By popular demand.
Lois finally meets Clark. (well... this time she *knows* it's him.)
~.~.~.~
Part 5Kathryn picked up the handle of the pay phone in the diner. It was near the restrooms, so she knew it was out of the way enough that no one would hear her conversation. She wasn't exactly going to have a conversation, but she didn't really care for anyone listening in to this call anyway. She was scared enough of leaving a message on that answering machine to begin with, she didn't really need more reasons to be afraid.
She slid a coin inside the opening and waited a second for a dial tone. She then dialed the phone number that she'd been given by the FBI agents the other night.
The phone rang a couple of times and then she heard the answering machine pick up.
"Hey there," a cheerful female voice greeted her. "You've reached Joe and Kathleen's place. We're out enjoying life, but we'll be back when we're done, so leave a message, OK?"
Kathryn took a deep breath and hesitated for a second before she finally spoke.
"Hi guys!" she started, trying to sound cheerful herself, although she was mostly scared and rather shaken. "It's Kathryn. I thought maybe we could have dinner some time. Give me a call back when you're able. Ciao!"
She hung up the phone a bit abruptly and stood there staring at it for a minute or two. She hoped that she'd made the right choice. A future for Timmy, this was all that counted. God willing, this would give him one. A secure one, free of the fear that had been her constant companion the last few years. Timmy deserved so much better than that. So much better than what she could normally have offered him.
~.~.~.~
Lana was quite surprised, when she answered the call on the intercom. She'd first thought the deliveryman had gotten the address wrong, but when he'd said who the delivery was for, she knew that this wasn't a mistake. She wondered what this was all about. Why would anyone send her flowers?
She made her way to the front door and opened it for the deliveryman, who brought in a huge potted plant just a minute later. Lana directed him to her office to set it down. Once he had, she signed the delivery waiver and showed the man out of the mansion.
When she returned to her office, Lana found herself face to face with a woman. A woman who was snooping around her desk!
"What are you doing here?" she just about shrieked. "How did you get in? You have no business being here! And you definitely do not have permission to go through my things! I'm calling the police!"
The woman froze in place for a second.
"No, no, you've got it all wrong," she told her once she recovered from the shock, "I have an appointment." She should have known this would happen... She hadn't been careful enough. If she was lucky, maybe her line about an appointment would work, but Lana Lang did not seem that gullible at all. She knew that she was pushing her luck getting inside the mansion, she'd just thought it would be a good idea at the time...
"An appointment? I sincerely doubt that you have an appointment with anyone here. How did you get inside the mansion, anyway? I most certainly did not authorize your entry!"
"Well, the gate was opened," she said after a second. "I figured it was OK to come in. Like I said, I have an appointment."
While it was true that the gate had been open when she'd come in, it most definitely wasn't opened for her to come in through. There was a delivery truck going inside the property. She'd just taken the opportunity that was offered her. Granted, the opportunity has cost her 50$, but it had been worth it, hadn't it? She was inside the mansion now! There was no point in waiting for the costume ball, she had decided that morning. He wasn't going to attend that charity event. He wouldn't even be anywhere near the mansion that night, she was sure of that! So why wait when she could make things happen right now?
"Just who are you, Miss? And stop it with this nonsense about an appointment!"
Before either of them had a chance to say anything more, Clark showed up in the office. He'd heard the argument and thought perhaps Lana needed help getting rid of whoever the intruder was.
"What's going on?" he asked, looking towards Lana.
Lois turned to face him. A shiver ran through her spine as she saw him. The groundskeeper... Why wasn't he outside keeping the grounds? That's where he ought to be! Not in here, making her all jittery. She took a deep breath as she strengthened her resolve. He was not going to stand in her way of this! She'd bully her way into an interview if she needed to, but she wasn't leaving here empty handed for sure.
Clark was equally surprised to see his mystery woman from the other day standing there, in front of him. Who was she and what was she doing here?
"My name is Lois Lane," she said in an exasperated tone, "I'm supposed to be meeting with Clark Kent at 10 AM. So would either of you please be cooperative and get him? He'll be able to confirm that we have an appointment. Trust me. Just one of you move your little butt and get your boss for me. Okay?"
Lana gasped. He eyes grew wide as she looked from Lois to Clark and then back again. She opened her mouth to speak, but Clark held out his hand to indicate he was going to handle it.
"I'm sorry, Miss Lane," he said with an amused look in his face. "But you most definitely do not have an appointment. I would know if you did, believe me."
"And who are you? His body guard?" she threw at him, without thinking.
"Actually, no. I'm Clark Kent," he told her, one of his devastating smiles playing at his lips. "Pleased to meet you," he added, extending his hand in welcome.
Oh. God. Lois' blood ran cold. That was him? How could that be? She'd seen him trimming the hedge, for crying out loud! What sort of millionaire trims his own hedges? Her eyes grew wide and her face turned a deep shade of crimson.
"Oh... Uh... I'll just let myself out. I'm... I'm sorry, I... Oh, God." she stammered as she bolted out of the room and ran away as fast as she could!
Clark stood there puzzled, his arm still outstretched in front of him. He let it drop back to his side.
Why did she keep running off like that? He wondered for a second if he should go running after her and find out, but he thought better of it.
"I guess that's the last we see of her," Lana said with a sigh of relief. As much as she thought forcing Clark to be in contact with other people was a good idea, this Lois Lane person was starting to be more than annoying!
"I... hope not," Clark said, somewhat absently.
"Huh?" Lana could not believe what she had just heard. Clark hoped he would see her again? What could possibly possess him to think such a thing?
"It was her, Lana," he explained. He had a dreamy look on his face, like he was trying to recapture a special moment.
"Her? Her who? What are you talking about?"
"The woman I told you I saw the other day. You know? She was looking for her cat. Although now I'm thinking maybe she wasn't looking for anything but a way in... Doesn't matter, I'm glad she found one. It was her. Lois Lane. She's the woman who was peering through the hedge. At least I got her name, this time."
"You've got to be kidding! That's your mystery woman? She's a small time reporter, Clark. And a seriously annoying one at that!"
"Annoying? Lana, mosquitoes are annoying. Lois Lane... she's... fascinating." He sighed.
Lana couldn't believe what she was hearing. Fascinating? Lois Lane? Clark had definitely been cooped up inside way too long, she thought. He was losing his mind if this is what fascinating was to him!
"Is she on the guest list?" he asked a bit embarrassed to be doing so.
"The? Huh? Oh... that... Well, the press has been invited, of course. But I could make sure..."
"Thank you," he said before leaning over to brush a small kiss on her temple and leaving the room.
~.~.~.~
Kathryn got home that evening to find a thick envelope, which had been pushed through the mail chute on her door. She set Timmy down on the floor and he ran over to the living room to watch his favorite cartoons on TV. Kathryn picked up the envelope and ripped it open.
It contained instructions and names of contacts to reach when and if she had anything to report. The note said that it was imperative that she read through all the documentation and that she make sure she followed the guidelines properly.
She set the papers on the table and proceeded to prepare supper. She glanced over to her son. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, a little too close to the TV, watching Bug Bunny and clapping excitedly every time the rabbit showed up on the screen. Kathryn hoped she had made the right decision.
"You're too close to the TV, sweetie," she told Timmy.
"But, Mommy... it's Bu' Bunny, Mommy!" he protested.
"I know, honey, but you need to sit a little further from the screen, OK? It's not good for your eyes to be so close," she explained.
"Yes, Mommy," Timmy answered, contrite. He got up, took half a step back and sat right back down.
Kathryn shook her head. He was still way too close, but at least he'd made an effort, she told herself.
She read through the documents she'd gotten as she finished mashing carrots and potatoes. Most of it wasn't very complicated and sounded logical enough. She was sure she could manage this without getting herself in any danger. At least for now.
~.~.~.~
Lois picked up her costume and headed home. She wasn't altogether certain that she wanted to go back to that mansion again. Not after that very unfortunate incident from the other day. But she didn't have much choice... She had an assignment and she knew full well that pulling a little Prima Donna stunt on her editor and changing her mind about going to the charity event was a sure fire way of getting her in trouble. She needed to be in her editor's good graces, not his doghouse! Especially not if she was ever going to get out of this partnership with Lex Luthor! So, she'd gone over to a rental place and had chosen a costume. There weren't a lot left to pick from, but she was satisfied with what she had managed to find anyway. It was romantic in a sad sort of way and she liked that about it.
As she prepared for the ball, Lois went through all the information she had gathered about Clark Kent. She wanted to be ready, even though she probably didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of talking to him again. He was most likely not going to be there anyway, was he? He hid in his house from the people outside it; he would probably hide outside his home when there were people inside it. It only seemed logical. Besides, even if he was really actually there, even if he was in the room with her and she miraculously found herself staring right at the man, she probably would not recognize him through whatever costume he'd be wearing. Besides, he probably wouldn't be too inclined to want to chat with a woman who had broken into his home!
Lois remembered the odd feeling she had had the first time she'd seen him. The sense of a connection that she could not explain. Even though she'd made an absolute fool of herself, that thing that she'd felt made her want to go to this costumed ball. It made her look forward to it, even though it was foolish.
Spending the evening with Lex, however.... Lois wasn't looking forward to that at all! She just hoped that he would behave. She would have rather died than have this man make passes at her all evening long. He was likely to try, she knew. He could never resist a pretty woman. And, truth be told, Lois looked pretty darn amazing in this dress!
She sighed as she took one last look at herself in the mirror. Satisfied with her hair and makeup, she grabbed an evening bag and left the apartment. A few minutes later, she pulled in to Lex's driveway and piped the horn on her car, to signal that she was there. Normally, she hated people who did this sort of thing and she would never have done it herself, except getting out of the car wearing this dress wasn't exactly easy. Besides, she'd told him exactly at what time she would be there to pick him up and she was there at the exact time - 8 PM, right on the dot. He should have been nice enough to be ready by then! She was not going to get out and ring his doorbell. No way.
She waited for a couple minutes and then honked again. Still no sign of her partner. Where could he be? What was taking so long? Lois decided that if he wasn't out in five minutes, she was just going to leave him there and let him get to the party on his own. If he didn't have the decency to be ready on time, then why should she bother waiting for him until the cows came home?
Eight minutes later and still no sign of Lex anywhere, Lois backed out of his driveway and left.
"Go to hell!" she spat, her eyes narrow with anger.
~.~.~.~
When she arrived at the mansion on Eagle View Drive, Lois stepped out of her car and let the valet go and park it for her. For a second she felt like some sort of celebrity. She had never had anyone park her car for her like that. Pleasant feeling, she thought. She could get used to something like that!
She went inside the mansion. It was beautifully decorated. Light fixtures had little pumpkin light bulbs on them. They shed an eerie orange glow in the corridors which was perfectly well suited for the occasion. A few little handkerchief ghosts were hanging from the chandeliers here and there as well. Everything was very classy and tasteful, nothing tacky like she had imagined it. She didn't know for sure why she'd thought it might look that way... Perhaps it was just the impression she got from that Lana Lang person. She didn't care very much for her, she realized. There was no real reason for that, she knew, but she just couldn't help it. She shrugged the thought away as she met up with a very cute usher in a Peter Pan outfit who kindly directed her to the ballroom.
She was surprised to see that there were so many people attending the event. Obviously, outsiders had never heard any of the rumors about this mansion. Anyone from or around Metropolis would have, though. Unless the stories made it that much more appealing on Halloween night? Surely there were no real ghosts or spirits hanging around here; people couldn't possibly have been expecting to see any. Perhaps rich people just didn't believe in those...
Judging by the costumes the guests were wearing, they certainly were rich! The women's dresses were so opulent and fancy - and original, too! - they had probably had them custom made for the occasion, she guessed. She saw an elderly woman dressed as Marie-Antoinette who had on such an elaborate wig that it made her wonder how it held on her head. And the jewelry she wore was definitely not made of cubic zirconia's! It had to be worth several times more than what Lois earned in a year.
Heads turned as Lois entered the ballroom. The entire place seemed to fall silent for a second. She heard people whisper, wondering who she was. It felt strangely pleasant to be the center of attention like this even for just a moment. No matter what Lex Luthor had told her about her appearance, Lois was an attractive woman - and she knew it - but she'd never been the girl that everyone noticed and went after. Dressed like this, however, she was definitely the center of attention. Being all dressed up in a queen's outfit would do that. Marie-Antoinette probably had gotten the same sort of welcome, she guessed.
She looked around the room to see if Lex was there already, by any chance. She was quite intent on giving him a piece of her mind! Finally, she recognized him. He wore an awful looking costume, which appeared to be that of a matador. He had on a ridiculously long cape to go with that and it didn't match the rest of the outfit at all. He was standing near the bar with a scantily clad young woman whose cleavage he seemed to find completely spellbinding. He turned around to look at Lois suddenly, as if he'd sensed that she was eyeing him intensely.
"There you are, darling!" he called out from across the room, waving his hand at her.
Lois felt her cheeks flush. Just what she needed! She could have gone without having everyone think she was with him. She didn't care that people saw them together at all, but the fact that he'd just called her darling so loudly, well... people were bound to imagine that they were together in a much different sense. This, she could easily have lived without.
The woman he'd been talking to seemed somewhat offended to realize that she had no chance of getting anything from Lex. She left, looking rather frustrated at having wasted her time with the man. Lois shook her head. Poor girl had no idea she'd really been done a favor here, did she?
Lex strolled over to her.
"I am not your darling," Lois told him, her teeth clenched, once he was close enough to hear her.
"Ah, but you are still my date for this evening, aren't you?" he slurred.
"Right... that's why you were ogling the belly dancer and why you weren't there when I went to pick you up earlier. These things make so much more sense now that I know I'm supposed to be your date, Lex!"
"Calm down, rookie. Calm down! Let's dance," he suggested as he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her towards the dance floor.
Lois stood there, pondering his suggestion. This might be the only dance she got out of this ball, she thought. And then of course all she had to do to get out of it, was argue that she had work to do and she would be free of him for the remainder of the evening. She knew that he needed her to do all the work, anyway. This is why she was there in the first place, wasn't it? Why he'd made sure the editor would give her the second invitation. Lex was smart enough to understand that if he spent all evening dancing with her, then she would have nothing to write about tomorrow and it would impact him negatively. He'd leave her alone, she was sure of it. So, somewhat reluctantly, she agreed to dance with him.
He grabbed her by the waist and drew her close. Not too close at first, but then it seemed he'd gotten it in his head that since she hadn't pushed him away, he was welcome to get a little more comfortable and hold her tightly.
Lois complained a few times, but Lex pretended he didn't hear anything and just kept on dancing. At one point, he let his hand wander just a little bit south of her waist and he patted her behind.
"Hey!" she protested.
He removed his hand at once, but tried his luck again a few seconds later and let his hand fall right back on her posterior. This time, Lois had had enough! What was he playing at? They were here for work! Why did he even want to dance with her? He'd made it quite clear he was in no way interested in her the other day. And even if he had found her attractive, she wasn't the least bit interested in him. Surely he realized that. Besides, she really needed to go and ask people all sorts of nosy questions now. Questions she would then use to write articles, which would have his name on the byline, of course.
"Lex, would you let me go!" Lois ordered.
"I'm not Lex," he answered. "I'm Don Juan tonight, my darling."
Lois hadn't noticed before, but Lex had been drinking heavily. As he spoke, she smelled the Scotch on his breath. That would definitely explain his behavior. He scared her somewhat. She didn't know just what he was capable of and she really didn't want to find out, especially since he'd been drinking.
"Lex, you're drunk! And I'm not your darling! Now let go, you're hurting me!"
He tried to kiss her, but she fought him desperately. Why wasn't anyone paying attention to what was going on? She needed help! Now! She didn't want to cause a scene, though - this wasn't the place for such things - but surely people around could see and hear that she was in trouble. Why wasn't anyone offering to get her out of this situation? Didn't anyone care? Rich people didn't know how else to help but throw money around, she realized angrily.
Suddenly, she saw a man standing behind Lex. He was dressed as the main character from Phantom of the Opera and hence had most of his face covered by a mask. Lois didn't know exactly who was hiding under it. She really didn't care, though, as long as he could help!
The Phantom tapped Don Juan/Lex on the shoulder.
"May I cut in?" he asked politely.
Finally, Lois thought. Whoever he was, he was a godsend.
"No way, buster," Lex answered. "She agreed to be all mine for this evening. I'm not sharing."
"Let go of me, you pig!" Lois just about shouted.
"Sir," the man said in a firm voice, "I believe the lady wishes you to release her. I would strongly suggest you do as she asks. You wouldn't want to be thrown out of here, I'm sure."
Lex grunted and let go of Lois. "You'll pay for that, rookie," he threw at Lois, his eyes ablaze with pure anger, before he stumbled away.
"I don't know how to thank you," she told the man.
"I do. Dance with me," he suggested, taking her hand lightly in his.
"Oh? Certainly." She smiled. She was still pretty shaken up, but something inside her told her she shouldn't turn him down. "Mister...?" she asked.
As she found herself in the Phantom's arms, Lois felt a surge of something she could only describe as sheer joy run through her. She didn't understand where it had come from. She guessed it was simply the fact that he'd just saved her from the wandering hands of Lex Luthor. Whatever it was, she didn't want to fight it. She hadn't felt anything like this in a very long time; she definitely wasn't about to spoil it!
"My name is Erik," he told her with a sly smile.
"Ah, yes, of course," she said. Erik, she knew, was the other name by which The Phantom of the Opera was known. "Pleased to meet you. I am Guinevere."
"My Queen," he whispered, reverently.
The words sent pleasant tingles throughout her body.
"How appropriate that I be rescued from Don Juan by the Phantom of the Opera," Lois told him, trying to hide the reaction his words had just caused.
Her attempt at humor wasn't completely lost on him. "I would hate to have seen him triumphant."
She smiled at the double entendre. It was nice to meet someone who had enough culture to understand what she meant in the first place, but he apparently was witty enough to continue on the same path.
They danced in silence for a little while. And then Lois decided she should try and find out who this man really was. This is why she was there anyway, wasn't it? Ask questions, find out things, and write articles about it.
"This is a lovely ball," she said. "I'd never been to one of these before. Have you?"
"Me either," he confessed.
Lois guessed this meant he was probably some local businessman who wasn't high up enough on the who's-who list to get invited to this event the previous years as they were held elsewhere in the country. She hoped she wasn't unlucky enough to have hooked up with another reporter, though...
She asked him a few more questions, but none of them gave her enough information to figure out who was hiding under the mask. However, the more he spoke, the more Lois got the feeling that she knew who this man was. She just wasn't able to place him, yet. She could have just come out and ask, but she rather liked the whole guessing game. She figured things like these kept her mind sharp. Although since her previous questions had led her nowhere, perhaps it was time for a more direct approach.
"I've got the strange impression that we've met before," she said.
"Your impression would be correct. We've met twice before," the Phantom replied.
Lois looked at him puzzled. Obviously, he recognized her, but she was still unable to figure out who he was.
"I must apologize," she said, "I really do not recognize you. I... wish I did. Then I would know who saved me from my work partner's drunken clutches."
"There's no need to apologize," he told her. "It's easier for me to see who you are under your makeup, but it can't possibly be as simple for you to see through this mask. I'm not certain if I should tell you who I am, though... You've already run away from me twice and I would really hate to see you dash out again tonight."
Lois froze. It couldn't be?
"Um... I... Oh, dear God! But you can't be..."
"Shhh," he said, taking his hand from her waist and placing a finger gently to her lips. "Please? No names."
She nodded and so he put his arm around her again, but Lois' feet were stuck to the ground and her body was as stiff as a board. Clark took that as a sign that the dance was over and so he let go of her and took a step back.
"Forgive me," he said. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
Lois said nothing, she just stood there staring at him. Her mind was racing and her heart was thundering in her chest.
Clark motioned towards an empty table not too far way. Still somewhat dazed, Lois nodded and walked with him in that direction. He pulled out a chair for her, then sat down as well.
"I thought you said you'd never been to one of these parties," she asked finally.
"That's right, I've never been to any of them," he smiled. "It's just... too much. You know? Too many people."
"Why come this time?" Lois asked, suddenly very curious.
"I... just wanted to see you again," he said after a long awkward pause.
Lois' eyes grew wide. What was it that he was saying? It had sounded like he'd willingly come to a party - something he absolutely never did - because *she* was there? This made no sense. For all intents and purposes, this man lived away from the rest of the world. He did not socialize. Ever. Besides, what would possess him to want to see her again? She'd broken into his home and insulted him just a few days ago. Something which most normal people wouldn't be too inclined to forgive very easily.
"Me?" she asked. "But... I broke into your home. And I... um..."
Clark could see the panic rising in her expression. She looked like she might spring off her chair and run away again.
"Please, don't run off again," he said, reaching over the table to take her hand.
As he placed his hand on top of hers, Lois felt something like a jolt of electricity run through her. How could a simple touch do that, she asked herself. She felt his hand go a tad stiff for a second and then relax again. Apparently he had been taken by surprise by something as well. Had he felt the same thing she had?
"I... um... I have to go," she told him, in apology, sliding her hand from under his. "I'm here for work tonight, actually, and...."
"I see," Clark said, in a saddened tone.
"I'm sorry... I mean, I really appreciate what you did back there, but the thing is that... if I don't bring back anything for tomorrow's edition, I'm going to be in a heap of trouble, both with my editor and my currently very drunk partner."
"Is there anything I can say that might keep you here just a little longer?" he asked, hopeful.
"Not unless you're willing to grant me an interview," she blurted out.
Realizing that she probably shouldn't have said that, she mumbled an incomprehensible apology and got up from her chair. She quickly headed off towards a group of people who seemed to be listening with rapt attention to this one man who was dressed as Elvis. Perhaps he was someone important, she thought, to have so many people interested in what he was saying.
"Miss Lane, please don't..." Clark started, but Lois was gone by the time he could finish his sentence. "...run away from me again," he whispered, shaking his head miserably.
He wondered why she kept doing that. Taking off like a rocket every single time they'd met. Was he that frightening? Or was it just that he had become so inept at this whole "conversation with other human beings" thing? Perhaps hiding in his home for so long had started to rob him of his social skills, he thought. It had been just perfect while they danced, but it seemed as soon as he had opened his mouth to speak, he'd said all the wrong things and he'd scared her away. Why couldn't he just have gone on pretending he was the Phantom and left it at that. She hadn't objected much to being in his arms, what was it about his true identity that had caused her to run from him? She couldn't possibly have known that he was different, could she?
He got up from the table and walked over to Lana. She was dressed as a fairy, complete with a delicate set of translucent wings.
"There you are," she said with a sweet smile.
Lana was so glad to see that Clark had ventured further inside the room. At first she thought he might stay by the door or cling by her side, afraid of having to speak to anyone. But clearly that wasn't the case. Perhaps he was looking for his mystery lady? Not that there was any mystery left as to who she was, but Lana didn't know whether or not Lois Lane was even here at all. She knew that she was supposed to be... When she'd called the Metropolis Star and asked who the invitations had been given to, pretending to have to put their names on the guest list, Lana had gotten the confirmation that Miss Lane would indeed be attending, but that didn't mean she was already there. Besides, even if she was, it would be hard to tell her from the other guests even if she had met her before and knew what she looked like. She didn't know what she was dressed as anymore than she knew who hid under any of the other costumes.
"I'm leaving," he told her.
"Leaving?" Lana asked, surprised. "I guess you haven't seen her around, then?"
"Oh... No, I've seen her all right," he said. He let out a sigh and shook his head. "She ran off again," he whispered finally.
"She did? Oh... I'm sorry," Lana said, stroking his arm affectionately. "Maybe she's scared of ghosts?" she added, in an attempt at humor.
"Actually, she ran off pretty much the minute she figured out who the Phantom was," he explained.
"She realized it was you under there?" Lana was even more surprised. How could anyone have seen through his costume so easily?
"I sort of gave myself away. I mean, not in so many words... She is quite perceptive, really, but I gave her a big clue without really meaning to. I wish I'd known better and kept my mouth shut, though!"
"Maybe she was just afraid of what you might do? You know, since she broke in the other day?" she suggested.
"I don't know." Clark shrugged. "I'm pretty sure something I said scared the daylights out of her, though. I guess I'm going to need some refresher courses on the great art of conversation."
"Oh, come on! You're doing just fine. I'm sure she was just spooked."
"Yeah well... I'm going back up to my suite. Enjoy yourself, Lana. It's a great party, you've done a wonderful job with it."
"No, wait! You promised me a dance, remember?" Lana knew it was pointless trying to keep him here. His sole reason for coming in the first place was to be able to see Lois Lane. And the woman had managed to spoil it for him. If she managed to find her, she'd have a couple words with the woman for sure! She'd give her a nice big piece of her mind!
"I'm sorry, I... My heart really isn't into it, Lana. I just want to be alone," he said, sounding downright miserable.
"That's okay," she said, "I understand. Would you like me to bring you something up, a little later on?"
"Nah... don't bother, I'm fine," he told her as he left the ballroom and disappeared into a dark corridor that led to where his private apartments were.
~.~.~.~
To Be Continued(in the next part: Lois has regrets... and Clark gives in to Lana's arm twisting... Oh... and Batman.)
