A/N: I have really tried to keep it down to an R-rated story. Whether or not I've succeeded is another story altogether. *shrugs*

This is an AU story that is based on one of my all-time favorite movies. I will be using dialogue and scenes from the movie. There will be dramatic moments at times, but it's mainly a romantic/sexy story with comedic elements to it – in other words, like the movie itself. A la Familia!

I also want to mention that Clark will not have any powers in this story and Jonathan and Martha are his biological parents. There are no meteor freaks, kryptonite, Justice League, etc. You may spot various Smallville and Superman references though.

Prologue

Clark walks out of the coffee shop carrying two cups, one a hazelnut latte and the other a vanilla eggnog sprinkled with cinnamon. He stops at the corner and waits for a tractor trailer to pass him by before crossing the street.

Metropolis Opera Scenic Shop, he reads off the side of the truck as it continues on its way down the street.

The opera must be coming to town, he thinks to himself as he finally crosses the street. Once he reaches the other side, he makes a right and continues on his way back to the Daily Planet. As he walks down the hall he sees Perry White, the Editor-In-Chief, barging into the office he shares with Lois, his partner-in-crime.

"Great Caesar's Ghost, Lane!" Clark hears him bellow. "How many times do I have to remind you to use spell-check before handing in an article?" slamming a piece of paper down on her desk.

"I want this corrected and sent back to me before you leave tonight!" turning around and storming away before she could utter a single word.

"Geez, what was that all about?" Clark asks as he comes into the office and places the latte down on the desk in front of her.

"I misspelled a few words and he took a fit," she replies as she leans back in her chair with a sigh.

He sits down on the edge of her desk. "Just a few words?" arching one of his brows.

"Alright," she scowls. "It was more than a few," she scowls as she grabs the cup. "Can we please drop it?" she mutters as she pulls off the lid and takes a sip.

"Of course," he replies as he hops off the desk and walks around their partner's desk to sit down.

She watches with interest as he takes off his glasses and uses a soft cloth to carefully wipe the lenses.

"You have such beautiful blue eyes, Smallville. Why don't you get contacts instead of wearing those things?" she asks.

He rolls his eyes as he puts the glasses back on. "How many times do I have to tell you that I like wearing them."

"Bull," she says with a snort. "You're just being stubborn and pigheaded. That's the real reason."

"No, I'm not," he retorts back.

"Maybe if you changed your appearance a little, you might attract the man of your dreams," ignoring his last comment.

He leans back in his chair. "I'm not going to change how I look just for some non-existent guy, Lois."

"I'm not talking about a major change you know," she counters. "Just contacts and maybe coloring that gray you have in your hair."

"I think my hair looks fine," he responds back. "It make me look distinguished," running his fingers through his salt and pepper hair.

"That may be fine for someone like your father, but you're still young," she tells him.

"I'm thirty-seven years old, Lois. I can't go around looking like a teenager for the rest of my life."

She throws her hands up. "I give up. There's just no getting through to you."

"Good," he says with a triumphant grin. "Now that that's settled, are we still on for dinner tonight?" he changes the subject.

"There's nothing will prevent us from having dinner tonight," she replies with a smile of her own. "I just have to run this article through spell-check and then we can go."

"I can do that for you," he offers. "Just send it to me and I can proofread it in less than ten minutes."

"That would be great," she beams as she pulls up her email account and immediately sends it to him.

Clark smiles when he sees the new message in his inbox. "That certainly didn't take you long. You must have the ability to super-click," he says in a teasing tone.

"Don't push it, Smallville," she warns him. "Just do it so we can get out of here."

He chuckles to himself and clicks on the email. It took him exactly the amount of time he predicted to scan the article and to make the necessary corrections before he clicks on 'send.' "All done," he says.

"Great," she declares as she immediately sends it on over to Perry, then logs out of her computer.

"Let's go for that dinner. I'm starving," she says as she rises from her chair and walks over to their office door.

"Right behind you," he says as he follows her out the door and into the hallway.

The Grand Ticino

"So have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?" Clark asks as they walk into the restaurant.

"Not yet," she replies as they sit down at their regular table. "I still have to get something for my father and my sister. How about you?"

"I just have to get a few more and then I'm done," he replies as he picks up the menu the waiter set down in front of him. "So what are you going to have?" he asks as he scans the menu. "I think I'm going to have the lasagna," he tells the waiter as he hands the menu back to him.

"And you, Miss?" the waiter turns to Lois.

"I think I'll have the fish special," she tells the waiter.

"I don't think you should have the oily fish, not before the plane ride," Clark pipes up.

"Why not?" Lois asks him curiously.

"Need I remind you of what happened when we flew to Geneva for that peace conference a few years ago?" Clark asks her.

"You're right," agreeing with him. "So what do you think I should have?"

"The manicotti would be a good choice," he replies.

"Then that's what I'll have," handing the menu to the waiter at last. "You always look out for me," she smiles while gazing at him. When they hear a familiar voice coming from a table half way across the room, they both look over.

"Patricia, please don't go," the man's voice rising as she pulls on her coat.

"What do you think I am a talking dog?" the woman snaps at him while putting on her hat and gloves.

"I was just making a point about the way you said…the way you stated your aspirations."

"Well you can kiss my aspirations!" picking up her water glass and throwing the contents on his lap before storming out of the restaurant.

He bolts up from his chair. "Kiss my aspirations. Oh, very clever. The height of cleverness," he retorts in a loud voice as he picks up a napkin and wipes down the front of his trousers. "Waiter," he calls out."

"Yes?"

"Could you do away with her dinner, and any evidence of her, and bring me a big glass of vodka?"

"Absolutely," he replies in a firm tone as he clears the table.

"I don't believe it!" Lois' jaw dropping. "That's Mr. White," shaking her head in disbelief.

"That's definitely not his wife," Clark remarks. "She's got to be at least twenty years younger than him."

"Do you think that he and Alice broke up?" Lois asks Clark. When he just shrugs his shoulders, she asks, "Aren't you curious to know, Smallville?"

He looks up at her and shakes his head. "What Mr. White does in private is none of our business," he replies. "Can we drop the subject and talk about something else?" directing his gaze back at his salad.

"It's funny you say that because there is something I've been wanting to ask you for a while now."

He looks up at her again. "That sounds serious," putting down his fork. "What is it?" he asks while picking up his water glass and taking a sip.

"Will you marry me?"

He does a spit take and stares back at her in shock. "What did you just say?"

"I said, Will you marry me?" she asks again.

"Since when do you want to get married?" a confused look on his face.

"Since I realized that I want to have a baby – and I know you want one too," she says in a wistful tone.

"But don't you want to wait until you meet the right man?" he asks.

"The right man doesn't exist," she says with finality. "I thought my ex-boyfriend might have been the one, but he said he wasn't ready to make a commitment," she says with a sigh.

"I know you were devastated by the break-up, but you shouldn't let that discourage you," holding her hand in his.

"Nope," shaking her head and letting go of his hand. "I'm going to be thirty-eight on my next birthday, Clark. I didn't just wake up this morning and decide to have a baby. I need to have a baby."

"But why do you want to have one with me?"

She gazes into his blue-green eyes. "Because I know you would be a wonderful father, that's why," she answers.

Clark hesitates a moment before he replies. "I'm gay, Lois, or have you forgotten?"

"I haven't forgotten," she replies. "Didn't you just tell me the other day after that disastrous blind date that you were giving up on ever finding the right man to spend the rest of your life with?"

"I know I said that, but-"

"But, nothing," she answers. "We both want to be married with children. We may not be in love with each other romantically, but we do love each other. Why should we be alone by ourselves when we could be alone together?" reaching out to take his hand again.

They both sit there in silence just picking at their salads for a few moments before Clark stands up. "If we're going to do this, then we're going to do it right," walking over to her side of the table and getting down on one knee.

"Will you marry me?"

She looks down at him. "Where's the ring?"

"Huh?" staring up at her with a perplexed look.

"When you propose to a woman, you should offer her a ring of engagement," she tells him.

"You're right," a thoughtful look on his face. "I'll be right back," he says, getting up and walking out of the restaurant, not returning until about twenty minutes later.

"What took you so long?" she asks as he sits back down. "Your food is cold you know."

"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "It's times like this when I wish I had super-speed," he quips as he pulls out a small box. "I had to run to the house and get this," opening the box and holding out a diamond ring. "Will this do?"

She takes the ring from him and studies it for a moment. "Isn't this your mothers engagement ring?" looking at him curiously as she hands it back to him.

"It is," he replies. "She told me after my wife died that I could use it if I ever decided to marry again."

"But doesn't she know you're gay?" a confused look on her face.

"She knows," he answers.

"But why…"

"Neither of my parents knew at the time. I didn't even admit it to myself until about a month before my wife died that I was gay," he tells her.

"You never did tell me that story," looking at him curiously.

"Now is not the time to talk about it."

"I understand," a soft smile on her face. "It could wait."

"I appreciate that," returning her smile as he continues with what he was saying. "When I finally told them, she insisted on giving me the ring anyway - just in case."

"Are you sure she won't mind you giving it to me?" she questions him.

He smiles back at her. "I don't think she'll mind at all," he replies as he gets back down on one knee and holds the ring in front of her. "Lois Joanne Lane. On my knee, in front of all these people. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Clark Joseph Kent. I will marry you. I will be your wife," she answers as the whole restaurant begins to clap and applaud.

Clark smiles at her as he slips the ring on her finger. They both stand up and quickly kiss before sitting back down.

"We need some champagne here," he calls out to the waiter. "We're getting married," looking over at his bride-to-be with a smile.

"We sure are," she smiles back just before her phone rings. "Who could be calling me now?" rolling her eyes as she pulls out her phone and checks the caller id. She looks up at Clark. "It's my sister," a worried expression on her face. "I'll be right back," she tells Clark as she answers the phone while walking away from the table.

The waiter comes back with the champagne. "Where is your lovely bride-to-be?" he asks as he carefully pops the cork and begins to pour the champagne into two glasses.

"She had a phone call," Clark tells him. "She'll be right back."

"Well congratulations to you both," the waiter says with a smile before turning around and taking his leave.

Lois comes back a minute later and sits down. "Lois?" he asks but she continues staring straight ahead. When she doesn't answer, he slides his chair over next to her. "Lois?" he asks one more time while taking her hand.

She finally looks up with tears in her eyes. "It's my father," she replies in an emotional voice. "He just had a stroke and is being rushed to Walter Reed."

They sit there for a few moments until Lois breaks the silence. "I have to go to him," she says while putting her coat on.

"I'll go with you," he says as he picks up the check.

"No," shaking her head.

"Lois-"

"No," she repeats. "My sister will be there so I won't be alone."

"But I feel like I need to do something," he replies.

She rests her hands on his shoulders. "You can bring me home so I could pack a bag, then take me to the airport. That's what you can do."

"Okay," lightly touching her cheek.

Two hours later…

"We'll talk about the wedding when you get back," Clark says as they approach Metropolis International Airport.

"We don't have to do that. When I come back we'll get married."

He nods his head in agreement. "So how bad was it anyway?" he asks as they enter the airport.

"I don't know," she sighs as he parks in the reserved parking lot. "I'll find out when I get there."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" he asks as they both get out of the car.

"I'm sure," she says as he pulls her suitcase out of the trunk. They both stand there for a moment. "How about we get married on Valentine's Day?" she asks him.

"That's almost two months from now," he remarks thoughtfully. "That's fine with me, but what if your father isn't better by then?" he asks as he hands her the suitcase.

"Then we'll just deal with it at that time," she replies.

"Alright," he says as they walk through the main entrance and towards the boarding area. "I'll take care of everything. You just have to show up."

They both look up when her flight is announced for boarding. She leans forward to give him a peck on the cheek. "I'll call you when I arrive," pulling away.

"You do that," he says and watches as she gets into line.

"Oh," turning around and walking back over to him. "Can you do me a favor and call this number?" pulling out a card from her purse and handing it to him.

"Okay," taking it from her and reading it. "Oliver Queen?" looking up at her. "Isn't he the ex-boyfriend that I never got to meet because I was backpacking through Europe at the time?"

"He's the one," Lois replies. "Please invite him to the wedding."

"You're the one who broke up with him. Why would he even come to the wedding?"

"There are extenuating circumstances that you're unaware of. Can we just leave it at that for now?"

"If it's that important to you, then I'll do it," pocketing the card.

"Thanks," giving him one more peck on the cheek before turning around and walking away. "See you soon," she waves once more as she gets back into line.

"Do you think you'll be back in time for Christmas or…" he calls out to her.

She turns around and looks back at him. "I don't know," shrugging her shoulders.

"Alright," he waves again and begins to walk towards the main entrance, but decides instead to wait until her plane takes off. He sits down on one of the chairs and picks up a magazine and begins to read until he hears the announcement that her flight was taking off. He walks over to one of the windows and gazes up at the full moon for a few moments before directing his gaze at the plane.

An elderly woman dressed in black and wearing a lacy black scarf on her head walks over to stand next to him. "Do you have someone on that plane?" she asks him.

"Yeah, my fiancée," he smiles.

"I have put a curse on that plane. My sister is on that plane. I have put a curse on that plane that it should explode. Burn on fire and fall into the sea. Fifty years ago she stole a man from me. Today she told me that she didn't even love him, that she took him to be strong on me. We had a big fight about it and now she's going back to Sicily. I have cursed her that the green Atlantic water should swallow her up," shaking her fist up towards the plane.

"But that plane is going straight to Washington, D.C. It's not even flying over water," giving her a curious look.

She turns her head and stares at him. "That's not the 604 flight heading for Rome and Palermo?"

"No," shaking his head. "I think that one is Flight 604," pointing to another plane.

"Oh," a sheepish expression on her face. "Well then, I apologize for cursing the wrong plane."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I really don't believe in curses," Clark says, looking up anxiously as the plane taxies down the runway.

"Neither do I," she replies as they both watch the plane take off into the clear night sky…

TO BE CONTINUED…