Saving us from the bomb, and then lifting the Prometheus into space." She was momentarily distracted by the thought that she was in those very same strong arms that had lifted the rocket not long ago. "And how you spoke to the colonists, and to Amy Platt - singling her out, making her feel special. It was wonderful." She knew why he had singled out the disabled child. He felt compassion for those in need, those struggling with a difficult life. But he also felt responsible for Samuel Platt's death. If only she could tell him that it
wasn't his fault.
At her gentle praise and loving gaze he seemed to soften. He even smiled back at her.
Time passed as they just looked at each other. Lois felt her heart rate increase in anticipation. She even imagined that his gaze flicked down to her mouth for a brief second. His arms tightened around her. She parted her lips.
He coughed and looked away. "Are you sure this is where you want to go, Lois? I can take you to your apartment."
"I'm sure. I need to write the story. Perry would kill me if I didn't bring in an 'on the spot account' within the hour."
"I guess he would," Clark chuckled, probably not realising what his statement could have revealed to a more oblivious Lois. His face was set straight ahead once more, but his hold on her body was not as stiff. The Daily Planet was in sight and her debut flight with Superman was coming to an end.
He pushed open the windows high above the newsroom floor and they began to drift down. She tightened her grip involuntarily, not wanting this moment to end, not wanting to let go. He turned to look at her and she knew that there were tears, not yet falling, that were causing her eyes to sparkle.
Touching down next to her desk she released her arms from his neck but left them resting on his shoulders. "I think, considering the fact that I saw you first, you owe me an exclusive." She tried to sound professional, but the tears threatening to spill brought a tremble to her voice, and the flight had left her breathless.
He had left her breathless. She gazed into his eyes and found herself drowning in the deep warmth that looked back at her.
"Is that the rule?" There was humour in his reply. His stoic distance had faded a little after her latest reassurances and thanks.
"Well, no. But ... I'd appreciate it very much." She dropped her hands reluctantly. "Please?" She let all her love show in the sparkle of her eyes.
"I'll think about it, Lois." He laughed. "But I wonder if maybe you know more than you are letting on, already." After an initial moment of teasing his gaze became intense. She gasped and gulped. Could he read the guilt in her eyes?
Turning, he lifted into the air and drifted back out of the open window.
She stood, rooted to the spot, gazing after him. How long would it be until Clark came strolling into the newsroom as if nothing extraordinary had happened? Would he say anything, drop any hints that she was supposed to pick up on? Would he pretend to be completely oblivious to what had just happened? Would he ask to speak to her and pull her into the conference room demanding to know what she knew?
"Did you find out what the 'S' stands for?" An annoying voice at her shoulder commanded attention.
"Super," she whispered out, then looked round and confronted Cat face to face and boldly declared to the room, "Superman."
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