This is the first time I got an idea for a story which might - just - be worth publishing. It takes place during the second season. Comments, corrections (grammar, spelling, facts), (constructive) criticism and inspirations are very, very welcome.
Thanks to Nancy for looking over it, doing some "mini-beta"
P.S.: Many scenes I've been replaying in my head again and again, and soon the story took on a life of its own. I've got absolutely no idea how it will work out and what will happen between those scenes and the ones I still have to get in. Right now I only know that much: There was this idea I got from another fanfic (lost and found): Clark might just have written several books about his travels, and it's likely enough that they ended up bestsellers. Since I liked the "Adventures in [continent]"-title, I decided to stick with it. I hereby acknowledge that this was NOT my idea in the first place. The idea is from Jeff Brogden's wonderful story "Lost and Found". Jeff was so kind to grant me permission to use it. Thanks, again!
" ... " indicates speech
'...' indicates thoughts
*...* indicates emphasis
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS indicates the beginning or end of a
flashback~...~ indicates a translation into English - after all, I'm humane (and not overly multilingual)
Time for Two
**Friday evening, Dec 20**
Lois was fuming, and thought, 'Well, that's what happens when you get on the wrong side of the wrong people.' And *they* had just burnt her apartment. She had tried to put the fire out when it was still small, but it had spread rapidly. She realized that those bastards must have used gasoline or something. And all this was only because Lois had been trying to find more proof that some high-ranking judges in Metropolis were corrupt. Life wasn't fair to her.
It bothered her that Superman hadn't shown up, and she wondered where he was. Well, actually she knew - *he* had been helping with an accident in a mine in China, or so the radio had said. But what she wanted to know was where he was when she really needed him, 'Uh, I smell like an exploded car.' And Lois knew the smell well. Too well, as a matter of fact. That's how she knew that *they* had indeed used gasoline. She *looked* like she had barely escaped with her life which was pretty much the case. Lois needed to think and for starters, Lois decided that she could use a shower and fresh clothes. But where would she get that when her whole place had been turned to charcoal? Clark wouldn't object, now would he?
Propelled by her anger, Lois reached Clark's place in near to no time. This was partially due to the fact that her feet had walked into the direction of his apartment of their own accord. She knocked, but nothing happened.
"Clark, it's me! I know you're there!"
But Lois was truly out of luck. Even her best friend was not there for her now. And just then, the thunderstorm which had been threatening to break loose for the last hour finally followed up on its threat. Within seconds, Lois was soaked. Which made her mind work rapidly. With a grin, she remembered her lock-picking tools, which she always carried with her. She quickly put them to good use and opened the door.
Slowly, she got in and sighed contentedly. It was so warm in here. Not shivering any more, she became aware that her mouth still held the taste of burnt apartment, which was not at all to her liking. So, she decided to have a drink first.
Sitting at the table and slowly drinking some water, she contemplated her situation. All her belongings, all her clothes, even her private notes have been destroyed. Her evidence against certain judges had been at her place as well. Too bad! There was a lot her visitors would have to answer for. But she knew she had to take one step after the other. Starting one of her famous lists, she decided that the next step was taking a shower. A bath would be better, though.
"So, where does he keep his towels?" she mused. It didn't take her long to find them, along with a set of Clark's clothes to dress in. She quickly undressed, wrapped herself in the larger of the towels, grabbed the rest and headed for the bathroom.
******
What a rescue, Clark thought. This mine has collapsed almost completely. Typically Chinese. They just don't build them well enough. To them, a lost live is cheaper than safe building. Horrid thought! At least I could help most of those poor workers.'
Then, after a crash of thunder that must have been deafening even to people without super-hearing, his thoughts returned to the present. 'This thunderstorm is just what I need right now. It won't let me get around a good shower, though. I'm covered with coal dust and who-knows-what else. Just through the bathroom window, out of the suit, suit into the basket and off I am. Aah! That feels good!'
While the rain outside was pouring down, clattering on the window, Clark took his shower, the sounds of the thunderstorm and the shower being indistinguishable. From time to time, thunder crashed again, but very slowly its volume was decreasing. It was after another deafening clash of thunder that Clark had enough and headed to the door, still dripping wet since he hadn't thought of bringing a towel first. Just when he reached for the door, it opened, seemingly of its own accord. With a shock Clark realized that he was face to face with Lois. Well, maybe not face to face, since Lois eyes were definitely fixed on something *far* below.
Clark didn't question his luck and grabbed the nearest set of glasses at slightly more than normal speed while Lois's jaw dropped. As Clark was trying to regain his composure, the towel and clothes Lois had carried fell to the ground. Only the towel wrapped around her stayed where it was, but unluckily - or was it luckily? - his X-ray vision was getting out of control, so being covered didn't do her any good. It was quite a little while before Clark was able to move and speak *and* control his powers again. He cleared his throat, but to no avail.
"Lois?"
She obviously didn't hear him. With his super-hearing, he could make out that she was constantly muttering "Oh my god." With a start he realized that Lois was intently staring at *something* beneath his navel. Clark blushed a deep shade of red that would do a tomato proud and grabbed the towel Lois had dropped, all the while forcing himself to do so at normal speed. When he finally wrapped the towel around his loins, Lois' spell was broken. Slowly, she looked up at him, her mouth still forming a silent "Oh."
"Lois, what on earth are you doing here?"
Lois hadn't regained control of her speech yet.
"Lois?"
Suddenly speech returned to her. "I - I was just going to take a bath. Uhm."
"You do know this is *my* place, don't you?"
"Sure."
"So, ..." Clark took a closer look at his partner, and his annoyance was quickly replaced by concern. "Lois, you look like hell. What happened?"
"I've just escaped from a place that looks like hell, too. Flames included."
"Where have you been?"
"Home."
He shot her an incredulous look. "Home?"
"Yes, I..."
It finally dawned on Clark that situation might be really serious and Lois in bad need of help. His help. "You know what? Get your bath. We can talk afterwards. All right?" he offered.
"Thanks," she smiled at him gratefully. And, with a shy glance at Clark, she asked, "You wouldn't mind turning around?" Not that he would get to see anything new if he didn't. He couldn't keep from smiling.
*****
When returned to his living room, Clark found Lois notes with exactly two items on it: "BATH" "CLOTHES". At once he recognized it for one of her lists. It was unusually short, so he deduced that Lois must have meant get clean before thinking any further. Since he had a little time, he tried her method, considering what she needed most, and came up with the following:
1 PLACE TO STAY - here => keys
2 CLOTHES a) for tomorrow
b) clothes for work
c) clothes for time off work
3 FURNITURE a) bed
b) cupboard
4 NEW HOME?
Clark was furious with himself for adding the last point on his list. He'd much rather have her stay forever. He shouldn't have created a list with what Lois needed, but one detailing how he could win her! But then, again, one just might lead to the other, if he did it right.
Just then Lois turned off the water, and Clark grabbed the list and decided to set everything into motion, step by step. He started with getting a new towel for Lois. He knocked at the bathroom door and waited for her "Come in!" before entering. [
When he entered, he saw a hint of disappointment on her face and couldn't help wondering whether this was the case because he was dressed by now. He laid down the towel, knelt beside the foam-filled bath tub and asked her, "Do you want to start talking while soaking, or rather later?"
"I'd rather have a few minutes in here," she answered and graced him with another warm smile. Clark told her to take her time and walked out again. He could put the time to good use, after all.
When Lois finally came out again, she was surprised to find that Clark was just ready to serve dinner. She really wondered how he had managed to do that, for she was sure that her bath couldn't have taken that long.
Between bites, she told him what had happened to her.
"I was back home when I caught sight of fire in my kitchen. Not that this is too unusual, but this time I wasn't even trying to cook," she tried herself at humor, "Well, I tried to put out the fire, but it was hopeless. Someone must have spilled quite a bit of gasoline in there. At least it smelled like it. And then... well, I thought I might find you here, take a shower and maybe borrow some clothes. But, since you didn't open, and the rain started pouring down, I just let myself in. That reminds me: Where have you been?"
He answers with a indefinite shrug, pointing his chin at the bathroom. 'Figures,' she thought. But, unlike Lois so far, Clark had thought beyond the very immediate future.
"Lois, why don't you stay with me for a while?"
"That'd be great Clark. How long may I stay?"
He answers with his boy scout grin, a shrug and an "Indefinitely." He could have bitten his tongue for that, but this feeling quickly evaporated when Lois touched his hand, however briefly, and answered, smiling in gratitude,
"Thanks!"
While washing the dishes, Clark's mind was working furiously. 'This is going to get interesting. Keeping up my secret identity during her stay will be hard. That is, if I still want to keep it going. I'm not so sure about that. But how am I going to tell her, much less explain myself?' Truth to tell, he had absolutely no idea.
Cleaning up didn't take too long, and soon Lois and Clark were looking at each other, each trying to find something to say. Finally, Clark couldn't bear the silence any longer.
"So, what are we going to do now, Lois?"
"I don't know. I mean, I had plans for my evening alone at home, but..."
"So, tell me about them, okay?"
"Well, there is that film on the TV tonight which I really wanted to watch..."
"One of your old favorites?"
"Well, no. It's a rather new one, but I bet I'm gonna like it. I'm not sure about you, though. So don't think you have to, I mean, uh ..."
Clark really loved her babbling. But what he enjoyed even more is seeing her smile. "How do you feel about some popcorn? You turn on the TV.."
There was no need to talk any further. For now.
As the were sitting on the couch with a little distance between them, Clark couldn't help pondering a certain question. After all, he knew perfectly well to which extraordinary lenghts a certain "Mad Dog" Lane went for a story, so.. just how far was she willing to go for popcorn? When she had told him that she wanted to watch "Titanic", which was rather *extremely* overlong and well-suited for crying, he decided to prepare thrice their usual portion of popcorn, got enough to drink and plenty of handkerchiefs for when the tears would - inevitably - start to flow, so everything was perfect.
Clark started his little experiment by moving the tub with the popcorn ever so slightly, so Lois was unable to reach it comfortably, at least in her current position. Her response was exactly as he had hoped. She moved a little in his direction. By then, their legs were nearly touching.
Every third or fourth time Lois took another handful of popcorn, Clark would place it just a little farther from Lois, who, in turn, would come just a bit nearer. In the end, they were both lying on the couch, Lois head resting on Clark's chest, his arm wrapped around her waist. And neither could have told how, exactly, they had gotten into this particular position. Well, Clark could have, but not without telling her everything about himself, for there was a little floating involved.
**Saturday, early morning, Dec 21**
He was sure he was dreaming. Once again he dreamed that he woke up with Lois in his arms. He really didn't want to wake up. Suddenly she stirred and moaned in her sleep. He couldn't resist the temptation. How could she be annoyed if he kissed her in *his* dreams, anyway? Especially after all the wonderful things they had shared that night? Slowly, Clark was bending over her when her eyes fluttered open.
"Clark?"
He just smiled, his lips nearing hers.
"Clark, what are you *doing* here? What am I doing here, for that matter?"
Her voice was rising with near-panic.
----------------------
tbc
