Clark had just walked into the Isis Foundation, just as Chloe was packing her things to go see Jimmy at the hospital.

"Glad I caught you before you left." He said as he closed the door.

"Yeah, I just need to be back at the hospital before Jimmy wakes up." Chloe walked to the room full of monitors, Clark following behind.

"I wouldn't have asked." He replied.

"Heroes don't take holidays," They walked over to the LCD monitor while Chloe typed in some information to aid their search. "So from what I can hack it looks like our favorite Martian has been pulling profiles from a handful of officers from the 44 Precinct. You now I gotta say being at the mercy of modern technology really sucks!" Before Clark could say something, she continued. "I know, I know, I'm happy to be braniac free. But my flunk was really convenient."

"Just glad everything is back to normal."

"So it would seem…how are things now that Lana is back in your orbit?" she questioned.

Clark briefly glanced at Chloe. "It's not like that." Then looked the other way. "I think…"

Chloe continued to look at him. "Clark things always get messy when you start throwing around the Clark-Lana triangle, and I'm speaking from experience when I say the third point always hurts."

He looked confused for a moment. "I'm not trying to hurt anyone."

"How about Lois?" His eyebrows rose in surprise, there was a brief pause. "Yeah it's that obvious."

Clark walked away from Chloe towards the monitors. "Lois is so…" he didn't know what to finish his sentence with.

"Lois?" she answered for him.

He turned around, nodding. "Yeah," Pause. "Seeing Lana come back is like she never left. You can't stop loving someone like that right?" he asked.

"I understand the need for closure Clark, just promise you're not going to slam my cousin in the door." Clark once again stared at her with confusion. She wanted to do what she could to protect her cousin's heart. Eventually those baby blues had finally gotten to Lois as it had her in the past. She knew the way Lois was feeling right at this moment, she'd had years of experience on unrequited love.

The sound of Chloe's search on the monitors brought them back to the subject beforehand.

Clark tossed and turned in bed, he couldn't sleep, what Chloe said to him about hurting Lois played in his head now after it had been in the back burner all day. It had not been his intention to hurt her, but he remembered now when they were at the hospital the look in her eyes, not only was it from Chloe getting kidnapped and Jimmy's almost fatal injuries, but also how she felt about him, they had almost kissed, but Lana had showed up and he all but forgot about their almost moment.

Then he remembered what Danny had told him. Danny was a cop who had been a little misguided by his colleagues but had found his way in the end with Clark's help. Clark had gone back to see him, he asked Danny how it worked, being a cop and having a family. His answer, simple, 'You just can't lose sight of the people you're trying to protect you know, it be harder not doing it. I do what I do just to keep them safe. What about you Clark? You got someone who makes it worth it?'

He thought about it for a moment, yeah he did. He realized it wasn't Lana Lang anymore that made him feel like he could do anything he set his mind to. No, it was Lois Lane who had been there by his side throughout all his ups and downs since the day they met, even if she wasn't in on his secret, there was just this way that only she understood and saw right through him. He had stopped loving Lana that way, he realized, his heart now belonged to Lois.

Lois had feelings for him, he knew that, but all he did was ignore them, maybe just to protect his own heart from all the harm done in the past. Except for that one brief moment at Chloe and Jimmy's wedding, he was opening it up, just as that had happened, Lana had showed up and confusion had shown its face again. He needed to talk things over with Lana on where they stood, they had briefly talked about it at the reception but were interrupted by the beast that took Chloe that night. Now would be better time to get this done and over with, he wanted to go see Lois as soon as possible. He would always love Lana, but that was now in the past, she would always be his first love, but not his true love. After Lana had left he felt broken, so many years they had tried to be happy, only to have it taken away. After Ollie and the others found him he didn't try looking for her, she didn't want to be found, he was going to give her up once and for all even though it broke his heart, it would of broken more if he tried to no avail.

What was the point in trying to bring back the past, when they had changed from what they where back then, Lana wasn't that innocent girl next door anymore and he…well he didn't mope around so much anymore, he was off the farm working for the Daily Planet, thanks to that application one Lois Lane gave him. He had started to really embrace his destiny, helping people and becoming a symbol of hope for them.

Walking into the Talon, he saw Lana busy on the espresso. He stood there for a moment reminded of a time long ago. "If I squint just right, it's like we're fourteen again."

She turned around at the sound of his voice. "You say that like it's a good thing. What's up?"

He walked forward. "I couldn't sleep."

She leaned on the counter top, mug in hand. "So you came to a coffee shop? Not your best plan mister Kent." She smiled.

"Lana I know you had reasons for coming back, why are you staying?" he asked finally reached the counter.

Looking him up in the eye she replied. "Leaving is harder than I thought it would be. But like I said, I don't know how long I'll be here"

"Whether you leave here in ten years or tomorrow, the important thing is you're here today."

She walked around the counter. "I guess, but what's the real reason you're here at this hour for which you say you couldn't sleep?"

"I wanted to finish our conversation."

"Clar-."

"Look Lana I'm glad your back, but ever since you left things in my life have changed. You left this hole in my heart, and I thought I'd never get over it. But I had friends around to help me through it and kept myself busy embracing my destiny, to help others with my abilities, and working as a reporter uncovering the truth." There was a pause before he continued.

"And over all this time, unconsciously I developed feelings for someone else. We got so much closer and I tried denying how I felt about her, I didn't want what happened to us to repeat itself, and so I just tucked away what I felt. But all I ended up doing was pushing her away, the last thing I wanted to do."

Lana understood now what he came here for. He wanted closure with her before he completely moved on, which had happened in her absence. She tried her best to conceal the sadness in her eyes.

"I'll always love you, you know."

"I know." He replied. "I'll always love you too, but now only as a friend. I realized that I'm in love with someone else."

"Lois." It wasn't a question, but a confirmation.

"How did y-" his question was interrupted.

"Clark, it was only a matter of time. Wasn't it obvious?" she chuckled still trying to cover her sorrow. It was too late to get him back, his heart didn't belong to her anymore.

Clark smiled back at her. "I guess you're right. It seems the person I needed all along was right in front of me, and I didn't notice."

"I believe since you met Lois you had some kind of connection with her, I noticed it after I came from Paris and ran into you in the caves." She admitted. She too had seen it, but always pushed the thought back in her head, Clark had only had eyes for her at the time.

He took a moment to think about it. 'The best ones start that way'

"Thank you." He hugged her. She took in the feeling of his arms around her, his scent, his warmth, she would miss it; the next time they would hug would be different. They separated a moment to look at each other, she took her hand up to his cheek for one last kiss. As soon as it started it ended, and they broke apart from the embrace.

"I'll see you." He smiled.

"Yeah. Good luck." She said. He speed off leaving her standing in the empty coffee shop looking out the entrance as quiet tears streamed down her cheeks. No they definitely weren't fourteen years old anymore.

Lois had been staying in Star City since Ollie had Jimmy transferred to the hospital there. She had said she was going to stay there until Chloe was found. Well Chloe had been found, but Lois hadn't returned. She had talked to Clark via phone three times, the first to find out any information on Chloe's whereabouts, the other that he had found Chloe, and third that she would be returning in a week, other than that they communicated by e-mail.

She could have been returning home the next day, Chloe had come that afternoon to the hospital to stay to care for her husband, Lois was relieved of her duties and could go home already but she wasn't ready to face Clark and…Lana. Maybe Ollie had been wrong about Clark needing her; it didn't feel like he did, especially since 'the love of his life' was back. 'What were you thinking Lane? That he was over her and would fall into your waiting arms.' She told herself. 'Good one Lois.' Well once she got back, she would ignore what almost happened as she knew Clark would probably do, just like he did when, they had been kidnapped by that crazed jeweler with the lie detector. 'Yeah, he'll just sweep it under the rug now that he's back with her.' She thought to herself.

There would be no point in pursuing anything with him. She saw how tentative to Lana Clark had been after that beast had taken Chloe. 'He had never even gotten close to getting over her.' Thinking about Clark was only going to give her a headache so she turned on the television to distract her from her thoughts, only to fall asleep later to dream of Clark.

Speeding out of the Talon Clark stopped in Star City. He took a moment to channel all the sounds around him with his hearing listening for Lois' heartbeat. He knew she probably would be sleeping, but he couldn't wait until morning to tell her how stupid he'd been. He found her heartbeat, it was a steady beat, she was sleeping, he heard her sigh his name.

He speed away to the door of her hotel room and knocked. Nothing. He knocked again a little louder this time. He used his x-ray vision to see if she was getting up, she had put the pillow over her head. He knocked again. She looked at the clock on the side table, "Who the hell is banging at the door at this time." Finally she fumbled out of her covers and turned off the television as she walked out of the bedroom toward the front door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Clark." Maybe something had happened to Jimmy or Chloe. She opened the door.

"Clark what happened?"

"Nothing, calm down. I just came to talk to you."

"What? At two o'clock in the morning? You couldn't pick a better time Smallville." Maybe he should have waited until later in the morning to show up, she was being grouchy.

"Can I come in?" he was still in the hallway.

"Yeah come in." she let go of the door walking to the couch, leaving Clark to close the door behind him as he came in. "She turned around to face him. "So what to what do I owe this nocturnal visit? I thought you'd be busy with other…things." The meaning of the words didn't go unnoticed by Clark.

"What almost happened." He didn't need to add anything else, she knew what he was referring to.

"Clark you came all the way to talk about that? Look it's fine why don't we table this whole office thrown together in the trenches sparks thing. You know pretend it never happened."

"Lois."

"Going back to working at the Planet, you getting back with Lana…"

"Lois?"

She continued rambling. "…Because I'm fine, so you should be-"

Getting tired of trying to get a word in he shouted her name. "Lois!"

"What!" she shouted back.

"Just hear me out. And after that, it's your choice. I'm not leaving until I'm finished."

"Fine." She agreed reluctantly. They both sat on the couch.

"Thank you. I talked to Lana. Her coming back was a good thing."

'Where is this going?" she thought.

"It put a lot of things in perspective for me. How I've been feeling lately scared me in the beginning, but now I've come to open up on those feelings I tried to hide." He paused to look at her and took her hands in his. Lois was a bit surprised at the gesture. Was he here to tell her what she'd only dream he would ever do. His blue eyes looked into her hopeful hazels, almost the way she had looked at him when they were about to kiss, she looked so beautiful in her messy ponytail, red tank top and grey sweats. He smiled at her before he continued.

"Lana was what any guy wished for, the pretty, sweet, nice, and smart girl next door, the perfect girl you could see making a life with. And she was, but as the years passed and all that we went through, Lana wasn't that girl I knew back then, I know people change but the way she changed maybe it was those times I pushed her away or after she married Lex that something in her changed. I was happy when we got back together after she divorced him, we could finally start our life together. But even then we kept secrets from the other, sometimes I don't even think I knew her as well as I thought I did. " he paused briefly.

"Go on." She gave his hands a squeeze.

"After she left you were there to help me pick up the pieces, you, Chloe, and Jimmy, I'm so glad I have you guys as my friends. Specially you Lois." She looked down at her hands still holding his, was she blushing. Lois Lane did not blush, but when it came to Clark Kent a lot of things she didn't normally do she did.

She looked at him again. "I thought she was who I wanted, who I needed, but I come to realize that that somebody that I could have used was you. The one person who has always kept me on my toes and didn't let me take a breather, never made me feel sorry for myself when I felt down. You've made my life exhilarating, everyday is different with you, you make me feel like I don't have to hide myself from you. You're bossy, abrasive, lou-"

"Those are my good qualities," She smirked. Clark gave her a look for interrupting.

"Sorry. Go on."

"You're loud, caring, intelligent, beautiful, sexy…" he blushed. "A person that would do anything for those she cares and loves, the taste of wild cherry I needed after just having played safe with vanilla." He said reminding her of the reference she had made not to long ago.

"What I'm trying to tell you Lois is that I'm falling for you. And I'm sorry for hurting you the way I did. It was never my intention. I just hope you can give me the chance to show you. I'm putting my feelings out here so you don't have to question how I feel about you. Lois?"

She was silent, Lois Lane silent, that usually wasn't a good thing. "Lois? Say something, you're making me nervous," She let go of his hands. Was he too late? Had she decided to deny her feelings for him because of what he didn't want to see from the beginning?

He did feel something for her, he loved her the way she loved him. Ollie was right then, Clark did need her. She noticed him staring at her, a confused look on his face. She must of dosed off thinking about what he had just said, not hearing him call out her name. Composing herself she let go of his hands.

"Smallville, you dummy I thought you'd never figure it out." Before he could reply she grabbed him by the sides of his face and kissed him. Surprise left him as soon as he realized what Lois was doing.

He put his arms around her waist to draw her in closer while her fingers started weaving into his dark locks. Lois let out a moan as his tongue slid against her own. He soon followed with his own moan as she then softly bit his bottom lip. They both ignored the lack of oxygen before it was too much.

They leaned their foreheads against each other. "I'm glad I finally did."

"I swear sometimes I wanted to hit you on the head with a brick or something." She replied breathlessly a smirk playing on her lips, while Clark had an amused smile on his.

Before she continued on he kissed her again. This time things got heavier as Lois pushed him, his back against the couch as she rose up on the couch to straddle him. He held her at the hips feeling the soft skin there, while she slid her hands under his shirt to feel his smooth ripped chest. "May-be-we-sho-uld-sl-ow-do-wnnnn." The last part came out of his mouth as a moan, when Lois moved to his neck right below his ear. "may-be." She replied, he could tell by her tone she had some sort of devilish smile on her face.

As much as he liked what they were doing, they had to stop, he still had to tell her about himself, he planned to tell her that too, now was a good time, before things moved further. He pulled her away just enough to look at her. "There's something else I need to tell you, this may have been one of the reasons Lana and I didn't work in the end, my secret." He said earnestly.

She looked down at his chest following the trail of her finger up his chest to cup the side of his cheek, her eyes meeting his. "You mean the secret that you're the Red Blue Blur?"

"Lois?"

"Smallville I'm a reporter. I admit I didn't put the pieces together right away, and I had known you for years. But I did end up putting it together all those times you disappeared in seconds when I had barely turned away, or when I would get myself in a couple of situatio-."

"A couple?"

"Yes a couple." Clark rolled his eyes, as Lois smacked his arm. "That I couldn't get out of myself. Plus the primary colors pretty much gave it away, your signature colors. Look, I don't care what you are Smallville meteor infected or even if you were an alien from another planet I still love you." She then kissed his forehead. Just then it hit her, she had said she loved him, she had just let it slip. Unsure she looked at his eyes again.

She loved him? He'd known he for so long and now came the realization that he did to, somehow he always had.

"Clark-"

"I love you too," He smiled. "And Lois I'm not meteor infected, I'm an alien from a planet called Krypton, but I prefer being called an intergalactic traveler." Once again she didn't say anything, just kissed him again. Even though she had energy minutes before fatigue now took over. She got up taking his hand in hers leading him to the bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"I want to get comfortable, then you can tell me all about you intergalactic travels."

Clark frowned. "I don't have anything to sleep in." she stopped walking, turning around.

"You can always sleep naked." He could see the amusement playing in her eyes.

"What!"

"I'm kidding. Not that I wouldn't mind."

"Lois!"

"Come on Boy Scout." Lois got under the covers as Clark removed his shoes and joined her. She snuggled up against him, and gave him a kiss on the lips before putting her back down on his chest.

"I love you. I never thought I'd love someone again but you've proven me wrong Lois Lane. I love you." He gave her a tender kiss.

"One save at a time Smallville. Now I'd like to hear about how you got here, wait have you thought about having a costume when you're out and about, cause I have some ideas."

"What!" he asked, not sure what ideas Lois had in mind. To distract her from that he idea for now, he continued. "Maybe I should tell you about Krypton first, then we'll get to it later. How about that? One question at a time Lo."

"I like that."

"Like what?"

"How it sounds when you call me Lo. You should say it more often."

"Sounds good, Lo." They shared another kiss. "Now where was I…"

For the next hour Clark told her about Krypton, how the planet had exploded, his parents sending him to Earth. While he continued he noticed Lois' steady breathing, she had fallen asleep. He swept some bangs off her face and kissed her forehead, he'd tell her everything else when she woke up. He knew things wouldn't always go smoothly, she was a force to be reckoned with, he wasn't going to give up his chance to be happy with Lois, he wouldn't let her go this time, he would need her like nothing he ever needed before.

THE END