[center]AD HOC MEETING IN STAR CITY[/center]
Rated PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing except a desire to save SV Clark and SV Lois.
S8 SPOILERS!!! Do not read further if you're not into spoilers.
[b]So there won't be any confusion. These are the Players:
NNLois is Noel Neill's Lois Lane in the Adventures of Superman television series (NN)
GRClark is George Reeves' Clark Kent in the Adventures of Superman television series (GR)
MKLois is Margot Kidder's Lois Lane in the Superman movies (MK)
CRClark is Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent in the Superman movies (CR)
THLois is Terri Hatcher's Lois Lane in the New Adventures of Lois and Clark tv series (TH)
DCClark is Dean Cain's Clark Kent in the New Adventures of Lois and Clark tv series (DC)
EDLois is Erica Durance's Lois Lane in the Smallville tv series (ED)
TWClark is Tom Welling's Clark Kent in the Smallville tv series (TW)
AAJimmy is Aaron Ashmore's Jimmy Olsen in the Smallville tv series.[/b]
[u]Metropolis[/u]
NNLois watched Superman take off his cape. "I'm sorry, Miss Lane, but I can't stand to see you so upset."
"Where are you taking me?" She gasped as he wrapped his cape around her.
"Star City," he said confidently while he lifted her into his arms.
"We're going to Russia?" she cried in horror.
"Lois, the Cold War and Space Race are over. We're going to Star City, USA. Home of Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow," he said as he leapt into the sky from her apartment window.
NN felt the cold night air as it whipped against the cape that safely swaddled her. Conversation was useless, even if Superman could hear her with superhearing, she would not be able to hear him.
Their landing was almost immediate and she found herself in the hallway of a hospital. Superman carefully unwrapped her and adorned his cape once more. He took her hand and walked down the hallway. "They're waiting for us."
When he opened the door to a private room, NN saw two more Supermen and her fellow Lois' sitting around AAJimmy's bed. He appeared to be in coma. "Oh ED, I've been so worried about you!" she said as she hugged the youngest Lois. "I didn't mean to upset everyone. You just sounded so disheartened on the phone . . . as if you had lost all hope."
EDLois nodded as tears welled up in her eyes. "It's so good of you to come. I'm so worried about Jimmy. He's part of my family now."
NN's Superman hugged EDLois. "I'm so sorry," he whispered in her ear. "We're here to help if we can."
NN sat in a chair provided by her Superman as he stood beside her with his arms folded. She looked over to see THLois and MKLois sitting in similar fashion with their respective Supermen. Everyone looked gravely at the young man in the bed and the young woman at his side. None of the men had changed into their suit and glasses. They all wore the capes proudly.
EDLois cleared her throat looking very apprehensive. "You're not going to change into . . ." The three men shook their heads negatively.
"You're not on trail, ED. We just need to hear the whole story from you," started MKLois. "Why are you here instead of Metropolis General?"
ED looked at her friends and gulped. She looked so lost as if she couldn't believe what was happening. "Jimmy needed the country's best surgeon. He's here so we Medi-vac'd Jimmy after . . . "
"You must have some great medical insurance at the Planet," huffed THLois.
"I don't know. I suppose so," said ED sliding her wet palm against a pant leg.
"How long is Jimmy supposed to be incapacitated?" asked DC sternly.
ED raised her head and pursed her lips. "Six episodes," she said quietly.
"And you're to be with him the whole time?" asked CR as a muscle in his jaw twitched.
"I believe so. Yes. But . . ." she paused as if unsure of herself. "I think I'm going to make an appearance before that. In the fifth episode after the eight week hiatus but it could be a dream."
The collective gasp nearly took all the oxygen from the room.
"I don't believe this!" exclaimed THLois. "You, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, two of the most important characters in any Superman story are sent away for five or six episodes after an eight week hiatus? What the hell are THEY thinking?"
MKLois was shaking she was so mad. "I smell SVLana!"
ED broke into tears nodding her head as GR grabbed her into a hug. "She showed up at the reception, just as . . ." GR took the end of his cape and gently wiped away the tears that flowed down her cheeks. "Clark almost kissed me!"
NNLois immediately embraced her. "What are they doing to you? You poor, sweet girl."
"Clark, get her something," said THLois as he dashed from the room and immediately brought back a bottle.
MK grabbed it and poured some of the liquid into a hospital cup. "Here. Drink this," she said handing it to ED.
"Miss Lane, do you think she should be . . ." CR started with great concern.
"Trust me. She needs this," said the intrepid reporter of the Superman movies.
TH gave her guy a kiss on the cheek in thanks as GR and NN escorted ED to the nearby couch. ED sipped the bourbon as her fellow Lois' sat with her.
"Superman," said MK clearing her throat. "Don't you think it's time you changed? It's bad enough TWClark can't wear the uniform on the show, but you three . . ."
CR held up his hand. "Gentlemen?" he said just before they all spun into their Clark Kent attire. "Sorry, ED, we didn't mean to intimidate . . ."
"It's okay. I understand," she gave him a slight grin and then she looked grim again. "Right now I understand everything . . . and know nothing."
The three Clarks pulled their chairs closer to the women and sat patiently listening.
"What do you mean . . . almost kissed?" asked THLois. "I thought the kiss was a sure thing."
ED shook her head. "It was discarded. We haven't kissed yet this season."
"But . . ." started MKLois looking like she wanted to hit something.
"Maybe you should start from the beginning," said NN as she rubbed one of ED's shoulders.
The youngest Lois let out a deep sigh. "My cousin, Chloe, and Jimmy were getting married. I was the wedding coordinator and Maid of Honor."
"Well someone had their head on straight. You're the most competent character on the show," said THLois as she looked forelornly at her Clark.
"Yea, maybe," she said as she squirmed in her seat. "See my cousin, unbeknownst to me is possessed, infected, inhabited, whatever, by Brainiac . . ."
"Brainiac!?!" said the other six conscious people in the room.
"Yes, he's been on the show in previous seasons," she continued. "And then we have Doomsday on the show now."
"Your show is going to depict the end of the world?" asked NNLois in confusion. "Do they show the Doomsday clock and everything?"
DCClark cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. "Actually I've been meaning to discuss that with all of you."
"It's sort of our fault that he exists," confessed THLois giving them an embarrassed smirk and a half eye roll.
The two Silver Age couples looked at there Modern Age counterparts with disbelief. "Okay, I'll bite. What's a Doomsday?" asked MKLois with some trepidation.
"It's this monster originally from Krypton who . . . had a 22 page slugfest in the source material," started DC but then his voice trailed off. ". . . who killed Superman."
"What??" said the two Silver Age couples.
"How is that possible?" asked CRClark.
"And how are you responsible?" asked GRClark as NN hugged ED tighter.
"Well . . .you see . . .our show was just getting started and we didn't want Clark and Lois getting married in the source material before we got married on our show," said TH a little sheepishly.
"And apparently a wedding was beginning to be planned at the same time as our first season. So the source material writers had to ditch their wedding and come up with something else. And what they came up with was this monster . . ." continued DCClark.
". . . who killed Superman. Yea, yea, I get it," said CRClark trying hard not to set the room on fire. "But you two got married on your show."
"Yes," sighed TH thankful for a working Kryptonian brain. "They resurrected Clark . . . Superman . . . and then sometime later when we were ready to get married on the show, Clark and Lois got married in the source material."
"Well as much as I'm grateful for reaping those benefits," said GR looking truly happy with the thought.
"What does this have to do with ED's show?" asked NNLois, his partner.
"Well over the years, Doomsday's origins were explained and in a couple of the background stories, he had human form which transformed into the monster. That's what's happening on our show," said EDLois grateful for something to talk about besides her feelings. "My cousin and Doomsday's human form are . . . it's a flirtation. . . but then it ended badly after the wedding."
"Let me get this straight," said MKLois. "Your cousin is infested with Brainiac and she's having an affair with Doomsday. Sounds like TWClark is secondary again. AND by a character that is not even in the comics."
"And she's in every episode this season," mumbled EDLois.
MK, TH, and NN cringed while giving each other knowing looks.
"What is your Clark doing this whole time?" asked GRClark crossing his arms so he wouldn't punch something.
It was the first time she smiled. "He's become such a strong, confident man. He's truly helping people in Metropolis. He saved me when I got in above my head during an investigation. He smiles all the time now. I can't help but . . . be in love with him."
"And does he return those feelings?" asked THLois as if she already knew the answer.
"Well . . .I was able to stop him from going to Almerac with Maxima."
MKLois put a hand over her eyes. "Don't tell me. She put a mind whammy on him and they kissed."
EDLois rolled her eyes. "More than kissed. They were bumping off all the walls in the elevator ripping at each other's clothes. If I hadn't shouted 'Smallville,' there'd be no more show . . . unless it was live from Almerac and they were doing a sex education film. See Maxima wasn't a warrior. She was a sex goddess on the show."
"Clark, hand me that vomit basin. I think I'm going to be sick," said MK fighting the tightening in her throat. CR immediately handed it to her and crouched beside her, ready for action.
"So that's what that looks like," said ED as if fascinated with CR's attentiveness.
"What are you talking about?" asked NN as she watched MK gain control of her gag reflex.
"See, I got drunk at my cousin's engagement party and Clark took me home to the farm to recuperate. Apparently, I was worshipping on the porcelain highway," stated EDLois rolling her eyes. "He took care of me, but I don't remember any of it. And then we investigated Chloe and Jimmy getting kidnapped by this psychopathic jeweler. I confessed I loved Clark and he saved us even though there was kryptonite in the room."
"As he should!" shouted GR. "It's about time he protected his Lois!"
"But he's not confessing his feelings to you, is he?" said NN with great understanding.
EDLois shook her head. "No. We were in the Phantom Zone together and he never even held my hand."
The three couples looked at one another and shook their heads. "But your Clark is a man now, right?" offered CR.
"Yes, definitely," nodded ED. "No more angsty farmboy. He's a big city man now. And he's starting to see the need for a secret identity and what he does brings hope to people."
"Wow! That's amazing," said DCClark as GR and CR nodded in agreement.
"So there are some good things so far this season," asked TH rubbing ED's back.
"Oh yes. More good than bad until . . ." gulped ED.
"The wedding," said NN. "Tell us about that."
"Well, before the wedding I had to help Clark with his cufflinks. And . . . well he seemed kind of smitten with me as if he was truly seeing me for the first time."
The three couples grinned. "Did he say anything?" asked DC winking at his Lois.
"Well, he read Jimmy's vows to me and I thought it was him confessing his love for me . . . since the first day we met," she lifted her head to shake off her reappearing disappointment. "But I was wrong."
NN took ED's hand. "I'm so sorry, honey."
"Yea . . .well . . . at the reception. We were standing there and the lights went low and they began to play a slow, sensual tango. So I figured I'd make a run for it since my radar was obviously off and he grabbed my hand and nodded towards the dance floor."
The three other Lois' squealed and the three Clarks chuckled.
ED nodded and grinned. "Yea, it was great. He took me in his arms and was so confident and seemed very happy to have me close. I was a ball of nerves and then this guy bumped into us and I crashed into Clark. He protectively grabbed me and we stopped dancing."
"So what did he say? What did you say?" asked MKLois at the edge of her seat.
"Nothing. Neither of us said a word. We just kept looking at each other. I think he had a hold of my hand and then I put my hand over his heart. We kept drawing closer to one another waiting to see if one of us would pull away. We didn't. And just when we were millimeters from each other's lips, my cousin squealed announcing the arrival of Lana."
"That is so wrong," said THLois seething. "So what did your Clark do?"
"He just stood there with an unreadable face. I hightailed it out of there. There's no way I needed to be tortured any further by that . . . "
"I think the word you're looking for is . . . BITCH!" said NN quite calmly as GR startled at her expression.
CR hugged ED. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that." He took his seat and MK gave him an air kiss.
"So you don't know how he feels about her?" asked DCClark.
ED shook her head. "No, not really. Jimmy told me that he's seen how we look at each other and that Clark's driving me crazy is really flirtation on his part. Oliver says that Clark needs me. Maybe they know something I don't," she said while looking at her friend in the bed. "Anyway, Doomsday attacked the reception. I guess Jimmy tried to protect his wife and was swatted across the room. That's how he got the internal injuries."
"What about Clark? What did he do?" asked GR as the concern furrowed his brow.
"Someone said they saw him try to punch that thing, but it tossed him into the loft. I don't know what happened because I was on the porch out of the line of fire," said EDLois.
"Well thank God for that!" said MKLois. "Knowing us, you'd have tried to take on that thing yourself."
ED gave her a half grin. "Yea, I would have, but unfortunately my cousin got carted off by that monster."
"Yep, you're Lois to the core," said THLois. "Sorry about your cousin. So then what happened?"
"Well it's all kind of conjecture on my part. Clark and I didn't have any real dialogue. It was mostly eye talk and the conversation we did have was usually about someone else but could be interpreted as being about us," sighed the youngest Lois. "At the hospital, Clark was consoling Lana when I went to tell him about Jimmy and his transfer to Star City. So I waited outside Jimmy's room and Clark came out and talked to me. He thought Jimmy was going to be okay, but I let him know that wasn't the case. I told him I was going with Jimmy and he seemed kind of shocked by that. And then I kind of lost it a little. I wondered why all these terrible things were happening around us. He grabbed me into this tight hug and promised me quite fiercely that we'd find Chloe. I just didn't see how that was possible. And if he was talking about us . . .how would we would ever get back to opening up our hearts to one another again with Lana around? I think I broke his heart a little when I asked him 'what if we can't?'.
"Oh ED! How tragic! You two are struggling to do the right thing and you have to be separated?" said NN quietly.
"So I left him. He just stared at me when I looked at him one last time. I think he understood why I was leaving. Jimmy needs me and I can't stick around while Clark figures out if Lana is who he really wants. I allowed my walls to crumble too much to fortify them in a hurry. So I walked away."
"So you're here in Star City waiting . . . waiting for what?" asked TH.
"For Clark or Chloe to call. Lana is in the next four episodes after the eight week hiatus. She gets to be with the Legion of Superheroes, Dr. Emil Hamilton, Dan Turpin and possibly Toyman while I'm gone," said ED a little hurt. "I guess SVLana and I are considered interchangeable. At least it means I get to keep my dark brown hair!"
MK shook her head as she looked angrily at the ceiling. "All hail the power of SVLana! It blows the mind!"
"Yea, like a bullet to the brain," retorted NNLois as she hugged ED.
TH got the giggles as the three Clarks tried to hide their smirks.
"So you haven't talked to your Clark then?" asked CR after the laughter subsided. "Not even in offscreensville?"
"No, we're beginning the hiatus now and . . . I really don't want to talk to him until we know for sure he's at least thinking about me during these next four episodes. Previously on the show, it's been out of sight, out of mind. This season it's 50/50 if he'll mention me," said EDLois sadly.
"This just sucks. Not just for you, ED, but for the fans who have been faithfully watching you and Clark grow this season. It's like you've been sentenced to a Russian gulag for the crime of existing," said NN patting ED's hand in sympathy. "I guess I wasn't so wrong about your being relocated to the other Star City."
"At least she could have gotten a good story about cosmonauts or Skylabs," remarked MKLois as she watched ED straighten her back in determination.
"Well, I'd like to think of it as giving Clark time and space to deal with his feelings while growing as a hero. Hopefully it will make this separation all worthwhile and there will be a payoff for our fans. They've been so very patient."
"Patience is overrated," winked NN.
ED grinned. "Yea, I can relate to that. After the eight week hiatus, I'll be in one of six episodes."
THLois' gasp filled the room. "How can that possibly be? I thought this season was supposed to be the Lois and Clark of it all."
ED shrugged. "After that my cousin and I switch bodies or something like that. Who knows if Clark will tell the difference – with my luck – oh no what am I saying, on this show, I have never gotten lucky with Clark. Not when I knew it was him or when I wasn't under the influence – and the sad fact of that is . . .that was all two years ago! I'm not a dangling carrot anymore. I'm roadkill. Just kick me to the curb."
"How can this be?" asked GR. "You're the sweetest girl in the world. You're beautiful. Lois Lane is tough as nails and smart as a whip. How could they treat you this way? Don't they like you?"
"Well they SAY they love Lois just as much as the fans do. But I'm missing 5 of 7 episodes after the hiatus. Clark and I have never kissed as ourselves without anything influencing us. And who knows if we ever will?" She sighed and looked at her friends. "DC . . . tell me again how it was before Clark had to fight Doomsday in the source material."
"You're sure?" he said eying everyone else in the room. Some of the others had never heard the story.
EDLois nodded bravely. "Yea, I want to hear it."
"Well, Lois and Clark were dating and Clark invited Lois to Smallville to meet his parents. It was the fourth of July and there were fireworks everywhere. Clark always fondly remembered that night in the rain. He even reminded Lois of it when he returned after his death," DCClark began as he lovingly took his Lois' hand."
"It was their first time," said TH softly as ED nodded and tears welled in her eyes.
"When Clark returned to Metropolis, Ma called him and told him to look in his luggage. She had put her family diamond in one of his bags. She and Pa knew how much that he loved Lois and that it was serious between them. Shortly after that he proposed to Lois and she said yes."
MKLois snuggled against CRClark. "I love this story," she said as she kissed his cheek.
NNLois held GRClark's hand and gave it a squeeze. DC continued his era's contribution to the Superman mythology. "Some time later, Clark confessed to Lois he was Superman. She told him she always knew in her heart, but she needed some time to think about all he told her. He left, but he never left her behind. He ran into a rogue Linear Man and went for what seemed like five months to him and only a few hours for Lois. When he returned, they realized they loved each other too much to not give what they had a chance."
ED sobbed softly. "They can't do all that in five episodes, can they?"
"No, I don't think so," answered DCClark somberly. "Months later Doomsday came on the scene and just before Clark had his final skirmish with the monster, he told Lois, 'Just remember . . . no matter what happens . . . I'll always love you. ALWAYS.'"
A hush fell over the room. EDLois with a shaking lower lip whispered, "Thank you."
NNLois hugged her and kissed her forehead. "Are you alright?"
A tear fell down her cheek. "I'll never know what that's like, will I?"
The older Lois began to cry as she hugged her tighter. "I don't know, baby. I don't know."
MKLois and THLois joined them whispering words of encouragement and hope.
GRClark signaled the other Clarks to a corner of the room. "We need to talk to TWClark. I can't stand seeing her suffer like this. No Lois should have to put up with this treatment."
"GR, even in the source material Lois isn't given the complete respect she deserves. There's not much we can do about that. We're not gods," said DCClark equally exasperated.
"Or producers," said CRClark clenching his jaw. "I'll call TWClark and set up a meeting. We need to hear his side of the story."
To be continued . . .