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*1, 2, 3 aaaand push*
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OK. I've been meaning to reply to you all. Next chapter is on the way in a few days I hope. I'm glad you all like it so far. You were right about Zatanna's wishes workingon what's in your heart 'at the moment' PLUS they never quite play out like you expect.
Anyway. I have one question before the next chapter comes:
She's bound to realise that she's seeing through someone's eyes soon ... but will she realise it's Clark ... or the Blur? What's your choice?Comment
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Definitely Clark since it was his waywardness that spurred her to want an explanation.Comment
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humm now you got me... because, even Clark being the reason she made her wish, i'm not sure if she'll figure out that what she's seeing is her wish granted. Since she just had a vision of the Kent's farm and i don't think will cross her mind that the Blur was at the farm for any reason, i guess i'd go with Clark too
(but i'm not 100% sure 
)
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Ok. Here's chapter two. I think it's going to be obvious which way she'll figure it out from this update ... see what you think. You should also figure out something else obvious too.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 2: Mexico
Clark spent the night wondering and worrying about Lois. Her strange phone calls were only half the reason. The thought that Lois was a little tipsy after Chloe’s party worried him. It was not beyond reason to presume she had indulged in quite a few champagnes. Clark clearly remembered Chloe and Jimmy’s engagement party. He dreaded to think what embarrassing things she’s said and done this time. And he wasn’t there to intervene. That thought prodded at his heart. He felt bad for missing Chloe’s party, but he had sent his present along with Ollie, and Chloe knew that he was with Bart. But that wasn’t where the pain came from. It was not being there for Lois; to save her from herself, to protect and look after her. That was what upset him most.
Even so, his confusion mostly came from one comment in particular that Lois had made in one of her phone calls. She’d talked about seeing a bridge … at the exact same moment he’d been gazing out over the bridge which linked Central City to Keystone City.
In the end Clark could only chalk it up to coincidence and alcohol. Still, he couldn’t get her out of his mind and as he ran between home and Metropolis throughout much of the night he continued to think about her. When he finally left behind his Red-Blue Blur duties and slipped into bed he dreamt of Lois.
They sat across from each other in the bullpen. He glanced up and found her looking at him. He looked away, a little embarrassed, especially once he realised he was naked. When he peered over his monitor a moment later she was still staring at him. It was unnerving. Yet he didn’t seem to be attempting to dress himself. She never said a word, either, passing up obvious chances to tease him. She just stared.
When he woke in the morning, after only a few hours sleep, he felt mentally uncomfortable and, as he prepared his breakfast, he attributed the constant feeling of being watched to the dream.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“So, everything’s ok with you in Mexico, Lois?” Chloe’s voice, although it really didn’t sound like her, came down the phone.
“Everything’s great. Except for government oppression and slave labour. Why?”
“Uh! It’s just. You’re sure? Nothing weird?” Lois blinked, confused.
“No Chlo. What is going on? You don’t sound like yourself,” Lois pointed out.
“No uh me. Just got a frog in my throat.” Yeah, I can get that. Party all night and you pay for it in the morning.
“OK, well you take care,” Lois said breezily.
“You too,” replied Chloe.
Lois flipped her phone closed and stared at it in confusion. She shook her head and then put the phone away in her pocket. I guess she was affected by the bad champagne too. As the vehicle, which barely passed for public transportation, continued on its journey Lois reflected on the weird dreams she’d experienced through the night. A large, familiar city had featured prominently and she’d visited every corner during the night. In fact she felt exhausted. The dizzy sensation which had started last night continued on this morning and it had intensified. If she closed her eyes to try and help then it had the opposite effect.
“Hey!” she turned and called out to the driver. “How much longer?”
“No mucho más lejos dama. Cerca de quince minutos,” the driver replied in quick Spanish.
“Same to you, buddy,” she mumbled back under her breath, convinced he’s said something rude.
The bus stopped suddenly, jolting her, causing her to topple over and into a young girl. “Sorry,” she apologised. The door opened and two people got off leaving a space. “Thank God,” Lois cried out and scrambled for the space. When she was comfortable she leant back and closed her eyes.
Immediately the swirly patterns began but Lois found herself looking through them expectantly this time. Maybe I’m getting used to this, she thought.
Her dream on the plane had been a mixture of blurry pictures and almost clear buildings. She thought she’d recognised some and at one point it had seemed like she was looking down on a city from a great height.
This time, as the swirls cleared, the picture was crisp and bright. It was a street in a city. She tried to glance around; up, down, to the side; but it didn’t work. Lois frowned at her failure. Suddenly the view changed of its own accord and Lois found herself looking back and across the street. She watched horrified when a little boy slipped out of his mother’s grasp and ran into the road. Lois gripped the side of her seat in terror. Cars streamed passed her vision but the boy continued to run.
A wave of nausea hit her as the scene blurred and then she was stood on the other side of the road. From quite a distance away she could still see the mother, but the boy was now back in her arms. She grasped him tightly; her eyes shut. When she opened them Lois saw her glancing around. As she lowered the boy back down she turned, searching. When she didn’t find what she was looking for she grasped her son’s hand and walked on.
The vision returned to its starting point then, moving steadily down the street. Lois began to recognise the buildings. It was so familiar. The vision even stopped at her favourite coffee vendor on the corner of Main and 5th. She began to get the feeling that she was actually heading for work.
“We here, miss,” came a voice and her eyes shot open.
“Uh, thanks.” She reached for her bag and clambered out of the open door.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark looked at the caller id on his phone when it rang and smiled. Lois. The real Lois.
“Hi Lois,” he answered.
“Hey Smallville. I’m on my way back now. Sorry I haven’t phoned all day but duty calls. I’ve been caught up in interviews and pickets and sweaty miners.”
“Sounds super,” Clark replied sarcastically.
“Har har. Well, I guess I didn’t give you a second thought. Hope you weren’t worried.”
“Lois, the last I knew you were drunk on the plane complaining about something possibly happening to you. Of course I was worried.” When she didn’t reply he frowned. “Lois?”
“Uh, yeah. Of course you were,” she breezed back. “I still think there was something up with that champagne. Maybe it’s a good thing you missed the party or you’d have been affected too. I mean I’m still having these weird dizzy spells and seeing strange visions when I close my eyes and Chloe called me this morning sounding really weird … and what was that all about …” she seemed to be continuing but Clark jumped in.
“Uh, Lois, about that. When Chloe call you she, uh, wasn’t exactly, uh.” He paused. “Maybe I should let Chloe explain it herself.” Clark could just imagine the confused look on her face but he thought it would be better for Chloe to tell the story of the wish gone wrong.
“All … right …” she drawled out. “So, did I miss any major news during the day?” she asked, but then didn’t wait for an answer. “You know, I’ve got a pretty major story myself here. Definitely a front page article.”
“I’m sure it is,” Clark replied. A distant sound came to his ears. Screams. “Uh, I’m just gonna answer the other line Lois, stay there.” He pressed the hold button on his phone and put it on his desk then zoomed off. It never occurred to him that he should have made his excuses and said goodbye: it just seemed natural to think about coming back to continue the conversation.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois called out, “Clark!” then looked down at her phone. It’s still connected. “Clark!” she tried again but there was no answer. Lois dropped herself into a seat at the boarding gate and sighed.
It had been a shock, half an hour ago, when she’d arrived at the airport to return home and remembered all the phone calls she’d given Clark the last time; she’d not spoken to him once today. She’d been so caught up in her story that she hadn’t found a minute free. Not that she hadn’t tried. For some reason her brain needed a daily … no, hourly … dose of Clark Kent and when she didn’t get it she felt … antsy, fidgety, uncomfortable, as if there was energy to expel and no way to use it up. Banter with Clark definitely drained her of that energy. But he wasn’t here and it was building up with no release.
So, here she was, waiting at the airport with her phone to her ear, waiting for him to return from his other phone call. She closed her eyes, groaning at how pathetic she was when it came to Clark.
Immediately bright lights shone into her eyes. As the image sharpened she felt her heart racing. Flames were pouring out of an apartment block. People crowded around but there was no sign of a fire truck. She felt a need to do something but knew she couldn’t. Her previous visions had proved that she had no control over what she was seeing. A sudden blur made her sway, even sat down, and then she was surrounded by the fire. She opened her mouth to scream out but then she saw a young girl trapped in the corner of the room. As she watched her vision moved forward and further into the fire. Once it passed through she stood directly above the huddled girl. The scene dropped until she was on the same level as the girl. She looked up and her terrified face softened then she nodded. A sudden jerk upwards had her at full height again, the young girl still in view in the corner of her vision and then the blurs and swirls overtook once more.
The vision cleared momentarily back in the crowd outside. The girl was placed down on the floor and then the blurs returned.
Lois opened her eyes and blinked in shock. Did I just witness a heroic rescue of a young girl stuck in a burning building? Or maybe I’m just imagining the kind of story that might knock me from column one.
“Lois? You still there?” Clark’s voice came back through the phone.
“Uh yeah. Finished your other call then?”
“Yes,” he replied. “So when do you take off?” Lois brought up her hand and looked at her wrist.
“Forty-five minutes I guess. There’s no delay messages showing.”
“So. You’ll be in work tomorrow?” Lois tilted her head in shock. Is he looking forward to seeing me?
“Bright and early,” she teased.
“Don’t forget to speak to Chloe,” Clark said, suddenly all serious.
“OK. And I’ll see you tomorrow.” When Lois hung up the phone she realised she was staring at it, smiling widely.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois pushed into the apartment and called out. “Chloe. You here?”
“Lois!” came a distant voice.
Lois dragged her suitcase behind her and then collapsed onto the couch. “Hi Chloe.” She closed her eyes and was immediately assaulted by the rushing blurs.
“Lois, you’re back, oh thank goodness I’ve had the weirdest day.” She opened her eyes to see Chloe coming from the bathroom. Smiling, Lois stood and embraced her.
“Yes, I get the feeling something strange happened while I was gone. Your phone call. And Clark said something.”
“Clark? You’ve already seen him?”
“No, I called him from the airport.” Chloe’s eyebrows rose.
“Lois, are you alright? Clark said you called him repeatedly on the way to Mexico.”
Lois felt her heart jump in fear. “Uh, well, he needed to be made aware of how disappointed I was in him. I mean you and him have been best friends for years. I just can’t understand why he wasn’t there without ten-star reason.”
Chloe sat down next to her. “Lois, it’s fine. I know why he wasn’t there. But I’m glad you’re upset for me, and defending me. In fact I’ve recently seen how much you’re on my side about certain things.”
Lois wrinkled her brow. How come everyone else seems ok about this except me? What don’t I know? Boy, I really do wish I understood. Maybe that’s what I should have wished for. She laughed at herself internally.
Everything went quiet and Chloe lifted her hand then pushed some hair behind her ear. “Lois. At my party, did you happen to notice a lady magician?” Chloe sounded a little unsure.
“Yeah. Zata ... something.”
“Zatanna.”
Lois nodded. “That’s it. At first I thought she was in the wrong place, dressed for a wacky nightclub or something.”
“Did she … did she offer you a wish?” Chloe asked carefully.
“Actually she did,” Lois laughed. “Nice idea, but seriously. How is she going to get more gigs if she can’t deliver the goods.” Lois frowned at Chloe’s horrified look. “Chloe?”
“What … what did you wish?”
“I wished that Clark were there at the party for you. You needed him,” Lois explained. “But that quite obviously was a waste of seven words.”
Chloe breathed out a sigh of relief and sank back into the sofa. “Thank goodness.”
“What? Chloe?”
“Zatanna, she uh, she certainly can deliver the goods. I got a wish.”
“You did?” Lois questioned, suddenly assaulted by an ominous feeling.
“I, um.” Chloe took a deep breath. “I wished to be you for the day.” Lois choked on her own laughter. “Hey, it’s not funny. I was looking at you. You were having so much fun, you have the job I’ve dreamed of my whole life. I was jealous.”
“So you wished to be me,” Lois felt a little weird. It upset her to think that her cousin envied her that much.
“Actually, no, that wasn’t my intention. I sort of wished to have your life. But Zatanna put me IN your life. I looked like you. I went to work at the Daily Planet. Clark eventually helped me to track down Zatanna and apparently her wishes don’t exactly work in the way you expect.”
Lois frowned. “Yes, but Clark didn’t turn up AT ALL. How can that be classed as a wish fulfilled, no matter how much it’s ‘not in the way I expected?’”
“I don’t know. Maybe she was just making party conversation with you. But I know it was real. It was also kind of enlightening, to be in your body for a day.”
“Really! How?” Lois wondered what could possibly have been that interesting.
“Well, the way a certain farm-boy we both know acts when you are around. I don’t usually get to see that.”
“What do you mean, how does Smallville act around me?” Lois was confused.
“Just … different.” At Chloe’s smirk she tipped her head sideways. “I mean, he’s got a framed copy of some rules you gave him,” she giggled. “It’s pretty funny.”
Lois felt her heart lurch. He’s framed my rules. “Ok, Chloe. I want to know all of it. Tell me everything.”
Chloe looked a little shifty for a moment. “Well, I can’t give you a blow by blow of the whole day … but here goes.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was incredibly late when Lois finally went to bed. She and Chloe had talked for hours. Her cousin’s body swap experience, without the swap, had made for an interesting chat, although Lois suspected that some details had been left out.
As she laid her head down and closed her eyes she saw a different world spring to life. No longer was she in the apartment but she was out under the stars.
The scenery changed rapidly. She ran through the countryside by the light of the moon. Ahead of her she saw the skyline of a city. Instinctively she knew it was Metropolis. The speed at which she travelled made her feel like she was in a car. But there was no windshield in front, or roof, or door around her. Suddenly the speed increased and she could no-longer see the Metropolis skyscrapers clearly. Blurs of many colours covered her vision; and then she stood still once more. Now she was surrounded by the tall buildings. She stood centre city, only seconds after being out in the country.
As she zipped back and forth through the city she began to fall asleep. How she managed that she didn’t know. With her mind racing so much it seemed impossible that it could shut down. As she drifted off she finally realised that this strange phenomenon had started soon after her encounter with Zatanna.
Did I get a wish? Is this the ‘obscure’ way of Clark being at Chloe’s party? But no matter how she tried to rationalise and ratify that thought she couldn’t get it to make sense. There was no way in heaven or earth that this could translate as Clark appearing at the Ace ‘o Clubs for Chloe.
Maybe I should go and see this Zatanna anyway. If it is wish related in some way then I’m sure she can explain. Either that, or I’ll get a cool story out of the interview if I can get her to admit to her wish-fulfilment sideline.
Lois fell asleep, still seeing the strange visions. They translated through into her dreams and continued for most of the night. When she woke she was even more determined to find this lady magician and get some answers.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* So, did you figure out which way Lois will figure it out?
And did you see the other obvious thing .... HEX really happened. Chloe still got her wish.
(Oh and if my Spanish sucked then I apologise - I translated it using Google.)
Comments please.Comment
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Fascinating. All that running around and Clark never stops to comb his hair. Wouldn't that be a buzz killer?Comment
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OMG I love this Victoria!!.. Brilliant! I love how you pulled Chloe's wish into this that it still happened and I love their talk. I love how lois is seeing all this stuff and I think she'll connect it to Clark first rather then the Blur despite what she is seeing because she'll talk to Zatanna and get clarification on her wish.
Gah I can't wait for more!Comment
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Very good more pleaseComment
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Lois must be really frustrated not knowing what this dreams mean....
Clark needs to move on and try things with Lois. And I really wish that Lois discovers, what all this bizarre things that happened to her by herself.
Update soon
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Very good...just wondering if Lois only saw through his eyes or could she hear stuff like as if he was having a convo with Chloe.Comment
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Fantastic, Victoria. And Hex happening was just genius!!
well, my guess is that Lois will figure it out what's happening to her through her meeting with Zatanna. but i thought Clark's dream sequence quite interesting because it is like his subconscious is aware that Lois is there with him all the time.Comment
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Wonderful update! PPMS!!!
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Great chapter. I can't wait to see how Lois' meeting with Zatanna goes and how long it will take her to figure out exactly what she's seeing.Comment
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