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Metropolis: La Chateau
6:49 P.M.
Sunday, June 6h
"Lana, how many times did you change?" Clark had just gotten home from work. Yes, this time he was actually working, and on a Sunday too. Lois had insisted that he come with her to unravel some drug dealing scam. Clark still hadn't a clue why he had to go. Lois had him running around with her near the docks for absolutely no reason; except to get her refills of coffee from across the street. Chloe wasn't kidding when she said 'coffee boy.'
"Clark? Are you back?" Clark heard Lana call from inside the bathroom.
The hotel room hadn't exactly been given five stars, but it wasn't Motel 6 either. The light peach colored walls and comfy beds suggested that it was a sensible place to stay for a night or two. Lana had originally suggested just staying at Nell's, since she knew they weren't doing too well in the cash department. Well, Lana was better off than Clark, anyways. She hadn't gone out and spent a little over a thousand dollars on an engagement ring. Heck, she even had a better job than Clark. Even a stay-at-home fashion designer was better than being Lois's dog.
"Lana, exactly how much stuff did you buy yesterday?" Clark asked tensely as he swam through piles of blouses, skirts, jeans, and even a pair of panties that all retained their tags. Clark picked up a pair of black, silk panties and held it up for Lana to see, who was wearing a white robe.
"Oh, not that much; just a few of each. It was the underwear that was the most expensive," Lana said, waving her hand as if it was nothing. She picked up an earring off the imitation marble counter and attempted to put it on. "How was stake-out with Lois?"
Clark gave a sigh of disgust and sat down on the bed. He pulled Lana's jeans from under him to rid the bump. "It was a waste of time. Our drug dealers didn't even show up. I think whoever tipped off Jimmy about them was lying." Jimmy Olsen was one of the other coffee boys that worked for the whole staff. Clark liked him because he had told Clark some tips about how to deal with Lois and how she liked her coffee. He had a good heart and Clark hoped that he would get farther than him in the press business.
"Maybe…." Lana said absently-mindedly. Her mind was on the evening that Clark had planned for them. Lana had asked him several times about it last night, but he had just given her a sexy smile complete with a mysterious glint in his beautiful eyes. "I'm almost done here," Lana said, referring to her being done with make-up and no longer needing the mirror.
"Someone's eager tonight," Clark said with a knowing smile, even though his guts felt like jelly.
"Just anxious to find out what you're planning tonight," Lana said, stepping out of the bathroom. She walked over to Clark, her hips swaying seductively. Lana tried to keep a smile off her face when she saw Clark gulp.
"Lana…"Clark sighed as she brushed past him to a pile of shopping bags where her dress was. "Are you trying to kill me?"
"No, just trying to make you suffer," Lana said, feeling audacious. She loosened the knot on the front of her robes, making as if she was about to take it off. Both he and she knew that she was just being plain mean by teasing him. "Clark?"
"Yeah?" Lana thought she heard a tremor in his voice.
"It's almost seven. You should get ready now."
Clark sighed. It was typical how Lana Lang managed to almost drive you to the point of insanity sometimes, and then act as if nothing had happened. Clark couldn't wait to make her his wife so that he could drive her crazy in bed.
Metropolis: The Vertical in Skye Towers
8:37 P.M.
Sunday, June 6th
"Clark, are you okay?" Lana leaned over the round glass table covered with a light pink cloth, a red rose in the center and put a warm hand over Clark's sweaty ones. Earlier that evening, she had nearly given Clark a heart attack when he had came out of the shower and caught a glimpse of her wearing the newly bought dress. Lana's cheeks burned red when she felt his eyes traveling down her chest during the car trip. As Chloe had predicted, Clark was entranced with her and her alone for the entire evening.
"Y-yeah," Clark stammered. "Why wouldn't I be?" Clark fumbled with his napkin nervously as they sat waiting for their dessert to come. Clark and Lana were seated at a table for two next to a window that touched the floor and ceiling. Clark was delighted when Lana's jaw fell open and her eyes nearly fell out of her sockets when Clark lifted his hands from her eyes. It had taken him two hours just to get reservations at The Vertical; and those two hours were worth it just to see Lana's reaction. Sure, the food that they had ordered would take two week's paycheck to pay off, but Clark knew that every cent was worth seeing his angel happy.
"I don't know….You look nervous...and it's making me nervous," Lana admitted, reaching out to pull Clark's crumpled napkin gently away from his shaking, clammy hands.
Clark shifted his eyes downward. "I'm sorry, Lana. I didn't mean to make you nervous or spoil the evening."
"Clark," Lana began consolingly, "this evening wouldn't have even happened if you didn't rack up fifty dollars worth of phone bills."
Clark gave a small, forced laugh to make Lana happy. He knew that he was scaring her by the way he was acting.
C'mon, relax Kent. At least try to act normal—well as normal as possible for an alien.
"Here, you go." A waitress had come up to their table with a polite smile and strawberry ice cream with chocolate sprinkles for Lana. Clark hadn't ordered dessert because he could barely stomach his dinner in. Too many monkeys were doing jumping- jacks in his stomach.
"Do you want some Clark?" Lana had already thanked the waitress and dug her spoon into the smooth surface of pink.
Clark shook his head and used the ice cream as distraction to check his pockets for the ring. Yup, it was still there. But, there was still the question of where he was going to propose. Inside the building with everyone watching? Or, when Clark would ask Lana to accompany him to the docks below the tower?
Clark cleared his throat; he had decided upon the docks since it would be less embarrassing if she turned him down. "Lana―"
But Clark never got to ask since there was a flash of light and a large BOOM that resulted in the panels of glass shattering. Clark saw the whole thing in slow motion. Each piece of the glass window slowing came out of its pattern; the table rattled until the white, porcelain plates fell to the ground. People hurled themselves onto the floor and those closest to the windows ran as fast as their reaction time would allow them. Clark saw Lana's beautiful face consort into one of confusion and then fright. He saw her mouth form his name. He saw a big, sharp piece of glass fly out of the panel, heading toward the pulse point of Lana's neck.
