Super Friends 10/?
Continued...
“Please, Clark, you promised. Why are you doing this?” Lois cried, sobbed.
Clark had been asleep for all of about thirty minutes when he was awakened by Lois’ cry. He jumped up from the couch and ran to his bedroom. He saw Lois crying while still asleep and reaching…for someone?
“Clark…I can’t do this again…”
Clark sat on the bed beside Lois and gently lifted her into his arms and awakened her gently with calming words of nonsense.
“Lois, baby I’m here. Wake up. I’m not leaving…not going anywhere.”
Slowly Lois opened her eyes. She first seemed disoriented and looked around the room. Then it seems that it suddenly dawned on her where she was. She then wrapped her arms around Clark’s torso and hugged him tight.
“I…I’m sorry, Clark,” Lois started, stifling sobs. “I guess I was having a nightmare.”
“It’s okay. I’m right here, honey,” Clark consoled as he held Lois in his arms and rocked with her.
He sat and held her there until she quieted down and appeared to go back to sleep. He gently tried to slide his arm from under her to lay her back in the bed when she opened her eyes and tightened her hold around his torso.
“Lois?”
“Clark, please don’t go, stay in here with me.”
Clark at first seemed uncertain, but then agreed. He slid into his bed next to Lois and she laid her head in the crook of his shoulder. He involuntary brought his arm around her shoulders and his other arm went around her waist. He kissed her in her hair as she dozed back off to sleep. Clark waited to see if Lois would have another nightmare soon after she fell asleep, but she didn’t. At that moment he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to sleep without her again.
Christmas morning at about 8 o’clock Lois opened her eyes. She felt like she was in that cocoon again, but this time it was softer and warmed. She looked up into Clark’s face. His eyes were still closed but as she stared at him they opened.
“Morning, Sweetheart. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you, too.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Oh…did I!”
“No more nightmares?”
“No.”
“Ready for some breakfast?”
“No. I just want to lay here for a bit. I don’t know if I’ll be able to go back to my…my routine…you’ve spoiled me.” Lois realized that she was about to reveal just a little too much ammunition and abruptly changed her statement. Clark recognized the diversion. He just looked at her and smiled as he tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Sounds good to me. Oh, it’s snowing.”
“How do you know?”
Clark just pointed to his eyes. Lois thought that this super stuff was going to take a lot of getting used to.
The couple stayed snuggled in bed and talked and cuddled for a while then reluctantly got up. Lois went home to shower and dress then came right back.
Lois and Clark spent Christmas day together, watching movies and eating off and on. There was a few minutes where they stood at the window and held hands while they watched the snow fall. They had talked to the Kents by phone earlier during the day and assured them that they would be there for New Years.
Lois had never been this happy, even with Paul. There was just something about Clark that was different.
Christmas day came to a close much too soon. When Lois started to yawn, Clark got up and led her to the bedroom.
“You are staying aren’t you?” Clark asked with pleading eyes.
Lois looked up at Clark with a smile and gave him a slight nod of approval. Clark just hugged her. God, he didn’t ever want her to go back across the street and if it were up to him, she wouldn’t.
“I love you, Clark,” Lois said nervously.
“Oh, God, Lois. You just don’t know how much I’ve wanted to hear you say those words. I love you, too.”
Lois just smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She went to the bathroom and got changed then she got in bed and scooted over to the other side. She patted the mattress next to her as an invitation for Clark to come to bed with her.
“Coming?”
Clark first hesitated, uncertain, then said, “Yes. I just want you to know something. I love falling asleep with you in my arms. Your beautiful face is the last thing I see before I close my eyes and the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. I don‘t want you to ever feel like you *have* to give more.”
“I know.”
Clark smiled then went off to the bathroom to change int his sleep boxers. Lois and Clark snuggled like they did the night before and were soon off to sleep.
Lois and Clark spent their nights together until Monday morning when they had to get back to work. There was lots of intimacy but without sex. Superman was needed a couple of times but Clark always reassumed his post in the bed next to Lois.
Wednesday, New Years Eve came and Lois and Clark headed to Smallville via Superman Express. Martha and Jonathan were at the door when they arrived.
“Lois…”
“Hi, Mrs. Kent…it’s so good to meet you.”
“Martha, honey…and we are so glad to have you. Clark has told us so much about you,” Martha finished as she hugged Lois. “Oh, and this is Jonathan, Clark’s father.”
Jonathan, too, hugged Lois and welcomed her to the Kent’s farm.
Throughout their visit, Lois learned why Clark was so…Clark. It was his parents, his upbringing. They were so open and loving.
“Lois, dear let me show you where you’re sleeping. Clark can have the sofa, unless you two are…”
“No…Martha!”
“No…Mom…” Lois and Clark said in unison. “Lois has spent the night but we haven’t…” Clark finished with a hand gesture.
Lois looked over at Clark and he had that look of ‘please help me’ on his face.
“Well, honey, I’ll leave that up to you two.”
Clark gave Lois the Kent farm tour and related stories about his upbringing. Martha cooked the most wonderful meal and they sat around the table and talked like a real family after dinner.
When the count down started, Clark sat next to Lois on the couch. Martha and Jonathan stood close by. When the ball fell and it was the next year, Clark shared a kiss of promise and future with Lois.
“Happy New Year,” Clark whispered to Lois just before he leaned over and kissed her.
“Happy New Year.”
Martha and Jonathan just smiled and exchanged glances with each other. They knew that their boy loved Lois Lane and she loved him.
After the four made a quick champagne toast, Lois went up to Clarks room to bed. Clark stayed on the couch just because it was his parents house. He hadn’t slept beside Lois since Sunday night and he was missing her. He snuggled into his makeshift bed and closed his eyes. Then he heard a faint, “I love you Clark,” coming from his bedroom upstairs. He just smiled and went off to sleep. Lois knew that he would hear her.
It was spring and Lois and Clark were still spending most of their spare time with each other. Lois would stay at his apartment three or four nights a week. Clark had wanted to ask her to marry him and just move in permanently, but he wanted to take things slowly for her sake. They had only been dating for 5 months and it had been just over a year since Paul. Clark didn’t want to overwhelm her.
It was April and Superman had been called out for a rescue. He arrived at the same place where he first found Bruce wounded. But there was no one who appeared to be in distress. Just as he was about to fly away, four teenagers approached him.
“Yo Supes, Back off of the Bay operation. The boss doesn’t like it when his product doesn’t move. We’d hate for the same thing to happen to you that uh… happened to Batman.”
“Are you threatening me? You can’t hurt me,” Superman threatened.
“Oh, but your girlfriend Lois Lane…the things that I can do to her…if you don’t back off!”
“I don’t have a girlfriend…she’s Clark Kent’s girlfriend.”
“Oh, then you must be sharing her because we’ve seen how you look at her. Just keep in mind, there is a man on her every move at all times. You interfere, Lois may… get hurt.”
Clark was so mad and so afraid for Lois that he flew off to find her. Clark found Lois safe and studying at her apartment. Lois wondered why Clark seemed so freaked out.
“Clark, what’s wrong?” His whole presentation was scaring Lois.
“Lois, has anything unusual happened to you today or recently? Have you noticed anyone following you or acting suspicious?” Clark was clearly frightened.
“Clark what’s wrong? I’ve never seen you like this.”
“Lois! Answer me!” Clark yelled.
“No...no…why? What’s wrong with you?”
Clark sat and related the event in question to Lois. She promised him that she would always be careful and try to stay with a crowd at all times. That wasn’t good enough for Clark. He would personally watch over her as much as possible.
The couple of weeks were uneventful even though Superman and Batman were making progress with taking the Bay operation under. Clark seemed to be everywhere. He saw Lois off to school and back home. He saw her off to work and back home. He insisted that either he stayed with her or she with him every night. At first Lois thought that it was sweet, the way he cared for her, but then she became annoyed with him.
“Listen Clark, we need to talk. I’m okay. I promise you, I’ll yell if something…”
“Lois, I think we need to talk, too,” Clark cut her off. “I love you way too much to allow something to happen to you…because of me or because of something that Batman and Superman are up against.” Clark had the grace to look away from Lois.
“What are you saying?” Lois asked as a sheet of tears surfaced in her eyes.
“I think you know,” Clark whispered, sadly. “We can’t be together anymore. I can’t put you in danger all of the time. It would kill me if something happened to you.”
“You promised me…promised that you wouldn’t leave…that you’d never hurt me…” Lois sobbed violently.
“…intentionally…and Lois this is not intentionally to hurt you. It’s to possibly save your life.” Clark was desperately fighting tears himself.
“So is Bruce going to leave Vicky every time things get dangerous for Batman?“ Lois asked defiantly.
“Lois…” was all Clark could whisper, with his bottom lip clearly trembling and his nose getting red. He was desperately trying not to break down in front of Lois.
Lois just turned away from him, shaking from her sobs. She vaguely heard the swoosh of Clark flying away.
tbc...
