A/N: Happy Early Mother's Day everyone! I know Mother's day isn't until Sunday, but I'm working all week and I won't have time to post this then...I hope you enjoy. This story takes place in Season 4. I thought I'd do a little vintage Clois. This is a One-Shot.

Mother's Day Cards

"So, you're leaving tonight?" Clark folded his hands across his chest, watching her with skeptical eyes.

Lois smirked. "Yeah, why? You gonna miss me, Clarkie?" The dirty blonde asked cramming some last minute items into her already overflowing backpack. Leaning against his bed, behind her, were two more suitcases filled to the brim.

"Actually, I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed again." He replied, dryly.

"Don't get too comfortable Smallville," Lois said, "I'll be back on Sunday and I expect everything to be exactly where I left it. No rifling through my underwear drawer."

"You have three bags of luggage and you're only going to be gone for two days!" Clark cocked an eyebrow at her, as the corner of his mouth turned upward.

Lois rolled her eyes and pinned him with a glower. "I believe in always being prepared." She defended, hoisting the book bag over her shoulder shoving past him. However, since the bag was so bulky the zipper hadn't been able to shut all the way and in her hurry to escape The Bane of Her Existence, something fell out of the gap and fluttered gracefully to the floor.

Clark bent down and picked the colorful piece of paper up off the ground. It was a card- a homemade card. It had been colored with crayons and saturated in glitter and abused with bright red and pink heart stickers. In the middle in large, block, sparkling letters it read "Happy Mother's Day!" with this years date.

Clark was barely able to stifle his chuckles. "Wow, Lois, I never knew you were so-" he chose his next adjective very carefully, "artistic."

The farm boy was just about to take a peek inside when Lois dropped her bag unceremoniously, marched toward him and snatched the paper from his grasp, glaring daggers. "Well, we all have our hidden talents Clark. Maybe one day you'll find some thing your good at besides tractor pulling and brooding."

Clark let the zinger bounce off of him. "I'm sorry Lois, really, it's nice of you to make my mom a Mother's Day card-"

"I didn't make it for her!" Lois interjected, rudely. Then quickly back tracked. "I mean, I did get your mom something for Mother's Day obviously- just not this." She started looking everywhere but at him, fidgeting nervously, unable to stand still.

Clark knew that stance, very well. She was uncomfortable. And whenever Lois Lane felt uneasy- she usually started babbling to cover it up.

"So who is the card for?" Clark asked, curiously. Prompting the floodgate to open- and open they did.

"My mom, OK?"

Clark furrowed his brows, "Uh, Lois? Isn't your mom-"

"Yes. Clark, my mother is- gone," Lois sighed, exasperatedly. Like she didn't want to explain anything to him, but couldn't help herself. "Look, mom died around Mother's Day- and I never got to give her the card I made. So every year I make a trip to her grave and leave her a mother's day card."

Clark could only stare at her. How was it that every time he thought he had her pegged she turned around and did something to completely knock him off balance?

"Really?" He inquired, incredulously. Lois gave him a look and his blue/green orbs expanded to the size of saucers as he tried to dislodge the rather large foot from his mouth. "Uh- What I meant was- I- uh- I, well- Lois-"

"Stop." The army brat put a hand up to halt his bumbling apology. "I know it's kind of- stupid-"

"No!" Clark interjected a little to quickly. "I mean it's not stupid." He assured her sincerely. "I just never pictured you as-"

"The sentimental type?" She finished his thought, with a shrug.

"Yeah. It just took me by surprise that's all."

"Well, that's what I'm here for Smallville- to keep you on your toes," she winked. And Clark couldn't help but shake his head while a smile flirted with his mouth. She lifted her backpack over her shoulder once again and turned to leave.

"I just have one question."

Lois paused at the door and looked over her shoulder, "what?"

"Why all the glitter?"

Lois shifted the heavy pack, awkwardly. "I, uh kind of smudged the paper and I tried to fix it, but ended up making it worse so I covered it with- glitter."

Clark's lips were pressed tightly together while he tried to hold in his laughter. Lois wasn't amused; she rolled her eyes and turned toward the door to leave.

"Hey, What about your other bags?" Clark called after her.

Lois smiled sweetly at him over her shoulder- too sweetly. "Thank you so much for volunteering to put the rest of my luggage in the car, Smallville."

"What? I never-"

"Hurry up! I've got to get on the road by eleven. Chop! Chop!"

"Lois? I'm not going to- Lois!" But his cries of protest fell on deaf ears, because the Lois was already half way down the stairs. Begrudgingly, Clark spun around and grabbed the two pieces of over stuffed nylon. How did he always get himself into these things?

As he made his way down the stairs and out the front door he reminded himself over and over again that Lois was leaving and he'd have two banter, insult free days to look forward to. Two days that he wouldn't have to take cold showers or wait to use the phone. Two, days where Lois wouldn't pop up in his loft unexpectedly just to irritate him. Two days of not having to listen to her Whitesnake sing-a-long jamborees while she got ready in the morning.

The house would be quiet and peaceful and- empty. Clark wondered why suddenly the idea of Lois leaving made him frown.

END

A/N: Once again Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there! I hope you have a wonderful week!