AN: Ok, here it is, Sorry for the delay but for those who don't know I just recently started a new job and it's been taking up my time, but luckily I have been giving more days off. Yay! Anyway this is not all that I have, have tons more but it's all written in my notebook since I don't have time to sit at my laptop to write and I'm slow at typing so it's going to take time to get it down.

Thanks all for sticking with this fic and for all the amazing feedback ya'll give me. I hope ya'll enjoy.

Chapter 18: Cruise (Day 2) Just starting

"But something happened." Chloe sighs, knowing all too well what that "Something" was.

Lois stares blankly ahead, Chloe notices a flash of pain crossing her face, only for a moment. "I told him I loved him and...he pulled away."

Chloe and Lana starred wide eyed at each other, Chloe turns to Lois and started screaming excitedly at what she said, making Lois and Land jump in surprise. Lois actually letting it out in the open, finally all this time fighting, denying, hiding what was there all along.

"That Prick!" Chloe steams out, having had the conversation that morning with Clark, but still pissed that they were being damn fools about it.

"Hey, if anyone should be fuming, it's me!"Lois inquires.

Chloe gives her a weird look. "...But, you're not...Why is that?"

Lois rolls her eyes. "Clark is keeping a lid on the mystery that is him."

"Yeah, and?"

"Let's just say I know what it's like to keep a tight lip on something big."

"Like the whole liver cancer thing, that turned out to be a fraud."

"Thank God!" Lois sighs.

Chloe thinks for a minute her face scrunches up as she ponders. "There is still something I don't get. The Lois I know would be jumping down Clark's throat, till he spilled the truth."

Lois looked nervously at Chloe, shrugging her shoulder up. "Well like I said, I understand."

Chloe gives her a side long look, replying sarcastically. "Riiight and I'm giving up on Journalism." studying Lois' face. "You're hiding something."

Lois freezes, not knowing what to say. She opens her mouth to say something to deter Chloe's suspicious mind...

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" Lana screams, from the top of her lungs. Chloe and Lois shoots their heads toward her shrill cry.

If Lois was amused by Lana being pepper sprayed, she was bubbling with laughter at this. Lois bellowed out with laughter, quickly covering her mouth at how loud she was. Chloe starred on at Lana wide eyed, unable to speak as Lana screamed, mortified by what happened.

"My Hair!" Lana continues to scream, her long tresses grasped into her hands pushed in front of her face to view it. Long...thick...and...PINK!

"Oh my God! What happened?" Chloe finally taking a breath, allowing speech to be possible.

The Hair Stylist next to Lana, who was washing her hair, stood there dumbfounded unable to explain what happen. "She said her highlights were temporary."

"They were!" Lana cried. "That's what Liz said, when she did them!"

The lady turned back to Lois and Chloe, holding a bottle in her hand. "The chemical I used to strip the her highlights must have reacted badly to the coloring. It's only meant for temporary coloring, not permanent."

"You have to remind me to thank Liz, later." Lois laughs, receiving a bump to her side from Chloe.

"My hair is PINK!" Lana screams, holding her wet tresses between her fingers.

"We're not blind or deaf for that matter." Lois replies, rubbing her ear.

"You have to fix this!" Lana demands. "You have to color my hair back to its right shade."

"Ma'am, I can't do that, if I colored you hair...you might end up loosing it."

"You mean I could go bald!" Lana gasps.

This only makes Lois bust out with laughter again. "As if we don't have bald wonders back in Smallville!...On second thought, you hair color is Raven # 24, right Pinky? I mean Lana."

"Lois!" Chloe warns.

"What?" Lois saunters back. "The lady said she might loose it, she didn't say it was a definite."

Chloe rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Come on Lois, we have some dresses to check out." Chloe saids, pulling Lois up out of the chair by her arm.

"Oh, come on Chlo, it was just getting good." Lois wines.

Chloe breaths out slowly, trying to keep her cool. "Lois, if you don't play nice, we're not stopping for ice cream."

Lois glares at her, Chloe turns back to a very upset Lana and nervous Hair Dresser. "Please, just do whatever you can."

The lady looked at Lana's hair skeptically. "I'll try."

"Good, thanks." Chloe sighs with relief, turning to Lana. "Be strong Lana, I'm sure they can fix it some how. It is Spring Break after all, so no body is going to think much about it."

"But what about when we return home? How long is it gonna be like this?"

Chloe looks at her helplessly and for the lack of something better to say. "Have faith, Lana. Just have faith."

Lois laughs out, but stifles it with her hand. "Pink has never really looked so good on you before, then at this moment."

"Come on!" Chloe growls, pushing Lois against her back and out of the Salon.

x

"Come on, Bros!" AC yells, way ahead of them, almost to the top of the wall. "I thought Bart was the only one affected."

He smiling smugly down at them, they glaring up at him as they watch him continue to climb higher.

"I think you musta knocked your head a little too hard when you ran into him, to think he was cool." Clark saids, looking back at Bart beside him.

Bart laughs, seeing the tension between them when they first met again in line onto the cruise. "Dude, you really don't like him, do you?"

Clark rolls his eyes and begins his climb up, those words coming back to haunt him. They being said to him before by Lois.

"It's not that I don't like him, he's a good person." having a hard time swallowing the last part.

Bart continues up after him, a sly, knowing smile on his face. "So, it's more that he's Lois' Ex and that she gave herself more willingly to him."

"She kissed him. They "only" kissed!"

"Yeah, but she didn't put up a huge fight, like she's doing with you."

Clark clamps his jaw together, Bart basically nailing the problem. "What are you Dr Phil, now?"

Bart laughs. "So, I hit a nerve?"

"That's not the reason at all." Clark saids, knowing he was lying and he wasn't the only one.

"Dude, they weren't kidding when they said you're a crappy liar. You Suck!"

Clark jumps a bit, he turns to his left, surprised to see Bart beside him. "I see you're feeling better."

Bart rubs his head, it still throbbing a little. "Just a bit...Back on topic, it is the reason, why."

Clark rolls his eyes, pulling himself up. "Maybe."

"Riiiight, that's why the green eyed monster has been rearing it's head lately, whenever AC even looks Lois' way."

"Ok, so the fact that Lois seemed to click more with AC when they were together...bothers me."

Bart huffs. "Dude, Lois just told you she loved you and you're still hatening on the guy."

"That's because he still thinks he has a shot with her..."

"...and Lois keeping a lid on some secret..."

"Yea, is only adding to the mess." Clark sighs, leaning his head against the wall for a moment. " I don't have any right to be mad, when I'm keeping something of my own from her."

"Then what are you waiting for? Tell her already, man." Bart presses, patting him on the shoulder.

"I have a feeling Lois would still keep quite about whatever the secret is, even if I did tell her."

"Then show her she can trust you, especially if you show her that you can trust her with your own secret."

"It has nothing to do with trust, she feels she has to protect me, Chloe, anyone she feels might be in danger by knowing."

Bart shakes his head, his hand rubbing at his temples as his brain went into overload with all the problems between his two friends. "Ok Dude, one problem at a time. You can start with telling Lois you're secret."

Clark lets out a deep breath, still battling that choice. "I don't even know if I should. I mean, what about Lex?"

"Dude, we don't even know if he's up to anything, we could be worrying for nothing. So tell her!"

Clark looks at him, thinking over his words, then both their heads shoot up at the sound of AC's voice. "Yo Bros, you guys coming or what? I'm begining to dry out up here!" AC jokes, a few feet from the top.

Bart looks at Clark, a sly smile on his lips. "Dude, you still ready for that race?"

Clark smiles widely. "You mean..."

Bart shows his own wide smile back, his eyes glinting evilly as he slowly nodded his head. "Oh, yeah!"

AC looked back down to yell at Clark and Bart. "Yo..."

He was cutted off as a huge gush of wind along with two flashes of color quickly streak up past him.

"Dude, my grandmother can climb faster then that, and thats at normal speed!"

AC's head pops up to look at them both sitting on the top, arms folded and looking smugly at him.

"Bro, it seems like you're over your little malfunction."

Bart grabs his head. "Not quite. Just a spurt of speed, but I'm starting to regret it now."

"You, Okay?' Clark asks, worried by his condition.

"Yeah, just another headache, but I still beat your ass up here!" Bart saids cockily, shoving Clark's shoulder playfully.

Making him slip off the small ledge they sat upon. Clark falls, his body rushing toward the floor in a free fall. It took all of his will power to keep him from stopping in mid-air, his reason for fearing heights springing back to mind. As expected though, the rope attached to the safety harness strapped to his body, snagged up slowing him down to a jolting halt.

Bart looked down at Clark swinging freely on the ropes, yelling down cautiously. "Yo Dude, you alright!"

Clark opens his eyes, slowly letting out his breath, hands gripped tightly around the rope, slowly swinging back and forth. He hesitantly looks up, glaring at his young friend.

"Baaaart!" he growls.

"Oops! My bad, Dude." Bart shrugs up.

x

Lois smooths out the beige, long, spaghetti strapped dress along her legs, eying her curvy figure in the mirror. Her tight, chestnut crimped curls bouncing around her shoulders.

"How about this one?"

Chloe looked up from the many laid all over the dressing room chairs. Giving the dress Lois sported a once over. "Not really your color."

Lois spins around, her hands resting on her hips looking very much fed up.

"Chloe I tried like every dress in this Boutique and really have you seen the prices on these things." Lois asks, pulling up the tag to examine it.

Chloe rolled her eyes rummaging through the mass of dresses for the perfect one, she spotted earlier. "Okay, okay here last one, will absolutely flaunt you marvelously. Besides its red, Clark's favorite color. You'll have him eating out the palm of your hand."

Lois squares her eyes at her beloved cousin. "Chloe for the thousandth time, it's a challenge not even a real date. Stop trying to rush things between me and Clark."

"That's an understatement, if I ever heard one." Chloe quirks. "You guys have been doing this dance, going on what , about 2 years now and you're just telling Clark that you love him. Where's the rush?"

"Chloeee!" Lois groans, warning sounding in her tone.

"Yea, I know, no more lectures." Chloe replied sarcastically, pushing Lois toward the small changing stall door for what seemed like the millionth time within an hour. Handing her the two-piece garment.

"Here, just try this on."

Lois huffs, unwillingly snatching the outfit from her hands and storming off inside to change again. "Fine!"

"Don't worry, you'll look great!" Chloe shouts, stifling her laughter because of Lois' angry demeanor.

Seven minutes later Lois came out in the incredible set, looking stunning. The ruffled, red skirt hung loosely below her navel, onto her perfectly round hips, flowing a little passed her knees. The backless, red Halter top hung down in a loose point, showing of her well toned ab muscles.

The front cut into a low V-shape, showing off "enough" cleavage to keep the men starring and the women wishing they had it, and her body to fill it out with. Black stilettos graced her feet, opened toed as black thin straps wrapped up and around the calf part of her leg.

"Clark Kent, eat your heart out." Chloe beams proudly, her lips in a wide grin. Lois looking glamorous in the tropical style red dress, her curly locks only adding more to her seductive look.

Lois rolls her eyes up into her head, breathing out sarcastically. "Puh-Leaze!"

"Wow!" someone else sighs out at the amazing view.

Lois looks up, a fine blush creeping over her cheeks. Chloe turns around to the sound of the voice, trying not to glare at the person standing there, hoping it was another guy. But she guess she'll just have to wait till later for that.

"When I thought it couldn't be any more possible for you to look even more beautiful, you never cease to make me breathless." AC continues, his eyes admiring the masterpiece. A little too much for Chloe's taste.

"Well, what can I say the dress is very beautiful." Lois saids smiling, hating to be complimented.

"Nah, I don't think it's the dress at all." AC giving his usual toothy grin, making Lois' cheeks tint darker.

Chloe rolls her eyes, AC was a smooth talker she'll give him that, but he was so the wrong guy for her cousin. She clears her throat interrupting the flirting AC was bestowing on Lois.

"So, where's Clark and Bart to?"

AC turns to face her. "You mean, Carlos and Bart?" correcting her, his lips still sporting a smugged smile that was finally making her realize why Clark never liked the guy much as well as other reasons.

Chloe cocks her head to the side giving him a pointed look. "Yeah, where are they?"

"They're at the Sporting Shop, buying some wet-suits for Jet-skiing we're doing later. The ship is going to drop anchor soon and open up the back, so everyone can take advantage of the wide open sea."

"Sounds like fun!" Lois remarks, really wanting to do something more then playing dress up all day, and to note that Jet-skiing was absolutely one of her favorite water sports.

"You girls are more then welcomed to join us."

"I think we just might take you up on that of..."

"Thanks, but I think we'll have to pass." Chloe replies coolly, cutting her off as she turns around to glare at her, then faces AC again. "We still have a few sets to go through."

"UH!..." Lois snarks out, not believing what she was saying. She rolls her eyes and shakes sher head looking at AC who smiles knowingly back. "Chloe, could you please give AC and me a minute alone."

Chloe turns around, raising her brow up at her, Lois glares back. "Could you?"

"Suuure." Chloe replies through clenched teeth. "I'll be back in five minutes."

Lois pursed her lips, rolling her eyes as Chloe left out of the dressing room, giving the evil-eye to AC as she walked pass him.

"I keep forgetting how fiery she can be." AC jots, turning back around to face Lois.

Lois strolls over to the chairs, her hands softly swinging at her sides, swaying along with the ruffle skirt she wore. "Try being related to her, I have to constantly remind her who's the oldest."

She smiles flopping down onto the Victorian designed sofa, AC taking suit, sits beside her. "She remind me very much of another girl with quite a fire to her."

Lois smiles wider, a flash of red crossing her cheeks. "Another one of my good qualities."

AC laughs, taking her hand into his, his other hand playing with her bouncy curls. "You know, you look amazing."

"Thanks." Lois replies, uneasily pulling from his touch. She stands to her feet, her back facing him. "Wow, this must really be some dress! Two compliments within five minutes of each other, I should wear this baby more often."

AC stands, walking up behind her but not invading her space, softly he rests his hand on her arm. "Like I said, it's not the dress."

"AC..." Lois sighs, she turns around to him, her head down. "I..."

He softly places his hand under her chin, lifting her head to look into those deep hazels. "I know...the funny thing is I knew it way back then too. Just too foolish, to think I had a chance. It was obvious that more then a guy protecting some friend. He mighta didn't know it then, but "it" was there."

"We were really in denial." Lois laughs. "Who woulda thought it?"

"I certainly couldn't picture some small-time farm boy taming the feisty Miss Lane."

Lois punches his arm at that comment. "Hey! No one tames me."

He chuckles, his eyes starring at her affectionately. "Don't ever let him forget how lucky he is to have you."

"Clark's not the only lucky one."

He gives her a small smile, but Lois could see behind those eyes were pain and acceptance that he was just the never the one for her. "...and if he ever hurts you or messes this up, he'll have me to deal with."

"Not to mention the General and the whole U.S. army as well." Lois quips. "...but you know Clark wouldn't."

"Yea, he is honestly one guy I can give that label to." AC saids, he lifts his hand to her face caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Be happy Lois, allow yourself to be loved. You deserve it more then you give yourself credit for."

They notice Chloe standing in the door way, arms slightly folded against her chest. AC looks back at Lois, his hand dropping back to his side. "I better go catch up with the other two."

Lois bitting down on her bottom lip just nods, watching as he exited from the room. She slumps down into the sofa, her head laying back against it. Chloe walks over, doing the same next to her.

"So..."

"Yes, Miss Sullivan...I stetted the record straight between us." Lois replied, referring to AC.

Chloe smiles widely, Lois turns her head to the side to look at her younger cousin. "No need to ask who you're rooting for."

"Hey, Clark and Lois all the way, baby!"

Lois raises her brow at Chloe. "I mean Lois and Clark."

"Damn Straight!" Lois quirks. "Just so you know "who's" side you're on for this "Bet" thing."

"Oh no, Lois I'm on neutral grounds in that territory." Chloe laughs, Lois right along with her.

"Then, you're okay with..."

"You and Clark? You know, you can say it, Lois."

"Me and Clark." Lois trying those words out, never believing she would say those two words in a sentence and feel so...happy. A huge smile crosses her face as she thought it over, shaking her head she turns her focus back to Chloe.

"You're okay with it, with us? The truth now, Cuz."

Chloe smiled sweetly, taking Lois' hands into hers. "At first I have to admit that it hurt knowing there was a click between you two. I seen it way back at the Pep Rally in Senior High."

Lois looks confused, thinking over that day. "Chloe, there was never a click between me and Clark then. If I remember correctly, Cuz, we sorta couldn't stand each other, and that's putting it nicely."

"Of course!" Chloe lets out exaggeratedly. " I forget, everyone else were the blind ones. You two were the ones with the 20/20 vision of what was between ya!" Chloe saids, sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"That mega-watt smile spoke volumes."

Lois smiles, remembering how much fun that day was, especially the whole dunking Clark in that tank part. He coming up out the water, wet and shirt clinging to that ripped, hard chest of his. She bites down on her lips, grinning widely at the memory of Clark Kent in wet, white T-shirt.

Chloe chuckles to herself, seeing the dreamy expression on her cousin's face. "Clark should appear wet more often, huh?"

Lois turns her head, giving Chloe an incredulous look, Chloe laughs at the look on her face and bumps her shoulder.

Lois turns serious, dropping her eyes down afraid to hear the answer to her question. "...and now?"

Chloe cocks her lips, understanding what she means. "Nooow, I 'm relieved that you truly found someone who loves you, I can sincerely say, I can't picture a Clark Kent with out a Lois Lane by his side."

Lois wipes at the tears collecting in her eyes, one burden rising from her shoulders. "Me and Smallville, I don't think I'll ever get use to saying that."

"How about, Mrs Smallville?" Chloe suggests.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves there, Cuz." Lois infers. "Besides if anyone is changing there name, it's him."

"Mr. Clark Kent Lane." Chloe tries out, and laughs. "If anyone could get a guy to change their name, it would be you, Lo."

"Of Course." Lois saids, smugly.

Chloe laughs again, shaking her head, she pats Lois' leg. "Ok, lets finish up here."

She stands to her feet, Lois standing as well. "While you and AC were straighting things out. I found some more really fantastic outfits for you to try."

Chloe turns to pick up the dresses, Lois seeing her chance to quickly make her escape, sneaks quietly from the dressing room. Chloe turns back around to see Lois nowhere in sight. Her head turning around in every possible direction, eyes darting around to catch the tall, chestnut, curly hair, girl.

"Lois?...Lois?" she huffs, seeing she's not there. "I notice Clark isn't the only one with speedy exits. Speaking of "Speedy", Clark you better tell her."

x

Bart steps down onto the just made dock, extending out from the back of the ship. Slipping on the wet metal grating, but Clark catches his arm before he falls, helping Bart to his feet.

"This place is awesome!" Bart gleams, his eyes scanning around. Speed-boats and other water vehicles taking off from inside to the open waters.

They stroll down the walk-way, passing along the way people gearing up to go scuba-diving, and others putting on life jackets, and checking their equipment before heading out.

"Yo, Dude definitely need something like this at my pad."

Clark shakes his head. "If you had a pad, for something like this."

Clark watches as a group quickly rushes to hoist the sails up and gathers the rope from the dock, gathering it inside their small Sailboat. Some others doing the same, each boats crew in their own coordinated colors, preparing, it looks like, to race.

"So what are we doing here?" Clark asks, busing his eyes with the scene.

"What does it look like? We're going to hit the water."

Clark gives him a pointed look. "I figured that out, but what exactly are we going to do?"

Bart turns around to face him, his hands up in the air. "We're Jet-skiing, Dude!"

At that moment a couple of Jet-skies roared by making Clark quickly turn his head to see.

"Those things?" he asked hesitantly, his brow raised as he pointed to them. "Do you even know how to work one?"

"Hey, it's like riding a bike." Bart quips, turning around to continue walking.

"I seriously doubt that." Clark states. "Where's AC? Weren't we suppose to meet him, here?'

"We are, he's probably with the Ski instructor, she's going to show us how to ride those things. He said to meet her at the end of the dock."

Clark and Bart made it over to the edge of the pier, Bart's face lightning up in a sly smile. They halt as the reach the the end, Bart's tooth smile grows wide as his green eyes slowly runs over the round but hanging in the air, in front of them. The tight blue-jean shorts clinging to her bottom was making the sight all the more enjoyable.

"Dude, if there's a god in heaven, she's the instructor!" Bart exclaims, elbowing Clark in his side, and rubbing his hands together. "Baby got back!"

"Bart, that's not...really...nice...to say." Clark slowly saids, his mind taking in what his lustful eyes were admiring.

Bart turns his head to him, his brow cocked up. "Right, that's why you're looking so hard."

Clark shakes his head, stopping the rude starring, he over closer to the girl. "Excuse me, Miss?"

She straightens up, her curls flowing to her back. "You guys were not just checking out my ass."

Lois spins on her heels, facing the awe struck ed guys in front of her. The curls swaying around her face, her lips curled in her constant smirk.

"Well if it isn't Zorro, and his height Challenged friend, Papa Smurf." cracking on his all blue get-up. "Excuse me, I mean Bart."

Bart gives her a cold gaze, folding his arms, in his mind taking back all the nice things he said about her a few minutes ago.

"Lois?" Clark gulps, his eyes wide as he looked on at her. His heart stopped and chest restricted from breathing, he was helplessly, breathless by her beauty.

"Yo-You...you look...Wow!"

"Awww, so sweet." Lois saids in a playful voice. "...but I do believe that's a point for me. Chloe?"

She turns her head to her left side, Chloe pulling up in a shiny yellow and black Jet-ski, AC and Lana on another beside her.

"Point to Miss Lane." Chloe announces, cheerfully.

Lois looks back at them, looking smugly at them, she crosses her arms and switches her hips as she walks past them to grab her wet suite to pull it over her clothes.

"What are you girls doing here?" Bart asks, then he and Clark notices Lana hair. Their jaws dropping to the floor, gawking at the bright Pink-ness of her hair, in braids.

"Dude! I knew you like pink, but don't you think it should stop somewhere!"

Lana nervously rubs her fingers over her braided pink hair and replies defensively. "I didn't plan on doing this, I went to get my highlights out but it didn't exactly go according to plan."

Chloe shakes her head, starring annoyingly at Bart. "Nice to see you too, and for your 411 it so happened that AC kindly invited us along."

Clark and Bart stare daggers toward AC, Bart looks back at Chloe, giving her his best puppy dog face. "It's not like that Chlo. I just thought that the guys were going to hang with the guys today and the girls with the girls."

"Well, you thought wrong, and don't Chlo, me."

Lois laughs, standing back in front of them all suited up. "Hate to rain on ya guys Parade, but it looks like the girls are tagging along."She throws them some gear, her eyes looking over them menacingly.

"There's only three Jet-skies..." Clark notices.

"Well, if it isn't Mr obvious." Lois snarks.

"Lois!" Clark snaps.

"Clark!" Lois does the same back, but playfully to annoy him.

Chloe rolls her eyes and chimes in. "Points!"

"Damn!" Clark and Lois saids in unison, they coldly look at each other after they realize they spoke at the same time, then it happens again. "Will you stop..."

"Stop it!" Clark and Lois shout.

"Clark!"

"Lois!"

"Points!" Chloe screams, cutting them from saying anything. "Both of you stop...and since we could only get three Jet-skies, we'll have to share." Chloe finishes.

"Lana's already paired up with AC and Bart's with me, so I guess that leaves you two..."

Clark and Lois simultaneously folds their arms across their chest, cutting their eyes at the cheery blond in front of them, who beamed a huge, smugged grin.

more to come soon...

Hoped ya'll enjoyed reading it, and like I said, I'm slow at typing I'll try to get more up tonight if not 2mrw hopefully.

Till then Later...