*Notes* Next part will be a very long one, this one is short, but worth it. Thank you once again for the feedback.
Part Seven
Martha was unlocking the door to their son’s apartment when Jonathan grumbled behind her, “I can’t believe they lost my bag.”
“I’ll call the airport after we get back from seeing Clark,” Martha responded as she walked inside and down the steps with Jonathan right behind her. “Was that Lois’s Jeep outside?”
“I think so, but what would Lois be doing here?” Jonathan wondered aloud as he set Martha’s suitcase down on the floor.
Putting down the larger carry-on she’d been holding, Martha looked up and noticed the light on in the kitchen and dishes in the drying rack. Then, her eyes drifted to what she could see of Clark’s bedroom, and she noticed a blue suit and tie hanging up off the stairs that led to the roof. She moved closer, stepping slightly into the bedroom, only to find a small figure curled up in the bed. Martha turned around, moving back toward Jonathan again and putting a finger up to her lips. “Shh. Lois is sleeping in his bed.”
“I wonder why she isn’t at her apartment,” Jonathan questioned, his voice a whisper. “I never did understand why Clark got an open concept place. There is no privacy here.”
“I think she has feelings for him. I mean, you remember when she was in Smallville? The way she hung on him after that horrible man almost killed him. She wouldn’t let him leave her sight,” Martha explained. “I know she broke his heart after saying she just wanted to be friends and then accepting Lex Luthor’s proposal, but…”
“Martha, she ran to Superman before accepting Luthor’s proposal,” Jonathan pointed out. “What does that say?”
“It says I made a horrible mistake,” Lois said regretfully. Martha turned and saw her standing there in Clark’s robe with her hair messed up, rubbing her eyes and looking like she had been crying. “I made a horrible mess of things and got my best friend arrested because of my stupid mistake.”
“Oh, Lois,” Martha sighed as she went over to the young woman and pulled her into a hug. “It’s okay. I’m sure he forgives you.”
“I don’t think so,” Lois said, welcoming the hug. “He said some horrible things to me before he was arrested. I don’t think he will ever forgive me.” Lois pulled back and looked down at what she was wearing and then at the clock. “What time is it? Did I sleep past your flight? I wanted to pick the two of you up at the airport.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Martha said, waving her hand. Then, she stepped back into the kitchen and opened the cupboard.
“We caught an earlier flight,” Jonathan explained as he watched his wife search through the cupboard. “What are you looking for, Martha?”
“The coffee filters. I know how Lois likes her coffee in the morning.”
Martha stepped back and watched as Lois walked past Jonathan and opened the cupboard on the right-hand side of the sink. Lois pulled out the coffee filters and then got the coffee grounds from the freezer. Martha beamed as she realized Lois knew where everything was and how Lois felt at ease in Clark’s place. When Lois stopped and looked at Martha and Jonathan, her cheeks reddened. Martha was happy that her son and Lois had become so close.
“We know our way around each other’s kitchens,” Lois admitted, running her hand through her hair as she looked down. She suddenly seemed to realize what she was wearing, and Martha just giggled a bit after Lois tightened her robe and tried to tame her hair. “I’ll just go get dressed,” she said, and she made a beeline for Clark’s bedroom, grabbing her bag on the way.
Several minutes later, Lois came out of the bedroom with her hair brushed and wearing black slacks and a red sweater. Martha looked up from where she and Jonathan sat at the table and then motioned to the seat across from her, where she’d set Lois’s coffee cup.
Lois sat down, took a sip of her coffee, and smiled. “Thank you, Martha, this is perfect,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry I invaded Clark’s space. I feel horrible about what happened between us. I’ll do everything possible to make sure he gets out of jail today. The arraignment is at ten, but I figured the two of you would like to see him before then. I know I’m probably not your favorite person right now, but I’m happy to drive you both down to the courthouse early,” Lois explained as she looked over at Jonathan.
“Oh, hush, Lois,” Martha reassured, reaching over to pat Lois’s hand. “It wasn’t until he got the job at the Daily Planet and started working with you that Clark was finally ready to settle down. Your presence in his life made him light up like I’ve never seen before. He never had anyone else in his corner except us. Before you, he seemed so lonely and adrift.” Martha smiled wistfully as she remembered the long years when Clark was off running around the world, trying to find his place. “We know how hard you’re working to protect Clark and prove his innocence. Your relationship will be stronger after all of this is over. The two of you will be back working together soon enough.”
“Lois, I know this isn’t all your fault,” Jonathan said. “I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that’s what I thought. Our son is —”
“— special,” Martha cut in with a smile.
“He’s more than that. I’ve never known anyone like him. I think I took it for granted, and now I could lose him,” Lois said as she took another sip of her coffee.
“No, you won’t,” Jonathan corrected. “You make him happy, Lois. Even after you accepted Luthor’s proposal, he would still go on and on about you. You’re practically all he ever talked about.”
Martha smiled, happy that Lois was talking to them, opening up to them. Although she hadn’t really made a declaration of love, she was admitting her feelings for Clark, and Martha figured the rest would come soon enough. Yet Martha still felt that ache for her boy, knowing what he was having to do to keep his secret. She had noticed how difficult it was becoming for him to lie to Lois the past few weeks. Would he tell Lois his secret? And if he did, would Lois forgive him for hiding his secret from her? Martha didn’t know, but hearing Lois now made her hopeful. Right now, though, Martha had to keep a level head as her son was behind bars for something he didn’t do.
Martha watched as Lois put her cup down and said, “Oh.”
Yes, Lois, Martha thought. You have no idea, do you? Clark even talked about Lois to her and Jonathan when he was angry with her. Even when Lois had broken his heart, he had still always found a way to turn the conversation to her.
“We should get to the courthouse,” Lois suggested as she stood up. “I know someone that can get us to see him before court starts.”
Jonathan and Martha stood up and took their cups to the sink. They poured out the rest of their coffee, and then Martha grabbed a to-go mug for Lois and poured more coffee into it, along with one sugar and some creamer. Lois looked a bit tired, Martha noticed, and probably needed the caffeine. Lois grabbed her messenger bag and Clark’s suit while Martha and Jonathan locked up.
***
It was a silent ride to the courthouse. Lois noticed the police van parked along the side of the courthouse. She shivered for a moment thinking of Clark in the back of the transport van, handcuffed. He didn’t deserve this. She parked her Jeep in the visitor parking lot and walked up the stairs with his parents. When she entered the courthouse, she found her friend Milo Pearson, a bailiff.
“Milo,” Lois said, greeting him as she approached. Milo hadn’t changed a bit since she’d last seen him. He still wore his sandy blond hair neatly combed to one side, and his brown eyes looked serious, even as he smiled at her, a dimple forming on his left cheek. “What conference room is Clark in?”
“Lois, hey, I know I said you could visit him. But I’m not sure what his lawyer will say,” Milo explained as he looked from one side of the hallway to the other.
“Come on, Milo. I brought a suit for him to wear to his arraignment. Plus, his parents want to see him,” Lois pleaded as she motioned to Jonathan and Martha, who were standing down the hallway a bit.
Milo sighed. “I put Clark in Conference Room C. It’s down the hall, the second door to the right. Remember, you owe me tickets to the Metropolis Monarchs,” he reminded her, waving her off.
“Taken care of! Hope your son enjoys the game!” Lois replied quickly as she started walking toward Jonathan and Martha. She’d really have to thank Pete from Sports later for scoring those tickets for her.
She ushered Jonathan and Martha down the hall and then stopped in front of the door of Conference Room C, suddenly very nervous. She wished she could see inside, but the door had an opaque glass panel in it that blocked the view; no one could see in or out. Her eyes closed for a minute as she hesitated. Would Constance Hunter let her in? Would Clark want to see her? Would he ever forgive her?
“Lois, it will be okay,” Martha reassured her, putting her hand on Lois’s shoulder. Lois turned and smiled nervously, then she knocked lightly on the door. Within seconds, an older lady just a tad shorter than Martha opened it up.
“Can I help you?” the woman asked.
“Hi, I know this isn’t normal procedure, but I’m Lois —”
“Lois, what are you doing here?” Clark interrupted as he stood up from the conference table.
Lois looked beyond the woman and saw her partner, his warm chocolate brown eyes filled with confusion. He was standing there in an orange jumpsuit that looked one size too small, and his hands were held awkwardly out in front of him, the handcuffs clearly visible. She smiled briefly, hoping that he could see how much she was hurting.
“I brought you a suit for your arraignment,” Lois explained as she pushed past Constance. Clark tried to move toward her, but the chains on his feet stopped him. She paused for a moment, unsure, then shook herself and smiled again. “And I also made a phone call last night and ensured you had two more people in your corner today.”
Lois turned around and went back to the door, then opened it more to reveal Clark’s parents. Both of the older Kents entered the conference room and rushed over to their son. Martha pulled Clark into a tight hug, while Jonathan set his hand on Clark’s shoulder and squeezed slightly.
“Miss Lane, this is quite inappropriate,” Constance told Lois as both women watched the family reunion. “You shouldn’t be here. Thank you for the suit for Mr. Kent, but you’re the fiancée of the deceased.”
“I—I know,” Lois said sadly, looking past Constance to watch Clark and his parents. She took a deep breath and told herself she wouldn’t cry. “Clark needs some time alone with his parents anyway. I’ll just wait outside the courtroom.”
“Thanks,” Constance said with a small, grateful smile. She motioned to Lois, and the two women stepped outside of the conference room, shutting the door behind them. “He has at least a few minutes now. And then we’ll…see you in there.”
Lois nodded and then turned and walked down the hallway toward the courtroom.
***
“I can’t believe Lois,” Clark said, sitting down with a sigh.
His mother sat next to him and put her arm around him.
“She’s just trying to help,” Martha admitted. “We found her sleeping in your bed this morning.”
“Why?” he wondered aloud. He tried to run his hand through his hair, but the handcuffs kept getting in the way.
“I think she’s trying to make up for what happened,” Martha admitted. “The three of us had a nice chat this morning. Lois is heartbroken after what happened.”
“How do you think I feel?” Clark replied, looking over at his mom. “She turned me down, then ran to Superman, and after Superman turned her down, she went running to Luthor. It’s like I’m not even her second choice.”
He was so confused. One minute she didn’t want to be partners with him, the next minute she did. His head felt like it was spinning when he thought about his relationship with Lois.
“It sounds like you were her first choice. You are Superman,” Jonathan said. “Talking about yourself in third person still feels weird.”
“Dad, I wanted her to love me. Choose me. Not the suit or the powers, but me. And when I gave her a chance, she told me no. How can we come back from that? She made her choice,” Clark admitted, his shoulders sagging as his heartache from that moment in the park returned.
“I think she made a mistake that day,” Martha said. “But you did, too. You probably frightened her when you told her you loved her. Remember what you told us before? She’s been alone for years. Then suddenly she had three men vying for her attention.”
“So what should I do? Give her another chance?” Clark asked, looking over at his mom.
“I think when this is over, the two of you sit down and hash it all out. And maybe tell her exactly why you were so hurt after she ran to Superman,” Martha explained.
Clark’s eyes widened at his mom’s suggestion. After everything, she was suggesting that he should tell Lois the truth?
They were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed quickly by Constance opening the door slightly.
“Hurry up and get changed. We have five minutes,” Constance told him. “I’ll get the bailiff in here to take off those cuffs so you can change.”
A few minutes later, Clark was led into the courtroom, where he noticed his mom and dad sitting in the first row behind Constance. Lois was next to his mom. He looked over at Lois, and their eyes met for a brief second. His eyes then drifted to his parents, who were holding hands. He smiled as he watched his mom reach over and take a hold of Lois’s hand.
He realized that his parents were there not just for him but also for Lois. She needed more people in her corner, he thought. Watching his mom accept Lois made him realize that maybe Lois was also in his corner. Maybe he shouldn’t shut her out. After all, that was not how he was raised. The talk with his parents had also made him think about how Lois was here for him now, not off somewhere else, planning Luthor’s funeral. Why wasn’t Lois mourning Luthor? Were his parents right? Did she really care about him that much? He wanted to let himself feel all of his love for her, but he was scared of being hurt again. Was that enough reason to keep her at arm’s length? What else could she do to prove her loyalty to him?
There were only a few other cases this morning, and Clark’s was the next one. Right before he sat down, he looked over at Lois one more time, and she put her hand over her heart and smiled.
“All rise, the honorable Marco Cena, presiding,” announced the bailiff, an older man with a bit of weight on him and a gray comb-over.
Clark stood as the judge came in. He immediately recognized the silver-haired man from several trials he’d covered. Clark knew he was the first Hispanic judge in Metropolis history and was known for being fair to and more lenient with those who were less privileged and tough but fair with more privileged defendants.
“Please be seated,” the bailiff announced.
Clark sat down with the rest of the others in the courtroom and watched as the judge settled at the bench. The judge studied the papers in front of him and then looked up at Clark.
“Clark Kent, you have been charged with murder in the first degree. What is your plea?” Judge Cena asked Clark.
Clark stood up and looked directly at the judge. “Not guilty,” he stated. He turned his head very slightly and saw Lois watching him.
“We would like to request bail, Your Honor,” Constance said as she stood up.
“Your Honor, the defendant is accused of murder in the first degree of a prominent citizen of Metropolis,” Mayson Drake stated as she stood up suddenly.
“Your Honor, Clark Kent has never been in trouble with the law. He has a steady job at the Daily Planet,” Constance said.
“The Daily Planet was destroyed,” Mayson retorted. “There is no Daily Planet.”
“Yes, the Daily Planet was destroyed, but I have a statement of sale here. The Daily Planet was bought by Franklin Stern yesterday. I also have an official statement from Stern stating that reconstruction of the Daily Planet will start in the coming week,” Constance responded as she walked up to the judge with the documents for him to read. When she came back to the defense table, she continued. “Hence, Your Honor, Clark Kent has a job. And he will agree to turn in his passport and not leave the city.”
Clark turned around to his parents, trying to hide his concern. How could he be Superman if he couldn’t leave Metropolis? He knew that he could fly fast enough to leave without anyone noticing. But if that was technically breaking the law, would it be worth it? Clark remembered quickly how hard it had been dealing with the heatwave last year and trying to not save people’s lives. But he also recognized that he had to follow the law. He wasn’t above them.
“Bail is set at one million dollars,” the judge said as he looked at Clark. “Opening statements will be…”
Clark’s stomach dropped, and he inhaled sharply as he sat back down in his chair. The rest of the judge’s words barely registered — something about the next court date — because his mind was reeling, unable to fully process what was happening to him. How did all of this happen? Who would have set him up? And why did he feel so isolated, even from his parents and Lois, when they were just feet away from him? After all of these years of saving people on his travels, he was now the one in trouble. All he wanted to do was fly away into the clouds and disappear.
He heard the sharp bang of the gavel, and it brought him back to the present.
“I don’t have that type of money. My parents don’t either,” Clark told Constance, keeping his voice low.
“Actually…it’s already been taken care of,” Constance turned around to look at the three people Clark loved the most.
*****
