Note: Takes place during Season 1. Please read and review. Happy holidays to all!
"Now, I left the hotel number and my cell on the kitchen table. If you need anything..."
"Call," Lana Lang finished as she helped her aunt with her luggage. "Nell, I'll be fine. It's just a couple of nights in Metropolis."
Nell Potter sighed and grabbed a scarf from the coat hanger. "Are you sure you don't want to come, Lana? I mean, we planned this out and everything..."
"No, you planned it out," Lana reminded her, keeping her tone light. She grabbed her thick wool coat and slipped it on. She then proceeded to heave Nell's two bags outside to the trunk of the Honda.
Once outside, Lana decided that Hallmark would be proud of Smallville right about now. With its usual gold cornfields and emerald green hills covered in blankets of snow, it was the epitome of a holiday greeting card. She paused in her journey to the trunk and breathed in winter.
Lana had mixed feelings about this time of the year. Although she enjoyed the fire-side conversations she had with her boyfriend and the shopping sprees her aunt took her on, the holidays had always been rough on her emotions. It was during this time of the year that she both appreciated and mourned for her loved ones.
"Lana, have you seen my keys?"
"I think they're on the kitchen counter," she called back, throwing her aunt's overnight bags into the trunk.
A few minutes later, Nell emerged, fully bundled up in the appropriate clothing for the weather.
Lana smiled as her aunt gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, reminding her to stay safe and not order too much pizza.
"I feel bad...leaving you like this," Nell confessed through the slightly cracked window of the car. "It's the holidays, Lana. You're supposed to be with family...not locked up in your room all day blasting Moron Five and chatting with complete strangers on that computer of yours."
Lana laughed and shook her head. "It's Maroon 5, Nell. And they aren't strangers...they're newly formed friends."
Nell simply sighed, surely convinced that she would never get through to her niece who completely resembled her older sister in so many ways. "Well...I guess if you're sure..."
"I'm positive." Lana took a few steps back to allow her aunt to back out of the driveway. She waved 'bye' and once her aunt had become a small dot in the midst of all that snow, Lana backed up to the porch, taking a seat on the swinging bench that Nell had built for her when she was ten.
Lana rubbed her hands together, trying to fight off the cold. Once the numbness from her hands faded, she picked up the book that she had brought out there earlier and slowly allowed herself to delve into another world.
Effortlessly, Clark Kent spooned another pile of snow into his shovel and dumped it away from the driveway. He had been shoveling snow for an hour now, alongside his dad, Jonathon Kent.
"I think we're about done here, son," Jonathon said, his breathe coming out misty in the cold air.
"Tell me why we're still out here shoveling when I could have done all of this in thirty seconds?"
Jonathon chuckled and placed a gloved hand on his son's shoulder. "Because, your mother likes you out of the house when she's baking. Shoveling without your powers was the only thing I could think of to keep you preoccupied."
"And it has nothing to do with the fact that Lana's aunt has been running in and out of their house all day?"
"Nothing gets past you, son." Jonathon slapped his son's back and handed his shovel to Clark. "Put these back in the barn, will you? I'm going to go check if lunch is ready."
Clark nodded and headed for the barn, or more affectionately known as his Fortress of Solitude. He paused when he noticed a figure in the distance.
Putting down the shovels, he glanced back to confirm that his dad was still inside the house. When he was positive that he wasn't going to come out anytime soon to check up on him, Clark shoved his gloved hands in the pockets of his red winter coat and started toward the Potter house.
Lana smiled to herself and she shifted in her seat, causing the bench to swing back and forth. In her left hand was her book that she was about done with. She was so intrigued by the events in the book that she didn't even bother to look up as she reached for her mug of hot cocoa that she had just prepared ten minutes ago.
"Let me guess. You're at the part where they've just made love and everything's perfect, right?"
Lana yelped as she dropped her mug. There was a loud shattering of pieces as she tore her eyes away from the poetic words to a towering six feet shadow.
"Clark!" She blushed, standing up from the bench, wrapping the wool blanket that she had been using to cover her lap around her petite body.
He winced, noting the accident that he had caused on his behalf. "I'm sorry if I startled you."
"No...it's fine. Nell has a dozen of these mugs anyway."
Clark grinned and helped her gather her things, following her into the warmth of the house.
"What were you doing sitting outside in this weather anyway?" he asked, shedding off his gloves and coat and placing them in Lana's outstretched arms.
"I was reading," she replied defensively. "Besides, Smallville always looks so nice this time of the year." She stuffed his gloves in the pocket of his coat and hung it on the coat hanger.
"Like a Hallmark greeting card?"
She laughed, nodding. "That's exactly what I was thinking." Lana smiled as he helped her out of her coat, also placing it with his own coat.
Clark handed her book back to her, having grabbed it from earlier. Their fingers brushed briefly as she accepted it from him.
"Never took you as the kind of guy that would spend his Sunday afternoons reading stuff like Bid Time Return," she admitted, tracing circles with her thumb on the cover of the book.
Clark flushed, shrugging. "My mom suggested it to me. Said that I needed to get in touch with my feminine side. But I secretly think that she was just tired of me complaining of how bored I was."
She laughed, imagining Martha Kent doing that. "Well, you were right. I am at that part. Care to tell me what happens next?"
He flashed his famous Kent smile as she placed the book on a nearby table and draped the wool blanket over a chair. "A penny happens next."
"What?"
He shook his head. "You have to read it to understand."
Lana narrowed her eyes impishly and headed for the kitchen. "Well, in that case, can I interest you in something to eat?"
Clark hesitated. "Where's Nell?" he asked slowly, glancing around.
"Don't worry, Clark. She's not here. She left for Metropolis about an hour ago."
"Metropolis?"
Lana suppressed a grin as Clark entered the kitchen, taking a seat at one of the stools at the breakfast counter. "She's attending the Luthor annual ball—the one that's supposed to be for charity. We were supposed to go together, but I sorta convinced Nell to let me stay home."
"Why? I mean, it sounds like fun. You get to dress up and everything."
She sighed and rolled her eyes playfully, yanking open the fridge. "If you think it's so fun, why didn't you go?" She pulled out some sandwiches that Nell had left her and placed them on the counter in front of Clark. "And don't try to tell me that you weren't invited because I know that Lex personally invited you."
Clark shrugged, inwardly giddy that she had taken the stool next to him. "My dad."
"Oh." Lana nodded, completely understanding what Clark was getting at. The whole town practically knew of Jonathon Kent's hostility toward the Luthors.
"It's not that bad, actually—stuck in Smallville for the holidays. My dad usually lets me slack off my chores and my mom bakes me loads of junk." With a pang of regret, Clark suddenly realized that he had just waded into dangerous waters. To his surprise, Lana was still smiling, enjoying his short narrative.
"I've always been a bit envious of you and your family, Clark," she admitted, uncovering the plastic wrap and handing him a turkey sandwich. "You're like the family I've always envisioned."
"Trust me, we're far from perfect," he said, taking a bite out of the cold sandwich.
"Still, it's nice to be able to spend the holidays with people who care about you."
"Nell's not going to be back tomorrow?"
"No. She's going to be in Metropolis for a couple of days." Lana took a bite of her sandwich, trying not to think about tomorrow. Christmas Day.
"How about Whitney?" He hated bringing that name up, but he was grasping at straws here.
"In Grandville with his cousins. Most of his family is up there."
Clark searched for another name, but ever since Lana had quit cheerleading, most of her so-called friends had turned on her. "Chloe?"
She laughed and Clark understood why. Chloe Sullivan hadn't exactly warmed up to Lana enough to actually be seen hanging out with the ex-cheerleader without the company of her two best male friends, him and Pete Ross.
"So, you have no plans for tonight or Christmas Day?"
"Not that I know of."
Clark took another bite of his sandwich, chewing over an idea.
"Lana?"
"Yes?" she sang.
"Would you like to go into town with me tonight?"
"Tonight?" she repeated, putting down her sandwich on a napkin.
"It's Kent tradition to go out into the town on Christmas Eve. My mom likes serving apple cider and pie to the crowd...it's a charity thing," he explained, peeling the crust off his sandwich.
She opened her mouth to reply, when Clark cut her off suddenly.
"Of course, if you don't want to, I understand."
Instead of answering right away, she asked, "Are you sure your parents won't mind? I mean...won't it feel like I'm intruding or something?"
"My mom adores you, Lana. So does my dad...although he's not good at showing it, but trust me, my parents love you. And...I love you, too."
Lana's eyes widened as a blush crept on her cheeks. Did he just say what she thought she heard?
"I-I mean—as a friend. I love you as a friend."
She blushed, relieved at his correction and disappointed at the same time.
"I love you as a friend, too, Clark." She smiled, showing him her dimples. "And I'd love to go into town with you tonight."
Lana glanced at her reflection in the mirror one last time before grabbing her white embroidered scarf and purse. She quickly flicked off her lamp and exited the room, having heard some noise downstairs.
She took a deep breath and yanked open the front door, allowing heat to escape into the snowy scenery outside. She grinned, stepping back to allow Clark in, who was seeking refuge from the light snowfall.
"Hey, Lana," he greeted, the grin on his features matching hers. "You look amazing."
To her dismay, her cheeks flushed the color of a tomato, something that rarely happened when Whitney complimented her. Lana allowed him to help her with her coat, noting how much this seemed like a date. Recalling how disastrous their last non-date had gone, she struggled with how to bring the subject up.
"So, are you ready to get going?" Clark asked, breaking her train of thought.
"Yeah." She thanked him as she moved past him and out the door. Clark shut the door behind him and Lana fumbled with her keys to lock the door.
"So, where are your parents?" Lana asked, their boots making scrunching sounds in the snow as they headed for his truck.
"In town. My mom kept threatening me that they would have to leave me behind if I didn't hurry. I guess they finally did."
She laughed and pulled open her own car door despite Clark's protests. Once he had settled into his seat, he put the truck in gear and cruised down the road, going slower than he usually would because of the ice.
Lana fiddled with the radio to fill the silence and a comfortable atmosphere settled over them. They had nearly arrived when Clark spoke up.
"What are you thinking?"
Lana sat up straighter in her seat, turning her head to gaze at him. She gave him a wistful smile. "Do you remember the last time we did this?"
Clark shifted his seat uncomfortably. "Yeah, I do."
"Listen, we don't have to be all..." she paused, searching for the right word. "...datey and awkward. I mean, we're just hanging out like we normally do...except we're a bit dressed up for the occasion."
"Y-yeah. Of course." Although her comment was meant to break the ice and encourage them to enjoy the celebrations, Clark couldn't help but feel foolish for allowing himself to get so worked up over the evening. For the first time that night, he found himself cursing Whitney Fordman.
Lana noticed the crushed expression on his face as he pulled into an empty parking spot outside of the Talon and immediately regretted bringing the subject up.She felt horrible for hurting him, but she couldn't risk crossing that line yet. Not until she had her feelings straightened out. She just hoped that he was willing to wait for their time.
"Is that your parents over there?" Lana asked, squinted through the windshield that was starting to fog up since Clark had turned off the engine.
Clark followed her eyes, convincing himself not to get upset over one harmless comment. "Yeah, that's them alright. C'mon, let's go say 'hi'."
Before she could protest, he was out of the truck and on her side of the car.
"Clark Kent, always the gentleman," she teased, stepping out of the truck, her boots sinking into several inches of snow. She wrapped her coat tighter around her petite body as they made their way over to the great bonfire that was going. Martha and her other lady friends from the book club had arranged a small stand filled to the brim with hot drinks, gingerbread cookies, and other delectable treats. And if it was any more possible to get into the holiday spirit, all the items were free of charge.
"Hello, Mrs. Kent," Lana called, waving.
"Lana, I'm glad that you could make it," Martha said, taking notice of the crazed grin on her son's face.
"Hey, Clark. Lana," Jonathon greeted, nodding his head. "Can I interest you in some of Martha's apple cider?"
"Yes, please," Lana said, stepping closer to Clark for warmth. Funny...he wasn't even shivering in the slightest.
Jonathon handed over two cups of apple cider to Clark. Lana's gloved fingers accidentally brushed his as she accepted her cup from him. Even with her gloves on, Lana could feel sparks between them, just like she had felt them earlier that day.
She sipped her cider in content, listening to the Christmas carolers and the jingling of bells coming from Santa Clauses looking for donations. With its wreaths, lights, and snow piling up on the streets, Main Street was looking like fit enough for a backdrop in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. A twelve foot Christmas tree decked out with golden orbs and strings of popcorn had been put right in the center with the bonfire a few yards away from it.
"Smallville always looks so beautiful this time of the year," Lana observed, looping her arm through Clark's; more so in a friendly way than romantic. Still, the gesture sent shivers down Clark's back and he found himself grinning insanely.
"Yeah. Yeah, it does. Almost as beautiful as you."
Lana blushed furiously, despite the cheesiness of the line. They shuffled away from the stand to watch the carolers who were gathered around the majestic tree, singing their own rendition of "O Christmas Tree."
"Tell me, Lana, what are your holidays usually like?" Clark wondered.
"My holidays?" She crinkled her nose as if the possibility of her celebrating the holidays was ridiculous.
"Well, yeah. There must be something that Nell does every year."
Lana snuggled up to him even more as a strong breeze blew by. "Well, Nell always has this habit of taking off for Metropolis during the holidays. Lots of sales there, you know?" She shrugged as if it weren't a big deal, but Clark knew better.
"I'm sorry," Clark offered, realizing that this was probably one of her first real Christmases in years.
"Don't be. It's not your fault."
Clark took a sip of his cider, not really tasting it. His body was on Lana-mode at the moment, something that Pete had thought up one morning at school. "It's when Clark Kent can't see or head anything but Lana Lang," Pete had joked.
"There was one Christmas that I remember, though," Lana confessed quietly as the carolers finished serenading the crowd.
"Tell me more," he demanded softly. The light coming from the lush tree in front of them and the candles carried by the crowd had cast an ethereal glow on her facial features, outlining her cute nose, rosebud lips, and exotic feline eyes. It was the most breathing-taking view he had ever seen and it hurt like hell to know that he couldn't have her.
"I can only remember bits and pieces of it...but it was with my parents. I remember helping my mom bake cookies...the smell of them wafting through the entire house. My dad let me sit in his lap as we waited for Santa. It was snowing hard, too. I remember because that's what put me to sleep..."
"That's a nice memory, Lana," Clark said sincerely, recalling another time when she had shared another memory with him.
The two stood in the midst of the crowd, time seemingly frozen. The carolers were now heading for the small stand, desperately in need for some hot apple cider to warm their voices for another round of Christmas carols.
"What do you remember, Clark? I mean, before your parents adopted you."
It was a subject that he hated discussing, but Lana had always had this knack of getting him to open up.
"Not much, really. I don't even remember how...it all looked like. How my parents looked like, too. I can't remember a single thing...and that's what frustrates me the most," he confessed, surprised at his honesty. His biological parents had always been a mystery to him and it wasn't until a couple of months ago that his father had told him the truth about his origins, that the picture had become slightly clearer.
"You're lucky, you know. At least you know how your mom's voice sounds like or how deep your dad's laughter was. You have the memories...I don't."
Lana turned slightly, having not really expected a coherent answer from him. She smiled sadly, knowing his pain and wishing she could take it away. "I'm sure your parents had their reasons for giving you up, Clark."
He nodded, staring straight ahead. Despite the snow, the stars were out and he couldn't help but sneak a glance at them. "How do you feel about aliens, Lana?"
"Aliens?" she inquired. "What do you mean?"
"I mean...do you think..." he paused, gathering his thoughts. "How would you feel if someone that you've known practically all your life wasn't from this earth?"
Lana frowned slightly; something that she did when she was deep in thought. "Well...I'd be a little freaked out," she admitted, her gaze now on the night sky. "I mean, it'd take me some time to get used to the idea...of that person being from another planet. But I think that if that person meant a lot to me, it wouldn't matter. They'd still be the same person."
Clark nodded, not sure how he felt about her answer. "Thanks for being honest, Lana."
She smiled shyly, regarding the starry sky with the same intent as before. Both were so absorbed in their musings that they jumped when a flash of light crossed the heavens.
"Clark, what is that?" Lana whispered.
"It's a shooting star," he replied, in awe. He had read about in his astronomy books that his dad had bought him, but he had never actually had the chance to witness one.
Clark beamed, noticing the awe on her features. "Make a wish, Lana."
She laughed and snaked her hand for his, squeezing it tightly. Her eyes fluttered closed as another gleam blinked across the bluish and blackish sky.
The crowd around them had paused in their activities, taking time to admire the flashes of light flying across the heavens. While their heads were held up high, Clark's was bent, turned to gaze at another event taking place.
As soon as Lana's eyes snapped open, she felt his gaze on her, making her flush.
"What did you wish for?"
"If I tell you, it won't come true now, would it?"
He nodded, rubbing his thumb against her gloved hands. "I guess you're right."
They hit a lull in the conversation, but neither of them seemed to mind. During this time, Clark drained the last of his cider and offered to refill both their cups.
While Clark was away, Lana sighed contently, pleasantly surprised at how the evening had gone. She was almost positive that she would be spending Christmas Eve by herself, but she was dead wrong. Here she was, in the heart of town, with her best friend, someone who could become possibly more if only she would allow it.
"So, how are things going with Lana?" his mother pried as she handed him two steaming cups of cider.
Before Clark could answer, his dad said, "Are you prying, Martha?"
"No, of course not," Martha replied, smiling at her husband. "I was just wondering how our son's evening was going."
"It's been amazing," Clark said, flashing his parents a smile. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to rejoin Lana." He resisted the urge to laugh at his mother's expression, begging him for more information.
His boots sunk into the snow due to his heavy weight, but he managed to scrunch his way over to Lana in no time.
"Hey, here's your cider." He handed the cup to her and regained his position at her side again.
"Look at what Mrs. Stevens brought me." Lana held up a green-leafed plant with bright red berries.
Clark immediately felt a blush creep up on his cheeks, cursing the town for its ancient traditions. He laughed nervously, explaining, "Mrs. Stevens is part of city council...she always hands out mistletoe to couples on Christmas Eve. I guess she mistook us as one."
Lana smiled coyly as she raised herself up on her tiptoes and placed her arms around his neck. Before Clark realized what was happening, her lips brushed his cheek sweetly. By the way that the kiss was orchestrated, he was certain that it was of a friendly kiss than a romantic one. But that didn't stop him from enjoying the feel of her lips against his skin or her breath breathing gently against him.
"Clark?"
"Yeah?" he breathed, still recovering.
"Thank you for inviting me out here."
"I wouldn't have anyone else out here with me, Lana. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Clark," Lana said softly, leaning against his chest as the snow started up again, sprinkling down its magic and wonder on them. Perhaps, by next Christmas, her wish would have come true.