CHAPTER 7
Clark came through the window of his apartment at super speed and slowed as he passed his couch, but remained floating several inches off the floor as he headed for the bathroom. He was uniformly covered with soot from head to foot and his mother had taught him enough as a child to not track dirt into the house.
Entering the bathroom he pulled off his uniform and tossed it into the hamper before entering the shower. Under normal circumstances Clark could take a shower in a matter of seconds, but tonight he slowed to human speed or perhaps somewhat slower and simply allowed the water to wash over him as he stood with his head bowed and one arm braced against the wall for balance.
Twenty minutes later he stepped out of the shower and toweled off. Putting on his robe he entered the living room and crossed over to a desk with a computer and sat down. People who visited Clark’s apartment were few and far between, but the ones who did always remarked about how clean and tidy everything was. Clark always thanked them politely, but would remark to himself that cleanliness was easy when one was seldom home. Between his two “jobs” he did little including sleep at his apartment. He mainly used it as a place to keep his belongings and to write the story of any of his activities that were newsworthy.
Booting up his computer he began to do exactly that. Writing the story about the fire and "quoting" Superman in a few places as well as the few speculations that the firemen had voiced to him and not pointed out to be kept confidential.
When he was finished he transmitted the story to the Planet’s server for the night editor to review for the morning edition and then went to bed. It might only be three hours sleep, but for one of the few times in his life Clark felt he needed every minute of it. At least Perry would be happy to get the inside scoop on the fire and maybe the rest of the morning could be tranquil as well and allow Clark at least a few hours to focus on just one job.
**********
"What the Hell is this Kent?"
Clark’s head raised up from where he was pouring coffee and he turned around to face the speaker.
"And a good morning to you too, Lois," he said as he extended the second cup of coffee in his hands made to her preferences.
He had picked up the sudden elevation of her heart rate a few minutes ago and knew that whatever was going on the coffee would be a necessary step in keeping peace in the newsroom. He tried with varying amounts of success most days to ignore or rationally explain why he was attuned to the sound of her heartbeat. He had found that ignoring the issue usually worked better than attempting to explain what had become increasingly unexplainable over the last couple of years.
Lois drew up short as she took the coffee almost automatically and then suddenly shook her head as she started to bring it to her mouth for a drink.
"Don’t try to change the subject, Smallville. I thought I warned you years ago about stepping on my turf."
"And I have remained suitably fearful and reverent since that date, Lois."
"Obviously not fearful or reverent enough. You stepped all over my byline about the fire over on Lincoln."
"Your byline?" Clark asked "I, uh, didn’t see you there last night, Lois."
"Yeah, and I didn’t see you either so how did you manage to pull this off?" she said gesturing with the morning edition in her hand. "And with quotes? Don’t tell me you played the Good Ol’ Boy trick again, Smallville or I may have to deck you."
Clark cursed himself for his carelessness in missing her last night, but he’d been in such a hurry to get home he’d forgotten to even look around for the press.
"No, I showed up just as Superman got there so I guess my attention was more on him than the crowd. Probably yours too, which is why we missed each other. You know I would have ran in the other direction back to bed if I’d known the Planet already had someone there."
Clark flashed a brilliant smile at Lois with a look of what he hoped to be suitable contriteness and backed by all of the Kent charm he could muster hoping to distract her from thinking too closely about whether or not she was that distracted by the Man of Steel.
"Spare me the wattage, Smallville. You get a free pass, THIS time, but only because Perry thought I had enough for a sidebar piece to yours AND if you’ll answer a few questions for me."
"Questions, Lois?" Clark asked not having to fake the nervousness in his voice.
Clark and Lois had become friends and even occasionally partners over the past few years, but Clark still had not stopped having that slightly nervous feeling whenever in her presence. It worsened when her thinking took light speed turns and Clark realized he had met one of the few people in the world that could possibly stay a few steps ahead of him.
For her part, Lois tried to ignore the feeling she had whenever they worked closely together and came into physical contact. As she grabbed his arm to pull him toward the conference room she was again reminded of how solid he was despite the way he acted at times and the realization was quickly followed by thoughts about what he had hidden under those clothes. Lois, the victim of numerous federal disasters, usually tried desperately not to consider her sometimes partner in that light and generally succeeded, but not always.
The problem, she told herself, was that she knew she made him nervous and it gave her a perverse pleasure at times to do things that increased that nervousness. She didn’t set out to do it, and God knew the thought of being a tease mortified her, but there was something about that calm, mild mannered demeanor that cried out to be messed with.
Mentally shaking herself back into reality she continued pulling him toward the conference room and didn’t turn loose until they were inside with the door closed.
"What questions?" Clark asked again suspiciously as he tried to sit nonchalantly on the edge of the conference room table.
"Exactly how well do you know Superman, Kent? And don’t try that 'aw shucks, country boy' routine with me, it lost it’s believability about five seconds after you turned in your first big story."
"Well," Clark said having to swallow a couple of times to counteract the dryness in this mouth and throat, "I guess I know him about as well as anyone does. I mean he tends to keep everyone at a distance so I know him about as well as he allows me to."
"I’m the babbler of this partnership, Kent. Don’t forget my rule about treading on my turf. Now how 'well' does he 'allow' you to know him?"
"Hold it, what do you mean partnership?" Clark said overcoming his mounting anxiety. "I thought you said the last time you and I were partnered that it was 'Ok, but let’s not make a habit of it.'"
"I also said that I’d decide when it happened again and so I am. I’m offering to let you in on the ground floor, farm boy. You don’t want in, that’s fine. You just answer my questions and go on about your business."
"What questions?"
Lois dropped her head in exasperation.
"You do that just to irritate me don’t you?"
"Sorry," Clark said sounding apologetic, but trying to hide his smile before she looked up "I wasn’t thinking there for a moment."
"Then let’s take it from the top," Lois said looking up and pinning him with her stare. "How well do you know Superman?"
"Well, like I said I know a little about him, enough to speak to him and have a conversation, but it’s all superficial. I don’t know anything you probably don’t."
"But you’ve known him longer."
"Well, yeah, but its not like we sat down and had any heart to hearts. It’s always been pretty much the way it is now."
"So, nothing you’ve been keeping off the record for an old high school friend?"
"High school friend? Lois, you make it sound like we shared a locker and ate fudge rounds in the cafeteria together. I think a kid in tights with a cape would have been noticed at Smallville High."
"You know what I mean, Smallville. Have you been keeping anything back from public consumption?"
"Well, Lois, if I was then it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to share it with Metropolis’ number one investigative reporter now would it?"
He said it so earnestly that Lois felt a smile start to form on her lips before she caught herself.
"You’re good, Kent, but flattery won’t even get you to first base let alone knock my concentration out of the ballpark."
Lois’ inadvertent turn of phrase occurred to her even as she said it and she felt her cheeks flush. Seeing a weakness form in his opponent’s armor, Clark quickly moved to exploit it.
"Well, first base with Lois Lane might knock anyone’s concentration out of the park," he said flashing his most charming smile and getting up from the table so as to move closer into her personal space, but not appear threatening. He wanted to distract her and make her a bit angry, but not invite sexual harassment charges.
Lois stepped back blushing even more furiously, but caught onto Clark’s trick immediately. Clark was not a forward person where sex was concerned. Enough women around the Planet had tried over the years with little success. Some had even speculated that he was gay, but Lois knew different. Not because of anything he had said or done with her, but from every little fidget or clumsy maneuver that he exhibited when she was close. That and well, something else, she just wasn’t sure how to describe it. He definitely felt an attraction for her, but would never follow through on it for whatever reason.
No, he was hiding something and whatever that something was Clark Kent, the original Mr. Lone Wolf, was willing to play this kind of game to hide it. But, that was ok. Lois Lane was her father’s daughter and so she didn’t mind competition and she rarely lost at any game. Pulling herself up short she met Clark’s gaze, arched an eyebrow and stepped forward to within inches of him.
"If first base could do that then you should see the seventh inning stretch," she said.
She almost laughed when she saw the fear flicker in his eyes as they widened almost imperceptibly and he took an involuntary step backward bumping into the table and almost losing his balance.
"Now," she continued, "are you through with little game or were you hoping for some early batting practice?"
Lois moved another step closer and continued to hold his gaze. That was when she saw it. Hunger. The other "something" she had considered earlier, but couldn’t place a word to. It was only there for an instant, but it was unmistakable. A deep longing that didn’t make her feel the least bit threatened, but a bit excited. The look that replaced it disappeared even more quickly, but was equally as obvious. Sadness. A wall seemed to close over Clark’s face at that point and the calm, mild mannered look that she now knew to be a façade, returned.
Whatever kept Clark from getting close to anyone probably caused him as much pain or more than actually what he risked by getting close, Lois thought to herself. But, then again she didn’t live in his skin so that was probably easy for her to say.
Their gazes remained locked for several seconds without anyone saying a word until Clark broke the connection and moved to put distance between the two of them and kept his face averted.
"Seriously, Lois, I doubt I know anything more than you do about Superman."
"I'm sorry," she said surprising herself as well as him with the statement.
"What? No, don’t be silly. We were just kidding around. I’m sorry I joked like that. It wasn’t appropriate. You just wanted to know some information. But, you said it was for a story and hinted you might need my help so why don’t you fill me in."
Lois listened to Clark babble and watched as he composed himself and was again able to maintain eye contact. Her apology hadn’t been for the joking around, but for the pain she had seen in him. She knew, however, that now was not the time to bring that up so she smiled and sat down at the table and he sat in a seat across from her.
"A friend of mine brought to my attention the amount of psychological stress that emergency workers function under. Superman’s the ultimate emergency worker and the question was raised about how he handles it. I just wanted to see if you had any insight."
Clark seemed taken aback for a moment and his brow furrowed in confusion.
"I...I guess I never really thought about it. He deals with it because he has to. Losing it isn’t an option for a Superman."
"Come on, Clark. If it were that simple then emergency workers wouldn’t have the problems they do. I researched it. Higher incidents of suicide, burnout and stress related health problems. Don’t tell me that Superman is invulnerable psychologically too."
"Of course not, Lois. But I don’t hardly think he’s a candidate for therapy either."
"I never said he was, Clark. Why are you getting defensive? I just want to know how he deals with it."
"This just sounds like a touchy-feely piece, Lois. Not your style at all, so why are you interested?"
Lois fought the urge to raise an eyebrow at the query. Clark wasn’t denying his defensiveness and was trying to change the subject again, just with different tactics.
"It’s not touchy-feely if it affects a million emergency service workers and it sure isn’t if it involves the mental health of a man who can destroy mountain ranges."
"You think there’s something wrong with his mental health?!" Clark asked incredulously.
"No, no, Clark. I really don’t. But I am concerned. Not just because of a story, but personally as well. How does he handle the things that he sees or has to deal with? It has to take its toll."
"It probably isn’t as serious as you think, Lois. I mean sure he sees some pretty bad things, but he sees a lot of good stuff too. He probably just balances it out somehow in his head. Really, I just think you’re worrying about something that isn’t even an issue."
"Maybe," Lois said backing away from the conversation. Clark was acting strangely, even more than usual and didn’t appear to be looking at this matter too objectively.
At that moment the conference room door opened and Jimmy Olsen stuck his head in.
"Hey, guys, you gotta come see what’s on TV. The police just served the warrant on Maxwell at City Hall, but he took his secretary hostage and there’s now a stand off."
Robert Maxwell had been Lois and Clark’s last big story together. Maxwell was the deputy mayor and had been implicated in a kickback scandal involving city contracts. The entire matter had blown up in his face when the press box at the new municipal stadium had collapsed during a game severely injuring all of its occupants. Superman had arrived almost immediately, which prevented there being any fatalities and he had later reported to investigators seeing signs of severe metal fatigue and instability in the concrete throughout the stadium.
His report had been born out by the findings of the investigation and Perry had assigned Lois and Clark to work on the story as a team to focus on both the contractor and the money trail back to City Hall. The trail had eventually led to Maxwell and their investigation had provided the authorities with the evidence needed to proceed with an arrest.
Forgetting for the moment her questions regarding Clark’s behavior Lois bolted from her chair and ran out into the bullpen where the TV was reporting the current hostage situation.
"Clark, tell Perry I’m heading over..." Lois said turning toward her erstwhile partner only to find him not at her side as expected.
She turned full circle trying to locate him, but was unsuccessful.
"Jimmy," she asked her younger colleague "where did Clark go?"
"Huh?" Jimmy said looking at her and then turning to scan the room. "I thought he was right here."
"Damn him." Lois muttered and then turned toward the elevator calling over her shoulder "Jimmy tell Perry I’m heading over to City Hall."
"You’d better hurry, it’s almost over," Jimmy said pointing to the TV.
"What?" Lois asked as she stopped in mid stride and turned to look up at the TV where Jimmy was pointing.
Superman had arrived on the scene.
TBC...
