Chapter 4

Clark twisted in bed unable to fall asleep. He couldn't stop thinking about everything that's happened lately when his hearing suddenly picked up voices nearby. He sat up and looked out his window and noticed that lights in his barn were on.

Quickly, he got dressed and speeded out of bed.

When he made his way to the front porch, that's when he saw them at the loft window.

Lois Lane and Kent.

They were talking. He didn't know what they were talking about because he was still shocked to see them there but they looked to be enjoying one another's company. Lois was laughing and so was he.

Why is he so open with her?

Slowly, he walked towards the barn careful not to get noticed.

Their voices grew louder and Clark couldn't help but focus his hearing to listen in.

"Then there was the time when you, me and Chloe tried to drive across the country," he said trying to hold in the laughter that was inevitable to be released after he finished telling her the rest of the story.

Lois grinned. "What do you mean 'tried?' Did your car break down in the driveway?"

"No, no," he assured. "We drove all right. We drove all the way to New Orleans and we ended up staying at this cheap motel for three weeks. You wanted to instill in me the joyous wonder of Mardi Gras."

"I'm so proud of myself," she said with a laugh.

"You had better be," he said in a very masculine way. "I almost had to strip naked in a bar because we ran out of money."

Lois chuckled at the thought.

"The three of us were pretty good friends, weren't we?"

"We still are," he corrected.

Lois closed her mouth shut and looked to Kent apologetically. "I'm sorry. My mouth runs faster than my mind can follow. I didn't mean to insinuate that – "

"Don't worry about it," he said with an honest smile. "I know what you mean." He paused thinking carefully what to say next. "I've learned a long time ago that I'm not alone. If I'm missing, my friends and family will look for me. And I don't give in that easily."

Lois looked to him admirably.

"You are so different from the Clark that I know."

"Take your time with him, Lois. He's going through a lot right now."

"I could give him all the time he needs, and he'll still be where he is now. Sometimes I see him and wonder why I even bother. Don't get me wrong, Kent. Clark's a great friend. One of the best. It's just sometimes he's so caught up with things he doesn't have, that he rarely takes the time to realize the things he does."

"That just shows how much you care about him."

Lois snorted in response. "That's a joke, right?"

Kent shook his head. "Not at all. It doesn't matter what version of you I'm talking to, either. You were always the kind of person who'll go far and beyond for the people you care about." He lowers his voice as he looks at her. "And you'll do it quietly and so discreetly that they never know what you've done for them."

Lois couldn't believe what he was saying because everything he described held many truths.

"You can't possibly know all that about me."

"There are some things in life that even a jump through space and time can't change."

"Who are you?"

Kent quirked an eyebrow. "Now I think it's you that's joking."

"You're like… the complete opposite of Clark."

"We're more alike than you think."

"I doubt that," she replied skeptically.

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "Maybe because when I talk to you, I like what I see. I like the man that you are. I know it doesn't make any sense but these last few hours – it feels like I know you."

Kent held his smile from growing wider. The past few hours just talking to Lois has given him a renewed sense of hope.

He could feel it just now that everything was going to be okay.

That he'll find his way home.

Back to her.

Clark sat on a stack of hay quietly listening to them talk as if they've been friends forever. The words each of them conveyed to one another stirred emotions in him he's never felt before.

When Kent first arrived, he felt anger at the possibility that Jor-El has once again made his move to run his life.

As soon as he realized the stranger who shared not only his face but his name was a person of genuine character, he felt jealousy.

Jealousy that he had everything he's always wanted.

His father was alive in his world.

He has choices.

A future.

And when he leaves this world and back to his, the woman he loves will be waiting for him.

It wasn't fair.

That's what he kept telling himself as he continued to listen in.

"Have you ever thought about it?"

"Thought about what?"

"What it'd be like to be with Clark."

Lois shrugged, uncomfortable with the topic of discussion. It was much more fun sharing embarrassing stories than talking about things like that, especially when Kent looked and sounded exactly like Clark.

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Just curious."

"It's not really something I've thought about," she said truthfully. "Clark and I – we've got this weird friendship, you know." She paused realizing how that sounded. "Of course you would," she added with a laugh.

Kent smiled. "There's nothing that I can't talk about with Lois. She has this innate way of knowing what I'm thinking without trying."

"Now there's a standard that'll be hard to live up to."

"You have a lot of her qualities."

"I wish I had her ability to stay in school, that would have helped me greatly," she remarked sarcastically.

"Don't do that," he said softly. "Don't trivialize your life like that."

"Why do you care so much about what I think?"

"Because I don't want you to be unhappy."

"And what makes you think I'm unhappy?"

Kent's lips turned into a smirk. "You like asking a lot of questions. Have you ever thought about going into journalism as well?"

Lois laughs at the joke.

"Not a chance."

Little did she know that Kent was being serious.

Kent's attachment to Lois was becoming increasingly more clear to Clark as their conversation went on. He didn't want to believe it at first, he didn't think it was even possible, but he should've known better than to challenge the impossible.

He normally ends up losing.

But now he was at a dilemma.

He didn't know how to feel about what he had just learned.

Kent quietly watched Lois asleep on the sofa, pulling the covers over her to keep her from freezing as the night went on. During their hours of talking, sleep finally won over her and she fell fast asleep.

He'll never get tired of seeing her like this.

So peaceful.

Beautiful.

"It's her, isn't it?"

Kent didn't look up at the sound of Clark's voice. He simply just sat there watching her, never wanting to look away because he knew that if he did, she could disappear. He didn't think he can handle the possibility of losing her twice.

"It took you long enough," he then answered.

"Why didn't you tell me it was her?"

"Is that anger I hear in your voice, Clark?"

"No. Just confusion."

Kent made sure she was comfortable one more time before turning to face Clark. He gestured to the outside, he didn't want to have this conversation in fear that it'll wake Lois up.

"Why her?" Clark asked naively.

Kent looked at him like he was crazy.

"Why Lana?" Kent retorted.

Clark paused and had to think of an answer first before answering while Kent felt the urge to roll his eyes but he wasn't that kind of person.

"I've loved her for as long as I can remember."

"Yeah. And a lot of good that did you," Kent responded sarcastically.

"Well, you haven't answered me about Lois. Why her?" Clark continued to press, he was upset at the way Kent always seemed to belittle his feelings for Lana. Now it was time that Kent gave a little too or he was just making himself out to be as bad as he is.

Kent smiled to himself, looking as if he just remembered a fond memory.

"Why? Because she's smart, beautiful… and she makes me laugh," he explains with a wide smile. "Because when she smiles the whole world does too. And whenever I need help she holds out her hand and never asks why. I trust her with my life. My heart. My soul."

A tear falls from his eyes but he wipes it away before it hit the ground.

"I love her so much," he professed with all the emotion he's held inside since the night the thunderstorm came.

"Tell me, Clark. Is that how you feel about Lana?"

Clark's silence answered his question.

"I didn't think so."

Clark wanted to scream. Tell him that he was wrong. That Lana was everything to him, but now, after all the years he's dreamed of being with her, the time that he was with her all the way to the months following their break up.

That's when Clark admitted to himself.

She's never made him laugh.

End of Chapter 4