Chapter 5
"You BRIBED a guy?" Clark didn't even know why he was surprised. He should have known such a little thing like the ship been under heavy surveillance at Luthercorp wouldn't have stopped Chloe.
"I just hated the thought of letting Lex do whatever he wanted with it. And since I couldn't do anything to stop it, I thought I could at least know what he's been up to." answered Chloe simply.
"What has he been up to?", Clark asked.
"He hasn't figured anything out yet, as far as I know. I think he's as confused about everything as we are", Chloe responded.
"Did you two ask him anything about the ship?"
"He said it wasn't something we should worry about", Lana said, "and that what I should be worried about is what his legal team is doing to keep me from jail. With emphasis on his."
"And after seeing how he can be when he really wants something, I thought we shouldn't press the matter, so I started looking for, well, alternative ways of getting information.", Chloe finished.
Clark still had trouble believing how many things had happened while he was gone. And the way Lex was acting, while not exactly surprising, still hurt him. Clark was beginning to think there was a whole other side of Lex that they were just starting to glimpse. Trying to focus again, "So, this guy you paid off, was he able to tell you anything about what was inside the ship?"
"Even better. He took photos. Let's go to my house and I'll show you", Chloe answered.
"Okay, I just have to check in with Lois and my mom and let them know I'm going to your place."
"Since when do you check in with Lois?", Chloe asked, a curious look in her eyes.
"Uh..." Clark said, not really knowing how to answer. The truth was he hadn't even thought about what he said, it had just felt natural. Blushing, he answered the first thing that came to his mind "I just feel like I owe her, after everything she's done for my family."
"Does that mean your fighting days are over?" asked Chloe smiling.
"Well, I never said that", Clark answered, mimicking her.
"That was Clark, Lois. He said he already left the hospital and is going to Chloe's." Martha said, entering Lois' room. She smiled to herself. After the last few months it really had become her room.
"Oh, thanks, Mrs. Kent." said Lois distractedly, staring out the window.
"Your bags are packed." stated Martha, a mix of surprise and sadness in her voice.
When Lois turned around, Martha couldn't help thinking how much Lois had changed since the two of them had met almost a year ago. She was still funny, sarcastic and all the distinctive qualities that made her Lois Lane. But there was more now. As if the circumstances had brought out something in her she herself didn't know existed. Looking into her eyes now, Martha didn't see just a college girl that sleeps in pajamas and bunny slippers (even though she still wears them every night). Martha saw a woman who was finally starting to realize that she could make a difference, and she couldn't be prouder.
"Mrs. Kent," she started shakily "I just want you to know that I'm not relieved Clark got back; I mean, I am relieved he got back, but I don't want you to feel like I was just waiting for him to get back so I could run away, because I never felt that. I would have stayed to help even if Clark was here and..."
"I know you would, Lois" Martha interrupted her knowingly. "And I would never think you were running away. I haven't told you this, but I'm really proud of you. And I'm sure your mom would be too, if she could see the woman you have become."
Her eyes glistening with tears, she willed herself not to break down for the second time in just one morning. "Thank you" was all she could say.
Lois sat down on her bed and Martha followed. They spent a while like this until Lois broke the silence. "I wrote an article about the meteor shower almost two months ago. I was feeling so useless seeing what had happened to the town that I just sat down and started writing, as a way to get my frustrations out of my system. I never meant for anyone to read it, but Chloe saw it one day while she was here and said it was really good. I just scoffed at her, but she sent it to the Daily Planet behind my back. So, imagine my surprise when I got a call from the editor saying he had liked my article and that I could probably be good with enough practice, considering how this article was already a marked improvement over my first one, which I found out later had been written by Chloe using my name. He said he could offer me an internship and maybe even a part-time job, if I don't end up being completely talentless."
"Honey, that's great! Why didn't you tell me?"
"I knew you would make me go, and I wanted to stay. I wasn't even sure journalism was something I wanted to pursue. But I've thinking about it lately and now that Mr. Kent is better and Clark is here to help you it just feels like I should give it a try. I'm really gonna miss you, Mrs. Kent."
Hugging her, Martha said "I'm really gonna miss you too, Lois. And you know you can come back whenever you want. You're practically a Kent, already!"
Smiling, she thanked Martha again, grabbed her bags and got into her car, headed to Chloe's to say goodbye to her and Clark.
To be continued
