A/N: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all the lovely feedback! You guys are Amazing! I hope you enjoy this weeks installment...Happy Smallville Friday!

Chapter 12

Intentionally Broken

Clark had known from the beginning that juggling a personal life with that of a her- er- good citizen was going to be hard. He'd spent half the day speeding around the city, patrolling. He'd managed to do a few good deeds, nothing too big- he'd stopped a few muggings, a burglary, and of course your average every day drug deal gone bad scenario. He just had to do enough to get the rumors buzzing.

And then- well he hadn't exactly thought that far ahead, yet. I mean he had his plan- and after that was over and he had Lois and all would be perfect and right with the world- like it should have been all along- he'd- what? Go back to farming? No. He'd stay at the Planet, obviously. That was something he was definitely sure of- but what about his Good Samaritan act?

He wasn't completely convinced the life of a- hero was the one for him. Sure he'd been told thorough most of his adolescence that he destiny was already set in stone. That he was meant to be this great hero. But what was the point? He couldn't save everyone. What gave him the right to choose who lived and who died? Why did his abilities automatically make him judge, jury, and executioner?

He'd thought at one time, that he could handle it. That he could embrace his inevitable future and be the hero everyone thought he would be. But then, he went abroad- and dad died- died trying to protect his secret- his so-called gifts had killed his own father-

Clark tightened his jaw, trying to push back the old pain that gnawed at his conscious like a dull toothache. He'd thought he'd made up his mind a long time ago. No one had the right to play God. Not even him.

Right?

He wasn't so convinced anymore. Sure, he couldn't save everyone- but it still felt- good to use his powers- Natural. Freeing. Like it was something he was supposed to do. And he was tired of repressing his abilities and trying to forget they existed all together. He was tired of denying what he was- who he was. Well, part of who he was, at least. He could do some good. Maybe not a lot- but it was something, wasn't it? And he couldn't just hide out at the farm forever-

Clark sighed heavily and shook his head. There was no need to over analyze this now. He'd just have to cross that bridge when he came to it. Which would be in the very near future.

To say Oliver was shocked when he entered his penthouse to find a "dear john" letter from Chloe stuck to the fridge was the understatement of the century. His pregnant wife had packed up and left him! Ollie read and re-read her note several times. The writing was shaky and the paper tear stained. She had, of course, written him several pages explaining in vivid detail and using various convoluted metaphors in telling him what a bastard he was and how she never wanted to see him again. The only thing she'd left out was why? OK. That wasn't entirely true she had written down this little gem of a sentence.

Don't even ask why! You know why!

But he didn't. He knew she was pissed at him for something- but that was really nothing new. In fact, it would be a very strange occurrence not to have his wife at least annoyed with him once on a daily basis- although usually he knew exactly what the transgression was and how to fix it. This time however, he was at a loss.

She was gone. Really gone.

His heart felt heavy, like a stone or a brick sitting in his chest- crushing his windpipe. He couldn't breath for a few moments. No more Chloe- his head couldn't quite wrap itself around that concept. She was his wife. He loved her. She was carrying his baby for God's sake! She couldn't leave him!

But she had.

Ollie reached for whiskey-

Clark didn't really know what compelled him to stop by the pent house after making his rounds as Metropolis's newest super Good Samaritan. OK. So the fifteen missed calls from Oliver and the several disconcerting text messages might have something to do with it. Obviously Ollie was drunk dialing and texting-, which wasn't exactly shocking. The billionaire had been known to have a few too many every once in a while- Clark was actually a little surprised Chloe let him near a phone in his inebriated state.

Clark pushed the elevator door back, "Oliver? Chloe? Where are you?"

The only response Clark heard was the sound of low grumbling and slurred mumbles.

Oh yeah. He was definitely three sheets to the wind. Clark walked curiously toward the living room. Oliver was sprawled out on the couch staring intensely at his glass of scotch, as if it were saying something interesting to him. Clark eyed the half empty bottle on the coffee tray, warily.

This was not good.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Oliver shrugged and looked up at his friend with unfocused eyes. "She's gone." He stated.

"Who?" Clark asked.

"Wha d'you mean who? Who d'you think?"

There was a brief silence as Clark the pieces together. "Chloe?" He didn't mean to sound so incredulous. But there had to be something lost in translation. There was no way in hell Chloe had left Oliver. No. Way.

"Are you sure?" Clark ventured, taking a seat next to his intoxicated friend.

Ollie let out a humorless bark. "Read fo' yerself!" He threw the four-page letter at Clark.

It didn't take the farm boy long to read it. He looked up from the note with his eyebrows knit together. "What did you do?" Clark demanded.

Ollie laughed again. "I dunno. I jus' came 'ome and there was the note and no Chloe."

Annoyed, Clark took the glass from his grasp. "Hey! I was drinkin' that!"

"I think you've had quite enough, Oliver."

"I'll tell ya when I've had enough!" Oliver lunged toward his drink, but Clark was already on his feet making a beeline for the kitchen. The billionaire toppled over and fell off the couch with a thud feeling like he was riding a tilt-o-whirl and couldn't make it stop. "What 're ya doin'?" He looked up at Clark from the ground

"I'm going to get rid of this." Clark gestured to the glass. "Then I'm going to fix you some coffee."

"I di'n't as' fer your help!"

"Actually I have about ten text messages that negate that statement."

A look of sheer mortification passed over Oliver's features as Clark poured his alcohol down the drain.

"Tha's my good scotch! D'you know how much that stuff costs?" Ollie attempted to rise to his feet, but he couldn't seem to locate his center of gravity. After a few tries he gave up and let his body sink back down the hard wood floors in defeat.

A few seconds later Clark heard the sounds of snoring and rolled his eyes.

After he made Oliver his coffee he'd have to go talk to Chloe and get to the bottom of this mess. The prospect didn't exactly excite him. Where there was a broken hearted Chloe there was almost always a fiercely protective Lois standing right beside her.

This was turning out to be a very long day.

Chloe stared at the message on the screen of her cell phone, "Call Clark"; her thumb hovered hesitantly over the send button. She should call him. He'd kill her if he found out Lois was hurt and no one informed him. Then again Lois would probably rip her limb from limb if she did call him-

Either way the blonde wasn't going to win this one.

Chloe pressed the back button and decided that maybe sending him a text would be better.

Coward. She chastised herself. But she was already half way through the message when a nurse came through the door. "Ms. Sullivan?"

Chloe's head popped up, completely forgetting her train of thought. "Yes?"

"You can go back and see her now. She's awake in room 207, just down the hall there."

The pregnant woman leapt from her seat and hurriedly made her way down the harshly light hallway. She did manage to haphazardly finish her text to Clark and send it before entering the room.

Lois was sitting up in her bed, a deep lined frown etched in her features. "I don't understand why I have to be here over night? It's just a sprained ankle!"

"And a pretty nasty concussion," the doctor replied, patiently. "We just want to keep you for observation, that's all."

"Do you know how many concussions I've had in my life? On a scale of one to ten of head injuries I've sustained over the years this one doesn't even hit the radar!"

"I'm sure it doesn't, Ms. Lane. But I am insisting you stay, this time. And don't even think about trying to make a break for it. I've got eyes everywhere. Now get some rest."

The doctor smiled at Chloe who was standing in the doorway watching the scene. As she walked out of the room, she whispered to the blonde, "she's going to be fine." Chloe nodded and thanked her quietly before rushing to her cousin's side.

"Lois!" The younger woman launched herself at the brunette, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Chlo, I'm fine." Lois insisted, but her remark only made Chloe squeeze her tighter. "Seriously Chloe- your kind of cutting off my air supply."

"Sorry." Chloe pulled back and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Damn hormones. I swear I have never cried so much in my life!"

Lois smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but a familiar voice echoed down the hall. "What room in Lois Lane in?"

"Sir, only family is allowed back there! Sir!"

"I am family!"

There was, what sounded like a scuffle and few harsh worlds exchanged, but Lois couldn't make out what anyone was saying.

The reporter turned her head and looked sharply at her cousin, "you didn't."

Chloe smiled sheepishly and shrugged helplessly. "I kind of did."

"Chlo- e!"

"I had too, Lo!"

"No you didn't!" Lois argued.

"I couldn't not call him!"

"Oh, yes you could have- er or have not- I mean- dammit! Don't try to confuse me with double negatives when I have a concussion!"

Chloe grinned. "You know that he would have found out eventually and then I would have been in deep trouble."

"Oh, you're already in deep trouble with me! But after this little stunt? Let's just say it's a good thing you're pregnant!"

"Why am I already in deep-"

"Lo-is!" Clark burst dramatically through the door cutting Chloe off in mid sentence.

He was at Lois's side in a flash. Lois wasn't sure how he'd gotten there so fast. She could've sworn he was in the hallway a second ago, she didn't even see him enter the room. Maybe the doctor was right- perhaps she had hit her head harder than she thought.

"I'm fine, Smallville. Just a few bumps and bruises nothing to worry about."

"You sprained your ankle." Clark said, solemnly, his guilt ridden puppy eyes boring into hers. Lois wanted to smack him.

"Would you wipe that look off your face before I do it for you!" She scowled.

"What look?"

"That whole I-have-to-take-the-responsibility-for-every-bad-thing-that-happens-in-world look. It's annoying."

"If I had been there-"

"No. Don't do that. Smallville I'm fine. Seriously. Stop. It. There was nothing you could have done. The railing gave out. That's all. It was nobody's fault."

"You could have broken your neck," Clark reached out and smoothed her hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger on the side of her face. He wanted to kiss her. Again. He was convinced she was punishing him. She had to be intentionally hurting herself to make him suffer.

"But I didn't." Lois whispered, putting her hand on his wrist. It was supposed to be a gesture of comfort, but the skin on skin contact made her blood race and her pulse soar. She tried in vain to squelch the heat rising in her loins, she was still mad at him dammit!

Clark's thumb gently glided over the skin of her cheek up to her temple as his fingers unconsciously threaded themselves through her hair. Like they had every right in the world too. She should jerk away from him. But it felt nice having him so close and he was touching her- and it felt so good- and he smelled like sawdust and hay and sunshine. She let her hand trace up and down his forearm- he was so close she could just tilt her chin up and lean forward and-

Chloe cleared her throat uncomfortably, breaking the spell between the two friends. Clark and Lois both immediately dropped their hands, like two embarrassed children who just got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Clark turned his attention to the blonde mood killer, taking a breath, regaining his composure. "I've got to talk to you." He gave her a meaningful look.

Chloe swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew by the look on his face it was about Oliver. "Later," she told him, clutching Lois's fingers. "It's been a really stressful day."

"Tell me about it," Clark murmured.

"At least you don't have to spend the night in this sterile prison!" Lois chimed in, annoyed that Chloe once again interrupted her and Smallville.

"Oh, my God!" Chloe cried out, suddenly as if she'd just had some great epiphany.

"What?" Clark asked, alarmed, his senses going into high alert.

"It's Wednesday!"

Lois grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand next to her bed. "Let's see if Antonio's delivers to Met Gen, shall we?"

It turned out they didn't. So Lois and Chloe both guilt tripped Clark into being their personal pizza delivery boy. Chloe had one slice before she announced she had to find a bed before she passed out. The nurses offered to set her up in an empty room across the hall. Though they informed her that she would be could be kicked out at anytime if they needed it during the night. Chloe thanked them and said she'd take her chances.

Clark warned her that they were still going to have a certain conversation in the morning before she groggily made her way to her temporary bedroom.

Once they were alone, Clark turned to Lois, "Do you know what happened between those two?"

"Chloe thinks Oliver cheated on her."

"What?"

"I know. But she says she caught him red handed."

"Well, Oliver doesn't have a clue why she left- I found him drunk out of his mind about an hour ago."

"Let me guess- the good scotch?"

"More than half the bottle," Clark confirmed.

"Ouch. Are you sure you should have left him alone?"

"No. But what could I do? He passed out and I made coffee and then I got Chloe's text and I just-" Clark gazed into her hazel orbs, lost in their depths for a moment.

"What?" Lois questioned.

"I-I uh, laid him on his side, left him a big glass of water and some aspirin and got in my car and drove like a maniac to get here." Of course that was a lie. His truck was still at the farm.

Lois didn't speak right away. She bit her lip, like she was deep in thought about something. The silence stretched on for several never-ending seconds. Then she opened her mouth and said, "I'm still mad at you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Why did you come?"

Clark's expression turned stony. "What do you mean, why did I come? What kind of question is that? You're in the hospital!"

"So?"

"So- "

"Everything OK in here?" A red haired nurse smiled warmly at the couple, from the door.

"Just peachy," Lois answered, sarcastically.

"I just wanted to see if your husband wanted us to set up a cot for him so he could spend the night in your room?"

Lois clucked her tongue on the roof of her mouth and glared at the man next to her, "husband?"

Clark gulped uncomfortable and took Lois's hand in his, "yes, sweetheart. Remember? We eloped." He kissed her fingers.

Lois smiled overly wide. "Oh, that's right! I forgot. I do have a concussion you know," She beamed at the nurse, "of course, my 'ittle hubby-wubby is going to stay with me!" She leaned forward and rubbed her nose against Clark's. "Isn't that right, Punkin?"

"Whatever you say, Muffin."

The nurse smiled at them, and said she'd be right back with Clark's extra bed.

"Husband?" Lois demanded, pulling away from him.

"They wouldn't let me through unless I was family. So I fed them a story about how we secretly eloped." Clark explained. "It was all very dramatic and hopelessly romantic. You see your father didn't approve of me, and-"

"Stop! Just don't talk anymore!" Lois scowled. He had some kind of nerve! Was he toying with her on purpose? What the hell had compelled him- Lois suddenly remembered why the hell she was so angry with him. He was unbelievable sometimes!

"I panicked, OK?" Clark ignored her command. "I just said the first thing that popped into my head."

"You should probably go check on Ollie." She said, turning away from him. "I'm tired, anyway."

"What are you going to tell the nurse when she comes back with my cot?" He didn't want to leave her.

"Nothing. I'll be asleep."

"Lois-"

"Good night, Clark." The brunette rolled away and shut her eyes tightly, willing him to leave.

And he did, at least, for the time being.

He took Lois's advice and went to check on Oliver- who was still passed out on the couch where he'd left him. After making sure his friend was still breathing Clark decided to make a pit stop at Lois's house, before returning to the hospital.

Luckily, she had forgotten to lock her back door from the last time she let out the dog, so he didn't have to break a window or destroy the lock on one of her doors. Shelby was more than thrilled to see his second favorite person in the world.

"Hey, boy." Clark massaged his ear, briefly before making his way toward the staircase. There was something that had been niggling at him ever since Lois told him how she'd fallen.

She'd said the railing gave out. And it did make sense. After all, this was an old house- it definitely could use some work. But shouldn't Lois have noticed the weak railing before? If the stairs weren't safe, Oliver would have said something when he initially checked out the house, right? There was something more to this- Clark could feel it in his bones as he climbed the steps and crouched down, getting a better look at the beams on the banister.

He ran the pads of his fingers across the break in the wood. It was smooth, clean- like someone had cut it- intentionally. Clark went cold. Someone was trying to hurt Lois. He rose to his feet and unconsciously and rubbed Shelby's head. "This was no accident, boy." Shelby whined.

Clark returned to the hospital only after he was sure Lois was really asleep. He sneaked back into her room and laid down on the extra bed that was left for him.

She wasn't going to be happy in the morning when she rolled over and saw his face, but that was her problem. There was no way he was leaving her alone now. Not when there was someone out there trying to hurt her. He knew Lois had plenty of enemies- there was probably dozens of thugs who would love to get there hands around her elegant neck and squeeze.

But why would they do something so minuscule as cutting a railing? Whoever had done that must have known it wouldn't kill her- maybe it was just to scare her. Clark stared at the back of Lois's head- he wanted to curl up around her and wrap his arms around her middle and kiss her hair and neck and shoulders.

There was no way he was going to sleep tonight.

TBC

A/N: So? Was it enjoyable? Or....*chews on fingernails*