Summary: Set 7 years after 'Cafeteria Food.' Clark has run into more trouble with his heritage and Jor-El/the AI have decided to confront Clark about it. (Hints at possible future Mpreg.)
Disclaimer: They're not mine
Category: Slash, drama
Rating: PG-13, mild mentions of sex but nothing too racy, sorry :o)
Spoilers: Nor sure really, Clark's a Kryptonian and Lex's knows, not much reference to the show or actual episodes otherwise.
Author's Notes: Please read notes for first chapter.
Please excuse any errors as I don't have a Beta.
Any feedback would be very helpful, but this is my first fic ever, so please be gentle.
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Lex Arrives To Save The Day"What are you talking about Clark? There's nothing there. Look." As Lois reached her hand out to touch his shoulder, her expression changed from exasperated to excited in a split second, as her hand touched the barrier surrounding Clark.
"Clark, this is so cool. Where do you think it comes from? Who would have the technology to do this? Do you think this has anything to do with Superman?" she fired the questions rapid-fire at Clark without leaving him time to respond.
What to tell her now, though. Better make something up to keep her quiet and on his team. Bribing always worked well with Lois.
"Lois, I think maybe it does have to do with Superman" he told her enticingly. "I have a hunch that someone thinks I know where Superman is and maybe they want me to take them to him. If I promise to let you write up the entire story and give you an exclusive interview with Superman, do you think you could help me keep this quiet from the rest of the staff?" he asked her imploringly.
Lois got that glint in her eye that she always got when working on a story that involved Superman. "Sure Clark, good idea. We'll keep this a secret to protect you and Superman and get a great story out of it afterwards."
While talking Lois had been feeling all around the outside of the force field surrounding Clark, much as he had done from the inside. She made her way all the way around him and then back to the front where she stood facing him with her hand touching the invisible obstacle in front of him, he put his hand out to mirror hers but the barrier remained and their hands could not touch.
"So…" Lois began slowly "what does Lex Luthor have to do with any of this? And how do you happen to have his direct line as Speed Dial One on your cell phone?"
"Look Lois, I know this will probably make you pissed off at me, for keeping things from you, but it's my personal life and I like to keep some things private. This just happens to be one of them. So here's the thing… Lex and I have known each other for years, and I usually call him when I need help. I figure with his connections and his intellect he can help me figure out who is behind this and get me out of this stupid force field. So please Lois, just cooperate for now and yell at me later!"
"Fine" Lois huffed at him. "Then at least explain to me this business about 'Father' and 'The Key' hmmm? What's that all about? Some kind of secret organization or code word or what?"
"It's just a code word that Lex and I use, he know what it means and he knows it means I need help, so he should be here right away. As for 'The Key' business, it's a way for me to contact Superman (lie, lie, lie) and Lex knows where it is."
"What!" Lois screeched loudly, and the entire newsroom turned to look at her. She glared at them all as if offended by their looks; and quickly came up with a cover story. "Don't worry folks. Nothing to be concerned about. I just received a major shock, that's all. Clark Kent has a date. Who would've guessed it was possible?"
Clark shot her a dirty look, but at least they were no longer the sole focus of the entire newsroom. Thank goodness!
Lois spoke much softer this time but there was still an angry edge to her voice, "Do you mean to tell me that you have had a way to contact Superman all this time and never shared that with me? I can't believe you consider us partners when you've been keeping this kind of vital information from me!"
"Calm down Lois, I don't think he gave it to me so that you could use it to call him up for an interview, or a date" he added snidely.
"Ha, maybe he did, maybe he's lonely and he gave it to you so that you'd give it to me. Did you ever think of that?"
"That's a stretch Lois. He's Superman, the Man of Steel and all that jazz. He doesn't seem the shy type. I think if he wanted to ask you out, he'd just do it. Besides, I get the expression that he swings the other way, if you know what I mean, Lois."
"Ha, that's probably just wishful thinking out your part Clark."
"Nevermind Lois, can we just focus on the crisis at hand instead of creating others? If you'll remember, I'm currently trapped. So here's what I need you to do. Go up to the roof and meet Lex's helicopter, which should be here any minute, and bring him down here to me. And try to be inconspicuous while you're at it please, Lois?"
"Fine, I'll go get Lex for you, but after this is all over you and I are going to have a long talk redefining the parameters of our partnership, 'cuz it seems like you've really been holding out on me.
As for being inconspicuous, I think you'll find you'll have a harder time at that than I will, standing out here in the hallway doing nothing, even considering that I'll be leading a certain bald billionaire through a news office."
As Lois stalked off, Clark realized she was right. He needed to come up with an excuse for standing like a dolt in the corridor beside his little office (read, cubicle he share with Lois). He searched his pockets for some inspiration frantically, if only he had his cell phone, he could pretend to be talking to a contact or something. But no such luck. Lint, gum and some spare change in his pockets yielded no inspiration either.
Man, he was just so sick of trying to come up with plausible lies all the time that his brain refused to help him this time. His only hope was that Lois returned quickly with Lex before anyone noticed him standing there awkwardly.
A few minutes later, thankfully, Clark could hear Lois and Lex in the stairwell and he gave a sigh of relief. Almost there, almost there! Lex will fix everything, he always does.
Unfortunately he had relaxed too soon, and his luck held out as usual, bad luck that is. At just the moment when Lex and Lois exited the stairwell and came around the corner towards Clark, Perry White came out of his office and noticed Clark standing still in the center of the newsroom.
"Kent" Perry bellowed.
"Yes, sir?"
"What are you doing standing around? Where's Lois?" he asked just as he saw her approaching. "There you are. Kent's standing around here. Both of you get back to work."
"Yes, sir!" they replied together.
Clark promptly turned around 180 degrees to huddle together with Lois, thereby blocking Lex from Perry's view.
Lex rushed to Clark's side and put his hand on Clark's shoulder, as though to comfort Clark and reassure himself that Clark was alright.
Lois just stared at Lex with her mouth open. "Wha?"
"What's the matter Lois?"
"Clark, he put his hand right through the force field. He put his hand on your shoulder and it didn't stop him. How did he do that?"
Suddenly what Lois had said dawned on him and they all looked at Lex's hand on his shoulder. Cautiously Clark put his hand on top of Lex's hand and ran his hand up Lex's arm. When he had almost reached Lex's shoulder his hand was stopped by the force field.
Lois put her hand up again to feel the field near where Lex had reached through it, and sure enough, it was still there and still blocked her hand.
"Lex" Clark asked "This is so weird, why can you reach through when Lois can't?"
"Nevermind that now Clark. I imagine we'll find out soon enough. I brought you 'The Key,' do you want it now?"
"Uh yeah, Lex, I kinda need it now. As you can see, it's kinda an emergency."
"I see that Clark, however, I was wondering at the repercussions of using it here. It's not like you can wipe everyone's memory."
"As you can see, I'm kinda stuck here Lex, I don't have any choice."
"Yes, I see that Clark, I'm just trying to figure out an alternative, but really, there are none, not until we know what we're dealing with. So here you go." Lex said as he reached into his inside breast pocket, withdrew his hand and extended it to Clark inside the force field.
Just then Perry White came storming out of his office towards the trio yelling, "Kent. Lane. What in tarnation do you think you are doing? Do you think I speak just to hear myself talk? I told you both to get back to you desks and get working. What do you…….huh." He broke off as he came around Clark's side and saw Lex Luthor standing there with his two best reporters. This obviously intrigued him.
Just as Perry came around Clark's right side, with Lois on his left and Lex standing in front of him, Clark's hand touched 'The Key' that Lex held out to him.TBC.
