Author's Notes: This next chapter will continue as Lois and Clark grow closer. The Luthor investigation will bring up the past, Smallville, his early life, and Clark realizes that she needs to know all of it especially the reasons why the invasion happened. Clark is clear, no more secrets because they both want their relationship to work. Keep reading and tell me what you think. Thank you.
~o~o~
Chapter 8: Krypton's Last
Lois' apartment, an hour before dawn:
Clark woke up, and remembered he's not in Smallville, the motel, but in Lois' apartment in her spare bedroom. He yawned and stretched and realized this bed is not comfortable. He stared searching for her and she's still asleep, but he realized her bed is king size then thoughts of sleeping with her if only. He shook his head, left the bed and headed to the bathroom to shower and change.
Lois woke up and heard the shower running and remembered it's him. What time is it and glanced at the clock. It's early, too early to rise. He's an early riser, but it didn't surprise her and tried to go back to sleep. Her alarm would wake her up.
Clark is getting dressed then his thoughts of telling her about Krypton, his family on the images the Detective told them he wanted Superman to see. Fully dressed, now in the suit, he had to tell her the truth.
Instead of flying to the sun, he added his regular clothes over the suit and stood on the balcony. The sun is fully up now, and this would have to do until he could find a place.
Lois is awake and he waited for her to join him. On the sofa watching the early news, he watched as she entered the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
"Good morning," he said and waited for her to speak.
"Good morning. I heard you in the shower and I suppose you're an early riser?"
"Yes, I'm sorry if I woke you, but I need the sun first thing," he apologized.
"Don't worry about it. I'm fixing breakfast; do you want to eat with me?"
"Sure, can I help; I do love to cook?"
That's good to know, she thought. "You can help; only scrambled eggs with cheese and toast, no bacon."
He came into the kitchen. "Okay, I can fix the eggs and you do the toast," he said and chuckled. "Do you know how to cook?" He asked stirring the eggs.
"Well, now that you mention it, no, only a few dishes; I never learned." She replied sadly.
"I can teach you," he said and showed her how to cook the eggs without over-heating them.
"Oh, that's easy. Thanks, Clark." She added jam, butter, glasses, and orange juice to the table.
They fixed their plates and sat down at the kitchen table. "Oh, I have juice, no coffee."
"Juice is fine," he said.
Now eating, Lois commented. "I'm starved. Not to complain, but the dinner last night, the portions were small, and I should have asked for dessert."
"Well, the dessert choices are even smaller," he smiled and laughed; she did too. "I think we should check in with Detective Turpin about our meeting with him about Luthor. It's the weekend, but he did say it's urgent. I truly do not want to do it, but if it will help the case, we should arrange a meeting." He paused. "I truly want you with me."
"Of course, I'll go with you. I want to help in any way that I can."
"Thank you, Lois." He paused and took a sip of juice. "Can we talk about… us?"
She froze unsure what to say, but she guessed talking wouldn't hurt. "Okay we can talk, but where should we start?"
"The invasion, you and me, and we should start there. I wanted to thank you for helping me especially the way you met with Luthor… you almost died and it's not the first time, but it forced me to think about you and me and how we'll manage our partnership going forward." She looked upset. "I'm sorry, Lois, but after he forced you out that window, I knew he did it for me to save you." He paused. "You see, being with me, even when we work together, you could be in danger and that is the price you pay to be with… me." He stopped and let her digest this truth about them as a couple.
Lois tried to understand, but one thought hit her hard, their relationship. "I see, but is that the reason you've never had an open and honest relationship with anyone?"
"Yes, that is the reason, but I do care for you in a way that I've never felt before," he replied hoping she would open up about her feelings.
She stood up and walked over to the balcony. "That is a lot to take in."
He followed her. "I felt you should know. Being with me, the person that I am, it may cause you pain and I don't want that. Hurting you is the last thing I want, but circumstances can't always be controlled."
She frowned and turned to face him. "You sound as if you're blaming yourself for what happened. None of it was your fault. Luthor hated you because of what you are. There's no way you could have changed him. He felt determined and the Detective is right. He planned it for a long time, long before you revealed your powers in Metropolis."
"That is true. Let's sit down for a minute; I need to tell you something." They sat down on the sofa; he took her hand. "You were right when you saw us together after the chopper failures."
"Then it's true that you met before that?" She suspected it.
"Yes, we met when I was a teenager in Smallville, my last year of high school, but we were never friends. I did try, but he was not into being friends. His intellect and the way Lex grew-up with one parent, a father, but I couldn't break through."
"I see and he knows your secret, that you're an alien?"
"Yes, he found out a long time ago. He connected the dots and that's when the meteorite became important to him because it affected me. That is how it came into the picture."
"The green meteorite explains why he became obsessed with you and where you came from."
"That's when it all started." Agitated, he stood up and walked. "Lois, the Detective needs to know why Luthor did it. I would need to reveal my secret."
She followed him and touched his arm. "No, you don't need to tell him any of that. All he needs to know is that what you are is the only reason Luthor did it; nothing more."
He thought about it. "You're right." He paused. "I guess we need to make that call."
"And I'll be with you every step of the way." She smiled.
"Come here," he said profoundly grateful then pulled her close and they hugged tightly, as a friend, but Clark closed his eyes enjoying it far too much.
Lois hated to admit it, but her eyes closed as well. Seconds later, her eyes popped open and she's the first to pull away, then the staring and it did not stop until her cellphone rang.
"I should get that." In the kitchen, she answered the call. "Perry, good morning; what is it?"
"Oh, good morning, Lois. Detective Turpin called here looking for you. Are you with Kent? He's looking for him too."
"Yes, he's here and we're about to call him. Thanks Perry."
"What did Perry want?"
"Detective Turpin called the Planet looking for both of us. I'll call him now."
"Wait, before you do that, we need to produce a plan to manage this. I cannot be in two places at the same time. You meet with him and tell him that I'm a little jealous of you and Superman. He'll accept that I'm not there with you. Then I can meet you both at the Tower as Superman."
Surprised, she said, "Oh, you're right, and yes, that's a clever idea, but you can't be jealous of yourself; that makes no sense." She shook her head amused at that idea.
"I know it makes no sense, and it may sound silly but sometimes I am a little jealous." At her raised eyebrows, he tried to explain and sat down; she sat beside him. "There's a part of me that at first did not accept my powers, not at all. Being raised as a human but when my powers appeared, I had no choice but to accept them, that I'm not human, that I'm different from everyone else on the planet. It was tough."
She took his hand. "Oh, Clark, I've never thought of it that way. I'm sorry you had to go through that." She paused and watched his face. "Do you feel that way because of me and how we've become close as friends?"
"Lois, we're more than friends; aren't we?" He squeezed her hand.
She glanced at their joined hands. "Yes, we are," she admitted.
He leaned over and they kissed repeatedly enjoying it. His hand touched her cheek, and he did not want to stop, not ever. After a minute, they pulled away at the same time.
"I need to make that call." She called the Detective, and he listened as she explained that Clark had errands to run, now that they're living together, and that he'll meet us at the station after the Tower images are revealed.
"Why did you mention us living together?" He asked but he liked it.
"He understood that you don't want to meet with Superman, that we're close; that's all."
"Now that's a clever way to explain it; good thinking."
"Ok, let's go, and I'll call you after it's over." She smiled.
~o~o~
They left the apartment. Clark headed to the Planet, only for appearances, while Lois met with the Detective. He accepted the excuses about Clark not being there and they left for the Tower.
Superman is waiting for them at the Tower entrance because it's roped off since the invasion. Clark greeted them both and shook Turpin's hand.
Now inside the Tower in the Lab, where Luthor made all his plans for years to discredit Superman, and their tenuous relationship since they met all those years ago.
Detective Turpin explained that it's a crime scene and nothing has been touched but they had brought in computer experts hoping to find evidence that explains Luthor's actions.
Superman spoke up. "That must have taken a long time; this place is in shambles."
"Yes, it did take a while, but the computer was restored, and we were able to retrieve the images we need from the wormhole that were not destroyed."
Lois felt the urge to take his hand but refrained. He's standing close and he felt the same but instead he placed his arm over her shoulder.
Detective Turpin explained. "As I said, the images you don't want to see are not here."
Relieved, he said, "Thank you, Detective."
Turpin turned back to the computer. "Let me see," he said and seconds later the images appeared.
Clark felt stunned as images of Kryptonian citizens appeared before them. He gasped and he could see his parents. He knew it as they were holding a baby, and they were speaking to him. His mother kissed his forehead, but they could also see vague images of more citizens speaking their language and also fading in and out.
Clark knew what's happening. "They're dying." He closed his eyes, then he could hear Lex speaking to his parents.
"I am real; take heed! We can save each other!" Luthor is screaming, hoping they could hear him.
His Father spoke. "Wouldn't listen to me, Lara. It's hopeless."
His Mother spoke. "I know, Jor-El, but keep faith in what we have conducted… for it is Kal-El's only chance of survival. Our son, the last of the El family… the last son of Krypton."
Clark spoke up. "Mother? Father? Kal-El? That's me and my name is Kal-El of Krypton. That's me."
Luthor spoke. "Last of your race, which makes this genocide. I'm doing you a favor, Superman. It's agony to be alone in this world."
The images are still there as screams are heard and silenced. Kal-El's ship is launched, and he is traveling up into the sky.
Jor-El's words. "Goodbye my son. Forgive me."
Lara's words. "You've nothing to be sorry for. You gave Kal-El all a father can give his son. You gave him every chance."
Jor-El's last words. "But will that be enough? We'll never know." His parents watched but could no longer see the ship anymore.
Clark instinctively reached out to them, but the images faded as more screaming of citizens and then silenced.
This time Lois took his hand and brought it down to her side.
Detective Turpin took a minute for them to digest what they saw, but he's curious about the evidence and if it's enough to convince the D.A. "What do you think?"
"Superman, what are you thinking?" Lois asked but she's still holding his hand.
"I think it's enough. He did say he wanted me gone and after seeing those images of my family, and the shocking ones as well, he seemed convinced that I would accept my death and no matter who was hurt; he didn't care."
"My thoughts exactly," Detective Turpin said. "Thank you for doing this coming here and I hope it will give you some matter of comfort, that your parents wanted you to live, and rest assured they will know."
Clark's eyes watered. "Thank you," he said and shook his hand.
"Yes, thank you Detective," Lois said and she too shook his hand.
"I'll see you out," Turpin said.
They left the Tower, and once outside, Lois pulled out her cellphone for appearances and called Clark to come pick her up at the Tower.
"I can take you wherever you need to be," Superman said.
"Oh, thank you, but I'm sure you're busy and," she started.
"It's no trouble," he said, then, "Here we go, hold on tight." He picked her up and they flew away.
Turpin shook his head, watching them. "Wow, will you look at that!"
~o~o~
"Okay, where are you taking me?" Lois asked. "My car is at the station."
"I can pick it up later. Your place is close, and we do need to clear up a few things," he replied.
"That sounds vague but intriguing. We can talk but only if you're up to it. Those images were sad and upsetting."
"Yes, they were, but Turpin was right. My parents loved me and wanted me to live but other than that, there's no need to talk about it."
"Are you sure; I saw your face and you seemed upset?"
"Only a little; I felt sad because they're dead, but they can rest assured that I made it and I am living my life… with you by my side; if you'll have me?"
Lois felt touched he would ask. "Oh Clark, what you said about being with you because it could be dangerous, I'm willing to take that risk to be with you."
"Do you mean it?" He smiled happy to hear it.
"Yes, I mean it," she replied.
Now on the rooftop of her apartment building, still carrying her, they entered the corridor, she pulled out her key from her purse and gave it to him.
He set her down, but now he's having second thoughts about doing it. "Lois please give me a minute. I think I do need to talk about what happened at the Tower. It won't take long. Here, sit down."
"Alright, Clark, go ahead."
"It's the first time seeing them that way. The ship I arrived in didn't have images only my name and where I came from, but nothing about the planet exploding and why they sent me here."
"Oh, Clark, I'm sorry."
"Seeing them like that, as a family with me as a baby, it felt amazing and wonderful. It gave me hope."
"What do you mean hope?"
"It meant that maybe I didn't have to be alone, and that I could find someone who would accept me as I am and not be afraid, but to love me no matter what."
"Everyone wants that, but it's hard to find that one person. Believe me, I have tried."
"I know you have and you and me together like this, it does make you think."
She could see where this is going. "Clark, look, you've been, how do I say this, forthcoming about your feelings, but I hoped you would give me time to accept everything about you and I think I may need more time."
"I see," he said disappointed. "You can have all the time you need. Why don't I call for dinner delivered. What would you like for dinner?"
"It's a little early, you can call in about an hour or so. I would like a pizza maybe?"
"I love pizza. I'll call around 7. How's that?"
"That's fine," she replied. "How about we watch a movie and talk about work? That's a safe subject."
He shook his head. "Sure, we can talk about work and our cases."
"Oh, I almost forgot; let me get my keys; my car is still at the station." She handed him the keys.
"I'll be back in seconds," he said and left.
She smiled thinking, he sure is handy to have around.
~o~o~
After pizza and a movie, her head on his shoulder, watching television, Lois is getting sleepy, but also restless and uncertain about them. It's been only several months since they had met, but it feels like more than that. She couldn't understand why she felt that way.
Being with him, time seemed to have slowed down and she knew the reason. Her time with him is more important than any time she would spend at work or anywhere else. She loved spending time with him.
She sat up straighter, glanced at his face and he's watching commercials, switching channels looking for something else to watch.
"It's late, and we should say good night." She stood up and he did too.
"Goodnight, Lois."
"Goodnight, Clark."
TBC!
~o~o~
Song Inspiration: Gravity, Sara Bareilles.
A/N Come back for the last chapter where Lois and Clark will have choices to make. The wormhole images were featured earlier in the book, but I decided to add them later in the story. One week from today and everything will fall into place. Thanks for reading and please comment when you get time.