Chapter 5.
The incessant electronic screaming of his alarm clock stirred him from his slumber. It was 5:30 in the morning, and the light of a new dawn was filtering its way through the curtains. Turning over to quell the irritating sound, Clark sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He hadn't managed to properly fall asleep until just before 3:30 as his state of anxiety left him tossing and turning. Now, despite the lack of rest, he had to face the day. Climbing out of bed, he released a yawn and headed for the bathroom.
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, he observed the reflection staring back at him as though it were a whole other person. A serious case of bed head and noticeable crow's feet around the eyes notwithstanding, this was a face that was going to be known to millions. The first of the morning papers would be being delivered right about now, so the true identity of the Red-Blue Blur was already out in the open. Not only that, but there was an indefinable yet tangible change in his relationship with Lois, so much so that he realised he hadn't actually thought about Lana ever since he'd first told Lois the truth about himself. As though that very act represented a break with the past and a future full of possibilities. Telling her had made her warm to him in a way he could never have expected. What did it all mean? Sighing, he grabbed his toothbrush and began to clean his teeth.
Back in his bedroom, he quietly put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before heading downstairs, leaving the door ajar as Shelby remained in the corner of the room snoozing away in his doggy bed. He was sorely tempted to switch on the television to see if he was on the news but he knew he'd struggle to concentrate on the task at hand if he let himself get sidetracked. Shaking his head, he grabbed his jacket and headed out to the barn to begin his list of chores for the day. They would not take long, and the crisp air with the faintest trace of moisture would surely help clear his mind. This was the biggest day of his life.
Linda stepped into the brisk morning air outside her apartment to clear her head. She'd been working late on a piece concerning a former beauty queen and a high-ranking government official, and she would be calling her editor a little later to discuss submitting her article on the scandal. She'd been so engrossed in delivering this sordid tale that she had neglected to follow the breaking story on the morning news. In truth, the scandal story wasn't her sole focus because she still wanted to run into Clark Kent and find out if he'd given any more thought to her offer. Salacious articles might pay the bills but she had her sights set on joining the big leagues where she would get to call the shots. Exclusive access to the Red-Blue Blur and his activities was her meal ticket.
As a freelancer, she didn't have an office at the Planet but then, she didn't really need one. She was making a reasonable amount of money with her freelance work, and it allowed her to appear on television whenever a gossip soundbite was required. She envisaged many more of these somewhat lucrative appearances once Clark agreed to her proposals. And he will, she surmised. He had far too much to lose by not agreeing.
She was heading for the coffee shop a block from her apartment when she passed the newsstand. The Daily Planet had centre stage as usual but it was the smiling visage of Clark Kent clad in the familiar red and blue that caused her to double-take. Stopping and sliding closer to the newsstand, the headline made her eyes practically bug out of their sockets.
"CLARK KENT ALIEN FROM KRYPTON!" screamed the headline.
The sub-heading read "Red-Blue Blur exposed!" with the by-line denoting that the exclusive was penned by a certain Lois Lane. Reaching out and picking up a copy, Linda quickly scanned through the contents of the article. It mentioned Clark's alien origins, his life growing up on a farm in Smallville, his first job as a cub reporter for the newspaper, and the reasons why he became the Red-Blue Blur to help protect the people of Metropolis and give them a symbol of hope untainted by agendas and politics.
Linda's right eye began to twitch, her teeth began to grind, her blood began to boil and the colour in her cheeks was coming through from beneath the copious layers of make-up. She was livid. Clark had turned to his reporting partner to publish his story, setting the narrative from his own viewpoint but worse, gazumping Linda's chance of making a name for herself with the scoop of the century. Not to mention that there would be zero interest in her latest tale of scandal. In a fit of pique, Linda tossed the newspaper to the floor, grunting furiously before stomping off, ignoring the cry of "Hey lady!" from the annoyed vendor and the surprised faces of the two other people standing around next to the newsstand. Linda walked right past the coffee shop, heading towards the Daily Planet building just a few blocks away.
Returning to the house a little later having taken three times longer than usual to complete his chores if only to occupy his mind with something needing his immediate attention, he opened the door to the house only for Shelby to leap out, looking to stretch his legs and empty his bladder. Clark greeted the dog with a smile and a scratch behind the ears, taking a second or two to look around outside. Everything was as still as it usually was in the mornings, with the only discernable noise coming from of the trees swaying in the wind, and the creaking of the rusty weather vane on the barn roof. It was time to grab a shower.
When he re-emerged downstairs, freshly showered and changed, it was time for some breakfast. He didn't feel like cooking anything so he settled for a bowl of cereal and some orange juice from the fridge. His thoughts drifted back to the momentous day ahead of him and before he knew it, he had reached for the remote control and switched on the television. Flicking through the channels, Clark Kent was the hottest topic in town.
The rear entrance of the Daily Planet had been left closed deliberately to keep out the assembled media and allow the staff inside to get on with their job, so the only way into the building was through the revolving doors of the main entrance. Extra security had been drafted in to help maintain order, and a number of Met PD officers were keeping an eye on the hundred or so members of the press corps and at least as many members of the general public, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the alien hero of the city. It was through this gauntlet that Lois would have to emerge on the other side but once she had been spotted by a couple of eager beavers, it seemed as though the entire throng had descended upon her. The flash of cameras and the barrage of questions were relentless as reporters yelled over the top of one another, trying to get some insight. She kept her head down and avoided eye contact, moving at a pace brisk enough to appear strong and confident rather than nervous and desperate.
"Miss Lane, Miss Lane!"
"Miss Lane, how does it feel to have landed a major exclusive with the Red-Blue Blur?"
"Miss Lane, how does it feel to be friends with a real hero?"
"Miss Lane, are we gonna see more Red-Blue Blurs helping people in other cities?"
"Miss Lane, will Clark Kent continue to be a reporter at the Daily Planet?"
"Miss Lane, do you think this story can win you a Pulitzer?"
There were so many different questions that the vast majority whizzed by her and she couldn't be sure of which media outlets those bombarding her with questions were working for, even if they had mentioned it. She continued to squeeze through the assembled throng, holding her hand in front of her face and squinting to shield her eyes from all the bright camera flashes going off. Microphones were being thrust in her face from all angles, and she uttered "No comment" repeatedly and increasingly insistently, addressing nobody in particular. Once she reached the revolving doors, she spotted the burly and armed security personnel guarding the gate. Showing one of them her ID, he dutifully stepped behind her to shield her from the jostling while warning the reporters and photographers to stay back. Taking a final look at the scrum behind her, her eyes locked onto a figure standing just to one side right in amongst the pack, eyeballing her back with a look that spoke of both fury and maybe a little grudging respect. Linda Lake had shown up in person.
Once Lois was through the doors and into the lobby, she felt like she could finally breathe. Tess had definitely done the right thing by advising Clark to stay away.
Clark had been watching the scene unfold on television, and while he hadn't initially spotted any familiar faces, just the masks of desperation and persistence, he soon picked out a particular and familiar face in the middle of it all. He felt bad for putting her through it but he also knew she was tough enough to hold her ground. It was apparent to him that she still looked a little tired, but the little twitch in his pants was something he was finding to be happening increasingly frequently whenever he got his first glimpse of her. Some people find that their heart skips a beat, others feel their stomachs doing back flips, but he apparently got a little twitch down south. That had to mean something.
Lois was wearing a dark grey pantsuit over a burgundy blouse, and she'd left her hair hanging down. He wondered when it was that her hair had become darker. He was positive that her hair was blonde during her stint as a reluctant dancer at the Windgate. Or that time in her bathroom...
Twitch.
He shuffled in his seat and peered closer. Had she changed it while she was away in Star City or had she been dyeing it for longer? Was it dyed or was it her natural colour? Whatever it was, it made him sigh. Lois was utterly gorgeous, and he was asking himself why she didn't wear her hair like this more often. The brunette look really suited her and made her more sophisticated but above all, sexy. Seeing, hearing or thinking about her no longer brought forth the groan of irritation it once had. Now, it was a sight for sore eyes, music to his ears and nirvana for his soul.
Zipping up her red dress a few months ago had brought a blush to his cheeks and a twitch in his pants because she looked so unbelievably hot. She had looked fantastic at Chloe's engagement party, still smouldering after waking up with a hangover the next day dressed in his football jersey, but his thoughts went back to Lois in her orange outfit at Chloe's wedding. There was a seismic shift in his feelings for her that day, but seeing her once she returned from Star City, and seeing her on television now, he now knew for certain what he had been denying for the past month. He, Clark Kent, had fallen in love with her, Lois Lane.
He frowned. Seeing her on the television attempting to wade through a crowd of reporters brought home just how big an impact all of this would have on the people closest to him. Was it all destined to end in tears? His protective instinct was even stronger than it had been even yesterday. Fighting the urge to swoop in and take Lois away, he allowed himself to believe that once inside the building, she would be safe. But for how long? How long would it be before someone got to her in order to try and get to him? All he could really do was see how events played out.
Instead of taking the elevator, Lois walked to the side of the lobby and headed for the stairs. The bullpen was only one floor down. On her way down, she became aware of the various co-workers muting their conversations upon spotting her. Were they annoyed at having had some of her workload fobbed off onto them? Were they jealous that she had nabbed the biggest scoop the esteemed newspaper had ever had? Her steps became more and more careful and tentative the closer she got to the basement. She offered a nervous smile.
She saw a large group of reporters and staff gathered in the bullpen all reading the latest edition, and once they saw her coming in, they burst into a spontaneous round of applause which caught Lois by surprise. The smiles appeared to be genuine, especially from her intern Jeff Hage who was new there and trying desperately to make a good impression on her. In truth, his diligence and his eagerness to seek her approval had slowly endeared him to her although she masked it with indifference. That only made him try harder, and secretly she appreciated it. Maybe she was liked more than she thought.
"Congratulations Lane!" piped up one of her bullpen colleagues.
"Great job!" said another.
Overhearing a conversation to one side where two other female reporters were exclaiming that it should have been obvious that Clark was this big hero because he always came across as nice, polite and helpful, she grinned inwardly. Yeah, it should have been obvious ages ago! From behind her came a familiar voice, one that sounded less enthused but was also putting on a front of professional courtesy. It was Randall, and he had something to say.
"Lane, looks like you're going to the big leagues. The boss has set aside an office a few doors down from hers. She wants to see you as soon as."
Lois couldn't hide the astonishment in her voice. "You mean I'm getting promoted?"
"Personal request from Miss Mercer. Make a meal of it, Lane!" Again, Randall's words sounded hollow.
With that, he headed over to his office on the other side of the bullpen. Lois didn't know how to react. This was a good thing, right? Smiling sheepishly at the gathered throng inside the bullpen, she walked towards the elevator up to Tess' floor, grabbing a copy of the latest edition from the stand beside it. It was the first opportunity she'd had to read her own story in print, and she basked in the brief respite of having an elevator car all to herself.
Staring at the smiling face of her partner brought a smile to her face - a genuine smile of happiness, not the nervy smile her colleagues in the bullpen had seen. Clark might have had a reason for going public now, but more important to her was the fact that he'd put his trust in her and been so open about himself and his place in the world. Thanks to him, her career in journalism was about to go stratospheric.
Over the years, despite numerous claims that he found her to be little more than an annoyance, Clark had never stopped being a friend. He would always listen, he'd always let her rant and rave until she was done, he never judged her despite her many questionable choices, and instead was quick to offer consoling words or encouragement. And he still found time to trade some gentle banter. Because of this, Clark had managed to do something very few people got to do, and that was to see the real Lois. The one who didn't mask her fears behind sarcasm and nonchalance.
Though Lois had never been a conscientious student, her time spent travelling from country to country and from military base to military base had given her ample opportunity to read a variety of literature, including philosophy. So many armed forces personnel had recommended that she read in order to expand her horizons. She of course often found it to be boring but a few ideas jumped out and caused her to think. One of them was by the Greek philosopher Socrates, and it seemed particularly relevant to her now.
Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.
Her eyes began to fill with tears and her index finger lightly traced his jaw line on the photograph. She, Lois Lane, had undoubtedly fallen in love with him, Clark Kent.
Linda sat at the desk in her apartment with the television on in the background. The news channels were dedicating their entire coverage to the morning's breaking story, and even the breakfast shows saw the presenters eulogising the wonderfulness that was the Red-Blue Blur. It was enough to make her want to puke.
"Mark my words Clark Kent," she growled at the screen. "You may have beaten me this time, but you won't be ready for what I've lined up next. That loud bitch buddy of yours at the Planet won't be able to help you, and neither will your mom."
She sneered on the word 'mom', reaching for her phone to scroll down her contacts list. She was going to call her contact in Washington and get them to put the heat on Senator Kent for threatening national security by harbouring the first wave of a hostile alien invasion. Linda promised that she would be front and centre once the shit hit the fan. The gloves were now off.
A storm was brewing, and the world didn't yet know it.
FIN.