Lois grasped the metal pole that kept her from free falling into oblivion as tightly as she could. It was freezing up here! Her hands, despite the chill, had developed a cold sweat and now she was shivering and slipping, praying that Jason was faring better in the cockpit above her.
They were heading into Metropolis, but now they had put their lights on. If she craned her neck, Lois could just make out the side of the helicopter, but it didn't do much good. It was unmarked. They were approaching the slums on the city, affectionately dubbed Hell's Gates by its questionable occupants.
The area was the old downtown of Metropolis, and at one time it had been full of skyscrapers and life. Now the few skyscrapers left were crumbling and old and the only illumination on the streets was the harsh neon glow of the open signs from tattoo parlors and diners.
Lois shivered with something more akin to dread than cold at the thought of Jason here. She had avoided this area even in the daytime, after one fateful afternoon 5 years ago…
Lois, unafraid as ever, had used Hell's Gates back alleyways as a convenient shortcut many times before. It had been no different on a certain rainy day in May. She was on her way to an interview, but she couldn't manage to whistle for a cab. So, therefore, she was stuck running through the slums, checking her watch constantly. She ducked into a dark alley without thinking, and suddenly she was face with a fork in the back. She hadn't remembered this part of the directions. Shrugging she took a left and kept moving in a general northern direction.
Ten minutes later, Lois Lane was out of breath, soaking wet and undeniably lost.
And then she had run straight into a man.
He looked her over, while Lois tried to shove her way past.
"Get away from me!" She screamed as he grabbed her arm and continued his unhurried appraisal of her body. Lois was uncomfortably aware of the fact that her thin sweater left nothing to the imagination and she yanked her arm away, but to no avail.
Her fear had been replaced with anger and when opportunity presented itself, she kicked him where it hurts most, sprinting off as soon as her attacker fell to his knees. He wasn't delayed for long though, and before she had gotten down the street, she was being pursued after with a vengeance. Lois could barely breathe as she ran, bypassing people and things, taking a hurdler's jump over a trash can. Too soon, she began to tire and she could hear footsteps echoing loudly behind her.
If I live through this I swear to God I'll use that stupid Lifetime wellness subscription.
Finally her knees gave way beneath her and she tumbled onto the slick cement, tears mixing with the rain as it fell in waves.
A moment before the man was on her, he was gone.
Lois looked up curiously and saw Superman throwing the would be attacker violently across the alleyway, a cold fury in his eyes.
He turned to her a second later and was at her side, lifting her into the air before she could think.
"T-thank you," she began, unsure of how to extend her gratitude.
"Lois…" Superman's voice was husky. "I almost didn't make it; I was so far away and one second later…" He broke off, looking away.
He looked back down on her a split second later, as if he couldn't bear to let her out of his sight, despite the fact that he was holding her tightly as they rose higher and higher.
She began to shiver in the rain and he wrapped his cape around her an instant later.
Lois settled into her rescuer's arms, for once glad to be dependent on someone else. And who better to depend on than Metropolis' Big Blue Boy Scout?
He touched down on her balcony and looked at her with a certain gleam in his eyes that she usually didn't detect.
Was that… longing?
She didn't step out of his embrace when her feet were on the floor again. Instead she reached up, ever so slowly, and idly twirled a strand of his wet hair. Gently pushing his head toward her, their lips connected and Lois gasped as she was suddenly flying again.
He couldn't pull back, didn't want to pull back. They were kissing furiously as they rose higher, neither feeling the pounding rain.
Lois tried to pull him even closer, opening her mouth slightly as they kissed even more. They were gently spinning in the air, Superman seemingly unaware of anything but her lips on his.
A moment later, a cry a help reached his ears and he tore away from Lois, breathing heavily.
"I-I'm sorry, Lois" Superman looked utterly forlorn, an uncharacteristic look for him. They were coming back down to her balcony, and as she gazed into his eyes, the look seemed to intensify. For a moment he didn't even look like Superman. He looked almost like…
He was gone before she could put together her thoughts and she was reeling. Stumbling back into her room, she made her way to the couch and flopped down on it, her heart racing a million miles a minute.
Lois still grasped the cold metal, tears coming to her eyes at the memory. Even then, even all the way back then, Clark had loved her. In a moment of weakness he had revealed his true self to her, even if she had been too caught up in Superman to notice. Lois quickly blinked back the tears when she saw a building coming closer. The helicopter was landing!
She had to jump or else she'd be crushed beneath the landing gear.
Lois hastily took her bearings and evaluated the situation. The helicopter was descending rather slowly. Good. She could jump when she was about eight feet above the roof and reasonably be ok. She searched the roof for a place to hide. The exhaust pipe! The helicopter descended until she was 20 feet off the roof, 15, 10, she gritted her teeth and a moment later released her metal lifeline.
She slammed into the pavement, biting back a cry of pain as her shoulder gave way to the cement.
She stumbled up, limping to the exhaust pipe, panting with exertion. She could make it! She didn't think they had seen her yet! She could yell for Clark, he'd be here in a matter of moments and they could go rescue their son.
Or if it took Clark more than a few moments she was going in herself.
Just as she reached the pipe, the helicopter beam illuminated her. Cursing, she squinted into the light, unable to see a thing. She heard a small voice cry out.
"Mommy!"
"I'm coming Jason!" Lois took a deep breath and raced into the light. Her baby needed her and she'd be there.
Strong arms grabbed her a second later and she fought tooth and nail against them.
"Jason!" She screamed loudly, her voice getting hoarse. She could finally make out figures in the light. The man struggled to hold her was calling for backup. With one last breath she screamed "SUPERMAN!" before a heavy hand hit her head and she slumped backwards, unconscious.
Sorry for the delay, I tried to post it yesterday but was having some difficulties.