Lois & Clark Forums Forums Superman In Other Canon Superman In Other Canon Fanfic Twelve Steps From Smallville 49/57 (Smallville & the Superman movies)

Richard didn't come to work the next morning. Lois and Clark did, and Lois dealt with the numerous greetings from their co-workers. The word of her "disappearance" had leaked out, despite Perry's best efforts to keep it quiet, and the happy contacts had more than a hint of curiosity behind them.

To everyone, Lois responded with thanks for their concern, and denied all knowledge of where Superman had taken her. She said only that she had fallen unconscious during the episode with Luthor, and that she remembered nothing of her recovery.

As ever, Clark, by her side, was overlooked. Perry saw how he was dismissed by everyone with a "Hey, Clark,", or a "Good to see you today." Once again, Perry was struck by the ease at which the tall man faded himself into the background.

After the obligatory greetings from everyone had finished, Perry called Lois and Clark into his office.

"Good to see you back officially, Lois," he told her, as Clark stood nearby, a hint of possessiveness in his demeanor.

"Good to be back, Chief," she replied, looking around at the controlled chaos of the newsroom and inhaling deeply.

"Lois, I want you to look into the Luthor story at the Metropolis Police Department," Perry said. "Find out how he knew where you were. How he got out of jail. You've got the contacts, put them to work." He caught a glimpse of Clark squirming.

"You all right, Clark?" Perry snapped.

"Fine, Perry," Clark replied sheepishly.

"I'm on my way, Perry," Lois said briskly. "You coming, Clark?"

"Uh, I've got something to talk about with Perry first," Clark said.

Perry and Lois both gave him a questioning gaze. Then Lois, giving him the benefit of the doubt, said, "OK, catch up with me later." She strode from Perry's office briskly.

"What?" Perry asked.

"I know who Luthor's contacts are in the MPD," Clark said very quietly. "I know who his mole here is – you know Joann Evers?"

Perry felt a twinge of dismay as Clark named a longtime administrative assistant. "I never thought she'd….How'd Luthor get his hooks in her?" Perry asked.

"Her husband has a gambling problem…." Clark said quietly.

"How do you know?" Perry asked sharply.

Clark looked away. He seemed reluctant to speak. "I saw it….in Luthor's head….when I was…."

"Doing the amnesia thing again?" Perry asked.

Clark nodded. His eyes skittered away from Perry's again. "I don't know about telling Lois."

Perry considered it. Lois would ask how Clark knew, and Clark would have to admit about his mental mind-rape of Lex Luthor. Perry knew Clark was deeply ashamed of what he had done, but at the same time, Clark had felt it necessary. It was rare for Clark to be faced with these second thoughts; as Superman, Perry knew, Clark had trained himself to always do the right thing. As he'd told Perry once, Superman had to have unbreakable ethics. But Clark….Clark was a different story. Clark could be tempted. Clark could fall. Clark tried to do the right thing always, but he was….only human.

Perry put away his musings at the sight of Clark standing slumped in front of him. Perry cleared his throat. "Tell her," Perry said. "There can't be lies between you now."

"But…" Clark mumbled.

"Clark, it's the truth. She deserves to know your bad parts too," Perry said. Gently he added, "We all have them. It's just that most of us aren't superheroes and the bad parts show up a lot sooner."

Clark flushed. "I'm not really…." He trailed off.

"Tell her the truth, Clark," Perry said again. "You know and I know that any relationship between you has to be based on something. The only foundation strong enough to hold you two is the truth."

Clark nodded. After a moment, he said, "Did I tell you what Lieutenant Sawyer wanted?"

"Lois's story?" Perry asked.

Clark smiled. "Sawyer got Lois' story. Lois reported to the good lieutenant right away, as soon as she got back to Metropolis. I don't know if Sawyer was happy with Lois' story, but Lois gave the story and Sawyer listened to it." He lost his smile. "Lieutenant Sawyer asked Superman something else."

"What?" Perry asked curiously.

"She asked Superman if he would sit in on interrogations of police officers who were suspected of being involved with Luthor," Clark explained.

"Why would she want that?" Perry asked, before realizing how Superman could pick up on pulse rate, breath rate increases, subtle tells that a person was lying. "Oh. Is that legal?"

"I'm sure Sawyer would have some reason why it was," Clark said quietly. "She pointed out to Superman how it was in his own best interest to see Lex Luthor's organization rolled up."

"What did Superman tell her?"

Clark stared off into space. "He told her no." He turned back to look at Perry. "It just seemed wrong, somehow."

Perry nodded slowly. "I agree. If I were a lawyer I'd be able to come up with the constitutional reasons why it's wrong," Perry said. "And I'm glad Superman didn't do it."

Clark looked at Perry again and gave a sickly smile. "The real reason – aside from ethics and all that, Perry – was that I already knew who Luthor's contacts were." He'd given up referring to himself in the third person, Perry noted. "And all the time I was listening, I'd be thinking about being in Luthor's head…" Clark looked nauseated. "There's more corruption in the MPD than you think, Perry," he said seriously.

"If you know who they are…." Perry started.

"Why didn't I tell Sawyer?" Clark finished. He shrugged. "How would I explain how I knew it?"

Perry nodded, while mentally kicking himself. Obvious.

"Superman probably should have taken Sawyer up on her offer," Clark mused. "But he couldn't." Then Clark smiled that Clark smile. "But have no fear – Lois Lane is here!" He spoke the words half sarcastically, half reverently. "Between the two of us, we'll figure out a way to let Sawyer know." He looked much more confident.

"So you were going to tell Lois everything anyway," Perry ventured.

"Yes," Clark said. "It's just, you know, sometimes it's hard?"

Perry just began laughing. "Welcome to the world of a serious relationship, Clark," he managed to choke out. "Take it from the man who's been married for over twenty-five years. It doesn't get easier." He sat down at his desk. "Ah, what the hell. Get out there, meet up with Lois, get the bad guys."

Clark seemed transfixed. When Perry mentioned "marriage" that seemed to freeze Clark in his tracks.

"What are you waiting for?" Perry said. "Get going!"

And with his editor's patented growl ringing in his ears, Clark got going.