Lois ran towards him. He looked crazed, mad with grief. Poor Clark.
"Clark stop" Lois said she reached him and his grip on Tim seemed to falter, but then Clark lifted him higher against.
"Clark, your killing him" Lois said pulling at his arm but no use. Clark was very strong and she could barely budge him. This approach was failing. She forced him to look at her and begged him to stop.
"Let him go" she whispered
And he did. He looked as surprised as she. She had never seen him like this. But this was the first time Lois Lane would see of the lengths that Clark would go to protect the people he loved.
Clark stood shaking as Lois rubbed his arm soothingly. She held onto his arm and for the first time he was really glad Lois was there. They teased each other and maybe didn't really like each other some of the time but she was loyal, fierce and a good person.
Tears began to flow down his face and when Lois said that it was going to be OK he believed her. His breathing quickened and he fell to his knees sobbing quietly. Lois knelt with him and wrapped her arms around him and he thanked god that Lois was in his life.

One Week Later

An image of Alicia's snapped neck entered his mind and he woke with the intensity of the image. Guilt swept over him as he remembered how his own cowardice and mistrust in Alicia had led to her murder. If he'd only gone with her to the Sheriff and explained his own abilities, made the Sheriff and maybe the town see that having abilities didn't mean you were a maniac murderer.
Instead he'd been scared. Afraid of how people would react if they knew the truth about who he was. Afraid of what would happen when they figured out that his gifts aren't powered by meteor rocks but are alien.
He had refused Alicia because he'd been worried about how many friends he'd still have after he was exposed.
He'd woken from these nightmares every night following Alicia's death that were always the same; finding Alicia's broken body at her home and then he'd be wrapping his hands around Tim Westcott, her murderer's, throat and squeezing. Squeezing tighter and tighter.
There was no Lois to stop him in his dreams, but there was no satisfaction in the nightmarish revenge he inflicted on Tim either. Alicia was still dead.
And he was the coward that had let her die rather than protect her.

He visited Alicia's grave. He had done most days. However today was different. Lois was here. Like she knew he would be there.
She was leaning against a tree near Alicia's grave.
Why did she always have to look so beautiful?
For whatever he may say he knew Lois was attractive. it was impossible not to know it.
Despite his shock at seeing her, he couldn't form anything pertinent to say. He had barely spoke to her in the last week. In fact he hadn't even thanked her for what she had done. Comforted him. Not teased him for crying, for bawling like a baby into shoulder. No he suspected Lois had more tact than that.

"Clark are you OK?"
Clark was taken aback by the concern he saw on Lois' face.

"I… " He had no idea how to respond. Thank her you idiot.

"Clark what's up with you? What are you trying to run away from?" she asked quietly.

"I'm not…" Clark breathed out a heavy sigh, but didn't look at her.

Lois noticed the little shake of his head and how his shoulders seemed to sag.

"I know Alicia's death was hard, but you can't blame yourself, I know that's what you think but you can't blame yourself. Tim was the maniac that killed her" she said moving a little closer.
"I..." Clark mumbled. "It doesn't make me feel any better."

Lois slowly took a careful step towards Clark's stooped frame. "It's not supposed to," she said slowly.
"I betrayed her."he added dejectedly.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I didn't believe her. I didn't believe she was innocent. After everything she did for me, I went to Sheriff Adams when I found her scarf, after Jason was attacked. It's my fault," his voice cracked with emotion.
"Clark, we were played. We all thought Alicia was responsible. That's what we were meant to think. Judging by her past how weren't we supposed to go straight to Alicia."
"You didn't know her" Clark said
"So tell me" Lois whispered
"She had abilities but her parent's abused her, told her she was a freak. When I came along I guess she sort of latched on to me. I don't blame her. With the life she had lead up to then you could understand. She came back she was better. No body else saw but I did. She took a bullet for me. A bullet, risked her life for mine. I instantly accused her. I should have known she's changed"
"Clark you aren't responsible, you need to understand that. You've been wasting away, we may not be friends but even I don't want to see you like this."
"I just need time"
"Everyone needs time, you know why I tease you because you take everything so seriously"
Lois continued her rant "You're honest, kind, good, you have integrity, generous, and for Smallville standards you aren't bad looking" she finished quickly.

Clark grinned "I think the world going to explode, Lois Lane giving me a complement."
Lois blushed
Before he knew what he was doing he had wrapped her up in a tight hug.
"Thank you Lois, for everything" He said with such sincerity and caring that Lois felt butterflys in her stomach. Clark kissed her cheek, she blushed even harder and felt the skin where he had kissed her prickle. Clark had a small smile on his face as he walked away.

Yes Lois Lane was indeed a one of a kind.