First Night 
By Carol M <carolmfolc@gmail.com> 
Rated: PG-13
Submitted: June 2001

This is my first long, not just a way to blow some time fic. Originally,
it was seven separate stories, but those on Zoom's MB convinced me that it
really should be chapters of the same story.

Special thanks go out to my ever-faithful betareaders, Missy and Melisma.
Special thanks also go to Ang for being the inspiration and nagging from
the end of Ch. 3 and into Ch. 4. 

This is the continuation of Chris H.'s "Baby, I Hardly Knew You." It is an
excellent story, but you don't really need to read it to follow this one,
especially since I changed a few of the details -- with her permission of
course. In her story, Clark was Clark, not CJ and they didn't exchange
gifts in D.C. Part of the idea for what happens near the end of Ch. 1 --
don't want to ruin it -- comes from Grace Livingston Hill's book, "The Best
Man".

The song in the flashbacks is "This Kiss" by Faith Hill -- on her CD "Faith"
(I think, I know it's one of her earlier ones). There is a video for the
song at www.nfanfic.net/musicvideos.html by Andrea that is pretty good, but
really has nothing to do with this story.

The SSSSSSSSS indicate a flashback found mainly in Chapter 1, but in
Chapter 7 as well.

* indicate thought or emphasis

CAPS indicates emphasis

Anyway, the characters are not mine. Well, most of them aren't anyway.
They belong to people with a LOT more money than me! I just wanted to have
some fun!

*****

Chapter 1 -- First Night

*****

The dark streak appeared out of nowhere. It headed straight for
Metropolis. Anyone looking at the sky would have screamed in fear thinking
that a meteor was about to hit. But no one was looking. The streak headed
straight for downtown Metropolis and came to earth in an alleyway across
from the Daily Planet newspaper. There was no earth-shattering impact or
any other indication that anything unusual had taken place. Nothing except
for the young man who walked out of the alley a few seconds later. He
straightened his tie and looked at the hubbub on the city streets around
him. It was different than anywhere he had ever been -- and he had been to
Paris, London, Beijing, Tokyo and most other major and minor cities in the
world -- but somehow this one was different. He knew why and he sighed.

Yes. He sighed. A long, deep sigh. If only he knew how to find *her*.
She was the reason that he had come here, to Metropolis. He didn't even
know if she still lived here. It had been over ten years. Even if he
could find her, would she remember him? Probably not. Why would she? She
had been beautiful and she, no doubt, had many suitors in the last ten
years. She was probably married, maybe even with a child or two by now. He
ran his hand over his tie, a normal gesture to anyone else, but he was
really feeling for the small circle hidden there. He did it almost
unconsciously; he had been doing it for so long. The feel of it there
brought back the memories that he treasured.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Air had been the one who first spotted her at the hotel. Air, CJ's best
friend, pointed across the lobby towards a young woman who was standing at
the reception desk. She was wearing snug jeans, a white bodysuit top and a
black vest; and CJ had to admit she was a real looker. Her chestnut-brown
hair was tied back into a ponytail and small circular sunglasses were
sitting right above her forehead. Stunning! The boys looked at her with
their mouths hanging open.

Air had gone over and hit on her, but even the ever so dashing and suave
Air had been rebuffed by the beautiful girl.

The boys grabbed their bags and got onto the elevator. CJ looked at the
mysterious girl one more time. She gazed around the lobby, obviously
looking for someone or something; and before the elevator doors closed,
their eyes met. And for the first time in his life, CJ lost himself in
someone else's gaze. Her eyes were brown and sparkled like diamonds. He
felt his heart turning somersaults and found that he liked the feeling. CJ
could have looked at her for the rest of the evening but the doors closed
in front of his face, and she disappeared from his sight.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

He had never even known her last name. She had never known his real name
either. His friends had called him CJ in high school. He never really knew
why; they just had. As soon as he left home to go to college and travel
the world, he had begun using Clark more consistently. She'd never
recognize that name.

He was abruptly drawn out of his reverie by the screams of a mother. He
had heard those same screams time and time again all over the world. They
never changed. He quickly looked around and saw a little girl, no more
than 5 years old, with long blond hair and a teddy bear under one arm,
wandering in the middle of the busy street. There was a car speeding
straight for the little girl. There was no way one of the bystanders would
be able to reach her in time, but Clark knew that he could. Fast as light,
he ran to the curb near the little girl, and at a more human pace, but
still faster than many would believe possible, he ran into the street,
scooped her up and carried her out of the way. The mother grabbed the
little girl, and held her like she would never let go. The car sped off and
the driver, who was talking on a cell phone, never knew what happened.

Clark quietly walked off, picked up his bag from where he had left it
across the street and continued on his way. No one had noticed how quickly
he had moved from the bus stop to the tree by the curb and he was
determined to keep it that way.

*****

Lois Lane always looked the same. Business suits and no nonsense attitude.
She had just landed another major story. This one was on a car theft ring
and the national news had picked it up. The Daily Planet employees were
gathered around the television watching as the world picked up on the
report of their star. Right now, she was basking in the glow of her most
recent success.

"To Lois Lane -- still going where no reporter has gone before!" Jimmy joked
as he raised his coffee cup. The Planet newsroom joined in the jocularity
until the gruff, unchanging voice of the editor cut through the mirth.

"Hey, hey, hey! Turn that thing off," Perry White glared in the direction
of the television until someone did as he instructed. "Now Jimmy, don't
encourage her, she's got a head as big as the Metro Dome as it is!" he said
in his best grizzly bear voice, but everyone saw the big teddy bear
underneath smile at 'his girl.'

"Well, it's nice to know I'm appreciated around here, Chief," she said with
a flip of her hair.

"What do you expect... garlands thrown at your feet?" he suggested with a
wicked smile.

"No," she said with a quick laugh. "But I would like a raise."

"Well, I'd like Cubs to win a World Series once in a while, but hey,
Lois..." He showed her the insides of his empty pockets. "Times are tough."
The gathered staff members laughed, and Perry looked around at the party
going on in his newsroom. "What's everybody standing around for? This is a
newspaper, not Happy Hour at Buckingham Palace," he said firmly.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to finish my novel. I'll make so much money
I'll be able to buy *you* that football team and you can turn them into
winners."

Perry grinned. "Sure, Lois. You do that." He shook his head as he walked
towards his office, mumbling, "Football team? Lois wouldn't know the
difference between a shortstop and a tight end. Novel? Sure Lois, sure."
Lois' novels were legendary. She had yet to finish one of the many that
she had started. 

Jimmy followed his boss across the newsroom, eagerly trying to get his
attention. "Chief, I got a great idea for a story. See the sandwiches in
the cafeteria tasted funny yesterday, and today I'm feeling sick. I think
that food poisoning --"

Perry stopped at the door of his office and turned to face the enthusiastic
boy. "Did you finish those obituary updates?" 

Jimmy's face fell as he realized that yet another idea was being shot down
by one of his two idols. A good scandal in the lunchroom was better than
writing obituaries. He wondered if Lois Lane had started off writing
obituaries.

"Jimmy," Perry began, sounding each word out clearly, "never underestimate
the need for a good obituary." With that, he went into his office and
closed the door.

Jimmy turned away. "I can think of one right now," he muttered under his
breath. He tossed his notebook on Lois' desk angrily and was treated to
the look of death that "Mad Dog Lane" usually reserved for others. He
quickly picked it back up and saw the pink message slip underneath. "Whoa,
I guess you've finally hit the big time!"

Lois, who was concentrating on rereading what she had already written of
this latest novel, didn't look up. "Huh?"

"This time, Lex Luthor's personal assistant --" he played his only little
game of keep away, until he saw he had pushed Lois as far as he felt was
safe. "-- returned your call," he called as she snagged it and turned away
from him. She looked disappointed and wadded it into a little ball. "Give
it up, Lois," Jimmy said. "Luthor never gives one-on-one interviews."

Lois just looked at him. "Well, he's never met Lois Lane before, either,"
she said determinedly. *And this time is going to be different. I am
going to get that interview AND finish this novel.* This novel was
different. She really believed that. She HAD to believe that. She had
started writing this one in June. June 11th to be exact. That was ten
years to the day after she met CJ, and she would never forget him. 

SSSSSSSSSSS

Lois Lane was waiting for her father in the lobby of the hotel where she
was staying with him for the weekend. Suddenly she felt a presence behind
her and she turned around. In front of her stood a young man, maybe
seventeen or eighteen years old, with blond hair and blue eyes and a smile
which he probably found terribly enchanting.

"Hi," he said. "So what is a nice girl like you doing here all by herself?"
Oh brother. One of those guys! she thought, disgusted.

"Save your breath, Prince Charming. I don't have time for it," she stated
simply.

The young man looked pretty disappointed. He went back to a group of young
men, standing on the other side of the lobby. His friends had a very good
time making fun of him -- except one of them. He just stood there and
smiled. Lois noticed that he was tall, probably taller than her father.
Even though he was wearing a sweatshirt, which said 'Smallville High'
across the front, she was able to see that he was pretty muscular. Another
young man joined the group and they all got onto the elevator. Lois scanned
the area once again, looking for her father, but she didn't find him.
Instead, her gaze fell upon the young man with the 'Smallville High'
sweatshirt, and their eyes met. He smiled at her and his chocolate brown
eyes twinkled delightfully and shyly, telling her: I know a secret. Lois
had to admit he looked handsome, probably better than all the other guys
she had met until today. She found herself staring at him. And then the
elevator doors closed in front of him. She stood there, staring at the
closed elevator doors, still in a daze. Suddenly she felt a hand on her
shoulder and found her father.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

And so she had written the beginning of her novel. She was having somewhat
more difficulty with the rest. The next twenty-four hours had been
incredible. The only people in the world had been her and CJ. And still
his name was all she really knew about him. Except that even now, more
than ten years later, she was hopelessly, helplessly in love with him.

*****

The young man who had rescued the little girl stood across the street and
stared at the icon for the world's best newspaper. The "Daily Planet". He
had arrived! He still couldn't believe that his old professor had known
Perry White and that he was willing to give him an interview. It wouldn't
do to be late, so he took a deep breath, walked across the street and
entered the rotating doors, stopping only to ask directions to Mr. White's
office. 

Mr. White reminded Clark a little bit of the absent-minded professor.
Papers were strewn everywhere on his desk, a disaster to anyone else, but
Clark was sure that the editor knew just where everything was. "So you are
Mister, uh..." 

"Kent, Clark Kent," the young man was quick to help in any way possible.

As though to prove Clark's suspicions, Perry White pulled out his resume.
"Ah yes, Kent. Oh, Professor Carlton called me about you; boy, I haven't
seen him in I don't know... Let's see here," he brought himself back to the
matter at hand. "Editor, Smallville Press," he read slowly, valiantly
trying to keep his smile in place. What kind of name was Smallville?
"Where is that, that's in...?"

"Kansas."

"Kansas," the chief repeated, barely able to keep the incredulity out of
his voice, grateful for the insistent ringing of his phone. "Oh, just a
minute please," he apologized as he reached out and grabbed the receiver.
"Yeah... Oh, tell him to keep his pants on! If Carlini's can't deliver on
time, just find a place who can!" Clark looked around to see if there was
anyone in the newsroom who hadn't heard him. As he started to take his
pulse, he asked Clark, "Would you believe I had to buy a blood pressure
monitor last week?" 

"Paava leaves," Clark said with a smile, wondering how this man would take
the suggestion.

"I beg your pardon?" Perry asked, the confused look usually reserved for
Lois on his face.

"The Yolngu tribe in New Guinea eat paava leaves to relieve stress, it puts
them in a meditative state. Maybe you should try it," he suggested as a
woman entered and left some papers on his desk. Perry grunted his thanks. 

"Oh, well, I see you've done some traveling," Perry observed. *He wants me
to eat leaves? Does everyone from Smallville have a screw loose?*

"Well, this is my first trip to Metropolis," Clark clarified. "I have some
samples of my work," he remembered, handing the editor a handful of papers
that he pulled out of his bag.

"Oh good, good, let's take a look," the editor said, grateful to get the
conversation off of him eating *leaves*. This young man had the kind of
honest face that was missing in today's world. "The Borneo Gazette," he
read slowly, feeling his stomach drop and remembering why he didn't ride
roller coasters. "Mating rituals of the knob-tailed gecko?" With a sigh he
faced the clean-cut young man with the hopeful eyes, trying to find a
gentle way of breaking it to him. "Kent, I'm sure that these are
fascinating stories, but you see, son, this is the Daily Planet! We just
don't do stories on knob-tailed geckos. Or any other reptiles for that
matter. Rarely even a story on mating rituals of mammals, unless you count
'Cat's Corner', and NOBODY but Cat counts that."

He was interrupted by a dark-haired young man who burst through the office
door. "All right, Chief, I fixed the horn on your golf cart," he announced,
a tad bit smug.

"Not now, Jimmy," Perry said abruptly.

"The tone's still off," the lad continued, his face drooping a little bit.

"Jimmy, not now!" Perry shouted, wondering if there was anything to the
paava leaves thing. He needed something. Jimmy left with a haste born from
knowing the Chief's anger on many occasions. "Now, as I was, uh, saying,
you just can't walk in here and expect..."

This time the interruption came from a brunette whirlwind who was pleading
her case before she even entered the office. "Chief! I think there's a
story here and we should check it out, it could be more Kerth material,
you..."

"Lane!" the chief exploded. "I don't know what cockamamie story you're
talking about this time, but can't you see I'm in the middle of something
here?" he asked with a definite edge to his voice. Clark rose to his feet
wondering who it was that had the gumption to talk to this obviously
powerful man this way, and instantly had a feeling of deja' vu. For a
second he looked startled, but then shook his head and decided that it
couldn't be. There was no way.

"Oh," she said, irritated at the interruption. She barely glanced at the
man who was interrupting her day, and then turned back to the Chief as
though demanding an answer.

"Lane. Clark Kent," Perry introduced.

"Nice to meet you," she said, glancing at him just long enough to know that
she needed to do a double take. She did, and then decided that she was
imagining things. She turned immediately back to her editor. "Anyway, he
worked for the Sec. State..."

Clark closed his mouth, for once dumbfounded by what he had seen. He didn't
quite know what to think of the tornado of a woman who had just walked back
into his life. Back into his life? He looked more closely at her and
debated. Finally, the rational side won. This couldn't be his Lois -- it
would be too easy. He planned on having to search the city for her and for
her to just walk back into his life would be entirely too easy. And if
there was one thing that Clark's life was not, it was easy.

"Hold on there, Lane!" Perry stopped the whirling dervish that often
reminded him of that little cartoon character who ate anything in its path.
"What happened to that mood piece I gave you about the razing of that old
theater on Forty-second Street?"

"I wasn't in the mood," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Clark
looked at her more closely. Maybe it was possible. She certainly had the
spunk.

"You weren't in the *mood*," he repeated with a touch of singsong in his
voice. "Now look, Lane, you can't come in here and tell me you're not in
the..."

The young woman focused her attention on the young man who fixed the golf
cart horn. He was making 'you've got a phone call' motions at her. "I
gotta go, I'll catch you later!" she told her boss, drowning out his tirade
as she swept out of the office like a tornado of energy. Clark followed
her intently with his eyes, studying her face, wondering... He was
startled when Perry continued talking.

"I tell you, if that woman wasn't the best damned investigative reporter
I've ever seen, I...!" Perry took his pulse again and mumbled, "This job
and that girl is gonna kill me yet". Then he remembered -- the Borneo
Gazette and -- was it hook-tailed iguanas? "Look, Kent, I'm sure that
you're an intelligent guy, but you just can't walk in here with this kind
of resume and expect to get a job."

"Mr. White, I know I lack experience," Clark said earnestly, turning his
attention back to the task at hand, "but I'm a good writer --"

"Kent," Perry interrupted.

"-- and a hard worker, and I --"

"Kent," Perry sounded almost wistful. "I just don't have anything for you,
son."

Clark's 100-watt smile melted from his face. "Well, thank you, sir. I
appreciate you taking the time to see me," he said politely, knowing that
his small-time success was a long shot here.

"Okay," Perry said with a friendly smile.

Clark shook the man's hand, picked up his satchel, and walked slowly out of
the office.

Perry smiled until Clark had turned away, and then stared at his throbbing
hand with a grimace and a whimper of pain, holding it away from his body.
Then he looked in the direction the young man had gone, his eyes wide. 

*****

Clark had told the cab driver to take him to a cheap, clean hotel.
"Cheap" the Hotel Apollo was, but Clark wasn't sure about clean. He could
make it look better in a matter of seconds if he wanted to, but he just
didn't have the heart. It wasn't much of a home. If he ever found Lois,
he wanted to have a better place to show her. This was a dump!

There was a pay phone even. How cheap could people be? He didn't think he
could even get incoming calls. He sighed and picked up the phone. He
hated calling his parents collect, but he really didn't have much choice.

"You want me to wire you some cash?" his dad offered right away.

"No, I'm fine," Clark said half-heartedly, *but it won't be long before I
can't afford even this hellhole*.

"How'd the interview go?" Martha Kent asked eagerly.

"Not so good, but something'll turn up, I'm sure," Clark said into the
phone, not even able to convince himself.

"Nyeah, I think I should wire you some cash," Jonathan interjected.

"I'm fine, Dad."

"You're still going to make it home on Friday?" his mom asked.

"I'd never miss your home cooking, Mom," Clark said with a wistful smile. 

"What home cooking?" Jonathan snorted. "I haven't had a home cooked meal
in..."

"Clark, you're being careful, aren't you?" his mother asked into her phone,
cutting off her husband's complaint.

"Sure, other than the car incident this morning, but that --"

"Car incident? Clark..." his mother began, her happy smile vanishing.

"Metropolis isn't the Outback, you know," his father warned, ignoring his
wife's glare. "People in the city are always looking to make a quick buck.
If they find out about you, they'll put you in a laboratory, and..."

Clark rolled his eyes and finished the familiar phrase with him. "...
'dissect me like a frog.' I know, Dad. Believe me, I'm trying my best to be
like everybody else here, but I couldn't let that little girl get run over.
You understand; don't you, Mom?"

He heard her sigh. "Of course, sweetheart. You can't just NOT help."

"Well, I'll get that cash out to you tonight," his dad told him.

"Dad..." Clark realized that he needed the money more now than ever, but he
couldn't just TAKE it. "I'll pay you back, I promise. Okay, I'll talk to
you guys soon."

"Bye, honey," his mom said gently, giving her husband a slightly sad smile.

"Oh, mom. WAIT!"

"What is it sweetheart?" Jonathan had already hung up the phone that he
was on.

"Do you remember that trip that I took with AJ and the guys to D.C.?"

"Of course. The trip where you met the 'woman of your dreams'?" He could
almost see the grin on her face.

"*Yes, Mom*! That trip."

"What about it, honey?"

"I saw her today."

The silence hung between them. "Are you sure, sweetheart? How do you even
know that she's still in Metropolis? Odds are she moved on a long time
ago. And even if you do find her, she is probably married by now. I don't
want you to get your hopes up over a dream that ended over ten years ago."

"I know, Mom. But it was her... it was. I know it. She works for the
Planet now. When I got a good look at her, I saw her eyes and well, I know
it was her. The same spunk and determination that I saw in Lois, I see in
this Lane person."

"Lane?"

"Yes, that's what Mr. White called her. I wonder if it's a pseudonym or
something. Maybe she doesn't use her real name at work."

"You have to admit it's a stretch."

"I know, Mom. I just wanted you to know that I found her again."

"Well, for your sake, son, I hope so. Now you get a good night's sleep. I
love you."

"I love you, too, Mom," Clark hung up slowly, feeling a pang of
loneliness... that lifelong companion of his. Now if he could only find
out if Lane was the Lois that he knew and loved. 

He lay back on the bed, unwilling to admit to himself that he needed to
pick up the Daily Planet and look for other job opportunities. Even with
the money his dad was sending he wouldn't survive here long.

He closed his eyes and willed himself to relax. He took several deep
breaths. Slowly he started floating toward the ceiling. He could relax
much better this way. The cushion of air was much more comfortable than
the thin, hard mattress of the cheap hotel bed. He played with the ring
that had been hiding under his suit.

She had given it to him ten years ago. He hadn't taken off since, no
matter how much the guys razzed him. He sighed one more time. Sure, he
could float up to the ceiling, but could he get a job? A regular job like
any regular guy? He closed his eyes and smiled softly. Ten years. Ten
years was a long time.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Hey, Air, have you seen my glasses?" CJ asked and went through his bag.

"Nope."

"Damn! I must have left them on my desk yesterday when we left,"
CJ said. He didn't really *need* glasses, but they helped him control his
special vision. When he had been younger, he had had problems with his
capability of looking through walls and with his heat vision. After he had
almost burned down the shed behind the house, his mother had suggested
glasses, and after that he had been capable of controlling his special
powers. In the meantime, he was so good at handling his powers that he
didn't really need the glasses anymore, but he was so used to them that he
felt strange when he was not wearing them.

"So, Kent, that girl in the lobby must have made an impression on you,
huh?" Air asked suddenly and shot CJ an amused look.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Hey, you were staring at her as if she were Marilyn Monroe herself," Air
laughed.

"I was *not* staring at her!" CJ protested and changed into his boxer shorts.

"Yes, you were!"

"Were not!"

"Were so!"

They heard a knock at the door. CJ got up and answered it. AJ and Barney
were standing in front of him.

"Hey, CJ, we thought we'd go and eat something. Are you and Air joining us?"

"Sure, why not? What do you think, Air?"

"I'm with you. Just let me take a shower and put on some clean clothes,"
Air answered and disappeared behind the bathroom door.

"Where are we going?" CJ asked as he put on the rest of his clothes.

"We thought Chinese."

*****

CJ, Air, AJ and Barney entered the Chinese restaurant and were greeted by a
young Chinese waiter who introduced himself as Danny. He showed them to
their table and then left again so they could study the menu.

"Hey, CJ, look who's here. Your little girlfriend," Air whispered suddenly
and nodded towards a table behind CJ. CJ turned around and indeed. She was
sitting at a table with a man, who was probably her father. They had the
same eyes. CJ smiled, oblivious to his surroundings.

"Oh, look. CJ's in love," AJ said suddenly, such a jump back into reality.

"Oh, shut up, AJ!" CJ snapped.

"How come I hear that a lot today?" AJ asked.

"I guess because you are a total jerk," Air said and laughed.

"Oh, look who's talking!" AJ shot back.

The guys were having a lot of fun, but Clark wasn't able to concentrate. He
couldn't get his mind off that girl. And even though he had never spoken to
her, he had the strange feeling he was falling in love with her.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

He stood up, in mid-air, and started walking in circles around the room.
It was two steps to the wall. Stop. Shake head. Turn. Two steps to the
other wall. Stop. Shake head. Turn. Repeat over and over. Always
playing with the ring that hung around his neck.

He didn't want to give up his dream. He couldn't, especially now that he
thought he knew where Lois was. He had to talk to her. To see if she
remembered him. To find out if she felt the same way that he did. He
liked what he had seen of Metropolis so far; the bustle and excitement and
constant activity and she was more of a reason to stay. He would just have
to get a job somewhere else until he could find out for sure.

******

Lois struggled with groceries, her bag, her purse and the four locks that
she insisted her sister kept locked at all times. "Lucy?" she called. "Are
you home?"

"Hi sis!" Lucy came from the bedroom as Lois set the groceries in the
kitchen. "I thought you were going out tonight," she said in surprise,
looking to see if her sister had brought home anything good. "Chocolate
ice cream? Did you finish off the other half-gallon already?"

Lois shot her a look, ignoring the ice cream comment. "Oh, I gotta work, I
can't. Don't start!" she warned over her shoulder as she went to put the
rest of her things on the couch. 

"Did you find an escort to Lex Luthor's White Orchid Ball yet?" Lucy asked,
following her like a puppy looking for scraps.

"No, I did not," Lois said clearly, feeling that she had already had this
conversation one too many times.

"Lois, it's tomorrow night!" Lucy reminded her unnecessarily. "What about
Mitchell? I thought you liked him."

"Mitchell is a hypochondriac," Lois pronounced, taking some files from her
satchel and trying to escape into the kitchen.

Lucy followed her, doggedly. "They can't all be bad, Lois. They can't all
be boring or stupid. What are you waiting for?"

"Fine. I'll ask Mitchell to take me," she said as she pulled a frozen
dinner out of the grocery bag.

"I'm not just talking about the Ball, Lois. You've got to get out more,"
Lucy insisted.

Lois groaned. "Will you stop?" she demanded, struggling to open the frozen
dinner. "Geez, you sound like Dad! I'm only twenty-six!" She popped the
frozen dinner into the microwave. "Besides," she muttered to herself,
"I've already met the man of my dreams and he's nowhere to be found." 

"Twenty-six today, thirty-six tomorrow," Lucy warned, following Lois again
as she took a folder from the kitchen back to the sofa. "And I know why
that dentist, Alan, never called you back; dragging him to the Women In
Journalism seminar, 'Weak Men And The Wise Women Who Love Them'. You've
got to stop scaring them off, Lois!" She grabbed the folder from her
sister's hand to get her attention, to make her listen. "You've got to
stop being so smart all the time, so intense! And don't give me that
nonsense about some guy you met ten years ago at a hotel in D.C. I can't
believe you are still holding on to that pipe dream."

Lois looked at her sister and chose to ignore the last remark. "Don't you
ever quit following me around? Look, I'm just being myself, and if they're
not man enough to handle it, then I guess I'll just have to wait 'til I
find someone who is." Lois Lane wouldn't change for anyone.

"I just hate to see you sitting at home," Lucy replied wistfully, cutting
off her sister's tirade.

"I get out plenty. I have dates," Lois replied, trying to convince herself
as much as her sister.

"You have interviews," Lucy corrected softly. Lois started to say
something, but stopped as she realized that her sister was right. "Lois...
I just want you to meet a super guy."

"I already have. Don't give me that look. I won't ever forget CJ and you
know it." Lois sighed and gave her sister a quick hug. Deep down inside,
she wanted to find CJ, knowing, somehow, that he was the 'super guy' for
her. She dreamed of romantic walks on the beach, of candlelit dinners and
slow dancing in Mr. Right's strong arms, but he never had a face. She
could never even put CJ in those dreams, just some faceless, nameless guy,
who made her feel that she was floating on air. She had a hard time
believing that Prince Charming actually did exist, even in the person of
CJ. He was probably married with a couple of kids by now. She thought
about the guy in Perry's office today. Those eyes, were something, but she
couldn't convince herself that he was CJ. She knew that all of the good
guys, if there were any, were taken or played for the 'other team'. Or
came from Smallville. Who disappeared never to be seen again.

Lois pulled the covers up around her chest, sighing. She set aside the
papers she had been reading, unable to concentrate. She picked up the
remote and started The Ivory Tower, her favorite tape. She snacked on some
popcorn as the passed the credits quickly.

"Gwendolyn, have you made your decision?" a dark-haired man asked on the
screen.

Lois felt herself getting emotional. As often as it happened, she couldn't
help it.

The pretty blonde tossed her wavy hair. "All right, you win," she replied
almost defiantly. "I'll keep my promise. Tonight my body is yours. But my
heart... my heart beats only for one man," she finished in grand
melodramatic fashion.

"Oh!" Lois wailed softly, hugging the blanket a little closer as the tears
started to flow. Why couldn't *she* feel that kind of passion again?
Would she ever find her way back to her one true love? As the dark man
began to nibble on Gwendolyn's neck, Lois pulled a tissue from beside the
bed. With a little whimpering sound, she wiped her eyes, blew her nose,
and sniffled. *Maybe Lucy is right. Maybe I don't remember what the
kisses were really like. Maybe it's all in my head. Maybe I am just
chasing a pipe dream. No, it can't be. It WAS real -- I know it was!*
"Oh, CJ. Where are you?" She felt like getting the sweatshirt out of the
bottom of her bottom drawer, but if Lucy came in she'd have some explaining
to do and she didn't want to deal with Lucy. She closed her eyes and
remembered the first time she met him. She had gone out for Chinese with
her dad, but...

SSSSSSSSSSS

Lois wasn't able to concentrate on the conversation with her father
anymore. She felt that she was being watched and she turned around. It
was him. The guy from the lobby with the 'Smallville High' shirt. He was
looking at her and blushed when he knew she had caught him staring. But he
didn't look away. Lois smiled and he smiled back.

"Uhm, Daddy? Do you mind if I..." She pointed towards the ladies' room.

"Oh, no. Of course not," he answered, and Lois got up and walked over to
the ladies' room. When walking past the 'Smallville High' guy, she shot him
a look that meant: Move!

SSSSSSSSSSSS

Tears started to stream down her face.

The Ivory Tower always had that effect on her.

******

During the night, Clark remembered the mood piece that Mr. White had
assigned to Lane. He could write the piece. He knew his best work was
when he tried to tug at the heartstrings. Maybe Perry White would use it
and that could start his ball rolling. Finding the theater wasn't
difficult. It was just behind the crowd that stood next to a wrecking
ball. The construction crew was almost finished setting up and the
protesters, the few of them, were in full swing. "Keep the theater on the
spot, we don't need a parking lot!"

One of them looked anxious. "Where's Beatrice? Bea? Bea?"

Clark made sure that no one noticed him and lowered his glasses. He looked
right through the brick wall, wondering what he would find. He saw a woman
on the stage, feather boa draped around her neck, the decrepit building
falling around her and her floppy hat, surrounded by evidence of the
by-gone days of theater.

"After the dark death of autumn, and the cold barren winter, how I wish
this rock might be taken from my heart," she called, a slight echo in the
large, empty hall.

"Okay, Bill, start her up!" a voice called, breaking Clark away from the
scene inside. He looked again to make sure that he was ignored and lowered
his glasses again. With an intense look on his face, he managed to fry
some of the wires inside the motor of the wrecking ball machine. Though it
was only a brief delay, the protesters cheered as though a permanent stay
had been given.

Clark fixed his glasses firmly on the bridge of his nose, and glancing
about yet again, made his way inside.

The woman on stage continued, oblivious to his presence, the passion
obvious in her voice. "Oh, for the days of my childhood, back when my soul
was pure. I slept right here in this nursery, looking out at the orchard
from this very room, and every morning I awoke with such joy in my heart.
My orchard is just the same as it was then. Nothing is different. All of
it, all of it, dressed in white. My lovely orchard."

Clark's applause echoed loudly. He drew her attention as he had planned.

"Who's there?"

"Just... a fan."

"I'm not leaving." She sounded determined. "Not until I finish."

He smiled. "All right. Do you mind if I watch? I always loved this play."

"You know it?" she asked.

"The Cherry Orchard. Anton Chekhov."

She looked somewhat impressed that a young man would know the work. "His
finest, don't you think?"

"Definitely," he agreed with a gentle half-smile.

She smiled back at him, remembering days gone by. "They don't understand.
Theater is more than bricks and mortar." Her gaze traveled around the
room, remembering things as they had been. "It's drama and passion, and
mystery and comedy and life!" She looked at him with an intensity that he
found charming. "Don't make me go. I'm not ready."

"We have some time," he assured her.

"You understand. I just want to say good-bye."

Clark smiled as he realized how he was going to write this article. He sat
in the back row and listened as she continued, a faraway look on his face.
While he listened his mind slipped back to another time and another place.
He had seen the look that she gave him that night at the Chinese restaurant.

SSSSSSSSSS

She wanted him to follow her. CJ cleared his throat. 

"I'll be right back," he said and got up from his chair. The rest of the
gang didn't even notice him because they were in the middle of an argument
about whether sweet 'n' sour was better than stir-fry. CJ entered the
lounge, which was a small room one walked through to get to the ladies' or
men's room.

She was sitting on a small soft sofa and had obviously been waiting for
him. When he entered the lounge, she got up and walked up to him.

"Okay, who are you and why are you staring at me all the time?" she demanded.

CJ was taken aback. Her presence made him nervous enough and this was too
much for him. He felt himself getting red and stammered something like,
"I'm sorry, I... I... don't know."

"What? You don't know your own name?" she said and a ghost of a smile
flashed across her lips.

"Oh... of course. CJ. I'm CJ," he answered.

"I'm Lois. Nice to meet you, CJ. So now that we've gotten rid of that
problem, tell me why you're staring at me all the time."

"I... uh... I guess I'm just kinda attracted to you," CJ said, surprised at
his own words.

"Oh, really? Well, I guess the feeling's mutual," she replied and CJ's
head shot up. What?! *She*? Attracted to *him*? She smiled and he felt his
knees almost giving away underneath him. He was able to lift the tractor
at home on the farm without any effort at all and she brought him to his
knees with a simple smile. This girl was sure something!

"For real?" he asked, almost in shock.

"For real," she answered and melted his heart with another smile.

"Well, uh, in that case, how'd you feel about going to the movies with me
after dinner?" CJ asked and was surprised that he had found the guts to
ask her.

"Sure, why not? I'll just have to ask Daddy," she answered and CJ felt
terribly relieved that she hadn't shot him down.

"Great!" CJ exclaimed.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"...all of it dressed in white. My lovely orchard." Clark was brought out
of his daydream as the scene ended.

Clark spent the rest of the morning researching the theater and Beatrice.
He went back to his temporary, very temporary, home and used his laptop to
type up the story. He typed faster than the machine could deal with and
soon it was starting to smoke. Clark sighed. He had ruined more laptops
that way, so he slowed down and waited for it to catch up. 

He read the piece again, to make sure that it was as good as he thought it
was. He smiled, a satisfied smile as he realized it was that good.
"Beatrice was eighteen when she made her debut. Warren G. Harding was
President, the Unknown Soldier was interred at Arlington, and Babe Ruth was
sold to the Yankees..."

Perry read the article as well. His gruff voice softened by the words that
he was reading. "... She came to say good-bye, as we all must, to the
past, and to a life and a place that soon would exist only in a bittersweet
memory." He smiled broadly at Clark.

"Smooth," Jimmy said, amazed that someone could move Perry like that.

Lois had listened, speechless, trying to unobtrusively use the doorframe to
hold her up. She didn't understand how someone from the middle of nowhere,
and he had to be from nowhere since she had never heard of him, could make
her care about days gone by. The piece had called up memories of her own
past. The past before she understood the reasons her mother slept so much
during the afternoon, before she knew that she could never please her
father. She knew when her parents separated that those days were over.
All she was left with was CJ, and those were the only good memories she had
left.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS

"You are certainly not going to the movies with some hick from
nowheresville, whom you've just met!" Sam Lane exclaimed.

"But, Daddy..." Lois protested.

"Don't 'daddy' me! I said no!"

"What's wrong with you? What's wrong with *him*?" Lois asked, practically
yelling.

"Why do you want to put up with a boy from *Smallville*? He's going to be
a farmer someday and he'll be very happy with his wife and his 2.5 kids and
his cows. You deserve something better, Lois!" her father said. "You are
not going, you understand?"

"But, Daddy, I--"

"I said no!" her father said, as he got out of the cab, then stormed inside
the hotel and left her standing in front of it.

"Damn you!" Lois yelled after him, but either he couldn't hear her anymore,
or he simply ignored her.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Jimmy's comment brought Lois out of her reminiscing. She straightened up,
unwilling that any should know how the story had affected her. And glad
she stopped remembering when she did. To remember any more of that night
was not a good plan. "Uh, yeah, if you like that sort of thing," she said
flippantly, hoping that she came off as the impartial, impassionate person
the people at the Planet knew. 

"You know, Kent, there's only one attribute I value more than experience,
and that's initiative." Perry White's smile reached more than his eyes.
"Clark Kent, welcome to the Daily Planet!" Clark could barely contain a
whoop and reached to take Perry's offered hand. "Oops!" Perry stopped
before Clark could squeeze, "I don't think I could take another one of your
handshakes." Clark peeked over at the woman he now knew to be Lois Lane
and was more sure than ever that this was the woman that the girl he had
loved grew up to be.

Clark's moment of triumph was immediately interrupted, though, when the
office door was flung open. "Chief, you gotta see this. Something about a
sex change for the royals."

"I'm not interested in the sex changes of royals. When you have something
real, come get me." The Chief wasn't known for wanting fluff. He wanted
substance.

"It could be news, Chief," Jimmy said. "Can I look into it?"

"No. Not on my time you're not."

"Well, then I'll do it on my own."

"Whatever, Jimmy." He looked up at the three of them. "Don't you have
work to do? Kent, I didn't hire you so you can hold the floor down. Now
get out there and find me some news." He sat down and gave them a look
that said the meeting was over.

Clark and Jimmy left the office. "Come on, CK. I'll give you the tour."

*****

In Perry's office, Lois hadn't left. She laid out her game plan. "I'll
need a task force, I can't cover this story alone."

"You can have Jimmy," Perry suggested.

"Chief," Lois said dryly, "we're talking about the President here!"

"Okay, take Kent." He looked at her slyly, waiting for her reaction.

"Kent?" she repeated, unable to believe what she had heard.

"Kent," he confirmed impatiently.

"What about Myerson?" she asked hopefully.

"He's busy."

"Burns?" she tried, grasping at straws.

"Budapest."

"Forget Kent," she stated firmly.

"Uh-uh," he said equally as firm. "He's a good man.

"Kent is a hack from Tinytown, I couldn't make that name up!" she snorted,
knowing full well she had.

"Kent, or nobody. And it's not Tinytown. It's Podunkville something."

Seeing the look on Perry's face, she knew she was at an impasse. "Fine.
Don't ever say that I'm not a team player." She turned sharply and stalked
out of the editor's office.

*****

Clark followed Jimmy around, trying to take it all in. "We have different
sections, just like the paper has different sections," Jimmy explained.
"Society, Sports, Entertainment... Come here." Clark didn't know what it
felt like to fit in, but he sure hoped that this was the place he could
finally find out.

Lois went to get herself a cup of coffee, knowing that she would need the
extra 'oomph' to get through this story. Cat Grant let out a low wolf
whistle, obviously smitten as she watched the good-looking young man
following Jimmy around. "Who's the new tight end?" she asked in a voice
that barely concealed desire.

Lois rolled her eyes. Some things never changed. "Why don't you throw
your usual forward pass and find out?" she asked and stalked off before Cat
could pry and find out what kind of effect this new guy had on her. 

Cat shrugged out of her jacket and straightened her bright outfit. She ran
her tongue over her teeth and pinched her cheeks, bringing color to them
before she turned and tried to pour on the charm.

"Ah, excuse me," Clark said, wondering what game she was playing.

"Catherine Grant," she said, using a voice he didn't know could come from a
human. "'Cat's Corner'." She held out a hand and waited expectantly for
him to kiss it.

"Oh yeah, I've read your column." He held her hand awkwardly for a moment
before releasing it.

"Oh, then my reputation precedes me," she smiled, pleased.

"Among other things," Lois muttered barely trying to conceal the fact that
she was eavesdropping.

Cat began to stroke Clark's tie. "This is a great tie. You know, I know
what it's like to be new in town... Lonely... I'd be happy to show you
around."

"Ah, that's very nice of you, Miss Grant," Clark said slowly, somewhat
flattered, but not wanting to encourage the way she was stroking his chest.
He didn't want her to feel the ring either. Especially not with Lois
right there. He was more sure than ever that she was *his* Lois. He just
needed to find out, somehow, if she remembered him. "Now, if you'll excuse
me." Clark walked off, leaving her in his wake, something that didn't
happen very often.

Lois rolled her eyes again, closed the cabinet drawer rather loudly, and
took her coffee to her desk.

Clark took his coffee and walked to his new desk. He couldn't help but
notice Lois' reaction to Cat's come-ons. He hoped that Lois' reactions
meant that there was still a spark there. He grinned; there weren't too
many people like Cat in Smallville!

*****

Lois waited for Clark to return to his desk. "Let's hit it," she told
Kent, smacking his arm as she walked by on her way to her own desk.

Clark looked surprised and pleased at the same time. Following her to her
desk, he sat down in her guest chair. "Mind if I ask where we're going?"

"To interview Bob Marvin. He's convinced the President, or a member of the
Cabinet, is up to no good; I'll brief you on the way." Lois grabbed her
things, and Clark quickly grabbed his jacket to keep up with her. "And
let's get something straight, I did not work my buns off to become an
investigative reporter for the Daily Planet just to baby-sit some hack from
Nowheresville! And one other thing," she said without pausing for a
breath, and without noticing the look on his face, as she stopped on the
stairs that led up from the pit of the newsroom to the elevators. She
turned abruptly to face him, "you are not working with me, you are working
*for* me. I call the shots, I ask the questions." She began to walk
towards the elevators again, still laying down the law. "You are low man,
I am top banana, and that's the way I like it. Comprende?" she asked over
her shoulder, unwilling to look at his eyes again having seen something
there that she wasn't comfortable with. 
 
"You like to be on top. Got it," he returned clearly, looking straight
ahead at the elevator's impassive doors and not meeting her eyes, knowing
that if he did, the game was up.

Lois glared at him, fire coming out of her beautiful brown eyes. "Don't
push me, Kent, you are *way* out of your league." The doors opened, and
she entered, grateful that she didn't have to look at him anymore. Clark
followed and stood behind her, a grin spreading across his face and
disappearing as he realized that the elevator was mirrored. He knew he
could reach her, if he just had the chance. In the meantime, though, if she
pushed, he intended to push back. *Hmmm, I wonder what she'd do if... *
Clark reached over and pulled out the stop button on the elevator.

Lois turned around, her eyes spewing venom. "Just what do you think you
are doing?"

Clark smiled and took her face in his hands. "This." He leaned down and
placed his lips on hers. 

For just a split second, Lois fought back. Then, as though she had no will
of her own, she found herself responding to the ever-deepening kiss. She
couldn't think. She couldn't believe this was happening. She, Lois Lane,
Ms. Always in Control, was being kissed, in an elevator by a hack from
Nowheresville. *A hack from Nowheresville. No, a hick from
Nowheresville.* That was what her dad had said about CJ. No, it couldn't
be. She had to get away. She had to be able to think about this. She
finally managed to push herself back from the surprisingly solid chest and
whisper, "Please. Stop." 

"You don't remember me, do you?" Clark was disappointed. He felt like a
balloon without air. He had been so certain that THIS was his Lois and
that if he could just kiss her, she would know it was him.

Lois straightened her hair and gave him a cold, hard look. "No, of course
not. Where would I know you from? And why would I want to remember you?
And just where do you get off kissing me?" Lois was starting to get
outraged. "I don't know how you do things in Dinkytown, but that is NOT
how things are done here in the big city."

Clark slowly reached around her and restarted the elevator. "I'm sorry. I
guess I thought..."

Lois was fuming. "You *thought*? You *thought*! That's your problem, you
didn't think! Now it's my turn to think. We have a story to find." Lois
crossed her arms and faced the doors, her brow furrowing, deep in thought.
She wasn't thinking about the story. She was thinking about CJ and the
last time that she had seen him. It was the next day -- after the Chinese
restaurant -- and all she could think about was how their weekend had been
cut short by her father.

SSSSSSSSSSSS

Tomorrow came all too soon. It was probably already there when Lois found
a dreamless sleep. She got up and got dressed. After taking a shower and
brushing her teeth she went downstairs to the restaurant, where her father
had promised to meet her. He was late, as usual. She had already begun
eating when he finally showed up.

"Morning, Princess," he said and sat down opposite from her.

"Hi, Daddy."

Her father looked as if he had something on his mind.

"Is something wrong, Daddy?" Lois asked.

"No, Princess, nothing's wrong. It's just that I got a call an hour ago
and they need me in Seattle at the lab. I'm leaving in an hour."

"What about me?"

"I thought you'd take the car and drive home to Metropolis. It's
only an hour's drive from D.C."

"But I--" She stopped in mid-sentence. She knew she couldn't tell her
father about CJ.

"What? Does something bother you about the plan?" her father asked and
ordered a cup of coffee.

"No, Daddy, nothing," Lois answered and sighed.

"Good. Here's the key for the car. Just give the bell boy this card and
he'll get it for you," her father said and tossed her the key and a small
white card. "I'm sorry, Princess. I know I had promised you a weekend with
me, but they've got problems and really need my help. You understand that,
don't you?"

"Sure, Daddy," she answered quietly.

"Okay, I'd better go and pack now. Be careful, okay?"

"I will. Bye, Daddy," Lois said and stood up to hug her father goodbye.
He left her standing there, in the middle of the restaurant. And she tried
to figure out a way to tell CJ.

*****

She stood in front of his room door and finally raised her hand and
knocked. The blond guy from the lobby opened the door and his face split
into a huge grin when he saw her.

"Oh, look who's here!" he exclaimed. "CJ's little girlfriend!" Lois saw CJ
coming out of the bathroom behind the blond guy. He was wearing a pair of
jeans and a black T-shirt and had obviously just taken a shower.

"Hey, Kent, your girlfriend's here!" the blond guy said over his shoulder.
CJ was at his side within a second.

"Shut up, Delaney!" he snapped. Then he turned to Lois and smiled warmly.
"Hey, Lois," he said.

"Should I leave you two alone?" Delaney asked, still grinning broadly.

"Just get outta here, Air!" CJ said and this time Air saw CJ wasn't
kidding. He hurried out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"So, what are you doing here?" CJ asked.

"I need to talk to you," Lois said quietly.

"Well, okay, sure."

"I'm leaving D.C."

CJ's heart sank.

"Why?"

"My father needs to go to Seattle and told me to drive home."

"Oh. When are you leaving?"

"Right away. I just came to say goodbye," she said and then turned around
because she didn't want him to see her tears.

"Do you mind if I help you with your bags?" CJ asked. He knew he should say
more but he couldn't think of anything. He hated the thought of losing her.
 
"No," she said and then slowly walked towards the door. She opened it and
stepped out into the hallway. He grabbed something and followed her.

*****

Her bags were already packed and waiting for her. CJ picked them up and
they headed for the elevator.

"I'm really gonna miss you," CJ said suddenly, while they were waiting for
the elevator.

"Me too."

CJ laid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Do you mind if I
kiss you goodbye?" he asked softly. Lois was able to feel his hot breath
against her skin, his strong arms around her waist and instead of answering
him she leaned forward and kissed him, tenderly, gently. And he responded
to her kiss, softly, when he wanted to hug her so hard. After what seemed
an eternity they broke apart, both gasping for air.

"No," she whispered.

"No?"

"No, I don't mind if you kiss me goodbye," she answered breathlessly. Then
suddenly with a soft Pling! the elevator doors opened and a elderly couple
stepped out. Lois and CJ entered the elevator and she pushed the button.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS

Even after all this time, Lois couldn't bring herself to think about that
first night. It was just too painful. *Wait! The blond guy. The one who
hit on me the first night. He said CJ's last name. Come on, Lois. Think,
girl. You were standing there at the door. The blond guy answered it.*
She closed her eyes. *CJ came out of the bathroom -- oh, he looked hot.
The black T-shirt, clinging just a bit like the skin underneath wasn't
quite dry yet. The wet hair, with a few strands falling over his forehead.
Stop it -- get back on track, Lois. And the guy said... Hey, someone,
you're girlfriend's here. Did he -- could he? -- have said Kent?* She
stole a peek at Clark in the mirrored walls of the elevator. Smug, she
returned to her internal rambling. *No, it couldn't have been. My CJ
would have grown up to be MUCH better looking than that. Besides, he
didn't wear glasses.* The soft Pling! of the elevator door opening shook
Lois back to reality. 

"Come on, Kent. We have a story to do!"

*****

Lois and Clark walked dejectedly back into the newsroom. "Hey, kids. You
get anything?" Perry called from the door of his office.

Lois sat down wearily at her desk. "No, Chief. We looked all over town
for Bob Marvin and couldn't find him anywhere. We'll try again tomorrow."
Her phone rang. As she picked it up, she heard Perry tell them to try a
little harder next time.

Clark went to his desk, took off his jacket, and sat down. He tried to
look busy as he shamelessly eavesdropped on her conversation.

"No, Mitchell," she was saying, resigned, "I'm not mad. If you've got the
sniffles then you've got the sniffles... Yeah, that could lead to
complications," she flipped through her address book, starting to look
desperate. "No, don't call me, I'll call you."

Lois hung up, with the finality of knowing she'd never talk to him again.
Canceling plans to go to Lex Luthor's ball because of sniffles? Oh,
please. She had only a couple of hours to find a date and she'd never hear
the end of it if she showed up alone. She looked around, wondering if, by
some miracle, there was someone here she could go with, without losing
face. Clark rummaged through his desk and pulled out some papers, looking
studiously at them. He realized that it was the fire drill instructions
and hoped that Lois wouldn't look too closely if she came over. He could
always claim that he was concerned for safety.

Lois stopped her search when she saw Clark at his desk. Being new in
town, he was probably her best bet for someone with no plans. He wasn't
exactly sophisticated, he wasn't exactly CJ, but...

*This is crazy. He'd probably show up looking like he was going to a barn
dance.* Too bad she was desperate.

She stood and walked to his desk, squaring her shoulders in determination.
"I don't suppose you own a tuxedo," she said, doubt evident in her voice. 

"I could get one," he said, looking up and trying desperately to suppress a
grin. He knew what she needed, but he wanted to see how she would handle
it. "Why?" he asked, feigning innocence. *Maybe she does know.*

"Oh, well, the man that I was going to Lex Luthor's Ball with has the flu,"
she explained, keeping her tone light, as though it were no big deal. That
in fact, she could be doing him a big favor.

"Ye-es...?" he said when she stopped. Lois really didn't want to ask him,
he could see that, but he was going to make her work for this date.

"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to..." She didn't want to
actually ask him to go, maybe he'd pick up on what she wanted. She looked
at him more closely and saw that his eyes were twinkling. *He knows, that
scum. He knows and he's going to make me ask anyway. And he's enjoying
this*, Lois seethed. She walked away, then realized what the ramification
could be if she didn't ask him. She turned. "Do you want to take his
place or not?" she blurted, frustrated.

Clark grinned at her, intrigued by the way she put it, but not about to
pass it up. Nor was he about to pass up the chance to have some fun with
her. "Well, thanks anyway, Lois, but I thought I'd go to bed early tonight."

"Are you crazy?" she asked, in complete disbelief. "This is *the* social
event of the season! Everyone who is anyone is gonna be there, and you
want to go to bed early?"

He stood and walked over next to her. They were almost touching. He was
very aware of her breathing and knew that her heartbeat quickened as he
drew near. "So, is this... a date?" He knew he shouldn't tease her
anymore, but he couldn't help it -- it was so much fun.

"Date? Oh!" Her voice turned deceptively sweet. "Oh, you mean like in
Kansas, where you meet my parents and then you try and give me a hickey in
the vacant lot behind the Dairy Freeze." There was more fire coming out of
her eyes than came out of his when he needed to actually start one. "No,
this is not a date! This is business. I am going to land the first
one-on-one Lex Luthor interview if it kills me!"

"Okay," Clark realized that he had pushed her far enough. 

Lois looked shocked for just a second. "Good. I'll see you there." She
walked away, towards the elevators. "Nine," she added as she turned
around. He nodded. "Okay," she said, even more certain than ever that
there was something that she didn't understand. Her eyes caught his as the
doors of the elevator closed. He waved at her and his grin was something
to be admired.

Clark laughed, a full-bellied laugh. She really didn't want to go with
him, that was obvious and he had enjoyed her take on small town dating. He
wondered what she would have said if he had mentioned dating in Washington,
D.C. 

His plans altered for the evening, he knew he had to get to his parents'
home quickly if he wanted to eat and get his tux and get back by nine. He
used his vision to make sure that the alley behind the Planet was empty and
he slipped his glasses off as he readied himself for his flight. He
wondered what his mom was going to say.

Clark smiled as he rose slowly and gracefully into the night sky, made a
lazily looping circle overhead, and vanished with a whoosh. 

He darted in and out of skyscrapers, like it was some sort of video game.
He was full of excitement about the evening, no matter what Lois thought
about it. Maybe tonight... Yes, somehow, he knew tonight would be special. 

It wasn't a date, he reminded himself; she wasn't interested in him. The
grin remained on his face all the way west to Kansas. He thought about the
first time that he knew he could fly. Oh, sure he had levitated some, but
flying? Only Lois could have helped him learn how to do that. 

SSSSSSSSSSSS

CJ put the bags into the trunk of a dark blue jeep and then turned around
to face her. 

"I guess this is it," he said and he sounded very sad.

"I guess so," she said and noticed moisture gathering in her eyes.

"Listen, CJ, thank you for everything. I had a fantastic time with you even
if it was only very short. But I'm going home to Metropolis now and you're
going back to Smallville. We will probably never see each other again.
Therefore I won't ask you for your address or your phone number and please
don't you ask me for mine. It's difficult enough for me without knowing
that--" Her voice broke. "Goodbye, CJ."

"Take care of yourself, Lois. And maybe we'll meet again, someday. Here, I
want you to have this." He held out his "Smallville High" sweatshirt.

"Thank you. I'll keep it always." She thought for a second. "Here." She
pulled off her class ring and handed it to him.

"I can't take this. What will your dad say?"

"I'll just tell him I lost it here. Please -- I want you to have it."

He took the ring, wanting desperately to kiss her one last time, but he
knew he couldn't.

He opened the door on the driver's side and she got in. He leaned down one
last time and kissed her softly on the cheek. Then he turned away and began
walking down the street.

Slowly at first, then faster until he was running at full speed. He wanted
to leave the pain behind him. Suddenly he felt himself lifting off. This
was a surprise. Even though he had been aware of the fact that he could
float, he hadn't expected something like this! He flew higher, up into the
outer atmosphere and realized this was the only place where he could go to
ease the pain. At the same time he realized he couldn't stay in the outer
atmosphere for the rest of his life, and so he resolved to forget about the
young woman from Metropolis, whom he had loved so dearly but hardly known.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

He landed in front of an old farmhouse, which glowed softly with welcoming
lights, climbed the porch steps, and opened the door. It was great to be
home! 

******

"Dinner was great, Mom, thanks," Clark said warmly. After eating take-out
in his crummy hotel room, it was great to have a home-cooked meal, though
he thought he could go days without eating and it wouldn't matter.

"Thanks, honey," Martha murmured in response, happy to have him home for a
visit.

"So now tell me more about this woman you're going to Lex Luthor's Ball
with," his mother called as she cleaned up in the kitchen.

"Lois is... well, she's complicated," Clark began, not quite sure how to
sum up Lois Lane, and not sure how long it would take his mom to figure it
out. 

"Lois? You're going with Lois?" his mom erupted, coming into the living
room and sitting across from her son.

"Isn't that the woman that you are sure is the same person you met in
D.C.?" his dad interjected.

Clark just looked at them and continued. "Domineering, uncompromising,
pig-headed... brilliant," he added more softly with a smile. His parents
both picked up on the change in his voice, and they smiled at him,
prompting him to add, "And we're not really going out, it's 'business'." 

"Uh-huh," Martha said, her smile growing bigger.

"Thanks for sewing my jacket, Mom," he said as he stood up.

"You're welcome, honey," she said softly.

"That electrical storm over Cleveland was brutal."

"Maybe you should take another route," she suggested simply, putting her
arms up for a hug. "See you next week, honey. I love you. Take care!"

Jonathan and Clark went outside for a few minutes of father/son bonding.
"I forget how beautiful it is here," Clark said. "The only stars you see
in Metropolis are riding around in limos," he added wryly.

"You're the one who wanted the rat race. I couldn't live there, not for a
minute!"

Clark wanted to make his father understand. "There's something about the
city... the pace... everyone going somewhere."

"Impatient," Jonathan summed it up in one word. "Just like you." He
smiled at his son. He wasn't cut out to be a farmer and his dad had always
known it. "Well, I guess you finally found your niche. You can stop
living out of that old suitcase."

"I hope so, Dad." That much was true, but Clark didn't know if he would
ever truly feel at home. Anywhere. "Being in Metropolis, working at the
Planet, it's a dream come true, but..."

"But you still feel like you don't fit in," Jonathan finished for his son.
His heart broke, but this was one time when a father could do little.

"I don't!" Clark said quickly. "I don't fit in." *I'll never fit in. I'm
just too DIFFERENT. We don't even know where I'm from.* He spotted a rock
and all of the years of rejection, resentment, pain and frustration went
into the kick that he gave that rock.

Jonathan Kent watched the rock soar up into orbit.

"I have to control myself, all the time, never use my powers because I
don't want to jeopardize my chance to lead a normal life!"

"Whatever that means," Jonathan said, knowing that being normal was relative.

"Just... being human, like you and Mom. Living, working, meeting someone,
having a family," Clark replied. Now his dad knew his deepest dream, his
most sacred wish. A family.

"Clark, we don't know if that's possible," his dad was forever cautious.
The subject had come up before, but never with the intensity he heard in
his son's voice now. "And you can't risk anyone finding out about you. If
they knew you came from another planet..."

"But I can't hide forever, Dad," Clark wasn't going to give up easily.
"There has to be a way that I can be Clark Kent and still use what I've
been given to do some good!" Clark knew that as difficult as the
conversation was for him, it was equally difficult for his father. He hung
his head, knowing that raising such an unusual child had not been easy.
His parents, especially his dad, had always worried that some government
agency would find out about him and take him away. *And dissect me like a
frog,* Clark thought with a wry grin. *At least now we know that I CAN'T
be dissected!* He reached over and gave him a big hug, grateful for
everything his father had ever done for him.

Jonathan knew he would support his son, whatever he decided. "You'll find
a way, boy. You'll find a way."

*****

Clark was disappointed to find Jimmy waiting for him outside the tallest
building in town. Lois had, apparently, gone on ahead, despite her need
for an escort. As he walked in, Clark realized that he had never been in a
place quite like this. And he wasn't sure if he liked the over-the-top
opulence. Clark looked around for Lois, wondering if he would like the way
he looked in his tux -- his mother sure did!

"Have you ever met him? Lex Luthor?" Clark asked, almost out of boredom.

"No, but I've read all five of his unauthorized biographies!"
Jimmy said, his admiration apparent. "Rags to riches, wrong side of the
tracks, self-made billionaire, owns dozens of companies, employs thousands
of people, Man of The Year every year, has his finger in every pie, but
rarely appears in public," he prattled on, as he took a drink from a
passing attendant. "He won't give personal interviews. Hey, there he is!"
he exclaimed unable to take his attention from the top of the stairs.

*Lex Luthor is a handsome man.* Clark couldn't argue with that. *Well, if
you liked the dignified, yet boyish, smile that doesn't reach the eyes
type, draw the attention of all the ladies in the room, speaks multiple
languages type.* He didn't catch the irony of his thought. "You're on my
phone list," Luthor assured a beautiful young lady. "Harry,
congratulations on the buy-out." "I like that editorial on the ozone."
"Senator Washington! Nice of you to come." "Merci beaucoup." *He seems
more like royalty -- what a snob.*

Lois was watching him. She just couldn't decide how to go about it. Then
she made up her mind. Coming on strong was what she was best at.

Lex was paying attention only to the three people surrounding him when her
authoritative voice called out, "Lex Luthor!" He froze. No one who knew
him would use that tone of voice with him. He was the ultimate authority.
He turned wondering who he would have to take out this time, but was
unprepared for the beauty that met him. 

Her gown was a shimmering white, cut low, but not too low. Her hair was
swept up, leaving her long, graceful neck unobstructed by that encumbrance.
Her eyes showed that not only was she beautiful but intelligent, and held
some kind of unspoken challenge. She was the one thing that Lex had been
unprepared for this evening.

"Why haven't you returned my calls?" Lois asked.

Lex barely looked as he excused himself. "Gentlemen." The word could
barely be heard. He was enthralled by this new distraction, certain that
he would have a new 'toy', but he didn't think of it in such crass terms of
course.

"Lois Lane, Daily Planet," she introduced, extending an elegant hand on the
end of a long, intriguing arm.

"Well, I can assure you, I'll never make that mistake again," he said, never
taking his eyes off of hers as he kissed the back of her hand.

"She's something, isn't she?" Jimmy asked, with a rueful shake of his head.
"Only she could pull that off."

Clark was so used to being in complete control of his powers that he didn't
even notice as he started to levitate. He was completely enthralled by
her, his head as gone as his heart had been for years. She presented a
side of her here that he knew must exist, the elegant, graceful, poised
woman that completed the Lois that he already knew and complimented
perfectly the Lois that he remembered so well.

"Clark? Clark?" Jimmy was waiting expectantly for a response, wondering if
this new guy saw the same things in Lois that he did. Except that Jimmy
knew that he never had a prayer.

Jimmy's voice brought him back and he prayed that no one noticed that his
feet had actually left the ground unassisted. "Yeah. She is something."
There was no other way to put it.

Lois and Luthor were dancing, each enjoying the company of the other. "I
hope you'll forgive me for being so bold..." she began, the apologetic tone
never making it out of her imagination.

"But boldness is a trait I find very attractive in a woman, Miss Lane," Lex
said, his eyes looking at her appreciatively.

"Well, thank you. That's a line that I haven't heard before." Her laugh
floated across the room. She once again turned into the consummate
professional. "Anyway, Mr. Luthor, I..."

"Lex," he corrected smiling and dipping her gracefully.

"Lex," she repeated, wondering if there was ever a time when he wouldn't
surprise her. He wasn't at all what he expected. She had expected him to
be cold and reclusive, but instead he was exactly the opposite. She
smiled, her biggest, most inviting smile. "I know that you're hesitant to
give interviews..."

"Well, you can understand, a man in my position, I wouldn't want to be
misinterpreted. I have had one or two bad experiences with the media," he
said.

Lois laughed lightly. "But not with me!" she said, desperately trying to
persuade him to come around to her way of thinking and trying hard not to
think of CJ while she was in the arms of this devastatingly handsome man.

He appeared to come to a decision and his eyes twinkled as he offered, "So
why don't we make it..." He leaned in, his lips caressing her cheek as he
whispered, "... dinner."

Lois' eyes glowed triumphant and she was glad that he couldn't see it. She
was an expert at turning dinners into interviews! This would be her
biggest story ever, the Lex Luthor exclusive, even if it wasn't Kerth
material. 

"Mind if I cut in?" Clark asked politely, ever the gentleman.

The look that Clark received from Lois would have sent Smokey the Bear
running the opposite direction. "Lex, this is Clark Kent. Clark works at
the Planet," she said, barely caring that her voice was barely civil,
inwardly vowing revenge.

"A pleasure," Lex said as cold as Lois was heated as he shook Clark's hand.
The intense look in his eyes as he murmured "Thank you," made Clark want
to show him who was 'the man' around here, but Lex walked off before Clark
had a chance. 

She followed Luthor with her eyes, smiling again, until at last the he
disappeared in the crowd, not even aware that she was dancing with Clark.
As soon Lex was out of sight, she smacked Clark on the arm. "Clark, you
idiot!" she hissed, taking the lead and turning him around, trying to get
another glimpse of Luthor. "It's taken me a year to get this close!"

"What, this close?" he asked with a smile, pulling her body against his. 

Words couldn't describe the sound of disgust that he heard coming from her
throat. "I would've thought square dancing was more your style!" she said,
hoping to put him back in his place. He had some nerve, interrupting her
dance with Lex Luthor when he *knew* she was trying to get an interview
from the reclusive man! And he had no business being such a good dancer! 

"Actually I learned from a Nigerian Princess who studied ballroom dancing
in England," Clark said, hoping impress her the way Lex Luthor's dazzle
obviously had.

"Really? How fascinating," she said. It really was, if it was true. She
sighed resignedly. He WAS her date, no, not date, escort, so she should
dance at least one dance with him. She closed her eyes and imagined
herself in the arms of CJ. Somehow she just knew that he would have been
perfection on the dance floor. She couldn't tell anyone how she would have
known that, she just did. There were lots of things that she just *knew*
about CJ. Things they hadn't talked about that night in her room. 

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Lois heard a knock at her bedroom door. She left the bathroom, where she
had been getting ready for a shower, and opened the door, wearing only a
bathrobe. 

"CJ!" she exclaimed surprised.

"Hey... may I come in?" he asked quietly.

"Uh, well, yeah. My dad's room is next door and he's not here anyway," she
answered and stepped aside to let him enter. He stepped past her and
brushed her body with his. He held his breath and could see she was doing
the same.

"Uh... I was just going to take a shower, but I guess that can wait till
later. Do you want a Coke or something?" 

"Sure, thanks," he answered and sat down on her queen-sized bed.

"I'm, uh, sorry for coming up here so late, but I just *had* to see you."

SSSSSSSSSSS

Lois let out a little sigh. "Oh, CJ, I miss you so much." But Clark
didn't hear. She looked up to make sure but little did she know, and there
was no way she really could have, that Clark was thinking about the same
night as he held her in his arms, dancing. He'd gone to her room after his
friends had teased him mercilessly about the lipstick on his face. He had
known that he had to see her again.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS

"So, are you staying in D.C. all by yourself?" Lois asked.

"Uh, no, a few friends of mine are with me. You met Air earlier today
and--" The ringing of the phone cut him off. Lois got up and picked up the
receiver.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Lane, this is Marsha from reception. Your father knows you were
kissing that hunk in the lobby. He's on his way upstairs. I'm really
sorry!" the woman on the other end of the line said and then slammed the
receiver back onto the cradle.

"Oh, no!" Lois cursed. "No, no, no!"

"What's the matter?" CJ wanted to know.

"My Dad! He's on his way here!"

"So? We haven't been doing anything naughty, have we?" he asked and grinned.

"You don't know my father, CJ! He'll go ballistic! You'd better leave now."

"Well, okay. If that's what you want," CJ said and got up. But it was too
late. They heard a knock at the door and CJ used his special vision to
find out who it was. He was able to see Lois's father standing in front of
the door and he looked furious!

"It's your father!"

"How come you know it's him?" she asked and looked at him, surprised.

"Well, I... uh... have you been expecting someone else?"

"No..."

"See?"

"Lois? Lois, open the door!" they heard her father saying.

"Move, CJ!" she hissed.

"Where?" She scanned the bedroom and then pointed towards the curtain.

"There!" she said and pushed him across the room. He hid behind the
curtain but he knew Dr Lane was going to be able to see his sneakers. He
had to come up with something! *Fast!* Then CJ had an idea. He started
floating, something he had just recently discovered he was capable of
doing, and hovered behind the curtain, holding his breath. He used his
special vision to see what was going on. Lois opened the door and her
father stormed in.

"Okay, young lady, where is he?"

"He? What are you talking about, Daddy?"

"I heard you talking to someone!"

"Ever heard of TV, Daddy?" she asked and pointed towards the television set.

"The woman at the reception told me that she saw you kissing some guy in
the lobby! Do you have something to tell me?"

"Daddy, puh-leese! Do I look like someone who runs around kissing every
guy she meets?" Lois asked, and felt her ears getting hot. Something that
happened only when she was lying and she knew that her father was aware of
that. She covered her ears with her hair.

"No..."

"See? She must have mistaken me for someone else," Lois said and then
started pushing her father towards the open bedroom door.

"But--"

"I'm really tired, Daddy. I need to sleep. And you'd be better off if
you'd do the same. You look miserable!"

"Nice hearing that from my own daughter," Dr Lane said and a ghost of a
smile flashed across his lips. Lois smiled back.

"Goodnight, Daddy," she said and kissed him softly on the cheek. He hugged
her.

"Goodnight, Princess, see you tomorrow morning." He began to leave but then
turned around one more time. "And you're sure you weren't kissing some
strange guy in the lobby?" he asked.

"Goodnight, Daddy!" Lois said and closed the door. She ran across the room
and pulled the curtain aside. CJ had remembered just in time to get his
feet back on the ground. Literally.

"Phew! That was close!" he said.

"I know! You'd better go now before Daddy decides to check on me one more
time before going to bed," she said.

"You're right. Goodnight, Lois," he said and bent over and kissed her
softly on the lips. They were soft and warm and kissing them felt
absolutely fantastic. Before the kiss could deepen he pulled away, because
he knew if he let that happen he'd never be able to leave.

"Goodnight," she whispered.

Clark walked over to the door and took a small glance through, using his
special vision, before opening it, just to make sure her father wasn't
outside anymore. The coast was clear. He opened the door and stepped
outside. He turned around one more time and smiled at her. She smiled
back. He gently closed the door and then took the elevator up to his room.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Clark? Clark? Earth to Clark?"

"What? I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"The music has stopped. And you're still trying to dance with me. Yet
another thing we do different here in the big city."

"You mean you don't kiss in elevators AND you don't dance without music?"
he asked with an obviously fake incredulous grin on his face.

"Not if you know what's good for you," Lois hissed as she turned and walked
away from him without a backward glance. She struggled to keep her
composure. Why did he have to bring up that kiss? No kiss had ever
affected her like that. Not since she met CJ. Her mind started to wander
back to the hotel lobby, the night that her dad wouldn't let her go to the
movies with him, but she stopped herself before the memories could surface.
It was just too painful.

"Where're you going?" he called as he followed her. Keeping up was a full
time job. He followed her into an obviously private study. The fire
burning in a magnificent fireplace, the large mahogany desk and expensive
artwork all pointed to the fact that they shouldn't be here.

"Lois, what're you doing?" Clark asked, as he closed the door behind him,
bothered that she seemed to be so at ease with snooping in someone else's
private space.

"Being a reporter; you should try it some time," she said, shutting a set
of double doors that opened onto another branch of the hallway. He was
surprised that icicles weren't forming on her icy voice.

"Lois, you can't come in..." He stopped when it became obvious that she
wouldn't listen and stepped into an adjoining room. "Lois..."

"Just look around," she told him, her irritation evident in her voice as he
tried to follow her. Not at all comfortable with what was happening, Clark
was, nevertheless, intrigued by the antique weapons on display on one wall.
As he turned he felt cold steel against his throat, just under his Adam's
apple. Lex Luthor was at the end of the sword, lightening flashing in his
steely eyes.

"Macedonian," Clark observed, without taking his eyes off of Luthor. It was
a challenge he couldn't lose, unless Luthor actually tried to use the thing
and it bent against his impenetrable skin.

"It belonged to Alexander the Great," Lex Luthor said, his hand and eyes
never wavering. Luthor was somewhat surprised as he had expected the
younger man to turn away, but Clark didn't even blink. "A brilliant
tactician. Alexander's strategy was simple. Always seize the high
ground." Lex suddenly smiled his patented smile that was never close to
sincere. "It was with this sword that he defeated --"

"Defeated Darius the Third and was proclaimed King of Asia," Clark
finished, accepting the challenge and meeting it admirably.

"You surprise me, Mr. Kent. I'm not often surprised." *And I don't like
it*. Luthor couldn't keep the disdain out of his voice.

Lois returned to the room just as the exchange ended, unaware of the
challenge given and met. "I hope you don't mind us looking around. You
have a beautiful home, Lex."

Her arrival demanded that the men turn their attention to her rather than
the face off that was at an end. "Have you seen the view from here?" Lex
asked, as he opened the French doors and led them out onto the protected
balcony, the raw beauty of the storm enveloping them. "The tallest
building in Metropolis," he said, raising his voice to be heard the
thunder. "I must confess that I love the fact that everyone in this city
has to look up in order to see me!" The look on his face made it evident
that he was proud, and almost condescending at the same time, of his
accomplishment. "Let's get back to the party. I think you'll find my
announcement will...interest you." He tried to appear gallant as he
motioned Lois and then Clark inside.

"After you," Clark said, still the gentleman.

Lex Luthor felt as though he had won some sort of victory as Clark motioned
him ahead and closed the French doors. That the young man had been
unintimidated had been a point in his favor, that maybe he was someone to
be respected. Now he knew that this Clark was nothing. He had let Luthor
get his own way and he was now escorting the lovely Miss Lane down the
stairs. Lex decided that Clark was no match for him.

Clark stared after Luthor, wondering what that little scene had been all
about. Perhaps Luthor was angry that he had cut in on their dance, perhaps
he was trying to stake some sort of claim to Lois and intimidate Clark.

Downstairs, the band played a fanfare to draw the attention of the milling
throng of party-goers. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Lex called out in his
well-bred tones. "Honored guests... my friends. Well, we've come here
tonight for a good cause. Thanks to your generosity the Luthor House for
Homeless Children will soon be a reality."


The guests began to applaud, but Lex held his hands up to stop them.
"Thank you. As you know, I've dedicated myself to improving the quality of
lives of the citizens of Metropolis. Please feel free to stop by and see
the hologram of the new facility."

The applause was sincere and enthusiastic, and Lois joined in heartily.
Her gaze, however, was not on the impressive hologram. She was looking at
Lex Luthor admiringly, and Clark, in turn, was watching her closely, trying
to read the expression on her face. She seemed very impressed with Mr.
Luthor. Clark turned his attention to the recipient of these accolades,
who was smiling around in a benign fashion. He slowly, hesitantly, joined
in the clapping, but his heart wasn't in it.

*****

Some time later, Clark and Lois walked out the front door of the tallest
building in Metropolis. He couldn't help but see how wonderful she looked.
He wanted so badly to tell her everything, but couldn't quite bring
himself to do it. The rain was still coming down steadily. Neither one
quite wanted to end the evening. Clark for the obvious reasons and Lois
for reasons that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Even though she had
been working on her novel about CJ, she hadn't thought about him this much
in a really long time. What was it about Clark and that kiss in the
elevator? The two stood there in an awkward, yet companionable silence.

Out of the shadows came a man. A short man. With a bowler hat. "Miss
Lane, Mr. Kent. I must speak with you immediately."

Clark eyed the man suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"My name is, umm, ahh, Henry, Henry George Wells. Yes, that's it." Clark
noticed that he had an accent, but couldn't quite place where it came from.
"I have information for you."

Lois eagerly jumped in. "Is it about the investigation we're running on
the President?"

Mr. Wells looked a little bit apprehensive, but answered, "Well, in a way.
There is somewhere that you need to be right now. Both of you."

"Dressed like this? Clark, you go to your hotel and I'll meet you. Where
do we need to meet, Mr. Wells?" Lois started to walk off as she asked the
question.

"Oh, I assure you, Ms. Lane, you are dressed quite appropriately for where
we are going."

"Really? And what kind of source would want to meet with us looking like
this? Most sources I know aren't exactly black tie material."

"Ah, Miss Lane. I never said you were meeting a source. I said that you
had somewhere to be. Now if you will follow me, all will be explained."
He started walking. He did not look back to see if they were following.
He knew they would and he smiled a little smile to himself.

"Well, Lois? Are we going or not?" Clark looked at her expectantly.

"Of course we are. When did Lois Lane ever turn down a chance at a story?"
She walked off, leaving him to try to keep up with her and wishing
desperately for an umbrella, when she realized that the rain had suddenly
stopped.

"Lois, there's something that we need to talk about."

She shot him a look of death. "Oh, really? Like what? Like how often are
you going to start kissing me in an elevator? Or how often are we going to
dance without music? Or... or... Well, or what?"

"I guess I should tell you why those things happened. And I probably
shouldn't have kissed you in the elevator..."

Lois interrupted. "PROBABLY? Now THAT is the understatement of the year.
There is only one man that I ever want to kiss ever again and it is not you."

"How can you be so sure he wants to kiss you?"

"I just am."

"And when was the last time this wonder boy kissed you?"

Lois stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes clouded over. "Ten years ago,"
she said quietly.

Clark started. Could it be that she was talking about him? "This guy
kissed you ten years ago and you are still hung up on him. What were you,
15 or something?" Clark hoped that she hadn't noticed the look of hope and
desperation in his eyes. 

"16. His name was CJ and he was more of a man than you will ever be!" she
answered, reverting back to the Lois Lane he knew in the here and now.

"Must have been a big-city guy then." Clark couldn't quite believe that she
was talking about him.

"No," she said slowly. "He was from a town named Smallville." 

Clark tried to hide the grin on his face. Somehow he knew that now wasn't
the time to tell her. "Smallville? I'm from Smallville. What was this
guy's name? Maybe I know him."

Lois started. Clark was from Smallville? She didn't want to talk about
this with him. "Oh, bother. I am not discussing this with you. The topic
is closed." She stormed off in the direction that Mr. Wells had gone.

The two hurried, trying to keep up with their leader who was, by now, far
ahead of them. Clark had an easier time seeing, what with his special
vision and all, but he let Lois take the lead. Suddenly, Wells disappeared
into what looked like an old church building. 

Lois whispered to Clark. "You go around the right and I'll take the left."
She walked off before he had a chance to say anything.

As he watched the two go their separate ways, H. G. Wells smiled. He knew
that if he fixed it now, there would be fewer problems for both later.

*****

Clark walked around to the right side of the church. The next thing that
he knew, a man was dragging him inside.

"There you are, old man," said the arms doing the dragging.

"Mike," came a harried voice from a redheaded, tuxedo-wearing young man.
"Everyone else is ready. The bride is here finally and, oh there you are.
The groom and the best man are here. That's everybody. Good, we can get
started."

Clark looked around, confused. The one named Mike, the one who had dragged
him in from outside, looked at him. "All ready?"

"Ready? Ready for what?" Clark needed to stall so that he could figure
out what was going on.

"For the wedding, silly. Oh, there's the music. We gotta go."

"Wait! What am I supposed to do?" Clark still didn't understand what was
going on.

"Just stand there and do what the preacher tells you. Don't get cold feet
on us now. Everyone is counting on you. You'll be fine." And with that,
Mike, the redhead, and Clark made their way into the chapel.

*****

Clark stood next to Mike. He looked around and as near as he could tell
there was a wedding taking place, but there was hardly anyone there. He
must be the best man. *Yes, the redhead told Mike that the best man had
arrived just after I walked in. That must be it.* He was satisfied that
his ruse as best man wouldn't hurt anyone so he kept his peace. He turned
and saw the bridesmaid walking down the aisle. *Wait a second! That's
Lois! How did she end up in this thing, too? Oh, man, this is weird! I
wonder what all of this has to do with the corrupt President?* Suddenly,
Clark was being pushed forward gently by the redhead standing behind him. 

"Take her hand, man." Clark did as he was instructed and looked at Lois.
He knew that she looked beautiful tonight, but somehow, she took his breath
away just now. He had to concentrate to keep his feet on the floor.
Floating just now would be a really bad idea! He realized that he should
be listening to the preacher, but he was just droning on and on about the
"Dearly beloved" and "holy matrimony" stuff.

Lois looked up at him, smiling sweetly and with a voice that dripped venom,
she whispered, "What is going on here?" 

Clark put on his best innocent look. It always worked with the ladies,
especially when he really was innocent. "I have no idea. Honest."

"Clark?" The preacher looked at him expectantly.

"Huh?"

The redhead whispered. "This is where you say 'I do'." 

Clark thought it odd that he would have to say 'I do', but maybe it was
just to put his blessing on the marriage. "Um, yeah, I do." Chuckles
rumbled through the few assembled. He tried to concentrate on finding a
way out. He was so absorbed in this pursuit that he didn't even realize
that Lois had said 'I do' as well. Someone handed him a ring and he put it
on the offered finger. He didn't even look up to see whose finger it was.
Lois grabbed his hand and whispered something, but he didn't catch that
either. He was too busy using his special vision to try and figure out how
he was going to get Lois out of here. 

The redhead bumped him again from behind and apparently someone had bumped
Lois as well for suddenly their lips met. Clark stared wide-eyed into her
wide eyes and could see his own fear and confusion mirrored there. *Are WE
the bride and groom?* he thought to himself. *That doesn't make any sense
at all.* He whispered to Lois through his lips that still rested on hers.
"We've got to get out of here before they realize that we aren't whoever is
supposed to be getting married."

"You got that right."

The redhead elbowed Clark again and whispered, "Isn't it about time you two
came up for air?"

Clark pulled back quickly and looked at Lois. She looked scared, but
furious. The preacher announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you for
the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Clark and Lois Kent." Clark just looked
at her. Tears were about to spill out of her brown eyes. 

"Don't you give me that puppy-dog look. You have a lot of explaining to
do, honey!" she hissed though clenched teeth and a beautiful smile,
spitting the last word out with venom worthy of a snake.

"I don't know what you're talking about, *snookums*. I had nothing to do
with this." His own smile was plastered on his face. 

As they started to walk out of the church, he realized that there was no
one there. No one at all. Just him and Lois and Mike and the redhead and
one other woman in midnight blue. Mike was holding a Bible in his hands.
"Good luck, kids! I know this wasn't the world's best wedding, but it did
the trick! G'night!"

As they exited the building. Lois dropped all pretense. "What in the
world was all of that?! And don't think that this marriage is real. It
isn't. It can't be. There is no way that I would marry you. You are a
hack from Nowheresville. I don't marry people from Nowheresville, or
Dinkytown, or Tinytown or, or Ittybittyburg or anywhere else. There's only
one man that I would EVER marry and you are not him. I am NEVER getting
married. I WILL find a way out of this!" she exploded. She started to
stomp off when Clark softly called after her.

"I believe the phrase that you are looking for is 'hick' from
Nowheresville, not 'hack'. At least, that's what your dad called me."

Lois stopped and turned sharply on one heel. "What did you say?"

"I said that your dad called me a hick from Nowheresville, not a hack.
There's a big difference."

"What do you know about my dad? When did you meet him?"

"I've never met him, but you told me that he didn't want you going to the
movies with someone from Smallville who would grow up to be a farmer and
have 2.5 kids."

"What are you talking about? How did you know all that?"

"Lois, it's me." He sounded defeated.

She took a closer look. "CJ?"

"Yes, CJ. That's what they called me in high school. My friends liked
it." Clark ran his hands through his hair and let out a scream. "WHY?!!!"

"Why what?"

"Why couldn't we have just been together? Why did your dad have to be so
against us? Why did he have to leave and make you go too? Why did he have
to come up to your room just then? Why didn't we get there a day earlier?
We were supposed to, you know, but AJ had a flat tire and we decided to wait
until the next day. Baby, I hardly knew you, but Lois, I have never loved
another woman. Anytime I tried to start a relationship, there was you.
Standing there in the hotel lobby in your jeans and black vest. And there
was you in the little area of the Chinese restaurant, just outside the
bathrooms." He covered the distance between them with two large steps.
"There was you, opening the door in your bathrobe." He brushed away the
tears that were now flowing freely down her face. "And you afraid of what
your dad would do if he found me in your room. And you knocking on my door
telling me that you had to leave early and we couldn't spend the day
together. And you. There was always you. I even tried to kiss another
woman one time. That Nigerian Princess I told you about? I kissed her
once." He gently cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs still wiping
away the tears. "But there was nothing. *Nothing*. Just you. All I
could think about was you. And she knew it. She told me that there would
never be another for me, just the one I had lost. I kissed you in the
elevator because I knew that if I could just kiss you, you would know it
was me. That you remembered me as well as I remembered you. That you had
been dreaming about us as long as I had."

Lois stood there staring up at those chocolate brown eyes. She reached up
and took his glasses off and looked closely. "It is you! Oh, CJ!" She
reached up, glasses in one hand, and pulled his face down to hers. "I
*have* been waiting for you! I've been waiting for so long." She touched
her lips to his, but he pulled away.

"Lois, I'm not CJ anymore. I'm Clark. And half an hour ago, you didn't
want anything to do with me. And, now, here we are," he lowered his voice
as though someone on the deserted street might hear, "married. What do you
want me to do?"

"Clark. I have been looking for CJ for so long, that I got wrapped up in
my fantasy. See, I was supposed to see you from across the room and take
one look and know it was you. You'd be standing there, in a black T-shirt,
and somehow I would know. The glasses threw me off a bit, that is part of
the reason I didn't know it was you. I'd run across the room as a path
just opened up and throw myself in your arms and we'd kiss. THAT kiss.
The one from the lobby. The one where we never, ever had to let go. The
one my dad didn't interrupt. The Snow White, Cinderella, Prince Charming
kiss. And the room would fade away and we'd be in a wide open field with
lots of wildflowers and... and we'd ride off into the sunset on that white
horse. Remember that song? The one that was playing in the lobby, the
first time you kissed me?" Clark nodded. "I can't even listen to it --
all I do is cry. I turn it off and bawl my eyes out. Anytime I see a
couple on T. V. or on the street kissing or holding hands, all can think of
is you. There has never been anyone but you. I tried to convince myself
that I was over you and that my life had moved on, but it didn't work. I
have tried relationships, too, but the guys I kissed weren't as
understanding as your Nigerian Princess. I never felt anything kissing
them. All I could see was your eyes. Those deep brown, chocolate pools
that I could see your soul in. I WAS looking for you, Clark. I just
wasn't looking for a reporter who wasn't looking for me."

"But I was looking for you, Lois. I never even knew your last name. All I
knew was that you were from Metropolis. When I saw you in Perry's office,
I couldn't believe that it might be you. I..."

"Why didn't you say something then?"

"I wasn't sure. He referred to you as Lane and you didn't seem interested
enough to even look at me properly." The rain started to come again.
"Come on, let's get you somewhere dry." He held his coat over her head as
they hurried towards the nearest lighted building. It was the Metropolis
Hilton, one of the nicest hotels in town. As they walked in, Clark stopped
and looked at Lois. He held her chin in one hand and grinned
mischievously. "My love, I know that's it's our wedding night and all, but
I can't afford this place just yet."

"Clark, this is not funny."

"Lois, you just told me that the only person you would marry is CJ. I AM
CJ. And we are married. What more do you want?" He was a little
exasperated and more than a little defeated.

"I don't know, Clark." She sank down in one of the big hotel lobby chairs,
tears threatening once more. "It just isn't how I imagined. No black
T-shirt. No white horse. No big church wedding with all my friends -- our
friends. Perry walking me down the aisle." Clark looked at her in
surprise. "My dad and I aren't all that close anymore. No reception. No
presents. Not what I expected at all." She sat silently for long minutes
and finally reached a conclusion in her mind. Clark stared out the window
at the pouring rain. He almost didn't hear her when she said, "In some
ways, it's even better." She looked up at him through wet lashes.

"Better? How is this better?"

"Well, see this way, we don't have to worry about invitations, or catering,
or renting a church or my parents arguing with your parents or any of that.
This way it is just you and me, the way it was in the beginning." She
stood up and walked the two steps to where he was standing. "Let's see if
your kisses still take my breath away." 

He looked down at her, not daring to believe what he had just heard. He
bent down to kiss her, but she stopped him. "Not here. Wait." He
watched, perplexed, as she walked over to the registration desk. She
returned shortly. "Well, Mr. Kent, what are you waiting for? Your bride
needs to be carried over the threshold of the Honeymoon Suite. And to
think, I almost wore blue tonight." She looked up at him and smiled softly.

"Lois, I told you I can't afford somewhere like this."

"I know, but I can. Call it your wedding present."

"I don't have anything for you."

"Sure you do and the sooner you take me upstairs, the sooner I can, uh,
well, unwrap it?" She said that last with a question in her voice and in
her eyes.

"If you're sure that's what you want." He searched her eyes trying to see
what was written there.

She took his face in her hands. "I have never been more sure of anything
in my life."

Clark picked her up in his strong arms and carried her toward the elevator.
"Lois, are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes." After they entered the elevator, Lois reached over and pulled the
stop button. 

"Just what do you think you are doing?" he asked, a smile on his face.

"This," she replied and kissed him softly. After a moment, he used his
elbow to push the button back in.

"Well, if you are planning on doing that, we better go find that room you
were talking about." The soft Pling! of the elevator told them that they
had reached their floor. They didn't take their eyes off of each other as
he carried her down the hall to their room. As she reached over and
unlocked the door, Clark sighed. "Lois, there is something that we need to
talk about."

She pushed open the door and whispered. "Talk can wait. Let's see if you
can still kiss like you did in that lobby in Washington." She pulled his
head towards hers as he kicked the door shut and carried her to the
king-size bed. 

"Lois," he groaned pulling away from her momentarily, "there is really
something that I need to tell you."

"Later," was all she said as her lips captured his and he forgot all about
what he was going to tell her.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

She entered the lobby and walked up to him.

"You're not going, are you?" he asked.

"No," she answered quietly. "Daddy thinks you're just some hick from
Nowheresville, as he put it."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry, CJ. I would've been fun."

"Yeah..."

"Well, I guess I'd better be going..." she said and stepped back a few steps.

"Yeah..."

"See you, CJ," she said and then suddenly stepped forwards again and
planted a kiss on his cheek and sent a hot shiver down his spine.

I don't want another heartbreak
I don't need another turn to cry
I don't want to learn the hard way
Baby Hello, oh no, goodbye
But you got me like a rocket
Shooting straight across the sky...

She pulled back again but then CJ, surprised by his own boldness, leaned
forward and captured her mouth with his. He felt her shock at first, but
then she started responding to his kiss and she leaned forward until she
was pressed tightly against him. Her arms locked around his neck and his
around her as the kiss continued.

It's the way you love me
It's a feeling like this--
It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss.
It's that pivotal moment
It's Impossible
This Kiss, This Kiss
Unstoppable
This Kiss, This Kiss

And CJ, found himself breathless. Finally, gasping for air, they broke 
apart and just remained that way, gazing into each other's eyes. She 
smiled at him and he returned her smile. Then she leaned forward and 
kissed him again, softer than the first time. This kiss ended too, as 
gently as it had begun and Lois opened her eyes and looked into his.

Cinderella said to Snow White
How does love get so off course?
All I wanted was a white knight
With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse.
Ride me off into the sunset
Baby, I'm forever yours

"I should really get going," she whispered.

"Okay," was all he managed to say. But neither one of them let go
of the other.

"Lois?!"

She snapped out of her daze and turned her head towards the elevators where
she could see her father getting off one of them. She grabbed CJ's hand
and pulled him behind a nearby pillar.

"He shouldn't see us this way," she said as he pulled her closer and kissed
her again. "I," she said against his mouth, "should really go now."
 
"Uhuh..."

It's the way you love me
It's a feeling like this--
It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss.
It's that pivotal moment
It's Unthinkable
This Kiss, This kiss
Unsinkable
This Kiss This Kiss

She buried her hands in his black hair and marveled at the feel of his arms
around her and she tasted him, exploring his mouth with her tongue and
losing herself in his kiss.

"Lois?!"

They broke apart again and Lois peeked around the pillar and saw her father
coming towards them.

"I need to go now," she said.

"Okay," CJ replied and then kissed her again, quickly.

"Goodnight, CJ," she whispered.

"Goodnight."

You can kiss me in the moonlight
On the rooftop under the sky
You can kiss me with the windows open
While the rain comes pouring inside
Kiss me in sweet slow motion
Let's let every thing slide
You got me floating, You got me flying

She began walking away, with her hand still touching his. When her hand
slipped away she looked up at him one more time. She couldn't believe the
feelings she was having. She had known this guy for what? Half an hour? And
then she found herself standing in the lobby of a hotel and kissing him
passionately as if her life depended on it. What was wrong with her?

It's the way you love me
It's a feeling like this--
It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss.
It's that pivotal moment
It's Subliminal
This Kiss, This Kiss
It's Criminal
This Kiss, This Kiss

Their eyes met one more time and then Lois walked over to her father.

"There you are. I've been looking for you."

"Sorry, Daddy."

"Well anyway, I wanted to tell you that Dave just called and I have to run
over to the lab and help him. It won't take long. I promise."

"Okay, Daddy, see you."

"You just go to your room and stay there, okay? I don't want you running
around in Washington D.C. all by yourself, you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Okay, I'll take you to your room to make sure everything's fine, okay?"

"Uhuh..."

They entered the elevator and Lois shot CJ one last look before the doors
closed in front of her. CJ found himself confused. What had happened
tonight? That girl was incredible! CJ had never believed in love at first
sight but now he was beginning to change his mind.

SSSSSSSSSS

Clark looked down at the beautiful woman lying next to him under the covers
of the big bed. He laid back, resting his head against the headboard and
staring at the ceiling. It was real. It hadn't been a dream. He was
married to Lois Lane; no, he was married to Lois Kent, he thought with a
smile. His mom never would believe that he HAD found the girl from the
hotel, and what's more, that he had married her. He had found a marriage
license in his pocket the night before, so he knew it was legal. Lois had
fallen asleep long before he did. He only needed about three hours a night
anyway, but he was just too keyed up. So he had waited for his wife...
*Wife* he thought, *must be the most wonderful word in the English
language. Or any other language for that matter.* And Clark knew almost
every language in the world. He had waited for his wife to fall asleep and
then walked over to the window and stared out at the city for some time.
He had picked up all of their clothes and laid them neatly on the chairs in
the room. It wouldn't do for the clothes to get all wrinkled just because
they hadn't had time to take them off more neatly. As he had tried to
brush the wrinkles from his coat, the paper had fallen out of his pocket.
On it was a yellow sticky note from that Wells guy saying that he was sorry
for tricking them, but he knew they would be happy together; and yes, it
was all legal. But, oh man, did they have a lot to talk about. Marriage
was difficult under the best circumstances; but this, this was all new
territory.

*****
Chapter 2 -- First Fight

*****

He hadn't known what to think when she had started kissing him. For crying
out loud, he hadn't even known if they were... compatible. But he knew now
that they were. *Most definitely compatible*, he thought as a lazy grin
spread across his face. He looked over at the clock and realized what time
it was. *Oh, man. We better get going, or Perry is going to fire both of
us*. He looked at his still sleeping wife and groaned. Neither one of
them had anything suitable to wear to work. He reached over and gently
shook her shoulder. "Lois? Lois? Honey, we better get going or Perry's
going to have our hides. Come on, sweetie, we gotta go."

"Just ten more minutes," came the sleepy reply. "Please, Clark, ten
more..." Her eyes popped wide open. "Clark? What happened?" She looked
around and saw her dress laid neatly over the chair and realized just what
she wasn't wearing.

"Well, I'd like to think that marrying the man of your dreams would leave
you with a little more memory than that," he teased.

"It wasn't a dream? I married CJ -- you -- Clark. And you carried me up
here and..." she sat up straight, clutching the sheets close. "Were we
floating?"

Clark looked panicked for a second, but quickly recovered. "It sure felt
like it, didn't it?" He grinned. 

Lois looked down at the clock. "Clark! We're gonna be late. Perry is
gonna kill us."

"Can we call him and tell him that..."

"That what? Sure, just call him up and say, 'Hi, Perry. Can Clark and I
have the day off? No, we haven't figured out what the President is up to.
No, neither one of us has the Ebola virus. And I know that Clark hasn't
even worked there two days, but we really need the day off. See, remember
that guy that I told you about when I was really emotional that day this
summer? Yes, the one from Washington. Well, Clark is that guy; and we,
well, last night, we, see, we got married.' Sure, Clark, that sounds like
a great plan." Lois was almost completely dressed by this time and she
looked at Clark who was still lying under the covers. "Aren't you coming?
Or do you WANT to lose your job? Don't even tell me that. We are going to
need both of our incomes if we are going to have a decent place to live. I
am NOT supporting a deadbeat husband. And don't try to tell me you're
modest. It's WAAAAAYY too late for that. Wait," she stopped in
mid-tirade. "Are we even sure this is legal?"

Clark sighed. "No. Lois, it's not any of that. Yes, it is legal; the
paperwork is on the table. And you're right. We can't call Perry. Do you
remember that there was something that I needed to tell you last night?"

"Later, Kent -- we've got to go. Check out is already taken care of." She
picked up the papers and walked over to open the door. "Are you coming or
not? Well, I need to go to my apartment and you need to go to wherever it
is that you are staying. Tell me where it is and I'll meet you there at
nine. Okay. Bye." And she walked out closing the door.

Clark stood up and began to spin. When he finished he was completely
dressed and walked out to the balcony. He looked down and saw Lois climb
into a cab on her way to her apartment. He glanced around to make sure no
one was watching and then took off. He flew as high into the atmosphere as
he dared. When he made it above the clouds, he let out an inhuman scream.
He just felt the need for the release and he didn't have time to fly to the
Arctic. The smile couldn't be wiped off his face. Not today. He wished
that he had time to go see his mom and dad, but even as fast as he could
get there and back, he didn't have time to do that either. He landed
quickly and quietly in the alley next to the seedy hotel that he was
calling home. *Home. What kind of home can I give Lois? I can't bring
her here tonight and her sister is staying with her, I think. I don't even
know if my sister-in-law is staying with my WIFE. This is a mess. I can't
afford anyplace better right now. That is on my list of things to do
today. Find a place to live that my WIFE and I can afford.* He entered
the hotel room and realized that he had less than five minutes to get
ready. He jumped in the shower and had just gotten out when he heard the
knock on the door. He put a towel around his waist and opened it.

Lois was tapping her foot impatiently, looking at her watch, when he opened
the door. Her eyes widened as she took in the smooth muscular chest and
narrow waist that was Clark. *Wow, look at that six pack.* She swallowed
hard and said, "I said nine, I thought you'd be naked," she said. Tearing
her eyes off that body was something she just didn't want to do. She
realized too late what had slipped out of her mouth, and tried desperately
to cover, hoping he hadn't noticed. "Ready," she corrected, looking as
indifferent as she could under the circumstances.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He grinned when he saw the
shocked look on her face. "I'm your husband, Lois, it's okay. I'll be out
in a jiff," he promised, vanishing into his tiny bathroom.

Lois walked in, and swatted the door shut, never taking her eyes off of
Clark's well-muscled back. *How can he keep such a gorgeous body underneath
those suits and ties? And HOW did I not notice last night?* But it had
been dark last night and she'd had other things on her mind. Deciding that
those thoughts would only make them later for work, she turned to what
passed for a kitchen. She had called Perry to find out were he was staying
and now she knew why Perry had been reluctant for her to come looking for him.

She walked into the *kitchen* and opened a cupboard hoping to find a glass
for juice. All she found was Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Hohos. Shock
crossed her face and she pictured the six pack again. *It's just not FAIR!
How does he do that?* She looked disdainfully at the glass drying in the
sink, peering inside to make sure it was clean. When she opened the fridge
in search of some orange juice, she was astonished by an even vaster array
of junk food stuffed in there. French onion dip, peanut butter Twix, and
Swiss Cake Rolls. *Well, at least most of it's chocolate,* she thought
ruefully.

The phone rang, breaking her out of her disgust. "Can you get that please,
honey. I'll be right out," Clark called.

She grumbled to herself as she crossed the small room to the... pay phone?
*Honey. He sure seems to be making this transition fairly easily.* "Sure,
dear, whatever you want." Her voiced dripped sweetness. *But I always
said I wanted to be Mrs. CJ, well, Mrs. Clark, I guess I am. I am Mrs.
Clark Kent now. Hmm. It has a nice ring to it.* She smiled to herself.
Maybe this wasn't so bad after all! She picked up the phone. "Hello?
Clark's pay phone. Mrs. Clark speaking," she giggled.

"Excuse me? Who is this?"

"This is Mrs. Clark. You know, Clark's wife. Who's this?" 

"Clark's mother. Last night he didn't have a wife. Who are you and where
is my son?"

"Actually, we got married last night. *Very* sudden. We would have
invited you, but..."

A noise behind her startled her, and she turned around with an alarmed
expression. Surely Clark couldn't have dressed so quickly! He couldn't
possibly be coming out wearing less than that towel, could he? Though the
possibilities were enticing, they didn't have time for that right now and
she was on the phone with his mother. 

Clark emerged from the bathroom, neatly dressed in his usual suit and tie.
She gasped, wondering how on earth he had dressed so quickly, and then
shook her head. Clark unobtrusively checked his zipper, wondering what she
was staring at. "Who is it, sweetheart?" he asked as he leaned over to
plant a kiss on her lips but was stopped short by a hand on his chest.

"Your mom," she hissed.

He grabbed the phone. "Mom, how are you? I was just getting ready to
call." He looked over at Lois and mouthed, "Did you tell her?"

Lois nodded guiltily. Clark looked up at the ceiling as if in silent
prayer. "No, Mom, I'm okay. Really, I am. Married? Yes, actually I am.
I would have called you but it was so sudden. Who? Well, you remember me
telling you about Lois? The girl I met in D.C. and that I was pretty sure
that Lois Lane was her? Well, that's who I married. No, we haven't had a
chance to talk about all of that yet. Dad? Everything is fine, really.
No, I haven't told her yet. We haven't had a chance to really talk things
out. No, I don't know where we are going to live. I know, Dad, like a
frog. I've heard it a million times. Yes, I'll bring her out to meet you
soon. No, probably not tonight. I mean, how could we get there so fast?
It would cost an arm and a leg to get plane tickets on such short notice.
No, I don't think that it's a good idea for you to come here. Where would
you stay? We don't even have a place of our own yet. And my
sister-in-law," Lois smiled at that remark, "is staying at Lois' apartment
right now. Look, Mom, Dad, I gotta go. We're already late for work and
Perry's sure to fire me at least. No, we aren't taking any time off just
yet. I'm sure he would give us the time, but he doesn't know yet. You're
the only people who know. Except for the three people at the wedding. I
don't even know if Lois told the clerk at the hotel when we checked in last
night. No, not this hotel. Give me a little credit, Mom. We stayed
downtown. Now, I really have to go. I'll call you later. I love you,
too. Bye."

"We'd better be going." He nodded agreeably, and Lois started towards the
door. She turned back suddenly, unable to contain her curiosity, the words
tumbling out, one on top of the other. "So, explain something to me,
husband of mine. You... you... eat like an eight-year-old, and you look
like Mr. Hardbody." She laughed, that laugh that makes everyone
uncomfortable, feeling silly for having said anything. "What's your
secret? And can I have it? I *am* your wife you know. You are supposed
to share everything with me." she joked. He looked at her as though he had
no idea what she was talking about, and with a grunt of disgust she opened
the door to leave. "And there's a lot of things about that conversation
that I want to know more about."

Clark grinned as he followed her out. She might want to pretend that she
hadn't been ogling him, but he knew better. And he liked the thought of
his wife ogling him. He was not, however, looking forward to the
conversation he knew was necessary.

*****

After they arrived at work, finished getting chewed out by Perry, and got
their assignments for the day, there was no time left that morning for a
talk. In fact, they barely saw each other at all.

Later that morning Clark walked across the street to the Daily Planet just
as Lois *Kent* climbed out of a cab. "Morning, Lois," he greeted
cheerfully, wondering if she was going to take his last name.

"Maybe for you, I've been at it for hours," she retorted, then softened the
words with a smile. "I went back to Bob Marvin's house to find him, but he
still wasn't home," she said sourly.

Just then they heard a yell from up above the street. They looked up and
saw a man holding on to an I-beam five stories in the air. "Help! I can't
hold on! Someone -- help me! Please!"

Lois hurried closer, fumbling in her big purse for her ever-present
notebook to get the story, not noticing that Clark, instead of following,
had slipped away from the crowd. He used his special vision to make sure
that there was no one else in the alley and he shot into the air. 

"We need help! People, stand back! There's a man up there!"

The man let out a yell as he lost his grip on the beam. His arms flailed
as he fell. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a dark streak appeared in the sky.
The man appeared to be pushed by the streak onto a platform a few feet
away, just off the ground. The streak continued on out of sight. The man
just stood there stunned and then he pointed.

"That man... that man saved me, that man," he said in astonishment. Lois
turned, but there was no one there except Clark, who, walking up behind
Lois, looked rather disheveled. Clark gave her a confused look. "He flew me
over here," the worker insisted before he passed out.

"He's delirious!" Clark said to Lois.

"Obviously!" She gave him a good look, her face crinkled in distaste, and
she brushed some dirt from his lapels. "Look at you, you're a mess! From
now on do what I do, bring a change of clothes to work." She went on in a
whisper, "Can't have any husband of mine being a mess." She smiled at him
as she strode towards the revolving doors, leaving a relieved Clark
hurrying to keep up with her. "Go on upstairs. I'll meet you in a minute."

"You mean you don't want to ride in the elevator with me?" He grinned at her.

She looked up at him, a smile crossing her face. "No, I would like to, but
we'll never get any work done if that elevator stops like it did yesterday.
Now go."

Clark sighed. "You're no fun. I'll see you later." He wanted to kiss
her, but the look she gave stopped him in mid-movement. "Maybe I'll just
save that for later."

"Good idea." She watched as he walked over to the elevator. They looked
into each other's eyes until the door closed. *Sheesh, what is the deal
with us and elevators?*

*****

"Hey, CK," Jimmy called as he headed towards the elevator.

"Hey," Clark said in response.

"Hold that eleva-" Jimmy grimaced as the doors closed on him.

"Where're you off to?"

"I just got a call from Bob Marvin. He has some stuff for us. Tell Lois
for me, would ya?" He took a good look at his new friend. "What happened
to your suit?" 

"Don't ask," Clark said simply, gesturing to the other elevator car, which
was opening its doors. "See you later." As the elevator doors closed,
Clark turned to go to the rest room, swiping at the grime on his coat.

After he cleaned up, Clark got himself a cup of coffee, and then went in
search of Lois. She was working alone in one of the conference rooms. She
silently rose and closed the blinds on all of the windows.

He smiled. "Anything?"

"Just this." She sat on his lap and kissed him hard on the lips. "Isn't
that enough?"

He played with the ring on her finger. "Anyone notice this yet?"

"No, not yet. I've been, well," she looked somewhat guilty, "trying to
make sure no one notices -- you know, flipping open my notebook over my
hand, holding my coffee cup a certain way. What are we going to do when
someone notices that both of us just got married?"

"Tell them," he murmured as he tried to kiss her some more. "Eventually,
they'll notice. I mean when the kids come along and all."

"Oh, Clark, kids? There is so much that we need to talk about."

"I know." He grinned wickedly. "But wouldn't you rather be doing this?"
He kissed her with a hunger that neither had ever known.

She pushed him away. "Yes, I would, but we have work to do." She moved to
the seat she had been in before he had interrupted her.

She leaned back in her seat. "I can't find Bob Marvin anywhere. Without
him, we don't have a story." She shrugged wearily.

"Jimmy said to tell you that he was going to pick up a package from him." 

"WHAT?! When were you planning on telling me? Did he say what was in the
package?"

"No. Just that he was picking it up and that he'd bring it back here once
he got it. So what do we do now?" he asked, deferring to her experience.

"Well, first we piece together whatever it is that Jimmy is bringing us, if
that's possible. Then we try and figure out what is going on and if there
is a story there... I hope you didn't make dinner plans," she finished.

"I am all yours," Clark assured her, resting his chin on his folded arms
and giving her a beautiful smile.

"Now that's what I like to hear. You know," she walked over to his chair
and sat down on his lap again. "We have a few minutes until Jimmy gets
back. And Perry thinks that we are working hard." She ran her hand over
his tie, her fingers resting on her class ring that she had discovered
under his shirt the night before and getting an idea. 

"What do you suggest we do in the meantime then, Mrs. Kent?"

"Mrs. Kent? Hmmm," her nose wrinkled a little bit, "I don't know if I like
that. But I think that I know what I'd like to do. I think that I would
like to do this." She kissed him softly on the cheek. "And this." She
kissed his other cheek. 

"How about this?" He gently held her head and tenderly kissed her lips.

"Hmm, that was nice. Could we try it again?"

"Sure." He kissed her more deeply this time. Suddenly, he stopped. His
superhearing had picked up footsteps outside the door.

"What? What is it?"

Clark picked Lois up as he stood up and set her gently on the floor. He
stepped back just as Jimmy walked in.

"There you guys are. Lois, CK, here's the info that Bob Marvin had for
you. He said that this was enough to get you started but that if you
wanted the rest of the goods then you would have to meet him tonight." He
looked at them. "Are you guys okay? You look kinda weird."

Lois glanced at Clark. "Why... why do you say that, Jimmy?"

"Umm, well you look a little flushed, Lois. It's probably nothing. Hey,
CK. Rumor's going around the pit is that you're hitched. Someone saw you
wearing a ring or something. All the women are taking bets. They,
especially Cat, don't want it to be true. So are you?"

Clark wiggled the fingers of his left hand at him. "Yes, Jimmy. I married
recently." He smiled as he shared a knowing look with Lois. "VERY recently."

"WAY TO GO, CK! Why didn't you say anything?"

"I, uh, just didn't see any reason to."

"Oh, well." They could hear Perry hollering for him outside the conference
room. "That's my cue. Later." Jimmy left the room. "Coming, Chief."

Lois waited until he was out of earshot. "Whew. That was close. How did
you know he was coming?"

Clark shrugged. "I thought I heard something."

"So everyone knows that you're married. What are they going to think if
someone catches us kissing? If no one knew that you were married, it
wouldn't be such a big deal. But now that everyone knows, they'll think
that I'm the 'other woman'. Me. Lois Lane. The other woman. That is not
a role that I am comfortable with. The girlfriend. The fling. Those I
could deal with. But the other woman? I can't do that."

"Lois?"

"Yes, Clark."

"You're babbling."

"Sorry. I can't help it sometimes. Whenever I get nervous, or afraid, or
excited, I just start talking and talking. And I can't stop. I just go on
and on..." Clark had shut the door and had now shut her up with a kiss.
Soft and gentle. He broke it off and looked at her.

"That's enough, sweetheart. And you're not the other woman. You are the
only woman for me. I would've thought that last night would have proved
that. Besides, there's one other thing wrong with that little speech that
you gave."

"Really? What's that?"

"You said 'Lois Lane'. It's not Lois Lane anymore. It's Lois Kent." He
smiled at her. He wanted to see what she would say about the name change.

"Lois Kent, huh? And what if I want to keep my own name? I am a
world-renowned reporter, you know. It wouldn't do for me to just up and
CHANGE my name."

"Why don't we talk about that later? Right now, let's kiss."

"Sounds good to me."

As the distance between them closed, Perry opened the door. Clark jumped
back guiltily. "No, Lois. I, uh, no, I don't see anything in your eye." 

"Well, umm, thanks for checking, Clark."

Perry just looked at them. "Kids, I don't know what I'm interrupting here,
but it doesn't look like there is any work getting done. Why are the
blinds closed? Clark, what would your wife think if she knew that you were
in a conference room with the blinds and door closed, alone with an
attractive woman? And, great shades of Elvis, why didn't you tell me you
were married? And weren't you Lois' guest last night at the ball? Are you
even wearing a ring? I know you weren't yesterday."

"Umm, I think she'd be okay with it, Chief. She trusts me. And, well, we
just got married. She was busy last night and the ball was work. Not a
date or anything. Anyway, after the ball, we just kind of decided to get
married. Spur of the moment kind of thing. I mean, we met over 10 years
ago, but last night, we just decided to do it. Take the plunge. Get
married. So, yea, I'm married and I do wear a ring." He wiggled the
fingers on his left hand yet again. "And I didn't tell you because it just
happened."

"Well, then what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home with her?
And, son, you're starting to babble. If you aren't careful, you'll be as
bad as Lois."

"I don't think anyone could be as bad as Lois when it comes to babbling."
He smiled at her as she shot him 'a look'. "She, uh, she has to work late
tonight, Chief. She may even be called out of town on business. So, I
figured I would get as much done as I can while she's busy and hopefully we
could take next weekend off to get away for a day or two?" The last was a
question rather than a statement.

"Well, if you're sure she's busy... Sure, son, take next weekend off. You,
too Lois. You'll both be tired by the end of next week and you'll need the
time off too."

"Thanks, Chief. I'd appreciate it."

"Now let's get some work done, you two."

*****

It was late, and the newsroom was nearly empty except for two tired
reporters, who had spent the last several hours hunched over the crumpled
bits of paper that comprised Marvin's report, trying to piece it together
in some semblance of order.

"This is impossible," Lois said with a sigh. "Nothing matches, no dates...
We're never going to get through this. Oh, and I'm starving!" she
complained. She looked at him seductively. "I know what I want, but I
can't have it right now, soooooo I'll have settle for some good Chinese
take-out."

"I know a place," Clark ventured, getting up and fetching his coat. "I'll
be right back." He looked around to make sure no one was watching. When
he was satisfied they were alone, he gave her a long, soft kiss.

"Don't you want to know what I want?" she mumbled into his lips.

"I'll bring an assortment," he replied. Lois shrugged, and tried to go
back to work. Her husband was SO handsome and so willing to do anything to
make her happy. And SO well built. She cou