Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted. I hope the wait was worth it. This chapter's pretty long (8 pages in Word), so I hope y'all enjoy. Remember feedback of any kind is loved and appreciated!
Author: Alison
Disclaimer: Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc. etc. etc. I only own the story, so please don't take that away from me. My cat is meeting with my entertainment lawyer next week in L.A. to discuss copyright infringement.
Chapter 3
He didn't know how long he'd been lying there. But it felt like an eternity.
What was he doing there anyway? He was still confused.
His feet hung over the end of the overstuffed sofa as the bright morning sun shone through the windows in the apartment. He should've left last night. He should've left right after the movie. But something stopped him.
She stopped him.
He wasn't sure about it then and the few hours of sleep he managed to get didn't make it any clearer now.
He didn't want to watch something sad. So he picked out Rush Hour. Just the right amount of comedy with a little drama thrown in for good measure. It was one of his and Pete's favorites.
She seemed to enjoy it. She laughed most of the way through it, which was a good sign. She seemed to really enjoy when he mentioned, perhaps a little too loudly, that he wished he had moves like Jackie Chan. At least she laughed. And, as far as he knew, she didn't cry the rest of the night.
She left the room after the movie. He noticed the box of pictures still sitting there. Sliding off the couch, he sat in the floor and gently picked up a small handful of photographs.
Maybe it was because he didn't have pictures of his biological parents. Maybe he just wanted to see if other families did the same things and took pictures of those things like his family did.
Either way, his curiosity won out.
He couldn't be sure, but he thought she was pretty surprised that he wanted to know about her family. He was surprised, however, that she sat there next to him until the early morning hours pouring over the pictures and telling the stories behind them all.
He slowly sat up and looked at the clock in the kitchen. It was nearly seven fifteen. He had class in about an hour. He'd probably only had three or four hours of sleep, but he had to get up. There was too much to do.
It came to him last night. When he saw her there, he knew he had to do something. No. He wanted to do something. And that excited and terrified him at the same time.
She just seemed so un-Lois like. But he had surprised her. He hadn't called. He didn't knock. But he was worried about her.
Wait. Worried? About Lois?
This was still confusing. This was Lois. Not Lana. Not Chloe.
He should've just dropped off the food and left. That's what she would've done. Right?
She wouldn't have stayed and wanted to know so much about him. She wouldn't have cared. She would've told him to 'turn that frown upside down, Skippy.' He hated that. And she wouldn't have cared that he hated it.
Why did she confuse him? Why did she drive him crazy? Lana didn't do this to him. With Lana, he knew what to expect. They'd been doing the same song and dance for years now. He knew the moves backwards and forwards and could do them in his sleep. She was so predictable.
After all, she only wanted to know everything that went on. No secrets or lies.
Well that couldn't last. They both had secrets. And in order to keep those secrets, they had to lie. They were both in love with the idea of each other. It would never change. Those vicious cycles never do.
He'd known for a while that he and Lana wouldn't work. But when you're told for so long that you belong together, you start to believe it.
Maybe at some point he was in love with her. She was and would always be a great friend. But could there ever be more? He just didn't think so anymore.
This was the first time he'd thought about Lana since last night when Lois was crying. Yet, it was because of Lois that he was thinking of Lana now.
He had to get going. He needed to get the truck back to the farm and grab his books before he headed to campus. It would probably be a good idea to check in with the parents so they know everything's okay.
Sitting up he swung his legs around and on the cold wooden floor. He couldn't tell, but he was pretty sure that there was a draft. The fire had burned itself out in the middle of the night. He thought about starting another with his heat vision, but didn't want to leave a fire burning with Lois unconscious and alone. That had disaster written all over it. He was sure of it.
He reached in the floor and slipped his boots on. He laced them up and stood. He grabbed the red fleece blanket and neatly folded it and laid the blue pillow on top of it on the couch.
As he walked to the kitchen barstool to grab his jacket, he caught a glimpse of her. He didn't mean to, it just happened.
He quietly moved closer to her bedroom. He didn't want to wake her. She'd had a long night, and probably a long day, yesterday. So, he stood in the wide doorway and watched her.
She had kicked all the covers off the bed at some point in the night. Her rubber ducky flannel pajamas were twisted as she lay on her stomach. He smiled as he watched her sleeping, her mouth hanging open as the sunlight reflected off her hair which fell in her face.
He didn't realize he had moved. He didn't notice that he was walking closer to her. But before he knew it, he was standing next to her bed.
If that didn't shock him enough, what happened next surely did.
He reached down and gently brushed her hair out of her face. And it was then that he felt it.
The flutter. The same as last night when she had turned to walk to the bathroom. What was it?
He looked at her sleeping so peacefully as her mouth hung open. He listened carefully. Her heart was beating so evenly. It was…peaceful.
He realized then he had never stopped to listen to Lana's heartbeat before. He wondered why?
As his hand brushed her hair away from her face, he let it linger just a few seconds longer than it should have. She was beginning to stir. He had to leave before she caught him. How would he ever explain this?
He wouldn't, and thus, he would never hear the end of it.
He took one last look at her before turning and walking to the door. He knew he should've left sooner. He knew he should've left last night. But something was keeping him there. And now, he felt as if he had to do something. Something for her.
He stopped as he grasped the doorknob and turned back to look at her. Part of him wanted to wake her so he could ask if she was alright…was she feeling any better. But he was pretty sure he'd get kicked in the groin for that. He didn't think that'd be a good way to start off the day.
Slowly turning the doorknob, he slipped out and closed the door behind him. He stood there at the top of the stairs. He couldn't believe it, but he actually felt sad that he was leaving the tiny apartment. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but he had fun with Lois last night.
He needed to get back to the farm. He needed to get his books and cell phone. Maybe Chloe would be able to help. She always seemed to have an answer.
Bounding down the stairs, he super speeded out to the truck. He hopped in and backed out of the alley, turned down the street and headed home.
He didn't want to go to class. He didn't really want to go to the farm. But he had stuff to do, even though he would've been content to lie on her couch a little while longer, no matter how much his feet dangled off the end. He liked being with her. She was…fun. And he saw last night that Lois Lane was just as human as everyone else. She had her weaknesses, but she kept them hidden.
Maybe they had more in common than he thought.
He turned onto the dirt lane that took him up to the old farmhouse. He cautiously looked around as he parked the truck and opened the door to step out. Would they be mad he didn't come home? Would they be upset he didn't do his chores this morning? He might've been made of steel, but he felt sucker-punched every time he disappointed his parents.
Walking up the steps to the house and opening the door, he heard his mother already defending him. He briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath before making his way into the kitchen.
"Clark? Is everything alright? What happened to you last night?"
It's not that he didn't want to talk to them. It's just he didn't want to talk to them about this. Not about Lois. He didn't want them to get the wrong idea. After all, they weren't that thrilled when he spent the night with Lana. But nothing happened with Lois.
"Everything's fine. I just stayed at Lois' last night. She was having a hard time with some things and she asked me to stay to keep her company."
His father threw him a skeptical sideways look.
"Let me get this straight. Lois Lane asked you, Clark Kent, to spend the night with her?"
"Jonathan…"
He turned to look at his wife, who had that mother's defensive expression.
"It just doesn't make much sense to me, Martha." He looked at Clark, who stood motionless as he tried to take in just what his parents were getting at. "I mean, I thought you two hated each other?"
When did he ever say he hated Lois? Okay, so maybe there were times when he didn't like her very much. Like when she got them in trouble after they were caught in the bathroom together. Or when she gave him a lap dance.
Well, maybe that wasn't so bad. But not because it was Lois. It was just a girl in a scantily clad sailor outfit sitting on his lap. He was a guy, after all. But it had nothing to do with Lois.
"We don't hate each other." He walked over to the dining table to grab his cell phone he'd left last night. He didn't think he'd be gone too long or else he would've picked it up before he left for Lois'. "Sometimes we just don't agree with each other and don't get along."
He turned around and walked back to his parents standing next to the kitchen island. His mother raised her eyebrows as his father shook his head. He really didn't want to talk about this anymore. Especially with his parents.
"I have to get to class. I'm gonna go grab my books in the loft and head to campus." He leaned toward his mother and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see ya later." He turned and headed towards the door.
"Clark?" He stopped and hesitated before turning to face his mother. "Are you sure everything's alright?"
He took a deep breath and glanced down before answering.
"Yeah…or, at least, I think it will be."
He watched as his mother smiled faintly. Opening the screen door, he super speeded over to the barn and up to the loft. He was running late. That new professor was gonna kill him if he was late again. He seemed to be stricter than the one that literally tried to kill him. At least, when it came to tardiness.
Stuffing his books inside his backpack, he headed back down the stairs. His father was in the other end of the barn stacking hay bales. He was already running late, but he needed to say something…anything.
He turned the corner and moved towards his father.
"I'll be back this afternoon to help you out. I've gotta get to class right now."
Why was it awkward? He just got the distinct feeling that his father wasn't too happy with him right then.
"That's fine, son. Go get an education. I'll be fine til you get home."
He didn't want to get into it then. He just wanted to leave.
"Dad, if you want me to stay here and help I- -"
"No, Clark. Just go." Exasperation clung to his every word. Yep, something wasn't right. But he couldn't deal with it right then. "I'll be alright."
With that final bit of half assurance, Clark nodded his head and turned to leave. He would've stayed to figure out his father, but he had other things on his mind.
Like calling Chloe. He flipped his cell phone open as he walked out the barn door and got in the old red pickup truck.
He heard the line pick up and that cheery familiar voice ring through the phone.
"Good morning, Clark."
"Hey, Chloe."
He turned out of the dusty driveway and onto the main road, headed to campus.
"Is everything okay?"
It's not that he didn't hear her. His thoughts had drifted back to that tiny apartment. Watching her last night. She was so vulnerable. Seeing her this morning. What was happening to him?
"Yeah, Chloe. Everything's okay. I guess."
"Okay, you guess? Something's up with you, Clark. Now, what is it?"
He took a deep breath. He wanted to tell her. He really did. And he knew he could trust her.
"I want to do something for Lois."
He could hear her laugh on the other end. Was it really that funny?
"You want to do something for Lois? What, were you planning on punking her?"
Chloe. Ever the queen of the pop culture one-liners.
"No. I want to do something for her. Something…nice."
There it was. It was out in the open. Someone knew. He couldn't believe he said it out loud. But he did. At least it was only Chloe who heard it.
"What are you talking about, Clark? What's going on?"
He sighed. He had halfway hoped that Chloe would be able to figure it out. He certainly didn't feel like explaining everything.
"Look, she's going through a rough time right now. I've never seen her like this. I just want to do something for her…you know, to show that she's not…alone."
He had thought about it all night. It sat in the back of his mind while she was gently studying each photo. He watched as she smiled at each face staring up from the old pictures. She told the stories of her parents' first date, the first time she and Lucy went fishing with their father along the Neckar River in Heidelberg, and their many family trips abroad. All of the stories she recounted, however, seemed to occur before her mother died, which is why he felt the need to do something.
"Okay…you're gonna have to be a bit more specific with me, Clark. Even with all my intrepid reporter skills, I'm still having trouble following you."
He sighed. Again.
Come on, Chloe. You can figure this out. I don't wanna explain it. I don't want to say it. Please don't make me say it.
But he did.
"I stayed over at Lois' last night."
Great. Did he have to say that?
"You did what?"
He held the phone away from his ear as she screamed. Just the reaction he was not looking for. He had to smooth it over.
"Relax, Chloe. Nothing happened. She was just having a hard time last night and I stayed to keep her company. That's all. I slept on her couch."
There. Hopefully, that would calm her down. After all, nothing happened. Right? Nothing.
He could hear her take a deep breath. She sounded relieved. Why would Chloe sound relieved that nothing happened? Did she still have feelings for him? She'd made it pretty clear when he was with Lana that she was over him. Maybe she was just protective of Lois.
"Oh. Well, then what'd you mean when you said you wanted to do something for her?"
"I know about her mom. We stayed up talking til about three o'clock this morning."
He didn't want to give her too many details. But he just felt like he needed to say something to her. Chloe knew Lois better than anyone. She'd know what to do.
"Really? What'd you talk about for so long?"
Uh…
Did he want to tell her everything? Just the basics. Maybe Lois would fill her in later.
Yeah, right. Lois would never mention to anyone that she let Clark Kent spend the night with her.
"Just different things. Her family, parents, Lucy. We looked at her pictures. She told me some stories about her family and growing up. I never really realized how tough her life was as a kid."
That's basic enough. Not too much info.
"Yeah, it was pretty tough, especially with a three-star General for a father." He could hear her pause and take a deep breath. "But you really didn't answer my earlier question. What do you want to do for her?"
He honestly didn't know. Last night he just felt the urge to comfort Lois. That was strange enough. But he didn't want to just comfort her then. He wanted her to be comforted on every anniversary of her mom's death. He just didn't want her to feel alone.
"Well, I was hoping you could help with that. I think…I want to do something for her mom. Well, for Lois, but in honor of her mom. And I just need some ideas."
"Uh…yeah, sure. I'll be glad to help. Did you have anything in mind?"
Something had caught his attention last night.
"Well, she had mentioned last night that she didn't get to visit her mom's grave often. So, I was thinking maybe a memorial of some sort to her mother."
"A memorial. Like a stone or grave marker or something?"
"Yeah, hey, that's not a bad idea. Do you think you could look up some information on that for me? Like how we go about getting one and what all's involved? Because I really have no clue."
He'd never dealt with anything like that before. He didn't even know where to begin. He'd always known Chloe was the brains of the operation.
"Sure. It shouldn't take me long to find something. Want me to give you a call when I do?"
He had turned in to one of the Central Kansas parking lots and pulled into a space. Grabbing his backpack on the seat next to him, he hopped out of the truck and headed towards the cluster of buildings.
"Yeah. But, I'm on my way to class right now, so if you can't get a hold of me just email it and I'll print it out later."
"Okay. Not a problem. I'll get it to you as quick as I can."
He knew he could count on her. She would forever be one of his best friends. He smiled for the first time since that morning when he was watching Lois sleep.
"Okay. Thanks, Chloe. I really appreciate it."
"Sure. Anytime."
He almost hung up. But then he remembered something that would be so perfect.
"Oh, and Chloe?"
"Yeah?"
"See if there's a way a picture can be put on the stone."
"A picture?"
"Yeah. I think I know one that would be perfect."
With that, he closed his phone. He smiled, getting lost in thought, as he made his way to the Humanities building.
He couldn't believe the last twenty-four hours. Lois was oil to his water. They couldn't stand each other. Yet, for some reason she'd talked him into staying.
They talked for hours until she got so sleepy she couldn't keep her head up any longer. So, he told her to go to bed, which she gladly did.
But as she got up to walk to her bedroom, she stopped and looked at him as he slipped off his boots and unfolded the fleece blanket.
"Thanks, Clark. For everything."
She smiled like she meant it, which brought out his beaming grin.
He nodded as she turned and walked into the bedroom.
Sitting on the couch, he did the best he could to position his legs so they wouldn't drape over the edge, but to no avail. Then, as he lay there quietly, he heard it.
He heard her heartbeat speed up as she got into bed. He could hear her quick deep breaths.
And it was then he realized his relationship with Lois Lane would never be the same.