Missing Lois - TOC Author’s Note: The “Lois” in Chapter 5 and 6 refers to alt-Lois. Canon Lois will be called “Lucy” to help lessen the confusion between the two characters.
Story Notes: This story is mostly set in alt-dimension, although visits to the 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 = Lucy El's husband's name, or what Lois-Lucy and alt-Clark call canon Clark
- Lois = alt-Lois, wife of Lex Luthor
- Lola Luthor = ‘wife’ of Lex Luthor; alt-Lois, if not referring to Clois (Cloned Lois)
- Sam Lane = alt-Lois's Dad, Lois's doctor & roommate
- Mayor White = aka Perry White, former Editor-in-Chief at the DP
- Cat Grant = helping alt-Clark out with PR on his '50 dates' charity winners and social columnist at the DP, now Acting Editor-in-Chief at the DP
- Lex Luthor = no explanation necessary, same bad guy as always, this time bald
- Junior = Lex Luthor, Jr., Lex's first born son, creator of the Neuroscanner
- Jaxon Xavier = Lex Luthor's son and spy at
The Planet, does website design and research for the paper
- Animal Magnetism = alt-Revenge (Pheromone perfume by Miranda)
- The only people who know canon Lois's true identity are alt-Clark, Sam, Moonbeam (alt-Star) and 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).
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Where we left off in Chapter 5: Part 4...“Oh, she’s not going to be happy to hear that.” Her father sighed. “She and Cat have butted heads over everything since she started at the
Planet. It isn’t fair to you or to her. She needs to know the truth.”
Truth? What truth? Was there something else they weren’t telling her?
Her father continued, “If you are unable or unwilling to do so, I will. In the meantime, can you tell me why my daughter is so obsessed with Superman?”
Lois gasped. How could he? To total strangers, too?
“We’re not alone.” That was Lucy. Damn. She had been seen.
Lois took a deep breath. Five steps, then stop. Be sure to remind them who was in charge. She entered the living room, bumping into the end table. Darn. Four steps. “What makes you think I can’t find out the truth on my own? I’m still a damn good reporter and if I have to prove myself to Cat or anyone else, I will. I don’t want anyone to shield me because I’m a little rusty or disabled. And my relationship with Superman is nobody’s business but our own.”
“Hi, Lois,” said Lucy. “I’ve brought by someone who wanted to meet you. Lois Lane. Clark Kent.”
Clark Kent? Her knees wanted to buckle, her heart started to race, and it felt like a cool breeze tickled her spine. This was the man who pulled her out of her Lola Dane haze. That was where she recognized his voice from – that telephone call she had made to him. She held out her slightly shaking hand. “Nice to finally meet my hero.” She smiled politely, despite still being slightly miffed over him for leaving her party before they could meet.
It took a moment, but Clark finally took her hand and shook it. Suddenly, Lois felt whole, safe, protected, and home. “Amazing,” she whispered.
Part 5This connection she felt with Clark Kent was because of her old crush, Lois told herself. That was all. It didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t; Lois liked Mr. Amazing.
“Excuse me?” Clark asked, letting go of her hand. And as quickly as it had come the feeling disappeared.
“Your hands. They are so warm.”
“Oh.” Did he sound disappointed? “How am I your hero, Lois?”
Lois couldn’t stop herself from grinning. “You sent me Superman.”
You saved me from Lex, would have been a more accurate answer. But she still didn’t understand how she reading his articles and seeing his name had helped her get her memories back. She had never met him before. One of them surely would have remembered.
“Ah.” She heard Clark swallow, before he spoke, “Perry has told me so much about you, I feel like I already know you.”
Lois took a step away from the end table and Clark automatically took her arm. “May I be your guide?”
“Just this once,” she replied, wondering why he had this effect on her. He guided her to the sofa. “When I have my bearings back I’ll expect you to treat me like everyone else.”
“I don’t think I can,” he murmured.
“Why not?”
“You’re Lois Lane, the best investigative reporter in Metropolis. You’re better than everyone else.”
Lois laughed. “Oh, Clark. Flattery used to get you everything, but not anymore.” Not since she met Mr. Amazing. She grinned in Clark’s general direction. “But I might make an exception for you.”
“Lois!” That was her father. She had forgotten he was there.
“Daddy, please. I’m sure he knew I was only kidding.” She felt Clark start to move away. “Sit here, next to me, Clark. I’d love a chance to see what you look like.” She held up her hands and heard him take in a sharp breath. Was that surprise?
“No. Thank you, Lois. I’m not much to look at,” he said continuing to move away.
Not much to look at? That didn’t jibe with her memory from that engagement photo. Maybe her memory was wrong. Why did she still feel that pull towards him? What was it about this man that she couldn’t shake?
“Lois, Lex called this morning looking for you,” Lucy told her.
“What? Where? When?” Lois said, her heart starting to race. She held out her hand to where Clark had just been, but instead grabbed air.
“Lex called me at the paper this morning, Lois. He wanted to let me know that he intended to get you back,” Clark said. He was right next to her again. She felt along his arm until she located his hand and held it tight.
“He’s found me already? I was at least hoping to make it through Christmas.” She was glad she was already sitting down. She felt calmer with Clark holding her hand.
“No. He hasn’t found you. It was just a fishing expedition,” he reassured her. “And he’s not going to find you. I will make sure of that.”
“That is very kind of you, Clark,” Lois responded. “Although, I don’t know how you’ll accomplish that. Anyway, Lex doesn’t scare me. I know that he should, but he doesn’t.” She squeezed his hand. “I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.”
“If necessary, Superman can take you back to the Smallville house,” he suggested.
“No.” About this point she was adamant. “I’m not going to hide away. I’ve just been a prisoner for three years, I need my freedom.”
“What Smallville house? Lois, did you spend time alone with Superman at this house?” her father asked, gruffly.
Clark brought her hand to his chest for a moment and then let go.
“No, not really, Daddy. He just dropped me off at Clark’s childhood home and then went back to help with the cyclone victims. I spent the weekend by myself, mostly.” She hoped he bought this story. She swallowed, realizing her father seemed overly concerned. “Do you not trust him, Daddy?” She still couldn’t speak the word Superman. He was her Mr. Amazing and always would be.
“No. No, I don’t, not when it comes to you. Truthfully, Lois, I don’t trust any man around you.” Her father’s voice seemed harsh and she didn’t think he was speaking to her, because at this statement Clark moved away and she felt desolate again.
Lois turned in the direction of her father’s voice. “I’m a big girl, Daddy. This is about my reaction to that note he sent this morning, isn’t it?” She would have to be more careful with her emotions around her father. She sniffed, her eyes getting damp. “You want to know the truth about me and Superman?” she said standing up and hopefully facing him. “The truth is I
tried to kiss him. The operative word being ‘tried.’ He thanked me… Thanked me… but said his heart belonged elsewhere. There, now, everyone knows how I made a fool of myself.
Happy?” She sat back down and put her head in her hands.
“Wow,” she heard Lucy murmur. “She’s good.”
“Elsewhere, huh?” her father replied dryly.
“As I told you earlier, Daddy. I’m a married woman. He would never get involved with a married woman. I can’t help it if I want him.” She sighed. “Every girl dreams of catching the eye of a real live superhero, isn’t that true, Lucy? I just got captured by the moment. I’ll get over him, eventually, I’m sure.”
“Yep, all us girls dream of superheroes,” Lucy agreed with a chuckle.
“Never get involved with a married woman, huh?” That was her father again. He didn’t believe her.
Someone cleared his throat. She thought it might be Clark, because he spoke up, a moment later. “Let’s get back to the subject of your safety, Lois.”
Lois wiped the fake tears from her eyes. “Agreed. As long as you don’t lock me up.”
“I worry about you. Lex might not scare you, but he scares me. I don’t want you anywhere near him ever again.”
She smiled. Clark was so sweet. “Neither do I.”
“So, when you talk to others about where you live, could you refer to it as the safe house?” he asked. “Don’t tell anyone that you’re living with Lucy.”
“I could do that.” She nodded.
“And don’t tell anyone else about my house in Smallville, in case we have to take you back there sometime.”
Lois nodded. “Agreed.”
“I don’t want you out and about by yourself. Take me or Sam or… no, not Lucy.”
“Thanks a lot,” Lucy replied, sarcastically.
“Anyone else?” He thought for a moment. “No, I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head that I trust.”
“Superman?” Lois suggested, optimistically.
“Yeah. That’s not going to happen,” said Lucy. “Superman doesn’t take walks or run errands.”
“Why not? What if he gets hungry?” Lois asked, curiously.
Silence.
“Oh, yeah. You aren’t supposed to talk to me about Superman.” Lois groaned. “This really sucks.”
Clark sat back down next to her. “I’m sorry, Lois. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Superman should have been honest with you from the very beginning.”
“Yeah, isn’t truth part of his motto?”
Silence.
“Clark,” stated Lucy. Just his name. Nothing else.
“I know. I’ve got to go, Lois. I just wanted to stop by and meet you at last. We’ll talk more later.”
“What? Already? You just got here.” She liked Clark, really liked him. More than she should. She didn’t want him to go. She held out her hand to shake his again. He touched it for a moment, and then she heard what sounded like a breeze behind her.
“He has an appointment, Lois,” Lucy informed her.
“Oh.” She turned to the sound. “Daddy, did you open a window? It’s freezing outside.”
“Sorry, Princess. I’ll go shut it,” replied her father.
She heard the window click, then she felt the breeze blow by her face with a gentle kiss on her cheek and the soft voice of Mr. Amazing, who murmured, “Thank you, Lois.” She gasped. Then the breeze disappeared and the window shut again.
Lois stood up, placing a hand to her cheek, moving toward the window. “Superman,” she whispered. Then she turned away from the window. “Did Superman just stop by and pick up Clark?”
“Yes,” Lucy answered softly. “Superman was here.”
A chill went down her spine. Why had he thanked her? Had he heard her lie for him to her father? How long had he been eavesdropping on their conversation? “Well, why didn’t you tell me? I would have liked to say ‘hello’.” She returned to the sofa and sat down.
“There was an emergency. He was in a hurry.”
“Oh, right. Everyone’s hero.” She pressed her lips together, but then remembered he took a moment to kiss her and smiled.
“So, what did you think of Clark, Princess?” her father asked, sitting down next to her. He sounded almost sardonic.
“Does he always disappear like that?”
Lucy chuckled. “You have no idea.”
“Clark seems nice enough, I guess. It’s hard to know anyone in a couple of minutes.” She shrugged. She liked Clark more than she cared to admit to anyone. Especially to an eavesdropping superhero lover. Lois wouldn’t want Superman to get jealous of Clark. Would he? Hmmm. That might be a way to get him to pay more attention to her. A smile crept to Lois’s lips. “So, Lucy, aren’t you supposed to be at the newsroom?”
“Actually, Clark wanted me to research your blindness. Lex told you it was reversible?”
“How… Oh, Superman must have told him. Yeah, well, not really. It’s complicated.” Lois bit her lip. She really didn’t like the idea of Clark and Superman discussing her behind her back.
“Start at the beginning, Princess.”
Lois thought about that day, ten months ago, when Clark Kent had truly become her hero… when she knew in her heart that he would someday save her. It had started out just like every other day. Breakfast. Reading the
Daily Planet that the maid had snuck in to her. She always read Clark Kent’s articles, not only because it was his first article on the missing reporter Lois Lane that had brought her first memories back to light, but because he sucked the reader into a story, made them care about the underdog in a way she had always dreamed of doing. She even remembered the last story of his that she read. Something about how Tempus was turning Metropolis into the Wild West with his gun sales. No, wait, that was Perry’s editorial. Clark had written about a drive-by shooting where a little six year old, playing in her yard, had gotten shot.
Lex had come in and seen her with the paper and damp eyes from Clark’s story and that had been the last straw. He had taken away the paper and gone to make a few phone calls. A couple of hours later, two men in white doctor coats came in and she knew he was going to try to brainwash her again. She sighed.
“Lex didn’t like it when I got my memories back. He hired scientists, inventors, magicians and even doctors to try to brainwash me into the thinking he was a decent guy, instead of the evil man I knew him to be. Did you know he and Intergang were behind the illegal guns being shipped out of the Congo? I did. But that’s another story. First, he hired the Johnson brothers, a couple of crazy inventors.”
“Bad Brain Johnson?” Lucy asked.
“You’ve heard of him? Well, his little brother actually did all the inventing. He invented this thing, I think they called it the ‘Whammy,’ which was supposed to make everyone highly susceptible to suggestion. Except me. It helped me remember things.” She snickered. “They even made Lex wear this silly helmet to protect him from the ‘Whammy.’ A couple of doses of that thing and I was me again. Oh, that pissed Lex off. Then he tried hypnosis, which worked pretty well on my memories, but every time he went to kiss me, I’d snap out of it and slap him. He even tried some wacky perfume one of his chemists cooked up, but that backfired, too. I just wasn’t interested in him.”
“
Animal Magnetism?” her father asked.
“Yeah. You’ve heard of it?”
Lucy cleared her throat. “Go on, Lois.”
“Even his sons were in on the game. Jaxon tried to get me to go in his Virtual Reality game, but Lex wanted to control me in the real world, so he sent Jaxon back to the drawing board. Lex, Jr. came up with this contraption that allowed him into my brain; it gave me migraines every time I didn’t do what he wanted me to do. Lex, Jr.’s creepy voice as my own personal DJ for three months. Ugh. Then suddenly, just as it had started, it stopped. No more voice narration, no pain jarring headaches. I was myself again. I had hoped it was because something had happened to Lex, Jr., but no such luck. All I know was he came into the suite and Lex, Jr. never left the basement, except when Lex wanted to do something as a family. Ugh.” She shivered. “Like Christmas.”
“You’ve always loved Christmas, Princess.” Her father seemed sad.
“I do. I love Christmas. The tree and lights and baking. The carols and bells.
Lane Family Christmases, Daddy. Luthor Christmases were creepy. Structured. Planned. Orchestrated. Eww. It wasn’t Christmas.”
“Christmas is days away, Lois. Today is the 23rd.”
“Wow! That close?” She thought about that. “Lucy, where will Superman spend his Christmas? Do you know?”
“I’m not sure. I think he will spend it at the orphanage. He likes to give them extra attention this time of year, because they don’t have anyone. He has always felt close to orphans himself because his parents died when they sent him here from Krypton as a baby.”
“Poor Superman. How did they die?”
“His home planet of Krypton exploded.”
“Oh, my God!” Lois gasped. “And he’s been alone ever since? Did he grow up in an orphanage, too?”
“No. He was found and adopted by an Earth couple, who couldn’t have children of their own.”
“Lucy.” Her father sounded concerned.
“Yes, I know. My job is at stake. I’m sorry, Lois. I shouldn’t have told you even that much. But it’s one of my favorite stories. It’s what made him who is today.”
“Daddy, we should definitely invite him for Christmas. We can get a big tree. I’m sure I have a box of Christmas decorations down in the basement storage. Are you going to spend Christmas with your husband, Lucy?”
“No.” Lucy sighed. “This will be our first Christmas apart in three years.” Her voice quivered. “Oh, how Kal loves Christmas. Everything about Christmas. Even though Christmas for my family had always been about the fighting and bickering and my Dad kissing the neighbor lady – no offense, Sam – Clar… I mean, Kal always made sure my Christmas was happy, even before I knew he was the one. Clark and I were just not going to celebrate it this year.”
“Clark doesn’t like Christmas, either?” This made Lois sad. She really liked Clark, more than she should since she also really liked Superman. Clark seemed really sweet. How could he not like Christmas?
“Clark’s parents died when he was ten.”
“Yes, Superman mentioned that. What happened to him?”
“He was bounced around to different foster parents mostly. I don’t think it was a very happy time for him. He says it was a long time ago, but I think it still bothers him.”
“Daddy, we are just going to have to invite these Scrooges to our Christmas, because what’s our motto?”
“There’s always room at the Lane house at Christmas.” Her father sniffled. “But, Princess, I lost the house. I’m sleeping on Clark’s guest bed at the moment.”
Her father lost the house? She shook her head. She would talk about that with him later. “Clark took you in? What a sweetie! I knew I liked him. So, we’ll do Christmas here. Clark and Superman can come. And, Lucy, you already live here.”
Lucy sighed. “Lois, you were telling us about how you became blind.”
“Oh, yeah. Where did I leave off?” She thought for a moment. “Oh, Lex, Jr. rushed into the suite and took his father off to the side, probably to tell him that his contraption broke. Lex never swore, but he sure learned to that day. I’ll never forget what he said, ‘
Goddamn it! Not Clark Kent!’ I don’t know what Clark did, but it sure set Lex off. He called in some more of his brainwash gurus. He funded a bunch of those crazies. These guys had created a way for information to beam directly into the brain using light. One of them even called himself ‘Dr. Light’.”
“No!” Lucy gasped. “It can’t be that easy.”
Lois thought her outburst strange. “I haven’t even told you what he did yet,” Lois stammered.
“You know this, Lucy?” her father asked.
“Maybe,” Lucy replied. “Go on, Lois.”
Lois was flabbergasted. How could Lucy know about Dr. Light? Her confusion threw off her story telling skills for a minute. “So, anyway, they beamed a light into my eyes, freezing me like a statue for five to ten minutes. When I came out of it, Lex was arguing with Dr. Light. There was something wrong with his brain washer light; it wasn’t perfected yet, so it leaked or something. Anyway, he was trying to come up with another way to subdue me, because Lex, Jr.’s machine failed and he didn’t like that I kept trying to escape. He kept repeating to them, ‘It’s temporary, right? I want it to be reversible. I don’t want her like this forever, just until I find a permanent solution.’ They promised him it was only temporary. Then they beamed a different light into my eyes and presto-chango, I’m blind. So, Lex technically didn’t tell me himself that it was reversible. I don’t know for sure that it is.”
“Lois, think carefully. Was the light they beamed into your eyes a certain color?”
That was an odd question. “Yeah, it was purple, like a lavender shade,” she replied.
Lucy jumped to her feet and started pacing. “Ultraviolet light.”
“But ultraviolet light doesn’t have color to it, Lucy. It’s clear,” her father corrected Lois’s roommate.
“He added color to it to help direct the beam of light.” Lucy paced slower than most people, but she was definitely pacing. “I don’t know if it will be reversible on her. She’s been blind a lot longer than a weekend.”
“Who was blinded for just a weekend?” Lois asked. No wonder she gasped at Dr. Light’s name. She knew him.
Lucy didn’t answer right away. “Kal.”
“Cal?” Who was Cal?
“Oh.” Her father seemed dismayed by this information. “Lucy’s husband.”
“If you can cure my blindness by Christmas, Lucy, I’ll throw you the best Christmas you’ve ever had. It will even make you forget about your husband.”
“I doubt that, Lois.” Then Lucy chuckled. “If I can – actually, it would be better if Sam does it, he’s the doctor – if we can cure you by Christmas, Lois, I’ll see if I can get Superman to stop by. That’ll be all the gift you’ll need.”
“Lucy! Lois! What aren’t you girls telling me? I was right, something did happen.”
Then before Lois could deny it, again, Lucy said, “Don’t be ridiculous, Sam. I just meant that seeing what her hero looks like would be a nice gift.” She sighed. “Because a girl never forgets the first time she lays eyes on Superman.”
“Uh-huh.” Her father wasn’t buying it. He really didn’t trust Superman. Lois wondered why.
Either Lucy was telling the truth and Superman was a sight to behold – and Lois was sure he was, because he couldn’t be Mr. Amazing and an ugly Joe at the same time – or if she took her father’s meaning, he was anything but…
“Just tell me he’s not green.”
Lucy roared with laughter. “Green? Oh, that’s a good one, Lois!”
Lois knew she should have kept her mouth shut.
“Superman is not green, Princess,” her father calmly reassured her. “But if he touched one hair on your head, he’s a dead man.”
Oh, dear, thought Lois. Another reason to keep her relationship with Mr. Amazing a secret. She would be more careful in the future.
The phone rang and Sam picked it up. “Hello?... Oh, hi, Perry… Yes, she’s right here… Lois?”
Lois jumped up and bumped into the coffee table, knocking herself back to the sofa. She sighed and moved more slowly on her second attempt. “Hello?”
“
Hi, honey. How are you doing? Settling in all right?” he asked.
“Fine, Perry. Lucy thinks she might know how to cure my blindness,” she announced.
“
Wow! Already? She’s a remarkable researcher. Clark’s lucky to have her.”
Lois didn’t like the sound of that. Lucy was a married woman and Clark was… not Mr. Amazing. Why was she getting jealous? Perry must have meant it in professional sense. “Uh-huh.”
“
I was wondering if you were up for breakfast and a photo-op on Christmas Eve? That would be tomorrow.”
She grinned. Lois knew there was a reason she loved her former editor. “I’d love it.”
“
Pastrami?”
“For breakfast?” She laughed. “My mouth is already watering, Perry.”
“
I’ll send a car over a half hour before eight. Does that work for you?”
“What would I have to do to prepare? It’s not like I can fix my hair or make-up for the occasion.”
“
Right. Do you want me to hire someone for you?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Skepticism flooded her words.
“
I know how you like to look nice, Lois.”
“Aw, thanks, Perry. But the correct answer would have been, you’d think I’d look beautiful no matter what.”
“
Of course. That’s what I meant.”
“There we go. See you, soon,” she said hanging up. “I’ve got breakfast with the mayor tomorrow. He’s sending a car.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” Lucy asked. “Especially with Lex after you?”
“I’m not going to hide away,” Lois replied, heading for her bedroom. “Which one of you wants to help me coordinate my outfit?”
“Clark’s not going to be happy about this,” she heard Lucy murmur to her father.
“You help her with her clothes and I’ll accompany her to Perry’s.”
Lucy sighed. “Lois, can’t we do this tonight, when I get home from work?”
Lois ignored her. She was sitting on her bed, when Lucy entered. “I don’t know what clothing Superman brought back with us.”
“Let’s see,” Lucy said, looking through the closet. “Looks mostly like slacks and a couple of blouses. No suits.”
“Do you have anything I could wear?”
“I don’t think we share the same style or size,” Lucy replied with a soft laugh.
“Oh.” Lois thought for a moment. “I wonder what happened to all my clothes? Did someone donate them to charity, perhaps? When they thought I had died…”
“Clark cleared out all of your personal stuff from the apartment before I moved in. He’s got it stored away somewhere.”
Lois wasn’t quite sure to make of that statement. Either it was stalker creepy or extremely thoughtful. She would go with thoughtful. Lex was stalker creepy. “Well, see what you can find. Or maybe we can go out shopping this afternoon.”
“Shopping is not a high priority right now, Lois. Don’t forget Lex is still after you.”
“How can I forget it? Nobody will let me. That man has ruined my life.”
Lucy pulled out a pair of slacks and a blouse and handed them to Lois. “I’ve got to go back to work. See if I can find the antidote to your blindness.”
“How did Kal get cured?” Lois asked.
“Infrared light.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep. I’ll see if I can get you an appointment with Clark’s optometrist.”
“Clark wears glasses?” Lois hadn’t expected that. Oh, that was right. She vaguely remembered him wearing glasses in that photo with the bitch. Actually, Lois was curious what the man looked like. Was he ‘not much to look at’, like he said? Or was he just being modest? Strange, that he wouldn’t let her touch his face.
“You’d be surprised what a pair of glasses can hide,” Lucy replied, pushing her own glasses up her nose.
*** End of Part 5 *** CommentsChapter 5: Part 6
