A/N: Ok, here it is, always wonderful Reviews and I'm so very, truly, honestly thankful for each and everyone who left some kind of FB, it helps me to do better and to continue to write.
Chapter 22: Cruise (Day 2) Discovery
"She took off, we caught the last part of the fight but it doesn't look good." Chloe answers.
"Lois, is PISSED!" Bart clarifies and gets whacked by Chloe, her eyes glaring at him.
"Great!" Clark sighs. "I have to find her."
"Clark, how are you going to explain this?" Chloe asked, concerned for her cousin and best friend.
"I don't know , but I have to try something."
"Clark, if there was ever a time for the truth it would be now...tell her, she'll understand." Chloe pleads, starring into his eyes, her hand grasped around his arm.
Clark only exhales deeply and pushes off from them, strong enough now to go on his own. He heads off, his ears trying to pick up the familiar beating among the others around.
His hearing soon zones in onto her heartbeat and leads his eyes to see her angrily pushing her way through the crowd ahead of him. Clark quickly goes after her, once in close range he firmly grabs her arms bringing her to a halt.
"Lois wait!" he saids, spinning her around to face him. " Let me explain, please."
"Leave me alone, Clark or is it Kal!" she saids, her eyes cold and full of pain. She tries to walk from him, but he keeps her in place with his hold on her arm.
"It's Clark."
Lois snatches her arm away and crosses them over her chest, anger burning on her face as she turns to him.
"Well, I'm waiting." she saids, bitterly.
Clark runs his hand through his hair, unable to make eye contact with her. "I'm sorry, I don't know..."
"You're Sorry!" she shouts, mocking his words. "Your explanation for everything, Clark...you're sorry!"
He cringes at the way she saids his name, with such disgust and hate. "Tell me then, Clark...Explain!"
Clark stares at her helplessly, words escaping him, not knowing how to tell. Part of it being because of fear of what she would do, she already being upset, some in fear of what would happen to her knowing such secret with everything that is going on and the rest, fear of people around over-hearing what he would say.
Lois gives him a sad and disappointed look back. "I thought so." she sighs, turning around to walk away.
Clark wipes his hand over his face, his own anger coming forth. "Why does everyone pressures me for answers? Why can't they accept that I keep my mouth shut to protect them. Why does it always comes down to secrets!"
"News flash Clark! I never needed or asked for your protection, and don't you ever compare me to Lana...you didn't have to say it, but I knew you were thinking it." she saids, seeing the look on his face.
"I never, not once ever pushed you about your secret or anything that happen back home, because it's Smallville and I've come to learn that things just happen in that town. Some how you have a hand in it, but I never questioned...and you know what, I never will for the simple fact, I have my own, but even if that wasn't the case I would have still never invaded because I know when the time came , when you fully trusted me you would tell me."
"It has nothing to do with trust..."
"Like I said, Clark...I don't need you to protect me!"
Clark growls with his own rage. "That goes both ways...I know whatever your secret is, involves Lex!"
A flash of surprise crosses her face before it's hardens back to anger. "You don't know what you're talking about and it's better that you don't!"
She turns to walk away, Clark's hand around her arm keeps her from going, but she doesn't turn to face him.
"Lois, please..."
She didn't need to see his face to know it was etched with guilt and she didn't need to be a mind reader to know what he would say.
"...I'm not pulling away, Clark. You're pushing me away." she replies, her back still toward him, not wanting him to see the tears that silently fell.
"Lois, please I don't want us..."
"...just leave me the Hell alone!" her voice full of malice. "Chloe was wrong, they all are, we're not meant to be...we never were!"
Clark releases her arm as she pulls away, storming off and disappearing from sight. He, left alone to be the center of attention to the snickers and stares.
Chloe comes to his side, punching him in the arm, the chocker encased inside her hand. Clark immediately grabs it in pain, almost collapsing to the floor.
"OW!" Clark yells, watching Chloe tuck the chocker away.
"Lois might be crazy enough to hit you without it, but I'm not and don't give me any reason to let Lois know about this, either." Chloe chides. "...and what are you doing? Go after her and freakken tell her already or I swear this is only a taste of what I'll do to you...to the both of you!"
"Maybe it's for the best, Chlo...I really screwed up things this time."
"Best for who, Clark!" Chloe growls, ready to attack him again. "What's best is for you to go after her and fix this! You will not give up on my cousin this easily, after all that's happen between the two of you!"
"I'm not giving up, she doesn't..."
"Do you love her, Clark!"
"Of course I do, but..."
Chloe looks him in the eyes and shakes her head. "Then what are you waiting for?"
Clark thinks about it then slowly nods, her words seeping through, he gives Chloe a grateful smile before taking off in search for Lois.
Bart comes and stands next to Chloe, watching as Clark also disappeared into the crowd. "You think he can fix this?"
Chloe turns her head toward him, her eyes set in a glare. "Bart, for your sake, you better hope he does!" she punches him hard in the arm, not holding back. "You are so dead if things between my cousin and best friend, don't work out!"
"Hey!" Bart complains at the assault on his arm. "See, this is what happens when people are left out of the loop!...noooo, never mind telling me, wait to something like this happen then put all blame on the Flash!"
"The Flash? You are so not calling yourself that." Chloe rolls her eyes, pushing a reluctant Bart from behind, ahead of herself through the crowd.
x
Clark walked around the long deck, his eyes and ears on high alert for her. He walked on in the warm night breeze, passing couples holding hands at they strolled by or sat entwined close together on the various seatings around.
They engaged in the romance of the setting, the stars and moon over head lightly illuminating the night, the soft drumming of the reggae music blending in the air with the churning of the waves.
Clark glances at the couples around, pained inside that his date with Lois, though not a real one, couldn't end up like such. Clark stops for a moment, watching a couple as they stood wrapped together.
His arms around his girl, his hand caressing her cheek as they kissed. Clark drops his head down, letting out a deep, regretful sigh as he continued on looking for Lois.
His ears were first to notice her, the familiar beat by beat sounding in his ear. He looks up to see her standing there, a few feet away, leaning against the rails. The soft, warm breeze gently whipping her round curls, making them dance around her face.
She stood there motionless, starring out at the endless view of dark waters that island them on the cruise. Clark noticing her glistened wet cheeks, could tell she was crying, which made things all the more worse.
Lois never ever cried, and when she did it was always because something really gotten to her. He cursed himself for what Kal did...for what he did. Clark cautiously made his way over, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his usual stance when nervous and he was beyond terrified.
He stops in front of th rail, facing the ocean view as well, leaving space between them not wanting to invade, since his "ego" seemed to already taken advantage of that.
He slowly breathes out, as if afraid that the sound of his breath would scare her away. While inside he fought with reason, and try to gain courage to speak, with the tension already on edge between them.
"I can explain what happen, I should have told you..."
"I don't care..." she interrupts, letting out calmly, too calmly that it was unnerving to him as she still looked out at the view.
"I was stupid and scared to tell you about me...afraid of what would happen..."
"So, you decided to act like a total ass to justify it?" her voice yet calm, but he could hear the anger that laced each word.
Clark drops his head down. "I'm sorry I hurt you...I mean it wasn't me...I mean it was, but I wasn't myself."
"Which is it Clark? It was either you or wasn't , but unless I went blind or you have an identical twin, god forbid!...I could have sworn it was you!" the rage inside, leaking its way out through her words.
"It was me, my body, but it wasn't who I am, and I think you know that."
She spins around to face him, her eyes glaring into his. "Do I, Clark?...because from where I'm standing all I see is the same Jerk!"
"I love you" he throws out in a frail attempt to keep her from leaving, from leaving him.
"Uh!" she huffs out shaking her head in disbelief, and turns away from him, all too ready to run off. "I can't believe you, you think you can just say that to me and everything will be just fine!" she spins back around to him. "Well it's not! It's not fine how you can use those words so lightly, especially with me!"
"I said it, because I mean it, I do love you, more then I had with anyone..." she turns away from him, too angry to accept his words. He grabs her arm before she takes off from him. "...and I would never take these words lightly, ever...not with you."
She continues to keep her back to him, as she fought to keep the tears at bay, brimming around her eyes. "We don't know each other, not like we should."
Clark shakes his head, knowing she was only trying to make excuses for this not to work. "I know you...probably more then I know anyone, and you seem to have had me pegged from the start."
Lois pulls from him, walking a few feet away before stopping. "We can never agree, we're always fighting."
Clark walks up close behind her. "We have our moments, I admit...you can drive me crazy! Your stubborn, aggravating, you never listen at all, your a pain..."
Lois turns around, facing him. "If you're trying to make me feel better, you're really sucking at it."
Clark shakes his head a wide smile on his mouth, glad to hear the sarcasm back in her voice. "As much as it drives me off the wall..." he said in feigned frustration. "...it's you and though it's hard to believe, it's one of many things I love about you."
She slowly walks over to the rails, her hands squeezing the poles, still very much upset. "Wow, you make me sound like such a wonderful person to be with."
A souvenir guy, selling flowers steps up to Clark, seeing the hard time he's having with his lady friend, and offers him a exquisite red rose to give to her.
Clark, though, sees something better, suggesting another kind, which the guy graciously lets him have, but Clark gives the guy a bill for it anyway.
Clark lifts the delicate flower to his nose inhaling the fragrance as he walked up beside her, she leaning her arms on the rails and starring off into the dark horizon.
"You're more then wonderful to be with and you "are" an amazing person..." he saids, bringing the white Lily in front of her, she slides her hand over his, taking it into hers. A small smile breaking through the bitterness she tries to hold onto to.
"...you made my life worth living from the very first time we met, I didn't know it then, but I know it to be true now. Lois, you are more then what I ever seen anyone else to be, there's nothing you wouldn't do for your family or friends, and not just them but for anyone in need. Whether you know it or not, you're the one with the big heart, you're loyal, willing to put other lives and needs before your own...you proved that countless times...You go after the story not just to expose or reveal but to help in any way you can, also. You're a friend, giving advice when needed, whether they want it or not...and I thank you for it, even when I didn't want to hear it, but you cared enough to shove it in my face...and yea you are independent and strong, you don't take mess from anyone, especially me, and you can stand with the best of them...There is endless more of how incredible you are, and I don't know if you can see it or not, Lois, but it's there, whether you want to believe it or dismiss it from the truth. All I said is how I and many others see you."
Tears brake like a dam down her face, she was one to always have insecurities about herself, not feeling as though she had the right to be loved, or if anyone would ever love her, or if she was a good person at all, but she knew now more then ever how wrong she was to think that way.
She quickly turns her head away trying to hide the tears that fell, not wanting to stop. He sees though, placing his fingers under her chin and gently turns her face to his.
His hand sliding to the side of her face to cup it and wipes his thumb against her cheeks, rubbing away the tears that fell.
"I love you, Lo..." he whispers, she gives him her famous Lane smile back.
"I love you too, Clark."
His eyes drop down in guilt for a moment before returning to meet hers again. "...There's something I need to tell you, what I should have told you for awhile, now." he swallowing hard. "I'm different...not like other people."
"I don't care about your secret, Clark." she giving him a reassuring smile, drowning off in his endless blues. "You're Clark Kent, that's all I need to know."
"...but, I'm not just..."
"Smallville..." Lois saids, quieting him with a finger to his lips. "I don't care...it doesn't matter."
He takes her hand from his mouth, holding onto it as his other hand made it's way to caress her cheek. "It is, and you should know."
"Like I said, Smallville I've coulda known a long time ago. There was allot to be suspicious about, but I never pried and I never will. I figured you would tell me when the time is right but I don't want you to feel like you "have" to tell me...tell me because you want to."
"I need to explain what happen, why I was acting the way I did."
Lois shakes her head. "I knew it wasn't you Clark, don't ask me how, even I'm still a bit confused on the details but somehow I knew it. You can be allot of things Smallville, mostly annoying, a Boy Scout, brooding..."
"Lois!"
She rolls her eyes. "...but an asshole isn't on of them, not if you can help it, anyway."
Clark shakes his head, smiling down at her his hand running down the side of her face, the distance between them closing up as their bodies seeks each other.
"You're beautiful...inside and out."
"Trying to change the subject, are we?" Lois smirks, smiling playfully.
He wraps his arms around her waist. "No, just admiring the view."
She smiles and leans up a bit on the tip of her toes to reach his lips, giving him a passionate kiss, that he all too eagerly returned back. She sighs against his lips, pleased to have her very own Smallville back.
"Speaking of view." she saids, pulling away for air. "Have you ever seen such a wonderful sight as this?"
Lois faces the scene again, the water shining like glass capturing the beams from the sun, but sparkling instead by the glow from the stars and moon.
"It is beautiful...absolutely breath taking."
Lois turns her head to see Clark starring admiringly at her, she smiles widely, beside herself by his complement. "You're not even looking."
"Why? When I have something even more beautiful to look at." Clark whispers, his finger rubbing against her lips. he leans back down to taste them once again, his lips meeting hers deep and hard.
She parts her lips, returning the kiss with the same fire, her hands resting upon his chest. His hand raises to caress her face, when suddenly he feels a strong and harsh jerk. His eyes quickly pop open to see Lois pushed over the rails of the Ship and some guy running away.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion and with Clark's speed it all was in slow motion to him. Lois went falling over the rails, a guy in a dark gray sweater with hood covering his face, runs away.
With no thought of his own safety to conceal his identity or care to catch the person responsible. All he cared about, all that was surging through his mind was to help Lois. Clark, without hesitancy jumps over the rails, willing himself to fall faster so he could catch her.
Lois doesn't scream even though this caught her totally by surprise, the General's training thought her how to take control of the situation and of her body. She was silent the whole way her body free fallen down to the waiting ocean water.
Her eyes closed tightly as she fell and she forced her body to brace itself for the hard impact she knew would be waiting for her at the end of the ride...but, it never came, and the falling appeared to...stop?
Once the initial shock wore off, she notices as well as feel two strong, familiar arms around her waist. In her mind, even though she fell quite a distance, she figured Clark to be hanging over the rail, catching her in time.
It was just her fear making it seem as though she fell more then what actually was...because really, what else was she suppose to think?
"Oh, thank god for those quick reflexes, Smallville!" she exhales deeply, opening her eyes to see him, impossibly right side up.
Her eyes frantically looks around for some sign of a rope, harness, attachment...anything, tied to his body keeping them halted in mid air. Her eyes turn back to his face scrunched up in fear at what she'll say or do.
Finding no kind of support on him, she panics, her arms quickly shoots around his neck tightly holding on, as she releases her lungs out into the night air.
To Be Continued...
A/N: Thanks for reading and Plz don't forget to Review before you go.
Spoilers Chap 23: See what happens between Lois and Clark now. finding out he can fly!...also what the rest of the night holds for them and the rest of the gang.
(Till next time, Cya!)