Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic The Man Who Would Be King - Part 2

I’m really glad to see I still have readers for the sequel, a year after the first story Thanks as always to my Beta-Quartet

Michael

Disclaimer: The recognizable characters and settings in this story are the property of D.C. Comics, Warner Bros., December 3rd Productions, and anyone else with a legal right to them, and I have no claim on them whatsoever, nor am I profiting by their use. It’s just the original stuff, that would be mine, written down to bring some entertainment to other FoLCs.

It’s an episode crossover but I won’t say more up here because it would spoil the surprise.

Blocks in < > are literal thoughts by the character.

Rating: PG

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Last time
Part 2 / TOC / Comments

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Clark listlessly spooned bite after bite of the tasteless, gray pap that constituted breakfast aboard the small spacecraft. According to Ching, it was healthy and contained all the nutrients needed to sustain the body on a lengthy space trip. Clark let a few bits trickle from his spoon back into the bowl. Judging from last night’s supper, it started to look like it was also *all* that was needed to sustain the body.

The displaced reporter glanced across the table at his two travel companions. Or kidnappers, captors, bringers of misery, depending on which page of his alien-abductee thesaurus he opened. Clark pushed the notion aside and watched Zara and Ching eat their own food with expressions that appeared to be just as bland as the rations themselves tasted.

“Kal-El?”

Clark put the spoon down and focused on Zara. “Yes, Zara?”

“Do you have a question?”

“Huh?”

“Your attention has moved from your food to me. This normally indicates you have a question.”

Clark looked down again at his half-empty bowl of tasteless, gray pap. “No…” He didn’t add that their mere presence was a reminder

“Does this mean your intentions are to simply sit in your quarters for the rest of the journey?” Ching’s harsh voice grated.

Gritting his teeth, Clark willed himself to calm down. He was going to have to live with these people for the next two weeks, at least. It wouldn’t help if he chose this moment to start picking fights. Besides, his parents wouldn’t approve, he thought morosely. “Look,” Clark said with more calmness than he felt. “I’ve accepted that you can’t disengage the autopilot during the trip. But that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”

“I did not suggest you be happy,” Ching countered. There was a strange look shared between Zara and Ching, then the man continued less gruffly. “But I am surprised you would so easily disregard the chance to learn more about your heritage.”

Clark raised an eyebrow, unsure where the sudden change of attitude had come from.

“There is not much else you could do until we reach our destination,” Zara added.

Clark continued to stare ahead, not willing to concede that they had a point. A few months ago, when he had first found the globe with the five messages from his father, he would have jumped at a chance to learn more about Krypton and its people. Of course, he wouldn’t have wanted to get kidnapped in the process back then, either.

“And you do need to learn how to interact with your people when we reach the mother ship.”

“Look, I don’t really expect to do much interacting, so…”

“There is also the matter of language,” Ching took over what started to feel like an intervention.

“Language?” Clark asked surprised, his eyes on Ching, his mind flashing back to yesterday. At least, he thought it was yesterday. He wasn’t too sure about the time, though. But he had slept between then and now, so yesterday would do. Zara and Ching had been in here, and they had talked in an alien language, well, Kryptonian, apparently. “Right. You do speak English now, but I guess that’s not what everyone else will be speaking.”

“No, it is not,” Ching said. “So it is imperative that you learn how to speak and read in our native Kryptonian, or you will be considered an outcast.”

Outcast? That didn’t sound like a good idea. At least, if he wanted to make his case for returning home. “Okay, fine. So I have to learn how to talk and act so I don’t offend anyone,” Clark conceded with a sigh. “Anything else I should know?”

<Yes,> Zara’s ‘voice’ said. Only ‘said’ wasn’t exactly the right way to describe it. Her voice had a more ethereal quality to it. Like those ‘voice of god’-effects in the movies. <You will need to learn how to use your telepathic abilities.>

“Oh, boy…”

**********

Bill Church, Sr. relaxed in his comfortable leather chair while enjoying the ministrations of his pretty, new wife. Three months ago, he wouldn’t have allowed himself the luxury of spending the morning with a beautiful consort, but now things were different, and not just because he was a newlywed.

He groaned in satisfaction, and the buxom blonde breathed in her usual, seductive voice, “Am I doing this right, Hunky?”

The sixty-three year old chairman of Church Group, Intl. chuckled deeply before he looked at his wife. “Oh, yes, Pookey, you’re doing this very well.”

“Oo-kay.” Bill Sr. could hear the smile in her voice as she resumed her affectionate massage.

Fate was truly a remarkable thing, he contemplated. Who would have guessed that a heart attack could have such an invigorating effect on his life? True, at first he had believed he was going to die, and the thought had not been a pleasant one. His affairs hadn’t been in order, the Miami branch of his conglomerate had been in the throes of a hostile takeover, and his son, Bill Jr., hadn’t appeared to be up to the job.

Mindy finished her massage and readjusted his clothes. “Is there anything else you would like me to do, Hunky?” she asked him.

“No, Pookey, I think I’m well relaxed now,” he told her, reaching for her hand as she sat on the corner of his desk.

“Oo-kay, and I hope you stay that way.” Her short, sky blue silk dress had hiked up almost all the way to her hip, and she leaned on her arm as she poked the tip of his nose. “You do remember the good doctor’s orders, don’t you? No stress for my Hunky so he can remain my Hunky for many, many years.”

She blew him a kiss, and Bill Sr. thought back to the first time he had met her, right after the bypass surgery. Back then, she had been wearing a nurse’s uniform, and her big, gray eyes had looked at him with so much worry. She had stayed by his side through the weeks of recovery, and he had married her as soon as he had been fit enough to survive the honeymoon. Which reminded him, their six-week anniversary was coming up, and he needed to buy her something special.

A beep from the intercom interrupted their newlywed bliss. “Mr. Church, your 10:30 appointment is here.”

Bill Sr. took a deep breath before answering. “Thank you, Ms. Greyson. Please, send her in.” He looked to his wife, now bent towards him to receive a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you for lunch, Pookey.”

“Oo-kay, Hunky! Love you.”

Just then the door opened and a tall, hard-looking woman strode through, her dark skin contrasting with the deep red of her suit. Bill Sr. rose to meet her. “Ah, Mrs. Cox.” His attention turned to his wife, who stood a few feet away. “I don’t believe you have met my wife, Mindy, yet?”

The new arrival regarded his wife with a look of open disinterest. “It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Church.”

Mindy looked slightly uncomfortable in the presence of the taller woman, but she still offered her hand and nodded shyly. Bill Sr. chose to give his Pookey a little more background. Mrs. Cox could project quite the intimidating presence if she chose to, and he didn’t want his wife to feel like she didn’t belong. “Pookey, Mrs. Cox is an old business associate of mine. She was the personal assistant of the late Mr. Luthor.”

“Ooh, you’ve known Lex Luthor?” Mindy asked in her usual cheerful naiveté. “It’s such a tragedy what has happened to him, isn’t it?” Bill Sr. watched as his wife moved closer to the other woman and actually hugged her. “He was such a good man, and now all those bad things are being said about him.” She turned to look at her husband. “You must feel so lost now, with being out of a job and all. I’m sure my Hunky here can help you out.”

Bill Sr. did his best to produce a restrained chuckle. “Now, now, Mindy. I’m sure Mrs. Cox is not worried about her future. She’s a woman with unique talents. But I believe you have an appointment with André, don’t you?”

“Ooh, yes, my nails!” Mindy bubbled and turned to leave. “It was so nice to meet you, Mrs. Cox. Bye, Hunky.” She blew him another kiss before closing the door behind her.

The head of the Church Group turned towards his visitor and stretched a hand out towards the chairs in front of his desk. “Please, take a seat and we can talk about what brings you to Chicago.”

**********

Lois dubiously eyed the pancakes, hash browns, eggs, and bacon in front of her. “I… uh… Martha, this is too much. You shouldn’t have put yourself out like that for me.”

“Nonsense,” Martha proclaimed. “I’ve told you, you’re our guest, and we’re happy to have you here. I can’t change what has happened and neither can you. But breakfast is still the most important meal of the day, and you need to keep up your strength.”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Lois started, a shy smile appearing on her face as she contemplated how the Kents had taken care of her after her meltdown. It should have been the other way round. “It’s just… I usually have only a coffee in the morning and a bagel on the way to the Planet.” She indicated the large plate filled with enough food to feed the entire newsroom. “This really *is* too much.”

“Oh, well…” Martha smiled, too, much less shyly. “In that case, eat until you’re full, and then we’ll drive into town to go shopping.”

“Shopping?”

“Why, of course,” her hostess stated. “I’ve seen that travel bag of yours, and you can’t have more than one change of clothes in there.” Martha took a seat next to Lois and placed a comforting hand on the younger woman’s arm. “And since you’re planning on staying, you’ll need more than that.”

Lois offered Martha another shy smile and a timid nod. Clark’s mother was right, of course. Unless she was going to leave them alone again so soon after dumping her news on them, she would need extra clothes, a toothbrush, and a whole host of other stuff. She affectionately padded the hand that had cared for her best friend throughout his childhood—and the years since—until he had gotten sent off to the stars. “You’re right. I’m not going to be leaving anytime soon, and I’ll need lots of stuff, so we should be busy all day.”

**********

Mindy made her way through the corridors of the Church Tower to the private penthouse on the 91st floor. It really was a good thing that Bill had chosen to establish a second home for himself and his wife right at his place of work. She did enjoy the relaxed weekends in their mansion in Highland Park—the view over Lake Michigan was really nice, and the country club offered so much fun—but she didn’t like being away from her Hunky, so she had decided to spend her days in the city with him. At first, they had traveled out every day, but after the third week of their marriage, she had decided that she would like living in the city much better. It was much less stressful this way for her Hunky.

“Madam Church,” the butler, Alfonse, greeted her as she entered the penthouse. “Monsieur André is ready for you.”

The blonde nodded and picked up her customized Walkman on her way to the winter garden. “Ooh, André, it is soo good to see you,” she greeted the French manicurist. She was really lucky to have found him; after all, she was now an important personality and couldn’t afford to have her nails look like she had to work for a living.

“Madame Mindy, if I may say so, it is also very good to see you,” the charmer greeted her. “You appointments are by far the highlight of my every week.”

Sufficiently pleased, Mindy offered him a hand which he courteously kissed. It was really nice to have such an adorable man flattering her. His black locks and thin moustache made him look like one of those characters from the old French movies. It was just too bad that André probably preferred her step-son to her, because he could have become a really nice distraction in the future.

“Which color would you like this week?” André asked her while she made herself comfortable in the deck chair.

“Ooh, I don’t know…” Mindy pondered the matter for a moment. This was really important business; after all, she only changed her nails once a week! “Make them blue. Like my dress. And make them sparkle, oo-kay?”

He offered her a charming smile in response, and Mindy put on her headphones. Pressing a button, she decided to skip the playback and go directly for the live feed.

“…want to offer you a position in my organization, Mrs. Cox?” her husband’s voice came through the speakers.

“Because Mr. Luthor was always very satisfied with my services over the years I was his personal assistant.”

There was a light chuckle, and Mindy carefully controlled her grin on her Hunky’s response. “That may be true. But you should remember that I *am* a happily married man and don’t need to hire help for such *services*.”

It really did feel good to know that her Hunky didn’t stray. She would be very upset if he did, and she knew that her Hunky wouldn’t like it if she got upset. And neither would his cardiologist.

“I see,” the tramp replied coldly. “Then I also suppose you don’t have any use for this, either?”

Mindy could hear the wannabe personal assistant rummaging in her purse and silently cursed the fact that she had no visuals to go with the sound.

“What’s this?”

She really could kiss her Hunky!

“This, Mr. Church, is Kryptonite.”

Another chuckle reverberated through the headphones, and Mindy flinched involuntarily. Apparently, the microphone didn’t like being rustled. Something she would have to take into account when she ordered another set of bugged golden cufflinks.

“Pardon!” André interjected, obviously thinking he had nicked her skin.

Mindy ignored him, concentrating on the conversation in her husband’s office instead, since her Hunky had stopped laughing and switched on the television.

“…Superman’s departure shocked the…”

Mindy sighed silently. She had already seen the news in today’s morning shows. It had been an unexpected turn of events, but it had little impact on her Hunky. They were in Chicago; the big, blue hunk had been in Metropolis, busying himself with Lex Luthor.

Her Hunky switched the television off again. “As you can see, I don’t need Kryptonite. Superman may have been the fly in your former employer’s soup, but out here in the Windy City, we’ve never had problems with him in the past. And now that he’s gone, I don’t see any problems in the future, either.”

The blonde continued to listen as Mrs. Cox tried to convince Bill Sr. that there was no proof Superman wouldn’t be back. Mindy couldn’t help but agree. Unfortunately, her Hunky didn’t. He rarely listened to women when it came to business. Sometimes she thought that he considered her kind little more than pretty playthings.

Frowning, Mindy realized that the meeting was coming to a close. She checked the progress on her nails; André had only just finished removing the old coat of nail polish. She sighed. At least that way, she wouldn’t have to worry about wet nails.

“André,” she interrupted her manicure even as she pulled her hand from André’s. “I am soo sorry, but I need to take a short break. You don’t mind waiting for me, do you?”

“No, Madame Mindy. Of course not.”

She flashed him a smile and rose. On her way to the door, the blonde stopped in her dressing room, getting her blue purse and retrieving her stun gun from the wall safe before stashing the Walkman inside instead. It was really good that she had so much valuable jewelry. This way, her Hunky had never raised an eyebrow when she had asked that he install a separate safe just for her.

**********

Lois walked next to Martha as they strolled through Smallville’s town center. The idyllic place really hadn’t changed at all since she had been here last fall. Oh, sure, the trees were now green and flowers blossomed all along the sidewalks, but the small community’s heartbeat was still the same, slow and steady. And to Lois’s genuine surprise, she found it soothing instead of boring.

She smiled as she imagined the look on Clark’s face when she told him that she actually liked the slow pace of Smallville without so much as even a little coaxing from him. He would have a field day. And then he would hug her and shine that smile in her face. The one that didn’t just let her see his white teeth but also his soul.

“Clark loves that smile, you know?”

Martha’s voice shook her out of her ruminations, and Lois realized that she wouldn’t ever get a chance to tell him. Or to see that smile again.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

The concern in Martha’s voice was clearly evident, and Lois tried to plaster another smile on her face. From the look on the older woman’s face, she had failed miserably so she dropped the act. “Nothing. I just realized that I won’t get a chance to tell Clark that I actually like being here.” Lois immediately realized what she had said and backpedaled frantically. “What I meant was that I didn’t expect—” She felt her face flush deeply. “I just never imagined—” It started to become obvious to Lois that she wasn’t going to be able to dig herself out, so she just mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, honey,” Martha started, putting an arm around Lois. “I know what you mean. You’re a big city reporter; you’re used to the crazy traffic, the jammed sidewalks, the smell, the noise…”

Lois looked at Martha and saw a sparkle in her eyes before the blonde woman nudged her. “Besides, I know that you’re worried about the cross-dressers living out here in the countryside.”

Lois scrunched her eyes shut, not able to use her hands to cover her face due to the numerous shopping bags she was carrying. “Oh god, I *am* horrible…”

The light laughter from her hostess told Lois that she could safely open her eyes again. When she did, she saw a group of people flocking around a… barber’s shop? “Martha, what’s going on there?”

Martha tilted her head to the side, studying the scene. “Well, Mr. Taylor has a big-screen TV in his shop. Looks like something’s happening.” She started to pull Lois with her. “Let’s take a look.”

“Okay…” Lois assented. Suddenly it was very obvious why people tended to flock like that. Smallville really was a different world. When she got closer, she started to hear whispers about Superman. She also heard the names ‘Perry White’ and ‘Daily Planet’ being mentioned, and a sinking feeling developed in the pit of her stomach. Once they got even closer, her suspicions were confirmed when she saw her editor standing next to Mayor Berkowitz on the stairs of City Hall, surrounded by reporters shouting questions.

The image changed to the LNN logo before Jim Lawson appeared on the screen, hosting the breaking news show. He was holding the Daily Planet in his hand as he started his analysis of the press conference. Lois didn’t listen; instead, she focused on the clearly visible headline. It stated ‘A World Without Superman’.

**********

Janice Cox fumed as she left the office. That pompous, old geezer! Had he really had the audacity to call her Luthor’s mistress? Now she really wished that she had used the double dosage of the potassium chloride, traceability be damned. Or visited him in the hospital afterwards…

She angrily jabbed the button to call the elevator and stared at the bronze-colored doors while she waited. She had not expected that Superman would disappear. In fact, she had almost decided to cancel the meeting upon reading about his departure during breakfast. Maybe she should have told Church about the cage and that she suspected Superman was either dead or in a government-controlled hospital bed somewhere. But that would have given her host too much leverage on her. If he had a tape recording the conversation, she would have given him a lot of incriminating evidence.

The doors opened and Janice marched into the car, only to stop in surprise when she saw that she had company.

“Ooh, it is soo good to meet you again!”

What was the blonde bimbo doing in the elevator? Didn’t she have a nail appointment? Janice schooled her face into a half-smile. “Mrs. Church.” Maybe Church’s plaything would leave her alone if she didn’t offer a conversation starter. She really wasn’t in the mood, and bashing in that hollow, blonde head wouldn’t help her cause. At least, Luthor had had the good grace to bed only women who were both useful and had more than pink bubblegum between their ears.

“You look upset. Did your meeting with my Hunky not turn out well?”

She took a deep and calming breath. Apparently, the real-life Barbie doll didn’t take a hint. “No.”

“I’m soo sorry to hear that. My Hunky just doesn’t take us women seriously, you know?”

Surprised, the presently unemployed personal assistant turned to regard the blonde woman with a newfound curiosity.

“But this doesn’t mean your visit here has to be a complete waste of time.”

“I’m not sure I’m following, Mrs. Church,” Janice offered carefully, thinking the blonde’s eyes looked much less glazed over now.

“Ooh, yes!” the blonde bubbled on. “You see, ever since he has shown up, I always wanted to see him for real, and since you’re from Metropolis, you must have met him!”

“What?” Janice turned more fully towards the other woman. “Whom are you talking about?”

“That big, blue hunk, of course. Superman!”

So much for showing a hint of intelligence. Apparently, all that had lit up the bimbo’s eyes was heat. Disgusted, Janice turned away again, not bothering to answer with more than a snort.

“Soo, you haven’t met him, then?” The walking sex toy didn’t seem discouraged as she rambled on. “That’s soo sad. But perhaps you can help me with something else?”

Janice doubted it as she stared at the elevator’s doors, praying for the ride to end so she could get away from the twit.

“You see, I always wanted to see a piece of Kryptonite.”

Now, that managed to get her attention, and she twirled towards the blonde woman. “What—”

Janice Cox didn’t get any further, courtesy of to the two electrodes that had lodged themselves into her abdomen, delivering an incapacitating flow of electricity into her body.

**********

‘…leaving behind a world of full of heroes, ready to take on the mantle Superman can no longer carry.’

Jonathan continued to stare at the newspaper after having read the article about his son’s departure for the third time. Clark had often mentioned how proud he was to call Perry White his boss, and seeing the farewell for Superman written by the old newsman, Jonathan truly understood what Clark had meant by it. The door opened, and he turned his head to watch Martha join him in bed. She looked tired, and he was certain that it wasn’t just from keeping Lois occupied the entire day. “How’s Lois?”

“Worn out.”

He kept watching for a few seconds while Martha adjusted the covers around her. “And how are you?”

“The same,” his wife told him with a sigh that turned into a yawn.

It was obvious Martha wasn’t in a talkative mood tonight, but he pressed on. They hadn’t really had a chance to talk since Lois had shown up on their porch the day before, and he worried. Besides, he needed someone to talk to, too. “You told her she should stay, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did!” Martha shot back. “The poor girl needs a place to regain her equilibrium.”

Jonathan only gave a noncommittal grunt in response.

“She’s Clark’s friend.”

“And you’re his mother.”

Martha fixed him with a glare. “I know that, Jonathan. And that’s why we have to take care of her until our boy comes home and can take over again.”

He looked at his wife, studying her face carefully for several seconds. The look she gave him in return challenged him to dispute her, to tell her Clark wasn’t coming back. Jonathan suppressed a sigh. That wasn’t something he could do. All he could do was be strong for Martha so she had someone to lean on. He pulled her close and pressed a soft kiss against her cheek. “I know, Martha. And I love you for it.”

**********

tbc