CHAPTER 21

He had fallen asleep alone, so why had he waken up with a body next to him? Who is in bed with me, he asked himself. He turned around to reveal Lana next to him. When he quickly got out of the bed, Lana woke up.

"Lana, what are you doing here? I thought you had left," Clark said. He quickly grabbed a shirt and pants and put them on.

"I needed a place to stay and I figured one night wouldn't kill us," Lana said.

"Well, you could have told me. I would have slept on the couch."

"You were already asleep and I didn't want to wake you. You looked too cute," Lana

said.

Clark knew that that was her way of saying 'let's get back together,' but he chose to

ignore it. "I have to go," he said.

"Where?"

"Work."

"Work? Since when do you work?" Lana asked.

"Just a couple of days ago. I'm a reporter at the Daily Planet," Clark explained.

"Wow, that's great," Lana said.

"I have to go."

Less than 10 minutes later, Clark was in Metropolis and ready to work. He walked into the building and saw Lois sitting in her desk. She looks beautiful, Clark thought.

He walked over to the desk that Grant assigned him which ironically was his old desk.

"Good morning," Clark told Lois as he took his seat.

"Maybe for you, but today's been a tragic morning for a lot of people," Lois said.

"Why would you say that?"

"Thirty minutes ago, a seven car accident occurred. Witnesses say they saw one of the

cars purposely crash."

"Whoa," Clark said.

"Whoa is right. This is what we call a story. Let's go, Smallville," she said.

"Smallville?" Clark asked. He loved the fact that even in this world, Lois had a nickname for him.

"You're from there, so, it seems like a nice nickname, don't you think?" Lois asked.

"It's alright."

"If you don't like it, I won't use it," Lois said.

"No! I don't mind," Clark said quickly hoping that she would still call him Smallville.

"Alright. Alright, but try not to be too eager about it," Lois joked.

"Let's just go."

They arrived at the devastating scene. Dead body's being hauled off in ambulances. Totaled cars. People crying.

Lois walked over to the nearest police officer. "I'm Lois Lane. Reporter of the Daily Planet," Lois said.

"I'm not up for interviews."

"And I don't want to give you one. Just point me in the direction of the first driver, if they are still alive," Lois said.

"He's over there." He pointed to a man being attended by a medic.

"Thank," Lois said. She began to walk over to the direction of the man. "I know you're

new at this, but come on. Speak up, Smallville," she turned around to speak to Clark.

He felt like he was just following her like a little puppy, letting her take the lead. "You

seem to have everything under control."

"Well, try not to look like such a dummy. You're making me look bad." They finally made it over to the man. "Are you the one that caused all of this?" Lois asked.

The man look frustrated. "You don't look like a cop. So, why should I answer that question?"

"I may not look like a police officer, but I sure can act like one. So, I suggest that you tell me everything before I have your face on the ground," Lois said.

She sure is the Lois I remember, Clark thought to himself. Se still has the strong attitude like my Lois. She still looks like my Lois. She is my Lois.

"What do you want to know?" the man asked. He had given up. There was no use in fighting Lois Lane.

"Well, we can always start off with your name," Lois said.

"Ryan. My name is Ryan," the man said.

Clark thought that the man seemed familiar. Could it be the Ryan he had met 7 years ago? The young 12 year old boy? How was he alive? Lois hadn't met him so why did this new world affect him?

"How old are you, Ryan?" Clark asked.

Wow, he actually speaks, Lois thought.

"I'm 19." Why can't I read this guy's mind, Ryan asked himself.

"So, do you always crash into people or is that just today?" Lois asked.

"This is my first time getting into a wreck," Ryan confessed.

Ryan knew what this women was thinking. "I didn't crash on purpose. I know what people are saying, but this honestly was an accident. Do you think I would honestly crash a car that wasn't mine on purpose?" Ryan asked.

"I never said anything," Lois said.

"But I know what you're thinking. That I'm just some kid with the urge to crash into other cars. Well, I'm not that type of guy. Guess you'll have to find a story somewhere else, Lois," Ryan said.

"This isn't your car?" Clark asked.

"It was a friends."

"How did you know my name?" Lois asked.

He needed to lie. "I've read your stories. I know your face. Your articles on Green Arrow."

"Green Arrow?" Clark asked. He didn't mean to say it out loud. He had meant it as a question to himself. There was still a Green Arrow? He knew Oliver was still around, but he wasn't sure if Green Arrow was. Lois had meant Green Arrow at some political function with his mother. So, how had she met him in this life?

"Yeah, you know everyone's hero. Likes to wear green. Deep, sexy voice," Lois said.

"Also the story that brought up and down Lois's Lane's career," Ryan said.

"I'll find out who he is one day," Lois said.

If only you knew, Clark laughed to himself. "Yeah I know who Green Arrow is. I just didn't

know you were the one to write the articles about him," Clark lied.

"Look, it's nice to see that you two are getting to know each other, but I got to get back to my girlfriend, Maddie," Ryan said pointing to a girl who was standing just a couple of feet away from them.

"Maddie Vanhorn," Clark said.

"How did you know her last name?" Ryan asked.

"I've met her before," Clark said. He walked over to the girl. "Maddie," he said giving her

a hug.

"Do I know you?" she asked.

"It's me, Clark Kent," he said.

"Clark Kent? I knew you looked familiar. Your family took me in almost 8 years ago," Ryan said.

"Took you a while to remember," Clark said smiling at Ryan. Why didn't Maddie remember Clark? They had met only 3 years ago. Lois, of course. It was Lois's who really introduced them. If it wasn't for Lois, his father would have never been elected senator. Maddie's foster mother wouldn't have been their chief of staff and Clark and Maddie would have never met.

"I'm sorry but your name doesn't come to mind," Maddie said.

"I guess I wouldn't expect you to remember me. We met when we were kids," he lied.

"Oh sorry," Maddie said.

"Can someone tell me what's going on? I came to get a story and next thing I know, everyone is reuniting. This isn't Oprah, for Christ sakes," Lois said.

Clark laughed and said, "Sorry."

"So, is this your girlfriend?" Ryan asked.

"No, I'm not seeing anyone right now," Clark said.

"Yeah right. What about that Lana chick?" Lois asked.

"See, I knew you and Lana would always end up together," Ryan said.

"We broke up," Clark said.

"Oh…Sorry," both Lois and Ryan said in unison.

Clark wanted to change the subject. "So, are you okay? I mean, it looks pretty bad,"

Clark said looking at Ryan's bloody arm.

"It's fine. Actually, can I talk to you for a minute, Clark?" Ryan asked.

They walked a couple of feet away so that the girls wouldn't hear them. "What's up?" Clark asked.

"Maddie doesn't know I can read minds. And I would like to keep it that way," Ryan said.

"Lois doesn't know about my powers and I would like to keep it that way too."

"Looks like we have a deal," Ryan said.

Clark noticed that Ryan wasn't the same little 12 year old boy that he met years ago. Something in him had changed. They walked over to the women once more. "Can I get my story now?" Lois asked impatiently.

"Sorry, but there is no story here. I think you should just lay off, Lois," Clark said.

"I'm not giving up. I'm going to talk to other people from the accident," Lois said walking over to a new group of people.

"I'm sorry about Lois," Clark told Ryan.

"It's fine. She's doing her job, Clark. She's a reporter looking for a story to report. I just don't like being in the spotlight," Ryan said.

"If you'll excuse us, Clark. We have to get back to the shelter," Maddie said.

"Shelter?" Clark asked.

"Not everyone has the luxury of living in a house, Clark."

"So you're ho-," Clark stopped himself.

"It's ok to say it, Clark, we're homeless."

Clark knew that he had to do something to help. But how? "Why don't you stay at the farm? It's big and there's plenty of room," Clark offered.

"I don't know, man. I me-," Ryan was interrupted by Clark.

"Ryan, I insist. It would mean a lot to me to have you both there," Clark said.

"It's not up to me," Ryan said glance at Maddie.

"I'm game if you are," she said.

"Looks like I'm going to have some new house mates," Clark said with a huge smile on his face.

This was going to be interesting.