Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Challenge House of Cards part 5A

First off, I have to apologise. This got to be a little too long to be able post in one shot on the message boards. I blame Wendy for the problem I have sometimes in fics getting away from me. I think it might be some sort of fanfic internet disease she spreds.

Anyway I'm posting this in two consectutive parts. I hope that is okay.


House of Cards - part 5A
by Tank


Lois reached over and gave her offending alarm clock a good swift swat. It dutifully shut up as she rolled to her back and stared at the ceiling of her bedroom in the graying light of dawn. It hadn't been a very restful night. She spent most of her time arguing with herself over everything. Her mind just couldn't relax. There was too much chaos in her life. She wasn't sure she was ever going to be able to sort it out.

In effect, she had two proposals on her table. Lex, and Clark. His declaration of love in Centennial Park the other day hadn't been a proposal of marriage, exactly. But it was definitely something that had scared Lois. Clark was her best friend. He had always been there to offer a shoulder, or support her in times of trouble. But he was her best *friend* and a good friend can't be your romantic partner, could they? No, love just complicated things. It made you do things that you normally wouldn't do. Love made you stupid.

Besides, Clark hurt her badly. It wasn't even so much that he lied to her, though that did make her blood pressure rise a little every time she thought about it. No, it was more what the lies represented. They showed her that he didn't trust her. And that's what really hurt. She could forgive a few necessary lies now and again, but not that betrayal of her trust.

She had opened up to him like she had no other person ever before. She even told him about Claude. Not even her mother knew about Claude. She didn't think there was any part of Lois Lane that Clark didn't know, but apparently he didn't think that sort of trust was a two way street. He'd been keeping a part of himself from her since the beginning. And, even after they'd gotten past their initial awkward fumblings at a partnership, he still didn't feel he could trust her with who he really was. Whoever that was.

Then there was Lex. She was very confused about that man also. She admired him, and respected him. She enjoyed his company on their dates. But she knew she didn't love him. Not in that fairy tale, soul-mates type of way that all the romance novels liked to spew. But she was a big girl, and big girls put their childish ideas away at the same time they put those fairy tales back on the shelf. She was sure that Lex liked her. She wasn't willing to go as far as saying he loved her, even though he'd said he did. She did know that he respected her intelligence and abilities. And until yesterday she would have bet that he trusted her. The bugging of her office really bothered her. More so than she let on to Clark. The fact that it was Clark who had told her about the bugs didn't change things. She knew Clark well enough to know he'd never lie about something like that. It would be too easy to disprove.

Still, she wasn't sure what she was going to do about it. She had to confront Lex about it. But how? Lex didn't get where he was in business by always playing by the rules. She wasn't that naive. Still, if he thought it was all right to 'keep an eye on the little woman' by such means she had to put a stop to that attitude right now.

Normally, finding out something like that would have sent her out the door in a heartbeat. But things were different. Her world had been turned upside down. The Planet was gone. Her friends, like Perry and Jimmy were no longer a part of her life. She had no family to fall back on. She didn't want to see her parents, and Lucy had moved to California. Where did that leave her? It left her with Lex... and Clark, and she wasn't so sure about Clark anymore.

No, the events of the past weeks dictated that Lois should, and would, give Lex a chance to explain himself. If she could just figure out a way to broach the subject, he would get his one chance to answer for what he'd done. If Lois didn't like his answer... well, then she guessed she really was meant to be alone.

Lois forced herself to get out of bed. Her thoughts were getting too depressing, even for her. Anyway, it was time to get ready for work. She had a busy day ahead of her. She needed to find a way to allow Clark more freedom of movement. Superman deserved that much. Even if Clark hadn't felt he could trust her with his 'big secret', she would show him that she could handle it. She would do what she could to help him, and would never tell a soul what she knew. Not even Lex.

*******************

It wasn't even 6:30 in the morning and Lex was already in his office at LNN. He normally didn't work there much, but since Lois came on board he spent a lot more time there. He wasn't sure yet what he was going to do about Kent. While there was something to be said about keeping your enemies close, the fact that the irksome fellow chose to come to LNN and take Lois up on her job offer went against all his plans. It was absolutely necessary for him to be able to keep Lois away from any of her former life. He needed to make himself the only person that she would be able to count on, to turn to in her times of need. Her former partner was the last person he needed hanging around. A small smile twisted his lips, though it seemed that Lois and her aforementioned partner weren't exactly on the best of terms at the moment.

Not only did Lex need to deal with Kent, but he had to deal with that spandex clad nuisance, Superman. He had some plans in that regard but he was waiting for a confirmation before he could go forward with them.

The ringing of the phone pulled Lex out of his musings. It was his private line, so Lex had a good feeling. "Luthor," he said, picking up the receiver.
"It's ready? Everything is as I requested? Excellent." Lex's smile got much larger. "Tell Nigel that I said you are to get everything you have coming to you."

Lex placed the receiver back onto its cradle. Things were definitely looking up. He picked up his appointment book and checked to make sure that tomorrow was the day he thought it was. Timing was everything, and everything seemed to be going Lex's way.

****************

Clark entered the building that housed LNN precisely at eight o' clock. He headed for the series of desks that were set off to the side of the studio. It was were the various reporters, camera men, and on-air personalities prepped for their assigned tasks. He quickly located the desk, stuck far off in one corner, that had been given to him. He was about to boot up the computer and check the schedule to see what he was expect to do that day, when he noticed a note taped to his keyboard. It simply said, "See Lois". With a slight grimace, and wondering what she wanted to yell at him about this time, he got up from the desk and went in search of Lois' office.

Clark didn't know why, but he was apprehensive about seeing Lois. It didn't make sense. He agreed to come to work here at LNN just to be near her. His hatred of Luthor scared him. He never hated anyone - ever. But he hated Luthor. Still, for all those strong feelings about Luthor, his feelings for Lois were even stronger. He loved her. He'd admitted it to her, but it only confused her. She didn't want her 'best friend' to love her. She just needed him to be her best friend. So he braved the den of his worst enemy so he could be that friend. But could he?

It seemed like every time he and Lois spoke, they ended up arguing and walking away with more hurt feelings. Would he ever make her understand the mistake she was making? She even knew he was Superman, but that didn't matter now. Superman had been toppled from his pedestal as far as she was concerned, so even Superman's warnings about Luthor held no weight with Lois. They were still the jealous rantings of a man whose love had been rejected.

Fine, Lois wanted proof. Clark would find proof. He only hoped that he'd have the time. Lois hadn't said yes to Lex's proposal yet, but he had no illusions as to the persuasiveness of that oily snake. He had to find some proof quickly. The fact that Lois hadn't gone ballistic over the bugging of her office told him that she was already somewhat under Luthor's spell.

He finally came to Lois' office. Her door was open, and he could see her working at her desk. He knocked on the door frame. She looked up and gave him a weak smile.

"Clark," she said as she stood and walked toward him. "I've some news for you. Come walk with me."

They actually didn't walk anywhere, but just slipped around the corner, away from the spying eyes and ears of her office. "What's up, Lois?" Clark tried to keep his voice neutral.

She quickly glanced up and down the hallway in which they were standing. There was nobody else around. "I just wanted to tell you that I've arranged a way for you to be able to have more freedom of movement, not unlike you had at the Planet. You know, so in case you have to get away to..." She glanced around again. "Perform a rescue or something."

Clark was touched. "Thanks - but how?"

"I moved you from on-air to on-the-street reporter." Lois bit on her lip. "Much of the time you'll be expected to phone in your reports to a writer who will produce the copy for the on-air anchor to read, but there will be times when you'll have to have a cameraman with you so you can do live reports from the site." She shrugged. "I figure, even in those cases, you should be able to slip away from them if you really need to." A sardonic smile touched her lips. "You can always give them one of your fabulous excuses."

Clark rolled his eyes at that remark, but then changed to a normal smile. "That's very considerate. I really appreciate it."

Lois shrugged again. "Hey, just because I'm not on the best of terms with Clark Kent right now, doesn't mean that I'm going to hinder Superman's efforts."

Clark reached out and placed his hand on Lois' cheek. How could he have ever doubted her? But no sooner had his hand touched her face then she pulled away.

"Don't, Clark," she said as she back up a step.

Clark sighed. "It's still, Luthor, isn't it? Even though he invades your privacy by bugging your office, that's okay. But me, I withhold one secret from you and I'm slime mold."

Lois' lids narrowed and her eyes blazed dangerously. "Look, Clark, one thing had nothing to do with the other. You lied to me, but what's worse is that you showed me that you didn't trust me."

Clark felt his stomach knot up. It was happening again. He and Lois couldn't have a discussion without it degenerating into an argument. Though, he had to admit, that he was just as much to blame here. He was the one who chose to bring up Luthor. It just made him crazy to see her act so, so... not Lois, when it came to Luthor.

"Lois, of course I trust you. And I was planning to tell you sometime."

"Sometime is a pretty vague timetable, Clark. All I can see is someone who is supposed to be my best friend. Someone I've told things I've never breathed to another person. The first man I've ever really bared my soul to. Yet he doesn't think I'm *ready* to know who he really is. He pretends to be two different people. Each playing me off the other." Lois clenched her fists at her side. "When I think of all the things I confided to you about Superman. How you must have laughed."

Clark felt a chill run through his body. This was going very badly. "Lois, I never..."

"Oh shut up, Clark. I don't want to hear any more excuses, and I surely don't want to hear any more of your jealous accusations against Lex." Lois slumped back against the wall.

Clark had to control his voice so as not to shout as his anger began to take over. "Is that what you think? You think I made that stuff up about your office being bugged?"

Lois shook her head, her hair swirling about her face. "No, I don't. But I don't know why it's there either. And until I find out why he put that stuff there I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Clark was clearly exasperated. "Lois, I don't believe you. Listen to yourself."

"What don't you believe, Clark?" she asked. "That a man like Lex, could respect me, trust me? Believe it; I'm going to find out why that stuff is there, but until this incident I never had cause to think that Lex had ever lied to me." Lois took a deep breath. "You, on the other hand, admitted that you blatantly, and repeatedly lied to me."

Clark threw his hands up in helpless gesture. "Lois, his whole life is a lie. I don't know how you can..." Clark's attention was drawn by a radio report he could hear coming from another room. There was a jumbo jet in trouble. He had to act fast.

"What, what is it?" She had seen that 'look' come over him.

"A plane is in trouble I have to go." As he turned to go he glanced back over his shoulder. "I'll be back as soon as I can. This isn't over yet, Lois."

******************

Lois watched as he hurried down the hallway and into the stairwell. She sighed, as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Yes, I'm afraid it is, Clark... I'm afraid it is."

*****************

Lex sat back in his large, leather chair, a look of smug satisfaction on his face. He was quite pleased with himself and that he'd had the foresight to install some hidden cameras and shotgun microphones in hallways around Lois' office. He had been determined to keep his eye on her, if only to make sure that his plan continued to progress as he had originally mapped it out. But this morning providence had provided him with an extra special bonus. Information that he'd never expected to acquire. Information that would allow him to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

He couldn't help but shake his head. Who could have imagined that clod, Kent, was really Superman? How ever did he manage to maintain the deception? It was true that Lex, himself, led a sort of double life. But it was far easier to use philanthropy and other good deeds to cover for his more 'interesting and fulfilling' pursuits. He didn't have to change who he essentially was. He was still able to project the proper image of wealth, power, and challenge. The things that made life worth living.

But Kent, he was one of the most powerful beings on the planet, yet he spent the majority of his time mucking in the mud with mere mortals, playing at being a normal guy. A simple reporter, no less! Lex didn't understand it, but that wouldn't stop him from using the information to his ultimate advantage.

His smile grew larger and more barracuda-like. No, he was indeed fortunate to have this little gift fall into his lap, and he knew exactly how he was going to use it. He leaned forward and picked up his phone. But first he had some damage control to deal with.