'italic ' indicate the thoughts /-/ indicate flashbacks and dreams

Chapter 2

He held her in his embrace. Lois was completely senseless and her fever seemed to be climbing higher and higher. It was very painful for him to see her like this, but she would be safe in a few more minutes.

A new day was already starting. The sun hadn't begun to rise when he'd left the cave, but he'd still been very prudent. He didn't have the Suit, he didn't want to risk leaving her alone while he went to get it, but he knew that the closer he came to Kansas, the safer they both were. No one was going to be waiting for them and it was still quite dark there.

He opened the door a bit too roughly and it surrendered to his strength, barely remaining on its hinges. It was still night at the farm and his frightened parents hurried downstairs.

In the doorway was Clark, pale from worry, with Lois in his arms. "She's hurt, very hurt... help me!"

"Bring her to our bedroom... quickly!" Martha directed, and so he did. Martha sized up the situation and told Jonathan to get a basin of cold water and some towels.

"Honey, why don't you go to sleep for a while? We'll call you if she wakes up. You seem to be going to pieces!"

"It was the Kryptonite. I'll be better soon, don't worry. I'm not going to leave her..."

"Then why don't you take a shower? While you're doing that, I'll get Lois undressed and try to get her fever down. Meanwhile your father will call the doctor."

"I guess that's a good idea..."

A few minutes later, Clark was back, clean and dressed. He stopped for a moment in front of his parents' door before he knocked.

"Come in..."

"I brought her a T-shirt, it's one of mine... she'll be more comfortable in it."

Martha smiled. "Good thinking. "

Clark set it on the bed, turning his back in order to let his mother dress Lois without him seeing, though God only knew how much he wanted to.

"Clark? I'm a little embarrassed asking you, but... would you give me a hand?" His eyes widened. "And don't look at me that way! This poor baby is full of bruises and who knows what else. I think I already hurt her enough undressing her..."

"It's OK. I mean, I've done it before... I mean she was soaked... I had to undress her... it was too cold to let her stay dressed in the wet clothes and..."

"Clark, you're babbling! You don't have to justify your actions... I'm more than sure you acted in the best way possible, now shut up and give me a hand!" Clark sat on the bed near Lois, slipping his arms around her. Martha kept the sheet firmly against Lois' body as Clark felt a drop of sweat rolling down his temple. Lois was completely and gorgeously naked under the sheet. Martha tried to hold back her smile, noticing her son's expression, while she made Lois wear Clark's shirt.

Instead of making her lie down again, Clark held her in his arms for a couple of minutes. From the moment they left the cave, Lois had not regained consciousness. Clark was quiet, listening to her heartbeat race because of the fever. Martha caressed his head and kissed him on the forehead.

"I'll go make some coffee! I think we'll need some, Doc doesn't like being woken up in the middle of the night." They smiled at each other, then she left.

It was almost half an hour later when the doctor arrived. Martha was still downstairs in the kitchen and ran towards his car as it pulled up.

"Thanks for coming, Doc, I'm sorry, but Lois seems to be very ill; and she has a high fever..."

"Martha, if you give me hot coffee... well, I guess I can forgive you for getting me up so early!"

"I'll take you upstairs and then I'll go get it for you!" Martha led the way, followed by the doctor and Jonathan. Just inside the door she stopped suddenly, tipping her head to one side as she exclaimed, "Aren't they cute?? They seem made for each other!!"

The two men cautiously stretched their heads into the room.

Lois and Clark were asleep, each embracing the other. Clark had fallen asleep on the blanket with his arms holding her to his chest. Lois' arms were above the sheet, one arm holding him around the waist and the other resting on the arm that was affectionately encircling her.

The doctor looked at them. "Are they ever going to get together?"

"If by tomorrow they aren't a couple... it'll mean that I don't understand anything about young people... It's very clear that they adore each other!" Martha caressed her son's shoulder. "Clark? Sweetie... the doctor is here... wake up." Clark opened his eyes and smiled at the woman he was holding, then he realized the situation and he moved, a bit embarrassed, from the bed.

"I fell asleep..."

"I can see that! Come on, we have to let Doc do his job." Jonathan almost had to push his son from the bedroom.

-O-

Clark waited downstairs with his father without too much patience. The wait seemed endless.

Eventually the doctor appeared on the stairs. "Relax, Clark, your 'friend' is going to be fine. She just needs to rest awhile, and you too for that matter; you look pale. I gave your mother a prescription... your friend will feel a bit woozy when she wakes up. She's very bruised...looks like she's been kicked by a bull. Care to tell me what happened?"

"It's a long story, Doc..."

"I have a lot of time!"

"There are some people... who don't like Superman... unlike most people. Since he appeared they want him dead. They thought Lois knew how to contact Superman, or at least that they'd be able to lure him into a trap by making her call for help. I haven't a clue as to how they tried to persuade her... I... she was in their hands for three days..."

"Okay, son, don't worry... she'll be fine. In a few hours she'll wake up and then she'll start behaving like that runaway locomotive we all remember."

-O-

Clark went back to his Lois as soon as possible. Beyond his fear, he felt very guilty for what had happened to her. It was almost evening when Lois started to move with a moan. Clark looked at her and held her hand.

"Hi."

"Hi... how are you?"

"I feel as if a truck ran me over." She paused a moment, looking around ."Where are we?"

"Smallville."

"How did we get here?"

"It's a safe place." This seemed to be enough for her.

Lois closed her eyes, breathing deeply with a moan, then suddenly she opened her eyes wide, staring at him.

"You shouldn't have come looking for me... it was too dangerous!"

"I didn't care, Lois... I could never leave you in the hands of those animals!"

"I was so scared... "

"I know, honey... "

"Clark... " She stopped herself, looking into his eyes, then she dropped her gaze, biting her lip as she added without looking at him "Please... would you hold me?" Clark didn't make her repeat her request as he took her into his arms, holding her gently. Her body still smelled of the ocean.

Trying to cuddle herself deeper into his arms, she was unable to hold back a moan of pain. Instinctively, Clark loosened his grip. "No..." came her answer, it was a moan, a prayer and a barely audible whisper.

"Am I hurting you?" She shook her head, no.

"I..." she said, hiding her head between his neck and shoulder. "I'd like to stay like this forever."

"Lois..."

"I know you don't feel anything for me... but..." she took a deep breath and continued, "I love you so much..." and then her mouth started to cover his neck with little, light kisses.

Clark moved her back a couple of inches until he was able to look into her eyes.

They stared at each other, silent for long moments, then without speaking, their mouths joined for a hot, passionate kiss. They moved back a bit in order to catch their breath then they moved forward to kiss again and again...and again.

Their hands started to explore each other, tenderly, and their bodies, even separated by the uncomfortable blanket, strained to become closer. It was so extraordinarily different being in each other's arms. Different from any other they had met in their lives, excited and relaxed at the same time, both aware that it was possible to not be afraid of the other, both aware of how easy this was and how right it was to love each other.

Suddenly Lois felt Clark stiffen and she looked at him. "What... did I do something...?" Clark stared at her for a moment and Lois was never so unsure of herself.

"No!! My parents... they're coming up the stairs..."

"How do you know?" At that same moment, the voices of the Kents became audible to her ears also.

Lois just sighed, "Why now?!" She stopped and her eyes shone. "I like the way you taste, Kent. I guess I'll have to rewrite my three famous rules... Martha, Jonathan!"

"Hi, sweetheart... It's good to see you awake... how do you feel?"

"Well, I can say that I feel better when I try not to breathe..." she answered, keeping hold of Clark's hand as if she were loathe to let him get away. Martha smiled at this gesture.

"If you have the strength to joke, it means you're feeling better."

"I'm fine, Martha, but I need a shower. It's been... how long was I held captive?"

"I'd guess three days."

"Three days?! I have to be in a pitiful state!"

"You look wonderful!" Clark answered.

"And you aren't very objective," she added, smiling.

Martha stared at them; she could see the sparks darting between them. It was clear to her, the way Lois was looking at him, that she had reconciled her feelings for Clark. That first visit to Smallville, after Clark had almost died, she had looked at him differently for most of that afternoon, but she didn't have this look in her eyes then. She looked tired, that was very evident, but there was a new light shining in her eyes also.

"Lois, sweetheart, I can give you some clean underwear, but I don't think my dresses would fit you. You'll have to be satisfied with some of Clark's things. They are a lot bigger and with the bandages and all the rest... you'll surely be more comfortable."

"Thanks, Martha... "

"Are you able to get to the bathroom?"

"I think so... "

She got up slowly, smiling in order to disguise the pain she felt throughout her body. Clark's shirt was too big for her, so it left her leg naked to midway down her thigh.

"You see... you don't have to worry..." Then, suddenly everything went dark around her and she staggered violently as her legs collapsed under her. Clark took her in his arms and tried to take her back to bed. "Can you help me to the shower?"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"Martha... could you stay with me? I mean... if you aren't busy... "

"Of course, sweetie, everything else can wait!"

"Thanks... "

"You are welcome." Clark kept looking at her; Lois barely had the strength to open her eyes. "Listen, I'll put you in the bathtub... this way you won't need to stand, you can wash and dry yourself and then I'll take you right back to bed!" She smiled at him, nodding. "And I think your temperature is rising again."

Martha approached her, kissing her on the forehead in order to check her temperature. "Yeah, maybe a little, but she'll feel better after a bath!"

Clark set her in the bathtub and his mother followed them. Lois thanked him and in answer Clark gave her a light kiss on her lips. "I'll wait outside." She nodded and at that same time her stomach rumbled noisily. An embarrassed smile appeared on Lois' face "I guess I'm a bit hungry too..." she apologized.

"Lois, when was the last time you ate?"

"Mmm, let me think... Tuesday dinner... "

"What?! Well, how about this, you have your bath and I'll go make something for you..."

"Clark, if she hasn't eaten in so long, you have to make something light..."

"I'll make the best chicken soup you've ever had in your life!" he said as he was going out the door.

Lois smiled while Martha helped her to slip off the T-shirt and the bandages that the doctor had administered. Her ribs and back were almost scary, she had lots of livid marks on the area and some cuts besides.

"You poor dear, what did they do to you...?" the older woman whispered. "Is the water OK?"

"It's perfect, thanks. It's over, right? I mean, Superman is safe, Clark is safe."

Martha stared at her awhile in order to try to understand why Lois had joined those two statements.

"I was so worried for him, I mean for Clark, you have no idea how scared I was when I saw him on the bluff. I haven't a clue how he found us... Oh, God... I said horrible things about him. That thug and his men were there and they wanted to force me to call Superman, they were armed, and I had the precipice behind me, then suddenly I saw Clark and one of those crazy men had a rifle pointed at his back. They asked if he knew how to contact Superman... Clark looked at me... I felt as if I had died. It was like they had asked him to choose between me and his best friend... no, in fact that is what they did... I couldn't let him live with this guilt... I turned toward their leader and I started to laugh. He approached me and forced me closer to the edge of the precipice..."

/-/ "What's so funny, bitch?"

"You want to know where Superman is and you ask a stupid farm boy? Look at him... he came here alone and unarmed... he's an imbecile!" /-/

"...I swear to you, Martha, I never thought that about Clark... it was only in order to protect him... to make that man mad... He's a good reporter... he has great instincts... and he's so sweet... It was only to protect him!"

"I know, Lois, and Clark knows it too, do you want to tell me what happened next?"

"I kept laughing, saying the joke was on them, until he got angry and I fell down..."

/-/ "You're very good at laughing... let's see if you're that good at crying!" the leader said as he turned toward his men.

"Get the rifles with the Kryptonite rounds ready!" Then he turned to Lois. "Are you sure you don't want to tell us how to call that filthy alien?" Lois turned toward Clark with a horrified gaze, but then she smiled at him, and with a challenging gaze turned toward her captor. She knew she would be unable to bear new tortures, it was too big a risk. She turned towards Clark, lifting a hand in a small gesture of farewell, and then she simply stepped back over the precipice. /-/

"...One moment later Clark was there, he had thrown himself over too... " the tears started to roll down her cheeks uncontrollably, "...and then he was holding me tightly, and I felt so good... I was sure I was going to die... but I felt so good just being in his arms... then there was the impact with the water... it wasn't as violent as I expected... I guess Clark softened it for me with his body... but I haven't a clue how it could happen... then everything became confused... I can't remember what really happened, and what I dreamt... I can't remember..."

"Honey, you had a fall from a great height and then you went into the ocean during this season when no one would think of going swimming. You were wet and tired and, judging by your stomach, very hungry..." Lois laughed, her stomach was making itself known again. "Everything will be all right... do you want me to wash your hair too?"

"Yeah..." it was almost a prayer. "I feel like a salt statue!" When she felt the warm water flowing over her hair she moaned with pleasure. "I'm starting to feel... human again."

-O-

Downstairs, Clark put the chicken in the broth to cook. He paid all his attention to it, even helping to bring the water to a boil with his heat vision. When this was ready, he put some spaghetti in with it. It had been quite some time since he had left Lois in the bathroom. He ran upstairs and walked into the bedroom. He heard the water running for a while and then it stopped. He didn't listen in, he refused to eavesdrop on whatever Lois and his mother had shared. He was planning to wait patiently for them when he realized that no one had thought about clothes for her. At that same time Martha opened the door.

"Perfect, you're already here. Can you take her back to bed?"

He walked slowly into the bathroom, Lois was trying to tie her robe firmly around her but every time she did this she winced from pain.

Clark approached her, trying not to look where the robe had opened, letting him have a glimpse of her breast, almost completely bared to his gaze.

Lois blushed, feeling herself lifted into his arms once again and she hid her face in his shoulder. How had she been able to fight these feelings for so long? At that moment, cradled in his arms, she felt like she was in paradise.

"Your fever is rising again... you're hot! Now I'll get your dinner and then you're going back to sleep!!!"

"Yes, Dad!!!" She stopped suddenly. "PERRY!... we have to call him! He'll be worried to death!!!"

"We sent him an email... early this morning... it wasn't safe to phone."

"When is this story going to end?"

"You'll see... it'll end soon..." He made her lie down on the mattress.

"I'd hoped it had ended with Trask's death..."

Clark caressed her head. "I'll be back with Italian chicken soup..." and he was gone. She hadn't realized how quickly Clark could move.

A couple of moments later he was back with a tray full of steaming soup, a large piece of bread, crackers, a carafe of water and a glass, some pieces of fruit and a slice of cake.

Lois didn't eat very much, but it was enough to give her a bit more energy. She turned toward Martha and saw her yawn. "I'm sorry, I've stolen your bed... I can't stay here... you were both woken up very early and now..."

"Lois, calm down... there is plenty of time before we have to sleep... and we'll manage what..."

"I'll put her in my room, problem solved!"

"No, Clark. You need sleep as much as I do!"

"Lo-is..."

"It's true!"

"I'm going to sleep on the couch... don't worry... It's not a problem!"

"Are you sure?"

Clark rolled his eyes. "You know, I almost preferred it when you treated me bad!" he said, giving her a quick kiss on her lips. He slipped his hands under her and lifted her carefully in order to move her to his room.

"Wow," she whispered.

"What?!"

"I find amazing the way you are able to lift me... I mean... you're not seeming to make any effort..."

"Well, you aren't that heavy... and I am pretty strong!"

"I didn't know you were also so... modest..."

"You know... that's my best quality!" They both laughed as Clark's hand opened his bedroom door.

"You are really very different when you are here in Smallville... like that last time... you were so... so relaxed."

"I'm home... "

Lois smiled, shivering. Clark took notice of this and saw that the robe she was wearing was a bit damp. He set her on the bed and got out a T-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts.

Lois smiled, a little embarrassed. "Thanks... "

"I'll wait outside while you dress... "

Lois watched him leave the room. For the whole time, since she had left the bathroom, Clark had made every effort to avoid looking at her body where the robe parted and left her bare to his gaze, until she had stopped feeling embarrassed about it. But she realized it anyway and she dressed quickly. Her head was starting to spin a bit, but she tried not to think about it. When she was finished, Lois called to Clark.

Clark made her lie down, almost forcing her to sleep. He watched her for almost an hour, then he silently went downstairs , switched on the PC and started to search the Internet looking for any information possible on the men who had done this to Lois. This time he had very few clues to start with. He was so worried for Lois. He didn't want her taking any more risks. He worked a couple of hours and then decided it was time get some sleep too.