He'd lost her. The one thing in his life he couldn't live without, and he'd driven her away.

Clark held his head in his hands, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. The loft was warm, and the sun was shining brightly through the window—the complete opposite of what Clark felt. He felt cold and numb; the excruciating pain he had felt when she turned away from him had run its course for today. Clark supposed he should be thankful for the slight reprieve, but he couldn't. It wasn't for lack of trying, though.

He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, leaning back into the couch as he stared at the nondescript ceiling of the barn. He should have known that was going to happen. For God's sake, she avoided him for a month when they had almost kissed at Chloe's wedding (though, in her defense, she was caring for Jimmy) and she basically ran away for two weeks when they had kissed for the first time.

What did he think she was going to do when he dropped the 'L' bomb on her?

Clark hadn't even entertained the idea that Lois would reciprocate the statement and proclaim her undying love for him. That just wasn't what Lois Lane would do. However, in the five seconds after he had realised his mistake and before Lois had reacted, he had hoped that she would have stayed—at least explained to him that, while she did care for him, she didn't love him the same way he loved her. Hell, the scenario didn't even have to go like that! He would have been fine if she had asked him to bottle up his feelings, bury it deep inside of him and forget the situation even happened—as long as she had stayed.

Apparently, that was a little too much to hope for.

Clark laughed humourlessly when he realised the irony of the situation. Most women left their boyfriends because they wouldn't say they loved them. Of course, only he would fall in love with the woman who jumped ship at the first sign of affection.

Along the line, his laughter turned into dry sobs.