"Hey Chloe, it's Lois. I still haven't heard from you, me being your beloved cousin and stuff, but I know you're at Jimmy's side, so you're forgiven. Anyway, I'm seeking solace at yours for a while. Hope you can come by, but I totally understand if you can't. Love you cuz, really glad you're both ok." Lois flipped the phone closed, and replayed the horrific content of her message through her mind. Chloe was going to know that something was wrong, and it wouldn't take a genius to figure out what it was about. Apparently everyone could see her thing for Clark – not that she had one – before her; she'd have to work on subtlety.
She chose the Talon to hide out for two reasons: Chloe's apartment was comforting and secondly, because it housed the state's reservation of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream. If there's one thing her break up with Oliver taught her it was that Ben & Jerry's really soften the blow of being utterly crushed. Not that she'd broken up with Clark, she just... Ah crap. You've really walked into this one Lane. Oh, and talking to herself had also become a side effect of being bitten by the love bug. Why anyone enjoys this I'll never know.
She used the spare key under the mat and let herself in. On closing the door, she looked around. The place hadn't changed; to the casual observer, the occupants of this apartment looked like normal, loving newly-weds. To those who knew what happened, the place belonged to an unfortunate couple attacked by something monstrous on their wedding night. Chloe's make up was still left out on the table.
Dumping her bag down, she immediately headed for the freezer, got her litre and headed for the couch. Daytime TV sucked and she knew it; instead her mind started to drift to what Clark would be doing, before she shook her head, angry at herself for letting herself think of him, and forced her thoughts in other directions. The door clicked and for one irrational moment, she thought it might be Clark coming to find her, but then reality checked in and Chloe was helping a limping Jimmy through the door.
"Lois?" Chloe looked surprised to find her cousin in her apartment on a work day. You usually couldn't get her away from the Daily Planet.
Swallowing her last spoonful, she ran over to the door. "Chloe! Jimmy? Are you –"
"A little nauseous." He smiled half-heartedly.
"Lois, what are you doing here?" Chloe asked, as Lois helped Jimmy to the bedroom with her.
"Better yet, what's Jimmy doing out of the hospital? He doesn't look –" Jimmy glanced at her. "No offence."
"None taken." His hand was on his stomach , looking pale.
"The doctor said I could take him home," She stroked her hand across his forehead and looked into his eyes with such pure love, Lois couldn't help but smile. "He said he'd make house calls." Chloe looked back at Lois. "So, what are you doing here, not that it's not great to see you." She gave her a warm hug as she spoke.
"Well, I have been trying to call you –" Chloe looked confused and checked her phone, currently switched off, and immediately turned it on again.
"Oh wow, sorry Lo, I guess with everything..." She looked to Jimmy.
"It's ok." Lois smiled, putting a reassuring hand on Chloe's shoulder, and she smiled back thankfully. "You want a drink? Either of you?"
Chloe looked to Jimmy. "The doctor said only water for Jimmy, but I'd love a coffee." Chloe replied, heading to the kitchen with Lois following closely behind.
"I'll get them." Lois offered, as Chloe sat in the front room and noticed an inexplicable amount of Ben & Jerry's melted in a bowl.
"Er, Lois, what's with the Ben & Jerry's binge? Haven't seen anything like that since the icecaps started melting." She joked.
Lois' head popped out of the kitchen, slightly pink. "Oh that? It's nothing. Cravings, you know." She shrugged.
"At 11 in the morning?" Chloe asked sceptically, inspecting the ice cream closer.
"Yeah, well you know I can't resist Ben and Jerry, they're good to me." Lois said as she came in with the coffees. She peaked into the bedroom where Jimmy was fast asleep. "I don't think Jimmy will be wanting his water any time soon."
Lois sat beside Chloe on the sofa and re-examined her ice cream, fiddling with the spoon. "So, why aren't you at the Planet?" Chloe asked.
Lois shrugged and smiled. "Nothing to report, so nothing to do."
"Yeah, well where's Clark?" Chloe asked, as Lois gorged on a redeeming mouthful of ice cream; it was slightly more sickening that way.
"The Planet." Lois answered, trying to replace the emotion in her voice with the chewy sound of cookie dough. Chloe gave her a confused look, and Lois rolled her eyes. "A copy boy's work is never done."
"Lois." Chloe scolded.
"What? You shouldn't inflate Smallville's ego," And poked the ice cream like a surgeon would dissect an alien as she murmured, "Wouldn't want his stupid head to get any bigger."
"Lois," Chloe started, either ignoring her last comment or not hearing it. "Did something happen with you and Clark?" Lois took another mouthful and felt the cold scoops dripping down her throat, and avoided Chloe's gaze. No nothing happened! And it's not going to, no matter what, cos it's over, Smallville is nothing to me other than a big farm boy plaid wearing oaf. Seeing Lois wouldn't be divulging anything, she grimaced at Lois' choice of food. "That can't be nice."
"What? Sure it is." Lois reassured her, playing with the lumps unconvincingly.
Chloe sighed. "Lois," Lois looked at her cousin in the eye. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." She shrugged again, looking down into her bowl.
"No? Then why is it you eat that every time I mention Clark's name?" Chloe smirked.
As if by reflex, Lois did it again, paused with her mouth full and dribbled, "Do not."
Lois quickly moved off into the kitchen with bowl in her hands and Chloe on her heels. "Lois!"
Lois turned smiling, "Look, I know what you're going to say, so you might as well save it. Thinking that Smallville and I..." She looked down and shrugged. "I must have been temporarily insane. I mean the plaid for one thing would drive any girl crazy. I actually feel sorry for Lana." She nodded unconvincingly.
"I thought that... Jimmy said you two looked good together at the wedding." Chloe said affectionately.
"Me and Smallville?" She asked incredulously. "Jimmy should get his eyes checked."
"Lois," Chloe took a step toward her and looked her in the eye, close enough to see that Lois was feeling vulnerable at the moment, and really did want help, but was too stubborn to ask for it. "I can't speak for Clark, but from what Jimmy and I have been seeing from both of you over the last few weeks... I don't think it's just you who has these feelings."
Lois genuinely looked sad for a second, before she recovered her defensive stance. "Yeah, well, not with Lana still here." She moved off into the front room to hide her transparent disappointment.
Chloe followed her in. "Lois, you don't know how he feels. You need to talk to him."
"Chloe, come on, it's Lana and Clark, she's the love of his life, I was just... Let's just say that 'Lois and Clark' doesn't quite have the same ring to it." Lois said, smiling bravely as if nothing was really wrong.
"Lois, I didn't know you felt so –" Chloe stopped, her hands flying around her pocket and reached her buzzing phone, seeing 'Clark' flash across the screen.
Lois knew this from Chloe's glance to her. "I'm not here." She waved her hands.
Confused, Chloe answered the phone. "Hey Clark." All Lois could here were murmurings. "Right now? I'm kinda... well... I'm at home, maybe you could come here?"
"No!" Lois whimpered, she instantly worried if it was too loud.
"What? No, Lois isn't here?" Chloe laughed nervously as Lois sank into a cushion. "That was... that stray cat that's been hanging around... Yeah... Umm, I don't think that's what..." Chloe looked at Lois thoughtfully, about what Lois was unsure. "Fine. Just give me a few minutes." Chloe hung up the phone.
"What was that? Inviting him round?" Lois asked disbelievingly.
Chloe gave a faint smile. "Sorry Lo, I slipped up. Listen, I said that I would... go and meet Clark. I'm really sorry." Chloe grabbed her coat and bag. "Watch over Jimmy would you."
"Yeah, sure." Lois answered dismissively, clearly she was peeved. Little did Lois know that a surprise was coming her way in the form of that plaid wearing farm boy in a matter of minutes, and with Chloe cleared out of the way and Jimmy unconscious, who knows what could happen?