Chapter 24:
Suicide slums, an hour later:
Whenever I promise to stay out of trouble, the unimaginable happens, trouble stumbles into me. It's never ever the other way around.
"Why you meeting with old man Luthor?"
"Me and Lionel… we go way back, just catching up on the good old days."
"Cut the bulls--t."
"Since you asked so nicely, I'll just tell you the truth… we were meeting up to plan our next midnight rendezvous, the old guys got some moves, he's quite limber." The thug slaps me.
"Was that really necessary?" I ask spitting out blood at the goon, wishing that my arms weren't cuffed behind my back and that I wasn't wearing a skirt. Tomorrow I wear pants, definitely pants.
"Tell me the truth Miss Lane."
"Formalities and you're slapping me around?"
The thug raises his hand to me again… "Is that supposed to scare me?"
"Listen Lane, just tell us what we want to know and I'll consider letting you go… I'm not a big fan of violence against women but when push comes to shove…" a bigger, burlier guy speaks up from behind thug number one.
"Ok, you guys want the truth?" they nod; I take a deep breath…
"SUPERMAN!" I shout as loud as I can. Burly thug moves forward and slaps me, he grabs a hold of me and then shoves me back as hard as he can; I stumble in my heels. Tomorrow I'm wearing flats. Burly moves towards me, his hulking frame blocking out my view of the sky, or what little I could see of it. He grins maniacally, raising his fist to me again…
"Doesn't anybody in Metropolis know how to treat a lady right?" I hear Clark from somewhere behind Burly; relief washing over me.
"She ain't no lady." Burly turns his attention on Clark.
"What are you? A blue and red fairy?" Burly laughs and looks to his two accomplices for applause. I see anger flash in Clark's eyes…
"Not funny." He grits out as he punches the moron and he flies backwards. Clark turns and looks at the thugs companions; they run to their fallen leader.
"Next time I see any of you, you're all being taken for a trip downtown." The morons nod their heads and scamper off with their leader into the shadows. Clark turns to me
"I thought you were going to stay out of trouble." He helps me to my feet, crushing my handcuffs, I rub my wrists.
"Believe me, this wasn't planned and I didn't go looking for trouble."
"Lois, trouble always finds you. And you're in Suicide Slums. Couldn't you have at least called before coming out?"
I look at him sheepishly… "Where would the fun have been in that?"
He grins. "Lois Lane you're definitely one of a kind."
"You wouldn't have it any other way." He offers his hand and I step closer.
"Sadly, that's the truth." He bows his head for a second… "Would you like to go flying?"
My heart flip-flops… "Sure." I breathe out as Clark places his hands on my hips and I link my arms around his neck. He smiles warmly…
"Hold tight." We begin to float, slowly getting higher. Unconsciously I hold onto him tighter, the warmth of his body flowing through me.
"It's alright, I won't drop you."
"I know, I trust you. It was just an automatic reaction." I can't help but be honest with Clark.
We soar over the city, the sight breath taking, the feeling so different from all those years ago when Kal flew me to the Fortress. I stiffen at the memory, Clark senses something is wrong.
"You alright Lo?" Am I alright? How do I answer that?
"Can we go somewhere and talk?"
"Ah, sure…anywhere in particular?"
"Just somewhere quiet."
"Ok, just hold on tight for a second."
Before I could nod or do anything, Clark speeds up and we head in what I'm guessing is a south-west direction. We must be heading back to Smallville. I close my eyes, the wind stinging my eyes. I feel Clark slow, we descend and I open my eyes as my feet touch the ground.
"I haven't been here for quite a while." I say as I walk towards the yellow farmhouse.
"Actually, I was here yesterday morning." He says honestly, his expression unreadable.
"It was because of me wasn't it?" I ask already knowing the answer.
"Yeah…" he lets out quietly as we walk side by side to the steps of the house. We sit down together, shoulder to shoulder. "You wanted to talk?"
I sigh, I want to say so much but where to begin. Clark stays quiet, his elbows on his knees looking out onto the field before us. "I feel I owe you an explanation about why I did what I did." Could I sound like anymore of an idiot?
"You don't have to." I could tell that he'd forced those words out. I take his hand in my own and squeeze, he returns the gesture.
"I do Clark and please don't interrupt me…please?" he nods his assent, still looking out on the land before us.
"I don't expect your forgiveness and I understand if you don't want to have anything to do with me…" he goes to butt in but I shake my head as he looks to me, I avert my eyes…
"Sleeping with Kal was hard for me to do, but it was one of the only ways for me to get close enough to get rid of the bracelet. I imagined he was you… I know I sound crazy but I did. And for a long time I regretted sleeping with Kal. I know that there must have been some other way for me to have taken the bracelet away. But the moment that I found out that I was having twins I couldn't regret my actions, there were two miracles of life growing within me, and they were only in existence because of the love I felt, still feel for you. And I know that sleeping with Kal is a funny way of showing my love for you but-"
I'm silenced as Clark's lips come crashing down upon my own, I return the kiss and we break apart not long after.
"Lois, I can't say I'm not angry, because I still am… but only a little bit." I feel tears well in my eyes.
"But in a weird way I do understand and I'm amazed by what you sacrificed for me." He lightly kisses my hand. I'm speechless; I mean what do I say to that?
"I love you Lois, I have for a long time. It took Kal to possess me for me to finally see what was before me and stop denying my true feelings." I see tears in Clark's eyes as well.
"I love you with all of my being Clark." I smile at him and hug him, he holds me close. I hear his heart thumping through his chest.
"Where do we go from here?" Clark asks.
"I don't know, but I do know that I want to be with you." Clark releases me and looks deep into my eyes.
"I'll be by your side whenever you need me, just call my name."
"I'll stand by you through thick and thin, and the children will be your strength and guiding light."
"What about the kids Lois? What about everything with Bruce? I don't mean to be negative and ruin the moment, but these things need to be addressed."
"I know…the kids will know their father, we'll be the family we're supposed to be." I can't help but smile at the image.
"Bruce is a good guy, he's a fiercely loyal friend Clark, he wants to meet with you and discuss a few things; it's all good." I throw in to make sure that everything is fine.
"And what about us?" he asks quietly.
"I want to take things slow Clark; I want to get to know you and you to know me. I want us to work. And I know that you're nothing like any of the other men that I've dated but sex always ruined things. I want us to be comfortable with each other before taking that step."
Clark nods and smiles. "I understand Lois, and I respect your decision. Are we going public or taking that slowly as well?" he grins and waggles his eyebrows. I giggle, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.
"Did you just giggle? Did I just make Lois Lane giggle?" he stands up, putting his hands in the air shouting to the heavens, "I, Clark Kent, made Lois Lane giggle."
I also stand and playfully punch him in the arm… "I was so not giggling." I say with humor in my voice.
"You so were."
"Was not."
"So, we public yet… waiting a bit… what?"
I let out a small laugh, making sure not to giggle again. "Can we at least wait a week or two…you know, so I don't look like a tramp."
"Only a week or two?" he asks surprised.
"We could make it longer."
"No… a week or two is fine."
I smile in victory. "You should learn to stand your ground Clarkie."
"Call me Clarkie again and you'll witness me standing my ground."
"Is that a threat?"
Completely ignoring my playful barb… "What were you doing down in Suicide Slums?"
Great, he had to turn everything all serious again didn't he? "I was following a lead on the kidnapping from yesterday."
I can tell that Clark knows that there's more to the story. "Who were you meeting?"
I think about lying but I know that being honest with Clark is more important. "Lionel Luthor."
"Lionel Luthor?" I think I just surprised Superman.
"Yeah, he left a note on my desk at the Planet and I just wanted to see whether he knew anymore than he'd let me in on."
"And did he?"
"Nope, he did promise that he'd do some more digging… but he did tell me that Lex is definitely behind it all."
"Do you know how much I want to hurt Lex?" he questions honestly.
"I can imagine, but you won't and that's what makes you so special."
"That I'm a big push-over." He spits out sarcastically.
"No, that you're a good person."
He smiles slightly at me. "Thank you Lois, you seem to know all the right things to say."
"Don't get used to it; I have the world's worst case of foot in mouth disease."
"You don't have to tell me twice."
"Two funnies in one day, you're getting good aren't you?"
"You bet I am, anyway, I better get you back to the Planet… Jimmy's looking for you."
I sigh and step closer to Clark once again, preparing to fly back to Metropolis. I don't want to leave the serenity of this special place but know it must be done.
"Giddy up Smallville, we don't want to keep Jimmy waiting." Clark rolls his eyes and launches into the air…
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