At the Planet the next morning, Lois and Clark were inseparable. Lois was determined to help Clark get his parents back, safe and sound. He gave her all the leads he had on the case, the strongest being a particular orchid scent he had picked up at his apartment when his parents had been kidnapped. As it turned out, it was a rare orchid only ordered by Zurich Air. Lois did what she could over the phone to see who had flown with them recently.
"I need to talk to somebody who can authorize the release of passenger lists..." She touched Clark's arm, trying to reassure him that she'd make some progress.
Perry and Jimmy were eying them from Perry's office. "Jimmy, that dress Lois has on, didn't she wear that yesterday?"
Jimmy looked over, "I don't know, chief."
Perry tapped Jimmy lightly on the shoulder, "You want to be a newspaperman, you gotta be observant. Does Clark look a little haggard to you?"
Jimmy had sensed something was up with Clark. He nodded.
"Like he hasn't had much sleep lately. Like he's got something worrying him?" Perry continued. "Like a tiger trapped in a cage?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Jimmy.
"You know what I think Jimmy?" Jimmy looked at Perry expectantly. "I think they eloped."
It all suddenly made sense to Jimmy. He was bursting to say something to Perry. He had suspected something was up, but the last thing he wanted was Lois on his tail for letting anything slip about her request yesterday. He did a double take. <<Was Lois married to *Clark*??>>
********
"I don't think this is going to work. We don't have any leverage," said Lois, looking up at Clark apologetically.
Just then, a cop came down the ramp, heading right towards them.
"Could I talk to you, Kent?"
Clark stepped away from Lois a moment to greet the cop. She nodded and gestured that she'd still try to get through to someone at Zurich Air.
"Sure, Sergeant," Clark said.
The cop looked at Clark warily, holding a photo in his hand. "You know that Mazik's jewelry store that got hit last night? They've got a hidden security camera."
Lois met Clark's eyes and they both schooled their features not to reveal anything.
The Sergeant handed the photo to Clark. Clark was momentarily stunned; there it was, his crimes for the world to see.
"That could be anybody, Zymak," Lois chimed in, very convincingly and Clark was thankful Lois was so good at thinking on her feet.
Zymak held up the photo to Clark, still a little suspicious. "Same nose, same chin, same glasses," he let the photo drop, but still kept his scrutiny on Clark. "Where were you last night from, say, nine o'clock on?"
Clark was still freaking out, but again, Lois jumped in to rescue him.
"He was with me," she said, looking the cop in the eyes.
"Yeah?"
She moved to grab Clark's arm again, protectively. "Yeah."
"All night?"
She smiled and felt her cheeks go a little red. "All night."
Clark finally found his voice, "Sergeant, you *know* us. Do you really think I'd commit a burglary? Do you really think Lois would lie about it?"
Clark had him there. Kent and Lane were the most trusted reporters he knew. He finally relented. "No. No, I don't. But you've got a double out there somewhere, Kent."
Zymak started to leave, but Clark got an idea and spoke up before he got too far. "Ah, Sergeant? If I ask Superman to help you find this thief, could you do me a favor? We need some information from Zurich Air, uh, for something we're working on..."
The cop took the phone and Lois and Clark exchanged looks of relief.
A little time later and they had another piece of the puzzle. Apparently the guy who owned the jewelry store had also been the one who had flown on Zurich Air along with an alias for Nigel St. John, who had worked for Lex Luthor.
"What would Nigel St. John want with your parents, Clark?" she asked naively.
"Lois, I tried to tell you that Luthor was after Superman. I don't see why St. John wouldn't have it out for me as well."
She quietly digested that. She didn't like to dwell on thoughts about Lex, and as she realized that he had been after Superman, it came together why Clark had been so adamant about her not marrying Lex last year.
"I'm sorry, Clark," she said, touching his shoulder.
"What for?"
"I know it's in the past and all, but I'm sorry for not listening to you about Luthor, last year. I just didn't---"
"You didn't know. You couldn't have known. Lois, it's okay. We're together now. That's all that matters to me," he said, patting her hand on his shoulder.
She smiled sadly, "We could've been together a lot sooner, I think, if I'd have listened to you."
"Oh really?" he asked, smugly. "You think you would have paid attention to plain old Clark last year, the hack from Nowheresville?"
Lois had the grace to look abashed. "Touche... but I'm glad we're together now."
"Me too," he grinned. "Hey, I just had an idea. I'm going to call the airline back."
Clark cleared his throat as he prepared to sound like Zymak, "This is Sergeant Zymak again, M.P.D., you had a passenger S. Janacek, Flight 697, two days ago. Can you tell me how the fare was paid?"
He heard the answer on the other end and looked at Lois with a 'get a load of this' look, "Mazik? Jason T. Mazik?"
"As in Mazik Jewelers?" she asked.
"Thank you," he said and then slammed the phone down, irritated. "Yes, as in Mazik Jewelers."
He moved to get his coat. He was going to face this Janacek guy and get to the bottom of this.
"You wait here."
She laughed, grabbing her coat in one motion as she followed him, "When pigs fly!"
**********
They had spoken to Janacek, who didn't give them any helpful information. Clark was certain it was the same guy who had threatened him on the phone. Back at the Planet, they were trying to strategize their next move.
Clark was so thankful Lois was on the same page with him. He wasn't sure he deserved it, but he definitely appreciated it.
As she was pouring herself a cup of coffee, he came up beside her and gently squeezed her arm. They had decided not to tell anyone about their, um accidental elopement yet. And with this mess going on with his parents, Lois didn't need to be made a target either.
"Hey," he said softly.
She smiled. "How you holding up?"
"Better. Thanks to you," he smiled warmly. "Lois, I'm so relieved to have you by my side. I was really worried that you'd never forgive me and--"
She nodded, sighing. "I thought about not forgiving you, but the truth is--we need each other," she said simply.
"We do. Lois, I--"
Jimmy waved over at them. "CK, phone for you. You can take it at Stanely's desk."
Clark nodded, and turned back to Lois. "Guess now is not the time to bare our souls," he said wryly.
She laughed, "Go on."
Clark grabbed the phone. Lois watched him carefully. It was the kidnapper, Janecek! She was certain. She walked over to him.
"Just tell me what you want," said Clark, tersely.
Clark listened a moment, and then looked right at Lois, his eyes eloquent with love, but his jaw tight, "Yes."
He suddenly turned away from her, a frown forming on his face. "Bring what?"
All the color drained from Clark's face. He slowly put down the phone and turned to Lois. His eyes looked torn between horror and disbelief.
"That was him, wasn't it?" she asked.
"Lois, don't--" Clark started, panicked.
She reached to touch his arm, concerned. Clark looked extremely worried. "What did he say to you? What did he say, Clark?" she asked, her own voice rising with worry at Clark's continued silence and look of shock.
He turned to her, his eyes pained with fear. His voice was strangled as he got out, "He wants you dead... in thirty minutes... or he's going to kill my parents."
Lois shook her head. "It's Nigel... we got too close."
He reached for her hand, desperate. "I want you to get out of town. Get on a plane, go far..."
She leaned up to him, touching his face. "No, I have an idea. Meet me at my place." She reached up and kissed him fiercely, and then whispered in his ear, "As Superman."
She stepped back from him, but still held his hand, squeezing it reassuringly as she said, "Everything's going to be all right."
And then she was gone, leaving him to wonder what crazy idea she had now.
************
"Freeze you?" Clark asked in disbelief.
She nodded, seemingly trying to reassure herself that it was possible and a good idea. "Like cryogenics... people who fall in frozen lakes but get revived? You freeze me with your breath, fast -- I've seen you do it a hundred times --then it looks like I'm dead, you bring the body and---"
He shook his head, "Lois, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? There could be arterial ruptures, permanent brain damage..." He looked at her, his heart in his eyes, "You could die."
She was pacing now, fear growing in her, but she was determined to do this. "Yes, I could die. But your parents *will* die unless we do something. Clark, I can do this. Let me do this."
She had tears in her eyes as she turned to him. Their eyes held for a moment, and then he suddenly reached for her, pulling her into his arms. "Why, Lois? Why are you willing to risk so much for me?" he said, his voice cracking.
"Because I love you. Don't you know that? Despite everything," she wiped her eyes. "I don't know what I'd be without you, Clark. And if this is the only way to save your parents, then so be it. I trust you."
Those last words just about broke his heart. He felt tears in his own eyes, and he pulled her to his chest again. "It's your trust that scares me, Lois. I--I hope I can live up to it."
She pulled back from him enough just to be able to reach up and kiss him. "You do, everyday. You're the best man I've ever known, Clark."
"Even when I fly you off to Vegas and marry you and not tell you who I really am?" he couldn't help resist adding, laughing through the tears.
It wasn't the time for jokes, but her lips curled up in a small smile. "Yeah, even then," she said quietly, both knowing in that moment all was truly forgiven.
He looked at her a moment, unable to believe the woman before him was his wife. He moved to kiss her. He meant it to be a gentle kiss, but suddenly they were kissing passionately, fiercely, hungrily---as if it was their last.
Finally, they pulled away. "We don't have much time," Lois said weakly.
He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
"I love you," she mouthed, her voice stifled by tears.
"I love you, too, Lois," he whispered hoarsely. He took a steadying breath. He knew he had to do this. Logically, it made sense; she had come up with a brilliant idea. But his heart squeezed in the pain of her sacrifice. He just hoped it would all work out. That she'd be fine.
"Clark, just do it," she squeaked, trying to be brave.
He nodded, pulling his thoughts back to the moment.
"Close your eyes."
He reached out to cup her face; it was their touch. One they had shared so many times, both with him as Superman and as Clark. She looked up at him in surprise. <<He *had* tried to tell me. He just could never find the words...>>
Clark stepped back, distancing himself physically and emotionally as best he could. He had to just be the hero, even if it ripped out his heart in the process.
His breath came like a kiss. It loved her and froze her at once. She stilled her breath, her mind reaching for one thought only.
<<I love you.>>
______________________
Some dialogue taken from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Season 2, episode 22, "And the Answer is..." written by Tony Blake & Paul Jackson.
