Title: The Night Before Christmas
Author: Genny
Pairing: Clois
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Everything up to the engagement in "Icarus".
Summary: This is a one-shot Christmas gift I made for LucyLaneClarkKent4vr over at Kryptonsite for this year's Clois Christmas Gift Exchange, nothing fancy, but it's cute. Clark and Lois spend Christmas Eve together at the farm in Smallville after their engagement party and give each other their gifts. Merry Christmas.
Lois rolled over onto her side, her hand searching the bed beside her for the familiar masculine form. Her eyes suddenly flew open as she realized something was missing. "Smallville?" She asked as she sat up and looked around the room. No reply. "Clark?" She asked again as she got out of bed and pulled Clark's pyjama shirt on.
She quickly stretched with a yawn then left the room to head downstairs to the kitchen to see what had happened to Clark. "If you aren't out saving someone and I'm getting out of bed for nothing, I swear Smallville, the darkness will be the least of your problems."
Lois stopped in surprise when she reached the kitchen. "Clark," she sighed when she saw the breakfast he had clearly been preparing, but the question was where was he? It looked as if everything had just been dropped. The radio was still on, the eggs were still in the pan, the juice was left on the counter but Clark was nowhere in sight.
"A fire was just put out by The Blur," the broadcaster said over the radio.
"Way to go, Smallville," Lois smiled as a sudden gust blew her hair from behind.
"You're up," Clark said as Lois turned to him with a smile.
"It was hard to sleep when you weren't there," Lois shrugged.
"I'm sorry, I was going to let you sleep in," Clark said as he wrapped his arms around Lois waist. "I wanted to spend a quiet, simple day here with you and do nothing. It is Christmas Eve."
Lois smiled as she put her arms around Clark's neck. "I love you. And saving the world is what you do. Obviously there are times when I'm going to have to come second, I knew that when I agreed to marry you."
"Lois, I already told you, you will never come second to me as long as we stay together."
"I know you said that and I'm glad you feel that way, but I would never want you to choose me over the world."
Clark smiled at his fiancé. "Lois Lane, how did I ever find you," he asked.
"Well, as I remember it, it was me who found you and you were naked in a cornfield," Lois smiled and gave Clark a suggestive look as she bit her bottom lip.
"I think you should go get dressed -" Clark began.
"You know you could come help me," Lois said looking at Clark's mouth as he smiled in thought.
"As tempting as that is, I'll stay here and finish your breakfast."
"Oh come on, Smallville. I know you want to."
"Which is exactly why I have to stay here," Clark replied. "If I go upstairs with you I doubt we'll leave."
"Is that necessarily a bad thing?"
"Never," Clark said then stepped back from Lois. "But today, I'm going to stay here."
"No fun," Lois said turning away from Clark and walking to the stairs.
Clark watched with a smile as Lois walked up the stairs and stopped when she reached the top. Lois looked back over with a smile and a wink before she headed to the bedroom. "Lois Lane, you are my weakness," Clark whispered to himself as he turned back to the food he had been preparing.
"So, exactly why did you want me to get dressed, Smallville? We could have just spent the day in bed," Lois commented. "Oh, and have you seen my engagement ring? I put it on the nightstand last night right before we... well you know, you were there. Anyway it's not there now. Have you seen it?" Lois asked with no response. "Smallville?" She asked in confusion as she entered the kitchen and spotted a plate with her breakfast sitting on the table and a note sitting beside it. "Guess the world needed saving," Lois smiled as she sat down and picked up the note.
"There was a situation I needed to take care of, it shouldn't take long. Finish breakfast and meet me outside in half an hour. Make sure you dress for the weather. I love you. - Clark"
Lois smiled to herself as she set the note back down on the table and looked at what Clark had left, her favourite breakfast. Clark knew her so well. Then her face lit up when she saw her favourite thing, a cup of coffee. "You thought of everything," she whispered as she picked up the coffee and took a sip. "And just how I like it," She smiled.
Lois checked the time then took out her cell phone and made a quick call to Martha to make sure her Christmas gift for Clark was in order.
Lois walked out onto the porch and wrapped her scarf around her neck as she looked around for Clark, but there was no sign that he was back. Usually he didn't take this long when dealing with a situation and saving people.
"Clark?" Lois called.
"I'm right here, Lois," Clark announced as he walked around the side of the yellow farmhouse.
"A horse drawn sleigh?" Lois asked as she raised an eyebrow in confusion as she saw Clark leading two horses
"I know its a little clichéd and old fashioned and that's not Lois Lane's style, but I thought maybe we could take a ride around the farm and have a picnic in the west field," Clark stated and watched Lois for her reaction.
"Huh," Lois nodded in thought. "That sounds nice," she finally smiled. "Can we make a snowman?"
"Sure?" Clark said in confusion as he took Lois' hand and helped her up into the sleigh then climbed up behind her.
"I know, it seems like a weird thing to ask to do, but I've always wanted to make a snowman with the man I love on Christmas Eve. My mom told me a story when I was little about the first Christmas her and my dad spent together. They made a snowman on Christmas Eve, and I've always wanted to do it with the person I love because it sounded so simple and romantic. And well, I love you, so..."
"A snowman it is. Anything you want, Lois," Clark smiled. "This is part of my gift to you."
"That's sweet," Lois responded then paused before speaking again. "Does that mean you didn't actually get me anything though?"
"Alright, he needs something to finish him," Clark stated as he finished the face of his and Lois' snowman. "There," Clark said as he took off his scarf and wrapped it around the snowman's neck.
"Clark," Lois called.
"Yes, Lois?" Clark asked turning around as Lois threw a snowball at him.
"Hey," Clark said as Lois threw another. "Oh, is it a war you want?" Clark asked as Lois smiled and threw yet another snowball which broke on Clark's shoulder. "Alright, a war it is," Clark said scooping up a handful of snow and throwing it at Lois who ran around the snowman for cover.
Clark smiled as he picked up more snow and began to chase Lois. The two ran and laughed as they played in the fresh snow. Clark couldn't explain it. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, he was The Blur, yet it this woman who could make everything else fade away. Lois Lane was the one person who could make him forget the pressures of being a hero and make him feel like he was an ordinary man even though he was from galaxies away. She was his connection to humanity.
"Come on, Smallville! You're being beaten by a girl," Lois said ducking behind the sleigh as Clark threw another clump of snow at her. "I thought you were a superhero?" Lois asked, poking her head up over the sleigh to look at Clark.
"You want me to be super? I can be super," Clark said dropping the snowballs he had made.
Before Lois could move, Clark had sped over to her and scooped her up in his arms.
"How is that?" Clark asked as he held Lois.
"Oh, you're super alright," Lois smiled giving Clark the flirty look she only gave him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Do you give up?" Clark smiled.
"Depends."
"Really?" Clark asked. "Surrender and admit that I beat you or I'll drop you in the snow."
"You wouldn't," Lois challenged.
"Wouldn't I?" Clark asked as he let Lois drop then caught her just before she hit the snow.
"Honey, if you drop me in the snow I will make sure you get exactly what you deserve," Lois threatened.
"And how will you do that? I'm faster than you," Clark replied.
"Only because you're from another planet."
"Admit it, Lois, you've been beaten. Surrender and I won't drop you, refuse and..."
"Lois Lane does not surrender," Lois said in a defiant tone.
"Fine," Clark said dropping Lois.
"Smallville!" Lois shouted as she jumped back to her feet and ran after Clark who laughed at his fiancé and kept speeding away from her.
"What's wrong, Lois. Can't admit that you've been beaten?" Clark asked as he stopped and looked at Lois.
"When I've actually been beaten I'll admit it," Lois retorted. "We should get back to the farm. Someone needs to feed Shelby."
"You're giving up that easy?" Clark asked.
"I'm not giving up, but it's a truce for now."
"A truce?"
"Yeah," Lois said. "A truce, you know, a cease-fire for the time being."
"I know what a truce is. I just have a hard time believing you would call one."
"Well I am, so a truce?" Lois asked.
"Alright," Clark sceptically agreed as he walked to the blanket sitting on the snow and started to put the things from their picnic back in the basket and laid it in the sleigh. "Are you ready to go?" Clark asked as he turned and looked back to Lois who was running at him full speed. "Whoa!" Clark said as Lois leapt on him and knocked him flat on his back in the snow.
"And now the playing field has been levelled," Lois stated as she smiled down at Clark.
"It has," Clark smiled as he gently stroked Lois' hair and cheek.
"I win," Lois declared.
"You win?" Clark asked.
"Thanks for finally admitting it," Lois gloated. "Let's get going."
"Okay," Clark laughed. "Let's get going. I wouldn't want you to catch cold."
"Well, we both know you could always warm me up," Lois smiled suggestively as she placed her left hand on Clark's chest to push herself up as Clark took her hand and held her for a minute. Clark's brow drew together as he looked at Lois hand then back to her face. "Where's your ring?"
"Back at the farm... I think."
"You think?"
"I put it on the nightstand last night before we went to bed and when I got up this morning it was gone. Maybe we knocked it behind the bed or something last night."
"I'll help you find it when we get back," Clark smiled as he wrapped his left arm around Lois' waist, grabbed the side of the sleigh with his right hand and pulled himself and Lois up. Lois looked up at Clark with a smile.
"Thanks, Smallville. Let's go," She said turning from Clark and climbing into the sleigh. "Come on honey," she said patting the seat next to her.
"Coming dear," Clark replied as he got in the sleigh behind her and the two set off back toward the farm.
"Are you sure you dropped it down here?" Clark asked as he looked behind the bed.
"Yes, it has to be there. I don't know where else it could be."
"Maybe it's in the living room."
"The living room?" Lois asked. "Why would I have it in the living room?"
"Well," Clark smiled. "We were down there for a little while last night."
"We were," Lois stated a she thought about the night before with a smile. "Alright, let's go look downstairs," she said as she and Clark headed downstairs to the living room.
"You coffee table and check around the couch," Clark said once they reached the living room.
"Alright," Lois said as she looked through the papers she and Clark had left on the table while working on their story for The Planet last night and Clark turned toward the couch.
Clark glanced over his shoulder to make sure Lois wasn't paying attention to him then he pulled the ring out of his pocket.
"Lois, I found it," Clark said as he read the inscription he had had engraved on the band.
"You did?" Lois turned to Clark with a smile as he held the ring out to her.
Lois took the ring from Clark and was about to slip it back on her finger but suddenly stopped when she noticed the inscription. "It wasn't missing," Lois stated as she smiled at Clark.
"No. I took and had it inscribed. It's part of my Christmas present to you."
Lois smiled as she read the inscription out. "'You're the one, you always will be'."
"Its true," Clark said as Lois looked up at him. "You're the one I want to be with always. I have never cared so much about anyone before. I love you."
"I love you too," Lois smiled as she kissed Clark then put the ring back on her finger.
"Sit with me," Clark said as he took Lois' hand and pulled her down to the couch with him. Clark wrapped his arms around Lois as she leaned back into him. "Are you cold?" Clark asked when Lois pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around them.
"A little," Lois answered.
"Here," Clark said as he looked to the fireplace and used his heat vision to start a fire.
"Show off."
"Well, I had to try something, very little impresses you," Clark laughed.
"You're an exception," Lois smiled.
"I'm really glad we can have this."
"Have what?"
"This Christmas. Being here with you like this, it's nice. It's what Christmas should be."
"Well, growing up with The General I never really had all that warm, loving stuff you see on TV. My Christmas' were always spent in another country, wherever The General was stationed, Lucy would come home from boarding school and we'd fight the whole time. We never really did the 'Christmas family dinner' everyone seems to do. We'd always eat out because my dad couldn't really cook. He tried but..." Lois shrugged. "The only real highlight of my Christmas' growing up was the call I got from Chloe every year on Christmas day."
"Lois, that sounds..."
"Horrible. You know I've only had three real Christmas' in my life."
"What were they?"
"There was a Christmas when I was five and Lucy was two. The General was stationed in the US and we were living in Metropolis. Chloe, Aunt Moira, and Uncle Gabe came over to our place and spent the holidays with us. My mom and Aunt Moira cooked dinner and my mom, Aunt Moira, Chloe and I made cookies on Christmas Eve. We did everything you see families do on TV that year. That was the last Christmas I spent with my mom. She got sick shortly after that and I never had another Christmas like that until I came to Smallville and met you and your family," Lois smiled.
"Lois, I'm sorry."
"Don't be. That first Christmas I spent with you and your mom and dad was the first time after my mom died that I felt like I was part of a real family and actually enjoyed the holidays. And it wasn't the big things that made it great, it was the simple things like the family traditions your mom and dad had made that made it special. Things like your mom's Christmas morning pancakes or you and your dad putting up the lights on the house and your parent's Christmas party with all of their closest friends. I even liked all of us going to pick out the perfect tree. You know I hadn't gone to pick out tree with anyone since I was five. It was one of my favourite Christmas', even though the gift you gave me was terrible."
"Hey, you needed that alarm clock after you threw mine at the wall because it went off at 7 AM instead of noon," Clark commented.
"Yeah. Great gift, Smallville."
"Well your gift wasn't so great either."
"At least you liked what I got you," Lois said.
"A blue t-shirt?" Clark asked.
"You like blue," Lois stated. "It's the only colour you wear."
"That's not true," Clark defended as Lois gave him a sceptical look and lifted an eyebrow. "I wear red too," Clark shrugged as he and Lois started to laugh.
"I'll give you that one," Lois said.
"What was the third Christmas?" Clark asked as they both stopped laughing.
"What?" Lois asked in confusion.
"You said you've only had three real Christmas'. You told me two of them, what was the third?" Clark asked.
"This one," Lois responded with a smile.
"Lois, I promise you, this will be the first of many," Clark said kissing Lois' forehead as he wrapped his arms around her even tighter.
"Not that I'm complaining about you being all sentimental or anything, but that's hardly a news flash," Lois commented as she nestled her head against the crook of Clark's shoulder and neck.
"I wish my mom could have made it home for Christmas this year," Clark remarked as Lois spotted her surprise for Clark.
"Well Clark, I'm sure your mom's closer than you think," Lois commented as the front door opened and Martha walked in.
"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Martha smiled at Clark and Lois.
"Mom?" Clark asked as he and Lois got up off the couch and hugged his mother. "What are you doing here? I thought you had to stay in Washington?"
"Well, your fiancé managed to rearrange my schedule so that I had some time to come home and got me a flight so here I am. Besides, I didn't want to miss a Christmas with my son and future daughter-in-law."
Clark smiled at his mother and looked to Lois with a smile.
"I knew you wanted your mom home this year so I pulled some strings," Lois smiled.
"I don't know how to thank you."
"You've already asked me to marry you and have made this one of the best Christmas' I've ever had so we're even. Merry Christmas, Smallville."
"Merry Christmas."