Announcements

The Kent house has finally calmed down. The normally neat farm house was strewned with the evidence of the impromptu party that had been enjoyed. First, it was to celebrate Clark and Lois first by line and that they had finally come home. Then, it had been to celebrate their second by line which would appear in the morning's edition of the Daily Plant. Then, the call had come in that the editor was so impressed by the story that Lois had gotten a promotion; she was moving to the bullring.

If that hadn't been enough of an event the party tea had been 'crashed' by Ollie and Chloe. Crashed being a loose term for; they were incredibly late and Martha, Clark, Lois and the General had started eating when the couple had arrived.

Then, Lois had noticed the amazing lump of ice on Chloe's left hand she made a joke about the Titanic before Ollie had surprised everyone by announcing that he had proposed to Chloe; that they had been secretly engaged for a week. They both had apologised and said that they would have told them all sooner but since Lois had taken Clark and disappeared on an under cover assignment for the Daily Planet, they had waited to announce it.

It hadn't taken Clark's super sight to see this thing between Chloe and Ollie coming. Through their work at the Justice League, they had been attracted like a Lois and trouble. Clark realised with a rueful smile that Chloe was to Ollie's what Lois was to him. She had the innate ability to put his life and alter-ego in perspective in a way that no one else could.

Ollie had given Chloe an exclusive interview and they'd hardly been apart since. The first Lois knew of them being 'together' together was after a story of them had appeared in a Star City gossip column. She had laughed it off as a joke. But then she'd seen them together and the fact that they were crazy about each other couldn't be denied.

Clark had been surprised at how well Lois taken the news; of the relationship and now the engagement. 'Lois' he thought as her looked down on her as she shifted her head on his shoulder to get more comfortable 'always surprises me'.

They were now sat on the sofa watching telly with their feet up. The 'lovebirds' had gone to talk to Chloe's dad as had the General, Martha had already gone to bed and the only sound was from the television. They were sat quite close because while on assignment they'd just gotten used to always being close to each other.

"Strange day, huh" Lois said after finishing off her warm milk. "My first…"

"Our first" Clark interjected; giving her an adoring look without realising it.

"…Daily Planet by line" Lois finished with a cheeky smile. "Now, Ollie and Chloe; I don't think I could stand any more surprises."

"So, my saying that I'm going on my 'around the world trip' straight after Chloe's wedding would be a bad idea then!" Clark said absentmindedly.

"What?" Lois asked sharply turning to look at him. Her hair flopped in her face and she started at him.

"What?" Clark asked innocently; brushing her hair out of her hair with one of his big hands.

"You just said that you're leaving?" she said emotionlessly. "I mean. Great… Whatever… I knew it was coming." she said looking into his eyes. "But I never expected that it would be so soon. A month isn't a long time for you to prepare."

"Sorry I sprang it on you like that. Don't tell me you'll miss me!" he said astonished.

"Sure I'll miss you. How else will I possibly derive enjoyment without busting your chops?" she smiled settling back down, sub-consciously moving closer to him.

After a few minuets, Clark stretched out, enjoying being this close to Lois. This move didn't go unnoticed by Lois, who had a mischievous smile playing on her lips, as she tried not to be drawn in by his abnormally warm body.

A cheesy telephone company advert came on that reminded them both that they're time together was short.

"But what I don't get, Smallville is why you don't just move to Metropolis and become a reporter instead of going around the world."

"Lois, I gotta go…" he apologised.

"I understand that but hear me out." She said turning around, shifting so her chin rested on his chest. "You could come and work for the Planet; you could be a great reporter, when you put your mind to it." She started to trace circles on his chest, making him shiver. "And, you could work your way up and go into the travel section and go on the Plant's dollar." She smiled at the brilliance of her simple plan.

"Lois it isn't that simple…" he smiled enthralled by her.

"I know, and I respect that but… You don't always have to go that far away to find yourself, you know. You just have to go out of your sphere of normality. Take me and college. I went to College because it seemed like the thing I was supposed to do, and I couldn't think of an alternative. But it wasn't for me.

"When I went away, even travelled with daddy I didn't find myself. It was only after coming back here; throwing myself into your parent's political life that it occurred to me that I could be anything I wanted. Then, it wasn't until nearly getting killed by that barn door that I realized that I wanted to be a journalist. Isn't being a reporter instead of a farmer enough of a change?" She said lifting her head up so she perched on the sofa's edge.

Clark sighed sadly; wishing for his leaving to be that simple.

"I agree it would be a change, it would even be a good place for me to end up but I'm not ready for that yet. But, don't worry I'll come back." He smiled fondly; trying to convey with his eyes that he would come back for her.

"Course you will" she yawning turning back around; resting her head on his shoulder stretching her long legs to his side. They turned their attention back to the television; however within a few minutes, both of them had fallen asleep.