"...I don't think that there's anyone who deserves this more than you, man. To Pete and Marie. May the future bring you eternal happiness," Clark said to the attentive gathering that had turned up for Pete and Marie's wedding.

The crowd murmured their toasts and took a sip of champagne as Clark received a hug from the newly wedded groom and a kiss on the cheek from the bride. Once the cheering and clapping died down, he resumed his seat next to his dad who gave him a proud pat on the back.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look, Mom?" Clark said across the round table to his mother who was dressed in a creamy white dress suit. Instead of having the traditional head table of the bride and groom's party, there were smaller, more intimate tables. Pete and Marie had their own table in the center, which they shared with both sets of parents. Clark and his parents occupied the table left to the bride and groom's while the Ross siblings were scattered around the vast tent that had been rented for the reception.

"Yes, but it doesn't hurt to remind me from time to time." Martha smiled at her son.

"Hey, son, I thought I told you to stop stealing my line," Jonathon said playfully.

Clark chuckled and watched as his parents chatted about the decorations and other wedding-related subjects. He noticed that his dad had his hand placed on his mother's, both content.

He scanned the room, looking for Lana's face. She hadn't been able to get a seat at their table because they were sharing it with Pete's youngest sister, Julie. She hadn't brought a date to the wedding, and the Rosses didn't want to embarrass her, so Marie penciled her into the seating chart at the last minute, leaving Lana to sit with Pete's obnoxious kid nieces and nephews.

Apparently, at the moment, Lana was doing some babysitting as Pete's eldest sister had made her way up to the head table to chat with the groom and bride for a bit. Clark could see Lana trying her best to coax Thomas, a very curious seven-year-old, to go back to the coloring book that had been given to him to keep him busy.

Clark watched her for a moment, noticing the breeze that played against her raven hair. His heart lurched when she looked up, right at him, as if sensing his gaze. Her face broke into a small smile, her adorable dimples showing.

Her smile soon turned to a devilish one and Clark found himself wondering what she was planning. Her eyes darted to the exit of the tent before coming back to him. Suddenly, she stood from the table and wandered outside of the tent, disappearing from view. The playful grin on her features told him to follow her.

"Mom? Dad? I'm just going to head into the house and check on the catering company," Clark said quickly, invading their conversation.

At this, Martha sighed. "Mrs. Ross told me that they were supposed to be here at 7:30...and it's nearly eight o'clock. If they don't hurry, we're going to be eating out here with the bugs."

Clark nodded, assuring her that he would give them a call. He sped walk out of the tent. The second that he escaped out into the open of the night, there was a yank on his left arm, catching him off guard.

"Lana, someone could catch us!" he hissed as she pressed her lips to his, her hands playing with the curls at the base of his neck.

She giggled and pulled him away from the tent. "I know...it's just...I can't seem to get enough of you."

He grinned, knowing exactly how she felt. Over the course of the past week, they had spent every minute together, desperately seeking refuge in the moments where it was only them, hoping that these moments would freeze, and allow them to spend forever in each other's arms, away from the impending threat of Jason.

But as Monday turned into Tuesday, and Tuesday flew to Saturday, there was still no sign of Jason, as Nell had warned Lana earlier. Maybe Jason had given up. Or maybe fate had finally given them a break.

And maybe pigs would start to fly as well.

"Hey...you okay? You looked like you swallowed a bug or something," Lana commented, taking his hand and leading him further away from the tent.

"I've actually swallowed a few bugs before," Clark said. He glanced behind them to check if anyone had noticed that they had disappeared. He doubted anyone would, seeing that Pete and Marie were rightfully in the center of attention.

"Eww."

Clark caught Lana's expression. "When I'm flying as Superman...sometimes I fly really fast and the poor bugs get trapped in my teeth."

She made a face as they turned a corner, the yellow farmhouse coming into view. Both the ceremony and reception had been held at the Kent Farm, seeing that Pete and Marie couldn't very well afford a reception hall in Metropolis. "I did not need to know that, Clark."

He shrugged. "Hey, you're the one who brought it up."

They continued their stroll in comfortable silence, the moonlight illuminating the familiar path to the barn. More than once, Clark sneaked glances at Lana, not quite believing how beautiful she looked. Her hair was in a loose bun, with wisps of raven hair outlining her face. She wore a hint of makeup, but other than that, it was all natural beauty. Her pale pink dress reminded him of another wedding, another life where he was afraid of the future.

Clark allowed Lana to climb the stairs up to the loft first, following after her quietly. Once they reached the top, Lana sat him down on the couch and instructed him to close his eyes while she hunted for his birthday present.

"I thought that you already gave it to me the yesterday," he said, eyes closed. He was tempted to use his x-ray vision, but for the sake of being surprised, he didn't.

"That was just the teaser," she replied. The day before, the two of them had snuck up to the loft to make love while Martha and the Mrs. Ross were busy getting everything set up for the wedding. There was a thrill to making love in the open...any moment, someone could walk right up those stairs and catch them, but neither Clark nor Lana cared.

"Okay. Open your eyes."

He did.

"I know that it isn't much...but I liked the idea of it..."

He stood up and made his way over to her. "Lana, it's amazing." He held out his hand for it and she carefully handed it over.

Clark traced the outline of the sketch. A lot of artists had been trying their luck to capturing the agony and despair that Superman carried, along with the ideals of truth and justice. But Lana...she hit the head on the nail just right. Staring back at him, in black and white, was him. Not Superman, but Clark Kent donning tights and a cape.

"Thank you."

She smiled; it was obvious that he liked it. "Your welcome." She inched closer to him and drew him in a warm hug. "Happy twenty-eighth birthday, Clark."

"Best one yet." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

"This week has gone by too fast," Lana confessed against his crisp white shirt.

"It has, hasn't it?"

She nodded. "I'm scared."

There was no need to ask her why. "So am I."

They held each other for a while, savoring the moment. Finally, Clark pulled away gently. "C'mon...we should be heading back." He clasped her hand in his as they descended the stairs.

Outside, there was a white van parked haphazard near the tent. There were women and men dressed in white shirts and black pants moving in and out of the van, carrying trays with small delectable treats. From the tent, the local band that Marie had found was playing some wedding tunes, the music drifting into the night sky.

"You owe me a dance," Lana said as they passed the yellow farm house.

"I do?"

"Yea--oh my God." She stopped abruptly, her head turned toward the driveway.

Clark turned in that direction as well. Although the figure was masked in the darkness of the night, he recognized him immediately.

"J-Jason?" Lana stammered.

The hours, minutes, seconds on the clock, were gone. There was nothing left. Time had never been on their side.

And in that second, that second which was the turning point for the both of them, Lana let Clark's hand go.