Lois Lane sat down in the Kent house feeling kinda like a grinch this year. She's wondering maybe this has something to do with Grant dumping her so close to Christmas. Maybe it has to do with the fact that she's mind numbingly sober. Or maybe it has something to do with their positions are reversed from last year. She's absolutely miserable and Clark is practically ecstatic spending the day with Lana.

Lois took a breath and sat down. Chloe and Jimmy are back together as are Clark and Lana. Maybe she should call Oliver. Complete the get back with your ex phase everyone seems to be going through at the moment. It's not just that though. Clark kept his word and fixed her cable the other day. And to her, well, it felt like she was talking to a complete stranger.

Lois watched as Chloe took a seat next to her at the kitchen table. "Hey Cuz, how's life been treating you besides obviously being back together with your ex?"

Chloe let out an innocent smile pouring two glasses of egg nog. "Well, Clark's back home, I'm back with Jimmy with the exception of finding out Kara chose to stay in Minnesota, life is good."

Lois nodded she guesses she could see her point. "So, has Smallville seemed OK to you? I mean has he talked to you since he came back?"

Chloe thought on it wondering what to make of Clark since he's came back from Jor-El. In the short time he's been back he has saved her from a bomb via secret Santa from hell, he has been more attentive to Lana, and he already has her researching Brainiac before the kryptonian android pays them a visit. If anything he's shown a lot more initiative lately but maybe inadvertently releasing another kryptonian bent on world domination was the wake up call he needed. Not that she can actually tell Lois any of this without exposing his secret. "Seems the same to me. Why?"

Lois looked at him. "I don't know it's, it just feels different."

"Well it is different." Chloe pointed out. "I mean compared to last year Clark is different. He has Lana now."

Lois can't deny this year is different. Jonathan is gone; Martha couldn't come home this year thanks to an emergency meeting. And that phone call lasted all of five minutes. Maybe Smallville is just taking the good this year and tuning out the bad.

Chloe looked at her. Her cousin seemed like she was very worried about Clark for some reason. "Lois, is everything OK?"

Lois weakly nodded and gently shook her egg nog for a reason. "Probably just a little too much holiday cheer."

Lana looked at Lois intently. She remembers what happened last time Lois was drunk around Christmas time. "So how has your holiday been?"

"Got older from last year." Lois replied.

Lana looked at her, well, that was a gloomy outlook on the holiday. "Are you still mad at me?"

"You mean for nearly ripping my arm off yeah built kind of funny that way." Lois countered Clark might think she walks on water but right now, not that many other people do. The little princess was revealed to have stole millions, and spied on every moment of Lex's private life. And all of that was before she was 'affected' by powers. She might be in the minority but she thinks the powers just brought it all she wanted to do bubbling to the surface. But give her a week or two and she'll get over it.

Lana poured herself a glass of nog while smiling at Clark. "I can spend all day and blame it on the powers but the fact of the matter is… I just wanted to make Lex suffer for what he did to me when we were married and before even that with the 'baby'."

Lois looked at her, in all the madness and how easily forgiven she was it was easy to forget she lived in the belly of the beast. "I never understood that. I mean people have babies out of wedlock all the time. Why did you marry him when it was obvious you still carried a torch for Smallville?"

Lana looked to a certain sight. "I thought I was protecting someone."

Lois looked in her line of sight and saw Clark almost bored with Chloe. Seriously what is wrong with Clark? Although she can see Lex going Michael Corleone on all of Lana's exes during the wedding making Clark a prime target; especially with what they did during the engagement party.

Lana looked at Lois sadly. "I am sorry for what I did. Even with everything Lex did, there was no reason to take it out on you."

Lois looked at her might be holiday cheer but. "Apology accepted." She looked at Clark's bored face as he listens to Chloe. "Has Clark seemed different to you the past couple days?"

Lana shook her head. He saved Chloe, is working against Brainiac, and her personal favorite working to send Lex to jail for the rest of her life. "No, honestly, things have never been better between us. is something wrong?"

"No" Lois assured her. "I think it's just holiday heartbreak. First Lex brought the Planet and then Grant it's a cornucopia of pain and I haven't even called the General yet."

Lana smiled hearing her joke but that has to be painful. "I looked into Lex's buying of the Planet, Sadly, there's not much I can do to stop the whole world from believing Lex was just the kind hearted businessman that is working hard to keep printing press from going extinct while he's showered in good PR and the former owner now has a nine number Cayman account."

The two girls roll their eyes and mutter. "Prick"

Lois looked at the clock she can always exchange tomorrow. She's not in a celebratory mood. "Look tell Clark I'll stop by tomorrow with his present OK."

Lana nodded watching her leave. "Merry Christmas"

Lois walked out to her car. She can still see one so she'll take the real drinking once she gets home. She got to the door when she felt a snowball impact on her head. She wipes the snow off her head and looked at her attacker. She just got beamed in the head by Clark Kent. "Seriously?"

"You did it last year." Clark pointed out.

Lois nodded so she did. "Yeah it was easier when you were going through disappointment."

Clark smiled at her almost in disbelief. "Well thanks a lot."

Lois looked at him and lightly hit him in the chest. "You know what I mean. I just, it's been a rough year and to have it end with Lex Luthor buying the Planet, journalism might be dead."

Clark looked at her this should be obvious. "Then go on vacation."

Lois raised her eyes to look at him did Smallville just say that? "Never thought I'd hear those words from you."

Clark gave an innocent shrug wait until she sees that he's left. That should surprise her. "Well, I know you won't quit."

Lois glared at him like he set off a bomb. "I'd never quit no matter how many shredders Lex dulls with my stories." Although maybe he's right after Grant maybe some time away from Smallville could be what the doctor ordered. "Although maybe I will take some time off."

"Maybe somewhere with a beach." Clark suggested.

"Or just around town, not dating a billionaire anymore Smallville." Lois finished.

Clark looked at her. "I just want you to be happy Lois."

Lois smiled seeing a bit of Clark come back. "You know Smallville sometimes I think you don't know me at all. Other times, I think you know me better then anyone. I'll stop by tomorrow with Chloe. Merry Christmas Clark"

"Merry Christmas Lois" Clark replied hugging the reporter.

Lois smiled in the hug maybe she was just confused by the emotional hand grenades going off near her. Until to her surprise Clark tightened the hug and just like that we're back to uncomfortable. She's barely able to breathe not to mention Smallville's head is at her neck, her boob is pushed against him and if his hand goes any lower on her back she's going to slap him again lie last time he grabbed her ass. Lois quickly pushed him off for distance not wanting to complain. It's Christmas eve after all. "Yeah, nice to see you back in town Smallville. I'll see you tomorrow."

Lois watched as Clark went back into the house and then drove off. That was just bizarre from him. Maybe Clark really does write the book on strange like Lana said a couple years back. Tonight it almost seemed like he was a completely different person.

Author Notes

As for the tags… I lied.

I realized that Lois wasn't around any time after the Bizarro reveal. Now I know it was likely due to limited appearances I just thought it would be funny if she could figure it out before Chloe and Lana did.