It is pure coincidence that I'm posting this today, but since we have a few FoLC birthdays I'm going to dedicate this to Saskia and Raquel for today and Elena for tomorrow. Happy birthdays, guys! thumbsup

Table of Contents


From Part 7:



Clark made a decision right there and then as he sat back to allow Andrea, who had come over to ask whether they were enjoying their meal, to refill their wine-glasses. He decided that, regardless of how this evening had come about, he was now going to regard it as a real date.

He was already treating Lois exactly as if she was on a date with him. But now, he resolved, the date would end in the traditional style, too. Because, if she really was beginning to view him differently, he’d be a fool to miss an opportunity like this.

Assuring Andrea that the meal was, as usual, delicious, Clark smiled warmly at Lois, raising his glass towards her. “Here’s to us making an even better team in future.”

She clinked her glass against his, returning his smile. “Absolutely!”


*********

Now read on...


Lois smiled at Clark and echoed his toast, but inside her stomach still felt as if it had turned to lead.

She was managing to cover it; she was sure of that, much to her relief, but about ten minutes ago this faux-date had turned into a nightmare.

Clark had described his ideal woman, in answer to her question, and it was too exact a description.

That wasn’t some ideal he hoped to meet some day. Clark had already met his perfect woman, and it was her he’d been describing.

This was the woman he was in love with.

Of course it was, she told herself brutally. She’d known that Clark was in love with someone - Martha had told her that. So of course he’d have described this mysterious woman, whoever she was.

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask Clark about his would-be girlfriend, but she checked herself just in time. She wasn’t supposed to know about this paragon. Martha had told her in confidence, and she wasn’t about to tell Clark that his mother had been discussing him behind his back. Besides... Besides, the real reason why she didn’t want to ask Clark about her was that she didn’t want to hear the answer.

No, she didn’t want to spend the rest of the evening listening to Clark gushing about this woman who had stolen his heart - this perfect icon of womanhood who, Lois was already sure, was nothing like as perfect as Clark seemed to be picturing her. He’d probably put her on a pedestal, refusing to notice her faults. No doubt he thought she had none. Which was absolute nonsense - no-one had no faults at all! Not even Superman, she acknowledged. Not that she’d seen much in the way of faults from him, but... well, he must have them.

She'd lost. That was a fact she would simply have to recognise. She’d started the evening wondering whether there was a possibility that she could persuade Clark to forget that undeserving object of his desire and look in her direction instead. After all, if that woman, whoever she was, didn’t appreciate Clark enough to go out with him, then how could she possibly deserve him? And why shouldn’t he then, with a little encouragement, open his eyes and recognise that he could have everything he wanted with Lois instead?

But she’d lost. In just a few sentences, he’d proved to her that he was so deeply in love with this other woman that it would take a miracle for him to change his mind.

And, Lois had to admit as she tried to remain light-hearted, joking with Clark over dessert and finally agreeing to share something wickedly chocolate with him, if she’d lost any chance with him it was her own fault.

She’d had the chance first, hadn’t she? He’d shown interest in her in the beginning. But she’d told him bluntly not to fall for her. And then, when she’d been given a second chance, she’d first of all been reluctant to accept his invitation to dinner, only saying yes when he’d presented it as an opportunity to celebrate - and then she’d cried off when she’d remembered that she was supposed to be seeing Lex Luthor.

She’d been a complete idiot. How could she have missed acknowledging then just what a desirable man Clark Kent was? Because it wasn’t that she hadn’t seen it. She had. Of course she had. It hadn’t taken today’s shopping expedition to show her that - if that had been the case, she’d have been appallingly shallow. No; underneath that ill-fitting suit, right from the beginning, he’d been the most attractive man she’d ever seen - well, until Superman had come along, of course, though even Superman wasn’t that much better-looking than Clark.

Though anyway it wasn’t all about looks - of course not. She’d realised, even in that first week they’d known each other, that Clark Kent was a man like none other she’d ever met before. He’d shown her loyalty and kindness at a time when she’d expected neither - and hadn’t deserved those qualities from him, either. He was talented, clever, witty, quick-thinking and downright good company.

And, in his own way, extraordinary. Just as she’d told Clark - yes, she too had been describing someone she knew. And now she was fervently hoping that he wouldn’t realise.

Clark had been attracted to her in the beginning. But she’d been too stupid to see what was under her nose, and then later she’d been blinded by Spandex. She had only herself to blame for the fact that he was now head over heels in love with someone else, and she was destined only to be his friend. And his style consultant.

It was a suitably ironic punishment, she told herself: having rejected Clark outright herself, it now fell to her to perform a makeover on him for the ultimate benefit of another woman. She was turning him - outwardly, at least; internally, he’d needed no alteration - into her perfect man. And once the transformation was complete, just as the Phantom of the Opera watched his Christine go to Raoul, she would see him leave her for someone else.

She just hoped that, unlike the Phantom, she could summon the dignity to let him go without ever revealing how she felt about him.


*********


Clark waited for Lois to enter the taxi ahead of him, his heart beginning to beat more rapidly as the end of the evening approached. Now, they would travel the relatively short distance to Carter Avenue and her apartment building, and he would walk her to her door. She might invite him in for coffee, but equally she might not - and then they would say goodnight.

He just hoped that his courage wouldn’t give out on him when it mattered most.

As far as he could tell, the evening had been a great success. Lois had loved the restaurant, and he hadn’t missed the deft way she’d picked up one of Andrea’s cards on the way out, while he’d been paying the bill. She planned to make a return visit, clearly. They’d talked easily over dinner, mostly about generalities such as the Planet and politics, favourite films and literature - but there had been that interlude in the middle when the conversation had become personal. Very personal - and revealingly so.

Lois had seemed quiet for a few minutes after that, and for a moment Clark had wondered if she’d been having second thoughts about spending the evening with him. Or perhaps, he thought, she was afraid that she might have revealed too much. He’d feared the same, of course. A part of him had wanted to say something, to reassure her that his feelings for her were the same as he suspected that hers were for him - that she was his ideal woman just as he was her ideal man. But he’d stopped himself; it was too soon, and the restaurant too public a place for that kind of declaration.

No; he could wait until he got her home. And, with luck, if things went well he might not have to say anything at all. A kiss would say everything.

In the taxi, Lois was bright and chatty, thanking him again for a lovely meal and showing concern over the bill; he’d spent a lot of money that day, she reminded him, so could he afford to pay for the meal as well?

He assured her that his bank account was well able to cover it all, which was more or less the truth. He hadn’t actually spent heavily at all since moving to Metropolis, and once he’d got himself established he’d found that his salary was more than adequate to pay his living costs and repay his parents for the financial help they’d given him. So he’d been putting aside a decent chunk of his salary each month, paying it into a savings account. No, he’d have no trouble paying his credit card bill, even if he did space it out a bit - no point in losing all his savings in one fell swoop.

Then the taxi pulled up in front of Lois’s apartment building. Clark paid the driver off before getting out and extending his hand to Lois to help her out.

“You don’t want to keep the taxi?” she asked him, sounding surprised.

He shook his head. “No need. It’s a clear night and I’ll enjoy the walk. I’ll just see you inside first, okay?”

“You don’t need to walk me to the door!” Lois exclaimed, laughing.

Clark shook his head. “Oh, yes, I do. When I take a woman out, she gets door to door service. And we’re not at your door yet!”

She smiled, shaking her head as if unable to believe what she was hearing, but indicated to him that he should walk with her up the path. He moved to stand beside her, offering her his arm in a gesture of old-fashioned courtesy.

“You’re such an unusual guy - I’ve never met anyone like you,” Lois said in amusement as she let him escort her. “I don’t think I could imagine a single other man who’d do that.” She waved her free hand at her arm in his. “Or who’d walk me to my door just to see me home safely, without any other agenda in mind.”

It wasn’t strictly true that he had no other agenda in mind, Clark acknowledged to himself; he had a slim hope that she might invite him in and, of course, he still intended to say a proper goodnight to her. But still... she probably had a point.

“I guess you don’t know too many guys from rural Kansas,” he pointed out with a grin. “Country folk bring up their sons properly and teach them to behave like gentlemen,” he told her, assuming a mock-lecturing tone.

“More likely, Martha Kent wouldn’t stand for any other behaviour from her son,” Lois observed dryly as she unlocked the front door of the apartment building. “I really like your mom, you know, Clark.”

He smiled warmly, delighted to hear it. “She likes you too. In fact, both my parents do. They’ve told me that I have to bring you to the farm again some time - for a vacation this time. How about it?”

“That sounds great!” Lois answered. “If you’re sure there’s no-one else you’d prefer to bring?”

“Hey, I asked you,” he pointed out.

“Okay. Let’s see when we both have space in our schedules,” she suggested.

They were at her front door, and Lois was beginning to fumble with her keys. This was it, Clark told himself. No invitation for coffee had been forthcoming, but then it was only the first evening they’d gone out together. Even if they did already know each other well through working together, and they were friends, there was no reason why she should invite him in. Besides, they needed time to adjust to a new relationship, if that was what they were heading for.

“Lois, I had a great time tonight,” he told her, his voice soft.

Her head jerked up and she looked at him, a light flush suffusing her cheeks. “Me too. I love that restaurant.”

“La Farfalla’s a great place,” Clark agreed. “Andrea knows how to keep customers happy.”

“Yeah,” she agreed.

Now, Clark felt, the atmosphere was getting just a little bit awkward. Lois had her key ready and was all set to unlock the door, and he was hesitating, butterflies in his stomach as he tried to seize the confidence to make his move.

“Well, goodnight, Clark,” Lois said brightly, sliding a key into the first of her locks. “I’ll see you on Monday, yeah?”

“Wait, Lois,” he said quickly, putting a hand on her arm. As she gave him a puzzled look, he explained softly, “I just wanted to say... goodnight.”

She continued looking at him, and he grabbed the opportunity, sliding one hand along her cheek and lowering his head towards her. She swayed towards him and his heart leapt.

But, just as his lips were within an inch of touching hers, just as he could feel her breath against his face, she pulled away.

“Clark! What are you doing?” she demanded, her expression embarrassed, her breathing heavy.

“Uh...” He faltered, unable to find the words to answer her. Had he really read the signals so badly wrong? He’d been so sure that she’d welcome a romantic move from him. And the way she’d swayed towards him had told him that she wanted him to kiss her just as badly as he wanted it too.

So what...?

“Clark!” she said sharply, reminding him that she was still waiting for an explanation.

Irritated now - surely she didn’t need him to spell it out, did she? Wasn’t it enough that he’d got it all wrong? She didn’t need to humiliate him too! - he snapped, “Trying to kiss you. Like any normal guy when he brings a girl home after a date.”

Her eyes flashed. “First, I’m not a girl. Second, this wasn’t a date. And third, neither of us have to pretend any more!”

“Wh- what? Pretend?”

“Oh, come on, Clark! This wasn’t a date - you just took me out to thank me for today. And we both know that you’re not interested in me romantically anyway.”

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Clark gaped at her. “We do?” he challenged.

“Clark, I know about her!”

Her? “Who, Lois?”

“Ms. Perfect. The woman you’re in love with. The woman you needed to dress better in order to impress!” Lois exclaimed.

The world seemed to have shifted around Clark without him even realising it. What was she talking about? What woman? And as for her accusation... that dressing better thing had all been her idea, hadn’t it? So why...?

“Lois, I haven’t the faintest idea of what you’re talking about!” he told her incredulously.

She took a deep breath, seeming to be fighting to regain her temper. “Look, Clark, I probably shouldn’t have said anything. I know I’m not supposed to know about her. But your mom told me - I know you’re in love with someone and that you haven’t had the courage to ask her out yet. I... guess I hope that maybe tonight will have helped you. Because, in case you need to know,” she added, and Clark, to his puzzlement, thought that he detected a note of sadness in her voice, “you make a great date. Any woman would be proud to be seen on your arm.”

He shook his head, trying to take in what she was saying to him. “My mom told you?”

What had his mom been up to? Could she possibly have made up some story...? And was it only thanks to her that Lois had taken him shopping today? And gone out with him tonight?

That had to be it. After all, her change in attitude towards him had really made no sense whatsoever. Now, it all made perfect sense. She wasn’t suddenly seeing him as a potential boyfriend; instead, she was playing Henry Higgins to his Eliza Dolittle, but - unlike the film version - with no intention of claiming Eliza for herself.

How embarrassing. No, how utterly humiliating.

With no thought other than to extricate himself from her presence in the quickest way possible without humiliating himself further, he took a step backwards. “Lois, I have no idea what’s going on here, or what my mom told you. But I apologise if I’ve wasted your time. Goodnight.”

And, without waiting for her to unlock her door, he turned and marched swiftly out of the building. Once on the street, he ducked into an alley and less than a second later he was soaring upwards, wanting to bury his hurt and mortification in the clouds, where no-one could see him.


**********

Lois leaned back against the closed door of her apartment, relieved to be safely inside.

How could she have done that? How could she have let go of all her carefully-guarded control and allowed Clark to see her hurt and bitterness? How could she have been so foolish, in the first place, to read more into a stupid dinner with a friend than either of them had intended?

But then, what the heck had Clark been trying to do out there? Trying to kiss her! He’d admitted it! So what right had he to be trying to kiss her when he was in love with someone else?

Unless...

Suddenly, the answer hit her like the proverbial ton of bricks. He probably hadn’t meant a kiss kiss - he’d obviously been aiming for her cheek! Of course he had. And that made total sense. They’d had a fun day together, and he was grateful to her. They’d had a really nice evening. And he’d seen her home. Of course he’d just intended to kiss her cheek in a friendly, caring gesture, a way of saying goodnight. The way good friends did all the time.

Though even if he had been going for her lips, he could just as easily have meant it as a friendly, platonic salute. A brief brush of his lips against hers, for no longer than a second. After all, he’d kissed her that way once before, to say goodbye, the time he’d left the Planet during the heatwave. He hadn’t meant anything by it then either. Just friendship. Which was no doubt all he’d intended just now.

And she’d over-reacted completely, demanding to know what on earth he’d been doing - and in the process she’d revealed what Martha had told her in confidence. No doubt, too, she’d given away her own feelings of jealousy. Clark would have had to be a complete idiot, and deaf into the bargain, not to have seen that.

How was she going to face him at work?

She should just have let him kiss her. Whether he’d intended to kiss her lips or her cheek, it would have been much more sensible to let him do it without comment. And then none of that stupid, embarrassing conversation would have happened!

Okay, well, the only thing she could do was to act precisely as if it had never happened, she told herself firmly, heading into the kitchen in search of milk to make some hot chocolate - comfort food. If Clark so much as hinted at anything remotely close to the fact that they’d gone out to dinner, let alone that she’d shrieked like a demented spinster when he’d tried to kiss her afterwards, she’d just give him a blank look and change the subject. That was a tactic she was very skilled in.

And it was also time, she resolved, to find out just who the mystery object of Clark’s affections was. He wasn’t giving anything away, and nor had Martha. So she would simply have to put her investigative talents to work and find out for herself - something which shouldn’t prove to be too difficult.

She’d thought about the situation in the taxi, mulling over her conclusion that Clark was so much in love with this other woman that she had no hope, and had told herself firmly that the last thing she should be was defeatist. That led to wallowing, and she never wallowed. Well, not much, anyway. And she hated wallowers.

One thing which had always made her stand out from the crowd was that she refused to concede defeat when others would have given in. So, she’d told herself, why on earth should she give up on this? She could be what Clark wanted. Of course she could. He’d wanted her first anyway, hadn’t he? All she needed to do was to overcome the wrong impression she’d given him when she’d made it clear she wasn’t interested.

She had been mean to him on occasion - she admitted that. But not recently. Not since they’d become friends. Although, she acknowledged, leaning back against the kitchen counter, he thought she’d been mean to him only a couple of days ago - when she’d insisted that he had to be lying about sleeping with Cat Grant.

Well, that wouldn’t happen again. Clark was about to meet a whole new, nice Lois Lane. Not that it was going to mean a complete change in behaviour. Of course not. Even if there was that much about her which she needed to change, why on earth would she want a man who couldn’t love her as she was?

So, stage one, she needed to find out who her rival for his affections was. Okay, so he’d claimed complete bafflement, out in the hall, in response to her accusation that he was in love with someone else, but she didn’t believe him for one second. For one thing, he’d hesitated before saying it, and he’d looked incredibly embarrassed, rather than the bewilderment he was claiming. And anyway, that speech he’d made at the restaurant... that, more than anything else, told her that she did have a rival, and a very serious one. Well, she would find out who this other woman was.

And once she knew what she was up against... well, then it would be time to plan another campaign - Operation Knock Some Sense into Blockhead Clark.

Yes, that would do nicely, Lois thought, determining not to dwell on what had just happened one moment longer. There were more important things to do, and making Clark see sense about this idiot he was apparently head over heels in love with was right at the top of her list - followed closely by making him see what, or rather who, was right under his nose.

Lois Lane was going to get her man. And no-one was going to stop her!


**********

...tbc

And hey - see how nice I am! I could have ended it right after the WHAM! evil


Just a fly-by! *waves*