Son of Krypton, Daughter of Earth

Without You

"You're sort by of a neutral friend, not someone she'd fling in Jerry's face. I'll tell you a secret. Jerry misses her too much, but he's furious at her showing off. In some odd way, they're right for each other. Opposites that balance each other. Yin and Yang."

"I see." Clark scratched an itch, something he hadn't done in years.

"I'll owe you one. I owe you a lot, anyway. At least, you might not drive Jerry and Lois farther apart. The other thing is, with Superman gone, she's put him behind her. Her obsession with him was another thing that worried Jerry, as much as he loved her."

Clark looked at his boss and friend for a long moment. "I'll do it, Perry. Do I have to pick her up and take her home?"

"Please. She doesn't live far from the Park Hotel where the Awards dinner is being held. I'll arrange a limo so you can drop her off and leave, if you like."

"Thanks. Will you set it up or shall I call her?"

"I'll call her and get back to you. She was planning not to go, but she should. She's getting an award. Beat Cat for it, which was an extra win for Lois." Perry shook his head.

"Let me know. I'll call and arrange to pick her up. Make sure she knows if she's late I'll won't wait for her. I have to be there."

That Saturday Lois came to the lobby of her apartment building with just enough time left to get to the award ceremony and dinner. Clark helped her into the limo and they were off.

They sat with Jimmy, Lucy, an editor from the Metropolis Star and her husband for the dinner. Lois accepted her award with grace, thanking Jerry for his support and that she wouldn't have accomplished what she had without him. Jerry never took his eyes off her, but he was with Renee Lazar, an actress starring in the #2 show on Galaxy. She kept flirting with him and when he saw Lois watching them, he flirted back. Clark saw Lois noticed this, and paid him a lot more attention. He wished Lexy were there.

After the dinner ended and they had spoken with many friends and colleagues, they took the limo to Lois's building. Clark walked Lois to the door of her penthouse. She invited him in for a drink, insisting, her hand on his arm. He couldn't quite push it off without being rude. He agreed, although he wanted nothing more than to go to his apartment.

She walked around her penthouse, the full moon reflecting off the beads on her designer dress, her beautiful figure shimmering. She fixed drinks and led him onto the patio, with its magnificent view of Metropolis. They sat on a couch, and she eased closer to him as she handed him his drink.

"I remember you always liked rum and Coke," she said, her smile inviting.

"Yep," he said, clinking glasses with her, and sipping. "Congratulations, Lois. Another accomplishment to add to your list."

"Yes, professionally," she said, drinking half of her glass. "Personally, I've messed up."

"You're young yet, successful and one of the most beautiful women in the world. You've got a life most people would give anything for."

She sighed. "Superman's dead. There was no one like him. Jerry was the man for me, only Superman could take his place, and now I've lost him."

Clark flinched and covered up by finishing his drink. "Have you tried talking with Jerry? You two should be able to work things out."

"He's always with another woman. Did you see Renee hanging onto him tonight?"

"He was watching you, though."

"He won't call. Or send flowers. Nothing.

"Maybe you should call him. At least you'd know his feelings for sure."

Lois got up and walked around the patio. The moonlight shone through her dress, turning it sheer and outlining her figure. Clark gulped and put his glass down. He wanted to fly away, but couldn't. He still had an extraordinary resistance to alcohol, but Lois was after him, for some reason. Probably to fill in until she got Jerry or some important man, or just trying to make Jerry jealous.

"Jerry says Superman, whoever, whatever he is, has a life we don't know about. Can't know about. I thought you were the key to Superman. You weren't." She shook her head, disappointment in her eyes. "I met Jerry, and didn't look back." She looked him over, her gaze a warm caress.

Lois is trying—going, to seduce me, if I'm not careful. I've got to leave.

"Maybe I should have." She sat close to Clark and rested her head on his shoulder. There was a silence. Lois wiped her eyes delicately. Clark handed her his handkerchief.

Lois dabbed her eyes and turned to Clark, kissing him. After a bit, she pulled back. "You said I'm of the most beautiful women in the world. Your little girlfriend is gone forever and my Jerry is avoiding me. We could make each other happy." She leaned in to kiss him again but Clark stood up.

"You're right. We're both lonely and heartbroken and we could fill in a few of the endless days and nights. You're not Lexy and I'm not Jerry." I'm not Superman any more. "I'm not ready to move on and I don't want to get between friends like you and Jerry. Call him. Maybe you owe him."

Lois scowled; her face ugly. "He told me I was selfish, unprincipled, using others, including Lucy and Jimmy. He was angry I'd announced our engagement at their wedding."

"You argued with him and lost him. Maybe you should think about that. Call him. Make amends."

"Whose side are you on?"

"Not yours. Not Jerry's. I care for you both. I'm on Lucy and Jimmy's side. It was their day, their wedding. How'd you like it when Renee flirted with Jerry and he ate it up? She's one of the few women more beautiful and successful than you."

Lois choked and began to cry, but Clark didn't take her in his arms. He handed her some tissues from a box on a table. "Live and learn, Lois. You do so much for people, plural, but sometimes the person gets crushed underfoot. Take care of yourself. I'll show myself out."

He walked through the elegant living room to the door, and noticed Lois stopped crying without an audience. She followed him into the living room and sat on the couch, thinking about what he'd said.

Clark shut the door behind him. Dodged a bullet there.

*

Clark went to dinner at Jimmy and Lucy's apartment the next Wednesday. Lucy served roast chicken. Over dinner Jimmy said, "The night of the Press Awards you took Lois home. She called Jerry that night and apologized for being too headstrong. He was with Renee, but he went home and spend hours talking with Lois. She told him she'd given you one drink and sent you away because she didn't want to be with anyone but him." Jimmy grinned, for Lois had mentioned getting together with Clark—"until something better comes along." "Is that true?"

"True enough." Clark smiled at the spin Lois had put on the night. Ifthings worked out for her and Jerry, good.

Lucy said, "They're not back together officially, or engaged again, but they're having cozy dinners at her place or his, and talking, talking, talking. Mom and Dad are delighted they seem to be working things out.

"I hope Lois doesn't mess things up again," said Jimmy.

"Jimmy!" said Lucy, laughing.

"You know she's hard-headed."

"I know. I hope they make it."