Good morning! And here we go!
Table of Contents From Part 13:
She reached out hesitantly and touched his face, hoping he wouldn’t pull away from her. “Clark, we were out in the sun a lot yesterday, but instead of getting better, you got worse. You need *somebody* to look at you,” she insisted. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll get the Kryptonite back from Dr. Klein while we’re there and do whatever you want me to do with it. Okay?” Lois held her breath. She’d let him believe that for now – hopefully later he would see things differently.
Clark sighed and hung his head. He knew that he had put her in a tough position with the way he had acted about Klein. And he knew she was right - he needed to see someone. It might as well be Klein. Clark wouldn’t trust some other doctor any more than he would trust Klein. And besides that, he trusted Lois. “Okay. I guess we’d better go tell my parents that we’re heading back to Metropolis.”
*************
PART FOURTEEN
*************
Martha stood quietly, listening as Clark finished explaining that he and Lois were going back to Metropolis to have a doctor look at his stitches. As soon as he had finished, she jumped in with the obvious question, “But why not have a doctor look at it here, Clark? If it looks infected, then you probably shouldn’t wait. I could call the doctor that your dad...”
“No, mom,” Clark said, shaking his head. “I don’t want to raise any suspicions. Even if I don’t have my powers right now, I’m still not exactly ‘human’.”
Martha frowned at him, unhappy with his choice of words, but even more unhappy that his reasoning wasn’t entirely sound. “But if that’s what you’re afraid of, then why are you more comfortable going to see some big city doctor? You’re probably less likely to raise suspicion here.”
Clark sighed. He was trying to find a way to get around telling his parents everything. He didn’t want them to worry, but it seemed like his mom was going to continue grilling him until he spilled all the details. She was going to be mad when she found out that he and Lois had been hiding things from them. He knew she’d be upset about the information at Lex Labs on the experiments with Kryptonite, but he wasn’t sure exactly how she’d react to Dr. Klein and what Lois had done. Clark was steeling himself, preparing to come clean, when Lois jumped in.
“Yes, but Clark is going to go see Dr. Klein as Superman.” Lois could tell Clark was fidgeting, trying to decide how much info to divulge. She still didn’t agree with him not telling his parents, but she had agreed to help him keep it a secret. And now, after what she had done and her involvement with Dr. Klein, she wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of laying bare secrets and then being interrogated about them. “He can’t visit a doctor in Smallville as Superman. How would that look? He needs to see someone in Metropolis.”
Martha wasn’t convinced. Something was going on here. Clark looked like he did back when he was four and she had caught him trying to sneak a freshly baked cookie before dinner. She had made him admit the truth to her back then, and he certainly wasn’t going to hide from her now.
Jonathan placed a cautionary hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off. He probably knew what was going through her mind, and he was probably thinking that they shouldn’t butt in - but she was past that point of reasoning right now. This was their boy. Clark had always been open and honest with them, his whole life. The fact that he was being evasive with them now only increased her worry. She was just about to open her mouth to ask another question when Jonathan spoke up.
“Martha, I’m sure Clark and Lois will be careful,” he said, putting his hand back on her shoulder and giving it a warm squeeze. “They’re not going to take Clark to just any doctor, right?”
Lois was shaking her head. “Of course not. Dr. Klein is a family friend. He worked with my father several years ago. We can trust him.” She stepped a little closer to Martha and looked at her earnestly. “Believe me, I won’t let anything happen to Clark.”
Martha’s face softened. She did believe her. Lois had hurt her son before, had broken his heart. But that was in the past. She didn’t believe that it would happen again – not after the way she had seen them together the past couple of days.
No, Lois would take care of their boy, and she had to let them go. “All right,” she said with a soft sigh, “make sure you call us the minute you find something out.” At both of their nods, she continued, “Go get your bags packed and I’ll make some sandwiches to send with you. Airline food is atrocious.”
***********
Clark held the door of his apartment open for Lois. She walked inside and he followed her, closing the door behind them. The air in his apartment smelled faintly of her and it made him smile to think of her staying here – eating at his table, sitting on his couch... sleeping in his bed. He swallowed slightly at that last thought and it warmed him from the inside.
“I should put some clean sheets on your bed,” she said, walking towards his bedroom.
“Why?”
His simple statement brought her to a halt and she turned to look at him. “Because, you don’t want to sleep on the sheets I’d been sleeping on.”
That idea was up for debate, he thought to himself. But that wasn’t what he had been implying. “I’m not going to sleep there, you are.”
She raised an eyebrow at him and then began shaking her head. “No. I’m not taking your bed from you again.”
“Then where are you going to sleep? The couch?” he asked, moving closer to her.
Her stomach fluttered and all the strength seemed to leave her legs. “No. I’m going to get a hotel room.”
“No, you aren’t.” Clark’s voice was firm, not open to discussion.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. You said you were going to go with me to see Dr. Klein tomorrow. You said he told you on the phone that we should come first thing in the morning.”
The electricity between them on the plane ride home and in the taxi on the way here had almost been tangible. It had been sweet torture. But now they were here, in the quiet solitude of his apartment. They were finally alone. No parents, no flight attendants, no taxi cab drivers.
Clark finished closing the distance between them and Lois thought she would die if he didn’t touch her. He was so close. She could almost feel the heat from his body, or maybe that was her imagination.
“So it makes sense for you to just stay here tonight,” he finished explaining.
Lois wanted nothing more than to stay here tonight. But the still functioning part of her rational mind balked at the idea. What would people say if they found out? It could sully her reputation, or Clark’s. Although, she had stayed at his apartment with him before, but back then everyone knew that they were just work partners, friends. Right now, she was a dead man’s ex-fiancee and Clark had recently professed his love for her...
...Not that everyone exactly knew that, but still...
“Clark, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” She tried to take a step away from him but her legs didn’t comply. Her body was crying out for him to touch her... hold her. “What if people got the wrong idea?”
Somehow Clark managed to move even closer to her, still without touching her. If either of them breathed too deeply, their bodies would meet. God, he wanted to hold her. What would she do if he did? Back in Kansas she certainly hadn’t seemed to mind, but that was before he had embarrassed her in the middle of the restaurant, proposing to her.
His heart finally won out and he threw caution to the wind, reaching out to place his hands on her hips.
“Clark...” His name came from her lips as a soft whisper and it fueled the desire he was already feeling.
He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “Please stay,” he whispered next to her ear. “I don’t want you to leave.” Ever, he added mentally.
“All right,” she said, her voice shaky. “But I insist on taking the couch,” she said, trying to keep the mood light. She could feel the heat of his breath on her neck. Kiss me, she silently begged him. She turned her face until their lips were just inches apart. “No arguments,” she murmured close to his mouth.
He groaned at the proximity of her lips. That small sound was Lois’s undoing and she seized hold of his lips, kissing him deeply.
Clark responded, taking a long slow taste of her. Lois was here, really here, and she was his. She loved him. His mind whirled at the thought.
She loved him for everything he had been. Her love encompassed both what he had been able to do as well as what he might never do again. She knew him in a way that no one did – not even his parents. That knowledge fueled his passion for her and he dared to untuck her shirt and slide his hands across the bare shallow curve of her back. Her skin was lusciously soft and he realized that the more he touched her the more he wanted to touch her.
She moaned softly into his mouth as she kissed him again. His hands were so gentle as they traced circles across the small of her back. “Mmm, Clark,” she purred.
Clark’s stomach dropped and hollowed out, a sudden warmth flowing through him. “Lois,” he murmured in return as she pressed her lips to his in a kiss. He responded, kissing her again, just a little longer, before fighting to regain control. “Maybe we should...” He broke off when her hands began tugging on his shirt. She was going to kill him if she kept this up. “Maybe slow down...”
Her hands abruptly stilled. Oh, god. She had gone too fast. He wasn’t ready for this. “I’m sorry,” she stammered, feeling abashed and hastily trying to pull away from him.
Clark wasn’t about to let her go. “I’m not,” he said earnestly. “I just want to take things slow, enjoy being with one another without any added pressure.” He reached up and stroked her hair softly. “I made the mistake of going too fast before, because I was afraid I was going to lose you.” He smiled softly at her. “I don’t want to make that mistake again.”
Lois was feeling a bit like she was floundering on unsteady ground and she was desperate to get back in control. “Going too fast? What? When you declared your love for me? Or when you proposed?” she teased gently.
Clark looked chagrined and released her from his arms. “Lois, I’m so embarrassed about what I did at the restaurant. I can’t believe...”
“Have you really fantasized about proposing to me?” she asked abruptly, not wanting him to suddenly take it back, even if it hadn’t been *real*. He had told her at the restaurant that he had dreamed of proposing, but maybe that had just been the booze talking.
Her question caught him off guard and he stood silently for a moment, considering how much to admit. She was looking at him intently and he remembered his promise not to hide from her. “Yes,” he whispered softly. “I have. But never like that. It’s always in some romantic setting, with soft music playing, and... there’s a ring.”
Lois felt her insides melt. He had dreamed of proposing to her, had worked it all out in his mind. She suddenly realized something – she *wanted* him to propose. Lois shook her head inwardly at herself. How could she even be thinking along those lines? They’d only had one date for crying out loud.
But did that mean anything? Really?
She had dated a few men seriously and had never known any of them as well as she knew Clark. She had always thought that you dated someone to learn about them – their likes and dislikes, their temperament. And yet, she already knew all of that about Clark. Didn’t she? She certainly knew him better than she had Lex... and she had stupidly accepted his proposal.
<All you ever need to know about me is that I love you...>
Lex’s words came back to her and she sneered inwardly at them. What an idiot she had been.
Clark was watching her anxiously and she smiled softly at him. “And what did I say? In your dreams?” she asked quietly, wondering what his answer would be.
Clark looked away from her, embarrassment creeping into his cheeks. “Yes,” he whispered. “They’re my dreams and so you always say yes.”
Lois took a shaky breath. “And what do you think I’d say for real?”
Clark began to sweat. Where was she going with this? He began to feel unnerved. What did she expect him to say? He needed to get things back on steady ground. “I don’t know,” he admitted and then smiled when a thought came to him. “You never gave me an answer from the other night,” he teased, flashing her a grin.
Lois’s emotions were stretched tight and when he said that, she couldn’t do anything but laugh. She laughed for a few seconds and Clark’s smile broadened. “Touche,” she finally replied.
She moved away from him to his chest of drawers, pulling out a clean set of sheets. “You know, though, you’re going to have to change your proposal idea if you want to surprise me. If you take me to some nice place with soft music playing in the background, the jig will be up. I’ll know what’s going on,” she teased playfully as she went to his bed and pulled the blanket back.
Clark was at a loss; he didn’t know how to respond. Was Lois actually talking about the possibility of him proposing to her in the future? How long would he have to wait? He went to the opposite side of the bed, helping her strip the sheets. She refused to look up at him and he realized she was probably worried about what she had said. “I know one thing,” he said softly. “I’ll make sure I have a ring the next time.”
She stopped her tugging motion on one corner of the bed and looked up at him, a curious sparkle in her eyes.
Clark smiled nervously at her and neither of them said a word as they finished making up the bed, just enjoying being together.
**********
Clark lay awake in bed, listening for Lois. He couldn’t hear anything, not this time... not like at the Lexor Hotel on that stakeout. No whisper of movement from her sheets, no sounds escaping from her lips. Without his powers, he might as well have been deaf.
It should have been easier for him to fall asleep, but it wasn’t. What his hearing couldn’t pick up, his imagination was filling in for him. He kept thinking about the fact that Lois was asleep on his couch – just one wall separating them. She had slept here before, but never like this. Now she knew how he felt about her, and he knew how she felt about him...
It was all he could do to keep himself from getting out of bed to check on her. Part of him just wanted to go in there and sit in a chair and watch her sleep. But what would he say if she woke up?
Things had gone so well between them the past few days. He didn’t want to mess it up. So he closed his eyes and tried again to fall asleep.
***********
Lois shifted restlessly on the couch. She hadn’t had any trouble sleeping in Clark’s apartment before... but then again, he hadn’t been here in the same living space with her. Even at his parents’ house, a floor had separated them.
Her mind kept racing to their kiss earlier. The feeling of his lips pressed gently against hers, the soft touch of his fingertips against her skin.
She let out a sigh of frustration. It was going to take her forever to fall asleep if she couldn’t redirect her thoughts. She tried shifting her attention away to focus on something else. But then she was sorry when she realized where her thoughts were turning...
Dr. Klein... Kryptonite... Hair sample... DNA...
When was she going to tell Clark? Maybe she should get out of bed right now and go in there and tell him. But what if she told him and he freaked out and wouldn’t go see Dr. Klein? It was obvious that his wound was infected. He needed to get it treated. Maybe she should just call Dr. Klein in the morning and explain the situation to him and ask him to... She broke off in her thoughts when she heard a noise. She peeked through a cracked eyelid and felt her breath catch when she saw Clark standing there.
What was he doing? He was just standing there silently, as if he were watching her. She couldn’t see his expression, but after a moment she heard the soft whisper of his voice.
“Lois?”
She wanted to answer him but no words would come.
“I guess you’re asleep.” He sighed softly and walked over to the couch.
Every nerve ending in her body went on alert. What was he doing? She should open her eyes right now. She knew she should, but she didn’t. Instead she closed them tighter.
“Goodnight, Lois,” he murmured softly, and she could hear him bending over her. “I love you,” he whispered as he brushed a light kiss into her hair.
Her heart was crying out to tell him the same thing, but she just continued to lie there quietly and soon he moved on into the kitchen. She heard him fill a glass with water and she risked a glance at him.
“I love you too, Clark,” she whispered, realizing that without his super powers he wouldn’t hear her but not finding the courage to say it louder. She buried her head between the couch back and her pillow and tried desperately to quiet her mind.
It was going to be a long night.
**********
Lois listened for the water to start, signaling that Clark was going to be busy for the next few minutes in the shower. It had been a long night and she hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep. It would be her turn in the shower next and she definitely needed one, if for nothing else just to wake her up.
Finally the sound of rushing water hitting the floor of the shower could be heard and she dialed the phone she was holding in her hand. She felt absolutely wretched for continuing to deceive Clark, but she was consoled by telling herself it was for his own good. She couldn’t risk him not going to see...
“Hello, Dr. Klein? It’s Lois Lane. I need you to tell you something...”
**********
Clark felt a little out of sorts as he walked inside Dr. Klein’s laboratory, wearing his Superman suit. He hadn’t worn the Suit since the day of the almost wedding. His powers still hadn’t returned and it just felt a little surreal.
Lois must have sensed his apprehension because in that moment she reached out and took him by the hand, squeezing it gently.
He looked over at her, smiling, and she returned his smile. Then he looked up at the doctor who was eyeing him with admiration. “I appreciate you taking the time to see me, Dr. Klein,” Clark told him, trying to project as much of Superman into his stature as he could - even if he didn’t feel ‘super’.
“Oh, of course,” Dr. Klein responded happily. “How else was I going to get a bl...”
Lois cleared her throat loudly.
“Oh, I mean... um...” Klein stammered.
“Dr. Klein,” Lois interrupted hastily, “Superman is here to have you look at a wound. We’re afraid it might be infected.”
Clark caught the significant look that Lois was giving Dr. Klein and felt an odd shiver run through him. Something about this just didn’t feel right. But before he could think about it further, Dr. Klein was talking again.
“Right, the injury.” He looked chagrined. “You told me that on the phone. Superman, can I get you to pull down your suit for me so I can examine the wound?” He asked, setting a pair of magnifying lenses on top of his head.
Clark complied, unzipping his suit and pulling his left arm out of its sleeve. He peeled the left side of his suit over and down, exposing the dressing covering his stitches.
“Wow, so that’s how the cape works,” Dr. Klein remarked, eyeing the cape’s harness that went under Clark’s arm. “Interesting.” He reached out and carefully peeled back Clark’s bandage. “Hmmm, that definitely looks infected,” he said, frowning. “How long has it been like this?”
“We noticed it yesterday morning,” Clark told him.
Dr. Klein began glancing around the room and patting his pockets. “Now where did I put those glasses?”
“Um, Dr. Klein?” Clark pointed. “They’re on top of your head.”
Klein grinned widely. “Oh, yes.” He pulled them down on his nose and then bent over to take a closer look. “Superman, I have some antibiotics that I keep on hand to treat cuts or injuries that sometimes happen in the lab. If you want me to try a dose on you, we can monitor it and see how it reacts with your biology. I must admit from the hair I’ve studied that your physiology and DNA structure are very similar to an Earth human’s.”
Lois cringed, shutting her eyes. No! She should have known that Dr. Klein was too absent-minded to remember not to mention it. He had already slipped up once and she had caught him. She opened her eyes cautiously to find Clark staring at her. His eyes flashed darkly and she winced.
“You managed to study my DNA from a strand of my hair?” Clark asked, somehow managing to keep the heat out of his voice. It didn’t surprise him. After all, Luthor had cloned him from a piece of his hair. It was the fact that Dr. Klein had obtained a sample of his hair that he was challenging.
Dr. Klein glanced over at Lois and seemed to go a little pale. “Um, yes. It’s quite fascinating, actually. There are a few differences – enough of a difference that you couldn’t donate blood, or accept an organ or tissue transplant, but there are so many similarities that it’s mind boggling.”
Klein glanced from his patient to Lois and back again. When no one said anything, he felt the need to explain himself further, “Think of it in this way. Say we were all...” He looked around the room and spotted the apple he was going to eat for a snack later. He picked it up and held it out for inspection. “Apples. Lois and I,” he said, pointing to himself and at her, “and the people of Earth are all... um, Granny Smith apples. You,” he continued, pointing at Superman, “are still an apple but you’re a... red delicious.” He held up the red delicious apple he was holding as if it were on display.
Despite her precarious situation, Lois found herself smiling at the comment – red delicious - he could say that again.
Klein examined the apple as he spoke, “Basically, what I’m saying is that if the Earth revolved around a different type of sun, a sun like the one from the planet Krypton, that you would very well be just as human as Lois or me, except for a few subtle differences in DNA structure. Back on your home planet, you would not have had the kinds of powers you have here.” Klein breathed on his apple and rubbed it against his lab coat before setting it down on a table.
Lois knew she should keep her mouth shut, but since Clark wasn’t going to ask questions, she decided she would. “But what about now? Why is he...” Clark threw her a warning glance and she broke off. He obviously wanted Dr. Klein to know as little about his situation as possible.
At her hesitancy to continue, Dr. Klein continued, “Vulnerable? I’m assuming that you’ve come into contact with Kryptonite recently, Superman. Is that correct?”
Clark nodded at him, the desire to know more about his own body momentarily overshadowing the feelings of betrayal at what Lois had no doubt done.
Dr. Klein looked thoughtful. “From what I’ve deduced so far, when Kryptonite attacks your body, it drains your reserves of energy from the sun. I think it also does something else at the same time – it poisons your system. Even once you’re removed from the source of the Kryptonite, it still continues to contaminate your system – like radiation poisoning. But,” he continued, holding up a finger for emphasis, “given enough time away from it and in the sun, your body begins to rebuild its super reserves and fights the infection off.”
The doctor paused for a moment and pointed to Clark’s wound before continuing, “In your weakened condition, you can be harmed. You already know that. But I believe that you are also susceptible to things that normal humans are vulnerable to, such as infections. Which is why your wound isn’t healing up like it should.”
“So I can get sick from human diseases if I’m vulnerable long enough?” Clark asked. He was pretty certain of the answer since he had obviously been sick with some sort of cold or flu.
Dr. Klein nodded. “Nothing that would be ‘genetic’, but simple invaders, like viruses or bacteria, yes. I believe it would also allow you to be affected by stimulants to your system such as caffeine, alcohol, or medications, which is why I think a simple antibiotic treatment will work on your wound.”
Lois was amazed. That explained why Clark had gotten drunk the other night. She had been right. Clark wasn’t used to alcohol affecting him, but in his weakened state it had.
Clark nodded. “So I’m assuming with the hair sample Lois provided, you’ve been running tests on the effects of Kryptonite to my genetic make-up?”
Dr. Klein grabbed a clipboard from his table and brought it over to show him. “Yes, I had told Lois that you would need to come in and give me a blood sample before I could conclude the tests. That’s another reason why I’m doing a bit of guessing right now. I’ll know more after examining your blood. I had hoped you would allow me to take a specimen today.”
Clark glanced over at Lois but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. He frowned and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Dr. Klein, but I want you to suspend those tests for right now. Can I trust that you will keep all of the information and samples you’ve collected so far, confidential?”
“Yes, of course, but...”
“I’ll let you know if I intend to proceed with them at a later point,” Clark continued, interrupting him, “or if I would prefer that you simply destroy them.”
Klein’s mouth dropped open in a stunned expression. “Uh, yes, of course. It’s your file and your results,” he conceded, pointing down at the clipboard he was still holding, “But I do have a lot more information that I’d like to share with you, and some questions...”
“Maybe another time,” Clark cut him off. “For now I’d just like to try the antibiotic therapy you mentioned.”
“Of course,” Dr. Klein stammered. “I, uh, really feel like you will respond well to antibiotics. From what I’ve determined so far, I think your body in this weakened state will actually respond faster to antibiotics – to any medicine really - than a human would. If your invulnerability were present, it wouldn’t work at all. But then again, you wouldn’t be wounded, would you?” Klein got a far off look in his eyes and rubbed his balding head. “To be safe, though, I think we should start you out on half doses.”
“I think that would be a good idea,” Clark agreed. “I reacted so strongly to the pain medication in the hospital that it knocked me out.”
Klein nodded. “You should probably come back in a couple of days and let me take another look at the wound. In the meantime, continue changing the dressing on it daily and keep an eye on it.” Klein turned and headed towards a door in one corner of the room. “The antibiotic is kept in the cold storage vault. I’ll be right back.”
Lois watched him key in a passcode and open the door. When he disappeared through it, she could feel Clark’s gaze on her. “Clark, I know what you’re thinking.”
“No, Lois. You couldn’t possibly know what I’m thinking,” he said quietly. “If you did, you wouldn’t even be talking to me right now.”
Lois had opened her mouth to respond but snapped it shut when she saw the pain of betrayal plainly in his eyes. Before she could work up the nerve to say anything else, Dr. Klein had re-entered the room.
“Okay, Superman, I’ll give you an injection of this and we’ll get a clean dressing on your wound. Then you can be on your way,” he said as he walked towards Clark, sticking a syringe into a small vial of liquid. “Just remember to come back in a few days and let me take a look at it.”
Klein withdrew some fluid, pointed the syringe at the ceiling and flicked it. Then he pressed the end, letting a small drop escape from the top.
Clark cringed in anticipation as Klein brought the needle near his skin.
Yes, being normal definitely wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
**********
Lois followed Clark out the front door of the STAR Labs building, watching his cape billow from the breeze coming in from outside. He hadn’t said a word since they’d left Klein’s lab. He hadn’t turned around once to look at her or make sure she was still following him.
“Clark?” she whispered his name hesitantly and then waited for a response – any kind of response. When she didn’t get one, she continued a little louder, “Please say something.” She had known as soon as the words had been out of Klein’s mouth that Clark would be mad at her. But he had never given her the silent treatment before, not like this. He had fought with her, argued with her, even pouted at her in the year that she’d known him, but he’d never just ignored her.
And yet that was precisely what he was doing now.
She didn’t quite know how to deal with it. Was it chancy to try and force him to talk while he was this upset? Or was it more risky to just leave him alone... allowing resentment to build up until there was no way to overcome it?
She found herself thinking an odd thought. What would Martha and Jonathan do? She certainly couldn’t take her cue from her own parents’ interactions with one another. They had ended up divorced after all – they were no example to follow.
But even as good of a marriage as Clark’s parents had, she was sure they’d had their share of disagreements and problems. How did they handle them? She had no idea. What she did know is that she had promised Clark that she wouldn’t mention anything about the Kryptonite to his parents. So calling them about this was unfortunately out of the question.
Clark was continuing to walk, heading in the opposite direction of her Jeep.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
When he continued to ignore her, she sprinted to catch up with him and took his cape in her hands, pulling against him.
Without his super powers to assist, she actually had the strength to slow his movements. The realization of that only fueled his irritation. “What, Lois? What do you want? Would you please let go of my cape?” he asked without turning to face her.
“Not until you talk to me,” she argued. “And I really don’t think you should go parading around town in your Suit.”
“Oh really?” he snipped, glancing back at her. “Yes, I guess it wouldn’t do much for your hero’s reputation to be seen *walking* around town, would it?”
Lois felt like he had slapped her in the face. “Stop it! You know that’s not fair. I’m only thinking about you. Superman has been missing for the last couple of weeks. How would you explain your sudden reappearance? And you don’t have your powers... what if someone needed help and expected you to do something?”
He whirled on her unexpectedly. “Oh, that’s right. I’m helpless and useless without my powers. What would I do?” he replied caustically.
“You know that’s not what I meant,” she bit back. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, that’s all.”
“Too late,” he replied, his eyes flashing. He looked away from her and his fight seemed to disappear. “Just leave me alone,” he said sadly.
Lois sighed exasperatedly. “I did what I did because I wanted to help you. Dr. Klein told me that Kryptonite was deadly enough to kill you. He said it was like radiation poisoning and that if you were exposed long enough...” She shuddered. “It scared me. I wanted to find some way to protect you against it and I really felt like I could trust Dr. Klein. So when you refused to do any testing and I found that hair of yours at your apartment, I did what I felt I had to do to help you. I’m sorry... I should have told you,” she finished earnestly.
Clark didn’t say anything. His shoulders were slumped and he kept his face turned away from her.
“I shouldn’t have gone behind your back,” she continued doggedly. “I know that. If I had it all to do over again...” She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. “I just wanted to help.”
He sighed softly. “I know. But I just can’t... I’m sorry but I need some time alone right now. Just go home to my apartment and I’ll be there later.”
“Go home?” she repeated, feeling a spark of anger ignite. “What am I? A dog?”
Clark’s eyes widened. “No. You know that’s not what I meant.” He ran a hand up through his sculpted hair, mussing it a little. “I just...” He sighed. “I can’t do this right now. If you want to talk later, you can wait for me at my apartment.” He started to walk away but Lois’s hand reached out to stop him.
“Fine, you do what you have to do. You don’t want to talk to me – I can’t make you. But will you please change into your clothes?” she persisted.
Clark nodded silently. He knew they needed to talk. Lois might have been wrong for going behind his back, but he knew she cared about him. And on some levels she was right to do what she did. If Lex had begun experiments on Kryptonite and there were notes and other samples of it out there, Clark needed to do what he could to protect himself.
But he just felt so alone, so *alienated* from everyone and divided from everything he knew and understood that he just needed time to think. Even if that meant time away from Lois.
“Yeah, I’ll change into my clothes in your Jeep.” He turned around and headed in the direction of where they had parked.
Lois followed him, watching him sadly.
**********
To Be Continued...
