Hello everyone! I decided to go ahead and post this part tonight, instead of tomorrow. I have to pack in the morning. I'm going out of town and won't be back till Sunday. So part five will have to wait till Sunday. Thank you for all the feedback!
Table of Contents From Part 3:
Lois smiles and we lock eyes for a moment, a long moment. She breaks the contact first and looks like she wants to say something to me, but she doesn’t. What could it have been, I wonder?
“I’m going to call Chad and let him know I’ll need a key to get in,” I tell her.
“Oh, okay. I think I’ll make a quick trip to the ladies room before we head off to see Dr. Platt.” I’m not sure why but I get the distinct feeling that she’s really going to get some air. I know I feel like I need to. Nothing sounds better right now than a quick flight around the block.
***********
PART FOUR:
“It was awful, Mom,” I whisper into the phone, trying not to wake Chad.
Today is his day off and he’ll want to sleep in late this morning. If he hadn’t set his alarm clock he’d probably sleep till noon. I honestly don’t see how anyone could actually sleep that late; I don’t care how late you stayed out the night before.
I’m probably just jealous, though. I wish I could have slept in this morning - Lois and I were up late last night. But I had to get up since Lois said she’d swing by and pick me up. I couldn’t turn down a ride with her to the Planet.
“I’m afraid there’s definitely more going on here than a simple mechanical malfunction. Dr. Platt believed there was sabotage involved and he died for that belief.”
“So you don’t think it was suicide?” she asks.
“No, definitely not. After talking with Lois and hearing some of the things he had told her, I think someone was trying to silence him. I think I’d better stick around here a few more days and see if I can get to the bottom of this.”
“Clark?” Dad’s voice joins the conversation.
“Hi, Dad.”
“What was this about a worker caught in an explosion down a manhole? Your mother told me he recognized you.”
“It’s okay Dad, he was barely conscious and no one believed him when he pointed at me. I said he was delirious.”
“Maybe, but one of these days you’re going to pulls a stunt like that and some nut wit a video camera is going to...”
“What would you have wanted him to do? Let that poor man die?” Mom interrupts him. “Clark, did you pack enough clothes with you? I bet those clothes weren’t salvageable after that rescue.”
“Don’t change the subject...” Dad pipes up.
“Hey, hold on you two. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. What if something like this shuttle disaster happens and I do want to help. If I try to help with something that big, with that many people watching, I’m going to expose myself. This might sound like a crazy question, but... Mom? How’s your old sewing machine? Is it still working okay?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
“Well, here’s what I’m thinking. What if I had some kind of outfit...”
“Outfit?” Dad asks.
“Yeah. Like a disguise. Something I could wear when I want to help and I’m going to be seen. Then, I could...” I’m interrupted by a soft knock at the door. “Mom, Dad, I have to go. Lois is here and I’m still not dressed yet.”
“Lois is there?” Mom asks.
“Yeah. She offered to come by and pick me up on her way to work. I volunteered to help her out on this story some more. I told her I was too involved to quit now. I didn’t realize what time it was. Would you let Lana know what I’ve found out and tell her I’ll call her again later tonight? Tell her I’m sorry. Thanks.”
“Bye, Son,” they say in unison.
“Bye.”
I walk to the door, putting on my glasses as I go. I look down at the towel around my waist. Not really appropriate attire to answer the door in but I’m afraid if I take the time to dress, Lois will give up on me and leave. It’s not like I can just throw something on – I need to sort through my clothes and see what I have left that can be salvaged. Mom was right, between the flight up here and the rescue I’d made earlier, my wardrobe choices are growing thin. I reach out hesitantly and open the door.
I follow Lois’ gaze from my face, down to my waist, and back up again. “I said nine. I thought you’d be naked... Erm, ready.” Her face is bright red with heat. She looks like she’s pretty freshly out of the shower herself; I can smell the light flowery fragrance of soap on her. I feel some heat of my own starting, but not in my face.
“I was on the phone, sorry. Chad’s still asleep and I was afraid if I didn’t answer the door you’d either knock again and wake him up, or leave. I’ll be right back,” I say as I walk away and head for the bathroom. I need to get out of this towel, for both our sakes; it’s way too revealing.
When I come back into the room, Lois is sitting on the couch staring – dreamily? - up at the ceiling. What is she thinking about, I wonder? I cause myself to blush. “Ahem,” I clear my throat.
Lois jumps up from the couch like a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. “So...” she says.
“So,” I answer her.
“How often do you have to work out to stay in that kind of shape?”
“I don’t. I don’t have the time.”
“Ugh. Must be nice to look that great and not even have to try.”
“Do you work out?”
“Some, not enough. Same problem, no time.”
“Well, I think for just ‘some’ that you look pretty great yourself,” I say and smile at her. She smiles back at me, a little color coming into her cheeks again.
I mentally kick myself for my audacity. I have got to get a handle on this. What about Lana? Somewhere a voice in my head asks me, ‘But is she really the one?’
Agh! I can’t think about this right now. What’s wrong with me? I feel like such a heel.
“Uh, well, we’d better get going before Perry sends out a search team looking for me,” she tells me.
I nod my head and follow her out the door.
***********
It’s been a long day. Lois has been on the phone all day, following up leads and tracking down information. I’d spent my day compiling information for her and interviewing Mrs. Platt; her visit had been insightful.
She had come here to the Planet personally to talk about her husband’s death. She and her husband had been separated for a while; she said he’d left because he was trying to protect her and their daughter. He thought someone was after him, and now, she’s pretty sure he was right. She doesn’t think her husband committed suicide anymore than we do.
The Congress of Nations had made an announcement that they were going to proceed with Space Station Prometheus and had declined to support the launch of Luthor’s personal space station. I am positive that news isn’t going to set well with Luthor.
That announcement has put the pressure on me to find out for sure what is really going on. I don’t want to see another disaster like with the shuttle. The colonist launch for the space station is scheduled for next week. That doesn’t give me a lot of time to figure this out, especially just by following Lois around – as much as I may enjoy that. I’m going to have to do a little digging on my own.
I get up from the desk on loan to me in search of Lois and bump into Jimmy instead.
“Hey, CK.”
I grin at the nickname Jimmy came up with. He’s a cute kid. Reminds me a little of bit of Steven back at the paper in Smallville. Jimmy lacks that same kind of confidence that Steven does. “Hey, Jimmy.”
“Have you seen Lois?”
Before I can answer, Lois answers for me. “I’m back, Jimmy. What’d ya need?”
“Since Platt wasn’t able to help us decipher his notes any further, I went ahead and gave a copy of them to my friend at S.T.A.R. Labs. They did a recreation of the launch in a hologram, it was real smooth. Anyway, they concluded that Platt’s theory is right on. There was deliberate sabotage. The transport explosion was no accident. Congrats.”
I look at Lois. I can tell from the look on her face that she’s overjoyed. I start to mention something when she cuts me off.
“He was right! Platt was right! Now I can write the story and we can stop them! Where’s Perry?” She is flying so high that I really hate to bring her down.
“Lois?” I say her name.
“Perry!” she hollers. She runs up to a co-worker sitting just a few feet away. “Carl, have you seen Perry?”
“Lois?” I try again.
“No, can’t say I have. I’ve been too busy to notice who’s here and who isn’t,” Carl replies, sounding a little irritated.
“Has anyone seen Perry?” Lois asks no one in particular, out of frustration.
“Lois!” I raise my voice just a tad, trying to get her attention.
“What?” she responds, finally hearing me.
“You don’t want to take this to Perry, not yet,” I tell her.
“Why not?” she asks, looking suspicious. Why is she always so suspicious of me? Is she just that way with everyone? I’d really like to find a way to earn her trust.
“Because we don’t have any actual solid proof to back up the story. Perry will turn it down without a moment’s hesitation.”
“Is that the editor in you talking?” she asks me.
I sigh. “Yes. If it were the reporter in me talking, I’d be just as excited as you are. But I know Perry can’t run with this. You might as well save yourself the frustration of asking him.”
“So what do you propose that we do?” she asks me, folding her arms in front of her.
“Go out and get him the solid proof he’ll need. Let’s see if someone at EPRAD will let us in to examine the wreckage from the shuttle,” I offer.
“Ha. Good luck with that,” Lois tells me. “I’ve already been to EPRAD and talked with a woman there, Dr. Baines. Pretty smug. I couldn’t get anywhere with her. I say we go down there on our own and do some snooping around. Jimmy go grab your camera.” Jimmy obediently runs off in search of his equipment.
“That sounds a little dangerous,” I tell her.
“We’re investigative reporters. We investigate. We do what needs to be done to get the story. Now are you coming with me or aren’t you?”
“Right now? Shouldn’t we wait until it gets dark?” I ask, a little more than concerned. It would be nice to have that disguise I had proposed to my mom – it might come in handy if we go breaking in somewhere we aren’t wanted. But I don’t have it, so I’ll just have to make sure we’re careful.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Better to go when it gets dark,” she agrees.
“Then why don’t we go get some dinner while we’re waiting for it to get dark?” I ask her. Gah! What am I saying? I’m practically asking her out on a date. Clark, you idiot! Lana will kill you if she ever finds out.
Lois looks at me, her face a flurry of emotions. I can see hesitancy, fear, hope, but also... desire? This isn’t right. I open my mouth to say something and the look on her face changes – to disappointment. I’m sure she can see the question mark written all over my face.
“Oh, I can’t,” she tells me, sounding regretful.
“Why not?” I ask, curious. I should just leave it alone, this is really what I needed to hear; it lets me off the hook.
“Um,” she fidgets a little. “I already have that dinner interview with Lex Luthor tonight.”
I feel my blood run cold. I had forgotten about her obtaining that interview with him. I hate to see her go out with him. He’s slimy and I just don’t trust him. “A date you mean,” I accuse her.
“No!” she exclaims. “An interview. That’s all it is. Strictly business.”
“Sure it is,” I say sulkily. What *is* wrong with me? This is not your girlfriend, I tell myself. You don’t have the right to tell her who she can and can’t go out with. You would do better to keep your mind on your own girlfriend.
“What do you mean by that?” she asks pointedly, narrowing her eyes at me slightly.
Uh-oh. She’s starting to get upset, and this is not a woman I want to have upset with me. I’m being irrational and foolish about this. “Nothing, Lois. Nothing. I’m sorry. I just meant that you might look at it as business but I doubt that’s the way Luthor sees it.”
Her face softens. “Oh. Well, it doesn’t really matter how he sees it. That’s all it’s going to be. Business.”
I sincerely hope so. For her sake. “Where’s he picking you up?”
“At my apartment.”
“Care if I walk you home?” Here I go again. Well, a walk is a pretty innocent event, isn’t it?
“No. That would be nice.”
Jimmy, who I noticed was hanging back to give us some privacy, walks up brandishing his camera equipment. “So, no investigative reporting tonight?”
“No, Jimmy,” I tell him before Lois can say anything. “Lois has something else to attend to and this way I can make that call to EPRAD in the morning and see if anyone can let us in the legal way.”
That way I could sneak over there tonight and take a look at things myself first, without anyone around to hamper me from using my abilities.
Lois looks like she’s about to object, but surprisingly she doesn’t. “Yeah, Clark’s probably right, Jimmy. I’ll call you later tonight to go over some of those test results from S.T.A.R. Labs, okay?” she smiles at him super-sweetly.
“Uh, sure, okay,” Jimmy says with a funny tone in his voice. Is there something going on here that I’m missing?
“Come on, Clark. You owe me that walk home,” Lois says, sliding one arm through mine, and with that, we leave.
**********
I’ve enjoyed the walk to Lois’ apartment building more than I ever should have. She’s an amazing woman. I have to keep reminding myself, though, that I have a woman who cares about me, who is waiting for me to come back home.
Lois doesn’t have anyone, though. It strikes me as odd that she doesn’t. Does she push them away? She should have a dozen men beating down her door as attractive and successful as she is.
“Back at the office, you acted outraged that I would even suggest your dinner tonight with Lex could be a date,” I remind her. “Why? Is Lex not your type? I mean he is one of the richest men in the world, with plenty of charm and charisma to match.”
“I know, most girls I’m sure would think he’s a catch. I don’t know. He is handsome. Powerful? Definitely. I do like how he gives so much back to the city with his donations and charity functions. I could probably go for someone like him, if I wanted to. But I wouldn’t really say he’s my type, no.”
“Why? What is your type, Lois?”
She seems taken aback by my question and we walk for a while in silence. I don’t say anything else. I just let her think and let her answer when she’s ready.
When she lets out a sigh, I know she’s ready to tell me something of interest.
“Honestly? I’m not actually sure. I’ve always been so wrapped up in my job - my career - that I’ve never really allowed anyone to get that close to me. Oh, there’s been a few,” she pauses to scowl a little. “And I’ve learned some valuable lessons from those few. I’ve learned that I don’t know if you can ever truly trust anyone. If I’ve learned one thing, I know more than anything else I want someone who can be honest with me. I’m as guilty as the next person for telling a little white lie now and again. But on the important stuff... there has to be honesty. I’m not exactly sure Lex could be that honest with me.”
Her admission cuts me to the bone. I haven’t been totally honest with her. I’ve wanted her trust and now I would never have it. When she finds out about Lana, she’d never trust me again.
I look into her face and I can see the emotion she’s trying to hide in her eyes. She’s been hurt, deeply. Does she trust me enough right now to tell me about it? “What happened to you, Lois? To make you distrust people so much?”
Again we walk in silence for a bit. “I had a relationship, a serious one, with a co-worker once. His name was Claude. He was handsome and charming, and I was young and naïve. He romanced me and played me and then he took me... for all I was.” I can see the glassiness in her eyes but I don’t let on.
“What happened?” I ask softly.
“One night, when he finally broke down my defenses completely, we...” she looks away from me before continuing, “...and the next morning I woke up and both he, and the story I was working on, were gone. I found out later when I came in to work that he had submitted it as his own.”
She stops walking and looks up into my face. I can see such nakedness in her eyes. She really is bearing her soul to me. “He stole more than my story from me that night, though. He stole the remainder of my innocence, and he stole some of my faith in people.” She looks away from me suddenly. I’m guessing she’s trying to compose herself.
She raises her hand and stretches out a finger, pointing to the building in front of us. “This is me. I’m in apartment five-oh-one.” Her voice sounds shaky and delicate, not at all like the intrepid reporter I was talking to last night.
I find myself wanting desperately to hold her, to comfort her. But I can’t. I know I can’t. But would it be so wrong? She is a friend and she’s in pain. I would only be offering a little support, a little sympathy.
Before I even realize what I’m trying to convince myself of, I find my arm going around her, across her back, involuntarily. And much to both my delight and my dismay, I find her turning into my embrace and resting her head on my shoulder. I slide my other arm around her and fold her into my arms, holding her close.
She lifts her face from my shoulder and looks into my eyes. I feel as if she can see into my mind, my very thoughts. Can she see what I’m feeling?
She begins to lean up towards me. What is she doing?
What do you think she’s doing, my mind berates me.
Her mouth is mere inches from mine and her eyes are beginning to close. I find myself being pulled towards her. Yes, I want this. Her lips look so inviting; the sound of her hurried breathing so intoxicating.
I close the remaining distance between our mouths, our lips almost touching, when I finally hear my mind screaming through the emotions flooding through me. No! Stop! What are you doing?
I halt and open my eyes – not realizing I had even closed them. I look down into her trusting face. What did I allow to almost happen? I’ve taken this emotionally delicate woman into my hands and betrayed her trust, like others had done before me. I belong to someone else. I can’t allow this to continue any further.
“Lois?”
“Yes?” she asks, hesitantly opening her eyes to look at me.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
The honking of a horn interrupts our conversation. It’s a limo.
It seems to snap her out of the momentary trance she’d been under. “Oh, Clark, I almost forgot,” she says pulling away from me.
Her face is flushed. I can’t tell if it’s from embarrassment or from what we were about to do. To my dismay, I find I’m hoping the latter.
“That’s Lex’s limo,” she explains, hurriedly. “I’ve gotta go. I’m sorry, can we finish this later?”
And that was that. Lois Lane, intrepid reporter, is back on the hunt, in search of her next great story. I grimace inwardly. Great, I get to put off my confession, yet again. I wanted so badly to come clean with her tonight. It would only get harder the longer I wait.
“Sure. Have a good *interview*,” I say emphasizing the last word. I give her a soft smile to let her know I mean well.
“Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow at the Planet.”
“Yeah.” I watch her drive off with *him* and feel the slight stirrings of jealousy. Clark, you are a doomed man.
**********
