A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I usually try to send a personalized response but for some reason I haven't been getting any emails from this site lately…
Chapter 10: Coincidences
48 hours. That's how long she humored Clark and stayed home from work. Of course, in Lois Lane's world, not being at work was not synonymous with not working, and in between his globetrotting affairs she sneaked calls to contacts to find out what's been brewing on the streets. In the last two days she gathered enough information to construct a front-page worthy article on a regional accounting firm suspected of swindling its customers out of millions. Last night she snuck the finished story into her briefcase so that she could hand it to Perry the moment she set foot inside the Daily Planet.
The window blinds failed to keep out the morning sun, and its rays grazed her face in parallel lines as her eyes grew used to the light. She stirred in bed, still feeling the tension in her muscles and limbs and absently fingering the thick bandage over her abdomen. Stretching her arms out wide she released a loud, lazy yawn, which converted into a short yelp when her hand smacked against something warm.
"Good morning." Clark's voice, so soft and soothing, would make an icicle happily sing about sunshine if it could.
Her warm brown eyes grew wide, saying for her what her voice did not. Seeing him in the morning light was so rare. So many times she awoke to a handwritten note or freshly cut rose on her pillow, an apology for having to "take care of business." But today, his normally majestic form was slovenly sprawled on the bed, his chiseled chest facing her as one hand propped his head up to look at her.
"You look so beautiful when you sleep." He ran his free hand through his unkempt hair, as if to say he did not.
Despite his sincere tone she couldn't prevent rolling her eyes. "I bet you say that to all the girls," she replied mockingly, lying back down on her pillow.
He grinned his sexy grin, the one she knew he reserved only for her. "Only the pretty ones who drool on their pillows."
As he finished, Lois pulled the pillow out from under his head and swatted him hard. Waves of tiny white feathers sputtered into the air, and she got in another jab before Clark threw up his arms to block her next blow. He pulled himself on top of her, gently ripping the offending pillow from her grasp and holding it above his head. She tried grasping for it, using his shoulder as leverage, but each time she got close he'd inch higher into the air until he lost contact with the bed.
"That's not fair," she grumbled, "no superpowers allowed." Just then a knock at the door distracted her, and Clark used the moment to return the favor. She yelped and broke free of his grasp just as a head poked its way through the open door.
It had only been Jason's intention to remind his mother that she promised to make him blueberry pancakes this morning. Only later, when Lois thought back on this day, did she wonder if her little boy had already begun exhibiting his father's gift for x-ray vision. Because Jason, already clutching his own pillow, ran into the room, arms and pillow raised high over his head in a valiant attempt to protect his mother. He jumped up on the bed, swatting Clark as he did so and landing a blow squarely into his face. Clark dropped onto the bed amidst a chorus of laughter.
"Not fair, huh? What about two against one?"
Lois shrugged, suddenly not caring much about fairness. She and Jason positioned themselves on opposite sides of Clark as they pelted him with their pillows. Each landed a handful of blows before Clark ducked and they hit each other, and continued to do so as he shut his eyes and flattened himself against the bed. Finally he grabbed hold of both of them, one in each arm, and dragged them to his sides. They sat laughing for several moments as the loosened feathers rained down upon them, after which Jason reminded his mother about the pancakes.
Begrudgingly she arose from the bed and slipped into a bathrobe while Jason sped out the door to the kitchen, dragging his pillow along the floor as he did so and releasing what remained of its contents. Clark lay back on the bed and tucked his hands behind his head and watched her silently. They smiled at each other before she walked out the door.
Once she disappeared around the corner, he zeroed in to the kitchen, his line of sight taking him through the hall bathroom and out to the living room where Jason was loading his backpack. As Lois entered the kitchen, he watched her move from the stove to the fridge and over to Jason. Her movements were so fluid and natural it was like watching a ballerina on stage. Of course, that was a thought she'd probably hang him for thinking, much less saying aloud.
But Clark recalled the subject of family and children coming up years ago when they'd first become partners. He could still picture her disgusted face when he told her she'd make a great mother someday. She hadn't believed him then, but he'd been right. Jason was a testament to that.
While Lois flipped the first round of pancakes, Clark pulled a brown suit from the closet. When Lois came home from the hospital he'd brought several sets of clothing over to her place. She hadn't said a word when he hung them up in her closet. He dressed, buttoning his vest and wrapping a matching brown tie around his neck, staring in the mirror as he did so and frowning at the necessary lack of fashion sense his disguise required of him. He'd been in the store only last week and had to pass up a clean cut charcoal suit that fit his real personality and style perfectly.
Finally, he threw his coat over his arm then reached underneath the bed and pulled out a small plastic bag. Inside it was a small square box, its black velvet soft to the touch. He fought the urge to inspect its contents and instead slipped it into his coat pocket.
Back in the kitchen Jason placed a triangular-shaped slice of pancake into his mouth, while Lois was at the stove flipping another set. He draped his coat over the chair beside his son and walked into the kitchen and from behind slipped his arms around Lois and kissed her lightly on the neck. She politely refused his offer to finish up, instead tossing several pancakes onto an empty plate and handing it to him.
Though not very round, they were edible, and considering that fact they were one of Lois' better successes at cooking. As he finished Lois had only sat down, and for several minutes the three of them were all at the table together. Lois wolfed down her food as though someone was about to snatch away her plate, while Jason acted out a scene from an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants with his fork and knife. He sat silently watching the two, trying to comprehend why such a mundane activity fascinated him so much.
A few minutes later they were all walking Jason to his school. As they arrived and the boy said goodbye he hugged each parent accordingly and ran off into the building. As he climbed up the steps and turned around to wave, he called out something inaudible. Lois turned to go as Jason disappeared inside, but Clark watched him walk through the hallways to Mrs. Thomas' classroom.
Lois tugged at his hand but he wouldn't budge. "What is it?"
He didn't know how to describe it. It was a moment, in the months following Richard's departure, he'd accepted would never come. Without taking his eyes off Jason he said, "He just called me daddy."
Lois was bludgeoned with "welcome backs" as she stepped into the newsroom of the Daily Planet. Her co-workers elbowed Clark out of the way as they did so, much to his relief. He settled down into his seat and sorted through the paperwork atop his desk, keeping one ear concentrated on the crowd of well-wishers and the other on the TV screen. He was relieved things had gotten back to normal.
Perry's voice calling his name brought his nose out of a folder. The older man gestured to join him in his office, his demeanor uncharacteristically subdued. Clark obeyed and followed him inside as Perry shut the door behind him.
The Chief adjusted the blinds to deflect the sun's rays that had focused distractedly upon Clark's sitting form. He crossed his arms and paced around the office, stopping to place a pen lying on the desk into its proper holder.
Clark shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The last time Perry looked at him like that, he'd warned him Lois was cheating on him with Superman.
"How are you doing? I know that the last few days must have been very difficult for you."
"Oh, yes. But Lois is much better now, Mr. White. And all her colleagues giving their wishes have helped. Thank you so much for giving her time off from work. I know she appreciated it."
Yeah right! And you know that's a sock of shit too. Perry stared at the man disappointedly as he witnessed Clark revert back into his old self. Gone was the self-assured man who told him in no uncertain terms Jason would not leave his side, the man who demanded he force Lois into an unscheduled vacation. He hoped they'd gained a new understanding, but whatever trust he thought he built he'd been clearly mistaken.
"I wanted to apologize for what I said to you that day in the bar. I was out of line and it was none of my business."
Clark pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Oh that's okay, Mr. White. I know you were just trying to be nice. You wouldn't have said what you did if you didn't care and I appreciate that you do."
His Midwestern politeness irked Perry as though he was dragging fingernails across a chalkboard. He sighed deeply. "I wish all the best for you." And he meant it. But in spite his words, and all that happened with Knightly, the situation still bothered him. Something just didn't add up.
He'd been about to dig deeper when the news feed that played nonstop in his office was interrupted with a special bulletin. A massive earthquake had just hit San Francisco and the mayor was on television pleading for Superman's assistance. It was a heartfelt plea that even Perry felt.
Clark shot out of his seat, his eyes not leaving the screen. "Mr. White. I, uh, just remembered that I have to uh, meet a contact about a story I'm working on." He said no more as he sped out the door, much like, to Perry's observation, in the same manner he'd left so many conversations.
What story would that be? He hadn't assigned him anything yet. Perry rolled his eyes, peeved about Clark's disappearing acts and annoyed at himself for letting him get away with it. I wonder how Lois puts up with it. If he weren't such a great writer…
If this past week taught him anything about Clark, it's that he was much more astute and aware than anyone gave him credit for.
Which begged the question, why did he accept Lois was fooling around with Superman? Perry saw them together. Okay, so he heard them. But he knew he wasn't wrong.
And Lois. Why would she, so soon after Superman's return, instead fall madly in love with Clark Kent? He could understand her leaving Richard for Superman. After all, they had a history and was in all likelihood the father of… No, don't go there.
But she was still with Superman. Somehow she was with Superman and Clark. It all came down to Lois. At the end of the day, despite all her faults, she was a one-man woman.
And Superman would never pursue her if he knew she were involved with someone else.
Something didn't add up.
Why the hell did he care anyway?
He barely had time to contemplate the thought when Superman miraculously appeared on the screen. "I'll be damned. That guy's quick." His brows furrowed as he spoke aloud his next thought. "It's as though he sits around watching the tube all day waiting for these things to happen."
A knock at the door interrupted his train of thought. "What is it Jimmy?"
The young man looked at him nervously. "Sorry, Chief. But I just saw the TV and I was wondering if you were going to, well, you know, if you were…"
Was this damn kid asking to be sent on assignment to San Francisco? Suddenly, Perry just wanted him out of his face. "Sure, kid. Pack your bags, and take Kent along with you whenever he returns from… wherever the hell he is."
His face lit up, which was in direct contrast to the way he said his next question. "Clark?"
"Yes, Clark! You have a problem with that?"
"No, Chief! It's just that it's a Superman story."
"So?" Why wasn't the kid already out the door? He got what he wanted, a big assignment!
Jimmy nervously flipped the lens cap off and on his camera. "Well, wouldn't it make more sense to send Lois? I know she just got back but…"
"Superman will talk to Clark."
"Really? I've never seen them together."
Perry frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? Clark's brought in Superman exclusives plenty of times." Just then Perry's phone rang. He spoke briefly to the person on the other end and slammed the handset down. His last conversation with Clark earlier in the week suddenly popped into his mind. "He looks like Clark."
"Who looks like Clark?"
Aware that he unintentionally spoke his last thought aloud, he changed his question. "Jimmy, when did Clark return to work?"
Startled by the question from left field he responded, "About eight months ago, why?"
"The date! What was the exact date?"
Jimmy responded proudly, "September 6. I remember because I baked him a cake…"
The same day as the shuttle accident. The day Superman came back. He looked up to see Jimmy staring at him expectantly. "What the hell are you still doing here? Get out!"
As Jimmy scrambled out of his office, Perry picked up the phone and asked to be connected to human resources. While on hold, he told himself it was just a coincidence. Jason looked like Clark, but Jason was probably Superman's… don't finish that thought. Plus, Clark bore more than a passing resemblance to Superman. Even he saw it. He just dismissed a correlation because of his meek behavior. Meek behavior that morphed into assertiveness the moment he knew Lois to be in danger.
He was connected to Ian, the department manager, who quickly delivered the seemingly innocuous information he sought. His next call was to records.
His questions – when did Superman first appear, and when did he leave? Perry's mouth sat agape as, one by one, the man on the other end of the line ran off the dates.
"It's just a coincidence," Perry said aloud. But as ludicrous as it sounded, it made sense.
Perry smiled his widest grin. He rubbed his hands together and said to himself with a giddiness he hadn't felt in years, "I've got the exclusive of the century." And with that, Perry started typing.
TO BE CONTINUED