One Mistake — Part 2 (It's Over)

By Letitia Logan <ll2781@hotmail.com>

Rated: PG-13

Submitted November 1998

Summary: Subtitled "It's Over," this story picks up where "One Mistake" left off. Part 2 of a 3-part series.

This story continues from where "One Mistake" left off:

***

"How about giving this friend a goodbye kiss?"

He smiled and bent to place a brotherly kiss on her cheek, but she turned her face so that their lips met. While Clark was momentarily stunned, Penny drew him closer and kissed him harder. Before he could stop himself, he felt himself responding to her kiss.

"Sorry, but I forgot…"

They hastily pulled apart as Lois walked in.

"Lois!" Clark looked as if he were a two-year-old caught with another child's candy. One look at his guilty face was all Lois needed to confirm what she thought she saw. She turned and ran off.

"Lois! Wait!"

It was too late, Lois would never forgive him now. Clark looked forlorn. He would lose the most important person in his life because of this one mistake.

***

Clark turned to Penny after Lois left. "I'm sorry, Penny. I think you'd better leave now. I…I won't be seeing you off."

"Clark, I'm so sorry. I never meant for that to happen. I know how much you love Lois and I'm just so sorry. Oh, God. What was I thinking?! Clark? Can you ever forgive me?"

Clark wasn't hearing her at all. He just couldn't get over the look in Lois's eyes. In that short space of time when their eyes had met, he had seen so many emotions mixed in with her unshed tears — betrayal, disbelief, shock, anger and, most of all, pain. What have I done? Right now, Clark would gladly have thrown himself into the sun. How could he expect Lois to forgive him if he couldn't even forgive himself?!

Penny gently touched his arm. "Clark?"

Surprised by her touch, he jumped away. She looked hurt and Clark softened. It wasn't really her fault. He was as much, if not more, to blame for what happened. "I'm sorry. I was miles away."

"It's okay. I've got to be going now." She was wringing her hands and looking guilt-stricken. "Uh…I'm really sorry, Clark. I hope you two will work it out. And Clark?…Take care of yourself." She gave him a weak smile before leaving him alone, just as Lois had the night they had first fought over Penny.

Lois. Oh, Lois. He collapsed onto the couch, turning her name over and over again in his mind. He just couldn't bear the thought of losing her. He couldn't! Not after all that they had been through together. Where are you now, Lois? Clark was already at the door. He had to find her. What if she was in trouble, not thinking clearly in her present state of mind? No! I've got to find her. But he hesitated because he knew that Lois would probably want to be alone for awhile to figure out her emotions. Besides, Clark would be the last person she'd want to see. He slumped, defeated. His best course of action would be to wait until Lois decided to come home.

And wait he did. 1.30 a.m. and still no sign of Lois. Clark had begun to panic when he heard the doorknob turn. In a flash he was up and ready. Lois slipped in and they stood face to face. Neither one said anything. It was Clark who broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Lois, I know…I made a mistake. And I can't give you an explanation of why…" He took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is that I don't know why it happened, but I do know that I love you and that I want us to work this out."

Another long pause followed before Lois spoke.

"I wish I could believe you, Clark, but I don't know anything anymore." Tears began welling up in her eyes, but she would not let Clark see her cry. She had thought this over until she couldn't bear the pain and now she had to tell Clark her decision.

"A marriage should be based on trust and I don't…I can't trust you anymore. It's not going to work. I think we should get a divorce." Saying that word was harder than the time Lex Luthor, Jr., had commanded her, but this time she meant it.

Lois refused to let Clark see how difficult this was for her. She wouldn't be hurt again! Not even by Clark. Oh, Clark. How could you do this to me?

Clark felt as if he had been stabbed with a Kryptonite knife. He flinched. "Do you really want that? To give up all that we've built and have together?" he asked quietly. One look at her face told him her answer. He knew now that there was nothing he could do or say that would change her mind, but he had to try. He wouldn't give her up without a fight!

"Lois, I've never asked ANYBODY for ANYTHING before, but I'm asking you now to give us another chance. It won't happen again, I promise." He was almost pleading with her.

*I promise.* That was exactly what he had said to reassure her that nothing would ever come between them, not even PENNY. She felt bitter. Anger rose in her. Anger was the only way she could deal with her sorrow, her pain and the overpowering sense of betrayal.

"You lied to me! Do you really think that your promise is going to change anything? You promised to love me always. You promised that you'd never hurt me! You made me think that you were different — BETTER than all the other men that have hurt me, but you're just the same. The SAME! I HATE you, and I never want to have anything to do with you again!!!"

The knife went deeper and twisted. He watched her run upstairs and slam the door. His mind was screaming with her words… "I hate you!…You lied!!!… divorce…same as them…Never hurt me…" He felt sick. Sick with himself. So he changed into Superman and flew off, pretending that Clark was someone else. Someone else who had lost the woman he loved most, his wife, his soulmate, his partner, his world. For the first time in his life, he cried.

Back at the house, Lois was also crying. Crying because she still loved him, because he had broken her heart, and crying because she had seen her pain reflected in his eyes when she had screamed at him. No, she wouldn't give in. She would learn to live without him, his love, his laughter and his warmth. I don't need you, Clark Kent! We're history.

Lois's pride would never allow her to forgive Clark and Clark blamed himself too much to ever try to make Lois love him again.

***

Lois and Clark were officially divorced. They were no longer partners at the Daily Planet, but both had decided to be professional at work. The weeks continued this way until something happened that would change both their lives.

Find out in my next story.

THE END