Note: Hey all—sorry I'm skipping around a bit on my stories. I'm really close to the end of Until You and this one, so I thought I'd try to move them along. Hope you enjoy. If you don't remember, we last left Clark and Lois with her not remembering him… Hope you enjoy! Would love to hear what you think!!
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Chapter 9
The silence in the room was eerie.
Lois Lane's blank stare cut right through him.
Desperate fear crawled from the pit of his stomach to his tightening throat, choking off his air supply.
And his words.
"Lois? It's…me. Clark. Clark…Kent."
Nothing registered in Lois' expression.
He took a tentative step closer. His eyes were wide with alarm. His voice, tense. The blood had long since drained from his face.
How could this be happening? She'd just recognized him only minutes before. Had spoken to him in their connection. Could it be the concussion? Was it worse than they thought? Or could the crystal have done some damage after all? And why now? Just when he'd realized what they were to each other? Just when he'd found her?
His other half.
Whatever it was, he would get her back. No matter how long. No matter the sacrifice.
His mind spinning to grasp something, anything, to jog her memory, he started with the mundane facts, certain the latest and greatest would earn him a one way ticket out of her room and into a mental institution. "Lois, we've known each for years. You lived with my family on the farm. You remember? Farm boy. Plaid, flannel. Smallville?"
Her brows furrowed, but she remained silent, unresponsive.
"And now…we…we're partners. At the Daily Planet. It's where we work…as reporters." Another step and he was standing by the bed. His large hands waved between them in an unconscious attempt to link them. His bumbling words didn't help. "I'm your…we're…"
A pause. A sigh. Dropped shoulders.
Then…
"Geez, Smallville." Lois scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You still can't say it, can you?" Shaking her head, her expression animated with mock irritation. "It really shouldn't be that hard. Two words. Two. Boy…friend." Her teasing smirk was not lost on a suddenly confused but slowly catching on Clark as she tried to lead him through the paces of learning the supposedly new concept. "Puuut 'em together now. Boy…"
The tension broke.
Clark sagged against the bed, his head dropping in relief, his chest hitching as he exhaled a large wad of anxiety. Then it hitched in a sigh of joy. A kaleidoscope of emotions hit him so hard and all at once, he didn't even mind her messing with him. After all he'd put her through, he deserved a bit of payback.
Until, of course…
Lois chuckled.
Narrowed eyes snapped up to meet hers. "That…was not funny."
As much as she loved busting his chops, this was one play that had a point.
Seriousness replaced any hint of teasing. "No. Having you disappear from my life wouldn't be."
Clark swallowed hard. I know that feeling.
So much had happened between them today. So much that needed to be addressed. What they'd experienced in this new connection of theirs. Their relationship. His status as a super-powered being from another planet. What that meant to their relationship.
Apparently, Lois felt the same.
"Whether it's from some whacked out crystal zapping my memory…" She paused, knowing she had one shot and one shot only to make herself perfectly clear. She knew how afraid he was. Of the truth. Of the dangers implicit in the truth. Of hurting her. "…or because you've decided that what you can do is too dangerous for me to be around."
"Some would consider that a valid point." Clark whispered. Ok, so we're going to tackle alien status first.
"I'm not some." Of all the things she'd been through in her life, all the decisions she'd had to make, this one was the easiest. How ironic that it would be for a plaid wearing, primary color loving, out of this world being that held the key her happiness in his smile. "Then again, I'm not Lana."
Or not. "Lois…"
"Or was that all you?" Lois asked calmly. Too calmly. "Is that what the multiple train wrecks were all about? Who you are and what it means for the people you love?"
"Boy, you really want to go there, don't you?" It wasn't an accusation. In fact, if anything, Clark's admiration of Lois grew. This was the woman he'd fallen in love with. Strong. Bold. Fearless.
"Clark, out of everything that I've seen and learned and felt today, it's the only thing that matters."
"Whether I still love Lana or not."
"No." Lois shook her head, her expression open. No lingering doubts. No jealousy-fueled fears. That question had been answered without words through their connection. Others, however, had not. "Whether you think your love cycle is on constant repeat. Whether you believe this…what's going on between us…will end the same because it is or that I'm like her. Because if you really believe that, I don't think..." Her voice broke. "...you know just how special we really are."
The uncertainty in her eyes gripped his heart like a vise. She was simply amazing. Of all the things that she could be focused on, of everything that had happened, the contents of his heart, his belief in them, was at the top of her list.
Slipping her hand into his, Clark's steady, confident gaze held hers. "I don't believe that. I know this is different."
"Good." Lois bit her lower lip nervously. "Because it's not. You know, on repeat. And we are. Special, I mean."
Covering her hand with his other, Clark's voice softened meaningfully. "Lois, I know."
"But that still doesn't mean you won't push me away, does it?" Halting any response before he could form one, Lois hastened on, clearly on a mission. "And before you answer that…I have something very important to say and you, Clark Kent, are going to do more than listen. You're going to hear me."
He could only nod his acquiescence.
Lois continued, determined. "I don't scare easily. And I don't run. And after what I saw tonight…because of what I saw…I'm not sure I have a choice in the matter any more, but if I did…I still wouldn't leave your side. Because this, Clark, this is it for me. Despite any danger. Because I believe you and I together are bigger than anything that could possibly come our way. We proved it tonight. I think we've been proving it all along."
"That doesn't mean I don't understand your fears, Clark. I do." Her voice softened perceptibly. "And I don't take them lightly. But you can't let them paralyze you. I won't let you." She continued, with infuriatingly sound logic. "And you know, when you think about it, I'm not invulnerable. I could be in danger from a swerving car just as easily as I could from some intergalactic queen that has the hots for you."
She pulled in a shaky breath, stealing herself for what was to come.
His reaction.
To her ultimatum.
"So, this is it, ok? This is our line in the sand. We either go for this full throttle or…" Her fingers turned icy cold. "…we're at war."
"War." Clark blinked. He certainly hadn't expected that.
Lois nodded, her eyes full of determination. "I don't care how long it takes or what I have to do, I'm not giving up on you, Clark Kent. Not until you surrender to us. Not until you're all mine."
She swallowed hard, trying to gauge his unreadable expression. A hint of vulnerability slipped through her expression. "So…now you know where I stand. The rest is up to you."
Clark's heart swelled with love and pride. He fought back the goofy grin threatening to spread over his entire being. Just when he thought he couldn't love her more, there she was…proving him wrong.
"You done now?"
Lois nodded, then bit her lip nervously.
"Good." Clark stated, managing somehow to keep the laughter out of his voice as he repeated her command from a few moments earlier. "Because now, I have something to say and you, Lois Lane, are going to hear me."
He slipped onto the edge of the bed and gathered both hands in his. "You called me your boyfriend today."
Lois simply nodded.
"And I hurt you with my reaction." He didn't need verbal confirmation. The flash of pain in her eyes was enough. "I'm sorry. I know I acted…horribly. But it's not for the reason you think."
"No?"
"No."
Sighing, Clark shook his head. "Lois, it had nothing to do with my feelings for you, or even Lana, for that matter. It was about the kind of man I want to be. The kind of man you deserve."
Her brows knit in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Well, let's face it. Until you, my only real experience with being a 'boyfriend' is with Lana. And I made mistakes with her, Lois. Huge, unforgivable mistakes. I think you called them train wrecks." Seeing the questions in her eyes, he dove in deeper, confessed more. "I lied. I kept secrets from her. Over and over, I pushed her away. And I did it, Lois, in part because of the danger, but in large part…because I was too afraid to show her who I really am."
"So when you called me your boyfriend this morning…yes, I reacted poorly. But it wasn't because I don't feel it, Lois. It wasn't because I don't want to belong to you." A small smile tilted his lips. His eyes lightened. "I already do."
"Then why…"
"Because of that guy. The one I used to be. With her." A helpless shrug. A sincere expression. Emotion filled eyes. "Lois, I don't ever want you to spend a day with him. Not even a second. He isn't worthy of you."
"Oh, Clark…"
Clark rushed on, everything he'd been thinking and feeling the past few month fell into placed and spilled effortlessly out of a heart that had been overflowing for way too long.
"Everything that's happened between has been so unexpected, Lois. At first, we could barely stand each other then suddenly we were friends. Friends that started working together, and somehow through that, you became the best part of my day. Every day. From there it was a short trip to the most important person in my life."
"I realized that when Lana came back. I told her that. Told you. Then before I knew it we were in the middle of something I don't ever want to get out of…and you didn't even know my secret yet." His pleading gaze met hers. "That's why I froze. Not because of my feelings for you."
"Your feelings?" Lois inquired with a quirk of her lips.
"Yeah. About those…let me make myself perfectly clear." His smile spread. His eyes sparkled with laughter, with love. "You can call me whatever you want—boyfriend, Smallville, trained monkey—pick your label. Because it's not going to make a bit of difference in how I feel. In what you are to me."
"And what is that?" The question was barely a whisper.
"You, Lois Lane…"Clark's hands gravitated to her face. His eyes, so soft and loving, caressed every curve of her face, and noted every fleck of her eyes. His whisper was low and sweet. "…are my destiny. My beloved one. My everything. My soul. My best friend. My heart..." He sent her a wink. "Stop me when you get bored."
Lois bit back a chuckle. Her breath caught in the center of her chest as her eyes brightened with unshed emotion. Wrapping her fingers around his wrists, Lois breathed her whisper. "And you are mine."
"Guess that means…" Sighing, Clark's smile deepened. "…you can disarm now. Because living my life without you…is not an option."
"No?" Lois grinned.
"No." His lips curled up at the corners as his eyes began to shine with renewed promise. ""Besides, I think it's pretty clear by now...my surrender is complete."
"So…no war?"
"No war." Clark confirmed before adding a suggestion. "Unless of course, you want to engage just on principle alone."
"Principle?"
"Uh-huh. Negotiating treaties with you is so very..." His voice lowered suggestively. "...very satisfying."
She flashed him a smile than bit her lower lip trying to keep her giddiness in check. "I think we've engaged enough today. In fact, I have a better idea."
An intrigued eyebrow rose. "Better than negotiating?"
"Uh-huh." Lois nodded.
"Yeah? What's that?"
Silently, she held her arms open. Clark moved into them without hesitation. She leaned her forehead against his and nuzzled his nose. "The expression 'make love, not war' mean anything to you?" Lois queried.
"Not yet." Clark chuckled. "But I have a feeling it will…"
Their lips met in a tender kiss. A kiss full of deep, abiding love. A kiss full of promises and dreams. A kiss legendary enough…
…to build a life on.
End/Tbc…
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p.s. To clarify--they're first time is not actually going to be in a hospital bed, so no one freak out, ok? :) :)
p.s.s. Ok, so I say End because I COULD end it here and be fine with it. I also say TBC because I COULD continue with a few more chapters. I know I glossed over quite a bit in this chpt and would like to delve into the connections/book, etc. But it's really up to you all. If there's little to no interest, I'll end it here. Just let me know which you prefer. Thanks, as always, for your interest and support!
