By Kristen Wynne [kwynne@tiger1.ocs.lsu.edu]
Summary: Lois and Clark meet for an early morning breakfast at his apartment and trade banter about the benefits of heat and x-ray vision.
***
The alarm went off at 6 a.m. Lois reluctantly opened her eyes and stared at the clock, the numbers blurred a bit from her sleepy state.
"Oh pooh...be quiet!" Lois yelled at the clock. "I'm getting up!" She threw back the warm comforter, sat up, and stretched. "Well, at least I'm not the only one who has to get up this early." She agreed to meet Clark for breakfast at his apartment. They had a few notes to review before their interview with one of Metropolis' city officials, who they suspected had connections with a national insurance scam.
She brushed her teeth, showered, and got dressed. On her way out the door she grabbed her purse and briefcase. The cab driver stopped as soon as she waved to him. Her Cherokee was in the shop.
"344 Clinton, please."
***
Clark took a carton of orange juice out of the refrigerator. He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and stopped to unlock the door.
"Good morning," he said cheerfully to Lois as she smiled and kissed him.
"Good morning, yourself! Are you ready for today?" Lois asked anxiously.
"Yeah, I guess." Clark didn't seem as gung-ho about the whole thing as Lois did, but that was normal.
"What do you *mean* you guess? This is going to be on the front page, back page, and every other page in between as soon as we prove my...um...I mean *our* theory," Lois caught herself and gave him the credit he deserved.
"Do I hear 'Pulitzer' in your voice?" Clark teased.
"Maybe. What's for breakfast?" Lois was hungry, and Clark's homemade breakfasts were always good.
"I'm not done cooking yet. It'll be a few seconds." Clark took four eggs out of the carton, broke them, and fried them with his heat vision. He then cooked the toast in the same way and poured two glasses of coffee and juice.
"These taste better than normal-cooked eggs," Lois said after Clark served her portion.
"They're healthy, too. No grease."
"I guess heat vision has lots of advantages," Lois said as she took another bite.
"Well," said Clark with a devilish grin, "so does x-ray vision."
Lois looked up from her plate and thought for a moment. "You know, for being a farmboy from Smallville, you sure can be bad sometimes."
"Yep...I can." Clark sat down at the table across from Lois. "Even Superman has not-so-innocent thoughts from time to time."
"As long as they're only of me," Lois said with a smile. She finished the last of what was a very filling and delicious meal and rose from her chair to wash her dishes.
"You never need to doubt that." Clark tried to sound playful but sincere. He walked over to the sink behind Lois and placed his arms around her waist.
"Clark, you'll get all wet." Lois tried to get a lather going with what little soap was left in the bottle. "And you need to go shopping, too."
"No I won't." Clark tilted his head forward to her neck and recognized her scent as the perfume he had given her. She had said she loved this particular perfume when they passed a counter in the shopping mall. He loved the way it smelled on her.
"Yes you will," Lois warned again. He's obviously not listening to me, she thought, feeling his warm lips on the back of her neck and his hands still around her torso. This feels really nice, she thought, but let's see what *this* will feel like. Lois turned around, hands dripping wet, and flicked water at Clark's face. "See? I *told* you you'd get wet," she said innocently.
"Okay, Miss Lane." Clark wiped his face with a towel that was lying on the counter. "I owe you one." He dried off and tapped the towel on the tip of Lois' nose with a grin. "When you least expect it."
"Well, if we're going to get any work done today, we'll have to quit fooling around and get started," Lois said, drying the last of the dishes.
"It's only eight o'clock," Clark said softly. He pulled Lois toward him gently by her arm. She tossed the dishtowel she was using on the counter and let him guide her his way.
She knew the look in his eyes. Strangely, it made her feel safe and vulnerable at the same time. but she didn't mind being vulnerable with Clark. In fact, she liked it. And he was the only person she had been so open to, the only person she could let down her guard with. Yet she knew she could trust him. We take care of each other, she thought. We lean on each other. But as independent as she was and as head-strong as she had been in the past, Lois couldn't imagine her life without this man in it. I guess that's why I know I love him, she thought. I know I don't have to be with him, but I know that I want to be with him. More than anything else in this world. Lois decided the story could wait a little longer.
She continued further, drawing closer to him, anticipating what was to come next. Clark closed his eyes and parted his lips slightly until they met hers. He could feel her chest move as her breath quickened and her heart beating soundly. Lois and Clark kissed softly at first. She brought her arms up around his back and held onto him tightly as their kiss became more passionate. After a few moments Clark lifted his head and looked at Lois.
"Maybe we should get to the story," he whispered.
"No." Lois shook her head. "Remember, you said you owed me one."
Clark smiled, lifted Lois into his arms, and walked to the bedroom...
THE END
(goodmorn.txt)