A/N: I don't own Smallville. The idea for this story has been rolling around in my head for a few months now and I decided to finally put it down on paper. It takes place after "Abyss" but before "Bride" and is AU. This is my first story with Smallville that has no time travel in it… can you believe it? I'm venturing out into new territory! Please reply, I really love to hear what you guys think. CLOIS FOREVER!!!! :)

A Night Out

Prologue

"Pleaaassseee," Chloe dragged out rocking back and forth from heel to toe, in front of her best friend and cousin.

"Chloe, this is one of your last nights as a single woman. Why would you want to spend it with us?," Lois asked incredulously.

"We want to spend it with you two," Jimmy clarified. The four of them were in the Daily Planet with no one else around. Chloe was sitting on the edge of Clark's desk with her fiancé at her side. Lois was standing next to Clark who was sitting in his swivel chair looking up at everyone.

"We're not that exciting to hang out with right now, guys. We have to finish up a deadline," Clark said, agreeing with Lois. He had no idea why they were so eager to hang out with them on one of their last nights of being single.

"Speak for yourself, Smallville. I happened to have finished my story," Lois clarified and bragged.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that you have all of your spelling errors fixed. I bet you your article has more red lines in it than in someone's bloodstream," Clark teased.

"For your information, Smallville, I used spell check after every underlined word so now it's perfect," Lois countered and turned back to the couple, "So shouldn't you two be doing something with each other right now instead of bugging us?"

"We just wanted to spend a night out with our best friends: the maid of honor and the best man slash escort," Chloe explained with pep in her voice. Lois and Clark looked to each other like they were ready to comply, dismissing the idea that they were up to something, that is until Jimmy finished Chloe's reasoning.

"It could be like a double-date," Jimmy offered.

"That would require us being a couple, which we clearly aren't," Lois retorted pointing her thumb back and forth between herself and Clark.

"You could be if you two weren't so damn stubborn," Chloe thought and then continued out loud, "Ignore what Jimmy said, it wouldn't be a double-date. It'll just be four friends hanging out together having a night out on the town; and two of those said friends just happen to be getting married, alright?"

"Sounds good to me… I just finished my article," Clark said leaning back in his chair.

"Better spell check it, Smallville," Lois teased.

"I don't really need to, Lois. I happened to be the spelling-bee champ of Smallville Elementary," Clark gloated putting his hands behind his head, leaning back in his chair, and smiling.

"That's something I wouldn't go around telling people, Smallville. They'll think of you more of a geek than you already are," Lois retorted knocking his arms off of his head which caused him to smile even wider. Jimmy and Chloe looked at each other with facial expressions that said, 'How many more freaking signs do they need?'

Walking to the elevator, Jimmy decided to strike up conversation after the silence of Lois' last comment, "So what do you guys want to do?"

"Shouldn't we be asking you guys that question, after all you two are getting married next week," Clark said pushing the button for the main floor. As he was talking he helped Lois on with her jacket. It was so natural that neither one of them noticed that Clark's hands remained on Lois' shoulders longer than necessary.

"How about a movie?," Chloe suggested. "It's a nice enough night to walk. What do you say?"

"Sounds good to me… I can steal Smallville's popcorn," Lois said with a smile, being the first one off the elevator.

"Who says I'm even buying any popcorn?," Clark said folding his arms, continuing to walk. Lois was walking backwards facing him.

"Because you always do, and I always take it… just like your coffee," Lois said with a smirk and turned around exiting the building.

"Who are you guys kidding? You share the popcorn. Clark puts it in the middle of you two and you both eat out of it," Chloe said as the quartet started to walk, they were going at a pretty fast pace.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you two ever reached for the same kernel," Jimmy teased, thinking of Lady and the Tramp and the spaghetti scene.

"Very funny, Olsen," Lois replied, not amused at all. In fact, Lois and Clark had quite frequently reached for the same kernel – more than either would care to admit.

The quartet fell into a comfortable silence walking down the streets of Metropolis. They were moving pretty fast, making good time. Jimmy and Chloe were holding hands and Lois and Clark were unconsciously moving their hands in unison, brushing the backs of them against each other every so often. Those two were living in denial.

Passing an alleyway, a gun came into view followed by a gruff, "Hey you four! Get back here! Come on, come on!"

Clark and Jimmy immediately went into protective mode over their girls. Jimmy stepped in front of Chloe edging their way into the alley, Chloe's hand on Jimmy's shoulder wide-eyed. Clark of course was even more protective over Lois, she was holding her own behind him, but inside she was grateful for Clark's protectiveness.

"Give me your purses," the man ordered, holding the four of them at gunpoint. He was wearing rag-tag clothes, finger steady on the trigger. Chloe immediately complied and backed up against the wall with Jimmy. Lois wasn't as complying, she was now standing next to Clark, whose eyes never left her. She took her purse and swung it out to the crook as it hit the ground.

"Nice try, sweetie," the crook said kneeling down, "But I don't like playing games." Lois tried to kick the gun out of his hand as he was kneeling down. It was a futile attempt, however as a shot rang out.

"Lois!!!!," Clark yelled. A moment passed and she stared wide-eyed at what had just occurred, watching the blood spool out in a growing circle from its target. The crook took off in the other direction, purses forgotten on the ground. After seeing what he just did, he continued to run with no remorse on his face, in fact a small smile could be seen creeping in on his features.