Martha Kent handed the last of the supplies they needed for the dance to her husband.
"I cannot wait to steal you away from the concession stand and twirl you around the dance floor a time or two," Jonathon said as he took his wife's hand in his and pulled her to him dancing from side to side as he looked at her lovingly. "You look as beautiful as the night a first laid eyes on you."
Martha laughed. "Flattery is always welcome, but out right lying is another story," she said as she remembered the night they had met so many years ago in Metropolis.
Martha would have never guessed the immature young man that nearly ended up in a fistfight with her escort to the dance, they had met at would later be her husband. Jonathon always insisted, though, that he knew the moment he saw her she would be his wife.
Lois walked outside to see if the elder Kent's needed any help and found them looking into each other's eyes as they swayed back and forth, nothing but the sounds of their farm as their music. Lois was surprised at the aching in her heart for the kind of love that was obviously between the couple.
"I don't mean to interrupt," Lois said as she folded her hands together in front of her and stepped toward them. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Everything is ready to go," Martha said. "Jonathon and I are getting ready to head out. We will meet you and Clark at the dance."
"How are we getting there?" Lois asked remembering that they only had one extra horse.
"Clark's friends Chloe and Jimmy will be by to pick you up. Clark always rides with them because we have so much stuff to take in the wagon," Jonathon explained. "I think you will get along well with Chloe. She is a sweet girl."
"Great!" Lois said faking enthusiasm. She had already met one of Clark's sweet friends and while she was very nice to Lois, Lana seemed to have a hidden agenda. Lois was not big on playing the games that 'sweet girls' liked to play.
~ .. ~
"Lois, my friends are here," Clark called up the staircase.
"Coming," Lois said as she stepped out of her bedroom and walked toward the stairs. "I was not sure what to wear," she said as she came around the corner.
Clark took a step back swallowing hard as Lois came into view. She was wearing a red skirt with a button up white top and a red jacket over it. Lois's hair fell in curls around her face. The deep red of the dress brought out her beautiful skin color and accented her long auburn hair perfectly.
"I hope I am not to under dressed…or over dressed," Lois said. when she caught a glimpse of Clark in his black pantsuit with a red vest and white shirt underneath. She paused briefly on the stairs to adjust to the butterflies that had started to flutter in her stomach.
"Um…no," Clark said clearing his throat as he took a step forward pushing his glasses up. "You look perfect…I mean you look fine…appropriate. The girls usually go all out for the dances," he added as he tried to catch his breath.
"You look nice. We kind of match," Lois said as she came down the stairs biting her lip. She hoped nobody got the impression they were at the dance together because the coordinated.
Lois's boot heal caught on the last step and she fell forward. Clark rushed to her aide catching her under her arms. He lifted her back to her feet and made sure she was steady. Their faces were inches apart as Lois regained her composure.
"Maybe I should call you Mr. Speedy Pants," she quipped. Lois needed something to draw her attention away from Clark's deep blue eyes and the smell of his musky cologne. She was becoming dizzy and quite flustered. She was sure the comment would reset the mood to the light banter that was quickly becoming their routine.
To Lois's surprise and to Clark's for that matter, he did not become agitated or defensive. Clark simply smiled at Lois and looked into her eyes.
"Are you coming?" Chloe said poking her head in the door.
"Yeah, we are right here," Clark, said pulling himself from Lois's intoxicating stare.
Lois breathed a sigh of relief as Clark headed for the door. She followed him outside.
"Lois, this is Chloe and Jimmy Olson and their son Andrew. Everybody this is Lois Lane," Clark said as he and Lois stood outside the Olson family's wagon.
"It is nice to meet you," Chloe said with a cheerful smile. "I think it is amazing that you are starting your own newspaper."
"Thank you," Lois said with a smile as she shook the perky blond's hand. She decided she liked Chloe more than she liked Lana.
"Clark you have to see what I bought," Jimmy told his friend from the driver's seat of the wagon. "You should come over for dinner tomorrow night.
"Ugh," Chloe said rolling her eyes. "We are struggling to keep our house and my dreamer of a husband goes and buys one of those silly picture boxes," Chloe explained to Lois as she took her husband's hand and climbed back in the wagon.
"You have a camera?" Lois said looking at Jimmy.
Jimmy nodded proudly.
"You want a job?"
"Are you serious? Working for a real newspaper?"
"Well…as real as a newspaper in Smallville can get," Lois laughed.
Clark held out his hand to help Lois into the wagon, but she ignored him grabbing the seat of the wagon to brace herself and pulling herself up.
"I am not sure when I will have things up and running. It seems that I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I will let you know when I am ready to start with pictures," Lois said. She had never dreamed she would have a photographer for her paper. "I would be willing to help pay for your supplies.
Clark climbed up in the wagon and sat next to Lois. "Hey Andrew," he said to the little boy standing in the wagon behind him.
"Hi Uncle Clark. I have all of my homework done."
"Good boy," Clark said ruffling the boy's hair.
Lois was amazed at the ease Clark had with the boy. She always felt out of place around children. She had always wandered if her mother had been alive longer if she would have been more at ease with kids.
The little boy turned his attention to Lois and she aptly looked the other direction. Kids always seemed to bring out her childish side. Lois blamed it on her competitive nature, but when a kid started talking to her she immediately became seven again and not in a good playful way.
"Are you going to marry my Uncle Clark?" the boy asked Lois.
"What? No!" Lois said a little louder than necessary.
"Oh because Mom and Dad said he needs a wife. They don't like Miss Lang. Neither do I, but for some reason Uncle Clark does and-"
"Andrew," Clark said as he glared at Chloe who had turned around looking at him apologetically. "Why don't you tell Lois your new puppy."
~ .. ~
Lois was surprised by how nice the quaint little dance looked. The dance was outside in front of the schoolhouse. There were candles outlining the dance floor and hanging from trees. The concession stand where Mr. and Mrs. Kent were standing was a make shift stand with a sign hanging over in case anyone was not sure that it was the concession stand. A group of men sat near the dance floor playing various instruments.
"This is probably nothing like the balls you have been to in Metropolis huh?" Clark inquired.
"Not at all," Lois admitted as she took down some notes for the article she planned to write about the dance.
"I would love to go to a dance in Metropolis just once," Chloe said. "The fancy dresses, gourmet food, beautiful decorations."
"Stuffy people, arrogant men that think they can have any girl they want because they are rich. I actually think I like Smallville's version of a ball much better," Lois, said surprising herself. "But if you tell anyone I will deny it."
"Well if you two will excuse us," Jimmy said. "I am going to dance with my wife.
As Clark and Lois walked toward the Kent's concession stand, Lex and Lana walked in front of them toward the dance floor. Clark stopped for a moment and watched them pass.
"She really likes you, Clark," Lois said as she watched his mood change. "I know it does not look that way, but when I talked to her yesterday, it was very apparent to me that she likes you more than you know."
Clark continued toward the concession stand as he thought about Lois's words. "There was a time when I thought she was what I wanted," Clark began.
"And now…" Lois asked.
"Now, I am not sure…" Clark said. He had not had time to really think about it. He had barely realized himself that Lana was not who he wanted. "I think the reason Lana and I would never work together is she is a very dependent person," Clark said.
"So you are a modern man," Lois teased. "You want a wife who is independent."
"Something like that," Clark said. "Well like you…I don't mean you…you," Clark sighed. He felt like every time he talked to Lois he managed to stick his foot in his mouth.
"It is alright, Clark. Every man that has ever seen me in my bath has shortly there after admitted their desire to marry me," Lois teased.
"How often does that happen to you?" Clark wandered aloud.
"Counting you? Once," Lois laughed.
"I just meant that you are an independent woman. I admire you for leaving everything you know to come to a new place and do what you are doing," Clark admitted. Lois Lane had intrigued him before she had even made it to town. When Lana had first told him of the deplorable woman who was coming to town alone, he had defended her. It was rare for Clark to take an apposing view of something Lana said, but he felt Lois was a positive role model for the girls that he taught.
"Thanks Smallville," Lois with a smile as they reached the concession stand.
"You two love birds go dance," Lois said. "Clark and I have this under control."
"Are you sure?" Maratha asked looking at Clark. She did not want any scenes like the one the night before.
"We can handle it, Mom," Clark nodded.
"Martha, they can handle handing out a few cups of punch and cookie or two," Jonathon said taking his wife by the hand.
The couple walked off hand in hand and Lois and Clark looked on.
"Your parents are by far the two most in love people I have ever seen," Lois sighed.
"What about your parents?" Clark asked. "I mean before…"
"My mom died? I am not sure I was young. They seemed happy, but I am not sure how anyone could be happy with my father."
"Isn't it possible, that your mother's death is the reason for your father being the way he is?" Clark asked.
"I never thought about it that way. I can remember my father actually smiling and hugging my sister and me before Mom died," Lois recollected.
Lois and Clark stood at the booth for several minutes without many customers.
"Can you handle this I need to get a few interviews for my article?" Lois asked holding up her notepad.
Clark nodded and Lois headed off.
Lois walked up and sat next to the men playing the music.
"Lois Lane, editor of the Smallville Ledger," Lois yelled over the music "Could I get everyone's name for and article about the dance?"
"Everyone from Smallville knows our names," the Saloon owner that had offered her a job the first day she was in town said as he strummed on his fiddle.
"Yes, but it is something that you can keep and show your children and grandchildren," Lois explained. "Some people in town may want to send a copy to family members who have moved away or are out of town for different reasons."
"Lady, nobody cares what goes on in Smallville Kansas. This is not Metropolis."
"I think a newspaper is just what this town needs," a voice said from behind Lois.
"Alexander Luthor," Lois said standing up to greet the man. "Lois Lane."
"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Miss Lane. Please call me Lex," the man said with a charming smile.
Lois knew enough about the Luthor's to know the charming smile was a far as the charm extended, but she also knew that if the Luthor's backed something it would be a success.
"I have a proposition I would like to discuss with you. Will you join me for a dance?" Lex asked extending his hand.
Lois nodded and put her hand in Lex's.
~ .. ~
Clark watched Lex approach Lois from concession stand. There was something about that man being near Lois that put Clark on high alert. He watched their exchange with his fists clenched, but when Lex took Lois's hand and led her to the dance floor, Clark could hold back no more.
"I will be back," he said as he passed his parents who were heading toward the concession stand after several dances.
Martha and Jonathon shared a knowing glance as they watched their son head toward the Lois and Lex on the dance floor.
"Like father, like son," Martha said with a grin.
"I think it is wonderful that you are bringing a newspaper to Smallville," Lex said as he and Lois began to dance. "And I want to purchase a full page ad for the bank in the first edition."
~ .. ~
"Hmm…" Lois said with a suspicious look. "I am not one for beating around the bush Mr. Luthor. What is it exactly that you want from me?"
"There is something about Clark Kent…something different. I want you to investigate him. I promise you it will make a great story when you get to the bottom of it and I will be very grateful," Lex explained.
"I will be the first to admit there is something different about Clark Kent," Lois said as she thought back on the oddity that was her new housemate. "but it is nothing newsworthy. Besides, I have these little things called morals. I know it is a foreign concept to a Luthor, but basically it means that you don't spy on the people that are nice enough to open their home to you."
~ .. ~
Clark had Lex Luthor in his sights and he was so angry that he could have burned a hole right in the mans shiny baldhead. It was not enough that he had shown up with the girl Clark had confided in him was his first love, but he had to dance with the woman Clark had come with. It did not matter that Lois was not his date. Lex did not know that. He was trying to get to Clark and for once, it had worked.
"Clark, dance with me," Lana said stepping in Clark's path.
"I am busy," Clark, said stepping around Lana. "Go dance with your date."
Clark walked up behind Lex and tapped him on the shoulder. Lex smiled as he stepped out of the way to allow Clark to take his spot.
"It was nice meeting you," Lex said kissing Lois's hand. Lois only smiled without speaking relieved to be rid of the snake of a man.
As Clark stepped in line with Lois putting his hand on her back, the music began to play slower. Lois's stomach was again doing flip-flops. She hated that Clark did that to her.
"What are you doing, Smallville?" she said faking annoyance. "I was in the middle of an interview with the town's wealthiest man.
"Wealth isn't everything, Lois. Besides, you should stay away from Lex Luthor. He is dangerous," Clark, said a look of concern in his eyes as he swayed with Lois.
"Clark, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," Lois said pulling away from him. "I don't know if this hero on the white horse thing works for the girls around here, but I am no damsel in distress. I do not need you to save me from the villain."
Clark stood in the middle of the dance floor as Lois walked away. He was confused about what he had done wrong, but one thing that did not confuse him was that Lois was angry with him.
"Lois Lane is a beautiful smart young woman it would be a shame if anything happed to her," Lex said as he walked up behind Clark speaking low enough that no one else could hear.
Clark turned to face the man that had once been his best friend. In the eyes that once seemed to hold companionship, he saw only darkness. There was nothing left of the person Clark had become friends with. There was only contempt and hate for everyone.
"If you hurt her," Clark said between clenched teeth as he took a step back from Lex.
"You will what, Clark? We both know you will do the same thing you are doing about me taking Lana right out from under your nose. Nothing," Lex said as he turned to walk away.
~ .. ~
"Clark Kent has got to be the most obnoxious man I have ever met," Lois said as she plopped down in a chair next to Chloe crossing her arms over her chest.
"Hmm…" Chloe responded.
"I am sorry I know he is your friend…It is just that who needs protected from dancing with someone. If anyone needs protected from Lex Luthor it is Clark not me. Whom does he think he is telling me to stay away from someone? If I wanted to be told what to do, I would have stayed in Metropolis and got married. Like I really want to spend time with that creep anyway, but even if I did," Lois rambled.
"Lois…I don't know you very well, but I do know Clark. He has this weird need to protect everyone he cares about. Sometimes he takes it a little too far, but he means well."
"Yeah well I do not need protecting," Lois huffed.
"It does not matter. He cannot help himself. He knows from personal experience what happens when you get to close to Lex Luthor. It never ends well for anyone," Chloe said.
"What-" Lois began but was interrupted by Andrew.
"Mommy I don't feel good," Andrew said coming up to the two women and climbing in his mother's lap.
"He just threw up," Jimmy said as he walked up beside them.
"I am going to take them home and bring their wagon back to help Mom and Dad clean up after the dance is over. Will you come with me? I promise not to protect you," Clark smiled.
The bright smile that spread across Clark's face seemed to be contagious. Lois could not help but smile when she saw it.
"Sure," Lois said hoping up. "There is nothing newsworthy here anyway."
~ .. ~
"I am sorry about earlier," Clark said after the Olsen family was safe inside their home.
"Chloe explained to me that you and Lex have a past. What happened?"
Clark sat silently thinking of the right words.
"I am sorry I tend to be nosey. It is the reporter in me. My father always said that was my worst quality. It is just-"
"It is fine, Lois. It is just I am not sure what happened. Part of me thinks that Lex was always a bad guy and I just chose not to see it…then another part of me thinks back on the times that he helped me and it seems like there was a time he was actually a good friend. Does that make sense?"
"I get it," Lois said nodding.
"Anyway, I know that you do not need to be protected. You are smart enough to see through his act," Clark said looking at Lois. Her silhouette was breathtaking in the moonlight.
"And Lana?"
"Lana knows Lex as well as I do. I think she has chosen to ignore his faults because of his name and power."
"I am sorry too. I should not have gone so overboard. It is just that the only time my father ever comes around is to tell me that I have the wrong people in my life or that I am doing something that disappoints him. I tend to be a little touchy about such subjects. You don't know how lucky you are to have your parents."
"I am very lucky, but my parents are not my real mother and father. They adopted me. I never knew my real parents. They died when I was a baby," Clark said. He could not believe he was opening up about such private things to Lois.
"Well I was raised by my grandmother. My father is always moving. He was in the war and then has gone from one army base to another. He did not feel like it was the right place for young ladies," Lois explained. "The only time we ever saw him was sometimes on holidays or when Grandmother sent word that Lucy or I had gotten out of hand."
"I am sure he felt like he was doing the best he could for you. I know I would not know the first thing about raising a girl on my own either," Clark sympathized.
"Yes, well, sometimes all a girl needs is to feel like she belongs somewhere. I have never felt like I had a family. Grandmother was usually gone to dinner parties or was hosting her own when Lucy and I were young. I cannot ever remember having a family dinner like I had with you and your family last night."
"I am sorry, Lois," Clark said feeling as though he was finally getting an understanding of some of the reasons Lois was the way she was.
"I was so excited about coming to Smallville to start my paper because I thought that maybe I would finally find a place where I belong, but I should have known my father was setting me up to fail," Lois said as she looked up at the star filled sky.
"How did he do that?" Clark asked.
"Our agreement was that he would buy the building and equipment I needed to start my paper, but if I had not made enough money to pay him back within a year, I would have to move back to Metropolis and get married," Lois explained. "He failed to mention that it would take more money to fix the building up than he sent me with, though. I have so much work I have to get done before I can start printing that I will barely have the paper running before the year is up."
"I wish I had your optimism, Smallville," Lois said with a sigh as they reached the dance.
Many of the guests had already left and the band was playing a soft slow song as Clark reached out his hand to help Lois down from the wagon. She jumped down next to him.
"Why do you do that?" he asked.
"What?"
"It doesn't mean you are not independent if you let me help you down," Clark huffed.
"Would you let me help you down from a wagon?"
"Well no, but that's different," Clark said.
Lois gave him a sideways glance.
"Okay you win. We never finished our dance earlier," Clark said taking Lois's hand in his.
Lois instinctively pulled her hand back.
"Maybe we should keep it that way. I am not much of a dancer," Lois explained.
"Me either," Clark said taking her hand again as he walked toward the dance floor. Lois gave in walking with him.
As they reached the dance floor Lois put her left hand on Clark's right shoulder as her right hand in his left. She could feel her heart speed up and warmth spread through her body as they danced to the music. She knew that she was trudging through dangerous waters, but she could not stop herself.
Clark felt a new contentment as he swayed across the dance floor with Lois in his arms. He knew that there were complications to starting something with her, but maybe with her it would be worth it.