I do not own Smallville. Enjoy and, please, review:)

Chapter 2: He'll die without ever knowing.

Later that year, both Lois and Chloe were working late at the 'Daily Planet', as they were both making up for lost time. Clark was out on an assignment, with Oliver Queen. The two of them had become good friends, despite the stark contrasts between the two young men.

Just as the cousin were about to leave the building, the news flashed on and it showed that there had been a shooting at the Queen Industries building in Metropolis. Both Chloe and Lois froze for a second, then they ran out of the building and caught a taxi to the hospital.

"Do we know if anyone has hurt?" Lois asked her cousin, frantically.

Chloe shook her head and replied, "No, but we'll find out as soon as we get there. God, I hope everyone's ok." Chloe had been Clark's best friend since secondary school and she and Oliver were friends also. The thing that scared her the most though was that Jimmy Oslen, her boyfriend, had been there and she had tried to call him, but he had not answered. The two young women held hands, both holding their breath that the people they cared about were alright.

The taxi pulled up in the car park of Metropolis General Hospital and Lois and Chloe jumped out and ran in. They made their way into the waiting room, but then Lois went to the desk to check something. Chloe continued to the waiting room and her heart sank when she saw only Oliver sitting there.

Oliver stood up and she ran to him, embracing him in a hug, before asking, "Ollie, where's Jimmy?"

Sitting her down, her friend replied, "He was shot. He's going to be fine, but he's in surgery right now. You can do to him now; they'll let you in," Chloe knew that Oliver would have pulled strings in order to gain her access and she whispered, "Thank you." She stood up and ran to Jimmy's room. In her hurry to find her boyfriend, she had forgotten about her best friend.

As Chloe left the waiting room, Lois stormed in and walked over to Oliver. "Where's Chloe?" she demanded, upon seeing that her cousin was not there.

"She's in with Jimmy," Oliver replied, "he was hurt pretty badly, but he's going to be fine."

A smile spread across Lois's face and she thanked the gods. "Oh, thank goodness. That's the best news I've heard all day! I know how much he means to Chloe, how much she loves him and I-I don't think I could bare losing him, he's my friend." She saw the sad look on Oliver's face and asked, "What's wrong?"

Oliver stood up and looked her in the eye. "Lois, Clark was hit…in the chest. He's in surgery right now."

Lois's face turned white and she felt as if her entire world was ending and that everything was in slow motion. She sat down and Oliver sat next to her. She grabbed his hand, for something to hold. "He can't die. He can't." Lois insisted, fighting back tears. Looking down at the floor, she whispered, "He'll die without ever knowing…I never told him…" She wiped away the single tear which had fallen down her face, then turned back to Oliver. "I need to see him."

Her friend nodded and led her to Clark's operating room and Lois stood there, watching him, praying that Clark Kent would not die. For hours, Lois stood there, not wanting to take her eyes off her friend. It was only now that she realised how much he meant to her and, more precisely, what he meant to her.

Emil, the doctor who was operating on Clark, informed her and Oliver that Clark was out of danger, but Lois still refused to leave the window, even when Oliver tried to convince her that she needed rest and that Chloe needed her, even more than Clark did. Oliver mentally noted Lois's devotion for Clark and wondered if she had finally worked out what both he and Chloe had known for the past year.

Clark survived the surgery, but he was in pain. For the three months that he was recovering, Chloe and Oliver helped him, but neither of them did as much for him as Lois. Clark was amazed with her devotion to him and saw it as a further sign that she was a great friend. He told her so, and she just smile and said nothing, which he thought was a rather odd response.

When Clark finally returned to work, Lois was still very protective of him and, whilst it annoyed him, he was glad that she cared about him so much.

One evening, when Lois was out with Clark and Jimmy, Chloe was making herself dinner and there was a knock on the door. She opened the door and found that it was Oliver. "Have you made enough for two?" he asked, jokingly, as Chloe let him in.

As they sat down to dinner Oliver asked where Jimmy was and Chloe replied that he was with Lois and Clark.

"Do you think that Clark appreciates everything Lois has done for him for the past three months or so?" Oliver asked his friend.

Chloe hesitated, before replying. "I think he appreciates it, but he doesn't…really understand why she's doing it; he thinks she's doing it to be a good friend and, whilst that is part of the truth…you and I both know that there's more to it than that. She didn't leave the hospital for days after he was shot."

Swallowing his bite, Oliver remarked, "When I told her Clark had been shot, she said 'He'll die without ever knowing. I never told him.' Do you think that means what I think it does?"

"Yes, I do, but I think that a miracle's going to have to happen for her to see her in that way-I mean, he does, he just doesn't realise it."

There was silence, then Oliver said, "I'm going to go and get a coffee. Do you want one?"

Chloe shook her head and smiled, "No, thanks-Jimmy got me one earlier." She was glad that her boyfriend was alright, although she did still worry about me. She knew that she needed to talk to Lois about Clark and tell her that nothing was ever going to happen between Lois Lane and Clark Kent.