PREVIOUSLY...
“That’s just it, Clark. If we’re together, then it’s not just your secret anymore. It’s our secret! Don’t you get that? If the world finds out, it will damn well affect me, too.”
“So are you saying you don’t want me to tell Perry?”
“That’s not what I’m saying at all, and you know it! I’m saying I want to discuss it.” She let out a frustrated growl. “Now, before I say something I’ll regret, I’m going to have my shower.” She turned and left the room, abandoning the half consumed cup of coffee on the table behind her.* * * * * * * * *
AND NOW...
Clark sat quietly at the kitchen table the entire time Lois was in the shower. His toast sat forgotten on the counter, covered with neither peanut butter nor honey.
Lois was right. At first, he’d tried to convince himself that she wasn’t. Problem was, and what Lois didn’t know and would absolutely send her into orbit, and rightfully so, if she did, was that he had called his parents this morning, after talking to Perry, to run the issue past them. He couldn’t even imagine contemplating telling someone without giving his parents a chance to provide some input. It was their secret, too.
So why hadn’t it even occurred to him to consult Lois?
His parents, of course, had simply said that he should do what he felt was right. They knew and trusted Perry. And if he felt he needed to tell Perry, they would stand by his decision.
But, Lois... Why hadn’t he talked to Lois?
He could find no reason he considered acceptable for that oversight. It wasn’t as if he’d considered and then rejected the idea. The truth was that it simply hadn’t occurred to him.
Hearing her getting ready to come out of the bathroom, he rose from the table, moving to a spot in front of the bathroom just as the door opened.
“I’m sorry,” he said as instantly.
“Forget it, Clark,” Lois responded even as she attempted to brush past him.
He reached out, his hand on her arm stopping her forward motion. “Don’t do this, Lois.”
“Do what? I’m not doing anything. You made a decision. It’s fine.”
“No, Lois. It’s not fine. It’s just...” His voice trailed off when he was unable to find the words to express himself.
“Just what, Clark?”
“Will you...” He gestured towards the kitchen. “Just sit down with me for a minute. Give me a chance to make this right?”
For a moment she was silent as she considered his question. Finally, he heard her let out a breath. He suspected she had nodded, too, although he couldn’t see it, because a moment later, she walked past him into the kitchen. The sound of the chair on the floor informed him that she had taken a seat.
The quality of her silence made it obvious to Clark that she was sitting up straight in her chair, stiffly waiting for him to talk. The time in the shower had done nothing to calm her anger.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before proceeding to find a seat of his own. She was hearing him out, but he knew he’d better make this good. “You’re right,” he began, hoping making that admission up front would help thaw the ice he could feel building up in the room. “It isn’t just my secret anymore. It’s yours, too. And I should have talked to you. Will you talk to me about it now?”
“Why didn’t you talk to me before?” she asked instead of answering his question.
He let out a breath. It was the question he’d been asking himself since she’d left to have her shower and he still didn’t have a satisfactory answer. “I’m new to this, Lois,” he finally said.
“New to what?”
“All of it. I’ve never had anyone, other than my parents, who I could talk to about Superman. Having someone else know is new to me. And this...” He gestured between them. “I’ve never been in a serious relationship before either. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve dated. But nothing like what we have. I guess I’m still trying to figure out how to make this work.” He fell silent then, hoping it was enough. It was, after all, all he had to offer.
Her hand coming to rest on his caused him to close his eyes in relief.
“This is new to me too, Clark,” she said softly. “But I won’t be marginalized. Not even by Superman. I won’t be a hood ornament.”
“I don’t want a hood ornament. I want a partner.”
She twined her fingers through his. “That’s what I want too.”
“So...” he continued, hoping he was safe in asking this again. “...what do you think I should tell Perry?”
At first, when she didn’t respond, he thought she was still upset with him. But once she started talking, he realized she’d just been thinking.
“Could you just stick with the idea that there was an emergency at the farm and your folks needed you?”
“That’s what I put in my letter of resignation,” he said. “But I really hate lying, Lois.” Since he could imagine her reaction to that, considering all the times he’d lied to her over the past couple years, he quickly continued. “Yeah, I know how that sounds, but...”
“Actually, I do understand, Clark.”
“So what do you want me to do? I supposed I could just look for a different job.”
“No. You belong at the Daily Planet.” She paused. “Okay, well, we’ve now put out the story that Clark Kent was blinded by a welding accident in Smallville a few days ago. We’ve even got medical records to back that up. So we have to stick with that as the official story. Besides, even if people don’t know that Superman was blinded, Clark Kent being blinded at the same time that Superman left the city is a coincidence that I doubt we want to risk. But as to what exactly to tell Perry... Why don’t you just play it by ear - see how it goes?”
“Play it by ear?”
“Yes. Maybe... he’ll be so distracted by the fact you were blinded in an accident on the farm that he won’t press too hard about your reasons for leaving.”
He nodded, although he doubted she was right. “And if he doesn’t...?”
“Then you should do what you need to do,” she said. “And if that means Perry finds out the truth... I guess I can accept that.”
Clark smiled, squeezing her hand by way of thanks. Some might think she hadn’t given him a solution, but in a way she had. His course was no longer simply to tell Perry the whole truth, but to feel Perry out. To see if something other than the full truth would suffice. It was worth thinking about.
* * * * * * * * *
Clark stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the Metropolis Center for the Blind when he heard Lois’ jeep pull to a stop in front of the building. There was a quality about the jeep... or maybe it was just the way she drove it, that he couldn’t help but recognize. He wanted to come here before going into the Daily Planet to meet with Perry. Since she didn’t have the morning off, she’d agreed to pick him up here at noon.
His hand went to his new watch as Lois emerged from her vehicle. Feeling it, he could tell it was about five minutes after twelve.
Formerly known as the Luthor Center for the Blind - one of Lex Luthor’s many pet charities - the board of directors had decided that a change of name was necessary to put some distance between them and their infamous founder. Coming here had been quite enlightening.
He’d avoided the sunglasses they had for sale since most of them were designed to help keep out as much light as possible - having been created primarily for people who, although blind, felt pain from too much exposure to the sun. Since Clark wanted as much exposure to the sun as possible and felt no pain, he’d decided that his own sunglasses, which he’d had for years, would suffice as a disguise.
Still, the people at the MCB had been very helpful. They’d showed him how to properly use a white cane as well as introducing him to a number of other items to assist him in coping with his condition.
“How’d it go?” Lois asked before leaning in for a kiss.
“Good. Like the new watch?” He reached out and found her hand, moving it to feel his watch. “It’s called a ‘feel the time’ watch.” He moved her finger. “This is the hour.” He moved her finger again. “And this is the minute. And I can tell by this that you’re about five minutes late.”
Lois laughed.
“You also got a white cane, I see,” she said as she opened the jeep’s back door so he could place his purchases inside.
He smiled. “They even helped me learn how to use it.”
“What else did you get?”
“Lots of things.”
“Like?”
“A Braille phone book,” he said by way of example.
“Hey, that’s great. But I didn’t know you could read Braille.”
“Learned it years ago - when I was living in Nigeria. They were looking for someone to teach braille and since I pick up languages easily, I volunteered. I got some other stuff too.” He leaned over and picked up a couple of very full bags of stuff from the sidewalk next to him. “Like a phone with Braille on it. And a Braille alarm clock.”
“Why would you need a Braille alarm clock? You’re not deaf.”
“Braille on the buttons so that I can set the clock and the alarm. Also, so that I can read what time it is.”
“Uhh... Definitely things you’re going to need, then, especially if Perry lets you come back to the Planet. So are you ready to head over to CostMart? I’d like to look at sofas and maybe pick up a desk for you.”
“Why not just see if you can get your sofa fixed?”
“I don’t think that’s likely - given the damage Griffin did to it. Besides, I was thinking that if you’re living with me... It might be nice to have a comfortable place where we can sit and... you know...”
“...cuddle?”
By the quality of the silence that met his declaration, he was certain he’d made her blush.
“Is that okay?” she asked tentatively.
“Hey, you want to have another place for us to make out... and you think I’m going to have a problem with that?”
That earned him a playful swat.
“So you ready to go?” Lois asked.
“Actually, before we go... I’m wondering if you’d come in here with me for a minute. I want to show you something.”
“Sure,” Lois said, taking his arm to guide him back into the building.
* * * * * * * * *
“Oh, I don’t know about this,” Lois said skeptically when the proposal was put to her. “The apartment is awfully small. And it doesn’t allow pets.”
She glanced over at Clark who was nibbling on his lower lip. He seemed to be trying not to influence her decision, but the hang-dog look on his face following her words gave him away. This was obviously something he really wanted.
“As far as your apartment not allowing pets... The Fair Housing Act requires that guide dogs be an exemption to any no pet rules,” the woman at the Center said. “Guide dogs are very well trained,” the woman went on to explain. “And they’re gentle. You’ll find he quickly becomes a member of the family.”
Lois looked again at the fox-colored dog sitting obediently at Clark’s side. She’d never been much of a dog person - or an animal person of any kind. Still... “What’s his name?”
“Shadow,” Clark responded.
He didn’t look much like a shadow to Lois, but she crouched down until she was on the same level as the dog. “Come here, Shadow,” she said. The dog looked at her but didn’t move. “He doesn’t seem that well trained to me.”
“That’s because he’s on the harness,” the woman said. “Right now, he’s working. If he was off the harness, he’d come to you.”
“He’s working, huh?”
The woman nodded. “Why don’t you give her a demonstration, Mr. Kent?”
Clark nodded and proceeded to do just that. It was fascinating to watch as man and dog worked together to navigate the obstacle course in the large room. Not once did Shadow direct his master wrong. He pulled Clark to a halt as he was about to step off an edge or if a barrier above his head was too low. And Lois had to admit, Clark looked as if he was having fun.
“Okay, well, let me meet him,” Lois finally said, her heart softening even further at the large smile that appeared on Clark’s face.
Clark crouched down and clicked Shadow’s harness off him.
“Come here, Shadow,” Lois said again. This time Shadow bounded over to her, his tongue lolling off to one side. Lois felt a rush of nerves as the dog got closer, afraid the animal was about to jump up on her. Still, Shadow came to a stop a few feet in front of her, carefully walking the rest of the way. It seemed that he, too, was nervous.
Reaching out cautiously, Lois carefully patted the dog’s head. “That’s a good dog,” she said nervously. And then the unexpected happened. It almost seemed that Shadow’s mouth stretched into a smile.
“He smiled at me,” Lois gasped in surprise.
The woman nodded. “Yes. Some dogs smile.”
“Why?”
“For much the same reason humans do.”
Lois crouched down and Shadow shifted closer, looking up at Lois with those big brown puppy dog eyes. Lois let out a breath as she continued to stroke the soft fur of the animal. “So you want to come live with us, hey?” she asked.
Shadow turned her head and licked Lois’ hand. “Okay, now that’s something that’s going to take some getting used to,” Lois said, holding her hand away from herself.
The woman handed her a wipe to clean her hand and Shadow looked chagrined. “Oh no,” Lois quickly said to Shadow. “It’s okay. I know that was just your way of saying...” She looked up at the woman. “What was he trying to say?”
“That he likes you.”
“Really?” Lois looked back at the dog, her final defenses disappearing as she looked into that cute face once more. Letting a sigh escaped, she rose to her feet. “So... you want a guide dog,” she said, looking at Clark.
“He’d be really good, Lois. I’d be the one taking him for walks and everything. You wouldn’t have to worry about him at all. I’d...”
“Clark,” Lois said, busting into his babble, “you can get him. So pay for him or whatever you have to do and let’s get going. We still need to go to CostMart.”
“It’s not quite that simple,” the woman said.
“What? Is he not available? Why would you show us a dog that’s already promised to someone else?” Lois asked.
“No, Lois,” Clark said, interrupting Lois. “It’s just that I can’t take him with me right now.”
“Why not?”
“He’s finished his training,” the woman said. “But Mr. Kent here still needs to be trained.”
A grin quirked at the edge of Lois’ mouth. “I’ve been working on that,” she said, provoking a smile out of the woman and a blush out of Clark.
“Mr. Kent will have to come here and train with Shadow for a while before he’ll be able to take Shadow with him.”
“I made an appointment to come back today after work,” Clark said.
“Oh, you did, did you?” Lois asked, her eyebrows going up.
“Subject to your approval on letting me get him,” Clark quickly added.
Lois shook her head in amusement as she wondered if Martha had ever been able to deny a young Clark anything. After all, how could anyone deny that face anything? His children would likely have the same effect on her.
That thought brought her up short, killing the enjoyment of the moment. They’d never talked about children. Weren’t even talking about marriage, for crying out loud. But... she glanced over at Clark, knowing instinctively that he’d want children. Was that something she could do? She’d caved pretty quickly over the dog issue, but... Did she even want children?
* * * * * * * * *
The trip to CostMart had been a little rushed due to the extra time they’d taken at the MCB. Still, they managed to order a desk and find a comfortable couch that folded out into a hide-a-bed. They arranged for delivery to take place on Friday evening. That had been perfect since the rest of Clark’s stuff, which his folks were shipping, was expected to arrive on Friday.
Clark paid for the desk and chipped in for half the sofa. Lois had at first objected, saying that she was the one who wanted the new sofa, but had relented when he’d said that he planned to sit on it at least half the time. Paying for half the sofa had given Clark a small thrill. It was the first step in what he hoped would be many more of having things that weren’t hers or his - but instead were theirs. He doubted the symbolism had been lost on Lois either - which was why her initial hesitation was understandable. The fact that she’d given in as quickly as she had told him that she was seeing this relationship lasting long term, too.
Lois had been a little distracted when they had left the MCB. When he’d queried as to whether she was having second thoughts about Shadow, she’d assured him that she wasn’t, which was why her sudden announcement that she wasn’t sure she wanted children had been something of a surprise. Where had that come from? Knowing Lois, it could have come from anywhere.
The sound of fast moving, scuffling feet distracted him from his thoughts. A moment later, someone bumped into them from behind.
“Hey!” Lois exclaimed. “Watch where you’re going?”
Almost immediately, Clark was grabbed by the lapels. “A wise prince cannot and should not keep his pledge when it is against his interest to do so,” the man said before releasing him and dashing off towards the exit.
“What was that?” Lois asked as the man seemed to crash through the doors and onto the street outside.
The sound of two more people running past interrupted their musings. He felt Lois’ grasp on his arm tighten as she began pulling him in the same direction. He quickened his pace to keep up with her. “What’s happening?” he asked.
“That’s what I want to know,” she said as they followed the commotion out into the parking lot.
He could hear the sounds of a struggle and felt himself tense. Not too long ago, he would have been in the middle of what was happening, in the blue and red suit demanding an explanation. Now, he couldn’t even see for himself what was going on.
“Grab Mr. Smith,” he heard a woman say.
“What’s happening?” he asked again.
“The guy who grabbed you - the woman called him Mr. Smith - has been detained,” Lois said, as she continued to lead them closer. “He’s about six feet tall, older - sixty maybe. He had dirt under his fingernails, slightly scruffy grey hair, a beard and appears to be wearing nothing more than a hospital gown.”
“And the people who stopped him?”
He heard an ambulance pulling up - one quick blast of its siren giving it away.
“A woman and a big man. The man is actually doing the detaining. He’s casually dressed and looks a little... Not sure how to describe it. I guess he looks a little like the hired muscle.”
“And the woman...”
“Five four, five five maybe. Short chopped blonde hair - done quite professionally. She’s also dressed professionally. But she’s wearing flat shoes.”
“Medical personal maybe?” Clark asked.
“Looks like it. The woman is giving the man who grabbed you a shot of something and they’re putting him in an ambulance,” she said as she continued to drag Clark closer. “What’s going on?” she asked when they were finally close enough.
“Nothing to worry about,” a woman said. Clark could hear her rustling around in her purse. “My name is Dr. Durant. I work for the Metropolis Psychiatric Hospital. This man escaped this morning. We’re just collecting him. Now, please... If you’d step back and let us do our job.”
Lois and Clark stepped back but didn’t leave, continuing to observe the proceedings - Lois with her eyes and Clark with his hearing.
“There was something very odd about that,” Lois said when they were again alone.
“You’re telling me.”
Lois turned to him. “What?” she asked.
“What he said when he grabbed me... Mr. Smith?”
“What about it?”
“‘A wise prince cannot and should not keep his pledge when it is against his interest to do so.’ It’s a direct quote from The Prince by Machiavelli.”
“Why would a guy with dirt under his fingernails and wearing a hospital gown be quoting Machiavelli?” Lois asked.
“And then... When they were driving off, they said something.”
“What?”
“Well, the woman said, ‘Did you recognize that woman?’ And her accomplice said something about, ‘Yeah. That’s just what we don’t need.’”
“That woman? Did they mean me?”
Clark shook his head. “I don’t know, but...”
“...what if they recognized me and were saying that they didn’t need us looking into... whatever just happened here.” She grabbed his arm again and began dragging him towards the jeep.
“Are they still in sight?” Clark asked. “Maybe we could follow them.”
He heard the slight rustle of hair as Lois shook her head. “No. But I got the license number on the ambulance. What about it partner? What do you say we see what we can find out about Mr. Smith? Oh and the woman’s I.D... It was from the Metropolis Psychiatric Hospital and identified her as a Dr. Sandra Durant. I think we should see what we can find out about her.”
Clark smiled. “Sounds like a plan,” he said, loving the idea of plunging, once again, into an investigation.
* * * * * * * * *
Perry glanced up from the papers in front of him when his newsroom suddenly went silent. Not a sound he wanted, or was used to hearing, from his reporters. Where was the chatter? Where was the hustle that told him his reporters were on top of whatever was happening in the world?
Part of his question was answered when he glanced out into the newsroom to see Lois and Clark descending the steps into the bullpen. Still... Although having Clark arrive back after a month and a half away might explain the disruption, it didn’t explain why everyone wasn’t rushing him to say hello.
As Perry walked across his office, he noticed that Clark was holding Lois’ arm. Okay, so a public demonstration of a change to Lois and Clark’s relationship might explain some of the unexpected reluctance on the part of his reporters to approach the duo. Still, why was everyone so quiet? He’d have expected cat calls and whistles if this was because of some public declaration that the star reporting team was now something more.
It wasn’t until he arrived at the door to his office, and saw the white cane Clark was using to feel out the steps in front of him that the mystery was finally revealed. He wasn’t holding on to Lois because of a change in their relationship. He was holding onto her arm because she was helping him find his way down the stairs. In other words...
Clark was blind.
Perry grasped the doorframe of his office to steady himself as he watched Lois and Clark complete the trip down the stairs, feeling the shell shock that his reporters were obviously sharing.
“Hey, C.K., welcome back,” Jimmy said, the first to finally break the silence which had surrounded Lois and Clark’s entrance.
“Thanks, Jimmy,” Clark responded.
“So what happened?” Jimmy asked as other reporters finally started to gather around the prodigal reporter.
“It’s a long story,” Clark said.
“Farm accident,” Lois added.
“Hey, man. That blows,” Jimmy said. “Sorry, I just...” His voice trailed off in confusion.
“It’s okay, Jimbo,” Clark said affectionately as others began to welcome him back.
Perry stood back, waiting for Clark’s colleagues to say their hellos before stepping out into the newsroom. “Okay, back to work. This is the Daily Planet not second string at the Smallville Post,” he called into the din. “You can get caught up with Kent when you’re not on Planet time.”
As people began to disburse, Perry walked over to his former star reporting team.
“Hey, don’t be dissing the Smallville Post, Chief,” Clark said.
“It’s good to see you, son,” Perry said, holding out his hand and then pulling it back awkwardly when he realized Clark couldn’t see it.
He heard Lois whisper something to Clark who immediately offered his hand. Perry rushed to take it, still experiencing that strangely uncomfortable feeling.
“Relax, Perry,” Clark said softly. “I know I’m blind.”
Perry finally smiled. “Thank you, son,” Perry said, feeling the odd tension began to dissipate. “Why don’t we go in my office and talk?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Clark said as he and Lois followed Perry to his office.
* * * * * * * * *
Perry’s mind was spinning. Clark was blind. Given Perry’s suspicions, he really hadn’t thought something like this was even possible. Of course, Clark’s current condition didn’t answer Perry’s question about why Clark had left the Daily Planet. Or did it? No, Lois said it was a farm accident. But... what type of farm accident could hurt... a man like Clark.
On the other hand, Clark had disappeared during Lois’ adventure with a Dr. Leit - an eye doctor. And if the man knew how to heal eyes...
Suddenly, the pieces fell into place in Perry’s mind. It made sense. In fact, it was the only thing that did. Why Clark’s parents had been the ones to collect his personal belongings from the Planet. Why Clark hadn’t come by to say good-bye to the staff. Why the reasons he’d given for his departure had seemed so unbelievable. It explained all the things that had bugged Perry following Clark’s departure.
“Have a seat, son,” Perry said as he sat down behind his desk. “Why don’t you go back to work, Lois? Clark and I can take it from here.”
Lois said nothing as she released Clark’s arm to place his hand on the back of one of the chairs. Once that was done, she turned back to the door. But instead of leaving, she closed the door before sitting down in the chair next to Clark. She said nothing but met Perry’s eyes in a way that told him he’d pretty much need a crowbar to pry her from her position at Clark’s side. She almost reminded him of a lioness preparing to defend her wounded mate.
Well, well, well. That was an interesting development, too. There was no mistaking the fact that they were together now. He still wasn’t entirely clear, though, whether Lois knew more now about her partner than she had when she’d left for Smallville.
Still... there was a pretext to maintain and some serious questions to tackle. The game must be played.
TO BE CONTINUED...
ML
