Relationships ...

By Bhavani Rao

Summary: Lois, Clark, Lucy and Jimmy venture through the jungles
of their respective relationships. And Lois and Clark go grocery
shopping and cook Italian together.

[This is before the Band story] At the Planet, Lois and Clark had
just wrapped up a big story.

***

"Good work you two," Perry said as he headed for the elevator.

"Hey, what time is it?" Lois had forgotten her watch.

"Around eight I'd say. We're actually getting out early! How
about dinner?"

"What?"

"Dinner - the meal after lunch but way before breakfast,"
grinning that all too famous Kent grin.

"Ha, ha, ha! I meant, what do you want to have? I am not in the
mood for Chinese, tired of Pizza ... "

"How about Lane and Kent?"

"Huh?"

"We can cook ... "

"Well, yeah, I suppose. OK, we'll go to my place. It's closer.
Besides, I can go shopping for groceries on the way. Ready? "

"Yup!"

As Clark helped Lois with her stuff, Jimmy flew by muttering
angrily to himself. Before either of them could say anything, he
locked himself in the darkroom.

"Wonder what happened?"

"Well, here's a thought. He's dating my sister. And I'm also
positive that he muttered the word 'relationships'. Adding the
two together, that means, they had a fight or she was just being
Lucy."

"Lane," Clark added.

"Ha, ha, ha! Come on. We have shopping to do."

He smiled to himself. That sounded nice. "We have shopping to
do," he echoed.

"What?" Getting onto the elevator.

"Nothing, just wondering what must be running through Jimmy's
head."

"Well, we'll find out sooner or later. Bet you Lucy will call."

"A Lane call for help? Nahhhh "

"OK - your on. five bucks says she calls by the middle of
dinner."

"Well, knowing what I know about Lane women, I'll take that
bet."

"Don't get so smug. You don't know Lane women that well."

They got off the elevator and headed for Lois's jeep.

Back at the Planet, Jimmy had locked himself in the darkroom
where he had began to develop the last few roles of pictures of
her he had taken. He missed her, but, God! She was so pig headed
at times. As he hung her picture with the rest of them, he
realized why he loved her so. She was his escape from reality.
She took him to heaven and back. True, she was pig headed. True,
she drove him wild, but that's what made her Lucy and that's why
he headed out in the storm to make it up to her.

Lucy was no better. Why had she had to bring up the jacket? It
was not that bad! She had cried for hours alone. All she wanted
was to always have him in her life. The stupid fight!
Relationships weren't her thing. She decided to go to Lois's.
Relationship weren't her thing either - but, at least she wasn't
going to be alone.

Back in the Lois's Jeep "So, what do we want to make?"

"I feel Italian."

She threw him a look.

"Italian food, Lois ... "

"Fine. One of the things I can actually make."

"It's not like you're doing it alone, you know."

"Oh, well, yeah ... " that was right. Lois thought of most of the
other times she had cooked for a man. She cooked. But with Clark,
she knew he would help.

"Earth to Lois ... " She was on a voyage and he tried to flag her
in. " I wonder what she was thinking about."

Dazed, "Huh?"

"We're here."

"Right."

They parked the car as close to the entrance as they could- but
not before Lois had insulted three or four other drivers. Lois
would always be Lois - and that's just what he wanted her to be.

"No lecture on patience?" As they exited the car.

"No, Lois, I have given up." He grabbed a cart.

"What are you saying? That I'm incorrigible?"

"No - No ... I'm not."

"Oh."

As they entered, they headed for the bread aisle.

"Clark, you better get a loaf - and orange juice."

"Why?"

"Well, you have six slices - wait, four. Sorry - I ate two this
morning waiting for you."

"Lois - Me casa es Su casa." He smiled to himself. She remembered
what was in his house. He was still pushing the cart with her
walking in front of it.

"Sweet, Kent - but you still need a loaf of bread - Oh, here -
ready made garlic bread for dinner tonight. What's next?" She
stopped and placed her heels on the cart. She was searching for
something.

Before he could say anything, someone had bummed into him,
pushing the cart forward - making Lois fall backward into the
cart.

He came up to help her out.

She sat there for a second - pondering how to yell at Clark. Then
he was standing in front of her- with the look of ' Go ahead.
Give it to me'. She just smirked. "Push ... "

"Excuse me?"

"The cart."

"And I suppose that you are going to stay in the cart?"

She held her hand out. He helped her, but she stopped at the edge
of the cart, tipping it up slightly. "Yes - and you can push me
around."

"For a change," he tried to say under his breath.

"I heard that, Clark Kent!"

He smiled as they went to the pasta aisle.

"Hey, here's a thought. Let's pick up some pasta," she had this
goofy smile.

"You're in good a mood, aren't you?"

"And you have a problem with the good moods?" she said as she
turned her head around to see him.

" No, Lois, not since I'm doing the pushing."

"Cute, Kent. Right?" "Yeah - Lois, why don't we make our own
sauce?"

"And make the headlines?"

"Huh?"

"I see it all now, Clark - in 14 point, 'Lane and Kent- possible
Pulitzer Prize winners - dead of starvation.'

"It won't take that long - I promise."

"Fine - what do we need?" Lois smiled. That meant he was going to
be over for a good long time.

"The produce aisle - did you get the cheese?" He saw her take a
bottle. "Forget that." He wheeled her over to fresh produce.
"Tomatoes - big, red, ripe, round, firm.."

"Clark, I get the idea."

He grinned at her. "Fine - I'll get the onions." He helped her
out of the cart.

"Next?" She threw the tomatoes into the cart.

"Well - olive oil, basil and garlic - olive oil is in the next
aisle."

"I'll go get the olive oil ... "

"OK ... I'll finish up here."

"Ice cream?"

"Lois, sauce does not need ... "

"For dessert, wise guy!"

"I'm in the mood for cake ... " he said as he leaned on his
elbows.

"Chocolate!" they said in chorus. They stood in shock. It was
funny. They both knew what the other was going to say.

Lois smiled at Clark as she passed by him to get the oil ... and
the dessert.

Back in the fresh produce department, Clark picked up the rest of
the items needed as he thought about how things where changing.
Lois was so much more than just someone he had fallen in love
with. In the past, he had liked girls - Lana and Ruby and others,
but, Lois - she was - Lois! It was like her name was the key to
his heart. Those big brown eyes looking up at him - that nose
that crunched at him - and that smile that he could not resist.
There were days he wanted to stay mad at her- but no- she had to
smile at him. He melted -end of story. He waited for her to
return as he looked at the tomatoes she had picked. "We might
need more," as he headed over to the tomatoes.

The olive oil was easy. It was dessert that was hard. There was
just chocolate cake. Then there was coconut chocolate cake. Let's
not forget chocolate ribbon cake. She knelt down to take a better
look at the chocolate chocolate cake.

"Baby, come on and light my fire!" She heard from in back of
her.

At first she thought, "Nah, it couldn't be for me" as she went
back to the cakes.

"Hey! What? Can't you hear me-- Charley, let's help the little
lady hear me ... " Before she could turn, Charley - a big man and
his buddy had Lois's back to the wall.

"So, little lady - now that you can hear me ... want to ... light
my fire?"

"Well, Mr. ... "

"Fred Kank ... Call me Freddy."

"Call you Freddy? I've got a couple of other names for you!" Lois
thought, but she said instead, "Mr. Kank - there are matches on
the next aisle. You can light it yourself," Then she pushed him
aside.

Fred didn't seem to like no for an answer. He pushed Lois back up
against the wall of cakes. "Look, honey, I'm really sweet on long
legged females."

"So am I!" came a voice from in back of Fred. Lois looked up. It
was ... CLARK!

"Look mister, I wasn't a talking to you," without turning to
acknowledge Clark.

"But I was talking to you," Clark said as he turned Fred around,
holding him by his shirt.

"Charley - explain to our friend here that I wasn't talking to
him "

As Charley went to hit Clark, he ducked and Charley hit Fred and
knocked him out cold. This made Charley even madder. Clark had
moved to the wall of cakes. Charley came at him head first - but,
just as quickly, Clark moved. Charley and the wall met. Poor
Charley was out cold, too.

Clark checked to see if both of them were alright "Fine. Just out
cold."

The store manager assured Clark he would take care of them.

Lois was just stunned and a bit dazed as well. Clark picked out a
cake and put it in the cart. He turned the cart to point at Lois.
"Need a lift?"

She just nodded her head, still hugging the tin of olive oil. She
leaned on the cart as he pushed her to the cashier.

After paying for everything, they begin to carry the bags to the
car.

"Wait!" She grabbed Clark's arm with her free hand.

"Did you forget something?"

"Yeah - Thanks!" She said as she leaned over and pecked him on
the cheek. She kept walking.

He couldn't help glowing. That felt good. He was her hero. Not
Superman. That was great!

As she walked forward, she smiled to herself. "So! He likes my
long legs, does he? If only he knew what I could do with him and
them!' She opened the back of the jeep.

He helped pile the groceries into the back and they were off.
Most of the ride was spent just listening to the radio and
watching the rain that had just started to fall again. It had
been raining all night in fits and bursts. As they got on the
elevator to her apartment, they started to discuss Perry's
birthday that was coming up soon.

"I ran into Alice the other day," Lois had started, "I thought
she'd know best what to get him."

"What did she say?"

"Anything with Elvis on it would be fine."

They both started to laugh. They got to her apartment when she
started to fumble for her keys.

"Lois - why can't you always put them in one place?"

"Are you saying I'm disorganized?"

"Well, you are - a bit. Lois - every day, you look for your keys,
beeper, change ... And they're in a different place each day!"

"And your point is?" She asked as she took her keys out and began
to open the door.

"Forget it ... "

"Like I really was listening in the first place."

They got in and started to unpack the grocery bags.

"So, what do we do first?"

"well, cut up the tomatoes first."

"Cutting board ... "

"Wow! You actually have one?"

"Keep it up, Clark, keep it up!" She said as she waved the knife
in front of his face.

"OK, OK ... not too small - just in quarter slices."

"OK," she started to cut them on one end of the board as Clark
started to cut some on the other end of the board.

DING DONG

"I wonder who that is?"

"Expecting anyone?"

"No."

Lois looked at Clark's face as she wiped her hands to open the
door. He looked disappointed. "I must be seeing things. He's
probably just tired," she thought to herself.

But he was. He wanted to have dinner with Lois and Lois alone.

"Lucy! Come in! Your drenched!"

"Oh, Lois. Hi Clark."

"Hi Lucy."

"Lois, I'm sorry. I should have called or something ... "

"No ... we're just having dinner," Lois held her hand out for her
sister's wet coat.

"And we have plenty ... will have plenty for all of us," Clark
added.

"Lucy, honey, what happened?"

"I had a fight with Jimmy."

Clark caught Lois's eye. He knew he was five dollars poorer. That
was not the part he dreaded. It was having to hear about it from
Lois all month long.

"Lucy, first go change and then we'll talk out it."

As Lucy went to Lois's bedroom, Lois went back to helping Clark
with the tomatoes.

"How many more do we need?"

"About five more - then we can start on the rest."

"OK," she said absent-mindedly.

"Lois - If you want, I can leave."

"Clark, your my best friend. I tell you everything - besides I
want you to stay."

He stopped cutting to look up at her and smile. He reached his
index finger over to her hand, gently making little tomato
circles.

"Huh?"

"Thanks."

Lucy had been standing at the doorway of Lois's bedroom for most
of their conversation. She was amazed as to how close the two of
them were.

Clark noticed that they had enough tomatoes. "That's enough," as
he piled them into a bowl."

"Deep sauce pan, right?"

"Yup," he said as he opened the olive oil up.

They noticed Lucy was back in the room.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Clark asked.

"Better." She snuggled on the couch.

"What was the fight about? Clark, you want me to cut the basil?"

"No. Tear them and put them in a bowl." He was getting out the
red pepper.

"Well, the fight started about me wanting too much out of a
relationship - - Do I, Lois?"

"I don't know, Lucy. I don't think so. What did Jimmy mean - -
too much?" She had quietly placed two stools for them to sit on
as they worked in the kitchen.

"I asked him the same thing. He said, 'You always want to do
things your way. We always have to do them your way' So? I have
the right way. Don't I? I mean, I think I do ... "

Clark now knew that babbling was a Lane family trait. SO was
control.

Lois looked over at Clark. She knew what he was thinking. She
stood behind him and put her arms around his neck. In a whisper,
"Not a word." She stood there like that for a while.

" ... And, it's not like I don't value his opinions, just they're
so simple or crazy. Heavy metal - then the lecture thing. God, he
can drive me crazy!"

"Well, Lucy, as I said before, we're just not good at this men
thing. But I can tell you one thing, Jimmy is a gem of a guy."

"Lois, can you pass me the tomatoes and basil?"

She let go and got the items he wanted, and returned to her
stool.

"But, Lois, it's not like Jimmy isn't without his faults," he
started to stir the ingredients together.

"Yeah!" Lucy was happy someone was on her side.

"But Lucy has her faults, too!"

Lucy was about say something but Clark cut her off.

"But, Lois, Jimmy is into that strange heavy metal music phase
... " pointing to the salt.

"True, that's true. He, on the other hand, is not a control
freak." She poured the salt into the pot.

"I don't think she's a control freak. She just wants a solid
relationship ... " he signaled her to stop.

Lucy was amazed. The two had up and forgotten that she was there
at all. She just watched silently.

"Solid relationship? Clark, she's too young for that - I should
know." She was sitting next to him again.

"Doesn't that make you a control freak?" He was still stirring.

"Not at all. I'm her sister, just looking out for her best ... "

"Yeah ... and the world's?"

"No, I just think I know about Lucy and her life!"

"What about Jimmy?"

"Well I've known him longer than you have.

"Pasta ready?"

She looked inside the pasta pot. "Yeah."

"Pour it in minus the water ... and you don't know Jimmy that
well."

"I knew that about the water ... and why do you say that I don't
know him?"

"Lois, I am not saying that you didn't know him at all, just not
as well as you think." He sat down.

"This sort of sounds like the discussion we had in the car before
I went to that bachelor auction."

"The one about not really knowing anyone?"

"Yeah, So you're saying I was right then about not knowing a
person."

"No, Lois, I am not, but your not married to him either."

"So, if two people are married, than they know everything about
each other?"

"Well, yeah ... I think ... try this." He held a spoon up to her
lips to taste.

"Mmmmm ... This is good!" She went to dig for more.

"No ... wait till dinner," he grabbed her hand.

"But ... " She tried to get him to let go of her hand.

"Lois, I mean it!"

"So, this is a solid relationship, huh?" Lucy couldn't help
smile. The two were right for each other. She remembered Lois
once told her - when they were little - that the right person for
you was predetermined. It was like one soul that had broken
apart. Only lucky people ever really found their counterparts.
Lois was lucky. She had found hers,.there in the kitchen -
helping her - loving her. Lucy could tell that Clark was the
one.

"What?" Lois and Clark echoed.

"For about the past fifteen minutes you guys have been discussing
my relationship like I wasn't even around!"

"Sorry."

"No, that's not the point. You guys have something. This innate
trust of each other. Clark, you put up with her babbling and
Lois, you actually listen to him. This is a first for my sister -
to listen. You guys can say pretty much anything and still be
there for each other."

"Well, we're partners ... " Clark began as he handed Lois the
dishes.

"And best friends ... " Lois said as she started to set the
table.

"And that's all?" Lucy folded her arms and stared at them.

There was silence in the room. Clark daydreamed of grabbing Lois
by the waist and saying, "No, that's not all," like one of those
silly romance novel covers that Lois is always secretly looking
at.

Lois daydreamed of grabbing him by the collar and not saying
anything, letting him taste the pasta sauce that lingered in her
mouth. That was definitely an idea.

"Well?" Lucy crashed them both into reality.

Dazed and depressed, "That's all." They both returned to setting
the table as the doorbell rang.

"Lucy, go see who it is." Lois was really in no mood for
visitors. Clark wasn't either.

At the door stood a soaking Jimmy - with wet red roses and a
teddy bear. "Forgive me?" She usher him in.

"How did you find me?"

"Well, I tried your place and when you weren't there - this was
the next place I thought of."

"Oh, Jimmy!" She gave him a hug.

Lois and Clark stopped, not realizing how close they were to each
other. Lois turned to whisper something to him, and realized she
was staring right into his eyes. She stopped. She didn't remember
what she wanted to say - she didn't remember where she was. Those
eyes, those big, brown, milk chocolate eyes ...

Clark wasn't in any better shape. There she was - staring at him
with that look, behind those long, luscious lashes lay the eyes
that drove him crazy.

"I'm so happy that you forgave me," Jimmy said still hugging.

"Lucy, I do love you."

"I love you, too, Jimmy."

How easy it was for them to say. But Lois and Clark knew that
they meant it. How Clark longed to say those words to Lois - in
the right place, at the right time, not like he had done before.

How Lois had longed to tell him and to hear him say it again. She
unconsciously moved closer to him as he did to her. She placed
her hand over his heart. He placed his hand on top of it. Lois
opened her lips to say ...

"Hey! What are you guys having for dinner?" Jimmy was so timely.

Lois let go as the two separated.

"Pasta - why don't you stay for dinner ... "

"Yeah, we made plenty," Clark added as he took another dish out.

"Cool." Jimmy was still holding Lucy's hand.

"Take your jacket off and," Lois ran into the bedroom and came
back out with a large T-shirt, "change your shirt."

Dinner was served. Jimmy and Lucy never let go of each other's
hands.

Lois could not help roll her eyes and make a remark.

Clark chuckled as he knew she wouldn't last that long without
saying something.

Dinner was delicious. Jimmy and Lucy snuggled in front of the TV
- leaving Lois and Clark to do the dishes.

Lois turned to Clark. "This is great. They make up and we have
dishes to do."

"It 's not that bad. Besides, I'm washing and you're drying."

She smiled "Thanks."

"No problem, " he said as he raised his hand and blew bubbles her
way.

"Cute, Kent, " she said as she threw water at him.

"Lois Lane, you know this means war!" As he started to throw
water her way.

"Oh, you bet!" Lucy and Jimmy looked over at them from the
livingroom.

"Are those two ever going to admit that they're in love?" Jimmy
asked Lucy.

"Well, the last time I talked to my sister about men, she said
she would only say those words when hell froze over."

"End of that." The two got back to the movie.

"OK, OK, Lois, truce! Come on - we'll never get anything done!"

"Fine! We have to go to work tomorrow "

They giggled thought the rest of the dishes.

Lucy said she was staying over at Lois's when Jimmy offered her a
ride back.

"Clark want a ride?"

Lois and Clark looked up at each other. Both had been looking
forward to some time alone.

"I mean, it's pointless for Lois to move her car when I can give
you a ride on my bike."

"Yeah, it is," Clark said slowly.

Lucy poked Jimmy and whispered "I think they wanted some time
alone."

"I know, but they have admit that, don't they?"

"And you think this will make them, Jimmy?"

"No - but it's a start."

"That's why I love you, Jimmy!" She kissed him.

"Thanks!" He returned the kiss.

Clark gathered up his stuff. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow." Lois said. Damn these two. She cared for them,
but she wanted to spend some time with Clark - ALONE!

The two lovebirds said their good-byes for too long, with Clark
waiting in the hallway and Lois at the door.

Lois grabbed Lucy as Clark grabbed Jimmy. They were not going to
have that good of a time after they had just spoiled a perfectly
great dinner for two.

"Good night, Lois," Clark shout from near the elevator.

No response.

"Good night, Lois." He was getting louder on purpose. "Lois, good
night" He had a big grin on his face. He knew she could hear him
well and clear.

"C.K. The whole neighborhood can hear you!"

Lois was standing behind her door- smiling to herself. Lucy was
already sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Goodnight, Clark," she yelled back. "I'll miss you," she
whispered to herself.

THE END

(relation.txt)