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What A Husband Should Be
cont
I rewrote parts 3&4 because of some feedback. I promise that the story ends the same. I admit that in my rewrite, I exercised some of the ideas of my critics. You know who you are...
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Over the course of the next few days, Clark and Lois went out in search of information for their story. But strangely enough, they weren’t getting anywhere. Clark checked in with Perry frequently, but Perry encouraged him to just keep at it. Perry did ask how life was being bottled up with Lois and Clark told him that he decided to just keep the conversation limited to the story and food and everything went fine. Clark told Perry that that woman could make an argument out of the weather report. Perry just howled in laughter, told Clark “good luck” and hung up.
Lois had tried to call Luthor but for some reason was never able to get in touch with him. Clark was secretly loving it. Maybe she’d find out what Luthor was really about after all.
The fifth day into the trip, Lois and Clark got in late. Upon going into the bedroom, Lois discovered that someone had been in there and rambled through their stuff.
“Clark, please come in here,” Lois summoned. Clark could hear the fear in her voice when she called out.
“What is it, Lois?” Clark came running. And at about that time he saw what Lois saw.
“Who did this? We need to make sure nothing is missing and then file a report with the front desk and the police”, Clark stated. “Why would someone pick our room to go through?” Clark continued. “We don’t have anything of any value here. At least I don’t.”
“I don’t either…” Lois blushed, “…except this,” holding out her left hand to show the 3-karat tacky diamond design, that Luthor had given her.
“I’m gonna file the reports,” Clark stated as he evaded comment on that structure on Lois’ finger.
After the reports were filed and the police left, Lois and Clark got ready for bed. They had not discovered anything stolen, not even their laptop with the little information that they had gathered.
Of course, nobody at the hotel had seen anything.
Clark had just dozed off on the couch when he felt a hand on his arm. His eyes immediately flew open and he sat straight up. He was comfortable not wearing his glasses at bedtime around Lois. He just didn’t think she paid enough attention to him anymore to even notice his resemblance to Superman. And Superman had been missing in action for a few weeks, anyway. Lois probably would not care to remember what Superman looked like after he told her that they could not have a relationship. But, even in the dark and without his super powers he could tell that it was Lois and there was something bothering her.
“Lois, what’s wrong?” Clark asked in a concerned tone when he noted the horrified expression on Lois’ face visible even in the dark.
“I’m kind of uncomfortable, I mean…I…what if they come back. Maybe if I just sit here and get really sleepy…then I can just go back to bed…and…” Lois fumbled.
“No, Lois, that’s not necessary. Here…sit,” Clark welcomed as he threw his covers back.
Lois sat and folded her feet up at her side. Clark then placed a questioning arm around Lois’ shoulders. She didn’t pull away so Clark hugged her to him. He held her securely but with enough proverbial space that she could get up if she wanted. Reflexively, he smelled her hair and took in the scent of her shampoo.
“I won’t let anything happen to you…I…” Clark bumbled, about to open up that can of worms again, and his heart.
“Thanks, Clark. What would I do without yo…” Lois started, but catching herself before completely finishing her thought.
Clark just held Lois in his arm until she got drowsy. Then he leaned back in the corner of the couch which made Lois lay somewhat on top of him and pulled the covers over them. He stroked her hair and unbeknown to her, laid butterfly kisses in her hair. Soon Clark started to doze off.
The next morning, Lois opened her eyes. That had been the best night’s sleep she had had in a while and she still felt so…good. Then she realized that she was sleeping on the couch sort of on top of Clark, in Clark’s arms and he was holding her like a precious piece of porcelain. She felt so protected, so right with Clark. That chest, those pecks, that beautiful…<whoa girl…you’re about to marry Lex>. She didn’t want to move. She just wanted to savor that moment. But then she felt Clark stir. Lois thought, <maybe if I don’t stir he’ll go back off to sleep and I can enjoy this moment a little longer.> Nevertheless, to Lois’ dismay, Clark continued to wake up.
Awareness set upon Clark. He was lying on the couch with Lois in his arms from the night before. She looked like an angel lying there. Clark wanted that moment to last forever, but he was all too aware that Lois was starting to wake up by the changes in her respiratory rate and slight movement. She would probably wake up and bolt when she realized that she had slept there all night. She probably only wanted some temporary comfort from whatever it was that spooked her.
Yes, their stuff had been rumpled through, but Lois didn’t scare easily. There was more to that than she was saying, especially since Clark had been right in the next room.
This is what Clark lived for…to hold Lois in his arms…every night. The intimacy was so much more than he could have imagined. God, how he loved this woman. Finally he just gave in before Lois jumped up, bolted and blurted out some accusation to again, hurt him.
“Hi.”
“Morning Clark,” Lois responded lifting up her head and looking into Clark’s eyes.
“You sleep okay?”
“Yea. You? Considering the fact that I fell asleep on you. I’m sorry if you didn’t rest well.”
“On the contrary Lois…I rested very well,” still holding on to Lois.
“Oh. We’d better get started…”
BRRRing
“The phone this early. People should have more tact than…” Lois started as she watched Clark pick up the phone receiver over his head, but still holding on to Lois and gently massaging little circles in her back.
Hello…Hi Perry. Yea, Lois is here…okay…sure…are you sure? Sure…see you tomorrow.”
“Perry?” Lois asked as Clark hung up the phone.
“Clark sighed, “Yea. Apparently we didn’t find anything because this whole thing was a bogus lead and Perry wants us on the next flight back to Metropolis. He’s even afraid that someone purposely planted bad information to lure us away and may possibly try something. And after last night’s events, I’m with him.”
For the first time since they woke up, Clark let go of Lois and she very reluctantly stood to start getting stuff together for the next flight out.
Clark had called the airline and found out that there was a flight leaving in the next twohours so he and Lois booked it out of the hotel and to the airport. She never mentioned last night and Clark just chalked it up as the last great memory and would not mention it again either. They returned the rental car and proceeded to the ticket line. They passed through agriculture and customs but the trouble came when they got to immigration.
Lois produced her passport as requested but Clark seemed to have trouble producing his.
When Lois realized that Clark was having trouble producing his passport she stepped out of line to help him search for it.
“Lois, I can’t seem to find my passport. I had it in this carry on bag. They’re not going to let me back into the US without it. Just tell Perry…” Clark nervously breathed out.
“Lets just keep looking, Clark,” Lois responded.
They went through their luggage, all of it to make sure that it wasn’t accidentally misplaced. They called back to the hotel and asked if the cleaning people had found the passport but the hotel came up with nothing.
This was one time Clark wished he had his powers, then getting back home would be no problem.
Hours later and two missed flights back to the US later, there was still no sign of Clark’s passport. Then it dawned on Clark, “Lois, last night, when someone went through our things…”
“But why? I mean that’s a whole lot of trouble for someone to go through for a US passport when it would just be easier to have a fake one made,” Lois spit out angrily.
“Yea, but who says that they wanted a US passport? Maybe I was specifically targeted. Maybe someone doesn’t want me back there,” Clark offered as a solution. “I’ve got to get another one, so lets just get to the US embassy. I’ll go and see if we can get that car back. You call Perry and let him know what’s going on. I‘ll call my parents.”
“Yea, and I’ll call Lex, too. He has enough power that maybe he can pull some strings.”
Clark just looked at Lois, but didn’t say anything. His look spoke volumes.
“You’re not going to blame Lex for this Clark…”Lois started defensively.
“Well, Lois, why not. It had to be someone who knew where we were…”
“I haven’t even been able to contact him since we’ve been here so why would it have been him…”
“Oh, come on Lois! Don’t you find that the least bit strange? You’re smarter than that. He’s…he’s…oh never mind. Let’s just get started,” Clark barked angrily.
Fortunately the rental car gentleman remembered Clark from before and Clark got the rental car back without much effort. Lois called Perry to explain what was going on. She was so nervous. She and Lex were supposed to get married next week. He must be worried sick. Perry offered whatever they needed and got working on another passport, back in the US.
Lois tried to call Lex, but the recording said that the number was no longer in service. She called many numbers that she had to reach Lex, but none of them worked. Now Lois was really worried.
“Mr. Luthor,“ Nigel stated in his sinister English voice, “it is done. Here is Mr. Kent’s passport. He cannot come back without first proving that Clark Kent did exist, which will take at least a few weeks. I called a favor and had all evidence of his birth erased, social security number, etcetera. I took the liberty of handling that delay as well. I think it was a smart move to keep Mr. Kent abroad. By the time he finds himself and his way back to the United States, you and Ms. Lane will be long married without his interference and he wouldn’t have been a distraction. And sir, after your not returning Ms. Lane’s calls, I also took the liberty of changing your personal numbers she cannot beg for favors. I hate it when people beg.”
“Very well, Nigel. Excellent, as always. I do love her, but she is going to be such a challenge to domesticate. After her last little stunt of going off to Japan with that hick, I realized that it is going to take the big guns, so to speak. I hope I don’t have to do away with her.”
tbc
