Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm really sorry this took me so long to update but I took time off to write another (completed) shorter story. I will post that one soon and I suggest you guys all check it out. It's entitled Operation: Pain in My Side. Now that it's finished I have time for this again so expect more updates
Chapter 9: Unsafe
Lois slyly watched Clark out of the corner of her eye and couldn't stop a smirk from forming on her lips. Sitting at their usual table at the Talon, he looked completely frustrated, but homework could do that to practically anyone. He growled a little and crossed out a few lines, and Lois let out a little laugh. Baffled, he finally looked up at her, and she only raised a brow in response.
"What?" He asked curiously, tilting his head to the side to study her.
"Nothing."
"No, you were laughing at me."
"Yes, I was," Lois agreed and focused her attention back on the book she had been pretending to read for the last half hour.
"Lois," he whined, drawling out her name into at least 4 extra syllables. She glanced over at him; he hadn't started to do that to her name until at least a month into their partnership at the Daily Planet.
"Clark," she mimicked him and watched happily as his eyes narrowed at her. She smiled wickedly and patted his cheek before finally giving in. "You were growling at your homework."
"Doesn't everyone?"
"I wouldn't know… I only talk to myself."
"—just when you're doing your homework?" He asked, his eyes shining with merriment.
"No, all the time," she bantered back. "Do you need some help with that?" She asked, motioning towards the messy paper.
"I'm almost done, but I still have math to work on--you're not a math genius, are you?" He teased narrowing his eyes in contemplation.
"Yes I am, actually," she stated, raising her chin slightly. "But, I think I'm going to go keep your mom company by getting some coffee and not lending you any of my expertise."
She stood and shot him a smile that he easily matched with one of his own. He grabbed her hand tightly before she had a chance to flee. "In all seriousness Lois, would you mind looking over my paper when I'm finished with it?"
"You want me to?"
"Why wouldn't I? I've read your writing Lois—bad spelling aside, you're an amazing writer."
"Stupid spelling," she muttered in response and dropped her head to hide the slight blush.
"I can e-mail it to you… take a look at it when you've got time."
"I'd love to, Smallville," Lois said shortly. "I'm going to go get my coffee now; I've got a long drive ahead of me. Do you want anything?"
"No thanks," he said with a little smirk before going back to his paper.
Lois laughed quietly at his change of focus and went over to where Martha was standing behind the counter.
"Hey, Lois… you want the usual?"
"Yeah, thanks Mrs. Kent… and throw in a muffin too," Lois pointed with a smile and took a seat at the counter. The muffin was for Clark, he hadn't asked for it but she knew he would eat it.
"You got it," Martha answered, smiling slightly. "So when do you have to start heading back?"
I wouldn't have to drive, or leave nearly as soon, if your son would just tell me he's an alien already, Lois thought with a little frown.
"Lois?" Martha inquired with concern, placing the coffee next to the younger woman.
"Oh, I've actually got to be going right now."
"That's a shame—it looks like Clark is being invited to a party and I'm sure he'd love to take you."
What?
"What?" Lois said aloud with confusion. She followed Martha's look over her shoulder to where Clark was seated. He was leaning as far away as he could from two random girls, a brunette and blonde. She would have laughed aloud at his uneasiness if said brunette didn't drop her hand onto Clark's shoulder. Lois's eyes narrowed as she took in the scene. Clark plucked the girl's hand off of him and pushed it away with a hesitant smile and a nervous look around the room. Deciding it was time to take pity on the guy, Lois swiped up the muffin and coffee and sauntered over towards them.
"Her parents have a hot tub," she overheard one of the girls say as she finally reached the table.
"Really?" Clark said politely, catching Lois walking back towards him. She couldn't be sure, but she was pretty certain he let out a sigh of relief.
"Yeah."
The girls both smiled at each other and then at Clark, nodding, but frowned as Lois plopped back down into her spot next to Clark.
"Um, thanks, but I've still got a lot of work to do here," Clark explained. Lois let out a little chuckle as he sidled even closer to her.
The girls' smiles faded. "Okay. Well, why don't you drop by later if you finish? You can bring Lois," they quickly added with a pout. Lois smiled sweetly in return and Clark only nodded.
"See ya."
"Bye, Clark."
The girls stood up and walked away, leaving Clark a little baffled and obviously flustered.
Lois laughed. "Smallville, you've really got to learn how to deal with women," she announced gaily as she began shoving her papers into her pack.
"I only want to deal with you," he answers cheekily. Lois couldn't help but gape slightly. Where has his shyness gone now?
"Yeah well, first you have to keep up with me."
"I can run really fast."
"I bet," she bantered back, barely containing a scoff at his comment. The truth of the matter was that if he was this comfortable with joking about his abilities – even if he didn't know that she knew – then that could be a really good sign.
Right?
"Right," she muttered under her breath and looked away from his bright eyes. She was tired of driving from Metropolis when he could just sweep her up into his arms and…
"What?" He asked with a little smile, noticing her talking to herself.
"What?"
"You said 'right'," he helpfully supplied when she tried to play dumb. She glared slightly back at him.
"I was talking to myself."
Clark waited for her to explain her comment, but after a moment it was clear that she was not going to do so.
"Do you really have to go so soon?" he asked with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. She knew how he felt; it wasn't all that nice of a feeling to need someone so much. It ate at your gut and made you say stupid things that you would never normally say.
"I have to meet with my sociology group."
"But it's the weekend."
On the other hand, it felt awfully nice to feel so wanted.
"I know—stupid 'my name's Carol but I like to be called Fran' couldn't do it any other day. Apparently she has a play she's rehearsing for."
"Fran?"
"I have no idea, Clark," Lois answered truthfully with a little laugh. She knocked her shoulder into his as he joined in her laughter. "But you could always run to Met-U—you being able to run really fast and all," she teased, keeping her voice light but waiting nervously on the inside for his reaction.
"I just might," he said with a soft smile, pulling her up for a quick kiss on her lips before she had a chance to protest. She looked at him pensively for a moment before spontaneously throwing her arms around his neck in a tight embrace and, in the next second, moved towards the exit like a whirl wind.
"Lois, you forgot your muffin!" he called out from the spot he was glued to. She opened the door and turned back to him.
"I got it for you. Bye Martha!"
And then she was gone.
Martha's arm was still raised in farewell as Clark walked back to where she stood behind the counter. He took a seat in front of his mother and picked at the muffin.
It was banana nut: his favorite.
"She's great—isn't she?" he said after a little while.
Martha nodded in agreement. "She sure is one of a kind."
"Like me," he said softly and so hesitantly that Martha lowered her hand onto his and gave it a tender squeeze.
"Like you."
"A girl would have to be crazy to be in a relationship with me."
Martha looked at Clark fondly and then turned to stare at the door Lois had just left through. "I'd say Lois is just crazy enough to handle you."
Clark looked up quickly into his mother's smiling eyes and couldn't fight a grin from emerging. "She does enjoy a challenge."
Lois had decided to drop in for a visit to the caves before heading back to school in hopes that she would get some answers from Lara. It was quite possibly wishful thinking, but it couldn't hurt to try. As she approached the opening, her phone began to ring. Looking at the caller ID screen, Lois saw Chloe's name flashing urgently.
"What do you want Chlo?" She asked and stopped just short of touching the soulmate symbol that always lit up and opened the wall when she was near.
"Alicia's in town."
"Alicia as in 'I want to marry Clark and almost did and tried to kill Lana but not this time and then got murdered'—that Alicia?"
"You had me up until the part…no; actually you lost me with everything before and after 'tried to kill Lana.'"
"That's because the other stuff hasn't happened yet, Cuz, and I don't think I was supposed to tell you all that," Lois responded with a sigh and rubbed at her forehead.
"Probably not but you did anyway. I don't really like the girl, but murdered?"
"Not for a while yet; I guess I'll have to save her while I'm trying to save the world. Do you think, until then, you could try to keep her away from Clark?"
"I could try, but they're talking right now."
"Where?"
"By the barn?"
"Well what's going on?"
"I don't have super hearing, Lois, but Clark looks pretty uncomfortable."
"Good."
"Oh crap!"
"What?" Lois asked curiously as her cousin continued to mutter.
"I don't know how, but I think Clark saw me spying."
Well, it was most likely his hearing, Lois thought and listened in as Chloe tried to find a better hiding spot, grumbling the whole time about it.
"Chlo?"
"Well, the good news is Alicia's leaving and she looks upset. The bad news is that Clark is heading towards me with a grumpy look on his face, so I've got to go! I'll call you back!" Chloe answered quickly, and before Lois had a chance to say anything in return, she heard a click and the line went dead.
Lois shook her head slightly at her cousin's antics and allowed her fingers to gently trace over the symbol, finally opening the passageway she needed.
"Hey, Mamacita!" Lois exclaimed with a roll of her eyes as she walked into the opening of the cave wall.
"Hello, Lois."
Did she detect a bit of resignation in the dead woman's voice?
"So… I've got a bone to pick with you!"
"I am unsure as to what you are trying to say."
"I want to ask you a few questions."
Silence.
"Oh, well then I hope I have the answers you seek."
"Yeah, right," Lois muttered under her breath, not believing the programmed woman for a second.
"What was that, my child?"
"I'm sure you'll be right," Lois said instead, unsure as to whether or not dead people held grudges.
"You may ask your questions but I can only hope to begin to answer all of them."
Sarcasm?
"Why the heck didn't Clark's hair work in Lana's virgin love potion?"
Silence.
"And I can tell by the eerie quiet of the cave that this is going to be just as difficult as the last conversation we had."
"Virgin love potion?"
"You heard me right sister—virgin love potion. And she tried to snag a lock of your son's hair but it didn't work."
"Oh."
"Yeah, so my question is why, and don't give me that bologna that it must be because he's not a virgin—because he is! Or was at least!"
"So you two have consummated…"
"No! Papa Kent would kill me if I tried seducing his little boy," Lois grumbled and shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. She bit her lip a little in contemplation before looking up hopefully. "Or wouldn't he?"
"Virgin love potion?" the woman asked instead, and Lois blew the bangs out of her face in frustration.
"Yes, that's what I said. The potion actually turned me and Chlo into possessed witches but that's another story. We've discussed it, and now let's move on with the conversation."
Honestly, the woman needs to let it go.
"So do you think I'd get in trouble if I seduce Clark?"
"I am unsure."
"Gah!" Lois exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. If she needed the woman to be sure about anything right now, it was that. She was going crazy waiting with only her memories to remember fondly.
She wanted Clark.
And his abs.
His arms would also play a part she was sure.
Not to mention how good it would feel to just…
"Lois!" Lara called out, her voice sounding exasperated, making Lois wonder just how much of this woman was really in this cave and how it all worked.
"Yeah, all right!" she said in return, trying to clear her mind of a certain farm boy. She would just have to satisfy herself with his kisses.
Silence once again.
Obviously Lara wasn't going to help move the conversation forward.
"So any ideas about the hair?"
"I have none."
"Can't you have at least one?"
If holograms and mystical light sources could glare, Lois was pretty sure she'd be on the receiving end of a fierce one right about now.
"Well what about dreams?" Lois remembered suddenly and wanted to kick herself for not asking about it sooner. She had instead let her mind wander and obsess about Clark being a virgin.
"What dreams?"
"I'm pretty sure Clark had a dream, or rather a vision, of our future. I mean the future I remember. I think we both were thrown into the same vision when I was possessed. It was the day I found out I was pregnant for the first time. I went on this cooking spree…"
"You didn't!"
"Um, yeah, I did and I'm not sure I appreciate your tone of disgust. I can cook!"
"My son informs me otherwise."
"You talk to Clark?"
"Not now, but in the future."
"Right. Well, I believe that Clark is starting to remember things…but how is that even possible? You said that you had the power to only send me back, or were you wrong?"
"Yes, I did only have the influence to send you back but perhaps my son is so emotionally connected with you that–"
"That what? That he came back as well?"
"Perhaps."
"What is this 'perhaps' crap? I think I have the right to a straight-forward answer for once! I don't like being toyed with."
"I wish I had an answer for you, but I am just as lost."
"Great."
"I can tell you to be wary of Luthor."
"And that's one thing you don't have to tell me," Lois couldn't keep the contempt out of her voice or stop her eyes from narrowing. No, she would be wary of all Luthors, not just the son. For, if she was right, it was Lionel's fault that Lex strayed so far from the good path, a path that Clark had told her time and time again that he had tried to stay on.
"Does Lex have a chance?" Lois finally asked, trying to hide her disdain. Just because her husband had seen the good in him didn't mean she agreed.
"Yes."
The most straight forward answer the woman ever gives me and it's not the one I particularly care for, Lois thought with a grimace and began her trek out of the caves. Not that it wasn't just dandy that she or Clark wouldn't have to worry about Lex Luthor, nemesis, in the future but that she had to find a way to kill Lionel Luthor!
….Or at least find a way to keep Lex away from his own father.
Death was an option, but she wasn't about to just murder someone, no matter how much they bugged her. Jail was a suitable option for him of course, but even in there the man had pull…
Her phone chose the perfect time to interrupt her thought process and she couldn't keep the irritation out of her voice as she put her posse on speaker phone and got into her car for the long drive back to Metropolis.
"Do we really need to hide behind these bushes?"
"Yeah, seriously… I totally think I'm allergic to leaves."
"And I can't see anything!"
"We're spying--that means he's not supposed to know we're here."
"But he doesn't even know what we look like! Clark's never even met us before!" Blondie interjected, itching her arm fiercely again.
The other three girls turned to stare at her.
"What?"
"You're actually right," Red replied with a narrowed look. "When are you ever right?"
It was obvious that Blondie wanted to say something in defense, she just couldn't figure out which part of the comment had been offensive.
"...So we can move?" She said instead, and at Red's nod, she stepped away from the bush.
"Why would Clark go ice skating with that tramp anyway?"
"She needs a 'friend' apparently."
"Well she needs to find herself a different one," Red commented with a glare in Alicia's direction.
"Lois said that she trusted Clark but I don't trust that girl anymore than I could stow her," Blondie grumbled. She lifted her binoculars up and three pairs of eyes went wide.
"Hey! He's going to notice those!"
"And it's 'throw'--as far as you can throw her."
"I wouldn't be able to even pick her up!"
"That's the point of the saying… and put the binoculars away."
"But I won't be able to see as well--oh! She leaned in!"
"What do you mean she leaned in?!" The girls exclaimed in unison and turned in the pair's direction, just in time to see Clark fall away onto the hard ice.
"What happened?"
"She leaned in to kiss him and Clark moved away too quickly and fell!"
"Yay for Clark!"
"I can't wait to tell Lois!"
"We should probably follow this girl around some more, though… just in case."
"They're talking—I really wish I could hear them," Blondie muttered and grumbled some more while the other girls just watched Clark shake his head no and skate awkwardly away.
"I bet he told the girl he loved Lois," Red hypothesized and started to walk in the direction Alicia was headed.
"No way, remember how bent out of shape Lois got when we called him her boyfriend?"
"Yeah," Blondie agreed and shivered slightly in remembrance. Lois had been in a bad mood that day. "They aren't official yet—I guess."
"Wait! Who the heck is that guy? Kinda creepy the way he just snuck up behind her."
"I have no idea but if you be quiet for a minute we'll be able to hear what they're saying!"
"Sorry." All three girls turned their ears out just as the man made Alicia aware of his presence.
"Enjoying your freedom?"
"Oh, Dr. McBride. What are you doing here?"
"Checking up on my favorite patient," he replies and takes her hand quickly in his to trace his fingers over her bracelet. "This does more than just keep you in place, Alicia."
"You lojacked me?"
"I have to know where you are so that you don't do anything to jeopardize your release. Like associating with Clark Kent..."
"What's wrong with associating with Clark?" Blondie fiercely whispered in Clark's defense and was elbowed in three places.
"What I do with Clark is my own business and anyway he's not interested. He's got Lois Lane," Alicia said, unable to hide the bitterness in her tone.
"Clark was the object of your obsession, Alicia. Your feelings for him are what precipitated your psychotic break. You really want to risk an incident like that again?"
"But you said that I was better."
"And I want you to stay that way. Perhaps more sessions together outside of the office would be beneficial. You are such a bright, beautiful young girl."
"This guy is giving me the creeps," Red muttered watching the scene unfold.
"I think I just threw up a little in my mouth," Blondie joked back, nodding in agreement.
McBride touched Alicia's face and she pulled away slightly, but he gently held onto her hair.
"It'd be a shame to see you end up back in Belle Reve. Stop seeing Clark Kent before someone gets hurt."
He walked away, leaving Alicia looking heartbroken. The girls almost felt sorry before they remembered their mission: spy on her.
"Where is she going now?"
"Beats me, but let's hurry to the car and follow her!"
It didn't take them long, surprisingly, to figure out that she had led them to a high school—they just couldn't figure out why.
"It's not a school day," Blondie pointed out as they walked as a group through the dark hallway of the school. As they turned the corner and ran into a solitary figure, they couldn't help but be disappointed that their cover was blown—they were caught! And they had been doing so well!
"Who are you?" Red said accusingly to the blonde that wasn't Alicia.
"What are you doing here?" She shot back just as irritated.
"We're following Alicia because she needs to keep her grubby paws off of Clark!"
"Oh. Well, my name's Chloe. You wouldn't happen to be Lois's posse would you?"
"That's us!"
"Right. Well… what are you doing in Smallville? Did Lois tell you to follow Alicia around?"
"No."
"Are you kidding? She would never ask us to spy!"
Obviously they don't know Lois Lane as well as they think, Chloe thought with a smirk.
"Well I'm actually spying on Alicia as well, and I think she went into the Torch." When the girls only responded with blank looks, she pointed to the room she was talking about and they all head in that direction.
"She'll see us—we gotta get to the outside window!" Chloe ordered firmly, leading the way. They peeked in the window just in time to see Alicia open a drawer next to the wall and pull out a circular pink box. She opened the box and pulled out a Smallville High class ring.
"What is this girl crazy or something?"
"Sort of, yes," Chloe answered honestly, biting her lip in contemplation. What would Alicia want with a class ring?
They watched as she set the ring down on the desk before grabbing a decorative glass ball near the computer and slamming it down onto the ring, crushing the metal and popping the gem out of its place. She then carefully held up the red stone to the light for inspection.
"I don't get it—is she a jewel thief or something?"
"That won't get her very much money, that's for sure. I should know… my mom's a jeweler!"
Chloe gaped at the posse behind her. Are they for real? She thought Lois had been exaggerating…
"Something else is going on here," Chloe said aloud, focusing her attention back into the room.
…But what?
Lois glanced over at the silent phone that lay by her closet door. She had thrown it across the room after checking the battery for the fifth time. It had lain quiet ever since. No matter how long she glared at it or willed it to ring it did not. She sighed disgustedly and tried to focus her attention on her art project. Her cardstock paper was beginning to resemble something "artsy" but she still wasn't convinced that art was for her. She just didn't have enough patience with cardstock and glue sticks and scissors…
"Chloe knows better than to keep me hanging like this," Lois muttered, viciously cutting out a yellow and throwing it onto the larger red one before cutting into the red paper again with vigor. She blew her bangs out of her face fiercely to get another look at her phone.
"Ring!" she ordered.
Obviously she didn't have the power of telekinesis.
"Fine, don't call," Lois continued talking to herself, placing the 'S' like shape slightly on the triangles.
It's not that she was worried.
"Of course I'm not!"
Or that she didn't trust Clark.
"Of course I do."
She knew he wouldn't do anything stupid. But Alicia, Alicia was a different matter entirely. She didn't trust the girl at all, especially if she was alone with Clark. And that pissed her off because she was jealous and she shouldn't be.
It's not that she cared that they went ice skating last night. Clark is a horrible skater and who wants to deal with that?
He had given her a call and only agreed to go with the girl because he's a worrier. He sounded so timid and hesitant when he asked Lois if she minded... she was greatly amused.
She just wouldn't put it past the girl to still try and trick Clark into marrying her. She also knew that Clark felt connection to her, one that they could never share, because of her powers.
"I just want him to be happy," she finally admitted to herself that that was in essence the real reason why she was worried. What if he could be happier with Alicia? At that thought she stared down at her art project and let out a little laugh.
Superman.
She had unknowingly pasted together the Superman symbol as one of her "flags" for art 101.
"At least I didn't stick it on a muscle clad sexy chest, now that would have been telling," she mused with a smirk and, for a second, wished she had the ability to draw said chest. A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts of the hunky hero of her dreams.
"Damn it!" she cursed swiftly. She realized that she hadn't placed a towel at the foot of her door to keep her light from shining underneath, fooling outside lurkers into thinking she wasn't home.
If it was the posse, she'd kill them.
But who else could it be?
Hoping they would get the hint (which they never did) she just ignored the knock. She should have predicted the third and after the fourth she stood swiftly with her chin stubbornly set and prepared to send them on their way, no matter how much they whined. Lois Lane is not afraid of four girls!
"What?!" She bit out after stomping to her door and throwing it wide open. "Smallville!"
If her voice sounded shocked, it was because she was stunned. She had been expecting four annoying girls that didn't understand the concept of space and instead it was Clark.
And not just Clark, but Clark in a messy rumpled blue shirt and adorable sleep tousled hair.
"Hi," she tried again and cringed at herself inwardly when she couldn't hide the little squeak in her voice.
"Lois," he breathed out her name finally and took in air as if he had been holding that in for days. She knew that he could hold his breath for long periods of time but she was quite certain he couldn't do it for days. She took a step back away from him and swore when she stepped slightly on her scissors that lay on the floor.
"What's going on?" She tried to keep her tone cool and composed as she checked her foot for injury, but she faltered when he stepped inside her doorway and smiled at her. When he shut the door behind him with a firm slam, she widened her eyes and stumbled backwards again. He caught her just before she fell, and before she could force a couple more words out of her mouth, he crushed his lips down onto hers.
For the first time in months, her mind went completely blank for a few stunning moments. She matched his kiss with her own and her hands immediately found themselves tugging at his messy hair. He groaned happily into her mouth, and she couldn't help but smile back into his before he pulled her even more firmly against him and she got lost in his embrace.
Lois couldn't honestly claim that she had forgotten what it was like to feel so much passion in his kisses. She couldn't have forgotten even if she had wanted to because they haunted her dreams at night. It had been too long since she had tasted this urgency, too long since her body fit so close to his.
"Too long," she affirmed aloud without thinking and when he pulled away slightly her lips followed his to begin again.
"Nothing," Lois said unnecessarily and moved her hands to the hem of his shirt giving it a firm tug. She tried to pull it off, completely breaking the kiss, but his big head got in the way. She tugged harder with a little growl she didn't recognize as coming from her own throat and Clark chuckled through the cotton before taking over and pulling it off. She had begun to attack his revealed chest with her open mouth when he swept her up into his arms and set her gently on the bed. She barely realized her back hit the bed until his body moved to cover hers and she placed a gentle hand over his frantic heartbeat.
"Hey," she said, trying to calm her breathing.
"Hi," his husky voice returned her greeting.
She almost missed it... she wouldn't have even caught it if she hadn't have been staring into his eyes at the exact moment so intently. The flash of red, so fleeting she almost dismissed it.
"Clark."
"What?"
She leaned away just as he made a move to kiss her again and make her even more oblivious.
"Wait."
A red flash in his eyes... she was sure of it.
"Damn it!"
"What?"
"Damn it Clark!" he exclaimed and cursed some more under her breath before giving him a firm shove. To her surprise, he rolled over and off of her easily enough, letting her stumble out of the bed. When he made a move to follow her, she shot him a fierce look. Lois paced the room agitated as Clark just watched her with a raised brow.
"Leave it to Clark Kent to get me all hot and bothered and then leave me hanging," she spat the words venomously and continued pacing.
"Actually," he dared to speak up. "I'm not the one who stopped anything—"
"Shut up!"
He closed his mouth immediately and smirked when his shirt hit his face.
"Put that back on."
"Lois," he drawled out and when she looked at him again she expected to see his adorable flustered face but instead she was on the receiving in of an arrogant sexy smirk.
Uh oh.
"What?" Lois asked warily, moving further away from him. It wasn't long before he had her backed against the wall. He placed a hand on the wall beside her head and, leaning on it, moved his body within inches of hers. She fell against her desk and grimaced as her thigh hit the sharp corner. Clark looked down to see if she was okay but didn't move away. Instead, he brought his other hand up and trailed a finger down her cheek.
"I missed you," he whispered and Lois froze, tightening her lips to keep them from trembling.
"Missed me?" she asked softly and swallowed as he softly kissed right under her jaw line.
"I miss you all of the times we're apart," he answered fervently, but she could detect the honesty in him as well.
"I l—" he began but stopped when Lois shook her head. She wasn't ready for him to say that. If he was going to say what she thought he might, she didn't want him to say it... not now. Not when those feelings might only exist because of red kryptonite that had surely gotten in his system somehow.
"Don't."
"But Lois—"
She pushed at his chest with both palms and once again distanced herself. He was just too much; the situation was just too much. And so she did what had always come easily to her.
She ran.
She had become an expert in running away from her feelings from him before. It had taken her years to admit that she was attracted to him, let alone in love with him. Now, this time was different, but she wasn't ready for him. When they weren't ready and certainly not when he was high on red kryptonite.
He called out to her, just as she knew he would, but she hadn't expected him to chase after her. For some reason, she hadn't expected the blur that was Clark to stop in front of her. He had used his powers, not caring that she saw, or anyone else for that matter.
Not good.
"Clark!"
"Now what?"
She heard the frustration in his voice and found it pretty amusing. He glared slightly when he noticed the twitch of her lips and frowned when she let out a chuckle.
"You can't just do that Clark," she told him firmly, and he stared at her blankly.
"You can't use your powers so blatantly or other people will see."
"I don't care if they do."
"Yes you do, and believe me you'll need to make sure that they don't."
"But—"
"I mean it, Buster!" Lois interjected, poking a finger into his chest.
"Ok."
"Ok? That's it? You're just going to give in?"
"Do you want me to argue with you?" He sounded exasperated and grabbed her arms gently.
"Well, no."
"Good," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her again. She didn't allow it and eyed him suspiciously. "Ok, hand over the Red K."
"Red K?"
"Red kryptonite Clark. Don't look at me like I'm stupid."
"Alicia had it," he answered sourly when she moved out of his arms. She studied his face intently before looking for rings and necklaces, anything out of place that could have the glowing red rock on it.
"So where is it now?"
"I don't know."
Lois's brows furrowed. It looked as if he was telling the truth, but there was no way he would be affected like this unless he had it on him. Or maybe she... that B—
"Lois?"
"She kissed you right?"
"She tried but I don't really see the—
"Well, did you let her?"
"Of course I didn't!"
"So you tried to move away uncomfortably and her lips landed on your cheek right?"
He stared at her bewildered, which answered the question plenty. But it still didn't explain why the red kryptonite was affecting him so much. Even if Alicia had somehow made lipstick like she had worn once, Lois was pretty sure that she would have had to land a kiss on his lips.
She was distracted slightly when Clark gathered her into a hug.
Oh boy, he is really affectionate right now.
"Clark, I'm going to need you to stop that," she told him somewhat shakily. It felt amazing to have his arms around her, but she didn't want to do something she was going to regret. She didn't want to take advantage of this situation. To her amazement, he dropped his arms immediately and put some distance between them.
"Thanks," she said abruptly and winced as the clock tower started to chime. She was going to be late for sociology. In a room of over 200 people, one would think it was possible to sneak in quickly without anyone noticing. But her professor was the sort to notice everything and make a snide comment.
"What?"
"I'm going to be late for class."
"Where do you have to be?" he asked curiously with a glance around the campus.
"Across campus in Tenderich Hall room 306—that's the third floor if you couldn't guess. It's a pain in the butt to walk all the way over there and up those—"
Oh God.
By the time she realized what was going on, she was in an empty hallway right by her classroom, and her backpack was on Clark's shoulder.
Right…
"Clark—"
"I looked around! No one saw me, I swear. Now, let's go to your class."
"You want to go to my class?"
"I just want to be with you, Lois."
Lois sighed, unable to argue with his statement. Allowing him to take her hand, they walked through the doorway as she muttered, "Sociology, here we come."
They hadn't been late to class, and Clark had been content to play with her hand for the first hour and a half of lecture. After the first initial snide comments from the professor towards the students showing up just on time, she relinquished the podium to a guest speaker. For a grouchy old woman, she sure had a lot of connections.
The guest speaker was an exotic dancer — retired. Her stage name, one of them, had been Lola. She was a big fan of Barry Manilow. She had been dancing since college, a way to pay the bills because school was expensive even back then. Now, at age 65, she was selling real estate with no plans of retiring, happily married with five children and 2 grandchildren. Apparently, she wouldn't change a thing.
The conversation was detailed, and after Clark stopped shifting uncomfortably, Lois suspected that he had tuned out the entire lecture. He couldn't have been listening to the last ten minutes at least, for he showed no reaction when 'Lola' explained some of the different clients she had and the strangest requests she had received. As he softly began tapping a finger on her palm in a particular rhythm, she furrowed her brows to try and pinpoint the beat. She shivered slightly when she realized that it was her heartbeat. The tapping had stopped instantly at her epiphany; he must have detected the increase in speed of the beat, for he casually stroked a finger up her wrist and to her elbow.
"Stop," she whispered, but he just smirked and repeated the motion back to her palm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his finger's path.
"Don't," Lois ordered firmly, not because she didn't like it, but because she wouldn't be able to control herself any longer if he kept it up. She jerked her arm away, causing him to pout pathetically. Lois crossed her arms immediately, not trusting him to take over her hand again. Clark shoved his hands into his jean pockets to sulk. Who would have thought that a Clark on Red K could be so adorably pathetic? Usually he was an arrogant son of a--
"Was that a question, Miss?" The ex-exotic dancer questioned towards them; it was more in the form of a comment.
"Lois, Lois Lane," Lois began, not embarrassed in the least as everyone turned towards her. She just barely managed to not add "Daily Planet: after her name, but she leaned forward intently. "I was wondering just how you got started dancing. Was it something that came easily to you? Quite frankly I think it would be a little awkward dancing with a pole."
I know I wasn't all that comfortable when I did it, she added silently.
"That's a good question, Ms. Lane. Let me explain," the older woman smiled and began to speak again while demonstrating.
She still had the moves.
Lois was actually interested in woman but was distracted almost instantly by Clark. He had sunken further into his seat, a sight to see because his large frame was already taking up more than enough space. He moved his legs out, intruding in her space but she didn't complain, because he didn't really have enough room for them. What intrigued her the most, however, was how he warily looked over at her before quickly looking away and pulling his hands from his pockets. He was hiding something, she couldn't help but decide with a raised brow.
What the hell…
She hadn't searched his pockets; Lois berated herself but quickly funneled her anger towards the farm boy next to her. He had been acting like a puppy, following her around, coming to her class, carrying her bag. She had just assumed that he wouldn't lie.
And she had been too focused on not focusing on him that she had totally missed it!
That son of a b—
"Clark!" She bit out angrily, and he jumped slightly, startled by her tone. The auditorium seemed to go silent as well, and she just waved everyone off dismissively and stood up out of her seat.
"I'm really interested in hearing more from you, but Clark here just informed me that he left the stove on! We had better hurry, or the house could be burned to the ground—" She pushed him to walk down the aisle. "I know, I know, I'm worried too, but I'm sure everything will be ok, and I won't be homeless and follow in Lola's steps."
"You'd better hurry, dear," the kind woman responded with a smile. "I'll get your email address and phone number from your teacher so I can answer any more of your questions."
"Thanks."
As soon they were out of the classroom, Lois tugged him none too gently to the supply closet near by. She glared at him a moment with her hand held out, palm raised, as if expecting him to come clean.
"What?"
"You lied to me!"
"I didn't," he muttered but took a step towards her with a glint in his eyes. It was then that Lois realized that the close proximity of the closet probably wasn't a good idea. Clark smiled smugly when he saw her eyes widen and chuckled as she gulped when he leaned his body in against hers.
Lois Lane was not one to be taken control of, and it was time to make him aware of it. She reached around him to grasp at him from behind. He looked down at her quickly when she shrugged and tugged him closer. She narrowed her eyes when Clark groaned in encouragement but continued her quest to his pocket.
Nothing.
There wasn't any sort of rock shaped red thing in his pocket.
That didn't make any sense…
As she was about to remove her hand from his front pocket she furrowed her brow slightly at what she realized was a powdered substance. "You've got to be kidding me."
"What?" he asked obviously distracted.
"Why do you have powdered red kryptonite in your pocket Clark?" Lois said fiercely, removing her hand with a grimace and pinching together a sample of the substance between her fingers. It was definitely the red K.
"Alicia made me some sort of necklace."
"Ok…"
"But I don't love her. I—"
"And so you demolished it?"
"Yes."
"All right…but why did you put it in your pocket?"
"It made me feel good."
"You don't need this to feel good Clark."
"Sometimes I do."
"Take me to Smallville."
"What?"
"You know... all super-speed like."
"Why should I?"
"Well for one, you need a new pair of pants, preferably one that's pockets are not filled with crushed red kryptonite. And while I wouldn't mind it if you stripped down right here, I would mind all of Met-U checking out your goodies."
"My goodies?" He repeated with a large smile but let it slip when she only frowned back. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall of the closet. He looked downright sexy but nowhere near ready to comply.
"I think it's really sexy when you do you super-speed thing," Lois told him slyly, and before she could blink, she was in his arms, and they were on their way to Smallville.
"I really don't understand how I get myself into these situations," Chloe muttered breathlessly as she shoved against the bumper of a pink Cadillac. "I should be in Math class right now. A nice warm room with four walls surrounded by people who charge their cell phones—"
"Sorry," the brunette to her left grumbled, but Chloe ignored her and continued to push at the broken-down car. "You could have brought yours along," the young woman continued, just as frustrated with the situation.
"And when would I have had time to grab it? You lot basically kidnapped me!"
"Well, at least it's not raining," Red pointed out with a grim smile, exhaustion making it less of a smile and more of a grimace.
But it had been raining, Chloe thought darkly. Pouring, actually, for the past half hour. She reached up with one hand to quickly wipe away the still-dripping-wet bangs out of her eyes in exasperation. She made sure that her expression was a pronounced glower so they knew they had something to fear. It was no wonder Lois was in Smallville every opportunity she got. No way could her cousin spend more time than necessary with her posse and not be driven crazy!
"We even knew it was going to rain!" exclaimed Blondie in a whiny pout as she began to wring out her hair and almost steered them into another ditch.
How she was nominated as the 'driver', Chloe couldn't determine.
"We are going to be weather girls, after all," Blondie commented off-handedly as she regained her footing and directed the car to the middle of the road.
Right, Chloe thought and imagined strangling her.
"Ok, once we get to this little hill up ahead we all are going to jump in—I'll drive and hopefully get it jump started."
Chloe prayed to God that it worked.
Almost two hours later, they arrived at Metropolis University, after hitching a ride in a truck that was carrying chickens. Wet, and covered in mud and feathers, the girls stared disbelievingly at Lois's closed door and then at the stolen cell phone. Chloe had been desperate, just having gotten off of the phone with that Alicia girl.
"Lois is in Smallville with Clark and apparently Alicia doesn't want to kill anyone," Chloe commented blankly.
"Well at least we got free eggs!" Blondie exclaimed, light-heartedly holding up the basket.
Red was just quick enough to catch Chloe's arms before she jumped her.
This sucks.
"Take off your pants," Lois announced once they stepped into the Kent farm kitchen. In less than a second, he was standing in front of her wearing a smile and nothing else.
"Hoo kay. Whoa, there. Not that I don't enjoy this side of you, Clark, but I meant you should hand me the jeans and go put on another pair," she explained with a hand seemingly covering her eyes. When he hesitated and shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, she couldn't help but steal a glance.
Lois chuckled when Clark darted off, at normal speed, to cover up. "Damn." The oath was for many missed opportunities, but she had to get to work. Now was not the time to think about Clark naked and what she would prefer to be doing…
Now was not the time.
"I've got to get rid of these jeans of red K dust," Lois murmured, glancing around the kitchen.
The sink might work, but there was no way she could get those pants down the garbage disposal.
Or could I?
Before she could ruin Martha's plumbing, she heard the front door open.
"Lois?"
She whirled around, tossing Clark's pants into the sink and coming face-to-face with Lana Lang.
"What is this, Smallville High Ditch Day?" Lois complained, rolling her eyes.
"What are you doing?" Lana asked, with curiosity and amusement clearly lurking in her eyes.
"Oh, you know... farming."
"…Inside the house?"
"I'm taking a break."
"Right," Lana nodded, narrowing her eyes skeptically. She stood on her toes to try and see over Lois's shoulder and farther into the kitchen, but she was out-maneuvered when Lois made sure to stand up straight. Lana knew when she was beat, but she could have sworn she just saw Lois throw a pair of jeans into the sink…
"Did you need something?" Lois asked impatiently, shifting from one foot to the other.
"Where are the Kent's?" Lana countered.
Where are the Kent's? Lois wondered inwardly but shrugged.
"Have you seen Clark?"
"Boy, have I," Lois mumbled and couldn't help but flush and let out an unsteady breath. At Lana's bemused look, she waved it off dismissively. "He went to change."
And he had better not super-speed back in… take no chances.
"Clark! Lana's here!" She called out so suddenly that Lana jumped in surprise.
"Are you all right?"
"I couldn't be better."
"Ok, well... maybe you can walk with me outside. I'd really like to talk to you instead."
That's different…
"Sure."
Lana led the way out the kitchen door, and Lois threw a nervous glance over her shoulder. Clark better be off that red rock high soon, or he'll end up giving away his closely-guarded secret to the wrong girl.
"I'm worried about Alicia. I heard she was back in town," Lana began, and Lois had to hand it to the girl: she got straight to the point.
"She is, and she was after Clark last night. She basically scared him out of town. I'm just about to go looking for her, and when I find her I'll lay down the lay, you know... and let her know that it's not nice to scare farm boys."
"Mark your territory?" Lana asked with a smile, and Lois was surprised to note that it was indeed sincere. She kind of figured she'd have to beat Lana off with a stick at some point, but maybe she wouldn't need to do that.
"Not territory, per se."
Lana laughed, and Lois didn't explain further. In truth, she didn't really know the exact definition of the relationship, if it's a relationship at all. Sure, they spend a lot of time together, but it wasn't like they were an official couple. And, ok, so they acted like it. Lois believed that one needs to have the commitment talk before a commitment is made, and she wasn't too great at that talk.
"Lois?"
"Yeah?"
"You kind of drifted."
"Yeah, well... what else is there to do on a farm?" she quickly retorted, grimacing slightly at the young woman's amused exasperation.
"Besides farming, nothing comes to mind," Lana agreed and tried to catch up with Lois's long stride as they passed by the barn. "Be careful Lois; she won't be after me this time."
Before Lois could turn fully around to question her meaning, Lana fell to the ground. Dr. McBride stood over her unconscious form, lowering his weapon. Lois started forward in anger only to come to a sudden stop when he aimed the gun at her.
"I warned Alicia to stay away from Clark."
"Where is she?"
"She called me from her cell phone, hysterical, crying that maybe she wasn't better, that maybe she belonged back at Belle Reeve."
"Where you keep her imprisoned," Lois spat, understanding that this man, a doctor, who was supposed to be trusted, has been tormenting Alicia with half-truths. He wanted her for himself, only because he can't have her.
"Alicia is my greatest achievement. When she came to me, her mind was fractured and broken. I made her whole again."
"You're insane!"
"Lois!" Clark called out, running in her direction.
"Clark, don't!" she warned as McBride turned the weapon on Clark.
"Don't move!" he shouted with a nefarious smile, looking from Clark to Lois and then back again. "I see."
"What are you doing?" Clark called out desperately when once again the gun's barrel found Lois in its sight.
"To help Alicia, I had to understand her obsession, so I studied you. It wasn't hard. The sheriff's files are filled with your unexplained appearances at violent crime scenes. The classic earmarks of a troubled teen. Don't worry, they don't send kids like you to jail. They send them to me... at Belle Reeve."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm going to take away the person you treasure most, just as you have taken Alicia away from me!"
"No!"
Dr. McBride turned back to Clark and pulled the trigger. The bullet just missed his head.
"That was a warning. You will know pain, but it will be much greater than anything you could ever experience physically."
"Clark," Lois whispered, her voice hoarse as she met his eyes. She knew what he would do. He would save her, of this she was sure.
But at what cost?
The cost of his secret being revealed, the cost of his future.
Their future together.
The bullet shot out of the gun in slow motion, but before Clark could move in her direction, Alicia teleported in front of Lois. The bullet headed straight for her. Lois hadn't been prepared for her sudden appearance. The force of the bullet knocked Alicia backwards, and Lois could do nothing but catch her as she began to fall. Struggling to hold onto the wounded young woman, Lois watched Clark knock McBride unconscious in less than a second before dropping to his knees next to them.
"It hit her shoulder, Clark," Lois reassured him. "She'll be alright, but we have to get her to a doctor."
"Clark, I know I made a huge mistake. You're the only person who's ever really known me," Alicia began wincing in pain.
"Alicia—"
"Thank you for wanting to be my friend. I finally understand why we could never be anything more," she admited with a shaky smile. She turned her head to meet Lois's eyes.
"We should probably get to a hospital, don't you think?"
"Alicia, why'd you do that?" Clark couldn't help but ask.
"Because I knew that when it came to protecting Lois or compromising your secret, you'd always pick Lois; you love her, and I finally see that. I promised you that I'd always protect your secret. I promised."
The pain was too unbearable for her to remain conscious any longer, and so she closed her eyes.
"Alicia's going to be fine," Lois announced as she made her way into his fortress of solitude. There he stood, looking out at the world, always looking out. His loft, a place for him to deal with his inner demons, fight against his guilt, struggle to find himself. She mentally prepared herself for a talk of some kind.
"I know."
"I think there was something going on with that bracelet of hers."
"What do you mean?"
"I checked it out. The guy that made it for McBride said that it had been tampered with. I figure that's why she went all crazy for you again. Not that I blame her, but McBride had also been pumping drugs into her system. When she stopped taking them, her body couldn't compensate for what it had been used to. She's clean now, and I got her another bracelet. This one will help her control her power and nothing else."
"Thanks."
"She saved my life."
He was silent for a few moments.
"Everything I touch is cursed. Everyone I care about gets hurt. I care about you too much to even chance it. I'm sorry Lois."
"What's that supposed to mean? 'I'm sorry Lois'?"
"I…"
"Give me a break Clark! Stop playing the martyr! Did it ever occur to you that I care for you too much to let you go?"
"Lois—"
"Well if it didn't, I do. I'm not letting you make my decision for me." He had done that before. "I'm sticking by your side. That's where I'll always be. But if you can't see that — if it hasn't occurred to you yet that that's where I belong — then I'll step back. I'll give you some time to get it through that thick skull of yours that you're stuck with me."
"Stuck with you? Lois I really don't think—"
"You're right you don't think. Or you think too much. I haven't decided which."
"Lois! Clark! I heard that Alicia got shot! Lois, did you try and-"
"Give me a break, Chlo. I didn't shoot her," Lois scoffed and gave Clark a look. Chloe was breathing heavily. "Did you run here or something?"
"Or something?! I've been trapped for almost two days with your posse!"
Lois thought that if situations were different, she would have been amused, but she couldn't find it in herself to laugh at that moment. She took Chloe's arm to steer her back down the loft stairs, casting Clark a sorrowful look before heading down.
"C'mon, you can tell me everything on the way to Met-U... I need a lift back." Lois sighed.
When is he going realize that he isn't alone any more?
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