Super Friends 6/?
Continued...
Wayne Manor minimized in Clark’s rear view mirror as he drove away. He was very aware of Lois in the passenger seat next to him. He looked over at her out of the corner of his eye and noted that she had rested her head back against the headrest. Her eyes appeared to be shut. Clark could hear that her heart rate was normal and her breathing was regular. She was relaxed, unlike himself, with his senses on edge. Until tonight, Clark thought that his Kryptonian heritage inhabited him from having these feelings, the feelings of being in love that everyone always talked about. Boy, was he wrong. He’d just never felt this way about anyone before. He was in love with Lois Lane and couldn’t even defend himself; helplessly in love.
Clark thought he should try to lighten the atmosphere…for himself. Lois was already relaxed, or so it seemed. Clark looked over at Lois and gently placed his hand on hers, just to see if she was awake or not. She slowly opened her eyes and looked over at Clark. She didn’t pull her hand away that time. She just slightly smiled.
Lois had her eyes closed, thinking about being so close to Clark in such a confined space and keeping her reactions in check. The last thing she wanted was for him to know that he gave her butterflies. With her eyes shut, she could concentrate on breathing and he couldn’t see what was lurking in her eyes. It wasn’t helping much because with her eyes closed, she got visions of Clark, the way he looked at her, the way he talked to her, the way he…touched her? God, he touched her hand again. This time she wouldn’t be afraid, she wouldn’t pull back. His touch was so soft. Besides, it didn’t mean anything. He was just a touchy feely person. He had briefly referred to growing up in the countryside of…Kansas?
Her thoughts were interrupted, suddenly as Clark began to speak.
“Lois, did you have a good time tonight?” Clark asked clearly fumbling for safe conversation.
“Yea, I did. Thanks again for driving me home,” Lois added as an afterthought.
“Lois, you don’t have to thank me. I offered, remember?”
“I guess.” Lois just smiled to herself.
“So, what are you doing tomorrow?”
“I figured I’d unpack some of my things. I guess I don’t have a lot of time tomorrow. I’d hate to be tired out on Saturday.”
“Would you like me to help you move some things? I know that that stuff gets heavy…unless you already have someone coming over,” Clark offered.
“No, I don’t have…anyone…” Lois responded looking away from Clark outside of the passenger side window. "But you shouldn’t feel obligated to he…”
“I don’t feel obligated, Lois. I want to,” Clark responded, still with his hand resting on Lois’ and unconsciously gently massaging with his thumb. Clark did, however, catch the double meaning of Lois’ previous statement.
They had almost approached home, Clark keeping his eyes on the road as it had started to drizzle rain. Lois noted that Clark was right…it was a little chilly tonight, especially with the sprinkling of rain.
Clark looked over at Lois again briefly, just to get another dose of her beauty. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was but wasn’t sure how she’d respond. He didn’t want it to sound like a cheap pick up line. He soon aborted that thought and chose to try to get to know her a little better.
“Um…Lois, I’d like to see you again…after all of this is done…the wedding and all…if you’re okay with it…if you’re interested…unless there is someone else…” Clark added quickly.
Clark could immediately feel Lois start to tense and he could hear her heart rate speed up. He resented the thought that there could be a significant other in Lois’ life.
“Um…Clark…I…I don’t know…I just…” Lois accented with a hand gesture.
“You just…?”
“I just don’t think…I’m just not ready…right now…” Lois hesitated, then finished, “No, there is no one…no one else.”
Clark wondered if he looked as defeated as he felt. But more important than that he noted that Lois sounded almost tearful, just now. He knew that he had pushed a sensitive button and that Lois was deeply saddened by something. He hoped that they would at least have a friendship and that one day she’d confide in him what haunted her so deeply. He knew that the best thing to do for Lois right now was to give her support, reassurance and most of all space.
“Well, whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here. I’ll wait for you.” Clark reassured Lois without pressure and revealed a gentle smile.
Immediately, he felt her tense again.
Why did he have to go and say he’d wait. Paul had said that exact thing and that ended up so foul. Could this be Lois’ sign not to see Clark again, to just cut him off? Lois was relieved to see her apartment building come into view. That simple event kept Lois from having to respond to Clark’s ‘open invitation’.
“Oh…we’re here so quickly,” Lois almost breathed out in haste.
Clark parked his truck and grabbed his umbrella from the back seat. He went around to the passenger side and opened Lois’ door holding the umbrella over her. He walked her up the steps to her building and proceeded to open the door to the lobby.
“Clark, I’m fine. You’ve done more than enough. I‘ll be okay,” Lois reassured Clark. “A little rain isn’t going to hurt me.”
Clark was hearing nothing of it.
“Lois, I drove you home. I want to make sure that you get inside before I leave. It’s the proper thing to do. And besides, I couldn’t…I don’t want anything to happen to you. Bruce and Vicky would never forgive me,” Clark finished, winking at Lois and smiling. Lois smiled back at him.
“I’ll bet your girlfriend thinks you’re impossible, always the gentleman.” Lois said jokingly. Just as soon as the statement was out, Lois wanted to retract it. But, Clark looked at Lois and answered, soberly.
“I don’t have a girlfriend, Lois.” They made eye contact for a few seconds as if reading each other’s minds. Lois broke the eye contact first and stared down at her feet. She then turned and proceeded to her door with Clark‘s hand in the small of her back.
Lois didn‘t dare let her mouth run away like that again. But, for some strange reason, she believed Clark. She just knew that he wouldn’t lie to her. She silently turned the key to her door lock and stepped inside. Clark could see the boxes thrown all over the place from her arrival earlier that day. He could sense her nervousness, too. Lois turned to face him again and paused before speaking as if she wanted to properly phrase her words.
“Thank you, Clark. See you tomorrow? Whenever you get here is fine. The earlier the better, so we can finish early.”
“I’ll be here,” Clark said as he turned to walk away. Then suddenly, almost as an after thought, Clark turned back to see Lois still standing in her doorway. He then gently placed his palm on her cheek while looking into her eyes. He traced her cheek gently with the pad of his thumb. Lois closed her eyes at the gentle touch of his hand and placed her hand on top of his. Clark then leaned in and kissed Lois sweetly on the cheek. Before he retreated away from Lois’ he spoke to her just above a whisper.
“You were so beautiful this evening, Lois.”
Lois didn’t respond but her eyes flew open immediately and her hand came down. She just looked up into his eyes as a sheet of fresh tears formed in hers. Clark looked down into her eyes and on reflex pulled her into a loving hug. He could feel her stifling sobs against his chest. After a few minutes, Clark pulled away from Lois and looked down into her eyes again, with concern and…love…in his eyes?
“You okay?”
“Yea just tired. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Oh, here‘s you jacket,” Lois said with a teary smile as she handed the jacket to Clark.
“Here, Lois, take my numbers, home, cell and pager. Please, call me if you need…anything,“ Clark said as he scribbled his numbers on a piece of paper for Lois. “I’m here if you just wanna talk.”
Lois took the piece of paper and placed it in her purse.
“Okay. Thank you, Clark,” Lois said, not making eye contact.
“Bye, Lois,” Clark said as he left Lois.
Lois locked her door, went into the bathroom and wondered, what just happened. <I just let him see me almost fall apart. > Lois thought to herself. But she had to admit to herself that she felt so secure against Clark’s chest. She felt as if Clark could protect her from everything, even her haunting thoughts and dreams.
Lois quickly undressed and got into the shower. The hot water felt so good. As always, she started to cry freely once she was in the shower with the door closed. Lois felt that if no one could see her or hear her cry then she could continue to hide her feelings. It was almost as if she was hiding from herself. After about thirty minutes, Lois exited the shower, dried off and put on her sleepers. She then crawled into her bed and fluffed it to her comfort. After another thirty minutes of fighting rising emotions for Clark and fighting off more tears, she succumbed to a peaceful sleep.
Just as Lois drifted off she whispered to herself, “Clark, I’m so afraid.”
Clark got home and was just bum fumbled. Why was someone as beautiful as Lois so depressed? He started his shower while filtering his thoughts. Unconsciously he thought he heard sniffling…sobbing. He tuned in his super hearing and realized that it was Lois. It sounded as if she were in the shower. He was already attuned to her heart beat and her voice. The sound broke Clark’s heart. He wanted so badly to go over and comfort her, but how could he just show up? Instead, he just sat on his bed and waited until she calmed down and stopped crying. The shower stopped at about the same time.
Clark then deemed it safe to proceed with his shower. He stood there deep in thought while the oily feeling of the softened water rolled down his taut body.
He thought about how he had fallen in love with someone after just a few hours. He just wanted her to love him, too. And there was the alien thing…Superman.
Clark had spent forty minutes in the shower before he realized it. Upon realization, he turned off the water and stepped out to dry off. Again, his super hearing picked up on Lois’ muffled sobs. Then he thought he heard her say,
“Clark, I’m so afraid.”
Afraid of what? Why? He knew he wouldn’t sleep well tonight. Maybe Superman would be needed to pass the time. Otherwise he would think endlessly of Lois.
tbc...
