Here we go
. Thanks again to Kathy!
Last time
"Well, I'm glad there's good being done in a house like this, rather than just to impress people." Lois took the bottle of water Nathan offered her.
"Clark'll give you the tour so you don't get lost."
Lois laughed. "Thank you for letting me stay, Mr. Lane."
"Call me Nathan or Nate and any girlfriend of Clark's is welcome here. Well, as long as they're Superman fans." He winked at Lois. "You know he's a friend of Clark's, after all."
With that, he turned and walked off, leaving a gaping Clark behind.
*~*3*~*Clark turned to Lois to see her watching him with a smirk on her face.
"Do you think he knows?" he asked her.
Lois shrugged, her eyes wide and innocent. "How should I know?"
Clark leaned over, closing the distance between them until he could place a soft kiss on her lips. "I've wanted to do that since I got in here."
"So does that mean I'm your girlfriend?" she asked shyly. "I mean, your grandpa said something but..."
"I hope so." He reached out to take her hand. "You feeling well enough to go to town with me? I need to stop by my apartment and water my plants and pick up some work clothes since I'm staying out here until you get settled." He glanced at the clock. "We could even stop by the Planet if you wanted to. I know Perry's anxious to meet you."
She glanced down at what she was wearing. "Looking like this?"
He kissed her again. "I think you look great but you could go change if you wanted."
Lois looked around. "Got a map with 'you are here' and 'here's your room' markers on it?"
Clark laughed. "I'll show you." He took her hand and walked upstairs with her, showing her the room that was his and another that was his parents when they were there and his grandpa's. "He and Gram lived in the master suite downstairs when she was alive, but he didn't want to stay there after she died, so he moved up here," he explained. "Something about wanting to be closer to me when I was here – that was the official reason, but I was fifteen by then so..." He pointed to his room. "I'm going to change and I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes." He kissed her again, letting this one linger slightly.
"Thanks."
Clark headed to his room, changing into a pair of Dockers and a collared long sleeved shirt in soft blue. He knew it looked good on him and he wasn't above trying to impress Lois at this point.
He could hear her moving around in her room if he turned on his hearing. He was so relieved that most of his powers were back. He had one bruise still healing on his side, but otherwise all of the physical evidence was gone. He tried to float and found that he could, but that it took all of his concentration and he wasn't able to maintain any altitude.
It would come. He heard Lois open the door to her room and he left, meeting her at the top of the stairs.
A few minutes later, they were in his Jeep heading for Metropolis. He told her it was a forty-five minute drive, which was why he'd decided to get an apartment in the city. Gramps had wanted him to move in to the house in Pittsdale. Instead, he spent his days off out there. Even though Gramps was in great health and members of his grounds and housekeeping staff lived on the property, it made Clark's parents feel better to know that Clark was there regularly to check on him. They stayed there on a regular basis as well, but he was more open with Clark about any potential health – or other – problems.
"You look very nice," Clark told her. She did. The silky blue top and black pants looked great on her. Her hair was done, differently than he'd seen before, but he'd mostly seen her ready to trek through the woods. He started slightly when he realized he'd known her less than a week. It seemed like so much longer than that.
"What?"
"Just thinking that it seems like I've known you a lot longer than what? Five days now?"
She nodded and he reached for her hand.
"It's been a busy week," she confirmed, linking her fingers with his.
"Are you nervous? Scared?"
Lois shrugged and stared at the passing scenery. "Change is always scary. Most of the time anyway. I mean, yesterday this time we were wandering around the Smallville Corn Festival and now I'm moving to Metropolis? No job, no place to live, nothing. Yeah, it's scary." She took her hand from his. "I left everything for a guy," she said quietly. "That's something I swore I'd never do."
There was a long pause. "Did you leave for me? Or did you leave in part for me but in larger part for the opportunities you have here?" He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he wanted to make sure she did.
She thought for a long moment. "Both I guess. I probably wouldn’t have come if it wasn't for everything we've been through in the last week, without meeting you, but I don't think I would have come if there wasn't a great opportunity for me here either. I *doubt* I would have come if you were the only draw."
"See there?" He grinned at her. "You didn't come for a guy. You came for the opportunities which *happen* to be in the same place as a guy who is absolutely crazy about you." He pulled the Jeep up in front of an apartment building. "Home sweet home."
She followed him to his apartment, looking around as he packed a few things in a bag and pulled a couple of suits out of his closet.
"So where are the supersuits?" she asked, holding a small wooden statue in her hand.
He laughed and pointed at the statue. "You know what that is?"
She shook her head. "It's cool looking."
"I did a lot of traveling during the summers when I was in college and I tend to take all my vacation time at once so I can spend three weeks somewhere or whatever. A medicine man in Borneo gave that to me."
She looked it over. "So? What is it?"
He moved towards her, his hands resting on her hips. "It's a fertility statue."
She shrieked and tossed the statue on his bed.
He laughed again. "That's an appropriate place for it." He pulled her in his arms and she rested her forehead against his chest.
"Does this mean we're going to have like eight dozen kids someday?" she muttered as he chuckled.
"I'm glad you're here," he told her, his chin resting on her head.
She sighed. "Me, too."
He squeezed her lightly. "Ready to go meet Perry?"
She shook her head. "No. And you didn't show me where you keep the supersuits either." She smiled up at him. "I haven't seen you up close and personal in it yet."
He groaned. "I saw your sister's room. There's plenty of pictures of me in it."
"Not the same."
He moved away from her and walked to the closet, tugging slightly on the tie rack. "There you go. Supersuits."
She ran her hand over one of the capes. "When do I get to see it on?"
He shrugged. "Next time you're dangling over a cliff? Except I'd prefer you not ever do that."
"I won't not do my job," she said softly, fingering one of the suits. "I'll chase down stories however I have to. You can't keep me completely out of danger."
He rested his hands on her shoulders. "I know, but promise me you'll call me if you need me. Please."
"I will. Unless there's Kryptonite around."
"What?"
She shrugged her shoulders under his hands. "Meteorite. From Krypton. Kryptonite."
"Makes sense."
She moved away from him. "Okay. Let's get this over with."
"What?"
"Meeting the venerable Perry White and getting my butt handed to me and being offered a job writing obits for a few months until I find some really juicy story and prove myself." She sighed. "And I'll take it, gratefully, because it means I'm working for the Daily Planet."
He closed the wall in the closet. "I doubt you'll be writing obits. Dog shows, maybe, but not obits."
Lois groaned.
Clark laughed again, picking up his bag and the suits. "Well, let's go then."
She sighed. "Fine. Let's go."
*****
TBC
