This ficathon story is for IolantheAlias! I was happy to write one for her-- she beta-ed my last story and has helped me out a few times-- so this one's for you! Hope you like it!
Special thanks to Corrina for beta-ing this fic. You've definitely helped improve my writing! Thanks so much!
I'll post Iolanthe's requirements at the end of the fic.
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There is not a day goes by that I don’t think of when I met Lois Lane. Every day I am reminded of the remarkable woman who somehow found me across space and time and showed me how to be Superman – and then disappeared, back to her Clark. Every day I think of *my* Lois Lane, who was lost in the Congo on a story… my Lois, who I will never get the chance to meet. I think of her with every rescue, with every story that I write. What it would be like to work side by side such a woman everyday – to fall in love with her. I envy that other Clark – and I feel less than myself when I allow that envy to take over. I become careless in my rescues, and certain that the world has made a mistake in trusting a broken man like me. I’m not a hero – I’m the shell of one. I do my work at the Daily Planet, I rescue people where I can, but I don’t feel connected to my purpose. I have no true direction. I’m haunted by a pair of brown eyes, and a destiny that is equally mine as his, but I can never have because I’m on this side of the looking glass. She belongs to that Clark Kent, and I’m destined to wander the world without my Lois Lane.
I stare at my computer screen again, lost in thoughts of Lois. I know I’m not working as hard as I usually do, and I really hope Perry hasn’t noticed. I haven’t been the same since Lois came in and out of my life so briefly about three months ago. She helped me become Superman, and then left me-- with my secret revealed to the world-- to return to her Clark. I’ve felt the pain of Kryptonite before, but even that doesn’t compare to the chasm of loneliness inside of me when I think of living every day without the one woman who should have been mine to love.
I hate pitying myself, but I can’t escape the loneliness of my life. I’ve tried dating, and inevitably, I compare every woman I meet to *her,* and they all come up wanting. I’ve even flown several times to the Congo, just hoping for a trace of her. But… she’s gone… forever.
*~\S/~*
“Clark! Get in here!” I hear Perry call. I hope he has a lead, something for me to do. I feel most anxious when I’m at my desk, staring at a blank computer screen. At least with a lead to chase or a rescue, I can throw myself into my work.
“What’s up, Chief?” I ask.
“I just got a call. There have been three kidnappings down at the fairgrounds. The police are already on it, but I think something fishy is going on, more than your average kidnapping. Go down there and take a look, would you?”
I move to leave, but Perry stops me. “Oh, Clark… Look, son, I know you haven’t felt like yourself lately, but Mr. Olsen has told me that I need to give you warning… You need to pull in a big story soon, and not just a Superman exclusive. I’m sorry, Clark. But I wanted to give you a heads up.”
I nod and head out of his office, slightly despondent—even being Superman isn’t enough to please the boss. I guess not when I haven’t turned in a decent story in weeks—and my rescues as Superman still draw readers, but any reporter could write about them just as well. I know Mr. Olsen would do what was best for the paper—but I really don’t want to fail him. My job at the Planet is all I have in the world to keep me sane, so one way or another, I need to reel in a good story.
I leave the Planet relieved that I have something to do, to focus on. When I reach the street, I take off immediately as Superman. It’s three in the afternoon, and to drive down to the wharf would just be impossible. I love the city this time of day – the afternoon sunlight is bright on the buildings, making the windows look like gold mirrors. But there’s no time to indulge in the beauty of Metropolis… not when kids are missing out there.
I land at the fairgrounds and spin back into Clark Kent. Though it’s mid-afternoon, there aren’t many people out playing at the fair yet. There are a few police officers checking ID cards of all the people coming in, though the crowd is rather thin. Parents hold their young kids close to their sides, as the older kids haven’t been let out of school yet.
One vendor stops me. “Hey, aren’t you Clark Kent-Superman?” he asks with a glow of admiration in his eyes.
Inwardly I cringe. I loathe the name ‘Superman’ – as I feel entirely unworthy of such a moniker. Yet I can’t separate them anymore, not since Tempus revealed my secret to the world. And the worst part is, I can’t remember how to be Clark Kent anymore, and rarely do I feel super.
But I nod politely and ask about the kidnappings.
“Yes, sir, I heard about them. No one around here is sure what’s been going on – we all try to look out for little tykes that come through here.”
I say thanks and move on. I use my special vision to look for clues – fingerprints, signs of distress, anything that might lead me to what happened to the missing kids.
My thoughts drift to Lois Lane again, as they often do. I wonder what kind of questions she would ask the fair workers, where she would think to look. In my mind, I sometimes pretend we are working a story together. I know it’s stupid and maybe a little delusional, but it gets me through the day.
Up ahead I see a funhouse. I always hated these as a kid. My reality was strange enough without having to see it through distorted mirrors. Just by the front door, I notice a kid playing with a slinky spring. I haven’t seen one of those in years. The boy bounces it back and forth in his hands and seems unsure what to do with it.
I walk up to him. “Hey, what are you playing?” I ask.
He looks up at me. He’s probably seven at most. He shrugs his shoulders.
I see some steps nearby and gesture to them. “I used to have a slinky when I was a kid. We always used to make it ‘walk’ down the stairs. Want me to show you how?”
Mutely he nods and hands me the toy. I roll the slinky over on itself so it starts moving down the steps of the funhouse. The boy smiles, but still doesn’t speak.
“Where are your parents?” I ask, now a little bit concerned.
He shrugs.
“Are you here with friends?”
He shakes his head with a grin. Suddenly, he darts ahead of me up the short flight of stairs into the funhouse. I have a feeling this kid may know something, so I follow him. Besides, he’s alone, which would make him perfect prey for a kidnapper.
I step into the dark funhouse and immediately see a room full of oddly shaped mirrors. I see the boy run past them, though even with my special vision it’s difficult to follow his exact path. “Hey, kid! Wait!” I call.
I follow him in and scan the walls around me. I don’t see anyone, so I keep moving through the funhouse.
Loud circus music begins playing and in spite of myself, I’m a little weirded out by the place. Clown puppets pop out at odd places and more mirrors surround the rooms. I’ve lost track of the boy, but I keep moving.
After passing a few more strange rooms filled with streamers and clowns and mirrors, I come to a room with no music playing. There is only one mirror in the room, one overhead light, and no sign of an exit. I turn around and notice the door behind me has shut. I scan the curtained walls and realize I’m in a completely sealed room—even the door I came through has disappeared.
I walk over to the mirror and notice a plaque hanging above it. It reads : “Make a wish to find the door – and things will be as they were before.”
I look into the mirror, and suddenly I’m struck by something. Even I can see the loneliness etched on my face. My shoulders are slumped, and I look tired. Me. Who doesn’t need much sleep and who is the strongest man on the planet. I look tired because my soul’s sick. It’s been months since Lois Lane briefly touched my life, and I haven’t been the same since.
I sigh, feeling a little ridiculous, but I still make the wish that is greatest in my heart.
“I would give anything to see Lois Lane again.”
*~\S/~*
I’m suddenly back at the Planet, on the elevator, on the way up to the bullpen. I don’t recall anything except making the wish and seeing--or maybe *feeling*?--a searing flash of light.
The elevator dings open and I start walking towards my desk. I shake my head, at a loss as to how I got here, and I try to think if there may be a connection to the kidnappings. Had I blanked out? Had they realized I wasn’t a kid to take for their scheme so they dropped me off once whatever they did to me wore off? And how could drugs have affected me anyway?
I pass a few workers. Usually, people are a bit cautious of me and give me a wide berth, even though I would never hurt a fly. They are awed by Superman, and much to my frustration, it’s impossible for anyone to see Clark Kent anymore. Perhaps it’s one of the reasons I feel I’ve lost him; I’ve become so overshadowed by the super persona Lois helped me create. But as I head into the bullpen, people are friendly to me and some even ignore me, which never usually happens. There are none of the usual references to a save I did the other day, no light-hearted jokes about wearing tights to work. It’s as if these people don’t know I’m Superman.
I am lost in my train of thought, when I suddenly look up. My breath catches in my throat, as I am utterly unable to believe my eyes. Sitting just a few feet away from my desk, is Lois Lane. She looks completely at home, writing, like she had been sitting there for a few hours. Her hair is longer than I remember, but she’s just as beautiful, if not more so. My heart stops – how did she get here? *When* did she get here? She doesn’t seem to be new to her desk or her surroundings, which only compounds my confusion. Part of me doesn’t care – she’s here! Lois Lane is here, working at the Daily Planet.
She sees me coming towards her and flashes her intelligent eyes at me, a look that takes my breath. “Clark, where have you been?” she says urgently. “They’re holding a press conference in twenty minutes about the solar eclipse this morning, and Perry wants us down there, pronto.”
“Solar eclipse?” I ask in confusion, though what really takes me aback is her manner with me. She seems not at all surprised to see me again after three months.
“Look, I know you were knocked on the head this morning, but you couldn’t have forgotten that strange solar eclipse! Come on, Clark. We don’t have time to waste.” She talks to me like I am just acting silly, like I’m some naïve farm boy who would forget to tie his shoes if she wasn’t there to remind me. But I don’t have the heart to resent her tone – amazed by the gift of simply seeing her again.
She suddenly snatches her jacket and downs the rest of her coffee. I see her come towards me and she grabs my arm. I’m unable to believe that Lois is here and is pulling me towards the elevator as if I were to just tag along, like just another day at the office. I have dreamed of her doing just this hundreds of times –working together on a story.
“Clark, focus!” she says with exasperation. “Let’s go!”
At last, I find my voice, wondering if she understands her presence here anymore than I do. “Wait, Lois – when did you get here? I mean – how—was it Tempus?“ I stammer, still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the woman I have been dreaming about for three months is staring me in the face.
“Tempus? ‘Tempus fugit,’ maybe!—time flies, indeed! I’ve been waiting for you over an hour to head to this press conference!” she says, agitated.
“No, I mean, when did you get to the Planet?” I try again, my mind racing as I realize she has no idea who Tempus is.
“Clark, we walked in together, this morning… are you sure you’re feeling okay? Maybe that bump on the head did more to you than you think,” she said, her small hand suddenly reaching to feel my forehead.
I hold my breath at her touch, though it’s no more intimate than a friendly pat. “No, I’m fine, Lois… I am just—surprised to see you here. I mean—I never thought I’d see you again when you went back---“
She’s staring at me like I’ve grown three heads and I quickly shut up, realizing that however she got here, to her the situation is normal. “Clark, I have no idea what you are talking about. But we have a press conference to get to. We’ll sort out your apparent confusion later.”
She tugs my arm and I can’t help but follow her. I start to wonder about the wish I made in the mirror, finding myself believing in magic. I have no idea how I got here or how Lois got here, but I realize two things: This isn’t the woman I met three months ago, and I’d still willingly follow Lois Lane to the ends of the earth.
