Chapter One: Awakening

“You really shouldn’t have,” Clark Kent said looking at the plate in front of him. “I mean with your job at the Inquisitor and working for my mom, we could have just ordered pizza.”

Not to be fooled by the wince he was trying to hide as he stared at the dinner she cooked, Lois Lane stared at Clark Kent with a look of sarcasm. “Smallville are you impugning my ability to cook?” One brow arched in accusation.

“Uh…no,” he said as he looked at the meatloaf she made. At least he thought it was meatloaf. “No I’m impugning my ability to eat it,” he threw her a little smirk. Great thing about Lois, he could say whatever was on his mind and she took it pretty well most times, except when she didn’t and then things were thrown, words were exchanged, the sofa was used and make out was had.

The pattern still hadn’t gotten old for him yet.

Staring at the meal which she knew she had burned before he arrived at her apartment for Saturday night movies, Lois Lane had to concede defeat. Even she was having trouble trying to maintain a credible defense for her meatloaf. With a sigh, she had come to the decision that a lifetime of being fed by Martha Kent was something Lois would never be able to compete with.

“Oh just shut up and order the pizza,” she tossed a napkin at him.

Clark grinned and scooted over to her side in an instant, wrapping strong arms around her waist as he pulled her close. “It was a nice thought.” He flashed her that farm boy smile, the one she said she couldn’t stay mad at before meeting her mouth in a kiss.

It was also the best way to shut her up too, he found.

“Yeah, yeah, use that charm to soothe my wounded feelings,” she teased back as she more than happily received his apology.

The tingle that she felt all the way to her toes hadn’t ceased even now. Whenever he kissed her, Lois had trouble remembering where she was. All she knew was that his kisses had power, at least over her. Losing herself in the taste of him, Lois parted her lips and allowed Clark fresh plunder, still somewhat amazed that being with him could feel this good.

It was a feeling to which Clark could concur had he presence of mind enough to think. Right now, he just wanted to kiss her. Like the first time, Clark still marveled at how good it felt to kiss Lois, how her lips seemed made for him and every exploration, every sensual duel of tongues, heightened all the senses he had in his body. Clark couldn’t remember wanting Lana this much and want Lois he did, a lot.

They would have continued like that until one of them made a move towards the sofa, forgetting all about the meatloaf, pizza or for that matter, the movies they were going to watch if not for the knock on the door.

“Chloe,” Clark muttered, x-ray vision seeing the familiar blond behind the front door, “…and Jimmy. And Jimmy?” He pulled away and stared at her. “Jimmy’s here too?”

Regaining her composure after that abrupt ending kiss, Lois blinked a couple of times to remind herself she was on planet Earth again (not Krypton), before responding, “don’t start with me Smallville. Chloe likes him a lot and anything that makes Chloe a little happier about you and I dating, is something you’re going to put up with, kapishe?”

“Got it,” Clark agreed, just about willing to do anything to not make this awkward for Chloe.

“Besides,” Lois said walking towards the door, “she really wants you to like him. I know Jimmy’s a little bit of dweeb but he means well, he makes her happy and he’s a lot less high strung knowing that you’re not after his girl.”

“I was never after his girl…” Clark rolled his eyes.

“A fact that Chloe is painfully aware of now ‘Mr. Equipped with all Kinds of Senses except the Obvious’,” she threw him a wink.

“Why am I dating you again?” Clark grumbled good naturedly as he listened to her ramble on.

“Because I French kiss like a demon and am known to give great blow….”

“OKAY,” he stopped her there. “I’ll go order the pizza.”

“Now you’re talking,” she laughed, delighting in that wonderful shade of red across his face.

*********

For the first time in God only knew how long, Clark Kent was happy.

If anything had convinced him that he had made the right choice with Lois, it was the last month since they started dating. Being with someone to whom he didn’t have to lie to, who knew his secret without being bombarded by accusations of dishonesty was a weight off his shoulders. Although the talk about how he acquired his powers was a bridge coming they would soon have to cross, not talking about it hadn’t hurt his relationship with Lois at all. As they agreed from the first, right now was about getting to know each other as a couple.

The rest of could wait.

Besides, she knew about the parts that kept him from lying to her on a daily basis, especially when he had to disappear to go track down a lead on a meteor freak or a Zoner. If anything, like Chloe, Lois was learning to cover for him when he had to make these quick exits. There were times when Clark wondered if Lana would have been able to manage as well as Lois was now but that was a question, he kept asking himself less and less the more his relationship with the intrepid Miss Lane deepened.

To his surprise, neither Martha nor Chloe had been terribly surprised by the change in status quo in their relationship. Martha just wore that smile, the one that told Clark she was basking in some secret victory she was not about to explain to him. Clark had the oddest feeling that Martha had seen this coming for some time now. It was Chloe’s reaction however, that concerned both he and Lois the most.

He and Chloe had history.

Clark couldn’t deny the mistakes he had made there, the opportunities lost. However, his consciousness had been so filled with Lana these last six years; he hadn’t really been able to think of much else. He supposed if there had been a window of opportunity for him and Chloe, it had passed long ago. Sometimes Clark regretted it because he knew she loved him and other times, he didn’t because any romantic aspirations towards Chloe was little more than curiosity.

Chloe deserved better than that. Clark may not have loved her romantically but he did love her in his own way. She was his best friend and confidante. The one friend who knew the truth and had stood by him through the worst of times. And whoever took her heart had better make her happy. In this Clark wouldn’t abide anything else for her.

Even if it was Jimmy.

Chloe had taken it in as easily as Martha and though she didn’t say it out loud, Clark got the feeling she too had sensed something and once again, he had to wonder what everyone saw that had escaped him and Lois for so long. In any case, Chloe seemed happy that he wasn’t pining over Lana and was even more thrilled that Lois knew his secret since that meant she didn’t have to deceive her favorite cousin either. That did leave a sour taste in his mouth however, knowing that in keeping his secret, he made others lie for him too.

At least with Lois knowing, that was one less person in the world who needed to be lied to.

*********

By the end of the evening, after three boxes of pizza, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen did find some common ground. They both knew that women should never be allowed to go video stores on their own. After being subjected to Failure to Launch and The Break Up in one sitting, Clark decided that it was the closest to hell he had been in a long time.

And he had been in the Phantom Zone.

“We are so picking the movie next time,” Jimmy declared. “I suddenly need to watch Die Hard again.” He threw Chloe a smile.

“And here I thought you were a sensitive guy,” Chloe nudged him in the ribs as they lounged on sofa.

”I am sensitive but I also like gratuitous make believe violence,” he grinned and kissed her button nose.

“Well hang around in Smallville long enough and you’ll get to see the real stuff,” Lois remarked, throwing Clark a smirk. “You’ve come to the Town of Weird.”

“Yeah ask Chloe,” Clark threw his best friend a wink, “she made a career of it on the Torch.”

“The Torch…” Chloe mused. “Oh my god, that almost feels like a lifetime ago.”

Clark had to agree, remembering those days when the most he had to worry about was how to run into Lana in the school halls without tripping over his size 12 feet and trying to convince his dad to let him play football. There were times when he yearned for those day and others like today, when it wasn’t so bad to be him, that he wouldn’t trade what had now for anything. Instinctively, he leaned over and planted a soft kiss behind Lois’ ear.

“So CK, when are you going back to college?”

CK, Clark grit him teeth slightly. “Uh not for awhile yet,” he answered. Clark had no intention of enrolling in anything until the last of the Zoners were locked away. College could wait. “The farm still needs work.”

“Can’t stay out there forever,” Jimmy barreled on. “You don’t seem like the type to get stuck playing Farmer John for the rest of your life.”

Chloe winced at the comment knowing just what association Clark would make as he shot Jimmy a look. Telling himself not to get annoyed, Clark tried not to equate the Farmer John comment with Jonathan Kent.

“Jimmy,” Chloe stood up, “I think it’s about time we got going.” She said grabbing him by the hand. “We got an early start the next morning.”

“Yeah good call,” Lois retorted, wondering if she was this tactless. Hopefully Chloe would clue Jimmy in on what he said later. “I’m going to Topeka with Mrs. Kent in the morning.” She made no move to leave Clark’s embrace however.

“Sure,” Jimmy replied, oblivious to any wrong doing. “We should do this again CK. Next time we pick the movies. How do you girls feel about Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” he grinned.

Great, Clark thought with a sigh, more blood and gore. Like he didn’t live this already.

*********

“You were good tonight,” Lois smiled at Clark stood at the door some time later, preparing to head back to the farm. “I know Jimmy can be a bit of a pain but you see how happy Chloe is.”

“Hmmm…” Clark grumbled. “She can do better.”

“Don’t be a pill Smallville,” she eyed him critically. “Not everyone can be as lucky as you to get me.” She smirked.

“Yeah I’m a fortunate guy,” Clark snorted and got hit for his trouble.

Lois was at her most exciting when she was irritated. Picking fights with her was worth the fun just to make up. Even though their sexual relationship was still at the make out stage, Clark didn’t see any need to push and Lois seemed comfortable with the pace. They were getting to know each other and with his powers, he rather let things develop naturally although the urge to stay over one night was becoming harder and harder to resist.

“I’ll make breakfast if you show up early enough tomorrow,” Clark said pressing into her as they stood at the doorway, his lips not quite making contact with hers.

“That sounds like a plan,” Lois smiled and claimed his mouth for a goodnight kiss. She couldn’t get enough of those generous lips.

Clark let her take the lead for the moment, never realizing how exciting having an aggressive partner could be. Lois knew what she wanted and wasted no time in telling him. It took a lot of the guess work out of the equation and gave him the freedom to surprise her now and then. Five minutes of lusty kissing by her door and Clark had to pull away or else he was not going home at all. He watched her lick her swollen lips when they pulled apart and felt his own head swimming.

“Night Smallville,” Lois said finally, breathless.

“Night Lois,” he grinned, getting out of there while he was still capable of making that decision.

*********

It wasn’t that late when Clark arrived home some five minutes later but he was surprised see a light emanating from his loft. Speeding into the barn and up the stairs, Clark was rather surprised to see a familiar face sitting at his study desk apparently waiting for him.

“Oliver!” Clark said with a smile of genuine pleasure. “What are you doing here?”

“I was in Metropolis and I thought I’d drop by and say hi,” Oliver stood up from the desk and met Clark in a handshake. “Since you weren’t around, I thought I’d wait a bit before I head back.”

“Oh,” Clark suddenly realized that he and Oliver had some talking to do, about Lois. Clark wouldn’t feel it right to conceal from Oliver that he and Lois were an item. While not something he was eager to do, Clark wasn’t about to lie about that either. “I was at uh…..”

“Its okay Clark,” Oliver gave him a look. “I know about you and Lois.”

Blue eyes fixed on Oliver’s green. “Oliver…”

“Clark,” Oliver shrugged. “Why Lois and I broke up had nothing to do with you and I appreciate that you waited until after I left to make a move on her. A lesser man would have taken advantage long before that. I’m okay about it and I wish you both the best.”

Clark felt a sliver of guilt because Oliver’s break up with Lois had a great deal to do with him. It didn’t help that Oliver was being so gracious about it either. Still, Clark couldn’t deny that he was glad that Oliver didn’t hold any grudges. The man’s friendship meant a lot to Clark.

“It just kind of happened…” he felt the need to explain.

“It can be like that,” Oliver agreed. “Especially with Lois.”

“She gets under you skin before you know what’s happened,” Clark mused, turning his back to Oliver, “and then she’s…”

The pain came so sharply against his flesh that Clark who had not much tolerance owing to his rare encounters with it, cried out and was driven to his knees when he felt something sharp penetrate the nape of his neck. Spinning around, he saw Oliver Queen standing with a faint smile, holding the same Kryptonian device that Milton Fine had used to extract the silver kryptonite from his body a year ago.

“Hello Kal-El.” Oliver greeted dispassionately just before his features melted like wax and he was no longer Oliver Queen but Milton Fine.

“What have you done…?” Clark started to say when the world turned red and the Brainiac Construct watched as Clark Kent disappear with a flash of crimson eyes.

PART TWO