Chapter 26

While standing on the back porch she saw the light shining from the loft window and decided to stop in and say goodnight to Clark. Hopefully the romance of night, combined with the two of them being alone in the loft would be enough for him to reach out or give her an opening.

Stopping on the top landing, she found Clark sitting on the couch looking down at a picture in his wallet "How many times have I found you just this way?" Lana asked taking a seat beside him and reaching for the billfold. "Ok, usually you were looking at a picture of me." She said in mock outrage, closing the wallet with a snap and handing it back to him.

He smiled and questioned "I thought you'd left already."

"I was watching TV with Chloe and Lois, but when Lois suggested poker I decided to head on home." She said with a light laugh.

"Poker huh, I should have known it wouldn't take long; Lois loves playing cards." He grinned nodding.

"Do you normally get dragged into playing?" Lana asked curiously.

"Mmm hmm, the three of us play every now and then, but I usually lose fairly quickly and leave them to it. They're both utterly ruthless." He chuckled remembering nights when the girls would sit at the kitchen table eyeballing each other, each determined to win.

"Ruthless!"

"Oh yeah, you don't want to get between 'em when there's a good hand and money in the pot." Clark shook his head giving a mock frown

"They bet each other money?" She asked in astonishment.

"Yep, and the winner usually gloats." He smiled amused. "Lo actually stood up and did a victory dance once and in retaliation the next time Chloe won, she put on her jacket, grabbed her purse and walked out of our apartment singing, 'I am the champion' y'know a variation of the Queen song; Lois was not smiling." He finished with a chuckle.

"You're kidding?"

"Nope and after Chloe left, Lois sulked." He smiled remembering the methods he'd employed to cheer her up, and how she'd gloated afterwards that Chloe got her money, but she was the one who'd scored lucky that night. Just remembering little things like that made him miss her all the more and apprehension flooded him once again. Not realising that he'd tuned out of the conversation he looked up when he felt a touch on his hand.

Tilting her head to the side Lana quietly asked. "Are you ok, Clark?"

"Sorry Lana, I'm just thinking about tomorrow." He shrugged offhand.

"What's happening tomorrow?" She asked her brow wrinkling.

"Joanne's supposed to be back tomorrow but at the moment the only proof we have for that is the time factor." At her confused look he explained. "You know Lois woke up on the fifth day right?" At her nod, he continued. "I don't know if you remember the time she woke up but it was early evening." When she nodded again, he gestured with his hand. "But we haven't found out what caused it in the first place, so we still don't know how to fix it. The only thing we can do is hope that whoever did it 8 years ago does it again, so Lois can go back and Joanne returns." He finished quietly.

"What are you going to do if it that doesn't happen?" Lana asked softly.

"I have to believe it will." He shrugged again and gave a half-hearted smile.

She pulled him into a hug and held on tight. "It'll all work out Clark."

"I hope you're right."

"Aren't I always?" She asked pulling back far enough to give him a cheeky smile.

"Umm…." He trailed of laughing.

"Hey, thanks very much, there was a time you thought I could do no wrong." She said in reproof shaking her head sadly.

"C'mon, I was a kid and you were the girl I was crushing on." He replied in mock indignation.

They looked at each other and began to laugh. He didn't know how it happened, he really didn't, one minute they were laughing and then her face was just there, their lips had almost touched before he sprang of the couch and she flung herself away from him.

"What are we doing…god I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean…." Clark stood at the loft window running his hands through his hair, suppressing the urge to fly away. Knowing the situation couldn't be avoided he turned around to face her when Lana began to speak.

"No I am; that was…it was a mistake." She said in a horrified whisper.

"Yes, it was! I'm sorry Lana, I don't know what happened; we were laughing and, and then…but I swear I didn't mean to…." He didn't know what to say and stumbled to a halt.

"I know, but nothing happened and we have nothing to feel guilty about." She said sadly holding out her hand in supplication.

"Yeah, I…um, I'm just going to go back to the house, I'll see you ok." He replied walking quickly towards the stairs.

"Clark, wait!" He stopped and turned reluctantly at her call. "We didn't do anything wrong, please don't let this ruin our friendship." She rose from the couch and slowly began to walk towards him, then stopped; her face a picture of misery.

"I just think I should go back to the house." He repeated quietly.

"No don't, I was going home anyway. I shouldn't have come up here, I just wanted to say goodnight and when I saw you looking at Joanne's picture, I thought I'd cheer you up but instead I've just made things worse." She said tearfully grabbing her purse.

"No you haven't, you did help and I appreciate it." He paused and took a deep breath. "I'm being an idiot; let's just forget about it ok?" Clark finished with an awkward smile.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow. I really am sorry Clark." She replied, a wan smile on her face.

"You didn't do anything Lana, we're both making a big deal out of nothing and we're going to forget about it, alright?" At her nod he nodded back and saying goodnight she walked down the stairs and out.

OoO

Lana walked towards her car and inwardly swore. Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! She'd thought after everything he'd revealed to her the past few days that he'd cave. She'd tried a little spell, just a little one, no worse than those she used on customers who couldn't decide on buying her paintings, she'd just given him a little nudge to kiss her and it almost worked. Almost, his lips had almost touched hers when he realised what he was doing and shot off the couch, so she had to pretend to be horrified as well.

If he hadn't pulled away one kiss would have led to another, and another and it wouldn't have taken long before they were in each other's arms and Joanne would have been a faint memory at best.

Sighing she climbed behind the wheel, and began the short drive home. He was too loyal, too much the gentleman, no matter how he really felt until he faced his feelings he'd never give in. He was also guarded; his walls had started to crumble just as hers had years ago but just as she had been wary and cautious then, he was now.

He'd begged her to take him back and instead she'd walked away; and now because he didn't know that she loved him, he wasn't willing to take a chance on searching his own heart without a definite acknowledgement from her.

She'd hurt him so badly when she refused him, that he was obviously determined to marry Lois rather than take the risk of ending up alone.

Pulling into her driveway she got out of the car, walked into the lounge room and sat down. There was only one way she could show him how she really felt, make him admit to how he really felt but she was going to have to hurt him to do it. She was going to have to be brutal and hated herself for the necessity of it, but she was going to make him admit what they both knew was the truth.

She hadn't wanted to resort to this, she didn't want to hurt him but just as he'd tried to make her see sense 8 years ago, she was now going to do the same for him…no for them. It was their future she was fighting for, just as he'd fought and lost 8 years ago, but this time they were both going to win. Once he got over being angry, when he stopped berating himself for everything, they'd be together but to achieve that she was first going to have to be cruel to be kind.

OoO

Clark was stricken. God he didn't want Lana, he didn't want anyone but Lois, Joanne and knowing what almost happened disgusted him. He missed his fiancé but that was no excuse for almost kissing Lana.

He sat back down on couch, and almost immediately heard Lex's jeering voice reminding Superman that he warned him that Clark Kent and Lana Lang couldn't be trusted around each other. Scrubbing his hands over his face, Clark tried to push past the self directed anger and shame to think of how it could have happened. He could swear that he hadn't leant forward, but just beforehand Lana had hugged him and she was still lightly holding onto him when they began to laugh.

He shook his head and sighed in relief, they hadn't almost kissed at all. He'd over reacted to the situation, just like the time he'd felt flustered when trying to get a speck out of Lana's eye and Joanne had walked into the room. She'd known he hadn't been doing anything with Lana then, and he knew that he hadn't tried anything now. He was just more sensitive because she wasn't here and he missed her. His mind flew back to the last time making him smile in remembrance.

They'd come for a visit, his mom was visiting one of her friends for the afternoon, Lois was in town and he was in the barn forking hay when Lana arrived.

"Hi Clark." Spinning around he saw Lana and smiled.

"Hi Lana, mom's not here sorry." He shrugged in apology.

"That's ok, I came over to see you and Lois, is she in the house?"

"No, she's in town, didn't you see her?"

"No, I must have missed her; your mom mentioned that the two of you were coming for a visit so I thought I'd stop in." She quickly lifted a hand to her eye and blinked. "Damn!"

"Did you get something in your eye?"

"Yeah, it's ok. I'll just; damn it hurts."

"Let me look." He tilted her face up but couldn't see anything. "Let's go into the house, maybe I'll find whatever's in there and if not, you can try flushing it out with water." Once inside the kitchen he got her to sit on a stool but when she tilted her face up, he couldn't see anything and bent down to have a closer look.

"I can't see anything; how's it feel now?" He asked lifting his head.

"Sore as hell, can you check one more time maybe it's just an eyelash, if you can't find anything, I'll try bathing it in water, not that that always works." She titled her face to the side, he had a hand under her chin and had crooked his head in the opposite angle and bent down to further examine her eye again when the back door opened and Lois walked into the house.

"Hi, what's wrong?"

He'd let Lana go so fast she'd almost fallen off the stool and he'd had to grab her to keep her upright, then quickly snatched his hands away and turned to give Lois a big smile. The whole episode had taken all of 5 seconds but seemed like the longest 5 seconds of his life.

"Hey Lo, what are you doing back, nothing's wrong. Lana had something in her eye and I was trying to getting it out that's all." His words had rushed out so fast it was a wonder she'd understood any of them.

"Clark stop being an idiot, did you get it out?"

"No, I couldn't find anything."

"Hmm, try flushing it out, just blink your eye open and closed in a glass full of water; that usually gets whatever's in there out." Lois smiled and addressed Lana. "If that doesn't work, more than likely you've scratched the eye itself."

Lana nodded, hopped off the stool, and did as Lois suggested. It had taken a few minutes but eventually whatever was in there came out. While they chatted over coffee and cake he thought of what to say to ensure that Lois knew the situation she'd walked in on had been totally innocent.

"Lo I really was trying to get something out of her eye, nothing was going on I swear." He said quietly the moment Lana left. It had only been two weeks since their fight after the Oliver debacle and he wasn't taking the risk that she'd think he and Lana were up to their old tricks.

"Ok." She smiled, nodded, grabbed her purse and headed for the stairs.

He'd quickly intercepted her and hugged her tight. "Lo I promise, you know that I don't want anyone but you." When he felt her tremble he became worried, scared that she was angry or upset.

"Clark I said ok." Lois repeated but he heard the tremulous note in her voice and knowing that she was upset he began to rub her back soothingly. "Baby you know that I love you, I'd never try anything with Lana or anyone else." He buried his face in her neck and quietly assured her. "I'd never do anything to hurt you like that, I'd never do anything that would make you leave me, please Lo; you have to believe me."

She pushed him away and that was when he saw that she was laughing. "Clark Kent, I believe you already."

"You; you do!"

"Of course I do."

"Why?"

"I know what you look like when you're stirred up even a little, and you didn't have that look on your face when I came in." She replied her lips twitching.

"You knew straight away, well why didn't you say anything?" He asked in a plaintive voice.

"I did." She replied simply.

"But how was I supposed to know?" He all but wailed.

"Oh, I don't know, because I said so." She retorted back, rolling her eyes.

"Well yeah, but how else?"

"Clark, our relationship is nothing like the freak show you had with Lana where every little thing had to be explained under dire consequences; do we have to discuss this again?" She questioned scowling.

"Um, no but you have to admit I'm getting better." His arms stayed loose around her waist, subtly keeping her within his circle.

"Better than what?"

"Then when we first started dating." He bent down and kissed her lightly. "C'mon you have to admit I'm getting better, you don't feel the urge to hit me as much anymore."

"That's still up for debate." Lois replied running her hands up his arms.

He grinned and kissed her again, urging her closer, Her arms locked around his neck while his smoothed down back, before one hand snuck one under her top to stroke along smooth skin. When she opened her mouth wider at his coaxing he slipped his tongue inside to flirt with hers, while his hand traced around to the front and up.

"Where exactly is that hand going buddy?" Lois asked dragging her mouth from his and pulling her head back.

"Not far." He smiled and when it settled over her breast he beamed. "Its fine now, right at home in fact." He replied, clenching his hand gently around the globe.

"Is that right, well I think it's taking liberties, you gonna remove it?" She asked lifting a brow in query.

"Not any time soon." His hand slipped up and into the cup of her bra to settle on satiny warm skin, allowing his fingers to lazily stroke over the nipple.

"I thought we agreed no sex at the farm unless we're alone."

"We are alone and we're not having sex…yet!" His free hand slipped down to her bottom "But mom's not home so we should make the most of the time we have."

"Forget it, the last time we tried that you're mom came home sooner than expected and almost caught us." Lois replied suppressing a shudder.

"That was only because you distracted me." He nodded virtuously, slipping both his hands to her waist trying to lead her to the stairs.

"No!"

"C'mon Lo, no one's here, just us." He enticed bending down to kiss her neck. He knew her hot spots and that was one of them. "We can spend a lazy Saturday afternoon making love."

"No." He knew she was caving, that no had definitely been half hearted at best. Kissing from her neck to her ear; he grasped the lobe gently with his teeth, sucked tenderly and knew he'd won when she all but purred.

His mom didn't come home until late evening and they did spend most of the afternoon making love, taking short naps and making love again. When she fell into a light doze he held her close, his hand softly running over her arm and tummy, while he marvelled that after loving her for so long that she was with him.

She didn't love him, but the way she made love with him, talked to him, laughed with him, behaved with him; he'd never had anyone say they loved him who treated him like she did. He felt treasured and of worth.

From the moment he saw her in Perry's office when he came back from travelling he knew that she was his. From the moment she agreed to date him, he knew that he'd never let her go. When she tried to break up with him, he didn't waste time playing nice or being a gentleman, he seduced her then talked her into staying with him. If Oliver had stolen her, he would have done everything he could to steal her back, and wouldn't have stopped until she was with him again. She was his, he was hers and he wouldn't let anyone take her from him, or come between them.

Curling around her, he hugged her to him and when she opened her eyes and turned to give him a sleepy smile, he'd kissed her slowly and deeply. "Thank you for trusting me before."

"It didn't take any effort."

"You've always trusted me with other women; even knowing that some of them throw themselves at Superman, you've never been suspicious or doubted me, have you?" When she shook her head, he tilted his own and asked curiously, "Why? It's not that I'm not grateful for it, but Lana used to question me about everything." He said wryly. "Yet you've never done that even once, so why?"

"Well firstly I'm not Lana." Lois said sardonically. "But let me break it down for you. When we're at work we're usually together; when you're off doing Superman stuff it's kinda newsworthy so I know where you are; when we're of the clock you become Mr Grabby hands and usually try to get me naked, but apart from all that, I just trust you." She titled her head and grinned. "There have been the odd occasions when Superman disappears of the radar so you could be cuddling up with someone else I guess…" Her eyes narrowed "You bastard is that what you've been doing?" She asked wrathfully her eyes alight with laughter.

"My hands aren't grabby." He protested loudly.

"That's the part you fixate on?" When he nodded she laughed "Then yes they are, how long was Lana gone before you decided to get me into bed, about 10 seconds right?"

"I was trying to comfort you." When she hooted in laughter he grinned. "Well it started out that way, but it's really your own fault for being so hot."

Her peel of laughter rang through the room, bending down he took her laughing lips with his own; when his head lifted he smiled into her eyes. "I love you baby, I don't want anyone else but I guess you know that too huh?"

"Yeah, I do." She said tugging his head down for another long kiss.

Shaking himself out of his musings, he opened his wallet again, looked at the photo of himself and Joanne and smiled. She was the only woman that he loved and desired and they both knew it. "Sorry Lo, I've been an idiot again; we can laugh about it when you come back."

oOo

Sitting in her kitchen Lana sipped peppermint tea slowly. Tomorrow Joanne would return, well technically Joanne would only return if she allowed it. She knew that tomorrow was the deadline but it was still in her hands, and right now she wasn't sure.

She would bring Joanne back eventually but she'd do it when she was ready, not at a time that had already been pre-determined and she'd bring her back only when Clark was ready to kick her out of his life.

It was so strange to think that right now back there she was worried about Lois; actually considering the time, more than likely right now she was probably having sex with Lex and thinking of Clark. She remembered that every time Lex had touched her she'd felt revolted. She'd hated having his hands on her, touching her intimately, feeling him penetrate her and having to pretend that she loved it.

Shaking herself out of thoughts from the past, she breathed deep. That part of her life was over, it had been over for a long time, but because she'd lost Clark she'd never been able to put it completely behind her.

If she'd trusted Clark just once, that part of her life would never have been and feeling tears slip down her cheeks, she cried silently for the foolish girl who had thrown away such a good man, for such a heartless monster.

Wiping her eyes, she picked up her tea, retreated upstairs and placed the cup on her dressing table before going into the bathroom. She undressed and stepped into the shower, washed her hair and clasping the shower puff, liberally filled it with perfumed body wash and began to run it over her body.

Raising her hand she moved the puff over her neck, across her collar bones, down over her breasts, and torso, her legs and then reached around and ran it over her back, once completely clean she just stood and allowed the water to sluice over her body.

She stepped out of the shower into her bedroom and smoothed on a lightly scented sandalwood/rose body lotion. Right now she needed both the dark, exotic woody aroma of Sandalwood and the calm sedative effect of the rose to soothe her jangled nerves. Applying it to her arms and legs, over her breasts and torso she breathed deep and felt a sense of calm flood her spirit.

Grabbing her hair dryer she bent down at the waist and waving the dryer back and forth allowed the warm air to waft through the wet strands and once dry it was brushed until it lay down her back in a black silky curtain.

Quickly lighting a few scented candles, she picked up her cup of peppermint tea, placed it on the bedside table, switched off the lights, pulled on a silk robe and lay down on her bed with Clark's shirt held securely in her hands.

She wanted to think of Clark, she wanted to banish thoughts of Lex and just think of Clark; for years she'd dreamed about the one time they'd made love and right now she wanted to dream again.

OoO

Lying in bed Clark looked up at the ceiling thinking that this time tomorrow night he'd be lying in bed with Joanne. This time tomorrow she'd be back; his fiancé would have returned and closing his eyes he prayed that he was right.

God he missed her, they'd had time apart before, a few days here or there when one or the other had been away covering individual stories or when he had Superman duties, but that was different, that was when he knew where she was and could call and talk to her or vice versa.

He couldn't wait to talk to her, to look into her eyes and know she was his Lois, to have the freedom of holding her again. Scrubbing his hands over his face, he wanted to smile and cry at the same time, it was nearly over, the nightmare was nearly over.

All in all it had been awful. He still found it truly ironic that 8 years ago none of them had a clue what was wrong with Lois; they'd just hoped that she was alright. It was kind of eerie that she had been here with them all along and they just hadn't known it.

8 years ago Chloe had almost been beside herself, his mom had been worried but was trying not to show it, and the less said about his own behaviour the better. He'd had no idea then just how much Lois' existence was essential to his own happiness and knowing it now made him shake his head in pity at Skipper. He'd wasted so many years, so much emotion on the wrong woman, and it had all been for nothing because he was never meant to be with Lana in the first place.

They still didn't know who was responsible, and he was still determined to find out if only to ensure that it didn't happen again, but hopefully just as Lois had woken up 8 years ago, Joanne would come back to him tomorrow. Once she was back where she belonged, once this madness was over with, he could take his time finding out who was responsible without the added worry that she could be taken from him again while he stood beside her helpless.

Rolling over he picked up his wallet and looked at the picture of them; they looked happy, they were happy and please god, let her come back so they could be happy again.

Putting the wallet down he yawned, stretched and closed his eyes, hoping that just like when he was a child on Christmas Eve the night would soon pass, then all he had to do was get through most of tomorrow before she was back.

OoO

Lois lay in bed looking at the night sky through the window; she was supposed to go back tomorrow; this time tomorrow night hopefully she'd be back where she belonged, back to the familiar. Skipper would still be pining for Lana, but Chloe would be back to her old self and she couldn't wait for that.

She'd loved spending the past few days with her cousin, but couldn't wait to go back to her own Chloe, to experience the 8 years between then and now and then to be back here with older Chloe once again.

She felt faintly ridiculous, after talking with both Chloe and Clark, she had to concede there was no proof that Lana was a meteor fre…um person. Once again she'd let her imagination run wild. More than likely Lana wasn't an evil meteor person, there could be a perfectly innocent reason for all the nut balls being crazy about her or wanting to kill her. Granted she couldn't think of one, but that didn't make her a meteor person, just unfortunate. Lana could be meteor infected or she might not be, but there was no reason to keep on with that train of thought because she couldn't prove it either way.

And so what if Lana hated her, if Lana gave her the willies, big deal, she was a rational person, more than likely Skipper gave Lex the creeps with his animosity over Lana.

Lana was in love with Clark but frankly that was her problem. It wasn't Joanne's nor was it hers but she still felt better knowing she'd written the letter just in case.

Closing her eyes she drifted off to sleep with thoughts that she only had to get through one more day and then she'd be home free.

OoO

Martha drifted awake, turned over and picked up the picture of Jonathan from her bedside table. She still missed her husband, he'd been gone for 9 years and she missed him as much today as she had the day he died. The pain was gone but the ache had never healed, she'd just learnt to live with it.

He had been the man she'd expected to spend the rest of her life with, they'd been happily married for 22 years but it hadn't been long enough, the time had gone too fast.

Tracing his face with her fingers she smiled and hoped that Joanne would come back to them tomorrow. She knew that just as she still missed her husband and would until the day she died, that her son would never get over losing his fiancé; it would be an ache he'd carry for the rest of his life and she didn't want that. All parents wanted their children to be happy and that was what she and Jonathan had always wanted for their boy; but his happiness was tied up in Joanne and if she didn't come back, Martha didn't know how she'd begin to comfort her son.

Placing Jonathan's picture back on the bedside table, she closed her eyes and thanked god that Lois had been sent to them instead of somewhere filled with strangers. She didn't know if whoever had done this had sent Lois to them specifically or by mistake, but she was grateful for it anyway.

OoO

Chloe rolled over to face the back of the couch; then rolled over again, she couldn't settle, tomorrow was 'D' day. They still didn't know a damn thing; how it happened, who'd done it or why, and more, they didn't know how to reverse it.

Hopefully Clark was right and tomorrow evening Joanne would be back, because if she wasn't Chloe didn't know where to start looking for answers. Just as they'd been helpless 8 years before, they were helpless now. Both Lois and Clark's fate was in the hands of whoever was controlling everything and she hoped that whoever it was sincerely hadn't meant any intentional harm.

Punching the pillow, she resettled and hoped that her mind would shut down so she could sleep, and before long she did.

OoO

Sitting in her car Lana looked in the direction of the Kent house. She couldn't see it, the night was too dark and the clouds were obscuring both the moon and the stars but she knew where it was situated and that was all that mattered.

It was almost over; the nightmare her life had become the past 8 years was nearly finished. For the first time since she'd walked away from Clark she felt free, no longer bound by the chains of her mistakes.

From the time her marriage ended, she'd waited and hoped, even expected Clark to come back to her but he never had. When he got engaged she thought that only by changing their past could she win him back, and if Lois had never come, if Joanne had never left, more than likely he'd still be trying to fight against his heart; but while Joanne wasn't here he'd lowered his guard and dropped little hints of his deepest feelings.

These past few days Clark had opened up to her more than he had since the last time he'd declared himself and she rejected him. He'd admitted to only ever wanting to marry her, he'd confessed to having premonitions and feelings of terror and thinking only of her. And today he'd divulged that if Skipper had been here, he would have resented knowing that he was marrying Lois and not her then further reassured her that Skipper would be glad to know that she was free from Lex, that he wouldn't harbour any ill will towards her because of her marriage.

She'd looked into his eyes and read the sincerity there and knew that he was reaching out to her in the only way he felt he could, by talking about his feelings in the past tense or by referring to himself as Skipper. But just as she hadn't listened when he'd tried to warn her about Lex, he wouldn't want to listen to her now. However, they were both older now and her relationship with Lex was in the far past, so the pain and hurt he'd felt as a result of her rejection and subsequent marriage had been blunted, but it wasn't going to be easy.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and contemplated the events she was about to instigate and had to accept that once done, there would be no backing out. She didn't want to back out; she just had to accept that it wasn't going to be easy.

She had two challenges, to make Clark acknowledge and admit the truth and then to reassure him that he wouldn't have to face this on his own. She knew that he'd be wary of the possible repercussions when he broke with Lois, and understood that he'd be hurt knowing that for them to be together, others would be hurt in turn. But she couldn't let him fight this battle or his feelings by himself any longer; she was in this too and he was trying so hard to keep from hurting anyone, but if she didn't do something he would unknowingly hurt everyone. She was going to have to be the bad guy and force him to see and accept that by staying with Lois; by marrying Lois he was condemning all three of them to hell.

He was going to be angry and resistant at first, she expected it, but once he thought it all through, once his initial fury was over, he'd come to understand that what she'd done was for everyone's good, and once the first difficult hurdle was past, he'd be grateful.

Opening her eyes she looked down the road and lifted her eyes in the direction of the barn; she'd been waiting here for hours, it was almost 2.30 in the morning so everyone was fast asleep but she was scared. Until this moment, she hadn't appreciated just how much courage it had taken for Clark to plead with her to take him back. He'd known she was wary, angry and full of resentment and although he didn't feel the same way towards her now, he was happily living in denial and with her actions she was going to rip all that away from him.

Pressing a hand to her stomach to calm the butterflies she firmed her resolve. 8 years ago Clark had been her supplicant and he'd done it in the face of her opposition; she couldn't do any less for him now. She had to show him that just as he had put himself out there for her, displaying his vulnerability that she was willing to do the same thing for him.

She wasn't as bold as Lois, nor did she have Clark's courage, but she did have her own steel. This was going to hurt him and he'd probably hate her for it at first, but she was doing it for them, and was willing to take his initial anger for the eventual joy they would finally have.

The spells she'd cast would circumvent his inhibitions, would lower his natural knee jerk refusal, and would also keep him in a deep sleep that he wouldn't wake up from until the following morning and lastly it would give him the delusion that she was Lois, that the body he was feeling and touching was Lois'. He would need that, because until he accepted the truth, he desperately needed a lie that he could live with.

She didn't like the necessity of it, she'd far rather he know it was her but she needed an edge, because just as he'd done when she tried to get him to kiss her earlier, he'd fight against it thinking he was being unfaithful. She had to give him no option other than to wake up to the truth. If she didn't do this, he would never let himself confront his deeply buried feelings until he married Lois and utterly ruined all their lives.

This would be the only time she'd ever play tricks on his mind, it would be the only time she'd ever need to. This time tomorrow night it would all be over, she and Clark would finally be back together again, curled up together in her bed…no, their bed after making love.

Opening the car door, Lana climbed out, turned the flashlight on and began the long trek down the road. The moon drifted out from behind the clouds lighting the way, almost as if giving its approval. She stopped outside the barn, took a deep breath, went inside, up the stairs and over to the bed to look down at the sleeping occupant.

The moon's light was pouring in through the window and made the barn look beautiful, almost unearthly. The night air was a little chilly but Clark didn't feel the cold and she would soon be warm so it didn't bother her at all.

He looked so wonderful, so handsome, the slight smile on his face made her feel as if he'd been waiting for her to come to him; as if he knew she was here and was now waiting impatiently for her to join him.

She quietly slipped out of her clothes, her underwear and pulled the blankets back before kneeling down on the mattress. Lifting her hand, she ran it over his hair then cupped his cheek while her thumb rubbed gently over his lips.

Reaching up she removed the clip allowing her hair to rain down, then shook it behind her shoulders so it wouldn't obscure her breasts. He was asleep, he didn't know she was here, but for now she wanted to pretend that he was looking at her with love and desire burning in his eyes.

She'd never had to worry overmuch with exercise and dieting and considered herself lucky. If his eyes were open he would see that she was still slim, her shoulders were narrow and her breasts were uptilted and firm, her hips and waist were small and her stomach flat, then his eyes would follow the natural line to her lower body and onto her well toned thighs. She had nothing to be ashamed about, she had a nice body and he'd already seen it, it was years ago but he'd said that she was beautiful.

Lying down on her side, she let her body rest slightly against his, then lifted up on one elbow and looked down at him. Lifting her free hand she lightly ran it up his arm and across his shoulder, allowing her fingers to graze his neck before laying her palm flat to run it over and down his chest, across his stomach and stopping at the barrier of his shorts.

She toyed with the idea of slipping her fingers inside, but knew that would just be cheating both of them. She wanted him awake and aware and he'd want that too. He'd want to look into her eyes while she touched him, while he touched her, so instead she trailed her hand back up, just letting it lightly brush his skin then gently ran the tip of one finger over a nipple until it hardened. Laying her palm flat again, she let her hand glide down his side and up onto his chest before coming to a stop directly over his heart. God he felt incredible; so powerful and smooth at the same time, she hadn't touched him in years and revelled in the sensation.

Just as she leant down to drop a kiss on his chest, he murmured under his breath catching her by surprise. She snatched her hand back, her eyes flew to his face but finding that his eyes were still closed, she let out her breath in a quiet whoosh before softly placing her palm on his chest once again.

When he shifted and started to turn onto his side, she quickly moved, laying her upper body on his chest, and gently running her foot up and down his leg until he parted them enough to allow her leg to slide in between his.

"Lo? I've missed you baby…"

Hearing those words hurt her heart, but knowing that she'd used magic so that he'd believe she was Lois, she had to accept that in his mind it was Lois lying on him; Lois whose body he could feel and Lois he believed he was caressing. Her eyes closed in rapture when his arms pulled her to lie fully on top of himself; a soft moan falling from her lips at the sensation of her breasts crushed gently against his chest while his hands stroked her back. Running her fingertips gently across his forehead and through his hair, she kissed his throat before lifting up to whisper in his ear how much she loved him.

"God Lois, I love you too, please don't leave me again." When tears started to slip from under his closed lids she smoothed them away, before wriggling to lay her head on his chest but he hugged her to him and refused to let her move away "No…you can't leave me again baby. Please…please Lo."

Once he seemed to realise she wasn't going anywhere his embrace loosed enough that she could slip down to lay her head over his heart. The spell she'd used should have ensured that he stayed in a deep sleep; it had surprised her that he'd woken up even a little, but he'd quickly settled and that was all that mattered.

She knew that when he woke up he was going to be angry, furious at her for doing this, but once she explained that she did it for them; that she'd only done what had to be done to make him face what his heart was fighting, he'd think about it and more than likely brood, but eventually he'd come round and understand that she'd done the right thing, the only thing for all of them.

And tomorrow morning when Lois woke up from the uneasy and restless night's sleep she'd given her, when she sought him out as per the little spell she'd woven; Lois would be reminded that Clark Kent and Lana Lang would never be over and hopefully she'd remember that when she went back.

Closing her eyes she soon fell asleep to the sound of his heart beat and the feeling of his arms wrapped tightly around her.

OoO

Clark felt like he was drifting in a sea of bliss, Lois and he were together but the dream which had started out so real become hazy. When Lois touched him he felt repulsed, her touch felt false, and he began to move away from it but when her breasts touched his chest, when her leg slipped between his, his arms reached out and pulled her onto him fully "Lo? I've missed you baby…"

He stopped and frowned something felt off, he felt unsettled but that couldn't be, it could never be wrong for him and Lois to be together. When she said that she loved him, he let go of his uneasiness, feeling both euphoric and relieved. "God Lois, I love you too, please don't leave me again."

When she began to wriggle away he started to panic, she was leaving, she must have sensed his disquiet, his uncertainty and tightening his arms he held her fast and refused to let go "No…you can't leave me again baby. Please…please Lo." Realising that she wasn't trying to get away from him, wasn't trying to escape he relaxed and let her move so her face could lie on his chest while he held her securely, and sighing in contentment, he let go of his agitation.