Title: Christmas at Casa Kent
Secret Santa: Hodgepodge
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Season 6
Prompt word: Weakness
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story
A/N: A huge thank you to my beta Cage and my wonderful sis Dee who did this fabulous banner for me. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to every Clois fans!
It was December 23rd, on a cold but sunny morning. Clark opened the front door and went outside to pick up the mail. It was mostly junk, except for a phone bill and a pale blue envelope addressed to him. Intrigued, he didn't wait to get inside and tore it open. There was a letter informing him that he had won a gift certificate for two to a plush new spa in Metropolis. He frowned. He didn't remember participating in any contest. Maybe it was a random thing.
It didn't matter, as long as he could bring someone with him. Because there was no way in hell he would go by himself. But the question was who to bring? Chloe was spending the holidays with Jimmy at a ski resort in Colorado. Lana was engaged to Lex. Martha was in Washington, DC. So the only person left was… Lois. She had recently broken up with Oliver. This would be a nice way to cheer her up. But would she even consider going with him? There was only one way to find out.
Clark got back inside the house, picked up the phone and called the spa to make a reservation. Luckily they had an opening today. He then dialed Lois' number. She answered after three rings.
"Lane."
Her voice was hoarse, like she had been sleeping.
"Hey, Lois. Did I wake you up?"
"Yes you did, Sherlock. This better be important to justify calling me this early."
"It's almost ten o'clock."
"Some of us like to sleep late on Sunday mornings," she quipped.
This wasn't going well at all.
"Maybe I should call back at a later time."
"Nah, I'm awake now. What can I do for you?"
"Actually, it's something I can do for you."
"Care to explain?" she asked, intrigued.
"How do you feel about spas?"
"They are fun and relaxing. Why?"
"I got this gift certificate for two and I thought… would you like to go with me?"
He heard nothing but silence at the other end of the line.
"Lois? Are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm here. Just speechless, that's all."
"Because I asked you to come with me?"
"No, at the idea of you going to a spa… wearing flannel."
She burst into laughter and he laughed with her.
"Face it, Smallville, you're not exactly spa material."
"There's a first time for everything, Lois."
"True."
"So does this mean yes? Consider it an early Christmas present."
"I'll be happy to accompany you, Clark."
That brought a smile to his face.
"Great! I'll pick you up in one hour. And don't forget to bring your swimsuit."
After hanging up the phone, Lois jumped in the shower, all thoughts of going back to sleep forgotten. It was very nice of Clark to invite her. She had gone to a spa with Chloe before, but going with him was promising to be a totally new experience. It was exactly what she needed to take her mind off Oliver and a great way of getting rid of stress.
She put on a pair of low cut jeans and a tight black sweater with a V neck line. No need for makeup if she was going to get a facial, so Lois only applied lip gloss. Then she packed her bikini and at the last minute decided to add the red dress she had bought a few days ago, just in case. She also threw in a pair of black stilettos that matched her handbag.
Lois was tying her hair into a ponytail when the doorbell rang. It was Clark, right on time.
"Hi, Lois. You look great. Are you ready?"
"Almost. Just give me a minute to finish my coffee."
"I thought maybe we could have brunch on our way to Metropolis, since I'm pretty sure you didn't eat yet."
"Fabulous idea. Let's go!"
Clark gazed down at the suitcase next to the couch.
"You realize we are only gonna stay there for one day, right?"
"I know."
"Then why are you taking all this stuff?" he asked, perplexed.
"Because I like to be prepared for any occasion. That's the difference between men and women. We need more than just the basics."
"If you say so, Lois," he shrugged, lifting the suitcase.
She grabbed her purse, keys and coat then she locked the door behind her and followed Clark to his truck parked in front of the Talon.
They arrived in Metropolis shortly before two o'clock in the afternoon. Clark checked the address of the spa on the gift certificate and found the place a few minutes later. They entered into a vast hall decorated with exotic plants and a fountain in the middle, the cascading water providing a relaxing sound. With its polished oak floor, this urban oasis was designed to make their guests forget about the hectic pace of city life.
The receptionist greeted them with a polite smile.
"Welcome to Paradise."
That phrase must get old fast, Lois thought, smiling back at the young woman. But she only had eyes for Clark.
"How may I help you, sir?"
"Hi, my name is Clark Kent. I called this morning."
He handed her the gift certificate. She checked the information on her computer and confirmed the appointment. Lois' phone rang and she reached into her purse to pick it up. It was a text message from Chloe saying she was having a blast on the slopes with Jimmy.
"Cell phones are not allowed in the facilities, miss."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Lois retorted, incredulous.
"We request that to respect the tranquility and privacy of all our guests."
"But…"
Clark glared severely at her.
"Fine."
She rolled her eyes, shut her phone and shoved it back into her purse. But there was no way she was going to risk missing an important call because of a stupid rule. She simply switched to vibe mode.
"Here are your complimentary bathrobes, for you and your girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend," Clark quickly corrected.
"I'm sorry, I just assumed…"
"Why don't you do us a favor and mind your own business?"
The girl looked at Lois, clearly shocked.
She was a pretty brunette, the kind of girl he was more likely to be attracted to, based on his previous relationship with Lana. But why would that bother her? Lois couldn't care less about his type of woman and who he was interested in dating or not. Clark was her friend, she cared about him like a brother and she was just being protective of him because she didn't want him to be hurt again. She knew how devastated he was after Lana broke up with him and got engaged to Lex. That's all it was, Lois tried to convince herself… nothing more. She would act the same way with Chloe.
Clark cleared his throat and took the bathrobes, a bit embarrassed.
"Thank you," he said, smiling apologetically.
"We have lockers that you can rent to put your personal belongings in."
"We'll take one."
He paid cash and placed the receipt in his wallet.
"Enjoy your stay."
"Thanks, we will."
Clark grabbed Lois by the elbow and walked away, dragging her along.
"How can you be so rude?"
"She was annoying!"
He sighed.
"A little courtesy wouldn't hurt sometimes, you know."
"She was too busy ogling you to even notice I was there."
Lois bit her bottom lip. That sounded like she was jealous. Which was completely ridiculous.
"She thought you were my girlfriend. Is that why you're in a bad mood?"
Her eyes widened. He couldn't be more wrong.
"No! She just bugged me, OK? Now drop the subject, Smallville."
"As you wish."
Located to the right of the hall was a small room with rows of lockers and cabins to change. They both went into one to undress and came out wearing their white terrycloth bathrobe.
"What should we start with?"
"How about a soak in the geo-thermal pool?" Lois suggested.
"Sounds good."
They followed the directions and a moment later they arrived at the Olympic size pool, complete with a huge waterfall.
"It's beautiful!"
"Yes it is," he agreed, looking at her instead.
The place was occupied by three other couples. The walls were made of blue tiles mosaic and there was a juice bar, with patio tables and deckchairs. Lois took off her bathrobe and Clark gasped at the sight of her revealing red bikini. She had an amazingly hot body and she wasn't afraid of flaunting it. He noticed how the other men were staring at her and motioned her to get into the pool. The water was deliciously warm.
"This is amazing," Lois said, standing under the waterfall with her eyes closed and her head thrown back, water cascading on her.
Clark couldn't take his eyes off her, mesmerized by her beauty.
"Come here! You have to try this!"
He quickly joined her. After swimming for a few minutes, they got out of the pool and ordered a smoothie, strawberry for Lois and mango for Clark. They sat at the bar and enjoyed their drink while drying off. He glanced at his watch.
"We better get going if we don't want to be late for our massage."
"I can't wait!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee.
They put their bathrobe back on and left the pool area. Once they got to the massage parlor, a tall handsome blue eyed man with blond hair came up to them.
"Hi, my name is Thomas," he introduced himself, extending his hand. "I'll be your massage therapist for today."
"Lois Lane."
She detected a hint of Scandinavian accent.
"How cool is it to get a Swedish massage from an authentic Swedish?"
"I'm actually from Denmark, not Sweden."
"Oops. My bad," she smiled sheepishly.
"No biggie," he replied with a sexy grin.
For some reason, that little exchange got on Clark's nerves.
"I'll be there in a minute, miss Lane."
"I'll be waiting," she winked.
She was flirting with him! Clark clenched his fists. He got an idea and when a pretty blonde informed him it was time for his massage, he told her he changed his mind and apologized for the inconvenient. Then he turned to the other guy and stopped him as he was about to go into the room.
"Excuse me… Tom, is it?"
"Yes?"
"I'd like to surprise my girlfriend by giving her the massage myself. If that's alright with you."
"That's quite alright, sir," he nodded knowingly, thinking how lucky that guy was to have such a stunning girlfriend.
When Clark entered the room, the lights were dim and soft music was playing in the background. Lois was lying naked on a table, with only a towel covering her butt. His breath hitched in his throat. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. He slowly approached the table, picked a bottle of essentials oil from the collection displayed on the counter and poured some in the palm of his hands. He rubbed them together to warm up the vanilla scented oil and placed them on her shoulders.
He began massaging her neck and shoulders, applying a firm but gentle pressure with his palms and thumbs, kneading with long strokes and then moving his palms in circles over her shoulder blades. Her muscles seemed to melt under his touch.
"Mmm. That feels good."
Encouraged by her words, Clark slid his hands down her back, grazing the sides of her breasts with his fingertips, stopping when he reached the edge of the towel, his hands resting on her lower back.
"Don't you dare remove that towel, Smallville."
His heart jumped.
"How did you know it was me?"
She turned her head and glanced at him over her shoulder, smirking.
"I'd recognize that after-shave lotion anywhere. I gave it to you on your birthday, remember? Besides, did you really think you could fool me? I've had a professional massage before and yours was definitely amateur."
Ouch.
"Amateur, huh?"
"But you do have strong hands, I'll give you that."
He sighed.
"Come on! No reason to start brooding over it. Your technique could use a bit of improvement but I can't say I didn't enjoy it."
She wasn't about to tell him that the slightest touch of his hands on her skin made her heart rate accelerate and sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't possibly be attracted to Clark, right? That was absurd.
"Well, what are you waiting for? You're not finished yet."
"You want me to continue?"
He was stunned.
"I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself."
A light smile toying on the edges of his lips, Clark rubbed the sole of her feet with his thumbs, slowly moving up to her calves and thighs. She had to bite her bottom lip to refrain herself from moaning.
"Better?" he asked, confident she would say so.
"Oh, yeah."
"Good. All done."
Lois tied her bikini top behind her back and gracefully jumped off the table, wrapping herself in the towel.
"Now it's your turn. Lay down on the table, Smallville."
He gulped.
"What?"
"You gave me a massage. It's only fair that I give you one, don't you think?"
"Huh… sure," he answered nervously, taking off his bathrobe.
He tensed up the instant her hands touched his skin.
"You really need a massage. Geez! It's like you're made of steel or something."
Clark closed his eyes and after a few minutes, he finally was able to relax. He had never felt so good. Lois was working wonders on his muscles. If only she could do that to him every day… but sadly this was most likely a one time thing. She massaged his neck and shoulders, her hands traveling down his back and to his calves, startling him when her fingers brushed his inner thighs.
She chuckled.
"What's the matter? Are you afraid I'm gonna molest you?"
"Very funny."
She playfully smacked his firm butt.
"Hey!" he protested vehemently.
"You know you like it."
"I do not!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"We could go on all day. Let's settle this by you doing the same to me," she said with a mischievous grin, turning around to provokingly expose her behind.
His eyes grew wider. Was she serious?
"Spank me."
"W… what?"
"You're dying to, admit it."
"That's not true!"
"Chicken."
"I am not!"
"Then prove it. I dare ya!"
She was asking for trouble.
"Fine."
He took a deep breath and slapped her nicely rounded butt, a bit harder than she expected.
"Ooooh. Easy there, tiger."
He immediately regretted it.
"I'm sorry, Lois. Did I hurt you?"
"Nothing I can't handle. Unless you wanna kiss it better?" she taunted him.
"Cute, Lois, very cute."
He sure wasn't falling for that. Although the idea kinda turned him on… get a grip on yourself, Clark, he chastised himself. Lois was just messing with him, like she always did.
"What's next on the agenda?" she inquired.
"Would you like a manicure and a pedicure?"
"I would love it!"
"Let's go, then."
They sat next to each other and listened to relaxing music while a technician worked on their hands and feet. Lois got her toenails painted in bright red.
"Want some nail polish too, Smallville?"
"No, thanks. I'll pass."
She grinned.
"You sure?"
"Yup, very sure."
"Alrighty, then. Would you excuse me for a moment? I gotta go to the ladies room."
When Lois came back, she saw Clark lying in a chair, with a facial mask on and two slices of cucumber over his eyes. This was priceless! A real Kodak moment. She reached into the pocket of her bathrobe, took out her cell phone and quickly snapped a picture. She couldn't wait to show Chloe and Martha. Maybe even Jimmy. Oh, she was going to have so much fun with that! Boy was she glad she didn't obey that stupid rule and leave her cell phone in her locker.
"Lois? Is that you?"
Clark knew it was her because he heard her heartbeat, which was now a familiar sound, but he had to pretend he didn't because he couldn't see her.
"Yep, it's me. You're looking fabulous there, Smallville. This looks really works well for you."
He removed one piece of cucumber and raised his head to look at her.
"I wouldn't talk if I was you, Lois. I wasn't the one wrapped in seaweed."
"I can't believe Chloe told you about that! I'm gonna kill her!"
He laughed.
"Let's discuss this over dinner."
"Better wash your face first if you don't wanna scare the other clients," she joked.
"Go ahead, make fun of me."
"Oh, I plan on it, believe me…"
They went back to the locker room and changed. Clark was ready way before Lois, even without using super speed, so he decided to go to the boutique and buy her a gift basket full of spa products. This would make a nice Christmas present, he thought, hiding the bag in his locker. He turned around as Lois was coming out of the room wearing a red dress with spaghetti straps and black stilettos, her hair cascading on her shoulders in shiny waves.
"Wow! You look fabulous!"
"Thank you," she beamed.
He almost regretted to be wearing jeans. At least he had made an effort and put on a navy shirt, not plaid.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm starving!"
They walked over to the adjacent restaurant, waited for a table, sat down and examined the menu the waiter had given them.
"Escargots au gratin? What's that?"
"Snails with cheese," she answered, amused by his grimace of disdain.
"I better stick to steak."
"Wise choice. I'll take the chicken Alfredo."
They ordered and when the sommelier came by their table and asked if they wanted wine, Lois picked a bottle of Chardonnay. They munched on breadsticks and took advantage of the salad bar while waiting for their meal to arrive. Clark's sirloin was served with a side of rice pilaf and sautéed asparagus.
"That looks yummy! Mind if I have a bite?"
He watched as she dug in his plate with her fork, not bothering to await his approval.
"Be my guest."
"Thanks for inviting me, by the way."
"My pleasure, Lois."
"So what else did you get me for Christmas?"
He chuckled.
"You're gonna have to wait and see."
"How about a hint?"
"Nope."
"Oh, come on… just a tiny one."
"Haven't you heard the phrase patience is a virtue before?"
"Of course. But I never pretended to possess such virtue, did I?" she replied with a sardonic smile.
"You have an answer for everything, don't you?"
She nodded her head and took a sip of wine.
"It's obvious you're not gonna reveal anything so how about you tell me what you got for your mom?"
"That I'll happily share with you."
Clark related his Christmas shopping with an abundance of humorous details to make Lois laugh, because he loved how her hazel eyes sparkled when she did. She looked so beautiful. He suddenly came to a realization. Ever since he had kissed her in that alley dressed as the Green Arrow, his feelings for Lois had changed. And that scared him a little. Lois was his weakness and she was far more dangerous for him than kryptonite.
"I'll order more wine."
Clark cocked an eyebrow.
"Don't you think you've had enough to drink, Lois?"
"Oh, shut your pie hole. You're such a party pooper."
"I'm not a party pooper! I just think that one bottle of wine is plenty for one evening."
He only had one glass, which he barely touched.
"If you're too cheap to pay for another bottle, than I will!"
"Lois, please. It's not about the money. I don't care how much it costs, I care about you. And I know you're gonna regret it tomorrow. You don't wanna spend Christmas Eve with a hang over, do you?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Alright, fine! No more wine. But I want dessert. Something extra rich in calories, preferably with chocolate."
That's my girl, he thought, smiling. Wait… his girl? Lois wasn't his girl! What was wrong with him?
"That sounds good. I'll have some too."
Clark signaled the waiter and ordered two lattes with two pieces of chocolate mousse cake.
On the ride back, Lois had fallen asleep, laying her head on his shoulder. By the time they arrived in Smallville, she was snoring loudly. Clark parked the truck, pulled the key out of the ignition and gently shook her shoulder.
"Lois? Wake up."
She didn't bat an eyelash. He shook her a little more vigorously.
"Lois, we're home. Come on, wake up. Lois!"
"Mmm?"
Her eyes fluttered open.
"Is it morning?"
"No, it's close to midnight. You fell asleep in the truck."
"Oh."
She yawned.
"I had this wonderful dream about a man in a red cape again. I wonder who he could be?"
"Don't have a clue."
He got out of the truck, opened the passenger door and leaned inside, scooping her in his arms.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm gonna carry you inside."
"I can walk, you know."
"You had too much white wine. It's easier that way."
"I'm not drunk!" She protested. "Just a bit tipsy."
He held back a smile.
"Sure. Whatever you say, Lois."
She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her head back on his shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. He could smell the faint scent of her shampoo; feel the softness of her hair on his skin and her warm breath on his neck. Fighting the urge to kiss her, Clark climbed the stairs to her apartment. Lois reached into her purse and dug around, searching for her keys. She finally found them and struggled to unlock the door.
"Want me to do it?" he offered.
"No, no, I got it."
A moment later, Clark kicked the door open and walked in the apartment plunged in darkness. He didn't bother turning on the lights and went straight to her bedroom, laying her gently on the bed. He took off her boots and her coat, then pulled the covers on top of her, tucking her in.
"Stay," she whispered.
He wouldn't have heard her without his super hearing.
"OK. I'll sleep on the couch."
Like the good old days, he thought.
"No. I want you to sleep with me."
His heart skipped a beat. She couldn't possibly mean… but even if she did, he would never take advantage of her like that.
"Lois, you're drunk. You don't know what you're saying."
"I know exactly what I'm saying. I want you to stay and hold me all night. I'm feeling a bit lonely."
It took a lot for her to admit that. The holidays were always tough on Lois because she missed her mother more during that time of the year.
"Of course I'll stay," he replied softly.
"Thank you."
She scooted over to make room for him in the bed. Clark swiftly removed his boots and coat and slid in next to her. Lois cuddled against his chest and fell asleep within seconds. He stayed awake awhile, listening to her breathe, before following her into dreamland.
Clark woke up at dawn, wondering where he was at first. Then he heard Lois snoring and he smiled. He had never felt so happier than now, with her asleep in his arms. He snuck out of bed, careful not to wake her, put on his coat and boots and super sped to the farm to do his chores. When he came back two hours later, Lois was still sleeping. He prepared a fresh pot of coffee, hoping the aroma would wake her up. Which worked like magic, as she walked into the kitchen a few minutes after, her hair all messy.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
"Mornin'," she grumbled.
Lois poured herself a cup of coffee and sat in front of Clark at the table.
"It's gonna be a white Christmas after all," he announced.
It had started to snow during the night and the grounds were covered in white.
"There's already six inches of it and it doesn't look like it's gonna stop any time soon."
"Think we'll be snowed in, Smallville?"
"If so, I couldn't have asked for better company."
The smile she gave him in return warmed his heart.
"Thanks for staying with me last night. That was really sweet of you."
"My pleasure. Got any plans for today?"
"Not really. The general and Lucy are celebrating the holidays together in Europe and Chloe and Jimmy are still on their romantic getaway."
"Which reminds me, mom left a message on my voicemail saying she was stuck in Washington until tomorrow because of the snow storm and to wish us a merry Christmas."
"Looks like it's only gonna be you and I, Kent."
He didn't mind spending time alone with Lois. In fact, he was happy about it. Things were never boring with her around.
"What do you suggest we could do?"
"How about we start by me cooking you breakfast while you take a shower?"
"Excellent suggestion," she approved. "But if you continue like that, I'm gonna be spoiled."
"You're already an army brat, now you're gonna be a spoiled brat."
She stood up and punched him in the shoulder, making him chuckle.
"You're lucky I like you."
"I like you too, Lois."
She finished her cup of coffee and jumped in the shower. When she got out twenty minutes later, there was a plate of bacon and eggs waiting for her, with toasts and freshly pressed orange juice.
"This is delicious, thank you."
"Now that I've cooked you breakfast, you have to do something for me in exchange."
She stopped eating and looked at him, fork suspended in mid-air.
"I knew this was too good to be true. What do you want me to do?"
"Help me put up the Christmas decorations at the farm."
"No problem."
They left the apartment and drove back to the farm in Clark's truck. It was snowing heavily and the roads were slippery. It took twice the amount of time to get there because he had to drive below the speed limit. Shelby was visibly happy to see them arrive, barking and wiggling his tail. Lois patted him on the head.
"All the stuff is in the attic. I'll go get the boxes. In the mean time, why don't you find us some music to put us in the mood?"
"Is that a proposition?" she teased, grinning widely.
His face turned red.
"In the Christmas mood, I mean…"
She chuckled, enjoying making him squirm.
"I know. I'm just busting your chops. You're so easy!"
"Glad I amuse you, Lois."
When Clark came back downstairs, he heard Lois singing along to Jingle Bells. She was sitting on the couch, looking through one of Martha's recipe book.
"I had an idea…" she began.
"Let me guess: you wanna cook?"
Disaster in the making, he thought, placing the boxes on the floor.
"Would that be so bad?"
"Is that a rhetorical question, Lois? Or do you actually expect me to answer?"
She rolled her eyes.
"I mean, seriously, how difficult can it be to follow a recipe?"
"Depends on how complicated the recipe is, I guess. What did you want to make?"
"Gingerbread cookies. Simple enough, right? I already checked and we have all the necessary ingredients."
"Go for it, then. But you have to help me with the decorations first. That was our deal, remember?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"A deal's a deal. Let's do this."
They put up the Christmas tree in the living room, then hung the lights and the ornaments, adding some tinsels. But there was still something missing.
"Ah, there it is!" Clark triumphantly waved the angel in the air before placing it on top of the tree.
Lois found a piece of mistletoe in a box and playfully dangled it over her head.
"Hey, Smallville! Look what I found!"
He turned around and froze like a deer caught in headlights.
"Geez! Is the idea of kissing me so repulsive?"
On the contrary, it was making his pulse race with excitement.
"N… no, of course not," he stammered, memories of their make out session on Valentine's Day rushing to his mind, making him blush.
Lois didn't remember how they had kissed and almost made love in Oliver's loft when she was under the influence of red kryptonite, but Clark sure did. That scene had been haunting his dreams every night since then…
"Then come over here and prove it."
"You're very bossy, you know that?"
She laughed.
"Some people like it. Besides, you can't break tradition, right?"
"Right," he said, taking a few steps towards her.
Clark could hear her heart thumping in her chest. Lois watched him approach and waited in anticipation. But instead of leaning in to kiss her, he grabbed the mistletoe from her hand and hung it on the kitchen's door frame.
"That's why I'm placing it in the perfect spot."
She felt a wave of disappointment wash over her and tried her best to hide it. She really wanted Clark to kiss her. But it was obvious he didn't. And she couldn't help but feeling hurt.
"That's a cop out, Kent."
"Maybe," he riposted with a sly grin.
She folded her arms across her chest.
"Alright. Why don't you go install the lights outside while I bake the cookies?"
"Sounds like a plan."
A draft of cold air blew into the kitchen when Clark opened the door. It was still snowing. He could finish the job in less than five minutes with his super speed but he used normal speed, standing on a ladder and peeking through a window to spy on Lois. She was wearing an apron with the words 'kiss the chef'. The kitchen was a mess.
"You have snowflakes in your hair," she said when he came back inside.
"You have flour on your face."
She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.
"Now?"
"Still there."
She wiped her face again, only adding more flour.
"Let me do it."
Clark gently brushed his thumb on her cheek and she unconsciously lifted her chin, certain he was going to kiss her, their lips only inches apart.
"There. All clean."
She sighed and started decorating the cooling cookies with icing. Then she searched through the kitchen cupboards and finally found what she was looking for: a bottle of rum to spike the eggnog.
"You know I don't drink, Lois."
"Just once, it's not gonna kill you."
"Doesn't matter what I say, you're gonna do it anyway."
"You got that right!" she smirked.
They ate the slightly burnt gingerbread cookies and drank eggnog, sitting at the kitchen island and listening to Christmas carols. They spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside with Shelby, building a snowman, making snow angels and having a snowball fight, giggling like kids while the turkey was roasting in the oven.
Lois insisted on preparing the mashed potatoes and they turned out all lumpy like Clark had predicted, which of course he teased her about. They sat at the dinner table and enjoyed their Christmas feast, complete with yams, cranberry sauce and Martha's famous apple pie for dessert. Chloe called when they were doing the dishes.
"Did you like the gift certificate I sent you?"
"That was from you? I was wondering about that," Clark told his best friend. "Yeah, I did. Lois and I went to the spa yesterday. We had fun."
"Good, I'm glad. Merry Christmas, Clark."
"Merry Christmas, Chloe. Enjoy your vacation with Jimmy. Hold on, Lois wants to speak to you."
He handed her the phone and continued washing the dishes, trying not to listen to their conversation.
"What picture were you talking about?" he asked after Lois hung up.
"Oh, nothing that would interest you," she answered with a devilish grin.
Once they were done cleaning up, they went into the living room to exchange gifts. Lois loved the bath products he bought her at the spa, that he had wrapped earlier this morning when she was still asleep. But there was more. Clark also got her a laptop with a spell check software program.
"I thought this would be useful for your new job at the Inquisitor."
"That's very generous. Thank you so much!"
She hugged him and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"I'm afraid your gift isn't here, though."
"You left it at your apartment?"
"Nope. I asked your mom to keep it hidden for me."
"You said it's not here… so where is it?"
"Come with me."
Clark frowned when he saw Lois put her coat on.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
She grabbed his hand and he submissively followed her outside.
"Mom hid my gift in the barn?" he asked, dumbfounded.
"In your loft, to be exact."
That didn't make any sense. Why would Martha do that when she knew he could use his x-ray vision to scan the place? Lois stopped at the top of the stairs and he almost bumped into her.
"Well, do you like it?"
Clark looked around the room and finally noticed the object standing in front of the window.
"My telescope! You had it repaired!"
"I actually bought you a new one, identical to the other that was broken beyond repairs when I accidentally dropped it two stories high," she chuckled.
"Thank you, Lois. That's a wonderful gift."
"Your mom was right. She left it in plain sight and you never suspected a thing."
"She's pretty clever, huh?"
"Yup. And now you can look at the stars again."
They exchanged a smile and walked back to the house. Clark surprised Lois by wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. He then pointed to the mistletoe hanging over their heads before claiming her lips in a tender kiss.
"Merry Christmas, Lois."
"Merry Christmas, Smallville."
-The end-