Authors Note: Nothing is mine. If it was Clark and Lois would already be together.

Solace

Clark drained his coffee cup and yawned. He had been forced to work late at the Daily Planet due to Lois calling in sick and he was exhausted. Just as he thought about going to bed there was a knock at his apartment door. He opened it to find his partner outside surrounded by boxes and bags.

"Hey Smallville" she said tiredly.

"Lois" he said the surprise evident in his voice "what are you doing here"

Lois slumped against his doorframe "Lucas and I broke up" she said trying her best to battle the tears "I spent all day moving out of the apartment before I realised I had no where to go" she was silent for a minute "so I came here".

Clark pulled her into a hug "go sit down" he whispered "I'll bring this lot inside"

As he carried her stuff inside Clark thought about Lois's latest relationship. She had met Lucas Matthews at a charity ball and they had hit off immediately. After a few dates things had began to grow serious and she had moved in with him.

Clark had never made any secret of the fact that he did not approve of Lucas and it had been the cause of many arguments between him and Lois. However he did not think this was the time to say I told you so.

After he had piled all the boxes in the corner of the living room he went into the kitchen to make some hot chocolate and then wandered back into the living room where he found Lois curled up on the sofa watching Friend's re-runs

"Here" he said handing her the mug "your favourite"

"Thanks Smallville" she said turning off the TV "and thanks for not saying I told you so"

"That's okay" he smiled "do you want to tell me what happened"

"Maybe later" she said "not right now"

"Okay" he said "I'll just go and make up the bedroom and get some sheets for the couch"

She smiled for the first time since she had arrived "just like old times hey Smallville" she quipped

"Just like old times" he agreed,

The next day he woke up to the smell of coffee and looked up to see Lois padding around the kitchen.

"Morning" she smiled "did you sleep well"

"As well as can be expected" he retorted.

He made his way into the kitchen and started making breakfast "so what's the plan for today" he asked as he fried bacon "are you going into work".

"I was planning too"

"Okay, do you want to go in together save on gas?"

She nodded and went to get ready.

A few days later as they sat eating Chinese take out Lois pushed an open packet of documents at him

"What do you think of this one" she said

Clark looked at it. It was the details of an apartment on the other side of Metropolis. For some reason he couldn't really explain his heart began to sink.

"Its nice" he began but before he got any further there was a furious knocking at the door. Clark got up to open it and found a very angry Lucas on the other side.

"Where is she Kent" he yelled trying to force his way past the mild manned reporter

"Where's who Lucas" Clark replied innocently

"Don't play dumb with me. Where's my girlfriend"

"I was under the impression the pair of you had broken up"

"She broke up with me. We still have things to discuss"

"Well unfortunately she's not here. Why don't you try her cousin Chloe's?"

With that he closed the door and returned to the living room

"Thanks Smallville" Lois said emerging from the kitchen

"Thant's okay" he said "ought to give you time to think about what your going to say to him"

Later that night as Clark lay curled up on the couch he heard a cry coming from the room currently occupied by Lois. Pushing back the covers he ran inside to find her thrashing about in the throws of a nightmare.

He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms. "Lois" he said "come on Lois wake up". He began to rub her back in every shrinking circles.

Eventually she calmed down and he was able to lay her back down. He made to get back up when Lois grabbed his arm. "Stay" she muttered before rolling over.

"Okay" he said quietly laying down next to her and pulling the covers over the pair of them.

The next morning watching Lois pour over the for sale section of the paper Clark made a snap decision "why don't you move in here" he said.

Lois looked up "what"

"Well" he continued "why move to a place all of your own when you could stay here with me. I mean it would make work easier and besides it would be nice to have someone else around the place"

Lois looked at him for a few minutes before replying "Okay Smallville" she said smiling "you've got yourself a roommate."

That night went down exactly like the one before. As Clark got up to fetch some water from the kitchen he heard Lois cry out. Rushing into the bedroom he repeated his actions from the previous night. However this time it took Lois a lot longer to calm down and when he attempted to leave she gripped his arm so tightly that if not for his powers she would have drawn blood. Lying back and putting his arm around her he was surprised when Lois instinctively snuggled against him. However he put it out of his mind pulled the covers over them and closed his eyes. So for the second time Clark Kent found himself sharing a bed with Lois Lane.

The weeks past and things remained relatively normal. Work progressed and while Lucas did make one reappearance Lois was ready for him. However the nightmares were becoming more frequent and Clark found himself in bed with Lois more and more.

One morning over breakfast he finally asked her "Lois" he said casually over a plate of waffles "what are those nightmares about"

She bristled "what nightmares"

Clark looked at her "you know what nightmares"

Lois looked away from him "Lucas" she said quietly

"Lucas, What about him?"

Lois was silent for a few minutes "towards the end he was drinking a lot more and he was really scary when he was drunk. It's one of the reasons I broke up with him"

Clark walked around the island and gathered her up into a hug "I'm so sorry" he said "if there is anything I can do"

"Your already doing it" she replied "I know what you do every night" for the first time since Clark had met her Lois Lane seemed nervous "and I was thinking….we're both adults….that couch must be really uncomfortable and I sleep much better when your there…so why don't we just share"

Clark looked at her and smiled "let's do that"

The months went by and the routine stayed the same except at night Clark would get changed and climb into bed next to Lois before pulling her against himself. When the nightmares came he would calm her down and they would both return to sleep. This arrangement worked well until the night of Chloe's birthday party.

It had been a very successful party; Lois as usually had drunk more than her fair share and even with her boasts that she could drink Russian Generals under the table by the time she and Clark left she was well and truly plastered.

By the time they got to the apartment she could barely stand.

"Come on Clarkie" she sung "time for bed"

"I don't think it would be sensible for us to share tonight Lois, not in the state your in".

Guiding her to the bedroom he grabbed a blanket and bunked down on the sofa. However a few hours later he heard Lois's cries and his heart broke. With no regard for his earlier statement he ran to their room and grabbed Lois rubbing her back exactly as usually.

"Promise me something Smallville" she said as they fell asleep

"What Lois"

"Promise me you'll never leave me again"

Even though he knew she would probably not remember this in the morning Clark said "I promise Lois, I will never leave you again"

A few days later Clark returned home after a late meeting with the Daily Planet's editor to find Lois curled up on the couch

"So what did he say" Lois said as he sat down next to her

"I've got to go cover a conference in Washington for a week"

Lois looked a little sad "when do you have to go"

"Tomorrow"

"I guess you'd better get packing then"

"Yeah"

As they drifted off to sleep that night Clark whispered "I promise I'll call you everyday"

"You better"

The next day they drove to the airport and Lois waved Clark off at the gate. When she returned to the apartment it seemed oddly quiet and that night the bed seemed cold. When the nightmares came there was no comforting hand on her back or soothing voice in her ear

"Smallville" she cried the tears flowing freely down her face "I miss you"

In a Washington hotel Clark was feeling the same. There was no one for him to joke with or watch rubbishy re-runs with and when he went to bed it seemed too big with only him in it.

"I promise Lois" he whispered into the night "I'll be back soon"

When the week was up Clark flew back to Metropolis and found Lois at the gate. However all the way home she was silent and that night she simply threw a blanket out of the bedroom door before slamming it in his face.

This went on for several days and eventually Clark grew tired of the silent treatment

"What have I do wrong Lois" he yelled standing outside the bedroom door "just tell me"

The door opened and Lois stormed out. "What have you done" she screamed "you broke your promise"

Clark looked shocked "what promise"

"You said you would never leave me and they you upped and left for a week. I didn't sleep the entire time"

"Lois I had no choice" he replied

"You could have refused the assignment" she stomped off into the kitchen Clark trailing behind.

"No I couldn't"

"Do you know the main reason Lucas and I broke up" Lois said suddenly

Clark was a little shocked by this change of tactic "no" he said "why"

"It was because of you. Lucas got all jealous, claimed I was spending too much time with you. I pointed out you were my partner and anyway why would I be interested in some bumbling farm boy from Smallville"

At this Clark's heart broke a little more.

"But" Lois continued "I started to think maybe I was wrong and perhaps you and I might be worth a shot. So I broke up with him and came here and everything was going perfectly. But then you left and now I'm starting to think maybe I was wrong. The latest in a long line of failures. I should have known better than to think that you and I might have a chance. That I might love you.

Clark was taken aback. She loved him. He could vaguely her still talking in the background and said the first thing that came to mind "Lois" he said quietly "shut up"

Then putting his hands on her cheeks he kissed her with everything he had.

"I love you Lois" he said eventually

"I love you too Smallville" she breathed.

Then they smiled at each other knowing that together they could chase away the nightmares.

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