I know that most of you are screaming at me by now but, remember, Clark always needs a push before acting.

BRIDE BELATED

Thanksgiving Day, 2008

Lois let her feet carry her as quickly as they could from the yellow farmhouse. Dinner was over and, miraculously, she had managed to control her temper, after periodic bursts of fury had ruined her morning. Unexpectedly, at the mention of Clark, she'd lost her temper with Chloe causing her cousin to turn pale. Feeling guilty afterward, she had called Jimmy and given him a piece of her mind. With very little persuading, he'd agreed to talk to her cousin, during which he'd agreed to return on Saturday. At least Chloe was happy now.

As for Lois, she didn't want to upset anyone else's holiday. Her strategy had been simple- don't be alone with Clark.

She'd realized during her sleepless night and after her outburst with Chloe that the farm boy was triggering some sort of rage in her- his name and presence. The only way to make it happen was to delay her arrival at the farm by taking care of wedding stuff. Once she arrived she simply kept out the man's way by keeping close to Mrs. Kent in the kitchen.

What she hadn't factored into her plan was the girl with perfect timing. Lana appeared during desert, looking for Clark's help. The sudden outrage that slammed into Lois at the other's appearance wasn't completely unexpected but it was overwhelming. Somehow, she was able to grit her teeth and wait for it to pass.

Through her rage, she barely noticed Clark's reluctance to leave and that he'd only been persuaded when Kara volunteered, telling her to stay and enjoy the rest of the day with family.

It wasn't long afterward that Mrs. Kent started with the questions that now had the reporter fleeing to the barn-

"Lois, is something wrong?"

Battling with the remorse and embarrassment that followed an outburst, she kept her eyes on her plate and choked out a one-word response. "No."

With a sigh, Mrs. Kent pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. "You've barely touched that pie- a clear sign that something's not right."

The younger woman smiled a little and shook her head. No way was she going to admit that she was out of control-

"Honey… does this have something to do with Clark?" Mrs. Kent smiled knowingly at Lois' startled look. "Believe me, I love my son but I know his faults. He's cautious, almost overly so, and once he makes up his mind it's difficult to get him to change it." She studied the dishcloth in her hand. "That makes it hard for him to move on…"

Lois leaned forward, forgetting about her anger, the words seeming to pour out of her. "But he takes the time to deliberate because he's always thinking about others and once he makes up his mind, he's committed because he knows it's the best decision… for everyone."

The older woman wiped an imaginary crumb from the table. "You know him better than you realize."

Lois sputtered. "It's not what you think, Mrs. Kent-"

"Have you expressed certain feelings for Clark?"

At the motherly demand for honesty, Lois squirmed in her seat "Well, yes-"

"And have you told Clark your destiny is to love him?"

"Huh," Lois let out a surprised grunt. "He told you-"

"And are you waiting for him to tell you how he feels?"

"No." The younger woman stopped squirming and stared back unblinkingly.

The older woman was taken aback. "Why not?"

Lois looked down at her pie, watching as her fork picked it apart, trying to find the right words without sounding like some sort of coward. "Let's just say that if Clark has to choose, I know I'll be his second," she said softly, feeling the words catch in her throat.

"Then why do you think it's your destiny to love him?"

Lois shrugged as she pushed away from the table, not ready to talk about it, especially when Clark was off with his first choice. "What can I say? Sometimes fate has a sense of humor," she commented, choking at her own attempt at levity. One look into Mrs. Kent's understanding eyes and she had to get out of there-

Letting her body lead her, she laughed at the irony when she found herself in the loft, staring out through the rough window.

Great, now she was brooding like the farm boy.

"I haven't heard that in a while." Clark's quiet voice from somewhere behind made her jump. Distracted and worried about her circumstances, she'd missed him sitting on the couch, hands between his knees.

"What?" She asked, something easing at the sight of his familiar pose.

In the dim light, she heard him draw in a deep breath before he responded softly. "Your laugh."

Unable to form a coherent thought, let alone respond, she simply watched as he moved slowly over to the window and looked out. For a while, both of them stood staring at the stars and then he broke the silence hesitantly.

"Do you think what I'm doing… Lois, is it enough?"

She turned and caught the man's profile, noticing the doubt on his expression. She didn't like seeing it even now when- or maybe because- she was experiencing these strange bouts of anger with him.

Pausing, she waited for the explosion and sighed in relief when her emotions held. "You've saved a lot of people, Clark, but is it enough? I don't know." She leaned forward. "How much is? No one person- even an extraordinary one- can do it all."

He continued to look out at the stars. "Is it … am I … selfish for wanting to spend the holiday with my family?"

"No, you're not selfish," she told him, feeling the first stirrings of anger but not a Clark this time. It was obvious that Lana must be putting the pressure on and, while more than most, Lois understood duty and dedication, she was beginning to see why Clark and Lana always had problems. Clark didn't need to feel pressured to be the hero. He already wanted- no, felt compelled- to help people. As she'd told Chloe, what Clark wanted was to feel accepted, not pressured.

Gripping the rough edge of the window, she tried to give him what he needed- the truth. "You can't be the hero every day, all day long. Even the most dedicated get burned out, trust me," Lois shook her head, wondering if seeing her father's dedication to duty had given her perspective. She'd seen the other side of his sacrifice, having to raise her own sister and watching helplessly as she rebelled in an effort to get her father's attention.

"At some point, you risk forgetting why you started protecting people in the first place," she urged, remembering words that J'onn told her when they were fighting together. "Everyone needs time to remember what they're fighting for," she paused at the memory. "For you, that's friends and family."

When he didn't respond, she sucked in a deep breath, feeling shaken. Was this one of the reasons that Clark succumbed to the Darkness? Had he pushed himself too hard? She turned and caught him looking at her with a warm and sincere expression. "Thanks, Lois."

"Sure, Clark; that's what friends are for," she answered, feeling uncomfortable with the intimacy of his expression. His proximity was overwhelming and she suddenly felt breathless with anxiety. Feeling cautious, she started backing away.

"Lois, what's wrong?" Clark asked, watching her movements with a mixture of desperation and distress. "What's going on?"

"I … I don't know; I'm just a little jittery today, probably too much caffeine," she lied with a distracted smile. Unwilling to turn her back, she glanced behind her to gauge the distance to the steps and felt Clark touch her arm. "Lois about last night-" he pleaded.

In an instant, she was furious. "Get your hands off of me," she told him through gritted teeth, looking at his hand like a weapon- that's what it felt like to her.

The man released her so quickly that she almost fell. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about last night."

"Don't… just don't touch me," she told him, the anger inside exploding. "I don't want… just don't."

"What's happening here?" Clark asked, studying her face. "Lois, please tell-"

"It's okay… really." Breathing heavily, heart pounding, her eyes were guiltily drawn to his gaze and she saw his fill with pain and confusion. "I'm sorry," she whispered, frustrated with her own lack of understanding. She wasn't the most passive person but she'd never experienced such out-of-control emotions before.

She didn't like it.

Unable to express what she couldn't comprehend, she backed over to the stairs and fled down them.

Pulling her keys from her pocket, hearing Clark call out behind her, she jumped into her car and drove in the direction of Metropolis. She couldn't go back to the Talon right now and she certainly couldn't stay at the farm. Getting away from the farm boy had become more than a priority.

It had become a necessity.

Metropolis General, next night

The inside of the ambulance felt too enclosed, too confining. Lois was going stir crazy. On a Friday night, Davis had responded to a self-inflicted gunshot wound, an overdose, and two heart attacks- not one solid story in the whole bunch.

The man himself was a pleasant companion, however, and in his calm demeanor her emotions had settled for the first time since the barn, almost to the point of sleep. She was tired. Last night her emotions stayed high, keeping her from getting sleep that she desperately needed.

Unwilling to stay still, she got out and looked around the bay area outside the hospital. Careful to stay out of the way of the emergency personnel, she started walking away from the building, intending to simply stretch her legs but when she reached the sidewalk, she saw J'onn across the street leaning against the light and munching on a cookie.

What was he doing here?

Looking around to catch Davis' eyes she tilted her head to let him know where she was going. Even if he hadn't been the source of any stories, she wasn't ready for the night to end. In the meantime, her detective friend could be good for either distraction or story.

Frowning a little, she walked up and held out her hand. With a resigned look, the Martian reached into his pocket and pulled out a cookie, placing it on her palm. With a smirk, Lois took a bite, spinning on her heel to look at whatever J'onn was studying.

"What am I looking at here?"

The man took a considering bite and turned his head in her direction. "Why? What are you doing?"

"Hmm, working on a story," she mumbled between bites.

"Is that Davis Bloome you're with?"

"Yeah…" Lois commented, surprised that the Detective would remember enough to know Davis on sight. "So what?"

"Nothing," J'onn said casually- maybe a little too casually. "I thought you didn't trust him."

"That's when I thought he was the Ace of Clubs Killer," Lois shrugged. "I've gotten to know him better since then. He's okay." She watched the group moving around a patient, Davis included. Even among his peers he seemed isolated. Man, he reminded her of Clark in so many ways…

Lois sighed at thoughts of Clark.

Work today had been difficult, to say the least. Avoiding the guy seated directly across from her had taken effort. Of course, the more she tried to steer clear of Clark, the more he wanted to talk. She was working at the table in the copy room when he walked in and closed the door.

"You're not avoiding me, are you?"

She jumped in her chair, having been so engrossed by her thoughts that she hadn't heard him. How a big man could be sneak up on her-

"Of course not," she smiled weakly. "I just, uhm, needed some quiet, you know, to prepare for this story."

"Really, which one is that?" Clark raised his eyebrows and sat down on the edge of the table.

For a minute Lois felt suffocated by his nearness. She scooted her chair away, her eyes meeting his bemused ones.

"Lois," he cautioned, his hand reaching out to her.

She stood, smile plastered to her face. "I've got to get ready for tonight, Clark," she told him. "I should go."

Her eyes widened when Clark stood at the same time, his body blocking her exit. "We need to talk."

Lois lost it. In an instant, she was enraged and lashing out. "Get away from me," she yelled, trying to push him with her hands and her body. He didn't move and she pushed him again. "I don't want to talk right now," her anger suddenly so strong that tears were in her eyes. "God, Clark, can't you give a girl a break?"

When he stepped aside without a word, she felt the anger disappear completely. Now she was embarrassed. What was happening? "I'm… I'm so sorry."

"Is this something to do with the PTSD?" The dispassionate tone is his voice was disturbing.

Her face flamed with embarrassment. "I don't think so… it feels different. I..." It was hard to continue. "I don't know what-" Mortified by her lack of control, Lois turned away from him, feeling more tears gathering. "I… I just need some space. Give me some time, okay?"

Warm hands squeezed her shoulders and her body jerked in response, her heart racing as she realized the touch that usually soothed her wasn't working. Now she was disturbed on a whole new level.

"I can't help you if I don't know what's going on." He dropped his hands.

Suddenly- unnervingly- she felt pure rage at the remark. "I don't need your help," she spit out, turning around to confront the threat, chest heaving, heart racing. By the time she realized that her body was reacting to her friend like he was a threat, he was gone.

The rest of the day was miserable and, even now, she could feel the shame. She might be hurting but that was no reason to take it out on her partner.

"Nice try," Lois told J'onn, working to change the direction of her thoughts. "Now you can answer my question. What exactly are you doing here?"

"I'm watching."

Lois rolled her eyes at him with a "duh," and he sighed. "This is the group that was on duty the night Faora was here."

"You think one of them saw something?"

When the Detective didn't answer, she gasped. "Surely you don't think one of them is the… is Faora's son?" She stuttered at the idea. "That's crazy," she pointed out. "Surely, her child wouldn't work in a hospital."

J'onn seemed unaffected by her skepticism. "I can't take that chance," he said. "Not if her son can truly destroy Kal-El and this planet."

It was like a switch turned on inside her and she felt the rise of her ire. "Kal-El can take care of himself," she spit out. J'onn's intense scrutiny had her face growing red with discomfiture. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"How did you mean it?"

"I didn't… I don't know." She felt her shoulders slump in exhaustion at the roller coaster of her own emotions.

"Is something wrong?"

Lois looked straight ahead, afraid to speak and lose control.

"How long?" The Detective seemed concerned.

"Since… I don't know," she admitted. "Since the last time I was in the hospital."

"Hmm, I heard a little about the Fortress," J'onn told her, a mischievous expression crossing his face. "I would have liked to have seen you tell Jor-El to 'hang on.'"

Instead of laughing like she wanted to, Lois felt a sense of outrage so strong that it made her dizzy. Groaning at the power of the emotions, she put her head in her hands trying to stem the rush of blood that was pounding in her head.

"Are you sure you're all right?" J'onn reached out a hand but Lois held hers up not sure how she would react to his touch. Instead she continued to breathe deeply, willing the headache to dissipate. "I'm okay," she told him once the pain eased.

The Detective studied her for a minute before reaching for her arm and closing his eyes.

Lois jerked away. "Don't try to read me, J'onn. I… I should probably go," she told him, her head starting to clear, but her heart racing as if she'd been threatened. "Let me know if you find out anything."

"I think I've seen enough tonight anyway."

She discarded the Martian's attempts at innuendo- if that what it was- and walked away, trying to ignore J'onn, who seemed determined to walk with her. Her heart and head were still pounding. It was as if her body considered her friend to be a threat. It didn't make sense.

She increased her pace when she noticed Davis by the ambulance. For some reason, his presence seemed to calm the storm that was raging inside of her. This time was no different. She felt her heart slow and her headache ease when she reached his side. Part of her marveled at the relief while the other part questioned this effect. She could understand it with Clark but she didn't have the same kind of relationship with Davis.

"Hey, Lois," the paramedic welcomed her with a sideways glance as he put some things in the back of the ambulance. He looked over her shoulder. "Who's your friend?"

Lois didn't bother to look behind her. "This is J'onn Jones of Metro PD," she waved in the Detective's direction.

J'onn stepped forward and held out his hand; David shook it while Lois moved away. "You're Davis Bloome?"

"Yes," Davis answered, looking questioningly at Lois.

"Don't worry," J'onn told him. "Lois and I help each other out sometimes." Before Lois could move away, he reached for her hand and shook it. "Good night, Ms. Lane… Mr. Bloome."

As he walked away Lois found herself studying his back, wondering about that handshake. She had a horrible feeling that her friend had found out more than she was comfortable with. At the thought, her head started pounding.

"Lois, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale," Davis commented, taking her arm and having her sit on the back of the ambulance. He took her wrist in his hand and looked at her eyes. "Your pulse is going a mile a minute."

"I'm just tired, that's all," she told him, feeling her body calm somewhat.

Davis put a warm hand on her shoulder, "Hey, I don't need anyone to get sick while they're with me… it's bad for the reputation."

"Don't worry," she told him, feeling a strange surge of emotion. "I think you have the magic touch."

At the husky sound of her voice, Davis' hand squeezed her shoulder and his gaze changed to a questioning one. "What is it about you?" He studied her for a moment before leaning closer. "I feel so drawn-"

Caught between her head telling her to move away and her body craving contact, Lois sat frozen. She felt Davis kiss her softly, briefly, before she managed to turn her face away. Briefly she caught a blur of red and blue out of the corner of her eye and her stomach dropped.

What was she doing? She looked back at the medic who was clearly just as uncomfortable. What was going on? She needed to find out.

"Davis," she caught the man's attention. "Can you go with me to the hospital? I think I do need to get checked out."

Kent Farm, Saturday, November 28, 2008

The feminine sighs were collectively loud when Chloe pulled the paper from another gift, opened the box and showed them all a beautiful long gown in a deep aqua color.

"Thank you," Chloe said to Kara as she admired the length of shiny silk.

"You're welcome," Kara said shyly, her face pink with embarrassment. Lois smiled to herself, happy that she'd been able to help the woman with the purchase. It felt nice to get acquainted again with the fierce warrior she'd known in the future.

Lois made note of the gift and the giver as she fought yet another yawn. Her eyes blurred from exhaustion; she hoped Chloe could read her handwriting. She'd been going full blast all day- decorating the farmhouse, setting out the food, and preparing the games. Right now, she was running on about three hours of sleep and untold cups of coffee.

Her night at the hospital hadn't helped. She'd been relieved to find Dr. Hamilton on duty but, after a number of tests and questions, the doctor couldn't find anything wrong. There was no physical condition that explained her behavior. That left the PTSD. Lois nodded when Dr. Hamilton suggested it but she knew stress was not causing whatever was happening. This was something completely different.

So, she went home, slept for a very few hours and fell back on old habits- trying to work whatever this was out of her system. Today that meant giving everything she had to Chloe's bridal shower. At least she was contributing to her cousin's happiness. The flowers and the bunting certainly lent a festive air to the first floor of the house, the green and white color scheme giving the house a holiday "feel" as well.

At the next round of "oohs" and "aahs", Lois shook her head and jerked her eyes up to see Chloe pull out part of a complete set of monogrammed towels, each a sophisticated tan color with a large scripted black "O" along the edge. Lois resisted rolling her eyes, wondering who would give the bride-

"Lana, thank you so much. They're beautiful," Chloe exclaimed.

Of course.

Blowing her bangs out of her eyes, fighting to keep her snort inside, Lois wrote "Lana Lang" and "towels" on the notepad.

As the parade of gifts ended, the women started taking their leave and Lois moved to kitchen to clean. After loading up the garbage, she felt relief when she looked up and saw that Mrs. Kent, Chloe, Kara and Lana were the only ones left. Snatching up the garbage, she made her way tiredly out of the kitchen into the late afternoon sun.

Even though it was a beautiful, unseasonably warm day, the cool air struck Lois' skin and energized her tired body. She breathed deep, blinking as her vision cleared. Dumping the garbage in the larger outdoor can, she closed the lid and turned to walk back, stopping when she saw Clark standing in the middle of the yard facing her.

He stood tall and proud with his legs apart and his hands fisted at his sides. The sun was at his back but, even without seeing his face, Lois could sense the determination coming off of him in waves. The breath left her body as she realized that he was watching her.

She thought he looked absolutely magnificent.

Her heart raced and her body muscles tensed as if to flee.

Conflict tore at her as her mind screamed for her to stay and face him- try to deal with all of her crazy behavior this week- while her agitated body urged her to move. Frozen there, she hesitated watching as Clark strode purposefully forward, stopping so close that she was forced to look up to see his eyes. She could feel the heat from his body and shivered.

His blue eyes were full of purpose and panic and focused fully on her. "Lois, we need to talk."

She nodded her head in agreement at the same time her body moved to scurry around him. With an exasperated look he stepped to the side to block her. She sighed, stepped the other way, and was blocked again.

"I can do this all day, if you want." His voice was firm.

Lois shook her head, afraid to speak as the anger in her sparked to life.

"Lois," her name was more of a sigh. Hesitantly, he reached out to touch her arm and hold her in place. Just the light contact ignited her anger and she felt her body struggle even as she tried to control herself. Closing her eyes with the effort, she willed herself to relax.

"Lois, what's going on?"

With her eyes closed, she was better able to respond. "I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

At the sound of his confusion, her control slipped and she snapped, "I told you, I don't know. I went to the hospital-"

"When?"

"Last night," she answered. "I… Dr. Hamilton couldn't find anything wrong."

"Then why have you been avoiding me, why have you been…." Clark's voice trailed away. "What have I done?"

Lois shuddered at the hurt in his voice. "I, nothing… I can't control myself-"

Clark snorted, and Lois opened her eyes to see his disbelieving look. His hands moved from her arms, and she felt the loss of warmth even as she took a deliberate step away.

His lips were pressed tightly together when he spoke. "So, that's your excuse."

"Excuse?" Lois exclaimed, her voice getting louder as she felt her control slipping away. "I'm telling you what's been happening-"

"You're telling me that the fact that you don't want me to touch you is out of your control," Clark stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides.

"That's right," Lois said loudly, agitated by his reaction.

"What about kissing Davis?" Clark asked, his own voice rising in response. Deliberately stepping closer, he watched as Lois backed away. "Was that out of your control, too?"

While his comment didn't shock her- she was sure he'd seen them last night- his accusing tone stung. "Were you spying on me?"

Clark's eyes flashed in response. "No, I was bringing a victim to the hospital and saw you…" Something in him seemed to break and his shoulders slumped. "I saw you kissing him."

"So what?" By this time Lois realized that she had backed herself up to the barn door and was feeling cornered.

"What?" Clark's look was incredulous. "What do you mean, so what?"

"I mean 'so what,'" she shouted, her anger increasing suddenly at the man's obtuseness, even as he started moving again, backing them further into the dark quiet of the barn. "You shouldn't… you don't care."

"Of course I care, Lois," he told her. "I … you're-"

"I'm what?"

"You're… my friend… and partner," he said hesitantly.

"And what about the other, Clark?"

We're co-workers… and friends… and this…

His expression shifted, his eyes taking her in while his hands twitched. It was if he needed to touch her, the desire flashing in his eyes. Instinctively, her body moved away, backing her even further into the recesses of the building.

"Why Davis?" Clark asked, stalking forward while he evaded her question. "I didn't think you even liked the guy."

"Well, I do!" Lois shouted, feeling angry, afraid and confused.

"Since when?"

"Since I don't know," she answered honestly, hating that Clark was mixing her up, heightening her anger but reminding her of other feelings as well. Feeling trapped she lunged for the open door.

Clark moved in front of her and blocked her escape with his body.

"Stop it, Lois," he shouted. "Can't you see… don't you know… I'm trying to look out for you."

There was a warm and tender look in his eyes but Lois ignored it. Every muscle in her body was telling her to flee while her head was remembering the comfort of Clark's arms. "I don't need anyone to look after me," she told him, keeping her voice calm while her eyes searched for an exit.

"Of course you need someone to watch out for you." He was obviously trying to keep calm but it wasn't working. "God, of all the people I know, you need the most looking after," his voice became deeper. "Didn't the… didn't the jeweler teach you anything?"

Lois stopped looking for an exit as her gaze slammed into Clark's.

He dared to …

Pain.

Do you love this man?

Her entire body shook with anger while tears filled her eyes. With all her might, she pushed at Clark as hard as she could. "You want to go there?" She shook her head to clear it. "You want to know what I learned. How about honesty… yeah, he was big on that," she was shaking now. "Guess what? I've been honest with you. Have you been as honest with me?" With another shove, she watched as an expression of guilt crossed his face. "Right," she drawled out. "That's what I thought."

She pushed again. "What else … oh, yeah. He taught me how to handle pain… and well, thanks to you, that's come in handy," Clark's eyes widened. "I know about Lana," she told him. "I know why you haven't said anything about my… about what I said at the Fortress …" The ache made her voice hitch. "You know what," she shoved him again, frustrated by the oblivious look on his face. "You two deserve each other. I hope you'll be the perfectly happy hero couple."

"Lo-"

"Clark," she interrupted. "I'm a big girl." Angry tears were falling and she took a deep breath to control them. "I told you before, just don't…" One last push and she was almost clear of the barn. "Don't touch me. I … don't need your protection. God, I know you don't want me, so leave me alone!"

She darted past to the door then but abruptly found herself in Clark's arms. Her mind went completely blank as her body fought for freedom. Clark didn't budge, only held her tighter when she tried to strike him with her fists. Of course, hitting him was like striking steel and she realized she was only hurting herself.

Eventually, drained of energy, she relaxed against him.

Reflexively his arms tightened and she sighed, wondering why she was struggling so hard when his arms felt so good, when every part of him felt so right.

"Lois," Clark's husky voice cut through the flurry of her emotions. "I do want…" He cleared his throat. "I can't tell… you don't understand," He took a deep breath and she turned her tear-filled gaze to his. Suddenly, it was like a light and she was seeing him, really seeing him.

Why had she tried to push him away?

His eyes were so warm and captivating that she almost missed his softly spoken words. "The jeweler taught me something, too, you know…" Deep blue eyes roamed over every inch of her face, his deepening tone sending shivers through her. "… actions speak louder than words."

Wide-eyed, she could only continue to stare as his head lowered and he captured her lips with his. The kiss was soft and coaxing and she responded instinctively, feeling her scattered emotions come together to form one complete feeling… desire. She wanted him so much that it hurt.

Pouring out all her frustration and anger, she fed them into the seemingly unending kiss…

When she thought she'd need to come up for air, she heard a moan.

Wait.

That was her.

It really hurt.

Lois gasped and pulled away as a sharp pain filled her body.

No. Not now.

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash and the pain in her head became excruciating, overwhelming her to the point that she could barely hear Clark's concerned voice. She couldn't speak, couldn't talk; could barely breathe.

Another blinding flash behind her eyes pulled up her memories.

She was walking into her small apartment, muttering to herself about the new curfew, finding Oliver on the floor, blood everywhere…

She fought against it, trying to return to the present. Outside her own thoughts she could hear a commotion- a shout, a crash, screaming- but none of that seemed important and none of it penetrated her internal battle. In her mind the memories went on.

She was in her office in Star City, shutting down her computer. She rose from her desk and froze. Standing across from her was Clark Kent, dressed head to toe in black, wearing a completely blank expression. She couldn't believe it; he was Night …

The pain was taking her control but Lois fought anyway, trying to focus on something else. She didn't want these memories, had enough of reliving these events.

She struggled, turning her head and jerking back… Night's eyes burned red and suddenly, her attacker's sleeves were on fire, but he didn't let go. Laughing maniacally, the man hung on to her throat, as they both burned …

Wait… weren't these memories supposed to be protected? She fought harder now, sensing that something was being taken from her. In her battle, she tried to recall something from her childhood or even more recent events but it was as if she had no control.

Night had taken care of her and now that she was healed, she was pushing him to the limit with every escape attempt. She wouldn't stay a prisoner. Instead she would free herself and Clark, watching for signs of the farm boy with every show of strong emotion…

She fought to regain consciousness now her senses telling her more strongly that something was wrong. It was like she had no control over her mind now, except now she could feel the presence of something… else.

The sinister voice of the Darkness slithered across her senses. "Oh, didn't you know? In every incarnation of Clark Kent, you are his second choice," the creature chuckled and Lois felt her weakness, her heartache exploited as the Darkness attempted to claim her…

Something about the memory of the Darkness clarified her thoughts. Whatever this was, the battle was similar. Some alien consciousness was trying to take control. Well, she hadn't let it happen before and she wouldn't let it happen now. So, she stopped trying to block the memories and instead clung to the last one, clutching it to her like a security blanket, burying it deep in the recesses of her mind and heart.

Clark's hands continued their soft caresses, easing the pain, saving her. With startling clarity, it occurred to her that she could do the same for him.

So she kissed him with everything she had, sensing his surprise as she did. It didn't take long, however, before he was returning her kisses and setting her body on fire. Running her hands through his hair, she gloried in its silky softness before guiding her hands lower, over his t-shirt and under it, moving her fingers over the coolness of his skin. She could feel his skin warm with each touch, caress, and kiss. He was coming back to her and there was nothing that she wanted more, nothing she would ever want more…

Nothing would take this memory from her.

It was her last thought before she let herself be consumed by this one precious moment in time.