By Tank Wilson (you'd think you'd be sick of him by now) <tankw1@aol.com>
Rated: G
Submitted: January 2005
Summary: Clark learns the reason for Lois' seemingly bizarre behaviour in this sequel to the author's "The Kiss."
Well, as I said earlier, I'm such a pathetically easy mark for the lovely ladies of the board. So without further fanfare here's…
***
Clark Kent was still in shock as he watched the retreating form of his partner and the unrequited love of his life, Lois Lane. At least she was before 'the kiss', now he wasn't so sure. The rest of the Planet staffers were hooting and clapping. Clark felt like he'd just won the lottery or something. Only this had been much better.
He watched Lois pass by Cat and say something he didn't catch as she passed on her way back to her desk. Reaching her desk, she calmly sat and busied herself with her notes again.
Cat walked up the ramp and stopped in front of Clark. He didn't realize she was there until she ran her fingernail along his jaw.
"Such a waste." She sighed, then left in the opposite direction.
Clark shook off his bemused state and traced the path Lois had just taken seconds ago. He sat on his customary corner of her desk. She appeared to be busy shuffling stacks of notes back and forth across the desk.
"Do you want to tell me what that was all about?"
Lois looked up, her face a mask of innocence. "It was nothing."
"Really."
"Yeah, just had to settle a bet with Cat."
"A bet that involved kissing me?"
"Yeah." Lois grabbed a sheaf of papers as she stood up. "Do you have your notes on the Melisma Scandal ready yet?"
Clark was momentarily thrown by the abrupt change of subject. Lois had her business face firmly in place.
"Well yes, but…"
"Fine, grab them and meet me in the conference room." She turned and headed in that direction.
"Lois?" No answer. "Fine!"
Clark hurried to his desk, gathered up his own notes, and followed her. He arrived only seconds after she did but Lois was already putting her copious notes and research into several piles. She didn't look up as he entered the room. Clark closed the door behind him, went over to where she was sitting, and placed his hand over hers to stop her frenetic actions. She looked up.
"Okay, give. What is going on here?" Their eyes met, each felt a little heartburp. "And don't tell me it was nothing, because what I felt back there was definitely something."
Lois bit her lower lip and looked off to the side. Suddenly she slumped back into the chair as if the air had been let out of her. In a rush, with each word seemingly competing with each other to get out of her mouth first, Lois recounted her earlier conversation and subsequent bet with Cat. When she finally finished, she exhaled like she'd been holding her breath the whole time. Clark was smiling.
"And?" he said, with a hint of amusement in his voice.
She frowned at him. "Okay, I admit that Cat was right. When I kissed you I could easily tell that you had strong feelings for me by the way you returned that kiss, but that's not what scared me."
Clark chuckled. "Too bad you didn't hang in there a little longer." Clark was enjoying this way too much in Lois' opinion.
"No, that's what scared me. I had to break off because I became afraid of what *I* felt. I found myself losing control, over myself and the situation. I was enjoying that kiss like I had no other before."
"And is that so bad?"
"Yes! No! Oh, I don't know. You can see how screwed up this has made me. Clark, I consider you my friend, my best friend, but I don't know about this. I'm not sure how to, Clark!?"
Clark had that irritating far-away look in his eyes again. Lois could just about guess what was coming next.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Lois. I just remembered that I…" He patted his pants pockets. "…seem to have mislaid my keys. I think they might have fallen out when I was down in the locker room. I'd better go see if I can find them before some over-zealous janitor accidentally throws them out." Clark started backing out the door. "I promise, we'll continue this later. Be back as soon as I can. I'm really sorry."
As Lois watched Clark disappear around the corner she angrily kicked back in the chair and threw her pen against the wall. She shook her head.
"Oh yeah — " Heavy sarcasm underscored her words. " — there's definitely a future there."
(fade to black as we quietly slip back into season one continuity)
THE END