Okay so i got sick of waiting for s8 to start and i was missing Clois so i thought why not write a fic to pass the time! I've been working on this on and off for a month or so and it hasn't been beta'd so sorry if there's any in consistencies.
All you need to know is that this takes place a few months after the s7 finale and as you'll see Lois and Clark are pretty much the only people left in SV.
Enjoy and leave feedback it always helps :-)
Somewhere Only We Know
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
-Keane, Somewhere Only We Know
The day she walked in on him watching Lana's goodbye message with tears in his eyes Clark felt something change between them. He couldn't explain it and maybe he was too scared to… but she started coming around every day after that day and he wondered briefly if she felt the evolution too...
"Martha wanted me to make sure you were looking after yourself," She'd say stomping around the kitchen in her black heels and placing a freshly made pie she brought for him in the fridge.
He nodded every time she rattled off the excuse but he wondered why she even bothered using it anymore -he knew she came of her own accord- his Mom called him almost every night from Topeka and she never once mentioned Lois's visits.
The first time she said it, he could see her pleading with him in her eyes, she didn't want him to shut her out like he'd shut everyone else out. He wondered if it was because she was just as lonely as he was. She didn't have to worry though he hadn't even considered shutting her out, she was a permanent fixture in his life, the only constant. It would hurt too much to ignore her or tell her to leave him alone, he had grown so used to the comfort of her presence, it was selfish but he knew without her he'd be even worse than he already was.
It had been six months since he has seen Kara, six months since he saved Lex from their frozen grave under the fortress, five months since Lex disappeared suspiciously without revealing Clark's secret, four months since he'd replied to Lana's letters and three months since he'd stopped visiting Chloe in Gotham. After everything he'd been through, everything he put the people he loved through... he had categorically closed himself off from them and from the rest of the world.
After a month of his grunts and bitching she called him a zombie; she told him he was wasting his life away on the farm. One time she got so angry at him she even threatened to stop visiting but still he couldn't bring himself to act, even when she left. And when she came back the next day he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Everyone he loved was either dead or had moved on to escape him, no one could survive being around him, that much he was sure of and yet...
Lois never stopped coming around.
"Clark I want you to come to dinner with me tonight," Lois blew her honey colored bangs from her eyes, "Jimmy wants us to meet his new girlfriend." She made a face that clearly indicated she thought little of the girl in question. Clark knew she still thought of Chloe as Jimmy's girlfriend -even though Chloe had turned down his marriage proposal and moved away after her trial -Lois would never let it go.
Clark thought about arguing that he had too many chores to do but she beat him to it, "No excuses. You are coming, chores or errands or whatever can wait. Jimmy is really excited about us meeting her and he hasn't seen you in a few weeks he wants to make sure I haven't poisoned you with my cooking and buried you in a paddock."
He smiled tightly but gave no indication that he would go.
She turned her face the side and frowned, he knew she was worried about his hermit habits, but she wouldn't come out and say it, instead she dropped little hints, that he was sure she thought were subtle but to anyone else seemed totally obvious.
"Plus if you don't come I'll have to find a real date."
Trying not to wince he nodded, knowing he never had a chance against her in the first place especially not even she mentioned she might bring someone else, "Okay Okay. I'll be there. Do you want me to come past the Talon and pick you up?"
He smiled at her genuinely then because the smile that graced her face when she heard his reply was nothing short of breath-taking, clearly she expecting a bigger fight on her hands.
"Oh thanks Clark that'd be great. It would mean a lot... to Jimmy I mean."
They both knew she didn't mean Jimmy.
Something behind him caught her eye and she visibly gulped, "Have you heard from her?" They had an unspoken rule, they didn't mention Lana's name.
"She sent a postcard last week I think it was more for you than me." Lois nodded and put her hand out tentatively; he stood up and went to the second draw of the hallway cupboard where he kept Lana's leftover things. He carefully took out the post card and walked back into the kitchen placing it in Lois's hand.
"She met someone."
Lois said it more as a question than a statement, eyeing him carefully after she had skimmed the rest of the neat small writing that was much nicer than her own but somehow less impressive.
"Yeah," he shrugged feeling indifferent about it, "he sounds nice… he owns vineyards or something."
"Well Lana did always like her wine." Lois replied breezily and Clark let out a chuckle, the sound made them both feel lighter and they stared at each other goofily for a moment.
Clark heated up the pie Lois brought over and after a few slices in between casual conversation Lois let out a sigh when she noticed the time, "I better get back to the Talon if I want to be ready by the time you come over, which will be one minute to seven no doubt."
Clark smirked, "I like to be punctual Lois it leaves a good impression on people."
"I already have a pretty good impression of you," Clark's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline at the way Lois averted her eyes and the way her cheeks burned red, he wondered just what exactly it was she was thinking.
"I'm leaving now." She mumbled still red faced. After collecting her things Lois gave him a one handed hug before sweeping out the front door in a fluster.
He watched her roughly chuck her bag into the passenger seat and reserve without looking in her mirror barely missing Shelby on the way out.
That was Lois. His Lois now he thought unconsciously.
"You and Lois."
"She's bossy, she's rude, and she's stuck up! I can't stand her!"
"The best ones always start that way."
He had a crush on Lois the first time he saw her, even as Kal-El, she held his attention longer than anyone else possibly could. But for some reason it didn't feel right at the time to say anything, she looked at him like a little dorky brother…so he acted irritated by her presence and now strangely enough it was only her company that comforted him. He still felt like he didn't deserve her but he could no longer fool himself into thinking it was just a crush, he was madly in love with her and he knew it. He was in love with her in the most pathetic wimpy pining way. He thought about her dating other guys and it made him insanely jealous, he thought about her getting into dangerous situations at work and he would break whatever he was holding. He wished he had of had the balls to take the job at the Planet when she wanted him too.
She didn't know this, no one did, but he went to the Daily Planet offices with his tail between his legs when he heard Lex was gone and that someone else had taken over for him indefinitely. He went there expecting a job... And he walked out empty handed. The vacancy Chloe left had been filled a week before and there was nothing else available. The editor told him to leave his portfolio- which contained five mediocre stories he'd written at the Planet and two personal recommendations, one from Chloe and the other from Perry White- but it didn't change the editors mind and he realized now he had been a little arrogant to think it would. He hadn't fought for a place at the planet like Chloe or Lois… and he wasn't going to earn one by sitting on his butt at the farm, he realized that as well, but he was stubborn, he always had been.
So he was stuck in a rut, watching himself spiral into nothingness.
Part of it was because Kara was gone and he had no way of saving her. He failed Lana, he failed his father and now he had failed his own cousin. With the fortress destroyed he had no conceivable way of rescuing Kara…
Another part was that after so many years of living his life in one way, it was hard to suddenly change especially when he still felt like the high school geek he had been five years ago.
--
It was 6:59 pm when he knocked nervously on Lois's apartment door, one day when she came over and he was in a particularly bad mood he asked her why she still even lived in Smallville, why she hadn't moved into Metropolis to be closer to the Planet. She mumbled an indistinct response about 'liking the area' and complained that moving was too much 'mucking around'. He's bad mood suddenly dissipated when he recognized the pink tinge of embarrassment on her cheeks.
"Come in!"
He opened the handle cautiously and looked around, "Lois?"
"I'm ready I'm ready!" A hand bag came flying towards him he barely saw her throw it haphazardly as she searched through her bedside table, "Where did I put those god damn gold hoop earrings?!"
When she turned around he literally had to grasp the door frame, the strapless black dress was stunning on her slightly tanned skin. It looked like a silk corset at the front and flowed down past her heels, scraping the ground. Her hair was naturally curly it looked soft and he had the urge to run his hands through it, it fell down to her shoulders. She didn't even try to look gorgeous, she just was.
"Hello earth to Clark?" She snapped.
"Uh you…you look nice. You look real nice."
"Real nice?" she snorted using a southern tang, "Gee thanks Huck berry Finn."
He rolled his eyes but found it impossible to be annoyed at her when she smelled so nice, the fragrance of vanilla filled his nostrils as he stepped past her too kneel beside her bed. She sent him a confused frown and when he pulled his hand out from under the bed the gold earrings were shinning back at her.
She huffed as she grabbed them and made her way to the bathroom to put them on, "How did you see those under there?!"
Clark hid smirked, without Chloe and Lana around he liked being able to surprise someone without them knowing how he was able to do, "I've got a good eye sight… plus when ever I lose anything it always turns up under the bed somehow." He shrugged when she raised her eyebrow sceptically.
"Your seriously weird you know that right, Smallville?"
He laughed as he ushered her out the door, "How could I forget when you remind every chance you get."
"Their late," Clark muttered into his drink as Lois looked around the restaurant desperately. She was going to deep fry that shrimps ass when he finally got here. Not only was Jimmy and his bimbo twenty minutes late, but they had reserved the crappiest table at the restaurant, right next to the kitchen and in the darkest corner of the entire building.
"Geez have some patients will ya Smallville," Lois said as a waiter knocked her shoulder when he passed, she glared at his back indignantly and when she caught sight of the smirk resting on Clark's face she let out a huff and turned the other way.
"Sorry! The traffic was insane; a car crashed on the way over and backed up the highway." Jimmy squeaked immediately when he noticed the grimace on Lois's face, he pulled his petite blonde girlfriend along behind him, "Anyways guys this is Lilly, Lilly you know Lois," Jimmy motioned nervously to Lois who looked like a very angry cat ready to pounce on the nearest annoying bird, "and this is Clark Kent."
Lois noticed how Lilly smiled wider when she laid her eyes on Clark and narrowed her eyes at the blonde.
"Hey how are you?" Lilly spoke directly to Clark and this didn't help calm Lois's temper one bit.
"Were fine thank you," Lois said biting out the words.
"A little hungry actually," Clark smiled sheepishly at Jimmy and Lilly.
"Oh right sorry," Jimmy pulled out the nearest chair for Lilly and sat down next to Clark.
Clark looked in Lois's direction out of the corner of his eye, she was tense and staring at the back of someone he couldn't make out, as if she could feel his eyes on her Lois sent him a frown and then looked away.
"No freaking way!" Lilly squealed as she peered into the direction he and Lois had just been looking in causing Clark to nearly jump through the roof, literally.
"What who is it?!" Jimmy squeaked in an equally scandalous tone, "Oh..." he whispered quietly when he finally found the source of Lilly's excitement.
There he was standing in all his golden glory, Oliver Queen, playboy billionaire, closet superhero Green Arrow and former love of Lois Lane's life.
He looked good, in fact he looked great, he had was even more toned than last time Clark had seen him, he's naturally tanned skin was darker than usual and his eye were brighter somehow, he looked… really happy. Clark winced slightly hoping Lois wasn't thinking the same thing.
Before anyone could comment further Ollie spotted the table and nodded warmly, he made his way over and Clark didn't miss the fact he was zeroing in on Lois.
Lois cleared her throat once Ollie had reached the table and shifted in her seat, as if readying herself for battle.
"Oliver Queen," Clark said rather cordially and instinctively placed his arm around the back of Lois' chair, which in guy world was the equivalent of a dog urinating on a fire hydrant, Ollie raised his eyebrows at the action.
"Clark Kent," Ollie used the same tone Clark had.
Cutting straight to the point he pointed at both Lois and Clark, "Are you two… on a date?"
"No way!" Lilly squeaked once again and her voice caused the entire table to jump, "Lois Lane and Clark Kent dating?! That's hilarious!" Lilly snorted and nearly shook the table with her fits of laughter.
"What's so ridiculous about that?" Clark snapped.
Lois tried to smother her smirk, "Where's Dinah?" She said teasingly hoping to change the subject.
"Oh she's in Italy... at least I think she is," Oliver said fixing his collar distractedly, "We don't keep in touch much these days."
"Oh" Lois said quietly, that wasn't answer she was expecting after reading all about the hot romance of 'Oliah' in the gossip columns.
"You look really good Lane." Oliver smiled charmingly at Lois and she felt her hardened resolve against him crumbling ever so slightly.
Clark, as if sensing Lois' unease, spoke up, "Well it was nice to see you Oliver. You should stop by the farm before you leave."
Oliver smiled at his sometimes-friend, understanding that Clark had finally cottoned on to his hidden feelings for the feisty brunette, "I'll definitely be doing that, I've got some 'business' ideas to run past you."
Clark gave him a warning look but couldn't help smiling as Oliver laughed and shook his head at the Boy Scout.
"Have a nice dinner guys." Oliver nodded at the entire table and moved towards his own table where a stunning red head was waiting patiently for him.
Lilly leaned conspiratorially towards the trio once he was out of earshot, "Oliah's broken up?! I bet the Planet can't wait to get that scoop hey Lois?!"
Clark nearly burst out laughing at the face Lois made as a reply.
"This is going to be a long night," Lois whispered and Clark could help but agree.
--
On the way back to the truck Lois couldn't stop squirming. Clark appeared deep in thought and she had no clue what was going through that handsome head of his.
'Did I call him handsome?' Lois cringed inwardly, 'Think brotherly thoughts Lane,' she begged herself.
All of a sudden Clark stopped completely and grabbed Lois' arm. He looked back at the road and after making sure no cars were coming he pulled Lois in the direction they had just come.
"Where are we going?" Lois said looking at him questioningly and then longingly behind them at his heated truck.
Clark smiled easily and trailed his arm to her warm hand, "Somewhere only we know."
After a moment of walking Lois finally realized where he had been leading her.
"You remember this place?" She fought to keep the smile from her face as they made their way up the Metropolis museum steps.
"Of course I do. You practically dragged me here the first time I came to visit you on your lunch break from the Planet."
"It's so beautiful," Lois sighed as she laid next to Clark in the museums private gardens. Her mother had taken her here as a little girl many times, the garden was hidden away at the back of the museum and hardly anyone knew it even existed, the garden always felt so mysterious to Lois and yet somehow comforting at the same time…strangely it was the same feeling she got being around Clark.
She couldn't quite understand it but she didn't need to in order to appreciate it.
Clark marvelled at the night sky it was a gorgeous shade of velvet blue, it was hard to believe that somewhere out there was his home planet Krypton he wondered if he'd ever find it.
"What are you thinking about?" Lois said and for the first time Clark felt as though she didn't actually know the answer. Lois had this uncanny ability to say the things Clark was feeling without ever knowing it.
"Home," He answered honestly.
Lois was quiet and Clark felt confident she wouldn't interrupt him if he rambled on so he continued, "I miss my dad, I miss Kara, I miss my mom, I wonder if they miss me."
"They do," Lois said immediately and confidently.
"Why are you so sure about that?"
"Because I miss you all the time… and I never go without seeing you for more than a few days!" Lois laughed softly it was a big contrast to her normal cackle, "I couldn't imagine not seeing you for that long and not miss you…" She trailed off.
Clark could see even in the moonlight that Lois was blushing. Her hand flew up to cool down her flushed cheeks. Before she had a chance to build up her infamous defensive wall Clark reached out and ran his warm fingers along her cheekbone, the heat from her blush coursed through every nerve in his body.
"I-I," Lois choked clearly nervous and Clark gained some confidence knowing he could affect her in such a way.
"You what?" He said leaning as close to her as he dared.
Lois' eyes fluttered shut and Clark took the invitation her body gave him, he was inches from her mouth when her eyes opened and for a second Clark wasn't sure if he should pull away or do what he had been dreaming about for the last few months.
Choosing his dreams, Clark closed his own eyes and covered her lips with his own, kissing Lois was everything he remembered it to be and so much more.
Lois murmured words Clark couldn't distinguish as they explored the crevices of each others mouths.
She tasted just like he remembered; peppermint and coffee beans. It was a bizarre mix that he normally wouldn't have found too appealing but somehow he found himself craving it ever since he'd kissed her in the alley last year.
--
The truck ride home was the quietest time Lois had ever spent with Clark. Normally he couldn't shut her up but tonight the air felt electric and she worried if she said the wrong thing the whole truck might ignite.
Clark himself had never felt more at ease. The peaceful silence between them was new but he was starting to appreciate just as much as their usual loud banter.
When they had finally made it too the farm Lois hadn't even realized he'd driven them their.
She looked over at him in confusion but he simply shrugged, "I figured you'd be out here in the morning anyway."
When Lois didn't move Clark quickly spoke again, "I'll stay in mom's room… you can have mine."
"Alright," Lois mumbled and smiled biting her lower lip as she slid out of the truck.
They both walked slowly towards the front door and when they were close enough to brush arms Clark's hand found its way to Lois'.
A place it would now call home.
"Your phone's ringing," Lois murmured snuggling her face closer to Clark's warm side.
Clark yawned and tried to rouse himself from the deep slumber he had fallen in. Last night they had decided to watch a movie on the couch and Lois hadn't lasted more than ten minutes before she was slumped over with drool on the face and Clark didn't have the heart to move her in case he woke her.
Lately she had been sleeping on less that four hours due to her work at the Planet, he hated that she ran herself ragged but trying to tell Lois to relax was like trying to tell a pit bull not to bark.
After slipping Lois' frame gently off his t-shirt clad chest Clark managed to catch the phone on the fifth ring.
"Hello?"
A rough voice barked immediately back at him, "Is this Kent? Clark Kent?"
"Uhh yeah. Who is this?" Clark said running a hand over his face.
"Perry White editor of the Daily Planet," said the voice and Clark realized that the voice did indeed sound familiar.
"Oh, hey Perry. If you're after my mom she's out of town at the moment."
Perry laughed and it crackled loudly into the receiver, "No, no. I'm calling for you Kent. I've just taken over things at the Planet and I came across your application for a cadetship. Your articles weren't half bad and I just fired someone for turning up late so there's a position available. How soon can you start?"
"Uhh I…" Clark stuttered nervously.
"C'mon Kent don't let me down here. I know your Pa would have wanted me to give you a chance and hell I really do need a new partner for one of my reporters, Lane something. I hear she's a handful so I hope you're up for the task."
Clark's face lit up like a Christmas tree and Lois raised her eyebrow at him as she passed him to make a coffee.
"I'll be there bright and early Monday morning. Thanks Perry."
Perry laughed once again, "Good I don't want to have to fire another employee in my first week. See you then Kent."
Lois wafted the boiling brown liquid around her nose and inhaled the gorgeous smell; she had been practically surviving on coffee ever since she landed the job at the Planet.
"That's so weird," Lois said after a moment of silence between the two of them.
"What's weird?" Clark replied still distracted by the call from Mr White.
"The new editor at the Planet's name is Perry," she took a sip of her coffee and shrugged, "It's not a common name that's all."
Clark did his best to keep a straight face but found it impossible.
"What?!" Lois barked putting down the coffee and after a second she finally caught on, "Are you telling me that was the Perry White, the Daily Planet chief editor was calling you personally on a Sunday?!"
If Clark didn't know Lois better he might have been offended when she let out a puff of annoyance. But he knew just how competitive she was; especially when she knew the competition was just as good as she was.
"I haven't even seen him yet and I'm the best reporter they have in the god damn bullpen!" she continued rambling mainly to herself.
Clark offered a coy smile, "He offered me a job…"
Lois smiled excitedly but before she could reply Clark spoke again.
"…as your partner." He finished and he couldn't have felt smugger when her mouth fell open and practically hit the kitchen floor.
"Looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together Lane." Clark said as he brushed past her to get a cup of his own.
"Oh joy," Lois deadpanned but Clark caught the sides of her mouth raise in a smile out of the corner of his eye and shook his head playfully.
Things were definitely going to get interesting in Metropolis and he wondered if it might finally be time to pull out the red and blue costume his mother had sent him last month.
Maybe it was time to be the hero his father always knew he could be and leave the past exactly where it belonged, behind him.
Alright that's it for me! Like i said i hope you liked it and i'll let your imaginations decide whether Lois and Clark hook up straight away when he comes to the Planet or if it takes a bit of time ;-) since i couldn't decide for myself lol and just ended it here.