It felt so wonderful to be held by Clark, kissed by him. His strong arms wrapped around her, his soft hair threaded between her fingers. She kissed his cheek, his nose, coming back at last to his mouth, feelings of contentment surging through her.
This was where she belonged. With Clark Kent,
with no more secrets.
It was bliss.
... Almost.
She wanted to let it go, and just trust that he always had had her best interest at heart. But Lois simply couldn’t let things go any further until she had the answer to her one remaining question of doubt.
“Clark?” she said, trying not to let herself be distracted by how good it felt to be held by him again, feel his kisses on her, breathe in his own unique scent.
“Mmm?” he said, nuzzling her neck.
She pulled back reluctantly. “I hate to break the mood... but I have to know... where were you the other night? Really?”
Clark looked at her in surprise, his mouth slightly agape and wet from her kisses. His hair was tousled and she had to resist the urge to smooth it back.
“I just don’t want there to be any more secrets between us, Clark,” she said simply.
He slowly nodded in agreement and then unexpectedly chuckled, “You know, even with you knowing who I am—it sounds crazy.”
“Clark, just tell me. You can’t imagine the crazy scenarios that have been spinning around in my head... please?” she asked, gently rubbing his arm for encouragement.
“Well, I got a call from an old friend – not a girlfriend,” he amended quickly. “An old family friend. Wayne Irig. He said he needed me to see this rock he had found nearby my parents’ old property. I thought it would take me an hour at most—“
“Where did your parents live?”
“Smallville, Kansas.”
“Smallville? What kind of name is that?” she scoffed, then seeing his look, she schooled her features to be serious. “Sorry. Continue.”
“So I flew out to Kansas. Wayne showed me the rock and – I don’t know how to explain it, but – it took away my powers. I couldn’t fly, couldn’t do anything! Luckily my powers came back the next day, but I had no way of explaining it all to you...”
“What is this rock that did this to you? Is there more of it? What did you do with it?” she asked with alarm.
“Calm down, one question at a time...”
“Sorry... I’m just--- did you know such a rock existed before?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No idea. Lois, I didn’t even know where I come from – I still don’t, exactly—let alone that rock. But Wayne actually told me a little bit more, about how I got here. And I told you everything I know tonight in our interview.”
“But you told me you didn’t remember coming to Earth.”
He gave her a sheepish grin, “Okay, I didn’t tell you everything. It was just easier than the truth. They found me as a baby-- but I have no idea where I came from.”
He suddenly got up from the sofa and went into the bedroom. He came back with a leather diary and handed it to her. “I found this while I was in Smallville. It’s my whole story—or at least as much as my parents’ knew. My mom wrote it all down.”
Lois thumbed through the pages, awed by what Clark was revealing to her. These very personal memories were all he had left of his family and she felt privileged that he wanted to share them with her.
“Oh, Clark,” she said as she read. “How wonderful that you found this.”
She was about to hand the diary back to him when he took it and turned to a page his mother had sketched of him in the Suit.
“This is what gave me the idea... my mother actually made the Suit,” he said with a wry smile.
“Wow, Clark. Your mother must have been some woman,” she said with awe, admiring her rendering of a hero.
“Yeah,” Clark said softly.
She suddenly looked up at him and noticed he had tears in his eyes.
“Clark?” she asked with concern.
“It was really hard to go back... I had no idea all of the amazing memories that I had left behind—because I was simply running from my past.”
Lois suddenly reached to pull him into her arms, tears coming to her own eyes. She realized how incredibly vulnerable his heart was, even while it was his strength of heart that moved her.
“I know all about running from one’s past, Clark. You don’t have to explain,” she said softly, holding Clark’s shaking body till his tears subsided.
When Clark had calmed down enough, she handed him a tissue.
“What happened to the rock Wayne found? Were you able to destroy it, get rid of it?” she asked.
Clark sighed heavily, “Now, I don’t want you to worry—“
“Oh, no. This can’t be good...”
“I think Luthor has it. In fact, I *know* he has it.”
“What?” she cried in alarm. “How? When?!”
He smirked at her ability to barrage him with ten questions every few seconds. It took a Superman just to keep up with her!
“Well, when you went to dinner, I followed you,” he said, hesitantly.
She saw his wariness and gently took his hand, “Clark. I’m glad you were there. It’s okay. I was so – foolish to think I could handle Lex Luthor all on my own.”
Clark nodded gratefully and continued. “I noticed that he wasn’t taking you back to our apartment---“
“*Our* apartment?” she interrupted with blush.
“Yeah... *ours*,” he smiled in return. “Anyway, I flew along the outside of the car and tried the handle and that’s when I felt it—the rock that could take away my powers. I had stored it here, in the apartment, and apparently, Luthor had broken in. Or one of his minions, more like.”
“What does this rock look like?” she asked.
“It glows an eerie green. Brighter than an emerald.”
“He had cufflinks made of it,” she said with disgust. “At least he doesn’t know it can hurt you – yet. We’ll have to be very careful.”
“And you – once he sees Linda Kent’s story tomorrow morning in the Planet, he’ll know you made it off the shuttle.”
Lois felt only slightly guilty. “Are you mad that I wrote that story? That I didn’t stay out of the way with Luthor still loose?”
He smiled at her. “No, Lois. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
She grinned in return. “Good. ‘Cause I’m terrible at staying put – just letting you know. Good thing you’re handy with the ‘whoosh’,” she said, making a swooping gesture with her hand.
Clark sighed indulgently. “I know things will never be dull with you, Lois. But please, try to stay out of trouble.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” she answered with faux exasperation.
“You’d better,” he half-teased, pulling her back into his arms.
Their light banter disappeared, as their contact stirred passion once again. Leaning against Clark, she could hear his heartbeat accelerate slightly at their closeness. She sat up a little to look at him. Clark gently cupped her chin, as he resumed his kisses from a few moments earlier.
Lois moved herself to sit on his lap to give him better access. He caressed her back under her light t-shirt, sending shivers up her spine. She slipped off Clark’s t-shirt and found her fingers smoothing over the planes of his chest. She kissed his chest, trailing kisses from his pecs up to his neck, until she met his eyes.
He sat watching her, waiting for what she would do next.
Slowly, Lois slipped off his glasses, folded them, and set them aside.
“No more secrets.” she whispered. “Right?”
He shook his head. “My soul is laid bare, Lois.”
She cupped his chin, marveling at how far they had come together, and from how deep in the dark she had come before stepping into the light.
“You were right...” she said, through a constriction in her throat. “You laid my soul bare the night we first made love... I knew...” she took a bracing breath and then continued, looking directly into Clark’s eyes. “I knew I’d never be the same.”
Clark kissed her as she reached around his neck, suddenly scooping her up in his arms, much as he had done as Superman, for their very first flight.
Lois clung closer to him, her head lying on his chest as he took them into the bedroom. “I love you, Clark Kent... Superman... you... my soul knew yours, before my head or even my heart,” she said solemnly, as he set her gently down on the bed.
“Ah, Lois,” he said lovingly. “I love you—with everything I am... but it’s not enough to just say it.”
She pulled him down to lay with her, to be with her as they both needed.
“Then show me...”
*~*~*~*
Lois awoke in Clark’s arms, contentment enveloping her. Clark’s warm body pressed against hers, reminiscent of their passionate embrace during the early morning hours. For once in her life, she felt cherished and protected, and it made her want to cherish and protect in return.
Lois wasn’t afraid anymore, even though she knew the Boss still would be after her and Clark might have to face that horrid rock again. It didn’t matter because they were together and in love. And the two of them together would be stronger than anything they had to face alone.
Lois turned slightly in Clark’s arms, in order to look at him. His handsome features were in repose, his hair slightly messy in a charming sort of way. She didn’t know she could ever love someone so much. But she did, to her very soul.
Unable to contain her happiness, she leaned over him and kissed him on the cheek. She was rewarded with his eyes fluttering open, and a smile coming to life on his lips.
“Hey there,” he said, his voice husky from sleep.
“Hey,” she said in return, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead.
“Did you sleep okay?” he asked, rubbing his hand down her arm.
“Mmm... quite possibly it was the best sleep I ever had...” she said appreciatively.
Clark pulled her in close to him, tucking her head below his chin. “You think Perry would notice if we didn’t come in this morning?”
Lois laughed warmly, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he would... besides, we have a follow-up interview to print about Superman – and Lex Luthor is still at large.”
He sighed, “I know... just let’s lie here for five more minutes, what do you say?”
She giggled in agreement, enjoying snuggling deeper into Clark’s arms.
Suddenly the phone rang.
“I’ll bet that’s Perry,” said Lois, reluctantly reaching from under the covers to answer the phone. “Hello?”
“Where are you two? I need my star reporters down here, pronto! There is buzz aplenty about this Superman -- we need a follow-up!”
Lois sighed, giving Clark a reluctant look. “We’ll be right there, Chief.”
She hung up the phone and snuggled again into Clark’s arms.
“I thought we were getting up,” said Clark, through a laugh.
“We are... eventually,” she said with a contented sigh, moving to give Clark a few more kisses...
*~*~*~*
When Lois and Clark finally entered the newsroom, Perry approached them, all fires blazing. “Where in Sam Hill have you two been? I need a follow-up on the Superman story, the biggest news story—“
Before Perry could get further, Lois passed him her article on her exclusive interview with Superman. “Done and done, Perry,” she said with a smug smile.
Perry beamed in return and nodded at Clark, “Didn’t I tell you she was the best?”
“You sure did, Chief,” said Clark, giving Lois an intimate smile that made her blush.
Perry glanced between the two of them. “Uh, I guess you two made up, then?”
Lois nodded, slipping her hand into the crook of Clark’s arm. “Yeah, we did.”
“Good, good. Glad to hear it... now, Lois, since you are the only one who has spoken to this Superman, I want to know what you can tell me about him.”
“Well, Chief, all the printable details are in the article I handed you. But the main thing is, he’s here to help, and I think the Planet should stand behind him.”
Perry looked at her thoughtfully, “Hm, sounds good to me... I must say, you can’t exactly doubt a man who saved a whole rocket shuttle. It will make one hell of a story for some time to come... now I need you two to chase up something for the evening edition... so get!”
Lois turned to Clark with a smile, “It feels so good to be doing this again... and it’s even better doing it with you.”
“Mrs. Kent? A phone call for you on line one,” said one of the copy boys.
Lois glanced at Clark, her contentment dissolving as she wondered who could be calling her at the Planet. “Hello?”
“Lois? It’s Lucy—“ the phone sounded as if it were wrenched away and Lex’s smooth voice suddenly came on the receiver. “Hello, Miss Lane. As you heard, I have been talking with your sister. I hope she can convince you to come to an arrangement—“
“Let her go, Luthor! It’s me you want,” Lois said, looking at Clark who had come over to listen to the call when he'd noticed her distress.
“Actually, I would like to propose a business deal, Miss Lane.”
“What kind of business deal?” she spat with disgust.
“I would like you to work for me, here in Metropolis,” Luthor offered amicably.
“What?” she asked in surprise.
“Yes, you see, I could use a person with your –special talents. I’ve been discussing things with your sister, and well, I would like you to come and discuss matters with me at LexCorp within the hour. It’s imperative, in fact, that you come as soon as possible.”
The phone went dead. Lois stared at the receiver, uncertain what to think. What was Luthor doing with Lucy and why did he want Lois there within an hour? She turned to Clark, feeling slightly stunned and very uncertain.
Clark gently took the handset from her and hung up the phone.
“Are you all right?” he asked needlessly.
She shook her head, “No, I’m not all right, Clark! What does he want? And why does he have Lucy? Clark, what am I going to do?”
“You mean, what are *we* going to do. You don’t have to face Luthor alone, you know.”
“I know,” she said, giving him a wan smile. “But you can’t just swoop in there and grab Lucy, either...not with that strange rock still lurking about...” she whispered.
Clark sighed. “Look, we have quite a lot of evidence on Luthor already... Maybe I can get Henderson to write up a warrant for his arrest...”
“Is it enough? I mean, we need witnesses, and the only ones we have are you and me! No, Clark, let me go over there... and... I’ll think of something. Maybe I can promise him I’ll work for him, just long enough to get Lucy out of there---“
“You really think he’ll just let her go?” asked Clark sceptically.
“I have to, Clark,” she said despondently.
“Lois, it’s more likely just a trap to get you over there—and you don’t want to be put in the position where you feel forced to do something you’d regret in order to save your sister,” Clark said earnestly.
She sighed, “Look, the clock is ticking... I’ll go to LexCorp towers, to stall him. You go to Henderson with all of our files and see if there is anything he can arrest him on such short notice... one way or another, I know you’ll get me out of there,” she said, leaning to give him a quick kiss. “We’ll figure this out, Clark. Together. I trust you.”
“Lois!” he called, stopping her on the landing.
She turned to him expectantly as she pressed the elevator button. As the doors dinged open, Clark followed her inside.
“Clark, what are you doing?”
“Let me take you there... then I can check things out a bit before you go in, get an idea of how much time we have.”
Lois crossed her arms, “I don’t want you near the place until we have back-up, Clark. If Lex is still wearing that rock that can hurt you, we'll both be sunk. Please?”
“Let's call Henderson before we leave, to give him a heads up-- and then I’ll just take a quick look around and drop you off... I don’t want you going on Luthor's turf without us having more of a clue about exactly what we’re up against. ”
“Fine,” she said, with no heat, relenting. “I guess—I’m used to doing things alone...”
“But now you don’t have to,” Clark answered with a reassuring smile.
“Maybe I could get used to this partner thing...” she said with sudden enthusiasm, stepping into his arms.
“Me too, Lois. I like having you around. Which is why we need to do this together.”
She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “You got it – partner.”
*~*~*~*
Clark hadn’t seen anything immediately alarming on his quick flight around LexCorp Tower. That didn’t mean Lois wasn’t shaking as she entered the LexCorp building alone.
She had put on a brave face for Clark, but inwardly, she wanted nothing more than for him to be there with her, as she faced this. She knew he would be back as soon as possible, and she just had to hold onto that thought while she tried to stall Lex until Clark could get there. They had spoken to Henderson briefly before leaving the Planet and were pleased to hear that Henderson already had a file on Lex. It would make it that much easier to catch him... Lois only hoped they could organize quick enough to get her and her sister out of there safely, without exposing Clark to that rock.
The elevators opened onto an elegant floor that served as a study and a reception area of sorts. Sumptuous furniture filled the space, as if Luthor had the area designed to be a homey office, filled with all the best luxuries. Lois heard classical music playing in the background and cautiously stepped out of the elevator, wondering what game Lex was expecting her to play.
“Miss Lane, so glad you could come on such short notice,” came Lex’s voice from the far corner of the room, nearly scaring her out of her skin.
Lois walked towards him, determined not to show her fear. She could see the eerie green glow of his cufflinks, which deepened her concern as she approached. She was glad Clark was off getting police back-up.
“I’m here for my sister. Where is she, Lex?” Lois demanded, trying to sound brave.
“Lucy is fine, I assure you. I simply want us to discuss business details. Here, have a seat,” he gestured for her to sit at his large oak desk.
“No, thank you. I’d rather stand,” she said, crossing her arms defensively.
Lex made himself comfortable behind the desk and shrugged nonchalantly. “Have it your way. Now, Miss Lane, since you refused to cooperate with me last time, I see no reason to trust you will listen to reason now. So for insurance, I have brought your sister here,” Lex said, gesturing to a nearby door where Lucy appeared bound and gagged, with Lex’s servant, Asabi, standing by.
“Let her go, Lex. Your quarrel is with me,” said Lois, feeling her resolve waver at seeing Lucy in distress.
Lex’s casualness dissipated as he got down to brass tacks. “First I want your word that you will break all ties to your friends, family, and the Daily Planet and come work for me, as you were trained to do, here in Metropolis.”
“I – “ she hesitated, unable to say she would do any such thing. She had planned on agreeing to whatever he wanted in order to stall for time, but she just couldn’t get the words out to agree with him. “I don’t know...”
“Wrong answer!” he said, gesturing to Asabi who brought out a large scimitar that he held by Lucy’s side. “Want to try again?” he asked threateningly.
“I – how can you ask of me such a thing?” she asked, hoping to appeal to his humanity, if he had any. She saw no sympathy in his eyes, only a careful disdain. But Lois knew he was attracted to her, had flirted with her. “You said you liked me, Lex. Why are you doing this to me?” she asked, trying another tactic.
He looked almost regretful as he answered. “My dear, I think, if we had met at another time, there might have been something for us—something real between us, perhaps. But unfortunately for you, you know too many of my secrets. I’ve worked too hard to build LexCorp up to what it is today, and I cannot afford to have a nosy reporter out there---“ Lex gestured to Asabi again, and he lifted the blade to Lucy’s throat.
“All right!” Lois conceded, fearful for her sister’s life. “I’ll do it! Only—let Lucy go.”
“You will break all ties to those you know here in Metropolis? Be at my beck and call?” asked Lex, seemingly suspicious that he had won so easily.
“If I do it, will you let Lucy go?” Lois asked, hesitant to believe that Lex would let her sister go no matter what she promised.
Luthor smiled at her with sly charm. “I’m a fair man. Give me what I want and I’m sure we can to an agreement that’s good for all parties.”
Suddenly, Lois saw through the large picture window behind Lex that Superman had landed on the terrace. She grinned knowing the troops had arrived. Lois approached Luthor’s desk, spotting a button labeled 'window', which she assumed would open it to let Clark in. She placed her palms on either side of the desk, leaning over it as if she had suddenly decided to seduce Lex, which distracted him long enough for her to hit the switch on the desktop to throw the window open. She cried to Clark, “Get Lucy out of here!” hoping he could remain far enough from the rock Luthor wore to rescue Lucy.
Lex looked behind him at Lois’ cry, but he had already missed seeing Superman, as with a whoosh of air, Superman swept in and took Lucy. Lois smiled triumphantly as Luthor turned back to her, knowing his bargaining chip was safely out of reach.
He turned away from her with disgust, but when he faced her again, he had a pistol in his hand, taking away her momentary sense of victory. She wasn’t out of the woods yet...
“No matter. I still have other options,” he said, moving towards her with the pistol. “You are beautiful, Miss Lane. I’d almost hate to have to kill you...”
Lois truly began to panic, as she knew Clark couldn’t swoop in and get her with her so close to the strange rock Lex wore. And if they could avoid Lex Luthor learning about what it could do to Superman, so much the better. The best thing she could do was to try and manoeuvre distance between them and hope it would be enough.
Lois slowly backed towards the elevator.
Lex matched her step for step.
He never took his eyes off her and the gun never wavered.
She was afraid to move too quickly, fearing he would just pull the trigger.
Lois glanced over Lex’s shoulder. She could see Clark as Superman standing back on the balcony ledge outside the window. She made eye contact with him, and shook her head just enough to indicate that she would be all right.
Clark shook his head in answer and swept in anyways. Lois gasped in fear, as she didn’t know what would be worse – Luthor shooting her or Clark being felled by the rock Lex wore.
But Clark kept his distance from Luthor and used his heat vision to sear the gun out of Lex’s hand.
Lex looked up at Superman in horror, but tried quickly to school his features back to calm control. “Well, Superman. Glad we finally meet.”
Just then, the elevators dinged open behind Lois, causing both her and Lex to turn in surprise. To Lois’ horror, her worst nightmare stepped out of the elevator—Jon from the Congo, the man who had trained her to be an assassin, and who had threatened to kill her on more than one occasion if she didn’t follow orders.
“Ah, Jon, so nice of you to join us,” said Lex casually, his confidence returning.
“Actually, Lex. I have a surprise for you.” Jon suddenly and easily moved Lois behind him. He flashed an FBI badge and what must be a warrant in Lex’s face. “You are under arrest.”
“What is the meaning of this? I *pay* your salary, Jon!” Lex protested in shock, trying to back away from Jon.
Jon gave Lex a wry smile, “Well, I am a turncoat, Lex. I don’t know why you are surprised.” Jon began to put handcuffs on Luthor and called into his communicator for back-up. Lois stepped aside, looking at Jon in shock.
“I –I don’t know what to say,” she stammered.
“Well, it had been in the works for months, but shortly after you left, the FBI provisionally hired me as a double agent to finish trapping Luthor. I was promised immunity if I could get this job done, proving myself, as it were.”
Lois suddenly looked up at Superman who reached to shake Jon’s hand. “Clark met Jon down at the police station,” Superman explained. “They’d been planning a sting for months. But when Clark told Jon what was going on, they decided to move on in today.”
Suddenly, the elevators dinged open again and more FBI agents flooded the building.
As the officers took Lex away, Lois touched Jon’s arm, still surprised that he had turned out to be her rescuer. “I don’t understand. I always thought if you got the chance – you’d kill me for leaving.”
“Lois, I told you in the Congo, it was a job. And now I hope to be working for the FBI full time. I’ve learned a lot in the past months, and I think I like working on the side of the good guys much better. I owe you for the hell of those months, Mad Dog. I want you to know I made sure your name was never associated with what went on down there, not officially anyway. Your crimes will be forgotten,” he smiled at her, a sight that she thought would always terrify her, but now held a friendliness that was entirely unexpected. “Here, I’ll give you my beeper number. If ever you need me, give me a call.”
Lois watched him walk away, stunned beyond words. She turned to Clark, her mouth open with shock.
Clark reached to squeeze her shoulder gently. “I told you, Lois. There’s good in everybody.”
