Close Encounters
A/N: Thank you all so much for your feedback and for taking the time to try out this story. For those who are reading this and haven't left a note, I hope you will at some point in the future.
I wanted to take a minute to tell you about lines in the show that intrigued me and inspired me in writing this fic. There were certain lines in "Exile" that made me just think it would fit. When the bartender asks, "What's the deal, Kal? Every night you roll in here with a babe and you always leave empty handed. What are you a monk or something?" Clark responds, "What's the point of starting something if it's just going to end badly?"
Then Chloe had a couple of lines that caught my attention. One was when she told Lana that she needed to move on because Clark "obviously has". Then she told her that she found him 2 months prior when some friends snuck her into "this club" and she followed him back to his apartment. He threatens Chloe that he'll disappear so no one can find him if she tells anyone about where he is. Why was he sticking around Metropolis in the first place?
Last was Pete, Martha and Jonathan talking about how his crimes and everything was getting worse the longer he was exposed to the red kryptonite. Him calling home but not saying anything. So many little things that I just wanted to fill in with this and see what I could do about putting Lois in the middle of it all. I hope it will blend as seamlessly as I want it to.
Oh yeah, I'm playing with time again in that I'm using music that wasn't released until after 2003. Just couldn't help myself. I love the song I used!
Chapter 2 – Abduction
Over the next couple of weeks, Lois tried to keep her distance from Wes without looking like she was keeping her distance from him. She needed to clear her head and get some things straight. Being confined to the base by a mild cold and then by her father after a particularly heated argument gave her time to do just that. Looking back on that night at the club, she forced herself to face some hard truths.
One, Wes was right about the General having placed her in his care and she had treated that lightly, even knowing that Wes most definitely would not. Besides the fact that her father was his superior in rank, never mind that they weren't in the same branch of the military, Wes also had a special relationship with her father that was based on genuine mutual respect. While at times she had been jealous of that relationship, she would hate to be responsible for any breach in it. There were few people that the General openly liked and cared about. Wes was one of them and she wanted it to remain that way.
Two, Wes was also right about her being lax with her own personal safety when it came to Kal. Yes, the General had taught her to take care of herself, but disappearing into a dark room with a total stranger, one probably old enough to drink considering that he had been, was not smart…especially with no one knowing where she was. She had been drinking, it was dark in the club, and the only person who even knew who she really was had been nowhere around and had no idea where she had gone. It wasn't the smartest situation that she had put herself into, and it could have ended up a lot worse.
Admitting that, however, led to another admission…she had been wildly attracted to Kal and if she was honest with herself, she might be tempted to disappear into a dark room with him again. Despite the fact that he was a stranger and had obviously been flirting with her, and Lois had learned quickly what was on the minds of young men most of the time, Lois had felt safe with him. She kept trying to give herself a good talking to because she shouldn't have felt that way. Worse, she shouldn't still see him that way. But the truth was Lois wanted to see Kal again, and with every day that went by she felt the urge get stronger. She tried to tell herself that she was just curious to see if she would still feel the same way about him if she saw him again. Maybe once she saw him again, she'd realize that it had been just a fluke and she could clear her head of him once and for all.
The fourth admission she was forced to see was that her relationship with Wes had changed, probably forever. What she didn't know was how her relationship with him had changed. In the span of a few short years, Wes Keenan had gone from babysitter to friend to lover, and despite their age difference, she had resented the first, adored the second, and had built a fantasy life around the third. The age gap of four years had never bothered her, and she had thought that after the initial meeting and resentment of having been assigned to babysit her, that it no longer bothered him either.
She had secretly hoped after their tryst in Germany, that their lives would be forever intertwined. She had pictured Wes settling down somewhere after he got out of the military, working in some job or another, waiting on her to turn 18. Lois had seen herself moving to wherever he was and going to college. They would get married, have a family, and live happily ever after... madly in love.
Wes's announcement that he had reenlisted, with the Marines no less, had quickly burst her bubble of that fictional world, forcing Lois to take a critical look at the facts of their relationship, versus the emotional dream. She was embarrassed to realize that she had been acting like an infatuated teenager... which is exactly what she was. While Lois had never been a typical kid, there were some stages that she seemed unable to skip over, and her first taste of love was no exception. She knew her feelings were real; she just didn't know what those feelings exactly were.
Lois realized that much of her fantasy had stemmed from the fact that ever since Wes had taken her virginity, he had not avoided her, chatting with her occasionally on the phone, and always answering her e-mails. She had taken that as a sign that he really cared about her. But the truth was he was only treating her the way he had always treated her... well, with the exception of the paranoia that her father would find out what they had done. She just didn't know whether that meant that he always cared for her or if he regretted what happened and was trying to tell her by his actions that he only wanted to stay friends. And since her thoughts were constantly filled with Kal lately, she wondered if that imaginary life was something that she still wanted.
Chloe had been on the base a couple of times in the last two weeks and they had spent time just catching up. Lois had missed her cousin, and even though they spoke on the phone or via email on a regular basis, there was no substitute for face to face contact. She noticed that her younger cousin had avoided the subject of the farm boy she had had a crush on for several years. Knowing that Chloe would open up about him when she was ready, Lois let it slide. Inevitably, their conversation strayed to the night of the club one evening while the General was in meetings and they were sharing delivered Chinese. It had been three weeks since that night.
"So I haven't seen Wes around the few times I've been over here," Chloe observed after swallowing a mouthful of sweet and sour chicken. "And you haven't told me what happened after I left you two that night after we went to the zoo." She raised her eyebrows and grinned at her dark haired cousin.
Lois rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yeah, so not what you're thinking at the moment. We went for dinner and I talked Wes into taking me to a dance club that was having an 80s music theme night. We kind of got into an argument, he brought me home and I haven't talked to him since, at least not really talked to him," she summarized.
Chloe frowned and sat forward a little. "What do you mean you got into an argument? What happened?" she asked.
"Wes was acting like a worried old woman, at first not wanting to take me to the club at all, then going all postal on me when I went to the back room to have a cig…to get some air," she quickly corrected, knowing that Chloe was just as against her smoking as Wes was.
But Chloe saw through her and gave her an exasperated look. "A cigarette? Lois, you promised!"
Lois held up her hands, careful not to drop her chopsticks in her right hand, in surrender. "Ok, ok! I know I shouldn't be smoking but it's a little harder to stop than I thought…but I am working on it! Now could we please just drop it and get back to the subject at hand!"
Chloe threw her one more frown before sighing and shaking her head. "Ok, I'll let it go…for now. But why would you going into that back area make Wes mad or whatever? I don't get it."
Sighing, Lois decided to come clean. "Ok, I wasn't going to tell you this part but while Wes visited the facilities, I was on the dance floor and met this guy. He bought me a drink and went to the smoking room with me. Wes found us there."
Chloe's eyes were bugging out of her head. "Lois! You went into a back room with a strange guy after he bought you a drink? What were you thinking? What if he had spiked it with something?"
"What? No, Chloe, we were sitting at the bar when he bought it for me. I watched the bartender mix it and hand it straight to me. Then I told him I needed a smoke and he went with me and we just talked. There were other people in the room. I'm not stupid…I can take care of myself," Lois explained, finishing off her shrimp fried rice.
Frowning again, Chloe looked like she was missing something. "So what were you and this guy doing when Wes found you?"
"Just chatting and I was finishing my cigarette."
"I don't get it. Why would he be mad at you for that?" Chloe asked.
"Thank you! I have no idea!" Lois said, throwing out a hand to show she agreed with Chloe. "The only thing was that he said he had been worried when he couldn't find me and that…" She swallowed and blew out a breath. "And that the General had put him in charge of watching over me for the night. I'm 17, Chlo, and I need a babysitter?"
"Well, I can see how he might have freaked a little if your dad was holding him accountable for you. I mean, Uncle Sam can intimidate almost everybody. You and Lucy are the only two I know of that don't quake in their boots when he raises that one eyebrow." Chloe shuddered a little at the mental image of her uncle. "Maybe Wes was jealous," she offered.
Lois stared over her head, thinking about the whole situation. That didn't sound right and with the way Wes had been acting the rest of that night, even before the club…She shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know. I don't want to talk about Wes anymore. So what do you want to do tonight?"
Chloe laughed. "Oh no, you don't! Don't think I was going to let you get off that easily. You still have to tell me about this mystery man, and how you got into the club in the first place! So spill!"
Lois grinned at her younger cousin. "Well, the getting in part was easy. Fake ID, provided by a friend of mine's brother here on base. As for the mystery man, well, there's not much to tell. I didn't get a lot of time to chat with him before Wes found us."
"What did he look like?" Chloe asked, curious.
Shrugging, Lois felt her face warm and she busied herself putting all the take-out cartons together to throw them away. "Not entirely sure. The club was pretty dark. I know he's tall, well-built, dark hair."
Chloe observed her cousin and then let out a hoot. "You like this guy! Lois! You talked to him for what, maybe fifteen or twenty minutes? Can't really describe him, but you're blushing, so he obviously got to you." When Lois just threw her a glare but her blush deepened, Chloe laughed. "So maybe that's what the argument with Wes was about. He probably noticed that you liked this guy and was jealous."
Getting up, Lois started to clean up their dinner remains. "I don't think that's it, Chlo." Taking a big breath, she turned and faced her cousin. "Chloe, Wes reenlisted…with the Marines."
Her smile falling, Chloe got up from the couch and went over to hug her cousin. "Oh, Lo, I'm sorry. I know you've liked him for a while but…" She knew that Wes meant more to Lois than she had ever said aloud.
Lois cut her off, pulling away and waving her comments away. "Let's let it drop, Chlo. I'm dealing with it. Besides, as all the guys I ever go out with, including Wes, tell me, 'Distance is good for the relationship.'" She shrugged, jamming her hands in her pockets after disposing of the garbage. "So we'll either end up together or we won't. I'll deal with it either way. So what do you say to some fun tonight?"
Chloe groaned. "Lois, I'm not playing poker with you again. I still owe you five bucks from the other night and I'm not in the mood to lose my next paycheck."
Grinning evilly, Lois did a little dance. "Yeah, well, you should know better. I've played with some pretty heavy card sharks. But that's not exactly what I had in mind. I'd like to meet your friends from the Daily Planet. Maybe we could meet them for coffee or whatever," Lois suggested. At her cousin's skeptical look, Lois pleaded with her. "Please, Chlo, I've gotta get out of this house. I've been stuck on base for weeks now and I'm going stir crazy. The General is out on some special duty until at least tomorrow night."
Laughing, Chloe shook her head. "Ok, let me make some phone calls, see what the couple of friends I have at the Planet are doing."
* * * *CK/LL * * * *
Kal stepped off the glass elevator onto the catwalk high above Metropolis and over to his new front door, his companion coming in behind him. "Where the hell are you takin' me, kid?" the older man asked, his voice trailing off as he looked at their surroundings, his eyes going wide. He clutched a grimy hat in both of his hands nervously in front of him.
"I wanted you to see my new place," Kal announced.
Coop's eyes went wide and shot to the younger man's. "Your new place?"
Kal grinned at him and held his hand out to him. "And give you this."
Coop glanced down at his hand, noticing a gold class ring with a red stone. He didn't get a chance to read the school inscribed on it before Kal turned his hand over, opening his palm. Lying in the middle of it was a key. Coop stretched out his hand but paused with his hand hovering over Kal's, his gaze questioning. "What's this?" he asked.
"What does it look like? It's a key to the place so you can stay here, maybe take a shower now and then," Kal told him with a little laugh, trying to tease the old codger.
Instead of taking the key, Coop withdrew his hand and started walking around the large open room, taking in the details of the apartment that he could see. It was sparsely furnished but what was there was of pretty fine quality. He didn't touch anything. "Kal, how did you land this place? How are you paying for all this?" he asked gruffly.
Kal's smile dropped with his hand as it still held the key. "I won the lottery," he bit out. "What difference does it make to you? I thought you'd be happy to have a place to crash that wasn't full of garbage."
He was lying of course. He had broken into another ATM to get the money for a couple of months' rent of the high rise apartment. As it was a new building and mostly empty in an area currently a part of an urban renewal project, the landlord had agreed to let him rent for the first three months without a lease to see if he thought it had 'long term potential'. As for the furnishings and food, well, let's just say that Atlantis wasn't the only club Kal had visited and more than one had a back room for some pretty high stakes poker games. With his abilities, he carefully won and lost until he cleaned out only the worst of the card sharks…telling himself that he was only taking money from those who deserved to lose it.
When Coop still didn't say anything and just kept looking around, Kal's smirk turned into a bit of a snarl. His 'gift' from Jor-El was burning slightly but he ignored it. "Or maybe I was wrong. Maybe you like being on the streets."
Coop finally faced him and held up a grubby hand. "Now, son, don't get your shorts in a twist. I just thought it a little odd that you would go from showering and gettin' your breakfast at the Y to living in a swanky place like this. As long as you ain't doing drugs or illegal trafficking, I'm happy to take you up on your offer," he told him. When Kal smiled again, Coop added, "for a shower and the occasional place to sleep. I refuse to impose on your hospitality more than once in a while."
Kal grinned and shrugged, tossing him the key. "Whatever, you say, old man. The place is yours to use or not as you want as long as I'm here. Just don't eat everything in the fridge and find a way to let me know you're here before I come inside so I don't think you're an intruder. I'm going to take a shower. Help yourself to a sandwich."
Coop acknowledged his words with a grunt. Kal turned and hurried to the bathroom, locking the door and leaning against it. He grabbed the hand towel off the ring and stuffed it in his mouth before screaming into it and tearing his shirt open. Looking in the mirror, his eyes widened in fear at the glowing and burning that came from the scar that decorated his chest. He clutched at it, not knowing what to do. Some instinct made him remove the class ring with the red Kryptonite. As soon as it was off his finger, the burning ceased and the glowing stopped.
Clark collapsed to the floor, trying to catch his breath. But the pain in his heart and his conscience started to sear him just as badly and he quickly replaced the ring, drawing on the strength and feelings the red K brought out. The first time this had happened, it hadn't been as intense and Clark had flipped out. He had no idea what to do, but it had stopped fairly quickly. The other two times after that the pain had gotten progressively worse but it was only this time that he had tried removing the ring and it had worked.
He realized it only seemed to happen when he was really pulled in two directions as to what he should be doing versus what he wanted to be doing and it had only happened a couple of times. He didn't know if it was a fluke, part of the parting gift from Jor-El, or a side-effect of long term exposure to red Kryptonite but now that he knew what to do to get it to stop, he wasn't as worried about it.
Pushing the incident out of his mind, Kal quickly showered and emerged to find Coop propped on a stool at the breakfast bar, stuffing his face with a sandwich. At least his hands and face looked a little cleaner. "So you gotta girl you've shown this place off to yet?" Coop asked him.
Kal paused just barely in getting himself some juice as a vague image of Jo from the club flitted through his mind. He had been to the club almost every night in the last three weeks, not even bothering to go inside tonight or last night, hoping to run into her again. But there had been no sign of the lively brunette that had captured his attention. As he couldn't clearly picture her face due to the dim lighting and his memory being somewhat on the fritz with the red Kryptonite, he wondered if he had just made her up or remembered her incorrectly. Shrugging nonchalantly, he guzzled some of his juice.
"Nah, nobody special enough to gain access to this fortress," he quipped, his scar burning just a moment at the memory of his loft in the barn in Smallville…what Jonathan had always affectionately called his 'fortress of solitude'.
Coop's hacking startled Kal and he swung around, worried that the old man was choking but then realized he was trying to stifle his laughter around a mouthful of sandwich. "Yeah right! Sure, son, you tell me, and yourself, whatever you want but I saw you freeze when I asked that question. You met somebody, dinchya?" he cackled gleefully.
Kal gave him half a grin back, the man's laughter contagious. But then he shrugged, not willing to let on how much it bugged him that he hadn't seen Jo again. He downed the rest of his juice and placed the glass in the sink. "Maybe I thought I did a couple of weeks ago but I haven't seen her since. It's ok though, I wasn't really all that into her."
Coop swallowed and chuckled, his eyes sparkling through his wrinkled face. "Well, be sure to leave a tie or sock on the doorknob if you don't want to be disturbed for some reason," he told the younger man with a wink. Kal just chuckled and shook his head, patting Coop on the shoulder.
* * * *CK/LL * * * *
The Next Day…
"I'm not sure I like this new haircut," Chloe worried into the mirror. "It's just so short!"
"I like it! I think it makes you look sassy and hip," Lois argued, standing behind her.
They were currently in the dressing room at the local mall, trying on clothes for their night out. It was the day after they had eaten their Chinese and Lois had spilled her story about her night at Atlantis. They had met Chloe's friends at a small coffee shop not far from the base and Lois had fit right in. She had even recruited the Daily Planet crew to help her take her cousin out for a night on the city, and since the General had called to say that he would be away for at least another night, Lois had planned a little surprise for her younger cousin, and ok, she was willing to admit to a small personal agenda as well.
"You don't think it makes me look a little…I don't know, butch?" Chloe asked, scrunching up her nose at herself before turning to face her cousin.
Rolling her eyes, Lois huffed a little in exasperation. "No, I don't think it makes you look butch! I happen to think it looks very chic on you, but if you don't like it, don't worry, Chlo. It's just hair; it'll grow back. Now, what do you think about this outfit?" she asked, turning back and forth in front of the mirror.
"Speaking of too short," Chloe muttered, looking at the skirt her cousin had on. "Isn't it a little…um, risqué for your usual style?"
Lois laughed. "Yeah, I know it's a little…less than my normal fair but it's kinda what the dress code is for where we're going tonight. Don't worry; I plan on wearing some fishnet stockings underneath…if I settle on this one. Besides, all the important parts are covered."
Chloe's eyes widened and she chuckled. "Barely! Just where are we going tonight, Lo? You still haven't told me."
Grinning wickedly, Lois almost had horns as she clucked her tongue. "Nuh-uh, I'm not telling. I told you it's a surprise." She looked at the pile of clothes that Chloe had tried on and pulled one out of it. "And I think this blue dress is the one for you for tonight, with some really cute, dangly earrings and some high heels…or the emerald dress would do if it makes you more comfortable," Lois tacked on, clearly making her choice known.
Giving a knowing smile back at her cousin, Chloe looked the two dresses over and, though the emerald one would normally be her first choice, picked the blue one. It was the color of the Caribbean Sea, had spaghetti straps and came just 3 inches below her tush. "I guess if we're going for a little more daring, this would be the one just out of my comfort zone."
Lois stopped short of squealing in delight but she did clap her hands together once. "We are going to have so much fun!"
Before her cousin could reply, Lois' cell phone rang with the Imperial March from Star Wars. "Crap! It's the General!" she huffed, digging in her purse. Hitting the button to connect, she forced a bright smile to her face. "Hi, daddy!" she said lightly.
"Lois! Where the hell are you? I've been calling the house off and on for the past 4 hours!" her father barked across the line.
Lois rolled her eyes but forced the smile to stay in place. "Chloe stayed the night last night and we decided to do some shopping. We're at the mall now."
"Oh, I suppose that's all right then. What are your plans for the evening?" he demanded.
"We're meeting some friends of Chloe's from the Daily Planet for dinner and a movie. Then we'll probably stay up all night at the house doing girl stuff. Is that ok?" she asked, rolling her eyes again at the fact that she probably sounded too happy and bubbly. Normally, she didn't ask for permission, she just sort of waited for him to give it.
Apparently, he had caught it too because there was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line. "General?" Lois asked, wondering if they had been disconnected.
"I suppose that'd be ok," he said thoughtfully. Lois started to cheer silently when his next words came down the line. "But I want you girls in the house by midnight." There was another pause before he added, "And I will be calling to make sure you're there, Lois."
Rolling her eyes for a third time, Lois finally felt the smile she was wearing start to falter. "Fine, anything else, General?" she asked through gritted teeth, trying to stay bright and cheerful.
His next words sounded suspiciously like he was trying to keep from laughing. "Don't spend too much at the mall…and, Lois?"
"Yes, daddy?"
"Don't roll your eyes at me, young lady." The line went dead and Lois stared at it wondering how her father knew.
* * * *CK/LL * * * *
That Night…
"Now can somebody please tell me where we're going?" Chloe asked as they stepped off the elevated train onto the platform.
"What do you think, guys? Should we tell her?" Lois asked the other three people of their small group.
Regina rolled her eyes. "I don't understand why it's such a big secret in the first place!" Regina, at 23, was the oldest of the group and hands down the least likeable. Why she hung with the younger interns, Lois had no idea, but Chloe swore that she was the one who had your back at work when you really needed it. She was always helping Chloe edit her column and usually her comments, while a bit abrasive, were right on the money.
"Don't mind Reggie," Steve drawled, throwing an arm around Lois' shoulder and the other around Chloe. "She doesn't know the meaning of the word 'fun'. She pretends to do something like it but really she's a workaholic." Steve, the only male of the group, and that by birth only, was Lois' favorite of the DP crowd. He was sweet and absolutely hilarious.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Regina snapped, but her words lacked any real bite. "It's Regina, not Reggie!"
"ME-ow!" Steve said back making the others giggle, including Regina.
"Ok, so do I get to know where we're going or not?" Chloe asked again.
"Well, I guess we could give you a hint. Here," Lois said pulling something out of her purse. "You'll need this."
Chloe took the card from her and her eyes widened in surprise. "A fake ID! Lois, no one is going to believe I'm 25! And Carrie Sultan? Where did you get that name?"
Now it was Lois' turn to roll her eyes at her cousin. "I made it up! And as for the age, nobody will question it as long as you just act like you go to these sorts of places all the time. No nerves! The bouncers can smell fear."
Chloe's look turned wary. "What sort of places? And what bouncers?" she asked.
Ten minutes later, her question was answered as she stood outside of Atlantis with the others. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she tried to calm her nerves. She was secretly excited and curious about the club, and hearing the music thumping from inside made her a bit anxious to get inside. She smiled at Cassidy, the fifth part of their little group and the girl smiled excitedly back.
"This place is awesome, Chlo! You're going to love it," she gushed. She was always seemed to be over enthusiastic about things but her sweet nature made it bearable.
Passing by the bouncer without a hitch, the small group made their way inside and started looking around. Lois was scanning the darkness, trying not to get her hopes up as it was pretty unlikely that Kal would be here. It had been weeks since that night and she had no idea if he visited the club regularly. Cassidy pointed out a table in the corner that looked like it was being cleaned up and the group made their way over to it.
As the others got settled, Lois excused herself saying she was headed for the ladies' room. Once out of sight of the others, however, she made her way over to the bar. Her eyes lit up as she recognized the bartender from the last time she had been here. "Hey!" she shouted over the music to catch his attention.
Grinning at her, the bartender made his way over and leaned closer. "Hey, sugar, what can I get ya?" he asked. Then he looked a little closer and his gaze turned puzzled. "Have I seen you around here before? You look familiar but I know my regulars."
Lois flashed him a brilliant smile. "Yeah! I was here about a month or so ago. I was wondering if you've seen the guy I met that night. His name was Kal?"
"Kal? Sure! Everybody around here knows Kal. He comes in almost every night…has a drink, flashes some cash, wanders around, then he leaves…always alone," he told her.
Almost every night, and he always leaves alone? Lois bit her lip before asking her next question. "Have you seen him tonight? When was the last time you saw him?"
He shook his head. "Nah, haven't seen him tonight and he wasn't here last night but the night before that I was off. The last time I saw him was about 4 nights ago. You want a drink?"
Lois sighed. Well, if he hadn't been in last night or yet tonight, maybe she still had reason to hope. Grinning again, she shrugged. "Sure. How about a beer? Whaddaya got on tap?" she asked.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Kal made his way through the streets in the convertible he bought second hand with the money he stole from yet another ATM. He barely felt a twinge at knocking them over anymore. No one got hurt, the bank was insured, he stimulated the economy…everybody won. As he pulled up outside the club, he did a quick check in the rearview mirror, ran a hand through his hair and flashed a cocky grin at the valet. "Hey, Glen! How's it shaking?"
"Nice, Kal! New?" the valet asked, nodding towards the car as Kal tossed him the keys.
He shook his head. "Nah, just borrowed it from a friend. Didn't feel like the bike tonight," Kal told him. "Not sure how long I'll have it but you're welcome to take it for a spin if you like. Not as sweet a ride as I would have liked, but it'll do until I get something else."
Making his way inside, Kal gave Viper, the bouncer at the door, a $50 high five in greeting and nodded at several of the staff he recognized. The place was pretty crowded, but would only grow more so as it was Saturday and still fairly early. Usually, it was a couple of hours later than this when he showed up but he had decided that it was either tonight or never. If he didn't see who he was looking for tonight, he wasn't coming back to look for her again.
He decided against going straight to the bar tonight, instead leaning against a wall near the dance floor, almost hidden under the stairs that lead to the upper level of the club. There, among the shadows, he all but disappeared as he watched the people milling around, sitting at the various tables around the club, bumping and grinding against each other on the dance floor. There were all types of people here tonight but none appealed to him on any level.
Smirking, Kal wondered how many of these people believed in aliens. Then he wondered how many were underage and had snuck in. Then he realized that he really didn't care about any of it. Sighing, he decided to wander around a little more. It wasn't long before he found himself in front of the smoking room door. Pursing his lips, he debated going inside, subconsciously shifting his weight from foot to foot.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Lois, Chloe and the rest of their party, with the exception of Cassidy who was on the dance floor gyrating by herself in awkward positions that would no doubt leave her muscles aching in the morning, knocked back another set of tequila shots, slamming the glasses down on the table and reaching for the lime slices to suck on. They all started laughing at each other and pointing.
"Uh uh uh, Chlo! You have to down the tequila and then suck on the lime! That's the rule!" Steve teased her. "No cheating! You gotta keep up!" He had to shout to be heard over the music.
Chloe grinned in good humor. "Yeah, well, this is my first drinking game with anyone other than Lois and I've only done that once. That was enough, believe me! I think I'm doing pretty well."
Regina rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Puh-leeze! You're barely out of diapers, either of you, and you're talking as if you have all this worldly experience. You'll probably be toasted as soon as that second shot hits your system, Chloe Sullivan."
Lois smirked a little and threw her arm around her cousin's shoulders. "Ah, leave Chlo alone. She's a good girl and still pretty young, but I'm workin' on her!" she said with a grin and laugh at her cousin's eye roll. "See! Rubbing off already!"
"And what makes you so different?" Regina asked Lois. "You're only, what, a year older than Chloe?"
Lois' eyes narrowed and she leaned toward the young woman. "What is your problem? Maybe if you'd get that gigantic stick out of your ass, you'd stop being such a b***h and people would actually like being around you. Who knows? You might even have a good time!"
Steve sniggered, trying to cover it up but finding Lois an absolute doll. Regina looked like she couldn't have been more shocked if Lois had dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. She just sat there for a minute, opening and closing her mouth. Then she scowled and slammed her hands onto the table, standing up. Lois jumped up at the same time, but Chloe was evidently still sharp witted enough to be able to intervene.
"Guys, please! Let's just chill out, ok? We're here to have a good time tonight…and I can't afford to get arrested for disturbing the peace or underage drinking," Chloe pleaded with them.
The two women glared at each other for a minute but reluctantly sat down…Regina dropping heavily into her seat and Lois slowly lowering herself into hers. Chloe sighed and sat down. Trying to build a little peace, she turned to Regina. "Lois has travelled all over the world with her dad and it's legal for her to drink in a lot of the places where she's lived, not to mention that she has grown up on military bases so I can safely say that she can drink almost anyone I know under the table. But let's not prove that tonight."
Regina eyed Lois with a grudging new respect. Perhaps this slip of a girl was more experienced in the ways of the world than she had given her credit for.
"And, Lois, Regina is a great reporter and my friend. So I would appreciate it if you would try to get along," Chloe said.
Lois waited a beat but then nodded and muttered an apology. Lois recognized the change in the older girl's demeanor, and she relaxed. Regina wouldn't be causing any major problems tonight.
Still feeling a little edgy from the previous tension, Lois stood back up, grabbing her purse. "I'm headed to the ladies' room again. Order me another shot. I'm still in," she declared as she headed off.
Once she was out of sight of the others, however, she took a detour from the way to the restroom. Watching the table of people she just left through the crowd, she then turned to make sure that Cassidy was still on the dance floor or at least had not spotted her. Satisfied that, for the moment, no one was paying her any attention, she made her way stealthily to the smoking room.
Lois made it to the corner, her back to the wall and keeping an eye on Chloe who was talking with Regina. Amazingly, the other girl was laughing at something her cousin had said. Lois was beginning to doubt that she had a sense of humor. As she stepped around the corner, she swung around too late in the direction she was going and ran straight into a large solid object with an audible "oof".
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
It was as Kal was debating going into the smoking room that he felt someone crash into his back, evidently just having come around the corner and not paying attention to where they were going. Feeling disdain for whoever it was for not watching what they were doing, he turned around just as she apologized.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see…" her words trailed off as her eyes widened. "Kal?"
Kal looked a little closer, it was dark in this corner away from the main room of the club and with the door to the smoking room closed. A smile started to spread slowly across his face, but he quickly schooled his features into a confused look. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" he asked.
When her face fell automatically, his chest started to burn a little. Then she squared her shoulders and flashed him a tight smile. "I guess not. Apparently, it's not important. If you'll excuse me," she said coolly as she tried to get around him to the door.
His hand whipped out and grabbed her wrist as her hand landed on the doorknob. "Wait!" When she turned back with an eyebrow raised, he allowed the smile on his face this time. "I was only teasing, Jo." He nodded towards the door. "You wanna go in?"
Lois felt ridiculously giddy that he had remembered her name after all and realized that Kal had affected her more than she had thought. She nodded. "Sure! I was going in before I crashed into you," she said, slightly out of breath.
He opened the door and gestured for her to enter ahead of him. As Lois passed him, she caught a whiff of his cologne. It was an expensive one but it was mixed with…something she couldn't quite place. Must have been something unique to him. She was also very aware of the dress she had chosen for the evening as she felt his eyes rove over her form.
The drape neckline of the dress was held up by a single metallic silver strap that went around her neck and plunged down just enough to show off some impressive cleavage. The silver and black snakeskin print had a metallic sheen to it. It hugged her curves and was far shorter than was usually comfortable for her but she felt wildly feminine in it and the dress added to her boldness in taking on her alternate persona. The knee high black boots had heels high enough to add another couple of inches to her height. She had added more curl to her long dark locks with hot rollers and then pulled it up on either side with silver combs, allowing it to cascade down her back but still be out of her face. The large silver cuff bracelet and silver earrings dangling from her ears completed her outfit and she bit her lip as she recognized the light of appreciation in Kal's eyes when she turned back to face him before dropping into a chair.
She pulled out her cigarettes and even though she knew he would refuse, Lois offered him one. He just shook his head, his eyes holding hers in the dim light as he took a chair opposite her. She wished she could tell what color they were. Her gaze took in his appearance and wondered at the all black ensemble he had chosen. Jeans, t-shirt, long leather jacket and boots, all black. It gave him an air of danger and sent a shiver down her spine but it wasn't in fear…not exactly.
"So I haven't seen you around when I've dropped in here lately," Kal said, his statement hinting at his question of where she'd been.
Taking a puff of her cigarette, Lois shrugged apologetically. "I know. I had something of a family emergency come up," she lied. She couldn't exactly come out and say that she had been grounded by her father. "But everything's ok now." She wisely didn't point out that he had admitted to looking for her when he was here.
Kal waited a beat before asking, "So are you here with Mr. Overprotective again? What is he anyway, a boyfriend? Brother?"
Lois shook her head. "No, neither. Just a friend and no, he's not here tonight. I'm here with some girl friends. What about you? You here with anybody?" she asked, trying to act casual.
Leaning back in the chair, he smirked as he shook his head. "Nah, I haven't been in Metropolis long and don't know a lot of people here. I'm here alone." He leaned forward again, his hand hovering near her knees where her legs were crossed. "That is until I ran into you again."
Feeling her stomach do a little flip, Lois blew the smoke out of her mouth to cover her nerves. She tilted her head and studied him for a moment. He didn't look away and his smirk turned into a slow and easy smile. She gave half a smile back. "And how do I know you haven't used that line on other girls when you didn't find me?" she asked, keeping her tone light but remembering what the bar tender had told her about him leaving alone. She was just trying to feel out this stranger who fascinated her.
Kal bounced his knee a bit, his forearms resting on his thighs. Part of him, the strongest part taken over by the red kryptonite, wanted him to drop this girl and this conversation, arrogantly proclaim that he didn't need anyone and just walk away. But another part of him, the strongest part of him that was most scared and hurting of Clark, felt the need to reach out to this girl and grab hold of the only human contact that had made him feel anything since he left Smallville. He decided to go for a more compromising route.
"Maybe I tried it once or twice," he told her with an arrogant tilt of his head. "But maybe it just didn't work." He put his smile back on and she grinned back.
"Well, maybe it didn't work because you didn't use it on me before now," she flirted back.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Chloe glanced around the club, trying to see if Lois was at the bar or on her way back to the table. She had been gone for a minute but maybe there was a line in the ladies' room. Her attention was drawn back to her group when Steve bumped into her as he was dancing in his seat. "I love this song! Come on, chica, let's hit the dance floor!" he said, grabbing her hand and dragging her to the crowd moving, more or less, to the music. Tuning into the song for a second, Chloe recognized Justin Timberlake's "Rock Your Body" and grinned at Steve.
Cassidy, who was still on the dance floor, saw them coming and gave a small cry of happiness at being joined by her friends. Chloe usually would be apprehensive and never get on the dance floor in this crowd but the alcohol and the backup of her friends there with her gave her more courage. She began to move with the others and allowed herself to let go to the music. They were in a small corner of the dance floor closest to their table on the exact opposite corner from the smoking room and on the opposite side of the room from the bar.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
As Jo finished her cigarette, Kal stood up and held out his hand to her. "Come on," he said.
Placing her hand automatically in his, she allowed him to pull her to her feet. "Where are we going?" she asked, dropping a hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she swayed a little from the swift landing on her feet. He felt himself shiver a little at the smokiness of her voice. It was unnerving how much this woman affected him. He tried not to think about the obvious age difference between them. He was pretending to be old enough to drink but Jo actually was. He tried to assuage his conscience at the subterfuge by telling himself that he didn't really know how old he was exactly.
"I thought we'd see how well we move together…on the dance floor," he told her as he glanced back, pulling her along gently behind him.
Kal led her out of the room and onto the dance floor, never letting go of her hand. As they moved into the crowd, she spun around him so she was facing him. The lights dimmed even more as a slower song came on and couples entwined. He squeezed her hand as he pulled her closer and felt the effects of the red kryptonite intensify as the ring dug into his finger slightly. Her arms wrapped around his neck while his wrapped around her waist, tightening as he pulled her closer to his body.
Lois looked up into his eyes, still hidden in shadows and wondered whether she should be worried that she had yet to see his face in the light. If asked to give a description of Kal to someone, say the police for instance, she would never be able to pick him out of a line up. Except that there was a part of her that felt like it recognized him…like this was where she had wanted to be all her life.
(If you'd like to hear the song I chose for them to dance to, it's "All Night" by Sam Phillips. Here's a link to it on Youtube: .com/watch?v=FP85mGkIToM&feature=related )
They moved together as if in a trance to the song and Lois felt the rhythm in her soul. Kal looked down at her and they slid together and apart, he spun her away from him and then back into his arms, they swayed and drifted with the music. As he took her hand and moved her around him in a complete circle, she bit her bottom lip and looked around and then back at him and he felt his eyes glow when he caught that movement, his gaze drawn to her mouth. He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest as they swayed. She laid her head back onto his shoulder and brought one hand up to the back of his head to slide down his face.
Kal spun her back to face him slowly, pulling her flush against him, her hands landing against his chest. His hands gently rubbed up and down her arms as the song came to an end and he leaned closer, his lips millimeters from hers. The next song started abruptly, rudely throwing them back into reality and Lois pulled back, giving a nervous smile at him. The lights came up ever so slightly back to their normally dim level.
"Oh my god!" Lois said, suddenly realizing that she had been gone for a while and Chloe would probably be looking for her. "My friends are probably wondering what happened to me." Giving him a full smile, she took his hand again. "You should come and meet them. My cousin especially…" her voice trailed off as he pulled her back to him.
"No thanks, Jo. I'm not really in the mood to party with a group right now," Kal told her shaking his head.
"Oh, well," Lois' words faltered with her smile. She started to pull her hand out of his and put some space between them.
But then Kal pulled her back closer to him and smiled. "Wait a minute. Where are you going? Just because I don't want to meet all your friends doesn't mean I don't still want to get to know you better. Maybe we could go somewhere and talk? Maybe get a bite to eat or something?" he suggested.
Lois bit her lower lip. This was so not a good idea. What had she been thinking? How could she even contemplate running off with a complete stranger? An older male stranger at that?
At her hesitation, Kal pulled her closer still and did what he had wanted to do since they had met. He fused his lips to hers. She went stiff in shock at first but then relaxed and responded. As she melted into his arms, Kal deepened the kiss briefly before pulling back. He smirked at her. "I just wanted to get that out of the way."
Her heart rate off the charts, Lois rolled her eyes but smiled back before turning serious. "Kal, I'm not the kind of girl that just goes off with strange men and…"
He stopped her mid-sentence with a finger over her lips. "I just want to get to know you better, Jo. That's it. We can go wherever you want to go and do only whatever you want to do," he reassured her, tapping into Clark Kent.
Lois felt herself relenting and finally she nodded. "Ok, but I can't leave just yet. I'm here with those friends and my cousin. I don't want them to know I'm sneaking off with a stranger. I need to hang with them for at least another half an hour." She went over to the bar where she had dropped her purse as they had made their way onto the dance floor and pulled out her cell phone. Looking at the display, she sighed internally. 10:30 already.
"Ok, so I can pick you up outside in half an hour. How does that sound?" he suggested into her ear.
This was it. Decision time. Would she trust this stranger and go off into the night with him? She knew she shouldn't. It could only end in disaster one way or another. She wasn't going to stay in Metropolis indefinitely. He was an older guy. No one would know where she was. The list for not going with him was long. And yet…
"Yeah, I'll meet you out front at 11, maybe ten minutes after," she found herself saying, her heart pounding in anticipation.
Kal grinned at her and started backing away from her. "Alright then. Go back to your friends and I'll see you later."
Lois grinned back and then as he propped himself up on a stool at the bar, started to make her way back to the table in the other corner of the large room. Why did something so wrong feel so right?
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Chloe was starting to get worried. It had been too long since Lois had left them. But just as she was about to go looking for her cousin, she saw her making her way back to the table, a drink in her hand. "Lois! What took you so long?" she asked.
Lois shrugged. "Sorry. There was a line for the bathroom and then I wanted something from the bar and it took a minute for that. I wasn't gone that long was I?" she asked lightly.
Chloe looked at her cousin closer in the dark. She was hiding something, Chloe could tell. As she leaned closer, however, she got a whiff of her and drew back slightly. "Oh, Lois! You didn't!" she groaned.
"What? Chlo, what's gotten into you?"
"You smell like smoke! You didn't sneak off to have a cigarette did you?" Chloe scolded.
Looking only slightly guilty, Lois hid her face in her drink and muttered something. At her cousin's raised eyebrow and hand on hip, she rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine! I had a cigarette. So sue me! I told you I'm trying to quit but it's not easy. It was only my second one all day."
"Your second! Lois…"
But Lois interrupted her. "Chlo, we're here to have fun! You can jump all over me about smoking tomorrow. For now, let's just have a good time. Ok?"
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
They had another round of drinks and Chloe was laughing at something Steve and Regina were arguing about when something caught her attention at the bar. Or rather, someone caught her attention. She only caught a glimpse but it looked like…
Standing up, Chloe grabbed her purse. "I guess it's my turn for a trip to the ladies' room. I'll be right back."
Cassidy, who had rejoined the group a bit ago, stood up with her. "I'll go with you, Chloe."
Unable to think of a way to stop her without it seeming weird, Chloe smothered a sigh. They made their way towards the bathroom but just before going in, she told her friend, "Oh, I forgot something. I'll be right back. You go ahead."
Shrugging, Cassidy agreed and went on into the restroom. Looking back towards the table and then to the bar, Chloe took a deep breath and started to make her way over to the bar. She kept trying to get a clear view of the person she had only caught a glimpse of, trying to see around all the people. Suddenly, the crowd parted enough and he turned just slightly and she caught her breath at his profile. Clark! It was really him!
Biting her lip, she debated on whether to confront him or not for a moment. Everyone back in Smallville was worried about him and it made her angry, but she also knew that Clark wouldn't just disappear unless he just didn't want to be found. She had regretted her decision to help Lionel Luthor spy on her friend almost immediately and had used the excuse that Clark had disappeared to try and stall the billionaire and try to figure out what he wanted with a farm boy, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still upset with Clark. The decision of whether to confront him now or not was taken out of her hands as he stood up and made his way to the door. Glancing back towards the direction of the table with her friends, she huffed and decided to follow him.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Kal dropped a large bill onto the bar and stood up. He wanted to go back to his apartment and pick up the motorcycle if Jo was going to be coming with him. That way she would be right up against him. It was only a couple of blocks from the club and he could have easily walked the distance every time he came but his arrivals were about an image he wanted to project. He liked being the "big man on campus".
He would take the convertible back to his apartment and then go back to the club for Jo on the bike. He saw there was a line for people waiting for the valets to either bring their cars or take them. He didn't feel like waiting so went up to the head valet and asked for his keys, saying he would get his car himself. Whistling lightly, Kal's mind was on the hours ahead with Jo and didn't notice that someone was following him.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Chloe tried to keep up with Clark while at the same time, not letting her shoes make too much noise. She didn't want him to see her just yet. Something in her gut told her that she should just follow him for now…see where he went. When he got to a convertible and started to climb in, however, she looked around frantically. She couldn't lose him now!
Running to the edge of the street she waved down a taxi that was driving by. Climbing in as the driver pulled over, she told him to follow the convertible. Chloe gave him a bright smile as he looked at her strangely but he didn't comment and she didn't offer an explanation. She was surprised when both Clark and the cab stopped at a high rise apartment building only a couple of blocks from the club. As Clark parked and started towards the elevators, she jumped out of the cab to follow.
"Could you wait here, please?" she asked the driver.
"It'll cost ya, honey," he told her. "The meter don't stop until you pay."
Glancing at the meter, Chloe decided she could afford it since the ride from the club hadn't been that far. "Ok, that's fine. I'll only be a minute." She hoped.
She walked up to the elevators just as the doors closed and was grateful that they had been closed enough for Clark not to see her. Instead of pushing the button to go up right away, she waited to see which floor the numbers would stop at in the elevator that Clark had gotten onto. Once she had it, she got on the elevator and pushed the button for the same floor. It was a glass elevator and the height it ascended to made her wonder about Clark's nerves. He usually was afraid of heights.
The doors opened and she stepped off the elevator to see Clark leaning against the door frame to one of the apartments. He straightened and his eyes widened a little at the site of her. He quickly schooled his features, however, into a smirk. "I thought I was being followed. What are you doing here, Chloe? How did you find me?" he asked harshly.
She stepped back as if he had slapped her. Then she got angry. "What am I doing here? Clark, your parents, Pete, Lana, everyone back home is worried sick about you and have been looking for you!"
Chloe stepped back slightly again as he marched over to her and grabbed her upper arms roughly. "Who else is with you? Who else knows I'm here?" he demanded.
She stared at him in disbelief but shook her head. "No one, Clark. I was at that club with some friends from the Daily Planet and I saw you and followed you back here." He dropped his hands and sighed in relief. "Clark, what happened? Why did you leave home? I mean I know that it was hard when your mom lost the baby but your parents need you. Lana cries herself to sleep at night. Lex is missing…"
Clark turned hard eyes on her. "Nobody needs me, Chloe. I just bring pain and trouble to everyone and everything in my path. I made a decision that changed everyone's lives and it was the wrong one." He thought about Jo and wondered if spending an evening with someone he was so attracted to was such a good idea considering the words he had just told Chloe. Hardening his resolve, he lifted his chin. "Go home, Chloe. And don't tell anyone that you found me or I'll run away so far that no one will ever find me."
"But, Clark…"
He stepped in front of her and got in her face. "I said go home! Leave! And tell Lana that she needs to move on. I'm tired of playing games with her," he ground out.
Chloe started to snap back at him but stopped when she looked into his eyes. Although it was pretty dark, she saw the pain that was there in them. Straightening, she decided that for now, maybe some distance was what Clark needed. Whatever had happened had hurt him pretty badly. Plus there was a part of her that kind of liked the idea of being the only one who knew where he was.
"Ok, Clark, I'll leave…for now. But would you at least think about calling your parents and telling them you're ok? I know they're worried about you," she said quietly. When he didn't say anything, she moved to the elevator and pushed the button to go back down. The last glimpse she saw of him as the elevator doors closed was him standing rock still, his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight as he stared off into the sky.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Clark felt his chest burning and he panted at the pain. He quickly made his way inside the apartment and collapsed against the door, thankful that it seemed Coop wasn't around at the moment. The pain intensified and he let out a cry and snatched the ring off his finger. As the pain subsided, he slid down to the floor and collapsed into tears. He cursed Chloe for finding him and bringing back all the agony of his past actions crashing down on him again.
After a few moments of sobbing, he couldn't take the pain anymore and slid the ring back on his finger. He closed his eyes as the effects rushed up his arm and eased the aching in his chest. When they opened again, they were glowing red and Kal jumped up, wiping his face with the back of his hand and disgusted by his moment of weakness. He quickly rushed to the bathroom, washed his face and hands and sped out of the apartment again, grabbing the keys to his bike.
* * * * CK/LL * * * *
Chloe made her way back into the club and back to her friends. Lois was downing another drink and hummed and waved her hands as she spotted her cousin. She swallowed and coughed a bit. "Chloe! Where were you? We weren't sure whether to order you another drink or not."
Shaking her head, Chloe forced a smile, but it wasn't as hard as she would have thought considering it was Lois. "I just stepped out for a breath of air. I think I'm pretty much done for the night. The crowd is starting to get to me and it's getting late."
Lois whipped out her cell phone and looked at the time. 11:02. She smiled up at her cousin. "You're right. It is getting kind of late but I'm not quite ready to go yet. You go ahead on home and I'll be there in a bit."
Chloe was about to argue when Regina stood up. "I'll go with you part of the way, Chlo. I think I'm ready to go too. I'll share a cab part of the way with you."
"Well," Chloe debated, looking at Lois. "Are you sure? You know the General is going to be calling in about an hour remember?"
Lois grinned and held up her cell phone, waving it back and forth. "It's called call forwarding, Chlo! I've done this dance with daddy dearest before. Do you need some money for the cab?"
Chloe shook her head. "Nah, I'll be fine. Just be careful! Call me when you head back so I know to look for you."
Lois rolled her eyes but smiled and nodded. "Alright, cuz. I'll call ya. Don't worry, though, I can handle myself." She gave Chloe a brief hug and then watched as she and Regina disappeared through the crowd. Forcing herself to wait a full two minutes, she watched Cassidy dance with some guy on the dance floor. Steve was swaying and humming with the music in the seat next to her.
Finally, she couldn't take anymore and jumped up, startling Steve. "You know what? I've changed my mind. I think I'm going to head out too."
"You want us to go with you? Make sure you make it home ok?" Steve asked.
"No! I mean, I'll be fine and you should probably keep an eye on Cassidy. I'm just going to catch a taxi," Lois reassured him. Then she dropped a quick peck on his cheek. "You're sweet for offering though. I'll catch you later?"
He winked at her. "Sure thang, sugar! Don't be a stranger! You're a blast to hang with…and if you happen to discover any of those good looking military types are playing for my team and kinda lonely, have them look me up," he laughed.
Lois made her way outside and discovered that the night had grown a little chilly. She wished she had brought a jacket with her. She looked around and heard the roar of a motorcycle coming towards the club. Stepping to the curb, she grinned as she recognized the outline of Kal sitting on the bike. Even as dark as it was, he had on shades and she found that she liked the look, despite the ridiculousness of wearing them at this time of night.
He grinned back at her and put the kickstand down. Climbing off the bike, he saw her shiver a little as the wind blew and he immediately took off his jacket. Wrapping around her shoulders, he tugged on the lapels and pulled her towards him, fusing his lips to hers. In her tipsy state, Lois immediately leaned into the kiss and parted her lips. He groaned softly and let his tongue explore her mouth, his hands weaving into her hair. Neither of them noticed when her combs fell out or heard them as they clinked softly on the asphalt.
Unbeknownst to either of them, a taxi was driving by at that moment. Chloe looked out the window and recognized the bike and Clark's form. He was kissing some girl with a long leather jacket on and he seemed to really be enjoying it. The old flame of jealously burned brightly and Chloe quickly looked away, not recognizing her cousin from that angle and the brief glimpse. It was obvious that Clark was telling the truth when he said that Lana should move on. He obviously had.
Lois pulled back, out of breath and Kal smirked down at her. "You ready to ride, Jo?" He held out a helmet to her.
Shaking her head, she pushed the helmet away. "I feel like living on the edge tonight. Maybe it's the company…or the alcohol but I'm going to say no to the helmet for tonight." She climbed on the bike behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, placing her feet up on either side of the bike.
He started the engine and she felt a shiver at the rumbling. "Hang on, Jo. You're in for the ride of your life," he told her over the roar of the bike.