Hello, everyone!
Well, Thursday's here, so here's part 4. It's on the short side, just to let you know up front. Hope you all like it. Thanks to all who have left fdk!
TOC From Part 3:
“Lois Lane is a very foolish woman. You could have any woman you wanted, Lex.”
“Lois isn’t just any woman. Oh, but she’ll come to her senses soon enough,” he stated with conviction. “Mrs. Cox, arrange that series K field test we discussed for tomorrow afternoon. I think the time has come for a certain super hero to fall to his knees.”
“I’ll get right on it, Lex. I’ve already had a small piece of the kryptonite made into a necklace.”
“Excellent! I think a false alarm at the Metropolis Bank should do nicely to draw out Superman. After we have confirmation that the kryptonite is effective I want you to implement the other plans immediately. Superman’s days are numbered.”
*****************************
Part 4:
Clark awoke the next morning to the luring aroma of fresh coffee. After taking a short shower and getting dressed he entered his living room and found his parents sitting at the kitchen table. His mother had pancakes and fresh coffee waiting for him.
“Good morning, Honey. Have some pancakes,” his mother said as he took a seat.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“So,” his mother continued, “how did it go last night?”
After leaving Lois at Lex Towers, Clark had been hit with one Superman rescue on top of another. First was a house fire, where thankfully, no one had been injured. He had just left the scene of the fire when he’d heard more sirens. After offering his assistance at a serious car accident, he’d been headed home when he’d noticed that a woman was about to be brutally raped. It was during such rescues that he was reminded why the world needed Superman. By the time he’d made it home the night before, however, his parents had already gone to bed for the night.
“Perry’s retirement dinner was…interesting. The chief had a few too many—a lot of our former co-workers did. Just goes to show how much the Planet will truly be missed,” Clark mused dejectedly.
“How are things going between you and Lois?” Martha asked.
“Things are…complicated. I don’t know what to think. I told her how I felt and she said that she didn’t feel the same way. But now that she knows I’m Superman…” Clark sighed, wishing that he knew all the answers. “I’m more confused than ever. I don’t know what she’s thinking or feeling anymore, and now I’m not sure that I ever did. I’m not even sure *she* knows.”
“Son, this was a big shock for her. She’s probably trying to come to terms with everything. You did say that she’s had a lot of changes in her life recently,” his father pointed out. Clark knew that he could always count on his dad to be the voice of reason.
“I know. We’ve both had a lot of things to deal with. And that’s what worries me. After everything that’s happened I can’t help but wonder…will our friendship survive this?”
“Have you talked to Lois about it?”
“Well, yeah, Mom. I tried. We both agreed that our friendship was too important to throw away. But…” Clark trailed off with a sigh.
“But you worry that your feelings for Lois will always be there between the two of you,” Martha concluded.
Clark nodded, amazed that his mom always seemed to know just what he was trying to say. He was about to tell his mother just that when the phone rang. Clark eyed it warily. It had been ringing off the hook. Reporters had relentlessly pursued him in every way possible. He could no longer walk down the street without someone asking him a barrage of questions. And a lot of his rescues had become extremely difficult to perform. Everyone wanted a piece of Superman and they didn’t have a problem harassing him while he was trying to help someone in need. Now that his secret was out, the public wanted to know every last detail of his life.
“I guess I better get that,” Clark said with a sigh. “It could be Lois.” Clark left the table and picked up the phone, all the while hoping that it wasn’t another nosy reporter.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Kent?” asked a low voice, a voice that Clark didn’t recognize. So much for hoping the call wasn’t from a reporter, Clark thought wryly.
“Yes?” Clark answered, a touch of exasperation in his voice. Would he never have a moment of peace? Was this how he was supposed to live his life from now on? Always looking over his shoulder while out in public, always afraid to answer his own phone? He couldn’t even leave his apartment without being harassed. And even worse, he constantly worried about his parents, about his friends…about Lois. They would never be safe now.
“Well, Mr. Kent,” the low voice started, breaking Clark out of his thoughts, “I must say that Lois Lane is one fine-looking woman. From where I stand she’s a perfect ten on my scale—maybe even an eleven. Although, I’m sure you know how sexy she is; you worked with her for a year. Tell me, Mr. Kent, how fast *can* you fly?”
Cold, icy terror ran through Clark’s veins at the mystery caller’s words. “Who is this? What do you want?”
“I want what every red-blooded male wants. I want a woman. And you know what? I think Ms. Lane will do just fine.”
The phone went dead, leaving Clark looking at it while it dangled from his hand. Blinding fear seized him so suddenly that he almost crushed the phone in his haste to hang it up.
“Who was that, Son?” Jonathan asked, clearly worried.
“I don’t know, but I think Lois might be in trouble,” was all Clark said before spinning into the suit. He sped to his balcony and was airborne a second later, not stopping to care whether or not someone might spot Superman leaving Clark Kent’s balcony. There was only one thought in his head, and it repeated itself over and over in his mind like a broken record.
Lois was in trouble.
***
Lois had just gotten out of the shower and was drying her hair when Clark suddenly came barging through the open window in her living room. She gaped at him in shock. “Clark? What’s wrong?”
He stepped closer to her, a wild look in his eyes, and it was then that she saw the fear in his expression. He looked away long enough to gaze intently around the room, apparently looking for something.
She stepped closer to him and laid her hand on his spandex-clad chest, bringing his gaze back to her. “Clark, are you okay?”
“I think the question is, are *you* okay, Lois?”
“Me? I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” Lois asked, puzzled. She looked down at herself, fully clad in a black terrycloth bathrobe. She didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. What in the world was going on?
Clark sighed, his shoulders slumping in what Lois could only describe as pure relief. “I got a phone call. The caller implied that he was watching you. He talked about how…attractive you are. Then he asked me how fast I could fly. So many things went through my head, Lois. I was so scared. I was scared that I wouldn’t make it to you in time. Hell, that’s one of my biggest fears anyway. But this—people knowing who I am—Lois, it’s what I’ve feared the most for just this reason. Now that the public knows that I’m Superman, everyone I care about will always be a target.”
“Calm down, Clark. It was probably just a prank call, probably just some criminal wannabe out looking for a way to get under Superman’s skin. And it worked, didn’t it?” Lois pointed out.
“Yeah, it worked a little too well.”
“Well, did you see anything—or anyone—suspicious looking?”
“No, nothing. You’re probably right. But it doesn’t change the fact that next time it could be real. Everyone I’m close to is in danger now. I used to think that kryptonite was the only thing on earth that could hurt me, but now I know better. Using the people I love is a far more powerful weapon,” he declared, his hand reaching to slide along her cheek before winding its way into her damp, towel dried hair. “God, Lois, I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you,” he said, his voice raw with emotion.
Lois went breathless at his touch, and the intensity in his expression made her heart flutter in anticipation. She wanted to believe that they had a chance at being together, and his words gave her hope. “Clark…” She trailed off as he leaned closer. Her fluttering heart went into overdrive at the thought that he was about to kiss her.
<Kiss me, Clark. Please kiss me,> she silently pleaded. She would have given anything to feel his lips on hers at that moment.
He suddenly stepped back, a look of apology in his eyes. “I-I didn’t mean to…”
“No, Clark. Don’t be sorry. In fact, there’s something I need to tell you,” Lois said, gathering her courage. She loved him. She loved him for all the times he’d stood by her, even when she didn’t deserve it. She loved him for the way he teased her, although she’d never admit it to him. She loved him for the way that he loved her. Despite the horrible way she’d treated him in the past, he’d never once given up on her. If she could only make him see how much he meant to her—how much she loved him.
“What is it, Lois?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts.
“I know that it might be too soon for you to believe, especially after everything that’s happened, but the truth is—”
The high-pitched ringing of her phone startled her. She sighed in frustration as she went to pick up the receiver. “I’ll be just a minute, Clark,” she said before answering the call.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Lois. I’m calling because some very troubling news just came across my desk.”
Lois mouthed to Clark that it was Lex, motioning for him to listen in on the conversation. “And what news would that be, Lex?”
“Why, news of your resignation, of course! My dear, just because you’re not ready to accept my proposal yet doesn’t mean that I would expect you to leave your job at LNN.”
Lois couldn’t help but notice his use of the word “yet.” He’d obviously not given up on the idea of marrying her. “It was very kind of you to offer the job to me, Lex. But I’ve decided that broadcast news isn’t where my heart lies,” she told him.
“I do hope that you will reconsider, Lois, as I hope that you will reconsider my proposal of marriage as well.”
“Your persistence is admirable, but I know that I won’t change my mind. Thank you for the call, Lex, but I must be going.”
Lois turned to Clark after hanging up the phone. “He’s not going to give up, is he, Clark?” Lois asked, her voice full of worry. Lex Luthor made her nervous.
“You won’t have to worry about him for much longer. He’ll be sitting behind bars soon,” Clark assured her. “So,” he hesitated, “you were trying to tell me something before he called?” he asked, taking her hand in his.
Lois pulled her hand away and turned away from him. Lex’s phone call had broken the intimate moment between them. “I, uh…it’s not important,” Lois said, chickening out.
“It seemed important a moment ago,” Clark pointed out.
Lois turned to face him again. The second her eyes met his she felt it—an electrifying jolt to her system. She didn’t know how she’d worked with him for a year and been able to ignore it. Now that Pandora’s Box had been opened it would be ignored no longer. She knew with absolute certainty that there was something between her and Clark, something that she had no control over. Something so powerful it would consume her if she let it. The thought was terrifying.
“Clark, I wanted to tell you something, but I’m not sure you’re ready to hear it, or believe it, yet,” Lois hedged, unsure if she should tell him how she felt about him. After swooning over Superman while ignoring him as Clark for a year, she wouldn’t blame him if he couldn’t believe that she loved him—the man—and not Superman, with the extraordinary powers.
“Lois, you can tell me anything,” Clark said gently.
And she knew that she could. That was one thing that was so special about Clark. She could tell him her deepest secrets, dreams, and fears, and he would never judge her, or breathe a word to anyone. He could be trusted, which was an odd thought if she took into consideration his daily lies and deceptions. Lois gave herself a mental shake, reining in her runaway thoughts.
“I know that I can tell you anything, Clark. But this…I’m scared to say the words. I’m scared of what your reaction will be.”
“That’s how I felt every time I thought of telling you about Superman. But I wish that I’d told you anyway, I wish that you hadn’t found out the way you had,” he told her, and she could clearly hear the remorse in his voice—see it in his eyes.
She stepped closer to him, needing to feel his body near hers, wishing that she wasn’t so afraid to touch him. He hadn’t trusted in her—in them—enough to tell her that he was Superman. It was something that he clearly regretted. She didn’t want to make the same mistake. She didn’t want anymore secrets between them. Lois drew in a deep breath before reaching her hand out hesitantly. His dark eyes drifted shut the moment her palm rested against his cheek. The sound of his sigh melted her insides. She stepped even closer, unable to stop herself.
“Lois…” he said breathlessly, his eyes opening to find hers again.
“Clark…I’m in love with you.” Lois let out a breath, relieved to have gotten the words out. “That’s what I wanted to tell you. I know that you might not be ready to hear it, and I’m sure that it seems sudden, but it’s really not. It’s something that I’ve been ignoring for a while now, because *I* was afraid.”
He sighed before his eyes left hers. Her heart dropped as she realized that he was looking away in avoidance. “Lois…you’re right, I don’t think I am ready to hear that, even though it’s something I’ve dreamed of hearing you say for months now. But so much has happened, and I think you need time to catch up with it all.”
Lois fought back tears, her heart squeezing painfully at his rejection. This seemed to be their dance, the dance of rejection. First she’d rejected him as Clark, then he’d rejected her as Superman, and now he was doing it as Clark. And it was this latest rejection—the one as Clark—that hurt the most.
Clark reached out to brush a tear away that Lois was startled to realize was only one of many that were running down her cheeks. “Don’t cry, Lois. I can’t stand to see you cry,” he said softly.
She turned her back to him, unable to let him see her cry. She should have known better than to tell him the truth. She knew that after everything she’d said and done, there was no possible way that he could forgive her—that he could still love her.
<You’re no saint, but neither is he.> A little voice in her head pointed out. She wiped her tears away at that. The voice was right. She was able to forgive him for his long year of deception. Why did he find it so hard to forgive her?
She turned to him again, her eyes seeking his. “I forgave you for lying to me for a year, Clark. Why can’t you forgive me for being so foolish? You made me think you were two different people, for crying out loud!”
“I do forgive you, Lois. That was never an issue. I was hurt and angry, but I realized my part in this mess, too. I’m not blameless. But this isn’t about forgiving, or even a question of whether or not I love you—you know I do. This has to do with you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lois asked bitingly.
Clark sighed. “You’ve said all along that you love Superman, but only saw Clark as a friend. I’m not sure I can be who you want me to be. I’m just Clark; I always have been,” he explained.
“Do you always talk about yourself in the third person?” Lois asked, amused despite the serious nature of their conversation.
Clark smiled at that. “Yeah, it drives my mom nuts.”
They stood in silence for a few moments, their eyes locked on each other. Lois’s heart was pounding so loud, she was sure that he could hear it. Not being able to stand the silence any longer, Lois spoke, “I do love you, and one day I hope that you can see that.”
“I want to believe you, Lois. I’ve wanted nothing more. But under the circumstances…”
“Yeah, I’ve heard those words before,” Lois said sarcastically, rolling her eyes in frustration.
“I’m not saying that I won’t ever believe you, Lois. I’m just saying…let’s take this slow. Everything that’s happened, it’s still too soon. I can’t let myself start to hope again. Not yet,” he confessed.
His words gave her hope. Maybe in time, he’d realize that she really did love him. “Take it slow; I can do slow,” she assured him with a smile. “Clark, I…” she trailed off at the look of distraction that crossed his face. It suddenly occurred to her that it was an expression she’d seen countless times before in the past, although it hadn’t made sense until now. “What is it?”
“A bank alarm. I have to go. I’m sorry, Lois. We’ll finish talking later, okay?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll see you later,” she said, then watched as he left through her window.
*****
Lex hung up the phone, a smile of satisfaction on his face. Superman had fallen right into his trap. The false alarm had gone off without a hitch. And Mrs. Cox had just informed him that the kryptonite did indeed have an effect on Superman.
Lex got up from his desk and went out onto his balcony. He puffed on his cigar as he looked out over the city. It wouldn’t be long now. He would soon have everything he wanted.
Almost everything.
His eyes narrowed as the matter of Lois Lane entered his mind. He was aware that simple charm would not win her, as he’d first hoped. Disrupting the balance of her daily life hadn’t done the trick either. And even worse, he’d underestimated her feelings for her partner. Finding out that Clark Kent was Superman hadn’t resulted in Lois rejecting the super hero. Quite the opposite had happened, actually. She was now sticking by his side like glue.
Which told Lex one thing.
He’d been a fool to believe that Lois only saw her partner in a platonic light. Lois was in love with Clark Kent. The conversation he’d overheard thanks to the bug he’d hidden in her purse had confirmed his suspicions. He’d underestimated Kent, and in doing so, his plan had backfired horribly. By exposing Clark Kent as Superman, he’d hoped to ruin Lois’s ridiculous infatuation with the super hero. He had assumed that Lois had seen Kent as he’d seen him—someone insignificant and unimportant. Apparently, he’d been wrong. Lois had been in love with Kent all along—in both his guises.
Suddenly, Kent’s words repeated themselves in his mind. <Using the people I love is a far more powerful weapon.>
Lex paused in his musings as an idea occurred to him. He’d bet that the same would be true for Lois as well. Maybe all wasn’t lost, after all. Maybe he could use her love for Clark Kent to his advantage. Lex smiled, his eyes bright with evil brilliance. Going back into his office, he quickly placed a call to his personal assistant.
“Mrs. Cox, contact Lois Lane and tell her that I’d like to have a word with her about Superman.”
“I’ll get on it right away, Lex. Is there anything else?” Mrs. Cox asked.
“Yes. Tell her that I have information about kryptonite.”
TBC...
