**Chapter 23: TGIF**

Lois sat at her desk at the *Daily Planet*, fingers flying over the keyboard as she worked through the final edits of her article. She was on her third round of redlines, but for once, she felt good about it. This wasn't just any piece—this was *the* piece. She could feel it in her bones.

With a satisfied sigh, she hit the final keys, saved the document, and closed her laptop. Pushing her chair back, she grabbed her coat and headed for the printer. As the machine hummed, Jimmy approached, his excitement palpable.

"You done with the big scoop?" he asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

Lois didn't respond immediately, just shot him a grin as she grabbed the freshly printed pages. "This one smells like a Pulitzer, Jimmy," she said, beaming as she held up the article.

Without waiting for a response, she strode confidently toward Perry White's office, not bothering to knock. Perry was mid-conversation on the phone, but when he saw her, he raised an eyebrow.

Lois dropped the article onto his desk. "With an hour to spare, Chief," she declared, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe.

Perry picked up the pages and began reading the headline aloud, "'I Spent the Night with Superman.' Kiddo, you really know how to sell newspapers."

Lois chuckled. "Glad you think so. It's one hell of a story."

Perry nodded, genuinely impressed. "You've outdone yourself, Lane. This is gonna fly off the stands. Good work."

Lois gave a mock salute. "Thanks, Chief. I'm calling it a day. As you've seen, I was busy last night," she finished with a playful wink.

Perry rolled his eyes but waved her off. "Go on, get outta here before I change my mind."

Grinning, Lois left his office and made her way back to her desk. She finished up some notes, packed her things, and slipped her phone into her bag as she sent a quick text to Clark.

**Lois:** *Hey, Smallville. Just delivered my article to Perry. I'll send you the early access as soon as I get it.*

She paused, thinking for a moment, before typing again.

**Lois:** *I'm taking a summer Friday today. Feel like beers on my balcony?*

Satisfied, she shoved her phone into her bag and headed out the door, eager to unwind.

When Lois got home, she dropped her bag onto the couch and headed straight to the kitchen, unloading groceries. She'd picked up a couple of six-packs and some tapas for a casual afternoon. As she put everything away, she checked her phone to see a response from Clark.

**Clark:** *Beers sound perfect. When?*

Lois smiled, quickly typing back.

**Lois:** *Just got home, so come over whenever.*

She tossed her phone back onto the couch and kicked off her shoes. Barely a minute later, there was a knock at the door. Lois opened it to find Clark standing there with his easy smile and warm eyes.

Lois leaned against the doorframe, smirking. "I see you take things a bit literally. I'll keep that in mind," she teased, leaning in to kiss him softly.

Clark grinned, pulling her closer. "I didn't expect you to have a Friday afternoon free."

Lois shrugged, leading him toward the kitchen. "After delivering the article of the century, I figured I deserved some time off." She grabbed two beers from the fridge, handed one to Clark, and they headed out to the balcony.

They sat down, the late afternoon sun casting a warm, golden glow over the city. For a while, they nursed their beers in silence, the atmosphere comfortable but thick with unspoken thoughts. Clark, usually so at ease, seemed restless. Lois could sense it.

"Do you have any other questions about Superman or Krypton?" Clark asked, almost cautiously.

"Not right now," Lois said, closing her eyes as she leaned back, letting the warmth of the sun relax her.

But the silence lingered, not as comfortable as it had been a few moments ago. Lois watched him from the corner of her eye, knowing something was on his mind. Finally, he broke the quiet.

"You know," he began, his voice soft, "I'm really happy with how the interview turned out. But... this isn't how I wanted you to find out."

Lois turned to him, her brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

Clark sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wanted to tell you about me. About who I really am, not Superman."

"Clark, you *did* tell me," Lois said gently, trying to catch his eyes. "I was sitting right here, and you were—what, two feet to the right?"

Clark shook his head. "Superman told you, Lois. I wanted you to know me as Clark first."

Lois's heart softened, hearing the vulnerability in his voice. She reached out, cupping his face in her hands. "Clark, it doesn't matter if I learned about it first as part of an interview. You're here, with me, right now. We have the whole time in the world to get to know each other bettre."

Clark searched her eyes, uncertainty still flickering in his gaze. "I just... I'm scared, Lois. There's so much going on, and I want to make sure we get time for *us*. I don't want to lose the parts of my life that are just... me. That are just *us*."

Lois squeezed his hand, her voice gentle but firm. "You won't lose anything, Clark. I'm here for you—Clark Kent. The guy who still can't figure out how to work his coffee machine." She added a playful smile, hoping to ease his worry.

Clark chuckled softly, but the tension remained in his posture. Lois leaned in, her tone more serious now. "Look, I know this won't always be easy. It might not be some perfect fairy tale, but we'll find our way. You don't have to worry about losing yourself. I'm right here. We'll figure this out together."

Clark held her gaze for a long moment, his expression softening, gratitude and love shining through. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

Lois smiled, brushing a stray curl away from his forehead. "Anytime, Smallville."

They leaned in, lips meeting in a slow, passionate kiss. When they finally broke apart, Lois rested her forehead against his, the warmth between them undeniable.

After a beat of contented silence, Lois suddenly straightened, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You know... I do have one more 'superpower' question for you."

Clark tilted his head, intrigued. "What's that?"

Lois's grin widened as she leaned in close, her voice low and teasing. "How long does it take you to get to the bedroom?"

Clark's eyes lit up with laughter, his wide smile mirroring hers. Without saying a word, he scooped her into his arms, and in a flash, they were gone, the world blurring around them as he whooshed them to her bedroom in an instant.

**To be continued...**