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Chapter 21

Lois and Clark found themselves nearly being run over by Jimmy and Claude as they made their way into the bullpen. Both of them looked excited, which caused Lois’ pulse to speed up a little.

“Oh good, CK! Lois! We were just about to call you. That Mills guy you were looking for? We found him!” Jimmy thrust a piece of printer paper at Lois with the address of an apartment in an extremely wealthy area of the city on it.

“Pretty fancy digs for a guy who just got out of prison,” Clark muttered. Lois could tell he was still bothered by the situation at the bank, and while she couldn’t blame him, part of her hadn’t felt this good about things in a while. Lex was still in prison, and now they finally had a plan to keep him there for good.

Not to mention the fact that she was about to cost him two hundred million dollars. That part felt very very good.

“I think his accommodations are going to become a little more modest pretty soon,” Lois reminded him. She looked at Claude and Jimmy. “Did you get the bug?”

Jimmy nodded and raced over to his desk. When he returned, he handed Lois the small surveillance device.

“It was the best they had,” he assured them. “Top of the line. And it comes with this electronic handset so you will be able to track his whereabouts.”

“Thanks Jimmy,” Clark said, setting the handset down. He looked at Claude and Lois was surprised to see a look of understanding pass between the two men. Though Clark might not like him, he recognised what Claude was about to do and respected it. “Are you ready?”

“As I can be,” Claude replied. He sounded nervous and Lois reminded herself that he made his living covering soft news events like sporting events and political conferences. He wasn’t used to doing anything even remotely dangerous, so she had to be grateful he was even willing to try.

“It’s not difficult at all,” Lois said, stepping towards Claude. She showed him the bug in the flat of her palm and picked it up between her fingers. “Stand over there.”

He did as instructed, moving a few feet out of the way to a spot where there weren’t any people. Lois walked towards him making a point of bumping into him ever so slightly as she passed. When she returned to Clark, she picked up the handset and turned it on, giving Clark a triumphant smile.

“It works!”

“How did you…?” Claude sounded slightly amazed and looked down, trying to find where Lois had planted the bug on him.

“Feel inside your jacket pocket,” she told him. He did and looked even more astonished when he pulled out the bug.

“I’m not sure I can do that,” he admitted, heading back over and sitting down on the top of her desk.

“It will take practice,” Lois assured him, “but you’ll get it. Jimmy can help you. He’s the one who showed me how to do it. You want to make sure you get his jacket.”

“Why the jaket?” Claude wondered.

“He’s more likely to wear a jacket more than once,” Clark supplied. “We will keep a constant watch on him once the bug is on him. He will likely do some preliminary surveillance of the spot he will use for the actual assassination, so that even if he wears a different jacket the day of, we should know roughly where he is going to be.”

“That makes sense,” Claude replied, still looking a bit overwhelmed. “I’m going to need some time to…do we have to do this today?”

“Not today, but soon,” Lois said, realising that their time was very quickly running out.
“We need to be able to get a sense of his patterns. Jimmy, how’s the research on Vice President Wilson going?”

“Things are starting to come together,” Jimmy replied. “Ever since you gave us that name Rex Alexander, we’ve been able to tie the Vice President to at least several of his companies via what looks to be substantial campaign donations in return for several bills being pushed through that allowed for these companies to do all sorts of things from buying up land to tax evasion and everything in between. A little more digging and we should be able to….holy crap.”

Jimmy stopped, looking suddenly very much like a deer in headlights. He sank down into a nearby chair and ran a hand through his perpetually floppy hair.

“Jimmy, what is it?” Clark asked, concerned. “Are you alright?”

He shook his head and looked just a tiny bit paler.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just…is my research about to help expose the Vice President of the United States as a criminal?”

“You bet,” Lois replied firmly. Normally, something like this would have excited her. After all, a story this big could mean the long elusive Pulitzer Prize. And if the story were about anything else, she would be buzzing with energy. But Lex Luthor was tied to this, and Lois didn’t want to win a free cappuccino if he was involved, much less the award that represented everything she’d worked so hard to achieve. She didn’t want him to taint that too.

“Oh God, I think I need to sit down,” Jimmy was saying, still looking a bit green around the gills.

“You are sitting down,” Claude pointed out.

“Oh good,” Jimmy said with a weak smile. “Good for me.”

Lois didn’t blame him for feeling that way. The first time she’d worked a story this major, it had been the one Claude had stolen. She remembered the feeling of adrenaline as well as fear that accompanied a responsibility as huge as reporting the facts accurately and objectively. She’d worried she wouldn’t be up to the task — that she’d miss something major and end up embarrassing the Planet. In hindsight, she almost wished she had.

She glanced at Claude out of the corner of her eye, realising for the first time that she needed to do something to correct what had taken place. Claude’s apology could only go so far. Clark was right that this was about more than just a stolen story. It had taken watching Jimmy almost hyperventilate from responsibility for her to see that.

But she would have to let it wait until after the President was safe from harm and Lex was certain to remain behind bars for the rest of his days. After that, she would deal with it.

“Clark and I have some other things to take care of,” Lois said to Jimmy and Claude. Clark raised his eyebrow but said nothing. “Jimmy, can you teach Claude how to plant the bug on Mills without him knowing?”

“Yeah, sure,” Jimmy replied, recovering a bit of his colour. Lois smiled. She knew how Jimmy operated, and giving him a smaller task was sure to take his mind off of the larger implications of what they were doing. “No problem.”

“Good,” Lois said with a nod. She looked at Claude, who suddenly also looked a bit green around the gills. “The sooner we get this done, the better, so if you think you can be ready to go by tomorrow…”

“I’ll do my best,” he promised.

“We’ll see you tomorrow then,” Clark said as Lois grabbed her keys and the two of them began to leave. As they headed towards the elevator, he leaned over and whispered in her ear in a way that made her pulse race despite everything else going on. “What other things do we have to do today, by the way?”

“You’ll see,” she replied with a small smile.

****

Once back inside the apartment, Lois headed straight to the bedroom to change into a more comfortable t-shirt and pair of jeans. Clark followed and she realised she liked the way he watched her intently as she stripped down to her underwear and bra to put on the fresh change of clothes.

She eyed the business suit she’d worn to the bank with a frown, half-tempted to burn the thing. She’d never be able to wear it again without remembering that she’d sat across from that horrible man who worked for Lex Luthor in it.

She pushed the thought aside for the time being and glanced back at Clark, who was still looking at her rather hungrily. She loved the way he could make her feel like the sexiest woman in the world with just a look.

“Are you going to change?” she asked him, surprised at the way she’d seemed to purr the words. “Or did you just come in here to watch?”

“I was going to,” he said, his own voice deepening slightly. She could tell he was having an effect on him already and she loved it. “But the view was just too captivating.”

“Is that so?” she said, making her way towards him, allowing her hips to sway ever so slightly. Though subtle, it caused him to shift his stance in such a way that told her her movement had done the job. When she was close enough, she reached out and grabbed his tie, using it to pull him to her for a deep, searing kiss that seemed to wake up all her senses.

Clark wasted no time, pulling her into his arms and deepening the kiss, their tongues exploring each other thoroughly, causing that familiar tension she’d come to love. She allowed herself to moan into his kiss.

“See what you do to me?” he whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear and causing her breath to come in shallow pants. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. She had a plan. She’d intended to kiss him and then…

“Oh God, Clark, that feels so good,” she breathed as his lips made their way down to her collar bone. He’d gotten more confident since the night before…more sure of himself and of the way their bodies interacted with each other. It was beyond sexy and might be her undoing if she didn’t regain control.

“You like that?” he asked, his voice husky and filled with need. Slowly, reluctantly, she stepped back from him. He looked up, with a slightly dazed expression.

“I liked it,” she promised him, fighting for control of her voice, which at the moment was tremulous and shaky. “I liked it way too much. I wanted…well, I wanted to come back here and…”

God, why couldn’t she say it?

It didn’t seem to matter, though, because the look on his face told her he understood her intentions very clearly. So much so that she watched him take two deep breaths while clenching and unclenching his fists in an attempt to bring himself back under control.

“Lois, I told you last night you don’t have to —”

“I know,” she said, interrupting him. “But that was last night. I realised something at the Planet today, Clark. Something you tried to tell me but I wasn’t ready to hear yet.”

“Oh?” He took a step closer. “What’s that?”

“That I need to tell Perry about Claude stealing my story,” she replied softly. “I didn’t fully realise myself why it mattered until I saw Jimmy almost pass out today, but…truth matters and the way we handle it does too. I can’t be afraid to speak up for myself anymore. What we do is too important. So, I…I wanted to thank you.”

Clark shifted uncomfortably and made his way over to the bed where he sat down letting out a slow breath.

“Uhh, I appreciate that, Lois, but…” he shook his head slightly, “I can’t believe I’m saying this…I don’t want you to feel like you owe me any sort of physical intimacy for —”

“I don’t,” she said as she sat down next to him on the bed and took his hand in hers. “Feel like I owe you, I mean. I’ve never felt that way. That’s the point.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow,” Clark said, looking so adorably confused that Lois had to refrain from kissing him until he couldn’t think straight anymore.

“You’ve never pressured me, Clark,” she told him gently, squeezing his hand. “And I don’t just mean sexually. It’s no secret when we first met that I had all my defences up. I’d been hurt so much before you, that I just stopped trusting people entirely. And even though you might have been aware of your feelings before I was, you never pushed me to get there before I was ready.”

“I just…wanted to be near you,” he admitted. “It wasn’t some noble plan, I just…I needed you in my life like I needed oxygen. However that happened, I knew it would have to be enough.”

“That’s exactly what I mean,” Lois replied and this time she couldn’t keep herself from kissing him on the cheek. “You supported me in whatever role I needed. You were patient. So very, very patient. Even when I almost married…even when it looked hopeless, you waited. You fought for me. Maybe not the way I wanted you to, but…you never gave up.”

“I couldn’t give up,” he murmured, cupping her face and kissing her once more. Her heart skipped a beat at the feel of his lips. “Oxygen, remember?”

“Will you stop being sweet for a minute and let me get this out?” she exclaimed with a slightly tearful laugh. He laughed too and nodded. “You’ve been so patient. With our relationship both physical and emotional…with me. When we first had that conversation about my past…federal disasters, all I could think about were the ways in which I might potentially disappoint you.”

She could see him opening his mouth to say something, but stopped half way and sat back. She smiled. Even now, he understood she needed his patience. She drew a shuddering breath.

“I was so scared,” she admitted, feeling so much love for the man in front of her it was hard to put into words. “But I know now that it never even occurred to you to think that way. You understood that I needed space, and you gave that to me. Just like you gave me space when Perry told me that Claude would be working with us.”

She could see that he was starting to understand what she was trying to tell him and felt grateful. She wanted him so badly to know what this meant to her…what he meant to her.

“You urged me to talk to Perry about that story, but I wasn’t ready and again, you didn’t push.” She reached out and caressed his face in a way he’d so often done for her. “You let me get there in my own time. I don’t think you understand just how much that mattered to me.”

“Lois…” he said gruffly, his eyes shining. “I wasn’t trying to do anything but love you.”

“I know,” she replied, her own emotions overwhelming her as well, causing her to wipe a stray tear from her cheek. “That’s what’s so extraordinary to me. And this whole practice situation with us living together and with our physical intimacy, well it’s only made me love you more. We talked so many times before this but I don’t think we’ve truly communicated on this level before. I honestly never even realised there were so many different ways to communicate. And that’s what I want to do. Not because I owe you, or because I feel like I have to. Because I want to communicate to you just how much I love you.”

She stood up and positioned herself between his legs, kneeling down so that she was just below eye level. She reached out and guided him towards her for a gentle kiss that was full of promise. When they parted, she knew she didn’t need to spell it out for him, which she was grateful for. She reached out and placed her hand on his chest where his heart was, and she could feel his heart racing under her hand.

“So, when you say communicate,” he said, that hungry look reappearing on his face, causing her own desire to flare up. “What you mean is —”

“I mean I want to communicate to you just how much I love you,” she said with a coy smile. She stood up just enough to lean in and whisper her next words in his ear.

He gripped her hips with his hands tightly and pressed her body against the warmth of his chest. His words were a gentle rumble against her body.

“God, yes,” he ground out. She leaned back and settled back on her heels.

“Take your clothes off, Clark.”

****
“That was…” Clark looked at her, and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. She was surprised at how comfortable she felt with this newfound intimacy. She was acutely aware of the fact that this should feel awkward, and yet everything about that felt good. It felt right.

“Good?” she guessed hopefully. A look of pure wonderment and awe passed over his face.

“I can’t even begin to describe it,” he said quietly, gently running his thumb over her hand. “I mean, physically it felt incredible, but it’s more than that. I know there’s still more for us to experience together, but I think I understand now.”

“Understand what?” she asked, feeling overwhelmed by the intense look in his eyes.

“Making love,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion. “I always thought…well, there were definitions of things. But…you and me? Whatever we do….”

“I know,” she said, instantly understanding what he meant. All the terminology in the world couldn’t disguise the fact that they were slowly discovering how to love each other in all the right ways. “I love you too.”

“Do you need me to…” he trailed off and she smiled softly, finding it cute that even now he could still be somewhat bashful. Lois was seeing him in a way that was both casual and for her eyes alone. She couldn’t ask for more.

“No,” she replied, taking a deep breath and snuggling into the crook of his shoulder. “I think…I think I’d like for us to get some tea and watch a movie. Will you do that with me?”

He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and stood up. Lois allowed herself a beat to admire his backside for a moment.

“I’ll get the tea, you get the movie?” he asked.

She nodded. “Sounds perfect.”

Chapter 22

The following day, Lois and Clark found themselves sitting in Lois’ Jeep around the corner from an apartment building with a very nervous Claude Dupont sitting in the back. The preliminary research Jimmy had done on Preston Mills had revealed that he had a meeting with his parole officer that morning, and both Lois and Clark felt the best opportunity for Claude to plant the bug on his jacket was now.

Claude, however, was not as optimistic.

“Do you see him yet?” he asked, fiddling nervously with the seatbelt buckle. Clark shook his head. While they had parked close enough for all of them to see the building, Lois knew that Clark would also be using his super vision to zoom in on his apartment specifically. The moment he left, they would know.

“What if he’s not even in there?” Claude suggested. “Maybe he left early to get breakfast? Or stayed the night somewhere else?”

“If you’re going to back out, just say so,” Lois replied, irritated by Claude’s increasing nervousness. “Jimmy can just as easily plant the bug.”

She suddenly realised that, apart from whatever residual hurt that still lingered, she was beyond grateful that she’d never had a real relationship with Claude. His cowardice and lack of ambition would have meant a very small life. She didn’t need her partner to be a superhero (though it helped when she ended up captured by super villains), but she did need someone who wasn’t afraid to stand up and do what was right without hesitating.

“I’m sorry,” Claude apologised, somewhat sheepishly. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I just have to bump into him, right? What is that American expression…piece of pie?”

“Cake,” Clark said with a slight quirk of his lips. “It’s 'piece of cake'. And I think he’s coming now.”

Quickly, they climbed out of the Jeep and Lois handed the bug to Claude, whose hand shook ever so slightly as he took it from her. She pointed towards the entrance of Preston Mills’ upscale apartment building.

“Remember, all you have to do is make sure it sticks. Bump into him, apologise, plant the bug and get back here.”

Claude nodded, his face a bit pale, but determined.

“Got it,” he replied. Lois and Clark watched with mild trepidation as Claude headed towards the man they recognised as Preston Mills as he exited the apartment building. Once he was within a few feet of Preston, Claude pretended to trip, bumping into him just as they had planned.

A tense exchange followed, ending with Claude making his way back towards the Jeep. Lois looked over at Clark, not wanting to wait until Claude was back for full confirmation.

“He got it,” Clark informed her and she felt herself relax.

Claude’s face had almost turned green by the time he'd finally reached the Jeep. Lois watched as he climbed in, took a few gulping breaths and promptly put his head between his knees.

After a moment or so, he sat back up and drew a shaky breath before confirming what Lois already knew.

“It’s done,” he said. Lois shot Clark a slightly bemused expression at the tone in Claude’s voice. He sounded like a character in a bad spy film, but given his current state of nerves, she didn’t comment on it.

Instead, they agreed to drop Claude back off at the Planet, where he and Jimmy could monitor everywhere that Mills went. Once they had done so, the two of them went back to Lois’ apartment. They had to put the second phase of their plan into action, and they couldn’t do that without making a phone call — one Lois would prefer not to make in the bullpen.

The moment they entered her kitchen, Lois reached into her purse and pulled out the number of the lawyer Lois knew from college — a man by the name of Steven Williams. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Clark began to make the two of them a sandwich. He was obviously letting her know that he was here for emotional support if she needed it, but didn’t want to listen in on her conversation.

It rang a few times before a female voice answered the phone with that same overly perky tone the bank receptionists had used.

“Steven Williams’ office, Debbie speaking, how may I help you?”

Lois introduced herself as an old friend of Steven’s from college and requested to speak with him. Debbie asked Lois to hold for a moment and before Lois could answer, she heard a beep and some generic soft rock song playing through the phone. She waited, humming absently to the song until eventually Debbie picked up again.

“Mr. Williams has an appointment in twenty minutes, but he can talk with you until then,” she informed him. “I’ll patch you through now.”

Lois thanked her and waited again, thinking briefly back to college. She didn’t know Steven especially well, but they’d run in the same circles, and he had dated one of her friends for about a year. They had always been on good terms, and Lois was grateful that she hadn’t just tossed his card out when she’d run into him a few months ago while working on a story.

“Lois!” Steven’s open and friendly voice startled her out of her reverie and brought her back to the present. A plate appeared suddenly in front of her with a turkey sandwich on it and Lois’ stomach growled. Clark made a show of heading over to the couch with his. Lois smiled appreciatively. “It’s wonderful to hear from you again so soon. How are you?”

Lois opened her mouth to say she was good or fine, or whatever automatic reply people usually gave to that question and found herself hesitating. She wasn’t fine and that was why she was calling. No use dancing around it.

“Honestly, Steven? I’ve been better,” she admitted.

“So, it isn’t a social call then?” he asked, sounding slightly disappointed.

“Afraid not,” Lois replied with a slight smile. Steven always had a way about him that made everyone around him feel more at ease. Clark had that same effect on people, Lois realised.

“And here I thought you were going to suggest we all go for dinner so I can meet that fiance you were telling me about,” Steven said with an exaggerated sigh. “I have to admit that I am dying to meet the Kent half of Lane and Kent!”

“You will,” Lois promised, surprised to find she really would like to go out to dinner and introduce Clark to Steven. “But right now I have a favour to ask you.”

She was beginning to realise that she’d deliberately avoided having a social life the past few years she’d worked at the Planet. She had convinced herself that she was focused on her work, but she knew now that wasn’t true. Relationships were not the only way a person could get hurt, and Lois had been hurt when it came to friendships too. So much so, that over the years she had simply closed herself off. Now she found herself wanting to have a social life beyond the Planet. Of course, her timing as usual, was lousy.

“A favour?” he echoed, sounding slightly intrigued.

“Well, I want to hire you,” she amended, “so I guess that’s not a favour. But I’ll warn you, you might not want the job.”

“I’m a struggling attorney, Lois, I’ll take any job,” he said with a laugh. “What do you need me to do?”

Lois took a deep breath and described the situation as dispassionately as she could. Despite her best efforts, she heard, rather than saw, Clark get up from the couch, bring his plate to the sink and lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she finished her explanation.

There was a moment’s pause, and she could almost see Steven leaning back in his desk chair and letting out a whoosh as he tried to process it all.

“So, you need me to apply some pressure and legalese on the bank to make sure they close the account properly, correct?”

“That,” Lois said, “and keep an eye out to make sure they don’t try anything funny. I’m almost certain that the bank manager is reporting back to Lex Luthor, and if he is, that could make this potentially dangerous as well, so I will pay you triple your regular rate. After all, it appears I can afford it. Still, I can understand if you don’t want to take the job.”

She inwardly cringed as she spoke those words, hoping Steven wouldn’t back out. She’d already given Carstairs his card, after all, and she suddenly felt very guilty she had endangered him like that without his permission.

“A two hundred million dollar account, are you kidding me?” Steven exclaimed. “I could build my career on that! Especially given that it’s Luthor’s account and…”

Lois winced and though Steven couldn’t see it, she heard him trail off.

“I’m sorry,” he apologised. “That was insensitive.”

She almost told him it was okay, but stopped herself yet again before simply saying. “Thank you.”

“So, you’ve already authenticated the account, correct?” Steven resumed.

“Yes,” she replied. “They didn’t seem in any hurry to release the money, however. I would like to get a cashier’s cheque as soon as possible. I don’t want Lex knowing where the money is going, you understand.”

“I’ll call the bank after my next appointment and let them know I will be visiting later today to make sure the process goes smoothly,” he promised, and Lois felt herself relax.

“Are you sure you want to take this risk, Steven?” she asked one more time. She needed him to understand the gravity of the situation.

“I’m sure,” he promised. “After all, what are casual acquaintances from college for?”

He gave a warm laugh before they said their goodbyes, hung up and Lois found herself standing up and being enfolded into Clark’s arms, her sandwich untouched and forgotten.

He held her there, her head resting against his chest and his arms cocooning her in warmth. He kissed the top of her head ever so softly and she felt all the tension leave her body.

When she finally stepped back, she looked into Clark’s warm brown eyes and felt that familiar flutter as he smiled back at her with both fondness and awe.

“What?” she said, slightly self-consciously as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Nothing, it’s just…you’re amazing, you know that?”

A flush filled her cheeks and she fought the urge to look away from him. Despite her bravado and self-confidence, there were times when Clark’s praise truly took her breath away.

“For making a phone call?”

“For making a difficult phone call,” Clark replied, reaching out to caress her cheek. She shivered at his touch and leaned her cheek against his hand. “For managing to do so many incredibly hard things. My ‘little tornado’.”

He grinned at the last part and Lois gave him a playful swat on the chest, which broke some of the tension.

“The hard things aren’t over yet,” she reminded him. “It might not be a bad idea to call Claude and Jimmy, find out where Mills is and have Superman do some surveillance from up in the air.” She lifted her hand and made a swirling motion.

Clark hesitated.

“I don’t know if I want to leave you alone right now,” he admitted.

“Clark the only person who is a danger to me at the moment is Mills and he can’t hurt me if you are following him. We need to know his timetable. The press conference takes place in three days.”

“I know you’re right,” he admitted, but still he hesitated.

“I’ll be fine,” she insisted, “but if it makes you feel better, I can drive into the Planet and help Jimmy and Claude with their research on Vice President Wilson. Safety in numbers. When you’re done you can come and pick me up for dinner.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “And thank you for humouring me. I know sometimes you think that I go overboard worrying about your safety, but —”

“Sometimes you do,” Lois agreed. She sighed. “But this time, I think…well, I don’t think I want to be alone.”

Clark nodded and grabbed their coats.

“I never thought I would feel grateful that you’re going to be spending time with Claude,” he said with a slightly bemused shake of his head. Lois grabbed the keys and leaned up onto her tiptoes to kiss him gently on the cheek.

“I love you.”

“I know.”