Title: Every Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Sue S.
Rating: PG/PG13ish
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Previously:"Uh, well, I guess you'll need a ride to the airport--" Lois started to offer.
"It's already been taken care of, my dear." Luthor put his arm around Lois, insinuating himself neatly between the former partners. Luthor's hulk of a bodyguard moved to stand on the other side of Clark. "Owen will take Clark home to pack, and then to the airport. Besides, darling, we have a date tonight, remember?"
Lois blinked. "Oh… right."
Clark saw Perry's mouth narrow in anger at Owen's unspoken menace, but Lois still appeared dazed. Causing a scene wasn't going to accomplish anything, so Clark looked Lois in the eye and promised, "I'll call you later."
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Part 2/12
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Her entire world felt off-kilter, but Lois couldn't quite articulate why. She should be enjoying herself. For the past two hours she had been wined and dined along with Metropolis' most powerful and influential citizens, including an extremely attentive Lex Luthor. She ought to be making the most of it and cultivating new contacts. Instead she felt adrift in a sea of strangers while a deep sense of foreboding continually nagged at her. Most of all, Lois couldn't shake the sense that she had lost something rare and precious today. The Planet was safe, her job was safe, and all of her co-workers jobs were safe. Losing her partnership with Clark was a small price to pay for that kind of security.
Lois pushed away the idea that it was the loss of Clark as a partner that was making her brood. They were still friends, after all. And they still worked together; just maybe not as closely as before. Why in the world did that make her feel so forlorn?
She should be feeling safe and cherished. Lex had barely left her side all night. His fingertips were constantly brushing along her arm or her shoulder, or his hand was planted firmly at her waist as he put his arm around her. And yet it didn't quite feel like affection to her. Lois couldn't shake the thought that Lex's new possessiveness was at least partially due to the guest of honor at tonight's charity event -- Superman.
It hardly seemed worth the effort Lex was putting into his displays of affection since Superman had barely glanced in their direction all night. Every time Lois looked over at him, Superman was engrossed in deep conversation with anyone but her. At first she had figured he was busy, but now it was starting to feel like he was deliberately avoiding her. So maybe Lex's possessiveness was having the intended effect, after all.
Or maybe the universe was conspiring to make her miserable because she couldn't help noticing that everyone -- a famous actor, a celebrated painter, a tall and leggy supermodel, and even the governor -- found a reason to touch Superman. Most people confined their contact to his hands or arms. The supermodel had even gone so far as to pat Superman's chest right where his 'S' was. Superman had given her a polite smile before turning to greet someone else. Something about his demeanor made Lois think it wasn't the first time someone had tried to get personal with him. Lois wondered how Superman could stand it. At least she knew Lex -- she was practically engaged to the man -- and yet his constant caresses and taps were starting to make her crazy. To be mauled, however gently, by total strangers had to be unnerving.
Unable to take Lex's possessiveness or Superman's indifference any longer, Lois had pleaded a need for the bathroom in order to make her escape. For a few seconds she even thought about ditching the party entirely. Then she saw Owen, Luthor's bodyguard, standing guard near the elevator. Lois swiftly changed direction and headed for the museum's rooftop garden instead.
The view was breathtakingly beautiful. Across the street, the lanes crisscrossing Centennial Park were outlined by the soft yellow glow of streetlamps, giving the park the look of an enchanted fairy world. Lois folded her arms on the chest-high wall and rested her chin on them. She took several deep breaths, letting the night air clear both her lungs and her frustrations. It struck her that while there were millions of people in Metropolis it felt almost empty to her right now. She wondered if Clark's plane had landed in Miami yet and how long he'd be gone. Even when Clark returned, it wasn't going to be the same now that they were no longer partners.
There was an excited murmuring behind her and she glanced back to see Superman had come outside. He was chatting with Senator Harding even as the man vigorously shook Superman's hand with both of his, before letting go so he could clap Superman's back in a congratulatory gesture. Just like everyone else at the party, the senator seemed to believe Superman was his best friend. Lois turned back to the view, feeling suddenly shy.
As much as she hated to admit it, Clark was right; she really didn't know Superman very well. A few fleeting rescues and one hell of a stolen kiss didn't a relationship make. She had no idea where he lived, or if he even had a home. She had never spent more than twenty minutes at a time in his company. She was chagrined to realize that she, too, had freely groped Superman on occasion. In her defense, though, once you were touching Superman's bicep, it was nearly impossible not to linger. But maybe that only meant that she was no better than any of his other groupies.
Behind her she heard someone softly clear their throat. "Good evening, Lois. May I join you?"
Her stomach tightened with excitement at the sound of the familiar deep voice. Lois turned her head and smiled at him over her shoulder. "Of course."
Superman closed the distance between them, taking up a position next to her with his elbows on the wall and his hands clasped together. He was standing close enough that the edge of his cape brushed her leg, making her knees feel suddenly squiffy.
"I was surprised to see you here tonight," Superman said. "From what I understand, it’s a $500 a plate dinner."
"I came with Lex," Lois explained as she tried, rather unsuccessfully, not to gawk at Superman's profile.
"So is it serious between you two?"
"He wants it to be," she hedged with a shrug.
"And what do you want?"
Lois turned her attention back to the view of the park. "I don't know. I mean, in a perfect world, the answer would probably be you." She watched him from the corner of her eye and held her breath, waiting for his reply.
Superman kept his attention focused on the park view. "Unfortunately," he said quietly, "we aren't living in a perfect world."
A flare of disappointment shot through her, then a hazy sort of gratitude that at least he was letting her down gently. Lois studied his profile, not caring anymore if he caught her. Superman looked as composed as always, but she thought she sensed a tension beneath the surface. Was that because of her clumsy flirtation, or was there something else bothering him? Maybe he had come outside simply to get away from the party and all those grasping hands, only to be confronted by her delusions. Fine, she'd change the subject.
"So, do you do this a lot?" Lois asked.
"What?" Superman turned his head to look at her, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion.
"Attend charity events?" Lois tipped her head slightly in the direction of the party taking place behind them.
He half-smiled and shook his head. "Not every night, no. But I don't mind showing up when it's a worthy cause."
They both turned back to the view as a breeze played past them, cool and welcoming, especially after the clamor inside the building. Once again, Lois found herself wondering if Superman had come outside simply to get away from the sea of humanity inside.
"Can I ask you something kind of personal?" she ventured without looking over at him.
"You can ask." Superman didn't say it, but she could hear the implication that he might not answer.
"Does it bother you to have people constantly touching you?" Lois tilted her head to gauge his reaction. "Or are you used to it?"
Superman shrugged and the movement set his cape in motion, causing it to again brush her leg above her ankle and send another shiver of delight through her.
"I'm not sure anyone ever really gets used to having strangers touch them." His head turned so he could meet her gaze. "It doesn't bother me so much now. People like to make that connection, I guess."
"Maybe they think your powers will rub off on them."
He shook his head slightly. "Unfortunately, I don't think that's likely to happen."
"Well, like you said, this isn't a perfect world."
They shared a smile as Superman said, "No, it's not."
"Sometimes it's almost perfect, though."
"Is it?" His shoulders straightened and Lois saw a glimmer of something -- sadness or regret, she couldn't tell exactly what -- darken his expression momentarily.
"Maybe not," she mused. "Maybe it's like the song says and you don't always get what you want, but you get what you need."
For a long moment there was silence between them as Superman stared at her as though they had just met and he was sizing her up. "And do you have what you need?"
"I don't know. Maybe. Lex bought the Daily Planet and saved the paper from bankruptcy. Which was great, but then he split up me and Clark and sent him off on assignment." Lois had the sudden urge to squirm under the intensity of Superman's gaze. She turned back towards the park, rested her chin on her folded arms, and sighed as she asked, "Have you ever been to Miami?"
"Yes."
"That's where Clark is right now, in Miami." Lois sighed again. "How long would it take you to fly there?"
"To Miami? I don't know; a few minutes?"
"If I knew where Clark was staying, I'd ask you to fly me there."
"You would?" Superman asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
"I really wish I could have talked to him," she whispered, more to herself than to Superman.
"About what?"
"I didn't even really get to say goodbye. It all happened so fast, you know? I mean, Lex dissolved our partnership without even consulting us. The more I think about that, the more frustrated it makes me." Lois stood up straight again. "In a perfect world, I'd still be partners with Clark."
Superman turned so that he was facing her. "Luthor dissolved your partnership with Clark, not your friendship, right?"
"Well, yes, but…"
After several silent seconds had ticked by, Superman prompted her to continue. "But?"
Lois couldn't quite put her feelings into words. It hurt that the strongest tie that bound her to Clark was now irrevocably cut. Especially since she knew that somewhere in all those city lights was a woman for whom Clark Kent would do anything. There was nothing to keep Clark from drifting further and further away from her after he returned. Sadness filled her at the thought that her life and Clark's were going to travel different trajectories from now on. It was never going to be the same between them again.
Lois shook her head slightly and gave Superman a wistful smile. "But it's like you said; it's an imperfect world."
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It was nearly one o'clock in the morning by the time Clark returned to Miami. He got into bed, only to find himself tossing and turning. He was too keyed up to fall asleep when all his thoughts were still in Metropolis. Had Lois made it home yet? Or was she still with Luthor? Had Luthor kissed her good night? Had she welcomed that kiss? Were they kissing right now? He could easily imagine them in the back of Luthor's limo, or outside Lois' door, or even inside her apartment with their arms wrapped around each other as they kissed deeply.
He got up and paced back and forth, trying to shake that mental image. It was far too late to be calling her, and he had no idea what he'd say if Lois actually did answer the phone. It would breach every shred of decency to fly all the way back to Metropolis just to check on her. It was really none of his business if she was still with Luthor.
Clark's hands flexed into fists as he recalled the possessive way Luthor had fawned over her all night long. He'd tried not to watch, but he'd been unable to stop himself. Every time he he'd had occasion to glance in Lois' direction, Luthor had been touching her.
He had no idea what to make of the brief interlude Superman had shared with Lois on the roof. Hope had bloomed inside him when he realized that she actually missed him, Clark. She'd made it clear, though, that it was her friend she missed, nothing more. The possibility that they might be more than friends wasn't one that Lois seemed likely to entertain. It really wasn't a perfect world.
Clark sighed and turned on the TV. It was on a news channel and his attention was momentarily shifted from thoughts of Lois and Luthor together as he watched a story about an explosion at an office building in Miami a few hours earlier. He was relieved to hear that no one had been hurt. At least that alleviated the potential guilt of not being around to help.
Then again, even if he had been in Miami at the time, should he have spun into action? Luthor wasn't just clever; he was also obsessed with destroying Superman. Perhaps he was just clever and obsessed enough to speculate about why Superman was suddenly active in Miami at the same time Clark Kent was there. He'd have to be very selective about when and where Superman put in out-of-town appearances.
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The first thing Lois saw when she arrived at the newsroom the next morning was Clark's empty desk. That lonely sight immediately deepened the pain of her lost partnership. Her day only got worse from there. Jimmy and Jack were both preemptively reassigned to the printing plant. Lex brought in an assistant editor to help Perry, but the two men clashed from the get-go. The day wasn't even half over before Perry decided that early retirement was his best option and stormed out of the building. For the umpteenth time that day, Lois missed her partner. She was certain that Clark would have known what to say to convince Perry to stay.
Right after Perry quit, Lois called Clark's cell phone, only to hear it ringing in the top drawer of his desk. She spent the afternoon trying to track down someone -- anyone -- in the travel office who could tell her how to reach Clark. Only one person was still working in the travel office; the other two had been abruptly shifted to Accounting just that morning. In spite of her tripled workload, Olivia had gamely spent several minutes trying to find a reservation in the system for Clark. When that turned up nothing, Olivia suggested that maybe the arrangements had been made through Lex Corp. All of Lois' calls to Lex Corp in search of anyone who knew how to contact Clark were in vain.
She arrived home that night frustrated and emotionally exhausted. Lois wandered restlessly around her apartment, eying the phone and willing it to ring. It was after ten o'clock and she was getting into bed when the phone rang and she snatched it up.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Lois. It's me."
Her heart soared in relief. "Clark! Oh my god, I've been trying to reach you all day!"
"Why? What's happened?"
The words spilled out of her in a breathless rush. She told him about Perry quitting and Chip, their new and extremely arrogant Supervising Editor-in-Chief. She expressed frustration with the abrupt decision to move Jimmy and Jack to the Printing Department.
When she finally paused for more than a second, Clark asked, "What about you? How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, I guess. It's just all so sudden. So much change, you know?"
"More of Luthor's exciting plans for the Planet?"
"Don't be like that. Apparently the Planet's finances were abysmal. Lex says for the next little while we're going to have to do more with less."
"More with less? How does sending me to Miami fit in with that philosophy?"
"He's trying to save the paper."
"Riiiight." Clark wasn't even trying to hide his disbelief and it irked her.
"At least give him a chance!" Lois shot back. "I thought you were all about giving people the benefit of the doubt."
"Everyone but him."
Lois bit back a retort. The last thing she wanted tonight was to start an argument with Clark. "So when are you coming back?"
"Not right away," Clark said on a sigh. "Apparently I'm supposed to stay down here for a few more days and get some local color or something."
"Local color? Does that mean you're going to hang out on the beach and get tan?"
"It's nice work, if you can get it."
"How's your hotel room? Do they turn down the covers for you and leave a mint on your pillow?"
"Hardly. They're definitely saving money on the hotel."
"It's bad?"
"It's tiny, it's dirty, and whoever picked out the bedspread was colorblind."
Lois giggled and it felt like she hadn't done so in ages. "Oh, Clark, I'm so sorry."
Clark was laughing, too, as he added, "I'm not sure what I did to your fiance, but I'm pretty sure he's punishing me for something. There isn't a remote control for the television, just a pair of pliers to turn the TV on and off."
Lois laughed harder at Clark's description of his plight, even as an ache began to take hold inside her. Hearing his familiar answering laugh only drove home for her just how much she missed him. "Lex is not my fiance."
"I think he will be soon enough. You have to know that's why he really sent me to Florida."
"Why? Because he knows I'm secretly in love with you?"
Clark made a dismissive sounding chuckle. "If I thought that was true, I'd fly back to Metropolis tonight. No, it's because he knows I'm your voice of reason."
"Well guess what, Jiminy Cricket, I haven't done anything even remotely dangerous since you left."
"Time is on my side in this one, Lois."
"Ha." Lois sighed and settled deeper into her pillow. "Fifty dollars says I'm still alive when you get back."
"I would never gamble with your life."
"Neither would I."
On the other end of the line, Clark made a soft, snorting noise in disbelief.
"I wouldn't!" she squeaked in protest. "I don't!"
"So what are you working on now? How dangerous is it?"
"The only danger I'm facing is the potential of a paper cut. I'm looking into Excelsior International, Inc. They've been cooking their books for the past decade, buying politicians, insider trading -- it's going to be a
huge story."
"Excelsior International? Aren't they one of Lex Corp's biggest competitors?"
Even though he couldn't see her, Lois couldn't help rolling her eyes. "I know what you're insinuating."
"That's good. I'd hate to think the conflict of interest wasn't obvious."
His tone was just a little too smug, causing her to retort, "If you're going to insult me, I'm going to hang up."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be insulting."
"Just overbearing?"
"Let's call it overprotective instead."
Usually Clark's overbearing and overprotective tendencies irritated her. He was like the big brother that she had never asked for and only sorta wanted. Tonight the fact that he was finally admitting to being overprotective of her just made her miss him that much more. Lois felt a sudden and completely irrational pique that he was probably even more solicitous of his secret girlfriend.
"Speaking of being ruled by your emotions, did you get a chance to tell her goodbye?"
"Who?"
"Your mystery woman? You know, the one you're so in love with that you'd do anything for her? That one?"
He sighed. "I didn't really get to say goodbye to anybody. Owen was pretty insistent that we were on a tight schedule. Even so, he still found the time to pick my pocket and steal my phone."
Lois shook her head as she corrected him. "Or you just forgot and left it in your desk drawer 'cause that's where it was when I tried calling you earlier today."
"Okay, let me revise that. Owen picked my pocket and put the phone in my desk."
"Do you hear yourself? Are you paranoid much?"
"Lois, when was the last time I left my phone behind? I keep it with me. You know that."
She wasn't about to get into an argument with him, nor was she going to let him change the subject so deftly. "Well, I hope you've called her."
"Called her? Oh,
her. Yes, I have."
"So who is it? It's not Andrea, is it?"
"Andrea Burton? From the copy desk?"
"That's the one. I see you two yucking it up all the time."
"Yucking it up?"
"You're constantly flirting with her, Clark. And she flirts shamelessly with you."
"First of all, just being nice to someone is not flirting. And, second of all, I'm not in love with Andrea. I barely even know her."
Lois frowned. Was he telling the truth about Andrea? Or was he being sly? "Okay, so it's not Andrea. Tell me this much, does she work at the Planet?"
There was a pause and she heard him sigh. "Yeah, she works at the Planet."
"And if I guess correctly, will you tell me?"
After another pause, Clark cleared his throat and said, "I guess so, yes."
"Promise?"
"I promise, but only if you'll promise me to be careful."
"Careful? What, you think she's going to scratch my eyes out in a jealous rage?"
"I mean with Luthor. Take your time, okay? You don't have to give him an answer until you're sure you know what you want."
"I know," she bit out impatiently.
"I just…" Clark voice trailed away for a long moment, and then he cleared his throat. "I think you need to get to know him, really get to know him, before you give him an answer. But I doubt he'll ever let you get that close--"
"Oh my gosh!" she cut him off in indignation. "Just what is your problem with him? He's never been anything but nice to you!"
"He's not who you think is, Lois."
"And who is he, since you know him so well?"
Clark sighed into the phone. "It doesn't matter what I tell you, you're not really going to listen to me."
"You have an opinion, and I want to hear it. Tell me."
"You won't believe me."
"Try me."
"The thing is, I don't have any physical proof, but I know from my own experience -- and from a very reliable source -- that Luthor is ruthless. He's far more ruthless than you realize. He's killed people he thought were in his way."
Her eyes popped wide in disbelief. "Killed people? Oh, come on, Clark! You shouldn't say stuff like that if you can't prove it."
"I'm positive he was behind the helicopter explosion that killed Dr. Baines. He was also behind that nuclear plant heating up the city, and the Toasters, and--"
"That was your girlfriend, Toni Taylor!"
"Funded by Luthor!"
"Are you sure you're not just saying this because you're jealous of him? He's rich and powerful. Lots of people think they know him or are willing to believe the worst of him."
"Lois, do I seem like someone who aspires to great power or wealth to you?"
Lois fumed, not willing to concede to the obvious answer. Clark was driven and ambitious enough, but he wasn't power hungry by anyone's estimation.
"Don't forget he brushed you off," Clark added, "when you tried to learn more about him."
"He didn't brush me off," she protested.
"He's manipulating you."
"He is not!"
"Really? He flew you to Italy for dinner, Lois! He bought the Daily Planet! He's flaunting his wealth and power to impress you -- and its working."
"Flying me to Italy was a romantic gesture!"
"It was a manipulation."
"You're just jealous!"
"He wants to destroy Superman." The words were spoken so matter-of-factly that, for a moment, she wasn't sure she'd heard him right.
"What?" Her voice squeaked in shock. "Why in the world would Lex want to destroy Superman?"
"I don't know. Maybe just for the challenge of it."
Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to come up with a rejoinder. It was so out of the realm of possibility that she couldn't think of anything to say. The idea of anyone, especially Lex, bent on destroying Superman was beyond insane.
"You know what? I'm not going to argue with you about him. Good night, Clark."
She heard him sigh. "Good night, Lois. Please be careful."
"Bye." Lois hung up before he could say anything else insulting.
He's just jealous, she told herself.
Jealous that he's not rich or powerful. He can't fly his girlfriend off to Europe for dinner, so he's being petty. Or he's insane. He'd have to be insane to say that Lex kills people and is out to kill Superman, just for the fun of it.Lois turned off her bedside lamp and then stared into the semi-darkness of her bedroom. She had hoped that talking to Clark would make her feel better, but now she felt even more miserable. It wasn't the fact that they'd fought -- she and Clark disagreed with each other on an almost hourly basis. But it had never felt this personal before. When Clark made all those wild accusations about Lex, it felt like a dig at her judgment.
What if Clark's right?She quickly pushed that thought away. He couldn't be right. Lex was a powerful man, and she was willing to allow that he was probably ruthless in business, but killing people in his way? No. It just wasn't possible.
Oh, it's possible, her mind whispered.
But is it plausible?No. It wasn't plausible. Lex had countless ways to achieve his goals; he didn't need to kill people to achieve them. He certainly didn't need to kill Superman.
But, what if? her mind persisted.
What if?<><><>
End 2/12
As always, I'm dying to hear from you over
here. Don't leave me hanging!
