I liked this part. I loved how Lois was there for Clark at Janet Thorp's funeral. This was excellent and very beautiful:
Clark revisited his scant memories of Janet Thorp as he walked, hands thrust deep in his pockets. It was so unspeakably sad that a life could end without causing so much as a ripple through the surrounding world. Her aloneness seemed to seep out of the casket and cling to him.
Then Clark felt a soft touch on his sleeve. He looked sideways. Lois. Lois - looking up at him, her eyes sweet with empathy. His despair evaporated.
Without saying a word, she lifted his wrist out of his pocket and slipped her hand into his. Her hand was small and warm and as his fingers curled around hers, a rivulet of well-being trickled up his arm.
He looked from their entwined hands back to her face. He squeezed her hand and was rewarded with her answering smile.
Up until now, I've been wondering what reason Clark might have had for being interested in Lois Lane. She seemed to have nothing to offer him, since she was as bitchy as she was dense. But here, she really shows caring. And I love how you describe Clark's reaction to her empathy.
This was great, too:
Lois hurried on. “Either you’ll give up and go home.”
“Or?”
“You’ll stay and slowly become more resentful and more cynical ... and that would be ... just awful.”
“So ... you don’t want me to stay,” he said, confused. “And ... you don’t want me to leave?”
Lovely!
“Why don’t you want me to leave?” he asked quietly.
There was no graceful way to back out of this. “Because I like you being here,” she blurted.
His smile exploded. He was trying to keep it a little contained and failing dismally. “I like being here too,” he said, through a heart-stopping grin.
Adorable!
I still think Lois is falling short in several ways, though. I frankly don't know what Perry was talking about when he said this to Clark:
“She’s a tornado, but if you can stick with her, you’ll learn a lot.”
Learn? What can Clark learn from someone who is as stupid as this Lois is?
I think it's awful to consider that just maybe Janet Thorp died because Lois was so awfully uninterested in her story. Lois was so dead certain that Lex was into no foul play, so she wouldn't listen to a word Janet Thorp would say. And she persuaded Clark not to talk to her any more, either. That's awful! Lois's stupidity may have killed another person!
At the very least, Lois is giving some thoughts to the Sewells, and she understands that something weird was going on in Smallville. That's something, at least.
Well, I'm looking forward to more of this, and I hope Lois will shape up!
Ann
Being 'late' isn't a problem at all.