Author's Notes: In this next chapter, Lois and Clark out on a date, and how it turned out, talking, and taking this chance to get better acquainted fascinated my Muse. Here we go, and Lex is also on my mind including the investigation into the planned terrorist attacks that nearly destroyed the entire city. Here we go, and please comment when you get time. Thank you.
~o~o~
Chapter 7: Cast Your Fears Aside
The first date:
It's Friday evening and they had a reservation, but they stood in line for half an hour. They entered the restaurant, escorted to their table, and given menus. Clark apologized for the wait, but they could see they were busy. Their table is found in a quiet corner near to a window. It's perfect, exactly where they needed to talk.
Moments later, the waiter appeared. "Good evening. My name is Peter and I'm here to serve you. Would you like something to drink, water, wine, a soft drink?" They asked for white wine and water.
"This place is famous, and I'm surprised you managed to get a reservation on such short notice. I should be thanking you; this place is known for its cuisine," Lois said.
"Thank you, Ms. Lane, I mean Lois." He glanced at his menu. "I have a confession to make. The first time I asked you out, I decided to make a reservation just in case."
She smiled at his slip. "Thank you for thinking of me. Okay enough about that, but I'm intrigued. I'm finding it hard to believe that you wanted to date me. Then you confessed that you had feelings for me; remember, during the interview," she teased remembering.
"Yes, I did admit that, but as I said I had heard of you, meeting you in the bullpen, during the interview, and on the shuttle, I felt our connection. But no, there wasn't anything else, only a date to talk and get to know each other better." He paused thinking of the first time he had seen her. "When we met on the shuttle and your reaction to seeing me in the suit, using my powers but to me it felt important that you see the real me."
"The real you? But the real you are sitting in that chair having dinner with me."
He frowned. "You truly see me, Clark Kent, and not the other guy?"
She shook her head, amused. "Yes, you are Clark Kent. And when I look at you, I see you, not the other guy."
He felt relieved but also surprised. "Do you truly mean that?" He asked not believing it.
"Yes, I do. Look, I can understand why you would believe that 'the other guy' would be uppermost in my mind, but he's not." He still looked confused. "Okay, I admit that a part of me is excited to see the things you can do, but when we worked together, during the invasion, it was Clark, not Superman that I wanted to help."
Before he could reply to that stunning comment, Peter appeared with the wine and water then asked if they were ready to order.
"Yes, we're ready," Clark replied. "You go first."
After ordering their meal but he ordered his meal in French. Lois shook her head and thought of all the times she had looked for him but never managed to see him, not including the shuttle.
"It's funny you would mention the shuttle and the first time I saw you in the suit and in action," Lois said.
"Yes, as I told you before, you didn't appear afraid, and I couldn't explain how I felt for you to see me like that and not be afraid."
"Oh, I see, it all came together that you were real and not a myth that existed only in my mind. I had heard stories about you that you wanted to help people, not hurt them."
"I'm a myth? That's strange but I had been helping people since I left college, over five years." He took a sip of wine. "And you, have you always wanted to be a journalist?"
"Yes, it came into my mind during my last year of high school, but I needed to continue my education and studied in college."
"Most kids that age want college but cannot afford it, but odd jobs and working part-time did help. My parents helped but I did manage to finish."
"I can see we are a lot alike, meaning college and finding a purpose in life." She took a sip of wine.
They stared at each other finding a new understanding about their lives up until this moment. The food arrived and they ate in silence for minutes.
They did talk about their early lives, his life on the farm, her life growing up in a broken home, meaning her parents divorced when she and her sister reached their early teens, and that her father is a career soldier, a 4-Star General.
"A General, wow, that's interesting." He paused. "Lois, I wanted to ask you something before we," he hesitated.
"What is it?" She felt the tension between them, expected and nice. "Tell me."
"Do you feel it?" He did not need to elaborate.
She lowered her eyes. "Yes, I do."
"Please look at me."
She felt worried. "Clark, I'm not sure we should do this."
"I understand why you would feel that way, but I would never hurt you."
"I know that, not sure why, but I believe you."
"Let us finish eating, and we can take a walk and talk more. Okay?"
"Sure, we can do that," she replied and continued to eat, and he did too.
Almost done, Lois had a confession to make. "All the time you were employed at the Planet, I ignored you because of this; you and me together like this."
"I understand and I was afraid because I knew you felt it but I pushed it aside, but I can't seem to do that anymore." He paused. "I think about you all the time."
Surprised, she asked, "You do?"
"Oh yes, all the time," he replied, and the staring continued.
Peter arrived and he could see them staring, then asked. "Are you finished?"
Clark managed to pull his eyes from her lovely face. "Yes, we're done," he replied and waited for him to remove their plates. "Would you like dessert?" He asked.
"No, thanks," she replied.
"I'll be right back," Peter said and left.
He placed his hand on the table, palm up. She took it. "Are you as confused and excited about all of this?"
"Yes, I never expected any of it, but I'm happy we had this chance to talk and" she hesitated.
Peter came back for the card, and minutes later, Clark signed the receipt and left a generous tip on the card.
"Oh, here you go," Clark said.
"Thank you, have a nice evening." Peter left them alone.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
"Yes, I'm ready," she replied.
They left the restaurant. It's getting late, around 9, and his car is a block away, and they walked that way. He took her hand, and she did not pull away.
"Clark, before we leave, I wanted to ask why you asked me out? I mean, I ignored you for weeks, and then, there you were asking me out."
"Let me clear this up. The truth is that I waited a week before I came to the Planet and asked for the job. I had seen your byline in the Planet, and I knew your face. I knew that you were famous, and I wanted to meet you and get to know you." He paused. "Then I thought why not ask her out and you couldn't decide at first and I gave you the time to think about you and me on a date."
"During the invasion, we helped each other, and you saved me. Thank you, but I thought we could work together to stop Lex and we did."
"So, you thought we could become friends?" He asked.
"Yeah, friendship was all I could do for now."
"I understand," he bowed his head, then, friendship is fine, but his heart was not into it. "But you said that you felt it."
"Yes, I did feel it, but I don't think we should."
"Is it because I'm an alien and you're worried about that." It's not a question.
"No, I mean, yes, I'm worried," she admitted.
~o~o~
At his car, he helped her inside, but before they could leave, he received a call from Police Detective Dan Turpin.
"Hello, Detective, can I help you?"
"Yes, I know it's late, but it's an emergency. The D.A. is getting anxious about the case against Luthor. He needs your help to contact Superman and I promised I would call."
Clark put the call on speaker. "Ms. Lane is here with me. Tell us what you need."
"I would like to speak in private not over the phone. I'm at my office; can you come now and please bring Ms. Lane? It won't take long."
She nodded and he turned the car around and arrived at the station in ten minutes.
Now in his office, he mentioned the images they found in Luthor's lab.
Lois and Clark glanced at each other. "How can the images help the case?" Clark asked.
"They were disturbing but it did give the D.A. a reason for the attacks and why Luthor felt the need to do this to the city. It's all disturbing and sad when you think about all the people who were hurt or killed."
Clark spoke carefully. "Superman told us about the images that they were hurtful, and he would not want to see them again."
"Yes, I know about those images, but the ones I'm speaking of held images of his alleged family. The wormhole technology that Luthor achieved showed a planet's people with an 'S' shield and that could explain why he did this. His defense of having a poisoned and muddied mind is not believed by anyone. The D.A. believes he did it because of his hatred of Superman which proves he planned it for years in advance."
"Clark, can we contact Superman somehow and explain this to him? He wants Luthor behind bars after what he did. We all want that," Lois added.
"Yes, we can do that. Detective, we'll be in touch."
He shook his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Kent and you too Ms. Lane."
~o~o~
They left his office, now in his car, she took his hand. "What changed for you, I mean after we kissed, no more being friends, but it's scary to think what all of this could mean," she said still worried.
"Yeah, it is scary, but I'm willing to give it a chance… give us a chance." Hope shined through his eyes.
"Clark, it's going to be difficult to fit me into your life. You fly around helping people and that takes up a lot of your time, and then you do have a job. You need excuses for leaving specially if its short notice after what you hear and you do see my point right?"
"You see, I was afraid for most of my life to not get involved with anyone," he confessed thinking of his early life.
"You've never…?"
"No, Lois, I haven't," he replied.
"Oh, Clark, I understand; I do, but not having that one special person. I've been afraid as well, but it could be the right time."
"I have thought about it, neither of us can live in fear. I don't want that for either of us." He paused. "Being a superhero is one part of the life, but it's not all of it." He paused again. "I want more."
She thought about her life and being alone and afraid. "Yes, I want more too," she said believing it.
"I'll take you home now," he said as hope soared inside his heart.
At the door, he stood staring at her waiting and Lois saw it and without thinking, she spoke up. "Come in and we can talk, Okay, only to talk."
He followed her inside, feeling nervous and excited to be alone with her a little while longer. "You have a lovely home; this is nice."
Now in the kitchen, fixing drinks, she had a question. "Do you have a place to stay?"
On the sofa, he replied. "No, I haven't had a chance to search for anything."
That took her by surprise. "But it's been weeks since you arrived at the Planet. Where do you sleep; you do sleep don't you?"
He chuckled. "Yes, I do need sleep; I am humanoid, but no time to search. I did find a motel and stay there when I can." He bowed his head and felt weird to tell her about the motel.
"Clark, you need a place to stay." She paused and handed him a glass of wine. "You can stay with me. I have a second bedroom with a pullout sofa bed." She sat down and waited.
"Thanks for that, but I don't think that's a good idea," he replied and sipped his wine not looking at her hoping she would let it drop.
"It's only for a few days until you find a place and I can help you. There are several apartments near to the Planet and there could be one available." No answer. "Now get your luggage and you can sleep here. Go on now."
He sighed and stood up. "Okay, I'll stay. I'll be right back."
She smiled and escorted him to the door. "I'll see you soon."
She watched him enter his car and drive away. Back in her apartment, she opened the bed, added clean sheets, a blanket and pillows for him. She did feel strange about him sleeping here but he's a friend and needs a safe place to stay, she told herself. She tried without success not to think about his appearance, an extremely attractive man sleeping in the bedroom next to her. She shook her head then the knock. "That was quick; he's fast."
He smiled and stepped inside carrying several pieces of luggage, but he felt nervous for a reason. "Are you sure about me staying here?" He asked hoping to break the tension.
"I'm sure now follow me and I'll show you around." She said but her racing heart confused her. She showed him the bathroom and then the spare bedroom. "My sister Lucy sleeps here when she's in town. I changed the sheets and added a blanket and pillows. You're all set."
"Thank you for doing this and I'll try to stay out of your way. I'm a quiet sleeper, I mean, I don't snore or get up late, and" he rambled.
"Clark, you're funny. Now, I'm a late sleeper. I usually rise at 8 and eat a quick breakfast and," she rambled too.
"I guess we're both nervous," he said and smiled.
She looked him up and down, nervous yes, but entirely turned on by his appearance. I'm in a lot of trouble, she thought. "I'll let you get settled and say goodnight."
"Goodnight, Lois and thanks again." She stood there watching him. He placed one piece of luggage on the bed, then loosened his tie, pulled it out, then his jacket, hung it in the closet. He added clothes to the dresser drawers, and he realized she's still there. "Oh, did you want to ask me something?"
She shook her head to clear it. "No, but you said that you're humanoid, and that means that," she stopped unable to think straight.
He smiled indulgently. "Yes, I can do what other men do, with women, if they both want tenderness and affection," he explained staring at her but his eyes slowly moved over her body.
"Oh, I see." Unable to move but stare, then. "Goodnight Clark." She finally left and headed to her bedroom, shut the door and leaned against it. Her heart is beating too fast, and she placed her hand over her heart and took several deep breaths to calm down. She felt that look and she burned.
Clark shook his head and managed to calm his racing heart. He finished unpacking and realized the bed is too short for him. But he lay down under the covers, rolled to his side and tried to get comfortable. He smiled and thought of her reactions to him. He loved it but being this close to her and not able to be closer meaning to take that next step.
He would wait for her, forever if he needed but he hoped it wouldn't take that long. His mind returned to the Detective and the images related to his family. Luthor hadn't shown him those images only animals of his planet and the sickening one he had no wish to see that again, but it's burned inside his brain. He may never forget it. Having Lois with him means everything and if he did see them again, she'll be there with me, and with those calming thoughts, he fell into a very deep sleep.
Now the dream:
I can see myself on the farm, and I'm running fast extremely fast and then I disappeared over the corn flying and carefree, no worries, only the sky and me as I flew higher, and I love every minute of it. I wake up suddenly and I'm above the bed hovering. I dropped down feeling silly but happy. I look to my left then Lois is there in my room but I'm not asleep, she's there in my room staring at me.
"Lois?" He spoke her name but she's not there. He rubbed his tired eyes and she's not there. He lay back down. "Only a dream," he said to himself or was it, he wondered.
Lois is outside in the corridor and he's amazing, she thought, hovering over the bed, but all she could do was watch him thinking of the words. 'I'm humanoid.'
TBC!
~o~o~
Song Inspiration: The Little Things, Whitney Houston.
A/N: When I decided to add another chapter, it felt weird to end it without the date, then other thoughts like, will they or won't they, and yes, I decided to wait, and we will dive into the investigation into what happened during the invasion and why. Now, tell me what you think and thanks for reading.
