Title: Blue Ink in Red Letters
Author: k3josai
Co-author: drvr8
Rating: T
Pairing: Clois (Lois's POV)
Spoiler: Not so much… A future fic…
Disclaimer: We own nothing. Characters are owned by DC Comics, CW & WB. Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Special Dedication: To lere who made the wonderful banner and poster (check out my youtube account – I used it as a background) of this fic. Thank you so much for sharing your talent for this particular project. And also, for being so kind when I asked you if you knew someone who could do a banner for my fic, you said you could do it for me. So thank you, more than words can say. (*whisper* She also prepared a bonus poster for me.)
To drvr8 who heard my cries for help. Lol! Thanks for taking the voluntary job of beta reading Blue Ink in Red Letters and as a result of a job very, very well done, I decided to share the credit of this story to you (you deserved it!^_^)
To quistis, a dear friend of mine, who always helped me and the one who introduced me to DI site. "Bru, para sa 'yo 'to! Parang adik lang no? Hahaha!" Seriously, thanks a lot. A very advance happy birthday to you! "Kahit naubos load ko kahuhula sa date ng birthday mo. Kaya bayaran mo load ko, inutang ko pa 'yun sa pinsan ko. Just kidding!"
Author's notes: Since I'm still waiting for the updates of Free Fall, Past Imperfect and I Can't Make You Love Me and the posting of Invisible by my fave authors, I managed to finish this story. To all my readers, hope you'll at least like this one, the same as my previous fics. Promise me to read it until the end. All I can say right now is "I love Rhian". Hope you'll love her too. ^_^ My cute nephew, AJ, gives me the inspiration to include Rhian (pronounced as Rē-yan) here.
About the title: It means A Sad Love Letter.
Summary: Lois puts everything she feels about Clark and The RBB thru a sad love letter. She bids her farewell, and decides to leave. Five years later, she reads it all over again, letter links with old photographs and memories. Does she really move on with her new life? Or their future has just began.
The Love Themes of this fic made by me are available on k3mylois youtube account, if you have time, you may watch them there as appetizers before reading the story.
------------------
Blue Ink in Red Letters
Gloomy. It was one word to describe what I felt at that moment. Seated on a chair, in front of my rented cottage somewhere in Asia, I wiped at the stream of sweat slowly accumulating on my face. The weather was hot despite the sun being blocked by clouds. I glanced down at my watch which read 3pm. Better now than never, I thought to myself as I locked up my room and exited wearing a floral sleeveless blouse and walking shorts and carrying two most prized possessions, my pen & notepad.
The high-level point of humidity at this tropical country explained why I was drenched in sweat and the need for a light cotton blouse. "Today is September 26, 2009," I heard someone talking from a nearby lodge. "I want to extend our vacation here for one more day please… Mom? Dad?" I smiled upon hearing the request coming from a kid to her parents. With a request like that, I bet parents wouldn't have to say no. A boy, about four years old-I guessed, standing in front of their cottage, waved his hand and smiled at me. I returned the gesture. He was really cute, with his wavy hair and blue eyes, he reminded me of Elijah Wood. He might be the youngest in his family. His sister emerged from the cottage with a huge grin on her face.
"C'mon Billy, we're spending our vacation here until Monday." She held her brother's right hand. The boy scrunched up his nose. "Monday?" He questioned.
"Yes! But we'll fly to Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park by Tuesday, Mommy and Daddy told me." The boy's face light up when he heard the names of the amusement parks.
I shook my head; to be young and happy, those two had it easy. That was one of the realities of life that became more glaringly obvious as you grew up. Problems I had when I was their age seemed so much less important than the complicated reality I was left to deal with now. Everything was so much simpler then and now as I moved further into the real world, problems seemed to grow even larger, situations became messy and more complicated than I could possibly imagine as a child. I took a final glance at the two children, playing and laughing and giggling and running around in sheer delight. I felt a longing to switch places with them just for a second and know the feeling of having everything you could ever want in that moment and life seemingly so uncomplicated. I wished I could go back to the time when the only man in my life was my Dad, my only best friend was my Mom and any pain could be healed easily by just a band-aid, a lollipop and a kiss on the cheek. Don't get me wrong, life has not been disappointing just because all the wishes I made on falling stars weren't granted, but sometimes you just wish you could have a do-over.
------------------------
Walking past a memorabilia store near the resort, I examined a few set of earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets-all made of native materials, pairs of Havaianas slippers, bathing suits and t-shirts. As I glanced around, something caught my attention. I picked up a blue t-shirt with small prints on the upper left part, I read, Pearl Farm Resort, Davao City, Philippines. Right, that was where I actually was. I wondered if the size would fit him.
"Ma'am, do you like that?" The woman's voice startled me back into reality, she was somewhere in her mid-twenties, slim, very local, very beautiful and dressed in the local attire. "That costs P500," she added. I was thankful most of the Filipinos understood and spoke English so it wasn't too complicated to communicate with them.
"Yes, I mean no. I didn't bring my wallet but I'll come back. I'm staying here indefinitely." I smirked which she replied in a light tone.
"Sure Ma'am. If you like this blue t-shirt, I'll set aside this one so when you'll ready to buy it, it's still available. This is the last stock for this color and size." She folded it and placed inside the plastic.
"Thank you." I replied.
"You're most welcome! Enjoy your stay here."
"Definitely. I actually fell in love with your place. Goodbye for now and I'll see you later."
The sales lady nodded once. "Okay."
I left the shop and continued walking. After a few minutes, I found myself looking at the harbor where small boats were waiting for visitors. I sat on one of the vacant spaces as I listened to the resort's staff. "We'll be going to a nearby island. It is a five-minute ride to be exact. That's a place where you can see the whole Pearl Farm Resort." The operator told me and the other four Caucasian passengers. Okay, two couples and me. I rolled my eyes when one of the guys winked at me. I wondered to myself, 'How can a man flirt here? My god, he's with his girlfriend.'
"Sirs and Madams, the vancas will be here once in every fifteen minutes. So enjoy the site away from the crowd." The old man told us. I nodded while the others said thank you. I walked ahead of the two pairs. Right, I was worn-out of sweets and romance. Walking up to the peak of the elevated part of the island, I surveyed the elegant houses built on the right side, few meters away from where I stood. That was the private place of the island. The owners were lucky enough to own a peaceful site like this. If you wanted to get away from the pressures of fame and fortune, they just need to go here and enjoy the scenery. Down on the left, the white and fine sand and then the bluest and clearest water I've ever seen. Blue. Why did blue have to remind me of him everytime? Whatever I seemed to do, I couldn't erase him from my mind. Silly, he probably hadn't even given me one thought or even noticed I was gone.
I inhaled the scents of flowers and trees around me as I settled down on the Bermuda grass. The gentle wind coming from the north felt cooling as it blew the loose strands of my ponytail around. I opened my notebook and stared down at the empty page. The first words were always the hardest whenever I started writing. But usually once I wrote my first word, everything flowed forth like the floodgates had been opened.
I sighed as my pen scribbled on the paper.
September 26, 2009
4:30 pm
Dear Clark,
Maybe you're wondering why am I writing this letter to you. Who am I kidding? I'm wondering why I'm writing this letter too. Actually, up until now, I'm convincing myself if I will give you this one. Hell, of course, I won't. My own female pride prevents me from doing so every time I try to work up the nerve to give it to you.
Funny, I want to talk to you about so many things, but I don't know if I can. The truth is I don't know how to do it after all the things that happened between us. The almost kiss on Chloe's wedding – I thought that was it, but Lana came and bang! That's another history case of you and the pink princess lapsing back into old habits.
Then the infamous non-date, casual talk that never happened and I keep throwing it back in your face every time I feel like I'm losing control. You stood me up at the coffee shop and I know you could have made it if you wanted to and I have to confess, I wasn't chasing a lead. I was there waiting for you, for us – I understand you're not yet ready to know what are the possibilities between us. US? Yes, there's no US, it's just ME. Hey, I don't know if you even remotely feel that there's something between us. Hell, you probably don't even think there's any sort of us except the one where I get us into trouble and you try and save the day. Am I the only one who thinks about the figurative us? I don't know.
I locked the door though on any further possible thoughts about that though. Only you had to go risk your stupid life to save me from a bullet. I don't think there's ever been a time when I've been more terrified in my life watching you bleeding profusely, lying on the ground looking up at me. I'd never really thought about the possibility of you not being around, you're always around, we work practically on top of each other. You know what I mean. The way you looked at me the following day really threw me for a loop. I thought the locked door, that I had locked and slammed in your face mind you, was closed between us forever. But there was something so different in your eyes that day when you looked at me. I want to curse you for giving me all these mixed signals and looks and emotions that I can't even describe.
Your Mom and I had a long discussion once about, well, how she met your Dad. And she had this uncanny knack for attracting the bad boys before she met your father. But she knew the instant she met Jonathan, in her heart she knew he was the man she was going to marry. That completely freaked me out. Not in the sense that your parents weren't wonderful together but the idea that in your gut you should know when that right person is standing right in front of you. She also told me once that I should keep a closer watch so I wouldn't miss when the right guy, my Jonathan, came along. And well, I don't… I never expected that when and if I found him, I really wouldn't have to look that far at all and that he would be literally so close to me.
But the idea that I have to cross that huge line in order to seize the opportunity terrifies me and I don't know if I can do it. What if I'm not his Martha? So instead, I put up much larger, stronger and taller walls in order to protect myself from being hurt again. If I fell, would my Jonathan be able to catch me or even be willing to?
I had a few serious relationships; all of them ended pretty badly and left me with more than enough heartache. This one, it's wholly different and it's not even serious yet. If I ever made the mistake of trying to jump into another relationship, let alone a serious one, what happens with this one when I crash and burn again? I don't know if I can handle that kind of pain again. More than anything I hate the idea that I'm afraid. Afraid to take a risk, and afraid not to because what if this is it? What if this time it's really different from all the rest? What if this time I'm not the one who gets left behind? What if, what if, what if?
And trying to handle that while I'm balancing on the smallest of threads, I know, that will tear me completely apart. Why? How do I know it'll be the proverbial last straw to break the camel's back? Because, god this is even harder to write than to say it out loud, because he's you… Yeah… You've already hurt me on more than one occasion. You knew that right? Maybe yes… Maybe not… I'll survive. I'm the General's daughter after all.
But you know, I hope you really know or at the very least understand that… I want… I need to go somewhere else in order to understand myself. I have to search for and find the peace within. That sounds like something the Dali Lama would have told me to do, but he'd be right. I need to, because everything is just so jumbled up inside. There's an inner battle that I can't win. Right now I seem to be losing the battle and I don't want to end up a loser. A loser in the sense that I can't comprehend what's going on in inside me nor can I even grasp for a moment what's going inside your heart and mind. With all the mixed signals you've given me, at first, I was 80% sure that there was something between us. Then with blink of an eye, the 20% consumed the 80% of certainty. I finally woke up from a dream that I can't… I won't… I don't have the smallest chance. Can we even manage to remain friends? I enjoy being your friend. At the very least it's safe. Platonic.
If you ever find another woman, a deserving one, I wish I can be the kind of best friend that you confide in and who listens to you talk about her. When you list her best assets, I hope she knows how to cook (I think that stupid saying is right, one way to win a man's heart is through his stomach – of course I've won over your goats with my cooking attempts) and of course she won't be a damsel in distress. She'll definitely have a green thumb in order to help you in taking care of the farm.
And look, while I tease you about growing up on a farm and being the country mouse to my big city ways, there is absolutely nothing sexier than driving up to the farm and seeing you come out, all dirty and one would presume sweaty, but you never smell sweaty, after fixing the tractor. If you tell anyone I said that, I will definitely bring up Elmer Fudd. She should have enough sense to love the farm that your family and you built and maintained with love.
She shouldn't be allergic to any hairy animal inhabiting your farm - Shelby would love that. She has to appreciate the serenity of life on the farm and even love it out there. She will need the almost super ability of coping with your annoying and irritating side and she must be understanding of each of your half-lame excuses and disappearing acts – that has become a really bad habit of yours lately, especially when someone is trying to open up to you and you have to go home to check on your oven. What the hell was that?
Wait, sorry I'm getting sidetracked here, let's refocus back on topic. I hope that I'll be your confidant and the force field you keep up around you dims slightly so you'll be able to talk to me, although you've found the love of your life.
Yeah, I can live with that… Because maybe… Maybe I should go for someone who knows that someone like me actually exists. I'm the complete antithesis of what I described, I'm the complete opposite of someone who would be perfect for you… I'm unique though to say the least right?
There's the Blur. There are certain characteristics of the blur that remind me of you. Though I've never been able to see him face to face and look into what I can only imagine are the most amazing pair of eyes, what strikes me most about him is his never ending selfless quest to try and bring out the best in all of us. He's a lot more human than most of us and his compassion for saving the lives of those in need, those who are weak, and still recognizing the potential capacity for goodness in all of us, amazes me to no end. And even with all of his responsibilities to the city, to the world even, he finds the time to keep an eye on me. I mean he even took the time to deliver me notes, call me and keep me updated when he wasn't sure whether he would make it through a fight. He trusted me to deliver his obituary to Metropolis in the event of his death.
Maybe he cares for me, but he's never even met me before and I wasn't there when we were supposed to meet. But does he really care? Is it the way I care for you? The way I hope you would care about me? Shit. See, No matter what I do, my heart foolishly gets back to you.
The truth… I really can't live with that… Maybe, I'll be able to learn soon… Maybe, it'll take a full half a century to learn how to perfectly mask the way I feel about you.
Who are you by the way? You're just a bumbling farm boy from Kansas, nerdy reporter of The Planet, who keeps getting his heart broken by some girl with an affinity for pink and you're left brooding about it over and over. You're a Yes Pa, Yes Ma son, not in a bad way, but the kind of child that parents are really proud to call their kids. The next moment you're the most confident man I've ever met. You're just a simple, plaid-loving, primary color wearing, U.S. citizen and Shelby's best buddy. You're someone who knows how to pamper 'a cry-me-a-river' lady with a few simple words and an embrace. You're someone who acts out of the kindness of your heart, someone who would never think twice about jumping in front of a bullet to save someone's life even if it meant your own. You're just someone who has a face of an angel, the body of a Greek sculpture (I couldn't help but look when we first met)… Anyways, you're just you, uniquely you… you're Clark Kent. Nobody knows that you're the only man that I ever let pass through my walls without you even trying to and you didn't even have to use much effort to get past them. You were just yourself.
What's the point in writing this letter? I just keep on hurting myself over and over again, thinking about the most important men in my life. It's really difficult to have something or someone so close to you but seemingly so distant almost like you were in a completely different galaxy from me.
Clark, if I really was as brave and as strong as you always seem to think I am, I would not be on the other side of the world running away from you and instead writing this stupid letter. Or shall I say walking at an extremely brisk pace away from any possibility that you feel the same way as I do. It's extremely difficult to take one step forward, while you're taking a step backward. Maybe for now, it's right to be a million light years away from those baby blues of yours in order to clear my head and let my heart heal without any staples or stitches required to close it up.
So many things have happened with us since that night we first met in the cornfield, you in your altered state of confusion (different from your usual state of confusion). This time though, I'm the one who's confused. Funny, isn't it? But no matter what happens in the future, I will always be your friend. With time, I will learn how to stop the floodgates of feelings and work through the pain. Pain is just an instrument of growth. And for now, I must learn how to numb what I'm feeling for you. No more expectations or foolish hopes. No more pain or aggravation or bringing up being stood up and your inability to show up on time because you are there when I do need you. I must be content that I still have you as my friend. And no matter what happens, I'll still be here, sitting in front of your desk, ready to listen when and if you need someone you can talk to or ever decide you want to talk.
It's exhausting imagining the possibilities that may or may not happen ever. Don't worry about me, Clark. I can handle myself, I just need breathing space, but I'll come back as soon as my heart proves strong enough to stay with you as a friend.
LL
P.S. I realize you know a great deal of LLs, so if you didn't figure it out all ready, this is Lois. Sometimes you do need to have your hand held so just making sure you didn't think this was the one of the other LLs in your life.
I carefully folded the paper and placed it inside my notes. It might look like just another piece of scrap paper, but hidden beneath the not-so-expensive paper were my true feelings for a man named Clark. I wiped at a lone tear that betrayed me as it fell down my cheek. I stood and took a final glance at the orange sun setting on the horizon.
The ring of my phone startled me out of my thoughts, one because I was having a deep profound moment watching the sun set and letting my feelings for Clark end with that setting sun but also because I thought I had left the phone back in my room. I reached into my pocket and pulled it out glancing at it. I wanted to turn it off but seeing the word 'private number', I hit the answer button.
"Good afternoon, Miss Lane. Are you okay?" I was taken aback by the sound of his voice and the way he spoke to me. Was he really worried about me? I didn't answer his question and instead I focused on his voice.
"I haven't seen you around for a few days… and I was wondering where you were." I sighed and still never said a word. He could super sped away from the other side of the world if he really wanted to see me.
"Sorry if I disturbed you. I just. I just wanted to see if you were ok. You are, aren't you? You're OK?" How could this be? It was better that he didn't pose the question on how stupid I was. The United States had an almost 12-hour time difference with this place. Instead of good morning, he said good afternoon. I stopped myself to turn around and to look where he was. He had super sped around the world to find me. I could locate no one around me and settled on just hearing his voice.
"Miss Lane?" After all, he wasn't a good liar. "Miss Lane?" He repeated. I held on my phone as I try not to burst out.
"I'm perfectly fine." I knew I couldn't hide how weary I was, but I tried.
"Are. Are you sure?" He countered.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, "I'm just tired… That's all." I heard him sigh on the other end of the line. I was still hoping that he wouldn't hang up. Here I was, hoping again…. It was barely few minutes ago that I promised myself not to expect much.
"I need to go. Goodbye Lois." From formality to first name basis, I smiled bitterly. I was about to say out loud, just like most of his phone calls, he always keep me hangin'. The deep sense of familiarity and the absence of the voice changer, did he really forget using it that time? I replied on the end tone…
"Goodbye Clark."
-------------------
I folded the yellowish paper as I recalled the past of full heartaches… Disappointments… The difference, I could reminisce about it without a heavy heart. My life had already moved on. Would you care to know if I'm telling the truth or not? I left the letter in the lead box and gently put it inside the secret compartment of my cabinet. While arranging the things inside the room, I caught a glimpse of the scrapbook my husband and I made for our daughter. Yes, I already had a family of my own – it might be a huge surprise because it was just me – the unlovable Lois Lane, but I really do have my own family now. So try not to mock me, because I had a living proof as evidence of that truth. Rhian Loiusse, our three-year old daughter. My little angel, Princess Rhian as her Daddy called her. She was our precious one, for we almost died on the day of my delivery to her, due to complications, thank God that she inherited the general's strength. I was in labor for countless hours, until they decided to do the caesarian operation, taking all the precautions. I held on to the one last strength, my husband given to me, he never let go of my hand the whole time. It wasn't our daughter's time yet to see the world. She was two weeks early, but she was tough and proud and too damn stubborn to wait to become part of the human race. Seeing her covered with my blood, while the doctors trying to revive her, I passed out.
When I opened my eyes, I was in another white room. I was still numb. I didn't know if it was because of the anesthesia or was it because of being too exhausted to feel the pain I had endured over the past few hours. Rhian was crying out loud in the arms of her father. I almost laughed, but of course, I couldn't laugh due to the fresh wound I had during the operation – it was painful. He gently put our little angel into my waiting arms. Little by little, she became comfortable upon hearing my heartbeat as I held her close to my heart.
"Lo, how are you? I'm sorry you had to go through this." Looking at his worried eyes with dark circles around them, I patted his cheek, "It's alright, and look I'm as strong as a bull." He smiled and rolled his eyes, the dilemma and guilt erased from his face.
I returned Rhian to her Daddy. I could see his uneasiness in holding her again, afraid that he might hurt her. I said, "Don't worry she knows you. Let her hear your voice. Remember you told her stories while she was still in my womb."
He nodded as I touched his face and handed carefully the product of our love. "Hey, Princess Rhian Louisse, I'm your Daddy." His voice choked up as he said those last words. I wiped the tear that came out while looking at the two most important people in my life. No matter how much heartache I suffered before, I wouldn't trade it because I became a stronger person after coming to terms with my own limitations. Anxious about any movements or complications with our daughter we both anticipated the worst as her mouth opened slowly. The breath we'd been holding was released as soon as we realized that she was only yawning. Rhian slept on the strong arms of her father while her little hand enveloped his forefinger. Sitting beside me, he smiled widely. Then Chloe emerged from the outside - unnoticed by us and captured our first moment as a family.
I opened another page of the album, photographs of Rhian's 'firsts' frozen in time by various snap shots. Her first smile when I introduced her to her first Bunny. Her first step when she wanted to follow me back to work when I returned from maternity leave. I never made it into work that day at The Daily Planet. It was my first day back in the office after a year of maternity leave. She wept on my shoulders for straight thirty minutes and it only made me cry harder. I ended up calling the office and letting them know I would make it in the following day. The same crying happened the second day but I promised her to bring her favorite chocolate ice cream home when I came back. I explained that I would be out for few hours and I would still be the one who read stories to her. Still sobbing, she let me go. Thankful that Chloe was there to be with my baby. I couldn't forget Rhian's red eyes and nose that day.
Her first birthday, though her father was absent during the party, of course, his duty as the leader of The League prevented him to be with us. This one, I personally took the photo the night of the celebration while I was hiding at the back of the door.
He gently ruffled her hair while singing his own lullaby. I was teary-eyed to hear his words to her. He spoke gently in a very low voice, careful not to wake her up, "I'm sorry Princess Rhy, Daddy's had a busy day saving the world, keep in mind that no matter what I do, or where I am, you and your mother are my inspirations. I love you both. And this is my gift to you. I actually asked for Mommy's approval regarding this…" he took out the puppy sleeping on his big hands. "I hope someday, you'll understand that we can't give you a younger brother or sister, because I won't take another chance of endangering your mother's and another little one's lives. I felt like I was dying too when I watched the two of you struggling for your own lives. Mommy's heartbeat stopped for a while and you were – not crying. You stopped breathing and looked as blue as Superman's suit. I felt my own heart stop beating as I watched the both of you helplessly." He sniffed as he continued, "Doctors said that Mommy and I have incompatible genes, so we're thankful enough that we have you now… Normal, safe and sound. This puppy will be one of your companions as you grow up. He may be one of your best friends too. You and Mommy make me whole." She moved in her sleep as she felt her father's touch.
This one, this was my personal favorite. I remembered this one Saturday morning, as I walked towards the kitchen, I heard my husband lecturing to our little one. I went back and carried the camera with me. He was teaching her the "proper" technique to eat Oreo cookies. It was like watching a commercial of some cookie company, turned into life. "Grab the cookie by your hand, twist it, and then lick it." I smiled as he took the vanilla filling through his tongue and Rhian followed and said, "Yum… Yum…"
"Second, dunk the cookie to this milk and bite it." She repeated her Daddy's action, put the cookie in her mouth, and chewed. "Yummy!" Then she stretched out her right hand to give her favorite dog the other part of the cookie. She giggled when our pet dog licked her hand then her face.
He patted Rhian, "I wonder if you'll also follow rules when you grow up." I shifted my attention from Rhy to her Daddy. I rolled my eyes as he smirked at me.
------------------
Definitely, I moved on with my life… No more blues… No more blur.
"Lois… Lois…"
I finally came back to the present as I heard his voice; I closed the scrapbook and put it back on where I usually place it. I yelled back… "Coming!"
I displayed a huge grin when I saw his cute face, "Ollie!"
He carried Rhian who was smiling cheerfully at him. I enjoyed the sight, looking at the dashing billionaire carrying a toddler in his arms. Who would have thought he would become skilled at taking care of little Lois Lane?
"Hey, Li'l Princess… Mommy's here already." He slightly pinched her small nose before turning his head at me. "Good Morning Gorgeous!"
After glancing around the apartment, I replied… "Good Morning Handsome. How was the rescue last night? I was watching it on the news."
Rhian never remove her attention to him as he spoke.
He shrugged, "Not that bad! The Man of Steel came to the rescue."
"No wounds, okay. How about this?" I touched the small cut on his face.
"Razor cut this morning." He explained.
"Ow, really?"
"Actually, the bad guy managed to punch me."
I chuckled. Then a shrill sound of his specialized mobile phone interrupted us.
"Sorry Lois, I need to go."
I slightly raised my eyebrow… "It's hardly been five minutes since you arrived… Did you eat your breakfast yet?" I reached out for Rhian and she hugged me tight.
"Sorry Lois, boys need back-up. I'll see you later."
"Love you Rhian." I nodded while Rhian said. "Pa-pa."
Oliver kissed her forehead. "You deserve lots of chocolates because of that kiddo."
"Love you too!" Oliver looked back at me. "Rhian said she loves you too and don't forget about the chocolates." He pouted his lips as he laughed before he went to his mission.
"Superheroes too busy for life." I mumbled.
I gently put her on the couch when I gazed upon her. Her hazel eyes mirrored mine. "Daddy already gave you a bath?" She laughed out loud as I tickled her.
She nodded in between laughs, "Yes… I also played with the duck and Superman and Green Arrow toys. They can float on the tub like the duck." I smiled at her storytelling.
"I thought Superman can fly and Green Arrow can shot arrows, how come they can float?" I combed her dark chocolate brown hair and put a ribbon on her hair on each side.
"It's… because… because…" She wrinkled her nose while thinking for her answer. I could see myself in her during my youngest days.
Satisfied with the pigtails and how cute my li'l princess with the hair style, I asked her again, "Because?"
"Because I put them on top of the duck." I smirked at her response. I would never get tired of talking with this kid.
I replaced her bunny pajamas with her blue shirt and red jumper with Belle, Cinderella, Arielle, Jasmine, Aurora and Snow White printed on the center. I wonder why I still love Red and Blue instead of Green. I showed her favorite pair of Disney shoes. "Sweetie, do you want know how to tie your shoes?"
"Yes." She was really special for a three-year old kid to comprehend what I said. I carefully place the shoelace from one hole to another. "It's really difficult at first, when you're still learning, but of course you can't do this one yet… Maybe someday, right Sweetie?"
She nodded as I rubbed her cute nose with mine. She embraced me with her little arms. Then I heard the familiar clicking sound behind me, she yelped on my shoulder, "Dadeeee!!!"
I looked back, seeing my husband taking a stolen shot of mother and daughter. He was smiling with arms wide open for both of us. I grinned as I discovered something on the shirt he was wearing.
I helped her down from the sofa, amazed at how quickly she ran and jumped into the waiting arms of her father.
"You came back; I thought there was a big rescue today." I stood up on my toes to kiss his lips.
He shrugged, "Big One? Not really. They can handle that."
"So how are you Princess Rhy and Queen Lo?"
"Hi King of Plaid!" I wore my famous Lane grin.
"I don't have any plaid left to wear, you stole it all." After all these years, I could still affect him by my snarky comment.
"Of course, they all smell like you and I need to wear something at night that reminds me of you. By the way, Oliver came today. But he left after he received a call from The Tower."
"Sorry I wasn't able to tell you that earlier. I had to leave for a rescue and left Rhian in the Arrow's care."
I chuckled, "He's her godfather after all. For sure, he'll be thankful for all the practice with Rhian since Dinah's on her last trimester."
"Daddy, can I play with Krypto?"
"Of course Princess…" He gently settled her on her feet.
"C'mere Krypto." She walked towards the dog, whose busy wagging its tail.
"Rhy, be good. Stay in the living room." He said.
"Yeap." We watched her playing with Krypto.
Still standing in the middle of the living room, I moved closer to him. I traced the print of his t-shirt on the left side of his broad chest and melted again when I looked up into his puppy-dog eyes.
"I'm just too happy to see that you still have this shirt."
"Of course, I'll take good care of this, like how I hold your heart in mine." He winked at me.
"Actually, I never expected that during my vacation, you'd be there on the island too." It had been years but we never talked much about what had happened there.
"About that, yes I was. Remember… I'd been keeping an eye on you. The truth is… Both of my eyes are always on focused on you."
"Really?" Though, it sounded corny, but if those words came out from him, it didn't matter. They sent thousands of tingles in me.
"And the voice modifier, Smallville?" I added.
"I didn't forget about it, I just wanted to give you a clue and let you hear my real voice. I almost gave up when you were acting like the ice queen. When I hung up, as I gazed at you from a distance, you said goodbye to Clark… to me…"
"And?"
"I panicked. That's why; I never took the time to think about or even say what I felt about you. You'd never been that cruel to the Blur or even to me. Well, not any time when you would remember. Before that happened, you had already given me the silent treatment for weeks. That in itself should have been a wake up call to hell freezing over, because no Lois Lane could actually be comfortable with uncomfortable silences."
I laughed out loud, "You never said a word… That was one rainy summer evening in Davao, you knocked on my door wet all over your red-blue blur costume. At first I wasn't able to see your face, until you came up close. Without saying anything, you grabbed me and kissed me without my permission."
Staring at him, he blushed profusely. I really enjoyed watching him like that, like a mouse caught in a trap. Truly, when I opened the door that night – few hours after we talked over the phone - he stayed on the dim side, inhaling deeply, like he ran halfway across the globe, which I knew he did. Soaking wet all over, I just watched him intently, never saying a word. He made a step closer… The faint light coming from my room illuminating his weary face. I finally saw Clark and the Blur as one. He wore his usual red jacket, blue t-shirt and jeans. For minutes, we stood in silence, his eyes locked with mine. I saw him open his mouth but opted to close it again. As hurt, disappointment, poignant emotion spread all over my face, he made a move, which I never anticipated. Taking hold on my upper arms, he captured my lips with his. I was in shock for a while, a cloudy fog all over my mind. But when he teased me to open to him, I allowed him to enter. Letting him in again as I lowered my defenses and presented all of my vulnerabilities to him. I put my arms around his neck as he wrapped me in his warm embrace. When the need for air became necessary, he put his head on my shoulder, muttered the words, I'm sorry and I love you so much over and over again. Hearing those words seemed to mend the scars deep within my heart. He loves me and that's all that really matters.
His voice cut me from my unfathomable reverie. "But you kissed me back," he said in his boyish expression.
"You caught me off-guard, Smallville." I countered.
"Liar." He mumbled in low voice while hiding his grin.
"Man of few words."
"Yes I am."
"The next thing I knew, I had to give you that shirt so you won't get sick or some tropical flu. You should have told me you couldn't get sick."
"You really care about me that much." He teased.
"I never said that, Smallville." I chuckled.
"Mrs. Lois Joanne Lane-Kent!" His voice was full of amusement and he folded his arms over his chest. God, if he only knew how sexy he was in that pose we would have stopped talking ten minutes ago.
"Mr. Clark Jerome Kent!" I put my hands on my hips.
We both laughed at our gestures.
"Mommeeeee…. Daddeeee… Krypto put my Bunny under the table. I want my Bunny!"
"Oh my God!" My jaw dropped as she lifted the table above her head like it was a balloon. She grasped her toy triumphantly.
I shifted my attention to him. "Smallville, I guess she inherited your super strength." He was in shock too.
"She's been exposed to the yellow sun so long it was bound to happen." He added. He looked at my shocked expression and added, "What? After my parents found me, I caught the truck before it fell on Dad when he was changing the tire. And that was just with the limited exposure on the journey to earth."
"Rhy, put down the table carefully." I said then Clark helped her.
"I want… I want to bring Bunny to Na-na's house." Looking at her with that puzzled expression while watching us on how we reacted on her action, we sat on our knees to level with our daughter's height.
He said to her, "Listen little Princess, we can't do that when other people are around."
"Why?"
I sighed. She had definitely inherited my ability to question nature and all authority figures. "Because you might get hurt." I said, hoping she got her father's ability to grasp and understand unspoken truths.
"Okay… I won't do that again. Sorry." That was it; she looked at us with her puppy-dog eyes inherited from her father. I held out my right little finger to her, "You promise?"
She accepted mine by crossing it with hers. "Pinky promise, Mommy!" I smiled which she returned equally. I held her hand as Clark's kissed her forehead.
"So guys, I'm going to get our gift to Nana." I interrupted. I ran toward the master bedroom. When I was about to open the door, I heard him talking.
"Ah Lo, I put the gift near the secret compartment of the cabinet."
"Okay." I inhaled and exhaled. Chloe was right in suggesting a lead box where to put my personal things. He could see through everything via his x-ray vision but not with lead.
He whispered to his daughter, "I wonder what's in your Mommy's box?"
"Smallville, I heard that!" I raised my eyebrows. I almost laughed when they both looked at me in a manner that I caught them getting candies in my jar.
"I love you Lo."
"I love you Mommy!" Clark and I stared at each other back to Rhian. She giggled at our amazed expressions, I replied, "I love you too Daddy and Angel."
"So let's go to the farm to celebrate Nana's birthday!" I finally said while holding the gift.
"Yipee!"
Clark put her down and whirled around to reveal his Superman suit. He gently tucked us in his arms. When he was sure that we were secured in his hold, "Ready to take a flight?"
Our daughter nodded cheekily. I inhaled their scents as I answered Clark, "It's a letter."
He looked at me questioningly, "Nothing." I said.
He shrugged as we float in mid-air. Leaving Krypto, to guard our super house.
FIN ;D