Clark could not help but notice Lois's preoccupation on the way to the airport which continued on to the airplane. He tried to distract her by making conversation but she did not want to talk much.
"I'm tired...can I borrow your shoulder to have a sleep?" She asked, putting up her barriers so she did not have to discuss any more emotional issues with Clark.
"Of course you can." He smiled, and watched Lois drift off for the rest of flight.
Hours later, they landed at Dulles Airport. "Lois, we're here." He said.
"Where?"
"In Washington DC." He replied, nudging her to wake up again. "Have you been having some late nights or something?"
"Something like that!" She groaned.
They were standing waiting for their luggage, when Clark received a message from his mom.
"Mom is locked in a Senate debate until late. She has sent a limo and said to get takeaway and she will grab some when she gets in."
The two of them were whisked away to his mom's apartment. Clark pretended he had never seen the apartment even though he had been a regular visitor since his mom had moved up to DC. He could go long without having some of his mom's cooking.
"It will be great to see mom again, even if it is for work." He smiled as he grabbed the menu for the Chinese.
"Yeah it will." Lois replied, obviously distracted.
"Lois, do you want to continue our conversation which we started in the bullpen."
"Not really. I don't want to talk about it anymore. As you said before, it is between him and me." She replied curtly.
"Ok... but it was him you were supposed to be seeing tonight isn't it?"
"Yeah, but I have no way of contacting him. I hope he does not get too worried."
"Couldn't you ring him on his cell?"
"I don't have his number." She admitted, slightly embarrassed by how that sounded.
"Are you sure you know this man well enough if he refuses to give you his cell number?" Clark asked concerned.
She was becoming annoyed. "Clark, I don't appreciate your opinions on matters you know nothing about. You had your chance."
He looked pensive. "Don't you think I know that? I am sorry I hurt you and if I could go back in time and change things, I would."
"What exactly would you change?" She replied. "Not getting close to me?"
"No, I would not have ignored you the moment Lana came back on the scene. I messed up and now I have to accept that you have moved on...and now I have to do the same." He replied, wondering if that is exactly what he was doing flirting with Stiletto...moving on.
Their Chinese soon arrived but Lois was not very hungry and sat at the table picking at her noodles.
"I think I will go and have a shower." Lois got up and left Clark wondering how he could get through to her. He had decided to respect her privacy and not pry any further about her new man. After all she was right...it was none of his business.
Lois had just gone in the shower, when his mom arrived home. Clark got up to hug her. "Hi sweetheart." She hugged him, then looked around. "She is in the shower, mom."
"Oh I see. Guess we won't be seeing her for another hour. Sorry I am late, but once a debate starts you cannot leave."
"I bet you were surprised when Tess Mercer rang up and asked if we could tag along with you for a few days."
"I was surprised but then again it is the chance to get caught up with you and Lois. How are things with you? I know you said there was trouble after the wedding when Lana came back. I shouldn't be saying this but I am glad you and Lana did not make another go of it."
"We tried though... but were forced apart." He reminded his mom.
"I know that honey, but be honest with yourself, if both of you had been so convinced you were right for each other, would you still not be scouring the Earth to find a way to be together."
He stood for a moment, considering what his mom was suggesting. "I think you're right, but my head is just so messed up at the moment. I have feelings for Lois, but now I have growing feelings for someone else." He admitted.
"Who?" she asked.
"She is called...Stiletto. She is another wannabe hero in Metropolis and I met her one night when I was on patrol. There is an attraction between us that I cannot explain. It is like we have known for ages. I mean I have never seen her face."
"Oh...that sounds complicated. Does she know who you are?"
"No, neither of us are ready to reveal that. Nothing has happened between us yet but I feel that it will if we continue to meet up."
"What about Lois?"
"It doesn't matter now. She is seeing someone else and it sounds serious." Clark seemed sad. "Why does it have to be so hard to find someone to share your life with?"
She took his hand. "Maybe because you are working too hard at it. Just relax and see what happens. The last thing you need is another relationship like the one you had with Lana. You are only 22 years old."
He looked at her. "I guess you are right. At the end of the day as long as Lois is happy, that's all that matters."
Lois walked in on that last sentence. "That's so sweet for you to say so. Thanks Clark. I am sorry, Martha but I have used the last of the soap." Lois admitted.
Clark smiled. "I will head down the local shop and get some."
"Could you get some wine while you are there?" Martha asked. "Let's crack open a bottle since it is a special occasion."
Clark grabbed his coat to take a slow walk down to the shops.
Martha hugged Lois. "It's great to see you again. I miss Smallville."
"I miss you too" Lois pulled away. Tears forming her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Martha asked concerned.
"I don't know what to do." She replied.
"Sweetheart, what is it?"
Lois took a deep breath. "Martha...my new relationship is more complicated than most."
"He's not married, is he?" she asked, puzzled by Lois's concern.
"No, well he says he isn't. The problem is I do not know much about him...not even his name."
Martha tried not to look too shocked but she did not do a very good job of hiding her surprise. "You don't know his name..."
"In fact I don't know what he looks like." She continued.
"Right...ok...I don't know what to say to that really." Martha replied, almost lost for words.
"We meet up at night, and both wear disguises."
"Lois, you will have to forgive me, but I have led quite a sheltered upbringing on the farm. Is this one of those weird modern dating practices."
Lois went red. "No...no. It is nothing like that. I am seeing...the Red and Blue Blur...well not so much the Red and Blue anymore...rather the Blur."
It was the last thing Martha expected to hear, and she was not entirely sure if it made matters more complicated or easier. She needed time to work this one out, but at the moment, she needed to concentrate on her mom-daughter advice session with Lois.
"Ok...so are you dating?" Martha asked, a little puzzled why Clark did not tell her during their discussion before.
"Not exactly. I think I would like to, but something keeps stopping me... He does not know who I am. I dress up in a costume and mask. I call myself Stiletto. I only did it to get a one on one interview with the Blur." She admitted guiltily.
Martha tried to make sense of what she was hearing. The bottom line was that Lois and Clark loved each other as themselves and as their alter-egos but they had not realised they were all one and the same. This was a total conundrum. Martha tried to think how she needed to handle this.
"So you have no idea who the Blur is?" she asked Lois.
"No, in some ways the mystery is the attraction." Lois admitted.
"So you are saying if he revealed himself to you, you would not be interested."
"I don't know." Lois pondered the question. "So do you think I am basing my feelings for the Blur on the myth, not the man."
Martha smiled. "I think that is for you to work out but I would say you have partially answered your own question. I am not trying to dissuade you from seeing him but try to find out more about the man underneath the mask. If you don't, I can't see how your relationship can work" Martha replied cryptically.
Clark arrived back, making Lois halt her conversation with Martha. "Thanks for the advice." She smiled.
"Let's crack open the wine." Martha said.
Soon they were relaxing with their glasses of wine. "So mom, what do you have on tomorrow?"
"I have arranged for you to have access to the Senate tomorrow, then we are going to a charity function tomorrow night."
Lois froze. "I had no idea. I will have to go shopping tomorrow as I don't have anything to wear."
Clark smiled. "Mom, what time do we have to be at the Senate in the morning?"
"About 1pm. It is an afternoon session. The morning session is a closed affair so you won't have access."
"Do you mind if I take Lois shopping?" Clark asked.
"No of course not!"
"Smallville, you and dress shopping do not mix. " she laughed. "I am not wearing a plaid dress."
"Let's just go!" he looked at her.
"Ok, it should be interesting if nothing else." Lois grinned.
Martha finished her wine. "I am off to bed now. Clark, will you be ok on the sofa? I am afraid that I only have two bedrooms."
"That's fine, mom. Good night." He kissed her on the cheek.
Lois decided to stay up to finish her wine. "I am not keeping you up, am I?"
"No Lois. I can stay up a little longer. I don't have any farm chores to do in the morning." He grinned.
"You miss your mom, don't you?"
"Yeah I do and I worry. She won't admit it but I think the reason she won't visit the farm is the memories are just too raw and painful." Clark explained.
Lois rubbed his shoulder. "It must be hard for you too. I mean I only knew your dad a few years but I miss him so much."
"He was the best dad I could hope for!" Clark announced proudly, a stray tear falling down his cheek.
She rubbed it away with her thumb. Just as her hand was moving away from his face, he intercepted it with his own and held onto it. There was silence between them as Lois raised her head to meet his eyes.
It was the same look he had given her during their impromptu wedding dance. She could not help but notice his eyes were fixed on her lips. She took a deep breath and tentatively inched closer and closer to him. His lips curled up in a little smile as he started to move to meet her halfway. Gently their lips brushed one another but they both wanted more. Lois placed her hands around the back of his neck, pulling him towards her . Slowly but surely their kisses become deeper and more adventurous, taking their time to experience one another. There was no urgency and even more importantly no Lana.
Both were lost, so much so they did not notice Martha appearing in the lounge until they heard her voice. "Wine always make me thirsty." Then she did a double take as she took in the sight of her son and Lois lip-locked.
She excused herself. "Sorry, I am just heading back to bed." She announced loudly whilst wondering if this situation could get any more complicated...
Martha got up the following morning expecting to see Clark and Lois all happy after the events of last night, but how wrong she was. As soon as she entered the lounge, the atmosphere was ice cold. They made the Cold War look like a playground squabble.
"Lois, stop bringing that up!" Clark shouted.
"I just asked if you would take her back if she turned up again."
"I have told you before; we're finished." He fired back.
"I can't deal with this. I am going out." She stormed off, slamming the door behind her.
Martha looked at Clark. "Could someone please tell me what is going on here?"
"We have had a disagreement." He replied.
"But after last night..."
"Last night was a mistake. Lois is obsessed with Lana coming back. Obviously I can't tell her the real reason Lana left and even if I could, it would just make matters worse."
"I don't want to take sides but I can see why Lois may be feeling a little vulnerable where Lana is concerned. I mean you two have split up and got back together so many times over the years."
"I know that mom, but the last thing I need is another complicated relationship."
"Is love not worth the risk?"
"Is it love? How can it be when I am having feelings for another woman who I hardly even know? I have tried to convince myself that my relationship with Stiletto would never work, but for some reason my thoughts keep going back to her. Is it possible to love two people at the same time?" He asked.
"I'm not the expert, Clark...but I think if you and Lois don't work out where you stand, not only will it destroy any chance you have of a relationship between you but it will also even make your working relationship at the Daily Planet impossible."
Clark looked at her. "Should I go looking for Lois?"
Martha hugged her son. "Look, why don't you make breakfast I will go and see if I can find her."
Lois had not got very far. She was in the foyer talking to one of the other residents in the apartment complex and a very familiar one at that.
Martha approached them. "Martha..." the man turned from Lois and hugged Martha. "We must meet up some time. All we ever seem to do is pass each other in the corridors."
"I'd love to, Bill. I see you have my guest."
"How did you keep this one a secret?" Bill smiled at Lois.
His cell rang. "I'll see you both later at the ball. Lois, I will meet you at 7pm."
Martha waved goodbye to Bill. "Lois, what have you done?"
"He's lovely. I did not know you employed such a cute campaign manager. We just got talking and he asked me to be his guest for the ball tonight."
Martha looked at her. "Bill is a lovely man, but what about Clark? He is very upset by what happened."
Lois looked guilty. "This is so awkward because he is your son but I don't think we are meant to be together. I am convinced Lana will walk back in his life at any moment and rip away whatever I have started with him. I cannot go through another broken heart like I did after Chloe's wedding." The tears were visible in her eyes.
Bill came back. "Martha, I am sorry to disturb you, but I think we are needed at the Senate. Looks like one of our team is threatening to vote for the other side. He has agreed to meet with us."
Martha hated to leave Lois and Clark hanging like this but her work had to come first. "Lois, will you tell Clark, I needed to go."
"Of course."
"I'll call you at lunchtime to arrange where to meet for this afternoon's Senate session."
Lois went back up to the apartment to face Clark. "Hi!" She said sheepishly.
"Hi." He said quietly. "I am sorry for my behaviour. Can we talk?"
"Maybe later. Now you promised to come with me to buy a dress."
"Luckily I can wear a hired suit. I am looking forward to tonight." He smiled. "We can talk then."
Lois smiled at him smugly. "I don't think my date will like that. It would be a little rude of me."
He stared at her. "When did you fix up a date?"
"In the lobby before... with your mom's campaign manager. He is called Bill."
Clark was going to fight back but stopped himself realising that would not help matters. "Oh I see. Ok, we can maybe talk on the flight home tomorrow morning. Anyway for now let's get on with the reason we are here. If we come back empty handed, Tess will kill us."
Lois was upset by Clark's reaction. She knew it was unfair but she wanted him to be jealous, but he did not look too bothered by her dating another man.
Clark looked at Lois. "Look, on second thoughts, why don't you ring your dad and see if he wants to do lunch with you, since you are in town. It would be a shame to come all this way and not see him. Maybe I am not the best choice to accompany you shopping. I will give you my card and you can charge it to my card...no limit."
"It's fine Clark. I don't expect you to pay. I will buy my own and will grab some breakfast whilst I'm shopping. See you later." She put on a false smile and left.
Martha had just got off the phone to Clark, who said that Lois had gone out shopping by herself. He sounded upset and had told her it was easier to speak to Stiletto, even with the use of voice modulator from Oliver.
That gave Martha an idea. She had always promised not to interfere in her son's personal life, and had even managed to stay quiet all those years he was with Lana. But she knew that Clark and Lois were meant to be even if they were blind to the fact, so she rang Oliver to fill him in on her plan.
"So Oliver, I will see you tomorrow at 2pm." As she hung up, she sat back in her office chair and wondered if she was doing the right thing...