Clark sat in the barn. He was lost - his mind in a wilderness of despair and uncertainty as it had been since his loss. Now his father was gone who would guide him on his so-called destiny. His mom had buried herself in Senate business, something for which he was grateful. To see his mom suffer and grieve made his own pain 100 times worse.

And if things were not bad enough, he had walked in on his ex girlfriend kissing his sworn enemy. Lana had tried to be there for him since his dad's death and he thought that is what he wanted. However rather than offer him the support he so desperately needed, her conversations consisted of probing questions about where their relationship was headed. Chloe had been there for him, as she always had been.

But one person, the last person he expected, had been the best remedy he could ask for. She seemed to know exactly what he was feeling. She was there when he needed to talk, but withdrew when she could see he wanted to be alone. And now here she was again, to help him see there was light at the end of this long tunnel of hurt and grief...

" I thought you'd be outside Lana's dorm with your binoculars by now." Lois saw Clark was deep in thought.

"Lois, I appreciate the concern. But Lana and I are none of your business."

"Please, Smallville, I've had three exes put under military surveillance. I'm hardly qualified to dish out post-relationship tact. But it's time for some tough love. Lana's going to move on."

"She already has. With Lex."

"And it sucks. But you gotta trust your gut that you did this for a reason. Whatever reasons guys have for dumping hot, smart, fun girls these days. Look, give her some space, Clark. Your whole night-stalker routine is going to ruin any of the good feelings Lana has for you."

"If there are any."

"Smallville, Look sometimes you gotta tuck your feelings away until it's the right time. Like stuffing dollars into a piggy bank for a bike you can't quite afford."

Clark managed a smile. " Except, I can't quite imagine there is anyone else out there."

"Well, you never know, Clark. Maybe when you finally crack open that piggy bank you'll find that all this time you haven't been saving for a bike, you've really been saving for a Harley." Lois suggested.

"There are times when I think you don't know me at all. And others where I think you know me better than anyone."

Lois smiled back at him. "Well, that's what I'm here for, Smallville, one save at a time."

Clark suddenly came up with a totally crazy idea, one he never would have thought of if he had been thinking straight.

"Hey, Lois. Do you fancy coming to Milwaukee with me on Saturday to see the Wolverines Game. I got two tickets!"

"You don't say..." Lois smiled, well aware of the present his father had left him for his 19th birthday. "I would love to come but I need to know...why me?"

"Well mom is caught up with Senate business, Chloe has 3 term papers due in, Lex has chucked me off his Christmas Card list and well Lana may not be in the mood to come."

"Gee Smallville, make me feel like your first choice why don't you?"

Clark grinned for the first time in ages. "Well who else is going to share my fuel costs for the ten hour trip."

Lois thought for a second. "Ok, you're on."

Lois was thrilled Clark had asked her to come to the baseball game. It was weird but since moving in a few years back he had become like the brother she had never had. She loved the way they bantered and fought and most of all she felt compelled to tell him her deepest darkest secrets.

The loss of Jonathan had hit her badly, perhaps not as much as Clark, but he had been the closest thing to a father figure recently.

The Kents had done so much for her, the least she could do was help Clark cope with the intense grief that was consuming him. However deep down she realised she wasn't only doing it to help Clark but to help herself deal with her own grief.

"Are you packed yet?" Martha asked Clark and Lois as they sat at the dinner table. "You'll have to set away really early."

"Yeah about 4am. We're not packed." Clark commented. "And since we're on the subject. Lois, we are away for two days so I need some advice on what I need to take."

"Ok, Smallville. I knew you couldn't function without me." She gave him a playful punch. "You need two pairs of jeans, a shirt and a tee and of course the obligatory underwear."

Clark gave Lois a strange look. "Ok, if that is the case, can you explain to me why you have three dresses, four pairs of jeans, six tops and enough lingerie to open a Victoria Secret store lying on my bed ready to go in the case."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Have you been checking out my underwear? That is so gross, Smallville. Anyway back to the question – I need to cover every eventuality."

Martha enjoyed the spats between her son and Lois. He was so different every time he was around her, compared to when he was with Lana or moping about the latest breakup."

"Ok, then. I bet you can't halve what you take." Clark challenged her.

"I bet I can." She fired back.

"Prove it.."

"Ok then. Watch and learn!" She smiled at him.

It was finally time to leave. They had told Martha not to get up but she spouted something about it being her duty as a mom to give them a send off breakfast.

So after having a 30 minute argument about who was driving they pulled away from the farm with Lois in the driving seat.

"Don't worry Smallville. You can drive once we get over the State Line." Lois offered.

"That's so nice of you."

They sat quietly for a while enjoying the scenery. Then Clark spoke up. "Thank you for coming with me Lois. It means a lot having someone for company."

Lois rolled her eyes. "You don't have to say that. I'm sure you would have rather had Lana along for the ride."

He gave her a smile. "Actually this may sound strange but I find it easier to talk to you than her sometimes. I think it is because you are unbiased."

"I'm not unbiased...I just don't always tell people what I really think."

"Lois, I don't believe that. You are always dishing out the truth to me whether I like it or not."

"Am I? I don't tell you everything."

"So what are you missing out?" Clark pushed her.

"It doesn't matter.." Lois replied.

"It does to me, I value your opinion." He looked her with a sincere face.

"Ok, I don't think you and Lana are meant to be together."

Clark's expression changed to one of puzzlement. "That's odd, mom said the same. What makes you say that?"

"You and Lana have never lasted more than five minutes. Every time you get back together something comes along to break you up again."

"Yeah but there have been some major reasons for our splits."

"I don't doubt that but what I am trying to say, if you were destined to be together it would have taken a lot more to make you split up. You would have worked through it more." Lois explained.

Clark looked hurt. "I loved Lana more than anything." He defended himself. "Anyway what do you know? You're not exactly the easiest person to date."

"How the hell do you know? Have you ever dated me?" Lois replied annoyed. "You asked me for my true opinion and when I give it, you throw it back in my face. Let's just go home, this is not going to work."

She applied the brakes and started to do a u-turn. As she did Clark grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Look Lois. I am so sorry. I should not have delved if I could not handle a few home truths. I don't want to turn back now." He conceded.

Lois pulled up for a few minutes. "Can we agree not to discuss Lana or anything to do with our love lives. Let's just stick to generalities."

He squeezed her hand without realising it. "It's a deal. And again, I am sorry for what it is worth."

"Do you want to drive? I am going to try and get some sleep. Where are we stopping for a break?"

"How about we drive until about 8am and stop somewhere for a snack." Clark suggested as he climbed into the driver seat. "I'll wake you up."

"Ok, goodnight." Within a few minutes she was fast asleep. Clark looked at her, she was so peaceful and more importantly she was quiet for once.

He spent the next few hours digesting what Lois had said. He knew she was wrong as he was certain he could win Lana back from Lex. She would soon see Lex for who he really was.

Clark pulled up at a diner on the interstate.

"Lois, it's time to wake up, we're here." He whispered in his ear.

"Where are we?" she groaned.

"At a diner for breakfast..." Clark reminded her.

"I think I'll stay in the truck."

"Lois, are you really going to miss the maple donuts."

Within seconds she was bolt upright in her seat and wide awake. "Let's go. What are you waiting for?" she said grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the truck.

They sat down a free booth, realising how much they looked out of place amongst all the truckers.

A old waitress came over. "Hi, what can I get you folks?"

"A maple donut please and a latte please." Lois replied.

"I'll just have a cappuccino please." Clark smiled.

"Don't think I'm sharing my donut with you." Lois remarked.

"No, I wouldn't want to risk my life. Did you enjoy your sleep?" Clark asked.

"Yeah I had a really strange dream about being chased by a large maple donut. I must have had a premonition." She laughed.

"Maybe... We haven't discussed where we are staying over."

"All taken care of Smallville. I have booked us a hotel suite at the Hilton for the night. My birthday treat."

"Thanks, Lo but you bought me a diary already. Let me pay for half."

"Would you mind not calling me Lo." Lois asked in a serious tone. "Only my father and Wes have called me that."

"I'm sorry. Well we'd better make our night at the hotel worth it." Clark replied.

An old guy sitting at a nearby booth looked at Clark. "I bet you will make it worth it. I would if I had a beautiful girlfriend like you."

Lois smirked. "You'd better sweep me off my feet before I get a better offer."

Clark was just about to tell the man that they were not a couple until Lois realised what he was about to do. "Please don't do what I think you are about to. If he finds out I am single he may think he has a chance with me."

"Don't you like being single?" Clark asked.

"I thought we weren't going to talk about our love lives, but since you bought me a maple donut I will answer it."

"I like to be with someone but single life is not too bad, I guess. My boyfriends never lasted long, thanks to my father."

"You make it sound like he murdered them."

"No, just ran them out of town. In fact Wes Keenan is the only one my father liked, probably because he is a committed and talented soldier."

"Was it serious with Wes."

"Well I thought it was but he always had a higher calling and I didn't figure in his life once the army life took hold."

"That's a pity! Has there been anyone else?" Clark asked.

"No, not really. I quite liked AC but you chased him off. Why did you act all jealous with him?" Lois pried.

Clark looked uneasy. "I don't know, maybe because I felt he was hiding something from you and that he was a terrorist even though I know that is not true now."

"So it wasn't jealousy." She laughed.

"Yeah it was, I am madly in love with you, can you not tell? Don't worry, me and you are never going to happen." he laughed sarcastically.

Something about his reply and the way he said that hurt her deep down but she did not know why.

She covered it up. "I won't worry."

Clark noticed the change in her mood. "Lois, what's wrong? You seem to be bothered by something. Is it something I said?" he asked concerned.

"Maybe I am just a bit sensitive at the moment. It's just the way you said we would never get together made it feel as though the idea of going out with me would be repulsive." She explained.

Clark was lost for words. Had Lois thought of them in that way?

"Lois, I think I will shut up for the rest of the journey because I seem to be putting my foot in it constantly. I didn't mean that I wouldn't date you. I would if I was attracted to you." He said only making the situation worse.

"So I'm not attractive now." Lois asked.

Clark paused for a moment to get his words right. "Lois, you are a stunningly beautiful woman and a man would be lucky to be with you. And before you ask...I do mean it." Clark smiled, reaching over and placing his hand on hers.

Lois panicked and looked at his hand. Not only was he holding her hand, but he was massaging it – every stroke of his fingers was sending chills up her spine. She snapped out of her trance and pulled her hand away.

He cleared his throat. "Look Lois, can we just reset today and get back to where we were before we left. I think I prefer the play fighting to arguing."

"Ok Clark." Lois replied.

They were interrupted by the waitress with a big smile on her face. "One latte, one cappuccino and a maple donut."

"How much?" Clark reached for his wallet.

"It's on the house." The woman replied. "It is not very often that we get a young nice couple in here as in love with each other as you obviously are."

"We're not a couple." Lois commented.

"Well, if you're not, you should be. It doesn't take an expert to see the sparks flying between you two."

Clark smiled. "Thanks for the advice."

Lois looked at him. "What do you think they put in the water around here? Sparks between us, yeah ones of annoyance" she laughed.

Clark looked over at the woman who was still smiling and nodding knowingly. He wondered if she was seeing something he couldn't. No, he thought to himself – Lois and him, not in a million years.