So you thought I'd forgotten about this story? wink

Well, it's finished! Of course, the previous parts might need some editing before it goes to the Archive, but, well... I'd been posting it here, and made it work better with your comments and constructive criticism, so... here you go! I hope you enjoy!

I will be posting part 14 in a few days.

See ya,
AnnaBtG.

P.S.: Thanks to Carole, my BR smile ('You're more than welcome, Anna. smile Now could you come back and resume polishing part 14? <G>' )


TOC here


(Not posting what happened before... you probably have to re-read the whole thing to remember what had been going on!)


Part 13:

The days at Smallville passed quickly, but for Lois and Clark they were the best days of their lives. They returned to Metropolis with their batteries recharged and their mood renewed.

The next four weeks seemed ideal. Their relationship was now technically official and their careers had taken off, thanks to the Superman exclusives and five more scoops. Even their smaller articles – joint or not – had made an impression on the public. The Daily Planet’s sales were up and Perry did not regret for a second hiring Clark or partnering him with Lois.

However, Clark was worried about her.

He hadn’t known her for a long time. For all he knew, she could be her usual self. After all, she persisted on assuring him that she was ‘fine’.

Still, he could clearly see that she was abusing herself. She slept less than she should, staying up late for work, and drank far too many coffees to cover for her lack of energy. Every day she grew more edgy and things he would consider of tiny importance seemed to constantly annoy her.

At least, she was always genuinely happy to be with him. He never felt like she was hiding something from him and she was never angry with him... unless he insisted that she should sleep more and ease it on the coffee.

That Monday, exactly one month since the Smallville weekend, he had been sitting at his desk, waiting anxiously for Lois. She had been considerably late and he was wondering whether something had happened to her.

She arrived at 10.30 a.m., obviously nervous. She hurried at her desk, dropped her purse down and fell on her chair, sighing.

He headed towards her, but stopped a few steps behind. “Lois? What’s wrong?”

She turned to face him, weariness all over her face. “I didn’t hear the alarm clock, woke up at nine thirty, and, you know, took a shower, got dressed… What’s on today?” she asked, eager to change the subject.

“Nothing…” He thought for a moment, in an attempt to be helpful. “Now, I never thought I’d ask you this, but... do you want some coffee?”

She scowled at him. “I could use one, thank you very much.”

“You got it,” he said, heading to the coffee machine.

-----

Two hours and three coffees later, she was still nervous.

Clark had been glancing at her every other minute, wishing he knew what was wrong with her. She typed slowly, as if she didn’t know what to write. Every so often, she turned around, sometimes stared at her purse, then resumed typing and so on. However, he didn’t dare ask her what was bugging her.

Suddenly, he saw her rise and grab her purse determinedly.

He rose, ready to follow her if he should. “Lois? Where are you going?”

She turned to him. “To the ladies’ room.”

“Oh…”

She smiled, in an attempt to reassure him, before heading there.

-----

A few minutes later, the usual buzzing of the newspool was disturbed by a rather unusual shout. Some heads turned around, locating its source in the toilets. Then, unimpressed, they turned back to working.

Clark, however, remained still, staring with silent horror, not daring to x-ray inside.

That had been Lois’s voice. “Damn it!” she’d called.

What was wrong with her?

-----

Positive.

Positive.

It was positive.

Damn it!

Lois felt like dropping it right into that sink. That way, she would never see it again. It would be as if she’d never seen it.

Who was she trying to kid?

Her head jerked up, as someone tried to open the door. She sighed in relief, remembering that she had locked it.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” she called, trying her best to sound calm.

Now, on with this. What was she to do with this?

Throw it in the trash? No. Someone might see it.

Keep it? What for?

Flush it in the toilet? That sounded like the best option.

So she did. Then, she washed her hands twice, and finally exited the bathroom to walk to the safety of her desk. She had special bonds with that furniture. She felt like it could understand her every desire. And right now, she just wanted to disappear, or, at least, hide her face. Every second was a torture. And, strong as she was, this time she felt like falling apart.

-----

Clark saw Lois storm out of the ladies’ room, holding her purse tightly. She sat in her chair, dropped the purse beside her and buried her face inside her folded arms.

Clark approached, without getting too close. She didn’t seem to notice.

Undecided for a few moments, he took some deep breaths. Finally…

“Lois?”

A moan was all the answer he took.

“Lois?” he repeated.

He saw her rise her head and look at him angrily.

“Go.”

Maybe that was a good idea. If she didn’t want him to do something for her, he should just go. He’d be unable to watch her suffer like this, especially if he didn’t know what that was all about. Maybe it was a good time to patrol the city, save a cat or something…

As he headed to the elevators, however, he heard her voice – trembling and low.

“Not… from the Planet,” she said, regretfully. “Stay here. I might need you later.”

Pretty sure that she would, he returned to his desk.

-----

Lois was feeling awfully. Just seeing *that* was enough to make her sick. Her stomach was upside down, her mouth dry and her head in pain. How had she turned so weak in mere seconds?

It was a nightmare. Worse even, a living nightmare, one she couldn’t escape from.

What was she supposed to do now?

Lost in thoughts, she didn’t hear Clark approaching. She did, though, hear his voice.

“Lois?”

She moaned in frustration. Couldn’t he see she wasn’t in the mood? Couldn’t he see she just didn’t want to talk?

“Lois?”

Obviously, he couldn’t.

“Go,” she said, with the little patience that was left in her.

Seeing him actually doing it, however, made her feel embarrassed about herself. He cared. It wasn’t his fault.

“Not… from the Planet,” she managed to say. “Stay here. I might need you later.”

As he walked past her and towards his desk, her head fell again on her folded arms. Frustration overwhelmed her.

He ought to know. She should tell him.

And then, he could dump her all too well. It wouldn’t be a first, after all.

But this time, she wouldn’t be able to blame him for it. This time, he’d have every right in the world to do so. And there was nothing she could do about it.

-----

When she felt ready, she raised her head and called for him.

“Clark?”

He instantly left his work and came to sit in a chair opposite to her.

“I…” She took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something.”

“Sure.”

“But I can’t afford to be heard.”

“So, let’s go?”

“I don’t wanna leave my desk, either.”

“Just tell me,” he said and glanced around. “Nobody’s paying attention.”

She glanced around too. “Okay.”

She crossed her fingers on the table and took a few breaths, looking for a way to start. Clark waited patiently.

“Well…” she began, her voice low.

The interest in his eyes encouraged her to continue.

She gulped. “If you remember, the day you first came in the Planet, I had a big story printed.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“It was about a rapist.”

He nodded.

“Do you also remember the rest of the story?”

“I remember it all, it had me really impressed. I think it’s the best article I’ve read in a long time.”

She weakly smiled. “Thanks, but the compliments are not helping.” She took a deep breath and tried to ignore his expression, which was getting even more worried. “Anyway. There was a detail about this story that never made it to the article.”

He nodded, waiting for her to continue.

“I wrote that the victims were twenty-five, but they weren’t. They were twenty-six.”

She paused for a moment, gathering all her strength. Finally, she spoke again.

“I was one too.”

“Lois…” Clark covered her hands with his.

“Shh, stop,” she said, taking her hands away. “I’m not finished yet.”

“Okay, tell me.”

“There was this woman, Maggie. She lived next door with her daughter Tracy. We were not really close, but, well, we used to get together sometimes. Tracy was such a cutie, and she was only seven years old... One day, she didn’t come back from school, and a couple of days later the police found her body in the woods outside Metropolis. She had been raped and strangled. This had been occurring for a while and I was already investigating it. But when it happened to Tracy, I was... I got mad. And I knew the police suspected someone, but they didn’t have any hard evidence against him. So I went and told them to use me as bait. Of course, they didn’t agree, they said it was too dangerous and that I was making it personal and everything, but in the end... well, let’s say I convinced them.”

Clark let a faint smile, picturing Mad-Dog-Lane in a police station.

“It wasn’t difficult to pose as a potential victim. All the while, the police had George Brown, an undercover agent, watching over me. When Saulter finally approached me, I knew it would be okay. Brown would follow us, call for back-up if needed, and they’d come arrest him, end of story.” She sighed. “And then, I still don’t know how, but Brown, that idiot, got a flat tire!”

Clark gasped.

“Yes! I saw him following us at the beginning and thought everything was under control. Saulter was just your average driver. Anyway, when we arrived at Saulter’s place, I was supposed to wait until the police could catch him in the act. But he was moving on and the police hadn’t arrived... Then I realized I had to make it on my own, but as I tried to get away he hit me on the head with a club, as I found out later. That gave me a mild concussion, and him...” She gulped. “...time to...” She shrugged. “Anyway. When the police found me, everything was over. I was lucky to be still alive. But you understand I had to keep myself out of all this.”

Clark nodded in understanding.

“You know,” she continued, her voice serious, “I didn’t want to tell you yet. But things took such a turn that I had to. I mean, you ought to know.”

“It’s all right, now I know...”

“No, you don’t,” she abruptly cut him.

He stared at her, confused.

“Clark, I’m pregnant.”

-End of part 13-


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