Hey, this is the first chapter of Lois' POV. It's meant to be a bit after Clark's chapter one :). Thanks to Sarah for beta'ing and The Fray for providing depressing backing music.

I'm really into listening to music on top of fanfics so for this one I have Vienna by the Fray :)

http://www .youtube .com/watch?v=szCpCSliwaA (remove spaces)

Oh and it includes the nightmare Lois called Clark about :O

Chapter One

Lois POV

Chapter 1: Sunday evening

Lois sighed as the taxi pulled up outside her apartment building; awaiting her was a long flight of stairs, a microwave ready-meal, maybe an episode of Heroes, then exhilarating evening with Lois Lane.

Having paid the cab driver, she backed open the door, her arms overflowing with files, coats and other random detritus collected from her desk throughout the week. Even though it was Sunday, having had nothing better to do she had popped into the office to collect resources for her latest story. While she was there she had sorted her desk since she had recently decided a new start in her life was in order and it had seemed a good place to begin. What she hadn't bargained for was the overwhelming sense of misery that she had felt when she realised the kind of life she used to have; old tickets from gigs and grand slams, matches from smart restaurants, even that photo with the Dalai Llama.

Lately she had taken to turning down the many offers of a social life that came her way knowing she would only spend the night moping so she stayed in, in her new flat, under the pretence of decorating. She knew how pathetic and self indulgent it was, which was part of why she had decided to go on the date with the guy from first class last Friday. The other part of the why was the reason she had become a social recluse in the first place and as part of her new start in life, she had decided not to think about it.

She snorted as she thought back to how the date had gone; badly was one way to put it. His failure to get her sense of humour coupled with his fear of strong woman had led to a personality clash the likes of which she hadn't witnessed since, well, she first met Clark Kent. But that was different. It was always "different". But she wasn't going to think about it, or him.

Breathing heavily from the long climb up the stairs, she unlocked her door and dumped everything on the couch. Crossing to the mini kitchen, she realised how bare and empty the flat looked. Or maybe she was just seeing it in contrast to warm Kent Farm; its decorations of family photos, Clark's old drawings from grade school and carvings by Jonathan made it feel like a true home. But she didn't live there anymore, with any of them.

She grabbed her meal from the fridge and placed it in the microwave. As it began to heat, she picked up one of the photos from the couch that had come with her from the Daily Planet – it was one of her, Clark, Martha and Jonathan outside their house. Jonathan was in the middle with arms over her and Martha; Clark was on the end, his arm looped round her waist. She closed her eyes and took herself back to that moment; it seemed like a lifetime ago. It hurt to think of the old times when it had been her and the Kents; now Jonathan was long gone, Martha far away in Washington and Clark, well he was there but it wasn't the same; it never would be the same.

She swallowed then shook her head and took a deep breath; her life with the Kents, any of them, was over; she needed to accept it and move on.

She ate quickly, washed the dishes and settled down on the couch, tucking her long legs under her as she picked absent-mindedly through the mess she had brought back with her from the Planet. Most of it was junk; unused paper weights, tacky key rings and blackened rubbers.

There were mementoes from her relationships: a note from Oliver to excuse him from yet another of their dates he had bailed on; receipt of the dress she had bought to the charity fundraiser with Graham and a lipstick that she remembered best smeared on Grant Gabriel's cheek.

Then there were the ones that reminded her of her friends; a key ring from Chloe with a Smallville eagle on it; a photo from Jimmy of her in the Talon working the coffee machine; a balled up plaid shirt. Her whole life from Smallville up till now could be told through these objects, as if it had been scrunched up and shoved into a corner of a drawer or littered across the desk to, without care or emotion.

As she continued rooting through the pile, she found something she wished she hadn't; a copy of her rules of reporting she had written for Clark. This set were unceremoniously scrawled using a black biro with numerous crossings out and revisions from when she had first thought of writing her rules up. She had taken an embarrassing amount of care with them. But then, so it seemed had Clark with his set.

Even though she had resolved to keep her thoughts firmly away from the tractor loving farm boy, that had been bothering her all weekend: why had he had them framed? She didn't think it was about her; they were good rules after all. And anyway, they were friends; he would have done the same with Chloe. But when Chloe had spoken to her after about the one sided body switch, she seemed to have hinted Clark had meant more by it.

She doubted that. He didn't see her as anything more than the Lois who had been making his life hell since they first met. She leaned her head back on the couch and sighed. She remembered when he had first begun working at the Daily Planet and they'd go out together tracking down stories; the one about the girl who could set things on fire; that slutty, heart-attack-inducing ***** who had wrecked her car. It had been fun; they had grown closer without even knowing it.

Things were different now, for her at least. Realisation had taken a long time: of her feelings, her thoughts, her actions when concerning him. It was so unfair that it had happened like this; she had spoken to Martha before about finding her "Jonathan" but she had never meant to fall for the person most likely to be worthy of that title.

Working alongside him everyday, let alone just being his friend, had made it even more painful and most of all it had been scary, incomparable to anything she had felt before for anyone. It was difficult to comprehend the fact that she felt that way for a guy she had looked upon for so long as a brother, one to annoy at that, and, even worse, that these feelings had been there then too, even if she hadn't known it.

But occasionally he looked at her in a way no one had before, or if she tripped and he caught her, he would hold her just a little longer than necessary and in those brief moments all the confusion and heartache had seemed worth it. And at Chloe's wedding, his arms around her, leaning in… But then Lana had returned as she always did and as Lois always knew she would. Because that was how it worked; Clark and Lana, Lana and Clark, soulmates, meant to be.

Chloe had told her what had happened from then on; they had resumed their 40 Act Opera and she had been forgotten in Star City. When she had returned, she made the, now infamous to her, coffee suggestion. She had been such an idiot; he hadn't shown, like she should have expected.

Now she was hard at work putting whatever bizarre and completely irrational feelings she may have had before for him to rest. This was something she couldn't allow to get out of control; she couldn't lose him as a friend or let her heart break once more.

Shaking her legs out to relieve the pins and needles that had set in during her prolonged stay on the couch. She was angry with herself for yet again dwelling on Clark. She needed to find herself again – the Lois Lane who never let anything bother her, who didn't need anyone and who didn't believe anyone would need her.

However, later, having got into bed, she allowed herself one small concession: the inclusion of a large plaid shirt beneath her pillow. Slowly she drifted off to sleep…

She was in the Daily Planet. It was Monday morning. She sat down at her desk and turned on her computer.

Feeling a light breeze on her neck, she whipped her head round to yell at the person who had opened the door but instead she saw Clark walk past her. He gave her a brief smile before settling down at his desk and firmly turning his attention towards his computer. She blinked in surprise and hurt; he hadn't even said good morning.

"Clark?" She could at least ask him for a pen. He looked up. She drew a sharp intake of breath; he looked so sad. She had seen him mope over Lana but this was less wounded puppy and more like dead kitten.

"Clark, what's wron-" she tried to say but was interrupted by a sudden commotion behind her. Chloe was coming towards them, pushing people aside as she ran; she was hysterical, tears running down her face.

As she reached them, she stopped, shaking. "Clark. Oh my God, Clark" she could barely speak, her voice muffled by sobs, "Doomsday. He-he's coming." Clark stood at once and crossed to pull her into a hug.

"Chloe. Ssssh. It'll be okay." Chloe was still shaking as he stroked her hair. "Why now? Can't you calm him?"

"N-no, I tried everything but he was changing. I couldn't stop him. I locked him in the Talon b-but it won't stop him. He'll be here soon. Oh god Clark. The ultimate destroyer of earth… he's going to kill us all" she collapsed in sobs, Clark's arms held tight around her. Lois had no idea what was going on. It scared her to see Chloe like that but at the same a small part of her was jealous at the comfort and attention Clark was giving her.

"Uh, hallo? Anybody mind telling me what this whole Apocalypse routine is about?" Clark and Chloe looked at each other.

"Lois..." Clark began, stepping towards her but his voice choked up and he shook his head as if unable to continue. Chloe, who seemed calmer, put a hand on his and began to explain.

"Look, this is going to sound crazy but that monster from my wedding? It's back. And its coming here." She turned back to Clark "You need to get away from Metropolis, anywhere. It's going to follow you; you need to defeat it."

Here Lois interrupted, "But why Clark? How can he defeat it?" Chloe ignored her and instead hugged Clark tighter, before releasing him and walking over to Lois. She gave her a tight hug too, as if she would never see her again. Then she began to walk away, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm going to go do my job; warn the others; begin the fight… If you see Jimmy, tell him I love him."

"Chloe! Wait!" Lois shouted but she had already left, fading into a growing darkness around them. "What? What's going on, why are the lights going off?" she shouted to people around them but there was no-one there. Except Clark who was staring up down at her, tears dripping from his eyes.

"Clark?" She stood looking at him, her hand gripping together.

He walked over to her. Slowly, he unclenched her hands from each other and fitted his own into them. He released one hand and raised it to her cheek, staring at her as if he had never seen her before, or as if he would never see her again; she couldn't decide which. She felt him stroke her jaw line gently and brought her own free hand to his eyes to wipe away the stray tears that were gently rolling down his face.

"Lois." She flinched, snatching both her hands away from him; she had promised herself that she would keep her distance. She turned her back on him, fighting to compose herself.

"Lois" He said again but this time it sounded like a plea. She turned back to face him, unable to control herself. "I just…there's so much I've never told you. I don't know if I'll be coming back."

"Clark, don't say that!" she said sharply, her throat tightening.

"If I never see you again, I just want you to know…" He shook his head and smiled through his tears "God, how can you not know?"

"Not know what?" Lois was confused. What was he talking about? He laughed, shaking his head seemingly in disbelief.

"Know this." He strode forward, one arm snaking around her waist to pull her close to him. His other hand gently cupped her face, his blue eyes boring into hers…he kissed her, gently at first. Instinctively Lois' arms reached up to pull his face closer as Clark deepened the kiss. She could feel his body all along the length of hers. He was so warm. Breathing heavily, they broke apart. Clark leaned his forehead against hers, still holding her close.

"I love you, Lois. I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time."

I'll put part two up later :)