Author's Notes: The legal team is getting more and more ruthless by the story. I can't go anywhere without feeling like Milian is going to jump out of nowhere and hand me a subpoena or something. The jury seemed questionable to me. Also, some have asked what the timeline for this story is… it's revealed in this chapter.

Chapter 8: Past vs. Present

They walked into the Talon together separately, making a conscious effort not to lead people to think that anything other than friendship was occurring between them. After the debacle that occurred with his parents in Metropolis yesterday, Jonathan and Martha decided to stay in Metropolis another day before heading back to the farm.

"Before I forget, thanks for the ride"

He smiled. "Not a problem. I like flying with you"

"Is that right?" she asked, smirking.

"I do," he replied, bordering on shy.

Lois and Clark figured they needed some time to come to terms with what's happened, and it's becoming even more real that ending their sudden marital tryst wasn't going to happen any time soon.

They were going to make the best of it, or at least they're going to try.

"What will it be?" he asked her, reading the coffee menu.

He sat opposite her in a booth, but their faces tend to get dangerously close to one another. It could be that he missed being near her or she missed being near him, and if it's at the same time, then missing each other is making being apart damn near unbearable.

"I'm not up for coffee, right now," she said, hands on table.

Clark reached out with one hand to touch hers. They share a brief respite when the doors swooshed open and their hands immediately spring apart. It was Chloe and Lana back from their trip to Metropolis together.

"I'll have a grande mocha," she changed her mind.

He looked up at an incoming Chloe Sullivan, smirking. She's probably still amused at the whole Lois and Clark secret marriage ordeal.

"Chloe, what are you doing here… and with Lana."

Lois plastered a fake smile before facing the small town princess. "Hi!" She wasn't trying to be insincere, but she wasn't sincere either. It's a cross between it, a 'tweencere.'

"It's been a long time since we got to hang out," Lana replied, happily. "We called your parents; they said you might be here. It's kind of like old times." She looked at Clark with a longing glance.

The cousins rolled their eyes. Not again. And it surprisingly didn't have anything to do with the little fact that Clark is her husband. No, Lois has been in the middle of their unromantic drama since she's met the farmboy. And it's not a pretty sight.

"Can I borrow my cousin for a second?" Chloe asked Clark. Lana looked between the two oddly.

Clark shrugged, trying to give off the impression he didn't care.

It worked, so far.

Chloe led Lois outside. Once they were clear of any prying eyes and ears, Chloe went full throttle with her questions. She didn't even give Lois time to breathe.

"What's going on?"

Lois feigned interest. "What do you mean?"

"You and Clark," Chloe elaborated.

"What about me and Clark?" She wasn't going to make it easy for her dear little cousin. She loves her very much. She's her best friend as much as she is her family, but some things need to remain under wraps.

"Stop kidding around, Lois. I want to know. How are you two holding up?" Chloe pleaded with her whole heart.

Oh, so the Kent's didn't tell her. Lois smirked inside.

"Perfect," Lois answered with a full blown grin. "We're meeting with the bank later today, you know. Joint accounts. It's a big step for us. And then we're going to meet with a realtor to help us find the perfect manicured lawn in the suburbs"

Chloe frowned. "You suck, you know that"

Lois laughed, opening the door back into the Talon. Chloe sends her a disappointing sigh before heading in. Before they get any further, they notice the awkward exchange between Clark and Lana.

"I'm living back upstairs again," Lana informed him, hoping it would spark a memory of their time together.

He was non-reactive, practically disinterested as he continued to stir his hot chocolate for five straight minutes.

"I can never escape this place," she added.

Clark finally looked up at her.

"Excuse, what?"

Lana is disappointed.

"I'm sorry," Clark apologized. "A lot's been going on. I've been really busy"

She perked up. "Oh yeah, with what?" she asked curiously.

A few tables away, Chloe shook her head, worried for her two closest friends. She hears a chuckle next to her and complained. "It's not funny, Lois. Lana's been hung up on Clark since they broke up – "

"You mean, since Clark dumped her," Lois corrected, still chuckling.

"Come on. A lot more happened, you know that"

The four young adults have just finished their sophomore year of college. Lois was ahead of them a semester when she was making up her credits the summer before. Clark and Lana's romance, for lack of a better word, died out their first year.

It was a slow and agonizing death and even Clark knew he had to end it. So he finally did.

"Of course I do," she agreed. "I was there through every ounce of drama that occurred between them, remember." She wanted to move to another country every time he'd call her at one in the morning talking about how depressed he was. "It was the most ridiculous display of dull romance I've ever had the displeasure of witnessing"

"Ri---ght. And you and Clark getting hitched in Italy and losing your memories is far more romantic"

Lois smiled cockily. "We'd have the #1 movie in the box office," she said, crossing her arms to hit her mark.

"I don't know how you do it," Chloe remarks astonishingly.

She raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"You and Clark"

She rolled her eyes. "Are we back to that again"

"Just hear me out," Chloe explained. "I don't know what it is about your relationship, but you and Clark click whether you admit it or not. He smiles a lot more around you. Maybe you two should just give this marriage a shot"

Lois could only smile. "I'll tell you what…" she starts and hanging Chloe by her every word.

"What?" Chloe asked eagerly.

Just as she was going to answer, she gives off something entirely different. "Let's go rescue Smallville and we'll take it from there"

Chloe groaned unsatisfied, and then followed.

"Lighten up, little cuz"

"I can't. The romance department in my life is practically non-existent"

"Oh, that's not true. What about that guy you told me about last semester? You seemed pretty taken with him"

"That was my Lit Professor!"

Lois shook her head not knowing what the big deal is.

"Your point?"

Chloe glared at her cousin.

The cousin's return and Clark was eternally grateful for it. Chloe purposely sits next to Lana so Lois had to sit next to Clark making her send a victorious look to her cousin clearly stating, all is fair in love and war.

Lois didn't let up. Two can play this game.

"So Lana," she began with a smile. "How's Central Kansas for you? Isn't it rather ironic that you and Clark switched schools the same year?" she asked, referring to their sophomore year in which post-breakup had Lana dropping out of Met-U and signing up to Central Kansas while Clark did that exact opposite. She couldn't help but find it amusing.

THUD! Chloe kicked her shin from underneath the table.

"Chlo! That's my bone your breaking," Lois responds unapologetically. She really didn't say anything that wasn't public knowledge already.

Chloe hid her face, embarrassed.

Lana didn't know what to say.

And Clark just kept his eyes on his chocolate mug. How Lois can be so forward, he can never understand.

It's true, Lana did transfer to Central in hopes to rekindle their relationship, but Clark has had enough. He wanted to move forward. Enjoy his life. He didn't want to be burdened by the past he can't change and expectations he built up too high that the only thing he can see are disappointments.

Now he has something different to look forward to and she's sitting right next to him.

It took him two years to really get to know Lois and learn the contrasts in which she exhibits with different people. At first, their relationship was of the bickering kind, the ones where the only thing exchanged between them doesn't extend to the emotional level, and it was fine for the both of them.

Until one moment after another, they find themselves needing each other's company. Sometimes even advice.

It was never romantic, at least that's what they tell themselves, almost making a conscious effort never to go there, and it worked just fine until a week ago.

A week ago, everything changed… they went and got married.

It didn't seem like either of them regretted it too much now, though.

"Clark?" Lana spoke out softly.

He looked at her. "Yeah"

"Why do you have a ring on your ring finger?"

Chloe spilled her drink almost making Lois spill hers.

Damn. He didn't take it off, Lois thought.

She had removed hers and placed it in her dresser drawer the night before she remembered. Everything went by so fast, she had completely forgotten about it.

Clark apparently hasn't.

"Uh…"

To be continued…