Superman, with Richard firmly in tow, shot straight up into the night sky.He grudgingly kept a firm grasp on Richard's arms as they flew, both cursing him for hindering his speed and admiring him for taking such a risk.

Richard was shouting against the wind to Superman.

"How are we going to find them? Should we go check out the Daily Planet for some clues?" Richard thought for a moment and then shouted some more would be helpful tips. "We could go stakeout at Moniker's place! Maybe he can lead us to--"

"Quiet!" Superman hissed, straining his ears for Lois or Jason. If he had missed something because of this idiot shouting in his ear he swore to God he would…

Superman sighed as Richard fell quiet and regretted his thoughts immediately. Richard had to be feel about as awful as he did and probably a lot less useful. Clark adopted a slightly gentler tone.

"I can possibly hear them if they cry for help, so please be quiet for a few minutes," Superman said, sweeping the city with his x-ray vision.

It was a long shot, but perhaps he might be able to spot her. With an inward groan he remembered the last time he had used his x-ray vision to save Lois.

Clark and Lois had been assigned to bust a terrorist ring. It had been one of their early assignments together, so Clark hadn't been aware that when he told Lois to stay, she did the opposite. As they had closed in on the building they suspected housed the cell, Clark took one look at their guns and decided it was a job for Superman.

"Wait here," Clark said softly to Lois. "I'll go around back and see if I can find a way in, you stay here and keep watch ok?"

Before Lois could answer, Clark was gone and a minute later, Superman was inside the building.

Superman was trying to sneak up on his attackers when Lois had burst into the room; figurative guns blazing, demanding answers.

Crashing throughfourwalls and a dresser, he had thrown himself in front of her body, just as a hail of bullets crashed onto his chest. They bounced harmlessly off, and Superman bodily lifted Lois up, carrying her outside. Against her protests he dropped her offa safe distanceand bounded back in. He managed to corral the still stunned terrorists together and twisted a metal rod to hold them. But when he had gone back to check on Lois, she was gone.

Panicked, Superman x-rayed the whole vicinity but to no avail. A loose man had escaped and had taken Lois in revenge.

Frantic with worry, a relatively new feeling for him… one that had seemed to develop as his heart had been given away to a certain tenacious reporter… Supermanshotinto the air, x-raying the city. It was so difficult! He'd think he'd see Lois' lithe form and burst in on a woman cooking at a stove, he'd see a man holding a woman that resembled Lois and he burst in on an act of love.

That had been especially embarrassing. Especially the next few days when rumors had circulated from the couple and the city had regarded him as the world's biggest pervert.

Not one of his finest moments.

Finally though, he had zeroed in on a woman in a chair. A woman who's figure he knew like the back of his own hand. Of course that only supported the pervert rumors, but he pushed that thought to the back of his mind. He ripped out the wall and ducked inside, untying Lois from the chair with almost fevered intensity.

He shielded her body with his for the second time that night, holding her in his arms for the very first time as she huddled behind him. Loathe to extricate himself from that perfect, perfect embrace, he had finally done it, catching the fleeing terrorist in an instant and trotting in a moment later as Clark Kent. The man who had forgotten to feed his fish.

Lois had kept him up half the night on the phone raving about Superman and complaining about Clark's disappearance.

Which, you know, wasn't entirely all bad… Well the first part anyway, the second part had him wracked in guilt and unable to sleep.

But thus, an obsession was born and Clark had ended manynights cursing his alter ego much more than ever before.

Superman shook himself from the memory and scanned the city. This time he couldn't be wrong. He didn't have time for trial and error, especially with the burden on his back.

The burden shifted a moment later and began to speak before Superman reached his hand up and slapped it on Richard's mouth.

There it was! A faint voice.

Lois' voice.

"SUPERMAN!" And then a thud. And then nothing.

Superman dive bombed where he heard the voice, reluctantly slowing slightly so as to not kill Richard. Unfortuantly.

"I heard her, but she stopped shouting, I'm going to leave you outside."

"No!" They were still speeding toward the city at an alarming rate, Richard's protest not even registering in Clark's mind. They reached the building a moment later and just as he was about to set down Richard, a new sound reached his ears.

Covering Richard's mouth again before the man could even say a word, they landed soundlessly in an alley across the street.

Superman pointed to the balding man making his way to the building.

"Recognize him?" Superman said softly into Richard's ear.

Richard nodded enthusiastically, the figure of Rhett Moniker instantly registering in his mind. He made a move to say something, but Superman's iron grip still held his mouth shut.

"In the shadows there, is a man dressed in black. I doubt you can see him," Superman continued softly into Richard's ear. "He's carrying a black case, but it's empty. I think they're about to make a payoff."

Both men watched as Rhett walked straight up to the man.

"My money?"

Before the thought to spring even registered in Superman's mind, the man pulled a gun out and shot Monikerthree timesin thechest.

Richard stifled a gasp, and it triggered Superman to release him.

Richard panted for breath while Superman gave him an apologetic shrug.

"Sorry," he mouthed.

Both watched as the man in the shadows returned inside the building.

Using his super vision, Superman surveyed the building.

"I see them, they're tied up on the fourth floor," Superman said softly. He exhaled slightly in relief. At least they were still alive.

"I'm going in there!" Richard started to run toward the building, but was stopped by an iron grip, this time on his arm.

"I think not. Stay here, when I get them out of there, you take them home. I'll catch up with you as soon as I finish up here."

Without a backward glance, Superman had risen up and disappeared in the darkness.

Once he was gone, Richard rolled his eyes. He would have thought Superman would have learned his lesson after all his dealings with Lois. Jogging across the street, Richard entered the building, his only weapon and defense the element of surprise.

Twenty miles away, the Lane-White house's interior was ash as smoke and fire slowly made its way to the outside. The house was slowly licked by flame, mementos of one life curling into ashes as smoked poured from the windows.

So this is this chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed! I just discovered the TV show Lois and Clark, lol and I had to tear myself away from the TV to write this. The show's great, a little cheesy, a little soap opera-y but man… I'm hooked. Any Lois/Clark pairing fan should definitely check it out. Talk about fluff! Sighs dreamily Well I'll get this posted and then return to my sentry by the TV.

-Laura