Thank you to everyone who took the time to leave me a review. I'm sorry that I didn't respond individually, but I wanted to acknowledge you somehow. So thanks go to: dyslecksecsportchick359beauty0102SuperPup92.0klokloJJ the elusive, Vgerland, LadyofthestarReena LinJadedofMaralatafmodginkianp1618Pyrate Viking (I think I'll try to address the glasses thing at a later date.), Lauren WarrenEllianiaDivamercurytrista19, Jennifer, ChristyLoisGilmore17, Gary (We'll see how long this goes. I think this is going to break a record for me!), winddancer55945K.D. Sparrow, ShelbyKent (Ahhhh, Clark's dog, and thanks for reminding me of the flowers!), shadyreneeJedi X-Man Serena Kenobi, and of course my beta 4ever1.

Hopefully, things are starting to get interesting. . . .

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So far the only thing Lois had accomplished at the gathering was the reluctant look of admiration Elizabeth shot her when she bit into the cookies. They were good. They were exceptionally good, and Lois would have indulged herself in a moment of gloating if she had actually baked them. As it was, she had to squash the astonishment that spread across her face when she took her first bite.

Clark gave her a large, pleased smile and said as if in explanation to the people around them, "They're mom's recipe." Only a week ago Lois would have termed the look on Clark's face as goofy, but now she recognized it as merely untouched glee. It was the kind of pleasure that was generally lost to a person after they left childhood behind. How Clark had managed to maintain this almost youthful enthusiasm for the mundane, was a mystery to her.

Lois smiled at him indulgently. It was just one of the many things she adored about him.

Clark had a slight spring in his step that she would have failed to notice if she hadn't been so focused on her partner. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he gave her an answering smile as he toppled a stack of plastic cups from the table. He managed to catch most of them. Lois winced as Clark leaned across the edge of the pool to get two cups that bobbed in the water like storm tossed buoys. He wouldn't meet her eye, and Lois wondered if Clark was embarrassed by his mishap, or if it was something else entirely.

There was an enormous grill set up on the clubhouse patio that hadn't been there the night before. A long table with paper plates, chips, dips, and the usual fare sat relatively untouched. A tall, blonde man expertly flipped burgers and rotated hotdogs with an expressionless face. He was surrounded by a group of smiling, eerily silent onlookers. Lois wondered why they had come as it was obvious that they would rather be elsewhere.

It was really too early in the year for a barbeque like this, and it almost seemed absurd to be standing around the pool in sweaters and jackets. After going through perfunctory introductions, most of the people had broken off into silent groups. They all seemed to be waiting for something and Lois didn't think it was the food.

Lois casually edged up to Clark and spoke quietly without looking up at him. "Quite a subdued bunch, don't you think?"

Clark stepped closer without answering, and Lois recognized the protective gesture. She was pleased at his desire to keep her safe. Even though she didn't need it, she enjoyed it just the same.

Lois continued in a louder voice. "Where is Jason anyway?"

A small, dark haired woman walked up and said, "Is that your boy?"

Lois nodded.

"He's over there playing with my son."

Lois watched Jason and the petite, raven haired boy inspecting something on the ground with great interest. The tops of their heads were pressed together and Lois smiled indulgently.

Clark said. "That's a fine looking boy there, ma'me. Is he about six years old?"

"Yes. He just had a birthday last week. I'm Kai Lei. That's Eddy."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lois and this is Clark. Jason looks like he's found a new friend."

Kai Lei smiled a small almost wistful smile.

"We just moved into the neighborhood." Clark added, watching her closely.

"I know." She said the words like they weighed heavily on her soul.

Clark shot Lois a look and she nodded at him knowing that they might have found someone that they could interview. Lois said with a studied casualness, "The schools in the area are rated pretty well, and everyone in the neighborhood seems nice enough."

Kai Lei's gaze darted around the gathering and when she was pretty certain that they could not be overheard she said quickly, "Appearances can be deceiving. When they accepted our offer we thought we were lucky to get such a good price for our house. We didn't know then."

Lois leaned closer, as if by her body language alone she could urge Kai Lei to say more.

"They haven't gotten to you yet, have they?" The woman's almond shaped eyes widened inquiringly.

"Who?" Clark asked.

"Welcome to our little slice of heaven." A voice boomed.

Kai Lei jumped in surprise at the interruption. "I'd better go check on the boys." She quickly scurried away.

A bald man dressed in an inappropriate white suit stood before them. Lois' insides turn to ice. This could not be happening. He was dead - lost at sea. He couldn't be standing right in front of her. Lois' heart thudded painfully in her chest. She stumbled back into Clark and when he raised a hand to steady her, she clutched it like a life line. Then she started noticing details that just didn't add up. She was mistaken. Despite an uncanny similarity, this was not Lex Luthor. But the adrenalin still surged in her system making her feel shaky.

Clark gently squeezed her hand. Lois gripped it hard and flashed him a look of gratitude. Somehow, he knew. He had a dark, almost haunted shadow flicker in his eyes. Why did Clark Kent share her dread of Luthor? What had the man ever done to him?

She tried to remember a time when Clark had ever even interacted with Superman's arch nemesis and couldn't recall anything. Perhaps, it dated back to that hazy period of time when Luthor had led Zod and his cronies to the Daily Planet. Lois had gathered detailed accounts of that event from her coworkers many times over the years. That was before Clark had left on his trip; he must have been there too.

On closer inspection, the man in the white suit looked more like a long lost cousin of Luthor, but she would never again mistake him for Lex.

He glanced at their clasped hands and smiled almost paternally. "It's good to see such a loving couple join our community." He said. "You must be the Kents. I'm Victor Valentino." He held out his hand and Clark reluctantly released Lois' hand to shake Victor's.

"The neighborhood is beautiful. Very clean." Lois said hoping to lead him to reveal something. She was proud that her voice did not betray how shaken she still felt.

"Iron Gates has high standards, and I'm proud to say that we have a very effective home owner association." Victor smiled over their shoulder and Elizabeth came over to them and took his arm. She was dressed in a very short summer dress that must have been too skimpy to be comfortable in this cool weather.

"You've already met my wife, Elizabeth? She was telling me how much she enjoyed your cookies."

Elizabeth gave Victor a dirty look, and then smiled flirtatiously at Clark. "I really must have that recipe." She drawled. Then she winked at Clark suggestively.

Lois crossed her arms, not willing to be dismissed so easily. She was just about to comment that Victor probably didn't marry her for her skills in the kitchen when she caught Clark looking down at her.

Clark shifted uncomfortably then he shrugged. His expression was apologetic as he turned to the blond woman. "Gee, Lois had to marry into the family to get that secret. How else do you think I ended up with such a beautiful wife?"

Lois didn't know if Clark really thought she was beautiful, but she allowed the pleasure his words gave her to show on her face. Might as well make the most of it, she thought. She leaned against Clark's chest, enjoying both the feel of him against her and the nasty spasm of jealousy that twisted Elizabeth's features. The look was gone so quickly, Lois believed she was the only one to see it.

She recognized the way he blinked just a bit too slowly, his mouth going slack in surprise. Clark was preoccupied with trying to conceal how her sudden proximity flustered him. Lois wondered how he would react if she kissed him. She smiled mischievously at the notion. It would be worth it just to gauge his reaction, if she wasn't certain that Clark would blow their cover in front of Victor.

Victor was peering at them so intently that Lois wondered what he was thinking. Elizabeth dropped her gaze, and Lois felt an unexpected pang of sympathy for the woman. She doubted that Victor would have noticed his wife even if she were standing there naked. All was not well in the Valentino household.

Victor seemed to remember his surroundings and smiled urbanely. "Don't worry, my dear. I'm sure the Kents will change their mind. They all do, sooner or later. Enjoy the barbeque." He took her arm firmly and went over to the man at the grill. Elizabeth went with him, but not before she glanced over her shoulder at Clark, and then unbelievably, she blew Clark a kiss.

Lois gasped, and when Clark chuckled, she punched him lightly in the arm.

Not lightly enough. "Ow!" She said rubbing her fist. "I really despise that woman."

Clark took her hand inspecting it intently, and then said, "It's not broken."

"Of course it's not broken, Clark. But could you do me a favor?"

He tilted his head in question.

"Next time you provoke me like that, could you, I don't know, relax a bit. It's like hitting a brick wall."

Clark raised an amused eyebrow. "Gee Lois. I'll certainly try to make sure the next time you wish to punch me that it's more comfortable for you."

She laughed at the absurdity of that statement, appreciating Clark's dry humor. He was still rubbing her hand when she asked. "Is it just me or did they just threaten us?"

Clark's jaw tightened. "Why don't we give her the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag?"

Lois gave a startled laugh and turned her hand so that she was clasping his palm. She really did adore Clark. She could see that Victor's words had disturbed him, but he was determined to put her at ease.

"I think Perry was right about there being a story here. Those cookies are definitely front page material." Lois teased. Clark looked down at her, a slow, devastating smile spreading across his face. She had to keep a firm grip on his hand, because the strength drained out of her legs.

There was something in Lois' eyes that made Clark's heart thump so hard in his chest he wondered if she could hear it. She was doing it again, making him feel vulnerable and at the same time stronger than he'd ever been before. He saw that Jason was still busy drawing in the dirt with Eddy. Kai Lei watched the boys protectively.

Clark glanced toward the grill. Victor was assembling a hamburger while Elizabeth was gazing at them with a disquieting interest.

"Maybe we should mingle with the natives." Lois suggested, a teasing note entering her voice.

They joined the milling neighbors, casually filling plates and making polite conversation. Clark and Lois answered generic questions about their 'family', careful not to contradict each other. Jason ate too many cookies, but Lois didn't have the heart to scold him. After all, Jason and Clark had made them together. She wanted to keep that memory pure for her son.

Jason's health had drastically improved over the last few months, so that he hadn't even needed a refill of his Albuterol. He had been eating more things lately that at one time would have put him into anaphylactic shock. Lois had tried to prevent his exposure to these substances, but she had learned only last week that Jason had been sneaking forbidden foods for months with no ill effect.

She remembered the incident with the piano, and couldn't help but wonder if his father's genetics were becoming dominant.

After mingling uneventfully for awhile, Clark said loudly. "Hey honey, why don't we check out the facilities here?"

Lois glanced over at Elizabeth. Had she actually been licking her lips at Clark? Was that supposed to be enticing? She wanted to put Elizabeth in her place. Clark began walking quickly away and Lois had a suspicion that Elizabeth's flirting was unnerving her mild mannered partner.

The front door to the Club was around the bend from the gathering. Clark ducked quickly inside. It was stilly sunny outside, but the light didn't penetrate the thick curtains covering the windows. It was like the night was inside. For some reason, Clark hadn't bothered to turn on the lights. Lois stood just inside the Club house doors, allowing her eyes to adjust to the low light.

"Over here." He urged.

Figuring that Clark had a reason, she left the switch off and moved in the direction of his voice.

By now, Lois could see his silhouette and she stopped in her tracks feeling as if something was eluding her. There was something gnawing at her when she gazed at his outline. She couldn't see Clark's features, just the way he moved. In the dark, he seemed taller somehow, more confident, almost like another person entirely. She felt that if she just focused on him long enough, it would come to her. It was like trying to recall a dream long forgotten.

Clark could see Lois clearly. He allowed himself to just be himself and gaze at her without worrying about what he might reveal when he let his guard down. Her gaze skimmed unfocused over his face and he realized that she couldn't see. Clark reached over and flipped a light switch. She winced and closed her eyes.

"Sorry." Clark said.

With the light on, all Lois could see was Clark and she felt a little foolish that she had been looking for something more. She shrugged it off as one of those times when an image from a dream lingered, seeming too real.

As they searched the Club house, they discussed their meeting with Victor Valentino. They wondered about the nature of his relationship to Peter Valentino. As they talked quietly, they passed through a great room with tables and chairs stacked against the walls. There was a small side room with a pool table with an ornately decorated fan mounted to the ceiling dead center above the green felt. There was a door at the back and when Lois tried the knob, it wouldn't open. There was a security panel on the wall that didn't seem to belong in a community club house.

Clark peered through the wall, and saw a few metal crates stacked against the far wall. They looked identical to the ones that were being taken out of here last night. There was also what appeared to be some medical equipment on a table and a small walk in freezer.

He heard someone approaching, and from the stealthy way they were moving he guessed that the person wanted to catch them unaware. Lois was busy examining the keypad. She was trying to pry a metal nail file into the small seam between the wall and the built in metal plate.

"Darling, I think the bathroom's this way." Clark said just a little louder than normal.

Darling? Lois understood immediately. She dropped the file back into her purse and replied. "I don't know snookums. I think it's this way."

Clark's lips twitched, but he managed to keep a straight face.

"That's just a store room. The restrooms are this way." The blond man that had been flipping burgers at the grill stepped forward. He pointed back the way they came.

"Ivan, right?" Lois asked.

He nodded. "I live in the single story right across the street from you."

"What a coincidence." Lois muttered under her breath. Then she said louder, "What do you store in here that requires a security panel?"

Ivan shifted uncomfortably before saying, "There are flammable materials in there. We don't want any of the kids deciding it would be something they could play with."

"Flammable materials?" Clark asked.

"You know, lighter fluid for the grill, that sort of thing." Ivan hedged; there was an air of dread about him like he was going to have to do something he really would rather not.

"Probably a good idea." Clark said, and he took Lois' arm with a look of warning. Lois opened her mouth intending to blast holes in this flimsy explanation, when she caught the steely look in Clark's eyes.

"The bathrooms are this way?" Lois asked redundantly.

The tension in Ivan's body leaked out of him, and Lois tried to keep the shock from showing when she realized that Ivan was trying to casually put a weapon away into his belt at his back.

As they walked away from the locked door, Lois darted quick glances at both Clark and Ivan.

Ivan waited outside the restroom for her to return. Once they were outside again, Ivan couldn't leave fast enough.

They stood off to the side, out of earshot from the others. If anyone glanced their way, it would appear that they were just watching 'their' son playing with the little boy he had befriended, Eddy. Kai Lei was nowhere in sight.

"That was . . . interesting." Lois said dryly. "We need to get back in there to find out what's behind that door. I also need to get in touch with Superman."

"Superman?" Clark asked.

"I came out here last night. I saw some men moving crates from the club house to a truck. Superman showed up and said he'd find out where they were headed."

He had completely forgotten about the truck.

Lois continued. "I was going to tell you all about it, but you were gone this morning."

"This morning?" Clark's voice raised an octave.

"Yeah, you know, the time somewhere between last night and this afternoon."

"Oh, of course." Clark smoothed his hand over his hair in a nervous gesture. His mind was racing. He hated lying to Lois, so he tried to think of what he could say that would contain some truth. With the way that Lois was peering at him, he feared that she could see right through him.

"What's wrong Clark? You don't have to answer to me, but I'd like to think that you weren't trying to keep things from me. We are friends aren't we?"

"Of course we are. There were just some things that I needed to take care of."

"Like visit a certain proprietor of an Italian restaurant?"

Clark looked at her blankly. He tried to recall all the rescues of that morning. There was that fast food restaurant with the raging grease fire. Half the building had burned down before he had arrived on the scene. Thankfully, there had been no fatalities. What kind of food had they served there? He thought it might have been a taco shop.

"I don't think so."

"You don't know?"

"I made a stop at a fast food place on the way back, but I didn't talk to the manager."

Then he realized what she was talking about. He felt a sense of wonder come over him. "This is about those flowers, isn't it?" Lois Lane was jealous of some woman showing an interest in Clark Kent. He couldn't suppress the smile that spread across his face.

Lois shook her head, "No." then she shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know."

"Does it really matter that much to you?"

She flushed and said heatedly, "It's just that you seem like you're hiding something. I thought maybe you were embarrassed."

When he just kept smiling at her without saying another word, she finally added, "You thought it didn't matter to me?"

What could he say to that? "I know that you value honesty, and I also know that you have enough curiosity to kill a whole shelter worth of cats."

Lois lowered her head, but not before he could see her smile. When she raised her head, her eyes were shining brightly. "That's true. I can't stand to have an unsolved mystery on my hands."

The wind had begun to pick up, and she shivered a bit, pulling her sweater in closer to her body. The cold didn't bother Clark, and he wondered if anyone would notice that he wasn't shivering. He could always say it was his Midwestern heritage. City folks think that coming from a farming community explained most oddities.

They watched the boys in silence for a minute and then she said out of the blue. "And who calls anyone Darling, anymore? It just sounds, I don't know, so Hollywood."

"I knew that it would let you know that someone was coming. Darling is at least a somewhat plausible endearment. You'd rather I called you Snookums?" Clark asked wryly.

Lois gave a dry laugh. "Maybe we should come up with something else."

"Do you have any better ideas?"

Lois snorted in amusement. Then she gave it some thought, tapping her finger against her lip. "I kind of liked it when you called me Honey earlier, or what about Sweetheart . . . or Dear or even just . . . Love."

Clark's breathing grew shallow and he said, "Those are all good too."

Most of the neighbors had left the barbeque. Elizabeth was putting on lipstick, and from the way she was looking in their direction, Lois surmised that she was planning on descending on them any minute. Clark didn't seem to notice. He was looking intently at Lois, so focused that she wondered for a moment if something were wrong.

She must have had a quizzical look on her face, because his shoulders slumped just a bit and he smiled disarmingly. There he was doing it again. He was building a wall between them, and she was tired of it.

Elizabeth had just started strutting toward them and Lois had no urge to witness the married woman throwing herself at her 'husband'. It was just . . . wrong.

Lois stepped close to Clark. His pupils dialed as she grew near. She could see past the glasses to the blue fire intensity of his eyes. When she pressed her body against his chest, she could feel the pounding of his heart. She was no longer aware of the cold. No longer aware of anything but him. Heat radiated off Clark making Lois feel decidedly warm.

Clark watched her as if he was uncertain what she intended, and that more than anything pushed her into action. Lois stood on her toes, burying her fingers in the silken hair at the back of his neck, and kissed him.

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