Clark and Lois - Hope Realized - Matchmaker Chronicle Volume 5 14/25
By Ken Janney
Rating PG-13
Disclaimers: The characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros. No Copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
(#) footnotes
/ denotes telepathic communication/
[ playback of a recording or TV Commentary]For reference purposes the following will hold true throughout.
Universal Locator Designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 - Canon Lois and Clark universe also called – Prime
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 036 – Canon Alt Clark universe also called – Alt 1
Alpha -120 x Gamma 255 x Tau -190 New universe called Alt 2
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Clark and Lois – Hope Realized - The Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 5
Previously:
Herb picked up his lemonade and took a sip before continuing, “I must say, that is excellent lemonade. Thank you Mrs. Kent.”
Martha smiled and said, “Please, call us Jonathan and Martha.”
After taking another sip, Herb replied, “Thank you, Martha. That is truly excellent lemonade. Now, let’s get back to business. By providing you with the means of traversing the universes and setting the device to track the time you will be able to move back and forth between the two with no time lapse in the trips. The TaDT will do all of the work, it will track the time and increment appropriately. Now, we need to decide what story you will give for Lois Lane’s sudden reappearance in your universe.”
Lois and Clark both heaved very relieved sighs. They weren’t going to be separated. His arm had gone around her and he pulled her in tight.
Feeling the need to completely fill Herb in Clark said, “Herb, there is something rather special about this Lois. The incident at the wishing well was somewhat different in this universe. The red Kryptonite did more than transfer Clark’s powers to Lois. It modified her physiology. Lois is fully Kryptonian. That has not been the case in any of the other universes. Elsewhere Lois has been Earth human until the Kryptonian aura made the genetic changes. We are both super-powered and fully genetically compatible.”
Herb rubbed his hands together before he said, “My boy, since this Lois is already super powered, you will not need the Star Sapphire Kryptonite and the red Kryptonite that activates it. I would like to request that you give it to me. I can put it to a very good use. It will provide other Lois Lanes and other Earth human spouses with powers. Incidentally, we have located that same gem in other universes as well as the red Kryptonite that activates it so we might just have enough for a number of generations. All of the children will have the powers, but, their spouses of the children will need the pendants.”
Lois, Martha and Jonathan looked at each other, further bewildered by this discussion of different kinds of Kryptonite. Then they looked over at Clark, who appeared to understand all this and nodded in acceptance. Lois made a mental note to have Clark explain later.
Not apparently noticing the byplay, Herb continued talking to Clark, “You now have the means of moving from one universe to the other. You have successfully integrated yourself into this universe, but, how do you propose to explain Lois’ reappearance after a five year absence in the other universe?”
Jonathan spoke up for the first time, “I’ve heard of cases of amnesia that have lasted for years. If that isn’t adequate there is also the possibility that she was hospitalization for an illness for the five years.”
Clark said, “There’s a problem with that though. Lois did reappear for a brief time in 1996. Everyone will remember that because she was there when I was revealed to be Superman, in fact she’s the one that helped me create my Superman persona. The staff at the Planet, in particular, will remember her. That would eliminate the five year hospitalization as a possibility.”
Martha spoke up, “I would have to agree with you on that. Besides, she looks too healthy for having been in the hospital for five years, Jonathan! I think that the amnesia ploy would be the best. What were the circumstances of her disappearance?”
Clark replied, “It was 1992 and we were in the jungles of the Congo investigating illegal guns being provided to the rebels by Lex Luthor. There is one aspect to it though; she was undercover as soon as she left the airport so no one knows that it was Lois Lane. I was undercover from the time I arrived, so no one knows that Clark Kent was even in the country let alone that he teamed up with Lois. She did call the Planet in Metropolis and told Perry White that she had a partner but no names were given and I never really notified him of her passing. I did report her as missing. I left it a mystery because that was how it was when I hired on at the Planet. As Herb always says, ‘History must be maintained’.” And he started chuckling.
Chuckling at having his own words quoted back at himself, Herb replied, “Jolly good, yes, history must be maintained. When Tempus kidnapped Lois from Prime and dropped us both off in your universe we had no choice but to contact you and that required that she appear to have returned from the missing, however briefly. If I recall correctly, at that time we gave the story that she had suffered from amnesia. It should be fairly simple to explain her re-disappearance.”
Martha said, “Well, there you go! Somehow her partner disappeared; she was injured and lost her memory. She was found by some friendly people and nursed back to health and regained her memory but she relapsed. Now she’s completely cured.”
Clark turned and looked at Lois and asked, “What do you think? How’s your memory?”
Lois replied, “I think I may have some blanks and still not remember some people. We have another problem though, how are we going to handle Superwoman?”
“Wow, I hadn’t thought about that! We did really well together on that hijacking case. You watching my back when they had the Kryptonite worked out perfectly. In my universe there is no Superwoman, but, everyone knows that I’m Superman. If we don’t announce that you are super, there could be people that will try to kidnap you to get to me.”
“We could save the fact that I’m super as a surprise. I could pretend to be normal until I’m called on to reveal what I can do.”
“The staff at the Planet will be expecting a ‘normal’ Lois. You do wear a mask as part of your super costume. That should continue to hide your identity. We could make this work! I’ll bring you ‘back from the Congo’ where you had been hospitalized. I have a doctor friend that can work with us to provide documents.”
After doing some more planning they decided to make a test trip. Lois and Clark after receiving sufficient directions from Herb activated the TaDT to open a portal between the universes and stepped through. They found themselves in the abandoned Kent homestead in – Alt 1.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 13 – Smallville – Lois and Lana
Thursday, March 13, 1997
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator Designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 036
Local designation – Alt 1
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
A few seconds later another portal opened and Herb stepped through. He checked the display on his TaDT and confirmed the time and location. He said, “Well, my boy, here we are in your home universe. Might I suggest that since you still own the Kent farm that you use this as a base of operations.” Looking around, Herb muttered, “It might need to be cleaned up a bit and repairs done, but it is still your home.”
Clark looked at Lois and asked, “What do you think?”
Lois said, “I’ve always liked the time I’ve spent in this house, with the Kents. You still have your apartment in Metropolis, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do, but, I’ve been thinking, in this universe everyone knows that Clark Kent is Superman. I don’t need to live in commuting distance of the Planet. I could give up the apartment and we could live here. We can commute to the Planet from here just as easily as from Clinton Ave.”
Turning to Herb he said, “Well Herb, it sure looks like the device works. I think that we will take some time to fix up the farm house and get it ready for occupancy and then return to the other universe. What do you say Lois, want to spend the night here before we go back?”
Walking over to him and putting her arms around him she said, “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we are.”
Herb said, “Well, Clark, Lois, I think I’ll be heading back to the office. I’ll stop by occasionally and check on you. Ciao.”
Clark stepped over to Herb and taking his hand and shaking it said, “Herb, I really don’t know how to thank you.”
Lois also stepped up to him and planting a kiss on his cheek said, “That goes for me too. Having a super Clark is a dream come true. Our soul mates connection is every bit as strong as what I had with my old Clark. I couldn’t be happier.”
Herb blushed and replied, “I am very happy that these missions are now successfully completed. In the course of these missions you helped a number of other couples and found your soul mate. I may just look around until I find another Clark in similar circumstance and take him on similar missions. That will be something to consider. I think I’ll bring it to the board.” Herb pulled out his TaDT and programmed in a time and destination, a portal opened and he stepped through and was gone.
Clark turned to Lois and said, “Before we start, let’s get you back among the living. Let’s fly to Brazzaville and go see Dr. M’benga or Dr. Bashir.”
“Sounds like fun. I haven’t been in Brazzaville since the investigation. What time will we be getting there?”
Clark looked at where the sun was and said, “On second thought, it’ll be the middle of the night in Brazzaville. Let’s work on cleaning this place up then we can go.”
She said, “Sounds like a plan.”
“I’ll go into town and pick up some cleaning supplies. While I’m gone you can decide what furniture you want. I’ll be right back.” He took off and flew into town and purchased some supplies. In the process of getting reacquainted with the local merchants who had known him all his life, he created his back story for returning to the Kent farm. They didn’t know whether to be happy or concerned about this until he told them that he would not be announcing to the world that he was moving back home.
While he was in town Lana spotted him coming out of the market just as she was coming out of Maisie’s Café. When she saw what he was carrying she deduced that he was planning to clean up the Kent farmhouse and decided to drive out there.
When she drove up she noted the run down condition of the house and thought, <It’s going to take a while to fix this place up. I wonder if he’s getting it ready to sell?> Parking and getting out of the car she walked up to the porch. When she did she could hear him talking to someone. Her curiosity being aroused she stopped moving and just listened. Thinking that she recognized the other voice and she started fuming. <*She's* back!>
Stepping up to the door when she knocked she took her anger out on the door, not giving it a light ladylike rap , but pounding on it forcefully. When she did she heard a gasp and then, “Lana! I’ll be right there.” There were some scuffling sounds just before Clark answered the door. “Lana, I wasn’t expecting you. How have you been?”
Lana challenged, “Where is she? I know she’s here, I heard her.”
Resigned, Clark said, “You might as well come out.”
Lois stepped into the room and Clark said, “Lana Lang I’d like you to meet Lois Lane-Kent.”
At this statement Lana’s countenance fell. She said, “You got married!?!?!? How could you!?!?!”
Clark reposted, “Lana, *you* broke our engagement!”
“I know I did, but, to *her*? How *could* you? She’s the reason we broke up!”
Clark said, “No, Lana, she’s not the reason. You broke the engagement because I went public with what I could do. Lana, after you broke the engagement, Lois left again, but, the damage was already done. I had gone public, which is exactly what you had objected to. The genii was already out of the bottle and there was no going back. Like I said, Lois left, but I knew, in my gut, that actually she was right. We’ve known for a long time that it would never work between us. You always wanted me to deny what and who I am. To stand by and allow evil things to happen when I could prevent them. That’s not who I am and I could never live that way.”
“But Clark, we had an understanding! *We* were supposed to be married. Maybe we could have worked it out.”
“Lana, people change. I’ve changed. I decided that I had to find Lois again, so I went searching for her and finally I found her.”
Lana stepped up to Clark and started beating on his chest, emphasizing what she was saying as if physical violence would change things. “Clark, I want things back the way they were. Send her back wherever she came from and come back to me.”
Clark grabbed her hands more to prevent her from injuring herself than for any other reason and spoke calmly to her. “I can’t do that Lana. It never would have worked out with us. I just couldn’t keep on denying who I am and what I can do. Lana, like I said, Lois and I are … *married*. I’m sorry. We’ve been married for a little while now. We can’t go back to the way things were. It’s too late for us. You have to move on. I have.”
Lana collapsed in a heap at his feet crying hysterically. Muttering over and over “Why Clark, why? Why?”
Clark knelt down and helped her to her feet and assisted her into the one serviceable chair in the living room. He set her in the chair and tried to soothe her by stroking her hair and patting her back. After a time she seemed to settle down. “Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? You could have called. It might have been better that way than just seeing you in town.”
“Look, Lana, for the life of me I don’t know why you’re acting like this. You broke off our engagement over a year ago. Why do you think I have to check in with you whenever I come to town?”
“It’s not that. I … I’ve been having second thoughts about it, about us, and I have been thinking that maybe … maybe we could try again. But, then I get here to talk to you and she’s here. She’s the one that broke us up, don’t you realize that? How could you do that to me?” Lana broke down and started to weep.
Kneeling down in front of her Clark took her hands in his and speaking like he would to a distraught child said, “Lana, we had problems with our relationship right from day one. Then when I finally told you what I could do you insisted that I hide it. You didn’t want me to do anything to help anyone. You wanted me to hide out here in Smallville and pretend that I was a ‘normal’ man. Lana, that’s not me. It’s not something I can do. I have these powers for a reason and I feel an obligation to use them for the good of humanity. I can’t just sit on the sidelines and watch the world pass by. When I played football in high school, the time I hated the most was when I had to sit on the bench and watch. I *need* to participate. You would have benched me and we both would have been miserable. More accurately it would have made me miserable and I in turn would have made you miserable. The only real togetherness we would have had would have been our common misery and that is no way to live.”
Lana had been openly weeping the entire time he had been talking. She sniffed a couple of times. Clark handed his hanky to her. She dabbed at her eyes and wiped her nose and said “Maybe I could have learned to put up with it.”
“Lana, you and I both know that isn’t the case. Your fear both for me and I think actually your fear of me would have prevented that. I know what you’re going to say, you don’t fear me, but, really, I’ve seen it in your eyes. It was too strong for you to hide completely. Even with all that, I still trusted you with my secret. Now that I’ve been exposed it really doesn’t matter, but the question is, could you have put up with the notoriety of being married to Superman? I’m sincerely sorry that this happened this way. I never meant it to. You had broken off our engagement. I found Lois again a few months ago and fell in love. I was going to give you a call and tell you but, well, here you are. Lana, it’s this way, Lois accepts me for who and what I am. I’d like it very much if we could at least remain friends and I’d sincerely like you to be a friend to Lois.”
“Clark, I still love you. How can I get past that?”
“I don’t know Lana. I can only hope that you can change that love into like. I still like you Lana. You were my first real girlfriend and the first person I trusted with my secret. We were engaged to be married for heaven sake! That must say something for how I feel about you.”
“I guess so but we were planning a future together. What am I going to do now? I’ve been at loose ends ever since we broke up. I was starting to think that we could get back together.” A fresh set of sobs started.
“Lana, you’re going to have to find some ‘normal’ guy that can make you happy. What about Pete Ross? He’s liked you for years. He just hasn’t said anything because he was my best friend. Frankly, I’m surprised he hasn’t said anything before now. I’m sure he knows that you broke off our engagement. My guess would be that maybe he has been thinking like you, that we might get back together. Now that Lois and I are married, that won’t happen. I’m sure that when Pete finds out that we’re married he’ll jump on the chance to go out with you.”
“Pete and I have always been friends. Actually, I was wondering why he didn’t ask me out. You really think that’s why?”
“I’d almost stake my life on it.”
“There could be another reason as well. The last time I talked to him he told me that he had an application in for a new job, maybe he has been holding off because he’s waiting to hear back on it. We were just going to start getting this place back in shape because we are going to use it as a get-away location. That’s why I was in town. I was buying some cleaning supplies. It won’t take us long to get the place in shape. Tell you what, why don’t we do this, Lois and I will invite you and Pete to dinner. Separately, not as a couple and see if Pete says anything.”
“Clark, are you sure? You’d do that for me?”
“Lana, I’d do just about anything I could for you, you know that.”
She got a kind of watery smile on her face as she replied, “Yeah, I guess you would at that.”
“Alright then, it’s settled. Lois and I’ll be inviting you and Pete to dinner. Let’s say Friday night at 7:30. How’s that?”
Her spirits appeared to be picking up as she replied, “That’ll be fine.”
Lois had been standing off on the side as Clark had been handling Lana. She stepped forward now and extended her hand to Lana. Clark stepped aside and said “Lana, I’d like you to meet Lois Lane-Kent, my wife.”
Lana took Lois’ hand and slowly shook it. Lois said “Lana, I’m sure Clark is right and everything will work out. You can count on me for anything you need to help you.”
Lana thought about this offer before she replied “Lois all I really need is for you to make him happy. That’s all I really ever wanted for him.”
Lois looking over at Clark said “He is and I plan to keep him that way. Now we need to get you to the same state, happy. Could you come over and help prepare the meal on Friday? I’m a pretty decent cook, but, it’ll give you an opportunity to show Pete just what a good cook you are. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach you know.”
Lana was really seeing Lois for the first time and seeing her as possibly a friend. She nodded and said, “Sure, I can do that as long as you’re sure.”
Laughing, Lois responded “Trust me, I’d appreciate the help.”
“Well, okay then. I’ll come over a couple of hours in advance.”
“Just let me know what you want to prepare and Clark will pick everything up.”
“Okay, I’ll call you tomorrow with the list.”
“I’ll look forward to your call.” Lois said.
Lana looked back and forth between Clark and Lois. She also noted his very obvious affection for Lois and hers for him. He was giving Lois a look that he had never bestowed on her. Lana was realizing the correctness of this decision and was starting to accept it. Reaching out she took Clark’s hand. Totally unexpectedly she reached out with her other hand and took Lois’ hand and brought their hands together. “I’m happy that you found someone that can make you happy. I’m sorry it wasn’t me, but, you’re right. We probably would have been miserable together. I’ll probably be happier with Pete. It’s worth a try anyhow. I’ll call you tomorrow. Will you have called Pete by then?”
Clark laughed “Count on it. One way or another, he’ll be here. I think that all I’ll need to tell him is that you’re going to be here and he’ll show up with bells on.”
Lana laughed at the picture that engendered in her mind and said “Normal clothes would be preferable.”
All three laughed together.
Lois put an arm around Lana’s shoulder and directed her into the bathroom as she said, “I think some repairs are needed. Let’s go into the bathroom. Do you have any mascara in your bag?.”
Lana put her arm around Lois and said, “Thanks, I guess I really do need to do the repairs. I probably look like a witch.”
“We’ll have you presentable in no time.” They moved into the bathroom.
After sharing some time together during the repairs and some ‘girl talk’ wherein Lana told Lois some anecdotes about Clark, Lana was presentable enough to go back into town. She was headed home so that she could plan the menu for Friday.
Through the judicious use of their super speed they had the house presentable by mid afternoon. By the end of the day they had furnished the entire house. One of the benefits of living in a small community was the availability of service people on short notice. Another was the notoriety of being Superman so they had power restored before the end of the day.
Once the inside was finished, Clark took it upon himself to repaint the exterior while Lois finished up inside and made the house a home.
That night they went to the Talon and caught the latest James Bond Flick – ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’.
Friday night couldn’t have gone better.
Pete, seeing the obvious green light that Clark was giving him, asked Lana, “’Tomorrow Never Dies’ is playing at the Talon, would you like to go see it tomorrow night?”
Lana replied, “Why, Pete Ross, are you asking me out on a date?”
Pete replied, “Yeah, I guess I am. Do you want to go out with me?” He had a hopeful expression on his face.
Lois chimed in, “You’ll enjoy it Lana. Clark and I went the other night. One of the leads looks a lot like me, would you believe. Unfortunately she dies. Oh, well.”
Lana laughed, “I’m just wondering what took Pete so long to ask. Pete, you knew that I broke my engagement to Clark over a year ago.”
“I wasn’t sure how Clark would take it or if you guys would get back together and I have this job application in that I haven’t heard back on yet.”
Lana laughed again and said, “No need to excuse yourself, Pete. I’m just glad you finally asked. Can I get a large tub of popcorn that we can share?”
With a relieved tone in his voice Pete said, “Anything you want. I’ll even get you a giant soda pop if you want.”
In a bantering tone she replied, “Only if it’s diet. I have to watch my figure you know.”
That set the tone for the rest of the evening and everyone had a good time. It looked like things would work themselves out.
Early the next morning Lois and Clark flew to Brazzaville.
comments go here To be continued in Chapter 14 – Back From the Dead
