"What am I going to do with you?" Lois held an ice pack gently on Lex's nose, his head resting in her lap.

They were still in the bar at the bowling alley, in a booth near the back. The manager of the alley had apologized profusely for over ten minutes until a few sheriff deputies had arrived, and after taking statements from all present, the deputies had left it to Lex to decide if he wanted the man who hit him to be taken into custody.

Lex had been very tempted. He disliked being sucker-punched as much as anyone else, but after some thought he decided it was better to let the man feel like he owed Lex for his freedom. The idea that he held that kind of power thrilled Lex and he took his chance here to use it, though he guessed Lois and the others in the bar probably took his actions for less devious then they really were.

Lex opened his good eye and squinted at Lois's hovering face. He tried to smile, and felt the dried blood around his nose pull at his skin and his swollen eye twinge in pain.

Lois grinned back at him, her free hand resting on Lex's head, absently stroking his forehead.

Lex closed his eyes and felt completely relaxed, though he was lying on his back wearing an expensive Italian suit in a dingy bowling alley bar, the ridiculous bowling shoes still on his feet, which were hanging over the edge of the bench seat.

"Looks like the bleeding finally stopped," Lois lifted the ice pack and examined Lex's wounded face. Lex opened both his eyes again, his left one feeling very sore and swollen, like it didn't fit in his head anymore.

"Excuse me, Mr. Luthor?"

The voice startled Lex and Lois. Sighing, Lex slowly pulled himself to a sitting position, his head throbbing as the blood rushed from it. Lois had her hands behind him, helping him up.

There was a kid standing before them. Lex fought the urge to laugh as he stared at the same young, pimply faced kid who had sold them their games of bowling. The kid looked scared to death.

"What is it?" Lex asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance evident in his voice.

"Lex!" Lois hissed in his ear.

The kid opened his mouth, but no sound emitted. He closed it again, still staring at Lex with wide, frightened eyes.

"Take a breath, kid," Lois said smartly.

The kid nodded and breathed in deep. For a moment he swayed and Lex wondered if he was going to pass out from the influx of oxygen to his brain.

"Mybosswantstoknowifyouaredonewithyourlane?" He blurted in one breath.

Lex stared at the kid, his mind trying to process the question.

"Say wha?" Lois said with obvious confusion, her right brow raised in her trademark look.

"My boss. He, uh, wants to know…well, if you're done, you know, bowling?" The kid shuffled his feet and stared at the table where the bloody rag and ice pack now sat.

"Yes," Lex answered without hesitation. The kid stood there for a moment, now looking as if he was going to be sick.

"Is there something else?" Lois prompted.

"Well…I, uh, need the shoes back?" He said, as if asking permission.

"I'll go," Lois said, climbing out of the booth and taking the clown shoes from Lex. He had kicked them off his feet.

While Lois went for their regular shoes and other belongings, Lex ignored the youth still standing in front of him and laid back down on the bench, his headache steadily getting worse in the smoky, noisy bar.

Lex laid on the vinyl seat of the booth with his eyes closed, his head pulsing with every beat of his heart. What a night, he thought. Not exactly progressing like I had hoped. Lex started as he felt something brush his socked feet. Raising his head and wincing through the pain, he breathed a sigh and smiled as he saw Lois smirking, swinging her shawl and Lex's coat jacket at his feet.

Lex slowly pulled himself up to a sitting position again and moved over to let Lois sit next to him. Lois tossed their stuff in the other side of the booth and slid in next to Lex, handing him his designer shoes.

"So what now?" Lois asked, leaning her head on her hand and watching Lex as he slid on his shoes under the table. "You look horrible," she added, grinning widely.

"Thank you," Lex replied sarcastically. "You still look amazing," he added, the sarcasm disappearing.

Lois turned her head, her cheeks pinking slightly at the brazen compliment.

"And to answer your first question…I don't know. I'm fresh out of ideas, this has been more of an evening than I ever expected," Lois silently nodded in agreement. "I'm surprised you weren't ready to go back to the Kent's long ago," Lex added, reaching his hand to his face and touching his bruised eye.

Lex kept prodding at his eye as his head continued to pound. Lois glanced around the bar.

"Lex," Lois suddenly turned, meeting Lex's stare. "Wanna play some pool?" Lois challenged.

Twenty minutes later Lois and a bruised and slightly bloodied Lex were standing at one of the many pool tables in the bar of the bowling alley. Lex let Lois break, and surprisingly, she was quite good, sinking two solids right away.

After Lois missed her third shot, Lex moved in to take his turn, noticing that most of the patrons of the bar were watching them, or watching Lois. Lex felt a wave of possessive anger wash over him and he took his shot, missing the 10-ball and sending the cue ball into the corner pocket, scratching.

There was some sniggering from the table next to them but as Lex straightened up slowly and turned towards them they stopped laughing and turned their backs to Lex and Lois.

Lex stared at them for a moment, than slowly moved his head around the bar. He felt certain everyone was watching them, and laughing, probably thinking Lex had no idea how to play pool. Lex tried to clear his mind, knowing that what everyone else though didn't matter, only what Lois thought mattered. Lex blinked against the haze of the bar, his head feeling thick and still pounding painfully.

"Lex, are you okay?" Lois asked, placing her cue stick on the pool table, disrupting the placement of the balls.

Lex felt Lois place her hand on the small of his back.

Lex didn't feel very well. Aside from the rude stares and the smoky air, his head was pounding worse then ever. All Lex wanted to do was sink into the deep cushions of his leather sofa and drink a large tumbler of scotch.

"Lex?" Lois asked, her voice more insistent, worrisome.

"Yeah, I suddenly don't feel that great. How about we get out of here?" Lex turned a little too quickly to Lois, his vision blurring for a moment. Lex gripped the edge of the pool table, and willed himself to remain standing.

"Sure," Lois took Lex's hand and they slowly made their way out of the bar, and the bowling alley. Lex let Lois lead him, and he wondered if maybe he didn't have a concussion from the punch.

As they got into the limo, Lex sat heavily in his seat, leaning his head back. Lois slid in next to him, her face concerned.

"Where to, Mr. Luthor?" Jack, the driver asked from the front seat.

"Take Ms. Lane back to the Kent's, then home for me," Lex said, his eyes closed.

"No way, Lex," Lois interjected, causing Lex to raise his head and eye her with curiosity.

"Let's just go to your place," Lois said, averting her eyes from his as a slight blush crept up her cheeks. Lex was a little taken aback. "I'll make sure you lay down and that you're okay. I feel like this my fault," Lois added.

"It's not your fault Lois," Lex replied, indicating to Jack to head back to the Luthor Mansion. "I've been trying for years to repair the damage my father wreaked in this town, but by now I feel it's a losing battle. Some people will just never get past my name."

Twenty minutes later the limo pulled in front of the Luthor mansion, and Lois and Lex emerged into the cool night, the stars shining more brightly than they had been in town. As the cool night air hit Lex's face he felt refreshed, his pounding headache abating just a bit.

Once again, Lois took hold of Lex's hand and led him inside the mansion; taking him to the only room she knew how to get too, Lex's study/library.

"Sit," Lois ordered and Lex, very attracted to this assertive side of Lois, obeyed and watched with amusement as Lois headed towards the mini-bar and poured a glass full of scotch into a large tumbler.

"How did you know I wanted this," Lex asked as Lois brought the drink to him, sitting next to Lex with her legs beneath her, her right arm along the back of the leather sofa, the left arm offering the drink to Lex.

Lois shrugged and offered a teasing smile.

"You're not that hard to read, Lex," Lois laughed finally.

Lex reached for the glass, his hand covering Lois's. They sat, staring at each other for several minutes. Lex felt a pounding in his chest, momentarily forgetting about the pounding in his head. Lois breathed out a nervous giggle and pulled her hand out from beneath Lex's.

Lex sipped the scotch and relished the burn as the drink slid down his throat. He turned the glass in his hands, than set it on the glass table in front of him.

"You should really get something on those blood stains, you're going to ruin your shirt," Lois observed, indicating the spots of blood on the collar of Lex's dress shirt.

"It's fine, I have more than enough shirts I can do without this one," Lex smiled.

Lois nodded and crossed her arms before her. Lex heard the grandfather clock in the entryway chime midnight.

"Well, it's late, and you appear to be feeling better, so I guess I'll get back to the Kent's," Lois unfolded her legs and stood awkwardly for a moment in front of Lex.

"So, see ya!" Lois waved and started towards the doors.

Lex reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her. She stood still, her back to him. Lex held her hand and slowly stood and turned so he was facing her back.

Lex raised his right hand, and traced his finger down the side of Lois's neck, then moving his head forward he kissed her in the same spot. He felt Lois lean into him and as he lifted his head he gently urged her to turn and face him. They stood inches apart and stared into each other's eyes.

Lex lifted his hands and cupped her face, tilting Lois's chin up where his lips where waiting to meet hers. As their lips met Lex felt a force drive through his body, as if the earth were moving beneath him.

As they released from the first kiss, Lois shyly smiled and stepped back, her hands wringing themselves in front of her.

"Okay, then, goodnight," she blurted with a false cheerfulness as she moved back a few more steps then disappeared out the door.

Lex sighed and moved towards his glass of scotch, taking another sip. He replayed every moment of the evening over and over in his mind. After a disastrous start, it had ended up not too badly. Setting the glass on the mantle of the fireplace, Lex proceeded to untuck and remove his bloodstained shirt. Clad only in his dress pants and white undershirt, Lex moved towards the fireplace where he tossed his shirt and lit it on fire. He stood back, taking his glass from the mantle and sipping his scotch he watched the shirt disappear within the warm yellow flames.

As the fire slowly died, Lex turned and saw Lois standing in the doorway. Startled by her sudden reappearance, Lex sloshed scotch down the front of his white undershirt. He cursed under his breath as he set the tumbler on the glass coffee table and lifted the undershirt over his sore and swollen head.

"Uh, I forgot my wrap," Lois stammered in the doorway, her eyes looking everywhere but at Lex's bare chest.

Lex smiled and grabbed the shimmering silver wrap from the leather chair where it lay with his jacket. He moved across the room, holding it out to Lois. This close Lex could see there was a flush to Lois's cheeks and her eyes were bright.

Holding it out for her to take, he waited to see if she would look at him. When she finally turned her eyes to Lex, he moved in.