{"id":656,"date":"2014-12-11T16:37:01","date_gmt":"2014-12-11T16:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"\/lnc\/?page_id=656"},"modified":"2023-06-10T11:01:57","modified_gmt":"2023-06-10T15:01:57","slug":"heaven","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/fanfic\/pg-fanfic\/heaven\/","title":{"rendered":"Heaven"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author: Sheila
\n
Email: ethanseth@msn.com<\/a>
\n
Rated: PG-13<\/i><\/p>\n

This story is my annual birthday dedication to Maria
\nFernandez. I received my first directions from Maria when I joined the boards.
\nThrough that communication we somehow discovered that we have the same
\nbirthday, May 31st. I’m a bit late this year, due to school preparations.
\nThough Maria is away from the boards and hopefully recovering, she is still in
\nmy thoughts and prayers.<\/p>\n

Sorry guys…no criminal element in here. Just plain love,
\nforgiveness and betrayal!<\/p>\n

I had no beta reader to blame for my mistakes. The main
\nplayers not mine though I did create the surrounding cast. I used some familiar
\nnames but carefully without making any innuendos. So…here we go…<\/p>\n

Heaven <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The Daily Planet had been bombed, destroyed, burned to ashes
\nover three weeks ago, just slightly a week after Lex Luthor bought it. Though
\nLex Luthor had pointed an accusing finger at the mail boy it was no secret to
\nLois Lane that her otherwise mild mannered partner, Clark Kent, was pretty
\ncertain that Lex was behind the bombing. Lois had tried to get Clark to see all
\nthe good that Lex had done for Metropolis but Clark just would not hear of it.
\nLois didn’t understand how Clark could dislike Lex so much without substance.<\/p>\n

Lois had been going out with Lex occasionally. He had been
\nnothing but kind and cordial to her. It did occur to her that jealousy was
\nClark’s motivation for condemning Lex. But then, the Clark that she knew wasn’t
\nlike that. He was a na\u00efve country boy from Kansas who always gave everyone the
\nbenefit of the doubt. Surely Clark would have told her if he had any
\nquintessence to his accusations. He had been her partner for a whole year!<\/p>\n

Since Lex had bought the Planet, Clark had been more
\nirritable than usual. He had said more than once that he would not work for Lex
\nLuthor. Lois was afraid that Clark would soon make truth of that statement.
\nLois often witnessed Clark exchanging confrontational words with Lex. Usually,
\nClark wanted to pursue something that Lex had deemed not financially sound for
\nthe paper.<\/p>\n

Though Lex had bought the Planet, it was still in financial
\nshambles and Lex said that he had to carefully dictate the budget until the
\npaper was back on its feet. This meant that he had to be guarded about what was
\nprinted in the Daily Planet. Credibility was understandably important in order
\nfor the Daily Planet to resurface and stay on top. Lex had even threatened to
\nsell it because it was presently operating at a loss. Lois understood this but
\nClark didn’t seem to. He just accused Lex of not wanting to pursue a news story
\nthat would be a conflict of his interests.<\/p>\n

Perry had since taken early retirement and Jimmy had gone to
\nstart over closer to his father. Perry had all but said that he did not trust
\nLex Luthor. There was no one at this point filling in as editor so Lex Luthor
\ndecided what got printed and what didn’t. He tried to make Lois feel like she
\nhad some input on what got printed since she was probably the most experienced
\nreporter employed at the Planet at this point. Clark saw even then that
\nultimately, Lex made the final decision. Lex was just manipulating Lois, subtly
\ngaining control of her by flattery. Lex would be the solo puppeteer in this
\nshow.<\/p>\n

Luthor had offered Jimmy to stay on as the Planet’s
\nphotographer but Jimmy opted to resign. Lois and Clark were the only ones left
\nof the old gang and soon that would dwindle to just Lois.<\/p>\n

It was Thursday, late in the evening, and Clark had gathered
\nhis things to head home. He had straightened his desk and was hanging his coat
\nover his shoulder to head for the elevator. Lois approached him.<\/p>\n

"Headed home?"<\/p>\n

"Yeah, I am. It’s been a long day." Clark seemed
\ntired, mentally.<\/p>\n

"Maybe you could stop by later. I’ll pick up some
\nChinese take out."<\/p>\n

"Umm, Lois, why don’t you come by my place when you’re
\ndone here? There is something I’d like to talk to you about. I’ll cook dinner.
\nSay…six thirty?"<\/p>\n

"Alright, six thirty it is." Clark turned and
\nheaded toward the elevators.<\/p>\n

Clark headed for the elevators. Lois watched him with a soft
\nsmile gracing her features until the doors closed. As the elevator closed Lois
\nthought how handsome Clark was and had become more handsome since she’d come to
\nknow him. His small town values and his kindness made him even more handsome.
\nShe hoped that their friendship would never end. Lois would then work for
\nanother hour before she would realize that it was a little after five.<\/p>\n

"Oh…I’m going to be late for dinner at Clark’s."
\nLois chastised herself as she straightened her desk and closed down her
\ncomputer. She grabbed her coat and headed for home to change and then to
\nClark’s place.<\/p>\n

At exactly six twenty-five, Lois knocked on Clark’s door.
\nAfter a couple of seconds, Clark answered and invited Lois in.<\/p>\n

"Dinner is almost ready, Lois. Come on in and have a
\nseat."<\/p>\n

"Oh, whatever it is smells delicious!"<\/p>\n

"Its scallops, muscles, crab meat, lobster tails and
\nshrimp in a white wine sauce over ziti sprinkled with sun dried tomatoes. Would
\nyou like a glass of wine?"<\/p>\n

"Sure." Lois’s mouth had started to water just
\nfrom the mere description of dinner.<\/p>\n

Clark poured Lois a glass of white wine and brought it to
\nher where she sat on the sofa. Clark returned to the kitchen and proceeded to
\nset the table while he chatted generically with Lois about the day’s events.
\nWhen the table was set, Clark invited Lois to come and sit. Lois was curious
\nabout what Clark needed to talk with her about, but knew that the conversation
\nwould soon get started over dinner.<\/p>\n

***************************<\/p>\n

Lois took the first bite of her pasta and couldn’t help but
\nto moan. Clark just stared at her with his forked stopped just inches before
\nhis mouth. His mouth was open and mentally watering, not for dinner but for
\nLois. He seemed frozen in space as he watched Lois.<\/p>\n

"Clark…?" Lois finally said when she saw Clark’s
\nstare.<\/p>\n

Clark quickly broke from his spell and cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

"Oh, I umm…I…" Clark said nervously.<\/p>\n

"So, what did you need to talk with me about?"<\/p>\n

As nervous as Clark was about talking to Lois, he was glad
\nfor the distraction from her eating. She sent his hormones on roller coasters.<\/p>\n

"Oh, I…um…I wanted to ask you something. Please,
\nhear me out." Clark cleared his throat. "You know how I feel about
\nworking for Luthor…right?"<\/p>\n

"Clark, I’m not going to argue with you…"<\/p>\n

"Please, Lois, just listen to me. I’m going home to
\nSmallville…for a while…a few weeks…or longer. I just wanted to ask you if you
\nwould come with me…you know…get some time away. Besides, I could use the
\ncompany on the road…another driver. It’s a long drive from Metropolis to
\nKansas." Clark was nervous. “We could talk…you know spend some quiet time
\ntogether…as friends…I mean…”<\/p>\n

"Clark what will you do about the Planet?"<\/p>\n

"I’m turning in my resignation. I cannot continue to
\nwork for Luthor."<\/p>\n

"You have another job?"<\/p>\n

"No, but I have resumes out. I’m not worried. I have
\nsavings…and I could always write freelance meanwhile." Clark looked down
\nat his hands. He was shielding himself from the rejection that he was pretty
\nsure would come. "Please, Lois, come with me. I’ll pay your air fare back
\nhome…whenever you want to return."<\/p>\n

"Are you coming back to Metropolis at all?"<\/p>\n

"I don’t know, Lois."<\/p>\n

"What about me, Clark? What about our friendship?"<\/p>\n

"We’ll always be friends, Lois. That’s why I’m asking
\nyou to come with me. Just some time away…the two of us. Please, Lois."<\/p>\n

"Okay, but just for a little while…a week maybe. Then
\nI have to get back to the Planet. Maybe I can get Perry to change his mind
\nabout retirement."<\/p>\n

"Thank you, Lois." Clark held Lois’s hands and
\nkissed them. "I plan to head out on Monday morning. Is that enough
\ntime?"<\/p>\n

“Yeah that’s enough time. It’ll give me time to tell Lex
\nand…”<\/p>\n

“Lois…no! Please don’t. I just don’t want him to know…just
\nplease don’t. I’m begging you.”<\/p>\n

Lois was pretty sure that she saw fear in Clark’s eyes.<\/p>\n

“But…why?”<\/p>\n

“Please, Lois…just this once…for me.”<\/p>\n

Lois conceded. “Okay. If it means that much to you.”<\/p>\n

Clark let out a breath that he didn’t know he had been
\nholding. “Thank you.” Truthfully Lex couldn’t be far enough from him,
\nespecially without powers. Krypton wasn’t far enough for Clark to be away form
\nLex right now.<\/p>\n

Lois and Clark finished their dinner. They talked until way
\ninto the night. Lois ended up falling asleep on Clark’s couch. He would wake
\nher in the morning in time for work.<\/p>\n

********************************<\/p>\n

Lois and Clark packed Clark’s grey 4Runner on Sunday and at
\nfour in the morning on Monday, they headed out on their twenty-hour drive to
\nSmallville. They should get there around midnight on Monday night.<\/p>\n

Lois and Clark took turns driving. They talked a lot and got
\na lot of feelings out into the open. Clark let Lois know how he felt about her
\nwithout actually saying the three scary words. Lois alluded to the fact that
\nwhile she thought that Clark was the type of man that she would like to settle
\ndown with, she only saw friendship in their future together.<\/p>\n

Though Clark still would not tell Lois why he absolutely
\ndespised Lex Luthor, he got his point across, though Lois was not buying it.
\nClark didn’t tell Lois that Lex was the reason that he was driving all this way
\nand not flying Superman Express. Clark did not tell Lois how Lex had stripped
\nhim of his powers. He would always remember that day.<\/p>\n

<Superman had
\nresponded to a bank alarm around midnight. The bank was one located near Lex Towers.
\nWhen Superman landed in front of the bank, he suddenly felt increasing weakness
\nand pain. He felt nausea end eventually he was on his knees. Suddenly a hand
\ntouched his shoulder and seemed to burn a hole where it touched. He looked up
\nthrough blurred vision and saw green cuff lengths attached to Lex Luthor’s
\nshirtsleeves! Kryptonite! Superman tried to back away but was too weak by now.
\nThen Lex got to his knees and blew green powder into Superman’s nostrils. It
\nburned its way through Superman’s respiratory system, him like a blue flame.
\nSuperman started to cough and tried to crawl away.<\/i><\/p>\n

“Luthor…why…?”
\nSuperman cried out in pain.<\/i><\/p>\n

Luthor attempted to
\ndrag Superman into his waiting limousine but there were police sirens in the
\ndistance. Superman’s dense molecular structure had given Lex an unexpected
\nstruggle. Lex instead whispered in Superman’s ear then got into his limousine,
\nwhich quickly retreated.<\/i><\/p>\n

“If it’s the last
\nthing I do, I will kill you Superman!”><\/i><\/p>\n

The bank alarm had been false. The Metropolis police knew
\nthat something was wrong with Superman but he shook it off as nothing and tried
\nto fly off. Nothing! With burning lungs with every respiration and muscles that
\nached with every movement, he then slowly rounded an alleyway and sat in pain before
\nhe could muster the strength to walk home. Luthor had planned to kill him
\nslowly but had not anticipated Superman’s dense structure and the police
\narriving so quickly. That had been three weeks ago and his powers had not
\nreturned. Dr. Klein thought that since the Kryptonite dust had gotten into
\nSuperman, it would take longer to work its way out of his system. He did
\nhowever expect him to eventually recover one hundred percent.<\/p>\n

Along the drive when Clark was at the wheel there were times
\nwhen he would look over in the passenger seat at a sleeping Lois. She was so
\nangelic…beautiful…and he loved her so much. He knew that the truth was that
\nthat feisty little woman was just refueling but that is what made him fall in
\nlove with her in the firs place. But now that things were different in
\nMetropolis he knew that his chances of ever having Lois as more than a friend
\nwere essentially non-existing.<\/p>\n

As planned, Lois and Clark arrived at the Kent’s farmhouse
\nabout eleven twenty on Monday night. Both tired, the couple got out of Clark’s
\nSUV and headed into the farmhouse. The Kent’s house was dark and quiet. It
\nappeared that Martha and Jonathan were asleep. Clark had not told his parents
\nthat he was coming so naturally they would not be up expecting him at this hour.
\nHis parents knew that he was without his powers and he did not want them to
\nworry about him.<\/p>\n

Clark quietly made his bed in his old room for Lois and he
\ngrabbed a blanket and a pillow and made himself a bed on the couch downstairs.
\nBefore long, they were both off to sleep.<\/p>\n

Clark woke up at about seven thirty the next morning. The
\nhouse was still quiet. It was so unlike his parents to sleep in that long. He
\nhadn’t heard any activity, as there would normally be at this hour in the
\nfarmhouse. Clark got up and went upstairs to check his parents’ bedroom. Their
\nbed was made as if no one had slept in it. He started to get worried. He then
\ncalled his mother’s cell phone number and sure enough, she answered.<\/p>\n

"Mom…?"<\/p>\n

"Clark, dear…"<\/p>\n

"Where are you? I’m in Smallville."<\/p>\n

"Oh, honey, were in Nebraska, visiting Aunt Emily. We
\ndidn’t know you were coming home. We were planning to come back on
\nFriday."<\/p>\n

"That’s okay, Mom. Stay. We’ll be here for a while.
\nWe’ll be okay."<\/p>\n

"We…?"<\/p>\n

"Yes. Lois came with me. She’s still asleep right
\nnow."<\/p>\n

"Asleep."<\/p>\n

"I’ll explain later, Mom. I love you. See you
\nFriday."<\/p>\n

"We love you, too honey. Bye."<\/p>\n

Just as Clark hung up from Martha, his cell phone rang.<\/p>\n

"Clark Kent…"<\/p>\n

"Mr. Kent, this is Dean Cain, the editor at the St.
\nPeter Times in St. Peter, Kansas. I was looking over your CV and wondered of
\nyou were still interested in the assistant editor’s position?"<\/p>\n

"Yes sir. I am."<\/p>\n

"I’d like to meet with you…you know…to see if this is
\nwhat you really want. After all, you would be leaving the Daily Planet?"<\/p>\n

"Already left, sir."<\/p>\n

There was a pause on the other end of the phone line.<\/p>\n

"When can you be here?"<\/p>\n

"Well, just so happen I’m in Smallville visiting my
\nparents and I can be there, say at nine?"<\/p>\n

"Perfect! See you then."<\/p>\n

Clark headed upstairs to his room to get changed. When he
\napproached the door, he softly knocked. He didn’t want to accidentally walk in
\non Lois if she were indecent. There was no answer and from the sound of her
\nbreathing she was still asleep. Clark cautiously went into his bedroom and
\nsurely, Lois was still peacefully asleep.<\/p>\n

Clark proceeded to get changing clothes from his closet but
\ninstead of using the bathroom in his room he decided to use the hall bathroom.
\nHe didn’t want to wake Lois. He stood for a few moments and watched Lois sleep
\nbefore he mentally shook himself back to reality. Lois was so beautiful and
\ninnocent as she slept. He ached to reach out and just slightly touch her soft
\nskin, gently tease the splayed hair back from her beautiful face. Instead he
\nleaned over and lightly kissed her on the cheek and whispered just at her ear,
\n"I love you." His lips gently brushed against her earlobe as he
\nbacked away.<\/p>\n

When Clark was showered and ready to go, he checked to see
\nif Lois was awake yet. She was still asleep. Clark thought he should leave a
\nnote just in case she was awake before he returned.<\/p>\n

Lois,<\/i><\/b>
\n
I went to St. Peter, about twenty <\/i><\/b>
\n
miles from here. I should be back <\/i><\/b>
\n
no later than noon. Make yourself <\/i><\/b>
\n
at home. Mom and Dad are in <\/i><\/b>
\n
Nebraska.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Clark <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Clark went out to his 4Runner and headed for St. Peter.<\/p>\n

The drive to St. Peter was peaceful especially around this
\ntime of year when it was starting to get warm and the flowers were starting to
\nbloom. Clark thought about the legend surrounding the town’s name. The
\nreference was to the archangel St. Peter who is said to be the guard of the
\ngates of heaven. Once one passes the county line into the town of St. Peter, he
\nis said to have entered heaven. It was just that secluded and peaceful. If
\nthere was a heaven on Earth, it was in the small town of St. Peter.<\/p>\n

All went well for Clark with his meeting with Mr. Cain.
\nClark was officially offered the position of assistant editor and he gracefully
\naccepted it. Mr. Cain offered a very generous salary as well. This was
\nabsolutely an offer that Clark could not refuse. Finally he would be away from
\nthe hold of Lex Luthor and with any luck he could convince Lois to stay here in
\nKansas with him…on a permanent basis. Even if she didn’t want to jump right
\ninto a permanent situation, he hoped that she would at least stay around and
\nsee how things went.<\/p>\n

Surely if she wanted to stay he could talk Mr. Cain into
\noffering her a job. With his salary, she would not have to start working right
\naway if she wanted to look for something else. But knowing Lois… Clark had to
\nslow down his thoughts. He was being much too presumptuous.<\/p>\n

On the way back to Smallville, Clark caught a glimpse of a
\nreal estate sign and decided to follow the directions. He ended up at a very
\nsecluded 3-acre property with what looked like a newly built home…approximately
\n2500 ft2 red brick home. The lady whom he assumed to be the real estate agent
\nseemed to be just leaving as Clark approached.<\/p>\n

Clark hurried from his truck and beckoned for the agent’s
\nattention.<\/p>\n

"Wait, please!"<\/p>\n

The agent turned around and waved indicating that she heard
\nClark. Clark approached her rapidly.<\/p>\n

"Thank you for waiting. I’m Clark Kent and I just
\ncaught sight of this property. It’s absolutely beautiful." Clark held out
\nhis hand to shake with the lady whose nametag indicated that she was indeed the
\nreal estate agent.<\/p>\n

"I’m Teresa Meccitti, St. Peter’s Properties."
\nTeresa shook Clark’s hand. Teresa was tall, average sized and blonde. She had
\ngrey eyes and a smile that just made one trust her.<\/p>\n

"It is a beautiful place. It belonged to an elderly
\nwoman, 86 years old, I think. Her children built this for her but just before
\nshe closed on the property, she had a massive stroke and was subsequently
\nunable to live alone. Her daughter took her in and she died just a couple of
\nweek later. The house has been for sale since…never occupied. It’s been about
\na year now. It has had a lot of showings but surprisingly no one had wanted to
\nbuy it."<\/p>\n

"Can I look around?"<\/p>\n

"Sure. Let me take you inside." Teresa reopened
\nthe house for Clark to look inside. It had three bedrooms, two bathrooms,
\nformal living and dining rooms, a breakfast nook and a great room. The lot was
\na wooded 3 acres.<\/p>\n

"Ms. Meccitti, I don’t understand…it’s beautiful. Why
\nhas it not sold? Is something wrong with it?"<\/p>\n

"Teresa, please…and no, there is nothing wrong with
\nit. It’s just that this is for a family…I guess…ready to settle in the
\ncountry. Most young people want the rapid pace of the city. While they
\nabsolutely adore the property, it’s too far from the city. Are you married Mr.
\nKent?"<\/p>\n

"Clark, please…and no, I’m not."<\/p>\n

Teresa noticed a look of longing disguise Clark’s features
\nas he answered.<\/p>\n

"Girlfriend?"<\/p>\n

"No." Clark almost whispered his answer.
\n"But, I’m from Smallville and I love the country. I’m hoping to convince
\nher…a special person in my life…to stay here in Kansas with me."<\/p>\n

"If you’re ready to settle down, this is the place for
\nyou."<\/p>\n

“I’m ready. I just wish that she were ready, too.” For a
\nmoment, Clark looked away sadly. "I just got a new job at the St. Peter
\nTimes, assistant editor. I’m moving back home from Metropolis. I start at the
\ntimes in two weeks. It…this…is just in my price range. I’ll take it,
\nTeresa."<\/p>\n

"Let me get papers together and we will set up a
\nclosing date. Thank you Mr. Kent…Clark." Teresa shook Clark’s hand to seal
\nhis intent.<\/p>\n

Clark and Teresa exchanged information and Clark then headed
\nback to his truck. He couldn’t wait to get back to the farmhouse. He had a lot
\nto talk to Lois about.<\/p>\n

When Clark got back to the farm he heard Lois up stirring
\naround in the kitchen as he approached the front door. It was just a little
\npast noon.<\/p>\n

Lois heard Clark’s truck come up. She couldn’t believe that
\nshe had slept that long…until almost noon. She must have been really tired. She
\nwas plundering through the kitchen cabinets looking for coffee when Clark
\nentered the kitchen.<\/p>\n

"Hello, sleepy head."<\/p>\n

"Hi." Lois smiled. "Why did you let me sleep
\nso long? Thank goodness Martha and Jonathan aren’t here or they’d have my
\nhide."<\/p>\n

Clark just smiled.<\/p>\n

"Lois, I’d like to talk to you…about something…please
\nsit." Clark pulled out a chair for Lois. Lois got a look on her face that
\nClark couldn’t quite read. He needed to talk with Lois a lot lately.<\/p>\n

“Okay. I’m not going to like this am I? Your look…I can’t
\nread your look.”<\/p>\n

“I…no…it’s nothing bad. In fact, it’s great news.”<\/p>\n

"What were you doing so early? I mean in a suit and
\nall?"<\/p>\n

"That’s what I need to talk with you about." Clark
\npulled a chair and sat facing Lois. He gently took her small hands in his much
\nlarger ones. She didn’t resist or pull away.<\/p>\n

"Lois, I had an interview this morning…St. Peter Times.
\nThe editor offered me the position…assistant editor. I accepted." Clark
\nlooked down at their entwined hands. He then laced his fingers with Lois’s.<\/p>\n

"Oh."<\/p>\n

"I wanted to ask you if…well, we’ve been best friends
\nfor about a year now and I know that this is all new…to you…but I’m in love
\nwith you, Lois…have been since I met you…just in case you didn’t know.” Clark
\nsmiled at this. “You are my life…and…well…I’m asking you to stay here, with
\nme. I know that you don’t feel that way about me…yet…but give it a chance and
\nlet’s see where things go…and maybe you will, someday. I’ll wait for you, as
\nlong as you need. And besides, I have a contract on a house in St. Peter. Lois
\nit’s beautiful. You’ll love it. But, if you don’t like it we don’t have to buy
\nit. Please, just say yes."<\/p>\n

Lois went into a state of sensory overload.<\/p>\n

"Stay with you? Clark I can’t just up and move halfway
\nacross the United States. I…I…"<\/p>\n

Clark suddenly kissed Lois, gently and thoroughly, to stop
\nher babbling before it got started. Lois didn’t seem to know what to do
\ninitially but after a few seconds, she returned the kiss with much more emotion
\nthan a friend would have.<\/p>\n

"Marry me Lois. I know that it will take time for you
\nto adjust, but please, just be with me. I love you so much."<\/p>\n

As if Lois wasn’t already in overload, Clark’s sudden
\nproposal took her…well she was broadsided. But she knew that she didn’t see
\nClark as a potential suitor and she had to tell him that…without hurting him.<\/p>\n

"Oh, Clark, I don’t know what to say. I do love you,
\nbut not like that. I thought we talked about that. I thought you understood. I
\nalways enjoy being here, in the country but I belong in Metropolis. I…"<\/p>\n

"Then, I’ll go back to Metropolis with you…to be with
\nyou."<\/p>\n

"Clark, I’ve been seeing Lex off and on. You know that.
\nAnd I know that you don’t approve. But, I don’t think it would be fair to not
\nat least give him an equal chance. He’s offered me a job at LNN and I think I’m
\ngoing to take it. I think he’ll eventually shut down the Planet. Clark, he’s in
\nlove with me."<\/p>\n

"And I’m not? Lois, Luthor is…"<\/p>\n

"No, Clark! I’m not listening to this!"<\/p>\n

“Tell me you didn’t feel what I felt just then when I kissed
\nyou.”<\/p>\n

Lois didn’t say anything. She just looked away.<\/p>\n

"Do you love him?"<\/p>\n

"Clark, I’m warning you! Don’t go there!"<\/p>\n

Clark slowly let go of Lois’s hands and abruptly stood. He
\nturned away from Lois and ran his hands through his thick dark hair.<\/p>\n

"I guess it doesn’t matter that I’m in love with
\nyou." Clark looked defeated.<\/p>\n

"I’m a city girl Clark! I belong in Metropolis! You
\nasked me to drive out here with you for the company. I had no idea that you
\nwere going to…propose. You have no right…"<\/p>\n

Lois abruptly stood and disappeared up the stairs. Clark
\nsighed and turned to take residence on the top step of the front porch. He took
\ndeep breaths and batted his eyes to keep tears back. Lois had said that she
\ndidn’t want to marry him. She wanted to go back to give Luthor a chance. She
\ndidn’t know that Luthor was the reason that he was without powers right now.<\/p>\n

Silent tears flowed down Clark’s cheeks. He sat on the front
\nstep for what seemed like hours, just thinking. In all actuality, it had been
\ntwo hours. He didn’t understand how Lois could be so willing to give Luthor a
\nchance but brush him off. He loved Lois…was in love with Lois, would cherish
\nher and take care of her. The last thing he would do would be to betray her or
\nhurt her. But no matter what he did, she did not see that…see Clark that way.<\/p>\n

Clark realized that he had not heard or seen Lois since she
\nran upstairs. Initially he could hear her sobbing and it tore at his heart. How
\nwould he ever fix this? Reluctantly after schooling his features he got up and
\nwent inside, up the stairs to his bedroom. Clark knocked softly on the bedroom
\ndoor and shyly asked, "Can I come in?"<\/p>\n

*************************************************<\/p>\n

When Lois got into Clark’s bedroom she closed the door and
\nfell face down on his bed sobbing. This was supposed to be rest and relaxation.
\nNot a proposal. She had always stopped Clark when he started down the romance
\npath with her but he just had not been listening. He proposed. HE PROPOSED!
\nDamn him!<\/p>\n

Lois thought of Lex and how he had been wining and dining
\nher. Lex was exciting. He took Lois on exotic trips, to movie premiers and the
\nballet. It was definitely different in the social circle of the world’s second
\nrichest man. Lex was elegant and charming. He always made Lois feel elegant and
\nbeautiful.<\/p>\n

Clark on the other hand was just a normal guy who liked to
\nwear jeans around the house, rent movies and have pizza and beer on Friday
\nnights. Clark was definitely worldly as far as travel. He was a bit na\u00efve but
\nsmart and well spoken. He made Lois feel elegant and beautiful, loved and
\ncherished, protected but equal. Clark was comfortable. But Lois just didn’t
\nlove him that way.<\/p>\n

Lois cried and thought and cried and thought some more until
\nshe decided that she could not stay in Smallville for a whole week with a hurt
\nClark. He would sulk and make her feel guilty. And when Martha and Jonathan
\ncame back, it would be that much worse because they were such good people. Lois
\ndecided not to hold Clark to the promise to pay her air fare back home so she
\ncalled the airline when she finally stop crying enough and paid for the ticket
\non her credit card. Clark would be devastated when he found out that her flight
\nwould be leaving for Metropolis in just two hours, but better now than later.<\/p>\n

Almost as soon as Lois hung up from the airline she heard a
\nknock and a whispered plea at the bedroom door.<\/p>\n

**********************<\/p>\n

"Can I come in?"<\/p>\n

"Sure."<\/p>\n

Clark entered his room and his breath caught as he saw Lois
\nsitting on the side of his bed with a tear streaked face. Right beside her was
\nher suitcase, all packed.<\/p>\n

"Lois," Clark asked with a shaky voice, "what
\nis this?"<\/p>\n

“I called the airport. A flight to Metropolis leaves from
\nWichita in two hours…at four thirty. Please…I want to go home.”<\/p>\n

Clark was defeated. He thought of trying to reason with Lois
\nbut then thought better of it. He bowed his head and stuck his hands in his
\npockets. He sighed as if he was about to say something but just finally
\nconceded an "okay".<\/p>\n

It was a long ride to Wichita. Initially there was strained
\nsilence but when they passed through St. Peter, Lois noticed.<\/p>\n

“Is this where you’re moving to?”<\/p>\n

“Yes. It’s right down that road…the house.”<\/p>\n

“Just a few minutes from you parents.”<\/p>\n

It took all Clark had to say even a one-syllable word
\nwithout losing control of his emotions. “Yes.” He was quietly hoping that this
\nwas the end of their conversation for now. It was just too painful. Lois must
\nhave understood because she said essentially nothing after that.<\/p>\n

Clark got Lois to the airport and sat beside her at her gate
\nwaiting for her boarding call. Almost as a sudden after thought, he gently
\ngrasped Lois’s hand and just held it for a few minutes in silence. He leaned
\nforward with his elbows on his knees. Lois didn’t pull away. Instead, she
\nintertwined her fingers with his and just looked straight ahead. Then the
\ndreadful call came.<\/p>\n

"American Airlines Flight 1833 nonstop service to
\nMetropolis now boarding…"<\/p>\n

Clark stood and then did Lois. Clark tucked a disarray hair
\nbehind Lois’s ear while still holding her hand with the other hand. He kissed
\nher on the forehead then whispered, "Take care of yourself". He
\nreluctantly released her hand almost in slow motion as he turned, slumped his shoulders
\nand walked away. He couldn’t let Lois see his tears so when she called to him
\nhe just kept walking picking up the pace even.<\/p>\n

"Clark…"<\/p>\n

Clark didn’t acknowledge that Lois had called him. The rest
\nof Lois’s statement died on her lips as Clark proceeded to walk away. <"Keep in touch."><\/i><\/p>\n

*******************************************************************<\/p>\n

The unspoken dialogue between Lois and Clark replayed itself
\nin Lois’s thoughts the whole way back to Metropolis. Lois had started to
\nquestion her decisions. It was obvious that Clark really loved her, the way
\nthat every woman wants her mate to love them. He was good and kind and drop
\ndead gorgeous. But she didn’t feel that way about him…did she? But did she feel
\nthat way about Lex?<\/p>\n

Ultimately Lois decided that it had to be this way or hers
\nand Clark’s friendship would perish. Eventually he would find someone and fall
\nin love and have all of the things that he wanted to complete him…she told
\nherself.<\/p>\n

*************************************************<\/p>\n

When Lois got back to Metropolis, she called Clark to let
\nhim know that she had made it home. She was relieved that the answering machine
\npicked up and she really didn’t have to talk to him. It would break her heart
\nto hear his sadness.<\/p>\n

It was no surprise that within a week after Lois returned
\nLex announced that he was shutting down the Daily Planet. He promised severance
\npackages and help finding new jobs for all of the Planet’s employees. Lois
\nexpected nothing less. After his big announcement, Lex approached Lois.<\/p>\n

“Lois, may I talk to you in the editor’s office?”<\/p>\n

“Sure,” Lois answered as she followed Lex into Perry’s old
\noffice.<\/p>\n

“Have a seat.” Lex lit a cigar. “Have you heard from your
\nfriend, Kent?”<\/p>\n

“He said that he was taking some time…to…to explore his options.”
\nLois asked herself almost immediately <“Why
\ndid I just lie to Lex. Is my subconscious mind trying to tell me something? It
\nis no secret that Clark hates him. He had even begged me not to tell Lex of his
\nwhereabouts. I won’t betray his trust.”><\/i><\/p>\n

“Ahh, I see.”<\/p>\n

Lois was not convinced that Lex believed her.<\/p>\n

“Have you seen Superman?” Lex eyed Lois carefully.<\/p>\n

“No, actually I haven’t. I was starting to wonder where he
\nis. Have you seen him?”<\/p>\n

“No, I haven’t.” Lex reassumed control. How dare she turn his
\nquestion around into a question? He would fix that in due time. “The reason I
\ncalled you aside is because I want to re-offer you a job at LNN, chief anchor,
\nor any position you’d like, really.”<\/p>\n

“Lex, I don’t know what to say. I really am not a…”<\/p>\n

“Think about it my dear and give me your answer over dinner
\ntonight.”<\/p>\n

“But, Lex I don’t…”<\/p>\n

“I will not accept `no’. Now what time should I send a car
\nfor you? Say six?”<\/p>\n

“Okay…six it is.”<\/p>\n

“Thank you, my dear. Now run along. I assume that you have
\nto make lots of preparations.” Lex kissed Lois on the cheek and dismissed her.<\/p>\n

It really pissed Lois off the way Lex was sometimes so
\ncondescending to her, treating her like a seven year old…<“Now run along.”><\/i> But Lois figured that it was all
\nunconscious and that he probably didn’t know he was even doing it. He was
\nalways in such a powerful position that he was probably just used to assuming
\nthe authoritative role. She would bring it to his attention later.<\/p>\n

That night over dinner, Lois accepted Lex’s offer as chief
\nanchor and another subsequent invitation to dinner. She almost felt backed into
\naccepting the position but Lex had assured her that he was just trying to
\nsecure her from the sure crumbling of the newspaper industry in Metropolis.<\/p>\n

Before Lois knew it, she and Lex had been dating regularly
\nover about six weeks. But she was starting to get uncomfortable with Lex. He
\nwas becoming more overbearing and Lois was becoming claustrophobic. On
\noccasions Lex had made comments about things that she had said or done in the
\nprivacy of her own apartment. She was starting to think that maybe he was
\nwatching her.<\/p>\n

*******************************************************<\/p>\n

Clark regained his powers within the first week that he was
\nback in Kansas. He contributed his recovery to the bright pure sun and the
\nclean air of the country. He had moved his stuff from Metropolis via Superman
\nexpress and was careful not to run into Lois. He avoided her calls because it
\nwas just too painful to talk to her right now. Fortunately she had been staying
\nout of danger and not needing Superman because he could never deny her safety.<\/p>\n

Clark found out that his real estate agent, Teresa, lived
\nnext door with her Black Lab, Maci. He found out accidentally one day when he
\nwas outside in his hammock, where he liked to escape to. He had fallen asleep
\nas an alternative to grieving over his non relationship with Lois. Suddenly
\nsomething wet on his face startled him awake. He sat up so quickly that he fell
\nout of the hammock. He looked up from the ground where he fell into the big
\nbrown eyes of a beautiful Black Lab. She seemed to be almost smiling as her
\ntongue hanged from her mouth. Clark laughed and reached up to rub her head.
\nMaci leaned her head farther into Clark’s touch and whimpered. Clark noticed her
\ndog tag around her neck, which read “Maci”. He knew that such a beautiful dog
\nhad to belong to someone but whom.<\/p>\n

He sometimes heard Maci’s owner call her but for a long time
\nnever saw her. Eventually, one day Maci didn’t go home when she was called and
\nher owner came through a path in the woods to find her. Clark gulped in
\nsurprise when he saw Maci’s owner…Teresa!<\/p>\n

Many days Maci would come over to keep Clark company as he
\nsat outside. He had even brought her dog treats. Clark and Teresa had become
\nvery good friends as well. Incidentally she lived in the house right next to
\nClark, on her own 2 acres. It turns out that it was her mother that never got
\nto live in the house that Clark bought. Her sister had moved away to Texas with
\nher husband but Teresa stayed in St. Peter. It gave her a sense of closeness to
\nher mother who was buried there. They were from Wichita originally.<\/p>\n

Through their friendship, Clark had learned that Teresa had
\nbeen engaged to a US Marine fighter pilot who was deployed to a ship in the
\nMediterranean near Beirut. That was a good strategic location to launch an air
\nattack on Iraq from. With reluctance, Lieutenant Ethan Allila, broke up with
\nTeresa before he deployed because he said that he didn’t want her to feel
\nobligated to him. He was also afraid that more than dying that he would become
\nseriously injured and she would stay committed to him out of pity.<\/p>\n

Teresa fought for Ethan to understand that she did not
\nwant to break up and that she would wait for him to return, but in the end he
\nhad just walked away. She did show up at the airport to see him off on his
\nflight. She had told him as she kissed him on the cheek that in spite of his
\nstubbornness, she would always love him and would never forget him. As he stuck
\nhis chest out to bout face and be the Marine that he was trained to be, a lone
\ntear escaped which was Teresa’s undoing. She quickly retreated from the gate,
\nblinded by tears.<\/p>\n

Teresa did not hear from Ethan for a month so she got his
\nmailing address from one of the wives whose husband was in the same unit as
\nEthan. She had first written him a long loving letter and sent a huge box of
\ngoodies. That opened up the communication lines. He responded to the first
\nletter by asking Teresa to forget about him and told her that there would never
\nbe anything more between them. Teresa ignored him and continued to write him at
\nleast twice per week and send him goodies at least twice per month. Sometimes
\nshe would hear from him frequently and then there would be a time when she
\ndidn’t hear from him for weeks. She assumed that that was when he was not able
\nto write. She always told him that she loved him at the end of her letters but
\nhis endings were never that intimate. He was trying to keep her at a distance.<\/p>\n

Clark encouraged Teresa to stand by Ethan because he
\nprobably didn’t really want to break up with her. It was just the thing to do.
\nTeresa already knew that and was anxiously waiting for four more months for him
\nto come home. His tour in Iraq was to be a year. Teresa still had her engagement
\nring that she wore around her neck and stared at teary eyed as she told Clark
\nher story.<\/p>\n

Clark had confided some about his love for Lois but just
\ncould not bring himself to give the details that Teresa had given him. He just
\nwasn’t ready to talk about it yet. Teresa understood, but with the little
\ninformation that she was able to get Clark to reveal, assured him that Lois was
\nstruggling with herself. She assured him that he was a great catch for to
\nanyone able to tie him down.<\/p>\n

When Clark was down Teresa’s Black Lab, Maci would come over
\nand keep Clark company. Somehow Maci just knew.<\/p>\n

*******************************************************<\/p>\n

Lois had tried to call Clark numerous times but always got
\nhis voice mail, even at work. She had spoken to Dean a few times and he assured
\nher that he would give Clark the messages but Clark never returned her calls.
\nDean sounded a lot like Clark, well spoken and intelligent. She had seen
\neditorial pictures of Dean and he even had some of the same features as Clark;
\nthick black hair, brown eyes and a handsome strong face. Finally after a couple
\nof months, Lois stopped trying.<\/p>\n

Lois had started to hear of a Superman rescues but had not
\nactually witnessed one. Because she had become a TV news anchor, the chances
\nwere now slim to none that she would get herself into enough trouble to warrant
\nSuperman’s assistance.<\/p>\n

Lois started to feel that that Lex was reading more into
\ntheir `dating’ than she was. She didn’t feel any more for him than just a
\ncasual companion. Lately being in Lex’s company would eave Lois with a sick
\nfeeling in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t quite sure why but she was
\nstarting to not want to be in his company. Whenever she suggested that they
\ndate other people Lex became rigid and possessive with a stern “NO”. At first
\nLois thought it cute that Lex was possessive but then it started to scare her.<\/p>\n

Lois and Lex’s dates went from ending with short kisses on
\nthe cheek or lips to him encroaching her mouth with kisses that nauseated her.
\nShe would do all she could to get away with a kiss on the cheek but it didn’t
\nalways work. Lois decided that the nausea from Lex’s kisses came from a
\ncombination of the cigars that he smoked and the fact that he was not Clark
\nKent.<\/p>\n

Lois had started to think about Clark a lot and that last
\nkiss that they shared and she so stupidly walked away form. Clark’s kiss
\nawakened something inside of her that she didn’t know existed and left her out
\nof control and wanting more. Somewhere during the couple of months that Lois
\nhad returned to Metropolis and started regularly dating Lex, she became aware
\nof the fact that she needed Clark in her life.<\/p>\n

There was something not right about Lex and frankly it
\nscared her. She missed Clark. Sometimes she would find herself sitting,
\nthinking…about her future and could hardly imagine it without Clark in it. If
\nLois were honest with herself, she was falling…had fallen in love with Clark at
\nsome point. She had come back to Metropolis to get away from him but it only
\nmade her miss him more. But something else had happened, too. Lex had slowly
\nchanged Lois into someone that she didn’t know. She had become more docile and
\nafraid…of Lex. Now, she saw Lex as threatening, just as Clark had told her he
\nwas. She was afraid of what he was capable of. All she wanted to do right now
\nwas get away from Lex and go to Clark.<\/p>\n

Three months after Lois’s return to Metropolis Lex proposed.
\nShe was a bit taken off guard. But unlike Clark’s proposal, sincere and heart
\nfelt, Lex’s proposal was just a matter of course, the thing to do. It was like
\nsome grand finale that he was working up to.<\/p>\n

“Well, Lois, my dear…have you thought about my proposal?”
\nLex was smoking his cigar as usual. Lois was becoming nauseated.<\/p>\n

“I don’t know, Lex. I need to think.” Lois had become frightened
\nof Lex. She had to get away from him.<\/p>\n

“We’ll have dinner tomorrow and I’ll expect your answer
\nthen.”<\/p>\n

“Sure.”<\/p>\n

The day that Lois was to give Lex her answer, she rushed
\nhome from LNN to shower and prepare her speech…her refusal to Lex’s proposal. On
\nher way home, she thought of Clark. He had been right. And there were so many
\ncriminal things that Lex was suspected of having involvement with. During her
\nstint at LNN Lois had accidentally uncovered an inventory of crimes that Lex
\nwas linked to. He held a lot of secret meetings and always passed them off to
\nher as business when she inquired about them. The ultimate shock was when Lois
\nheard Lex and Ms. Cox talking about Superman returning and needing enough
\nKryptonite dust to not just incapacitate him this time but to kill him. Now
\nLois knew why Superman was missing in action for that time.<\/p>\n

Why didn’t she listen? Clark was always honest with her. He
\nwasn’t jealous…he was telling her the truth. Anyway Clark had wanted to love
\nher…not possess or control her like Lex did. Why didn’t she see that before?
\nAnd Lois realized that she needed Clark now more than ever. She missed him. She
\nneeded someone she could trust. She had to get away from Lex!<\/p>\n

In the shower, Lois continued to think about Clark. She had
\npromised herself that once she ended this thing with Lex she would physically
\ngo back to St. Peter, Kansas, find Clark and make things right with him. She
\nwasn’t sure if he would have her back, accept her apology, her friendship, but
\nshe had to try. She didn’t deserve him for sure. She couldn’t help but notice
\nthat the thought of seeing Clark again made her have a tingling deep in the pit
\nof her abdomen.<\/p>\n

Lois finally finished in the shower and dressed for dinner
\nwith Lex. He had offered to send a car but she convinced him that she could get
\nmore done faster if she drove herself.<\/p>\n

Just as Lois was about to leave, the phone rang. When she
\npicked up the phone she heard a high pitched deafening noise. She could not
\nhear the person on the other end speaking and all she could say was, “Hello”
\nrepeatedly. Suddenly it dawned on her. Her phone was bugged!<\/p>\n

Lois abruptly hung up the phone and went back into her
\nbedroom. Without being obvious she snooped around and spotted a tiny microphone
\nin her alarm clock and with all of the lights off she quickly spotted a tiny
\nred flashing light coming from the bathroom. A tiny camera! Lex had been
\nwatching her and listening in on her for how long? She suddenly felt dirty and
\nviolated. What a sick bastard he was. But she had to go on, pretending that she
\ndidn’t suspect anything.<\/p>\n

Superman had been seen occasionally, helping with large
\nscale disasters but Lois somehow didn’t think that he would still be at her
\nbeck and call. He seemed almost evasive lately. Calling for his help was
\nprobably fruitless so she grabbed her keys and headed for her Jeep. When she
\ngot into the Jeep she suddenly had a notion that it may be bugged, too; maybe
\nlike a GPS tracker. Lois took a few deep breaths and started the Jeep’s engine.
\nThen she turned on the radio. Oh God she needed Clark. Together, Lane and Kent
\ncould defeat Lex.<\/p>\n

*********************************************************<\/p>\n

Lois tried to appear relaxed with Lex. They ate dinner in
\nessential silence. She barely touched her wine. She wanted to be completely
\nlucid and not have her judgment clouded. The proposal was coming back soon. She
\ncould feel it.<\/p>\n

Lex was no fool. He could tell that something had spooked
\nLois.<\/p>\n

“Lois, my dear, do you have an answer to my proposal?” Lex
\nhad lit a cigar.<\/p>\n

“Y…yes, Lex. I…I am really grateful that…The truth is that
\nI’m not ready to get married…yet. We hardly know each other; I mean…we’ve only
\nbeen dating exclusively for about three months.<\/p>\n

I just don’t think it would be a good idea right now…”<\/p>\n

“Well Lois, I’m sorry to hear that because I disagree.”
\nLex’s eyes narrowed. “You see, I think it would be perfect!”<\/p>\n

“But Lex…the truth is…is that I’m in love with someone
\nelse.”<\/p>\n

“What? Who? That alien Superman? What the hell can he offer
\nyou? He’s a freak in tights!” Lex got in closer to Lois’s face and glared
\nthrough her eyes. “Lois, perhaps you didn’t get it. It doesn’t matter what you
\nthink. You don’t think in this relationship. I do all the thinking. Now that
\nlittle proposal was just to humour you. You don’t really have a choice. I have
\nalready made an announcement and I will not be embarrassed!” Lois looked in
\nLex’s eyes and saw pure evil, tail and pitchfork included.<\/p>\n

“No, Lex, please! I will not be bullied into marriage, Lex!”<\/p>\n

Just then, Lois felt a blow to her face, so powerful that
\nshe hit the floor. Lex straddled her and held her wrists up beside her head and
\nstarted to push up the hem of her dress. When she resisted he kicked her.<\/p>\n

“Lex, please…no…”<\/p>\n

“What? Saving it for that alien? I thought you were screwing
\nKent until he up and left. I realized that he was not in your league, but
\nSuperman…well…I was surprised to see him back. I thought he had gone some place
\nand died after the Kryptonite dust got him.”<\/p>\n

“Please, Lex…you’re hurting me. Please…why?” Lois sobbed.<\/p>\n

Lex slapped Lois again. She tried to escape but his hold was
\njust too strong. Lois realized that it was not Lois Lane standing there getting
\nknocked around by Lex. She had become someone else that Lex had created. She
\nwas docile and submissive. Lois Lane needed to get back and quickly.<\/p>\n

After multiple blows from Lex and the feeling of hitting her
\nhead as her body was being thrown up against the wall, some mental self
\nencouragement kicked in and Lois went into survival mode. Lois fired back with
\na solid kick to Lex’s groin and some self defense moves that left Lex on the
\nfloor moaning. Lois took the opportunity to escape. She knew that she had to
\nget as far away from Lex as possible but she couldn’t go home. She would think
\nof something.<\/p>\n

Lois got out of Lex’s grasp, kicked off her pumps and ran as
\nfast as she could tasting her own blood in her mouth and guarding every breath
\nshe took. She finally exited the elevator on the first floor running as fast as
\nher injuries would allow to her Jeep. She raced away from Lex towers. She had
\nto think fast. Eight blocks away was the Metropolis Police Station. That was
\nher answer.<\/p>\n

All Lois could think of was getting to Clark. She had to
\nthink of a way to get there before Lex could find her and track her. She had to
\nget away. Fortunately, she saw where she had left her purse as she looked
\naround her Jeep. Only her driver’s license and her VISA card were in there. She
\nreached under her floor mat and found the emergency $200 that she always kept
\nthere. Thank God for her paranoia. This would get her at least a good start.<\/p>\n

Lois parked and ran into the MPD asking for Henderson. She
\nwas thinking of an escape plan. How could she leave Metropolis and escape Lex.
\nShe couldn’t exactly ask for help from Superman. She needed Clark to help her.<\/p>\n

While she waited for Henderson to come out she stood there
\nthinking. She happened to see an ATM machine and decided to get more money out
\njust to be safe. She would be gone a while. When she put her card in, the ATM
\nstated that the account was not active. Lois tried a couple of more times but
\nthe machine was consistent. She then took out her VISA card, which she held for
\nemergencies and inserted it into the machine and it declined also saying
\naccount not active. Then it dawned on Lois. Lex had shut down her assets.<\/p>\n

Someone touched Lois on the shoulder while she faced the ATM
\nmachine in deep thought. Lois spun around on her heels in a self defense
\nstance.<\/p>\n

“Oh, God, Henderson…it’s you!”<\/p>\n

“Lois, what the hell happened to you?” Henderson noticed
\nthat Lois was barefoot with facial bruising, torn clothes and he was sure that
\nthere was more that wasn’t visible to the naked eye or Lois wouldn’t be down
\nhere looking for him at this hour.<\/p>\n

“Lex…tried to…I refused his proposal and he…I finally got
\naway. I left him injured on his floor. He’s tracking me Henderson. I’ve got to
\nget away. Please, help me!” A single tear escaped Lois. That was something that
\nshe really didn’t want Henderson privy to.<\/p>\n

“Whoa…whoa…wait! What are you talking about? Were you ra…?”<\/p>\n

“No…no…he just beat me…” Lois whispered.<\/p>\n

Lois proceeded to tell Henderson about the cameras and bugs
\nin her apartment and possibly in her Jeep.<\/p>\n

“Henderson, I need to get away. I need your help! I just
\nneed to get away from here until I can feel my way…regain my bearings. I have
\n$200 to my name. Lex cut off all of my accounts and credit cards.” Lois started
\nto sob on Henderson’s shoulder.<\/p>\n

“Shhh, Lois. I’m going to help you. But you must make a
\nstatement. We have enough evidence…we planned to arrest Luthor early in the
\nmorning on multiple charges. We’re planning for the early morning because…”
\nHenderson whispered, “…we have a snitch in the department. We haven’t been able
\nto confirm who yet but we have a good idea who. I’m sure that Lex will make bail,
\nbut then we’ll just have to watch him, closely. And you need to be examined and
\nfile a formal report.”<\/p>\n

“No! I’ve got to get out of here. If he catches up with me…”<\/p>\n

“Lois…Lois…we can examine you here in the police lab and
\ntake pictures. You really need to go to the hospital and be seen by a
\nphysician…”<\/p>\n

“Can the medical examiner just do it here?”<\/p>\n

“Oh, God Lois…I’ll se what I can do. Where will you go? We
\ncan get you around the clock…”<\/p>\n

“No! I `m going…just driving…I’ve got to get out of here!”<\/p>\n

“I’ll see what I can arrange.” Henderson placed his arms
\naround Lois’s shoulders and led her to the medical examiner. Henderson
\nexplained the situation and the ME gladly followed Henderson’s instructions.
\nShe owed him that much. Henderson turned Lois over to Dr. Warner and stood
\noutside the door down near the main hallway. He wanted to see who came and
\nwent. He made a silent oath to himself that he was going to find who did this
\nto Lois.<\/p>\n

Forty five minutes later. Lois emerged from the ME’s table.
\nShe had no broken bones but multiple contusions, bruised ribs and a big
\nhematoma on the side of her head near her ear. She did get eight stitches
\nacross her temple. Dr. Warner had given her a prescription for pain medication
\nbut Lois had escaping on her mind. Lois filed her formal police report and went
\nto find Henderson. On the way to Henderson’s office she passed the door to the
\noutside of the precinct. She noticed a Maybach parked on the outer side of her
\nJeep, just sitting there. Lex. He had found her. Henderson walked up behind
\nLois.<\/p>\n

“Lois…”<\/p>\n

“Oh God! You scared…Lex, he’s out there! I just saw his
\nMaybach! He found me.” Lois was frantic.<\/p>\n

Henderson looked out but didn’t see Lex’s Maybach. “Lois, I
\ndon’t see anything but your Jeep. Are you sure that you don’t need to be checked
\nout by…”<\/p>\n

“I know what I saw! Please, Henderson…I need your help!”<\/p>\n

Henderson grabbed Lois by the hand and led her back to the
\nME’s office. “I have something for you, Lois. Just play along until we get
\nbehind closed doors,” he whispered.<\/p>\n

“Lois, you need to be seen in the ER…”<\/p>\n

“No! I’m not…”<\/p>\n

“We called the paramedics to drive you. Lois you’ve been
\nhurt!”<\/p>\n

“But…”<\/p>\n

“You’re going!”<\/p>\n

Henderson and Lois finally made it into the ME’s office.
\nHenderson’s plan was in action.<\/p>\n

“That little dialogue was for the snitch, Lois.”<\/p>\n

“I figured so.”<\/p>\n

“Okay. The ambulance is the decoy. No one will be in it
\nexcept the driver and his partner riding in the back. When they leave, I’m sure
\nthat Luthor will follow them. We’ll get him, don’t worry. We have an unmarked
\ncar for you. Here’s another $150 for gas…food…you know. The tank is full. Here
\nare some scrubs and prison issue tennis shoes to change into and a baseball cap
\nso that you look like a guy. Where will you go?”<\/p>\n

“I don’t know…just…west. Don’t worry I’ll get the car back…”<\/p>\n

“Oh, I was just gonna say that if you happen through a small
\ntown called St. Peter, Kansas, I have a friend there. His name is Sergeant Sean
\nO’Neill. Leave the car with him. He’ll get it back to me. He owes me.” Then
\nHenderson gave Lois that knowing smile. He knew.<\/p>\n

Lois kissed Henderson on the cheek. “Thank you.”<\/p>\n

“Get out of here. And if you need anything else, you know my
\nnumber.”<\/p>\n

**********************************************************<\/p>\n

Nigel St. John followed the ambulance to Metropolis General
\nHospital from the police precinct at a safe distance in Lex Luthor’s Maybach.
\nWhat he didn’t realize is that he was also being followed. When the ambulance
\nreached the ER dock he couldn’t see which much. He called Lex on the phone.<\/p>\n

“She’s here, sir.”<\/p>\n

“Well done, Nigel. I’ll see you in a few.”<\/p>\n

Fifteen minutes later, Lex Luthor arrived at Metropolis
\nGeneral Hospital’s ER. He got the receptionist’s attention.<\/p>\n

“My fianc\u00e9e was brought here just moments ago, apparently
\ninjured…Lois Lane. May I see her.”<\/p>\n

After looking through the registration files, the
\nreceptionist looked to Lex and said, “I’m sorry, sir, but there is no Lois Lane
\nregistered.”<\/p>\n

“That’s not possible. She came in by ambulance…”<\/p>\n

“Sir no one has come in on my shift tonight. I know that because
\nI found it strange for us to be so slow, tonight. I’ve been here since seven
\nand it’s now…what…nine forty…”<\/p>\n

“Damn!” Lex slammed his fist on the counter. He knew then
\nexactly what ha happened. He’d been decoyed!<\/p>\n

Lex’s thoughts were interrupted by the commotion that he
\nturned to face. It was the Metropolis Police Department, led by Henderson.
\nNigel was in handcuffs.<\/p>\n

“Alexander Luthor, you’re under arrest for murder,
\nextortion, conspiracy to murder, assault, kidnapping and other charges too
\nnumerous to list at this time. You have a right to remain silent…”<\/p>\n

“I know my rights! I’ll have your badges for this…” The
\npolice lead Lex out of the hospital screaming threats. Henderson smiled to
\nhimself. He knew that Lex would make bail by morning but this would buy her a
\nlittle time. By the time Lex would actually leave the MPD, Lois would be far
\ngone, probably in Ohio or nearing Indiana by then. He would surely drag his
\nfeet processing Lex’s release.<\/p>\n

******************************************************<\/p>\n

Lois made it to the interstate from the police department in
\nfifteen minutes. The unmarked car gave her some room to exceed the speed limit
\nif she had to. But right now she had a long drive ahead of her. She thought
\nabout taking some back roads but after some thought found it to be probably
\nsafer to be on the wide open road. She had a hand held map that she picked up
\nat the police station. Henderson offered her a portable GPS but it spooked her
\nand she opted not to take it. She estimated arriving in St. Peter at about 5
\no’clock tomorrow evening. She had $350 to her name and a gas guzzling V8 Crown
\nVictoria. She could only buy the bare minimum because she wasn’t sure how much
\ngas prices would rob her to get there. Lois was not very religious but found
\ncomfort in praying to God to lead her to safety…to Clark. And then a sense of
\npeace came over her and she knew that she would find him.<\/p>\n

Lois’s first eight hours were troubling. She was sore, tired
\nand scared. When she stopped for gas she was paranoid, looking around. She was
\nafraid of being followed. After all she was not easy to miss with the
\nFrankenstein scar across her temple. People stared but she would quickly get
\nback to the car and started again. A few times she started to doze off. She
\nsang out loud with the radio, rolled down the windows and anything else she
\ncould do to stay awake. After a couple of hours of fighting sleep, she got a
\nsecond wind. This wind would take her to St. Peter.<\/p>\n

At 3 o’clock Wednesday evening with the time change, Lois
\narrived in Wichita. She was tired and down right hurting then. She still had
\nabout an hour to go so she could only take the Motrin that she had been taking
\nalong the way. The Lorcet that Dr. Warner had prescribed would just make her
\nsub functioning brain resign. Besides she hadn’t had it filled anyway. She
\ndidn’t have time.<\/p>\n

Lois thought more intensely on the drive from Wichita to St.
\nPeter. What would she say to Clark? When he had tried to be a friend to her and
\nwarn her about Lex, she had basically called him a liar. She accused him of
\nbeing jealous and refused to accept the information. Then he proposed, showing
\nher how much he wanted to be with her at any cost. What did Lois do? She ran
\naway from him, into Lex “Satan” Luthor’s arms. So, now how could she just show
\nup at his home and ask him for help…ask for him to accept her without
\nconsequences. She didn’t deserve Clark.<\/p>\n

Lois had only had three bottles of water and a bag of chips
\non the drive. Truthfully it hurt her to chew. She felt sort of queasy but
\nwasn’t sure if it was from not eating or taking the Motrin on an empty stomach.
\nShe decided that she would just ask Clark for a shower and a two hour nap and
\nthen catch a bus or a train…to…somewhere. She counted her money. She only had
\n$67 left. That wouldn’t get her very far. Maybe she would ask to borrow a few
\ndollars from Clark just until she could get on her feet.<\/p>\n

Finally, Lois crossed the St. Peter county line…into
\nHeaven…to Clark. Lois was grateful that Clark had passed the place on his way
\nto the airport…when she broke his heart. It was a few minutes after five in the
\nevening. Just like heaven it was a clear and sunny May Wednesday, 88\u00baF and dry.
\nThere were no cars on the road and all of the noise was from nature. There were
\na few tractors in the fields but not much else. There was a Keith Urban song
\nplaying on the radio. The song embodied the exact shambles that controlled hers
\nand Clark’s feelings. Lois turned onto the road that lead to Clark’s driveway.
\nShe knew this was it because she saw his grey 4Runner just outside of the
\ngarage door. The last part of the song was playing as she put the car in park.<\/p>\n

Would it help if I
\nturned a sad song on<\/i>
\n
"All By
\nMyself" would sure hit me hard now that you’re gone<\/i>
\n
Or maybe unfold some
\nold yellow lost love letters<\/i>
\n
It’s gonna hurt bad
\nbefore it gets better<\/i>
\n
But I’ll never get
\nover you by hidin’ this way<\/i><\/p>\n

I’ve never been the
\nkind to ever let my feelings show<\/i>
\n
And I thought that
\nbein’ strong meant never losin’ your self-control<\/i>
\n
But I’m just drunk
\nenough to let go of my pain<\/i>
\n
To hell with my pride,
\nlet it fall like rain<\/i>
\n
From my eyes<\/i>
\n
Tonight I wanna cry<\/i><\/p>\n

Lois sat for a moment to control the sobs that escaped her
\nwhile she was immersed in the song. She could not allow Clark to see her this
\nway…not after all she had done to him.<\/p>\n

**********************************************************************<\/p>\n

Clark had been at the St. Peter Times for three months. He
\nhad gained favor with Dean and they had become friends outside of work. He
\nfound that they were the same age and liked a lot of the same things. Dean was
\na Princeton graduate and very well rounded. There were three reporters; Lilly
\nParker, Colin Andrews and Michael Sanders. Lilly was the newest reporter, just
\nsix months out of college. She was just married and green all around. Colin was
\nan older man who was just trying to finish out his time until retirement. His
\nwife had retired and his kids were all done with college, grown, married and
\nhad children of their own. And Michael had been there about four years. He and
\nhis wife were expecting their first baby in the next couple of months.<\/p>\n

Dean needed someone to go to Iraq to cover the war update.
\nClark had quickly volunteered even though he was the assistant editor. He knew
\nthat Lilly would do it but didn’t have the experience, Colin had paid his dues
\nand Michael needed to be there for his wife and baby. And besides Clark was
\nSuperman. After some discussion Dean agreed. Clark had confided in Dean that he
\ndidn’t feel like he had anything to lose anyway. He was young, disconsolate and
\nsingle (with no desire to love again if his love interest couldn’t be Lois). At
\nfirst, Dean juggled the idea around in his head because he thought Clark maybe
\nhad a death wish. Then he remembered feeling that way once and knew that with
\ntime Clark would pull through. Maybe this trip would be good for him. Dean sent
\nClark home for two weeks vacation before his trip. That was time enough to tie
\nup loose ends and pack…or rescind his decision. So when Clark went home on
\nFriday, he would be off until two weeks from the upcoming Monday, when his
\nflight would leave for Iraq. Of course, he could return home at anytime,
\nSuperman express.<\/p>\n

Clark had a hard time at home the first few days. He didn’t
\nhave a whole lot to do so it gave him lots of time to think…about Lois.
\nSometimes he would almost find himself in tears. When he slept he often woke in
\na cold sweat from dreams of Lois. He would go over to his parents’ farm and
\nhelp them but at the end of the day he was back to thoughts of Lois. Martha
\nknew that there was so much going on inside of Clark but she didn’t want to
\npush him. In time he would talk to her.<\/p>\n

It was Wednesday evening. Clark had fallen asleep in his
\nhammock out back earlier. He had actually had a pretty restful nap until Maci
\ncame and licked his face. He got up with that, got Maci a treat and retired
\ninside. He got a glass of wine, just because of his mood and not because he
\ncould get a drunk from it. He turned on the radio and lay back in his couch
\nholding a picture of him and Lois at the Kerth Awards ceremony. He looked at
\nthe way that they were smiling at each other. There was so much happiness in
\nthat picture. Ironically, a very suited song came on the radio.<\/p>\n

Alone in this house
\nagain tonight<\/i>
\n
I got the TV on, the
\nsound turned down and a bottle of wine<\/i>
\n
There’s pictures of
\nyou and I on the walls around me<\/i>
\n
The way that it was
\nand could have been surrounds me<\/i>
\n
I’ll never get over
\nyou walkin’ away<\/i><\/p>\n

A single tear escaped Clark as he held his picture securely
\nto his chest and closed his eyes. Eventually as the song played on, he sat up
\nand put his face in his hands and started to sob. He finally stopped fighting
\nit and released all of his pent up emotions. To see this powerful man’s
\nshoulders shake was like witnessing an apocalyptical event.<\/p>\n

I’ve never been the
\nkind to ever let my feelings show<\/i>
\n
And I thought that
\nbein’ strong meant never losin’ your self-control<\/i>
\n
But I’m just drunk
\nenough to let go of my pain<\/i>
\n
To hell with my pride,
\nlet it fall like rain<\/i>
\n
From my eyes<\/i>
\n
Tonight I wanna cry <\/i><\/p>\n

Eventually peacefulness settled over Clark. All he could do
\nnow was try to go on. He laid his head back against his cushions as the song
\nplayed on but before it ended he was fast asleep again, peacefully.<\/p>\n

***********************************************<\/p>\n

Lois rang the doorbell and stood. No one answered. She
\ncupped her hands on the screen door and could see Clark on the sofa. He
\nappeared to be asleep. She tried the screen door and it opened. She mentally
\nchastised Clark for being so na\u00efve and trusting, even in the country. Someone
\nwas going to hurt him one day.<\/p>\n

Lois approached Clark and saw the half glass of wine and
\nwhat looked like tear tracks on his cheeks. He was so beautiful, lying there so
\ninnocently…asleep on the couch. Lois reached out and gently touched his cheek.
\nShe could feel the lump in her throat start to form again.<\/p>\n

“Clark…” Lois gently touched his cheek with the backs of her
\nfingertips.<\/p>\n

A sleepy, “Loi…” escaped Clark as he covered her hand on his
\ncheek with his. Then his eyes flew open.<\/p>\n

“Lois?” He stood. Then he saw it…the black and blue bruises
\nin her face, the egg that had formed right behind her ear and the stitches…<\/p>\n

“Lois…sweetheart…what happened?” Clark tentatively reached
\nout to tuck a strand of hair behind Lois’s ear. His eyes had started to shimmer
\nagain.<\/p>\n

“I’m…I’m sorry, Clark…I had no right to impose on you
\nunannounced. The door was open and I rang the doorbell and…if you would just
\nlet me shower and get just two hours of sleep, I’ll leave…”<\/p>\n

Clark gathered Lois in his arms and hugged her to him. His
\nsilent tears fell into her hair. He held her there for a few minutes,
\nsupporting her head against his chest. He could feel the wetness on his shirt
\nfrom her tears. Then Lois let out a painful groan.<\/p>\n

“Who did this to you?” When Lois didn’t answer immediately,
\nClark got her eye contact. “Lex did this, didn’t he?”<\/p>\n

“You told me…Cl…Cl…Clark and…I…I didn’t listen.” Lois
\nlooked away.<\/p>\n

He hugged her again. “Shhh….it’s over. I won’t let anyone
\nelse hurt you …ever.”<\/p>\n

“I promise I’ll leave tonight. I won’t disrupt your
\nlife…just please, let me shower and take a nap…”<\/p>\n

“Lois…how did you get here? Where were you going?”<\/p>\n

“I drove. I was trying to get away from Lex. I’m so scared
\nClark. I don’t really have a place to go…”<\/p>\n

“You drove alone! Lois, why? Why didn’t you call me? You do
\nhave a place…right here, as long as you need. Have you seen a doctor…been to
\nthe hospital?”<\/p>\n

“I don’t know Clark. I didn’t think you wanted anything to
\ndo with me, anymore. I figured if I just showed up you would at least let me
\nget a shower and a nap before you asked me to leave.”<\/p>\n

“Lois…”<\/p>\n

“Dr. Warner the ME examined me and gave me stitches. I just
\nhave cuts and bruises. No breaks. I look a lot worse that I am.”<\/p>\n

“You’re hurting…”<\/p>\n

“I couldn’t take the pain medication that Dr. Warner
\nprescribed while I was driving. My prescription is not even filled. I took
\nMotrin…”<\/p>\n

“Let me run you a bath and I’ll get your prescription filled
\nwhile you bathe. I’m going to get Doc Morgan to look you over.”<\/p>\n

Clark held his hand up as Lois started to protest. “Please,
\njust let me take care of you,” He said softly. “When did you eat last?” Clark
\nnoticed Lois hesitate to think. “I’ll fix you something to eat and we can talk
\nafter you get a nap.”<\/p>\n

Lois shook her head in agreement.<\/p>\n

Clark ran Lois a bath and led her to the bathroom. He laid
\nout shampoo and a new toothbrush for her. It dawned on him that Lois didn’t
\nhave anything to change into…wait…she had left her jeans, a short sleeved
\nsweater and underwear the last time she was in Kansas. She had forgotten the clothes
\nthat she had in the wash. Clark got out one of his oversized tee shirts and
\nleft her other clothes laying along side it out on his bed. He would take her
\ntomorrow to get some clothes to wear if he could convince her to stay that
\nlong.<\/p>\n

Clark warmed up some home made chicken soup that Martha had
\nmade the day before. He laid out crackers and some warm tea. By the time Lois
\nfinished with her bath, Doc Morgan was there. He checked Lois over and gave the
\nsame report as Dr. Warner. He suggested that Clark wake Lois every three hours
\nuntil the next morning even though it had been almost 24 hours since her head
\ntrauma. He brought along some pain medication unaware that Clark had filled a
\nprescription for her. After Doc Morgan left Clark noticed that Lois chose his
\nover sized tee shirt to wear. His heart swelled at the closeness that he felt
\nfrom her choice. Clark explained where her changing set of clothes had come
\nfrom. He had attempted to pack them away with his memories of Lois on that
\ndreadful day in Smallville but just couldn’t part with them. Lois ate most of
\nher soup and crackers and drank her tea. She really needed food for that pain
\nmedication and for the simple fact that she was hungry.<\/p>\n

Clark made his bed for Lois because he only had one bed so
\nfar. He would sleep on the couch.<\/p>\n

“Here you go, Lois,” Clark said as he folded the sheets back
\nfor her.<\/p>\n

“But where will you…”<\/p>\n

“Don’t worry about me. Sweet dreams Lois.” Clark gently
\nbrushed his lips across her cheek. She was starting to look a little better.<\/p>\n

Clark woke Lois at 10 o’clock. He had her pain medication in
\nhand to offer.<\/p>\n

“Lois…sweetheart…wake up…do you need pain medication?” She
\njust stirred a little then drifted back off to sleep. Clark woke Lois every
\nthree hours all night but after the 4 o’clock wake up he fell asleep. The next
\ntime he opened his eyes was at 9 o’clock.<\/p>\n

Clark jumped up in a hurry to make sure that Lois was real
\nand that he could still wake her.<\/p>\n

“Lois…” Clark gently called as he shook her shoulders
\ngently.<\/p>\n

“Umm…”<\/p>\n

Clark just smiled to himself and let Lois go back off to
\nsleep. He got up and stirred around some in the kitchen. He made coffee and
\nbacon and eggs. He thought he would have to sit Lois aside a plate in the oven
\nwhen he heard her patter into the kitchen. He turned around to greet her but
\nwas caught off guard by what he saw. There Lois stood with her face cast
\ndownward wearing his white terry-cloth bath robe.<\/p>\n

“Lois…?”<\/p>\n

“Clark, I’m…thank you for being so kind to me. I’ve already
\noverstayed my welcome. I’ll get dressed and I’ll go…” Lois turned to walk away.<\/p>\n

“Please don’t go. Stay as long as you’d like.”<\/p>\n

“That’s just it. I would stay forever, like I should have
\nwhen you offered the first time.”<\/p>\n

“That offer is still open…if you’d like.”<\/p>\n

Lois sat down at the table. Clark placed a cup of coffee in
\nfront of her just the way she liked it. For some reason when he made it, it
\nalways tasted better than when she made it. Clark then sat in the chair
\nadjacent to her.<\/p>\n

“What happened, Lois?”<\/p>\n

Lois stared down into her cup of coffee as if she would find
\nher answers there. After a few minutes, she started to recount the events
\nleading up to the day that Lex assaulted her. As she told her story, she
\nwatched a kaleidoscope of emotions cross Clark’s face. She saw hurt, concern,
\nsadness, anger but all the time underlying love for her. After all of what she
\nhad done to him, he still loved her. When she finished her story, Clark stared
\noff out the window across from him, silently. After a few moments he spoke
\nagain.<\/p>\n

“Lois, Luthor didn’t r-ra-force himself…did he?”<\/p>\n

“No. He was going to…but I fought him off. That’s when I ran
\nto Henderson.”<\/p>\n

Clark released a sigh that he wasn’t aware that he was
\nholding.<\/p>\n

The couple talked more about the day that Lois was assaulted
\nby Lex and how Henderson helped her to escape. Lois told Clark how all she
\nwanted was to get to him. After what seemed like hours of talking about that
\ndreadful day Lois realized that she had not considered that Clark may have to
\nget to work.<\/p>\n

“Clark, don’t you have to go to work. I didn’t mean to…”<\/p>\n

“No. I have to go to Iraq a week from Monday, to cover the
\nwar. Dean gave me two weeks off before I go.”<\/p>\n

“Why you? You’re the assistant editor. Aren’t there other…”<\/p>\n

“I volunteered. Lilly is too green, Colin is older and has
\npaid his dues and Michael is expecting his first baby. He should be there for
\nhis wife. I would want to be.”<\/p>\n

“Oh.” With that last summation, Lois saw a look of longing
\nbriefly appear over Clark’s face. She could see that he wanted a family so
\nbadly.<\/p>\n

“Lois, I’m sorry that I didn’t return your calls. I just
\ncouldn’t…couldn’t talk to you right then. It was still too painful. Rather than
\nsucking it up, I pouted and I should have been there to help you. Maybe you
\nwould have called me earlier on if I hadn’t been so adamant about not talking
\nto you. I’m so sorry.”<\/p>\n

“Clark, it wasn’t your fault.”<\/p>\n

“What about Superman? Why didn’t you call for help?”<\/p>\n

“I…he avoids me lately. I guess he thinks I’m not worth his
\ntime. After all, Lex tried to kill him back when he was missing…with Kryptonite
\npowder. I really don’t blame him.”<\/p>\n

Lois thought she saw a paleness go over Clark. “Superman
\nwould never deny you help.”<\/p>\n

“I guess…” Lois shrugged her shoulders.<\/p>\n

“So, Luthor just attacked when you refused to marry him?”<\/p>\n

“When I told him that I was in love with someone else, he
\nautomatically assumed it was Superman and as you know, he hates Superman.”<\/p>\n

“I promise you that I will never let him hurt you again.”<\/p>\n

“I know.”<\/p>\n

Lois and Clark talked for a couple more hours then Clark
\nsent her to get dressed. Though she was reluctant to be seen with her scarring
\nand bruising, Clark insisted on taking her out to buy some new clothes.<\/p>\n

“Clark, I don’t have any money…”<\/p>\n

“I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”<\/p>\n

Fortunately Lois had some makeup in her purse and she used
\nit to cover most of her bruises. The stitches remained visible but she could
\nlive with that.<\/p>\n

First they returned the unmarked car to Sergeant Sean
\nO’Neill who turned out to be Father Sean O’Neill…and he was expecting her. He
\nknew Henderson from New York and they had helped people before. No wonder Clark
\nlaughed when she went to the police department and asked for Sergeant Sean
\nO’Neill. The clerk at the police department snickered and directed her to the
\nrectory a block away. Lois scolded Clark for not telling her. He told her that
\nif she had told him who she was looking for he could have told her.<\/p>\n

Lois and Clark had gone to Wichita and shopped for a few
\nhours. When they entered the mall Lois reached for Clark’s hand. He entwined
\nhis fingers with hers and only let go to pay for Lois’s purchases. They held
\nhands on the ride back to St. Peter. When they got back home, Martha had left
\ndinner on Clark’s kitchen counter. He had called his parents and told them that
\nLois was there while she slept the day before.<\/p>\n

For the next week, Lois and Clark spent a lot of time just
\ntalking. She cried a lot and Clark held her when she cried. He held her every
\nchance he got. They would spend hours in the hammock together, just talking and
\nLois had even started laughing again. Her physical scars were healing and she
\nwas feeling much better. Superman only went out for big disasters and
\nfortunately for Clark it had always been at night while Lois slept. Clark knew
\nthat he would have to tell Lois the truth about Superman soon, especially since
\nhe felt that things were changing between them. He didn’t want to be too
\npresumptuous but he thought that maybe Lois was starting to feel differently
\nabout him.<\/p>\n

Lois had called Henderson and scolded him about setting her
\nup to expect an officer when in fact it was a priest. Henderson feigned fear
\nbut laughed at the end. Henderson said that he had dubbed O’Neill as sergeant
\nbecause he had worked a lot with the police department, mainly Henderson, when
\nlong distance help was needed. Wherever he went the police departments knew
\nhim. He told her that Lex Luthor was in jail without bail and so were his
\ngoons. He assured her that he would not be paroled in this lifetime because he
\nhad federal charges as well. He said that he had gotten the car back and ended
\nthe call by telling her to tell Clark “hello.” Henderson knew all the time
\nwhere she was running to.<\/p>\n

The very next morning, early Henderson called Lois at
\nClark’s house and told her that the judge had gone for the death penalty for
\nLuthor. He had over forty charges and about half of them were federal charges.
\nAlmost as if Luthor wanted to maintain ultimate control he committed suicide by
\nrequesting and eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. No one thought this a
\nstrange request for a multi billionaire who had had his own French chef, so
\nthey serve it. Luthor knew that he was allergic to peanuts. He was found dead
\nin his cell just an hour ago. The information had not yet been released to the
\nmedia, but Henderson thought that Lois would like to know.<\/p>\n

Henderson had also told Lois that the department had named
\ntheir snitches and there were actually two of them. They were veteran cops who
\nwere on Lex Luthor’s payroll. They gave Lex the when’s and where’s of the
\npolice department which therefore made him able to always be a step ahead of
\nthem. It all made sense now.<\/p>\n

Lois felt some relief that she would no longer be threatened
\nby the existence of Lex Luthor. But her main concerns were of a totally
\ndifferent colour. She had no need now to stay with Clark, so surely he would
\nexpect her to leave and resume her normal life.<\/p>\n

*************************************************<\/p>\n

Sunday night before he was due to leave came around. Lois
\nhad started to become withdrawn again.<\/p>\n

“Sweetheart what’s wrong?” Clark came and sat on the edge of
\nthe bed next to Lois where she sat and watched him pack.<\/p>\n

Lois smiled to herself at the endearment that apparently
\nslipped from Clark.<\/p>\n

“I just wish you didn’t have to go.”<\/p>\n

“It’s only for a week. I promise you that I’ll make sure
\nthat you’re protected. My parents are here and I’ll ask Superman to fly by…”<\/p>\n

“I guess I should be heading back to Metropolis, too, now.
\nI’m not in danger anymore and I didn’t expect you to let me stay here
\nforever…I…”<\/p>\n

“Actually, I had hoped you would stay forev…for a while.
\nDon’t go, Lois.” Clark softly pleaded.<\/p>\n

“Clark, when I told Lex that I was in love with someone
\nelse, it wasn’t Superman.”<\/p>\n

Clark got up and walked over to the window, his back to
\nLois. Clark whispered, “Who? Do I even want to know?”<\/p>\n

Lois got up and went to stand next to him. “It’s you, Clark.
\nI’m in love with you. It took me going back to Metropolis and making a fool of
\nmyself for me to realize it. Could we get married, Clark…still?”<\/p>\n

Clark looked into Lois’s eyes with the shimmering of tears.
\n“I’ve been in love with you for so long, Lois. I don’t want you to feel like
\nyou owe me anything. I’ll always be here for you.”<\/p>\n

“But, Clark, I do owe you my honesty and that is that I love
\nyou…am in love with you and I know that I want to spend the rest of my life
\nwith you. But if you’ve changed your mind, I certainly understand why.”<\/p>\n

Lois turned to walk back to the bed. Clark caught her in a
\ncouple of steps and turned her around to face him.<\/p>\n

“Lois, I love you more than life. If you still feel this way
\nwhen I get back, then yes, I want to marry you, more than anything. But if you
\ndon’t, I’ll still be your friend. I just …it would kill me…if we went through
\nwith it…if you didn’t mean it…if you had regrets afterwards.”<\/p>\n

“I’ll miss you.”<\/p>\n

Clark hugged Lois to him.<\/p>\n

“Lois, there is something that I should tell you.” Clark led
\nher to sit on the bed again.<\/p>\n

“Yes?”<\/p>\n

Clark ran his hands through his hair in that nervous
\ngesture. Then he stood…and after some reluctance started spinning…and Lois
\nstared at him wide eyed. In a fraction of a second Superman stood before her.<\/p>\n

“Oh God, Clark. I’m so sorry.” Lois started to sob. “You
\nknew about Lex all along and I didn’t listen to you. He tried to kill you and I
\nalmost…I’m so sorry.”<\/p>\n

“Shhh…you didn’t…couldn’t have known. It’s okay, really.
\nWe’re here now.” Clark tried to lighten the mood. “So you won’t have to go a
\nfull week without seeing me.”<\/p>\n

“Oh, Clark.” Lois leaped into his arms and he held her to
\nhim.<\/p>\n

*************************************************<\/p>\n

Lois drove Clark to Wichita to the airport on Monday
\nmorning. He hated to fly on a plane but, he had to do this for work. They sat
\nwaiting for Clark’s flight to be called. Clark had his elbows on his knees
\nleaning forward with one of Lois’s smaller hands between his two. He thought
\nabout the last time he was at this place. But…hopefully…things are different
\nnow. Lois knew that he was in deep thought and she knew why.<\/p>\n

“Penny for your thoughts…”<\/p>\n

“I’m just afraid that you’re going to change…”<\/p>\n

<First call for
\nAmerican Airlines Flight 5577 nonstop to New Your, LaGuardia boarding business
\nclass…> <\/i><\/p>\n

“I love you, Clark. I won’t change my mind.”<\/p>\n

“And I love you.” Clark leaned down and kissed Lois
\nthoroughly. When he broke the kiss he whispered in her ear, “See you tomorrow.”<\/p>\n

Clark came home every day from Iraq. Most of the time he
\nwould find Lois outside, talking to Maci. Lois and Maci had become great
\nfriends. Clark had left Lois his truck keys so she spent a fair amount of time
\nwith Martha and Jonathan on the farm. She and Martha talked a lot.<\/p>\n

During that week of Clark’s absence Lois had gone to the
\nSmallville Gazette to respond to an ad for an assistant editor. Lois had has
\nsome encouragement from Martha after she had told her her plans. She was
\nformally offered the job but she explained to the editor, Ms. Hatcher that she
\ncould not give her a definite answer until Monday but she was seriously
\ninterested.<\/p>\n

*************************************************<\/p>\n

Friday, evening Clark came home. It was later than his usual
\nvisit from Iraq. Lois had though that he got busy and couldn’t come home. He
\nfound her napping on the couch with a book that she had apparently attempted to
\nread. He spun into his Clark clothes.<\/p>\n

“Hi.” Clark whispered in Lois’s ear.<\/p>\n

She woke up with a very drowsy, “Hi.”<\/p>\n

“I thought you got busy but I’m glad you came. There is
\nsomething that I need to talk with you about.”<\/p>\n

“You changed your mind…”<\/p>\n

“No! I wanted to…well…I applied for a job at the Smallville
\nGazette, assistant editor, but I told Ms. Hatcher that I couldn’t give her an
\nanswer until Monday. It depends on what you say…about…you know…”<\/p>\n

“Is that what you want, Lois? I mean it’s not the big
\ncity…exciting investigations.” Clark was now sitting on the edge of the coffee
\ntable just in front of Lois. He gently cradled Lois’s hands in his and held
\nthem close to his lips. He spoke just above a whisper.<\/p>\n

“More than anything…I want you. I want to be with you.”<\/p>\n

“Good. Then tell her yes…that is if you’ll be my wife.”
\nClark brought Lois’s hands to his lips and kissed them.<\/p>\n

“Oh God Clark! Yes!”<\/p>\n

Clark reached in his pocket and pulled out a small purple
\nvelvet box. When he opened it, it contained a simple princess cut solitaire on
\na platinum setting.<\/p>\n

“I was late because I had to make a stop in France for
\nthis.” Clark released Lois’s hands so that he could place her engagement ring.
\nHe then leaned over and kissed Lois. “I love you, honey.”<\/p>\n

“I love you, too. How did I land someone as wonderful as
\nyou? I was so…”<\/p>\n

Clark kissed away her attempted babble.<\/p>\n

After what seemed like hours of talking and making out on
\nClark’s couch he stood to head back to Iraq.<\/p>\n

“Will you stay…tonight?”<\/p>\n

“I…they’re nine hours ahead of us in Iraq. I want to spend
\nthe whole night with you our first time.” He was pretty sure that he knew what
\nshe wanted and he wanted her as much as she wanted him. At the same time, he
\nneeded time to work up his nerves…and his confidence…so that he didn’t
\ndisappoint Lois. “My plane lands in Wichita on Sunday night.”<\/p>\n

Lois smiled. “Okay. I’ll be waiting.”<\/p>\n

Clark kissed Lois and flew off…back to Iraq.<\/p>\n

Sunday night when Clark landed in Wichita he flew home
\nSuperman express. He had told Lois not to come for him because Superman was
\nfaster. He found her lying across his bed napping. It was late because their
\nflight had not landed in Wichita until midnight due to a delay in New York.<\/p>\n

******************************<\/p>\n

He lay on the bed next to her on the side she was facing.
\nHer eyes fluttered open.<\/p>\n

“Hi beautiful.”<\/p>\n

“Hi. I missed you.”<\/p>\n

“I missed you too.” Clark leaned over and kissed Lois.<\/p>\n

*************************************************<\/p>\n

The next morning, Teresa came knocking on Clark’s door. She
\nand Lois had become pretty friendly especially while Clark was gone. Lois
\nanswered the door.<\/p>\n

“Teresa?”<\/p>\n

“Sorry to bother you, Lois, but I need to borrow some sugar.
\nEthan is back home and I want to make breakfast for him but I ran out of sugar.
\nThe strangest thing happened on Wednesday. Superman just came to my front door,
\nout of the blue, knocked then told me that Ethan would be landing in Wichita on
\nSunday. Now in Ethan’s letters he said that he would be deployed three more
\nmonths. I thought that maybe he was trying to evade me…didn’t want me to know
\nwhen he came back home because maybe he really didn’t want to be with me, but
\nSuperman assured me that it was a sudden change and he only had time to prepare
\nto fly home. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Superman up close before
\nWednesday…but anyway… I would have never thought that he even knew who I was.”<\/p>\n

“When Ethan saw me standing there, at his arriving gate, he
\ncame over and held me like he would never let go. He told me that he didn’t
\nwant to go home just yet, but that he wanted to come home with me so that we
\ncould talk. I brought him here so that we could talk and we talked all night.
\nThen he proposed…again! Eventually this morning early, I fell asleep in his
\narms. ”<\/p>\n

“And…”<\/p>\n

“I said yes silly! He said that I had to love him to stand
\nby him all those months. He also admitted that he never stopped loving me. He
\nthought it would be selfish to keep me waiting while he went to war, just like
\nClark said. And it felt so good to fall asleep in his arms again.”<\/p>\n

“Clark said?”<\/p>\n

“Yes. Oh…and congratulations! I saw Clark at the airport
\nlast night. He told me that you said yes. As long as I’ve known him, he has
\nbeen in love with you Lois.”<\/p>\n

“I know, Teresa, I know.” Lois got a satisfied smile on her
\nface. Apparently everyone knew that Clark had been in love with her.<\/p>\n

“Well…sugar? I’ve got to go and make breakfast for Ethan.<\/p>\n

*************************************************<\/p>\n

The following week, Lois and Clark married in Clark’s back
\nyard and Teresa and Ethan were married the following weekend in Teresa’s yard.
\nBut, too soon, Teresa’s house would go up for sale because she was moving to
\nOkinawa with Ethan. Lois was truly going to miss her.<\/p>\n

But she had her own life changes to deal with now. The first
\ntime that she and Clark had made love, she became pregnant. Clark was so
\nexcited. And truthfully, Lois was too. She wanted nothing more that to have
\nbeautiful babies with Clark.<\/p>\n

Who would have thought that Lois Lane…Lois Kent as she liked
\nto be called…would be at this place in her life…right now…literally Heaven?<\/p>\n

~fin~ <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Author: Sheila Email: ethanseth@msn.com Rated: PG-13 This story is my annual birthday dedication to Maria Fernandez. I received my first directions from Maria when I joined the boards. Through that communication we somehow discovered that we have the same birthday, May 31st. I’m a bit late this year, due to school preparations. Though Maria is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":13,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,107],"tags":[490,833],"class_list":["post-656","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-pgfanfic","category-sheila","tag-heaven","tag-sheila"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=656"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1586,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/656\/revisions\/1586"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}