Enjoy the Couch, Smallville

Summary: (Continuations of Season 6 premier storyline) Lois confronts Martha about the plane crash.

"Mrs. Kent, this really isn't necessary."

Martha looked up at Lois, defiantly tucking the last corner of the sheet in between the couch cushion. "Are you serious? Lois, you're leg's broken in several places, not to mention all the other bruises that won't heal anytime soon."

"As much as I love staying at Hotel Kent…" Lois protested, shifting her weight on her crutches. "…I don't think Clark will appreciate it."

Martha raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about taking over Clark's bed?"

"I don't know, but we were getting along so well in the hospital…" Lois shrugged. "But if you tell him this, I'll deny everything."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Martha laughed, draping a light blanket over the sheets.

Lois shot an apprehensive glance back at the stairs. "Okay, it's not just Clark. I-I'm in a cast, Mrs. Kent. What if I can't…I mean, I've always been able to…"

"That's perfectly all right. Stay down here as long as you need to," Martha offered. "I'm sure Clark won't mind."

Lois sighed with relief. "Thanks."

"No problem." Finished making the bed, Martha headed into the kitchen. "Why don't you watch TV for a while? Dinner's almost ready, and Clark should be home soon."

Lois let out a deep breath. It's now or never, she thought. "Um, Mrs. Kent?"

"Yes?"

"Can I…talk to you for a minute?"

Martha turned around at Lois' serious tone. "Lois, is everything all right?"

"Not really…" With some effort, Lois manage to sit on the couch and prop her leg on the coffee table. "I keep flashing back to the plane crash."

Martha froze. "W-what?"

"Yeah…being in that crystal palace thing…hearing that voice…" Lois shook her head.

"You had just been in a plane crash. You were hallucinating," Martha lied, sitting next to her on the couch.

Lois sighed. "That's what Clark said. And I believed him at first. But then I racked my brain and remembered a few more things."

"L-like what?" Martha stammered, feeling a little uneasy.

Noting Martha's unusual manner, Lois asked, "Mrs. Kent, you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. So, you're getting your memory back?" Martha replied, ordering herself to be more composed.

"It was…surreal," Lois began. "You dragged me out of the plane, then we were in that crystal palace. But you somehow knew what it was, and there was this booming voice. And you talked to it, like you knew it from somewhere. And then…you agreed to kill Lex, and there was this massive burst of light. Next thing I know, I'm in my hospital bed."

Martha wasn't sure what to say to that. Everything Lois remembered actually happened, but Martha couldn't let her know that. "Come on. Me, agree to kill someone?"

"I know, it's crazy. But that's what I remember," Lois insisted.

Racking her brain for a response, Martha finally replied, "Lois, you must have been dreaming. You were unconscious, and badly hurt. It's understandable that you might think something is real when it's just a figment of your imagination. You've probably been watching too many science fiction movies with Chloe."

Lois stared at her for a long moment. "Yeah, I guess that's what I'll have to believe. But that still doesn't explain how we got back to civilization."

"I woke up, thank goodness, and radioed for help," Martha explained. It's not a total lie, she consoled herself. I did try to use the radio. "Fortunately, someone heard us and took us to the nearest hospital. You were still unconscious, and didn't wake up until we got back to Smallville." Okay, that was a lie.

"I was unconscious for that long? Really?" Lois questioned, still for some reason not entirely believing the story.

Covering her tracks, Martha added, "Well, not the whole time. Your sort of, drifted in and out of consciousness. The doctors gave you some drugs to relieve the pain."

"That makes sense, I guess. But…"

"But what?"

Lois gave Martha a meaningful once over, then pointed to her cast. "How come I broke my leg and have too many bruises to count, and you look like…you weren't even in a plane crash?"

"Oh…" Martha trailed off, trying to think of a reasonable explanation. Jor-el had healed her completely when he transported the two back to Smallville, to prepare her for her battle with Zod. But she couldn't tell Lois that. "I-I…well, I wasn't hurt too badly. Amazingly enough, I just got a bad concussion, and a few nasty scratches here and there. The doctors treated me while you were in surgery."

"Well, I'm glad you weren't hurt that much…" Lois replied, resigned to the fact that she'd have to believe everything she was told, for lack of a better explanation.

Holding back what would have been a giant-sized sigh of relief, Martha got up. "Thanks. Can we just put this all behind us?"

Lois had a million more questions, but only gave Martha a reassuring smile. "Sure. And, Mrs. Kent? I want to…thank you, you know, for saving my life and all."

"Any time," Martha responded, guilt building up inside. "But, if you think about it, you wouldn't even have been on that plane if it wasn't for me, so let's call it even." When Lois nodded, Martha nearly ran into the kitchen.

Once there, Martha let out the breath that she didn't even know she had been holding. Massaging her head in anticipation of the growing headache, she poured herself a glass of water and downed it in a few gulps. She hated lying, especially to someone she had shared a near-death experience with.

"Hey Mom," Clark greeted, coming in through the kitchen door. When his mother almost jumped out of her skin, he put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Martha stammered, putting the empty glass in the sink. "It's just, well, while I was making up the couch…" At Clark's groan, she assured him, "Don't worry. With her cast, Lois is going to sleep in the living room for a few days."

"Yes! I get to sleep in my own bed!" Clark cheered.

Martha laughed, but once again became serious. "Clark…she remembers. Everything. Being in the Fortress, me talking to Zod…"

"What did you tell her?" Clark asked, also becoming worried.

Martha sighed. "I think I managed to convince her she was dreaming, and that someone picked up our radio signal and rescued us. I'm pretty sure, though, that she's only believing me because she has to."

"Good cover," Clark replied. "Where's the curious patient now?"

"Watching TV in the living room," Martha answered.

Clark headed into the living room, pausing at the doorway. Lois was struggling to get comfortable, flipping through the channels. "You're back."

"And I can see you're bursting with excitement," Lois deadpanned.

Ignoring that, Clark sat next to her on the couch. "Mom just told me you two had a conversation?"

"I didn't mean to interrogate her or anything," Lois defended. "I just wanted some answers. I am related to Chloe, after all."

Clark chuckled. "I guess I can't blame you for that."

"No, you can't. So, if you'll notice, I'm letting you keep your bed," Lois smirked, purposely changing the subject. "See how gracious I am?"

"I'm forever thankful," Clark retorted.

Lois grinned, in the mood to pick a fight. "Hey, you should be. I could've reclaimed your bed. I just chose not to."

"That's very considerate of you, especially since you're in my house," Clark reminded her.

Lois folded her arms. "No, it's your mom's house, and she said I can stay as long as I want."

"I doubt she said that," Clark replied, more out of wishful thinking than belief.

"She did."

"Did not."

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did n-"

"Children!" Martha interrupted. Both Lois and Clark immediately stopped, hanging their heads in embarrassment. Smirking, Martha informed them, "Dinner's ready, so when you stop acting like five-year-olds you can come into the dining room."

"Sorry Mom."

"Yeah, sorry Mrs. Kent."

"It's all right, just try to get along," Martha pleaded. She was about to go back into the kitchen, when she saw Lois struggling to get off the couch. "Oh, Lois, if you want you can eat in here for now."

Lois struggled to her feet, using her crutches to limp past the Kents. "Nope, I'm fine. Never been better. In fact, enjoy the couch, Smallville – I think I might be able to force myself up the stairs after all."

Martha tried not to laugh while her son groaned as he followed Lois into the dining room.