The end of the rooftop scene from Charade, served as inspiration.
Disclaimer: My writing is like the daily horoscope, for entertainment purposes only.
Extended Charade:
Lois Lane and Clark Kent both stood atop the Daily Planet building, tension seemed to
have thickened the very air between them. It was supposed to have been a night of
romance, but with events of the last day still weighing heavily between them, romance
wasn't the first thing on their minds. A question had been put out there, one that waited
for a reply. Clark had just asked if he was enough for her. Her eyes shifted off him to
search the Metropolis night, hoping it held the answer. She took in the lights that Clark
had strung up, obviously, he had wanted to set the mood. A mood they wouldn't be able to
capture. Returning her gaze to him, she saw the pensive look on his features. She was
sure he would see a similar look on hers. "Look, Clark." clenching her fist at her side,
she continued. "I waited, wished, hoped even prayed that you'd move past Lana and see
me. Even though I have enough emotional baggage of my own to open up a store, I will
always be loyal, fiercely protective, and …loving." Lois took a deep breath. She rushed
on, not even seeing his reaction to those words. "When we finally happened, I couldn't
believe it. It seemed too good to be true, but the more time we spent, I began to trust what
I think I knew all along. How right we are." Clark sensed it, and said it, "But…?"
Sighing, Lois nodded and went on, "But, there's The Blur. The phone call, I don't
know…she paused. "It felt like it was something he had to do, not what he wanted to do.
Clark caught himself almost nodding his head. "Maybe someday, Lois said, then shook
her head, No, he definitely made it sound final. It's just…"she trailed off. Looking over to
Clark with sorrowful eyes, "Now that he doesn't want my help, I,..I.." trailing off once again.
"You feel lost." Clark supplied. She gave him another nod, "Yeah, no job, now no more
super extra-curricular activities." They both looked away for a moment. Clark found
himself looking over at the table for two he had set up earlier in the evening. That already
felt like a lifetime ago. The sound of Lois' voice brought him back to what she had started
to say. "You know though, that's his loss." Injecting a brave soldier tone of voice. With
a slightly wry smile, she said, "For someone who works with words for a living, I am
incredibly lousy at stringing them together at times like these. Clark, let me ramble just a
little bit more." Clark gave her a look of understanding.
"Smallville, you could do or be anything in this world." Her eyes widening adding
emphasis to her words. "I've never seen anyone who tries as hard as you do to bring such
good to everything and everyone he can. "For all I know you might be as much of a hero as
The Blur." He saw her shoot him an odd look. The Blur, he thought. This really was a
triangle built for two. Maybe it was time to do something about that, he was tired of
competing with his self. Stranger still to be envious of your own self. Clark felt his jaw
relax, he hadn't been aware that he had been keeping it clenched this entire time. Clark
could tell by the expression on her face, that she was searching for just the right words
to tell him how she was feeling. So, he waited patiently for her to continue, and she did.
"Clark, there is so much I don't know, not sure of, have no idea about, but I know that
you are the one for me. Lois closed her eyes, " I'm afraid the better question is,
am I enough for you?" Lois kept her eyes closed, lowering her head afraid of what
Clark's answer might be. When Clark saw her lower her head, he swore he would never
make her feel this way again. He had been a fool to push her away from The Blur, in
in a misguided effort to keep her safe. She had shown time and time again, that she
not only needed to know everything about him, she deserved to know. Lois could
hear her own heart threatening to thump out of her chest. He still wasn't saying
anything. Lois opened her eyes and slowly raised them to meet his. She sucked in
her breath at the expression on his face. His eyes were shining, with the most
gentle and loving of looks upon his face. "Lois, you are everything to me." He
moved closer. "I haven't always shown you, but that is how I feel." Lois felt a
tear begin to work its way down her cheek. Clark took a deep breath, and knew
what he wanted to say. "We thought we could keep secrets from each other, because we
thought we had the kind of relationship that could take it. We don't." He took another
step closer. "No more secrets, Lois . Stepping closer still. "I won't keep this one from
you any longer." He reached out and took her by the shoulders, staring deeply into her
eyes. "Lois, I am The Bl… " Suddenly, there was the awful groan of metal that had been
compromised. The Daily Planet globe that had rotated high above Metropolis for so many
decades, could no longer do so, as it was now falling, falling toward them. In the split
second before he went into action, Clark saw the dark-coated figure of Zod as he flew off
into the night. Clark would deal with him later, right now the only thing that mattered was
to save Lois. In one fluid motion, and as gently as he could, Clark threw Lois behind him.
A curious thing then happened. He felt a sort of weightlessness, as he rose up to meet the
falling globe. He caught it with relative ease, and with the metal structure above his head,
he moved it back to its pedestal, using heat vision to weld it back into place.
He chanced a glance down at Lois, who had gotten to a sitting position, watched him with
this amazed look on her face. Clark, thankful that she appeared unharmed, checked to be
sure that the Daily Planet globe was holding, and it seemed to be. Clark still felt that
weightless sensation, realization began to take hold, he looked down at his feet, which
were definitely quite a bit above the Planet's rooftop. He was floating. Really floating.
He had floated many times in his life, but even after his training with Jor-El, flight still
didn't seem possible. But, this, this felt different. Could he….the thought trailed off in his
mind. He visualized what he wanted to do, and as soon as he connected the visual with the
willpower to make it happen, Clark flew. He went around the globe several times. Going
faster and faster with each pass. He caught sight of his reflection in the polished surface,
the joy on his face was unmistakable. He was flying at last! He flew up and away from
the Daily Planet, all of his considerable senses on overload. The one power he thought
he'd never have, now that he could achieve flight, knew it'd be the one ability he'd enjoy
the most. This all bubbled out from deep inside him, he gave a cry of excitement. He
could FLY! How he wished his Dad could experience this moment with him, and just wait
until Mom could see him! Oh, Lois! With that, he turned in midair, and swooped back
down to her. Lois had been trying to get back up on her feet, just as he touched back down
beside her. "Clark." she said, still trying to find her voice. Clark helped her to stand up, as
he x-rayed her for any possible injuries. Luckily, she wasn't hurt, but now she
looked pale. As if it all had caught up with her. He couldn't imagine what she was
thinking, this wasn't quite the way he thought she'd find out. "Lois? Are you alright?"
She moved some hair out of her eyes, and looked up at him, letting out a shaky breath,
"Guess I can't call you Smallville, anymore." Even then, he almost had to smile. For that
was at least the third time she had said that to him. "Lois, don't ever stop calling me
Smallville, it's one of the most human things you could ever say to me." Lois who had been
rubbing her rapidly stiffening neck, let out a short laugh. "Don't worry, you could be from
another planet and you'd still be my Smallville." Clark gave Lois a look that caused her to
cock her head to the side. Clark thought it was time to go 'all in', "Actually..," Clark
then trailed off. Lois had caught the inflection. "Seriously?" Her eyes opened a bit wider,
"Another planet?" Clark nodded. "It's a long story, but one that I want to tell you about."
So he did. On the way down the elevator from the Daily Planet rooftop, and in Lois' car, as
Clark drove them back to Smallville, to finally the Talon apartment. He told of his home
world Krypton, and what had become of it; how his birth parents sent their only child
towards Earth, in hopes of ensuring the survival of both he, and their race. How he and the
Kent's found one another. What they all went through with the discovery of each of his
abilities. What all he had to hide and lie about himself, especially to the people he was
close to. He told her of the times she actually learned his secret, only to have those events
erased from her memory. He told her of how he used what he could do to save the people
that he cared for, and how Oliver had helped him to understand that with his powers,
he could help even more people. How that led to being the various versions of The Blur,
and how he was slowly figuring out his destiny and what to do about it. He looked over to
Lois, who hadn't asked one single question. Hadn't even said a word. He realized she
hadn't been listening with a reporter's mind, but rather, with the heart of someone who
cared deeply for him. That meant more to him than anything else. Lois, who had been
clutching a pillow to her as she had listened to his story, put it aside, and murmured,
"What could be more human." She looked him more fully in the eyes, seeing the
questioning look on his face, she attempted to clarify. "Clark, what you just described, that's
what we all go through." Leaning forward, she took his hand in hers. "Everyone tries to
figure out what they are supposed to do with their lives. Some know early on, others, it
it takes much longer. Ok, so most of us don't have to also deal with super powers on top of
everything else, but you've found your calling. To watch out for all of us as much as you
can, because Lord knows we need it." and then Lois started to laugh, "Clark! You can
fly!" She got up on her knees on the sofa, excitement visible across her features, "And, I
made you drive me home!" Her expression bordered on the bemused, shaking her head.
Clark could relate, and said, "It's new to me too, Lois. I think it would be a good idea to go
slow with this one, until I'm sure I've got it mastered. Lois looked at him appraisingly,
"Still, could be handy getting to work in the mornings." Clark laughed and reached for her,
arranging her so that her back was to his chest. "You aren't going to start calling me
Air Kent, are you?" Lois snorted, "Who me? I wouldn't dream of it." Lois waited a beat
before adding, "Though, Flying Farm boy does have a certain ring to it." Clark shook his
head and said, "What am I going to do with you?" Lois stilled for a moment, "I guess that
leads us back to the start of this crazy night." Clark felt the tension in her body. He
pressed a kiss into her hair, hoping to reassure her. "You know, I am sorry to have kept
this from you for so long. There will probably be times when this life will get to be too
much, that we will have to deal with together. As for you being enough for me?" He
tightened his arms around her slightly, and said in a low voice, " I don't think I could be
the type of hero the world needs without you by my side. For all my abilities, I realize
that you just might be my greatest power." He felt Lois shift in his arms. He heard her
whisper, "Smallville." Clark smiled, he truly loved when she called him that. He held her
close. Both of them were enjoying a new depth of feeling and understanding in their
relationship. So much so, that neither noticed the pair of red and glowing eyes that
hovered outside the Talon apartment window.
~fin