A Note From Lara: Ha! I bet you thought I forgot about this one, didn't you? Well, I didn't. I've just lacked ANY inspiration for it since discovering the magic and miracles that is Heroes. All my fic ideas come for Heroes now, so... yeah. But I made promises to finish this one, and I will.

This is just a short update, but it's better than nothing. In this chapter, Clark and Lois have a conversation at Lana's wedding reception.

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Lois brushed her newly darkened hair out of her eyes. She had gotten it done for Lana's wedding, and liked the way the darker color brought out lighter tones in her eyes.

She stood on the roof of Luthorcorp tower, where the wedding reception was being held. God, she wished Lana had seen sense in time to stop this whole mess. Lois knew she had been disparaging in regards to Clark's constant need to 'save' Lana from Lex, but the truth was, she knew from experience just how manipulative the Luthors could be. It wasn't entirely Lana's fault that she'd been roped into this travesty of a union.

Lois shuddered at the thought. Being married in general was a scary prospect to her. It felt so... tied down. Limited. There was nothing that terrified Lois more than being held back and restricted. It just wasn't a concept she could wrap her mind around.

Someone cleared their throat behind her. She spun around and saw... Clark. "Hey Smallville," she said.

He nodded, joining her in leaning against the balcony. "Why aren't you enjoying the party?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it just bothers me seeing Lana with Lex. I know I said she made that choice on her own, but... Maybe after the fact, I get that this is a forever thing. She's tied to him forever. And I've never been Lana's biggest fan, but nobody deserves to be trapped in the Luthor family that way. Even if it's voluntary, it's still a fate worse than death." Lois laughed, and Clark chuckled with her.

"So, I guess I don't have to ask what you're doing up here," she continued after a moment. "You're trying to avoid the 'happy' couple as much as possible."

Clark smiled ruefully and shook his head. "No, actually. I still don't like Lex, and I think it was a mistake for Lana to marry him, but... If anybody can reform Lex, I guess it's her." Lois raised her eyebrows dubiously, but Clark only laughed. "No, I'm serious. I really have moved on. Lana's not that special somebody anymore."

Silence descended over the rooftop as the pair looked out across the city glow. "So how about you?" Clark asked hesitantly after a moment. "Anybody special in your life lately?"

Lois started at the question; clearly he had thrown her. "Well... I met somebody. But I don't know... He's..."

A sinking feeling rose in Clark's stomach. So the alien thing bothered her after all.

"...kind of in-and-out. You know what I mean? One minute he's there, but then he's gone just a second later. It's disorienting."

The knot in his gut loosened, and he smiled. "You want my advice? Give it some time. This guy's probably just intimidated by the formidable Lois Lane."

"Never stopped you though, did it?" she said. "You managed to squirm into my life without running off every three seconds in panic."

Clark shrugged. "I'm not that easily cowed," he said. "It would take a lot more than a rough exterior to send me running for the hills." Immediately, he regretted his words. Had he revealed too much about his feelings? It felt glaringly obvious to him. Lois, however, seemed to take little notice.

"Thanks Smallville," she said, chuckling. "So I take it we're friends now?"

They laughed at the old joke. And something Clark had seen that night, not so long after he had met her recurred to him. Just after they had confirmed their top-secret friendship, he had peered through his telescope, and seen two stars collide. Well, not stars, he knew, but comets or meteors or something. One brightly-burning object had come smashing into the other, lighting it up.

Looking back, it seemed almost like a sign, that Lois Lane would come crashing into his life and change everything. And really, hadn't she? Everything had been different since she had careered into him in that cornfield. Even before he had realized his true feelings for her... she had called him on it when he was feeling sorry for himself, she had never ceased to surprise him every time he thought he'd figured her out, and she usually managed to get herself in and out of trouble with a savoir-faire that stunned him.

"Yeah," he said. "Friends." They remained on the roof for a few minutes more before Chloe pulled open the stairwell door and called to them to come on inside, they were missing a fabulous party.

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Once again, kind of a filler chapter, but I'm kind of stuck between where I am and where I want to go with no idea of how to get there. I hope to wrap it up in under five chapters, though, so as soon as I get inspiration, there'll be another update.