Disclaimer: I own neither Smallville nor Superman. They belong to people and companies far greater than I. The characters are just really fun to play with when borrowed. I do not own the song "Lucky," I presume it belongs to Bif Naked. I do not own the song "Where I Stood," I presume it belongs to Missy Higgins. Also, I stole the character Vanessa Abrams from Gossip Girl who belongs to The CW, but she is a couple years older in this fic so it doesn't look like Pete is robbing the cradle.
SPOILER ALERT: This story is loosely based on "Bride." If you haven't seen this episode yet, I wouldn't read this until you have, unless you don't care.
Rating: This chapter is rated T, though, as promised, eventually it will become M
**Author's Note: Thanks for all the wonderful feedback and encouragement! Especially to Superlc529 – you ROCK!!! Thanks to smartlyrics . com for providing me with the song lyrics and to crystal-cure . com for helping me with the color meanings.
The Moment He Knew
Chapter 9 – Touch Me or I'm Going to Scream!
Lois' P.O.V.
Lois couldn't believe her ears when she'd heard Chloe shout out Lana's name, but there she was, dressed in a simple rose colored evening gown, giving her cousin a hug and saying congratulations. Lois felt so many emotions at once from Lana's appearance; she didn't know exactly what to do with herself. Part of her was hopping mad at the raven-haired beauty for abandoning Clark when he'd needed her most, or for just leaving him at all and hurting him. Another part of her was hopping mad at "Miss Perfect" for having the gall to show her face in the Kent barn ever again after the way she'd broken things off with Clark via DVD in the first place. Yet another part of her was hopping mad at the fact that Lana was still breath-takingly, annoyingly gorgeous and poised without seeming to put any effort into it at all and the idea of wrapping her hands around the other young woman's slender throat seemed very appealing at the moment.
Another part of her was devastated at Lana's return because, though her premise for returning to Smallville was Chloe's wedding, Lana's real motive was most certainly to win Clark back and Lana Lang was Clark Kent's only true weakness. She knew because she was the one that had been there every day since Lana left, helping him to pick up the pieces. Lois wanted him so badly and loved him so much it made her heart hurt, and with Lana back in town, she was certain she was destined for heartbreak. The last part of her was worried for Clark. Lana had left him, in a very impersonal way, and their relationship had been rocky at best before the raven-haired beauty's coma. She was afraid that getting involved with Lana again would make Clark unhappy, but she knew he would stay with her and put Lana's feelings above his own because he always found a way to blame himself for whatever happened to her. All Lois wanted for Clark was for him to be happy, and she just wasn't sure that Lana was the one who could give him what he needed.
Lois checked her bracelet watch. In twenty minutes, dinner was going to be served so she had plenty of time to get from the Kent barn to the Kent house and back without being late to announce that the food was to be served.
She left the barn in a brisk walk, but once she was out of the sight of the crowd, she ran – as well as she could in her tangerine-colored heels.She ran toward the only house that had ever really felt like home. Lois flung the front door open, dashed up the stairs and locked herself in the master bathroom. She gripped the sink until she was white knuckled and began to sob – sad, horrible, heart-wrenching sobs that shook her entire body as hot tears ran down her cheeks.
Lois backed up against the wall and slowly, bumpily, slid down into a sitting position with her knees nearly tucked under her chin, sobs still wracking her suddenly exhausted body. How did I get myself into this mess? She wondered bitterly, crying over Clark Kent like she'd never cried over any other man before. Her gut twisted at her intuition that they were meant to be, unable to reconcile the idea with her head, which saw him living happily ever after with Lana. She checked her bracelet watch again, commanding herself to stop sobbing and get a grip. Lanes didn't hide in bathrooms and cry over unrequited love, they persevered, they thrived, they kicked life's ass, and right now that's exactly what Lois had to do.
After a few deep breaths and after channeling her inner-General, she'd gotten up off the floor and cleaned up the mess her tears had made of her face. Mascara smudges gone, check; reapplication of powder foundation, check; subtle reapplication of bronzer, check; eye make-up touch-up, check; reapplication of mascara, check; another coat of lip gloss, check. Her face looked exactly as it had before her breakdown except her eyes were puffy from crying.
Lois looked at her bracelet watch again, breathing deeply for a little while longer before she headed back to the Kent barn. She walked slowly toward the reception, her expression downtrodden as she trudged through the grass. She reached the entrance to the barn and plastered a smile on her face before crossing the threshold, and heading to the D.J. to borrow the microphone.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, now that we've all mingled, gotten to know each other and shared funny little stories about the bride and groom, it's time to eat!" Lois exclaimed with enthusiasm. "There's a name card placed at every seat at every table, so all you have to do is find yours. Once you have, the servers will know what to bring you."
She turned toward the bridal table and was surprised to see only a two-seater table when it should have been a table for four. Lois was about to start berating the set-up staff when Jimmy appeared before her.
"Okay, Lois don't be mad," Jimmy pleaded; making her feel slightly better that she still scared her cousin-in-law a little.
"Mad about what? Why is the bridal party table only set for two?" She demanded, dangerously close to having another breakdown.
"I changed things around a bit," Jimmy explained. "I kind of wanted me and Chloe to share our first meal as man and wife alone, but there's another two seat table set up almost right next to ours so people will still know you're in the wedding party."
"That's sweet, Jimmy," Lois complimented, before she realized that she would be sitting with Clark alone.
Deep breaths Lois! Deep breaths!
"You're not mad?" Jimmy asked, pleasantly surprised. He looked like he couldn't quite believe that Lois didn't look like she was going to kill him.
"No," Lois said, "I think it fits into the whole theme of the wedding very nicely."
"Really? I'm so glad you think so! Take a seat," Jimmy commanded, eyeing his cousin-in-law with concern, noting her puffy eyes, "You look exhausted."
"You have no idea," Lois muttered under her breath, noticing that Clark was already sitting at their table. She shook her head as though her hair was down and she needed to get it out of her face, held her chin up a little higher, braced herself, and sat down next to Clark.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
Lois hadn't been the only one who'd been surprised by Lana's sudden appearance. Clark had been certain he'd never see her again since she'd asked him specifically not to come after her in her "Dear John" DVD; and, as Lois would say, in a Clark-like move, he'd abided her wishes. It was odd having her in the barn again after her long absence, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. In fact, it didn't feel like anything. Lana had come back for Chloe's wedding, not for him, so why should he care if she was there to support her best friend? It was brave and honorable when he really thought about it, two qualities she'd had in her that had disappeared during her relationship with Lex, which she'd apparently regained. It made him proud of her and he wondered what else she had up her sleeve. Before he could mull over anything else Lana-related, he heard Lois' voice and smiled widely.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, now that we've all mingled, gotten to know each other and shared funny little stories about the bride and groom, it's time to eat!" Lois exclaimed with enthusiasm. "There's a name card placed at every seat at every table so all you have to do is find yours. Once you have, the servers will know what to bring you."
Clark didn't have to look for his name card because Jimmy came up to him and explained that he and Chloe wanted to share their first meal as husband and wife alone, and that a small table had been set up for him and Lois to sit at near enough to his and Chloe's table that it would be clear they were in the bridal party. Clark nodded, noticing the intimate table setting that he was to share with Lois and took a nervous seat. Their table was facing everybody else's and he spotted Lana sitting next to Pete and the dark-haired, dark-skinned woman he'd noticed Victor talking to earlier. Lana was picture perfect as always, right down to her perfectly coifed curls, a look he'd never have been able to imagine on her if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. It was a nice change from the monotony of her perpetually long hair.
Lois took her seat next to Clark and the air vibrated with the electricity their chemistry invoked. Still not knowing how to act around her after the ceremony and feeling even more awkward with Lana there, he just sat there sort of dumbly.
"So Lana's back?" Lois said it as a statement, even though it had been posed as a question, a touch of awkwardness in her voice, which was weird because he and Lois were never awkward around each other anymore . . . that is until now, when he'd discovered he had feelings for her.
"Lana's back," Clark repeated, his voice lacking its usual emotion.
"Did you know?" Lois asked, carefully, not really wanting to hear the answer but asking it anyway in an effort to be a good friend, despite the hurt his answer might cause her.
"No," Clark responded, sounding as though he was only half in this world and half in his own created one.
"Oh," Lois said, not sure how to proceed, but coming up with a topic as their food was delivered. Lois and Clark both received a filet mignon with rice pilaf and seasoned vegetables. The other option was lemon pepper chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. "My Aunt Moira told me what you did."
Clark looked at her then and smiled shyly, "So I guess the cat's out of the bag, huh?"
"How on Earth did you manage to find the last remaining batch of that stuff anyway?"
"Oliver helped a lot," Clark answered, humbly.
"It was really sweet of you to do that, Smallville," Lois complimented, shyly as well. "I noticed you managed to find Kara and get her to come."
"It wasn't hard to convince her," Clark admitted, just as shyly as before. "I wanted Chloe's wedding day to be perfect, so I did what had to be done. Surrounding her with her best friends and family seemed like the best way to go."
"I never knew you were so full of surprises, Smallville," Lois confessed, smiling slightly. "I like it."
Clark blushed deeply, a perfect scarlet, and tried to smile back without looking like a nervous idiot.
"Thanks," he managed to choke out, his voice still sounding normal and shy.
"Did you track down Lucy too?" Lois asked, curious.
"I'm good," Clark answered without a hint of cockiness in his tone, "But I'm not that good. I'm pretty sure she showed up all on her own."
"That's definitely Lucy," Lois agreed, knowing her sister well enough that it wasn't hard to imagine her hopping on a plane on a whim to attend her cousin's wedding without giving notice to anyone.
Someone had removed one of the glasses of champagne set there for Lois and Clark, the only ones besides the bride and groom who were allowed to drink champagne until it came time for the toasts. Neither one noticed this as the remaining glass was set between their plates, making it seem as if it belonged to both of them. Lois and Clark reached for the glass at the same time, hoping a drink would relax the atmosphere between them a bit, and their hands touched, sending a zing of electricity coursing through their bodies. They pulled their hands away as if they'd been burned and couldn't look at each other. Clark was staring somewhere above his head and Lois looked down at her hand, which was now in her lap, in wonder.
They ate in silence, sexual tension thick as molasses. Clark's stomach was fluttery throughout the whole meal and every time he looked up he saw Lana, which didn't help his sense of unease. The time for his and Lois' toasts to the bride and groom was quickly approaching.
"Did you have trouble writing your toast?" He asked, trying to break the electric silence.
"Yeah, actually," Lois admitted, something she never would have done if she weren't sitting only a foot away from the man she loved and was never going to have a chance with. "And after hearing Jimmy and Chloe's vows, my toast just seems sort of . . . inadequate."
"I'm sure it's more than adequate," Clark reassured her, his tone soothing. "You are Lois Lane after all."
"I appreciate your faith in me, Smallville," Lois smiled, still infinitely shy. "What about you? Did you have any trouble with yours?"
"I didn't actually write one," Clark confessed, blushing again. "I just figured that as long as I spoke from the heart whatever was meant to come out just would."
"Do you ever not speak from the heart, Smallville?" Lois inquired, arching an eyebrow. "Because the Clark Kent I know always has something wise to say whenever it's needed."
Clark's blush deepened, "I didn't know you thought I was wise."
"I think anyone that knows you thinks that, Clark," Lois told him, certain in her assumption.
Clark picked up the single glass of champagne and tilted it toward Lois before taking a sip, "Here's hoping some of those nuggets of wisdom will make their way into my toast."
He set the glass down, his cheeks still pink. Lois picked the glass up then and tilted it toward Clark, taking a sip, "Here's hoping your speech won't outshine mine since I'm a blood relation and will never live it down if my toast sucks!"
Clark laughed. The sound escaped him loudly and boisterously, causing a certain raven-haired guest to stare jealously at his female dinner companion. Lois couldn't contain herself when Clark laughed, it was infectious, so she let out her own loud, boisterous giggle and they smiled at each other, genuinely this time, no trace of shyness in sight.
They recovered quickly and turned their heads away fast, embarrassed. Lois looked at her bracelet watch again, "It's time. Do you want to go first or should I?"
Clark shrugged, "Rock, paper, scissors? Loser goes first?"
Under the table, as not to be seen by the guests, they each laid a palm out flat and curled their other hand into a fist, striking their palms three times as was par for the game. Clark ended up going with rock while Lois decided to go with paper, covering Clark's 'rock' fist briefly with her 'paper' hand and feeling the same zing of electricity they'd felt when they'd touched before, only this time the electricity stole their breath away, leaving them both flustered and confused. It didn't, however, prevent Lois from smiling brightly in victory. It was in her nature to be competitive and she loved to win, so even though a cloud of sexual tension buzzed between them, it didn't stop her from silently gloating. Clark smirked, narrowing his blue eyes at her. She shrugged at him and cocked her head to one side, still smiling as if it were her destiny to win the game.
Clark watched as Lois motioned for the servers to start passing everyone a glass of champagne. The servers were nothing if not efficient and soon every guest had a glass of bubbly in their hand. Clark stood up and went to stand by Chloe and Jimmy's table, on Jimmy's side since he was the best man. He picked up one of Jimmy's unnecessary, unneeded forks and clanged it against his glass to get everybody's attention. Soon all eyes were fixed on him and he swore he felt Lana's gaze as if she was the one with heat vision and was trying to set his tuxedo on fire. He smiled down at Chloe and Jimmy, choosing to look anywhere that Lana wasn't.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Clark began, "Welcome. Today is a celebration that I won't ever forget. Chloe and I have been friends since junior high and we've shared a lot of great memories. She was my first kiss, in fact," Clark smiled as Chloe took her turn to blush. "I was there for every date she ever went on and let me tell you, she did not have a knack for choosing the greatest guys . . . that is, until she met Jimmy. I agree with Jimmy when he says that he knew from the moment they met that he and Chloe were meant to spend the rest of their lives together . . . Chloe has always had a sparkle in her eyes, proof that she's full of life . . . but when I first saw her with Jimmy . . . I noticed something extra in those baby blues of hers . . . I realize now, in hindsight, that it was love I was seeing . . . Being the overprotective best friend, I watched as Jimmy and Chloe's romance blossomed . . . I watched how Jimmy took care of her . . . how he treated her like a precious jewel that was meant to be admired and loved for its natural beauty . . . and how he wasn't afraid to take terrifying leaps and risk the demolition of his own heart to make sure that hers remained safe and unharmed . . . I grew to respect and befriend Jimmy and his friendship has only made me more certain that Chloe has finally gotten it right . . . all she had to do was wait for the right one to come along and teach herself to recognize that person when they entered her life . . . being a part of this ceremony and listening to the vows they wrote for each other, it's obvious she taught herself well . . . I wish the two of you all the happiness in the world! To Chloe and Jimmy!"
"To Chloe and Jimmy!" Everyone repeated as Clark took a sip of his champagne. He noticed that Lana gulped hers down until her glass was empty, and motioned to a server to bring her a fresh glass before Lois took her turn.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
"To Chloe and Jimmy!" Lois raised her voice with everyone else.
Lana wasn't the only one who drained her champagne glass . . . she had company in Lois, whose nerves were getting the best of her and who didn't have to motion for a server to bring her a fresh glass – one was just deposited in her hand. She smiled and took her place beside Chloe at her and Jimmy's table, Clark remaining on the opposite side next to Jimmy. Since Clark had already gotten everyone's attention with his beautiful improv speech, she didn't have to bother banging cutlery against her fresh glass of champagne.
"Wow!" She began, "It's a little hard to one up that one, Smallville," she said, glancing at Clark ". . . I asked Chloe how she knew that Jimmy was the one earlier today . . . and with a bright, confident smile she told me that I'd just know when I met the right man," she quickly stole a glance at Clark, "The same way she did when she met Jimmy . . . I asked her if, throughout their entire engagement and wedding planning if she'd ever had any doubts . . . and her answer was this, "All I want is to walk down that aisle and marry the man that I love" . . . All I can say is that I love Chloe with all my heart . . . she's my cousin, my sister, my blood and we've always been close . . . I admit that I share Chloe's awful knack for choosing the wrong men, Jimmy excluded of course . . . Maybe it's a Lane thing . . . I don't know . . . What I do know is that the kind of love Chloe and Jimmy share is rare . . . It's that pure, sweet, soul mate kind of love that everybody talks about but almost never finds . . . and I thank my lucky stars every day with the knowledge that that kind of love really does exist . . . Since coming to Smallville I've seen it on more than one occasion . . . Jonathan and Martha Kent had that kind of love . . . and now my baby cousin has found it in Jimmy Olsen . . . and looking at the two of you . . . it gives me hope that somewhere out there there's a man that is my Jonathan, my Jimmy . . . and that someday I'll have taught myself to recognize that man when it's my turn . . . I don't have to wish you all the happiness in the world because I already know you have it . . . and this day . . . this moment . . . is proof of that. To Chloe and Jimmy!"
"To Chloe and Jimmy!" Everyone repeated again as Lois downed her glass of champagne once more, still nervous. Another glass was put in her hand, again, without her asking.
Lois noticed that Lana had drained her glass of champagne as well and had already taken another one from a passing server, sipping at the fresh glass more daintily. She wondered if Lana had finished off the carbonated alcohol for the same reason she had: Clark Kent. Lois' heart softened a bit toward the other young woman, and even though she was still hopping mad at her and was certain she'd be the cause of her soon to be broken heart, she decided to bite the bullet. Taking a large gulp of her drink, she made a beeline for Lana. They had been friendly before she left, but Lois hadn't realized she was in love with Clark at the time, so there had been nothing to stop them from being friends.
"Hey Lana," Lois greeted, faking a smile and trying to pretend that she was thrilled Lana had made it.
"Lois, hi!" Lana returned the greeting exuberantly, and gave Lois a quick hug, hoping she wouldn't see how jealous she was at how close Lois and Clark had grown in her absence.
"I'm glad you made it," Lois told her, her voice chipper. Lois normally didn't do chipper. She did contented, she did pleased, she did joyful, she did blissful, she did cheerful, she did ecstatic, delighted, and cheery, and once in a blue moon she even did jovial, but she did not do chipper. "Chloe's really missed you. I know it means a lot to her that you came."
"I'm glad I decided to come," Lana responded, smiling a deceptively warm smile. "I've missed her too, and I just couldn't bring myself to miss my best friend's wedding."
"Funny," Lois commented, "I don't remember seeing you at the actual wedding."
"I was here," Lana admitted candidly, dropping the fake happy attitude for just a moment. "I just wasn't in here."
Lois cocked her head to the side, studying Lana for a moment, and decided that if Lana was going to be honest then she could drop the act for a moment too, "Why didn't you come in?"
"I was scared," Lana confessed, truthfully. "I wasn't sure if anyone really wanted me here . . . so I stayed outside and listened. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception is just as lovely," Lana admired, taking everything in. "I understand you were the one in charge of it all . . . You did a fantastic job."
"Thank you," Lois said genuinely, licking her lips at what her next statement would be. "It's good to know you're okay."
"I never wanted to leave," Lana continued truthfully, asking herself why she was revealing her secret to Lois and not coming up with an answer, "Lex didn't really give me a choice."
"Lex? What does he have to do with you leaving?" Lois asked, intrigued, her reporter's instinct to find out the truth overtaking her.
"His men were there when I came out of my coma along with a woman named Tess Mercer," Lana explained. "They told me they would kill Clark if I didn't make that DVD, and then they took me . . . Unfortunately, that doesn't make anything I said on it any less true."
Lois was shocked at Lana's confession, but still took gruff notice that she happened to be Lex and goon-free, "You must have escaped . . . I mean, you wouldn't be here if you hadn't."
"I did," Lana shared, "Not long after they took me."
"Why didn't you come back?" Lois asked, wondering why Lana hadn't come running back into Clark's arms once she was free.
"I thought about it," Lana told her, "But I couldn't. There were things I needed to discover about myself before I could face Clark again."
"I take it you've discovered those things since you're here," Lois observed, her heart breaking.
"I have," Lana revealed, "I'm just not sure if I'm ready to face him . . . He's different now . . . he seems . . . happier. I didn't expect that."
"It took awhile to get him that way, Lana," Lois shared. "He grieved over you for a really long time."
"I'm glad he had people to help him through it," Lana expressed, sorrowfully.
Lois nodded and confessed, "I was there the first time he watched your DVD . . . He helped me through my break up with Ollie . . . I wouldn't have been a very good friend if I wasn't there for him when he lost you."
Lana bit her perfectly glossed lip, "I'm glad he has friends like you, Lois."
Lois gave her a half smile, "We all encouraged him . . . me, Chloe, Jimmy, Ollie . . . It's not like I did it single-handedly."
"Still," Lana pointed out, "I see the way you are together . . . you've gotten to be pretty close friends, right?"
"Friends," Lois repeated, trying not to say the word as though it were the foulest one in every language known to man, "Right."
"What do you think I should do?" Lana asked. "You seem to know him best . . . what would you do if you were me?"
Tears formed in Lois' eyes and she fought desperately to keep them at bay, when she found her voice, it was thick with pain, "I would wrap my arms around him and never let him go . . . Make him happy."
"Thanks for the advice, Lois," Lana smiled gratefully, her doe eyes wide.
"Just being a good friend," Lois said, humbly, trying not feel herself shattering into a million pieces. She couldn't fall to pieces yet, they still had half the reception to get through. Then she'd curl up with a bottle of champagne and cry herself to sleep back at her apartment in Metropolis. Hell, why not start early? She thought, taking an enormous gulp of champagne.
It was then that Chloe brought up her Aunt Moira to introduce her to Lana, one of the most important people in Chloe's life. Lois ducked her head and made her way around the room, accidentally bumping into someone in her haste to get away from Lana, but not spilling her champagne in the process.
"Lois Lane," a familiar voice sounded, "I thought you'd aced walking in heels by now. Still in the basement bullpen at The Planet?"
Lois looked up, finding herself face to face with Dinah Lance and her barely there dress, "Dinah! I don't remember you being on the guest list."
"Jimmy invited me at the last minute since some people couldn't make it," Dinah explained, her expression smug. "I see your knack for tact is the same as your knack for picking men, excluding Ollie of course. You really blew that one."
Lois smiled brilliantly at her, "I would love to stay here and continue this verbal sparring match with you but I have a schedule to keep," Lois started to walk away, but turned before she was out of Dinah's sight and earshot, "Besides, we both know if I stayed I would totally kick your ass verbally and physically. I wouldn't want to ruin your pretty dress, though I'm certain that most of the men here wouldn't mind an encore to your barely there show . . . Tell me, how does one manage to fight injustice, when one could very easily be arrested for indecent exposure?"
She turned on her heel and stomped up to the D.J., taking the microphone in her hand again, "And now I'd like to ask the bride and groom to make their way to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife!"
~*~
Oliver's P.O.V.
"Congratulations, Olsen," Oliver grinned, shaking Jimmy's hand firmly as he watched Lois approach the D.J. "As of now, Project Clois is officially a go."
Jimmy grinned and nodded at his partner in crime before heading to the dance floor as requested.
~*~
Chloe & Jimmy's P.O.V.
They had chosen the song "Lucky" by Bif Naked to be 'their' song. As it started to play, Jimmy took Chloe in his arms and held her exactly the way Clark described in his toast, like a precious jewel to be loved for its natural beauty.
It was a Monday,
when my lover told me,
never pay the reaper with love only.
What
could I say to you, except, I love you.
And I'd give my life for
yours.
They whirled effortlessly around the dance floor, eyes locked.
I know we are,
we are the lucky ones.
I know we are, we are the lucky ones.
I
know we are, we are the lucky ones, dear.
The whole world had
disappeared and it was just the two of them, radiantly happy and in
love.
The first time we
made love, I, I wasn't sober.
(And you told me you loved me over
and over!)
How could I ever love another, when I miss you
every day
I know we are, we
are the lucky ones.
I know we are, we are the lucky ones.
I
know we are, we are the lucky ones, dear.
Remember the
time we made love in the roses?
(And you took my picture in all
sorts of poses!)
How could I ever get over you, when I'd give
my life for yours.
They smiled even wider as they listened to the music, indeed remembering the romantic time Jimmy had covered Chloe's bed in red rose petals. He had indeed taken her picture in all sorts of poses.
I know we are...
we are the lucky ones.
I know we are... we are the lucky ones.
I
know we are... we are the lucky ones.
I know we are: we are the
lucky ones, dear.
My dear, It's time to say I thank
god for you.
I thank god for you in each and every single way.
And, I know... I know.. I know.. I know...
Jimmy dipped his head slightly and gave Chloe a passionate kiss that lasted through the end of the song.
It's time to let you know; time to let you
know. I
know we are... we are the lucky ones.
Time to let you know; time to sit here and say:
I know we are... we are the
lucky ones.
I know we are... we are the lucky ones.
I know we
are: we are the lucky ones, dear.
We are the lucky ones, dear...
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
"Now we'd like to ask Chloe's escort to join her on the dance floor," the D.J. announced.
"Hey Clark," Chloe called to him, beckoning him with a come-hither motion with her index finger and a cheesy smile, "It's time to boogie."
Lois, Chloe, and Jimmy had decided that the only songs to be played at the wedding with lyrics were to be the one for the Rose Ceremony, and for Chloe and Jimmy's first dance; the rest would be elegant but peppy, classical music.
Clark smiled at the new bride and descended the loft stairs, taking Chloe comfortably in his arms and dancing with ease.
She smiled up at him, "I know it's weird, isn't it?"
"A little," he admitted, as she giggled happily.
"Thank you for letting us have our wedding here," Chloe grinned gratefully.
"It's the least I could do . . . You're always the best friend I ever could have had," he said, trying to hide his sadness that he could no longer share his secret with her.
Chloe gave him a confused look, a shadow of a smile still on her lips, "You say that like something's changed . . . Clark, trust me we've been through too much together . . . nothing is going to make me forget that."
"You're right," he conceded, knowing the truth. "The important thing is your life is everything you want it to be."
Chloe nodded, as though she could hardly believe it, before admitting, "It is," and smiling her best sparkling Chloe Sullivan-Olsen smile. "It's like I've been carrying around this weight . . . and I don't know why . . . but a few days ago I finally let go . . . like I can move on."
Clark smiled at her, his sense of loss nearly overpowering him, but he was saved by Jimmy.
"Okay CK, it's my turn to dance with my wife," Jimmy said, stealing Chloe away.
"Hey handsome, want to dance?" Martha Kent approached her son. Clark smiled again this time taking his mother comfortably in his arms and dancing with ease.
"I love you, Mom," Clark told her. "I've missed having you around."
"I've missed you and this place too," Martha admitted, her voice nostalgic and sad.
"I have some wonderful news that I've been dying to tell you all day!" He exclaimed, excitedly, his smile truly bright now that he was talking to the woman that who had raised him, and knew the truth about him; the only one in the room he cared to discuss it with. "I flew this afternoon!"
"You flew!" Martha cried, elated and proud. "Oh my God, honey, that's incredible!"
"Well, I really only just floated off the ground a few inches but I did it on purpose and I know that when the barn clears out after all this wedding stuff that I'll be able to fly for real! I can feel it," Clark gushed, twirling his mother and pulling her back to him.
"Did I hear right?" Kara queried, coming up to Clark and Martha. "You can fly now?"
Clark and Martha stopped dancing, "Mom meet Kara, my cousin. Kara, this is my adoptive mother Martha Kent."
Kara smiled at Martha but got right back to her original question, "Can you fly or not?"
"Yes," Clark answered, giving his mother an apologetic look. "You'll have to forgive Kara, Mom. She's still not quite used to the Earthly custom of being polite."
"Sorry," Kara apologized to Martha, "Sometimes I forget common courtesy. I guess that's what happens when you're stuck in a space ship for sixteen years."
"That's quite alright dear," Martha sympathized, giving the blonde beauty a warm smile. "It's so nice to finally meet you."
"And you as well," Kara smiled back. Martha Kent reminded her of Clark's real mother, Lara. They began talking and Clark was left by himself.
He looked around for Lois, spotting her talking to some guy he was sure he'd seen at work at some point. He found a spot out of the way and watched her as guy after guy approached her, sometimes just talking or flirting with her, others actually asking her to dance. Clark couldn't help the fact that he was burning with jealousy. All those men were doing exactly what he wanted to only he didn't know how.
~*~
Oliver's P.O.V.
"You're Pete, right?" Oliver approached the medium-height young black man.
"You're Oliver Queen, right?" Pete countered, not sure if he could ever trust a billionaire.
"Yes, but are you Pete?" Oliver asked again.
"Yeah, I'm Pete. What's it to you?"
Oliver held his hands up in surrender, "I was just wondering if you might help me with a little project I've got going."
"Sorry," Pete apologized, smiling at the tall blond man who wasn't much older than he was. "After dealing with the Luthors, billionaires make me suspicious, it's nothing personal. What project?"
"Do you know Lois Lane?" Oliver inquired.
"How could I not, she makes her presence known pretty clearly, and I'm not talking about how super-smoking hot she is," Pete surmised.
Oliver chuckled, Pete had summed up Lois Lane in a sentence fragment, "You see, Lois is secretly in love with Clark and Clark is secretly in love with Lois, he just doesn't know it yet, so Jimmy and I are playing Cupid tonight."
"What do you want me to do?" Pete asked, eager to help.
"Talk to her, flirt with her, dance with her," Oliver suggested, "And make sure Clark sees."
"Done," Pete agreed, making his way toward Lois, after shaking Oliver's hand.
~*~
Pete's P.O.V.
"Hi!" Pete greeted when he reached Lois, who was just watching people dance after getting rid of Bob, a guy that worked at The Planet, who had been shamelessly flirting with her. He was, she thought, the last in a long stream of men she worked with who had come up to her, asking her to dance, flirting with her and talking with her until she had a headache. She hated it, but at least it kept her mind off of Clark and Lana's impending reunion. "You're Lois Lane, Clark's friend?"
The word friend stung like a bitch, but she nodded, "Yep, I'm Clark's friend."
"I'm Pete Ross," he introduced himself.
"I remember you," Lois said, taking a closer look at him. "You're the meteor infected guy who was going to give Jimmy an interview last year."
Pete smiled again, aware that Clark was watching, and was surprised she remembered, "I'm not meteor infected anymore. I'm just regular old Pete now."
"Good for you," Lois encouraged, actually taking an interest in the conversation this time.
"I've read some of your articles," Pete admitted, attempting to flatter her. "They're pretty interesting. You've got real talent. It must be genetic."
Lois blushed at the comment on her articles, "Thank you . . . that's really sweet. Chloe used to talk about you way back when. You were one of her very best friends."
"Clark, Chloe and I were all pretty tight in high school," Pete explained. "I've really missed them both. I'm glad Jimmy snapped that picture of me saving Clark's cousin last year. It's been nice being good friends with them again."
"You can never have too many good friends," Lois agreed.
Pete took her right hand in his and kissed it, "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"
Lois normally didn't succumb to such petty flirtation, but Pete was genuinely nice and he was nothing if not a gentleman.
"Okay," she let him lead her out onto the dance floor. He entwined their fingers and put his other hand delicately on her waist and seriously impressed her with all his dance moves. He was suave, smooth, and confident on the dance floor, and he had a great sense of humor that kept her laughing.
~*~
Oliver's P.O.V.
Oliver approached the infamous Lucy Lane from behind and tapped her on the shoulder. Unlike her sister, she did not spin around reflexively and punch him in the face. She simply turned her head to see who had touched her out of the corner of her eye, an incredibly sexy maneuver on her part. He could see the relation now. Upon discovering that the touch came from a tall, hot blond male, she turned around and flashed him a flirtatious smile.
Oliver returned her smile and pulled her hand up to kiss it, "The infamous Lucy Lane, it's a pleasure."
Raising her eyebrows briefly at his kiss and turning up the sexy, she purred, "The pleasure's all mine . . ."
"Oliver," he filled in the blank, "Oliver Queen."
Her eyes widened when she recognized the young billionaire and she smiled again, brashly, "Oliver Queen," she sighed, "It's a pity . . . I really wanted to dance with you but now that I know who you are, I'm afraid I'm going to have kick your ass for breaking my big sister's heart."
"How about we make a deal," Oliver suggested. "We leave out the ass kicking because your sister already did this," he pointed to his battered face, "to me earlier, and I promise to save you a dance if you promise to go over and shamelessly throw yourself at Clark Kent, and dance really close to Lois and Pete so she can't miss it."
Lucy pretended to ponder his deal, "So let me get this straight . . . as long as I make sure Lois sees me dancing with Clark I get a chance at two hot guys?"
"Pretty much," Oliver laid it out for her.
"I'm so in," Lucy purred, giving Oliver her sexiest little smile.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
Clark's stomach wrenched as he watched Pete talk to, then flirt with, and finally dance with Lois, who appeared to be having the time of her life as Pete expertly maneuvered her all over the dance floor. He didn't notice Lucy's approach.
"Hey Clark," Lucy purred, giving him a sexy smile and clearly violating his personal space. "Did you miss me?"
Lucy succeeded in tearing his attention away from a delighted Lois. He half-smiled back at her, uncomfortable at her closeness.
"Lucy! I can't say that I have considering the circumstances we met under," Clark said honestly, "But you look nice."
Lucy grabbed a hold of Clark's gray tie and turned her back to him, the tie over her bare shoulder as she dragged him out of his hiding place to a spot that Lois would clearly see.
"Just nice?" She asked, turning back toward him but not releasing his tie, a wicked look in her eyes to match her smile.
Clark sucked in a breath and looked Lucy up and down, before he gulped and admitted, "I suppose nice isn't exactly the precise word for it."
She licked her lips in a slow and sexy manner that would have had any man drooling at that point, "And what word would you use if nice isn't the precise word for it?"
Her eyes dared him to answer, to say something naughty.
Clark gulped again, unused to being so shamelessly flirted with, "I guess gorgeous might work."
Lucy smiled, "That's a little better," she bit her lower lip, "But I bet if you think really hard," she purred, running her free hand dangerously over Clark's crotch, "you could come up with an even better one."
Clark didn't know what to do with himself, all he knew was that she wasn't getting a rise out of him like she was obviously intending to.
"Sexy . . . irresistible . . . super-smoking hot," he decided to play her little game. He didn't want to talk to Lana and he had no idea what was going on between him and Lois, so he decided to have a little fun even though he wasn't interested in Lucy like that.
She smiled triumphantly and an upbeat song started to play, "Perfect . . . dance with me."
Lucy didn't ask, she told, much like her sister, and she led him onto the dance floor the same way she'd dragged him out of his hiding place with her back turned and his gray tie over her bare shoulder. She turned around and pressed her body fully against his and started to writhe into him, making eye contact with Lois. Then she danced in a sexy little circle around him, making sure to cup his ass, which startled the hell out of him, as she made her way around him, before backing up against him, grinding her ass into his crotch, winding a hand in his hair and caressing his face. When the song was over, she pulled away and let go of his tie.
"Nice seeing you again, Clark," she purred, "Stay sexy," she commanded, deliberately shaking her ass as she walked away like a model on a runway.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
Lois had been having a great time dancing with Pete until she saw her little sister basically throwing herself at Clark, who seemed very uncomfortable at first but gradually seemed to not mind. She put extra effort into having fun with Pete, hoping that Clark would notice because she couldn't tear her eyes away from him and Lucy. Eventually she dragged Clark onto the dance floor, and made eye contact with Lois, daring her with her eyes to do something about her dirty dancing. Pete noticed Clark and Lucy too and made sure to keep dancing with Lois in the same general area as the other couple. She glared at her little sister in disgust as she saw her grab Clark's ass, which at least startled him. Clark wasn't really even dancing, he was just standing there as Lucy danced, eventually backing up against him and grinding her ass into his crotch, entwining her hand in his hair and caressing his face. For the second time that night Lois wanted to wrap her hands around another girl's throat, her sister's throat, for getting in the way of her and Clark.
Her blood boiled and it took all she had in her to politely excuse herself from Pete.
"Thank you so much for the dance, Pete," she said sincerely. "I really had a great time."
"All you have to do is ask if you want a replay," Pete said smoothly, kissing her hand again.
"I'll keep you to that," Lois mock-threatened, a smile on her face.
Once Pete disappeared into the crowd, Lois walked directly to the make-shift bar, "Vodka on the rocks, and make it snappy!"
~*~
Oliver's P.O.V.
Oliver was in a corner observing the whole time and laughing his ass off as he watched Lucy try to seduce Clark. The looks Clark got on his face were classic, and her dance moves were more than enough to make Clark blush and look like a deer caught in the headlights. Oliver laughed so hard his face hurt and tears welled in his eyes . . . he actually laughed so hard he giggled once, which sobered him, hoping nobody had heard it.
Lucy sauntered past him, giving him her signature sexy smile.
"Nice work," he complimented. "That was perfect!"
"I know," Lucy informed him, her eyes twinkling with naughty thoughts.
Oliver couldn't help it, he started cracking up again and he didn't know when he would be able to stop.
~*~
Chloe's P.O.V.
"Pete Ross," she called, "It's time you introduced me and my husband to your date."
Pete had rejoined his plus one after his dance with Lois, only to be summoned immediately by Chloe.
"Chloe, meet Vanessa Abrams, my very good friend," Pete introduced the two.
"Hi!" Vanessa greeted vibrantly, taking Chloe's hand and shaking it. She had long, black, curly hair, creamy café-au-lait skin, and was wearing a black halter dress that looked custom made.
"I love your dress!" Chloe squealed, truly admiring the design.
"I have a friend who has her own fashion line. She insisted on making it for me when I told her I was going to a wedding. She wanted to make it dark blue but I requested black instead."
"That's so cool!" Chloe replied, impressed, then she pointed to Pete. "How did the two of you meet?"
"We met in New York at one of One Republic's concerts in Brooklyn," Pete told them.
"My sister Ruby's band SugarDaddy, for which she play bass, opened for them. I was home on break from NYU so I went to support her and met Pete. We're really good friends and when he asked me to come to your wedding, I was psyched to see him in the place he grew up. I wanted to experience his Kansas roots for myself."
"Vanessa is a film major," Pete explained. "That kind of stuff totally gets her off when it comes to her projects. She's really talented."
"But you guys are just friends," Chloe stated, noting that they weren't holding hands and that their body language was all wrong for a couple.
"Yeah, we're just friends," Vanessa confirmed. "What can you tell me about Victor?"
"Victor Stone?" Chloe asked, skeptically. She hadn't thought to invite any of The Justice League to the wedding except for Ollie, but as she looked around the room she noticed Dinah, Bart, A.C., and Victor. It had occurred to her that it might not be a good idea for all of them to be seen in a social setting so as not to give any of their enemies any clues to their real identities, but now that she knew they were there she was really happy they'd come.
"Yeah," Vanessa gushed, truly crushing on the young man otherwise known as Cyborg. "We bumped into each other earlier and I swear, the guy's built like steel because I hurt my shoulder. He apologized, got me an ice pack, and we talked for a really long time. He's really amazing and I'd like to get to know him better."
"And there are tons of hotties here I would love to get to know," Pete enthused, grinning. "But I love V, she's my girl . . . I haven't had a friend like her since high school with you and Clark, and now I have you guys back, so I'm all set!"
"Love you too, Pete," Vanessa said, "But you know I hate it when you call me V. It's that stupid preppy rich kid bullshit I had to deal with in high school and the result of being best friends with a guy who went to a private school on the Upper East Side."
"Oh right, that Gossip Girl chick you hate so much," Pete remembered, "Sorry, V, you're just going to have to get used to it, it's my name for you."
"You're lucky we're such good friends Ross or I might have to have a throw down with you Brooklyn style," Vanessa pretended to be all thug-like, earning laughs from Pete, Chloe, and Jimmy.
"I like her," Chloe told Pete, smiling.
"It's impossible not to like V," Pete replied, returning her smile. He held out his hand to Jimmy, and looking to Chloe, who shook it, "You're a lucky man, Jimmy. You ever hurt her . . ."
"I won't," Jimmy promised, taking a moment to smile at Chloe, "At least never intentionally."
"That's what I like to hear!" Pete crowed, approving of Jimmy and grinning at the newlyweds.
"I think I'm going to go find Victor," Vanessa told Pete. "It was nice to meet the two of you . . . I actually think you guys are going to make it."
"Go for it, but you only get to date him if I approve of him first," Pete declared to his good friend.
"Sure, sure," Vanessa replied, rolling her eyes at Pete as she disappeared into the crowd.
"Hey Chloe! Can you point out Clark's cousin? I don't really remember what she looks like," Pete requested.
Chloe found Kara in the crowd and pointed her out to Pete, who went off in her direction.
"It's time for you to introduce me to your parents, Mr. Olsen," Chloe said to Jimmy.
Jimmy looked down at the floor for a moment before meeting Chloe's eyes, "Uh . . . They didn't come."
Chloe saw the pain in Jimmy's eyes, and immediately hugged him close, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Why didn't they come?"
Jimmy shrugged, trying to make it look like he didn't much care when he explained, "My mom and dad are divorced . . . they don't really get along . . . My mom told me that if my father came she wouldn't and my father told me that if my mother came he wouldn't . . . then they got into an argument over the phone about the whole thing . . . they're really stubborn, so they made each other think that the other was going to come . . . so neither of them did."
"Oh Jimmy," Chloe exclaimed, heart broken over her husband's revelation and hugged him again. "Why didn't you say anything about it to me?"
"Because I figured it didn't matter," Jimmy admitted. "All the people I really care about are all here, so I thought that maybe they could be my family; plus, by marrying you I get your family, which I think will very nicely make up for mine."
~*~
Victor's P.O.V.
"Hey!" Vanessa greeted him, a smitten smile decorating her lips. "Are you bored of me yet?"
Victor took Vanessa in, mirroring her smitten smile, "I don't think I could ever get bored of you."
"So I'm not the only one in this conversation who's feeling some serious chemistry here?" Vanessa queried, boldly.
"Definitely not the only one," Victor answered, it was the first time he'd felt a connection with anyone since Katherine left him. "Can I ask a favor of you?"
"Depends on the favor," Vanessa replied, eyeing him suspiciously.
"You know the maid of honor and the best man?"
"The gorgeous brunette and the tall, hot guy with black hair and blue eyes? Yeah, I noticed them," Vanessa told him.
Victor couldn't hide the slight look of jealousy that marred his features at her description of Clark, but chose to ignore it for the time being, "Her name is Lois and his name is Clark. They're in love with each other, but they're both too scared to admit it to the other. A couple of friends of mine and I are trying to speed things along a bit."
"That's all well and good, but you still haven't gotten to the favor part yet," Vanessa said, pointedly.
"I need you to go talk and flirt and dance with Clark while I go talk and flirt and dance with Lois. We're trying to make them jealous enough to finally get them to admit their feelings to each other," Victor explained.
"What's in it for me?" Vanessa demanded, she didn't normally throw herself at guys.
"After we're done dancing with Clark and Lois, I'll save a special dance for you," Victor bargained, "And I might even kiss you if you'll allow it."
"Sold," Vanessa agreed, giddy at the thought of kissing him.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
"Hi!" Vanessa greeted Clark brightly.
"Hello," Clark greeted her back politely. "You're Pete's date right?"
"Date isn't exactly the right word for it," Vanessa said, giving Clark a dazzling smile. "We're just friends, but he's pretty terrific. You're Clark, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm Clark," he confirmed, "Clark Kent."
"My name is Vanessa Abrams," she introduced herself. "Pete talks about you a lot."
"Really?" Clark was surprised, Pete had such a hard time keeping his secret that he was constantly afraid that he was going to slip up and say something about Clark's origins to the wrong person.
"Yeah," Vanessa continued, "He says you're an awesome guy . . . very unique."
"Unique?" Clark queried, not liking her word choice, but he knew that Pete would never just say something to some random girl about his secret.
"In a good way," Vanessa said quickly, noting the wariness in Clark's tone. "He said you always do the right thing no matter what and that you love to help people. He says you're really selfless."
"Oh," Clark sputtered, relieved.
"After all his positive endorsements I just had to meet you for myself," Vanessa told him. "I was wondering why you aren't dancing?"
"No one's asked," Clark admitted, liking Vanessa more and more the longer he talked with her. She wasn't flirting with him, just talking, which was nice after experiencing 'Hurricane Lucy'.
"Will you dance with me?" Vanessa proposed. "I'd like to talk some more. It's not everyday you get to meet a local corn fed farm boy hero, and I'm a film major at NYU. I was thinking of taking a break from my dark films to do a couple of humanitarian pieces. Maybe you could give me your insight?"
"Okay," Clark agreed, letting her lead him onto the dance floor.
Vanessa danced very close to him but didn't press her body into his the way Lucy had. Clark figured her closeness had more to do with her wanting to talk privately than to try and seduce him. They danced with ease but stayed in one stationary spot on the dance floor as she began teaching him the basics of being a film major at NYU. Only a minute or so later, Lois appeared in front of him, dancing with Victor Stone. Clark couldn't help it, his sense of jealousy spiked high as he watched someone else's hands on her, the hands of someone he knew and liked. It made him so irrational that he was extremely tempted to use his heat vision on her half-man, half-machine dance partner to melt the metal in his arms so he couldn't touch her at all.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
"Hello," Victor greeted, gently, approaching Lois slowly.
"I'm not in the mood to be hit on," she recoiled, holding her second glass of vodka on the rocks in disappointment. She'd practically drank two bottles of champagne all by herself and she was hitting the hard alcohol as well. It was just her luck that when she really wanted, no needed, to be drunk, her tolerance level wasn't giving her any headway. She was still perfectly sober.
"I wasn't going to try," Victor said casually.
"Who are you anyway? I've never seen you before and I remember the guest list perfectly," Lois asked, rudely. So maybe she was just a little bit tipsy.
"My name's Victor Stone," he introduced himself. "I know Chloe and Clark. Jimmy invited me at the last minute."
"Does that mean you know Dinah Lance? Because Jimmy apparently invited her at the last minute too," Lois deduced, still rude, and also still irritated about her encounter with Dinah earlier.
"I do know her," Victor admitted, realizing he was on shaky ground. "But we're not all that friendly."
"In that case, I'll dance with you," Lois told him brazenly, having noticed that Clark was on the dance floor with someone she didn't know and seemed to be having a good time. Jealousy burned through her veins again and all she felt like doing was ripping the beautiful, long, curly black hair out of the unknown woman's head. "That's what you came here for, isn't it?"
"You must be psychic," Victor intoned, impressed. "I promise to keep the flirting to a minimum."
"You'd better," Lois warned, smiling at Victor. "I'm the reason Oliver Queen's face is black and blue."
"Impressive," Victor complimented as he led Lois onto the dance floor and positioned them only two feet away from Clark and Vanessa. Victor knew how to dance but he wasn't brilliant at it. They stood in one place and merely swayed to the upbeat classical number exuding itself from the speaker system.
"So what was a beautiful woman like yourself, whose name I don't even know, doing on the sidelines when she obviously belongs in the spotlight?" Victor asked, his voice smooth but not smarmy. It was the perfect mix of curious and flirtatious.
"I'm Lois," she told him, "Lois Lane . . . and sometimes I just like to people watch . . . it's interesting . . . and I'm not supposed to be in the spotlight today . . . This is my cousin's wedding," she confided, taking a liking to Victor even though she was still burning with jealousy over Clark's new dance partner, "It would be very rude of me to outshine the bride, but she's so gorgeous today I don't think I could manage it anyway."
"That's very humble of you," Victor complimented her, "Which is extremely sexy in a woman."
"I'm glad someone thinks I'm sexy," Lois complained, secretly delighted that she was getting some attention from the opposite sex even if she preferred that the attention come from Clark and not all the random strangers she'd encountered that night.
"Girl, you've got it going on," Victor flirted, trying to pump Lois up. He could tell she was upset over something and was trying to hide it.
Lois blushed, "You're not so bad yourself."
"Thank you," Victor accepted the compliment easily.
Then the song ended and Lois excused herself.
"I had a lovely time dancing with you, Victor Stone," she smiled, walking off the dance floor.
"I had a lovely time as well," she heard him say as she retreated.
Lois made her way back to the Kent house. She needed a break from all the wedding splendor.
She walked through the front door and sank onto the couch without bothering to turn on any lights, holding her head in her hands and trying not to lose it.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
Clark excused himself from Vanessa when the song ended, "Thank you for the wonderful dance."
He noticed Lois slip out of the barn and decided to follow her. She was walking to the house, he realized, watching as she opened the front door. He slipped in the front door, and flipped on the lights to find Lois sitting exhaustedly on the couch with her head in her hands.
"Lois?" He questioned, concerned.
She sighed and looked up, her voice tired, "Hey Smallville."
"Are you okay?" He asked, taking a seat next to her.
"I'm just feeling really overwhelmed, that's all," she explained. "I think it's just all the pressure of planning and executing all this wedding stuff finally catching up with me. I've been so focused on it I haven't been getting much sleep. I just needed a little break, that's all."
Clark frowned as she spoke. She didn't sound like herself . . . she sounded defeated. It was something he'd never heard in her voice before, not even when she and Oliver had broken up for the second time.
"Have you talked to Lana?" Lois asked, the defeat still in her voice.
"No," Clark told her.
"You should give her a chance, Clark," Lois encouraged, hating the words coming out of her mouth.
"I'll think about it," Clark said, his voice flat. He really wasn't all that interested in talking to Lana, and she didn't appear to want to talk to him either since she'd had all night to do it and hadn't made an effort.
"She's scared, Clark," Lois divulged, a bitter taste in her mouth. "She doesn't know how to talk to you."
Clark was annoyed. He'd come to the house because he wanted to be with Lois and all she could talk about was Lana.
"I said I would think about it," Clark barked, sharply, causing Lois to flinch. "I came here because I was worried about you."
"You don't have to worry about me, Smallville," Lois reassured him, lamely. "I'm a big girl . . . I can take care of myself."
"You like to think that, but you're not invincible, Lois. Sometimes you do need someone to take care of you. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on once in awhile," Clark retorted, putting his arm around her shoulders.
They both felt the same electric zing they'd felt the other times they'd touched that day, but Clark refused to recoil from it this time. He wanted to be there for the woman he loved even though every second he kept in contact with her skin was driving him crazy with desire. Lois didn't object to his touch, but it drove her mad with lust until she remembered that soon Clark would talk to Lana and he would be lost to her forever. She leaned into him and began to sob. Clark tightened his arm around her shoulders and cradled her face in his free hand, having no idea that she was crying over him.
After several minutes, Lois pulled away, the tears still pouring down her cheeks.
"Thanks, Smallville," Lois appreciated his support even though he didn't know that she was crying over him. "I'd like to be alone for a little while if you don't mind. If I'm not back at the reception in fifteen minutes, you can come back to get me."
"Okay," Clark agreed, reluctantly removing his arm from her shoulders and standing up. He looked back at her once before disappearing out the front door and returning to the reception.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
Lois couldn't bear to watch Clark leave so she hung her head in her hands until she heard the front door shut. She picked herself up off the couch and made her way up the stairs, locking herself in the master bathroom again and crying by herself as she had before. After five minutes, she forced herself to stop and reapplied her makeup for the second time that day.
She couldn't believe that she was trying to get Lana and Clark back together, but she had to after hearing Lana's side of the story. She hated it so much, but Clark had always wanted Lana and he deserved a 'Happily Ever After.' She loved him enough to let him be with the person who would make him happiest even if she wasn't the one who could give that to him.
Nauseous at the idea of him with someone else, she rushed to yank the toilet seat up so she could vomit without making too big a mess. After five minutes, she was certain that all the food and alcohol she had eaten that day had been voided from her system. She dragged her hand across her mouth and looked into the mirror. Thankfully, the tears that had accumulated during her vomiting spell hadn't left her with raccoon eyes, there was no need to reapply her mascara. She washed her hands, rinsed her mouth out to get rid of the rancid taste of bile in her throat, and headed back to the party.
Lois still tasted the remnants of the vomit in her mouth, and her empty stomach groaned in protest as she eyed a large platter of fresh strawberries just laid out on the snacks table by the head caterer, Mrs. Henney. Their heavenly smell called out to her . . . there was no sweeter scent on Earth to her than that of fresh strawberries, and Lois gorged herself on them, even dipping them in champagne. It wasn't much of a comfort, but it helped a little, and at that moment Lois had to take whatever comfort was offered to her or that night would be the end of her.
~*~
Pete's P.O.V.
Pete noticed Lucy Lane standing by herself on the landing that led up to the Loft. She was leaning her elbows against the wooden hand rail, just watching everyone else, apparently sharing her older sister's fondness for people watching. She looked lonely.
Pete climbed up the few steps and joined her, resting his own elbows on the wooden hand rail as well. He didn't speak for a while, just getting used to her presence. After about ten minutes, he started talking.
"Hello," he greeted politely, turning his body slightly toward her so he could judge her facial expressions.
Lucy turned too, and immediately gave Pete her signature sexy smile before purring, "Hi, I'm Lucy."
"I'm Pete," he said, returning her smile. "You don't have to do that you know?"
"Do what?" She asked innocently, still purring and giving Pete a sexy look.
"I've been watching you all night," Pete admitted, letting a slight blush creep up his cheeks, ". . . and I think I've finally got you figured out."
Lucy dropped the sexy smile and just looked at him, speaking normally, "What does that mean?"
"It means I think you're scared to let people in, to let them get to know the real you . . . so you put on this revved up sex kitten act so no one ever bothers to look past how slutty you want them to think you are," Pete assessed, watching her face for a reaction.
Lucy was quiet for a moment, her face expressionless, "Where'd you learn that trick?"
"It's not a trick," Pete insisted, softly. "I can just read people well."
"And here I was thinking my façade was flawless," Lucy mumbled, to herself and Pete.
"It is," Pete assured her, still speaking in a gentle tone. He didn't want to scare her away. "But my good friend Clark taught me to look past people's façades. All it took was one look into your eyes when you thought no one was watching . . . they're sincere you know, which says a lot about the real you."
Lucy smiled genuinely, no trace of sex in sight, "So what made you decide to keep tabs on me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Pete asked, surprised she didn't already know.
"Not really," Lucy admitted, a little shy. Pete was a very attractive young man and he was making her nervous in a good way. "I don't normally talk to people like this."
"Initially it was your looks," Pete explained, "But the fact that you're hot wasn't what intrigued me."
"What was it then?" She really wanted to know. No one had ever bothered before.
"You're hot and cold . . . like you can't decide who you really want to be," Pete said wisely, "Behind that sex kitten façade of yours anyway."
"I've never met anyone like you before," Lucy divulged, suddenly feeling like sharing her deepest, darkest secrets with Pete. "It's like, everyone just expects the worst from me, you know? So I just give them what they want."
"It doesn't have to be that way," Pete responded, voice genuine. "Instead of surprising people by grabbing Clark's ass and grazing his crotch, why don't you surprise them with who you really are?"
"What if they don't like who I really am?" Lucy worried.
"I've been standing here for the last ten minutes talking to the real you and I like who you really are . . . you'd be impressed at how much people can surprise you sometimes."
"What if I'm not ready? What if I'm scared?" Lucy wrung her hands, her face crumbling in doubt.
On a whim, Pete slowly reached out and grabbed Lucy's hands with both of his, effectively stopping the wringing motion. He separated them and held one of her hands in each of his. It was like a lightning bolt had hit them both at each other's touch.
"It's okay to be scared," Pete promised, "And if you're not ready, why don't you practice on me?"
Lucy smiled again, "I'd like that. It's a little more private up in the Loft . . . would you like to go there with me to talk some more?"
"It would be my pleasure," Pete said, letting go of one of her hands and delicately entwining their fingers together on the other. Lucy led the way through the opalescent curtains, for once without a single thought about being sexy or trying to seduce Pete. She was beginning to become sort of sweet on him, in a pure, romantic way, and the feeling was mutual.
~*~
Oliver's P.O.V.
"Dinah, do me a favor?" Oliver didn't ask really, he kind of commanded, which didn't set well with Dinah at all.
"Just because you're our fearless leader doesn't mean you get to boss me around when we're off duty," she broiled.
"You kind of are on duty," he reminded her. "Would it help if I told you said favor would annoy the hell out of Lois Lane?" Ollie dangled the irresistible carrot in front of Dinah's nose.
After their little confrontation earlier that evening, Dinah was ready to do anything to annoy the other brunette, "What do you want me to do?"
"Flirt with Clark, and dance with him," Oliver instructed, "In a place Lois can't miss. Be brazen if you have to."
"Yes sir," Dinah saluted before heading down the stairs toward Clark.
Oliver sidled up to A.C., who had a glass of water in his hand.
"What's up, Oliver?" The H2O obsessed young man greeted, taking a sip from his glass.
"How do you feel about dancing with our ex?" Oliver asked.
"It'd be nice to catch up," A.C. thought out loud, thinking how long it had been since he and Lois had talked.
"Have at it," Oliver ordered, genially, "And A.C., make sure Clark sees."
A.C. nodded. He knew about Oliver and Jimmy's plot to play matchmaker for Lois and Clark and he wasn't opposed to it as long as his friends ended up happy. He finished off the water in his glass, set it to the side, and made his way toward Lois.
Oliver watched A.C. and Dinah's progress as he moved through the party guests to find Jimmy and give him an update on Project Clois.
"Hey Olsen!" Oliver beckoned.
"What's up, Oliver?" Jimmy asked, already knowing what he was there for.
"I thought you might like an update on our little endeavor," Oliver said.
"Well, I did my part," Jimmy told the other man, "I sent all the guys at The Planet who have ever even given Lois one once-over to talk, flirt and dance with her."
"Clark didn't miss a moment of it," Oliver informed Jimmy, knowing that because it was his wedding day, he wouldn't have been able to pay close attention to the execution of his part of the plan.
"How's it going on your end?" Jimmy queried, curiously.
"It's going well," Oliver said, proudly. "I got Lucy Lane to practically have sex with Clark on the dance floor right in front of Lois, who was dancing with Pete Ross at the time. Then Victor and Vanessa, Pete's plus one, had their dances with them. I just sent Dinah and A.C. to occupy our stubborn duo's time in a very small amount of space . . . Dinah and Lois aren't on each others lists of favorite people, so it will annoy the hell out of her to see Dinah dancing with Clark, and A.C. is Lois' ex, so that will probably drive Clark up the wall seeing them dance together," Oliver elaborated, grinning his faux-evil playful grin.
"You're really good at this," Jimmy said, noting how good the other man was at persuading others to do his bidding. He wasn't like Lex, who had to threaten, pay or kill to get others to do what he wanted, he was just very charismatic.
"I am, aren't I?" Oliver joked, his cockiness just an act.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
Clark stood in the shadows alternating looking at Lana and Lois. He was glad that Lois had made it back to the reception seemingly in one piece, and he was giving some serious thought to her advice about Lana. Maybe he should give her a chance to explain, but he didn't have time to ponder on it anymore when Dinah Lance wound her way toward him.
"Dinah, hey!" Clark greeted, as she made to stand in front of him. "How's the party treating you?"
"Not bad," the fake brunette answered, her voice a little flirty, "It'd be much better if you came and danced with me."
Clark desperately wanted something to distract him from his worrying over Lana and Lois, so he readily agreed, "I think that can be arranged."
This time he was the one who lead Dinah onto the dance floor but she kept pace with him stride for stride.
"Let's see how smooth you are on those feet of yours when you're not zipping around faster than a speeding bullet," Dinah purred, though nothing compared to Lucy's ultra sexed-up kitty noises.
"I have to give you fair warning," Clark smiled, leaning in close to her ear and whispering, "Sometimes I'm a major klutz, so I apologize in advance if I step on your feet."
"So that's the 'Man of Steel's' real secret, is it?" Dinah laughed, enjoying herself.
"I'm a man of many secrets, Ms. Lance," Clark revealed playfully, still smiling at her.
Clark may not have been twirling her around the dance floor but he was maneuvering her expertly in their chosen spot, and was dancing with ease.
"I think this is the longest I've ever seen a smile on your face," Dinah giggled, it was nice to see him let loose a little. "In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a smile on your face."
"Apparently, I'm too serious," Clark laughed, leaning into her ear again, "Or so I've been told."
"That's what happens to a man who takes the world on his shoulders, especially if that world isn't his true one," Dinah said, wisely.
Clark nodded as the smile on his face died, "Yeah . . . one of these days I'll be ready to be part of the League full-time, but until then I've got to continue discovering what I'm capable of. I'll have to just settle for being the Red-Blue Blur for now."
"We understand that you can't be with us all the time, Clark," Dinah consoled him. "Even a man with your . . . talents can't be everywhere at once . . . no matter how hard he might try. You have to accept the fact that you can't save everyone, and focus on those you do save. They're the ones that will remember you."
"While the ones I don't suffer the consequences . . . Sometimes I wonder what the world would be like without me here . . . if it would be better . . . I had a dream once, a vision actually, of what the world would be like without me, and it was horrible . . . but the vision came from a biased source and sometimes I still wonder . . ."
"Hey! Most of the people in this room would be dead several times over if it weren't for you . . . if nothing else helps . . . think of all the people you love who are alive because you're not afraid to be a hero," Dinah soothed.
"I never thought I'd be having this conversation with you," Clark muttered, a bit embarrassed.
"Who would you have had it with?" Dinah asked.
"I don't know . . . I always pictured having it with the woman I love, I guess," Clark admitted, imagining telling Lois his secret and her comforting him the way Dinah was now.
"Rumor has it she's here . . . she may have been a little late, but she's still here," Dinah pointed out, thinking, like most everyone else, that he was referring to Lana.
"Yeah," Clark sighed, "Yeah, she is."
Clark looked around for Lois and spotted her dancing with A.C., immediately setting his blood to the boiling point with jealousy. She and A.C. had a past together and he wondered, watching them, if she still carried a torch for the aquatic junkie. She was smiling and laughing and dancing like she was having the time of her life and it made him feel sick that it wasn't him touching her, holding her, making her laugh like she didn't have a care in the world. Once again, he was tempted to use his heat vision to dry out A.C. until he was all scaly and water-starved, but his sense of right and wrong rang true. He couldn't blame A.C. for his lack of action on his feelings for Lois, but that fact didn't stop the jealousy from consuming him. The song was over before he and Dinah knew it, and he kissed her hand.
"Thank you for the dance, Dinah. It was fun," Clark stated, truthfully.
"Anytime, Superman," Dinah smiled, liking the sound of the nickname she'd just coined, the alcohol she'd been consuming all night making her bolder than she already was.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V
"Well, if it isn't Lois Lane," A.C. quipped, grinning at the woman he regretted leaving to save the world.
Lois shook her head, bemused, "Arthur Currie . . . let me guess, Jimmy invited you at the last minute?"
"You're good," A.C. said, glad that she was happy to see him. He still remembered the feel of her lips on his when they said goodbye all those years ago.
"Nah," Lois admitted, "You're not the only one he invited at the last minute and neglected to tell me about."
"I'm hurt," A.C. pretended, his face falling. "I thought you were actually glad to see me."
Lois laughed abruptly, "Of course, I'm glad to see you, silly. You're the first guy I ever met who wanted to save the world. You raised the bar for every other guy, A.C., and by the way, I wasn't referring to you when I admitted I'm horrible at choosing the right men."
"That's good to know," A.C. told her.
"You're one of the good ones," Lois complimented, genuinely. "I'm surprised no one has snatched you up yet."
"Not yet," he laughed, holding out his hand. "So what do you say? Dance with me? For old times sake?" A.C. offered, still grinning and looking rather dapper in his tuxedo.
"How could a girl resist?" Lois accepted, taking his hand, a small smile on her face.
A.C. was much like Clark when it came to dancing, in that he may not have been twirling Lois around the dance floor but was maneuvering her expertly in their chosen spot, and was dancing with ease, though he had a penchant for stepping on feet.
"I hate to say it, but I think you're better at swimming A.C.," Lois shared as A.C. stepped on her foot for the second time. "Watch the pedicure!"
"Sorry," A.C. apologized, blushing. "I promise I'll be more careful."
"Am I making you blush?" Lois chuckled, teasing him and noticing his face getting turning a deeper shade of crimson. "I am, aren't I?
"Do you even have to bother asking?," A.C. queried, "Can't you just see it on my face?"
"I'm sorry A.C.," Lois was quickly repentant. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."
A.C. shrugged, "Give me a lake or an ocean to swim in and I'm fine, but dress me up in a monkey suit and stick me in the middle of a wedding where I hardly know anyone; add a gorgeous woman to the mix and the term 'socially awkward' comes to mind."
Lois laughed again, the sound musical and thrilling, "I'm not worth getting all worked up over."
"Yes you are," A.C. insisted, vehemently. "You've got a good heart beating in that chest of yours, and . . . just so you know . . . You raised the bar for every other girl," he admitted.
Lois gazed at A.C. suspiciously, "Are you trying to woo me?"
"Unfortunately, no," he said, truly looking as though he wished he could. "I know what kind of guy you need, and I'm not it."
"What makes you think that?" Lois inquired, curious what made him think he wasn't her type.
"Oliver told me when you guys broke up again that it was because you couldn't bear to be left behind," A.C. said quietly. "All I'd be doing is leaving you behind, and I could never endure putting you through that."
"How do you know Ollie?" Lois requested an answer, having no idea that her exes knew each other.
"Oliver and I met at a charity event for endangered ocean ecosystems and water species like manatees," A.C. lied smoothly. "He offered me a job running his charitable marine life organization. I basically plan benefits to raise funds for endangered marine life all over the world."
"There you go again, wanting to save the world one fish at a time," Lois muttered, amused. "I'm proud of you."
"Why?" A.C. asked. "Because I actually am saving the world one fish at a time?"
"Well, there's that," Lois acknowledged. "But mostly because you haven't sold out. You're still standing up for what you believe in, albeit now you're doing it without the possibility of arrest for terrorism."
A.C. laughed, his blush fading. Lois laughed right along with him until she saw Clark dancing with Dinah Lance. She forced herself to keep on laughing as naturally as possible but if looks could kill, Dinah would have been a mere skeleton wasting away to ash on the dance floor. Jealousy churned in her stomach so badly she thought she might throw up again, and her hands started to shake in A.C.'s.
"You alright, darlin'?" A.C. asked, feeling Lois' hands shaking.
"I'm fine," she insisted, forcing herself to smile. She felt light headed, and was thankful that the song was ending. "I had a lot of fun, A.C.. Thanks for the dance, but right now I think I'm just going to go sit."
"You sure you're okay?" A.C. asked, studying her.
"Never better," Lois responded, adding a fake smile and a laugh to go along with it.
"Alright," A.C. looked reluctant to leave her, but he did anyway. He had to go to Oliver and tell him the story he made up for how the two of them met considering Lois' stubborn curiosity.
Lois made her way to the first chair she saw, which happened to be next to Lana, and sank into it, taking deep breaths and trying to ignore the other girl's presence, which only served to put her more on edge. Lois really thought she was going to throw up again when she saw Clark kiss Dinah's hand as he bade her adieu. Dinah made sure to pass by her.
"Looks like I'm the one who got to dance with Prince Charming while you're over here just sitting on the sidelines like an ugly stepsister," Dinah gloated. "He hasn't gone near you all night . . . it must be killing you that he chose me. If you ever want to see who'd really win our verbal and physical sparring match, you'll find me with Ollie. He seems to like me better too."
Lois glared at Dinah but was too afraid to speak for fear of throwing up again, though now that she thought about it, if she did projectile vomit, it would most certainly ruin Dinah's dress and that would definitely make her feel better. Dinah, however, was long gone by the time she'd come up with this plan, so she'd have to just sit there feeling sick until the jealousy stopped twisting her stomach into knots.
"Wow," Lana said, shaking her head in disbelief, "She's a real bitch."
"You have no idea," Lois intoned, "But she does her job well. I actually don't think she's a bad person, we just rub each other the wrong way . . . and she likes to make condescending remarks about my place in the bullpen at The Planet. She likes to throw that in my face, like I'm not a real journalist just because I don't have my own talk show."
~*~
Bart's P.O.V.
"What's a guy got to do to get a dance with the bride?" Bart asked, coming up behind Chloe.
Chloe smiled and turned to face the young man who had tried to seduce her on more than one occasion. She couldn't say she wasn't expecting him to try something like this once she'd discovered he was a guest.
"Bart, hey!"
"So how about it? Care to dance with an old flame?" Bart smiled his playful, confident smile.
"An old flame?" Jimmy questioned Chloe, staring at Bart suspiciously.
"More of an extinguished ember," Chloe clarified to her husband.
"Ah, come on! You know you wanted me!" Bart argued. "One dance, and if you don't have a good time I'll be gracious and let you go about your business . . . but I have to say you're looking damned fine today, gorgeous."
"Fine, maybe, at one point, I may have succumbed to your ruthless flattery, but you fixed that by coming on way too strong," Chloe argued back, defending herself. "I will, however, accept your compliment and grant you one dance . . . but if you do anything inappropriate I'll sic Clark on you!"
"We both know that Clark doesn't have a chance in hell of catching me," Bart bragged, knowing that Chloe's memory had been eradicated of everything about the real Clark Kent. Oliver had made sure to pass along the information Clark had shared about Chloe's memory so that the Justice Leaguers didn't slip up and accidentally spill the beans.
"True," Chloe admitted, allowing Bart to lead her onto the dance floor.
Bart was an excellent dancer and he loved to show off, so he did. He couldn't resist spiraling Chloe all over the place just a little too fast on the dance floor.
"So you're really happy with that guy?" He asked.
"Yes," Chloe stated, dutifully.
"I guess that means tearing up your marriage license, scooping you up, running lightning fast to Vegas and eloping with me is out of the question?"
"Yep, I'm afraid so," Chloe laughed.
"Damn!" Bart cursed good-naturedly. "If I'd known you were being courted by someone else, I would have taken a break from saving the world to come back to Smallville to make you all mine."
Chloe smiled and shook her head. It was the only reaction she could come up with to deal with his shameless flirting and over-the-top flattery.
"You may have gotten lucky," she teased. "Maybe if you'd toned it down a bit the first time we met, this would be our wedding."
Bart smiled, "I'm happy for you Chloe. Thanks for humoring me and attempting to make me feel good."
"You're my friend, Bart . . . I'm glad you're here . . . as long as you recognize that I'm a married woman and am now, officially, off the market," Chloe lectured, giving Bart a look. "My heart belongs to Jimmy Olsen . . . I'm Mrs. Olsen!" She laughed happily as she said the words out loud for the first time.
"Well, Mrs. Olsen, as much as I hate to do it and how tempted I am to rip up your marriage license and rush you off to Vegas for a quickie wedding of our own, I guess I'll let you get back to your husband . . . but you have cousins, right?" Chloe laughed and nodded . . . Bart was incorrigible.
"Mind pointing one of them out?" He requested, boldly.
Chloe searched the crowd for Lois and Lucy. Lucy was no where to be seen, but Lois was sitting at a table in a chair next to Lana. She pointed her out to Bart as he let her go, and dashed back to her husband.
Bart swaggered up to Lois and smiled.
"Hi, I'm Bart," he greeted, his voice full of cocky confidence.
"Another one of Jimmy's last minute party guests?" Lois assessed, her eyebrows arching.
"Yeah," Bart admitted, flirting, "I'm a friend of Chloe's. Since the bride is already taken I thought I might have a shot with a blood relation and I must say . . . you are muy calienté! What's you're name beautiful?"
"Lois," Lois told him, "And there's no way little man."
"Can't you give a guy a break? I'm a really good dancer and I could take you places a girl could only dream of," Bart said smoothly.
"You're pretty smooth," Lois confessed, "But there's no way in hell . . . no offense. I like my men a little older, say around my age."
"Cold, man," Bart complained, unruffled. "Too bad . . . we could have had a ton of fun together . . . Your loss."
"I'm sure it is," Lois said, rolling her eyes and laughing.
Bart shrugged and walked away.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
Clark watched Bart dance with Chloe and then hit on Lois. He used his super-hearing to catch Bart's pick up line and laughed when she turned him down. He was standing in a shadowed corner, hiding and watching everyone else, when he felt a hand on his upper arm. He turned to find John Jones, the Martian Manhunter, standing in front of him in his plain-clothes suit he wore when he was on duty for the Metropolis Police Department.
"Kal-El, may I have a word in private?" John requested, his face and voice serious.
"Yes, of course," Clark agreed, "But let's talk in my house where no one will overhear us."
John nodded his approval and followed Clark to the Kent house. Clark motioned for the other man to take a seat but he refused so Clark remained standing as well.
"What is it, John?" Clark asked, seriously.
"Something's coming . . . and it's big," John intoned, ". . . so big it could be the death of you."
"What do you know?" Clark queried, slightly worried.
"All I know is a name and a rumor," John admitted.
"Tell me," Clark demanded, respectfully.
"The rumor is that you aren't the only Kryptonian that arrived on this planet in the first meteor shower, and I'm not talking about your cousin, Kara," John explained. "Zod and his wife, Faora, created a being out of all the nastiest species on Krypton and attached it to your ship right before Krypton died and exploded. The being's name is Doomsday, and the rumor continues on to say that you must defeat him in order to claim your rightful destiny and fulfill the prophecy of the House of El."
"So something's out to kill me," Clark asserted, darkly. "How do we find this Doomsday creature?"
"It's going to be hard, Kal-El," John predicted. "Just like you and Kara, this being appears human and it's almost impossible to say whether it takes on a feminine or masculine form. However, if we think like Zod for a moment it's safe to presume the being is male considering Zod wanted to build an empire of his own on Krypton, and one can only create an empire with a male heir to the throne."
"If everything you've said is true and Zod already created an heir with his Kryptonian wife, why did Zod want to create an heir with Lana when he took over Lex Luthor's body two years ago?"
"Zod was sent to the Phantom Zone before his wife, Faora, was . . . it's possible he didn't know his heir was already on Earth," John conjectured, ". . . or he didn't approve of the heir he created and wrote him off as a botched science experiment. It's hard to say . . . Zod was a perfectionist and a sadist . . . I wouldn't put it past him to neglect a son who didn't live up to his expectations, and his expectations were exorbitantly high . . . The man that child became most likely does not even have a clue as to his real origins, and what his destiny truly is . . . He may be the complete opposite of his father . . . a humanitarian for all we know. The only thing I know for sure is that he's older than you, but only by a few years."
"Is there anything we can do now to help track down this being and attempt to reason with it before things get out of hand?" Clark asked, hoping for a positive answer.
"There are some things I've been keeping from you, Kal-El . . . things I had to keep from you until the time was right," John revealed cryptically.
"What kinds of things?" Clark demanded, again, respectfully.
"Different types of kryptonite . . . beneficial kinds . . . ones that could possibly speed up your training so that you'll be fully prepared to deal with the threat against you," John explained.
"Why didn't you say anything about them before? I could have been saving the world for years by now instead of just moonlighting as The Red-Blue Blur in Metropolis and only Metropolis," Clark asked, frustration evident in his tone.
"Because your father had a plan for you Kal-El . . . one that involved you naturally maturing into your destiny, which I must say you've done quite a lot of recently, but you're still not what you are meant to be, and your father was a cautious man . . . he always had a back up plan for everything, which is why he entrusted me with these special forms of kryptonite in case you weren't ready when the prophecy came to pass."
"I'm only now beginning to realize how great a man my birth father truly was," Clark lamented. "I got a chance to meet my birth mother, Lara, but all I have of my father is his artificially-intelligent disembodied voice . . . I wish I could have had the same chance with him as I did my mother."
"For your sake, I wish that were possible as well . . . Jor-El was indeed a great man, a man a son could be proud to have as his father," John told Clark.
"I'm assuming you brought a sample of one of the special forms of kryptonite with you tonight . . . otherwise you wouldn't have bothered mentioning them in the first place," Clark articulated, intelligently.
"You are correct, Kal-El," John returned, impressed with the young man's adeptness at logic.
"So there's green, red, black, and silver kryptonite as far as I know," Clark mused. "What other colors of the rainbow exist?"
"I brought only three of the colors I possess: purple, yellow, and white," John pulled the three meteor rocks out of his pocket. They were small, but they would be effective.
"So what is purple supposed to do to me?" Clark asked, warily.
"Purple is the color of royalty, good judgment, spiritual fulfillment, and symbolizes magic and mystery. Once exposed to purple kryptonite you will no longer be susceptible to magic, but may or may not be able to create it," John intoned. "Purple is the combination of red and blue, the warmest and coolest colors, two of the most important colors on Krypton and especially in the House of El," John explained, holding up a small purple rock with veins of violet streaked throughout it. "Violet is the color of purpose, and is also used in the psychic field. Exposure to it may give you the ability to see the human identity of Doomsday," John added. "The combination of the two will speed along your development, and, unlike all the other forms of kryptonite you've encountered thus far, its combined effect will be permanent."
He approached Clark, and looked into his eyes, asking for permission. Clark nodded his assent and John pressed the purple kryptonite into his chest. An eerie violet glow enveloped Clark but he didn't feel any pain, just a rush of adrenaline as his body drained the rock until it was black and dead looking. It was as though he'd developed a new consciousness, and a new sense of purpose. He didn't have words for the other things he was feeling.
"And the yellow?" Clark queried, almost excited to hear what it would do to him after experiencing the purple kryptonite.
"Yellow symbolizes wisdom, clarity, and awareness. The orange-yellow veins represent a sense of establishment," John expounded. "This was also an important color on Krypton as well as in the House of El. Exposure to this color of kryptonite will enhance the powers you already have since your powers come from the yellow sun and this form of kryptonite was made by exposure to the yellow sun. As with the purple, the effects of this kryptonite are permanent." Again he asked Clark with his eyes for permission to press the rock into his chest.
At Clark's insistent nod, John pressed the yellow rock into Kal-El's chest. It was like Clark was being bathed in a beam of pure sunlight, and he didn't feel any pain this time either, just a sense of enveloping warmth like he were sunbathing at Crater Lake. It was a nice feeling, but, just as the purple had, the yellow turned black and dead looking as Clark's body drained it of its power. He felt his new stronger senses of wisdom, clarity, and awareness in his mind and his senses. He also felt stronger. He felt like a new man.
"And the white?" Clark asked, excitedly.
"White is the color of purity, kindness, loyal love, wholeness, completion, openness and truth, all the qualities a true, dignified, royal Kryptonian possesses. Exposure to this color of kryptonite will complete the transformation process," John explained. "The effects of this kryptonite are also permanent."
This time Clark took John's hand and helped press the rock into his chest. He expected to be encompassed in a bright white light, but when he looked down his body had disappeared . . . all that was visible was John's hand holding the white kryptonite in the air as it rapidly turned black and dead, his body absorbing the energy from it even faster than the previous two. All of a sudden he was there again, standing in the middle of his living room, feeling amazing but not able to put it into words.
John pulled something very small out of his other pocket and held his open palm out for Clark to take what was inside. It was a man's ring and it looked as though the stone in it was white kryptonite as well. Clark looked up at John in confusion.
"This ring belonged to your father, and your grandfather before him, and so on and so forth," John explained. "White kryptonite has some properties that make it different from all the rest . . . that make it stand out. The white stone in this ring contains the entire history of the House of El. Instead of writing in a journal, all of your ancestors projected their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and memories into that stone. The metal that makes up the band is the same metal that was used to create the ship you arrived on Earth in, the most precious metal of Krypton. When you wear the ring, you will be able to access your entire family history. It is an ancient heirloom that is to be passed from father to son in each generation. Guard it well."
Clark palmed the ring and super-sped up the stairs to place it in his keepsake box. He couldn't try the ring on in the middle of Chloe's wedding, though he was dying to. He super-sped back down in front of John.
"How do you feel?" John asked, curiously.
"Incredible," Clark announced in wonder.
"Excellent," John cried in happiness, "This is a day of celebration . . . for today you become the true heir to the House of El. Congratulations, Kal-El! Your mother and father would be very proud."
He smiled at the young man who seemed dazzled by the whole new world he was experiencing for the first time.
"I feel honored that this is what my father wanted for me when he sent me here," Clark crooned happily, feeling love for his birth father for the first time since he'd heard his disembodied voice.
"As you should," John encouraged, exultant. "You will probably get even stronger when next you are exposed the yellow sun."
"Just out of curiosity, what are the other colors of kryptonite you possess?" Clark asked.
"Blue, brown, and pink," John listed, "But they are to be saved for your battle with Doomsday and the fulfillment of the prophecy. If I were you, I'd get my hands on a piece of black kryptonite, and I'd keep your cousin Kara around. I have a feeling we'll need all the help we can get."
"Speaking of help," Clark said, "I flew today . . . I know you lost your powers by taking me to the yellow sun to bring me back to life . . . I was thinking that now that I'm airborne I could return the favor . . . after all, wouldn't a return to your home planet restore your abilities?"
"It would indeed," John confirmed. "Your offer is much appreciated but we'll make plans for that another day. I believe you have a wedding to get back to."
"That I do," Clark attested, serenely. "It won't be long before Chloe and Jimmy have to cut the cake," Clark said, looking at his father, Jonathan Kent's, watch. "Stay John. I'll rustle up a plate from the reception dinner and make sure you have access to all the champagne you can drink."
"I'll stay, but it won't be a wedding I'm celebrating for," John uttered, proudly. He had watched Kal-El grow from a thoughtful little boy to an honorable man, to grow to accept his birthright and search for it . . . he would be celebrating . . . but it would be for that thoughtful toddler and the honorable man standing before him.
They walked together back to the barn and re-entered the reception.
~*~
Lana's P.O.V.
Lana had been sitting in the same place ever since her conversation with Lois earlier that evening, the place she'd inhabited during the dinner part of the reception. She'd watched everyone and everything but, mostly, her attention was riveted on Clark as she battled internally on how to approach him after her long absence. She had lost count of how many glasses of champagne she'd consumed and she felt warm and mellow all over, despite her nerves. As she watched the man she loved interact with people she didn't know and many she did, she realized she had no clue what to say or how to make him understand, which made her feel like crying. She actually wished she were invisible for a little while, so she wasn't, metaphorically, the big pink elephant in the corner of the room that everyone knew was there but refused to acknowledge, like she knew she was.
Lana watched as Clark danced with Chloe and his mother, she watched as Lucy Lane mauled Clark on the dance floor, as he danced with Pete's friend and plus one Vanessa, and finally as he danced with Dinah Lance. She noticed that every time Clark was on the dance floor, Lois was also, with a different dance partner every time just like Clark. It almost seemed deliberate, but not by Lois or Clark themselves. It seemed more like someone or someone(s) were trying to play matchmaker between the two reporters, and it hadn't escaped her how close the pair of them had grown in her prolonged absence. She had seen Clark go after Lois when she left the barn for God knows where and why. She was ashamed to admit it, but she had been glad when he returned alone.
All his interaction with other women had made her supremely jealous, so jealous she saw red. The funny thing was that Lois seemed to support her, and she'd been more than ready to call Dinah a bitch when she'd called Lois out after her sexy dance with Clark. It made Lana feel certain that Lois had feelings for Clark too, yet she was pushing for her and Clark to get back together. Lois was still sitting next to her when Lana finally decided to make her move. Clark had just reentered the room with a man she thought she recognized, and now was the time for her to go for it.
"I'm going to do it," Lana said out loud, to herself and to Lois. "I'm just going to do it... I should do it right?"
"Yes," Lois responded, hollowly, hating herself. "You should do it and make him listen... you know how stubborn he is."
"Wish me luck?" Lana pleaded with Lois, the only support system she had at the moment.
Lois smiled at her, sadly, and shook her head, "You don't need it."
Lana nodded several times in preparation to approach Clark, "Right," she said, blowing out an enormous breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, "I don't need it . . . Are you sure I don't need it because I feel like I need it."
"You don't," Lois reassured her, still smiling sadly. "Go get him."
Lana took in another enormous breath and blew it out, took a large sip of champagne, wrung her hands once before she got up from her chair and walked as steadily as she could in Clark's direction. She came up beside him as he talked to the man she thought she recognized.
~*~
Jimmy's P.O.V.
Jimmy was with Oliver discussing where to go next with their plan when he noticed Lana approaching Clark and heading out onto the dance floor.
"Uh oh," Jimmy pointed the problem out to Oliver.
"This can't be good," Oliver agreed. "Think fast or Project Clois is going to hit an iceberg and sink like the Titanic."
Jimmy thought for a moment and went with the only thing he could think of. He rushed off toward the D.J., saying to Oliver as he hurried away, "I've got an idea."
Jimmy made it to the D.J. and requested a song – "Where I Stood" by Missy Higgins, a song Chloe was addicted to at the moment. He hoped Lana would hear the words and realize that Clark was beyond her reach now, not that he didn't wish the raven-haired beauty happiness, just not happiness with Clark.
~*~
Lana's P.O.V.
"Clark?" She said, her voice seeming very small and insignificant.
The man nodded at Clark and left, almost as though he was wishing him luck.
"Lana," Clark said her name without any emotion and turned so they were facing each other.
"I . . . I um . . . I was wondering . . . if maybe you might want to dance," she stuttered.
"Okay," Clark agreed, taking her hand as they walked onto the dance floor.
He put his hand on her waist and took her right hand in his, holding it up as they moved slowly to the peppy classical song that was playing. They both noted that it was a bit awkward between them.
I don't know
what I've done
Or if I like what I've begun
But something told
me to run
And honey you know me it's all or none
"So . . . you're back," he said, his voice toneless.
"Yes," she breathed, meeting his eyes and knowing he would hear her no matter how quietly she spoke.
He studied her for a moment, his new senses of truth and awareness tingling, "You weren't planning on coming back were you?"
Lana looked down briefly before meeting his eyes again, "Yeah, not until a few hours ago."
"So what changed your mind?" Clark asked, studying her again as she paused. "I'm not expecting you to say it was me."
There
were sounds in my head
Little voices whispering
That I should
go and this should end
Oh and I found myself listening
"I couldn't miss Chloe's wedding," Lana half-lied. "She's my best friend."
"Chloe's glad you came," he intoned, his face stony. "I could have used some warning."
"I'm sorry for that," Lana apologized genuinely, "But Chloe's wedding isn't the only reason I came back."
"Then why?" Clark queried, not breaking eye contact.
"I read about the mysterious blur saving lives in Metropolis," she admitted with a smile. "I'm proud of you Clark . . . it's who you should have been all along."
"Does that mean you're happy you left?" He asked calmly, searching for answers surrounding the mystery of her disappearance.
"No," Lana told him. "I never wanted to leave."
'Cos I don't
know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I
should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All
I know is that I should
'Cos she will love you more than I
could
She who dares to stand where I stood
"I don't understand," Clark said, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"When I came out of my coma, I wasn't alone . . . Lex's men were there . . . along with a woman named Tess Mercer," Lana revealed. "They held me at gun point, forced me to make that DVD and then they kidnapped me. Like I told Lois earlier, it doesn't make anything I said on that DVD any less true."
"But you got away," Clark stated – she wouldn't be here if she hadn't escaped Lex's men.
"I did," Lana nodded, "Not long after they took me."
"Why didn't you come back?" Clark demanded, his confusion deepening.
"I thought about it," Lana told him, a determined look on her face, "but I couldn't . . . It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make, but I'm glad that I finally had the guts to do it."
See I thought
love was black and white
That it was wrong or it was right
But
you ain't leaving without a fight
And I think I am just as torn
inside
"I still don't understand," Clark informed her. "You make it sound like you didn't have a choice to leave but you did and you chose to abandon me."
"But that's why I came back!" Lana exclaimed. "I did have a choice to make . . . I needed to discover some things about myself before I could face you again . . . but I've discovered those things and now I'm back to fight for us!" She said earnestly, her features bright with hope. She looked down as she continued, "I would have died before I admitted this . . . but I used to sit on my front porch and look across the field at this barn imagining a summer wedding here . . . Of course, I always thought I'd play a bigger part in it."
"You probably would have if I'd given you Chloe's wedding gift," Clark admitted, frowning a little. Lana looked up at him suspiciously, curiously. "I had Jor-El erase all the memories Chloe had of the real me."
"Why would you do that Clark?" Lana demanded, disappointment etched into her features.
"Look at what knowing my secret did to your life, Lana," Clark protested, his face becoming hot and tortured as he remembered what knowing his secret had cost her. "It turned everything upside down!"
"I understood the lies that you told me to protect your identity, but I could never forgive you for taking that away from me," Lana told him, fervently, her eyes dancing with mysterious power, something she'd never possessed before. "And maybe that's exactly what I needed . . . I could have landed a lot of places in my life, Clark, but without you . . . I never would have ended up here."
'Cos I don't
know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I
should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All
I know is that I should
'Cos she will love you more than I
could
She who dares to stand where I stood
"And where's here exactly?" Clark wanted to understand, but he couldn't. It showed on his face.
"In this barn, dancing with you . . . telling you how much I love you and how it killed me everyday to be away from you . . . that I missed you every second," Lana revealed, heartfelt, her love for him written all over her face. "That the only reason I left was so I could become strong enough for the two of us to be together."
"You could have picked up the phone," Clark said coldly, his emotions hidden behind a mask. "You could have told me you were alright . . . You could have told me all of those things a long time ago . . . when it mattered."
And I
won't be far from where you are if ever you should call
You meant
more to me than anyone I ever loved at all
But you taught me how
to trust myself and so I say to you
This is what I have to do
"It doesn't matter now?" Lana asked, feeling like her chest was being constricted, and oxygen was being leeched from her lungs.
Clark looked her straight in the eyes.
"No . . . no it doesn't," he murmured, knowing he was telling the truth. "You're too late."
"So that's it . . . it's all over . . . it's that easy?" Lana asked, tears welling in her eyes, her face colored with devastation.
"No," Clark told her, his mask still in place, ". . . but where I am now . . . for the first time it feels right," he explained, ". . . Lana, I know neither of us could say it . . . but maybe Clark Kent and Lana Lang just weren't meant to end up together. I'm sorry."
He reached out to comfort her, an impulse that still hadn't quite gone away, but she shrank back from him, holding her hand up.
"Don't," she pleaded, miserably.
'Cos I don't know who I am, who I
am without you
All I know is that I should
And I don't know if
I could stand another hand upon you
All I know is that I
should
'Cos she will love you more than I could
She who dares
to stand where I stood
Oh, she who dares to stand where I stood
Lana nodded and smiled briefly, trying not to lose her bearings. She was strong now . . . that's why she'd gone away . . . to be strong enough for Clark, and it was all for nothing. She pushed herself away from him and hurried off the dance floor, heading up the stairs to the Loft to hide. Expecting it to be empty, she was surprised to find Pete and Lucy sitting on the couch talking. Pete took one look at her face and knew she needed to be alone.
"Lucy?" Lana heard Pete ask. "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"
"Yes," Lucy answered simply. Lana could hear the blush in her voice.
When she knew she was alone, she rested her palms against the wooden window sill and began to sob, her grief and loss coming out of her in waves. She was still on a mission and she tried to think of that to comfort her, but the truth was, she was inconsolable.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
"I'm going to do it," Lana said out loud, to herself and to Lois. "I'm just going to do it... I should do it right?"
"Yes," Lois responded, hollowly, hating herself. "You should do it and make him listen... you know how stubborn he is."
"Wish me luck?" Lana pleaded with Lois, the only support system she had at the moment.
Lois smiled at her, sadly, and shook her head, "You don't need it."
Lana nodded several times in preparation to approach Clark, "Right," she said, blowing out an enormous breath she didn't realized she'd been holding, "I don't need it . . . Are you sure I don't need it because I feel like I need it."
"You don't," Lois reassured her, still smiling sadly. "Go get him."
Lana took in another enormous breath and blew it out, took a large sip of champagne, wrung her hands once before she got up from her chair and walked as steadily as she could in Clark's direction.
So this was it . . . the moment her heart was going to break. It was odd, like she was watching it from outside her body as Lana approached Clark and asked him to dance . . . but then her vision of the couple vanished and nothing but black was in her view.
Oliver kneeled down in front of her, wiping away the tears she hadn't known she was crying with the pads of his thumbs, and giving her an encouraging smile.
"Lois Lane, will you dance with me?" He asked, very gentlemanly and debonair.
Lois accepted immediately, desperately needing the comfort of a pair of strong arms wrapped around her as her world fell to pieces. She let the tears soak into Ollie's tux, not bothering to stop them.
I don't know
what I've done
Or if I like what I've begun
But something told
me to run
And honey you know me it's all or none
She couldn't bear to look at the dancing duo... Miss Perfect Lana Lang and her prince Clark Kent... soul mates fated to be together. She hid her face in Ollie's chest and forced herself to take deep breaths.
There were
sounds in my head
Little voices whispering
That I should go and
this should end
Oh and I found myself listening
Her deep breathing didn't stop the tears from flowing and Ollie rubbed smooth circles over and over on her back that lulled her into a trance as she listened to the music playing.
'Cos I don't
know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I
should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All
I know is that I should
'Cos she will love you more than I
could
She who dares to stand where I stood
Lois couldn't hear what Lana and Clark were saying but she recognized Clark's deep voice and it hummed at her in her trance-like state. Lana's voice was higher and it made a happy little chirping noise like birds singing in the morning at her in her trance-like state as well.
See I thought
love was black and white
That it was wrong or it was right
But
you ain't leaving without a fight
And I think I am just as torn
inside
Ollie tightened his arms around her and she squeezed him like her favorite stuffed dog from when she was a child. His name had been Spike. She didn't know why she'd named him that, it was just on a whim. She wished she could go back to that place... back to her childhood where all she needed to do to feel better was squeeze a stuffed dog and love was just this far off concept that she need never worry about.
'Cos I don't
know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I
should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All
I know is that I should
'Cos she will love you more than I
could
She who dares to stand where I stood
"Lois?" Ollie asked, gently, his tux soaked by then with her tears.
She waited for a moment to look up into his brown eyes, inhaling the familiar scent of him, one of her very favorite scents ever.
"Ollie?" She smiled sadly, hoping her face showed her gratitude for his presence.
And I won't
be far from where you are if ever you should call
You meant more
to me than anyone I ever loved at all
But you taught me how to
trust myself and so I say to you
This is what I have to do
"I'm sorry," he told her, genuinely, their eyes locking in a familiar gaze.
She looked at him... the way she used to before when they were together and he asked permission with his eyes if it was okay for him to kiss her. She nodded ever so slightly, and slowly, his head descended, their lips on a crash course toward each other.
'Cos I don't
know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I
should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All
I know is that I should
'Cos she will love you more than I
could
She who dares to stand where I stood
Oh, she who dares to
stand where I stood
"I'm sorry," Lois heard Clark's voice. It was louder than it had been before, but she was still gazing at Ollie, biting her lip as he was about to kiss her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lois saw Clark reach out to comfort Lana but the other young woman shrank back from him, holding her hand up.
"Don't," she pleaded, miserably and loudly.
This got both hers and Ollie's attention and they abruptly stopped before their lips met, Clark staring at the two of them, a look of shock on his face. Lois looked at him despondently, trying to communicate with him with her eyes that what he was seeing wasn't what it looked like. She couldn't tell if he understood, but she knew that Lana could use a shoulder to cry on, so she fled from Oliver's embrace and ran up the loft stairs just as Pete and Lucy were leaving.
"Hey sis," Lucy greeted, mild-mannerly. Lois noticed that Lucy wasn't acting like herself but couldn't think on it at that moment. "I wouldn't go in there."
"I'm not . . . not yet anyway," Lois murmured, sad when she heard Lana begin to sob.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
Clark was sorry that Lana was heartbroken but he wasn't sorry for anything he'd said. He'd told her the truth, which was much kinder than leading her along and breaking her heart later when he simply couldn't fight his feelings for Lois any longer. He knew that eventually that day would come and he'd finally tell Lois the truth, especially with the new gifts the purple, yellow, and white kryptonite had given him. He'd tried to comfort her but she'd shrunk away from him like his touch would burn her and ran away, but he didn't notice which direction she went because he saw the woman he loved about to kiss one of his best friends and her ex-flame, the same ex-flame he'd helped her get over so many months before. Seeing her and Oliver like that shocked him, and also made his blood boil with jealousy ten times worse than any of the other guys he'd seen her with.
Suddenly the two looked away from each other and stared at Clark, Oliver guiltily and Lois pleading with him with her eyes that it didn't mean what he thought, and then she ran away too, but he was still rooted to his spot on the dance floor staring at Ollie like Lois was still there in his arms, about to kiss him. Desolation like he'd never felt before consumed him, his heart crumbling to pieces as he re-ran the scene over and over again in his head. He had to do something, he had to tell her how he felt. If only he could move! But he couldn't . . . all he could do was stand there in the middle of the dance floor alone and looking like an idiot.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
Lois waited five minutes before she parted the opalescent curtains and entered the Loft. She saw Lana, her palms resting on the wooden window sill, shaking with sobs as she stared out at the Kansas landscape.
"Lana?" Lois approached the other young woman slowly, gently.
She didn't answer at first, the sobs still uncontrollably wracking her body. Then she turned to face Lois, and Lois could see her making up her mind to try and get a grip, but Lois knew from experience that that was a difficult thing to do, especially when the man you were crying over was Clark Kent. Lana wiped at her eyes and clutched her chest as though it would fall apart if she didn't hold it in place.
"Lana . . . what happened?" Lois coaxed, concerned.
"He . . . he doesn't want me anymore," Lana hiccupped, her face one of despair. "He doesn't love me . . . I was gone too long . . . he said it was too late . . . that I don't matter anymore."
"I'm sure he didn't mean it," Lois comforted, softly.
"No . . . he meant it . . . I know he did . . . You should have seen the look in his eyes . . . he really doesn't want me . . . he doesn't love me . . . not anymore," she cried, helplessly.
"I'm so sorry," Lois whispered, holding her arms out and not knowing why.
Lana looked into Lois' sincere eyes and then ran into her embrace, beginning to sob again. Lois shushed her and rubbed circles around and around on Lana's back just as Ollie had done for her when she thought her heart was breaking, and she cried with her. After several minutes, the two young women broke apart, tears still pouring down their faces.
"Thank you, Lois," Lana expressed, gratefully.
"Don't thank me," Lois insisted.
"You've been here for me all night . . . you gave me good advice . . . and you did it all when you obviously have feelings for Clark too," Lana said, letting Lois in on the fact that she'd known all along.
"No," Lois tried to lie, "I was just being a good friend."
"You're an excellent friend to both of us," Lana told her, wiping at her tears again and getting a handle on her voice. It still shook, but it was much clearer now. "You're in love with him . . . and you were willing to sacrifice your happiness for his because you thought I was what he wanted."
Lois stood there her mouth slightly agape at the truth said out loud.
"I didn't mean to fall for him," Lois said, agonized. "I'm sorry."
"Lois . . . you don't have to apologize to me . . . you didn't do anything wrong," Lana assured her, even though she was in terrible pain. "You did everything right . . . you stayed . . . you were there for him . . . you helped him pick up the pieces after I left . . . none of that is wrong . . . it's noble and kind and caring."
"I never wanted to hurt anyone," Lois shared, sadly.
"You didn't . . . I hurt myself," Lana admitted. "I ruined my chance with him . . . but now it's yours . . . Don't ruin your chance with him too . . . He loves you . . . don't take that for granted like I did."
Lois nodded, biting her lip and wiping her tears from her eyes.
"I'd like to be alone now if that's okay," Lana requested, sinking down onto the couch.
"Of course," Lois nodded and shrugged. "If you need me . . ."
"I don't," Lana answered, bravely. "Now go out there and get your man . . . Be happy."
Lois gave another short nod, turned on her heel and left the Loft, disappearing behind the opalescent curtains.
She saw the top of Clark's dark head standing a few feet in front of the initial stairs that led up to the many landings to the Loft and, shaking, made her way down them. She positioned herself a few feet away from him and stood there, trying to get up the nerve to talk to him.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
After a minute or so, Clark finally got his legs working and shuffled off the dance floor. Trying to occupy his mind with something other than Oliver and Lois' near kiss he motioned to the tall, blond billionaire, who met him halfway.
"Get The Justice League together while I find Kara and the Martian Manhunter, and meet us upstairs where the hay is," Clark instructed.
When Ollie, Dinah, Bart, A.C., and Victor headed up the stairs to their instructed location, Clark, Kara and John Jones were already waiting for them.
"John, please explain what you told me at the house to everyone . . . If this is as big a threat as the two of us believe we need all players on deck," Clark commanded, a new sense of leadership filling him.
John bowed to him like the royalty he was and obeyed his command, telling everyone what they suspected about Doomsday and the prophecy. He left out the parts about the kryptonite he'd exposed Kal-El to, leaving Clark to explain that to Kara and any of the others he trusted enough to share the private ceremony with.
"We have work to do," Clark surmised, looking to Oliver, who nodded.
"Count us in," Oliver obligated his team to the cause.
"I trust you'll inform Watchtower . . . after the honeymoon, of course?" Clark queried, raising an eyebrow.
"I will," Oliver promised.
"Good," Clark stated, feeling more relieved now that he knew he wasn't alone in this fight. "Kara?"
"Do you even have to ask?" She said, a little annoyance and insult in her voice. "I may not be the heir to the House of El but that doesn't mean I'm not still part of it. This is as much my fight as it is yours."
Clark nodded once, "Well, I guess everything's settled then . . . we'll talk about it more later . . . everyone can go about their business now . . . and have fun! Just as we need to work hard to neutralize this imminent threat, we need to exercise our ability to let loose and not get bogged down by the threat of the unknown. Everyone needs to take this threat seriously, but not so seriously that it disturbs your ability to contribute your gifts to our cause 100%. I believe that all of us, together, will overcome this."
"Well done, Kal-El," John commented, seeing the change in the man before him.
"Nice pep talk, bro," A.C. smiled, heading off to get a glass of water.
"Not bad," Bart smirked, looking at Lucy and Pete dancing and challenging himself to steal away the last available Lane.
"Not bad at all," Victor conceded, making a beeline for Vanessa. He owed her a special dance.
"You'd better watch it, Superman, or you'll be giving our fearless leader a run for his money," Dinah winked at him as she passed, smiling and heading to grab a fresh glass of champagne.
"She's right, you know," Oliver advised him. "A few more speeches like that one and I'll officially be dethroned."
"It's not like that Oliver, I promise," Clark stated. He had no intention of stealing The Justice League away from Oliver's leadership but he did plan on making himself a more active member of the organization, "But I'm going to make a more permanent commitment to the League as of now."
Oliver looked surprised, "We'll be glad to have you."
Clark nodded and smiled, "Thanks."
Then he walked down the stairs and back to the ground floor, choosing to hover at the outskirts of the dance floor near the stairs that led up to the Loft. He'd been standing there for about five minutes when he felt Lois' presence beside him even though she was a good five feet away. The air buzzed with electricity between them, their chemistry undeniable. It scared him and made him feel good at the same time. He turned toward her a little and smiled shyly as he caught her eye. She tilted her body toward his and smiled back just as shyly. A slow, sexy jazz number started to play as the lights dimmed, making the disco ball sparkle. They stared at one another for a moment before Lois shrugged, rolled her eyes and started to walk past him.
"I guess I can give these well-heeled puppies a rest," she said, excusing herself.
As she walked behind him something primal inside him screamed, Don't let her get away! He decided to finally listen, so he turned and grabbed her hand before she could go anywhere and pulled her back toward him, smiling without a trace of shyness in sight as he shrugged his shoulders, feeling the same zing rush through his body as it had every other time he'd touched her that day. Lois smiled uncertainly and let him pull her close as she took a deep breath.
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
"I guess I can give these well-heeled puppies a rest," Lois murmured as she made her way behind Clark, something primal inside her crying out, Touch me or I'm going to SCREAM!
The next thing she knew he had hold of her hand and the same electric zing that coursed through their bodies every time they touched zipped right through her and she smiled uncertainly as she took a deep breath, letting him pull her close with a perfectly normal, as opposed to shy, smile on his face, shrugging adorably.
They danced with effortlessness, though admittedly still a little shy now that they were touching. It took them a few seconds to get comfortable in each other's arms and Lois smiled briefly as she stepped a little closer to Clark and he leaned his head closer into hers.
~*~
Jimmy's P.O.V.
"Hey!" Jimmy called after a guy he knew he worked with at The Planet.
The man and his date stopped. Jimmy pulled a twenty from his wallet and handed it to the man, Tom, he thought his name was.
"You see that couple dancing over there?" Jimmy pointed out Lois and Clark. Tom and his date nodded. "When you walk by them, bump into them so that she gets pressed flat against him, and keep on walking like nothing happened."
"Okay," Tom said, tucking the twenty into his pocket and leading his date toward Lois and Clark.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
Clark was having an exhilarating time holding Lois as they danced and things were starting to feel more comfortable between them, more effortless like the way they were together at work. She smiled at him briefly as she dared to step a little closer to him and leaned her head closer to his chest. He leaned his head in closer to her hair, smelling the same mix of sweet pea and "Rockin' Rio" as he had earlier, before the ceremony when she'd given him his cuff link lesson.
Suddenly, a passing couple slammed into Lois, pressing her firmly and fully against his body and his pulse started to race. Both of them looked at the passing couple, who just continued on as if they hadn't completely body-checked Lois, in surprise before looking back at each other. Clark blinked rapidly for a moment and then let his eyes rove over Lois' body before returning them to her hazel orbs. She looked at him a little strangely as their eyes met, almost as if she were surprised that he was still there gazing at her instead of giving that guy, Tom, he thought his name was from work, a piece of his mind. The look in them was questioning, almost as though she were asking for enlightened permission.
The same primal voice that had reared up inside him to not let her go roared Touch me or I'm going to SCREAM! And she did, timidly at first, putting her hand to his chest and rubbing it slightly for a second. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the way her fingers felt against his cloth-covered chest. She inched closer that same look in her eyes, asking for permission to inch closer and closer. He gazed into them and then down at her lips as they both slowly closed the gap between their bodies, lips only millimeters apart.
Finally, their lips touched in a chaste brush, but that electric zing that kept throbbing through their bodies and making their pulses race, he could hear her heart beating marvelously fast, made them jump apart in shock. Lois' eyes, however, darkened with desire and he was sure his had as well because they were moving toward each other quickly this time, and their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss. He ran his tongue along her loose lower lip, begging entrance to her mouth, which she granted eagerly. Soon their tongues were massaging each other in a sexy duel for dominance and they pressed their bodies closer together, Lois putting one hand on his face in a reverent caress as she tangled the other hand in the hair at the back of his neck. He placed his hands at the small of her back and made sure they were as close as they could possibly get to one another. It was the most mind-blowing kiss either of them had ever experienced.
After what seemed like forever they pulled away for air, and gasped in unison, "Wow!"
~*~
Lois' P.O.V.
Lois' fingers were touching her swollen lips in disbelief. She'd imagined kissing Clark a thousand different times in a thousand different ways, but none of her imagination's wildest fantasies dared match the real thing. Her head was spinning and her knees were weak, so weak she stumbled a little and he caught her, once again sending that zing of electricity coursing through her body, and righting her on her feet. She stared at him in wonder, his blue eyes melting her heart, as she took in a much needed breath and exhaled slowly as he stared at her in wonder right back. She bit her lower lip where she could still feel the magnetic charge of his tongue and reached up to his cheek again, caressing it with her finger tips just as reverently as she had before. It felt right . . . no, it felt perfect. Then she laughed musically as a sense of something oddly familiar enveloped her entire body.
She smiled and giggled, "I've kissed you before . . . You were the man pretending to be Ollie in that alley so I wouldn't know he was really Green Arrow!"
Clark blushed a deep scarlet and nodded, "I didn't think I'd left that much of an impression on you."
"You did," Lois admitted, breathlessly, blushing as well.
"And that's a good thing, right?" Clark asked, a tiny bit worried her answer would be no.
"You bet it is," she breathed.
"Good," Clark exhaled, unaware that he'd been holding his breath.
Lois studied him closely for a minute.
"It's you," she said, smiling cryptically.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he gazed at her.
"It's been you all along," she continued, in awe. "I was right!"
"What are you saying Lois?" Clark queried, unable to read her face.
"I knew it . . . I knew it in my gut . . . in my bones . . ." she trailed off, leaving Clark frustrated.
"Lois, you're not making any sense," Clark told her, still holding her in place. "What did you know?"
"It's like what you said in your toast . . . like what Chloe told me when I asked her how she knew . . ." Lois explained, still in awe. "Jimmy was right."
"What do you mean?" Clark asked again, getting a little worried. She seemed happy, but her sense of awe was overpowering it.
"'Lois and Clark would be great together,'" she breathed. "That's what he said . . . and he's right! I was right . . . It's you!"
"You're going to have to give me a little more to go on, Lois," Clark inhaled, smelling her sweet scent again and dragging it in like it was some sort of drug.
"All this time I doubted," Lois continued, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Doubted what?" Clark demanded, gently, desperately.
"That I taught myself right . . ." she said, using his words.
"What did you teach yourself right?" Clark was high on her, the touch of her skin, the smell of her, the sight of her. He was so intoxicated that her words, which should have been a dead giveaway by then, just weren't making any sense to him.
"You're it," she proclaimed, her voice not much more than a whisper.
"What am I?" Clark begged, shamelessly.
"You're the one," Lois breathed, running out of air.
"The one?" Clark asked, not daring to hope.
"You're my Jonathan . . . my Jimmy . . . just like in my toast," she finished, blushing her own shade of scarlet.
Clark flashed her one of his dazzling Clark Kent smiles when she finally said it, and laughed gloriously, so happy at her words he floated and took her with him, though she didn't notice in her state of awe and ecstasy.
"I'm your Jonathan . . . your Jimmy?" He demanded, gently again, not sure if he'd heard her right.
"Yes . . . yes . . . yes," she smiled brilliantly, glowing at the revelation.
~*~
Clark's P.O.V.
He turned serious and pulled her toward him for another passionate kiss. She opened her mouth immediately, allowing him access without him having to ask permission. Their lips remained pliable the whole time, the way every kiss should be, tongues darting in and out of one another's mouths slowly, enjoying the electric tingle each touch reverberated throughout their bodies. It was a sweet kiss, a loving kiss, a perfect kiss that lasted for minutes as they learned how to breathe while their lips never parted, their hands taking turns exploring different parts of their bodies and making the air around them thick with passion, electricity, chemistry, and love. The whole world fell away and they were alone, fabulously, gloriously alone to share in the loveliest moment either had ever experienced.
They finally broke apart, and Clark's eyes danced with joy and pleasure.
"It's funny," he breathed so that only she could hear.
She smiled at him and gushed, "What's funny?"
"It's you," Clark said, smiling his signature Kent smile. "It's always been you."
"I still don't understand what's funny," Lois told him, her smile aglow.
"I was always so blind . . . so terribly blind," he confessed, a little embarrassed. "You're it."
Lois didn't say anything, she just kept on smiling until her face hurt.
"All I ever wanted was a partner to share my life with . . . and I was always looking . . . looking in all the wrong places . . . I was so blind," he whispered, heavily.
"What does that mean, Smallville?" It was Lois' turn to be confused.
"You're my true one . . . my soul mate . . . the partner I've always been searching for," Clark elaborated, his voice full of love and sweetness.
If it was possible Lois smiled even wider, "You're my soul mate . . . my true one . . . the partner I've always been looking for."
"I'm so in love with you, Lois Joanne Lane," Clark declared, on cloud nine, and he could have floated them there if he'd really wanted to.
"I'm so in love with you, Clark Joseph Kent," Lois declared, also on cloud nine, still unaware that they were floating.
"Then I have something to ask you," Clark told her, smiling so wide his face hurt as well.
"Ask away," Lois encouraged.
"Will you do me the honor of being my girl?" Clark asked, sweetly.
"Always and forever," Lois promised, just as sweetly.
