This is also newly revamped. I guess I can probably stop saying that now. And it's also somewhat…melodramatic and mushy. The sixteen year-old me quite liked things like that, it seems. The twenty-two year-old me? Erm...not so much.


The funeral was short and sweet, just as Clark would have wanted. More people had shown up than expected: people Clark had saved in the past, the entire police force (with whom Clark had had many run-ins), and Pete.

His arrival had been emotional, to say the least. Though he hadn't seen Clark for close to three years, he remained perhaps the most affected by Clark's death aside from Mr. and Mrs. Kent. They had been friends since diapers, and were always there for each other. It was agreed by all that he would give the first eulogy.

By the time he finished, all were in tears. He had reminisced about good times, reflected on bad, and expressed regret that he hadn't been there for him, in the end. When he finished, he looked down on Clark's body, placing a hand gently on his forehead.

As he choked back a sob, he said something he had never told Clark.

"I love you, buddy."

And that was all. He said his goodbyes to Lana and Lex (after their short eulogies), was introduced to Lois, and hugged the Kents fiercely – through everything, he still regarded them as parents.

And then he left Smallville.

Lana, Chloe, and Lois were in the Talon a week after the funeral. Lana had insisted on working, to keep her mind off her sorrow, and was in the process of making espressos for her two caffeine-deprived friends when she dropped one of the glasses.

"Lana, is anything wrong?" asked Chloe with genuine concern. "I haven't seen you drop anything since your first day at the Beanery."

"Yeah, Lana, you haven't been looking so hot lately," chimed in Lois, "Spill, sister."

Lana sighed. "I don't know...I just...I feel a little nauseous."

"But you don't get sick, Lana – at least not for as long as I can remember – and there hasn't been any weird illness going around. Well, nothing wall-worthy at least," insisted Chloe.

She glanced over at Lois, who now had the beginnings of a smile on her face.

"Umm...Lana...just out of curiosity, have you had any strange cravings lately?"

"Cravings?" Lana wrinkled her nose. "Well, I guess I do really want a banana..." she stopped and thought for a second. Then it dawned on her. "LOIS! I know what you're thinking! But I can't be, it's just not possible!"

"Not possible? Do we need to have a little talk here, sweetie? I thought you knew how these things happened!"

"Lois, let up a little, huh? Don't you think you're kind of jumping to conclusions?" said Chloe.

"I don't know, why don't you ask Lana over there? She isn't looking so sure."

It was true. Lana had put down the glass and was standing perfectly still, a look of incredulity on her face.

"But we were always safe," she muttered, almost to herself.

Lois raised her eyebrows at Chloe, mouthing the word "always?" but not saying anything out loud, for fear of being tactless. Sensitive issues were Chloe's thing.

"Well, you know Lana, nothing is 100-percent fool-proof. I mean, condoms break..."

"Yeah, I know Chloe, but...I'm too young! I have no money! And C-Clark i-isn't h-here."

She uttered the last portion of her outburst quietly, for it was one of the first times she had mentioned Clark's name since the funeral. Tears welled in her eyes, but she would not let herself shed them.

"We're here, Lana. And I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Kent would love to help in any way that they can. Let's not make any plans now, okay? We don't even know if you're pregnant."

"Yeah, okay," Lana agreed. "Okay."

TBC


Again with the short chapter. Sorry – from the older version of me – for the younger version of me's idea of a well-constructed story. Hopefully some of you are actually liking it!