Laura! Yeah, you're back. I hope you had a safe trip but you should not have taken it at our expense!
I got nervous when Lois went out with Claude. I just knew that he was setting her up to steal her story.
“Lois?”
Lois jumped at Clark’s voice. But she was staring at Claude. Oh, she had been ignoring him, hadn’t she? She put on a soothing smile to ruffle over his hurt feelings, but he was looking past her.
“Lois?” the voice spoke again, and this time Lois turned around in her chair, dread rapidly replacing her insides with jelly. The object of her daydreaming and secret nighttime fantasies was standing behind her, a disapproving look fixed firmly on his face.
And I just knew that Clark would show up! It won't be the last time he rescues her, either.
Claude reached out a hand to shake, which Clark coolly accepted. He turned to her and she nearly gasped at the anger in his gaze. It faded slightly, as he looked at her, but she saw it rear up again when his eyes slid back to Claude. “Lois, can I speak with you privately for a few minutes?”
Lois gave him a belligerent look and finally followed him to a shadowed corridor. Once away from Claude, she noticed that his eyes no longer looked dark with anger, but instead sparkled with something she couldn’t place.
“Lois Lane, you are out on a date with a man who is entirely too old for you,” he started, getting straight to the point. “I don’t know what he told you, but that man is certainly not a college student.”
There goes protective Clark. He has feelings for Lois but he's having to squash them. I know that he;'s looking out for her best interests but he already knows that something isn't about Lois.
Part of me wondered if he heard part of Claude's and Lois's conversation.
“Lois you look beautiful in that dress,” Lois’ head snapped up at the unexpected compliment, but Clark’s face still looked grim. “And I’m afraid that man you’re with knows it. He’s not expecting anything platonic out of this night, Lois!”
As innocent as it sounds and is with Clark, he slipped Lois a compliment and it made all the difference in the world. I think she cares what Clark thinks of her.
“Please do not go home with that man, Lois.” Clark thought for a moment and grinned as an idea struck him. “Look, stay and eat dinner with him. Enjoy yourself. But let me drive you home. My parents are here, I’m sure they’d love to meet you.”
The notion of driving home with Clark took a moment to digest. Lois took a long, serious look at her senior English teacher. He was obviously distressed at seeing her here with an older man. His espresso colored eyes implored her to consider his suggestion and he kept raking his fingers through his hair, mussing it completely.
“Okay, Mr. Kent. If you really want me to, I’ll go home with you instead of with Claude.”
Clark has it bad. And I agree that he is suspicious that she is not really as young as she is trying to pass off as being.
“He was quite angry when he caught sight of us, Lois. I think your Mr. Kent was experiencing the green glare of jealousy. He spent a few too many seconds appraising you in that scrap of fabric you’re passing off as a dress. Seems like he’s only human.”
Even as Lois’ mind rejected the idea as ludicrous, her traitorous heart lurched a little unsteadily. “You’re insane. Mr. Kent cares about all of his students equally and he sure wouldn’t make any kind of advance on a student of his!”
Her anger was flushing her face, and she barely noticed her voice rising up a notch.
Claude is right Lois. Clark is more human than most humans I know. He does care about all of his students but if he would admit it, he cares differently for Lois.
And yes, Lois, Clark is jealous. Protective but secretly jealous. H e just cannot cross the line.
“You would think he’s wonderful. You’re falling for him, aren’t you?”
“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Oh but you are. How pleasingly ironic the whole situation is!”
“That’s it. I’m leaving,” Lois hissed, grabbing her coat and purse. “You’re a bastard.”
I'm sure that Clark heard this.
Yes, Claude, Lois is falling for him. Lois quit lying. You'd have to be dead to not fall for Dean...I mean Clark.
“Mom, Dad, this is Lois Lane, one of the students I was telling you about.”
Ahh...so Clark has been talking to Jonathan and Martha about Lois. Hummm...
She barely noticed Clark standing, his mild mannered gaze suddenly much more intimidating until he blocked Claude from her sight and their staring match was abruptly ended. Clark stood between Claude and herself, his fist bunched rigidly at his side.
“Stay away from her,” he said simply, in a low voice designed not to bring attention to their table.
Claude took a step toward her anyway, but Lois let out a sharp gasp when Clark grabbed his arm and stopped him effortlessly. Claude’s eyes widened in surprise slightly at the steel grip, but he eventually stopped struggling and Clark reluctantly let him go.
“He’ll find out who you are eventually,” Claude hissed, his façade of calm finally breaking. “And I’d hate to be around to see the fallout.” Noting the anger tensing Clark’s shoulders, Claude took a hasty step back. “Not so fast, Loverboy. I’m out of here. Have fun with your underage student.”
Clark remained standing, frozen as he stared after Claude’s retreating back. His form was stiffened with palpable tension. Finally, after a moment Clark grabbed his chair and sat eased himself back down on it.
I love protective Clark. And don't think for a moment that any of Claude's comment got past Clark.
“No, no put that money away! I’ll take care of it.”
“But Mr. Kent, you came here with your parents. You didn’t expect a whole other meal to pay for.”
Clark glanced at her plate of spaghetti. “Yes, like you were so expensive. It’s fine, please. I insist.”
I would say..."almost first date"...if it weren't so inappropriate.
He was going to drive her home! To the apartment she lived in *alone*. It was obvious from the outside that the rooms inside were for singles or couples. He couldn’t find out that she didn’t live with her family. Heaving a big sigh as she climbed in his car, she directed him to her parent’s house. Great. Lucy would throw a fit.
Clark has X-Ray vision!
I know where everyone is coming from with there skepticism, but I know it's Lois and Clark and that they are the same age and regardless of how they meet they always end up together. I would never however otherwise support this situation.
Great story Laura and I am still your #1 fan! Keep it coming and I'll keep giving you feedback. Otherwise I'll send you hate mail!
Brava!
~Sheila
