Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Smallville, etc.
Summary: Lois Lane is blissfully married to the love of her life, Clark Kent. But how does she feel about being Mrs. Superman? A bit of a twist on the future of Lois and Clark as we know it.

Note: Sorry it's taking a bit of time to set this up. There will be some fluff, I promise! Would love to hear what you think!! Hope you enjoy!!

Being Mrs. Superman

Chapter 2

He heard raised voices as he approached the screen door.

"Lois, it's only four days. Three when you consider travel time."

Oliver could practically see the roll of Lois' eyes, though her back was to the door. "Travel time? Clark, you're my own personal Concorde airline. With you, there is no travel time." She patted her husband's chest in an affectionate gesture as she passed him on the way to the kitchen cabinet.

Clark turned to her, continuing to plead his case. "Ok, fine. So it is four days. What's the big deal?"

"There's no big deal, I just can't go." Lois shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Well, there's work for one thing." Lois responded as she began pulling dishes out of the cabinet.

"I've already cleared it with Perry." Prepared, Clark countered.

Lois spun on him and even Clark tensed, afraid the dish in her hand was about to become a flying saucer. "You did what?! Without discussing it with me first?"

"It's called vacation time, Lois. Believe it or not, millions of people do it every year." Clark's patient tone disarmed her. "And if I had discussed it with you first, it wouldn't have been a surprise, now would it?"

Unable to argue with his infuriating logic, Lois hrumphed her response then placed the plates on the counter without injury to either of them. Clark visibly relaxed. Lois silently turned to retrieve glasses from the cupboard.

There was a pause and a deep sigh. The pleading in his voice was almost child-like. "Lois, come on. There's no reason we can't go."

"No? What about the kids?"

"We can get someone from JLA to watch them. It's only…"

"…four days. I know, Clark." Clearly irritated, she snapped at him. "I heard you the first ten times you told me." Instantly regretting her response, Lois' expression softened at the injured look on his face. "Look, honey, I'm sorry. I just…I don't think this is a good idea."

Lois turned back to her task, busying herself in what Clark knew was clearly an avoidance tactic. His eyes narrowed as he watched her every move with increasing concern. She'd been doing that a lot lately, staying busy. Too busy to look at him. Too busy to run errands with him. Or do simple things.

Knowing Lois Lane as he did, Clark sensed there was a much deeper reason for her rejection of his plan. And he was going to find out what it was. "What's really going on here, Lois? Why don't you want to go away?" He paused, not sure he wanted an answer to his next question. "Or is it the being alone with me part you object to?"

"Don't do that." Lois responded, shaking her head. "Don't make this about us."

"This is about us." Clark shot back, not unkindly. He slowly approached her. "This is our vacation. Our time alone. I don't know about you, Lois, but I need that." Gently turning her to face him, Clark raised her chin with a finger till her eyes met his. "I want that." His searching gaze softened as his voice dropped to a whisper. "Don't you?"

"Clark…" Nearly defeated by the appeal in those baby blues, Lois' troubled gaze lowered to focus on a button at eye level. She nervously bit her lower lip as her hands hovered for a second before connecting with the broad chest in front of her. The warmth coming through his shirt, the hard muscles beneath, made her words all that more difficult to say. "Please. Let this go."

Feeling guilty for hearing as much as he had and figuring there would really be no good time to interrupt given the direction of the conversation, Oliver Queen knocked on the door, stepped into the kitchen and said, "Hey, guys. Is this a good time?, " all in one fell swoop.

They responded simultaneously.

"Yes!" Lois answered, instantly relieved.

"No!" Clark answered, instantly annoyed.

Glancing from one to the other, Oliver chose the side of the contender with more of a tendency for revenge. He shrugged his apology. "Sorry, Clark. You may be the Man of Steel, but Lois' right hook can do serious damage to this rugged jaw of mine."

"Smart guy." Lois quipped, immediately tucking away her turbulent emotions and brushing past Clark to greet their guest. After a hug and a chaste peck on the cheek, she smiled up at him appreciatively. "Hey, Ollie."

"Lois." Ollie returned her smile before shifting his attention to a not so happy Super Dude. "Clark."

Clark answered with an upraised eyebrow.

Lois saw an opportunity and took that as her cue to exit. "I assume you're here for super-secret superhero business so, I'll let you two talk while I get the kids ready for dinner." She headed to the door then paused, turning to their unexpected guest. "Oh hey, do you want to stay and eat with us?"

Oliver shifted uncomfortably. He cast a plea for help in Clark's direction, but it was lost on the troubled Kryptonian. "Uh…I uh…I…I don't think…"

"Clark's cooking." Lois informed him, guessing the reason for his hesitancy.

Oliver looked relieved. "Sure. I'd be happy to stay."

"Reeeal smooth there, Leather Boy." Rolling her eyes, Lois shook her head with a chuckle. "I'll get the kids. And don't worry…I'll take my time."

For the first time since Ollie's interruption, Clark spoke. "Delayed but not forgotten, Lois…"

Husband and wife exchanged meaningful looks. "Later, Smallville."

"Count on it, Lane." Responding to a now slamming screen door, Clark's voice was as hard with determination as his steely blue eyes.

Oliver slipped onto a nearby stool, and noted his friend's distracted gaze was still locked onto the curvaceous figure of his retreating other half. "So. What's that all about?"

Attention shifting to his friend, Clark let out a sigh as he pulled a few brochures from his back pocket and dropped them onto the counter. "I planned a mini-vacation for the two of us, a little romantic get away, but…"

"…Lois doesn't want to go." Oliver finished for him as he perused the discarded pamphlets, impressed by his friend's choice of locales.

Like water from a broken dam, Clark's complaints flowed without prompting.

"You know, any other woman in the world would be jumping at the opportunity, but my wife…" Clark's mirthless chuckle couldn't cover the irritation in his blue eyes. "…noooo, that would be way too simple for her. Because why would Lois Lane do anything the easy way, right? Why would she take a gift without questioning it first? Or, heaven forbid, want to spend time alone with her own husband?"

"Trouble in Kent paradise?" Ollie asked, gingerly stepping around an obviously potential minefield.

Dismissing Ollie's question with a shake of his head, Clark gulped down the last of his coffee and went to the sink to rinse the cup. "We'll work it out." He turned and leaned back against the counter, his arms crossed in front of him. "It's just…" His frustrated sigh filled the room as Clark's eyes flashed with a mixture of emotions, too many to name. "…the number of ways that woman drives me insane is countless."

"Yeah, but…" Oliver's gaze shifted and his lips tilted in remembrance. "…she's a helluva kisser."

"Yeah." Agreeing, Clark's expression mirrored Ollie's as a gentle smile touched his lips. "Yeah, she is that."

They both sighed dreamily.

Clark's eyes snapped to Ollie's face. Then narrowed. It wasn't that he wasn't used to other men appreciating his better half. There was certainly a lot to appreciate. But given past history, Ollie's knowledgeable admiration irked him. It always had.

He cleared his throat. "So, I'm sure you didn't come all this way to discuss our vacation plans…" His voice hardened, capturing Oliver's attention. "…or my wife's kissing expertise. So, what's up?"

"Right." Oliver quickly got the hint. "Down to business. It seems JLA has a new threat. And it's huge." Ollie began. "Clark, I'm sorry, but we're going to need all hands on deck for this one."

"Ok. Whatever you need." Instantly snapping into superhero mode, Clark nodded. Still a husband concerned for his wife, he added, "But this time, I want something in return…"

TBC…