Okay, I'm back to leave real fdk. <g>
But first, I need to address this:
quote: Told ya you'd need Kleenex!!!
And what will they need for the final part? More Kleenex?
How the heck would I know? I haven't gotten a sneak at the final part yet. Oh sure, I know how it ends... <drool - looks down at shirt... dang! Now I've got a slobber spot on my clean shirt - sheesh>
So, yeah, I guess you could say they might need Kleenex for the final part... for the drool - LOL
Okay, moving on to fdk before Sue finds me and throttles me...
he had no idea that she was also passing the time by surreptitiously checking him out. She told herself she was only concerned about his injuries.
I found it hilarious that poor Clark was lying there being 'checked out' by Lois. <snort>
Her memory flitted back to that amazing kiss on the bed as her eyes wandered to his lips. His mouth was bruised and swollen and she felt a stab of anger for everything that Tony had done to him. For all his strength, Clark was the gentlest person she knew and it seemed unfair on a cosmic level that something like this could have happened to him.
That brought a twinge to my eyes... because I could see the bruises and the picture you painted and then because Lois right. Clark is such a gentle soul and didn't like to see anyone in pain and tried to help however he could... and this happened to him. <sniffle>
I love their sexy banter about the honeymoon and the wifely duties. But you know how much I love your banter. <g>
"Kissed you? You kissed me!" Had she kissed him? With shame, she remembered that it was actually her proposition that had led them to the bed.
"You kissed me first." Clark fought the urge to lift his arm and look at her.
"And you pulled me down to the bed with you!" Lois felt indignant. Was he implying that she was more attracted to him? Because that was simply not true. He had it bad for her. He'd had it bad for her since the very beginning and now he was going to act like a disinterested party?
"All I did was sit on the bed," Clark said smoothly. "You're the one who pushed me so I was lying down."
Her cheeks flushed from both embarrassment and the memory of kissing him so thoroughly. "And you rolled on top of me."
"You wanted to keep going," he added.
"And you didn't?" she asked pointedly.
Clark swallowed. "Yeah, I did."
Sorry to quote that whole passage, but it was just so cute and so *them*. LOL!
"Yeah, you are." He peeked from beneath his arm and wanted to laugh. She was sitting there with his cape over her head like a veil. He grinned at the thought of a horror movie titled, 'The Bride of Superman.'
"Well then, my life's ambition is realized. I can die happy now."
At that, he lifted the arm from his eyes and raised his head to look over at her. "Don't say that, not even in jest. You aren't going to die, Lois."
He was in earnest and her empty stomach tightened a little bit more. "Let's make a deal then," she said. "If you don't die on me, I promise not to die on you."
His eyes met hers and he nodded. "I promise," he said solemnly.
Her gaze dropped to the raw-looking bullet wound beneath his ribs. "I'm going to hold you to that promise, Clark."
And this was a wonderful little scene for so many reasons... I loved the imagery of Lois with the veil on her head... and I loved Clark telling her not to even joke about dying and making her promise and her making him promise back. <sniffle>
I loved the whole "expectations" talk. That Lois got to find out his real feelings about Mayson and he got to find out that she hadn't ever 'met' Lex's. <snort - thank heavens> But this little sentence:
Her mouth made a perfect 'O' in astonishment. Had he really thought that? "Don't make assumptions! We're married and I haven't met your expectations, have I?"
I loved that. It made me snicker and I could just see her making that 'o' expression. <g>
"That first story we worked on together? We were riding in a cab and you ended up sitting really close to me and our knees touched. It sent shivers through me. I told myself it was silly to get all worked up over someone I'd just met. But the truth was I liked you so much that it scared me. So I pushed you away."
Nice little explanation.
I loved the repeating of the vows and then this:
He grunted. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts too much." Clark lay back down. "You're a good wife, Lois. The best I've ever had."
"I'm the only wife you've ever had." She fought a smile and wished he could have really meant the words.
"And yet you keep threatening to annul our blissful union," he pointed out.
"Like you haven't wanted a divorce since the moment you said, 'I do'!" she shot back.
"Lois, when did I ever say that I wanted an annulment or a divorce?"
She blinked as she realized that he hadn't. Never. Not once. The closest he had come was in placating her with an 'of course' when she told him they were getting an annulment. Was it possible that he didn't mind being married to her?
"Do you want a divorce?" she asked, her heart beating frantically at the thought that he was about to say 'yes, of course'.
Poor Lois. Of course he doesn't want that. He wants you to say you'll stay married to him after this is all over <sniffle>
"Really?" he asked. "Because I married you for your smokin' hot body."
That's so terribly heartrending. He's in so much pain, and trying to save her, but he's so sorry for having to cause her additional pain. <whimper>
And I know it's been quoted before, but you KNEW I would quote it again because I raved and raved about it in the beta and it's some of the best d*mn writing ever:
"I'm sorry," he mumbled to her. She didn't answer and he was glad for it. It was so much less painful to think that she would just drift from this world to the next without having to wake up and be in agony anymore.
"Lois," he murmured, "can you hear me?" His shaky fingers felt for and found a pulse. It was faint, but at least it was there. He pulled her onto his lap, cradling her in his arms despite how much it hurt to do so. Clark kissed her cheek, then her closed eyelids.
"You don't have to stay with me anymore," he whispered into her hair. "But I want you to know that I'm glad you married me. I love you. I've loved you since the day I met you. All I ever wanted was to be able to hold you for the rest of our lives." The words became stuck in his throat and he choked on a half-sob at the knowledge that he had got his wish.
"All I ever wanted," he repeated, hoping that she could hear him. "My wife."
And at this point I had the whole lip twitch, chin quiver, looking-through-blurry-eyes, sniffling, and blotting with tissues... thing going on.
This story has been absolutely incredible Sue. I mean it. I can say that while I've loved all your stories, this one will probably be my favorite. <hug> You took my little idea (and Brenda's) and made something wonderful out of them. Thank you!
-- DJ
