Next part on Friday!
Thank you again Nancy (anonpip) and Rel
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Both Sides of the CoinPart 16
TOC Lois frowned intently at her watch. He was late...
Clark had a surprise for her... but before they got off for the weekend Clark had been called out on an emergency... CJ had been giving a lecture. That had been several hours ago and Lois was now waiting for her errant boyfriend on the Planet’s roof. The weekend off had been a reward for a preliminary interview with ‘Superman’... they had established his alien origins and tried to frame him as an aide worker of sorts: a being sent here to help on this world however he could. It was a start... the details had been a little thin but it was the best Perry had had. Lois suspected that their editor would be out for blood for a meatier story soon...
She was jarred from her thoughts by arms wrapping around her waist from behind and lips brushing across her forehead.
<Hey,> the mental link made her smile. This unexpected bonus had somehow plowed through many of her remaining reservations about pursuing the attraction she felt for this unique man. It was strange to her. She hadn’t been looking for a relationship... in fact, until Clark, she had been scared of them. Maybe it was even the implied seriousness that the ‘bond’ carried that let her relax a little... something that should have terrified her instead allowed her to relax in the reassurance that this relationship was as big a deal for Clark as it was for her...
“You ready to go?”
“Go where?”
Clark laughed as he turned her around, exercising a new sense of freedom and pressing a kiss to her lips. <It’s a surprise!>
Lois pulled away, “I don’t like surprises...” watching him pout she sighed, “...fine. Let’s go...”
Clark scooped her up and took to the sky. Lois clung tightly for a moment until he leveled out. <I didn’t even notice you were still wearing your uniform!>
Clark chuckled in her ear, <Somehow I like the sound of that...>
Lois smacked him but said nothing.
A relatively short time later she felt him start to descend. Once they landed, Clark let her out of his arms and changed into normal clothes. He then wrapped and arm around her shoulders and led her up to a small house. Lois dragged her feet, “Where...?”
A woman opened the door and smiled at them, “Clark! And you must be Lois!” As they climbed onto the porch the woman moved forward and hugged Clark before holding out a hand to Lois, “Hi, I’m Martha Kent.”
Lois took her hand and smiled shakily, “I’m... Lois Lane.” <Clark! You are dead!>
<Can I help?>
Lois ignored CJ’s intrusion as she was brought inside the house. Inside she noticed Rachel and CJ seated at a table with another new face. The man considered her for a long moment before extending a hand, “I’m Jonathan Kent.”
<Dad’s our cynic.>
Lois smiled and shook his hand, “Lois Lane.” <You’re still dead for springing me on your parents...>
<We figured you might want to hear about us from the source... so to speak...>
<‘We’ meaning I need to blame CJ, too?>
<‘We’ meaning Rach thought you might be more comfortable talking to Mom about all of this... it’s not like you can talk to many people about us...>
<Rachel also grew up here, Clark!>
<I’m sorry, Lois...>
<It’s ok... I guess... I just wasn’t ready for the ‘meet the parents’ step yet...>
They reached the table and Clark pulled out a chair for her before sitting himself. Martha beamed at them from across the table.
Dinner was an experience completely outside Lois’ expectations. The adventures of their week were related and debated. There was laughter, teasing and gentle arguing over differences of opinion. Even more fascinating to her was that she was being fully included in the conversations. Martha especially seemed to want to know what she thought of various things.
Lois longed briefly for the mother she had lost a decade ago but at the same time hoped Ellen Lane would have been happy for her. She also wished Lucy could have come here with her.
After a delicious dinner they all went out to the porch. Clark sat on the stairs, leaning against a post. He then pulled Lois down next to him and wrapped her in his arms. She blushed as Martha smiled at her before joining Jonathan in a pair of rocking chairs while CJ and Rachel claimed a swing at the other end.
Once settled, Martha and Jonathan shared the amazing story of how they found two babies in a space ship. Clark even provided Lois with a mental image of the ship he had found in Trask’s warehouse.
Lois was amazed. How could this couple have just taken the two infants home? Then she looked at Clark... trying to picture him as a baby... then again... maybe it wasn’t quite so shocking...
A truck coming up the drive made Lois frown, <Who?>
Clark frowned, <I don’t...>
<Rach’s Dad and brother...>
<Oh! So you two are springing the news?>
<Yep...>
Two men got out of the car. Both were stocky, sturdy men and the older one wore a Sheriff’s badge. As they reached the porch Clark helped Lois stand. She was quickly introduced to Randal Harris and his son, Randy.
Clark stood, Lois wrapped in his arms, as Rachel and CJ moved to the middle of the porch. Her family took the swing seats. Rachel took CJ’s hand. “Randy... Poppa...”
CJ continued, “Mom, Dad, Clark...” he grinned, “...Lois. We have something to share with you all...”
Rachel took a deep breath, “I’m pregnant...”
Martha let out a loud gasp before rushing over to hug her daughter-in-law. She barely beat Randal who claimed his daughter in a tight hug as soon as she released her, “Your Momma woulda been happy Rach...”
Lois looked at Clark, <Would have?>
Clark squeezed her, <Her mom died when she was three... car crash...>
Randy also hugged his sister before frowning at CJ, “I thought you two said you probably couldn’t...”
CJ grimaced, “We didn’t think we could, Randy...”
Randal eyed Lois, before looking at his son-in-law, “And what about this new job of yours?”
Clark grinned, “She knows, Mr. Harris...”
Lois frowned at her boyfriend.
<CJ told them about us after he and Rach got married...> Clark explained.
Randal looked at Lois again, this time in surprise, “Well then... what about all this ‘Superman’ business?”
CJ sighed, “We’re still feeling everything out...”
Rachel nodded, “Yeah... Superman... CJ’s new professorship... new house... and... the MPD didn’t hire me...”
Randal frowned, “Why not? You’re a darn good law woman...”
Rachel smiled, “Thanks, Poppa... they said they weren’t hiring... but now with the baby...”
Randal nodded, “You might need more time... I understand. I stepped down as Sherriff for five years while you two were little... I only started back after...” pain crossed his face, “...well... we needed the money...”
Lois frowned again.
<Rach’s mom was the local lawyer... Ag and land law mostly. She kept working after her kids were born but Rach’s dad wanted to spend more time with his kids while they were little.>
Lois tried to hide her surprise. This man had taken a five-year break from his job to play househusband? In the late sixties? So his wife could work? It was almost unfathomable to her.
Clark squeezed her again, <He’s a unique man...>
A short while later the group broke up. CJ and Rachel left with her family and Clark took Lois back to Metropolis.
Reaching her door Clark claimed a kiss before preparing to leave. Lois stopped him, “Clark... can we talk for a bit?”
Clark smiled, “Sure, Lois.”
Lucy looked up from the TV as they came in, “Should I hide?”
Clark smiled at her, “Nope, Lois and I just need to talk for a bit.”
Lucy rolled her eyes but said nothing.
Standing in her kitchen Lois considered Clark. She took a deep breath, frowned, then sighed.
Clark pulled her into his arms, “Talk to me Lois.”
Lois relaxed, “I’m worried about work...” she stopped, unsure how to continue.
“That we’ll be somehow reprimanded for fraternization?”
“No! There aren’t any rules like that... it’s just...” Lois trailed off again.
“The rumor mill?”
Lois frowned, “Kind of... I’m just not ready to be under the microscope...”
Clark pulled her closer, “I understand... we just have to make sure we’re circumspect at work... is that ok?”
Lois pulled back and smiled at him, “Perfect... thanks Clark...”
Clark smiled at her and claimed one last kiss, “It’s time for me to go... I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Lois nodded, “We need to find you a real apartment...” <And I have questions about... well... the ‘Superman’ side of you... and... this...>
<Rachel coined the term ‘bond’.>
Clark reluctantly pulled away from her, “Tomorrow then... bye Lois, Lucy...” He exited the apartment, a moment later Lois heard a sonic boom overhead and smiled.
Lucy was watching her sister closely. Lois caught her gaze and moved over to the couch. “What, Luce?”
Lucy sighed, “This just seems so sudden Lois...”
Lois frowned, “Yeah... it is... I just...”
Lucy hugged her, “I just don’t want you hurt...”
Lois tightened her arms, “Thanks, Luce... but I hope... no, I *think* that this is going to work...”
***************************
Saturday afternoon Lois and Clark were walking through Centennial Park. The morning had been spent looking at apartments...
Lois grimaced, Clark was going to drive her insane. She had no idea just what he was looking for in an apartment but whatever it was, he hadn’t found it today... and it was driving her nuts.
Clark looped an arm over her shoulder, “Sorry Lois... I know you wanted to have this over today...”
Lois sighed, “You need the right place Clark... I’m just not sure what you’re looking for...”
Clark chuckled, “Well... I’m not exactly sure either... I have a vague notion of somewhere where I can get out without being seen when duty calls but...”
Lois’ eyes widened, “I hadn’t even thought of that...”
Their tour of apartments had been interrupted twice. CJ and Rachel were still in Kansas so Clark was the only ‘Superman’ around for the moment.
Clark pulled her to a secluded bench. “It’ll be nice to have a permanent place of my own... I haven’t lived in the same place for long since college and I was rooming with CJ then.”
Lois nodded, “I’ve never lived on my own... I lived at home until Lucy was old enough to move out. Then we both moved into an apartment. We got the place on Carter Avenue about a year ago now.”
Clark smiled, “CJ and I were roommates all through college... though a couple of times we roomed with other guys as well. After we graduated, CJ and Rachel got married and went to more school while I took off to explore the world...”
Lois smiled at him, “You’ll have to tell me more about that... it must have been fascinating, you were out there, what, three, four years?”
Clark grinned, “I graduated at 22 and I’m now 27... so five years.”
Lois shook her head, “I can’t imagine living out of a suitcase for five years...”
Clark sighed, “I didn’t intend to either...”
“How so?”
“I wanted to wander the world... especially after CJ got married and started a life that was really separate from me for the first time... I needed to find a place where I felt I belonged. But at the same time... I couldn’t not help people I saw in need... and as people got suspicious...”
“You skipped town.”
“Yeah... so there were many times I wasn’t ready to leave a certain place, but I had to or risk exposure...”
Lois considered him, “What exactly *can* you do... besides the obvious.”
Clark grinned, “Well... the obvious... I can fly and am really strong and fast. Otherwise... all my senses are enhanced so I can see or hear incredibly well and have control over that.... so I can ‘tune in’ to things... for example... I was able to catch a phone call Thompson was making to Trask before we got into his office and that’s how CJ knew to look for information on Trask and Bureau 39.”
Lois smacked his shoulder, “That is so not fair!”
Clark grinned, “Just remember, I want to be *your* partner.”
Lois nodded, “What else?”
“I can... well... I’m not sure how this works... but I can light fires with my eyes...”
Lois stared, “Really?!”
“Yeah... I can melt steel... or dry out clothes... again, modulation and control are important. Next... I can also see through most things...”
Lois stared, “See *through*?”
“Yeah... CJ doesn’t like the name but we settled on “X-ray vision”.”
“Why doesn’t CJ like it?”
“Because whatever we’re doing it’s not like X-rays...”
“Ever the scientist... next?”
“I can do things with my breath... freeze them or manipulate them...”
Lois frowned, “Manipulate?”
Clark blinked, “Oh... one second...” he walked over and picked up a stick off of the ground. He looked around for a moment and then tossed the stick lightly into the air. He blew out and held it there with his breath alone while Lois watched with wide eyes. After a few moments he let the stick fall to the ground, “See? We’re able to use our breath line an extra... um... foot maybe... and blame CJ for any scientific sounding terms that slip out...”
Lois grinned, “I’ll be sure to remember where to lay the blame... and that breath thing might be fun... is that all?”
“One more... so far as we know, we can’t be hurt...”
Lois stared at him, “By anything?” there was an odd note in her voice.
“Nothing so far... I mean, CJ swallowed a bomb and was in that missile explosion... I’ve been shot and had the bullet bounce off... though it’s better to catch them so they don’t ricochet... Lois? Are you ok?”
“What about... other things?”
Clark frowned at her, “Like? Well... I need less sleep than you would... I don’t *have* to eat... though you know I like to...” he grinned at her, but she was still staring at him, “I’ve never been sick, CJ and I experimented at parties in college and we can’t get drunk... I would assume other drugs would be the same...”
Lois stood suddenly and began to pace.
Clark frowned and grabbed her, pulling her into his lap, “Lois?”
She finally looked at him, “After Mom... Clark... the idea that I don’t have to worry about loosing you... it’s amazing... but...”
“But you’ll always be scared... it’s ok Lois.”
Lois hugged him tightly, “Now... the ‘bond’...”
Clark nodded, “CJ and I have always been able to communicate this way. We can also ‘shadow’ each other... tune in enough so that we can sense what the other senses...”
“So when you space out sometimes?”
“I’m trying to shadow CJ. But... for anyone else... Rach started to be able to hear CJ in college... but they had been dating for six years and we’d all been friends since we were in kindergarten!”
Lois stared at him, “So the fact that I can hear you already...?
“Is weird... but also... Rach and I can’t hear each other... CJ says she sounds a lot quieter than me and that their communication is at least somewhat affected by distance...”
“And I can hear both of you...”
“And we can hear you just as well as each other...”
Lois shook her head, “And of course, you have no idea why...”
“Nope... none at all... but I like it...” he pulled her in for a kiss.
***************************
Lois looked around her apartment. Why had she told Clark she wanted Sunday to herself? She had told him she needed some quiet time to sort through all she had learned in the past week... but now she was bored. Oh well, it was too late now... he had gone to Kansas to spend more time with his family.
She sighed and made a decision. She headed to the Planet and began looking through her research on Lex Luthor again. It was so frustrating... all they had was their own instincts and a conversation that Clark had shared with her... After hearing about it she had been ready to smack him for provoking the dangerous man... but at the same time... he was ‘Superman’... she frowned to herself, somehow Clark seemed to be more ‘Superman’ than CJ was...
tbc....
