Chapter 3 [Kent Farm—11:20 AM]

After a morning's drive around Granville, an insightful talk over coffee, a visit to the Center Floral Shop and some time with their friends, Chloe pulled back into the dirt driveway and parked in front of the barn. Admittedly she still wished that Clark would've done something like this for her. However she also had accepted that he wasn't hers to love.

Listening to him talk to Alicia and Kyla brought that home for her as well.

"Have your plan ready, Farm Boy?" she asked him.

Clark shook himself out of his reverie. "Hmm? Oh yeah. I am."

"Big play for you, Clark. Don't fumble it," she jabbed playfully.

"I'll try." He flushed red in spite of himself.

Same Clark. Even if she's not wearing the necklace, he still falls all over himself where Lana's concerned. "All right then. I have to get back to the Ledger. Good luck with Lana. Make her feel like a princess. All right?"

"I will. Thanks, Chloe, for everything," he expressed while getting out of the car. He unloaded a bouquet of daisies, a bag of groceries and a red checkered table cloth.

"That's what friends are for. Go for it," she coached before driving off down the driveway.

Go for it she says. Yeah right! He hauled his stuff through the front door and set it in the kitchen. Then he set to work on the feast. Not knowing when Lana would return, he did so at super speed, blurring around the area to make chicken salad sandwiches, wrap them and place them in the picnic basket. He poured lemonade into Martha's best glass pitcher. He spread the new tablecloth over the table. He tossed a salad, dressed it with a bottled vinaigrette and set it in the fridge to chill. Then he set the table and lit two white candles in its center. Finally he placed the daisies by her place and smiled.

His enhanced hearing heard a car pulling in the driveway.

He used his x-ray vision to determine it was the Guest of Honor herself.

Here we go! He felt his nerves churning.

Lana felt better as she parked her blazer in front of the house. After the talk and coffee at the Talon, she'd gone for a long drive to weigh on her own thoughts. She'd visited with her parents at the cemetery both to reflect on how things had gone and to fill them in. She'd even seen Chloe just pass her on the road minutes earlier.

Rather than let the process sidetrack her for its own sake, she used it to clarify her own priorities. She knew the vendettas had to go. She had to leave Lex in the past—easier said than done but it had to happen. She also needed to let go of Bizarro too.

Clark was her life now. She needed to embrace that wholeheartedly. She needed him to see that she could stand with him on the hero's path. Maybe she didn't have the powers anymore but she had the heart for the job.

Hopefully Clark will see that too. She headed up the walk and hesitated in front of the door. Her butterflies ate at her stomach. "Here goes." She opened the door and walked into the house. Seeing the candlelit surprise on the table made her mouth drop in surprise. "Clark?"

"Right here, Lana," he declared warmly. "Did you have a good drive?"

"I did. Sorry I didn't leave you a note." She blushed. "I needed to think through some things. I'm sorry…that I said what I did yesterday."

"You were being honest." He let out a heavy sigh. "We haven't had a lot of that lately on either end, have we?"

"Letting our own agendas swamp us isn't such a good thing, is it?" she supposed. "Clark, I'll admit that the time I spent with the other you was wonderful. But you've given me moments like those too. I know you can do it. Even a few sprinkled in amongst the save-the-world routine would be great."

"You can deal with that?" he wondered.

She shrugged. "If I'm going to share this life with you, Clark Kent, then I'm going to have to. Just love and appreciate me too. Okay?"

"I have every day." He bowed his head. "I'm not the greatest at showing it though."

"You are now," she assured him. She surveyed his handiwork. "Wow. Looks like the whole deal. I think this is a pretty good start if you ask me." She picked up her daisies and took a whiff. "Mmmm. Are you sure you're the real Clark?" she teased.

"I deserved that," he admitted while stepping into the sunlight and letting it bathe him in its radiance. "It's really me, Lana. I'm right here for you. If you can accept me then I need to include you. Since it's a little cold to have it outside, I figured a picnic indoors was a good thing." He shrugged bashfully. "I only made sandwiches. I hope that's all right."

"If you made them for us then that's all I'd ever want," she assured him. "And that's what I've always wanted to hear." She set the daisies back on the table before crossing the room to his side. "I want to help us find the way. I'm going to have to give a little more and be patient. I just need to know you love me."

In answer to that plea, he pulled her close to himself. He locked lips with her, letting his warmth and energy flow into her, nourishing her spirit, seeding the fields of her psyche with hope.

She returned the gesture with her own, melting the icy doubts and fears away. As with a bird knowing the way home, her heart had found its way home.

"Never doubt that," he declared to her. He looked her firmly in the eye and affirmed, "I love you, Lana. You and nobody else."

"And I, you. I may not be the best either. Maybe we might figure out an arrangement where I can help you through ISIS? You can help me too," she suggested.

"I'd love that, Lana," he agreed enthusiastically. "I can't believe you want that though."

"I want to share your life, Clark. That includes helping you with the burdens and questions," she noted. "And the joys as well." She painted that notion onto his lips with another stroke of her own for emphasis. "Now let's enjoy our picnic, shall we?"

He took her hand and guided her to her place. Then after she'd sat down, he did so as well. "To us then."

She let her eyes sparkle and gave him a dreamy smile. "To us."

And in such ways, Love won the day and reestablished a beachhead for herself.