Chapter 10:
Metropolis 2014:
Clark went to the Metropolis Central Park. Since he couldn't fly, he went to the place that resembled most with Smallville. The quiet of the park was essential to Clark clear his mind. These last two days were quite intense, even for him. Superman, his alter-ego, Lex Luthor and the confrontation with Lois and afterwards Chloe, left him devastated. Only two days and he wasn't sure he could take much longer: to back off his friends and the woman he loved, Lois. But remembering his mother's words, it had to be done. "Maybe this is a bad idea"- He thought. He could walk away from Metropolis and be Superman elsewhere. He still could impersonate his alter-ego without hurting his friends. Loneliness that's what he was feeling. But there was something which compelled him to stay and abandoned the idea to leave: Lois Lane. She was a blessing in his life and proof of that was that she accepted his alter-ego without questioning.
He walked to a small lake reminding of the big lake that he usually go in summer back in Smallville still thinking about Lois.
"I'm going to her neighborhood just to take a peek."- He thought.
On the way there, he heard someone talking a few meters away. He approached by hearing the comments.
"C'mon doll, it's just for a good cause." – A male voice teased.
"yeah, right! And I'm the tooth fairy!" – A female voice replied.
Five men had surrounded a woman. Clark couldn't distinguish their faces but the woman's voice somehow was familiar to him.
One man made his move but the woman was able to avoid him and kick him and still was able to punch a second man but she was grabbed by two other men.
"The B is tough! I'm going to enjoy this." – A fifth man confessed, surprised by the woman's agility. The woman understood what they wanted: Some money and a little fun.
"It takes three men to put a woman on the ground. Cowards, you make me sick." – Angered, she spit on the face on one man's face.
Seeing this, his sense of duty and justice sparkled and Clark approached them. – "Gentleman, I believed that's enough."
Suddenly, all of the attention was on Clark. - "Hey guys, we have a hero around here."
Three men of the group surrounded Clark and make their moves. Clark was able to avoid every move and took them one by one. A Fourth man makes his move towards Clark. Clark was avoiding every move the man made with his knife to point that Clark suffered the first cut on his chest.
Confident of the upcoming result, the man stated. - "That's only a taste for what's coming." - Then he launched a full attack on Clark, making them falling on the ground with the man on top of Clark, pointing his knife on Clark's neck. – "Your ass is mine!".
Clark was losing. Without being recovered, the knife was approaching his neck when it was almost touching his skin, a shadow above the man, raised a stick and hit the man head leaving him unconscious.
"Jerk!... So Smallville what are you doing around here in the middle of the night?"
"Lois?" – He couldn't help but to feel surprised. Metropolis was so big and yet in that moment he thought how sometimes, the world was so small.
"You hit the jackpot! Oh… I see we've passed the level of the last name treatment." – She stated, sarcastically. As she approached him, she noticed the cut made by one of the buglers. - "Let me take a look at that wound."
"Never mind that. I'm fine." - He didn't look at her. He wanted to see her but not like this, only a distant look as a sort of platonic love.
"Will you stop with the macho crap?" – looking annoyed at him but he still didn't look at her. She reached her hand to see better the wound but Clark got up and turned away.
"I must go. See you tomorrow." – And he moved on, praying she wouldn't stop him.
"Oh no, you don't." – She ran and put herself in front of him. – "Don't you walk away from me!!" – They both were staring at each other. After of a moment of silence, they both tried to decipher what were the each other thoughts but then Lois broke the silence.
"Let's go to my place. I have a medic Kit there. I can see that your wound is superficial but it still needs to be disinfected."
"I have to go." - He lowered his head and started to walk but again Lois cut is way.
"I have to start walking with a portable megaphone because it seems you're deaf or am I speaking other language and you didn't understand me?"
"I have…"
Lois cut him off. - "Shhh!!"
"But…"
"Zip it Kent, My Home, NOW!!" – As she pointed the direction to her home.
"Fine!" – The voice of defeat came from his voice as he knew he couldn't get out of that one. Lois Lane's ways of persuasion still worked on him after all these years.
The journey to Lois's place was silent. Lois was studying Clark in an attempt to get under his skin, looking at him but he always avoided eye contact. Something was wrong, she could feel it. When it came to Clark Kent, black and white didn't exist, only the grey zone.
They got to her apartment short after. She opened the door and walked straight to the bathroom where she had her medic kit.
Clark stayed in her living room and headed to an area where it was some pictures: Lois and Chloe, Lois with her father and sister, Jonathan and Martha Kent and a picture of Lois with himself, Clark Kent. He still remembered when that picture was taken: Graduation Day from Smallville High. Jonathan took a picture of both of them together before the ceremony. He grabbed that picture and took a closer look. At the time they still had that trouble relationship, picking up with each another but soon after that, things started to change. He was so distracted with that picture thinking how things were so different at that time that he didn't realize that Lois was seeing him holding that picture.
Another hint: now she was sure that Clark wasn't really that rude man she met at the Planet. The way he acted when at the Metropolis Fashion Event, his attempt to save her back in the park and now the picture. He couldn't possibly be that rude, arrogant man that she met at the first encounter on the Daily Planet.
"I have the medic kit." - As soon she spoke, the moment caught Clark off guard and he almost let it picture fall but he was able to catch it before it reached the ground. Lois just smiled on that one.
"Come here and take a seat. Unbutton your shirt." - He mechanically unbuttons his shirt. She saw his terrific physic tone and couldn't help it to make a comment.
"Still keeping in shape, ah? I thought you left the farm work for quite some time." – She eyed him, studying him to see his reaction.
Still avoiding eye contact Clark evasively answered. – "I do jogging at weekends."
"Well your wound is only superficial. Nothing a few bends won't do the trick."
"I told you I'm fine!"
"Yeah right! Now hold still!" – She demanded.
"Being evasive, uncomfortable, avoiding me: he is definitely holding something." – Lois thought while she was still treating his wound. So she decided to uncover Clark's charade.
"So what were you doing in the park at that time?"
Once again, Clark was evasive. – "I could ask you the same question."
"I ask you first." – Lois counter-argued.
"You really nosy, you know that, don't you?" – His tone voice expressed a little annoyance.
"Well it's my job. They pay me to be nosy and I believe that's your job too." – She frowned, noticing once again how evasive he was. - "But you still haven't answered my question."
"What question?" – He felt he was been in some sort of inquisition. Then he knew she was getting suspicious: After all, Lois Lane was one of the top reporters of the Daily Planet. Evasive was the best strategy and avoid eye contact for Lois not to suspect even more.
Lois frowned. – "What were you doing in the park at that time of the night?"
"I went there for a walk, satisfied?" – It was the truth but Lois wasn't buying it.
"At 1.00 A.M?" – She inquired, doubtfully.
"Yes at 1.00 Am." – he assured. – "Last time I remember, I live in a free country and I believe that I don't have to own you any explanations. – He stated.
"You have to, if you are stalking me, Smallville. Are you?" – She questioned Clark trying to get Clark's nerves so he could somehow slip in his charade.
Clark couldn't believe this. He was perplexed by this accusation. – "What? Is that what are you thinking? It's completely obnoxious!! I'm leaving!" – He got up and went to the door but Lois out run him and became between him and the door. – "Get out of my way, Lois!" – He demanded but she wasn't listening.
"What? Are you going to hit me? C'mon Smallville what's wrong? I'm too much for you?" – She challenged as she approached and pushed him repeating to the living room to a point where he sat on the couch. – "Can't handle a reporter?"
She was in complete control; she had him where she wanted him: it was set the frame. He was insecure, nervous and almost claustrophobic. Something triggered on her mind; maybe the desire, the passion she had for him, the feelings which felt little but now those feelings erupted as she saw him in her couch: it was time for the final attack – Lois sat on Clark's waist as she opened both her legs pushing Clark to be even closer to her and kissed him passionately.
Clark's defenses collapse like a castle of playing cards as he reattributed the kiss. The Man of Steel was bended by the will of one woman: Lois Lane. For a few moments, reality was just concentrated on two beings, soul mates, lovers for a lifetime: Clark Kent and Lois Lane. He needed her so much, he was so lonely, how could he resist to a woman who was getting more and more beautiful every day?
But after the long kiss, she tried to remove his glasses and that gesture made Clark mentally slapped himself: "Clark Kent you can't do this. If you really love her, you have to protect her, so leave her." Then he put her aside with some resistance from Lois and got up and went to the door but before leaving he turned to Lois. His defenses were restored.
"Don't you ever do that again, do you understand me?" – And abruptly he left her apartment.
"I'M WATCHING YOU, CLARK KENT!!" – She yelled and smiled deviously. Then she was sure that Clark was hiding something and still had feelings for her.
To be continued…