Laura, this is great!
“Stay,” he breathed. His nose just brushed the apple of her cheek as his lips barely skimmed the soft skin. Lois shivered at the contact, the unfamiliar sensations both compelling and frightening. She backed away a half step, but he moved up again, this time effectively trapping her knees against the sofa.
“Why don’t you stay?” he asked in that silky voice, a rumbling growl. Her mind was having a rough time figuring out that herself as her fingers brushed his shoulder completely of their own violation.
OMG...who could resist that sexiness?
She’d just rest her eyes for a few minutes before she had to take a cab home. A ground rumbling scream of thunder crashed through the house, and she instinctively curled her arms more tightly against the pillow.
As her exhausted body floated on the down comforter—floated was the only word to describe it, it was absolute bliss—Lois let her eyes drift shut.
Just for a moment.
Lois has reached another level of trust with Clark. This was a really big step for Lois.
Clark wrenched his eyes open, the overhead light piercing and glaring. His heartbeat still stuttered out a nervous staccato in his chest, and with a groan, Clark rolled over to look at the clock on the wall.
Five thirty?! He snapped to attention. Had he really fallen asleep? He had only closed his eyes for a second. It had been a day dream—or the nightmare equivalent of—nothing more. Still, the clock on the wall ticked on, resolutely displaying 5:33 a.m.
Clark stumbled off the sofa and pushed open the door to his bedroom. Had Lois left? But no, he could still hear her heartbeat as a muted background noise. And there she was. Unprepared, Clark’s heart violently constricted inside his chest at the sight that greeted him. She was curled up on his side of the bed, clutching his pillow tightly to her chest. His shirt swallowed her, as did the sweatpants. Her breathing was deep and regular, her hair a tangled mess.
And Clark has reached another level of trust with Lois. She has to be the first woman to spend the night in his home...in his bed...since Lana.
Tomorrow he would move the bundle to the smaller storage closet where he kept his luggage and the other boxes of Lana’s things. He let out a shuddering breath and nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a small hand on his shoulder.
He turned, the tear track still glistening along the side of his face. Lois stood in front of him, her hair tousled. She glanced back to the spot where the frame had once sat on the nightstand. He didn’t know how much she had saw, and he knew she had no idea of the true significance of the moment, but the soft look in her eyes told him she understood.
Wordlessly, she pulled him into a hug and he held on tight. His throat was suddenly too tight, but it didn’t matter. She stroked her hands over his back, soothing him as a gasp ripped from his throat.
For a long moment, neither spoke nor moved. Clark stepped back a little and looked down at the ground, a lock of hair falling across his eyes.
“Thank you,” he said hoarsely.
Lois has helped Clark to finally close a chapter of his life that he seemed to keep reading over and over, and start a new one. He needed that little nudge and a promise that there is a love out there for him, and it's Lois.
“You’re not really going to go, are you?” he said quietly. His voice sounded strained and it broke Lois’ heart.
Running her fingers restlessly over his, Lois stared at their fingers as she spoke.
“How can I stay?” The thought of leaving Clark wrought physical pain as her stomach wrenched, but she had made a promise to herself. There were things she had done that she wouldn’t forget, no matter how long she lived. She had almost ruined this man and no matter what he thought, she wasn’t able to forgive herself.
Clark brought up a hand to stroke her hair as his eyes frantically moved across her face. The stillness was cracking between them, as unwanted logic and tension returned.
“No,” he said roughly. He brushed his lips against her cheek. “No, you can’t leave.”
Clark, poor baby, is still begging Lois to stay.
“Then I’ll go with you,” he said.
Her breath caught in her throat as she half turned toward him. “Excuse me?”
“I said I’ll go with you,” he repeated. His brown eyes were quite determined behind the wire frames of his glasses. “If you won’t stay, I’ll go.”
Something between a frustrated scream and a laugh escaped from her mouth. “Clark! I’m leaving to get away from you. I don’t deserve this.”
“You don’t deserve what?” Clark took a step forward and Lois turned complete around to face him. “You don’t deserve a chance to be happy? You don’t deserve a chance to love?”
“I ruined that.”
And Clark wants Lois to know that he wants to be with her at whatever cost. He is willing to give up his existence as he knows it for a life with Lois, because without Lois he would only be existing. I think his longing for Lana has passed.
“I need you, Lois,” he finally said. “Somehow you’ve become this huge part of my life. I’d very much like to take you on a proper date. Anywhere you want.”
There he's said it... What Clark wants doesn't get any plainer than that.
“I… I’m about to tell you something that I have never actually told a human being before. There are three people in this world who knew, but I never actually made the conscious choice to tell any of them. One found out by accident and the other two… well…” Clark paused, aware that he was babbling furiously. “And… You see, I’m trusting you with this information. But it’s yours to do what you wish with. If you never want to see me again,” his eyes closed briefly in pain, “I’ll understand. I will not bother you again. But if you choose to… accept it… I hope you’ll understand that I’m giving you my heart. This level of trust, well, let’s just say it’s been ingrained in me to never give it up.”
Yes! Tell her now so that it doesn't become an issue later. Lois will accept Clark, unlike we've known Lana to do.
“If you’re going to all of this trouble, well, I mean… I’ll stay.” Her eyes suddenly grew a little worried as she released him. “It’s okay, if I stay, right? I mean I know you said it was, and you obviously were at the edge of lunacy if you were expecting me to believe you can fly, but…”
“Lois, I was serious,” he said.
And then he stepped back across the room and floated three feet off the ground.
I'll bet this left Lois speechless!
Okay, Laura, we want to see how Lois handled this. I know that she'll accept Clark. I hope that Lois realizes how much love and trust that Clark gave up to share this part of himself with her. This is Clark showing Lois that he doesn't want any more emotional hiding. All of the cards have been played now.
Well done, as usual!
~Sheila
