Guest #1: Thank you for leaving a comment, and I really appreciate you calling me out on my delayed updates. I have always asked for your understanding and yet, unintentionally, I was not considerate of you as my readers. For that I am deeply sorry. I hope you like this next update :)

Eleid: Thanks! Linda always has a trick up her sleeve, she will cause more trouble to our beloved couple, but if it will push them apart or bring them together, you'll have to stay tuned ;)

Guest #2: Thank you! Yeah, even I don't want to see Clark raving mad.

clarkfan325: Thanks for reading! You'll learn in this chapter, what Linda did. As for Clark snapping out of it, well, you know what happens when it involves Lois ;)

So, like I said earlier, I am sorry for the delays. And as I've mentioned in the latest update in my other story, Atonement, I will really try hard for a weekly update, because honestly I don't think I can do a daily one. So without further ado, the next chapter of No Other You.

Chapter 12

Clark knew not what compelled him to see red, but he was like a raging bull as he brusquely pulled a protesting Lois.

"As you can see Your Grace, I am willing to go with you. What I object to is your manhandling of me!" Lois complained.

But Clark went on as if he had heard nothing. He did not slow his angry pace, secretly enjoying the fact that Lois was trying hard to keep up with him. His grip did not even loosen, if anything, he became more incensed that Lois was not cowering at his obvious wrath.

Opening the door to his bedroom, he roughly led Lois inside and forced her to sit on a chair. Clark could see Lois glaring furiously at him, and it fanned his rage more.

Both stayed silent for a few minutes, just staring at each other angrily. Finally, Lois has had enough, that she stood up, only to have a heavy hand on her shoulder forcing her back down. Lois stayed, if only to know what had made him this mad.

"I must object to you staring me into oblivion. If you are not going to tell me what my transgression is, which I am certain I have none, I might as well leave and do other more productive activities." Lois said.

"You cannot believe how many transgressions you have had, Lois, especially against me." Clark said menacingly, and then stepped away, as if she was a repugnant object.

Lois cringed. She had never seen Clark at this level of rage, even when they were in the carriage on the way to Granville. This was different, as if someone was adding more fuel to the fire. Ever since they have transferred to Smallville, Clark seemed a little more sociable, friendly even, but this was a complete turnaround. "If you are still talking about the farce of a marriage that you have been blabbering about since you have taken me—"

"What is Bruce doing here?" Clark interrupted.

Lois was confused. He was angry because of the Duke of Gotham? "I do not know. I came from the stables after feeding Shelby and playing with her puppies, and I wanted to tell your mother about them, only to find that she already has a visitor."

"You are lying!" Clark shouted. "You have somehow made contact with him, so you can escape with him."

Lois' mouth dropped open. She never thought Clark would be so irrational. "I never even knew him personally until I have met him here when your mother introduced us!"

"And your word means anything?" Clark taunted. "If you recall you have vowed to stay faithful to your husband, and look at what happened to that."

"And if you recall I have told you I was not the bride at your wedding!" Lois countered. "How many times have I told you that I was staying with my family the whole time you were claiming that we were wed?"

"And by asserting that you are calling me a liar!" Clark said, more agitated than before.

Lois was gripping the handles of the chair tightly. It was the only thing keeping her from launching herself at Clark and pummelling him to her heart's desire because of his absurd reasoning. "Never, not even once, have I called you a liar, Clark."

"Good thing it came from your own mouth. Since I am speaking of nothing but the truth, logic only calls that you are the liar and the cheat." And then Clark added, "And you will call me, Your Grace, because you are beneath me."

Lois could not take the insults anymore. "I would rather take your fists, Your Grace," she added scathingly, "For your words are more deadly." She stood up, knowing only physical force would make her stay inside the room.

But Clark cannot seem to let go. "Are you going back to Bruce?" he said, but saw that Lois did not halt leaving. "Because that is what you always have been, a tramp and a whore."

Lois gasped, and this time could not stop herself. Turning around, she went over to where Clark was standing and slapped him as hard as she could, before turning around and leaving the room.

As Lois walked down the hallway, her feet leading her nowhere, she acknowledged that this was the first time that she had regretted ever meeting Clark Kent.

Watching the door close with a resounding crash, Clark suddenly felt out of breath. Heart pounding, he walked over to his bed and sat down, burying his face in his hands.

What came over me to say those hurtful things? Even he was confused by his outburst, but seeing Lois inside the room with Bruce, even knowing that his mother was there as well, made him a raving lunatic.

Should he go after her now, or should he wait when she was calm enough? From the few times that they have been in company of each other, Clark knew that Lois was a passionate woman, thus her anger would not abate easily. But how he wanted to chase after her and tell her that he did not mean any of what he said.

A groan escaped him as he recalled the words. It was pure vitriol. No wonder Lois said that she would have preferred his fists. That hateful memory alone almost made him run after her. Almost, because he knew that Lois would not listen to him right now. She would need space to simmer down, and Clark forcing his apology would only worsen the situation between them.

Lying down on the bed, Clark massaged his temples. He must focus on how to apologize. He would not even want to think why it had come to this state in the first place. He himself was not sure what made him go berserk.

Clark was woken from his stupor by a soft knock on the door. Straightening himself, he walked over to the basin to clean himself, and after assessing he looked acceptable enough, walked over the door and opened it.

He was disappointed when he saw that it was his mother and not Lois, which was absurd knowing Lois would not consciously seek him. Tamping down the said disappointment, Clark opened the door wider and let his mother in. He knew the reason of her presence, and he was honestly dreading explaining to his mother.

Martha sat on the chair where Lois sat earlier, and kept quiet.

How was it that mothers knew how to make their sons squirm? "Out with it, mother."

Martha just raised an eyebrow at her son. "Out with what?"

"You know what I am speaking of." Clark said, sitting on the bed, looking warily at his mother.

"I am not a mind reader, Clark. I do not know what you are talking about."

Clark groaned. That his mother was being obstinate and stubborn made him all the more edgy and jittery. "Of course you do; about what happened in the drawing room." Clark glanced at Martha, but still the older woman did not speak. "Has Bruce left?" he finally asked after tense minutes, knowing that there was one answer that he feared, that Lois had left with him.

Martha nodded. "After your rude welcome, Bruce did not stay much longer. He left immediately after you hauled Lois away to God knows where."

Clark groaned again. Trust his mother to bury him deeper in his guilt. But if there was one takeaway from her answer, it was that Lois did not leave with Bruce, and it relieved him immensely.

"I will speak with Bruce tomorrow."

"Only Bruce?"

"I intend to speak to Lois today."

"More like, tonight." Martha said.

"Tonight?" Clark repeated, and then finally noticing that it was indeed that after a glance to his bedroom window. "How long have I slept?"

Martha just shrugged. "I do not know what had transpired, Clark. But I hope you fix this, not just for her sake, but for your own as well." Martha stood up gracefully and finally left the room.

Lois did not join them for dinner. Martha seemed unconcerned, but Clark was getting agitated. She might not have left with Bruce, but she was still capable enough to leave all on her own.

Not even finishing his dinner, Clark offered his apologies to his mother and set out of the house. The first place Clark went to was the gate, asking the guards if Lois has passed it. They answered in the negative. It was a small respite, but that would not mean that Lois has remained in the estate. There are many other egresses, Clark knew, and Lois might have left through those means.

While Smallville was a smaller estate than Granville, Clark still needed a horse to go around it. Finally settling on a specific course of action, he headed towards the stables. Upon reaching it, he finally realized that he did not need one. Lois was there, inside a box, her back against the column and her head resting on the partition, her hand on the muzzle of a mare inside the next box through the opening of the partition.

Clark entered the box, fully intending to wake Lois, but as he knelt down to do so, he was mesmerized by the contours of her face and he was bold enough to study and examine the woman who was wreaking havoc to his emotions.

Lois was an anomaly. Or was it the Lois he had married who was one? He still remembered, when they were married, the times he had asked Lois to join him during rides, always to be turned down just because she did not like the smell of horses. And here, Lois was sleeping in the stables, not really knowing if Lois was giving comfort to the mare, or the mere presence of a horse can calm and soothe her.

Realizing that she would awake with a sore body if he left her, he slithered an arm under her bent knees and slipped the other behind her back, intending to carry her all the way to her room.

But then, Shelby started barking, which in turn made her puppies started barking as well. Knowing Lois would be mad that he was touching her, Clark gave his most stern look at Shelby, but the dog did not cease. He changed tactics, giving it a pleading look instead, but still to no avail. He finally gave in to using words, which he felt foolish doing as it was directed to a dog. "I am helping her Shelby."

And suddenly the barking stopped. It was as if Shelby and her puppies are protecting her from him. Looking down, confirming that Lois slept through the whole thing, Clark lifted Lois and started walking towards the house.

It was not difficult, maneuvering while holding a sleeping woman in his arms. He was also surprised at the lack of people along the way. He has his mother to thank for that.

Clark admitted that he was walking slowly, trying to prolong holding her in his arms, glancing at Lois once in a while to see if she was still sleeping. The reason, he did not wish to dwell on, only that he was enjoying a moment of peace with her.

Finally noticing that she was moving, Lois slowly opened her eyes, and at first snuggled more into him, causing him infinite warmth and eliciting a small smile. Looking down, he saw that Lois was still drugged by sleep. Slowly he took the stairs leading to the second floor, and the movement made Lois more aware that he was being carried by Clark.

Fully awake now at the stop of the stairs, Lois struggled to get down, putting her hands on his shoulders to push, but Clark was adamant not to release her.

"I'm awake! I'm awake!" Lois said, but when Clark did not give any inclination of letting go, said more forcefully, "Release me!" short of shouting that would summon the other that would make them a spectacle to everyone inside the house.

Clark finally acquiesced as he watched Lois straighten her skirt. Willing her to look at him, Lois not once spared him a glance. "Thank you." she said, still not looking at him. "But I do not need help. In case you missed it, I am not exactly in need of assistance in the stables."

Turning around, her skirt brushing his legs, Clark stood rooted to the spot. He was doing this whole apology thing wrong, and he has not even started yet.

"Lois." Clark called. Lois slowed her steps, and almost looked back, head already turned but not all the way, but she snapped her head forward and continued walking towards her bedroom.

The gesture rankled at Clark. He was good at reading people's actions, honed by working in the profession that required a proficiency in said skill, and damn if that meant that Lois was still hurting and she was still not open to anything offered by him.

Clark knew that nothing short of being on his knees would ever sway Lois, but he still needed to apologize. His feet propelling him, Clark jogged and upon reaching Lois, wrapped his arms around her waist, flattening his body against her back, noting that Lois went rigid at his touch.

Clark closed his eyes and tightened his hold. He hurt her pretty badly, and he finally admitted that he would move heaven and earth just to get her pardon.

"Forgive me." Clark said solemnly. Leaning his head down, he placed his mouth against the hair against her temples. "Forgive me." Clark repeated, his lips brushing her hair as he spoke.

Lois could not bear the onslaught of sensation, and she placed her hands on top of Clark's arms to free herself, but it only made Clark's hold intensify. "Forgive me."

The phrase was repeated over and over, with kisses peppered in between. It started at her temples, then moved down to the back of her ear, continuing to the side of her neck, to which she unknowingly gave him access to.

The sharp jolt of desire seemed to snap Lois out of the haze they are in. Finally freeing herself, Lois did not even look back as she ran all the way to her room, leaving Clark standing alone, his mind reeling from the lust he was feeling and the uncertainty on whether she had forgiven him or not.

What do you guys think? I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading and love you guys! :)