I've been gone for so long and I apologize. If I have any readers still interested in my work, here is something random, but hopefully good. Thanks so much for reading!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own.
He visited her every night.
He never means to drift to her window in the late hours of the evening, when it's dark and quiet out, but there he always ended up, right on the fire escape outside the apartment above the Talon. He hid in the shadows and peered through the window, watching her move around her living space; into the kitchen, then back out, slipping to the bedroom, then trekking to the couch. He kept a steady gaze on her, couldn't help it. Couldn't stay away from her.
He berated himself for always sinking low enough to creep around her fire escape, watching her, but after she'd disappeared for three weeks with no memory of where she'd gone, he didn't want to risk the chance of missing her again. That had been weeks ago, though, and so far, she hasn't been in any danger…well, no more so than usual for Lois Lane.
The thought brought no ease to Clark's mind, however, since he couldn't find it in himself to stay away from her, to find comfort in the phone calls she'd send him, the time he'd spend with her at the Daily Planet.
He'd returned not too long ago, to his job and his life as Clark Kent, thanks to his best friend, Chloe Sullivan. She was his voice of reason, aiding him through all the ups and downs that his Kryptonian heritage brought him. His return to the Planet was smooth, Tess Mercer welcoming him back with no questions, but his reunion with Lois was what he didn't realize he'd been needing to ease his troubles. Since that epiphany, he felt as though he just needed her to go on. He needed her.
He had come close to telling her as much when Metropolis was plunged into a threat of a zombie apocalypse. So close, it was on the tip of his tongue, when she'd confessed that she didn't want to be alone anymore. He was right there, just about to blurt it out, but then in came Oliver Queen, pulling him out of the haze that was loving Lois Lane. He almost spilled once more what she meant to him at the farm, but she deflected, quirking those kissable lips and breezing past him out the door. She was such a sight; he couldn't look away. So when she stumbled on the porch, pausing for a moment, he'd almost run out to her, but she'd quickly righted herself and hustled to her car. He'd thought to catch her and ask her what happened, but somehow he knew he wouldn't have gotten a straight answer, so he'd let her go.
Now he found himself on her fire escape again, the fourth night in a week, watching her go over files for a story she was working on. He was pathetic.
There was a knock at her door and Clark slinked further into the shadows while she got up to answer it. He tilted an ear to listen.
"Oliver." Lois sounded surprised to see him.
"Hey, Legs," said the blond. Clark huffed silently. He didn't like when Oliver called her that.
"Not that I'm unhappy to see you, but what are you doing here?"
Clark poked his head out to peer into the window. She closed the door behind him and they moved into the kitchen. Lois went to the fridge and pulled out a few beers. Oliver snapped the tops off both of the bottles and took a long swig of his. He was quiet a moment more before his eyes caught the sight of her questioning gaze.
He cleared his throat, swiped at his lips. "I just, uh, I came by to, uh, apologize for the whole…letting you turn into a zombie thing. You were on my watch and I let you down."
Lois blinked. "Ollie, that was last week and I've forgiven you already. No hard feelings."
"I just felt I needed to say sorry for it. In person. I messed up and I wanted you to know."
She moved around the counter and turned him to face her with a hand to his shoulder. "Hey, look at me." She waited for his haunted eyes to find hers. "It's okay. I'm okay, and whatever you're going through, let me help you be okay."
Oliver stared down at her, unblinking. "Lois," he breathed. "I miss you."
"I haven't gone anywhere," she said.
"No, I…I miss being with you. Don't you miss it too?"
Clark moved closer to the window, his gaze trained on Lois, his heart beginning to pound in his chest. He shouldn't be listening in on their conversation, but he couldn't stop himself.
"Oliver-"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life and the people in it, and when I think of you, I feel so grateful that you're still here, still with me, and I want more of you in my life, Lois, in my heart."
She stood surprised for a moment and Clark waited with bated breath to hear her answer. He saw her reach for Oliver's face, her palm cradling his cheek, then pulled him into a hug. Clark was stunned. He watched them embrace for what seemed like an eternity, but was cut short, his moment of despair, when a cry for help caught his ears and he had to speed off just as Lois pulled away from Oliver.
He pushed all thoughts of what he'd just witnessed out of his mind, but they still thrashed around in his heart. He couldn't believe Lois had taken Oliver back. He thought there was something between himself and her, something strong. He thought they were slowly building towards a bond that went beyond friendship. Now this.
Clark squared his jaw and made his save. Pulled a woman out of a burning vehicle and laid her on the sidewalk. Then he zoomed off toward the farm, where he shed his Blur gear and stepped into the shower. Temperature didn't affect him, but he made sure to crank the water as hot as it could go and braced his palms against the tiles on either side of the shower head. He dropped his head forward and let the water drench his hair, slosh down his neck and over his body, trying to wash away the shattered hopes that stained his soul. He'd lost her again, only this time it tore at him more than when she'd disappeared.
Clark didn't know how long he stood under the spray of the shower, but when he finally stood upright again, he picked up the sound of a car pulling up to the house. He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist. He went to the window and gazed out over the driveway. His heart stuttered in his chest at the sight of Lois walking up to the house. He looked around the space of the bathroom, his mind filling up with theories of why she would be at his house, tonight especially if she just reunited with Oliver.
"Smallville?" came her voice from the kitchen.
He was so quick with his super speed, throwing on clothes, that when he propelled down the stairs, he realized that his hair was still damp from the shower. "Lois," he said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
She was squatting by the kitchen counter, a playful Shelby squirming in her arms. She petted the dog once more before standing. "Were you busy? I know it's late, but I needed to see you."
"Busy? No, no, I was, uh, I just stepped out of the shower." He ran a hand through his damp locks.
Lois smiled and lifted a hand to ruffle his hair. "I can see that. So, you have any hot cocoa?"
He blinked. "I think I have some instant in the pantry, but I can make my mom's recipe if you'd prefer."
"Oh, Mama Kent's hot cocoa sounds great. I'd love some."
Clark smiled at her and moved to pull out a small pot for the hot cocoa. While he threw in some milk and turned the stove on, he couldn't help but wonder what Lois was doing at the farm. He left the cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla beside the stove and turned to the woman in question. "So, what brings you by, Lois? Other than the hot chocolate."
"What makes you think it wasn't only the hot chocolate?" she retorted.
He tilted his head slightly. "Is something bothering you?"
Lois bit her lip – he wanted to pull that lip between his own teeth – and turned away from him, her hands twisting together nervously. "Something happened tonight…at my place…with Oliver."
He didn't know what a broken heart felt like until he heard her say that. "Oh, well, what does it mean to you?"
She turned back to him. "At first, I didn't know what to think. It happened out of nowhere. I mean, I never saw it coming, him just showing up at my door and then what he said…"
"What…what did he say?"
She paused for a moment, then said, "He wanted to get back together."
"Oh, well, uh, that's great, right?" He did his best to put on a happy face.
Her eyes narrowed. "Is it?"
"Well, yeah, I mean, he's been going through a lot lately and it'd be good for him."
"I'm not a solution to his problems," she said.
"No, of course not. That's not what I meant. I just think he finally figured out he has something really good in his life."
"So you think it would be great if Oliver and I got back together?"
"Well, do you even need my opinion?"
"You're important to me, Clark. I'd like to know what you think," she said, stepping toward him.
He huffed out a laugh. "Since when?" When she shot him a look, he grew serious again. "Look, Oliver's feelings aside, if being with him makes you happy, if that's what you want, then be with him. I want nothing more than to see you happy."
"Then what's that look on your face?"
"What look?"
"You don't look like you'd be happy if Ollie and I were together."
"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I would."
Clark turned back to the stove and busied himself with producing two cups of hot cocoa. He didn't get very far because Lois yanked on his arm and he went with the motion, turning to face her. "Smallville, I want an honest answer." She stared him down. "Would you be happy?"
He didn't answer right away, didn't know what to say. He wanted her, but he wanted her to be happy more than anything. And that's what he told her.
Lois rolled her eyes and stood a little straighter. "You want me to be happy?" He nodded. "Then kiss me."
Clark's eyes nearly left their sockets. He spluttered, "What?"
"I want you to kiss me. That'll make me very happy."
"B-but what about Oliver?"
"Oliver said he wanted to get back together, told me that he missed me," she said. "But I don't want him in that way. Not anymore. I love him, Clark, but only as a friend."
"So, you're not getting back with Oliver?"
"Isn't that what I just said?" she teased. When he didn't move, she huffed. "Are you gonna stare at me all night or are you gonna kiss me?"
He didn't need any further invitation. He swooped down and captured her lips in an aggressive kiss, wrapping one large palm around her neck while his other hand moved to her lower back, pulling her in. There was no resistance from her; molding herself completely to his body. She opened her mouth for him and he swiped at her bottom lip with his tongue before sliding past it into the warm cavern of her mouth. She moaned and pushed against his body, trying to get closer.
This was what he had been dreaming about for months, the chance to taste Lois Lane, the chance to hold her in his arms. And there she was, pressing her delectable curves against him, wanting more. He couldn't believe it.
"Smallville," she mumbled, nipping at his lips. "The cocoa."
He hummed, but didn't register what she was saying. All he wanted to do was kiss her. Oh, maybe do more. She chuckled against his mouth and turned her head slightly to catch sight of the stove. The milk in the pot was bubbling heavily now. She reached for the dial and turned the stove off.
"Don't burn the house down, tiger."
Clark groaned and pulled her in a little tighter. He recaptured her lips, this time in a gentler kiss, and sighed her name in the tangle of their tongues. His arms banded around her and lifted her, placing her on the kitchen counter behind them. Lois squeaked at the motion, but pulled him in closer, her legs clamping down on his waist.
"Smallville," she mumbled, slowly pulling away from his delicious mouth. "As much fun as I'm having, I'd really like that hot cocoa."
He grinned and leaned in for one more press of his lips to hers before releasing her. "As you wish, Lois."
"Mmm, careful. A girl could get used to that."
He finally procured the two cups of cocoa and the two of them moved into the living room. He set up a movie to watch, Die Hard, of course, but the movie went unseen as the couple turned their attention to each other. The coveted cup of hot chocolate went untouched too after having been placed on the coffee table.
It didn't matter, though, because Clark Kent had Lois Lane in his arms, and what more could he ask for? Things may have been moving a little fast, he mused, as her hands crept under his sweater, but really a five years' wait could counteract that thought. All Clark was sure of was that he no longer had to slink around the fire escape of the apartment above the Talon. He would still visit Lois every night, but now he didn't have to hide. She was still in his sights and now he was in hers.
FIN.