By Kim A Gammello (NAUD60B@prodigy.com)
Summary: Lois and Clark are on another stakeout. As Lois begins to really open up about her feelings for him, Clark darts away to … pick up something. Is Lois reaching her limit?
This is the first fanfic I've sent in. I have another one that's a little better, but it's still in the editing stage. I'd appreciate any response back from it. Thank you.
***
"Lois, are you almost finished with your copy?" Clark asked as he approached her desk. He looked at Lois, her dark brown hair moving ever so slightly when she typed. Her brown eyes following her words as they appeared on the screen. Her lips pursed with concentration. Her…
"Hello? Clark? Anybody home?" Lois said to him as she waved the printout in front of his face. Clark snapped back into reality.
"What? Oh yeah, sorry, Lois."
"Where were you, Kent?" Lois asked as she stood up. She gathered her things to leave for the day.
"I really don't know," he replied. "So, Lois, what are you doing tonight?"
"I actually had a date with a gallon of triple mocha chocolate chunk ice cream and an old movie marathon, why?"
"Well, do you want to go see a movie or something? Maybe dinner and some dancing. We haven't really done anything like that in a while." Clark suggested.
"Well, why don't you just come over and join me. I can always get another gallon of ice cream." Lois said as she put on her coat.
"That will be great. Lois. How about I bring the food? Chinese or something?" Clark replied.
"You mean you don't like my choice in food?" she asked as she jabbed him in the arm. Clark just laughed. "Fine then, but we're still having ice cream later."
"All right, you win. I'll see you later," he said. The two just stood there for a moment staring at each other. Then, out of nowhere or maybe somewhere, they kissed. "Bye Lois," Clark said again as he regained his composure.
"Bye," she said with a smile and Lois Lane was gone.
"Kent!" Perry shouted. "My office now!" Clark scurried in to Perry White's office.
"What is it, Chief?" Clark asked.
"Where's Lois?"
"She went home. Why? I gave you our story and all. I was about to leave myself. What's going on?"
"Great, this is just great. We just got a leak from Bobby Big Mouth about the whole Intergang scandal with the senator and all. There's supposed to be some meeting of the two parties tonight… and you and Lois are going to be there!" he said excitedly.
"Well, I was going over to her apartment later tonight, so I'll just pick her up, okay?" Clark said glumly. "We were supposed to do something tonight and all."
"Sorry, Clark, you two can spend some quality time together while you work. Now move!" Perry said. Clark obediently left the office and gathered his things. It was off to Lois' and then on assignment.
***
"I can't believe this! I have to miss Casablanca because someone is meeting someone else about something top secret. What a way to spend an evening!" Lois complained as she set up the surveillance equipment.
"But hey, you get to spend the evening with me and that's all that matters, right?" Clark said with a smile.
"Ha, ha, Mr. Comedian. This is far from spending, what'd Perry call it, quality time with you."
"So you want to spend time with me?" Clark said as he grabbed Lois by the waist, feeling somewhat adventurous. Lois smiled.
"How could I not?" Lois said as she fiddled with his tie. Lois looked into Clark's brown eyes thinking how great it was to have a friend like that. Someone who was always there for you. But, what was happening with them lately? They'd been out on dates and she knew he had feelings for her, but she still didn't know what she felt for him. He was such a normal part of her life, no surprises here with Clark Kent. But, with Superman, that was a different story.
"Lois? Lois? Are you here? Hello in there?" he said as he knocked on her head. He let go of Lois and she stumbled a little backward. "What is wrong with you?"
"Huh? What? Oh I was just thinking. Sorry," she said quickly as she went back to work on the cameras that were set up. Clark just sighed.
"I'm going to go take a shower," he said.
"Fine Clark, I'll just finish setting stuff up." she said distantly. He knew her mind was somewhere else, but where?
Lois continued working while Clark took his shower. All the time while she was setting up camera and film and her computer she was thinking about Clark… and Superman. Superman had always had an aura of wonder surrounding him. Who he was really? Lois knew someday that she would find out who that man was really behind the cape. Obviously unaware that man was in the shower right now, with her day in and day out. Oblivious to the fact that he was falling in love with her and she might be doing the same. Her feelings were all jumbled up inside, moving about like a boat in rough waters.
"Hey, Lois, you finished setting up?" Lois just stared. "Sorry, I left my shirt in here." he said as he walked in to get his bag. Lois still stared at the muscular, usually unseen, build of her partner. Never before had she been that attracted to him before.
"Um, really that's okay. It is a little hot in here anyway," she said daringly. Did I just say that it was hot in here, she thought. He must think I'm crazy. Clark just smiled.
"Anyway, did I miss anything while I was in the shower?" he said as he slipped on a gray T-shirt.
"Not really. Nothing exciting happening yet." Lois replied.
"Well, we'll just have to make our own excitement, won't we," he said undaunted by Lois' gaze.
"What!?" Lois said shocked.
"Nothing, I just brought a bottle of wine with me. Oh… you thought… geez Lois," Clark said laughing.
"I thought nothing of the sort!" Lois replied indignantly. "I'm going to take a shower now!" Lois gathered her things and went to the bathroom. "Plus, I'll make sure I bring my shirt in with me!" Clark just laughed.
While Lois took her turn in the shower, Clark set up dinner. He's stopped at Luigi's Italian restaurant and picked up dinner. Linguini with marinara sauce, fresh made Italian bread, salad, and for dessert chocolate cheesecake all complimented with a nice red wine. He said quietly, "I know she'll love it all."
"What will I love?" Lois said as she stepped out of the bathroom. Now it was Clark's turn to gawk. He stared at the beautiful Lois lane, hair damp, dressed in jeans and a blue tank top. Boy, she loves those tank tops, he thought. And so do I.
Clark snapped back into reality. "You, my dear, will love dinner." Lois took a look at the food which covered the table.
"Oh Clark, it looks delicious." she said as he slid her chair under her.
"I'm glad you like it. Hopefully, it will taste as good as it looks," he said with a smile and they proceeded to eat their fill.
***
"Ugh, I am stuffed," Lois said as she put her napkin down.
"What? There's still dessert," Clark said.
"We can wait for that. Let's go check out what's going on across the way." Lois and Clark went to the window and checked all the machines. Each was running and working fine, nothing had been picked up yet either. Lois sat down on the couch and Clark sat down next to her, turning on the television.
After Lois flipped through all of the channels, finding nothing, she shut off the television.
"Clark, we need to talk anyway," Lois said as she set the remote control down on the floor. "We need to talk about us."
Clark cringed, "This isn't going to be good, is it?"
"Well, I don't know. I've been thinking a lot lately, a lot about us and how feelings change and all."
"Lois, I think it's fairly obvious about how I feel towards you," he said as he brushed a stray hair away from her cheek. She took his hand in hers.
"I do know how you feel, and I think I'm finally coming to grips with how I feel." she said. "Superman…"
"Lois I thought you were over him?" he said cringing.
"I'll never be over Superman, but while you were in the shower I was thinking. I was thinking about how you and I are together day in and day out. You're there for me 24 hours a day seven days a week and I'm the same. Superman is there for everyone, everyday, not just for me. You're exclusive to me, no one else cares as much for me as you do, Clark."
"You're right about that," he said as he put his arm around Lois. "What are you trying to say, Lois?"
"Well, I think I'm trying to say is that…" Lois started but was cut off as Clark got up rapidly from the couch.
"Lois, I have to go pick something up I forgot from my apartment. I'll be right back, " he said making an excuse, but in actuality, going to save someone. "I'm sorry." Lois' mouth just dropped and Clark shut the door. Clark didn't see the hurt tears falling from Lois' face, all he saw was someone else needing to be saved.
When Clark returned Lois was gone. He searched every room in the apartment for her but no sign. He purse was gone, along with Clark's car keys.
"Great, now I have no ride," he said with a frown. With another quick spin he was back in his Superman costume and off to find Lois.
While Clark searched from the skies, Lois was at Metro Park. She was sitting under a big oak tree staring into the sky with tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Why does he do that? Doesn't he love me any more? Am I old news, yesterday's headlines? Why?" Lois sobbed quietly. Clark heard the sobbing and followed it to the park.
"Hi, Lois," Superman said.
"Oh, Superman," she said dabbing her eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard you crying and… what's the matter, Lois?" he asked as he sat down next to her.
"It's Clark, he always runs off with some dumb excuse when we start to talk about something important… like our relationship. It's really starting to hurt and frustrate me, Superman. He hasn't said anything to you about it, has he?"
"Lois, did you ever think that maybe Clark has a reason for running off? I know Clark isn't the type of guy to blow people off , especially you."
"I know, but what other reason would it be, than he's afraid of our relationship." Lois said bitterly.
"I'm no… I mean he's not… what I'm trying to say is…" he stuttered.
"He's told you, hasn't he!? You know! Why does he do it, Superman, why!?"
"Lois, you're going to have to ask him yourself. But, I do know one thing, he loves you more than anything." Superman said quickly and then he flew away. Lois just stared to the sky.
When both had returned to their individual apartments, Lois and Clark lay thinking about one another.
"I need to tell her," Clark said as he stared at the shadows on the wall. "Everything is getting totally out of hand. She's going to hate me soon and then I'll have no chance of ever getting her to marry me. I'll have no chance of ever even having her as my best friend."
Lois was doing the same.
"I have to talk to Clark. This is getting entirely out of hand. Superman knows why he's been leaving, but I don't. I need to know," she said swiftly. With that she proceeded to call Clark.
RING, RING, RING!
"Hi! I'm not here right now, but if you leave your name and number I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Bye!" BEEP!
"Clark, where are you exactly at midnight? Give me a call ASAP we need to talk. By the way, I saw Superman. What else do you tell him about our relationship or maybe a soon to be lack of?" Lois said angrily to the machine.
Clark cringed as he heard Lois' voice filter through the machine.
"Oh boy, I'm in for it." he said grimly. He picked up and dialed Lois' number.
"Hi! I can't come to the phone right now. But, if you leave a short message after the beep I'll get back to you soon. Bye!" BEEEEP!
"Lois, it's Superman. Come to Clark's right away. Bye!" Clark said in his super hero voice. He smiled. The secret would soon be out, but what would the reaction be.
***
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Just a second, Lois!" Clark shouted. He opened up the door and Lois stormed in.
"Okay, Clark, where's Superman and why does he want me over here? And why do you keep running off whenever I have something to say or we start talking and…" Lois said hysterically.
"Lois, calm down. Superman is here and I have some explaining to do. "
"Where is he then? I want, no, I need to talk to him." Lois said searching through Clark's apartment for the man in red and blue. "Clark, he's not here and I want to talk to him. He called me and all."
"Lois!" Clark shouted. "You are talking to him!" Lois just stopped.
"What?"
"You are talking to him. I am Superman!"
"Sure, Clark, very funny," she replied with a smirk.
"I am not trying to be funny, Lois. Just listen and look," he said he took off his glasses and smoothed his hair back.
"Oh my word," Lois breathed. "You're Superman and that's why you run off all the time and that's why…oh my word."
"Lois, I never meant to hurt you. It was all for your protection as well as mine. I really didn't want people to mob me 24 hours -7 days a week. I wanted to have a normal life, and it's become more apparent lately, that I want to have a normal life… with you." Lois just stood there with her mouth agape. "Lois, say something."
"How could you? How could you lie to me all this time and how could…
"Lois, please, just listen. It's been hard, especially as we've become even closer. I love you, Lois, and would never do anything to hurt you. I thought this was for the better." he pleaded.
"It's been hard, hasn't it?" she asked.
"Yes, it really has," he replied taking her hand.
"Well," she said quickly. "It's going to be even harder because I never want to see you again, Clark Kent, oh I'm sorry, Superman!" Lois grabbed her purse and stormed out of the apartment.
***
Lois got home around 3 am, after a long evening of driving around that is. But, even though her drive had calmed her, she still couldn't sleep.
"If I can't sleep, neither will someone else," she said as she picked up the phone to call Lucy.
"Hello," said a groggy voice.
"Hey, Lucy, it's me," Lois said.
"Huh? Lois, what are you doing up at 3 am!? I'm sleeping here, call me back later, much later!"
"Wait! Lucy, I need your advice! Please, I can't sleep at all.
"Oh, okay. But make it short. I have to work the breakfast shift at Uncle Mike's." Lucy said sitting up in bed. Lois unfolded the story to her baby sister, every detail.
"I can't believe you, sis! Condemning the man just because he kept something from you. I'm sure it was real easy all those years, not being able to tell anyone, especially a person he cares deeply for. What's the big deal anyway? You were major infatuated with Superman!"
"Lucy, it's the mere fact that he didn't tell me! How can I ever trust him again?"
"Has he ever kept anything like this from you ever before?" Lucy asked.
"Not that I know of," Lois said quietly.
"Then how can you do this to him? Isn't there only one really gigantic thing that matters between people in a relationship?"
"Yes."
"And Lois, what is that one thing?" Lucy questioned.
"That the two people love each other." Lois replied softly.
"And… do you love Clark? And does he love you? After you answer those questions, you're already half way there. With love, trust is a part of it. You're almost there, Lois. Tell me honestly, do you think Clark did this to hurt you?"
"No, I know he didn't. But, I was just so mad!" she replied.
"I know. But, someone might be a little more mad at himself than you are at him right now. Go talk to him, Lois."
"Lucy, it's 4 in the morning!"
"Hey, if you're up now, I'm sure he's up too. Now I gotta go, sis, I have to be at Uncle Mike's in an hour. Bye!"
"Bye, Lucy, and thanks!" Lois said in a breath and hung up the phone. She was off to see Clark.
***
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Coming!" Clark yelled from the kitchen. He'd been up all night thinking about everything that had transpired. "Who could it be at 5 in the morning?" When he opened the door he saw a sleepy Lois standing at the door.
"Hi, Clark, " she said as she let herself in.
"Hi, Lois, sure come on in," he replied as she plopped down on the couch. "We need to talk." Clark sat down next to Lois.
"You took the words out of my mouth," she replied. "First, I'm sorry I blew up at you. It had to be hard all those years, not telling anyone about being Superman and all."
"You had every right to bl…"
"No wait! There's something else I want to say before you say a word. After all the confusion and pondering about our relationship, I've come to a revelation. This revelation is… I love you, Clark, and I don't know how you feel… but…"
"Lois, you know how I feel! I love you more than anything!" Clark said as he stared into her deep brown eyes.
"I know that, I just wanted to hear you say it again," Lois replied with a groggy smile. Lois put her head against Clark's chest and proceeded to fall to sleep.
"You know we still have a lot to talk about," he said as he stifled a yawn. But, Lois was fast asleep and about five seconds after that, Clark was too.
***
Now, all was well with Lois and Clark relationship wise, but another part of their complicated lives were just about to be mixed up again.
"Jimmy! Where are Lois and Clark!? I had them on assignment and they're gone! Find them now!" Perry shouted. They'd just been through the wrath of love, now it was time for the wrath of Perry!
THE END!
(stakeout.txt)