here's chapter 10. i'm hoping to get the next chapter up tomorrow. this chapter actually has my favorite scene from Lilies (it's at the end of this chapter) because it's a MAJOR turning point for both Lois and Clark.
and oh yes. i don't think i've mentioned this here, but i will now because i've wondered how many people have caught on or even realize this is going on. hidden easter eggs, plants, clues. they're in my stories. they'll clue you in to the next chapter and even to the sequel. think you know what they are? remember, they're in every chapter of all three fics. now, i'm not gonna tell you what they are. but i just wanted to let you know they're there.
but i hope you enjoy. remember, i ALWAYS love feedback. it's incredible motivation.
so, here we go:
Author: Alison
Disclaimer: Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and awesome pictures from a Keith Urban concert. I'll fight ya if you try to take eitheraway from me. My cat was seen hanging out again with Bode Miller in the Olympic Village in Torino. Some are blaming her for his poor performance. I have no comment on the situation.
Chapter 10
He couldn't even remember doing his chores. But somehow, they were done.
His mind had just been elsewhere lately. He knew part of the reason why. Maybe he was just having trouble accepting the whole reason.
She'd occupied his mind a lot more lately than he'd ever admit. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. He wasn't supposed to think the things he had about her. But he had. And, that was okay.
No. It was better than okay. He felt so amazing lately. He'd never felt this way before. He was terrified and thrilled at the same time. It made no sense. But he loved it.
It was a little after two o'clock. He knew she had to be at work at four. She'd be expecting him to be there to help clean before her shift started. He'd already showered and changed, so he ran on over to the Talon. He had to see the look on her face when she saw the theater.
He opened the front door to the little coffeehouse. His mother was still behind the counter, making a couple of drinks for the few waiting early afternoon customers. She looked up and saw him walking towards the counter. A huge smile appeared on her face. She never said a word but just motioned her head towards the theater doors.
He could feel his heart jump in his throat as he smirked at his mother and made his way to the theater doors. Quietly opening the swinging door, he slipped inside and saw her sitting in the same row he'd occupied just a few hours earlier. He wondered just how mad she was about this.
"You're gonna be sitting there a long time if you're waiting for the movie to start. I hear the next show's not til eight tonight."
She'd have some kind of reaction. She always did.
She stood, faced him, crossed her arms and cocked her hips to one side the way she usually does when she on the defensive.
"Well, actually I was going to finish cleaning this place, but it looks like someone beat me to it."
At least she was smiling.
Slowly, he walked down the aisle past her and took a long look around the room. He'd just play along for a while.
"Gee, Lois. Who could've done such a thing?"
So, he couldn't stop smiling. His back was to her, so it didn't matter. Besides, she just seemed to bring it out in him.
"Cool it, Smallville. I know it was you."
Hhmm…should he admit it? And give in to Lois? That was just crazy.
He braced himself and put on his best innocent face as he turned to look at her.
"Me? You sure about that, Lois?"
She rolled her eyes, but kept smiling. At least she didn't throw anything.
But she quickly walked out of the row and up the aisle as she spoke.
"I don't have time for this. I have to go find something."
Wha- What?
She was just gonna leave? Just like that? Where was she going?
Wait. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The banter was supposed to keep going for a little while longer. It wasn't supposed to be over this quick.
He quickly ran up the aisle after her.
"Wait, Lois."
She turned around and looked at him as she stopped at the red theater doors. Her arms were still crossed against her chest.
"What is it, Smallville?"
Um. Okay, so once again he hadn't thought it all the way through. This was all new to him. He wasn't too sure what to do. It's not like there was a manual for this sort of thing. He was just flying by the seat of his pants.
"Uh…I, er…"
Way to go. You know she understands stupid.
She rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Spit it out, Smallville. I haven't got all day."
Okay. Deep breath.
He looked down at the floor, trying in vain to find the right words. She was going to find something. Well…there's your in, buddy.
"Do you want some help?" She looked confused. Okay…explain. "Because I'm pretty good at finding things. You know, working on a farm and all. Hay stacks…and needles."
Well, isn't that original. She'd never fall for that. You might as well just go on home because she's never going to buy it.
He threw in his classic sheepish grin just for good measure. Sometimes it helps in these situations. But he thought he'd need a miracle to help now.
She shrugged her shoulders and nodded.
"Suit yourself."
Suit…What? She bought that? Was he getting better at this?
He was constantly in a state of confusion around her. But, he never really seemed to care. After all, it kept him on his toes.
He smiled as she quickly turned and walked through the swinging doors back out to the front. He paused for just a minute to take a deep breath. Then, he pushed the door open and caught up with her at the bottom of the stairs that led to her tiny apartment. He followed her up and watched as she opened the door, threw her keys on the kitchen counter and immediately walked to the sofa and coffee table.
They were everywhere. His heart jumped as he stood in her doorway. What was she doing?
She knelt in the floor and began picking up each one.
Should he help her? Should he walk over to her? Should he say something?
"Lois…what happened?"
So, he didn't know what else to do. He wasn't ready to hug her again. Well, maybe he was. But, he'd have to work his way up to something like that again. And she didn't exactly look like she wanted to be hugged right then.
"I lost something."
He was pretty sure he knew. He was almost certain he knew what she would say. But he still had to play along, right?
"Well, maybe if you told me what it is that you lost, I can help you find it."
She sighed.
"I've lost a picture."
Here it comes. He knew it. How was he going to deal with this? This wasn't part of the plan.
He walked closer to where she was in the floor.
"Okay…which picture?"
His heart and mind were racing. Just one step at a time, Kent. Just breathe.
She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.
"The one of my mom holding the lilies."
Just play along. Don't let on. You can do this.
"Are you sure, Lois?"
She sighed.
"Yes, Smallville. I'm sure. It was here the other night when you were here. I put it back in the box the next morning. It was the last picture I put in there. It should've been right on top. And it wasn't there."
He closed his eyes as his heart sank. He wanted to help her. He wanted to tell her. But he couldn't ruin everything he'd been working on for the past few days. It would all be over soon.
She was in the floor between the coffee table and couch. He walked around to the front of the coffee table and stood, watching as she picked up a handful of the old photos off the floor. She rocked back, sat in the floor and took a deep breath.
"Why?"
"Why what, Lois?"
"Why that picture? Why is that the one picture that's missing?"
Oh. Well…um. How do you answer that? He wanted to tell her. But he also wanted to surprise her.
"Are you sure it's the only one missing?"
Still playing along.
She looked up at him.
"I'm pretty sure, Smallville. I look through each and every one of these pictures on that day every year. And I've done it for several years. I think I know which ones are missing. And that's the only one."
So, maybe he wasn't expecting her to catch on. He knew she was smart. He just didn't think she'd notice.
He felt the urge to do something. The urge to comfort her. The same urge he had…the other night in the loft. When he hugged her. No. When they hugged. After all, she had reciprocated.
He walked around the coffee table to the sofa, moved the pictures over, and sat down. He noticed an old tattered photo of two young girls. One girl was a little taller than the other, but had a sad expression on her face. He flipped the picture over. On the back was written "Lois and Lucy, Christmas 1992." Doing the quick math, he realized this was taken the year her mother died. It was their first Christmas without her.
What could he do? He couldn't tell her what he was planning. But this all meant so much to Lois. He had to do…something.
He looked at her.
"Lois, I promise we'll find the picture."
He needed to talk to Chloe. He needed to get it back. Soon.
She reached up and grabbed the pictures on the couch, moving them all to the coffee table. She then rose up and sat on the sofa next to him, leaning forward on her elbows with her head in her hands.
Was she going to cry again? He was having a hard time reading her. He braced himself for anything.
"I don't know what could have happened to it. It just doesn't make any sense. I didn't take it out of the box. And it certainly didn't grow legs and walk away or sprout wings and fly. I mean… it doesn't mean anything to anyone else."
She sounded exasperated.
If she only knew how much that picture meant to him. Of course, it was only because it meant so much to her.
He glanced over at the picture that now lay on the coffee table of the two young girls.
"Why is it so important to you? That particular picture?"
She sighed.
"I don't remember her like that."
Like that?
"Like what?"
"Happy. Well, I guess I do to a certain extent. But just bits and pieces. Images, really. I can see her smiling."
And his heart sank a little more. She truly needed this time of year. And he knew he'd screwed it up. He didn't know what else to do. He gave a crooked smile as she paused and leaned against the back of the sofa as she continued.
"She got sick when I was about five. There were good days and bad days off and on for about nine months. It was those last three months when she got worse. We didn't see her as often then. She was in the hospital and Daddy wouldn't take us."
He didn't know what to do except let her talk. It seemed to be something she needed.
She leaned her head on the back of the couch, taking a breath before continuing.
"The last time I saw her was the night before she died. I went in the room and climbed up on the bed. She had all these tubes coming out of her. Daddy picked up Lucy and put her on the bed so she could see her, too. I really think that day was more for Mom than it was for us. She was saying goodbye, not us."
He wasn't sure about her, but he felt like crying. He couldn't imagine having to go through something like that with a parent. Lois was much stronger than he ever gave her credit.
But all this talk about her mom made him think of his own. Not his adopted mother, but his birth mother. If it was possible, he missed her.
He looked at her while he tried his best to think of some way to comfort her.
"I never knew my mom." She raised her head off the couch and looked at him. "My real mom, that is. A part of me kinda feels empty for not knowing my biological parents, especially my mother." He paused and looked down at his hands in his lap. "Don't get me wrong, I love my adopted parents. But…I sometimes wonder what my life would've been like…"
She gave a little smile and nodded.
"If things had never changed? I know. Sometimes, I wonder what my life would've been like if my mom had lived. But, I try not to dwell on it. This is what happened and I can only look to the future. But, I still would've liked to have said goodbye."
He smiled weakly and nodded.
It was then he knew they had more in common than he'd ever thought. He was quietly grateful his mom made him take meatloaf to her apartment three nights ago.
A picture on the coffee table caught his eye and he leaned forward to pick it up. It was of a young Lois and her mother. She was holding Lois, who apparently didn't want her picture taken. Lois' head was tilted to one side and she had a smirk on her face just like her mother in the picture that was missing. He knew she missed her. After all, you never really forget your mother.
"You know, Lois. Someone once told me that a mother's love never dies."
He looked at her as she smiled and uncrossed her arms, placing them at her sides.
He didn't know why he did it. Well, maybe he did.
It was just letting her know that everything would be okay. It was just supposed to be comforting.
He reached down and slowly took her hand in his. He took a deep breath as he felt her small fingers gently wrap around his.
They didn't say a word. They simply sat on her sofa in the tiny apartment holding hands. It seemed like a cliché, holding hands. But this was more. It was much more.
Because it was then he knew that she felt it, too.