Description: Lois, Clark, and Superman makes for an interesting love triangle. But what if there was another Supermen and Lois can’t get it all straight? Could she be in love with one of them? Two of them? Or maybe when the dust settles she finds her heart going out to her mild mannered partner who might be delusional? (Not an else-world story)

Story: Clark Kent vs. Superman
By Rhea : rheajediknight@yahoo.com


Part Three

She went back to grab her purse and then left the apartment, slamming the door shut so hard that a potted plant on the landing toppled over. Lois kicked it out of her way, causing a streak of pain to shoot up her calf. She hobbled her way into the street as she heard sirens blaring in the distance. She waved a taxi to a halt. She was out of leads on the case of Clark Kent, so in the meantime she might as well get another story. But next time she saw Superman, she was going to grill him about Clark Kent!

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Clark’s mind was filled with thoughts of Lois as he flew to the scene, and if he hadn’t been so distracted he might have noticed that he wasn’t moving as quickly as normal. A fire blazed on the rooftop of one of Metropolis’ tallest high rises. The blaze created so much light that it was almost as bright as day on the rooftop. The screams of the trapped people, although they were barely audible above the roaring flames, pierced right through Clark’s heart.

As he used his x-ray vision to plan the best route, he saw the imposter on one of the upper levels of the building, dressed in a Superman outfit and gathering a woman into his arms. Startled, Clark stopped suddenly in mid-flight as if he were standing on the air beside the building. His red cape fluttered wildly around him as the fire created a violent air current that would have taken the breath from a normal man.

Another scream catapulted Clark back into action and he changed plans. It looked like the imposter was helping the people on that level, so he decided to focus on a higher level, closer to the flames. Clark would deal with the imposter at another time. For now, he would welcome any help he could get.

He flew up to the top of the building and used his breath in an attempt to extinguish the flames. Although they flickered violently, they did not go out. Even with all his strength, the fire was too much. Clark felt oddly out of breath, and he was beginning to sweat. He wondered why this particular fire seemed to be so formidable, but he pushed the thought aside as he rushed for the door on the roof. He ripped it from its hinges and dashed inside.

It didn’t take him long to find the first victims. They had taken refuge from the flames in a small stairwell, but they couldn’t avoid the smoke. He scooped the unconscious forms into his arms and flew them to the ambulance parked on the street below. The flashing red lights gave the scene a slightly surreal feel. The minute they saw Superman flying toward them with his burden the emergency crew sprung into action.

“Thank God, Superman. We didn’t know how we would get up there. The power’s out and the 40th floor collapsed with some sort of explosion. That’s what caused the fire.”

At Clark’s look of alarm, an EMT said, “They were out of business, so fortunately floors 38-42 were vacant.”

Clark laid the last man on the stretcher. He looked up and saw Lois step out of a taxi still wearing her sexy black dress. He wanted to tell her to step away from the building. A large piece of masonry crashed only a few feet from where he was standing.

“Get these people back,” he commanded a police officer, and then he turned to the EMT still standing next to him. “There are people still trapped up there. Be ready for them.” Then he shot back into the night sky.

He made a couple more trips and each time he felt the heat of the fire more acutely. Clark also felt the weight of Lois’ gaze on him. She stayed a safe distance away and he tried to ignore her so that he could focus on his task, but Lois Lane could never be ignored. They had so much that they needed to say and Clark wondered what was going on in her mind. Did she think he was the man who had kissed her on the dance floor just hours before?

His thoughts kept going back to the way she had looked at his apartment. She had leaned toward him and he wondered what would have happened if he had given into the impulse to kiss her. The moment had seemed right. How would she have reacted? Clark wondered how he would have compared to Superman.

He snorted to himself in derisive humor causing a man who was still trapped under some rubble to look at him in concern. Clark mentally shook himself and gave the man an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Long day.” He said.

“Tell me about it.” The man said commiserating as he rose to his feet and ineffectually brushed at the ash coating what was obviously once an expensive coat.

“Let’s get you out of here.” Clark said before he scooped up the man and leapt away from the encroaching flames.

“When they said they were planning an executive barbeque, somehow this wasn’t what I expected.” The man joked as Clark set him on his feet.

Clark felt his mood lightened and he quipped, “Maybe next time your company should plan something that has a little less flare.”

He rose into the air before Lois could reach them to do a final sweep. Clark stood on the blazing roof extending his senses, ascertaining that everyone had made it to safety. Suddenly, the imposter stumbled onto the roof. Catching sight of Clark, his eyes grew wide and he stopped in his tracks.

“Who are you?” the imposter asked.

Clark inspected him carefully and noticed that the end of his cape was smoking. His Superman outfit was covered in cuts, burns, and soot. His arms were covered in scratches that were oozing blood. Clark feared he had made a mistake in allowing the imposter to assist in the rescue efforts. This man did not share his invulnerability.

He asked with great concern, “Where is the woman you saved?”

“I managed to get her down a set of stairs that had not collapsed in the fire,” he replied “She should be far from the flames by now.”

Clark sighed in relief. “We have to get out of here before the roof collapses.”

“Why are you dressed like me?” the imposter asked. He walked closer and swayed on his feet. “And why do I hurt all over?”

Clark caught the man before he could fall. “Actually, you’re dressed like me. I’m Superman.” The imposter pulled away from Clark’s grip with surprising strength. Suddenly, the heat from the blaze seemed to intensify. To Clark’s surprise, it actually felt as if the flames were burning him.

Something was wrong.

The imposter’s face twisted and he said in disdain, “You’re mistaken. You can’t be Superman, because I am.” And then he leapt from the building. Clark watched in fascination as the confidence slipped from the man’s face as gravity took hold. The imposter waved his hands as if trying to grab the very air as he started to fall.

Clark leapt after him and with some difficulty increased his speed to catch the plummeting man. It was then that he understood why he had progressively lost agility and strength. The imposter still had kryptonite. How could he have forgotten that? The fire hadn’t been hotter than normal; he had become weaker. He fought the impulse to release the imposter and put distance between himself and the source of the burning pain spreading through his body.

Clark used all of his power to slow their fall and managed to direct them to the far side of the building, away from any bystanders. The descent only took a few seconds, but the moments were magnified by his agony and Clark felt as if they plummeted for hours. He absentmindedly counted the floors, twisting in the air so that his back would take the impact.

It took forever to reach the ground, and yet it happened before he could form any thought besides ‘Fly’. He groaned as he rolled away from the unconscious man. Their capes had become a tangle and he almost didn’t have the strength to free himself. He worked the knots out, noting absently that he must have slowed their descent enough to prevent major injury to the man.

They lay side by side in an alley behind the building. The large trash bins were so close that it was a miracle they hadn’t landing in one. He almost laughed, but couldn’t for the pain. But Clark hadn’t lost all strength and he was able to roll to his feet.

He swayed and began an agonizing journey away from the imposter. With each step, he felt the pain lessen. This alone was motivation enough to continue. He heard a shout from the front of the building. He didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t want to be helpless and still be clothed in his Superman outfit. Who was the imposter? Why did he have kryptonite? Was someone trying to kill Superman?

Clark feared he was going to lose consciousness soon and with his last remaining reserve of strength he changed back into his street clothes. He was Clark Kent again. No one would give him a second glance as he stumbled away in the alley. He felt terrible, but he would live. He couldn’t do anything more to help the imposter. If he spent any more time near him, it would cause his own death.

“Clark?” He turned to face a stunned Lois and wondered why she was spinning around. Why wouldn’t she just stay still for one moment so that he could take a good look at her? She really was beautiful. But she was frowning so hard. He tried to smile and found that the ground was getting closer and closer. Was he shrinking? He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

“Clark!” Lois rushed forward, seeing that something was definitely wrong with her partner. She sat on the ground, heedless of what it was doing to her dress, and pulled his head into her lap. His scalp was bleeding and he smelled like a campfire. It was only then that she noticed Superman lying unconscious only a few feet away.

He knew she should see if he was alive, but when she saw his chest rise and fall, it was enough. He was breathing. He would be all right. He was Superman, after all.

Clark was a different matter. He had better live long enough so she could kill him! He had obviously been in the midst of the fire. His hair was covered in a fine soot and blood trickled down the side of his face from an injury on his temple. Strangely enough, his clothing looked relatively unscathed.

That dirty snake! He had left her in his apartment to cover the fire without her! He had probably done something stupid, something dangerous, and had managed to get himself in the middle of the action. He probably got a great story, but he obviously had almost gotten himself killed. Good thing Superman had come along to save him!

Why Superman was lying on the ground and not flying away was a mystery that would have to be explored later. Shouldn’t he be in some bar right now, telling some woman who he really was so that she would go home with him? Lois sighed. She was going to check on Superman. Eventually. She just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.

Why hadn’t Clark just told her he had a story to cover? Lois could almost be proud of him for his guts if he hadn’t been so spineless as to not tell her. She was his partner! What exactly did he think that meant? It meant he shared all of his stories with her. And she shared most of her stories with him. She would have been furious if it wasn’t for the fact that she had refused him a byline on a story just last week. Maybe this was some sort of payback?

She heard people milling around the corner just as a piece of masonry fell from the building a few yards away.

“Hey, back here. We could use some help,” she yelled. She wasn’t certain that anyone had heard, but a moment later some of the emergency personnel came jogging toward them.

The moment they saw the crumpled cape and unconscious superhero, they called for backup. Lois gritted her teeth in frustration. “Over here.” She yelled at the small crowd that had gathered around the fallen hero. She gestured to the unconscious man in her lap. One of the men broke away almost reluctantly from the gathered circle and came to take Clark’s pulse. Clark’s eyes moved under his closed lids like he was having a bad dream.

“Pulse is strong,” the EMT said. Another piece of concrete slammed down beside them. Lois yelped and then glared at the EMT for hearing her. He continued quickly, “We better get him out of here.” He tried to lift Clark in a fireman’s hold, but he was too heavy. He looked momentarily puzzled and then called to one of co-workers, “George, can you give me a hand here?”

“Getting old, Simon?” he teased, but he got serious when he tried to lift Clark.

“On three.” They counted and then lifted together. Lois shifted impatiently from foot to foot as she watched their progress. Lois felt awkward just standing there doing nothing, so she decided to check on Superman.

She jogged over to his inert form and watched as the men easily lifted him onto a gurney, “How is he?”

“We won’t know that till we get him to the hospital, miss.”

“What hospital are you taking him to?”

“Metropolis General. Please step back.”

Lois ran to catch up with Simon and George as they struggled to carry Clark. When it appeared that he had regained consciousness, they set him on his feet with a visible sense of relief. Firefighters were working hard at putting out the conflagration. When Lois got closer, she could hear Clark protesting, “No I’m fine really. Just had a bump to the head. I don’t need to go to the hospital.”


“Clark. I think you should listen to them.”

“Lois!” He looked around, wondering what had happened when he was unconscious. Had they found the imposter? Had anyone seen him change out of his Superman outfit? In his weakened and distracted state, he had forgotten to check for observers.

“What? Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

Had she seen? He met her gaze and saw the fury burning there. Did the revelation make her that angry? He knew it. He should have told her sooner.
Clark’s eyes darted to Simon and George’s fascinated gaze. They smiled as they beheld a furious Lois as if it was the best show going.

“Uh. . . Lois . . . do you really think this is the best place to talk about this?” He tried to gesture with his gaze to remind her that they had an audience. Surely, she would understand the need to keep his secret from the general public. Lois was angry, not insensitive.

Lois looked at the two men and smiled a tight lipped grin that almost scared Clark. She ushered him away from the two men as she said, “Excuse us boys.” She pulled on his arm hard enough to hurt. He tugged his arm from her grasp, rubbing at the sore spot her fingers had left behind.

Lois whispered furiously, “It’s a big story Clark, but is it really worth our . . .” she struggled for the right word and finally settled on, “partnership for your own byline?”

Clark almost fainted in relief. She wasn’t talking about him being Superman after all. Unfortunately, his relief made him smile and that was the wrong thing to do right now.

“You leave me alone in your apartment and end up lying unconscious in a back alley behind a burning building. And Superman just about died trying to save your life.”

That sobered him and he found himself getting jealous of . . . . himself. “So this is all about Superman being in jeopardy?”

“Yes. I mean, no. Look. Don’t go trying to change the subject here. I don’t understand you. All those stupid excuses can’t be just to get a story without me horning in on the byline. You would have had a lot more exclusives if that were the case.”

“Thanks. . . I think,” Clark said with a small smile.

“But then I find you here in the middle of things again. I just want some answers.”

“This wasn’t about getting the story.”

This was it. It was finally time to tell Lois the truth. She seemed willing to hear him, to really listen and he wanted her to know.