Poisoned Legacy By Jenni Debbage Rated: PG-13 Submitted: November 2002 ____________ Well, readers, here is my long-awaited sequel to 'Red Sky'. I thank everyone for being patient and hope that this story does not disappoint. I'll try to tie up the few loose ends that were left in 'Red Sky', but I can't promise there won't be a few left over at the end of this story... after all, it is the continuing adventures of Lois and Clark and their family. I've resurrected a few old enemies of our famous couple, and I've also used a plot device that has possibly been tackled before, but I hope that I can give it some originality that will keep you, the readers, interested. Also, there seems to be some difference between one of the villain's names in the script to what appeared in the episode -- I've chosen to go with the name from the TV as that will probably be the one that most readers will recognise. I'd also like to thank a few people for their help with this story. To Carol, Yvonne, LaurieD and Meredith, who've not only been great beta readers but cheerleaders too, thank you for all your suggestions and encouragement with this story. To Sarah my very trustworthy editor, and to Nan who has helped with some very valuable medical advice. Oh, and there's a particular little scene near the end which I have to attribute to LaurieD. She saw a 'picture' of Lois and Clark in her mind and thought it might fit well in the story, and I had to agree. I just hope she's happy with the result. As always, the usual disclaimers apply and I hope that you'll be good enough to let me know what you think of the story -- feedback is manna from heaven for a writer. ***** Poisoned Legacy Chapter One Boy, What a Hangover! Lois Lane precariously balanced the brown paper sacks as she backed through the door of her brownstone, tossing her car keys in the general direction of the coat-stand behind the door and growling impatiently as they teetered on the edge and fell to the floor. Argh! That was just typical of her day, when nothing had seemed to work according to plan. There were slow news days and there were days like this.... Over the last few weeks, Metropolis had been suffering from a crime-wave -- nothing major, just small, petty crimes such as bag-snatching, hold-ups of family-run general or liquor stores and break-ins to houses, none of which belonged to the more affluent citizens and so did not warrant the close attention of the police department. But it had come to the notice of Lane and Kent, still the hottest reporting team in town, and of Metropolis's resident superhero. Neither Lois and Clark nor Superman cared that the crimes fell into the 'petty' category or that those affected were less than influential. The people of this city were under a concerted attack by an organised band of criminals, even if the police force refused to acknowledge the fact, and the two reporters, with a little super- powered aid, were determined to discover the cause. Of course, Lois had a theory, and one which Clark didn't find too far out, that Bill Church Jr was behind the mobilisation of the criminal fraternity. Ever since he and his lawyers had sweet-talked the parole board into setting him free, Lois and Clark had expected some such action to take place. Linking him to the rash of criminal activity, however, was proving far from easy. The slippery, duplicitous gang boss had retired upstate and was living the exemplary lifestyle of the rich and famous... holding parties, hunting and fishing, and taking no obvious interest in the city he'd once made his playground, apart from an occasional visit to attend the opera or ballet. And Lois and Clark believed it not one bit. Someday, the man was bound to slip up, and they would be waiting to expose him for the rat he was and return him to prison for the rest of his natural life. For now, though, they were very far from connecting him to his erstwhile occupation as the head of Intergang. Today had been another frustrating day. Bobby Bigmouth had pointed them in the direction of a low-life named Willy Barnes who'd turned out to be the most close-mouthed petty thief that Lois had ever had the privilege to meet. Lane and Kent had cajoled, attempted to bribe and even threatened him... well, Lois had, but to no avail. The idiot just smiled smugly, ignoring their blandishments and informing them that his career had never been so good. Later in the day, when Superman had caught the weasel breaking into an old lady's apartment, the stupid blockhead had still refused to cooperate, announcing it was a 'fair cop'. Willy had then waltzed off to jail happy in the knowledge that he'd be taken care of. You had to give Church his due; dispensing with the heavy- handed treatment of his workforce and looking after them like some benign Union boss was evidently paying dividends. It seemed that no one was prepared to squeal on him, or the more likely scenario was that none of the foot soldiers actually knew who was running the show. Bill Church had covered his tracks well and another day had gone by without Lane and Kent finding any proof of their old enemy's perfidy. Eventually, Lois and Clark had finished off their inconclusive reports on the current criminal activities, cleared their desks and headed for home, stopping off to do some grocery shopping along the way. But even then, fate wasn't playing fair and Superman had been called away to a fire at a highrise down at Hobbs Bay, leaving Lois to cope on her own. She hated household shopping -- at least, she hated doing it alone. Clark, being the chief cook, was so much better at it than she. Mind you, over the years she had learnt a thing or two about culinary skills, but she would never have his expertise, and her insecurities spilled over into shopping for the ingredients. The usual stuff was easy... she'd been picking up all the kids' favourites, and a few of Clark's and her own, for years now and could possibly sleep walk around the store. Only this shopping was for a special occasion -- Mia and her family, the refugees from the Ile de Papillon, had been given permission to remain in the US and a celebratory dinner was to take place the following night at Lois and Clark's home, with Clark preparing a feast that would remind their guests of their old home. So what did Lois Lane, career woman extraordinaire, know of South Pacific cuisine? Okay, she had her list, which she'd found hadn't been at all specific. Well, she'd done her best and Clark would just have to put up with the consequences -- serve him right for running out on her at the wrong moment! Lois buried that harsh, selfish thought as she struggled through the living room with her ungainly packages. It wasn't that Clark had chosen that moment to fly off to help, and the residents of that apartment block really did need his assistance. Obviously, danger to life and limb was more important than shopping for groceries, but just sometimes Lois wished that her husband was an ordinary man. The deafening noise from the upstairs regions of the house penetrated Lois' consciousness. Squeals and shouts were drifting down the stairs into the living room, sounds which had their source in anger and not excitement. Oh boy! The kids were at it again! Just what had got into Joel and Clara lately? From being two regular kids with, admittedly, all the normal hangups, they had evolved into the kids from hell. Well, perhaps that was a slight exaggeration -- there were times when they were perfectly reasonable. It was the other times that she and Clark found most worrying and most baffling. A horrendous crash from the attic region where the boys had their bedrooms galvanised Lois into action and, dropping her burdens on the sofa, she ran upstairs. On the way she met her mother hurrying in the opposite direction. Ellen Lane had gladly taken on the role of childminder while Martha and Jonathan were still in Smallville, never imagining that she wouldn't be up to the task. "Oh, Lois, am I glad to see you!" Ellen was clearly suffering from some distress. "I don't know what's happened to your children but they're definitely out of control... and they used to be such well behaved little dears. It was always a pleasure to babysit, but now it's like taking on the opposing armies of World War 3. I just can't do it any more. You know how bad my nerves are, Lois." Sending a frowning glance ceiling-wards, Lois took a minute to console and steady her mother. With their busy careers and Clark's second job, they really couldn't afford to lose any of their childminders, and Ellen and Sam had proved to be very willing and competent sitters for the Kent brood. "Mother, I know exactly how you feel. I've wondered the same thing about Joel and Clara myself over the past few weeks... but it isn't like they're vandals the whole time. And I know how upset all the kids would be if you stopped coming around." Lois was calmly patting her mother's arm while her insides were churning. "Why don't you go downstairs and make us a fresh cup of coffee? I'll just take a minute to sort this out and then I'll join you and we can have a little chat." "Yes, I'll do that," Ellen offered with a sad smile. "And I don't want you to think, Lois, that I don't love my grandchildren... because you know that isn't so. It's just that they've become a bit troublesome lately...." Troublesome -- now there was an understatement! "I know, Mother. Now go and make that coffee and if Clark shows up, send him upstairs. I could do with the backup." Ellen hadn't a clue what was affecting her two grandchildren, and as she climbed the stairs, Lois was hoping that she didn't know either. Since her kids had been born -- and even before that -- Lois had feared that the combination of her fiery, headstrong genes with the 'super' genes of Clark would make for a volatile mix. Was that what was going on? Were her children's personalities a result of breeding between two differing species? Lois prayed that this wasn't the case, and, if she was honest, there was something about that reasoning that didn't gel. Wouldn't the kids' natures have changed more slowly? Or perhaps the change was taking place because the powers were beginning to manifest themselves in her two older, biological children. But that didn't ring true either. Joel had been developing a few superpowers for over a year, but the change in his disposition had only occurred since summer. And Clara had hardly any powers... just a tiny enhancement of her senses... yet she'd changed at exactly the same time as her brother. There was something very strange happening here and Lois was determined to get to the bottom of it, but first she had to sort out her kids. Resolutely she pushed open the bedroom door from behind which the fracas continued to emerge. "Okay, just what is going on here?" Four pairs of eyes turned to the unusually stern woman standing in the doorway, her feet planted firmly and arms akimbo, reminiscent of Superman's 'I will brook no nonsense' pose. "Hi, Mommy," cried the littlest Kent as he scrambled down from the bed to throw himself at his mother's legs, leaving behind his stash of precious marbles. "Hello, sweetheart." Scooping him up, Lois pressed a noisy kiss on his cheek. Thank goodness at least one of her children was acting normally, which only enhanced her growing suspicion that her baby was more human than extra- terrestrial. Nathan loved his marbles and was frequently checking them out, especially the two that he'd found on Papillon, and Lois too thought they were very pretty -- all golden-amber and smooth as silk. Hoisting Nathan round to her hip, she addressed her other offspring. "Speak up! What's been happening here?" As always, Julian stepped into the breach to offer an explanation, while the other two sullenly inspected their toes. "We had a little argument about which channel we should watch. We wanted sports and Clara wanted that soppy kids' soap opera.... She has a thing for the hero!" "I do not!" Clara objected strongly. "Yes, you do!" retorted Joel. Tension was rising again and something else was in danger of being hurled into next week... well, into the next room. Clark clearly had to teach Joel how to moderate his strength when the boy lost his temper. Lois snatched her attention back from the hole in the wall. "Will you both stop that now!" And when the two subsided into sullen silence, Lois set Nathan back on the ground and approached the newest room feature, trying to hide the smile that quirked the edges of her lips as she noticed that Julian had placed himself between the two protagonists. She peered inside, curious to know what object had been used as a missile, then turned to confront her errant children. "I don't much care if Clara has a crush on a TV star or not, but I do care about the fact that between you, Joel and Clara, you've managed to trash this room." Various other toys were strewn about, evidence that the remote control which now lay in the adjoining attic cupboard had not been the first thing to be thrown. "This type of behaviour will not be tolerated by me or by your father. Clara, you have a television in your own room. From now on, you can watch that and leave your brothers' alone." The slight shoulders shrugged as Clara turned huffily to go. "Okay." "Wait one moment, young lady!" Lois' peremptory command stopped her. "Don't think you're getting off so easily. This place needs straightening out, then you can go to your room, but TV is banned for the moment. If neither of you can decide what to watch in a civilised manner, then there will be no TV watching." "Mom!" The protest came from Joel. "There's a big game tonight and Dad said we could all watch it together." "Then you should've thought of that before sending the remote into orbit! Now I want this room put back into shape. Put all the toys away, and that includes the marbles, Nathan." As her toddler's face fell dejectedly, Lois added quickly, "You can play with them after dinner. Your dad will be home soon and I don't want to see any angry or sulky faces at the table. Goodness knows what he's going to say when I tell him about all this! He's going to be so disappointed with you." "Do you have to tell him?" Joel wheedled in what had recently been a totally out-of- character manner. "And how do you suggest we explain the hole in the wall, which your father will have to mend? Besides, there are no secrets in this family." "Ha!" Clara exploded. "We've got the biggest secret ever!" Lois stared at her daughter as if she'd grown two heads. Ever since Clara had discovered Clark's secret, when she was no older than Nathan, she'd understood instinctively the need to hide her father's dual identity from the rest of the world. Never before had she shown any reluctance to keeping the secret. "Clara, I can't believe you said that." Julian's disapproving statement got in before Lois'. Counting to ten before committing herself to speech, Lois crossed to the bed and pulled Clara down beside her. "Does that bother you, Clara? Because I've never had the impression that it did before. I thought you understood... I thought all you kids understood about Daddy...." Lois' voice died away forlornly. What could they do if the children were being hurt by Clark's role as Superman? Joel deposited himself next to his mother, while Nathan, having put his glassy hoard back into their tin, climbed onto Lois' knee. "Mom, we do understand," Joel reassured. "It means a lot to Dad to go on helping people and we don't mind, really we don't. Do we, Clara?" Evidently, Joel was willing to put his differences with his sister aside for the sake of his mother's peace of mind. Lois searched the brown eyes that always reminded her so much of Clark and was relieved to find that the Joel of old had returned. And it seemed that he wasn't the only one feeling guilty, because Lois felt Clara burrow closer to her side. "Oh, Mom, I never would tell anyone about Dad. I think having Superman for a dad is real cool!" A grin transformed Clara's face. "Yes, real cool!" crowed Nathan, feeling this was a very grown-up statement and giving the thumbs-up sign which his Grampa Sam had taught him. Lois and the kids laughed, happy to forget for a few moments the earlier argument, but she wasn't about to let things go so easily. "Right, you guys, get tidied up here, then come downstairs for dinner... and no more fighting," Lois admonished as she pushed herself off the bed and, carrying Nathan in her arms, left her elder children to their task. "Come on, sunshine, let's go and get you bathed before dinnertime." ***** Ellen Lane sat at the breakfast bar, nursing a cup of strong black coffee. She had made herself useful by stowing the groceries away in cupboards, but now she sat contemplating nothing in particular while her hand played dejectedly with the pendant that hung round her neck. It had been one of the few mementoes which Lois and her family had managed to bring back from their doomed vacation. The old island matriarch had presented it to Lois as a token of her great regard and Lois had, in turn, passed it on to her mother. The exceedingly fine piece of jewellery was shaped like a molten amber teardrop and Ellen had been honoured to receive it; and it went so well with the new beige sweater. However, at this time, she was totally oblivious to the necklace, merely using it as a sort of comforter. Ellen had been so pleased when her grandchildren had come along and even more happy to be invited by Lois and Clark to be part of their lives. They'd been such lovely, obedient children and had been a delight to supervise. Even when Lois and Clark had decided to take a little orphan boy into their home, Ellen had been so mellow with her role of grandmother that she had barely remonstrated. Besides, she would be the first to admit that Julian was a dear boy.... In fact, he was the one remaining sane member of the younger generation of the family, excluding Nathan, of course, who was really too small to be affected by his elder siblings' outbursts. Was Ellen the one who was at fault? She'd never been the overly maternal type, so perhaps she was a bad influence on the children. She certainly found it difficult to cope with the tantrums and usually would escape from the confrontation, leaving the kids to fight it out. Even she was aware that this was not the best possible reaction. What was needed was a firm hand, and Ellen wasn't sure she was up to the task. Perhaps she should tell Lois and Clark that she couldn't babysit the children on her own any longer, but she hated giving into her weaknesses like that. Returning home from his rescue mission, Clark strolled into the kitchen and spotted his mother-in-law seated at the table. The house had returned to a state of peaceful tranquillity, since Lois had taken charge of the situation upstairs. And so, completely oblivious to recent events, he greeted Ellen cheerfully. "Hi there!" Thankfully, Superman's presence at the emergency had prevented the whole apartment block from burning down and he'd managed to evacuate the tenants safely, although there had been two fatalities, which had occurred before his arrival. Clark used to obsess over what he once would have regarded as failures, but through the years he'd come round to Lois' and his Mom's belief that what he could do was enough. Of course, he'd never take anyone's death lightly and he'd always try to do more than his best, but he couldn't allow his dark moods to affect his family life. Superman now had responsibilities as a father, and dwelling on the bad aspects of his job as superhero would hardly give his children the incentive to follow in his footsteps. In the past, Clark had been inclined to assume that Joel would one day don the suit, and that Clara might re-create Ultrawoman, yet their bizarre behaviour lately had given him some doubt. Honesty compelled him to admit that his own disposition had been less than stable over these past weeks, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was due to some sort of hangover from the time spent on Papillon, where they'd been exposed to red and green kryptonite. "How are things, Ellen?" Clark asked as he took in the disconsolate bearing of the elderly woman. It didn't take a huge leap in logic to deduce the cause of her woes. "The kids been giving you problems again?" "I suppose that wasn't a difficult guess." Ellen looked at her kindly son-in-law with troubled eyes. "I just don't seem to be able to keep them under control any more -- well, Joel and Clara -- the other two hardly ever give me any bother.... Perhaps it's my fault. I'm too soft with them...." Clark slipped into the chair next to Ellen and his hand covered hers comfortingly. "No, it's not, Ellen. We're having a hard time too... and there doesn't seem to be any reason for the change...." Clark's voice tailed off as he became increasingly aware of the small, feminine hand under his grasp. It was a slim hand with long tapering fingers, one which didn't show much of the ravages of time. But then, that was hardly surprising; his mother-in-law looked fairly nice for a women of her age... and she always took such good care of her hair and figure. Clark's eyes strayed appreciatively over Ellen's form, admiring the sweep of still-thick hair that lay on her straight shoulders... the other hand that toyed with the pendant that lay on her chest.... Oh boy! What was he thinking? Had he been stricken with insanity? Always in the past, he'd recognised that his mother-in-law was a fairly attractive woman for her age -- she'd just never been attractive to him... until.... Clark dropped the hand as though it were kryptonite. He jumped up from the chair, backing away across the room. Yes, he was insane! It was the only plausible explanation! "Clark, is something wrong?" Ellen regarded him with puzzled interest. "Wrong?" His voice escalated into higher regions. He sounded like a scalded tomcat. Tomcat? Why would he make that association? Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Wrong? No! Why should anything be wrong?" But his eyes refused to focus above Ellen's neck. He spun around and attempted to distract his treacherous thoughts by pouring himself a cup of coffee. Behind him, Ellen was watching closely with mounting dread. Clark was acting very strangely... even more strangely than normal. Plus, Clark's startled deer appearance usually presaged a quick exit, but this time he made no move to leave. Had she been imagining things or had her son-in-law really looked at her as if she was about to eat him? And even more shocking... had he fleetingly leered at her? Oh dear, perhaps she was growing senile-- senility was the only logical explanation and it could account for her grandchildren taking no notice of her. It would also explain why she'd momentarily regarded Clark as a womaniser. Ellen made a mental note to apologise to her daughter. There might be a few unanswered questions about Clark's behaviour, but even Ellen knew that he loved Lois with all of his heart. He had never given a single glance at any other woman, she thought, blissfully unaware of the recent events on Papillon. On the other side of the kitchen, the coffee seemed to be doing Clark some good. He certainly had himself under control. The brief allure of his mother-in-law had faded into oblivion, leaving him doubting its very existence. After all, no way did he fancy any other women. There was only one woman who held his attention, and she was upstairs with his children. That wasn't exactly true, the sneaky voice of his conscience reminded. There was Hazel Chen! He couldn't deny he'd been tempted by the beautiful siren, though there was absolutely no way he would have acted on these feelings. Thankfully, Lois had believed him, and they'd rationalised that his uncharacteristic conduct had been due to the kryptonite that had polluted the island. Well, they were far from Papillon now, so that excuse flew out the window. Fly away! Maybe that was what he should do -- it certainly beat staying here feeling like some weird Casanova. Yet putting some distance between himself and Ellen had clearly helped, because he was settling down into the old familiar interaction he'd developed with his mother-in-law through the years. "Nice coffee, Ellen." He saluted her with his cup. "I always know when you've made the coffee, as opposed to Lois. She's too addicted to the newsroom java. I don't dare tell her, but it's too strong for my tastes." Ellen smiled warmly, very relieved. Now, that was good. The sexual predator of Hyperion Avenue seemed to have disappeared for the moment. Ellen's earlier assumption that she'd very likely imagined Clark's mutation took root in her mind. "Thank you, Clark. I'm glad to get something right." Immediately, Clark was all concern again. He had to rid Ellen once and for all of the notion that she was somehow to blame for Joel and Clara's bad behaviour. "Ellen, you do lots of things right." Forgetting the reason for his sudden retreat, Clark started towards Ellen. "The kids are our responsibility, but to be honest, we couldn't manage without you and Sam or my parents, and Joel and Clara are giving us all a hard time. It really has nothing to do with you." Ellen wanted to believe him and her intense blue gaze centred on Clark's face. He'd never noticed before but she had lovely eyes.... Geesh! Mr Hyde was back! Swallowing hard, he backed away again, and yes, Dr Jeckyll gained control. This was so weird. Surely if he was morphing into a serial seducer, a few feet wouldn't make much difference? As ever, when Clark was in trouble, he sought the advice and support of his soulmate. "Excuse me, Ellen, I think I can hear Lois calling for me." To reinforce his words he pointed towards the ceiling while smiling sheepishly at an extremely bewildered Ellen. "She probably needs my help with the kids.... We all know how difficult they've been lately." Like a hunted hart, he was escaping from the disturbing atmosphere of his kitchen. Yet the thought of his imminent discussion with his wife hardly filled him with pleasure. After all, how did he tell Lois that he had formed a fancy for her mother? She would kill him! He ought to have brought back a piece of that kryptonite from Papillon and saved her the effort. ***** Chapter Two Revenge is a dish.... Far from the autumnal shades of Metropolis, a long- forgotten foe sat contemplating intentions of revenge. The room was shielded by dilapidated wooden blinds from the low rays of the evening sun, while an ancient ceiling fan tried unsuccessfully to dispel the hot, sticky atmosphere. It was unusually warm for the time of year and the woman seated at the dressing table mopped at the rivulets of sweat that trickled between her ample breasts with a tiny scrap of tissue, screwing it into a ball when it became too soggy to do its job, and tossing it in the direction of the tin trash can. She picked up the box with more hope than intention and rummaged inside, looking for one last remaining paper tissue. She'd really have to speak to the manager, but doubted that would yield any favourable outcome. Many times she'd complained since moving into this broken-down joint which passed by the name of The Sunrise Motel, and no amount of seductive cajoling or angry threats had made the slightest improvement to her accommodation. Sunrise Motel! Now there was a misnomer, if she ever heard one -- the sun had set on this dump many years ago, as it had on its fat, greasy proprietor. She hated dealing with the creep. He would listen to her complaints with a barely disguised leer, then offer words of commiseration and a promise to see to the problem, which he'd quickly forget just as soon as she turned away. Well, he would pay -- just as soon as she was reinstated in her rightful position, she'd make him leer on the other side of his pudgy face. Tossing the box in the same direction as she had the paper- napkin, she leaned in closer to the dresser mirror. Even discounting the distortions and blotches from the old mirror, she was not happy with what she saw. Her once-too- often-dyed hair had lost a lot of its bounce and most of its sheen, and her skin was dry and flaky from too much exposure to the blistering sun. Mind you, her recourse to the booze to lighten her unhappy load hadn't done much to help her retain her youth and beauty, but Mindy was far too self-centred to admit to that. She'd much rather lay the blame for her now sad existence firmly at the feet of that meddlesome pair Lane and Kent -- with, it might be said, more than a little help from her husband's son and associates. Not that she could say much against Bill Sr, of course, as he'd died many years ago, still incarcerated in the New Troy State Prison, and he had left her fairly well provided for. In fact, it was his legacy that had enabled her to move to Miami and live comfortably for quite a number of years. Unfortunately, Mindy Church had expensive tastes and saw no reason to curtail her spending on her luxurious lifestyle, believing that the men now controlling Intergang would take care of her financially. After all, she had agreed to leave Metropolis at the end of the Diana Stride/Gretchen Kelly fiasco, admitting that it was probably best that she hightail it out of Metropolis and lie low for awhile. How was she to know that, even from prison, Bill Jr would manage to ingratiate himself with his father's former minions and partners and resume charge of Intergang? A couple of years back his team of lawyers had managed to persuade the parole board that Mr Church Jr was a changed man -- a born-again Christian and philanthropist -- and, as such, was fit to be released from the State Pen. Didn't these wimpy do-gooders see the similarities to his father's reformation? Then again, Bill Sr's reclamation had been a genuine attempt to make up for past crimes. Regrettably, depending on which view you took, Mindy had managed to manipulate the old man's actions and usurp his position as crime boss, sending both Bills to prison for a very long time. Since his release, her erstwhile stepson had wasted no time in paying her back in spades for his incarceration. Her funds had dried up and her lines of credit at local casinos, hotels and designer stores had been removed. Mindy had contacted every one of her sources in Intergang and her associates back in Metropolis to reverse the situation, but nothing had worked. Mrs Church had become persona non grata and no one would help her... hell, they would hardly talk to her! So now she existed on what little of her fortune remained, sold her possessions and jewellery, which was now down to one last piece, and spent her time existing in dives like these. She made a buck or two out of various small stings and even sold her body on occasion, but that was becoming a harder option. Face it, girl -- who'd give money to spend time with a raddled, drunken whore like you? At times like these, Mindy tended to sink into a deep pit of boozy melancholy. Pulling open her bottom drawer, she brought out her last bottle of scotch and held it up to the light. There was about a couple of fingers of the amber liquid still swilling around in the bottom of the dirty bottle, promising a little relief from her daily grind. Nah! There was hardly enough in there to anaesthetise a fly. Besides, she'd reached a decision last night after a chance meeting with an old acquaintance -- the time for maudlin recriminations was over. It was time to pull herself together, because now she had a chance to get back at those who were responsible for her downfall. And first on the list would be that nosy reporting team of Lane and Kent. They'd probably forgotten the existence of Mindy Church. Well, now was time for their wake-up call. Mindy screwed the cap back on the bottle determinedly, and lifted the month-old newspaper to peruse again the front- page story that told of the Kent family's latest exploits in saving the population of an obscure island in the south Pacific. It seemed that Lois and Clark hadn't lost any of their crusading zeal... well, what would you expect from Mr and Mrs Superman. Many times in the intervening years since the Diana Stride fiasco, Mindy had swung between believing that the 'Huntress' -- as Diana liked to term herself -- had been a complete kook, to considering that there might have been an element of truth in Diana's theory. After all, the incident had occurred many years ago and not once had Superman and Clark Kent been seen together again. Which was a pretty strange circumstance if you accepted that the two men were close friends. Mindy had been paying very close attention and it seemed that both Superman and the Kents occasionally attended the same charity functions in Metropolis, though the appearance of the superhero at this sort of 'do' had become more rare over the years -- almost as if he had too many other duties to attend to. But that was digressing; what struck her as really strange was the fact that no other meetings had ever been recorded for posterity on still or video camera footage. The connection between hero and family, however, was still strong. Lane still got her fair share of Superman exclusives and the odd rescue from the bad guys, though this too had become less frequent with time, but from what Mindy could glean, this seemed more to do with Lane's drawing back from dangerous situations and not with any lack of interest on Superman's part. And the Man of Steel definitely did keep watch over the Kent children. No, Mindy was fairly ready to believe that although the relationship was kept out of the eye of the media, the friendship was still strong... if that was the 'connection'. She might not have seen the two men in the same photograph, but she had studied various pictures very closely and there was an uncanny resemblance. Take away Kent's glasses and slick back his hair and the two might have been twins. Yet Superman had never made that claim. On that day so long ago, when he'd arrived on the Kent stoop in front of the press corps, he'd claimed to be only Clark Kent's friend. What were the chances of two men being so physically alike if they didn't share the same genes? And if they were biologically connected then why should only one have superpowers? Kent had never done anything remotely superhuman, unless he did so under a different guise. Which brought her to another anomaly of that day. Lois Lane had clearly stated that only print journalists should attend the press conference in Hyperion Avenue and Inspector William Henderson had surprisingly seen to it that the rule was enforced. The woman had also made a request that no photographs should be taken outside the house, giving the flimsy excuse that the couple didn't want to advertise the whereabouts of their home to every criminal who held a grudge against them. At the time, Mindy had found it strange but given the stipulation no further thought -- not so now! On reflection, she'd arrived at the conclusion that if the Superman the Kents were expecting was a hallucination then they wouldn't have wanted that showing up, or not showing up, as the case might be, on camera. Of course, that led on to the even bigger mystery of who was the Superman who did put in an appearance? Diana had tended to go along with that other madman who had claimed 'Clark Kent was Superman' -- Tempus someone or other, who'd been carted off to the insane asylum but who'd disappeared from the public view some time in the intervening years. Mindy had tried to discover his whereabouts but had been quite unsuccessful. That crazy man had suggested something about alternate universes, and Diana, being a little psychotic herself, had gone along with his assumption. She, on the other hand, had never been sure. But now, for the first time, Mindy had the chance to prove her hunches correct and, perhaps, to get back some of her standing in Intergang. If she could get rid of that interfering superhero, then her former associates would be falling all over themselves to welcome her back into the fold, and Bill Church Jr had better watch out. He'd be the very next victim on her hit list! Of course, she still had to persuade her old colleague to join her in her endeavour, but somehow she didn't think that would be too difficult. From their earlier conversation, he too had fallen on hard times and laid the blame firmly at the feet of the red-booted hero. She just hoped that he'd managed to store away the tools of his old trade and that he hadn't lost any of his skills. Mindy was quietly confident that for Joey Bermuda the revenge she had in mind would be very sweet. Picking up her make-up, a happier Mindy put on her revitalised face and went to plan her retribution. ***** The bar at which they'd arranged to meet was hardly for the up-market crowd but would have to do for now, and Mindy flicked her blond hair aside with a hint of her old assurance and walked directly to a booth in the back, issuing her regular order to the barman as she passed. The man in the booth sat staring into the cheap liquor in his glass and hardly seemed to acknowledge her presence. Not a ploy to endear him to his 'date' for the evening -- Mindy hated rejection, but he supposed it didn't really matter. Joey had pretty much figured out that the purpose of this meeting was business and not pleasure. The corners of Joey Bermuda's mouth lifted in a wry grimace. Long ago he'd turned down the sexual advances of this woman, firmly believing in his marriage vows and the sanctity of his family life. Now, all that had changed. His marriage was over and his wife -- ex-wife -- had taken his kids and run off with some chocolate salesman, and god only knew where they were. As his eyes scanned over Mindy's tantalising curves to reach the painted face, he smiled ironically at the fact that now he might welcome the chance of a sexual encounter with this faded broad. Yes, things had definitely changed for both of them... and not for the better. Not that Joey was unaware that this same broad had set him up to be her 'patsy', and the knowledge still rankled, but that was a long time ago. Joey Bermuda was a member of the criminal fraternity and he understood that there was little honour among thieves. You took the bad breaks that life dealt and you didn't squeal, and you didn't hold grudges if you wanted to stay healthy. In Mindy's position he'd have done the same thing to stay out of prison. No, it was that guy Superman who had a lot to answer for -- him and that couple of nosy reporters, Lane and Kent. If he'd never taken on the super-hero and his friends, he might still have a lucrative 'assassin for hire' business and certainly not have spent the last few years incarcerated courtesy of the State of New Troy. Now, according to what Mindy had hinted last night, she might just have found a way to pay back the threesome for all they'd made him suffer... and for that Joey was prepared to consider a possible re-association with Mindy Church. "Hi, Joey," she cooed in her baby voice as she slid into the opposite side of the booth, perching on the edge of the seat so that her legs brushed against his shin. "Nice to see you again. Are you ready for our little talk now?" She leaned across the table and her low-cut dress gaped open a little, displaying her ample assets. Whether it was the thought of getting even or whether it was his long abstinence, a fling with Mindy was looking better and better with each passing second. Or course, it might just be the beers he'd been drinking steadily since he'd arrived an hour earlier. His thoughts were interrupted by the barman clumsily sliding a large shot of scotch in front of Mindy so that a little splashed on the table top. Joey watched in fascination as the liquid trickled slowly towards her lap. Pouting in disgust, Mindy swiped at the spill and lifted the glass, cradling it in her hands, but she didn't drink. "I won't order another just yet... you look as if you've had enough and we need clear heads for what we're about to discuss." She captured his slightly unfocused gaze with her own and her tongue traced her lips wetly. "Depending on what you have to tell me, we just might have something to celebrate later...." Allowing her voice to trail off suggestively, Mindy watched as Joey swallowed hard, his eyes riveted on the tip of her tongue. Clearly, he wouldn't be so ready to turn her down this time... she just hadn't decided whether this relationship should be strictly impersonal or not. Mindy had never been averse to using her sexuality to cement business relationships and Joey was not unattractive... but this undertaking was the most important project she'd had in years, and it was her one way back to the big time. Perhaps, she shouldn't complicate things by playing her little games. But, in that one sense, Mindy was a child of nature. She decided that she would just go with the flow and see what developed. "Mrs Church...." "Mindy," she reminded him with a sultry smile. Joey grinned appreciatively. "Mindy, just what is it you want to talk about?" Mindy leaned in closer and as her knee brushed up the inside of one of Joey's thighs, he gulped in a startled breath. She chuckled throatily... very soon now she'd have him eating out of the palm of her hand and that was just how Mindy liked her 'partnerships'. "Well, when we talked yesterday, I figured that we were both a little down on our luck... purely temporary, of course, and that we share the same nemesis." "We do?" Joey was having difficulty keeping his voice even as her leg continued to stroke his own. "Yes, we do, Joey," Mindy stated with wide-eyed innocence, which was very strange since Mindy and innocence had parted company when she'd barely reached her teens. "You know! The Big Boy Scout... the Man in Blue! It's his fault you went to jail...." But Mindy couldn't ignore the dagger- edged look she got from Joey at those words. "I know, Joey, that I let you down; that I led the police straight to you, and it was so wrong of me." Mindy's eyelids batted in overtime as the childlike voice purred. "I felt so bad about that, but what was I to do with Superman breathing down my neck like that? We hurt him, Joey, more than anyone has ever done, and he was determined to put us away." Her hand crept across the table and entwined with his fingers. "You took the fall for me and I'm so very grateful." The words remained unspoken but her intent was clear; she'd willingly show him how grateful, if he played his cards right. "Hmph!" Joey muttered, refusing to give up his grievance so readily. "I lost a lot more than my freedom by going to prison for you!" "I know! Your wife left you! I don't know how she could do that when you were so much in love with her. I tried to persuade her not to, you know." The glib lie slid off Mindy's tongue as she monitored how Joey reacted to her words. She'd always made a point of keeping tabs on the people she'd worked with or doubled crossed -- knowledge was power and who knew when the odd piece of information would come in handy. For instance, she knew that Joey's wife had never realised the nature of the employment that kept her in her very comfortable life style, and she'd been shocked and affronted to have her husband found guilty of trying to rid the world of its superhero, not to mention silencing the reporting team of Lane and Kent. Mrs Bermuda had visited her husband once or twice at the state penitentiary, but it was evident that she saw her husband's fall from grace as an end to their marriage. It was only a matter of time before she cleared their joint bank accounts and took herself and her children off with the first available man who offered. "You talked to my wife?" The question startled Mindy for a moment but she quickly fitted back into the role of sympathiser. "Well, of course I did! After all, I did feel responsible for your predicament, so I thought I'd see to it that she and your children had everything they needed. But she didn't want my help... threw me out, as I recall. Said she didn't want anything to do with people who broke the law, which I thought was a bit mean, since she'd been living off your earnings for years. So it was no big surprise when I found out she'd started divorce proceedings or that she was seeing someone else. I knew it was probably pointless, but I felt I had to try for your sake, so I phoned her and asked her to reconsider, but she would have none of it. Next thing I was told was she'd packed up and left for parts unknown. I did think of searching for her, but then I thought that maybe you'd be better off without someone who'd abandon you so callously." Once more, the limpid gaze was turned on Joey. "I'm sorry, did I do wrong? I'm sure once we get back in with Intergang that we'd be able to trace her...." "Naw! Wouldn't do much good anyway -- it's all old news and you're probably right. She left me without so much as a word, so why should I care what happens to her! Wouldn't mind seeing my kids though.... I did love them." Joey's tone was dejected as he contemplated his role as an absentee father. "You were a good parent, Joey. I'm sure they knew that and I'm sure we could find them... if we were in a position where we had enough money to look!" The hook was baited and the poor fish rose to the lure. "I'd like that! My kids are the only ones who're important to me now! And you say you have a plan that will get us back in with Intergang?" "Not only that, Joey, but one which will get Superman out of our hair and will pay him back for all that he's made us suffer!" Joey sat back against the backrest of the booth; Mindy was just too much of a distraction and he needed a sharp brain for what he was about to hear. He just wished he hadn't drunk so many beers. Still, the surge of adrenalin that Mindy's words had triggered seemed to be washing away the lethargy. "Okay, Mindy, you've got my interest. Just what do you have in mind?" A self-satisfied grin suffused her face, almost making it seem young again. "Tell me, Joey, do you still have access to some of your old toys?" "My toys?!" "Yes, one in particular. One which we concocted between us and one that Superman wasn't very pleased to come in contact with." "The virus! You want the virus!" Mindy almost chased Joey across the table, so eager was she to discover his answer. "Do you still have it?" This time it was Joey Bermuda's turn to grin. What a good idea it had been to keep a little insurance in reserve. But a perverse twinge of pleasure held him silent for a moment. Let her squirm for a bit. He was prepared to join forces with the witch -- only this time he'd make sure that if someone got burned, it wouldn't be him. "As a matter of fact, Mindy, I do believe I could get my hands on a little!" And the two conspirators started laughing uncontrollably. The promise of revenge was so sweet! *****. Chapter Three All that glistens... Nathan, dressed in his cuddly bunny-suit pyjamas, burst from the bathroom into his mom and dad's bedroom and threw himself in the direction of their big bed, hotly pursued by his growling mother. Lois had left her older children to the task of clearing up and brought Nathan down here to be bathed. The little boy always enjoyed being allowed to use his parents' bath -- there was so much room to play with his boats and ducks and have his Superman doll swoop to the rescue when they were attacked by the very bad shark. How he squealed as he rolled across the bed, attempting to escape from his mom's tickling fingers. The two rolled around, giggling and messing the bedcover and tangling their legs in the quilt, until Nathan spotted someone standing in the door. "Daddy!" he screamed, and pulling away from Mommy, the small boy launched himself at his dad, trusting implicitly that he would be secure in Clark's hands. Yet for the first time, Clark was almost not fast enough as he scrambled to catch the leaping Nathan seconds before he hit the floor. Normally, that last-minute action would be planned and Clark would raise his son above his head and plunge again to the carpet in a swooping motion; Nathan loved to 'fly'. Only today, he'd been too preoccupied by what had happened in the kitchen. There was something he didn't understand controlling his actions and the moods of his two elder biological children. It had to be the only explanation, and he didn't feel at all comfortable about being out of control. Absentmindedly, Clark placed a kiss on his son's cheek. "Hi there, squirt! You smell nice." He breathed deeply in the scent of the newly-washed toddler. This was normal: coming home, cooking for his family while he listened to his wife and kids chat about what had happened to them during the day; helping with the children's homework and playing with them before they went to bed; then sitting with his wife in the comfort of their home until they too decided to go to bed. It was what grounded Clark; gave him the courage and the inspiration to go out and be the superhero that everyone expected him to be. When life got really tough for the Man of Steel, without Lois and the children behind him he doubted that he'd have the resilience to continue in his role. He knew that the world was, in some ways, a better place than when he'd first donned the suit, but there was still a long way to go before it became the Utopia that H G Wells had talked about. And just sometimes he was a little frustrated that the world took up so much of the time which ought to belong to his wife and kids. But not right at this moment. He was enjoying being hugged by his youngest son, though the garbled tale of flying remote controls and Lois decreeing that his plans for the evening were out of bounds hardly penetrated his already troubled thoughts. How did you explain to your wife that you were sort of lusting after her mother? Clark was tempted to put off the dread moment by surrendering to Nathan's pleas to come read to him before supper, but that was the coward's way out. Clark's natural response was often to ignore what he didn't comprehend or couldn't handle, but life with Lois had taught him that the sooner he faced up to what was bothering him, the quicker she could help him put things in perspective. "You know, squirt, I think your Grandma could do with your expert help in setting the table for supper. So why don't you go on down and give her a hand." Nathan nodded his head sagely. "Poor Gramma! Joel and Clara were fightin' again and Gramma cried 'cos they wouldn't listen to her... so she runned away." "Yes, I know. She's in the kitchen and she could really do with some cheering up and I know just the little boy who could do that for her." "I could give her a hug," the little boy suggested with such a serious expression that his parents had to stifle a grin. "Do yoo think that 'ould help Gramma, Daddy?" "That's a really good idea, Nathan. I think that would help a whole lot." "I thinks so too!" A big smile spread over his newly- scrubbed face and, pausing only to flip a cheesy grin to his mom, he bounced out of the room, shouting for Gramma at the top of his voice. "Nathan, don't run! Be careful on the stairs!" But his son was intent on his mission, and Clark contented himself with watching the toddler's progress with his x-ray vision, holding himself in readiness in case of a fall. Meanwhile, on the bed Lois gave her ears a shake. "Do any of our children realise that there is any volume of talking other than loud? I came home to find that war had been declared upstairs." "So I was told.... Something about a fight over TV programmes?" "Well, I believe that's what started it, but it quickly escalated into a throwing match between Joel and Clara." Lois stood up and began distractedly straightening out the bedcovers. "It doesn't really matter what starts it though... they're at each other's throats at the least provocation. What's gone wrong, Clark? I can't believe the change in those two... and it's all started since our vacation in 'Dante's Inferno'." "It doesn't happen all the time, sweetheart." Clark moved in to help her, smoothing the cover on his side of the bed. "Sometimes they can be quite reasonable." "Mostly when they're under supervision!" Lois huffed. "But the moment the kids are on their own, they just can't behave! We're raising little vandals, Clark.... And the most worrying thing is... is that they're potentially super vandals! That doesn't make me feel too secure!" Clark leaned over and caught hold of one of Lois' hands and pulled her down onto the bed, mussing up their careful work. "It isn't that bad, honey!" "Isn't it? What other kids do you know who can throw things through walls?" "Through walls?" This was clearly worse than he thought. "Yes! And our walls aren't so thin. I remember when you made the alterations up there.... Not that you had any difficulty, of course, but you had to go help out at an earthquake and your parents and I kept going while you were away... and, trust me, those walls are solid! " Lois watched Clark worry his lip and knew he wasn't taking the problem lightly. "Mind you, I think it's only Joel who has that sort of strength, but Clara's not far behind him. In a few years we could have two very strong, maladjusted teenagers and I just don't know if I can cope with that! Maybe it's my fault. I'm too tied up with my work and I don't give the kids enough of my time!" "Lois, that's nonsense! If anyone's to blame it's me! I'm the one who's always flying off to save the world.... And I'm certainly to blame for their genetics!" "So, our kids don't have any of my genes? I'm the one with the temper! You might have provided the super genes... but the hot-headedness is all mine!" The two glared at each other across the bed until both had the grace to blush. "Look at us, Clark! We're arguing like the kids! Just don't go picking up bed-tables and throwing them at the moon or something!" Lois swatted her husband's chest, but she let her touch soften and linger. "And it's not really important whose fault it is. The most important thing is how we deal with this." Clark caught the trailing fingers in his steady grasp and raised them to his lips where he kissed each tip in apology for his abnormal surge of surliness. Now was probably not the best time for confessions, but there just might be a connection between his children's and his own strange behaviour. "And Joel and Clara might not be our only problem." Being attuned to all of her husband's tones and expressions, Lois immediately recognised that something had Clark in a tail-spin. Well great, that was all they needed, some other outside complication. Lois steeled her resolve. "Okay, what else has happened? Did something happen at that rescue? Was it arson... a trap? Has some other villain arrived in Metropolis and found a way to hurt you?" It was clear that Lois was letting her imagination get away from her, and Clark quickly reeled her in. "No, honey! The rescue was just routine. At least, as routine as these disasters get, and as far as the firefighters can tell it wasn't arson... just due to carelessness on the part of one of the tenants and the dilapidated state of the old building." Clark looked down at their linked hands and realised that he was clinging desperately to Lois' small fingers. He might even be hurting her, but she'd given no sign. Releasing his grip a little, he continued quietly. "That wasn't the sort of problem I was meaning. I just haven't been quite myself." Lois studied Clark's face, but for the first time she was having difficulty reading his expression and his gaze refused to meet her own. "Clark, what is it? Was it kryptonite? Do you feel ill?" "No, Lois! Not ill... exactly...." "Then what?" This time it was Lois who grabbed at his hands and was shaking them in exasperation. "What exactly? Come on, Clark, you're scaring me!" "Well, I don't think it's anything to be afraid of...." Lois jumped off the bed and strode around the room to stand before her husband. "Clark, would you please just tell me what's going on because I'm completely in the dark here, and I don't like it. I thought we'd got over the point where we played guessing games with each other." "We have, Lois!" This time Clark's eyes did lock with hers and she was taken aback once again by the depth of love she found there. This man still had the ability to make her weaken at the knees with just a glance, but there was something else there too.... Obviously, Clark was worried about her reaction to whatever it was he was about to reveal. "And I will explain... just promise me you'll hear me out before you go ballistic." Sitting alongside Clark, she appropriated his nearer hand. She couldn't, however, keep the edginess out of her voice. "Just tell me, Clark!" "It was in the kitchen." One blank statement then he stopped. This was worse than drawing teeth. "Our kitchen?" And when he nodded in the affirmative, she interrogated further. "What was in the kitchen?" "Where I wasn't myself!" Another silence! She loved this man, she really did, but just sometimes she felt like shaking him. If only he weren't invulnerable! "Do you know who you were?" "Yes...." Only that came out in a mouse-like squeak. "I wish I didn't!" "Clark, you're talking in riddles here." Lois' temper was rapidly fraying. It hadn't been an easy day and she'd just had an uncomfortable altercation with her children. The last thing she needed was for her husband to start acting like another big kid. "Something happened in the kitchen that upset you... so just spit it out!" Suddenly a glimmer of enlightenment started to dawn. Her mother was in the kitchen and none knew better than Lois just how annoying Ellen Lane could be at times... and Clark didn't really like bad-mouthing anybody, especially family. "Was it mother? Did she upset you?" Clark turned all shades of red. "Yes... and no!" "What does that mean?" This was really starting to get on Lois' nerves. Again she bounded from the bed and started pacing round the room. "What has my mother done this time?" A sense of fair play speedily prompted Clark to clear his mother-in-law's name. "Ellen didn't do anything really... except be there!" That stopped Lois in mid-stride. "Clark, you can't tell me that you dislike my mother so much that you can't stand her very presence, because that's just not you.... But, wait a minute, you said that you weren't yourself! You've been so very busy lately at both your jobs -- and then there's all the trouble with the kids. Is that what you mean? Have your nerves gotten so bad that you can't tolerate my mother? Are you having some sort of nervous breakdown here?" Lois felt appalled. She'd been so wrapped up in her own stresses and complaints that she hadn't noticed how her husband had been affected. For his part, Clark was tempted for a moment to allow this excuse to run, but his sense of honesty and morality kicked in. Besides, Mad Dog Lane would soon expose the truth and he'd be in even more trouble. Far better to come clean now and rely on Lois' quality of mercy... did she have one? His mind returned to the hot days of summer and their island paradise. She'd promised to leave him forever if he betrayed her again. "It's nothing your mother did, Lois. The fault's all mine!" That bare statement and the desolate way in which it was delivered cut through Lois' escalating suppositions. Something was seriously wrong with her husband, and, if it wasn't kryptonite, and he wasn't obsessing about a rescue that had failed, then she had no idea what it might be. Stilling the chill that was beginning to freeze her insides, Lois prompted as gently as she could. "Clark, tell me what happened in the kitchen... start from the beginning and go from there." He didn't answer at first, but she could see that he was trying to straighten his muddled thoughts, so she buried her irritation and kept silent. At last he began, slowly at first, but his words growing in pace as the familiarity of sharing his thoughts with Lois took over. "Ellen was in there... and she was crying. I guessed it was the kids. It usually is these days. Only she was blaming herself. She thought that maybe the way she supervised them was making them act up. But I couldn't let her believe that, so I went to her." Clark glanced up at Lois, to find her eyes glued to his face -- he flushed. "I took hold of her hand and that was when it happened." For a moment of time Clark looked like he desperately wanted to escape, and Lois waited for a patented Superman excuse to leave, but he swallowed down his cowardly impulse and picked up his story. "I felt her hand and it was a really nice hand... in fact your mother has a really nice body!" The last came out in a rush and his haunted gaze fixated on his wife. Lois wasn't sure how to answer, but as Clark stared at her in silence she felt she needed to fill the gap... only she didn't understand where he was going with this. "Yes, Clark. Mother is a very attractive woman for her age... which, when you think of it, is a really good thing for me... as they say, these things are genetic." "No, Lois!" Clark halted Lois' train of thought. "I just didn't find Ellen attractive for a woman her age... just attractive...." The last hit Lois like a bolt from the blue. So much so, that she couldn't make any sense of it. "In what way... attractive?" "You know...." "No, Clark, I don't know! I need you to explain!" "In a guy sort of way!" Lois couldn't suppress a sharp burst of laughter, yet it was edged with a slight tinge of hysteria. "My mother?! Ellen Lane!" she added incredulously. "Yes!" "As in you're a man and my mother is a woman? That sort of way?" Clark looked like he'd been pole-axed. "You fancied my mother?" "Yes!" Clark had to try twice before his answer could be heard above a pin-drop. "How much?" He didn't know what he expected but that reaction wasn't it. "Excuse me?" "How much? Was it a little or a lot?" Lois truthfully didn't know why this should matter, but it did. "A little... maybe a little more than a little." "Uh-huh!" Lois marched around the room, picking up things but, refusing to throw them, she slammed them back in place. She wheeled on the object of her wrath. "And how did you fancy her?" That flummoxed him... or maybe it scared him. Lois was getting dangerously close to something he didn't want to admit to. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean," he prevaricated. "Well, you're a man... you should know about these things! Was it all in the mind... or was it...." And an irate Lois couldn't keep her eyes from drifting down past her husband's belt. The dull red flush on Clark's face which turned quickly to pasty white, gave her the answer, while his eyes followed the path of her gaze, and he nodded in total dejection. "Clark, that's perverted! My mother is old!" "Lois, I know! And you couldn't be more shocked and humiliated than I feel! I dropped her hand like a hot potato and almost ran across the kitchen. In fact, I wanted to fly right out of the house, but your mom might have thought that pretty weird... and it was clear that she was already puzzled by what was going on. Besides, whenever I put some distance between us, it went away." "What did?" "The feelings...." His head bobbed in the general direction of the bottom half of his body. "It was like I'd imagined the whole thing. And Lois, you have to know that I've never felt like that about any other woman but you in my entire life!" "Not true, Clark!" And as her husband's brow drew down in a furrowed question, Lois hurried on. "What about Hazel Chen?" "Oh, her!" The tormented look increased and Lois was sure that Clark was wishing Superman would be needed somewhere else. "Okay, I admit she had a strange... enticement for me, but I never acted on it, Lois. Even when I had the chance -- I just couldn't be unfaithful to you." Lois relaxed a little as she acknowledge the truth of that statement. "Lois, we talked about this and I thought we decided that it was all due to the island and the... kryptonite." "You might not have noticed, but we're not on the island now, Clark, and you're still experiencing these strange... enticements! Though I must admit, I can understand you fancying Hazel Chen more than my mother!" "You can say that again!" And an expressive snort accompanied his words. "Clark!" "Sorry!" Yet a tiny glimmer of light was hovering around Lois' consciousness. "Though everything seems to stem from the time we spent on Papillon... both with you and the kids. Perhaps we brought part of the island back with us." "Much as though I'd like to use that as an excuse, honey, we left most of our possessions back on the island and I know we didn't bring any of the kryptonite with us... red or green. Unless that bit that was sticking in my back. The last I saw of it was in the Swallow's sickbay." "No! Julian and I got rid of that. Believe me, it's at the bottom of the Pacific." The angry tension had eased out of both of them and the familiar comfort of working together to solve a problem was slowly taking over. "Do you really believe that the exposure on the island is still affecting the kids and me after all this time? Because kryptonite doesn't usually work that way." "I'm not sure, but I think I prefer that explanation to the alternative...." "Which is?" "That my children are delinquents and my husband is a perverted lech!" "In that case... I'm all for the kryptonite theory!" Clark even managed a self-conscious grin before plunging back into reviewing his memories of the island. "Clark, when did you first become aware of your feelings for Hazel?" Lois' blunt question interrupted his thoughts and he felt himself squirm anew. "Lo-is, do we really have to go over this again?" "Yes, we do. And I'm sorry, Clark, I'm really not doing this to make you feel awkward. Please, just go with me on this." Actually, Lois wasn't at all sure that she knew where she was going here, but some sort of gut instinct was leading her. An audible sigh warned her that Clark wasn't happy with this line of questioning but out of a mixture of love, trust and just plain habit, he followed her lead. "Let's see, I think it was the day we were on the beach. She came out of the water and Nathan thought she was a mermaid!" Both laughed as they remembered their small son's awed shout. "Yes, that was definitely it!" "But you'd seen her before! When we met Jimmy on the dock. Roy and Hazel were on the ship." "Yes they were. But I never really noticed her then. Or, at least, no more than the fact that she was a beautiful woman." "You noticed that she was a beautiful woman?" Lois asked indignantly. "Lois, I'm not blind." Clark hurried to Lois' side. "I notice a lot of beautiful women, but none of them can hold a candle to my wife... at least, not to me! You're everything I'll ever need, Lois." He reinforced his statement by taking her face into his hands and giving her one of his reassuring kisses that quickly deepened into passion. Lois let Clark's lips linger on hers for a few moments, then pulled back a little. "Nice save, Clark! So, you didn't pay much attention to Hazel Chen that day?" "Only in passing." "Why do you think that was, Clark?" Lines wrinkled his brow as he gave her question some thought. "Well, the day she arrived on our beach her costume was pretty revealing...." "But she was dressed pretty similarly the day before. I remember envying her terrific figure...." "Lois, you have no reason to be envious...." "But she had an hour-glass figure, Clark!" A note of wistfulness had leaked into her voice. "A tiny waist and a... flat stomach!" Clark's hand lightly caressed the practically non-existent mound of his wife's stomach. "Lois, you've had three children and as far as I know, Hazel hasn't had any. Besides, I happen to like a more curvy woman. Wait till Ms Chen's given birth a few times and she's matured some... she could be fat and frumpy!" Lois pushed against his hands that were busily trying to distract her, but she was secretly pleased. She was well aware that Clark still found her very desirable. He proved it every possible moment they were alone... it was just a pity that lately they hadn't had so many opportunities. "Clark, behave! I'm trying to work something out here and I can't do it if you keep distracting me!" "Okay!" Plumping himself down on the bed, he sat with his hands neatly folded and regarded her with a pseudo-serious gaze. "Be good!" But she joined him on the bed, leaving a few inches of space between them for the sake of her equilibrium. "Let's get back to the when we met the Chens. Hazel was wearing an even skimpier bikini top and a sarong." "So not much change there!" "But your reaction was different. So maybe there was some outside source." "Like the kryptonite! But, honey, you and Julian cleared the beach and there hadn't been any further eruptions from Solvan... and we already established that Hazel couldn't be hiding any of the stuff in that suit... and, as she wasn't wearing makeup, she wasn't doing a 'Diana Stride'." Clark leaned his elbows back on the bed somewhat disconsolately. "And I felt okay that morning, so I have no excuse!" Lois lay back and closed her eyes to conjure up a mental picture of that day... much as she hated to relive the moment when Hazel had enthralled her husband. It only took a moment for the connection to be made and then she whirled towards Clark. "But she was wearing something else," she announced in triumph. "Clark, she had a bracelet! I remember admiring it! It was a fine gold chain with an amber droplet." Slowly, Clark raised himself off his elbows as the import of Lois' words sank in. "Sweetheart, your mother is wearing the amber pendant that we brought back. I noticed because she was threading it through her fingers nervously...." "And Joel and Clara are mostly out of control when they're playing upstairs...." "When Nathan's probably fooling around with his marbles from Papillon!" "Hmph! When has Nathan not got these things around him?" "But that would mean they're some new strain of kryptonite!" Clark grimaced at that suggestion. "I know that's not the best news, but it does make sense," Lois reasoned. Clark turned the uncomfortable thought over in his mind before replying. "You're probably right. So what do we do now?" For a few seconds Lois joined him in his wallowing, then standing up with firm resolve she held out her hand. "Now we go check on our kids and then we all have dinner." The offered hand was taken but Clark made no move to get up from the bed. "Lois, your mother's staying to dinner -- I can't go in the kitchen. If that thing is really what we think it is I shouldn't be anywhere near her. And Joel and Clara will probably start fighting again...." "Nothing is going to happen because Superman is going to cause a little accident." A bright but slightly naughty grin lit up Lois' face. "Lo-is! Superman doesn't cause accidents." "Not even a teeny-weeny one? And one which is in a very good cause?" she teased, but seeing that Clark was too distracted to appreciate her attempt at levity, she quickly relented. "Couldn't you use a tiny one of those laser-rays to break the chain on Mother's pendant? Then she'd have to take it off and I'd offer to get it mended and put it away safely." A smile at last brightened Clark's features. "Did I ever tell you how brilliant you are, Mrs Kent?" He stood and pulled her in for a kiss. "Not today!" Reluctantly, Lois broke the kiss. Even after a decade of marriage, she still enjoyed fooling around with her husband. "But you can show me how much you appreciate me later... tonight, after you've taken the drop and the marbles to Bernie." "Honey, I'm going to have to steal those marbles after Nathan is asleep. You know how attached he is to them; he's not going to be happy with me for taking them away." Clearly, disappointing his youngest son troubled Clark a whole lot. "No, he isn't... but when we explain that they might be hurting you and Joel and Clara, I'm sure he'll get over it. There might be a few tears in the beginning but Nathan's a good little boy. And maybe Superman could hunt around for some real amber marbles to replace the ones he's lost...." ""That's a good idea, Lois." Clark's arm snaked around his wife's shoulder as the two headed downstairs. "Of course, all this is assuming that these things really are kryptonite...." ***** From the number of voices drifting from the kitchen it was clear to Clark, as he walked through the living room with his wife, that his older children had finished the task of clearing up and had joined Ellen and Nathan. The sounds were raucous but friendly, seeming to reinforce Lois' view that Joel and Clara were only good-naturedly boisterous when not in the vicinity of those marbles. However, they were in the vicinity of that damned pendant and seemed to be suffering no ill-effects, so maybe the amber was exactly what it appeared to be and he was just having a mental breakdown! Clark dawdled, reluctant to return to the scene of his previous transgressions, while Lois strode ahead into the kitchen, passing Ellen in mid-swing of the kitchen door. Lois adopted an airy manner, hoping to keep her mother from suspecting that something was not quite right. "Hi, Mother! You're looking a little less stressed than earlier." The reason for Lois' diagnosis might not have been immediately obvious as Ellen struggled to balance place- mats, napkins and cutlery precariously in her arms, but her mood certainly seemed brighter as she exchanged greetings with her daughter on her route to the table. The door swung shut behind Lois, but not before a smaller form had slipped adroitly through. Joel hurried closely on his Grandmother's heels, carrying a tall glass bud-vase with two red, blowsy roses drooping from its rim, while his face sported an amazingly goofy grin. On the other hand, Clark reconsidered his conjecture, perhaps Lois wasn't wrong! Where had Joel got these? The uneasy suspicion that his son had raided the late blooming flowers from next door's rose arbour distracted him from his purpose for a moment. With a flourish that would have done justice to a royal page, Joel set the fluted vase on the table. "I'll just put this here, Grandma; just by your place, so you can smell the roses." The smile he bestowed on her was one of Clark's 'hundred mega-watt' variety, and Ellen couldn't refrain from wondering about how many female hearts were going to flutter in the future over that easy charm. "Can I fold the napkins for you, Grandma?" Ellen melted visibly and handed over the bundle as requested -- sometimes Joel could be such a sweet boy. In the doorway Clark cringed uneasily. Oh, boy! Joel was never that well-behaved. That pendant had to go, and the perfect opportunity seemed to be presenting itself to Clark as Ellen moved to the foot of the table. Clark now had a clear view of Ellen's back and he nudged his glasses down his nose and concentrated. The fine chain lay along the neckline of Ellen's cashmere top, skimming close to her bobbed hair. This could prove to be a tricky operation and it needed a very delicate touch. Clark focussed, and a narrow low-powered beam of laser light arrowed through the air towards the golden fastening. "Oh, there you are, Clark! Whatever are you doing hovering in the doorway?" Having the uncomfortable notion that she was being watched, Ellen swung round. "And why are you glaring at me like that? Really, Clark, I might get the impression you didn't like me or something!" Her son-in- law frequently acted weirdly, and today he'd been even stranger than normal. However, she chose to ignore her misgivings and moved towards him -- there was something important she wanted to say. Clark almost jumped through the ceiling at Ellen's unexpected movement -- his stomach was definitely up there. As quickly as his surprise would allow, he shut his laser vision down, but it was already too late. A tiny, but perfectly round hole had appeared in the shoulder of Ellen's new sweater while a wispy tendril of smoke drifted upwards past her ear. Damn! It was still smouldering. Clark risked directing a blast of cold air at the spot as Ellen came nearer and was relieved to see the edges of the hole darken to a dull black. "Clark, come in and shut that door; you're causing a draught!" Ellen shivered slightly in the rush of chilly air but, thankfully, she remained totally unaware of what had really occurred. Clark immediately complied with her instructions while she leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially, "And please ignore what I said earlier. It must have been the stress talking. Joel and Clara aren't so very bad and I really don't want to give up on babysitting my grandchildren." Steeling himself against the traitorous, but now familiar draw at her nearness -- or more precisely, the nearness of that amber drop -- Clark offered Ellen a friendly smile. "I never thought you did, Ellen, and I'm glad. Lois and I would be lost without your help." Then again, sometimes Clark could say just the right thing and his smile was just as disarming as his son's. His actions might frequently leave Ellen completely mystified, and she did wonder on occasion why Lois put up with his many disappearances, but there was no denying his heart was in the right place. "Thank you, Clark." Ellen laid her hand on his arm, returning his affectionate gesture, and was completely unaware that she'd reduced Clark's insides to a pile of melted slush. In the background, Joel watched with his eyes wide. Wow! Mom had been angry at him for throwing the remote through the wall. What would she say to Dad when she found out he'd burned Grandma's new sweater! Lois, meanwhile, was taking advantage of Ellen's absence to explain her ideas about the Papillon amber to Julian and Clara. She would have preferred if Joel had been present to hear this, as he was particularly affected, but he was helping his grandmother and she could see no way of calling him back without alerting Ellen to the fact that something was up. Experience had taught her that Ellen Lane was especially sensitive when it came to others discussing things which she was not party to. Oh well, she'd have to take Joel aside to talk whenever the chance presented itself. It was also clear to Lois, swiftly side-stepping to avoid a fleeing furry bundle, that Nathan was not paying attention to her words as he played a game of tag with next door's cat. The large tabby frequently stopped by to see what delicious tidbits were served for dinner in the Kent household and, since it was a particularly friendly animal, none of the family had the heart to send it home. This night, though, Lois was very doubtful that it would stay around long enough to eat, not deriving quite as much fun from the game as was Nathan. But perhaps it was best that Nathan didn't listen too closely. He might just associate Gramma's jewellery with his own pieces of amber, and Lois wanted time and privacy to explain very carefully to her toddler why he had to give up the marbles. Having to deal with Nathan's tears at this moment, along with everything else, would just be too chaotic. And the others seemed to be taking it all on board fairly sharply. In fact, when she reached the part in her narration about the pendant's effect on Clark -- glossing over the precise details, of course -- Julian jumped right in. "So that's why Joel's been playing goody-two-shoes with Grandma! I thought he was just trying to get back into her good books." A vague picture of passing Joel in the doorway floated into Lois' mind. "Was he carrying roses?" she enquired incredulously. "Yes!" Clara's tone showed what she thought of silly, soppy boys. Clearly Clara hadn't fallen under this peculiar effect of the amber pendant as had her male Kryptonian relatives. Lois viewed her daughter thoughtfully. Perhaps she was too young to be influenced in this way? But then, back on the island, Clara had developed a large crush on Paul Valliere, which had continued in a slightly less intense way on their return to Metropolis. Yet that bout of puppy-love could be perfectly natural, as Paul was a very good-looking boy. So, perhaps Clara wasn't reacting because there was no suitable male available. Mind you, the question of suitability hadn't seemed to hinder Clark. "He pinched them off Mrs Janik's climbing bush." Clara didn't really enjoy telling tales, but if her brother was going to act like a dope, then he deserved everything he got. "Oh, joy! I just hope Mrs Janik didn't spot him!" Mrs Janik was a keen gardener who was very proud of her prize blooms. "Don't worry, Mom. He used super-speed!" Julian comforted, totally oblivious that his words had the opposite effect to what he'd intended. "Great! Joel isn't fast enough to fool the human eye completely and Mrs Janik is always peering from behind her curtains. If she spots something unusual she'll be like a bloodhound on the scent of a trail -- and don't we have enough to worry about at the moment? I've warned Joel, again and again, about using his powers in public! I'm going to have to speak to his father! Let Superman deal with this!" Lois threw a nervous glance towards the swing doors at end of her indiscreet rant. She'd forgotten that Ellen was in the dining room. It was so awkward having to tread warily in her own home and with her own mother. But there was no thunderstruck Ellen standing in the entrance way. Much relieved, Lois returned her attention back to the kids and noticed the smiles on Julian's and Clara's faces. Superman might scare thugs and criminals halfway to death, but his kids were another story, besides Joel's use of the powers and her mother's lack of knowledge about the family secret weren't the immediate problems here. The issue was how to remove Ellen's pendant without her suspecting that it was a deliberate act of sabotage. Both Julian and Clara were quick to offer their support. "Thanks, guys, but I doubt you'll have to do anything. Your dad has probably got the situation well under control. After all, it only needs a quick blast of laser to break the chain. Should be a piece of cake!" But as Ellen returned to the kitchen it was clear to the watchers that the cake had been overcooked... burnt even... while the offending object still gleamed like smooth toffee on Ellen's chest. Plan A had evidently failed, which meant they moved onto plan B! Lois hated when that happened, particularly in this case, since she had no idea what plan B was! Well, it wouldn't be the first time the family had to wing it, and this was such an inconsequential operation. One thing was obvious, though; until that pendant was removed and put in a safe place, Joel had to be warned about its influence. "Mother, the casserole is heating in the microwave." Lois had absentmindedly been seeing to dinner as she chatted to her children. "Could you look after it, please? I've something important to say to Joel...." Ellen's eyebrows rose as she watched Lois disappear abruptly through the swinging doors, while she discovered that she was the object of Julian's and Clara's close inspection. Was it her imagination, or were things just a little bit more odd than usual around here tonight? She had the aggrieved feeling that something was going on which she, as usual, knew nothing about. "Don't mind me, Lois! I'll just get the microwave!" Right on time the contraption started beeping stridently and she hurried over to extract the casserole, just as a large orange tabby charged from under the kitchen counter, chased by a gleeful pyjama-clad toddler. The cat tangled between Ellen's legs, letting out an indignant yowl, while the normally well-bred lady flailed her arms in the air in an unsuccessful attempt to stay erect. With an ungraceful bump, she sat down solidly on the floor. Had she really been so foolish as to tell Clark that she wanted to continue to visit? "Nathan," she hollered, "get that cat out of here!" ***** Dinner was the strangest of affairs. Ellen had been understandably huffy about the cause of her accident, but had allowed herself to be mollified by the fuss everyone had made at her undignified fall. She had been picked gently up from the floor and smoothed down by a solicitous Clark while the others gathered around her. Everyone had been very relieved to find that, apart from some bruised susceptibilities, Ellen was unhurt. Clark had been worried enough to check with his x-ray vision and had been able to confirm that Ellen's somewhat sheepish insistence that she was fine was actually correct. And if Lois was a tad annoyed that Clark had not thought to avail himself of the chance to break the gold chain, she accepted that he'd been too distressed at Ellen's accident to think about sabotage. He was such a boy scout! Nevertheless, it was a fairly subdued Ellen who accompanied the family into the dining room. On the pretext that her mother needed a more comfortable chair, Lois had moved Ellen to the foot of the table, the furthest possible distance away from Clark and Joel. However, though that might have removed the two from close contact with the amber, it did make it more difficult for Clark to use his laser-vision surreptitiously... and Joel too. Lois had no doubt that her son would make some attempt to get rid of the extremely annoying object, even though she'd instructed him to leave it to his father. As dinner progressed the Kents kept up a lively stream of small talk, involving Ellen in all their conversations. Clara had just asked her grandmother's advice on whether she should take ballet or gymnastic lessons. Lois almost choked! Her daughter had never contemplated studying ballet in all her short life -- now, sports were different! But evidently Ellen was not aware of this fact and was now waxing lyrical on one of her favourite subjects -- the virtues of the world of dance. She'd always hoped that her own daughters would share her enthusiasm, but neither had. It would be wonderful if Clara was developing an interest. Lois felt an unexpected surge of sympathy for her mother as she noticed the flare of joy in Ellen's eyes. As a teenager she'd felt totally let down by her mother's dysfunctional behaviour, yet it had never occurred to her, until now, that perhaps she'd been a disappointment to her mother. As the daughter of an alcoholic, she'd felt that she and Lucy had been the injured parties and, even as an adult, she'd never looked beyond the drunken facade to the unhappiness that had undoubtedly prompted the damaging habit. Reflecting on the deep joy and love that she shared with Clark and her children, regret and pity welled up in her heart for the woman who'd never known that same comfort. Ellen Lane deserved better than that and Lois resolved to stop complaining at her mother's efforts to control. Perhaps if she could make Ellen feel more secure in her role in this family, then she'd ease up on her sometimes manipulative ways. Meanwhile, judging that Ellen was sufficiently distracted by her conversation with Clara not to notice his actions, Clark attempted to snap the chain. He would have managed it too, if his assistant superboy had not chosen the same moment for his covert attack on the pendant. Two beams of light darted across the table converging on the same target -- Joel's practice sessions were certainly improving his aim. There was an almost imperceptible fizzling glow as they collided, and, joining forces, they bounced off in a totally different direction. A loud crash interrupted Lois' contemplation of her relationship with her mother. "What was that?!" Lois whirled in her chair and spotted her favourite painting -- the one of the Kents' farmhouse -- lying upended on the floor, a corner of its frame broken away. "Oh my, oh my!" Ellen jumped and her hand settled on her breast where her agitated fingers played with her own particular worry bead. "What a scare! How did that happen?" "Ghosts!" Clark suggested helpfully, and for his trouble he received a dagger-drawn look from his wife. Given their past history in this house, that probably wasn't the cleverest thing to say. "Dad! That was all your fault!" Julian declared accusingly, causing his parents and siblings to turn shocked gazes on him. "You know Mom's been telling you about that faulty picture-hook for weeks now and you haven't done anything about it. It was bound to fall someday." Was it possible for all these pairs of eyes to widen at just the same instant, only this time in admiration? Julian's quick thinking was worthy of a Lois Lane-inspired save. Only Ellen and Nathan seemed unmoved. Nathan was looking intently between the fallen picture and his father and brother, his tiny brow drawn down in concentration as he tried to deduce what had happened. However, Ellen, amazingly, was quickly reassured by Julian's explanation. "Now why doesn't that surprise me? You know Clark, if you spent more time doing jobs around the house instead of running off to return library books, or videos... or any other of these silly excuses you come out with, then your family wouldn't be frightened half to death when pictures mysteriously fall off the wall." That her pronouncement would cause them all to lower their eyes and hide amused smiles was beyond Ellen's comprehension and once again she wondered about the sanity of her daughter's family. She dropped her eyes to her plate and her pendant dropped with a plop into the thick gravy. "What is going on here?" "Mother?!" Lois hadn't noticed Clark use another laser bolt, which this time had, unerringly, found its mark and she was slightly bemused to watch her mother dip her hand into her food and trawl around for a few seconds before drawing out the amber jewel. The tear-shaped droplet, now coated with thick beef stew, was held aloft for everyone's inspection. "Oh, Mother, I'm sorry. Has the catch broken... or something?" Lois felt uncomfortably fraudulent. She was finding it increasingly difficult to lie to her parents, and she made a decision to talk to Clark about telling them the truth about his other identity. "Why Daddy break Gramma's necliss?" Nathan's little voice echoed into complete silence. This time the Kent family froze in unison and the stillness stretched for endless seconds until it was broken by Ellen. "Oh, Nathan, it was an accident! Your Daddy was nowhere near my necklace. He couldn't have broken my necklace, not unless he's Superman." And her laughter trilled out at this impossible notion. Lois blushed in acute discomfort... this foolery couldn't go on, and yet it wasn't her secret. Her head snapped up as she heard a chair scrape back and she watched Clark stand very deliberately. "As a matter of fact, Ellen, I am... Superman!" ***** Lois cradled Nathan a little closer to her chest. It had been a very traumatic and extremely astonishing night, in many ways. And not the least amazing had been Clark's confession. 'I am Superman.' She ought to have been angry that he hadn't consulted her before acting, but then his disclosure hadn't been premeditated. He'd simply arrived, as she had, at the point where he believed it was wrong to continue pretending to Ellen. The strange thing had been that her mother had actually accepted the revelation with uncharacteristic calm. She was exceedingly relieved to have Clark's eccentricities, as she considered them, explained away, while the account of the amber pendant and its effect on male Kryptonians' libido rendered her quite euphoric. The thought that her son-in-law might be having improper thoughts about her had scared her silly... thank goodness it was all due to the impact of that nasty kryptonite and not the fact that Clark was developing unusual sexual proclivities. The conversation that followed had touched on other aspects of the relationship between the Lanes and the Kents, and when Ellen had finally taken her leave, Lois had felt closer to her mother than at any time before. Confession was certainly good for the soul, and she would always be grateful to Clark for being the catalyst which had brought this about. But if her mother's reaction had been easier to deal with than expected, the chat that she and Clark had had with Nathan hadn't gone quite so smoothly. It had begun when the little boy had been informed by his parents that perhaps he'd played with his 'special' toys too many times today. The toddler's tiny mouth had trembled and tears had threatened to flow. After all, he'd been promised that the amber baubles were his alone and he could have them whenever he wanted, and it wasn't as if he'd been bad like his big brother and sister... he just played quietly with his treasures. Both Lois and Clark were quick to realise that Nathan hadn't connected his amber with the bad things his Gramma's pendant did, and to be honest, they were totally different in colour. Watching the disappointment on Nathan's face, it was very tempting to forgo the explanation and just take the marbles when he was sleeping. Now, as the soft-skinned eyelids fluttered slowly closed and, with a few tearful whimpers, Nathan drifted off to sleep, Lois was glad that they hadn't chosen that option. Neither Lois nor Clark had, in the end, found themselves able to lie to their little boy, and so they'd continued to explain, as gently as they could, that Superman needed his precious toys for a little experiment that Uncle Bernie wanted to do. Nathan wasn't totally happy with this state of affairs, but he did allow his dad to take his toys away for the time being -- after all, Uncle Bernie wouldn't find out anything bad about his pretty marbles... would he? When Lois was fully convinced that her youngest son had settled down for the night, she laid him carefully in his bed and drew the covers up around his shoulders. Gently she dropped a kiss on his brow and couldn't resist smoothing back his downy chestnut hair -- Nathan's colouring was the closest to her own. Lois stood for a few moments to be sure that he wouldn't stir, then leaving the nightlight glowing low, she hurried downstairs, making a beeline for the phone. But here she unexpectedly halted. Clark had left some time ago, forgoing super-powered travel for conventional means, since he'd offered to drive her mother home before heading over to Star Labs and Bernie Klein's laboratory. While Ellen Lane might be perfectly sanguine that her son-in-law moonlighted in tights, she was not yet prepared for a night flight through the city skies, cradled in those spandex- clad arms. Although anxious to know just what was going on, Lois realised that there probably hadn't been enough time for Bernie to study the amber pieces and come to any conclusions. Nevertheless, she could talk to Clark while he waited for the verdict. He was pretty stressed out about the whole thing and he would very likely appreciate her support... even if it was by phone. Her hand hovered over the handset. Then again, perhaps her call would just increase the pressure. She should wait a little longer. No! Who was she kidding? She was just as worried about the results and she couldn't restrain her eager curiosity any longer. "Mom, why don't you just pick up the phone and dial? You know you want to!" Joel's voice interrupted her indecision and she turned to find her three eldest children sitting in a row on the couch, regarding her with serious but apologetic gazes. "If it makes you feel better, we'd like a few answers too!" Julian added. "It'd be really good to know that these two aren't acting like a couple of goons for nothing." "Hey, quit calling me a goon!" Clara elbowed her brother in the ribs and he answered with an exaggerated 'ouch!', but Julian was only funning -- the nudge hadn't hurt. Without the influence of the amber, Clara and Joel were behaving like 'normal' unruly children. Lois surveyed her kids with a mixture of disapproval and friendly conspiracy. "You know, you lot ought to be heading for bed. You've got school tomorrow, and you'll all complain if you have to get up feeling sleepy-headed. That's something your dad and I could do without." "Mom, it isn't that late! And you can't expect us to go to sleep when we still don't know if we've been poisoned by kryptonite!" Clara said dramatically and Lois tried to suppress a smile. Her daughter could be a real little drama queen when the need arose. "Clara, I wouldn't call it poisoning, exactly! It hasn't made you physically sick, and we don't know if it's kryptonite yet." "But it has made us act weird, Mom," Joel reminded persuasively. "And, we know you're worried about Dad too." "Okay! I'll phone! But I doubt Uncle Bernie will have anything concrete for us yet." Lois started to dial Klein's personal number at the Lab. "But if this is going to take a while, you're not waiting up." "Mom!" The three kids voiced their dismay in chorus but soon fell silent. This was Mom they were dealing with and they all realised that once their mother had made up her mind, she just wasn't for changing... now with Dad they might have stood a chance.... Dad could be a pushover at times. Unless you really made him mad, then, with just one of his looks, he reminded you that Dad was also Superman -- the guy who destroyed asteroids, dealt with earthquakes and volcanoes and, on a regular basis, faced up to the worst the criminal fraternity had to offer. That's when you realised that Dad really wasn't a pussycat. Deciding that they'd better not push their luck, the siblings lapsed into silence and waited expectantly for someone to answer Mom's call. ***** Chapter Four To Be K... Or not to Be Clark paced around the room of Dr Klein's office, every so often throwing worried glances through the glass at his doctor and friend. Bernie and he had been through a lot together, and, if it weren't for this man, Clark might not be alive today. And, when you took into account how Beth Klein had so readily and competently become his children's pediatrician, saving Clara's life even before she was born, Lois and he had a lot to thank the Kleins for. Now he was back with yet another problem. It seemed to Clark that life never tired of throwing trouble in their way -- and all he'd ever wanted was a normal life; to have a wife he loved and a few kids to raise. Well, he had these things... he just wished sometimes that he had the peace and quiet to enjoy them. Bernie looked up as he took the samples from the containment chamber. He caught Clark's eye and smiled. "Just checking you were safe behind the protective glass before I exposed these things." The offending objects were held aloft and the laboratory lights caught their glow, sending amber darts of light glinting through the air. "They sure are pretty! It's hard to believe that they could have a detrimental effect. Speaking of which, you told me they made Clara and Joel argumentative and hyper, but you never mentioned what it did to you. It couldn't have been anything similar, because I don't remember any posts about an out-of-control Superman and that, I'm pretty certain, would have been a front page story...." Bernie stroked his chin as he tried to recall the newscasts of the last few days. "Bernie, did anyone ever tell you that you babble almost as much as my wife?" The tall scientist looked somewhat hurt. "Lois and I don't babble! We just surmise vocally, and it's not our fault if other, lesser mortals can't follow our thought processes!" "Did Lois and you get together to come up with that one?" The two men exchanged comfortable grins, but Bernie wasn't about to be put off. He sensed a bit of intrigue and he was hot on the trail. "But don't think you can change the subject.... Just what did these rocks do to you that has you looking like an embarrassed teenager?" "Trust me, Bernie, you don't want to know. Let me just say that it's a good job that Beth wasn't here or you might have had a front row seat at me making a total ass of myself." The shrill ringing of the phone interrupted Clark's mortified explanation. He snatched at the handset, his preoccupation making him sound more curt than was normal. "Dr Klein's office! He's in the lab at the moment. Can I take a message?" "Hi, honey! It's me. The kids and I were just wondering how things were going." "Oh, hi, sweetheart! We don't have anything definitive yet. Bernie's still working on the samples." "If that's Lois, tell her it'll take about another half hour!" Bernie raised his voice to call through the glass. "It'll be about another half hour, honey!" "Yes, so I heard. And that's without the use of superpowers -- who needs them when Bernie's around?" "True, Lois! And I'm just in the next office. My ears are still ringing." "How are you holding up?" Lois sensed that this latest exposure to the remnants of his home planet had hit him hard. Clark was essentially a very private and conservatively moral man. It was true that he'd travelled the world and experienced life in many cultures; he had a wife with whom he enjoyed a very full and satisfying sex life and he had four kids to guide and protect through the stormy seas of growing up. He was not naive! Yet, for all that, Clark, in many ways, was still the ingenuous farmboy. Clark never indulged in the 'nudge and wink' behaviour at some sexy, shapely female as he drooled over what he'd like to do in private with such a tantalising body. So to suddenly find himself acting in this totally unexpected and abhorrent manner must have shocked him to the core. Men such as Ralph, their colleague at the Planet, would no doubt laugh at Clark's discomfiture, but Lois found it admirable... and sweet. "Okay, I guess!" His voice, however, let her know that he was anything but okay. "Lois, do you seriously think that these... stones or whatever they are could have made me act like a sex-starved... mongrel. Maybe I'm just going through a mid-life crisis or something." "Clark, think about it! If you'd suddenly changed into Lothario, don't you believe you'd have gone for someone who fit the profile of a 'bit on the side' more appropriately than my mother? I mean, there's any number of young, pretty women at the office who are always making doe-eyes at you...." "Lois, there are not!" "Don't argue with me, Clark, because yes, there are, and the very fact that you don't even notice them proves my point. The only difference between them and my mother is the fact that they aren't wearing amber pendants.... Well, actually, there are lots of other differences, specifically years... many years, but that only reinforces my theory." "I suppose you could be right," Clark admitted reluctantly. "Clark, the more I think about it, the more sure I am, and Bernie's test will confirm it." "So what do we do then?" "Then we get rid of the stuff, of course. Put it in a lead box and fly it into the sun." "I expect your mother will be quite happy to get a replacement." "While we're on the subject of my mother -- that brings up another point! You gave me quite a surprise, Clark, with the 'I am Superman' bit!" "A bit of a shock, huh? I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to warn you, but it just seemed the right time to tell her," Clark admitted, feeling slightly abashed. "But I should have discussed it with you first. It's as much your secret as mine, and I know how much you hate not be consulted." There was a few seconds of silence. "How mad are you?" "Surprisingly, not an awful lot!" Lois smiled into the phone. "I must be getting soft in my 'middle-age'." Clark could sense her grin widening at that remark. "To be honest, I'd already come to the conclusion that I hated hiding the secret from her. But don't take this benign attitude as a sign you can leave me out of the decision making in the future," she added with a touch of her old assertiveness. "I wouldn't dare, honey," Clark said feelingly with an almost audible sigh of relief. He'd pushed his luck already with Lois tonight, and he couldn't believe she was willing to forgive him another transgression so easily. Perhaps she was just tired. "And as for a replacement pendant -- Clark, you might not have noticed, but Mother was so happy to be told the truth that she won't care about that, and Nathan will come to accept that his marbles had to go. If we tell him they were definitely hurting you, he'll soon find something else to take their place. Mind you, that still leaves Hazel Chen's piece and, no doubt, Tulla Valliere has sold other amber jewellery to tourists.... Maybe we could...." "Lois, no! Before you suggest it, we are not becoming international jewel thieves! That would really look good in headlines if it ever got out -- 'Superman turns kleptomaniac!'" The voice from the other end of the phone sounded reasonable but aggrieved. "Clark, I was only going to suggest that we keep our eyes open and that we stay alert for any changes in your and the children's behaviour patterns." Clark, on the other hand, wasn't fooled. "Uh-huh! I know you, Lois! The next time we spot any amber you'll be itching to get your hands on it so we can get rid of it." "That's silly, Clark! The chances of our running into any more of the kryptonian type of amber are really very rare. Especially, since there won't be any new pieces on the market. There isn't very much left of Papillon that isn't just volcanic rock." "Okay, honey! Just as long as you don't intend cornering the market in amber jewellery...." The door between lab and office opened and Bernie strolled through. "You know, Clark, these things are really very interesting...." Clark tensed, shooting up from the desk he'd come to rest on as he concentrated on his conversation with Lois. Bernie's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Come on, Clark! I stopped forgetting about accidentally exposing you to kryptonite years ago!" And he waved the small lead chest in the air to illustrate his point. "Sorry!" Clark said with a sheepish grin. "Then these little baubles are kryptonite?" "Oh yes!" Bernie sat down behind the desk and powered up his computer to type in his latest report. "But they're not a new sort." He concentrated for a moment on putting in his various passwords once the machine had booted up. He frequently updated his encryption codes, as these files were highly sensitive and could do untold harm to this man, who stood anxiously before him, and his family, should the information ever become public knowledge. Fortunately, Star Labs' security systems, both physical and virtual, were extremely effective, but it did no harm to add a little of his own expertise. Meanwhile, Clark waited for the doctor to elaborate on his last statement, but as Bernie seemed engrossed in his task, he ploughed on a little sulkily. "Believe me, Bernard, I've never seen amber kryptonite before... and I think I'd remember it if I had!" "Oh, I'm sure I agree!" A slightly quizzical look was directed at Clark, which cleared as soon as Bernie realised he'd once again been distracted from his initial task of explaining the origins of this latest manifestation of the toxic rock. "Back to the point! They aren't amber! They're a meld of red and green kryptonite!" "What?!" "You probably noticed that the stones aren't exactly the same colour," and, at Clark's nod of affirmation, Bernie continued, "That's caused by the differing amounts of the two types. The marbles, which are a yellowy amber, have more green than red in them and the deeper amber pendant is mostly red with just a small proportion of green." "Well, that would certainly explain why I was injured when we climbed Solvan. I was carrying Nathan and he had the marbles in his pockets. I can remember them sticking into my back. No wonder I went down in the rock fall!" "Sounds to me you were lucky not to have been killed." The computer pinged as a new window opened, recalling Bernie's attention to the updating of his files. He commented with vague concern, "That island just isn't a good place for you or the kids to be. Take my advice and don't go back!" "Bernie, I don't intend to, but I couldn't anyway. Papillon isn't much more than a heap of cooling lava." "Sorry!" Bernie was mortified -- he often became so involved in his work that other matters slipped his mind. "I'd forgotten for a moment! It's a great pity for the islanders, but it's probably a good thing for us... since it has to be a source of kryptonite." "Clark!" A disembodied, slightly frustrated voice came down the phone line, reminding Clark that he was still cradling the handset of the phone beneath his chin. "Honey, did you hear that?" "If you mean that the amber is really a mix of red and green kryptonite, then the answer is yes. Could you please ask Bernard how that could have happened!" Trust Lois to cut straight to the chase. He was still getting over the shock, while Lois had moved onto the why and wherefore. Hearing Lois' voice, Bernie's head snapped up and his first reaction was to look towards the door, expecting to see the other half of the team, until he noticed Clark pointing towards the phone in his hand. "Oh, yes. Hi, Lois!" The scientist leaned up in his chair and raised his voice in an attempt to be heard in the Hyperion townhouse. "I heard you! I'll just switch the phone to conference mode. Then we can all hear comfortably." At the other end of the phone, Lois grimaced -- Bernie really didn't need conference mode. "Thanks, Bernie!" With her hearing still recovering, Lois wasn't sure that comfortable was the correct description, but she was willing to forgo the argument in favour of the more urgent topic. "I thought that kryptonite was pretty indestructible." Of course, there was the first piece they'd ever encountered when they'd met Jason Trask, and it had certainly disintegrated when it came in contact with the rock in the middle of the Kents' farm pond, but none of the other specimens had been so obliging. Bernard had since assumed that the original crystal had already been unstable, though not being able to examine it, he couldn't really say if that was so or give a reason for its strange end. Most of the others that they'd managed to gather up were still locked securely in the vaults in Star Labs. "You're right, Lois. But I believe that the fusion took place inside the volcano." "Bernie, I saw the bits of kryptonite that came out of the volcano -- I even flew some of them back here for analysis -- and they looked like cinders." "Yes, the burnt pieces were most likely blown out of the maw of Solvan during the eruptions. But these others have spent a long time inside the belly of the mountain, melting and melding together. Over the years they've been spewed up and, once outside, they've cooled down and formed into the smooth glassy globules that look exactly like amber crystals. It was a very easy mistake to make -- I mean, who would suspect kryptonite, unless you were a member of this family?" "And it all depends on how much of each colour is in the pieces as to their effect." Clark was looking decidedly upset. "So much for the theory that the one cancels out the other." "Clark, I think we disproved that hypothesis a long time ago when Diana Stride managed to transfuse you with kryptonite. It works to a certain extent, but believe me, kryptonite exposure of any kind is not good for your health!" "You're preaching to the converted, Doc. Just make sure that these latest acquisitions are kept locked up." "They'll go straight in the vault along with the others," Bernie was quick to reassure him, as he started to shut down his computer again. "I'll do that right now, before I go off home. But will you look at the time! I have a wife who's waiting for me, and I'm sure you and Lois have a lot to talk about. I can update my files from home. Wait till Beth hears this... she's never going to believe it... an amalgam of kryptonite. Who would have thought it. You do know that she's going to want the kids over for a medical examination, just to make sure they haven't been hurt in any way." "I hear you, Bernie, and I'll phone Beth tomorrow to make appointments for Joel and Clara," Lois announced to a duet of disapproving groans. "Speaking of which, shouldn't Clark also have a checkup?" "Lo-is!" The latest growl was more adult; Clark hated medicals. He was Superman: he was supposed to be invulnerable. So why did he spend a lot more time than he wanted to being poked and prodded by Bernie Klein? His long-dead planet had a lot to answer for! Bernie offered him a commiserating grin; he had long since come to understand Clark's abhorrence of anything remotely surgical. It had something to do with an old phobia of frogs, laboratories and dissection. The two old friends switched off the lights and locked up the lab. They stopped off at the basement vaults on the way out and safely deposited the latest specimens, then, strolling out to the carpark, they said their goodbyes and went to join their respective wives. ***** When Clark unlocked the door and let himself into his home, he was met by a still slightly concerned Lois. She'd relayed the results of the tests to her children, then packed them off to bed with the assurance that these specimens would be kept secure in Uncle Bernie's vaults and well away from Joel and Clara. Lois had also made it clear that she thought it highly likely the two would now return to their normal personalities, and woe betide them if they continued to upset the household with undue temper tantrums. It had been a somewhat subdued and tired brood that ascended the stairs to bed. Lois stepped into her husband's arms and hugged him consolingly. "By the way, I phoned Mia to ask if there had been many pieces of amber jewellery sold to the public, and thankfully it seems the amber was very rare. Tula was really surprised when Nathan found those marbles. She told Mia she'd rarely seen such perfect specimens -- nor ones of quite that pale yellow colour." "Well, that's a relief -- they're the most dangerous ones. Because they have such a high content of green, they were able to weaken me physically. Yet, due to the combination, it was never enough to alert me to the fact that they actually were kryptonite." Lois nodded her head in sage agreement. "You know, they might be the reason why you've been finding your Superman duties more taxing lately." "Lois, I haven't!" But Superman couldn't be economical with the truth, especially with his wife. At her penetrating stare, he admitted grudgingly, "Okay, you might have a point. I have been feeling a few degrees off.... But I've been pretty busy in both my jobs over the past weeks," he added in his defence. "Honey, I'm not complaining. You've every right to get as stressed as the next guy when life is so hectic, and if you've been unwittingly exposed to kryptonite all this time, I'm not surprised you've been feeling low. Thank goodness it's locked away now!" She tightened her grip around her husband's waist and laid her head against his shoulder, her breath tantalising Clark's skin through the open collar of his shirt as she continued to speak. "And, as there have only been a few pendants and bracelets made over the years, it's highly unlikely that you'll come into contact with the redder variety again, either. Didn't I tell you it was all the fault of these horrid rocks? I just knew you couldn't be a reincarnation of Casanova." Grateful for his wife's reassurances and teased past endurance by her soft breath, Clark proceeded to challenge Lois' theory by demonstrating just how adept a lover he was. Placing a gentle hand beneath her chin, he raised her face to his and kissed her sweetly and very thoroughly. Long moments later, Lois rose for air. "On the other hand, you do kiss remarkably well, Clark Kent. And they say that 'practice makes perfect'." "I'm glad you think so, Lois Lane, and I'm all for practising." Clark began to lead Lois quickly round the room, switching off lights as he went, until he returned them to the foot of the stairs, where he lifted her effortlessly into his arms. "How about an intensive workout session now?" And he planted another exploratory kiss on her smiling mouth. When he finally released her lips, she found they'd arrived at the door to their bedroom. She hadn't even realised they'd been floating. Clark blew the door open with a small puff of super-breath, and Lois soon found herself reclining in the centre of their bed, as the door quietly closed behind them. "You know, Clark, there's always one final test we could make," she purred suggestively. "Perhaps, I should wear the pendant... see what sort of effect that would have." Clark moaned huskily and his eyes drifted shut at the thought of Lois wearing just that pendant. A dreamy smile lifted the corners of his lips and he opened his eyes to look down at the sultry temptress who occupied his bed. "Lois, somehow I don't think I could handle you and the amber kryptonite...." Clark stretched out alongside Lois on the bed. "I doubt I'd ever survive. Don't you know, honey, that you have a much stronger effect than kryptonite?" A sexy laugh was his only answer as she dragged his head down to hers once more, but their practice session was destined never to happen as, within seconds, Clark's head twisted. He was listening to something far outside Lois' hearing. She collapsed back onto the bed in resignation. "What's happening now? What do you hear?" Lois couldn't keep the frustration from sounding in her voice. This seemed to be happening so often these days. "I'm sorry, honey!" Clark's tone was no less edgy than his wife's, proving that he too was torn. Minutes passed as he listened to the urgent report. "It's a gas explosion... a pretty big one too. Ordinarily I'd leave it to the emergency services, but gas leaks are pretty volatile; there'll be fires, even a risk of more explosions. And it's in a nursing home -- the residents are old and sick; they're going to need help to evacuate. I can't not go, Lois!" Tomorrow's banner headlines drifted before Lois' eyes. 'Old folks left to die by Superhero'. The citizens of Metropolis would not be happy with their guardian angel. But that wasn't Lois' biggest concern. She knew exactly how upset Clark would be if people died or were injured just because he was otherwise occupied. He'd never forgive himself for turning his back when he knew he was needed. It had taken a long time and intensive persuasion to convince Clark that he couldn't save everyone, couldn't be everywhere at once. He was only a man, an extraordinary man, perhaps, but sometimes he was just too late. Sometimes he failed. And, though it was hard, he had to accept that he could only do his best and not over obsess about what he couldn't achieve. When Lois and Clark had first been married, they'd quickly realised that once Clark was overtaken by passion, his hearing became attuned totally to Lois and he didn't hear cries for help or emergency calls. It had caused a slight hiccup in their happy sexual explorations, when, for the first time, Clark had missed a request by the emergency services for his aid. Because of his non-appearance, people had died. Not surprisingly, the dejected superhero had taken these tragic deaths to his heart. For a considerable period of time, their love life had been sporadic, and not exactly enthusiastic when it did occur. Lois had tried to reason with her troubled and increasingly frustrated husband, stating that even Superman deserved some quality time to indulge himself, and that all work and no play led to a dull, disheartened and unfocused superhero. Yet, it wasn't until he'd misjudged one of his rescues that he'd been prepared to accept Lois' stricture. Fortunately, it hadn't been a life threatening situation and he'd been able to learn an important life lesson before someone, and therefore himself, was seriously hurt. Slowly, Clark came to accept that he'd chosen to be married and that his wife deserved all the attention he could give her. If his super senses shut down while he was making love with his wife, then that was the way things were, and his compulsive worrying neither changed nor improved the situation. Then, most unexpectedly, his children had come along, and these innocent little persons needed all the love and care he had in his heart to give... and Clark Kent had so much love to give. Almost, without conscious thought, he reduced his Superman activities, leaving the more mundane emergencies to be dealt with by the respective services. And, for most of the intervening years, that had, more or less, been the status quo. But Superman would always respond to a life-or-death situation; that would never change, and he'd heard this particular call just before he'd lost his senses in Lois' embrace. With an abject apology, he spun into his suit and, tugging it in an effort to make it more comfortable in one particular place, flew out of the window. Watching the curtains hover in the resulting breeze, Lois sighed then, with difficulty, stifled a louder groan of vexation. If Clark wasn't totally concentrated on the coming rescue by now, there was a small chance that he might overhear the evidence of her irritation. She always tried to be positive about her husband's extra-curricular activities, but lately, it seemed his other job was frequently creating havoc with their sex life. They hadn't made love for over a couple of weeks and in Lois' opinion, that was far too long. Well, at least one problem had been solved tonight -- no, make that two. Her mother now knew that Clark masqueraded in tights, and had taken the revelation remarkably well, considering Ellen's usual paranoia. Even when Lois had phoned her later to enquire how she was coping with the information, Ellen had seemed unexpectedly calm about the whole thing, though she had informed her daughter that she herself would tell Sam Lane the secret, and that she would decide when that should be. Now that was more like her mother. Lois had the distinct impression that Ellen was enjoying being in on a confidence that her husband, who'd often kept his own counsel, wasn't aware of. It would do Ellen Lane good to feel, for once, that she had control over her somewhat controlling husband, and Lois was more or less agreeable to going along with her mother in this instance - - as long as Ellen remembered to be careful how and where she chose to make the revelation. Yet, when she'd mentioned this particular concern, Ellen had been very aggrieved that Lois even considered her foolish enough to talk in public about a matter that concerned the lives of her family. Satisfied that she'd made her point, Lois had readily let the matter drop, and they'd talked for a few minutes more before saying goodnight on remarkably friendly terms. She'd have to remember to tell Clark about her mother's stipulation, though. Best of all, the explanation for her children's and her husband's errant behaviour had been discovered. Lois was extremely relieved to learn that all had been caused by an outside source. It had worried her that her two normally good-natured children had started acting like juvenile delinquents, and Clark's mild promiscuity, especially over Hazel Chen, had hurt and annoyed her more than she was willing to admit. In a strange way, it had been a bit of a relief when he'd revealed he was having similar feelings for her mother... it was just too absurd to be true. And it had led her to consider that something else was at fault. Now, hopefully, the chapter of the amber kryptonite and its influence on the Kryptonian Kents could be closed. With that thought in mind, Lois tried to ignore the unsatisfied yearnings of her body and composed herself for sleep in her unpleasantly empty bed. ***** Dawn had broken over the uneven skyline of Metropolis when Clark lifted the covers and slid in between the cool, crisp sheets, trying not to awaken his sleeping wife. His attempts, however, were unsuccessful and, if the truth were told, he was not unhappy to see Lois open her drowsy eyes. For long moments she regarded him in silence, her hand stealing upwards to push his damp hair back from his forehead. "You've had a shower." It was more of a statement than a question as she leant nearer to smell the smooth clean skin of his chest. "I needed one!" "I think you need more than a shower. I think you need a hug!" And Lois quickly demonstrated how eagerly she enjoyed ministering to his needs, pulling an unresisting Clark closer as he snuggled his face against her hair. "Was it very bad?" she asked after some quiet time. "The explosion happened in the kitchen of the home. There were a couple of bedrooms on the floor above. The patients didn't stand a chance -- they must have been killed outright...." "So there was nothing you could have done for them," she reminded with compassion. Clark shrugged. "Nothing anyone could have done for them! Except given them a better place to live!" That was said in clipped accents, and Lois recognised that there was something else on his mind, which Clark wasn't prepared to discuss for now. "Were there any more fatalities?" she asked kindly, willing to go along with him for the present. She could probe deeper at a later date. "A few!" Again there was silence. Clark composed himself and continued, knowing that it helped to get it all out. "I tamped down the fires with my super-breath, but the home was heated by these gas tanks and the gas kept escaping and igniting other fires... and threatening to explode again. I had to deal with that! Make it safe for the fire crews and the other residents. I got to the trapped patients as quickly as I could, but a couple had died from smoke inhalation. The paramedics are expecting that more of them won't make it.... They're too old, you see." "Oh, sweetheart!" Lois made no other comment, but just wrapped her arms around him more tightly and stroked his hair, rubbing up and down his back with gentle strokes. Finally, Clark spoke again, only there was a building anger in his voice. "I'm not sure, but I think it might have been arson!" Lois' hands grew very still. She was aware that they were broaching the heart of what troubled Clark, and her reporter's instincts sprang alert. "What makes you say that, honey?" "I can't say for certain, there was so much damage, but I found the remains of what might have been an incendiary device amongst the rubble of the gas tank that was the first to explode. I handed it over to the fire chief for investigation.... We have to check on that later today." "Later! Much later!" she agreed, her hands resuming their comforting movements on his skin. "The investigation team probably won't have anything for us for a while anyway, and you need to get some sleep." Lois raised a finger to his lips to still his protest. "Even Superman needs to rest for a couple of hours. I'll tell Per