Okay, sooner than I thought. I just want to post this. My fingers are all red and green from the Christmas stuff I just wrote. Uhh, Uhh, Lara get through with it, soon. 
From Part 6: Only as he flew up again did he notice that one of them hadn’t survived. The other was still breathing. He knew both of them because he had saved them earlier. Clark didn’t really understand why Lois and her neighbor had been in this place. It rendered him sad that her neighbor was dead now. It seemed so useless. But he was also relieved that Lois wasn’t badly hurt. He had scanned her body and hadn’t found any internal bleeding. Clark brought them both to the emergency services and returned to the fire. With much effort Clark managed to control the fire and extinguish it hours later.
Part 7: ***Three weeks later*** The world had gone crazy, and utterly so. Clark had hoped that his disguise would enable him to save a few lives. And it did, but that wasn’t the whole truth. He was well known, but that didn’t quite describe it. It was almost three weeks ago that he had done his first rescue and by now he had about a hundred fan clubs all over the world. Whenever he landed on the street, everybody shouted his name excitedly. It was unbelievable. His mother had been right; nobody recognized Clark Kent in Superman, as Lois Lane had named him.
The strangest things were happening with Lois. She still hadn’t forgotten about the fires. Not completely. She hadn’t really been hurt in the explosion at the docks; she had been suffering from a concussion for a few days, but it wasn’t too bad. She had seen Superman, briefly during his efforts to prevent further explosions. He had wanted to check if she was all right. Lois had asked him who he was and Clark had replied that he was a friend. From this moment on, Lois had been the first in a long row of reporters that had begged him for an interview. Lois had developed a crush on the hero. So far Clark had always declined – or, truth to be told, escaped - before anyone could nail him.
He was afraid of their questions. Since he had to care for Becca, Clark couldn’t always leave when someone needed him. He tried to be there, for Becca and the rest of the world, but that wasn’t easy. So he mainly rescued people while he was at work. That wasn’t that good either, but nobody complained since he wrote new stories about every new breath-taking rescue Superman had made. Soon enough, Clark Kent had turned into a vital member of the Planet’s staff.
Lois and Clark were tiptoeing around each other. He carefully avoided giving Lois any reason to lash out at him. She was already fuming because he wrote most of the stories about the new hero in town. Clark could only imagine that she was jealous. She tried to hide that she planned on an interview with Superman, but with his hearing - and since he was the object of her desire - Clark was well aware of her plans. When she wasn’t trying to catch a glimpse of his flashy alter ego, she also worked with him. So far the truce had lasted; with minor interruptions. Their relationship was strictly professional. Lois didn’t ask where Clark went when he left on a moment’s notice and Clark didn’t tell Lois more than she needed to know.
He still adored her, though it annoyed him that she kept speaking of Superman. He should have been grateful, because it suited his intentions perfectly to stay away from all the temptations Lois held for him. Clark knew that she wasn’t interested in Clark Kent. Probably in Superman; but not in the real him. So if neither of them had any interest in a relationship, why should he bother? Except, he liked her and the more he knew of her, the stronger the attraction became. Clark dreamt of her almost every night. When he didn’t, it was because he was too tired to dream or because Becca kicked him in the side.
That life would become easier with the disguise was a false conclusion, but Clark didn’t regret becoming Superman. The disguise had raised more problems than it had solved, but he was happier nonetheless. He knew that Becca and he could stay in Metropolis. Clark could use his powers and was really able to help. He didn’t need to be afraid that anyone would see him doing those things. Superman could just do them. He had set Clark Kent free.
* * *
Lois was sitting in her hotel room, sulking. The whole world was against her! She had hoped to find a new apartment a little sooner. Usually it wasn’t that difficult to find something in Metropolis, but as soon as she told them her name, they would hang up on her. That might be because the newspapers all over Metropolis had printed her name on the front page. She was the first living being that had ever seen Superman; she had been in two burning buildings in only four days and the rumor was that Lois had been the target of both arsons. It was silly and Lois new better, but landlords all over Metropolis believed it and were afraid that their houses would be the next to burn down.
Unfortunately, Bobby had been right: her neighbor, Henry Meadows was the target of a murderer. In his last attempt, the murderer had succeeded. This made Lois sad. She was sorry for never having tried to get to know him. She should have been more careful, particularly since Bobby had *told* her who the target was. Lois had never felt so helpless. She wanted to hunt down the killer, to nail him and send him to prison. But the more she tried, the less hope she had. With Henry, their last trail had died. The only hint Lois had was a name: Robert Virdis. That wasn’t much. Lois realized even more now that she couldn’t do it on her own. But it was difficult with Clark… They were so careful with each other as if both of them had been porcelain dolls that were going to break any moment. She knew that she had an incredible talent for saying exactly the wrong things in absolutely the wrong moments. He probably hated her.
Unbelievable as it was, Lois liked him. She was sure he would be a good friend, someone she could rely on. And he was reliable in every way. He sometimes left without saying where he went, but he always came back with a story. When she asked him to do something he would do it, without complaining or discussing it further. And each morning she found a hot cup of coffee on her desk. Lois assumed that it was his daily peace offering; his appeal not to be the target of her affronts. She really tried, but somehow she did it again and again.
Lois could only excuse her behavior with her futile attempts to get an interview with Superman. He always vanished so quickly that it was utterly impossible to exchange a word with him. She had tried desperately, but he never looked at her. Lois doubted that he even recognized her. He fascinated her and she wondered where he came from. She wanted to know him; wanted to talk to him. Lois owed him her life. She felt a special bond towards him that she couldn’t quite explain. It was strange. There was attraction and curiosity but also something else. Lois couldn’t name it - she wasn’t even sure it really was anything. It was too complicated to think about. At least Superman wasn’t dangerous territory…unlike Clark Kent.
Ever since Lois had learnt that he wasn’t married, she was twice as careful around him. He seemed to be a good and caring kind of guy, if anything like that still existed. Was his behavior towards Rebecca real or had he made it up to impress her? Lois had lost all trust in parents in general and fathers in particular. Why wasn’t Clark married? She hadn’t dared ask him yet and she still hadn’t found out where Rebecca’s mother was. She had the strong feeling that she would put her foot in her mouth if she dug this. Lois wanted to stop behaving so childishly; she wanted to come clean with Clark. Lois still felt sorry for being so rude to Rebecca. She remembered how disappointed she always was whenever her father left.
Lois sighed and looked out the window, into the darkness of the night. What she saw made her gasp. *He* was hovering in front of her window. Superman! Lois couldn’t believe it. That was impossible. She had been trying to get to him for almost three weeks, and now he was just in front of her window as if it was a natural thing to do. When he realized that she had seen him, his face turned dark red. Superman blushed? That seemed even more unrealistic. Lois was afraid that he might leave right this moment.
“Wait!” she shouted.
Would he hear her? The window had glass with noise insulation. Lois’ heart sank. She rushed over to the window. How could she keep him from flying away? But the hero didn’t leave. He patiently waited for her to get to the window and he was still there as she opened it.
“Superman,” Lois whispered weakly.
“Good evening, Lois,” he replied.
He was so strong and confident. He looked straight into her eyes and there was no shade of red on his face. She must have only dreamt that he had blushed. What a silly idea!
“You know my name?” she asked, confused.
He nodded affirmatively.
“It is Lois, right?” It was not really a question.
Superman didn’t doubt that he was right. He looked amazing from such a close distance. The fabric of his suit didn’t leave much to imagination. The muscles in his arms were just breathtaking. His pectorals were firm. This man looked like nothing could harm him. It wasn’t just because Lois had already heard about his invulnerability; even if it hadn’t been for that knowledge, there was such force radiating from him, banishing every feeling of fear or insecurity.
“Yes.”
Another whisper! He must think she was stupid. There he was, Metropolis’ most sought after interview subject, and all she could do was stare at him.
“I’m glad you’re all right,” he said, not seeming the least bit annoyed by her stupidity.
Darn it, she needed to pull herself together!
“Thank you for saving me,” Lois replied. It was a start, at least.
“You’re welcome, Lois.”
His warm voice sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. He was so gentle…how could a man with such strength be so gentle?
“Do…do you mind the name I made up for you? You only told me you were a friend…”
“I don’t mind it, Lois. I felt uncomfortable with it, at first, but I guess it’s too late to invent another one, anyway,” he said with a wry smile. It looked nice on his face and Lois wondered whether she had seen it before.
“You could tell me your real name! There is so much I want to know about you.”
Involuntarily, she laid her hands on his arm, trying to hold him, because she feared that he was going to leave now. But he didn’t and it was most definitely not her grip that had stopped him.
“I can’t tell you much, Lois,” he replied, but there was no anger in his voice. He made it clear, though, that he didn’t want her to ask any further questions.
Lois looked down towards the floor. She knew that her cheeks were flushed. She did not want to upset the man who had saved her.
“Can you tell me one thing? Did you save me from the first fire?”
“No, Lois, it was not me,” he answered and then turned towards the window again. “Good night,” he said softly and took off into the dark sky.
Her gaze followed him until he was out of sight.
to be continued
