He hovered long enough to watch the police convoy pull away. Absentmindedly, Superman disconnected the annoying alarm. The silence was a huge relief. She had to have heard the alarm. Granted, he had superhearing but he’d heard it from a deep sleep across town. The police had heard it. All residents of the suburb surrounding STAR Labs certainly had. He could hear their collective heartbeats once more slowing as they settled back into sleep. So why hadn’t Lois reacted? Why was she still moving in her deliberate way? Still taking pictures, making no effort to hide or tidy up? Surely she knew someone would come to investigate.
He pondered all this from the roof, watching Lois’ every move. What the heck was she doing at STAR Labs, anyway? He remembered the day of their fight. She had come in babbling something about a connection she had seen. He had lashed out at her and run off. Had that connection pointed here? He hadn’t heard her out that day. Never had at all. They’d declared a truce on the roof of the Daily Planet, and she’d never brought up her theory again.
Just this evening Lois had gone home declaring “good” the operative word. That had been the tip-off, of course. He’d tried to wait up for her, but had finally gone to bed, expecting her to burst in; all in black, lock pics in hand, fantastic scenario all woven. He’d been so certain that he had slept with his glasses on, like he did on stake-outs. So why hadn’t she come for him? Or called?
Superman couldn’t put the inevitable off for much longer. He set his face into his trademark grimace, checking his reflection in the skylight just to make sure he had it right. He flew to Lois, and for reasons he was afraid to examine too closely, or more to the point didn’t even want to think about, he spun…into Clark.
“What are you doing here, Lois?!” he demanded as he threw the door open.
Lois gave him a brief glance. “Just…browsing,” she answered, her tongue set firmly between her teeth as she continued to concentrate on the task at hand.
“Browsing…what? Why didn’t you call me? What…what are you looking for? The police were here, by the way. Superman saw you…and lied for you.”
That last bit won him Lois’ full attention. “Superman was here?” she asked rather anxiously.
“Yes, and he lied Lois. Told Henderson, who was not fooled, that it was a false alarm. Didn’t you hear the alarm, Lois? In Breaking and Entering 101, a course you could teach by the way, the alarm going off means it’s time to run, hide, put away whatever it is you are doing…What are you doing?!”
“So, after Superman talked to the police, he came and got you out of bed?”
Her mild, sweet tone stopped the furious torrent of his words. And only then did he realize he was standing in STAR Labs in just his boxers.
He opened his mouth, swallowed air, blinked. “I’m…I’m in my pajamas,” he offered unnecessarily.
Sure he’d been careful enough to sleep in his glasses, but in little else. It was one thing for Lois to find his face naked, but, well, as for the rest of him… His thoughts trailed off in an altogether different direction, a well trod one.
“So, Superman is not here now?” Lois had to repeat that, since Clark appeared to have gone somewhere.
“What? Oh…no. It’s just me. Clark. In my pajamas.”
He closed his eyes, willing himself to wake up in his own bed, for this just to be an odd distortion of some of his more personal Lois Lane dreams.
“Well, that’s a relief,” Lois smiled. “I wouldn’t have wanted to face Superman.”
“Not face…why?” Honestly, he needed to get a hold of himself, stop feeling like he’d just walked in on the third act of a play, lines forgotten. Clark steadied himself deliberately.
“What are you photographing, Lois?”
“Superman’s files.”
“Why, Lois?” he demanded of the back of her head, this time with the Superman grimace firmly in place.
“I don’t know really. Just bored, I guess. And curious. I haven’t read any of it yet. But Perry has taken us off our story, and nothing is really brewing. So, when I couldn’t sleep,” she changed the film in her camera, depositing the used film canister in her pocket without missing a beat, “ I just got to thinking about Superman. There is so much about him that we don’t know, you know?”
Only now did she look up at her disapproving partner, smiling a bit at his posture, so obviously an unconscious imitation of the Superman pose. It’s effectiveness seriously diluted by the fact that Clark was in his underwear. Still, he made for quite the picture. Actually, a really nice picture, and what with her camera so handy…
“You can’t, Lois,” Clark told her. All of his flustered uncertainty gone. “You absolutely cannot do this, Lois. This is none of your business. This could hurt him. If it was published, if it became known how he works, whatever. You can’t. I won’t let you.”
She raised her eyebrow at this. “Won’t let me?” she challenged softly.
“Won’t let you,” he repeated emphatically.
They squared off, only inches from each other.
“Ok,” Lois said into the tension.
“Ok?” Clark said back to her, no small amount of suspicion in his voice.
“You’re probably right. I guess our long dry spell has been making me a bit crazy. I wouldn’t hurt Superman. This wasn’t for publication. Just for knowledge’s sake.”
“His privacy, even from you…” he began.
“I said you’re right,” Lois answered, rubbing her hand soothingly up and down his bare arm. “You are absolutely right, Clark Kent. Want it in writing?”
“Yes, please.” He smiled at her warily. “In writing, on my desk, first thing in the morning.”
“Ok, ok, let me just put all of this away, and I’ll drive you home.”
“I’ll help you,” he offered quickly.
A short time later they strolled out of STAR Labs arm in arm.
“Your film, Lois,” he reminded her as they approached her Jeep, holding out his free hand.
“Dammit, Clark!” she shouted, handing it over roughly. “Find your own way home!”
In a huff, and with a screech of tires, she was gone.
Confined to their desks all the next day, with no new stories looming, the air between them had definitely been frosty. Clark hadn’t been surprised that no note, from Lois stating that he was right, had been forthcoming. He was, however, a bit disappointed. He had cleared a space for it on his shelves. Had the perfect frame for it in mind. And another thing, she’d left him in the parking lot in the middle of the night in his underwear. Granted, she had been infuriated, but how had she thought he was supposed to get home? Lucky for him it was fairly easy, but Lois didn’t know that. Clark was thinking a few scribbled lines of apology wouldn’t be too out of bounds, and would fit nicely onto the p.s. of that note he was never going to get.
***********
“This stops today,” Clark told his grim-faced reflection, in the mirror the next morning, as he readied himself for work. “By tomorrow morning at this time, no matter what, Lois knows everything.”
He enunciated the “everything” very clearly, stringing out the syllables slowly, lest his reflection not take him seriously.
“No more thinking about it. No more wavering. No more worrying. No more. No more…please God, no more.”
Clark leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the mirror. At least from this angle he didn’t have to face himself, the look in his eyes that spoke of too many things, but most primarily of one thing: fear.
“I am not afraid of Lois Lane,” he snapped out the words. “I am not afraid of Lois Lane,” he said again because it made him feel better, and actually enabled him to leave his bathroom. “I am not afraid…” he breathed as he jogged to the stairs, headed for the door, which was being opened by…
“Hey,” she breezed in, beaming. “You’ll never guess, Clark. My hunch paid off. Remember from the other day? And you and I, partner, have an appointment with a disgruntled ex-employee. My absolutely favorite kind of ex-employee.”
“Hello, Lois, and how was your night?”
“Good. Fine. Short. Listen, I want you to let me take point on this. I think this guy will be jittery and he’s only spoken to me over the phone, so…”
“Fine? Your night was fine? That’s just fine. And mine? Well, since you asked it was fine, too. I did something crazy. I slept through it. Never once waking up to trespass or photograph sensitive materials. Really, really boring night by your standards.”
Lois was silent only long enough to draw a deep breath.
“You see? This makes me crazy. Listen to you! Did you hear that tone? Why, just tell me why, can’t you use that tone on me in front of witnesses? Just once while we’re at work? But would you do that? No! No, when we’re at the Planet you’re all ‘I’m from Kansas where we’re polite to everyone, and aren’t I adorable?’ and everyone is all ‘oh that sweet man, look what he has to put up with.’ If I had come in and said that to you, say in the conference room at morning report, you would have been all ‘Ok, Lois. That’s interesting, Lois. 10-4, Lois…’”
“10-4, Lois?!”
“But see, we’re here all alone, so you can be as sarcastic and biting as you want to. It won’t ruin your reputation because who would believe me? Just once, Clark, I dare you to be that rude in public. To be the rude one in this partnership!”
“And you be the adorable one?”
“The incredibly competent adorable one, yes.”
“Already done, Lois.”
Her pause was ever so slight.
“The guy’s name is Oswald. He worked for this company for almost thirty years.” Smoothly she hooked her arm through his, drawing him out the door. “He’s nervous. He knows something.” She ran her fingers lightly through his hair as he bent to lock-up. “I told him I was bringing my…partner.” She loaded that last word with a little something extra, a little…flirty.
Clark flushed, pulled them both to a halt. “And?” He asked, looking deeply into her shining eyes, trying to convey his apologies with his.
“And,” she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in for the close hug she seemed to know he needed, “we have exactly fifteen minutes to get there.”
Clark’s arms had taken longer to catch up with his brain than he could have ever believed. By the time he raised them to hold her, Lois was gone, hailing a cab.
“So, we’ll fight later?” he asked her, ducking in to join her.
“You called me adorable. We might not fight at all.”
As Lois watched the slow smile spread over his face, she couldn’t seem to help herself. “I said we might not. Don’t get too confident. Any more outbursts like that and you’ll be the one calling Superman to save you.”
“I am not afraid of you, Lois Lane,” he whispered softly, reverently into her ear. Wishing with all his heart that it was true.
It was a short ride to a very bad part of town.
“The guy’s an ex-executive and he wants to meet here?” Clark asked doubtfully.
“How does a guy like that even know about a place like this?” agreed Lois, unconsciously moving a bit closer to Clark.
“Makes you wonder, that’s for sure.” He put one arm protectively around her shoulders, maneuvering his body just a touch ahead of hers.
“Oswald?” Lois broke the early morning silence. “It’s Lois Lane. I’ve brought my partner, Clark Kent.”
“Geez…shut up, will you?” came a thick, angry voice from above them, giving Lois a start.
“Up here, second floor, leave your things.”
They located the source of the voice through a broken, dirty window. A man inside the abandoned warehouse- and when wasn’t it an abandoned warehouse- gestured furiously to them.
“I don’t know about this, Clark,” said Lois, taking his best line.
“You and me both, then.” He was trying to x-ray the place, but like most buildings in this area, it was practically held together with lead paint.
“Do you have what you told me about?” called Lois quietly.
“Inside, inside!” came the voice again, more insistent, and a bit more panicked.
Clark noted Lois’ show of caution. It looked really…strange…on her.
“What?” he asked her. “A bad feeling? I’ve never known you to…”
“I know,” Lois let out the breath she’d been holding. “He said he had proof. Papers, memos, records, the works. But this seems…weird.”
Clark tightened his grip on her, his heart suddenly soaring. She was nervous, and she’d come as close to admitting it as she ever would. This was it, then, an opportunity he couldn’t let pass. Whatever this Oswald guy had up his sleeve, he didn’t know who he was dealing with. Some superspeed, a judicious use of heat vision, anything the situation warranted, he would do it, as Clark Kent. He would let Lois see him in action. Oswald might have to be gently knocked out, and that was unfortunate, but he couldn’t risk him seeing anything revealing. So, from this point, right here, Clark Kent was holding nothing back. He was going in, no holds barred, in front of Lois.
“Come on,” he told her firmly. “It’ll be fine. I won’t let anything happen.”
“But, Clark…”
Her protest was cut-off by Oswald’s outraged bellow.
“Do you need an engraved invitation? How long are you going to stand there and…”
“Coming,” Clark called. “Second floor. Two reporters. Our things left at the door.”
Oswald had a gun, of course. A really big one. And he was obviously still high, his drug paraphernalia took up an impressive amount of the tiny room he’d led them into. He grinned wickedly, if a bit blearily at Lois, who just rolled her eyes and gave Clark a didn’t-I-tell-you look.
“Look, Oswald,” said Clark with smooth confidence. “We don’t want trouble. I know you don’t either. So, why don’t you just hand me the gun?”
Clark didn’t want to take his eyes off Oswald, panicky and stoned being a tricky combination, but he was dimly aware that Lois was gaping at him. Angling his body just a bit more in front of her, Clark stretched his hand out to Oswald slowly.
“I hand you the gun?” Oswald seemed to be processing this.
“Yes,” Clark smiled. “And the papers, too, please.”
“I hand you the gun,” parroted Oswald. “And I hand you the papers?”
“Please,” Clark repeated, now standing fully in-between Lois and Oswald. “And we’ll get out of your hair. Let you get back to…” He gestured vaguely to the numerous pharmaceuticals in the room.
“You see that I can kill you, right?” asked a clearly confused Oswald.
“We see,” Lois answered from behind Clark. “And we know you’re scared and we don’t blame you. If it’s protection you need, we can do that. You won’t be implicated, either. We won’t print anything about you.”
Lois slid just a few steps to her right, so Oswald could see her. Her eyes met his. “You can trust us, Oswald. We’re the good guys.”
Oswald’s face softened. He started to lower the gun.
“Just give us the goods or else, Oswald,” snarled a voice that could have been Clint Eastwood’s.
The storm clouds immediately darkened over Oswald’s face. “Wh…?” he asked, turning back to face Clark.
“You heard me,” Clark leaned in threateningly. “Give us the papers, Oswald. And… stop …looking… at… the…lady.”
Clark risked a glance at Lois, catching a look of alarm and astonishment on her face. The same look she must have seen from him a thousand times before. He was playing this badly, he knew.
Oswald, enraged now, lunged to shove him. When he found Clark unmoving, he did the next best thing. With reflexes that belied his size and his condition, he grabbed Lois by the arm, squeezing tightly, his gun, all the while, pointed at her head.
“Don’t make me hurt the pretty lady,” he growled.
Lois’ eyes, still shooting Clark looks of disbelief and something else he didn’t care to identify, bored into him.
Sternly, in his best super voice, he ordered, “Let her go.”
Oswald, taken aback by the strange authority in Clark’s tone, nearly did. For an instant his grip loosened, and it was enough.
With lightning fast speed, Lois had bent, twirled, twisted, and maybe one other thing, it was hard to follow. In mere seconds, Oswald lay sprawled face down under the pressure of Lois’ boot, gasping and gun-less.
“What could you have been thinking?!” Lois shouted, while removing the clip from the gun.
Oswald stammered and sought an answer to a question Clark knew was meant for him.
“I was going to save you, Lois…” he began dismally, trying to ignore her rolling eyes. “This isn’t how it was supposed to go. I’m here. I’d never let anything…”
“You have gone crazy, do you know that? We could have been in and out in two minutes, no gun play, no close-calls. You don’t always need to come blazing in where quiet and caution can do the job just as well.”
“Lois, do you hear yourself? Did you really just advocate quiet and caution? Do you even know what those words mean?!”
“Oooffff,” came Oswald’s voice from the floor. “Please, isn’t someone going to call the police?” he asked wistfully.
“Isn’t this where you run off, Clark?” Lois raised an eyebrow at him. “Find the nearest phone? Alert the proper authorities? How many calls have you made to 911, anyway? That must be kept on file somewhere. They must know when they hear ‘this is Clark Kent’ to send in the national guard.”
“Lois, I…”
“You need a cell phone, is what. Hold this.” She thrust the empty gun at him, which by habit he squeezed beyond recognition. He hastily pocketed it, as Lois pulled her cell phone from her own pocket. “Presto. Now you can stay right here and wait for the cavalry, just like the rest of us victims.”
“Lois, I would hardly call you a victim.”
“Neither would I,” moaned Oswald. “Could you just let your foot off an inch? My nose…”
It was nearly lunchtime before Inspector Henderson was finished with Lois and Clark. He couldn’t seem to believe the sequence of events. And much to Lois’ outrage had continuously interrupted her account with “is that true, Kent?”
Clark, to his credit, had owned up to it all. Except to where the gun had gotten to. That could just remain a mystery. The sun was high overhead and Oswald was sleeping it off in his cell, by the time Lois and Clark headed back to the Planet. Halfway there, Lois laid her hand on Clark’s arm. Wordlessly Clark pulled her close to his side, tucking her under his arm where she always fit just exactly right.
Lois sighed, hooking her fingers through his belt loop, at last breaking the silence. “You took a page from my book today, Clark. Just when I think I know you.”
“You do know me, Lois,” he said quietly, heavily.
“ Give us the goods or else?” she mocked sweetly.
“The goods, Oswald, or Lane and Kent will slay you with sharply written copy,” he returned with an embarrassed grin.
“We’ll edit your sorry behind!” countered Lois.
“You won’t recognize your content when we’re through,” growled Clark.
“We’re losing it,” Lois giggled.
“Only one of us is losing it, Lois,” Clark sighed. “The same one who needs his head examined.”
As they entered the lobby, Lois turned, surprising him. “No, Clark. You’re doing just fine. I want you to know I am never afraid when I am with you.”
“Lois…” He dropped his eyes from hers. “Lois, it’s way past time you knew…”
“So let’s hear it,” she said, punching the elevator buttons.
“That…I,” he glanced over his shoulder at the crowded lobby, “would never let anything happen to you. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.”
Others pushed their way into the elevator between them. They stood in opposite corners, their eyes holding them together. The doors eventually opened to reveal the bullpen. The day was well underway, the frantic pace evident from where they stood. Lois reached out to Clark, taking his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together.
Clark blinked, swallowed, followed her out onto the landing. “Lois,” he said, struggling for words, for composure.
“Buy me lunch,” she ordered him softly. “After we break it to Perry that the big fish got away.”
“Lois,” he said again, bringing the hand in his up to his heart. “I was an idiot.”
“Yes.” She smiled. “It’ll need to be a really good lunch.”
***********tbc-
