Well this is the end folks! Sorry it took me so long to get this epilogue out. I hope you enjoy it.
Special thanks to Liz for beta(ing) this sucka and putting up with me.
Since there are no more parts left after this one this is your last chance to leave a review--ok so, technically there's still time in the future (this story will still be around--just finished) for you to review but let me know what you think anyway!
Epilogue
A sigh.
A not-so-subtle glance.
Chloe growled in the back of her throat as they argued over a bowl of popcorn. Martha and Lucy looked at her sympathetically before focusing once more on the movie.
She had been a fool to think that things would change once Lois and Clark finally got together.
She had been delusional.
They still flirt, even more so now, Chloe thought, stomping her way to the kitchen.
They still banter and fight, she silently added, rolling her eyes and throwing a cupboard door open.
The unresolved sexual tension still lay thick in every room they entered, but she could just lock them in another closet and they'd get the hint and fix that themselves. Chloe shrugged at her thought and made her way back into the living room after finding what she was looking for.
Everyone watched her as she grabbed the large bowl that Lois had been trying to pull away from Clark and messily dumped equal portions into two new bowls before thrusting them at the bewildered couple and reclaiming her seat.
She smiled as she tossed a piece of popcorn into her mouth and stared at the TV, oblivious to everyone's gaping mouth. She took a dainty sip of her root beer and sighed.
Chloe figured she could handle anything…
Lucy smirked as Lois stood and snatched the big bowl back out of her cousin's hands before replacing it with the dinky bowl, only offering a challenging smile in return. Chloe glared back at her, but Lucy could see through the steel glint of fury. Behind the anger and frustration was an intense happiness that was even more apparent as she watched Lois snuggle back into Clark's side.
It had been a good idea to come back to Smallville.
Chloe couldn't have survived this experience alone and it had been completely worth it, after witnessing the outcome of Operation: Pain in My Side — ok, so technically it did more damage than anything else, but at least Lois and Clark were together now and she was around to see it.
Lucy figured she should stick around for at least a little while longer, just to make sure that things stay perfect and that Lois doesn't do anything to screw it up.
At that moment, she watched as Lois laced her fingers through Clark's and leaned into him to place a delicate kiss on his jaw.
Then again, Lucy thought with a bright smile,maybe Lois has everything figured out for herself.
Martha eyed the couple happily and all but sighed in relief when she realized that Chloe's plan hadn't backfired completely. Though it did stall them for a bit, Lois and Clark still found their way to each other.
And it looked like crazy Chloe was gone — somewhat gone — well, at least the eye twitch was gone. As a precaution, Lois and Clark had informed her of their decision to keep the sharp utensils hidden, and Martha couldn't help but agree that maybe they should stay that way for at least a little while longer…just in case.
Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois.
Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark. Clark.
"Achoo! God, Shelbs — do you have to sit right by me?!" Lois complained with a frown, pinching her nose.
Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois. Lois.
Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate.
Shelby pushed his way even closer to her side, never once showing signs that he recognized her protests.
"I guess we'll have to give him another bath tomorrow then, Clark... with extra allergy shampoo," Lois said after another sneeze.
Bath!
Shelby froze and then focused entirely on Lois giving his best puppy dog eyes.
"It has to be done," she added with a sigh, avoiding the dog's look.
Shelby cocked his head to one side and then to the other when Lois sneezed again before giving a little whine. He moved slowly off of the couch to lie at Clark's feet.
"Good boy," Lois said with a smug smile, reaching across Clark's thighs to give Shelby a quick pat on the head.
No matter how much she complains and protests, Clark thought, it's obvious that she loves that dog.
Now if only I could get her to admit that she loves me as well, he furrowed his brow in thought and smiled as she finally set her empty bowl aside. He would just have to make her crazy about him: so crazy that she never wanted to leave his side.
Lois lost interest in the movie almost as soon as her popcorn was gone, and Clark had wrapped his arm more firmly around her. His body radiated a warmth that acted like a blanket, making her feel safe, secure, and more content in this very moment than she ever remembered feeling. Trembling slightly at the thought, with both fear and happiness for what she was feeling for this farmboy, Lois gently smiled.
Clark shifted and moved to pull the hood of her sweatshirt up to cover her head, obviously mistaking her shivering for being cold. His sock-covered feet moved to cover her bare ones in a further attempt to warm her, causing Lois's smile to widen drastically as she watched him. Allowing his tender attention for a few moments, she snorted when he reached for the blanket draped across the arm of the couch. His eyes immediately sought out hers at the sound of her amusement, and he focused his questioning eyes intently on her twinkling ones.
"Its summer, Clark. It's not like I even have the slightest chance of getting hypothermia," she answered his unspoken question slyly, which caused him to smile at her bashfully. Clark shrugged and lowered his head to kiss her brow, lingering there for a moment more than necessary before focusing on the movie.
Lois couldn't even recall what they had been watching.
She frowned slightly in contemplation, turning to the screen to figure it out, only to stare blankly as Clark's big feet moved slowly over her smaller ones in an unconscious caress.
How was a girl supposed to concentrate with this big lug distracting her? If he kept this up even a few minutes more, she couldn't be held responsible for her actions.
Like jumping him in front of everyone.
Or pushing him off of the couch.
Both had equal appeal at this moment.
His thigh brushed softly against hers and she almost groaned. She couldn't help but stare up at him gapingly when she realized that he didn't have the slightest idea of what he was doing to her.
Well, two can play at this game, she thought wickedly, pushing aside her rational knowledge that he wasn't even aware of said game.
Lois slowly moved the hand that had been resting on his stomach in a small circle, grinning in victory when she heard him inhale sharply. Moving her hand even higher to lightly caress his chest, she couldn't help but marvel at this strong man being hers. She didn't want to focus on that before winning the game, and so she distracted herself with his firm shoulder. Lois trailed her fingers along his bicep, causing his muscles to tense. She could barely conceal her glee as she lightly scratched her fingernails down his forearm, leaving a trail of goose bumps. Finally reaching his hand, her unknown destination this whole time, Lois laced their fingers together tightly before releasing her grip and lightly playing with his fingers.
It had started out as a game to drive Clark just as crazy as he was driving her, but it seemed to have backfired. She drew in a shaky breath, frustrated with herself for getting so worked up. She stood so suddenly that she almost knocked Clark over. Everyone — including Shelby — looked up at her, completely baffled.
"I need a snack!" she announced loudly, shooting Clark a look before striding determinedly into the kitchen. Clark could do nothing but shrug when the others looked to him in askance.
"Didn't she just have popcorn?" Lucy asked, bemused over her sister's apparent appetite.
"And dinner just before that?" Chloe added, a little disgusted. Her own stomach rolled at the thought of more food. It had been a mistake drinking that second root beer.
"Clark didmake brownies," Martha added to the conversation, enlightening everyone. They all nodded as if that made perfect sense. Lois could never pass up chocolate.
As they turned to the TV once again, Clark shifted slightly already missing the feel of her in his arms. It sounded like Lois was banging together pots in the kitchen, but before he could think to question it further, he turned to see Lois walk even more determined back into the room. Hands on hips, she narrowed her eyes slightly.
"This sort of requires you to follow me, Smallville," she murmured and rolled her eyes when he continued to stare at her in bafflement.
"To get a snack?"
"Yes."
"Brownies?"
"…no."
"Chocolate?"
"Better."
"Oh."
"Exactly," she said when he looked as if he was still confused but might be catching on. They were silent for a few moments, holding their stare, even as Lucy coughed to hide her laughter. Realization finally sparkled into Clark's eyes. Lois had tried to subtly escape the occupants of the living room, tried to get him alone, and he had missed the purpose and intent entirely.
Now Lois figured there was no point in being subtle as everyone had already figured her intention before even Clark and so she marched over and grasped the material of his sweatshirt firmly pulling him along with her. He was grinning like a fool as she all but dragged him into the other room.
As soon as they were alone, Lois was kissing him, and they were oblivious to everything around them, especially the laughter in the other room. He couldn't help but smile into her lips when he realized what she had said before apprehending him. Apparently, Lois had found this to be better than chocolate, and even though the sweet food wasn't nearly as important to him as it was to her, he couldn't help but agree.
She pulled away to look at him with question as he chuckled slightly in the back of his throat. Her eyes held a certain vulnerability and doubt that he never wanted to see again. He wanted her to always be sure of his feelings towards her, never wanted her to doubt that he cared about her more than anyone. Clark raised a hand to trace a finger down her cheek, cradling her jaw in his palm tenderly. She allowed herself to nuzzle his hand slightly in a show of trust that pleased Clark immensely. He leaned into her to brush a tender kiss on the corner of her mouth.
"You make me happy," he said simply when he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. It was all he could say at the moment, the only way he knew how to voice what he was feeling. He couldn't really remember ever being this truly happy and it was all because of her.
Lois's hands had been clutching at his arms, really from the tenderness of his kiss, but after his admission, she moved them to clasp at his neck as if to reassure him that she always would, that he could trust her with his heart, because he held hers captive as well.
"I better, otherwise what the hell are we doing?" she answered back snappily in the only way she knew how to voice what she felt for him.But her smile told him everything he needed to know.
Clark kissed her again as she opened her mouth to say something else. He'd like to think that she would have said something along the lines of 'you make me happy too' or 'I love you', but he knew they had a lifetime together, and he could wait for the words. He figured that before he told her he loved her — and he had realized a long time ago that he did with all of his heart — or before she said something equally important to him, he should probably explain things to her. Let her in on his secrets.
The first, of course, would have to be why they were floating.
The End
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