Chapter 5-Bedtime

Dinnertime came and went too quickly at the Kent household. Lois and Clark had been trying to prolong the meal and Chloe realized this with a bit of humor. She knew what would be next, bedtime and it would be her duty to make sure her cousin and her best friend slept in the same bed, but first, she had to get them to go to bed.

It wasn't too difficult, all she had to do was use a stern, motherly tone of voice when dinner was over Lois and Clark both jumped up, volunteering to do the dishes and clean the kitchen before bed, but Chloe shook her head no.

"I got this," she said. "The sooner you two go to sleep, the sooner it will be over."

The married couple groaned and nodded their heads. Chloe's tone left no room for argument, even from them. They reluctantly made their way up the stairs and gathered their sleeping clothes for the night. Lois hid in the bathroom, while Clark remained in the bedroom.

Lois locked the bathroom door and took off her shirt and pants. She looked down at her body and noticed the fading marks. She frowned as looked at the bruises marring her skin. She wondered how in the world did Clark managed to make them so deep. Sure, she knew he was strong, but he was usually gentle in everything he did. He wasn't the type of guy to man handle woman, even during sex.

Lois blushed and dressed. She pulled on her bunny pajama pants, Chloe had bought for her as a joke last Christmas. She smiled as she remembered her cousin's laughter. Chloe knew Lois secretly liked bunnies. Then, she pulled on Clark's red and black plaid shirt. It was her favorite, though she would never tell anyone and she was very proud that Clark was too distracted with getting his own clothes that he didn't notice her take it.

She brought the sleeve up to her nose and took in a deep breath. It smelled of fabric softener, hay, dirt, and soap. All equaled Clark.

Lois stopped herself. She was smiling. She shouldn't be smiling. It was bad enough that her body seemed to burn every time Clark was near, she didn't need to become fixated with his scent too.

Her blush deepened as she thought of why her body burned every time she got near her "husband". A day and night, she did not remember, but her body and lips sure did. They ached to be touched, to be kissed. It was annoying and frustrating.

She should be still moping over Oliver Queen, not craving Clark Kent.

Lois violently shook her body as it began to burn with the desire to jump her temporary bedmate.

"Okay, Lane you can do this," she said to her reflection as she stared into the medicine cabinet mirror. "It's just like a sleep over."

She took a deep breath.

"Nothing is going to happen," she continued to tell herself. "You're just going to sleep with a friend. A male friend, but he's still just a friend."

With that said Lois to one more deep breath and stood up straight. She held her head up high as she unlocked and opened the bathroom door.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Clark gulped as he tugged on his pajama pants and t-shirt. He was suddenly feeling self conscious. How was he going to make it through the night beside Lois? His mind was boggled, but his body seemed more than willing.

Clark groaned. He's mind had been in protest ever since Dr. O'Neil gave them their assignment. He thought the assignment was a waste of time. He would still want a divorce. No it wasn't his mind that was going to be the problem. It was his body.

Clark's body seemed to remember the night in his loft too well and when his mind tried to suppress, his body buzzed as a reminder. It remembered how Lois kissed, how her hands danced across his skin, the way he felt when they were connected.

Another groan escaped the Kryptonian's lips and he pushed back the memory once more. He had to gain control over his body. He couldn't allow Lois to see or feel how eager his body was to share a bed with her.

Just then, Lois came busting through the door. Clark stared at her. She was wearing his red and black plaid shirt and pink bunny pajama pants. Obviously she was trying to look less appealing and was failing.

She looked good in his shirt and Clark thought back to a time when he first saw her wear it. The memory was almost enough to cause another war between his body and mind.

Lois stared at Clark as he stared at her. She felt even more nervous and shifted in the doorway.

"T-That's my shirt," Clark whispered in an attempt to protest.

"Okay, Smallville," Lois said deciding to ignore Clark and walking to the left side of the bed. "You take that side and I'm taking this side. You stay on your side and I'll stay on mine, got it?"

Clark nodded silently. He wasn't in the mood to argue that he liked the left side more than the right. He knew Lois was nervous. She was always demanding when she was nervous.

"Okay then," Lois said climbing into bed. "Goodnight."

"Night," Clark said automatically.

Clark watched as she turned off the lamp on the bedside table and curl up to sleep. He shook his head. He could do this. He was the one with all the powers. If he could face Phantoms alone, he could spend a night or several in the same bed as Lois Lane.

It was strange sharing a bed with Clark and Lois found herself restless. It wasn't fair. Why did her life have to get this messed up? One day, she was moping over her ex-boyfriend, Oliver, the next; she's married to Clark.

She wondered how in the world did she end up married to the one guy she never pictured even kissing. Well maybe she did image kissing him, but surely not having sex with him. Damn, she did that too, but in her defense she hadn't dreamed of him in anyway since the first year they met.

To her Clark was an annoying cousin, possibly brother and now her head was beginning to hurt. It didn't want to venture into that territory. It wanted simple, it wanted rest, it no longer desired an explanation to how and why she married one of her closest friends. She wanted to cry.

Finally, frustration and exhaustion won out and Lois fell to sleep, pushing back her angry tears.

Clark closed his eyes. He was also wondering the hows and whys he found himself married to the woman beside him. She was the most annoying creature he knew and she was bossy and nosy. She was everything he did not desire in a woman. So, why did his heart beat when he is close to her, why did he really want to kiss her, why did he hope that the divorce would not be permitted?

This all just didn't make since to him. He felt a closeness to Lois that he never felt with any other woman before her. He felt an understanding with her and he had a feeling she felt the same for him. There was a connection between them that he couldn't deny. And the scary thing about it all he wasn't sure if he wanted to let it go.

With a sigh, Clark fell to sleep thinking being married to Lois for a few months wasn't going to be the end of the world.

Chloe poked her head through Clark's bedroom door, which was left opened by Lois, and smiled to see the couple fast asleep. She gazed upon them in awe. Jimmy was right they did make a good looking couple. They do say opposites attract and no one was more opposite than Lois and Clark.

With a sigh, Chloe closed the door and went to Mrs. Kent room to get some much needed sleep.

END OF CHAPTER 5