Author's Notes: Piper, you're not wrong. People write her a lot leaving, but I actually had her say goodbye. Sonia, yes it's cruel and unusual. I realized when I finished Chapter 33 that I could end the story in a couple chapters, so I decided to thrown in this scenario to spread it out a little further. Hence the change in direction. Lilly, all will be known soon. Elbowface, I'd recommend 2200. A lot of teasing there. LOL! Thanks everyone for the reviews. I wholly appreciate it.

Metamorphosis – Chapter 35

Lois Lane and Martha Kent walked along the path towards her pickup truck in relative silence. Between the two of them, there were so many questions to ask. So many emotions to share, neither knew how to approach the situation.

"You look well," said Martha kindly.

Lois has changed since Martha last saw her over a year ago when she and Clark visited the farm one weekend. She looked exhausted and a little ill maybe, but she isn't very sure.

"You too," said Lois.

She has only ever been nervous around Martha Kent when she first visited her in the hospital after the shooting, but now, after a year of no contact with her, her husband or her son, well, there's reason why she is hesitant to speak without fear of saying the wrong thing.

"Your call was a surprise, I didn't know whether to tell anyone or not, so I just got in the car and here I am"

Lois smiled weakly at the thought, suddenly awkward at the position she placed themselves in. "You didn't do anything wrong, believe me... its okay, either way, I'm glad you came"

"Why are you here, Lois?" Martha asks softly. "What happened to you? One morning, Clark comes to us and he says your gone"

Immense guilt from her departure shot through her with a force of a shotgun pulling you back right after you pull the trigger.

"It all happened so fast"

"Where have you been?"

"Around." A beat. "Everywhere." They reached Mrs. Kent's pickup truck first and Lois stood meekly in front of the older woman, words failing to be expressed. "How is he?"

"Clark." Martha knew what she was already thinking. "He… he misses you. He finished college, though," Martha recounts proudly. "After you left, he sort of threw himself into his studies. I think it was easier for him not to think about you when his mind was occupied with large stacks of homework"

Lois smiles in spite of herself. Martha continues.

"So he took extra classes during the summer and during the school year"

"I'm happy for him"

"He'll be happy to see you," said Martha encouragingly. Just because her son is a college graduate now, it didn't mean that he thought of Lois any less. On the contrary, he thinks about her a lot. "Can I ask what happened?"

Lois swallowed hard. "You can, but I owe it to Clark to tell him first. I just needed to see you guys were fine before I dive in head first"

Martha smiles. Still the same Lois.

That afternoon, Lois rides with Martha back to the Kent Farm. During that brief trip, various thoughts and feelings battled within her. Martha was silent knowing that Lois had a lot on her mind to sort out. Martha then notices that Lois keeps fiddling with the silver locket she wore around her neck.

"That's a beautiful necklace," comments Martha.

Lois gave a low smile.

"Thanks. It was a gift. From my dad"

"You two have settled your differences?"

Lois shakes her head. "No. We still argue, but he's a lot mellower now"

Martha nods. "That's good"

They arrive at the Kent Farm, and the place looks just the way she last saw it. Lois was thankful that some things didn't change. The two ladies exit the vehicle just as Clark came outside the house.

Clark's eyes go wide in surprise. "Hi"

"Hey Smallville"

And then the last year came flooding back and he immediately goes on the defensive. "What are you doing here?" he asked rather skeptically.

"Partly to beg and plead for your forgiveness, but mostly because I wanted to see you." Lois clasped her hands together a little nervously. "How are you?"

"Internal organs are still in one piece. Especially around here," he points where his heart is.

Clark turns his back to her and stomped his way up the stairs to his loft as Lois trailed behind, rolling her eyes.

"You're angry with me." It wasn't an accusation; it's simply a statement of fact.

"Of course I'm angry with you," he shot back. "You left. You give me everything and then you leave. Who does that?" Clark closed his eyes then opened them shaking his head. "Forget I asked." He'd forgotten about the story he told Lois last year about running away to Metropolis one summer before his junior year in high school.

"I didn't come here to apologize," Lois admits.

Clark's jaw stiffened. So why was she here?'

"That's great," he says sarcastically.

"I didn't come here to say sorry because no amount of apologies can change what I did. I could've come back anytime from when I left… but I didn't. I had my reasons"

"And what reasons may that be… if, of course, you think I deserve to know." He wasn't about to let her off the hook that easily.

Lois raised an eyebrow. His confidence has grown the last year.

"You're not making it easy for me to tell you"

"You never make anything easy at all," Clark quickly retorts. He's thought about her every day since she left.

Flashback to one year ago

Lois woke up and Clark could feel her body leave his side. It took all his will not to reach out and take her back in his arms.

He could hear everything. The reluctance of each gesture she made. The quickening of her heart.


And then…

He felt her lips against his and the words that followed.


"I love you," she says, thinking he was still asleep.

Then she was gone and Clark opened his eyes, the tears he'd kept at bay he could no longer withhold.

End of Flashback

"Look, Clark, I didn't come here to start a fight with you. I came to explain what happened"

"Too little too late, Lois," said Cark on impulse.

"Really?"

"No, not really, but seeing you right now is making me angry so give me a minute to cool off"

Lois crossed her arms and leaned back on the banister. As far as scenarios goes, this is going a lot better than she expected. She hoped it lasts.

"You look great, by the way"

Clark tries his best to ignore her but he can't. Not after spending so many months apart and so many nights just thinking about her.

"You too," he says, finally taking in her appearance. She looked tired, but she seems softer somehow. He can't quite explain it in better words.

"Are you staying back here?" she asks, in an attempt to make idle chit-chat.

He shakes his head, it's like no time has passed at all. "I live in Metropolis now. I moved in an apartment a couple months before graduation."

"I heard you applied to the Planet"

Clark eyed her suspiciously. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I'm just trying to make conversation"

"Who told you? Mr. White? Nevermind, it doesn't matter. They didn't hire me"

"They're not in the business of hiring inexperience reporters. You should try freelance; it'll get you on your feet in terms of exposure and experience. The Planet loves that in an application form"

"You would know, wouldn't you?" he says a little bitterly.

Lois sighs. "I haven't written an article for anyone all year," she reveals.

"Oh"

They stood in front of one another in awkward silence until Lois speaks up.

"You want to go for a ride?"

Clark doesn't know how to react. "Right now?"

"No, tomorrow. Yes, now"

Clark chuckles. "You're the one who walked out of our relationship and now I have to do what you ask me to"

"Let's clear the air before either of us says something we might regret. I didn't leave to hurt you. Things got complicated and I didn't call. Then the situation got even more complicated and I was left a little incapacitated, so I didn't call. Lastly, I'm here now trying to make things right, but I can't do that if you keep turning everything I say against me"

Clark sighed then felt disappointed in himself for being too aggressive at her reappearance. It's true, he doesn't know why she left and she left little room in between the months she was gone to tell him why, and he guessed that's where the root of his anger comes from.

Bottom line, she left and he didn't know what for. He hopes she could finally shed some light into that overlooked detail.

"Where to?" he finally says.

Then her phone rings and Clark momentarily curses her cell phone.

"Give me a minute," Lois says, flipping open her phone. "Hey dad. Is everything all right? How is he?... No, I'll be there in a couple of hours…. Okay, bye." Lois hangs up and the conversation left Clark confused.

"Are you seeing someone?"

"Other than my father, not really"

What did she mean, not really? "So there's someone else?"

"I'm not involved with anyone, if that's what you're asking"

"So who's the guy you were talking about on the phone?"

Lois gave him a serious glare. "Don't tell me you used your super hearing to ease drop into my conversation"

"No. I was tempted though. But I didn't. So are you gonna answer me?"

"Yes, but I need tell you something first"

Clark could see all the emotions trapped behind her glistening eyes and knew that she was being sincere. Whatever it is, it has a strong hold on her. Clark puts his anger from her abandonment aside and let's her talk.

"I'm all ears"

Lois breathes in hard. Here it goes…

To be continued…