Carnahan looked at them from where he stood. “So, this is all done, now? We all live happily ever after?” he asked.
Her eyes sought Clark’s, and she found both hope and a question.
She let her smile answer Clark, while she said to Carnahan, “We still have a story to write.”
Clark chuckled. “Isn’t that the same thing?”
For her, it really was.*****
“Well, kids, that’s a real humdinger of a story, almost as crazy as if the King came back to Graceland! And some first-class reporting,” Perry praised. Then his voice dipped suspiciously, “Not to mention a favor I won’t forget anytime soon.”
“Thanks, Chief,” she said into the phone receiver.
“I doubt any of us will be forgetting this story anytime soon,” Clark said from his place beside her. Their eyes met, sharing a moment over his deeper meaning, and she couldn’t control the smile that swept across her face.
He was certainly right about that.
“Sorry that we couldn’t get your flight home booked any earlier, but I figured you wouldn’t mind one more night of vacation on the
Planet’s dime.”
“Some vacation,” she snorted.
“Anyway,” Perry replied threateningly, all trace of gratitude gone, “you’ll be home sometime late tomorrow.”
“We’re looking forward to it, Chief,” Clark said, amusement still lingering in his gaze where she could see it, if not his voice where Perry could hear it.
They exited the cramped phone booth at the back of the nearby internet cafe they’d found to type up and send in their story and made their way toward the exit.
“So,” Clark said with a grin, “What do you want to do with the rest of our ‘vacation’?”
“Honestly, I just want another shower. Every time I go into that tomb now, I end up worrying over what the ancient dust is really made of,” she said, patting what she hoped was just sand off her sleeve and trying not to think of broken canopic jars.
“If we’re heading back to the hotel, we should grab our bags from the tent first,” Clark suggested, holding the cafe door open for her.
“Well…”
She moved through the door and followed him out.
“Or I can grab our bags, and you can head straight back to the hotel if you want?” he offered.
But she had another idea.
“What would you think about staying in the tent for one more night?”
His eyebrows rose. “Sure,
I’d love to, but I know how much you hate the heat, and the sand, and the mats and the–”
“The tent has other perks,” she said, lightly flushing. “Plus, we have a lot to talk about.”
“We have a lot to talk about,” he echoed.
He grasped her hand and started the walk back to the hotel. “Let’s let you grab that shower and check out of the hotel.”
Her heart fluttered at the easy way her hand sat in his.
“And maybe we can grab dinner on the way back,” she suggested.
“I know a great place,” he said.
She eyed him. “Is it…local?”
He laughed.
“Well, I don’t know how this works! I think you went to China for dinner your first week at the
Planet!
He shot her a mischievous grin, but said, “It’s right down the road. I’ve heard a couple of the locals mention it.”
*****
Dinner had been fun, casual, and blissfully light-hearted. It had felt like a regular meal with her best friend, only now he stared at her as if he adored her, as if she’d hung the moon.
Spending time with a free, unfettered, un-secretbound Clark was something she could really get used to. When he’d gotten distracted mid-meal, he’d been able to actually tell her that someone had shouted about a robbery, but that it was a tourist who’d lost their wallet, and the pickpocket had already run afoul of a nearby policeman. She felt like she could literally see the weight fall off of him when he wasn’t forced to make up an excuse and leave her fuming.
But he was also less restrained with
her. He’d invited her to try almost everything he was eating, matching each dish with an anecdote about when he’d been in Yemen and Egypt previously, stories that she surely wouldn’t have gotten before. He touched her hand and arm unrepentantly, his knee brushing against hers, flirting with her and being casually affectionate. And near the end of the meal, he’d wiped a dab of cream away from her lower lip, looking like he wanted to pull her close and kiss her.
In turn, she desperately wanted to get back to the tent to kiss
him.
She actually enjoyed the ferry ride back across the Nile to the West Bank, Clark’s arm casually slung around her shoulders, her head resting on his shoulder. They looked out across the water, watching the small white egrets with their orange plumes gracefully soaring from one shore to the other, little brown house sparrows darting between them.
When they’d finally gotten back, he held the tent flap open for her, and once they were both inside, he crossed his arms over his chest and asked knowingly, “Alright, what questions do you have?”
But instead of peppering him with the interrogation she had already mentally prepped, she turned around and kissed him.
He pivoted immediately, his arms unfolding to pull her close.
And she realized, with a rush, that she was kissing Superman.
She wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about that.
Although her body didn’t seem to have any problem with it at all. Running his hands along her back, he was finding ways to ensure her toes curled.
She pulled back slowly, hating to remove the smile from his face but also needing to broach this topic.
“So,” she said. “Superman.”
“Yeah,” he said, his hands going into his pockets. He took a deep breath. “How do you feel about that?”
“I feel like…I’m getting what I’ve always wanted. Like I’m getting my best friend back. Like I know you even better now. And like I don’t know you at all.”
“You know me, Lois.” His voice was sure and low.
“I know. I
know. I just– Things keep slotting into place. I told you that I had a crush on
you.
You rescued me from that bank vault. I kissed
you goodbye before you went into
space to destroy an asteroid. You have a picture-perfect memory, because you’re Kryptonian.”
“Does that bother you?”
“It’s just a lot to take in.”
His face shuttered, his eyes drifting down to the floor.
“That you and Superman are the same person, I mean,” she clarified.
He looked back up at her then, and her mind tried to connect what was going on in his mind.
“Were you asking if I minded that you’re Kryptonian?”
He shrugged lightly, his face still stoic.
It was ultra-rare that Clark wasn’t wearing his heart on his sleeve. But she could see why this, the thing that could separate them the most, might make him feel insecure.
“I– No, no, of course not– Clark, I think it’s amazing that you’re Kryptonian. And it’s just– It’s just part of who you are. Like having dark hair. Or being a nice guy. Or liking football.” A grin escaped her. “Or being able to fly.”
His smile peeked back out. “You seem to like flying,” he tested.
“I love it,” she said wistfully.
“When we get back to Metropolis, I’ll take you flying. Anywhere you want to go.”
“When we get back to Metropolis?” she wheedled.
“It would be kind of unusual for Superman to show up here again,” he said carefully. “Unless there was another big emergency. I wouldn’t want him seen here again while we were here unless he was really needed.”
She let her dream of flying through the night sky go for now.
“That makes sense,” she agreed, tucking away her disappointment.
But he must have been able to tell what she was thinking anyway, because he doubled down on his promise, “As soon as we get back.”
“It’s a date,” she said, and she was caught off guard by the instant brightness of his smile.
“It’s a date,” he repeated, like a vow.
She smiled shyly up at him. “In the meantime, what should we do with our last night in Egypt?”
“I’m sure we can come up with something,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
*****
They both sat on the ground, separate grids drawn out in the sand, facing each other as they argued.
“But how do I
know you won’t cheat this time?”
“I wasn’t cheating
last time!” he insisted.
“How else did you get so far ahead?”
“Sometimes, when you play games, other people do occasionally win, Lois.”
She gave him a look that indicated that wasn’t how things went in her world.
“You are
so competitive,” he laughed, delighted in spite of the fact that he was sparring with her.
“I play to win,” she said emphatically.
Still laughing, he brought one hand up to cup her cheek. “Yes, you do,” he said with a smile. He leaned in, and she pushed back against his shoulders, ducking away from his hand.
“Uh-uh, no distracting me! Now, how do I know you won’t–” she switched to motion, using her hand to indicate movement around her eyes.
He rolled his in return. “I’ll be facing the other direction!”
“What good will
that do if you can see through everything?”
“I can’t see through the back of my eyes, Lois!”
“Well, how do I know that?!”
He laughed again.
“Scout’s honor,” he said with a grin, tugging her closer to him again.
“Were you ever really a Boy Scout?” she challenged.
“Of course! I was even an Eagle Scout.”
“Of course you were,” she muttered. But she couldn’t quite keep the affection out of her voice. “One round,” she allowed. “But I’m keeping an eye on you.”
“I like the sound of that,” he said, finally claiming his kiss.
*****
They went
four rounds, and ended up in a draw, still arguing over the rules of their hand-drawn version of the game when they were interrupted.
Dr. Weeks had stopped by to thank them for writing such a fair article that truly promoted the work being done at the Project. He planned to travel with the artifacts when it was time for them to make their way to Metropolis, and he promised to look them up when he went there. They assured him that they’d show him around the
Daily Planet, since he’d given them such an in-depth tour of
his workplace already.
Bashir had come by not too long after that, inviting them to return to the Valley of the Kings soon, even before they’d left. He warmly thanked them for rescuing his friend, for saving the Project, and for being such good students during his lectures. And he left them with one last anecdote about how Ancient Egyptians invented an early form of toothpaste using crushed rock salt and mint before repeating his invitation for them to come back to visit again soon.
To top it off, Abo had come to visit, bringing the sister he’d spoken of so fondly, who Lois finally learned was named Sameera. Sameera wished them a speedy recovery and a safe journey home, and she even gifted them flaky, layered butter pastries that she’d baked herself. Somehow, they turned out to be even more delectable than Abo’s cooking. Lois sincerely thanked him again for helping her, though meeting the quick-speaking, impulsive Sameera gave Lois the idea that he was used to getting small brunettes out of tough scrapes.
Before she knew it, the night had grown late and she was packing up to leave, prepping for the next day.
As soon as her suitcase was zippered, she pushed her way through the mosquito netting over her mat and gingerly laid down on her side, not even pulling up her coverlet before letting out an exhausted sigh.
“Tired?” Clark asked, folding a shirt into his suitcase.
“Fighting for your life really takes it out of you. Or maybe it was Bashir’s in-depth story about the recipe for ancient toothpaste,” she quipped.
Her eyes roved over his form as he bent over his suitcase. Her ribs were hurting again, probably from stretching them and being jostled in her scuffle with Wahid.
She rolled onto her back, wondering what would happen to his mother and sister, wondering whether they, too, considered themselves protectors of the tombs.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Clark asked, zipping up his suitcase.
“I was thinking that I was glad we included so much about Qurna in the final piece.”
“I was surprised you wanted to write that sidebar about the village’s residents,” he said, turning out the far hurricane lamp and crossing the tent toward her.
“Well, we already had so many first hand interviews about how difficult it's been for the residents,” she said slyly, “it would have been a shame to waste it.”
She’d made it sound glib, but it wasn’t funny. Not really.
“Is something bothering you?” he asked.
She brushed a piece of hair away from her face as Clark tucked the netting in around their mats.
“Carnahan said that there was a lost civilization beneath our feet. But with everything we’ve learned about Qurna, it seems like there might be a lost civilization right next door that no one cares enough about.”
“I think you captured that perspective in your writing.”
She sighed. “Who knows if anyone will even read it out here.”
“Any light in the darkness is helpful,” he told her, sounding like a combination of both Clark and Superman. “Even a single grain of sand can make an impact.”
“No more sand! Please! I’ve had enough of that kind of impact to last a lifetime!” she said, tugging at the bottom of her shirt, where she could feel a few grains of sand that had somehow stowed away against her skin.
He settled onto his mat, sitting next to her. “There’s been a lot of impactful change the last few days.”
“No kidding.” But his tentative tone caught her ear. “Do you have anything
else to tell me?”
“No, no,” he said quickly, but then went on tentatively. “I just mean it’s a lot of change. All at once.”
Clark had never been good at cryptic, and she wasn’t sure she liked where this was heading. “What are you saying?”
“I guess I’m just saying that if things are moving too fast for you, with so many things changin–”
She felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. “Are things moving too fast for
you?” Was this why he hadn’t been affected by the Lois-Lane-curse? Had he not been fully invested in this in the first place?
His hands threaded through his hair. “No! Look, I’m saying this all wrong. I just– When we decided to date, to be together, you didn’t know
everything about me. And in the last twenty-four hours, you’ve found out…a lot more. And this probably isn’t going to look like what you expected it to look like.”
She felt her eyes narrow, staring at him as she parsed his words. “Are you...trying to break up with me for my own good?”
“No,” he said emphatically, taking her hand in his. “I don’t want us to break up at all. I’m just saying that if you wanted to think about it, I would understand.”
“Why would I want to think about it?” she asked, wondering what she was missing here.
“With everything I do,” he said, his free hand lingering over his chest where the crest would sit, “I can’t promise that we would ever have a totally normal life.”
“Clark,” she scoffed, “what about me makes you think that I would ever want a totally
normal life?!”
He shook his head. “There will be rescues in the middle of the night. I’ll miss anniversary dinners because of natural disasters. And if anyone ever found out–”
“Then you’ll need me around to put the ancient Egyptian toothpaste back in the tube,” she said.
He looked relieved. “So this,” he traced the ‘S’ that usually sat on his chest, “doesn’t change anything?”
She looked at him skeptically, trying not to laugh. “It changes a
lot of things.” But she sobered quickly. “It just doesn’t change
everything.”
“But…is a relationship with me still what you want?” he asked hopefully.
His vulnerability tugged at her. Who knew that Superman could be insecure? But then again, Superman was just a constructed personality, about as real as Mad Dog Lane. It was armor you put on so that you could do the work you needed to. It was Clark
then beneath that suit and Clark
now that felt vulnerable.
She usually veered far, far away from this kind of conversation, where she’d have to put her feelings on the line, but she’d watched Clark do it over and over for her the last few days. And if she wanted to take more risks in her personal life, this seemed like the biggest.
So she said, “I think it might be what I’ve wanted since we met.”
His brows drew together. “You know I’m not really Superman. I mean, I
am. I’m just– Most of the time I’m really just
Clark.”
“I get that,” she said, sitting up. “I haven’t fully processed everything about this yet. But I had time to think when I was in the hospital and you were getting looked at– When you– You didn’t go and get checked out, did you? That’s when you went to clean up the cave-in.”
He nodded, looking a little chagrined.
“Right,” she said, piecing that together. “Anyway, do you remember when we were tied up at EPRAD? And I told you that I had three rules.”
“Sure,” he finished, “never get involved in a story, never let anyone else get there first, and never sleep with anyone you work with.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Wow, that memory isn’t just photographic, is it?”
He shook his head. “I’ve got a pretty good memory overall.”
“I knew that I was going to keep getting involved in my stories, and I can’t
always control if I can get to a story first, but the one rule I
could control was not to sleep with anybody I worked with. And then you showed up. And you were cute and nice and, well, at first, I really
did think that you were another of Perry’s inexperienced nepotism graduates that had been foisted on him by a board member and then foisted on me to get rid of. But then you weren’t. You could keep up, and you could actually write, and you got us out of those chains that Antoinette Baines used to bind us, and all of a sudden…you were kind of tempting.”
“I think I remember that,” he said. “I asked you to dinner. You actually said ‘yes’. And I thought my whole life was coming together in a week.”
She cringed. “And then I made sure
never to say ‘yes’ to you again. But when Superman showed up, well, he didn’t work at the
Planet,” she said, shrugging. “The rules didn’t apply to him.”
“So you
could date Superman,” he concluded.
She nodded slowly. “And chasing Superman meant I never had to think about you.”
He dropped his head down, clearly stung, and probably remembering the months he must have spent rueing his alter ego.
“But Clark–” When he looked up again, eyes dark, she caught his gaze and held it, “I think it was always you.”
She saw the emotion turn over in his eyes–a hesitant hope that surged into a desperate relief, and then a renewed longing.
But no matter how safe Clark was, or how deeply she wanted this, this level of vulnerability was entirely new for her, and she found herself struggling against the swell of nerves that urged her to leave him out on that long branch alone. “I think, somewhere at the back of my mind, I knew that you were always safe, always temping, and always what I’d wanted.” She swallowed against the sentiment sticking in her throat. “I—I love you, Clark.”
“Lois.” Her name was a breath, a prayer, on his lips. He reached for her again, the feeling of his palm indelibly imprinting itself tenderly against her cheek. “I have been in love with you since the moment I met you. I have been waiting for you my whole life.”
For as much as her pulse raced as she was saying it,
hearing it made her heart skip a beat, and she knew that it was lost to him forever.
When he kissed her, there was a feeling of inevitability to it, like the cursed pieces of her life freeing her, like a love as old as the desert sand itself swirling around her, like a wandering soul finally coming home.
She had thought that Clark looked incandescent in the Egyptian sun, but when they gently broke apart, his happiness looked bright enough to outshine it.
“I want the same thing you do,” she said, answering his original question. But then she couldn’t resist needling him just a little. “…You do mean it
this time, don’t you?”
He laughed. “Yes! Yes, I mean it this time,” he promised, turning serious. “I meant it
that time. I will always mean it. Lois, when we were underground, and I promised to be your friend and partner forever, all I wanted to say was that I just want to be
with you, forever.”
‘Forever’ had a finality to it that shook her a little, not knowing exactly if he meant ‘partner’ now as a work partner or a life partner. But it was something that no one else had ever offered her. Not her always absent father, or her mentally absent mother, or any guy she’d dated before. Perry was probably the closest thing she had to a true family, and even he constantly reminded her that she was only as good as her next story.
But Clark, a man who, with all his patience and kindness and gifts and abilities, could surely have anything he wanted, wanted ‘forever’ with
her.
And when she had worried that he didn’t love her the way she wanted, that he would leave her for Smallville, that he would never offer her
forever, wasn’t that what she had longed for most?
“I think I could get used to that,” she said sincerely.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she assured him, but couldn’t tame the impulse for a caveat. “But if you’re flying back and forth all the time, I expect you to share Martha’s baked goods.”
“You should come with me,” he said impulsively.
“What?”
“Come for dinner on the farm on Sunday,” he said, clearly excited by the idea.
“Really?”
“You can get used to it,” he grinned, “for when I have to be up there more often to help out.”
“I’m not sure I’m much of a farmer,” she equivocated.
“I’ll teach you anything you want to know about the farm,” he promised. “And in the meantime, my mom will probably bake you as many brownies as you can eat.”
She could see the life he was offering her more clearly now. He’d already outlined it for her in the tomb. Candlelight dinners in Metropolis during the week and lazy afternoons in Smallville on Sundays. Kissing in the elevator at the
Planet and baking pies in Martha’s kitchen at the farmhouse. Election cycles underwater at the newspaper and cozy holidays on the farm. Doing the hard stuff together and planning the fun stuff; living in the present and planning for the future. Having each other’s back for all the domestic moments of the day and keeping a superhero’s secrets through the night.
It was the perfect blend of each of them, the sum total of who they were.
Of who they would be together.
“Are your mom’s brownies as good as her pies?” she asked, picking up the loose thread of their conversation.
“Better,” he said appreciatively.
“Well, then, how can I resist?” she asked.
They stayed up too late that night, making plans and promises.
And this time, when she fell asleep in his arms, it wasn’t because she was a desperate insomniac or seeking relief from an injury. It was because she relaxed into the knowledge that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
