Chapter 10: The Long-distance Assignment Lois was sat in the cab on the way home. The uncomfortable silence was ... uncomfortable. But she dare not speak. Who knew what other galactically stupid ideas would pop out of her mouth.
Lois looked down at her hand, clasped tightly by Clark’s.
Just a token gesture, she convinced herself.
It doesn’t mean anything. She focussed on the heat that was growing in her palm. His large hand was so warm, so comforting. It felt wonderful to hold his hand. As she stared at the tangled fingers her mind began to wonder if he was always so warm. They hugged fairly often, but clothing stopped her from feeling his body heat.
Careful, Lois. More than your hand is getting warm now. “So, when do you want to do it then?” he asked.
Do it? Her eyes widened.
Oh gosh. Sex. How’s that going to work? “The date. When would you like to get married?”
“The date!” She laughed nervously. “Of course. When? Um, well ... there’s no rush yet,” she said dismissively. She looked away but she could hear the frown in his voice when he replied.
“I guess not.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As Clark rode the elevator with Lois up to her apartment he pondered over the lack of conversation.
This is so unlike Lois. Does she already regret it? I know I kind of ‘challenged’ her into it but ... if she really didn’t want to she’d be rambling on about why it wouldn’t work and then breaking it off. As the doors opened he reached out and took Lois’ elbow to lead her home. He missed the feel of her hand in his. When they’d exited the cab she’d walked too far away for him to take it.
Just a few steps along the corridor they made it to Lois’ apartment door. She turned.
“Thanks for seeing me home, Clark,” she smiled at him brightly but he could see some pain in her eyes.
“Are you all right, Lois?”
“Sure I am. Why would anything be wrong,” and her smile brightened even more. She turned and opened her door then looked back.
Clark stood quietly, just looking at her for a few moments.
If I don’t play this right it could all come crashing down on me. “Well, I’ll say goodnight then,” he spoke. She nodded. “See you at work?” He said it as a question and she nodded once more.
Neither one moved, they just stared at each other and then Clark stepped forward and lowered his head. He pressed his lips to hers gently and lingered just slightly too long for ‘just friends’ even if those friends were going to get married.
When he stepped away he found it impossible to read her expression but he could swear that she’d done the slightest sigh and as he walked away he tuned in to her heartbeat. He was surprised to find it fast and erratic.
Clark chose to take that as a good sign and a grin was plastered on his face all the way to his own apartment.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois woke the next morning and lay just staring up at the ceiling.
I’m engaged.
I’m an engaged woman.
I have a fiancé. The warring emotions which accompanied each of those thoughts made Lois feel like she was two different people. One Lois was ecstatic, excited and living in a wonderful wedding haze. The other Lois was in hell.
This was the situation she’d worked so hard to avoid, but she was here anyway. Maybe it was karma. Or fate. Or destiny. Whatever it was, it just felt like it was inevitable. There was no way to have avoided this. It was always going to happen.
Me and Clark. Getting married.
Yes, it was always meant to be. But why did I have to fall in love with him, though? She pulled back the covers and climbed out of bed.
Maybe that was always meant to be, too. Well, I guess I can deal with it then. I can learn to live with my feelings. And it’s not going to be so bad. In fact, loving him may possibly make this marriage easier to deal with. She wandered into the bathroom and turned on her light. Staring at herself in the mirror she reached her fingers up to her lips to touch the spot where he’d kissed her. Her heart had been pounding so loud she was sure he must have been able to hear it.
As she relived the kiss she frowned.
That’s not what I remember, she thought, when she imagined his arms around her back. She moaned when she pictured his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth.
Oh no. I dreamt about him, about the kiss. Immediately her cheeks were hot with blushes and she reached up her hands to cover the evidence.
No. I thought I just loved him ... and was ‘in love’ with him. She opened her mouth in shock when she remembered the things Clark had done to her in the dream.
How am I going to deal with unresolved physical desire for the rest of my life? Or maybe it won't be 'unresolved' if he wants to … Lois nibbled on her lower lip and worried over the fact that she couldn't even decide which situation would be worse.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark whistled to himself as he dressed the following morning. Tying the knot in his tie he ran through all the important things he now needed to discuss with Lois.
Does she want a ring?
Does she want to tell people?
Does she want to tell them that it’s just a marriage of convenience? His heart nearly broke at that thought, but he squashed the feeling, choosing to hope for the best.
How shall I tell her about Superman?
When shall I tell her?
How shall I tell her my true feelings?
Should I tell her my true feelings? The last thought lingered in his mind as he made his way to work.
She needs to know. And I need to tell her. Even if she doesn’t feel the same I need to be honest. About everything. Clark heard a shout for help and was quickly at the scene of an accident in his costume. After dealing with the problem he continued on to work.
I think she’s going to be more upset about the Superman thing, rather than my romantic feelings for her. Which one shall I tell her first then? Which way round would be better? When he arrived at the office he still hadn’t decided.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois avoided work all day. She even rang Perry and managed to wheedle a difficult assignment that would keep her out of the office for weeks. But it wasn’t until late afternoon when she finally accepted the inevitable.
I need to call Clark. We just got engaged. Gosh I still can’t believe I’m saying that. But he needs to know about my assignment in Coast City. He just doesn’t need to know that I almost demanded it. She held her phone to her ear whilst randomly pulling clothes out of drawers to pack. The phone continued to ring but she waited. Needing to close the top of her suitcase she tried to balance the phone on her shoulder wedged to her ear. Kneeling on the case, sitting and bouncing on it and finally, just plain shouting at it, didn’t work. She also gave up on waiting for Clark to answer and then threw the phone to the other side of the room.
In frustration she dropped to the floor on her knees and braced herself with her hand. A few tears trickled out and she swiped them away.
Get it together, Lane. You’re strong. Life has made you that way. You can go through with the marriage, you can live like this. You just need a few weeks to prepare yourself. She stood and walked back over to her bed and flipped the top of the suitcase back.
Okay, Lois. Streamline. Are you really going to need the ski jacket in Coast City? She picked it out and flung it behind.
And this bikini. Who exactly are you trying to impress on the beach? It followed the jacket. She put her hands on her hips and glared at the slinky red dress.
And you. Redundant now. I don’t need to spend every night refuting advances from sun bronzed Adonis-es. She nibbled her lip and then attempted to close the suitcase again.
“Success!” she shouted and lifted her arms in the air. Glancing at her watch she realised she was running out of time.
The phone call to Clark will have to wait. She grabbed the suitcase and lugged it to the door then picked up her purse and jacket. One quick glance around the room to check on closed doors and windows then she was gone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark knocked on Lois’ apartment door and when there was no answer he became a little worried. She hadn’t turned up at work all day.
“Lois,” he called out. But there was no answer. A glance ‘through’ the door revealed an empty apartment and a quick search for her heartbeat determined that it was quite a distance away. He frowned and turned away, pulling out his phone.
When he went to start dialling he noticed that he’d missed a call from her earlier.
Okay, so whatever is going on, she did try to ring me. How did I miss it? Looking at the time he pursed his lips in annoyance.
Superman. That’s why. Stupid nuclear meltdown. Why can’t the Russians take better precautions? He dialled her number and then ambled back out of her apartment block. When the phone was answered he stopped.
“Hi this is Lois Lane. Leave a message. I’ll get back to you. If I’m not chasing down a lead. Or not being held captive by a super-villain. Or not being rescued by Superman. Or ... just ... leave a message.”
“Hi, Lois. It’s Clark.”
Your fiancé, he wanted to add, with a smile. But he didn’t. He shuffled his feet. “Just wondered where you were today. Hope you are okay. There are things we need to discuss.” He paused and looked down at his feet. “Um, things I need to, uh, tell you.” He paused again to try and still his beating heart. “Call me.”
Clark slid the phone back inside his jacket and went home with a heavy heart.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was late when Lois finally checked into her hotel room. She dumped her case directly in the doorway and dropped her purse on top of it. Seeing the bed only steps away she stumbled forward and collapsed onto it face first.
What a disastrous journey it had been.
Delays, bad weather, noisy cabin crew, missing tickets. Ugh. Lois was seriously suffering from lack of sleep. But her sense of duty was shouting so loudly in her head that she couldn’t ignore it.
“All right, all right.” She levered herself up and reached back for her handbag, extracting her phone and turning it back on. A message icon immediately started blinking at her.
Clark! She knew it would be him.
“Hi, Lois. It’s Clark.” She couldn’t help but smile at the sound of his voice. “Just wondered where you were today. Hope you are okay. There are things we need to discuss.” Her heart hit double time and she gulped.
You’re not wrong there, she thought. “Um, things I need to, uh, tell you.” That sounds worrying. She frowned. “Call me.”
She put the phone down on the bed and nibbled her lip.
What does he want to tell me? He wants to call it off? He wants to elope to Vegas? He’s decided he’s gay? Lois really knew she was sleep deprived when that last thought popped into her head. She deleted the message and settled herself on the bed. Leaning back against the headboard she dialled Clark’s number.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark was instantly awake the moment he heard the phone ring. Glancing at the time as he reached over for the handset he crinkled his brow.
Who’s calling at this time? “Hello?”
“Clark? It’s Lois.” He immediately sat bolt upright.
“Lois, what’s the matter?” He was ready for Superman mode. Why else would she be calling at this hour?
“Nothing, except jet lag, exhaustion and frustration.”
“What?” he asked confused.
“I, uh, tried to call you earlier but you didn’t answer. Perry’s sent me on assignment. I’m in Coast City. I’ve just arrived at my hotel room.” Now that Clark knew the truth he could hear the weariness in her voice.
“Uh, how long will you be there?” he asked, although he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
“Three weeks,” she replied, her voice lilting upwards at the end.
Yeah, I was right. “I’m covering the Glo-”
“Global Warming Summit,” he interjected, guessing correctly.
“Yes.”
Clark let himself fall back to his pillow, keeping the phone close to his ear.
Is this because of last night? But he dare not actually ask the question.
As he lay there, her breathing coming through the phone into his ear, he realised that this was almost what it would be like every night, except she’d be right next to him ... in bed. They’d talk, they’d kiss ... he hoped ... and then say goodnight. The pain of her leaving so soon after their engagement paled a little as he imagined that future with her by his side.
When he realised she hadn’t spoken in all the time he’d been thinking he sat up again. “Lois?” he asked.
“I’m here, Clark.” She spoke so quietly. He could hear the exhaustion in her tone.
“Go to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Okay. Night, Clark,” she said.
“Night, Lois,” he replied gently. “I love you,” he whispered into the receiver, but the dial tone was already ringing in his ear.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Now it's time to hop on over
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