Title: We always fail destiny

Spoilers: Up to 'Power' then goes AU

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't profit.

Clent couldn't help it, being around Lois too long. He stilled his body before gravely nodding his head and watched as Clark's face grew ashen. He remembered that look, the one Jimmy had seen in the office after Lois had been released from the hospital and immediately went to the Planet.

"So," Jimmy started casually, leaning back in his chair. "When are you going to ask her out?"

"What? Who?"

"You know who."

Clark followed Jimmy's gaze to Lois sitting at her desk, arm still in a sling. Watching her type one handed and sighing in frustration would have made him laugh if Jimmy hadn't poisoned his mind.

"Lois? Jimmy, maybe you should be the one in the hospital."

"You can't tell me you haven't thought about it."
"I haven't. And if I ever do, shoot me."

Jimmy eyed him from across his desk and caused Clark to shift in the stolen chair from the desk beside Jimmy's.

"You're really going to let Superman steal her away, C.K.?"

"Superman?" Clark scoffed. " And Lois? Jimmy, this guy fell out of the sky two days ago."

Smiling, Jimmy slid a photograph to Clark. Taken earlier, right after Lois had been saved, it showed the notorious hero gazing softly down at the smiling reporter in his arms.

Deciding to put Clark out of his misery, Clent laughed. Maybe he wasn't so ready to hear the truth.

"Sorry, Clark. I just wanted to see how you'd react."

"What?" Clark sighed in relief, bringing a hand around his neck. "Very funny, Clent."

"Oh, come on. What's wrong with Lois?"

"Other than the fact she's the devil incarnate?"

"That's probably why she's your best friend."

"Lois is not my best friend."

"She will be."

Clark frowned deeply. "I'm not sure that's even possible."

"I don't know. I've never seen you smile this much."

"That's not saying much, Clent."

"Maybe not." Clent shrugged. "But I know you well enough to see the difference when you're with Lana and when you're not. She never really accepted you, not like you wanted. She needed to be your equal, but you don't need a woman with a power suit to compensate for her fears, to be your equal."

It made sense. Clark couldn't deny that, and he couldn't help but feel like something had lifted from his shoulders. He didn't have to look out for Lana, protect her. He didn't have to feel like he had to be by her side no matter what. He didn't have to be sorry the feelings he'd once had for her were slipping away.

"I don't know how I'm going to tell her it's over."

"Be honest."

Clark looked down at his hands, something on the tip of his tongue and having to do with fearing what Lana would do in the future. He buried it, refusing to believe someone so full of good would ever turn against him.

"I only wanted to make things easier on everyone. I ended up doing the exact opposite."

"We all make mistakes, Clark. Just learn from them."

Clark hung the last of his shirts in the closet, empty of anything Martha and Jonathan, along with the room. Lois had placed the few forgotten pictures in the living room, and then promptly settled on the bed while Clark moved his belongings in.

"You have the most boring room in Smallville."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, it matches your personality."

He rolled his eyes, pretending to be aggravated, annoyed at her remarks like he used to. Looking around the room, he couldn't not agree with her, but he wasn't about to admit it out loud. Instead, he walked over to the bed and looked down at her reclining form stuck in the middle of the bed, arms behind her head and ankles crossed.

She'd avoided him at the first. Clark knew it was because of the barn, of his demonstration of his hearing. She must have felt the same he had, that same pull which didn't exist, couldn't exist, between them.

"Does that mean your room is littered with Whitesnake posters and week old sandwiches?"

Lois smiled and closed her eyes.

"I can't believe you remember my Whitesnake dedication."

As if he could forget anything regarding Lois Lane. Clark looked at the empty spot on the edge of bed, feeling like he wanted to lie down and rest on the royal blue cover. It wasn't because of her. It was because he was tired and he had a long night ahead of him. Slowly, he sat down, the squeak of the aging bed proclaiming his weight. He felt her legs shift, right behind his back her ankles crossed in the opposite direction as before.

"I also remember you superglueing Jimmy's camera strap to his desk."

"Oh, god," Lois laughed, shaking the bed slightly. "I forgot all about that. He was in such a hurry."

"He's lucky he didn't bang his head on the corner."

"Right, says the lookout guy."

"You threw me into the position."

"You liked it!"

"No, you liked it."

The smile lingered on his face as he turned his head toward her. The sunlight from the open windows poured over her and he had a random thought that she'd never like to sleep here. It left as soon as it came, adding to Clark's cacophony of emotions.

"He's not going to believe you're back, Smallville."

"What?"

Lois opened her eyes and found him staring down at her. She frowned.

"Jimmy, he's going to have a coronary when you show up for work."

"He's still at the Planet?"

"He practically lives there ever since…."

"Since what?"

How had they not gotten to this, she wondered. Lois brought her hands down and placed them over her abdomen, nervous with the news.

"You didn't hear?"

Clark nearly told her yes, yes, he knew most of if all. He tucked his chin slightly and shook his head.

"I never heard anything, Lois."

A second passed and she could have sworn the world turned silent in response to her hesitation.

"A few months after you left, Jimmy divorced Chloe. She ran off with Davis Bloome."

"What?"

"Jimmy…he wasn't the same after…the attack. Chloe threw herself into her work, and into finding you. I don't think either of them realized how hard it would be. And then things with Davis didn't end well."

"What happened?"

"I don't know the whole story. Chloe came to me one evening and said she couldn't trust him anymore. I never got anymore out of her and I've never heard of Davis again. She works with Oliver now in Metropolis, doing some kind of secret computer work. I've tried calling her but, like usual, she doesn't pick up." She wet her lips. "I'll have to talk to her before you can see her."

"She hates me too?"

"That's kind of my fault."

"I don't know if she'll forgive me, then."

"Listen," Lois slapped her hands against the bed spread. "If you can get in my good graces, you can get in Chloe's."

"That does give me some hope."

"Good, just don't expect miracles."

"I thought Jimmy and Chloe….They've loved each other for so long."

"Love isn't always enough." Her eyes looked away to the ceiling. "Trust me."

There went that strange flare widening through him. He ignored it again.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Bruce is ignoring my calls."

"Why?"

"Because," she sighed. "I'm here."

"I somehow think there's more to it."

Turning her look back to him, she didn't know how to explain it to him. Bruce was… nearly two different men. One was loud, affable, free living. The other was dark, mysterious, dangerous. Both needed honesty, loyalty, truth.

"The Bruce in the press, that's not really him."

"You mean there's more behind that pretty face?"

"You don't cross Bruce. You get one chance with him and that's it. I've known him for four years and sometimes I don't think I have a clue of who he is."

"But you love him."

"He's so driven," she smiled. "I've never met anyone more determined to get something done. He's going to clean up Gotham, with or without the help of the Batman."

"I've heard about him too."

"He's more famous than you."

"He's dangerous."

"That's what Bruce says, too." Lois thoughtfully tapped her fingers against her stomach. "That Batman doesn't have anyone to hold him back. He'll do whatever it takes. He's not a hero."

"What do you think?"

"I think…it's hard to understand what it must be like to be so alone in a city full of hopeless people who still want something to believe in."

A crease threatened to settle in his forehead. She was being so open, understanding completely without realizing it, almost as if she was meant to see the life as clear as it was. "You're full of surprises, Lois."

"Yes, I am."

Clark chuckled at her smug look and nearly brought his hand to land on her knee. He caught himself before he did it by standing up.

"That's how I know he can't ignore you forever."