Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Aussie Rules (47/?)

Clark flew to Jimmy and the security guards. He hovered above them, crossed his arms, and looked down. "What is it?" he asked sternly.

Jimmy looked up. "Perry White ... the editor of the Daily Planet newspaper is on the top of the Planet building. He says he's gonna jump."

Clark hoped he managed to smother his shock before it reached his face. He nodded to Jimmy and then addressed the security guards. "Let him go, please," he said.

They didn't loosen their hold.

"He had a message for me," Clark said. "A message I was ... have been ... expecting. He won't cause any further problems."

The security guards let go of Jimmy.

"Go back to your office," Clark directed.

Jimmy hurried away, and Clark turned towards the entrance of the Lexor Ballroom.

Fear gripped his heart.

Lois had gone.


Part 47

Clark flew to the entrance of the Lexor Ballroom and landed with a thud, his eyes darting in search of Lois. "Where is she?" he asked no one in particular. He saw Linda King just inside the doors of the hall where the guests awaited, and he strode quickly to her. "Where is Ultra Woman?" he demanded.

Linda smiled inanely at the panic in his voice. "Don't worry, Superman," she purred. "Ultra Woman has an eyelash in her eye, and she went to the ladies' room to remove it. She told me to assure you that she's all right."

Was Linda lying?

Had someone taken Lois?

Clark stood, not knowing what to do.

He couldn't look into the ladies' bathroom - he couldn't.

But there was something he could do ... He closed his eyes and listened.

Two long, agonising seconds later, he heard it. Her heartbeat. Coming from the ladies' bathroom.

It was slightly elevated, but not enough to signify she was in any danger.

He let out a sigh of relief, and the tightness around his heart eased.

Then he remembered.

Perry.

Why was he on top of the Daily Planet building?

Was he really going to jump?

And why had he called for Superman?

Clark had to go. He couldn't ignore Perry. He couldn't wait for Lois to emerge from the bathroom. And he couldn't barge in there and ask her to hurry up. Clark turned to Linda. "There's something I have to do," he said. "When Ultra Woman comes back, tell her to wait here. I won't be long."

Keeping his ears tuned solely to Lois's heartbeat, he rose and flew at superspeed to the top of the Daily Planet building.

||_||

In the bathroom, Lois glanced along the row of stalls. One was occupied. Lois frowned at the closed door - she had hoped to be alone.

The presence of the eyelash had already caused moisture to flood her eye. She hurried to the mirrors, leant forward, and tried to locate the foreign object.

She blinked repeatedly, but the irritant didn't budge.

Behind her, there was movement in the stall.

Lois rubbed her eye. It would be easier without the mask, but she couldn't risk taking it off.

She widened her eyes and stared into the mirror.

It was still there.

She couldn't actually see it, but she sure could feel it.

And there was no way she was getting married with watery eyes because of a recalcitrant lash.

||_||

Perry spun around as Clark landed on the roof of the Daily Planet building. He searched his editor's face for signs of desperation - he didn't *look* suicidal. "You wanted to speak to me?" Clark said, remembering to keep his words cool and aloof.

"I have a source - Sore Throat," Perry said.

Clark's heart constricted. This couldn't be good.

"He has informed me that the Metropolis Star have installed hidden cameras in the honeymoon suite at the Lexor Hotel," Perry said. "Their real interest was not in the wedding but in the honeymoon."

A mix of relief and frustration swirled through Clark. Why hadn't he thought of that? "Didn't they think I'd check?" he asked.

A ghost of Perry's smile appeared on his face. "Perhaps they thought you'd be distracted."

Clark looked across the Metropolis skyline to where the Lexor Hotel towered above the other buildings. Knowing the honeymoon suite was on the thirty-fifth floor, he scanned in search of the cameras.

His vision blurred.

Clark shook his head and tried again. He couldn't see through the walls - instead, they merely softened to indistinct outlines.

||_||

Finally, Lois managed to coax the stubborn eyelash from her eye. She peered into the mirror and groaned softly. Her eye was pink and puffy, and her makeup was smudged.

Very carefully, Lois used the tip of her little finger to try to wipe away the shadow of mascara that had leaked from her lashes. Her efforts were ineffectual. She looked around the bathroom for some paper towel. There was nothing - all of the hand driers were electric. Shouldn't a place like this supply tissues? She decided to try again with her finger. She really didn't want to resort to using toilet paper to fix her makeup on her wedding day.

||_||

Clark turned back to Perry. "Do you trust this source?"

"He's always been straight with me before." Perry looked directly at Superman, and Clark had to force himself to hold his stance. What if the shrewd old editor saw through the disguise? "I know this sounds like a stunt to get a story for the Planet and outsmart the Star," Perry said. "But when that crank Trask took my people hostage, you came to try to help them. I haven't forgotten that."

Clark nodded. "Thanks."

Perry stepped forward, a piece of paper in his outstretched hand. "This is the address and a map of my fishing shack in the Adirondacks," he said. "It's about as far removed from the luxury of the honeymoon suite at the Lexor as can be, and I've hardly been there this summer, so it'll be under an inch of dust ... but it's comfortable and it's private ... and you're very welcome to it."

Clark took the paper. "Thanks, Mr White," he said. "Thanks for everything."

"The key is under the mat at the back door." Perry shook Superman's hand. "Good luck."

Clark paused before flying off. "You're not going to jump?" he asked.

Perry chuckled. "No," he said. "I was never going to jump - but I couldn't think of another way to warn you. And I couldn't let the Star do that to you and your lady."

"Thank you," Clark said. He leapt into the air and flew back to Lois.

||_||

Lois leant forward again, her finger poised. The mask was hindering her efforts; if she went into one of the stalls, she could remove her mask without fear of detection, but then she wouldn't have a mirror.

Deciding it was necessary to see what she was doing, Lois again peered into the mirror and cautiously ran her finger under her lower lash. She examined the results. That was better. It wasn't perfect, but it was better.

She straightened, and, to her dismay, she saw a conspicuous smear of black mascara on her hot pink mask. What was she going to do now?

From behind her came a sharp clinking sound as something landed on the tiled floor. Lois jumped and turned. The door to the occupied stall was still closed, and whatever had fallen remained out of sight. Lois heard a rustling movement and figured that the woman in there was picking up whatever she'd dropped. It had sounded like a piece of jewellery - no, it was heavier than that ... more like a pebble.

After a hasty glance to the entrance door to check no one was coming, Lois again faced the mirror, untied her mask, removed it, turned it around so the stained side faced inwards, and replaced it over her eyes.

As she did, the door to the stall opened. Lois's eyes jerked left, and, in the mirror, she saw Mayson Drake emerge.

The two women stared at each other. Lois wasn't sure who was more surprised at the other's appearance. Possibly Lois had a slight advantage because - although she hadn't been expecting to encounter Mayson in the bathroom - her presence at the wedding was no surprise at all.

"Ms Drake," Lois said, remembering to slip into her American accent. She secured the mask at the back of her head, smoothed down a few stray strands of gelled hair, conducted a final check in the mirror - her mascara was a little blotchy, but none of it was visible on her mask - and walked from the bathroom without so much as a backward glance.

||_||

When Clark dropped into the entrance area of the Lexor Ballroom, Lois was nowhere to be seen. A few seconds ago, her heartbeat had spiked, but now it was returning to normal. "Where's Ultra Woman?" he demanded of Linda.

"She's -"

Lois appeared from the other side of the foyer, and a rush of relief surged through Clark as he hurried towards her. "Are you all right?" he asked, clasping her arms.

She nodded with a smile, although she still looked a little flustered. "I had an eyelash in my eye. Is everything OK with you?"

"Is that all? Just an eyelash?"

"I got a bit of mascara on my mask ... but it's all OK now."

Clark looked closely and saw a tiny blotch underneath her left eye. "It's not noticeable," he told her.

She smiled. "Is everything OK? What did ... they want?"

"Nothing that's a problem," he said. "I'll tell you about it later."

Linda approached them. "Are we ready?" she said brightly.

Clark looked to Lois. His bride smiled and nodded. "Yes, we're ready," he said.

"Then perhaps you'd like to make your way to the front of the hall, Superman," Linda said. "I'll wait here with Ultra Woman."

Clark gently rubbed his hands down Lois's arms and gave her a smile. "Let's do this," he said.

She returned his smile and nodded.

Clark turned from her, tuned his hearing to her heartbeat, and began to walk up the aisle towards the celebrant.

Ahead and to the right, he saw Mayson Drake drop into the seat next to Lex Luthor. Lois had been right, Clark thought grimly. Mayson *had* found her a way to procure an invitation to the wedding.

But there was no room for thoughts of Mayson now. Clark's mind filled with visions of the woman he loved. The woman who, very soon, would be his wife.

Then, the world tilted, and a suffocating tightness gripped his chest. Clark put his hand over his 'S' and tried to take a steadying breath. It was no use. The pain was back. The pain that came only from exposure to the green rock. The pain that would cripple him and reduce him to weakness as its cruel clutches racked his body.

He tried to turn - to get back to Lois.

Instead, his legs folded under him, and Superman crumpled to the ground.

||_||

Lois saw Clark stop. She saw him grasp his chest. She saw him slump. And then she saw him fall.

By the time he hit the ground, she was already halfway up the aisle.

When she reached him, she dropped beside him. His face was contorted with pain, and his hands were snatching at his chest in a futile attempt to ease his agony. "Superman," she gasped.

A flash of light hit them.

Then another.

And another.

Lois looked up towards the light and saw three security guards surrounding Mayson Drake. In her hands, she held a camera, and on her face was an expression of evil triumph.

The guards herded her away - down the side aisle and out of the building.

Lois looked back to Clark.

Some of the intensity seemed to have eased from his face, and he was no longer gripping his chest with such wretched desperation. With one hand, she caressed his forehead, and with the other, she held his hand.

A horde of people jostled around her, and their dissonance of questions and speculation circled like a vulture, but for Lois, there was only Clark.

His eyelids lifted and the dark brown pools of pain meshed with hers. She tried to smile for him, but her attempt drained away as his distress cut though her like a blade.

Clark increased the pressure on her hand, and Lois realised he wanted to sit up. She clasped his shoulder and, using all of her strength, helped him rise to a sitting position. He slumped against the solid wooden chair. His head went back, and he pulled in deep breaths, but the worst of the torment seemed to have subsided.

Lois stroked his neck and held his hand. "Are you going to be all right?" she whispered.

He nodded. "Just ... just give me ... a moment."

Lois became aware that the Star photographer was feverishly working his camera - although he was doing it without the intrusive flash that Mayson had used. She leant closer to Clark, trying to obstruct the photographer's line of sight as much as possible.

"Do you still want to do this?" Clark said very quietly.

"We are not going to let this stop our wedding," Lois said decisively. "We can wait until you're feeling better, but we are going to do it."

He gave her a shaky smile. "Could you help me up?"

Lois gripped Clark's hand, and he took a firm hold of the chair and scrambled to his feet as other people reached to assist him.

Once they were standing, Lois put her hands around his waist and looked up into his face. "OK?" she murmured.

"Yeah," he rasped. "Thanks."

Lois stretched up to Clark's ear and whispered, "It's OK, we've done this before. Lean on me as much as you need to." She twisted and positioned his arm along her shoulder. She slipped her arm under his cape and across his back. "Let's get married," she said.

Linda King stood in front of them, her face pallid. "What happened?" she asked anxiously.

"Just a few wedding nerves," Lois said lightly. "Nothing to worry about."

"Wedding nerves?" Linda gasped. "It looked like a lot more than -"

"Excuse us," Lois said. She gave Linda a tight smile. "Superman and I are about to get married."

The people returned to their seats, and Lois and Clark made slow progress up the aisle. When they drew level with the first row, Lois glanced to her right and saw the empty chair.

They could get through this ... they would. Clark was safe now.

Two more steps and they were standing in front of the celebrant. She looked at them with a practised smile. "Are we ready to proceed?" she asked in a crisp, official voice.

"Yes," Lois said. Clark's arm dropped from her shoulder and immediately she felt him sway. She turned to face him, put his hands on her shoulders, and spanned her hands above his hips. He steadied, and she smiled up at him, willing him to believe that everything would be all right. "There has been a change of plans," she said, turning to the celebrant. "We are not going to recite the vows we wrote; we wish for you to lead us through some standard vows."

For a moment, the celebrant looked taken aback at the request. "Religious or non-religious?" she asked eventually.

Clark had mentioned going to church with his parents. "Religious," Lois said.

The celebrant shuffled through her notes, paused, and then withdrew a sheet.

Lois used her thumb to stroke across the slippery material of Clark's suit. Again, she found his eyes, hoping he would receive her message. It'll be OK. We're together.

"Repeat after me," the celebrant said. "I, Superman, take you, Ultra Woman, to be my wife."

Clark swallowed and, in his face, Lois could see his sorrow that their wedding was going to be even less than the simple ceremony they had planned. "I love you," she mouthed.

"I, Superman, take you, Ultra Woman, to be my wife," Clark said. The words came out steadfastly - propelled, she was sure, by the strength of a heart that was determined to overcome the ravages that had been wrought upon his body.

Lois smiled her encouragement.

"Before God and these witnesses," the celebrant read. "I promise to be a faithful husband."

"Before God and these witnesses," Clark said. "I promise to be a faithful husband." And I will love you forever, his eyes added.

The celebrant looked to Lois. "I, Ultra Woman, take you, Superman, to be my husband," she said.

Lois locked eyes with Clark. "I, Ultra Woman, take you, Superman, to be my husband." His hands tightened on her shoulders in secret response.

The celebrant's voice washed over them. "Before God and these witnesses, I promise to be a faithful wife."

"Before God and these witnesses," Lois said. "I promise to be a faithful wife."

"Will you, Superman, take Ultra Woman to be your wife?" the celebrant asked. "Will you love her, comfort her, and remain faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will."

Lois felt the tears gather along her eyes.

"Will you, Ultra Woman, take Superman to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, and remain faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," she said.

Clark blinked hurriedly, and Lois smiled her understanding.

The celebrant looked expectantly at Linda King. "Do you have the rings?"

Linda rushed forward and dropped two rings into the celebrant's outstretched hand.

Clark took one hand from Lois's shoulder.

The celebrant gave him the ring. "Repeat after me," she said. "With this ring, I wed you."

Lois took her left hand from Clark's waist but tightened her grip with her right hand. He still didn't seem completely secure on his feet.

Clark positioned the ring at the end of her finger. "With this ring, I wed you," he said.

"I promise to love you through good times and bad, in sickness and in health," the celebrant said.

Lois saw a hint of amusement in Clark's eyes and had to refrain from laughing with relief that he was feeling well enough to see the irony of him - the strongest man in the world - promising to love her through sickness and health when she was propping him up at the altar. "I promise to love you through good times and bad, in sickness and in health."

She heard the slight buoyancy in his voice and answered him with a radiant smile.

He pushed the ring onto her finger, and their eyes met and danced with joy.

The celebrant handed Clark's ring to Lois. "With this ring, I wed you."

Lois looked into Clark's eyes and saw that the cloud of pain had cleared. "With this ring, I wed you," she said, placing emphasis on the final three words.

His smile glimmered.

"I promise to love you through good times and bad, in sickness and in health," the celebrant prompted.

"I promise to love you through good times and bad," Lois said. "In sickness and in health." She pushed the ring along the length of his finger and sighed with satisfaction.

The celebrant smiled. "Before God and these witnesses, I pronounce that you are husband and wife."

Lois felt the swell of joy and elation cascade through her. At that moment, nothing else mattered - not the bizarre wedding outfits, not the names used, not the guests that didn't include even one person who mattered to them, not the encounter with the green rock - all that mattered was that she and Clark were married.

He, too, was smiling - more freely than Superman ever had.

"You may kiss your bride."

Lois slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was short ... and chaste ... but it amply conveyed the depth of his feelings.

"I love you," Clark said as her mouth left his.

"I love you."

The bridal couple turned to the applauding guests and waited while the Star photographer took a few more shots.

They moved to the nearby table and signed the official documents.

Then, hand-in-hand, Superman and Ultra Woman began their first journey together as husband and wife.

||_||

Mayson Drake stared at the green rock in her palm as a volcano of euphoria and triumph erupted inside her.

Power.

She'd always craved it, and now she had it.

The most powerful man on earth had to bow to her demands. She had the weapon that brought him low.

In her mind, she could still see him ... lying there ... helpless ... weak ... writhing in pain.

Mayson smiled.

They had taken her camera and destroyed the film.

But they couldn't steal the images of victory that were etched in her memory.

And King and her lackeys were so imbecilic, they didn't even realise that they had missed the real prize.

Mayson carefully returned her most treasured possession to its hiding place.

It was time for the games to begin.

||_||

A roar of approval rose from the crowd as the bride and groom emerged from the building to stand in the morning sunshine. Clark looked down at Lois - his wife, his support. When he had been weak, she had been strong.

Off to the side, a horse-drawn carriage awaited them. All vestiges of the pain had gone, but Clark wasn't sure if he was going to be able to lift his bride and fly away.

"We'll take the carriage," she said with an understanding smile.

He nodded. It seemed as if when circumstance denied them the opportunity to speak openly, their communication switched to another, deeper level.

The huge Clydesdale moved forward, and the driver leapt down to help them into the carriage. Once Lois was safely seated, Clark hauled himself up and dropped beside her. He was still weak - and a long way from super - but he could feel his strength returning.

They drove slowly through the cheering crowds. Clark smiled guardedly - as befitting Superman - but Lois waved enthusiastically, looking every inch the happy bride.

Clark hoped it wasn't just a cover for her disappointment.

She *must* be devastated.

Her wedding had been reduced to even less than their simple plans.

Her future had been put in jeopardy. When he'd agreed to her becoming Ultra Woman, he'd thought he would always have the strength to protect her. Now, he knew that some of the green rock remained on Earth ... and that changed everything.

Whoever had the green rock had chosen to use it to disrupt their wedding. That said much about their intentions.

Clark put his arm around Lois and snuggled her closer to him. He hadn't liked Linda's idea of a parade through the streets in an open carriage. It seemed too pretentious - and made them too susceptible to anyone with a mind to hurt Lois. He hadn't liked it when he'd assumed he would be sitting next to her with all of his superpowers.

Now, he felt vulnerable. If anything happened, he wasn't sure he'd be able to protect Lois. And that felt worse than being exposed to the green rock.

They continued the short distance to the Lexor Hotel, wending through the crowds at a leisurely pace. To Clark's great relief, they reached their destination without incident.

They alighted from the carriage, and, after a final wave to the crowd, they entered the hotel. Two uniformed attendants welcomed them and led them to the elevator.

Seconds later, they were being whisked upwards to the thirty-fifth floor.

The exhilaration Clark should have been feeling as they approached the honeymoon suite was lost in the shadow of their predicament. In just a few hours, Lois had to be back in Sydney. He wasn't able to fly now, and he had no way of knowing when the trip across the Pacific would be feasible. Someone had the green rock and the will to use it against him. It was their wedding day, and they were stuck in a room that had been fitted with cameras.

The elevator came to a smooth stop, and the doors opened. The attendants escorted them into the honeymoon suite. As soon as he was in the room, Clark scanned the walls, but his vision hadn't recovered enough to enable him to see through them.

After graciously enquiring if they needed anything, the attendants left.

Clark looked at Lois. She was rotating slowly, her arms wide as she took in the grandeur of the room. Having completed a full circle, she faced him, smiling happily. "This is brilliant," she said.

Clark hated that he was going to have to disappoint her again. He took her into his arms and positioned his mouth next to her ear. "They've put cameras in here," he murmured under his breath. He felt the surprise ripple through her. "You'll have to keep your mask on," he added ruefully.

Lois took only a few moments to process that. She slipped from his embrace and went to the glass doors leading to the balcony. She opened them and stepped out into the sunshine.

Clark followed her, convinced she was trying to hide her distress.

When he reached her, she turned. To his surprise, she was smiling.

"Honey, I'm sorry," he said.

She turned him so his back was to the sun and then stepped into his shadow and slipped her arms around his waist. "It's OK," she said.

"It's *not* OK," Clark said, as all his frustration and disillusionment rose to the surface. "That barely even qualified as a wedding, and we don't know how -"

Lois stopped the flow of his words with a kiss - and not only the flow of his words but also the thrust of his worries. When she kissed him like that, it was impossible to think about anything else.

When the kiss ended, Clark couldn't help smiling down at his wife. "The cameras might reach to the balcony," he warned.

She shrugged. "We've only done what everyone expects a just-married couple to do."

Clark studied her face. She seemed unperturbed by their situation. Hadn't she realised the implications of his exposure to the green rock? Or was she pushing them away and refusing to allow anything to spoil the first hours of their marriage?

Lois walked back into the room and opened the drapes to their fullest extent. A splash of sunshine fell onto the bed. She pulled back the blanket and sheet. "Come and get in," she said. "You take the sunny side."

What about the cameras? Clark looked to Lois with his question and saw her certainty and composure.

He sat on the bed and removed his boots. When he had settled onto his back, Lois slipped in beside him. She pulled up the covers and laid her head on his upper chest and her hand on his ribs. "We'll stay here for a while," she said.

"Honey! I can't fl-"

"I know that," she said, very low and calm. "Remember the last time? Remember how being with me strengthened you? It's worked before. It will work again this time."

He let out a deep breath. Lois was right. They could wait here in the bed - it would seem strange, but it wouldn't make for sensationalistic or revealing photos. And if they were pressed for an explanation, they could say he wasn't feeling well after his collapse.

"Don't worry about anything," Lois said with reassuring serenity. "I have everything worked out. All you have to do is get well."

Under the blankets, her hand moved slowly down his arm and rested on his hand. She wiggled his brand new wedding ring. "That feels good," she said.

"Yeah." Clark closed his eyes and concentrated on her.

They had to get Lois back to Sydney before anyone noticed she was missing, and to do that, he had to regain his strength.

And being with Lois was the best possible way to achieve that.