Lois walked slowly back to the farmhouse. Her body hurt all over the place, especially after being tossed around like a toy by that beast, making her limp cautiously. But despite her own bruises, she was really worried about Lana.
The beast was still out there, stronger than ever. Lois wasn’t sure that Lana could fight it on her own. And why hadn’t the Blur intervened to help them?
Lois knew he had been around since Lana admitted that she hadn’t been the one to save her.
Where had he gone? Why had he disappeared when they had seemed to need him the most?
Lois reached the barn first. She decided to pause there a moment before heading into the house, needing a moment to rest her leg. But as she entered the barn, Lois could hear two people talking, and she felt her heart drop in her stomach as she realized it was Lana and Clark.
She stepped inside, torn between making her presence known, and wanting to know what they were saying. Despite her efforts to shield Clark, would the inevitable come to pass anyway? Would Smallville turn yet again back to Lana?
The image of Lois’ almost kiss with Clark at Chloe’s wedding was burned indelibly into her mind. Lana was like a magnet for Clark – no matter how destructive, he always seemed to swing back to her.
Lois knew she would be torturing herself to listen to their reunion, but she couldn’t help it. She had to know how to prepare her heart to face Clark. She had to know if she’d have to put up her cheery wall of friendship yet again, stand by and watch Lana sweep in and take Clark away from her.
She repressed a sigh. Maybe this was as much her fault as Lana’s. It’s not like she ever let Smallville know how she felt about him. But she had been so sensitive to his wanting to stay away from relationships, that she feared she had sacrificed her own feelings to both their detriments.
And here she was, about to let it happen again.
Lois leaned against a wooden post, just inside the barn. The skies had turned grey, and a cool September rain began to fall, stirring up the smell of clean dirt in the barn. She told herself that it was this that made her eyes tear up, and not the fear of what she might hear above her.
The rain fell softly, and Lois strained to listen as Clark and Lana spoke above her in the loft.
“The kryptonite is gone. I’m free… “ Lana was saying. “We can finally be together, like we always wanted to be. Like we were always meant to be.”
There was a long pause in the loft above her. Lois wondered how Clark would take the news. Though Lois didn’t understand what the strange green meteor rock Lana had called kryptonite had to do with anything… She wondered if it had strengthened Lana the way it had the beast. Was her suit less super now? Maybe she had been afraid that she was physically somehow too strong for Clark?
That thought made Lois scoff silently. Besides the thought of a super Lana being too much for Clark to handle, she knew that Clark was the strongest man she knew. And it had nothing to do with how much he could bench press… If he had wanted to be with Lana despite her super suit, he would have found a way.
“Lana, I’m not the same person I was… things have changed. I have changed,” he said gently.
Lois’ ears perked up, surprised to hear these words come from Clark. She thought surely he’d drop everything he believed in, like he always had, and take Lana back into his sweeping embrace. Maybe there was hope for ending the Clark-Lana roller coaster of doom after all.
The rain started falling harder, and Lois had to strain to hear what was said above her. She couldn’t explain why, but she knew that whatever passed between Lana and Clark, would somehow impact her relationship with Clark. Maybe it was because she’d knew if they got back together, Lana would take up more of his life, making him less available to her at work. And despite her teasing, she loved working beside him. Or perhaps, it was merely a budding hope, that if Clark could at last let go of Lana, then maybe – just maybe, there’d eventually be room in his heart for someone else.
“We are on equal footing, Clark. You and I… we could do so much.”
“Lana… after you left, I did a lot of thinking. About us. About all the things we’ve been through. We—we’ve never really made each other happy, Lana. There was always something holding us back, something that kept us separated. And while you now understand why, there’s still so much that I can’t reconcile, Lana.”
Clark had begun pacing, Lois could hear above her. He was speaking in riddles… what had separated them?
“And when you married Lex,” he sighed. “I don’t know… it was hard for us even to be friends then.”
“You know what a monster Lex was, Clark,” Lana said, her voice beginning to shake with tears. “I did what I had to survive.”
“Exactly,” he said evenly. Though Lana may not understand, Lois thought she did. Lana had become more of a Luthor than she wanted to admit. And thank God, Clark could finally see that. “We’re different, Lana… and while I will always remember you as my first love, it’s time to move on. For both of us.”
“I thought you loved me, Clark… I thought if I could get rid of this—curse that we---“
Lois heard Clark sigh, “Lana, when we were first separated, I would have given anything to have you back. But after the pain of losing you, I began to realize other things that I had been too afraid to acknowledge, blinded by my love for you. I realized that the girl I fell in love with was different from the woman I knew… And while my feelings were genuine, they’ve—changed. And I think, I’ve realized that they changed because you and I have changed… I’m sorry,” he said, and Lois could imagine the look he gave Lana as he said those words. Those fathomless, soulful eyes of his, full of heartbreaking honesty…
Lana took in a shuddering breath, her words choked with tears. “You really can look at me and say that you don’t love me? After all we’ve been through? Clark?”
Lois cringed for Clark, hearing what amounted to emotional blackmail coming from Lana. He deserved so much better than this…
“Lana… there will always be a part of me that loves you,” he said kindly. “The fact that I can even get near you again is—amazing. But Lana, you have to admit, we’re different people. We were different people even when we were together. And now, it’s time for us to move on.”
Lois heard the sniffle of tears, Lana shuffling on her feet a bit. “I gave up so much for you. So much for us,” Lana said painfully, her voice shaking. Suddenly Lois heard a whoosh of wind, as Lana abruptly super-sped away.
Lois heard the plod of Clark’s footsteps as he came to the landing. Clark leaned over the loft’s rail, looking out into the fields. “Lana!” he called after her.
He hung his head in defeat, and glancing down, suddenly noticed Lois.
“Lois,” he said in surprise, concern in his voice at her current state, looking bruised and slightly teary.
His cheeks even colored a bit, and she wondered if he was embarrassed for what had just happened between him and Lana.
“I’m sorry for intruding, Clark,” she said softly. Her heart was full of so many emotions, worried that Clark would fall for Lana again, and a surprising hope that he might be free of her at last. But she could see the pain Clark was struggling with, reconciling his past. And those emotions were what took precedent for her. She stepped towards the stairs, to offer what she could in support. “I-- I’m sorry about Lana.”
Clark made his way down the stairs of the loft, coming to stand next to Lois. His gaze turned towards what had now become a downpour outside the barn door. “I never expected to see her again,” he said, and it almost sounded like an apology.
“Clark, I—have a confession to make,” Lois began, sitting on a nearby hay bale.
“What is it, Lois?”
She sighed heavily, and then faced him squarely. “I—knew Lana was in town.”
“You did?” he asked, but he didn’t seem surprised.
“Yeah, I sort of ran into her in your kitchen the other night… She was looking for clues about what happened to Chloe. I’m sorry, Clark. I should have warned you,” she said, pleading with her eyes for him to understand. To understand why it was so complicated for her. To understand that she had feelings for him too that she was just beginning to recognize.
He shook his head with a sigh. “It’s okay, Lois… It’s over between us anyway. There were so many things about her that I could never see. Things that were right there in front of me about who she really is – I always wanted to believe she was innocent. Or believe that Lex had stolen that innocence. But I realized she always had a harder edge to her. She was always full of secrets… and had a darker side that I never wanted to acknowledge.”
Clark had sat down next to her on the hay bale, and Lois gently nudged his side. “You never know, Smallville. Maybe… the one for you is just around the corner.”
He smiled at her, and then his brow wrinkled in concern, his eyes taking in her injuries. “So, what exactly happened to you, Lois?”
Lois sighed, knowing Clark wouldn’t be happy to learn she had put herself in harm’s way yet again. “I was looking for clues about Chloe. I had a run-in with Mannheim’s thugs, and then met the-creature-formerly-known-as-Davis at the Talon. And then your super g—ex-girlfriend swooped in and saved me.”
He looked at her in surprise, his mouth slightly agape. “So you know about her suit?”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Well, obviously, since I didn’t flip out when she darted out of here literally like the wind… A super Lana. Who knew, huh?”
Clark seemed to breathe a little easier and started playing with a loose straw from the hay bale. He rolled it between his fingers and became contemplative. “Davis is more powerful than ever,” he murmured to himself.
“Well, I don’t know about little miss super duper, but I’m hoping the Blur can stop our mindless monster,” she said.
Clark glanced up at her, a hint of worry in his expression. “You have a lot of faith in the Blur, Lois.” He sighed, tossing the piece of hay aside. “What if there comes a time when he can’t live up to your expectation?”
“My only expectation is that he’ll be there for us. I know he’ll find a way to stop Davis,” she said confidently.
Clark sighed, leaning back on the hay bale, resting on a wooden beam. “Your faith is a lot to live up to.”
“There’s nothing to live up to, Clark. The Blur is good and will do whatever it takes to defend Metropolis. I know things will work out,” she said with assurance.
His blue eyes seemed to look right into her heart, and Lois was struck by the intensity in his gaze.
“What is it, Smallville?” she asked, wondering what his thoughts were.
He shook his head, as if clearing some strange notion that lingered there. “Nothing… I—I’m just impressed by your belief in the power of good over evil. Most people don’t have such emphatic convictions.”
“It’s the only way I know how to live, Clark,” she said as if revealing a secret. “ Believing that good will triumph is how I get up every day and go to work at the Planet.”
“It’s admirable, is all.”
A small smile lingered on her lips. “Thanks.”
He stood up, and reached out for her hand to help her up. “What do you say we go into the house and fix up those war wounds?”
Lois gingerly got up and eyed the pouring rain outside the barn. Her leg was now throbbing with pain, and she couldn’t see herself hobbling across the muddy yard to the farmhouse.
Clark noticed her hesitancy. “What is it?”
She gestured to her leg. “I can’t run in this weather with my leg… I—“
Before she could get the sentence out of her mouth, Clark had lifted her, one arm supporting her back, while her legs were slung over his other arm.
Lois felt her heart fall to her stomach, suddenly in Clark’s embrace. Their eyes met, and for a second, she thought she saw something there. Something more than just friendship. But it was gone in the very next instant, his gaze hooded as he headed out the door.
“Don’t worry, Lois. I’ve got you,” he said through the pouring rain.
He jogged towards the farmhouse, conscious of not jostling the cargo he was carrying. Lois hardly noticed the rain, finding herself mesmerized instead by his strong arms and shoulders, the steady pace of his breath near her shoulder as they made it across the yard.
He marched them up the front porch, both of them soaking wet from the downpour. He set her down gently, and her tender leg forced a wince of pain, making her reluctant to let Clark go.
“You all right?” he asked, his comforting hand remaining on the small of her back to steady her.
She found herself staring at his rain-soaked shirt, the outlines of his muscled chest visible through the wet fabric. Her gaze traveled upwards to meet his concerned green-blue eyes, his hair dripping wet from the rain. She watched a trail of rain from his hair fall down his cheek, his neck, and into his t-shirt. She resisted the urge to bite her lip. When had Smallville become so sexy?
“Lois? You okay?” he asked, his voice full of concern.
She nodded her head, but didn’t push off his touch. “I’m fine. But I may need to lean on you to make it into the house.”
Hobbling now, having delayed taking care of her injury from earlier, Lois let Clark lead her into the kitchen.
He set her down at the kitchen table and told her he’d be right back.
Left alone with her thoughts, Lois couldn’t help but feel that something had shifted between them. That maybe she hadn’t imagined that moment where they almost kissed at Chloe’s wedding. Maybe that since he now finally had closure on the whole Lana drama, there was a chance. A small glimmer of hope that he might feel something for Lois, too.
He came back with a first-aid kit and two small towels. He handed her one, and then dried off his own dripping wet head. Lois scrunched the water out of her locks, her eyes unable to stop from going to him.
“We’ll get changed in a minute, but first I want to take care of your injuries,” he said, taking out a swab and some alcohol.
He started gently swabbing her face, and she tried not to react to the stinging when the alcohol made contact with her cuts. “Sure you know what you’re doing there, Smallville?” she asked, cringing with pain.
“Sorry… Lois, we need to take a look at your leg as well. I’ll, uh, get something for you to change into, okay?”
She nodded.
A few moments later he came back, wearing clean t-shirt and jeans. He brought her a fresh towel, a red t-shirt and yellow sleep shorts. “I hope you don’t mind. It’s all I have clean,” he said, seemingly embarrassed.
“Thanks, Smallville,” she said, taking what he offered her. “I’ll just go change.”
She hopped off the table, and then flinched with pain.
“Here, I’ll help you,” he offered, coming to her side to let her lean on him.
“Thanks.”
He helped her as she hobbled to the downstairs bathroom, and Lois reluctantly pulled away from his help as she shut the door to change.
It wasn’t easy getting her wet jeans off, not with her leg injured. She eventually peeled them off, feeling like she was being unsheathed from a chrysalis. She inspected her leg, noting that there was no visible wound, but a huge bruise larger than her hand covered the side of her right thigh.
Suddenly, Lois heard the screen door in the kitchen open and she thought she heard Lana’s voice.
Lois cracked open the bathroom door, standing in her underwear, to see why Lana had returned. Hadn’t Clark’s rejection in the barn been final enough?
Clark’s back was to Lois, but she could see Lana, tears streaming down her face, holding some spray jar filled with a shiny red liquid, aiming it at Clark.
It looked like Lana had just reached a new level of crazy.
“You’re hiding, Clark. You’re hiding from me, from yourself. You can’t mean what you said, and I’m going to prove it to you.”
“Lana, what are you doing?” Clark said with a warning in his voice. He lifted his hands up before him, as if warding off a dangerous weapon.
“Lex may have had his secrets – but I learned as many of them as I could. He refined meteor rocks, believing they held the secrets to the universe. Or maybe, he only hoped they’d tell him your secrets.”
She sprayed the red liquid at Clark, her tears suddenly gone as she waited to see the reaction of the spray’s effect.
After a moment, Clark lowered his hands, and seemed to stand straighter. Lois watched in horror as his whole demeanor suddenly seemed to change. Even the tilt of his head seemed odd, cocky and off-balance.
“Can you honestly say now that you don’t love me?” Lana asked desperately, lowering the jar with the red liquid.
He stepped towards Lana, and she looked up at him, slightly fearful. Clark’s voice was lower and sensual when he spoke. “I can honestly say that while you’re beautiful Lana, and we had some wonderful moments… that if I kiss you, it isn’t because I love you. It’s because I can’t resist that pouty mouth of yours…”
He leaned towards her, his hand coming up to her face, his thumb stroking her lip. Lois was shocked beyond belief, never imagining that Clark would ever talk or act that way. What the hell had Lana sprayed him with?
He leaned into Lana, and the shameless girl reached for him, letting him kiss her.
“Can you honestly tell me that this doesn’t mean anything to you?” she asked.
Lois shut the bathroom door, confused and shocked by what she had seen. What did Lana do to Clark? And more importantly, how could she undo it?
As quickly as she could, Lois threw off her wet shirt and put on Clark’s old KU shirt. The image of Clark kissing Lana kept replaying in her mind, and she had to keep telling herself that it was the drug Lana had sprayed him with. He didn’t love her. He had said as much in the barn… Still, it didn’t stop just a sliver of fear, of even jealousy, that somehow Lana would win and would find a way to have Clark, even if it was against his will.
She tugged on the sleep shorts and turned to face the two outside the door. She was afraid how much things could progress in the few seconds it took to get dressed, again wondering what kind of toxic cocktail Lana had cooked up in that jar.
Lois opened the door.
Clark had Lana on the kitchen counter, her legs wrapped around his waist. Clark was nuzzling her neck as Lana had her arms around his.
Lois decided to try to distract them, hoping to keep Clark from making a huge mistake.
“Ahem,” she said, limping gingerly toward them. “Sorry to interrupt, but—“
Clark stopped what he was doing, and turned towards Lois, his lips pouty from Lana’s kisses. “Lois,” he said, in a voice that she’d never heard before, full of passion and gentleness.
Their eyes met and she felt her cheeks burn with the ardor she saw there. Lana tried to turn him to face her, but he stepped out of her grasp.
“Lois, it was you… you were the one --” he said in surprise, making his way towards her.
Lois flashed accusing eyes at Lana. “What the hell did you do to him?” Would Clark turn into a love slave for whatever woman turned his way?
“I—uh—I didn’t know you were here,” was all Lana managed to say, having the grace to at least look embarrassed.
“Lana!” Lois said with exasperation, as Clark made his way towards her.
“Lois, your leg!” Clark cried in alarm, sounding for a second like the old Clark.
His hand rested gently on the side of her thigh, his thumb rubbing softly over her wound, while his other hand cupped Lois’ cheek. “I’ll take care of you,” he said quietly.
Suddenly, she was in his arms for the second time that night as he carried her over to the kitchen table.
He went to the freezer and got an ice pack and grabbed one of the hand towels that was still lying on the table. He gently laid the towel and ice on her, his gaze boring into hers.
“I can’t believe this!” cried Lana, sounding just a tiny bit like a jealous banshee. “This is not how it’s supposed to happen!” she cried, trying to pull his arm away from Lois.
“Lana, don’t make a greater fool of yourself. You’re no longer who I love. In fact, I haven’t loved you for a long time,” Clark said, his voice suddenly filled with ice.
Lana headed to the kitchen door, angry tears streaming down her face. “Enjoy all the secrets and lies, Lois. They tore us apart, and I have no doubt they will do the same to you.” She suddenly flew out the door.
“I wonder if she’s gone for real this time,” Lois asked, still a bit unnerved by Clark’s close proximity and the effects of the potion Lana had sprayed on him.
“Let’s see how your leg is doing,” Clark said, lifting the ice. He seemed to stare intently at her bruise for a moment before nodding. “It’s not broken, just seriously bruised. You should feel better tomorrow.”
“Well thank you, Dr. Kent. How do you know it’s not broken?” she snipped, feeling gingerly around the bruised area.
He wiggled his eyebrows at her, giving her a wicked grin that made her stomach flip. Clark Kent never looked at her that way.
“Lana’s right –to an extent. There are some secrets I’m not willing to share yet… but there are others,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss her jaw. “… that I think it’s time you know.”
“Like what?” Lois couldn’t help asking, trying not to drown in the sensation of Clark kissing her. She kept having to remind herself that this was just the cupid’s cocktail talking, and the real Clark was only buried in there somewhere.
“Like how I feel about you,” he said, lifting her yet again to take her to the sofa in the living room.
“How you--feel?” she found herself asking, mesmerized by this openly passionate Clark.
“Lost… and found at once,” he said, his mouth giving her a hungry kiss. “Like we should have been doing this all along… What had I been so scared of?”
“I don’t know,” she said breathlessly, excitement crawling across her skin as Clark shed his t-shirt and leaned down to kiss her again.
She let herself give into his kiss, for just a moment. Her deep down secret fantasies about Clark were coming true before her eyes—and yet, she knew it wasn’t real.
“Clark, wait just a minute. I—I need to think,” she said at last, when she could summon enough will power to stop. She tried to scoot way from under him into a sitting position.
“What’s there to think about, Lois? Wouldn’t you prefer to feel?” he said, his bedroom eyes nearly pulling her back under his spell.
She shook her head and turned away from him. “This isn’t right, Smallville. You’re under some drug… and I—“
“What?”
She reached for his t-shirt and handed it to him, not looking at him. “Do you mind putting this back on, please? I –can’t concentrate with that” –she gestured vaguely in the direction of his god-like chest—“bare before me.”
He put his shirt back on, but the sinful grin on his face didn’t go away. “Lois, I know you want me.”
She glanced at him, relieved to see him fully clothed, even if he was still dangerously close to her.
“Sure I want you,” she splayed a hand on his chest to stop him as he leaned in after that admission. “But I want us to date. A kiss here and there… and then eventually—when we’re both ready-- more. But not when one of us is on some love potion number nine, okay?”
His face suddenly fell in disappointment. “I see. So you’re not really sure how you feel about me, is that it?”
“No, Clark,” she began and then sighed with exasperation. “You’re all confused because of that toxic cocktail Lana gave you… but we’ll figure this out. Maybe it wears off, “ she mused aloud.
He grinned again, as if he had a secret. “But until it does, can’t we have a little fun?” he asked, using his knuckles to gently stroke her arm.
She groaned aloud in frustration. “Unbelievable! How do I find myself in these messes?” Lois was pretty much trapped, as she couldn’t go anywhere this evening with her leg injured. She somehow had to ward off an amorous Clark until she could figure out what to do.
Clark was staring at her with googily eyes, and while he looked delectable, she knew that letting him progress their relationship to a physical level before they were both ready would be disastrous.
Lois grabbed the remote and switched on the television. She clutched it to her chest like a talisman, as if it could ward off Clark’s advances. “Ooh, the monster truck rally is on!” she said with excitement and relief.
As Lois started a running commentary on what was going on at the truck rally, Clark slowly edged his way closer to her. He started nuzzling her neck, planting pleasant kisses on her neck and jaw, even as she rambled on about drag trains.
Lois shivered with pleasure, and silently thought that she was being a saint for not giving into Clark’s advances.
She turned to him, full of sympathy and maybe even a hint of regret. “Smallville, I simply can’t take advantage of you while you are doped up on love drugs.”
“But Lois, this is what I really want… I’ve wanted you for some time, though I was just too afraid to admit it.”
How she wanted to believe what he said was true. How she wanted to accept his words at face value. But she knew she couldn’t. While they may have a smidge of truth to them, Lois knew it was the love cocktail talking and not the man himself.
“Can’t we just watch the truck rally and see how you feel in the morning?” she asked gently.
“If you let me hold you.”
“Sure,” Lois conceded, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach at the thought of being cozy on the sofa with Clark and watching a monster truck rally.
But she should have known better. There was nothing innocent about his embrace. As he started nuzzling her neck once again, she suddenly turned in his arms. “Popcorn. I could really use some popcorn,” she smiled sweetly at him.
“Aren’t I all the treat you need?” he said with that sexy smile of his.
“Pretty please?” she smiled back.
Reluctantly he nodded and headed off to the kitchen. When he left the living room, Lois reached for her phone and typed a text to Oliver: “Clark’s on something – can you get me out of here tonight?”
She was about to press send when Clark spoke. “Who are you texting?” he asked in a dangerously protective manner. He was all the way in the kitchen, and she wasn’t sure how he had seen her around the corner.
“Um, just Ollie. He was hurt the other day and I just want to see how he’s doing.” She quickly hit send.
“Oliver,” Clark said, slightly derisive, coming back into the living room with the popcorn. “You still have feelings for him?”
Lois could hear a somewhat jealous tone in Clark’s voice, and she wasn’t sure he would be reasonable under the crimson potion Lana had given him.
“Oliver and I are ancient history. Like you and Lana?” she tried amicably, making room for him on the sofa, careful not to sit too close to him.
“Lana and I were never really friends when we weren’t in a relationship. I was always jealous of how you and Oliver managed to do that…” he sounded for a moment like his normal self, and Lois felt a little sorry for him, seeing how whack-a-doodle Lana could be.
“Clark, it’s not your fault,” she said gently.
He turned to her, his eyes sensual again as they flickered over her body. “Which is why I’m glad I have you,” he said, leaning in to kiss her.
Lois dodged his kiss and reached for the popcorn. Maybe if she could keep her mouth full of food, he’d stop trying to tongue wrestle with her.
“Lois, why won’t you kiss me?” he asked, his tone sultry as his knuckles gently rubbed her upper arm.
“Because you’re not yourself, Smallville,” she quipped, reaching for the remote to turn up the truck rally.
“I’ve never really been myself around you,” he said, his voice cryptically filled with sadness. “Sometimes I’d like to be, though…”
She glanced at him, perplexed by his comment, and then heard her phone beep.
Clark reached it before she could. “Oliver says he’s coming,” Clark said angrily. “Why would Oliver come here?”
Lois gulped and shrugged. “Look, you’re not yourself. I’d just feel better having someone else here—“
“Why Oliver, Lois? You still have feelings for him, don’t you? You trust him more than me?” he said, clear challenge in his eyes.
Lois backed into the corner of the sofa, unsure of what she could say that could appease Clark. And she didn’t want to kiss him again, afraid of where that would lead. “I do trust you, Clark. Just—not like this,” she said honestly. “We have to figure out a way to reverse the effects of that spray Lana used on you. Nice of her not to leave around the remedy,” she finished sarcastically.
Clark suddenly smiled wickedly. “I know the remedy.”
“You do?” she asked warily.
“Yeah, you. Kissing me,” he said, leaning towards her.
She rolled her eyes. “That was corny, even for you. Look, I’m going to bed. It’s late…” She dodged his embrace, getting off the sofa.
“But Oliver is coming over,” he reminded, waving her phone in front of her.
“Then you talk to him,” she retorted flippantly.
She started hobbling towards the stairs, but she refused to ask for Clark’s help, sure that it would come attached with some other strings she wasn’t ready for.
“Here, let me help you,” he said, coming to her side.
“No thanks, Smallville. I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said, pushing against his chest.
“Lois, let me—“
“I said, ‘no thanks!’” she said, pushing him away from her more aggressively, which bumped her into the hall closet door.
She reached for the handle to steady herself, and suddenly wondered if there might not be some crutches inside. That would at least give her some independent mobility.
She opened the closet and reached for the string to turn on the light. Tripping over the vacuum inside, her hand knocked into the upper shelf, sending a small leaden box to the floor.
“Lois what are you doing?” Clark asked.
Curious, Lois reached down for the box and opened it. “Green meteor rock. How—um, interesting,” she said, standing up, and then glanced at Clark who had suddenly fallen to his knees.
“Smallville?” she cried in alarm, setting the open box on the counter as she hobbled over to him. “What happened? Are you okay?”
His gaze was focused on the counter, his face contorted with pain. “The box, Lois. Close the box,” he gritted out.
Puzzled, Lois did as he asked and closed the box. Clark groaned in relief on the floor.
“What happened?” she asked, suddenly fearful of the contents of the box. Warily, she came over to Clark, uncertain if he still had dark purposes in mind, and helped him up.
“Thanks,” he said, seemingly embarrassed about the whole situation.
“Are you all right?”
Clark nodded, “Yeah, uh, I guess that meteor rock counter-acted whatever Lana had sprayed on me.”
“Do you remember anything?”
He looked at her, his mouth slightly agape, and she suddenly felt her cheeks flush with the memory of his kisses. “No, not a thing,” he said guardedly, and she wondered if he was lying.
“Are you sure?”
Clark nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I remember getting sprayed, and the rock just now—but other than that, I just have a headache… Let’s put this away, shall we?” he said, gingerly taking the closed lead box and putting it back in the closet.
“Who knew meteor rock could be so effective--if somewhat painful-- against love potions, huh?” Lois commented, still puzzled by what had just happened. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, fine,” Clark said, not looking at her. “Yeah, love potions.. Um, who knew?”
Lois was still certain that Clark was hiding something, but was willing to chalk it up to embarrassment over his ardor earlier.
“So, do you at least remember your talk with Lana in the barn?” she asked quietly.
Clark nodded. “I do… and Lana—“ He looked up with sudden purpose. “She’s going to try and stop Davis.”
“Hold it there, cowboy. What exactly do you think you can do about it? Look, the Blur will stop him, Clark. There’s no need for you to try and do anything.”
“Lana doesn’t know what she’s up against,” Clark said.
“And you do?” she stopped him with a hand on his chest. “After what Lana did to you—why not let her fight her own battles?”
“Knock, knock,” came a cheery voice from the front door.
“Oliver,” Lois said, limping over to greet him with a hug, though careful not to bump his arm, which was still bandaged in a sling. “No worries. The um, potion got knocked out of him. Green meteor rock hiding in the closet did the trick.”
“Really?” Oliver said, glancing a Clark with a knowing smile. “Bet that was fun.”
“Oliver, we need to talk,” Clark said, heading to the front porch.
Lois suddenly felt out of the loop and watched helplessly as they headed to the barn. She knew she couldn’t’ follow with her leg, even though she’d give anything to know what they were talking about. She thought about the jealousy Clark had revealed about her and Oliver's relationship. Clark seemed cured of whatever that spray had done, but surely Clark wasn't talking to Oliver about that. After the encounter with the green rock, he had immediately returned his attention away from Lois and back to Lana.
Lois sighed. Grant it, Lana was in danger, but it sure rankled just a bit that after her trouble here this evening, she still had Clark trying to find a way to rescue her.
Was that what he wanted to speak to Oliver about?
The other night Oliver had hinted at the fact that Clark knew his secret. Could Clark be enlisting Green Arrow to fight Davis—or even to look after Lana?
Despite everything, Clark’s focus always seemed to swing back to Lana. Though Lois didn’t want to see anything happen to her either, she couldn’t help the stab of jealousy at the thought that Lana still seemed to always get top priority in Clark’s life.
