Chapter 7

They were sitting on the sofa, his mother in the kitchen warming up hot chocolate on the stove while his – his father went upstairs to get some clothes for him. Despite his attire looking war torn, he was completely drenched from head to toe.

"You're shaking," Lois said with a soft voice.

She touched his forehead with the palm of her hand which then slowly slid down to his cheek. Her hand felt so warm that he held it there when she was about to move it away.

"Don't!" he whispered pleadingly.

"It's okay," she said, hiding her worry.

Just then, Jonathan came down the stairs with a new set of clothes for him and handed them to Lois.

"Here you go."

Clark was afraid to look up and face his father in fear that he'll break down crying again.

"Thanks," he uttered, it voice barely above a whisper.

Jonathan nodded and silently allowed Lois to go help Clark up the stairs. He knew that whatever his son had just been through scared him, and he didn't want to appear insensitive. He was just so worried about him.

Like any father would be.

Lois led him up the stairs and into the bathroom, closing the door after they were both inside.

Clark followed her blindly without uttering a single word. He didn't know what to say but he had a feeling that she didn't expect him to.

"Here," she said, gesturing for him to sit down on the closed toilet seat.

Clark found himself doing exactly what she said with no argument. He choked back the urge to cry as he focused on his still shaking hands. They hadn't stopped doing that since he felt his father's arms wrap around him.

Her hands moved to his buttoned up red-checkered plaid shirt, undoing each button one by one.

Clark watched her every movement with intense curiosity.

After the first layer was off, her hands dropped to his hips pulling out the damp white shirt he had left on.

Before he realized what he was doing, he lifted both his arms up over his head as she slipped it off in one fluid movement.

He didn't know whether this was something they did often but he liked the feeling, even though it was wrong for him to feel it. For Lois, she believed him to be the man she fell in love with.

In reality, he was an imposter.

Clark knew this but he so gravely wished he didn't.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

Clark was amazed. On the outside, she was strong and calm and patient, but even he knew that behind the love shown so obvious in her eyes lies concern. Questions. Possibly even fear, but he wasn't entirely certain.

"Better," he answered weakly.

Lois nodded, showing a small smile.

"Good."

She wore her hair down. Clark has always liked it when she had it down and he was surprised to be able to look her straight in the eye without feeling afraid of what she sees.

"You're beautiful."

It suddenly felt natural for him to say it.

She took his shaking hand and held it between her own before leaning down to kiss the back of it softly.

"We were worried," she said in a low voice. "I couldn't find you. I thought maybe that you – "

Clark leaned in to kiss her, stopping her from completing her thoughts and let himself get lost in the comfort of her warmth.

Is this how it felt like to be loved?

In a moment of selfishness, he gave in.

Kissing her wasn't what he thought it would be.

It was more.

When he let out a small groan the memories of his life caved in and he knew he had gone too far.

"Wait, I'm sorry," he said, breaking apart from her.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "I want to be… but it isn't right."

Lois looked confused. She didn't know what he was trying to say. As far as she can tell, he was physically fine but she didn't know his exact circumstance to make a rational assessment on his state of mind.

"It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."

Her words were meant to comfort him, but she didn't know.

Nobody knew.

He's not the man she thinks he is.

Lois descended the stairs where Martha and Jonathan waited anxiously for her. The young woman sent them a small smile as Mrs. Kent handed her an extra-made cup of hot chocolate.

"How is he?" Martha asked in motherly concern.

"Has he said anything?" Jonathan added as well.

Lois shook her head. "Not really. He was quiet almost the entire time. He seemed spooked."

"Spooked," Jonathan repeated.

"What do you mean?" asked Martha.

"Something happened and he's afraid to talk about it right now. I didn't want to push him to say anything so I helped him to this room," she let out a breath. "He's asleep now."

"What do you think happened?" asked Martha.

"I don't know, Mrs. Kent. I'm hoping when he's ready, he'll tell us."

"That's probably a good idea. We should all get some sleep too. Martha and I could each take turns watching – "

"Do you mind if I stay with him for the night?" Lois interrupted.

Martha and Jonathan traded brief looks of contemplation. It was the wrong time to think it but as parents, it couldn't be helped. But they also knew that they trusted Lois Lane so the answer was made quickly.

"Sure," said Martha.

Lois exhaled. "Thanks." She hugged them both before climbing back up the stairs and into Clark's room.

Jonathan looked to his wife. "You think we should've done that?"

"We can't protect them forever, Jonathan. Just let them be together. Clark needs it and so does Lois."

"I know." Jonathan kissed his wife's forehead while holding her close. "You're right."

"I'm always right," she said with a smile, the anxiety in which they lived in the past few days after their son's disappearance slowly disappears.

If only they knew.

Clark watched her sleep beside him. He woke up a couple of hours ago with a headache when he surprisingly finds himself holding Lois in his arms. For a moment, he wondered if his parents knew.

He figured they did because there was no way they'd let a girl sleep in his room let alone with himself without their consent.

So he watched her. Remembering every feature on her face, the way her lips curled into a slight smile as if she was having a good dream.

She probably was.

Kent's a lucky man to wake up every morning to this.

This woman.

This life.

His parents were safe and happy in a room down the hall. He had a girlfriend that knew everything about him and doesn't love him any less because of it.

It was all so unexpected.

It felt like a drug being here with them.

He didn't want it to end.

He was afraid he couldn't let it go.

He knew though that this was not his life to claim. If anything, he had to make things right back home in order to have anything near to what Kent had, but first, he had to find a way to get back; and he needed to do it fast because the longer he stayed, the more tempted he was never to leave.

His conscience couldn't hold that kind of responsibility.

"This is new," her voice suddenly broke through the silence taking him out of his thoughts in the process. "You're up early."

What should he say?

"How did you know I was awake?"

Her left hand snaked up to his chest and settled right on top of his heart.

"It's beating fast," she pointed out softly.

Clark was so caught off guard by his inner thoughts, he didn't even notice his heart was racing.

"Oh."

Lois chuckled softly brushing a hand through her hair.

"God, I must look terrible."

She tried to get up but gave up when Clark's still arms kept her from moving an inch.

"I don't think so. I'm sure God doesn't either."

Lois smiled and it warmed his heart even further than he ever imagined. His hand touched her cheek, letting it brush against her soft skin.

"You're eyes are so green," he noticed for the first time.

Lois thought it was an odd observation because he already knew that, but she quickly brushed it off. He's been gone for almost a week. Six days twenty hours and 32 minutes.

She couldn't help but count the seconds he'd been gone.

She was so scared that something truly terrible happened to him. And she doesn't get scared easily.

It's an annoying side effect of falling in love with Clark Kent.

After a moment, she began to grow sleepy again.

Clark simply smiled as he watched her fall asleep. He wished she could stay up and talk more but he knew he was pushing his luck.

While Lois continued to sleep, Clark slowly and quietly and reluctantly slid away from her embrace. He walked around his bedroom, marveling both at the similarities and differences between him and Kent.

There was a photo album on his desk and he sat to take a look at it.

As he flipped each page, he saw a life he could've had pass him by.

Pete was in them, all the way up to graduation. In one photo, Chloe stood between them with all smiles. Their whole lives were ahead of them and they were happy to take it on.

Envy crept back up through the tiny cracks of his emotions but he quickly squashed it away.

Not now.

Jealousy won't get him home and it won't make things right.

After a few pages, he couldn't take looking at any more of the photos so he shut it close. He moved away from the desk and let his eyes linger on something he was familiar with.

Astronomy.

More importantly, it was a telescope.

But it wasn't just any telescope. It was a Ritchey-Chretien (RC). He couldn't believe he had one in his room. It's one of the more expensive and advanced models to date for amateur astronomers.

How could his parents afford this?

Then he caught the sight of an inscription alongside the side of the scope. He read it aloud but his voice remained at a whisper.

"We all fall from the stars and into the arms of strangers."
With all my love, Lois Lane

Just when he thought that she couldn't surprise him anymore than she already has, he had to find this.

End of Chapter 7