From Part 1:

Without stopping to think about it, he spun into a whirl of color before her astonished eyes, and when he stopped, he stood before her as Clark Kent. “Tell me again that it’s not true, Lois,” he said softly. He felt a thrill of victory when she backed slowly away from him, her face pale, her eyes wide with shock. He stepped forward, deliberately crowding her. “Tell me you didn’t hand me back my heart this afternoon and give me the let’s-just-be-good-friends speech.” He held his hands up and turned around, giving her a 360 degree view. “Here’s your ordinary man leading an ordinary life. The second banana. The hack from Nowheresville. The Farmboy. The one you could never love as anything more than a friend.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

“I’m leaving, Lois. If I loved you less, I might be able to stay, but I...can’t. I can’t hang around waiting to see if maybe I’ll get to be your consolation prize. But before I go, I want to say this: if you believe in me at all – if you believe in Superman at all – please don’t marry Luthor. I can’t give you any proof, but I have reason to believe that he’s responsible for numerous crimes, including the destruction of the Planet. He’s a dangerous man, Lois, and I’m not going to be here to protect you anymore.”

“Wh…where are you going?” she whispered.

He shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ll probably travel again, like I did before. There’s nothing left for me here.” He stepped forward and brushed a kiss against her cheek. “Goodbye, Lois,” he whispered, just before he spun into the suit and streaked off into the night sky.

________________________________________

Part 2:


Predictably, anger was the first emotion Lois caught hold of amongst the many that were churning up her insides with the force of a tornado. It was some time before she could give voice to anything other than primal sounds of rage, and the tears that leaped from her eyes were tears of fury denied any other outlet. When the words did come, when her brain once again became capable of coherent thought, she dashed the tears from her face furiously, ashamed of them even though no one had seen them. Her hands were shaking, and she clasped those in front of her as she paced vigorously around her apartment. Then she realized she was pacing - was nearly climbing the walls, in fact, thanks to the adrenaline that was racing through her - and she stopped that, too, determined not to give Clark Kent the satisfaction of unsettling her so thoroughly. That Clark Kent was no longer there made no difference. She wouldn’t react. She would find some way to calmly, coolly accept the fact that her partner – he of the denim shirts and goofy glasses and appalling ties – had just bitterly rejected her and then flown out her window.

Flown. Out her window.

She poured herself a glass of wine, desperate for something to calm her down and resenting Clark all the more for making her do something she’d sworn she’d never do – turn to alcohol for help in dealing with a problem. It was one thing to drink socially and quite another to need a drink, as her mother’s children had had ample opportunity to learn. She needed this drink, though, and it worked, soothing her tumultuous thoughts into something manageable. She resisted the temptation to pour a second glass. She didn’t want to obliterate the problem, just to slow down her mental processes enough to work through it.

Once she could sit in peace and think about what had happened, she was a little surprised to realize that her primary emotion was no longer anger...or at least not the sort of anger she’d experienced at first. No, now she felt something much closer to grief. She’d lost something tonight – something she’d been clinging to for a long time. She had genuinely believed that she’d been telling Superman the truth when she’d told him that she would love him even if he were an ordinary man. She’d meant those words with all her heart. But the truth she now had to face was that Lois Lane didn’t think much of ordinary men, and she certainly didn’t want Superman to be ordinary. Oh, it wasn’t the powers she cared about – not as such. She would love Superman if he couldn’t fly, so long as he was still…perfect. Perfectly kind, perfectly generous, perfectly selfless. Certainly not the kind of man who would toss her in a dumpster or send her on a wild goose chase at the sewage reclamation facility. Or the kind of man who would make cracks about undressing her with his x-ray vision.

Clark Kent had made that crack about her robe...the big jerk.

She didn’t want Superman to be Clark Kent, and the more she thought about it, the more it hurt – not because Clark had kept a secret from her, but because in the end he hadn’t kept it. He’d spoiled her fantasy of the perfect man, and damn it, she’d enjoyed that fantasy. She dealt in grim realities every single day; was it too much to ask that she have one tiny corner of her heart free to devote to her dream of a risk-free relationship? Apparently it was, because if Superman could turn out to be a liar and a fake, then there was certainly no other man who could live up to her expectations.

And yes, that included Lex. Lex, who had asked her to marry him. Lex, who, according to SuperClark, was not a kind philanthropist but was instead some sort of…well, criminal mastermind. It seemed utterly preposterous, but having seen Clark Kent fly out her window, Lois was now prepared to believe anything. And she had to admit, galling though it was, that Clark’s superpowers put him in a better position to know about Lex than she was. Inasmuch as she hated for anyone to be in a better position to know anything than she, the very thought made her want to throw something, but she repressed the urge and let herself consider instead what she was going to say to Lex. She had just accepted a job at LNN and promised him an answer to his proposal, and she knew he had every expectation that by dinnertime tomorrow they’d be celebrating their engagement. Lex Luthor wasn’t in the habit of being turned down, and she knew he’d be surprised and displeased when she suddenly turned up and declined both his proposal and his job offer.

She’d have to do it carefully, she realized, so as not to involve either Clark or Superman in any way. If what Clark said was true, his antipathy for Lex Luthor stemmed from a great deal more than simple jealousy over Lois’s affections, and until she knew the details – which she certainly intended to do – she would have to tread carefully with Lex to avoid awakening his suspicions. She might want to tear Clark Kent limb from limb just now, but somehow she knew that he’d been telling the truth when he warned her about Lex. He knew something – something big. He’d said Lex was “dangerous.” He’d said Lex had destroyed The Daily Planet. He’d said he wouldn’t be around to protect her anymore, which meant that he thought Lex capable of actually hurting her. Of course, if it were true that Lex had bombed the Planet, then he was certainly capable of hurting her, for few things had ever hurt her as badly as seeing the Planet destroyed, but she knew that Clark had been referring to a more direct physical threat. That still seemed difficult to credit, and it was probably just Clark being overprotective, but she would be cautious nonetheless.

And once she was finished with Lex, she would find Clark Kent and make him tell her absolutely everything he knew. He might not have any proof now, but if Lex had destroyed the Planet, then they were darn well going to get proof! How dare Clark talk of leaving? He couldn’t, not when things were in such a complete mess and she needed his help to straighten them out. And she would make him see that, of course. Clark could always be talked around to her way of thinking; it was one of his finest qualities. She was still angry with him, and that would take some time to get over, but she realized that angry as she was, she still couldn’t quite imagine her life without him. When had he become so…essential? She hadn’t noticed. She’d just gradually absorbed him into her life, taking for granted that he’d always be there. Even after their painful conversation in the park that day, she had assumed that Clark would graciously accept being relegated to the “friend” section of her life and continue to be there for her no matter what choices she made.

The extent of her selfishness suddenly came crashing down on her like water from behind a breached dam, and she once again felt tears spring to her eyes. This time they were tears of grief as she realized that not only had she lost her fantasy of the perfect man when Superman had flown out of her life, but she might also have lost a very real friend when he’d taken Clark Kent with him. She reached for the phone, frantically punching in the number to Clark’s apartment, little caring that it was now past midnight. The phone rang four times, and then the machine came on, with Clark’s voice pleasantly requesting that she leave a message. She opened her mouth to speak, but her mind was suddenly blank and the lump in her throat impassable. What could she say? How could she possibly repair the damage to their friendship with a two-minute message on his answering machine? What if he’d really meant it when he said he was leaving, going back to Borneo or wherever it was he’d been before? He was Superman; he could be anywhere in the world by now, already building a new life away from her. She hung up the phone without speaking, leaving nothing but a long silence on Clark’s machine.

The loss of Clark was just too much to contemplate in a day that had been emotionally draining and had lasted far too long. Feeling a bit like Scarlett O’Hara, she told herself firmly that tomorrow would be soon enough to start fixing the mess she’d made of things. She’d begin with Lex and then somehow find Clark and figure out what she needed to say to him. She wasn’t sure where Superman fit into it all, but already the superhero had begun to fade into the background of her mental landscape, where once he’d loomed larger than life. Clark was still Clark, but Superman had gone all hazy and indistinct, and she supposed that meant something significant, but whatever it was, she didn’t want to face it just then. She’d figure that out later, too. She crawled into bed, hiding her head under her pillow as if that would somehow stifle her frantic thoughts, but it was a long time before a restless sleep finally claimed her.

_________________________________________

“Lois, my dear, how lovely to see you.” Lex glided across his office to greet her, taking both of her hands in his and pressing a decorous kiss to her cheek.

“Hi, Lex.” Lois smiled and tried to sound her usual self, but she could hear the nervousness in her voice, and judging by his close scrutiny, so could Lex.

“Come in, please.” He gestured her toward one of the comfortable chairs in his office and then seated himself next to her. “Would you like a cup of coffee? Some refreshment? I’d be happy to call for something.”

“Uh, no, thanks,” she said. “I had breakfast before I came.” It wasn’t true; the thought of breakfast had made her ill, so she had skipped it altogether, instead electing to call Lex’s office and arrange for this early morning meeting.

“Very well,” he said amiably. “So tell me what brings you here so early this morning. Dare I hope that you’re here to make me the happiest of men?”

Oh, please! Lois thought. How had she even considered marrying a man who was capable of a line like that? Out loud she said, “I’m sorry, Lex…but, no.”

“No, you’re not here to give me an answer, or…”

“I am here to give you an answer,” she said gently. “It’s just…the answer is no. I can’t marry you, Lex.”

He closed his eyes and bowed his head as if awash in a pain too great to bear. “I’m very…sorry to hear that, Lois. Sorrier, I think, than you could possibly know.”

His voice sounded slightly unsteady, and it was impossible for her to remain unmoved. “Oh, Lex,” she murmured, reaching out to touch his arm. “I’m sorry, too. I truly am. But you deserve more…more than I can offer you.”

“Lois,” he said, sounding suddenly fervent. “You’re everything to me, darling. Everything. How could you possibly imagine that you’re not what I need? This is just nervousness talking, isn’t it? You just need more time...”

“No!” she exclaimed, cutting him off. “When I said that you deserved more, I meant that you deserved a woman who could…” She couldn’t say it, not that baldly. “I don’t…have the right feelings for you, Lex. Not the kind of feelings I need to have to marry you.”

“You mean you don’t love me,” he said quietly.

“I…um…no. I guess I don’t. Not that way.” Or any other way, she realized, as she said the words. With Clark she’d been able to tell him honestly that she loved him as a dear friend, but she and Lex had never really been friends. It was an odd thing to recognize at this juncture, but it was true. He’d been an interesting escort, an amusing companion, but he’d never been her confidante, nor had she been his. He’d never been someone she’d turn to with a problem, never been someone she thought to call when she was having a bad day or even a good one.

“Is this about Superman?” he asked, an edge to his voice. “I know you’ve harbored feelings for him...”

“No,” she said, perhaps a bit too quickly. “I mean, I don’t deny I’ve had a crush on Superman, but that’s all it’s ever been. I’m not in love with him. I don’t even know him, really. I’m not sure anyone does.” It was an interesting mixture of truth and lies, but since she could hardly sort it all out herself, she wasn’t terribly concerned about Lex knowing which was which. “This isn’t about another man, Lex. It’s about you and me. I just can’t marry you.”

“I admit that when you accepted the job at LNN, I’d reason to hope you’d be giving me a different answer.”

“I know,” she said, “and that’s part of the reason I’m not taking the job either. It was a generous offer, and I do appreciate it, but I’m a newspaper reporter. LNN…well, it just isn’t right for me.”

“And yet it was right for you yesterday,” Lex said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “What happened between then and now to make you decide you can’t work in broadcasting and can’t marry me?”

She shook her head. “Nothing happened. I just did a lot of thinking last night, and I realized that what you were offering wasn’t the right path for me.”

“Forgive me, my dear, if I don’t quite believe that. Yesterday you told me you had something you needed to settle, and today…well, you’re different today.” He gave her a penetrating look.

“I’m a little uncomfortable,” she admitted. “I never wanted to hurt you, Lex.”

His face softened. “I know that, darling. I am hurt, I admit that, but I’m also hopeful. I’m not ready to give up on us, Lois. Perhaps I rushed you, and for that I’m sorry. Please allow me to continue courting you, though. I truly believe that in time, you’ll see, as I do, that we are meant to be together.”

“Lex, no…”

“I’ll not take no for an answer, my love. Just give me a chance, that’s all I ask.”

He leaned forward, and the intensity of his gaze unnerved her. Suddenly, somewhere in the depths of his eyes, she saw something dangerous, something coiled and ready to strike. It slithered away and was gone in an instant, but she knew she’d seen it and recognized it for what it was. This, then, was what Clark had warned her about, and she felt her arms break out in gooseflesh and the hairs on her neck stand on end. She drew back from him slightly, now desperate to bring their interview to an end and leave his office once and for all. She had a feeling, however, that just leaving wasn’t going to be enough. Lex Luthor was accustomed to getting his way, and she realized that he saw her refusal as little more than a new challenge. He wanted her and he meant to have her, irrespective of her feelings on the subject. She could leave, but she would not have seen the last of Lex Luthor. Clark’s words echoed in her memory: “He’s a dangerous man, Lois, and I’m not going to be here to protect you anymore.” She suddenly felt very vulnerable, more alone than she’d ever been, and more sure than ever that her next order of business was to find her partner.

“I…need to go,” she stammered. “Lex, I’m sorry…”

He smiled slightly and nodded, every inch the gracious, urbane businessman. “I understand. Just think about what I said…please. And if you change your mind about the job, you need only say the word. Our…personal setback doesn’t change the fact that you’re an extremely talented and hard-working young woman. Exactly the kind of person needed by LNN. The offer will remain open.”

“Thank you, Lex,” she said, managing a smile. She stood and let him walk her to the door, where she again offered up her cheek for his kiss, though this time his touch made her stomach lurch. She felt the relief wash over her as the door to his office closed behind her, and then she walked to the elevators as quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself. She didn’t allow herself to relax, however, until she slid behind the wheel of her Jeep, and then she let her head drop back against the headrest as she took several deep breaths to calm her frazzled nerves and steady her shaking knees. When she felt she was able, she started her car and drove out of the garage and into the morning sunlight, feeling as though she’d emerged from a lion’s den.

She had to stop next at LNN to tell the people she’d met with only the day before that she wasn’t going to be taking the job after all. She came off sounding like a complete flake, but it couldn’t be helped, and she didn’t think anyone there seemed particularly heartbroken about the fact that Mr. Luthor’s girlfriend wasn’t going to be foisted on them after all. She would have proven herself in time, she knew, but it didn’t matter now.

No, what mattered now was finding Clark, and toward that end she next turned her Jeep toward Clinton Street. But Clark’s apartment was locked and dark inside, and though she probably could have picked the lock, she didn’t quite see what was to be gained by it. She doubted he’d have left his itinerary lying around even if he’d had one, which she doubted. She made up her mind to call Perry and Jimmy and see if they knew anything, and if they didn’t, and if she hadn’t heard from Clark in a day or two, she’d break down and call Martha and Jonathan Kent as a last resort.

It wasn’t a great plan, but it was a start, and she felt a little better as she returned to her own apartment. She was able to smile and speak pleasantly to a neighbor, something that would have been impossible when she’d left that morning, and as she slid a succession of keys into her locks, she felt the first stirrings that indicated her appetite was returning. Perhaps some ice cream…

But the ice cream was forgotten as she opened the door and saw what awaited her inside: It was an enormous bouquet of flowers – an explosion of color in the middle of her living room – and whoever had delivered them had somehow gotten through the locks on her door without leaving a single trace.