A/N: Had this idea when I was rewatching season 6. I've written out the first 3 chapters, and I've outlined the rest. Please enjoy, and leave a review if you're feeling inclined. :)

It was a chilly afternoon, or so it felt that way to Clark as he moved hay bales in the barn. He slammed one down with a frustrated grunt. Today was not a good day. In fact, it was the day he'd been dreading now for months. Today Lana Lang and Lex Luthor's were getting married.

He slammed another bale into place, his brows knit in deep thought. How had he ended up here? The girl he'd always dreamed of was marrying his former best friend. If you'd told him a year ago that his life would take this turn, he wouldn't have believed it. He'd always known that his secrets and being different would exact a toll, but he never imagined it would cost him everything he held dear.

Another bale hit the ground with a thud, and the silence that followed was a stark reminder of his father's death—a loud bang followed by a void of silence. Since that day, his life had been a series of harsh blows followed by an empty quietness. What was the point of his powers if they only led to sacrifices and solitude?

He slammed another bale down, letting the repetitive task zone him out from everything around him. He didn't hear the sharp clacking of heels approaching from behind.

"Hey, Smallville. What's with all the aggression towards the hay? Did it insult your wardrobe or something?" Lois Lane's voice broke through the monotony, her arms crossed as she regarded him with a mix of curiosity and concern. She knew why he was upset—it was Lana and Lex's wedding day, after all. Lois could imagine the storm of emotions Clark must be grappling with, which was why she'd come by. He'd always been there for her, especially after her split with Oliver, and she felt a sense of obligation to return the favor.

Clark slammed down another hay bale, rolling his eyes at the unwelcome presence that was Lois Lane. "I'm really not in the mood today, Lois," he grumbled, continuing his work, refusing to acknowledge her presence. Of course, Lois would show up on the worst day of his life. He braced himself for her inevitable teasing.

She threw her hands up in part annoyance and part as a white flag. "Woah there, cowboy. I come in peace today." When he didn't quite respond to her, she sighed slightly, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. "Look, I know today is a totally sucky day, okay? I thought you could use a friend is all." She stood there slightly vulnerable while she waited for the farm boy's response.

Sighing heavily himself, Clark gently put down the hay bale in his hands and turned towards her to assess whether she was genuine or not. He eyed her with heavy scrutiny, keeping a neutral face through the process. When he finally came to a verdict, he let his guard down slightly. "Can't say today is a day that I've been waiting for," he admitted, avoiding eye contact. A long silence settled between them as he wrestled with his thoughts. He was surprised at how patient and still Lois was being compared to her usual antsy self. "There was just a time where I thought that I would be marrying Lana, and-," he paused again, running a hand through his hair in slight frustration. "-And, it's hard to accept that not being the reality."

"I'm sure it doesn't help that she's getting hitched to your ex-best friend either," Lois finally commented off-handedly, wincing slightly at her own lack of restrain or tact.

Clark glanced at her, his face a mix of hurt and irritation, but he couldn't disagree. She was right, after all. Despite all his warnings to Lana about Lex, he couldn't believe she was actually going to marry him. With a heavy sigh, Clark sat down on the barn steps, shaking his head. He couldn't help but blame himself. He'd been the one unable to be honest with Lana, pushing her into Lex's arms. He had created this situation, and now Lana was paying the price. There had been so many chances to stop this.

Lois watched as Clark slipped into his familiar contemplative silence. Normally, she would have rolled her eyes at his predictability, but this time, she just felt sad. She couldn't imagine how it would feel if Oliver were marrying someone else. Pushing aside her usual bravado, she sat down beside Clark on the steps.

"You know, you can't do that," she said softly, catching his attention. He looked at her, curious. "Blame yourself." Clark's surprised expression told her that he hadn't realized how transparent he was. "You always do that deep thinking, brooding look when you're blaming yourself about something. Given the conversation, I put two and two together." She bumped his shoulder slightly to bring a bit of levity between them. "But really, it doesn't help to blame yourself. Relationships don't work out for their own reasons, whatever they are, and people move on, Smallville." She turned her head towards him assessing his body language at her words. "And we can't always help who people choose to love or tell them who to love and not love, no matter what we may or may not know about that person."

She chewed the inside of her mouth slightly contemplating her words, knowing this was a delicate situation. "You didn't make Lana run into the arms of Lex. She chose that, and it sucks, sure, but it's not your fault. You can't save people from themselves, Smallville."

Clark listened, letting her words sink in. How did she always know exactly what to say? Just when he thought he couldn't stand her, Lois would go and say something that cut right to the heart of the matter. It always felt like she knew him better than anyone else, even himself sometimes, and he couldn't figure out why. "I can't help but think, if I had been more open with Lana, maybe we wouldn't be here in this moment, you know? There were so many times I could've stopped this."

Lois chuckled softly and shook her head in disbelief. "Look, Clark, I don't know every detail here, but I do know one thing: you're one of the most honest and honorable people I've ever met. If you're not saying something, there's probably a good reason for it." Their eyes met, and the surprise in his made her pause. Did he really not see himself the way others did? "Besides," she added with a playful smirk, "you're a terrible liar. If you were hiding something life-changing, I think I'd have noticed."

She leaned back a bit, her tone becoming more thoughtful. "We all make choices, Smallville. Hindsight is a killer—we could all prevent a lot if we knew what was coming. But we're not fortune tellers; we just do the best we can with what we know."

Her smirk returned as she continued, "I should know—once a fortune teller told me I was destined to fall in love with a guy who flies a lot and wears tights. Trust me, Smallville, if I could prevent that, I would," she joked, nudging his shoulder to lighten the mood. When she saw a small grin tug at his lips, she knew she was getting through to him. Success! Another point for Lane in saving Clark from his brooding spiral. "In all seriousness though, it doesn't help to dwell on the could've's, would've's, and should'ves. We can only keep marching forward as the General would say."

Clark considered her words, feeling a bit more grateful for her presence on this particular day. "And how do I do that? How do I let go of the life I thought I'd have?"

"You start," Lois replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "by taking out the old picture from the frame and putting in a new one."

Clark looked at her exasperated. She made it sound way easier than it realistically was. "I don't think it's quite that easy, Lois," he responded rather deadpanned.

She rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. "Okay, fine. You want a step-by-step guide, Smallville? Here's what I'd do: First, put on your big boy pants, go to the wedding, and support your friend." He looked at her like she'd lost her mind, but she pressed on. "Then, plan something afterward with your other friends. Mourn the relationship, sure, but start moving on. That's what I'd do."

Clark shook his head, a sense of dread settling in his stomach. The thought of watching Lana walk down the aisle to marry someone else made him feel physically ill. "I think I'd rather skip the whole thing and just work on the moving on part," he muttered, frowning.

Lois rolled her eyes again. "Clark, you have to say goodbye to move forward, okay?" She could see she wasn't winning him over, but she wasn't about to give up. Time for plan C—the one she hoped to avoid. "Alright, how about this: If you go to the wedding, I'll go with you." At the horrified look on his face, she quickly added, "As a friend, for support." She nudged him and shot him a mock-disgusted look. "Relax, Smallville, I'm not asking you out. Pigs would fly before that happens." She shook her head at the absurdity. "We'll go, make an appearance, and if it gets too much, we'll head back to the farm and have a classic movie night to drown your sorrows. No one can be sad watching Die Hard." She grinned, clearly pleased with her plan.

Clark considered the plan Lois had laid out. He wasn't thrilled about it—actually, the idea of it made his stomach turn—but a small part of him was almost willing to give in. What could it hurt, really? Aside from breaking his heart all over again. "I don't know, Lois," he muttered, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Lois, sensing his hesitation, decided it was time for Plan D: a little extra sweetness. "Alright, how about this: if you go along with my plan, I'll give you a whole week off from my teasing. No fun nicknames, no pestering, no annoying you. Scout's honor," she offered, her tone light but sincere. She could see his resolve weakening by the second. He was close—so close—to caving in.

He mulled it over for what felt like an eternity to Lois. Finally, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he nodded. "Okay, fine. You've got a deal."

Lois immediately threw her arms up in victory. "That's the spirit, Smallville! Now let's get moving—we've got to get ready." She patted his knee before standing up, a satisfied grin spreading across her face. Sure, the thought of spending the evening with Mr. Mopes-a-lot wasn't exactly thrilling, but she felt good knowing she could be there for Clark the way he'd always been there for her.

Just as they were about to head out, Clark's phone rang, causing Lois to pause, her curiosity piqued. "It's Chloe," Clark said aloud, a bit confused, as he answered the call.

"Give me, give me," Lois said, quickly snatching the phone from his hand before he could react. "Hey, cous, what's a maid of honor like yourself calling Clark for on a day like today" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and mild defensiveness.

On the other end, Chloe frowned and double-checked her phone screen. "Lois? Why are you answering Clark's phone?" she shot back, ignoring Lois's prying question. "Where's Clark?"

Lois rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with Chloe's refusal to spill any details. "Lois, give me my phone back," Clark demanded, reaching out half-heartedly to reclaim it.

She sidestepped his attempt and kept pressing. "Clark's a little busy right now. What do you need, cous?"

"Lois, I can hear him in the background," Chloe responded, all too unimpressed by Lois's show. "Can you please give him the phone?" She wasn't too pleased with her cousin's antics as she was currently locked in the Luthor's wine cellar. Being the maid of honor, this wasn't the ideal situation to be in, and she didn't want to be the reason Lana's whole day was ruined.

Lois sighed and reluctantly handed the phone over to Clark. "Chloe wants to talk to you."

He grabbed the phone from Lois and rolled his eyes. "That would be why she called my phone, Lois," he grumbled before speaking into the receiver. "Hey Chloe, shouldn't you be at the Luthor mansion arranging flowers?" he asked with a bit more pleasantry to his voice.

Choosing to brush past that the sarcasm, Chloe got straight to business. "That's the thing, I am at the Luthor mansion, and I kind of need your help," she admitted reluctantly.

Clark's demeanor shifted instantly. "Where are you?" he asked, his voice serious, catching Lois's attention.

"Downstairs in the wine cellar," she answered, grimacing at the whole ordeal.

Clark nodded, already anticipating the challenge of leaving without Lois. "Okay, I'll be on my way here shortly," he answered before hanging up the phone.

Lois cornered him quickly. "Where are you going?"

Clark rolled his eyes and moved past her. "Chloe just needs some help at the Luthor mansion is all," he answered simply, hoping it would suffice and she'd leave him alone.

Instead, Lois scoffed loudly, clearly disgusted and confused that her cousin would ask Clark for a favor like that on a day like this. "Well, I'm going with you," she insisted, unyielding. She wasn't about to let all her work unravel in front of her with some simple favor.

"Lois, I've got this. Just go get ready for the wedding," he insisted, quickening his pace to avoid further argument.

"Smallville," she snapped, her annoyance evident. "Chloe is my cousin. If she needs help, I'm going to help—whether you like it or not." Determination flashed in her eyes as she caught up to him.

Clark realized there was no winning this one, so he pulled his keys from his pocket and headed for his truck. "Like a pit bull on a pant leg," he muttered, shaking his head as he resigned himself to her company.

"I heard that, farm boy," Lois shot back, her eyes narrowing with determination. "And for that, we're listening to Whitesnake the whole way there and back." She quickly hopped into the passenger seat, her movements swift and decisive, and started rummaging through the glove compartment. With a triumphant grin, she pulled out the Whitesnake CD she'd stashed there and slid it into the player, ready to make good on her promise.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After a long car ride filled with Lois blasting Whitesnake and delivering an unsolicited lecture on the "finer points of music," Clark was ready to leap out of the car. He knew he needed to find a way to distract Lois long enough to help Chloe without revealing his secret, but Lois seemed determined to stick to him like glue. For some reason, she was taking her role as his self-appointed guardian far too seriously—at least in Clark's opinion. So, he'd have to improvise.

"Chop, chop, Smallville," she urged, striding confidently toward the Luthor mansion despite having no clue where she was actually going.

Clark rolled his eyes and stepped in front of her, trying to guide her in the right direction. "This way, Lois," he grumbled, leading her reluctantly toward the wine cellar.

As they descended into the cellar, Lois glanced around, her eyes wide with amazement. "Can't say the Luthor's don't have impeccable taste in wine," she remarked, picking up a couple of bottles and examining their labels. "Now, where's my cousin?" she asked, scanning the room.

Clark nodded toward a closed door. "Probably behind that door over there," he replied dryly.

Lois rolled her eyes but marched over to the door. "Hey, cous! Don't worry, we'll get you out of here," she called out, studying the door like it was a puzzle she needed to solve. "Somehow," she muttered under her breath.

Chloe, hearing her cousin's voice, furrowed her brow in confusion. "Lois? What are you doing here?" she asked, realizing that her rescue might take longer than expected. "Where's Clark?"

Taking a small breath, Lois shook her head at her cousin. "Clark is here with me. Although, I'm not sure what you thought he could do that I couldn't do." She felt almost offended that her cousin would call Clark over her in a crisis.

"Could one of you get the door, please," Chloe insisted, ignoring her cousin's comment. "It's freezing in here."

Lois studied the door while Clark anxiously scanned the room, desperate for a way to distract her. "Lois, why don't you go find someone, and I'll see if I can figure out how to get Chloe out," he suggested, hoping she'd take the bait.

But Lois just turned to him, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Why don't you go find someone?" she shot back, crossing her arms. "Or—and stay with me here, Clarkie—I just…" She grabbed the handle, gently turned it down, and pulled the door open with ease. "Looks like the door auto-locked when it closed behind Chloe," she said, shaking her head at his unnecessary theatrics.

Chloe rushed out, shivering but visibly relieved. "Thank you so much," she said, hugging her arms around herself.

"Next time you go for wine at eleven in the morning, stick to a red," Clark quipped, relieved she was safe.

Lois smirked at Clark's rare show of humor, pleased to see a spark in him despite everything.

"Look, I didn't have much choice in calling you," Chloe began, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Lana asked me to grab Lex's wedding present from down here, and then the door shut behind me. It wasn't my fault."

Clark's face fell slightly as he turned to head for the exit. "We should go," he said, trying to move on from the awkward encounter.

Just then, Lois paused, her attention drawn by a faint noise. She walked around the wine racks, curiosity piqued. "Did you guys hear that?" she asked, her voice tinged with unease. She'd had the creeping feeling of being watched since they entered the cellar, and it hadn't gone away.

"It's probably just a rat or something," Clark dismissed, waving off her concern.

"No, I swear it came from this direction," Lois insisted, stubbornly pushing forward. That's when she spotted something—or rather, someone—hidden among the wine racks. "Lana?" she called out, her voice sharp with surprise, causing everyone to spin toward her.

Lana slowly stood up, looking sheepish as she faced them. "Hey, Lois, Chloe, Clark," she greeted, her tone faltering slightly as she elongated Clark's name, clearly uncomfortable with being caught.

Lois frowned and turned to Chloe. "Why didn't you just knock if Lana was out here?" she asked, as if the answer were obvious.

Chloe's gaze flickered to Lana, suspicion flashing briefly in her eyes before she shook it off. "I didn't know she was out here. I tried calling her cell, but she didn't pick up. So, I called Clark instead."

Lana cleared her throat, nervously smoothing down her shirt. "I turned off my phone to try and relax before the big day," she explained, visibly trying to calm herself. "Then I realized I hadn't heard from Chloe in a while and came down to check on her. When I saw you all here, I didn't want to make things more awkward." She glanced at Clark, hoping her explanation would stick. "Sorry, Chloe. I should've checked on you sooner. My mind's just been all over the place with the wedding."

Chloe's expression softened, understanding the stress her friend was under. "It's okay, Lana. I know it's been a lot," she reassured, recalling their earlier conversation about Lana's sleepless nights. But when she glanced at her watch, her eyes widened in alarm. "We're officially late for your hair and makeup appointment now though." She quickly took Lana's hand, leading her away. "Thanks again, you two," Chloe called back as she ushered them up the stairs.

As they left, Lois and Clark exchanged a look, both clearly puzzled. "Well, that was…" Clark began.

"Weird," Lois finished, nodding in agreement. "Maybe the wedding stress is just getting to her," she added, shrugging it off. "Come on, Smallville, we have a wedding to get ready for," Lois continued choosing to breeze past whatever that last interaction was. "We also have another thirty blissful minutes of listening to Whitesnake ahead of us."

Clark rolled his eyes as he followed Lois up the stairs. "Great," he muttered under his breath, dreading the upcoming trip.

TBC….