<<< Chapter Seventeen >>>
The following morning, Clark opened his eyes before his alarm woke him. He sat up and felt inside him for the link to Lois. He was surprised and pleased to find that it was open.
-* Lois? *- he sent.
-* Yes, Clark? *-
-* I hope I didn’t wake you. *-
-* No. I didn’t sleep much last night. *-
-* I understand. Would it be okay if I dropped by this morning? *-
He felt a smile come across the link. -* That would be nice. Just try to get here soon. Our competitors are already gathering outside. *-
-* Okay. I’ll start as soon as I get dressed. *-
-* I need to warn you about a couple of things. *-
-* Go ahead. *-
-* First, Lucy’s here and she’s even worse than I am when she doesn’t get enough sleep. Second, there’s a small lead box with some of that nasty green crystal in Lex’ – in his apartment on a bookshelf. Carlin used it on me. *-
-* The crystal? Lois, are you okay? *-
-* I think so. All it does to me is take away my powers, remember? And one of us can take it and throw it in the sun when things calm down over there. Anyway, while I was normal again, she whacked me around pretty good, so I really look like I’ve been in a fight. I’m starting to feel a little more – super, I guess, but I’m not back yet, and I didn’t want you to be upset when you saw how my face looks. *-
-* I’m just glad you’re okay. *-
-* Thanks. I don’t want to tell Lucy about our link right now, because she’ll want to know why it’s there, and then she’ll start thinking about my powers having come from Superman, and she’s no dummy and she’s liable to start thinking about who Superman is when he’s not zipping around the skies. *-
-* I understand. Thanks for the warning. *-
-* I don’t remember if I told you, but Lucy knows I’m Ultra Woman. *-
-* You told me. Amazing that she figured it out the way she did. *-
-* And I want to remind you that she doesn’t know that you’re Superman. If you want to tell her, that’s up to you. I think she can handle it, but maybe today wouldn’t be a good day. *-
-* Probably not. Maybe later. *-
-* Whoops, here comes Lucy now. She’s going to try to feed me breakfast. See you when you get here. *-
And with that, the link clicked shut from Lois’ end.
Clark wasn’t offended. Her exhaustion, both physical and mental, had leaked through, and he certainly didn’t want to put any more pressure on her at this point. He’d go over, give her the option of dropping some of her burdens on him, and leave when it was time.
*****
Surprised at the small crowd of media reps on the street at six-forty on Sunday morning, Clark shouldered his way past two dozen or more reporters from other outlets. Most of them were from what Perry would have called “bird cage liner” publications, but there was one from the New York Standard and a video crew from LNN. He ignored their shouted questions and stopped in front of the young female officer in front of Lois’ apartment building entrance.
She raised her hand palm out. “I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t come in the building unless you live here. Departmental orders.”
“I understand. Maybe if I tell you my name?”
The short, dark-skinned woman wouldn’t have slowed Clark down much even if he hadn’t had powers, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t project a real aura of authority. “I doubt it would make a difference, sir.”
“But I’m a coworker of Lois Lane. My name is Clark Kent.”
Her eyes flickered and widened for an instant, then she nodded. “Of course, sir. I apologize for not recognizing you.”
He shrugged. “No reason you should. I don’t think we’ve ever met. You’re Officer O’Brian?”
“Yes. I’ve read your work, Mr. Kent. You’re very good.”
“Thank you, officer. Right now, though, I’m just a friend visiting a friend in need.”
“Of course. Please, go right in.”
“Thank you.”
As he took the steps two at a time, he glanced back at the wolf pack of lampreys shouting at the officer and demanding the same access Clark had received. He was impressed by her calm but firm refusal to allow anyone to even climb the steps to the building, and when one tall blonde woman tried, the officer cut her off and herded her back to the pack without fuss or bother.
Satisfied that Lois’ building was secure, he took the stairs up to Lois’ apartment. He lowered his glasses and cautiously glanced inside, hoping to see only fully clothed people.
Lois was sitting at the breakfast table, wearing bunny slippers, a pair of sweat pants, and a pullover jersey from Metro U. A younger version of Lois was buttering several very dark slices of toast in the kitchen and muttering to herself about the lack of cooking skills in the Lane family.
He smiled. Here was something positive he could do for Lois.
His knock brought the younger woman to the door. She peered under the thick chain lock and looked at him closely. “Are you Clark Kent?” she demanded.
“Yes, I – “
The door slammed shut, the chain rattled, and the door flew open. She reached out and grabbed his arm and yanked him into the room. “Get in here now, Kent!”
Surprised, Clark allowed her to push him toward the dining area. He heard her fasten the locks behind him.
Lois finally turned to look in his direction. “Hi, Clark. I’m glad you came.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but the younger woman overrode him. “Can you cook breakfast, Kent?”
“Uh, yes, if you have – “
She shoved him in the kidneys and guided him toward the kitchenette. “Then go cook something! Lois is helpless in there and I’m not far behind her.”
“Lucy, you’re a pretty good cook,” murmured Lois.
“Not today I’m not! I’m too frustrated and tired. And I’ve never been good with any breakfast more complicated than cereal and toast. Come on, Kent, get cracking in there.”
He surrendered to the inevitable and began checking Lois’ cabinets for ingredients. “Is there any pancake mix? And syrup?”
Lucy pointed to his left. “Mix in the corner cabinet, syrup in the fridge. We have milk and eggs in there, too, but I burned almost all the bread trying to make toast.”
Clark turned and looked at her quizzically. “Toaster’s busted,” she explained. “It won’t pop up when it’s done and all I can smell is that it’s burnt.”
He refrained from laughing and nodded. “Give me fifteen minutes and we’ll have pancakes and eggs. Is scrambled okay or do you want them over easy?”
“Scrambled is fine,” Lucy said. “Just make them edible and don’t try for anything fancy.”
He nodded. “Nothing fancy. Got it.”
He heard Lucy sit down at the table beside Lois, so he tried for some light conversation. “Perry went to pick up Jimmy and his buddies from the fishing shack this morning. I’d guess they’re ready to come home.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. I know Jimmy’s not exactly a nature nut, and those other two seemed to be total city boys too.”
He grinned at her. “Then they’ll be glad to see asphalt again.” He waited for a moment, and when neither woman spoke, he said, “Have you looked outside this morning? The news is spreading.”
Lois sighed. “I saw them from my bedroom window. I’ve never been this much a part of the story before, and I don’t think I like it.” She shook her head and stood. “I now have a lot more sympathy for the people I’ve interviewed over the years.”
Clark paused and turned to face her. “You know it will get worse before it gets better, don’t you?”
“Oh, thanks, Kent,” snarled Lucy. “I just got her out of the bedroom a few minutes ago. Why don’t you tell her something really encouraging, like how much time she’s going to spend in jail?”
“Lucy!” cried Lois. “Clark is my friend and he came here to help me! You be nice to him! I mean it!”
“What? Sis, you can’t – “
“Yes I can! You’ve done nothing but snap at him since he came in and I won’t have it! You be nice or I’ll – I’ll give you a swirly!”
Lucy’s mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged. After a long moment, she leaned back in the chair and looked at her older sister, then composed herself and turned to Clark. “Mr. Kent? I apologize for my behavior. I’ve been rude and inconsiderate, especially seeing that you’re here so early on a Sunday morning.” She crossed her arms and sighed. “I’m usually much nicer than this.”
He nodded around his breakfast preparations. “No problem, Miss Lane. I know this hasn’t been easy for either of you.”
“It hasn’t been, but that’s no excuse. And please, call me Lucy.”
He gave her a mega-watt smile. “Then you have to call me Clark.”
She smiled. “I think I can do that. Hey, can I help with that? There must be something I can handle without burning it.”
Clark heard Lois chuckle but didn’t look at her. “How about you set the table? I’m pretty sure the silverware isn’t flammable.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Lois sat at the dining room table. Lucy collected plates, napkins, silverware, and drinking glasses as Clark stirred the pancake batter and whipped the eggs. He’d noticed the bruised swelling on Lois’ face but hadn’t mentioned it, thinking that she wouldn’t want to call attention to her injuries in front of Lucy.
Instead, he focused on cooking. A light brushing of butter on the already hot griddle followed by evenly sized and spaced discs of batter. Salt, pepper, a dash of paprika, a slight scattering of onion fragments and chopped-up bell pepper he’d found in the refrigerator’s produce drawer, stirred in lightly with the whipped eggs and folded several times to distribute the heat evenly. Flip the pancakes, drop a small dollop of butter on each one while still hot, scoop the eggs into a bowl and carry them to the table, then return in time to lift the pancakes from the griddle onto another plate. Carry them to the table and place them in front of Lucy and Lois with a slight flourish and –
“Voila!” he purred. “The breakfast, she is most ready for the eating, ladies.”
Lois softly smiled up at him. “There are three place settings, Clark. Sit, eat, and enjoy.”
He leaned closer to her and murmured, “I’ll eat if you will.”
He held her gaze for a long moment, then she nodded and said, “Sounds like a plan to me.”
As he sat, Lucy handed him a long-handled wooden spoon and gestured toward the eggs. “You cooked them, you taste them.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“I don’t know you well enough to trust you.” Then her face and voice both softened. “But they smell heavenly, Clark, so this is a thank-you and not a poison test. Besides, Lois trusts you with her life and with her heart, so you can’t be all bad.”
He stifled the chuckle but not the smile. “I appreciate the ringing endorsement.”
Her eyes turned impish. “Oh, no. Ringing endorsements will have to wait until after the rock skipping is complete.”
The remark baffled him for a second, then he remembered his message from the day before. Instead of speaking, he took the spoon and scooped out a small portion of the eggs, then tasted them. Then, after chewing and swallowing, he frowned slightly, tilted his head back and forth, and ran his tongue around his mouth as if searching for something inside.
Finally, Lucy could take no more. “Well?” she blurted. “How are they?”
He looked at her with mild surprise as if he’d forgotten she was there. He swallowed again and grudgingly surrendered his opinion.
“Oh. Um – they’re good.”
A snort to one side drew their attention. Lois sat back with her eyes closed, holding one hand over her mouth with the other wrapped around her shoulder, shaking. She shifted to one side as if about to leap out of her chair.
“Sis? Are you okay?”
Lois nodded sharply and snorted again. Lucy reached out and took her sister’s free hand in hers. “Lois? I’m sorry.”
Clark put his fork down. “I’m sorry too, Lois. If I’d thought – “
“Bwahahahahahaha!”
The explosion caught both of them by surprise. Lucy jumped back and knocked her orange juice off the table onto the floor. Clark scooted his chair back almost a foot and paused half-in, half-out of it. Lois responded by pounding her feet on the floor and laughing like a white-faced green-haired criminal. If Lucy hadn’t slid her chair closer and grabbed her sister’s shoulder, Lois might have fallen to the floor.
Clark relaxed as he watched the sisters laugh and hold on to each other to remain upright. By the time they’d wound down, he’d cleaned up Lucy’s spilled juice, made a significant dent in his eggs, and shortened his stack of pancakes by half.
Lois wiped her eyes and shook her head. “You two have no idea how hysterical that was.”
Clark smiled back. “It’s good to hear you laugh. I just never knew you snorted like that.”
Lucy snorted at his remark, and Lois echoed it, which set both of them off once again.
This time Lucy stopped first. “Feel better now, Sis?”
Lois nodded. “Yes. A little, anyway.”
“That’s good.”
“You know, I lied to Lex.”
The comment stunned both of the others. After a long moment, Lucy said, “Well, that was certainly a bull’s-eye of a buzzkill.”
“Sorry. But it’s true. I needed to say it.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I just didn’t know how much I needed to say it.”
Then Lois began eating breakfast. Lucy and Clark exchanged puzzled looks, then Lucy shrugged, loaded up her own plate, and dug in.
As Lois wiped her mouth and stood to carry her dishes to the kitchen, Lucy took them from her. “I’ll get that. You sit down and explain to Clark what you meant.”
“What I meant about what?”
“About lying to Lex,” came Lucy’s voice from the kitchen. “I don’t know what you were talking about, but if you needed to say it to us, you also need to explain it to us. So start talking.”
Clark leaned closer to Lois. “Is she always this bossy?”
Lois shook her head. “Of course not. She’s usually much worse.”
“Heard that!”
Clark and Lois laughed softly, then Clark took her hand. “I do think she’s right, though. You need to tell us what you meant about lying to Lex.”
Lois curled her hand around Clark’s and gripped tightly. It felt right, it felt good, and it felt natural to him. He wished he could hold her hand forever.
Then she spoke. “When the elevator door opened I smelled the cordite, then I smelled the blood. I found Lex in the library, bleeding to death on the floor. He – he wouldn’t let me take him to the hospital. He said even Superman couldn’t – couldn’t help him.”
She paused and sniffed once. “Carlin said that she’d shot him in the liver, and that there was no way to save him, none at all. Lex agreed with her. Then he told me he’d planned to propose to me and he wanted – he wondered what I would have told him.”
Her fingers tightened on his. He could tell that her powers weren’t back yet, but since her grip was strong enough to injure a normal human, he was glad it was his hand in hers and not Lucy’s.
She looked up at him as if pleading a case she knew she’d lose. “He was dying! What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t tell him ‘no’ at that point! So I – I told him that I would’ve said ‘yes’ and he smiled and he died and – and then I almost killed Carlin.”
Lucy moved behind her sister and wrapped her arms around Lois’ shoulders. “You did good, Sis. You let him leave with a smile on his face and you didn’t kill anyone.”
Lois dropped her gaze. “You don’t understand! I lied to him! If Carlin hadn’t shot him I would’ve said ‘no’ and told him I loved someone else! And I would have killed Carlin if I’d had the chance! I told her that – that she needed to make her last words good ones.” Her eyes slammed shut again. “I was going to kill her! I really was!”
Lucy rocked her sister from side to side. “But you didn’t kill her. And you know you could have. Lois, if you had really wanted Carlin dead, Mr. Asabi would have found her body in that apartment. He never would’ve needed to hit her at all. She brought all this on herself and you didn’t do anything you shouldn’t have done.”
“But I – “
“Shhh, Sis, shhh. It’s okay. You did good, honest. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Lucy’s eyes sought and found Clark’s. “Tell her, Clark. Tell her what you think. She knows you won’t lie to her.”
He slid his chair closer to Lois. “Lucy’s right. Everything she said was right. You told Lex what you had to tell him to ease his passing, and that was a good thing. You could have broken Carlin’s neck instead of Asabi doing it, but you didn’t. I know that you would have taken her into custody if she’d given you the chance.”
Lois’ face slowly rose. “Do – do you mean that? Really? You think – you don’t think I did wrong?”
He shook his head. “I can’t see where you did anything wrong, Lois. If you had made a different choice, Carlin might be alive and in jail this morning. Or she might be out of the country by now and your dead body might have been found on that apartment floor. There’s no way to know what might have happened. But I do know that you did nothing wrong.”
Lois’ mouth quivered and she leaned toward Clark. He caught her as she slipped from the chair to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. Her tears burst out once again and she all but melted against him, wailing in grief.
Lucy waved her hand until she caught his eye, then made gestures toward Lois’ bedroom. Clark nodded shortly and watched her leave to make and then turn down Lois’ bed.
He held her close and almost wept himself.
He wondered who she loved if she hadn’t been in love with Lex Luthor. Who had she been thinking of when she’d decided she wouldn’t marry him? Certainly not someone at work, or Clark would have picked up on it. Maybe it was someone from one of her therapy groups, the same ones Dr. Friskin had suggested to Clark. Maybe there was a man there who had captured Lois’ heart, a man who was upright and honest and available, a man whom Lois respected enough to trust with her life.
The lucky stiff.
That had to be it. She’d met someone there who would walk through life beside her and treat her right. Of course, mistreating Ultra Woman was chancy at best and downright stupid at its worst, but her current situation confirmed to Clark that she was still just as human as anyone else on the planet.
Except for him, of course.
He waited until she’d wound down, then he reached down under her knees with one hand and lifted her up. She tightened her grip around his neck for an instant, then relaxed as he stood and carried her to her bed. He laid her down and tried to let go, but she grabbed both his hands and refused to release them.
“No!” she cried. “Please stay! Don’t leave me!”
Lucy smiled at him and pulled the covers up to her sister’s shoulders. “Clark’s not going anywhere, Lois. He’s going to stay right here until you go to sleep.”
“That’s right, Lois,” he said. “I’ll stay right here with you as long as you’re awake.”
“Right here?”
His heart almost broke for her. “Right here beside you.”
“Promise?”
It was all he could do not to sweep her into his arms and tell her he loved her, but he knew he couldn’t. “I promise. I’ll be right here until you go to sleep.”
Her voice softened and lost its frightened little girl tone. “Thank you, Clark. You’re such a wonderful friend to me.”
“And you’re a good friend to me, Lois. Sleep now, okay?”
“No.” She lurched up from the bed and grabbed his shoulders. “You have to know! You have to – Lana.”
The name stunned him for a moment, then he recovered. “What about Lana, Lois?”
“I – I did it. I didn’t do it like I thought I would, but I did it.”
Lucy sat down on the other side of the bed. “Lois, what are you talking about?”
Lois took one hand off Clark’s shoulder and grabbed Lucy’s upper arm. “I made myself a promise that I’d find whoever killed Lana and make them pay. Carlin was the one running those guns, even if Nigel was making money from it. He probably stole from her like he stole from Lex. But Nigel St. John and Arianna Carlin are both dead now.” She turned to Clark and tried to smile. “And Lana can rest easy. Her killer has met justice.”
Clark couldn’t move or speak for a moment, but that was all the time it took for Lucy to gently press Lois back down to the pillow. “Okay, Lois, Lana can rest easy. You did good. Now it’s your turn. Lie down and go to sleep. Clark will stay here with you.”
“Thank you, Punky.” She took Clark’s hands in hers again. “And thank you, Clark. You’re the best friend anyone could ever have.”
“You’re welcome, Lois. Now go to sleep, okay?”
She nodded once, closed her eyes, and nestled her head into the pillow. He worked one hand loose from hers and softly stroked her hair. She sniffled a couple of times, then her breathing settled into an even rhythm. Her hands slowly released the one of his she still held, and her face lost its tension. He sensed Lucy leaving the room without a word or gesture to him.
After a few minutes, Clark slid his hand away and sat back. Lois didn’t react, so he padded to the bedroom door and closed it behind him.
Lucy was at the table, working on another plate of food. “You know, Clark, this really is good. Next time I’ll get seconds before I have to microwave it to reheat it.”
He smiled. “Thanks. Will you two be okay now?”
She held up her hand in a ‘wait’ gesture and took a long swig of milk. “No.”
“What? No?”
She paused and sighed. “Look, one of the reasons Lois passed out so easily just now is that neither of us got any real sleep last night. If nothing wakes her, she’ll probably stay right there until her kidneys start screaming. And I don’t plan to stay up and wait for that, so you’re elected.”
“I’m elected? Don’t I get a vote?”
“Not if you care for her like I think you do, no.”
He opened his mouth, the closed it and nodded once. “Busted.”
Lucy scraped together the scrambled egg fragments from her plate and scooped them into her mouth. “Mmm! Really good eggs.” She swallowed. “It wasn’t hard to figure out. I was watching you in there with her. You might as well have it tattooed on your face. And you should hear the way she talks about you. When I said she trusts you with her life, that’s exactly what I meant. I think she would’ve revealed that thing about Luthor last night if you’d been here.”
“I was a little busy.”
“Whoa! That was absolutely not an accusation, Kent! I’m sure whatever you were doing was something you had to do. All I’m saying is that you’re important to her. Your good opinion of her is important to her. And your trust in her is important to her. I don’t think you understand just how she feels about you.”
He looked away. “I’ve always tried to be a good friend to her.”
“And you’ve been a wonderful friend. But now it’s time to step up and swing at the next pitch.”
“Huh?”
“You need to tell her how you feel about her.”
He frowned. “I know I’m repeating myself, but once again, huh?”
Instead of answering, Lucy just stared at him. “Clark, are you in love with – oh, what’s her name, the redhead? Rebecca! Are you in love with her?”
“What do you know about Rebecca?”
“Just what Lois has told me. Are you?”
He grinned ruefully. “No. She’d rather hang around with penguins than with me.”
That stopped Lucy for a moment. “Wow. That’s an insult I’ve never heard before. Talk about your slice-and-dice.”
He chuckled. “Sorry. I meant that she’d rather study Antarctic wildlife than set up housekeeping with me. We broke up permanently. And it’s something she and I both agreed on.”
“Ah. Mind telling me when the two of you experienced this epiphany?”
“Yesterday afternoon.” Clark’s face darkened. “Probably about the time Lois was heading to Lex’ apartment.”
Lucy exhaled noisily. “And how long have you known how you felt about my sister?”
He blinked a couple of times. That wasn’t something he wanted to confess to anyone. “I’d rather not discuss that.”
“A couple of days? A few weeks? Several months?” He looked away and Lucy said, “I’m tired to the bone, Clark, but I’m not letting this go. How long?”
He grimaced. “I guess – about six months.”
A yawn split her face and she leaned forward. “And I’m guessing you didn’t want to say anything to Lois because you didn’t want to get between her and Luthor, and you stayed with Rebecca out of a sense of guilt or obligation of some kind.”
One eyebrow quirked at her. “You’re pretty good at this.”
“I’ve had plenty of practice. So, when are you talking to Lois?”
“I’m not.”
“Oh.” She paused, then said, “Why not?”
“You heard what she said. Lois lied to Lex because she loves someone else. And I’m not about to get between her and whoever he is.”
Lucy stared at him for a long moment, then said, “You know, I think it must be something in the water that makes people in Metropolis so stupid when it comes to personal relationships.”
“Huh?”
“You’re repeating yourself yet again. Isn’t that redundantly redundant?”
“No. I mean, yes, it is, but what did you mean?”
Lucy grinned impishly again. “Nothing. I’m going to brush my teeth and hit the hay, and you’d better still be here when Lois wakes up.”
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
“Oh, but I’m sure it is. Give me your word that you’ll stay all day.”
“Lucy – “
“Your word, Kent. Or I’ll get Lois to call your parents for me and I’ll tell them you left a friend in the lurch who really needed you.”
Her words stopped him. He really hadn’t considered the situation in that light, but he could see Lucy’s point.
“That’s blackmail, Lucy.”
“You’ll never get a conviction on that charge, copper.”
He grinned and nodded. “You have my word. May I go out for a moment and pick up a few things for lunch and dinner first?”
She reached into her pocket and tossed a key ring at him. “Lock up when you leave and come back quick. If Lois wakes up and you aren’t here, I’ll never let you live it down. You understand, Kemosabe?”
“The Lone Ranger understands, Tonto. I will be here.” He stood. “I may even get back before you go to sleep.”
“In that case I’ll wait up for you, Prince Charming. You know where Lois’ Jeep is?”
“If it’s in the usual place, yes.”
“Good. Keep the receipts and I’ll reimburse you. Now get going so I can get some sleep, okay?”
Lucy sure was bossy, he thought as he locked the door behind him. And she already had a dizzying array of nicknames for him.
He crushed the thought that one of them should be brother-in-law. It was too painful to contemplate something that could never be.
