Chapter 23

Clark stood in front of his mirror attempting to tie his tie for the ceremony. He'd never been good at, and it was proving to particularly hard today. He heard Lois's footprints come into the barn, and smelled her scent intoxicating him, and he smiled.

"I realize your hand-eye coordination isn't one of your strong suits", she said smiling touching his tie and his fingers. He felt a bolt of electricity, at the simple touch, and he knew she felt it too.

"Here", she said taking the tie from him, "let me help you with that."

He let her take it, just like he's done so many times before, over the years and smiled.

She sat on his couch facing the mirror and attempted at folding it on herself first.

"Lois, I'm not sure what I'm going to do without you", he said almost mockingly.

She scoffed. "Oh come on Clark, you're future is laid out right in front of you. You're going to go to community college, major in agriculture, probably minor in law enforcement…"

He watched her and listened to her babble while he put his belt on. He smiled at the domesticity of the moment and wondered if she was somewhere in his future, especially after today.

"And then you and Lana are going to have a nice little church wedding", she continued her babble without noticing his knowing smile.

"Well, I wouldn't be so sure about that", he said laughing.

"It's written in the stars and you know it", she said continuing her task, "It's only a matter of time before you join the bowling league, take over the family farm and then well… you and Lana can bring little Clark Jr. into the world."

She had finally finished with his tie and was putting it around his neck.

"I think you're hallucinating", he said struggling with tucking his shirt in.

"No, hallucinating would be imagining Clark Kent going off to the big city and making his mark on the world", if she only knew he wondered as she rambled, "I'm just being realistic."

She tightened the tie around his neck, a little too tight causing him to protest.

He laughed and loosened it, fixing it himself.

"Well, Lois", he said, "what are your big plans after Europe… you going to go back to school and maybe stay there a little longer this time?"

"I have a feeling that if I'm going to get an education, it's going to be in the real world", she sat on his couch, "You know I took this career test in some magazine and it said my perfect job would be a radio disc jockey…."

"That makes sense", Clark laughed, "You talk enough. There won't be any dead air."

"You mock me now, Smallville, but you just wait and see."

"Journalism", he blurted, "You ever thought about that? You wrote some half decent articles during your short lived career at The Torch."

"No, kill me first", she shook her head, "Even if I could spell, the last thing I'd want to do is spend my time in a newsroom. With my luck I'd probably end up across the desk from the most bumbling reporter on the masthead."

Clark smiled knowingly and stood up straight.

"You know what, you actually look handsome for a change", she said.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Look, I know we've had our disagreements", she was saying as she straightened his tie, "but it's in the past. And I'll be the first to admit that I've made it my own personal hobby to bust your chops…"

"I've gotten used to it", he nodded thinking about the last decade of his life that he was now reliving in his teenage body, "Besides I know I haven't been the most gracious host."

"I just want you to know, Clark, that when I'm sitting in the audience today at your graduation and you stand up on that stage, in front of all those people, I'm going to be looking up at you and thinking one thing…"

"What's that", he asked seriously.

"Please, God, don't let him trip", she smirked and turned to walk away.

Clark grabbed her hand before she could walk away from and turned her around.

"I'll only be thinking one thing too", he said huskily close to her face.

"Clark", she whispered his name, "what-"

"That if I don't do this now, I'll regret it the rest of my life…"

He eyes opened wide when he kissed her. He leaned into her causing the kiss to be deeper, and her eyes closed on their own accord, as she sighed. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing his face closer to hers, kissing him with as much fervor as he was kissing her. She didn't realize how much she longed for this until right now. Then she realized who she was kissing and pulled away.

"Clark", she said stepping back, "what are you doing?"

"If I never see you again after today", he said slowly, "I don't want to live the rest of my life never having shown you how I felt…"

"But what about Lana and your wedding and son", she babbled causing him to laugh softly.

"Lois, you just made that up a couple of minutes ago", he said stepping closer and watching her take a step back, "That life doesn't exist and it's not going to."

"Clark", she said softly, "But the stars…"

"Stars die sometimes, mines and Lana died long before you made it to Smallville", he said, "I just wanted you to know that I will find my way back to you… someday… I'm going to make it alright…."

She nodded, not fully understanding, but stayed frozen watching him leave her alone in the loft.