Author's Notes: The point of Arthur cutting his relationship off with Lois in the first act is because he's been sensing that her heart wasn't in the relationship. This story is more about the workings of Lois and Clark's relationship. Also, a disclaimer to some dialogue near the end. It was inspired by a scene from last week's Prison Break.

Act 2 of 6

"Lois," Clark yelled for her, but she kept walking. He was in luck that he was super powered or else he'd never catch up with her. "Hey," he greeted her with an incredibly warm smile. You could almost say it nearly blinded her.

"Smallville." She greeted in return.

"What are you doing?"

"Walking"

"Where?"

"Forward"

He frowned. "Could you be a little more specific?" She's like a walking sphinx's riddle; he never could figure her out, not entirely. "Would you like some company?"

She shrugged. "Sure"

He smiled and walked along besides her in awkward silence, at least it was for him. Her thoughts seemed like a mile away. He's also beginning to notice a lot of little details about her recently, thinking back to when she first came barreling into his life two years earlier, she never looked down when she walked. The observation caught him slightly off guard. She may stare at the ground, be she never looked straight down at it. She's always so confident about herself.

"How's Arthur?" he asked, trying to make chit-chat as they kept on walking.

"He's all right"

"Good." And he meant it. He has no ill-will towards the swimming prodigy, even if they did share other-worldly qualities and an interest towards the same woman. Speaking of… "Look, about last week – "

"Thank you for the lilies," she cut him off. "All 100 bouquets of them."

He flushed red. "You're welcome," he said shyly. "I thought that… you didn't know it was me"

She raised her eyebrows. Amused. "Who else would I call 'Smallville' other than you?"

He shrugged. She hadn't said anything about it for over a week and he assumed. He has a bad habit at assuming things.

She looked at her wrist watch; it was a quarter to two. She needed to get home if she was going to reach her deadline.

"I've gotta go"

"Do you mind if I join you?" he quickly asked.

"I'm only headed back to the Talon"

"That's okay." He really didn't mind. "Besides, it's been a while since you and I have spent time together. We are still friends, aren't we?"

"Of course we are." She doubled-back. "Umm… correct me if I'm wrong, but you and I don't really spend time together willingly"

He laughed at the truth of the remark. "Maybe it's time for a change"

She breathed out, confused by his actions. "Are you really Clark Kent?"

He sends her a serious glare.

"Okay." She held her hands up in mock defeat. "I was just making sure," she said with a wink. They turn a corner and see The Talon visible in their line of sight. The awkward silence returned and embodied the remainder of their walk until they reached the front doors of the old theatre turned café.

"Thanks," she said, and though weird, she appreciated the company.

"You're welcome"

Clark whistled a horrible tune on his way to Chloe's desk at the Daily Planet. She's moved her way up a few more floors than where she was a year ago. He takes a seat by her desk and sighed heavily.

Chloe couldn't help but notice his gloomy expression.

"Gee, I thought you'd be basking in happiness right about now?"

"Why would I be?" He leaned forward, using her desk as leverage. "I was with Lois this morning. She wasn't even up for small talk," he explained in disbelief. "Are uncomfortable silences the new black now?"

She smiled while throwing him a sympathetic look. "Give her some time. She's not gonna want to jump back in the saddle so quickly after she got off the horse"

Clark looked incredibly confused by the remark.

"What?"

Chloe's eyes go wide. "You don't know?"

He shook his head no.

"Oh, Clark. I thought you knew"

"Know what, Chloe?" he asked impatiently.

"Lois and Arthur," she answered. "They broke up"

The news hit him hard. "When?" he managed to ask.

"Last week"

Clark leaned back on the chair, completely surprised. It explained why she had been so distant and why she lacked the occasional verbal talks and arguments they unintentionally always find themselves in. Why couldn't she have told him?

Lois' doorbell rang and she scurried to answer it. She turned the lock and opened the door. Clark Kent stood with a John Hughes movie in one hand and mint-chocolate chip ice cream on the other.

She didn't know what to say but "Hi"

He gave a low smile.

She let's him in.

After the movie ended and the tub of ice-cream was nearly consumed, Lois stood up to stretch her arms and legs. Then she relaxed, sitting back at one corner of her couch, lifting her knees to her chest as she looked at her sofa companion for the last ninety minutes straight in the eyes.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing"

He feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about?"

"Arthur and I broke up last week. I assume that's why you're here." He did not refute the claim. "Am I wrong?" she asked, just in case she was, though it was highly unlikely.

"A little bit, but mostly because I thought – "

"That I was moping around and crying my eyes out," she completed his line of thought. He looked away guiltily and she shook her head, a little disappointed. "We didn't exactly end on a sour note, so brooding need not apply to me"

"Right." He got up. "I should get going"

"Clark, what's wrong?" she asked, annoyed by his change in mood swings. "What exactly did you expect me to do?"

"I don't know." He really didn't know, this was as close to unfamiliar territory as he's ever been in before. "Talk to me or something"

She completely thought otherwise. "Look. Just because Arthur and I are no longer dating, it doesn't mean I'm ready to jump into another relationship so quickly now that I'm free and clear of other attachments"

"That's not what I meant"

"But it's what you're alluding to," she said flatly. "Let's be honest with each other, Clark. You and I are practically adults here, so why don't we act like one. Lay your cards out on the table"

"I already have"

"I like you. You're a good friend – "

"But I'm no one you're interested in"

"That's not what I said"

"But it's what you're alluding to." He grabbed his jacket and left fastly, leaving Lois standing in her apartment completed baffled at the events that just took place there a second ago.

Chloe lazily got up as the light banging continued to sound off by the door. Even the tiniest of sounds could wake her up and she hated her subconscious for it. She made her way to her door, making sure she stepped quietly enough not to wake her roommate.

She opened the door with great reluctance. This has either got to be Clark or Lois. Nobody does this but them. Through the crack she made as she opened the door, she could see Lois on the other side, pacing now.

"Lois?" she whispered, her mind still half-awake. "What on earth are you doing here at this time of night – wait, let me guess, it's about a boy"

Lois grudgingly nodded.

"I'll be out in a sec"

"So let me get this straight." Chloe stood outside of her dorm building with Lois in the middle of the night, processing everything her older cousin has just been telling her about. "Clark came over this evening with a movie and ice cream in tow, thinking he was helping to cheer you up?"

"Yes"

Chloe suddenly felt like she was trying to piece together a puzzle mixed in with a whole different set of puzzles.

"And the problem lies…"

"I think he likes me"

Chloe laughed. "That's a given, Lois"

"No. I think he really likes me"

"I'm his best friend, I already know all this"

"And when were you going to tell me?"

"No, no, no, no, no. This is about you and Clark. Don't bring me into this. I've had enough of playing referee between Clark and Lana, but I gotta admit, you two are far more entertaining"

Lois glared at her cousin. "I didn't even know there was a me and Clark," she said, completely and utterly frustrated at the situation she unknowingly finds herself in.

"Do you even like Clark?"

"Of course I like Clark"

"More than a friend?"

"Come on, he's like a brother"

That didn't phase Chloe one bit. "Not to blow your big bubble there, Lois, but Clark is no brother of yours"

"You're not helping at all"

"Look, it's late and I have a midterm in the morning." Lois wanted to complain but she didn't want to be the one that caused her to fail her morning exam.

"Fine." Lois hugs her cousin. "Thanks"

"We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

She nods, thoughts still weighed heavily in her mind.

Back in her dorm room, Chloe crawls back into bed, sighing. "Thank God." Her eyes nearly closed when another knock on the door broke her out of her impending sleep. "Ugh!" she growled out of bed. She opened the door to berate her cousin.

"Clark?"

"Hey Chloe, I'm sorry to wake you, but can we talk?"

You've got to be kidding me, Chloe thought.

To be continued…