The first time I ever posted on the message boards I did it wrong of course. My first direction was from Maria Fernandez. Through that communication, I learned that we had the same birthday, May 31st. So, just a little dedication...
These characters are not mine but the property of WB/DC Comics. Part of the dialogue is taken from the Lois & Clark episode Church of Metropolis.
You didn't think I'd miss it this year did you, Maria?
A mi amiga...Feliz Cumpleaños!
If Anybody’s Blind…
Lois was absolutely angry…and jealous if she were honest with herself. She wanted to sink her nails into Clark Kent and just…just…claw him to death. She felt that since that blonde District Attorney Mayson Drake had arrived on the scene Clark couldn’t think straight. She had thrown herself at Clark and he made no effort to discourage her. Just like any other man, Clark’s brain went limp over ditsy blondes, or at least that one. Lois had thought he had higher standards than that. She’d thought that Clark’s type would be smart, conservative, and modest, like her. But boy was she wrong.
Though Lois didn’t want to admit it to herself she was starting to see her partner as more than just Clark. She had started to notice him in a new way. She would even go as far as saying that she may be starting to become attracted to him. Though Clark had retracted his declaration of love for Lois outside of the Daily Planet that day, she had thought that over the past year, they had gotten past that and maybe even progressed to something more.
To top it off, Saturday was Lois’s birthday. Clark hadn’t even made mention of it and here it was Friday. Last year he made dinner for her but had told her of his plans early on to be sure that she didn’t make any other plans. But this year he hadn’t mentioned anything. That made Lois even more angry. Mayson was more important to Clark than his best friend’s birthday.
Clark had just gotten off of the elevator when Lois noticed his arrival. He strolled in as happy as ever. But of course he would. He had probably just left that bimbo, Mayson. As he was about to pass Lois’s desk, she grabbed him by his screaming tie and led him into one of the conference rooms.
“Clark, she’s dirty!”
“Show me the proof!”
“You don’t have any proof on Snell and you’re willing to go after him!”
“That’s different Lois! I told you I have a source!”
“I’ll tell you what’s different. When Snell bats his eyes you don’t get quite so giddy!”
“Wait…are you jealous?”
“What? No I’m not jealous. We’re friends and we’re partners and whatever you do in your own time is…”
“Yeah?”
“…whatever you do. I don’t care except when it affects our job.”
“How is it affecting our job to say that I disagree, to say that you have no proof that Church is the head of Intergang and therefore no proof that because Mayson worked for Church that she’s part of Intergang? We’ve gotta stay on track!”
“But you’re not saying stay on track. You’re saying ’stay away from your girlfriend.’”
“She is not my girlfriend!”
“Well, whatever she is she’s got you all finger wrapped and blindfolded.”
“You know if anybody’s blind around here, it’s you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you can’t see that you’re the only…I don’t know why I let you get me so angry!” Clark waved his hands in the air for emphasis. “Most of the time, I don’t know if I should strangle you or…”
“Or what? I‘m the only what?”
“Just never mind!”
“Fine!”
“Fine! I’ve gotta go anyway. I’m supposed to meet Mayson at 5pm.”
“We’re not done here, Clark! My God, you’ve just spent the whole day with that…that…”
“I’m not going to argue with you, Lois. I’ve gotta go.”
“Then go!” Lois stormed out of the conference room leaving Clark standing there watching her with his mouth open. She made a beeline for her desk. She quickly shut down her workstation, grabbed her jacket and headed for the Daily Planet’s parking garage where her Jeep was parked.
Within a few minutes real time set in on Clark and he exited right behind Lois. He didn’t quite know what had just happened. His plans for the day had been derailed when he had to first meet with a source then spend most of the rest of the day as Superman. He had wanted to get out early and take Lois out for a surprise birthday dinner in Italy. He was going to tell her about Superman. He had decided that Lois was never going to see Clark as any more than her best friend so he would tell her. But he didn’t understand was what made her think that he was with Mayson all day? And what was even more confusing was why did the thought of it anger her so much?
Clark was now running late for his meeting with Mayson thanks to his confrontation with Lois, so he got to the rooftop of the Daily Planet, spun into Superman and shot straight up into the air to meet Mayson at Mike Lane‘s restaurant.
Lois got into her apartment and slammed her door. She had been fighting tears all the way home from the Daily Planet. This was the exact reason that relationships didn’t work for her, because all men were the same. And by God she was not going to allow Clark Kent to hurt her like the others had done. She went to her bathroom and ran a hot bath. She then went to the kitchen and poured a glass of wine to take with her to her bath.
Lois sat relaxed in the hot bath and laid her head back against the tub. She closed her eyes and the tears started to fall. It was going to be another lonely birthday. She had known though that one day Clark would find someone and she would have to take a back seat to her. But she never guessed that it would be so soon and she certainly didn’t expect it to be Mayson. As Lois sat in her bath in deep thought she gave herself multiple mental kicks for dismissing Clark’s feelings before. He was really a wonderful guy and it didn’t hurt that he was drop dead gorgeous. And he had said that he loved her back during her Luthor fiasco. She had believed him. But then he later retracted his declaration. Lois hadn’t been sure that she believed the recant of his declaration until just now. Obviously he really didn’t have feelings of more than friendship for her.
Some time later, the water began to get cold and Lois’s fingers and toes had started to prune so she got out of the tub. She put on her fluffy white terry cloth bathrobe and retired to the couch with the TV remote and a big tub of rock road ice cream.
Clark was at Mike Lane’s with Mayson. They had gone over his deposition but Mayson was dragging this meeting out into something more. Clark needed this meeting to end because he needed to get to Lois. She was already angry with him. And besides her birthday was coming up and he wanted to spend it with her. He had made special plans for them. But first he needed to apologize to her and explain where he’d been all day. It was time Lois knew everything. It was time he told her about Superman.
“Mayson, I’ve gotta go. I need to…”
“It’s Lois, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry, Mayson. Really I am. I’ll call you at your office on Monday to be sure that we’ve covered everything.”
“Okay,” Mayson replied softly. “Bye Clark.”
“Bye, Mayson.” Clark trotted into an alley next to Mike’s restaurant and took off into the air as Superman. He had flowers to get and a lot of begging to do. He would detour to Smallville for the flowers, a few quick words of wisdom and a recipe for the crow that he was sure that he would be eating.
It was almost seven now. The sun had just set and Metropolis was starting to slow down. Lois found an episode of CSI about to start on TV so she settled on that. About ten minutes later someone rang her doorbell. The opening murder had just happened on CSI and she really wanted to see how the investigation started so that she could figure out who the murderer was before the team did. She hated it when she missed this part of a show. Reluctantly after the second ring Lois got up to answer her door.
“Coming…Perry?” Lois said, surprised as she opened her door. “Come in.”
“No, Darling. Uh, Happy Birthday, honey. These are for you.” Perry handed Lois a bouquet of wild flowers from behind his back. “You left before I could give them to you today, so Alice wanted me to make sure that I brought them by this evening.”
“Thank you Perry and please thank Alice for me.” Lois felt the tears coming so she launched her arms around Perry’s neck for a hug. He hugged her back, the hug that she never got from her father. Perry just always knew when she needed one.
Lois had schooled her emotions and pulled away from Perry when she noticed Clark coming up the hall. Perry was saying something but Lois was looking over his shoulder instead of listening to what Perry had to say. Perry noticed Lois’s attention was directed over his shoulder and looked back to see what had distracted her. Perry smiled within himself. It was time to leave the two lovebirds alone.
Clark noticed Lois in her doorway hugging Perry. It broke his heart to see her so down. He knew the signs; the fluffy night robe and the tear stained face. He’d bet money that there was also a tub of rocky road ice cream nearby. He’d also bet that he was the one who caused the hurt that Lois was feeling now.
“Hi, Perry,” Clark said as he approached.
“Oh, ah, hey Kent. I was just leaving. See you Tuesday, Lois. Take Monday off…a long weekend to celebrate.” Perry headed for the elevator.
“Bye, Perry and thank you...and Alice!” Perry waved back at Lois as he slowly disappeared behind the elevator doors.
“Hi, Lois. Happy birthday.” Clark handed Lois a dozen of freshly picked assorted coloured roses.
“My birthday is tomorrow, Clark. But I guess Mayson made you forget that, too.” Lois wouldn’t take the flowers though she did internally note how beautiful they were and how beautiful they smelled. She turned and headed back into her apartment.
“May I come in?” Clark had ignored her comment.
Lois didn’t answer. She just proceeded into her apartment with Clark in tow. Clark closed the door behind him. He then placed the dozen roses on Lois’s coffee table in an empty vase. Then is when he noticed the tub of rocky road ice cream sitting there. Ah huh! He was right!
Lois sat on the couch and Clark sat beside her. He reached out to touch her hand that was resting on her thigh but she quickly withdrew it.
“Lois, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lose my temper with you today. I just had to meet Mayson to be prepped for the witness stand and it sort of ruined my day. I wanted to take you out to dinner…you know…for your birthday.” Clark was nervous.
“Don’t patronize me Clark! You were where you wanted to be. With…her!” Lois was starting to get teary again. She couldn’t let Clark see her melt down. “Just go…”
“No, Lois. Please let me explain. You’re the only…” Clark stuttered.
“…now! And take your damn roses with you!”
Clark stood, slowly. He collected his roses and headed for the door. Just as he opened the door, he looked back and just then is when Lois chose to look up right into his eyes. He had a sheet of tears shining in his eyes. He didn’t say anything. He just turned and left.
Clark was gone and Lois fell apart again. She knew that her heart had not listened and that It had done something that she had ordered it not to do. She had fallen in love with Clark Kent. Cupid had come in through the back door when she wasn’t looking. She cursed herself for not armoring herself against Kent.
Lois felt guilty for not hearing Clark out, for not letting him finish. He really had no reason to lie to her. After all, they were not a couple. And he had never lied to her in the past. He had always been honest with her. Maybe he really had not been with Mayson all day and their five o’clock meeting was just that…a meeting.
The more Lois thought about it the more she thought that maybe she had been to hard on Clark. She needed to apologize to him, the best friend she ever had. He was trying to give her a birthday gift, be a friend, bring her happiness but she had cut him off. Before she knew it she had jumped up off of her couch, placed the melted rocky road goo back in her freezer and went to get dressed. She slipped on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, grabbed her jeep keys and headed for Clark’s place.
Clark got home and sat Lois’ roses down on his coffee table. He sat down on his couch loosened his tie and placed his face in his hands. Though a few tears escaped, he had pretty much regained control of his feelings. As he analyzed the situation in his head, he realized that Lois was so angry about Mayson probably because she thought that Mayson would take her place and she would no longer have a major part in Clark’s life. She was a territorial little terror. Little did she know that she would be the only woman that Clark Kent would ever love and want to be with. If only she felt the same way.
Earlier tonight when Lois denied Clark’s flowers it had hurt him more than anything. Not because he had hand picked them but because she had in essence refused him. From the day that he met Lois he had been in love with her. He had laid his feelings out on the line for her before and she had shot him down. Was she being like the jealous boyfriend? She didn’t want him but she didn’t want anyone else to have him?
Suddenly there was a knock at Clark’s door. He used his x-ray vision to find Mayson Drake on the other side of the door. He really didn’t feel like being pursued by her tonight. But in spite of her probable intentions Clark opened the door.
“Hi, Mayson,” he said flatly.
“Hi. Um, I just forgot to give you a copy of this report this evening and…can I come in? I feel really strange talking about this on your door step.”
Clark stepped to the side to let Mayson come in, but stayed at the top of the stairs just inside the door.
“Thank you Mayson. But this could have waited until Monday.”
“Well, just in case I missed you Monday, I wanted to be sure that you had this.” Mayson started looking around and saw the roses on Clark’s table. “You look beat Clark. Things not work out with Lois?”
“We’ll be okay,” Clark responded, unsure of himself.
“Maybe, we could have lunch, sometime?”
“Mm maybe,” Clark stuttered as Mayson grabbed his tie and brought him in for a quick kiss on the lips. Clark didn’t really respond to the kiss. He just didn’t know how to pull away without hurting Mayson. It had really caught him off guard. And, of all of the times in the world for this to happen, Clark heard Lois’s heartbeat nearby.
Clark opened his eyes and saw Lois standing at his door looking through the curtain. She had seen Mayson kiss him. He then quickly retreated from the kiss dismissing his previous reservations. He then saw Lois turn to run away.
Clark opened the door for Mayson.
“Lois…I’ve got to stop her.”
“Call you later?” Mayson’s voice sounded tearful.
Clark didn’t respond. He just ran after Lois.
“Lois…Lois! Wait!”
Lois proceeded to her Jeep. Clark could hear her sobbing.
{That pocket lent Kent had been lying to met. I was starting to believe him like a fool and beat myself to death with guilt for…nothing. He’s just like the others. Why did I believe him?}
Lois got to her Jeep and couldn’t get the key in the lock for her clouded vision. She saw Mayson drive off out the corner of her blurred eyes.
“Damn you, Clark!” Lois said as she fought her keys.
“Lois, please wait. You can’t drive like this. Please.”
Lois fell into Clark’s embrace and sobbed. Clark picked her up and carried her back into his apartment. He kicked the door shut with his foot. He went down onto the living room and sat Lois on the couch. He sat next to her and held her close as she sobbed. Clark waited patiently for Lois’s tears to dissipate before he attempted to get her to talk.
“Lois please tell me what’s wrong,” Clark pleaded. “What did I do?”
Lois looked over at Clark, straight in his eyes, and there he saw a kaleidoscope of emotions, but mostly fury. Then almost a super speed Lois was headed to the door.
“Lois, please don’t go. Talk to me,” Clark pleaded as Lois grabbed for the front door knob. He had followed her to the door at almost super speed trying to stop her.
Clark gently grabbed both of her hands and held them. Lois started to fight Clark trying to get away from him. He just hugged her to him so that she couldn’t beat on him. It wouldn’t hurt him but he was afraid that she would hurt herself. She laid her head on his chest as he held her to himself. Her tears started up again.
“Let me go!”
“No, Lois. I can’t. I’m never going to let you go again. That was my mistake before.” Clark spoke calmly to Lois. “I think I’ve finally figured it out, just now. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“That you wanted more…that you had feelings for me…more than friendship? It was always your move, Lois.” Clark still continued to hold Lois securely against his chest.
“Don’t flatter yourself Kent! Just let me go!”
“No, honey. I love you…have been in love with you since I met you. But you wouldn’t have me. So I just settled for friendship. But I was always praying that our platonic dates would eventually evolve into something more, praying that you would one day love ma as much as I love you. And it hurt me so much when tonight you refused my flowers, not because I picked them fresh for you, but because I felt that you were rejecting me.”
“The roses were beautiful, Clark. I’m sorry. I loved them.” Lois was sincere with her response.
Clark continued with a hint of sadness in his voice. “Today I wasn’t with Mayson. I was meeting a source, and then Superman took up most of the rest of the day. My meeting with Mayson this evening was just that…a meeting. I was trying to hurry to get home so that I could start your birthday surprise with the fresh roses that I picked from my parents’ farm. Tomorrow, I was going to take you out for Italian…in Italy. I didn’t mean to lose my temper with you...today. I just don’t want anyone, especially you to think that there is anything between Mayson and me. If you were a little jealous, it’s okay. I’m flattered. That just means that you feel something for me, too. I…”
“But I saw you kiss her…”
“Lois, she kissed me before I knew what was happening, and then I saw you and didn’t want you to get away without knowing.”
“Knowing what?”
“That I love you and I want to be with you, only you. Sweetheart I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you would have me.”
“So that you can publicly humiliate me, destroy me like the others?” Lois’s tone was now more inquisitive and unsure and not confrontational as it had been. But Clark continued to hold her so that she couldn’t get away.
“No, honey. You know that I’d never hurt you intentionally.” Clark took one hand and lifted her chin so that their eyes met and then gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. Her lips were pink and swollen from crying and looked so inviting. Clark wasn’t sure what then overtook him, pure stupidity probably, which made him gently touch Lois’s lips with his own. Initially there was no response from Lois but then she started to kiss him back.
Lois could not believe that Clark had actually just out of the blue started kissing her. But it felt so right. Lois had remembered Clark’s kisses being intoxicating but this was so much better than the memory. At first she wasn’t sure what to do but almost on their own Lois’s lips started to respond.
Too soon for Lois Clark pulled away. “Lois, just tell me that you don’t love me and I’ll let you go.”
“I do love you Clark. That’s the problem. I don’t want to…to get hurt again.”
“Then marry me. I promise you that I won’t hurt you…ever. I just want to make you happy.”
Clark was starting to release his hold on Lois. He wouldn’t hold her from her fury upon finding out about Superman. But to Clark’s surprise Lois wanted him to continue to hold her.
“Please hold me. You said that you would never let me go again.” Clark’s arms felt so right, like home.
Clark laid butterfly kisses in Lois’s hair as he tightened his hold on her again. Clark felt almost possessive, like he was protecting Lois from everyone and everything else.
“I wont. So does that mean…” Clark held his breath.
“Clark I love you…am in love with you, too. Yes…it means yes, I’ll marry you.“ Lois smiled sincerely for the first time today. Clark let out a breath that he didn’t know he had been holding.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally loving me.”
“Oh, Clark.” Lois was quiet for a moment then addressed something that Clark had said earlier.
“Clark today you said that most of the time you don’t know if you should strangle me or…or what?”
“Or this.” Clark kissed Lois again. Sometime after their kiss, more questions entered Lois's mind.
“Italian for dinner...in Italy? I know that you cannot afford to do that but I love you just the same. You would have still been my best friend.”
Clark, as if on cue suddenly got that faraway look that was so familiar to Lois. Lois got that ‘I don’t believe you’re gonna leave now’ look. Clark gently let Lois go, stepped back and started to spin. Clark morphed into Superman.
“This is how I could take you to Italy, how I picked fresh flowers from my parents farm in Smallville.”
Lois looked up at Clark’s face and realization hit. Silent tears started to roll down Lois’s cheeks.
“Honey please stop crying. It tears me apart to hear you cry. I just didn’t want there to be any more secrets between us. Please stay here until I get back. Someone needs my help urgently. Please, promise me.”
Lois subtly shook her head affirmatively. Clark kissed her gently on the lips and flew off. Clark would be back soon and he and Lois would start their new lives together.
fin
