Chapter Twelve

"So how long till you can get out of this place?" Lois asked as she leaned over Chloe's hospital bed table and laid her card down.

She had arrived earlier then usual this morning because she was still avoiding Clark. It had been two days and with the police coming by to get all their statements and visiting Chloe among other things, there wasn't enough time to really sit down and talk. Not that she had wanted to. She had seen everything she needed to that night. Now she was quite content to sit and play gin with her cousin.

"The doctor says if everything stays on track I should be able to go home by the end of the week."

"That's great. Um listen Chlo I was thinking maybe I should move into the Talon for when you come home. You know help you out till you're back on your feet."

"Sounds like a plan and one I will happily agree to on one condition." She smiled.

"What's that?" Lois asked cautiously.

"You have to tell me what's going on between you and Clark."

"Nothing." She said firmly.

"Oh come on Lo I may be in a hospital bed but I do have eyes."

"No Chloe you don't understand. There was something going on, I thought. But now it's nothing." She faked a smile and hoped that Chloe would just drop it. But apparently she didn't know her cousin very well, if she thought she was going to do that.

"That's cryptic. Come on Lois tell me. It might help to talk about it." Lois looked at Chloe for a few moments, weighing up her options. She had two choices, tell Chloe and have someone to talk to about it. Or stay quiet and deal with this alone, like she always did. She sighed, she was sick of being alone. Sick of having to deal with things on her own.

"Okay but you have to promise me that this stays between us. I know how close you and Clark are and I need this to stay in this room."

"Okay Lois you have my word. Now what is it?" Chloe shuffled into a better sitting position and folded her hands in her lap.

"You already knew that something was going on with me and Clark. But what you don't know is that he told me stuff about himself that I never in a millions years thought was possible."

"He told you his secret?" Chloe was gob smacked as Lois nodded.

"Yeah. It made me see how hard his life really has been. Anyway you would think that would've been the biggest shocker of the day but you'd be wrong. He told me that he…that he…"

"That he what Lois?" Chloe said impatiently.

"That he loved me." She laughed as she watched Chloe's mouth open and close like a goldfish. She was stunned to say the least.

"Not your best look Chlo, are you trying to catch flies?"

"Wow, uh well…what uh…what did you say?"

"I said I loved him back. And I meant it Chloe. I have no idea when it happened or how but somewhere along the way I fell in love with that stupid farm hick." She leaned back in her chair and covered her face with her hands.

"You know this is hardly a shock for me Lo." She grinned wickedly.

"Well it was for me. I've been feeling like this for weeks and it's freaking me out! I mean its Smallville for goodness sake."

"So if two are in love why are you so angry?" Chloe asked.

"Because after hearing Clark tell me he loved me I was so happy. But after seeing him making out with Mrs Luthor, I don't know. It just doesn't have the same effect." She said sarcastically.

"What?"

"Yeah that's right Chloe. Your best friend is a cheating lying a*****e."

"That can't be right Lois. You don't know the things he was saying when he came to see me the day I got attacked. He told me that he was finally ready to move on from Lana. I believed him; he seemed so relieved. Like a huge weight had been lifted and he told me that he hadn't been in love with Lana for a long time. He could finally see what she was really like and I think he felt a sense of freedom at being able to put all that behind him and move on. But he did say that a big part of him realising this was you."

"Me? What did I do?"

"He said that you made him see that a life without loving Lana wasn't such a terrible thought."

"Well clearly she has some kind of power over him cause I didn't exactly see him push Lana away."

"If you'd waited there a couple more seconds you would have." Clark's voice came from the doorway.

Chloe looked at him sheepishly; like a kid who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar but Lois kept her wide eyed gaze directed at Chloe.

"Please tell me Clark's not standing in the doorway." She whispered to Chloe who just nodded. Lois closed her eyes and groaned out loud. She could feel him standing near her now. But she still didn't dare open her eyes. She wasn't ready for this, not this soon.

"At least now I know why you've been avoiding me. Lois how could you think that I would do something like that to you?" Clark asked. Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him angrily.

"What was I supposed to think Clark? You tell me that you love me and the next thing I know I'm seeing you in a major lip lock with your ex. The one you loved for like what eight…ten years!" She yelled.

"Can we go somewhere and talk about this Lois?"

"No, Chloe knows what's going on so we're staying here. If it makes you uncomfortable you can leave but I'm staying with my cousin." She turned back to Chloe who was shaking her head at her.

"Fine." He huffed and sat down in the chair next to her. When she still didn't look at him he grabbed her chair and faced it towards him and held it there so she couldn't move.

"Dammit Clark!"

"No I'm going to talk and for once you're going to listen. Yes Lana came by to see me. She wanted to tell me that she had been planning to leave Lex for a while and that she had some evidence from his computer to back up what we found. But then she told me that she wanted us to get back together."

"Typical." Lois grumbled.

"I told her straight that I wasn't in love with her anymore and I would never get back with her. She didn't believe me, she kept telling me how sorry she was for the way she treated me, how much she still loved me and that we could make it work this time. She kept saying that she knew I was still in love with her because I always had been. But I'm not." He sighed in exasperation.

Lois wanted to believe him but the pain of seeing them kiss was still fresh in her mind.

"Even if I hadn't told you everything about me Lois, I still would've said the same thing. I don't love Lana. We just don't belong together. It was painful and destructive. I can't do that anymore, and I don't want to. I love you. It took a lot for me to tell you the truth about me and I thought you knew that." He looked hurt.

"I do know that Clark. But look at this from my angle, you have no idea how much it hurt to see you two together like that." She whispered, maybe having this conversation in front of Chloe, who sat there trying so hard not to listen, wasn't such a good idea. But Clark always confided in Chloe so this wouldn't be anything new to her.

But it was new to Lois; she didn't do emotions. That wasn't her. Clark had turned her into a sap and she wasn't sure she liked it.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that Lo…" He said softly and her heart swelled at his use of name for her. That was the first time he'd called her that.

"But you have to know that I would never willingly hurt you like that. The whole time she was there you were all I thought of. Yes Lana kissed me, but I pushed her away Lois. I never kissed her back."

He took both of her hands in his and rubbed his thumbs over the top of them. It sent shivers down her spine. She still wanted to be angry but she couldn't. She looked back at Chloe who in turn gave her a knowing but sympathetic look.

"She finally realised that I would never love her again and she left. Please don't be angry with me Lois, I never want you to be angry with me." Lois was about to respond when she heard Chloe sniffling.

She turned to see her cousin wiping away tears. Lois smiled and rolled her eyes but was serious when she turned back to Clark. He looked scared and she felt awful. Maybe he thought she was going to dump him or something which was odd because they hadn't actually said they were dating. She knew that it went beyond that anyway.

"You really mean it Clark? You're totally over her?" She had to be sure.

"Lois I was over her a long time ago. It just took me a while to finally see it for myself."

"I know I'm going to hate myself for asking this but how am I supposed to be sure that I'm the one you love. I don't want to be a rebound or a second choice. I won't let myself be someone's backup." She lowered her head but felt his hand under her chin, raising it back up to his eye level.

"Lois you could never be a second choice. I love you too much. You're my only choice. You make me feel human." He smiled weakly. She felt like such an idiot. She could see the truth in his eyes and she was hurting him right now. Sure she had felt hurt but it hadn't been his fault. She had once again jumped to conclusions. She reached up and cupped his face in both hands.

"I love you Clark." She said simply. He smiled and leaned in to kiss her. Then he wrapped her in a great big hug.

"Oh you guys, stop it." Chloe cried. "Look what you're making me do!" She grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her eyes.

"I can't believe it, my cuz and my best friend." Clark and Lois broke apart and went over to Chloe.

"You're okay with this?" Lois asked, she didn't know why but she wanted to be sure that Chloe really was happy for them.

"Okay with it? I'm over the moon. I couldn't be happier." She sniffled.

"Sorry Chlo, maybe we should've taken that outside." Lois laughed.

"No I'm glad you didn't. It was beautiful. I only wish I had something like that." She said as Lois leaned in and hugged her carefully.

"You will Chloe. I guarantee that someday you will meet your knight in shining armour." Lois said smiling up at Clark who grinned back at her.

"You!" Chloe poked Clark in the chest. He held it as if it had actually hurt.

"What did I do?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Now that I know what's going on between you two I have to give you the obligatory 'if you hurt my cousin' speech."

"Oh no," Clark groaned.

"I mean it though Clark. If you hurt her I will find some Kryptonite to beat you silly with. You got it?" Chloe said seriously.

"Got it. But you know you never have to worry about that Chloe."

"I know but it has to be said cause she's important to me. She's my sister." Lois felt the tears threaten at Chloe's words.

"But if Lana ever comes on to you again, you send her to me and I'll deal with her." Chloe said. "I can't believe the gall of that woman. I knew that she was still in love with you but I didn't think she would try to get back with you."

"Well it doesn't matter now because she knows that it's never going to happen."

"I'm betting she's pretty peeved right now." Chloe laughed. "Sorry that's awful, I'm her friend too." She said as if trying to remind herself of that.

"Don't worry about it Chlo. I can tell ya there isn't a lot of love lost between me and her either." Lois said with a burst of laughter.

She still wasn't happy about the whole Lana thing but it happened and couldn't be changed. She was just so happy that Clark hadn't gone running back into her arms, which she had to admit; she had been worried he would do just that. But he surprised her, and she loved him all the more for it.

"What are you two still doing here? Go spend some time with each other." Chloe said pushing them away from her.

"No Chloe we're not just going to leave you alone." Lois said.

"Well it just so happens that I won't be alone. Jimmy's coming by in a little while." She said. Lois raised her eyebrows in question.

"It's nothing like that Lois, he just wants to visit. He feels really bad about not coming in before now."

"Well he should."

"Anyway, that doesn't matter now. He'll be here in a few minutes and I don't need a babysitter. So go, be with each other. I'm guessing that since all this Lex stuff was going on, that hasn't happened much."

Lois looked at Clark who just shrugged.
Well you're helpful she thought.

"Are you sure, we really don't mind staying?" She tried one last time.

"I would like some time alone with him so yes I'm sure. Just go will ya? Have a nice day together and try not to kill each other." She laughed.

"Okay. Well call us if you need anything. We'll be back first thing tomorrow all right?" She leaned in and gave Chloe another hug.

"I will and don't worry about me. Just concentrate on you two." She said as Clark gave her a hug too. He pulled away a little and looked into Chloe's eyes, smiling.

"Thank you." He whispered in her ear. She nodded and watched as he took Lois' hand and led her out the door.

Aww, I'm so happy for them. I guess Jimmy was right; they really do make a great couple. And they certainly do have chemistry.

She chuckled to herself as she thought back to Valentine's Day. Lois had been so afraid of having done something with Clark but she always sensed that Lois wasn't telling her the whole truth about how she really felt.

Hot fudge and halibut my butt.

"Hey Chloe." Jimmy walked in the door with a huge bunch of flowers.

"Hey," She said happily.

"Did I just see CK and Lois holding hands?"

Yep, this day is getting better and better.

"You wanted to see me Mrs Luthor?" A short bumbling man said from the door way in the study. Lana was sat behind the desk.

"Yes please Mr Swanson do come in." She said indicating a chair for him to sit in. He took the seat and glanced nervously at her.

"There's absolutely no need to look so nervous Mr Swanson. I realise that my husband isn't the most gracious of hosts but I'm much different I can assure you." He seemed to relax a little after that.

"The reason I have called you here is about my husband and I. I want to file for divorce bit I'm curious about something."

"I'll help in any way I can Mrs Luthor."

"Please call me Lana, I hate that name." She came around to sit on the edge of the desk in front of him.

"Sorry, Lana," He said slowly unsure what to do.

"I have some questions regarding my husband's estate and business. Since his father is no longer alive and Lex has no next of kin apart from me. Who does the running of his business fall to?" The lawyer shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. There was something frightening about the way she was so calm. You always knew when Lex was angry but she was tricky. She looked like a cat stalking its prey.

"I'm not sure Mrs...Lana. I would have to go over Mr Luthor's documents but I have a feeling that it could be you."

"Really? So if Lex is convicted next week then I could stand to get everything is that what you're saying?" She smiled.

"No that's not what I'm saying because we don't know if he's given anyone power of attorney."

"Oh that? He gave that to me as a wedding gift." She scoffed, remembering how he thought it was the most precious thing to give her. She had been more then a little put out by it but had told herself that she didn't marry Lex to get expensive gifts and luxuries.

But after he had insisted on bestowing them on her, well she was only human and after a while she became accustomed to it. She now found herself missing it. Especially after the last few days.

Whenever she had been upset Lex's answer was always to buy her something flashy or take her somewhere exotic and she could've done with that right now. She was missing Clark terribly and the knowledge that he was no longer hers was killing her.

It wasn't so much that he said he didn't want her back because she knew that if she tried hard enough he would come running. No, it was Lois. She had managed to get to him and make him think that he was in love with her.

She had seen it on his face when she said those things about Lois. He had been angry and that was why she had said it but she didn't regret what she had said. No she meant it alright. Clark deserved to be with someone who hadn't been as free wheeling as Lois. She didn't deserve someone as amazing as Clark.

"Well I'll go back to my office and pull up the necessary files but if that's the case Lana I don't really see a problem. But you do know that will only happen in the event of his conviction and whether or not he has appointed anyone to take over from him. Mr Luthor doesn't seem like the kind of man who leave his bases uncovered."

"No he doesn't does he?" Lana said in a low voice. This man was irritating her now.

"Well then that'll be all Mr Swanson. I look forward to hearing from you soon." She said standing to shake his hand.

He did so and promptly left, leaving Lana standing in the middle of the study with a smile on her face. If everything went the way she wanted it to, this time next week she would have control of everything that belonged to Lex.

"So where to now?" Lois asked as they got in her car. Clark didn't say anything; he reached over and kissed her passionately. Both were breathless when he pulled away from her.

"Sorry I just wanted to do that." He said with a smile.

"Hey anytime you want is fine with me." She giggled.

Wait, did I just giggle? Something is definitely wrong with me.

But she didn't get a chance to answer as he pulled her into another kiss. This wasn't fair, she thought. He was getting her all hot under the collar and then…pulling back again.

"I have an idea. You drive back to Smallville and go to the farm."

"And you'll be doing what exactly?" She asked, trying to get her breathing under control.

"I have an idea or two. I just realised that with everything that's been going on we haven't even had a proper date yet. And I would like to fix that. Today." He kissed her again before getting out of the car. He leaned down and peered in the window.

"Drive carefully okay?" He said. She rolled her eyes but smiled at him. He flashed her the famous Kent smile.

"I'll see you soon." She struck up the engine and drove off. Clark watched her until he couldn't see her car anymore then took off to Smallville.