Warning: PG-13 situation - Tank, take your meds... Hazel and Rivka, cover your eyes.
Part 7"Lex, when is the Daily Planet going to be ready to open?"
"Whenever you give me the word, my love..."
"I wish you would reopen it now; don't wait for me..." She played with the end of her belt. After she had thought about it the past few days, she didn't know if being the owner of a newspaper was what she really wanted. She wanted to be out on the street looking for stories, the way she did before the Daily Planet had been bombed, not stuck behind a desk shuffling papers and watching the other reporters get all the good scoops. "What I'm saying is that it's too soon for me to give you an answer; I need more time."
"Lois, you've had two weeks since my proposal and almost ten days since I've offered you my wedding gift. Business is going to have to begin again soon. Have you contacted your old acquaintances yet? Perry? Kent? Are they coming on board with us?"
"Not yet. They're going to ask questions that I'm not ready to answer. And I'm not sure what Clark's plans are... We haven't spoken very much since Perry's retirement party."
Luthor smiled and covered her hand with his. "I think I've been very patient."
"Yes, you have Lex. But that doesn't mean I'm putting
you off," she said, deciding to go forth with her plan.
She had to know. Had to know if it would be pleasant or something that she couldn't live with. She already had recent experiences from two ends of the spectrum: passionate kisses with Superman, and friendly cuddling with Clark. If Lex could be somewhere in the middle then maybe that could help her decide. It had been quite a shocker to realize it had been Lex she'd been kissing a few days ago, so maybe kissing Lex as Lex instead of dreaming about Superman would make the experience more pleasant.
She didn't understand why she felt the need to marry at this time in her life. Maybe she was just tired of being alone. Coming home to an empty apartment and having only fish to talk to was not cutting it anymore. Besides, it was her choice. Lex wasn't forcing her into anything, but she had been left numb by more evidence of Superman's disappearance. Who did she have left in her life that she could be with - spend her life with?
One more opportunity... one more spin at the wheel... one more chance to grab the brass ring on the last time around the merry-go-round.
As for Superman and Clark's warning to her about Lex, she didn't dismiss them lightly. She highly respected the two men and wouldn't disregard their advice, but there would come a time when she would have to make her own decision about the billionaire. Up till now, Lex had shown her nothing of the terrible deeds that they had warned and hinted about.
On the other hand, Lex had been very positive towards her relationships with the other men in her life. The creation of the Superman Foundation had proven that he had no ill feelings towards Superman, and he had pointedly asked her if Clark was going to be on her staff when the Daily Planet reopened. Lex was supportive in so many ways... Though she didn't know about Clark's future since she hadn't had a chance to ask him personally, it still meant a lot to her to know that Lex was thinking about the important people in her life.
Yet, she was an investigative reporter, and she still needed to keep her eyes open. But in the meantime, she wanted to determine if she could live compatibly as his wife to see if marriage was even an option for her.
Now as Lex's brown eyes searched her questioningly, she steeled herself for another part of her decision. "That doesn't mean we can't do
some things..." She took his hand and placed it on her chest. "I want to wait for marriage, but that doesn't mean we can't, um... play."
"Wait for marriage... hmm," he said amusedly as his fingers began caressing her. "Sounds like you've almost made up your mind."
His other hand pushed the collar of her blouse aside and his lips found the side of her neck. Lois closed her eyes and tilted her head, trying to will pleasant sensations into his touch and his kisses. "Oh, let's just say I'm thinking hard about it."
Her hands crept up and began unbuttoning his shirt, stopping at the collar to loosen his tie. Lex removed his tie and casually tossed it aside.
This didn't feel right. She had no desire to see Lex undressed. Why did she feel the need to prove something? Because she had to know, had to try to get some sort of sense of connection with him. Everything in her life had been turned upside down except her relationship with Lex. If only she could feel something for this outwardly generous man or at least determine if she could tolerate being with him this way.
Determined, she slipped her hand beneath his shirt and instead of skin, her hand encountered a ribbed t-shirt. T-shirt? She moved her hand upwards and found the bare skin of his shoulder and it startled her. What did they call those things... a wife-beater... How unsexy could you get? This didn't feel right, touching him this way. She opened her eyes and glanced downward. He was built rather... okay. Nothing could compare to Superman's or well... Clark's chest for that matter.
Lois removed her hand and tried to think of a way to back out of the predicament she was in. She took a deep breath and tried to relax, go with the flow...
Suddenly, Lex's mouth was on hers, his tongue forcing her lips open and probing deep into her mouth. His arms snaked around her, one arm at her waist and the other securely against her lower body. He pulled her slowly to her feet, leaning her backwards causing her to wrap her arms around his neck to keep her balance.
Lex walked them over a few feet and sat her on the desk, nestling between her parted legs. He ended the kiss and drew away from her, his eyes clouded with desire.
What a mixed bag of emotions Lex was! One minute he was kissing her passionately and the next he was staring at her like he was trying to draw her into his soul.
"You are so soft... your skin is like spun silk... Lois," he whispered as his hands moved forward to rest on the front of her blouse. "My turn... turnabout is fair play."
As if in slow motion, he began to unbutton the front of her shirt, looking up into her eyes as each button was undone. He seemed to be asking her permission as one by one the buttons were released from their holes.
His practiced moves seemed too polished, too well executed to seem spontaneous. His look of adoration didn't reach his soul, but she had instigated this little session of experimentation and needed to play it out a bit longer. She could stop it anytime she wanted, couldn't she?
She felt like the dumb heroine in her favorite television show, The Ivory Tower. Here she was in one of Lex's 'towers' allowing a possibly dangerous man, according to Clark and Superman, to smoothly undress her. Yes, she had no proof; but more importantly, she had no sexual desire for this man.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, supporting her upper body with her arms as Lex began to touch her. Why couldn't she feel anything? Maybe Claude had been right that time so many years ago when he described her as an Ice Princess? But she hadn't felt like an Ice Princess with Superman – it had to be Lex.
Suddenly what he was doing to her didn't seem right – he was going way too far and was making her uncomfortable.
She placed her hand over his arm and tried to pull him away. "I don't think..."
His lips on hers cut her off again. She didn't want this, yet she would be considered a tease if she stopped him – she had invited him to 'play', after all! On the other hand, he was taking this past the comfort threshold. Lois pushed him away from her.
"We need to stop, Lex. This is too soon, too fast," she declared, trying to let him down a bit easy, even though the urge to practice a few of her self-defense moves was bubbling up inside of her.
His cell phone rang and Lex didn't respond to her cease-fire, but immediately began buttoning his shirt after answering the telephone.
"Yes... Mrs. Cox. I was very busy, but you were right to call. I'll be over to LexCorp within a half an hour."
Within a minute, Luthor was fully dressed and kissing her good-bye. "Sorry, my dear, but something has come up."
Lois felt the tension slip away when she realized that he was leaving. She'd have a lot to think about in the next few days.
*****
Clark eyed the man in the mirror and gingerly touched the white shaving cream on his face. He brought his new razor, bought as a cover to throw off nosy guests, it to his face and started stroking cautiously. The blades glided over his skin smoothly, removing the short stubble.
Ouch! A particularly tough hair of beard, and he had nicked himself again. His invulnerability was gone, and it didn't appear as if it was coming back any time soon. Yet, a few hairs still had a trace of super-growth. Clark touched a bit of toilet paper to his cut and stared at it in the mirror. The darn thing stung!
Basically, it was just a bit of annoyance, and a challenge, to use a razor on his face instead of his laser vision. He kept hoping that this was only going to be a temporary inconvenience until he got his powers back.
Clark had woken up this morning feeling more alert than he had since his ordeal had begun. He had taken his first shower in days and was attempting to remove the slow-growing beard on his face.
He had to feel a bit more human before sitting down to think about what he had been through and what his next course of action should be. Hopefully, the shower and shave, along with the breakfast his mom was cooking, would be enough get his thought processes back in working order.
Clark finished shaving, and left the bathroom, his head seemingly clearer than it had been in days. After putting on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt, he went out to the kitchen table where his mother was drinking some coffee.
"Well, aren't you looking chipper this morning? Welcome back to the real world, honey. Would you like some coffee?" Martha asked, smiling at her son.
"Sure, Mom. First time since this whole thing started a couple of days or so ago that I've wanted anything in my stomach."
"Couple of days? Honey, is that how long ago that you believe this has happened?"
"Um, I think. Didn't you get here yesterday?"
"I've been here for almost a week. You've been out of it for most of the time."
"A week? Wait a minute!"
"I can show you my plane tickets if you don't believe me." Martha started to get up but Clark's hand on her arm stopped her.
"Don't go, Mom!" His voice sounded confused as he looked pleadingly in her eyes.
Martha sat down in her chair and reached for her son's hand. "Clark, tell me what happened and maybe we can sort this out."
He sighed, and tried to clear the fuzzy memories from his mind. "I remember going to visit Luthor in the basement of his building. He had called to discuss Lois with me."
"Wait a minute! He called Superman? I didn't know you had a cell phone."
"No, he called Clark to get hold of Superman for him."
"Oh, I see. Go on."
"I was captured in this cage made of that green rock Wayne Irig had found on his farm. At least I think it was the same stuff; Lois named it kryptonite after we got back that time from visiting the farm. But I freed myself later that day and came home. Luthor left the keys on a barrel and I was able to get them by shredding my cape and throwing my boot at it."
"Oh, so that's how your cape got torn up." Martha frowned. "But honey, you were missing for days before you called your dad and I. We heard from a television announcement that Superman had disappeared and tried to get hold of you."
"Days? That's impossible."
Martha stood up, hugged his broad shoulders for reassurance, then walked into the living room. She returned carrying a sun-faded newspaper. "Here. I found this inside the doorway when I first arrived. See? It has you on the front page." She handed him another paper already lying on the table. "This is today's."
Clark opened up the first paper and read, 'Where are you, Superman? Caped hero hasn't been seen in days.' He quickly looked at the date on the more recent paper and turned back to the first one.
"Mom, this was dated almost a week ago." He paused for a second, then said, "I couldn't have been gone for eleven days... and they think Superman is dead." He slumped into his chair. "It was a Friday when I saw Luthor, today is a Tuesday... so I must have been in the cage for... five days? How can that be?"
"You have lost track of time, dear. Or passed out."
"Passed out... I thought I was just out for a few minutes, but apparently it was a lot longer."
"Your father and I were getting worried about you. We knew that nothing could physically hurt you except that dratted rock, that Kryptonite. We just kept hoping you would call and let us know something."
Clark frowned and placed his head in his hands. Martha patted him on the back, trying to sooth him while he processed the latest round of information. After a few moments, he lifted his head with a devastated look on his face.
"Mom, if last time was any indication, my powers should have returned after a week. Guess that explains it... why I haven't gotten them back yet. I was under the influence of that Kryptonite cage for five days. The first time was only a few seconds. I may never get them back."
"Oh, sweetie! Don't despair! Maybe all you need is time. If you were exposed to it for a longer time, it just may take longer to get them back."
"You don't understand, Mom. This is Luthor we're talking about – there's no telling what he did to the Kryptonite or what he did to me while I was out of it."
"Luthor? Is this Lois' Luthor?"
Clark's face grew hard with anger. "Yes, Mom. The man who proposed to Lois. This is the same man who locked me in a cage and left me to die. And I can't do anything to stop them now. As Superman..." His voice faded.
Martha completed his sentence. "As Superman you could fight him. But Clark, if he's as bad as you say he is, go to the police, or fight back as Clark Kent, the reporter. Take them to the cage and show them what he's done to you."
"Without Superman around, why should they believe me? And knowing Luthor, he's covered his tracks like always."
Martha sat down and took Clark's hands. "First of all, son, if you're going to be of any help to Lois, you're going to have to get better. I think you should see a doctor."
"Doctor? Mom? You know you and dad have warned me for years about letting people examine me."
"This is different, Clark. You may need help. Think about it. Is there anyone you met during your time as Superman that you believe you can trust? Someone you can go to as Superman and get some help? Not all people are out to get you."
"I don't know, Mom, maybe... Come to think of it, there was this one scientist that helped outfit me the time of the Nightfall Asteroid. His name was Klein; Bernard Klein."
"There you go! Why don't you rest up today and try to see him tomorrow; that is if you feel up to it. I can rent a car and take you."
"Go as Clark? Is that what you're saying?"
"No, silly. As Superman. You can still protect your identity that way."
"Might work, Mom. He was a decent guy. A bit eccentric, but a good man."
"We'll have to think up a plan to get you in there, but count me in." Martha grinned at her son. "You have to keep up your hopes and your spirits, son. Don't give up on Lois either. Do you remember her visiting you a couple of days ago?"
Clark raked a hand through his hair. "Sort of. I finally dismissed it as a dream."
Martha puffed up and grinned mischievously. "She sat with you and even laid down next to you and took a nap. I think she's what finally brought you out of all the heavy sleeping you had been doing. You two make a cute couple."
"Mom!"
"Honey, it's so obvious that you're in love with her. I think she loves you too. She just doesn't know it yet."
"Guess that's why she's marrying him," he said, dejectedly.
"Clark Jerome Kent! She hasn't said yes to him yet. She told me so the other day. Now get your act together and do something. But first, rest up; you're going to need it."
"True, Mom." Clark grinned. He could always count on his mother to see the silver lining in whatever predicament he managed to get himself into. "Could I have some of those cinnamon rolls? They smell delicious."
Martha rose out of her chair once again and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Welcome back, sweetie. Thought you'd never ask."
*****
