Last time...
“So, I won the bet…?”
“What was your wager,” Rick asked innocently.
Lois looked over at Clark, and then she flushed red again. “Uh… nothing really.”
“Oh, you poor guy,” said Rick with gentle sarcasm, looking over at Lois. “I hope you face up to your loss like a man.”
“Or a Superman,” giggled Lana.
“Lana,” said Clark. “Keep that up, and I’ll start telling Rick here stories of what you were like as a teenager.”
“Okay, Okay,” she said, lifting her hands up in mock surrender.
“All right you guys, enough of the guest-of-honor monopolizing,” said Cat, coming into their conversation. “Others want a chance.”
And now...
Lana smiled ruefully. "Darn. Okay Cat - we'll go make ourselves friendly elsewhere - but don't monopolize them too long - we were having fun."
She linked her arm with Rick's and they wandered away.
Lois watched them leave with a tinge of regret and panic. Then, she turned back to face Cat.
“How are you, Cat?”
“I’m well. How are you? How are you handling all the attention?”
Lois nodded. “Well… so far, so good.”
“Clark?”
“What she said,” he said, smiling.
“I heard about .. what happened,” she said quietly “Lois, you handled yourself very well. I’m impressed.”
“Thanks,” she said, suddenly feeling awkward and embarassed. “I couldn’t even believe it was happening.”
“It mst have been really hard for you.”
“It was,” she said, shuddering. “Hard for the poor guy I freaked out. And hard for Clark, who had no idea what to do.”
Cat smiled. “Have you guys read any writeups of it yet?”
“No. I know that’s ridiculous, given our profession, but - “
“It’s weird to be the news… I know. Well… the gist of it is that you two make a very cute couple.”
She grimaced. “Cute?”
“That’s just my paraphrasing. Clark, you were reported as being uncharacteristically reticent in a situation where normally people would have expected you to exude confidence and to take control of things. And people perceive that as Lois having gotten under your skin, that you can’t be anything but human when you’re around her.”
“He’s human all of the time, or human-like. Don’t people get that? I don’t get why people treat you so differently Clark - based on what you’re wearing.”
“Sure you do, Lois - if you dress to kill, you get far more attention than if you don’t,” said Cat. “Clothes and demeanor and bearing – all of these affect how we see a person. Clark, I’m guessing that’s how you had hoped to keep this whole thing a secret - to keep your identities apart.”
“Yeah. Didn’t work though.”
“It would have. If Tempus hadn’t deliberately blown your cover. Nobody knew you were Clark until he told everyone. Do you wish it had worked?”
“Off the record?”
“Everything here is off the record. Perry’s mandate.”
“Then … sometimes. I sometimes wish it had worked. Now though, it’s not so bad. It was really … in the beginning… all that attention and fame. It was uncomfortable – and lonely. “
“Scary too, I’ll bet. All kinds of weird people trying to get to know you.”
“Well…”
“I know - you’re too nice to speak ill of people. But I saw what was going on.”
“Everything’s terrific now and I honestly think I have it easier than the other Clark,” he said in a low voice. “Keeping this a secret means he has to lie a lot about where he is – and that has to be hard and uncomfortable. And he went through all this hell with Lois – afraid to tell her the truth, but then afraid not to. “
“Didn’t he trust her?”
“He loved her and he wanted her to love him. She was in love with the part of him that flew and considered the rest of him ‘her best friend’.”
“Oh. Ouch.”
“So he thought if he could only manage to win over love – as an ordinary man - then it would be real. What he didn’t get was her love was real – no matter who she directed it towards. He thought that ‘Superman’ was just a disguise. But when he was Clark, he also was playing a role – disguising himself so nobody would put the two people together. The man he really is is a combination of the two, and even he didn’t get that. He kind of set her up for failure – even though he didn’t mean to.”
“I can see that… did she guess, or did he tell her?”
“She guessed… and as you can imagine, she was furious.”
“How long had he kept it a secret from her?”
“Almost two years.”
“Two years?”
“He even asked her to marry him – and he didn’t tell her first. He made a lot of mistakes in that respect, but he didn’t know what he was doing – I think a lot of his logic was just skewed by panic. He loved her and was terrified of losing her.”
She grinned. “Women have a way of forgiving that. If it’s love-induced panic – we forgive quite a bit.”
“She did. Although the last time we saw them, things weren’t going so well.”
“What happened?”
“You know – I really just don’t know. “
Lois, Cat and Clark chatted a few more minutes and then Cat remarked on how she was now hogging the guests of honor, and she should leave the way open for others to come over and get to know them.
Lois waited for Cat to get out of earshot, and then she turned to Clark.
“Cute. We’re cute,” she grumbled in mock disgust in a voice so low that only he could hear her.
“So, what’s wrong with that?”
His grin disarmed her and she had to fight to keep her concentration on what she was saying.
“Cute!”
“Well… you definitely are cute.”
“Cute?”
“Uh… something wrong with cute,” he asked with mock apprehension.
She gestured dramatically. “Cute is for puppies. It’s so inconsequential – so…”
“You really are the expert at transforming a compliment into an insult?”
“What? I never have done that – not with you – I – “
“Like now. I just called you an expert in something and you’re all riled up.” He continued to smile broadly at her as he spoke, enjoying the conversation.
“Oh. You just – you – listen. Cute is not something I have worked hard to be seen as.”
“Well. You’re cute when you’re disgruntled. Like now. Is that okay to say?”
“Disgruntled? So what am I like when I’m angry?”
“Glorious. Beautiful.”
“But I’m not beautiful now? When disgruntled?”
“I didn’t say that!”
“You implied it! But we’re digressing here. Back to this whole cute thing. What’s even worse is – they don’t even mean that we’re cute. They just mean you. I mean – half the women in here are in love with you.”
“Come on. That’s ridiculous.”
“Ooooo,” she said with gentle mockery. “You might want to say it like you really believe it next time.”
“Okay, Okay,” he admitted begrudgingly. “I admit some of them might be a bit star… struck – because of the whole celebrity aspect of who I am – “
“Before they knew about you – before you even started overtly playing the hero – they were probably in love with you. You have a very beautiful face and a warm personality.”
“Likewise, Lois. “
“Women can’t help themselves… at least, the ones interested in men.”
“You don’t seem to lack your share of admirers. I mean, creepy as he is – Lex has been on the eligible bachelor list a lot longer than…”
“Than…?”
“Uh… me…” he trailed off sheepishly, aware he had just proved her point.
“It’s different. With you – theyr’e like groupies.”
He winced. “Good word for it.”
“Women everywhere just throwing themselves in your path the first time they lay eyes on you… except of course one bitter woman suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.”
“Oh, Lois,” he said, his voice becoming gentler.
“Don’t worry – don’t worry. All is well – no panic attacks around the corner.”
“I don’t care if any of these women find me attractive or not. I just care what you think.”
“Excuse me…”
Lois uttered a silent count to ten upon hearing the tentative and slightly breathless female voice. Oh good. Another admirer. Inwardly steeling herself up for the challenge, she pasted a friendly smile on her face and gave the woman her full attention.
“Hi,” she said, almost in unison with Clark.
“I… I just wanted to say – um… congratulations!”
“Thanks,” said Clark, with a smile.
Lois smiled as well, to hide the pain. No! Don’t smile at her. She’ll never leave now. God. Look at her expression. All starry-eyed. Yuck! Little miss waif here. Can’t be more than 21.
The star struck gaze moved from Clark and rested on Lois.
Okay. Here it comes. She waited for the awe to fade into cool tolerance or bland friendliness. It didn’t. The girl remained starstruck.
“I’m … I’m Linda,” the young woman faltered. “I – just… my god, Miss. Lane – you are my – my role model! I want to be … a journalist – like you – you’ve covered such unique ground, and broke through so many glass ceilings, and – I’m – I’m in college… I’m – Alice’s nephew Roger’s girlfriend… and I – I just – I’ve read just about everything you’ve published… your words – they resonate with such truth and intensity – and – you just – you’re so persuasive – and… uh… uh…. Well…. “ her gaze travelled to Clark briefly and then, almost panicking, back to Lois. “Um… um… I didn’t mean that I – I – was persuaded by – by your articles- about… um… you….” She addressed Clark momentarily. “ I – I knew that – that she was wrong…. But – but – not that you aren’t – compelling in your arguments – it’s just –oh god – we aren’t supposed to even be talking about this – “
We aren’t talking. You are. Non stop. And oh boy. I better stop her before she explodes.
“I’m not one to encourage censorship,” said Lois with a more genunine grin, this one covering up a very strong desire to start laughing. “It’s okay. And thank you. I’m very flattered.”
“Oh! Oh - well – uh – you’re – you’re welcome! “
Linda stayed around a few more minutes, and it was the most awkard conversation Lois had ever had. She was relieved when the girl finally moved away.
“Oh Lois –you’re a mentor.”
“Clark. It’s not like it’s the first time.”
The rest of the evening went well. Ralph stayed out of Lois’s way, and everyone else was friendly and polite. Nobody asked the hard questions. Not surprising, really. This was a party thrown by Perry, a widely respected – and feared – man. Nobody in their right mind would try to upset Lois Lane under his roof.
Lois also thought wistfully that maybe people really meant it when they wished them well. At least as far as Clark was concerned. Maybe someday some of what he had would rub off on her.
On the drive home, she was reflective and quiet.
“Are you okay,” he asked her after the quiet had gone on too long for his comfort level.
“Yeah.”
“Did you have fun?”
“Yes. I really did. I especially enjoyed meeting Rick.”
“I could see that,” he teased.
She looked over at him, suddenly worried. Had Clark noticed that she had admired Rick’s looks? She had only stared for a short moment, and she was pretty sure she hadn’t reacted with an increased heartrate or respiratoin – or any of the other signs showing physical attraction.
“Uh – I mean – he’s… he’s okay – but…”
Clark gripped her hand very gently. “Sorry about that … I really was just kidding.”
“No… no… it’s… me… my baggage. Uh… Lord Kal was very jealous. He used to…” She trailed off, as bad memories flickered in her mind.
Clark was quiet. He regretted having hurt her by making her think of Kal, but he wouldn’t interrupt her now – not if she needed to unburden.
[tbc]
