Disclaimer: DC Comics/Warner Bros. Entertainment owns these characters. This is strictly for my own amusement.
Author's Notes: In this next chapter, Clark's true reason for being in NYC is revealed, Sam and Lois try to mend fences but things get out of hand, and later Clark and Lois talk briefly about the triangle for two. Please read and review. Thank you! :D
~o~o~
Chapter 7: But Now There's You
Back in New York City:
Lois and Clark were in the bathroom after a rather strenuous make-out session when Clark realized that Lois' phone kept beeping on and on. Finally, he asked, "Aren't you going to answer that; it could be important?"
"Alright, alright, I'll answer it." Lois was not interested in doing her job right now, not when such a magnificent specimen of manhood was standing directly in front of her totally naked. She managed to pull her eyes away from that glorious body, then she pulled out her cellphone and listened to the message. It was from her landlord. After listening to it several times, Clark glanced at her, and he could have sworn there was smoke drifting from her ears. She was obviously furious about something. "I don't believe he would do such a thing."
"Who are you talking about?" Clark asked, after speed-dressing into a suit and tie.
She sighed heavily then told him what had happened at her apartment yesterday evening. "Why would he do that?"
Clark was thinking. "Well, was there anything incriminating in your notes, because … well ….?" He let that hang for a moment.
Lois suddenly looked sheepish. "Well, I … Ummm …"
"What did you write?" Clark was beginning to worry.
"I did mention that you were an unbelievable kisser. That was all."
"Lois, it was just a kiss. Was that all of it or was there more?" He narrowed his eyes and waited.
"Well, I … Ummm …"
"You what, what did you write?"
"Clark, I was just so enamored of you and I may have let my mind wander a bit, and it was just a fantasy, like the beginnings of a story."
"Oh dear."
"I'm sorry, Clark. I just … I guess I was thinking about you and that you took me into your arms, and we went flying and …" She hesitated as she glanced at him.
"And ….?"
"That was all of it, I swear."
Clark sighed. "You need to call him and explain. Lois, he's worried about you, that's all it is."
"I know. I'll call him now."
Lois took a deep breath and called her Father. It went to voicemail then she hung up. "He didn't answer. I can't leave a message like that over the phone. I have to head back to Metropolis, but what about your story?"
"I have a few leads then I should be back later tonight. While you get dressed, I'll tell you about it."
After Lois had gotten dressed and was ready to go, they headed down to the lobby. "Ok, let me get this straight, this missing heiress is also Lex Luthor's former wife? Is that right?"
"Yes, that's right," Clark replied, not looking at her.
Lois frowned. "And Perry gave you this story?"
"Well, I …" He hesitated.
"You what?"
While on the elevator down to the lobby, Clark told her everything, about how he and Lex had grown up together that they had known each other as friends when they were younger. Lex had witnessed the bus accident from the overhead bridge all those years ago. After Lois had checked out of the hotel, they headed outside and waited for a cab.
"I know about the bus accident," Lois said.
"You know? But how do you know about that?"
"Harry Barnes came to the Planet the same day that my Father captured you and tried to poison you."
"Harry Barnes, of course, I see now. Harry and I are friends from school," Clark thoughtfully said.
"He told me a lot Clark, and that was why I rushed over to the warehouse. Harry was the reason that I found you."
Clark shook his head amazed Harry would come all that way to help him. Lois took his hand. "A lot of people care about you, not just me," she said and smiled at him.
"I know." He pulled her to him and kissed her. A minute later, the cab arrived, and Clark helped her with her luggage then Lois climbed inside. He squeezed her hand. "Please call me after you talk to your Father. It's crucial," Clark said and kissed her again.
"Don't worry. I'll call him in a few minutes. Bye Clark."
"Bye, Lois."
~o~o~
On the drive over to the airport, Lois called her Father again, and this time he picked up the phone.
"Lois?" General Lane felt horrible about his actions. "I know what you're going to say."
"Do you, Daddy? How could you?" Lois was furious with him.
"Let me explain," Sam began, but Lois was still terribly upset.
"No, you listen, because I don't want to hear it. If you found anything in my apartment, it was just me sprouting off about Superman. He's extremely attractive, and I was just fantasizing. Please don't take it literally. Superman and I are just friends. Please believe that."
Sam wanted to believe her, so he decided not to push her. He was still worried, but he did want to make things right between them. "I believe you."
"You do?" Lois was still skeptical.
"I truly do, and Lo … I miss you."
Lois' eyes watered. "Oh, Daddy, I miss you too. I hate that we haven't talked or seen each other in so long. It's been months."
"I know sweetie, and I do want to make it up to you. When will you be back in town?" Sam was getting excited about seeing her again.
"I'll be home in a few hours. Meet me at my place?" Lois asked, also getting excited.
"I'll be there. Bye, Lo."
"Bye, Daddy."
~o~o~
Meanwhile, back in New York City:
Contessa Erica Alexandra Del Portenza was the eighth wife of Lex Luthor. They were married but only for a short time, although they had known each other for over twenty years. Clark was able to locate a few former employees of LexCorp and had found an address where she could be located.
Apparently, the Contessa had given birth to a daughter, Lena, but they had not returned to Metropolis. In his search, Clark had found an address in upstate New York. It was a mental hospital. Clark was truly shocked to hear this, although he wasn't surprised to learn that Lex had been married so many times, but he got the feeling that the Contessa may have been manipulated into the marriage, especially if Lex felt that she was encroaching upon his abilities as a father. Clark shuddered at the thought.
As he approached the hospital, thoughts of the past crept into his mind. Lex had been a friendly and outgoing child in the beginning. Later, as they had both gotten older, of course, he had suspicions about Clark, particularly after the bus accident, but Clark was always able to sidestep him and his suspicions.
Ultimately, Clark had made the difficult decision to leave Smallville. It was torture to leave his family behind, but his Father had been right. He had a reason for being there on Earth and he needed to find out what that reason was no matter how long it would take. Ten years and constant searching and he had found the reason. He was Earth's savior, and he had accepted that role and all that it meant.
He tentatively approached the front desk and asked to see the Contessa. The nurse asked for identification, and he showed her his press badge. She indicated that the Contessa was heavily sedated, and it was pointless to speak with her.
Clark was aware of this, but he asked to speak to her just the same. The nurse allowed it. And as it turned out, the Contessa had just a few minutes of clarity.
Clark's questions were specific and right to the point. Why was she being sedated? Who committed her? Can she leave here? Where was her daughter?
He got the answers he needed, left her and headed to Metropolis. He had enough for a story, but would Perry run with it? Every answer that the Contessa had given him implied that she was being held there against her will and that her daughter had been hidden from Lex.
A few hours after returning to Metropolis, Clark heard that the Contessa had escaped the hospital, but could not be found. Word had also gotten out that she had a visitor a few hours earlier, a reporter named Clark Kent, just hours before her escape.
~o~o~
The Daily Planet, that same day:
"Kent, get in here!" That was Perry, upset upon hearing the news.
"Yeah, Chief?" Clark asked as he entered Perry's office, nervous and worried now.
"Why didn't you tell me that this story was about Lex Luthor and his missing wife? I would have agreed to it."
"I couldn't take that chance, Chief. I needed to find her right away. It was possible that Lex could have been involved. I wanted to make sure that she wasn't being held against her will."
Perry narrowed his eyes. "You sound as if you know him. Is that true?"
Clark hesitated. "Yes it's true. We both grew up in Smallville, but that was a long time ago."
"I see, well, I wish you could have told me this sooner, Kent. It may have gone a long way in my decision. Anyway, was she committed against her will?" Perry asked.
"Yes, it seems that she was. I talked to her albeit briefly, and she hadn't seen her daughter since the day she was born. That was over ten years ago."
"Incredible story, but I don't think we should run this," Perry was thoughtful. "I don't want a lawsuit."
"But Chief, at least run the story about her escape. The Daily Planet is a national news agency, and we do have a website. The Planet can help with the search. She deserves that at least."
"Ok, we'll run with that."
"Thanks, Chief."
After returning to his desk, he received a text message from Lois telling him about her conversation with her Father. They had patched things up and that he was coming to visit this evening so he shouldn't come by unless she called him. He understood, so he sent her a text.
~o~o~
That evening at Lois's apartment:
Lois thought it best that Lucy be included in their 'family gathering.' She felt Lucy could be a buffer between her and their father. She ordered take-out and everyone sat down to eat, but before they got started, Sam made an excuse and headed to the bathroom.
Lois' bedroom door was open and being Sam, he didn't trust his own daughter and what she had told him about Superman that they were just friends. His instincts were never wrong. He entered her room closed the door a bit and peeked at her cellphone, and he saw the text messages and emails, but they were from Clark Kent. Shaking his head, he returned to the dinner table.
Everything was quiet for a few minutes then Lucy tried to get a conversation started. "So how was New York? Did you get any sightseeing done?"
"Lucy, I wasn't there to sightsee. I was there on business."
"And your new partner was he there as well?" Sam asked, getting suspicious again.
"Yes, he was, and he's still there as far as I know."
"How are things between you two? You've never had a partner before." Sam was probing now.
Lois chewed her food for a moment then she answered him. "We get along OK. I admit it was hard at first having a partner, but we hit it off."
"I bet you did," Sam muttered under his breath.
"What did you just say?" Lois slowly put down her fork and raised her eyes to her Father.
"Daddy, please don't do this." Lucy hated when they argued.
"If you have something to say, say it, don't mumble." Lois was getting upset.
"I know you and Kent are sleeping together." There it was.
Lois gasped. "I can't believe you would say that to me. I'm an adult, not a child, and I'll sleep with whomever I want."
"But he's your partner. It's unseemly and just wrong if you ask me," Sam said not looking at her. He didn't wait for her to reply then he continued. "Lo, he looks like Superman, and they could be twins. Please don't hook up someone because they look like the person you want to be with. It makes you look like …" He couldn't finish.
Lois' back went up. "It makes me look like what?"
"Daddy stop this please stop!" Lucy was on the verge of tears.
"It makes you look desperate and unfeeling. Think about him and not yourself for a change." Sam spelled it out for her.
Lois closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Clark and I … we're …" She didn't know what they were, but she loved him. It was as simple as that.
"What are you exactly?" Sam prompted then waited.
Lois hesitated again but only for a moment. "We're in love. I don't care what he looks like. He's a friend and we trust each other." She paused as she regained her composure. "As I said, we're consenting adults, and we know what we want."
Lucy took her hand. "I'm sorry, Lo. Daddy needs to shut up and leave you alone. Can we meet him sometime?"
Lois squeezed her hand. "Of course, you can."
"Daddy?" Lucy prompted. "Apologize to Lo right now." She rarely stood up to her Father, but he was just wrong, totally wrong about this.
"I'm sorry, Lo. It's just … I love you, and I want you to be happy. I know I haven't been around that much, but that doesn't mean that I don't care. Please believe that." Sam was pleading with her now.
"You say that, Daddy, but your actions say something totally different." But as she thought about it, she wondered how he found out about their affair. "How did you know about Clark and me?"
Sam glanced at his food. "Where did you get this take-out? I must try this place. What's the name of it?"
Lucy frowned, not liking this at all. "Were you spying on Lo?"
"If you ask me, he was snooping again." Lois was getting angry. "It's true isn't it?"
"Ok, I … Ummm … glanced at your cellphone a little while ago," Sam admitted, shame-faced head down.
Lois closed her eyes and silently counted to ten. "Daddy, this has to stop, do you hear me? We can't fix things if you continue to do this."
"I won't do it again, I promise," Sam said, honestly believing it.
"I hope you mean that," Lois said, but she would have to keep an eye on him.
~o~o~
After dinner and her family had left, Lois was emotionally drained and exhausted. She sent Clark a text that if he wanted to come over, she would welcome him but that she would not be pleasant company.
Clark, of course, picked up on her mood. He replied that he was on his way over. Five minutes later and in her night-clothes and a robe, she opened the door and the look on his face of such understanding and compassion that she couldn't help it then she went into his arms. Closing her eyes, she tried to stem the flood of tears.
He didn't say anything but picked her up and took her to bed. He laid her down for a moment then he changed quickly and was back in her arms holding her close to his chest.
A few minutes later, Lois found the strength to speak. "Thank you for coming, Clark." Then her shoulders started to shake. She couldn't hold it in any more.
He reached over to give her a tissue from the nightstand. "Tell me what happened to upset you like this."
"It was horrible." She left his arms and lay down. Clark leaned up on his elbow to look at her. "Go on."
"He did it again. He went snooping around my apartment just before dinner and went through my cellphone." She looked him in the eye. "He knows about us."
Clark was stunned and confused. "What do you mean 'us'?"
"Clark Kent and Lois Lane," she sadly replied.
"Oh, I see." Clark was relieved.
"Clark, it's just a matter of time before he realizes the truth that you and Superman aren't twins that you are the same person."
"Lois, he may never know that unless you tell him."
"I would never tell him that," she said, but then her eyes skidded away from him.
"There's more, what else did he say?" She was silent as her eyes closed thinking about it. "Lois, what else did he say?"
Sighing heavily, she sadly replied, "He said that I appeared desperate and unfeeling to hook up with someone who looks like Superman instead of the real thing." She wiped at her eyes.
Holding in a laugh, Clark cleared his throat, but his eyes were laughing.
"Do you think that's funny?" Lois couldn't believe him.
"Come on, Lois, think about it. You got the real thing. Your Father doesn't know the truth. No one does."
She thought about his words. "I suppose you're right." She shook her head and tried to smile.
"Come here," he said and pulled her close under his chin. "The three of us; we're a strange lot. It's just the way things are. People will think that we're a triangle, but we know the truth and that's all that matters. Superman and Lois Lane cannot be a couple. You do understand that, don't you?" He pulled back and stared into her beautiful eyes. "Your safety and my sanity depend upon it."
She touched his cheek. "I know, and I understand, but if I had my way I wouldn't share you with anyone, especially the world."
Shaking his head, he leaned down just a little and kissed her sweetly at first, but Lois wanted more, even though she was exhausted. "I need you so much, Clark. Love me," she whispered kissing his throat.
He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying her kisses. He smoothed and stroked her hair. "Why don't you get some rest? I know you're tired."
Lois pouted prettily, but her eyes were drooping a bit. "Ok, but you owe me one." She smiled at him.
"That I do," he whispered. She scooted closer and hugged him tight. Ten minutes later, she was fast asleep.
Clark closed his eyes and stroked her hair, and thought about her Father and why he felt the need to treat her this way. She didn't deserve it.
I may need to have a few words with him.
TBC!
~o~o~
Song Inspiration: Nobody Loves Me Like You Do, Whitney Houston.
A/N: I enjoyed writing this chapter even though Lois was hurt to face the issue of Superman and Clark Kent and her involvement with them. I've never written a scene where they actually talked about the triangle directly. I hope it made sense. Ok then, Clark Kent and Sam Lane … coming up next! Stay tuned. And Lex won't be too happy about Clark snooping around in his business. Thank you all for reading. Comment please?
