Note: Thank you, thank you for your feedback!!

Seems most of you wanted more of this so, here you go. This is mostly a fluff chapter and I'm nearly done with the next. Should be out in the next day or two.

After that, I think there will be just one more, but who are we kidding? This is me—it might be two more. ANYWAY, hope you enjoy and don't mind the fluffy/lightness of this. Would LOVE to hear your thoughts! They keep me writing!

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Chapter 10

Ever since her childhood vigil at a dying mother's bedside, hospitals had given her the unmitigated creeps. A fifth grade, rebellion-induced viewing of Alien produced slime-covered nightmares for years. But above all, she hated showing weakness in any form.

Still, here she was in a strange hospital bed, knocked flat on her butt by a concussion, snuggled tightly against her own personal alien invasion in glorious human form.

And Lois Lane had never been happier.

You're such a sap, Lane. A pair of brilliant, blinking baby blues and strong arms wrapped around you like a safe, warm cocoon, and he could be from Pluto for all you care. You, my girl, are such a goner. She smiled to herself. Bring on the endearing quirks.

Her mind shifted to the events of the day, and her smile faded.

She cursed her own insatiable curiosity. For invading her thoughts and nudging contentment to the side till all that remained were unanswered questions. For upsetting the gentle rhythm of their combined breathing. For threatening their moment of peace.

The unavoidable was at hand. There was still so much to discuss, to discover, to share. And as much as she wanted to just lie in his arms and soak up his warmth, Lois wanted something else even more…

To know Clark Kent…

…like no one ever had.

So, she took a deep breath and broke their comfortable, prolonged silence.

"Today wasn't one of our best, was it?" Lois asked quietly.

"Well, that depends."

Concentrating on the comforting warmth of her hand in his, the intense vibrancy of the woman in his arms, Clark smiled to himself. He'd never really noticed before just how perfectly their hands fit together. Or maybe they'd been so perfect for so long the knowledge had just become a part of him.

What other details had he been unconsciously taking for granted? The way her body molded against his like a second layer of skin? How her head was an ideal fit for that space between his shoulder and chest? How she always managed to make him feel like he was so much more than he ever thought he could be by simply nestling against him. Trusting herself to him. The smooth silkiness of her skin…

As if on cue to his thoughts, his fingers began tracing light, invisible patterns along her arm. He breathed in and let the scent that was uniquely Lois fill him up. An overwhelming sense of completeness washed over him.

No. He was acutely aware of each of these.

Of everything.

"On?"

"You're alive. You're safe. And you don't have the strength to kick me out of your room." His lips titled in the beginning of a smile. "To me, that's a pretty good day."

Lois chuckled and tilted her head up to look at him. "You thought I'd kick you out of my room?"

"It was a distinct possibility."

A playful kiss landed on her nose then skipped down to her lips for a brief visit. Their gazes locked and warmed for a moment as they shared a smile before Lois settled back into his embrace.

"What about the rest of it?" She pressed, her fingers unconsciously curling into his shirt.

His eyes narrowed, considering. He knew what 'rest of it' she was referencing. What had started it all. And then some. "Right. That. Then, no. It wasn't." He took a deep breath and steeled himself for the conversation to come. "I'm sure you have a ton of questions."

"I do." Lois confirmed with a slight nod of her head.

"Where do you want to start?"

"With everything we know."

"Which would be…" Clark prompted.

"Well, from what I understand this…Maxima…did some kind of wacky-do mind control thing on Tess. And that seemed to make her some super-charged sex freak for you."

"Uh-huh..."

"And was perfectly timed for me to see."

"Pretty much."

"Me being me, I bought it, hook, line and sinker...and walked right into her trap." Her nose scrunched as a sheepish gaze drifted to Clark, batting eyelashes and all. "Oops."

Shaking his head, an accusatory eyebrow rose as he lightly tugged on her hair. "A pretty big oops, if you ask me."

"Did I ask you?" Lois responded teasingly.

"No." Clark conceded. "I just thought I'd offer it up as a good faith gesture. You know, an opportunity to ease into that apology you owe me."

"Oh, you did, did you?" An eyebrow quirked.

Earlier she'd gotten him pretty good with her fake amnesia stunt. Now, it was his turn for a little payback. "Uh-huh. I mean, after all, if you hadn't jumped to conclusions…"

Quickly on to his game, Lois played along with her resistance. "You mean if I'd listened to you."

"Or hadn't run away…"

"If I'd believed you instead of my own eyes."

"…and not ignored my various attempts to reach you..." Ignoring her in turn, Clark finished his thought with a casual shrug, somehow keeping his amusement in check. "…maybe we wouldn't have ended up here."

"Yes…" Lois practically purred, her eyes dancing with challenge under long, thick lashes. "…but here…" One finger snaked its way up his chest. "…is pretty damn cozy."

Her suggestive gaze, the way one leg wrapped instinctively around his, pressing her core into him, the breathy observation—all combined forces to render his mind numb to anything remotely coherent.

A tart response choked away to nothing.

A secret smile curved her lips upward. How predictable. A little body contact and her space boy was suddenly all-too-human-male. "What? No come back?"

"It just so happens…" Clark pursed his lips, trying to think of a good way to ease out of the corner she'd backed him into. There really was none. His large hand molded to the curve of her hip. He hadn't thought it was possible to pull her closer. He managed, just the same. "...I agree with that assessment. This time."

Lois giggled. "You're so adorable when you try to out-do me and fail." A beat. "Which, of course, is most of the time."

"Heeey." She was right. He knew she was right. Still, there was a principle to be defended. Or a free make up session in the works. "I'll have you know that my success to failure ratio has been running about two to one lately. By any statistical standards, today would have tipped the scales in my favor."

"Success to failure ratio? Statistical standards?" Her nose scrunched in mock disgust. "I see you've traded the plaid for technobabble." She poked him lightly in the center of his chest, an emphasizing companion to her pronouncement. "You, Clark Kent, are such a dork."

"Yes, but I'm your dork, so…" Clark flashed her a grin and winked.

"Yes." Lois sighed as a hand drifted to the side of his face. "You are definitely mine."

One look in those eyes and she couldn't care less who was right, who was wrong. Her gaze dropped. As if in response, the tip of his tongue appeared to take a swift swipe at a pair of lips hovering dangerously close to hers. She had no doubt he'd done it on purpose. She didn't really care if he had.

Suddenly, she couldn't think. And it didn't even take body contact for her to surrender.

Now who was the predictable one?

That question was answered when their lips met. As usual, the kiss was explosive. Heated. Intense. Unlike before, freshly voiced realizations layered one on top of the other, gentling the explosions, tempering the heat and deepening the intensity.

Kissing Clark Kent always had a way of taking on a life of its own. A giddy, exciting life that left Lois breathless and aching for more. And with Clark, more was always available for the asking.

Not that their attraction had been purely physical. It hadn't. Or that emotions hadn't played a part in their heated make out sessions. They had. In abundance. Never spoken, but always there. Always hovering just under the surface was a gravity that pulled them to each other. Linked their souls. And took them under.

Now was no different.

Except now…everything had changed.

Lois fell slowly to the bed, tugging Clark forward. The hand on her hip made a slow, tantalizing journey up her exposed back. He shifted till he was laying half on her, his fingers slipping through her hair. Unconsciously grazing the newly formed lump at the base of her neck, he felt rather than saw her wince. A breathlessly concerned Clark abruptly broke the kiss and pulled away.

"You ok?"

"Uh-huh."

"No, you're not." Catching a hint of pain in her expression, Clark pulled back even further his eyes glancing with a hint of guilt. "We shouldn't do this."

"Claaark…" Lois practically whimpered.

"No. Na-uh." Clark shook his head and wagged his finger. "Concussion."

"Concussion, smussion." Lois mumbled as she tried to reclaim his lips.

But Clark was valiantly stubborn. He pulled back, out of her reach, a determined look in his eyes. "I mean it, Lo. You've been through a lot today. Besides, this isn't the most appropriate place to...you know."

"Clark, we've 'you knowed' all over this city. It's time we tried a new venue. Maybe even add a few moves to our repertoire." She suggested with a coy smile before managing to pull him back down for another kiss.

And another. And another…

This pattern continued, eliciting soft moans and gentle whimpers that nearly brought the future Man of Steel to his virtual knees. But, after one more unintended wince, the overly cautious, current Man of Stubborn won out.

He broke their kiss, a finger separating their lips as a stern command was given with the gentlest of voices. "I mean it, Lane. Behave or I'm outta here."

One look in his eyes and she knew she'd been defeated.

For now.

Lois rolled her eyes, hrumphed her way out of his arms and shoved him in mock annoyance before crossing her arms over her chest in adamant disapproval. "Party pooper."

Clark chuckled, wrapped his arm back around a resistant shoulder that reluctantly surrendered when his lips brushed against her forehead in an achingly sweet gesture. Sighing, he pulled her closer. "I almost lost you today, Lois. Expect a bit of over-protective nursing for the next few."

Lois growled her disgruntlement. Clark knew it was just an act.

Smirking at the adorable pout that formed on still swollen lips, he was so caught up in reliving the taste of those lips, he barely registered the words coming out of them when they started to move.

"You know, Kinky Clark wasn't this cautious."

"Yeah, well, Kinky Clark didn't…" Clark began then abruptly cut off. "Wait. Who?"

"You heard me." Lois responded rather saucily.

Eyes narrowing, Clark gauged her expression. Though she was clearly amused by his confusion, she wasn't kidding. Or making anything up. Chloe's previous 'meant to be' and 'generations' suddenly popped into his head.

"So, I uh…guess this is the part where we move on to all those things we don't know."

Unfortunately, he was right. And as much as she'd love to goad or coax him, whichever came first, into another display of affection, there was quite a bit more to be discussed.

"That'd probably be wise." Lois sighed dramatically. Then threw Clark Kent for a loop. "So, tell me, Smallville, how you feel about loincloth?"

Tbc…