Well, my muse finally came out of hiding after a very long absence, so I am finally ready to post a conclusion to this story. This particular installment is the second of a three part series, but I want to assure any wary reader that the whole story has been written. It still requires a little editing, but I will be able to post the third part in the next couple of days. Feedback, of course, will only strengthen my motivation to post.
Since I doubt that most of you remember the beginning of the story clearly (if at all), I am including the link to part one here:
http://www.lcficmbs.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=012251
Special thanks to the screenwriters of L and C. You will recognize some of their work in parts of this story. Enjoy!
The Green-Eyed Mad Dog (2/3)Clark was having a hard time concentrating on his mission. Lois had kissed him before, but never like this. He could still feel the delicious press of her body against his and taste the sweetness of her lips and tongue. In typical Mad Dog fashion, Lois had leapt into action in the face of a perceived threat. Was she just trying to show up Mayson, or was her behavior a reflection of her true feelings for him? God, he hoped it was the latter. He had loved her for so long, yet he had almost given up on the idea that his dreams would one day turn into reality. There was a special bond between them, he knew, but he was afraid that she would never allow them to venture beyond the boundaries of friendship.
Thinking of their friendship, he remembered his purpose and shook his head in disgust at his lack of focus. Lois’ uncle was in trouble, and he was wasting valuable time. Right now, he had to concentrate on saving one of the few people who had shown Lois unconditional love. Whether Mike knew it or not, Superman was indebted to him. That repayment would begin tonight.
Arriving on the scene, Clark quickly changed into the policeman’s uniform and charged onto the scene. Keeping his anger on a tight leash, he used martial arts techniques to dispatch the goons one by one. In a few short moments, all of the attackers were lying on the ground and had been “informed” of their rights.
Mike stood off to the side, looking grateful and not too worse for wear.
Nodding to Mike, Clark said, “I have to go call for…uh….”
“Backup?” Mike supplied.
“Yeah.”
Sirens wailing in the distance, Mike observed, “Looks like it’s already on the way.”
Taking advantage of Mike’s temporary distraction, Clark dashed away to change. He had promised to meet Lois here, and he didn’t want her to see him in yet another disguise.
A few moments later, he returned to the scene to find Lois hugging her uncle tightly.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
Lois pulled away from her uncle to look at him, and her posture changed to a defensive stance.
No, Lois. Please don’t shut me out.“Everything’s fine, Clark,” Mike stated, filling the silence. “A lone policeman came out of nowhere to save me. I wish I could find him to thank him.”
“I’m sure he knows that you’re grateful, Mike,” Clark told him, but his eyes never left Lois’.
“Would you two kids like to stay for dinner?” asked Mike. “I’m in the mood to celebrate. I’ll have to talk to the police first, but I’ll be happy to whip up something for you.”
Lois looked panicked. Kissing her uncle on the cheek, she told him, “I’m sorry, Uncle Mike. I’m so thankful that you’re safe, but I’ve really got to get some work done.”
Mike hugged her briefly, and then pulled back to reassure her. “That’s alright, sweetie. We’ll all be safer when you help catch those bad guys.”
“I’ll go with you,” Clark added hastily, hoping she’d allow him to talk to her.
“No, Clark. You stay here and have a nice meal. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, she turned and practically sprinted to her Jeep.
“Lois,” Clark mumbled miserably. He’d worked so hard to get her to drop her defenses, and now they were back up in force.
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you son?” a voice interjected.
Clark looked up in surprise. “Is it that obvious?”
Putting his arm around Clark, Mike told him, “I’m afraid so. Come on in, and I’ll fix you some dinner.”
“I really appreciate that, sir, but I think I’ll just go home now. Will you be alright?”
“I’ll be fine. The police are here, and no one would dare to try anything else tonight.”
“Then I’ll see you later,” he said, turning to go home.
“Clark,”
Turning around, Clark replied respectfully, “Yes, sir?”
“You know, I’ve never known that little girl to run away from anything.”
Clark smiled. “She has amazing courage.”
“Any idea why she’s running now?”
Clark looked down dejectedly. “It’s complicated.”
“Then make it simple. My niece trusts you more than she’s trusted anyone in a long time.”
“As a friend,” Clark replied wearily.
Mike put his hand on Clark’s arm. “Don’t discount that, Clark. Too many people have let her down, and each time it happens, she hides more of herself from the world. The fact that she calls you a friend should tell you something.”
“I know that, Mike. It’s just hard when she shuts me out.”
“Don’t give up on her. She needs someone like you,” Mike said reassuringly.
“I could never give up on her,” he said, smiling softly at the absurdity of the thought.
“That’s what I like to hear. Now, go get some rest,” Mike replied, patting Clark firmly on the back.
“Not likely, but I’ll try. Goodnight, Mike.”
“Goodnight.”
***
An exhausted Lois Lane boarded the
Planet elevator with trepidation. She had spent the entire night thinking about Clark and the events of the previous evening. She had been so jealous when she saw him kissing that woman that she hadn’t been able to think straight. Instead, she jumped right in to the fire and tried to bully Mayson out of the apartment and, if she were to be honest, out of Clark’s life. It encouraged her a little that Clark asked Mayson to leave, but she worried that he was simply playing the role of peacemaker rather than choosing her over Mayson.
God, how she wanted him to choose her! She had really managed to fool herself up to that moment, convincing herself that being friends and partners with Clark was more than enough for her. Sure she’d been a little possessive when other women had tried to win Clark, but she had rationalized her actions as an instinct to protect the heart of her best friend. In truth, she’d never faced a serious adversary until Mayson. Women often tried to land Clark, but he had never shown the slightest inclination to return such affections until last night. She had underestimated that blonde DA, mistakenly believing that Clark would always be hers if she decided she wanted him. When she saw Clark kissing Mayson, she felt as though her whole world was falling apart. The pain was instantaneous and shocking in its power, and she could no longer ignore the fact that she was in love with Clark.
Heedless of the consequences, she had staked her claim on Clark with a series of spectacular kisses. Clark, for his part, had been thrillingly responsive, his mouth and hands worshiping her with a passionate reverence. She wondered just how far their encounter would have progressed if not for the frantic page from her Uncle Mike.
Instead of staying with her and supporting her in a time of crisis, however, Clark had run off alone, supposedly in search of Superman. Why had he left her? Was he unable to find a way to let her down gently? Clark had always hated conflict, and he had a history of running away from uncomfortable situations. Did he feel like he had betrayed Mayson?
He had shown up at Mike’s place, just as he had promised, but she had been the one to run away. It was clear that he wanted to talk to her, but she couldn’t bear to hear him say that the kiss had been a mistake. As long as they didn’t talk, she could still entertain the possibility that Clark might love her too. She wouldn’t have to face disappointment and heartbreak all over again, and she would still have a best friend. The chime of the elevator heralded the moment of truth, and the doors opened to reveal the newsroom.
Panic settled in. and every fiber of her being wanted to flee to the safety of her apartment. Mercifully, though, Clark didn’t seem to be at work yet, and she forced her feet to move in the direction of her desk. She hated this feeling of nervousness and embarrassment, and she chided herself for her weakness. She was Lois Lane, for heaven’s sake! Lois Lane doesn’t sit around and do nothing—she investigates. She would find out the truth about her rival, acquiring enough evidence to insure that her Boy Scout partner would have to stay away from Mayson.
Excited about the possibility, Lois immersed herself in the process of research. She became so engrossed, in fact, that she failed to hear Clark approach her desk.
"Good morning, Lois," he said softly, seemingly testing the waters.
Startled by his presence, Lois’ head jerked up, and she felt her nervousness return with a vengeance. Trying to calm the churning of her stomach, she steeled her expression and acknowledged her partner with a curt “Clark.”
“Can we talk in the conference room?” he asked hopefully.
She looked at him sternly for a moment. “Let me get my notes together, and I’ll meet you there.”
“Your notes?” he asked, a disappointed tone in his voice.
“I assume you want to talk about the story,” she snapped impatiently.
“Yeah, sure…the story,” he said sadly. “I’ll pull up what I’ve got as well. See you in a couple of minutes.”
Nodding in response, Lois went to the conference room and immediately began arranging her notes. She had to keep the focus on Mayson and her questionable activities. She couldn’t handle anything more personal.
The door to the conference room opened and closed, and she could hear Clark behind her. “Lois, I know you want to talk about the case, but can we talk about what happened last night instead?”
Please don’t let him bring up the kiss, not now. Grabbing a photograph from the table, she whirled around to face him. “I brought this to you last night, but you were otherwise engaged,” she said, handing him the photo of Mayson, Church and Snell.
“About that, Lois…it’s not what you’re…,” he began.
“Clark, she’s dirty,” Lois replied, cutting him off abruptly.
Registering the photo for the first time, he said, “Just because they’re in a photo together, doesn’t mean she’s involved.”
“She worked under Snell in Church's acquisitions division.”
“That’s circumstantial, Lois, and you know it.”
Becoming more animated, Lois said, “I’m telling you, Clark, she’s in on it.”
“Show me the proof,” he replied more forcefully.
“We don’t have any proof on Snell, but you’re willing to go after him,” Lois yelled.
“That’s different. I told you, I have a…a source.”
“I'll tell you what's different, when Snell bats his eyes, you don't get quite so giddy,” she replied, jealousy clear in her voice.
Exasperated, Clark replied, “Lois, I told you that there’s nothing going on with Mayson.”
“Don’t lie to me, Clark. You were kissing her.”
“She kissed me, Lois, and if you’d just let me explain….”
“I don’t need your explanations. You can do what you want. I don’t care—except when it affects our job.”
“How is it affecting my job to say I disagree? To say, you have no proof that Church is the head of Intergang and no proof that, just because Mayson worked for Church, she's part of Intergang? We've got to stay on track.”
“You're not saying stay on track. You're saying stay away from your girlfriend!”
Slamming his hands on the table, he reiterated, “She's not my girlfriend, Lois. I keep trying to tell you.”
“Whatever she is, she's got you finger-wrapped and blindfolded,” Lois retorted sourly.
“If there's anybody blind here, it's you,” he said angrily, storming out of the room.
Confused and frustrated, she called out after him, “What's that supposed to mean?”
She received no reply.
Shaken by the fight, Lois found herself on the verge of tears. She was losing him…she was sure of it. He had defended Mayson despite the evidence, trusting a woman he barely knew over his own partner. Not that Mayson wouldn’t jump at the chance to know him better. Oh, God, maybe they already had…maybe she was too late.
“Lois,” Perry said kindly after knocking on the conference room door. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she answered without conviction.
“What’s going on with Clark, honey?”
“Perry, he's letting his feelings for a woman get in the way of our story.”
“And...?”
“And... it's unprofessional,” she added.
“And...?” he probed knowingly.
Knowing she couldn’t fool him, she confessed, “And... I don't like it, okay? I don't even know why, but I don't like it.”
“Are you sure about that, darlin’?” he asked knowingly.
“She’s dirty, Perry. I don’t know why he doesn’t see it.”
“Maybe she is, maybe she isn’t…but, somehow, I don’t think that’s the issue here,” he prodded gently.
Her face crumbled. “He’s the best friend I've ever had. I don't want to lose him.”
“Lois, let me tell you what I know about Clark Kent: if you asked for the moon, he’d start building a rocket. Now, Clark's a nice man and a patient one too, but even he won’t wait forever.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think you know what I mean, honey. You’ve got some decisions to make.”
“And what if I’m too late?” she asked, the tears threatening once more.
Perry took her in his arms. “It will all work out, darlin’. There may be some bumps in the road, but it will work out just fine. You’ll see.”
Needing the support, she took comfort from her editor’s embrace. “I hope you’re right.”
***
In the aftermath of the fight, Clark sought solace from his parents. He knew that he should be working on the story, but he couldn’t stop thinking about his argument with Lois. Since Superman wasn’t needed at the moment, he flew directly to the place where he felt free to be himself.
“Hi, Mom,” he called out as he entered the kitchen.
“What are you doing here, Clark? It’s the middle of the day,” she said in surprise.
“I know, Mom, but I just needed to talk.”
“What’s wrong, son?” his father asked as he entered the room.
“I had another fight with Lois, Dad. A bad one. Last night, she kissed me, and now she’s pushing me away with both hands. I don’t know what to do.”
“Wait a minute… she kissed you?” Martha asked excitedly.
He nodded. “She saw me kissing Mayson and she….”
“Hold on…who is Mayson, and why were you kissing her?” his father asked.
“Mayson is the assistant DA. She came over to my apartment to talk about my testimony, and she kissed me. Lois must have seen us together because she came bursting into the room and hustled Mayson out the door.”
“Were you trying to make Lois jealous, Clark? That’s a dangerous and dishonest game to play,” Martha said disapprovingly.
“I didn’t even know that Lois was there, Mom.”
“OK, so why did you kiss Mayson?”
“I didn’t kiss her…she kissed me. She likes me, I guess, and she took me by surprise.”
“So you’re not interested in her,” she probed.
“I admit to being flattered by her interest in me, but Lois holds my heart.”
“And Lois kissed you…?” Martha asked, a note of pleasure in her voice.
“Yes, and it was amazing,” he said dreamily. “She said that she was the only one I should be kissing.”
“If she finally decided to stake her claim on you, why are you fighting?”
“Because she got a page saying that her Uncle Mike was in danger. She wanted me to come with her, but I had to make another lame excuse about going to find Superman.”
“And now she’s trying to put as much distance as possible between the two of you,” she added knowingly.
“Yes, and she’s convinced herself that Mayson is my girlfriend.”
“Maybe it’s time you let her in on your secret,” Martha ventured.
“Martha!” Jonathan exclaimed.
“Hush, Jonathan,” Martha scolded. “You trust her, don’t you Clark?”
“With my life,” he replied earnestly.
“Then perhaps it’s time for some honesty. She knows that you are holding something back from her…maybe that’s why she’s running from you now.”
“I didn’t think about that, Mom. Maybe you’re right.”
Seeing an opening, Jonathan added, “Son, I admire Lois, and I know she has feelings for you. Once you tell her, though, there’s no going back. Are you sure you want to put such a burden on her?”
“I don’t know…I just know that my life doesn’t make sense without her.”
“Then you need to talk to her, son,” Jonathan said kindly, patting Clark on the back. “It will work out. You’ll see.”
Thanking his parents, Clark zipped back to Metropolis. He rushed home, changed clothes, and made to court just in time for his scheduled briefing with Mayson. He really wanted to see Lois instead, but his testimony was a crucial part of the case against Baby Rage. For the moment, he’d just have to settle for taking care of Lois by helping her Uncle Mike.
