Lovely Lane Chapter 10

Spring Vacation VII

Lana awakens first. Lying there with Clark by her side just seems different today. Exceptionally different. She had been day-dreaming about this for a while now. It was everything she had dreamed about, and more. So much more. Now she was with her forever man, completely committed to be by his side for as long as thy both shall live. 'Whoa, that sounds like' . . . yes, it does and that doesn't scare her, not a bit. In fact, she is looking forward to it.

She begins to caress her lover; temple, cheek, lips, neck, collar bone, chest. He finally stirs.

"Took you long enough, sleepy head."

"I was just lying here enjoying being loved on, princess."

"I was hoping for a more pleasurable response than that, sweetheart."

"Well, let's see about that." He rolls over on top of her, supporting his weight with his elbows. Loving just keeps getting better and better.

90 MINUTES LATER

They emerge from their first communal shower. Towel dry and dress; Lana proceeds with hair and makeup. Doing all that stuff that Clark deems so not necessary – most of it anyway. She is so beautiful; he is so fortunate. The universe is smiling on him, on them.

Clark's phone chimes, a TXT from someone he doesn't know.

UNKN: DEA agent Del Campo here. THX for alerting us to that narco sub, big bust! Many THX!

Clark is furious! Someone else has his contact #. 'Damn, Hetty promised!' He sends a TXT as Lana comes out of the bathroom fully dressed and looking . . . good. Ah, better than good, concentrate boy! She looks over his shoulder as he types:

TXT

C (to Hetty): Damn, you promised! Now an agent Del Campo just texted me. Who else have you given my # to!

5 minutes later.

H: I didn't, I am on it, back to U soon

NCIS-OSP

Hetty yells, "agents, in Ops NOW!" As she climbs the stairs.

They assemble, worried.

"Clark Kent just texted me. Talia Del Campo just sent him a TXT. Who the HELL gave her his #?"

They all look at each other, nonplussed.

"Anyone?"

They all shake their heads, denying culpability.

"Eric, Nell, find out what happened. NOW!" She strides out of the room, almost crashing into the auto sliding doors.

The team look at each other. Callen gives an order, "Call Talia, Eric. Put it on speaker."

He complies; "Talia here."

"Tali, Callen here. How did you get Clark Kent's cell #?"

Silence.

"Talia, this is important!" Callen barks.

"Is he a secret agent, G?"

"No, he's a civilian Talia. You have no business with his cell #!" Kensi growls.

"Is that love stuck Blye I hear?" Talia chuckles.

Kensi balls up her fists, Deeks puts a hand on her forearm, "Easy, partner. She's just trying to get a rise out of you."

"Well, she got it! Do you want another broken nose, bitch?"

"And how's your split lip, prissy? Marty, how is her kissing these days, huh?"

"If I could crawl through a phone line!" Kensi barks.

"It's a cell connection, dumb ass!" Talia spits,

"ENOUGH!" Callen shouts. "Talia, how did you get Kent's #?"

"Callen, I'm afraid your manager will have to ask my director, sorry. Bye Marty," she purrs. Call disconnected.

G holds up his hands for silence.

"Hetty isn't gonna be happy about this, G." Sam mutters.

"No, she's not. I'll go talk with her." He exits Ops.

"Hetty, a moment?" She motions for him to sit.

"Turns out, you will have to call Talia's director to find out how she got Clark's cell #."

"She wouldn't say?"

He shakes his head.

"Bugger," Hetty grumbles. She makes the call, not on speaker. She hangs up; "Well, it seems that his top tech guy gave it to Talia. Upstairs!"

In Ops; "Mr. Beale, do you know Ira Weiss?"

"Yeah, he's a friend. We play Warcraft often . . . damn."

"He works at DEA?"

"Yes."

"Go on."

"Well, a few weeks ago I was here in Ops when we played. The only time, I swear!"

His teammates look at each other, flabbergasted. Nell was almost crying, Hetty was stone faced. He had royally violated a cardinal rule!

"Go on." Hetty said, quietly.

"There was a glitch during game 2; at least I thought it was a glitch. My screen froze for 5". If during that 5" Ira was snooping, he could have found or created a back door."

"Son of a bitch!" Nell burst out.

"Mr. Beale, in my office, now. Nell, Kensi, figure out what happened. Eric, what date was that?"

"We can figure that out quickly," Nell says.

"Very well proceed. The rest of you get to work. Mr. Beale, downstairs." Hetty stomps out of Ops.

"Ah, G, what are you, me and Sam working on, exactly?" Deeks asks.

"Paperwork, I suppose."

"Thanks." Deeks smirks.

"My pleasure," Callen grins.

In Ops

Nell and Kensi get to work. They find a back door created on the date, and during the time when Eric and Ira were playing Warcraft. But the IPA doesn't track to either Ira's or Eric's workstations. It was someone else. Narrowing that down will take some time, Eric's time and expertise.

Hetty's Office

"Mr. Beale, you know I will have to discipline you."

"I know," he hangs his head.

"Using NCIS equipment, and exposing us to risks like this is very serious."

"Yes, it is. Do what you must."

Hetty thinks he's almost in tears. Her office phone rings. "Lang here." She listens w/o talking, and hangs up. "Well, it seems there is a 3rd party involved. Before your 30-day suspension takes effect, you will work with Nell & Kensi to sort this out. That will be your only responsibility here at OSP. Understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am. About pay?"

"With pay."

"That penalizes you as much as, or more than, me."

"Yes, it does. How do you feel about that?"

"Terrible!"

"Good, you are supposed to. Now get upstairs and help the ladies."

LAX

"What a time we had in sunny California!" Clark grins. "Did we succeed in checking one item off of your bucket list?"

"And how! My list was almost obliterated! But you know, I think we and Densi could be great friends."

"Densi?"

"Deeks & Kensi, slow poke."

"Ok, so what are we?"

"Clana, of course."

"Ah, I like it . . . Clark/Lana, Clana!"

"I like it too," she snuggles closer.

A gate attendant comes to stand in front of them. "Clark Kent and Lana Lang?"

"Yes," they say simultaneously.

"Your boarding has been called."

"We aren't 1st class," Lana is puzzled.

"You have been upgraded. Follow me, please."

They board, their carry-on bags are stowed by a flight attendant, they take their seats and respond to the question regarding their choice of beverage. They look at each other and say, "Hetty!"

They enjoy the flight, except to snuggle Lana would have to sit in Clark's lap. She thinks about it, but decides not to make that much of a scene. They also pass on the mile-high club. Maybe next time.

LOVELY LANE

They stand in font of the door to their loft. Clark fumbles for his keys, Lana puts a hand on his am, "Wait."

She looks around, nobody is within sight. She closes her eyes; suddenly they are upstairs, standing in the middle of the loft. "I love that!" Clark whispers.

"Me too," Lana whispers back.

They do their bedtime routines and climb into bed. Now it's snuggling time and more.

TBC