She'd only done it because she felt sorry for the guy.

His mother was in Washington and hadn't been able to come home for months, his girlfriend had taken a powder and hadn't had the guts to tell him to his face that she was leaving and his cousin was suddenly homesick and had abruptly left the farm.

The piece de la resistance, however was that her baby cousin was now in prison for, hacking? Lois hadn't been aware of what Chloe was up to, because if she had been she would have told her to knock it off.

The long arm of the law was never far behind when you were doing something illegal. And as smart as Chloe was, a little leg work could have gotten her the answers she needed for whatever the stories were that she was working on.

All of it was enough to make a grown man cry, and Clark Kent had done exactly that.

She'd never seen him so emotional, not even after Mr. Kent died. But she sensed then that he was trying to be strong for his mother, who was barely keeping herself together and Lois had always thought that she was doing that for Clark.

Lois could have used Mr. Kent's guidance after Clark himself disappeared and she had no idea where he was. She'd come back to check on him the morning after he'd gotten his 'Dear Clark' message and he was nowhere to be found.

The house was quiet and something about it felt off.

She'd had the oddest feeling that no one had been there for several hours and if she were to go upstairs to see if Smallville had overslept, which he never did, she knew he wouldn't be there.

A check of his room had confirmed her suspicions; his bed hadn't been slept in.

Dad had always told her to follow her instincts, especially when she knew something didn't feel right. And the fact that Clark had gone AWOL definitely didn't feel right. It wasn't like him to just take off and not make sure that the farm was being looked after.

He'd done that when he was going to leave before, when he thought Lana was dead.

Lana.

If Lois ever got her hands on that girl she might wish she was, but that would have to wait.

After a search of the farm and his loft, Lois had started to worry. She'd held out hope that she would find him crashed on his loft couch and sighed in frustration when she didn't.

Where in the hell could he have gone?

As she'd left the barn and walked back toward the house, she'd decided to call Clark's neighbor and have him look after the place. Clark could turn up at any time, but she didn't want the farm to go untended until he did.

Ben Hubbard was as nice as could be when Lois had called him to explain that Clark had to leave Smallville unexpectedly. He hadn't had the chance to call and make arrangements with his neighbor and Lois had told him that Clark asked her to do it in his stead. He'd assured her that he would be over later when he finished with his own chores to take care of the Kent's place.

The other phone call she knew that she needed to make, she had decided to put off for a little while. Mrs. Kent needed to know what was going on, but Lois hadn't wanted to panic her unnecessarily. She wanted to try and find him herself, though she wasn't even sure where to begin.

So she'd started to make phone calls.

She'd found out where his friend Pete Ross lived and when she called him, told him who she was. It was startling to find out that he knew about her and learned that Clark had mentioned her during their infrequent phone calls over the previous four years.

Pete had told her how much Clark detested being called 'Smallville' in the beginning, but reluctantly admitted to his friend a couple of years later that it had grown on him.

'Chloe could never have gotten away with that.' He'd said to her and started to laugh.

He'd apologized for not being able to help, but promised her that if he heard from Clark that he'd make sure that 'Smallville' checked in with her.

She'd checked hospitals, airports, bus stations and even the train stations in Smallville, Granville and Metropolis. But no one matching Clark's description had shown up.

For two weeks, she's kept calling for updates and even considered asking for surveillance tapes.

Lois was running out of options.

Even the General, with all of his connections and contacts couldn't help her. 'Maybe he just doesn't want to be found, Lo.' He'd been as kind as he knew how to be in breaking it to her.

She should have reported him missing at the beginning. But seeing as how he was the son of a United States Senator, Martha Kent would have had the media at her door wanting her reaction to the fact that her only child was missing. And Lois was not going to put her through that.

But after two weeks of nothing and having run out of places to look, she'd finally done the one thing she didn't want to do; she'd called Mrs. Kent. And then wished she'd done it two weeks earlier.

She'd sounded remarkably calm as Lois told her everything that had happened. But nothing ever seemed to rattle Clark's mother and that's why she'd become such a formidable force in the nation's capital.

Mrs. Kent had asked her if she'd gone to the Kawatche Caves to look there and to be perfectly honest, it had never occurred to her. Lois figured she'd had a snowballs chance of finding him, but told her that she would look.

With Mrs. Kent's directions to the caves in her hand, Lois hadn't wasted any time in driving out there. With her map in one hand and a flashlight in the other, Lois had followed Mrs. Kent's notes to the letter and sure enough, she found Clark.

And he looked like hell.

He was lying flat on his back and his eyes were closed. And as she'd approached him, she couldn't tell if he was unconscious or just sleeping.

If he was sleeping, she was going to kill him for worrying her so much. If he was unconscious, she didn't have any idea of how she was going to get him to the hospital.

But Clark had taken that decision out of her hands as his eyes opened slowly when she touched his arm. She watched as they darted around the cave and he frowned in confusion. She'd teased him about suffering with another bought of amnesia and his frown deepened as though to tell her that he didn't appreciate her joke.

'Good one, Lois', she'd told herself as she slowly helped Clark to his feet. He was unsteady and Lois couldn't help but wonder what put him in such a state that had him leaning on her for support.

She'd gotten him to her car, driven him back to the farm and he'd spent the short trip staring out the window, not saying a word.

Her conscience nagged at her as she left him alone in his parent's house, but Clark had insisted that he was all right and all he wanted to do was sleep.

But her conscience wouldn't let it go.

Smallville was alone and after everything he'd been through, alone was the last thing he needed. So she started making a point of stopping by on her way home to check on him and when she saw that he hadn't eaten anything, threatened to subject him to her lack of culinary skills.

It always managed to put a ghost of a smile on his face as he would get up from the couch and tell her that he wasn't going to let her cooking put them both in the hospital and he would start dinner while she set the table.

It progressed from there to watching a movie after they'd eaten and it got harder to leave him when the movie was over because as he would walk with her to the door, he looked absolutely lost.

So she started pretending to fall asleep on the couch during the movie and would refuse to open her eyes, knowing he wouldn't force the issue. She fully expected him to leave her on the couch and go upstairs to bed, but should have known the Boy Scout in him wouldn't let him do it.

He would carry her upstairs and put her in his mother's room. And when she would roll over, would always smile to herself because she could sense that he was glad she was there.

And her conscience decided to give her a break.

It was during one of those evenings after he'd carried her upstairs, making her feel as though she was light as feather, that Ollie showed up. The irritation in Clark's voice was evident as it carried up the stairs and she sighed when she realized that her ex was baiting her friend.

He was standing up for her and Lois realized with surprise that Clark was trying to protect her.

And for that, she gave him a kiss.

It was only meant to be brief, to show him how much his friendship meant to her, but the warmth and softness of his lips against hers was something she hadn't been prepared for and she pulled away before she did something foolish.

She wasn't sure how she felt about the fact that it didn't seem to be enough for him when he kissed her. Never mind that she kissed him back and then kissed him again before she left him standing alone in the hallway.

It was pretty much all she could think about the next morning as she started a fresh pot of coffee. Clark had left her a note telling her that he was out on the back forty and that she was on her own for breakfast. 'You're a funny guy, Smallville', she smiled in amusement because she found a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon warming in the oven.

As the coffee percolated and filled the kitchen with the smell of fresh java, there was a soft knock at the front door and Lois looked at her watch. It was a little too early for a social call and as she walked through the living room, it opened.

What the hell?

It was Lana.

"Well look at what the cat dragged in." Lois plastered a look of disinterest on her face as Lana froze in the doorway with a look of surprise on her face.

"Lois?" She looked perplexed as to why Lois was there so early and looked toward the stairs.

"You can stop right there." She stood directly in Lana's path, with her hands on her hips. "As far as I can recall, you don't live here anymore."

Lana visibly flinched and then her eyes started to glisten. When she started to blink, Lois wasn't sure if it was to stop the tears or get the water works going. She sighed to herself because she was suddenly getting a front row seat for what Clark had been subjected to. And he fell for it.

"I'd like to talk to Clark." She kept blinking and Lois rolled her eyes.

"You can't because he isn't here."

"Do you know where he is?" She persisted. "There are some things we need to talk about."

"Why not just burn it on a DVD and send it to him then?" Lois shot back. "It worked so well for you the last time."

"Lois, there are things that you don't understand."

Who was she kidding?

"Not something I haven't heard before." And she refused to let Lana any farther into the house. "You know, I've stood by for the last four years and watched the way you've jerked Clark around and used his feelings for you against him, and I didn't say anything because it wasn't any of my business.

"Breaking up with someone you care about isn't easy and believe me, I know." Her breakup with Ollie still hurt and Lois suspected that it would hurt for awhile. "But you didn't even have the guts to tell Clark to his face that you were breaking up with him and left that disc to be delivered like an afterthought. He didn't deserve that, especially after everything he tried to do to help you."

"Lois." Lana tried to interrupt, but Lois needed for her to understand just exactly what her thoughtlessness had done, but all she could do was sigh.

"You have no idea what that did to him."

She wasn't about to tell her friend's ex-girlfriend that he'd disappeared for two weeks, looking for her. Even though it was probably just the thing Lana would have wanted him to do.

"I did what I thought was best for the both of us." Lana stated.

"Save it, you did what you thought was best for you." Lois cut her off. "I told you once that Clark was one of the most honorable guys I'd ever met and from where I'm standing, he still is. He never gave up on you, on trying to do something to help you get well and that was how you repaid him."

"This is a private matter between Clark and me and I shouldn't have to justify what I did to you." She was getting agitated and if Lois didn't know better, she was starting to look a little pale.

"You're right, you shouldn't." Lois conceded, but didn't back down. "But you are going to have to justify it to him at some point, you do know that. It's just not going to be today."

"Lois." And she saw Lana glance toward the kitchen. "It's important."

"And it can wait because you're leaving now."

"I don't think that decision is up to you." Her attention refocused on Lois. "This isn't your house."

"Yeah well, it's not yours either. So why don't you just turn around, walk back to your car and call Clark before you come out here again."

She frowned as she looked back toward the kitchen again and sighed. "Tell Clark that I'll call him. Or he can call me at the Regent Hotel in Metropolis; I've got a suite there."

"Must be nice to have money to throw around like that; a suite at the Regent isn't cheap." Lois commented as she walked to the door and opened it. "We mere working people can only afford a room with a view of the alley."

Lana was clearly reluctant to leave, but Lois stayed by the door and waited for her. She finally seemed to realize that she wasn't going to make any headway and walked to the open door. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to." Lois told her as Lana stepped out on to the porch and looked back toward the kitchen.

"I never meant to hurt him."

"Maybe not, but you did. Goodbye Lana." And she closed the door.

"You didn't have to do that." His soft voice startled her.

When she turned around to face him, Clark was drying his hands with a clean rag and began to walk toward her.

How long had he been standing there?

"I knew you were there." She said as he stepped in a little closer than she would have liked and stopped in front of her.

"I guess I should say thank you." He gave her a smile that inexplicably made her knees begin to shake and Lois was at a loss as to why. But he didn't need to know that as she cocked an eyebrow at him and stuck out her hand.

His smile turned into a grin because he had to know what she was thinking. "Come on Lois, fair is fair."

She shook her head as she felt her face flush. "This will have to do because last night was enough to last me a lifetime."

"Whatever you say." His laugh was gentle and her face warmed even more as he took her hand and shook.

Since when could he make her blush with a simple laugh or his touch?

He seemed to be searching her face, but Lois had no idea what he was looking for as he let go of her hand. "Did you get a chance to eat before she showed up?" Clark asked her as he walked back into the kitchen. "It's probably cold by now."

"I left the plate in the oven, so if anything it might be a little dry. But the coffee is fresh if you want some." She followed behind him.

"Lois, your coffee is undrinkable." He teased her as he picked up a mug and filled it. He handed it to her and poured another cup for himself before he sat down at the island.

"Which obviously doesn't seem to bother you." She smiled back as she grabbed a couple of potholders and pulled her plate out of the oven. She set it on the island across from Clark, who then picked up her fork to spear the eggs and eat them. "Hey, that's my breakfast!"

"Which I cooked, so technically it's mine." He shrugged as he got up and walked to the counter and got another fork and laid it down next to Lois's plate.

Lana didn't deserve him.

"If you're hungry, I can share." She offered. "I don't mind."

"I was only kidding."

She nodded and reached over to ruffle his hair. "I know, but I really don't mind."

"What was that for?" His face flushed and she wondered if he was remembering.

"Old times sake." Lois tossed back without explanation.

"Well for old time's sake, you can help me out in the barn when we're done eating." He smiled at her.

"My breakfast." She pointed out the obvious. "And I never helped you in the barn."

"Well you should have, eating us out of house and home the way you did." He grinned at her again.

"I did not." She protested and he laughed.

"And used all the hot water." He continued his litany.

"Hey!"

"And changed the message on our answering machine."

Lois found herself laughing with him as they began to reminisce about her first experience living with his family. "That's true. But my message was so much better."

"Dad didn't think so."

"Sure he did." Their glances met as they each remembered Jonathan Kent and Clark reached across the table to take her hand for a moment. "It's nice to have you back, Lois."

"It's nice to be back, Smallville." She answered sincerely and found herself hesitating before she squeezed back and his face flushed again, even as she felt the warmth in her own cheeks. "It's nice to be back."

END.