Rating PG 13
Four months after 'Crimson'
Clark Kent put another box in the back of the pick up truck. He looked up at the house as Chloe and his mother walked down the porch steps carrying more boxes. He hurried over to meet them and took his mother's box first, then took it to the truck.
"Thanks, honey," Martha said to Clark's retreating back. "Listen, I can't thank you all enough for helping with this thing."
Chloe smiled.
"Well, this is Lois's and your project. I think what you're doing is wonderful, Mrs. Kent."
Martha smiled softy.
"Opening up a summer camp for underprivileged kids on such short notice is a big undertaking. Lois has really taken on a lot of the load."
Clark returned for Chloe's box. He glanced up at the house.
"Is Lois almost ready?"
Martha looked back at the house.
"I think so. She said she had to make a phone call. Listen, I have to get going to...Lionel and I are flying into Metropolis for a meeting."
Chloe pretended not to notice Clark's look of displeasure.
"Go on, Mrs. Kent. We'll have everything ready by the weekend's end." Chloe assured her. Martha nodded and hugged Chloe. She then hugged Clark and whispered, 'try and have a good time'.
Clark nodded and watched as his mother turned and hurried back into the house.
"Well, I wonder when the limo is going to arrive." he said almost sarcastically. Clark then turned and walked over to the truck with Chloe's box. Chloe followed him.
"Clark, are you sure you're up to this? I mean this is going to be one hell of a weekend for everyone involved."
Clark sighed. Yes, it would be. Because in four months much had happened. Lana had lost Lex's baby, so there had been no marriage. Lex had sent Lana away for some R&R only to get one hell of a shock himself.
Lana had met up with and MARRIED Oliver Queen! Yes, Lana Lang was now Mrs. Oliver Queen. They had met up in Europe or something... Lex was now on the warpath, Lois wasn't too thrilled and to be blunt, neither was Clark. He had confronted Oliver and Lana...only to find out that Oliver had told Lana everything about himself and the Justice League.
Oliver had NOT told Lana about Clark's part in it. But it was just a matter of time before Bart or one of the other members slipped up...although Oliver had reassured him that the rest of the gang knew not to say anything in front of Lana.
Lex had used the power of the press to smear Lana's name everyday that the good Lord allowed. And Lois...
Lois did what Lois always did. Swallowed her disappointment, internalized her pain and moved on.
"I mean we will be staying overnight there. Oliver and Lana will be around. Lois claims she'll be fine, but I don't know. She's been acting off...and I mean she was off even before the news of the nuptials." Chloe said.
Clark glanced up at the house, then looked at Chloe.
"Chloe...I haven't said anything because I'm not sure that this is anything at all. I noticed that Lois has been off too...but just around me."
Chloe raised a brow.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh come on, Chloe! You haven't noticed that she doesn't even stop to insult me anymore?!" Clark complained. "And she calls me 'Clark'. She hasn't called me 'Smallville' in months. Not since that Valentine's Day fiasco."
"Oh."
"Chloe...I'm scared that she remembered something. I mean she seems...uncomfortable around me."
Chloe patted his arm.
"I'm sure it's nothing."
"I don't think so. She doesn't stand still long enough to even bat an eyelash at me. Can you try and find out?" Clark asked in a pleading tone.
"Alright...just out of curiosity, what is it that she might remember?"
"That we kissed and flew in the air."
"Holy Christ!" Chloe breathed. "You didn't tell me that!"
"The flying part?"
"The kissing too!"
"And...I told her Oliver was Green Arrow. Chloe...just see what you can find out, please?"
Chloe frowned but nodded. So Clark gave up a secret to Lois, hey? She shrugged it off. If Lois has known any of those things, her cousin would have told her. This she knew for sure.
A car pulled up. Chloe recognized it as Jimmy Olsen's. Her former boyfriend.
"Hi, Jimmy." Chloe said, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt. She had missed him terribly.
Jimmy just nodded at Chloe and glared at Clark. Clark knew something of what was going on. Jimmy wasn't one of his favorite people right now. He didn't like seeing Chloe hurt. But for her sake, he would be civil.
"What brings you by?" Clark asked, putting an arm around Chloe's shoulder protectively.
"Wow! You two look like such a happy couple!" Jimmy almost sneered. "I'm here to meet Lois. Looks like I'm coming to Crater Lake as well. Is Lois in the house?"
"Yes but..." Chloe began. But Jimmy walked towards the house, cutting her off. Clark frowned. This weekend was going to suck all the way around now!
Lois was in the kitchen and had just hung up her cellphone, when Jimmy opened the screen door and walked in.
"Can you believe those two?!" Jimmy snapped. He peered out of a window. Lois raised a brow.
"Is this another tirade about Chloe and Clark?"
Jimmy turned away from the window and scowled. Lois walked up to him.
"Jimmy, we will be too busy to socialize. I have to get this campsite ready AND get the story of the year! And I wouldn't be able to do it without your superior, photography skills."
"Yeah, I suppose...but Lois, what if this isn't true? I mean then we've wasted our time."
"It's true I can feel it! Look, people have spotted something resembling a Sasquatch running wild up there for about a couple of weeks now! I feel bad for Mrs. Kent! Because we can't have kids up there is a monster is running loose!" Lois hissed softly, looking up the stairs. Mrs. Kent was still up there getting ready.
"But, if we actually can bring the police or animal control proof of this thing, they can catch it, get it out of there and the kids can still have a campsite." Jimmy said.
The screendoor opened and Clark stepped in the kitchen. Lois and Jimmy were definitely up to something.
"Jimmy, could you wait outside for a moment?" Clark asked him.
"Why?" Lois asked.
"Because I want to talk to you, alone."
"Why?" Lois asked again.
Clark sighed impatiently. He looked at Jimmy.
"Jimmy, please?"
Jimmy moved past him and stood out on the porch. Clark noticed he did not go near Chloe, who was over by the truck. Clark turned back to Lois.
"Alright, Lois, what are you up to?"
Lois looked away, then began to gather up her things.
"I thought Jimmy could use some r&r. I think the time alone with Chloe might bring them back together."
Clark folded his arms. He couldn't stand it anymore.
"Lois...how long are things going to be like this between us?"
Lois still didn't look at him.
"Like what?"
"You can't even look at me? If this is about Valentine's Day, I told you nothing happened."
"I know. I don't remember but I know." Lois said, looking over at him.
"Then what is it? What's different? Is it Oliver and Lana?"
Lois looked away again. What it was, were the dreams she had been having! The dreams of her kissing Clark, of her FLYING with Clark, of Clark telling her that he disguised himself as Green Arrow to fool her...
At first she had fluffed them off. That was until she had the same dreams every night! And then there was the loss of her bracelet. It had been one Ollie had given her. One that she had suddenly lost.
Lois had made a special trip to the Daily Planet rooftop and found her bracelet. She felt as if she were going insane! There was no way Clark Kent could fly! She hadn't flown in his arms...he hadn't lied to her and she hadn't almost slept with him in Ollie's apartment! Had she?
But Lois also knew she had not been on the Daily Planet rooftop lately...except in her dreams...when she was flying with Clark. How else had that bracelet gotten there?
What was she supposed to do? Ask Clark about all of that? He didn't even remember it himself! But was it possible that whatever they were drugged with had given them abilities...specifically Clark?
Worse yet, tonight Lois knew she would have the same dream again. And the Whitesnake CD. Those songs only belonged to one other guy. A lost love from her highschool. Someone her father had disapproved of. It bothered her that she would've made a CD for Clark with THOSE songs.
And Ollie and Lana had been the last straw! She didn't want to deal with any of this. And when she didn't want to deal, Lois Lane just didn't talk about it. Period!
"Everything is fine, Clark. Let's get going before that silent treatment Chloe and Jimmy are giving one another gets worse."
Clark could see that everything was not fine! But he also knew Lois would not share until she was ready. If she ever was.
"Okay...well, Chloe and you can ride with me..."
"I'm taking my own car. Jimmy's taking his. So, I'll see you at Crater Lake, okay? And thanks for helping out, Clark."
Clark said nothing but stepped aside as Lois walked past him and out of the house. Yes, this weekend was really going to suck!
