By Caryn Dunsmore <caryns_fanfic@yahoo.com>
Rated: PG-13
Submitted: January 2004
Summary: A self-analysis questionnaire from Lucy makes Lois confront her feelings for that special man in her life.
Disclaimer: "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" and it's characters are owned by December 3rd Productions, DC Comics & Warner Brothers Television, etc. No infringements are meant.
Author's note: This is my first fanfic for Lois & Clark. I have written fanfic for other shows but I thought it was time I wrote something about my favorite couple. I used this format in another story of mine (Hart to Hart) and it went over great so I thought why not bring Lois & Clark into the fun. But this time it was more challenging because I based the story on a time when Lois & Clark were not together yet versus when they are married. So I really hope everyone enjoys it and of course feedback is always welcome.
I would like to thank my GE, Wendy Richards, for looking this story over and introducing me to what great editing is.
***
To: loislane@dailyplanet.net
From: lucy.lane@metcom.net
Subject: Getting to know you better
Hey Sis,
I just received this survey thing, well you know, a questionnaire of sorts that you fill out and send to friends to see if they know you as well as they think. As you can see there are two attachments. One is mine that I filled out and the second is a blank one for you to. So, sis, it's tag you're it.
Don't roll your eyes at me. It was fun and since I know you could use a little fun in your life (although I'll never understand why you don't just go ask that hunk of a partner of yours, Clark, out already. He, I'm sure could be a lot of fun!)
Anyway, I thought maybe you'd actually consider filling this thing out. C'mon it'll be fun. If you don't want to send it out at least send it back to me, 'kay? (filled out that is)
Luce
***
To: lucy.lane@metcom.net
From: loislane@dailyplanet.net
Subject: Are you serious?
Lucy,
Just got your email with that stupid survey attached. I don't have time to sit here and fill that thing out. I've got breaking stories to cover, sources to meet and, and, and…wash my hair. Besides, you should know most of the answers anyhow, you're my sister and you're nosy.
Lois
p.s. Why are you always bringing up Clark?
***
To: loislane@dailyplanet.net
From: lucy.lane@metcom.net
Subject: Stop the presses
You mean to tell me that Lois Lane, world-famous reporter is too busy? Give me a break. And I loved the last excuse…wash your hair. That's all you ever do.
I would have excused you had you come back with, "Maybe later Sis, I'm going out with Clark."
And I'm no more nosier than you are. Btw, I thought maybe you might *surprise* me with an outrageous answer that I may just not know about (preferably answers about hunky Clark Kent. And btw, I like Clark — he'd be good for you!:))
***
To: lucy.lane@metcom.net
From: loislane@dailyplanet.net
Subject: Don't you have…
Don't you have something else to do than to badger me?
***
To: lucy.lane@metcom.net
From: loislane@dailyplanet.net
Subject: What do you think?
Nope!! So get on it. It'll take you 20 minutes. Btw, I already know you're not working on a hot story. Just got an email from Jimmy (what a sweet guy he is — doesn't lie like some people I know.) And since it's like 10:30 AM, you're at work, so you can't wash your hair. C'mon, stop being such a bore.
***
To: lucy.lane@metcom.net
From: loislane@dailyplanet.net
Subject: I am not a bore!
Fine I'll do it only because it will stop these stupid emails from you. And I have to remember to kill Jimmy when I see him. So stop bugging me now.
I'll kill you later as well,
Lois
p.s. and don't expect any answers containing the name "Clark" I don't know why you think there is something going on between us.
***
Lucy Lane smiled as she logged off her email and sat back in her chair. This was indeed going to be fun. She knew most of her sister's big secrets, like the one about Claude, an ex-partner of Lois' at the Planet, the newspaper she currently worked at.
Claude was nothing short of the biggest ass the world had ever seen. He had used Lois in the worst way possible; he slept with her, telling her he loved her — all so he could steal a story from her. It was an extremely hard time in Lois's life. In fact, that combined with her and Lucy's broken family life was what made Lois the way she was: hard-bitten, closed off and the ice-maiden that she had become.
But things were changing. Small changes but changes nonetheless. Lucy was dying to find out what or who was causing them. And maybe, just maybe, Lois would open up and she'd get a small glimpse of what she hoped would finally make her sister happy.
And Lucy would bet a lot of money that Clark Kent was that change.
It seemed that ever since he had come into the picture a year ago something had started to transform in Lois. Lucy wasn't lying when she told Lois she thought Clark would be good for her. He could get her to laugh, smile even. In fact, Lois seemed more human. And he put up with her moods, which no one else even attempted to. He seem to take everything in stride when it came to her, even the way she treated him. She had named him the "Hack from Nowheresville" and constantly told him that he was the junior partner in their so-called-I-really-don't-need-a- partner partnership.
But Lucy knew better. And deep down she knew Lois did too. All she had to do was to get Lois to admit it, even if it was just to herself.
***
Lois stared at her computer screen. Why did Lucy care so much that she fill this thing out? And how dare she say she, Lois Lane, was nothing but a bore. She was far from being bored; she was a very busy reporter who was lucky enough to get five minutes to herself. She had things to do, people to see, things to do. Did she just repeat herself? Anyway, she really was busy.
Okay fine, so it had been a really lousy, slow news week. But Lucy didn't know that and she'd be damned if she'd admit she had more than enough time to spare on this questionnaire. Although she guessed it didn't matter, Lucy seemed to know. Obviously Jimmy was her sister's informant about her work schedule.
"Well he'd better watch out when I get a hold of him," Lois stammered out loud.
"Who'd better watch out?" came a voice directly behind her.
Lois immediately recognized the voice; it was that of her partner. She quickly minimized her email. She knew he would be leaning over her shoulder, like he usually did, and she didn't want him to know anything she and Lucy were just writing about.
"What? Oh hi Clark." She looked up at him as he indeed leaned over her chair close enough she could smell his cologne. "It's nothing, really. It's just something Jimmy is going to pay for."
"What? Oh hi Clark." She looked up at him as he indeed leaned over her chair close enough she could smell his cologne. "It's nothing really.
"I don't think I want to know, do I?" he asked lightly, almost sure he knew the answer to be no.
She confirmed his deduction as her look of slight disgust crossed her face, as well as the adamant shaking of her head.
"Well at least it isn't me this time," Clark stated, looking down at her as he straightened his posture. He then gave Lois that schoolboy grin of his as he added, "In that case, how about lunch later?"
Lois didn't really hear Clark. She was more focused on the loss of his closeness as he straightened and knew instantly he was heading towards his desk. God, he really smelled good.
"Lois? Lunch?"
Clark's voice invaded itself into her thoughts, snapping Lois quickly out of her resolve. Why the heck was she just thinking about his smell? *Him* of all people. She shook her head, trying to clear her brain of its temporary malfunction.
"Okay, maybe some other time." Clark tried hard not to let his disappointment show and began walking to his desk.
"What? Oh, no Clark, wait. I…I didn't mean…" She paused, trying to get her mouth to work right. What the hell was wrong with her? It was bad enough she couldn't get her brain to work and now her mouth was becoming faulty as well. Lois made herself shift so she could see him, grinning as she continued, "Lunch sounds good. You know me, food and chocolate are the only things that can get me through our lack of news stories."
She watched in awe as that amazing smile of Clark's made its way across his face. He was so adorable when he looked like that, making her blush for thinking that last thought.
"Yeah, I know you all right. Should I call all the restaurants and vendors from here to the park and warn them?" He laughed at her mock pout.
"Just for that, now you have to buy," she informed him, turning around to face her computer once more.
She laughed softly as she heard his playful reply of "Don't I always?"
She caught herself, sobering immediately, as her annoying little conscience started at her.
<Aren't we being a little forward in our thoughts today? You do realize that you were thinking those things about Clark, don't you?>
<Oh, shut up! I wasn't thinking anything. It's just lunch, is that so bad?> Lois replied defensively.
This was just insane. She was *not* thinking about Clark. She wasn't.
<There. That settles it.>
With that established, Lois considered her monitor for a moment, knowing what lay before her. Maybe that questionnaire wasn't such a bad idea after all. It would be a welcomed distraction at the least.
She maximized her email and downloaded the survey attachment. She then opened the file into her word processing program and stared at it. Okay, this wouldn't be so bad. Lois poised her fingers over her keyboard, ready to type her answers as she started with question number one.
FULL NAME: Lois Elise Lane
SEX: Female
"See, this really is stupid," Lois mumbled to herself as she finished typing the answer to question two, rolling her eyes.
Giving herself a much-needed break from this stupid, useless questionnaire, Lois looked up, her eyes landing in the direction of her partner. Clark was working on some research for a story he was hoping their editor, Perry, would let them investigate. It was in the early stages so there wasn't much she could do to help.
Lois took the very rare opportunity to just watch him. It wasn't often she took time to appreciate him. And even less often that she let him know that she did.
He was a good reporter but she'd never tell him that. Not yet anyway. He was becoming a very good friend too. No, scratch that. He was a great friend, bordering on becoming the best friend she'd ever had.
Suddenly, Lois blushed as Clark caught her eye. He gave that all too familiar grin of his. She'd never admit that it turned her insides to mush. So much for a distraction.
She quickly lowered her eyes back to her monitor, hoping that going back to the questions would stop the crimson in her cheeks from burning her skin as embarrassment still flooded her.
HOME:
"You've go to be kidding," Lois muttered to her wayward sister, "C'mon Lucy, you lived with me for a year. You couldn't have deleted the obvious questions and then sent it to me?"
Fine, she'd be a sport about this. With that thought Lois set out putting her fingers to work and began typing.
HOME: In Clark's arms.
Wait a minute! She couldn't believe she just typed that. What was happening here? She was thinking of Clark and in the most inconceivable un-Lois way. When did this happen? And why suddenly didn't it bother her to think of him romantically like it ought to?
Wow! What a feeling that was.
Suddenly the questions were striking her differently. Gone were the technical answers and instead new interesting answers took their place.
HEIGHT: Tall enough to capture those wonderful- looking lips of Clark's with my own and kiss him.
EYES: Brown (Not exactly the beautiful color of Clark's. His are rich, deep chocolate colored that I could drown in.)
HAIR: Brown (I wonder what it would be like to have Clark run his fingers through it as he kisses me?)
Suddenly Lois was having fun.
WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Superman's "S" Logo in yellow against red background
FAVOURITE SMELL: Clark's chest
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THOUGHT OF WHEN YOU WOKE UP THIS MORNING? I hoped there was going to be some kind of news-breaking story that would win me a Pulitzer. (Actually it was neck-and- neck with what tie Clark would wear today.)
Lois laughed at herself. Okay, whom was she kidding? Certainly not herself. The latter was really the first thought she had this morning. Next question-
DO YOU GET MOTION SICKNESS? Nope. (Besides, that wouldn't do you go when you were flying with Superman. He wouldn't look too kindly on being puked on).
ROLLER COASTERS DEADLY OR EXCITING? Depends, is the Prankster or any other villain on it? Hey, it's just a simple everyday question.
FAVOURITE MOVIE: "Love Affair"
WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD: Losing Clark in any way.
She knew without a doubt that losing Clark would be the worst thing in her life. Not what happened with Claude, not her father leaving her when she was younger, and not ever winning the Pulitzer. But losing Clark, now that would be something she could never bear.
Lois looked to the next question and it was easy to answer, even if the answer scared her completely.
BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD: Being loved by Clark (hopefully)
Would Clark love her? She knew he cared about her, for her. But was it love? She always had this feeling he felt something for her and she knew if he did, it would be the BEST feeling she could ever know. She knew Clark. He wasn't the type of person who loved fleetingly; he would make her feel special.
Lois knew she couldn't dwell on that question of whether he would/could love her. It wasn't as if she ever gave him any reason to. She didn't exactly treat him like she even liked him anymore than a partner and occasional friend.
She quickly went to the next question, hoping to lift the sudden depressed mood she was threatening to fall into.
THINGS TO DO ON THE WEEKENDS: Not what I would like to be doing. However, I do get to spend some time with Clark. He invites me over to watch movies and pizza.
"The question should be what would I like to be doing?" Lois smiled to herself as she brought her head up again, looking at Clark through her lowered eyelashes.
Had she ever noticed just how large his hands were? What would his hands feel like on her body, molding her, teasing her? With her mind going in the direction it was headed, Lois began to feel a little more than warm. The image of him in just a towel the first week she met him came haunting her.
Nope, she was no longer depressed.
She turned back to her computer as her cheeks grew bright red, probably a shade no one had ever seen before.
PEN OR PENCIL? Pen
HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE? One ring, no more than two. It could be Perry with a Pulitzer winning story or it could be Clark.
FAVOURITE FOODS: Chinese (I'll never understand why, when Clark gets take-out, it tastes so much better than when I do. Need to ask him where he gets his).
DO YOU GET ALONG WITH YOUR PARENTS? Not really. My father left was I was a teenager. And my mother is not an easy person to be around, let alone talk to.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME? Uhm, can I skip this one? Okay, but for the record it wasn't *my* fault. Well, wait a minute. It says convicted…never mind. I was only jailed.
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? DUH! Talk about a galactically stupid question — doesn't everyone love chocolate? (And for the record I prefer CHOCOLATE over Rocky Road!)
DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE? Yes and fast
DO YOU SLEEP WITH STUFFED ANIMALS? Yes, Clarkie. Okay so it's the teddy bear Clark won for me at the Smallville Corn Festival.
"Not exactly the Clark I want to sleep with," Lois murmured, feeling the heat throughout her body come back with a vengeance. She smiled to herself as she scrolled down to the next question.
But her thoughts were interrupted as she felt a very solid chest leaning over her shoulder and stiffened immediately. She knew who it was.
<Oh God, please tell me he didn't hear me say that?>
"Lois, did you want something?" Clark asked her as he leaned slightly against her, as he would if he were editing her copy.
"Uh…" She couldn't say anything more than that. Her mind was blank.
"Lois?"
"Oh, no Clark, I don't need anything." Lois flinched as she heard her own voice squeak.
"Really, I could have sworn I heard you say my name."
"Nope. No name. I mean I didn't say your name," she finished somewhat choppily.
Clark was confused by the sudden nervousness in her voice, but why? He hadn't or at least he hadn't though he snuck up on her. Wait a minute, she seemed — no, she was flustered. His confusion was replaced by amusement.
"Are you sure? I thought —"
"Yep. Sure. Positive," she rambled on, cutting him off. God, she hoped he'd leave before she completely lost it. If she thought she had ever blushed before now, she was wrong. Not to mention, mortified.
Suddenly, as if hit by a Mack-truck, she snapped out of her unease enough to realize that he could see her screen. She looked desperately at it, praying, hoping that the last sentence was not within his view. She let the breath she had been holding go when she saw that she had scrolled down enough that it had disappeared.
"Okay." He stopped as his eyes finally fell to her monitor. "Hey Lois, why are you being asked if you could be any animal what would it be?"
"Huh? Oh that." She realized that he had indeed seen the survey. "Lucy sent me this questionnaire. She asked me to fill it out but I don't see the point. It's a waste of time. Stupid really if you ask me." Lois was pleased her voice was back to normal now.
"Oh, well I don't know about that," he replied, a little too interested. "I think that is a great question."
"What is?"
"If you could be any type of animal what would it be?" he answered her. "So?"
"So, what?"
"Well what would you be?"
"Clark I'm not going to answer that!" she informed him, her expression bordering on irritation.
Irritated that he wouldn't drop the subject and walk away so she could just finish the damn thing and get rid of it before he had the chance to ever see it again.
"Why not?"
"Because it's stupid."
"I don't know -"
"Fine, then you answer it," she challenged him.
"Okay. I'd be a horse."
"A horse?" she asked, turning around to look at him.
"Yep," was all he replied as he winked and walked back to his desk.
"Why?"
But he didn't answer, just grinned at her. She turned back around and tried to think of why he'd want to be a horse. And why wouldn't he answer her? Well it didn't matter; the point was that he had finally left and she could get on with this thing.
IF YOU COULD BE ANY TYPE OF ANIMAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
But a sudden thought occurred to her and it made her giggle. The thought of him being a horse and her riding him was not what she was sure he was referring to, but still the thought was forefront in her mind. Ooh, if he only knew what she was thinking. And at that moment she heard Clark laugh. She whipped around and saw him smiling at her. She turned her back to him again. There was no way he could have known what she was thinking.
Lois skipped that question; in fact, she knew she'd never look at that question in the same way again.
THUNDERSTORMS, COOL OR SCARY? Cool but I tell Clark I'm scared of them so he'll hold me. It's worked more than a few times now.
WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN? Sagittarius
EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI? Dipped in chocolate and I might think about it.
WOMEN — WOULD YOU ASK A GUY FOR THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK? I wouldn't have to. Clark's already done that and I know he'd do it again.
Lois tried not to imagine Clark without a shirt again, but couldn't help it. But then her image changed; she imagined herself clad in only Clark's shirt lounging around in his apartment upon waking up in his arms the next morning after they made love for the first time.
<Get a grip Lane!>
IF YOU COULD HAVE YOUR DREAM JOB, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I already have it but having the extremely good fortune of working beside Clark every day would make any job my dream job.
Lois meant that too. Okay, so she really did need to tell Clark just how much she appreciated him and how great of a reporter he really was. She admired his work and he added so much more than she could have imagined any partner could add to her stories.
Why all of a sudden had her outlook on Clark changed? Was it really so sudden? No, she realized it wasn't. Her feelings had always been there and she was just now taking the time to see it. She'd do anything right now to turn around and look at him but she didn't trust her emotions.
Lois forged on. But when she read the next question, she couldn't keep from giggling.
"If anyone knew this…"
IF YOU COULD HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT AND WHERE WOULD IT BE? Already have one. Where is for him to find out. Believe me, I will let him do an in-depth search because that's what it will take to find it.
Lois felt her cheeks burn again. Suddenly she was getting hotter than she believed she could by just thinking of Clark. Of course, it was more than that. It was thinking of what she'd like Clark to be doing to her.
"Good God girl, calm down," She quickly advised herself before she had to step into the ladies room and splash some very cold water on herself.
Next question -
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE?
Okay, not a question she was ready for. But maybe that was the point. Maybe it was time she was ready. With strength she knew she didn't possess, Lois continued on. She was not about to stop now. She couldn't, not after letting herself go this far.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE? If someone were to have asked me that a year ago I would have said yes, but that would have been a lie. What I felt before doesn't even compare to how I feel now. So yes for the first time, I am in love.
Lois realized that she hadn't needed to think about it. The words just flowed from her fingertips; the exact way she was feeling. And it scared her now that she let herself feel it, but she wouldn't deny it, not for a single second. She just needed to work through her fears.
<I'm in love with Clark Kent!>
Wow, how right that felt. And how good it felt to say it, okay think it. But still, it felt damned good. She knew now that sooner than later she was going to tell him too, which led right into the next question.
DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM WEDDING: Marrying Clark.
And for the first time in her life, the words "wedding" and "marriage" was not so foreign or so scary. She could see herself married to him some day. She smiled at the concept.
Not that she had any intention in the first place, but this questionnaire was not going to be sent to anyone, including Lucy. She was simply going to save it and send it to her laptop.
DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS? I'm a journalist, what do you think?
WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? My seven-veils costume, the fire-spitting Godzilla figure that I found in the sewage dump (which I know Clark set up — I probably *did* deserve it) and an album full of every story Clark and I wrote, among the articles I could find of his that I happen to come across. Okay so I had Jimmy locate them and I kept them. Sue me!
OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU SEND THIS TO, WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND TO IT: Clark — because he will never see this.
She was finished. No, she took that back; she was just beginning. She quickly saved the file and was now attaching it to an email so she could send it home. As she started to enter in her email address, she was interrupted.
"Lois, Clark! In my office NOW!" Perry yelled across the bullpen at his two top reporters.
Lois skimmed the TO: line, not even long enough to see her own email address and immediately clicked on the <send> button. Usually she double-checked everything but since leaving the questionnaire on her screen wasn't an option due to the content, she just went on faith. Seeing her screen go back to the Planet's logo, she rose from her desk. Clark was standing next to his own waiting for her. As they walked side by side to see what it was Perry wanted, they smiled at each other. Lois felt a new air around her and it felt wonderful to let herself feel these new feelings; she only wished she had the courage to tell Clark about them.
Unaware to herself, Lois had made *that* decision. The email she sent went not only to herself, but also to the object of her newfound feelings. Clark would soon find out exactly what he had only hoped and dreamed about since the day he had met Lois Lane.
THE END
(Well, until Clark opens his email…)