Chapter 12

"Are you alright?"

Lois turned to him with a shocked look and walked further into the apartment.

"Where did all this come from", she asked pointing to the jewelry and diamonds littering the apartment.

"Jewelry store", he said smiling.

"John", she asked, "Did you steal all this?"

"Lois", he said taking her hands in his, "Do you know what it feels like to be the strongest man alive?"

"I think you think you know what it feels like…"

"I wasn't going to steal it", he said, "But I went to open a door and pulled it off its hinges with my bear hands… I figured I could do the same to a vault door…. And I could…"

"John", she tried, "You got to give this back… the police are going to be looking for you…"

"I'm dead, remember", he smiled, "It's perfect…"

She bit her lip.

"Lois-"

She shook her head walking to the door.

"I'll give you twenty four hours to return everything that was stolen", she said opening the door, "Give back everything you stole or I'm printing your story…"

She closed the door behind her.

~*~

She stepped into the bustling bullpen and looked around seeing it was busier than usual. Walking up to her desk she saw Clark getting ready to head out.

"Going somewhere", she asked.

"Chief gave us the jewelry store break in story from last night", he said slipping on his court, "I'm thinking meteor freak with super strength…"

She looked up at him and nodded.

"Oh", she smiled tightly sitting down putting her head in her hands.

He watched her for a moment.

"You alright", he asked.

"Yeah", she nodded looking up at him, "Yeah I'm fine…"

"Did you find", he looked around and lowered his voice, "Corben?"

"Yeah", she nodded, "He's alright…"

"Okay", he nodded and turned to walk away, then turned to face her again, "You coming?"

"Right", she nodded standing up following him.

~*~

"You sure you're alright?"

"What", she said jumping up, "Yeah… yeah I'm alright… why?"

"Well", he said, "For starter's you're talking to me… and second you actually crossed at the crosswalk…"

His eyes widened.

"Chloe?!"

"No Clark", she glared, "It's all me… I've just got a lot on my mind…"

"Oh", he said stepping out allowing her to walk through the open door of the store.

She looked around at all the damage and sighed. She watched Clark walk toward Detective Jones and greet him, and followed in suit.

"Any suspects", Clark was asking.

John Jones shook his head.

"Whoever did this has the strength of ten men", he said looking at Clark, "If I didn't know you personally I'd suspect you…"

Clark nodded.

"Zod is gone", Clark whispered, "And he wouldn't resort to petty theft… you think someone escaped from the Phantom Zone when the portal was opened?"

"I hope not", John said.

He noticed Lois standing there for the first time.

"Hey Lois", he said.

She nodded.

"So what happened", she asked.

"The perp pulled the front door off its hinges shattering the glass", John pointed to the front of the store, "Then proceeded to break all the displays stealing what was inside. He pulled the vault off its hinges too, but he probably heard squad cars because he didn't get much from in there…"

"How much did he take", Clark asked.

"About a quarter of a million worth", John said softy, "He knew what was worth anything."

Lois closed her eyes in frustration.

She hated lying to her friends, but she promised John a twenty four hour period to decide. She only hoped he made the right decision.

~*~

"Do you want to type the story or should I", Clark asked her as they walked into the bullpen.

"Um", she said quickly, "You go ahead…"

"See now I know something's wrong", he said sitting down in his chair across from her.

"What I'm cutting you a break, Smallville", she said sweetly, "I can retract it if you'd like…"

"Lois", he said leaning forward, "You sure you're okay….?"

"Never better", she smiled, "But I've got to go… meeting a source…"

"For this story?"

"Not exactly", she smiled, "I'll see you back at the farm…"

She just about ran out of there and toward the elevators to escape.

~*~

Lois could fool those around her and she could even fool herself, but she couldn't fool Clark Kent. He didn't believe her, so he did what he thought was best, he followed her.

He watched from across the street as she strode into the apartment building and x-rayed the building to watch her get on the elevator. He watched her step off on a floor, walk down the hall and be let inside an apartment. He x-rayed the rest of the apartment and his eyes widened at the sight of all the stolen merchandise lingering inside and Lois casually walking in.

He honed his newly founded super hearing to listen in on their conversation.

You stole a quarter of a million dollars worth of stuff?!

I told you, I'm strong, and fast too apparently…

John, you've got to give it back… please… the police have got their best on the case…

Lois, it's going to be okay, I can give you that life you've always wanted… we can be together and money isn't an object…

Clark had heard enough. So Lois had been lying all morning to him and to John Jones to protect this John Corben character. He turned and super sped away, planning a conversation with her for later.

~*~

Lois walked quietly into the farm house later that night after driving in from Metropolis. She tip toed past the kitchen and to the base of the stairs careful not to wake Clark, who was no doubt sleeping already.

A light switched on caused her to stop in mid-step. She turned around and spotted him leaning against the post in the room.

"Going somewhere", he asked with his arms crossed.

"Yeah", she gazed up stairs, "To sleep… what are you doing still up?"

"Waiting for you actually", he said.

"Oh yeah", she asked, "What for?"

"To talk", he shrugged.

"Where's your mom", she asked.

"She had a press junket in Washington", he said stepping away from the post, "she'll be back on the weekend…"

"Oh."

"Come on", he said leading into the kitchen, "I made tea…"

Lois timidly walked behind him, confused for his behavior. He'd been practically avoiding her or downright rude to her since she had gotten back from John's apartment, and now he was making her tea and wanting to talk.

"Sit", he said sitting down in a chair and motioning to another one in the room.

She sat down slowly, never taking her eyes off of him.

"Clark, what's this all-"

"So how's John", he asked cutting her off.

"John?"

"Yeah", he nodded, "You know the guy whose apartment you went to today…"

"You followed me", she asked.

"I thought something was wrong with you… I was worried", he said, "And for good reason too… I never would have guessed Lois Lane to be a thief…"

"I'm not a thief…"

"An accessory to thievery then…"

"Clark", she said rubbing her temples, "You don't know what you're talking about…"

"I know enough", he said.

"Enlighten me then", she said, "What do you know?"

"I know you've got yourself mixed up with this guy who's into robbery and murder…"

"Woah what", she asked, "Murder?"

He pushed a folder toward her.

"You left before I could brief you on the story", he said watching her open the folder and gasping at the graphic photos, "He tore that security guy apart, Lois… A guy who had a family… Someone's husband, father, brother, son…"

"Oh my God", she breathed.

"And the worst part", he said shaking his head, "You lied to me, to my face, all day today…"

"Clark", she looked up at him, "I don't… I don't know-"

"Save it", he said, "What's it going to be?"

"What?"

"Either you write the story", he said, "Or I will…"

"Clark", she tried, "You don't understand… John's… he's not himself…"

"All the more reason for you to stay away from him, Lois."

"I got to help him", she said, "It's my fault he's…"

"No it's not", he said, "Lois, please, promise me you'll stay away from this guy…"

She nodded.

"I promise."

He smiled sadly.

"I've already alerted Detective Jones to his whereabouts. Get some sleep."

She nodded and smiled.

She stood to walk up the stairs.

"Lois", he called causing her to turn around, "You did the right thing…"

"Then why does it feel so wrong?"

She turned around and bounced up the steps leaving him deep in thought.

~*~

John watched them speaking. He heard her promise Clark to stay away from him. He glared at the man in question. If he couldn't have Lois Lane, then no one could.