Disclaimer: Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc. etc. etc. I only own the story, so once again, please don't take that away from me.

Chapter 10

"Are you sure, Lois?"

She sighed. She did not need this right now. It was gone. And she was becoming a wreck.

"Yes, Smallville. I'm sure. It was here the other night when you were here. I put it back in the box the next morning. It was the last picture I put in there. It should've been right on top. And it wasn't there."

She didn't mean to, but her voice was gradually getting louder. She wasn't upset with him. She was upset with herself. How could she lose that picture? How could she be so stupid? The one picture she always made sure to look at on that day. And she'd lost it.

It was the one that took her back. Took her to a better time. A time before the cancer. Sure, she wasn't even alive when it was taken, but her mom just seemed so happy. And she needed to remember that.

He walked closer to where she was between the coffee table and couch. She moved her legs under her and sat on the floor, gripping a handful of the old photos.

She took a deep breath and looked at the mountain of pictures spread on the table and sofa.

"Why?"

"Why what, Lois?"

"Why that picture? Why is that the one picture that's missing?"

"Are you sure it's the only one missing?"

She looked up at him standing across the coffee table.

"I'm pretty sure, Smallville. I look through each and every one of these pictures on that day every year. And I've done it for several years. I think I know which ones are missing. And that's the only one."

She was growing tired of this. She was furious and desolate at the same time. Which should come first, the crying or screaming? Both were beginning to look inevitable.

He walked over to the couch and scooted the pictures over before sitting down. He gently picked up a photo that lay next to him of two young girls, one slightly taller, but less happy than the other. He studied the photo before turning to Lois.

"Lois, I promise we'll find the picture."

She could feel it coming. But, no. She wouldn't do it again. She wouldn't lose control like she had so many times already that week. She had to focus on the task at hand.

Lois picked up all the pictures on the couch and moved them to the coffee table. She hoisted herself up and sat on the sofa next to him. She leaned forward on her elbows and put her head in her hands.

"I don't know what could have happened to it. It just doesn't make any sense. I didn't take it out of the box. And it certainly didn't grow legs and walk away or sprout wings and fly. I mean… it doesn't mean anything to anyone else."

She wasn't really talking to him. She was talking to herself and whoever happened to hear.

"Why is it so important to you? That particular picture?"

Lois sighed and rolled her eyes in frustration. She didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to find it. Besides, she had opened her soul to him three nights ago and she still wasn't sure why she did it or why he was so interested.

But, for some reason, she would answer his question now, just like she did then.

"I don't remember her like that."

Clark looked confused.

"Like what?"

"Happy. Well, I guess I do to a certain extent. But just bits and pieces. Images, really. I can see her smiling."

Clark half-smiled like he had that night when he wanted to comfort her. Lois paused and leaned against the back of the sofa and crossed her arms.

"She got sick when I was about five. There were good days and bad days off and on for about nine months. It was those last three months when she got worse. We didn't see her as often then. She was in the hospital and Daddy wouldn't take us."

She stopped, laid her head back and looked up at the ceiling, searching for strength and the right words. She still couldn't figure out why she was telling Smallville all these things. Maybe it was simply because he asked. No one had ever thought to do that before.

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"The last time I saw her was the night before she died. I went in the room and climbed up on the bed. She had all these tubes coming out of her. Daddy picked up Lucy and put her on the bed so she could see her, too. I really think that day was more for Mom than it was for us. She was saying goodbye, not us."

She was still staring at the ceiling, but she could feel his eyes on her. She wanted him to say something. She had confessed too much this week.

"I never knew my mom."

Lois lifted her head off the back of the couch and turned to him. She knew he was adopted, but he had never talked about his biological parents around her. She'd heard Chloe mention something about his adoption before, but she didn't know any details.

And if he wanted to talk, she was going to let him.

"My real mom, that is. A part of me kinda feels empty for not knowing my biological parents, especially my mother." He paused and looked down at his hands in his lap. "Don't get me wrong, I love my adopted parents. But…I sometimes wonder what my life would've been like…"

She gave a feeble smile and nodded. She knew exactly what he meant.

"If things had never changed? I know. Sometimes, I wonder what my life would've been like if my mom had lived. But, I try not to dwell on it. This is what happened and I can only look to the future. But, I still would've liked to have said goodbye."

He gave a weak smile and nodded. He knew exactly what she meant.

Clark leaned forward and reached for a picture of a young Lois and her mom. Her mother was struggling to hold Lois, who obviously didn't want her picture made, judging by her smirk and the slight tilt of her head to one side.

"You know, Lois. Someone once told me that a mother's love never dies."

She smiled, again striving to fight back tears, and uncrossed her arms, putting them at her sides on the couch. And that's when it happened.

He slowly took her hand in his. The only thing that surprised her was that she wasn't surprised. She felt…comfortable. She also got the distinct feeling that he did, too.

And so, she let him hold her hand.