Smallville Players

By Barb Pillsbury <Megats1776@yahoo.com>

Rated: PG

Submitted: July 2002

Warning: This story has an adult theme.

Portions of the play, "The Male Animal" by James Thurber  and Elliott Nugent has been recreated through permission of  Samuel French, Inc.

I would like to thank Erin and Tricia for editing and  BRing, as well as for all of their tremendous support. I  would also like to thank Bethy, Laswa, Maria, Tank, Raquel,  Merry, Gerry, Helen, LabRat, and so many others for their  encouragement.

Part 1

Clark Kent walked down the long, fluorescent-lit hallway of  Smallville High School. The light blue walls above the long  rows of gray metal lockers were festooned with colorful  posters welcoming the students back from summer vacation  and already publicizing the first football game against  Hillsborough High. A canvas banner strung across the portal  between two hallways displayed bright neon letters spelling  out "Go Smallville Cyclones."

Clark was at school bright and early as usual because he  preferred it that way. He liked to hear the sound of his  feet echoing along the empty corridor and he always looked  forward to the chance to do some solitary thinking. Being  there before all the students arrived and the hubbub and  noise of a day at school began, helped him to focus clearly  on the tasks ahead.

He pushed open the large, glass double doors at the end of  the first hall and walked quickly over to his locker.  Twenty-eight left, two right. Those were easy, as they were  his birthday--day, then month. Then two turns past zero and  ending on seventeen. Seventeen, that was the very day in  May that his parents told him that he had been found--found  in Shuster's field inside a space ship that had plummeted  to earth from a distant planet--May 17th, 1966, some  twenty-seven years ago.

So much had happened to him in those twenty-seven years. He  had grown up aided by two wonderful parents and eventually  discovered he was quite different than the other kids in  his hometown. He had spent a great deal of time reflecting  on his uniqueness and together with his parents, decided to  keep his powers secret. In due time, he had gone away to  study at college, had done some traveling to remote parts  of the world and now, now he was back home, back in Kansas  teaching history at Smallville High School.

Clark put his lunch, the copy of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" he  was re-reading, and his brown suit jacket in his locker in  the teacher's lounge and walked over to the administrative  offices where he picked up his new schedule and  assignments.

In the distance he could hear the Smallville High School  Marching Band just beginning their first day of practice.  He recognized the theme from Star Wars and just made out  music teacher, Sam Richards' voice barking out instructions  to the group.

Today was the first day of his third year as a teacher.  Although it was September 13th and there should have been  at least a slight hint of fall in the early morning air, it  felt like the middle of summer. It was hot and stickingly  Humid, even at 7:10 a.m., and the air conditioner had  already kicked into full tilt. He loosened his tie a bit  and checked other papers in his mailbox. He found nothing  really important and filed them in the corner wastebasket.

Beatrice, the administrative secretary and an old friend of  his mother's, was shuffling through some papers at her  desk. Efficiently dressed as always in a navy blue pleated  skirt and white silk blouse, she looked up and smiled at  Clark.

"Ready to start a new year?" she asked.

"Always ready," Clark responded.

"Do anything special over the summer?" Beatrice asked as  she headed over to the mailboxes to dispense additional  materials.

"Dad and I went up to Canada to do some fishing," he  answered, then paused, not sure how to explain his other  trip, a trip of self-discovery. It was only this summer  that, through some diligent investigation, he had almost  literally unearthed a document that recorded a UFO landing  in Smallville, a UFO from Krypton. It had referred to  logged-in specimens that had been secreted away at an  unknown location simply referred to as Bureau 39 storage.  But Clark had not been able to follow up on that lead  beyond three dead ends.

"I went down to Washington, D.C., and did some research on  a project," he finally admitted. "I enjoy the summers, but  I'm really glad to be back at work."

He added the two flyers that Beatrice was distributing to  the pile of papers remaining in his hand. The first notice,  printed on bright green paper, welcomed the faculty and  staff back and announced the date and time of the first  faculty meeting. The second flyer, this time on hot pink  paper, gave the names and phone numbers of the faculty and  this year's school board members. The flyers felt warm in  his hand and he realized Beatrice must have just run the  copies. A new school year always had that fresh feel to it.

Beatrice had also placed in his box a new grade book. He  opened it up and looked at the blank pages--pages that  would be filled with the semester's activities. Unlike many  teachers, not only did he enjoy the classroom experience,  he liked every facet of teaching, even grading papers. This  was a new opportunity for each student to reach his or her  potential and the grades that would soon be written on  those blank pages would document that growth.

Clark contemplated how the rest of the day would go, as  starting a new academic year was invariably interesting and  rather challenging. There were the new students excited to  be in high school at long last and there was usually a new  teacher or two who would be starting their first year.

Beatrice, completing her work, made a beeline for the  principal's office, obviously to distribute information in  that direction.

Glancing at the schedule in his hand, Clark saw that along  with his regular teaching assignment--two sections of  American History I, two sections of American History II, a  section of American Government, and advisor to the student  government organization--he was assigned to be a mentor to  a new teacher, a new English teacher.

Clark opened the door to the hallway and left the  administrative offices. As he walked leisurely toward the  teacher's lounge, he scanned the resume attached to his new  mentoring assignment and read the credentials and  background of the mentee he was expected to indoctrinate  regarding attendance forms, tardy forms, location of  supplies, computer access, and all the other things a  novice would want to know.

He was wondering how much he would have to help the new  instructor regarding lesson plans, appropriate assignments,  tests, etc. Clark knew that he would have the time to be of  help to the new teacher, especially this year, since Lana  Lang had moved away from Smallville at the beginning of the  summer. He and Lana had actually drifted apart the last  year and a half, and although they'd continued to see each  other during that time, they both knew that their  relationship was going nowhere.

He entered the teacher's lounge, got himself a coffee and a  doughnut, and continued reading. According to the resume,  the new English teacher had graduated from Metropolis  University five years before, had done student teaching in  the Hobbs Bay district of Metropolis, so should be prepared  for just about anything, and then had taught for four years  at John Adams High School on Metropolis' west side.

Clark looked out the window as he heard the Marching Band  begin to tackle the theme from E.T. and he took another sip  of his coffee.

His eyes returned to the pages in front of him. So this  wasn't a novice teacher. It was just someone new to a rural  setting. Clark wondered why the switch. Why would a teacher  who obviously was getting a better salary in a large  metropolitan city's school district, choose to come to a  small town--a small town in middle America? That would be  something to find out later.

Clark ran his hand through his thick, dark hair as his mind  drifted to the many things he had to deal with, and then,  finishing his coffee, he tossed the styrofoam cup into the  basket at the other side of the room. Two points. He picked  up the resume again and looked at the sections dealing with  extra- curricular activities. The college paper, it said.  Well, that was obvious, since this position would involve  not only teaching English but also acting as advisor to the  high school newspaper. The list went on: Chess Club,  Collegiate Singers, Drama Club, golf, gymnastics, and the  Tai Kwan Do Club. "Hmmm," Clark said out loud. "This might  prove interesting."

* * * *

Martha Kent looked up from the counter of the Cabbages and  Kings Bookstore where she had been deeply engrossed at her  computer. "Hi, Wayne," she said as she saw the UPS driver  enter the store with a load of boxes on a dolly. "I've been  waiting for this shipment."

Wayne, a thin, gawky looking man in his early fifties  struggled with maneuvering the dolly into the middle of the  store's entryway.

"Got a lot here," Wayne informed her as he stuck the  clipboard under Martha's nose for her to sign.

"How's Miriam?" the bookstore owner asked as she signed the  forms.

"Just fine. She says to say hello," Wayne responded as he  looked over at the computer screen. "I see you're working  on something for the 'Players.'"

"Yes," said Martha. "What do you think? Is it eye catching  enough?"

Wayne looked down at the poster that had just come out of  Martha's printer. Across the top were the masks of comedy  and tragedy, and in bright colors of purple and blue below  the logo, it said:

Smallville Players Announce Auditions for James Thurber's  "The Male Animal" Sunday, 3:00 p.m., Sept. 19th High School  Auditorium

"Yup," said Wayne. "It should really get people's  attention. How long's your theatre group been going now,  Martha? Seems like it's been nigh on to twenty years?"  Wayne asked as he began removing the boxes from the dolly.

"Just about, Wayne. This is our eighteenth year," Martha  said proudly. "So this," she said, holding up the poster,  "is our 53rd production. You know I just love being  involved in theatre." She put the poster on the counter and  then, turning to Wayne and over-dramatically using  excessively exaggerated gestures, she emoted, "It's drama  and passion, mystery and comedy...and life."

Martha chuckled at the strange look on Wayne's face. "When  are *you* going to try out for a part?" she asked, looking  at him expectantly.

"No, no, no! Not me," he responded. "The rest of you are so  good. Beatrice, Donald, Keith, Clark, Cindy, Dan.... You  have enough actors," he said, moving back to the counter to  retrieve his clipboard.

"We always welcome new people, especially since the  community gets tired of the same old faces," Martha  explained. "That's why we plaster the town with posters."

As if on cue, an excited teenager bounded energetically  through the bookstore's front door, left ajar by Wayne.  "Hi, Mrs. Kent!" exclaimed Keith. "Have you got the posters  ready?" he asked, interrupting the two at the counter.

"Don't you have to be in school today?" Martha asked,  looking at him suspiciously.

Keith, a very attractive young man of seventeen, wearing  jeans and a T-shirt with a picture of John Lennon and the  word 'Imagine' embossed on it, flashed a smile at Martha.  "I have study hall first period, so I told Ms. Grant that I  would be helping you and that I would get back to school in  time for second period," he said hurriedly. "It shouldn't  take me too long to cover the town with these. What I don't  get done now, I can finish after school," he added eagerly.  "Okay, what part do I try out for?" he asked, looking at  the poster and then winking at Martha Kent.

"Well, there is the part of the college student, a  sophomore who writes for the college paper and sort of lets  the cat out of the bag, so to speak. His job is to move the  plot along," Martha explained, returning the wink. "I think  you can get by with that since you'll be eighteen pretty  soon anyway."

"What time period is the play set in?" he asked her.

"The 1940s," she responded.

"Great!" exclaimed Keith as he grabbed the posters and made  for the door. "That means cool costumes. See ya later, Mrs.  Kent."

"Oh, Keith," Martha yelled out the door at his retreating  figure. "Take some of the posters to Clark, will you?"

"Keith really loves to act, doesn't he?" Wayne queried  Martha as he watched the young man run off down the street.  "He does the high school plays and also does stuff with  your group, right?" Wayne removed the last box from the  dolly. "What're his plans when he graduates this year?" he  asked, moving the dolly toward the door.

"He hopes to go to Metropolis and become an actor," she  told him. "He may be able to make it because he *is*  talented enough. Keith can sing, dance, and act, you know-- a triple threat," she explained. "I know our theatre group  is going to miss him."

"His Dad won't," Wayne said as he, too, left the store.

Martha watched as Wayne pushed the dolly through the door  and she sighed. Yes, Keith's father would be glad that his  son was leaving town. Ever since Keith's mother died four  years ago, Fred Haley just wasn't sure what to do with his  son. He loved him, that Martha knew; but he didn't know  what to make of his son's proclivity for drama, dance,  music, and lack of interest in sports and girls. Keith had  outted himself to Martha last year but had never really  spoken to his father about his sexual preference. In a town  such as this, homosexuality wasn't just a difficult life  style choice, it was a dangerous choice.

* * * *

Clark walked to the principal's office. It was interesting  how some of the old feelings still came back to him. As a  high school student, one always dreaded going in and facing  whatever the gruff principal had in store for you, and  although Clark had always been a "goodie two-shoes," the  principal's office most often spelled trouble to those in  wait. Now, as a teacher, he still felt some pang of  apprehension as he adjusted his tie, knocked on the door,  and opened it in response to a "come in" that he heard from  inside.

Dr. White, Smallville High School Principal, sat at his  desk. His gray hair was combed straight back and he was  wearing a three-piece blue suit with a loud tie. His  jacket, however, was hanging on a nearby hall tree in  deference to the weather.

The Principal's office was painted an institutional green,  but to make it more his own, the wall had the familiar  Elvis posters that Clark remembered even as a student  there. But Clark's eyes were not looking at the Principal  nor at his Elvis memorabilia, because sitting in a chair  across from Dr. White, was the most beautiful woman he had  ever seen. It wasn't just that she was incredibly  attractive, which she was. It was the glow of expectation  on her face and a creative sparkle in her eyes that held  his fascination as she looked up at him.

"Clark," Dr. White said, attempting to break Clark's stare.  "This is our new English teacher, Lois Lane."

Part 2

"Nice to meet you," Lois said glancing briefly at Clark and  then returning her gaze to Dr. White. "Do you have my  schedule ready?" she asked the Principal as she stood up.

"Yes, of course," Dr. White responded as he, too, rose to  his feet. He scanned his desk, obviously looking for  something that was apparently hidden under mounds of  material. He moved some papers on his desk and then handed  her a document to add to the green and hot pink flyers she  already had and then looked at Clark. "Clark Kent, here, is  in his third year at Smallville High, teaching history and  government. He was born in Smallville and can help you both  in regard to your teaching and in getting settled in our  community. I have assigned him as your mentor and, knowing  Clark, he will guide you and help you in any way he can."

"I'm sure I will be able to jump right in without any help  as this is *not* my first teaching job," Lois said  pointedly and turned and addressed Clark. "Clark Kent, is  it?" Lois asked as she strode toward the exit.

"Y-y-yes," stammered Clark as he held the door open for a  quickly moving Lois.

"Let's get something straight," Lois tossed over her  shoulder as she led the way through the outer office into  the hallway. "I did not work my buns off to get my teaching  degree just to be baby sat by some simpleton from  Nowheresville."

Clark rolled his eyes but followed her immediately, almost  like a puppy, trailing after the determined woman. He  watched her as she walked on ahead of him. She was dressed  in a pale pink silk suit that set off her skin, and its  skirt, with a provocative slit up the side, showed much of  her long, shapely legs.

"Lois," he called out. "Wait a minute."

Beatrice looked up from her computer and watched the two of  them depart. Small towns being the way they were, she gave  them, oh, about a year to become engaged. She smiled to  herself. Martha was going to be thrilled because already  she knew that Lois Lane was the perfect partner for Clark  Kent.

Lois and Clark continued down the hallway. "Look, Clark,"  Lois said as she turned back to him. "You may come from  Smallville and know this town and this school. But I have  been a teacher longer than you and I don't need a more  inexperienced teacher to tell me how to do my job." She  continued down the hall opening a door as she spoke. "Since  I'm stuck with you being my mentor..."

"Lois," Clark tried to interject.

"I need to tell you..." she insisted.

"Lois," Clark tried again, catching up to her.

"What?" she asked loudly.

"That's the door to a janitorial closet, not the teacher's  lounge," Clark said, laughing.

"Oh, of course," Lois responded, only temporarily halted  before she opened the next door down the hallway.

"You need to tell me what?" Clark inquired as he followed  her into the lounge. "Coffee?" he asked before she could  respond, and he moved over to the coffee machine.

"Yes," Lois replied, sitting at the table and looking  around the empty room. "Okay. You're History, not English,  so you are *not* my supervisor. You will not tell me how to  structure my classes or teach my students. You will not ask  me questions. I will ask the questions. I'll tell you if I  want or need anything. Got it?"

"Yeah," Clark said. "You like to be on top. Got it."

"Don't push me, Kent," Lois spat out. "You're way out of  your league."

"Doughnut?" He smiled at her as he crossed over to the  table, bringing the coffee.

Before she could answer, the door to the teacher's lounge  opened and two men entered. The first, Lois could tell  immediately was an obvious jerk and the second, a cute,  eager young man who had student teacher written all over  him.

"Ralph, Jimmy," Clark said, heading back for the doughnuts.  "This is Lois Lane our new English teacher. Lois, this is  Ralph Smoot, who teaches Math..." he continued, placing the  box of doughnuts on the table and sitting down, "...and  Jimmy Olsen, who student taught with us spring semester in  Math, and is doing fall semester student teaching in  Computers."

Ralph instantly pulled up the chair on the other side of  Lois and, scooting even closer, put his hand on her arm. "I  know what it's like to be new in town--lonely. I can show  you around, and if you need anything, Lois, anything at  all...I'm your man," he whispered.

"Uh, thanks, Ralph, but Clark has been assigned as my  mentor and I'm sure he will be able to meet my needs," she  said as she smiled at Clark with a "please save me" look.

Clark, already beginning to read her, nodded. "We have to  go get Lois some of the forms she will need and get her to  her classroom. So we'll see you both later."

"Hey, CK," Jimmy said to Clark. "Thanks for all of the help  last semester. Can I use you as a sounding board if I'm in  trouble?" he asked, not looking at Ralph, who had been  assigned to help him.

"Sure, Jimmy," Clark responded.

Lois and Clark got up, tossed their cups into the trash,  and headed to the door as two more teachers entered the  lounge. The first was a tastelessly bedecked woman who  looked like she was entering a cocktail lounge instead of a  teacher's lounge. The second was an attractive man in his  early thirties. Her arm was in his, and both of people were  laughing. They stopped short, seeing Clark and his new  charge.

"Oh, Clark," said the colorfully attired woman as she  released the man she'd been holding to move in on Clark,  putting her arm through his. "I have been looking for you  all morning," she said, running her finger up and down his  chest. "When are we going to take up where we left off  after the Labor Day picnic?" she purred.

"Cat, cut that out." Clark glared at her as he freed  himself from her clutches and then apologetically turned to  Lois. "Lois Lane, this is Catherine Grant, known as Cat.  She teaches French."

"Cat," Lois repeated, sizing up the woman in front of her.

"Mais oui," Cat replied, continuing to ogle Clark and not  paying any attention to Lois. "French is my life," she  said, licking her lips.

"Lois," Clark interrupted, ignoring Cat's flirtations.  "This is Dan Scardino, our Physical Education teacher. He  also coaches the football and basketball teams. Lois will  be teaching English, creative writing, and advising the  students on the Sentinel," Clark informed both of them.

"Welcome, Lois," Dan greeted her warmly, noticing that here  was a woman he wanted to get to know much better. "If you  need anything, let me know," he said as he moved aside to  let Lois out the door.

Cat watched as both Clark and Dan appreciated Lois  retreating into the hallway and realized that these two men  were no longer her sole province. Lois was definitely going  to be competition.

Barreling down the hallway and coming to a screeching halt  before almost knocking Lois over as she left the teacher's  lounge, was a student loaded down with posters in his arms.

"Hold it, Keith," Clark said as he reached Lois' side and  put his arm around her waist to steady her. "No running in  the halls. You know that."

Clark let his arm linger there longer than was really  necessary, but as Lois offered no immediate resistance,  Clark didn't feel the urge to remove it.

Lois had moved closer to Clark to get out of the way of the  approaching tornado and felt Clark's arm around her. It was  warm and reassuring and she didn't automatically pull  herself away which normally would have been her first  instinct.

After a moment or two, however, although she had sensed a  gentleness and concern in his actions, not a "come on," she  stiffened, remembering that she couldn't let her defenses  down. She had left Metropolis because of a bad relationship  and because of a problem she had had with the  administration of her school, the two being intricately  intertwined.

She had sought out a place that was as far removed and  different from what she had left behind as possible. And,  if she was going to make this new job and new town work,  this was not the time to get involved again. She simply  could not let it happen once more.

Clark felt Lois tense up and released his hold on her.  "This is Keith Haley, a senior here," he said. "He will be  in your American Lit class and one of your advisees since  he writes for the Smallville High Sentinel. Keith, this is  Ms. Lane."

"Hi, Ms. Lane. Welcome to Smallville. Oh, Mr. Kent," Keith  went on speaking very quickly. "Your Mom wanted me to bring  these posters to you so you could hang them up here at  school. I have first period off so I will put them up  around town."

He took a breath and handed Clark a few posters. "I have  American Lit second period so I'll be back and will be  seeing you then, Ms. Lane. Bye!" he yelled back over his  shoulder as he ran, then looking back at Clark, slowed to a  very fast walk toward the exit.

"Is he always like that?" Lois asked Clark, chuckling.

"Yeah, always," a soft voice responded.

Joining the two of them was a pleasant looking woman in her  mid forties.

"Hi, Barb," Clark greeted the woman who had turned to Lois  questioningly. "Barbara Friskin, counselor, this is Lois  Lane, new English teacher. Barb is the cement that keeps  everything together here. Not only does she help students  who have problems, but she keeps the rest of us sane as  well."

"Welcome, Lois," Barb said, looking at her warmly. "If you  need anything--a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on,  or..." she sized Lois up quickly, "...chocolate, I'm here  for you."

"How did you...?" Lois began.

"It's a knack," Barb responded, sure of what Lois was  asking. "Come see me anytime and we'll talk. My door's  always open. Clark," she went on, "you *especially* need to  come visit me." She smiled. "No," she responded to Lois'  quizzical look. "Mr. Absolutely Perfect has no earthly  problems, but we have a student to discuss."

"Here," Clark said to Barb, handing her a poster. "Put one  of these up in your office. Only crazy people need to read  it," he said, grinning.

"I'll drop in soon," Lois said, liking Barb already.

"Your first class is this way," Clark said, smiling at Lois  and escorting her to the stairway. "It's room 217."

"What's the poster for?" asked Lois as they walked up the  stairs to her classroom. She was beginning to loosen up a  little. Clark had saved her twice. Once from Ralph and once  from being bowled over by Keith. Mr. Absolutely Perfect, as  Barb called him, appeared harmless, nice, and when he  smiled at her...

"My Mom is involved in the local community theatre, the  Smallville Players," Clark explained, handing her one of  the posters. "She directs the shows and makes the costumes.  Since I'm her son, I've been coerced into being in a few  productions, as has everyone in town whose arm she can  twist."

"Oh, 'The Male Animal,'" Lois said, reading the poster.  "I'm a Thurber fan. Maybe I'll come to auditions. Will you  be trying out?"

The question erupted from Lois before she could stop it.  There she was, doing it again, jumping into a situation  without thinking. She should remain aloof. Just teach her  classes and not get involved with the community, with the  students outside the classroom, with other teachers--and  especially not with this handsome man, whose eyes the color  of chocolate were looking at her so intently.

"I just might," Clark said, making a mental note to let his  mother know he had changed his mind about taking the whole  year off.

In January, he had told his mother that he didn't want to  try out for any of the shows this year and had stuck to his  guns, agreeing only to help his dad build the set for the  April show. But being in a show with Lois sparked his  interest, especially if there were going to be love scenes.  His mind wandered to what it might be like to kiss her when  his fantasy was interrupted with their arrival at the door  to her classroom.

"Oh, we forgot to get the forms you need," Clark told her.  "I'll bring them right back."

Lois walked into her classroom and looked around. She put  her materials on the desk. Almost instantaneously, Clark  was at her side with the forms.

"There were...uh...some in the room next door," Clark  explained in response to her puzzled look.

"Clark..." she began.

"I...I have to go get ready for class. I'll see you later,"  he said as he got a far away expression on his face and  made quickly for the door.

* * * *

A few seconds later a blur arrived behind a tree next to a  tall railway bridge about five miles south of the high  school. From his hidden position, Clark heard again the  three short blasts of the whistle, which was the universal  danger signal, and saw the engineer anxiously trying to  brake the locomotive. He listened again and heard the  engineer yell to his assistant that a portion of the bridge  was out up ahead and that he couldn't stop.

Clark pulled down his glasses, and two red rays emanated  from his eyes, slicing a part of the metal work over which  the train had already passed. Then, using his super breath,  he blew the large piece of track over to the farther side  and, with his heat vision, sealed the new piece in place  just as the train ran over it.

Clark smiled, knowing that he had helped, and flew quickly  to the back entrance of the Smallville Hardware Store run  by Jonathan Kent. "Dad," Clark called out as he came into  the store. Then, looking around to see if anyone was close  by, he crossed over to his father, who was sorting some  nails. "Dad," Clark began. "I have to tell you that I just  shored up a railroad trestle to prevent a crash."

"Did anyone see you?" Jonathan looked up from his work and  asked nervously.

"I was careful, Dad," Clark assured him.

"If they find out about you," his father continued,  "they'll put you in a lab and..."

"...dissect you like a frog," both Clark and his father  said together.

"I know, Dad, I'll watch out," Clark acknowledged. "Since  finding copies of that information in the old records of  the Aeronautical Space Museum on my trip to D.C., I have  been more careful about how I use my powers," he said,  again checking around to see if anyone was in earshot. "If  I can find out that information, so can others."

"Son, your Mom and I have worried about this for a long  time, especially when you first left Smallville. Being back  here these last few years, we have begun to relax a little  because you're among friends," he said. "But you still have  to watch out."

"Listen, Dad, I've got to get back to school. Can you call  Rachel Harris at the sheriff's station and let her know  that there is a gap in the bridge and have her close it  down before someone gets hurt?" he asked. "Another train is  not expected for a while, but it may take some time to get  out there. I'll see you and Mom tonight for dinner. I've  got something to tell her."

Clark zoomed back to the high school and walked into room  121 just as the bell was ringing. "Welcome to American  Government," Clark said, looking around at his class.

"Being citizens of our country isn't easy," he began. "It  takes a lot of knowledge, commitment and courage. Citizens  of this country make a difference," he continued. "As  Robert Kennedy said, 'Some men see things as they are and  say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.'  Each one of you can be a hero. And with a country full of  heroes, you needn't be afraid to stand up and be counted."

* * * *

Up on the second floor, Lois looked around at the students  facing her. "Hi," she said, smiling. "I'm Lois Lane and  this is my first year here so I guess we have a lot of  learning to do together. Welcome to first period Creative  Writing. "Being a writer isn't easy," she continued. "It  takes a lot of knowledge, commitment, and courage. Writers  make a difference," she explained. "Benjamin Franklin said,  'Either write something worth reading or do something worth  writing.' But you must live before you write, and write  about what you have lived. As my favorite author, Henry  David Thoreau, said, 'How vain it is to sit down to write  when you have not stood up to live.' You can all be  creative writers. And with a room full of potential  writers, we can stand up and be counted."

Part 3

Clark's parents lived in a rambling white clapboard house  on the edge of town. When Clark had returned to Smallville  three years ago, he had moved into a small, converted  carriage house at the other end of town so that he and they  could have some distance. But Clark, as was the custom, had  dinner at his folks' house three or four times a month.

"Great dinner, Mom," Clark said as he pushed his chair back  from the table and took his dishes to the sink.

"It's the first home cooked meal I've had in a long time,"  his Dad insisted. "Your Mom is so busy with the bookstore  and with the community theatre, especially just before a  production begins."

"Now tell me more about this new English teacher," Martha  interrupted, wanting to change the subject.

Clark took the slice of pie that his mother handed him and  returned to the table. "Lois is...well, she's complicated,  domineering, uncompromising ...brilliant," he informed  them, the last word being said softly.

Martha gave her husband a knowing look, but Jonathan didn't  need to see it. They both knew from Clark's voice that Lois  was going to be something special.

"Mom," Clark said hesitantly. "I think I'll be auditioning  for 'The Male Animal' after all," he said with his head  down, concentrating on the dessert in front of him.

* * * *

It was 4:45 on Wednesday afternoon. Clark finished a  meeting he was having with the student government and  walked into the teacher's lounge. He looked around  anxiously, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. He knew that  Lois had had a meeting with the Sentinel staff and should  still be around.

There she was, sitting with Dan, who was fresh from  football practice. He was explaining the attendance sheet  record that she was attempting to complete. Why did Dan's  being so close to her bother him? Clark had just met Lois  Monday morning. He had ushered her to classes on Monday and  sat beside her at the Tuesday meeting. He had also spent a  short time with her Tuesday afternoon, referring her to a  garage where she could get her car's oil changed.

He would have tried to be with her longer, as she was  beginning to drop that hard shell attitude and had more  questions, but he had to tell her that he forgot to pick up  a prescription in order to sneak out and surreptitiously  stop a truck from going off a bridge down on Highway 17.

Lois hadn't been around for lunch on Tuesday or earlier  today as she ran out to do errands related to getting  settled in the small house she had rented. So this was his  first chance to be with her since yesterday.

The new English teacher wasn't his, but he felt as though,  on some level, he was sort of responsible for her. Dan was  getting up and heading away, and Clark saw Ralph making his  way to take Dan's place at the table. Clark Speedily,  without letting his super powers take over, cut Ralph off  and straddled a chair right beside Lois.

Before Clark could say anything to Lois, however, Cat  walked into the room, stopped behind Clark, and put her  arms around him. "When are we going out to dinner?" Cat  asked. "Now that Lana's gone, I'd like the inside track."

Clark winced and took her arms from around his neck. "Cat,"  he said. "Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure." She smiled maliciously over at Lois and then looked  back at Clark. "Anytime," she said, and oozed out of the  lounge.

"How's it going?" Clark asked, smiling at Lois. "I have  already heard from some of the students about how great you  are and I want you to know that I agree with what you said  Monday. I don't see myself as teaching you, but maybe  learning from you." He looked down and then looked into her  eyes. "We all can be better teachers."

Lois regarded Clark. She was not sure about him. Was this  another line like the ones she had heard from other men,  especially that one other man? Clark *was* a man after all,  and there was Cat, and there had been a...a Lana. She went  back to working on the papers in front of her.

"See you tomorrow," Ralph said as he gathered up the copies  he had just finished making and beat a hasty retreat,  leaving Lois and Clark alone in the room.

Clark, not knowing how to come up with a reason to stay and  be with Lois longer, stood up and went to his locker. He  took out his jacket and the novel. He put the book down on  the table while he slipped into his jacket.

"Oooh," Lois commented, eyeing the title of the book. "'The  Scarlet Pimpernel.' That's one of my favorite books. I love  his two identities and the fact that his wife, Marguerite,  is disenchanted with the foppish character she has married.  Instead, she's fallen in love with his alter-ego and is  totally oblivious to the fact that he is two people."

"Somewhat implausible, perhaps even impossible," Clark  remarked, "but the ruse works and allows Percy to be of  help to save people from the reign of terror." He picked up  the book.

"What's impossible is this," Lois said, sighing. "I'm  supposed to turn in my W4s, my health insurance application  forms, my retirement choices, finish these student report  forms, and sign off on the stories the students submitted  to be published in Friday's Sentinel--not to mention having  to prepare for classes tomorrow. I guess I'll be here for a  while, since Dr. White wants me to have these done before I  leave." She looked at Clark. "Can you help me with some of  this? Dan wasn't able to explain these particular forms,"  she asked. Then, remembering what Cat had said, she added,  almost as feline-like as the French teacher would have, "I  hope you didn't make dinner plans." Clark took off his  jacket, putting it and the book back in his locker, then  sat down and put his arms on the back of the chair. "I'm  all yours," he said, putting his chin down on his arms and  smiling at her.

They worked for the next hour on the forms, and Lois  finally got up to stretch. "I'm starving. Is there a good  Chinese take out place in town?" she asked.

"I know a place," Clark answered, grabbing his jacket.  "I'll be right back."

"Don't you even want to know what I want?" Lois asked as  she sat down at the table again.

"I'll bring an assortment," he responded as he made his way  out the door of the lounge.

Clark darted out behind the high school and, after looking  around, flew off. Going to Shanghai and returning to  Smallville took all of ten minutes. He re-entered the  teacher's lounge with several baskets in his hands.

"That was quick," Lois reflected, looking up at him.

"I took a shortcut," Clark replied before she could  question him further.

Lois, noticing the steam, opened the basket tentatively.  "It's still hot," she said, carefully taking out a  dumpling. After taking a bite, she exclaimed, "This is out  of this world!"

They ate in relative quiet. Lois read the papers spread out  in front of her while Clark kept watching her and  indicating a place to check every now and then. He was  definitely enjoying spending this time with her.

Lois opened up her fortune cookie. "It's in Chinese!" she  exclaimed.

Clark took the small slip of paper from her.

"Oh don't tell me you read Chi...."

"A good horse is like a member of the family," read Clark,  handing it back to her.

"I hate that," Lois said. "That's not a fortune."

Clark laughed and stared at her. He couldn't help it. She  was so amazing.

Lois looked at Clark. He was smiling that wonderful smile  of his. She was beginning to realize that he was different  from the men she had known. He was handsome, but it was his  warmth, genuineness, and kindness that she was finding  uniquely appealing.

"You are a strange one, Clark Kent," she said.

"Am I?" he asked, his voice husky and his eyes attempting  to penetrate her hard shell.

"Yeah, but I think I got you figured out," Lois said,  trying to keep the upper hand.

"Really?" Clark queried, leaning back in his chair.

"Uh-huh," Lois said.

Clark smiled. "Didn't take you long."

"As a teacher, one needs to see beyond the external," she  explained.

Clark held his breath. He had never been with a woman that  affected him this way. She lit him up inside.

Lois could feel her heart racing. The way he looked at her  with his deep, chocolate colored eyes made her feel  something that she had promised herself would never happen  again. 'But this man is different,' a part of her was  saying. But even if it was true, she was just not ready to  face this. Not so soon after...

"Don't fall for me, Farmboy," she finally said. But as soon  as the words were out of her mouth, an instant of regret  hit Lois right in the pit of her stomach. She looked at the  handsome man sitting next to her--at his smile, his eyes,  and the way a lock of hair fell down on his forehead,  begging to be fixed, and wondered if she was the one who  would fall.

* * * *

On Thursday morning Lois smiled at her second period class  and turned to face the blackboard where she wrote:

American Lit. assignment #1: Take one of the following  controversial topics and apply it to Truman Capote's "In  Cold Blood." A. Capital Punishment B. Childhood Trauma as a  Cause for Adult Violence C. Gun Control D. Homosexuality

The room became extremely quiet as the students slowly read  the assignment. Then, all at once murmurs arose  simultaneously from around the room as they leaned over and  whispered to friends.

"Any problems?" Lois asked as she turned to face the class.

"How do we do this, Ms. Lane?" a blonde, attractive girl  asked.

"Well," Lois answered, looking at the seating chart,  "Cindy, let me tell you more about the assignment. I chose  this particular novel because it takes place in Kansas and  would have a lot of interest for you," she explained as she  walked down one of the rows of chairs. "It is also  considered to be one of the first documentaries written in  the form of fiction, which is so much a part of TV docu- dramas today," Lois continued as she walked up another row.

"Each of you will read the novel which we will discuss in  class next week, and then, starting the week after next,  you will be divided up into four groups with five to six  students in a group. Each group will tackle one of the  controversial issues by researching it, making a  presentation in front of the class, and then writing a  group paper relating the novel to the topic," she finished  as she walked slowly back to the front of the class.

"Ms. Lane," Keith Haley said, raising his hand. "How are  the groups chosen?"

"Making 'thure' you get the 'thweetest' group?" said one of  the students, who Lois had already realized was considered  a leader, and who was now badly imitating a lisp and  gesturing with a limp wrist as an attempt to show off to  the rest of the class.

The other members of the class laughed. Lois looked at the  seating chart and realized that the tormenter was the son  of the school board president. She looked at Keith, then at  the other students. This definitely *was* Kansas. Lois  walked over to the bully's desk. "Get up!" she exclaimed.

"What?" he asked her, trying to save face in front of his  supporters.

"Apologize to Keith!" Lois demanded.

"Not to that friggin' fairy," he said, stubbornly remaining  in his seat.

"Get up and get out!" Lois insisted. "You will not return  to my classroom until you have apologized to Keith, to me,  and to the rest of the class."

* * * *

At noon, Lois walked over to the administrative offices  before heading to the teachers' lounge for lunch. Clark was  leaning against a filing cabinet, hoping that Lois would  eventually show up. He smiled when she entered the office.

"What's this?" Lois asked Clark, reading a flyer that was  in her mail slot.

"Oh, that," Clark responded, looking over her shoulder.  "It's the annual first-of-the-year faculty party sponsored  by the school board. They have this get together the first  Saturday of the school year to meet new teachers like you,  and for the new school board members and the veterans to  hob nob with the elite," he explained as they both began  walking over to the teachers' lounge for lunch.

"Would you go with me?" he asked, eyeing her.

"Is this a date?" she asked, obviously hesitant.

"No," Clark hurriedly responded. "Just business. You  know...mentor to mentee."

"In that case, yes," she said.

"This year," Clark explained, "the party is at the large  meeting room in the bank because the new school board  president is also president of the bank."

"Sounds like a very important guy," she said.

"Yeah, if you like that type," Clark said somewhat angrily.

Lois looked at him. This was interesting. Clark had never  said an unkind word about anyone. But, having that  altercation with the president of the school board's son  earlier in class, Lois wondered if perhaps the apple not  falling far from the tree could be applied here. Lois  looked down at the flyer extolling the get acquainted  party. The invitation was signed President of the School  Board, Lex Luthor.

Part 4

"Lex Luthor hasn't answered my telephone calls," Lois  complained to Clark during lunch on Friday.

"You've been calling the school board president?" Clark  asked her. "What about?"

"Jaxon Luthor," she replied. "I wanted to talk to Mr.  Luthor about his son's attitude in my class. There was an  incident yesterday morning and, when I arranged to talk to  Jaxon about it after school yesterday, he didn't show up.  And I haven't seen him today."

"Jaxon has been trouble for many years," Clark told her.  "Talk to Barb Friskin about him. She's attempted to work  with Jaxon and might be able to give you some insights on  how to deal with him in a classroom setting."

"Yes, I'll try that," Lois responded. "But as my mentor, I  guess I *do* need to talk to you about what happened in my  American Lit class yesterday morning. I probably should  have talked to you about it yesterday, but I wanted to talk  to Jaxon first."

She paused, and her face took on a look that Clark would  soon come to know. "I'm concerned about something.  Something that maybe you can help me with."

"Sure, Lois. What is it?" he asked as he hung up his jacket  and they sat down at the table in the lounge.

"I use a theme to focus upon when I assign novels for my  students in my American Lit classes. I've used..." She  stopped in reaction to the lunch Clark removed from a paper  sack. "You eat like an eight year old," she said, eyeing  the Ho Hos and Ding-Dongs he placed in front of him. "Now I  love chocolate," she said, "but this is ridiculous. How do  you do it? You look like Mr. Hardbody. Tell me your  secret."

"Must be a metabolism thing, Lois." He smiled, noting her  appraisal of his body. Then, quickly changing the subject,  he said, "You were wondering about something that took  place in your class."

"I've decided to use 'In Cold Blood' as the first reading  assignment," she explained.

"Whew," Clark whistled. "You're starting with some pretty  heavy stuff."

"Yeah, I got that feeling," she responded. "Especially..."  she went on, "...when I told the students that I wanted  them to relate the novel to one of four controversial  topics--capital punishment, childhood trauma leading to  adult violence, gun control, or homosexuality," she  finished and looked at Clark, waiting.

"You're courageous and I applaud what you are trying to  do," he said. "This *is* a small town, and although we live  in the 1990s and have access to cable TV and videos, we are  not quite that cosmopolitan yet."

"I figured that out when Jaxon chose to spew his homophobic  venom at Keith," she said thoughtfully.

"Keith is a very strong young man," Clark said. "I have  known him for years, both in school and out. He'll  survive."

"It's not Keith I'm worried about," she explained. "It's  the students who laughed at Jaxon's remarks. They didn't  see that there was anything wrong about what he said or  did. There should have been an outcry from *some* of them.  But just the opposite happened. A few of the students were  more than supportive."

"Lois, you're just going to have to be a bit patient."

"You've never tried to make your students think, grow as  human beings, or infuse new ideas into the course  material?" she insisted.

"I *have* been out of Smallville, Lois. I have experienced  social problems first hand and I *have* brought it to my  students' attention," Clark said, defending himself. "I  have, however, not jumped into the water without checking  its depth. You must do these things slowly," he said  rationally.

"Well, Mr. Greenjeans," she said, staring at him, "I don't  work that way." She got up and walked out the door.

"Lois," he called out after her and ran to catch up. "I'm  not trying to stop you from doing what you think is best  for your students. I believe they can learn a lot from  doing the assignment. I just want to warn you that you will  face some resistance from within the classroom and from  without," he explained.

"I'm used to that," she said, continuing to walk down the  hall.

"I'll bet you are," he said, grinning and following a step  or two behind her. "You must have been a hell raiser at  your last school."

She spun on her heels to face him. "Clark, teaching is more  than giving students the three 'Rs'. It is getting them to  think--getting them to become active participants in  society. They have to not only be good, but good for  something," she said, quoting her favorite author. "They  have to have knowledge, commitment, and courage, and we are  the ones that have to instill that in them," she finished,  her eyes ablaze.

Lois had never looked lovelier. Clark just stared. He  couldn't keep his eyes off her. He wanted to take her in  his arms--right then and there-- right in the middle of the  Smallville High School hallway, with students just coming  out of the cafeteria and heading toward their lockers.

"Clark?" she asked.

"Lois," Clark said, finally able to speak. "It's great to  hear a teacher talk that way. I totally agree with you, and  though you may not believe me, I try the same things in my  classes. I try to make them see that there are many sides  to an issue and that it is their job to find out who they  are and to get out there and make a difference."

Lois smiled at him. After only a few days she knew he was  different than Ralph, who simply made dittos and gave the  students the same mathematical problems year after year. He  was also different than Cat and Dan, who both saw their  jobs as just jobs. It was obvious that Clark cared, cared a  great deal. Some of her students had told her how good a  teacher he was and she was already gaining respect for him.

"Look, Lois," Clark began. "I know that teaching is  incredibly important to you. And I respect your dedication  and ability. Dr. White respects you as well. He mentioned  to me how you bowled him over during your interview with  him in July and how, in talking to your various references,  he understood that they all thought you were about the  greatest teacher they've ever met," he said, pausing. "And  not that it means anything coming from a simpleton from  Nowheresville, but I think you're pretty terrific, too."

Lois looked up at Clark and she knew that here was someone  she could trust. She saw in his eyes that he appreciated  who she was and what she had to say. He was different than  any of the men she had been attracted to before.  Attraction? Was that what she was beginning to feel?

"Oh, Clark," Lois said, tears coming to her eyes. "I've had  a rough day or two and I really needed to hear that. I...I  want to apologize, too, for some of the things I said. I  didn't mean..."

But she couldn't complete her thoughts as Ralph came  bounding up. "Hey, you two! Did I interrupt something, heh,  heh? Are you going to the school board party?" he asked.

Before either could answer, Jaxon Luthor came up to them.  He glared at Lois and then addressed Ralph. "Mr. Smoot." He  stared at the Math teacher. "About that grade I got on my  last Trig test--we have to talk."

Ralph nervously followed Jaxon, and the two of them began  talking animatedly over in the corner of the hallway.

Lois glanced over at them. It was obvious that Jaxon was in  control of the conversation. Ralph was nodding and his body  language indicated panic.

"Something should be done about that young man," Lois said  angrily. "Just because his father is the president of the  school board..." she argued, her voice trailing off.

Clark smiled at her. Although he had warned her against it,  he loved that she was ready to jump into the pool without  checking the water level first. She definitely was going to  make an impact on the school and the community.

"You could probably railroad his dad at the party Saturday  night," Clark reminded her.

"Great idea, Clark," Lois said, glad that he wasn't telling  her to give up or cave in or settle down. He was saying  something about meeting her there, but she wasn't really  listening.

Instead, Lois was looking at him. She was holding her  breath. She...she wanted to be in his arms, she wanted him  to hold her and tell her that she was wonderful and to  trust her instincts, and let her know that everything was  going to be okay this time. But she had to put that out of  her mind.

"Meet you? Uh, yes, that would be fine," she heard herself  say. "Where? When?"

"Lois," he said anxiously, his head tilted. "I...I gotta  go. I have to return a book to the school library," he  explained and took off quickly.

"But Clark..." she yelled after him.

Lois started to follow him when she heard a loud commotion  coming from the north side of the school. A crowd of  students and several teachers were moving rapidly toward  the sounds.

"What's going on?" she asked Ralph, who was just ahead of  her.

"They're digging a new well and a workman has fallen down  the shaft. It's over forty feet deep and he isn't  responding to them. Potato chip?" he asked, thrusting a bag  of chips at her.

"No, thanks," she replied glaring at Ralph. "Isn't anyone  going to be able to help him?" she asked, pushing her way  through the crowd to get closer.

All of a sudden the man's face appeared. He had floated to  the top as the well filled up with water. Several workmen  grabbed him and lifted him out to a waiting ambulance.

"What's going on?" Clark said as he slipped in behind Lois.

"A man fell into a well but the force of the well water  pushed him to the surface," Lois explained, turning around  to see Clark, with mud on his coat and pants.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"I slipped," he said, brushing some of the dirt off.

"You should have a change of clothes in your locker," she  told him. "I always do in case something happens."

"Sounds like a great idea," Clark said, an inspiration  coming to him.

* * * *

Saturday evening brought with it a drenching rain. The  lightning and thunder, however, did not put a damper on the  partygoers. Being farm country, most were glad to see the  rain because of the crops and because it would help to cool  down the recent humid conditions.

Jaxon entered his father's office on the third floor of the  bank building. "What is it?" barked Lex. "The party starts  in less than fifteen minutes. I can't be bothered with  anything right now."

"Please, please, I need to talk to you," his son implored.

"Don't whine! A Luthor cow tows to no one. Get out of here;  I can't stand the sight of you!" he shouted.

"You have to get rid of the new English teacher," Jaxon  went on, not leaving. "She's a witch; you need to fire  her."

"Handle this yourself!" he yelled. "Leave me out of it."

* * * *

Downstairs Clark looked anxiously around the large meeting  room that had been converted to a dance floor for tonight's  festivities. He wanted desperately to see Lois and get  close to her. He was standing next to Jimmy when the  president of the school board, owner of the bank, and most  influential member of the community made his dramatic  entrance down a flight of stairs.

Lex Luthor strode down from his third floor office to the  party room below with his eyes on one incredibly attractive  woman. At the foot of the stairs was Lois Lane, standing  next to Barb Friskin. Lex moved directly toward Lois and  took her hand. "You must be our new English teacher," he  said.

"Why have you been ignoring my phone calls?" she asked him.

"Well, I can assure you that I won't make *that* mistake  again," he said as he led her out on the dance floor.

Clark stared at Lois. She was wearing a black sheath and  she was stunning. He couldn't take his eyes off her and, as  he stretched to see her, he began inadvertently floating  about five inches off the floor.

"She's really something," Jimmy said to Clark, not aware of  Clark's levitation as Jimmy's eyes also remained on Lois.  "Isn't she? Clark? Clark?"

Quickly, before anyone noticed, Clark got his feet back on  the ground, but only physically. Metaphorically, he  remained floating on air as he continued to stare at the  vision dancing with Luthor.

"Yeah," Clark gulped. "She is something!"

Clark wasn't the only person who was watching the pair on  the dance floor. Barb Friskin was also taking a keen  interest in the two. She stared angrily at Lex and Lois as  they glided by and realized that Lex was up to his old  tricks. She had been there before and knew every move that  he was going to make. Barb promised herself that she was  going to have to do something about it.

Clark continued to watch the two dancing and resisted using  his hearing ability to tune in on what they were saying as  they danced by.

"You'll excuse me for being so bold," Lois began,  addressing Luthor.

"Boldness is a trait I find very attractive in a woman, Ms.  Lane," Lex said, turning her expertly around the floor.

"Well, thank you," she replied, caught somewhat off guard.  "Well, Mr. Luthor..." Lois continued.

"Lex," the head of the school board said persuasively.

"Lex," Lois returned. "I need to meet with you on an  important issue."

"How about later tonight?" he said, whispering right into  her ear.

Clark crossed quickly over to the two. He didn't like the  way Lex was moving in on Lois. "May I cut in?" Clark asked,  taking her hand and stepping between Lois and Lex.

As Lois watched Lex walk away, she looked at Clark,  annoyed. "I was close to setting up an important meeting."

"This close?" Clark asked, holding her a bit more closely.

Lois put some additional space between them. Although she  might be a little grateful that Clark had *saved* her again  from the obvious pass that Lex had thrown, she believed she  could have held her own with the bank president. She was  becoming, however, more unsure each day that she couldn't  keep her wits about her with Clark. He was beginning to  penetrate the shell she had encased herself in. But she  just could not and would not start a faculty romance. She  had been through that before and it had been a federal  disaster, particularly when that faculty member had become  the principal.

"I thought square dancing would be more your style," Lois  said bitingly. Although she wanted to distance herself from  Clark, she was almost sorry she had lashed out at him that  strongly.

Clark, becoming at ease with her occasional jibes, ignored  her. "Actually, I learned from a Nigerian Princess who  studied ballroom dancing in England," Clark explained.

"Oh how fascinating," Lois threw back at him and moved  away. She couldn't stay in his arms. It was beginning to  feel too good. She had to get away. There was not going to  be a repeat of what happened in Metropolis.

"Lois," Clark called out and followed her. She had felt so  good in his arms. She had said that she understood him but  it was he who was really beginning to understand her. He  could sense that at times she rejected him and pushed him  away, but there were other times, times when he felt that  she would welcome him. Something must have happened in  Metropolis. Perhaps that is why she had come to a small  town to get away from someone making her scared of starting  a new relationship, especially if she had just come off a  failed one.

Well, he was scared, too. Past relationships for him had  been good, but they had only gone so far. He had never  wanted them to go any further unless that woman could share  his secret. Clark began to think that he had finally found  someone who could do just that, who could share everything  with him. Maybe it was the right time for him to make that  step. "Lois," he called out again and caught up with her in  front of several glass display cases that housed some  antiques.

Ralph came by and pulled Lois back onto the dance floor.  Clark planned to wait a moment or two before rescuing Lois  once more when Lex joined him by the exhibit.

"What do you think of it?" Lex asked, indicating the  selection of war artifacts that were on display. Clark  looked at a German Luger, a Confederate saber, a crossbow,  and a Revolutionary musket.

"Impressive," Clark stated. He had always found Lex a bit  hard to take. They had had a few run ins in the past over  differences of opinion usually involving Lex's son, but  nothing major. However, his making a move on Lois was  putting his inappropriate actions into the major column.  Clark stared at Lex and realized that he and most people in  the town didn't really know that much about him.

Lex had come to Smallville eight years ago while Clark was  away at college. He had become a partner of Henry Brady and  Matthew Drake, who owned the bank. Brady had died of a  heart attack shortly after Lex joined them, and Drake had  been arrested for fraud related to activities that occurred  before Luthor had come on board. Lex had been cleared, and  as sole remaining partner, became president of the bank and  eventually the richest man in town.

Clark had always thought that some of this sounded shady.  Now that he thought about it again, it was just too neat  and tidy.

Lex's son Jaxon had been nine years old when the two moved  to Smallville. It was rumored that Mrs. Luthor had  committed suicide, but the facts were unclear. Jaxon had  been a hellion, having been raised by a series of Nannies  who never stayed very long. Lex, apparently, was never  really *there* for his son, which angered Clark.

"Do you know what this is?" asked Lex, opening the case  with a key from his pocket and indicating a weapon that he  removed from the place of honor in the center display case.

"A Macedonian sword," Clark responded.

"It belonged to Alexander the Great," Lex informed him. "A  brilliant tactician." He pointed the sword at Clark.  "Alexander's strategy was simple. Always seize the high  ground," Lex said, trying to intimidate Clark. "It was with  this sword that he..."

"...defeated Darius the Third and was proclaimed King of  Asia," Clark finished, staring Luthor right in the eye,  refusing to *be* intimidated.

"You surprise me, Mr. Kent," Lex remarked. "And I'm not  often surprised."

"I do teach history, Mr. Luthor," Clark responded.

Lex continued to look at Clark. Then he placed the sword  back in the case. Luthor's surprise was not that Clark knew  about the sword but that he had faced Lex squarely and was  not awed by him. Lex was used to people backing down. This  was something new for him.

Lois returned to the two of them in her attempt to get away  from Ralph.

"I have an announcement regarding school policy that you  both will be interested in," Lex informed them, then walked  toward the center of the room.

Lois looked at Clark. "Does he usually make policy  statements at these get togethers?"

"He's only been school board president for a year," Clark  explained. "I'm not sure what's up."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, that is...teachers and board  members," Lex said, looking around the room. "I hope you  are having a good time. I've been on the board for five  years, and president for one of those years, and during  that time I have been trying to make sure that the school  curriculum reflects the goals of this community," he said  and smiled.

Lois immediately saw beneath the fa‡ade and knew that she  was not going to like what she heard next.

"I'm happy to report that the board has, during its first  meeting of the new academic year, written the "Family  Values Doctrine." This new policy will require that the  high school curriculum be sent to a committee of specially  selected and representative citizens who will insure that  certain inappropriate material not be presented to our  vulnerable children. Among those on the taboo list will be  Evolution, Communism, and Homosexuality."

Lois and Clark looked at each other.

Part 5

Lois tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep. The  thunderstorm had stopped and now there was only a soft,  gentle rain that normally should have lulled her to sleep.  As she turned to look at the clock for the twentieth time,  she thought she heard something. There it was again, at the  rear of the house. It sounded like the back screen door.  Lois got up and slowly went to the Kitchen, grabbing a  frying pan off the rack. She looked out the back window and  saw a raccoon trying to get into the garbage can. Lois  sighed. She still wasn't used to the sounds of the country.  She could sleep through sirens, eye in the sky helicopters,  loud radios blaring, but this was all new to her.

Lois went into the living room, not noticing the shadow of  an intruder who was lurking in the kitchen. She knew it  would be useless to try to get to sleep. The evening's  events and those of the last few days were playing ping- pong inside her head.

She walked to the desk and took out the hot pink sheet from  a folder. She ran down the names on the sheet. Kent, Clark:  555-1018. Well, that would be easy to remember since it was  the day after her birthday. Lois looked at the clock again;  the dial read 12:42. It was too late to call anyone, but  she needed to talk. She picked up the receiver and then put  it down again. What was she doing? Hadn't she learned from  her past mistakes? But Clark was not Claude. After Claude,  she had begun to doubt her capacity to assess a man's  goodness. But she felt that she *had* recognized how  different Clark was. There was a kindness, a generosity and  a gentleness in his eyes. Lois paced around the living room  and then moved toward the phone. She picked it up and  punched in the numbers. Clark picked it up after the second  ring.

"Hello," he said hesitantly.

"Hi, Mr. Mentor, it's your mentee," Lois explained. "Does  your mentor job description include taking care of  sleepless mentees?"

"How about a pizza and a video?" he asked. Then, "I'll be  right over," he said, without even waiting for an answer.

Lois went into the bedroom to change from her pajamas to  sweatpants and a gray tank top. As she did so, the intruder  took that opportunity to slip out the back door. Dealing  with Lois Lane would have to wait until another day.

Fifteen minutes later, Clark arrived at Lois' door. As she  let him in, she noticed that Clark was wearing jeans and a  tight brown T-shirt and looked incredible. He carried a  large pizza box and a video and set it down on the table.

"I figured 'Sleepless in Seattle' would be the ideal film."

Lois smiled and put the video in the VCR and moved a box  she had been unpacking aside in order to make room for the  pizza. As the movie began, she and Clark settled in on the  couch and Clark handed her a slice of pizza.

"Thank you, Clark," Lois said. "I really needed something  like this. What with getting settled, starting at a new  school, and having to face the two Luthors...it has been  quite a week."

Clark smiled at Lois. He was glad to see her in a little  more vulnerable state. Not that he needed a woman to be  weak and helpless. He just wanted to see all of her facets  and discover that she did have another side to her. He  looked around at the disarray of half-opened boxes. On top  of the box that Lois just moved aside, he noticed some  framed quotations, all by Thoreau...

...Friends...they cherish one another's hopes. They are  kind to one another's dreams.

...Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look  through each other's eyes for an instant?

...There is no remedy for love but to love more.

Clark looked back at Lois. She was, indeed, something  special, and that hard shell was beginning to crack.

About halfway through the film, Lois fell asleep on his  shoulder. Clark reached out and moved the few locks of hair  that had fallen into her eyes and cupped his hand on her  cheek, caressing the side of her face. Lois moved slightly  under his touch as if in response, but remained asleep.  Clark carefully picked her up and carried her to her bed.  He pulled the bed covers around her and sat on the edge of  the bed. He watched her sleep for a few minutes, reveling  in how beautiful she looked, and he listened to her soft  breathing, fantasizing how wonderful it would be to be  lying next to her and have her sleeping in his arms. He  leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, then quietly  slipped out the door.

* * * *

Martha was arranging the chairs in a circle and placing  scripts on each one. She was guessing that about twelve  people would come to the Sunday auditions. She had a stack  of audition sheets ready--one for each person to complete.  Even though she knew everyone who usually tried out, she  wanted a sheet from each person so she could scribble notes  on it, and occasionally there was a new piece of  information she could glean from their sheets that would  help her in casting the show.

As usual, Donald was the first to arrive. He was a local  insurance agent in his late forties. Donald Botts was  short, portly, and opinionated but he was great on stage.  He always played the doctor or lawyer or businessman who  was loud and obnoxious. Martha found him perfect for those  parts and every play seemed to have one. Donald and his  wife Linda had met in college some twenty-five years ago.  Donald was originally from Smallville and had brought Linda  back with him after they graduated college. Linda had  taught grade school until four years ago when she developed  a heart condition. She occasionally helped the Smallville  Players by being in charge of props.

Donald completed the form and then sat down on one of the  chairs and started reading through the script. Beatrice,  the High School secretary, and young Keith Haley soon  joined him after submitting their sheets.

Clark came into the auditorium and went up to his mother to  give her a kiss on the cheek. While she handed him a sheet  to fill out, Martha saw someone new enter and move down the  aisle and up the stairs of the stage to where they were all  standing. Clark's head jerked up to watch as the attractive  woman walked toward them. From his smile, Martha knew that  this must be Lois. Then, pausing, Martha grinned when she  suddenly realized that *this* was why Clark had changed his  mind and was auditioning.

Martha looked at both of them. Being the director had its  advantages. If she cast Clark and Lois as the married  couple, magic could happen. And above all, Martha believed  in magic.

It was magic that brought Clark to her and Jonathan to  begin with. A baby had come out of the sky just after they  had been told that they couldn't have any children. Clark  had proven to be the perfect son. He was kind,  conscientious, and loving. When she and Jonathan had  discovered that Clark had unique talents, they trusted him  implicitly to decide how to handle it. Her only concern  about Clark was that, due to his being special, he had been  and might always be alone--never finding that one love that  could share his life.

"Mom, this is Lois Lane. Lois," Clark said,"this is my  mother.

"How do you do, Mrs. Kent," Lois said.

"Call me Martha, Lois. I've heard so much about you  already." Martha beamed at her. Lois was lovely, and in  that single instant Martha realized that Clark wouldn't  have to be alone. Lois was the one.

Lois eyed Clark and then smiled at Martha. "I've heard  about you, too, Martha. I'm really looking forward to this  audition. Does the town understand the play you've chosen  to do?" she asked, picking up a script.

"A committee of the Smallville Players selects the  scripts," Martha answered her.

"Obviously, none of them are members of the school board or  are impacted by Lex Luthor," she commented.

"I don't understand," Martha said, looking at her son and  then back to Lois.

Clark watched Lois as a smile played on her lips and her  eyes indicated that something was brewing behind those deep  brown pools. He knew that he was going to learn to love the  way Lois got ideas and then acted on them.

"Clark, are you familiar with this play?" Lois asked.

"Not really, I trust my mother's judgment."

"Well, this play is absolutely perfect and I do *so* want  to be a part of it." Lois looked at both of them as she  took a sheet to fill out and sat in a chair.

Cindy came running down the aisle of the auditorium. "Hi,  everybody," she called out, grabbing a sheet and a script  and plopping herself next to Keith.

Lois thumbed through the play. The presentation of this  play would work right into what she planned to do in  response to the school board's dictum. Obviously, Martha  understood the nature of the play but was not aware of what  was going on in regards to school curriculum. On the other  hand, Clark knew what was going on at school, but was  unfamiliar with the play. She was going to have to get both  of their support to make this idea work.

At that point, Cat made a dramatic entrance and picked a  chair that was furthest removed from Lois. She patted the  chair next to her, encouraging Clark to sit down.

Clark ignored Cat and sat down in a chair beside Lois after  picking up his copy of the script and began to read it.

Coming in behind Cat was Bill Saxton. Martha smiled at  Bill. He was the best actor the group had and he had been  with the Smallville players since its inception. Having  been the high school drama teacher until his retirement two  years ago, he was an asset to them all. Bill lived alone  and there had always been rumors that before he had  relocated to Smallville from Kansas City some thirty-five  years ago he had once been married and that his wife had  left him, taking their two children with her. Since he had  no other family, the Smallville Players had become his  family and everyone loved him.

Lois looked around at all the people busily reading the  scripts in their hands. She wasn't sure if they knew what  was in store for them. But, if they were a good theatre  group, they would all soon become very vested in the  process and supportive of each other.

"Clark," Lois said, leaning toward him, her eyes shining.  "Your mother is incredibly foresighted and has chosen a  play that will give us a pulpit from which to preach  academic freedom."

* * * *

Jaxon Luthor entered his father's study for the second time  in so many days, which was highly unusual for him. For the  most part the two barely crossed paths in their large  apartment. "Dad, have you met the new English teacher yet?"  he asked. "I need to ask you again to *do* something about  her."

"I just may, Jaxon," his father responded. "I just may."

* * * *

Martha looked around at the potential cast members. The  play called for eleven people and only eight hopefuls were  sitting there. She mentally ticked off who could possibly  play what parts and found that all of it worked if she  altered one part. She realized she had to go out and drum  up the additional people she would require, but she was  used to it. She needed four more men, which was always the  case. She would change one of men's role to a woman's as  she did have an extra woman sitting there so she only had  to get three more men--well, one because Jonathan could  handle the small, walk-on role, and hopefully Dan Scardino  would show up. But she would have to deal with that later;  it was now three o'clock.

"Welcome to auditions, everybody. I'm so glad to see all of  you here and to especially welcome a newcomer, Lois Lane,"  Martha said, and then waited for the smattering of applause  to die down. "This play takes place at a Midwestern college  in 1940 and is about freedom and choices."

"We'll start on page thirteen. Donald, will you read Dr.  Damon, who's head of the English Department? Keith, will  you read Michael, a college student? Lois, will you try  Ellen, wife of the English Professor? Clark you'll do  Tommy, the English Professor. Cindy would you take a shot  at Patricia, Ellen's younger sister, who is also Michael's  girlfriend? That should do it for now."

Donald, Keith, Lois, Clark, and Cindy stood up and faced  Martha, who had a large legal pad in front of her, as well  as the sheets the auditioners had submitted to her in order  to take notes.

"Before you start," she said, looking at the actors in  front of her. "Let me set the scene. Dr. Damon and Michael  have just come to the home of Ellen and Tommy," Martha  explained. "Patricia lives with them while going to  college. Dr. Damon is there to tell them that Michael has  written a very interesting article in the school paper that  is coming out the next day. Dr. Damon is a nice, wise man.  Might be a stretch for you, Donald," Martha quipped as the  actors responded with laughter, Donald laughing the  loudest.

Clark looked at Lois standing next to him. Her face showed  an eagerness, and the light in her eyes was almost  hypnotic. He had to force himself to focus back on what his  mother was saying.

"Dr. Damon," Martha was continuing, "is concerned with what  the higher administrators will think of what he or his  faculty does. Michael is an intensely serious student and  perhaps a bit of an agitator."

Keith flashed everyone a smile. "Sounds great," he said.

"Ellen," Martha said, looking at Lois, "acts from an  emotional, not intellectual, basis. She is also very  concerned about how everything looks and is not as  supportive of Tommy as she might be. Not because she  doesn't love him; she loves him intensely. She just doesn't  know how to provide that support. But she eventually  learns, and as she learns, so does the audience."

Martha looked at her son. "Tommy is a mild-mannered teacher  who doesn't really want to rock the boat, but will stand up  for his principles. He loves his wife fiercely but at most  times doesn't know how to show it. He, too, eventually  learns."

Lois and Clark looked at each other. They smiled and then  quickly dropped their eyes to the pages in front of them.

Martha realized this was an opportunity to gain Lois'  respect and couldn't let it pass, especially when this  woman meant so much to her son. "This play, then, revolves  around education," she told the group. "First of all, it is  set in a large educational institution. Secondly, the plot  centers on the community learning about academic freedom  and about the message that Tommy Turner wants to convey.  His message is simple and straightforward. Learning and  understanding comes from a variety of sources and we can't  shut down the opportunities to learn," she continued,  looking at Lois, whose head was nodding in agreement and  whose eyes were sparkling with anticipation. Martha noticed  that she wasn't the only one who saw Lois' reaction. Clark  apparently was caught up in watching Lois whenever he had  the opportunity.

Lois stole a glance at Clark. Before he quickly retreated  to looking at the script, Lois noticed that he had been  staring at her. She now took her turn to stare at Clark  while he turned a page or two reading ahead.

He was incredibly handsome but it was what she was learning  about him day after day as they worked together that was  feeding her desire. Yes, desire. That was what she was  feeling. The warmth of his body standing next to hers was  beginning to invade her thoughts. She tried to refocus on  the script but her mind kept wandering back to their  moments together--sharing a Chinese dinner, to his support  of her ideas, to being in his arms when they danced, to the  way he looked on her front porch last night, ready to be  there for her, and to his smile when she entered the  auditorium for today's auditions.

Maybe *he* was the friend who would cherish her hopes and  be kind to her dreams. Maybe he was...was what?

He was definitely a strange man. He was knowledgeable about  so many things. He had a commitment to his students, to his  parents, and she was beginning to feel that that commitment  could eventually include her. Hmmm, knowledge and  commitment, two of her requisites. She looked over at him  again. Would he have the courage she was going to require  of him to help her?

Martha was still discussing the underlying themes of the  play. "The subplot revolves around the marriage of Tommy  and Ellen," she explained. "They have some learning to do.  Ellen is the emotional one, Tommy the intellectual one.  Ellen has to learn how to be of help to her husband by  becoming more knowledgeable. Tommy has to learn how to  express his emotions."

Clark was doing just that. He was dealing with his  emotions, emotions that were new to him. He was falling  helplessly in love. Standing there with Lois so close to  him, he thought back to the first time he saw her in Dr.  White's office. He relived holding her to prevent a  collision in the hallway, their laughing over Chinese  dinner, and seeing her storm out with her eyes flashing  when she was so upset about what happened in her classroom.  The warmth of her body next to his also reminded him of how  it felt when she was dancing in his arms and the closeness  they had shared when she fell asleep on his shoulder.

He remembered the quotations from Thoreau that were  apparently very special to her. He knew he could cherish  her hopes and be kind to her dreams, and most of all, love  her more and more and more.

He looked up from the script to catch her looking at him  and noted the continued excitement in her eyes. Was that  there because she was looking forward to the play? Or had  she, hopefully, some of the same feelings for him?

"Patricia..." Martha was explaining to Cindy, "...is in  love with Michael but is unsure of that love, especially  since Michael is different. And as a very young woman,"  Martha explained, "she gets worried easily.

"Okay," Martha said. "As a reminder, in this scene, Dr.  Damon and Michael are entering the Turner house and are the  bearers of interesting news. Is everyone ready? Good,"  Martha said, encouraging the group in front of her. "Then  let's try it."

Part 6

The group of actors looked at their scripts, and Lois  began.

Ellen/Lois: Oh, come in, Doctor Damon, Michael.

Michael/Keith: Hi, Professor Turner, Mrs. Turner.

Damon/Donald: Hello, Thomas! How are you Ellen, dear?

Ellen/Lois: Where's Mrs. Damon?

Damon/Donald: I shall pick her up and bring her along  shortly for the festivities. This is in the nature of an  unofficial call.

Tommy/Clark: Hello! You both look a little grim. Has  anything happened?

Damon/Donald: Michael has written another of his fiery  editorials.

Patricia/Cindy: (Entering, unaware that they had company)  Ellen, did you see my--oh! How do you do, Doctor Damon? Hi,  Michael!

Michael/Keith: H'lo.

Damon/Donald: (to Patricia) Sit down, my dear. I have here  an editorial written by Michael for 'The Lit,' which comes  out tomorrow. Perhaps, to save time, one of us should read  it aloud. (Reading) "When this so-called university forces  such men out of its faculty as Professor Kennedy, Professor  Sykes, and Professor Chapman, because they have been  ignorantly called Reds, it surrenders its right to be  called a seat of learning. It admits that it is nothing  more nor less than a training school--a training school for  bond salesmen, real-estate dealers, and ambulance chasers.  It announces to the world that its faculty is  subservient..."

Michael/Keith: Oh. I didn't mean you, of course, Doctor  Damon.

Damon/Donald: "...that its faculty is subservient to its  trustees, and that its trustees represent its proper name,  which is--Fascism."

Clark quickly stole a glance at Lois and she looked back,  catching his eye. He nodded slowly, beginning to understand  why Lois was so excited about this play and how, no pun  intended, it would play right into her hands as she  responded to the school board's Family Values Policy. He  grinned at her.

Lois watched Clark carefully. He got it! More than that, he  was in his way agreeing and would be there for her. She  could see it in his eyes and in his smile, his wonderful  smile. He was courageous as well as knowledgeable and  committed; and she, Lois Lane, was falling in love with a  farmboy from Nowheresville.

Patricia/Cindy: Oh, Michael! There you go again.

Damon/Donald: Wait till you hear what he has actually done.

Patricia/Cindy: Isn't that all?

Damon/Donald: Unhappily, there is more.

Patricia/Cindy: Oh, Lord!

Damon/Donald: These professors were not Reds. They were  distinguished liberals. Let us thank God that we still have  one man left who is going ahead, teaching what he believes  should be taught.

Tommy/Clark: Who's that?

Damon/Donald: "He is not afraid to bring up even the Sacco- Vanzetti case. He has read to his classes on the same day  Vanzetti's last statement and Lincoln's letter to Mrs.  Bixby. The hounds of bigotry and reaction will, of course,  be set upon the trail of this courageous teacher, but, if  they think they can stop him, they are in for a  disappointment. Our hats are off to Professor Thomas Turner  of the English Department. That's all.

"Martha," Donald said, looking up from the script. "This is  pretty heady stuff. Are you sure the audience will..."

"It is our job," Martha explained, "to shake up an audience  and make it think. I don't ever believe we have to play  down to an audience by giving them only fluff."

During Donald's reading and his discourse with Clark's  mother, Clark began to realize the power that this play had  and he understood how Lois needed him to support her at  school. He felt that he not only wanted to be there for her  but *had* to be there for her because she was right.

"Continue, please, Lois," Martha encouraged.

Ellen/Lois: Tommy?

Clark was deep in thought. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mom. Sorry,  Lois. My mind was somewhere else."

"A good place, I hope," Lois said.

"An important place," Clark responded.

"Let me cue you again, Clark," she said, helping.

Ellen/Lois: Tommy?

Tommy/Clark: Michael, I think you might have consulted me  about this.

"Let me stop you for a moment," Martha said. "Cat, will you  start reading Patricia even though she's a bit too young  for you. I just want to listen to your voice quality. Thank  you, Cindy, you can sit back down. And Bill, would you read  Dr. Damon. Thank you, too, Donald."

Cindy and Bill sat down and Cat strolled up to the front  and stood beside Clark. Bill took his place in front of  Martha.

Patricia/Cat: Michael, you fool! They'll kick you out of  school for this-- and Tommy too!

Ellen/Lois: You never told me you had brought up the Sacco- Vanzetti case in your classes, Tommy.

Damon/Bill: Yes, just what is this Vanzetti letter you have  read?

Tommy/Clark: I haven't read it yet.

Michael/Keith: When you told me the other day you were  going to read it, I thought you meant *that* day.

Tommy/Clark: No, Michael. I just meant some day. But I was  talking to you as a friend; I was not giving an interview  to an editor.

Ellen/Lois: But why were you going to read this letter,  Tommy?

Tommy/Clark: Because it's a fine piece of English  composition, and I'm teaching a *class* in English  composition. An obscure little class. I don't want any  publicity, Michael. I just want to be left alone.

Ellen/Lois: But nobody thinks of Vanzetti as a writer,  Tommy.

Tommy/Clark: It happens that he developed into an  extraordinary writer. I don't think you could help being  interested in the letter yourself, Doctor Damon.

Damon/Bill: You would be surprised at my strength of will  in these matters, Thomas. What I am interested in is  preserving some air of academic calm here at Midwestern...

Patricia/Cat: You don't want to get Tommy kicked out of  school, do you, Michael?

Michael/Keith: No. I didn't think of that. I thought  Professor Turner was about the only man we had left who  would read whatever he wanted to, to his classes. I thought  he was the one who could stand up to these stadium  builders.

Tommy/Clark: I'm not standing up to anyone, Michael. I'm  not challenging anyone. This is just an innocent little  piece I wanted to read.

"Okay," Martha said. "Good job. I've heard enough in this  scene. I know you all pretty well so I know what you can  do. I just need to hear Lois a little more."

Just at that moment Dan Scardino arrived. "Sorry I'm late,  guys," he said, plopping himself down on a chair after he  had picked up a script. "What would you like me to read,  Herr Director?"

"You've got perfect timing, Dan," Martha smiled. "Would you  turn to page 142? Clark, would you read Tommy again? Lois,  you're still on Ellen. And, Dan, would you read Joe?"

"Sure," said Dan. "What's the play about?"

"I hope the others will bear with me, and I'll try to make  this brief. Dan, this is a play about a college professor  who may be branded a Red because he is choosing to read a  letter by Vanzetti in his classroom. Clark is reading the  part of the teacher," she explained and then looked at  Lois.

"Lois is reading the part of his wife, a woman who is  having a difficult time understanding her husband's  principles and backing him. At the same time her previous  boyfriend, you, that is, Joe, has come back to campus for  the Homecoming game. He was the star football player when  all three of them-- Tommy, Ellen, and Joe were in college  together."

Dan looked at Lois. "I think I can handle it," he said.

"I guess," Martha said, "you must all be wondering what the  title of the play means. Since it's a play about academic  freedom, why this title?" She looked at all of them.  "Thurber was trying to have us question who the real man  is, who the strong man is. Is he the one who can muscle his  way down a football field or is he the one who lives a  quiet life of desperation and then stands up for what he  believes in?"

Martha smiled at Lois. Lois returned the smile,  appreciating the quotation from Thoreau. Martha continued,  "The part of Ellen is one of choices as well. Not only does  Tommy have to choose to fight for academic freedom, Ellen  must choose between the teacher and the football player."

"If I decide to put you in this part, Dan, I may be  typecasting you as the ex-football player," Martha went on.  "But I'm sure you will enjoy the part because there are  times when he reenacts football plays, the statue of  liberty play, for one."

"Hey!" Dan said. "No problemo, you probably would have  needed me as a technical advisor anyway. I know Clark  played football in college. But I am, after all the  football coach."

"Are we ready?" Martha asked, looking at the three of them  standing in front of her. Dan had placed himself between  Lois and Clark. "Dan," Martha instructed. "Would you move  over to the other side of Lois? I want her in the middle of  the two of you."

Clark and Dan exchanged glances. Dan looked at Lois. "Are  those your real eyelashes? You have the most beautiful  eyes," he whispered to her.

Clark heard Dan's come on and, although upset, kept his  feelings in check.

Lois, not sure how to respond, quickly looked back to  Martha, who was explaining the scene they were about to  tackle.

"At this point in the play, which is at the very end,  actually," Martha explained, "Tommy has already read the  infamous letter, and everyone believes he will probably be  fired. Tommy thinks that Ellen is ready to run off with  Joe. Joe has kissed Ellen and tried to rekindle their  feelings, but Joe is married and he is only interested in a  fling. Ellen is angry at Tommy for wanting to pass her back  to Joe. Okay, everybody got that? Let's try it."

Dan looked over at Lois and winked.

Ellen/Lois: (to Tommy) Oh, go on! Put on your coat and comb  your hair! If you're going to be kicked out of school, you  can't go over there looking like a tramp.

Tommy/Clark: All right. (The directions indicate that he  goes upstairs)

Clark moves away from Dan and Lois.

Joe/Dan: Look, Ellen, everything's gonna be all right.

Ellen/Lois: Is it?

Joe/Dan: I wouldn't worry about that guy.

Ellen/Lois: I don't.

Joe/Dan: I mean, he's sure to get another job. He's had  more publicity than Wallace Simpson.

"Hold it," Dan said, interrupting the reading. "Who is he?"

"Who?" Martha asked.

"Wallace Simpson," replied Dan.

Clark looked at his mother and then Lois and the three of  them chuckled.

"Wallace Simpson is a woman," Martha responded.

"Sure," said Lois. "She was a divorcee who was loved by  King Edward VIII of England."

"And he gave up the throne because he loved her so much,"  finished Clark as he looked over at Lois, who was returning  his gaze.

"Okay, okay," Dan said. "Thanks."

"Go on," Martha directed.

Joe/Dan: I mean, he's sure to get another job. He's had  more publicity than Wallace Simpson.

Ellen/Lois: I don't care what becomes of him.

Joe/Dan: Come here.

Lois turns to Dan and takes a few steps toward him.

Joe/Dan: You're still crazy about that guy, aren't you?

Ellen/Lois: I'm kind of scared of him. He used to be just-- nice, but now he's wonderful!

Clark looked at the script, which directs that Tommy  appears on the stairs in time to catch the end of this. The  script explains that very slowly a light begins to dawn  upon Tommy. Joe sees Tommy return but Ellen doesn't. Clark  and Dan follow the directions.

Joe/Dan: I don't think he's so wonderful!

Ellen/Lois: Yes, he is! That letter's wonderful. What he's  trying to do is wonderful. He wouldn't let me or you or  anyone stop him.

Joe/Dan: He's a scrapper all right, but he can't dance.

Ellen/Lois: Oh, who wants to dance now?

Dan follows the script directions and takes Lois into his  arms, smiles at her, and starts to dance while reading his  script over her shoulder.

Joe/Dan: This is important. It's all in the light you give  off.

Ellen/Lois: Light? What are you talking about?

Joe/Dan: The important thing about dancing is that the man  has got to lead.

Lois stopped abruptly. "I know that this is 1940, Martha,  but that line is so...so..."

"Yes, I know," said Martha. "But it fits in with what comes  next. Let's go on for now."

Dan gathered Lois back in his arms and, as the script  called for, signaled to Tommy, who comes into the room.

Tommy/Clark: May I cut in? (he takes Ellen/Lois into his  arms)

Ellen/Lois: Tommy! Let me go!

Tommy/Clark: No, I think you're wonderful too!

Ellen/Lois You think I'm dumb! Were you listening?

Tommy/Clark No.

Joe/Dan: (making his way toward the door) Hey--don't start  that again!

Tommy/Clark: Joe--why don't you go back to your wife? We  can send her a wire.

Joe/Dan: Don't worry about me, brother. I sent her a wire  this morning. (exits)

Dan sat back down on the chair, leaving Lois and Clark  dancing.

Tommy/Clark: Quit leading!

Ellen/Lois: I'm not leading. You *were* listening!

Tommy/Clark: You were yelling. Well, turn!

Ellen/Lois: Make me turn. (Clark does) Don't be so rough-- and take the hair off your forehead. (Lois takes the hand  she is not holding her script with and moves a lock of  Clark's hair which *had* fallen out of place and, slowly,  while looking into Clark's eyes, moves the lock back in  place).

"There's one more line and some stage action," Martha said.  "Let's finish it," she indicated, smiling.

Ellen/Lois: You look terrible. (she lifts her face up to  Clark's and they kiss)

The auditorium and the onlookers disappeared as Clark felt  his lips on Lois'. He had fantasized about this for days,  and there she was, responding to him. He could hear the  soft sounds she was emitting, and he deepened the kiss.

Lois forgot where she was. She forgot anyone else was there  as she melted into Clark's arms. Her body nestled up  against his and there was no doubt now that she was falling  head over heels in love.

* * * *

"You're in that stupid play with *him*?" Jaxon was yelling  at her later that night.

"Yes," Cindy said haltingly. "Keith's okay. He's really  great to work with."

"Keith's a flaming fruit," Jaxon Luthor told her. "I'll do  what I want," Cindy insisted.

Jaxon raised his arm and slapped her across the face.  "You're my girl!" he Shouted. "And I don't want anyone  thinking that you are friends with a damn Homo, and that  you would take his side against me."

Part 7

Lois was sitting in the teacher's lounge during lunchtime  on Monday, looking at the rehearsal schedule that Martha  had passed out at the end of auditions. Lois had gotten the  part of Ellen, which required her to be at rehearsals  Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, starting the following  week. She was to be at a read through this Tuesday during  which time she would be measured for costumes. Cat, the  other possible Ellen, wound up with the part of a man-- now  woman reporter--a part that only had three or four lines.  The schedule fell to the floor and Lois got down on all  fours to retrieve it just as Cat entered.

"On your hands and knees, Lois?" Cat hissed. "Is that how  you got the leading part in the play?"

Lois returned to her seat as she glared at Cat.

Cat moved to the door after getting something she needed  from her locker. As she left the room, Clark came through  the door. Cat smiled up at him, but Clark wasn't noticing  her at all. He only had eyes for Lois.

"Lois," he said, "about yesterday at auditions..."

"Yes, Clark," Lois responded. "I want to talk about that as  well. I'm just so glad we got the parts!" She hugged him  excitedly.

"So am I, Lois. I think we ought to..." he started, but  suddenly stopped, and Lois saw a look come into his eyes.  "Uh...Lois...er, I have to go."

"But Clark," Lois implored. "I think we have to talk. It  seems that we are getting to a place...a wonderful place,  and I feel that..."

"Excuse me, Lois, but I've got to...return that video to  the store," he said, fleeing the room.

Lois shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. Had  she done it again? Had she fallen for someone who couldn't  make a commitment--who was afraid of intimacy? Boy, she  could really pick them. But yet, Clark had seemed so  different. The time she had spent with him had given her  the opportunity to maybe see into his soul. She had thought  she had seen someone who openly cared, who was capable of  sharing, and most importantly, someone who could really  love her. After all of her disasters during college and  after, she had almost begun believing that no one could  *really* love her. At least not the *way* she wanted--and  needed--to be loved. She craved someone who would be able  to support her ideas, her values, and her need to stand up  and be counted.

Lois thought of Thoreau's quotation she now had hanging on  her wall: "The only remedy for love was to love more." She  wanted to be loved more each and every day, even when she  followed her impulses, even when she did the unexpected,  even when she was consumed by her passion for social  justice and truth. Lois couldn't sit blindly by and not  fight for lost causes, and she needed someone to fight  along side of her. She had begun to believe that Clark  could be that person but his disappearing acts belied that  capability. Maybe he was *not* the man she had come to  believe he was, and maybe there was somebody else out there  that was.

* * * *

Clark sped to a nearby farm where Fred Haley was caught  under a thresher. Staying out of Fred's line of vision, he  moved to the rear of the thresher and lifted it just enough  so the farmer was able to pull free. Fred looked around but  Clark had become a blur.

Entering his mother's bookstore, Clark found her curled up  in an oversized Chair, reading. "Mom," he said.

"Hi, Clark," she smiled at him. "Did you enjoy yesterday's  audition?"

"Yeah, Mom, it was great," he said. "But, look, I have  another problem, and after rereading one of my favorite  books, I have an idea of how to solve it. You know that I  wrestled all my life with why...why I was sent her, and why  I had these powers. I believe I was given my powers to help  people, and that I'm here to make a difference. But I also  know that you and Dad are scared for me because you believe  that someday I could be found out. Today I helped Keith's  Dad when he got caught under his thresher. And..." He  paused.

"And, what?" Martha looked anxiously at her son.

"There was an instant there when I thought he saw me."

"Oh, Clark!" his mother exclaimed, rising to go to him.  "You can't keep doing this."

"I have to, Mom. You know I have to. But I have an idea. I  got it from that book and from something Lois said. It may  be crazy but I think it will work." He paused. "I need an  outfit."

"An outfit?"

"Yeah, you make the costumes for the Players. How about a  costume that could disguise me when I'm off helping people?  Look, Mom, I really have to get back to school. You think  about it and we'll talk more when I come over later."

* * * *

Clark returned to the teacher's lounge as the faculty who  were eating there, were beginning to leave to return to  classes. Lois was on the phone.

Lois looked up as Clark returned to the teacher's lounge.  Maybe her idea to have Clark help her to persuade the  school board to vote down the new policy was far fetched.  He seemed to be preoccupied with things. He always had  something to do, some place to go, when they began talking  about something serious. It had become obvious that he was  not the man she thought he was. Perhaps she should try a  different approach to resolving her academic problems,  something she could do on her own without his help.

"Yes, of course, Lex," she said into the phone. "I guess I  can make it. I'll see you then." She hung up the phone.

Clark crossed over to her. "About yesterday," he began. "I  think we should have dinner and...you know, to celebrate.  We should do it now before intensive rehearsals start  tomorrow evening."

"I'm sorry," Lois informed him sharply. "I have a dinner  engagement with--"

"Luthor," Clark finished.

"Yes," she said and continued to walk down the hallway.

"Tell me something," Clark looked at her angrily. "How far  would you be willing to go to get what you want?"

"As far as I need to, and, not that it's any of your  concern," she returned, getting just as angry. "I have  three rules. I don't get involved with the parents of my  students, I don't let anyone interfere in my teaching, and  I don't sleep with anyone I work with. Luthor is the father  of a student, he is my boss, and this is business," she  stressed and stormed away.

* * * *

Later that evening Lois and Lex were eating dinner at a  small table on the balcony of an apartment that Lex had  constructed on the fifth floor of the bank building.

"This is rather extravagant digs for Smallville," Lois  said, looking around.

"You don't have to be in a large city to enjoy some of the  finer things of life." Lex eyed her. "You're here."

"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," Lois replied, taking a bite of her  Lobster Florentine.

"Lex, please," Luthor implored.

"I'm not sure that's appropriate since you are president of  the school board and I'm just a lowly teacher."

"There's nothing lowly about you, Lois," Lex responded.  "And since you have graciously accepted my invitation to  dinner at my apartment, keeping the employer/employee  relationship seems unnecessary," Luthor said, taking a sip  of his champagne.

"I don't think we should," Lois responded.

"All work and no play. Is that your credo, Lois Lane? Why  don't we just enjoy the evening, enjoy each other..."

* * * *

'I don't know about this costume thing, Clark," Jonathan  informed his son, bringing two cups of coffee to the table.

"It will work," Clark said. "It has to. If I have an  effective disguise, I won't have to worry about people  finding out about me."

"Come on," his mother said. "Let's get started."

Martha led Clark to her spare bedroom where she had closets  and boxes filled with costumes from past theatrical  productions and unused bolts of material. Her sewing  machine had a prominent position right in the center of the  room near the foot of the bed.

For the next two hours, Clark and his mother tried various  combinations of spandex tights, boots, shirts, and hats.

"Well?" Martha asked, throwing herself on the bed. "What  about that one?"

"I don't know," Clark said as he emerged, dressed in a blue  and red spandex suit with a yellow belt and red cape.

Clark went over to the mirror and moved around, testing its  flexibility. "Hmm, what do you think?"

Martha got up from the bed and joined him over at the  mirror. "Well, one thing's for sure. Nobody's going to be  looking at your face." His mom grinned at him.

"Mom!" Clark said, shocked.

Chuckling, his mom said, "They don't call them tights for  nothing."

Clark put his arm around his mother and she hugged him.

"I don't know...there's something missing...something..."  she said, and then her face lit up. Martha dropped to her  knees and went digging under the bed. She pulled out an old  suitcase from its secreted place.

"What's that?" asked Clark as his mother was opening the  suitcase.

She picked up a blue blanket, stroking it gently. "The baby  blanket we found you in so long ago. And this..." she said,  holding up a large emblem of a red 'S' on a golden  background.

* * * *

"This is business," Lois said, putting down her fork. "I  need to talk to you about two related problems. One  concerns the Family Values Policy, and the other, your  son."

"Let's not talk about this until after dessert."

"I don't eat dessert," Lois informed him.

* * * *

Clark modeled the entire outfit.

"Your folks would be proud of you," his mother said. "We  sure are."

"Thanks, Mom," he said, smiling at her. "I'm not so sure  about the cape, though." He turned from side to side to get  the entire affect in the mirror.

"Oh really?" his Mom asked. "I love it. It'll be great when  you're flying."

Clark took another look in the mirror and then removed his  glasses. Would this be enough of a disguise? He remembered  his mother's pep talks during one of the plays he had been  in. She spoke about the suspension of disbelief. An  audience wants to believe what they are seeing. They want  to accept that there is not an actor up there but a real  person telling their story.

They walked into the living room. His Dad looked at Clark.  "That's my boy," he said.

"Yes, that's right," Martha said. "What if someone  recognizes you?" his mom asked.

"They won't because it won't *be* me. Remember when you  taught all of us about the suspension of disbelief?" he  said to his Mom. "They will want to believe that there is  someone out there who is faster than a speeding bullet, who  can leap tall buildings, and who can bend steel in his bare  hands. They will see someone separate. They will not see  Clark. It worked for Percy in the Scarlet Pimpernel. It  will work for me."

* * * *

"Let's spend the rest of the evening getting to know each  other better," Lex said, fingering the lace on the front of  Lois' dress.

"I'm here on business," Lois said, standing up and walking  away from the table. She turned back to Lex. "Are you aware  that I threw your son out of class and I will *not* let him  return until he apologizes for what he did?"

"Well, Lois," Luthor said. "Boys will be boys. And since  I'm a boy and you're a girl, why don't we do what boys and  girls do best together," he said, walking toward her,  grabbing her and kissing her harshly. She pulled away from  him, her dress getting ripped in the process.

Luthor grabbed her again, forcing her down on the couch.  "Get your hands off Me!" she spat out and kneed him in the  groin.

Lex hunched over and groaned. Lois jumped up from the couch  and started moving toward the door. But Lex recovered  enough to bar her exit. "What did you think this dinner was  all about, Lois? You honestly didn't think it was to talk."

"You obviously have no intention of discussing your son..."  Lois said, trying to get by him, "...or the stupid policy  the school board is about to pass that would destroy  academic freedom."

"I will have a talk with Dr. White about getting Jaxon back  into your class. My son does *not* need your permission to  be there. And the board, Ms. Lane," Luthor continued,  obviously angry about a wasted dinner, "will take up this  matter at our October meeting. According to the  parliamentary rules, this doctrine was presented at the  September meeting and then will be voted upon during the  October meeting. If you want to discuss it, the place is on  the second floor at the October 22nd meeting. Now get out!"

Lois ran out the door, took the elevator down to the lobby,  got in her car, and started to drive toward the other side  of town where her small house was located, tears of anger  in her eyes. She could call the sheriff's station, but  Luthor was right. She had come to *his* apartment. They  would never take her word about what the most influential  man in town had attempted to do. It was his word against  hers. And his word carried a great deal more weight.

Lois should have seen this coming as she had been there  before. She thought back to Claude and John Adams High  School. Lois had been a fool, an absolute fool to fall in  love with him, the handsome French teacher. What was it  with French teachers, anyway? Did 'oversexed' come with the  job description? She had broken one of her cardinal rules  for him and had slept with someone she had worked with.

Lois had thought she was in love with Claude, and when he  got promoted to principal, he had accused her of coming on  to him in order that she could become head of the English  Department. They had only had that one night together and  it was the very next day that Claude had received word that  he was to replace the ailing Principal. Concerned about  what others might think, and terrified that he might be  named in some kind of sexual harassment suit, he had fired  the first shot.

Claude was believed, she was not. Lois had quit abruptly  which, of course, solidified the rumors running rampant.  She could not get a job anywhere in the city's large number  of schools. Thank god she had a connection that had gotten  her the interview with Smallville High's Dr. White.

So here she was in Smallville, USA. She was teaching  English to and with a bunch of red necked, corn husking  simpletons. The tears were now flowing a little more  readily. But wait, there *were* some special people here.  There was Dr. White, Barb, and Keith. There was Martha;  and, most of all, there was Clark. She wiped away the tears  with her hand.

As she thought of Clark, she now knew that he had been  right and she had been wrong to try to reason with Lex  Luthor. She would have to forget about this evening and  concentrate on October 22nd. Plan A was down the tubes. On  to Plan B. Even though Lex was the president of the school  board, he wasn't the entire board. If she could just  influence the other members, she might have a shot at  defeating the new policy and having her teaching methods  supported.

The board's meeting date would be perfect. The play was  scheduled for October 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. If Martha  was as good a director as she seemed, if Clark could carry  off the role of a lifetime, it could work. But she had a  lot to do to get ready. She had to get a grip on herself.  It would now be her job, besides learning her lines, to get  the various board members to the opening night of the play.

Lois was going to have to enlist Clark's help. Maybe she  had been jumping to conclusions to think that he was not  the man she believed him to be. Maybe there was a reason  that he shied away whenever they got too close. Maybe...but  it really didn't matter what she thought because after what  she had said to him, she wasn't sure if he would still be  there for her. She had to call him and apologize and tell  him that she needed his help.

Lois arrived at her house and practically ran up the path.  She took out her keys and put the door key into the lock,  but then stopped when she noticed something white pinned to  the front door. It was an envelope. Puzzled, she opened the  note. 'If you want to prevent Keith from getting hurt,' it  said, 'come to the high school. We'll be waiting.'

Lois ran back to her car, turned on the ignition, and  floored the gas pedal. Her car squealed as she turned  corners sharply and braked hurriedly in front of the  school. Using her school key, she opened the side door and  rushed inside. Red spray paint was used to put the  following message on the wall. "Follow the arrows to find  the queer."

Lois ran along the hallway and up the stairs in the  direction that the arrows pointed. <Oh, let me be on time,>  she thought to herself. Arriving at last at the library  door, she slowly entered. There, beneath a spray painted  sign reading, "Death to Queers--we're taking the high  ground," she saw Keith tied to a chair. He had been  pummeled many times and his face was covered in blood. Two  hooded individuals, obviously teen-agers by their body  size, were continuing to hit him.

"Stop!" Lois cried out as a third boy grabbed her from  where he was hiding behind the door and forced her down to  the floor. Lois tried to resituate herself so she could  kick her attacker somehow, but she was unable to shift her  position. "Help!" she screamed. "Help, someone!"

Lois watched in horror as the two boys continued to hit  Keith. She struggled to rid herself of her attacker's hold,  but from her position on the floor, she was unable to get  the leverage she needed. "Help!" she screamed again.

All of a sudden she heard a whoosh, and a red and blue blur  flew in the window. Yes, flew. It slowed down enough so  that Lois could make out a man in a cape grabbing the two  boys and bending a metal chair, pinning them to the  radiator. Her attacker had released his grip and Lois  pulled herself to her feet and made her way to Keith. As  soon as she got there, the man--or whatever or whoever it  was--helped her untie the unconscious and bleeding Keith.  He stopped for only a second to note the sign on the wall  above Keith before ripping the ropes off the young man.

"Who are you?" Lois asked.

"A friend," he answered. "I'll take him to the hospital.  You call the sheriff and I'll come back to help you."

Lois sunk down to the floor and leaned against the  librarian's desk. She didn't even want to think about what  had and could have happened. Then, gathering herself  together, she got up and telephoned the sheriff's station.

As she described the incident to Rachel Harris, Lois  remembered that there had been a third attacker, an  attacker who no longer was anywhere to be seen.

Lois hung up the phone and walked over to the two boys, who  were struggling unsuccessfully to extricate themselves from  the make shift straitjacket. She pulled off the hoods they  were wearing. Two of her students faced her. John Greene  and Craig Daniels lowered their eyes. There was no doubt in  Lois' mind as to who the third attacker had been because  John and Craig were always hanging around one other  student--Jaxon. The missing attacker was Jaxon Luthor.

* * * *

In the darkness outside of the school, the third  perpetrator sat in his car, watching the man in blue and  red return in through the library window. The sound of a  siren alerted the watcher to leave the scene but  unbeknownst to him, another figure had also been watching.

* * * *

The friend, true to his word, returned and, picking Lois up  in his arms, flew her to the hospital just as the sheriff  was pulling up to the school. "You'll probably want to be  checked out and I'm sure you would like to know how the  young man is doing," he explained as he gently set her  down.

"Thank you," Lois said. "I don't know what would have  happened next if you hadn't stopped it."

"I only wish I could have been there sooner to have  prevented any of it from happening," he said and looked at  her sadly.

Lois stared at him. He was incredible. "What you did was  wonderful," Lois told him as he smiled at her and then flew  toward the open window of the hospital.

A crowd of people had gathered in the corridor of the  hospital as word got out that a flying man had brought in  an injured Keith and, among those in the crowd, was a  reporter from the Smallville Press.

"How will I find you again?" Lois yelled up at him  admiringly.

"I'll be around," he said, flying up into the sky.

The reporter came up to Lois with a pad and pencil in his  hand. "Excuse me," he said. "Can I ask you a few  questions?"

Lois ignored him and continued to watch the night sky, even  though she could no longer see the friend. Maybe here was  the one who...

"Wow," said the reporter. "What does the 'S' stand for?"

"Super," sighed Lois. "Super...man."

Part 8

Lois stood in the hallway of the hospital outside of  Keith's room. Her impetuousness had led to this. If she  hadn't thrown Jaxon out of her classroom, this might not  have happened. Here she was in the middle of another  controversy. She thought of the Luthors, the school board,  her students, and her ideals. How could she balance all of  these? She knew she had to keep fighting, but maybe it was  time to admit that she couldn't do it alone.

Lois sank into a chair and put her head in her hands. Clark  rushed into the hospital and up to where Lois was sitting.  He squatted beside her. "How is he?" Clark asked. "And are  *you* all right?"

Lois looked at Clark as he took her hands in his. Lois  noticed that his face showed worry and concern and she felt  him almost tremble. How could she ever doubt his compassion  and his friendship? And maybe there was something more...

"He'll be fine," the doctor informed them as he came up to  them in the hallway. "If he had been slapped around any  longer, he might have sustained more internal injuries and  it would have been a completely different story," he said  and walked back into Keith's room.

"Superman saved him," Lois explained to Clark as she stood  up and walked toward the window and looked up into the sky.

"Super who?" Clark asked, crossing behind her.

"There was this flying man in a cape and an 'S' on his  chest who rescued both Keith and me," Lois responded,  obviously very taken with the hero.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Clark asked again, putting his  hands on her shoulders.

"I know what I said is hard to believe, but just trust me,"  she said, turning around. "It did happen."

"What exactly happened?" Clark asked, wanting to know the  events leading up to the assault. "Rachel Harris called me  to explain that you and Keith had been attacked. But I'm a  little shaky on the details."

"There was a note on my door when I arrived home, telling  me that Keith was in danger and I should go to the school.  When I got there two boys were beating him up, and a third  got a hold of me."

"Three boys?" Clark asked. "Uh...Rachel told me she had  arrested two."

"Yeah, I'm sure the third one, the one that got away, was  Jaxon Luthor," Lois explained. "But there's no proof."

"Jaxon attacked you and tore your dress?" Clark asked,  noticing for the first time that Lois' dress had been  ripped.

"No, that happened earli...never mind." She stopped herself  and turned away from him.

"Lex," Clark spat out, turning her back to face him.

"Clark," Lois implored. "Leave it alone, we have to help  Keith right now. Did Rachel contact Keith's father?"

"Yes, he's on his way into town."

Just at that moment a harried Fred Haley arrived at the  hospital. "Where is Keith?" he asked Clark.

"He's in there," Lois informed him, pointing to the room.  "The doctor's in there with him."

Fred looked at both of them, took a deep breath, and  entered his son's room.

"Lois." Clark looked at her intently. "Why didn't you call  the sheriff when you got that note? Why did you think you  could just handle this yourself?"

"Keith was in trouble and maybe it was my fault. I just had  to do something about it. Oh, Clark," she whispered. The  fear she had quashed up to now suddenly erupted, and she  put her head on his chest and started to cry.

Clark gathered her in his arms, holding her while her sobs  subsided. She felt so small as he held her. He had to  convince her that everything was going to be okay. He had  to let her know that he, Clark, was always going to be  there for her.

"Lois," he said, putting his hand under her chin and  raising her head to look into her eyes. "It is *not* your  fault. You're not to blame. That family is evil."

Lois shook her head.

"I know," Clark continued as he wiped a tear from her  cheek, "that as teachers we want to believe that someone  like Jaxon could turn out all right and that it's our fault  when they don't. Maybe we can still do something for him. I  don't know. Just remember you are not responsible for what  he did to Keith." He cupped his hand along the side of her  face. "Lois, you are a brilliant teacher and an incredible  woman, and I lo--"

Jonathan and Martha Kent entered the hospital corridor,  rushing over to Lois and Clark. "Is there anything we can  do?" Jonathan asked.

"He's going to be fine," Clark explained to both of them.  "Lois and..."

"Superman," Lois finished.

"Yes...Superman," Clark said, looking at his parents and  signaling with his hand out of Lois' sight. "I'll explain  about him later. Anyway, they were able to stop the attack  before any real and lasting damage was done."

"Oh, that's wonderful news," Martha said. "Can he have  visitors?"

"Fred's in with him now. I think we should let them be  alone for a while," Clark suggested. "Why don't we all go  home and come back in the morning after Keith's had a  chance to rest." He escorted Lois and his parents to the  elevator.

The four of them exited the hospital, and Jonathan and  Martha got into their car.

Clark turned to Lois. "Lois, I'll walk you home, get your  car, and then pick you up in the morning to bring you back  to the hospital," Clark listed off. "Thank goodness there  is no school tomorrow because of the launch of the  Messenger Shuttle to the Promethius Space Station. That  should give you some time off to rest as well."

Clark and Lois slowly walked toward Lois' small house,  which was only three blocks away from the hospital. Clark  had his arm around Lois and she snuggled into his chest.

* * * *

Jaxon watched the two of them from his vantage point across  the street in a darkened doorway. Lois Lane was still out  there, his nemesis. He had been prevented from scaring her  off the other night when he hid in her home due to Mr.  Kent's unplanned arrival, and then at the school by  whatever that flying man was, and now Mr. Kent was again  watching out for her. But one day she would be alone.

* * * *

Having Clark's arm around her, Lois felt safe for the first  time all evening. Her dinner with Lex, the events at the  school, and her fear over Keith at the hospital had left  her pretty shaken up. Clark's arm felt so warm, so strong,  so reassuring.

But, then there *were* those few moments with the costumed  individual she had labeled Superman. What was he? Who was  he? Why was he? All she knew was that he was the most  remarkable man she had ever met, and when he had carried  her in his arms, he was...

Clark was telling her something but her mind was still on  Superman. She looked up at Clark and something tugged at  the back of her mind. She had only seen Superman that one  time but looking at Clark... "Lois," Clark was saying.  "We're here."

"Do you want to come in, Superman?" she asked.

"What?" Clark exclaimed.

Lois shook her head. "Oh, Clark, sorry. My mind was  somewhere else."

"Up in the clouds, it seems," Clark remarked.

"Hmmm, yeah, right, sure. Bye, Clark," Lois said in a daze  and closed the door.

Clark looked at the closed door. He had planned to ask Lois  out for dinner again, this time as a real date; but it  looked like she had someone else on her mind. He spun into  his new suit--a method of changing he was beginning to get  accustomed to--and flew high over Smallville. He had to  think.

Separating himself into two pieces of a greater whole was  going to impact him more than he had intended. Using the  costume, being Superman, as Lois had called him, would  enable Clark to maintain his anonymity and lead an ordinary  life. That part seemed to be working, but Clark never  thought of Superman as another entity; he was simply the  personification of what he could do, not who he was.

He was Clark Kent, and he wanted desperately for Lois to  love Clark. He was sure they had been headed that way. The  night she had fallen asleep on his shoulder, and then the  kiss at the audition, which had felt more than just two  actors doing a scene, and tonight...her reaching out to him  were indications that they had a future. But now another  man had come between them. He had half-expected Dan to try  his hand with Lois, and even though Dan had hinted at his  interest in her, it was he, himself, in his alter ego form  that Clark was jealous of.

* * * *

Lois collapsed on her bed, not even taking the time to  change her clothing. She lay on her back with her arm  folded across her eyes. She had so much to think about. Had  her incorrigible stubbornness led to all of this? Had her  need to fight to the last ounce caused someone else to get  hurt? Lois picked up her dog-eared copy of Thoreau's "Civil  Disobedience" from its usual place on her bedside table.  She flipped through the pages, seeking some words of  solace.

...All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last  mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hour's toil. The  fight to the finish spirit is the one...characteristic we  must posses if we are to face the future as finishers.

...If a person is truly in the right, he has God on his  side and constitutes a majority of one.

...We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal,  and then leap in the dark to our success.

Lois closed the book and put it back on the table. She got  up and crossed to the window, looking up at the star filled  sky. Leap to what? Leap headlong into a fight with Lex  Luthor? Leap into a relationship with Clark? Leap into the  arms of Superman?

* * * *

Jaxon knocked at his father's study.

"Come in," his father responded.

Jaxon entered the study fearfully.

Lex Luthor noticed that his son had blood on his shirt.  "What's happened?"

"I did what you told me to do. I handled the problem  myself," Jaxon explained.

* * * *

Clark knocked at Lois' door early the following morning.  "How are you feeling?" he asked her as she ushered him in.

"Fine," she answered. "Although much of yesterday is  beginning to seem like a blur."

"Mom talked to the doctor first thing this morning and then  called me," Clark explained. "It seems that Keith is awake,  and other than some major bruises, required stitches, an  eye swollen shut, and two broken ribs, he is doing  exceptionally well. The doctor said that he is in great  spirits, but that's Keith," Clark informed her. "He'll  probably be really glad to see us."

"Let's go, then," Lois responded.

"I'll drive," Clark said. "You still look a little wobbly."

"Clark," Lois said hesitantly. "I didn't thank you for  coming to the hospital, for walking me home, and getting my  car. I'm sorry, but I guess I just wasn't quite myself. If  Jaxon is behind all of this, it's my fault. I'm the one who  got him angry."

"Lois, none of this is your fault. You didn't make Jaxon  the way he is. You tried to show him the way by setting an  example. Remember, things don't change, people do," he said  quoting Thoreau. "You tried to get him to change and maybe  some of it will sink in eventually."

Lois smiled at Clark noting the Thoreau reference. "Thanks  for the words of encouragement. It's fine when it's just  you that can get hurt," she said. "But I ignited Jaxon's  hostility. I set him off," she insisted. "I caused him to  go after Keith. Thank heavens Superman came when he did. It  might have been much worse. Or did I dream that an  absolutely incredible flying man came to our rescue?" she  asked as she walked out the door.

Clark sighed and followed her.

* * * *

Clark and Lois got to Keith's hospital room just as Rachel  Harris was leaving.

"Rache," Clark said. "I don't think you've had a chance to  meet Lois Lane yet."

"No," the sheriff said. "We've talked on the phone. But I'm  sure we will get to see a lot of each other before this is  over."

"How's the investigation going?" Clark asked.

"Well, we got John and Craig locked up. Their parents are  talking to lawyers and trying to post bail but I don't  think the judge will go for that, especially since the two  boys are not implicating the third person. They refuse to  name him. They appear to be more scared of him then of us."

"Sheriff Harris," Lois said. "When will you want to talk to  me?"

"Actually, I was just going back to the office to call  you," the sheriff explained. "Can you come in later this  morning, say around 11:00? I hope you will be able to shed  some light on all of this."

"I have my suspicions," she said to the sheriff and then  walked into Keith's room, followed closely by Clark.

Keith was sitting up and he smiled at them, though it was  obvious that to do so was painful. "Hi, Mr. Kent, Ms.  Lane," he said through a swollen lip. "Hey, can you bring  me my script so I can spend the next day or two while I'm  in here memorizing lines?"

"You don't have to do that, Keith," Clark said. "You may  want to take some time off and just rest. Mom can recast  the part or postpone the play."

"Hell no!" Keith exclaimed, grimacing with the pain. "The  show must go on. I know that I'll be ready to jump back  into rehearsals in a week or so. Wow!" Keith said, his  attention already distracted by something else. "Would you  get a load of that!" He indicated the television screen  mounted to the wall. "I forgot that today the Messenger  with all the colonists is scheduled for take off."

Clark and Lois' concentration also became diverted to the  TV. The station's announcer was talking about some kind of  problem that had erupted on the launching pad or within the  shuttle itself. Apparently, information was still a little  flimsy but concern showed on the commentator's face as he  announced to the TV audience that the crew and passengers  appeared to be in immediate danger.

"I'll go...uh...talk to the doctor," Clark said hurriedly  and rushed out the door.

"Clark!" Lois called after him, annoyed that he had run off  again. "Wait!"

"Did they hurt you, Ms. Lane?" Keith asked. "I hope you  didn't get hurt on my account."

Lois turned back to Keith. "What?" she asked, forgetting  that Keith had the tendency to jump from topic to topic.

"At the school," Keith explained. "It's my fault if they  hurt you."

"No, Keith. I'm fine and most of this was my fault, not  yours," Lois said to him. "It's obvious that my pushing  Jaxon to the wall was the catalyst for all of this. Whether  or not he was the third person at the school, he has a hand  in this somehow and I'm to blame."

"No, Ms. Lane," Keith eyed her. "This has been brewing for  some time. Remember you said we have to stand up and be  counted? Well, I came out to my dad last night. I knew that  he knew, but I had never told him in so many words. Now I'm  going to say it and keep saying it. Tommy Turner isn't the  only one who has a message to send to this community."

Lois smiled at Keith, but then her eyes were diverted to  the television screen once again. There, for the entire  world to see, was Superman rescuing the space station's  shuttle. He destroyed some sort of a bomb that had been  planted in the shuttle and then helped it to lift off into  the skies toward the space station.

The various television commentators were passionately  describing the action and were posing a great many  questions about the superhero. Lois sighed. Last night she  had been the one to discover Superman, but now he belonged  to everyone. He belonged to the world.

Part 9

In his study on the fifth floor of the bank building, Lex  Luthor, along with almost everyone else in the world, was  watching the unfolding events at our nation's launching  pad.

Jaxon entered the study in response to a summons he had  received from his father, and waited.

Lex looked around and saw his son lingering there. "Well,  don't just stand there," he glared at Jaxon. "Explain!"

"Last night three of us kidnapped the queer and left a note  for *that English teacher* to follow," he said, his voice  bitter. "My plan was to get them both. But *he*," Jaxon  said, pointing to the television screen, "came in and saved  them. I was able to get away but my two friends were  arrested."

"Are those *friends* of yours trustworthy? Will they give  you away?" his father interrogated.

"They're too afraid of me to spill their guts," Jaxon  explained, hoping to please his father.

"Well, at least you've learned one thing from me," Lex  remarked. "But we've got to make certain," he continued,  reaching for the phone.

* * * *

Later that morning, Keith looked up from his hospital bed  to see Cindy entering his room.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," Keith responded, somewhat surprised to see her.

"I just wanted to see how you were," she explained, "and I  brought you this." She handed him a copy of the script.  "Knowing you, you would want to spend the time working on  it."

"Yeah," Keith said, smiling. "That's exactly what I wanted.  Uh, would you like to stay and go over our lines?"

Cindy stared at the results of the beating sustained on  Keith's face and then touched her hand to her own face  where Jaxon had hit her. She clenched her fist. "Sure,"  Cindy said, perching herself on the corner of his bed.  "I'll be glad to stay."

* * * *

At the sheriff's station, Lois was responding to Rachel  Harris' questions. Two deputies were glued to the TV as  reports of Superman stopping a terrorist threat on the  Eiffel Tower, helping with a devastating earthquake in  Chile, and rescuing workers from an explosion at the site  of a building being raised in Detroit were being broadcast  with blow by blow descriptions.

Lois returned from her interrogation by Sheriff Harris and  sat on the couch in her living room, hugging a pillow and  rocking back and forth slowly. She should never have come  to Smallville. She had wanted, as Thoreau's 'Walden' had  suggested, to simplify her cluttered life, and she believed  that exchanging that life in Metropolis for one in a  Middle-American small town would have granted her just  that.

Instead, she had placed herself, as usual, in the eye of a  storm. So now it was Thoreau's essay on Civil Disobedience  that haunted her. Simplicity was fine, but because she was  facing a crisis of social conscience, she had to take a  position and do something about it. She couldn't just sit  it out. She had to take a leap of faith.

Lois got up and walked to the phone and picked up the  receiver. She had to talk to someone, and again it was  Clark who came to mind.

Just as she was about to dial his number, she heard a  whoosh and there, flying through her open living room  window, was Superman.

"Ms. Lane," Superman said.

Lois gawked and had a hard time speaking. "Y...y...you know  my name," she said.

"Yes, Ms. Lane," he said, walking toward her, folding his  arms across his chest. "I wanted to make sure that you were  all right."

"Well, other than realizing I was a fool to start this  battle, I'm fine."

"No, Lois," he said. "You're not a fool. We all have to  stand up for something."

"Like truth and justice," Lois responded.

"Exactly." Superman smiled at her. "Like truth and  justice."

"That's why you're here," she said, looking at him. "To  help us be better than we are."

"I can't help everyone," Superman said. "I try, but..."

"You can't be everywhere at once," Lois said, reaching out  to touch his arms. "But just do what you can, just be here.  The hope of you is enough to make each of us try to be  better on our own."

"I...I...have to go," he said.

"A job for Superman?" Lois asked.

"Yes, but as I said before, I'll be around." He smiled at  her and flew out the window and up into the sky.

Lois walked over to the window and stared up into the blue  Kansas sky. She must be crazy. Here she was, fresh out of a  bad relationship in Metropolis, and she had met two men,  two wonderful men. Lois had promised herself that she  wouldn't fall in love again. It had hurt too much. But how  could a woman resist someone like Superman?

And then there was Clark. They were both alike in so many  ways, and yet they were different. Right now Superman  offered her magic; Clark offered her kindness and trust.  Lois definitely wanted someone she could trust and who  would respect her. Clark gave her that. But she also needed  magic right now. She needed to be carried away. But one  more Thoreau quotation tugged at her memory. "Love must be  as much a light, as it is a flame." Superman was the flame,  but Clark brought light into a world that sometimes seemed  to be stuck in darkness.

Lois walked over to the phone and dialed Clark's number. It  rang four times and then his kind voice came over the  receiver. "I'm not here," it said. "Leave a message and  I'll really be sure to get back to you."

* * * *

Cindy left Keith's hospital room and took the elevator down  to the first floor. She walked through the revolving front  door and turned south to walk to the trailer park where she  and her mother lived. Things had been tough on Cindy and  her mother since her father died. Her dad had had a lot of  life insurance related to his business but just a small  policy naming his wife as beneficiary. Those funds had long  been used up and so Cindy and her mother lived a meager  existence. Cindy's mom was employed as a waitress in a  small diner and trying hard to carve out a life for herself  and her daughter. Cindy knew that being Jaxon's girlfriend  had its pros and cons. Having a rich boyfriend was great  and Cindy believed it might one day take a burden off her  mother, but Lex Luthor was opposed to her going out with  his son and now so was she.

Cindy turned into the trailer park. Lurking in the shadows  was a dark figure who had followed her, making sure he was  not seen. Jaxon watched her as she went into her trailer.  He'd have to do something about Cindy, too, and this time  no one would interfere.

* * * *

Lois got out of the shower, put on a pair of silk pajamas,  and was just about to blow dry her hair when she heard a  knock on her door. She looked at the clock and noted that  it was almost 10:00 p.m. When Lois opened it, she was very  surprised to see Dan Scardino standing there. "I heard  about what happened last night," he explained, "and I don't  think you should be alone right now."

"I'm okay," she responded. "I don't need any protection."

"Well, you're going to get it anyway," he said, pushing his  way into her kitchen. "I brought some Rumaki. I hope you  like a lot of curry."

* * * *

Sheriff Rachel Harris placed the handcuffed John and Craig  into the back seat of a squad car, and she and a deputy got  into the front seat. They were transporting the two to the  county seat's jail to await arraignment scheduled for the  next morning.

The sheriff put the car into reverse and pulled out of the  parking lot, which was situated next to the sheriff's  station. She nudged the gear into drive and turned the  corner.

High above Smallville, Superman's hearing caught the minute  sounds of a bomb ticking and the digital timer clicking off  the seconds. He swooped down, stopped the car, and opened  the driver's seat door. "Everyone out!" he commanded. Then  he lifted the car onto its side, pulled off the mechanism  and threw it high into the sky where it exploded. "Are you  okay?" he asked Rachel and the three others.

"Yes," Rachel replied. "We were taking them to the jail at  Wichita for a morning arraignment. What's this all about?"

"Someone apparently doesn't want the two young men to  talk," Superman explained, righting the car. "You go on.  I'll try to get to the bottom of this."

* * * *

A whoosh sounded and Lex Luthor looked up from the  Smallville Press, whose front page had a picture of the two  boys pinned to the radiator and the red spray painted sign  "Death to Queers - we're taking the high ground," to see  Superman landing on his balcony.

"Superman," Lex stated. "I've been reading and hearing  about you all day. It is interesting that you should visit  me. To what do I owe the *pleasure*?"

"I know you and your son have something to do with the  attack on Keith Haley and Lois Lane last night, and also  with the attempted murder of John Greene and Craig Daniels  tonight," Superman told him. "I know I can't prove anything  yet. But I'll be watching you," he said and flew off.

* * * *

Clark knocked on Lois' door. She opened it but only a  crack.

"Clark," Lois said. "What are you doing here?"

"I know it's late, but I wanted to make sure that you were  all right. Rachel Harris called me to tell me that there  had been an attempt on the lives of John and Craig so I  came right over to-"

"That's fascinating," Dan Scardino said to Clark, peering  over Lois' shoulder.

"We were just chatting about the play," Lois explained.

"That must be some chat for you to have to take a shower,"  Clark said sharply. "See you later."

Clark left Lois' house. He was so upset that he didn't  notice a solitary figure in black watching her place.

* * * *

Across the street from Lois' house, Barb Friskin came out  of the shadows. She had spent the last two days following  Lois Lane. She had watched Lois go to Lex's apartment, had  seen her run out of there and had tailed her home. Barb  then followed Lois to the high school where the counselor  waited outside. After what only seemed like a few minutes,  Barb saw Jaxon Luthor running out of the school. She  weighed her options and decided to follow Jaxon, who hopped  into his Porsche hidden around the corner and, upon hearing  the sound of sirens, raced to the Luthor apartment. It  wasn't until the following day when she heard about the  attack on Keith and Lois that Barb was able to put the  pieces together and realize that it was Jaxon who was the  third person the sheriff was now searching for.

Barb decided not to come forward at this time. She wanted  to keep what she knew as an ace in hole. She would be able  to use it against Lex Luthor, but she needed more...much  more.

Over the next day and a half, Barb divided her time between  Lois' house and Lex's apartment, hoping to find out more  that would help her in her plan. She watched as Jaxon  sneaked out of his apartment and planted himself outside of  the hospital to wait for Cindy. She followed him to Cindy's  home and, seeing that he wasn't planning to hurt her at  this time, remained in the background and then drove slowly  behind Jaxon as he proceeded to Lois' house.

Barb watched as Superman, then Dan, then Clark stopped by.  Lois was a popular woman.

Jaxon also watched the parade of concerned men and then  returned home. It was obvious that Jaxon would not be able  to do anything while the three men hovered around and while  the court case was still pending. Both Jaxon and Barb would  have to bide their time.

* * * *

A Washington D.C. lawyer paced up and down in front of a  bank of TVs and clicked the remote control several times to  rerun the tape of Superman's arrival at the launching pad  and subsequent disposition of the bomb. The lawyer channel  surfed and listened to a report stating that Superman had  first been sited in Smallville. <Hmmm,> the lawyer thought,  picking up a sheaf of papers out of a folder. He scanned  them, then reached for the phone.

* * * *

In Smallville, Lex Luthor answered his phone after just one  ring. "Yes, I see," he said. "I'll expect the fax."

Five minutes later, a four-page fax was instantly grabbed  by Luthor. He read the material and smiled.

* * * *

The next three weeks seemed like a blur to Lois. There were  her classes, rehearsals, and two dates with Dan. Clark had  remained distant, making work and rehearsals a little  difficult. He also seemed to have so many errands to run,  places to be, things to do that kept them apart.

Lois really had no interest in Dan. He could never be the  man she needed but she was flattered by his attentions and  Clark had not been there for her recently, and Superman was  just a fairy tale and out of her reach.

The television and newspapers were full of Superman  sightings and interviews as he repaired a dam out west,  prevented a plane crash in Atlanta, foiled a bank hold up  in Metropolis, and put out a major fire at a nursing home  in Chicago. But he had not been sighted in Smallville and  Lois was beginning to feel that she would never see him  again.

Lois had meanwhile begun work on her plan. She had  contacted three of the six board members and had cajoled  them into attending opening night of the Smallville  Players' production of "The Male Animal" by explaining  that, as influential community members, they should support  the arts. She waved tickets in their faces and informed  them that they had been paid for. Dr. Bernard Klein,  general practitioner, and Mr. Stern, publisher of the  Smallville Press, were easy to convince. Mr. Nigel St.  John, owner of a travel agency and a close friend of Lex  Luthor's, was a little more difficult to sway over, but he  eventually acquiesced.

Craig Daniels and John Greene had remained silent and had  not named their accomplice. Two high priced attorneys from  Metropolis had been secured to represent them and the trial  was scheduled for the following Monday, October 18th.

Keith had been released from the hospital two weeks ago but  was still recuperating at home. He and Cindy continued to  rehearse together and Keith was expected to make the  rehearsal with the full company on Sunday the 17th.

Lex Luthor had gone out of town on business and Jaxon was  lying low. He had been advised by his own attorney to put  on a front of the "good student" and non-trouble maker.  Jaxon had apologized to Lois Lane and to the class and had  returned to second period American Lit. But as Keith had  remained home from school, Jaxon did not have to make  amends to him.

Lois did not believe for one moment that Jaxon was sincere  in his statements, but allowed him to re-enter her class.

On Thursday the 14th Clark, as usual, arrived at school  early. His feet echoing along the corridor seemed more of a  lonely sound as he tried to focus on today's tasks. His  mind, instead, kept drifting to one thought and one thought  only. Lois. So much had happened in thirty days. He had met  and fallen in love with the most incredible woman and it  was she, above all, who had helped him fulfill his destiny.  It was she that had pointed the way for him to become  Superman and to use his powers to help so many people all  over the world. It was not only that she had helped to  create Superman, but also she was making Clark a better  teacher and a better man.

Now that it was the middle of October, the morning air had  begun to feel crisp and clean. A month had gone by since  the start of school. Clark arrived at the mailboxes in the  administrative offices and, just as thirty days before,  Beatrice was distributing flyers. This time the flyer was  on goldenrod paper and was reminding everyone of the Corn  Festival that would begin on Friday the 22nd.

"Why don't you ask her?" Beatrice inquired.

"Ask who what?" Clark responded, deep down knowing where  Beatrice was taking him.

"Clark," Beatrice said, taking his hand in both of hers.  "I've known you since you were a little boy. I've watched  you grow up and become the wonderful man you are. Don't  tell me you don't know what I'm talking about," she  admonished him. "You're in love, and Lois is perfect for  you. I felt it from the very first day you two met. Now go  out there and *do* something about it."

"Kent!" Dr. White called out as he stuck his head out from  his office. "Come in here."

Clark walked into the principal's office and sunk down on a  chair. From the tone of Dr. White's voice, Clark knew that  he was in for a speech that included some kind of Elvis  analogy.

"Son," Dr. White began. "We go back a long way. We started  together. You were a freshman at this high school when I  first became principal here thirteen years ago. I knew from  the very beginning that you would become something special,  just like Colonel Parker knew right off that Elvis was  destined for greatness. Look at me as your Colonel Parker  and do what I say," he explained, beginning to pace back  and forth. "Lois is something special, too. Sure, she likes  to make waves, but that's what makes her a great teacher."  He paused. "Do you love her, son?" he asked, knowing the  answer.

"Dr. White, I'm not sure I'm comfortable talking about  this," Clark said, looking up at the Principal.

"Well, I don't want to appear an alarmist, but it seems to  me like Scardino has already one paw in the chicken coop."

"There's nothing more for me to do," Clark said. "She knows  how I feel and I thought I knew how she felt."

"If you ask me," Dr. White said, leaning down toward him,  "you're doing too much thinking and not enough doing."

"Dr. White, I really don't want to start competing for her  attention."

"Well, you better do something. Believe me, its no picnic  down at Heartbreak Hotel," the principal said softly.

"Dr. White," Lois said, opening the door. "I...oh, sorry,  Clark. Am I interrupting?"

"No, go ahead," Clark informed her.

"I just want to tell you that today is the day my students  make their presentation on homosexuality. And, since the  board has indicated that this subject will be taboo once it  votes next week, I want to warn you that we're going ahead  with it anyway," Lois said with a fire in her eyes as she  turned on her heels to walk out the door.

Clark watched her exit, smiling. "She's amazing, isn't  she?" he asked Dr. White rhetorically.

"Yes, she is." Dr. White responded. "Now go out and get  her."

"It's not that easy, Dr. White. My situation is a little  different than your normal..." Clark began but was  interrupted by Jimmy's entrance.

"Just a really quick question, Dr. White," Jimmy said  enthusiastically.

Clark got up and left Jimmy and Dr. White discussing  something, and started off down the hall slowly.

"CK," Jimmy yelled out, catching up with Clark. "I'm glad  that your mother twisted my arm to get me to be in the  play. It's been fun at rehearsals. But can I ask you  something?"

"Sure, Jimmy. What is it?"

"You and Lois."

"What about us, Jimmy?"

"I'm new to this but it seems that you have a lot in common  with Tommy and Ellen," he explained. "This is probably good  for the play but not for the both of you."

"What are you trying to say?" Clark asked, stopping to look  at the young man in front of him.

"I'm not really good at relationships; can't seem to get  one, let alone hold onto one when I get it. But I know a  good thing when I see it," he said. "Tommy can't express  his emotions and neither can you. Don't let Dan get Lois.  You two belong together." And with that, he walked on down  the hall, leaving Clark standing there.

Clark looked up and realized that he was standing in front  of Barb Friskin's office. He gently knocked on the door.

* * * *

Lois had reached her classroom. There was a half-hour  before her first class and then the first class itself to  get through before the infamous presentation was scheduled.  For the past few weeks the American Lit class had continued  to discuss "In Cold Blood," and the groups presented  arguments about gun control, capital punishment, child  abuse as it related to adult violence, and today, was the  group on homosexuality.

Lois paced the room. She had a lot to think about. There  was the presentation, the play, the school board members,  Lex, Jaxon, Dan, Superman, and Clark. Her mind was  spinning. Lois reached into her purse for a chocolate bar.  It was not even 8:00 in the morning, but she needed  something. Then Lois remembered Barb's invitation and  walked out of her classroom and down the stairs to the  first floor.

* * * *

Clark's talk with Barb gave him some insight into something  he was holding back--his anger. Without revealing who he  was, he had discussed the frustrations he was feeling about  Lois and Dan. In reflecting his emotions, Barb made him see  that he had to make his feelings known to Lois.

* * * *

Lois knocked on Barb's office door five minutes after Clark  had left.

"Come in," Barb responded.

Lois sat down and then immediately got up and started  pacing.

"I was expecting you," Barb said, swiveling in her chair to  face the moving Lois.

* * * *

Lex Luthor's Leer jet landed at Reagan International  Airport. A limousine pulled up and Lex stepped inside. His  cell phone rang just as he settled himself into the seat.  "Yes, Nigel," Lex said bitterly. "Ms. Lane has been busy, I  see."

* * * *

"So," Barb Friskin reflected. "You have a man who is afraid  of commitment, a man who is untrustworthy, and a man who is  unattainable. Is that what you're saying?"

"If I want these kinds of men, why aren't I happy?"

"You're not a victim, Lois," Barb said, leaning toward her,  "so stop acting like one. You know who you want to be with.  You've known all along."

Lois looked down and then back at the counselor.

"The problem is," Barb went on, "that he's just as scared  as you are. So, who's going to be the one to step up and  say the scary words?"

"How come you don't ask simple questions?" Lois asked  softly.

"I would if I knew the easy answers," Barb responded.

* * * *

Lois' first period class went by quickly and soon her  second period students entered. Cindy had chosen to be in  the group discussing homosexuality, along with two other  students. Keith had selected this group as well but was  still home recuperating. Cindy rose to face the class.  Jaxon scowled at her. He had been in the group on gun  control and had taken a stand against it. During that  presentation, Lois had been pleased to see that many of the  students now opposed Jaxon and didn't *automatically* side  with him on any given issue. It was apparent that Cindy was  going to take a stand against Jaxon as well.

Cindy and the other two students spoke briefly about the  novel and Truman Capote. Just as they were to start  debating the homosexuality issue, the door to the classroom  opened and Keith walked in. "I'm here to give my report,"  he said, smiling at his teacher while some of the students  in the class applauded.

"Wait a minute," came a voice from behind Keith as Dr.  White entered the classroom.

"Dr. White!" Lois exclaimed. "You are *not* going to cave  in under the pressure and prevent this presentation."

"No," Dr. White explained. "I'm moving the class to the  auditorium where Mr. Kent and I have gathered the rest of  the student body. We think that all of the students should  hear this presentation."

* * * *

The fax had led Lex Luthor to a small office at the  Pentagon. He stared at the military official sitting at the  desk. Lex knew the type. He had met many men like him. He  was a lesser-ranked individual who had been passed over for  promotion many times. This man had dedicated himself to a  job that he believed in; however, those around him were  beginning to regard him as a loose cannon. He still  commanded men and generated a fanatical following, but he  definitely needed Luthor's support.

The man dressed in camouflage greens had just slipped a  small box into his desk when the distinguished man had  arrived. The box had come from a lab that had not been able  to catalog the specimen as anything of this earth. The  sample had come from Smallville, Kansas, and now, standing  in his office was a man from that same Smallville, Kansas.  The officer was intrigued.

"I can help you," Lex Luthor informed him.

"Can you?" Trask asked.

Part 10

Keith walked up to the podium and faced the student body.  He looked down at his notes and began.

"Franklin Roosevelt said, 'Knowledge--that is, education in  its true sense-- is our best protection against unreasoning  prejudice and panic-making fear, whether engendered by  special interest, illiberal minorities, or panic- stricken  leaders.'"

Lois looked at Keith and smiled an encouragement from her  seat in the front row of the auditorium. She glanced at the  seat across the aisle from her own and noticed Clark  nodding his support for Keith as well.

"A phobia," Keith went on, "is an irrational fear. It can  affect otherwise healthy people in a variety of ways. A  person can dread stepping into an elevator, or break into a  cold sweat at the thought of boarding an airplane. Any  phobia can be debilitating."

The student body was listening intently to the young man  whose face still showed the effects of the beating he had  suffered.

"Homophobia is an intense, irrational fear of gay people.  We all," Keith explained, "need a willingness to examine  our fears in order to alleviate them. Fear is born out of  myths and ignorance. Homophobia is like any other  prejudice. It requires ignorance to fuel fear and hatred.  As individuals and as a society, we are all diminished  whenever anyone degrades another human being."

Keith looked around at the faces in the auditorium. "When  we are afraid, we lash out. Violence comes out of that fear  and bigotry. I know I'm getting away from 'In Cold Blood'  as the focus of the presentation, but Truman Capote was  writing about how differences can isolate and how that  isolation brings on fear, hatred, and violence."

"How many of you are left-handed?" he asked.

Thirty to forty students slowly raised their hands while  looking at each other.

"It is interesting to note," Keith explained, "that only a  few hundred years ago, being left-handed was considered the  mark of a witch, a sign of perversity. The phobia of  witchcraft was so pervasive that people were tormented,  even murdered, simply because they were left-handed. Such a  thing may seem unbelievable, but people can do very cruel  things when they are afraid. Future generations are likely  to look back with equal astonishment that gay and lesbian  people were subjected to similar acts of hatred, fear, and  violence."

Keith took his notes and walked around in front of the  podium to get closer to the audience.

"We are in school to learn," he said. "We learn a great  deal from our teachers, from each other, and from the books  we read. Besides learning about Math, History, or English,  we should learn to care about one another. A very good  teacher who has taught me a lot has a favorite author:  Henry David Thoreau," Keith said, smiling at Lois, then  looking at his notes. "Thoreau said that 'a truly good book  teaches me better than to just read it. I must soon lay it  down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by  reading, I must finish by acting.' And since you all know  how important acting is to me, I will act on what I've  learned."

Keith put away his notes and looked carefully at the  student body in front of him.

"I'm gay," he said. "And as most people, I feel that sexual  orientation is not a choice, it is a natural response.  Trying to change one's sexual response to straight or gay  is usually unsuccessful. We do, however, have a choice  regarding how we treat each other. As with any other  group," he went on, "the majority of gay men and lesbians  are good people who are concerned about the future of our  country and the world. We do not ask special favors, simply  the respect and rights that we all should enjoy, without  fear of verbal or physical attacks. How we treat one  another *is* by choice."

Keith paused and looked out over the audience. Lois and  Clark rose to their feet and began to clap. Little by  little the vast majority of students and teachers did the  same. Jaxon Luthor glared at his classmates and remained in  his seat.

* * * *

Jaxon, upset about how many of the students had responded  to the presentation, had once again followed Cindy out to  Keith's house after school. And, although he had promised  his lawyer to keep a low profile, he couldn't stand it  anymore because, as he watched them rehearse through the  window, Keith kissed Cindy. How could she let that queer  touch her? How could she prefer being with Keith rather  than being with him?

* * * *

Lois walked toward Clark's classroom. It was almost 5:00  but both of them were still at school finishing up. Clark  was just coming into the hallway when Lois arrived at his  classroom door.

"Clark," Lois began, "I want to thank you for supporting  Keith and getting the presentation moved to the auditorium.  Dr. White told me that it was your idea."

Clark smiled at Lois. "I thought this was an important  presentation, especially when Keith stopped by the  administrative office to let Dr. White know he was back in  school, and I realized he was going to take part."

"Well, thank you, Clark, for all your help. I also need to  tell you that..."

Clark got a strange look on his face. "Lois, I have to go  and pick up something for rehearsal tonight. I'll see you  there."

Lois watched Clark bolt for the doors.

* * * *

Cindy left Keith's about 5:00 p.m. and Jaxon got into his  car. He waited a few minutes and began to gun the motor. He  headed the car right for her.

As Cindy heard the car bearing down on her, she looked  back, screamed, and began to run. She had recognized the  car and knew that Jaxon meant business. She screamed again.  All of a sudden Superman swooped down and lifted her into  his arms. Jaxon, not able to stop, plowed into a tree,  knocking himself unconscious.

Superman set Cindy down. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "But what about Jaxon?"

Superman and Cindy looked back at the Porsche and there,  pulling Jaxon out of the wreck, was Keith.

Keith lifted Jaxon up and carried him to the side of the  road just as the Porsche erupted in flames. Cindy ran to  their side while Superman used his super breath to put out  the flames.

Jaxon awoke and slowly looked at the group around him and  then at the car. "Th...thanks, Superman," Jaxon said,  haltingly looking down.

"I didn't save you," Superman informed him. "This young man  did." He gestured to Keith. "Now let me take you to the  hospital."

"No," Jaxon told him. "I'm okay." He struggled to his feet  but obviously needed some support.

Keith and Cindy held on to him. "We'll take care of him,  Superman," Keith said.

"Just get me to a phone," Jaxon said. "I have to call  Sheriff Harris, I guess." He paused. "There's a lot I have  to tell her."

* * * *

Clark, Lois, and Dan were the only ones scheduled for  rehearsal that evening. They were to work on the last  scene. On Sunday, they would finally put the entire show  together at long last, working on the stage with the set,  the lights, and the props. Monday would be a day of rest  for the cast while Jonathan Kent corrected any problems  Martha and the actors had discovered with set pieces, light  placement, and props. Then Tuesday and Wednesday were  scheduled as dress rehearsals.

Martha was sitting in the auditorium watching Jonathan  complete the last touches to the set before she would move  to the small drama classroom that the Players had been  using for rehearsals.

Clark came down the aisle of the auditorium and sat down  next to his mother. "Sorry I haven't been able to help Dad  with the set, "but things have been really hectic at  school. And with Superman," he whispered.

"That's okay," his mom told him. "Look!"

Clark glanced at the stage and saw Wayne Irig with an  electric drill in his hands. "Finally dragged Wayne into  this," he said, and smiled at his mother.

"Yes," Martha said. "Jonathan and Wayne have been working  together for a couple of weeks now and Jonathan really  needed the help because I had to drag him in along with  Jimmy to pick up those final roles."

Linda Botts entered the auditorium, bringing several things  for Martha to look at. "Yes, Linda," Martha told her,  "those will be fine. But I need a nice leather bound book  for the climatic scene. I want the audience to realize that  the letter Tommy is reading has a place in our history."

"I understand," Linda said. "I think I have just the thing  at home. I'll bring it in on Sunday." Then she scurried  back stage.

"Well, we should get over to the other room. Lois and Dan  will be there by now," Martha said and looked at her son.  "Clark, I'm not one to interfere but I just can't stay  silent," she explained, turning to her son and taking his  face in her hands. "You're in love, and believe it or not,  it doesn't happen very often, not true love. Don't lose  it."

"But I can't begin a real relationship with Lois," he said.  "Because I can't keep lying to her."

"Clark," his mother began. "A relationship is built upon  communication. You share things together, you make  decisions together, you..."

"Mom, do you mean I should tell her I'm..."

"I'm not suggesting what you should do," Martha said,  getting up and moving away.

Clark ran his fingers through his hair and then got up and  followed his mother into the rehearsal space. Dan and Lois  had their heads together, going over a scene. Martha  noticed Clark's response to the two of them and decided  that even though she had told Clark that she wasn't going  to *really* interfere, as a director she could do something  to give her son a push in the right direction.

"Let's try it from Ellen's line 'Oh, who wants to dance  now?'" Martha said, interrupting Lois and Dan's discussion.

Lois, Dan, and Clark got to their places. Dan and Lois were  standing about center stage and Clark was off stage left.

Ellen/Lois: Oh, who wants to dance now?

Dan walked over to the table, which by the next rehearsal  would have the record player and props, but this evening,  since the props were not in place as yet, he pantomimed  putting a record on. Dan moved slowly over to Lois, took  her into his arms, smiled at her, and started to dance,  dipping her.

Joe/Dan: This is important. It's all in the light you give  off.

"Stop here," Martha said. "Dan, what I want you to do is to  use this opportunity to show the audience that you and  Lois, that is, Joe and Ellen, had a very close relationship  at one time and perhaps a spark remains. Most of all you  have to convince them that there is some possibility that  she will run off with you and leave Clark, that is Tommy,"  Martha explained, looking at at her son.

"And Clark," Martha went on. "You are obviously jealous but  as an intellectual, you are trying to keep it to yourself.  You feel that a competition between you and Dan, uh, Tommy  and Joe is beneath you."

Martha walked up to Dan and Lois. "You need to touch her  more, Dan," she directed.

"Absolutely," Dan agreed, winking.

"Now repeat that line and use some body language," Martha  ordered.

Joe/Dan: This is important. It's all in the light you give  off.

Dan brought Lois up close to him, stroked her hair, and  then touched her nose with his finger tip.

Ellen/Lois: Light? What are you talking about?

Joe/Dan: The important thing about dancing is that the man  has got to lead.

Dan carressed Lois' lips with his thumb then moved his hand  behind her head, pulling her toward him, and leaned down to  kiss her.

Lois immediately stepped back out of Dan's grasp. She  turned away from him.

Dan looked carefully at Lois. Was it Ellen who was reacting  to Joe or was it Lois reacting to him? He didn't have to  think about it. He knew.

Clark watched the interplay carefully. As Dan touched Lois,  he felt a tightness in his stomach as he realized how  terrible it would be if he lost her. But then Lois rejected  Dan. He wondered for just a split second if Lois was  reacting as Ellen or as herself. Then he, too, knew. Lois  didn't want Dan. Clark crossed to them.

Tommy/Clark: May I cut in? (he takes Ellen/Lois into his  arms)

Ellen/Lois: Tommy! Let me go!

Tommy/Clark: No, I think you're wonderful, too!

Ellen/Lois: You think I'm dumb! Were you listening?

Tommy/Clark: No.

Joe/Dan: (making his way toward the door) Hey, don't start  that again!

Tommy/Clark: Joe, why don't you go back to your wife? We  can send her a wire.

Joe/Dan: Don't worry about me, brother. I sent her a wire  this morning.

Dan looked at Lois and Clark dancing, shook his head,  smiling, and left the rehearsal room, heading for the  parking lot.

Tommy/Clark: Quit leading!

Ellen/Lois: I'm not leading. You *were* listening!

Tommy/Clark: You were yelling. Well, turn!

Ellen/Lois: Make me turn. (Clark does) Don't be so rough-- and take the hair off of your forehead (Lois gently moves a  lock of Clark's hair while looking into Clark's eyes).

Martha smiled at the two of them and, unbeknownst to Lois  and Clark, got up, left the room, and headed home for the  night.

Ellen/Lois: You look terrible. (She lifts her face up to  Clark's and they kiss.)

Clark and Lois parted and looked around to discover that  they were in the room alone. Clark looked down at Lois and,  cupping his hand alongside her face, kissed her gently once  again.

"Oh, Clark," Lois sighed and moved in, aligning her body  with his to passionately join Clark in a quickly deepening  kiss.

* * * *

On Monday morning Lex Luthor landed at the Wichita airport.  Nigel St. John had kept in touch and told him that Jaxon  had made a confession to Rachel Harris, and against the  advice of the Luthors' attorneys, had pled guilty. John and  Craig agreed to do the same and all three were to be  sentenced that afternoon.

At the Wichita courthouse, Judge Deborah LeVine stared at  the three young men facing her. "You disgust me," she said,  looking from one to the other. "But you aren't the only  ones. In all my years on the bench, I have found that in  the majority of these cases--not always, but in the  majority of times--such behavior was based upon what was  learned in the home," she explained, and looked up at the  two sets of parents sitting behind the boys.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniels and Mr. and Mrs. Greene looked down  and fidgeted in their seats.

"I don't see your parents, young Mr. Luthor," the judge  said, eyeing Jaxon.

"Here, your Honor," Lex said, striding into the courtroom  with two attorneys flanking him, and took a seat.

"Good," said the judge. "Now we can proceed with the  sentencing. I'm very pleased that the three of you," she  said, looking at the boys again, "decided to plead guilty  and take your punishment. I'm torn between being lenient  because this is your first offence and you have owned up to  it, or being harsh because of the heinousness of your acts.  But I have been swayed to the lenient side because of one  thing, and one thing only--a letter I received this  morning."

The judge opened up an envelope and began to read.

"Dear Judge LeVine, I would like to request that you grant  leniency to Craig Daniels, John Greene, and Jaxon Luthor.  Violence is an abhorrent thing and I definitely do not  condone it. But ours is a small community and removing  three young men from it will only serve to fan the flames  of hatred. I plead with you to consider alternative  remedies for their crimes. Indeed, it was a crime, but if  you incarcerate them, there will be more than the one  victim of the crime. The three of them will suffer too  much, as will our entire town," she read, and then looked  at those in attendance in the courtroom.

The three boys looked back and forth at each other.

The judge went on. "I simply ask that you remand them back  to Smallville and demand that they, their parents, and the  community serve in some capacity as an example of  rededication to the elimination of hatred, fear, and  bigotry," she concluded. "It is signed," she said, pausing  for emphasis, "Keith Haley."

There were some whispers among the spectators. Judge LeVine  gaveled them to silence.

"Will the defendants rise," the judge intoned. "Will their  parents rise, as well."

Craig, John, Jaxon, Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, and Mr. and Mrs.  Greene rose. Lex Luthor looked at his two attorneys and,  grudgingly, rose as well.

"I sentence the eight of you," Judge LeVine intoned. "To  two years probation and to one hundred hours each of  community service. The hours of service will be divided  between an educational program to be developed for the  community of Smallville regarding the celebration of  diversity, and volunteering at the Wichita AIDS Hospice,"  she rendered, and then slammed her gavel as buzzing and  applause came from the spectators.

Lex Luthor stormed out of the courtroom, followed hurriedly  by his attorneys, while one spectator, Barb Friskin, just  smiled.

"This court is adjourned," Judge LeVine said and slammed  the gavel once again.

* * * *

On Monday and Tuesday, Clark and Lois met with the other  three members of the school board. Mrs. Platt was quite  supportive. Dr. Baines, a young neurosurgeon, agreed as  well, once Clark smiled at her and offered her two tickets.  Mrs. Cox, another strong supporter of Lex Luthor, was quite  insistent that all discussion of the proposed Family Values  Policy should wait until the board meeting but she finally  indicated that she, too, would attend the opening night  after Clark explained the benefits to her position if she  attended, showing support for such a community effort.

During those two days Superman had put in an appearance at  a children's orphanage in Metropolis and had stopped a  runaway oil truck on a Nebraska highway. He was relieved  that, as he had not been with Lois preceding these events,  he had no need to lie to her yet another two times.

On Tuesday evening Clark took Lois out for dinner to  celebrate their success in getting all of the board members  to attend the play.

As they shared dessert, they spoke about their early  childhoods, their likes and dislikes, and their love of  teaching, but had to keep the evening short as dress  rehearsal began at 8:00.

* * * *

After dress rehearsal, Martha asked the cast to sit down on  the edge of the stage to receive notes. Martha gave some  suggestions to each of the cast members one by one about  their characters, movements, or inflections, and then put  down her note pad.

"I want to tell all of you how wonderful you are, and to  remember that you can help make a difference out there,"  she said, smiling at them all. Now go home and get some  rest, and I'll see you tomorrow evening."

Part 11

The anticipated opening night arrived for the Smallville  Players and you could feel the adrenaline circulating.  Martha was pacing up and down the lobby apprehensively as  she watched the members of the community entering the  auditorium. Many of them came over to Martha to say hello  and to wish her well. It was beginning to look like it was  going to be a nice sized crowd. Martha had promised Lois  that she would be on the lookout for the school board  members. So far she had seen four of the six arrive.

* * * *

Back stage, Wayne Irig was going over the cues in his  prompt book. He was assigned as lighting operator and he  was making sure he was ready. All this was new to him and  he was quite nervous; but as strange as it seemed to him,  he was discovering that he was really enjoying it. He made  a mental note to get Marion involved in the next show.

Linda Botts returned from the dressing rooms after wishing  her husband well, and checked that all the props were in  their right places--either on stage or on one of the two  tables set up on stage right and stage left, in order to be  accessible for the actors to pick up the piece of paper, or  the tray of glasses, or the vase when needed.

Jonathan made his rounds on the stage, making sure that the  Turner's living room doors opened and closed appropriately  and that the various pieces of furniture were all on their  marks. He moved back stage and tested the phone to make  sure it would ring on cue and then headed back for the  dressing room, reminding himself that he had to get on his  make-up since he was an actor in this play as well.

The two dressing/make-up rooms were a buzz with thank-yous  as the cast members opened up presents they had given each  other. Martha had presented each of the actors with a  framed replica of "the letter" as a keepsake of the show,  and the cast and crew were surreptitiously taking up a  collection to get Martha a gift that would be bestowed at  the cast party after the final performance on Sunday.

Keith looked in the mirror as he put the finishing touches  on his make-up. He had to apply it more heavily than usual  to hopefully cover some of the bruises that had gone from  that awful bluish purple to an even uglier shade of  yellowish green. His broken ribs were healing but he still  felt pain when he coughed, breathed deeply, or laughed. He  looked up from his make-up pallet and leaned toward the  mirror, for the first time noticing that his father was  standing behind him.

"Keith," his dad said. "I guess I haven't been too  supportive of you these last few years. Uh, I guess I just  wasn't sure about all of this," he gestured, indicating the  dressing room that Keith shared with the other men, who  were concentrating on their own make-up and trying to let  the father and son have a private moment.

Keith turned around and looked up at his father. "It's  okay, Dad," he said. "A lot of this has been confusing for  me, too."

"I'm very proud of you," Fred Haley said. "I've always been  proud of you and I always will be proud of you. And I guess  I'm supposed to say 'break a Leg.'" He smiled and left the  room.

Clark, who was finishing his own make-up, smiled over at  Keith. "We're all proud of you, too, Keith," he said,  rising and patting him on the back. Clark then walked over  to where he had placed his jacket and took something out of  a bag that was on a chair near his things. He walked to the  other make-up room across the hall.

* * * *

Martha checked with Wayne, Linda, and Jonathan to see that  all was ready and then returned to the lobby where she  signaled the ushers to open the house. As the residents of  Smallville began filing into the auditorium and taking  their various seats, Martha went backstage to give the  expected director's pep talk.

* * * *

Lois was checking out the final look in the mirror. Her  mind drifted to her life back in Metropolis. If they could  see her now, still stirring up trouble, still being  involved, still fighting for what she believed.... She  didn't hide away in a small town. She put herself out front  and took a stand, and she had met some remarkable people  who were willing to stand with her. She brushed a little  more color on her face. Was she pale because she was  scared?

Clark knocked on the door of the women's dressing room and  walked in after hearing the all clear.

The other women looked up from their last minute adjusting  of their 1940's hair styles and saw him arrive with a  yellow rose in his hand. They diplomatically left to meet  with Martha for her final words of encouragement. Cat was  dawdling in front of the mirror, but Beatrice strongly  encouraged her to leave with them.

Clark sat in the chair next to Lois' and gave her the rose.  "For you," he said, smiling.

Lois opened the attached card and started to read.

How can I say everything you have meant to me these last  six weeks? Your energy, compassion, and resolve have  sparked me to be a better teacher and better man. I guess  we all know that maybe only second to chocolate, you love  Thoreau. His most famous quotation applies here.

"If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is  because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the  music which he hears, however measured, or far away."

Always listen to that music, Lois, as it makes you the  incredible woman you are.

- Love, Clark.

Lois leaned over to Clark and kissed him.

"Your make up," he cautioned.

"Shut up and kiss me," she said.

Clark smiled and obliged.

Jimmy walked into the dressing room, interrupting them.  "Um, excuse me," he Said, smiling. "But Madame Director  wants us all to gather together before we go on."

Martha looked at the cast and crew assembled in front of  her. "It has been a very interesting month, to say the  least," she said. "This play has come to mean a lot to all  of us. It brings us a message about standing up for one's  principles and about supporting each other's fight for  personal freedom." She paused. "I know the old adage that  truth is stranger than fiction, and indeed, this community  has been facing some incredibly hard truths that this play  can help them to see and deal with," she said, smiling.  "All of you have done an extraordinary job getting this far  and I love you all. Now go out there and do it up right."

Keith and Donald walked over to stage left, preparing to  make their entrances through the "front door" of the Turner  house. Cindy climbed up behind the back flats, readying  herself to enter from "upstairs."

Lois and Clark walked to their positions on stage right  behind the "dining room door." Clark took Lois' hand in his  and squeezed it. His touch and reassurance made Lois feel  more confident. She took a deep breath and prepared herself  to walk on stage.

* * * *

The house lights dimmed slowly and the murmuring of the  audience members ceased. Several late comers scurried to  their seats, including the last two school board members.

Martha, standing at the back of the auditorium, looked  around at the audience. This was Martha's favorite part of  the theatre process. Her heart was pounding and she could  feel a lump in her throat as the lights continued to dim.  No matter how many plays she had been to or how many plays  she had directed, this feeling of anticipation was the most  exciting part. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer  to the theatre gods, then opened her tear-filled eyes.

* * * *

When the house lights were fully down, Wayne moved up the  three levers on the light board and the stage lights came  up. Jonathan pushed a button and the phone rang.

Ellen/Lois entered the living room of the set and picked up  the phone.

"Hello," she said.

* * * *

Martha came back stage during intermission. "It's going  beautifully," she said to the cast. "No one's walked out,"  she said with a chuckl.

"Are the school board members still out there?" Lois asked.

"Yes, they are," she said to Lois. "And they are primed for  this because of the judge's decision on Monday. The town  knows it has to be involved in some educational process and  therefore the Family Values Policy is already on shaky  ground. This next scene should put the clincher on changing  their votes, just as you planned it, Lois. Are you all  ready?" She hugged Clark, then Lois, and left the back  stage area to return to her seat at the rear of the  auditorium.

Lois smiled at Clark and walked to her position. Clark  walked up behind Lois and put his arms around her waist.  "Let's go get 'em," he whispered in her ear and, feeling  more confident and courageous himself, moved her hair and  kissed her gently on the neck.

Lois held her breath and leaned back against Clark. Her  next scene called for her to be depressed. She was anything  but depressed. She was exhilarated. The play, the school  board, and most of all, Clark. <Get a grip, Lois,> she told  herself as she poised for her entrance.

* * * *

On stage, the scene was getting tense as they were reaching  the climax. Ed Keller, head of the Board of Trustees,  played by Bill Saxon, was commanding the floor.

Ed/Bill: (Crossing to Tommy) Well, then listen. We just had  a board meeting in the President's office. Michael Barnes  is out, and you're on your way out. You'll be asked to  resign tonight.

Ellen/Lois: Oh, Tommy!

Joe/Dan: Ed's trying to help him while there's still time.  After tonight, it will be too late. (Goes to above the  settee left)

Tommy/Clark: (Crosses to Joe) What do you care what happens  tonight? You won't be here. You'll be in Granville or  somewhere with her. (He looks over at Ellen)

Ed/Bill: What're they going to be doing in Granvile?

Tommy/Clark: Please don't ask personal questions.

Ellen/Lois: Do you mind if I stay a little while, Tommy?

Tommy/Clark: (angrily) Why shouldn't you stay? It's your  house.

Ed/Bill: Sit down, Ellen. (To Tommy) There's just one thing  you can do; come out with a statement to the papers quick.  Say you were sick. Say you don't know anything about  Barnes' editorial. You think it's an outrage. You're not  going to read this Vanzetti thing, and you think Barnes is  getting what he deserves. That's the only thing that'll  save your neck.

Ellen/Lois: (rising) Tommy wouldn't say that about Michael,  Ed, and you shouldn't ask him to.

Tommy/Clark: Thank you. (Crosses down right to settee;  sits)

Ed/Bill: All right, then! That's all I had to say (Starts  for door up left) Goodbye! This is on your own head.

Ellen/Lois: Ed! Just a minute, please. (Crossing to Tommy)  I know that reading this letter must mean something to you,  Tommy. Something none of us can quite understand. I wish I  could. It might help me to understand a lot of other  things.

Tommy/Clark: Such as what?

Ellen/Lois: Such as what is important to you. What you've  been fighting for. Whether it's something you really  believe in and love, or just your own selfish pride. I  think you got into this just because you were mad at me.  And that's ridiculous, because now you don't care what I do  or say about it.

Ed/Bill: (Coming down center) I don't see what she's  talking about.

Tommy/Clark: All right, I'll try to explain what it means  to me. Perhaps originally pride had something to do with  this. And jealousy.

Ellen/Lois: And stubbornness.

Tommy/Clark: I am not fighting about you and me at all.  This is bigger than you and me or any of us.

Ellen/Lois: It is?

Ed/Bill: It must be a masterpiece. That letter must be  quite a nice piece of propaganda.

Tommy/Clark: (Crossing to him) Why don't you read it and  find out?

Ed/Bill I don't read things like that.

Tommy/Clark: You don't even know what you're objecting to.

Joe/Dan: Well, why don't you read the letter to us, and let  us see what it is?

Tommy/Clark: I'll be glad to read it to you, but I'll read  it to my class too. (Crosses up right center to bookcase  then coming down center) All right, here it is. Now sit  down--or stand up--but listen! (Damon enters)

Tommy/Clark: Oh, come in, Doctor Damon. You're just in  time.

Damon/Donald: In time for what? (Sees everyone) Has the  Inquisition moved its headquarters?

Tommy (Clark): I'm just going to read the Inquisition a  letter from one of its victims.

Ed/Bill: That's about enough of that.

Damon/Donald: (Crossing down left) Gentlemen, gentlemen....  This may not be wise, Thomas.

Tommy/Clark: It may not be wise, but it's necessary. I  think you'll have to take a stand, too, Doctor Damon.

Damon/Donald: I hope not. (Sits down on chair at left of  settee)

(Ellen sits down on settee.)

Tommy/Clark: I hoped not, too. I didn't start out to lead a  crusade. I simply mentioned one day that I meant to read to  my class three letters by men whose profession was not  literature, but who had something sincere to say. (Crossing  right) Once I had declared that very harmless intention,  the world began to shake, great institutions trembled, and  football players descended upon me and my wife. I realized  that I was doing something important.

Ed/Bill: You make it sound mighty innocent. Reading Lincoln  and General Sherman--and Vanzetti. What was the reason you  gave for picking out Vanzetti?

Tommy/Clark: (Crosses to Ed) Originally I chose him to show  that broken English can sometimes be very moving and  eloquent, but now...

Ed/Bill: We wouldn't object if this was just a case of  broken English--it's more than that.

Tommy/Clark: Yes, you've *made* it more than that.

Ed/Bill: Vanzetti was an anarchist! He was executed for  murder.

Tommy/Clark: He was *accused* of murder, but thousands of  people believe he was executed simply because of the ideas  he believed in.

Ed/Bill: That's a dangerous thing to bring up.

Tommy/Clark: (Getting really mad) No, it's a dangerous  thing to keep down. I'm fighting for a teacher's rights...

Clark looked across at Lois. Her character required her not  to be supportive but to be very confused at this point, but  Clark could tell from her sparkling eyes that Ellen might  be confused but Lois was right there with him, supporting  him, maybe loving him.

Tommy/Clark ...but if you want to make it political, all  right! (Clark continued as Tommy) You can't suppress ideas  because you don't like them; not in this country--not yet.  (Crossing to Damon) This is a university! It is our  business to bring what light we can into this muddled  world...to try to follow truth!

Damon/Donald: You may be right, Thomas, but I wish you  would make an effort not to--uh--uh--intone.

Tommy/Clark: I'm not intoning--I'm *yelling*! Don't you  see...this isn't about Vanzetti. This is about us! If I  can't read this letter today, tomorrow none of us will be  able to teach anything except what Mr. Ed Keller here and  the Legislature permit us to teach. Can't you see what that  leads to--what it has led to in other places? We're holding  the last fortress of free thought, and if we surrender to  prejudice and dictation, we're cowards. (Crossing right)

Lois watched Clark during his small monologue. He was  absolutely incredible. It was obvious that the audience was  hanging on his every word, and that he was passionate about  what he was saying, and maybe passionate about her. She  didn't need to be carried away by a superhero. Clark was  hero enough for her. Clark was the one--the one she wanted  to be with.

Ellen/Lois: (from her place on the settee) Tommy, no matter  how deeply you feel about this, what can you do? What can  any one man do? Except to lose everything--

Tommy/Clark: I have very little more to lose. And I can't  tell you what I hope to gain. I can't answer that. I only  know I have to do it.

Damon/Donald: May we hear the letter--in a slightly calmer  mood, perhaps?

Tommy/Clark: Yes sir. (Crossing up to Ed) This may  disappoint you a little, Mr. Keller. It isn't inflammatory,  so it may make you feel a little silly. At least, I hope  so. (He holds up the book) Vanzetti wrote this in April,  1927, after he was sentenced to die. It has been printed in  many newspapers. It appears in this book. You could destroy  every printed copy of it, but it would not die out of the  language, because a great many people know it by heart.  (Tommy reads, hardly referring to the book, watching them)  "If it had not been for these thing, I might have live out  my life talking at street corners to scorning men. I might  have die, unmarked, unknown, a failure. Now we are not a  failure. Never in our full life could we hope to do so much  work for tolerance, for Justice, for man's understanding of  man, as now we do by accident. Our words--our lives--our  pain--nothing! The taking of our lives--the lives of a good  shoemaker and a poor fish-peddler--all! That last moment  belongs to us--that agony is our triumph!" (Tommy closes  the book).

The audience erupted in applause although the scene was not  completed. Lois looked over at Clark. They had done it. She  knew it, and she knew just how much she was in love with  Clark Kent.

Part 12

Lois and Clark were alone on stage.

Ellen/Lois: Make me turn. (Tommy/Clark does) Don't be so  rough--and take the hair off your forehead (Ellen/Lois  gently moves a lock of his hair while looking into his  eyes). You look terrible. (She lifts her face up to  Tommy's/Clark's and they kiss).

The curtain closed to applause and opened again to find  Lois and Clark still in an embrace passionately kissing.  The applause continued as the curtains closed and reopened.

Then as the cast members came out to take their curtain  call, the audience rose to its feet. Jonathan, Beatrice,  Bill, Cat, Jimmy, Keith, Cindy, Donald, Dan, with Lois and  Clark standing in the middle of the cast line, holding  hands, smiled at each other as they all took another bow  and the lights went out, but the audience continued  applauding. Wayne Irig now imbedded into his role as light  board operator, turned the lights on again. The cast came  out for another bow and to receive their well deserved  applause again. Then blackout.

* * * *

Across town in his fifth floor apartment study, Lex was  talking on the phone. "I don't care what you have to do,  get me out of this. Hire someone to take my place!" he  yelled as he slammed down the receiver and his son entered  the study. "It's your fault we're in this mess. I'm sending  you away--as far away as I can get you--and I never want to  see your face again!"

Jaxon walked out of the study and into his room to pack his  bags.

"Now for my next step..." Luthor said aloud and picked up  the phone again.

* * * *

In the car outside the Luthor apartment, Barb Friskin  watched as Jaxon Luthor was put into a car and driven off.  Then she took out a picture from her wallet. There were two  girls about age ten and twelve smiling up at the camera.  "Ann," Barb said out loud to her sister's face. "We both  know that you didn't commit suicide. Lex murdered you.

"Jaxon is being sent away to school," she continued,  talking to the sister she loved. "And I'll work to make  sure that he's okay. I've tried to watch over him since I  arrived in Smallville but Lex has influenced him too much.  He has made strides recently and perhaps he will turn out  to be the son you would have been proud of."

Barb looked back up at the apartment that Lex had carved  out above his small empire. I've waited long enough to  exact my revenge on Lex, and now that Jaxon is away, I can.  So, on to the next step..."

* * * *

The helicopter landed at a remote deserted farm outside of  Smallville. Several men in camouflage gear jumped out. The  leader spread out a map on a large boulder near by. He took  out a military telephone. "Yeah, will do," he said into the  phone. "Okay," Trask said to the men gathered around him.  "Here's our next step..."

* * * *

In her office in Washington D. C., the lawyer was packing  items from her desk into a cardboard box. She picked up the  picture of her father that had been on her desk for the two  years she had worked for the Aeronautical Space Museum and  looked at it. Her father, a man that radiated warmth and  Compassion, was standing along with his partner, Henry  Brady, in front of the Bank of Smallville. She gently  placed the framed photograph in the box. She added several  folders without looking at them and then opened a fairly  thin folder to glance at the material attached. The first  sheet she reviewed was stapled to the inside cover of the  folder. It was a computer print out of an inventory and was  labeled Bureau 39 storage. She closed the folder and placed  it carefully along with the original of a fax she had sent  to Lex Luthor into the box that she was readying to carry  out with her when her telephone rang.

"Yes, Mom," she answered. "I will be there by Sunday. Yes,  I'm ready for the next step." She hung up the phone and  started for the door. She walked out into the hall, then,  realizing that she had forgotten something, she went back  into her office. She slowly walked behind her desk and  picked up the brass nameplate still sitting on her desk and  added it to the material in her box. The nameplate read  'Mayson Drake.'

* * * *

In the dressing room, Beatrice was talking on the phone.  "Yes, honey, the show went well. I'm sorry you couldn't get  here for opening night but you should be in town in time to  see Sunday's performance."

She paused, listening to her daughter on the other end of  the phone. "That's right, just like we spoke about before,"  she said, pausing again. "Good," the mother responded. "See  you soon." And with that, Beatrice Drake hung up the phone.

* * * *

Jaxon Luthor was awaiting the take off of his father's Leer  jet. He had no idea where the plane was destined for, nor  what his new life would be like. He only knew that if he  could somehow manage it, his next step would involve  getting back at his father.

* * * *

In the lobby of the high school auditorium, the cast was  getting congratulations and flowers from friends and  relatives.

Mrs. Platt, Dr, Klein, and Mr. Stern came up to Lois. "Ms.  Lane," Mrs. Platt began. "I believe we all know why you  have brought us here tonight. The three of us have been  talking for the last few minutes, and you definitely have  our support. We will vote down the new Family Values Policy  at the board meeting scheduled for tomorrow."

"Yes, Ms. Lane," Dr. Klein agreed. "We just need one more  vote to insure its defeat."

"And," Mr. Stern interjected. "I am certain that we can get  that one vote for you. Can't we, Dr. Baines?" he said,  looking at the woman who had, along with Mr. St. John, just  joined the group.

"We don't have to ask you, Nigel." Mr. Stern said. "We know  where your loyalties lie, but maybe Dr. Baines here  will..."

Dr. Baines thought about Lex Luthor and their previous  relationship. A woman Scorned, she thought. She could vote  him down, but that was not enough. She had more in mind for  Lex Luthor. There were some steps she was planning to take  that had nothing to do with a tiny little vote on school  policy.

"If she won't give it to you, I will," Mrs. Cox interrupted  Mr. Stern's question as she, too, came up to stand beside  Lois.

"That surprises me," Mr. Stern said. "I believed you were  one of Lex's most ardent followers."

"I'm pragmatic, Mr. Stern," Mrs. Cox informed him. "What  with Judge LeVine's decision and the community's support of  Keith Haley, I know where the chips will fall. I'm not  adverse to coming out against Lex Luthor when I believe the  other side is holding all the aces."

"Thank you all," Lois said, smiling.

"We want to congratulate you and Mr. Kent on a remarkable  performance," Dr. Klein said, looking around. "By the way,  where is Mr. Kent?"

"I'm not sure," Lois responded. "He was here a few minutes  ago." She scanned the people in the auditorium lobby.

Keith and Cindy came running up excitedly to Lois, their  faces shining in the afterglow of a good performance.

"This is Keith Haley and Cindy Brady," Lois said,  introducing them to the gathering of the school board  members.

"Cindy Brady? You mean like...?" Mrs. Platt asked.

"Yeah," Cindy shrugged. "My mom was a fan."

"Your father was Henry Brady?" Mr. Stern asked.

"Yeah," Cindy replied, looking at Mr. Stern questioningly.

"I knew him," he said. "A fine man."

Cindy smiled. "That's nice of you to say, Mr. Stern. My mom  and I always thought so."

"Well, congratulations to both of you on a wonderful  production," Mr. Stern said, shaking their hands. "And  Keith, I've heard some wonderful things about you, as well,  young man," he indicated.

"Thank you, sir," Keith said, pulling Cindy away from the  board members toward a younger group of people who were  waiting to greet them with flowers and congratulations.

"I'm really sorry that Clark isn't here," Mrs. Platt told  Lois. "He really made me think. Well, congratulate him for  us." She smiled and ushered out the rest of the group.  "Come on, all, we have a very early morning meeting with a  very interesting agenda."

Lois looked around the lobby for Clark once more and, not  seeing him, wistfully went backstage to remove her costume  and make-up. The other cast members had already departed,  the young people going out with their crowd. Cat and Dan  had plans to celebrate on their own, and several of the  others were going out with relatives who had come to see  the show from out of town. Lois was alone except for  Martha, who had the responsibility of checking to make sure  everything was locked up.

"Jonathan is waiting for me," Martha explained. "And Clark  is...uh...uh..."

"Right here, Mom," Clark said, entering the make-up room  and adjusting his tie. "I'll see to it that everything is  locked up," he told his mother. "Go on home and get some  rest. It was a wonderful night."

Martha hugged her son, gave him an encouraging look, then  left.

Clark turned to Lois. "Lois, I...I just had to go make a  phone call to one of my student's parents. It was  important."

"I'm sure it was, Clark," Lois said, using the cold cream  to remove the last of her stage make-up.

Clark looked at her reflection in the mirror. Even without  the slightest trace of make-up at all, she was so lovely.

"The members of the school board want me to congratulate  you on your performance and let you know that the majority  is going to support us at tomorrow's meeting," Lois  informed him.

"That's absolutely wonderful," he said.

"It wouldn't have happened without your help," she said,  biting her lip.

Lois looked at Clark's reflection in the mirror above her  own. She thought that she and Clark were ready to make  their relationship more serious, but after his  disappearance yet another time, she wasn't sure. But  perhaps now was the opportunity to take that leap into the  darkness.

Lois got up. "Clark," she said, picking up her flowers and  the card. She looked at the card and then at Clark.

"This has been the most incredible six weeks for me, too,"  she said, walking out to the stage that was lit with the  theatre's ghost light, a light at the top of a rolling  stand that provided just enough of a glow for actors to  leave a darkened theatre.

Clark followed her slowly, realizing that Lois needed to  talk.

"I left Metropolis because of a bad relationship. I thought  I was in love and broke one of my rules."

"You slept with someone you worked with?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she admitted. "And he accused me of setting him up  so that I could get promoted. I didn't even know he had  become the principal until the next day. I wouldn't have  slept with him except that I thought I loved him."

Clark came up behind her.

"But now I know I wasn't in love because...because I have  found love here in Smallville, Kansas," she explained,  turning to look at him.

Clark held his breath. The ghost light gave the stage an  interesting aura. Lois' face was highlighted beautifully.  Her hair glowed, and he could just make out the sparkle in  her eyes that first attracted him to her. Was she going to  say what he hoped she would say? They had been very close  the last few days, working on the play and coercing the  school board. And, there had been those kisses...

"I think we're both scared."

"Of what?" Clark asked.

"Of the fact that we work together, that we're friends, and  that we have fallen in love so quickly..."

She moved into his arms and kissed him.

"If you're going to run away from this, tell me now," she  whispered, looking into his eyes.

"I'm not running, Lois," he said, pausing. "I love you and  I'm ready for the next step, if you are."

He gathered her in his arms and gently kissed her. When he  heard Lois sigh, and she parted her lips, he slowly, ever  so slowly, deepened their kiss to become more and more  passionate.

The End.

Sequel "The Next Steps" coming later this year.

Table of Contents

Smallville Players

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12