A/N: Thanks to everyone that has reviewed. I will be going on vacation tomorrow so I thought I would post this before I go. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy the rest of chapter three. Please review!

Chick Flick

Chapter 3 Part 2

Cell Block Tango

Three long hours, twenty seven agonizing minutes, and a significant amount of banter later, all of the files had been sifted through and Lois and Clark were far from finished with their strategy for the next day. They had read through most of the information and yet still had no idea about how the TV lawyer had planned on getting her off.

"Why did you have to go and kill someone Lois? We couldn't end up in a movie where we had to do something simple, like surviving one of those freaky disaster movies. We had to get pulled into a movie where I have to get you off of a murder charge." Clark spoke in frustration while staring dejectedly at the piles of false hopes and poor attempts at a defense.

"You have a loose definition of easy Smallville. I wish we were in one of those cheesy chick flick type movies. How hard is it to get through one of them? It's always boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy makes a complete ass out of himself, girl stupidly takes boy back and they live happily ever after. It's the same plot redone over and over again. You can tell exactly how they are going to end and you can be prepared for the heartache in-between. A pure and straightforward chick flick would be much simpler than this court time drama that we have going now." Lois sighed and stood up.

"You have an odd view about movies that are supposed to make people feel all romantic and hopeful, Lois. Those chick flick movies are supposed to appeal to the need for love and romance. Personally, I think that they can be endearing, although occasionally unrealistic. Right about now I'd take anything over this craziness." Clark agreed while placing all of the files back into his briefcase.

"Well, you've been spending way too much time with my cousin and the pink princess, because that's the only explanation for why a football man like you would be even remotely interested in chick flicks." Lois reasoned while smirking at Clark.

"Oh, and this comes from the girl who has had movie marathons with them. You've watched your fair share of chick flicks too Lois. Didn't you quote Jerry Maguire the other day?" he questioned.

"I do not "quote" any chick flick. It just so happens that "show me the money" is a very popular phrase." Lois snapped indignantly. Clark just laughed at her and closed the now bulging briefcase.

As Clark turned away to set his briefcase on the floor, Lois slumped to the floor and placed her hands over her face in defeat and exhaustion. It was very late into the evening and she knew that the Martha twin could be back any second. The hopelessness of the situation was overwhelming. Something deep down inside of her was screaming at her to do something, anything to get away from this prison. She wanted to go break down the walls and run as far away as she could get from this hell. Another part of her told her that it wasn't going to be that easy. Lois began to doubt if she would even be able to save herself from the crimes of her movie persona.

"Lois, are you okay?" Clark asked concerned as he sat down next to her on the hard, cold floor. When Lois didn't reply he rested one hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her hands away from her face with the other. "Lois?"

Lois refused to answer his first attempt to console her, but the touch of his hands against her skin brought everything to the surface. She felt the tears build up and she struggled to keep them from falling. She couldn't cry in front of him. Lois Lane did not cry. She wouldn't let him know how afraid she was that she might lose in court in the morning and would never get out of the TV limbo.

She wouldn't let him know how badly she wanted him to wrap his arms around her and tell her that he would make everything alright. She wouldn't cry, she couldn't cry. The second she lifted her head and stared into his deep, passionate, and concerned blue eyes, even her stubborn refusal to cry wasn't enough. As soon as his eyes met hers, they reached deep into her soul and broke the barriers that had kept the tears at bay her whole life.

All of the tears than went unshed, that had been kept hidden and suppressed, locked away in the little box in Lois's brain came flooding to the surface and poured down like the rainstorm that was plaguing Smallville. The look in his eyes made it so easy to let go and forget the pain in her heart from all of the problems that assaulted her life. Lois felt the tears slip down her cheeks, dripping onto the dirty dress that now hung listlessly over her helpless frame. His eyes were so passionate and understanding in a way that Lois had never seen before. She forgot to care about her reputation as the tough, stubborn city girl. She didn't need that reputation right now. All she needed was for him to hold her and save her from the unknown that surrounded them.

The strong, independent Lois Lane seemed to crumble around him and Clark Kent had no idea what caused it. He had never seen Lois look so forlorn and he didn't understand. He wanted desperately to understand. He felt this intense need to comfort her and make that pain go away. Not knowing how to help, he did what his heart told him to do. He gently wrapped his arms around her and cradled her on his lap. He wrapped the jacket of his suit around her shoulders and just held her close to his chest. If she wanted to talk she would. Clark was accustomed to keeping things to himself and he knew that forcing Lois to talk would just upset her more. Until she was ready, he would just have to wait patiently.

As soon as Clark brought her to his chest, Lois buried her face into his shoulder and continued to cry. 'How did he know that was exactly what I needed him to do? How can someone be so annoying at times and then so completely sincere and loving at others? Why did that look in his eyes make my heart break so badly?' Lois's thoughts echoed repeatedly in her head. The tears continued to flow freely down onto Clark's fancy suit.

Lois never needed anyone. She prided herself on being self sufficient and not relying on others for things she could do on her own. For the first time in a long time she actually needed someone. She couldn't believe that the person that she would end up needing would be Clark Kent, the one person she thought she didn't want.

After what seemed like an eternity, Clark gathered the courage to try to see if Lois would share her worries with him. She hadn't moved for awhile, and the tears had started to cease. Clark felt that it was now appropriate to make sure that something wasn't seriously wrong.

"Lois?" Clark ventured tentatively, while stroking the tear soaked hair away from her face.

Lois sighed into his shoulder and opened one eye to acknowledge Clark's concern. The concern visible all over his face almost made her start crying all over again. She snuggled her head closer to his shoulder and let him run his fingers through her hair for a few minutes before finally speaking.

"I'm scared?" she spoke uncertainly as if she wasn't sure if the word explained how she felt.

"Obviously it is more than that Lois. I've never seen you look so…"

"Pathetic?" Lois interrupted.

"No, not pathetic at all," Clark assured while looking deep into her eyes. "Lois you aren't pathetic. Everyone is allowed to cry when they're upset or scared. You actually scared me pretty badly. I had never seen you act so normal before." Clark continued.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lois questioned defensively.

"It wasn't an insult Lois. You are always so strong, and composed. You never want help and you don't like to show your emotions. It is like you built this wall up around yourself and you refuse to let anyone within a ten mile radius without trying to take them out with a bazooka or something."

Lois smiled despite herself and couldn't help but acknowledge that what Clark had said was completely true. "You know, I don't think anyone ever described me so accurately in my whole entire life. You have a gift, Smallville."

"I made you smile. That's a definite sign that I must be pretty damn special."

"Yeah, you're special alright." Lois smirked. 'I never realized how special you actually are.' Lois thought to herself.

"So, do you want to talk about why you're scared or would that give me way too much power?" Clark asked more lightheartedly.

Lois let out a deep sigh and poured out her feelings. "I'm afraid that we aren't going to get out of here. I'm afraid that I'm going to be stuck here in a prison for what's left of my life until they decide to take me out to the gallows. I'm afraid that because we can't get me off for this crime, that I'll die and you'll be stuck here too. I'm afraid that the rain will stop in Smallville and Chloe will come home and find that we're gone. I'll never get to have the life I wanted or to at least try to come up with an attempt at a life that I might at find bearable." Lois stopped to take a ragged breath and continued.

"The thing that scares me the most is that we'll get out of this television world and everything will stay the same. I don't want to spend my whole life being alone, wondering about what I'm missing, instead of being out in the world, accomplishing my goals and setting new, even more unobtainable ones. Is it my destiny to live alone and unhappy making sure everyone stays at that distance where they can't hurt me? If it is, I'm not sure how I'll be able to handle that."

Clark listened as Lois shared her fears and realized how close her fears were to his own. He spent most of his life fearing the inevitability of being alone and losing everyone he ever cared about. He worried so much that his destiny would hurt the ones he loved the most and that his secret would prevent him from ever having a happy life. It felt comforting to know that his own fears were in parallel with Lois's fears.

After composing his thoughts, Clark tried to comfort her as best as he could. "Lois, everything you are afraid of is completely reasonable. We don't know what tomorrow will bring for us. I can't promise you that we'll win the case tomorrow. I can't guarantee that you'll be happy your entire life, but what I can promise is that I won't let them kill you. You are not going to die in this prison. One way or another we're going to get out of here and we're going to try our hardest to get back to Smallville. I can also swear to you that you will not live alone and unhappy. You're too good for that sort of thing. You're the most beautiful, articulate, strong, and loving woman that I have ever met, and if people don't see that, then they aren't worth your presence anyway."

Clark didn't comprehend the words as they left his mouth. He knew them to be completely truthful, so everything just seemed to fit. He was shocked that Lois could ever think that she would be alone. He couldn't believe how much he didn't want her to go another second without knowing that she would always be loved. He would always love her. 'Wait what am I saying to myself?' Clark wondered. 'I couldn't possibly…'

To Lois, Clark's words meant everything. He had an unbelievable talent for making her feel so comfortable and for neutralizing all of her fears. 'Did he just call me beautiful?' Lois's tears were now completely gone and her worries were relieved at least temporarily. She lifted her head from its resting position on Clark's shoulder and smiled. "You know Clark, you really can surprise me sometimes. Just when I think I have you pegged down perfectly, you say something so rational and heartfelt and it throws me off balance. That was the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me without being overly sweet and corny. It is just really…super."

Clark smiled back and held her closer, glad that he said something that made her feel better. He hated seeing Lois so upset, even though it was the only time he'd ever actually seen her cry. Clark knew that this one experience with a crying Lois would be way more than enough; he never wanted to see her cry again. "There's more to me than plaid and flannel, you know."

Lois couldn't help but roll her eyes while patting him on the shoulder. "Now we're back to normal."

"Hey, don't make me start tickling you again." Clark warned.

"You wouldn't dare." Lois shot back.

"Oh wouldn't I now?" Clark challenged as he gained a firm grip around Lois's waist preventing her from getting away.

"Clark Kent if you so much as attempt to tickle me so help me I will…gahhh!" Lois screamed as Clark began to tickle her around her neck. Lois tried desperately to wiggle out of his grasp, but he was just too strong. "Stop, stop, let me go! Smallville!" Lois yelped between fits of laughter.

Lois and Clark were so involved in the tickle fight that they didn't realize that someone else had entered the conference room. "Ahem." the person cleared their throat loudly enough to disrupt the battle on the conference room floor.

Both Lois and Clark stopped dead and whipped their heads startled. The second they saw who had entered the room both of their mouths dropped wide open. 'What the…?' they both thought simultaneously.