Title: Smallville: "Bittersweet"

Author: Caitlin Todd

Pairing: Lois,Lois/Clark

Rating: G

A/N: So, I started writing this fan fiction sometime in 2006. Some major changes have been made to the story since then, seeing as how the television show's storyline has changed as well. Still, some details in this story will be considered 'old' and not updated but I left them alone since it would mess up the story too much. Aside from the fact that I've been so slow on uploading this fan fiction which has caused some rifts in the timeline, I'm thinking you'll like it.

(Please note that English is my second language so misspelled words can occur, as well as 'skipped words.')

CHAPTER 1

"Hey there, Smallville! Long time no see!"

Clark felt chills down his spine as he came face to face with Lois Lane. But the most freighting thing was that she was carrying a cardboard box, filled with stuff. Her stuff. At the back of his head, Clark knew this was a sure sign of something very unpleasant. Last time she had brought a cardboard box with her stuff into the house, she had ended up occupying his bedroom for weeks while he had spent far too many nights in the uncomfortable couch downstairs.

"Earth to Clark Kent! In case you haven't noticed this box is getting pretty heavy so I need you to step aside. Now!" Lois snapped and Clark snapped out of his daze.

"Lois, what are you doing here? Last time I checked you had your own apartment," he asked, refusing to step aside. The last thing he needed was Lois Lane taking over his bedroom again and invading his privacy again.

"And last time I checked there was such a thing as hospitality," Lois said and gave Clark a deadly glare, impatiently waiting for him to move away from the doorway.

"What's wrong with your apartment? I thought you liked it there. Nice and quiet. Far away from here," Clark said, putting on a fake smile.

"Turns out that The Talon is in serious need of remodeling, which means I won't be seeing the inside of the apartment for a week. Trust me, I'm as heartbroken as you are," Lois said and something in her voice made Clark feel even more uncomfortable.

"Heartbroken? About what?" he asked, giving Lois a suspicious look. She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.

"Why don't you ask your mom? She's the one who invited me," Lois said, and in that moment Martha Kent suddenly appeared in the doorway behind Clark.

"Hey, Lois! Let me help you with that. Clark, step aside please," Martha said. Clark gave her a shocked look and tried to protest, but couldn't find the words. So he reluctantly stepped aside and watched as his mother grabbed the cardboard box, then walking into the kitchen with it. As soon as she had disappeared out of sight, Clark turned to Lois and glared at her.

"Please don't tell me that you are going to stay here while your apartment is being renovated!" he muttered and Lois flashed a big innocent grin, only conforming Clark's horror.

"Hate to disappoint you, but it seems that I'm going to be stuck for the week. Thanks to your very considered mom who so kindly invited me when she heard the awful news. Isn't that sweet?" Lois asked, sounding very sarcastic at the end of the sentence. Clark felt like using his heat vision for once on her, but managed to control himself.

"You can always contact your dad and see if he might have a bunk available; you haven't really spend much quality time with him lately," Clark said sarcastically and Lois smiled deviously at him.

"Believe me, I considered several options before ending up here. Chloe will be staying at Jimmy's place and apparently daddy dearest is out on assignment at another unknown location; which means my bunk goes to some other lucky bastard. Nice try though, Smallville!" she said and gave Clark a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before heading outside to get the rest of her stuff from the car. Clark quickly headed into the kitchen where Martha was busy making phone calls. The cardboard box with Lois' stuff was standing on the stairs, waiting to be carried upstairs. Clark sighed heavily at the thought of living together with her for an entire week.

"How come I wasn't told that Lois was coming?" Clark suddenly blurted out.

"I just heard about the renovating an hour ago when I stopped by The Talon on my way back to the farm. And since she's got nowhere else to go, it's only right that she stays here. Besides, it's just one week, Clark. I know you and Lois aren't exactly the closest of friends but I count on you to behave while she's here," Martha said and gave Clark a serious look for once. Deep down Clark knew there was no point in protesting or making a scene, because it wouldn't change matters. As he walked out back into the hallway, he noticed that Lois had already unloaded six more cardboard boxes packed with her things.

"You just gonna stand there all day or actually help? These boxes won't just fly upstairs by themselves," Lois said and put down another box on the hallway floor. Clark sighed, doing his best not to use his heat vision on her after all. Instead he bent down and picked up two cardboard boxes, ready to super speed upstairs while Lois was outside in her car. But the sound of an approaching car prevented Clark from moving at all. He quickly put down the boxes and stepped outside, spotting Chloe's car pulling up alongside Lois' car in the driveway.

"Oh no," Clark mumbled to himself as he saw the cardboard boxes in the backseat of Chloe's car. Lois was only going to stay for one week and yet judging by all the stuff she had packed, it seemed like she was moving in for good. The mere thought made Clark shiver.

"I just wanna point out that this isn't something I plan on doing on regularly basis for you! Especially not when all the stuff you actually need fits into two boxes instead of eight!" Chloe shouted to Lois as she got out of her car, balancing one cardboard box in each hand.

"Hey, I actually need all of this stuff! You think this look comes easily?" Lois said with a teasing smile as she grabbed one of the cardboard boxes Chloe was carrying.

"No comment. I have a feeling that's one of the things I don't wanna know," Chloe said and they both started laughing. Clark quickly went back inside the house again and picked up two boxes, super speeding up the stairs to his room. Lois and Chloe entered the kitchen a few moments later, placing the boxes on the stairs.

"I really appreciate you guys letting me live here, Mrs. Kent. I know I haven't exactly been the easiest person to have under your roof," she said.

"I'm afraid I didn't exactly give Clark much choice in the matter, but you have nothing to worry about this week, Lois," Martha said with a reassuring smile and Lois smiled back at her, taking a seat at the kitchen counter.

"Well, I think I'm gonna take these upstairs," Chloe said with a nervous smile and grabbed a cardboard box, quickly running up the stairs.

"You okay? About Lois moving back in, I mean," Chloe asked as she watched Clark pacing back and forth. He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, looking up at her.

"Do I have any other choice?" he asked sarcastically and Chloe couldn't help but smile.

"Guess not. But it's only for a week," Chloe said and put down the cardboard box on the floor next to the bed.

"Are we forgetting about the fact that I spend almost every day together with her at work?" Clark said and Chloe almost felt sorry for him, despite Lois being her cousin.

"Well, look at it from the bright side," she blurted out and Clark gave her a puzzled look.

"That I'm not related to her?"

"Cute. I was talking more about Lois' good sides. And trust me, she's got good sides."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just that I'm rarely blessed with the present of them," Clark said and sighed. Chloe patted him on the shoulder before getting off the bed.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you. Lois might be as unpredictable as the weather, but she has her moments. You just wait and see," she said and quietly exited the room. Clark looked down at the cardboard boxes filled with stuff, trying to tell himself that he could survive one week. He had after all survived the previous times she'd lived at the farm. With a heavy sigh he walked out of the room and down the stairs, just in time to watch Martha and Lois bond over cups of coffee. The two women were caught up in a fascinating conversation while Chloe had moved out into the living room, busy talking on her cell phone with most likely Jimmy judging from the look on her face. Clark sighed inwardly and decided to get some work done on the farm on his day off from work to get his mind off the current unwanted living situation, as well his equally unwanted roommate. Lois noticed at the corner of her eye as Clark walked out the kitchen door with that unhappy look on his face. She momentarily thought about confronting him about the whole situation and making it clear that she wasn't out to make his life miserable despite her questionable actions in the past. But instead she finished the last of her coffee, telling herself that they could survive one week together after all.

Chloe put down the box on the floor with a relived sigh, clapping her hands to get rid of all the dust. Lois was in the middle of unpacking the first box of many and she seemed to be taking her sweet time doing it. Normally she would just throw out the things around her, unknowingly creating a very successful mess.

"Something bothering you, Lois?" Chloe asked and sat down on the overcrowded bed, pushing aside various clothes and make-up.

"Smallville. Who else? The guy sure knows how to make a girl feel welcome," Lois muttered and angrily threw a sweater on the floor, clearly demonstrating her frustration about the situation.

"Well, it's not like he has exactly thrown you a parade the other times you moved in," Chloe said with a teasing smile and Lois threw a pair of jeans at her.

"Thanks for those comforting words. Remind me never to confide in you again," Lois said and Chloe laughed, tossing the jeans right back at her.

"Any chance I can get that in writing?"

Lois glared at her before resuming her unpacking, stocking up the dresser with her remaining clothes. She then put down the empty cardboard boxes under the bed before starting to unpack all her beauty necessities and various things that ended up being spread out across a top of the dresser. Chloe made several trips between the bathroom and the guest room until most of Lois' hygienic things had made their way into the bathroom shelves next to Clark's. Something he wasn't going to be too pleased about.

"Please don't except me to help you pack this up next week," Chloe said and fell back on to the bed with a tired sigh, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Don't worry, I'll just ask my other cousin. The one who enjoys being my little servant," Lois said with a teasing smile and Chloe started laughing, slowly opening her eyes again.

"Why not ask Clark? I'm sure he'll have your things out of the house in seconds!" Chloe chuckled and Lois gave her a warning look.

"I've actually decided that I'm not gonna let Smallville ruin my visit this time," she said.

"Listen, I promised Jimmy I'd be right back after helping you unloading the things and seeing as how it's a three-hour drive back to Metropolis I should get going," Chloe suddenly blurted out and abruptly got off the bed.

"So I take it things are good with you guys?" Lois asked with a curious smile spreading across her face and Chloe smiled back.

"As a matter of fact, things are very good. Never thought I'd be able to say that but apparently miracles do happen," she said. "Just look at you and Clark."

"Whoa," Lois quickly interjected. "Let's not use his name and mine anywhere around the subject of couples. We barely tolerate each other as it is and the mere thought of us being anything other than friends is just plain ridiculous!"

"Relax, Lois. All I meant is that it's miracle that the two of you have managed to live in the same house without killing each other. Someone's a bit touchy," Chloe grinned and Lois glared at her once more after being momentarily caught off guard.

"I knew that," she said but the look on her face didn't manage to convince Chloe one bit. Despite trying so hard, Lois wasn't much of a mystery and Chloe had never had a problem reading her cousin. The subject of Clark Kent had always been dangerous territory and so Chloe decided not to cross that minefield this time.

"Well, with that said, I'm off to my boyfriend's place," Chloe teased as they exited the guest room.

"You know, I could always make room for you here too if you want," Lois said with a wink. Chloe imagined living in the same house as Lois and Clark, quickly coming to the conclusion that she could do without the daytime drama.

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'm gonna stick with Jimmy," she said and Lois rolled her eyes, unable to hold back a smile.

"Can't blame a girl in love," she said. They wandered down the stairs and continued on through the kitchen out to the hallway. Lois opened up the front door, giving Chloe a quick hug and watching her head out to the car. Moments later it was on its way away from the farm, leaving behind dust clouds. Lois slowly closed the front door, listening to the muffled sound of Martha talking on the phone. Sauntering back into the kitchen, Lois leaned against the kitchen counter and let out a heavy sigh. She had already gotten the unpacking out of the way and it was still early in the day, which meant she had plenty of hours to kill before it was time for bed. Being stuck out on the farm would definitely not make time go faster, which only left one option. Lois grabbed her cell phone and car keys off the counter, heading out the kitchen door in a rush. Even though it was technically her day off, she couldn't think of a better way to spend the day than at The Daily Planet.

She pulled the brush one final time through her blow-dried hair before putting it all up in a neat ponytail, studying her choice of clothes in front of the mirror for a while before heading downstairs. Since Martha had headed back to Washington the evening before and Clark had already left for The Daily Planet, Lois had had the house to herself while getting ready for work. She strolled out into the hallway and grabbed her things on the way out the door and set course towards her car. But she didn't get very far until a black vintage Mustang pulled up in the driveway with a roaring engine, leaving behind skid marks. Lois quickly put on her jacket and marched over to the car, ready to give the driver a piece of her mind.

"Excuse me, but what the hell are you doing? I'm guessing the sign down the road wasn't clear enough for you!" Lois said as she walked up to the dusty car. The car door slowly opened up and the driver casually stepped out of the car. Her denim miniskirt, black Metallica T-shirt and brown cowboy boots surely proved that she was from out of town.

"I see not even the great outdoors has improved your manners, Lo," she said and Lois froze immediately, hardly believing her own eyes. The person standing in front of her wasn't someone she'd expected to see again.

"Gwen…?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

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