Note: Aww…this is the second to last chap. It's been a fun ride. Thank you for reading this fic and reviewing. I'll be racking my brain for some more ideas for my next story. Feel free to suggest some fic ideas! Enjoy!


Smallville: The Talon

Saturday, July 17th

3:09 P.M.

"Well, I'm about done here girls; how are things on the hair and makeup front?" Martha Kent called from behind the counter that she was currently wiping down.

"Well, Lana's hair is putting up quite a battle with the curling iron," Chloe said, trying to tease a strand of Lana's hair.

"Thank you for closing up early, Martha," Lana said, fidgeting in her chair. She was referring to the fact that Mrs. Kent had closed the Talon right after the morning rush so that Chloe and Lana could do hair and makeup at the coffee house instead of upstairs, in the apartment that was now a pig stein from all the wedding preparations.

"It was no problem, after all, you are getting married to my only son," Martha said with a smile.

"Speaking of the groom, where is he now?" Chloe asked, pulling up a chair for herself. Her attention was solely focused on making the perfect waves for Lana.

Martha threw off her apron and hung it on the rack. "Oh, I think he's finishing up some last minute preparations with Pete. Then the two of them are going to have lunch—you know some last minute bonding time. They don't have to worry about hair and makeup like you girls." She crossed the room and took a seat next to the table where hair and makeup products were scattered.

Lana giggled, but stopped when Chloe slapped her shoulder for moving. Butterflies were already in her stomach from just thinking about the wedding ceremony. This morning, she had woken up to find Clark gone and a letter with a rose in his usual resting spot. The letter had read:

My dearest Lana,

Words cannot describe the feeling that I get every time I see you. You make my heart beat a million times faster and the butterflies in my stomach flutter uncontrollably. This letter may be corny, especially on our wedding day, but I hope you keep it and read it to our children and eventually grandchildren. I love you and I will see you later today.

Clark

At that moment, Lana smiled at the memory of finding and reading the letter. She hoped that every morning from now on would bring that sensation of feeling whole and loved.

"So, what is the bride thinking about? The wedding night perhaps?" Chloe added in a lower voice complete with a wink.

Lana blushed. "Just thinking about the wedding and the reception. And the wedding night." Lana said, hoping Martha hadn't heard her.

Apparently, she hadn't as she rose from her chair. "Girls, I'm just going to run up and grab some wedding stuff. You keep going with the hair, Chloe."

Both girls nodded and Chloe continued teasing Lana's hair in silence.

"Done with the hair," Chloe announced. "Now, time for makeup."

Lana turned her chair around so she could apply her own makeup using the mirror on the table. Chloe had already done her hair and makeup before she arrived at the Talon.

"I can't believe I'm getting married today," Lana quietly said after a while.

"I can believe it," Chloe said thoughtfully. She paused and then continued when she saw Lana's confused look.

"You and Clark are meant to be together," Chloe said with a bittersweet smile.

Lana bit her lip when she remembered Chloe's high school crush on Clark.

Chloe took notice of this and shook her head. "Don't worry—I don't like him in that way anymore. It's just─"

"Just what?" Lana put down the mascara wand and looked at her friend questioningly.

"It's like fate you know? Some people are meant to be together," Chloe said softly, looking at the floor. "I just wonder if I'll ever meet that someone."

Lana softened her expression. "I have no doubt that you will, Chloe." In a last minute ditch to cheer her maid of honor up, she added, "Maybe you already have met that special person."

Chloe laughed, feeling better. "Who?"

"Pete," Lana simply said with a mischievous smile. "You two are going to the wedding together, right?"

Chloe nodded, not really knowing where this was going. She shrugged and let Lana finish up her makeup.

"Lana?" Chloe prodded a few minutes later.

"Hmm?"

"Well before the 'real' wedding waterworks start," Chloe began, "I just want to let you know that you've been like a sister to me and I'm going to miss you."

Lana put down the makeup product and turned to her friend. She noticed tears in her eyes which also brought tears to her own too. "Oh, Chloe…I'm not going anywhere." She leaned over and gave her a sisterly hug.

"I know you're not, but things are going to be different after you become Clark's wife," Chloe said with a sniff.

Lana nodded to show that she understood. Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Don't you two dare start crying!" Martha yelled from the steps.

Both Lana and Chloe laughed and held back the waterworks. Martha walked down the remaining steps and dropped off a box of what Lana assumed were more plates. Martha had been complaining about the lack of plates at the wedding and had even suggested that Clark go to the china store to grab some more. He had put down the suggestion saying, "The guests that don't have plates can just eat off their neighbor's."

"Well, I'm done with my makeup now," Lana said, adding a bit more blush to her cheeks.

"Good," Martha clapped her hands together and grabbed the box of plates off of the counter. "Now we can drive back to the farm and I can check on Clark and Pete."

"Let me help you with that, Mrs. Kent," Chloe said, offering to carry the box to the car. Lana quickly swiped all the hair and makeup products into a cosmetic bag and grabbed the bundle of dresses.

"Do you have everything, girls?" Martha asked a bit breathlessly as she locked the double doors to the Talon.

"I think so," Lana said, balancing the dresses so they wouldn't crease. "Do you have the cake?"

"It's at the farm." Martha said. "I baked it this morning and Clark's been keeping an eye on it for me. I just have to ice it and add decorations on it."

Lana nodded and headed to Chloe's car, remembering that Clark had said that he would drop his mother off at the Talon since he and Pete needed the truck to run a few last minute errands.

Lana carefully placed the dresses in the backseat and hoped in with them, giving Martha the passenger seat next to Chloe.

The ride to the Kent farm was silent and Lana was grateful for it. Her head was spinning with so many different kinds of thoughts. But one thing remained certain—in four hours, she would be happily wed to Clark Kent.

Smallville: Kent Farm

Saturday, July 17th

4:11 P.M.

"The cake smells wonderful, Mrs. Kent," Chloe commented once they stepped foot in the house.

"Why, thank you, Chloe," Martha said, heading over to the oven and pulling the layers of the cake out. "You girls make yourselves at home. I'm just going to finish up this cake," Martha said, pulling out icing utensils.

"Oh my God," Lana said softly as she focused her attention outside the kitchen window. She couldn't believe that she hadn't seen it when they had pulled in the driveway.

Lana went out the door followed by Chloe. She stopped when she reached it.

"Is that a gazebo?" Lana asked to no one in particular. She turned to look at Chloe's reaction and found a smile on her friend's face.

"You knew about this?" Lana asked in shock. She ran a hand down one of the white posts of the gazebo. She had wondered what she and Clark would get married under and had even asked Clark. He had simply shrugged and asked for her opinion. Lana had replied, "A white gazebo with red roses going down the sides."

That had been exactly what she had gotten. A white gazebo with red roses running down the sides. A white tent with tables and seats had also been set up near the gazebo.

"Sorry…I was dying to tell you, but Clark made me swear not to say anything," Chloe said. "It's nice, isn't it? I can't believe Pete and Clark finished this whole thing today." She touched the gazebo with a finger. "And it's completely dry too."

"It's beautiful," Lana replied. "Did Mrs. Kent know about this too?" She turned to look at the kitchen window where Martha was bustling around trying to finish the cake in time for the wedding.

Chloe nodded. "Clark wanted it to be a surprise."

"It is a surprise."

"You want to get back in and see if Mrs. Kent has some lemonade in the fridge?" Chloe suggested. "It's boiling out here."

"It's Kansas, Chloe, what did you expect?" Lana laughed and began walking back with Chloe.

Suddenly, they heard male voices and Chloe quickened her pace.

"Don't turn around Lana!"

"What, why not?" Lana asked as she was practically shoved into the house by Chloe. Martha gave them both a quizzical look and Chloe jabbed her finger behind them. Martha's eyes widened.

"Lana, dear, why don't you head upstairs and try on the dress—I want to check it for any loose threads," Martha said, turning away from the cake and shooing Lana upstairs.

Just then, the door opened and in came Clark. "Hey, mom," he said as he casually strolled to the fridge. He opened it and pulled out the lemonade jug.

"What the heck are you doing here?" Chloe exclaimed. "Lana's in here!"

Clark raised an eyebrow, not quite grasping the meaning behind Chloe's words. "I'm getting a drink for me and Pete—it's a scorcher out in the loft."

"Well, you can go back and scorch some more," Chloe said pointedly.

"Someone's feeling mean today," Clark said with a fake pout. "Where's Lana?"

"Upstairs," Martha answered, bringing him two cups. "Clark, I thought the arrangement was you and Pete out in the loft and Lana, Chloe, and I in the house. I didn't think you would be coming back in here."

Clark shrugged. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that the bride is upstairs trying on the dress and if you don't get your butt out of here, you're going to curse your marriage," Chloe said bluntly, gesturing him to outside.

"Clark, didn't you know it's tradition that the bride and groom don't see each other on their wedding day?" Martha asked, putting icing on the cake. "It brings bad luck if they do."

Clark scrunched up his face in a way that showed he was trying to remember something. "Umm…yeah…I think Lana mentioned something like that to me before."

"Then you know why you have to get out," Chloe said, pulling his arm and dragging him with the lemonade pitcher out the door. "Don't let Lana see you from your bedroom window."

Clark nodded and called over his shoulder, "See you in three hours."

Seconds after he was gone, Lana emerged from the stairwell. "What do you think?" She spun around, showing off the wedding gown. She was oblivious to Clark's sudden appearance and Martha and Chloe were glad.

"You look wonderful, Honey," Martha said, forgetting about the cake. "Let's go upstairs to check for loose threads."

"I can finish the cake for you if you want," Chloe offered. "I worked at a bakery when I was in New York…so I'm not that terrible…."

"That'll be great, Chloe," Martha said, handing her the icing spreader.

"Just don't ruin my cake," Lana joked.

"Haha…I'll try not to," Chloe said, beginning to work on it as Lana and Martha took the steps to Martha's room.

Lana stood in front of a full length mirror as Martha began snipping away at the annoying loose threads.

After a few snipes, Lana thought she heard sniffs coming from Martha. She glanced at her and saw tears rolling down her cheeks. Alarmed, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Martha wiped her tears away and smiled.

When the concerned look on Lana's face didn't fade away, Martha collaborated some more. "It's just…my little boy is getting married today to the perfect girl. I know it sounds silly…but I'm going to miss him."

Martha broke down and sat on the bed crying. Lana maneuvered herself on the bed next to her and blinked her tears away.

"Martha…Clark is always going to have a special place for you in his heart," Lana said. "You'll always be his mom to him." Lana took a breath, daring whether or not to say what she was about o say. "And you'll always be my mom too…."

Martha smiled and pulled Lana in a hug. "I know I told you to call me Martha, but now it seems silly. Call me mom."

Lana smiled and wiped her tears away. "I love you, Mom."

Martha squeezed her and said, "Lana, I love you as a daughter and I have no doubt that you are the best woman for my son. Clark may have a special place for me in his heart, but you will always have his heart."

Lana blushed and cried onto her mom's shoulder, knowing she would have to reapply her makeup again.

"Look, at us, it's not even the wedding yet and we're already crying," Lana said, laughing.

"Let's have a good cry then, while we have a tissue box next to us." Martha pulled a box of tissue over and placed it next to her. Together, they sat and had a good cry.