Table of Contents
From Part 9:A thought taunted him suddenly. Even if he were that foolish - well, why would any woman ever want him? After all, he was a “dirty, sub-human alien,” as Trask had told him.
“No!” he yelled, startling a passing bird. He couldn’t let himself believe Trask’s venom. If he allowed himself to think for one second that Jason Trask was in any way representative of other people’s perceptions of him... No, that way lay madness.
It was time to stop obsessing over things he couldn’t change, he told himself firmly, taking a deep breath and deliberately, calmly, forcefully pushing unwelcome images out of his head. He had to deal with what had happened, one way or another - and that included talking to his parents about it as soon as he got an opportunity.
But for now, he needed to get on with what he’d come out for. Clark took another deep breath, then flew in the direction of Carter Avenue.
**********
Now read on...Lois woke to the tantalising aromas of freshly-brewed coffee and some sort of cinnamon-scented pastries. For a moment, she was disoriented, unable to work out why her apartment should smell like a bakery, but then she remembered. She was in Clark’s apartment - in his bed! - and he had to be up already.
That was confirmed when he tapped lightly on the wall next to the open doorway. “You awake, Lois? Breakfast is ready - like me to bring you a coffee?”
“If you don’t mind me not showering first, I’ll throw on a robe and come out and have breakfast with you,” she called back.
“Why would I mind?” he answered, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “I’ll pour your coffee.”
Lois threw back the covers and grabbed the robe she’d laid across the end of the bed; quickly pulling it around her, she headed for the kitchen.
Clark greeted her with a friendly smile. If he’d been out much during the night, she couldn’t tell from his appearance; he looked wide awake and ready to face the day. Though, if he’d already showered, she hadn’t heard him. Nor had she heard him using the balcony door during the night, though he’d told her that he’d be as quiet as he could.
“Did you go out at all last night?” she asked once she’d accepted a mug of fragrant coffee from him.
“Yeah, a couple of times. Once was around three am, and the second time was an hour ago - that’s when I got these,” he added, gesturing to the cinnamon rolls. “I checked on your place - there were workmen in the basement and someone was guarding the front door, so it looked secure.” He pushed the plate of rolls towards her. “Then I ended up helping out at a pile-up on a freeway in the next state.”
Lois took a bite of a roll, simultaneously sliding into a chair. “Was it bad?”
“No-one killed, thankfully. But several people badly injured - a number of them were trapped, and I was able to free them quicker than the fire department could... so I guess I was there half an hour or so.” He threw her a teasing smile. “You were fast asleep when I came back in - I’m pretty sure I even heard a snore.”
“You did not!” Lois retorted. She pulled off a piece of her roll and threw it at him. “I do not snore!”
Clark laughed. “Next time, I’ll get my tape recorder.”
Next time? As in, there was a chance she might end up spending the night at Clark’s place again? It wasn’t going to happen; she’d be back in her own apartment by tonight. But still... she supposed there could be nights when they might stay up late watching a movie, and when he could suggest she stay over rather than drive home.
Only as friends, of course. Nothing more intimate than that. But she’d rather be Clark’s friend than nothing at all, so even that was good.
“More coffee,” she demanded, holding out her mug towards him. He even made better coffee than she did - but then, that wasn’t much of a contest. Yes, breakfast at Clark’s had a lot to recommend it.
*********
Having breakfast with a guest was really quite nice, Clark thought as he poured each of them more coffee. Well, of course he always loved being with Lois. But having her staying in his apartment was different, and although he’d made the offer in all sincerity, he’d had some reservations.
After all, he was used to having his own space. And, even though Lois knew he was Superman, he still felt a little awkward about dealing with the dual identity around her. Spinning in and out of his Suit was one thing, but he did lots of things differently from most people, and having someone else see him boil water with his eyes, or destroying yet another knife or plate because he’d momentarily forgotten his own strength... well, he just tended to prefer his own company at home.
And yet this was Lois, his best friend... the woman he loved. Which also made it hard to have her around. So close, and yet so far... he could look, but he dared not touch. Even more so after last night - if he’d managed to shred a blanket in his sleep, what could he do to another human being without even realising it?
No. Don’t even think about it, he told himself.
And, in fact, he was finding that the real advantage to having Lois here was that he was having to make an effort to behave normally. He had a reason to force himself to stop obsessing over the effects of what Trask had done to him - and, more importantly, what Trask had done to his parents. He couldn’t do anything about that until he had time to go to Smallville, and the earliest he could do that would probably be later today. And he couldn’t afford to spend the day brooding - apart from anything else, he didn’t want Lois wondering what was wrong. So sharing cinnamon rolls with her was a useful discipline.
She looked so gorgeous in her robe over satin pyjamas, hair untidy from her night’s sleep; so clearly having only just got out of bed. It would be so easy to imagine that
they’d both just got out of the bed they shared.
The bed they’d both slept in... sharing kisses, gentle caresses, slow, deliberate touches and long, passionate lovemaking. Where he would have discovered every inch of her luscious, nude, satiny body, and she -
But she already knew what he looked like naked.
She’d seen him. All of him.
He felt himself blushing, and he jumped to his feet, rushing to the fridge to grab something - anything - just to cover his embarrassment.
Lois was looking at him curiously as he returned, and he held out the carton of grapefruit juice to her. “I forgot. Would you like some?”
“Well, a glass would be nice,” she said, giving him an amused grin.
“Good.” He smiled in return, placing the carton on the table in front of her and resuming his seat.
“Umm... Clark?”
“Yeah?” What was it? Had she noticed his embarrassment? Wondered why he’d just been acting like an idiot? Or had he covered it adequately?
“A glass?” she prompted.
“Uh... yeah?”
“Well, unless you’d like me to drink straight from the carton...?”
Okay. Yes. He was an idiot. And he had just behaved like one in front of Lois. He really did need to concentrate on what was actually happening, rather than brooding over stuff he couldn’t help!
Getting up again to take a glass from one of the cupboards, Clark reminded himself forcefully that he couldn’t change something that had already happened. So, she’d seen him without any clothes on. It had hardly been the first time she’d seen a naked man, so it wouldn’t have been a big deal for her. It clearly wasn’t a big deal for her - after all, she’d never mentioned it since, and she showed no embarrassment in his presence, unlike his own moronic behaviour this morning.
Grow up and behave like an adult! he told himself, and passed her the glass.
*********
Half an hour later, Lois had showered and was dressed, ready to leave. It felt strange, and yet at the same time entirely natural, to leave Clark’s apartment and get into her car together to go to work. On the way, they heard a news report about Superman’s nocturnal activities; it seemed that he’d done considerably more than Clark had let on, but Lois didn’t comment. She was beginning to notice that Clark sometimes had a tendency to downplay his achievements, as if it embarrassed him to talk about them. Well, she wouldn’t embarrass him; she’d just make a mental note to treat his descriptions of his own doings as an underestimate in future.
Exiting the elevator on the newsroom floor, she turned to Clark. “Okay, we need to get hold of Jimmy immediately and find out what he’s been able to -”
Lois broke off abruptly as her gaze fell upon her desk.
A man she’d only seen a couple of times before was sitting at it. And her name-plate, which normally sat right at the front of the desk, in the middle, marking out her territory to all and sundry, was... gone.
********
Clark felt Lois stop dead beside him. Her entire body tensed, and then she lurched into an abrupt forward movement, in the direction of her desk. And it was then that he noticed Matt, the freelance whom Perry had been commissioning a lot lately, sitting at Lois’s workstation.
He frowned, already anticipating the torrent of fury which was about to descend upon the hapless, unwitting reporter. Hurrying after Lois, he caught hold of her arm. “Hold on - he probably doesn’t know -”
Realising what he’d done, Clark released her arm immediately. He’d just grabbed her - he could have hurt her. He didn’t know his own strength; he could have pressed too hard, bruised her, maybe even crushed the bone...
How many times did he need to remind himself!
“That is
my desk!” she hissed at him. He let go the breath he’d been holding. She didn’t sound as if she was in any sort of pain. He hadn’t hurt her... this time. But it was another timely reminder after realising that he was actually in love with Lois: if he got too close to her, he could hurt her. Badly.
Lois began striding in the direction of her desk again, but walked into Jimmy, who was unfortunate enough to choose that moment to pass by, carrying an open box.
“Sorry, Lo - ” he began, but she didn’t give him a chance to finish.
With admirable reflexes, she’d reached into the box; now she was holding something up accusingly. “And just
what are you doing with this?” she demanded.
Clark recognised Lois’s name-plate and, wincing, wondered just why Jimmy was courting disaster by having it in his possession.
“Taking it to the store-room, of course!” Jimmy protested, trying to move himself out of the danger-zone.
But Lois wasn’t letting her prey escape that easily. “And why are you doing that?” Her tone was menacing, and Clark grimaced, moving forward to try to defuse the situation. Not that he had any clue what was going on either.
“Because no-one’s going to have name-plates any more, of course, Lois!” Clearly thinking that he’d explained everything, Jimmy made one more attempt to leave.
“Since when?” A furious and a disbelieving Lois... Clark didn’t envy Jimmy one bit.
“Lois - ” He tried to interrupt, but she waved an impatient hand in his direction in silent instruction to keep out.
“And why is someone else sitting at my desk?” she demanded.
“Didn’t you read the memo?” Jimmy rolled his eyes and stared at her. “Geez, Lois, everyone else knows about it, so what - ”
“Knows about
what?” she asked; that tone of voice, Clark thought, could frighten off criminals more effectively than a hard stare from Superman.
“The new policy!” Jimmy exclaimed. “It was all in the memo!”
Lois practically growled, “What memo?”
“The memo we all got yesterday.” Jimmy’s voice was wary, and Clark saw that his body was tensed, prepared for a quick escape as soon as the opportunity arose.
“Yesterday?” Lois glanced at Clark, then back at Jimmy. “We were out of the office most of yesterday. My apartment, remember?”
“Oh yeah.” Jimmy’s eyes were flicking from side to side, Clark noticed; he definitely wanted out of there. “That was a real bummer, Lois.” He took a careful step sideways.
“The memo,” Lois reminded him, a warning note in her voice. “And my desk?”
Jimmy gave a resigned grimace. “New policy. We’re all hot-desking now!”
“Hot...
what?”
“Hot-desking,” Clark repeated. “It’s a policy where no-one has an assigned desk. You just come in, use whatever desk is free, then vacate it again when you’ve finished so as to leave it clear for someone else. It’s a way of saving on space in a workplace where not everyone’s in work at the same time.”
She turned to stare at him, disbelief written all over her face. “Perry thought
that would be a good idea? Here? Is he crazy?”
Jimmy, Clark noticed, had begun to take the opportunity offered for a discreet getaway, but at Lois’s accusation he turned back. “Actually, it wasn’t Perry’s idea. The memo came down from the suits upstairs. Seems they wanted to get rid of the freelances’ room on the fourth floor, plus there’s those two new writers in Features. They thought this would be a good way to save money, I guess.” The eye-rolling expression on Jimmy’s face made it clear what he thought of the idea.
Lois stood unmoving for several seconds, as if digesting the information. Then she drew herself up to her full height. “Right - I’m going to tell Perry that this just isn’t acceptable. I won’t work in this environment!”
“Lois...” Clark put his hand lightly on her arm, again trying to calm her down. He might not be happy about this crazy new idea either, but he couldn’t see that it was worth getting really agitated over. “Look, you know what the suits upstairs are like. Give it a couple of weeks and this’ll all probably just go away again. My desk’s free - why don’t you use that for now, and when Matt’s finished - ”
Her expression softened. “You shouldn’t have to give up your desk either. Clark, we’re the Planet’s best reporting team! There’s no way that we should have to hang around and wait for desks to come free - can you imagine having to use a different computer every day?”
Clark couldn’t manage to suppress the grin that came to his face on hearing Lois describe the two of them as the Planet’s best team. Yet more proof that she no longer regarded him as a greenhorn with lots to learn; they were equal partners.
“Well, all the computers are networked, and we save everything on network drives, not hard drives, and we use floppies too, and everything’s password-protected...” he began to point out, but gave up when he saw his partner’s expression.
“Okay, okay.” He held up a hand to pre-empt her forthcoming tirade. “You’re right. This is crazy. We can’t work like this.”
“He better not have opened my drawers,” she muttered. “That’s all my stuff in there! My Rolodex, my makeup, my spare pantyhose...”
“Your secret stash of chocolate,” Clark supplied with a grin. She glared at him.
Someone brushed past them then; Clark recognised her as one of the new Features writers, who’d started work just a couple of days ago. With a feeling of inevitability, he watched her head straight for his desk and log into the computer.
He met Lois’s gaze; she rolled her eyes at him in an ‘I told you so’ manner. He shook his head in wry acceptance. “Okay. Let’s go see Perry - together.”
Lois turned on her heel and headed in the direction of the editor’s office. About to follow, Clark felt Jimmy tug lightly on his arm.
“You’ve really had a good effect on Lois! I was sure she’d hit the roof!”
Incredulous, Clark said, “This isn’t hitting the roof?”
“No way!” Jimmy insisted. He pointed a finger upwards. “The roof’s still intact!”
Clark grinned, and then abruptly schooled his expression as Lois caught at his other arm. “Come on, Clark! We haven’t got all day!”
“I’m coming...”
*********
Lois barely waited for the door to close behind Clark before she launched into her complaint. “Perry, this is crazy! We can’t be expected to work like this. You know we can’t!”
The editor got to his feet, grimacing. “I know it’s crazy. But I don’t -”
“Whose stupid idea was it, anyway?” Lois continued, determined to have her say. “Clearly some pen-pusher who’s never actually worked in the news business. Someone who thinks saving a few measly dollars is worth making it impossible for the Planet’s best news team to work!”
“Lois -” Perry started, but she forged onwards.
“And don’t say that I can work just as well at any desk - that’s just not true! Having to look for a free desk every time I get in here, not having my familiar things around me, having to dig out my work from some network drive -”
“You do that already,” Clark pointed out from behind her, but she ignored her partner’s interruption.
“It’s going to be incredibly disruptive. I just can’t work under these conditions, and you can darned well tell whatever pea-brain it is that -”
“Lois!” This time, Perry’s growl penetrated, and Lois closed her mouth. She knew better than to continue when her editor was looking at her like that.
“Good,” Perry said approvingly. “Now you listen for a minute. If you think for one minute that I’m happy with this nonsensical policy, then you don’t know me anything like as well as you should do. I agree. It’s a total waste of time. It’s counter-productive, and it’ll get in the way of getting a newspaper out.”
“Then tell them that!” Lois retorted.
“You think I haven’t?” Perry rolled his eyes. “That policy came from upstairs yesterday afternoon. It came in an inter-office memo to all newsroom and admin staff. I didn’t even see it before it went out. I went straight upstairs and spoke to Marshall - the guy whose signature was on it. I told him all of that stuff, and more. But he wasn’t interested.” Perry’s lip curled. “Seems he’s read some
management journal -” The words were said scornfully. “- which claimed hot-desking saves thousands of dollars a year, as well as stopping employees wasting the company’s time by playing games or making private phone calls at their desks. He wasn’t backing down, even when I threatened to go to the chairman of the board. He insisted the new policy had been agreed right at the top.”
“It’s ridiculous!” Lois exclaimed. “It won’t work. This place will grind to a halt in a couple of days if they insist on it.”
“That’s what I told him, too. So, kids, you don’t have much choice other than to ride this one out. Give it a week, tops, and things will be back to normal.”
“We can’t do that, Chief,” Lois said, her tone deliberately quieter now. “Clark and I are working on a big story - one that’s got to be kept under wraps. I don’t care about password-protection and all that sort of stuff - we can’t keep moving around from desk to desk under these circumstances.”
“Want to tell me what it’s about?” Perry gave her a shrewd look.
Clark stepped forward to stand beside Lois, and she threw him a quick smile - she didn’t need his moral support, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t appreciate it. “For now, I think the fewer people who know the better, Chief,” Clark said calmly.
“Oh, one of those? Okay, but I’m trusting you, Clark - not Lois, because I know she’ll just ignore me - I’m trusting you to come and brief me about it if anything starts to go wrong, or if you’re getting into anything the lawyers need to know about. You hear?”
“Sure, Chief,” Clark said. Lois rolled her eyes; of course Clark would promise. But she would see to it that he was talked out of it if he tried to keep his promise before she was ready for Perry to know.
“So, you see, Chief, we really can’t work under these circumstances,” Lois continued in a more persuasive voice. “If there’s really nothing you can do about it, Clark and I will just commandeer the conference room for the time being. Okay? It’s either that or we work at home - not that I can work at my place for the time being,” she added disgustedly. Turning on her heel, she prepared to walk out of the office.
“Now, just hold on here!” Perry said firmly. “Look,” he added once she’d turned to face him again. “I’d like to say sure, you can work there. But that’s also part of the policy - haven’t you read the document? The conference room is to be used only for bona fide conferences. And when it’s not in proper use in accordance with the new policy,” he drawled, clearly quoting, “then it has to be made available for -” He waggled his fingers in the air to simulate quotation marks. “- ‘commercial use’. Some bean-counter’s even estimated that the Planet should be able to bring in extra revenue of up to twenty thousand bucks a year just through renting out spare office space!” He rolled his eyes once more. “I guess I should just be grateful they’re not renting out my office and making me hot-desk too!”
“But that’s ridiculous! Rent out the confer -”
Lois trailed off abruptly as it became clear that neither Perry nor Clark was listening to her. Perry, she noticed, was watching Clark... and her partner was staring into the middle distance, a distracted expression on his face.
“What is it, son?” Perry asked softly.
“I have to go,” Clark said abruptly, urgently. “Lois, get over to your place
now. I don’t know what’s going on, but a call’s just gone out for reinforcement fire trucks.”
Lois could feel herself stiffening. “Again?”
Clark nodded, already heading for the door. “It could be nothing. Or it could be there’s more damage to the foundations. But the sooner I get there...” He trailed off, leaving her to draw her own conclusions, then shot through the door; she could see him heading at a brisk pace for the stairwell.
He could be right, Lois told herself firmly. It could easily be just that the construction crew was having difficulty reinforcing the foundations and they’d called out the fire department for help. Or maybe a wall in the basement had collapsed from the stress of yesterday’s explosion and someone was trapped... None of that would be unexpected.
All the same... “I have to go,” she told Perry.
“Sure. Go,” he instructed her.
***********
...tbc
