Title: Snowed In
Author: KatherineKent (Victoria)
Pairing: Clois
Rating: PG13+ (just teetering on the graphic side once or twice)
Spoilers: Extremely minor Season 9 first half
Short summary: Snow blocks the roadways and Lois has to stay at the farm. What secrets will come out? Set at the beginning of Season 9 - before Crossfire has happened.

This was written for the Clois Christmas Gift Exchange on KryptonSite. The story comes in three parts and the recipient of the story (liana) got to choose what happened in the third part. You'll see why at the end of part 2.

Lois peered out of the window, pulling back the curtain. "It's getting worse," she muttered. Turning back to the empty room she let the curtain fall.

"Smallville," she called out. She was greeted by silence. "Not back yet," she mumbled. "How long does it take to check on the animals?"

"Smallville," she shouted again and wandered into the kitchen. On the table was the present she'd brought with her this morning, before the weather change. He'd promised they would open presents at midnight. She lifted her wrist and looked at her watch. Although the figures looked blurry she managed to make out that the time was 11:25.

"Come on Smallville. This is seriously cutting into my Christmas fun." As she wandered around the kitchen she mumbled to herself. "This is the third time you've had to check on the cattle. I know it's been getting worser … um … badder weather." Lois shook her head. "Snowing more and more," she finally managed, "But three times!"

She wandered back into the living room and noticed her drink on the table. Tottering over to it on slightly unsteady feet she reached for the crystal glass flute, then picked it up and drained the last of it.

The woozy feeling which had been attempting ingress into her brain for a few hours now intensified suddenly. Lois wondered what could possibly be causing it. Her constitution could take plenty of alcohol so it couldn't be that.

Lifting her eyes up to meet the gaze of the Christmas Angel atop the tree she nodded to it. "Definitely not that!" When the Angel declined to answer Lois frowned and then cocked her head to one side. "Not very talkative are you. I think you should know that I'm uncomfortable with … uncomfortable silences."

When there was still no answer she dropped herself onto the couch in a dramatic sigh. "I guess that means I have to do all the talking then." She nibbled on her lip for a moment then lifted up her feet and stretched her legs across the couch. "You know, Angel. I don't even know why I'm here. I mean … I spend enough time with Farmer John at work. Although I guess he's not Farmer John when we're in the bull pen. It's just … why am I torturing myself? I should be torturing him. But he's not around. Some emergency farming errand, for the fifth time today."

She stretched herself out and snuggled down a little until she was almost laid out flat. Staring up at the ceiling the tree, with Angel atop, was just in view so she continued to talk to her.

"I think I'm a sucker for punishment. I mean … I like all these great guys. Sweet, charming, sexy … some even with stacks of money … but they turn out to be jerks, or commitment phobic, or even world saving superheroes, but do I learn? Nope, I just roll up my sleeves and dive right back into the next one. Well, I promised myself no more … and I nearly managed it."

Lois closed her eyes for a moment when she felt the tears pricking, threatening to fall. Oh, no. Not on Christmas Eve. Not at the farm, and definitely not in Smallville's sight. He cannot know.

But her mouth continued to ramble on, spilling its secrets to the Angel.

"I so nearly kept my heart safe this time. But then I made another mistake. One so much worse than all the others. Yeah, I hear you say, what could be worse than sleeping with your boss giving credence to the rumours that you only got your job because of your panties … or possible lack of them." She turned her head away, so as not to have to look at the Angel any longer, but she continued her confessions. "Well, there is something worse. Much worse."

Lois rested her head back and closed her eyes. "I fell for my best friend." She sighed, a little quiver in her voice. "The guy I tease, and mock. The one who's always there for me, never judges, always listens. The sweetest, kindest man I know. And god!" She paused and moaned. "It doesn't help that he's ten times more sexy than any of the others. And what makes it worse is he doesn't even realise. So I can't call him out on it."

Lois felt her head start to swim. "And he doesn't even realise …" she trailed off. A soft ringing in her ears distracted her for a minute but then the sound faded and the vertigo feeling passed. "realise … that I'm in love with him."

As her heartbeat began to slow and she faded away into light sleep on the couch she thought she heard a single word from the Angel. "Who?"

"Smallville," came her whispered reply, and she fell the last step into sleep.

Lois felt something tickling her cheek. Reaching up with a lazy hand to brush away the stray lock of hair it encountered resistance. Something was holding her down.

"Hummmm," she mumbled but couldn't seem to rouse herself.

"Lois," came a deep and sexy, but quiet voice. "Lois wake up."

"Mmmmm," she attempted but her mouth wouldn't move. The gentle pressure on her cheek increased and then trailed along and into her hair. Lois tried desperately to wake up but her muddled mind wouldn't acquiesce. Something tangled in her hair and then she was being lifted. Her head rose up from the couch and her eyes finally opened a slither just in time to see something descending towards her.

Sweet tasting lips brushed hers and she opened them slightly to expel a sigh. The lips left and Lois managed to open her eyes further. Clark was leaning over her, his face just inches from hers, his eyes gazing deep into her own.

"I heard you, Lois. I heard." He smiled and then dipped his head once more. As their lips met Lois felt her head being lowered back down. When she met resistance she sank back into the cushions. Her arms snaked up and round his back and pulled him in tight.

How many times have I thought about this? Dreamed it. In the night he comes to me. He wraps his arms around me and whispers things. Terrible and wonderful things. And now he's here. Is this as dream? Oh please let it be real.

Lois opened her lips and allowed him to deepen the kiss. He immediately thrust in with his tongue and she moaned. He broke off the kiss and traced a line across her cheek with his mouth, leaving searing kisses in its wake. She let her arms drop back to the couch and her whole body drifted luxuriously in bliss as he continued to kiss past her ear and down her neck.

When he reached the crook of her shoulder he snuggled in and Lois shuddered when he nipped her skin.

"Clark!" she whispered and she felt his fingertips trail down her arm until they brushed the edge of her chest. "Oh!" She opened her eyes in shock but he didn't stop. He gently cupped her breast and then Lois felt his lips on hers again.

Desire overtook her and she wrapped her arms around him once more and dived into the kiss. When something brushed her nipple a liquid fire shot through her stomach. She arched her back and the pressure increased.

There was a ripping sound and suddenly her chest was open to the air. Clark's hand slid inside and along her stomach then back up to her breast. He parted her shirt more and then shifted his weight. Lois held her breath when she felt his lips circle her nipple and then he began to roll it between his teeth gently.

Her head swirled and she began to wonder if she really was drunk. When Clark was suddenly poised above her naked she finally accepted the truth. Maybe she could take her beer and spirits, but wine went straight to her head. Or how did he get in that position so quickly without me noticing?

She looked into his beautiful eyes and smiled at him, her head still swimming. He lowered himself and she nodded silently. As his waist touched hers he also lowered his head, lips descending. But instead of touching her mouth they aimed for her ear and began to nibble sending pleasurable shocks up and down her spine.

As he began to rock gently between her legs Lois shuddered when the pressure on her ear changed.

"Clark?" she questioned quietly. A rhythmic chiming began to invade her semi-conscious state. Her ear felt wet. Clark was licking it. "Ugh!" The chiming increased and the slobbering extended to cover her cheek.

"Ahhh. Shelby!" she screamed and pushed him off sitting up as quickly as she could.

The soft bell noise continued and Lois looked to the fireplace where the clock was chiming 11:30pm. She'd been asleep on the couch for five minutes. It seemed longer. She dragged her hand down her face and blinked her eyes as wide as possible to try and wake up, unfulfilled desire tingling in every pore.

When she stood up the blood rushed to her head and she swayed. "Ok, no more wine for you Lois," she told herself. "These R-rated dreams are bad enough without the introduction of alcohol."

Lois glanced up at the Angel on top of the tree and narrowed her eyes a little. "You better not remember. And if you do … you better not tell." She turned and wandered into the kitchen spying the present again. Thirty minutes. Half an hour. Where are you Smallville?

"Clark," she called out and set off in search of the man who had just ravished her in her dreams. Just as he did every night. Every night since she'd lost three weeks of her life.

She checked every room in the house. He obviously wasn't yet back from 'seeing to the animals'.

"Seriously! How long does it take?" she frowned as she made it back to the ground floor. "Didn't you secure them well enough for snow drifts the first time. If not, then that's terribly irresponsible of you."

Lois made it to the front door and peered through the glass to look at the deep snow covering the driveway. "Clark would never be irresponsible," she frowned to herself. "So what's he doing?" She opened the door on an impulse, deciding to go looking for him. When a blast of icy cold air rushed past her and deposited soft, fluffy snow at her feet she quickly shut the door again.

"Coat. I need a coat."

As she tried to remember where she'd left her coat she continued to think about the day with Clark. He'd disappeared once or twice during the day and then, once the snow started to fall it became more frequent. It had not bothered her at first. But now it was more than annoying and in danger of causing her to miss the scheduled present opening.

She found her coat at the kitchen door and shrugged it on then slipped into a pair of boots. Opening the door she realised that the amount of snow precluded her going back to her apartment tonight. But it had been kind of an unspoken agreement that she'd be staying anyway. Somehow she just knew that Clark expected her to sleep over.

He'd take the couch as usual, or did he now sleep in his parent's room? Lois frowned as she carefully negotiated the steps outside. Maybe he does! Guess I'll find out later on. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and spoke sternly to the tiny devil Lois sat on her shoulder laughing suggestively to her. When he goes to bed.

"Brrrr," she shivered, and hugged her chest. Trudging through knee-high snow she made it to the barn and called out. "Smallville." The cold on her chest robbed her of lung capacity and it came out rather breathy. She coughed and tried again. "Smallville."

She climbed the steps to his hideaway, not really expecting to find him there. Although he used to spend most of his time brooding up here it had been a while since she'd felt that vibe from him. And he wouldn't leave her alone in the house. Clark could never be rude to guests. And she was technically a guest. And, thinking about it, Clark hadn't been rude to her in ages.

She frowned, wrinkling her forehead as she lingered. Why has he stopped being rude to me? Not that it was ever really 'rude' … just competition.

She sat herself down on the worn couch and rested her swirling head. This place smelt of Clark, felt like Clark and a little sob rose in her throat.

"Nope." Her eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. "Not going there, Lois." The couch was enough for tonight.

Shaking her head to brush away soppy thoughts of Clark it had a terrible side effect and her head began to pound. Steadfastly ignoring the pain she set off to continue her search.

Instead of making her way back to the house by way of the kitchen she decided to trudge round the side of the house. She pushed her way through the knee high snow, grateful for her high boots. As she made it to the front of the house and the side gate onto the porch she stopped and frowned. There were tracks going down the road. Two lines in the snow from the house to the main road.

She turned and headed over to take a better look.

"If Smallville's been wasting all this time trying to dig us out then I'm gonna kick his cute butt. What a pointless exercise." But she couldn't see any shovel marks or snow piled up where he'd tried to dig. In fact the channels seemed quite smooth, as if something had just pushed through the snow.

The cold air was getting to Lois's head so she put aside the mystery and trudged up the steps and onto the porch, past the swing and back inside the house.

Once she was free of the snow and gradually warming up again she realised that the cold, brisk air had cleared her head a little. The fuzziness was gone. Granted the seven dwarves were still digging away for jewels with their tiny picks, but it was actually currently bearable.

She glanced at the clock and groaned when she realised that she'd wasted ten minutes looking for Clark. Now only twenty minutes left till midnight. She looked at the present again. It's not going to happen is it? She felt her heart plummet and her face fall in disappointment.

Trudging over to the TV dejectedly she flicked it on and skimmed though the channels while she lowered herself to the seat, purposefully avoiding the couch. Even though she was looking for an entertaining show or Christmas movie she found herself distracted by a news show.

"And the Blur helped the distressed and stranded drivers digging their cars out of the snowdrift in under a minute."

Lois dropped the TV remote in shock. An aerial view of the scene the newscaster had just described showed obvious arrival and departure lines by the Blur through the fields alongside the blocked Route. She stood and ran upstairs to the landing as fast as possible and took a look out of the window to get a higher vantage point view of the trails down the Kent path that she had spied just five minutes ago.

"Identical. It's identical."

Comments? I'll post Part 2 later on tonight and then you get Part 3 on Christmas Day.