From Part 12:
“Help,” someone screamed in the distance. “Oh god, help me, please. No!” The caller was female and there was a tone of despair in her voice that tore at Lois’ heart. “No! No!” The voice died down to a muffled cry.
Clark started running and with a gust of wind he was gone. Lois could only guess in which direction he was going, but her feet were moving before she had consciously decided what she was going to do. She hurried back to the car and jumped behind the wheel. The car roared to life as she turned the ignition and moments later, she followed the route she assumed Clark had taken, driving towards the screaming woman.
The streets became darker, if that was even possible, as she drove further into Suicide Slum. Usually, Lois avoided this part of the city when it was dark. Instinctively, a shiver ran down her spine, causing her to shrink a little behind the wheel. She grabbed it more firmly until her knuckles turned white. Lois had read way too many reports about muggings in Suicide Slum, which did not only happen to people who were careless enough to take a walk in the dark. But her curiosity won the silent battle with her fear and she drove on.
A dark figure crossed the street in the distance. Lois blinked, trying to determine if this could be Clark. It was impossible to tell. The headlights caught another figure, no two of them, Lois corrected herself silently and could not stifle a gasp of surprise as she indeed recognized Clark in the company of a small woman. She clutched at her clothes, trying to hold them together in front of her chest, shaking like a leaf. As she slowed the car down, Lois could see that Clark was talking to the woman. The trembling became a little less pronounced and she nodded.
Clark lifted a hand and signaled for Lois to stop. With another glance at the distressed woman, he approached the driver’s side of the car and patiently waited for Lois to lower the window.
“This woman was almost raped,” he said quietly. “I just came here in time,” he added and for what seemed like the first time ever, Lois saw something on Clark’s face that resembled contentment. “I talked to her and she wants to go to the police.”
... I Knew The Truth
Part 13
* * * Flashback * * *
Still grumbling, Lois left Perry's office. She had asked for a task force and had ended up as a babysitter. Two Kerth Awards in her showcase should be proof enough that she was a great reporter. Perry should know he could trust her instincts. Woodward and Bernstein surely hadn't been forced to teach some hick the ropes while they had investigated the Watergate Scandal. Lois rolled her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come. She didn't have the time to look after someone who couldn't keep up. But if she wanted to break the story, she would have to. Tough luck.
Clark Kent was sitting at his desk, deeply immersed in some work as she approached him. Curiously, he looked up from his computer and flashed her a polite smile.
"Let's hit it," she said curtly, turned on her heels and went off.
"Mind if I ask where we’re going?" he asked, unimpressed and slowly rose from his chair.
"To interview Samuel Platt," Lois replied, unable to hide her impatience. This Clark Kent was unbelievable. Pointedly, as if she was talking to a very dense person, she added. "He's convinced that the Messenger was sabotaged. I'll brief you on the way. Now, come on!"
Again, she walked off, this time determined not to wait for him to follow her. She had offered him his chance; he could take it or leave it. She didn't care, either way.
He joined her on her way out, shrugging into his coat. An empty elevator arrived and they stepped inside. Lois pressed the button for street level and once more turned to Clark. "Let's get something straight. I didn't work my buns off to become an investigative reporter for the Daily Planet just to baby-sit some hack from Nowheresville." The doors closed and the car began to move. “And another thing. You're not working with me, you're working for me. I call the shots. I ask the questions. You're low man. I'm top banana. That's the way I like it. Comprende?"
Clark just raised his brows. "You like to be on top. Got it," he said wryly as the elevator stopped. Not waiting for her reply he stepped out. "Are you done, or is there something else you need to tell me?"
"Don't push me, Kent," she warned and followed him. "You're way out of your league”.
"If you say so, Lois," Clark said good-naturedly.
Lois wanted to add some more, but nothing came to mind. That was a rare occurrence and it irked her. Somehow, Clark didn't fit the mental image she had of him. She had not expected him to act so completely unimpressed. He was neither intimidated nor did he tell her to get lost like any other male might have. It was confusing to say the least.
Moreover, he kept ignoring her little speech during the interview with Doctors Platt and Baines. While Clark let her ask most of the questions, he chimed in whenever he deemed necessary. Much as Lois wanted to interrupt and put Clark in his place, she had to admit to herself that his contribution was important. Since she could not complain about his work, she was as annoying as she possibly could. It was no conscious effort on her part and inwardly she cringed at her own attitude, but she was not able to stop herself. It had always been difficult for her to admit that she was wrong about someone or something, even more so when her behavior called for her to make an apology.
So, Lois was miserable when she and Clark returned from their interviews. Particularly since Clark had flirted with Dr. Baines to get information. Inexplicably, Lois had felt a twinge of jealousy as she had seen Clark smile at Baines. He had the most amazing smile, making her weak in her knees just watching him. And this smile had not even been directed at her, quite the opposite in fact. Clark had remained utterly professional around her. She tried to convince herself that she wanted just that, after all it was one of her three rules to never get involved with a coworker. Still, she felt that lump in her throat, heard that tiny voice in her head that sounded a lot like her sister Lucy. It was her own fault that Clark would never smile at her like that - she was just too off-putting. She was angry at herself and as a result she had tried her best to make Clark's day even more miserable.
As soon as the elevator opened its doors to the news room, Clark stepped out and then walked over to his desk. A huge weight seemed to fall from his shoulders and Lois could not exactly blame him. She was not proud of herself and would try to forget about the day over an episode of 'Ivory Tower' and a carton of chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream. Trying her best to maintain her tough facade, she went to fetch some coffee, which for now had to do. With her cup in hand she sat down at her desk.
Meanwhile, Clark had returned to his own computer and was just about to sit down when Cat approached in her usual manner. She sat down on the edge of Clark's desk, crossing her legs so that her skirt inched a little higher, revealing more of her shapely legs. She leaned in on him, giving him a view of her ample cleavage.
"Any plans for tonight, Clark?" Cat purred.
"Not yet," Clark said with a shrug, seemingly ignorant of her intentions.
Cat ran a hand along his arm."Well, we could drink champagne, you could show me your Kerth Award and then..."
Lois heard no more, she almost choked on her coffee. Her surprise was not lost on Cat. She turned around, a huge grin on her face.
"Wait, don't tell me you didn't know that," she said, her chuckle soon turning into laughter as she realized that her notion was spot on. "You should see your face! I don't believe it. Lois Lane, world famous investigative reporter didn't know that her partner is a Kerth Winner." Cat obviously took great pleasure in rubbing it in. "Uh, oh... knowing you, Lois, I guess some apologies are in order. I better leave you to it." Still laughing, she went off. "See you later, Clark."
Lois looked at Clark, still shell-shocked, wishing that the earth would swallow her up.
* * * End Flashback * * *
Lois barely managed to stifle a yawn as they were on their way back to her apartment. Their visit with the police had taken slightly longer than she had anticipated, keeping them busy until the small hours of the morning. It was one of the reasons Lois was grateful that Clark had offered to drive. The other reason was that she needed some time to think about the enigma that was Clark Kent.
She watched him while he kept his eyes trained on the street before them, not once wavering in his attention. Sure, he had never been quite the talkative guy, but she was getting the impression that he was actively avoiding her. That was strange, because he had been more relaxed, almost happy even after saving the woman. Now that they were alone, he was once again retreating into his shell. Why was he doing this to himself, Lois wondered, keeping his distance from everyone else? His mother, Martha, had told her that hiding his powers had been Clark’s decision, one he had made even before Lana had hurt him so badly. Was it because of Lana and Luthor that he lived this half-life, always on the run? Why was he doing this to himself, when helping others was the one thing that seemed to make him happy?
“I’m glad that you could help that woman,” Lois said softly.
“Yeah, me too,” Clark murmured mono-syllabically.
“You’re a hero, you know that?” Lois went on.
That got his attention. He briefly turned to look at her, raising his brows. Then, he shook his head.
“No, I’m not,” Clark disagreed.
“Yes, you are. You’ve saved my life, at least twice now. You saved that woman from a terrible fate. Thanks to you the Colonist Transport did not explode and poor Amy Platt now has a chance to get healthy,” Lois enumerated.
“That’s nothing special,” he shrugged her off. “I could do so much more, and yet I don’t – for fear of discovery. For every person I saved, there are countless others I didn’t help,” he said unhappily. “I’m not a hero, Lois. Do you know how many times I’ve moved, because I was afraid someone was onto me? I’ve lost count.”
“But anything you can do helps to make this world a better place,” Lois insisted, feeling the urge to comfort him. “When you rescued that woman – it was one of the few times I truly saw you smile.”
“It feels good to help people,” Clark admitted softly. “When I’m rescuing someone, all those weird powers suddenly make sense. My whole life, I never felt like I belonged anywhere. Those few moments I can put my powers to good use – I know why I’m here.” He heaved a sigh, a dark shadow crossing his face. “But Lana made me understand that I will never be anyone but a stranger on this world. She was terrified of me, of what I could do and I cannot exactly blame her. If the world ever found out that a single person with such powers existed…” His voice trailed off and he fell silent again.
Lois wanted to disagree, but words failed her. In a way, Clark was right. The idea of a being as powerful as him was terrifying in itself. If anyone had told her of his abilities, she probably would have been scared, too. But she knew without a shadow of a doubt that Clark would never hurt anyone. He was a good man, who rather spent years trying to prove Luthor’s guilt instead of using the short cut.
“I think you could convince them that you are one of the good people,” Lois said after a while. “Not everyone is like Lana.”
Clark glanced at her briefly. “You’re an exception, Lois, not the rule,” he replied sadly. “Besides, Luthor would certainly try to exploit my special talents. He knows where my parents live, remember?”
“So this really is about Luthor?” Lois asked. “Does that mean you would stop hiding yourself if he was out of the picture?”
“Can we please drop the topic?” Clark begged and clenched his jaw.
“No, we can’t,” Lois said heatedly. “The truth is that we will never bring Luthor down if you keep ducking away all the time. And even if we did succeed, what would your life be like? You’d still be hiding. Is that what you want? I can’t believe that and it kills me to see you this unhappy.”
Clark slowed the car down, pulling in at the side of the street. “It’s not like I have a choice about it,” he shot her an angry glance, daring her to say another word. “All I ever wanted was to be like all the other people – have a normal life, marry someone and have kids. I was a fool to believe that I could ever fit in.” There was so much pain in his voice that it tore at Lois’ heart. But she felt that giving in and let it go was the wrong thing to do.
Lois returned his gaze, unfazed. “Why?”
“You know that,” Clark said stubbornly, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel more firmly. “Luthor would instantly know it was me. Everyone would know what I am. People would either try to use me or be scared. I’d never have a life.”
Lois shook her head, slightly. “You keep saying that - but what about now? Do you really have a life now?” she asked softly, running a hand over his, loosening his tight grip with that small gesture. His eyes followed her slow movements and his tension visibly dissipated. For a moment neither of them said anything. Clark just watched Lois, his eyes wandering across her face. “What did you do when you left the Planet?” Lois eventually went on. “Stay with your parents?” Clark’s lips opened, but no words came out. He swallowed. “Keep watch over me?”
“You…” he ran his tongue across his lips to moisture them as if his mouth had suddenly run dry. “You noticed that?” He asked hoarsely.
Lois merely nodded, she had figured as much. Clark had known about her trip to Washington, he had been there right at the moment she had needed him most. Last but not least, there were the dark shadows she had seen in the dark streets of Washington or in front of her window. Clark was her guardian angel, but he was also a person who deserved a life.
“Clark – trying to hide your powers is what sets you apart. If you were less of a human and could stand by and watch people suffer, it might just work, but that is not who you are.” Lois finally said. “I believe people would be a lot more accepting of your powers than you think they would. The tabloid papers are already speculating about a mysterious savior.”
“What?” Clark asked, alarmed.
“Don’t worry, they’ve got nothing tangible.” Lois tried to calm him. “What I’m trying to say is: none of the articles I read while I was trying to find you were negative. If you would help publicly, then people would see all the good you can do. The guy you saved in the manhole was thankful, not scared.”
Clark shook his head. “How would that help me to have a life? All I ever wanted to be was Clark Kent. If I went public and would show everyone how powerful I am, how could I still be a reporter? People would only ever see the freak,” he said bitterly.
“Not if you become someone else,” Lois suggested, not sure if that had been her plan all along. But all of a sudden, she saw the answer to Clark’s problems with such clarity that she was wondering why she had not thought about it before. “Get yourself a flashy costume. Separate the hero from the person you really are. People will be too amazed by the things you can do to really look at the man underneath the outfit.”
Clark shot her a disbelieving glance, his forehead creasing in a frown. “You really think that?” He did not sound convinced.
Lois on the other hand more and more felt herself warm up to the idea. “Look at yourself in the mirror, Clark. You’re a bespectacled boy-scout. Believe me: no one will suspect a thing,” she replied, positively giddy.
“Luthor will know it is me,” Clark objected. “This is a bad idea.”
Strangely, the more Clark protested, the surer Lois became that it was going to work. Just like Clark had no proof that Luthor was really a bad guy, Luthor could not be sure that Clark actually had powers. All he knew was what Lana Lang had told him, which had been almost instantly disproven by a fragment of the rock Clark had told her about.
“I don’t think he will be sure of his suspicions,” Lois said slowly. “Perhaps he will start to wonder if the guy with the powers had been someone else all along. You said he was pretty out of it, when you flew the car closer to the next city.” She waited for him to confirm the fact with a nod before she continued. “He hurt you, badly. That’s the one thing he knows for sure. Everything else could be conjecture of the troubled mind of a girl who had just broken up with her boyfriend.” Lois concluded smugly.
Clark immediately opened his lips to disagree with her, but he soon closed them again, thoughtfully. He was still shaking his head, but with much less conviction. Obviously, Lois had at least gotten him to consider her plan.
“Do you really think he wouldn’t recognize me?” Clark finally asked.
“At least, he’s going to have his doubts,” Lois insisted. “And maybe, we could stage something similar to the events in Smallville to dissuade him. Besides, even if he did recognize you, I don’t think he would expose you publicly. If everyone knew you were Clark Kent, he’d have no leverage.”
to be continued...
Last edited by bakasi; 05/28/16 12:59 PM.
