Chapter 7: One Good Day
Jimmy explained his encounter with Tess, and the fact that Lex Luthor had returned and would likely show up at the fair. This was news to Clark as he gasped. Lex returned? Had he recalled any of Clark's secrets? Why hadn't Lex already attacked Clark privately or publicly? It didn't add up.
"Are you sure, Jimmy?" Lois asked skeptically. "Tess said that Lex would be here?" He nodded, after fully catching his breath. "This is big news, Clark!" She excitedly grabbed her car keys. "I need to get out my laptop. Daily Planet front page, here I come!" She joked as her eyes widened, forgetting briefly that she and Clark were supposed to be partners.
"Jimmy, do you have enough photo memory left to grab some shots of the bald wonder?" She checked with him as Clark edged away. "Freeze, Smallville!" Lois said, as her bright red lips curled upward. "You still owe me a dance, and Ollie still owes my charity a grand."
Clark swallowed hard, unsure of what was worse, Lex's return or the possibility of him looking like a fool in front of the entire Smallville community and then some. Where was a catastrophic emergency when you need one? He mentally asked the rhetorical question.
Lois suddenly took his hand, putting her page one story on the backburner for a few minutes. "Come on Clark, let's get your two left feet started." She smirked, guiding him up the three wooden stairs leading to the center stage. Jimmy, now relaxed and ready for anything, risked a chuckle. "This ought to be good."
Kara and Laura were already in line for the dance lessons. Laura's big green eyes widened as she spied Lois and Clark on the edge of the stage. "Can your cousin dance?" She asked Kara over her shoulder. "I don't know. We'll soon find out." The alien teen replied nervously.
Laura still held mixed feelings for Clark. On the one hand, she wished that it were she guiding him onto the stage, and on the other, she was glad not to be the center of attention for the moment. Clearly, her double identity issue would take some getting used to.
Oliver had joined the teen superheroes, to check on his possible investment. Chloe and his new additions to the fast growing culture of crime-fighters flanked him. The music started, and the dance lessons teacher demonstrated the synchronized steps of the line dance with several young women.
Clark reddened, immediately regretting his decision to dance with Lois. He considered what he was about to do, memorizing the line dance steps in order. I wish that Lois and I were doing a nice slow dance somewhere, he fretted. Laura and Kara were up next. Naturally, the teens executed the moves flawlessly. No pressure here, Clark mused sourly.
Lois turned to him, and gazed into his eyes. She mouthed the words 'relax and don't screw up' Clark rolled his eyes and nodded. It was their turn next. Lois and Clark slid smoothly into the rear of the line dancing populace, getting in step behind Kara and Laura in between beats. So far so good, Lois thought.
Clark considered all that he and Lois had been through, from those early days on the Kent farm, through the second meteor shower, the whole Lana Lang debacle, saving her from drowning in a sewer near Met U, losing her briefly to Oliver, then to the Phantom Zone, and finally landing a job by her side at the Daily Planet. On more than one occasion, she'd put her life on the line for him.
Clark believed that she'd earned a place in his life, perhaps permanently. He couldn't truly picture his life without her. But what did all that mean? He analyzed. Had he been wrong about Lana? Lois tapped him on the shoulder. 'Follow my lead' she mouthed the words. Clark realized that he'd been dancing for well over a minute without thinking about his steps. Perhaps, coordination is an ability as well, he mused.
Back in the audience, Jimmy couldn't resist. He focused his Tele-macro zoom camera on first Kara and Laura, and then Lois and Clark. By now, Bruce Wayne had taken refuge with Alfred in his limo, leaving Dick and Barbara on their own. The urban crime-fighters edged alongside the stage.
Immediately, Dick's sharp gaze fixated on Kara and Laura as they did the 'double dip tush push' or whatever the move was called. Girls looked good doing it, the guys not so much, he observed. Barb patiently waited for Lois and Clark to become visible. She'd been tracking them around the stage.
Other burly young men attempted the complicated synchronized dance with limited success, Barb critiqued. Amazingly, Clark hadn't yet missed a beat or a move. Something flashed just beyond the stage, distracting the Batgirl momentarily. She dismissed it as an errant camera's flash picture.
Presently, the music wound down to silence. The crowd cheered, encouraging the novice dancers further. The DJ announced that would be the last lesson for a while, and went back to other pop songs of different musical genres. Lois proudly escorted Clark down the steps, with a bright smile on her face.
"Not bad, Smallville, not bad at all." She praised, hugging him tightly, as the beer buzz kicked in. "You did fairly good as well." Clark returned the compliment, taking the opportunity to smell the flowery scent of her recently shampooed hair. Chloe joined them, with the other girls in tow.
"Now I have truly seen everything." She gibed. "Lois, you've managed to teach Clark how to dance." Clark flushed. "I don't know Chlo', I can't take the credit. Who'd have thought that Smallville could manage to put one foot in front of the other so well?" Clark sighed. "Gee thanks Lois."
"Care to dance to this?" Clark asked Lois out of the blue. The DJ began to play a popular love song, after encouraging other couples to return to the stage. Chloe gaped. Lois smirked. "I've created a monster." She quipped. "Maybe I will, after I hit the little girls room, and collect a check from a certain incognito green leather clad billionaire." She wandered off singing her favorite Whitesnake tune.
"Way to go, CK!" Jimmy gave him a high five. "You and Lois nailed it! Wait until Perry and the others see their prize reporters kicking up their heels." Chloe hugged Jimmy as Clark frowned. "Jimmy, you're supposed to be photographing important things for the Planet." He chastised the eager photojournalist.
"Hey, Lois told me to grab some pictures of the local color." He shrugged and grinned mischievously. Chloe nodded. "That she did. Nothing more local or colorful than Clark and Lois's line dancing." She needled him with just a hint of jealousy in her tone. Oliver soon joined them, a small entourage of Harvest Fair workers lining up behind him. Chloe cast him a sidelong glance.
"Very good Clark!" Oliver praised as the Fair employees began setting up a couple of tables for them side by side, with an appropriate complement of chairs. Abby, Maddie, Sara, and Ren took seats opposite Oliver, who placed a tray of drinks before them, some alcoholic, some not.
Faith approached cautiously from the shadows, eyeing up Clark. "I don't know, isn't synchronized dancing a sign of the apocalypse?" She remarked cynically, taking a chair nearest to Oliver. Jimmy scratched his head, wondering what all of these girls had in common with Oliver and Chloe.
Chloe sat next to Oliver, and the group resembled a prearranged meeting. Laura and Kara, not wanting to be left out, joined the girls on the opposite side of the table. Clark slowly made his way to the end of the table, remembering to set up a folding chair for Lois.
Jimmy readied his camera. "Uh…Jimbo, can we just pass on the Paparazzi act for a moment?" Oliver asked. "You're still welcome to join us, minus the Tele-macro, please." Jimmy shifted uneasily, until Chloe patted the folding chair next to her. He dutifully sat down, placing a cover over the camera lens.
"Clark, what about it? Will you join us?" Oliver teased as Chloe snickered. "Well, there's still Lois…" Clark hedged. "Don't worry, Lois is like a bloodhound, she'll find you sooner or later." Oliver encouraged. Jimmy glanced over at the girls, and felt more confused than ever.
Oliver passed out the glasses based on age appropriate beverage. He sat back on the folding chair and arrogantly placed his feet up on the edge of the table. "What about it Clark? Will you join us?" He repeated the double entendre for effect. Clark grinned thinly. "Sure." He sat down next to Jimmy.
Dick and Barbara, who sat at a table for two, just within earshot of Oliver's group, witnessed this little innocent appearing display. Barbara turned to her colleague and frowned. "There's something odd about that set up." She nodded her head towards Oliver, allowing her reddish blonde hair to scatter in the stiff early evening breeze. Dick followed her gaze. "Oliver Queen drinks with the common folk?" He asked.
"Partially." Barb agreed. "I'm going to snap a few photos with our Mini Bat Camera, I think Bruce might want to look into this further." She added. "I don't see anything wrong with the group." Dick shrugged it off. "Some detective you'll turn out to be." She criticized. "Why would a billionaire CEO like Oliver Queen make it a point to schmooze with the common folk?"
"Eccentric personality?" Dick grumbled. "Feeling good about himself?" Barb wasn't so sure. "Anyway, here, I'll snap some photos of you if you stand with Oliver and his group in the background." She urged gesturing him to the main plaza. "Just a minute, Nancy Drew." Dick taunted. "Let me grab my iced tea."
Barbara did just that, narrowing her Bat Camera focus to include everyone at Oliver's table. Dick posed nonchalantly with his drink, adding a cheesy smile for effect. "Stop smirking, you'll break the camera's lens." Barb ribbed him. Dick struck a pro wrestler hero's pose just to irritate her. "Nice." She said dryly.
By now, Lois had returned to the group. She headed straight for Oliver. "Time to pay the piper." Her lips curled upward in a satisfied grin. Lois held her hand out and Oliver subsequently wrote out the check for charity, handing it to her. In front of everyone Lois shoved the check down her bra.
"You know, Lois, that doesn't look good." Faith taunted. "Oliver handing you a check and you sticking it in your lingerie." Clark rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't be the first time." Chloe joked. "Hey Chlo', what's with the stinging commentary?" Lois objected. "Ooh Chloe! Dirt! Dish it!" Jimmy urged. "You do, and you'll get a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking from me." Lois returned the good-natured jab.
Before she got herself in any more trouble, Lois glanced at Clark. "Smallville, didn't you promise me a dance or two?" She folded her arms patiently. Clark had lost the mood, as he continued to worry about what Lex would say or do when he confronted him. Clark took a deep breath, and got up.
If Lex was about to 'out him' in front of everyone, it was best to tell Lois the truth now, he decided, or risk losing her forever. Clark silently took Lois by the hand, and led her to the stage, where another appropriate slow song was just beginning. Clark rehearsed his story. I might just as well put it all out there for Lois, and see if she can deal, he considered his choice of words carefully.
Lois, I have something to tell you, he pictured himself voicing the words. I haven't been totally honest with you, and I want you to hear it from me first before anyone else…he continued to mull the words over. Clark helped Lois onto the stage where she waited patiently for him to embrace her.
Placing his arms around her waist above her shapely hips, he continued to practice his speech. Lois instinctively placed her arms around his neck, and leaned heavily into his chest, resting her head against his shoulder. Clark smelled her perfume, and hair shampoo, and even with the scent of imported beer on her breath, she was still attractive, as she pulled him closer to her.
Lois's quick move derailed Clark's train of thought. He silently began to start over. Lois, I have something to tell you…in the distance, Clark's super sensitive hearing picked up the sound of an approaching helicopter. Lex! He mentally groused. Time was running out…
Oliver watched the contented couple for a moment before losing interest. That could just as easily have been him, he mused, but it obviously wasn't meant to be, Oliver rationalized. He admitted that he really didn't need Lois after all, but Clark did, and she needed Clark.
"You know, Smallville…" Lois began. "You're not half bad at dancing." Clark sighed; ready to begin what could very well be the most important sentence he would ever speak. Instead, he simply said: "Thanks Lois." She shifted to his other shoulder as they spun gracefully away from another couple.
"Lois, I have something to tell you." Clark said as he guided her further away from the booming DJ loudspeakers. "Ssh!" Lois smiled. "Don't ruin the evening with a lot of complications." Clark was struck silent. "Huh?" He finally bit out. Lois gazed into his eyes and kissed him full on. He enjoyed the long romantic kiss, at a loss for any further words.
She'd done it again, Clark mused. Lois had beaten him to the punch, making the first move on him. He didn't mind her aggressiveness at all. "Aww!" Faith smiled for the first time since they'd met her. Appreciating the romantic scene far less were Oliver, Chloe, Maddie, and Laura. They buried their attention in their drinks. "All's fair in love and war…" Jimmy quoted.
"You know, there are always winners and losers." Sara commented philosophically. "I certainly don't feel like a loser." Oliver announced proudly. "Here! Here!" They all raised their plastic cups and clicked them together. Kara seemed to feel the most comfortable about her cousin and Lois getting together. It appeared to her that it was meant to be, not that she considered herself an expert or anything.
Lois and Clark continued their romantic slow dance as the helicopter drew in ever closer.
continues