TOC * * * * * * * * * *
Part 3“Yeah, come on over. I’ll see you in a few,” Clark said into his cell phone, before ending the call and tucking the phone into his pocket.
“Barry?” Lois guessed.
“Yes.” Clark looked across the apartment towards the kitchen and saw Lois cross her arms.
“I suppose there’s no point in asking if he’s alone.”
Clark tilted his head impatiently. “Wanda is coming here, too.”
“Great,” Lois deadpanned unenthusiastically.
Clark let the comment slide and wandered slowly towards the window. He looked out at the street below absently; his mind was elsewhere. He could practically feel the waves of simmering heat radiating from Lois, and part of him wished he’d hear a cry for help, urgently requiring him to fly off. The rest of him cringed inwardly at his cowardice, at his instinct to avoid addressing personal problems head-on.
Those people out on the street, they’d never believe that Superman was afraid of anything. But that’s because they believed a lie, trusted that their hero was nothing more than a self-sacrificing stalwart of truth and justice, tirelessly working to make the world a better place.
They’d probably be disappointed if they knew the truth – that their hero was just a man, no better than anyone else. No less subject to doubts and fears, no less capable of making mistakes and causing pain. That a person so powerful was really so powerless in so many ways.
Powerless – that’s how he had felt countless times over the past month. Staring uselessly as Lex drove away with Lois in that alleyway; staring uselessly as Deter walked away with Lois in that hospital. Time and again, failing to act.
And he knew those failures stretched back further; he shied away from identifying each of them individually, focusing only on the common denominator: Lois. When confronted with situations that threatened his relationship with her, something deep inside often caused him to freeze. It was self-sabotage designed to protect his fragile heart – invulnerable to physical harm, but easily damaged by emotional stings.
So he was hardly one to throw stones. He knew how it felt to wrap oneself in a protective cape and pretend that shooting lasers beams from eyes, metaphorically or otherwise, could solve real-world problems.
He turned away from the window and asked Lois, “Do you want to talk about last night?”
“Not really.”
Clark sighed. He could hardly blame her: that dinner party had been a disaster. He had thought that by sitting down over a nice meal and engaging in light small talk, the tension between Lois and Wanda would thaw, and the pair could begin to break the ice in Lois’ frozen heart.
He may have been a tad too optimistic.
Still, he was determined to try again, stubbornly refusing to let Lois avoid reality and cloak herself in pain, because as miserable as the evening had been for her, Clark had found a measure of joy for himself. He loved his brother.
Barry was funny and warm, a genuinely nice guy to be around. Someone who understood him in a fundamental way, on a level impossible for anyone else in the world. Someone who wasn’t quite human, didn’t quite fit in, and shared a gift that was both a blessing and a curse. The two of them were parts of a whole.
Which is why Clark had invited the pair of clones to come over to Lois’ apartment to try again, to give Lois the opportunity to find a similar connection with Wanda. No home-cooked meal, no artificial small talk – just honest, open communication.
Oh, he was aware of the hypocrisy. He, who shaded the truth every day, deflecting and evading questions that touched too closely to his secret. That’s how he justified it anyway: his little lies only existed to protect a greater truth. But no – that, in itself, was a lie, one that he had blinded himself to for years.
Every time he flew away from an uncomfortable situation, as he had at the end of last night’s dinner, pretending that a minor accident outside was more important than dealing with a major issue at home.
Every time he told half a truth to avoid a larger fight, as he had when he had admitted to not sleeping with Wanda on his wedding night, but utterly failing to reveal his active attempts at seducing her the next day.
Clark had been telling white lies and partial truths for years because it was easier than dealing with conflict. In that, he was just as human as everyone else.
Maybe that was part of the problem, he realized suddenly: their lack of open, honest communication about the events of the past month. After Lois had recovered her memory, they had just moved forward with their lives, avoiding any analysis of the past. It was half a lie – pretending that a scab wasn’t there, itching to be scratched, on the verge of cracking open and spilling fresh blood.
Clark cleared his throat to gain Lois’ attention. “You know, she’s not going to disappear just because you want her to. The only way to come to terms with this is by talking to her.”
Lois narrowed her eyes skeptically. “I’m not interested in holding hands and singing ‘Kumbaya.’”
“You’re deflecting. You don’t want to deal with the real issue, so you’re taking it out on her.”
“Oh, look who earned a psychology degree! Tell me, Dr. Kent, what is the real issue?”
Clark kept his even temper, refusing to rise to her bait. “Wanda represents Lex’s attempt to control you. She represents the accident that caused you to lose your memory, leading to Deter’s attempt to control you. And she represents my failure to protect you from everyone and everything that has hurt you so deeply.”
“I...” Lois closed her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. She shook her head. “No.”
“It’s true. You don’t have to admit it out loud, but I know it’s true. And all I can say is that I’m sorry.”
Lois tucked her chin and hugged herself, her face an expressionless mask. “It’s not your fault.”
“It’s not hers, either. Lex took advantage of her innocence and used her. You, of all people, should be able to sympathize with what she went through.”
Lois turned sharply away. She whispered, almost to herself, “Sometimes I don’t know who I am anymore.”
Clark quickly stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist in a backwards hug. “You’re the love of my life and the strongest person I know.” He kissed her cheek gently, then murmured against her skin, “And I’m pretty strong, so I need someone who can stand up to me.”
He felt her smile briefly, but then she rearranged her features, containing her emotions. Clark released her and took a step back, giving her a measure of space. He heard a knock, so he made his way over to the apartment’s front door. He unlocked the bolts and put his hand on the doorknob, then turned his head to look back at his partner. “Lois?”
She faced him and pulled in a breath. With a tight frown, she nodded her head reluctantly, and Clark turned the knob.
* * * * * * * * * *
The door opened and Clark offered Barry a smile. “Come on in,” he said.
Barry felt Wanda grip his hand nervously; he squeezed it reassuringly, then let go, placing his hand on her back to usher her into the apartment. As he stepped past the doorway, he asked Clark, “You sure this is a good idea?”
Clark said, “I’m sure it’s worth trying.”
Wanda stood just inside the doorway and rocked back and forth on her heels, casting her eyes around the apartment as if she were interested in the decor, but Barry knew that she was merely avoiding eye contact. “Nice place,” she said in a timid voice.
Barry remembered the last time he had been in Lois’ apartment: a year ago, when he had thought he was in love with her and was furious at Clark for pretending to be dead, and for Clark’s cowardice at not revealing the truth about himself to her. The kiss Barry had shared with Lois, the punching match he had fought with Clark – all of it seemed like a lifetime ago.
He tried to break the tension of the room. “Looks like you fixed the drywall.”
Lois cracked a small smile. “Oh, believe me, Clark served his penance.”
Clark rolled his eyes and muttered, “You can say that again.” Then he motioned to Wanda, “Please, have a seat.”
“Oh. Thanks.” Wanda gingerly sat down on the edge of the couch. Lois crossed her arms, removing even the hint of a smile from her face, and remained standing.
Awkward silence settled over the apartment as Lois and Wanda pointedly avoided eye contact.
“So...” Barry looked at Clark and shrugged.
“Yeah...” Clark looked as clueless as Barry felt.
Barry slowly walked over to Clark with his back to the ladies, and said very quietly, “Why don’t we just let those two work this out for themselves.” He nudged his head towards the window.
Clark’s eyes dashed between Lois, Wanda, and the open window. He held his lips together as if he were suppressing a smile, and then whispered, “Good plan.” Then he cleared his throat and said, “So, we’re just going to go out for a bit.”
Lois and Wanda snapped their heads towards Barry and Clark and said in unison, “Don’t you dare!” Then the women glared at each other.
Barry crossed over to Wanda, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and said, “You’ll be fine. Let her get to know you. She’ll love you as much as I do.”
Wanda grumbled, “I doubt it.”
Barry saw Clark kiss Lois softly on the lips and heard him say, “Behave.”
Lois grimaced and said, “Not likely.”
Clark spun into his suit, scanned outside the window, then motioned to Barry with a nudge and a smile. Then they both flew out of the window and blasted up into the sky. Clark led them above the clouds and out over the ocean, and then he flipped onto his back and floated like he was lying on a lounge chair.
Barry floated next to him, drifting with his hands behind his head. Then he rolled his head and looked Clark in the eyes.
And they both laughed out loud.
Clark shook his head and said, “I am going to be in so much trouble.”
Barry agreed. “You’re telling me. Wanda’s going to kill me.”
Clark blew out a breath. “Good thing we’re invulnerable.”
Barry disagreed. “Not from them.”
“No kidding.”
Barry closed his eyes and floated quietly, enjoying the warm rays of the sun on his face. He sighed contentedly. “This is like heaven.”
“I know.” Clark was quiet for a minute, and then added, “The city is so loud. I’ve learned to tune it out – I focus on other things. But something always eventually draws my attention. Somebody always needs me. But up here...peaceful silence.”
“Hmmm. It’s not really like that for me. I have to think about using your powers, if that makes sense. Like I have to turn them on.” Barry shrugged. “Maybe that’s because I don’t use them very much.”
Clark glanced over at him and then closed his eyes, turning his face to the sun. “They’re your powers, too. I don’t have to be the only superhero in the world.”
Barry felt a pit in his stomach and immediately rejected the idea. “No, I don’t think I’m qualified for the job. My father...” Barry stopped himself, wishing that those words didn’t so easily roll off his tongue. “Lex Luthor wanted me to use your powers. I love flying – there’s such a sense of freedom in it. But the strength, the x-ray vision...it’s too easy to be tempted by that, to use those abilities for my own selfish purposes. That’s what he wanted me to do – impose my will on others.” Barry shook his head with resolve. “No. I’m not Lex Luthor’s son. I’m not defined by him. I don’t want to be you. All I’ve really ever wanted was to be a normal guy.” He laughed with self-deprecating humor. “Besides, shooting laser beams out of my eyes is kind of intimidating.”
“You’re telling me. I couldn’t always do this stuff. My powers developed as I grew up. I felt like such a freak – I didn’t understand what was happening to me, and every new thing I could do only made me more different. It was frightening, actually.” Clark’s eyes opened, as if he had suddenly struck upon a startling thought. “Maybe Luthor did you a favor.”
“How so?”
Clark sat up, bobbing slightly up and down, drifting on the current of the wind. “Well, at least he taught you how to use what you can do. You’ve always known who you are. You didn’t spend half your life afraid of yourself.”
“No, I’ve just spent half my life trying to get rid of the twisted lessons he programmed into my mind.” Barry flipped onto his side, propping up his head with his hand. “Having my big brother out there as a positive role model to look up to has had a far greater influence on me.”
“You know,” Clark said, “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. I could use some help every so often. Isn’t that what brothers are for?”
“Thanks for the job offer.” He asked with a laugh, “What’s the hourly rate?”
Clark winked. “It pays less than you’d think.”
“Very tempting, then!” Barry shook his head. “No, I’m happy with my life the way it is. I love entertaining kids.” He dropped his voice and waggled his eyebrows. “And I’ve enjoyed entertaining some of the adults.” Then he sighed dreamily. “But ever since Wanda came into my life...she makes me want to be a better person.”
“Yeah, the right person can do that to you.”
Barry flopped onto his back, floating happily and thinking about the love of his life. “Wanda is perfect. She’s funny and sweet, passionate about everything she does. She’s so curious and inquisitive, loves life itself. She’s just a joy to be around. Honestly, she makes my world a better place.”
Clark smiled. “She sounds a lot like Lois.”
Barry glanced at him and admitted with a tinge of guilt, “Well, I used to think I was in love with Lois.”
Clark said with a lilt of humor in his voice, “Stay away from my girl.”
Barry laughed. “Hey, she kissed me last time.”
“Yeah, well I tried to have sex with Wanda.”
Barry narrowed his eyes in mock-anger. “Don’t make me kick your butt.”
Clark held up his hands in defeat. “I promise I’d recognize the difference now.”
Barry nodded. “So would I. So would they.”
Clark dropped his hands into his lap and seemed introspective. “You know, I envy you sometimes. I’ve always lived my life in fear – fear of being discovered, fearing for the safety of my family and friends. But you...you just seem to have fearlessly jumped into life.”
He was surprised. “But you’re Superman. I should envy you.”
Clark scoffed. “Which part? Constantly seeing the worst in people? Being a second too late to save someone’s life? Nearly ruining my relationship with Lois because I couldn’t be honest with her about who I really am?”
Barry sat up and crossed his legs, resting his hands on his upper thighs. “I was more thinking along the lines of knowing how much good you’ve done in this world. Knowing how much of yourself that you sacrifice to be you, and doing it anyway. Finding the one person in your life that you were always meant to be with and fighting through everything to make it work.”
Clark opened his mouth to speak, then tilted his head and gave a short laugh. “How did you get so smart?”
Barry smiled back. “It’s part of my DNA.” He looked back in the direction of Metropolis, and then asked, “How long should we leave those two alone?”
Clark shrugged. “Knowing Lois, she’s just getting started.”
“Knowing Wanda, she can hold her own.” Barry gave Clark a playful smile. “And I’m in the mood for bacon.”
Clark’s eyes lit up. “I’ll race you to Florence!”
* * * * * * * * * *
“God, what a nightmare,” Lois seemed to say to herself.
Wanda folded her arms, intentionally shifting on the couch to turn her back on Lois as much as she could. “You’re telling me,” she said.
Tension filled the apartment: neither woman spoke, moved, or deigned to look at the other. A ticking clock was the only sound, audibly marking the time they wasted while simmering in their anger.
Lois stomped to the kitchen, and moments later, slammed the refrigerator door. She returned to the living room with a can of cream soda. She popped the top, and Wanda heard the distinct fizz of carbonation escaping the can.
“Wow. You’re not even a good hostess.”
Lois set the can onto her table forcefully. “Excuse me?”
Wanda shrugged. “I’m a guest in your home. A good hostess would have offered me something to drink.”
“You’ve got some nerve,” Lois seethed. “I never invited you here in the first place. I don’t want you here.”
Wanda stood up with a pout, putting her hands on her hips. “Well, get used to it, because I’m not going anywhere. Barry says that we’re family and that we have to work things out between us. So you just have to deal with it.”
“Deal with what? You?” Lois shook her head. “I don’t have to deal with you.” Then she mumbled, partially to herself, “Maybe if I ignore you, you’ll just fall back into whatever hole you crawled out of.”
Wanda gasped. “You’re so mean! What did Barry ever see in you?” She saw Lois give her a withering look. And that look burned, so Wanda vindictively added, “What does Clark even see in you?”
“Don’t you dare...”
“He’s too good for you, anyway.”
“I swear to God...” Lois flashed her a menacing look.
Wanda recognized how petty she was being, knew that she should back down from the fight, but...oh, it was so hard to control herself! Every light jab that connected just made her want to punch harder. She wielded her own personal pain like a knife and took a stab. “I don’t even know what Lex saw in you.”
Lois’ face flushed and her jaw dropped, but any angry words she might have had seemed frozen in her throat. And Wanda felt a petulant pride in having struck such a sensitive nerve.
“You know,” Wanda said, “I used to be so jealous of you. No matter what I did, it wasn’t good enough. Lex always compared me to you – he only ever wanted you. I loved him so much, but you stole him away from me before I was even born.”
“He didn’t love me,” Lois countered. “He wanted to control me. He took advantage of me when I lost my memory and manipulated me into being with him. He was insane. I could never love anyone like that.”
“But you did. Lex told me – you were going to marry him.”
“I...” Lois grimaced. “That was different.” She shook her head, as if she were fighting with her own memories. “I never loved him.”
“Liar!”
“I didn’t!” Then Lois took a step back. “God, why am I even talking about this? I don’t need to justify myself to you.”
Wanda balled her hands into fists, feeling the tips of her fingernails dig lightly into her skin. “Gosh, that’s even worse! Lex could have had me. I would have done anything for him. But he threw me away for you. You!”
Lois scoffed. “Consider yourself lucky. I did you a favor.”
Wanda was about to shout again, but she blinked back her response and found a measure of control. “Well, yeah, I guess you did. Without all that drama, I never would have met Barry. Actually, without you, I never would have even been born.”
“Created.”
“Whatever.”
Lois glanced at Wanda, shuddered, and then began to pace. “Every time I look at you, all I see is everything Lex took from me. God, I hate you.”
Wanda stood defiantly. “You don’t hate me. You hate yourself. You hate that you’re stuck in the past – that instead of appreciating what’s right in front of you and moving on with your life, you’re just dwelling on things that you’ll never be able to change. Get over it.”
“Oh, sure, fine advice coming from someone who’s only a month old. You don’t get to just forget about heartache, betrayal, and pain.”
“No, but you can chose to move past it. You can take what you learn from those experiences and use that to make the world around you a better place. You can forgive the people that have hurt you, and you can learn to let it go.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“It is,” Wanda stressed. “You’re just making everything complicated.”
“Complicated?” Lois stopped pacing and strode over to her coffee table. “You want to talk about complicated?” She sorted through her mail, found a manila envelope, and thrust it into Wanda’s hand. “Then let’s talk about this.”
Wanda’s eyebrows narrowed in concentration as she removed the document from the envelope and read the information. Then her eyes flew wide open in surprise. “Oh my God! That’s so awesome! Congratulations.”
Lois scowled. “I’m not married. You signed the license. So that means Clark married you.”
Wanda reeled back. “He so did not!”
“You were at the ceremony. You were at the reception. It was supposed to be me, but you stole every one of those moments.”
Wanda paled. “I...” She shook her head and softened her voice. “I only did what Lex told me to do. I didn’t mean any of it.”
“Yeah, well...” Lois swallowed against a lump in her throat, apparently struggling to contain threatening tears. She sat on her couch and covered her face with her hands. “It was one thing when I thought you were dead. But now...”
Wanda felt her stomach drop and she sunk onto the couch, sitting as far from Lois as possible. “No!” She searched the document again, shaking her head. “No, that’s not right. I’m Wanda Detroit.” She waived the piece of paper and said, “This says Clark Kent is married to Lois Lane.”
A dismissive hiss passed between Lois’ lips. “Your license. Your ceremony. Your wedding night.”
Wanda blushed. “Our wedding night? Oh, gosh, you don’t think...” She shook her head vigorously. “We didn’t do anything together. I pinky swear.”
Lois let out a slow, controlled breath. “Well, at least that’s something.”
Wanda cocked her head curiously. “Clark must have told you that nothing happened.”
“Yeah.” Her inflection was cool and aloof.
“Didn’t you believe him?”
Lois glanced at her, then admitted, “I guess.” She sighed audibly. “I’ve just been lied to so many times in the past month, it’s hard to know when I’m hearing the truth.”
“Yeah, I get that.” They let a few moments of silence settle between them. Wanda suspected she shouldn’t say anything, but something compelled her to state, “If Clark loves you as much as Barry loves me, then you must know that he’d never lie to you.”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Wow. I wonder if I was ever that naive. You’ve got a lot to learn about the world.”
“Well, maybe you should have more faith in people.”
Lois scoffed. “You’ll find that people always let you down.”
Wanda frowned. “I really hope not. Seems like the world would be a pretty lonely place if you believed that.”
Lois shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“You can’t mean that. Not really.” Wanda gestured towards the certificate that she had set back down on the table. “At the very least, you can’t believe that about Clark.”
“I try not to.”
Wanda was confused. “But when you’re intimate with someone – when you share everything with them – that shows how much trust you have in them.”
“We’ve never consummated our relationship,” Lois muttered, uncomfortably looking away.
Wanda’s eyes sparkled. She patted Lois’ knee excitedly. “Oh my God, you should totally do it. It’s so much fun!”
Lois glared. “It’s not like I don’t want to!”
“So why don’t you?”
“We were waiting until marriage.” Lois suddenly looked at her with astonishment. “Why am I even telling you all of this?”
Wanda smiled. “Maybe you just need a girlfriend to talk to. Someone like a sister.”
“I already have a sister.”
Wanda shrugged hopefully. “Doesn’t hurt to have one more.”
Lois sealed her lips and looked up and away, shaking her head slightly.
“You know...” Wanda pushed the marriage certificate towards Lois, then waggled her eyebrows. Her face transformed into a playful grin. “You’re already married. So that waiting stuff is kind of a moot point.”
Lois held her head in her hands. “I’m not talking about this anymore.”
Wanda bent her elbow against her leg and cushioned her head in her hand. “Every time I look at you and Clark, I see everything I could have with Barry: a good job, a wonderful husband, a happy life. I want my life to mean something. Barry and I are only alive because of Lex’s hate, but we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together because of our love.”
She stood up from the couch; Lois looked up at her. Wanda continued, “And we want you and Clark as part of our family, but if all you’re going to do is live in the past, well, you can do that without us. Because we’re not defined by our past – we have defined our lives for ourselves.”
“Must be nice. Just forgive, forget, and move on.” Lois frowned skeptically.
“No,” Wanda said thoughtfully. “But you could start by releasing some of your anger. You might find that your heart has room for so much more.”
She heard Lois catch her breath, then watched as Lois quickly got up and left the room. Wanda stared in the direction of the kitchen for several minutes, wondering what to do, considering just how long she should wait in silence.
Then she heard the refrigerator door open and close. Lois returned, brushing a tear away from her eye. She set a can of cream soda on the coffee table.
Wanda felt a flutter of excitement. “A peace offering?”
“Let’s call it the bare minimum required of a decent hostess.” Lois’ voice held a hint of humor hiding behind the deadpanned sarcasm.
Wanda picked up the can and popped the top. She raised it in a mock cheer and said, “It’s a start.”
* * * * * * * * * *
A rush of wind signaled Barry and Clark’s return. Lois saw Clark spin out of his suit and then watched as the two of them scanned her apartment. They walked towards the couch where she and Wanda were seated.
“I don’t see any holes in the drywall,” Barry said to Clark with an air of humor.
“No toppled furniture. That’s better than we did,” Clark said, clearly referring to the fight they had had a year ago in this very apartment.
“No black eyes.”
“No torn clothing.”
Lois stood up. “That’s because we’re not cavemen like you two.”
“Yeah,” Wanda agreed with a nod of her head. “We are two sophisticated ladies who can calmly talk through our problems.”
Barry said, “Uh huh,” and then added as a humorous aside to Clark, “Scan them for broken bones.”
Clark laughed. “I knew they’d work things out on their own.”
Lois shook her finger at Clark. “Oh, I’m not done with you yet. We’re still going to talk about you flying out on me.”
“Busted,” said Barry with a snicker.
Wanda stood up and crossed over to Barry, grabbing a handful of his shirt in her fist. “You’re gonna get it too, mister.”
Barry’s eyes twinkled as he said in a low, raw tone, pitched for Wanda’s ears alone, “Are you going to punish me?”
“Trust me,” she said with a playful tone, “You’re gonna get everything you deserve.” She started backing her way to the apartment door, dragging her willing partner along with her.
“Don’t be strangers,” Clark called out to them as Barry opened the door.
“Oh, we’ll be around. After all, we’re family.” He looked at Lois for her reaction.
Lois looked between Barry and Wanda, and said, “Family.” She smiled – a genuine smile that she felt in her soul.
Wanda beamed back at her and gave her a wave. The two clones left, closing the door behind them.
Clark moved towards her. “Well, that seems to have gone better than expected.”
Lois shrugged. “Maybe she’s not as horrible as I thought she was.”
“I’m proud of you. I know how hard that must have been for you.”
“Yeah, well...” Lois trailed off, avoiding eye contact. Her vision settled over the coffee table, drawn by the secret hidden there. “She made some good points.”
Clark held out his hand; Lois took it and allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace. She kissed him, then looked at him curiously. “You taste like bacon.”
Clark pressed his lips together, looked up towards the ceiling, and tried to affect a look of innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, right.” Lois rolled her eyes.
“Are you hungry? I can go out and get something. Anything you want.”
“No, I’m fine.” Lois released his hand and sat on the couch. “Actually, we need to talk.”
“Uh oh,” Clark said.
Lois tried to give him a reassuring smile, but the flutter of nerves she felt in the pit of her stomach interfered with the attempt.
“How did it go with her, really?” Clark asked with concern.
“We’re fine. She and Barry are great together. It’s still strange to look at them, though.” Lois shook her head lightly, trying to gather her thoughts.
“I know. It’s weird to think that there’s another person in the world that looks like me – is a piece of me, actually. But he’s totally different. He’s his own person, living his own life. And I want to be part of that – I want to know what he’s doing, and if he’s okay.” Clark tipped his head in thought. “Maybe that’s a little like how it feels to have a child.”
Lois leaned away from him. “I’m just trying to come to terms with thinking of Wanda like a sister. Don’t start bringing kids into the mix.”
Clark place his hand on her leg. “I’m not saying that. I mean, yes, I want a family – children – but it’s a little soon. We’re not even married. And I don’t know if it’s possible for me anyway.”
The silent pressure of her secret grew stronger. She deflected momentarily, though. “Well, we’ll know if it’s possible soon enough, the way those two apparently go at it.”
Clark laughed. “Really?”
“Trust me. You do not want to know.”
He smiled. “Good for them.”
Lois cleared her throat. “So, about our marriage...”
The grip on her leg tightened; Clark looked worried. Lois slid her right hand over the top of his hand, seeking to silently reassure him. He drew in a slow breath and seemed to relax.
He said, with absolute sincerity, “I will marry you any day, any time. You can take as much time as you need...”
Lois cut him off. “We’re already married.”
Clark looked at her incredulously, but said nothing.
Lois leaned forward and picked up their wedding certificate. She turned it in her hands as she said, “Wanda signed the marriage license, and Lex must have turned in the paperwork. This came in the mail a few days ago.”
Clark took the document and looked at it, barely suppressing a smile. Then he rearranged his features and looked solemnly at Lois. “How do you feel about this?”
She sorted through her jumble of emotions, and then finally said, “I think I’m okay with it.”
“Really?” Clark allowed his smile to shine brighter.
She scooted closer to him, taking the certificate from his hand and putting it back on the table. “Well, if the state of New Troy thinks we’re married, who am I to argue?”
“Lois...” He reached out to touch her, but then hesitated. “If this isn’t what you want, we could figure something out. An annulment, or a divorce, or...” He shrugged helplessly.
Lois narrowed her eyes. “You’re not trying to weasel your way out of this, are you?”
Clark’s eyes sparkled. “Never! I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.”
“Well, then...” Lois slid her hands along Clark’s cheeks, curling her fingers around the back of his head and pulling him slightly to her. “In that case...”
Clark placed his hands at her waist and brushed his lips against hers. Soft and unhurried, he seemed content to chastely kiss her without pushing for anything more.
But she was sick of waiting. Lois crawled onto his lap, pressing her body more fully into Clark’s, and deepened the kiss, breathlessly capturing his lips with hers. She heard his soft moan as his mouth parted; Lois swept her tongue past his lips, chasing the taste of his passion. She moved her hands, bringing them to the bottom edge of his shirt, and she began to untuck the fabric from his waistband.
“Lois...” he moaned. His hands brushed hers away from his shirt as he continued the kiss.
She was persistent, though, and tugged at the shirt again, working her fingers under the hem and sliding them against the bare skin underneath.
Clark’s right hand snaked around her body. He placed his left hand against her back, holding her against his body. “Lois...” he moaned again between kisses. “We don’t have to do this.”
“But I want to.” Her right hand slipped further up his torso to his chest. “I’ve wanted to for so long.”
Clark’s hand stroked up and down her back, sending tickling sparks of desire along her spine. He pulled away slightly so that he could look into her eyes. “We were waiting.”
“I don’t want to wait anymore. We already had our wedding, even if I wasn’t actually there for it. We missed out on our honeymoon. We should already be doing this.”
Clark unwrapped his arms and gently lifted Lois off his lap. He stood, tugging her along with him, then placed his hands in hers, intertwining their fingers. He bent down and kissed her, squeezing her hands gently, and it felt like part of them was already joined together.
Lois leaned back, capturing his gaze. “I love you, Clark. And I don’t want our lives to be interrupted with clones or kidnapping or amnesia or God-knows-what else might come our way. We’re already married, and I want that piece of paper to mean something.”
Clark smiled. “I don’t need a piece of paper or an expensive ceremony to know how I feel. In my heart, you are my wife.”
Lois smiled at the sincerity of his voice. “In my heart, you are my husband.”
Clark took a step back and drew in a breath. “Lois Lane, I take you as my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to love you, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, ‘til death do us part.”
His vows took her breath away; the words seemed so much more intimate said here in her apartment rather than in front of a hundred people. She clutched his hands tightly, knowing how much he meant the words, and knowing how much she meant them as well. “Clark Kent, I take you as my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to love you, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, ‘til death do us part.”
Clark’s smile blazed brightly. “Do I get to kiss the bride now?”
Lois laughed, feeling like a weight had finally been lifted off her shoulders. “You can do a lot more than that.”
Clark released her hands, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her close. “Let’s start with this.” Then he kissed her – warm, passionate lips sliding against hers. A thrill glimmered through her body – an erotic feeling he had stoked before, made hotter by the certainty that they belonged together forever.
“Clark,” she said between kisses. “The honeymoon starts now.”
He spoke against her lips. “I think I can make that happen.” He trailed kisses across her cheek and sucked on her earlobe as he asked, “Where do you want to go? Paris? Hawaii? Tahiti?”
Lois reached around Clark’s body and grabbed his ass. “My bedroom,” she said definitively.
Clark’s tongue traced her earlobe and licked in and out of her ear. He held her body securely against his and lifted off the floor, floating the two of them out of her living room and landing at the side of her bed. “Done,” he said, before lightly nibbling the plane of her neck.
“Yes,” Lois moaned. Then she finished untucking his shirt and slid her hands underneath the fabric. She touched his firm abdomen and spread her fingers wide over his smooth skin. “Take this off,” she said, knowing he’d understand what she meant.
Clark yanked the shirt off his body and tossed it aside. “Anything for you.”
Lois’ eyes took in the gorgeous chest. She shook her head and said to herself, “Three years.”
Clark tilted his head with a question in his eyes? “Hmmm?”
Lois smoothed her fingertips lightly over his chest again. “I have been dreaming about this chest for three years, ever since I caught you half-naked in that run-down hotel you were staying at when you first moved to Metropolis.” She looked up into his eyes and said with regret, “I have wasted so much time.”
Clark placed his hands against her cheeks. “Not at all. Every minute of that time was worth it. Good or bad, those experiences made us who we are today.”
Lois sighed. “There’s been a lot of bad lately.”
Clark kissed her sweetly. “So then we’re due for a lot of good.”
She slid her hands up his chest and around his neck; he dropped his hands and encircled her waist. “Absolutely, Mr. Kent.”
He held her close. “Absolutely, Mrs. Kent.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Ms. Lane.”
He countered, “Mrs. Lane-Kent?”
She considered the possibility, and then said, “Don’t make me change my name.”
Clark scoffed. “I certainly know better than to think I can make you do anything.”
Lois removed her arms from his neck and crossed her arms, affecting a scowl. “My name is important. I’ve worked hard to establish my professional reputation. Besides, ‘By Kent and Kent’ is redundant.”
Clark took her hands in his and brought them to his lips. He kissed her fingertips, then suggested, “Lois Lane in public, Lois Kent in private?”
“Lois Lane-Kent,” she said, as if it were a negotiation.
“How about this: let’s table the discussion and see how you feel about it later.”
Lois arched her eyebrow. “Is there something else on the table right now?”
His eyes widened in delight and he pressed his lips firmly together, trying to suppress a laugh. “Definitely.” He quickly grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, picking her up and holding her like he did when he took her flying. She squealed and automatically hooked her arms around his neck. He walked over to the doorway of her bedroom. “I should start over. I forgot to carry you over the threshold.”
“That’s right,” Lois said as she giggled. “You get one chance at doing this right.”
“Only one?” he pouted. “I was planning on doing this again and again and again for the rest of our lives.”
Lois placed a hand on his chest, causing him to pause. She ran her right hand lightly over the ridge of his brow and along the side of his cheek. “You really do look different without your glasses.”
He winked. “I look different without my suit, too.”
Lois rolled her eyes. “I’m serious.”
Clark quickly kissed her, then set her down on the bed. “I am, too. Lois, a pair of glasses or a Spandex suit doesn’t change who I am. My DNA doesn’t define me. I’m a farm kid, a high school jock, a college grad, a world-traveler, and an award-winning journalist. I’m the sum total of the experiences in my life, and that’s why I could never be threatened by the idea of a guy who shares my DNA. Because he’s a different person – Barry’s life experiences are worlds apart from mine. He might be my clone, but that doesn’t mean he’s me. Just like Wanda isn’t you.”
Lois rolled onto her side to face him, placing her hand on his hip. “I know. Even though she looks like my twin, she’s nothing like me.”
Clark joked. “Well, that’s not entirely true. She’s got a thing for men who can fly.”
Lois shoved his chest for his cheeky remark, and Clark let himself roll onto his back. “Do you know the one thing that really is different about Barry and me?”
“What’s that?”
Clark smiled. “I’m married to you.”
Lois placed her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. “And don’t you forget it.”
* * * * * * * * * *
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