Title: A Christmas Prayer

Disclaimer: I own nothing...I'm just messing with them. I'll put 'em back when I'm done.

A/N: WHOO! My first Smallville fic! CLANA, hehe...

CH 1 Secrets
Clark slumped into the darkest corner he could find, pulled his legs up tight against his chest and put his head on his knees. He took a few deep, steadying breaths, trying to remind himself that his father was the strongest man he knew and that he would be okay. The surgery tomorrow would go fine, that he was in good, capable hands. Clark rubbed a hand over his eyes, noticing how his hands shook. He laid his face in hands, deep in thought; he never heard the footsteps coming up behind him.
"Clark?" Lana's gentle voice jolted him from his thoughts. "I didn't mean to startle you," She apologized.
"It's okay," Clark replied distantly, his voice shook with repressed emotions.
"Are you okay?" Lana asked softy, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah," Clark stated automatically, though his tone said otherwise. "Yeah, I'm fine." Lana caught his hand in her own as he reached to rub at his tired eyes again.
"Clark, you don't have to lie, I can tell you're upset. You can talk to me, you know that."
"It's just..." He couldn't say it, his throat felt tight. But he didn't have to, Lana knew. Somehow she always knew.
"Your dad," She finished for him. "Clark, he'll be okay. Your dad is tough and he's incredibly healthy, he'll be alright."
"I know that. I know that, it's just that... if he died...I," He paused and looked at Lana with so much pain and sorrow and turmoil in his dark eyes that Lana's heart reached out to him. "I need him Lana." Clark finished in little more than a whisper.
Lana pulled him into a tight hug, feeling him shaking against her. She hushed him gently as he shed silent tears, a few of which fell upon her shirt, making small wet spots. "He'll be okay, Clark. Everything will be okay." She said soothingly, rocking him gently in her arms. He pulled away gently and looked into her eyes.
"Thanks," he murmured.

"Any time," she replied. She looked at him with a concerned expression on her face. "Clark, when was the last time you got any sleep?" She rubbed her thumbs along the baggy skin beneath his eyes.
"I... I don't know. Two... maybe three nights ago," he said uncertainly.

"Clark!" She cried out softly. "No wonder your hands are shaking! You have to get some sleep." The warning bell rang for class, Lana stood and reached out a hand and helped Clark up. "Promise me you'll try and get some sleep tonight."
"I'll try, I promise."
"Okay, and if you need to talk again, just let me know. I'll be there."
Clark nodded and watched as she quickly walked down the hallway to class. Clark sighed, took a deep, shuddering breath and walked to class.

"Welcome home, dad." Clark said cheerfully, opening the door for John Kent.
"I guarantee we have better food than the hospital." Martha Kent added, leading her husband to the couch where he sank down upon the cushions gratefully.
"That's good," John stated. "I need some real food, that stuff they feed you in hospitals can't be FDA approved as food." They laughed, none could stop smiling. Even after the incident with the kryptonite bomb, the surgery had gone off well, and now, after a couple of weeks in recovery Clark's father was back home, safe and healthy and Clark thanked God every day that he still had his father.

August 6, 2004

Lana blew gently on the cup of tea in her hands; she smiled at Mrs. Kent gratefully. "Thanks for having me for dinner Mrs. Kent."
"Oh it's no problem Lana, we were happy to have you. It's been awhile since you've had time to stay for dinner. I missed your company, you know, being the only woman in this house. It's nice to have another girl mixed in with all this testosterone." Mrs. Kent said, Lana smiled and laughed.
"I bet," She giggled. She glanced at Clark and smiled; he smirked and scratched the back of his neck embarrassedly.
"Why don't you kids go into the living room and John and I'll clean up."
"I can help, Mrs. Kent," Lana said.
"Nonsense, you're our guest. You and Clark go ahead." Martha shooed them out of the kitchen and into the small sitting room.
"I've missed seeing her around." John said quietly.
"Me too," Martha replied. She glanced over at the two teens in the living room. "But somehow I have a feeling she'll be coming around a lot more often. It looks like she and Clark have finally worked things out."
"I'm glad," John said, wrapping his arms around his wife from behind. "Do you recognize that look Clark gives Lana?"
"Mmhmm," she murmured, leaning against him. "It's the same look you give me."
"He's in love."
"Yes, he is. And he's got it bad." John's eyes widened suddenly, "You don't think he'll tell her do you?"
"He wouldn't!" She exclaimed, and then paused. "Would he?" Their eyes met and widened and they half ran into the living room.

"Lana, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now. And I don't want you to freak out, because it's the truth." He looked at her closely, his eyes wide and honest.
Okay," Lana said, giggling a bit, thinking he was being over- dramatic.
"Lana I..." His words were cut off by his parents' quick entrance into the room.
"Clark! Something's come up." His father said rapidly, grabbing his arm and hauling Clark up off the couch.
"Well, do you really need me to come along?" He asked.
"Yes, it's kind of an emergency." His mother replied, looking at him pointedly and emphasizing the word emergency.
"Oh right," Clark said, taking Lana's hand and pulling her up. "We'll finish this later, okay?"
"Okay," Lana agreed, looking kind of confused.
Clark walked her to the door and, after a moments' hesitation, kissed her gently. Lana pulled away, biting her lower lip and her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. "Bye," she murmured, opening the door. She and the family headed out the door, the Kents walking swiftly to the car, keeping up their 'emergency' façade and Lana moving towards her pick-up truck. Clark grabbed her arm, turned her, kissed her again, then followed his family to the car with a quiet good-bye.
"Bye," she whispered again, and somehow she knew that Clark heard her.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Last time I posted this it was a one-shot. But now I wanna leave you in suspense. Don't you love me? Mwa ha ha! Saph