EPILOGUE:
Lois sat back from her computer, having just put the finishing touches on their article that brought her back from the dead, proved Clark Kent was an innocent man, and brought down Lex Luthor in front of the world for the second time in the span of a year. She hoped this time it would be for good.
She looked over at her partner who was already starting on their next assignment. Lois watched him for a few moments covertly, thinking about the puzzle that was Clark Kent. Now that she knew he was Superman, she noticed a hundred little clues that she had failed to put together before. His sudden disappearances for one thing, almost always followed by an ‘exclusive’ from Superman. How he heard things before they happened. How he could be handed a stack of books and find the exact piece of information he needed in about five seconds. She was more mad at herself for *not* noticing these things than the fact that he hadn’t told her.
But she did enjoy being on the inside of a story, and Clark’s secret was their own personal blow-your-socks-off story. Besides, she was much better at making up excuses than Clark had ever been. She wondered how he continued to get away with it for as long as he had. But the more she thought of it, she recognized that everyone simply trusted him; so upstanding was Clark that it was impossible for anyone to believe Clark *could* lie. She realized that was the precise reason she had never questioned his lies before either. Clark was so earnest, so genuine, that you took him for face value, and in the end, that’s what saved him from scrutiny.
It was getting late, and both she and Clark had been playing catch up all day to make sure that though everyone thought they might have been down, everyone would know they were definitely not out. They were the hottest team in town after all, and Lois thought it might be about time to add a little more to that particular reputation. So, having sent Perry the final copy on the story, Lois got up and walked over to her partner’s desk. She had a look in her eye that if Clark had looked up to notice, he’d know he was in trouble. But this kind of trouble he wouldn’t mind at all; it was his favorite kind.
Lois had on a pencil skirt with a slit up the side, and she decided it was time to use it to her advantage. As she sauntered over to his desk, she unbuttoned the top two, no three buttons on her blouse. She swung up on Clark’s desk, letting one leg reveal itself lusciously, as she recreated a move she had used when under the influence of the pheromone spray over a year ago. But now there was no pheromone spray… just simple chemistry and a growing love she thought could use a little light-hearted flirt after all they’d been through in the past week.
“Claaark,” she said playfully.
He looked over his glasses, his jaw dropping to see her positioned so enticingly on his desk. He couldn’t form words, which suited Lois just fine. She thrilled to know she could render Superman speechless.
“Just wondering whatcha doing,” she asked innocently with a smile.
“Uh.. um,” began Clark, struggling to focus on what she was asking, but too distracted by the lovely show of leg on his desk. “Just… looking into this next story…”
“Well, I was wondering… were you ever going to take me out on that date?” Lois asked, pouting just a little bit.
Clark smiled at her, even if his eyes kept darting to her skirt. <<Just how high up does that slit go…?>>
He finally found his voice, as his thoughts had actually been in much the same direction for most of the day. In the direction of a date, that is. “Of course, Lois. How about tonight… But… do you mind coming to my place?” he asked, an idea forming in his mind.
She swung her long legs down to the ground, disappointing Clark that she wouldn’t stay perched up like that for at least a little while longer. “What time?”
“Dinner at eight?” he asked, his eyes warming to his topic.
She leaned down, her own eyes beginning to smolder with passion. “Sounds perfect.”
********
Lois arrived at Clark’s place precisely at eight. She was surprised to find his apartment dark, but found a little note taped to the door addressed to her that said simply, “Use the key.”
“Okaaay,” she said, wondering what Clark was up to.
She came inside and called for Clark, but got no response. She felt just a moment of panic, wondering if it was some sort of trick, until Lois spotted a trail of candles near the large window and realized that she was meant to follow them. Smiling to herself at this little game, she followed the trail to the fire escape and began to climb.
“I knew I shouldn’t have worn heels,” she grumbled as her heel got stuck in the grating of the ladder about halfway up. <<This is not the graceful entrance I had intended.>>
As she was trying to pull her foot free, she felt a light whoosh of air by her side and turned.
“Would you like a hand?” asked Superman.
She grinned. “Would you mind?” she asked.
Lois let him gather her in his arms, leaving her heels behind on the fire escape so he could carry her the rest of the way to the roof. The setting she found there was a bit of magic. Clark had laid out several tiki lights and half dozen candles. Some soft Miles Davis was playing somewhere, and a small table was set for an intimate dinner for two. It was a clear night, not too cool, but the moon was full and helped complete the picture of romance. Clark set Lois down and walked her over to the table to have a seat.
“You always said you wanted to have a date with Superman, so here I am,” he offered.
She studied him a moment, then shook her head. “Actually, as much as I appreciate the little rescue on the fire escape, I really wanted a date with Clark. You think he could make an appearance instead?”
Clark grinned, glad that even if he hadn’t intended it to be a test, Lois had proven to him that it was truly his company she desired and not the suit. It warmed him to hear her choose *him*, laying to rest any vestiges of worry that she would still fawn over his superhero side. She could still have Superman any time she wanted, as Clark was unable to deny her anything, but sharing dinner with Lois as Clark was exactly what he had hoped for. So Clark stepped back to turn out of the spandex and into an entirely different kind of suit. He took her breath away, standing before her in a charcoal suit and a matching *subdued* tie, for once.
“There’s the man I wanted to see,” she said breathlessly, reaching for him as he came to sit at their little table.
She leaned over to kiss his cheek, still a little overwhelmed by their show of passion earlier when he had found her in his apartment that morning. Loving Clark was new to her, and she wanted to savor it and take it all in slowly. No need to rush passion tonight, and she thought Clark felt the same way.
“So what’s for dinner?” Lois asked.
“Well, I brought a little mix of a few of my favorite things,” he said, beginning to serve her the first course.
“I have some tapas from a little place I know in Seville,” he said, laying out various cheeses and meats. “Peking duck from China… a cheese course from France, and tiramisu from Italy. Apparently the tiramisu is to die for. I’ll have to make a few regular trips there I think because it may become Bobby Bigmouth’s new favorite bargaining chip.”
Lois laughed, “You actually got Bobby to help you? Well, I suppose, meeting someone like Superman who has access to all the best food all over the world would be hard for him to ignore. I guess we’ll pull out Superman when we need the real big dirt!”
Clark laughed, “Just glad I can be of service.”
Lois and Clark started in on the meal, savoring each bite and each other’s company.
When the meal was over and Lois had finished off the rest of the to-die-for tiramisu, Clark stood up and asked her to dance.
She took his hand, and suddenly lost herself in his chocolate brown eyes. Clark pulled her close to him, and she felt her heart begin to race in anticipation. She thought of how he had rescued her over and over since she’d known him, but she was just realizing that the greatest rescue of all had been how he had offered his heart to her and his friendship. She felt herself choke up a little at the thought and laid her head on his chest so he wouldn’t question why she suddenly had tears in her eyes.
Then, unexpectedly she felt lighter than air and gasped softly when she realized they were dancing--- floating! The soft candle light, the stars, and the cool jazz of Miles Davis lulled her into a sense of well-being in Clark’s arms. She couldn’t imagine anywhere else in the world she would rather be…
“There was one more of my favorite things I wanted to share with you tonight, Lois,” Clark said softly, making her look up at him in question.
“What’s that?” she asked innocently.
“This,” he said, leaning in to kiss her tenderly.
She clung tighter to him, knowing that he would never let her fall to the ground, but knowing too that she was perfectly safe for the first time in her life to fall in *love*.
“Mmm… that’s one of my favorite things, too,” she said. "Can I have another?"
As Clark obliged, they continued to dance under the moon, the stars and a world full of possibility just within their reach.
~END~
