**Chapter 15: Catching a Glimpse of Light**
**In front of 1946 Dixon Street**
Lois and Clark sat in the Jeep. Lois held a pair of binoculars in her hand after observing the door of the warehouse they were targeting.
"I hope we'll be done with all this soon. I can't wait to have my husband all to myself again."
Clark heard the hint of jealousy in Lois's voice.
"I don’t know how I’m supposed to act with the two of you. It feels so natural to be intimate with both of you." He took her hand and kissed her fingers. "You are both my wife, and I love you both so much. I can't treat you any differently, and I don’t think either of you is ready to stop any kind of intimacy."
"That's not what I’m saying, Clark. I know you're doing your best to meet both our needs, and I understand that we are essentially the same person. But seeing your husband with another woman, even if that other woman is me, it stings a little. I know the other version of me is much more fragile and needs your attention even more. My brain knows and handles it all just fine. My heart, however, sometimes feels a little pang. When you kiss her, when you hold her, I wish it were me. Actually, I just wish I was the only one you looked at. I know, it’s selfish," she said, lowering her gaze, feeling ashamed of her feelings.
"Hey," he said softly, lifting her chin to meet her eyes, "you don’t need to be ashamed of loving me or wanting me all to yourself. That’s perfectly normal; you didn’t marry a man to share him. This situation is quite strange, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to make things go back to normal. After all, you're the one who’s polygamous: Clark and Superman," he finished with a touch of humor to lighten the mood.
Lois smiled, regaining a little confidence in herself.
"How do you always know just what to say?"
"Because I speak from my heart, and in my heart, there’s nothing but love for the amazing and wonderful Lois Lane. Lois, do you want me to change the way I act with both of you? Do you feel neglected?"
"No, Clark, really, I don’t want you to stop acting from your heart. I know you're doing your best, and that this situation isn’t easy for you. After all, I was split in two, but you had a part of yourself taken away—the part that expresses your altruism and generosity, the part that helps millions of people on this planet every day. Just be yourself; that’s what we both need the most."
The smile they shared sealed their understanding.
The magical moment was interrupted by Lois’s phone ringing. She answered and put it on speaker. Immediately, Ultrawoman’s exasperated voice filled the Jeep:
"I can’t see anything! Everything is lined with lead!"
"Did you spot any other exits besides the one on Dixon Street?" Lois asked.
"No, it seems like a dead end."
"We’ll have to go in. Can you keep watch?"
"No, I’m coming with you!" Ultrawoman refused.
"I don’t think that’s a good idea. There might be kryptonite."
"Exactly, we don’t know how it might affect Clark!"
"Or you! I’ll go in alone."
Ultrawoman and Clark responded in unison, "No way!" They stopped for a second, surprised by their synchronization. "It’s too dangerous," they finished together.
"Okay, okay, we’ll all go together," Lois decided.
**Inside the warehouse**
As they opened the door, a long corridor appeared, lined with numerous doors on the right. To the left, the corridor ran along the outer wall, where small, dusty windows perched three meters up faintly lit the space. They quietly entered the building and closed the door behind them without making a sound. Ultrawoman tried to scan the rooms but was thwarted by lead-lined paint.
"Should we split up?" Lois suggested.
"No, it’s better if we stay together," Clark insisted.
So, they began to explore each room, starting with the first one. The first five were identical, desperately empty, except for the spiders that had taken up residence there. They had only two more rooms left to check, and their hopes were beginning to fade. The sixth room, however, held a pleasant surprise. They found a space set up like a studio. They began searching the room.
Lois opened all the kitchen cabinets, Ultrawoman approached the desk, and Clark headed toward the bookshelf. Clark moved the books, tapping the back to check for hidden compartments, while Ultrawoman inspected the desk drawers.
The sound of Clark’s tapping changed. Ultrawoman looked up, leaving the drawer she had just opened, from which a red glow was emanating. She shut the drawer and walked over to Clark, pulling him toward her and kissing him passionately.
Clark pulled back slightly, scanning her face with a questioning look.
"What did I do to deserve that?" he asked, careful not to accuse her. It wasn’t the best time for an embrace, but he knew she lacked confidence and didn’t want to push her away.
"You’re a wonderful husband, and I’m sure we could spend this time in a more pleasant way," she replied, her hands sliding over Clark’s body, moving dangerously close to his groin. He gently caught her hand, placing it somewhere more appropriate.
"Uh, yeah, I’m sure we could, but we’re currently searching a warehouse we’ve broken into. Not exactly the ideal place for this, wouldn’t you agree?"
"You’re here, and I’m here, I don’t see what could be more perfect," she purred.
Clark was completely bewildered by the situation. He looked toward Lois, seeking her help. She had been observing the scene for a few moments, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu, but couldn’t quite place it. After a few moments of reflection, she finally remembered.
Clark had behaved like this a few years ago, the first time he encountered red kryptonite. Back then, he had let some thieves steal the Daily Planet’s payroll checks, allowed Perry to be kidnapped while he flirted with a "bimbo" who, by the way, wasn’t remotely his type, and even suggested going to the movies in the middle of their investigation into Gene Newtrich’s office. Lois realized that if they had been intimate then, he would probably have been just as forward, even in the middle of a break-in.
"Lois, where did you search?" Lois asked Ultrawoman.
Clark gave Lois a puzzled look.
"Clark, you acted this way the first time you encountered red kryptonite. Remember?"
"Yeah, now that you mention it... I think the kryptonite was near the desk," Clark replied, trying to keep a reasonable distance from Ultrawoman, who continued to touch, caress, and kiss him.
Lois headed to the desk, quickly searched it, and found the piece of kryptonite. She grabbed it and showed it to Clark before placing it in a nearby box, hoping it was lead-lined.
Clark, visibly relieved, sighed. They had finally found the source of their problems. Now, he had to convince Ultrawoman of the situation so she could regain her composure.
He placed his hands firmly on her arms, holding her at a distance.
"Lois, you’re not in your right mind. Red kryptonite completely disinhibits you, remember? I was in this exact state the first time I was exposed to it."
Ultrawoman hesitated but stopped her advances. Clark could almost see the gears turning in her mind as she processed the information she had just received. Once she realized the situation and her rather forward behavior, she stepped back and murmured,
"Oh, sorry."
"Don’t apologize for loving me and wanting me. In other circumstances, I would have been happy to join in," Clark responded with understanding.
"Now that we’ve got what we came for, we should get out of here as quickly as possible," Lois said, taking the lead.
"Yeah, good idea," Ultrawoman agreed. "I’ll go first."
Last edited by Aurore; 10/07/24 03:42 PM.
