REMINDER: We've time jumped three years later in the story. Hope you like it!

Chapter Thirty One

Beethoven's For Elise echoed through the empty halls of the Luthor Mansion as Liam sat on the piano bench watching Maggie's hands moves across the ivory keys.

"Where did you learn to play?"

She shrugged while her fingers still hit the right chords, "Its basic mathematics. You just have to figure out the right equation in order to play the right chords." She stopped playing and turned to look at him, "I could teach you if you want."

Liam almost wanted to accept the offer but immediately jumped up from the bench and stated rather snobbishly, "I have better things to do then waste my time playing music that's a hundred years old."

Insults and being snobby was something she had grown accustomed but it was starting to get on her last nerve, "Fine." She said shutting the lid and rose up from the bench to grab her backpack, "I'll just tell Tess to take me home." She slammed the study doors behind her in anger and walked down towards the hall.

The lonely boy stood in this father's study and listened in on the voices of his only friend and father's assistant arranging a ride to take her back home.

He just scoffed and was about to walk out of the other exit up towards the stairs that lead to his room when Tess's voice caused him to turn around, "I believe you owe Ms. Kent an apology."

"You're not the boss of me!" he shouts ready to walk away when a tight grip on his arm brought him back to face with the redhead, "Get your hands off of me. I can have you fired for this."

Tess let him go and watched him run off towards his room.

"Ms. Mercer" the soft voice was enough to snap the woman out of her thoughts and turn around with a fake smile as she stared down at the eleven year old, "I'd like to go home now." She nodded and adjusted her black suit as the pair walked away unaware that Liam's dark eyes were watching from dark hallway.

"After our talk-"

"You mean the talk you whooshed away from finishing." She cuts him off and watches him sort of wince and give her an apologetic look, "I guess I'm still getting use to the whole dating a superhero thing."

"If it makes you feel better it took Chloe and Pete years until they finally got use to my super speedy exits." He replies as he began moving around the house in search of something important

Lois gave him a perplexed look, "What are you looking for?" she watched him scan the bookshelf until he pulled out an old copy of Tom Sawyer and he opened it to reveal the octagonal key.

He takes the key from the book and holds it out to her, "I want you to have this in case anything ever happens to me." She looks hesitant to accept the disk, "The fortress is the safest place and if anything ever happens to me, this will take you there."

"Why are you giving me this?" she asks with clear concern and worry in her eyes as she puts the key back in the book and shuts it, "What aren't you telling me?"

"I just want to know that you'll be safe." He moves to caress her face, "I can't imagine what I'd do if something ever happened to you."

Maggie's voice prompted the couple to move away and look over towards the door to see Tess Mercer standing there at the child's side.

"Tess." Clark said with a small nod as he accepted the backpack from Lex's right hand, "Thanks for bringing her home." He looks down at the eleven year old, "Did you have fun with Liam?"

She gave him a look that quietly conveyed the answer to his question as she took her bag from him and headed towards her room.

"I'm afraid to say that Liam no longer wishes to have your daughter visit." Tess stated once the little one had left the room, "Lex was hoping her personality would rub off on the young boy but he's being temperamental." Their conversation was cut short by the beep of a cellphone, "Goodbye Clark...Lois."

Once the elevator doors closed and Lois was sure that the redhead was gone, "I really don't like that woman." She says suddenly while walking past Clark, "She just irks me."

"Well you do have a knack for butting heads with women that aren't your cousin." He replies earning another jab to the arm which he rubs out of habit while they walked into the kitchen, "I'm just saying that maybe you would have more girlfriends if you weren't so…" he trails off trying to think of the right words but stops when he sees Lois standing there with her hand on her hip and an arched eyebrow, "Stubborn" the word falls out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"Oh I'm the stubborn one." She exclaims defensively, "Last time I tried to get you to go out after work for a drink you lied and said you have business to take care."

"I was" he responds quickly

"You were watching the football game. That's hardly what I call business."

"It is in the Kent household." He says in a muffled tone, "You know my dad hasn't been feeling well. I went down there to watch the game so he would have something to take his mind off everything that was going on."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know." He shakes his head and goes to sit down with Lois at his side, "All my life he's been the strongest person I know but whatever is going, he won't tell me anything like he's afraid to ask for my help."

"Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." She goes to sit at his side with his hand still clasped in hers, "I'm sure in time he'll tell you. For all we know it could be nothing"

"You're probably right." He lifts up their intertwined hands and presses his lips against her flesh, "I love you"

She smiles and brushes her hand down his face then playfully patted him on the cheek, "Of course you do. What's not to love?" she says in a joking matter as they share a laugh fest over the silliness of their semi-argument with their problems simply forgotten.

TBC

Sorry for the shortness I just wanted to end it on a happy clois note which I'm sure you guys enjoyed.

FEEDBACK! Tell me what you think