"Sorry, but who are you?" Clark asked.
"I'm Greg. I used to work as a runner at the studios where the show is filmed. Can I come in?"
"Ok.. so what has this got to do with me, Greg."
"I am the person who contacted Mr Gabriel about the actors being used to play contestants. It now appears I was deliberately fed false information so I would make Mr Gabriel look stupid. The network has recently been bought by LuthorCorp and they seem to have a vendetta against your boss and I am sure it is a front for dodgy dealings." Greg explained. "I have now left so do not know anymore."
"Thanks for letting me know. Now we can stop ourselves going on the show and making a fool of ourselves. "
"Maybe you should still go on. An expose about the Luthor's could be more damaging."
Clark weighed up the suggestion. "But now you think the show is genuine, so we will make fools of ourselves when all our questions turn out to be lies."
Greg smiled. "The rules have changed and instead of answering all the questions right to win $100000, you get $10,000 per correct answer. Anyway the show is on its last legs as there has been a mass exodus of staff as soon as word got out about the Luthor's taking over and trying to cut everyone's wages. Even if you tape the show, it will never air. Anyway it is your choice. Good luck!"
Greg left Clark pondering what to do. He knew he had to tell Lois, who had just arrived.
"Who was that?" she asked.
"Come in and I will tell you all about it." Clark smiled.
He told her about what Greg had said. "So we are still going on? We could win some money as well as blow Luthorcorp's cover."
"I knew you would say that Lois. We need to discuss what questions we are going to ask each other."
"There is no point. Contestants are given a list of what to ask based on questionnaire sheets that we have filled in prior to the show."
"Lois, I never filled a form in."
She grinned. "I know you didn't. I did it for you."
He sighed. "Gee thanks...that was so thoughtful of you."
They headed to dinner at the hotel restaurant and were busy eating when Clark's phone rang. He answered it.
"Hi Lana..."
His face changed. "Why, what is this all about? What do I need to do for you to change your mind?"
Lois was annoyed and decided to get involved against her better judgement. She grabbed a pen and wrote on a napkin. She then showed it to him
Clark read the message -
Getabackbone,Smallville!
Clark glared at her, but then smiled. "You know what Lana. I am not going to take the blame for what happened. You make your own choices in life and if moving out is one of them, well so be it."
Clark hung up and looked across the table at an applauding Lois. "Well done, Clark!"
"It still doesn't make me feel any better that she is leaving me, or taking a short break as she puts it."
"You are better off without her. What is she blaming you for now?" Lois asked.
"I don't want to talk about it." He replied. "Can we just get on with dinner?"
Lois and Clark were so busy chatting that Lois had not even noticed the amount she had drunk because the waiters were so discreet in refilling in her glass. Clark had managed a few glasses, but whether he had one glass or one bottle made no difference to him because it never affected him. Pity the same could not be said for Lois.
"I think you have drunk a little too much." Clark said as he watched her droop over the table.
"You are such a spoil sport, Clark." She laughed. "I don't think you know how to have fun."
"Yes I do, but not your type of fun."
"Let's go back to your room." He told her.
Lois started to play with the rim of her glass with her finger. "You're a dark horse. " she slurred. "I don't think my boyfriend would be too pleased if he knew you were making a move on me."
"Lois, I am going to take you to your room, and then go back to my room. I knew you were seeing Grant." He replied, annoyed at the thought. He led her to the elevator and pressed the button to their floor.
"So what if I am. Are you jealous because I have someone and you don't?" She announced but then saw the hurt look on his face. "Oh, I am so sorry for that. I was out of order."
"It's ok. I forgive you. The alcohol haze is affecting your thinking." He smiled as he put his arm around her back to steady her.
She felt a pleasant tingle across her back as his hands made contact with her skin. "Do that again, Smallville!" She groaned.
He moved his hand across the small of her back again, making her groan even louder. "God Clark. Your touch is electrifying. If your hands can make me feel like that, what would your lips feel like?" She pressed the stop button on the elevator and blocked him from accessing it.
"I am not going to press start until you kiss me." She said, teasing him.
"Lois, you are not in any fit state to know what you want."
"Yes, I do know. I want your lips on mine and you will not be going anywhere until you do." She blackmailed him,
He could have lifted Lois out of the way but decided it was easier to do as she wanted. He bent over and gently kissed her on the lips. He pulled away almost immediately but did not count on her hands reaching up to the back of his head, pulling him in again for a second assault.
Clark tried to pull away again but once their lips made contact again, he could not help himself. He had a flashback to the alley where he had kissed her as Green Arrow. He had thought the chemistry between the two of them back then had been a one-off, but this exchange was confirming it was no fluke.
Suddenly they were tossed apart by the movement of the elevator. It got to their floor where a member of staff was waiting.
"I am sorry, but it seems there was a problem with the elevator. Rest assured we will be reporting it immediately." The man confirmed.
Lois and Clark smiled and waited for the man to leave. "What has just happened?" Clark asked.
"The elevator broke down. What else? I will see you in the morning. The car is picking us up at 8.30am." Lois announced coldly and walked off, not letting Clark see the tears in her eyes...
Clark had a restless night; he could not get his kiss with Lois out of his head. As much as he tried to concentrate on Lana, his thoughts kept coming back to her. He ate alone the following morning, realising that she was avoiding him due to her regrets of last night. He knew she was dating Grant.
When the car arrived to pick them up, Lois brushed past him and got in the back. He climbed in next to her.
"Lois, can we talk?"
"Nothing to talk about Clark! Let's get this show over and done with and head back to Metropolis where you can get back to your perfect life with Lana and I will continue to date my boss." She announced.
"Something happened between us last night, but if you can't face up to it, let's leave it."
Her face changed and she took her dark glasses off. Her eyes betrayed the combination of the lack of sleep, emotions and the hangover.
"Clark, I can't let myself think about so please leave it." She pleaded with him.
Clark nodded and decided to leave it until she was ready to talk about it. "Ok... are you ready for this show?"
"As ready as will ever be...let's try and win some cash." She smiled for the first time that morning, giving him a glimpse of the old Lois.
When they arrived at the studio, they were ushered to the Green Room. Thinking they would be the only couple there, they were shocked to see another dozen couples there, all with one thing in common – their bickering.
"You are up at 10am." A stagehand shouted at them. "We have 12 shows to film today so please concentrate so we don't have reshoot."
"He had has a sense of humour bypass." Lois whispered to Clark.
"I hope these questions aren't too difficult."
"Just tell the truth and we could win some cash. I mean even when you say you are seeing someone else and have no feelings for me, it won't bother me and we get to win the money. " Lois laughed.
Clark suddenly began to feel apprehensive. What happened if the machine picked up any feelings he had hidden from her. He just hoped his Kryptonian physiology would keep the machine from going off, although he did have human responses to stress. He knew he would just have to wait and see.
Twenty minutes later they were strapped to the machines on the stage. The annoying smug presenter bounded on stage in front of the cameras.
The audience clapped and cheered, mainly because a man holding a board told them to.
"Hi, I'm Michael Underwood, your host on Lies Never Pay." The cheers got louder.
"Today we have Lois Lane and Clark Kent, who have been dating for 2 years and have on their profile that they would never cheat on each other. Isn't that what they all say?" Michael tried to sound funny, making the audience laugh.
Michael continued. "We have an announcement, the rules have changed. The contestants now get $10000 for each truthful answer and they get to choose their last question."
"Right Lois, could you ask Clark the first question?"
"Ok, here goes. She opened the first envelope. Clark...You know I like Whitesnake, do you really like them?"
Clark smiled at her. "Yes I do."
Lois glared at him curious why he was lying. She waited for the alarm to go off but it never did.
"So you actually agree with your girlfriend on something." Michael said smugly. "$10,000 for you!"
Clark asked his first question. "You know I like to wear plaid, do you like me wearing it?"
"No..." Lois replied, sure of her answer. The alarm sounded.
"Oh...Looks like Lois has a secret plaid fetish." Michael announced to the audience.
Lois was about to argue but then admitted maybe she did like plaid especially when Clark was wearing it.
"Second question." Lois continued. "Do you find me attractive?"
Without hesitation, Clark answered the question. "Yes I always have."
Lois shifted uncomfortably in her chair and waited for the alarm, but again it never came. "$10,000"
"My second question is...are you still attracted to me." Clark asked, curious as to what the answer would be.
Lois smiled. "Yes I am." She was starting to enjoy the roars of the crowd when the alarm went off so she lied...and waited...and waited.
"Another $10,000. That is $30,000 you have won so far."
"Third question...Clark, do you think we will get married?"
He knew he had to answer honestly to win more money. "No, I don't." The alarm sounded almost immediately. What the hell, he thought to himself. Was he in major denial?
Lois's face was starting to show concern.
"Looks like you have upset Lois." Michael egged Clark on.
Clark asked Lois the same question, but she said she did think they would get married eventually. She wasn't bothered about the money, she was enjoying the act too much. Her opinion soon changed when the lie detector said she was telling the truth.
"Question four..." she paused and looked nervous as she saw the question. "Have you had sex with anyone else in the past 2 years."
He looked at her. "No I haven't." He replied clearly.
She realised Clark was obviously not bothered about winning the money or he would not have lied. The machine did not react.
"Oh, so Clark has been a good boy." Michael replied.
Lois was horrified, her mind being battered by what that meant. Lana and Clark hadn't slept together in over two years. She couldn't understand because she remembered vividly the gossip from Chloe the morning Clark and Lana had been sprung coming from his room by his parents. But then realised that was over two years ago.
Clark composed himself and asked her the same question. She was so caught up in what the bombshell she had just learnt, that she did not know what to say. She decided to be truthful. "No, I haven't."
Clark almost fell off his seat when the lie detector showed she was being truthful. He was convinced that she and Oliver would have made it to that point; going by the way they acted around one another.
"This is a turn up for the books." Michael seemed almost disappointed by the lack of scandal. "Ok...one last question. You get to choose it. Anything you really want to know about each other."
Lois thought for a moment and then decided to test her new found theory. "Clark, was it you who kissed me in the alley on the night of 11th January 2007?"
"No it wasn't." He announced, confident if he stayed calm, he could beat the machine.
The alarm beeped loudly.
"What a strange question..." Michael looked puzzled. "But looks like Clark is telling lies."
Lois smiled at Clark. She knew she had recognised the kiss from last night.
Clark's cover was blown but he didn't care anymore. In fact he wanted to probe her further while he had the chance. "Were you hoping it was me in the alley?" He teased her with his final question.
Her expression stayed the same. "Yes, I hoped it was you."
The alarm did not bleep...
"Congratulations, you have won...$70,000." The crowd roared. Lois took off the lie detector and went over to hug the approaching Clark. He was caught up in the moment, picking her up and spinning her around, then he kissed her.
"Where do we go from here?" she whispered in his ear...
The head rush from being contestants on a chat show surrounded by hundreds of screaming and clapping audience members disappeared the moment Clark and Lois were ushered out of the studio to make way for the next contestants.
The journey back to the hotel consisted of awkward silences and a refusal to acknowledge the bombshells which had just been exchanged between them.
They headed to the hotel reception to grab their keys, both looking puzzled when they were only handed one key.
"What's with this?" Lois asked the receptionist.
"We have heard about your outstanding performance on the show and have upgraded you to the honeymoon suite." She said waiting for the looks of joy on the couple's faces, but it never came.
Clark intervened. "It's ok, we were fine with the other rooms. It will be too much bother to move our stuff."
"Already done!" the lady smiled. "We have just booked out those rooms, and the hotel is full. That suite is the only room."
Lois grabbed the key. "Thanks for that!"
"That's not all. Here is a voucher for an all expenses paid meal in the most expensive restaurant in town. It is one of the show's sponsors."
Lois felt hungry all of a sudden so took the envelope gratefully. "Thanks." She said as she ushered Clark towards the lift.
"What was all that about?" he asked once the doors were closed.
"Look, we have no choice. Our flight is not leaving until the morning and we might as well enjoy the hospitality. We also need to discuss how we are going to spend our winnings." She replied. "I know what I am going to do – take Grant away for a romantic weekend."
Clark could see the diversion signs written all over her face. He wanted to talk about what had gone on during the show but he could see she was not going to be forthcoming.
"That's nice." He commented.
Lois opened the door to see a romantic wonderland complete with champagne and a check for $70,000 sitting on the table at the end of the bed.
"This is nice. Maybe I should bring Grant here for our first time." Lois said smugly, irritating Clark. "Or maybe you could bring Lana here for your first time in ages."
Clark's look said it all. If ever a look could make a person feel guilty, this was it. Lois excused herself. "I am just going to the bathroom."
Clark sat on the bed, contemplating whether he had made the worst decision ever agreeing to go on the show. Lois had admitted feelings for him and he had reciprocated by admitting things to her, he had never admitted openly to anyone.
Lois came out the bathroom with a determined look on her face. "I need to know why you did it."
"Did what?" Clark asked, looking at her as though she was talking a foreign language.
"You know!"
"No, I don't." He patted her bed for her to sit next to him.
She shook her head. "Why did you pretend to be Green Arrow so I wouldn't know about Oliver's secret identity?"
"I did a favour for a friend." He replied.
"But I was your friend and you did me no favours. If I had known he was Green Arrow then I would have accepted it without question and we would still be together."
"Lois, don't blame me for this one. Oliver made the conscious decision to hide his identity from you."
"He didn't trust me you mean."
"I am sure he would trust you but you have to understand, he did it to protect you from getting hurt."
"How did you find out? Why did he tell you?"
"He didn't tell me. I found out by accident." Clark explained but left out the detail of how he found out.
"I loved him Clark, and knowing he was the Green Arrow would have made me love him more." Lois said with such sincerity.
He could see Lois meant every word. He wondered why Lana could not be so selfless. For Lana, his powers were a barrier which she could not and probably would never overcome. Deep down he could see how resentful she was. He knew Lois would never be like that. She would embrace his powers.
"He would be lucky to have you at his side. " Clark announced.
"Thanks for that Smallville, and...if it is any consolation you are a much better kisser than Oliver." She smirked.
"I don't know what to say. Maybe you were just caught up in the moment. I think I am a below average kisser." He teased her.
"No way. How do you think I knew it was you? It was after you kissed me in the elevator last night. You pack one hell of a punch in those lips of yours."
"Do you think so?" Clark replied, flirting with her.
"I know so, but to make sure." She walked up to him and kissed him. She had assumed the kiss would be brief but Clark had other ideas.
What started off a tentative kiss was soon satisfying so much more than her curiosity . The sensation of his kiss made her heart race and every nerve ending in her body tingle. She felt his tongue, probing through her lips so she parted them ever so slightly, letting him explore her mouth.
Clark's thoughts were spiralling out of control, wonder where this sudden explosion of feelings would take them. Eventually Clark pulled back so he could see her expression. He stared at her, their faces just inches apart. He could feel her panting breath on his face and for the first time ever he felt as though he could go the further with Lois than he had ever been with Lana with his powers, safe in the knowledge that he would never hurt her.
Question was where would this lead...
