XYK
Chapter 36- "The other man."
"I can't marry you now. You were right."Lois said with a nonchalant shrug. She turned back to her vanity mirror and primped and fluffed her hair. "...and besides, that's not why I called you over."
Clark stood slightly confused. Wasn't this what she wanted? A few short hours ago she had read him the riot act for not wanting to walk down the aisle again, yet here she was, fixing her hair and humming a soft jazz standard to herself as if nothing had happened.Pregnancy hormones perhaps?
"So you're not mad at me anymore? You see why we shouldn't get married just yet?"Clark asked, as he leant against Lois' door frame.
"Yeah, yeah, sure whatever." Lois said standing up; she turned around so her back was facing him, "zip me up."
Clark followed Lois' command. But not before he had allowed himself to examine here attire. She looked amazing. She wore a silver cocktail dress, that hugged her in all the right places."I thought we could talk."
"I can't."Lois turned around to face Clark.
"Why?"
"I have a date." Lois ran to her wardrobe and picked up two pairs of heels.
Clark was rendered confused once more "A date?"
"Yes Clark, a date." Lois said appraising herself in the mirror. "And I was hoping you could babysit Durga tonight."
Clark was stunned, words momentarily escaped him.
Lois didn't seem to notice; instead she stood pondering her fashion choices. "Purple or silver?", she asked.
"What?" Clark asked, still in a slight state of shock.
Lois shook her head "Purple or silver, isn't that hard.", she waved the shoes in front of his face. When an answer wasn't forthcoming Lois sighed melodramatically, but smiled good naturedly and said," This is the last time I ask for your fashion advice."
Clark clenched his jaw "What do you mean you're going on a date."
Lois sat down on the side of her bed and began to slip on the purple pumps "...oh, yeah...Lex phoned me this afternoon and asked if I'd like..."
"Lex Luthor!" Clark interrupted.
The tone in Clark's voice made Lois freeze; she looked up at Clark confused.
"You're going out with Lex tonight? How could you Lois!?Last night meant nothing, huh?I don't agree to marry you and you immediately run over to a the cretin who tried to kill you last night!?" Clark began to turn red with anger "typical Lois Lane."
Lois let Clark continue in his tirade for a few more seconds. Once she was certain that he was done, she stood up slowly and walked over to where Clark stood."If you weren't so damn sexy when you're mad I'd totally hurt you for that comment."Lois said with a smirk. She gently weaved her arms around Clark's neck and tilted his head into a delicate kiss. "I love you."She whispered against his lips.
Just like that Clark's anger began to dissipate. Now he was just confused. "I don't understand."
Lois smiled "Well allow me to explain Mr Kent...This afternoon Lex phoned me, he was really excited, I asked him why and he said he had just made a purchase on some Land that had come up really cheap but was worth a lot. Not just any land...Land that had been decimated by fire, Land in Bludhaven, Edge city, Metropolis...Land that had once held 'nothing of importance'."Lois spat out the last sentence, bile filled her throat as she quoted Lex's words. She looked up at Clark, her eyes beginning to water. "I should have listened to you."
Clark reached for Lois and pulled her into a tender embrace "You couldn't have know."
Lois pulled away, she was growing angry "You should have heard him going on and on about his plans for Luxury hotels, casinos and gentrified apartment complex's...So I told him I'd been caught up in one of the fires, and he paused and asked me if I was alright,I said yes...and that's when the plan came to me."
Clark held Lois's gaze "What Plan?"
"I'm going to bring Lex Luthor down."Lois said with a steely determination that would have frightened a lesser man.
"And how are you going to do that?"Clark asked, not at all convinced.
"He wants me."Lois simply shrugged.
Clark could feel a resurgence of anger "So,you're just gonna serve yourself up on a platter!?"
Lois put her hand on her hips defiantly,"NO...But I'm not above using me charms to get past his defences. I'll simply let him think that I'm interested whilst I gather enough information and evidence."
"It's dangerous!"Clark yelled. "Lex is dangerous."
"I'll be fine."
"You're pregnant with my child!"
Lois bit her lip. He'd gotten her. She didn't have a smart comeback for that.
Suddenly a knock came from the front door. Both Lois and Clark paused for a second. Using his x-ray vision Clark looked through the walls and saw a chauffeur standing at Lois' door. "It's Lex's driver."
The Knock came again. Lois gave Clark an apologetic look. She walked over to the door where,just as Clark had said, Lex's driver was waiting. "I'll be down in 5 minutes." She said before closing the door again.
Clark sighed Labouredly, "Would it make a difference If I said I don't want you to go?"
"No."Lois said as quick as a whip.
Clark knew better then to try and stop Hurricane Lois. Once she had an idea in her head there was no way of stopping her from seeing it to fruition.
Lois checked herself in the mirror one last time and collected her purse. "Durga's asleep. She won't wake up for a couple of hours. There are bottles in the fridge. Help yourself, you know where everything is."
Clark said nothing, he refused to meet Lois's gaze.
"Don't be like that Clark..."Lois said, gently stroking his face.
"I just don't want you to get hurt, "Clark's sad eyes finally met Lois's. "...and, I just can't stand the thought of him touching you."
Lois could feel her heartbreak a little. "I'll play it safe and I promise you, I won't let him touch me."She grabbed Clark's arms and wrapped them around her body "I belong to you."
Clark could only manage a small smile. Lois glanced at the Clock on the wall "Don't wait up." Lois planted an impromptu kiss on Clark's lips then walked out of the door.
Alone in Lois's quiet apartment hallway Clark was left with only his thoughts and an awful sense of foreboding.
TBC.