Here We Go Again
Disclaimer: I own nothing. This was written solely for entertainment purposes, and the author is making no profit, blah, blah, blah, is anyone still reading this, oh look a butterfly…
Rating: T
Note: Look at me, I'm procrastinating again.
Summary: Clark and Lois, and several different timelines. They always come this close to making it work.
Genre: Romance/Angst
Also: The timelines are divided by number – (1) – and the segments are divided by Roman numeral - IV. Therefore, if 'I' and 'III' both have a bolded number '2' next to them, they are both from the same timeline/universe.
I (1)
.
She doesn't leave right away. She came here for coffee, and Clark or no Clark, she's not leaving without it.
So she orders a cup of coffee, and sips it while staring out into the street.
She gulps the drink down and leaves in disgust because really, it's not like she asked him to marry her or anything.
.
II (1)
.
They have a screaming match in the middle of the Daily Planet bullpen.
Well, actually, it's mostly just Lois screaming and Clark looking guilty, because for Gods sakes! What did he think he was doing? Is she really that unimportant to him?
And yeah, okay, he did save a bunch of people from being massacred by an alien monster, but did he know how worried she was? A four second phone call would have sufficed. But no, she thinks he's dead for three days before he even bothers to drop by and say, oh, Lois, by the way, I'm not dead - who knew?
She's only sort of aware that everyone in the building's staring at them; she's also sort of aware of the fact that she doesn't care.
For just a second, she thinks (ridiculously) that he might kiss her.
He doesn't. Lois isn't surprised.
.
III (2)
.
Two days before the world turns to ash, they have a stupid fight about some guy she went on a date with.
It ends with Lois telling him to get the Hell out of her apartment, and Clark slamming the door behind him.
Two seconds before everyone dies, Clark thinks – stupidly – that he should have told her he loved her.
Great timing, really.
.
IV (3)
.
They kiss outside Flora's Flowers (a ridiculous name for a flower shop that Lois mocks but that Clark thinks is sort of sweet in a stupid way).
The next day, he finds out she's engaged.
.
V (4)
.
Clark says:
"I think I love you."
Lois says:
"Don't get your hopes up."
.
VI (3)
.
She calls him at three in morning.
He answers with a groggy,
"Hullo?"
Lois says,
"I think I love you."
Clark says,
"Go back to bed. I'm sure Bruce is wondering where you went."
And hangs up.
.
VII (5)
.
She goes and meets a source.
Clark tells her not to go; that he's heard bad things about this guy's boss, that's it's probably not safe.
Lois says,
"Relax, Smallville. I'll be fine."
She grabs her purse off her desk, gives him a wink and a lopsided grin, gulps down the last sip of her coffee, and heads out.
It's the last time he ever sees her.
.
VIII (1)
.
Chloe dies, and he defeats Doomsday, and Clark finds Lois curled in a ball on his living room couch.
She's weeping softly, and Clark isn't really sure what to do, so he crawls onto the couch beside her, and pulls her into his arms.
She falls asleep with her head on his chest, and his one arm wrapped around her, while the other gently strokes her hair. He murmurs soft things like 'hey, it'll be alright' and 'shh, don't cry', and Lois snuggles deeper against his chest.
When she wakes up, he's holding her hand, running his thumb down her knuckles, and she tilts her head back to look up at him.
"I'm sorry," he mumbles, because he's not quite sure what else to say.
Lois shakes her head softly, and drops her head back down to his chest, before cuddling closer to him. She turns her hand over, and laces their fingers together. Clark drops a kiss into her hair, and sighs softly, the rise and fall of his chest creating a soporific affect for Lois, who begins to fall back asleep.
Before she does, she murmurs,
"I love you."
And this time he doesn't hesitate in answering:
"I love you too."
.