Sorry I've been long posting chapter 2. I took a little vacation and didn't have my computer with me. But here it is. And thanks to KenJ for beta reading this and making it readable.

I believe the story will count 6 chapters, but I'm not sure yet. That could change (maybe more, maybe less).

I hope you'll like it.


CHAPTER 2

When the rain stopped, they headed back towards Lois’ apartment. They were walking down the street hand in hand when they heard a scream for help. They looked at each other.

“Go call the police!” Lois exclaimed at the same time Clark said “I’ll get help!”

And then Clark ran away, while Lois ran towards the alley where the scream had come from.

Superman arrived onto the scene and saw two guys in a black suits and ties immobilizing a guy that was dressed like a biker. Not the usual picture, but Superman couldn’t be prejudiced in any way, so he took his usual stern stand and ordered, “Let him go”.

But he was interrupted by another man he hadn’t noticed before.

“No, Superman. They saved me. I was walking home and this guy jumped me,” he said indicating the ostensible biker, ”and these two came out of nowhere. If it wasn’t for them, I’d …”

Still pretty chocked, he didn’t finish the sentence so one of the men in the black suits explained while the other arrested the assailant.

“Hello Superman. We’re members of the Church Group.”

Lois came onto the scene and joined them as the man in black was giving his card to Superman.

“The Church group?” repeated Superman, surprised. “As in ‘Bill Church’?”

“As in Intergang?” Lois added, disbelieving.

“Mr. Church wants Metropolis to be a better place to live, and he’s committed his fortune to that end,” responded the man in black, before addressing his numerous colleagues summoned to the scene by a radio in his watch. Lifting the watch to his mouth, he said, “Situation green. Continue patrols”.

All at once, the forming group of men in black started dispersing itself.

“So you’re some sort of vigilante group?” Lois asked. “Church’s private storm troopers? Well, that’s against the law.”

“If you check with the police, you’ll find we’re operating under their purview,” the guy in black assured her, before turning back to his work at hand. “Let’s place this man into custody.”, and then turning his attention to the victim, said, “Sir, come with us. The police will need your statement. Superman, thanks for trying to help.”

They were all going away, leaving Superman and Lois alone in the alley. Superman turned toward Lois and gave her the card of the Church Group.

“Hello Lois. How are you?”

She was feeling nervous faceing superman knowing it was Clark. It was way more scary than faceing him as Clark knowing he was Superman. She had to act normal but when she looked at him in his blue and red suit, the realization of what just happened hit her hard.

<Oh my god! I’ve just gotten myself engaged to SUPERMAN.>

Of course, she had known it already, but knowing it while being with Clark and knowing it while having Superman in front of her, were two very different things. Her heart started to beat faster, but luckily, he didn’t seem to notice.

<Act normal, Lois,> she admonished herself.

“Fine, I’m fine. Thanks Superman. And I mean thank you so much. I haven’t had the chance to thank you yet, for what you did yesterday.”

She hoped it was the kind of things she would have said if she hadn't figured the secret out. She didn't want to raise his suspicions.

“You’re welcome", Superman responded. "So, no lingering effect of the freezing?”

She was amazed by how natural he was at discussing with her things they had already discussed, as if for the first time. He was good at it, the lying.

<I can do it, too,> she decided.

“No, Just some sneezing. I’ve caught a cold, but I’m fine, really.”

“You’re sick and you’re out in the rain? You should be resting at home", he admonished her.

<You’re joking, right? You’re the one who wanted to go take a walk, Clark!>

“I was. All day long. I had just gone for a walk in the park with Clark, and we were going back to my apartment when we heard the screams. He went looking for help. He should be back any minute, now.”

“Okay. At least, let me help. You shouldn’t be waiting for him in damp and cold clothes”, Superman said before using his heat vision on Lois to dry her clothes.

“Thank you”, she told him, completely amazed by how considerate he was. She would never have thought of this way to use his powers.

“I shall be going now. I’d like to take a look around the city, just make sure that this group is what it pretends to be.”

“Sure. Clark and I, we’ll dig into it, too”

“Goodnight, Lois”, Superman said before taking off.

“Goodnight”, Lois responded to the empty sky. “See you soon.”

And sure enough, Clark was running in her direction.

“What happened?” he asked as they were walking towards her apartment, Lois told him, as if he didn’t already know, and they agreed that they needed to investigate it.

But when they arrived at her apartment, and Clark saw Lois going straight to her computer, he finally understood that she meant that they needed to start investigating it right now.

<And here I was hoping it could wait until we got back to work. How am I supposed to tell her I am Superman when she’s researching a story on her computer?>

“Lois, maybe it could wait ‘til tomorrow? It is … our engagement night …” Clark protested.

“I know, Clark. I’m sorry. Investigating the Churches isn’t how I pictured our engagement either, but this is important, and since we don’t have any cake, ice cream or anything to celebrate, we could at least work. Unless, that is, if there is anything in particular you want us to talk about?” she suggested, hoping he would take the bait. <Come on, Clark. Prove me you really want to share your life with me.>

For one second, Clark imagined telling her the truth, as he had planned for the evening, but somehow, it didn’t feel right. The time wasn’t right. He distinctively heard in his mind his conscience’s voice calling him a coward, but still responded to Lois “No, you’re right, of course. It is important. We need to know if Intergang is planning something”.

<But I swear to you, Lois. I’m gonna tell you everything. As soon as possible.> Clark vowed.

******************************

The next day, they weren’t any closer to proving that the Church group was some kind of an intergang plot to take over the city. They had an interview with Bill Church and his new wife Mindy, but they hadn’t gotten anything remotely interesting. The newlyweds were only talking about the joy of being married, and how it had changed their life for the better.

Clark hadn’t said a thing, but Lois noticed how he seemed withdrawn on the ride back to the office. She had tried to talk about the case but he only responded by ‘yes’, ‘okay’ or even just ‘hum’. She parked the jeep in the Daily Planet’s parking and turned to him.

“What’s wrong, Clark?”

“Nothing,” he responded with a smile and tried to open the door. But to Lois, the smile seemed forced and she put her hand on his arm to prevent him getting out of the car.

“Wait. Clark, I know there’s something. I know you. I know when you’re not okay. Talk to me.”

“No, Lois. It’s nothing, really. I guess I’m just not … in a good mood,” Clark responded, flippant.

“No, there’s something. You’re never ‘not in a good mood’ without any reason. Clark, we’re engaged now. We have to be honest with each other. Tell me,” Lois insisted.

“Are we engaged? You’re not wearing any ring.”

Clark could bite his tongue. That sounded way more harsh than he intended, but Lois didn’t look fazed by it.

“Okay. If that’s what is bugging you, it’s easy,” she responded, taking her necklace out of her blouse. “Look, I’m wearing it on a chain. I just … I wanted to tell Perry, and Jimmy, before wearing the ring at work. I didn’t want to just come in with the ring on my finger and let them wonder … you know”.

He looked at her with a light smile and said “Sorry. It was stupid of me. I guess I might have felt a little insecure …”

She smiled back and added for more reassurance “And I planned to tell them today, so it was just a matter of hours. See? Feeling better?”

“Yes. It was silly, sorry. I love you, Lois”.

“I love you, too,” she responded, kissing him briefly.

“Let’s go,” Clark said, opening the door of the Jeep and getting out.

“Yes. Let’s tell them,” responded Lois, trying to be enthusiastic, but somehow, she thought that Clark still didn’t seem completely all right.

******************************