Thanks - as ever - to Alisha, Beth, Nancy, Pam and Cat
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Last time:
No sooner were they outside than he moved behind her, moving lockstep with her, his arms holding her close.
He kissed the base of her neck in a way he'd quickly learned drove her crazy. "Whaddya say we go find us a hotel with a room with a Jacuzzi?"
Lois stopped. "What?"
"I want to make love to my wife. No going to the courthouse nonsense this time and we already know a hotel that has a room we like..."
"Clark..."
He spun her in his arms, kissing her until they were both breathless.
She sunk against him, using his body to hold her upright as she recovered. "Okay," she whispered. "Let's go. Make love to me, Clark."
Chapter 16Lois suddenly found herself in Clark's arms as they flew through the sky. She leaned slightly forward and kissed along his jaw line.
"I thought we were going to the hotel," she murmured between kisses.
"I figured why waste the time checking in and all that when there's a perfectly good bed not too far away." He stopped mid-flight and turned to kiss her. "But if you keep doing that, we'll end up at Mt. Rushmore instead."
"Where exactly are we going?"
"The farm." He took off again and she clung tightly to him.
"What about your parents?" she asked as he set her down on the porch and she noticed that he wasn't wearing the Suit anymore.
Her arms went around his neck as he kissed her. They stumbled towards the front door and landed on the floor in the entryway. "They're in town today," he muttered into her neck.
She took his word for it, pulling his shirt out of his jeans as he worked on the buttons of her suit jacket.
They both stopped when they heard a throat clear somewhere behind them.
"I thought you said they were in town," she whispered.
"They're supposed to be," he whispered back. "I can zoom us up to my room though. Or back to my place or your place or..." He was kissing his way down her neck as he talked.
"The truck wouldn't start," a voice behind her said – one that surely belonged to his dad.
"Can you just zoom us out anyway before I die of embarrassment?" she whispered.
"My parents won't care if we zoom off and not because of that. They know we're married."
"Clark Jerome Kent, this is the first time we've met your wife and we'd like to actually talk to her." That voice had to be his mom.
A split second later, they were standing and Clark was behind her, his arms holding her close to him. Lois turned to look at him and, for the first time, noticed that his eyes looked slightly glassed over.
Was this how she'd looked the night before?
And she'd had no doubt that he'd wanted her, but they hadn't...
She took a deep breath and tried to still her rapidly beating heart. She had to find a way to calm things down. She looked up at him. "Clark," she started. "I'd like to talk to your parents. Is that okay with you?"
"I'd rather initiate my old room," he murmured into her hair.
She turned to look at him, her hands resting on her chest. "Can you do something for me first?" She looked at him from under lowered eyelashes and used her best seductive voice – though she wasn't entirely certain it actually was very seductive.
He kissed her. "Anything for you."
She thought quickly. "You know what I'd really like?"
"What?"
She took a deep breath. "You should go somewhere, like Paris or Asia or something, and get some black silk pajamas for you to wear and when you get back, go upstairs and lay down and wait for me."
"You'll be there?" he asked eagerly.
She kissed him lightly. "I'll be there in a little bit," she promised. "After I talk to your parents."
He kissed her again, long and deep, until there were multiple throat clearings behind them and then he was gone.
Lois sank into a nearby chair, refusing to look at her hosts. "So this is what it's like meeting the in-laws. Just my luck."
"Can you tell us what's wrong with Clark?" his mom asked. "He didn't seem like himself."
Lois shook her head. "He wasn't. I don't know what happened. He was fine and then..." She told them an appropriately edited version of the last twenty-four hours. "He kissed me in Eureka Springs and the next thing I knew we were on our way here. I didn't really get a good look him until we got here but if it's anything like I was last night..." She still hadn't taken a good look at her in-laws. "I just thought sending him on an errand and then if he went to go lay down, maybe he'd go to sleep and... Well, sleep it off."
"But why did it affect him?" his dad asked. "He told us about what happened, not *everything* but enough to know that you were both affected by *something* in Eureka Springs a few months ago, but this time you were affected in Metropolis and he wasn't..."
"And he was affected in Eureka Springs and you weren't," Martha finished.
Lois finally looked up and gasped. "You!" she exclaimed looking at his dad.
His parents exchanged a look. "What?" he asked.
"You gave me a whole sandwich at the hospital fundraiser in Independence."
He snapped his fingers. "That's right. I remember you. You really wanted a whole sandwich instead of just a sample. I knew you looked familiar but I couldn’t place you. Clark showed us your pictures from your wedding album," he added by way of explanation. He held out his hand. "I'm Jonathan."
She shook it lightly. "Lois."
"It's nice to officially meet you. And this is Martha, Clark's mom."
She smiled slightly. "It's nice to officially meet you, too. Both of you," she added, turning slightly to include Martha. "That barbecue was delicious."
"Thanks."
"So, Clark..."
Lois sighed. "The Revenge stuff wore off me a lot faster this time than last time, but Clark was exposed to the 100% stuff, so maybe it did affect him some but took longer for it to start working. I just hope it's not permanent," she finished, musing almost to herself.
"What?!" his parents asked in unison.
"Um, he told me the 100% solution was supposed to be permanent. He inhaled all of it and released a bit back onto Miranda but said he'd diluted it. I guess it's possible that it took longer to affect him; I just hope it wears off."
"Are you sure you want it to?"
Lois looked up at Martha to see a smirk on her face before it was replaced with a wide-eyed look.
"I'm sorry, Lois. I don't know you well enough to say things like that to you."
She sighed and muttered, "I *cannot* believe I'm having this conversation with my in-laws who I *just* met." She looked at them. "It's not just... being amorous or whatever. It's a total, complete loss of inhibitions. I don't know Clark *real* well but I think he has enough... innate goodness that he wouldn’t start using what he can do to take and start taking advantage of people or anything like that."
His parents' jaws had dropped. "What?" Martha whispered.
Lois nodded. "It's not just the kissing and... stuff, at least it's not supposed to be at full strength. But with Clark that potential goes to a whole new level." There was a 'whoosh' and a thump upstairs. "I guess he's back."
"So now what?"
"Hope he goes to sleep and sleeps it off," she told them. She went back to studying the wood grain on the table. "I woke up completely... unmolested for lack of a better term this morning and I know I came on pretty strong last night. I owe him nothing less," she finished softly. "Unfortunately, it's a bit harder for me to hide from him than it was for him to get away from me." Her eyes went wide. "Not that I think he'd... force me or anything but..." Her mouth snapped shut and tears filled her eyes. Not that she thought she was going to be their daughter-in-law for long but they would always be her child's grandparents.
"So, Lois, how're you feeling?" Martha asked her.
She was grateful for the change of subject. "Better, thank you."
"And the baby?" That was Jonathan.
"Fine as far as I know. I had an ultrasound the week after the fundraiser and they said the baby was a few days bigger than expected but otherwise fine."
"That's good."
There were footsteps on the stairs. "Lois?" Clark called.
She closed her eyes and prayed for strength. "Yes, Clark?" she called back. She could see his black clad legs descending the stairs. As he came into full view, she wanted to gasp and stare at the picture he made standing there in his new black silk pajama pants, his shirt hanging open so she could see his fabulous abs. His glasses were gone and his hair was mussed.
"I thought you were coming upstairs," he pouted.
"I will," she promised. "I just want to finish talking to your parents first."
He came to stand behind her chair, leaning over and wrapping his arms around her. "Can't you talk to them later?"
She nodded. "I could but I want to talk to them now."
"Please?" he murmured in her ear.
She closed her eyes again. "You know, Clark, you made me promise to call you if I wanted Thai at two in the morning, right?"
"You want Thai?" he asked, puzzled.
She nodded. "I do. And some Italian. And chocolate covered strawberries."
"Like we had on our wedding night?" he whispered.
"Exactly. But I want fresh strawberries and chocolate from this little place I read about in Belgium." She proceeded to tell him, in great detail, where to find the shop.
She breathed a sigh of relief as he flew off. "I don't know how long I can do this. I mean, I can't keep sending him on random errands all day."
"What if it doesn't wear off?" Jonathan asked quietly.
"You shouldn't have given him such good directions," Martha said standing and walking to the cupboard.
"I didn't," Lois said with a smirk as she watched Martha get the kettle out.
"What?" they both asked.
"I sent him on a wild goose chase of sorts. The store really does exist but not where I said it was."
Martha laughed. "I think I like you, Lois. If anyone can handle Clark while he's like this, I think it's you."
"I hope so," she muttered as there was another thump outside.
Clark walked in, still barefoot, looking incredibly sexy in the pajamas he'd bought earlier. "The store wasn't where you said it was, but I found it."
"Good," she said with a small smile.
"There was a clothing boutique where you said the chocolate store was."
"Oh, I must have gotten mixed up."
He took her hand, not even looking at his parents. "Then come on."
"I want to eat," she said seriously. "I'm pregnant and hungry."
"Then I'll feed you."
She sighed. "Okay, but I want your mom to bring some tea up when it's ready."
He groaned. "Can't we pretend they're not here?"
"We *could*," she said slowly. "But we're not going to."
He sighed and pouted. "Fine."
She glanced back at Martha and Jonathan who smiled encouragingly, even if they did look a bit nervous, before allowing herself to be led upstairs.
*****
Clark didn't open his eyes when he woke up. He wanted to spend a few more minutes in that dreamland between awake and asleep, where Lois was curled up next to him, his face buried in her chest as they were intertwined in slumber.
But it seemed more real than that.
"Lois?" he said softly.
"Are you feeling better?"
He could feel the words as much as hear them. He moved away from her, feeling the loss, but wondering what could have happened for them to end up together like that. "I guess so," he said, pushing himself up against the headboard and looking around.
His room?
At the farmhouse?
"What happened?" he asked her quietly.
"What's the last thing you remember?"
He thought about that for a minute. "The airport, I think. Handing Miranda over." He thought for another minute. "We went to Eureka Springs, right?"
"Right."
"And?"
She told him, briefly, what had happened – how they'd been caught by his parents and she'd sent him on errands and then they'd eaten and lied on his bed and talked for a while before falling asleep.
"So I didn't, um..." His voice trailed off. He couldn't let himself believe that he would have forced himself on her no matter what kind of state he was in.
"Do you really think I'd still be here if you had?" she asked, staring at her hands.
He breathed a sigh of relief. "No." Flashes were starting to come back to him – waking up with a headache, Lois being there with a cool wash cloth, whispering to him. Holding him until he went back to sleep. "So what's your theory?" he asked. "Was it the 100% pheromone compound or something in Eureka Springs again?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. We were in Miranda's shop in Eureka Springs when it started but that wasn't very long after you were exposed to the pheromone either. It didn't hit me right away either this time but it did the first time."
"Right."
"I called Perry and told him that neither one of us would be in until later."
"You don't mind me taking the job?"
She didn't reply for a long moment. "No. I don't mind you taking the job."
"You don't sound too sure of yourself."
She was silent again for long moments and he found himself holding his breath. "I don't mind you taking the job. I just don't want to become fodder for the office grapevine. I've seen how it works and I don't want to be a part of it."
"No one will hear from me." He shifted slightly, aware that their shoulders brushed against each other when he did so. "But I do imagine that it'll get around the newsroom eventually – first that you're pregnant and, eventually, that I'm the father."
She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Probably but I'd still really rather not bear the brunt of it if I don't have to."
"So what did we talk about?" he asked after another interminable silence.
She shrugged. "Not much. I mean, lots of things but nothing of national import or anything."
He opened his mouth to say something when he heard a door open. "We've got company." He looked over and realized that the door was wide open and he groaned. "What did you tell my parents?"
"The truth, more or less."
"Define more or less," he said wryly.
"No details," she told him softly. "Just about the pheromone and how you were a perfect gentleman..."
"Not entirely," he interrupted.
"As soon as you realized what was happening, you left."
He sighed. That wasn't entirely accurate but close enough, he guessed.
"Anyway, I sent you on a few errands while I told them what was going on. They sort of hung around – not too close but close enough, just in case you *really* weren't yourself, though none of us really thought you'd force yourself on me; we weren't sure what the 100% solution would do to you – and then they went to bed once you fell asleep. Your mom and I took care of you this morning. I don't know where either of them are now."
He turned his hearing on and listened. "Dad's in one of the fields and Mom is in the barn working on her art."
"Ah. She said she left some biscuits in the kitchen. I'd offer to make you something but I'm pretty useless in the kitchen."
He smiled at her. "I'll make us something."
"Thanks, but I really need to go to the bathroom first." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched before starting towards the door. She stopped and looked at him. "Unless you need to go first."
He shook his head, trying not to notice what she was wearing. "No, go ahead."
"What?"
He smiled slightly. "You look pretty good in the morning. Especially in one of my shirts."
She looked down at his Midwest sweatshirt. "Well, I was wearing a pair of your sweatpants, too," she informed him, grabbing them from where they were hanging over his desk chair. "But you were all sweaty and you didn't want me to leave and I was hot so..."
Clark grinned. "I told you my clothes have never looked so good and I meant it." The shirt was big enough that it hung nearly to her knees, but still...
Was flirting with her okay? Snippets of their conversation from the night before were starting to come back to him. What had he said to her? What had she said to him?
He thought he remembered telling her he loved her, but he wasn't sure. And he had no idea what she'd said back.
But she'd stayed with him the whole time. She'd trusted him enough to not take advantage of her. She'd held him while he was at least slightly feverish and she'd taken care of him.
What did that mean?
If anything.
He sighed. He wasn't going to come to any conclusions just sitting here.
Lois came out of the bathroom, calling to him that she was done as she headed downstairs.
Clark joined her in the kitchen a few minutes later. Glad she was still feeling better enough to eat almost as much as he did on a good morning, he made them both some eggs, bacon and gravy to go with the biscuits his mom had left.
His mom came in while they were eating and they chatted a bit before Lois excused herself to go take a shower and probably abscond with some more of his clothes.
"How are you?" his mom asked once Lois was gone. "Really?"
He shrugged. "Glad I didn't do anything too bad. How bad was it, really? Lois didn't say much."
Martha chuckled. "Well, you two came in here and fell on the floor over by the door trying to take each other's clothes off."
Clark rested his head on the kitchen table. "She didn't tell me that part."
"You were more... puppy dog than pit bull, sweetheart. You'd never do anything she didn't want and as soon as she realized something was wrong she did her best to put some distance between you two and hope you'd fall asleep. Eventually you did. The door was open the whole time and we were close by. All you did was talk – and no I don't know what about. The last time I checked on you two you were just cuddling and nearly asleep – I think Lois already was, actually."
He breathed another sigh of relief. Invulnerable or not, his mom would have tanned his hide if he'd stepped too far out of line. He wasn't sure if Lois might have glossed over it a bit but it didn't seem she had.
His head popped up as he heard trucks coming down the gravel road.
"What is it?"
"Company."
She frowned slightly. "I wonder who."
He stood up. "Get out! Go to the storm cellar and stay there. Get in the secret compartment and shut it behind you. It’s not sealed so you should be fine. I'll get you as soon as I can."
"Clark, what's going on?"
"*GO!*" He shoved her – hard enough to make her move, not hard enough to hurt her – and headed towards the stairs. "*LOIS!*"
She was just coming out of the bathroom. "What's wrong?"
He grabbed her arm. There was no time to get her to the cellar, too. He looked around. "My parents' closet."
"What?"
He practically dragged her to their room. "In the back of the closet, there's a little door. You can't turn the light on but you'll feel it. There's an attic crawlspace there and you should be able to get in. Shut it behind you and wait for me."
"What? Why?"
"*Just do it!*" He pushed her into the closet and shut the door behind her.
He heard the pounding on the front door and sped through the house.
He prayed Lois had listened to him – if he listened he could hear her moving in the closet.
He prayed his mom had made it to the shelter and into the secret space without anyone seeing her.
He prayed that his dad was safe; that they wouldn't find him.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening the door.
"Can I help you?" he asked calmly.
*****
TBC
