A/N: To Ate Vikki, thanks for your helping hand… To all the CLOISERS, thanks for reading this story. You're larger than life.
Chapter 10: A Promise to Keep
Daily Planet Building, Friday morning…
"Welcome back you two. Is the Planet's favorite team ready to get back in action?" Jimmy greeted them in an amused tone. Then he noticed their somber expressions, and thought he would try to tease them back into good humor. "I smell some tension around here. What's up?"
Lois gave Jimmy a sharp look.
"Okay, I'll shut up." But the smile in his face never faded as he went to the dark room to develop his photos.
Lois went to her desk while Clark to his. Neither said a word since the time he had picked her up from her apartment.
"Lois."
"Clark."
They said in unison.
"You first."
"No, you first."
"Ladies first."
She smiled, "About um… the other day. I just wanna say thank you."
"No, I'm the one who should say thank you."
She raised an eyebrow, "For what?"
"For raising our daughter. She's savvy, good-hearted and a beautiful kid."
"It's all in the genes, Smallville," she answered proudly.
He grinned at the pride in Lois's voice. Then she suddenly got that familiar far-away look in his eyes…
"Clark what is it?"
"I heard an explosion," he whispered.
"Go. I'll cover for you at our meeting with Perry."
"Thanks."
"Hi Lois!" Jimmy's smile was spread all over his face.
"Hey Jimbo. I know that looks."
"So, what's with the whispering thing between Lois and Clark?" He teased her again.
She rolled her eyes and continued typing her article.
"Lo, you're still young and pretty. Find someone who's gonna take good care of you and LJ. Someone who has had a good upbringing, intelligent, mild mannered, handsome, and wears glasses. Jimmy advised none too subtly. "I have a friend who would be perfect for you. Maybe you remember him. His name is Clark Kent."
Lois glared at the matchmaker reminded of that fact that he was the one that started it all those many years ago.
"Hey, do you remember the lady who gave you the red kryptonite's lipstick? She said your destiny is entwined with Clark's." Jimmy chuckled oblivious to the impact of his words. Seeing Clark approaching, Jimmy's smile widened. "Speak of the devil," he whispered conspiratorially.
Lois just shook her head pretending to be annoyed but secretly smiled at Jimmy's comments.
"Hello Jimmy and Lois."
"Since the two of you are already here, I'll show you something." Jimmy said. He paused for a moment, not sure how he should proceed. "I've done some research on Las Vegas marriages. It's for Cat Grant's showbiz column. I discovered dozens of secret marriages between Hollywood couples… Plus even one couple from The Daily Planet. This will be a big shock or at least it was for me when I read it. Just stay there, okay? I'll be back in a sec."
"Secret marriages? Jimmy, its no big deal for Hollywood celebrities to secretly marry to protect their privacy." Clark stated dryly.
Jimmy smiled with excitement on his face. He went to his desk and grabbed some papers.
While Jimmy went to his desk, Lois caught Clark's attention and whispered, "Clark, you forgot to button the upper… there… it shows some part of your blue suit."
"Thanks Lois," he answered and quickly buttoned his shirt.
"I'm back…" Jimmy announced. "There's that the whispering thing again?"
"Go on, show us what you found?" Lois told Jimmy.
"Anyway the date of the marriage was February 14, 2007… Familiar?"
"February 14?" Clark asked back. He shifted nervously.
"Yes, Feb 14."
"What?" Lois stammered also suddenly finding it impossible to sit still.
"Clark Jerome Kent married to Lois Lane in Las Vegas. The night of February 14, 2007."
Lois face fell while Clark's eyes opened wide.
Clark is seated on Lois' couch playing Playstation with his daughter.
"Lois, I need to tell you something," Clark said. " Today's my Mom's birthday."
"Mrs. Kent… Have you told her already about me and Lovell?"
"I want us to tell her together. She'll understand, I know. Will you and LJ come to Smallville with me tonight?"
"Your mother? That means she's my grandma?" LJ said excited at the prospect of having a grandmother while never missing a beat at the Playstation game
"No problem," Lois answered Clark. "She's always like a mother to me when I'm in Smallville. Just give me a minute to pack some things."
Smallville, Kansas
"Mom… Mom…"
"Clark." Martha Kent rushed to the front door to give her son a hug.
"Happy birthday Mom. I'm with…" He looked back.
"Hello, Mrs. Kent. Happy birthday." Lois said.
"Lois, what a surprise! You've grown into a beautiful and stunning woman." Martha hugged her back.
Martha saw the shy, cute, little girl behind Lois. With a question on her face, she gazed to her son.
"Mom, meet our daughter Lovell Joanne." He smiled widely. He was so proud to introduce his little angel to her grandmother.
With amazement on her face… "Oh my god!" Martha exclaimed with a mixture of shock and excitement. "Come here Li'l Lois, I'm your grandma."
LJ looked up at Lois for her permission. She nodded her consent, and LJ walked towards Martha. Grandmother and granddaughter embraced and kissed each other.
"Do you like cake? Pasta?" Martha asked LJ.
"Yes. But no shrimps please."
"Sure honey. You really looked like your Mommy, aside from your eyes and curly hair."
"I got it from my father right?"
"You're so smart too." Martha said, then turning to Lois and Clark she added gently, "We'll talk later. You have lots of explaining to do."
"Sure Mom." Clark held Lois' hand and noticed she was cold.
"Come let's go to the barn, he said. "Lois." He questioned once he noticed the distant look in her eyes. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Lois?"
She shifted her gaze to him and answered, "Okay."
The Barn…
"It's been a long time, since I've been here." Lois said putting her hands inside her jacket.
"My favorite place," he emphasized.
They both thought back to the last time they were there together, and simultaneously blushed when they remembered what happened there about five years ago.
They both felt the awkward tension, neither one quite knowing what to say or do for a minute. Clark broke the silence.
"By the way, I want you to wear our wedding ring." He told her. "You left this, five years ago." He took her left hand and placed a ring on her finger.
Lois looked up at Clark than to the ring, then back up at Clark surprised. "How did you… where did you find this?"
"After Jimmy told us about his little research project, I came back here to see if I could remember anything about that night," he explained. "I found this up here hidden under a pile of old Torch papers."
"Right where I left it." Lois said quietly as tears filled her eyes. "It's been here all this time. Thank you."
"Lois, back then, I felt I had to choose between Clark Kent and Kal-el. I didn't think you had any feelings for me, so I left you to embrace my true heritage. Time feels different up there. I had no idea I stayed there for almost five years. It felt like only a few days." He placed his hand under her chin and raised her face up to look at him. "Lois, trust me, I want to work-out our marriage."
For a moment, Lois was speechless.
"Trust me… I will not let you down." Clark told her eager to keep his promise. He would do everything to be at her side, no matter what. Looking at Lois, Clark saw fear in her eyes as if she was afraid to believe him.
"Clark, we aren't in love wih each other. Do you think we'll survive this?" Lois asked. "Do you think our friendship can win this battle? I'm so afraid Clark… For you… For myself… For Lovell."
"Please stay, give us a chance," he urged as he put his arms around her and held her close never wanting to let go. Lois hugged him back.
"Mrs. Kent?" Lois wandered around the room to see where the old woman was.
"Mom's not here. She went to the grocery store." Clark answered.
"Actually, I'm looking for LJ. I haven't seen her." Something was wrong, she could tell. Mother's instinct, she guessed.
"Maybe, she's in the barn with Shelby. She had been Shelby's best buddy since we came." He presumed.
"I don't know. I just wanna make sure of that." She opened the door and went outside. Clark followed her.
Outside the yellow house…
"Lovell!" Lois called her daughter. When LJ did not respond Lois started to panic.
"LJ!" Clark called out for his daughter. After a brief moment of silence, Clark told Lois, "You look over there, and I'll check here."
"Okay." For once in her life, Lois agreed with Clark without hesitation.
Few minutes later…
"Clark where are you?" Lois called to him. "Did you find her?"
Clark did not respond. Lois went inside the barn and found father and daughter lying on the ground with a green crystal near them.
"Oh my God." Lois exclaimed rushing up to them.
"The kryptonite – get it away from us." Clark said while breathing heavily.
Lois picked it and threw it as far she could. She went back and held her daughter. Her face is pale. "LJ! LJ!" She shook her a little. Then she looked back at Clark.
"Are you all right Clark?" Lois felt frenzied from the sight of the two most important people in her life so sick and weak.
"Don't worry about me. I can recover fast." He bended his knees and touched LJ's face. "Lovell? Lovell?"
"She's unconscious Clark. Is that green kryptonite?"
"Yes, it's like poison to us."
"What happened?" Martha still holding her groceries ran to them.
"Green kryptonite." Clark told to his mother.
"Where did she get that thing?" Martha asked. "LJ was too young to absorb such kind of radiation from the meteorite."
"Lex," Clark retorted.
"Lex Luthor?" Lois asked him again.
"I'm not so sure but he's the only one who knew about green kryptonite and how it would affect me."
"Lois, she's starting to wake up." Martha said breathing a sigh relief.
Lois cradled her in her arms. "Sweetie, how do you feel?"
"Mommy, I felt pain in my stomach." She sniffed.
"Here?" Lois said and gently rubbed her daughter's tummy. Lovell felt comfort from her mother's touch.
"Lo, she needs rest. She'll gonna be fine." Clark assured her.
"Her color is back to normal." Lois replied noticing the change in her daugher's coloring from a pale greenish color to her normal shade.
"What about you Smallville?" Lois asked looking at him for signs that he was still sick. "Are you okay?"
"You're smile is enough." He grinned at her which made Lois heart skip a beat.
"Really?"
Martha chuckled at the couple.
An unknown stretch of highway
"You don't have the right to be happy Clark Kent! You took away the only woman I loved. Revenge is coming."
Lex maneuvered his car through traffic driving as fast as he could.
Back at Lois' apartment
Lois and Clark talked to Perry over the phone…
"Lois… Clark… I'm so happy for both of you. Your story. I thought that it was just for movies and television. But it was so touching, a teenage love story turned into a real fairy tale."
"Thanks Chief." Clark answered with a mischievous smile as he ran a hand through Lois's hair.
"Chief, we'll email you our article." Lois added smiling back at Clark.
"Yeah, sure. Give LJ a kiss from Uncle Perry, and good luck on your second honeymoon." The editor's none too subtle comment made them both blush." The abrupt click sound from the phone signaled the end of the conversation.
As soon as Clark hung up the phone, he heard a distant shout.
"Lois, I need to go. Someone needs help."
Clark spun into Superman. Lois smiled with his action.
"Take care Smallville."
Superman returned her smile then flew away.
Hours passed. Lois had just finished her story and was getting ready to send it to Perry White. As soon as she pressed the send option, she heard an unfamiliar sound. She went into the living room and grabbed a piece of firewood to use as a weapon if needed. Like a mother lion, she was ready to defend her kingdom from whatever or whoever will disturbed the silence of the night. When the shadow was almost near, she hit it with all her might. The wood shattered.
"It's me Lois."
"Superman! I'm sorry." Lois turned on the light and saw him with dried mud on his face and suit. She noticed the tired, weary look on his face. She had never seen him look that way before. It scared her. "What happened?" She asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"A landslide in the Philippines. I didn't get there on time. Half of the villagers were buried alive. I save some, but most of them died. I was about five minutes late because I had to stop a plane from going down in Chile."
Lois touched Clark's face, "Clark that's okay. You can't be on two sides of the world at the same time. Sometimes you are going to choose where, when, how and what to save. The most important thing is you helped them. You did your best. That is more than enough."
Clark nodded and covered her hand. "May I see our daughter?"
"Sure, she's in her room."
Lois walked alongside Clark to LJ's room.
"Lo, she's so vulnerable in her sleep." Clark marveled.
"Yes."
Clark gave her daughter a light kiss on her right cheek.
"Lo, can I stay here tonight?" He fixed his blue eyes on her hazels.
"You know that you're always welcome here."
She spotted the tears flowing from his eyes.
"Lois." He reached out for her and hugged her tightly never wanting to let her go.
"It's gonna be alright. It's gonna be alright."
o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o
TBC
So, let me know what you think about this chapter. *winks*
