Well, everyone, this is it. Sorry this is such a long part... I probably could have broken it into two parts, but I had said 9 parts - so I'm sticking to it. Plus, I think it would have taken away from it to break it up.
I have more to say but it can wait till the author's note at the end.
Thank you all so much for your fdk and comments. I appreciated every word.
Enjoy!
Table of Contents **********
PART NINE
**********
Clark had come straight home from Paris and paced the floor of his apartment all night, contemplating his stupidity.
He felt like he had been possessed by something... by someone. That person – that man tonight who had done all of those insane things – that wasn’t him.
That had been a disaster, that’s what that had been. Lois thought she was lost? She had nothing on him. He was a mess.
Between everything that had happened recently both to Clark and to Superman, added to the fact that every single time Superman was seen in public he was scrutinized with a high-powered microscope, Clark was about to go out of his mind.
He had no safe-haven.
Not even his parents’ house was an appealing option. Once they found out what he had done, how he had behaved...
Clark didn’t even want to think about it.
And Paris... well, that was out, now. Lois had made it abundantly clear that she didn’t want to see him. That she wanted him to go.
He just wanted to crawl in bed and not come out for a while...
...certainly not in a couple of hours to go to work.
Clark grabbed his phone off the coffee table and dialed Perry’s home number.
“Hello?” Perry answered, sounding groggy.
“Hi, Chief, it’s Clark. Did I wake you?” Clark glanced at his watch – five o’clock.
“Clark?” he repeated the name, still sounding a little fuzzy, and then, “Great shades of Elvis! What time is it? Are you okay?”
Clark grimaced – yep, he had woken him. “I’m fine, Chief,” he hastened to assure him. Great. He had called to ask for the day off and started out by-
“No, no,” Perry moaned. “Five o’clock? Alice must not have turned the alarm on last night,” he continued, now sounding fully awake. “She’s always grumbling that four-thirty comes too early and that I’ve been working too hard lately...”
Clark smiled, maybe his phone call had ended up being a good thing. “Well, I’m sure that thirty minutes won’t-”
“Judas Priest, I’ll never get everything done this morning!” Perry exclaimed, cutting him off. “I have a meeting first thing with Mr. Sterns about budget adjustments. That extra thirty minutes of sleep is going to cost me. I won’t have time to look at the faxes that came through during the night.”
The foreign branches of the Daily Planet sent copies each night of their stories that had relevance for possible inclusion into the world section of the U.S. paper. Not to mention the faxes that Perry occasionally received from his own personal sources. Those types of faxes came to Perry’s personal fax machine in his office, not on the one that the rest of the office used – for anyone’s eyes to see.
Clark’s mind stuttered.
The foreign branches...
The Paris branch...
Lois...
“Clark, did you hear me, son?”
Clark shook his head as if to clear it. He had zoned out for a few seconds, lost in thought. “Uh... yeah, Chief. Sorry.”
“Okay, good. So it’s settled then,” Perry affirmed, sounding relieved. “You’ll go in early today, take a look at those faxes and get things started.”
Huh?
“I’ll be in as soon as my meeting with Sterns is done.”
But...
“Thanks, Clark.” There was a pause and then, “Oh, was there something you needed?”
Clark let out a sigh. “No, it was nothing, Chief.”
Great, now, instead of having the day off, he was going into work early.
Perfect.
***********
Clark stared at the fax he held in his hand.
Lois had written about him.
Last night, when Clark had made the rescue at the Eiffel Tower and remanded the depressed and slightly suicidal gunman into police custody – Lois had written about it.
It was one of the stories that the Paris branch had faxed over for inclusion. The lead-in question for the story was – ‘Is Superman hanging his cape in a new home?’
He wasn’t sure exactly how, but there were even pictures of the rescue to accompany the article – Lois had probably bribed some tourist or small child for them.
Laying the fax on Perry’s desk, Clark sat down in his editor’s chair. He wasn’t sure how to feel. Lois had taken advantage of what had happened last night... to write a story. She had blown him off – let him leave without stopping him – so that she could follow him and write up the rescue.
It hurt a little.
And, yet, her article had been very complimentary of Superman, unlike most of the stories being written about him in Metropolis.
People blamed him for Luthor’s death. Why hadn’t Superman been there to save him... to stop him from jumping? Never mind the fact that the man was a homicidal maniac – Superman was the villain. He was ‘choosy’, ‘biased’, ‘prejudice.’ He only saved who he wanted to save.
*That* hurt a lot more.
Clark picked up the fax and looked at it again.
Very complimentary...
The Daily Planet had suffered a huge hit when Luthor had bombed it and temporarily shut them down. It was going to take a lot of effort to restore it to its former greatness.
A lot of effort and a lot of great headlines...
‘Is Superman Hanging His Cape in a New Home?’
No. He wasn’t. But the general populace didn’t know that. The article mentioned the fact that several French citizens had been quoted as ‘having spotted Superman flying over their city in recent days.’
They had no idea why he’d really been there, and of course Lois didn’t allude to the real reason in her article.
Clark was torn. Part of him wanted to throw the article away, claim the fax had been ‘misplaced’ if Perry ever found out and asked about it.
And, yet...
The Planet needed some exclusive news, some eye-catching headlines. And Superman could certainly use some positive publicity for a change. Maybe the citizens of Metropolis would appreciate him more if they thought they were going to lose him.
Perry wanted him to ‘red-flag’ anything he thought might be good enough to include in the paper.
Clark looked at the last line of Lois’ article and read it again, this time allowing himself to breathe afterward.
This article had red flags all over it.
**********
Lois sat down at her desk with a tired flop into her chair. It had been a long day and she was exhausted, but in a good way.
Finally, things were starting to go her way.
“Lois?”
Claude’s voice startled her and, despite her best attempt, she couldn’t keep herself from flinching at the sound.
“Yeah, *boss*?” she responded evenly, turning to face him, anticipation and unadulterated delight running through her.
She had beaten him.
“You didn’t show up for our eight o’clock meeting this morning,” he continued, his voice very matter-of-fact - not betraying any emotion.
“Yeah, I know,” she admitted. “I’m sorry. I came in early this morning to type up a story. Mr. Bordelon was here. He introduced himself and then asked me what I was doing in here so early.” She raised an eyebrow at Claude. “I’m sure you know the rest.”
Claude nodded equably. “Yes, I do,” he acknowledged. “It was a great article, Lois. Just the kind of eye-catching headline that sells papers. You did a very impressive job.”
Lois was taken aback. This is not what she expected. “Um, thanks.”
“You proved me wrong,” he continued earnestly. “You proved that you have what it takes to make it here. I spoke with Mr. Bordelon this morning and gave you my recommendation, not that he actually needed it.” He smiled sadly at her. “Perhaps it was wrong of me to hold you back. I should have known. I can’t believe I... well, never mind. I suppose congratulations are in order,” he told her, extending his hand.
Her curiosity was piqued. “You can’t believe you what?” she asked, ignoring his hand for the moment.
He frowned and retracted his hand. “Nothing.”
“Tell me,” she demanded, putting her hands on her hips.
Claude let out a sigh of defeat. “I can’t believe I was about to recommend transferring you back to Metropolis,” he admitted. “That’s what I was going to meet with you about this morning. You seemed to be having such a hard time and I could tell that you *hated* working under me. It just didn’t seem like a good fit for you.”
Lois felt her blood begin to boil. “How dare you! You hadn’t even given me a chance to prove myself and you were just going to dismiss me? Of all the-”
“I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized. “I was wrong.” His shoulders slumped. “With you it seems like all I ever do is wrong.”
“Got that right,” she mumbled, calming down a bit.
“I want to make it up to you, Lois. I want to make amends. That’s why I’m here to offer-”
“I don’t want your sympathy or your pity,” she growled. “I want to earn what I get.”
“And you have,” he assured her. “This has nothing to do with *us*. Believe me when I say that I’m truly sorry for everything that has happened between us. All these years I’ve tried to minimize it, dismiss it. But now you’re here, and I can’t. I have to own up to my mistakes and do my best not to repeat them. And to send you back to Metropolis – that would be a mistake, Lois,” he told her sincerely. “But what’s about to be offered to you, you’ve earned. I think so, as does Mr. Bordelon.”
“Mr. Bordelon?”
He nodded. “I gave him my recommendation this morning to waive the remainder of your probationary period and offer you a full-time position as a beat-reporter.”
Lois was speechless. This is what she came here for – to prove herself.
Claude sighed before continuing, “There is just one prerequisite we need to discuss.”
**********
Clark sighed wearily as he walked through his front door. More often than not, it was a seldom occurrence that he actually used the front entrance and didn’t come in through the balcony door. But recently, he hadn’t made as many patrols through the city as Superman. With all the negativity lately, he just hadn’t had it in him...
Even so, it hadn’t been as much a lack of motivation keeping him from patrolling the city this past week, but a lack of time. He had asked Perry to keep him busy. Clark had wanted to keep his mind occupied, focused on anything but Lois.
And Perry had done his very best - keeping him hopping all week.
But in all honesty, that wasn’t the only reason his patrols had dropped off. In light of the recent rejection in his personal life, Clark particularly didn’t have the impetus to go out and face scrutiny as Superman. He’d had more than enough criticism as Clark...
...it had been a week... a whole week. And still... no word. No calls, no messages. Nothing.
But, once again, he noticed the blinking light on his answering machine as he hauled himself down the steps and into his living room. Was it too much to hope, yet again, that one of the messages was from Lois? He walked over and stretched out his hand, his finger hovering hesitantly above the play button.
What if she hadn’t called? After all, she hadn’t called any other day this week... Was it worse to listen to the messages and be disappointed again because she hadn’t called; or not listen to them and pretend that one of the messages was undeniably from her?
The latter was definitely the more pathetic of the two.
Clark pressed the button but didn’t really pay attention to the first couple of messages as they droned on. In fact, he was so lost in his own thoughts that when he did actually hear Lois’ voice coming from the machine, he could no longer even recall who the first couple of messages had been from.
“Clark? I know you aren’t home from work yet, but when you get this... I...” She hesitated for a couple of seconds before continuing, “I’m ready to talk. I think we *need* to talk.”
A beep signaled the end of her message and Clark blinked, trying to decide if he had merely imagined the message.
But he knew he hadn’t.
Lois wanted to talk...
Part of Clark’s brain was demanding that he jump up and down like an immature five-year-old in anticipation of getting a shiny new bicycle; while another part was warning him to proceed cautiously...
...and then there was one last part that was absolutely terrified by the thought of having to speak to Lois after what had happened the night before.
Clark unfurled the week-old newspaper lying next to the answering machine – he had brought it home after allowing it to adorn his desk for a day or two. Scanning through it briefly, he re-read the last line of the article Lois had written – for probably the hundredth time that week –
<Is Superman really trading Metropolis for a new place to call home? Only time will tell. But Superman is welcome back here anytime, at least in this reporter’s humble opinion.>
He closed the paper and furrowed his eyebrows. What would she say to him? Would going there to talk to her be good? Bad?
A colossal disaster?
There was only one way to find out.
**********
Lois finished cramming the last few of the items she had brought with her into her suitcases on sort of an autopilot mode. She was going through the motions but she wasn’t really seeing anything she was doing.
If she later found a couple of bras crammed into her make-up bag, she wouldn’t be surprised.
Her mind just simply wasn’t on the task. It had traveled back in time, nearly a week – had it really been a week? - reliving the conversation with Claude.
She had won. The job was hers.
Provisionally, of course. It was that “provisionally” that was again occupying the depths of her thoughts...
...well that, and possibly one or two other things.
One thing mainly.
Everything always had strings, didn’t it?
Even people...
Clark certainly had strings. Big, long, red, billowing strings in the shape of a cape.
Lois sat down on the suitcase she had just stuffed full, hoping to flatten it enough to zip it shut. Why did luggage always end up fuller than when you first packed it? Whether you bought any souvenirs or not?
She was tugging the zipper on that last piece of luggage when the curtains to the window she had intentionally left open fluttered noticeably – more than they would have from just the gentle breeze stirring outside.
Superman... Clark... was hovering just outside her window. Lois shut her eyes to try to regain the equilibrium she lost every time she realized that Clark and Superman were the same person.
“Can I come in?” he asked tentatively, in a voice wholly Clark.
Hearing Clark, combined with the mental image of Superman suspended outside her window, his cape billowing, sent her over the edge once more.
She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, nodding at him, not sure she could yet trust her voice.
Clark stepped through the open window and glanced around the room, drinking in the details. Why were all her suitcases packed?
Hope dared to surge inside of him but he squelched it. She was moving into a more permanent residence. After all, her stay at this hotel was only meant to be temporary.
“You wanted to talk?” he prompted her, folding his arms across his chest. He realized he was slipping into his Superman persona but he couldn’t help it - it was a survival instinct.
“I did,” she said, nodding, “but I need to talk to Clark.”
“I am Clark.”
She sighed. “I know that. I mean, my brain knows that. But this is all a little confusing and overwhelming and I’m finding it hard to concentrate on what I need to tell-”
Clark instantaneously spun out of his *suit* into his clothes – gray slacks and a black button-down shirt.
Lois’ eyes widened as she watched him. “Yeah, that helped,” she muttered.
“What do you want me to do?” Clark huffed in frustration. “Go back out, come up the stairs dressed as Clark, and knock on your door?” He shook his head. “The suit is just a uniform, Lois, for my other job. Like a police officer or fireman or-”
“Except a cop can’t stop bullets with his hand and a fireman can’t put out fires by blowing on them,” she quipped.
Clark sighed. “You know what I mean. You’re a reporter, Lois. It’s what you do, but it’s not who you are. You’re so much more than that.”
“But you’re wrong, Clark. It *is* who I am. I may be more than just a good reporter but it’s also part of who I am,” she explained earnestly. “Just like being Superman is part of who you are.”
Clark couldn’t argue with that. It was true. In order to accept him, she had to reconcile the two men that she knew him to be.
“So are you still mad?” he asked quietly.
“I wasn’t mad.”
“Yeah.”
“I wasn’t!” she protested. “I was confused and hurt-”
“Lois-”
“And maybe a little frustrated... upset...” She sighed. “Okay, mad. Yeah, I was a little mad. Not just at you, though. I was mad at myself, at my job... at everything. But I’m starting to work through it.”
Clark nodded. “Yeah, I could sort of tell that in the article you wrote.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “You read it?”
“I did,” he affirmed and then paused for a moment before asking, “Did you mean what you said? Is Superman really welcome here? Because if Paris is really where you want to be-”
“Part of me wishes that I could just forget Paris,” she admitted honestly.
Clark was taken aback. “Forget Paris?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Forget everything that happened – go back to the way things were.”
“If that’s what you want, then do it. Forget Paris.” He swallowed tightly. She wanted to go back to the way things were? Back to them just being partners... friends?
Well... at least that was *something*.
“No,” she admitted, “that’s not really what I want. And I couldn’t forget it even if I tried.” She sighed softly and then asked, “Do you know what happened after I wrote that article?”
Clark shook his head silently.
“Claude offered me a permanent position as a beat reporter. He apologized for doubting me and told me that he would set me up with permanent housing immediately upon my acceptance.” She paused and then added, “Provided I do something for him.”
Clark frowned. “What?” Had that jerk actually tried to use her job as leverage to get something from her? “No, don’t tell me – he wanted a second chance?”
Lois almost laughed. “Well, I don’t know about that. Possibly.” She shrugged. “I learned a lot about myself from this experience, Clark, and a lot about Claude. I was reminded of why I fell for him in the first place. I had built up this horrible persona for him in my mind-”
“Lois, he slept with you and then ran off with your story,” he reminded her.
“That’s true,” she agreed easily. “But we were sort of dating at the time... albeit newly dating... and we had both been assigned to cover that story. We had both wanted it and Perry thought a little competition might bring out the best in us as reporters... and it did. But it can also bring about the worst in us as human beings – as you’ve learned first hand with me.”
“Lois-”
She shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not excusing what he did. It was slimy and underhanded and wrong. But at least now I know that he truly is sorry for what happened.” Her lips spread into a small smile. “In some ways he hasn’t changed a bit but in other ways-”
“So what did he want from you?” Clark pressed impatiently, not wanting to discuss her new appreciation for Claude any further.
“A promise.”
“A promise?”
“Actually, there were three things I had to agree to before the job was mine,” she explained matter-of-factly. “I had to promise that I wasn’t taking the job to prove anything to him, because he said there was nothing to prove. And further I had to be willing to put the past behind us and move forward – I had to be willing to work for him.”
She paused there and looked like she was a little uncomfortable about telling him what the third one was.
“What?” he asked curiously.
“The third thing was actually a request from Mr. Bordelon – the *senior* editor-in-chief,” she explained tightly. “In order for me to get the job, Claude told me that Mr. Bordelon wanted me to use my rapport with Superman to get an exclusive interview.”
“What?” he asked again, this time his voice rising in disbelief.
“My article asked if Superman was making a new home here in Paris. They wanted me to do a follow-up to see if there was any truth to that question.”
Clark’s face fell and he sighed disappointedly. “So that’s why you asked me here? That’s what you wanted to talk about? A follow-up article about Superman in Paris?”
Lois shook her head. “No, Clark. Forget Paris.” She closed the distance between them, reaching out to take his hand in hers. “I-”
A knock at the door interrupted her.
Clark raised his head and peered at the door, frowning. “It’s Jacques,” he told her, letting go of her hand.
“Jacques?” Lois turned to look at the door that was closed. “How do you kn-” She broke off realizing that Clark must have x-rayed it.
It would take a while to get used to that.
Turning back, she found Clark headed towards the window. “Wait! Where are you going?”
“Lois?” Jacques’ voice came from the other side of the door. “I wanted you to meet Sophie before you left.”
Clark’s face fell and he spun swiftly back into his suit. “I can come back.”
Once Lois recovered from her momentary lapse into reverie at his quick change, she began ardently protesting, “No. I’ll get rid of them.” She held up a hand as if to command him to stay. “Please. Give me just a moment and I’ll send them on their way. Just... um, change back,” she insisted, making a spinning motion with her finger, “and I’ll be right back.”
He nodded, changing back into his clothes as he watched her walk to the door, overcome with hope by the fact that she had practically ordered him to stay and talk... yet dreading it at the same time.
What was left for them to discuss? It was obvious by the boxes, and the fact that Jacques had just confirmed that she was leaving, that Lois was moving into permanent housing. Even if she forgave Clark for what had transpired between them, they were still separated by an ocean.
Sure, that wasn’t a problem for Superman – but it was for Clark. He couldn’t possibly hope that she would want to pursue anything beyond *friendship* right now, but what if she did? The idea of only being able to date her as Superman didn’t exactly thrill him. Clark couldn’t be seen in Paris – at least not that often – and Superman wasn’t the one who could take Lois out to dinner... go see an opera with her... or just walk down the street with her, hand-in-hand.
No. Superman could get here in minutes. An ocean was nothing for him. But a relationship?
Nearly impossible for him.
Not only would a relationship be difficult for Superman, but Clark didn’t think it would be smart, either. A relationship for Superman would be a very public thing. As demonstrated by Luthor, among others, Superman had enemies. Friends and family were liabilities to Superman because they could be used against him.
A girlfriend? Not a good idea. No, if Lois wanted to stay in Paris, well, then he...
Clark suddenly felt eyes on him. He looked up in time to see everyone staring at him. The woman, Sophie, was speaking to Lois and then Jacques began talking. Clark couldn’t help but overhear the remainder of the conversation-
“...with you. Sophie says that is a very admirable quality. But she says he is also rather handsome, too. You should hang on to that one,” Jacques finished translating with a smile.
Lois smiled self-consciously and Clark returned the smile awkwardly before turning away to look out the window. He heard her say goodbye and then the door shut a couple of seconds later.
She let out a nervous breath as she walked up behind him and then asked, “So where were we?”
Clark shut his eyes tightly, trying to decide if he was making the right decision. As he turned to face her, he opened his eyes to look at her.
She looked as uncertain as he was. He wasn’t sure whether that was comforting or distressing.
“Lois, if you can forgive me... if we can start over, I’ll come to Paris... as Clark,” he assured her earnestly. “If this is what you want, a chance to start over, then let me start over with you.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “And maybe you’re right. Maybe Superman can make a new home here too, and besides-”
“No,” she interrupted, shaking her head, “that’s not what I want.”
A knot formed painfully in Clark’s stomach, making him feel sick inside. “What do you want?” he asked quietly.
“Clark, I asked you here to take me home,” she answered easily, reaching out to take his hand in hers.
Clark felt dizzy. He couldn’t find his voice and his hand tingled where it met with hers.
The bags... she was packed to go *home*.
“I’m glad I came to Paris,” she admitted honestly. “I proved a lot of things to myself and learned a lot...” She squeezed his hand. “About both of us.”
Lois’ heart was beating wildly in her chest. She had thought long and hard the past week about what she would tell him, what she wanted to say to him, but now she could barely think at all.
“But there’s so much more I want to learn... that I need to know,” she told him sincerely. “And that’s not easy to do with an ocean separating us – even if you *are* Superman,” she said with a smile. “And while I appreciate your offer, that’s not what I want, not really... not anymore.”
Clark was dumbfounded. When he finally found his voice, he managed to ask, “And you’re sure *this* is what you want?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. I haven’t thought about anything else this past week,” she assured him and then hesitated before adding, “Well, except for maybe one other thing.”
He gave her a puzzled look. “What?”
Hesitation hung thick in the air and he wasn’t sure, but he could swear she was blushing. “Lois?”
“That flight over Paris,” she finally answered, her face now obviously betraying a flush.
Clark smiled broadly. So she *had* noticed. Even with everything that had been going on, some part of her *had* enjoyed that flight.
“You know,” Clark began, turning to glance at the window behind him, “it’s another beautiful night out tonight.” He looked back in time to catch the sparkle in her eyes. “You want to-”
“I would love to,” she admitted, closing the remaining distance between them.
Clark held up one hand to stop her, letting go of her other hand. “Just a minute.” He quickly spun into his suit. “This way we can fly a little lower without worrying about being seen.”
The quickening of her pulse and the way she’d had to catch her breath as she watched him, did nothing to calm him. She was flustered and excited. The thought of flying with her in his arms, with the knowledge of who he really was, stimulated a similar response inside of him.
He reached out and took her into his arms. Lifting up from the floor, he effortlessly floated them out through the open window.
Lois wasn’t sure she would ever catch her breath again; her short gulps of air were coming so fast that she feared that if she didn’t regain control, she would pass out.
And she didn’t want that to happen.
Talk. She needed to focus on something besides the way their bodies were nestled together and the way he smelled – intoxicating – the way his scent was mingling and melding her memories of Clark and Superman into one and the same person... into something new and exciting.
“This is becoming quite the ritual,” she said, breaking the silence. “Will we begin all of our discussions with a flight over Paris?” she teased, taking in the magnificent view below them and losing herself all over again. “It’s so amazing.”
He looked at her and then smiled. “Breathtaking.”
Profusely thankful that the dark night around them would help to conceal the color flushing her face, she playfully replied, “You wish.” She raised an eyebrow mischievously. “Or didn’t you realize that I had an ulterior motive for getting you up here alone... so I could interrogate you where you couldn’t get away?” She narrowed her eyes. “You aren’t the only one who knows that trick,” she teased with a smile.
“Oh, really?”
“Really,” she assured him, unable to restrain a small laugh from escaping. Little did he know, though, that she was serious about the interrogation. Absolutely serious.
He smiled, giving her a soft laugh of his own, and she relented briefly, allowing the silence to envelope them for a few moments before finally delving into a more solemn subject. It had been bothering her since their previous flight together and she had to know.
“You promised me that you would be honest,” she proclaimed abruptly. “You told me that you didn’t want to hide anything from me anymore, right?”
She felt Clark stiffen.
“Yes, and I meant that,” he assured her. “Ask me whatever you want; I’m an open book.”
Lois swallowed tightly, and before she could change her mind, she asked, “What did you mean the other night, when we were talking about Lex and you said you ‘lived it?’” She cleared her throat softly because her voice was threatening to break. “What did he do to you, Clark?”
It wasn’t a question he had expected, and it wasn’t something he wanted to think about, no less answer. But he couldn’t simply tell her he didn’t want to talk about it. She had asked and he had promised. So...
“You know how some people are accusing Superman of choosing not to save Luthor?” he asked quietly, not daring to look into her soulful eyes for fear that he wouldn’t be able to finish.
She nodded. “They’re wrong, Clark. I know you. Lex was evil and perhaps he didn’t deserve to live, but I know Superman didn’t *choose* to let him die. I’ve known that all along,” she told him earnestly. Then she paused as a realization sunk in. “But... you were there with me... when he jumped.”
Clark had appeared seemingly out of nowhere that day. Perry hadn’t even known where he was. But Lois hadn’t cared about any of that – only that he was there. She had run to him, flinging her arms around him, so happy that he had come, and then Lex had jumped.
And Clark hadn’t saved him.
Her initial thought should have been that he hadn’t saved Luthor in order to protect his identity. But that didn’t feel right. She knew him better than that.
“Something happened, didn’t it? That prevented you from saving him?”
“Yes.” He swallowed tightly. “God, Lois, I wanted to save him. Even after everything he had done... You have to believe me. I didn’t want him to die. If I could have saved him, I would have, but I couldn’t.”
Clark’s body was trembling and it unnerved her. She hadn’t realized how much this had affected him and upset him. Something truly had prevented him from saving Lex and people were accusing him of...
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered softly into his ear. “I never realized until now how awful that day must have been for you, too. What happened? Please... tell me.”
He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “You couldn’t have known, Lois, and that’s my fault.” He slowed their flight until they were hovering effortlessly under the pale light of the moon. “Do you remember Trask?”
“Sure. How could I forget that maniac?”
“Do you remember the rock that he thought could kill Superman?”
Lois frowned. “Kryptonite? Sure... I named it.”
Clark gave her a small smile. “That’s debatable.”
She raised a challenging eyebrow.
“‘Kryptonium’ ring any bells?” he teased.
She shrugged. “Po-tay-toes, po-tah-toes,” she replied easily with a knowing smirk.
He smiled at her again but then his smile fell. “It was real, Lois. It really existed. And Luthor got his hands on a chunk of it.”
“Clark, no,” she exclaimed despondently. “He... he used it on you?”
Nodding his head, he explained miserably, “It made me weak - took away my powers. He used it to imprison me in his wine cellar. I was right there in the very building where you were getting married, but I was powerless to do anything to stop it. I hadn’t given up on you. I still wanted...” He let out a breath that he felt he had been holding since that agonizing day. “It... it would have eventually killed me if I hadn’t found a way to escape... although Luthor had planned to finish me off himself.”
Lois shook her head. “I didn’t do it. You know that, right? I didn’t marry-”
“I know. They came to arrest Luthor. You didn’t know-”
“No, I didn’t. But you have to know something, Clark,” she insisted adamantly, “for me... you have to know that I told him no... before Henderson ever got there. In the end... I couldn’t marry him.”
Clark was taken aback by her revelation and found himself letting out a sigh of relief. “That’s good to know because if things had gone differently and you *had* married Luthor, that definitely would have killed me,” he told her sincerely, “even if the Kryptonite had failed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. You didn’t know. And I was to blame for that. I should have told you who he really was or who I really was... anything to stop you. I was-”
“You... were the reason I couldn’t marry him,” she revealed abruptly. “I need you to know that. That night at the Eiffel tower, when I told you that I had realized I had feelings for you... Those feelings were what kept me from marrying Lex.”
Clark didn’t know what to say. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, all at once, but no words would come. Instead he found himself sliding his hand behind her head and drawing her towards him, bringing her lips tantalizingly close to his own.
When Lois realized what he was doing, she gave herself over to the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm her, and pressed her lips to his, losing herself in the moment.
Now that she knew why the kiss at the Eiffel Tower had seemed so familiar, it made this joining with him all that more intense... almost indescribable.
When they finally came up for air, Clark was the first one to speak. “Promise me something, Lois.”
“Mmm?” was all she was able to get out in response.
“We have the rest of our lives to learn more about each other,” he said earnestly. “But tonight, let’s just be together, here in Paris. Just fly with me, Lois.”
“No.”
He frowned, looking instantly concerned. “No?”
Flashing him a smile to reassure him, she explained, “I will only fly with you if you’re taking us to Metropolis because there’s no place I’d rather be right now than in your arms back where we belong.”
“Not here, in Paris?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Forget Paris. Take me home, Clark.”
He smiled. Home. It was a word that evoked warm images and feelings... but it had never sounded as wonderful as it did now.
Lois nestled against him, resting her head on his shoulder where she could nuzzle his neck. “Home,” she repeated softly.
There was no place like it.
**********
The End.
**********
Author's Note:
As I said before, I could have probably stretched this story out into more parts (I had actually planned for it to have more parts) but, to me, it would have felt forced. This was where the story and the characters took me.
So I hope you enjoyed it.
A huge thank you to my betas - Sue & Lara - you are both wonderful and I hope you enjoyed the story... thanks for all your help. And a thank you to everyone who read, commented, or e-mailed me - fdk is awesome, better than any drug.
A few people have asked if I have more stories coming once I get this one finished. Alas, I do not. My muse is all tapped out at the moment... I've worked her pretty hard this year in other fandoms and on my own personal creations. So I'm letting her take a break.
But I'm sure I'll be back again one day... if you'll have me... I still have one or two unfinished LnC stories on my hard drive. So this isn't goodbye, but merely a see you later. I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed coming back and posting this.
Thank you all again and see you soon. In the famous words of Clark: "I'll be around"
-- DJ
