More Powerful - Chapter 4
- Time In The Clouds –

Clark sat in the back of the cab, his foot tapping nervously on the car's floor panel.

"Would you mind stopping that?" the cabbie asked. "It sounds like you're gonna go right through the bottom of my cab!"

Clark offered a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm nervous, I guess."

The cabbie grunted a response, and pulled alongside Lois' house. Clark's hands fumbled with the money as he noticed Lois walking around the side toward the dock where the seaplane was parked.

He gaze followed her so intently, that he didn't even realize that he had closed his coat in the cab door. He beat on the roof and offered his apologies as he dislodged his coat, but the cabbie was speeding away before the door was even closed.

Clark let out a slow breath and smoothed his coat over his arm. What was it about her that turned him into a clumsy mess? Clark was supposed to be a guise to keep her from seeing through him, but more and more he found himself a bumbling fool around her. Maybe he shouldn't have come.

Well. He was here now.

He took a deep, calming breath and followed her around the side of the house. His eyes fell on her, sitting on the dock, her shoes neatly set beside her, as she stretched out one leg to skim her toes along the surface of the water. The sunlight dappled through the leaves, dancing in speckles across her face as the wind picked up through the trees.

She seemed to be elsewhere, her lips pursed pensively. He was hesitant to intrude. But soon she felt his eyes on her and looked up, her expression guarded, mask firmly in place.

"Oh, hey, Clark," she said, turning her attention back to the water.

He squared his shoulders and pasted on a doofy grin. "Hello, Lois! Perry sent me over to work on the blackout story. He figured you'd want to work on it too."

"The blackout, yeah." It seemed like so much had happened since then, it drained her to even think about rehashing it right now. "Pull up a dock, Clark."

"I'm sorry…?"

"Come sit down." She shook her head slightly trying not to let him see her eyes roll. He was a nice guy, but she worried that her invitation might end with her pulling his clumsy butt out of the bay.

The dock creaked and groaned from the size of him as he managed to find a place beside her without incident. His legs were too long to hang over the side so he slid back to keep his feet out of the water, and his feet stuck awkwardly out straight ahead.

Lois smiled at his obvious discomfort. "Didn't you sit on docks as a kid? Take off your shoes. Never mind..." She reached over and grabbed his foot and slid the loafer off and handed it to him.

Clark stilled as he watched her. To have her touch him, even in this way, made his heart flutter in his chest. He caught himself starting at her hands as she made short work of his other shoe and socks, remembering once upon a time a more intimate experience in a place more secluded than this.

"Okay, now scoot forward and put your feet in the water, Clark. Clark!"

His eyes snapped up to hers. "Lois? Yes, o-okay." He slid forward, careful not to brush against her or to fall into the water.

The water was cool on his feet. It was unseasonably warm for September, and he reveled in this moment even if couldn't say what was on his mind. They sat there a long time, swinging their feet back and forth in the clear water. The silence was easy and comfortable as the sun beat down on their backs, keeping them warm. Clark leaned toward her, "How long do we do this for?" he said quietly, so as not to disturb the stillness.

"Until your feet get all pruny." She smiled, closing her eyes to let the sun warm her face. And Clark was entranced, her profile, kissed by sunlight, made her look like an angel and it was all he could do not to reach out and touch her… to feel her hair sliding between his fingers…

He tore his gaze away from her and concentrated on safer scenery. Lifting his feet out of the water, he wiggled his toes, enjoying the relaxed silliness that was such a rarity for him.

"I used to do this all the time when I was a little girl. My parents had a cottage upstate and there was a fishing hole with a little pier next to it. I used to spend all afternoon just like this, dreaming the day away, looking at my reflection in the water." She smiled up at him. "Life was so much simpler then."

Her face clouded, as her mind took her through the complications and trials she was even now in the midst of.

To lighten the mood, Clark wracked his brain for something to say. "My Dad used to take me fishing. I liked to lay across the bow with my arms spread out really wide and pretend to fly. Mom saw me doing it once and nearly had a heart attack. She was worried I'd drown in five feet of water." He chuckled

She smiled at the thought of him keeping his balance on anything let alone a moving boat. "Did you stop doing it?"

Clark ran a hand through his hair. "Nah. We just waited until we were out of view of the house where Mom couldn't see."

Her soft laugh was like coming home all over again.

"Jason is like that." Her face softened with love. "No matter how much I try and protect him, he always finds a way to get himself into trouble."

"I know the feeling." He smiled at her, thinking of all the times she'd run head first into danger despite his best efforts to keep her safe.

"How do you mean?"

Pushing up his glasses nervously he stammered, "We-Well I could – I mean—" For a moment he had forgotten who he was supposed to be. "What I mean is, I think he may get that from his mother."

She looked at him a moment too long for his comfort. "That's probably true." Her eyes met his, making him feel exposed in front of her. Finally she lowered her gaze and she studied a piece of seaweed that had attached to her foot.

"He had an asthma attack this morning. The worst one he's had in a while. I hate seeing him so small and helpless, Clark. I was really scared. His lips were all blue and his eyes were unfocused. I almost called an ambulance." Clark studied her face, taking in this new information. Her voice shook and she threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "Then all at once, he's fine. I gave him two shots of medicine and he's off to the races. My hair is going to be gray by the time he's in second grade!"

Clark put his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "It'll be okay, Lois. He's made from good stock. Like you said, he'll grow up to be big and strong…" His breath caught. "Like his dad." He pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat. "Anyway." He lifted his foot out of the water. "Are my feet pruny enough? Perry wanted us to work on the blackout so we can have something to print by this afternoon."

Lois grinned. "Such a boy scout. Yes, you are pruny enough." Clark drew his legs out of the water and braced himself on a post while he shook the water from his feet. Lois extended her hand. "Help me up and we'll get to work."

Clark reached down and took her hand gently in his. He pulled her to her feet and they stood there for a moment, face to face. "You know, you're taller than I remember." Clark just stared at her, transfixed. "I'll need my hand back then..."

Looking down he realized her small hand was still lost inside of his. He blushed and released her, mentally shaking himself. "S-sorry" he said quietly.

"Thanks for this, Clark. I needed to have my head in the clouds for a little while." And with that she gathered up her shoes and headed toward the house.

"You're welcome…"