~1990~
Lois found herself at the Lexor Hotel Ballroom during the only fancy ball held for Planet employees ever, a black and white Christmas Eve masquerade. The only such party, because so many people complained it took away from family time in a season where Christmas was usually the only uninterrupted family time they had.
Lois remembered not caring that the party was on Christmas Eve, because it had gotten her out of her lonely apartment. That had been the only good thing about that party. She remembered it well, in fact, though she wished she didn't.
It had been Lois' first year at the Planet, and the events of the party had codified 'rule 3' of her work rules: never sleep with anybody you work with. Everything had been going so well that year, until Claude Montreux had walked into her life and stomped all over her heart.
Lois looked around in a bit of a panic, wondering if she could get out of there without anyone noticing her before she started reliving those painful events. She grabbed a white mask on the table and slipped it on, to get around the room hopefully unrecognized, and find an exit. The large ballroom was filled to the brim with people, and she had a hard time squeezing through the crowd. Though the party was meant to be an adult affair, some employees had brought their kids along with their spouses, just adding to the numbers and difficulty maneuvering around.
Unintentionally, as Lois tried not to talk to anyone yet squeeze through the crowd, she began overhearing people's conversations. She couldn't help it. Her name---and *his* kept coming up, grabbing her unwilling attention.
"I guess that will teach the Ice Queen to play with fire," said a male voice.
"She should have known what was coming to her. Everyone knew Claude was just after that story," answered a woman.
Lois forged ahead, feeling all the old fears and insecurities rear their ugly heads, as the crowded room started closing in around her, making her fear she'd never escape.
"I can't believe Lane was so shocked! I mean, come on, why else would a guy like Claude bother to go after a woman like her?"
"I think she was just desperate. He took an interest in her and she couldn't help but throw herself at him."
Lois wanted to run, to hide, to just get out of there. She started for the door, one within reach at last, when she suddenly ran into a woman about her size.
"Sorry, excuse me," she said, reaching for the door.
"Geez lady, watch where you're going!" said a familiar voice.
Lois stopped in her tracks and turned to watch as her former self made her way into the party. People became less overt about their comments about her, but Lois could tell they were still whispering cutting things about what had happened between her and Claude.
She watched as her former self made her way to the punch table, grabbing a glass. Perry came up beside her and started making small talk.
"Lois, that partner of yours is something else," he said casually, still marveling at the story he had given him.
"You have no idea," she answered with barely concealed anger.
Perry turned to her, noticing her discomfiture. "You two were peas in a pod two days ago. What happened?"
Lois turned to him, her eyes flashing angry through her black mask. "What happened? How about that story--that I spent *months* putting together all the details on---how about the fact that the glowing story you published yesterday by *Monsieur Claude* was *mine*!" she said scathingly.
"What do you mean, Lois? Claude had been giving me notes on that story for almost a month," Perry said in shock.
Lois looked at him, her mouth gaping in horror. "He *what*?" she whispered, feeling the betrayal sink ever deeper within her. Images started flashing in her mind, of Claude coming over late at night, pretending interest in her story... kissing her and *stealing her notes*?!
Perry suddenly understood what had happened and shook his head, "Oh, Lois, I'm *so* sorry. I honestly had no idea... he told me he had this story all sewn up himself. If I had known it was *your*story..."
She swallowed, unable to listen to him. All she could picture was the smug look on Claude's face yesterday afternoon...
She came into work early that morning and knew she was about to turn in a Kerth winning story. She was chipper, even friendly to the coffee vendor on her way in. Then, as she picked up her copy of the day's news from her desk, she saw her very same story she had poured so much blood and sweat into with *his* name on it, on the *front page*! She felt her heart rip in two and had to sit down a moment to gain control over her emotions. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream! Lois took a deep breath, never one to run from a fight, and marched purposely over to Claude's desk, dumping the copy on it, right under his nose.
"Ca va, cherie?" he asked, reaching to pat her gently on her rear.
She swatted his hand away angrily and pointed to the article. "You want to tell me what this is about?" she demanded.
Nonchalantly, he leaned back in his chair, looking down his handsome French nose at her. "What is there to talk about? We share everything as lovers, non?"
She gasped, shocked by his comment and hurt by his flippancy. "Not my story! Especially not a story I've been working on for *months*! How *dare* you?!" she whisper shouted, not wanting to draw attention, but failing miserably.
He leaned toward her, winking, "All's fair in love and journalism, ma petite chou. Merci pour tous, cherie," he said laughingly, his eyes leering appreciatively up and down her body. "J'avais mieux que toi, mais tu n'etais pas tres mal..."
She turned on her heel, suddenly hating the sound of his voice, when only a week ago it had charmed her and *seduced* her even. She didn't even know what he was saying, so she couldn't retaliate! Nothing was worse to Lois than a battle of words when she didn't understand what was being said!
She couldn't get back to work, though. She was too humiliated, too hurt and stunned to sit at her desk all day across from *him*--that low, pond scumy---*frog*! Lois stomped into the conference room and nearly slammed the door. She was thankful the blinds were already drawn, so no one could see her slip to the floor and dissolve into a puddle of tears... Lois watched her former self talking to Perry. She relived every second of that humiliation, especially the realization that Claude had been *planning* to steal her story for at least a month! She felt nauseous again at the thought, remembering how it had pushed her to work harder than ever. But alone... always alone. She had shut herself off from the world except when it was related to a story. Her personal life had been limited to helping her sister through college and watching reruns of 'The Ivory Tower' on the weekends. She had sworn off partners, off men entirely. It had pushed her to a loneliness that was so complete, with so many solid walls of stone built up around her heart, that it had finally taken a man of steel to break through to let her love again.
She had hoped to never feel that pain again, that knife of utter betrayal, yet here it was, laid out before her, feeling as real as the moment it had first happened to her.
Suddenly Lois remembered what happened next that night. She wanted desperately to save her younger self, to pull her away from some of the pain. Because maybe if she didn't go through that final, absolute step of humiliation, she might have been happier... she might have been open to Clark just that much sooner...
Lois was decided. Besides, she had a mask on, right? The other Lois had no need to know that it was her twin from the future, sent to save her from getting her heart broken *again*.
She stepped right up to her former self and Perry and reached out her hand. "Hi, I'm... Linda...Kent," she said, using the first name that came to mind. Though as soon as she said it, she realized she had no excuse to be at the party...<<Way to go, Lane. Way to check the water level before diving in!>>
Perry reached out a friendly hand, but eyed her cautiously. "Linda Kent, nice to meet you. Are you here with...?" he prodded.
"A friend, yeah. I came with...Cat Grant," she said, instantly regretting her choice, but unable to back out now. What if Cat *were* here, and Perry insisted she come over and--
"Oh, well, Linda Kent, this is Lois Lane," Perry offered, and Lois reached out to shake hands with 'Linda.'
"How do you do?" Lois said, uninterested in this 'Linda Kent' person. "Perry? Did Claude say he'd be here tonight?" she asked, really hoping he wouldn't be. She didn't think she could keep her opinions--or her emotions--to herself if she saw him.
"Well, you two had RSVP'd as a couple last week, Lois... So all things considered..." Perry tried delicately, though backed off seeing the pained expression on Lois' face.
"Lois, I promise you. If that man shows his face here tonight, he'll get a piece of my mind. You won't have to work with him ever again, you understand?" he asked, solidifying forever the protective father figure role he would play in her life.
"Thanks, Perry," she said softly.
'Linda' tried to chime in, to give her twin a little ego boost, "Uh, Miss Lane, I am a great admirer of your work."
"You are?" Lois asked in surprise, but then quickly recovered. "I've only been here a year, but I am just getting started, you know. I'll have a Kerth before the end of next year, I promise!"
'Linda' smiled, knowing that Lois managed to accomplish just that. "I'm sure you will. I'm a journalist myself."
"Oh? Who do you write for? Just don't tell me it's the Metropolis Star. I *hate* that rag."
"No I would never write for the Star either. I work for the... Borneo Gazette. Yeah, just here for the holidays," she improvised.
"With Cat?" asked Lois derisively. "Some company for Christmas."
"Yeah, she's not that bad," 'Linda' said, but needed to steer the conversation so she could get Lois out of there. "Hey, would you mind showing me the way to the ladies' room? I've lost track of Cat and this place is sooo big..."
"It's just down the hall, you go out to the left, then turn right at the elevators, then go past the lobby... oh, heck. I guess I can take you," Lois said, as 'Linda' pretended utter confusion at her directions.
Lois and Lois headed out of the ballroom and stepped into the hallway. 'Linda' hoped she timed their departure right. She would hate it if her former self would have to go through---
Lois stopped in her tracks. There he was. Claude--*with a date.* Talk about insult to injury!
'Linda' realized she was too late. It didn't matter. This heartbreak would happen whether she tried to do something to stop it or not.
"Are you okay, Miss Lane?" she asked gently, though knowing exactly how not okay she was.
"I'm fine, let's just go. Maybe he won't recognize me," she said, tugging on 'Linda's' arm towards the restrooms.
"Lois, so good to see you!" Claude said, stopping her again in her tracks.
"Come on, you don't have to talk to him," 'Linda' said, trying to pull Lois away from the mayhem.
But Lois ignored her. "How brave of you to show up here tonight, Claude," she said, trying not to shake with all her hurt and anger.
"I never miss a good party, ma cherie. Oh, Lois, I'd like you to meet Melanie," he said absently, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to introduce a new girlfriend to a woman he had slept with and betrayed.
The blond stupidly reached her hand out to Lois, but Lois totally ignored it.
"How dare you, Claude! How dare you show your face here after the way you treated me!" she cried, word for word what Lois remembered saying. At least the confrontation was happening in the hallway, and not in the middle of the ballroom as she had remembered. That was somewhat better...
"You are an innocent, Lois. I've told you before... you must learn the ways of the world. We had some fun, we wrote some stories. But now, just put it behind you, eh? Can't we be
les amis ?"
'Linda' suddenly couldn't take it. Lois was crumbling at her side, trying not to cry and didn't have the strength to fight the humiliation he was heaping on her. But she had the strength. She had the strength of a love that protected her and surrounded her, even when he wasn't by her side. She had the strength of a love that had erased all of the pain of the past, no matter how many times she had to relive it. She had the strength of Clark Kent, because he loved her.
Lois reached up and slapped Claude Montreux. "I don't know what you do in France, but we don't treat women that way in this country," she said in a low voice, trembling with the adrenaline of having taken charge of the scene. "Now have the decency to take your date and get out of here. And never show your face at the Planet, ever again!"
She turned to Lois who looked at her in stunned awe. "Thanks... why... why did you do that?"
Lois smiled, "I had to help a sister out."
Suddenly, Perry came up between them. "What was all that about? I heard some commotion---" then he spotted Claude's retreating back. "Now just a minute here, Claude. I'd like a word with you."
Lois watched as Perry marched over and pulled Claude to the side, his date shifting nervously on her feet. He was giving the Frenchman a piece of his mind and Lois was certain that it would end with Claude losing his job at the Planet. She couldn't be happier.
"Come on, let's get you freshened up so you can enjoy the party," said Lois.
"I'm fine. Thanks for your help, though I don't understand why you intervened... I feel... relieved... so relieved," smiled the younger Lois.
"Ok, then how about a drink?"
"Sure."
They made their way back into the ballroom. Already the news that Claude had been slapped by an unknown woman was being spread through the ballroom. People backed off saying hurtful things about Lois and 'Linda' had felt she'd done her job.
She suddenly felt panicky, as she expected that Tempus would now appear any minute to whisk her away to another time and place. After each hurtful moment had played out before, he had displaced her, making her relive pain over and over again. Had she won somehow by taking a little of her own back? Why was she still here?
Lois suddenly felt eyes on her and her breath caught. She turned around, hopeful beyond measure when she knew who she would see. He had come for her at last.
Across the room, wearing a black mask, was Clark.
____________________
Lois may not need or *want* to know all of the French that Claude used in today's chapter. But you might
Ca va, cherie= Everything all right, dear?
ma petite chou = an endearment that translates to 'my little cabbage' (I've never found being compared to a vegetable very appealing, have you?)
Merci pour tous, cherie = Thanks for everything, dear.
J'avais mieux que toi, mais tu n'etais pas tres mal... = I've had better than you, but you weren't so bad...
les amis= friends
