The next day
Lois looked at him, laughing. She always knew it was fun talking with Clark, but now he could really be himself with her, and that was really incredible. Lois couldn't remember when she had laughed so much in her life. She was still sore from her ordeal, but she really did feel a lot better. Suddenly, Clark jumped up and in a flash he was standing by the windows.
"I think they're coming--Bureau 39 agents! Come with me, quickly!"
"Where? It's daylight out there; they would see you fly!"
"I know. After what happened with Trask, my father and I built a shelter. We have to go there."
"OK, but what about your parents?"
"I don't think they're in any danger. Trask died before he was able to tell anyone I'm Superman and nobody saw Superman help the Kents, but I need to warn them." He opened what Lois had thought was a wall and helped her inside.
"Wait here, I'll be right back."
Clark was back in a couple of minutes. They heard cars stop in front of the house. Clark had brought with him all of their clothes and anything else that could prove that they had been there, then he put his arms around Lois and helped her down the long tunnel.
Lois didn't speak, but Clark was able to hear her heart beating furiously.
Their descent stopped when they reached an area deep under the house.
"We're below the level of the cellar here, it's a little cold, but there are blankets and everything else we'll need."
"Clark? I'm concerned for Martha and Jonathan!"
"I know, so am I, but I'm keeping an eye on the situation. I'm listening to everything they say... so if something goes wrong, I'll go upstairs. But this time you have to promise you'll stay here... you have to swear it! If they have Kryptonite, I can't protect you. If anything is going to happen, this is a safe place; they won't find you here."
"Don't talk like that." He kissed her to stop her protests.
"Everything will be OK..." He turned his face up towards the ceiling and then his eyes began to twinkle. "Mom's a great actress!"
"Why? What's happening upstairs?"
"Their leader just asked about us, and if she knows how to contact Superman, and she is pretending a panic attack... 'Where is my son? Where's my baby' I love this woman!! He paused. "Damn!"
"What?!"
"Doc just pulled up." Clark was quiet, listening to what was going on upstairs.
-O-
The doctor was a smart man, all these cars and trucks made him a bit suspicious. He came into the house as soon as he knocked.
"Hi, Jonathan, Martha. I just came over to check up on you. You should still be in bed. I'll have to recommend that you find another doctor if you can't follow my orders!"
Martha gave a deep sigh of relief. "Yes, I'll do that, as soon as these 'gentlemen' leave."
"Not so quick, Mrs. Kent. Where are you hiding them?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm pretty sure, it's a perfect place here. No one to see Superman land, it's secluded and quiet..." He motioned for his men to start searching the house for either the reporters or Superman. " It'll be better for you if you tell me where they are!"
"Listen to me very carefully! You can't come in here, tell us that something has happened to our son and his partner, then threaten us, and unleash your trained dogs to search our place! You can play the bully all you want, but you've probably never seen an angry mother! If you try to hurt Clark or his friend you'll have to answer to me!"
"Calm down, Mrs. Kent. Nobody wants to hurt your son, as long as he's not Superman!"
Martha laughed but was now calmer. "If Clark was Superman... well, he was really shameless about avoiding all the work here on the farm. Thanks so much, Mr. Whateveryouare, this summer we're going to make him work harder!"
"Martha, honey, calm down!" Jonathan was worried that his wife was pushing things too far.
"Now, if you'll excuse me. I think you've been in our house too long." She grabbed the phone and dialed the Smallville police. "Martha Kent here."
"Put the phone down..."
"The police will be here in no time. You know it comes in handy when you've known the sheriff since she was in diapers."
"You are playing with fire."
"And you are playing with my son's life!"
"Chief, no one's here. No trace of Superman, nor the two reporters, but we found this..." The man showed him an album filled with newspaper clippings, all of them about Superman.
"Well, I can see you have a real interest in this alien."
"Martha... Mrs. Kent, is everything all right? Hello??" The police officer sounded alarmed.
"Please let me speak with the sheriff, it's very urgent!" Martha turned toward the man in front of her. "An extreme interest, when every one of those is from the Daily Planet and the articles were written by my son. Oh, how silly of me. I didn't let you have the fun of figuring that out for yourself. I'm sorry..."
"Mrs. Kent? Are you all right? What can I do for you?" Sheriff Harris was worried for Martha, this was the first time she had called her at work.
"We have a big problem here at the farm... UNWELCOME guests..."
"I'll be right there!"
"Thanks, Sheriff!"
"Very funny, Mrs. Kent, but do you really believe that a country sheriff can stop us?"
"Well, Trask was stopped by her. I'm tired of all this. Who do you think you are? You come in here with guns drawn and threaten two old people... what do you want to do? Do what Trask did? He tied us up and almost set us on fire. Is that what you want to do to us? Or maybe you'll tie us to an ant hill?"
"You're pretty brave, Mrs. Kent, but I don't think you understand the seriousness of the situation."
"I don't think you understand. Superman is so powerful, he could have the world at his feet, but instead of seeking power, he saves the world instead. By the way, do you remember when he destroyed the Nightfall asteroid? Well, I thanked him for that; can I say the same about you?"
In the silence that was the country, the sirens from the sheriff's car echoed loudly.
"There is nothing here for us, now, but I warn you; we will be back--someday."
"Pray that my son is safe, otherwise you should be the one who is worried, you can be sure of that, I'm a lot more dangerous than Superman!"
Jonathan and the doctor were staring at Martha, completely shocked. Never had they seen Martha so firm in all her life. They were afraid for her, and down in the shelter Clark was too.
-O-
While he was listening to everything that happened above, his fear grew as he realized that he was losing his powers. He realized that he was weakening quickly.
Lois felt him tense.
"What's happening?"
"They have Kryptonite..."
"Kryptonite?!" He nodded and she tightened her embrace. "Everything will be fine soon... it'll be all right..."
"Lois? if something were to happen to them, I couldn't forgive myself. I'd better go..."
"NO!! You can't!!!"
"Lois.."
"You don't understand. It would be worse for them; they've protected you until now. There would be no escape from them, not for them, nor for us."
"You can hide here..."
"No! I'm not going to leave you... I finally found you and I won't let you go!"
-O-
"Mrs. Kent, if you happen to see Superman... please give him this little present. You seem to be pretty resourceful, I'm sure you'll find a way to give it to him." The man gave her a crystal made of Kryptonite that was bigger than the one Wayne Irig had brought to their house almost a year before. It would have been beautiful if it weren't for the devastating effects it had on their son. "And be sure to tell him... we have a lot more where this came from." Then he motioned to his men and they quickly left and got into their cars and trucks and in few minutes they vanished.
The sheriff's car screeched to a halt just in front of the Kents' house.
"Martha, Jonathan, are you all right? Doc, what are you doing here?"
"Thanks for coming so quickly, Rachel! Oh my god, I was so scared!!!" Martha was finally able to let her emotions flow.
"You were wonderful!" Jonathan said as he held her in his arms and kissed her.
"That's true, I was wonderful," she giggled. "I have to see how the kids are... but before I do I guess I should explain..."
Martha told her guests what had happened, of course avoiding the part about her son's secret identity, while Jonathan ran out quickly in order to put the Kryptonite in a safe place.
The official excuse was that Superman was quite a good friend of Lois and Clark, and he was going to be there in a few hours to up on them, after the their bad experience, and since no one knew the real dangers this rock had on the superhero they wanted be sure it was out of sight.
-O-
Lois looked at him, very worried. "Clark.. how are you?"
"Are we switching roles now?"
"Don't be funny... can I do anything for you?"
"Just be close to me..." She held him tightly.
"So, is this close enough?" she asked, smiling and kissing him.
"It is... for now." Her kiss became deeper and he shared her passion. She felt the fear that he felt for his parents grow more and more. As his desperation grew, so grew his need to touch her body, to caress her and to kiss her.
"Clark, we have to stop kissing each other only when we're worried... well, we want to start kissing more often, period."
"I always knew you were a genius!"
"I always thought you were the intelligent one!"
Clark made her sit on the little bed that was there and he sat next to her. "I'm scared," he confessed. "Not for me. But for them, and for you. Lois, I don't want someone to hurt you to get at me... I don't want my parents to suffer because they raised me as their son. They are my parents... the only ones I've ever known - my real parents couldn't have hoped I'd be found by better people."
"I know, Clark; but they'll be all right..."
"And if they were hurt?... How can I help them?"
"Clark, it's not your fault. They have no reason to hurt your parents. They don't know we are here, they think we are dead. The article in the Planet has gone to print."
"Yeah, I know, but..." Lois' hand caressed his mouth and he was silent.
"Shhh" she whispered, a moment before kissing him, then she held him again. "Nothing will happen." Clark hid his face in Lois' hair.
"I couldn't bear it if something happened that was my fault. Lois, I'm so sorry for what happened to you... you don't know how much..."
"Clark, I couldn't bear to live without you... never again..." This time he kissed her.
They hugged fiercely, but Lois was trembling. Clark took a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "And how are you feeling?"
"Fine," Lois nodded in answer. "What's happening upstairs..." she asked after a long silence.
"The Kryptonite..." he whispered.
Lois turned towards him with terror in her eyes.
"No... no... I mean I can't feel it anymore..."
Lois started to breathe again, smiling.
"Kids? Can I...?"
"Mom!"
"You kids can come upstairs... whenever you're ready!"
"MOM!" Clark laughed, embarrassed because of the implications of that simple statement.
A couple of days later
"So, you've really decided to leave? Are you sure you can't stay here a couple more days?"
"We've thought about it, but we really have to go. Lois is fine now, and we need to figure out how to stop Bureau 39."
"I'm sure that you'll do it." Clark held her in a big hug.
"Thanks, Mom! For everything." Martha shrugged her shoulders, smiling, then she turned toward Lois.
"Honey... you take care of yourself... and take care of him too!"
"I will, Martha, I will."
Jonathan started his car.
"But you didn't tell me why you are using the car..." Martha watched them get in and then stepped up to the window.
"If they are checking the house they probably have radar too. I don't want them to think we were here all the time."
"But you've always avoided them..."
"I can, but Lois' body--I don't think she could handle the speed--we'll drive away from the farm and then we'll fly to Metropolis."
"Bye, Martha and thanks..."
"Be careful."
"We will!" Martha watched the car drive away with a sigh. But she felt somewhere in her heart that all would be right again, or at least she hoped it would.
THE END
Thanks for reading this FoLCs!!! Let me know if you liked this, love it... or hated it! Review is ALWAYS helpful! - Chiara (aka Chan)