Chapter 22

Clark knocked on the door of Lois' apartment with a good amount of dread.

"Lois. It's Clark," he said, unnecessarily.

He knew she was there, just on the other side of the door; he could see her. He could even tell how fast her heart was beating and see that she was biting her bottom lip in indecision. Twice, he saw her reach for the door knob, just as he saw her withdraw her hand each time.

"Lois, come on. Open up."

There was no answer.

"I'm not leaving, so you may as well open the door. We need to talk."

Still he stared at a blank door and wondered just why he was trying so hard. This was not going to be easy. He had known she was going to be mad at him, but he could feel his own anger rising at being shut out like this.

"Lois," he reasoned, "I really don't want to hold a complete conversation with a door separating us."

He was careful to keep his voice low, but he was losing the little patience he had. "Okay, I'll leave, Lois, but I'm only going to go to a hardware store to buy a new door lock and jam so I can replace the one I am about to break!"

His voice turned to pure steel. "Open. This. Door!"

It worked. He heard her twist the deadbolt back and slide the chain. Before she had a chance to reach for the doorknob, he opened it himself.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure," she answered evenly, "as if I had a choice." She stood there for only a moment, in her bare feet, wearing a fluffy bathrobe that she was hugging around her tightly. Then she turned her back on him, went to the couch and sat, tucking her feet beneath her and making herself into the smallest amount of a human being she could.

She looked adorable. There was no way he could hold on to his irritation at the sight of her.

"You left me!" she said, trying for an accusing tone, but it only came out as pouting.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you know how many people yelled at me? No one even saw you there! They all thought I was lying. Do you know how many reports I had to fill out? Do you know how stupid I looked to those policemen? I had to go all the way to the police station. They thought I was crazy! I heard one of them saying I should be locked up in Belle Reve!"

Finally, she had to draw a long breath, and he said simply, "I'm sorry."

"Where did you go?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but she didn't wait for an answer. She started in again, waving her arms and ranting.

"One second you're there. The next I'm sitting with my seat belt fastened in a car without a driver in the middle of a real mess. Oh, those people. I can still hear them yelling. My ears will never be the same!" Then, all her complaints spent, she seemed to actually see him again. "Where did you go?"

"I…I had to…Lois, does it matter?"

"No," she said quietly. "No, I guess not." She looked down and fiddled with the edges of her bath robe. "Because," she announced more loudly, "I've decided to forgive you, Smallville,"

Smallville. That was good. Anytime she used the pet name, she couldn't be that mad at him. But it did make him suspicious.

"Why?"

"Because Perry said you came back to the Planet and helped him out, and you cleaned up the mess those guys made, and he told me you were going to come over here tonight, and he…well, he told me …I'd better." She looked at him curiously. "Why have you become the Editor's pet all of a sudden, Smallville? Perry really went to the mat for you today."

He crossed and sat down beside her on the couch, shaking his head. "I don't know. I get the impression Perry thinks he owes me something because of what happened in Smallville a long time ago."

"You knew Perry before he came to the Planet?" This was news. Big news.

"Yes. He was going through a rough patch in his life."

"Don't tell me." Lois gave him a crooked smile. "You saved his life?"

"It was sort of a group effort. Pete and Lana were there too."

At the mention of Lana, Lois changed gears. "So, do we go in early and write the story?"

"No need for an early day. We have plenty of time. The AG wants us to hold up on it because of the hitman involved. He was wanted internationally and now Interpol has to do their thing. But Perry said they've got until 2:00 PM tomorrow. He's not holding it any longer."

"He said it was going to be a 'blockbuster' of a debut for 'Lane and Kent!'" Lois said thoughtfully. The girl's death had dampened the whole success of the story for her.

"I told him to give the byline to you. That was the deal."

"Well, the office is ours. The byline is now ours. It's okay, Clark. I don't mind."

"I haven't done so well by you today, have I? Leaving you in a mess and now the byline. I'm sor—"

"Don't say it!" She held up a hand. "I'm beginning to hate those two words when they come out of your mouth. Let's just forget it."

"So we're okay?"

"Yeah, we're okay."

Tell her. There was the voice again, but all he said was, "Good. Then I'll see you in the morning." He got up to leave but turned back at the door. "And, Lois, don't be alarmed if you see a man down in the street watching the apartment tonight… or one in the hallway for that matter…"

"What?"

"Uh…Perry asked the F.B.I. for a favor. He's got a couple of security guards watching over you tonight." It was only a little lie.

"What? I don't need—"

"Yeah, I told him you'd say that, but he is our boss. It wouldn't hurt to put your cell by the bed either. Call me if you need me? And lock the door!"

Her eyes were blazing at him and he went out the door quickly, before she could rethink just who might have arranged what.

When he reached the elevator, he waved to a form in the shadows and whispered, "Goodnight, Victor. And thanks."

"No problem. 'Night, Clark."

Outside, he crossed the street and greeted another friend, dressed in green leather, hidden in the dark recesses of the alley.

This time he paused to talk. "Did you get a chance to ask her today?"

"No, but I did do some checking. Clark, she's not seeing anyone. That guy you saw her with is a graduate of the best haute cuisine cooking school in Paris, and he'd be much more interested in you or me than in Lois, so I don't think you have to worry about him."

"Are you sure?" Clark still couldn't believe it. He knew what he'd heard. "Did you check—"

"Clark," he said patiently, "Batman couldn't have checked her out any more thoroughly. I'm telling you, she is not seeing anyone. Your imagination is working overtime. Or you're doing your famous 'jumping to conclusions' thing, one of your more useless abilities."

"Hm. Well, I really appreciate you guys doing this tonight."

"No problem. I can crash in the morning. No meetings. And you've had one busy day from what I hear. Oh, by the way, your first appointment is for Thursday the 25th at 5PM. No arguments."

Clark sighed and looked up at Lois' window. "I'll be there."

"Good. Oh, and Impulse can't wait to prove via scientific data that he's faster."

Clark grinned. "I'll just bet he does."