Title: Crush
Author: Malana
Email: Malana@mac.com
Series: Truth, Justice, and the American Way
Pairing: Willow/Clark Kent
Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or Buffy
Note: This is modeled after the style of Jinni's many When I Woke Up series. The story is written with her permission. This is a response to a challenge by Charley. Jinni is answering the Challenge with a Lex pairing, I'm doing it with Clark.
Spoilers: Through Chosen for Buffy. In Smallville anything up to The Truth is fair game. Things go AU near the end of season 3

Is it wrong of me to have a crush on my friend's husband?

I mean, I don't really know him, but he seems really great, despite what Xander, Giles, and my sister might think of him.

In fact, Giles is in the kitchen right now, getting yelled at for going all Ripper on Clark. Willow looked pissed when she dragged Giles and Clark away. Clark just looked embarrassed.

Embarrassment works on him. He's really cute in that "aw shucks" Farm-boy way. He's all floppy hair and flannel shirt. And he's got this really shy smile that just...Okay. I have to stop thinking like that. Clark is married to Willow. Maybe not happily married, but still.

"I can't believe he came here," Xander says with a sigh.

"Oh come on, Xander." I roll my eyes. "He's Willow's husband. Of course he came."

"He's only her husband because he got her drunk," Xander insisted.

"I think Willow is perfectly capable of getting herself drunk. It's not like she hasn't before."

"He took advantage of her, Dawnie."

"Willow doesn't think so, Buffy. And it seems like she would be the one to know. She says they were both drunk and stupid, shouldn't you believe her?"

Buffy shook her head. "I just don't trust him. He's hiding something, I don't know what, but he is. I mean, Xander nearly broke his hand on the guys face."

Just then Clark appears in the doorway. He nods at us, red-faced and walks through, headed outside. The door opens and closes and I peer out the window. Clark is just standing on the porch, his hands in his pockets, looking forlorn.

I sigh, and head after him.

"Where do you think your going, Dawn?"

"Buffy, please. He looks shaken up, and Willow's still yelling at Giles. I just want to make sure he's okay."

"No."

Ignoring Buffy and Xander's protests, I grab my jacket and head outside. Clark looks up as I open the door.

"Hi," he says softly.

"Hi." I smile. "Sorry about those guys. They tend to get a little overprotective sometimes."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"If you need help dealing with them..."

Clark shook his head, "You know, I've dealt with some pretty tough people in my life. I've stood toe to toe with some pretty bad guys. But put me in front of my wife's friends and I just fold."

"It's just we've all been through a lot together. And Willow's family. We don't want to see her get hurt."

"I understand that, I do. But I'm not out to hurt her. I want to make this marriage work, even if it was a mistake. I got drunk and did a really stupid thing. I'd like something good to come out of it. I don't know if it can, but I have to try. And I've got to say, your sister and Mr. Gile and Xander aren't making it easy. Willow's a good person, even when we're fighting I know that. But she's gonna to end up hurt."

"What a second," I interrupt. "You just said..."

Clark cuts me off, "No. I said I'm not out to hurt her. And I'm not. But sometimes I'm going to. And sometimes she'll hurt me. It's happened before and it will happen again. But that doesn't mean we won't work things out. In a couple of weeks she's going to go into the doctor's office and I'm going to find out whether or not I'm going to be a father. We agreed to six months, but if she's pregnant, I don't want my child to be here while I'm still in Smallville. I'm going to try to make this work, no matter what the rest of you think of me."

I study Clark for a long moment, and realize he means every word of it. I smile and put a hand on his shoulder, "Wow. I wish the others could have heard you just then."

Clark shot me a wry look, "You think that it'd make then suddenly accept me?"

"No. But it probably would have made them a smidge less hostile. Maybe."

Clark laughs a little and sits down on the steps. After a second, I join him. He just sits for a while, staring off into space. When I think that he's not going to say anything, he looks at me.

"At least my friends like her, you know? That makes it easier, even if sometimes I get the idea that they like her more than they like me. Chloe already adores her, and Lex seems to really like her too, though sometimes it's hard to tell with him."

"That's right, you're friends with Lex Luthor. Willow mentioned that. What's it like, being friends with a multi-billionaire?"

"He's a great guy. More than a little intense sometimes, but he's one of my best friends. I'll introduce you if you come to visit Smallville sometime. I introduce you to all of my friends. We're only like a year older than you, except for Lex of course, he's closer to Willow's age."

"I want to come, but convincing Buffy might be a little difficult." And I really do want to go. I miss having Willow around all the time. And I wouldn't mind getting out of Cleveland. I'd like visiting Smallville and getting away from the Hellmouth. It'd be nice to be somewhere that doesn't have a different freak attacking every week, even if it's just for a couple of days.

"She won't want to come down and make sure that I'm behaving myself?"

"That's a good point." I smile. "So, what do your parents think of all this? Willow had kind of avoided the subject." She had too, and it made me kind of nervous. Willow got quite whenever Clark's parents were mentioned. But how could anyone not like Willow? It's not like she's dancing the black-magic mambo anymore.

Clark lets out a large sigh. "Well, my Mom is alright with her. She's not happy with the marriage or anything, but she knows it not her decision. She's upset, but she tries not to take it out on Willow. My dad on the other hand...well he hates he. He's like you guys, super-protective. My dad's a great guy. But he doesn't trust Willow, and he's more than willing to show it."

I wrinkle my nose. "That can't be easy."

"No, it's not. That's why we're going to go get our own place. We need to get out of my parents' house if we're going to have a chance of making things work."

We lapse into silence again, both of us watching the stars. Despite Buffy's protests, I'm glad I decided to give Clark a chance. If I had met him under different circumstances, I'd be chasing after him. But I'm glad that he and Willow are giving this marriage a try. Who knows, maybe they'll even find some happiness.