Title: Nerves
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Pairing: Chloe x Lana
Lex x Lana (at the wedding)
Rating: PG
Summery: Lana freaks out at the alter and
runs out of the church.
Bridal Room at the Church.
Lana sat in a large armchair as people gathered into the church for her wedding; whilst she sat thinking that she might be making a mistake.
Standing and beginning to pace, she ran through the possibility of actually marrying Lex. She knew it would not last; it was only a matter of time. Then why am I about to marry him? She asked herself.
As though on cue, Lois busted in the room with a huff. Dramatically placing herself in the now unoccupied armchair, she groaned before looking up at her friend. "You okay?" Lois asked, realizing that the girl had been pacing.
"Just wondering if I'm making the right decision. What about you? You look a bit annoyed" Lana remarked, moving to sit on the chair opposite as the doors to her private room eventually swung closed, after revealing Lionel standing guard with another man outside the room.
"Lex and Chloe just had a fight, I sent farm-boy to break it up" Lois said with minimal about of information.
"I better go and see if anyone got hurt. You know how Chloe can get when she's stressed," she said, standing up and moving at a fast pace towards the door.
However, before she turned the handle, Lois caught her arm. "It wasn't anything big just something that doesn't really matter" she paused once Lana raised an eyebrow, "okay, what happened was Lex was just saying that he thought Chloe and his dad should move a step or two down. So their not on the same one as you guys" Lois reported after coming to the conclusion that without the truth, she wouldn't be able to stop Lana from leaving the room. she then went ahead and begun to pull Lana away from the door and onto the armchair that she previously occupied. "Chloe just told him off because apparently you wanted her to be on the same one as you or something… I really should have been paying more attention" Lois realized, towering over the girl who was sitting down.
"Sorry, it's just I don't want them fighting" she admitted.
"Because it's your big day?" Lois asked, with a knowing smirk. Raising an eyebrow, Lana shock her head. "Lana, if you're getting cold feet it's only natural," Lois explained.
"I'm sensing a 'but' somewhere here" Lana joked, after Lois kneeled down in front of her and rested her hands on Lana's thighs.
"I know how you feel about both Lex and Chloe, and… well I've told you that I think you should be running off with my cousin on more than one occasion. I might have been a little bit drunk," Lana raised her eyebrow, "okay, a lot, but the way I see it is that if at any point in the ceremony, you want to run… just go"
"Lois, I couldn't" Lana told her, moving further into the chair whilst checking her watch to see if they were any closer to beginning the ceremony.
"Why not?" Lois snapped, moving away and looking out the window behind Lana's head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. Just tell me why you can't"
"Everyone will be looking at me when I run down the isle, and I can't go now because until the music starts… people will be blocking my retreat. I do know that Lionel is standing outside my door," Lana tried to defend herself; pouting once the older girl looked down at her.
"That's the only reason?" she asked in disbelief causing the raven-haired woman to sink further into her chair and give her a small nod. "Lana," she started, returning to her earlier position in front of the girl, "If you actually do want to back down from this. Just give me a signal, so Smallville and I can distract everyone whilst you make your escape"
Looking into determined brown eyes, Lana knew that Lois was her ticket out of marrying someone she did not really love. "What's the signal?" she asked, unsure at first but becoming more determined to run from the alter.
Lois knew that Lana was making the right decision, and she was happy that her friend might gain some happiness when she was making her retreat. "It's up to you," she decided.
"Something subtle" Lana told her, but could not get her brain to function once she noticed Lois smirking when an idea came to her head. However, before she could voice it, Lana cut in; "I am NOT going to grab Chloe's butt as a signal!" Lana partially screamed.
Flashback – Lana and Lois danced in the centre of a crowd at a nightclub in Metropolis, whilst Chloe finished her drink. It was the day after graduation, and the girls were having a night out without any men.
On the dance floor she pulled Lana closer to her as more bodies filled the dance floor. Lois thought that she only had one problem; in her eyes Clark was unknowingly driving a wedge between his two best friends. Sure, neither of the two girls were going to admit that there was any tension or a problem but she knew the signs. Little did she know, the problem that they were having did not include Clark or even Lex.
"When she comes back I'm going to go and talk to that guy at the bar," Lois yelled in her ear, but it came as a soft whisper to Lana over the music.
"What if I can't make it better?" she asked hesitantly.
"Then give me a signal and I'll bail you out" Lois offered, "since I wont see anything subtle… grab her butt or something" she suggested. Giving a nod although she did not want-to-want Lois' help after that suggestion, she did not realize that her friend was making her way over to them. When the blond joined their circle, Lois made a quick retreat causing her cousin to raise an eyebrow.
"She wants us to work it out" Lana yelled at her, once Lois was out of sight and the blond continued to dance with her.
"Yeah," she agreed, soon realizing that the raven-haired woman could not hear her. Pulling their bodies only an inch apart she continued; "she thinks we are fighting because of Clark", she finished resting her hands on the others hips.
Snaking her arms around Chloe's neck, Lana replied; "we need to sought it out or soon not only Lois would catch on". After her statement she rested her head on the slightly taller girl's shoulder and nuzzled herself under her chin, as a melody begun to drift out from the speakers.
"Lana," Chloe begun, "we have a problem," she admitted, lifting the girls face to see her properly. "There's something here and I feel it," she breathed out, lowering her voice as the crowd around them became quiet.
After hearing a wolf-whistle directed at them from the far corner, Lana grabbed onto Chloe's hand and pulled her to the opposite corner. Seeing Lois in sight made her feel better but she knew they had other this to discuss. "I know, and I feel it to, but…" she paused, searching her brain for the right words, "I don't want to hurt you if it doesn't work out again"
"Yeah I know, but last time was a rush and we didn't really think about it" Chloe defended their time together.
"What about the time before that?" Lana asked, "That hurt less than loosing you the last time, but that's besides the point,"
"So we make sure it doesn't go down that path again" Chloe stated, glancing at the bar to see her cousin making her way over to them with an annoyed expression as the guy from the bar followed her.
Nodding her agreement, Lana laughed as Lois stood next to her. The boy she had attracted kept talking to her though she showed no signs of paying him any attention - end of Flashback.
Rushing to the door to see if Lionel heard, she was relieved once she noticed that he was helping Lex walk away from Clark and Chloe. Making her way back to her friend, she smiled. "I wasn't thinking that," she paused at another raised eyebrow. "Okay so I dwelled on it for a minute" she paused again, "more than a minute" she cried out, "but I was thinking of something else" she defended.
"Lana, were about to start" Martha said as she came into the room, "Lois?" she questioned, but continued as she knew they were about to be running late otherwise; "its time to go" and then she was gone and the music started.
The Lobby of the Church.
"Lois? The signal?" Lana pleaded.
"Just hold her hand or something," Lois whispered, fixing a loose strand of Lana's hair that was between the vale and her face, before actually running down the isle whilst Chloe gave her cousin an amused look.
Walking down the Isle.
When the music got a bit louder, she took her cue and made her way down the isle towards the minister. Just hold her hand, then let go and run, she reminded herself as she looked directly at the minister.
Flashback – a month before 'the big day' all four girls stood in the bridal shop going over last minute preparations since neither of the four girls had a dress to wear on the day.
"Wow!" Lois exclaimed, pulling out a large cotton-candy-pink dress that looked as though it came out of the sixties, "Scary" she admitted putting it away. Laughing at Lois' facial expressions, Lana tried on the same wedding dress for the third time. It was not that she did not like the ones in between but her other dress that Lex had made for her was ripped and she wanted to look perfect.
"Oh sweetheart, you look wonderful," Martha said in awe, standing to her right in her own dress that Lana was determined to buy for her.
"Thanks, but what's keeping Chloe?" she pondered, as Lois came on the other side of Martha and all three girls looked in the mirror in front of them.
"I'm not sure, normally she takes less time than me," Lois muttered, twirling around to see how the dress would look on the dance floor.
"That's because I'm the bridesmaid and I have to look the good this time" Chloe quipped, coming out of the stall and standing to Lana's left.
"Chloe! You look wonderful," Lois screamed, causing others look raise an eyebrow as she jumped at the younger girl.
"Hey, relax sparkly" Chloe explained, "It's just a dress"
"And you look wonderful in it" Martha complimented, once Lois returned to her side. "Lana, are you okay?" she asked, noticing that Lana had turned catatonic.
"Lana?" Chloe asked, moving to stand in front of the brown-haired woman even though they were standing side-by-side. Squeezing her shoulder she continued, "What's wrong?"
"I, er…" Lana tried to get out, "I just… you look, God…" she paused again, "have you seen… wow" she finished, snapping her jaw shut.
"Drool much?" Lois remarked, walking into her change stall.
"Sorry, she does that sometimes" Chloe defended her cousin, but Lana could not really understand a word she was saying. All she thought of was the image the woman that was standing before her; she did not even notice Martha go to help Lois out of her dress.
"Wow" Lana kept repeating, as her eyes roamed over Chloe's form.
Blushing under Lana's hungry gaze, and suddenly wandering hands that had begun to pull her towards Lana, Chloe realized that she would never be over the haven haired woman – end of flashback.
She knew that everyone was smiling, but she could not look at them now, she had to focus on walking and then she had to determine when she should go for it and give the signal.
Glancing at Lois with a small smile, she took the first step on the altar. Just five more to go, she muttered in her brain whilst the music started to turn down.
Seating at the front.
"When I say 'Oh my God!' that's your cue to jump up and scream" Lois whispered to Clark, as Lana stood still on the final step.
"What?" he whispered back.
"Listen Farm-boy, I'll explain later… just help Lana out" she pleaded, silently apologizing to Martha for talking. When she looked back at him he gave her a small nod that he would comply at the same time as the music faded out.
The Altar.
As the priest introduced the bride and the groom, Lana gave a side-glance to Lex who stood still and was focused on his words. Realizing her mistake with Lex a little too late, she gave a small sigh.
Hearing a small hum of 'we belong together' coming from the blonde-haired person, she realized that Chloe thought she was making a mistake too. Maybe it wasn't only Lois who knew she was making a bad decision based on being afraid of being alone. After all, between the Daily Planet and school, her best friend was not really around.
Shifting the flowers to her other hand, as she gracefully let her left hand fall to her side, she waited to make the signal when the time was right. Hearing Lois gasp rather loudly behind her at her subtle movement, made her fake smile turn into a real one that lit up her face.
Thinking it was because they got past the 'objections', which was intentionally skipped by his orders that had made Lana smile, Lex smiled a bit more.
Seating at the front.
Moving so she was sitting on the edge of the uncomfortable wooden seat, whilst having a better view of Lana's hand movements in case she missed it, Lois waited patiently as she could.
After a full minute she had begun to tape her fingers against the seat, which made Martha grab them from her so she would not be so loud in the silent church. Everybody hears the minister talking and Lois' nerves against her seat… you could hear a pin drop. I wonder why she is so nervous and why she looks like she waiting for something. I will have to ask her after the ceremony, the red headed woman thought as she looked over Lois before turning back to Lana.
The Altar.
Going into the first reading made by Lionel, Lana chuckled when her best friend changed from humming 'we belong together' to 'hand me down'.
Both songs suited them so well, but after catching the ministers disapproving look and Lex's confused expression, she became serious.
Just when Nell starts her reading, I will give Lois the signal, she told herself after Chloe's humming became quieter.
Flashback – The Saturday that she bordered the plane to Paris, the two girls stood near the boarding gate and hugged each other for the last time.
"If you want to come home, I'll sent you some money," Chloe offered, chocking back a hiccup as she pulled back a little.
"I'll come back for you, it's not that long to wait till we see each other again," Lana stated, knowing that leaving was the end of their 'more than friends' relationship.
"I know we said that it will be over between us, but don't be a stranger…" Chloe warned, "were still family"
"Calling all passengers to Paris, this is the last call," the woman reported.
"Okay, so you better go," Chloe, said giving one last hug to her best friend. "Oh and this is for you but don't listen to it until the plane has lifted off the ground" she warned, handing a CD to the girl.
In addition, she complied, when the plane was officially into the air she pulled out the disc and listened to it. The first song drifting to her ears was the song playing when she and Chloe had their first kiss in the torch after school hours; 'hand me down'. It held sentimental value, which made Lana's tears roll down her cheeks at the words and the memory – end of flashback.
Seating at the front.
"Lois?" Clark whispered into her ear so no one could hear. Not even his mother, whom still had Lois' hands in her lap, could hear their conversation.
"Hum?" she asked, refusing to look at him. He guessed it was a good thing because if she did look back to him, someone would know that they were talking.
"Why are we distracting everyone away from Lex and Lana?" he asked, curiosity evident in his question.
Deciding that he should know the full truth, she moved back an inch. "She's going to make a run for it but we got to make the distraction first," she told him.
"Why not make it now?" he asked, moving closer to her ear after Lana's aunt gave a small cough indicating for him to be quiet since she couldn't hear Lois.
"She has to give the signal," Lois muttered, going back to her earlier position.
Joining her at the edge of the seat, Clark watched intensely for any signal that was to be made by Lana. After he felt and saw Nell approaching the stage he saw Lana's hand move a little. It was not overly obvious but it seemed as though she was about to do something, and luckily he did not have to let Lois know because she gripped onto Martha's hand tighter at that point.
Looking over at both Lois and Clark sitting at the edge of their seats, she knew something was going to happen. Without a word, she continued to gaze at the front and waiting for whatever it was to happen.
Lois tried to contain her excitement and enthusiasm but she knew that if anyone was looking at her they might think she was crazy. Who would actually be sitting like Clark and me at a wedding? And I am totally giving off the idea that something is going to happen, even Mrs. Kent seems to know. Should I be looking sadder like everyone else? She asked herself, trying to make her face look slightly like everyone else who was becoming emotional.
That was when she noticed it, the signal. She could not believe her eyes; Lana swiftly put her hand in Chloe's without hesitation. It was not that noticeable if they were not paying so much attention to her left hand since their dresses covered most of the view of their hands. Moreover, it was there.
Stopping herself from jumping out of her seat literally, Lois moved her gaze towards the window, whilst she moved her hands out of Martha's grasp and smashed her hand into Clark's chest.
The Altar.
Hearing a groan of pain from Clark at the same time as Chloe gave her hand a small squeeze made her smile return to her face.
She knew that at any moment that she would have to run; it was only a matter of time. Taking her hand out of Chloe's just in case the blond tried to prevent her from running, Lana's smile continued to grow as she just waited to hear Lois' voice gain everyone's attention.
Seating at the front.
"Oh my God!" Lois cried, standing up and gaining people's attention.
Noticing that all attention was not on Lois, Clark joined in; "Everybody duck!" he yelled at the top of his lungs and made a fire ball with his heat vision. He was smiling proudly as everyone including the people at the altar, besides him and Lois they had ducked their heads and crouched down.
Lois gave a triumphant smile as she saw Lana throw her flowers towards Nell and spin on her heal. Her smile increased as Lana flew down the isle before most people noticed.
"Lana!" Lex screamed, standing up and running after her. Chloe, Clark, Martha, Lionel and Lois were not far behind and others came behind them.
Outside the Church.
Just as they rushed out the doors in panic, they saw Lana's limo screech out of the grounds. Everyone begun to talk in whispers as Lionel placed a comforting hand on his sons shoulder. Although he knew that Lana would not go through with the day, he knew how she felt. Lois was a reliable source when she got drunk at one of his formal party's.
"Did anyone know she was going to run?" Lex yelled above everyone else as he turned around in a mild but furious haze.
"I planned the distraction" Lois told him in a firm tone, "she never wanted to marry you. You just caught her at a weak moment," she said, each word becoming colder than the last as she moved towards him.
Noticing that Lex was going to yell directly at her, Clark moved in front of her. "I was in on it too, but I just found out in the Church about the plan" he tried to deflect the blame from Lois to him.
Storming off into the groom's preparation room with his father in his shadow, Lex begun to feel less upset knowing that it was what Lana wanted.
Nell approached Lois and Clark, as everyone else moved towards his or her respective cars. She locked them into a hug and muttered; "thank you for making sure she didn't make a mistake" and then she too was gone.
"Mom I swear I didn't know until the ceremony begun" he tried to defend.
"Oh thanks, Smallville," Lois snapped, hitting his arm with her purse.
"Its okay, I'm just glad Lana knew what she wanted before they actually tied the knot," Martha admitted, patting her son on the shoulder.
"It's NOT okay," Chloe yelled at Lois, Clark and Martha.
"Chloe," Lois attempted to confront her cousin.
"No, don't!" Chloe flinched away before Lois could hug her before saying in a lower voice; "we don't know where she is and why she left him at the altar," she told them, moving to sit down on the steps beneath their feet.
"Sweetheart, she didn't want to get married, she made the right choice by backing out before she had to file for divorce," Martha explained, embracing the younger woman as after she sat down next to her.
"But, we don't know why she left" Clark voiced his best friends thoughts.
"I know why," Lois said as she sat down beside Clark on the step in front of the other women. "Just a few minutes before the wedding when you and Lex begun to fight, I left Clark to deal with you two and went to check on the bride. I am actually glad I did, otherwise she would not have left him. I mean she wanted to but didn't want others to stop her when they saw her" she tried to explain.
"Lionel was also guarding her door for some time too" Clark pointed out, "Before he made Lex walk away from Chloe"
"Clo, she did want to leave… she just didn't want people watching her every move, so I made the distraction with Clark's help" Lois admitted, once Chloe dried her tears away with Clark's handkerchief.
"Speaking of the signal, what was it?" Martha asked, giving Chloe some room in her embrace before she died of suffocation or something similar.
"Yeah, I didn't even realize what it was," Clark pointed out.
"It was Lana grabbing hold of my hand," Chloe stated, "couldn't you go for something a little subtle though?" she wondered.
"What is with everyone and subtle?" Lois asked in a frustrated tone, "I swear you and Lana are more alike than you know" Lois declared, giving another dramatic sigh for the second time that day.
"What are you on about?" Clark asked, clearly confused.
"Lana wanted a signal but the ceremony already started so I just blurted out that she should hold your hand," Lois explained. Although when she was meet with a mix of facial expressions she continued; "It was either that or she went with my earlier idea" Lois muttered.
"What did you want her to do?" Clark asked, "Grab Chloe's butt or something?" he chuckled but stopped when she looked down.
"LOIS!" all three people around her yelled.
That night at the Kent Farm.
"I'm so sorry for what happened to Lex" Martha apologized after she watched Nell's car drive into the distance on her way back to Metropolis.
"It's quite alright actually," Lionel admitted, closing the door behind them. "I knew it wouldn't last. Don't get me wrong, I like Miss. Lang but I knew her feelings lied elsewhere," he further elaborated as they moved into the kitchen.
Kitchen.
"You did?" Chloe asked from the table, with a coffee in her hands.
"Lois is quite informative when intoxicated," Lionel chuckled as he sat opposite to her and Lois, "but you already knew that. And I do believe that, that was how Lana found out that you liked her in the beginning"
Sending a spiteful gaze at the older male, Lois then faced her cousin with an innocent and apologetic look. "Oh please, you don't know the meaning of innocent, Lois," Clark told her as he sat down at the head of the table.
Martha poured the last cup of coffee and placed it at the empty space between her son and Lionel before answering the door.
"Shut up, Smallville," Lois warned him after taking a large gulp of her coffee.
Smiling at the banter, both Lionel and Chloe's head snapped up immediately when Lana walked in the door. She had changed out of the wedding dress, but was still in the elegant formal dress that she was to wear at the dinner.
Jumping out of his chair, Clark rushed to her. "I'm glad your okay, we all are" he told her in an embrace before going back to his own seat.
"I'm just sorry I backed out at the last minute," Lana admitted, "I'm so sorry Mr. Luthor" she tried to apologize but was put into silence when he raised his hand.
"It's quite alright, dear" he told her, not moving from his seat, "as long as you are happy I'm sure the world will be a better place"
"I'm not sure about that, but thank you," she told him, looking at her feet.
"I'll get you some coffee, just make yourself at home" Martha noted.
After giving Lana a hug, Lois stepped back and said; "I'll get you some clothes that are more comfortable" before running up the stairs to her old room.
Blushing slightly, Lana turned back to look at the room. Both males were making small and polite conversation about Metropolis dealings whilst Martha put her mug down on the table between Chloe and Lionel. In addition, Chloe stood from her seat looking uncomfortable-ly at her shoes.
"Chloe, say something" Lana begged, pulling the girls chin to look at her in the eyes. She needed a hug, a smile, an 'I told you so', anything but the silence was all she received from her. Without a word Chloe pulled her best friend into a hug as the tears fell from her eyes.
"For the last time, I hate awkward silences," Lois complained as she walked into the room with some clothes.
Pulling away from the embrace, Lana whipped her own eyes before thanking Lois and going to be changed. When she came back, Chloe was no longer in the room. "Outside" Martha mouthed, after she stood there looking confused.
Taking her coffee without anyone noticing her presence besides the older woman, she made her way outside.
Outside on the Porch.
"We okay?" Lana asked, sitting on the step next to the other girl. After a nod of her head, Chloe brought their lips together. "Back to the way things used to be, huh?" Lana asked, after they moved apart, "and this time… it will last. I know it"
"About time," Lois said loudly before Clark came up from behind her and forcefully made her close the door. Laughing at the new journalist at the Daily Planet, they slipped into silence as the sun begun to set.
-Fin-