"Come on, Clark, you know you want to!"

"Chloe, I already told you, there is no way I am playing that stupid game."

"Why not! It's just harmless fun. Pleeeeease Clark. It took me forever to get ready and I was really hoping to play it tonight. Without you there will be an unequal amount of people, and it won't work. Besides, Lana already said she would come, so by default you pretty much have to play."

Clark rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time since he had began this conversation with Chloe.

"Chloe you know things between me and Lana aren't the best right now. Every time we're in a room together lately we end up nearly strangling each other. Do you honestly think a game like this is going to help our relationship?"

Chloe felt ashamed all of the sudden. She hadn't meant to hurt Clark's feelings by suggesting he play. She really hadn't known how bad things were between him and Lana. They obviously weren't great, but she didn't know that they were that miserable.

"I'm sorry Clark, I didn't mean to come off so pushy. You don't have to play if you don't want to. I just thought it would be a good opportunity to get everyone together for a fun evening since we haven't really seen much of each other lately. Especially since Lois has been practically M.I.A. for the past few weeks, and she finally agreed to leave the confines of her apartment and spend a night with her friends."

The mention of Lois' name seemed to catch Clark's interest. His features seemed to light up at the thought of getting to see his best friend again. After Lois had returned from Star City, things between them had been awkward, and he felt like he never got to see her anymore. Well no, that was a lie. They hadn't been awkward at first.

In fact when she first got back she had been really happy to see him. She even suggested that they have dinner together to catch up, and boy had that dinner been great. The months she had spent away in Star City seemed to fall away, and things were back to normal between them almost instantly. They spent the night talking and laughing, and just genuinely enjoying each other's company. That is until the subject of Lana had come up. While Lois was gone, he had started seeing Lana again. He hadn't meant for it to happen, but he was lonely, and Lana was familiar. The minute he said Lana's name, Lois' brilliant smile curved into a frown and the hand that had previously been resting on the top of his recoiled. He didn't need to say anything. One look in his eyes and she knew right away.

Clark and Lana were back together, once again.

After that night, every time he tried to talk to Lois she shot him down. There was always an article she had to write, or a source to meet, or a prior engagement she just couldn't get out of. She might as well be living on another planet.

He looked conflicted as he contemplated whether or not he should agree to Chloe's offer. He was silent for a few seconds, and then with a long drawn out sigh he mumbled the words Chloe had been hoping to hear.

"Fine, I'll come."

Chloe flashed him her biggest smile before throwing herself at him and wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"You won't regret it!"

Somehow he doubted that.

It was 6:30 on a Saturday night, and Clark was in the living room setting it up the way Chloe had asked him to. Apparently, they couldn't just sit on the couch and play her game. Oh no, there was much more to it than that. She had insisted that he set up a podium-like thing at the front of the living room, and set up the couches so they faced the podium. Everyone was due to arrive in about fifteen minutes. Lana had already showed up about an hour ago, and was bustling around in the kitchen preparing the food for the evening. He had suggested that they just order a few pizzas and be done with it, but she had insisted on making a huge meal. And as always, her suggestion won. Truthfully, he was thankful to get some time to be alone with his thoughts.

If he was completely honest with himself, he didn't even know why he was still with her. For so long he had believed himself to be in love with her. He had pictured spending his life with her, and it had seemed like something he wanted.

But now...

Their relationship was not at all like he had imagined. Maybe it was because he had been holding on to a dream for so long. Holding onto memories of her that were no longer reality. People grow and change, and memories can be deceiving. He thought he was in love with her, but he now knew that he wasn't. He was in love with the idea of her. And now that he finally had the unattainable Lana Lang in his grasp, he found himself wanting nothing more then to let go.

And then there was Lois. The woman he couldn't get out of his mind. He lay awake most nights wishing it was Lois beside him. Somehow he knew that if it was Lois laying beside him, everything would feel okay. He knew he should end things with Lana, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. What if Lois didn't even want to be with him? What if this was the happiest he was ever gonna be? What if he spent the rest of his life miserable and alone?

But he was miserable already wasn't he?

A loud knock on the door broke him out of his haze.

"I'll get it," he heard Lana shout from the kitchen. Clark sauntered over to greet whomever it was that had showed up. To his surprise, the first person he saw when he turned the corner was none other than Lois Lane. Chloe and Jimmy followed her into the house, but he didn't seem to notice them. His eyes were transfixed on Lois as she removed her jacket and shook her hair out a few times to rid it of snowflakes. God she was beautiful. Her eyes sparkled as they connected with his, and a grin crept onto her face.

"Hey Smallville, long time no see."

She awkwardly smiled at Lana and told her that the food smelt wonderful before making her way to the living room.

Clark watched her walk past him, not taking his eyes off of her until she was around the corner before turning to Chloe and Jimmy.

"Glad you guys could make it," he said, trying to keep his voice casual. Chloe and Jimmy returned the enthusiasm, but he couldn't help but notice that they were both giving him a bit of an odd look. Before he could ask what it was about, Lana announced that dinner was ready, so he made his way over to the table to sit down. Dinner went by quite smoothly. Everyone loved the food and he found himself actually enjoying himself for the first time in a while. Every now and then he would look up and find Lois looking over at him, but the minute their eyes connected she would look away. Finally, the topic of their post-dinner game came up and Chloe excitedly explained the premise of the game.

"So I was watching TV the other day, and this game show called 'The Newlywed Game' came on. Basically, newlywed couples go on the show and have to answer questions about their spouse, and then the spouse has to try and match their answers. I know that besides me and Jimmy, no one here is married, but I thought we could play anyway. It will be a fun way to see how much we really know about each other. Since there are five of us, someone will have to be the host. I was thinking Lois could be since..."

"Since I am the only one here that doesn't have a significant other," Lois chimed in.

"Are you sure you're okay with this Lois? You don't have to play if you aren't up to it."

"Hey, I am always up for a game. As long as it doesn't involve lie detectors and electrocution, I'm in."

Once the words were out of her mouth she regretted them. Why did she have to bring that up? All it did was remind her of a certain incident where she professed her love for a certain farm boy. A farm boy that was standing beside her. Nice one, Lois.

Chloe looked uncomfortable for a minute before deciding to just ignore Lois' comment altogether.

"Okay great! So Lois will ask the questions, and we will try to match them with whatever our partner says. So Clark, you and Lana will be a team, and Jimmy and I will be a team. Sound good?"

"Sounds swell" Lois said. Clark seemed to be the only one who noticed that her comment was laced with sarcasm, and they both shared a playful look before Lana grabbed Clark and dragged him to their side of the room.

Lois picked up Chloe's instruction cards and read out the first line in the best game show host voice she could muster.

"Areeee youu readyyyy forr theee newwlyywedd gameee?" She announced, hating herself a little bit for agreeing to participate in this fiasco.

Chloe clapped her hands together and kissed Jimmy's cheek before turning her attention back to Lois.

"Okay, so I am going to begin by asking the men a few questions so ladies, please make your way into the next room for the next few minutes." Chloe and Lana got up from their couches and went upstairs into Clark's room so they would be out of earshot.

"Alright, let's start with an easy one boys," she said as she winked at them. "What is your girlfriend/spouse's favorite movie?"

Jimmy grabbed the pen and started writing on his card right away. Clark however, could feel himself starting to sweat. What exactly was Lana's favorite movie? Most of the movies she made him watch were quite unmemorable, and 'chick flickey' as Lois would say. Jimmy had finished writing and Lois was staring at Clark, waiting for him to make a move. Feeling pressured, he quickly scribbled down 'The Notebook', because Lana had recently made him watch it with her.

"Okay, next question. How does your partner like their coffee in the morning?"

Again Jimmy's pen was moving at an alarming pace across the card and Clark had yet to pick his up. Lana normally got up before him and made her own coffee, so he wasn't really sure how she liked it. He did remember one day when she had assumed the coffee Clark had picked up for Lois was for her and complained that it was way too sugary when she took a drink. So she probably didn't like too much sugar. Feeling clueless again he wrote down black, solely because he couldn't think of anything else to write.

"Alright boys, one more question and you are off the hook. What is the one thing your partner does that drives you up the wall?"

Lois couldn't help but smirk as she read the question. This wasn't going to end well.

Unlike the other two questions, Clark had no problem coming up with something to write. Lana correcting his grammar had always drove him up the wall. Clark finished writing and looked over at Jimmy, who seemed to be having a hard time with the question. At last he wrote something down as a smile crept on to his face. Clark had a feeling Chloe was going to like whatever Jimmy had written down.

"Well I guess I can go get Chloe and Lana then." Lois said before running up the stairs to invite the girls back down. Once they were downstairs and settled back down on their couches Lois cleared her throat and began to speak.

"So now I am going to ask the women the same question I asked the men, and the women have to try and match their answer to what their partner said. Lois looked up from her card at everyone to see their reactions. Lana looked excited, and Clark looked... well. Clark looked really nervous. For someone she had never seen break a sweat before, he looked like he could use some good antiperspirant. Chloe looked super happy, and Jimmy looked equally excited to begin the round. Well this will be interesting, she thought.

"Okay I guess I will start with Chloe. What did Jimmy say was your favorite movie?"

Chloe thought about it for a moment before answering 'Pride and Prejudice'. Jimmy smiled brightly as he raised his card.

"Alright!," Lois exclaimed. "Five points for Chloe and Jimmy. Now onto Lana."

Lana smiled at Clark and answered, "Legally Blonde."

Lois noticed Clark's face drop, as he tried to avoid Lana's gaze.

Clark looked afraid as he held up his card. Lana let out an uncomfortable laugh, and tried to downplay his incorrect answer by mentioning how they watched a lot of movies, so he was bound to get them mixed up. In response Clark nodded and awkwardly chuckled, though Lois noticed he still hadn't looked at Lana.

"Um..okay. So second question. Chloe, how did Jimmy say you liked you coffee in the morning.?"

One again, their answers matched word for word and they gave each other a peck on the lips. Directing her gaze toward Lana, Lois asked the question again.

Lana, a little less enthusiastic than the last time she answered, revealed that she took her coffee with one sugar, and one cream. Clark held up his card with a sheepish look on his face. Lana just sadly shook her head this time, a frown beginning to form on her face.

"Last question!" Lois blurted out cheerfully, in an attempt to cut through the tension that was rising in the room.

"What did you partner say was the one thing about you that drives them up the wall? Chloe?"

Chloe looked lovingly at Jimmy before saying, "I think he would say nothing about me drives him up the wall." Jimmy thrusted his card into the air and smiled widely at Chloe. So far they were in the lead with fifteen points, while Clark and Lana sat at a whopping zero points.

"Lana, what do you think Clark said?"

Lana looked apprehensive, but turned toward Clark, and with a wavering optimism in her voice said "I think he would also say nothing."

Clark's eyes widened in panic, and he looked like he wished he could be anywhere else in the world at that moment. Uh oh. Once again he raised his card, looking defeated. Lois didn't bother to read it aloud this time.

Before anyone could say anything, Lana stood up and rushed out of the room. Everyone was silent for a moment before Clark got up and mumbled, "I better go after her," before following her into the kitchen.

"Well, that was awkward," Chloe admitted. She looked up at Lois who looked slightly guilty.

"Lois don't even think of blaming this on yourself. I am the one who made the questions. All you did was read them. This wasn't your fault."

"Thanks Chloe," she said, smiling weakly.

"If you guys don't mind I am gonna go get some air."

With that she grabbed her coat and walked out the front door towards the barn.

"Lana will you please talk to me. Look I am sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. It was just a stupid game. I don't understand why you are so upset with me."

"Are you actually going to stand there and tell me you don't know why I am upset? Clark, I thought we knew each other better than anyone, but apparently you don't even know the most basic things about me."

Clark looked at the ground. As much as he wanted to defend himself, he couldn't help but agree with her. They didn't know each other.

"Maybe you're right Lana. Maybe us being together is a mistake. We obviously don't know how to be in a relationship with each other without making each other unhappy. I always thought that if you came back we could just pick up where we left off, you know? That things would go back to the way they were. But you and I both know that they haven't. We aren't the same people we were five years ago Lana. I've changed, and so have you. And it's no one's fault, but I think it's time to face the truth. We're not good for each other, and we would only be fooling ourselves if we tried to ignore that fact."

Lana was silent for a moment before answering. But to his surprise she wasn't angry. In the place of anger, there was acceptance. She knew that what he said was true.

"As much as it hurts me to say this, you are right Clark. I guess I was just holding on to what was familiar. This hasn't been working for a long time. I should have come to terms with that a while ago."

She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Goodbye Clark." She whispered in his ear before stepping back from him and turning her back on him. She hesitated before leaving; hoping that he would come after her. But he didn't. Not this time.

"Goodbye Lana." Clark quietly said.

And Lana walked away without looking back.

And for once in his life, the sight of Lana Lang walking away did not make him feel unbearable pain.

No, this time he felt something entirely different.

He felt relief.

Lois was standing in Clark's loft, leaning over the railing when she saw him walk in the barn.

"You okay Smallville?" she said as he came up to meet her.

"Yeah, I think I am," he said.

Lois raised her eyebrow at him, wordlessly asking him what he meant.

"Lana and I just broke up." he said, not a trace of regret in his voice.

"I'm sorry Clark," she all but whispered, "what happened?"

"There's nothing to be sorry about Lois. Honestly, it was that game. Those questions just made me realize that I didn't really know Lana at all. I mean I didn't get one single question right."

"Don't beat yourself up Smallville, they were hard questions."

"No they weren't, Lois. They were painfully simple, and I couldn't get any right."

He wasn't making her job of making him feel better very easy. Of course they weren't hard questions, but what was she supposed to say? That he and Lana were the world's worst couple? That he should be with her instead?

"Well there are millions of movies in the world. How are you supposed to narrow it down to a single movie? That's nearly impossible if you think about it. And how she liked her coffee, I mean come on, how on earth would you know that? Like I said, impossible."

"It's not impossible." He said taking a step closer.

Her heart rate sped up as he closed in on her. "Oh yeah," she breathed, "prove it."

"Your favorite movie is Die Hard. I know that because you make me watch it every time I agree to have a movie night with you. We've watched it so many times that I can't see that movie anymore without thinking of you. When you were in Star City, I watched it almost every day Lois. It was the only thing that kept me sane."

Lois' heart was hammering in her chest as he once again moved closer. And she was beginning to blush.

"You like your coffee with three sugars and two creams, a fact I have come to know since you steal my coffee from me every morning. I figured that if you were going to keep taking it, I might as well get it how you like. Evidently, it is also how I take my coffee now since there was no one around to steal it from me when you were gone."

Now Lois was really blushing. She couldn't help but move closer to him as well. Something about him just drew her forward.

"And how about the thing about me that drives you up the wall?" she said, as she placed her hand on his chest, no longer in control of her actions.

"Everything about you drives me up the wall Lois Lane" he said, his lips almost touching hers, "but I wouldn't have it any other way."

With that he pressed his lips against hers. It was a soft kiss, their lips barely touching, but that was all it took. Lois thew her arms around his neck in abandon and urgently deepened the kiss. Clark felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest. He had imagined doing this for so long. His fantasies were pretty amazing, but they were nothing compared to the real thing. He pulled away after a moment and tucked Lois' hair behind her ear. They were both breathing hard and staring at the ground.

"Those questions weren't hard Lois. I was just answering them about the wrong girl."

She brought her gaze up to meet his and smiled.

"So does that mean that I am the right girl then?"

"What do you think?" he asked, as his lips crashed down onto hers again.

And she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was the right girl. Because he was definitely the right guy.

And didn't those two kind of go hand in hand?