Clark went back up the stairs and into his room. He pulled out a pair of socks, sweat pants, a pair of boxers, and a flannel shirt. He carefully laid them out on the bed and sat down leaning against the head board. His hearing picked up on the shower. He closed his eyes as images sprang to mind. He could see the steam rising around her, her wet hair cascading down her back. He also saw himself in the shower behind her. Lois leaned against him and whispered his name.
Clark swiftly opened his eyes. He hadn't imagined Lois saying his name, she called him. Normally Clark would have knocked and waited for Lois to say come in, but something was definitely wrong. With a deep breath he pushed the bathroom door open. "Lois" he called.
"Smallville," Lois sounded a little breathless.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah," she whispered, fruitlessly wiping the tears streaming down her face.
"Did you need something? Is that why you called me?" Clark asked confused.
"I didn't call you Clark," Lois knew she had been thinking of Clark, but didn't say his name. She was thinking the same thing that he was, whishing he was in the shower with her.
"Oh, ok, um, take your time, ok." With the Clark left, leaving the door open slightly, as he had before.
Going back to his room he sat on the bed as he had before and sighed. He knew he had heard Lois call him. Why would she deny it? She was obviously crying, but she wouldn't have said she didn't call me. "Oh, Clark." There it was again. Clark tuned his hearing into Lois, all his ears heard was her sigh, but his brain heard his name moaned. Wait, can I hear her thoughts? But why, how? Why would I be able to hear anyone's thoughts? Maybe this is a new ability. This might be the most dangerous ability I could have. He heard her moan again and stopped listening; he was going to set something on fire if he wasn't careful.
Clark's infatuation of Lois started that night in the alley, grew at Valentines, now he was in deep. He couldn't get the kisses they had shared out of his mind. What they almost did in Oliver's loft if Clark hadn't found the invitation. What he wanted to do ever since that day. He loved the way she felt in his arms. He couldn't believe how perfect it all felt. She didn't remember any of it. Jor-El's words from months ago came drifting back to him. Could Lois be who he was talking about? He said I had already met my soul mate, but Lois?
Clark was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't register the water turning off in the bathroom. Lois stepped out of the shower felling better and not shaking any more. Her vivid dream of Clark in the shower with her helped a lot, as it usually did. She dried her hair as best she could with the towel then wrapped it around herself. She was reaching for the brush on the counter when a loud crash of lightening sounded again. She jumped and quickly ran to Clark's room.
The thunder had brought Clark out of his dreams. He looked at the door just in time to see Lois running in. The fact that she was only in a towel and still wet was not lost on him. She stopped in the door way, breathing heavily, not really expecting to see him in there. Clark let his eyes roam from her head down to her feet and back up. A smile started to show on his lips. Lois loved that Clark was looking at her like that. She dreamed that he would, lost in thought she almost dropped her towel. Quickly snapping out of her thoughts she snapped at Clark.
"Smallville, I have to get dressed. Get out." Clark snapped out of starring at her and stood up. In Lois's haste from the bathroom the towel wasn't secured very well anyway. Clark walked in front of her to exit the room right when the thunder sounded making the whole house shake. Lois jumped and through her arms around Clark's middle. Her towel fell to her feet. Clark slid his arms around her waist, whishing he could take away her fear. He noticed her naked backside immediately. She was trembling again and this time he knew it was fear. Reluctantly he slowly closed his eyes. It took all his strength to keep his eyes closed and his hands still.
"Lois," his voice came out in a harsh whisper. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Get dressed and I'll get you some coffee." She nodded but didn't let go. Clark tightened his arms slightly and started slowly move his thumb on her back.
His touch on her back was causing butterflies in her stomach. When he spoke in a whisper and caressed her back, a spiral feeling replaced the butterflies. "Lois you have to let go of me to get dressed." His voice held a smile.
"I can't." she whispered back. "I dropped my towel."
"I know," he whispered in her ear; to Lois it felt like a caress. "I won't look." He loosened his arms. Lois looked up at him, sadden that she could no longer stay in the safety of his arms. Clark's eyes were still closed. She slipped out of his arms and over to the bed.
"You sure were doing a lot of looking a moment ago," she teased.
Clark's eyes shot open "What? Um, no… a lit.." as he turned to Lois he got a better view than before "tle…" His mouth fell open slightly.
"Clark," Lois yelled covering her breast with her arms. Clark felt his eyes burn and tried to control his powers, but couldn't. He turned his eyes to the waste basket which caught fire immediately. He hurried to put the fire out, saying that it was probably sparks from the electrical outlet; he unplugged the lamp. Keeping his back to Lois he shook his head, not believing what had just happened. Lois just assumed it was the lamp like Clark said and started getting dressed.
"Relax Smallville, I'm only teasing. Besides it's not the first time you've stared at me after a shower." She pulled on the boxers and socks. "You really like what you see don't you farm boy." She pulled the sweat pants on. Clark was beet red but decided to play along.
"Well Lois that's twice for me and once for you."
"What?" She asked as she buttoned up the flannel shirt.
"When you first found me you saw me naked. That was one. I'm winning." Lois, who was finally dressed walked in front of Clark and faced him with her hands on her hips.
"I'll change that. You know I can't stand to loose." She turned and walked down the stairs to the living room.
"Oh I'm hoping you'll change it Lois, very much," he whispered, then followed her down the stairs.
Lois went for the kitchen. She poured both of them large mugs of coffee and carried them to the living room. Handing Clark his she curled up on the couch and got comfortable beside him.
"Are you doing ok?" she asked.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You were trembling earlier and crying. What is it about storms that scare you?"
"Ok, you're changing the subject. We'll talk about me later; right now I want to know if my friend is ok."
"So we are friends." Lois gave him the Lane look and he knew he needed to answer her. "I'm ok, it hurts but I've realized the hard way that I don't love Lana anymore. I haven't for a long time. I could never be honest with her. It's taken a lot of thought but I didn't like who I was when I was with her. Does that make any since?"
"Yeah, and I'm sorry you were hurt but I'm glad you're over her. You deserve someone better, Clark. You deserve someone that will love and trust you no matter what. I know you have this big secret" Clark started to look panicked "you don't have to tell me. One day, when you're ready to, you might, if so I'll listen, but you don't have to tell me. And you shouldn't feel pressured to tell anyone." Clark visible relaxed.
"Thanks Lois. So your turn."
"If you tell anyone this, I will hurt you." At Clark's nod she continued. "When I was little I was afraid of the thunder and lightening as most children are. My mom would always comfort me." She stared into her coffee cup unable to meet Clark's eyes. "About a day or so after she died a really bad storm came. The lightening and thunder woke me up. I kept waiting for my mom to come hold me and tell me everything was going to be ok. An hour passed and she didn't come. I knew she wasn't going to but I kept hoping she would. My dad found me huddled in a corner crying and rocking back and forth." She wiped a stray tear from her eye. "Since then my fear just grew. I can handle rain storms with out a problem. In fact I love the rain, it's the thunder and lightening that scares me."
She finally looked up and yet again saw the caring and friendship. "Lois, I'm sorry. I had no idea. This storm's probably going to get worse. They're always bad this time of year." She nodded. "Does Chloe know about your fear?"
"She just thinks that I don't like storms. I've never told her what I told you, I've never told anyone."
"Tell you what, whenever there's a storm, if you're not already with me, call me. I'll be by your side before you know it. You don't have to be scared anymore." He lifted his hand and tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear. A faint blush brushed Lois's cheeks.
"Why don't we see what the news says the storm is doing?"
"Ok" Clark picked up the remote from the table, but the cable was out. "Well, how about a movie? What are you in the mood for something funny, graphic, or romantic?"
"Um, do you have 'The Mask of Zorro'?
"Yes." Clark inserted the disc in the player, and realized he never gave Lois the blankets. She probably didn't need them now but he pulled one from the chair and draped it across both of them. He leaned back in the corner of the couch with his arm across the top. Lois stretched her legs out on the couch and leaned against Clark. The fire cast a warm glow on the room as the movie started.
About an hour into the movie, Lois was sound asleep with her head resting on Clark's chest. Clark ran his fingers through her now dry hair and couldn't believe the emotions he felt for her. Feeling as though he could take a nap too, he carefully resituated so that he was stretching out on the couch and Lois was on top of him. He leaned forward slightly and placed a kiss on her forehead, then fell asleep.
Lois felt unbelievably safe, secure, and warm; her eyes fluttered open. She saw that the movie had stopped and the TV screen had turned blue. Suddenly she felt the couch move and realized that she was on top of Clark. She remembered leaning against him when the movie started but she definitely didn't crawl on top of him.
A smile appeared when she realized he wanted to hold her in his arms. This was not his hero complex, where he felt he had to protect her form her fear and the storm. He just wanted to hold her in his arms because he cared. Lois wrapped her arms around Clark and snuggled against him. She did not go back to sleep but listened to the rain outside. Despite her fear she wished it would rain all weekend.
TBC
