To Meddle or Not to Meddle?

Mourning Lana

AN: Just two more chapters to go.

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"So, she thinks I remember?" Clark asked wearily. I tore my eyes away from my food and looked at him. I felt sorry for him. This entire predicament was taking a toll on him. He was rubbing his temples trying to contemplate as to what he should do next.

"Yeah, and she thinks you were leading her on." I said. After we finished our lunch, I put the dishes inside the sink. I had told Clark to stay in my apartment for a while until everything finally sunk in his mind. But, no matter how long he thought about, he still couldn't believe he dumped Lana for Lois.

Well, it's not that impossible.

"I mean, think about it, Clark. You kissed her on new Years day and you made out with her twice yesterday. Sane mind or not, why did you do it?" He nervously shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I appreciate Lois and I'm happy she was my friend but those times when I kissed her, I don't think…I mean I wasn't thinking…or was I?"

I stared at him from the sink, enjoying his utter confusion. It was fun to watch the person finally realizing what was under their nose. He sighed and put his head on the table.

"Look, I wasn't in my right mind when I…yesterday." I rolled my eyes and grinned. The guy still couldn't come to terms with it. "And the New Years kiss…I…we were caught up in the moment. We already confirmed that." Clark said. I nodded. "All I need to do is explain to Lana that I wasn't well when I dumped her and we'll be back together in a heartbeat." He cracked a smile. "Perfect."

"Not perfect." I said. His smile faltered slightly as he turned to look at me. "Clark," I began. "You are an obvious jackass. You do know that, right?" He seemed taken aback by the statement. "You are so obvious you make me look subtle." And that's bad.

"What are you talking about?" He said. I inwardly groaned. Why won't he give up!

"Clark, you're ignoring the fact that what you did, or rather what your subconscious did, was right." he still had the blank, confused look on his face. I sighed wearily. "Clark, you put on the ring. It didn't magically become alive and slip on your finger. When your relationship with Lana became strained and you kissed Lois you didn't know what to do. You were afraid of making the wrong decision. So, you put on the ring to see what your subconscious would do. You can call it curiosity."

"Now that you've seen the damage it caused, you want everything back to normal. Indicating that you're afraid of what might happen if your relationship with Lana died." To me, it was already dead before I even came here. I'm straying off the topic. Come back, Shauna. "Don't you see, Clark? Your surreal relationship with Lana has finally reached reality. And now, it's deteriorating. The illogical has become logical. The blissful has become boring…."

"Shauna! I found Lana…" Her voice trailed off when she saw Clark sitting at the table, staring at me in surprise. Hey, just because I'm twisted doesn't mean that I can't talk sense once in a while. His head shot up once he heard Lana's name. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know I was disturbing something…"

"Chloe, where is she?" Clark said, cutting her off. Chloe looked nervously at me. I was glaring at her.

Glaring dangerously at her.

I had finally gotten Clark to listen to the only sensible thing since the incident happened. "Clark, what about….?"

"Not now, Shauna." He grabbed his coat. "Where is she, Chloe?" He asked a second time. My jaw tightened as I continued to glare at Chloe again. She gulped and shifted her eyes away from mine.

"Uh…"

"Chloe, I really need to find her." He said pleading with his eyes. Dammit! Now she's really going to leak! Who can resist those gorgeous blues?

"At Lex's mansion." She said quietly. Clark's eyes widened and he stepped back. What? He didn't see how chummy they got along. What did I tell ya? He's oblivious to everything!

"What?" He said, hardly believing it.

"Go! She needs to talk to you." Chloe said. Clark hesitantly nodded and exited the apartment. Chloe avoided my glare and was about to follow him when I stopped her with my sickly sweet voice.

"Where are you going, Chlo?" She stopped and turned to look at me. "I need to tell you something." I gave her one of my best saccharine smiles before taking off my apron. She looked around my apartment nervously. Staring at everything but me. "Sit." I said. Have you ever watched a movie with a manic mom telling her children to sweetly sit?

It was just like that.

I sat down in the seat in front of her. "Look, Shauna before you say anything I just want you to know that it was Lana who told me where she's living now. She wants to talk to Clark because she wants the breakup confirmed and…"

"Relax, Chloe. I'm not gonna…what?" I asked. I heard tow things in the fast talk. Two very good things… "Wait a minute; Lana's living with Lex now?" Chloe nodded. Wow. "And she really wants to break-up with Clark again?" Chloe nodded again. Double wow. "Suddenly, my anger is gone." Chloe laughed and I grinned. "I told Clark that I knew he put on the ring. And I was trying to get through to his thick head."

"Well, with Lana about to dump him, he might get the message." Chloe responded. I nodded in agreement. "Hey, you wanna spy?"

"Do you have to ask me that question?" We both laughed as we exited the apartment.

…………………………………………

We parked my car to the sidewalk and stepped out. Clark was sitting on one of the benches, waiting for Lana. We saw her coming out with Lex beside her. They were holding hands. I smiled warmly. They look so cute together. Lex hugged Lana and went away once he saw Clark shooting him daggers. Then it hit me.

Clark's not gonna like this.

Lana sighed and went over to where Clark was. His face was blank and I couldn't blame him. He just saw his, well, technically, his ex with Lex. Lex had won and he didn't know how to react. "Clark." Lana breathed in. "I'm so sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I wasn't in my right mind. I shouldn't have dumped you. I need you back Lana." I nearly gagged at that last statement. Great. My lunch might be coming up anytime soon. Lana better hurry up and dump him again. Lana shook her head and looked down.

"Clark, even you know we can't make up." She said.

"But we can try. I love you, Lana." Clark said.

"I love you too, Clark." She looked up at him. "But, we can't go on like this." She stepped back. "When you broke up with me, it was as if my eyes were opened for the first time. I always thought that we would be together forever Clark. But when our relationship became…."

"Real." Clark quietly finished for her. She looked at him and nodded. "So, it's over then." He looked down trying to avoid her eyes. Lana nodded.

"Yes." She whispered shakily.

"You left me for Lex?" Clark asked incredulously. "How could you Lana?"

"Stop trying to blame other people Clark and blame ourselves. Lex has done nothing but be supportive of me. I like him, and maybe someday…but right now, I'm still trying to adjust and…I need more time."

I can't believe they're still at it! Do they not realize that my legs are killing me? I looked at my watch and sighed. They have been talking for ten minutes. Being the dramatic queen she is, Lana might take an hour to do all this. 2 hours, tops.

"Lana…I have to go." Clark started again. She looked up and nodded. He put his hand in his pocket and took out the necklace. "I think I took it from you when I wasn't myself." He cracked a grin. Lana smiled but shook her head.

"Give it to the next girl you sweep off your feet." She whispered. Clark nodded and placed the necklace back in his pocket. "Clark," Clark looked at her. "We can still be friends, right?"

Clark smiled. "Of course." Lana hugged him and he hugged tightly back. They stayed like that for a minute before parting. "I've gotta go, now, Lana." He said. His voice was slightly cracking. Oh, please, dear God tell me he's not going to cry. He walked away from Lana and down the street. Lana watched him go. After he was out of sight, she re-entered the mansion.

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It's been a frickin' month!

It's been a month since Lana and he broke up. Of course, I'm happy and after the break-up, Chloe and I did our happy dance but…it's not the same since he's been mourning!

Yes, mourning over Lana. She's not dead, dude! At least she wants to be your friend. What's wrong with that? Nothing! But Mr. Brooding can't see otherwise. Chloe has tried talking to him and his parents. But nobody is getting through to him.

I heard he can't eat, he can't sleep. He just broods. He broods all day long! At school, he stares in space and doesn't respond when I talk to him. He hardly goes to the talon. He just goes to his barn and broods!

This brooding is killing me.

And don't think the situation with Lois is solved either. She hardly comes over. I've been asking Chloe about her but Chloe says Lois hardly talks to her. Why is Lois avoiding her best friend and cousin?

Highly unlikely.

I'm beginning to wonder.

What if Lana had gone back together with…..AH! Never think that again Shauna! Clana's dead. I scratched it out of my things- to- kill list. See, I'm falling apart here. I need to talk to Clark. I need to put some sense in the big empty head of his!

…………………………………..

I found Clark in his barn (where else would he be?). He was staring out the window at the sunset. It looked beautiful and I wanted to just relax and enjoy it but I was on a mission here and I needed to fulfill it.

Now, how was I going to get his attention?

"Suck it up!" I shouted. He whirled around and faced me. Surprised at what I said. "Yeah, you heard me. I can't take this anymore. You're brooding is annoying me. Why the hell can't you move on?" Okay, I know I was a little harsh and that you don't just get over your first love immediately. But I really wanted to go home and this mourning for a month thing wasn't helping my process.

"Shauna…" He shook his head at me. "I really loved her; I thought we would always be together…" Arg! That damn song!

"Okay, so you won't get married to her and you won't have little Lanas and Clarks running around your manicured suburban lawns but you're not gonna die ether! Clark you have got to stop dwelling in the past. Lana moved on so why can't you?"

"Shauna…"

"Can I ask you a question?" I said cutting him off. I didn't' want to listen to his same, sad excuse every minute of the day. "What do you see yourself as in ten years time?" I see the primary colors but that's a different story. His head shot up and he cracked a grin.

"I don't know, Shauna." He blinked a few times. I smiled. Ah, the future scare. It works everytime. "I haven't really thought about it." He mumbled.

"Well, you know what I see?" I told him. "I see you as a journalist working at this great newspaper company. You have a beautiful wife. Mind you, the wife isn't Lana. But you love her just the same. You might even love her more than Lana since it's real. And you're going to have wonderful children with that wife and you're going to love your life. That's what I see." I said. Clark's jaw dropped. What? Can't a girl wonder about a guy's future?

"And the weird part? That wonderful woman might be right under your nose." I smiled but it faded when I saw his shocked eyes looked at me up and down. "No, not me." I snapped and rolled my eyes. "But it might not happen if you don't let it happen. So, sit here, and dwell on something good in the past when there is something even better in the future." And with that statement hanging in the air, I walked away.

AN: Please review!