Entity Chapter 3: Vows, a smallville fanfic

Chapter Two - Vows

"Good morning Mrs. Kent," Lois said in a cheery tone as she descended down the stairs from her fiancé's room. Clark had insisted she stay at the farm for the week and he had been staying at Lex's mansion in the meantime. This on Lois' insistence. She wanted to stick to tradition and have him not see her until she walked down the isle to promise herself to him forever.

"Now, Lois, when are you going to stop calling me that? You're nearly my daughter already. Call me Mom."

"I'm not your daughter yet, Mrs. Kent."

"You've always been a daughter to me, Lois. Your vows today are only making it legal."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kent," she said, emphasizing 'Mrs. Kent' purposely, with a slight twinkle in her eye and a suppressed smirk on her face.

Mrs. Kent shook her head and sighed. "You are hopeless."

"And proud of it!" She arrived at the bottom of the staircase and took a seat at the dinner table. "So how are you doing this fine morning?"

"You are in a good mood this morning. Are you excited about today?"

"Do you even have to ask? I'm marrying Smallville! What's not to be excited about?"

She laughed. "I was the exact same way the morning of my wedding. I literally could not stand still."

Lois looked down at her hand. Her fingers were drumming the table impatiently. She stopped momentarily, only to continue the action absentmindedly when she looked back up at Mrs. Kent. "I know what you mean. I've looked forward to this day for months. I want to savor every moment of it, yet at the same time I want it to be over and have him hold me in his arms." She laughed. "Look at me. I've turned into a sappy romantic."

"Great love can do that to the best of us."

"Are you admitting to being a sappy romantic?"

Mr. Kent chose that moment to enter the kitchen himself. He smiled warmly, walked up his wife, put his hands on her hips, then leaned in and kissed her passionately, seemingly oblivious to Lois' presence.

Lois watched them in awe. They were so great together. She could easily see how their relationship had been meant to be. They were perfect for each other.

Lois waited two minutes, and when their kiss continued, she cleared her throat loudly.

Mr. Kent drew back slowly. "I love you, Martha."

Mrs. Kent smiled happily. "I love you too, Jonathan."

He leaned in and kissed her once more softly before turning around, filling a cup with water, and heading back to the back door. He paused at the door, turned to Lois and winked, and then began whistling as he went back outside.

"Does that answer your question?" Mrs. Kent asked her, her face glowing.

Lois laughed. "Yeah, it does. What was that all about?"

"Oh, Jonathan gets like that when he's happy."

"Ah. I see. I'm guessing you like to keep him happy, then…" she said with a wink.

"Oh I have my ways," Mrs. Kent replied with a wink of her own.

Lois laughed in surprise. "Mrs. Kent! You've got a naughty mind."

"It's only naughty if you aren't married."

"So that's how it works, huh?"

"Yes."

"I see." Lois paused a moment, considering how blunt she should be with her next comment, and wondering how far Mrs. Kent would take this conversation. In the end she decided to just go for it. "So if I wanted to go have my way with Smallville upstairs later, you'd be down with it?"

"As long as it was after two o'clock today, yes."

"Oh, trust me, it would be. We haven't waited this long to blow it a few hours early."

"So you two have waited, then?"

"Yes, we have. Clark wanted to, and I want what he does. I haven't even kissed him in four months."

"Wow. Clark's taking this more serious than Jonathan even did."

"Yeah, he told me about you two. He said you had a conversation with him about waiting, and it helping your marriage."

"I did. I actually had the conversation with you, too, though, in a way."

Lois didn't remember any such conversation. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Clark was in your body at the time."

"Oh. Wow. You talked to him about this that long ago? I'm surprised it has stayed with him this long."

"You know Clark. He's always been ruled by his heart. And I think that conversation struck a cord in his heart. Plus the photographic memory doesn't hurt, either."

"I suppose you're right. I think that's why I love him so much. He follows his heart, and that almost always leads him to do the right thing. Though he can be really naive sometimes." She paused for a moment, and then smiled brightly. "But that's what he has me for, right?"

"Yes, and I'm glad he found you, Lois. I knew from almost the first moment I met you that you would be good for Clark. You really bring out the best in him."

Lois smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent. That means a lot."

"Your welcome, Lois. Now, we have a wedding to get you ready for. Are you ready to get started?"

Lois took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused herself. Today was her wedding day, and she planned on savoring every moment of it. A large smile spread across her face. "Yes. Yes I am."

Clark laughed at himself and undid his tie for the sixth time. He just wasn't cut out to tie them. He never had been, and he likely never would be. But his mother had been there to tie it for him for the majority of his life, and Lois had been there to help him with it recently. But neither would be helping him today. He wouldn't see Lois until she walked down the isle, and his mother would be with Lois for the next couple of hours. So he was on his own this time.

"You never could tie a tie, Clark," Lex said with a smile as he walked up to him. "Here, let me help you with that." He put Clark's tie around his own neck, fiddled with it for a few seconds, loosened the knot a bit, and took it off his neck and put it around Clark's.

"You make it look so easy."

"I have been tying ties since I was five. It just takes practice. Or in your case, extreme luck."

Clark laughed. "No kidding." Lex finished tightening the tie and Clark looked at him with gratefulness. "Thank you. I'd have likely spent another hour working on it if you hadn't come along."

Lex nodded, a smile on his own face. "Nervous?"

"More excited than nervous. I've been waiting for this for so long, and now it is finally here. And I feel like I'm going to burst. I want the day to be over and for it to never end at the same time. And I just can't wait to see Lois walking down the isle."

"I'll admit, I never saw that coming, you and Lois."

"Neither did I. She kind of took me by storm, if you know what I mean."

"Oh I do. I definitely do."

Clark studied Lex for a moment. He seemed to be serious, but then Lex was always hard to read. Still, there was something about his look that was different, almost as if the mere thought of the woman in question put a fire in his eyes. It reminded him of a certain farmboy he knew, although the fire in his eyes was a little more literal.

He looked a bit closer, and his suspicions were confirmed. Yes, there was definitely someone in Lex's life, and by the looks of it she had taken his heart.

"Who is she?"

"What?"

"Come on Lex. I know you. Your eyes don't sparkle over just anyone. Who is she?"

"My eyes were sparkling?"

"Not were. Are."

"I've got it worse than I thought. I think I might be in love with her."

Clark's eyes widened. For Lex, that was a huge thing to say, for he had only truly loved a few people in his life. And it had rarely turned out very well.

"With who, Lex?"

"Well let's just say that if things turn out the way I hope they will then you and I will be a lot closer than we are."

"What do you mean?"

"I've always thought of you as a brother, Clark. But I think I could settle with us being cousins."

It took Clark a few moments to figure out what Lex was saying. And then it hit him like a train filled with Kryptonite. "Oh. When did this happen?"

"Last week."

"She really did take you by storm, didn't she?"

"Yes she has. And I still cannot believe she wants to go out with me."

"You do realize that if you break her heart, my soon-to-be wife will kill you."

"I have considered that, yes." He laughed nervously, and then took on a more serious expression. "Clark, I am not the man you are. I have tried to be, but I'm just not. I may be your best man, but you will always be the better man between us. I don't think I'm good enough for her, and I am afraid I will break her heart. Or worse, hurt her."

Clark put an arm around his friend and thought about everything that had happened since he had known him. In the beginning, Clark had had nothing but respect for the man. He had befriended Clark, showered him with gifts (which his father had of course made him return), and given him some good advice. He had seen the glimmer of darkness in him, but his father had always taught him to look for the good in people, not the bad. And that is what he had done initially. Slowly, over the years, he had learned things about Lex that had shocked him, and he had just as slowly begun to wonder whether he could really trust him. And then he had found out that Lex had been investigating him all along, even after he had told him his obsession had ended. And that had shaken their friendship to the very core. Clark had never believed he would be able to trust Lex again. He had thought their friendship was over forever.

But Clark had been wrong, both about their friendship and about being able to trust Lex. Lex had appealed to Clark a few weeks after Clark had returned from his hiatus in the cave wall, where Jor-El had attempted to force Clark to face his destiny. Lex had shown him the room that had once been full of information about Clark and was now empty, save for a crushed Porsche, and had vowed that his pursuit of Clark's life was over once and for all. Clark had still been wary of Lex then, but had decided to give him one last chance. And Lex had not wasted it.

Their newly reestablished friendship had been a bit rocky at first, especially when Lex had started to go after the stones. Clark knew that he wasn't intentionally pursuing his past, but that it just happened that his past was connected to many of the more bizarre and unique things in the world. Still, he couldn't be sure what Lex would do if he ever found out about his powers. And if he had gotten his hands on the stones he would have found out. So it had been hard to trust him.

And then Clark had united the stones and started his Kryptonian training. That had been an interesting time for their friendship. Clark was gone for a month, then back for a day and two nights, and then gone for another month. And he couldn't exactly explain where he ran off to for a month at a time. Not to Lex, at least. He didn't know about his heritage, and thus telling him that he was studying Kryptonian lore was out of the question. He had to tell him, and everyone else, something, though. He had, after all, left everything at the drop of a hat. His friends did deserve some type of explanation. And he had given them one.

The explanation had been fairly simple, and had actually been Lois' idea. He had told them that he was searching for information about his biological parents, and that it was something he had to do on his own. He needed to find out who he was, and his biological parents did play a role in that. Lex had, of course, initially offered to help him, but Clark had assured him that this was something he needed to do on his own. The search to find out about his parents was as important to him as the information itself. He didn't quite know where he fit in the world, and he needed to figure that out.

Lex had completely understood. He had told Clark that he wanted to know where he fit in the world as well, and that understanding his own parents was important for him too. He thought he had known his father, but then he had gone to prison and changed completely. He was no longer the man he had been before. The knowledge that Lionel Luthor could change for the better had allowed Lex to understand that he could change too. That knowledge had helped him understand himself better, and had shown him what he was capable of. And he hoped that Clark's journey would give him similar clarity. The conversation had impressed Clark greatly, and it was then that he had begun to have hope that Lex truly could be turned around.

They had kept in touch off and on after that. Clark's visits back to the world were spent mostly with Lois or his parents, but he did stop by his friend's house to catch up every few months. With each visit Clark became more and more convinced that Lex could truly be trusted. He continued to follow his father's lead and began charity work, fed those in need, and focused LuthorCorp's research; not on profit but on products that would benefit society. He wasn't changing the world, but he was making a difference. And he was excited about it. And that impressed Clark more than anything.

Then tragedy had struck, and Lex's newfound path away from darkness had been tested. His father, whom he had grown very close to over the two and a half years since his release from prison, had been killed in a drive by shooting. Lionel had been on a food drive, personally passing out meals to those that could not afford it, when a gang, angry about the drop in drug traffic in their neighborhood, had begun unleashing automatic weapons on the unsuspecting community. Eighteen people had been killed, including Lionel Luthor.

Lex had been devastated yet furious, and had very nearly slipped back into his old ways. Despite the size of the massacre, the police were unable to track down the people responsible, and Lex had taken matters into his own hands, tracking down each and every member of the gang himself, until he found the ones responsible.

Lois had contacted Clark the moment she found out about what had happened, and he had immediately left the fortress to support his friend. And Jor-El had let him, and even given him permission to stay for two weeks to handle the situation, which had surprised him.

Clark had stopped at the mansion first, and then stopped at his penthouse in Metropolis, but he didn't find Lex at either place. When he heard what the police had, or rather, hadn't, found out about the killers, Clark had panicked and flew high above the city, listening for Lex's voice. Locating it, he had flown to Lex as fast as he was able and found him with a gun in his hand, threatening the people responsible for the shooting. Clark had walked in on the middle of the conversation.

"You killed innocent people, my father included, for the sake of money. He was only trying to help, and you threw it in his face and murdered him for it. You deserve to die for what you have done. And I deserve to kill you. You should die at my hands."

Then Lex had cocked his pistol and held it to the first perpetrator's head. Clark had been about to go into super mode, attempting to get to the gun before Lex killed the man, but he stopped abruptly when he saw what happened next. Lex lowered the gun, put it under the man's chin in order to look him in the eye, and then spoke.

"But I am not going to kill you. Do you know why? Because my father would not have wanted me to. Your life is going to be spared because of the man that you shot down.

"I cannot prove that you three are the ones responsible for the death of eighteen people. I know you are, but I cannot prove it. But what I can do is make your lives miserable. I will use the entirety of LuthorCorp's resources to clean up this neighborhood and root out any and all gang activity. Being a Dread is not going to be very fun or profitable in the foreseeable future. You have taken away something from my life. And now I am going to take something away from yours. Your very identity."

With that, Lex had turned around and walked away, leaving all three criminals tied up on the floor and in total shock. And it was in that moment that Clark knew once and for all that Lex had truly changed. He had faced the biggest challenge in his life and had passed. Any reservations Clark may have had about his friendship with Lex had faded in that instant.

Clark had spent the next two weeks with his friend, giving him comfort when he needed it, going with him to his father's funeral, and generally just being there for him. Lex had never been a man known for weakness, and he had kept up that façade in front of everyone, showing very little emotion throughout the ceremony and in the days that followed. Everyone, that is, except Clark. Twice while Clark was alone with him, Lex's emotional walls had broken, and the tears had fallen. And both times Clark had been there to give him an arm and a hug.

Their friendship had never been the same after those two weeks. It had deepened and strengthened to a point far beyond any friendship either of them had ever had before. His relationship with Lois was one thing. She was his soulmate, and he was very close to her. But he had something with Lex that he could never have with Lois, just as Lois had something with Chloe that she could never have with him. A best friend. There was just something about a friendship with another man that could not be replaced by any other relationship with a member of the opposite sex, no matter how close that relationship was. No matter how well Lois grew to know him, she would still always be a woman. At least he hoped she always would be, as stranger things had happened in the past.

About a month after the incident, three bodies were found beaten to death in the same park that the shooting had taken place. The police had later determined that the deaths had occurred at the hands of the Dreads themselves. Lex hadn't lied when he said he would devote LuthorCorp's resources to cleaning up the neighborhood. He had, and drug trafficking had decreased to almost nothing in only a few weeks. The Dreads, angry with the three men responsible for their decreased profits, had killed them. It was the final act of a desperate group, and a few weeks later the Dread presence in Metropolis disappeared completely.

Clark's visits to the Luthor mansion became increasingly frequent in the subsequent months, till it reached the point where he never went back to the fortress without first at least stopping by to say hi to Lex.

Through it all, Lex had proven to be a very reliable and worthy friend. And Clark could not do anything else but be the same in return. He was a good man, even if he still had a small hint of darkness, and Clark wasn't about to let him down.

"Lex, I have every confidence that you will not hurt her. You are a good man. And I know Chloe sees that. She would not want to be with you if it were otherwise. You have to have faith that when the tests come, you will pull through. And I'll be here too, if you ever need a different perspective or the encouragement to do what is right."

"I know you will, Clark. That is why I am so thankful for your friendship. You help keep me aware of the fact that there are truly good people in the world. And Chloe helps me see that too. I'm just not there yet. But I hope that with both of you there to help me, I'll arrive eventually. And that is why, when Chloe asked me to go out with her, I said yes."

"Wait a minute. She asked you?"

"I'll leave you girls to finish up and have some alone time before the ceremony. I have to go meet Jonathan now."

Lois smiled at her future mother-in-law and nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent."

Mrs. Kent looked at her sternly for a few moments, and put forth her most authoritative voice. "We are going to have another talk later." Her stern manner cracked slightly, and a small smile slipped across her face.

"Yes, Mrs. Kent," Lois said with a smirk, to which Mrs. Kent sighed, smiled again, and left.

Once Mrs. Kent had left, Chloe looked at Lois quizzically and asked, "What was that all about?"

"Oh, Mrs. Kent wants me to call her 'Mom', not 'Mrs. Kent'."

"Ah. And you call her 'Mrs. Kent' anyway just to play with her."

"Exactly."

"Are you ever going to grow up?"

"I don't plan on it. It's too much fun messing with people."

All three girls laughed at her comment, and Lois joined them with a chuckle of her own. She was happy. Truly and blissfully happy. She had never been happier in her life. Excluding Mrs. Kent, all of the women in her life were here, with her, on her special day. It was a perfect moment. She wanted to freeze it in time and remember it forever. Life could not get much better than this.

Lois took a moment to reflect on the three women in front of her. On her left was Lana, the most unlikely of friend. Not many people could say they were on good terms with their fiancé's ex. And Lois was more than on good terms with Lana. They were good friends. She had even been a bridesmaid in Lana's wedding three years ago. There were no hard feelings between them, as Lana was happy with Jason and Lois was happy with Clark. Each was happy for the other.

On her right stood Chloe, her best friend and only cousin. It was weird to think that Chloe's supposed death had been the force that had brought Clark into her life, even if she hadn't seen their introduction as a positive at the time. Not completely, anyway. Her first face to face with him had been at least partially pleasant, considering the condition of his clothing at the time.

Chloe had always been the continual force in her life. She was her only constant. When Lois needed someone, Chloe had always been there to give her support, even when she couldn't admit to herself that she needed it. When everything else in her life fell apart, she could always count on Chloe to be there to cheer her up. Chloe was her rock, and, for most of her life, the one good thing about her life. And she would always be apart of her life, no matter what happened in the future.

And then there was Lucy, standing dead and center. Her sister. Gawd, she loved her, more than life itself. And she was so proud of her. She had gotten her life back on track and accepted the consequences of her past actions with courage. It had been a long road to redemption, but she had taken it with passion, and Lois could not have been more proud of her. What's more, since her coming of age and subsequent release from her father's "chain of command", the two of them had truly become sisters. Real sisters. Not mother-figure/sister, but sister/sister.

Just thinking about it brought tears of happiness to her eyes. Her life was quickly falling into place, and everything she had ever dreamed of was coming true. She had a close-knit group of good friends (the fact that most of those friends were family did not matter), her sister loved and liked her and she loved and liked her in return, she had finished college and had a promising career in a field she loved, and she was marrying the man of her dreams. She had never believed her life could ever turn out so well, and she was so very thankful that it had.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, big sis?"

"Have you ever had a moment where you wondered how your life could get any better?"

Her three girls smiled at her, and Lucy drew her in for a hug, and then kissed her on the cheek. "I'm having one of them right now, Lo'. My favorite sister is getting married! To quite a catch, too. Maybe I should have flirted with him a bit more back when I first met him."

Lois laughed. "Right, like that would be possible."

"That wouldn't be a challenge, would it, sis? 'Cause you know, us Lane's never back down from a challenge."

"You've got that right. And no, that was not a challenge. I'd rather you not flirt with my husband at the reception. Your attentions attracted enough of his eyes the first time around."

"Come on, Lo'. You know Clark only noticed me back then because I was a more open version of you. There's never been anyone but you. He's always only loved you. You two are like…destiny."

"I'm sure Lana would have something to say about that. Right, Lana?"

"No, Lucy is right, Lois. I don't think what me and Clark had could ever be dubbed 'love'. It was too self serving to be love. Nothing like what you and Clark have, or what Jason and I have. For Clark, there has always only been you. You two are like destiny. And I saw it the first moment I met you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I even thought you two were dating, and told Clark as much. He denied it outright, of course, but I could still tell."

Lois laughed, and the three girls looked at her oddly. "What's so funny?" Chloe asked.

"I just think it is funny that all of you saw the chemistry between Clark and I before either of us did."

"Well it was obvious," Lucy put in.

"Yes it was," Lana and Chloe added at the same time.

"I just hope it lasts."

"Lois Joanne Lane! What did I tell you about this?" Lucy exclaimed, obviously more than a little angry with her sister.

"I know, Luce. But what if I'm not cut out to be a wife? or a mother? What if I let him down?"

"You are not going to let him down. You will be a great wife, and if children do enter the picture, you will be a great mother. And that is final." Lucy's voice was firm and unwavering.

"But-"

"No! Lois, listen to me. I love you. Chloe loves you. Lana loves you. The Kent's love you. And Clark loves you. And all of us know you will be a wonderful wife and mother. We can't all be wrong."

"She's right, Lois," Lana put in. "We all know you will do wonderfully. And you shouldn't diminish the happiness of this day with thoughts like these."

A knock on the door interrupted any conversation that might have followed, and all four heads turned towards the sound.

"May I come in?" It was the General. Lois sighed. Great. She really didn't need another reason to be upset. "I'd like to talk to my daughter before the ceremony begins."

"Yes, Daddy. Come on in. We're decent," Lucy called out.

The General opened the door and walked in. He had on the traditional black tux and tie, which gave him a gentler air than his normal military garb. He looked good.

"Can I talk to her alone?"

Her three bridesmaids nodded, and began to leave the room. Her maid-of-honor turned to her before leaving and gave her an encouraging smile. "Be happy, sis. This is your day. Remember that. Love you."

Lois watched as her girls left the room, then prepared herself for the coming conversation. She really didn't need another lecture at the moment.

The General walked up to her and took her hands. "Hi Lo'."

"Hi Daddy."

"Are you excited?"

"Yes."

"I was too when I married your mother. She was one of the three best things that have ever happened to me."

"What?" Was the General admitting that she was important to him?

"I'm proud of you, Lo'."

"Really?" It was too good to be true. It had to be.

"Yes, I am very proud of you. I'm proud of you for finishing school and working so hard to do so. I'm proud of you for waiting patiently for love and for making good choices. And I'm proud of you for choosing such a great man to spend your life with. You deserve the best, and I'm glad that you have found it."

The tears flowed gently down her face as the happiness of earlier overflowed beyond the point that she thought possible. "Oh Daddy," she managed to say through her tears, and pulled herself closer to him, hugging him tightly.

"I'm here, baby." He wrapped his arms around her and cried with her. "I'm so happy for you. I love you, my little Lo'."

The words were music to her ears. They were the words she had been waiting to hear for twenty-two years. Her Daddy loved her. How much more wonderful could a day get?

Chloe chose that moment to come barging into the room. "The ceremony's about to…Oh. I suppose they can wait. You both take your time." She turned to leave, then paused in the doorway. "Just don't wait too long. You don't want Clark to start to panic. You did make him sit through Runaway Bride, remember?" With that, she left the room and closed the door behind her.

Lois closed her eyes and took in the moment. This was the happiest day of her life. Then she pulled away slowly, even though she really didn't want to. She had another man to meet. And he loved her too.

She wiped her eyes dry, then looked her father in the eye. "I suppose I don't look very well now, huh?"

"Lo', you are always beautiful. And today you are going to take Clark's breath away."

She smiled. "Thank you."

Her Daddy nodded and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

Lois answered with her arm and went out to meet her soon-to-be husband. This day just kept getting better and better.

Clark rubbed his thumbs and fingers together nervously. It was a trick his father had taught him just before Lana's wedding. The rule of thumb, no pun intended, in a wedding was to keep your hands to your sides. Crossing your arms, as well as putting your hands in your pockets, was out of the question. But rubbing your fingers together allowed you to release energy without looking conspicuous. And Clark was forever thankful for the tip, as at the moment he felt like floating on the clouds.

Clark glanced down to make sure he wasn't about to do just that, then closed his eyes and focused, willing himself to fall back to the ground. He looked around the church auditorium nervously, checking to make sure no one had seen his sudden burst of supernatural power, even though it had only been a few inches. Thankfully, all eyes were glued to Laura, Lana's two-year-old daughter, who was slowly but surely dropping flowers down the center isle. She was a very cute brown haired girl, a near spitting image of Lana as a child, with Jason's green tinted hazel eyes. When she reached the end of the isle, she looked into her basket and noticed that it was still filled with flowers, and immediately dumped the rest of the flowers on the floor. This caused a serious of chuckles to emerge from the guests.

As Laura took her place in front of her mother, Clark's anticipation increased tenfold. This was it. Everyone had entered, save two people. And though he liked Sam Lane, he wasn't the one that had set Clark's heart racing, nor was he the one who's own heart was racing in stride, beat for beat. And he certainly wasn't the one who could take Clark's breath away with a simple glance. A glance that Clark had been waiting to see all day.

Silence took the room for a few moments, and then the organs began to play Felix Mendelssohn's Wedding March. But neither the author, the song, nor how he knew the names of either was on his mind. Only one thought occupied him: Lois. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, resisting the urge to take a peak through the doors. He had promised Lois he would wait, and he was going to.

Every guest stood, and all eyes shifted to the two large doors at the back of the church. The doors cracked open slightly, and Clark saw a small glimpse of white. His heart rate and hers increased even further. She was coming.

The doors opened fully, and Clark's breath left him. Wow. It was the only word capable of describing her. She was beautiful. An angel. His angel. His wonderful, beautiful, amazing, breathtaking, awe-inspiring, angel. Wow.

Lois' smile was ear to ear, imitating his own smile, and it took his breath away. The distance closed between them as her father escorted her down the isle. With each step, Clark could feel their connection increase, and the depth of his happiness grew in stride with hers. Forty feet. Thirty. Twenty. Ten. She stopped.

"Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man?"

"I do, without regrets."

Sam Lane took his seat on Clark's right, and Lois closed the distance between them. She offered him her hands, and he took them happily. Electricity sparked at the contact, and Clark took in the warm feeling of her skin against his.

"You are so beautiful," Clark said without words, using the technique the two of them had learned shortly after that first morning six months ago. Closeness was the secret. Clark had to be both physically and emotionally near Lois, and Lois had to in return be both physically and emotionally near Clark. Touching and focusing on her emotions had been all that was needed to bridge the gap between their minds, and over the last several months it had become like second nature to both of them.

"I love you, Smallville."

"I love you too, Lois."

"I want to kiss you."

"I know. I want to kiss you too. Only a little while longer and we'll be married."

"We're going to be married!"

"We are! This is the best day of my life."

"Mine too. I've never been so happy."

"I love you, Lois."

"I love you too, Clark."

The conversation between them continued as the minister droned on. Clark filled her in on his day, and gave her the scoop on his tie troubles. Lois in return told him about her day, about her conversation with his mother, her preparations for this moment, and what her father had told her before she came in. Clark laughed with her softly when he was told what his mother had permitted them to do in their bed later today, rejoiced with her when she related her little moments of joy as she was getting ready, and cried with her in happiness when she shared her father's words with him.

The minister finished his spiel on all the things that Lois and Clark already understood and instructed the couple to recite their vows. Clark went first.

"Lois, you mean the world to me. You are my heart, you are my strength, and you are my life. I love you today, and I will love you forever. Through pain, joy, sickness, health, good times and bad, I commit my life to you from this day forward. I promise to love you, cherish you, and hold only you until the day that I die. Though the foundations of the world fall away, still I will be yours, forever and always. You are my angel, and I love you more than life itself. I give my-"

Clark's vows were interrupted by a loud cough by the minister, and Clark looked at him questioningly.

"I think he wants you to say it out loud, Smallville," Lois said with a smile.

Clark's eyes widened in realization. "I wasn't saying it out loud?"

"No, you weren't. It was amazing, though. I'd love to hear you say it again."

Clark issued a silent apology to the minister, and repeated his vows with as much conviction as the first time. "…You are my angel, and I love you more than life itself. I give my heart and life to you now and join myself to you forever."

"Clark, Smallville, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I look back at my life and cannot imagine it without you. You complete me, give me strength, help me cry, and make me happier than I ever thought possible. I love you, and I commit right now to always love you, always cherish you, always be honest with you, and always cleave to you, and only you, from this day forward, and till death do us part. You are my Smallville, and you will always be. And I am honored to take on your name, now and forever."

Clark and Lois smiled brightly, and squealed softly, barely containing their excitement. It took all the effort Clark was capable of to keep his feet squarely on the ground.

"That was amazing, Lois. Thank you."

"You're amazing, Smallville. And I meant every word."

The first few chords of Iris began to play, and Jason and Lana left their places on either side of them, as Laura took her "auntie" Chloe's hand, and together they stepped out onto the platform and began to sing.

"It's our song!" Lois said as the first few words rang out.

And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

"I want to go home with you forever, Lois."

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
and sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

"After today, it will be forever, Smallville."

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

"You are my everything, Lois. I love you."

"I love you too."

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

"We are so dancing to this song later."

"I wouldn't give up a dance with you for the world, my angel."

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am

The last few words of the duet faded, and Lana returned to her position in between Lucy and Chloe, while Jason returned to his position in between Lex and Pete.

"Do we have the rings?"

Lex handed Clark Lois' ring, and Lucy handed Lois Clark's ring. They faced each other.

"Clark, repeat after me. I, Clark, give you this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you."

Clark repeated the minister's words and slid the ring onto Lois' left ring finger.

"This is my mother's ring!"

"I know. You can thank your father for that one. He offered it to me when I asked for your hand."

The minister repeated his request with Lois, and Lois heartily complied, sliding a golden band onto Clark's finger.

"You have exchanged your vows, promised your love to each other, and sealed your promise with the rings. By the power vested in me by the state of Kansas, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Clark, you may kiss your bride."

"I've waited for this moment my entire life."

"So have I. Well, kiss me already, Smallville!"

Clark smiled, leaned in slowly, and kissed her softly. His hands drifted to her waist, and her hands drifted to his neck. The kiss deepened, and Clark lifted her off the ground and into his arms, then twirled her around excitedly and set her back down again. Applause and laughter could be heard from the guests.

"I now pronounce to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent."

Clark smiled widely, took his new bride by the hand, and led her down the center isle. Clark shot Lois a quick idea, and Lois nodded in reply. Half way down the isle, the couple stopped, shouted a loud "Woohoo!" with arms raised high, and then ran down the isle towards the open doors as husband and wife.