"Lois...?" Clark stepped peacefully over the threshold as if trying not to disturb a sleeping bear "how are you feeling?" "I'm fine Smallville, except for the raging headache and the fact that i'm not going to get any sleep with this stupid storm" Lois hurled a pillow towards the window to emphasize her annoyance, she felt bad for acting so bitchy towards him but she couldn't handle dealing with what almost happened in the kitchen, too much had happened tonight she didnt need to add "almost making out with your brother-type-friend" to her list, Clark let his head tilt as if he was trying to fathom why she was mad at him.
"I made you some hot milk, it will help you sleep... or at least take the edge off" Clark smiled handing her the scolding hot cup of milk, she gasped when their fingers grazed each other, their eyes locking making time stand still again, the only thing that gave her the willpower to pull away was the fact that her hand felt like it was hovering over a very-active volcano, Lois hissed as she slid the cup into her other hand.
"Are you okay?" Clark was still dazed but when it came to Lois being in trouble or injured, nothing else mattered.
"Yeah Smallville, not all of us are born with steel skin" she gave him a little wink as if to apologise for being bitter to him earlier, he just smiled and rubbed his thumb over the flushed skin.
Lois looked down feeling odly comfortable for her being in tight jeans and a shirt that felt like it could cut ice, but that was the price of beauty, oh the joys of being a woman.
"Smallville! did you change my clothes?" Lois shot up pulling her hand from his grasp, her nostrils flared like a gorilla that had lost his banana's, Clark backed up against the door knowing full well that Lois Lane didn't like to be messed with.
"Y-es I... ugh... they didn't seem very comfy to sleep in... so i put my shirt on you, which i know you love since you steal it all the time!" Clark pointed at her accusingly trying to shift the heat from him to her "plus it not like i saw anything i hadn't seen before" Clark added humerously but Lois wasn't having any of it.
"Clark! i don't care if you have seen me naked there is a little thing called "being a gentleman" and i will tell you again for emphasis, if you EVER tell anyone about that night i will have your Elmer Fudd night-light hung in the Talon for everyone to see... including your girlfriend" Lois smiled mischiveously at Clark, she knew he wouldn't tell anyone and she really didn't mind he saw her naked since it was Smallville and he probably got embarrassed everytime he thought about it but she had to tease him a little.
"Lois i'm serious i saw nothing... just your underwear... which was a little revealing... but i didnt look i promise!" Clark was feeling really guilty, he wished he just left her in the uncomfortable clothing and let her moan, it was better than having to deal with Lois' temper which was extrememly short. His heart leaped when Lois burst out laughing and he just stared at her like she was the alien in the room, not him.
"Smallville... I was just messing with yo-" Lois was cut off by a clasp of thunder which made her leap into Clark's arms burying her face in his neck for protection.
He stood there for what seemed like an eternity holding her in his arms, Clark knew he should put her down or ask what was wrong but he didn't want to let her go, he loved when Lois showed her insecurities, when she was vulnerable it was like her wall came crashing down and she just opened up, completely.
"Lois, it's okay, it stopped, you can relax" Clark tried to calm her with a little chuckle but she was too shaken up to find the humour, Lois rose her head from his neck, breathing in the smell off... Smallville, she never could put a name to it, he smelt like fresh air and... home.
"Sorry Clark its the thunder, i just can't handle it" Lois jumped out of his arms and made her way to the bed, Clark watched as she sat down, he had never saw her look so... defeated, like she had nothing left to give, she ran her hands through her hair and gave Clark a slight smile before breathing in deeply and motioning for him to sit next to her.
A while had gone by and Lois hadn't spoken, she had been silently trying to prepare herself to share something that she had never shared with anyone, not even Chloe and they shared almost everything.
"Lois if your not ready to talk, its fine you dont have to tell me anything" Clark rested his hand on her back trying to be comforting.
"No... i have to get it out... I've held it inside for too long. It was the day of my mothers funeral, Lucy was playing in her room, she was too young to understand what was going on and The General was of doing what he does best" Lois laughed bitterly remembering her father was on the phone most of the day and he never even spoke to her or Lucy, as she got older she started to understand that was the way The General dealt with the loss of her mother, he buried himself in his work, she understood now because thats what she had being doing ever since she left the base. "I was sitting at the kitchen table staring out into the field behind our house it went on for miles, like a never ending escape of corn, which was exactly what i needed, a escape. i remember running and running for miles until my legs felt like they would fall off so i had to rest, thats when the rain started and i realised i had no idea where i was, i kept searching for hours trying to find a way out but i was completely lost, i was alone and then it hit me... this is what it would be like for the rest of my life... emptiness, just me running through a never ending abyss, searching for some kind of escape..." Lois broke down into tears, hiding her face in her hands, she hated when people saw her cry, The General had brought her up to never show weakness and this is exactly what she thought she was at this point, weak. "It had been a couple of hours and i hadn't found a way out and along with the rain... came the thunder" Lois mumbled through her hands, she rose her head, looking Clark straight in the eye, it was as if his pure green eyes gave her the strengh to carry on, she felt his calming gaze wash away her fears. Clark ran his fingers through her hair, finally understanding, the rain and thunder made Lois feel alone, it reminded her of that dreaded day, he wanted to tell her that she would never be alone, that she would always have family here with him but instead he just stayed silent.
"He was so mad Clark... when my father finally found me, i saw an anger in his eyes, like he thought i was being selfish in running away, i never got over that... that was the day that we lost each other, in every sense".
"Lois do you ever think that the reason your father was angry, was that he thought he had lost you too... and maybe you had scared him so much with the thought of losing another woman he loved, that he didn't really know what to feel?" Clark remembered how heartbroken his parents were when he ran of to Metropolis.
"Yeah maybe... I dont know" Lois sighed tiredness taking over her body, she rested her head on his shoulder for support.
Clark gently stood up, moving away from Lois, he didn't want their relationship to get more complicated than it already was.
"Lois you should try and get some sleep, i will be on the couch if you need me okay..." Clark still held onto her hand he didn't want to let go but he was with Lana... or he thought he was, Clark wasnt really sure since their fight earlier tonight, he had become so tired of her games, he just wanted it to end.
"Okay Smallville, night" Lois let go of Clark's hand before he could say anything and slid into the bed. Clark closed the door to his room and headed of to his slumber, his mind swirled with thoughts of Lois as he wondered where they were now.
TO BE CONTINUED.