Title: Every Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Sue S.
Rating: PG/PG13ish
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Previously:For several seconds, neither of them spoke, but there was a comfortable warmth in the silence. His earlier exhaustion had become a lazy sort of lethargy, now made almost sweetly dream-like as a cool breeze from the window played over his skin, taking the last of his dizziness with it.
"Well…" he said softly, "I guess I should let you go." He didn't really want to hang up -- he could happily spend the rest of the night listening to her breathe.
"I guess so. Good night, Clark." Was he imagining it, or was she reluctant to hang up, too?
"Good night, Lois." He pictured her again, lying in his bed and wearing his t-shirt, and he couldn't stop himself from adding, "Sweet dreams."
Lois made an amused-sounding hum. "Sweet dreams, Clark," she said in that sultry, soft voice that made his heart pound and his hands tremble. A moment later he heard the click as the call disconnected.
Clark took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He'd give anything for it to be tomorrow night now, to be legitimately home, to be near her. He shook his head and silently conceded that he probably would rob a bank for her.
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Part 8/12
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Lois slept fitfully, her slumber invaded by the sounds of sirens both real and imagined. Each time she awoke she thought about Superman, wondering and worrying if he was trapped in a burning building full of kryptonite. Would Superman come here again if he was hurt? What if he was so injured that he couldn't get away? She tossed and turned until the suspense was agony before getting out of bed to check the stairwell outside Clark's front door. It had been empty; a fact that both relieved and frightened her.
She returned to Clark's bed and flopped backwards, staring up at the shadowy ceiling for a few minutes before looking over at the night stand. She could make out the outline of the photo of them and the glint of moonlight off his phone and the time -- 1:31 a.m.
Right now it was only 7:30 at night in Hawaii. Was Clark asleep yet? He had sounded so tired on the phone that he just might be. She should have been more understanding when he said it had been a long day. After all she had been in Metropolis, able to ask questions and pursue answers about the disaster at the Planet. Clark had been stuck thousands of miles away, helplessly watching it unfold on television. It must have been torture to be so far away.
Lois punched up a pillow and turned it sideways before snuggling against it, her gaze fixed on Clark's alarm clock as the time updated to 1:33. Around her the apartment felt empty, as if it missed its owner as much as she did. It hurt her heart to think about the Planet, now just an empty shell.
She finally drifted into a dreamless sleep. Lois woke up just before seven a.m. feeling groggy and thick-headed. She really wanted to roll over and try to sleep some more but that wouldn't get her any closer to finding out whether or not Lex had purposely destroyed the Daily Planet.
Lois shuffled slowly into Clark's bathroom and used more of his toothpaste to rinse her mouth. Then she stood, half-swaying on her feet, and regarded his shower. Right now taking a shower at home included the possibility of an audience. But here was a perfectly good shower going spare.
Clark won't care, she told herself.
You know he won't care.It felt rather curious, almost erotic, to be stripping naked in her best friend's bathroom. Maybe it was the possibility that Superman might show up unannounced again, although she was certain he wouldn't invade her privacy. In the end it was worth feeling a little odd to be clean again. Not just clean but now the familiar smell of Clark's soap and shampoo clung to her like an invisible hug. She grinned at the thought that Clark might actually be home tonight. That hope put a spring in her step as she left the apartment, carefully locking the door behind her before replacing the key under the flower pot.
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The message light on her answering machine was blinking furiously when Lois got home. She was reaching to hit play when her phone began to ring. The caller ID showed it was an unlisted number so she let the machine pick it up. At the beep, Lex's voice cooed, "Lois? Are you there, my darling?"
Lois froze, her heart hammering painfully in her chest at the realization that Lex was probably watching her at this very moment. She forced herself to sort through the stack of mail she had brought in with her, faking nonchalance. The longer the silence went the more convinced she was that he actually could see her.
"Very well," Lex said, his voice so confident that it sent another chill down her spine. "Please call me when you receive this message. I very much need to speak with you."
Lois counted slowly to ten before hitting the playback button and hoped that Lex hadn't left multiple messages. The first one was from her mom, frantic as she watched the news about the Planet on television. The other calls were from her father, then Lucy, and then Perry. All of them were worried, all of them wanted her to call them back. She stopped the machine when Lex's voice came on, pushing firmly on the button to erase all messages.
She walked into her bedroom, keeping her movements slow and deliberate even though she wanted to rush and get out of there as soon as possible. Lois picked up the cordless phone and called her mom, reassuring her that she was perfectly fine, but extremely busy. It took three promises to check in more often before she was able to hang up the phone.
Lois dialed her father's office and opened her closet door while she waited for the receptionist to transfer her. She picked out a shirt and pants while she answered her father's questions. No, she hadn't been in the building. No, she didn't personally know either of the men who had been killed. Yes, she was going to help investigate what had happened. Yes, she would be careful. Yes, she'd call again soon.
Lucy wasn't answering so Lois left a message for her covering the basics while she searched through her top drawer for clean underwear. She had meant to do laundry this weekend but that was a luxury that was going to have to wait. In the meantime, at least she still had two clean pairs of panties left.
Lois went into her bathroom, casting nervous glances at the ceiling and light fixtures, looking for a camera. If the room was under surveillance then Lex had probably already had an eyeful. She changed clothes in a hurry then returned to her kitchen to call Perry.
Perry picked up on the second ring. "Lois? Is that you?"
"Hey, Chief. Yeah, it's me."
"I was just about to try calling you again."
"Sorry I didn't call sooner. I just got in."
"Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Nope."
"Great! Meet me at the Sunshine Coffee Company in an hour."
"Yes, sir." Lois cringed a little, hating that Lex now knew exactly where she was going to be. But at least she wouldn't be there alone. And she wouldn't be investigating alone, just like she'd promised Superman.
Lois headed for her bathroom again. She might as well do something about her hair and makeup before she left. If Lex wanted to watch her put on mascara there really wasn't much she could do about it.
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Jack and Jimmy were waiting with Perry when Lois arrived. Over breakfast she told them about turning down Lex's proposal, the tracker in her purse, and the tap on her phone. She filled Perry in on the kryptonite in the basement of the Planet and Superman's suspicions about Lex.
"So he's got someone following you right now?" Perry asked.
"Probably." That feeling of being watched hadn't gone away after she left her apartment. She'd glanced over her shoulder more than once without spotting anyone obvious, but that didn't mean they weren't there.
"Then you aren't going anywhere alone. Jimmy, I want you and Lois to head over to the 18th and get someone with bomb squad to talk to you today. Jack, I want you watching the Planet. See who's going in and coming out."
"What are you going to do, Chief?"
"I'm going to contact the former members of the Planet's board of trustees and see what they have to say about Luthor buying the old girl. Let's plan to meet back here at four."
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It was almost four o'clock before Lois and Jimmy cornered a detective who would do more than hint darkly that the Planet's demise wasn't an accident. Lieutenant Rivera agreed to talk with them -- on deep background. He gestured for them to follow him and they obediently trailed Rivera out of the building to the park across the street. As they strolled along a tree-bowered path Rivera told them that his team had found a crude explosive device in the wreckage. It appeared the bomb had been mailed to the Planet and, by the sheerest luck, fragments of the postage and a clear thumbprint had survived the blast. The evidence was now at the lab and he hoped to have a match for the thumbprint soon.
Lois felt almost obscenely buoyed by the news. If they knew who built and sent the bomb they might be able to establish a link between the bomber and Lex.
"What about glowing rocks?" Lois asked. "We heard a rumor there were glowing rocks everywhere."
Rivera almost missed a step in his surprise. "Who told you that?"
"Is it true?" Lois pressed.
This time Rivera did stop walking. "This is also off the record, but yeah, there were lots of these weird, green crystals that glowed in the dark. Kinda spooky, actually."
"Where are they now?" Jimmy asked.
"They were gathered up as evidence and taken to the crime lab."
"There's no way anyone could get to them?" Lois pushed.
Rivera shook his head. "Not unless they're Superman."
Jimmy and Lois exchanged a look but neither of them told Rivera the significance of those green, glowing crystals.
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It was almost five o'clock before Lois and Jimmy returned to the Sunshine Coffee Co. The whole ride there Lois had repeatedly checked her watch and mentally subtracted six hours. It was now nearly eleven a.m. in Hawaii. Was Clark on a plane yet? If he was how long would it be until he was back in Metropolis?
Inside the coffee shop only Jack was sitting at the table they had occupied earlier in the day. He told them that Perry had already come and gone, leaving word only that they should plan to meet up again the next morning.
Lois was certain she was still being followed so she didn't go to Clark's apartment. She went home instead. The light on her answering machine was flashing and she eagerly pressed it, mentally crossing her fingers that Clark had called to say what time his flight would be landing. Instead there were three messages from Lex and one from Lucy. Her heart sank a little and she wondered if Clark had called his apartment instead of hers.
She picked up the phone and dialed Clark's number. After the beep she left him a message. "Hey, it's me. Call me when you get in. I'm at home."
Lois called Lucy next and ended up leaving another message. She hung up and rolled her eyes, already weary of their game of phone tag. Then she went into her bedroom and began sorting her laundry into piles, feeling self-conscious that Lex might be watching. She trekked down the stairs to the laundry room and started her wash then ran back up the stairs.
The answering machine light was off. No one had called in her absence.
Lois sighed and opened her freezer. Should she warm up that diet lasagne or call out for delivery? It didn't even feel like much of a choice. She was just reaching for the phone when it rang, startling a little shriek of surprise out of her. The caller ID read "Pay phone." Lois weighed the odds that Lex would be calling from a pay phone against the hope that it was Clark, calling to say he was about to get on a plane. Or, even better, that he was at the airport and he needed a ride. Not that she could give him a ride, her Jeep was still parked in the Planet's garage but Clark didn't know that.
"Clark?" she answered a little breathlessly.
"No, it's Jimmy."
"Oh. What's up?"
"Do you remember that place we all went on my birthday?"
"Yeah."
"Can you meet me there in half an hour?"
"I'm on my way." Her heart beat faster. Jimmy must have a break or a lead in the investigation otherwise he wouldn't have bothered being so cryptic.
Lois ran down the stairs, sparing a glance at the hallway that led to the first floor laundry room. Her clothes weren't done yet and it seemed worth the risk of losing half her wardrobe to find out what Jimmy had learned. She dashed outside and found it had started to rain. Lois cursed under her breath and ran along the sidewalk, watching for a cab.
She was about to step off the curb at the end of the block when a limousine pulled up and blocked her way. She stopped short as a tinted back window rolled down.
"Lois, my love! I was just on my way to come see you."
Lois couldn't help gaping at him in surprise even as a stab of fear shot through her. "Sorry, Lex, bad timing. I'm on my way to meet someone."
"Please allow me to offer you a ride."
"Oh, no…"
"I insist. It's raining."
Owen emerged from the front passenger seat and came around the limo to open the back door.
Lois continued to hesitate even as the rain began to pelt down harder. The light jacket she had on was starting to get soaked. Lex lifted one eyebrow in a gesture that communicated disbelief that she was being so hesitant.
"Would you rather I called a cab for you?" Lex asked.
He was challenging her and she knew it but she found herself unable to back away. Lois got into the limo, telling herself that Lex claimed to love her. He wouldn't do anything really terrible to her. Besides, he probably knew that Jimmy was expecting her and was likely to take action if she didn't show up.
"Where may I take you?" Lex held out a clean handkerchief to her.
Lois wasn't about to tell him the truth so she improvised. "The Green Harp, down on 8th Avenue and Church Street." She took the proffered handkerchief and dabbed at her face and hair trying to soak up the worst of the moisture.
"I've never heard of the place."
"You're not exactly their usual clientele."
His eyebrows rose slightly as if to ask if she was their usual clientele before he nodded to the driver, "Eighth and Church, please."
Lois blew out a small sigh of relief. Thank god he was really going to take her there! Or maybe he was only trying to lull her into a false sense of security.
"What brings you to that part of town?"
"I'm meeting a source." She watched his face to see his reaction to the lie. He didn't even blink.
"For a story? But surely, with the Planet gone--"
"Gone? What do you mean gone? You're going to rebuild it, aren't you?"
Lex sighed. "This is why I've been trying all day to contact you, so that you could hear it from me. I'm sorry, my darling, but it's impossible."
"Impossible?" She hated that her voice quavered a little.
"The Planet had been losing money for years. The board of directors had severely decreased the insurance coverage in an effort to cut costs and I'm afraid it was barely insured at all when I purchased it. Everything happened so quickly. I had no idea they were in so much trouble."
Lois felt like she might be sick. It was impossible that the Planet was gone forever. "So that's it?" she whispered.
Lex took her right hand between both of his and gave it a soft squeeze. "I am sorry, Lois," he said gently. "I wish there was something I could do."
"You could rebuild it." God, did he want her to beg? She realized that she was perfectly willing to beg if that would change his mind.
"If it were up to me, darling, I would. But I have shareholders who would balk at such a huge financial risk. If there had been insurance…" His voice trailed off and he lifted her limp hand to press a soft kiss into her palm.
"So there's nothing you can do?' she asked, her voice flat.
Lex sighed. His left hand let go of hers and rose to cup her cheek, turning her face so that their eyes met. His expression was both troubled and sincere. For a moment she questioned how she could ever have thought him capable of hurting her, or Superman, or the Planet. He was
Lex Luthor for god's sake! He was a benefactor to countless charities. He was a world-renowned philanthropist and the recipient of countless humanitarian awards. She still had his handkerchief clutched in her hand. What kind of a monster would destroy your world and then offer you his hankie?
"There is nothing I wouldn't risk for you, Lois," he said as his eyes met hers. "Marry me and I'll rebuild the Planet as your wedding present."
Lois wasn't sure she was even breathing anymore but she could definitely feel her heart pounding as the truth became painfully clear. She continued to evenly meet Lex's gaze even as her brain screamed that he really
had done it. He was exactly the monster that Superman and Clark said he was. Lex had destroyed the Planet simply to use it as leverage.
"I--." Her voice no longer seemed to be working but it hardly mattered since she had no idea what to say. She wanted to turn him down. She desperately wanted to hit him -- maybe a sucker punch to make him feel as gutted as she did right now. But what about Clark and Jimmy and Jack and all the other people who were going to lose their jobs if the Planet was shuttered? What about her, for that matter? If he'd blown up the Planet, who was to say he'd let her out of the limo once it got to the Green Harp if she turned him down again?
"I, uh, I don't know what to say," she whispered, feeling like her throat was closing off with unshed tears.
"I see I've surprised you." Lex leaned closer and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Take your time and think about it, my darling." He kissed her again, this time on the lips. "I'm not going anywhere."
Maybe he meant for that to sound reassuring but to Lois it sounded more like a threat. She nodded mutely and turned her head to stare out the window. It felt like she was suffocating in grief and shock as the limo continued to glide smoothly through the city. She felt detached, completely insulated from what was going on outside the window. That was how Lex lived, never having to deal with the everyday. To him the Planet had been merely a building. To her it had been everything. And now it was irretrievably gone -- unless she agreed to marry him.
She couldn't. She just couldn't. But what if she said 'yes' and waited for him to rebuild the Planet before turning him down? Lois discarded that idea. Lex would probably insist that they be wed before he started the reconstruction. Assuming that Lex actually meant to keep his word once they were married.
The limo pulled over in front of the Green Harp. Lex frowned slightly as he took in the general seediness of the neighborhood. "I can hardly leave you here unprotected. Owen will stay with you." Lex pressed a button to lower the window between them and the front of the limo.
Owen was the last person she wanted as a bodyguard. Lois shook off her lethargy. "No, Owen won't. My source will freak out if I show up with Cousin Lurch in tow."
Lex's frown deepened. "Then perhaps you will allow him to sit another table while you meet your source? I cannot, in good conscience, simply leave you in this neighborhood unprotected."
"All right," she relented, trying to sound grateful. "As long as people don't know we're here together."
Lois reached for the handle to open the door but was stopped short when Lex took hold of her arm. "Please be careful, my dear. And please think about my offer."
"I will," she mumbled. "I'll be careful, I mean. And I'll think about it." Lois was almost shaking with her eagerness to be out of the car and away from Lex.
Owen opened the door from outside and Lois gratefully pulled her arm free of Lex's grasp and stepped out of the limo.
"I'll call you later." Lex gave a nod and Owen closed the door.
The rain was still falling so Lois scurried beneath the gold and green awning covering the entrance to the Green Harp.
"I'll go in first," she told Owen. "You count to two hundred and then come in. If you see a guy in there wearing a Met Net t-shirt make sure you don't sit anywhere near him, okay?"
Owen nodded. Lois wondered if he spoke and she was half-tempted to ask him something that required more than a simple yes or no answer.
Inside the Green Harp Lois headed straight for the bathrooms at the back of the club. As she passed the bar she looked over her shoulder to see if Owen was following her. He wasn't and she wondered how fast he was counting and how much time she'd have to get away. She hurried down the hallway past the rest rooms and pushed on the door marked 'Emergency Exit,' silently praying that she wasn't about to activate an alarm.
The door squeaked but no alarm sounded. Lois stepped into the alley, quickly pushing the door shut behind her. She crept down to the end and took a peek around the corner. Owen was gone. She had only a minute, maybe less, before he'd come out the back looking for her.
Lois spun on her heel and moved swiftly through the alley, coming out on Dock Street. She looked around to make sure she had her bearings then made a right and ran up the street two blocks until she reached Pat's Pizzeria. There was a mirror just inside the door which offered definitive proof that she looked like a drowned rat. She was wiping away the mascara from beneath her eyes when she heard Jimmy call her name.
Jimmy was clearly fighting a grin when he saw how disheveled she was. "Were you followed?" he asked, gesturing for her to follow him.
"Sort of, but I lost him."
Jimmy nodded at the flight of stairs near the back of the room. "Perry got us a table upstairs. Jack was starving so we've already ordered."
At the top of the stairs Jimmy stepped to the side and Lois saw Perry and Jack standing up from a corner booth at the back of the room. A moment later Clark slid out to stand next to Perry. Lois blinked in disbelief, feeling as though her heart had stopped beating.
"Clark!" She launched herself at him and he caught her, spinning her in a hug as they both laughed.
He set her down but she couldn't stop touching him, his arms, his chest, his shoulders, even briefly his face, trying to reassure herself that he was real and not some wonderful, crazy dream. She was amazed anew with each touch to find that he was really there.
"I can't believe it! When did you get back?"
"About an hour ago. Perry picked me up at the airport."
"Why didn't you call me?"
"And ruin the surprise?"
Lois gave Clark another hug, then turned and gave Perry an enthusiastic hug. She was so happy she gave Jimmy and Jack each a hug, too. They all slid back into the booth and she found herself comfortably squeezed between Jimmy and Clark.
As they ate Lois couldn't stop taking sideways glances at Clark, still afraid this might just be a dream. She tried to memorize the press of Clark's leg against hers and the nudge from his elbow as he reached for his drink. It felt companionable and warm being practically snuggled up against him like this. She couldn't stop herself from casually bumping her arm against his to reassure herself that he was really there. He was really, truly there.
Her happiness was marred somewhat as Perry told them that some of the former board members felt the sale of the Planet had been orchestrated. The decision had been far from unanimous but Lex had come up with just enough backers to force a buyout. There were whispers about blackmail and bribes playing a role among those who had voted to sell. Furthermore, Lex's purchase of the Planet hadn't been a spontaneous decision. He'd started putting out feelers months ago, assessing who was amenable and who wasn't.
Lois picked up the pizza crust Clark had just set down and nibbled at it nervously. She knew she should tell them about what had happened with Lex earlier but she didn't want to have to face all their questions, not to mention the disapproval that Perry and Clark were bound to express. Just for a little while she wanted Clark to simply be happy to be home. Hell, she wanted to be happy he was here and not have to contend with his over-protective tendencies.
"I heard they might tear the place down," Perry added, his voice gruff with suppressed emotion. "One of the former board members said that Luthor doesn't plan to rebuild it."
"What?" Jack and Jimmy and Clark all exclaimed as one, before their words piled up questioning the why and how.
"I'm afraid it's true," Lois had to raise her voice to be heard. "Lex said the Planet was underinsured and it would be too expensive to rebuild it."
"When did he say that?" Clark asked, jostling her a little as he turned to face her more fully.
Lois took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Lex showed up as I was leaving to come here and he insisted on giving me a ride. I told him to drop me off at the Green Harp. He had Owen stay with me but I ditched him."
All four men fell instantly silent, staring at her like she'd grown a second head.
Finally Perry spoke. "You ditched Owen?" He turned to look over his shoulder in the direction of the stairs. "Are you sure you lost him?"
"I'm positive."
"What else did Luthor say?" Clark asked.
"What makes you think he said anything else?"
Clark's eyebrow quirked upwards. "Reporter's instincts."
"You're just guessing." Lois took another bite of the pizza crust and chewed it slowly. No one said a word, waiting her out. She swallowed hard and tossed the half-eaten crust back onto Clark's plate. "Lex said he would rebuild the Planet if I married him. As a wedding present."
A tic began to twitch in Clark's jaw. "Tell me you turned him down."
Lois shrugged. "I told him I needed time to think about it."
Clark shook his head in disbelief. "Oh my god, you're actually thinking about doing it, aren't you?"
"Now, Clark--" Perry began to caution.
"I don't want to marry him," Lois said vehemently. "But what about the Planet? If I could save it--."
"No! Absolutely not." Clark's hand slashed through the air in a gesture of finality. "We'll find another way to save it. He's got to be lying about the Planet being underinsured. We can start there."
"I'll find out," Perry volunteered. "I'm certain Clark is right about the insurance."
Lois stared sullenly at the back of Clark's hand. She had missed Perry, but definitely not his annoying habit of always taking Clark's side. And she'd been right about Clark shifting into overprotective big brother mode the moment Lex's name came up. It was all the more irksome because Clark was right. He'd been right about Lex all along, damn him. Absence hadn't softened him at all; Clark was exactly the same. She was making an effort to be nicer so why couldn't he?
Clark was so much the same, in fact, that he was tapping Perry on the shoulder as he asked, "Chief? Will you excuse me? I have to, uh…" Clark gestured in the direction of the stairs.
"Sure." Perry slid out of the booth to let Clark out.
"Don't go anywhere until I get back, okay?" Clark instructed her.
Lois rolled her eyes. "Then you'd better hurry."
Clark made a face at her before jogging away in the direction of the stairs.
As soon as he disappeared from sight Lois leaned forward, bracing her elbows on the table and lowering her voice even though Clark was now out of earshot. "Okay, let's make this quick. I know Clark is in love with someone who works at the Planet but he won't tell me who. Do any of you know who she is?"
For a very long moment no one spoke as all three men stared at her.
"Ahhh," Perry began before falling silent.
Jack began to laugh. "Are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious!" Lois snapped at him.
Jack and Jimmy glanced at each other. It only fueled Lois' frustration more when she saw Jimmy shake his head slightly as if to warn Jack not to say anything.
Lois leaned forward and glared at Jimmy. "James Bartholomew Olsen! Don't you dare not tell me! Spill it!"
"It's so obvious!" Jack said with a laugh. "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"
"Don't be absurd!" Lois exclaimed in exasperation.
"All right, enough." Perry waved at Jack to be silent. "Now, darlin', I think what we're all trying to say is that, if we had to make an educated guess, well, Clark seems to be sweet on you."
"Me?" There seemed to be a roaring sound in her ears as she tried to make sense of this new development. Her? What if it really was that simple? What if Clark was in love with
her? "So why hasn't he told me?"
Jimmy gave her an embarrassed-looking shrug. Perry smiled tightly and shook his head.
"You can't blame him for not wanting to tell you," Jack said tartly after the silence had stretched out. "I mean everyone knows that you're in love with Superman. And you're practically engaged to Lex Luthor. That's a lot to have to compete with, you know?"
Lois shook her head. "I'm not engaged to Lex."
"And Superman?" Jack asked pointedly.
She shook her head again. "I'm not…" Her voice trailed away as she saw Clark reappear at the top of the stairs.
"What did I miss?" Clark asked as Perry stood to allow him into the booth.
"Nothing," Lois said quickly with a warning glare in Jack's direction. "Absolutely nothing."
From that point on Lois could barely follow the conversation anymore. She had never been more aware of her former partner than she was right now. When they'd first met Lois had considered him semi-attractive, in a bland and unexciting way. Then she got used to having him around. He was Clark, nothing more. When she thought he was in love with someone else she had secretly acknowledged that he had an appealing kind of charm. What the heck, who was she kidding? The man was intelligent, amusing, gorgeous, and -- just maybe -- in love with her, which said a lot for his good taste.
Lois was suddenly and exquisitely aware of the muscular length and solid breadth of the body wedged next to hers. A dress shirt could almost camouflage his physique but the t-shirt he was wearing did nothing to hide the toned muscles of his chest and arms. She couldn't tear her attention away from the easy grace of his hands as he ate and gestured. The press of his leg against hers no longer seemed quite so companionable; it felt deliberate and sensual.
Was it really possible that Clark Kent, her friend and erstwhile partner, was in love with her? That she was the woman for whom he'd do anything? What if it was true? What if it was
her? Happiness began to bubble inside her like champagne; tiny little explosions of wonder and joy that Clark might actually be in love with her. She felt dizzy with the realization that she was in love with Clark. He'd said that when you were in love you just knew. Clark was right -- she knew. She knew it with every beat of her heart.
"Hey." Clark's elbow nudged hers as he leaned closer to whisper near her ear. "Are you okay?" The heat of his breath tickled her neck, setting off a ripple of goose bumps over her skin.
"Yeah," she managed to choke out.
"Are you sure?" he persisted. "You're being awfully quiet."
"Am I?" She turned her head to meet his gaze and found herself mesmerized by the concern she saw there. Or was it love? Was this what love looked like?
Clark's eyebrows drew closer together as he studied her. "I'm sorry if I came down on you too hard about Luthor."
Lois shook her head slightly. "You didn't."
The corner of his mouth rose in a lopsided smile. "It's only because I care, you know."
It's because you love me, her mind corrected for him.
Don't you? Oh my god, Clark, I'm in love with you!"I know," she whispered. "And I'm glad you care. I, uh, I care about you, too."
Clark's crooked smile widened into a full-fledged grin. "Wow. You really did miss me, didn't you?"
Their eyes met and her heart seemed to skip a beat. This was definitely what love looked like. Lex could imitate it pretty well but every moment she had ever spent with Clark was proof that he respected and valued her. Clark would never blackmail her into doing anything, let alone try to force her to marry him. She could feel her cheeks grow hot at the thought of being married to Clark but she didn't dare look away, afraid that he might guess her thoughts.
"Of course, I missed you," she whispered.
His eyes searched hers for a moment longer and then he gave her arm a friendly nudge. "We'll talk later?"
"Sure," Lois blushed even harder and looked away. He'd said he cared! That was practically a confess ion of love, wasn't it?
She wished she could think of something else to say now; something snappy so Clark wouldn't continue to think there was something wrong with her. It was hard to come up with anything intelligent when he was sitting so damn close and his bicep was stretching the material of his shirt sleeve. He reached for his glass and the muscles of his arm flexed causing her eyes to widen in silent appreciation. She watched him take a drink, fascinated by the way his mouth opened, the press of his lips to the rim of the glass, and the movement of his Adam's apple as he swallowed. She was seized with the almost irresistible impulse to kiss him. Anywhere would do -- his neck, or his lips, or cheek. Heck, even his arm looked good enough to kiss.
Clark must have sensed her gaze because he gave her a quizzical sidelong glance as he set his glass down. Lois blushed and looked away. Her gaze fell on the pizza crust in front of him. That was Clark's crust, which she had nonchalantly picked up earlier and started to eat. The implied intimacy of that casual sharing hit her hard. She might as well have been kissing him.
That thought sent a new wave of heat through her -- but now it was in her belly instead of her face. The memory of an unexpected kiss in the honeymoon suite at the Lexor came back to her in a rush. She could practically feel the phantom pressure of his mouth on hers and the way his hand had touched her cheek. Add that to the list of amazing things about Clark -- the man could kiss.
She snuck another glance at Clark's mouth. He was speaking and she couldn't tear her eyes away from his lips, mesmerized by their movement. Then she realized he was staring at her. Everyone at the table was staring at her.
"What?" she asked defensively.
To her chagrin, Perry now looked as concerned as Clark. "I asked where you're planning to stay tonight. You know there's always a room for you with Alice and me."
Lois shook her head. Superman had told her that Perry was one of the people Lex was watching and the last thing she wanted was to put him or Alice at risk. "I might as well go home."
"Absolutely not." Perry's frown deepened. "We'll find a hotel room for you."
"Using what? All my credit cards were in my desk when the Planet blew up."
"You can use my card," Clark offered.
"He's probably tracking all our cards," Lois admitted somewhat grimly.
Perry smiled. "I'll bet he's not tracking this one." He held up a card and his smile grew wider. "It's a corporate credit card. I was supposed to give it to Chip but I forgot."
Lois held out her hand to take the card but Perry moved it beyond her reach. "Two conditions, darlin'. One, you go out to the suburbs, somewhere that it will be easier to spot a tail. And, two, I come with you."
"Make it three conditions. I'm coming, too," Clark volunteered.
"I don't think I need bodyguards," Lois huffed, though she was secretly pleased that Clark wanted to tag along. "After all, if Lex really wanted to hurt me, I wouldn't be sitting here now."
Clark and Perry exchanged a look and then Perry said, "Do your old editor a favor, okay?"
"Okay," she relented. "But only because you asked so nicely."
<><><>
Something was wrong with Lois but Clark could only guess at what it was. Was it Luthor? Was she shaken by her earlier encounter with the man? What in the world had possessed her to get into a car, alone, with Luthor and Owen? Or was there something else bothering her?
Lois had seemed distracted during dinner. But now, squeezed into the backseat of a cab between himself and Perry, she was downright fidgety. Her breathing was shallow and her pulse was rapid. Was it exhaustion? She had dark circles beneath her eyes; clearly she hadn't been sleeping well. Clark was seized by two warring impulses. He wanted to hold Lois -- that hug at the pizza place had been far too brief. Most of all he wanted to make Luthor pay, find a way to get beneath his skin and unsettle the man in the same way he was terrorizing Lois.
She swallowed hard and took in a quick breath as if she was about to speak. Clark turned his head and found her watching him with the same quiet intensity as she'd had at the restaurant. He was about to ask, again, what was wrong when she ducked her head and turned to stare in the direction of Perry's knees.
What in the world? It was almost as if she was nervous or shy. Lois Lane was many things but nervous and shy weren't even in the realm of possibility. Was it him? Had he done something to upset her? She'd seemed glad enough to see him tonight but she had definitely started acting different after he came back from checking to make sure Owen wasn't following her. She'd had the oddest expression on her face when he’d returned and she had seemed upset with Jack. But why? What had Jack done in his absence? Perry and Jimmy had looked a little shifty, too, come to think of it. What had happened at the table in his absence?
Clark mused about it, watching Lois from the corner of his eye, as their cab took the exit for the Bayside Bridge. The hum of the tires on the bridge's deck made a vibrating noise and he found himself lulled closer to sleep by it. He was pulled back to wakefulness by a sudden soft weight against his shoulder as Lois' head came to rest there. Clark glanced down and his chest tightened as an overhead streetlight illuminated Lois' face. Her eyes were closed but they suddenly blinked open.
Lois pulled away from him, sitting up and muttering, "Sorry."
"It's okay," he reassured her quietly. "I don't mind."
He felt her tense then she breathed out and relaxed. Little by little -- achingly slow -- her head came to rest against his shoulder again.
A wave of relief washed over him. Whatever it was that was bothering her it probably wasn't something he had done or failed to do. Clark closed his eyes, savoring the trusting weight of Lois's head against his shoulder. His thoughts drifted, becoming slower and less distinct as he, too, was lulled closer into sleep.
Sometime later, Perry's voice startled him awake. "Up there, let's turn in at that hotel."
The cabbie pulled beneath the portico for the Parkway Executive Suites. They got out and Clark retrieved his suitcase from the trunk while Perry paid the driver.
Clark watched Lois surreptitiously as Perry spoke with the front desk clerk. Her shoulders were hunched, her expression weary, her eyes hooded with sleep.
She looked up and gave him a faint smile before stating, "You look exhausted, Clark."
"Jet lag," he said with a shrug.
"You should have gone straight home."
"I'd rather know for sure that you're okay."
Her smile widened a little. "Thanks."
"Okay, kids." Perry rejoined them, holding out key cards. "I was able to get us three rooms that are by each other. I'll take 506. Lois you can have 508, and we'll put Clark in 510."
They rode in silence to the fifth floor and stepped out into the hall. Perry's room was the fourth on the left. He stopped in front of the door for 506. "If you need anything you just knock on the wall, okay, darlin?"
Lois nodded. "I will. Thanks, Chief. Good night."
Perry opened the door to 506 and glanced at his two reporters, hesitating for a moment longer before nodding to Clark as he stepped inside.
Clark walked with Lois to 508.
"Well…" she said, smiling up at him shyly. "I guess this is me."
"Guess so." He waited but she made no move to open the door. "Did you still want to talk?" he prompted, hoping that maybe she was ready to come clean about whatever it was that was bothering her.
"I…, uh, no. Not now. It can wait."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. Good night, Clark." Lois whirled around and began to swipe her card, jabbing it repeatedly at the door.
"I think--" Clark started to say before deciding that she would only react negatively if he said anything about her door opening skills.
"What?" Lois whirled around and glared up at him, practically daring him to criticize her.
Seized by inspiration and a chance to defuse the situation Clark set his suitcase on its back in the middle of the hallway and knelt down in front of it. He zipped it open and pulled out the gray t-shirt sitting on top. It was still neatly folded and he stood up and held it out to Lois. "Here," he said. "For you."
She looked up at him in astonishment. "What?"
"It seems kind of unfair that I have my suitcase and you don't. I thought you might want something to sleep in." Clark felt distinctly stupid as her gaze danced between his face and the shirt he was holding out. "It's clean," he added self-consciously.
Lois blushed but continued to meet his eyes. "He told you, didn't he? Superman told you."
Too late he remembered that he wasn't supposed to know Lois had worn his Met Nets t-shirt as pajamas. Standing in a hotel hallway with Perry next door was probably the wrong place to admit the truth about Superman. He feigned confusion. "Told me what? I just thought you'd like something to sleep in."
Lois glanced at the shirt and then back at him. "You swear he didn't tell you?"
"Superman didn't tell me anything." That was technically the truth -- Superman hadn't told him -- though he doubted Lois would appreciate the irony. He held out the shirt again. "It's yours, if you want it."
She bit her lip for a second then took the shirt with a murmured, "Thanks."
Lois turned back to the door. He could see her hand was shaking but this time she managed to slide the card slow enough for the reader to scan it. The light went green and there was an audible click. She pushed down on the handle and opened the door.
"Good night, Lois."
She didn't turn around but she did say "Good night, Clark" before stepping inside. The door closed automatically and the sound it made suggested maybe Lois had pushed to make it close faster.
<><><>
As soon as the door was shut Lois lifted Clark's shirt to her face, inhaling the faint scent of him that clung to the fabric. She should have hugged him as thanks for the shirt. Right now she could be in his arms, however briefly. She could be smelling the actual man and not his shirt.
What if she opened the door? Was he still in the hallway?
From next door she heard the muted sound of the spring-loaded door shutting firmly.
You missed your chance, she reprimanded herself.
Way to go.Lois walked further into the room, taking in her new surroundings. Judging by the decor the hotel had been designed for upscale business travelers. There was a king-size bed and a sofa against one wall. On the opposite wall were a desk and rolling chair, along with a large bureau topped by a television. Framed pictures of Metropolis landmarks hung on the walls. She sat on the bed and stared past the TV to the wall behind it. Clark was on the other side of that wall. Her pulse jumped, just thinking of how close he was. What if she could go over there and talk to him? What would she say? "Hi, are you in love with me? I think I'm in love with you…?"
Bad idea. He was tired -- and she was chicken.
Lois wandered into the bathroom. It was luxurious with a deep tub on one wall and a large, glassed-in shower on the other. High-end amenities had been left on the marble vanity along with a card instructing her to call the front desk if she needed anything else. A plush robe hung on the back of the door and even plusher towels were stacked neatly on a shelf above the toilet. She could hear the faint sound of water falling on Perry's side of the wall. Then she heard him singing, the sound was muffled, but it was definitely 'Are You Lonesome Tonight' and it made her giggle.
She took a long, hot shower, humming 'Are You Lonesome Tonight' to herself. She got out, dried off, and put on Clark's t-shirt. Lois swallowed hard thinking about how Clark had looked in his t-shirt tonight. She should have hugged him.
Lois got in bed, exhaling a happy little sigh at how soft the sheets were. She was exhausted but she still couldn't fall asleep. This time it wasn't how far away Clark was that was keeping her awake, it was how close he was. She tossed and turned, debating with herself about whether or not to call him. Was it too late? It was nearly midnight now. Was he asleep yet?
Finally the need to hear his voice just one more time outweighed her inhibitions. Lois picked up the phone and dialed room 510. She almost hung up as the first ring sounded. In the quiet of the evening she could faintly hear it through the wall as well as the receiver.
Midway through the second ring, Clark answered, "Hello?"
"Hi," Lois said rather sheepishly. "It's me."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yes, sorry. I hope I didn't wake you."
"I wasn't asleep yet."
"Me, neither." She rolled her eyes at how inane that was to have said. "It's just, well, I've gotten used to talking to you before I go to sleep. I kinda like it."
"Me, too."
Lois wiggled her toes in happiness. "I won't keep you. I know it's been a long day and you're horribly jet-lagged."
"We can talk for as long as you want."
She wanted to ask him if he was in love with her but Lois didn't know how to broach the subject. What if Perry and the boys were wrong? What if Clark was actually in love with someone else and she only made a fool of herself by asking? But what if he was in love with her? What if everything she had ever wanted was on the other side of the wall right now and hers for the asking?
Lois chickened out. "How's your room?"
"It's probably a lot like yours."
Of course it was. But now that she'd started this line of questioning she felt compelled to continue. "Is it better or worse than in Miami or Hawaii?"
Clark laughed. "Night and day difference. This place is so much nicer than either of those were."
"Still, I bet you miss your bed."
"Yeah."
"Me, too." Her cheeks turned warm as she realized how that might have sounded. "Miss my bed, I mean. Not your bed. Although your bed is nice. It's comfy, you know? The mattress might be a little firmer than mine but I could definitely sleep on it again." Her blush turned even hotter. "Not that I'm planning on sleeping in your bed again! I'm not ruling it out completely, just that the possibility is unlikely. Mostly unlikely. You never know what might happen, though."
His laugh was a low rumble in her ear. "My dad always says that when you find yourself in a hole, you should stop digging."
"Fine. I relinquish the shovel. Actually, no, I still have one more hole to dig. I need to make my guess about…" Lois hesitated then plunged ahead. "…About
her."
Are you really going to ask him? Oh god. Oh god. Oh god…He sighed into the phone. "Lois--"
"This is my final guess. I promise I won't ever ask again after this one." There wouldn't be a need to ask because if she was wrong she'd die of embarrassment before morning. And if she was right?
Oh god. Oh god! What if she was right?There was a small pause before he quietly said, "Okay. Ask."
Her heart began to hammer inside her chest, like a bird frantic for escape. She took a couple of shallow breaths but couldn't quite make herself speak. Lois swallowed hard and just barely managed to quickly whisper the words, "Is it me?"
Dead silence.
Lois' breath caught in her throat. Maybe he hadn't heard her? No, he must have heard her or he would have asked her to repeat the question. Her eyes closed in embarrassment. She'd been too presumptuous. Of course he wasn't in love with her. So why didn't he just say so? The question was still there, seeming to hang heavy in the air.
After an eternity Clark quietly said, "Yes."
Her heart began to beat again. "Oh," she whispered as her mind raced to make sense of it. Had she heard him correctly? "You, uh, you said 'yes,' right?"
It took much less time for him to answer. "Yes."
"So that's a yes, you're in love with me?"
He made a sound like a suppressed laugh. "Yes."
"Oh my god, that's so great! I'm in love with you, too!"
"You… what?"
"I love you." Lois laughed from the sheer relief of having actually said the words out loud then stopped abruptly. "Wait! Don't say it back! I'm coming over."
She didn't wait for a reply. Lois dropped the phone in its cradle and raced to the door. She fumbled open the locks with shaking hands and rushed into the hallway. Only after she had knocked on the door of 510 did it occur to her that she wasn't wearing any pants.
<><><>
End 8/12
Like Lois, I'm breathless with anticipation. Please,
come say something!
Now we are getting somewhere!! The old magic is back!!!! Yes, yes, yes Clark - open that door! But carefully!