Disclaimer: I Own Nothing
Author's Notes: You all rock! Thanks so much for reviewing this story of mine. I'm glad many of you echo my feelings in regards to Rachel Dawes, she felt oddly out-of-place in Batman Begins.
Introducing Superman was a… decision not easily made. LOL! I contemplated that, but since I've gone in close continuity for BB, I should try to do the same for Superman's own mythology. And it made me feel good for Lois to know right away who her savior was. She's already in love with Clark Kent, there was no reason to bring the triangle-made-for-two. Thanks again.
Chapter 6 – Disclosure
Fortress of Solitude, Arctic
Clark guided her steadily across the sky. Scenery after scenery, Lois was in a state of continuous awe. He held her close by, as she watched the world unfold before her eyes like she's never had before.
It was intoxicating.
Exhilarating.
Familiar, even. She's dreamed about this, but never quite so real and vivid.
"Where are you taking me?" she asked, shivering slightly from the sudden change in temperature.
Clark held her firmly, stopping to float high up in the air.
"Here." He maneuvered the red cape he kept with him in case Lois had needed to stay warm. He'd almost forgotten that his body can withstand extreme heat and cold, but not to normal humans.
"Thanks," she says appreciatively before they began to fly again.
"So where are you taking me," she asked once more.
"It's a surprise," he says with a glint in his eyes.
Lois knew it would be.
A few minutes later, they finally arrived at their destination. Great view. Impeccable timing. Excellent service. No jetlag. Northwest Airlines has nothing on him.
"You're the first person I've ever brought here," he tells her truthfully just before they land. "Well, except Chloe, but that was completely an accident." Clark reluctantly let Lois leave his arms even though he didn't want to. After today, everything could be different tomorrow.
And for the first time, he wasn't afraid.
Lois raised her eyebrows, amused a bit. "Chloe knows." It made sense to her that her cousin knew. If anyone knew this part of Clark Kent, it was her cousin.
"She knows about me," he nods. "And she knows that this place exists, but I haven't exactly shown it to her myself."
She continued to look at the structure with wonder, the sight before unlike anything she's ever seen, and she's seen a lot. It was absolutely extraordinary.
"You lost me"
Clark chuckled, and then immediately thought back. "Summer… 2005," he says simply.
Lois looked at him and she instantly knew, but wanted to be sure nonetheless. "The meteor showers?"
Clark nodded but didn't explain further because he wanted to give her the tour first. He was so excited.
As he led her further inside the massive fortress, they reach a vast room that held two statues holding what seemed to be a globe.
"Who are they?" Lois is completely awestruck. The statues were like almost half the size of the Statue of Liberty.
Clark looked up to where she was staring and smiled. "They're my biological parents," he revealed. "And that's Krypton, where I was born." He pointed to the globe they both held high above their heads.
Lois is shocked when a sudden memory comes to mind.
"Jor and Lara?" she guessed.
"Jor-El," he corrected, equally surprised that she knew. "How did you…"
"You dream about them," she admits cutting him off before he finished his question. "The first time you said their names was the night I offered you to stay with me," she says, further elaborating the details. "You've done it a few more times in your sleep after that"
"Why didn't you say anything?" Clark wasn't upset, just curious.
Lois shrugged and moved toward the statues, feeling the smooth layers beneath her touch. Even in their immortalized states, they made her feel welcomed.
"It seemed personal. I didn't want to pry"
"Lois?" Clark pretends to be shock. "Not wanting to pry?" There was playfulness in his eyes. "I find that very hard to believe"
Lois smacks him lightly on the arm, before joining him in his sea of smiles.
And at that moment, in the presence of his Kryptonian parent's, Clark told her everything.
From memories as a child, to his emerging abilities in high school. He shared his hopes, his dreams and his fears with her. He illustrated as best he could about everything that's happened to him since the first meteor shower. Krypton. His parents. The three stones of power.
He didn't hold back.
He didn't want to hold back.
Lois remained silent for the whole thing, she knew how important this was to him and she wouldn't dare take that from him. She listened to every detail; saw every emotion that came with each word he expressed, each word he shared. The mixture of sadness, hope and happiness in his eyes and voice was overwhelming, but not completely alien to her.
As if years of solitude was finally lifted.
And when he was done, "Well…" he breathed out, feeling relaxed yet a bit nervous.
Lois was open-mouthed, not a sound released. She was literally speechless.
"Lois?" Maybe it was too much at once, he worried.
"That was…" she uttered without much completion.
"A lot, I know." Clark fastly felt like a fool. He shouldn't expect anyone, even Lois, to be okay with everything he just shared with her. It was too much to take in all at once.
But she proved him otherwise by finishing what she wanted to say with a blazing kiss. It began as strong and passionate, but naturally became soft and warm. He was losing himself in her again.
"I was afraid I scared you," he let go only a little and looked at her in her beautiful green eyes. Somehow, she always had the ability of making him reveal his emotions bear in front of her.
Lois shook her head, disagreeing..
"You don't scare me, Smallville." She brushed a hand softly through his hair. Then her smile turned into a grin. "Well, unless you we're wearing plaid." Clark makes a face, but Lois quickly corrected herself. "Which… I've grown rather used to," she admits.
Clark smiled, kissing her to show her everything that he was feeling.
And it grew intense.
"Maybe we should… do… this… somewhere else." Lois suggested as she and Clark were being consumed by each other.
"What do you mean?"
Lois chuckles and stares upward at the two statues hovering above them.
Clark looked up and became a bit embarrassed. "I see your point," he agreed, chuckling himself.
"This place wouldn't happen to have a bedroom, would it?" She wondered truthfully with other intentions.
Clark's eyes glistened with desire and hesitation. "Are you sure?" He didn't want to push her, and he didn't want to be overconfident.
"Are you?" She returned, almost challenging him.
"With you…" He kisses her, proving his answer and she returned it without question. They make their way out of one room and into several others until they finally made their way to the bedroom, where you can almost mistake it for a honeymoon suite.
Kryptonians don't hold back.
The Following Morning
Crystalline structures made from solid ice. Statues. Flying. Krypton. The feeling of flesh against flesh that went on for hours. It all felt like a dream.
Lois drew awake, startling herself when she looked at her surroundings. It wasn't a dream. Yesterday. Last night. It was all real.
She exhaled.
Thank God.
"Clark," she spoke out softly as if she feared that any loud noise would bring the fortress crumbling down before her. She knew it was silly since they made more than a little noise last night, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Lois continued too look around from where she sat, covering herself with the soft comforter she believed has to be alien too because it was so comfortable, and a she saw no one.
She was about to get out of bed when she noticed a nicely folded nightgown placed at the end. When Lois looked down and saw her fluffy bunny slippers, she had to laugh out loud at his thoughtfulness. She could definitely get used to this.
Just as she was going to reach for the gown, Clark appeared.
"Morning," he says with a big smile, walking in with a breakfast tray. The warm aroma permeating towards her sense.
"Mmmm… you really go all out," she grinned and smiled.
"You make it easy," he replied lovingly before kissing her. He then set the tray besides her. Clark reached for a strawberry and served it right at the tip of her mouth. Lois quickly obliged.
"Wow," she says her mouth slightly full.
Clark smiled, he was so happy.
"Italy harvested it great this time of year"
Lois almost choked. "What?" Then smiled that awestruck smile she's been having for the last two days. "You went to Italy." She knew he had but she was still shocked and flattered.
"And Florida, France and umm…" Clark loved every minute of this. "I made a quick stop to England for the bagels"
Lois wasn't annoyed when she rolled her eyes, she was clearly amused and again, very flattered at his all out gesture to make her comfortable and cared for.
"Okay, now I'm officially impressed"
"You mean my flying didn't do that?" he feigned disappointment.
"Well, you know, it lost its appeal after a while," she replied playfully.
God, he loves her.
"I love you," he says immediately after he thought it.
Lois has been surprised by a lot of things lately, but she wasn't expecting that. At least, not that soon.
Clark didn't regret saying it though, but perhaps he should've waited. At least when everything was settled down.
"You love me?" Lois could hit herself right now for asking such a ridiculous question.
To be honest though, love was a term that neither has ever said to one another. Respect. Appreciation. Devotion. All those things can imply as an extension of love, but they've never ever… ever used the word to each other before.
"I love you," Clark repeated. He really should stop saying it, but he couldn't help it. It's becoming instinctual. Reactionary. Real.
And after what they shared last night and well into the very early hours of the morning. It's the truth.
"I don't really know when it all started to change… but I know it's real." His eyes fell from hers. "Is it for you?" he barely asks in a quite whisper.
"Clark"
He kept his eyes away from her and remained silent, and Lois had to smile at how innocent he suddenly was.
"I love you too," she finally admitted.
Feeling incredibly insecure, he didn't believe her. "You're just saying it to make me feel better"
She raised her eyebrows, amused. Have the last couple of days not been clear enough on her part?
"Really?"
"Aren't you?" he says with a bit of tension. Lois on the other hand wasn't affected by the way he reacted. As if she knew this was coming.
Lois moved the tray on the bed further aside to give her room in front of Clark. "I love you," she tries again, kissing him on his lips. "I." Kiss. "Love." Kiss. "You." Clark's mind is completely vulnerable against her advances and completely succumbed himself to her kisses.
If this was how she was going to prove to him that she loved him, he certainly will not stop her.
Reaching the Afternoon
After another lovemaking session, Lois and Clark walked around the fortress. Clark in nothing but sweat pants and Lois with one of his red-checkered plaid shirts.
"What do you have planned when we get back to Metropolis?" Lois curiously asked. Clark hadn't really thought about it all that much. He's been playing it by ear.
"What do you mean?"
"You work in one of the most media exposed environments. They'll be people who wants answers, you're gonna have to find a way to give it to them"
Clark frowned. He's been planning this for practically a year and he hasn't even thought that far ahead yet.
"I'm not here to scare anyone"
Lois looks at him sympathetically. "I know, but they don't. The media is going to spin this any way they can. They'll dub you either a savior or a hoax. Which, actually brings to mind… why no mask?"
"I thought if they see my face, they wouldn't think twice about me living a whole entirely different life, and feel that I'm not hiding anything. I can't risk the people I care about being hurt, Lois"
"I bet it's one of the reasons why you didn't tell me before my dive out the fiftieth floor," she mused.
Clark smiled then frowned once again. "Bottom line, you knew right away. It won't take long till everyone else finds out"
"That's not true"
"What do you mean?" he asks skeptically."It's pretty much inevitable"
"We can still salvage this." Lois remained optimistic.
"What do you have in mind?"
"As soon as we get back, Chief is going to be riding on us to get the exclusive on you're alter ego. I do the interview and share enough so that people won't freak out. Look, I admit," she tries to assure him. "When I first saw you, I had to do a double take."
"You did?"
Lois nods. "But I know you. We lived together long before anything happened between us. For me, it wasn't hard to put two and two together"
"But we're talking about hiding from people on a global scale"
"I never said it was going to be easy. Clark, you flew out of the sky sofast and indestructible wearing the colors of our countries' land. People will notice the costume and your deeds, not just the man," she reminded him.
"How can you be so sure?" Clark is always amazed at how easily she can put things into perspective.
"Let's just say I've had some experience in the whole dual identity department," she replied vaguely.
Clark looks on curiously. "Well"
"Well what?"
"Are you going tell me about this experience?"
She nods. "Sure… but it's not my 'thing' to share, so until I get the go ahead, you're going to have to put some faith in me." Mental note: Talk to Bruce, she tells herself.
"I have faith in you," he assured, still wondering who she was talking about.
Elevator, Daily Planet (2 Hours Later)
Lois and Clark were the only two occupying the compartment. Lois notices Clark shaking a bit and held his hand, reassuring him that he isn't alone.
"Nervous?" She already knew the answer, but it didn't hurt to ask.
He breathed. "A little bit," he smiled, their hands still intertwined. The elevator stops and rings at the intended floor.
"Ready?" Lois asks.
"As I'll ever be," he adjusted his tie.
The door opens and Lois and Clark pull their hands apart.
It's now or never.
To be Continued…
