Title: Mist of Change
Author: Nadia Mack
Rating: Pg-13
Disclaimer: I Own Nothing
Author's Notes: This, I believe, is the first multi-fic I've ever written for Smallville's Lois and Clark. You can be nice with your reviews – or not – it's all good.

Chapter 1: The New Guy

Clark Kent is heading towards The Talon. As he crosses the street, he couldn't help but notice a jet black vintage Jaguar Roadster parked outside the coffee shop. Judging by its state license plate, he knew it wasn't one of Lex's.

He wondered momentarily who the visitor is.

"Clark," a voice said from behind. He turns to see Lana Lang.

"Hey Lana." With their so-called friendship, he wasn't quite sure where they stood this time. He's been feeling more and more like a babysitter with her than anything else, and he mentally wondered why suddenly everything is changing.

With Senior year coming to a close in just a few months, he found himself looking forward to the immediate future. College, making new friends, football, Lois... wait, whoa, where'd that come from?

"Clark. Clark, are you okay?"

"What?" He looks at her, and although he'll always care about her, he's okay with the idea that she isn't the person he wants to be with.

"You look like you've got a lot on your mind"

He sighs. "No, just one apparently." Lois Lane crashed into his life like a runaway express train, and did so without so much as a blink. Even in his mind, he couldn't get away from her.

As he and Lana approach The Talon entrance. Lana already knew he wasn't going to share whatever it was he was thinking, so she didn't bother to pursue the question.

Inside, the place was hopping. His mom has been doing a great job with the place since Lana handed over the reigns to her.

As if by instinct, Clark's super hearing immediately catches the sound of an all-too-familiar person, and when he glanced at its direction, he spotted that all-too-familiar face.

"Who's the guy with Lois?" He asked Lana. He briefly questioned why he even cared.

"What guy?" asked Lana.

He points across the room. She sees Lois's companion. "I don't know. I don't think I've ever seen him around here before," she added. "Maybe he's just passing through"

Momentarily forgetting who he was with. "He's getting awfully comfortable for someone just passing through." His voice was harsher than he intended. He mentally reminds himself to leave her be, but he couldn't help but see the difference in her. She looked a lot more relaxed, and if he didn't know any better, she was actually enjoying herself.

Lana in the other hand quickly noticed his change of attitude the moment he'd spotted them. As if being friends with him were already hard enough, to watch him regard another person, especially a girl, and of all people Lois, protectively made her mind race with insecurities, and even more so than not, jealousy.

Suddenly, Mrs. Kent interrupts their thoughts with a tray of ordered coffee. "Good, you're here," she regarded Clark. "Could you deliver this to Lois's table for me, I have my hands tied behind the counter?"

He nodded, almost reluctantly. "Sure mom." He takes the tray from her grasps and walks towards Lois and her... guest. Lana heads up to her room.

As Clark stepped closer, she didn't seem to notice him approaching. He wasn't quite sure if he liked that or not. Normally, he would welcome it, but now the idea of another guy having her undivided attention bothered him, so for the life of him, he couldn't quite figure out why.

By the time he got a few feet closer to her, she finally looked up.

"Hey Clark," she greeted genuinely, without a single trace of sarcasm. She called him Clark, which was even rarer than the lack of attention. Once again, he's asking himself why he even cares.

Lois reached over to the tray he carried and grabbed both drinks, handing one to the guy she's with.

Almost as if remembering her manners. "Oh, Clark this is Bruce Wayne," she gestured. "Bruce, Clark Kent."

Bruce stood up. "Mr. Kent," he greeted, extending his hand.

"Just Clark," he replied.

A small yet awkward silence followed. Bruce notices Clark's mild discomfort.

"Care to join us?"

"I wouldn't want to impose," Clark replied in courtesy. Although a part of him wanted to stay with her, I mean them.

"Not at all, Lois here has been telling me a few interesting stories about her exploits with you in town," Bruce revealed.

Clark eyed Lois curiously. "Really," he began. God, he hoped he didn't mention how they first initially met. "I hope it wasn't anything too embarrassing"

Lois chose this time to speak. "No need to have a heart attack, Smallville." She patted his shoulder, knowing exactly what he implied. "Your secret is safe with me," she teased and winked.

Teasing him about how they first met would certainly make for some interesting conversations, but there was always a worry in his eyes that he tries not to show, so she thought it best to just keep it to herself for now.

Lois scoots across the booth, making room for Clark to sit down. Clark watched her eyes gesture to the space next to her, giving him the go ahead that it was okay to join them. Unconsciously he sat down even before he had a chance to think it through.

"Have you been to Smallville before?" Clark wondered. It was clear now more than ever who's car that Jaguar belonged to.

Bruce set his coffee down and shakes his head. "It's a nice little town," he replied.

At that admission, Lois broke out in laughter.

"Calling it 'nice' is putting it mildly, 'weirdly chaotic' would be a more suitable term to describe Smallville"

"Hey," defended Clark.

"Oh no, not you honey, I meant the town," she clarified, almost jokingly. If she hadn't meant to call him honey, she sure didn't notice the slip. Clark tried not to think too much of it, but she said it so naturally that he couldn't help but like it.

Lois continued, breaking him out of his thoughts. "I mean, all weirdness aside, this town does have it's," she stops short, stealing a glance towards Clark before answering. "Charm," she concluded.

Bruce could've sworn that for a moment, something was going on between them. Before he could analyze them any further, his cell phone began to incessantly ring. He excuses himself for a moment to answer the call, leaving Lois and Clark together, alone.

As soon as Bruce left, Clark begins to barrage her with a series of questions.

"So you two have known each other a long time?"

Lois looked almost surprised. "Ten years next Wednesday," she answered.

If there was one thing Lois and Clark had in common, it was their privacy. She never tugs about his life, and he doesn't pull about hers. They know each other well enough to say that she doesn't take her coffee like that, or silk lining isn't his kind of thing, but there's a current happening he can't explain and all he's doing is following the stream.

"You've never mentioned him before"

"It would appear so"

"Why not?" This is what it must really be like to be a reporter.

"Why the sudden interest, Clark?"

"Why won't you answer the question?"

"I'll answer mine if you answer yours"

"You first," he pressed on. He actually liked playing this game with her. Normally, his curiosity was reserved for the meteor-related or scientifically unexplained occurrences that happen in this town, but tonight, all he seemed to want to know about is her.

"He's a good friend of mine"

"Oh come on, that's not an answer"

"It's the only one I have," she returned honestly. "There's no real big mystery behind it," she explained. "And don't even think there aren't any aspects of your life you don't keep to yourself"

She got him on that one.

"All right, how'd you two meet?"

"Nice one, Smallville, but it's your turn?"

"I was curious"

"Oh, now that's NOT an answer," she laughed out loud.

"But it's the only one I have," he replied earnestly, using her words against her. He could almost see a hint of pride in her eyes when he said that.

Nodding her head. "Fair enough... Daddy and I were stationed on a base outside of Rome, one of his subordinates was a history buff, and he took it upon himself to give me a tour around the city," she reflected thoughtfully, then continued. "Anyway, there were these group of private school kids gathered underneath Michelangelo's sixteen chapel when I saw Bruce wondering about by himself"

Coming from behind. "And in true Lois Lane fashion, she made her presence known," Bruce quickly added, sitting back down. He remembered that day as if it happened yesterday.

Clark chuckled. Lois certainly hasn't changed.

"That's pretty cool." Bruce didn't seem to be a bad guy. So why does he feel jealous all of the sudden? It isn't like Lois is even his to claim, and it's pretty apparent that Bruce Wayne has seniority over him when it came to knowing Lois the longest.

"She's my best friend," he smiled. "Well - next to Alfred of course"

Off Clark's confused look.

"Alfred?"

"His butler," interrupts Lois.

"And friend," Bruce added.

"Touché," she acknowledged, which was followed by a quick toast between her and Bruce. Clark noted the easy camaraderie between the two friends. It looked nothing like the friendship he shared with Chloe, Lana, Lex, or even Pete.

It suddenly dawns on him how much of a presence Lois has had on his life, and he isn't even sure if that was a bad thing. All he knew was that he shouldn't think of her like that. Besides, this is Lois Lane, the same girl that drives him insane, the same girl that calls him on his crap and isn't afraid to say what's on her mind. So why would he even contemplate the idea of a relationship with her?

Lois Lane, God why couldn't he get that name out of his head.

This isn't good.

To be continued...