Okay, let me just say that I have been thoroughly enjoying your story, though I have neglected to leave feedback on a regular basis. I've finished my masters degree and swore that I'd have more time--but... Anyway, I could not let another wonderful part slip by without commenting!
"I've thought and thought about everything you said, and ..." She lifted her hands from her lap in a gesture of bewilderment. They fell back, and she locked them together again. "... and finally ... finally I got some sort of handle on how I feel."
"Are you mad at me?" Clark asked. "For telling you? For *not* telling you sooner?"
She shook her head. "I'm not mad ... I'm ... I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to explain this well at all, but I'm ... lost. I feel lost."
He hadn't been expecting that. "Lost?" he echoed softly.
"I feel like I had a friend ... a friend called Clark. A man I had come to know and ... and then, suddenly, it's like I don't know him at all."
"I'm sorry," Clark said. "I realise it must seem as if I tried to deceive you."
"No." Her hands unfolded and one almost crossed the chasm between them; then it flittered back and rested again on her lap. "No, Clark, I don't blame you for not telling me before. I understand that ... but I just need some time to ... to find you again."
I can see this scene so vividly. Their nervousness is almost palpable. I just love this Lois. She is much more 'realistic' than the L&C Lois. She is not so high and mighty and perfect. Thank you for not dragging this out!
"It's like there are two Clarks," Lois said after a short silence. "The man I met at the airport ... the man who sat with me on the boardwalk in Geelong while we dunked our feet in the bay ... the man who cooked for me ... the man who asked me out on a date ... the man I thought I knew."
Her words ate a trail of regret through his heart. "Lo -"
"And then there's another Clark," she continued. "The man who is trying to live the best way he can despite some really tough circumstances." She found his eyes and held them for a long moment. "And both of them are wonderful people ... but somehow, I have to merge them together and feel like I know Clark again." Her smile glimmered. "Did that make *any* sense?"
I wanted to scream, "You just reconciled the two you silly girl!"
"So, you can't be hurt ... but it's not like you can't feel? I mean, it seems as if you can feel this OK."
"I can feel this," Clark confirmed. "And it's amazing."
There is so much meaning packed into this differentiation between hurt and feeling. And I didn't miss the double meaning in Clark's acknowledgement "I can feel this."
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Incredibly beautiful," he murmured. His eyes had settled low on her face - somewhere around her mouth.
Her heart raced in response. "I know what you're thinking," she whispered.
His eyes rose and met hers. "You do?"
"You're thinking how much you'd like to kiss me."
"I'm thinking that this is the perfect place for our first kiss," Clark said in a low, hoarse voice that electrified every nerve in her body. "But you would have to think so, too."
"I think this is perfect," Lois said, her voice barely audible.
For such a brave soul, Clark is so insecure still. He doesn't want to assume that he can move forward with Lois so as always he allows her to guide the relationship and gives her an out if she chooses to take it. He wants to be sure that she wants this just as much as he does.
His face lowered - slowly, yet with a purposefulness that caused the world to tilt. Lois placed her hands on the broad slopes of his chest and, finding solidity, closed her eyes. Their lips touched. His mouth was warm, and soft, and exploratory. He drew back minimally and then came again, deepening their contact.
His arms surrounded her, nestling her into their sanctuary as his mouth continued to kiss her with a dizzying eagerness that was dotted with tiny hesitations as he assessed her response.
Squeeeeel!!! They kissed!!!
And it was powerful!!!
Her fingertips delved into the softness of his sea-breeze-tussled hair. She gazed into the depths of his beautiful brown eyes. "I love you, Clark," she said.
His eyes closed, and his breath stopped, and his head leaned gently against hers. She could hear the thundering of his heart. When his head rose again, she saw that moisture had gathered in his eyes.
"I love you, Lois."
She slid her fingers through the hair just above the wings of his glasses. "I know," she said.
"I've wanted to tell you for a long time."
"You did tell me," she said. "Not with those words exactly, but with your actions."
"You knew?"
This was so straightforward yet so powerful!
"You're not worried that I'll ... well, that I'll ... look through your clothes?"
She put her hands on her hips and confronted him. "You're Clark Kent, right?"
He nodded.
"Then you might think about peeking, but you never will."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because I know you ... and I trust you." She shrugged. "And if you'd wanted to do it, you've had plenty of opportunities, and I would've never even known."
This s a reconciliation of Clark and Superman. Clark would never peek as his Superman side used his powers. She's pretty much done it but hasn't realized it.
"We have some decisions to make about our future," Lois said.
Clark nodded. "I know that concerns you, honey. I know you've always questioned how we can be together once my time in Australia has finished, but I was ... well, I wondered if you'd do something for me?"
He calls her honey and she doesn't get her panties in a wad. And I get the feeling that they are going to do something permanent with their relationship by the time Clark is to leave Australia.
There was so much emotion packed in this chapter and the beaches were absolutely beautiful. Loved it!! I will be standing by for the next update.
~Sheila
