The next day was the last of Clark’s winter break and marked a vast turning point in his seventeen year life. It was the day he had to say goodbye to the one person who had made him feel welcome, loved and cherished.
Jonathon had returned to the shop early to pick up Lois’ Mustang and now it sat innocuously on the driveway, unaware of the heartache its presence was causing. After a half hearted breakfast, Lois walked the slow martyr’s walk to Clark’s room to pack her things. The previous night, neither had awoken and dawn had found them curled up in each other’s arms on the sofa.
As Lois walked into the now familiar bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush from its case, her mind occupied itself with pleasant reminiscences of waking in Clark’s arms. She had been slightly embarrassed to be found in such a position by Clark’s parents, but the innocent nature of their night together was clearly indicted. And now… now it was time to pack her things and get back on the road. She had a good 10 hour drive ahead of her, and she wasn’t looking forward to it.
When she emerged from her bedroom, suitcase in hand, she met an anxious Clark pacing in the hallway. When he saw her, he immediately stopped his tread and took the suitcase from her.
“It’s a long drive, Lois, and I was thinking…” Clark began nervously. “Maybe, I could drive to Metropolis with you, you know, drive if you get tired or something, and then I could fly back home later. What do you think?”
A slow smile slid across Lois’ face as she nodded her assent and Clark let out a sharp yell of joy. He set the suitcase down on the floor and lifted her in his arms, hugging her tightly. When their heads bobbed gently against the ceiling, Clark glanced downward in surprise. He was dangling them both four feet off the ground.
“Easy there, cowboy,” Lois said gently, laughing in delight.
Clark moved his shoulders in a sheepish shrug and lowered them leisurely. “Sorry Lois.”
Once their feet were firmly planted on the ground, she took his hand and pulled him toward the kitchen. “It’s almost time to go.”
Her bag was loaded in the trunk of the Mustang and Lois turned toward Martha and Jonathon, tears threatening to spill over. They had become like surrogate parents to her and as she gave them both a tight hug, the tears slid smoothly down her face.
“Goodbye,” she whispered softly. She slipped into the driver’s seat and Clark went around the side to the passenger’s. The loose gravel of the driveway scattered underneath the rolling tires and finally the silver car pulled away from the house and the town that had given her such an unexpected bounty.
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The trip passed uneventfully, as the two teenagers indulged in the most idiotic car games they could think of. After a competitive game of I Spy (one made difficult for Clark because he was currently driving, though Lois countered that it was only fair, since he had super vision), it was Lois’ turn to pick out a game.
“Oh! What about Truth or Dare?” She grabbed his sleeve excitedly and he grinned at her exuberance.
“Lois, what kind of dares can we do in a car?”
At Lois’ pointed stare, he blushed furiously and Lois took pity on him.
“Okay, okay, what about Truth or Truth, then?”
“Fine,” Clark rolled his eyes. “You can go first.”
“Have you ever slept with anyone?” Lois asked bluntly, curiously scanning his profile.
Clark nearly spit out his Coke at the direct question. No casual beating around the bush for Lois. Determined to turn the tables, he raised his eyebrow and shot her a cocky grin. “Well,” he drawled, letting the syllable hang heavily between them, “besides you?”
It was Lois’ turn to blush at the innuendo laced comment. “You didn’t answer the question,” she finally managed to stammer out, giving him a nudge as she regained her composure.
Clark took his eyes off the road for a moment to make complete eye contact. “No, Lois. I’ve never slept with anyone. Have you?”
Lois grinned, catching him in a rule violation. “No ask backs, Clark!” At his appalled, puppy dog expression she relented slightly and sighed. “Okay, no I haven’t. But that was a freebie, Clark. Better make your real one count.”
Clark easily steered with one hand on the wide expanse of highway and thoughtfully ran his fingers through his hair. “So… Lois… let’s see, Truth or Truth?”
“That’s real cute, Kent.”
“You have to pick one,” he responded in a slightly sing song voice.
“Fine, truth. I pick truth,” Lois mumbled something incoherent, but Clark’s super hearing picked it up.
“I am not a loser!”
“You have whole chapters of Lord of the Rings memorized verbatim,” Lois shot back playfully. “If that’s not pretty dorky, I don’t know what is.”
“See that is where you’re wrong Lois. I may very well be dorky, as you see,” He gestured to himself vaguely with one hand. “But I am not a loser. There is a very fine line.”
“And you’re treading on it, buddy. As your question, sheesh.”
Clark gave her an easy smile and then leaned back, thinking. “All right Lois… What first attracted you to me?”
“Aww Clark… come on,” Lois began, squirming in her seat. At Clark’s rakish smile, she covered her face with her hands and mumbled out some words.
“What, Lois? I didn’t catch that.”
“You’ve got super hearing! Of course you did!”
Clark shook his head and Lois glared at him. “Fine. I thought you were pretty hot.”
Clark’s short burst of laughter resounded through the car as it speeded down the highway, and Lois formulated her next question, revenge the utmost on her mind.
“All right… what was… the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done? I mean ever?”
Clark thought for a moment and then squirmed in his seat anxiously.
“Oh look, Lois, a Cracker Barrel, you know I only ever eat there on road trips, you hungry? We could eat. And they have that store and checkers. I could probably take you on at checkers,”
Lois glared at him. “Stop stalling, Clark, now fess up.”
Clark rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
“Okay fine! Back when Jeff kept spreading all those lies about me… the one that I was gay,” Clark closed his eyes briefly, his face heating up. “Okay, well there’s this kid in my class, Justin Morris, and he’s pretty… um… out there.”
At Lois’ look of confusion, Clark clarified. “I mean he’s pretty flamboyantly gay. And anyway, after the rumors started circulating, he started talking to me a lot. We had some classes together, and I was stupid, I didn’t even think he could mean anything more. He invited me to go catch a film with him and I said sure, I mean he was a good guy and he actually knew something about some intelligent topics. Plus I wasn’t the most popular guy… anyway, so we got to the movies and he tried to… to put his arm around me! And hold my hand! I was so mortified about having to tell him that he had gotten the wrong idea. We watched the rest of the movie in silence and then when he were leaving he told me it was a shame.”
“What was a shame?” Lois asked, hiding a grin.
“That I was straight!”
At that, Lois didn’t bother to hide her laughter and after a moment of laughing alone, Clark joined in.
“I can just picture your face!”
“He was a nice guy; I didn’t want to hurt his feelings!”
Lois chuckled again and Clark turned determinedly back to the wheel, thinking hard to find an equally embarrassing question.
But as the car neared Metropolis, the cozy, intimate atmosphere in the car dissipated rapidly. Lois was now driving and soon familiar streets and landmarks entered her line of vision. Clark had visibly stiffened at the sign welcoming them into her home city and now he was quiet.
They had prolonged their goodbye as long as they could and now they couldn’t deny or delay it any longer. Lois pulled the car onto a side street and switched off the ignition.
“Clark,” Her voice cracked slightly and she valiantly tried to keep the tears from her eyes. “Clark, I love you.” It was all she could say. She had thousands of thoughts and words jumbled in her mind, but the four she had just spoken were all she could wring out.
“Close your eyes,” Clark instructed softly.
For once, Lois did as she was told without question and her breath caught in anticipation as she felt him draw closer. She heard a slight rustling and she almost peeked a glance, but Clark admonished her quickly. A cool weight settled on the top of her shirt and she could feel Clark’s arms around her as he fiddled with something behind her.
Finally he allowed her to open her eyes and Clark showed her the silver locket he had fastened around her neck. It was the locket he had purchased at the fair, and wordlessly he gently worked open the clasp.
Clark and Lois stared down at the picture of the two of them on the farm. It was a tiny picture, but the joyous expression on both of their faces was clearly preserved.
And in the darkness, Clark’s eyes glimmered slightly as well as he drew her close for one more kiss. It was a gentle caress, not their most passionate, but when his tongue gently prodded her lips, she tasted him for the last time in what would probably be a long while. When they pulled apart both eyes shone with tears and Clark responded in turn.
“You’ve changed my life, Lois. And I love you, always.”
With that said, his gaze scanned her face hurriedly, as if tracing the features.
“Goodbye Lois.”
Clark unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of the car. The tail lights of Lois’ car faded and he shot straight upward at a blinding speed, trying to outrun the sting of tears in his eyes.
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Sorry, this isn't the chapter I meant when things start to change pretty violently. Though I guess they do, slightly. Over at ff.net I received some criticism as reviewers felt that it was silly to feel so badly about saying goodbye-- Clark could be there in two seconds if he wanted too. I thought about that for a while, and in the end I switched a couple lines, but I kept most of it the same. As Mrs. Moseley said in a review, the "Honeymoon" period was over. Real life intrudes in now. Clark probably can't just drop over whenever he pleases and to explain his presence in Metropolis so frequently might be difficult. That's the logic I'm following anyway, though I did see some valid points in their reviews. Anyway... thanks again for the helpful feedback and as I said in the FDK... Don't worry about this being resolved with a sudden bout of amnesia, a meddling H.G. Wells or Tempus. Or elopement. What else does that LEAVE? Well just hang in with me for two more parts.
