Title: A Conversation with the Blur and Clark Kent
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville...everyone knows that
Summary: Set sometime during Season 9. Clark has been calling Lois for a while as the Blur and having little conversations with her. Nothing could go wrong, right?
A/N: This idea randomly popped up in my head, so I started writing. Originally, it was going to be a two-shot, but I've decided to just make it a one-shot. I had a lot of fun with this piece and it is complete fluff with very minor angst. I hope you enjoy it!
Lois felt the giddiness inside of her growing and silently reprimanded herself. She had no reason to get like this. It was just Blur. She had talked to him several times, it was normal.
But that was just it. It wasn't normal! She was talking with a superhero! A smile spread over her face as she waited in the phone booth. His note said to be here at eleven fifteen. She checked her watch. It was eleven sixteen. She frowned. He wasn't ever late.
In the distance, you could hear police sirens. Lois hoped that the Blur was all right. Of course he was all right. He was too fast to get hurt, right?
A sinking feeling came into Lois' stomach. Why did she have this bad feeling? She had nothing to worry about.
The phone rang and Lois jumped. "Hello?" she asked, afraid of what kind of answer she might get.
"Ms. Lane, I'm sorry I'm late."
Lois sighed. It was his familiar deep-throated voice. It brought her a strange sense of comfort to her. "Hey, are you all right? I heard the police sirens…"
He chuckled. "I'm fine. It was just a last minute save. That's all."
Lois let out a sigh of relief. "What did you do?"
"There was a car robbery. I helped the authorities stop the thief."
"And you're sure you're all right?"
"Were you worried?" his tone sounded amused.
"No! It's just…" Lois quickly jumped into defense mode. "I just wanted to be sure."
Lois felt her purse vibrating. She pulled out her phone saw a reminder. She had a deadline due in a few minutes. She had completely forgotten about that! But she just couldn't leave the Blur hanging like this. Maybe Clark could help her out. "Uh, do you think you can hang on for a moment? I forgot to call someone."
"I can reach you at another time, Ms. Lane, if you're busy-"
"No! I mean, no, it'll be a real quick call."
"Go ahead then."
Lois put the phone down, careful to make sure it didn't hang up. She dialed the number on speed dial. "Please answer the phone, Smallville." she muttered.
Clark watched Lois put the phone down. He was standing on a rooftop, able to see her in clear view, but she couldn't see him. He smiled at how careful she was, making sure she didn't hang up by accident. He sighed. This was the third time he had called her this week. He honestly didn't know why he was calling her. He would give her information about the saves that he had done so she could write it in an article, but there was something more.
His phone beeping. He had another call coming in. It was Lois. He quickly took off the mouth piece and answered her from the other line. "Lois, I thought you went home already. Did you forget to do something?" he asked, trying to tease her.
He could see Lois rolling her eyes. "Listen to me, Smallville. I know you're probably still at the Planet, so I need you to turn in an article for me."
"Why don't you come back and do it yourself?" Clark decided to have a little fun teasing her.
"Because I'm a little busy right now."
"Doing…?"
"I can't tell you!"
"Why not?"
"Because you'd probably spill the beans to the first person that comes walking by."
Clark felt a little hurt that she didn't trust him with a secret. "Lois, you know that you can trust me with anything."
Clark saw Lois bow her head. It looked like she was regretting what she had just said. "You know what, Clark? Hang on for a minute."
Clark saw Lois put down her cell phone and grab the pay phone. He quickly switched lines and put the voice distorter back on. This was going to be a crazy conversation.
Lois picked up the pay phone again. "Hey, sorry to keep you waiting." she said, trying to keep her tone light.
There was nothing but silence on the other end. She sighed. "Great, just great Lane. You blew him off." she mumbled to herself.
"I'm still here Ms. Lane."
Lois could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Oh, I thought that you went to go…blur off somewhere."
He chuckled again. "So far, Metropolis has been having a fairly calm night. Did you take care of the call?"
"Yeah…about that. I was kind of wondering if I could tell someone."
"Tell someone what?"
"About out little calls."
"Who do you want to tell?"
Lois shook her head. She was crazy for doing this. "I kind of want to tell my friend, Clark."
"As in Clark Kent?"
"Have you heard of him?"
"I only know him as Lois Lane's partner."
Lois could hear the smile that she was sure was on his face. "Yeah, we work across from each other at the Planet." she smiled at the thought. "So could I tell him? I tell him practically everything."
"I don't know. How do I know I can trust him?"
"Well, he's a really sweet and honest guy. He hates seeing people, or even animals, suffer."
Lois could hear the Blur sigh pensively on the other line. "I mean, I won't tell him if you don't want me to-"
"Ms. Lane, it's all right if you tell him-"
"Great. Hang on for a minute." she put the phone back down and grabbed her cell.
Clark quickly took off the voice distorter as Lois switched phones without warning. He switched to the other line.
"Smallville? Hello?!"
"Lois! Hey!" he answered in a nervous voice.
"Where'd you go?"
"I, uh…put the phone down for a minute. There was, um, something I had to take care of."
"Uh-huh. Anyways, I guess I could tell you."
"Tell me what?"
"What I've been doing."
"Lois, it really doesn't matter. I don't really need to know." Clark told her honestly. Besides, he already knew what she was doing. She was talking to the same man at the same time, even though she didn't know that.
"Clark, I want to tell you."
Clark could hear how earnest she was. She really wanted to tell him. "What about me not being able to keep a secret?" Clark decided to taunt.
Lois sighed. "I didn't mean that. I know that you're probably the best person to keep a secret."
Clark smiled. From her voice and stance, he could see that she meant it. "Then tell me, but only if you want to."
He could see her grinning. "I'm talking with the Blur!"
Clark needed to react the way any other person would if Lois had just told them she was talking with the Blur. "That's great Lois. Did you forget to take your medicine this morning?"
"Smallville, you better wipe that grin off your face! If I could see you right now, you would definitely be hit by something."
Clark laughed. "Come on, Lois. What are you really doing?"
"I'm having an interview with the Blur, which you are interrupting."
"I'm interrupting? Lois, you were the one that called me." Clark justified.
"But you're the one keeping me on the line." she was starting to get annoyed which was something he loved doing to Lois.
"So tell me, is he really as untouchable as everyone makes him out to be?"
"Hang on to that thought Smallville. I got to make sure he's still on the other line."
"Lois, wait-!" Clark turned put on the voice distorter as Lois picked up the payphone.
He could see Lois' lips moving, but he wasn't hearing anything. He swore as he realized he was still on the line for Lois' cell. He moved on to the pay phone line.
"Okay, I guess you really did have to go save someone." Lois said in a defeated voice as she was about to hang up the phone.
"Wait, Ms. Lane!"
Lois put the phone back to her ear. He sounded almost desperate, as if he didn't want the call to end. "You're still there,"
"Yes, there was something small that I needed to take care of, but everything is all right."
"Great."
"So tell me about your partner, Clark Kent."
"You want to know about him?" Lois frowned.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No, it's just…I bet you're the most interesting man. Why would you want to know about some dull reporter."
Lois could hear him sigh, almost painfully. "I think anyone that would work with you would have to be interesting."
Lois smiled as she took that as a compliment. "Well, where do I start? Smallville is…confusing."
"Smallville?"
"That's what I call him. My own personal nickname. I'm the only who gets to have a nickname for him." Lois said with a smirk. Suddenly, she felt an ownership over Clark. He was hers and no one else's. She quickly banished that thought. "Sometimes he seems like your average Joe and then out of nowhere, he gets this hero complex."
"Would you care to explain?"
Lois blushed as she thought of a recent one. "I, um, was posing as…someone so I could get a story." She shook her head as she remembered 'Stiletto.' "Clark found out and he told me it was dangerous. I didn't listen. Later on, we both kind of ended up in a dangerous situation and he took a bullet for me." Lois still had nightmares from the night. "In that moment, I was so…scared." she admitted. It was amazing how easy it was to talk with the Blur. She had never seen him before, but he seemed ready to listen to her. "I never thought about Clark…dying. And in that moment, he was. I didn't want to lose him…I don't think I'd be able to live a real life without him in my life."
Lois closed her mouth. Did she really open up that much? She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't even tell Chloe that much!
"It sounds as if you care deeply for Clark." the Blur answered in a caring tone.
Lois sighed. She did, but he didn't have that same kind of feeling. "But it's not mutual."
"How do you know?"
"At my cousin's wedding, there was this moment that we had on the dance floor. We were pretty close to…kissing." Lois wished that her desire had been granted. "But then his ex- showed up and he went back to her."
There was a pause on the other line. "Maybe you should talk with him about this."
Lois rolled her eyes. She had already tried. Even if it was in subtle hints. If he didn't pick them up, then he really was the most dullest man on Earth. "Let me switch lines really quick." she said.
Clark almost didn't catch what she said. He switched lines turning off the voice distorter. He could hear her steady breathing on the other line. It seemed like she still hadn't said anything. "Lois? Are you okay?"
"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine." his voice had brought her out of her thoughts.
"Are you sure?"
Lois scoffed. "Of course I am Smallville."
Clark was still trying to recover from her little confession, even if it was to the Blur. He groaned inwardly. This was driving him insane. "So tell me, what do you think about the Blur?"
Lois chuckled. "He's probably the most amazing man I've ever met. I mean, he saves people and doesn't even ask for anything in return! He just wants Metropolis to be safe and I don't think I've ever met a man like that."
Clark frowned. What about him? He wanted Metropolis safe, too. He cared too, he was the Blur for goodness sakes! Clark shook his head. This was insane. He was becoming jealous of his other self. "Sounds like a great guy."
"He is. But I've never seen his face." Lois said thoughtfully.
"Does he trust you?"
"I don't think he does."
Clark sighed. He did trust Lois, he just couldn't show her who he really was yet. It was too dangerous. "Lois, if he's calling you and talking with you, I'm pretty sure that he trusts you."
"But why won't he let me see his face?"
"Maybe it's because he doesn't want you to get hurt. He cares about you too deeply to ever be able to see you get hurt. He'd never be able to live with himself if you ever got hurt because of what you knew." Clark spoke about his own thoughts and feelings in third person.
Lois was silent for a moment. "Well that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
"What?" Clark felt a smile come on his face. That was definitely a 'Lois' answer.
"I mean, doesn't he know that I can take care of myself?"
Clark could hear the pride in her voice. "Lois, he deals with criminals that you couldn't even begin to imagine. Some of them have the potential to really hurt him, even kill him. If any of them found out that you knew who he really was, they'd take you immediately to draw him out of the shadows. That can't happen to him!"
"Geez, Smallville. I didn't know that you were so passionate about this whole secret identity thing."
Clark could hear the rising suspicion in her voice. "Well, you've just got to be understanding sometimes." the sentence came out awkwardly.
"Right…"
"Lois, what are you thinking?" Clark groaned out.
"Nothing Smallville. Let me get back to you."
Clark groaned even more as she switched back to the Blur line. He did the same thing, making sure the voice distorter was on.
Lois put down the cell and looked at it pensively. Clark knew something, or he had heard something. Whatever it was, she was going to call the Blur out on it. She put the pay phone back to her ear. "You still there?"
A deep chuckle was her response. "You seem to enjoy talking to more than one person at a time."
She blushed. "I should probably hang up with him-"
"You don't have to." he reassured.
Lois nodded her head as she crossed her arms. "Does Clark know anything about you?"
She could literally hear him trying to think of what to tell her. "Not that I know of. He might've heard something from the streets, but I have never been in contact with him."
"So tell me if he was right about something…Is it dangerous for me to see you?"
Lois could hear him sighing heavily on the other line. "It is isn't it?" she answered for him. "It's why you haven't shown me who you really are."
"Your friend Clark knows what he's talking about. There are some people out there who are stronger than me, people who could actually kill me. If they knew about you, they would take you away. I would have to come out of the shadows to save you."
Lois frowned. That was practically was Clark had said. She got an eerie feeling. "I'm putting you on hold really quick."
She switched lines. Lois was onto something and she knew it. She was going to get to the bottom of it.
Clark quickly took off the voice distorter and switched to the other line. "Hey, Lois!" he squeaked.
From his position on the roof top, he could see Lois raise an eyebrow. "Sounding pretty nervous there Smallville."
Clark gulped. "No…I'm not nervous."
"Right. So I just talked with the Blur and told him what you said."
"What did he say?"
"Practically the same thing that you said, except in first person."
Clark gulped again. She was on to him. "And that's supposed to mean…?"
Clark saw her grinning a specific grin. It was the grin she would wear when she figured something out. She put down the cell without warning and picked up the payphone.
Clark quickly switched lines, completely forgetting about the voice distorter.
Lois was on the right track. She had to be! She put down the phone, ignoring Clark and picking up the pay phone again. "Hey, I think I figured something out."
"And what could that possibly be Ms. Lane?"
His voice wasn't the same deep-throated she had learned to associate with the Blur. It was his voice. Lois nearly squealed. She knew it! She was right! She didn't know how he did, but he was doing it right now. "I think I figured out what Clark Kent is hiding from me." she started looking around. He had to be near. How else could he switch lines so quickly?
"Which is…?"
"He's leading a double life." Lois stated triumphantly.
Lois could hear him gulp. She already imagined him squirming. "What do you mean?"
"I'm sure you've heard of the Green Arrow. Well, he isn't just the Green Arrow, he has a civilian identity too. Kind of like that."
"Then what do you think Clark does?"
"I don't know…maybe something like what you do." Lois smirked.
"Why…" his voice squeaked, but he cleared it. "Why would you think he does something like that?"
Lois narrowed her eyes. "Because you don't have your little voice distorter on."
She could hear a shuffling on the other line. She had caught him red-handed. "How stupid do you think I am?!" Lois yelled at him. She now knew that it was Clark, not the Blur. No, they were the same.
"Lois, calm down, let me explain."
"You better. I know you're around here somewhere so you just better get yourself over here so you can explain."
"I'll be there in a second." Clark said flatly. He checked to be sure no one was looking.
Lois heard the line go dead. She grabbed her cell phone and that line was dead too. She hung up both phones and she felt a blast of wind hit her. She looked up and there was Clark with a black jacket and black shirt with a blue 'S' on his chest. How could she have not seen it before?
Clark didn't look her in the eyes as she summed him up and down. "Can we talk somewhere else?" Clark asked as he looked around. It was dangerous for him to be out in the open like this.
Lois narrowed her eyes as she started walking into a dark alley. Clark followed after her. She stopped when she was deep in the alley and turned around. She tapped her fingers,
"It was too dangerous. I had both your counterparts explain that for me." Lois said as she crossed her arms and walked up to him.
Clark looked at her and he saw a look on her face that he never wanted to see directed towards him. It was a look of fear mixed with awe. "Lois, I'm still the same person-"
"Hush for a minute." Lois said as she continued analyzing him. She started walking around him, which made Clark even more self-conscious. She stopped and faced him. "So all those times, it was really you?"
Clark grimaced. "Yeah?" he was ready to have to deal with an explosion.
Lois nodded her head. "You could've trusted me."
"But there were-"
"I know, your enemies." Lois sighed and then her face went pale. She had opened up to the Blur and it was really Clark. He let her do that! "Clark you were taking advantage of me!" Lois yelled at him as she pushed him back some.
"What? No I didn't." Clark defended as he took a step back from her push.
"Yes you did! I opened up to you and you didn't even stop me! That was personal stuff!"
"Lois, you didn't open up to me, you opened up to the Blur!"
"Same thing!"
"I know I should've stopped you, but I just couldn't. I wanted to know how you felt."
"Why? So you could just stomp all over me again?!" Lois inwardly groaned. She was accidentally opening up again.
"So that maybe I could get some courage to tell you something."
Lois narrowed her eyes. "Clark, you…blur off to save hundreds of people and you're telling me that you need courage to tell me something? Sometimes, you have to put your heart on the line." she turned away from him and started walking away.
Clark looked down. She was right. Chloe had told him that a long time ago, but he never listened. Something about hearing it from Lois made it sound completely different. "Lois, wait!" he called out as he ran after her. He didn't try blurring up to her. He wanted to catch her at normal speed.
Lois continued wakened, even though she had heard him calling for her to stop. She felt his hand come down on her shoulder and she spun around to face him. "What do you want now, Clark?" she said in a frighteningly calm tone.
Clark took a deep breath as he kept his gaze locked on Lois' eyes. He could see the hurt in them, but he also saw something else. It was love. "Lois, I'm really sorry about not telling you.-"
"I don't want your apologies, Kent." Lois rolled her eyes as she started turning around.
Clark grabbed her wrist. "Wait, I'm not done." he tilted his head down, but never looked away from her eyes. "I was going to tell you when the time was right, everything." a small smile came on his face. "I guess I can tell you now." he gulped, trying to gather his courage.
They both looked down the street as several police cars flew past them. Clark closed his eyes and let out a groan. Not now.
Lois pulled out of his grip. "Go get them Clark." she said softly.
"Lois, I-"
"I'll still be here, waiting for that explanation." Lois said as she offered him a soft smile.
Clark returned it as he took a deep breath. Here goes everything, he thought grimly. He took off in a blur, right in front of Lois. It was something he never thought he'd be able to do. But it felt so exhilarating.
Lois watched him chase after the police cars as she leaned against a pole. How could she have never seen it before? Clark Kent equals Blur. Blur equals Clark Kent. She shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around it. It actually kind of made sense when she stopped to really think about it. The hero complex he's had since she's met him, his lame excuses and leaving right when things became interesting. He's been watching over all of them this entire time and she never suspected that it was Clark.
Lois smiled. Clark had probably given up so much, lost so much, all to be sure the ones he loved were safe and now he was making sure the citizens of Metropolis were safe. It was actually unfair to him.
Lois held back a small yell when Clark suddenly appeared right in front of her. She held her hand to her heart. "Clark! You scared me!" Lois exclaimed.
Clark gave her an embarrassed smile. "I didn't mean to."
Lois shook her head and couldn't help the smile on her face. "Smallville, you are incredible."
Clark frowned. Before he had left to take care of what the police needed help with, she was yelling his head off. Now she was telling him that he was incredible? "Are you okay?" Clark was afraid she was about to bite his head off again.
"Yes, Clark. I'm perfectly fine. I just never thought that you…" her face became very thoughtful as she looked at him.
Clark bit his lip. He hoped that Lois wasn't going to see him any differently.
"So what were you going to tell me?" Lois asked as she crossed her arms, waiting for him to speak.
"Oh…um," Clark was slowly beginning to feel weak in his knees. The only explanation for that was either kryptonite or Lois Lane. It was definitely the last option. "I have to tell you," he started out awkwardly.
"Yes, what is it?"
Clark looked into her eyes. When he looked into them, he felt as if he were…home. "I love you Lois." he said breathlessly. "I don't know how long I've been in love with you, but I know that I'm in love with you right now." Clark held his breath, not knowing what her reaction was going to be. He just hoped that she wasn't going to rip his heart out. He didn't want that to happen.
"I've got something to tell you then." Lois said.
Clark swallowed hard. His heart was pounding at an insane pace. She was driving him crazy with suspense. "What…what is it?"
"I'm in love with the Blur." Lois spoke confidently and with a triumphant smile.
Clark's face fell. She didn't love him back. What could he expect though? She had given him several chances and he never took any of them. "Oh," was all that he could manage to say. "I guess I'll be going then." he said dejectedly. "I'll see you tomorrow at work."
Lois rolled her eyes. "Clark, wait." she called out as she walked after him.
Clark stopped and faced her. He had put his heart out on the line and now he got hurt. At least he tried, right?
"Clark, I said that I was in love with the Blur. Have you already forgotten who you are?"
Clark frowned, but it started to slowly become an uneasy smile. "Do you mean…?"
"Yes, Clark! I'm in love with the Blur, I'm in love with Smallville, and I'm in love with Clark Kent!"
Clark flashed his mega watt grin as he pulled Lois into a hug as she happily threw her arms around his neck. Clark knew that putting your heart out on the line could get you hurt, but this time, it didn't. Before he had hugged her, Clark looked into her eyes. Nothing had changed. She was still looking at him as if he were still the same person. He wondered for a minute how she was going to react when he explained his heritage to her, but that was for a different time.
The End
