Title: Skirmish
Author: Hélio Rei
Spoilers: Smallville, Comics, Superman, etc.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Content CLois of course but not only Clois.
Author's Notes: This is the SEQUEL to Dragon Eye. So it's an advice that you read Dragon Eye first, although it's not totally necessary.
Chapter 1:
Smallville, October 2016
She hated graveyards, funerals and any kind of these ceremonies: she knew it was the last tribute to the dead loved ones but still she hated. It was the first time she stepped that cemetery since Clark's and Chloe's funeral: life wasn't kind for Lois Lane. She lost her mother when she was only five years old; her sister was living a life of crime and her cousin was dead to the world and she was unable to pay her a visit and the same was happening to the man she loved: Clark Kent, mild-mannered citizen and one of the most promising reporters of his generation was too in the same circumstances as Chloe.
She was standing in front of that tombstone, looking sadly at it: she closed her eyes knowing that everything was a lie, something fabricated. Unfortunately, she knew too, she had to live in this lie.
"If you can hear me…It's been a long time..." – she finally spoke, starting a monologue, a confession – "…You know how I feel about graveyards…" – her emotions were coming to surface and tears filled her eyes and she began crying. – "…I miss you…". After a few moments she finally wiped her tears and controlled herself. The sorrow, the sadness were replace now by the desire of vengeance, justice, hate for the one who "killed" him.
"I swear I'll bring that maniac down…"- she spoke resolute: suddenly, a cold wind started as the first leafs began falling from the trees almost telling her to get out of there.
"I guess, I'll say goodbye…for now." – she stated as she looked to the sky.
She went back to the Kent farm where was spending some days of vacation: the first ones since the funeral. After the funeral, she discovered Clark Kent and Superman were the same and one person and a promise had been made: Sometime in the future, she and Clark could be together again, as soon as Luthor would go down but that scenario was presently more improbable than ever.
Luthor was more powerful and she couldn't find any rots about him and her moves were being watched: a sort of a Big Brother stepped in her life. At first, she thought she was being paranoid but then she noticed the little things and there wasn't much she could do when she was being watched, probably, 24/7.
As an excuse, she drowned herself into work: she became workaholic, always searching for a story, always alone so that she was always busy and above all, creating opportunities to be with her guardian angel.
Every rescue, every crime fighting scene, everything that could be related to Superman, she was there: it was the only time she could spend with him but she had to share with the people of Metropolis, share with the rest of the world.
Her job was risky but selfishly she pushed further into danger because she knew it was an opportunity for him to show up and spend some time with him even if she was being watched.
These actions drove him crazy, giving her a lecture every time she did it but she felt, in spite of all the frustration and anxiety he was feeling at the same time, a sensation of warmth and happiness for the few moments they could spend together.
Unfortunately, those few moments were becoming rarer as both noticed there had eyes and hears everywhere.
She became so isolated from the world that her colleagues began to worry about her condition; Cat, Jimmy and even Perry tried somehow to reach her but in vain. One day, while she was in her apartment, she received a visit: she ordered a pizza while writing her latest article and then the doorbell rang. Hoping it was her dinner; she prepared the money and went to the door but an unexpected surprise came as she opened the door: Martha Kent.
Martha knew from Perry, Lois's behavior and so, Martha decided to come to Metropolis to check Lois: They stood there looking at each other before Lois threw herself in Martha's arms, crying.
If there was any woman who could comprehend her, Martha Kent was the one. It was the first of many visits that Martha did: it was in the last visit that Martha invited Lois to spend a few days at the farm.
Still recalling her memory, Lois arrived at the farm minutes later: she stepped out of the car, seeing the Kents working hard at the chores. She had always admired them but since "Clark's departure", she admired them even more, questioning herself how they managed to survive to their only son's "death" and run the farm.
Of course, the omnipresence of the "angel" was noticed and the farm's work wasn't far behind scheduled but due to her presence and the fact she was always being watched, he couldn't show up as regularly as he could without her being around.
Lois waved at them before she entered the house. She headed the Clark's old room where she was sleeping in these last few days and began packing her clothes in her baggage. Then she picked her baggage and exited the bedroom not before talking a last good look at that room: the Kents never changed the room and it was the place where she would most feel Clark's presence. She headed for the living room and at the house front door; she eyed the entire room before something caught her attention: some photos of the Kent family.
She put her baggage on the floor and walked straight to those photos: she looked at the photos and grabbed one in particular. One which had Clark alone smiling: it was the first photo she saw which Clark wore his glasses. There was something about those glasses: it gave him a distinguished look, far different from the country Clark she met for the first time, years ago.
"You can take it if you want to." – Lois turned around to see Martha smiling at her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean…" – Lois spoke, embarrassed.
"It's ok…"- Martha stepped forward: she looked at the photo which Lois was holding in her hand and smiled recalling her memory.
"Carnival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, two years ago: Clark was covering the biggest Carnival on Earth and with the money he won from his first front page article on "Time" magazine, he offered me and Jonathan the trip there. A gift, he said when we arrived at the airport. We had wonderful times there." – Both looked at the photo and then Martha looked at Lois.
"Take it. It's yours."- Martha stated.
"I can't accept it..." – Lois quickly responded.
Martha handled the photo to Lois, closing Lois's hand with the photo. – "I've plenty already." – Martha stated with a soft tone in her voice.
"Thanks" – Lois smiled weakly. They hugged, strongly.
"How I wished things were different." – Martha declared.
"So do I. So do I." – Lois also declared, emotional.
Martha helped Lois with her baggage to put in her car. After that, Lois hugged the Kents.
"Thank you." – She spoke, smiling at them.
"You're welcome in this house anytime Lois." – Jonathan spoke.
Lois entered in her car and headed back to Metropolis, back to her place, her home. Next day, she resumed her routine heading to the Daily Planet: she ate her breakfast like always in the closest Starbucks to the Planet before she entered the newsroom.
The Daily Planet was no longer the place, Lois considered her second home. The acquisition of the Daily Planet by LexCorp made heavy "casualties": the first and almost immediately casualty was Perry White who as soon as he knew who the new owner was, delivered personally his resignation to Lex Luthor. As for the rest of crew, good part went away like Cat Grant or Troupe and only a few stayed like Jimmy Olsen.
"Good morning, Jimmy." – She stated as she rested her suitcase in her desk.
"Good morning Lois…." – he barely paid attention and it took a few seconds to realize Lois's presence. – "Hey, how was your vacation?"
"Refreshing to say the least….." – She replied, amused. - "So what have I miss?" – She inquired curious: two weeks away from the city, away from the stress, away from that life style.
"What's to say? Castle is still the same pain in the butt…as always…Superman saves the day…you know…the usual stuff…" – Jimmy didn't finish his sentence because the door of the chief editor opened violently revealing a raged editor.
Karen Castle was the woman who replaced Perry who presented his resignation immediately after the official announcement of the Daily Planet's acquisition by LexCorp: with Perry's resignation, the way was a free and have that job, it required one major element: Lex Luthor's approval and Karen Castle being a complete suck-up for Luthor, it's unnecessary to say, it was a easy win for Karen Castle.
Lois heard rumors about Karen Castle's straight to the top career she had in the world of journalism: started in the Metropolis Journal, her career suffered a sudden boost when she wrote an article about Lex Luthor, months after his arrival on Smallville, years ago. Immediately, she became the managing editor of the Metropolis Journal and Perry White resigned, she took his job at the biggest newspaper of Metropolis.
Like always, she was yelling at everyone, treating everyone like garbage and soon realized Lois's presence.
"Well, look who's back? "Mad Dog" Lane… Are you sure you're not going to bite today?…" – Immediately Jimmy stepped behind leaving Lois and Karen facing each other.
"Karen, is it?" – She ironically asked. She stepped forward. – "I know your name Karen, I'm just being condescend. Listen Karen, I'm here on my first day after my two week vacation and I really don't to hear your self-affirmation quotes and even anything remotely linked to you, ok? So scram!"
"Lois you b…"
"Lois! A robbery at downtown!" – Jimmy yelled and immediately Lois picked her P.D.A and with Jimmy, both headed for downtown leaving Castle alone protesting as they entered the elevator.
"Saved by the bell…sort of…Thanks Jimmy, you're a life saver."
"Anytime…" - Jimmy smiled.
It took a while for Lois and Jimmy to arrive at the crime scene: big city with traffic problems and a robbery and Superman left any city with even bigger traffic problems.
Once they got there, the thieves were already stopped and Superman was making his statement for the Metropolis P.D. Instantaneously, Lois ran in his direction: she knew it was one of those rare moments in which she could talk with him without raising any sort of suspicion but she stopped at the police barrier.
"Superman! Superman!"- She yelled and waved frantically: he looked at her almost hypnotizing her. Slowly, he walked to her and the battalion of eager journalists waiting for a few statements from the Man of Steel.
Once he approached the "battalion", everyone was began asking questions and a cacophony of sounds began spreading in his direction only stopping when he gestured the journalists to calm down. As the journalists calmed, Lois took the advantage.
"Lois Lane, Daily Planet…"
"Yes Lois, I know who you are…"- He tried to restrain himself but he couldn't help smiling at her tenacious ways to get an exclusive, to be the first to ask a question: it was one of many things made
"Care to make a statement about the robbery?"
For a few moments, he fixedly looked at her and saw the spark in her eyes, the excitement and the joy of having him near her but he snapped out of his thoughts and made his statement about how he stopped the thieves and no one got injured.
Her attention was solely focused on him, in his words: as he declared his statement, she was happy to be there, near him even if she had to share him with the rest of the world. Those rare moments that she could be around him were precious. It was true, an old saying: You only appreciate things when you don't have them anymore.
It wasn't exactly the same thing but she began to cherish every single moment when he was around.
He finished his statement and looked up to the sky: by then, everyone knew it was his goodbye sign only to show up when trouble appear.
She whispered "I love you" and noticed a slightly hesitation from him to take off and realized he received the message as he, once again, smiled and then, almost instantly, he was up, up and away.
Some things never change and as he flew away, the cacophony restarted but some things do change and now the cell phones, the P.D.A replaced the races to the nearest phone booth.
Like always, Lois was able to send her report to the Daily Planet by email, surpassing the competition: she was one of the reasons why the Daily Planet was still one of the top newspapers in the country even if now, it was considered to be a Luthor's propaganda.
Her work was done: it was time for her friends.
"Jimmy, I've sent my story to the Planet. You have your pictures, right?"
"Yeah sure…" – Jimmy replied, flatly.
"Go the Planet and work your pictures with Castle. I've to see an old friend".
She said goodbye to her colleague and resumed to her car and drove out of Metropolis downtown and headed to her old friend's place.
After a long trip, she arrives at the spot: The grey building reflected a certain depression, an undeniable constant of that city's suburbia.
At the door, she pressed the door bell and after a few moments, the door opened and an old man staring at her.
"Hey Lois…" – he greeted her, numbly. He turned around and headed to the living room where he sat on his couch and began drinking.
She entered and saw nothing new: like in he previous visits, the house was in a complete mess, turned upside down as if a tornado passed right through it.
"C'mon Perry are you going to stay in this hell hole for the rest for your life?" – She asked as she continued looking around, seeing chaos spread across the room.
"Well this hell hole is the only thing I can afford to…" – he quickly replied, with his eyes focused on the T.V screen.
She looked at him: he was no longer the vigorous man she once knew when she started working at the Planet but instead, he was just a shadow of what he used to be, a man defeated by his drinking, exiled from the world of journalism and too few friends to help him. Luthor's presence was everywhere.
"Are you going to stay like this forever?" – Lois asked perplexed. Perry didn't answer her question and Lois continued.
"Are you going to let Lex to get away unpunished for what he did? We're journalists Perry! People need to know the truth…"
Instantly, Perry looked at Lois so fixedly that Lois became silent. He got up and approached her.
"Do you want to know the truth? To expose it? I'll tell you what is the truth…Truth is, there are two reporters dead, friends, both mine and yours, some of the Daily Planet staff were fired and I can't get a job anywhere. Those are the facts Lois! That's the hard truth… So if I don't want to end up in a body bag, I advise you quit investigating Luthor." – He passed by her and headed to the door which he opened.
"Have a good day, Lane". – He left the door opened and moved to his kitchen to grab another beer.
She shook her head, somehow disappointed: she knew the truth but there weren't any evidence. Every direction lead to a dead end and it seemed impossible to find anything about Luthor. Chloe found something but almost died trying to dig in Luthor's dirt and then, Chloe was living in obscurity.
At snail's pace, she left her friend's place: she headed home. The chaotic traffic delayed her and it took a while longer to arrive home, to throw her shoes to the couch, to order a pizza and watching comfortably in her sofa, her favorite soap opera.
As she was stuck in traffic, she thought about Perry and everything around her: how everything had gotten worse because of Luthor, a cancer in everyone's life, spreading across the body unnoticed and when it was finally noticed, it was already too late to do anything.
She arrived at her apartment after a long and miserable trip and the thoughts of having a quiet and peaceful disappeared as she opened the door and realized someone was already installed in her couch.
"Hello Lois." – It was night and she didn't recognize the person right away but his voice left her without a doubt.
"Hi, daddy…" – she headed to the kitchen not even slightly thrilled of having her father visiting her. Their relationship had always been difficult but as time passed by; their differences pushed them further and further apart. She opened the freezer and grabbed a pizza and putted on the microwave.
"So, what do I own the honor of your presence?"- she looked at her father, slightly mocking him, showing a ironic smile but soon her smile faded: her father was always that kind of man who had a serious expression but this time she could sense it was something far more serious.
"Superman." – He replied after a few moments of quietness, leaving Lois uneasy.
"What about him?" – she asked almost assuming a defensive tone.
" Leave him." – His tone voice felt more like an order than an advice. He saw her surprise at his request and continued. – "I know you two are good friends but I'm ordering you to stay away from him."
"Well, last time I checked, I'm an adult, I don't live in your house, …thank God for that… and we live in a democracy and so I'll stick around for Superman anytime." – Their relationship had always been complicated and she would always challenge his actions.
The General looked at her and he closed his eyes for a minute. Then he looked at her again, and resolute he declared: - "Stay away from him. This is my final warning." – He got up and headed for the exit without ever looking back leaving Lois completely unease.
To be continued…