Hi!
It’s finally here. The last part of Fury. I still can’t really believe it that this story has about 110.000 words and about 620kB. At least that’s what I came up with after guessing the average part length. I still can’t believe that I managed to spread out three days of Lois’ and Clark’s lives like that
I’d like to thank my fabulous betas Mona and Kmar, who had been there to help me with ideas, plot holes, grammar, typos, and support through all this. And of course, Mellie, who’s still without Internet which sort of preempted her from BR’ing the last parts. You guys are the best and all typos left after the final edit are, of course, all mine. And I guard them fiercely
There are further notes at the end of this part and few remarks at the top of the FDK-thread since they don’t really fit in here
Oh, and for those with a less than eidetic memory: Callard’s is the coffee shop / diner in “And the Answer Is…”
Michael
The setting is right after “Season’s Greedings” in Season 2.
Blocks in >> << are literal thoughts by the character.
Rating: PG-13
**********
A passionate evening had been followed by a night spent in Clark’s arms, but when Lois awoke the next morning, she all too soon realized to both their regrets that they couldn’t just spend the day in Clark’s bed.
And so here she was, happily snuggled into the arms of her super-powered means of transportation, and on the way to her apartment to get a new set of clothes.
Part 27 /
TOC /
Comments **********
The trip to her apartment only took a few short minutes and soon Superman swooped down onto the roof of her apartment building where he gently deposited Lois back on her feet.
Lois took a quick step away from her boyfriend, all too aware of just how wonderful a feeling it had been to be cradled in his strong arms and knowing he would hold her close again tonight. Then there was the fact that she really started to regret her adamant decision against finding out just how long passionate morning sex would take. She was pretty sure that Clark would immediately acquiesce if she would go about ripping his suit off those strong shoulders and…
She gritted her teeth, turned away, and strode towards the roof exit, all the while telling her libido to take the morning off. She knew that Clark had to be perfectly aware of just how tenuous her resolve was, and if she wanted to retain any credibility at all, she had to remain steadfast for a few more hours. Who knew, a lunch break in the storage closet might actually have some possibilities. But for now, for now they had other business to attend to, she resolved and pushed through the steel door and into the stairway.
A few seconds later, Lois heard the telltale whoosh of Clark spinning into his clothes as he made his own way into the stairwell. He managed to catch up with her by the time she rounded the corner to the fifth floor, and Lois felt his hand come to rest in the small of her back. A small jolt of electricity shot through her body, and she was at once aware of just how much she’d missed that little gesture over the past two weeks since that fateful morning after their Christmas dinner had unhinged their friendship.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Clark asked her in a concerned voice as she pulled the hallway door open in front of her.
“Nothing,” Lois replied nonchalantly as she went to dig through her purse for her set of keys.
“Lois, I *know* something’s wrong,” he pressed on, his hand wandering to the left and around her waist.
Twisting, Lois tried to shake him off and went to work on her door.
She only managed to unlock two of the five locks when she felt herself being turned around. Clark’s face was looming the customary inches above her own and he bore a look of concern mixed with annoyance. “I thought we’d worked through our differences?” he probed.
“We have,” she huffed and tried to turn back to the door, warding him off.
Clark wouldn’t budge and she soon found herself fixed against the door. “Lois,-” he told her with a deep growl. “-I have no intention of playing games. It took me years to find you and then it took us until yesterday to finally get together, and now that we have,-” He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. “-I am not going to let you run off because you’re getting cold feet.”
Lois swallowed, transfixed by his intense gaze that had implored her soul during the second half of his speech. Then she finally found her voice again. “Clark,-” she whispered breathily. “-I can promise you, my having cold feet is about as far from the truth as it is possible.” She let a small smile play over her lips. “And if you’d actually use more than those super-muscles of yours, you would have realized that on your own.” Lois gave an inward sigh as she resigned herself to her fate. “And if you don’t let me finish unlocking this door, I will have to show you exactly what I’m talking about *out here* instead of inside my apartment.”
Clark’s eyes had grown wider with each statement and Lois suddenly found herself pressed back against the door. His right hand pushed her head against his and their mouths became sealed together. His left hand started to work on the remaining locks, not an easy task when Lois’ hands roamed his body and her right leg wandered up and down his thigh.
Suddenly, her backrest gave way and she tumbled unceremoniously onto the floor of her apartment. Somehow, Clark managed not to crush her with his own weight, although their mouths did separate on impact.
“Oh. My. God,” a female voice reached Lois’ shell-shocked mind. “Lois! Clark! What…!?”
Lois suppressed a groan and quickly set to wiggle herself out from underneath her partner before she greeted her sister sheepishly, “Morning, Lucy. I… We… I… I must have…” She fumbled with her mussed up hair, trying to straighten out her appearance. “…tripped. Yes. We tripped and the door opened and didn’t I tell you to keep the door *locked* at all times? So how come it opened just like that?” Lois challenged her sister with all the indignation she could muster.
Unfortunately for Lois, Lucy didn’t let herself get intimidated by her sister. Instead, the younger Lane sibling cut her older sister off with a disgusted snort before a glare told Lois that she meant business. “Lois! You didn’t come home last night and now I find you making out with *Clark* in front of your apartment?” She held up her hand before Lois could even clear her throat. “And don’t even bother denying it. That might have worked with Mom when she was drunk as a skunk, but *I* sure as hell recognize the signs.” The young woman stomped a few steps away, and the gray skirt of the business suit Lucy was wearing eerily reminded Lois of one of her own.
“Lucy…,” Lois tried to interject to no avail.
“And hey, I’m sure not going to be judgmental here if my *big* sister decides to spend the night with her new boyfriend.” She picked up the matching gray blazer from the couch. “But I *do* expect details on just how you went from hating his guts to admitting that you love him and being all over him.” Lucy eyed Clark appreciatively and said specimen had the good graces to blush as he pushed the door shut and tried to remain inconspicuous and outside the line of fire.
Lois felt an indignant pang in her chest and shot her sister an evil look. “Hey! Boyfriend. Taken!” Lois took a step closer to Clark, slinging an arm through his in a possessive gesture in the process.
Lucy raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and went on with her tirade. “What I do find far less acceptable, is the fact that you didn’t even bother to let me know you were all right.” She pushed her left arm into the sleeve of the blazer. “You can’t treat your roommates like that and if you keep that attitude of going AWOL with Clark, too, you won’t have much fun with him for long.”
Lois snuck a quick glance at her boyfriend, who sheepishly studied the floor, apparently having found the answers to his questions inscribed on the plain hardwood tiles. Although, she thought with a frown, he did seem to be suppressing a grin. “Lucy, *you* showed up here two days ago – and unannounced at that.” Lois took a deep breath and began to unbutton her coat. “And do I need to remind you that the last time you stayed here, you were never home before early morning. And besides, I’m a reporter and I do spend whole nights on stakeouts and investigations.”
Her sister cleared her throat with a noise that reasonably resembled a held back laugh before she answered Lois’ challenge. “First of all, you always know that I’m going to be coming home late when I do go out. And second, if you want me to buy the whole-” Lucy used her index and middle fingers to indicate quotes. “-‘I’ve been out investigating’ act, you’d better not show up here in your boyfriends clothes, making it abundantly clear just *what* sort of stakeout you two were on and *who* you were investigating quite thoroughly.”
A quick glance down the unbuttoned front of her coat confirmed Lois’ immediate trepidation that she’d been caught red handed. She was in fact wearing jeans that obviously were too large and the sweater could probably serve as maternity wear. “I… My clothes… They got damaged,” Lois tried to explain and at the same time keep her face at a normal color.
“Damaged, huh?” Lucy asked her sister even as her eyes sought out Clark again. “I never thought you had in you, Clark,” she smirked.
Lois followed Lucy’s gaze to the uncomfortably shifting male to her left, and to her surprise, his facial complexion had began to resemble the famous cape quite nicely. “Lucy…,” she groaned, even as she became aware of the burning sensation in her own cheeks and ears. Lois surmised that it was time to get her sister out of the way, and she immediately took advantage of Lucy’s state of dress. “So, is there a reason why you *borrowed* my gray suit?”
Lucy blinked, finished shrugging her right arm into the blazer and told Lois on her way to the door, “Got an interview at Callard’s. See you tonight or something like that.” She waved, and snuck out of the apartment before Lois could inject another word of complaint.
Turning to face Clark just as the door fell shut, Lois wailed, “Oh, god, I can’t believe that just happened. I can’t believe we just got caught by my sister! And she actually has an *interview* while I’m out with my boyfriend all night. Oh, god, I’m in the Twilight Zone. I…” Lois stopped when she noted that the state of mind of said boyfriend had changed quite drastically since Lucy had left. “What is so funny, Kent?” she snarled.
“Honey…” Clark gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “Honey. Relax. Lucy’s *happy* for you.” His chuckle had stopped and he was smiling at her merrily. “And how long do you think you would have been able to keep us a secret anyway, hmm?”
Lois huffed. “That’s not the point, Clark.” She looked past him at the wall. “Now Lucy thinks I’m some sort of sex-maniac who can’t even wait to get undressed before going at it.” She sighed. “At least, if I’d been able to control the time and place when she finds out, I would still have had a chance of having her respect me.”
“Respect you, Lois?” Clark asked in wonder. “Honey, I’m certain Lucy adores you and respects you more than anyone else in her life. *You’re* her big sister, the professional she is trying to become.” He stepped closer and moved his right hand to Lois’ chin, turning her to face him. “She’s interviewing for a job and planning on going to college to get her degree in psychology. And she’s doing it *here* in Metropolis, where you are most likely to know how she’s doing. So I highly doubt she will do more than tease you for finally having a boyfriend.”
His deep, dark eyes spoke volumes and Lois felt herself calm down in the face of his words and touch. “You think so?” she asked quietly. “Even after everything she knows about has happened between the two of us and after I cried myself to sleep in front of her?”
“Yes, even after that.” He lowered his head to hers. “And especially if you *keep* me as your boyfriend.” His lips touched hers, quelling her murmur of acquiescence.
Lois finally pulled back and a thought immediately bubbled up, probably driven to the forefront of her mind by her libido’s angry pitchfork. “And not to mention the fact that she will get a free apartment out of the deal.”
“Huh?” Clark uttered with a note of confusion in his face.
“Well,” Lois drawled, running a finger over his tie. “I’m assuming I’m going to spend most nights at your place and since Lucy has already set up camp here…” At Clark’s continued dumbfounded stare, Lois backpedaled. “Unless you don’t want to. I mean, you could be just looking for spending the odd evening together and then fly home or take me home or…” Her babble was interrupted by a pair of very attentive lips and Lois happily tuned out her thoughts in favor of the sensations coursing through her body.
After what seemed like a single, blissful moment of eternity, Clark pulled back. “Does this alleviate your worries?” he inquired with a sparkle in his eyes.
Lois merely nodded, her respiration not yet back to being able to generate intelligible sounds.
“So, how about you get changed and I use the time to phone Perry and tell him we will be in late?” Clark suggested, his eyes lingering on her body while a regretful frown appeared on his face.
With her brain slowly in the process of rebooting, Lois finally processed his last sentence. “Clark, no. I’d prefer to do this by myself.” She gave him a little nudge. “You go into the Planet and I’ll join you after my doctor’s visit.”
“Are you sure?” Clark asked her, his voice heavy with concern.
“*Yes*, Clark,” Lois sighed. “I *am* sure.” Seeing the doubtful look on his face, Lois gave him a little push towards the door. “I *am* an adult and I *can* do certain things alone.”
>>Besides,<< she amended silently, >>if Clark stays while I get changed, I might need another shower before I visit Dr. Levingston.<<
Clark took a careful step towards the door.
“Go!” she shooed him. “Get started on our next story.”
“If you’re *really* sure…?” Clark probed again.
Lois rolled her eyes. “Yes!” She reached forward and pulled the door open slightly. “I mean it, Clark.” She scowled, only partially exaggerating. “And you’d better get started on the Intergang investigation because I will have you know that just because I now have a boyfriend, I have no intention of letting my career slip.” She shot him a determined look. “Got it?”
Clark frowned for a moment and then nodded, finally stepping outside into the hallway. “Okay, then…”
Lois smiled, shook her head and slowly closed the door on her boyfriend before turning towards her bedroom to get changed.
**********
A little over two hours later, Clark was sitting in front of about two inches of printouts containing all the information on Intergang that Jimmy had managed to unearth on such short notice. There were police reports, old newspaper articles, and rumors usually hidden away deep in the Planet’s archives. And not a single clue that he could use to connect the train disaster to the infamous crime syndicate.
Well, perhaps Lois would have an idea, he thought, just as he became aware of her heartbeat rising through the floors. Clark blinked and focused his hearing closer on his partner. She seemed upset and since he’d begun to sort of consider the sliver of hope that Lois might not acquire a case of cold feet whenever she had a few moments to think about their situation, he was fresh out of ideas as to what had caused her most recent state of distress.
Fortunately, he wouldn’t be left guessing for long as the elevator announced its arrival with a customary ‘ding’. His head snapped up and he kept his eyes on the wood-paneled doors as they slid apart to reveal his agitated girlfriend. True, for most people, Lois looked just like she always did when she was on a mission, but for him, her tight jaw and flicking eyes spoke loud and clear of the amount of emotional distress she was in.
Lois quickly made her way down the ramp and arrived at her desk before he could muster enough drive to stand up and meet her halfway. There she barely stopped long enough to slip out of her coat before she shot him a meaningful look and nodded her head towards the conference room.
Clark immediately took her hint, not the least since she had instantly taken off towards the enclosed meeting space.
When he caught up with her at the glass door, Lois pulled him inside and closed the door behind them. “Did you know that the morning after pill uses levonorgestrel as its main ingredient?”
“Huh?” Clark grunted in confusion as he sought out Lois’ face, not an easy task as she was pacing the room in front of him.
“Yeah, well, neither did I,” Lois continued agitatedly, apparently not feeling the need to explain further. “And it’s just my luck that the reason why my birth control prescription was Desogen was because it *doesn’t* use levonorgestrel in its chemical makeup.”
Clark still eyed her completely clueless but thought it best to keep quiet until Lois had finished her rant.
“Yeah, it turns out, I’m allergic to that stuff.” Lois gave him dejected snort. “Can you believe it? *Allergic*, as in, no Morning After Pill for Lois Lane.” She waved her arms in agitation. “Clark, what are we going to do now?” she closed with a half-sob.
“Oh.” Understanding slowly dawned on his face and he took a step closer. “Hey, it’s all right. Didn’t you say something about it being the wrong time of the month anyway?”
“Yeah, but still…” She slung her arms around his chest. “What happens if I do get pregnant despite everything?” she mumbled into his chest.
Tightening his own hug, Clark tried to soothe her worries. “If you really do get pregnant, then we will deal with it.”
She craned her neck and looked at his nose. “Just like that?”
“Yep, just like that,” he confirmed. At her doubtful look he elaborated. “Lois, I know it’s not going to be easy with our jobs and our relationship just starting out, but look at us.” He bent back a little as well so he could get a better look at her face. “Three days ago you were ready to skin me alive, and today we’re a happy couple. Don’t you think that if we managed to get past what happened over the course of those fateful days, that we won’t be able to handle being a family as well?”
Lois eyed him with a measured glance. “You really think so?”
Clark nodded empathically, but before he could talk to her any further, the door burst open.
“What is it with you kids and the conference room?” their editor’s voice boomed into the room, vibrating off the windows in a hollow echo.
Lois quickly released her hold on Clark and took a hasty step backwards. “Perry?” she whispered.
Clark was a bit slower and only dropped his hands once Lois had already maneuvered away from him. “Perry?” he exclaimed in surprise.
“Yes, ‘Perry’, your *editor*, in case you have forgotten about this little detail.” Perry afforded both of them a measured glance.
“We were just…,” Clark began.
“Intergang,” Lois started her own explanation. “We were simply discussing some aspects of the Intergang business.”
Their boss eyed them with a dubious stare before he obviously suppressed a smirk and shook his head in exasperation. “Well, then I’d suggest you get back to researching them.” He took an exaggerated look around to room. “And since I don’t see any research material in here, I can’t help but wonder what you’re still doing in here.” Perry meaningfully opened the door for them.
Lois looked up at Clark, shrugged, and gave her partner a pointed look. “Coming?”she asked over her shoulder as she strode past Perry.
Clark shook his head a little, happily contemplating his state of affairs with his little tornado. Concluding that she seemed once again focused on their story instead of their personal matters, Clark sighed and moved past his editor as well. “On my way,” he called after Lois and strode back into the newsroom and into his future.
**********
The End [or the beginning…?]
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A/N: Well, it’s done. *wipes brow* I’d like to thank all of you who stuck with this story through all its ups and downs and all of you who left me such wonderful FDK. It is a privilege to have readership such as you
Some of the inspiration for this story I garnered from the wonderful stories already out there. I think it all started with Wendy Richard’s “Faux Pas”, in which a night of passion also led to a big blow-up in the morning. Little Tornado’s “Nibbling At... (The Feeling Is Mutual!)” and groobie’s “Taking Off the Costume” offered me an invaluable suggestion on just how much Lois could affect the Man of Steel. Then there is Sue S.’ Faustian Bargain that gave me certain ideas on how angry or playful Clark might behave. And finally, all the wonderful portrayals of Lois and Clark and their interactions out there, that surely are to blame for every time I managed to get them just right.
Michael
