Chapter 4

Disaster at the Museum

The next day at three in the afternoon, the Kents and their partners arrived at the museum. Clark and Lois were both dressed to the nines while their hosts dressed like tourists completed with Kara's t-shirt of her and her partner on a rollercoaster. They wandered around the dinosaur exhibit studying a near-complete fossil skeleton of an enormous sauropod that once stood seventy-two feet tall.

"That's is the biggest Brontosaurus I've ever seen," Lois gawked.

"Actually that's a Brachiosaurus Altithorax," Clark corrected. "The large front legs and small head crest and small give it away."

"Please don't turn this into one of your dino lectures," Kara groaned.

"So Mr. paleontologist what other facts do you have for us," his partner playfully inquired.

"We'll see," he hinted.

Although Kara wasn't looking forward to hearing about her cousin's vast knowledge of dinosaurs, she was happy to see him happy, something that had been lacking for the past three months. They continued their tour of the museum's dinosaur exhibit, seeing the many types of dinosaurs, including a Parasaurolophus Walkeri, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Velociraptor Mongoliensis fighting a Protoceratops Andrewsi, a Pachyrhinosaurus Lakustai, and a bizarre-looking creature with long arms called Deinocheirus Mirificus.

Soon they came to a stand that had two Triceratops Horridus skeletons. They had been placed in a way that made it look as if they were in some sort of meet-cute romance movie.

Barbara whispered something to her partner which made her blush and stifle a chuckle. Lois rolled her eyes in response, guessing it was either a juvenile or dirty joke.

"So what other kind of dinos do we have here?" Lois asked the two women who were holding each other hands.

"I can't remember the names but I know that there's a few more down this way," Barbara pointed out.

"You go ahead I'll catch up," Clark said.

Once he was sure that Lois and Barbara were out of ear range, he let out a defeated sigh, sliding his hand under the glasses to rub his eyes. He raised his head back up to look at the two Triceratops one final time and turned around straight into someone.

"I am sorry ma'am, I didn't..." he stopped when he realized who it was. "Lana?"

"Clark?" she recalled with surprise. "Wow, this is a nice surprise. What are you doing in Gotham?"

"Just getting stories for the paper. So, what brings you here?" he asked.

"They shipped me out to design the outfits for the charity event here."

"How have you been?"

"I've been given a lot of busy work, mostly small projects, so when they offered me this gig, I couldn't pass it up! What about you?"

"It's mostly quiet on my end," Clark shrugged.

"Sure," Lana teased.

"Is it ok if I ask you some questions about the event?" Clark took out his notebook and a small grey pen.

"Oh sure.".

"So what's the theme your going for?" he asked.

"I'm thinking a nature-based palette, you know greens, blues, and browns. They're still a work in progress but I'll get them done before the event."

The other women he came with meanwhile were looking at a fossilized skull of an Albertosaurus Sarcophagus.

"The apex predator of Albert, Canada during the late cretaceous seventy-one million b.c. This species of theropod is a close cousin of the Tyrannosaurus Rex that may have hunted in packs, hmm cool." Barbara noted after she read the sign below.

"Wonder what the T. Rex thought of his cousin dating other women," Lois muttered under her breath, which Kara heard and ignored

They turned the corner to see a fossil skeleton of Maiasaura Peeblesorum and a nest full of its babies. Barbara's expression slowly turned to sorrow.

"What's wrong with her?" Lois whispered to Kara

"It's um... it's personal."

"Did her mum not approve of the gay thing?" Lois genuinely asked.

"No, it's..." Barbara tried to speak but she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Her mother passed away a few years ago," Kara informed her.

"Oh," Lois shamefully murmured.

"The anniversary is in a few weeks."

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds before Kara noticed that her cousin wasn't with them.

"Where's Clark?" she asked.

"Probably still looking at the Triceratops, I'll get him," Lois excused herself.

She went to where they had last seen him while Kara attended to her girlfriend. She stopped when she saw him talking with Lana. Lois don't mind her too much, they had talked a few times and she had to admit that Lana was a very talented fashion designer, however, she never liked it when Lana and Clark were alone. She always felt that there might be more that was going on between them, in fact, Lois wasn't a fan of Clark talking to any woman who wasn't her or a family member.

Lois walked up to them, hiding her frustration with a neutral expression. Lana continued to talk about what she was doing for the event as Clark wrote down notes. Before she finished her next sentence she caught sight of Lois. She immediately stopped speaking, so Clark looked up at her in confusion until he heard his girlfriend speak.

"Hey Smallville, you coming or what?" Lois joked to hide her jealousy.

"Oh, um I was just getting something for the paper," Clark explained putting the notebook back into his right trouser pocket.

"It's nice to see you again Lois, how have you been?" Lana asked.

"Oh, you know, busy. Looking for stories, trying to keep my position on top..." Lois said before her tone turned slightly venomous. "... keeping an eye out for rats."

Lana quietly gulped.

Clark decided that he and Lois should get going before things got worse. "It was nice to see you again Lana," he said. "Good luck with the dresses."

"Um, thanks, Clark. See around."

He smile and walked off while Lois just glared at the other woman.

"We're just friends," Lana reassured her.

Lois narrowed her eyes to ward her off before joining her partner.

Lana walked away just as Clark turned his head to see her one last time and he earned a narrowed gaze from Lois.

"Don't give me that look," he sighed.

"Then don't look at her," Lois retorted.

Clark just let out a silent grown of frustration. He and Lois returned to where Barbara and Kara were waiting for them.

As the day continued they walked around the museum to view the many different exhibits all displaying statues, old pottery, stuffed animals, fossils, and ancient artifacts. In the Ice Age exhibit, they found a model replica of a Woolly Mammoth and its calf when Barbara caught sight of a red-haired woman in a green suit.

"Hey, that's Lana Lang," Barbara said causing the others to turn to follow her gaze.

"What's she doing here?" Kara asked.

"She's designing outfits for the event," Clark explained earning an eye roll from Lois.

"How do you know that?"

"We talked a little."

"Were you to catching up with her?"

"Wait, you and Lana know each other?" Barbara asked in astonishment.

"You could say that," Clark muttered.

"She's his ex-girlfriend," Kara carefully explained.

"Really?" Gordon asked him and earned a nod. "What was it like?"

"I'll tell you about some other time," he dismissed.

"Maybe when your current girlfriend isn't with you," Lois snarkily noted.

Barbara and Kara gave each other a look and left their guests to defuse. "Um, we'll just be over there if you need us." The young couple walked over to the museum's cafe. Kara looked back at her cousin, who seemed to be having a small argument with Lois.

"Is she always that unpleasant when he talks about his past girlfriends?" Barbara asked as she ordered a cup of hot chocolate for herself and Kara.

"Yeah and any other woman he mentions," she admitted.

"Hate to see how's she's gonna react when she finds out his secret," Barbara mentioned.

Kara nodded in agreement just as the man behind the counter handed them their drinks.

"I'll get it," Barbara offered.

"No, I'll get it," she intervened.

"You got it last time," she explained as she pulled out her card.

"I know but I want to treat you," Kara said as she got her card out.

"Thank you, but I'll pay this time."

Kara beat her to it, though, "You're welcome."

"Kara," Barbara warned in minor frustration.

"What?"

"I said I would pay for it."

"I know but I want to pay this time.".

"Can't you just let me do it?"

"So it's a crime for me to treat you?" Kara whispered.

Before Barbara could respond the two of them heard a chuckle. They turned to see lang again.

"Young couples," Lana wistfully put it.

"Hi, Lana," Kara greeted.

"Hello, Kara. Haven't seen you in ages. How've you been?"

"Fine, I heard you're working on the outfits for the museum's charity event?"

"Yep, the dresses are still a long way off but I'll get there," she shrugged. "By the way who is your beautiful girlfriend?"

"Hi, my name is Barbara Gordon," she introduced herself with an outstretched hand.

She accepted the offer, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Barbara."

"I'm a big fan of your work, Ms. Lang."

"Thanks, but please call me Lana."

"Ok, Lana."

"Ms. Lang." a voice said.

Lana turned to see a man who must have been in charge of overseeing the event by the way he held himself.

"I'm just coming Mr. William" Lana said. She turned back to the young couple. "I'll see you around."

Barbara and Kara waved goodbye before they returned to Clark and Lois, both of who had finished arguing.

"What took you so long?" Lois asked.

"We got caught up," Barbara explained.

"Let me guess with Lana Lang?" The young couple nodded nervously. "By any chance did you talk to her about Clark?" Lois said.

"No, we just talked about... the gala," Kara said.

Lois raised an eyebrow.

"She seems nice," Barbara told Clark.

"She is. Stubborn at times but nice," he responded. "She didn't mind you two dating did she?" Clark asked.

"She seemed to be ok with it."

"Of course, she would," Lois said in a jealous voice.

"What that's supposed to mean?" she asked in frustration.

"What? Do you actually think she likes you, she's just saying that so to get back in his pants?" Lois declared.

"Or maybe she doesn't care about people's sexuality," Barbara snapped, fury in her eyes.

"Oh please who in their right mind would be ok with freaks like you?" she finally said.

Barbara's jaw dropped, appalled by the statement. This was the breaking point for Kara.

"Alright, that's it! I've tried to be nice to you, Lois, but all you do is be rude and insult me and I can put up with that but no one calls my girlfriend a freak!" She finally berated.

"Oh, I'm sorry you two could be normal and date men like I do." she retorted.

"We're just as normal as you two," Barbara defended.

"Very funny, maybe you two do deserve each other. You're both freaks after all."

"At least we do deserve each other, unlike you and Clark."

"Ha, I'm the best person Clark could get." Lois laughed.

"He can do so much better than you. Anyone would be better than you. Hell if anything, you deserver to be with someone who would treat you like trash, you bitch!" Kara yelled.

Lois glared harshly at her and stormed off.

"Lois, wait," Clark said but she just continued, so he stared crossly at his cousin.

"What?" Kara asked.

"The first chance you get, you apologize to her," he sternly ordered.

"But she's the one who started it," Kara protested.

"I'm not defending what she said, but you have no the right to say to her."

Clark went after his partner leaving Barbara and Kara in shock. Outside, she had just reached to the bottom step when Clark appeared at the door.

"Lois, wait," he pleaded.

She stopped walking and crossed her arms as her partner came down the stairs.

"What happened back there?" he asked.

Lois turned and spoke to him. "Oh, nothing just that stupid redhead..."

"Hey, they didn't start the fight," he sternly defended.

"Are you saying I started it?" she incredulously yelled. "I'm sorry, who were the ones going on about that overrated fashion designer?"

"This isn't about them, is it? It's about Lana."

"Congratulations, Smallville, you win the prize." she sarcastically announced.

"How many times do I have to tell you? We are just friends."

"Maybe to you but I know she's trying to get back into your life."

"You're being ridiculous."

"I'm being ridiculous, oh I'm sorry I'm not allowed to be suspicious?"

"Of who?" Clark asked in a strict voice.

"Don't try and be smart with me, farm boy! I saw you looking back at her when she was leaving." she accused.

"I wanted to sure she was ok after your interrogation," he replied.

"Oh sure, you were." Lois then retorted, "I guess you also need to make sure her ass was fine too."

"Why is it whenever I talk to another woman you have the feeling I'm up to something?"

"Jeez, I don't know maybe because you might be looking at their cleavage?"

"You mean like what you do? When you're talking to men and looking at their chests?"

"Oh shut up Clark," Lois said and turned to walk off.

"Where are you going?"

"Going to cool off." she declared.

"You can't walk alone out here at night. It's not safe," he called after her.

"Oh go lecture someone on dinos!" Lois retorted without looking back.

Clark pursed his lips in frustration, shaking his head before heading back into the museum. Unbeknownst to either of them, a dark figure listened in on their argument from the shadows. Once Clark disappeared inside, the figure followed his defenseless partner.


That night, Barbara and Kara sat on the sofa watching the TV before going off on their night patrol. Kara saw her partner's sorrowful expression.

"Are you ok, Barbara?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." she dismissed.

Kara pressed, "Are sure?"

Barbara nodded even though her partner didn't buy it.

"Whatever it is you know you can tell me."

"I heard what Lois said when we were looking at that mother dinosaur," Barbara finally admitted.

"She didn't mean it, she was only asking what was bothering you."

"But what if she's right? What if my mum wouldn't approve of me? What if saw me as a disappointment?" Barbara spiraled as tears streamed down her face.

Kara put her hand on her back. "Barbara, you are not a disappointment to your mom. If anything you're exactly what any mother could want their little girl to be. You are a wonderful kind and smart person who has achieved so many great things." Barbara faced her girlfriend. "And I bet she would tell you dad to get over the fact your dating a woman."

Barbara hugged her girlfriend as the last of her tears fell. "Thanks, Karwy."

Kara returned the smile before they got ready for their night patrol, something Clark was doing as well in his hotel room. Just as he finished suiting up, he wrote a note for Lois, to tell her he would be back late and took to the skies.


Elsewhere, Lois was walking alone down the street and had finally cooled down a bit to begin thinking about how she could apologize to Barbara. As she planned to turn back, she realized she had come to an alleyway, which unbeknownst to her was the same one Joker had kidnapped Harley in seven months ago. Lois looked at her watch, it was nearly ten o'clock and she remembered that there was a taxi station on the other side of the buildings. She walked into the alleyway, only getting about halfway down when she began to have the feeling that someone was behind her. Lois' heart beat loudly as her blood run cold with fear. She was just about to start running when something metal knocked her hard on the head, causing her to fall to the ground.

The last thing she saw as her vision faded was a blurred figure dressed in purple with green hair and bleached skin as everything went black.