Thank you to folc4evernaday and Queenie for the help on this. It wasn’t supposed to happen quite like this, but when I was stuck I asked for help and this happened. Thank you, ladies.
3/15
Lois sat on the couch with a pint of Double Fudge Brownie ice cream. It had been two days. Two days since he had left. Two days since she had last spoken to him. Two days since she’d felt his arms around her. Two days since she’d felt his lips against hers. Now she sat in his empty apartment eating ice cream and missing him. She had gotten his voicemail again. She’d been leaving messages for him since he’d left for Smallville. Four messages today, six the day before, and two the day he left. No returned calls. No messages. Nothing. He hadn’t returned a single call in two days. The longer she went without talking to him the angrier she got.
Why wasn’t he calling her back? Didn’t he know she cared about the Kents too? She wanted to know how his dad was…his mom. She wanted to help. Sitting here, doing nothing wasn’t something she was used to. The longer she sat, the more her anger festered until it slowly began to morph into fury at the situation…at him. Why wouldn’t he let her go with him? Why was he shutting her out?
She turned the television station to find Lethal Weapon on and she flashbacked to the pizza and movie nights with Clark. As Mel Gibson’s character jumped off the building with the man trying to commit suicide, the news cut in about a train derailment. Lois stood up dropping her ice cream as the newscaster announced that Superman was on the scene to help.
‘Of course, why wouldn’t he be?’
Superman. He is exactly where he is needed--but she needed him too. She didn’t need Superman. Lois hadn’t needed his help in a long time, who she needed was Clark. She needed him as much as he needed her—even if he was too stubborn to admit it at times. This was one of those times. She missed him. She wanted to feel the warmth of his arms around her, the feel of his lips on her skin, and his scent near her. Staying in his apartment was the one way for her to feel close to him.
She watched as the camera zoomed in on his face. He looked tired and weary. Her heart ached to be with him, wrap him in her arms and never let go.
“For hours, Superman has been working tirelessly alongside emergency crew members to free all the passengers that have been trapped going on four hours after the Metro Rail ….”
Unable to watch any more she clicked the television off. Tears fell down her cheeks. It hurt. Seeing him like that and not being able to be there for him; hold him like she knew he needed—it hurt. He was here. He was home—but he wasn’t. He was only here as Superman. Would he come back home? Was he going to stop by to see her? So many questions raced through her mind yet the one that shook her to the core wasn’t really a question but a fact. He was in Metropolis. He was in Metropolis as Superman only. . Feeling the weight of the stress she’d been under emotionally begin to take its toll she headed for the bedroom after cleaning up the mess from earlier. She sighed in relief as she crawled in between the cozy flannel sheets of Clark’s bed, taking in the familiar scent that still smelled like him. She soon fell into a restless sleep, unaware of the figure that had just landed on the balcony of his apartment.
***
Clark had spent the last three hours helping the emergency crew free all the passengers from the train derailment that evening. All he wanted was a quick shower, change of clothes, maybe a power nap, and then fly back to the farm before sunrise. He landed on the terrace of his apartment, and instantaneously knew she was there. Her steady heartbeat echoed in his eardrums. His hand tightened over the knob of his bedroom door. He knew without even using his x-ray vision she was asleep—in his bed. He wanted nothing more to crawl into bed next to her, but knew it would do more harm than good right now. It had taken everything in him not to fly back to Metropolis and take her in his arms for a few hours and forget his grief. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t do that to Lois.
He missed her. He missed her smile. He missed her voice. He missed the way she fit perfectly against him. Being near her was eating him alive. He had listened to her calls over and over again on his parents’ machine. He had a feeling that not calling Lois back was worse than if he had called her back. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. He just didn’t know what to say. There were so many things he had to take care of. His dad’s surgery had been scheduled. His mom was practically living at the hospital. He couldn’t afford to worry about his needs right now. His family needed him.
Clark quickly shed his Superman suit leaving it on the laundry basket and flew to the shower in a flash. The power nap he had thought about taking would have to wait. Now in a pair of jeans and red t-shirt he kneeled down next to the bed watching the slumbering Lois. She looked so peaceful sleeping in his bed. His heart ached for her and what he was doing to her. They had been in a good place before all of this had happened – before the apartment fire before his dad’s heart attack. It had taken them so long to be together, so many obstacles to be together and now this.
Clark swept a piece of Lois’ hair out of her eyes and kissed her temple. “I love you, Lois,” he whispered as she stirred in her sleep.
***
She could feel his eyes bare into her soul. As she walked by him feeling the sand between her toes, he grabbed her wrist pulling her into his lap. His lips captured hers before she could say anything to him.
The waves crushed over their bodies as his hands roamed over her body. He bit her bottom lip then used his tongue to lick the wound making her body react to his. She could feel the pool building in her body as his hands felt their way under her dress. He sat up so she could remove his shirt then he began to slowly undo each button of her dress revealing her ivory skin to him.
“I love you,” He murmured against her lips.
His kisses, his touch. As she laid there beneath him, completely exposed she felt a warmth wash over her.
“I love you too,” she replied. She could not believe this was happening. They’d waited so long. They needed this. They needed each other.
His hand moved to trace her face. His lips pressed against her temple. The sound of his voice echoed around her, “I love you Lois.”
***
Lois slowly woke up. Her heart was racing. She could still feel Clark’s arms around her, his lips on hers…Her surroundings slowly came into focus and she realized it had just been a dream. A really really good dream. “Oh, Clark,”
She reached over to turn the light on. A greasy blue and red suit hanging halfway out of the laundry basket caught her attention. She frowned when she realized he’d been there. He had been right there and—She sprung out of the bed and winced when she felt her stiff muscles protest. She placed her hand on her lower back, massaging the muscle as she walked around the apartment looking for him, “Clark?”
No answer.
She looked in the living room, seeing the blankets on the couch untouched she walked back into the bedroom. No sign of him.
The faint scent of his shampoo hit her nostrils. She looked toward the bathroom, following the scent to the shower stall. The brown ring around the drain and shampoo moved to the shelf told her he had at least stayed long enough to shower.
“He’s gone.” She muttered to herself. She walked over to the laundry basket, slamming the lid closed, “Clark Kent, you are not getting away from me that easily!” If he wouldn’t stay in Metropolis she would do the only thing she could – go to Smallville.
***
It had been four hours since he had left Metropolis. He knew kissing her goodbye was wrong. He knew the moment he saw her sleeping form in his bed – he couldn’t help himself though. He just wanted one more kiss – one more moment with her. Yet looking into her eyes would have been his undoing, he wouldn’t have been able to leave. He would have climbed into bed with her and never let her go if she had woken up. It’s why he left when she started stirring, he couldn’t risk it.
‘Sell the farm?’
He had to keep reminding himself about what he heard his mom tell Dr. Wilson. He hadn’t been back to the hospital since that day. He had seen his mom only a couple of times since he had come back to Smallville. She had come home for a shower, a change of clothes, and to give him updates on his dad. Other than that they hadn’t spoke about anything else especially the farm. His mom told him that dad’s surgery would be the day after tomorrow.
Clark wanted to know how his dad was. It wasn’t like he didn’t care – he did. It was his dad – the ordinary man who taught him everything from how to fish to how to control his powers as they were developing during his adolescent years. His dad had taught him so much through the years and he didn’t know what would happen if he lost him. The guilt over not being there when his dad had needed him most ate at him daily. He could have done something. He could have gotten him to the hospital sooner. He could have gotten a doctor to him sooner. All these gifts and he couldn’t do anything to help the person that had helped shape the man he’d become because he was too busy in Metropolis saving other peoples’ lives.
He bailed the hay in the barn. The heat of the Midwest summer would get to anyone else, but not someone of Clark’s ability. Flashes of Lois sleeping in his bed kept coming back to him. Why did she have to be at his apartment? In his bed of all places, the one place that he wanted to be with her. He knew why. She missed him. He missed her. Really missed her. The sound of her voice on the answering machine came back to him.
“So, I’m just calling…again to see how you’re doing. How your dad’s doing. I know your mom’s probably in need of some support; someone to talk to – This has to be scary for all of you. Are you sure you don’t need me to come out there? I can help. I can be on the next flight. Just say the word…Okay, I guess that’s all. Just call me. Let me know everyone’s okay? Love you.”
Him not calling her back was getting to her. The more he thought about it the less appealing not talking to her was becoming. It wouldn’t hurt to at least give her an update on his dad. If his mom heard that message she’d probably give him a piece of her mind for not calling Lois back.
He needed to call her.
He headed back toward the farmhouse when he noticed a cherry red F350 King Ranch edition pull up the driveway. Without even looking he knew who the driver was. There was only one person in Smallville that drove a truck that expensive around here.
“Clarkie,” the petite blond shouted as she stepped down from the truck.
“Lana, how long has it been?” Clark wondered as he stood before his old high school girlfriend. “What are you doing here?”
“Mother called me and told me about your dad. I’m so sorry to hear about his heart attack. Is there anything I can do?” Lana asked as she approached with a few containers of food in hand. Despite how they had ended things years ago, it did feel good to see a familiar face. “I’m sure you are hungry. I bet you haven’t had a decent meal in days. I remember what your appetite used to be like. I made you an apple pie. I bet a cup of coffee would be great with it. Does Martha still keep the coffee cups in the second cupboard from the right of the sink?”
“Lana, I have a lot of work to do,” Clark told her his hands waved around the farm. He didn’t have time to entertain especially his ex-girlfriend. He remembered how intense she could be, and he just wasn’t in the mood for it. All he wanted was to concentrate on what was really important – saving the farm.
“You have to eat, Clark,” she said when she took his arm and led the way to the house. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
Clark wondered what he saw in her back in high school. Lana Lang was intense, bossy, and high maintenance. Nothing like the woman he loved back in Metropolis. What was he thinking back then? Yet when it came to Lana, he could never tell her ‘No’, she had a way about her.
He had broken up with Lana before he left for college. He was not ready for a long-term commitment after high school. Lana, on the other hand, tried to force the issue, many times, even at one point trying to hook Clark up with a job with her father’s company. Clark needed to see the world; he couldn’t stay in one place very long. His powers were also starting to come into full power during high school, he didn’t want to hurt anyone or cause others to think he was any different. He ran away from Smallville, but Lana had tried to keep him here.
***
Lana perched herself on the edge of the bar stool, handing Clark a slice of pie which he seemed to be staring at like it was going to grow eyes and bite him. “You have to eat!” She repeated. “I can cook, you know.”
“I know, but I’ve got a lot of things I need to be doing right now.” He said, pushing the plate away.
“So the sooner you eat, the sooner they get done.” She pushed the plate back toward him. She couldn’t help but smile. It was just like old times. Clark had disappeared after graduation to see the world. She’d tried every trick in the book to get him to stay but he’d been insistent on needing to ‘find himself’ and ‘discover what was out there’. They’d broken up and she’d dated around, but she’d always held out hope he’d return.
Upon hearing of his father’s heart attack she couldn’t help but think it was fate bringing Clark Kent back into her life.
“So how long will you be staying?”
“As long as I need to,” Clark stated flatly. Not giving her much of a response.
She inched closer to him, leaning toward where he was sitting. He pulled away, scooting his chair away from her. She frowned but persevered. Clark never did know what was good for him. She’d been the one to call the shots in their relationship. She’d been the one to ask him out. She’d been the one to kiss him. He never was very good at taking initiative…
“That’s great, we can continue where we left off,” Lana commented as her hand patted his knee, “before you left for college.”
“Lana, there’s something you need to know,” Clark stammered removing her hand from his knee. He stood up, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Whatever happened in Metropolis doesn’t matter. You are back and we can be together now,” Lana announced as she stood up and hugged Clark. She felt him stiffen in her arms but she didn’t care. He was back where he belonged, with her.
***
This was a mistake. Being here with Lana… it was trouble. He knew it. She kept trying to move closer to him and he moved away. He really didn’t want to get into an argument with her about Lois—or talk about Lois with Lana. It was none of her business but she had a way of inserting herself into everyone’s business whether they wanted her there or not.
“So how long will you be staying?” She leaned toward him and he moved his stool over.
“As long as I need to.” He said flatly. He didn’t have time for this.
“That’s great, we can continue where we left off,” Lana put her hand patted his knee, and he stiffened, “before you left for college.”
‘She’s out of her mind.’ He thought to himself as he stood up, pulling away from her, “Lana, there’s something you need to know.”
Before he could get Lois’ name out Lana cut him off, standing and turning to him, “Whatever happened in Metropolis doesn’t matter. You are back and we can be together now,” Before he could argue any further she wrapped her arms around his neck in a fierce hug.
He couldn’t believe what had happened. She had hugged him. Clark stood there in shock. It felt wrong; he didn’t feel that spark like he did when he had Lois in his arms. All he wanted to do was fly back to Lois where he belonged. He was needed here. He took in a deep breath sighed and peeled Lana’s arms off of him.
“Lana, there is no ‘together.’” He corrected. “I am not here to…my dad is in the hospital. I have a life back in Metropolis –a girlfriend that I love very much—and plan on returning to when this is all over.”
‘I hope.’ He thought to himself, hoping Lana didn’t notice the doubt he himself felt about the last part of that sentence.
“Oh.” Lana pasted on a smile. “Well, I guess I’ll see you around.” She grabbed her things and left. He let out a long breath, looking out the kitchen window at the bright sun that continued to stretch its rays over the crops. He needed to get to work—but first—he needed to call Lois back.
He picked up the phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. “Hi you’ve reached Lois Lane. I can’t get to the phone right now. Just leave a message at the beep. Clark, if this is you—I miss you. “
He couldn’t help but smile at that, “Hi, it’s me.” He began, uncertain of how to explain everything that had transpired over the last few days. “I miss you too.” He was silent for a moment then added, “I love you, Lois,”
He hung up the phone then headed back out into the heat to tend to the tractor that needed some repairs. It had been sputtering earlier. Hopefully he could make do with it for now.
***
The older woman sat in the same chair she had been in the past four days. The sterile white room felt cold no matter how many blankets the nurses gave her. She looked at her husband of thirty-three years, how pale and fragile he was attached to the wires. The beeping from the machines had almost a calming effect on Martha. As long as the beeping stayed the same she knew her husband was okay.
It had been a very long thirty-three years together. From the moment they were told they couldn’t have children, it had broken her heart. Many men would have left after receiving news like that. After all, it wasn’t him that was the problem. She was the one incapable of getting pregnant. She was the one with the ‘hostile uterus’ as the doctors had told her years ago. He could have left and found a woman that wasn’t broken—someone that could give him the gift of fatherhood like she couldn’t—but he didn’t.
She wanted to raise a child with Jonathan, she knew what a wonderful father he would be. The moment they found Clark in Shuster’s Field Martha knew they had to find a way to keep him. It was their chance to have a child—their only chance. They’d been turned down by adoption agencies for financial instability.
Jonathan had never really been that sick before, not enough to be in the hospital. He’d had issues with his blood pressure and cholesterol over the years but never anything like this. He was so frail and it made her ache deep within her soul.
“You are going to be fine, sweetheart,” she whispered as she held his hand. “You’ll see. We’re going to go on that trip to London like we talked about. Clark is home. He is working nonstop on the farm. He took a leave from the Planet. You should see him, Jonathan,” Martha explained as she patted her husband’s hand. “He’s even doing his other job when he can. I’m not even sure he is sleeping.” The last statement was said more in concern than reassurance. She was worried about both of the men in her life. How much could her own heart take?
***
Lois sat at the small table in the airport food court, drinking her third cup of coffee. She could hear the announcements over the PA system. Her plane would be boarding in thirty minutes hopefully. She was nervous and excited at the same time. It felt like Clark was avoiding her; running away –again. Every time life threw something at them that he couldn’t control he did this. Lying about his feelings for her because he was afraid of her rejection. Pushing her away from him after Mayson’s death because he felt guilty. Then when she finally did know the truth –more recently, his attempt to protect her by breaking up with her. All instances of him pulling away from her out of fear. Now he was doing it again—from another state.
She was going to do everything in her power to make Clark see that they were worth fighting for. He needed her. She needed him. She just had to make him see that. Even if it meant spending the next month in Smallville. She had no idea what to do when it came to taking care of a farm but she’d figure it out soon enough. It couldn’t be that hard. The important thing was seeing Clark –helping him and Martha through this. She may ruin a few pairs of shoes in the process but she’d do it if it meant spending time with the man she loved.
She had been hurt when she realized he had come home and not waken her. How could he be so selfish? Yes, that’s it – selfish. He was being selfish. All he was doing was digging his head in the sand so he didn’t have to deal with what he was doing to her—to their relationship. He always acted like he had the world on top of his shoulders and he didn’t. She had to make him see that – he couldn’t save everyone no matter who it was.
She had never felt this way about anyone before. She wasn’t going to lose him because he was being a lunkhead. A selfish lunkhead. A selfish lunkhead that needed her right now. She would not lose her temper on him. She would not argue about their relationship. That wasn’t the point of the visit. The point was to help him. Then after his dad was okay and everything had settled she was going to unleash Mad Dog Lane on him for ever thinking he could avoid her by ignoring her phone calls like he had been doing. What he was doing was selfish, yes. She could understand he was hurting, but what seemed to have escaped his forethought was the fact that what he was doing was hurting her —hurting them. There were two of them in this relationship – not just one.
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