A/N: Warning: sexual references in this chapter.

– O – O – O – O – O – O –

Lois

"Mooooom…" Lois whined, weakening her next argument. "I'm not a child anymore. I should be able to see my hu—groom… whenever I want!" She barely stopped herself from stamping her foot in irritation.

" Lois Joanne Lane," Ella began in a tone that brooked no argument, "You only have one wedding day – why wreck it unnecessarily? And with your history…" Her mother pierced her with a long, flat stare. After a contest of wills, Lois consciously dampened the fire in her eyes. After all, this was the woman who managed to raise the fiercely independent Lois Lane… Lois supposed she could back down… this once.

"Fine, Mom," she conceded. "But I think you're exaggerating about my history…" At her mother's sharp look, she shot back, "Do you see any helicopters… airplanes… space shuttles around here?"

She allowed herself to be led to the bride's room, where her sister Lucy, already decked out in her matron of honor dress, was removing the plastic from the wedding gown. Looking at the dress gave her a jolt of unreasoning fear. Get a hold of yourself, Lane! You've been married to Clark for a whole frickin' year! A small voice added, and you know it's been the best year of your entire life to boot… She grimaced internally at the different voices arguing back and forth inside her head. Why was making the marriage official making her so irritable?

It's not like anything will really change – except that everyone would think that intrepid reporter Lois Lane had been tamed – Well, who cares what anyone thinks! I can love whoever the hell I want!

But as Lucy held out the dress for Lois to step into, to begin the arduous process of transforming herself into a bride, she caught herself wishing yet again that Clark hadn't been so damn proper about this whole traditional wedding. He was getting way too much enjoyment out of her discomfiture. And all she wanted to do was wipe that amusement off his face with a kiss that would turn the Man of Steel into the Man of Magma…

Lois sighed, removing her blouse – I wish Clark were doing this instead, she thought morosely – and then her skirt, hose and heels. She became uncharacteristically silent as the dress was zipped, buttoned, and fluffed, her mother and sister clucking with matronly glee. In the three-way mirror before her, Lois slowly underwent a not-so-subtle metamorphosis from the ideal career woman into a vision of feminine innocence. And I'm anything but that… But that was the inexplicable magic of a wedding, the promise of a new beginning, a fresh start on the road of life, that dispelled the angst tugging at her soul. And even her hard-bitten heart was beginning to soften at the sight of the woman in the mirror.

" Lois… you look…" Lucy sighed with satisfaction, "like a bride."

"I agree." Ella nodded in approval.

Lois' look of uncertainty from earlier gradually turned into a smile. "I suppose I do."

Ella fluffed out the veil in a wispy halo around Lois' face. "Would you like a few minutes alone?" she asked softly.

Lois' eyes jerked up sharply, locking with her mother's. Ella must have decided she was no longer a flight risk. Ella nodded, eyes warm with motherly affection, and she stepped back. "C'mon, Lucy. Let's go see what those kids of yours have gotten themselves into." They left quietly, the door clicking shut behind them.

For several long minutes, Lois regarded her reflection. "Well, here we are, Lois. About to marry the man of your dreams." The blushing bride stared back at her silently. "So what's the problem? Why does something seem to be missing?"

She stood up suddenly, and slowly made her way toward the only window in the small room. The sheer curtains obstructed the view of the people outside, but she could easily see the guests steadily drifting into the church. There were more people arriving than she would have dreamed would turn up. A lot of them were guests from Clark's side of the family – the Kents were well-liked back in Smallville – but a good number were also people from the journalism community, people that Lois or Clark had gotten to know over the last few years. She felt touched that so many wanted to wish them well. Or they came out of some sort of morbid fascination… she thought, lips quirking in amusement.

The door quietly opened behind her, and she sighed. She guessed Ella or Lucy were here to tell her to prepare… maybe the florist was here to deliver her bouquet…

A large, warm hand settled on her shoulder, and warm breath tickled her ear. " Lois."

She whirled in Clark's arms, all nervousness and irritation suddenly washed away. " Clark," she said with relief and pulled his dark head down for a kiss.

His lips opened above hers, and she drank in his unearthly sweetness. Now this… this was the reason they were submitting to this insanity. Not that she needed any legal approval to ravish her husband…

He pulled away a touch of regret in his eyes, and murmured, "You needed to see me?"

"Yes," Lois breathed. She slipped her hands around his waist and pulled his hips right against hers. He stirred in response and she grinned lustily. "I needed this." She punctuated the word with a tiny thrust.

Clark groaned, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. Then he hungrily devoured her with kisses, causing her to gasp with pleasure. Her hands traveled to his belt buckle, fingers yanking forcefully to free him from his tuxedo pants.

"Wait… we can't d—" he protested, just as her hand snaked below his boxers. He drew in a shuddering breath and tried to continue speaking through her ministrations. " Lois, the ceremony is going to start in twenty minutes…"

"So?" she answered, chuckling. "They can't start without us, right?" Her hands began to stroke rhythmically, breaking down his defenses the best way she knew how.

"Your mother, your sister – they could come back any minute…" He bit down hard on his lip to stop another groan from escaping.

Her other hand reached around to squeeze one firm buttock. "But you'll hear them coming, won't you? Or we could always l—"

She didn't finish her thought, because she suddenly found herself pressed into the cushions of the settee, voluminous skirt up around her waist. Super-speed is useful in more ways than one, she thought idly as his hand smoothed its way up her inner thigh.

He growled with pleasure at finding gartered hose and a tiny pair of bikini briefs. It was short work to shimmy them down her legs, and she didn't waste any time yanking his pants and boxers down. She sighed with satisfaction as he entered her, her breaths coming faster and faster with each thrust.

Yes… her internal voice pleaded, all ability to speak gone with the urgent need exploding within her. This makes everything right… so right…

They were so caught up in each other that neither could have stopped when the door to the bride's room creaked open. In fact, neither even noticed they were not alone until they heard the startled gasp.