14 Feb, Thurs. 1900 (7:00 p.m.) CST

Clark swirled his champagne as he looked around the ballroom. He adjusted the bowtie of his dark blue tuxedo. Each year the Planet hosted the benefit with all proceeds going to local hospitals. He and his girlfriend, Koko, had gone to the last one.

Clark attended the function alone this year. Koko had opted to go on her photo shoot instead; which was just as well. They had decided, quietly, to go their separate ways. It was the longest relationship he had been in since high school. They both had commitment issues. He took in a deep breath as he downed the rest of his champagne.

"Hey, C.K.," the younger blonde man nodded at his coworker as he handed him another flute of champagne.

"Hey, Jimmy," Clark accepted the filled glass as he placed his empty one on the tray of the waiter that was passing by. He clinked glasses with the photojournalist and laughed as he looked at the camera around the black tuxedo clad young man. "Perry's still got you on the clock?"

The young man laughed as he held up the camera. "Nah, I just figured there will be a whole bunch of 'important' people making the rounds."

They both laughed. They watched as the voluptuous gossip columnist approached. She was dressed in a bold red sleeveless evening gown that reached her calves. Catherine "Cat" Grant raised her glass at the two gentlemen as she reached them.

"Dateless tonight, Clark?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

Clark smirked good-naturedly. "I figured I'd join your ranks for one evening."

"Ha ha," she laughed as she linked an arm with the blonde photographer turning her leg a little so it showed through the thigh high slit of her dress.

The young man hardly noticed as he pulled his camera to his eye and focused on the entranceway of the ballroom. It was Clark's turn to raise an eyebrow as he looked at Jimmy, who clicked off a couple of frames. Cat rolled her eyes as she, too, looked at the doorway.

Clark turned just as the woman entered the ballroom. Lois was always business like in her attire, even in high school. He never remembered her attending any of their proms. The closest she was to being fashionable was for award ceremonies like the last few Pulitzers; although she didn't stray too far off of the business suits she wore for work.

Tonight, though, Clark hardly recognized her. She wasn't overly gaudy looking; beautifully understated. She wore her hair up in a bun, with some tendrils left to hang. Her makeup was subtle, with her dark red lipstick as the focal point.

She wore a deep dark blue ankle length satin dress. The thin spaghetti straps hung to her shoulders as the dress hugged her curves. Clark had to remind himself to breathe as she smiled at the guests around her.

He was about to take a step forward but stopped himself when he saw him snake his arm around her waist. He clenched his jaw as she turned and gave the dark haired businessman a kiss on the cheek. She gave her fiancé a sincere smile as well.

Cat smiled to herself as she watched Clark's reaction. She turned to Jimmy, who seemed to still be surprised at the female Pulitzer Prize Winner's appearance. "Come on, Jimmy," Cat said. "Let's go mingle with the elite, shall we."

Cat ran her palm over Clark's chest, giving him a teasing smile as she ushered Jimmy away. Jimmy shrugged at Clark as the tall spectacled newsman nodded. The photojournalist followed the extroverted gossip columnist.

Clark blew out a breath as he took one last look at the golden couple, squeezing tightly on the champagne flute, picturing not so nice thoughts of vertebrae crushing in his head. He stretched his neck and took another breath. He tanked the rest of the champagne in the glass. He looked the other way, grabbing another champagne filled flute. 'This was going to be a long night,' he thought as he walked across the hall, farther away from the couple.

O-O-O

Clark didn't know what she saw in him. To hear Lois tell the story about how the two met, it was like magic.

It was after work one night in September. Clark had been on assignment covering the unexpected earthquake in Wales, United Kingdom. Lois had said instead of heading home to the two bedroom brownstone that she shared with Clark, she had decided to take a break. She went to a bar three blocks from the Planet.

She had ordered a rum and Coke and there he was sidling up to the bar. He was tall and dark haired, about an inch shorter than Clark, five inches taller than she was.

They had drink after drink as they got to know each other. They danced as well. Lois found out that her tall dark stranger grew up in Boston. He was a little over a year older than she and Clark were.

Lex Carter inherited the family shipping business. He began to run it after his grandfather had passed away two years ago. He manned the Metropolis branch of the outfit. And as if they enlisted an online dating service, they seemed to be a perfect match.

She gushed about him after the first month. It almost made Clark retch. They were engaged after three months. What was disheartening was he wasn't the first to find out. Lois never told him, her own housemate, that she was engaged. Their editor-in-chief broke the news to the whole newsroom.

O-O-O

The evening was going off without a hitch. Lois and Lex danced in each other's arms. Clark tried not to watch.

The tall blonde associate walked towards the couple. "May I cut in, Lex," Marcus Myers smiled at Lois.

Lex hesitated for a moment. But he smiled at his old friend, before giving up Lois's right hand.

"How are you tonight Marcus?" Lois asked.

"I'm good," he said in his New England accent as he turned her on the dance floor.

Lex had said he had known Marcus since they were children in Boston. Lex had mentioned that Marcus joined him in his family's shipping business five years ago. Lois was never really comfortable around him. He seemed so sure of himself.

Lois took in a sharp breath as Marcus pulled her in tighter. Lois heard him sigh. He turned her again and as he did she felt a little lightheaded. A vision flashed in front of her eyes. She snuck a glance at the tall blonde for a moment. He looked over at his associate before turning back to his dance partner.

Lois seemed as if she were going to ask Marcus a question. But before she could say anything, Clark interrupted. Clark tapped the tall blonde on the shoulder while looking at his dance partner, "May I cut in?"

The tall blonde hesitated for a moment before letting Lois go. Clark nodded at her before taking her hand. They danced in silence for a moment before Lois looked up into his face.

"It's turned out to be a good night. We raised so much money for the hospitals," she said looking around the ballroom, trying to block out her vision.

"Yeah," he said taking in a breath as he felt her lean into his chest. He shut his eyes for a moment.

"You look different," Clark said. In his head, he was actually thinking she looked radiant, beautiful, amazing, and all of the other descriptors.

"I feel almost naked in this," she said, blushing.

"I guess you'll have to start dressing up for the office as the new Mrs. Carter," Clark half joked.

Lois laughed good-naturedly. "So, where's, um, Koko tonight?" she asked averting his eyes.

"She had a photo shoot," he said nonchalantly as he turned her on the dance floor. He changed the subject, "So, you're getting married in a few months."

"Yeah," she said sighing. "It's been crazy with all the wedding planning."

"So you're in love with the guy, huh," he said. She laughed. "I guess Superman was a passing fancy then."

Lois flushed a little. She hesitated, before she looked up at him. "I'm sure the majority of the female population of the world thinks they're in love with him.

"Superman belongs to the world, Clark. I'm sure he has other things more important to deal with than someone with some silly school girl crush."

Clark took a deep breath as he looked into her eyes. He was about to reply but she interrupted him.

"We're not going to start arguing again, are we?" she asked softly, looking up into his face.

Clark took a breath. He gave her a sincere smile, "Truce."

She leaned her head on his chest. Clark gulped unnoticeably. She blinked her eyes, quelling tears. "Are we okay, Clark?" she said not looking up at him as she thought about the friction ever since Perry had broken the news of her engagement to the whole newsroom. "I just want to hear you say that you're happy for me; that everything is going to be all right."

They stopped dancing for a moment. She continued as her eyes started to gloss over, "I love you Clark. You're my best friend."

He turned her chin up so that he could look into her face. He swallowed his pride. He gave her a reassuring smile. He began softly, "I'm really happy for you . . . and Carter. Everything's gonna be all right, Lois."

She smiled up at him as they continued to dance. Clark felt a lump in his throat. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and as much as he wanted to ignore it, he paused.

"Kent," Lex Carter nodded at the bespectacled dance partner. "May I have my fiancée back?"

Clark nodded. "Of course," Clark said. Lois nodded at him before allowing Lex to take her hand. Clark watched as the businessman whisked his best friend around the dance floor. He said, barely audibly, "I love you, too."

Clark left the ballroom quietly. He eschewed the cabs lined up on the side of the road. He turned the corner and flew off. 'Rescuing people from burning buildings on the other side of the world would probably get his mind off of things,' he thought to himself as he headed eastward towards Europe.

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