Chapter 26

"Untrustworthy"

"How's it going?" Lois startled Clark. He was obviously more distracted than he had realized because he hadn't heard Lois come up to him and he had heightened senses. "Did you find anything you like?" Lois asked.

"Yeah, right," Clark said sarcastically.

"I thought so," Lois smiled.

"I thought you were helping Linda pick out some clothes."

"I was, but then I realized that she has really good taste and she's a lot better at piking out clothes than her older cousin. So I decided I'd help him out."

"Thanks, but didn't we buy enough clothes for me last time we went shopping?"

"You could use a few more dress shirts and t-shirts," Lois replied.

"Why?" Questioned Clark.

"Because my goal is to get rid of all the plaid that's in your closet, so we need clothes to replace it."

Clark let a laugh escape. "Thanks."

"For helping you get rid of your plaid clothing? No problem."

"No."

"Then for what?"

"For putting up with Linda. I know she can be rude, it's just that she's kind of shy and she doesn't really know us."

"Clark, it's okay. I like Linda. And you forget, I'm the queen of rudeness so there's nothing she can do that I haven't already done. I can handle her, and besides she hasn't been rude lately. There have been a couple of times where there's been an uncomfortable silence, but I think she's starting to open up to me."

"Yeah, she likes you," Clark replied.

"You know this how?" Lois raised an eyebrow.

"I know, because she asked a lot of questions about you this morning."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She even tried to persuade me to date you," Clark slipped.

Lois looked at him before asking, "And you said what, exactly?"

"Well... Us..." Clark pointed to himself and Lois. "You and I... We're... Dating is out of the question... Right?" Clark stumbled.

"Yeah. Of course," Lois said looking at Clark, who looked at her as if to ask why dating would be out of the question. "I'm way out of you're league, Smallville."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Lois, you'd be lucky if I kissed you," Clark said with an attitude to try and sound confident.

"Clark, you'd be lucky if any girl kissed you," Lois shot.

"I've kissed plenty of women before."

"Yeah your mom, Lana, Alicia, Linda, Chloe. Oh, let's not forget about that cheerleader Mandy and Simone. Did I leave anyone out?" Lois teased.

Clark let out a sarcastic laugh before responding, "Well at least I don't always go for the emotionally unavailable type."

"What does that mean?"

"Think about it, Gram, A.C., Oliver, and even Richard to an extent because he's only emotionally available to himself," Clark said causing Lois' look to suddenly change to a look of anger.

"You know what, Smallville, at least I'm not pining over 'what could have been', like you are with Lana," Lois said to hurt Clark rather than tease and apparently she had struck a chord.

"Lois, Lana is my past," Clark finally said after a moment of silence..

"Then what's your future? Lois asked folding her arms in front of herself.

"I don't know, but I hope she's really close by," Clark said knowing that Lois was his future and she was standing right in front of him.

"Don't we all hope that," Lois said trying to sound assured that there was someone out there for her, but now she wasn't so sure. She was hoping that Clark would say that she was his future, but he didn't and surprisingly it left Lois feeling vulnerable.

"Lois, don't worry," Clark said taking Lois' hand. "The man for you is closer than you think."

Lois smiled at Clark. Was this some kind of code? Did he want her to know that he was in love with her but wasn't ready to admit it, or maybe he was to shy to admit it. Either way Lois was more reassured, and her feelings for Clark were definitely real although she was still afraid to admit that she had them. "Thanks Smallville," were the only words she could say and Clark nodded in response. "Clark, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Does Lionel know about your real family?"

"Yes, he does. I guess you could say Lionel knows my father pretty well," Clark said thinking back to when Jor-El used Lionel to communicate to him. Lois looked at Clark and Clark continued. "When my parents adopted me it was through an adoption agency owned by Lionel Luthor."

"I didn't even know Lionel owned an adoption agency."

"That's because it doesn't exist anymore. It was created as a favor to my parents so they could adopt me without the interference of the sheriff or the police."

"Why did Lionel open an adoption agency as a favor to your parents though? I thought you dad didn't like Lionel that much."

"Lionel created the agency because when the meteor shower hit Smallville in '89, my parents helped Lionel and Lex, so that's why it was created as a favor to them."

"Is that how you and Lex became friends?"

"No. I didn't meet Lex until much later. I was a freshmen, I was on my way home from school when Lex crashed his car off the bridge I was on. I jumped in after him and pulled him out. After that..."Clark paused.

"I get it."

"Clark, Lois, I'm ready," Linda called coming up toward them. "How cute, you're holding hands. See Clark I told you the two of you could date." Clark and Lois turned red and pulled their hands away.

"Oh she's shy alright, Clark," Lois whispered as her and Clark turned to looked at the two shopping carts that Linda had filled with clothes. Both their faces fell in shock. "You picked out all that?" Lois asked.

"Yeah, Lionel said we could get as much as we wanted. Remember 'money is no object'," Linda replied.

"No, Linda. We can't get all that. He was nice enough to let us take his credit card," Clark said.

"You won't let me buy all this because you're mad that I interrupted your's and Lois' moment. That's it isn't it?" Linda asked.

"No, Linda," Clark said.

"And we weren't having a moment," Lois input.

"Yeah. Not even close," Clark said.

"Okay, whatever you say," Linda said. "Lois can you help me pick out what stuff I should keep?"

"Sure," Lois smiled.

"You want Lois to help you?" Clark sneered. "She can barely pick out her own clothes," Clark laughed.

Lois spun around and punched Clark in the arm. "Look who's talking. Smallville, the only thing you can match is plaid," Lois retorted as she walked away with Linda.

"Right this way. We're almost there," Lionel said leading a blindfolded Martha. "Here we are." Lionel removed the blindfold from Martha's face.

"Lionel it's terrific," Martha responded after seeing the beautiful lunch Lionel had prepared for the two of them in one of the Luthor Gardens in Metropolis. She turned to him and gave a big smile and hug.

"Shall we?' Lionel asked looking at the table.

"Of course," Martha agreed heading to the table behind Lionel. Lionel quickly pulled out the chair for Martha.

"My lady."

"Thank you," Martha said as Lionel took his seat across from her. "You really did a fantastic job with this, Lionel."

"Anything for you Martha. I just wanted it to be perfect."

"It really is. You did an amazing job."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Martha said in her usual polite manor.

"So, Linda, do you even like coffee?" Lois asked. "We just kind of told you we were going there without asking if you wanted to or not."

"Um..." Linda tried.

"If you do like coffee you are definitely going to love 'The talon'," Lois said. "I used to be the manager until I decided to go back to university in Metropolis with Clark and Chloe."

"I-" Linda attempted to speak again.

"Are you planning on going to University, Linda?" Lois interrupted.

"Yes. I think I'm going to go to Met. U. actually," Linda said.

"Good for you. Do you know what you want to study?" Lois' inquisitive nature took over.

"I don't know for sure, but I'm thinking maybe journalism," Linda shrugged.

"Another journalist. An interest in journalism must run in your family. Maybe Clark's and your parents were journalists or wanted to be journalists."

"Neither of our parents were journalists," Linda responded.

"You know, I was never really interested in journalism until my cousin Chloe got me hooked on it. I just loved the idea of seeking out the truth. Then Clarky convinced me to enroll in a journalism course at Met. U. with Chloe and him."

Linda looked to Clark. "Does she ever stop talking?" Linda questioned with a worried look on her face.

"No," Clark replied.

"Maybe I don't stop talking, but at least it's something I'm good at doing. I can't cook, but I can talk and I hate uncomfortable silences," Lois said.

"That's true," Clark told Linda.

"I see," Linda nodded.

"Speaking of uncomfortable silences, you're being awfully quiet there Skippy."

"Skippy?" Linda raised an eyebrow.

"Don't ask," Clark replied.

"Why are you so quiet?" Lois asked again.

"Just thinking," Clark responded.

"Thinking, or brooding?"

"Thinking."

"About Lana no doubt," Lois grumbled turning away from Clark and Linda surprised by her jealousy.

"I can't help it Lois. Something is going on with her and I don't know if she's safe. Especially with Lex around."

"Clark, why do always feel the need to protect Lana? She puts herself in a situation and you try to get her out again. You can't always clean up her mess! After everything she's done to you i don't know why you even trust her anymore."

"Why wouldn't I trust her?"

"Clark! She practically left you for Lex!"

"But-"

"Lex Luthor!"

"I know, but she's still my friend."

"Clark, She's not the same sweet innocent Lana she was a few years ago."

"Clark shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe she's not." Clark frowned and walked past Lois into 'The Talon'.

"Great. Now I hurt him and he's mad at me," Lois said to Linda.

"You don't trust this Lana girl much, do you?" Linda questioned.

"Why should I?" Lois asked then turned and went into 'The Talon'. Linda ran after Lois.

"Why don't you trust her?" Linda asked stopping with Lois in the door while Clark was standing in line.

"Because she hurt Clark," Lois responded.

"And that affects you how?"

"I don't know, it just does. I care what happens to Clark, and... Why am I explaining myself to you?"

Because you trust me," Linda smiled.

You're right," Lois laughed. "There's something about you that makes me trust you completely, kind of like Clark."

"Is that a compliment?"

"I guess it is."

"Hi Lois," Lana said as her and a man wearing grey dress pants, a white shirt and a black jacket walked past and got in the line behind Clark.

"Speak of the devil," Lois said watching as Lana put her hand on Clark's arm. Lois glared at Lana, thinking no one had noticed how agitated she was, but Linda saw.

"Are you okay?" Linda asked watching Lois intently.

"What does she think she is? Better yet, why does he let her walk over him? She says jump and he asks how high. It's pathetic."

"You are so jealous of her," Linda laughed.

"I'm not jealous. Lois Lane does not get jealous over someone like Clark Kent and Lana Lane. I'm just looking out for Clark."

"Sure, you are."

"I am."

"Whatever you say," Linda said getting in line.

"I am," Lois said to reassure herself.

"You really think this plan of yours is going to work, Lex?" Richard asked as he sat at the desk in Lex's penthouse while Lex practiced fencing.

"Trust me, I'm more than confident in this plan. I'd stake my life on it. If the plan does fail, at least it will hurt Clark enough to make him let his guard down," Lex retorted finally stabbing his fencing partner. "You can go now," Lex said to the woman waving her off.

"Will Lois be hurt?" Richard demanded.

"If necessary, she may be. You could always use it to your advantage. If she gets hurt, which I doubt she will, especially with Clark protecting her, you can always use the opportunity. Help her recoperate and get close to her all the while pushing Clark away."

"Do you think she'd let herself get pushed away from Clark so easily?"

"If strategically planned, anyone can be pushed away from people they love," Lex smiled sardonically.