By Missy Gallant <zoomer71@hotmail.com>
Rated: G
Submitted: January 2003
Summary: In this 30-minute episode extension challenge for "The Eyes Have It," Lois wants to know where Clark was all weekend and is surprised by his answer.
***
"So if you weren't with Mayson, then where were you?" Lois asked, more than halfway defensively.
Clark was still looking after Mayson who was walking away, trying to process the second chance that she had given him — one that he didn't want. But what was Lois asking him? Where was he? He was with her and his parents trying to regain his sight. No, but that was as Superman… Clark was supposed to have been in a cabin with Mayson for the past three days.
Everyone in his life that mattered was here in Metropolis and there was no possible excuse for him to turn to. No videos this time; he couldn't use the old 'I went to visit mom and Dad on the farm' because they were here looking after Superman. The truth just wouldn't do — he wasn't prepared to tell the whole world, especially Lois, that he was Superman, the guy she'd been helping just hours earlier.
"Lois. I wasn't with Mayson." He stared at her triumphantly as though he had revealed a major epiphany.
"I just said that, farmboy. Where were you when we needed you; when Superman needed you?" She looked expectantly at him and Clark knew that he was toast unless he came up an exceptional excuse.
"I was shopping."
"What?" She looked at him incredulously.
Clark sighed. "I didn't want to be with Mayson so I went clothes shopping."
"Oh, this is rich!!" Lois rolled her eyes towards the heavens and leaned heavily on one foot. "All weekend? Where did you spend the night? The mall? Did you get trapped inside a department store and sleep in the mattress section?"
"Not trapped; I hid on purpose." Clark hung his head and stared at the pad on his desk. That was the truth; he had gone shopping to try to change something about himself that maybe Lois would notice a bit more.
"Why Clark? Fear of commitment? Can't handle being alone with a woman? Or do you just enjoy coming up with crazy excuses?"
"I wanted to see if I could improve my appearance… maybe buy something that could open the eyes of someone I really care about."
"Mayson doesn't appear to have any trouble with the way you dress, Clark. For a grown woman, she sure puts on the 'schoolgirl with a crush' look every time she sees you."
"I'm not talking about Mayson," Clark sighed.
But maybe a version of the truth wasn't working. Maybe it was time that Lois knew or at least he needed to give her a very strong hint.
A muscle in his jaw twitched as he looked up at her. "Do clothes make the man, Lois? I know that sounds a bit shallow but I want to know what you think. If I were to dress in more fashionable clothes, would you see me any differently than you do now?"
"Clark! What kind of question is that? I wouldn't think any different of you if you still wore that old suit from when you first started. I'll admit, it wasn't the most up-to- date suit that I've seen but I'd still feel the same way."
"If Superman wore that old suit of mine, what would you think of him?"
She stared at him in half-shock and realized that he was serious. "He'd still be Superman to me; but he'd never fit into it; it's way too small."
"What if I wore Superman's suit, would you see me any differently?"
"Clark, what is all this about? I'm beginning to worry about you."
"Lois, I was at your apartment all weekend. I was the one blinded by the device. You let me sleep on your couch and I flew with you in my arms when I couldn't see." He took his glasses off and smoothed back his hair briefly. "You made me feel as though you honestly cared for me. I just wondered why you don't feel that way about Clark."
"Clark, you didn't bash your head against something, did you?" She took a closer look to see if he had a bruise on his forehead.
"It's the truth, Lois. I don't want to be with any other woman except you. I'm tired of making silly excuses and covering up for my other identity. I wanted you to care about who I really am, Clark Kent, farm boy from Kansas, the friend who loves watching Mel Gibson videos with you, the man who adores the very ground you walk on. I'm beginning to think that you don't know me as well as I thought you did. Maybe my eyesight is not the only thing that was blinding me. Maybe it's time I faced the truth that you only care about me according to what I'm wearing."
"What's that supposed to mean? Just because you're Sup…" her voice faded as the truth began to sink in.
She closed her eyes and could barely process all that Clark had revealed. Suddenly things began to click into place. All those excuses, all the times that Clark had left her standing with her mouth open in astonishment when he would leave her unexpectedly. That was because he was… It was so hard to process, but that he was Superman.
Now something had set him off and he was thinking that she didn't care about the real man. If she didn't do something very quickly, then he was going to walk away — from her. And she couldn't allow that to happen.
She sat on his desk and reached over to pick up his glasses that were lying on the desk.
"Sure, you can update these to the latest models, but I don't care." She slipped them back on his face.
"Your ties have always been the joke of the office. But I think they're you. I now know why you like to wear bright colored spandex. It's a character flaw. It's *your* character flaws which make me care for you too."
He frowned at her and pulled away from the hand playing with his tie. "How do I know that you're not just saying that because you know I'm Superman? It's the spandex that you care for, not me."
"Because I now realize that all of the things I love about Superman are the same things that I love about you. Do you know how confused I've been lately? I see Mayson Drake making goo-goo eyes at you and it's been driving me crazy! She really needs to get a life, you know. When I saw you kissing her the other night I wanted to curl up and die. Of course I couldn't admit that to myself at the time, but now I have to or I feel that I'm going to lose you."
She laid her hand on his cheek and stroked it softly. "Can't we start over again and leave the superhero out of this? Will you give me the chance to prove to you I care about Clark Kent, my partner, my best friend and hopefully this…"
She leaned over the desk and met his lips softly. From her perch on the desk, it seemed as though she couldn't get close enough so she wiggled her way around the desk and sat on his lap.
His arms tentatively closed around her and he was soon tugging her close to his body. She felt wonderful in his arms and her lips were soft and very persuasive. A warm tongue sought entry to his month and he complied willingly. After a few moments, she pulled away reluctantly.
"Have I convinced you yet?"
"Nope." His arms tightened slightly around her once more and his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Persuade me; I'm a hard case."
"How about walking me home and I'll think about it."
"It's a deal." Clark didn't release her right away. Instead he stared into her eyes. Yes. She was telling the truth. It *had been* Clark Kent who she was kissing just a few minutes ago. Suddenly all his wildest dreams seemed to be within his grasp. He wanted to kiss her passionately again, but that would come in time. A kiss on the nose spread slowly to cover her closed eyelids and face.
He felt her sigh and drew away reluctantly.
"Ready?"
"Whenever you are, partner?"
They walked to the elevator and as they waited, Lois asked, "Would you like to go on a date?"
"I'll think about it," he said nonchalantly.
As the doors closed, she whacked him with her purse. "Don't push it, farmboy!"
THE END