Chapter Twenty Four

Clark stood at the reception desk feeling utterly useless. Lois was having an argument with the receptionist, who was getting flustered because she was unable to tell Lois what room her father was in. She apologised to Lois and told her she would go and find someone to help.

He watched as Lois leaned her elbows on the counter and dropped her head into the crook of her arm. Clark wasn't sure what to do, he wanted to hold her, comfort her, but he wasn't sure if that would be pushing the boundaries or not.

She looked so worn out and he wondered just how much more she was going to have to deal with. He always knew that Lois was a strong woman and could handle almost anything but she'd had so much on her plate these last couple of weeks and he honestly didn't know how much more she could take.

She lifted her head as the receptionist came back and told her where her father was. He followed at a brisk pace to keep up with her as she stormed over to the elevator.

They didn't say a word on the elevator, she just took his hand, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. He could see she was shaking.

"Oh…Lois." Lucy cried out as she saw Lois running towards her. Lois wrapped her sister in a fierce hug and let her cry on her shoulder. Clark stood back so as not to intrude, this was a family thing and he didn't want to get in the way.

"How is he?" Lois asked.

"I don't know, they won't tell me anything. They just keep telling me to let them do their job."

"Right that's it!" Lois snapped. "Where's the doctor?"

"He's in there with daddy." Before Lucy could even finish, Lois had flung the door open and stormed into the room. She stopped dead in her tracks as she looked at her father lying in the bed. The doctor raced around to confront her as Lucy made her way into the room and Clark lingered in the doorway.

"What do you think you're doing? You're not allowed in here."

"This is my father and I want some answers on how he is. You haven't told my sister anything and she's worried half to death. Now are you going to tell me or do I have to go higher than you and find someone who will?" The sheer anger on Lois' face made the doctor falter a little and look down at his shoes.

"He's stable, Miss Lane is it?" Lois nodded, not taking her eyes off her father.

"What happened?"

"He had a mild heart attack. His vitals are all normal though his blood pressure is a little too high for my liking. He's doing much better now but we've given him some oxygen to help him breathe."

"So he's going to be okay?"

"In a few days he'll be just fine, though he should consider this as a warning to start cutting back on his stressful lifestyle and give up the smoking. I'm going to prescribe him something to help bring his blood pressure down."

Lois felt a little reassured that her father wasn't in any immediate danger. But the words, heart attack, were still ringing in her head. This wasn't going to be a one time thing.

"So you kept my sister worrying herself sick and he's going to be okay?" Lois was furious.

"Lo?" Her father's voice croaked out. "Stop harassing the doctor, he's only doing his job." Lois blew out a frustrated breath and turned to her father.

"Daddy what are you doing scaring us like this?" She crossed her arms in front of her.

"I'll be back to check on you in a little while general." The doctor said and with a nod to Lois, he left the room. Clark was standing just outside the door, hugging a still crying Lucy.

"I'm fine Lois, you heard the doctor, a couple of days, and I'll be right as rain." He said gruffly.

"Yes I did hear him and I also heard that you have to start taking things easy." Lois sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"Now are you going to do as the doctor says?"

"Lois stop fussing I'll be fine. Takes more than a heart attack to keep me down." He said with a smile.

"I know you don't like to think of yourself as getting old daddy but the hard truth is, you are ready to retire and this was nature's way of showing you that." Lois braced herself for the usual 'can't keep me down' tirade and was gob smacked when he agreed with her.

"You're right Lo."

"I am? I mean um… I am."

"Though not about retiring. I don't see that happening for a long time yet. But I do agree that I need to start slowing down a little. I have to admit that I was a little afraid." He said seriously.

"You? Afraid?" Lois snorted. "Of what?"

"That I'd have to leave my girls. Afraid that I wouldn't get to see my granddaughter grow up. I know I haven't exactly been the best father to you girls but I would like to change that if you'll let me." Lois could feel her eyes tearing up. She looked up to the door as Lucy slowly entered; looking scared still.

Lois stood to give her a hug. Lucy was still shaking and Lois now realised how terrified she must've been all alone here with no one telling her anything. She gently rubbed circles on her back and eventually she felt a little of the tension melt away.

"He's going to be okay Luce. He needs to slow down and adjust his lifestyle but he'll be fine. This time." Lois said with a pointed look at him. Lucy looked at her father who smiled reassuringly at her.

"I love you both." He said. Both women froze; they hadn't heard that much before and never with such sincerity. It seemed that this heart attack had really put things into perspective for Sam Lane. They went over to each side of the bed and sat down on the edge, holding his hands.

"We love you too daddy." Lucy said.

"I told you to stop smoking those damn cigars but you wouldn't listen would you?" Lois said with a little anger in her voice. "I was terrified on my way here. We could've lost you tonight!"

"Drop it Lo. There's no point dwelling on it. I'm alive and I'll be fine. That's all you need to worry about. Well that and my granddaughter. Where is she?"

"She's with Martha in Smallville." Lois replied.

Ever since Ellie had been born Sam had been the doting grandfather and Lois was pleased that he was at least giving Ellie what he had never given her, not directly anyway. She knew that he loved her; he just wasn't the type of man who expressed it. Until tonight.

And that made Lois a little nervous because if he was worried, she was too. Her father was the strongest man she knew, apart from Clark of course. He would never let something like this get him down.

"Then how did you get here so fast?" Lucy asked.

"Superman brought me." She wasn't exactly sure her father would like to hear that Clark was back and she wasn' technically lying either. She would tell him of course, just not yet. She would let him get back on his feet first. Finding out that Clark was back in her life would likely give him another heart attack.

"He runs errands now?" Sam laughed.

"No but he and I are friends and he heard my call and kindly brought me here." Lois replied a little nervously. She looked pleadingly at Lucy and then at the door and she seemed to understand not to mention Clark being outside.

"Well you'd better get back Lois, it's very late and I don't want my granddaughter waking up without you there."

"No I can stay for a little while daddy." Lois said with a look that told him she wasn't going to budge.

"Lois, the hospital visiting hours were finished a long time ago. Besides I don't want you girls stuck in here. Go home to your daughter Lois and give her a big kiss from me." All of a sudden Lois' eyes starting watering up again and she leaned down to give him a hug.

"It'll be okay Lo. Go home. Both of you."

"No I'm staying." Lucy said defiantly. "Before you start, I am telling you that it will take the entire US Army to get me out of this room." She crossed her arms and stared down at Sam, daring him to refuse.

"Okay but don't say I didn't warn you."

"I guess it is getting pretty late. I'll be back the day after tomorrow to see you okay? And Lucy has my number if you need me."

"We'll be fine Lo. Go home and get some sleep, you look so tired." He frowned.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then turned to her sister.

"I'm only a phone call away sis. Remember that, and look after him."

"I will Lo." Lucy kissed her cheek and sat back down next to her dad. Lois took a last look at them before closing the door behind her. She let out a heavy sigh. When was it going to get easier? When would life decide that she had had enough bad luck?"

She walked over to Clark who was sitting on one of the chairs with his head in his hands.

"Hey," She said softly. He shot up out of his seat at the sound of her voice.

"Hey how's he doing?"

"I think he's gonna be okay. He was lucky this time, but he might not be with the next one." She said glancing back at the room. "Can you take me home please Clark?"

"Of course." He replied.

They walked out of the hospital hand in hand and after Clark had led them into an alley, he changed back into his suit and picked her up. She nestled her head against his chest and closed her eyes; then she drifted off to sleep as he flew them home slowly.

After they arrived back at the farm and Clark had gently woken her up, Lois said goodnight and went upstairs to check on Ellie. She was sound asleep without a care in the world.

Lois felt a little better having slept the whole flight home but strangely instead of being tired now, she was wide awake. She knew if she got into bed she would end up tossing and turning and she didn't want to wake Ellie, so she got changed into her pyjama bottoms and one of Clark's old plaid shirts she had taken from him years ago.

She had slept in it every night since he had left and could never bring herself to part with it. Plus it was warm too so that helped. She went back downstairs to make herself a hot chocolate, hoping that would help her doze off.

With a steaming mug and the beginnings of a headache she went and sat on the sofa, curling her legs up underneath her. Clark wasn't anywhere to be seen, she assumed he had gone off to help someone again so she settled back and tried to relax.

Easier said then done with the days events seeping back into her mind. She couldn't stop the images of her father lying in a hospital flashing before her eyes. What would she have done if she'd lost him tonight?

They had become a lot closer in recent years but Lois wasn't naïve enough to think that it wasn't because of Ellie. Though she was grateful for it.

Once again the tears came as she realised just how close she was to losing her father tonight. Lois wasn't a person who cried easily and never usually in front of anyone so as she sat all alone, she decided to let them fall. She'd had enough.

"Lois?" His voice said behind her. She jumped so much that she spilled some of her hot chocolate on her shirt.

"Clark can't you hang a bell around your neck or something?" She shouted angrily. "You can't keep sneaking up on me like that!"

"I'm sorry Lois I…"

"Yeah I know you didn't mean to…" She said sarcastically. "But it's starting to drive me crazy!" She yelled again, feeling bad as she watched his face fall but she couldn't turn it off.

"Every time I turn around you're there, scaring the crap outta me!"

Where was all this anger suddenly coming from? It was as if a switch had been flipped. She stood up as he turned to leave, putting her hands on her hips.

"Don't do that Clark! Don't you dare leave!" He turned back to her and she saw a look of irritation on his features which only served to fuel the fire within her.

"What do you want from me?" He asked in a strong confident tone.

"I want you to stop walking away from me Clark. Why is it always your answer to walk away?"

Then without thinking, she slapped him square in the chest, not caring that it was hurting her more than it was him. She hit him again, shoving him back slightly.

He stood there, letting her hit him repeatedly and made no move to stop her. She obviously needed to get this out of her system and he seemed to be the target. In a way he felt that he had it coming but even though it didn't hurt him physically, it hurt emotionally.

Eventually he reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders, her hands were becoming red and sore, and he didn't want her to hurt herself.

He pulled her against him and cradled her in his arms as she broke down in floods of tears. They both sank to the floor and he just held her, knowing that this was an inevitable result of the last couple of weeks. She had been through so much and it was now starting to take effect.

He stroked her hair and whispered in her ear as he felt her sobs wrack through her. He hated seeing her like this, but sometimes even the strongest woman needed to just let it all go.

"You left me." She whispered after a moment with her head still buried in his chest.

"I know." He said, his cheeks resting against her hair.

"I was alone for so long." He knew all this and it hurt him to hear her words but he knew she had to say it.

"Did you even think of me while you were gone?"

"There was not a single day when you weren't in my thoughts. You were the first thing I thought about when I woke up and the last thing before I went to sleep. I missed you so much Lo."

"I missed you Clark. I loved you so much, I felt abandoned." She whimpered, hating herself for being this weak with him.

"I know."

"I never wanted to stand in the way of your destiny, I would never do that. But I felt like I wasn't important enough to share in that destiny with you. That I wasn't important enough to be a part of your life."

"Lois you were and are my whole life. But I needed to…"

"I know Clark. You needed to figure things out and become who you are. But am I important enough now that you're back?" She asked with an almost accusatory tone and he didn't like that one bit.

"Lois how can you ask me that? I never expected to just pick up where we left off and even though it wasn't what I wanted, I agreed to be friends with you because I knew I didn't deserve to ask more of you. It wouldn't be fair to you. But you were always important to me Lois." She didn't reply to that.

She just laid her face against his chest again. He wasn't sure that she had understood what he had just said.

"I almost lost him tonight Clark." It came out muffled against his shirt.

"He's okay Lois, he's gonna be fine." He tried to reassure her but he didn't think that was what she was getting at. This was something deeper.

"Why does everyone keep trying to leave me? Am I that hard to love?" She sniffled. Clark gasped. Was that what all this was about? He gently pushed her away so that he could take her face in his hands.

"You listen to me Lois, you are the most incredible, smart, sexy, loving woman I have ever met, and I love you." He watched her eyebrows shoot up.

"I don't know what to do anymore Clark, I'm so scared. I don't want to be alone anymore. I don't want to hurt anymore."

"You're not alone, Lois you are never alone." He hugged her to him again.

"Please don't leave me again." She cried. He kissed the top of her head.

"Never again. I'm staying right here." He felt her nod.

"I don't want you to walk away from me anymore. I can't take it Clark, I need you."

She looked up into his eyes. Tears were shining in her bright hazel orbs and instinctively; he leaned in and kissed each cheek just under eyes, to kiss away her tears.

Suddenly she grabbed his face and kissed him passionately on the lips. It was a searing kiss that touched his soul and he didn't have the power to pull away.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer so that she was now straddling his lap as he sat on the floor with his legs straight out in front of him. As she deepened the kiss she caressed his cheek with one hand and placed the other on the back of his head pulling him in closer to her.

She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled slightly as his hands found their way to the hem of her shirt. She broke the kiss and stared down at her waist where his hands were, frowning slightly and more than a little out of breath.

Clark quickly removed them and put them by his sides, not sure of what her reaction was going to be. They had both lost control and even though he didn't regret a single minute of it, he was now sure that she did.

"Lois I…"

"I love you…" They both spoke at the same time. Clark squinted his eyes and looked at her quizzically.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"I still love you Clark." She said and then her face lit up with a beautiful smile.

Clark was happy, more than happy but he was afraid that this was a reaction from all the stress she had been under. He wanted to make sure that what she was saying was the truth but how could he ask her without upsetting her again?

As if reading his thoughts, Lois took his hands and held them together between both of hers.

"I'm in love with you Smallville." She stared into his eyes. He couldn't believe his ears. He had waited so long to hear those words from her again and after she had said that they could never be more than friends, he had been scared that he would never hear them again in his life.

"You mean it?" He had to ask.

"I've never stopped loving you Clark. You have been the only one I've ever really truly loved with all my heart. You took my heart with you the day that you left, but you brought it back to me and you are still in it. I built up these walls around my heart to protect it but the only person suffering from it now is me. No matter how much I wanted to keep you at a distance, I can't deny it anymore. I need you in my life Clark." He couldn't speak past the lump in his throat. So instead he leaned in for another kiss. But she pulled her head back.

"I love you so much Lois, I promise if you'll let me, I'm gonna spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." She said sadly. He didn't know what she meant by that.

"What does this mean for us?" He asked as she laid her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back up and down and felt her a sigh escape her.

"I honestly don't know. But I think if we take it slowly, I'm willing to find out." She placed a small kiss on his neck, with her head still on his shoulder.

"You sure?" He asked again, placing little butterfly kisses on her forehead.

"But I don't want to tell anyone just yet. I just want you for myself." And with that she drew him in for another kiss.

Clark had never dreamed that this day would come around again but he couldn't stop the butterflies in his stomach. She still loved him, he honestly didn't think he had ever been so happy to hear those words in his life.

He realised that he was the luckiest man on the planet and maybe others too, to have the love of this truly amazing woman. She had told him not to make promises he couldn't keep but he made one to himself anyway.

He promised that he would do everything in his power to protect and love this woman for the rest of his life. It was a promise he fully intended to keep.