This is Our Story

By Folc4evernaday (folc4evernaday@gmail.com)

Rated: PG

Submitted: June 2019

Summary: A chance meeting across a stranger named Jack makes
Clark think more about his relationship with Lois just as Lex
Luthor finds himself faced with never-ending bad luck that can
ruin even the best-laid plans.

Story Size: 12,932 words (71Kb as text)

A/N: In no way do I think these two shows should ever meet, but I
thought it might be funny to throw a little bit of laughter into
things. The character I chose is Jack Pearson from *This is Us*.
For those that aren't familiar with the "Crock Pot" incident
on the show here's a link
(https://hellogiggles.com/news/crock-pot-jack-pearson-this-is-us/)
to explain some back story. The episode from Lois and Clark the
New Adventures of Superman I chose is "Barbarians at the
Planet." I hope you all enjoy it.

Huge thanks to NostalgiaKick for being Beta on this one. Thanks
to the ladies in the Hangouts group for helping bounce ideas
around with these scenes and encouraging me to continue this when
my muse was deciding to go AWOL. You rock!

***

Andre had worked hard over the years to build up his name as a
renowned chef. He was the most sought-after chef in the world. He
had competed against the best and earned Michelin star after
Michelin star in his restaurants around the world. Though he had
come a long way, he never forgot his roots or where he had come
from.

Never in his wildest dreams would he have considered he'd be
hired as a personal chef by the third richest man in the world,
yet here he was living a life of luxury and calling the Luthor
Mansion a second home. Metropolis had the same issues any city
had. Homelessness, hungry families, and not enough money or
resources to feed them all. It had been one of the conditions
he'd set when Lex Luthor had hired him to dedicate a certain
amount of resources to help those less fortunate. Every month he
reached out to everyone he knew to bring in donations of food,
appliances, money, or just time and he would cook up a meal to
feed three hundred. Just because the homeless were struggling
didn't mean their taste buds had to.

A familiar face appeared in the kitchen, and Andre let out a loud
laugh, spotting his old friend from Pittsburgh, Jack Pearson. The
young man had certainly aged well over the years. He recalled the
years when he would come into O'Shannon's with his wife,
Rebecca. It had been one of the first places Andre had worked as
a chef, and it held many nostalgic memories for him. Seeing his
old patron standing in the most expansive kitchen he'd ever been
blessed enough to work in brought many of the struggles he'd
overcome back.

"Jack Pearson," Andre let out a chuckle as he looked him up and
down. "You haven't aged a day."

"You're a liar, Andre," Jack said, setting a large box down on
the counter for him.

"What's this? "Andre asked, pointing to the box.

"Your charity," Jack said with a broad grin. "I got Rebecca a
new one for her birthday as a surprise. I figured instead of
tossing it I could donate it." He pulled out an envelope with a
few bills sticking out. "This is from the office pool at
work."

"Thank you, Jack, I really appreciate it," Andre said, walking
with his friend toward the closet where the rest of the donations
were. "But you didn't have to make the drive to Metropolis."

"I know," Jack said. His mustache hid the smirk that his eyes
were teasing him with. "Miguel wants to scope out the place for
some expansions. I figured I'd tag along and take an excuse to
see an old friend."

"You're a good man, Jack," Andre said, patting him on the
shoulder. "Whatever the reason, I'm glad you stopped by." He
grinned back at him, "I hope Rebecca enjoys her gift."

"Me too," Jack grimaced as he looked to the box. "She doesn't
know I've replaced it yet."

***

Chef Rita was hard at work, helping put together the expansive
menu Chef Andre had planned for the Mission charity. To top
things off Andre had also been asked to plan a romantic dinner
for Lois Lane to be served in less than three hours. Meeting the
deadline would prove a test on all of their skills.
Unfortunately, Andre didn't believe in the idea of leftovers or
what he considered "lazy cooking" so appliances that would give
them an edge like a crock pot were hard to come by.

She was just about to pull out a pot from the cabinet when a box
caught her eye. She looked around, noticing Andre had already
left the kitchen with his friend Jack and was too preoccupied to
notice the time constraints he had put the kitchen staff in. Rita
looked back at the cabinet where the sterling silver pots were
neatly waiting to be used and then glanced at the crockpot once
more. Three hundred meals were a challenge for any cook. Surely
it wouldn't hurt to let the stew cook while she concentrated on
Mr. Luthor's Lobster Risotto?

***

The fumes from the exhaust of the city bus filled the air. Jack
Pearson checked his watch as he looked out the driver's side
window, catching sight of Metropolis' Daily Planet. A smile
crossed his face as he pulled the car into a parking spot up
front. Rebecca was always big on pictures of famous landmarks.
What was more memorable than the oldest newspaper in the
country?

He stepped out of the car, allowing the station wagon door to
clang as he slammed the door shut. He stared up at the metal
globe, taking in the sight of the globe above his head. The blue
neon lights circled around the globe, lighting up the words,
*'Daily Planet.'*

"It gets more and more beautiful each day." A voice with a
southern drawl spoke up, approaching Jack from behind.

Jack turned to see an older man in a pinstriped shirt with a
black vest and red tie. "I'm sorry, I was just...admiring the
view. Passing through on my way out of town."

The man nodded, understanding as he pointed to the doors, "The
Planet has a way of doing that to everyone, son." He handed him
a copy of the Daily Planet and scribbled something on it.
"Consider this a free souvenir."

Jack took it and looked down at the signature on the logo of the
front page that read, * 'Perry White.'* * *He looked up,
watching the man disappear behind the rotating glass doors.
"Well, I'll be," Jack grinned, staring at the paper in his
hands in awe.

A shoulder touched his, knocking him down. Jack looked back in
surprise, seeing a dark-haired man in a blue dress shirt and
burgundy jacket and matching dark grey slacks. "Are you all
right?" the man asked, reaching out to help Jack up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jack smiled, brushing himself off.

The man looked back at Jack, "I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't
looking where I was going." He offered Jack a smile, pointing to
the Planet behind him. "Can I help you with something?"

"I, uh, actually yes," Jack said, pulling out his camera from
his pocket. "My wife and I have this tradition of stopping at
all the sights and taking a picture. And we've got this huge
album already. But one place we've never gotten is this." He
pointed to the globe above him. "Could you do me a solid and
help a guy out?"

The man let out a light chuckle. "I'd be happy to." The man
set his briefcase down and reached out to take the camera from
Jack.

***

Perfection. That was what Lex Luthor looked for in everything he
did and everyone he surrounded himself with. He only worked with
the best of the best and saw failure as a weakness. It was with
this mindset that he'd been able to build the largest empire in
the world and thus making him the most powerful man in any room.
Though he was only a few million behind Alfred Chow and Elena
Pappas he was sure the news of his upcoming marriage to one of
the world's most respected journalists would help drive the
markets up in his favor. With Lois Lane by his side, he would be
unstoppable, and having the added bonus of besting Superman would
be the delicious dessert.

There was still the matter of the mysterious Kryptonite he'd
inquired about, but so far he had yet to hear anything from
Devane and his team on whether the break-in had been successful
in retrieving Bureau 39's archived items. The meteorite found by
Bureau 39 would prove instrumental in his final battle with the
man of steel. He just had to bide his time.

The doors to his master suite swung open, and smoke and heat
filled the room. Lex looked at the open hall and spotted the
orange and red flames that had already consumed his satin
drapes.

***

Clark handed the camera back to the stranger that he'd come
across in front of the Planet. The optimistic energy that was
refreshing compared to the Metropolis citizens he was used to
coming across. The man's story of chasing adventures with his
family and wanting to plant a smile on his wife's face with a
picture in front of the Daily Planet pulled at something deep
inside Clark. He wanted more than anything to have memories like
that. He wanted to have a family --a wife--someone to come home
to and bring mementos to, adding to a collection they would
cherish for years to come.

"Thanks," the stranger smiled back at him. "You certainly
helped me make my Rebecca's day."

"That your wife?" Clark asked, digging his hands into his
pockets.

"Yeah," the man smiled back at him and let out a deep sigh.
"I'm Jack. Jack Pearson." He extended his hand to shake
Clark's.

"Clark. Clark Kent." Clark introduced himself.

"Great to meet you, Clark," Jack said, tucking the camera in
his jacket.

"Good luck with the drive back, Jack," Clark said, letting out
a deep breath. "I hope your wife enjoys the latest addition to
your album."

"Me too," Jack said, eying him with a look that made Clark feel
like Jack might have his own x-ray vision, piercing through his
soul as he stared him down. "For what it's worth, I hope you
find her too."

"Her?" Clark blinked, looking back at him in confusion.

"Whoever it is that's put that tortured look on your face,"
Jack said with an observant wink. Before Clark could argue, Jack
held up a hand. "I know that look. I used to wear that look for
years, waiting and wondering if I'd ever find the one. Then when
I finally did, I wasted so much time stalling. I was afraid of
the stupidest things. Take some free advice and trust me, your
fears are just that--fears. It is worth the risk."

Clark found himself startled by the sudden revelation from Jack
as he stared back at the stranger, uncertain how to respond.
Fortunately for him, he didn't have to.

*All units report to LexCorp towers. We have a report of a fire
in the penthouse...*

"I'm sorry, Jack," Clark quickly excused himself. "I've
really got to go."

"Sure," Jack nodded to him. "Good luck!"

***

Lex stared at the singed door frame and walls covered in black
soot from the flames that had once engulfed the room. Gone.
Everything he had held as a prized possession disappeared in a
moment. Humiliation from not only finding himself in the position
of being a victim of circumstance but also having to turn to
Superman and the local authorities for assistance. He was Lex
Luthor -- the most respected man in Metropolis -- and yet he
found himself no better off than any other hapless fool unlucky
enough to be caught in something as simple as a house fire.

"Mr. Luthor, the paramedics are insisting on a visit to
Metropolis General," Asabi said, tapping him on the shoulder and
pointing to the ambulance that was parked outside.

"I don't need an ambulance," Lex waved him off. "I'm fine.
I'll be just fine."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter, sir,"
Asabi said, gesturing to the EMT that was approaching them with a
determined expression.

Lex let out a quiet fit of coughs as the EMT stopped in front of
him. Lex tried and failed to convince the well-meaning EMT he was
fine. "I really...don't need to..."

"I really must insist you get in the ambulance, Mr. Luthor,"
the EMT ordered.

Lex met the EMT's eyes, realizing there would be no changing the
man's mind. Goody-two-shoes just like the likes of Superman and
some of the straight arrow officers at the Metropolis P.D. He
knew there was no convincing him he was fine without a doctor
siding with him. He turned to Asabi, nodding in agreement.
"Asabi, have Dr. Richards meet me at Metropolis General. I
don't want to waste a single second."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor," Asabi agreed, nodding as he walked with Lex
toward the ambulance. "And Ms. Lane?"

Lex stopped, taking a moment as he realized the humungous hole
that had been ripped through his plans for the afternoon. Rushing
through something like this would be in poor taste. After the
work he'd put into the plans so far, it would be a waste of time
and effort. "Give Ms. Lane my regrets and offer a raincheck for
Friday evening."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor," Asabi agreed.

***

Clark reached over to turn the knob of the faucet off. The steam
from the shower filled the air as he opened the door to the
shower stall to step out and finish drying off. A quick spin at
super-speed later and his soaked dark hair was just as dry as it
had been before tending to the fire at Lex Luthor's penthouse.

Never in his wildest dreams did he envision he'd be rescuing
Luthor from anything. The man was the perfect example of
narcissism if he'd ever seen one. He controlled everything in
his life down to where the sugar that he poured in his tea came
from. Lex Luthor in need of rescuing from anyone or
anything--especially from something that should have been
preventable given the tight leash he kept on everything-- seemed
implausible.

It was a strange chance of misfortune for Luthor not only to be
in such a predicament but to also find himself depending on those
he looked down on for his safety. Meager peasants. That was how
Luthor had referred to those in public service. Those same people
were the ones putting the fire out, tending to his and all of his
staff's health and keeping the neighboring buildings safe from
the flames that threatened to spread further. The twist of fate
wasn't lost on him, and he was sure there would be many heads
rolling over the fire that had made Luthor temporarily homeless.

Clark let out a low mutter, unsure how he felt about that. On the
one hand, he found himself taking delight out of seeing Luthor
knocked down a few pegs and forced to see what those in public
service did. On the other hand, he wouldn't wish Lex Luthor on
his worst enemy. There was a silver lining in all of this. With
Luthor wrapped up in the chaos of figuring out who was
responsible for the fire, Lois would be around.

*<<"I know that look. I used to wear that look for years,
waiting and wondering if I'd ever find the one. Then when I
finally did, I wasted so much time stalling. I was afraid of the
stupidest things. Take some free advice and trust me, your fears
are just that--fears. It is worth the risk.">>*

Jack Pearson's words ran through Clark's mind as he fiddled
with the knot of his tie. He needed to head back to the Planet
and file the story on the fire at LexCorp, but given Lois' plans
for the weekend, the thought of dropping by her apartment to
check on her grew more and more enticing. He glanced at the clock
on his wall, wondering if he had time to drop by before checking
in with Perry.

He blanched, shaking his head when he saw how late it was. He
hadn't even shown his face in the newsroom this morning, let
alone checked in with the Chief. He needed to get going.

*<<"It's worth the risk.">>*

***

Lois ran a hand across her face, patting the moisture from her
face off. She tried not to think too hard on the fact that she
had just washed away half an hour of work in less than five
minutes. Nearly two hours of sitting here waiting like an idiot
for Lex to show up or call quickly squashed down any regret she
might have had on changing out of the uncomfortably tight dress
and stockings she had been in earlier.

She had been stood up. There was no sugarcoating it. It wouldn't
be so bad if it weren't for the last six days of listening to
him build up this date as if it were some monumental turning
point for the two of them. The magical Italian dinner that Lex
presented as a way to erase this past weekend's painful
memories.

He was busy.

She understood that.

But the fact that he made such a big deal over this date only to
be left sitting alone in her apartment like an idiot left a sour
taste in her mouth. He had a whole city's worth of employees and
yet couldn't be bothered to at least pass along a message to
her.

It was for the best she supposed. It hadn't become obvious just
how deeply rooted Lex had become in her life until a few weeks
ago. She found herself instinctively defending him for no reason
she could think of.

*<<"Arthur Chow. He's even richer than Lex Luthor."*

"*But not as handsome as Lex.">>*

*<<"Be careful with Lex. You don't know him like I do.">>*

Somehow, she'd gone from pursuing a story to being pursued. She
wasn't exactly sure how she felt about that, but she was certain
about not being someone's last priority -- no matter how busy he
might be. She'd watched her mother play second to her father's
career long enough to know how that would always end. She would
not allow herself to become her mother.

She reached for the blouse in her closet, pushing her anger and
humiliation deep inside her where she kept her insecurities,
never to be seen by anyone with the minor exception of the
occasional slip she had in front of her partner.

Instead of sitting here wallowing in her anger at the situation,
she would take advantage of the free time to reassess her
priorities. She wasn't going to become the Planet's first
female journalist to win a Pulitzer by allowing herself to be
wined and dined by Lex. She was the top investigative journalist
in Metropolis. So why hadn't she taken advantage of her golden
opportunity to do what she had started so many months ago?

*<<"Be careful with Lex. You don't know him like I do.">>*

Clark's cryptic warning a few nights ago had felt like just
another dig at Lex. One she had silently brushed off just as she
had so many others. There was an obvious distaste between the two
men. She still had yet to understand what either one had against
the other. It wasn't until they had all been trapped in a room
together for nearly twelve hours that she realized that Clark's
disdain for Lex was equally met by Lex as well.

While before she had quickly dismissed Clark's comments as
jealous or just Clark being Clark when it came to Lex, the
reporter in her -- the one that had been on retreat when it came
to Lex -- wondered just what it was between the two of them.
Clark got along with everyone from the janitor to the Prime
Minister of Malaysia. Yet somehow her overly friendly partner had
nothing but contempt for Metropolis' philanthropist and most
generous and mysterious billionaire.

Why?

Truth be told she couldn't really say she knew much more about
Lex now than she had a few months ago. She'd gotten to know his
personality and come to appreciate his humanitarian side, but as
far as knowing him -- she didn't feel any closer to discovering
who Lex Luthor really was. She knew Clark and even Jack better
than she knew the man she was supposed to be dating. That thought
didn't sit too well with her as she stared back at her
reflection.

"Definitely time to reassess things," Lois thought aloud,
smoothing her hand through her dark locks. She'd allowed herself
to be swept up by the fancy lifestyle and smooth lines Lex used.
Now that she recognized what was happening, she had to decide
what she was going to do about it.

***

Lex stepped out of the hospital room, tightening the knot in his
tie as he listened to the doctor drone on and on about the risks
that came with smoke inhalation. He was the epitome of perfect
health. He had nothing to worry about. A simple fire wouldn't
take Lex Luthor out.

Cardiac issues happened to *other* people. He knew himself to be
the picture of perfect health. He followed all the
recommendations to ensure he would live a long existence. He
couldn't allow himself to be taken out by something as frivolous
as blood pressure. Yet here he was listening to his physician
drone on about the dangers of smoke inhalation and how often he
should be getting checked out.

"Yes, yes, yes," Lex waved Dr. Richards off. "I'll be sure to
check in once I'm settled." He turned to Nigel who was standing
a few feet away. "Nigel? Any word on the Lexor arrangements?"

"The staff is moving around a few guests to ensure your room is
ready." Nigel responded, looking at his watch. "Mrs. Cox is
coordinating with the Fire Marshall to get your files moved over
to your room as well."

"And the arrangements we had for this afternoon?" Lex asked,
watching as Dr. Richards left the room.

"Cancelled, sir, but ready to resume whenever you say the
word," Nigel said with a nod of his head.

"Excellent," Lex straightened his jacket as he listed off the
items to address in order of importance. "We'll need to
reschedule that call with Devane. I can't exactly take his call
with my phone lines out."

"I'll arrange a follow-up with LexComm in the morning to
address the phone line situation and see if we can get it
rerouted to your hotel room."

"Any word on what started this mess?" Lex asked as they exited
through the double doors.

"Nothing yet, but I'm sure the fire chief will be in touch once
he has an answer," Nigel promised, following him through the
second pair of double doors.

"Keep me informed," Lex instructed. Nigel nodded, preparing to
leave to fetch the car when Lex stopped him. "Oh, and one other
thing. Be sure to send an arrangement to Lois Lane, apologizing
for missing lunch today. Once this matter with Devane is settled,
we'll need to reschedule."

"Of course." Nigel nodded his head, following him to the
awaiting limo. "I'll handle it myself, sir."

***

Clark stepped into the lobby of the Daily Planet, straightening
his tie as he looked over his shoulder, catching sight of the
time. Perry should be finishing up his meeting with the board by
now. Which meant he'd be looking for a copy on the next edition.
Hopefully, he could buy enough time to type up his article on the
LexCorp fire and finish cleaning up his follow-up on Remy turning
state against Willie and Fuentes. He should have enough time to
get both articles ready for Perry before his editor began
demanding them but knowing his luck, something would come up.
Something *always* came up.

He stopped when he heard the familiar muttering and cursing
coming from the end of the lobby and turned to see none other
than his partner, Lois Lane jabbing her thumb repeatedly against
the elevator panel, trying to usher the elevator car to arrive
sooner with threats of violence.

"How long does it take to go up and down six floors?" Lois
muttered another curse that he could clearly pick up even though
the rest of the patrons in the lobby couldn't, and he felt his
cheeks blush from the very descriptive profanity.

Clark decided the elevator panel had taken enough abuse and
sighed, approaching her with a light-hearted joke hoping to coax
her out of the current mood she was. He wasn't sure what had
riled her up but whatever it was seemed to be worse than Lois'
tantrum over Linda King scooping her.

"You keep doing that and Arnie's gonna come after you with the
repair bill," Clark said, walking up behind her.

"Well, then maybe they'll fix it right this time." Lois
snapped, insistently pressing the button again.

"Whoa there," Clark reached over to grab her wrist, stopping
her from causing any further damage to the panel than she already
had. "I think the elevator has taken enough abuse for the next
hour."

Before Lois could argue with his reasoning, the soft ping came
from the control panel behind him, and he turned to see the light
on the arrow above the elevator emit a yellow hue as the doors
open. He said a silent prayer of thanks before he turned to
follow her on the car, wondering if he should dare ask her why
she was at the Planet on her day off.

He stole a glance toward Lois, noting the frustration hidden
beneath the storm clouds roaming behind her soft features and
opted to take the safer approach. Neutral topics tended to help
ease her out of her temper-filled moods until she was ready to
talk about whatever was bothering her. That seemed the better of
his two choices at the moment.

Clark cleared his throat, turning to Lois, "Did you get a chance
to read over the Fuentes article yesterday?"

Lois shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek as she stared
coolly at the elevator doors. A slight tremble escaped her throat
before she quickly squashed it down. "Um, no, I was in a hurry
to get home. I, uh, I'll look at it this morning."

He could try to continue the conversation, but something told him
to wait. Lois was more than just angry -- she seemed genuinely
upset about something. Whatever it was that had set her off, it
was clear she wasn't ready to talk about it.

She forced a smile, turning to him. "I'll take a look at it
first thing, and then we can send it to Perry."

"I think we have another ten minutes or so before he starts
shouting for articles and deadlines," Clark acknowledged with a
shrug. The elevator doors reached the newsroom floor, and they
stepped into the bullpen. Clark followed Lois to her desk, unsure
if he should work on the LexCorp fire story or continue to prod
Lois out of her bad mood.

Lois reached down to move her mouse across the mousepad, setting
her things down as she took her seat and prompted her computer to
pull up the login screen by navigating to the Daily Planet
database. The Planet logo blinked on the screen as her login
credentials were accepted by the system.

"Hard to believe it's only been a week since they bulldozed the
Chief's office, huh?" Clark commented, gesturing to Perry's
office that had been without construction crew members for the
last three days.

"Yeah," Lois nodded, cracking a half-smile as she navigated to
her email, tapping her fingers against her desk impatiently
waiting for her email to load. A few clicks later and she had the
story Clark had sent the previous night. "Here we go." She let
out a long breath, biting her lower lip as she scanned the
article. He noticed her features grow more tense with each line
she read.

"Remy is turning state on Fuentes," Clark said, pulling up a
seat at her desk.

Lois let out a shudder, "They both deserve to rot for what they
did."

"Agreed," Clark placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a
supportive squeeze. It was a bad deal. Remy had been just as
culpable in the actions that took place last week yet somehow,
she had ended up with an attorney that said all the right things
to the DA and negotiated a deal. Whatever it was she was able to
provide them, he just hoped would ensure Fuentes paid for his
crimes ten-fold.

Lois frowned, reaching the end of the article. "No summary?"

"I figured you could add that," Clark explained. Truth be told
with how close he was to the story, he wasn't sure how to
summarize his thoughts on the DA's office cutting a deal with
Remy. He felt betrayed by the justice system he fought to uphold.
She had committed these crimes and hurt just as many people that
night. Yet she would walk away with a new life and a slap on the
wrist. It felt wrong.

Lois cocked her eyebrow, looking back at Clark with an amused
expression. "You sure you want me writing that?"

"We're *both* too close to this one, Lois." Clark shrugged his
shoulders.

"Don't say that too loud or Perry might overhear you," Lois
reminded him with a playful smile.

"What might I overhear?" their editor's southern drawl echoed
in Clark's eardrums, and they both turned in surprise.

"Nothing," Lois said hurriedly, pointing at the screen. "Just
wrapping up this story for the next edition."

"Uh-huh," Perry glanced between the two of them, leaving them
both wondering if they'd have this story ripped out from under
them after their confession. After what felt like an eternity of
staring back at Perry waiting for a response, the editor finally
cleared his throat and broke the silence. "Story on my desk in
five."

"Right, no problem, Chief," Lois nodded.

"Sure thing, Chief," Clark agreed, watching Perry turn to leave
and head back to his office.

Lois let out a long sigh, pushing the send button on her email to
Perry. Hopefully, that would keep Perry at ease until the next
break in the story. She had skirted just up to the line of
journalistic neutrality, and she was sure Perry would probably
have a few words for her, but in the end, she had summarized both
sides of the coin. A killer would walk free in order to keep
another killer behind bars. How safe would Metropolis citizens
feel with that knowledge?

*<< "From what I've heard, I'd be better off out there with
the cops on my tail than you, Mr. Luthor,">>*

She recalled the statement Fuentes had made and shook her head.

What had that meant?

*<<"Be careful with Lex. You don't know him like I do,">>*

Perhaps it was time to stop prolonging her self-ridicule and
instead focus her attention on getting the answers to questions
she had yet to find out in the last six months. She spun around
in her desk chair, spotting Clark at his desk, typing ferociously
at his keyboard. Given Clark was one of the few people she knew
to dislike Lex, he seemed as good a place to start.

She rolled herself to his desk, bumping his desk with a jolt when
she came to a stop. Clark looked up in surprise, stopping and
turning to her. "Yes?"

"You don't know him like I do." Lois quoted Clark's words
back to him. "What did you mean by that?"

Recognition crossed his face, but instead, Clark seemed to hold
himself back, asking her, "Could you be more specific?"

"Who else would I be referring to? You are the president of the
I Hate Lex Luthor club, are you not?" Lois let out an
exasperated sigh as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't *hate* him," Clark clarified doing little to sway his
argument as he looked down in his lap.

"Fine," Lois rolled her eyes, leaning further back in her
chair. "Strongly dislike."

"Fair enough," Clark shrugged his shoulders. "Why the sudden
curiosity?"

"Maybe I'm a little more affected by last week's kidnapping
than I originally thought," Lois acknowledged, hoping she
wouldn't have to admit what it was exactly that made her start
questioning things. Admitting she'd been stood up on top of her
current feelings of self-doubt wasn't something she could deal
with right now. Heaven help her if Clark was actually proven
right. Could Lex really be capable of underhanded dealings and
criminal activity?

No matter what the truth was, she had to know.

"Since when do you heed any advice I give you when it comes to
Luthor?" Clark asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he turned the
desk chair back and forth at a fifteen-degree angle with his
foot.

Growing tired of watching him move from side to side, she
stretched her leg out to stop him from moving any further. "I
just got done sending an article to Perry that details how a
murderer that has done everything from making terroristic threats
to murdering innocent children will get less time than the
supposed leader who somehow doesn't have near the number of
violent crimes on his record --for a supposed leader that is. I
want answers. I want to know how Sheldon Bender got her name. I
want to know how the DA can cut a deal in less than a week." She
let out a shaky breath and finished with a soft whisper. "I want
to know what Fuentes meant when he said Lex was more dangerous
for him than the police."

Clark reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a
squeeze. She looked back at him with a shaky breath, uncertain
what to expect after her rambling outburst. His voice was calm as
he spoke. "You're right, Lois, there's a lot of unanswered
questions here. Maybe Fuentes was in charge, maybe he wasn't.
Maybe someone else was pulling the strings on this job, maybe
they weren't."

"Things aren't always what they seem," Lois acknowledged,
looking up at him. She let out a long breath, feeling a hard lump
in her throat. "Like maybe you think you're going to land the
biggest story of the year only to have the tables turned, and you
have no idea when or how you stopped pursuing a lead and started
to be the one being pursued?"

Recognition crossed Clark's face, and he stared back at her for
what felt like an eternity. The boulder-sized lump that sat in
the middle of her throat grew more painful by the second.
Finally, Clark broke the silence, "Maybe we should take this
conversation to the conference room."

"Maybe," Lois acknowledged, giving him a watery smile.

***

The bitter cold Alaskan air whistled against Robert Devane's
nostrils as he exited the helicopter he had rode in on. He had
made more than one attempt to follow through on his deal with
Luthor, but when the billionaire had disappeared, he opted to
take advantage of the opportunity. Three different buyers had
shown interest in the rock.

All of which had been willing to pay well into the billions for
the meteorite rumored to be the key to Superman's undoing. Much
more than his deal with Luthor had been for. Now all he had to do
was make it out of this exchange without losing a limb -- or
worse.

"Mr. Devane, I take it?" a voice came from behind him, and he
turned to see a short-statured man in a long black trench coat
and a bowler hat to match. The man seemed harmless, but
experience told him never to trust appearances. "Our ride's
just up there." He pointed to the town car waiting just a few
feet away.

***

Clark set his coffee mug down on the conference room table,
watching as Lois paced in front of him, uncertain if he should
interrupt the rambling or just let her get everything off her
chest. Something had obviously happened to get Lois riled up and
looking more closely at Luthor. For which he was grateful to have
her looking at Luthor as a story rather than a date, but still he
couldn't help but wonder what had caused this change in
attitude.

She finally stopped in front of him, taking a breath, crossing
her arms over her chest as she spoke. "I want --No, I need the
truth. Whatever ugly truth it is. I need to hear it."

"What truth?" Clark asked.

"Whatever it is that you're hiding from me because you think I
can't handle it," Lois said pointedly, raising an eyebrow at
him. "You don't become animus toward someone for no reason. So,
I want to hear it."

He wanted more than anything to divulge what he knew about Luthor
and have her help him bring the billionaire down once and for all
but at the same time, experience had taught him to be careful
with how much he divulged to her when it came to Luthor. She was,
after all, dating him.

Even if she was having second thoughts.

"Lois, I'm not sure you're going to want to hear what I have
to say," Clark edged cautiously, tapping his pen against the
table nervously.

Lois' eyes closed for a moment, seeming to try and reclaim calm
as she muttered in a low tone, "Clark, please just tell me. What
is it? What do you know? What do you suspect?" Clark stared back
at her, unsure if he was ready to go down this road with Lois.
Finally, he felt the rest of his resolve crumble when she looked
at him with those pleading eyes, "Please?"

"You might want to sit down," he pointed to the seat across
from him.

***

"So, you're saying Lex orchestrated the sabotage of
Prometheus?" Lois asked, summarizing what Clark had told her so
far. It was a lot to take in. The pieces fit. Baines' murder.
Platt's staged suicide. She had suspected someone high up when
she'd been investigating but never imagined it would be Lex
Luthor.

"How else do you think that bomb made its way back on Prometheus
after Dr. Baines' death?" Clark asked gently.

"Police report did rule it as sabotage," Lois recalled, shaking
her head. "With all the excitement of Superman's arrival, I
never followed up."

Clark nodded. "Remember when you asked Baines 'why?'"

Lois nodded, "She said it was for...."

"Profit," Clark nodded. "Who stood to make a profit if
Prometheus didn't succeed?"

Lois cringed inwardly, "Lex."

"Should he make Space Station Luthor a reality, yes," Clark
responded gently.

Lois bit her lower lip as she ran her hands up and down her face,
taking in everything Clark had told her. The fire Superman had
rescued Lex from. The hundreds of times Superman had confronted
Lex on his wrongdoings and the taunting response he'd received.
The story after story that had led them just close enough to find
who they thought was the bad guy, but in reality, kept them from
discovering the real monster behind the crime that infested
Metropolis.

"I'm an idiot." Lois breathed out, unable to find the words to
articulate the racing thoughts that drummed through her mind at
an alarmingly fast beat. She felt the sandpaper dryness in the
core of her throat as she squeaked out behind unshed tears. "I
can't believe I let him manipulate me like this."

"People see what they want to see," Clark said, placing a hand
on her shoulder. "You wanted to see the best of him." His voice
lowered an octave as he added, "So you did." She looked down,
tightening her hands together on the table. He reached over to
place a hand over hers and squeezed them gently. "Lois, that's
not a bad thing."

"It is when you're supposed to be the Planet's best
investigative reporter, and you get manipulated by...." She
stopped shaking her head. "Why haven't you gone to Henderson
with any of this?"

"People see what they want to see," Clark reminded her. "That
and I don't have any physical evidence to tie Luthor to any of
this."

"Right," Lois nodded, realizing with a frown just how little
physical evidence it had taken to convince her of Lex's
culpability in some of the crimes committed over the last year.
Still, she believed him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but
there was something in Clark's tone and, not to mention, that
his source was Superman. She cleared her throat, looking back at
her partner's mocha brown eyes as she swiped a stray tear from
her cheek. "Can't go to Henderson with just speculation."

"So, I take it you believe me now?" Clark asked uncertainly.

Lois was quiet for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, I mean
there's still a lot of questions, but I believe you."

***

The Presidential Suite of the Lexor hotel, even with its
expansive room and state of the art design, still struggled to
maintain the running of the multi-billion corporation within its
four walls. Furniture had been removed to make room for the board
room conference room table. Though the fire had hindered Lex's
morning plans, he would not be deterred.

He looked up from the paperwork that required his signature. His
next move to acquire the Daily Planet by hostile takeover had
already started. Though he would have preferred to have already
proposed when this action took place, he knew it would only sway
favor in Lois Lane's eyes. Her adoration for her beloved
newspaper was something he'd quickly taken notice of in their
early courtship. Coming to the rescue when all hope seemed lost
would only draw her closer.

Mrs. Cox poured his afternoon tea and nodded to him. "The
courier should be up within the hour to deliver the buy-out
checks to the Planet's board members."

Lex let out a deep sigh of relief as he leaned back in his chair.
"Excellent news." He pointed to the window behind him, "Any
estimate on when I'll be moved back into the penthouse?"

Mrs. Cox gave an uneasy smile, "Unfortunately, we are unable to
do anything until the Fire Marshall has finished the
inspection...which has not been completed yet."

"For God's sake, what do I pay these people for?" Lex grumbled
irritably. "How long does it take to inspect...." He stammered
out, cutting himself off as a coughing fit overtook him.

Mrs. Cox looked back at him in concern. "Lex, that cough
doesn't sound good?"

"I'm fine," Lex snarled out at her, shoving the papers in
front of him in her direction. "What's the update on tracking
down Devane?"

"He's in the wind," Mrs. Cox said, looking away from him as
she tapped her hand against the wooden table.

"Well, of course, he is," Lex muttered in disgust. "He's been
given access to the greatest weapon in the world, and every means
of communication I had with him went up in smoke along with my
home."

"He's going to need to sell it somewhere, Lex," Mrs. Cox
reassured him. "We'll find him."

"You better," Lex warned.

***

Lois reached over the two large stacks of files to grab a hot
slice of Grimaldi's pizza from the open box. She felt the tip of
her tongue slip to her outer lip in anticipation as she watched
the string of mozzarella and tomato sauce drip onto the paper
plate in her hand. "Ohhhh, just what the doctor ordered." She
dipped her head down to take a bite, letting out a heavenly moan
as the cheese and sauce danced on her taste buds in a perfect
symphony.

"You okay there?" Clark asked, nudging her elbow as he sunk
down into the chair behind her.

"I don't care what anyone says. How can anyone not like East
Village with perfect food like this?" She mumbled behind a
mouthful of cheese and homemade tomato sauce. "And that
crust..."

Clark let out a light chuckle, "So, I take it you're no longer
mad at me for making you take a break?"

Lois scowled at him, recalling the argument she'd put up when he
refused to go through one more page without having some sort of
nourishment. She couldn't blame him. It was late, and they had
worked through most of the afternoon. A late lunch was needed for
both of them. She looked back at him shyly. "I suppose we both
needed the break."

Clark cocked an eyebrow at her, offering her a half-smile. "Wow,
where're the witnesses when you need them? An admission that*
I'm* right?"

"Ha, ha," Lois said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she
scooted back in her seat. "I can admit when I'm wrong about
something." She heard what sounded like a snort escape Clark's
throat and glared back at him. "I *can*!"

"I didn't say anything," Clark responded smoothly, reaching
for another slice of pizza. "So, not that I mind going through
every single case we've covered in the last year, *but *what
exactly do you think you're going to find?" He motioned to the
table covered in file boxes and scattered file folders.

"I just need to know what it was that I missed," Lois said
carefully. She let out a long breath, setting her paper plate
down. "If I missed everything with Prometheus and Dr. Baines
then surely there's more."

She watched as Clark's face softened. His dark eyes flickered
behind his eyelids as his nostrils flared, seeming to be
contemplating something before he spoke up. "I guess I can
understand that."

"It's just something I need to do," Lois explained softly. "I
don't want to look back and wonder * 'what-if'* you know?"

***

Clark felt his heart lurch in his chest as he listened to the
desperation and vulnerability coming from Lois. It tore him up
inside to watch her struggle through the realization of just how
much she had not seen. On the one hand, he wanted to protect her
from the pain that came from realizing she had been lied to and
manipulated by Luthor. While on the other hand, he relished the
fact that she finally saw the truth.

"It's just something I need to do," Lois explained softly. "I
don't want to look back and wonder * 'what-if'* you know?"

He nodded, setting his plate down as he turned his chair toward
her. He watched her cautiously, uncertain how to react to this
new side to Lois he had never seen before. She'd opened up to
him about her family and the betrayal with Claude, but this
seemed different. She appeared to be desperate as she searched
for answers.

He had been caught off guard when she demanded answers from her
this morning on what he had against Luthor. Experience had taught
him to approach with caution whenever discussing Luthor, given
her relationship with him, but this had been different. The
determination and fierceness in her eyes had convinced him to
throw caution to the wind and tell her the truth. What he could
anyway. There was still a lot he couldn't tell her because of
the pandora's box it would open up regarding his alter-ego.

*<<"Take a chance.">>** *

Jack Pearson's words weighed heavily on him as he noted the
curious expression on Lois' face when she stared back at him. He
turned his chair back and forth with his foot, unsure if he
should respond to her heartbreaking plea or let her continue to
take them down this path of reflection on the many times Luthor
had pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. He knew it would be a
challenge. Lois had a knack for always being right and being the
best at what she did. It was one of the many things he loved
about her. It was also what made this painful stroll down memory
lane all the more agonizing. Each story they had covered held a
hidden truth that led back to Lex.

He still wasn't sure that hashing through the lost opportunities
and year of near misses was the best idea, but Lois had insisted
on taking a fresh look at everything. She had to know.

'*Had to know what?'** *

What was it she was trying to prove? He wasn't sure what the
answer was, but he had to try and get to the bottom of what was
motivating this journey through the past. He had combed through
these files for months, trying to find anything that may have
been missed but Luthor was too good. Clark's brow furrowed and
spoke up, *"What-if, *what exactly?"

Lois let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "What if my
ignorance helped put the wrong person behind bars? What if an
innocent person was hurt because I refused to see what was right
in front of me?" Her voice wavered as the last question escaped
her throat. "What if I'm losing my edge? My reporter's
instinct. It's been known to happen."

"Your *what*?" Clark practically choked out, reaching over to
take her hand in his. "Lois, you are the *best* reporter in this
city."

"Who missed what was right in front of her," Lois reminded him,
shaking her head in dismay.

"You made a mistake. An error in judgment." Clark shrugged his
shoulders. "It's not like you married the guy."

Lois let out an involuntary shudder, "Bite your tongue, Kent."

"Sorry," Clark flashed a quick smile back at her.

She needed a distraction. Something to pull her back and remind
her that despite the mistake with Luthor, she was still the best.
The look on Jack's face when he had received Perry's autograph
that morning ran through his mind, and he smiled. "You know,
sometimes we get so caught up in everything we do here it's hard
to pull ourselves out of the daily grind and realize how big a
part we play."

"What do you mean?" Lois asked curiously, pulling her chair
closer to him.

"I mean, sometimes we forget how big of an impact we have on the
world," Clark explained gently. The words fell from his mouth,
and an ease came out of him that he hadn't felt in ages.
Something had changed. He smiled back at her, holding her hand in
his, "The stories we cover. The people we work with and the
mayhem we uncover. No, we may not always get it right the first
time, but very rarely have I ever seen anyone turn their back on
the truth or just give up. Least of all you, Lois."

A smile spread across Lois' face that made his heart burst. Her
eyelashes fluttered, and she turned to him, placing a hand on his
arm--a gesture she'd never made with Clark before --and
whispered, "You really think so?"

"I know so," Clark pointed to the elevator doors behind him.
"This guy named Jack was standing outside the Planet this
morning just in awe of being here in front of *the *Daily Planet.
Perry made the guy's year by signing a copy of the morning
edition for him. You would have thought he had an autograph from
Brad Pitt or something the way the guy went on. He was so excited
to share that with his wife and kids. A memento to take home and
share from something that seems just so ordinary for us."

His chest tightened as he recalled the love and adoration Jack
had shared when talking about his family. What he wouldn't give
to have that kind of love in his life. He'd spent so much time
hiding from everything and everyone he found himself feeling
isolated from those he cared about most. Namely, his partner who
seemed to not give him a second look unless he had donned a cape
and tights.

Lois smiled sadly, "That's really sweet."

"You should have heard him going on about his family and how
happy he was going to make them with this picture and autograph
to add to their collection." Clark grinned happily. "You could
tell how much that small token meant to him."

"It must be really nice to have that kind of a relationship,"
Lois commented. To his surprise, she turned her chair, so her
shoulder was a mere few centimeters away from his. Her closeness
sent a flurry of questions through him as he cautiously teetered
through the conversation with her, unsure what to make of her
close proximity as they continued their discussion.

***

Lois wasn't sure what to make of the tale Clark had divulged to
her. He was right. It was easy to miss how big of an impact their
daily lives of chasing down stories had on the rest of the world.
She felt the last of her resolve begin to waver as she looked
over at him. For so long she'd kept herself and everyone around
her at a distance, trying to somehow protect herself from another
Claude or Paul situation. Yet here she was once again betrayed,
but it was of her own doing. Clark had been the one there warning
her about Lex. She didn't listen. She had quickly dismissed him
as being jealous after only a day and a half of working together
rather than taking his warning to heart.

Would it have changed things?

She would love more than anything to have or even be privy to
seeing her own parents share a relationship like what Clark
described from this Jack. Her experience with anything in regards
to love or relationships left her with a bitter taste in her
mouth.

The only person she'd actually allowed herself to indulge in the
possibilities of love or something more was Superman. Though she
couldn't deny there was a part of her that took delight in that
fantasy because it was indeed a fantasy. She didn't have to fear
her friendship or professional relationship being destroyed if
things went south with Superman.

Superman was safe.

Unlike her partner.

Her friend.

Her confidante.

Clark was ...

She stared back at his mocha brown eyes, feeling herself almost
instinctively lean closer as she responded, "It must be really
nice to have that kind of a relationship."

A thousand thoughts ran through her mind as she stared back at
him, uncertain how they had ended up sitting this close to one
another without her noticing. She felt the corners of her mouth
twitch with a half-smile as she looked back at her partner,
wondering how much longer she should sit there without moving.

"Yeah," Clark agreed, looking over at her with a nod of his
chin. "Makes you wonder how something like that starts."

A chance meeting.

A friendship.

A schoolmate.

A work partner.

The many scenarios ran through her mind, and Lois felt a prickle
inside her throat as her heart began to hammer. She looked back
at him, trying to convey a calm she didn't feel at that moment.

Clark looked back at her and nodded his head. Lois felt her
throat tighten as she responded, "I guess any relationship
starts with taking a chance on one another." Every warning was
going off in her head, telling her to pull away yet she couldn't
seem to make herself do it. Why couldn't she just run away and
lock the door like she always did?

'*Maybe because you don't want to.'** *

"A chance?" Clark echoed, his brow furrowed as he turned toward
her.

"Opening yourself up to anyone is scary," Lois amended, feeling
her heart pound against her chest like a battle drum. She could
run away and stop this conversation before it got too close to
the truth she'd been too afraid to admit.

"Why?" Clark asked, letting out a long breath as he stared back
at her with an intensity that sent her heart rate into a flurry.

Lois felt a lump on her throat as she responded on instinct.
"Being vulnerable is hard, but when you open yourself up to
someone and take a chance it's terrifying. You're handing over
a part of you and a part of the control you have over your life.
Whether it's a business partner, a friend or...more." She heard
her voice waver at the last statement and quickly looked away.

"So, you're saying having friends is terrifying?" Clark asked,
raising his brow at her.

"No, friends are...okay." Lois shook her head.

"Just okay?" Clark pressed.

"Friends can still hurt you," Lois responded quietly.

Clark nodded, understanding the silent meaning behind her words.
He always did that. His hand brushed against her cheek, "Not
everyone is going to end up like Linda King, Lois...or Paul...or
Claude."

"I know that," Lois felt her voice waver as she spoke, fighting
the burning sensation in her throat as she felt the tears form in
her eyes.

"Do you?" he asked, his brow furrowed as he looked back at her
with a look that made her want to run for the nearest exit and
melt in his arms all at once.

She felt her insides waver as she stared back at his mocha brown
eyes. How could he do that? Just whisper a few words, and she was
left wondering which way to turn. "I..."

Something flashed in his eyes for a moment, and he continued,
"Lois, you keep everyone at a distance. Even if someone wanted
to get close to you, they couldn't. Not without
risking...everything."

"I don't keep everyone at a distance," Lois clarified, finding
herself unable to continue the argument as she thought back on
the countless times over the last year she had pushed her partner
away anytime she felt herself wavering toward anything that might
go past the friendship she'd come to rely on and find comfort
in. "Okay, maybe I do." Lois amended, reaching her hand out to
take his.

"Maybe?" Clark asked softly.

"What are you trying to say?" Lois challenged, cocking an
eyebrow as she looked back at him.

"I'm just making conversation," Clark said, pulling away.

Lois bit her lower lip, feeling the loss of contact. Did he
seriously just do that? Did he seriously just make her open up
about her most inner fears, make her wonder about the possibility
of more with their friendship before pulling away from her?

*<<"Now there you go using that word again Clark. There is
'you,' there is 'I,' there is no 'we,'"*

"*Not yet."*

"*Not ever." *

"*We'll see."*

"*How long can you hold your breath?">> *

"You're making conversation?" Lois echoed as memory after
memory raced through her mind. It had been so obvious. How had
she not seen it before? She stared back at him with a soft
expression.

*<<"But that would have to mean that I found you...Clark, you
were sprayed. How come you didn't fall for me?"*

"*I guess I'm just not attracted to you, Lois."*

"*Liar! You are so attracted to me.">> *

She let out a soft whimper and responded, "You're right. There
I said it, are you happy?"

"What am I right about?" he asked with a light chuckle.

"I run for the hills anytime anything, or anyone gets too close
to me. I always have, and yet for some reason, I have these
friends that just won't take 'no' for an answer. I push them
away, and they're still there with a pint of chocolate ice cream
after I spend most of the day lashing out at them for something
that wasn't their fault," Lois rambled, recalling her guilt
over how she had lashed out at Clark after the pheromone spray
incident.

*<<"Clark, whether or not that memory of yours comes back, I
just want you to know I think you're terrific."*

"*Likewise,"*

"*I mean, I love you...like a brother." >>*

"I'm not very good at being a friend. I'm even worse at
relationships. Every attempt I've ever made has resulted in a
betrayal of some sort. I don't trust easily, and I couldn't
bear the thought of losing one of my best friends." The tears
ran down her cheeks as she listed the reasons why the unspoken
topic they had both been dancing around for the last half hour
would never work.

Clark smiled back at her. "Sometimes you just have to take a
leap of faith and trust that everything will work out, Lois."

"I don't have a whole lot of faith to leap with," Lois
responded cautiously.

"Just tall buildings to leap off of?" Clark grinned.

"Maybe," Lois shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe I'm just as scared as you are," Clark said after a long
moment, breaking the silence between them. "You're my best
friend, and I don't want to lose that either."

"Then why are we having this conversation?" Lois asked, wiping
her hand across her cheek. "This is...we're *best friends*."

*<<"Goodbye? We're partners!"*

"*You don't ***need*** a partner, Lois. You never did."*

"*Maybe not, but I was starting to like having one.">> *

"I know," Clark said, taking a step closer. "But sometimes you
just have to take a leap of faith and plunge in with both feet
instead of skirting around, afraid to change."

"I'm not afraid to change," Lois corrected him. "I don't
want to lose my friend."

"Neither do I," Clark took another step closer and added.

"What if it doesn't work out?" Lois asked.

"What if it does?"

***

"Answers! I want *answers*!"

Lex let out a low hiss as his gaze shifted around the trio that
surrounded him. "How in the world did I pay over two hundred
thousand dollars in buy-outs and yet no contract has made its way
to my doorstep of my newest acquisition?"

A strained voice came from the corner, "Lex, it was a clerical
error on the bank's part, I'm sure."

"A clerical error?" Lex fumed angrily, reaching for the
gold-plated lamp on the table in front of him. "A missing period
is a clerical error, Mrs. Cox. This is a
*five-hundred-thousand-dollar* error that has cost me
everything!" He lunged his arm and threw the lamp across the
room, letting out a dismissive shrug as he saw the glass shatter
across the floor.

"I want answers, and I want them now!" Lex fumed angrily,
smashing his fist against the table in front of him.

Mrs. Cox looked warily toward Nigel and then turned back to Lex,
"The bank didn't receive the request for the transfer of funds
due to the fire, Lex."

"A *fund transfer*?" His eyes darkened, and he saw a fiery red
as he tightened his grip on the side of the table in front of
him. "Thousands of dollars lost. Hours of careful, meticulous
planning only to have it disintegrate before any steps can be
made in taking ownership of the Planet or forcing Lois Lane's
hand. All of it is lost! *Gone*!" He lifted the table up over
his head, throwing it at the wall behind the trio of
disappointing confidants before him.

Mrs. Cox and Asabi fell to the ground for cover while Nigel
remained calm and collected, unfazed by Lex's outburst. "I'm
sure we can ...fix this, Lex," Mrs. Cox reassured him.

"You've done enough damage!" Lex growled as he glared at the
unfazed butler, reaching his hand up to jab Nigel in the
shoulder. "I want the lowly rat that is responsible for that
fire on my doorstep by the end of today, or it is your head. Am I
clear?"

Nigel cleared his throat, reaching in his coat pocket to pull out
a small manila envelope and hand it to Lex. "I would have
thought my time would be better spent on a trip to the Arctic.
Unless you don't want to recover the missing Kryptonite from
that traitorous Devane?"

A curve crossed Lex's lips as he glared back at Nigel. "Is that
so?" A calm crossed Lex as he straightened up, "Then what are
we waiting for?"

"You might want to change, Mr. Luthor," Nigel eyed Lex's
attire and noted, "The Arctic can be unforgiving to a six-piece
suit."

"Very well," Lex straightened his jacket and turned to Nigel.
"And Nigel, don't disappoint me again."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

***

*<<"What if it does?">>** *

Those were the scary words that had been uttered. It was finally
out there for both of them to face. Lois ran a hand through her
hair, looking over at the dark-haired man that had just stepped
on the elevator in a new light.

*<<"Take a chance.">> *

A date.

She had agreed to one date tonight with him. One evening where
they would both throw caution to the wind and determine if it was
worth taking a chance and exploring the possibility of more than
friendship with one another.

One date.

*<<"What if it bombs?"*

"*What if it doesn't?">>*

*<<"We're best friends."*

"*We'll always be friends."*

"*Promise?">>** *

She had agonized over every possible lousy ending to this evening
and second-guessed her decision to, as Clark had put it * 'take
a chance'* and see where this goes. She could always back out
and probably save herself some heartache, but then she would
never know the answer to the questions her mind had presented her
with over the last twelve hours.

She felt something toward Clark. Whether that was more than
friendship, she wasn't sure, but there was a pull that had
always been there. She had spent the last year trying to deny it
and push him away but she was done running. She was done hiding.

She needed to know.

He probably needed to know just as badly.

The elevator pinged, and she waited for the other passengers to
exit, lingering behind with Clark for a moment. "Busy day,
huh?" she commented, teasing her hair with her fingertips as she
looked over at Clark.

"Yeah," Clark nodded, walking with her into the lobby. "But
productive." He flashed a quick smile her way and added. "You
found the needle in the haystack that I've been looking for for
months. I'd say that's a win."

"We found a connection to the mysterious boss." Lois sighed,
taking the compliment in jest. "We still have no idea who the
boss is or how to prove this boss ties back to Lex."

"We will," Clark replied confidently. His smile spread across
his face, reaching up to his cheeks and spreading across his
cheekbones.

"How can you be so sure?" Lois asked, eying his burst of
confidence suspiciously.

"Because we're the best," Clark said, walking through the
rotating glass door with her.

"I guess we are," Lois said shyly, feeling her own smile spread
across her face. They stopped on the sidewalk just outside the
Planet, finishing their conversation before parting their ways.
Would they still joke around like this after tonight? A hard lump
filled her throat as she realized how much was at risk. She let
out a raspy sigh and whispered, "That's what makes this so
scary."

He nodded, letting out his own sigh, "Lois, if you're having
second-thoughts I..."

Before he could finish making the offer to not go through with
the date, she cut him off, shaking her head adamantly. "No,
that's not what I meant. I just...I'm scared of losing
*this*." She motioned between the two of them.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm scared too," Clark
admitted, reaching over to cup her cheek.

"Really?" Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked back at him,
feeling a wave of relief wash over her.

"Really," he echoed, dropping his hand from her cheek. "Look,
I'm not going to stand here and lie and tell you everything will
be fine. I honestly don't know. I do know it's worth at least
trying to see where this goes. Whether we're going back to being
just friends or something more tomorrow, it's at least worth
giving it a shot."

Lois nodded, letting out a light breath as she stared back at him
in wonderment. She was really doing this. They were really doing
this. "So, Centennial Park at eight?"

"That's when the Light Festival is supposed to start, yeah,"
Clark nodded, taking her hand in his.

"So, we're not going to sit here and pretend we don't know
each other over a candlelit dinner?" Lois teased with a
half-smile.

"I figured we could do that while at least trying something fun.
That way we could at least enjoy ourselves if we end up boring
one another," Clark teased back.

"I've never been to a Light Festival before," Lois admitted
shyly.

"Well, neither have I," Clark responded with a chuckle. "We
can be newbies together."

Lois let out a light chuckle. "See you at eight."

***

Lex held his chest as he let out a loud bark, coughing up what
felt like his lung as he exited the private terminal to his jet.
The brisk cold rattled down his airways, and he gasped for the
scarce oxygen in the Arctic cold.

"This way, sir," the pilot pointed to the car in front of
them.

Lex nodded, holding his fur-lined coat to him, seeking a warmth
beneath the bristling wind that howled in his ears. "How much
farther?" Lex shouted into the wind.

The pilot didn't seem to pick up on his question but rather
pointed up ahead as he backed away to return to the jet. Lex
thought momentarily about lashing out at him but given how
crucial his timeline was in order to retrieve the Kryptonite he
thought better of it. Just as he reached the car he let out
another raspy cough, feeling his insides contract with each
breath.

'*No, not like this,'** * he thought feeling a panic rise up
inside him, but before he could muster up the energy to scream
the pain overtook him, knocking him unconscious.

***

Lois felt a flutter in her abdomen as she looked across the pond
that was dimly lit with the light show. She turned to Clark as
they strode through Metropolis' Centennial Park, noting the
tranquil surroundings as the lanterns glowed in the air above
them.

Had it really only been just twenty-four hours since that
conversation?

She had spent hours agonizing over the confession and what
exploring the possibilities would mean, but to her surprise, once
Clark had shown up at her door, she found herself at ease. She
looked over to the fountain where the lanterns floating in the
sky were hovering, emitting a warm glow across the crystal-clear
water. There was no pressure to put up a facade that came with
the many dates she'd been setup on by her sister or her
mother's friends.

This was different.

"I had no idea they did this," Lois commented, pointing up at
the night sky where the lanterns floated above them.

"Me neither," Clark shrugged his shoulders, holding up the
lantern they'd picked up from the lighting station a few feet
away. "I saw a flyer for it the other day and figured it might
be worth it to check out."

Lois cracked a smile back at him, "Taking quite a chance there,
weren't you?"

"Yeah, but that's what life's about, isn't it?" Clark asked.
"Taking a chance?"

"I guess so," she agreed, watching the reflection of the golden
light from the lanterns emit from the corner of his glasses. She
let out a long breath she didn't realize she had been holding
and turned to him, "I don't open up easily. I guess I don't
have to tell you that, but despite everything, you've still been
there. You're literally the only person outside of my sister
I've opened up to and not had my trust betrayed."

A look of uncertainty crossed Clark's face, and he looked torn
for a moment before she leaned up to brush her lips against his
in a soft, featherlight kiss. Caution quickly turned to curiosity
as desire quickly pushed its way to the forefront of her mind.
Any doubts or uncertainties she'd had about tonight quickly
disappeared as Clark's hands moved to both sides of her face and
his lips found hers again and again. She murmured her approval,
looping her arms around his neck and giving the kiss the
attention it so desperately needed.

***

An older man in black bowler hat checked the time as he watched
the paramedics attend to the man that had collapsed on the
tarmac. He held the lead-lined box in his hand and turned to
leave as the time of death was called out.

"Such a shame," he thought aloud to himself. "A simple checkup
from a doctor would have prevented Mr. Luthor's untimely death,
but then the timeline could have been seriously altered had he
been in full control of his faculties and able to come after
Superman." He typed in a code on the handheld computer.
"Submission for automatic destruction to Utopia 2245."

A chirp came from the device in his hand, and a robotic voice
responded, "Submission accepted, Mr. Wells. Timeline is intact.
Ready for transfer?"

"Just be sure not to misplace my coat this time," Wells
responded. "It's bitterly cold up here."

***

Clark felt the prickle of uneasiness on the back of his neck as
he stepped inside Lois Lane's apartment. Lois' heartfelt
admiration for what a good friend he'd been despite everything
weighed heavily on him as he took a seat on her sofa. The evening
had gone better than he could have dreamed, but there was still
the nagging issue of his alter-ego. He knew he couldn't
realistically pursue anything real without telling her the
truth.

Still, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive of sharing this
part of his life with her. In all twenty-seven years here on
Earth, he hadn't told a soul outside of his parents. He kept
everyone at arm's length, preventing them from discovering just
how different all-American boy Clark Kent really was. His
greatest fear was to open up and tell those he cared about most
the truth and have them reject him.

In his head, he knew the chances of Lois doing such a thing were
slim to none. He found himself in constant competition it seemed
with his super alter-ego, but still, he couldn't help but wonder
if the revelation would result in his worst nightmare come true.

*<<"Take a chance.">>** *

The wise words had brought him this far. When push came to shove,
he knew he trusted Lois more than anyone and knowing that was
what put his mind at ease as he toyed with different scenarios,
wondering just how the revelation should go.

Lois handed him a mug of coffee, taking a seat next to him on the
sofa. "So..." she cleared her throat, breaking the silence as
they turned to one another.

"So..." he cleared his own throat, unsure what else to say at
that moment.

"I guess we'll have to make plans for next year's Light
Festival." Lois smiled up at him from behind her mug of coffee.
"Tonight was fun."

A relieved sigh escaped his throat, and he nodded, "So, we
failed to bore one another? Maybe we can give it another shot
with dinner Friday night?"

A light chuckle escaped her lips, and she nodded, "I'd like
that. I mean, it's only fair that we give this boring one
another a decent shot."

"Of course," he grinned back at her. A long pause fell between
them, and she smiled, "In all seriousness, I did have a good
time. I'm willing to see what happens if you are."

The corners of his mouth twitched as he stared back at her,
uncertain how to react. Here he had just spent the evening with
Lois in what could only be described as the perfect date. No
calls for help. No disasters. Everything worked perfectly.

The only thing that didn't work was the secret he was still
harboring. *'Just rip the band-aid off'* he told himself,
straightening up. "I want that too, Lois," he reached over to
take her hand. "But if we're going to do this then there's
something you need to know."

He felt Lois' gaze on him as he stood up, pacing in front of her
nervously as he went over every possible way he could do this.
Giving a speech left too much room to be misunderstood and would
likely result in only drawing out the inevitable. A quick reveal
would be the best route.

He swallowed hard and then said, "It's probably easier if I
just show you." Taking the final leap of faith, he took his
glasses off and set them on the table.

Just before he looked up to meet Lois' gaze, he added. "I've
never told anyone this. I tried to keep it hidden for the longest
time, but keeping it hidden has only isolated me further. I trust
you more than anyone, and that's why I'm trusting you with
this."

A flicker of recognition crossed her face just before he took the
final step and disappeared into a blur of red and blue before her
eyes. The blue, red, and yellow suit left him feeling exposed and
naked under her widened eyes.

"I guess we have a lot to talk about," Lois whispered, staring
back at him in awe.

THE END