On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

Lois didn't have to go to the Kent farm today. She was meeting Clark at the Metropolis Playhouse along with Lana and Martha. They were going to see The Nutcracker. In the lobby, Clark brought the tickets and then passed them out to everybody.

"Mom, Lana, why don't you go save our seats, and Lois and I will get the snacks," Clark said.

Lana looked like she was about to protest, but Martha took her gently by the arm and led her out, "Come on, dear."

As soon as they were gone, Clark said, "We need to talk privately."

"I was afraid of that," Lois groaned as he took her to a deserted corner.

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time.

"You're sorry?" she asked, puzzled. "For what?"

"For the almost kiss yesterday. I was completely out of line, and it was all my fault."

"All your fault?" she smirked. "How do you figure that?"

"Well, I—I—don't get angry but I—"

Lois wasn't sure what he was about to say but as it didn't feel like it was going to help her get over her feelings for him and he hadn't broken up with Lana, she didn't want to hear it. "Clark, let's just agree that it was both our faults. We must have been thinking about other people."

He nodded and his face turned a little red. "This isn't going to stop us from being friends, is it?"

Here was her way out. She could pretend that she was upset at him for almost kissing her and end it all right now, but he looked so worried, she couldn't bear to crush him. She knew a part of the reason was selfishness on her part; she couldn't bear to be without him either. "Of course not. Who else can I get to fix the things that break in my apartment, which reminds me, my toaster isn't working."

He grinned. "I'll take a look at it as soon as I get a chance." He started to hug her and then realized how awkward that would be at the moment and stopped. Lois gave a sigh of relief. She couldn't have withstood a hug from Clark right now.

They could hear the music starting.

"We should go take our seats," he said.

They found the tops of Lana and Martha's heads in the sea of people. Lana and Martha had each saved a seat with their coats. Clark took the one beside Lana and Lois took the one beside Martha, putting them on the far ends from each other.

"Where are the snacks?" Lana whispered suspiciously.

"They don't have any until intermission," Clark whispered back. "I forgot."

"You've been coming here to see The Nutcracker with your parents since you were 3 years old and you forgot?" Lana said, barely qualifying as a whispering tone.

"Hey," whispered a woman behind them. "I paid 20 bucks for my ticket. I better be able to hear this thing."

Lana stopped talking, but you could almost hear her angry silence. All during the first act when they thought the other wasn't looking, Clark and Lois tried to steal a glance. Lana noticed, and her angry silence seemed to get louder. Martha noticed too and couldn't keep the smile off her face, although she tried to pretend it was from the Nutcracker. Intermission came too fast, but Lana didn't yell or say anything about it.

"I'll go get the snacks," Clark said.

"I'll come with you," Lana said, following.

Lois started talking first. "I'm not a big fan of ballet to begin with, except for the men leaping around in tights part, but I never got the nutcracker. I mean granted I've only ever seen the Disney version and that was when I was 8 but this guy comes with a bunch of toys, they become real and defend the little girl from a bunch of mice, and the nutcracker turns out to be a prince. Am I missing something here? I hope the second act makes more sense."

Martha smiled. "He likes you."

"The Nutcracker?" Lois asked.

"And I know you like him too."

Lois sighed. There was no playing dumb with Martha. She could see right through her. "It doesn't matter, and I'm not admitting you're right, but he has a girlfriend."

"So did Jonathan, Lana's aunt as a matter of fact. She was one of those pesky high school girlfriends."

Lois looked at Martha in shock.

"Don't get me wrong," Martha laughed. "I think Lana could grow into a fine, young woman. I like her, and I've known her a long time. I just don't think she's right for my son. I've seen the way you and Clark look at each other and carry on. I've known for a long time there was something deeper and more permanent between you two, and I think you two are just beginning to admit that to yourselves."

"I think you're wrong about Clark's feelings, but even if you're not, I'm not about to make the first move," Lois said stubbornly. "Clark seems perfectly happy with Lana to me, and I'm not going to be the reason they break up."

"They may be breaking up sooner than you think."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Lana and Clark came back with pop and a bag of nuts for everybody. Lois barely watched the second act because she was thinking about what Martha had said. All she knew is a bunch of crazy costumed people danced and danced and danced. Martha had to get her attention after the curtains had closed. She hadn't even noticed.

Out in the lobby, Clark wanted to go into the gift shop, but it was so crowded in there, the others decided to just wait on him. Clark came out with a bag. He gave Lana and his mom peppermint sticks. He gave Lois a Swan Princess book. On the cover were 7 swimming swans. Lois smiled. He never failed. She thought he had forgotten because of yesterday's distraction.

"They stand for the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion," he told Lois with a smile. "Why don't I just drive home with you to fix your toaster?"

"It's getting late," Lana said. "And why doesn't she and Chloe just buy a new toaster? Instead of getting you to fix their stuff all the time."

"Because they can't afford to buy new things right now," Clark told her.

"It's alright," Lois said. "Chloe and I can survive without a toaster a little while longer, and Chloe's got a new boyfriend. He can probably fix it for us."

"I'll come by in the morning," he said, as a way of compromising with Lana but still doing what he had said he would.

Lana was still ticked though, and it was obvious a fight was brewing. She dragged him out to the truck.

Martha lingered. "Clark would rather work for you than go home with his girlfriend. Soon," she smiled and then followed Clark and Lana.

Lois sighed. She wished she could believe it, but Clark leaving Lana for her had about as much a chance of happening as seeing Santa fly by, and she certainly didn't believe in Santa Claus.