Just a note here: I took liberties with the names of some awards. I added one or two. I did research some awards and the prizes metioned are given for journalism awards, just not necessarily what I've mentioned. Hope you don't mind.
Enjoy!
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Lois clicked the button on the remote. Every channel played the same thing. Arm after arm of the Smiley ring was being severed. Her investigation and subsequent stories had paid off- big time! A senator, businessmen, law enforcement officers, border patrol agents, shippers, truckers, and a trail of others had been uncovered. Superman had rescued a ship full of people bound for New York City and buyers all over the country. A freight train had been stopped somewhere overseas with the same results: teams of people were packed into a cramped car bound for living hell. As Lois watched a replay of Superman lifting a small child onto a stretcher, she couldn’t help but be proud of what she’d accomplished.
She was also grateful to the superhero for rescuing so many others from their deaths.
News organizations worldwide were covering this story around the clock. She’d gotten several calls to do interviews, but had refused because she wished to remain as anonymous as possible. It paid to blend in with her line of work.
And she would need to blend in. Perry had called to congratulate her on the story... again. He’d also told her about another story brewing in Texas. Apparently a woman had agreed to be a surrogate mother for a barren couple. The couple just happened to be very wealthy and well known in the business world. It wasn’t a very interesting story until the surrogate mother went missing just hours after giving birth. Perry’s sources seemed to think that there was something more sinister going on. He’d asked if she’d be interested in looking into it.
Would she? Wasn’t she still a reporter? The best reporter in the country right now?
Well, along with Clark. They might not have worked side by side on this story, but the international portion had been covered quite well by his capable abilities. He’d uncovered just as much overseas as she had in the states. No, they might not have been partnered in the usual way, but they’d still managed to work together to form a lethal reporting machine.
Lois clicked off the television and lifted her suitcase. She’d been gone from Metropolis for more than six weeks. And for the first time she realized that the work and time away from Clark had done wonders for her outlook. Though she still hurt for what they’d shared, it was more of a dull ache now than the searing pain it had once been.
In fact, it had dulled so much that she felt able to call him and congratulate him on his part of this story.
As she settled into the backseat of a cab, she dialed a number she hadn’t easily forgotten. Three rings later, she heard a once familiar voice.
“Hello?”
“I wanted to thank you for all you did on this case... And say congratulations. Your articles were just as powerful as mine.”
On the other end, Clark took a steadying breath. He, too, had somehow learned to deal with his pain. He could never undo the damage he’d done, but he could accept the avenue Lois took to deal with it. He’d also found his salvation in being Superman and rediscovering that he was also a good reporter in his own right.
“Thank you,” he answered softly. “But we both know it’s not me the world is chasing for interviews.”
Lois smiled. “They won’t get them.”
“Of course not. The spotlight is bad for your image.” Clark allowed his heart to swell with pride. Lois was probably the hottest commodity in the news world right now.
And he’d had the privilege of working with her. But right now he was tickled they were able to speak to one another with a bit of civility.
“Absolutely.” There was a brief silence before she managed, “So, anything new in the works?”
“Actually, a kidnapping case. Howard Taylor’s daughter is missing.”
“*The* Howard Taylor?”
“Yep. How ‘bout you?”
“David Rains and his wife are suspects in an adoption/murder scandal.”
“Really?” Another silence. At least they’d said this much to one another. It was progress from the silence that had stretched between them since their break-up.
“Ah, any plans to make it home for Christmas?” Clark asked to fill the silence. It was also an attempt to find out if he was going to see her any time soon.
“I’d forgotten that was only a week away,” she answered. Time had gotten away from her. She’d spent Thanksgiving negotiating a transaction to nail Smiley. To her, it had been just another day.
And in light of how she’d felt lately, Christmas wasn’t looking to be anything special either. Not long ago she’d been looking forward to the holiday this year.
Clark took that to mean she probably wouldn’t make it back to Metropolis any time soon.
“How ‘bout you? Flying out to visit your folks?” Lois wanted to know. She wanted to know more. Were Jonathan and Martha well? Had they asked about her?
They hadn’t even called.
<<You haven’t called them either.>>
The man on the other end of the line smiled. Lois wanted to know if his parents missed her. “You know there’s no place like Smallville for Christmas.” A brief silence. “They ask about you all the time,” he finally said softly.
Her breath hitched. They *did* miss her.
She wanted to say she missed them, too. She wanted to say that maybe she should call them.
She wanted to say she missed Clark as well.
Instead, she said, “Well...“ She missed the days when they could have talked for hours. “I have a plane to catch.”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks again.”
“All in a day’s work.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. There was so much he wanted to say. So much he couldn’t say. “Congratulations. If you ever decide to give an interview...”
“I’ll call Jimmy,” she joked and was relieved when he laughed softly.
“Take care, Lois.”
“You, too.” She flipped her phone closed and stared out the window as it began to rain. It seemed to fit her mood, and she readily accepted it.
In Metropolis, Clark replaced his receiver with a sad smile on his face. This was it. This was his life now. He and Lois would never be friends the way they once were.
At least they’d finally spoken. And it had been civil. It was certainly better than the damning silence.
****
Three weeks later, Lois’ new story filled the front page of the Daily Planet right along with one of Clark’s. She smiled down as she read the articles again. The hottest team in town had been transformed. They might work alone now, in separate states, but they were still a pretty formidable pair.
Lois was proud of Clark’s work. Tricia Taylor was back home, safe and sound, and her kidnapper was on his way to prison. The picture accompanying the article was of Howard Taylor shaking hands with Superman.
Yes. Lois was proud of her former partner.
She would never understand why he’d decided they couldn’t be together. However, she’d come to terms with it. Clark had been very dear to her and he always would. She’d finally realized that while she’d never stop loving him, she had to get on with her life.
And she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to do that in Metropolis with him. So, when she’d left Texas, she’d boarded a plane to Idaho. She was on her way to infiltrate a cult following of a man who believed himself to be the new Messiah.
She tucked the newspaper she held into her briefcase and her feelings for Clark away in her heart. He’d always hold a special place there, and she was finally at the place where she could accept that.
****
From Idaho, Lois trekked to New York City and the sight of a terrorist bombing. She was the first reporter to interview the young man who believed it was his duty to bring understanding to the people of the world. He wasn’t exactly clear about the understanding he wished to impart, but he was certainly emphatic about it.
He was actually quite disturbed and even tried to take Lois hostage. She promptly freed herself with a few well placed kicks. He later hanged himself with his jumpsuit. And apparently he was as deep as the terrorist ring went.
As Lois made her way down the concourse toward her next flight, she reflected on her past. More precisely, she wondered how Clark would have handled this case.
<<He would have talked his way out of the stand-off.>>
She smiled sadly. Yes. The boy scout would have tried a peaceful solution first.
A sigh for courage, and she was off to solve the next big tragedy.
****
A shooting at a school in Pennsylvania was what made Lois call home to speak with her mother. She and Ellen exchanged the first heart felt conversation they’d had in years. Her mother told her that she understood her need to travel when Lois explained that she wasn’t sure when she’d return home. Ellen promised to take care of her apartment in her absence. She also apologized to her daughter for long ago mistakes.
Lois left for her next assignment with a little more perspective than she’d had when she’d arrived.
****
Clark made it through Christmas and the New Year without his best friend. He even managed to keep from buying a gift for Lois when Valentine’s rolled around. He’d smiled when he opened his mail two days before his birthday. There had been a card from Lois.
He’d also managed to work without his partner. And it had been some pretty terrific work. It seemed that if one of Lois’ hot topics wasn’t gracing the front page of the Planet, one of his was. He’d earned himself another Kerth nomination. Of course, so had Lois.
An informant had put him right smack in the middle of another piece that would probably make noise, so he was late making it into work.
“Kent, where the Sam Hill have you been?” Perry wanted to know immediately when he stepped off the elevator.
“Getting the scoop...”
“Never mind. Get down here.” Perry waved him down to his desk, then shouted above the noise in the newsroom. “Listen up, people. I have an announcement. I received a call this morning and our very own Lois Lane and Clark Kent have been named finalists for this year’s Merriweather Award for their combined articles on the Smiley investigation!”
Clark’s eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea they were even in the running. The Merriweather was a highly distinguished award in investigative journalism. It was second only to the Bailey in the reporting world and sought after almost as intensely as the Pulitzer Prize. Achieving a Kerth meant the world of news had taken notice of your abilities. Earning a Merriweather meant you’d risen above your peers, nearing the top of your field.
It was also an award Lois had mentioned more than once. Sure, she’d often talked over this particular award, favoring the top of the mountain- the Pulitzer- instead. But Clark had come to know Lois well enough that he knew this particular accolade would mean a great deal to her.
“Congratulations, son!” Perry told him as he shook his hand vigorously. “Even though your articles were written separately, you’ve been nominated in the team category.”
“Wow!” he whispered. After all he’d done to separate them- after all she’d done- they were still being teamed together.
“I’m waiting on a call from Lois now. She doesn’t know yet.”
Jimmy came up to clap Clark on the back. “The winner is going to be announced in half an hour on LNN. Way to go, CK!”
Clark could only grin at them. He was still too stunned to speak.
“Mr. White,” a staffer shouted. “Lois is on line two.”
Perry snatched up the phone on Clark’s desk. “Lois, where are ya’?” Before she answered, he switched over to speaker phone.
“Iraq. Saddam’s showing his butt with the insurgent forces. But I think I’m gonna leave this one to Sanders.”
“Yeah, yeah. Do that!” Sanders was the Planet’s Middle Eastern correspondent. “Listen, I got a call this morning. You and Kent have been named finalists in the team category for the Merriweather!”
There was a long silence before she asked, “The Smiley case?”
“That’s the one!”
“Am I on speaker?”
“Yeah.”
“Clark?”
“I’m here. Congratulations.”
“That goes both ways. Didn’t I tell you that your articles were powerful?”
Clark smiled. “Yes, you did.”
There was a brief silence before she said softly, “I don’t think this was part of your plans?”
He knew exactly what she meant. And it hurt like hell. “I think this is something I can live with.”
“Yeah,” she replied, and he could hear the smile in her voice. “I think I can live with it, too.”
“The final choice won’t be announced for a few minutes yet,” Perry cut in. “Can you call back?”
“I don’t think so, Perry. The situation is dicey here. If I want to make it out before they shut things down, I’m gonna have to go.”
“Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Ah, I’d rather... hear from... Clark.”
Without caring what anyone thought, Clark reached down to pick up the receiver so he could speak to Lois a bit more privately. His heart had swelled when she made that declaration. After all he’d done to her, she wanted to hear the news from him.
“You name the time,” he told her. And was relieved when Perry began to move everyone away from him.
“How about I just call you? That would probably be easier.”
“Any time,” he assured her.
“Clark?”
“Yeah?”
“We make a pretty good team, huh?”
“We make a great team,” he replied as tears filled his eyes. He wished so desperately they weren’t talking about reporting.
On the other end, Lois, too, had to stave off tears. She’d chased down journalistic achievements like this her entire career. To be on the verge of realizing that accomplishment with the man who’d ultimately separated them completely was pure irony.
“I’ll call you as soon as I can,” she told him after she regained a bit of composure.
“Okay.” He listened as the line went dead, then slowly placed the handset back on its cradle. Funny how things worked out.
He was absolutely elated with his accomplishment, but he was more thrilled for Lois. He felt a little like he’d intruded on her thunder by being considered with her. They’d never set out for the Smiley investigation to appear that they’d worked together. True, their combined efforts really had been explosive. Still, this should have been Lois’ moment.
She hadn’t sounded like she was angry about his inclusion, though. The comment she’d made about this not being in his plans made it sound more like she might feel that *he* was apprehensive.
How could he be? He’d just received a professional nod that most reporters only dream of getting. To get it with Lois made it even more special.
****
Half a world away Lois entered her hotel room. She was exhausted, more exhausted than she remembered ever being. She’d made it out of Iraq easily enough. But her trek was the last thing on her mind.
Since her call to the Planet that morning, all she’d thought about was her conversation with Clark. Being considered for the Merriweather felt wonderful. She’d worked hard for that achievement. She wasn’t even upset about getting recognized as a nonexistent team. What dominated her mind most was that Clark seemed to understand completely her need to hear the final results from him.
After all this time, through all the pain and confusion, he still understood her better than she did herself.
She sighed heavily and sank down onto the bed. It was nearly three in the morning back home. Was it too late to call?
Or was that too early?
She shrugged and lifted her phone to her ear. She’d already dialed the number.
“Hello?” came the sleepy reply after four rings.
“The one night Superman lets you sleep, you’re awakened by a deranged woman on the other side of the world.”
Despite his sleep filled haze, he managed to chuckle. “I guess you made it out of Iraq.”
“You should know not even a madman with a superiority complex can keep me down long.”
He laughed full out at that. “Well, somebody should warn him that he was messing with a Merriweather Award winner.”
Lois pumped her arm in triumph. “Really?”
“Yes, ma’am. But we have to split the ten grand.”
She sighed heavily. “I have to admit that I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about this.”
“That makes two of us,” Clark replied. “I never meant to steal your thunder.”
“This isn’t a hardship, Clark.”
“No, but it was your story.”
“And you ruffled a few feathers yourself.”
“Lois...”
“Look, I think we’ve safely established that we both earned this.”
Clark took a deep breath. “I’m really proud of you,” he finally managed. It was what he wanted to say anyway.
Lois’ eyes filled with tears. There was so many regrets hanging between them now. “Yeah, well, you have a lot to be proud of, too.”
Neither said a word for a moment, both lost in their thoughts. “You do know I’m going to kick your butt at the Kerths?”
Lois laughed loudly. “In your dreams, Kent!”
They laughed together for a moment before Clark ventured a question he was dying to ask. “Will you make it in for the luncheon to accept this coveted prize?”
“When is it?”
“Next week.”
She wanted to. Winning the Merriweather was every reporter’s ambition. It was a low key affair, the nominating committee having long ago opted to keep it that way. Yet, the recognition was, without a doubt, one of the greatest professional achievements one could attain.
So why didn’t she feel more excited that she’d won it?
“I guess it’s not as important as it once was,” he remarked. Maybe she did resent him for winning this as a team.
“A lot of things aren’t as important as they once were,” she replied, knowing exactly what he’d meant by his last remark. But she refused to open old wounds. She’d worked too hard to get to a place where she was comfortable with her past with this man. She’d even begun to think that maybe she was ready to call him a friend again.
He understood. Staying away was her way of dealing with the pain he’d caused her. To have to come back and accept a joint award with him would probably be too much.
“Tell you what,” Lois said suddenly. “Let’s tuck that prize money away. And say, in five years, when we’ve both hashed out more bad guys than not, and things are starting to seem like a monotonous circle of endless tragedy, we’ll rent a bungalow on a little island in the middle of paradise somewhere and spend a month or two writing our memoirs.”
“And drinking little fruity drinks in our bathing suits on the beach,” Clark continued.
“With no phones or newspapers or editors or...”
“Distractions of any kind.” And he stopped. He’d wanted to say ‘or Superman’, but didn’t want to end their conversation. That was one remark that would have surely made her hang up.
“We’ll eat lobster and shrimp all day and watch silly comedies that should have never been made.”
Clark laughed softly. “Snorkel in brilliant blue water and swim with the dolphins.”
“You provide the flight and I’ll negotiate the rate. We’ll need a little money left over for a few double crunch fudge bars.”
“I’ll hit the warehouse before we leave.”
“Then we have plans.”
They both laughed again. “Do we have to wait five years?”
“You win the Bailey and I’ll slip the ring on your finger. We’ll leave right after the ceremony.”
“You’ve got a deal, Lane!”
The Bailey was, in some ways, a bigger achievement than even the Pulitzer. It was given to a reporter whose work exemplifies courage, integrity, curiosity, and intelligence while epitomizing the role of journalism in free society and producing recognizable results. It came with a $35,000 prize and a platinum, diamond studded ring. It was considered the super bowl of reporting awards.
After a silence, Lois sighed and said, “I guess I should let you get back to sleep.”
“Yeah.”
“Congratulations, Clark.”
“That goes both ways,” he repeated the same words she’d said to him the day before.
“Take care.”
“You, too, Lois.” He waited for her to hang up first, but the click didn’t come.
Instead, he heard her say, “I’m proud of you, too.”
Then she hung up. He replaced the receiver and laid back to stare up at his ceiling, tears filling his eyes.
So many regrets.
Across the wide expanse that stretched out between them, Lois took out a photograph she kept with her as much as possible. It was an image of Clark without his glasses, a brilliant smile gracing his features. A rare glimpse of the man only she and his parents knew.
<<I don’t resent you a bit. But I don’t think I’m ready to face you either.>>
She sighed heavily.
So many regrets.
