Missing Lois - TOC Extra Disclaimer: I would like to thank Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Etta James, Michael Bublé and all the other great singers and songwriters who make all us fools fall in love. I have borrowed from your oeuvre to enhance the following scenes and do not take credit for your wonderful songs or songwriting abilities, only the effects they wreak on my characters. (Examples of the songs included in the following scenes can be found at the end of each Chapter section.)
Author’s Note: I have altered the timeline of the show twice in this chapter. First, by extending the length of Lois’s murder trial (to months instead of days) and secondly, by moving Tempus’s John Doe Presidential election bid to its correct spot - after “Ghosts” and around the time of “Stop the Presses” (i.e. November 1996).
Story Notes: Story is set in alt-dimension
- Clark = Alt-Clark unless otherwise noted
- Lucy El (Lois's secret identity) = pregnant canon Lois avoiding the curse by hiding out with alt-Clark
- Kal = what Lois-Lucy and alt-Clark call canon Clark
- Sam Lane = alt-Lois's Dad, Lois's doctor & roommate
- Lex Luthor = no explanation necessary, same bad guy as always
- Ultra Woman = basically the same as in canon
- Cat Grant = helping alt-Clark out with PR on his '50 dates' charity winners
- Mayor White = aka Perry White, former Editor-in-Chief at the DP
- Alice White = Perry's wife
- The only people who know canon Lois's true identity are alt-Clark, Sam, and Moonbeam (alt-Star). Alt-Clark told Mayson Drake that Lucy El is his sister-in-law and that he has a twin brother, but not about the other dimension. Mayson didn't believe him (thinking instead that Lucy was a con-artist).
***
In
Chapter 3: Part 7, Clark has found out from Dr. Klein that he cannot father children. Lois discovers that Lex Luthor had funded Sam Lane's medical research in prosthetics (aka "Requiem for a Superhero") and that Lex threatened his daughter (alt-Lois) when Sam refused to work for him any longer. Sam also discloses that his daughter sent him a postcard shortly after she disappeared, telling Sam that she was eloping.
***
Where we left off...
Clark glanced across the room at their friendly-neighborhood hacker, kidnapper extraordinaire and lowered his voice. “Any new news about Lex Luthor?”
She touched his arm. “I’m sorry, Clark. He’s disappeared, I’m afraid. He won’t be found until he wants to be found.” Lois reached up and touched his face. Clark was such a good man, she wished she could find him his true love, he deserved some happiness. Then she remembered he wasn’t Kal and dropped her hand.
Clark’s brow furrowed as he gazed at her and she hoped he hadn’t read too much into that gesture.
“Are you getting enough sleep, Lucy? The circles under your eyes are getting darker. Anything wrong with Kal and you?”
Lois shook her head. “Someone let a ghost loose in our apartment. She’s been inhabiting my body and trying to steal Kal.” She yawned with a shrug. “It’s not exactly sleep inducing. What is it with Charlton Heston running basically unopposed for reelection? Even in my dreams, President Garner’s toughest opponent is some unknown character who calls himself John Doe.” She shivered again. “What I could really use is a night off from reality.”
Clark grinned; this time the light did reach his eyes. Something was definitely up with him. “That’s what I wanted to speak to you about.”
***
Part 8Lois took another look at herself in the mirror. She felt ridiculous. She had hated the costume back when it was necessary to be Metropolis’s superhero, but to wear it to a party? A deep lavender body suit with a pink belt and yellow stripes up the thigh. Lavender boots, mask, and cuffs and a turquoise cape. One could not be modest in this outfit. The belt hit her belly in just the right spot, hiding the extra baby bulge. Stepping into the hall, she sighed.
Clark had promised no one would know it was her. And that there would be dancing. She could be herself, not Lucy El, for one evening. No glasses, no pretense, no vegetarianism, just Superman and Ultra Woman out for a night on the town. Fun. What she did to put a smile on that man’s face. She walked into the living room, where Superman waited.
“Wow!”
Lois blushed. He actually said the word aloud, which felt pretty good when she sensed she looked more like one evolutionary step away from being a hippo. “It’s too tight, Clark. People are going to notice my belly.”
“Nonsense. I had the tailor make the top a couple inches longer than in the original suit, so you can raise your arms without your stomach showing. Plus, it isn’t so fitted around the waist and the belt hides anything you don’t want anyone to know about. They’d have to look at you under a microscope to notice your extra passenger.” Clark’s smile melted any of her lingering doubts. “No one will know it’s you,” he repeated. “I promise.”
“What is the theme of this party again?”
“Come as your favorite superhero.”
“So, where’s your costume, Clark?” She walked up to him and tried to peak under the neckline of the blue suit. “Are you wearing your Wonder Woman costume under there somewhere?”
Superman swatted her hand away, playfully and gasped. “Did Kal tell you about us, Ultra Woman? That was supposed to be a secret.”
“What?” She glared at him with such intensity he could almost feel heat vision coming out of her eyes.
“Just a joke. Just a joke.” He laughed, holding up his hands. “Never even met her, I promise!”
“Ha. Ha.” Lois was not amused. “So, where is it? You aren’t going like that, are you?”
Clark smiled and pulled out a large, full fake mustache that matched his hair color perfectly.
Lois laughed. “That’s some costume, Superman.”
He stepped up to the mirror by the front door and pressed it to his face. He looked like a completely different person. “What do you think?”
“Subtle, but effective.”
Clark took her arm and walked up to the window. “Shall we fly?”
“Won’t that be a little bit of a dead giveaway?” she asked raising an eyebrow. She wondered how much of her facial expressions the mask covered up.
“I can land us a block away or we can take a cab if you prefer.” He winced. “I promised Sam, no flying after mid-October and it’s Halloween. We’ll take a cab.”
“I prefer flying,” Lois pouted. “Sam’s not the boss of me and he’s not here to stop us.”
“He’s your doctor,” Clark reminded her. “We’ll take a cab.”
She grimaced. She still hadn’t completely forgiven Sam Lane for getting his daughter kidnapped and seduced by Lex Luthor. One day, maybe, but not today.
“Do you have space in the suit for cab fare?” she asked, running her fingers down his chest.
“Cab drivers usually let me ride for free,” he admitted, sheepishly.
“Not tonight, they won’t. There will be hundreds, if not thousands of Supermen roaming around Metropolis tonight, especially at this party.” She turned back to her room. “I’ll grab my purse.”
“No, don’t, Lois. How are you going to wear a purse and a cape? It doesn’t work.” He stepped into the closet and came back out, looking exactly the same.
“Just had to get money out of my wallet.” He smiled, tucking a twenty into his belt and another into his boot. He slipped a third into her boot. “Just in case I have to duck out early.”
She’d have to ask her Clark someday where he kept his wallet in that tight blue suit. “Where will you keep the coins?”
“I’ll just round up.” He took hold of her elbow as they went out her front door. “Let’s go, Ultra Woman.”
They arrived to sea of blue and red with hints of yellow at the hotel ballroom. Almost every man had come as Superman. There were also quite a few female equivalents of Superman, Superwoman, who had a red mini-skirt instead of shorts. There were also a sea of Wonder Women, more than a couple of Spidermen, Green Lanterns, several Flashes, even a Catwoman or two, but only one Ultra Woman.
“Who are you supposed to be?” the doorman who took their invitation asked.
“I am Ultra Woman,” replied Lois, hands on her hips.
“Ultra hot,” the man replied with a head bob.
“That’s my date you’re talking about,” Clark growled protectively.
“Superman,” Lois said, setting a hand on his shoulder. “He’s just paying me a compliment. Right?”
The man nodded. “Just nice to see something other than Superman. That’s all I meant. No offense.”
“None taken,” Lois replied for Clark and dragged him inside. “Calm yourself, Superman.”
He pulled her close to make sure she could hear him, unnecessary with her super hearing. “Just make sure you leave with the correct Superman.”
She whispered back, “I’m only interested in men who can fly.”
He laughed.
They saw Mayor White out on the dance floor with a Catwoman, who Lois could have sworn was Cat Grant. Perry, of course, was dressed as Elvis. She nodded in his direction and Clark laughed, again. She was glad they came. It was a silly theme. Everyone was in costume and with so many Supermen, Clark actually didn’t stand out for once. He could just have fun and dance. Be himself in a crowd. As the party was hosted by the Mayor, the music included a lot of swing, big band and Elvis. Clark dragged her on to the dance floor for Elvis’s
Hard Headed Woman.He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, “There are a lot of Elvis songs that describe you perfectly.”
“Who, me or Ultra Woman?” She grinned.
Unlike her Clark who ballroom-danced like a prince, this Clark could swing and jitterbug with the best of them. After a few songs, Lois was thrilled when the slow song
The Wonder of You came up on rotation. As they danced cheek to cheek, Lois closed her eyes and thought of her Superman and dancing with him. He always said that dancing wasn’t really dancing if you had your feet on the ground.
“Shall we get a drink?” Clark asked and it felt like her feet slammed to the ground. Had they been floating? Or had she just been imagining it?
Lois nodded and they walked to the bar. Clark ordered her a cranberry juice and tasted it to make sure it hadn’t been spiked.
“My hero,” she whispered. She knew he heard her, because he allowed a smile to slip onto his lips. “This is fun. I’m glad we came.”
“Me, too,” he answered, sipping his soda.
“Is it odd, being surrounded by so many Supermen?”
“It’s nice to be me and still blend in with the crowd.” He led her over to the buffet tables. “Plus, it’s highly complimentary. Food?”
She shook her head. She wasn’t hungry, for once. “Let’s just finish these drinks and head back to the dance floor. This will probably be my last dance for a while.”
He led her back to the floor for
You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby. When he pulled her close, during one of the spins, she could hear him singing along with the words.
An hour later, they were sitting at a table finishing their dinner, when Baby reminded her that she hadn’t been to the restroom in a while. She leaned close to Clark. “I’ve got to go use the facilities. Can you clean this up and I’ll meet you back at the dance floor?” He nodded.
The Ultra Woman costume was not one for getting into and out of quickly when one was in a hurry. As she stepped out of the stall, finally zipped up and ready to wash up, she found Cat Grant standing in front of her.
“Excuse me,” Lois stepped to the side to get around her. Cat followed her to the sinks.
“You are Clark Kent’s date, are you not?” Cat asked.
“I’m here with Superman,” Lois corrected, hoping that Cat didn’t recognize her.
“The real one?”
Lois shook her hands, spraying water all over her. “Are you trying to interview me in the ladies room, Miss?” She stepped around Cat, and another woman spritzing herself with perfume, to get over to the paper towels. Even she had only stooped that low on a rare occasion.
“What’s your costume supposed to be?” Cat asked, still trying to pry information out of her.
“Ultra Woman.”
“Never heard of her.”
Lois smiled. “I’m new.” She easily stepped around her. “Excuse me, my date is waiting.”
When Lois finally got back to the dance floor, it was a sea of red and blue. Everywhere she turned, she saw Supermen and not one was the correct one. It was fairly dark on the dance floor and several Supermen had mustaches, but she couldn’t see the real one. She turned and bumped into the feather on the headdress of some Indian Princess – was that supposed to be Tiger Lily from Peter Pan or Sacajawea? – and she sneezed. Pushing through the throng of dancers, she got turned around and around, and she started to feel dizzy. Just as Lois was thinking about returning to the table where she had left Clark, the crowd of dancers suddenly parted enabling her to breathe again. That’s when she saw her Superman across the dance floor. She smiled and sashayed over to Clark.
“Hi,” Lois said to him. “You want to dance?”
Superman nodded and they started dancing to Elvis’s
Suspicious Minds. Lois realized about half way through the song that she was dancing with the wrong Superman after all. This Superman didn’t dance with any style or grace or at all. She looked around for Clark, but still could not find him. If she could only rise above this crowd and look around. The song finally ended and Lois waved good-bye to this imposter and went to find her date. As she turned away, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close.
“No. Thank you. I’m here with someone.” She gently tried to pull free, but the man would not let go.
“Yeah, lady. Me,” the man answered gruffly. She could look clearly into his face and although he was the correct height and had similar hair color, this man did not look anything like Clark Kent. He held tightly onto her waist.
She felt ridiculous calling for help from Superman, when surrounded by Supermen. Who knew who might answer her call? Sometimes, a woman had to be her own superhero.
“I said no!” She slammed the heel of her boot into his foot, balled her fist and punched him in the jaw. The man stumbled across the dance floor and landed at the feet of Elvis… Mayor White. That was a nice punch, if she said so herself. That felt good. It had been a while since she had a chance to stretch those muscles. A round of applause followed her as she walked off the dance floor.
Perry looked down at the man and then over at her. He signaled a few security guards to remove the man from the floor and then he headed her way. Oh, drat. He must have recognized her.
“Excuse me, Miss,” Elvis Perry said. “Was that man bothering you?”
Lois nodded. “I’m sorry about disrupting your party, but some men just don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
“That’s some right hook you have.”
Lois shrugged. “Have you seen Superman?”
Elvis Perry laughed and waved a hand at the crowd.
“They all look alike. Will the real Superman, please, come forward?” She waited, but he still didn’t appear. She shrugged.
Elvis Perry laughed, again. “Who are you supposed to be?”
“I’m Ultra Woman,” Lois answered with a slight nod. It felt strange introducing herself to Perry, just as it had when she was Ultra Woman the first time. “What’s your name? Elvis?”
He bowed. “Would you like to dance? I must warn you I tend to dip low and often.”
Lois laughed and nodded her acceptance. He led her back to the dance floor for
The Way You Look Tonight. It was nice not to feel lost anymore. As he spun her around the floor for a second dance to
I Don’t Get Around Much Anymore a rush of wind blew through the room. Perry dipped low and, suddenly, Lois was looking up into the face of Superman, the right one.
“My I cut in?” he asked.
“Ultra Woman?” Perry inquired, tilting her upright. “Is this the man who brought you or another imposter?”
“I don’t know,” she replied as Perry spun her around. “Does he fly? I only date Supermen who fly.”
Elvis Perry chuckled. Clark looked at her darkly, arms crossed. Oops, she had blown his cover. Perry bowed with a kiss to her hand. “Enchanted to meet you.”
“What a charmer.” She smiled. “Better not let Priscilla see you; I hear she gets nasty jealous.”
Elvis Perry laughed and then glanced around the room to see if Alice had indeed seen him dancing with Ultra Woman. He spotted her and waved. A moment later Superman was holding Lois in his arms.
“You disappeared on me,” she accused him, teasingly.
“Sorry. There was a mugging a couple blocks away and then a hold-up at a diner. I thought I’d be back sooner. Everything all right?”
“Now that you’re here.” She rested her cheek against his with a sigh. “Elvis had to rescue me from a drunk.” No need to supply details.
Clark stepped out of the dance and scanned the room. “Where is he?”
She pulled him back in. “I told you. Elvis made him leave the building. I’m fine.”
The song switched to
Don’t Be Cruel and Lois smiled as he spun her around.
“Cat’s on the prowl.”
“Huh?”
“She cornered me in the restroom. She figured out that I was with the real Superman. What did you say to her?” Lois asked when the music brought them back together.
Superman shrugged innocently and didn’t answer. The music slowed and
She’s Not You started. Clark looked her in the eye for a moment and held her close. They were both slow dancing with people who weren’t there.
Lois closed her eyes. This Clark felt just like her Clark in her arms. He smelled just like him. He held her just like her Clark. She didn’t want to let him go. When they danced like this, her Clark felt so near. It was so easy to pretend she was with the man of her dreams.
The music changed to a faster tune, Clark tried to step out of their embrace, but she held him close, not wanting to break this feeling. He went with it, but spun her around in tine with the music. She was thankful he didn’t question her actions.
The music switched again to
Don’t, the song in which Elvis sang that he didn’t want her to tell him ‘Don’t.’ Clark pulled back and looked her in the eyes. “Drink?”
She nodded, unable to speak. They left the dance floor.
They sat down at a table in silence, sipping their drinks. Clark finally broke the peace, “Who knew Elvis was such a romantic?”
Lois could not answer. She still felt under the spell of the night. She knew she should say something. She should leave, go home, get away from him. But instead, she looked at him with all the emotions pulsing through her veins.
He swallowed. “How about some air?”
Standing up, she took his hand. He lead her out of the ballroom to a small terrace. As she stepped closer to him Lois closed her eyes and Clark wrapped an arm around her waist. A moment later they were on the roof.
The cooler air felt good against her hot skin, but it didn’t clear this feeling from her mind.
“Lois,” he whispered, his lips next to her ear.
She shook her head. “Lois isn’t here, tonight,” she murmured. “Just Superman and Ultra Woman.”
“I don’t think…” he started to say, before she placed her fingers over his lips.
“Don’t think.” She began to sway to the music they could both still hear. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He closed his eyes. Slowly, he started dancing with her, his resistance melting.
“I’m not him,” he said, trying one last time to fight destiny.
“Yes, you are.”
As they swayed to the music, she whispered, “Surrender.” She placed her lips to his, but he turned away. Tears blinded her as she pushed him aside. The pain of his rejection swallowed her. These feelings for him were overpowering her; she could no longer control them or deny them. Opening the door to the stairswell, she disappeared.
*** End of Part 8 ***In case you want to know what any of the above-referenced songs sound like, click the link below:
Elvis -
Hard Headed Woman Elvis -
The Wonder of You Bing Crosby -
You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby Elvis -
Suspicious Minds Fred Astaire -
The Way You Look Tonight Etta James -
Don't Get Around Much Anymore Elvis -
Don't Be Cruel Elvis -
She's Not You Elvis -
Don't Elvis -
Surrender ***
CommentsChapter 3: Part 9
