{"id":773,"date":"2014-12-12T00:15:57","date_gmt":"2014-12-12T00:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"\/lnc\/?page_id=773"},"modified":"2023-06-10T11:04:26","modified_gmt":"2023-06-10T15:04:26","slug":"the-dark-side-of-christmas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/fanfic\/pg-fanfic\/the-dark-side-of-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dark Side of Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author: Wendy Richards
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Email: wendy@lcfanfic.com<\/a>
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Rated: PG
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Submitted: December 2004<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Author\u2019s note:
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Much thanks and appreciation to Kaethel and Tricia for beta-reading this at *very* short notice indeed, and without whose help I\u2019d have felt extremely unsure about posting this story. You guys never cease to amaze me with your cheerful helpfulness – I owe you! Thanks also to Kaylle for being a fount of information about certain movie references. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

For all the FoLCs with December birthdays – in particular, Karen, Laura, Laurach, Roger, and Erica. I know there are others, so consider it for you too if you\u2019re in that category!<\/p>\n

All rights to characters in this story belong to DC Comics, Warner Bros and George Lucas. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

~ The Dark Side of Christmas ~
\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat am I doing here?\u201d Lois muttered, scowling as yet another Father Christmas knocked against her with his over-padded belly. She sighed, turning away and searching for a quiet, *empty* corner to get away from everyone in the function room for a while.<\/p>\n

Why had she allowed herself to be persuaded to come to this farce of an event? she asked herself for about the tenth time since she\u2019d arrived about ninety minutes ago. A masquerade ball. How… quaint.<\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t intended to be here at all. When Matty Harris, a city councilwoman who\u2019d given Lois a few useful tip-offs in the past year, had called her asking her to come to the ball, which was in aid of children\u2019s and homeless charities, Lois had been definite in her refusal. She was happy to make a donation to the cause, she\u2019d assured Matty. But she would be busy the night of the ball.<\/p>\n

Well, she\u2019d intended to be busy. But it had turned out that her partner, with whom she\u2019d planned to be busy, had other plans.<\/p>\n

Lois sipped at her drink again, wincing at the acidic taste of the warm liquid. Cheap Chardonnay, not even properly chilled. Didn\u2019t these people know how to serve the overpriced stuff they called wine?<\/p>\n

Glancing at her watch, she noted with dismay that she still had to endure two hours before she could make her exit. It was only just after ten.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a masquerade, Lois. That\u2019s what\u2019s going to be so much fun!\u201d Matty had exclaimed. \u201cEveryone\u2019s coming in a costume, but we\u2019ll all be masked too. Completely disguised. When people arrive they\u2019ll be given a number and a list to fill in, and there\u2019ll be prizes at the end of the evening – for whoever guesses the most correct identities, whoever manages to fool most people about who they really are, you name it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lois, on the other end of the phone, had rolled her eyes, grateful that she\u2019d had a reason to decline. But then she hadn\u2019t had a reason any more. And when Matty, persistent as ever, had called her back, Lois had agreed out of frustration. After all, Clark couldn\u2019t be bothered to spend his last evening in Metropolis before Christmas with her. So she sure as hell was *not* going to sit around at home on her own, as if she had nothing better to do merely because her partner and best friend had *plans.*<\/p>\n

She looked around the room again. The mayor was so obvious in his Henry VIII costume, his ample stomach suiting the role perfectly. And there was Maya Li of LNN, showing off her assets even more blatantly as usual dressed as Cleopatra. Didn\u2019t any of these people even *try* to disguise themselves? Predictable costumes, no attempt to disguise hairstyles, masks so thin they only covered the area around their wearers\u2019 eyes. Even Matty was easily recognisable in the Amelia Earhart outfit she wore.<\/p>\n

Lois glanced down at her own costume again. She\u2019d chosen to come as one of her lifelong heroines, Susan B Anthony, one of the great campaigners for women\u2019s suffrage. She was aware that, in the light of her partner\u2019s desertion, she was making another statement in her choice of role: by staying single all her life, Anthony had shown that women did *not* need a man in their lives.<\/p>\n

It was a good costume, even if she said so herself, she thought in satisfaction. The full-length, long-sleeved and high-collared dress typical of women\u2019s wear in the 1850s, her hair dressed in the severe style Anthony had favoured for most of her life – and with a full Susan Anthony face-mask, leaving only gaps for her eyes and mouth – Lois thought she was highly unlikely to be recognised as herself. She\u2019d pinned a facsimile of an early National Women\u2019s Suffrage Association poster to her back, for the benefit of anyone ignorant enough of American history not to identify her outfit.<\/p>\n

Taking another sip of her tepid wine, Lois took another glance around the room, grimacing at the over-the-top Christmas garlands, lights and banners. The organisers even had Santa Clauses and sleighs and trees projected onto the ceiling. And every second song played was a Christmas song. If she heard Bing Crosby or Band Aid *one* more time…<\/p>\n

Christmas. The one time of the year she hated more than any other. And yet she\u2019d been ready to make an effort this year. For Clark. For the man she\u2019d thought was her best friend. The man who she\u2019d stupidly allowed into her heart, only to have him walk all over it.<\/p>\n

He was going to Smallville for Christmas tomorrow, just as he had last year. He had three full days off, from midday Christmas Eve until the afternoon of the 27th. *She* had made sure that he had those days. She\u2019d volunteered to work all day tomorrow and come in early on the 26th, doing a double shift, just so that Clark could have the time off. Perry had questioned her offer, pointing out that it was her turn to have extra time off for the holiday, but she\u2019d shrugged, saying that Clark had further to go than she had to be with family.<\/p>\n

Of course, she wasn\u2019t spending Christmas with her family anyway, but that was beside the point.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d done Clark a favour. And, okay, she\u2019d sworn Perry to secrecy about it, and wild horses wouldn\u2019t drag it out of her, but still she found herself resenting his defection. His ingratitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome over for dinner on Thursday, Clark,\u201d she\u2019d suggested a couple of days ago. Actually, she\u2019d been meaning to ask him for weeks, but hadn\u2019t got around to it. Hadn\u2019t been able to find a way to ask him casually, because she\u2019d realised just how much she wanted to spend a special evening with him to celebrate the time of year he loved so much. How much she wanted him to show her what was so wonderful about Christmas.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d given her a regretful look, shaking his head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Lois. I have other plans for Thursday.\u201d As she\u2019d backed away, waving her hand casually and babbling that it didn\u2019t matter, it wasn\u2019t important, it had just been a thought, he\u2019d added, \u201cI wish you\u2019d asked me sooner. But I can\u2019t cancel this. I promised.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yeah. She just bet he couldn\u2019t cancel it. And she knew very well who he\u2019d made the promise to.<\/p>\n

Mayson Drake. It had to be. The assistant DA hadn\u2019t stopped sniffing around Clark ever since they\u2019d met back in October. She was so *obvious*! All that \u2018you\u2019re so brave to testify against Baby Rage, Clark!\u2019 crap! He was only doing what any concerned citizen would. What she would have done herself if she\u2019d been a witness in that situation.<\/p>\n

And then, after Clark had come back from the dead, she\u2019d intensified her efforts to get into his pants. Excuse after excuse to come into the newsroom. Messages left for him all the time. Oh-so-casually bumping into him in places everyone knew that *she* and Clark went for lunch. And flaunting her body, and those baby-blue eyes, in front of him.<\/p>\n

Well, Clark wasn\u2019t worth brooding over, she told herself angrily. He was just another man, after all. Just like all the rest. Men were obsessed with sex when it came to relationships. They judged everything from the perspective of their pants and not their brains. It wasn\u2019t worth letting herself care about a man like that.<\/p>\n

And, since she had to be at this nightmare of a Christmas ball, she should just stop obsessing and make an effort. Dancing. People were dancing. So that was what she should be doing too.<\/p>\n

She dumped her unwanted wine-glass on a convenient shelf and cast a glance around for a suitable partner. Someone who wouldn\u2019t stand on her toes or bore her rigid with inane talk.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you wanna dance?\u201d<\/p>\n

She spun and found herself staring at a portly, short, balding man of about forty, wearing an utterly ridiculous reindeer outfit. The pungent scent of stale garlic drowned in bourbon assaulted her.<\/p>\n

Unable – and barely willing – to prevent a grimace, she stepped backwards. The reindeer stepped closer. She took another step back. \u201cNo. No, I don\u2019t wanna dan – urgh!\u201d She broke off as something behind her hit her solidly in the back. Or some*one*.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, are you okay?\u201d The voice was male, but strangely muffled. Strong hands cupped her shoulders and steadied her.<\/p>\n

She turned her head, and saw only black.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I saw her first!\u201d the reindeer, clearly drunk, protested, trying to grab her arm.<\/p>\n

A hand, clad in what looked like black PVC, shot out and caught the reindeer\u2019s hand firmly. \u201cThe lady said no, I believe.\u201d Again, Black PVC\u2019s voice sounded distorted, as if it was being filtered through a bad telephone line.<\/p>\n

The reindeer looked belligerent, but his expression quickly changed to one of pain. \u201cOkay, okay, I get the message!\u201d he muttered, and looked relieved when Black PVC Guy released him. Rubbing his wrist, he added, \u201cFrigid bi – \u201d<\/p>\n

Before he could finish the word, Black PVC Guy had reached past Lois and grabbed him one-handed by the throat. \u201cDon\u2019t say it. Just get out of here before I decide to show you what your mother obviously forgot to teach you about how to treat a lady.\u201d<\/p>\n

His expression angry and humiliated, Reindeer Guy turned and hurried away, almost slipping on the polished floor as he did so.<\/p>\n

Lois turned to her rescuer, who let go of her with his other hand as she did so. \u201cThank you. He was kind of persistent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then she noticed his costume and realised why his voice was so distorted. Just her luck. Was there no end to the weird costumes tonight? Darth Vader?<\/p>\n

She began to roll her eyes, but then reminded herself that the guy had actually done her a favour. At least, she thought, he\u2019d had the good sense to leave the cape at home. That really would have been over the top.<\/p>\n

She made herself smile at him.<\/p>\n

Of course, she couldn\u2019t tell whether he was smiling in return or not. \u201cI was glad to help. Though I was beginning to think I\u2019d have to use my light-sabre on him if he didn\u2019t take his hand off you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lois eyed him, pretending wariness. \u201cYou carry that thing with you? Do you have a licence?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDarth Vader does not need a licence!\u201d he pronounced sonorously. Then he extended his arm towards her. \u201cSo… is it just reindeer you don\u2019t dance with, or men as a species, Ms Anthony? Cause I wouldn\u2019t want to risk offending a fine suffragette such as yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

A science-fiction geek with a sense of humour? Stifling a grin, Lois replied, \u201cWell, I\u2019ve never danced with an evil interplanetary overlord before, so I guess I could give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Darth inclined his head. \u201cI\u2019m honoured.\u201d<\/p>\n

She went into his arms in an easy movement, and found him an excellent dancer. \u201cThey must teach you well on the Death Star.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSubliminal programming,\u201d her partner deadpanned. \u201cUploaded to our brains every night as we sleep. The Empire doesn\u2019t like wasting time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEfficient,\u201d she agreed. \u201cDo they also pre-programme you to treat women as equals? Because if not I\u2019m not sure that I can afford to be seen with you…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen, equals?\u201d Darth queried. She could hear his incredulous tone even through the distortion of his helmet. Actually, she thought, he had to be really hot under there, especially given that his outfit was made of PVC too. \u201cThat does not compute,\u201d he said solemnly.<\/p>\n

Lois rolled her eyes. \u201cYou\u2019re supposed to be Darth Vader, not Mr Spock!\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed. \u201cSo I get my universes mixed up. You going to exterminate me for that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Daleks, she thought, recognising the reference. Dr Who. \u201cWell, I don\u2019t know… I mean, Luke Skywalker would be an awful lot safer if I did…\u201d<\/p>\n

He made a scornful sound. \u201cThat puppy? He\u2019d get into a lot more trouble if I wasn\u2019t keeping him occupied, believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was about to say something scathing, but then he swung her around suddenly, in time to the music, and she had to catch her breath. He was definitely one of the best dancers she\u2019d encountered in a long time.<\/p>\n

And she had no idea at all who he was. The distorted voice didn\u2019t help, of course. The outfit was reasonably close-fitting in parts, enough to allow her to see strong, muscular biceps and powerful thighs.<\/p>\n

The music came to an abrupt end then, and Lois felt disappointment flood her at the thought of parting from her strangely-attired partner. He released her and stepped back, and she tried to force a smile to her face. \u201cWell, thank you for – \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I get you a drink, Ms Anthony?\u201d he enquired politely.<\/p>\n

Well, that was something. He clearly wasn\u2019t in a rush to move on to his next partner. \u201cWhat, warm, cheap wine?\u201d<\/p>\n

She heard a faint sound which could have been a laugh. \u201cI think I can manage better than that. Wait here. I won\u2019t be long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lois glanced at the queue around the bar and rolled her eyes. At that rate, she\u2019d be lucky if he got back to her before unmasking time. And, for some strange reason, she was reluctant to have the identity of her anonymous rescuer revealed yet. As he was, completely hidden by his disguise, he was mysterious. Intriguing.<\/p>\n

Once that bulky hood came off, he\u2019d just be an ordinary man. The kind she\u2019d pass in the street every day. Probably not even good-looking, and certainly not courtly or dashing. And not mysterious at all.<\/p>\n

She sighed, and reminded herself sardonically that handsome, dashing heroes didn\u2019t exist outside the pages of lurid romance novels.<\/p>\n

Perhaps she\u2019d better ensure that she was nowhere near him come midnight. That way she wouldn\u2019t have to see her fantasies dashed when he turned out to be the kind of nerd she\u2019d never go near. Or completely boring once he didn\u2019t have his outfit to hide behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour drink, Ms Anthony.\u201d<\/p>\n

She swung around. Darth Vader stood in front of her, holding out a glass of pale yellow liquid. The glass looked chilled. She accepted the wine and sipped it. Not acidic at all. And very definitely chilled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow on earth did you manage that?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was definitely a grin in his voice. \u201cI just asked nicely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking her head in admiration, she dropped into a faint curtsey. \u201cAnd I appreciate it, my Lord Vader.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave her a courtly bow. \u201cMy pleasure, my lady. Being on the Dark Side is sometimes very useful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lois winced, briefly reminded of her own brush with the dark side during her engagement to Lex Luthor. For a moment, it occurred to her to wonder…<\/p>\n

No, that was crazy. Luthor was dead. She\u2019d seen him crash to his death herself. And, okay, there\u2019d been that flaky, fit-for-the-nuthouse doctor who\u2019d thought she could bring him back to life, but… no, it was stupid to imagine… Although his body had disappeared, never to be found…<\/p>\n

Oh, this was stupid! Of course her mysterious dance-partner wasn\u2019t Lex! He was just some ordinary He guy with old-world charm – or knew how to put it on – and a great sense of humour. Come to think of it, that was another reason why it couldn\u2019t possibly be Lex. Lex had never exhibited much of a sense of humour.<\/p>\n

She sipped her wine again, and noticed that Darth didn\u2019t have a drink; she supposed it would be kind of difficult with his helmet\/face-mask thing, and wondered whether he\u2019d thought of that inconvenience before choosing the costume.<\/p>\n

His arm came around her shoulders suddenly, pulling her into him. She froze; now, when he\u2019d lulled her into feeling good around him, he was making a pass?<\/p>\n

\u201cCareful,\u201d his distorted voice rumbled near her ear. \u201cSomeone almost knocked you over.\u201d And he gently tugged her to one side, closer to him still, just in time to evade a drunken couple who were stumbling past.<\/p>\n

Oh, okay. Still a knight in shining armour, despite his costume.<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, I should have asked. Are you here with someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh? No, I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, I should have guessed. Ms Anthony never did see the point in men as a species, did she?\u201d The humour in his voice was audible even through his helmet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember Darth Vader being much on women, either,\u201d Lois pointed out. \u201cAlthough I guess he had to have had at least one encounter with a woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, my secret\u2019s out, I see,\u201d Darth rumbled. \u201cThat was a mistake. That I should have fathered one child was bad enough, but *two* – and two such traitors to the Dark Side, too… I am ashamed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lois had to stifle a giggle. \u201cI always did think that Luke was a bit of a girly, myself – and as for Leia\u2019s hairstyle, if I looked like that I\u2019d shave myself bald! But I did have a kind of a crush on Han Solo…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should have run him through with my sabre while I had the chance!\u201d Darth growled. Taking her near-empty glass from her hand, he put it down on a nearby shelf. \u201cI can dance *much* better than that renegade.\u201d And he swung her onto the dance-floor again.<\/p>\n

Lois didn\u2019t object. She\u2019d always enjoyed dancing, as long as it was with a partner who knew what he was doing, and Darth certainly did. The thought crossed her mind that, unmasked, maybe he wouldn\u2019t be as much of a disappointment as she feared. She shouldn\u2019t be so pessimistic. So far, he\u2019d been a very amusing and considerate companion. And, since the man she was desperately trying *not* to be obsessed with was so clearly not interested in her, maybe she needed to start dating again herself.<\/p>\n

<Date Darth Vader?> an incredulous little voice asked her.<\/p>\n

Well, why not? It was only a costume, after all. And, okay, it was a geekish kind of costume, but the man wearing it didn\u2019t appear to be a geek in reality. He was more than capable of laughing at himself. Plus, he seemed to be intelligent, witty and knowledgeable…<\/p>\n

… like Lex had been intelligent and knowledgeable, even if not quite so witty, she remembered.<\/p>\n

<Stop imagining you see bits of Lex in every man you could be halfway interested in!> she told herself furiously.<\/p>\n

Clark was intelligent. And very funny. And considerate… well, when he wasn\u2019t blowing her off to spend time with Mayson Doe-Eyes Drake.<\/p>\n

<I will *not* think about Clark!><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you okay in there?\u201d Her dancing-partner\u2019s amused voice came from somewhere above her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d she insisted. \u201cSorry – I was just thinking about something…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMust\u2019ve been something important. You were really out of it for a minute or so there. I spoke to you twice and you didn\u2019t answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was it. Enough! No more brooding over her so-called best friend\u2019s defection. He was having a terrific time tonight with his girlfriend. Well, she was going to have a great time too with this guy.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d she repeated. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t anything important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well, that puts me in my place, then,\u201d he teased. \u201cIgnored in favour of something completely unimportant!\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t help laughing. \u201cOkay, okay! Look, I was just thinking about this guy, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-oh. You mean I\u2019ve got competition?\u201d<\/p>\n

He was a flirt, too, it seemed. And that was just perfect. She was completely in the mood for flirting right now. Perhaps she would stick around with him until unmasking, after all. Perhaps, depending how she felt, she might even manoeuvre it so that they were standing underneath one of the sprigs of mistletoe which were scattered throughout the room…<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d she said lightly. \u201cSo you\u2019re the competitive type?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI duel six times a week before breakfast,\u201d he deadpanned. \u201cCompetitive enough for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, a guy who likes to keep himself in shape.\u201d She made a murmur of appreciation. \u201cAnd I can tell – that\u2019s a pretty revealing outfit, and you have *great* muscle definition.\u201d<\/p>\n

<Eesh> she thought, hearing herself say that. <Going *way* over the top there, Lois!> She\u2019d better pull back the flirting a notch or two. Otherwise he\u2019d be expecting a lot more than just a midnight kiss.<\/p>\n

And anyway, she wasn\u2019t even sure that she wanted that. Sure, it was a nice idea to toy with for a moment or two, but the guy was a stranger. And anyway, she really didn\u2019t like the idea of kissing anyone…<\/p>\n

Anyone but Clark. Or maybe Superman, but even then, for some reason, Clark had leapt to the top of her kissable males list. She wasn\u2019t even sure why. The thrill of the unattainable, perhaps? She was very well aware that, for almost an entire year, she\u2019d known that he was attracted to her, but she\u2019d barely given him the time of day.<\/p>\n

Now, when Mayson Drake was all over him like a rash, she wanted him. God, she was an idiot.<\/p>\n

She sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I hope it\u2019s not me who\u2019s made you sigh like that,\u201d her dance partner said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Oh, no. No, it wasn\u2019t you.\u201d Flustered, Lois realised too late what she\u2019d given away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho, then? Some worthless human male? And I thought you had no time for the species!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, some of them have a few redeeming features.\u201d She tried to recapture some of the light banter she\u2019d been able to engage in only a few minutes earlier, but she knew that she wasn\u2019t succeeding very well. The teasing tone she\u2019d aimed for had fallen flat.<\/p>\n

Darth\u2019s arms tightened around her briefly, almost as if in a hug. \u201cWant to talk about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was amazed to find that she was actually tempted. \u201cNo. Thank you, but… no.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I could be the best possible person to talk to,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean, you have no idea who I am. I can just disappear before the unmasking, if you like. You\u2019ll never have to know – I could just be the mystery man you knew for only an hour or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was so close to what Lois had been thinking earlier that she caught her breath. And he was right: he was the perfect confidant.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d she said. \u201cThere is a guy I… sort of care about. But he just doesn\u2019t feel the same way. I still hoped that maybe… but I found out a couple of days ago that he\u2019s just not interested. And I guess I\u2019m finding it tough to accept. I shouldn\u2019t let it get to me, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shouldn\u2019t. She was turning into a wallower, and she hated wallowers. *And* she was with someone who seemed to be a nice guy, who might even be fun to get to know, and all she was telling him was that she was hung up on someone else.<\/p>\n

Okay, she *was* hung up on someone else… but she wished she wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

And she wished that it wasn\u2019t Christmas, and that she wasn\u2019t being assailed with *annoying* Christmas music and decorations and costumes and greetings at every turn!<\/p>\n

And the man she was with still hadn\u2019t said a word in response to her self-pitying monologue.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry.\u201d She patted Darth\u2019s arm lightly. \u201cI guess when you asked if I wanted to talk about, you didn\u2019t really want to hear it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t make assumptions.\u201d He shook her gently. \u201cI asked. That means I wanted to hear. Anyway,\u201d he added, so quietly that it she had to strain to hear, \u201cI do know how you feel. There\u2019s this woman…\u201d<\/p>\n

The pang of jealousy was so unexpected that Lois almost winced. \u201cShe isn\u2019t interested in you either?\u201d<\/p>\n

She felt him shrug. \u201cWe\u2019re friends. But she\u2019ll never take me seriously any other way. She only has eyes for this other guy… someone I know I\u2019ll never match up to as far as she\u2019s concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Torn between sympathy for his situation and almost delight that it meant he could be open to other offers, Lois shook her head. \u201cShe must be an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d His disagreement was immediate. \u201cJust… thinks she\u2019s in love with someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

And he was desperately in love with her. Lois could tell. Something told her, too, that he wasn\u2019t the kind of guy to seek comfort somewhere else while he felt that way. He wasn\u2019t going to suggest that they ease each other\u2019s loneliness. And, while one tiny fraction of her felt disappointment at that thought, overall she was relieved. She wasn\u2019t going to have to fight off possibly unwelcome advances at the end of the evening.<\/p>\n

The silence between them stretched to several moments. Then Darth broke it. \u201cSo, this guy. Does he happen to use a white stick, by any chance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d She smiled wryly at the thought. \u201cHe does wear glasses, though.\u201d
\n<\/p>\n

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

Clark missed a step, and had to concentrate to regain his timing. \u201cSorry. Just missed my footing,\u201d he apologised. Inwardly, his brain was reeling.<\/p>\n

Lois was talking about *him*? Not Superman?<\/p>\n

*He* was the guy who just wasn\u2019t interested in her?<\/p>\n

But how could that be? How could she possibly think that? Didn\u2019t she know that he was head over heels in love with her… as he\u2019d just told her?<\/p>\n

Not that she would have known that he was talking about her, of course. Darth Vader was the perfect disguise for him tonight, in more ways than he\u2019d appreciated when he\u2019d chosen it.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d been *persuaded* – ordered, more like – to attend the ball by a friend of his at City Hall with whom he occasionally played basketball. He\u2019d owed Alex a favour for a significant tip-off recently, and when his friend had hinted strongly that buying a ticket to the ball would go some way towards making them even Clark had shrugged and agreed. After all, he\u2019d known that he\u2019d be there anyway; Superman had promised to put in an appearance just before midnight to accept the cheques on behalf of the two charities to benefit from the night\u2019s activities. Wearing a costume that covered his entire face and head made it even less likely that anyone would realise that Superman had been at the ball the entire evening.<\/p>\n

He hadn\u2019t been particularly excited about attending the ball. Okay, the masquerade element had sounded fun, but it would\u2019ve been much more fun if he\u2019d been there with someone. Unfortunately, the only person he wanted to be with hated this sort of event, so he hadn\u2019t even bothered asking if she\u2019d come with him. Sure, he could\u2019ve asked Mayson, but that would have been sending the sort of message he really didn\u2019t want to be giving her. He liked her, but not enough to offer her the kind of relationship he knew she wanted.<\/p>\n

The last person he\u2019d expected to encounter at the ball had been Lois. He knew her well enough to know that this kind of event would be her idea of hell. In fact, although he\u2019d recognised her voice immediately, he\u2019d refused to accept that it really was Lois – he\u2019d actually peeked under her mask to confirm it.<\/p>\n

The silence was stretching too long. And he didn\u2019t want Lois to suspect anything… even though he knew that the likelihood of her seeing through this disguise was even less than her seeing Clark Kent in Superman. But he was still trying to adjust his mind to believing that she… sort of cared… about him. Clark.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo.\u201d Trying to keep his voice light, he pressed on. \u201cWears glasses, huh? No wonder he can\u2019t see what\u2019s under his nose!\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged. \u201cMaybe he can, but he\u2019s just not interested.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe that,\u201d Clark protested.<\/p>\n

He shouldn\u2019t be doing this, he knew. He was now deliberately obtaining information from her under false pretences. And yet he couldn\u2019t do the right thing and let it drop. He wanted to know: to know what she felt for him, why she thought he wasn\u2019t interested.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not! Look, if you must know – \u201d Now she sounded irritated. \u201c – We\u2019re good friends. Best friends. But he\u2019s been seeing someone else for a couple of months now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mayson? But surely Lois knew that he wasn\u2019t serious about her? He\u2019d been out with her a few times, sure, but although he liked her he wasn\u2019t in love with her. And was never going to be. How on earth could Lois think that he wanted Mayson in preference to her?<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know he\u2019s serious about her?\u201d he countered.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust me, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gave her a grunt of disbelief.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, look, he\u2019s going home to Kansas for Christmas tomorrow. And we won\u2019t see each other again for four days. So I thought it\u2019d be nice to have our own Christmas celebration early…\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh no. Clark could see what was coming. He remembered her invitation. It had been very casual, along the lines of \u2018if you\u2019re not doing anything else\u2019. And he had already been doing something else – he\u2019d committed to attending this ball. So, very reluctantly, he\u2019d had to say no.<\/p>\n

Now, it was sounding as if the invitation couldn\u2019t have been less casual. And he\u2019d turned her down without even explaining properly – he\u2019d just said that he had other plans.<\/p>\n

But why had she acted as if it couldn\u2019t have mattered less, when it had clearly been so important to her?<\/p>\n

Immediately, he answered his own question. Because that was his partner all over. Never let anyone see that something mattered to her, because that would make her vulnerable.<\/p>\n

But hiding it from *him*? That hurt. At least, until he saw it in the light of what she\u2019d just confessed to the man she\u2019d thought was a stranger. She cared about him – Clark – more than she\u2019d ever let on. And so she would take great care not to let him see it until she was absolutely positive that he cared about her just as much.<\/p>\n

Part of him wished that he could sweep her off now to a dark corner somewhere, remove his disguise and tell her how much he loved her. How much he\u2019d wanted to spend tonight with her – and how happy he\u2019d been that he\u2019d recognised her within seconds of having collided with her after that idiot in the reindeer outfit had been hassling her.<\/p>\n

Caution prevented him. He knew his partner far too well to risk the consequences of springing something like that on her. She\u2019d be embarrassed, and therefore furious, that she\u2019d been confessing her secret feelings to him, the guy she\u2019d just confessed to… caring about, instead of some anonymous stranger whom she\u2019d never see again after tonight.<\/p>\n

Oh yeah, she\u2019d just love that.<\/p>\n

Okay. He was Darth Vader. He wasn\u2019t supposed to know who she was; he was just a stranger who started off by flirting with her a little because it was fun but now the two of them were sharing a couple of confidences and indulging in a bout of mutual commiseration. That was all. He needed to keep it light and not give anything away.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what happened? He blow you off?\u201d There. That was good. Nicely casual, but with just the right amount of sympathy for her and condemnation of the idiot who didn\u2019t appreciate her.<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty much,\u201d she said. \u201cHe said he had plans. I mean, I was offering to cook him a meal – and I don\u2019t cook, trust me – with some nice wine, and music, and the whole Christmas thing – and I just don\u2019t *do* Christmas – and give him his Christmas present…\u201d She broke off, and he could sense that she was biting her lip. \u201cAnyway. I was really going to go to a lot of trouble. And all he could say was that he had *plans.* It didn\u2019t take too much imagination to work out what plans, either. I know he\u2019s with her. So, anyway, that\u2019s that. I guess I should really just forget about him, shouldn\u2019t I? I mean, what\u2019s the point wasting my energy on someone who doesn\u2019t want me…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey.\u201d He couldn\u2019t listen to her torturing herself any more. No; he wouldn\u2019t tell her the truth now. But at the earliest possible opportunity – *tomorrow* – he would get her alone and tell her how he really felt about her. How much he loved her. And he\u2019d ask her out. Of course, they couldn\u2019t actually go out until he was back from Smallville, but that was only a few days away.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, his alter ego – his *other* alter ego – had to say something reassuring.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t, L- Susan,\u201d he murmured, preventing himself saying her real name just in time. \u201cYou don\u2019t know that he\u2019s not interested. Maybe he really did just have other plans. I mean, you\u2019re here tonight. Couldn\u2019t he have had some Christmas party to go to?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was silent for a moment. Then, very quietly, she said, \u201cBut if he\u2019d been going alone, he\u2019d have asked me to go with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Would he? Clark thought about that for a moment. He hadn\u2019t asked her to come with him tonight, had he?<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you just got through telling me that you don\u2019t do Christmas,\u201d he said, keeping a faint hint of teasing in his voice. \u201cMaybe he knew that and decided not to risk you telling him what he could do with his invitation?\u201d<\/p>\n

A giggle escaped her, and he smiled. Good – it had worked. \u201cYeah, you might be right,\u201d she conceded. \u201cAfter all, I have spent the last month telling Cl – *him* how much I loathe this time of year. So, assuming you\u2019re right – and I\u2019m not saying I think you are – he was probably afraid I\u2019d strangle him with one of his own ties if he asked me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, she\u2019d got that one right.<\/p>\n

But then she added, so quietly that without his super-hearing he doubted he\u2019d have heard her, \u201cHe still would\u2019ve told me what he was doing. Unless he was seeing *her*.\u201d<\/p>\n

Or, Clark thought, unless he was doing something Superman-related…<\/p>\n

Then, to him and sounding as if the notion had only just occurred to her and she was taken aback, she said, \u201cActually, he\u2019s been secretive a lot lately. Just disappearing without telling me where he was going. Or not being where I expected him to be and just giving me stupid excuses for where he was. He\u2019s seeing her and just not telling me.\u201d<\/p>\n

No, Clark thought. He was having to go and be Superman. But, put like that, he could see why Lois might think otherwise. She sounded upset, too, and he hated being the cause of it. Unfortunately, though, unless he decided that he was ready to tell her about his alter ego, there wasn\u2019t a lot he could do about it.<\/p>\n

But what he *could* do was to reassure her about his feelings for her tomorrow, as he\u2019d already resolved.<\/p>\n

That wasn\u2019t going to help her right now, though. So he summoned his Darth Vader personality and said, in a near-growl, \u201cYou know, it sounds to me like this guy\u2019s not worth it. Not if he treats you like that. You want me to vaporise him for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He expected her to agree. He knew Lois – and her temper – very well, after all. She\u2019d been known to hold grudges for days over the most trivial of offences.<\/p>\n

In a small voice, she said, \u201cHe is worth it. That\u2019s the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

More touched than he could say, Clark just held her in silence for several moments, continuing to guide her around the dance-floor. Then, when he could trust himself to speak, he said lightly, \u201cYou\u2019ve got it bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, it\u2019s my own fault,\u201d Lois said, still sounding miserable. \u201cHe *was* interested in me. But I blew him off. So I can hardly blame him for dating *her*.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, she was right about that – she *had* blown him off. But what she didn\u2019t know was that he hadn\u2019t lost hope that she might change her mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway,\u201d she continued, while he was still struggling for something to say, \u201cyou don\u2019t want to hear all that. And I don\u2019t want to talk about it any more. So, what about this woman you\u2019re interested in? She can\u2019t let herself fall for a Dark Lord, is that it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that whole evil empire thing tends to put women off, you know.\u201d Clark grinned behind his visor. It was much easier when he could get back in character. \u201cWomen, on the whole, are kind of squeamish. They wimp out when it comes to necessary tasks like killing people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you do that a lot?\u201d Lois seemed to prefer their \u2018in character\u2019 conversation too. \u201cKill people?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly when it\u2019s essential. Or when I\u2019m bored,\u201d he drawled. \u201cYou sure about this loser of yours? Because I really don\u2019t mind removing him for you. Or maybe the woman you think he\u2019s seeing. It would be no trouble at all. One blast of my light-sabre and poof! They\u2019re history.\u201d<\/p>\n

She giggled again. \u201cWell, I guess I wouldn\u2019t object if you wanted to vaporise her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cConsider it done,\u201d he promised. It was true anyway; Mayson was history as far as he was concerned.
\n<\/p>\n

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

Oh, it was so tempting to wish that her mysterious partner really was Darth Vader and that he really could blast Mayson Drake out of existence. But what she\u2019d told him was no more than the truth. She\u2019d lost Clark by her own actions, not because someone else had come along and stolen him away from her.<\/p>\n

If she were going to be alone for Christmas again – and that was a foregone conclusion now – she had only herself to blame. If she hadn\u2019t been so stupid as to fail to see what was under her nose, that Clark was the best thing that had ever happened to her, he\u2019d be spending the holiday with her. He wouldn\u2019t just have been with her tonight; he\u2019d have stayed in Metropolis to be with her instead of going to Smallville. Or she might even have gone to Smallville with him.<\/p>\n

She hated Christmas.<\/p>\n

But she shook herself mentally. Okay, so she was going to go home after this farce of a masquerade and weep through reruns of her favourite sappy soap opera, but that didn\u2019t mean she had to let anyone else, especially not a perfect stranger, see just how miserable she was. Time to pull herself together, definitely.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know,\u201d she said, forcing a light note into her voice, \u201cyou might not be safe here. I hear that Superman\u2019s coming to accept the cheques on behalf of the charities – he might feel that it\u2019s his duty as a concerned citizen to make sure that someone like you doesn\u2019t harm anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Darth rumbled. \u201cPerhaps I\u2019d better make a discreet exit before he arrives, do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

Um. No, she hadn\u2019t wanted that. She was enjoying the guy\u2019s company, as weird as it seemed. If anyone had told her before that evening that she\u2019d spend over an hour in the company of a man dressed as Darth Vader, she\u2019d have given them a blistering stare and a sarcastic retort. And yet the guy was nice. Funny. Sympathetic. Maybe someone she might even want to get to know after tonight. If she couldn\u2019t have Clark…<\/p>\n

But, even as she thought it, she knew that wasn\u2019t what she wanted. She might like to have Darth as a friend, perhaps. But she loved Clark.<\/p>\n

There. She\u2019d said it. She loved him.<\/p>\n

No. She couldn\u2019t dwell on that now.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to go. I\u2019ll protect you,\u201d she offered. \u201cSuperman\u2019s a friend of mine, so you\u2019ll be safe with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She thought she heard him chuckle. \u201cThat\u2019s very kind of you – and quite a sacrifice, too. Protecting a male of the species, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well… You wouldn\u2019t want to believe everything you read about suffragettes, you know,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n

In the background, someone had stopped the music and was making an announcement of some sort. Lois ignored it; she wasn\u2019t interested in what any of the organisers had to say. She was just enjoying her conversation with Darth too much.<\/p>\n

\u201cActually…\u201d Suddenly, he began to detach himself from her. \u201cI do need to go. Thank you for the dances – it\u2019s been a lot of fun.\u201d And he stepped back, inclined his head and started to back away from her.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut…\u201d Staring at him, Lois barely knew what to say. What had she done? What had she said to make him leave so abruptly?<\/p>\n

Why did it matter? she asked herself immediately. He was just a guy. Someone she didn\u2019t even know. Why should she care whether he left now or in half an hour\u2019s time, at the end of the ball?<\/p>\n

But she did care. She didn\u2019t understand why; it was just that something about this guy had… well, made her feel drawn to him. And she\u2019d thought it was mutual; that he\u2019d been enjoying her company as much as she had his.<\/p>\n

Obviously not.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said. \u201cI just remembered that I need to be somewhere else now, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was going. She felt his withdrawal from her – both physical and mental – like a slap in the face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you be back for the unmasking?\u201d she asked in a small voice.<\/p>\n

He hesitated, then shook his head. \u201cI… can\u2019t. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019ve really enjoyed your company, but I have to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

And then he strode away.<\/p>\n

To add insult to injury, the band was playing again, just music again and no singing, but the song was recognisable enough. All I want for Christmas is you.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d she muttered, turning away so that she wouldn\u2019t have to see him leave – or have anyone else watch her watching him leave. \u201cJust go. Just like every other guy. Just like Clark. Just leave me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Feeling sick inside, she located the ladies\u2019 room and marched towards it. She\u2019d catch her breath, make sure that she wasn\u2019t going to disgrace herself and then, Matty or no Matty, she was going home.
\n<\/p>\n

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

Clark heard Lois\u2019s muttered words as he darted through the crowd on his way to find somewhere to change. And his heart sank. Now what had he done?<\/p>\n

He knew what he\u2019d done. Run out on her one time too many. And, given that she thought he was a stranger, from her perspective she\u2019d been deserted by two men. He had left kind of abruptly, he knew, but he\u2019d completely lost track of time and couldn\u2019t make his exit any less sudden.<\/p>\n

There was nothing he could do about it now, he realised. The organisers had already given the cue that Superman had promised them he\u2019d listen out for and would respond to. He was supposed to make his dramatic entrance any second now.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Lois,\u201d he whispered, slipping through a side door and from there to a fire-escape. Once outside, he was able to spin into his Superman outfit in less than a second and fly up to the large window along one side of the ballroom. He tapped loudly, as pre-arranged, and the window was opened for him to enter.<\/p>\n

As he made his speech and accepted the cheques, passing them back to the organisers for safe-keeping, he looked around for Lois. It worried him that she was nowhere in sight. Especially since she hadn\u2019t even stayed around to watch Superman – that meant that she had to be upset.<\/p>\n

Five minutes later, he\u2019d done his duty. And he\u2019d also managed to locate Lois. She was slipping out of the ballroom via a side exit. Something was telling him that she didn\u2019t intend to come back. Leaving via the window, he hovered above the hotel and watched her progress. She went to the cloakroom and collected her thick winter coat, dumped her Susan Anthony mask and cap in a trashcan, and then walked out to the lobby. He heard her ask a busboy to find her a taxi, and the busboy\u2019s reply that he would try, but he thought she\u2019d have a long wait.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s two days before Christmas, ma\u2019am. Every cab company in town has more custom than it can handle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter,\u201d he heard Lois say. \u201cI\u2019ll walk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clark rolled his eyes. It was at least two miles to her apartment from here, and it had to be a couple of degrees below freezing outside. And, as a couple of white flakes floated past his face, he realised that it was snowing.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Lois,\u201d he murmured. \u201cImpulsive as ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head slightly, then headed towards her.
\n<\/p>\n

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

This wasn\u2019t one of the best ideas she\u2019d ever had, Lois decided as she walked the first few yards from the hotel. It was *cold*. And it was starting to snow heavily – the effect of the freezing temperatures was to turn the snowflakes into near-icicles.<\/p>\n

Just perfect.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d bet anything that Clark wasn\u2019t out walking home in this weather. No; he was probably snug and warm in his apartment with Mayson – or in hers – making the most of their last evening together before Christmas. Unless… and she felt her heart wrench at the thought… unless he\u2019d invited her to go to Smallville with him?<\/p>\n

Her fists clenched. This wasn\u2019t good. She was getting herself stressed again. Darth was right. She should just try to forget about Clark. Which wasn\u2019t easy, seeing as she worked with him every day of the week and sometimes for very long hours, even well into the night when they were on a big investigation… heck, she saw more of Clark than most women saw of their husbands!<\/p>\n

How was she supposed to forget how she felt about him, too, when he was so sweet on a daily basis? He knew just how she liked her coffee and kept her well-supplied when they were in the newsroom – and always made sure that he grabbed her one of her favourite doughnuts before they all disappeared. He frequently surprised her with a triple mocha latte from the Daily Java, or a double espresso when she\u2019d had little or no sleep the night before. He always seemed to know just what to say to keep her going when she started to get dispirited about an investigation – or when she was feeling low generally.<\/p>\n

He was about the only person in her life who made her believe that somebody cared that she existed! Well, apart from Perry, but he was more of a father-figure so he didn\u2019t count. Clark was…<\/p>\n

Clark was her only reason for believing that there could be more to her life than the Daily Planet.<\/p>\n

So how was she going to come to terms with –<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you going to say hello?\u201d<\/p>\n

The familiar voice jerked Lois out of her thoughts. Startled, she looked around her, acknowledging as she did so that she\u2019d been walking along barely paying any attention to where she was going.<\/p>\n

Darth Vader leaned casually against the corner of a building just ahead of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you -? You left!\u201d she exclaimed. And then she remembered that she wasn\u2019t wearing her costume mask any more and that her long coat hid most of her nineteenth-century dress. \u201cHow do you know who -?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think anyone could forget you?\u201d he countered, straightening and drawing himself up to his full height. He looked even more imposing than he had in the ballroom. Broad, powerful, dark, forbidding…<\/p>\n

Oh, god, she was alone with him on a city street, and he was a stranger, and even if she screamed what guarantee was there that anyone would actually come to her rescue? Mentally, she began planning a few Tae Kwon Do moves to take him by surprise if he did pounce.<\/p>\n

He stilled. She wished that she could see his face just to know what he was thinking. With that enormous helmet, she couldn\u2019t read his intentions at all.<\/p>\n

Then he spoke again. And the teasing, humorous tone he\u2019d used in most of their conversation had gone completely. \u201cI swear to you,\u201d he said softly, \u201cyou\u2019re safe with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes. Strangely, without any evidence of his good intentions, she actually believed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou left,\u201d she reminded him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. I really did have something I needed to do. But you left too,\u201d he added. \u201cYou\u2019re missing the unmasking.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged. \u201cI wasn\u2019t interested. I\u2019d already worked out who most people were.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, so you figured me out too, did you?\u201d he enquired, and the amusement was back.<\/p>\n

She shook her head. Snow was gathering on his head and shoulders now, making the dark outfit less stark. If they stood here much longer, she thought, stifling an almost hysterical giggle, he\u2019d turn into a snowman.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve unmasked, Lois Lane of the Daily Planet,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s only fair that I do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

He knew who she was? She had no idea that she was that recognisable. So who was he? Someone she knew? Oh, that was a scary thought – she\u2019d confessed her deepest feelings about Clark to a guy she knew? Frantically, she mentally went through all of the men she knew who would fit Darth\u2019s general height and build. Not Ralph. Oh, thankfully not Ralph. Eduardo? No, he wasn\u2019t tall enough. And nor was Jimmy.<\/p>\n

Oh, god, if this was anyone from the Planet she\u2019d be mortified. She\u2019d have to consider quitting. Moving to a different city. A different country!<\/p>\n

Darth\u2019s hands were on his helmet. Involuntarily, she squeezed her eyes shut. And then opened them again immediately.<\/p>\n

The helmet was off. And she was looking straight at… Clark.<\/p>\n

Her jaw did a rapid downward movement. \u201cWha -? How -? You! All along – you – and I – I told *you* – \u201d Articulacy deserted her. Humiliation flooded her. And her gaze flitted past him, seeking escape.<\/p>\n

Warm, firm hands, no longer in gauntlets, landed on her shoulders, holding her firmly and preventing her escape. \u201cLois. Please, don\u2019t. You know, you got it all wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll what? That I thought you were an honourable man who wouldn\u2019t… wouldn\u2019t play that sort of *despicable* trick on someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do it deliberately,\u201d he said calmly – and, somehow, even through her anger and mortification, she knew that he was telling the truth. \u201cI didn\u2019t even know you were at the ball, Lois. And I only realised that it was you under the Susan B Anthony costume once we started talking. I thought about telling you it was me, but… well, I was just enjoying our conversation. You know, all that banter about Star Wars. It was just too much fun to spoil it by telling you it was me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? And how do you explain luring me into all those confidences?\u201d she threw at him, now feeling herself shake – from anger or from cold, she wasn\u2019t sure.<\/p>\n

Clark slid his arms around her, drawing against him. Even angry and humiliated as she was, she needed the warmth he offered too much to resist.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou took me completely by surprise with that stuff,\u201d he told her soberly. \u201cLois, I had no idea! You seemed sad, and I wanted to cheer you up – then you started talking about this guy, and I was… oh, heck, I was crazy with jealousy and I wanted to find out who it was. And I almost fell over when I realised you were talking about me. That\u2019s why I said I wasn\u2019t staying for the unmasking, by the way. I knew you\u2019d be horrified when you realised it was me.\u201d<\/p>\n

One part of what he said jumped out at her. \u201cJealous? You? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

His expression was rueful, and he raised his gaze to the heavens and back again. Snowflakes settled on his glasses, giving his eyes a blurry look. \u201cI told you, Lois, you\u2019ve got it all wrong. I\u2019m not interested in Mayson. I never was. She\u2019s a nice woman, but… she\u2019s not you. And, as you can see, I\u2019m not with her tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her heart was doing nervous flip-flops. \u201cThen… what are you saying, Clark?\u201d<\/p>\n

He released her, and his hands cupped her face, warm against her chilled skin. \u201cHaven\u2019t you guessed, Lois? I still love you. I\u2019ve always loved you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She swallowed. His beloved face loomed above hers, gazing down at her. Snow dotted his dark hair now as the flurries grew thicker, but she didn\u2019t care. Clark loved her. Clark loved her?<\/p>\n

\u201cM…me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you,\u201d he whispered. \u201cAnd if I\u2019d had any idea at all that you felt the same…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, shut up,\u201d she exclaimed, half-laughing, half-choked with emotion. And she reached up and did what she\u2019d dreamed about for a very long time – she kissed him.
\n<\/p>\n

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

Lois. In his arms. In his heart. Holding him. Kissing him.<\/p>\n

Kissing… oh, wow, this was even better than flying. He slanted his lips over hers, returning her kisses fervently, drowning in the sensation of her body pressed against his, her soft lips under his, loving the tiny whimpers she made as she tried to get closer to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Lois…\u201d he groaned against her mouth, then felt his body shake as she took advantage of his parted lips. She was soft and beautiful and responsive. She tasted delicious. He felt warm and loved and dazed and delirious… he never wanted this moment to end.<\/p>\n

And then she shivered.<\/p>\n

And he remembered that they were out in the snow in below-freezing temperatures and that, although he never noticed the cold, Lois had to be suffering. Breaking the kiss, he gathered her more closely against him. \u201cWe should really do this somewhere warmer,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe…ah…\u201d Her teeth were chattering, he realised.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on.\u201d Decisive now, he turned her and, keeping an arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders, he began to walk. \u201cIf I don\u2019t get you home in the next couple of minutes you\u2019ll turn into an icicle. What the heck were you thinking of trying to walk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere aren\u2019t… any taxis,\u201d she pointed out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need a taxi.\u201d He grinned at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh! You mean you drove?\u201d She stared at him. \u201cDid you hire a car or something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. Come on.\u201d And he led her into an alley between two office-blocks.<\/p>\n

It was time, he\u2019d decided. He\u2019d revealed himself to her in one disguise, and she hadn\u2019t torn him limb from limb. It was definitely time that he trusted her with his other disguise.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the heck are we doing in here?\u201d she demanded. \u201cClark… it\u2019s an *alley!* It\u2019s dirty, smelly… god knows what that is over there… It\u2019s disgusting!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about that.\u201d He waved dismissively. \u201cJust listen for a minute. Remember when I had to run off at the ball?\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged. \u201cWhat\u2019s that got to do about anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to tell you the reason I ran off.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stared at him in disbelief. \u201cDo we really need to do this *now*? In case you hadn\u2019t noticed, it\u2019s freezing and we\u2019re standing in a filthy alley in the middle of a blizzard!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said I\u2019d get you home as quickly as I can. And this is the quickest way I know how.\u201d He smiled, hoping that his nervousness didn\u2019t show. \u201cLois, the reason I had to run off at the ball was that I was late for… another appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

She rolled her eyes. \u201cYeah, you\u2019re always running late for appointments, Clark! They don\u2019t need to wait until you die to call you the late Clark Kent!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLois,\u201d he said intently, calling her attention back to him and trying to emphasise that this was important. \u201cMy other appointment. It was to accept the cheques on behalf of the charities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d She looked baffled, then gave him a look which suggested that she thought he\u2019d lost his mind. \u201cAre you sure that costume didn\u2019t cut off your oxygen supply or something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust watch.\u201d And he whirled, his heart in his mouth.<\/p>\n

When he slowed, he realised that Lois was swaying. He swept out an arm and caught her, tugging her into his arms again.<\/p>\n

For about the first time since he\u2019d known her, Lois Lane was speechless.
\n<\/p>\n

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

He… Clark… Superman… *How*?<\/p>\n

If she\u2019d thought she\u2019d been shocked a few minutes earlier when she\u2019d realised who was beneath the Darth Vader costume, now she was stunned. Staggered. Disbelieving. Bewildered. Traumatised.<\/p>\n

She found her voice, but couldn\u2019t do very much with it. \u201cYou… I…\u201d<\/p>\n

But he was paying her no attention. She was being swept up in his arms and held against his chest in a very familiar manner. Against *Clark\u2019s* chest. And *Clark* was floating upwards, defying gravity as he glided through the snow and the dark sky.<\/p>\n

Clark could fly. Clark was Superman. But none of it made sense. How could it make sense? Clark and Superman were two different people. Of course they were. She\u2019d known them both for a year and a half, after all. She\u2019d talked to both of them more times than she could remember. She knew Superman better than just about anyone… well, better than anyone except Clark. She was Clark\u2019s best friend! She\u2019d *know* if he could fly… and… and see through walls and hear stuff from miles away and run at the speed of light and lift weights far too heavy for any normal man and… and…<\/p>\n

…and it all made perfect sense. Clark frequently did things which he couldn\u2019t seem to explain and which just seemed part of his weirdness. How many times had he warned her that someone was coming? Caught something just in time to stop it falling on top of her? Acted like he\u2019d been somewhere she knew very well he couldn\u2019t have been?<\/p>\n

Had she *ever* seen Clark and Superman together?<\/p>\n

Clark was Superman. Yes. Now that he\u2019d shown her, now that the initial shock of discovery was wearing off, it all made perfect sense. As if scales had fallen from her eyes, Lois now saw everything she\u2019d missed before. Everything she\u2019d ignored, or written off.<\/p>\n

She looked up at the man holding her in his arms, close to his heart, as he took her home. Superman. And Clark. The same strong jaw. The same mouth. They both had the same smile, she remembered. And the same brown eyes, which could dance with laughter and brim with gentle caring.<\/p>\n

No wonder she\u2019d fallen in love with both Superman and Clark. She could just kick herself that she\u2019d allowed herself to be so dazzled by Superman\u2019s brilliance that she\u2019d overlooked the wonderful man Clark was for so long.<\/p>\n

\u201cLois?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeemed like you were on another planet there. I was trying to ask you if your window\u2019s unlocked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh!\u201d Recalled to her surroundings, she realised that they were just above her apartment building. She tried to remember. \u201cI think so. I mean, I wasn\u2019t expecting…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d He was smiling as she looked up at him. \u201cThat\u2019s okay. We can land in the alley beside your place.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, just as he said it, he was gliding to the ground. \u201cI\u2019ll have to put you down now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh…? Oh!\u201d And she realised that she was still clinging to his neck. \u201cSorry!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I don\u2019t mind! But I just need to…\u201d He trailed off and became a blur again. And once more Clark stood in front of her, but not in his Darth Vader costume this time. Now, he was her partner, looking utterly gorgeous, clad in black jeans, a dark shirt and a pale jacket.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you *do* that?\u201d It was barely believable! One moment he was Superman, all resplendent in blue and red, and the next he was the familiar man she worked with every day. And the Darth Vader costume was nowhere in sight.<\/p>\n

He gave her a crooked smile. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you some other time. Lois… are you mad?\u201d<\/p>\n

Was she? \u201cI don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t think so. I mean, I probably will be tomorrow. Right now,\u201d she added thoughtfully, \u201cI think I\u2019m just… awed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still just Clark,\u201d he said softly. \u201cWith a couple of added extras, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

As if compelled, she reached out and touched his hand with her fingertips. It felt familiar; the same hand she touched almost every day. His fingers closed around hers, his grasp warm and reassuring.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re not mad,\u201d he said, \u201ccan I come inside with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh! Yeah!\u201d she exclaimed. \u201cI thought the whole point of this was to get me out of the cold…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was.\u201d In one smooth movement, he removed his glasses. Then his gaze seemed to sweep over her, and in the same instant she felt warm. Her breath caught. Could he possibly affect her *that* much with just a look?<\/p>\n

And then it dawned on her. Heat vision.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on.\u201d Still holding her hand, he was urging her forward. \u201cI seem to remember something about a private Christmas celebration, just for us… I\u2019d really like that, Lois.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

They hurried around to her building, running through the snow and laughing as they lost their footing a couple of times. And then they were inside and suddenly silent as they walked along the hall to her apartment. Seconds later, they were inside and standing close, looking at each other, as if unsure what came next.<\/p>\n

\u201cChristmas!\u201d Lois exclaimed, needing to break the silence, the sudden awkwardness. She hurried to her CD rack, searching for and finding a CD which she\u2019d bought earlier in the week and then buried at the very back once Clark had turned down her invitation. She slipped it into her player, and moments later the sound of festive music filled the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Christmas waltz?\u201d Clark enquired, amused.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s on the CD…\u201d<\/p>\n

He came over to her; his arms enfolded her. \u201cDance with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah,\u201d she breathed.<\/p>\n

He held her close to his heart. His arms felt warm and strong and loving around her. Her Clark. Her Superman.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you,\u201d she murmured against his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I love you,\u201d he said into her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201c…It’s that time of year
\n
When the world falls in love…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the best Christmas present I could ever have, Lois,\u201d Clark murmured as the first song died away and they stopped dancing, standing in each other\u2019s arms. \u201cYou are all I ever wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe too. But I thought… I was so afraid that I\u2019d lost my chance with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head. \u201cNo. Never. If I\u2019d only known… I really wanted to say yes, you know. But I\u2019d already promised I\u2019d go to the ball – both as Superman and Clark. I didn\u2019t feel I could get out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was Clark all over. Always taking his obligations seriously. Including those to her, which reminded her… \u201cWhy did you come back?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEarlier. As Darth Vader. You said you wouldn\u2019t come back – that you wouldn\u2019t be there for the unmasking. And you told me outside that you didn\u2019t want to stay because you thought I\u2019d be embarrassed to know it was you. So why did you come back after all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yeah. I… You sounded so hurt when I left. And I heard what you said as I walked away – that I was leaving just like every other guy. I couldn\u2019t just leave – not after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

He deserved a kiss for that, Lois thought. In fact, she figured she deserved one too. So she reached up towards him. He clearly had the same idea, for he was leaning down to her. And in the next instant, their lips met.<\/p>\n

It was only a strange sensation of something bumping against her head which made Lois break the kiss. And even then she was unwilling to pull away. But her head hit something again and she looked up.<\/p>\n

\u201cClark! We\u2019re almost on the ceiling!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOops.\u201d He gave her a rueful smile. \u201cSorry. That… can happen sometimes. If I get so carried away I lose control.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you lost control now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah.\u201d A dazed smile covered his face. And then they were drifting back down to the floor. \u201cNow, where were we?\u201d And his lips found hers again.<\/p>\n

Lois had never thought a simple kiss could be so… dazzling. Passionate. Sensuous. She\u2019d read trashy romance novels in which heroines felt weak at the knee when kissed by the hero, but she\u2019d always dismissed such descriptions as over-active imagination on the part of the author. Yet here she was, in such a state that she knew it was only Clark\u2019s hold on her which was preventing her sliding to the floor.<\/p>\n

She never wanted the kiss to end. She never wanted to let him go.<\/p>\n

But, a long time later, and very reluctantly, she drew away. Clark, his hair somewhat dishevelled by now, gave her a disappointed look. \u201cIt\u2019s late,\u201d she said regretfully. \u201cI mean, maybe you don\u2019t need to sleep, *Superman*, but I have to work tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d Slowly, and with gratifying reluctance on his part too, Clark loosened his grasp on her. \u201cI should let you go to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas Eve,\u201d she said softly. \u201cI have a present for you… I was going to bring it to work tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

His gaze held her. \u201cI don\u2019t want to spend Christmas without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lois bit her lip. \u201cMe neither. But it can\u2019t be helped – and it\u2019ll only be a couple of days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome with me.\u201d He caught her hands, held them.<\/p>\n

It sounded wonderful, but… \u201cI can\u2019t. I\u2019m working. All day tomorrow and the day after Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d His face fell, but only briefly. \u201cYou finish at five tomorrow, right? Come then!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut…\u201d She began to shake her head. \u201cI\u2019d never get a flight out…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you have your own personal pilot here!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cI\u2019ll come and get you. And let\u2019s talk to Perry and see if you can get the next day off – if you can\u2019t, I\u2019ll fly you back again, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

She had forgotten. Her best friend – her boyfriend? – was Superman. She had no need to fly commercial ever again! But the best part of it was that she could spend Christmas with Clark. With a real family – a family who never wanted her to be anything other than who she was. A Christmas full of light and joy and happiness and belonging.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d love to,\u201d she told him, almost shyly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd my folks would love to have you. Especially now.\u201d He squeezed their linked hands again. \u201cI know they love you too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI adore your parents,\u201d she said wistfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I\u2019m happy to share!\u201d he said with a grin. \u201cOkay…\u201d He sighed. \u201cI guess I\u2019d better go.\u201d<\/p>\n

She walked him, hand in hand, to the door. His gaze rested on her for a few moments before his hand came up to caress her cheek. \u201cGoodnight, Lois.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodnight…\u201d She wasn\u2019t allowed to say any more. His lips covered hers again in a sweet kiss full of promise, and then, too soon, he left.<\/p>\n

But she would see him tomorrow, she reminded herself. And she was going to get to spend Christmas with him, too. And, she was sure, many more special times in the future too.<\/p>\n

Closing the door behind him, Lois leaned against it for a moment, her eyes closed as she relived that last kiss in her mind. Maybe it wasn\u2019t so difficult to find out what was so wonderful about Christmas after all. All she\u2019d needed was to see through a disguise or two. And, of course, to fall in love.
\n<\/p>\n

~ The End ~<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas, everyone!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Author: Wendy Richards Email: wendy@lcfanfic.com Rated: PG Submitted: December 2004 Author\u2019s note: Much thanks and appreciation to Kaethel and Tricia for beta-reading this at *very* short notice indeed, and without whose help I\u2019d have felt extremely unsure about posting this story. You guys never cease to amaze me with your cheerful helpfulness – I owe […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":13,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,101],"tags":[559,102,830],"class_list":["post-773","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-pgfanfic","category-wendy-richards","tag-the-dark-side-of-christmas","tag-wendy","tag-wendy-richards"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/773","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=773"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1818,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/773\/revisions\/1818"}],"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=773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nfanfic.com\/lnc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}