A big thank you for your feedback on Part 3.

I hope you like Part 4 too.
AnnaBtG.


TOC here


From Part 3:

As they were standing outside the car, Lois remembered something. “You are very strong, aren’t you? You pulled me with just one hand!”

Once again, he smiled shyly.

<He’s not one to be complimented,> Lois thought. <He nearly blushes every time.> She smiled in her thoughts. <I can’t believe there are still men like him… Maybe it’s the Smallville touch.>

“I work out a lot,” he managed to say, before they got in the car.


Part 4:

The way back to the Planet was longer. A pile-up had happened in Trinity Avenue and delayed them quite a lot. While they were waiting for the way to be cleared up, Clark had wanted to have a chat with Lois, but, seeing how nervous she was, he had decided not to.

Once they arrived at the Planet, Lois hurried to the elevator with Clark following her. She stopped at her desk, and, without sitting down, picked up the phone and began dialing a number, when she noticed Clark walking to his desk.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Clark turned to her, startled. “To my desk.”

“No! You sit here.”

“Why?” he dared.

Lois hung up the phone. She wasn’t calm at all; the traffic she had been through had gotten at her nerves pretty badly.

“Look, I know we’re supposed to be working ‘together’, but if you want us to do anything good, you have to follow *my* instructions. You’re fresh here; I’m old and experienced. You’re low man, I’m top banana. Comprende? Now sit here and start typing, while I call Inspector Henderson.”

“But what should I write?”

Lois rolled her eyes, frustrated. “Are you a journalist, or not?”

“I am, but…”

“No buts! Write what happened. Simple as that. Haven’t you ever written anything before? What kind of journalist are you?”

“I really have no experience in this kind of journalism. Besides, you still haven’t called the police and we don’t know what the end of this story will be! And, anyway, when Mr. White asked me to help you, I had no idea that ‘help’ would mean typing under your supervision like a baby!”

“And what did you expect? That I would be sitting there, typing slowly, with a mug of coffee in my hands, while you’re looking over my shoulder making suggestions and corrections?” she asked, almost shouting.

Clark didn’t answer. He didn’t really know what he was expecting, after all.

“No,” Lois went on. “Journalism is about speed and spirit. Now get some spirit and start writing in a fast speed!”

“Lois, could you please stop yelling?” he said, in a louder voice than he had been talking before.

Lois stared at him for a few moments, shocked. She then blinked, bent her head and, in a low voice, apologized. “You’re right. Sorry.”

Clark saw that she was really sorry, and tried to chill her up. “Lois,” he said, putting his arms on her shoulders, “it’s okay. Don’t take it too seriously.”

Lois looked up at him, not saying a word. Her expression made Clark glance at his hands and realize that his impulsive gesture might also be the most stupid thing he’d done in his entire life. But, uneasily as he was feeling, he couldn’t take his hands off of her.

Taking a few steps back before turning around, Lois got him out of this unpleasant situation without even realizing it.

“I’m sorry, I really am,” she said, looking absently around. Her eyes had become red. “I’m just nervous, and…”

“It’s okay, Lois. Really.”

She turned back to him and smiled. “Thanks.”

“Lois, are you crying?”

Lois brought her hands under her eyes, searching for tears. “Me? No! I told you, I’m just nervous.”

“Okay, then.”

They both remained silent for a second.

“So, are you going to call the police?” Clark finally asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. But you are right, you better write the article on your computer, I’ll check it later. Okay?”

“Okay,” he agreed, and headed to his desk.

Lois watched him as he was walking, and then sat on her chair. She took a few deep breaths and called Inspector Henderson.

-----

About two hours later, Lois was sitting on a chair beside Clark, double-checking their article.

“It’s great,” she said, glancing at her watch. “And just in time for the evening edition. It’ll be a front-page.”

“Doesn’t Mr. White have to read it first?”

Lois hesitated. “There is not enough time. Let me take it downstairs for printing, and we’ll give it to him after.”

“But what if he doesn’t like it?”

She turned to him and gave him an incredulous look. Then, in a matter-of-fact tone, she answered. “He’ll like it.”

Clark decided not to argue with her.

-----

After reading the article, Perry called Lois and Clark in his office.

“I’m really impressed,” he told them, pacing around the room, while Lois and Clark were sitting down, watching him. “It says here ‘The Planet’s reporters had gone to investigate the mysterious burglary at the Mayor’s house. They were checking everything that could be useful, when they noticed the alteration on the paper.’ Which one of you noticed it and how in the hazes did he do it?”

“Clark did, Chief,” Lois replied, before Clark could even open his mouth.

“How did you do that, Kent?”

Clark swallowed hardly. “I just noticed it.”

“Oh, boy, don’t be shy! This was incredible! They could all be talking about you! You should’ve put your name on the article!”

Clark looked frightened. “No, Chief, it really wasn’t necessary.”

“Okay, okay, all right. Look, guys, I see you’re making a great team. You’ll be working together from now on.” Lois smiled, but Clark just kept looking frightened. “Now, go,” he shooed them, “and bring me more stories like this soon!”

“We’ll try, Chief,” Lois said, rising, with a big grin. She glanced at Clark, who seemed to be stuck on the chair. “Come on, Clark.”

Without saying a word, Clark followed Lois out of Perry’s office.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him, closing the door behind them.

“Nothing,” he answered, breathing heavily. He gulped a few times, staring blankly in front of him, and then turned to Lois. “I’m just going to go home, call my parents, take a shower, have something to eat… This has been a very intense day.”

“Okay,” Lois said. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“I guess so. Bye,” he said, hurrying out.

Lois kept looking at him until he disappeared, wondering what was wrong with him.

-----

Clark left the Daily Planet in a hurry and looked around. He spotted an empty alley, ran to it and, making sure nobody was watching him, flew away.

It didn’t take him long to reach Smallville and his parents’ farm. Jonathan and Martha Kent, saw him from the window and hurried to the door to welcome him in, pleasantly surprised.

“Clark, honey?” his mother said, hugging him. “What happened?”

“Too many things,” he replied. “Let’s sit down and I’ll tell you.”

“Do you want something to eat?”

“No, mom. Frankly, no.”

“Okay.”

They all sat down on the living room couches.

“So, tell us, son,” Jonathan said.

“Well…” Clark sighed deeply. “I just used my vision to see some letters, and it turned out to be front-page news. I don’t know what to do.”

“Wait, son, did you skip something?” his father inquired.

“Yes…” He stared at the ceiling, sighing again. “Mom,” he then said, turning to her, “I need an alter ego.”

Martha stared at him, confused. “A what?”

“I had the idea just today,” he explained. “Lois was almost hit by a car, but I managed to drag her back to the sidewalk without being exposed. And then I heard a crash, it was the pile-up in Trinity Avenue, and I thought I could go there and help, because I *could* have helped, and there I thought that I could only do it as someone else, not me.”

His parents listened without interrupting him, taking in what he was trying to tell them.

“What do you have in mind?” Jonathan finally asked.

“I’m not sure… There are people who lead double lives. Maybe if I had a suit, a mask, something to prevent people from recognizing me, I could do it.”

“Son,” his father said, “this is a very difficult thing to do. You must be in alert all the time. What if you must save someone, and you’re in the middle of something? You can’t say ‘sorry, I have to rescue someone’ and just disappear! And if you dare let people know what you can do, they’ll put you in a lab and dissect you like a frog!”

Clark rolled his eyes. “Dad, I won’t let them do that.”

“Clark, honey,” Martha said, “what’s really bothering you? I know it’s not just this, you look like a mess. What is it?”

“I don’t know… many things…” He sighed. “I’m afraid about this alter ego idea, and I’m worried someone will understand my vision is abnormal, and there’s this woman, Lois Lane, who’s disturbing me…”

Martha and Jonathan stared at each other. “What about her?” Martha asked Clark.

“I don’t know… She’s got a weird character. She can be so sweet and pleasant sometimes, but then she gets irritated and nervous, and she makes me nervous too. And we’re going to be partners from now on, spending so many hours together that I’m afraid she may figure me out. And when she compliments me I don’t know what to say!”

Martha covered her mouth with the palm of her hand, in order to hide her chuckle. “And what do you do?” she asked him, repressing a playful smile.

“Nothing. I just get nervous, and want to run away.”

“But you don’t, do you?” Jonathan asked, in a tone matching Martha’s.

“Of course not, dad…” Clark suddenly realized there was something about his parents. “What’s wrong with you, guys?”

“Nothing,” Martha said, with a clear effort not to laugh. “Why don’t you go back to Metropolis, and I’ll start working on this alter ego costume?”

“I guess I have to.” He rose. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, heading to the door, his parents following him.

“Okay, son,” his father said, when they all reached the door.

“Take care, honey,” his mother wished.

“I will. Bye.”

He turned around, took off and soon disappeared. When they couldn’t see him anymore, Martha leaned on Jonathan’s shoulder and started to laugh loudly, and Jonathan’s smile widened.

“He’s in love!” Martha exclaimed.

“I noticed,” Jonathan said, staring at the sky.

“I wonder, how long will it take until *he* notices, too?”

“Who knows?”

Jonathan put his arm around Martha’s shoulder and they both stayed at the door, staring at the sky, happily smiling.

-End of part 4-


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