Seasons' Greedings to One and All

By Wendy Richards <wendy@kingsmeadowcr.freeserve.co.uk>

Rated PG

Submitted February 2000

_________

Lois stood by Clark's side, gazing down out of her large picture  window at the scene below as the carollers sang their Christmas  message. In the space of less than half an hour her Christmas  Eve had changed from a lonely, miserable experience to perhaps  the best Christmas she had ever had. All through December, Clark  had been trying to convince her that Christmas could be  wonderful, even magical, but she had refused to believe him. And  yet now....

Now, as the notes and harmonies echoed upwards, she knew what  Clark had meant about Christmas magic. It had all started when  she'd opened her door to find him there, when he should have  been in Smallville with his family. Oh, he'd muttered something  about the planes being grounded because of snow, but that had  been such a patent lie. She'd known it, and he'd known she knew  it too, but she hadn't dared ask him why he'd given up his  Christmas with his parents for her. She knew the answer, though:  because she would have been alone otherwise, and Clark cared too  much for her to allow that to happen.

So he'd come to be with her, and he'd even brought her a  Christmas present, which had surprised her since they'd already  exchanged presents the previous evening. That star, which he'd  said was from both him and Superman; it was beautiful, and it  had brought a lump to her throat, because it was a sign that  both men cared enough for her to choose something special,  something which could not simply be *bought*. It looked ice- cold, and yet was strangely warm to the touch, and was less  fragile than it appeared at first sight, and when she'd put it  on the top of her poor bedraggled tree it somehow seemed to make  the tree itself look more proud. She would have to ask Superman,  next time she saw him, exactly where he'd got it or how he had  made it; Clark's simple upward gesture with his finger had not  been that informative.

She hoped Clark would be able to get another flight first thing  in the morning, though. It wouldn't be fair if he didn't get a  chance to see his folks at all because of her. Perhaps she would  ask him later.

But not now. Now... her hand, almost of its own volition,  slipped into his, and his fingers closed around hers as if the  gesture was entirely natural. But why had she done that? Lois  had no idea - but it had seemed the right thing, the natural  thing to do. Like moving closer to her best friend, too, and  even laying her head on his shoulder. He returned that gesture  by resting his own head on top of hers.

They stayed in that position for what seemed like a very long  time; the carollers, almost as if they knew that this was a very  special moment for their audience, lingered long enough to sing  a second carol. As the final verse of 'God Rest Ye, Merry  Gentlemen' faded away, Lois was suddenly conscious of the sheer  proximity of her partner, her friend. Oh, being physically close  to Clark was nothing new: they were both people who tended to  reinforce words with gestures and even touches, and besides,  they had been exchanging hugs on occasion since their friendship  became openly acknowledged between them. But this... this was  somehow different. She was holding his hand, and their heads  rested together, and she knew very well that any outsider seeing  them would automatically assume that they were an established  couple. Which they weren't... but right now that possibility  suddenly didn't feel unpleasant. Far from it.

In fact, as the music died away entirely, she knew that it would  be the most natural thing in the world right now for her to turn  to Clark, and he to her, and for them to kiss. Which was exactly  why it would not happen, she knew. They were best friends, and  their friendship had survived a number of traumas - including  Clark telling her back before the summer that he was in love  with her. She had rejected his love then, and had prepared to  marry another man, stopping the wedding only at the altar. Clark  had later retracted his declaration of love, just at the point  at which she'd been prepared to tell him that her feelings for  him were stronger than she'd thought. That entire incident had  made her realise that perhaps it was safer if she and Clark  remained close friends. If they allowed anything else, such as  sexual attraction, to get in the way, it would destroy their  friendship. He'd clearly come to the same conclusion, she had  decided.

But... as Clark moved slightly away from her, she was conscious  of a sense of loss, a regret for what might have been, an  opportunity lost. She must have uttered some tiny whimper of  protest, however, for suddenly he was looking down at her,  concern in his soft brown eyes.

She gazed up at him, her own eyes liquid, and she saw in his  expression something... longing? Her lips parted involuntarily  as she continued to stare up at him, and her free hand raised  itself almost of its own accord to rest on his chest.

Afterwards, she could never tell which one of them had moved  first. All she knew was that suddenly his lips were on hers and  her arms had looped themselves loosely around his neck, her  fingers touching the ends of his hair. The first touch of his  lips almost had the power of an electric shock; with an  inarticulate cry, she parted her lips further under his,  allowing him access.

His kiss was at first tentative, as if he was afraid she would  push him away, but as her response let him know that she wasn't  objecting, he grew more confident. His hands came up to cup her  face, holding her tenderly as his mouth continued to explore  her, nibbling at her lips, his tongue darting forward to tease  her.

Suddenly Lois knew that all her earlier rationalisations about  maintaining a platonic friendship with Clark were a complete  fallacy. The reason she felt so close to this man, the reason he  had become essential to her life, was that she was in love with  him. And she had probably been in love with him for a very long  time. And he loved her too, she was sure of it. She had no idea  why he'd told her he didn't that day outside the Planet, but  that didn't matter now. They were meant to be together, lovers  as well as friends.

Kissing him back with all the love she felt for him, Lois  realised that she knew something else too, and she would have  some questions for Clark once they ended the kiss. For instance,  why had he decided to come to her as Clark rather than Superman  tonight? Although she could guess the answer to that one. He  wanted her to accept him as Clark, the man he thought he really  was, rather than the flashy Super-hero in the costume. And yet,  now that she'd realised the truth, she could see that Clark  *was* the Super-hero too, in so many ways. But he was also the  kind, gentle, caring, humorous guy she worked beside, and loved.

Why had she suddenly realised the truth tonight, when she'd  known Clark for a year and a half and had never guessed? She  wasn't sure exactly; perhaps it was a combination of things.  Before Clark had knocked at her door, she'd heard the rush of  wind which usually preceded Superman's appearance at her window,  for one. And perhaps she'd finally seen through the coincidences  of Clark's disappearances and Superman's arrival on the scene.  And perhaps the truth had been revealed in their kiss, when  Clark had kissed her for the first time in a way which laid his  heart bare before her.

Perhaps. And perhaps it was all part of the true magic of  Christmas.

Clark raised his head then, smiling warmly, lovingly, down at  her and drew her back into the centre of the room, near the  tree. Still holding her close to him, his hand caressed her hair  as he gazed at her, his love blazing from his eyes. "Merry  Christmas, Lois," he whispered huskily.

She smiled up at him then, reaching up to caress his jaw.  "Thanks to you, it is, Clark," she told him softly. "I love you  - both of you."

Before his jaw could hit the floor, she had reached up and  silenced his questions with her kiss.

- The End, and Christmas Greetings to All -

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