Takes place right at the end of Crossfire, Season 9.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Warner Bros. Just borrowing for fun.
~L&C~
Nothing could have prepared Lois for his kiss.
She had been rambling on about how some blonde bimbo had gotten their television spot, inwardly wondering whether Clark would ask her out again after he had overheard Oliver’s confession. Poor Ollie. He had gone through so much, but those deeper feelings for him had long since gone and she was hoping that Clark was still interested—
And then, there he was. Shocking her out of her own inner dialogue, Clark landed a soul-searing kiss on her.
He pulled her closer, his lips seeking hers. His tongue was sensual, giving and taking at once. She felt a pull in her belly, somewhere between lust and shock. The sensation of at long last kissing Clark Kent sizzled through her, right to her toes.
For a full minute, she couldn’t think, couldn’t worry. She couldn’t even try to be one step ahead – she simply felt.
Time seemed to stop, as they silently acknowledged that this was what they both really wanted. Lois wouldn’t be able to recall how long he had held her there under the spell of his passion, but the moment he reluctantly pulled away, she felt herself lurch forward, traitorously revealing that she hadn’t been ready for the kiss to end.
His eyes searched hers, and she struggled to catch her breath, seeing for the first time crystal clear longing in Clark Kent’s eyes.
“Wha—what was that for?” she managed to croak out, stepping back and trying to look away from his gaze just a bit to regain her composure.
But his eyes held hers, drawing her back in, as he searched for words as well.
“I – wanted to ask you on another date,” he said in a rush, and then slightly cringed, as if hearing how lame he sounded.
“Putting the cart a bit before the horse, aren’t you Smallville?” she quipped a little too airily, still shaken up by his kiss. She picked up some files on her desk, not really reading them, but afraid to look in his eyes again, lest he see how much he had gotten to her, and moreover, to see how much she had gotten to him. “Well, I—I don’t know. I’ll think about it,” she said, barely glancing at him as she turned to head towards the refuge of the copy room.
“Lois!” he called after her.
She felt her heart start to pound, wondering if he’d follow her, if he’d come with her into the copy room – if he’d take her again in those wonderfully strong arms of his and lay another kiss---
But he didn’t follow her. She heard a resolved sigh behind her, and she wished for just a moment that she could have the courage to turn around and accept his offer for a date. Or better yet, that he’d have the courage to make her speak to him.
But since neither of them could seem to muster the nerve to confront the other, she went into the copy room, alone.
~L&C~
Lois avoided Clark for the next hour or so, looking for an excuse--any excuse-- to leave the Planet early. She refused to sit at her desk, where she knew Clark could corner her about what had happened. She simply could not face him. The emotions stirred up by that kiss had kept bubbling with every glance in his direction… and the few times her eyes had locked with his--- well, she was surprised the whole newsroom hadn’t erupted into flames. The thought that the connection she had always believed she had with Clark was real, and that he felt it too, terrified her.
Not to mention she now had to deal with the sniggering giggles of her colleagues. She could shush most of them with a glare, but she knew that the smack-dab-in-the-middle-of-the-newsroom kiss had garnered everyone’s attention.
About an hour after it happened, she finally left the bullpen, claiming a lead on a story.
Clark tried talking to her on her way out, but she refused to listen.
“Later, Clark! I have to go!” she called back over her shoulder, vaguely in his direction, making her way to the elevators. She pressed the button and counted the seconds until the doors chimed open, her heart in her throat.
She only dared one last glance at him before stepping in, but Clark had already turned back to his work.
Angrily, she slammed on the button for the main level.
She crossed her arms, settling into the far back corner of the elevator. By the time the doors slid open, she felt tears beginning to surface, dissolving her irritation.
“You are being ridiculous, Lane,” she told herself, wiping her eyes with her fingers. “It was just a kiss.”
But she knew it was more than that.
It was everything.
~L&C~
Lois stepped out of the Planet building, full of nervous energy and no idea where she wanted to go. She wished she really did have a lead to chase up, but at the moment, she had nothing pressing. She didn’t want to go anywhere Clark could easily find her, at least not until she could get her emotions under control. She didn’t want to head back to Smallville just yet, knowing Clark would probably head to Chloe’s apartment after work to look for her. She knew that going shopping would be equally dangerous for her credit cards, and yet wandering aimlessly wasn’t her style either.
She saw a convenience store across the street and suddenly smiled.
She walked in, bought a six-pack, and headed to the only person she thought she could handle talking to right now.
~L&C~
“Lois,” Oliver said, coming around his desk to greet her. “I’m surprised you’re here…”
Lois hefted up the six-pack of beer and pulled one off, handing it to Oliver. She took one for herself, setting the rest on his lounge table.
She made herself comfortable on his sofa, taking a sip of the cool brew. “Oliver, we need to talk.”
He sat down next to her, for once not delving straight into the alcohol. His hazel eyes searched hers. “What is it, Lois? You know you can tell me anything,” he said, his usual careless demeanor replaced with genuine sincerity.
Lois glanced at him, reminded of his heartfelt confession last night, telling her that he still loved her. ‘What am I doing here?’ she thought with an inner sigh. ‘I can’t talk to Ollie about Clark. It will break his heart.’
She took another long swig of beer and began to stand up, preparing to leave. “I’m sorry, Ollie. I shouldn’t have come here. I—“
“It’s about Clark, isn’t it?” he asked, sounding somewhat resigned.
When she reluctantly nodded, he opened his beer and took a long gulp himself. Lois plopped back on the sofa next to him.
The air seemed heavy for a moment, as they sat in silence, drinking.
After the awkward pause, Oliver cleared his throat, seemingly resolved to get this conversation out in the open. “What did he do? Did he reject you? I mean, Clark is a little—strange and hardheaded sometimes. But if he did anything—“
“He kissed me,” she interrupted, with an apologetic glance at Oliver.
“Oh…” he said, and then kicked back another long chug of beer.
“Yup. He kissed me, and I bolted.”
“Well, that’s simple enough, right?” he said with forced levity, waving his beer in the air, punctuated by a painful smile. “I’m sure you’ll talk to him later, set up a date or something, right? What’s the problem? Isn’t this what you wanted?”
“Sort of… I don’t know. It was---“ she turned to him, remembering the kisses they had shared, the passion they had shared. And she just knew – with Clark, it was on a whole other level. “More. It was just—more,” she sighed. “And you know me. I’ve a hard time dealing with emotions. And I just can’t think—“she shook her head. “Scratch that. All I can do is think—about that kiss. And how it floored me,” she finished quietly.
Ollie cleared his throat again and tried for a laugh, but it came out almost like a strangled cry. “Look, Lois. I’m here for you. We’re here for each other, right?” he said, clinking her can with his. “But I don’t know what to do here…”
She winced a bit, “I know, Ollie. I’m sorry. I just didn’t know where to go—“
“I tell you what, I have a meeting in L.A. tomorrow. Come with me. While I’m dealing with the suits, you can relax in Santa Monica… It will get you out of Metropolis; give you a chance to clear your head.”
Lois considered the offer. She would love to run away to the beach for a few days. And she trusted Ollie. This would be strictly as friends, although she could see the wistful longing hidden beneath his veneer of friendship.
“I don’t know, Ollie. I don’t want to strain our friendship—“
“Look, I’ll book you your own suite. You won’t have to see me unless you want to.”
“Ollie,” she chided. “Of course I'd want to see you. I just—“
He lifted his hands to her shoulder, to reassure her. “Don’t worry. I know we’re just friends… though I admit I have had hopes of seeing you in that red bikini again…” he said with that boyish grin that Lois admitted still made her melt.
Lois grabbed a nearby pillow and hit his arm not holding the beer. “Very funny.”
“In all seriousness, Lois, if you want to get away, come with me. But if you’re ready to face Clark and deal with stuff, then stay.”
She bit her lip, thinking for a moment, then smiled. “When do we leave?”
~L&C~
Clark watched the elevator close behind Lois.
What had he been thinking?
He sighed, knowing full well what he had been thinking. That Chloe was right, and he needed to just seize the moment. But he’d seized it – and where had it left him?
It had frightened Lois out of the office and left Clark with a tantalizing desire to explore more of that—passion he had underestimated with Lois.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t kissed her before. He had more memories than was fair to Lois of their shared kisses – but he had always chalked up the jolt of passion between them to red kryptonite, or to the rush he had felt pretending to be Green Arrow. This – this was something similar, but more thrilling and wonderful. This rocked him to his core, way deeper than he had ever felt with anyone else. That kiss—had been explosive.
No wonder Lois bolted.
Was either of them ready to face what they could mean to each other? What if she was still thinking about taking Oliver back?
Clark tore off the paper he had been doodling on and scrunched it up. He tossed it easily into his neighbor’s trashcan and sighed.
He knew what he had felt with Lois. This was far deeper than mere passion.
He picked up his cell phone, thinking he’d call her. Ask her on a date. Get things out in the open. Well, some things… But they should at least talk about what happened. And most importantly, if she wanted to do anything about it.
Clark sighed again, reconsidering calling Lois. She wasn’t likely to answer, and he didn’t want to seem needy. That kiss had to have been a strong enough message. He felt confident that when she was ready, she’d call him.
~L&C~
The moment they took off from the roof of Queen Tower, Lois knew she’d made a huge mistake. What was she doing, running off with Oliver?
She glanced over at him as he looked calculatingly out the window, watching the city shrink below them.
Lois sighed and took a sip of champagne that Oliver had poured her before they’d left. What did it matter? She’d already run out of the office. At least it was Friday, and her editor wouldn’t expect her back until Monday. But Clark had to know she was freaking out, and he hadn’t even tried to call her. She had checked her phone before they took off, just to be sure. But, nothing …
Suddenly Oliver turned to her and smiled. “So, it’s all taken care of. You will have your very own suite. I’ve also rented you a car,” he paused to hand her a folder. “Well, my secretary rented you a car, but—it’s yours for the next three days. Oh, and I even had her book you a spa treatment for tomorrow morning, if you want it.”
She took the folder and smiled wanly. “Oliver, you are too much. But, thank you.”
He flashed her a slightly apologetic grin in return and shrugged. “It’s the least I could do for my best friend.”
~L&C~
The hotel suite was pure perfection. The moment her door was closed, Lois ran into the bedroom, fell onto the eiderdown comforter and sighed.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed. A text message.
She grabbed her pink and white Blackberry, seeing immediately it was from Clark: “Sorry about today. Can we talk? Clark.”
She felt a wave of guilt again for having run off. What could she text back, though? “Sorry, I’m in L.A. with Oliver?” Hardly!
She set the phone down, and almost immediately it buzzed again. This time, it was her little cousin. “Clark is worried about you. Are you okay? Call me, Chloe.”
Lois hesitated a moment, but she decided if she could at least appease Chloe, then Chloe might be able to get Clark to give her some space. “Fine. Just need some time alone. Lo.” Her thumb hovered only a moment over the half-truth before pushing the send button.
She sighed and shut off her phone, tossing it in her bag. She had come here to avoid the emotional roller coaster, not to keep riding it.
She stood up and went over to the window. They were on the 20th floor, and though they were on the edge of L.A., she could see the ocean from here.
“OK, Clark Kent,” she whispered to herself. “You are going to have to do without me for a little while – cause this girl is heading to the beach.”
~L&C~
Lois came back to her room three hours later, tanned and tired, but mentally feeling much better. She had only thought of Clark’s ambush kiss twice while enjoying the sun, though she still didn’t know what she’d do about it. Feeling guilty, she immediately checked her phone to see if anyone had called in her absence.
No calls from Clark.
And just a short text from Chloe that she hoped Lois was all right.
Her phone suddenly buzzed again, indicating another text. This time it was from Ollie.
“Dinner at 7? As friends, promise.”
She couldn’t say no. Not when he’d been so kind as to set her up with this mini-vacation. And it was Oliver, after all. She could handle any emotional arrows he sent her way. Even if he was an excellent shot as the Emerald Archer.
She grinned as she texted back. “See you then.”
Meanwhile, she had some time to kill… and a bubble bath was calling her name.
~L&C~
Lois sighed with contentment as she sank deeper into the rose-scented water. Velvety bubbles crackled lightly around her, calming her.
She closed her eyes, and traitorously, her thoughts flew to Clark. She thought about how long she had held back her feelings for him.
Unwillingly, tears came to her eyes. She had been his friend for such a long time, even through his ups and downs with Lana. But she had always felt a longing for something more with him was just under the surface of their relationship.
She suddenly splashed the water, angry with herself. That kiss had just pushed all those emotions to the forefront; they held up a mirror to exactly what she had been running from.
Her heart.
Inexplicably, Lois started to tremble. Surprised by her sudden helplessness, she tried holding onto the edge of the tub, but quickly lost consciousness. She slipped under the water, as random images of a strange, futuristic dream assaulted her.
The tremors and the visions lasted no more than a minute. Eventually she came up to the surface, coughing and scared.
Shaking, she pulled herself out of the tub, reaching for a towel. She wrapped the thick cotton around herself, and sat down on the cool tile.
“Breathe, Lane,” she coached herself, going over again in her mind what she had seen. “What the hell just happened?” she whispered, glancing at herself in the mirror. She had actually had several of these visions before, ever since her three weeks of blocked memory. The instances were becoming more and more frequent, and this was the first time that she could recall any of the images after the fact.
The episode, as had all of them, left her with a splitting headache. She made her way back over to the bed, seeing that it was a quarter after 6. She could either call off dinner or pull herself together to meet Oliver.
But first, she needed to sort out what had happened to her in the tub. Ever the investigator, Lois instinctively searched for a notepad and a pen in the nightstand. Her heart was racing, as she feared the memories of whatever she had seen would evaporate just as quickly as the other times. Lois repeated over and over, like a mantra as she steadied herself to write. Her list was so bizarre—
A red sun
Chloe on the ground – dead??
Oliver—burying someone?
Clark—
She scratched through the last one, thinking that her fantasies had just gone into overdrive. But the damage was done. She had seen herself in Clark’s arms, making love to him---
She tossed the notepad on the table, disbelieving.
‘What is going on here?’ she wondered, not for the first time. She couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever she was seeing was somehow connected to her three weeks of blocked memory, but she couldn’t reconcile what she had seen to any reality that she knew.
Her phone buzzed, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Well, at least her towel anyway. It was another text from Oliver. “I’m at the bar. Meet me down here when you’re ready.”
Lois tore off the paper and stuffed it in her bag to deal with later. She felt a little better, even if she still had a headache. She didn’t want Oliver to become suspicious that anything was wrong with her. She just needed a few minutes to get herself together.
~L&C~
After much debating, Lois went down to meet Oliver twenty minutes later. She pushed aside the strange flash of visions she had had in the tub, downed a few ibuprofens, and promised herself she’d sort out what they had been about later.
“Hey,” Oliver said when he spotted her. He tossed a few bills on the bar and made his way over to her at the host stand.
Lois had deliberated over what to wear tonight, not wanting to seem too appealing, and yet knowing that appearing with a billionaire bachelor required a certain level of style. She had decided on her favorite goldenrod cocktail dress and noticed Oliver’s appreciative glance. She smiled, but acknowledged that the butterflies that used to accompany a look like that from him seemed oddly still. He no longer was someone she felt that way about.
Oliver pulled out a chair for her, and they sat down. Lois hid behind the rather large menu, thinking again that she had made a mistake. She suddenly longed for someone else to be sitting across from her. A tall guy, with striking blue eyes and a penchant for red and blue flannel… As much as she would always care about Ollie, she knew that her heart belonged to Clark now, whether she wanted it to or not.
“So, what would you like?” Oliver asked, just as the waiter came up.
Oliver ordered some fancy champagne, but Lois couldn’t think about eating. Her head was still throbbing a bit, and she realized that she just wanted to get back to Metropolis and sort out her feelings with Clark.
“Um… I don’t know… the lobster salad?” she asked, selecting the first thing on the menu that appealed to her.
After the waiter left, Lois smiled awkwardly over at Oliver, hoping he wouldn’t realize how foolish she felt for having run away with him.
“So… did you enjoy the beach?” he asked casually.
“Yes. Got the tan lines to prove it,” she smiled. “Almost didn’t wear this dress, as my strapless now appears to have straps.”
“You look beautiful,” he said honestly, and then seemed to regret it. “Sorry, I—“
She smiled. “It’s okay, Ollie. I don’t mind taking a compliment.”
“Good. Cause I like giving them to you… how about a toast?”
He poured her some champagne and lifted his glass. “To friendship.”
“To friendship,” she responded, clinking his glass with hers.
Dinner continued easily, with small talk and banter. Though Lois was friendly, she could feel the awkward tension in Oliver. He wanted more from her, and she could no longer give it to him.
At the end of the meal, Oliver offered to walk her to her room. Since he had been the one to finish off their second champagne bottle, Lois was more worried about him making it to his suite by himself.
“Sure, let’s go.”
He stumbled a little leaving the restaurant, garnering a few stares from other guests. But Lois grabbed his arm, helping him walk straight.
They got into the elevator, and suddenly Oliver was leaning over her, his breath heavy with alcohol.
“Are you sure you want to be with Clark? He’s a bit strange after all… almost like,” he started laughing, then shook his head. “You know, like he’s an alien,” he laughed again, his forehead coming into contact with hers.
“Ollie, please stop,” she said, trying to step away from him.
“Lois—I’m sorry. I guess I can’t compete with Boy Scout… I should have known, really… I just miss—“ he pulled her to him again, and Lois tolerated it, just because she knew he wasn’t a threat to her.
“I miss us, you know? We were great together…. When we were together… Man, I really screwed that up, didn’t I?” he said, his head sloshing side to side. “It’s true what they say. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.”
“Ollie,” Lois said, full of sympathy. “I’m sorry… really—“
Oliver suddenly leaned in and kissed her. He tried to rouse the passion that had been there years before in their kisses, but he only got a perfunctory response.
“I’m sorry, Ollie,” she whispered. “Take me back to Metropolis tomorrow.”
He nodded, stepping away from her, just as the elevator doors chimed open. “I hope he knows what he’s getting… Don’t worry Lois. The jet will be available for you to head back tomorrow morning.”
Oliver stood in the hallway, his hair mussed and his tie coming undone. He looked drunk and a little pathetic. “Sorry, Lois… Good night…” he said, turning away from her.
“Ollie—“ she started, but the doors already slid shut.
~L&C~
Clark whooshed into Watchtower, scattering a few papers Chloe had out on her desk.
“Any idea where Lois has gone?”
She glanced up from her work at Clark, seemingly hesitant.
“You know where she is, don’t you, Chloe?” he asked.
Chloe bit her lip. “Well, yeah… but Clark. I think she just needs some space. What happened yesterday anyway?”
“I took your advice, Chloe. I kissed her.”
“You what?”
“I kissed her and she—left. I don’t know. Maybe I misread her…”
“Clark, I know Lois better than anyone. I know she cares about you. I’ll never forget the night you stood her up at the Monster Truck Rally. Clark, she seemed like she was falling for you.”
Clark sighed, running his hand through his hair. “She’s not answering my calls or my texts… “
“She’ll come around. Just give her a little time.”
~L&C~
The next morning, Lois was in the lobby, waiting for Oliver to take her to the airport.
Oliver eventually appeared, shades over his eyes to hide his hangover, no doubt.
“Ollie. I thought—um, maybe you had business to attend to?” she said, surprised yet pleased that he had chosen to send her off and hadn’t sent his chauffeur out of embarrassment over last night.
“I had to see you and apologize. I was a real ass last night, Lois. You didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry.”
“No problem, Ollie. I’ve seen you at your worst and your best. I can handle it.”
“But you don’t deserve to…”
“Ollie, it’s water under the bridge,” she said with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”
He nodded in acquiescence, “I guess I should just be grateful you accept my apology and move on.”
He cleared his throat. “So, I can’t head back to Metropolis till tomorrow, but I have a few hours to kill before this meeting. Maybe I can try to make it up to you – and be the fun Oliver Queen that you know and love,” he said, taking her bag with a smile.
“This I gotta see,” she answered playfully.
Lois rolled her eyes as they neared a rental yellow Camero, just like Oliver's in Metropolis. “Please. Not those sad excuse for seats! I thought you had learned, Ollie,” she teased.
“Hey, we’re in L.A. It’s expected of the billionaire playboy, you know? That includes uncomfortable yet incredibly sexy sports cars, didn’t you know?”
He opened the door for her and squeezed her luggage into the non-existent backseat.
“As long as I get to pick the music!” she laughed, taking a White Snake CD out of her purse. “Have White Snake, will travel.”
“That’s what I love about you, Lois. You’re always prepared,” Oliver said, starting the car, but he seemed to cringe at his use of the word ‘love.’
He turned to her as if to apologize, but Lois was already jamming to her favorite band.
Suddenly, Lois started shaking harder than any rock music would account for. Oliver turned off the engine and the radio. “Lois?” his voice in a panic.
He tore off his sunglasses, to get a better look at her. He gently tapped her cheeks, trying to get her to respond. “Lois, answer me, please.”
“Clark…” she murmured.
“Dammit,” he cursed under his breath. “Lois, please answer me.”
When she didn’t respond, Oliver kicked the engine into gear and sped off towards the general hospital.
“Lois! Lois, please answer me,” he said repeatedly, glancing over at her. “OK, Lois. Just hold on. Everything will be fine…”
Moments later, they pulled into the hospital.
Oliver didn’t normally like to use his money to get favors, but he was willing to this time in order to help Lois.
He pulled a hundred out of his wallet and walked over to the nearest orderly. “My friend, Lois Lane, is having some sort of seizure. She’s in my front seat. Please, get her to see a doctor right away,” he said, handing over the bill with a pleading glance.
The orderly hesitated a moment, but then took it. “Yes sir. I’ll go get a wheelchair to bring her in.”
Oliver smiled tersely and went back over to the car to see how Lois was doing. “Lois, please, wake up,” he said, his voice catching. “I don’t know what to do… But if anything happens to you…”
“Over here, sir,” said the orderly.
Oliver lifted Lois out of the car seat. She was still trembling and muttering nonsense.
“She’ll be in the best of care. Don’t worry.”
~L&C~
Oliver couldn’t take his eyes off Lois.
She had been out of it for the last three hours.
The doctors had run CAT scans and blood tests, but found nothing wrong with her. She had seemed to stir awake over the last hour, but would quickly slip back into whatever dreams were haunting her.
They were certainly haunting him…
He listened closely as she murmured his name…
Chloe’s, Clark’s… and even Zod's. That one had given him pause. Wasn’t that one of Clark’s people he had been chasing down over the last few months? How would Lois know about that?
The doctors came in periodically to update him. Their only concern was that her prolonged state of unconsciousness was raising her blood pressure, though the medicines they were giving her seemed to keep that in check, for now. There was no apparent cause, but they could not wake her from her semi-coma state. It was after the result of the last test, when the doctors assured him that they could not diagnose the cause of Lois’ illness, that Oliver gave in to what he had to do.
He had to call Clark.
This had something to do with him. Oliver hated dealing with anything Kryptonian and therefore alien, but he knew that if anything was to be done, Clark would know. Besides, he needed to know that something was wrong with Lois.
Oliver felt the familiar pain of having lost something precious as he looked over at Lois sleeping. She had once been his to love. She had trusted him, believed in him. But he had lost sight of what was right in front of him and had let her slip away.
And now, she was in love with Clark. Inevitable, really. Clark was the real hero among them after all, wasn’t he? Mr. Perfect. The Boy Scout who could do no wrong. Oliver scoffed inwardly.
Though Clark was putting himself out there more and more as the Blur, he still hid in the shadows. He still kept his secret close to his chest.
And when it came to Lois? Would Clark ever tell her? Or would his secret break her heart in the end as well?
There was a little perverse satisfaction in the possibility that Clark might lose her for the very same reason he, Oliver Queen, had lost her. But he didn’t want Lois to go through that pain again. If Clark was going to pursue a relationship with Lois, then he had to be honest with her. And maybe this would be the best moment to come clean. Presuming, of course, that Lois would be OK.
“Clark…” Lois murmured, caressing the name.
She loved him, too.
Oliver sighed heavily. He took out his cell phone, and stepped out into the hallway to find a private place to call Clark.
