By Crystal Wimmer <JCWimmer@aol.com>
Rated PG
Submitted January 11, 1998
Summary: What really happened the night Lois rushed to Clark's apartment for protection from Dr. Trevino? This story helps us fill in the gaps in the episode from season one "The Witness."
(an in-between scene from "Witness")
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at writing in over ten years, and my first fanfic ever, so be gentle. If you have not seen "Witness" from Season 1, this will make no sense. I kept wondering what happened the night that Lois spend at Clark's apartment, and finally the wondering got the better of me. I decided that I would give it a try. The Characters are, of course, not mine. Comments and (gentle) criticism are welcome. I would love the feedback.
Thank you to Kathy Brown for her encouragement. I promise to read "Camping with Clark" again, and this time keep it straight <g>. Also, a thank you to Chris Mulder, Zoomway, and Gorn for their outstanding work (Kathy, too). They make this look so easy!!!
This story begins in the middle of "Witness", after Lois receives a threatening phone call from Trevino. She knocks on Clark's door in the night, and after throwing her arms around his neck. she asks to stay with him for the night. He agrees, and my story is off …
***
"I'm here, Lois. I'm here. I won't leave you."
Lois sighed and relaxed into Clark's arms. She felt safe. She was still shaking. She couldn't breathe without nearing a sob, but she felt safe.
Clark sighed right along with her. He had never seen Lois so shaken. Certainly, after he had resuscitated her on the floor of her apartment, she had clung to him. She had been afraid, and she had begged him to stay. He had done so, because it felt so good to have her need him. This was different, though. She had come to him, and that was unprecedented. Lois Lane needed nobody, but she needed him. If only the circumstances were better.
"You'll need some things, Lois." Clark was trying to be practical amidst the turmoil of feelings. Lois was here, in his arms, but there were details to attend to.
"I have a gym bag in my car. I keep it at The Planet, in case of an assignment. I grabbed it when she called. I couldn't go home. I just couldn't. I figured I could go to a hotel, but I really didn't want to go. It's not that a hotel wouldn't be nice, and I'm sure I could get in at the Lexor. You know they still remember when our room was trashed, and I know they would have given me a room, maybe even the honeymoon suite, but I just didn't want to be alone."
Clark smiled. "Lois, you're babbling."
"Sorry."
She might be scared, and shaking like a leaf, but she was his Lois. The babbling reassured him that she was fine, even as her clinging arms reminded him that the situation was anything but normal.
"It's fine Lois," Clark assured her, "I want you here." He paused before rephrasing that. "I mean, I like knowing that you're safe. I want you to stay with me tonight."
Lois was calmed by the sound of Clark's voice, his chest vibrating slightly with each word. She began to lower the guard that had protected her from so much heartache. Surely she could trust Clark. Momentarily she had questioned whether he would misinterpret her showing up here with no notice, no phone call, but she felt better now.
Releasing his neck, and taking her weight onto her own legs once more, she began to regain her composure. With the return of her sense of logic, came concern.
"Are you sure this isn't a problem?" she questioned. "I mean, if you have other plans or someone coming over, I'm sure I could get a room at the Lexor. I mean, they have security, such as it is, and I could probably request a little extra attention if that is needed. I know the room that we used before got trashed, but that wouldn't have happened if we had been there because we would have called for help and then I know security could have done something. Anyway, you don't need to feel obligated or anything if you don't want me here because I'm sure you have a life and … "
"Lois?"
"Yes, Clark?"
"You're doing it again."
"Yes, Clark."
"I need to go get your bag. Can I have your keys?"
"Yes, Clark."
Clark smiled, again. She was back! Nervous, but she was strong. She would make it through this. He was sure he could leave her momentarily to get her bag. He locked her into his apartment, then headed down the stairs. He was still smiling as he grabbed her gym bag from behind the driver's seat of her Cherokee, and went back to the stairs leading to his apartment. At the door, he knocked and called out to her as he unlocked the door with his own keys. He certainly didn't want to frighten her unnecessarily.
"Lois, it's just me." Sticking his head in the door he found that he had little reason to worry. She was already dozing on the couch. With a rather silly grin he sat beside her, just watching. **She must be exhausted. I wonder if I can get her into bed without waking her? Maybe I should just leave her here?** Clark immediately reconsidered that idea. She was leaning awkwardly on her hand, which would soon be as asleep as she was. In addition to this, he had learned a few things during their stay at the Lexor, and among them that she was fanatical about brushing her teeth at night. She would not appreciate waking up with a crick in her neck and bad breath.
"Lois," he called softly as he shook her shoulder, "Lois, wake up a minute."
"Am I asleep?"
"Just a little bit. You need to change, Lois."
"Okay." Instead, her head slid down from resting on her hand to resting on her arm, and she snuggled deeper into the couch.
Clark smiled, again. **Well, Superman, time to earn your pay!** He stood and carefully slid his arms beneath her sleeping form. Although he frequently held her this way as Superman, he had never had her snuggle her weight into his arms as she did now. She was sleepy, and vulnerable, and his thoughts threatened to get away from him.
He carried her into his bedroom. **This certainly isn't how I imagined this would be.** He stood her on her feet long enough to pull his covers back, holding one arm around her for support. When that was done, he once again lifted her into his arms and placed her into his bed. After a moment of just looking at her, her hair on his pillow, and her hand curled peacefully beneath her head, he decided that she would be more comfortable without her shoes.
He slid the practical pumps from her feet, and pulled the covers up to her chest. She would probably regret sleeping in her work clothes, but it couldn't be helped. If she had been embarrassed about waking up wearing veils, he could only imagine how she would react if she awoke without them!
Clark grabbed some shorts from his second drawer, then headed for the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he changed into his shorts and dropped his dirty clothes into the hamper. He took a moment to gaze at Lois sleeping, tuning in to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, before he took the extra pillow and went over to the couch.
Clark settled in for a long night. He rarely slept much. This was normally not a problem, as he routinely patrolled the city several times during the night. He would not leave Lois alone, though. She was scared, and while he saw no reason for her to be, he believed her. She did not panic easily, and something had scared her. He vaguely wished that she had stayed awake long enough to explain the situation. He would have a better idea of what he was up against. But, this was not the case, and he was not going to wake her.
Moments later Clark began to feel uneasy. It took only seconds to place the irritant: Lois' heart rate was increasing. It amazed him that he was so in-tune with her. He stood up, put on his robe, and went in to watch her for awhile, just until he was sure she would be fine.
She was not fine! She was sweating, crying, and shaking. Clark couldn't read minds, but he was certain that her daytime fears were playing out into a nightmare. He stepped closer to the bed .
***
**I can't breathe.** She stood in a corner, trying to remain quiet. **She can hear you. She'll be right here.** Lois pulled herself further into the cold corner, away from the light. She was afraid. She was going to die, she knew it. The woman would kill her. Who the woman was Lois had no idea, nor did she care. She only knew that she was going to die. It became harder and harder to breathe, and she briefly struggled against the arms that crept from the corner and began to strangle her. **Not again. I can't die like this, again.** She tried to scream, but there was no air. She became more afraid.
Finally, a warmth permeated the cold that encased her. Once she felt that she could take in air, she did so with greed.
She was warm now.
She assurred herself that she could breathe. She would live. For a moment she considered sliding back into that warm and quiet place that felt so safe, but she feared the return of the cold. Slowly, she made the decision to open her eyes to find out why she was so warm.
The first thing she saw was Clark's concerned face. She closed her eyes again, smiling. Suddenly it occurred to her that dreams were supposed to happen with eyes closed, not open, and that something was amiss.
"Clark?"
"I'm here, Lois."
"Why?"
"You were having a nightmare. I thought I should wake you up."
"Oh." Lois opened her eyes again and took in her surroundings. Even in the dim light it was apparent that she was not in her own bed. "Clark?"
"I'm here."
"Why am I in your bed?"
"You fell asleep." He had a huge smile on his face, as though he enjoyed her confusion. That wasn't fair!
"And, you took me to bed!?!" Lois, finally realizing that she was held deeply in his arms, pulled away with a fierce strength.
"Not exactly." Clark paused a moment before explaining. "I thought you would be more comfortable here." He had released her, and he felt slightly chilled at the loss of her trust.
"Oh." Lois got a hold of herself. Clark was being nice. Clark was taking care of her. Clark was being … Clark.
"How do you feel, now?"
"Groggy."
"Are you awake enough to tell me what's going on?"
"I had a bad dream."
"I realize that, Lois. I meant before. Why did you come here? Finn is in jail. Why are you so afraid?"
"He is. She isn't."
"I don't understand."
"I got a phone call. A woman. She threatened me. She said she would kill me, or at least implied it. I called the police, but Inspector Henderson wasn't there. They advised me not to go home, and I didn't feel … safe … in a hotel. I came here." Suddenly, Lois looked uncertain. "You said that was okay?"
"Fine, Lois. You know you are always welcome here." He paused as he lay his palm against her cheek, his fingers playing lightly with the silky strands of her hair. "Always."
Lois smiled, comforted by his touch. How was it that she felt as safe with Clark as she did with Superman? More so, because the foundation of the relationship was friendship.
Clark relaxed as Lois' heartbeat quieted once more. He wrapped his arms around her briefly in a brotherly hug before releasing her completely.
"Are you hungry? I made dinner, but I didn't get to it yet. You sort of took my mind off of food."
Lois smiled back at Clark. "Yeah, I actually am. I was going to call for take-out, but then she called … " Lois trailed off, lost in thought.
"I grabbed your bag, in case you need anything. Why don't you change into something better to sleep in while I warm you up some dinner?"
"Sounds good." Together they walked to the couch and Clark handed her the black gym bag he had retrieved from her jeep. "Clark?"
"What?"
"I keep this for emergencies. You know, when Perry sends us out with no notice. Anyway, I have some slacks and a top, all the toiletries, but I don't have anything in here … appropriate … to sleep in … well … in mixed company." Lois stumbled through her half explanation, half request.
Clark went quickly back to his dresser and grabbed up a soft sweatshirt from Midwest University. It was one of his favorites, and it had been washed about a thousand times, so it was unusually comfortable. "How about this?" he said as he offered it to Lois.
Her smile was at least a thousand watts. "Thanks, Clark."
***
Lois brushed her hair and teeth, and removed her makeup in the bathroom. She debated about showing Clark her "naked" face, but figured that he was strong and could take it. She left on her underpants, but her bra was an underwire, so she decided that it would have to go. Once in the soft sweatshirt, she decided that she felt a bit better. She was grateful that Clark was so tall, as the shirt fell nearly to her knees. She smiled into the mirror when she realized that the shirt sleeves fell just as far. She pushed them halfway up her arms to get them out of her way. The last remnants of the dream were fading, and she did feel safe here. She and Clark would figure this out in the morning.
As she opened the bathroom door, she was greeted by the wonderful smell of Chinese food. She eagerly went into the living room and dropped her gym bag onto the couch before walking into the small kitchen.
"Can I help?"
"Nope. All done." Clark turned to her with a smile, and a plate in one hand. He handed her the plate of steaming food and a fork, then returned for his own meal.
"This is good," Lois commented between bites. "Where's it from?"
"This I made."
"You're kidding!" Lois could burn salad if she really tried, so the concept of real cooking was far from her repertoire.
"Really. My mom cooks all the time. She's the best cook. I learned from her. It came in handy when I was traveling. You wouldn't believe what they serve at some restaurants in Asia! Europe, too, for that matter." He smiled, broadly. "Cooking was a matter of self preservation."
"This really is good." She finished her plate and carried it to the sink. Clark was right behind her. "I'll take that."
"Thanks."
"Are you about ready for bed?"
"I guess so."
"You can have my bed."
"Thanks." She paused, thinking. "Are you sure that's okay? I mean, I'll flip you for it."
Clark smiled, remembering the enormous amount of teasing that he put her through after she refused to share the bed at the Lexor honeymoon suite. "It's fine, Lois. I'll be fine out here, and you can have some privacy."
"Okay. Thanks." Lois went in to bed and settled in. She pulled the covers up to her neck and relaxed. The pillow smelled like Clark. The whole room felt like Clark. With a feeling of comfort and belonging she had never known, she snuggled into the quilt and slept.
***
Less than twenty minutes later, she was dreaming again. Clark heard the change in her heartbeat, and rushed in. Like before, she was sweaty, shaking, and had tears on her face. Without waiting to think or reason, he sat on the edge of his bed and pulled her into his arms.
He whispered nonsense and reassurances to her as she briefly struggled, as before, and then relaxed against him. He held her tightly, fighting tears himself, because he could not fight this battle for her. She stayed awake for several minutes, just holding him as tightly as he was holding her: a lifeline.
"Okay?"
"No."
After a pause, he tried again. "Better?"
"Yeah."
He held her until her breathing slowed and her heartbeat steadied for sleep. Once he was certain that she was sleeping, he lowered her to the bed and covered her up.
He stopped at the bathroom to wipe the tears from his bare chest. She hadn't commented on his lack of attire, but then she had been pretty out of it. He'd had the presence of mind to grab a robe before going to her the first time, but this time his only thought had been of reaching Lois.
Before he made it to the couch, her heartbeat was erratic again. He went to her, held her, soothed her, and got her back to sleep. Yes, it was going to be a long night.
***
It was nearly three in the morning before Clark gave in. He had been in to care for Lois every twenty or thirty minutes since they had first decided it was time to sleep. Clark required little sleep, but even he needed some rest. The night had been draining, emotionally.
Finally, after soothing Lois back into sleep for the fiftieth time, he raised his legs to the bed and got comfortable. He levitated slightly to get the tangled covers from beneath her, then he pulled them over the both of them. With his back resting against a pillow, and Lois resting on his chest, he drifted near sleep.
In some part of his mind he was afraid of what he was doing. He pondered whether this was to comfort her, or himself. He loved holding her. She fit his body perfectly, just as her intellect stimulated his mind. He could get used to this, and that scared him. She would be angry that he had taken such liberties while she slept, but it felt so good that it just might be worth it. As he finally fell asleep, his last coherent thought was that the next time she woke, he would be with her.
Lois didn't wake up until late in the morning.
***
Lois awoke feeling very warm. She wondered if she had left an electric blanket on, before remembering that she didn't own one. She began to stretch her body out, and was startled to feel the resilience of a man's body underneath her own. She was a little foggy this morning, but this was ridiculous!
Gradually opening her eyes, she realized that her pillow was indeed a man's chest. And not just any man's, but Clark's!
This, she would have remembered! She slid her hand across the smooth skin, appreciating the unique feel of skin against skin. This was nice. Very nice. She moved her leg slightly and felt the slight abrasion of his leg against hers. Very nice. She considered several courses of action before settling on the easiest. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. It would be far less awkward if he was to make the first move. She couldn't very well be upset when he hadn't really done anything.
Clark felt Lois move her hand across his chest and held his breath. She sighed softly and laid her head back on his chest before rubbing her leg against his. Her heartbeat told him she was awake, and he had no idea how to proceed. Was this an invitation? Was she just toying with him? Revenge, possibly, for sleeping with her without her consent?
As he felt her relax again, and her heartbeat slow for sleep, he was at once relieved and disappointed. This was not how he wanted to be with Lois. She was a strong woman, and that strength was as important to him as the occasional vulnerability. She needed him too much now. She needed a friend, and he wouldn't violate that regardless of his physical needs.
Once she was asleep, he carefully lowered her to the bed and slipped out of her arms. She protested in her sleep, and became restless. He took the opportunity to make a quick exit and a beeline for the shower.
When he finished his shower, cold but not yet shivering, he put on his robe and went into the kitchen. Lois awoke to the aroma of bacon and eggs. She slipped from the bed and into the bathroom, where she brushed her teeth and washed her face. She pulled her clothes from the gym bag Clark had left on the sink for her, and silently hoped that the wrinkles would indeed fall out, as the manufacturer promised. After applying a minimum of makeup, she returned to the bed and straightened the covers somewhat.
As Lois entered the kitchen, Clark placed a steaming plate before her. She smiled at the "country" breakfast he had prepared. Crisp bacon, scrambled eggs, and buttered toast had never been more welcome. He poured a cup of coffee for her, then added some milk.
"Sorry, no nonfat," he apologized with a smile.
"That's okay, I'll skip the sugar."
They ate in a silence that was not entirely comfortable or uncomfortable, just there. When finished, Lois thanked him for the breakfast and insisted on washing the dishes for him while he got ready for work. It was nearly nine o'clock, and while they knew Perry would understand the circumstances, she didn't want to have to explain too much.
Just as Lois was putting away the last plate, Clark returned. He was in a suit, with his standard wild-and-crazy tie just slightly off center. Lois walked over and carefully straightened the tie, then met Clark's eyes for the first time that morning.
"I want to thank you."
"You don't need to. I'll always be here for you. You can stay as long as you need to."
She gazed into chocolate brown eyes, so much like her own, and then shook her head. "That isn't what I meant. I think you know that. Thank you."
Clark smiled a very shy, boyish smile. He briefly considered teasing her as they always did one another. He thought of joking about how she had been "on top", or goading her into an argument about her sleeping with him instead of Superman. They always handled each other with a combination of sarcasm, antagonism, and occasionally true humor. Unfortunately, this night didn't fit with the usual at all. Quite simply, he didn't want to go back to that just yet. He tried another approach, and hoped for the best.
"You're welcome, Lois," Clark smiled. "Let's go to work."
Lois returned his smile, grateful for something she couldn't put her finger on, and reached out for the hand of her best friend. "Let's go to work."
THE END