Chapter 23 - Questions and Answers

"Hi Honey. I know you're going to be mad, but I had to stay with Clark. He is real sick and his mother had to go out of town."

"Lois, I have learned that you now are able to handle spending time with Clark without getting all excited. I just hope that this weekend, we can get everything together and you get the last big story of yours where we can worry about the wedding. I anticipated you would be busy so I went on and finished the menu. By the way, you think Clark would mind me dropping by tonight?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

"I need to talk to him about something."

"Well, he's still up for right now. Why don't you head out now?"

"Ok, but don't tell him I'm coming. I love you."

"I love you too. See you soon." Lois hung up the phone and saw Clark glance back over at the television. He had seen her on the phone but couldn't hear anything that had been said. It was driving him not knowing what was going on in the outside world. Whatever that doctor had was an experiment of great proportions.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang. Clark strained to see who it was. Lois ran to the door and hugged whoever was on the other side. He heard Lex's voice and sat back in the couch. Then he heard Lex ask Lois if he could be alone with Clark. He wants to kick me while I'm down.

"Clark, heard you were still feeling bad." Lex came and sat down next to him. Lois left the room as asked, but seemed concerned about what he said.

"Not really well. I just hate the fact that Brit has to see like this. I'm really glad that you didn't mind that Lois help me out."

Dismissing the fact that his fiancée was staying with Clark instead of him, he moved on. "Anyway, I wanted to come over and give you this. This is one of the invitations to the wedding. You know it's in two weeks and we haven't quite had the time to plan very well. But the thing is..." Clark sat up and looked at Lex waiting to hear something like, I don't really want you there.

"Lois has admired you for years. I finally figured that out. So, since she doesn't have any brothers, I would like you to be in my wedding party to represent her." Clark let his jaw almost drop thinking that this couldn't have possibly happened. "Lois doesn't know yet because I wanted to ask you first before getting her hopes up too high."

Clark was confused and dumbfounded. "I would be happy to help." Clark spoke before thinking and then felt a pit in his stomach drop. "Excuse me." Clark took of for the bathroom. He appeared a few minutes later to see Lois and Lex making out in the doorway. It almost sent him to the bathroom again. He sat down on the couch.

"Clark, are you sure you want to do this? You know you don't have to do this for me." Lois sat beside him and took his hand.

"I want to, assuming that I get better."

"You will. Maybe we should get you in bed now." Lois helped him up and walked into the bedroom with him. She tried not to gasp when she saw his body for the first time in years. He had definitely changed since college. She pulled the sheets over him and kissed him on the forehead as he turned to turn the light off.

"Lois?" He grabbed her fingers as she slid her hand out of his.

"Huh? What?"

"What did you mean when you told me that loved me?" Lois stopped and turned to him. Lie Lois. She thought to herself.

"I meant like a friend. You know how I love you - we're best friends. We have been for a long time. Go to sleep." She slid her hand out of his and walked back in the living room. Clark laid in bed looking at the ceiling, trying to figure out why he couldn't hear or see anything besides the obvious. He fell asleep to the mumbles of the TV.

"What?!" Lois stumbled off the couch and went into Brit's bedroom to look in on her. She covered her up a bit better and then went back into the living room to lay down when she heard her name. She walked into Clark's room quietly and sat down on the bed.

"Why Lois? What are you afraid of? Why Lois - I love you..." Lois was startled hearing Clark speaking her name. Clark started to toss over onto her lap. He stirred awake. "Lois, what's wrong?" he rubbed his eyes, trying to focus.

"You were dreaming."

"Why are you crying?" Clark wiped the tears from her face with the sheet and sat up next to her. He put his arm around her, not remembering what he had dreamt about.

"You were talking in your sleep...about me." She could feel Clark stiffen up as she moved away from her in the bed. "Clark, I know that you still are in love with me, but I love Lex. Wait, where are your glasses?" Clark then just realized he was slipping with her around.

"Oh." Clark put them on and saw Lois look at him strangely. "Anyway, you seem to tell me that a lot, like you are trying to convince yourself of that. I'm sorry Lois. I'll try to keep it down - I didn't mean to wake you." He searched Lois' face for some sign that would mean for her not to leave him like that.

"Clark, it wouldn't be right if something happened between us. Lex has started to finally trust me again after that other thing that happened and I just..." Clark waited for her to finish the sentence. "And Superman - that's another kick in the head - I still like him and..." Lois looked at Clark again but different this time. She pictured him without glasses and gasped.

"What?"

"It's just - who are you?" Clark looked at her puzzled.

"Lois, I'm Clark. Are you ok?" Clark ran his hand down her cheek, and she stood to look at him.

"But who are you really? Why didn't you tell me?" Lois walked over to the window and faced Clark. "Now, I understand the balcony. The illness - it all makes sense." Clark knew what she meant. He took the glasses off and slipped over to the window next to her.

"I really wanted to tell you, especially when I thought it would have won you back." Clark put his arms around her and kissed her gently. Lois didn't pull away. Clark heard her quietly crying. "What's wrong?"

"Just after figuring this out and hearing you tonight. I guess I should be mad or at least disturbed by your lying to me. But I guess you had to. But you know what really hurts?" Lois turned to face Clark, standing in the moonlight. She buried her head in his chest.

"What Lois?"

"Like, I'm marrying the wrong man, especially now that I know the truth." Clark let go and started to breathe harder as Lois looked up.

"So back out." He was finally able to come up with some words. He left her there and ran across the room, as if he wasn't sick at all. He walked back over to Lois. "Back out if you really don't think you belong with him. Marry me." He sat her down on the bed and kneeled in front of her and pulled the ring out of his hand.

"You kept it all this time. Clark, I can't - I told Lex that I loved him long ago and we believe that. I'm marrying Lex. Anyway, if I had said yes before, what would have happened to Superman?" Clark looked at the floor and then at Lois.

"Superman would never had happened. At that time, I had chosen you over all else." Clark answered as he slipped the ring back in the drawer again and got back in the bed. Lois had moved back to the window.

"Oh, well, could I share?"

"What? I guess so - 'for old times' sake we'll say." Clark pulled the sheets back for her and hoped that her body wouldn't send electricity through him. He turned away from her and put his head down hoping she would leave. He closed his eyes and hoped she would go away. This was too painful. "You still here?" He didn't get an answer but felt a hand on his shoulder. He took a deep breath. "Lois, don't."

"Clark, just one last time." He turned toward her and then away. He felt her wrap her arms around him. She started kissing him and then thought better of it. He could feel that she fell asleep breathing on his back. But she didn't know he fell asleep in tears.