My Own Worst Enemy
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 11
***
Six Months Ago…Bill Church Jr. looked around the disaster that had once been the Applied Science Division laboratory for Intergang. Glass was shattered everywhere. The top of the line security system had been demolished. Bullet holes were everywhere.
“What are we going to do?” Rollie Vale asked, taking a cigarette out and lighting it. “I’m not going to be the one to explain to your dad that we lost Metallo and Dr. Lane—and we don’t even have a body to show for it.”
“We’re not going to tell him.” Bill Jr. said as if it was the most natural conclusion in the world.
“Not going to tell him?” Rollie Vale looked around the disaster zone that had once been his laboratory. “I think he’s going to notice.”
A team of men in black and white suits entered the room, and Bill Jr. began to order them around. “We’ll need the fixtures replaced, walls patched and painted and the security system reinstalled before eight am.”
“Yes, Mr. Church.” One of the men nodded to him before turning back to his task at hand.
“Not a word.” Bill Jr. warned Rollie Vale.
***
Lois stared up at the moonlit sky, placing a protective hand over her abdomen. After checking on Pete to make sure he was really okay they’d excused themselves for the night, and Clark had taken her to get checked out. She had a few minor cuts from being knocked down on the concrete but nothing compared to the injuries she and her unborn son could have faced had the attacker succeeded in trying to push her off the roof.
‘The boss has a message for you and Superman.’Clark said there had been people falling off of the roofs and balconies of several buildings across town. Each story was the same. The person had been minding their own business then out of nowhere someone came up behind them and pushed them. What would have happened if Pete hadn’t been there?
“Hey,” Clark ran his hands up and down her shoulders as he walked up behind her. “How are you doing?”
“Okay,” she lied. “Not really. I don’t know.” She said numbly as Clark wrapped his arms around her.
“The doctor said everything’s fine.” He reminded her.
“He threw Pete over the ledge like it was nothing.” Lois whimpered, turning to face him with tears in her eyes. “Those few minutes before you showed up…all I kept thinking was that could have been me.”
“I know.” He held her against his chest, running his hand up and down her back. “I’m grateful it wasn’t but if I ever get my hands on the monster responsible for doing that—”
She let out a soft sigh, looking up at him, “You’ll what?”
“I don’t know.” He admitted tightly.
***
Lucy finished sewing the final stitch in her father’s side, unwilling to meet his gaze. He’d been shot. He wouldn’t go to a hospital. He wouldn’t tell her what happened. He wouldn’t talk. He just kept mumbling about something called ‘Metallo’ and ‘stopping him.’
“Bullet is out,” Lucy said, cleaning the wound quietly. “You want to tell me what happened?”
“I was shot.” He said firmly.
“I can see that.” Lucy sighed, running a hand through her hair. “By who?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Her father retorted with a grunt.
“What’s Metallo?” Lucy asked.
“Project.” He said gruffly.
“What kind of project?” Lucy asked.
“It’s not important.” Sam urged carefully.
“Are you in trouble?” Lucy blurted out, unable to suppress the questions that had been gnawing at her since he’d come to her door.
***
Images of the glowing green needle haunted his mind. Clark tried to push it out but found himself haunted by the memory. It was getting harder and harder to forget. The only time he was able to forget everything was here. In his wife’s arms.
“Clark,” she gripped his shoulders as he lost himself in her arms.
“Lois…”
The haunting images of the glowing green needle and memories of his captivity were gone. All he could hear, see, and feel was her. She let out a sultry purr as she cried out his name and he moaned against her lips.
“I love you,” He murmured, cupping her face with his palm.
***
Lex Luthor looked around the abandoned warehouse that had been transformed into an undercover laboratory in a matter of days. Power had shifted in his partnership with Bill Church Jr. One of Intergang’s biggest projects was out in the wind along with the scientist that created Metallo. Having Bill Jr. owe him worked in his favor. Getting his hands on the project Bill Jr. was scrambling to find was an added bonus.
He spotted one of the scientists scrambling across the room with a briefcase in his hand and immediately recognized him. “Mr. Vale, might I have a word with you?”
***
“You’re sure it was Bill Church Jr. that you saw?” Lois asked, looking toward Clark as he set a mug of coffee in front of her. Lucy had called them early this morning to share the news about her unexpected house guest and his insistence on not going to the hospital. Explaining to her sister why she couldn’t go to the police without divulging what their father had been involved in proved to be difficult but eventually she had accepted that there were things she couldn’t know for her protection.
Sam Lane nodded, taking a sip of his own coffee and looking up at the Kents that sat across the table from him. Jonathan and Martha had been uncharacteristically quiet after Clark had explained that Sam not only knew Clark was Superman but had been working with Intergang, the organization responsible for Bureau 39.
“I’ve seen him on the T.V,” Sam said quietly. “It was definitely him.”
“You need to go to the police,” Jonathan said gruffly. His demeanor was anything but friendly at the moment.
“And tell them what exactly?” Sam asked incredulously. “Hi, officer I’ve accidentally been working for a criminal organization. You don’t know these people. I’d be dead before I even made it into the station.”
“But continuing to help the people that kidnapped and brutalized your daughter and our son is okay?” Jonathan spat back angrily.
“Jonathan, he didn’t know who he was working for until a few months ago.” Martha reminded him. “What did you want him to do? Get himself killed.”
Lois looked to Clark who was staring intently at the tablecloth. He hadn’t said anything since Sam had arrived and dropped the bombshell of what had happened last night on them. She knew he had to be worried. Intergang knew the ship was missing. They knew Superman had it. They tried to kill her father for helping Clark. Leaving her father to fend for himself against Intergang wasn’t an option.
“He can’t go to the police,” Clark said, interrupting the argument between his parents. “If they found out about the ship this easily then they’ll find out about Sam going to the police even faster.” He tapped his hand on the table. “We need somewhere you can hide out that they wouldn’t think to look.”
“You want me to go into hiding?” Sam looked at him uncertainly, “For how long?”
“As long as it takes to bring these guys to justice,” Lois interjected. “It’s not safe. It wasn’t safe for you to continue working there.”
“It would have raised too many red flags.” Sam reminded them.
“I think I know someone who might be able to help.” Lois sighed, “But it would require bringing him up to speed on what Intergang is capable of.”
“Who?” Clark asked.
“Dr. Klein from STAR Labs.” Lois saw the uncertainty cross both her husband and in-laws faces and quickly explained, “He’s worked all over the world on some of the most advanced scientific breakthroughs, and he’s one of the most connected scientists in the world. If anyone can find a place off the radar from Intergang, it’s him.”
“You trust him,” Clark said in more of a statement rather than a question.
“Yeah, I do.” She nodded.
“Then I guess we better talk to Dr. Klein.” Clark conceded.
“What are we going to tell Lucy?” Sam asked.
***
That next evening, Bibbo Bibbowski cleared off the bar, listening as the music played around him and he prepared for a long weekend. The truck was unloaded, and the bar was fully stocked. His band would be here to start playing for his patrons in the next hour. The bar was slowly filling up with customers. It was going to be a good night.
“Martini. Dirty.” A young blonde laid a twenty-dollar bill on the bar and slid it to him.
He smiled, taking the bill and examining it before filling her order. “Coming right up, Missy!”
The doors opened, and a man in a torn blue shirt stumbled in, looking around the bar before he moved toward Bibbo. “Sign says you’re hiring.”
Bibbo looked at the man uncertainly. “Busboy.” He began to mix the drink as he spoke. “You got any experience?”
“Some.” The man smiled at him. “I’ve been a little out of touch with things, but I need to work.”
“We all do.” Bibbo pointed out, pouring the martini in a glass and pushing it to the young blonde.
“Please,” He pleaded with Bibbo. “Just give me a chance. If it doesn’t work out then no hard feelings.”
Bibbo never could turn down a charity case. His mother had been a saint, always opening her home up to others in need. She taught him it was what was in a man’s heart that mattered. He wasn’t sure what was in this man’s heart, but it was clear he needed help.
Bibbo extended his hand to shake the young man’s. “Name’s Bibbo. And you are?”
“John. John Corbin.”
“Well, Mr. Corbin, that table looks like it needs bussing. If you’re still interested in a job that is.”
“You got it.” Corbin grabbed the cart Bibbo had pointed at and began to get to work.
***
Present Day…Clark landed on the pavement where Luthor Towers once stood. In its place was a grey ashy residue that covered the ground. Footprints on the pavement showed where people had been running to avoid the blast.
How many people had survived?
Where was Luthor?
He looked up at the sky and saw another beam come out of the sky, directed toward the sky. Something or someone was turning it, but who? He shot into the air to find out who but found no one.
The satellite was on a course toward space. It appeared something, or someone had put it into motion and directed it out of the Earth’s atmosphere. He couldn’t let it continue on course. It could easily waver from its path and strike anything in space.
He took ahold of the metal object, applying his heat vision to the controls to stop the beam from striking anything else. A few moments later the white beam of light disappeared. After ensuring himself, the weapon had been neutralized he let out a sigh of relief and headed to STAR Labs to drop what was left of the satellite to Dr. Klein for analysis.
***
“It’s true,” Jimmy said, meeting her gaze with a pleading look.
‘I think he’s cheating on you.’ The words hung in the air as Lois’ heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing trying to comprehend what her young friend had just told her. The last seven years flooded through her mind as she tried to wrap her mind around what Jimmy had just accused her husband of.
It’s not true.
It couldn’t be true.
Clark would never…
<<“Uh, hi, Lois Lane,”
“Clark Kent.”>>
<<“Where are we going?”
“To dance…”
“You know, usually people ask one another if they want to…”
“Finally speechless…”>>
<<“I’m not most guys,”>>
<<“I love you, Lois Lane…”>>
<<“So, we’re both in uncharted territory here…We could stop…”
“Do you want to stop?”
“No.”>>
<<“I told you we were gonna be late!”
“So worth it…”>>
<<“You’re always saving me…”
“Someone’s got to…”>>
<<“A year ago today I was staring at these enormous gates, contemplating my future in Metropolis. Then you crashed into my life…”
“I wouldn’t say crash ….exactly….bumped…maybe glided…” >>
<<“I imagine the world ….the future….I can’t imagine any of it without you there…standing with me.”
“Marry me,”>>
<<“I know technically we’re already engaged, but I wanted to do this right…I’m not sure if I’m supposed to get down on one knee, but…”
“Oh, my God…Clark...Is that for me?”
“Yes...Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful,”
“You’re beautiful. Lois, I love you and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”>>
<< “You could never lose me, Lois,”>>
<< “A…son?”>>
<<“There’s nothing to forgive. Please stop doing this to yourself,”>>
<<“This is really happening. We’re really having a baby?”
“Yeah, I guess we are.”>>
<<“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”>>
<<“Marry me.”
“I already asked that question.”>>
<<“I think we’ve both proven over and over again just how indestructible our love is…and always will be. You are everything to me, Lois. Today, I give you my heart, my soul, and our future.”>>
<<“I have been in love with you for so long I don’t remember what it was like not to love you, Lois, and I don’t want to know.”>>
<<“I’ve never seen anything so perfect in all my life,”
“I love you,”>>
<<“Jonathan Samuel Kent.”
“Welcome to the world, Jon.”>>
<<“I love your curves.”
“You’re biased.”
“For the rest of my life.”>>
<<“You’re pregnant with our child. You could be wearing a paper bag, and I’d still think you’re the most stunning woman in the room.”
<<“If you don’t get dressed we’re going to be extremely late and have to explain to Perry why I had to ravish you against this countertop.”
“Ravish, huh?”
“Not helping.”>>Clark, a cheater? The idea seemed laughable. Nowhere in her mind could she reason why Jimmy would come to such a conclusion. She also couldn’t understand why Jimmy would lie. He had nothing to gain.
“I don’t believe you.” Lois snapped back angrily.
“Of course you don’t,” Jimmy said with a roll of the eyes. “Look, Lois, I know you don’t want to hear this, but it happens all the time.”
“Not to us,” Lois said, narrowing her eyes at him.
“That’s what they all say.” Jimmy pointed out.
“You don’t know Clark like I do.” She argued.
“Of course not.” Jimmy conceded. “I’ve just been working with him for the last year.”
“And I’ve known him for the past seven,” Lois argued.
“Five of which he was missing.” Jimmy pointed out. “I’m telling you, you don’t know him as well as you think.”
“Clark would never cheat on me,” Lois argued, dismissing his claims.
“Fine. Believe what you want, Lois.” Jimmy shrugged.
“You know, you’ve got a lot of nerve!” Lois fumed angrily. “How dare you?”
“You asked.” Jimmy pointed out.
“You sit there and accuse him of something like that?!” She continued to ramble. “I know Clark better than anyone. How dare you try to insinuate that him being kidnapped and …and tortured makes me know him any less!”
“Fine, whatever. You know him.” Jimmy scoffed. “He gets up and leaves at the drop of the hat with ridiculous excuses. You can never find him when you need him. Then he shows up at bars across town known for their loose clientele.”
“What are you talking about?” Lois spat back. “Clark doesn’t go to bars unless it’s undercover or to interview a source.”
“And I guess you’ve never heard of Bibbo’s either?” Jimmy pressed.
“Not that I recall.” Lois crossed her arms over her chest.
“Of course not. It’s just the bar your husband was at with a very familiar looking blonde.” Jimmy opened his camera bag and pulled out a picture with a time stamp on the front of it.
Lois took the photo from him, frowning when she saw Mayson Drake sitting at the bar with a man that looked exactly like Clark. The bar seemed to be just what Jimmy had described with the cheap looking women and rough looking men in the background. Why would Clark go there? Was he working on a story?
She glanced at the time stamp on the photo and narrowed her eyes. There was no way the man in that photo could be her husband.
“That’s not Clark,” Lois said, pushing the photo back at Jimmy.
“Denial is usually the first step.” Jimmy retorted.
“It’s not Clark!” Lois snapped angrily, pointing at the time stamp. “What does that date say?”
“June sixteenth.” Jimmy shrugged. “So?”
“That’s our anniversary.” Lois breathed heavily. “It was the first time Lucy babysat Jon…overnight.” She arched an eyebrow at Jimmy. “You gonna tell me I imagined my husband being with me all weekend long?”
“Then who the hell is that?” Jimmy asked, pointing at the image. “Cuz he certainly looks a lot like Clark.”
“I don’t know, Jimmy, but it is not Clark.” Lois fumed angrily. “He would never cheat on me. If you knew him at all, you would know that.”
“Lois, he looked and sounded just like him.” Jimmy pressed. “He acted like him. He …”
“Was not Clark!” Lois cut him off. “I’m done arguing with you about this. My son is trying to sleep in the next room. Just drop it. Clark would never cheat on me.”
“Then explain the photograph.” Jimmy shot back. “Explain the weird excuses and the disappearances….”
“I don’t have an explanation for you, Jimmy,” Lois said quietly. “It’s not Clark.”
“Believe what you want, Lois, but something is definitely going on,” Jimmy said shaking his head. “And I’m going to find out what.”
***
“What’s going on here, Dr. Hamilton?” Lucy asked, closing the door behind her.
“I’ m not sure what you mean,” Hamilton said, tugging at his collar as if the temperature in the room had changed in the last few minutes.
“I mean, we’ve got evidence of a weapon being used on people that screams military operation.” Lucy accused, folding her arms over her chest. “You know what caused this, don’t you?”
“I don’t know anything.” Hamilton sniffed nervously.
“You designed it, didn’t you?” Lucy accused, meeting his eyes. “You were in the commercial market for thirty-five years. You designed it, didn’t you?”
“I can’t talk about anything I may or may not have developed while under contract in my younger days,” Hamilton said solemnly.
“Who made you build it?” Lucy pressed. “Please, Dr. Hamilton, there are people dying from this weapon. More people are going to die if we don’t find a way to stop it. Just give the police a name. Give them something.”
“I can’t.”
***
‘Annihilator.’ That was the project Dr. Klein had found in the military files he’d been given access to. Someone had found the plans for the Annihilator and built it. Had it been Luthor? Intergang?
Clark took a deep breath as he came in to land behind the two-story townhome on Hyperion Avenue. Something that he really appreciated when he and Lois had bought this place was the private backyard. The trees and bushes helped shield his landings and takeoffs as Superman.
He checked to make sure he was still out of sight and changed into his blue dress shirt and grey slacks from earlier. It had been six hours since he’d left to help stop the Annihilator. While he’d been at STAR Labs, he hadn’t brought up the attack that had happened earlier. He knew Lois would probably give him the riot act for it but after everything that had happened today all he wanted to do was go home and hold his family in his arms and never let go.
“Hey,” He opened the front door and saw Lois bouncing a distraught Jon in her arms.
“Hey,” she gave him a tired expression before turning her attention back to Jon who continued to wail. “I know. I know. It’s been a long day for me too.”
He knew from experience not to intervene unless she asked him to, but at the same time, he hated seeing her and Jon so upset. He sighed, looking toward the kitchen, “Have you eaten?”
She shook her head, “Not since this morning. He had a great nap this afternoon and then…” Tears began to fall down her cheeks uncontrollably. “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I can’t get him to stop crying.”
“You’re both probably just over-tired.” He reasoned aloud, wrapping his arms around her and Jon. “Just take a deep breath.” He soothed. Jon’s cries calmed to a whimper, and he heard Lois cry harder against him. “Here, I’ll take Jon and figure out something for dinner. Why don’t you try and relax?”
She seemed to be mentally debating for a moment before handing Jon over. Jon let out a whimper of protest as Lois disappeared upstairs. “Hey, bud, what’s wrong?” After a few minutes of bouncing Jon against his chest, he finally heard a loud burp and grimaced when he saw the mess he’d been gifted.
“Upset tummy?” He asked, nudging Jon’s cheek before laying him down on his playmat so he could discard the soiled shirt. Jon gave him a soft cry but quickly stopped when he leaned down to pick him up. “It’s okay.” He reassured him, resting him on his bare chest for a minute. “I guess we’ve all had a rough day today, huh?”
Jon let out a shaky breath with a soft sigh as his cheek nuzzled against Clark’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t give your mommy such a hard time.” He said, patting Jon’s back as he spoke. “She loves you so much. We both do. It’s just hard to figure out what you need sometimes.”
He heard the water upstairs turn on and smiled down at Jon who was beginning to drift off to sleep. He stood up, holding Jon to him as he carried him into the kitchen with him to see what groceries he had to work with. He frowned when he saw the few groceries they had in the fridge. Neither of them had had a chance to get any groceries this weekend. He reached for the phone and began to dial. Pizza would have to do tonight.
Upstairs he heard the water turn off after making his order. He set the phone down, continuing to bounce Jon in his arms lightly. Dinner was on its way, and Jon was asleep. Not bad for only being home for twenty minutes. He looked down at Jon as his little snores whistled against his chest. Poor little guy had worn himself out. He knew he should probably put him in his bassinet to sleep, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Moments like this were what he cherished the most with his new role as a father.
“You have the magic touch.”
He turned around and saw Lois fresh out of the shower in his old Met U t-shirt and yoga pants. “He spat up a little while ago,” Clark explained, pointing to his soiled shirt on the floor. “I think he wore himself out.”
“Do you think he’s sick?” Lois asked in concern.
Clark shook his head. “He doesn’t feel any warmer than normal.”
Lois laid a hand on Jon’s back then moved it to his head. “I guess we should get him to bed.”
“Yeah,” he sighed, looking back at her. There was that look he’d seen before. He’d thought she was just upset with Jon crying and not being able to soothe him, but now seeing the expression on her face, he wasn’t so sure. “I ordered pizza from Mario’s. It should be here in a few.”
“Okay.” She gave him a forced smile.
He set Jon down in his bassinet then turned to look at her. “Lois, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged, “It’s just been a long day.” She looked away, not meeting his gaze.
He frowned, following her into the dining room. “Lois, I can tell when something’s bothering you. What’s going on?”
“I really don’t want to talk about it.” She said tearfully.
“Honey,” He moved to cup her cheek, and she began to cry. “Lois, what is it?”
“Clark, I…” She looked down, avoiding his gaze once more.
“Please, talk to me,” He pleaded with her.
“I…”
The doorbell rang, and she stopped. “That’s dinner.” She turned toward the door to answer it.
“Lois?” He called after her, watching as she opened the door for the pizza delivery man, signing the receipt and handing it back before closing the door.
“Let’s eat.” She said, pointing to the dining room table.
He knew she was avoiding the conversation, but it had been a long day for both of them. “Okay, let’s eat.” He agreed, grabbing plates and glasses from the kitchen.
***
“You did what!?” Lucy fumed angrily, slamming her file folder down on the table. “I..I can’t believe you would do something like that! After everything we discussed…How could you?”
“She asked. I told her.” Jimmy shrugged, matter-of-factly.
“You told Lois you thought Clark was cheating on her?” Lucy echoed, rubbing her temples as she spoke.
“Explain the photograph, Luce!” Jimmy shot back. “Explain the disappearances. Explain any of it.”
“I don’t know, but that doesn’t prove anything,” Lucy argued. “I told you before, Clark would never do that.”
“How can you be so sure?” Jimmy asked. “Something is obviously going on. You’ve seen the photo. That’s not just any blonde sitting with him, and you know it.”
“Let it go!” Lucy fumed angrily. “I told you it was impossible for the man in that photograph to be Clark and you went and took it to Lois anyway. Why not go to Clark?”
“I didn’t want to give him a chance to deny it.” Jimmy spat back. “I’ve seen it before with my mom. My dad would come home with some sorry excuse about where he’d disappeared to before we found out about his job. Found out later it wasn’t just work that was keeping him out. People tried to tell her, but she never listened. He always had an excuse.”
“Clark’s not your dad,” Lucy said quietly. “He’s not a cheater.”
“Then who the hell is that?” Jimmy asked, pushing the photo in her face.
“I don’t know, but I can tell you who it isn’t.” Lucy snapped back, pushing the photo back at him. “He would never do something like that to Lois. Not after everything they’ve been through.”
“People change, Luce.” Jimmy pointed out. “If that isn’t Clark then he’s got someone that looks and sounds exactly like him.”
“You’re saying he has a twin brother?”
“I don’t know.” Jimmy sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “Something’s going on though. Haven’t you ever noticed how he just disappears? And I can tell you this, Mayson Drake sure seemed to think it was Clark.”
“But as I said before it was impossible for it to be him.” Lucy pointed out. “He was out of town with Lois all weekend long. He was nowhere near Metropolis, so there has to be some other explanation.”
“Like what?” Jimmy asked.
“I don’t know, but this conversation is really making me mad.” Lucy fumed, grabbing her things and heading for the door.
“Luce…” Jimmy called after her, but she was already out the door. “Great.”
***
He flew above the clouds, looking over the city with a sigh of relief. He’d stopped it. He still didn’t know where Lex Luthor had escaped to, but he had stopped it. Throwing the satellite into space had been a spur of the moment decision, but it had been the right decision. He had to protect the people of Metropolis and the world from the destruction that weapon could bring. If he hadn’t who knew what would happen if it landed in the wrong hands?
***
Clark set the pizza box in the trash and finished cleaning up the downstairs. Lois was bathing Jon and getting him ready for bed. A few minutes into dinner Jon had woken up, making it impossible to get Lois to talk to him about whatever it was that was bothering her. He finished cleaning up the rest of the downstairs and let out a muttered groan.
Today had not gone how he’d anticipated it at all. Jon had had a good first day at daycare, and it had been great working with Lois again, but everything with Lex Luthor and that mysterious satellite had started the course for ruining the rest of the day. Someone had gotten ahold of the plans for the Annihilator. Someone had put the satellite into the air with such a force that it took a great deal of super-strength to stop it. There were no planes, no missiles or rockets around. It was like it had been thrown into the air out of nowhere. Then there was the attack he’d had at the Planet. They were getting worse.
He’d thought they were gone. He’d thought whatever was causing them had subsided. He hadn’t had one since before Jon was born. After the fight with Metallo the dreams–flashbacks with Trask and the messages in his head had disappeared. Then a month ago they reappeared. He had to get this under control. He still hadn’t told Lois. He didn’t want to scare her. She’d want an explanation, and right now he didn’t have one.
He headed upstairs, hoping to figure out what had put Lois in such a sour mood this evening. Lois was finishing putting Jon in his pajamas when he entered the bedroom. He watched her tickle Jon’s tummy and smiled to himself when he heard Jon’s infectious cackle. He was just starting to learn how to laugh, but he loved to smile when he played.
“Where’s Jon?” Lois hid her face with the blanket, “There he is.”
He walked up behind her and looped his arm around her waist, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Hey,” He rested his chin against her shoulder and felt her relax for a moment. “I went ahead and made a bottle for his two am feeding.” He handed her the bottle he’d made. “Here’s his bottle.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a half-smile before turning her attention back to Jon who was stretching his arms over his head and balling his fists up. A sign he was getting tired. He released his arm around her so she could tend to Jon. “Did you see Dr. Klein?” She asked, picking Jon up and carrying him toward the rocking chair positioned in the corner of the room by his crib.
“I did, but I didn’t have a chance to talk to him about what happened earlier. We got a bit sidetracked with that satellite.” Clark explained, sitting on the corner of the bed as he spoke.
“Satellite?” Lois asked.
“That’s what Luthor was using to essentially vaporize that island.” He explained shaking his head. “I was able to neutralize it, and Dr. Klein is trying to see if he can pull any information from the hard drive to see who was controlling it for sure.”
“We know it was Lex. He was bragging on national television about how he was going to tear this city apart with it.” Lois pointed out, shaking her head in disgust.
“We don’t know for sure.” Clark retorted. “Not without evidence for the police.”
“I’m sure the evidence will lead somewhere entirely different.” Lois rolled her eyes. “You and I both know how well he can cover his tracks.”
“We’ll cross that road when we come to it,” Clark said, running a hand through his hair.
“Yeah,” Lois sighed, looking down at Jon who had dozed off mid-conversation. “He’s asleep.”
“Here,” He stood up and took Jon from her, careful not to wake him. Jon’s face crinkled for a moment then relaxed as he held him against him. He laid Jon in the crib then turned to Lois who was gathering Jon’s empty bottle and burp cloth from the chair to carry downstairs. He reached for the baby monitor on the nightstand, checking to make sure the volume was on and followed her back downstairs.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he found Lois in the kitchen scrubbing furiously at a spot on the bottom of the sink. Another sign something was bothering her. When she was upset, she found something to clean that didn’t need cleaning.
“Lois?” he walked up behind her taking the scrub brush from her hand. “Honey, what are you doing?”
“There was a smudge.” She said numbly. “I was trying to…”
Something had happened. What he wasn’t sure but whatever it was it had put Lois into a state of panic. He looked down at her tear stained cheeks, brushing away the tears with his thumb. “What happened?”
She looked down at the floor, shaking her head. “It doesn’t make any sense. I’ve gone over it and over it, and it doesn’t make any sense.”
“Gone over what?” He asked, growing exasperated with her insistence on not getting to the point.
She pulled away from him and walked into the dining room and pulled a manila envelope from the china cabinet and handed it to him. “Jimmy brought that by with LexCorp’s financial records. Apparently, that’s why he’s been acting like a royal jerk lately.”
Clark sighed, still not sure what she was talking about as he pulled the photograph out of the envelope. He frowned when he stared at the image in surprise. The smoky atmosphere told him it was a bar or dive of some sort. He’d never seen it before but staring back at him was an image of himself sitting uncomfortably too close to Mayson Drake.
“What is this?” He asked, not sure how to address the thousands of questions that were racing through his mind.
“I thought maybe you would know.” She said quietly.
He tossed the photo on the table, shaking his head, “No.” He frowned, tapping his hand on his chin. “Where did Jimmy get this?”
“He said he took the photo around the time the case on Intergang broke,” Lois said quietly.
“That’s not me,” Clark said defiantly. “I would never…”
“I know, but I…I don’t know what to think.” She said shaking her head. “It looks exactly like you.”
“Except for one thing,” He said, pulling her to him. “The only woman I would ever have with me is you.” He tilted her chin to look at him, “Lois, I would never do anything like that to you.”
“Then who is that in the photograph?” Lois asked.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged, wrapping his other arm around her, “but it isn’t me.”
“Jimmy thinks you’re cheating on me.” Lois continued, her voice wavering slightly.
“I don’t cheat.” He reminded her.
“Tried to prove his point by pointing at your absences and disappearances.” She said shakily.
“You and I both know where I’m going.” He reminded her. “I always come back…to you.”
“He looks just like you.” She whispered.
“It’s not me.” He repeated.
“I know, but…” she stopped when he leaned in to kiss her, allowing his hands to wander up her shoulders as he moved her hair out of the way.
“You are my first and only.” He pulled her to him and whispered in her ear. “I could never hurt you like that, Lois.” He felt her body relax against his and sighed in relief. There was someone that looked like him in that photograph. He’d have to get to the bottom of that tomorrow but not tonight.
***
“You are my first and only.” Lois heard her husband say.
It didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. After Jimmy had left every ‘if’ scenario had crept into her mind and inner doubts began to plague her. There was still no explanation for the photograph, but she trusted Clark. She knew in her heart he’d never cheat on her. The date on the photograph proved beyond a shadow of a doubt it wasn’t him. Who was it?
“I could never hurt you like that, Lois.” He whispered in her ear, moving to capture her lips with his. She whimpered against him, allowing her hands to roam up and down his chest as he pulled her to him. “I love you, Lois,” He murmured breathlessly against her ear.
<<“I don’t cheat.”>>
<<“You are my first and only.”>>
<<“Then explain the photograph. Explain the weird excuses and the disappearances….”>>
<<“It’s not Clark.”>>
<<“Believe what you want, Lois, but something is definitely going on, and I’m going to find out what.”>>
<<“It looks exactly like you.”
“Except for one thing. The only woman I would ever have with me is you. Lois, I would never do anything like that to you.”>>
<<“Lois, I would never do anything like that to you.”>>***
He floated outside the townhome, listening to the sounds that were so familiar yet so foreign at the same time. The muffled cries of ecstasy accompanied with the soft snores from the four-month-old baby he could only assume was his son.
Jon.
That was what they had called him.
Jon.
“Oh, Clark!”The soft purr from her lips sent a chill down his spine.
That was his wife with him.
That was his wife.
“I love you, Lois,” He let out a muttered curse, hearing his double—this other Clark that fate seemed to determine was given the right to be Lois Lane’s husband—hold his wife in a way he could only dream of. He could remember every moment of being in her arms—every cry, caress and whisper that haunted his dreams. Now, here he was, a stranger. Another man was kissing her, loving her and holding her at night. Another man was rocking his son to sleep. Another man was wearing the red blue and yellow suit. Another man was living his life with his family.
Unable to listen to another second he flew back toward the docks to patrol once more. Keeping the streets safe would have to do for tonight.
***
TBC...
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