Well, after almost getting lynched last time - well it sure felt like it anyway! - I'm not sure I want to post! But I will anyway!
I promise Lois will show up soon!
Comments appreciated.
CM
From Part 3:
Clark smiled back at her. "A bit. Though I did freelance writing when I traveled, not for a specific paper. I never settled in one place until..." His voice trailed off and he stared into his glass of wine.
"Until...?" Rachel prompted.
"Until I moved to Metropolis. I worked for the Daily Planet for a couple of years." He finished the rest of his glass in one big gulp, trying to erase the memories that threatened to surface.
"THAT'S where I know you from! They keep a copy of the Daily Planet in the break room at work. I KNEW your name was familiar." She snapped her fingers trying to think. "You wrote with someone else a lot. Lisa... Lori..."
Clark poured himself some more wine, wishing desperately that it would have an effect on him. "Lois. Lois Lane. Best reporter I ever knew." He took a big gulp of his new glass.
*****
Part 4
*****
Rachel sat back, a satisfied look on her face. "Lois Lane. That's it. You two wrote most of the Superman stories, didn't you?"
Clark shifted uncomfortably. "We had our share." Superman and Lois Lane – how much more difficult could this conversation get? "Look," he said as he fidgeted with his napkin. "Lois and I didn't leave things on the most friendly terms when I left. I'd really rather not talk about it."
Rachel munched thoughtfully on a piece of bread. "You were in love with her."
Clark had a deer-in-the-headlights look on his face as he stared at her. "What makes you say that?"
"It’s obvious. Her name makes you uncomfortable and you just drank about half the *fiasco*," she grinned, "of wine while talking about her." She settled back in her chair and took a sip out of her own glass.
Clark sighed and swirled the red liquid just a bit. "We went out a couple of times – once really – but she was my best friend and I did think I was in love with her." He shrugged. "She found somebody else." He sat forward and smiled at her. "You don't really want to talk about this do you?"
Rachel shook her head. "No." She grinned impishly. "I'd rather hear what Superman's like."
Clark groaned. "If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that..."
"You'd be rich?"
"Yep."
The waiter returned and set a steaming plate of pasta in front of each of them. "Orecchiette alle cime di rapa, for the lady and bucatini all'amatriciana for you, sir."
"Thank you."
Their conversation slowed to a halt as they began their meal.
Rachel managed to speak around her meal. "Clark, this is incredible."
Clark smiled at her. "I thought you'd like it."
She used her best puppy dog look on him. "Could I maybe have a bite of yours? Please?" She stuck her lower lip out just a bit. "It looks SO good."
Clark laughed. "Sure." He cut up a bite and twirled it onto his fork. He reached across the table and fed it to Rachel.
"Mmmmmmmm." Rachel savored the taste, chewing slowly on the pasta. "Monica has seriously been holding out on me. This is absolutely amazing. I am so glad you suggested coming here. This is so much better than Chinese!"
"I'm glad you approve."
The rest of the meal passed in relative silence, each enjoying their entrée and each other's company.
Clark surprised himself when he ordered brownie a la mode for dessert. He knew it was delicious - he'd had it before and the rich chocoalte brownie with chocolate chips and fudge icing with ice cream and hot fudge and caramel was calling his name. He was here with Rachel - and having a very nice time - and it wasn't the cake he'd shared with *her*. He'd bet Rachel would want to share too.
Sure enough she did, but somehow it didn't bother him, sharing with Rachel. She used her own spoon - they'd brought two - so it wasn't as like the last time as he'd thought it might be. As hard as it was to believe, as often as he'd thought he'd never get over Lois, he was finding himself really starting to like Rachel.
*****
"Are you sure I can't walk you to your apartment?" This wasn't how Clark had been raised, to drop his date off at a coffee house.
"Really, it's okay. Would you like a cup of coffee first? If it won't keep you up I mean?" Rachel didn't want the date to end but she certainly wasn't ready to show him exactly where she lived either.
"Sure." Clark couldn’t believe it. He was actually wanting to spend more time with her. He wasn't ready to go home and face the memories of Lois Lane. Here... Here with Rachel, he could face the future. Maybe not with her, of course - he didn't know her THAT well yet - but with someone... else. Someone who wasn't Lois.
They sat on the couch and chatted for a while longer, each regretting that their time together was almost up. The coffee shop was starting to close down and they'd have to go their separate ways.
"Rachel?" A voice interrupted their conversation.
"Joey! Hi!" She shifted so she could get a better look at her friend. "Joey, this is Clark. Clark, Joey. Joey is a friend of mine - he lives across the hall from me and Monica."
Clark stood and reached out a hand. "It's nice to meet you."
Joey looked at him skeptically. "You're not taking advantage of Rachel, are you?" He looked down at her. "'Cause I can take care of him for you if you need me to."
"JOEY!" Rachel glared at him. "Clark is a very nice man. You don't need to protect me!"
Joey reached out to take the hand Clark was still offering. "Okay. But if anything happens to her, you have to answer to me." He clenched his hand around Clark's as hard as he could and was amazed when, no matter how hard he gripped, Clark's hold was always just a bit more firm.
Clark finally released Joey's hand and turned back to Rachel. "Are you sure I can't walk you home?"
Rachel shook her head. "Joey lives right across the hall from me. He'll walk me home." She turned to her friend. "Meet you outside in a minute?" Her glare dared him to do otherwise.
"Sure. I, uh, promised Chandler I'd get some croissants for breakfast in the morning. I'll be right out."
"Thanks, Joey."
Clark waved just a bit towards the other man. "It was nice to meet you."
Joey half-glared back. "Yeah, you too."
Rachel grabbed Clark's hand and led him outside. "Don't let Joey get to you. He just wants to protect me. He's a good friend."
Clark nodded and realized that Rachel was standing close enough to him that he could almost feel her in his arms again. But he couldn't. Not yet. It was too soon.
The feeling in the air was almost palpable. Finally, he decided that a hug would be safe... just what he was ready for. He put his arms around her and felt hers wind around his waist.
"I had a great time tonight, Rachel."
"Me too, Clark." She squeezed just a bit then moved back, out of the circle of his embrace.
"Can I call you?" He surprised himself by asking it.
"You better." She pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and dug frantically for a pen. When she found one, she scribbled her number on the paper and handed it to Clark. "I hope you call soon," she added shyly.
"I will," he promised.
"Rach, you ready?" Joey interrupted the moment again.
She tore her eyes away from Clark's. "Yeah. I'll talk to you later?"
Clark nodded. "Bye."
"Bye." Rachel turned and headed down the street with Joey, turning once to find Clark watching them as they walked away. What a guy!!
*****
Rachel slammed the door to the apartment she shared with Monica.
"MONICA!!!!"
Monica hurried out of her room, tying her robe as she came. "What?"
Rachel tossed her purse onto the couch and glared angrily at her disheveled friend. "You *met* him?"
"Who?!"
"Clark!" She tossed her hair. "Hot shorts guy!"
Monica gulped guiltily. "Yeah, I did. Once. He complimented my orecchiette alle cime di rapa once."
"I know! And that's the other thing. Why haven't you made that for me before?!"
"How do you know?!"
"Clark took me to Alessandro's for dinner tonight!"
"He did?!"
"Yes!"
The door opened and Joey's head popped in. "Hey, is there going to be a chick fight?"
Rachel took a shoe off and threw it at the door. "JOEY!"
He'd pulled the door shut to avoid the shoe but opened it back up. "I wanted you to wait for me to get my popcorn! That's all!"
"JOEY!" Her other shoe followed the same trajectory as its mate.
"Okay! Okay!" His voice faded as the door shut.
"So how was your date?" Monica walked to the kitchen and tried to change the subject.
"It was *incredible*," Rachel told her. "But that is entirely beside the point. Why didn't you tell me you met Clark?!"
Monica pulled a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. "It was like the first week he was here and I wasn't entirely certain it was him. He was really nice and then I forgot about it." She shrugged. "End of story."
"Sure." Rachel eyed her skeptically and then decided to let it go. "Anyway, the date was incredible. He is SUCH a nice guy!"
"I know! I know he's been in several times since I talked to him." She waved a hand at Rachel. "I didn't talk to him again, but I knew they were talking about the same guy. All the waitresses are totally in love with him. They say he tips really well too."
"I believe it. He wanted to walk me all the way up here, but I couldn't let him. He'd know we spied on him all the time!"
"Did he kiss you?"
Rachel dropped to the chair. "No. But he gave me a really nice hug. And he said he'd call me." She sighed happily. "Being in his arms was incredible."
Monica sank onto the couch. "I bet," she replied just as dreamily.
The door to Monica's bedroom opened and a disheveled and mostly dressed Chandler emerged holding a pair of shoes.
Rachel looked from one to the other. "Um, Monica, what was Chandler doing in your room? And why isn't he wearing any shoes?"
Monica and Chandler exchanged panicked glances.
"I, um..." Chandler waved one hand towards Monica's room
"He, um..." Monica's eyes grew wide.
"A mouse." Chandler had a stroke of inspiration. "I was looking for a mouse."
Monica jumped up. "That's right." She pushed Chandler towards the door. "I thought I heard a mouse in there and I asked Chandler to find it for me."
Rachel thought for a moment. "But Chandler's more scared of mice than you are, Monica."
Chandler turned back towards Rachel. "Hey, I can be pretty brave when I have to be."
"Please." Rachel rolled her eyes. A thought occurred to her but she immediately dismissed it.
Monica grabbed Chandler's arm and pushed him out the door. "Thanks again for looking for that mouse for me, Chandler." She pulled the door half-shut behind her and whispered, "What are you doing? I told you to stay in there!"
"I have to pee!" Chandler whispered back.
"Well, go. I have to talk to Rachel. Just... just hold it next time."
Chandler opened his mouth to respond but was stopped by a door in his face.
Monica went back into the living room to find Rachel peering out the window towards Clark's apartment. "And now you're spying on him?"
"Well..." Rachel turned. "He's on the phone."
"Not to you!"
"True."
Monica grabbed her water and sat on the couch. "Tell me all about it."
Rachel settled in next to her. "Well, he's traveled the world and is writing a book about it. He moved here from Metropolis where he worked for the Daily Planet for a couple of years." She crinkled her nose. "And he's in love with his ex-partner."
"EX-PARTNER?" Monica screeched. "He's..."
"No!!! OHMIGOD!!! NO!!!" Rachel jumped up and danced around a bit. "His work partner. Her name's Lois and they were best friends and went out on one date and he's in love with her. I can't *believe* you would think that!"
"He was, right? Past tense."
Rachel sat down. "I don't know." She sighed heavily. "Maybe."
"Or maybe..." Monica's eyes lit up. "Maybe he needs you to help him get over her!"
"Maybe. Or maybe..." The phone rang, interrupting her.
Rachel stared off into space as Monica answered the phone. A muted screech, combined with a phone in her face, brought her back to reality.
"It's him!"
"What?!"
"It's Clark."
"Oh! Wow!" Rachel took the phone, cleared her throat, and tossed her hair before bringing the receiver to her ear. "Hi, Clark." She listened for a moment, then headed towards her room. "I had a great time too." Another pause. "Your mother? Really?" The door started to close behind her. "Tomorrow night? Sure."
The door shut leaving Monica alone in the living room, wondering what on earth Clark could have said.
*****
Clark's phone had been ringing when he walked in the door. It was his mother and, of course, she'd wanted to know where he'd been. There had been no Superman reports so she knew that couldn't have been it.
When he told her he'd been out on a date, she immediately wanted all the details. And then, of all things, she insisted that if he thought he liked Rachel, he should invite her to dinner with them the next evening.
And so he'd called her up and now she was going out for dinner with them the next evening. He just hoped that this wasn't a big mistake. Sure he'd had a great time earlier that evening, but was he really ready for her to meet his parents?
Well, it was too late now. And his mom knew how to be discreet – most of the time anyway. He'd trust her.
*****
TBC
