PREVIOUSLY...
“So even when I thought the worst about you, I still somehow felt as if you were my best friend,” Lois said, digesting this new information. Everything that had happened between them made so much more sense to her now - how she had been able to trust and distrust him, love and hate him all at the same time. And why, even when she’d thought the worst of him, she’d still been so drawn to him.
But what did it all mean? After all, if this were simply a case of them changing the past, then their alternate selves shouldn’t be getting memories of what had, for them, never happened - should they? But if this wasn’t a simple case of them changing the past, what the hell was going on here?
AND NOW...
* * * * * * * * *
Chapter Forty-Two
* * * * * * * * *
“Let’s put that on hold for the moment,” Clark said when neither of them had any ideas what to make of this new information. “I just remembered something else. Do you remember in our reality when Luckabee blew up a building where a bunch of union leaders were secretly meeting to discuss Lexcorp going union?”
Lois nodded.
“Well... in this reality, I heard the explosion. Like in our reality, I was too late to save anyone, but... Well, I took quite a risk by rushing into the building only moments after the explosion. But it was just... I don’t know. Instinct, I guess. Not that I thought I could save anyone - after all, it was already pretty clear that no one would have survived the explosion. But afterwards, I started thinking...”
**After their near-run-in with Olsen, Clark had become convinced that it was time to go public. It was the next step. Until they did, he couldn’t even think about asking her to marry him - something that he was doing more and more often in recent weeks. Not that he hadn’t he hadn’t thought about it a lot over the years. But the urge to marry her had been growing progressively stronger ever since he’d returned to Earth after his time with the New Kryptonians. And now that they had gotten closer...
Yet now, after almost getting caught when the cops arrived at the building before he could exit, he wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. What if they did go public, what if they married and then he did something stupid and someone discovered his secret? Did he dare put Lane in such a position?
And more and more these days, he knew that he wasn’t going to be able to keep this secret forever. His guilt factor was already at its limit. And it was starting to seem more and more natural to rush in and save the day. But what would getting caught do to his relationship with Lane? Maybe having a relationship was not fair to her, to any woman.**
“Oh, god,” Lois groaned. “You didn’t break up with me, did you?”
Clark shrugged. “Well, I knew how much grief you’d have to put up with if we went public with our relationship and then if I got caught using my powers...” He shrugged.
“So...?”
“No. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t break up with you. I really felt as if I should. I just couldn’t do it. But I did also didn’t raise the idea again of our going public.”
Lois nodded, turning back to her computer.
Clark did the same and soon he was staring at another headline that pulled on the edges of his memory.
‘Little Tony Big On Crime,’ by Clark Kent.
He looked over at Lois. She was engrossed in her own article.
‘Museum Robber Agile As Monkey,’ by Lois Lane.
“Woody Samms,” Clark said. “I remember that. He stole my body to settle his debt with Little Tony.”
“I remember that, too - but not for the reason you might think.” When he crinkled his eyebrows, she gave a small shrug. “It was the only time we’d ever been able to be seen in public together.”
**It wasn’t his looks that bound them together. And although she’d always been attracted to Kent’s looks, it was something about his soul that made her his. However, it wasn’t until he showed up on her doorsteps in the body of Woody Samms that she’d known for certain that it was the man who attracted her, not his body.
And the evening had been perfect. For once, she’d had no fear about being seen with him. There was something so wonderful about being able to walk down the streets of Metropolis, holding his hand. Okay, so he was in a body that was probably old enough to belong to her father. But who really cared about that? At least they’d been able to touch and kiss in public.
So when he showed up on the balcony, once again in his own body, she’d known that it was time. Time to take on Perry. Time to tell her mother. Oh, she would have to break the news gently, of course. But she would find a way.
This man was her future. She knew that as surely as she knew that he was a good man. She still couldn’t quite get her mind around the reason someone would pretend to be him in order to set her up, but... He said it wasn’t him.
And finally, she truly believed him.
The man she’d come to know over the past few months could never have done anything like that. Still, convincing her mother was not going to be easy.
Kent would be thrilled. She’d realized ever since their latest run-in with Jimmy that he wanted to go public. She knew he’d been hurt when she’d insisted on sneaking out of the restaurant. And since then, he’d mentioned on occasion the idea of having her meet his parents. She hadn’t been so sure. After all, parents didn’t tend to find her acceptable. She wasn’t the bake cookies, raise children type of woman that all parents imagined for their sons. Besides, how could she meet his parents when she still didn’t have the nerve to tell her own mother?
But that was all about to change. He was right. It was time.
On the other hand, if they were about to break rule number two... what about rule number one?
With a sassy wiggle in her hips, she sauntered towards her room. She had an outfit that would be perfect for tonight.**
“I remember that outfit. You wore something similar in our reality... On our wedding night.”
Lois brushed a strand of hair behind her hair, ducking her head slightly.
“Only then, I bought it for you,” Clark continued.
“Well, in this reality, I bought it myself. For some reason, the second I saw it, I just knew you’d love it.” She paused, momentarily lost in thought. “I think it must have been another one of those... you know... memories I was getting from our past.” She looked directly at him. “Did that make any sense?”
Clark laughed. “I know what you mean. Anyway, I remember landing on your balcony that night and...”
**“It’s unlocked,” Lane yelled when he knocked softly on the balcony door.
He pushed open the door, stopping just inside. Soft music was playing. A fire was burning in the fire place. Candles provided the only other lumination in the room.
“Why don’t you open the wine?” she called from her bedroom.
He looked at the coffee table, only then noticing the bucket containing a bottle of wine sitting beside two empty wine glasses. He glanced at the door to her bedroom, wondering exactly what was going on here tonight. Still, without worrying too deeply about it, he walked over to the table, removing the wine bottle and popping the cork in order to do as she’d instructed.
“Come here often, flyboy?”
Her voice, no longer muffled by the closed door, made him turn towards her. His mouth fell open when he saw her standing there, leaning against the doorframe in the sexiest negligee he thought he’d ever seen. The robe meant to cover her was completely see-through and the body of the outfit didn’t leave much to the imagination. Oh, but that didn’t stop his imagination from working overtime to fill in the missing pieces.
“I want to renegotiate rule number one,” she said, her voice not much more than a low growl.
Clark swallowed hard, knowing immediately that there was no negotiating to do. The issue was already settled. Setting down the bottle of wine, he was drawn, as if no more than a metal filing in the presence of a magnet, towards her.
“Lane,” he growled softly, marveling that what had once been a formal address between two ‘enemies’ was now a whispered plea between lovers.
He could see her shiver, as if she too had made the connection and that the term of endearment on his lips had traveled through her like a spark of lightning. He gave his head a quick shake, not quite able to believe this was actually happening. In fact, he felt as if he were in a dream as he slipped the robe off her shoulders and lowered his mouth to hers.
God, how he’d missed her.
Her hands were immediately pulling at his shirt, digging it out of his trousers. He stepped back far enough to pull it off before taking her in his arms once more to resume the kiss. His entire body felt as if it were on fire. It had been so long. So terribly long. He wasn’t sure he had time for patience, for finesse. The way she began tugging at his belt told him she felt the same.
He didn’t wait for her to get it undone. Without a second thought, he had her in his arms and was carrying her towards her bed, his lips never breaking contact with hers.
After he placed her on the bed, he stood back, pulling off his remaining clothing while his gaze ran over her kiss swollen lips and down to the rumpled negligee which did little to hide her from view. As his eyes returned to her face, he recognized the fire he could see burning in her eyes as she too sought to again know the mysteries of his body. Unable to stand the separation between them for one more moment, he pounced. Hands moved. Lips roamed. Bodies strained towards each other hungrily, searching and finding the love they both craved from the other.**
* * * * * * * * *
**Clark was half asleep when Lane shifted in arms. Placing an arm across his chest, she moved up so that she could look down at him. He opened his eyes, contemplating her intense gaze.
“Are you sorry?” he asked.
“About?”
He gestured to the bed.
Her instantaneous smile reassured him. “No.”
“Then what is it?”
“I’ve been thinking.”
“Uhh... That explains the smell of burning rubber.”
She swatted his chest.
“Careful, woman. Or I’ll have to teach you a lesson.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
His eyebrows rose. “Wouldn’t I?”
“No, you wouldn’t.” She raised her hand again and their eyes met in silent laughter. And then... she swatted him again.
He had her down on the bed beneath him less than a second later. “I warned you,” he said, as he began tickling her.
She squealed and squirmed beneath him, struggling against his hands and managing to tickle him as well until both of them were breathless from laughter. Finally exhausted, he collapsed beside her.
“You gave up. I win,” she announced.
He looked over at her still laughing eyes and gestured in defeat. “There’s no winning with you, is there?”
“No.”
He laughed, rolling onto his side to face her. “So tell me.”
“What?” she asked, even as she rolled over to face him.
“You said you’ve been thinking. What have you been thinking?”
“Oh right.” She watched her hand in apparent fascination as it moved over the muscles of his chest. “I think it might be time to break rule number two as well.”
Clark froze. She looked up at him and by the expression on her face, he realized that his reaction to her proclamation must be all too obvious. He quickly schooled his features, but it was too late. She was already pulling away from him, gathering more of the sheet around herself, as if to protect herself from imminent rejection.
“Guess I misunderstood,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I thought you wanted people to know about us. Sorry.” She was already squirming to get out of bed, as if she intended to abandon him.
“No! Wait!” he said, grabbing her arm to prevent further retreat. “It’s not like that. It’s just...”
“Just what?”
He let out a slow breath. “I want more than anything to go to the top of the highest building in Metropolis and shout out to the world that Clark Kent loves Lois Lane.”
“Then...?”
He struggled for a moment to find the words that would reach her, that would cause the barrier he could see her already building back up, the barrier he had not seen from her in months, to come crashing back down. He could not lose her. It would destroy him if he did. “I’m... scared,” he finally said.
He knew immediately that he’d chosen the right way to broach the topic. She settled back down on the bed.
“Scared?” she asked.
“You know that I’ve been struggling recently with... well, my need to use my powers to help others, right?”
She nodded.
“What if... well, what if someone catches me? Do you have any idea what would happen if the world realized what I can do? Do you think they would ever leave me in peace? And if people know that we’re involved, what would it do to you?”**
Lois growled, running her hand through her hair in agitation. “I want to go back to our reality,” she finally said.
“Me, too, honey. Me, too.”
“Well... I just got to try this.” She jumped to her feet, ignoring the confused expression on her husband’s face. “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home,” she chanted while clicking her heels together. Her eyes were closed and when she opened them, she immediately looked at Clark who appeared slightly amused. “Guess not, huh?”
Clark shook his head. “Sorry.”
Lois shrugged. “Must have been the ruby slippers.” She took her seat again. “So we didn’t go public, but... Are we still together?”
Clark didn’t answer her question. Instead, he launched into another story, something that happened a couple of weeks later.
**Clark used his x-ray vision to look into the warehouse. All of his research into the missing children had led him there. However, nothing could have prepared him for the sights and sounds coming from inside.
“I miss my mommy.”
“I miss my doggy.”
“I want to go home.”
“I’m scared.”
The children were talking over each other, each looking up at the only adult in their midst as if seeking there the reassurance they required.
Lane.
He gasped. How had she gotten there first and... how had she become a prisoner, too?
He was transfixed when he saw her sit down among the children.
“Let me tell you a story,” she said. “Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived on a far away planet. He had to leave his home because the whole planet was about to explode.”
Clark looked at the children. They were completely captivated by Lane’s story.
“And his mommy and daddy didn’t have time to build a big space ship for the whole family. They could only make one for him so that he could escape before it was too late.
“So they sent him into space for millions and millions of miles before he landed here, on Earth. And he was really, really scared, like you guys are now, because he missed his home, and his mommy and daddy, too. But he reached deep down inside and found that he was also really, really brave, too, which helped him not to be scared anymore.”
“Did he have a dog?” one of the kids asked.
“Well, after he arrived on Earth, he lived on a farm, so he probably had a dog,” Lois responded.
“And horses and cows?”
“Those too.”
“Wow. I want to live on a farm.”
“Me, too.”
Lane smiled at the kids before continuing her story. “So when you’re sad or scared, you just remember the little space boy and remember that, if you keep believing in yourself, everything will always work out for the best.” She paused for a moment, as if not sure how to conclude the story, before saying, “The end.”
The kids grinned and clapped as Lane rose to her feet. It was only then that Clark noticed that Dr. Klein was also there - working on something in the background.
“Lois, that was amazing,” Klein said, gesturing to the now calm children. “I’m impressed. How did you know what to do?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Lane responded. “Maybe I saw it on some old movie or something.”
“Maybe it’s just maternal instinct.”
“Nah...” Lane began before stopping and looking back at the children. “You think?” she suddenly asked, as if contemplating that possibility.
Clark’s heart dropped. Chances were that he would never be able to give her children - something that until now he hadn’t realized she even wanted. But the look on her face right now... And Dr. Klein was right. She was a natural. So even if he were brave enough to marry her given his fear that someone would find out about him, turning his life - and hers - into a media circus... And what if he was wrong and they did have children... What would their lives be like if people found out about him?
Obviously, he hadn’t thought things through enough when he’d first gotten involved with her. And now that he had thought about it, he knew it wasn’t fair to keep her bound to him, tied to a relationship with no future - the possibility of no privacy - and no children?
He quickly pushed the thought to the back of his mind. For now the important thing was to get Lane, Klein and the children safely out of there. As for the rest... Well, there would be time enough to deal with that when everyone was safe.**
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like what’s coming next?” Lois said cautiously.
Clark shrugged. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t know what else to do.”
“Oh, god. I remember this,” Lois said softly before starting her story.
**He hadn’t knocked - which was strange because he was obviously standing on her balcony. If she hadn’t looked up, she wouldn’t even know he was there. She walked over, opening the door.
“Kent?” she asked.
“Hi,” he said.
He looked uncomfortable, as if he would rather be anywhere but there.
“Do you want to come in?” she asked.
He didn’t respond. Instead, he leaned against the edge of the balcony. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.” She stepped out onto the balcony, pulling her robe closed to keep out the chill in the night air.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“Well, that can be a good thing, I guess,” she teased.
He didn’t respond, and suddenly she had a really bad feeling about this. She reached out to him but he shrugged away.
“Lane, I’m not... I guess what I’m trying to say is that we can’t see each other any more.”
Lois suddenly felt very cold. “What?” she asked cautiously.
“There’s just too much about us that doesn’t work.”
She cocked her eyebrows. She knew there was a dangerous edge in her voice when she spoke again. “That’s not what you said last night.”
He cringed, informing her that she’d scored a direct hit.
“I’m sorry about that,” he said, still not looking directly at her. “But it doesn’t change anything. We just... can’t be together.”
“Why are you doing this, Kent?” she asked.
“I love you.”
“You can’t be with me because you love me?” she asked in disbelief. “Now that certainly makes a lot of sense.”
“I can’t give you the life you deserve.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“One of these days, some kid with a camera is going to catch me pulling one of my stunts, or I’m going to have to reveal myself in order to rescue someone - and then my life will be over. I can’t bring you down with me. And then there’s the issue of children...”
Huh?
“I saw you with those kids, Lane. You were a natural. You deserve to be a mother. And the chances that I’d ever be able to give you that... I’m an alien. What chance is there, realistically, that I can ever procreate with an Earth woman? And even if I could, would it be fair to them to always worry about when their dad was going to be exposed as an alien?”
Kids? What the hell was he talking about kids for? She wasn’t even sure she wanted kids.
“And that’s why I came here. To tell you... I don’t think this is going to work out. This is for your best - believe me. You deserve someone who can give you all the things that I can’t. Marriage. Kids. A family. A real life. I’m just... so sorry.”
Lois stared at him, stunned into silence. Before she could find the words she needed to refute him, he was gone. She shivered, tears forming in her eyes, at the cold air he left in his wake.
“I’m not even sure I want kids,” she finally yelled to the night sky. “And if I did... Haven’t you ever heard of adoption?” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “And shouldn’t I be the one to decide what I deserve?”
The silent night gave her no answer. She sank down onto the balcony, wrapping her robe tighter around her as the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. It was over. He was gone.**
“I hate it when you get noble,” Lois said. “Damn it, Clark. Breaking up with me for my own good?”
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” Clark said in his own defense.
Lois rolled her eyes. “Just like you did when you broke up with me after our encounter with Bob Fences. I guess some things don’t change in any reality.”
“What things?”
“Your adeptness at making bone-headed decisions for the both of us.”
Lois was still teary-eyed from telling her latest story when the door to the conference room suddenly opened. She brushed quickly at her eyes when she saw Perry standing in the doorway.
He looked between her and Clark. “Everything all right in here?” he asked, looking suspiciously at Clark.
“Everything’s fine, Perry. What’s up?” Lois responded quickly. Clark had just reached a truce with Perry. She wasn’t about to louse that up - even if at the moment she still felt a lot of the anger she’d felt with Kent when he’d broken up with her for her own good.
“I just got a call from the hospital,” Perry said, putting aside his worries.
“Claude?” Lois asked.
Perry nodded. “Apparently, he broke his back, both his legs, his arm in three different places and a couple ribs. He has a concussion and they’ve had to deal with some internal bleeding - not to mention a lot of cuts, bruises and broken teeth. But for now, at least, he’s stable.”
“His back? Is he paralyzed?” Clark asked.
Perry shook his head. “They don’t think so. But even if they’re right, rehabilitation is going to take a long time.” He paused. “Lois, can I speak to you in private for a moment?”
“Sure,” Lois said, rising to her feet.
She followed her boss from the conference room. Before stepping out the door, she glanced back at Clark, shrugging her shoulders, indicating she didn’t know what Perry wanted either.
Once they were safely in Perry’s office, she watched as he closed the door.
“What’s up, Perry?”
“Since Claude isn’t going to be back for the foreseeable future, I’m looking for a new department head.”
“So you want to know if I know anyone who might be available?”
“No. I want to offer you the job.”
Lois stared at him in silence before shaking her head. “Thanks for the offer, Perry. But I’m a reporter.”
Perry sank down into his chair. “That’s what I expected you to say. And it would be a shame to take you off the streets. You’re just too good a reporter. But I thought I’d ask.”
“On the other hand, I could use a raise,” she added, feeling a little cocky after Perry’s words of praise.
Perry gave a full-bellied laugh. “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, I do want to promote internally. And if I do that... Well, I guess I’m going to have an opening in the newsroom. So if you hear of any good reporters looking for a place to hang their hat, let me know.”
Lois bit back the name that immediately sprung to mind. They were going to change this reality - and get back to their daughter. She was not there to improve on this one. It would be an admission of defeat. “I”ll keep my ears open, Perry,” she said instead.
She yawned as she stepped back into the conference room.
“Everything all right?” Clark asked.
She nodded around a second yawn, causing Clark to glance up at the clock.
“What do you say we call it a night?” he asked, rising to his feet.
The question caused Lois to look up at the clock. It was almost midnight. “I guess you’re right,” Lois said, reaching over to shut down her computer. They’d start again first thing in the morning.
* * * * * * * * *
Jimmy watched as Kent’s hand rested on the small of Lois’ back as he directed her into the elevator. Jimmy hadn’t told Perry what he’d overheard in the conference room earlier in the day. He had planned to keep an eye on the situation during the day and then make his decision tonight. But then Kent had saved them when Dragon’s men had trapped them in the storage room.
So now Jimmy wasn’t quite so sure what he should do. Before he went to Perry, he needed to know more. So the instant the elevator doors closed, he sprinted for the stairway, determined to beat Lois and Kent to the parking garage.
* * * * * * * * *
During their first trip to her apartment, Lois had discovered her jeep parked outside. As a result, they’d driven it into the Daily Planet this morning. Good thing, too, since although most of Clark’s powers were gradually starting to return, he still wasn’t up to flying.
This morning. Had it really been only this morning that they’d left her apartment to go to the Daily Planet? It hardly felt possible. A lifetime had happened since then.
She sighed as she settled into the driver’s seat.
“Everything okay?” Clark asked.
She shot him a look that he clearly understood.
“Okay. Dumb question.”
As Lois negotiated the jeep onto the streets, they remained silent, both lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, a thought struck Lois that caused her to laugh.
“What?” Clark asked.
“I was just thinking.”
“About?”
“Vicky.” She glanced over at her husband. “I don’t think I had a chance to tell you this. But... remember when I went down to Costmart to look for a new washing machine the other day?”
Clark nodded. “Yeah. You muttered something about how hard my suits are on those machines. Personally, I think the problem is those negligees of yours.”
She reached across, giving him a swat, before a good response came to her. “Well, if that’s true, maybe I should quit buying lingerie.”
“Bite you tongue, woman,” Clark responded immediately causing Lois to laugh. “So tell me what happened with Vicky when you went to Costmart.” Nothing had the power to relax him more than hearing amusing stories about his daughter - well, except perhaps for some private time with his wife.
“Oh, right. Anyway, Vicky had been saying for the past little while that she needed to go potty. But I was right in the middle of some pretty intense negotiations with the salesman, so I kept telling her that we’d go in a few minutes. Well, it seems that our daughter is... a very resourceful little girl because, suddenly, I hear Vicky’s voice calling ‘mommy.’ So I looked around and there was your daughter, standing there with her pants down around her ankles.”
“Oh, god,” Clark breathed.
“Anyway, I rushed over and asked her what happened while attempting to pull up her pants. I was terrified that... Well, you know.”
“So what did she say?”
“She said, ‘That potty doesn’t have any paper, mommy.’”
“What?”
Lois laughed. “She was pointing at the display toilets set up in the store.”
Clark burst out laughing. “So she had...”
Lois nodded.
“So what did the salesman say?”
“He made some inane comment about that happening all the time.”
“And what did you do?”
“What do you think I did? I grabbed your daughter and got both of us out of there as fast as humanly possible,” she said before bursting out laughing. Clark joined her in laughter.
“We’ve got to get her back, Clark,” Lois said when the laughter died. “I couldn’t stand it if...” She couldn’t complete her thought.
“We will, Lois,” Clark said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “I swear, we will.”
* * * * * * * * *
Jimmy pulled his car to a stop down the street from Lois’ apartment building, watching in disbelief as Lois and Kent emerged from the jeep and walked, hand in hand, into the building.
What was Kent doing there? Why hadn’t she dropped him off at his own apartment?
And now what did he do? He sat there for a long time trying to figure out his next step when he saw someone else approach the building.
“What?” he mumbled to himself. “How is that even possible?” he asked as he watched a second Lois Lane enter the building, this one carrying an overnight bag in one hand and a paper bag in the other.
* * * * * * * * *
End of Season Four
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TO BE CONTINUED...
