Clark walked the few blocks to Oliver's apartment. He tried not to but he did occasionally glance back to see if his ex girlfriend was following him, but he did not see her.

Oliver was waiting for him when he climbed out of the lift.

"I've been expecting you." He said. "Tess just sent me a message to let me know what was happening."

"I did not tell her anything about you. She knows about your powers from some journal Lionel left behind.

Clark looked edgy.

"Don't worry, Lana cannot hear anything we say, the room is pumping out a signal which will run interference so she can't eavesdrop."

"So how long have you known Tess?"

"We have a personal history years ago and we are back together now. I was shocked to hear she was back in town."

"Can she be trusted?" Clark asked.

"Probably not but I have not told her anything she did not know anyway. She does not know that you don't have your powers anymore. Do you miss them?"

Clark smiled. "If I am honest I do sometimes, but it is nice to lead a normal life with Lois."

"Clark, Lois would love you just as much if you decided to try and get your powers back." Oliver remarked.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Jor-el is giving me the silent treatment when I have been to the Fortress so I cannot ask for my powers back even if I wanted."

"Anyway..." Clark continued. "What are you doing agreeing with Tess that I should dupe Lana by getting back with her."

Oliver held up his hands. "That was not my idea and Tess does not know about you and Lois. She just assumed you were still holding a torch for Lana and that you would agree to the plan. Emil is working on different solutions to our problem."

"What exactly is Lana doing with her powers that is so bad?" Clark asked.

"Something in the suit has changed her personality or at least exaggerated it. She is running all over the world as though she owns it and Emil thinks it is only a matter of time before she starts using the suit to get anything she wants. She does not have the ability to control the power rush the suit gives her. It is easier for you because your powers came on gradually and you learnt how to deal with them. But she got her powers all of a sudden."

"That makes sense but I am still not willing to trick her. There must be some other way."

"Give Emil a chance to come with something." Oliver replied.

"So how is it going with Lois?" Oliver asked.

"It's perfect. I don't think I knew what love was until I found Lois. " Clark blushed.

"I am happy that you two finally got your act together. She had been out some rotten men in the past." Oliver laughed.

Lana was annoyed that she could not hear what was going on at Oliver's penthouse. She wanted to know what was going on between Clark and Tess Mercer. She decided to head to the Planet to see what she could find out.

Lois was just coming out of the bullpen when she bumped into someone. "I'm sorry." She said automatically.

"It's ok, Lois." A familiar voice replied.

Lois's heart started to race as she looked up. Why did Lana have to turn up when things were going so well between her and Clark? As much as she tried not to be insecure about his relationship with Lana, she could not always control her feelings.

Deep down she knew this moment had to come some day and maybe Clark needed this to happen so he could lay the ghost of Lana to rest.

"Hi Lana. I didn't expect to see you back." She said in surprise, hiding her true feelings.

"Everyone seems to be saying that today. It is good to be back." Lana said as she walked into the bull pen and the first thing she noticed was a name plate with Clark's name on.

"So he has gone into journalism, something he never said he would do. He must have lost his way in life." Lana smirked.

Lois grabbed the name plate and put it back on the desk where it had been. "Actually Clark will make an excellent reporter."

"He doesn't need to..." Lana announced. "Especially when he is sleeping his way to the top."

"What do you mean?" Lois asked, waiting for Lana to announce that she knew about Clark and her.

"He seemed pretty cosy before with Tess Mercer when they were out for lunch." She replied. "No doubt he will be leaving the basement of the Planet in a few weeks in a meteoric rise in the ranks, that is unless he treats her like he did me." Lana said loudly enough for half the bullpen to hear.

There were gasps all around and the gossip started flying off the press.

Lois looked at Lana. "Good one Lana. You must be so angry he doesn't love you anymore, but did you really have to behave so childishly."

Lana tutted. "Since when did you become the voice of Clark Kent. Lois, he doesn't even like you, surely you must have realised that by now or are you just blind?"

"You are so pathetic Lana." Lois chuckled as she walked to the lift.

Once in, she turned around to find Lana standing opposite her. "Lois, don't cross me."

Before Lois could react Lana had her pushed against the wall. "I am not the weak little girl who left Smallville. I have my own secrets now."

"Lana, you're hurting me!"

Lana stepped back and sped out of the lift once the doors opened.

Lois took a deep breath, worried by Lana's apparent instability and even more alarmed by her newly acquired powers.

Clark went to see if Lois could get some time off work for a coffee so he could tell her what was happening. He walked into the Bullpen to find she was not there.

Turning to a co-worker, he asked. "Do you know where Lois is?"

"No, not sure." The man replied curtly.

Clark looked around to see most of workers huddled in small groups, chatting and pointing at him. He wished he still had his superhearing so he could hear what the gossip was about.

Lois walked in and saw Clark waiting for her. She ran up to him, jumped into his arms and kissed him passionately. He did not know what was happening but he was soon too distracted to care.

She eventually pulled herself apart from him, her eyes beaming. She whispered in his ear. "Go along with this."

"Yes Clark, I will marry you." She hugged him again.

He would normally have freaked but he trusted she was doing this for a valid reason. He grinned from ear to ear and hugged her again. "Well since we are engaged, I think we need to get a ring now." He said dragging her out of the bullpen by her hand.

They entered the lift. "What was that all about, Lois?" he smiled.

She kissed him. "A certain ex-girlfriend of yours came into the Planet and announced to everyone that you are having an affair with Tess Mercer and that is why you got the job.

"Oliver was right, she is really screwed up."
"So you know she is back. Where does she get her strength from? She had me pinned to the wall."

"She hurt you." Clark looked angry. "The gloves are off now. No one gets away with hurting you." He said protectively.

"I am sure I can take care of myself." She said.

Clark looked at her. "Lana is wearing a superpowered suit."

"What powers does she have?" Lois asked.

"Strength, speed and hearing as far as I know."

"So she could be listening to us now?" She looked worried.

"No Emil has fitted a device to my cell which stop her listening to any conversations I have."

"That's reassuring. So what has she come back for?"

"Me I think. Tess and Oliver are working on a way of getting the suit deactivated. They wanted me to tell her that I wanted her back." Clark explained.

"So you agreed, right?"

"No, that makes me no better than Lana. Anyway just before I left Oliver's penthouse, Emil came up with another plan."

"What?"

"He has called a meeting in the morning to discuss it." Clark replied.

"So what do we do in the meanwhile." Lois asked.

"We go to the jewellers."

Lois laughed. "Yeah right, Smallville. It was only a way to get the heat off you for a while. The Daily Planet gossip machine was about to swallow you up and spit you out."

He did not reply to that question. He just looked at her tenderly and before she could work out what was happening, he was on one knee.

"Clark, you don't need to keep the pretence." She smiled.

"What pretence? I am deadly serious." She could see by the look on his face that he meant every word. "Lois Joanne Lane...will you do me the honor of becoming my wife." He smiled hopefully.

She studied his face for a few seconds and then grinned. "You're serious aren't you?"

He nodded.

"Ok then, Yes Clark...I will marry you."

He got to his feet, picked her up and swung her around the lift.

They headed to the ring shop. Lois chose a simple diamond set in a platinum band.

"I think we should go and tell my mom but first can we go and see Tess to tell her what is going on." Clark suggested.

"Ok, let's go." She said, as she continuingly fiddled with her ring. "It will take a while to get used to this."

He put her arm around her waist as they headed to Tess's office.

"Come in." Tess said.

Clark walked in, followed by Lois.

Tess held up her hand. "If this is about you two being unable to work together, I don't want to hear it. You are professionals now and you will have to accept it."

"It's not that." Clark interrupted. "I was wondering if you had heard the rumours about me and you, Tess. Lana announced that we are a couple and the gossip is travelling like wildfire."

Tess was annoyed. "Don't worry I will soon have that extinguished."

"Well I had a go at doing that. I told everyone that we were getting married." Lois smiled.

"Great one, Lois. Like anyone is going to fall for that ploy." Tess said, suddenly noticing the diamond ring on Lois's finger. "Please don't tell me you went to all the bother of buying a ring."

"Tess...We are seriously engaged. Ask Oliver if you don't believe me. Anyway we just wanted you to know about the rumours going around. We will see you at the meeting in the morning." Clark explained.

Clark and Lois arrived back at the farm to find an uninvited guest.

"Lana, what are you doing here?" Clark asked, annoyed that she was disrupting their plans.

Lana looked smug. "I came to catch up with your mom. What are you doing here, Lois?"

"I live here." Lois announced.

Lana smiled. "So that would explain why Clark has been in a constant bad mood since I returned. Lois always did drive you to distraction."

Clark looked at Lana. "You know what Lana, it is you that drives me to distraction. You come back to Smallville and expect everyone to fall at your feet. Just because you have powers does not give you the right to act like this."

"Why are you so angry? It is not my fault if you cannot deal with your guilt about how you treated me. And don't pretend that you have not used your powers to your advantage." Lana made a joking gesture of covering her mouth. "Oh I am sorry. Did I tell Lois your secret?"

"Hardly a newsflash considering he told me last year." Lois fired back at her. "Why don't you just leave?"

"Clark, why are you being so pig headed? You know you and I belong together." Lana exclaimed.

Clark looked at her. "How dumb are you, Lana? I don't love you. I am getting married to someone who loves me for who I am, not for what I can do." He saw a smile appear on his mom's face at his announcement.

"Who? Tess Mercer.." she laughed.

"No, Lois."

"Yeah right. As if that would ever happen." Lana said but her smile was soon gone when she spotted Lois's ring.

"I love her Lana and we are getting married, so I would appreciate if you could leave us alone."

"Lois will never match up to you. You are a god with your powers and now finally you have someone who can match you."

"Lois is my equal with or without powers." Clark replied. "Besides I no longer have powers."

"What, how can that be?" Lana shouted.

"That doesn't matter, Lana. Just leave."

"I don't believe you." Lana exclaimed.

"I don't care whether you believe me or not because..." he did not have a chance to finish his sentence before he was being carried away from the farm at break neck speed by Lana.

Suddenly he felt his direction changing, the ground was quickly disappearing from beneath his feet. He looked up and saw a familiar face staring at him.

"Hello Kal-el. I cannot let this continue." John Jones remarked. "It is time you had your powers back."

He flew towards the sun before returning to earth. John set him down a few miles from the farm.

"I need to get back to the farm." Clark said as he ran back to the farm.

He found Martha and Lois sitting at the table working out what to do. "Clark, what happened?" Lois got up and hugged him.

"John intercepted me, and took me towards the sun and I have got my powers back." He hugged her tightly.

"So where has the psycho ***** gone?"

"I don't know."

"I'm here." Lana shouted from behind them. "Where did you go?"

"I got my powers back Lana." Clark announced.

"Well good for you, but that won't do you much good now, will it. If I can't hurt you, I will hurt the next best person...Lois." Lana said as she opened the box of green Kryptonite, causing Clark to fall to his knees.

Martha rushed towards Lana to tackle her, but she put her hand up sending Martha flying across the room.

Lana went over and grabbed Lois. Clark staggered to his feet. "If you hurt her, I will hunt you down." He shouted at her.

"I am scared, Clark." Lana replied sarcastically.

"Well you should be." A voice from behind announced.

"Tess Mercer. What do you have to do with this? Jealous that I made it to Mrs Luthor and you didn't."

"Don't flatter yourself, Ms Lang. I turned Lex down twice."

Lana turned her attention back to Lois, who was trying to help Clark. She went over and grabbed her and started heading out the door. She was about to super speed away but something made her stop in her tracks. She looked down and noticed a small dart had pierced her leg.

"What the hell?" she looked up in a panic and saw Oliver staring at her with John Jones standing next to him.

"You are officially offline, Lana." Oliver commented. Lana passed out. "John, she is all yours now."

John mind wiped her of all her traumatic memories dating back to her putting on the power suit.

Two weeks later

The Kent Farm was buzzing with excitement. It was the night of Lois and Clark's engagement party. Things were in full swing when there was a knock at the door...

Clark went to answer it. "Hi Lana, glad you could make it."

Lana smiled. "I wanted to come to say I am leaving town. Oliver has set me up with a business opportunity in Asia which was too good to pass up."

Lois saw Lana and walked over to her. "Hi Lana." Lois hugged her. "Thanks for coming."

"I am sorry for putting you and Clark through hell the other week. I am seeing things much more clearly since John did his mind trick on me. For the first time in ages I feel my mind is clearer than it has been in years and I have found a new purpose. I am not going to lie that it has taken me a while to get my head around you and Lois being together."

Clark smiled. "Lana, it was you who told me that Lois and I would get together. Remember the caves four years ago."

"You're right. Anyway I will keep in touch." Lana smiled. "I have to catch a flight tonight."

Lois and Clark watched her leave. Clark felt a tinge of relief. It was almost as though his old life was walking away from him, only to be replaced by a new life standing right next to him. He smiled at Lois, kissed her and said.

"So when are we getting married." He laughed.

THE END