Author's Notes: Dum, da dum dum, dummmm…. Act III is here. It's a pretty straightforward storyline that won't require chapters upon chapters upon chapters to tell it. Honestly, some things are meant to have an ending. ssteph, you flatter me with your kind words. Thank you. Artist, as requsted, here's the next chapter :). GypsyGirl, a lot's gonna happen and I hope you enjoy it.

Act Three

"Okay, whatever you do, do NOT make a move on my girlfriend"

Clark looked at himself – no Arthur – appalled. "I don't see Lois like that. We're just friends." To further express how he doesn't think of her in that light, he adds, "I have a girlfriend too, you know"

"Right. Whatever." They reach the rear entrance of the Talon. Arthur was growing nervous by the second. "Remember, you're just there to tell her that you needed to see your dad back home right away"

"Yeah. Dad called me. Need to get back right away. Got it!" Clark gives the plan a thumbs up.

Arthur shook his head. "Don't ever do that again"

"You need to calm down; I've known Lois longer than you have"

"Have you ever been with her?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. Have you ever dated her?"

Clark shook his head. "Or course not!" he replied wholeheartedly.

"Exactly my point. You don't know her at all." He opened the door and pushed him in. "Don't screw this up, Kent. I'll kick your ass if you do"

Clark ignored him. This was Lois they were talking about. It didn't matter what he claimed. He knew her very well. This would be a piece of cake.

He went through the back door; it was near the time it would take for Lois to open up the Talon, so he made his way through the ground floor and up the stairs. He knocked a couple of times and waited.

It was all or nothing.

The door opened. Clark had everything recited in his mind but before he could utter even a single word out, soft lips pressed passionately against his own.

"Thank god, your okay," she whispered by his ear, her arms wrapped around his neck. Once she let go, she gave him a forced nudge on the shoulder.

"Hey, what was that for?"

He had to take a moment to compose himself. He didn't see the kiss coming at all.

"Last night." She looked angry. Now this is the Lois he was accustomed to. "Where were you?"

Clark (as Arthur) opened his mouth but found himself unable to explain. "I lost track of time."

Her face softened. "Was anyone hurt? I saw the news. There was a semi that supposedly flipped on the road along the highway"

"How's the driver?" he asked, concern all over his face.

"He's gonna make it just fine"

He sighed in relief. "That's good"

"I got worried when you didn't call. Are you okay? Are you hurt or anything?" The show of affection coming out of her went by completely unexpected for Clark. He had never seen her worry this much about another person's welfare besides Chloe's, or at one point, her younger sister Lucy.

"I'm sorry for not calling," he apologized in surprising sincerity.

"It's okay." She hugged him again and this time, Clark found himself returning it. "I'm just glad you're alive"

He smiled weakly, what on earth was he doing?

"Are you hungry?"

Clark turned worried. Was she going to cook for him?

She chuckled. "Relax Aquaman, I was going to ask one of the girls to cover for me for an hour this morning after I open up so we could get some breakfast. After last night's disaster, did you honestly think I was going to attempt making bacon and pancakes. I swear, I have no idea how Mrs. Kent does it perfectly. It's like food brought down by God himself"

Clark laughed, heartily. His mother's cooking always has that affect on people, but never quite as flattering as to the way Lois puts it.

He stuffed his hands in his pocket, the original plan going out the window as fast as he could normally run. Arthur was gonna kill him, for that he was certain.

Lois went to her bedroom and removed her shirt. Memories of the night in Metropolis where Lois danced in her two-piece red, white and blue swarmed his consciousness. This was not the best time to be having that kind of memory pop up.

"Could you grab my jeans by the sofa?"

Clark raised his eyebrows and slowly moved to the couch. Arthur's clothes were all over the place, and so was Lois's. He gulped. Things are serious between them.

"Here you go," he dropped it on her bed quickly, leaving her be.

Lois noticed his discomfort. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he crossed his arms, looking away. "Just fine"

She smirked, amused. Since when did Arthur Curry suddenly become shy? She went ahead and switched jeans. She headed to the living room where Arthur stood almost uncomfortable. She touched his shoulder lightly, turning him around.

Clark looked down as if seeing Lois for the first time. There was a lot of caring and genuineness and possibly, love in her eyes. It practically radiated off her without it being dominant.

"I – uh…" he remembered the plan, but only vaguely. Her lips drew nearer and Clark found himself unable to sway from her advances.

"Lois… I – " The doors bursts open and Arthur (as Clark) appeared. "Hey Lois, sorry to interrupt. I'm gonna borrow AC here for the minute"

"Whoa. Wait a second, Smallville"

"Later, Lois." The door suddenly closed shut, confusing Lois completely like she has never been before.

"What just happened?"

Arthur pulled him into the alleyway and was tempted to punch him again.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?"

"What? I was following the plan"

"That's bull! You were going to kiss my girlfriend. I heard you!"

Clark's eyes went wide. "You were listening on us?"

"Don't try to make me feel guilty. It's not like I knew how to stop it. I was worried about what was happening and the hearing thing just kicked up. And all of the sudden I could see through walls." He turned angry. "And you making a move on my girl when I perfectly said don't"

"She came onto me!"

"She's my girlfriend… what did you expect? Bottom line. You were supposed to keep yourself in line." He sighed, clearly annoyed. "You don't see me throwing myself at your girl, do you?"

"Clark!"

Arthur sighed. Being him lately sucked big time. He plastered on a fake smile and turned around. "Lana!" She tried to kiss him on the lips but he quickly swerves to give her a light kiss on the cheek. "What are you doing here?" he asked, though disinterested.

"Spending time in Smallville, I haven't been back as much since going to Met-U." She slid her arms around his waist. "I've missed you." Arthur wanted this to end. Like right now.

Clark watched Lana with himself, or Arthur, and feeling kind of weird about it. Not upset. Not envious. Just weird.

"Hey Clark," Chloe joined them.

"Hi…er…" her name is a blank space in Arthur's mind.

"Hey Chloe, it's good to see you again," Clark spoke out, as Arthur. Covering for himself.

Chloe looked curiously at them. "A.C. What brings you back to our landlocked town?" Barely met her for a couple of minutes and already the questions start pouring in.

"Umm…" now it was Clark's turn to be tongue-tied.

Arthur couldn't take this anymore. "He's dating Lois," he answered for himself.

Lana and Chloe looks incredibly surprised.

"Dating?"

Chloe smiled. "Way to go, cuz!"

Arthur let out a smile but quickly schooled his features so as to not get caught. "Let's get inside, I'm dying to get the 411 on my cousin," said Chloe cheerily.

Arthur continued to chuckle as he is being led inside by Lana. That, he could do without.

Clark sighed behind him. This wasn't going to end well.

Inside the Talon

"Lois!" Chloe called out to her cousin.

Upon hearing her name, Lois turned with a full tray and when she saw the whole damn town hanging around her boyfriend she nearly tripped over if it wasn't for Clark, who quickly yanked his arm away from Lana to keep her from falling.

"Umm… Thanks, Clark."

Arthur (as Clark) smiled. "You're welcome"

Lana looked between the two curiously. "Lois… so… you and A.C.?"

Lois threw Clark (as Arthur) a dangerous glance.

"How long have you two been together, cuz?" Chloe cut in, she was ecstatic at the news.

An Hour Later…

All five of them chatted around the booth, Lana and Chloe in lively discussion. Lana barely giving notice to Clark, for which Arthur had appreciated, but it wasn't the same with Lois and Clark (as Arthur).

While the revelation that Lois and Arthur was no doubt surprising and exciting to everyone, she had quickly adjusted, sitting next to him closely, their hands intertwining underneath the table, grinning at each other with significant glances. It was driving Arthur insane.

A cell phone goes off.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's my Aunt Nell calling. I gotta take this. I'll be right back," said Lana, getting up.

Arthur breathed freer now that she was gone.

"Ooh, that reminds me, I've got to call the Planet, I'll be right back," said Chloe, leaving too.

How convenient?

Now that the three of them were alone, Lois looked between the two like she knew there was something out of place.

"What's going on here?" she asked inquisitively.

"What do you mean?" Clark (as Arthur) asked.

"Everything's fine," answered Arthur (as Clark).

"I called the hospital. The truck driver claimed he saw two people rescue him, and that the truck was in no doubt tipped sideways. Even the news reports find it odd that the entire truck's side is wrecked. Oh, and let's not forget you being out all night." Lois looked at Arthur sternly. Then she looked at Clark. "And you barging into my apartment this morning – Not cool!"

"Lois, we could explain," Arthur (as Clark) jumped in.

"No. It's okay." Lois waved it off on Clark (as Arthur). "You always seem to have an uncanny way to be at the right place and at the right time – so you helped A.C. get the driver to safety, I'm grateful. I'm glad he had back-up." She looked at her boyfriend and smiled.

Clark didn't know what to say except, "Thank you"

Arthur sighed. He just had to open his mouth.

Lois though, found the remark from her boyfriend a little out-of-place. "Uh, you're welcome"

Lana and Chloe suddenly returned.

"I got to leave guys," Lana said.

"Oh, that's too bad." Arthur said without an ounce of sincerity. Clark kicks him underneath the table, hurting himself in the process.

Baffled by the way they're acting; Lois walks Lana and Chloe out.

Once they were out of view, Arthur lays it out on him.

"What the hell was that about?"

"What now?"

"You're all over Lois, that's what"

"I'm pretending okay, you might want to try it sometime"

"With her?" he pointed to Lana outside, laughing. "Are you insane?" He stops and rethinks that. "Well, I guess you are"

"Don't talk about her like that"

"I was referring to you"

"Don't talk about us like that! You don't know anything about us"

"And judging by her cold-shoulder display here in the last hour, no wonder. Gotta hand it to you, Kent. For a powerful guy, I haven't got a clue what you see in her"

"I've loved her for a long time, if that's what you're asking"

"Uh huh, sure." Arthur turned and x-rays though the walls hoping to catch a glimpse of Lois. "These vision powers you got are amazing, bro"

"Will you knock it off, it's not a toy"

"I'm just making sure she's okay. Man, you're uptight"

Clark sighed. Their predicament wasn't getting any easier.

Lois returned and looked at Clark coldly. "You have a girlfriend outside ready to take off to Metropolis. Aren't you at least going to say goodbye?"

Arthur sighed. His game face on. "Of course. I was just giving you ladies some time alone." He gets up and throws Clark a 'you owe me' look.

Lois takes the seat opposite Clark… err… Arthur.

"Can you believe him?" she said, disappointed.

Clark goes on the offensive. "Maybe you should cut him some slack."

"Unlike the rest of this town, A.C., I don't pretend that it's okay. He spends majority of his time lusting after her and now that they're together, it still isn't good enough for him. As great of a friend he is, he's not all that"

Clark shifted uncomfortably in his side of the booth. Is that how Lois really thinks of him?

"Do you always talk about your friends behind their back?"

Lois isn't bothered by the comment. "If Clark was here instead of you, he'd be hearing the same thing you are now. I'm don't bow down to the alter of Clark. I never will"

"So it's pride?"

"Not pride, fact. There are billions of females on this earth and he goes for the most emotionally unstable one"

This is news to him. "I thought you liked Lana"

"I like her mostly for my cousin's sake, and I'd like to think I'm not naïve, so I give her the benefit of the doubt. She has her moments, but I personally don't think she's worth it."

"If that's how you feel about her, I can't imagine what you think of Clark"

"You wouldn't want to," she said with a wink. "Let's get out of here," he moved around and took a hold of his hand.

His eyes go a little bit wide.

"What about…"

"What about him? Clark's gonna be just fine. Is it a crime to spend time with my boyfriend? Come on, I missed you last night." She brushed her hand through his hair and Clark wondered if he could handle himself around her when he's making her feel things he's always wanted to feel with Lana, and what's worse, she's not even trying.

"Lois – " She shuts him up with a kiss.

Arthur was really going to kill him now.

"Where do you want to go?"

To be continued…