So, it's finally over. You guys can't believe how much I've been looking forward to finishing this.
Jose, thanks for the extra encouragement (Now I'm ready to get working with you on our little project
)
Tricia, I've little more to say. You already know how important your help has been throughout this story and how much I value your input.
Two more things: just so you know I'm not as evil as some of you have suggested along the way, know that the last two scenes have been written (or something like it) since October. A few days ago, when she caught up, Saskia said this story had potential for smoochies. I hope this fits into the picture she (and the rest of you, for that matter), had in mind.
Now on with the conclusion.
Cris
NOTHING BUT A LUTHOR ON THE WAY, PART 11 Clark gently tapped on the wooden frame and waited impatiently for the window to open. The flight from his apartment to Carter Avenue hadn't been long, but it had given him time- seconds, but time after all- to put his thoughts in order. He thought he'd finally found the way to get through to Lois, to really make her understand what his secret meant and why it had seemed important to hide it- even from her. He wasn't going to deny the mistakes he'd made; he knew his motives were reasonable only up to a point and that she had every right to be disappointed in him and their friendship. But hopefully, it wasn't too late to fix things.
When the window finally opened, it wasn't Lois's face that greeted him. He tried to hide his surprise when he spoke, “Hello, Mr. White.”
“Hi, Superman. Come on in.” Perry allowed Clark to enter and then closed the window.
He was still wearing his suit pants, though he'd taken the jacket off and rolled up his shirtsleeves, while his tie was hanging loosely on his neck. He looked tired, but Clark was sure resting was far from his mind; he was probably closer to Lois than he'd ever been to either of his sons; taking care of her had become something natural. Even if he sometimes tried to hide it.
“So, how's the investigation going? Any new discoveries?”
“Things are progressing slowly. The officers have spent a few hours inspecting the chapel and the rooftop and after moved on to Luthor's penthouse, but so far they've found little. Luthor was a careful man; he had his tracks well covered.” His expression softened before he spoke again, making him look more like Clark than like Metropolis's worshipped hero. “Mr. White, how's Lois doing?”
Touched by the hero's sincere concern, he smiled, “After all she's been through, I think she's better than we could have expected. I even managed to talk her into sleeping a while. I still don't know how I convinced her.”
“You didn't.” Lois emerged from her bedroom dressed in a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. In a slightly weary tone, she added, “I decided there was no use in arguing. I didn't have the strength, anyway.” For the first time, she stared at Superman. He was looking at her the way he'd done so many times before, shielded behind his glasses, his worry evident. She wanted to tell him that she was fine, that *they* were fine. But she couldn't. Right now, she didn't feel brave enough; she was physically and emotionally drained and if she finally had that overdue conversation with Clark... <No, *when* finally have that conversation, >> she corrected, she needed to be one hundred percent Lois Lane, not some zombie barely able to hold any coherent thought, much less voice it.
Clark tried to speak. “I...”
Sensing their uneasiness, Perry interrupted their silent exchange. “You know, Lois, now that Superman is here, he can take care... er... keep you company while I go get some take out.”
He was about to walk out the door when Lois stopped him, “Wait, Perry. We can have it delivered. Besides, I'm sure Superman is needed elsewhere.”
Her tone, slightly harsh, made Clark flinch. At least now he knew how she felt where he was concerned. Discouraged, he prepared to leave. “You're right Lois, I should go.”
She mentally kicked herself for being so blunt. Ok, so he'd screwed up, bad, but that didn't mean she wanted to hurt him. She didn't! He was looking so vulnerable; breakable. Funny, she never thought that adjective could apply to Superman. Only she now knew exactly what his being super meant. Or rather, what it didn't. It didn't mean that he was incapable of suffering, of caring... She'd known that, of course, from the moment she'd met him, but she'd been unaware of how similar his emotions were to those of any human being. He had his weaknesses just like the rest of the world, maybe even more.
He was only inches away from her window when she finally managed to speak. “Wait... What I meant is that I'm sure the police could use a little super help. If the investigation is proving to be so slow, maybe you could speed things up. You could help them search Lex's apartment, see if you can find any documents, *pictures *...” She raised her gaze to meet his again and saw his expression change as she emphasized the last of her words. As much as she couldn't talk to him right now, she didn't want him to think she wanted him out of her life for good. Her attitude wasn't being as soothing as she'd intended it to be, but it was the best she could do at the time.
Her short babbling was enough to light up his face. Hope. That's what her last words gave him. She wasn't offering immediate forgiveness, but she wasn't shutting him out either. Maybe he did have a chance after all.
After saying goodbye to Lois and Perry, he flew off... again.
*********
He watched the images for what felt like the thousandth time in no more than a few hours. When the tape reached the end, he simply rewound it again. At first, curiosity had gotten the best of him and he'd inserted the tape in his VCR, just to see how much of his super-self Nigel and Luthor had seen. By the time he'd finished watching the images a second time, he'd thought that, maybe, he could try to understand just how Lois had felt when she had seen it. And so he'd rewound it over and over. He'd even picked up the phone a couple of times and dialed her number, but hung up every one of them. Just when he thought he knew what he was going to say, resolve failed him.
The screen went black once again and he reached for the remote. This time, however, his finger moved all the way to the top and softly pressed the off button. Placing the remote back on the coffee table, he turned to stare at the phone, which he'd left laying on the couch after his last vain attempt. After determinedly dialing her number, he held his breath and waited to hear her voice at the other end. And he did hear it. After the fourth ring.
“Hi. You've reached Lois Lane. I can't take your call right now, so if you really have something to say, you know how it goes.” And then the beep.
He placed the phone back in its cradle. Finding a way to talk to Lois, directly, was hard enough; there was no way he could leave a coherent message in her machine.
As he nervously paced his living room, he considered flying over to her apartment. Maybe she was there but didn't want to pick up the phone. Maybe she didn't feel like talking.
He decided visiting wasn't a good idea; he didn't want to push her. If she needed time to think, to recover... he'd be patient. And if the conclusion she reached was that she didn't want him to be a part of her life, he'd stick to his promise and walk out.
A soft knock on the other startled him out of his thoughts. He climbed the steps and reached for the knob. When he opened, he couldn't keep his surprise from showing. “Lois. Hi. I... How are you?”
She ignored his question. “Can I come in?” It wasn't a real question; she was inside his apartment before he could utter a response.
“Sure.”
For a few minutes they both remained silent. Lois fidgeted with the picture frames Clark had in the living room, not paying much attention to the pictures. At least not to most of them. A picture of Clark with his parents caught her attention. She'd seen it before, but the feelings it now arose were very different. She stared at their smiling faces and thought of her own family. Clark had come to the Kents from outer space. He didn't have their blood, but it hadn't mattered. They'd raised him to be one of the best people she had ever met. She knew she wasn't a bad person, but how much of that was really due to her upbringing, to her parents, she didn't know. Her dad had resented her for being a girl and not the son he'd always wanted. He'd given her the cold shoulder more often than not, never supporting any of her decisions.
Clark's life had been so different. He'd been through so much and now she was part of the craziness his life had always been. She'd realized that it didn't matter if he hadn't shared his secret willingly. After a strong inner battle, the part of her that wanted to believe his words had defeated her cynical side. She now believed him when he said he would have liked to tell her himself.
She was still holding the picture when he broke the silence. “Lois, thanks for the tip last night. I hadn't even considered the possibility of Lex keeping another set of pictures and tape. As logical as the idea sounds, I've been taking for granted the most obvious things lately.”
Lois's only response was a nod, before she resumed the fidgeting. As silence settled in between them again, Clark watched her move around the room. He wasn't sure how to behave. Her attitude reminded him of the many nights she'd drop by searching his comfort. She'd always launch herself into full babble mode; beat around the bush for a while until he stopped her rambling. She'd then deny being upset, only to end up giving in and pouring her heart out. Was that was she was doing right now? There'd been no babbling, but things had changed. Was she waiting for him to speak? Did she want him to ask what was bothering her? Now that was a stupid question. Apart from being mad at him, having just found out he'd been keeping a secret, and not just any secret, she'd also discovered that her fiancé had a second job too, not as a hero in tights, but as a crook, killer and who knows just what else.... And to top everything off, her wedding had been interrupted... forever. Talk about justified distress.
She'd taken the initiative by coming over to his apartment, but he'd been the one to cause the damage. It was his turn now. “Lois, I never meant to hurt you. I know how it may sound, but believe when I say there's no one I trust more than you. In the few months we've known each other you've been so important to me. And I don't mean only as Clark. You've been my friend; you've supported me. You've had faith in me, even when I didn't. When I felt lost, afraid I'd never belong, never fit in, you'd make me see it wasn't so. By your side, all the struggles, the fear... everything seemed worthwhile, because it helped me become the person I am and achieve goals I'd only dreamed of. When I was ready to give up, you came through for me. You've helped me see that there really is no such thing as "normal' and made me feel good about who I am.”
“I'm sorry that I hurt you. I can't change what I did, but if you'll give me the chance, I'll expend a lifetime trying to make it up to you. Even if that means walking out of your life.” He hesitated briefly, trying to find the strength he needed to finish his speech. He'd made a promise and if anything, he knew he couldn't break it. “Lois, I gave you my word and I'll stick to it. If you feel you can't forgive me; if you think there's no chance for us to ever be friends again, I'll leave. You won't have to worry about me interfering with your life.”
Lois had been staring out of the window, keeping her back to Clark, all the while he'd been speaking. That prevented Clark from seeing the look of horror on her face as he'd considered leaving her life, if that was what she needed him to do. But it wasn't, that much she knew. And it wasn't fair to make him believe that she hadn't made her mistakes. Damn sure she had! It'd taken her a long time to face it, but now she had, there was no ignoring it, and, most of all, no hiding it from him. She turned around, so she was facing him. “Clark, I...”
With the lousiest timing possible, the phone rang. After the third ring and a nod from Lois, Clark reluctantly picked it up. “Hello...Now? Can't it wait? Don't worry, she's here. I'll tell her.... Ok, we'll meet you there”
At Lois's silent question he explained, “It was Perry. He said to meet him at the Daily Planet building as soon as possible.”
*****************
No more than few minutes later, a cab pulled by at the curb closest to the Planet's main entrance. Clark was the first to step out. He held the door open for Lois and then both of them met Jack, Jimmy and Perry on the sidewalk.
In a clearly good mood, Perry greeted the two reporters, “Glad to see you both! Lois, you look better.”
“I'm feeling better,” she said, giving him a half smile.
“Good. I'm sorry I had to leave this morning. You found my note, didn't you?”
Just as Lois gave Perry a reassuring nod, Clark broke in, “Perry, do you mind telling us why the hurry to meet all of us here?”
“I had to ask you something.”
Becoming a little impatient, Lois asked, “Couldn't you have done that on the phone?”
“Well, I guess I felt this was the right setting.” Seeing their expectant looks, he went on, “I wanted to know the current status of "the hottest team in town'.” The expression on the face of the two reporters turned serious, but Perry was quick to retort, “Professionally.”
Lois and Clark reacted almost in unison, “Perry, what's this all about?”
Now this was fun. Perry was having a good time teasing the two of them. Though he had to admit they were being slower than could be expected. “Hey, if the Planet is coming back, I want it to be even better than before. And you two are the best damned investigative reporters this city has seen in ages. If I let you go, the new owner will be anything but pleased!”
“Are you serious?”
“Son, I wouldn't kid about something as important. Besides, just what do you think I've been doing over the last few days while you, by the way, were no where to be seen? Surely you didn't think I'd give up that easily!”
Lois flung herself at Perry, releasing some more of the tension she'd been holding. The turn of events in the last twenty-four hours had been incredible; unexpected, but definitely good. Apart from Lex's death, that is. She'd realized she didn't want to marry him, though that didn't mean she wanted him dead. Besides, now that the reporter in her seemed to be returning from a long slumber, she realized that many of Lex's secrets had died with him and it disappointed her. Now that she'd finally assumed that Lex was probably closer to the criminal Clark had warned her about than to the great benefactor most people saw in him, she would have liked to know everything there was to him and his activities. <Hold on there! When has Lois Lane given up at the sight of a roadblock? > An award-winning reporter couldn't surrender to a simple inconvenience. She'd have to investigate; but that was what she did best, wasn't it?
She pulled back slightly until she could see Perry's face. “You know I'm in.” And emphasizing her words, she added, “Chief.”
Perry stared at Clark, waiting for his answer. Sensing his hesitation, he tried to pull the answer out of him, “So, do I have my team back?”
Clark couldn't answer, not until he'd talked to Lois. Instead, he just stared at her. As if feeling his gaze on her, she released Perry and moved to meet Clark's eyes.
Understanding their need to speak, Perry walked away from them and silently gestured Jack and Jimmy to follow.
The same uncomfortable silence settled between them as they were left alone once again. They stood simply staring at each other, apparently at a loss for words. It was funny, really, because if anything had been common between them from day one it had been talking. Even when they'd just met and Lois would only address him to make sure he understood she was in charge. They'd always been able to talk to each other, whether it was about trivial issues or about more serious matters.
Lois knew she'd been about to speak before the phone had rung, but her courage seemed to have vanished right in that moment. She'd never been good where personal relationships were concerned, though that was hardly something Clark didn't know. Still, he had the right to expect her to make the next move; after all, he had laid it all on the line –again- at his apartment. She knew what he felt and she thought she was sure of her own feelings. Or was she? IF that were true, what was holding her back?
The unreadable expression on her face, the same he'd found there earlier, was beginning to make him uneasy. Was there something else he should say? Putting his feelings into words had never been easy. He got so nervous, he always ended forgetting half of the things he wanted to say. Was that it? Was she expecting him to say something else? He tried to think of anything he might have left out. Had he told her he was sorry? He couldn't remember saying the exact words, but it had been understood. Or had it? Maybe now that they seemed to be getting back their old lives, she wanted everything to be exactly like before. And that included not knowing his secret... and, he realized for the first time, not knowing that his feelings for her went beyond friendship.
“Lois...”
“Clark...”
“No, Lois, “he said, stopping her, “Let me go first. Please. There are still some things I need to say.” She didn't object, so he went on, “I owe you an apology.”
“No, Clark, don't.”
He looked at her, pleading for her understanding, “I have to, Lois. Firstly because I should have trusted you. It doesn't matter that the time never seemed right; I wasn't being truthful, and that's something you didn't deserve. But more than that, I feel ashamed because I knew the kind of man Luthor was almost from the beginning and I could have told you about my suspicions.” She was about to interrupt, but he didn't let her. “I should have told you *why* I felt that way towards him; instead, I let you get closer to him. And...”
This time she did cut him off, “No, Clark. Don't. It's not your job to protect me, as much as it may feel that way. I should have seen through Lex! It's amazing how things have changed!”
“I know. And that brings me to the other thing I have to say. Lois, I li...”
But she didn't stop to listen. “Please, Clark; let me finish. Look, I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that you're Superman. But this time we've been apart, I've realized...” She hesitated, but the faint hope she saw in his eyes gave her the resolve she needed to go on. “I realized that I need you by my side. I'm still not sure of what that implies right now, but I know I can't leave you out of my life. I want to figure out what these feelings mean, and I can't do that without you. I need time... to know the real you.”
Maybe there was hope after all, he thought. Timidly, he reached for her hand and stroked it gently. “We'll do this your way, Lois.”
His shyness touched her, but it also made her realize her words hadn't had the desired effect. Sometimes she wondered how she could make a living out of words. Teasingly, she spoke, “Is that all you're going to do to help me clear up my feelings?” And as her last words were out, she stood on tiptoes and brushed her lips softly against Clark's.
All his confusion faded the moment he felt her lips on his. Though this wasn't the kind of reaction he'd been expecting, he wasn't about to complain.
The kiss was soft and gentle, far from being demanding. It allowed both of them to break free if that was what they wanted. But Lois knew she didn't want to pull apart; she'd been running far too long. It was time to face the truth. And as Clark's hand slowly made its way to cup her cheek and the pressure of his lips on hers increased, she knew he didn't a way out either.
Not too far away, Perry observed them with a smile of satisfaction on his face. His team was back, and, judging by their closeness, stronger than ever.
~WEEKS LATER~ “Wow, who would have though it would feel this nice? The Clark Kent I first met was great in many ways, but this new Clark sure comes in handy at times.” She was leaning against his couch, contently observing him as he finished cleaning up after a wonderful dinner.
“What was that, Lois?”
“Nothing; just wondering.” She started pacing the living room, distractedly looking at the pictures and the books he had on the shelves. “Do you have any other secrets you might want to share with me?”
“I don't know. Have I told you about this amazing woman I love?” He walked towards her and stood behind her. Slowly, he put his arms around her waist, resting his cheek on her hair.
Reaching to stroke his face, she sighed. “I can't believe how much my life has changed since my... wedding... non-wedding to Luthor.”
“I just hope that, someday, the reminder of that experience doesn't keep you from taking part in another wedding.” Almost instantly, he regretted his words. The last few weeks had been incredible; he hadn't thought she'd be willing to accept him as part of her life again, yet she'd surprised him. She hadn't wanted to settle back into their old friendship; she'd needed more from him and he'd been happy to oblige. But he was sure that his last come had crossed the line; she was going to pull away.
To his surprise, she didn't. “I don't know, Clark. Do you think I'll ever know someone well enough?” Teasingly, she added, “What if he turns out to be a crook?” Her voice dropped an octave and as she spoke, she stroked his hand, “Or an alien? What if...”
Seeing he hadn't scared her off, he decided to be even bolder. “But, do you think you've found that someone?”
She turned in his arms, without releasing herself, until she was meeting his eyes. Playfully, she said, “Maybe.”
Clark then gave her one of his heart-melting smiles and held her closer to him. “Has he told you he can fly?” He felt her nod against his chest. “Has he talked about the person that makes his life complete? About his reason to wake up every morning?” When he felt her nod again, he went on, “What more could he hide? He has told you all he can do and the reason why he'd do it. He has given you the key to his life.”
Moving her hand to his cheek, she smiled. “He has, hasn't he? I think I might just become his wife one day... I'm sure he'll make use of his ability with words to talk me into it. But, then he might not need to. Who would want to let go such a wonderful man?”
He grinned. “Beats me.”
No further words were exchanged. Clark softly brought his lips down on hers and, as she began responding to the kiss, he scooped her up in his arms. Never breaking away from the kiss, he walked them to the couch and once there, he sat down with Lois resting on his lap.
The kiss slowly became more passionate and the allowed themselves to get lost in the sensations, content to be in each other's arms.
**********************
The moon shone bright in the sky above Metropolis. As he held her in his arms, he couldn't stop staring at her sleeping face. She was so beautiful.
He felt happy, more than ever before. He had all he could wish for: his powers and abilities allowed him to help others, saving lives, and that made him feel useful. And then there was the amazing woman that lay in his arms. A woman who could light his day, just with a smile. She made him complete. He still couldn't believe she'd chosen to be with him.
Life was good.
THE END 
