Note: Sorry it's been so long on this one. Hope you enjoy and would LOVE to hear your feedback and thoughts. Thanks so much for staying with me on this story and my others!

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Chapter 9

The phone rang in the back of the limo. A sleek hand hit a button. Crackling white noise filled the limo cabin.

"Yes?"

A deep, hardened voice began his report without preamble. "We have the subject in sight. She's on the move."

"The probability of being seen?"

"Little to none."

"Make sure it's none."

"Is that an order then?"

"Yes. Pick her up. Bring her to me." There was a pause. An after-thought. "Oh, and…be sure she is unharmed."

"Right. She'll be delivered, unharmed, within the hour."

"See that she is." The call ended. A malicious smile twisted full lips. "Let the games begin."

--

"What's going on?" Clark crossed to where they are, a knot beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. "Why would Lois just up and leave without saying a word?"

There was a pause. And exchanged looks. Then Bruce Wayne turned to Clark with sadness in his eyes.

"It seems you were right, Clark Kent. Perhaps you do hold the trump card after all."

"Wait. What does that mean? And what does it have to do with Lois leaving without telling you?" Clark's panic alert was kicking into overdrive.

"Clark, Lois and I had a talk earlier and it was clear she had some decisions to make." Bruce Wayne's shrug was nonchalant. His expression wasn't. The pain in his eyes was evident. "Apparently, she's made them. Or at least one of them."

Deciphering cryptic statements was clearly not one of Clark Kent's strong point. "I don't understand."

"She's made her choice, Clark." Bruce paused finding the words hard to say. "She's going back…to you."

Clark Kent's heart should be soaring in that moment. And would have been. If he believed Bruce. As it was, the knot in is stomach held his heart firmly in place. Though it began to thunder with an irregular beat, it had nothing to do with the news he'd just received.

"No, wait." Shaking his head, Clark's eyes clouded with worry. "That…look, as much as I want to believe that, it doesn't make sense. She's unpredictable and impulsive, but that isn't Lois." His stance stiffened. His voice was confident. "She wouldn't leave you without saying anything."

"She left you." Bruce reminded Clark softly.

"Yeah, but she's running from me because I hurt her." The admission was hard to make. But necessary. Not only for the moment, but for their future. "You haven't."

Clark continued, his voice echoing the hurt in the depths of his eyes. "And, as much as I hate to admit it, she's committed to you. After all, you are her fiancé. The Lois I know doesn't quit on people or break her commitments. Not without good reason and certainly not without telling them."

"No, something's not right." Clark shot back his clarification with a tightening expression. "And if you'd think right now, instead of feel, you'd know it too."

Bruce considered Clark for a moment. Mulled over his words. Contemplated his instinctive reaction.

And realized how different it had been from his own.

For some reason he couldn't shake, Bruce's own gut was suddenly telling him to pay attention. To listen. To follow. Besides, the boy made sense. After their open, honest exchange earlier, Lois wouldn't just up and leave without telling him. She was too brave and honorable to slink out of their relationship like a coward.

Then again, there was the information he'd literally dropped in her lap. And her unpredictable, and unknown, reaction to it. Which, of course, Clark knew nothing about.

He turned to Alfred. "Are you sure you checked everything? The lake?"

"She's not there, sir."

"Are any cars missing?"

"No, sir."

Clark joined the inquisition. "What about her room? Is anything gone? Like an overnight bag or does it look like she packed quickly?"

Alfred's brows furrowed in concentration. It seemed he was now moving to the same page as Bruce and Clark. "Actually, no. Nothing in her room is touched."

Bruce offered another option. "Is she in the observatory?"

"No, sir."

"Wait." Trying to process all the information, Clark suddenly turned his questioning gaze to Alfred. "You said something about a surveillance tape. I want to see that."

Alfred's guarded eyes flickered to Bruce then back before answering Clark. "Sir, there is no need. There was an open gate leading to the road. It's clear she has left the estate."

"Knowing why she left this place could lead us to where she went. And I know her better than anyone." Clark pulled himself to his full height, ready to fight if needed. "If you really want to find Lois, show me the tape."

Silently, and with tightened lips, Bruce Wayne nodded his permission.

--

Lois Lane had stopped running.

And realized just how stupid she had been.

She was wet, cold, lost. And aching for Clark Kent to swoop in and save the day.

Standing in the middle of an old one-lane road, Lois glanced around her. The forest trees were high and impenetrable. The blue sky above, open and clear. There were no visible markers, no indicators which direction she should go. Her only solace was an old wooden bridge just a few feet ahead.

If the General ever found out what a mess she'd made of things…

She made her way to the bridge and let the rough hewn railing hold her weight as she gazed down at the bubbling brook beneath her. It looked so carefree and happy. Not even the boulders blocking its path could stop the water from gaining its objective…to flow downstream. To reach its destination. To find its home.

When was the last time she'd felt that way? Free. Light. So happy she could float? When was the last time she'd felt like she could rush over any obstacle in her path, and not be beaten back by it? Not be deterred. Or that she had a home to find?

Her eyes squeezed shut against the answer.

That night.

In his arms.

Captured in his eyes.

Clark.

Who was he? What was he? What all could he do? The fire from his eyes, super speed and invulnerability to pain were obvious. But was there more? Why hadn't he said anything? Why hadn't he trusted her enough to…

That's where the questions ended and the answers began.

Because he doesn't trust you. Because every since you've met him, you've treated him like he was an irritating pest. An insignificant, moron incapable of hurting a fly. How many times have you taunted him? Belittled him. Called him Smallville to get a rise out of him? Criticized him for everything and nothing at all.

But all that had changed. Hadn't it? They had become partners. Friends. Confidants. Their day in and day out escapades had formed a bond between them. A connection. A beginning to something more. The irritation that had existed before, the constant taunting, had gentled into a unique language that was theirs. And theirs alone.

The dance at Chloe's wedding…the near kiss…wasn't that proof that there was something there?

Tears formed once more. No. She couldn't do this to herself. She wouldn't. It was clear that even though everything had changed, nothing really had.

So what if she knew his secret? So what if she confronted him? Forced him to tell her everything? It wouldn't change the simple fact that Clark Kent did not love her. He never had. And he never would.

Lana Lang's reappearance had put that question to rest once and for all.

The sooner Lois Lane embraced that fact, the sooner she could move on with her life. The sooner she could be that bubbling, determined brook beneath her. She would just have to…find a new way to be happy. A new home to belong to.

Bruce.

Good, kind, in-love-with-her Bruce. Willing-to-accept-her-warts-and-all Bruce. A hero. A friend. The man that needed her. The man she now needed.

Squaring her shoulders, Lois Lane wiped away her tears. Her eyes narrowed with determination and her jaw set.

Her decision was made.

The next time she saw Clark Kent, she would hold her head high and her heart in complete safety. For the next time Clark Kent saw her, she would be Mrs. Bruce Wayne.

Lois' head snapped to the side as the sound of a vehicle brought a relieved smile to her face. She practically ran to meet the advancing black van, waving like a crazed lunatic. The van skidded to a stop and Lois pulled up short.

A sudden panic seized her and she turned to run.

Heavy footsteps hit the ground and gained on her. A hard hand gripped the back of her neck. An arm of steel wrapped around her waist.

She cried for help.

One name.

But it was too late.

--

Clark's heart stopped.

He felt a jolt of panic. Of intense pain. His name echoed in the back of his mind.

"Clark? Clark are you alright?"

Clark blinked away the sensations to find a worried Bruce Wayne standing in front of him. Trying to grasp what had just happened, Clark shook his head. "I'm not…I'm not sure." His wary gaze shifted from Bruce to Alfred then back to Bruce. "What happened?"

"You were talking then all of a sudden you just…blanked out."

"How long?"

"Just a few seconds."

Clark nodded, then lied. "Right. It happens sometimes." He tried to keep the panic out of his voice. He didn't succeed. "Look, we have to find Lois. Soon."

Bruce nodded, his own sense of impending doom now exploding off the charts. Not that he was familiar with the ways and habits of extraterrestrials, but by the look on Clark's face, what happened was clearly not a good sign.

Bruce turned his attention to the task at hand. The tape began.

And Clark Kent's heart stopped again.

There she was. His first glimpse of her in a month and she was…breathtaking.

Untouchable. And clearly not his.

The large diamond on her left hand was proof enough of that.

He fought back the urge to scream and instead focused on what she was doing. "Ok. There she is. What room is that?"

"The living room, for lack of a better word." Bruce supplied softly. He was standing by Clark's side with the remote in his hand. He was clearly affected by the sight of her as well. But even then, there was something more to his tone. Something wary. And uncertain.

Clark's eyes narrowed as he focused on the screen in front of Lois. She was obviously watching something with an intensity that could be felt through the plasma. "Wait. What is she…what is she watching?"

"Clark, I think we need to…"

Ignoring him, Clark took a step closer and squinted even harder. "The images are too…" Suddenly, he didn't care about the images. Lois had spun around, her hand over her mouth. Tears streaming down her face. "She's crying. Why is she…" He was touching the screen now. Reaching out to her. Trying to connect. Then, suddenly, she ran. And disappeared from view. "Wait! Wait, no!"

Spinning on Bruce, Clark's eyes blazed with intensity. "Where does this door lead?"

"To the back of the property." Bruce answered calmly.

"If I might add, sir, it's also where the open gate leading to the road is." A near invisible Alfred supplied helpfully.

That's when he saw it. The bob of Bruce Wayne's adam's apple.

"You want to tell me what's really going on here?" A commanding Clark stepped up to his rival. Inquisitive eyes bored into Bruce. "What was she watching? What made her run?"

"Clark, there's something I need to tell you…"

A woman's voice interrupted his confession. "Mr. Wayne. There's a call for you on line three."

Irritation flashed over Bruce's normally masked expression. It seemed he would have to get Alfred to go over the rules of working at Wayne Mansion with the help. Again. "Take a message. I'm in the middle of something."

"I'm sorry, sir, but the call rolled over from your personal line and the gentleman on the phone said it was urgent. That it had something to do with Miss Lane."

"What?" Bruce spun around to face her. "Who is it?"

"It's…sir, it's Lex Luthor."

Tbc…

Note: It seems kidnapping is a thing with me lately, but I promise this really is different from Pick Your Label. :)