Author's Notes: Ahhh... another day, another update. The conitnuing normal adventures of Lois, Clark and Bruce continues. Oh, and with a sprinkle of Rachel too. Enjoy and thank you everyone for the kind words.
Silver-Age
It was a little past the lunch hour as Lois and Clark arrived promptly to Silver-Age, the four star restaurant located on the corner of Damien and Jude. When the hostess directed them to their table, Rachel and Bruce were already waiting.
Lois gave Clark the brief rundown on Rachel's relationship with him. They've been friends since childhood and even dated at one point before or during college. Since arriving back in Gotham City, Bruce has inherited the rich title of a spoiled playboy.
"Hey Rach," Lois says. The two beautiful ladies greeted each other as the males courteously shook hands.
After reintroductions were finished, both Clark and Bruce pulled out a chair for each woman and pushed the chair forward like in the old time manner were propriety and manners were all the rage.
Once seated, Clark looked over his plate and couldn't help but notice how intricate the plate setting was. Back in Smallville, there's usually the plate, his glass and a spoon, fork and knife. It isn't the case here. He should've paid more attention at the lavish dinners Lex usually invited him to during high school.
Trying not to think about it, Clark dutifully placed both his hands flat on his lap. His right foot tapped the floor a little nervously. It didn't feel like this last night, so he didn't understand where the jitters were coming from now.
Maybe it was the knowledge that he was having lunch with one other of Lois's close friend and a billionaire who also masquerades as a Bat at night. Clark didn't know what was crazier, Bruce as Batman or him growing up with superhuman powers.
"So Clark…" With a single wave, Bruce opened the table napkin and placed it properly in front of his lap. "What do you think of Gotham?"
Clark kept a straight face. "Interesting, to say the least," he answered meekly. He was having more than a hard time differentiating the 'supposed' playboy billionaire to the man that – technically – saved his life the other night.
"Hmm…" Lois starts to begin, knowing his habit with modesty. "Clark had a run in with a certain masked vigilante a couple of days ago."
"He's not a vigilante," Bruce defended. Rachel gives him a brief glance. Clark wasn't surprised and Lois looked at him oddly but he quickly recovered. "At least from what I've heard," he added.
Rachel reached for her glass of afternoon champagne, downing it with one gulp. Clark realized that she knew about Bruce's alternate identity.
All of the sudden, a cell phone goes off. Everyone but Clark flipped open their phones. Clark had his on vibrate so he knew it wasn't him.
With a single pull, Lois flipped her cell closed. "We seriously need to change our ring tones," she quipped. Clark chuckled.
"I have to take this," Bruce excused himself.
"Me too," Rachel soon followed.
When they were out of sight, Lois sighed with great relief. "Oh thank God." She turned to Clark and tugged his tie towards her so she could kiss him. Clark was more than happy to oblige. "I've wanted to do that all morning"
Clark grinned at her public display of affection for him. He could definitely get used to this. "You'll never have to try too hard," he assured her. "Just say the word and I'm all yours"
"Do you mind putting that in writing?" she asks with a wink.
Clark looked incredibly amused and takes his own opportunity to steal a kiss from her.
At that moment, Rachel returned, not noticing the close intimacy her friend was just having. "I'm sorry about that; the office is killing me with all the depositions we've been filing lately." She stopped and noticed a person missing. "Is Bruce still on his cell?"
Lois and Clark nod.
"Is everything okay in the office?" Lois asks with concern.
Rachel responds sadly. "We've got a couple of madmen loose in the city at the moment. We're trying to get as much eye witness reports to make a solid arrest"
"Who's the perpetrator?"
"Two brothers. Mark and Roland Desmond," she answered simply. "We're keeping it low key at the moment"
The name struck a cord with Clark. "Isn't he the chemist?"
Rachel stared at him with surprise. "You know him?"
Clark merely shrugged. "I know of him"
Lois decided to further explain. "Clark is majoring in Journalism at Met-U." She looks at Clark for confirmation. "You did a paper on the theory of genetic reconstruction last year, right?"
Clark smiled that she remembered the little details. "Yeah, but Desmond was just a name on the paper than he was a reference. I never got a hold of him when I tried to. According to my sources, he's gone into seclusion."
"He's secluded no more," Rachel says. "He and his brother have been seen committing crimes all over Gotham."
Lois, looking perplexed, asked the most obvious question. "Why haven't the police captured him yet?"
"Because they're never at one place long enough for us to put the cuffs. Their crimes seem to come at random. We never know when and where they're gonna hit." Rachel sighed. "It's putting Gotham PD and my department at a disadvantage."
"Have there been any casualties?" Clark couldn't help but want to know. If he had a chance to help, he had to at least try.
"Fortunately, no one has died yet," Rachel replied.
Clark relaxed and it was an action not lost on Lois. She reached out and held his hand in hopes to assure him that everything is going to be okay. Rachel smiled at the gesture.
"Are you two…" Rachel pointed back and forth between Lois and Clark.
Clark waited for Lois to answer. He didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't ready for. They've been quiet about their relationship for months, and as long as he was with her, he really didn't mind the discretion.
Lois finally nodded, keeping her blushing cheeks from turning beet red. Clark on the other hand just felt a bit timid. Besides that, all was perfect.
Rachel grinned with excitement. "Hell Yeah!" Rachel gave Lois a loud high five that garnered the attention of several patrons in the surrounding area, including Bruce who was just returning from his phone call.
Clark laughed at the fun display his girlfriend shared with Rachel. It was finally nice to officially refer to Lois as his girlfriend. He was just about to go insane at the possibility that it couldn't work between them before they could really even try.
"Sorry for that intrusion." Bruce sat back down. "Did I miss anything exciting?"
"Lois and Clark are dating," Rachel answers.
Lois nearly chokes on her drink. "Gee Rach. Down with the enthusiasm"
The three chuckle. In a way, Bruce is finally happy to know that Lois is truly off the market. Trying to figure the two out had been exhausting and occupied way too much of his time.
Bruce's continuous observation of Lois didn't fly pass Clark though. He'd been watching him carefully, trying to find out if he really did have an agenda.
"If you excuse us…" Lois announced her and Rachel getting up from their seats. "Rach and I are gonna freshen up a bit." Once they were gone, Clark decided to make his concerns known.
"You're up to something, Mr. Wayne. What do you want?"
Bruce took a sip of his bourbon then putting it down. "I thought we were past formalities. I'm not up to anything, Kent." Bruce already knew he was going to get the third degree; he has ever since they met.
In the ladies room, Rachel pries the 'happenings' between Lois and Clark. "So… tell me. What happened in the last eighteen hours that made you change your mind about Clark?"
Lois grudgingly answers. "You scare me when you keep exact time like that, you know." But then she smiled. "I brought him home to meet Uncle Luke"
"I heard," Rachel grinned. "Bruce told me that much"
"And we talked. Got things out in the open"
"Are you two okay now?"
This time, Lois felt confident to answer. "Yes, I think we definitely are"
Back out in the main floor. Clark and Bruce continued their conversation.
"Don't believe everything you read in the tabloids, Kent." Bruce takes another sip. "I'm not going to seduce her"
"I'm not worried. She's more than capable of taking care of herself," Clark says resolutely.
Bruce didn't like his implications.
"I would never harm her," says Bruce without equivocation.
Despite the antagonism between them, Clark believed him.
"I know"
"If you think…" Once Bruce pondered over his words, "Wait a second… then what the hell are we arguing about?"
Clark just eyed him amusingly.
Back to Lois and Rachel - Lois continues to explain what happened between her and Clark in the last couple of days.
"Wow…" Rachel's says in awe. "That's very romantic." Off of Lois's serious look. "It is… romantic… right?"
"Without a doubt," Lois assured. "It's just… me with a boyfriend. Is that even possible?"
Rachel rolls her eyes. "You were always such a commitment-phobe. There's definitely something about Clark that has your head spinning." A smile graced deviously across her lips. "As the attorney in this matter, it'll be for your best interest to admit that you're in love with him"
Now it was Lois's turn to roll her eyes.
Placing her hand beneath the scan, the faucet begins to run. "I have to get dumber friends," she quipped.
Rachel's splashes her with water.
"Ah!" Lois returns her splashes with a splash of her own. "Assistant D.A. be damned!" claimed Lois as the two women start a water war in the restroom.
Outside, Bruce and Clark were in a civil chat. Once in a while, one of them or both would look at their watches.
Bruce sighs. "What's taking them so long?"
Clark shrugs. "For years I've wondered why women go to the bathroom in groups"
Bruce raised his head in contemplation. "You don't think…"
Clark caught on. "She wouldn't… would she?"
"I've known Rachel for years"
"And I know Lois"
Looking at each other, they knew there was gossiping afoot. They both breathe out deeply.
Bruce suddenly got an idea.
"I have an idea"
Clark suspected as much. "We couldn't do that." His mind though was thinking otherwise.
Bruce smiled mischievously. "I'm going to the bar to refill my glass"
Clark couldn't help but do the same. "You know what; a drink would sound good right about now."
They both headed to the bar which just happened to be ten feet away from the ladies room. But before they got halfway, the girls finally came out… and they looked…
"What happened to you two?" Bruce asked first. Clark had yet to pick his jaw off the floor.
Lois and Rachel looked at one another's slightly drenched image and shrugged. "What?" they both replied simultaneously.
To be continued…