Chapter 10

Lois trudged into the bullpen, dripping droplets of water all over the floor. Luckily it was empty and the Chief had already gone home. Otherwise, she'd definitely be hearing it right now. She craned her neck searching for the eager photographer and smiled when she spotted him on the computer at his desk. She walked over to him leaving a trail of water behind her.

"Jimmy", she said quickly from behind causing him to jump up in fear.

"Damn it, Lois", he said turning around and noticing her state of being right then, "What happened to you?"

"Got caught in the storm", she shrugged.

"Did you walk here?"

"Yeah", she said nodding, "I forgot my stuff back at Watchtower."

He cocked his eye brow in confusion.

"Let me get you some dry clothes", he said quickly walking over to the storage room.

He returned with a pair of over sized gym pants and a t-shirt.

"It's my gym clothes", he shrugged, "It's the best I could do."

"Thank you, Jimmy", she said softly smiling, "It'll be fine."

She turned and walked toward the ladies room, reminding herself to grab the mop on the way back to clean up her mess. After changing out of her wet clothes she tossed the wet clothes into the sink and left the bathroom.

She passed the janitors closet and got the mop, mopping up her mess as Jimmy watched with his arms crossed, confused. It was definitely out of character and she knew it, but she was so annoyed and frustrated that she didn't care.

"So", he said as she placed the mop back in the closest and walked back into the bullpen, "Want to tell me what's with the late night walk in the rain?"

"No reason", she shrugged, "Just need you to do something for me?"

"Something way beyond Chloe's expertise", he asked in confusion.

"What", she asked quickly.

"You said you were at Watchtower", he shrugged, "And Chloe's there now…"

"Oh", Lois said, "Yeah no…"

"Lois", he strained, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Fine", she exhaled, "I got this call, asked Chloe to trace it, she said no, and boom here I am."

"Why wouldn't she trace it", he asked confused.

"BecauseitwasfromJohn'scellphone", Lois said quickly.

"Huh", he asked, "I'm sorry… I thought you just said because it was from John's cell phone."

She turned to him and glared.

Jimmy smoothed his hair down and shook his head.

"No", he said, "No way… uh huh…"

"Jimmy", she stressed, "I need your help."

"If Chloe wouldn't do it then it's for a reason", he said holding his hands up, "And probably a good one Lois."

"Jimmy", Lois said placing the phone on the desk in front of them, "Something weird is happening… I don't know what it is but I just have this feeling like I need to explore this, okay?"

"Lois", he said slowly, "What is it exactly that you want to find out from this?"

"I don't know", she shrugged, "I just know I can't let it go until I at least try… please Jimmy. If it's the last favor you ever do for me… please."

~*~

"So the meteor rock, huh?"

Professor Vale nodded.

"I've been studying it for years", he said, "It's given many different people abilities over the years due to just exposure. I discovered that the right amount placed properly inside a human body, could bring that body to life almost instantly."

John nodded.

"I believe a thank you is in order…"

"No need to thank me, John", Professor Vale said, "I'm just happy that I was able to save you."

John smiled.

"Can I go home?"

"Of course", Professor Vale nodded, "You are not my prisoner here."

John nodded and stood up.

"Okay then", he said, "Is there anything I should know?"

"Yes", Professor Vale answered, "As long as the meteor rock stays in place you will be alright."

"Shouldn't be too hard", John smiled, "It's not like it's going to hurt anybody in there…"

~*~

"Alright", Jimmy said pulling up the screen, "Here it is, the address from which this number dialed out last."

Lois stared at the computer screen in complete shock.

"That's Professor Vale's house", she said quickly grabbing her phone, "John was calling me and I was right there."

She dialed Metropolis PD and asked for Detective Jones.

"Detective Jones, Lois Lane", she said quickly into the receiver, "I need you to check this address out. I think Professor Vale is hiding out there."

She hung up nodding quickly and turned to go.

"Where are you going", Jimmy called after her.

"Correction, Jimbo", she said heading toward the elevator, "Where we're going… grab your camera…"

Jimmy picked up his Nikon and quickly followed behind her.

~*~

Lois arrived at the scene and found a set of police squad cars already outside. She and Jimmy stepped out of his car quickly and walked up to the yellow tape in search of John Jones. She ran up to him when she saw him talking to a fellow officer.

"Miss Lane", he greeted nodding, "Nice to see you are alright…"

"Detective", she smiled nodding understanding what he meant, "What happened?"

"Professor Vale put up a fight", he said shaking his head sadly and turning to face a gurney with a bloody sheet. Jimmy took a few pictures of the scene in front of him.

"Did you find John Corben", Lois asked quickly.

"Corben", John Jones asked, "Miss Lane, John Corben is dead… I thought you knew…"

"I mean his body, Detective", Lois stressed, "Witnesses say Professor Vale removed his body from the hospital's morgue."

Detective Jones shook his head.

"No", he said thinking back to his sweep inside the house, "There was no body that matched Corben inside the house."

She nodded.

"Thank you", she said and turned to Jimmy leading him back to the car.

"Lois", Jimmy called out softly.

"Hmm?"

"You okay", he asked.

"Oh… yeah", she said sadly, "You know me… I just hate being wrong…"

"Lois-"

"Professor Vale obviously had his phone", she shrugged, "And dialed me for some strange reason. Who knows the guy was obviously a nut job."

"Yeah but Lois-"

"It's done, Jimmy", she said, "John's body is probably at the bottom of the river by now… can you just take me home?"

Jimmy nodded.

"Sure", he said, "Come on."

Lois took one last look at the house and got in the car, slamming the door shut.

~*~

She unlocked the door quietly. Clark was probably asleep in his room so she'd take the couch tonight, and be out of the house by the time anyone woke up.

She was about to walk in when she was grabbed from behind and a hand was placed over her mouth to silence her.

"Lois… it's me."

Her eyes widened and the hand dropped from behind and the attacker stepped back. She turned and her eyes widened in shock and fear.

"John?"

~*~

"Yeah", he nodded and smiled, "It's me…"

"But they said…"

"I know", he said softly, "But they were wrong…"

"John", she asked, "How is this possible?"

"I'll tell you", he said, "I'll tell you everything but not here… is there somewhere we can go?"

Lois looked around. Her car was not there, Jimmy had dropped her off. Mrs. Kent and Clark were no doubt inside asleep at this time so the house was not a good idea. She turned the right and caught sight of the barn.

"Yeah", she said leading the way, "Come on…"

She pushed back the doors softly and walked inside. She sat on some bates of hay and looked him up and down. He seemed normal enough and had a pulse. Dead people didn't usually have those.

"What happened to you John", she asked softly.

"This professor", he started.

"Professor Vale", she nodded.

"You know about him", he asked.

"Yeah", she nodded, "He's dead…"

"What", John asked, "I just left him a couple of hours ago…"

"Police standoff", Lois said softly.

John nodded.

"Wow", he said softly, "I was just there…"

"John", she asked, "What happened?"

"He took me from the hospital", John said, "And brought me back to life…"

"But how", she asked.

John unbuttoned his shirt and she gasped seeing the steel.

"John", she whispered, "Oh my…"

Her fingers touched his chest lightly.

"What did he do to you", she asked softly.

"Gave me a second chance at life", he said, "And I don't intend on wasting it."

He looked into her eyes and walked up to her leaning in closely. She gasped when she felt his hand slide up her cheek.

"What are you doing", she breathed.

"What I've wanted to do from the moment I laid eyes on you", he said softly against her lips.

He pushed his lips to hers and kissed her softly. She didn't respond at first but then he felt her loosen up and wrap her arms around his neck. He walked in between her legs and she straddled him. He angled his face and deepened the kiss.

Then she jumped back and pushed him away.

"Wait", she said with her lips swollen, "I can't do this…"

"What", he asked touching her hair lightly, "Why? We can be together… I'm alright…"

"No, John", she said softly, "I can't…"

"But-"

"I'm in love with someone else…"

"I know", he said, "But he's gone… Lois, you've got to move on…"

Lois lowered her gaze and looked up at him.

"No, he's alive", she said softly, "And I love him… I'm sorry…"

She jumped up from the hay and walked around him toward the door, leaving him alone in an empty barn.

She looked up and saw her car in the driveway. It hadn't been there before she walked into the barn, she knew for sure. Clark must have just gotten home, she thought sadly.

Clark Kent, the man who wanted nothing to do with her, was now inside.