It was just after two in the morning when Lois and Clark finally left her apartment. At that hour, no one was likely to be on the streets, to potentially see Clark without his glasses. And he most definitely had to go as Clark.
He could just stay the night, it being late and all.
If only he had the power to read minds! He sighed. Not that a power like that would do him any good at the moment.
Did Clark just say that Lois didn't have a mind to read?
She still wants to date Clark!
He stripped out of his clothes and readied himself for bed.
He quickly brushed his teeth, slipped into a thin pair of sleep shorts, and climbed into bed.
<<clears throat>> In that order? Clark brushes his teeth in the buff?
For a short time, his mind kept him awake, thoughts of Lois swirling through his brain.
And this was different every other night, how?
It was a minute to nine. He'd overslept. Lois would be arriving any time now.
See, I told you. Nine was too early!
Clark's own heart soared at the sound. Never mind the fact that his powers had returned. Lois was there! All remaining fragments of sleep melted away. He sprang away to the door, leapt the steps with a single small jump, unbolted the lock, and threw it open to find Lois poised there with her fist raised to knock.
Miss her, did you?
"So, is this how it's going to be now, all the time?"
"What? Casually talking about my powers as if it's the most normal thing in the world?" he asked.
Yes, that would be bad, especially at the office and out in public.
Lois gestured to his mostly naked form. "I meant your lack of clothing in my presence."
Um... yes.
"I feel better," Clark admitted, dashing off to his bedroom, while keeping up the conversation. "I'm a hundred percent recovered." He shaved, brushed his teeth, dressed, and reemerged, even finding time to make his bed. "Everything's right again. All my powers are back and seem to be functioning just as effectively as they always have."
He's baaaaaaaaaaack!
You know," she said, gently grabbing his tie as he stood before her, "for a superhero, you have surprisingly super-horrendous taste in ties."
Yeah, that one sounds pretty horrendous. I like the artistic ones though.
"What? You don't like it?"
Once more, Lois rolled her eyes. "How is it that you can be so clueless sometimes?" she wondered aloud, shaking her head.
Sometimes?
"Maybe my wardrobe needs a woman's touch," he said playfully.
Probably, but I doubt Lois is the type of woman to go and buy you ties.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Kent. I agreed to go out on a date with you. Not to be your personal shopper or your wife or anything." By her tone, Clark knew she was only teasing him.
Wow, she can joke about that without it becoming uncomfortable?
"Not yet," he teased back, shrugging, as if to suggest that he knew he'd win her over.
"Maybe not ever," she said, grinning playfully and patting his cheek. "But first things first."
"Our date."
Well, let me show you my heart here, Lois, I keep it on my sleeve. Also, one track mind much there, Clark.
He was still Clark Kent in her eyes, the only person he'd ever wanted to be to her.
Excuse me, Lois, I need to do my happy dance.
It's a good thing he has super speed, because it sounds like he never accomplishes anything when she's not around.
He missed her warmth, her smile, the always open invitation to perch on the edge of her desk, sharing information with her, or working through a confusing batch of research, or reading over her copy, or sharing a brief respite while munching on a bagel and sipping a cup of coffee.
"Donut?"
"What?"
"I said 'donut,' CK," Jimmy said, sidling up to his desk with a box of donuts in his hand. "Man, you are one distracted guy today."
Did Clark think Jimmy was correcting his 'bagel' thought?
Clark obediently pulled his hand away from the donut in question and instead settled for a glazed one. He spied a double chocolate one and fished it out as well, setting it aside for Lois.
It's a Clone! Clark eats cake donuts, not glazed.
Jimmy nodded knowingly. "So all this distraction is just about that, then? Nothing to do with you and Lois finally going out on a date?"
"Wait, how did you...?"
JIMMY: I'm Kryptonian and I know how to read minds. That or *it's really obvious*.
"What?" Clark swallowed the piece of donut he was chewing and took another bite.
"Before or after the fireworks?"
Clark gave Jimmy a guarded look. "Why?"
Jimmy squirmed a little under Clark's gaze. "It's important."
Why? Did something happen before? I also notice that Jimmy doesn't mention the mishap with the fireworks. Courtney distract him until afterwards when the park was suddenly empty and he's watching Lois dive into the lake and pull out Superman?
Jimmy grinned impishly even as his face reddened with embarrassment. "I had a bet going with Tom in sports. He owes me fifty dollars now."
Wow! It was as close as "before or after" the fireworks?
"What? It's become something like of a hobby with a few of us." Jimmy tried to stifle his smile and failed. "Sorry, CK. I know, it was lousy of us." He tried to look contrite, but failed at that as well.
Clark shook his head. "You guys need new hobbies."
Don't worry, now that you've asked her out, we've got a bet on whether or not it will take you until the third date to sleep with her. Shall I put a hundred on the first date?
Jimmy nodded and patted Clark's shoulder. "Sure thing, CK. Hey, you want in on the action? There's a bet going around on how long it's going to take before Stephanie in travel decks Ralph right in the face."
CLARK: Sure <<glances through the floor>> I say about in about 3...2...1... second.
Clark groaned and threw his head back to study the ceiling instead. He wondered how much longer it would be before Lois came back, for what felt like the eightieth time that hour.
Awwww. Poor Clark, he's missing his muse.
Clark gave her a smile. "Thanks. What's the occasion?"
You didn't die.
"A mini motor, like the type you'd find on a remote controlled helicopter, and some sort of electronic box."
Clark's eyebows shot up into his hairline. "Electronic box? What kind of electronic box?"
Lois shook her head. "They don't know yet what it is. But they've passed it along to S.T.A.R. Labs. The theory is that it may be some sort of timer."
"Or a computer," Clark suggested.
Sounds similar to those camera at the Carlin building.
"Don't worry. We'll get whoever it was," she said, rubbing his arm affectionately.
"I hope so, Lois. I'm genuinely worried about this."
He is? Was THAT why he couldn't work while Lois was out of the office?
Clark shook his head. "It's not even about me," he said, keeping his voice low. "It's about all those people. The longer it takes to put this person behind bars, the longer people will be in danger."
Not that there might be more Kryptonite hanging about in Metropolis or anything.
I'm still a little distracted."
"About last night?"
Clark nodded. "Some parts more than others.
Wow, he's really going all out with the full truth, isn't he?
"That's not exactly it," he said, smiling. "It's just...did you know that Jimmy had a bet going with some of the others here at work?"
"A bet?" Lois arched one eyebrow. "What kind of bet?"
"Oh, you know. Just how long it would take before I'd ask you out." He chuckled.
LOIS: I know.
CLARK: You know?
LOIS: Do you know how much money I've lost waiting for you to ask me out? Like a thousand bucks. <<takes a sip of her coffee and looks at him over the edge of the cup>> Know anyone who could fly me to Tahiti for free?
"Oh no. Jimmy's quite happy it happened last night before the fireworks. Seems he won fifty bucks in the bet."
"Good. Now he can pay me back for last month when he borrowed my car and got a parking ticket," Lois said, crossing her arms and leaning back into her chair a bit.
A-ha! That's why she's not angry. That's what they get for betting on Lois.
Congratulations and good luck with your IVF. May you be off your feet for a good time to come. (Like in 9 months)