Missing Lois - TOC Story Notes: This story is mostly set in alt-dimension, although starting now, visits to canon dimension do happen from time-to-time.
- Clark = Alt-Clark unless otherwise noted (such as when we are in the canon dimension, then 'Clark' is canon Clark)
- Lucy El = pregnant canon Lois avoiding the curse by hiding out with alt-Clark, aka Lois's secret identity
- Kal = what Lois-Lucy and alt-Clark call canon Clark (except in Lois's
'Dear Clark' journal where she calls canon Clark 'Clark' and alt-Clark 'Kal')
- Sam Lane = alt-Lois's Dad, Lois's doctor & roommate
- Lex Luthor = no explanation necessary, same bad guy as always
- Barry Balson = Superman beat reporter for DP
- James Olsen = owner of DP, Lois-Lucy's friend, who is working with Lois to find Lex Luthor (and hopefully alt-Lois)
- Cat Grant = helping alt-Clark out with PR on his '50 dates' charity winners and social columnist at the DP
- Ralph = yes, that Ralph. Acting Editor-in-Chief at the DP
- Dr. Bernard Klein = S.T.A.R. Labs scientist and Superman's 'doctor'
- H.G. Wells – famed author – inventor of the Time-Machine – the man who brought canon Lois to alt-Clark
- The only people who know canon Lois's true identity are alt-Clark, Sam, Moonbeam (alt-Star) and now Dr. Klein. Alt-Clark told Mayson Drake that Lucy El is his sister-in-law and that he has a twin brother, but not about the other dimension. Mayson didn't believe him (thinking instead that Lucy was a con-artist).
***
What happened in Chapter 4: Part 3:Mr. Wells took Lois to visit Martha on the farm. Wells explained to Clark’s mom that Lois was sick and just needed some time in her home dimension to straighten out her mind. Lois cannot stay in her home dimension longer than a short visit as she was so far along with her pregnancy (just starting her 3rd trimester) she would be unable to seamlessly be able to slip back into her old life and therefore would be returning to the alt-dimension for the duration of her pregnancy. During lunch Lois told Martha all about her search for the other Clark’s missing Lois and how she needed to return to help the other Clark find his soul mate.
After leaving the Kent Farm, Wells took Lois to Metropolis for a walk to cement in her new-found sanity. While in Metropolis Lois snuck into her townhouse and seduced her sleeping husband (her stand-in being out of the house), telling him about the baby. She left him believing that she was only a dream.
***
Part 4Lois flew down and landed in the co-pilot seat of the time machine.
“How was your walk around Metropolis?” H.G. Wells asked, starting to flip switches and turn knobs. “You didn’t run into anyone who recognized you, did you?”
She took the last strawberry from her bowl and shook her head with a smile. “I’m ready to return, Mr. Wells. I won’t forget who I am, anymore.” She bit into the strawberry.
“I’ve been thinking about that. I better leave a time…” He paused and stared at her for a moment. “Lois, weren’t you wearing a green shirt earlier?”
Glancing down at Clark’s dusty blue shirt, Lois smiled at him innocently. “Was I?”
“Lois?”
She batted her eyelashes, but didn’t answer.
“He didn’t see you, did he? We can’t have him believing that the stand-in might be a clone. If anything were to happen to her…”
“My younger self was out and Clark was asleep. He is my husband. You really didn’t expect me to stay away, did you?” She sighed. “Shall we go?”
He pressed his lips together as if he couldn’t believe her and pulled the lever, causing the time machine to disappear. They reappeared in Lois Lane’s living room in the other dimension.
Sam ran out of his bedroom. “Lucy! You’re back.” He gave her a hug.
“Sam.” She hugged him back.
He turned to H.G. Wells. “She is back, right?”
Wells nodded. “Easy to cure, if you have the right equipment, and patience.” He patted his time machine. “Now, there were some things in the past I wanted to check out. See if I can find where your daughter disappeared off to.”
Sam glanced at Lois, then away.
“It’s okay, Mr. Wells. We know how she disappeared or, shall I say, with whom.” Lois pressed her lips together and patted Sam on the arm. “We’ll find Clark’s missing Lois. I’ve been working on it.”
“You found her? I knew it wasn’t impossible.” Mr. Wells smiled and then his brow furrowed. “With whom?”
“Lois Lane is now Lola Luthor.”
“Oh, no. That’s not good.”
“Clark will manage. If he won her too easily, the prize would not be as valuable.”
“Ah.” Wells nodded. “I do need to speak with Clark about… “ He glanced at Lois. “Never mind, I’ll find him.”
Sam looked at Lois and then announced, “He was pretty broken up when you left.”
“Poor Clark.” Her heart ached. She truly was fond of Clark. She knew how much her mental breakdown had affected him. “When you find him, tell him I’d like to see him. I need to apologize. I’ve really ruined his life.”
Superman flew in through the window. “You didn’t ruin my life, Lois.”
“Clark!” She ran to him and gave him a sisterly hug. “I’m so sorry.”
Superman swallowed and stepped away from her, looking at her carefully. “Lois?”
“I owe you something,” Lois said, then slapped him across the face. She had told him not to try to kiss her stand-in again when she first arrived in this dimension. He had broken that pledge. “Don’t let it happen again. This is your last warning.”
Sam’s and H.G. Wells’s mouths dropped open.
“I deserved that one.” Superman chuckled, rubbing his cheek. “You need to be careful, Lois. You’re really developing some strength in that right arm of yours.” He turned to the others. “She’s back.”
Lois dropped onto the sofa. “Oh, Clark. Your job. Dr. Klein. I really made a mess of things, didn’t I?”
“You do know how to keep life interesting.”
Mr. Wells stepped forward. “Clark, if I may have a moment of your time. There is something I do wish to speak to you about, privately.”
Clark glanced at Lois and then nodded, stepping onto the time machine. “Let’s get out of here. She needs her rest. Good night, Lois. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Me, too.” She stared at him. “Good night, Clark.” She turned to H.G. Wells. “Thank you.”
“You’re … um… welcome, Lois.” He nodded and stepped onto the time machine. With a nod to Sam, Mr. Wells turned some knobs and pulled the lever, making them disappear.
Sam came over and sat next to her. “Are you all right, Lucy?”
“Yeah,” Lois said, staring at the spot where the time machine had just been and taking a deep breath. “The attraction is still there. He’s still just like my Clark.” She swallowed and turned to Sam. “I just have my self-control back in check. Keep an eye on me though, will you, Sam? Don’t let me fall off the wagon.”
He nodded.
She glanced around. “What time is it?”
“Ten-ish.”
“It’s a little late to call James.” She stood up and stretched with a yawn. “I really should get some sleep. I’ve got some apologies to issue tomorrow. Ugh.”
“Lois never liked apologizing either.” Sam chuckled. “Somehow it was like admitting defeat.”
Lois pressed her lips together. “I’m learning.” She walked down the hall to her bedroom.
***
Meanwhile, back in the other dimension…
Clark could feel Lois kissing him; it felt good. Oh, so nice.
“Come on. Wake up, Sleepyhead.”
Clark pried his eyes open; the morning sun was way too bright. Lois kissed him again. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled over, pinning her down. “I don’t want to wake up,” he murmured. “Let’s stay in bed.”
She laughed. “You really must have been tired.”
“I had the best dream.” He grinned, lying down next to her. “It was about you.”
“About me, huh?” She smiled, kissing him. “I can see why you wouldn’t want to get up, then. But some of us have to work…” She tried to slide over him to get off the bed. He grabbed her thigh as she sat on top of him. “Clark!”
He ignored her quizzing look and lifted up her pajama top, examining her flat tummy with his fingers.
“If you tell me you can see those four Double Fudge Crunch bars I had over the weekend…”
Clark dropped her shirt and looked her directly in the eyes. “You are so beautiful, Lois.” He pulled her down for another kiss.
“Wow. That must have been some dream, Clark. You’re usually such a morning person.”
“I dreamed about our first time together,” he murmured as she slid to the floor.
“Mmmm. Our honeymoon.” Lois leaned over to kiss him again. “I can see why you want to stay in bed.” She tried to stand up when he took her hand.
“You remember that last night before I left for New Krypton, don’t you, wife?”
“Of course, I do, husband. I remember us promising to save ourselves for each other on our wedding day. And I’m glad we waited.” She kissed him and stood up.
“What?! Waited? Why?” He sat up, stunned, as he watched her walk away.
“Because otherwise, one of us would have died from the curse.” She blew him a kiss and entered the bathroom.
The curse! He gulped, falling back against his pillow. He had forgotten all about the curse. But they hadn’t waited. They had made love that night. Hadn’t they? That couldn’t have all been some wild, wonderful dream? Just like the passionate dream he had with the pregnant Lois last night. Had she been real? Some kind of angel? She did fly. But that woman who just entered the bathroom was his Lois. Definitely his Lois. No frogs this time. If she was Lois, then who was the woman with whom he had made love the night before? The pregnant woman who knew about their
first, first time? Had it all been just a dream? Another wonderful, fantastic dream?
***
Dearest Clark –
I know I should start out this letter with an apology for seducing you. But strangely enough, I’m not sorry. Not sorry in the least. (Picture me with a huge grin here.) It was so nice to have a little Clark break. I’ve missed you so much. I thought having the stand-in Lois’s memories would be enough, but it isn’t. Even though, she is me… I’m still not in control and you know how much I like to be in control.
I’m sorry I haven’t written in my Clark book in a while. I had a little breakdown, here, which is why I was allowed to visit my dimension. H. G. Wells called it ‘Interdimensional Time Sickness.’ It’s where I confused both my dimensions, not knowing what was real. It was pretty scary having no control like that and having people look at me like I was delusional, because I was delusional. Anyway, I had a nice chat with your mom and it set my mind straight. She’s such a trouper. Her heart is breaking by what I’m doing to you. I’m sorry about that.
Please, do not be angry with me for not returning to you just yet. That is something I want to do more than ever, especially after tonight. But I can’t return for good yet. I’ve already screwed up my secret identity’s life here, I don’t need to do the same there by showing up six months pregnant. What would people think if your perfectly slim and beautiful wife suddenly started showing up in maternity clothes? I’m afraid they might think the baby grew so fast due to super help. We don’t need people to think I cheated on you with Superman. Is that even possible to cheat on my husband with my husband? Our lives will be complicated soon enough without all that drama. So I’m waiting until the baby is born. We can raise a foundling child, can’t we?
Besides, there’s something I need to do here first, other than have our baby. I owe Kal that much. He has put his whole life on the line for me, us. If I don’t help him find his Lois, I’ll always feel like I ruined his life completely and then abandoned him. I cannot do that to him again. Now that I’ve got my brains back in order I’ll start working full time on that. Especially since I’ll have a lot of spare time on my hands. I kind-of flew into a rage at work and attacked Ralph, our resident idiot-in-chief, and got fired. Well, he shouldn’t have said what he said about Superman. You know me, Superman’s staunchest supporter. Still am.
Well, the yawns are taking over. Time to hit the sheets. I love you more than ever. You don’t know how happy you made me when I saw the joy on your face when you felt our baby kick. I don’t know what I had been so worried about.
Stay safe, dearest Clark, and I’ll do the same. LL***
Lois took a deep breath and then knocked.
The intercom buzzed.
“Lucy?”“James?” She looked around, not knowing where to speak. “I’m sorry.”
The door opened. He was standing there, garment bag slung over his arm. “Lucy, you’re back. How is Kal? Clark said you were able to visit him for twelve hours.”
“I wish it had been twelve hours.” Lois couldn’t stop herself from smiling at the mention of her husband. “He’s wonderful. Thank you.”
“More than super?” He laughed.
“He’ll always be super. Not like Clark, though. I came to apologize and to say thanks for your help in my hours of need, but it looks like I caught you at a bad time.” She stepped back as he came out of his apartment.
“Walk with me.” He shut his door and locked it. “Software developers’ conference in Tokyo.”
“Oh. I didn’t know you still had fingers in that pie.”
“I have fingers in many pies.” He thought about that statement and shook his head. “That didn’t sound quite right.”
She laughed.
“You feeling better?” James asked, pushing the elevator button.
“Yes. Thank you. Now, you can see why Clark’s my babysitter.” She laughed, again. “Something happens to Kal and I turn into an H-Bomb.”
“We were all worried about you,” he said, stepping into the elevator.
She followed. “We?”
“All your friends at
The Planet.”
“Oh. I don’t think I have many of those. Not after what happened with Ralph.”
“You’d be surprised. I agree that could have been handled better. As it is, I’ve had to give Ralph a plum job at our Gotham City bureau, so he wouldn’t sue. City desk. He said he could use a break from superheroes for a while.”
Lois laughed. “So you sent him to Gotham City?” She patted his arm. “James, you are a riot. Superman will seem like a kitten compared…” She stopped laughing at his curious expression. “Perhaps I am mistaken. Never mind.” Another chuckle escaped.
“Is there something I should know about Gotham City, oh wise sage?”
“I’m glad you chose to live in Metropolis, James. Gotham City is a dark and dangerous town.”
“You’re not going to tell me?” He looked hurt.
“Nope.” She laughed again. She had to clutch her side. It was beginning to ache from all this laughter. She took several deep breaths to calm herself, as they left of the elevator and walked out to the street. “Let’s just wait and see. Something may happen there. Or maybe not. This world is funny that way.”
“Want to ride with me to the airport?” James held open the door to the hired town car.
She shrugged. Why not? It wasn’t like she had much else to do anymore.
He sat down next to her and closed the door. “You know too much, Lucy. Are you psychic? Or did you used to work for the NIA?”
“I wouldn’t be able to tell you if I had, now would I?” Lois raised a brow.
James shook his head. “You are so mysterious. But I like you. You don’t kowtow to my money and you’re not afraid of my power as your boss…”
“My former boss, you mean. I was fired, remember?”
He nodded. “I’m been having a hard time filling Ralph’s empty shoes. Clark said his plate is already overflowing.”
“He’d make a great editor.”
“But he already has two jobs.”
She had to agree.
“And you said no. But, after last week, probably not a good idea.”
“Probably not.” She smiled.
“Barry Balson wants to stay on the Superman beat. I can’t blame him with Clark supplying him with half his notes. It’s a sweet deal.”
“Clark never misses the little details that turn ‘nothing’ into ‘a great story.’ I’ll miss working with him.” She already missed their morning walks.
“You don’t have to.” He interrupted her thoughts.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m rehiring you. I’m hoping it won’t be the worst decision I make as a newspaper man.”
“No. Thank you. I mean. Yes, thank you. I’ll take it. Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair in about three months, tops.”
The smile fell off his face as he looked at her. “You’re leaving?” This prospect seemed to sadden him. “Clark will miss you.” He paused in thought. “Forget Clark.
I will miss you. Don’t even think of leaving us.”
“You are sweet, James. But my husband will be back from his assignment then. And it will be time for me to go back to him. I need him.”
“Of course. Right. I understand, completely.”
Lois looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Now, if we could just find Lex Luthor. I still think he’s the clue in finding out where Lois is. And if we were to find Lois… Whoa! You won’t even notice I’m gone. The
Daily Planet will seem like another planet.”
James smiled. “I heard she’s quite a force of nature, but I’d still notice.”
“Thank you, James. You’ve always been more than kind to me.”
He cleared his throat. “Kal’s a lucky man.”
She smiled. “Don’t make me find you someone, too, James. My plate is full with Clark.”
He laughed. “I’m sure he appreciates all your hard work.”
Lois raised a brow. For some reason, she thought he was being sarcastic. “So, who did you find to be editor? It’s not a position to leave vacant.”
“Cat will be acting editor…”
“Cat?” Lois gasped. “Cat Grant? Have you lost your mind?”
“You’d be the first to know.” James chuckled. “Cat’s a good reporter. And it’s only until the end of the year. Back when Perry won the election, I hired the associate editor from our London bureau to take over for him. It’s taking this guy months to organize his life to relocate here. Apparently, he just became a father again last month and his wife finally gave her permission to move them.”
Lois’s jaw dropped. “You mean, Ralph was just acting editor this whole time?”
“Of course! It was only supposed to be for a month, which led to six months. Ugh. Good riddance.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You just moved up five IQ points in my book.”
“Thanks, I think. Shall I have my driver drop you off at
The Planet?”
Lois looked down at her clothes. “How about he drops me off back at my apartment?
The Planet could live without me for a few more hours. And I have one more apology I have to make.” She laughed. “I am never going to go crazy again. It’s too much work.”
“Okay.” He nodded with a chuckle. “Off-the-record, are those rumors true that S.T.A.R. Labs held you against your will and Superman barged in breaking heads to rescue you?”
“We’ll make you a news reporter, yet, James.” Lois grinned. “On-the-record, no one’s head was broken except mine.”
James opened the car door and stepped out. Leaning back in, he said, “Be forewarned, you might be questioned by Balson, officially, when you get in the office.”
“I don’t envy him trying to attempt that in front of Clark.”
“Me, either.” James laughed. “See you in a week.”
Lois waved good-bye to him and shut the door. She sat back in the town car and contemplated her next dilemma. Where would she get a DNA sample for Dr. Klein to develop a Neuroscanner tracking device when she was no longer able to bleed?
*** End of Part 4 *** CommentsChapter 4: Part 5
