Thanks for your nice comments on part 11.
I hope you like this one too.
AnnaBtG. smile


TOC here


From Part 11:

She left his embrace to wipe her tears away. “I was just a kid when I had to take over my parents’ role and look after my little sister. My father had left us, and my mother was an alcoholic… Not much of a help,” she said in bitter irony. “Since then, I haven’t denied my help to anyone who needed it. That’s what I do with my job, after all. And it seems like you could use my help, maybe not as much as Lucy needed it, but there are a couple of things you have to learn.” Her face lightened up. “And I’m gonna teach you those.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, let’s go back to the Planet, shall we?”

“Sure.”

They got in the Jeep and left.


Part 12:

Next day’s paper was another big hit for the Daily Planet. A Lane and Kent article on the previous day’s robbery, plus a Lois Lane one with a detailed analysis on the robbers, their motives and their plans, completed with exclusive photos from their headquarters.

Perry smiled, satisfied. He left the paper on his desk and leaned back on his chair.

It was a bit strange. The Daily Planet, unlike the Metropolis Star, had never based its success on ‘star reporters’, who showed up in every significant event and were objects of people’s admiration, yellow press’s gossip, or both. All such journalists who had come to work in the Daily Planet hadn’t survived for a long time. The last one was Claude Brenneau, several years ago. He just lasted for four months - although they were enough for him to win a Kerth for a story Lois had claimed was hers.

Lois. What a girl.

Since that day, she had been a workaholic. No friends, no real family. She only had her sister, who visited her more or less often. But her one true dedication was her job.

Truth to be told, she was very talented and successful, definitely the best reporter in the paper. But, outside the newsroom, she wasn’t much of a celebrity. Quite the opposite, she seemed to avoid publicity. She covered many cosmic events, but always kept a low profile.

Surprisingly, though, the last few days, her success had been noticed outside the Planet, too. Although it wasn’t the first time she had a series of big hits, this time she had made her presence clear. Maybe her last articles were the icing on the cake. Or maybe these stories were bigger than her previous ones. Superman! Just think about it.

Or maybe it was Kent.

Come to think of it, Clark Kent joined the Planet right after the York Saulter story was published, at the very first step of Lois’s last series of hits, which make her career take a big leap. By now, Perry was sure that a new world, full of new opportunities, was waiting for her.

And these opportunities weren’t only work-related.

His eyes caught her sitting on Clark’s lap, a mug of coffee in her hand.

Perry smiled at the view. He had a feeling that they could be happy together.

-----

Lois and Clark were having a slow news Friday morning. However, they were impatiently waiting for it to be over. A bit earlier, Perry had called them in to congratulate them about their latest hit, and, as a reward, he had given them that evening, plus the weekend, off.

Lois took a mug of coffee and sat on Clark’s lap.

“That’s your second coffee in half an hour, Lois,” he commented.

“I need it,” she said. “It calms me down.”

“You’re nervous?”

She sipped some coffee before answering. “I have a bad feeling, and it makes me nervous.”

“Maybe drinking that much coffee is what makes you feel nervous. Caffeine isn’t good for the nerves.”

“No, it makes me feel better.”

He surrendered. “Okay. If you insist.”

She left the mug on his desk, stretched her arms and then hugged Clark.

“Normally,” she said, “if I had two and a half days off, I’d go out investigating. But this time…” She lowered her head to whisper in his ear. “…I’m thinking about something different.”

“Like what?”

“Like a weekend away from here?”

“Sounds lovely. Where are we going?”

“I don’t know. *You* are in charge of the flight department.”

“Okay, then… How about Smallville?”

“Smallville?”

“I want you to meet my parents.”

She sat straight. “What? Why?”

“Why not?”

She was at a loss. “Isn’t it too early?”

“What do you mean, ‘early’? They’d be happy to meet you.”

“You’ve told them about us?” she asked, almost shocked.

“Of course.”

“Clark, we’ve just started dating!”

“So, what? Oh, you don’t want to spend your weekend in a tiny Kansas village with an old couple, right?”

“No, no, that’s not it,” she said, noticing that he was somehow disappointed. “I just… You always tell your parents everything?”

“Yes,” he replied naturally.

She sighed. “I never tell my parents a thing. Why would they like to know anyway?”

“It’s okay, Lois. We didn’t grow up the same way.”

“Clark, you’re not offended, are you?”

“No…”

“I really want to come. Really. And I do want to meet your parents.”

“Okay,” he smiled.

“So, when do we leave?”

“Once we’re done with work, you’ll go home, pack whatever you need, and then give me a call and I’ll come pick you up.”

“When will we be finished with work?”

“At three?”

She rested her head on his shoulder. “I can’t wait that long.”

“Why don’t you go write something?”

“Like what?”

“‘Is Drinking Too Much Coffee A Crime?’”

“Ha, ha.”

“I’m not kidding.”

“Clark, stop lecturing me about coffee.” She rose, grabbed her mug and provocatively drank the remaining coffee to the last drop.

“Satisfied?” he asked, with an ironic smile.

“No. It was cold. I’ll have another, burning hot.”

“Lois, seriously,” he said, seeing her heading to the coffee machine. “You should quit drinking so much coffee, or you’ll become a coffeeholic!”

“Coffee isn’t an addiction,” she said pigheadedly, filling her mug.

“It can become one.”

“I said stop lecturing me, okay?” She walked past him and headed towards her desk.

He just shrugged and got back to his.

-----

Early in the evening, they arrived at the Kents’ farm.

“Oh, that’s lovely!” Lois exclaimed, as soon as she stepped on the ground. “Like a fairy tale. Blue sky, bright sun, golden wheat as far as the eye can see, and that cute house!”

“You like it?” he asked, with a proud smile.

“It’s wonderful!”

“Come on in.” Holding Lois’s suitcase, he led the way inside the house. “Mom! Dad!” he called, as soon as they got in.

Martha and Jonathan rushed into the living room. “Clark!” Martha exclaimed, seeing him. “You’re here!” She kissed him on the cheeks. “And you,” she added, spotting Lois standing timidly behind Clark, “must be Lois, right?”

“Yes,” Lois smiled.

“You didn’t tell me you’d bring her, Clark!” she scolded him. “If I knew, I’d have prepared something special for dinner.”

Lois wanted to tell Martha that it was okay, but Clark talked first. “Don’t worry about it, mom.” He pulled Lois closer to him. “Lois, let me introduce you to my parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said pleasantly, extending her hand.

“Oh, we have no handshakes here!” Martha said, hugging her. Her gesture caught Lois off guard.

“Good to see you, Lois,” Jonathan said, when Martha let go of Lois. “Clark has told us a lot about you.”

Lois smiled shyly.

“Well, Lois, honey, go unpack,” Martha said. “Clark will help you.”

Clark picked up her suitcase. “This way, Lois.”

She followed him upstairs.

***

“I hope you don’t mind sleeping in this room, Lois,” he said.

“No,” she said with a smile, looking around. “Is it your room?”

“Yeah, is it obvious?” He grinned.

She took a closer look at the library, and discovered that Clark had probably kept all his books since first grade. “I’d say so.” She turned around. “But where will you sleep?”

“Downstairs, on the couch.”

“Oh, no, I’ll take the couch!”

“Of course not, Lois!”

“No, I’ll take the couch! You can’t sleep on the couch!”

“Of course I can. I can sleep on anything. I can even sleep on nothing.”

She grinned at his joke. “Okay, but that’s *your* room.”

“You’re a guest, and we have no guestroom. So, you sleep here. Unless you don’t feel comfortable…”

“…No, it’s cool,” she cut him. “Actually, it’s kinda fun. This room is like a mirror of your childhood.”

Clark smiled.

“What have you told your parents about me?” Lois asked, changing the subject.

“Not much. Why?”

“They liked me,” she said with a proud smile.

“I told you they would.”

“That was more than a warm welcome.”

“Yeah, my mom is too open-hearted sometimes,” he grinned.

“And too dynamic, isn’t she?”

“Yes. She’s a lot like you.”

“I hope I’m like her. She seems to be a very pleasant woman.”

“You’ll have the chance to judge for yourself.”

“Okay. Anyway, where do I put my clothes?”

“Oh.” Clark opened the closet. “I still keep some of my clothes here, but it’s half empty. You can use it.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you need any help?”

“No, thanks. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m going downstairs. When you’re finished, come and join us.”

“All right.”

With that, he left her in the room. Lois, with a bright smile of happiness, began unpacking.

-----

A while later, she walked downstairs. Clark and Martha were sitting in the living room.

“Oh, there you are!” Martha said, seeing her. “Are you comfortable in Clark’s room?”

“Everything’s fine,” she said, sitting on the couch, next to Clark. “Thank you very much.”

“Good. Now, what do we treat you? Some biscuits? A cup of tea? A juice?”

“A coffee?” Clark suggested, in fake helpfulness.

Lois grinned. “I told you to stop that.” She then turned to Martha. “Nothing, I’m fine, thank you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, really. Where’s Mr. Jonathan?”

“Milking the cow. I’ll make a cake, to celebrate your arrival.”

“Oh, that wasn’t necessary.”

“Oh, please, stop sounding so typical. You’re family now.”

Lois almost blushed. “Thank you, but…”

“…No, no, don’t say a word. Clark loves you, and that’s more than enough for us.”

Lois stared at Martha, speechless. Thankfully for her, right at that time, Jonathan entered the house, holding a bucket.

“Martha!” he called. “I brought the milk!”

“Excuse me, kids,” she said, rising from her seat, “I have to start preparing the dinner. Why don’t you go for a walk? It’s such a lovely evening.”

“That would be great,” Lois said, rising too.

“Good, good. Have a nice time and be back in time, okay? You have plenty of it anyway,” she added, implying something that both Lois and Clark failed to notice. Jonathan!” she turned to him. “Will you help me?”

“Of course,” he said and carried the bucket to the kitchen.

“Shall we go, too?” Clark asked Lois.

“As you wish,” she said, grabbing his hand.

Smiling happily, they exited the house.

-----

About an hour later, they were standing in the middle of a golden field, embraced, staring at the sunset. The horizon was painted in pink and violet shades. The sky above their heads was already getting darker and the first stars were twinkling playfully.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Lois said dreamily.

Clark didn’t speak, but she felt his arms tighten around her waist.

When the last rays of sunlight disappeared, he lowered his head and whispered in her ear.

“It’s getting late. We should go back.”

“Okay,” she replied, kissing his lips.

They slowly began walking to the farm.

“Everything’s perfect here,” Lois suddenly said, breaking the silence.

Clark remained silent. Somehow, he had a feeling that Lois hadn’t told him yet all she had to say.

She swallowed hard several times, trying to tell him what she wanted. Finally, she stopped walking and, with teary eyes, she spoke.

“I’m jealous.”

He turned to her. “Jealous?”

“I’m jealous, and I’m feeling terrible because of it. I don’t want to, really, but… your life is all I always wished for but never had, and now I feel so miserable…” She broke into tears.

Clark hugged her protectively. “Lois, please, don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed, putting her arms around his neck.

He let her cry, until she felt better. Then, he held her at arm length and gazed at her.

“Lois, you have no reason to feel jealous, or sad. Everything I have is yours.”

“I can’t ask you this…”

“You’re not asking. I’m giving it to you. Lois, I want to give you everything I have. But, most of all, I want to give you my heart, my soul. My love.”

Lois’s face lit up. “That’s all I’m asking for.”

She returned in his embrace, calmer now, but happy too. Every single doubt she ever had was gone.

He loved her. And that was all she needed.

-End of part 12-


What we've got here is failure to communicate...