There will be another WHAM in this part, I'm afraid
So, there it is - the first part that was not posted previously. I really hope you'll like it.
Italics indicate flashback
Thanks to GuineaPants for pointing out some of my mistakes. And thanks to Tahu for making me finish this story.
Usual disclaimers apply..
TOC From Part 7:“You need to see that, or you won’t believe it!” he exclaimed, breathlessly and waved at Lois and Clark to follow him back to the newsroom. Several of their co-workers were standing at the windows and stared down to the streets below. Obviously there was again something interesting interrupting the routine work that rarely brought any valuable results. Lois knew that everyone was waiting for the press conference. Until then no new information would be released. Thus people were stuck in their work and whatever could distract them was welcome. The excited viewers started murmuring and soon there was a heated discussion going on. Curiously, Lois and Clark stepped closer to find out what had caught their colleagues’ attention.
Separate Lives or Till Life Do Us Part
Part 8:Not so much later Lois and Clark didn’t only see what Jimmy had called unbelievable. They felt it. As they stepped out of the elevator they noticed at once that things were worse than they had appeared to be. Lois and Clark had gotten into a storm of flashlights that almost blinded them. What had seemed to be a large group of reporters in front of the Daily Planet proved to be a flood that had already swamped the entry hall. Lois couldn’t remember that it had ever been so crowded.
When they had seen the LNN outside broadcast van Lois had joked that obviously the Daily Planet was having the most recent news and everybody else was just trying to copy. But this had to be something else, entirely.
“There he is,” she heard various other journalists yell or whisper, depending on the speakers temperament.
The message seemed to spread like wildfire through the hall and literally everybody was staring at Clark and her. A little irritated, Lois looked up, for a weird moment imagining that they might talk about Superman. Now and again a flashlight lit up the hall, but for a moment nobody dared say anything. Eventually everybody seemed to know that *he* was there, whoever *he* was supposed to be.
“Mr. Kent!” someone shouted and then continued somewhat softer. “Is it true? You found Superman? You’ve been accused to have killed him, what can you tell us about that? ”
It was as if a thunderstorm broke loose. Questions shot through the rooms, but it was impossible to understand a single of them in the turmoil. Lois and Clark were pushed forward, encircled by the journalists. Each of them was trying to get an exclusive on the scandal of the century. It didn’t take long and Lois and Clark were separated. But they hardly even noticed that. Neither of them managed to think clearly.
It took Lois a while until the questions had fought their way through the haze in her mind. And even more time passed until their meaning dawned on her. Someone had to have told the press that Clark Kent had found Superman. But why on earth did they think that Clark had killed the Man of Steel?
With a deep intake of breath Lois managed to get back to her old self – suddenly her thoughts were crystal clear. It was no use waiting until someone would be kind enough to tell her everything she wanted to know. She had to ask. One of her former co-workers from the brief time she had been working at LNN news was standing right beside her. Before the man could do anything about it, she had grabbed him by his sleeves and pushed him to a side of the hall.
“What’s going on here?” she demanded, giving him an intense glance that would have scared anybody within its reach. “What’s this about Clark?”
“Lois, I don’t know what you’re...” he started, but soon changed his mind as Lois insisted on an answer, grabbing his sleeves more firmly. “Okay, okay. We’ve got an anonymous source at the Police department who said that Kent found Superman’s body...and they found your partner’s fingerprints on the weapon Superman was shot with.”
“They didn’t,” Lois replied as if mere denial would suffice to destroy any rumor.
Her former co-worker laughed. “So he didn’t tell you, huh? Poor Lois. What does it feel like to be in love with a killer after dumping a criminal mastermind? What’s so attractive about the dark side of Metropolis? Did Superman tell you that you can’t have him and so Kent offered to take revenge on him?” When Lois didn’t reply he laughed at her and pushed her aside. “I hope you don’t mind. I’ve got an exclusive to get!”
Lois remained where she was, dumbstruck and trying to understand what was going on. Clark’s fingerprints on the weapon Superman had been killed with? It seemed to be impossible, something she wouldn’t have considered for as much as a moment hadn’t it been for his mysterious amnesia.
Clark was caught in a bunch people who were pushing him forward. His breath came in panting gasps. Panic had him in its evil grip and a short glance above the crowd told him that this time Lois wouldn’t be able to save him. He hardly understood the questions people asked him. The space was most definitely too narrow and the crowd seemed to close in on him with every breath he took.
“What happened between you and Superman?”
“How did you manage to kill him?”
“Why did you do it?”
The recorder that was held in his direction almost knocked off his glasses and Clark cursed the fact that he had ever stepped out of the elevator. What had possessed Lois and him to find out what the turmoil in front of the Planet was all about? He didn’t know it, he really didn’t. What was he supposed to tell them? That he had found Superman, but that he didn’t know anything else about it? Neither of these things should become public knowledge.
“I... I...” Clark’s mind raced and he desperately tried to remember something, anything that would help him to deny the accusations. He didn’t know anything about himself, but he couldn’t even imagine he would touch a weapon, much less use it. “I want to talk to the police, before I’m going to say anything about Superman,” he managed to say.
Actually he didn’t even want to think about all this before someone showed him his fingerprints on that weapon. He couldn’t be a murderer, could he? This was all just gossip, a serious misunderstanding. The thought only added to his panic and he felt increasingly sick. If only the endless journey through the crowd would end.
“You were reported missing, Kent. Where have you been? Did Superman have anything to do with your absence?” another reporter asked.
Clark shook his head, annoyed and angry. “I told you I’m not going to say anything,” he growled. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?”
Too late he noticed that this had been the wrong thing to say. In fact it was just ridiculous to believe anyone would let him off the hook, considering what kind of story they were after. More camera lights flashed and he could see on the people’s faces around him that they had only become more curious. It was obvious that they thought he had something to hide. He felt that with every minute he remained silent they became more and more convinced that he was a killer.
“Was he a friend of yours? Did you meet him shortly before...”
“... how does it feel to kill...”
“Go and find anyone else to answer your question,” Clark yelled helplessly and tried to work his way through the crowd. Of course there was nobody but him who possibly could answer any questions.
He didn’t really care if someone felt his elbow. He just wanted to get out of this. But the bunch of people was stronger than he was. The more he tried to free himself, the more they pushed him back into the middle of the crowd. Of course he should have known that fighting wasn’t really an option in his current state. But it took him by surprise as someone hit his side, making him gasp in pain. He doubled over, grabbing his hurting side. It was over, he knew it. Clark felt that he could never make it out of the building. The panic that had accompanied him from the moment he had stepped out of the elevator swept over him with full force, drowning him mercilessly.
“Murderer!” someone yelled beside him. He wasn’t the only one. Several people closed in on Clark making it more and more difficult for him to breathe.
“He’s hurt,” someone whispered, sounding almost glad about it.
Clark wished they would just leave him alone. He hated to be in the center of interest, would have run a way if only he could. But with all the people around him there was just no way of escaping the situation.
“Did Superman hurt you as he fought for his life, Kent?”
“How did you manage to overpower him?”
The questions returned as soon as Clark had caught his breath and stood upright again. He looked around, hoping to find Lois somewhere, but she was gone. Nor was there anybody else to help him out of this.
“Back off,” he shouted helplessly. “Leave me alone!”
He didn’t even want to think about the meaning of those questions. Did Superman hurt him? Did he kill Superman? It seemed to be impossible, something that was even too weird to happen in dreams. He couldn’t possibly have killed a man! After all he had tried to rescue Superman. Clark felt as if someone had pushed him into a waking nightmare that offered no escape. Suddenly, images were flooding his mind.
He was dripping wet and shivering. Desperately, he searched the alley for a place to hide, but in vain. Clark stumbled over something, but he couldn’t discern what kind of garbage it was. His breath came in short gasps and fearfully he turned his head, looking if someone was behind him. It was almost dark, darker than appropriate for the time of day. The sky was covered with clouds and like a tightly woven curtain the pouring rain left little sight of what was around Clark. Now and again, lightning flashed across the sky, giving Clark an idea what his surrounding looked like. But the additional light didn’t last long enough to be of much help. He stumbled on; his foot caught in yet another indefinable thing.
Another flash of lightning revealed something blue and red right in front of him and before Clark could react, a heavy hand held his shoulder in a painful grip. Clark gasped as suddenly his back landed hard against the brick wall. His cry was muffled by the sound of thunder and a loud growl that was audible despite the storm.
“You’re not going to stand in my way any longer!” Superman yelled angrily and once more pushed him against the wall.
Clark struggled against the firm grip, futilely but with fierce determination. He was too weak and all he earned was the evil laughter of his attacker. Clark kept telling himself that he only needed to concentrate. He wasn’t willing to accept that he was fighting a losing battle. Superman was too strong for him, which shouldn’t have surprised him, but really just scared him to no end.
“You can’t do this,” he whispered, because there wasn’t enough air left in his lungs to speak up. “This world needs a Superman, someone people can look up to, an idol!” Clark cried out as the grip became even more painful.
“I don’t care what the world needs. I know what I need and you’re just a pain in my neck. You might have escaped once, but trust me - that won’t happen again,” Superman replied, the threat in his voice unmistakable. “Kent?” The voice sounded familiar, at least a bit.
Somewhat confused, Clark looked up. The face of the man in front of him was serious and he watched him full of concern. At least this was what Clark could discern through the sunglasses the man was wearing. Thankfully, the crowd around him had thinned out a bit and Lois had miraculously appeared beside him. She touched his shoulders, reassuringly.
“Would you come with me?” The man with the sunglasses asked.
Clark tried to remember where he had heard that voice for the first time. He hadn’t spoken to many people recently, so how difficult could it be to remember? Hoping to get an advice, Clark sought Lois’ eyes. Her expression was worried. But there was also something stern about the look in her eyes, a wrinkle above her nose that demanded an explanation.
Clark got up from the floor. He didn’t know why he was sitting there. His legs obviously had given way under him. He felt a little shaky. The flashback was still dominating his thoughts and he tried to get a grip on what it had been about.
“We need to ask you some questions, Kent,” the man said. As if someone had pushed a shut door open, Clark suddenly knew whose voice it was – Inspector Henderson’s.
“Arrest him!” Several reporters shouted angrily.
The rest of the way outside the Planet was more like a dream. Somehow Inspector Henderson managed to get through the crowd like Moses through the Red Sea. It seemed easy, effortless and Clark wondered why it had been so difficult before. A warm hand reached for his and squeezed it lightly, reassuringly. Yet he felt a soft tremble in those fingers.
Superman had attacked him. There was something he could remember! If only it hadn’t been something so unpleasant.
* * *
“I really thought that you wouldn’t tell anyone about your finding Superman!” Henderson said angrily as they sat in the safety of the police car. He had his brows furrowed and looked at Lois and Clark with a disappointment in his eyes that was close to scornfulness. “How could I expect two reporters to act responsible anyway? But I must admit that I really thought better of you! Didn’t I give you all the exclusives on any investigation of importance that I was ever assigned on?”
“Stop it, Henderson!” Lois replied and the anger in her voice was not the least bit smaller than his. “We told Perry White about it, but no one else. You know very well that we would be stupid to release such information. After all, do you really think we can work properly when there’s a bunch of reporters following Clark?”
She looked scary, to put it politely. Clark wasn’t sure how to read the emotions that were written on her face. Heavens, he didn’t even know how to deal with the whole thing himself. Had he really killed Superman? And what would happen if Lois believed he had? Clark didn’t really care how had released any information, he wanted to know if it was true.
Henderson opened his mouth to say something, but Lois interrupted him, before he had made it to the first syllable. “It’s not us you should look at with such contempt. I bet there’s some leak in your department.” The daggers in her eyes were a more than obvious warning towards the inspector not to doubt her statement.
He merely nodded, the furrow of his brows increased. “However,” he said, changing the subject, abandoning the first as if it had never been addressed. “I wanted to talk to you. Because of the recent developments I was forced to do it the hard way.”
“So it’s true, you’ve found Clark’s finger prints on the weapon?” Lois asked, anxious to remain the leading party of this conversation. She was desperately trying to remain calm. It proved to be almost impossible. “But Clark wouldn’t have been able to kill anyone. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Lois heard the insecurity in her own voice, as if she was saying this to convince herself rather than the inspector. “How would he have done it anyway?” she then added.
Henderson shrugged, meaninglessly. “Mr. Kent’s fingerprints on the weapon don’t mean anything but that he has touched it. Anyway, it makes him a suspect. The only suspect I have right now. Of course I know that there were many people who wanted Superman dead.”
“You better not think that Clark would be one of them!” Lois exclaimed furiously. “I can’t help the feeling that someone is set out to make this the worst day of my life,” she muttered. “Why would Clark kill Superman? They were friends; Clark is one of the good guys. There wouldn’t have been any reason for Clark and Superman to hate each other.” Lois tried to push her own objections aside, trying to remind her that Superman had indeed seemed to hate Clark.
“I didn’t say I accuse Clark.” Henderson protested. “But being the investigative reporter you are, Lane, you should understand that I must follow this lead. And sad as it is, Kent’s fingerprints on the weapon is enough evidence to arrest him in order to do further investigation.”
“You can’t do this!” Lois shouted and made a serious attempt at killing Henderson with one sharp look.
“I can and I will, Ms. Lane,” Henderson retorted angrily. “Maybe you didn’t get this right. Your *possibly innocent* partner will be lynched out there. People won’t care to solve the crime before hanging their suspect. Superman wasn’t just anyone and the public will seek for bloody revenge. I hope you don’t mind if I talk to your partner now, Ms. Lane,” Henderson said, ignoring the objection Lois had already had on her lips. “As far as I know you don’t happen to practice law. So if you won’t let me do this interrogation, I’m more than willing to make you get out of this car.” The tone of his voice was provoking, his gesture towards the door indicating that he was meaning what he said.
Lois opened her mouth to give Henderson another piece of her mind. But when he returned her angry glance sternly, she decided to keep her mouth shut rather than to risk being ushered out of the car. Instead she pouted, which Henderson didn’t seem to notice. He just breathed with some sort of relief and turned to Clark. He hadn’t said a word since they had brought him out of the Planet. Lois hadn’t realized that until now.
“Kent, can you please tell me everything about last night?” he asked. His was friendlier with Clark than he had been with Lois. It served to convince Lois that Henderson really believed in Clark’s innocence. Maybe this was just the inspector’s intention. Lois, however, remained on the edge of her seat, ready to put up yet another fight. “Anything can be helpful. Did you meet Superman in the alley? Did he come up to you?”
“I don’t remember much of it,” Clark replied euphemistically. He forced his concentration on Henderson, which was rather difficult with the flashback cursing through his mind. There were pictures he couldn’t get a grip on. Fragments of memories appeared and vanished so quickly that he couldn’t discern their meaning. They mixed up with the question that kept tantalizing him. Had he caused Superman’s death? “I don’t know how my fingerprints came onto that weapon,” he added. Clark didn’t know if he wanted to answer Henderson’s question or if he was trying to silence the accusing calls of his conscience.
“Well let’s start with the beginning,” Henderson suggested patiently. “What have you been working on before you disappeared, Mr. Kent?”
“Nothing particularly dangerous,” Lois said promptly. “We wrote about Calvin Dregg and his lawsuit against Superman, as objectively as we possibly could. I’m sure you remember that the lawsuit was finally abandoned. There wouldn’t have been any reason for anyone to pursue Clark afterwards.”
Henderson bit back a harsh remark, anxious not to show his anger too obviously. It unnerved him that Lois just wouldn’t let Clark answer his questions. But scaring Clark more than he already was, wasn’t going to make this interrogation easier. He already knew what had happened then. A couple of days ago, Lois had reluctantly told him that they had been in a difficult stage of their relationship. She had admitted that she had first thought Clark had left her. It hadn’t seemed plausible, though, considering that he had left without taking anything with him.
“Where have you been, Mr. Kent? You’ve been missing for four days.”
Again, Lois opened her mouth and Henderson felt his heart rate increase, bringing him close to the verge of exploding. But then, Clark laid his hand on hers and squeezed them lightly.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve no recall of those days.” Hesitating a moment he looked at his fingertips as if they held any answer to the incredible amount of questions he had. “I seem to remember bits and pieces of the night in the alley,” Clark then said, quietly. “Superman attacked me.”
“He... what?” Lois asked thunderstruck. “Clark, are you sure?”
“Go on,” Henderson invited him gently. “Did he say something?”
Clark repeated the words he remembered.
’I don’t care what the world needs. I know what I need and you’re just a pain in my neck. You might have escaped once, but trust me - that won’t happen again.’ “Escaped him once?” Henderson repeated. “A pain in his neck? What does that mean?”
Clark didn’t answer, neither did Lois. Or if she did, Clark didn’t hear her. The police car around him suddenly faded and he was back in the suffocating darkness of the alley.
He hurt all over. Every tendon and bone seemed to scream in pain, but unconsciousness just wouldn’t come. His heart was beating fast and paralysing fear kept him in place. If he wouldn’t move, then maybe Superman would leave him alone, thinking that his opponent or whatever he considered him being was dead. The alley was silent but for the dripping sound of rain. Not even an intake of breath indicated where Superman was; much less did any light give him a hint. Had he flown off, Clark wondered, a brief flash of hope coursing through him. But he didn’t dare give into that hope, feeling that it was too early to be relieved. Why was the hero attacking him anyway? He had no reason, Clark thought bitterly. But his hurting ribs reminded him that this was something Superman didn’t care about.
Suddenly, there were steps approaching quickly. Help, maybe? Superman wouldn’t want any witnesses, would he? Someone was coming and still Clark didn’t dare move. The wind was chilly, making him shiver slightly, wet as he was. He tried not to hit anything by accident, afraid that he would be found as soon as he made any noise. His attempts were ridiculous, given that Superman could easily find him there. But whoever was approaching didn’t seem to see him. A flash of lightning revealed the shape of a man a couple of yards away from him. Clark watched the stranger and considered getting up to warn the man. And to ask him for help. But his mouth was dry and his tongue refused to form any words. His knees were wobbly and fear glued him to the place where he was sitting, half hidden behind a pile of garbage. In the light of a second flash Clark noticed that the man held something in his hand that remarkably resembled a weapon. His heart beat madly at the mere thought of what else this night would have in store for him. to be continued...Please review...
