Title: Coffee Talk (1/1)
Email: AngelStarrZ@e...
Distribution: Any, just ask.
Classification: ChLex
Rating: PG-13 (a little kiss at the end)
Spoilers: Season 2: Set between Vortex and Heat
A little Chloe angst over the formal, with some Lex consoling...
Summary: Chloe is upset and Lex trys to help...
Disclaimers: I own nothing, If you sue all you would get is a nickel
I found on the street. Lex's quote at the end is by Sam Ewing.
Feedback: Be brutal, be constructive, this is my first small fic and
I can't get better without help.

Coffee. Whatever else goes bad in life, Chloe knew she could find
solace in coffee. Her mug sat steaming on the table in front of
her. Chloe glanced around the talon. The deadline for this week's
torch was fast approaching. Sadly, the only thing she had to write
about was the suspected sources of the cafeteria's mystery meat.

Looking down at her notebook, she sighed. Other than a few doodles,
she had nothing written down. Truth was that Chloe couldn't
concentrate. Chloe watched as Clark stared at Lana at the counter.
Lately she had distanced herself from everybody. They knew to leave
her alone, that she was still hurting. Clark had originally tried to
apologize, but quickly retreated when she almost bit his head off.
Chloe was so engrossed in her people watching that she didn't hear
the footsteps behind her.

"Chloe?" Chloe looked up, startled. She wiped a tear away as she
looked Lex in the eye.

"Hi, Mr. Luthor," Chloe said as she glanced down at her notebook,
fidgeting with the book's spirals.

"Lex, please," he said as he sad across from her. Chloe grabbed her
coffee and drank the last of it in a gulp, suddenly interested in her
coffee mug. What is Lex doing, Chloe thought? Doesn't he have
companies to rule or something?

"Chloe, I realize that we don't know eachother well, but you seem
upset. Can I, is there anything..." Lex's voice trailed off as Chloe
jumped to her feet.

"I'm..." Chloe stammered, "Uh... I gotta go." Chloe grabbed her
jacket and ran out of the Talon. Lex sat back down, perplexed. He
toyed with his coffee mug. He considered talking to clark, but
feared he already knew the source of Chloe's pain. He glanced up at
Clark and Lana at the counter.

*How can Clark not see what's in front of him? Something must have
happened at the formal, it's the only explanation,* Lex thought to
himself.

~@~

Clark stood in the barn, sweaty and exhausted. Even with his super
speed, he was tired. He baled the hay, fixed the fence, cleaned out
the chicken coop, then fixed the tractor when the engine died. Clark
knew that he didn't have to do all this stuff, but he wanted to.
Anything to keep his mind off Chloe. Chloe, she was so distant
lately?

Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see Lex striding into the
barn.

"Hey Lex." Lex smirked at Clark, watching him grab his flannel off a
nearby hook. As Clark moved, Lex eyed the sweat drip down Clark's
neck, glistening on his chest.

"Uh..." Lex stammered, "have you seen Chloe since she got back from
her internship?"

"No," Clark said as he buttoned up his shirt. "Why?" Lex looked at
Clark, repressing the urge to shake his head.

"What happened at the dance?"

"Oh." Clark shrugged. "Lana got caught in the twister, so I ran out
and saved her. She almost died."

"You left Chloe to save Lana?" *Ah, that explains it,* Lex thought to
himself.

"Clark, what happened to dating Chloe? Weren't you taking her to the
formal?"

"Chloe wants to be just friends," Clark said, "but you can't just
turn off feelings like that, can you?"

"Well, if you like Chloe, you have a choice to make. Do you do what
she wants and be her friend, or do what's in your heart and pursue
her? Only you can decide what you want Clark."

Lex turned and walked out of the barn.
~@~
(Next Day)

Chloe sat at the small iMac in her psuedo-office at the Torch. It
wasn't really an office, it wasn't even a cubicle, but it was her's.
Chloe knew this place to be her second home, her own fortress of
solitude. Chloe decided that she would put all of her efforts into
school and the Torch, hoping to distract herself from Clark
thoughts. It wasn't working. She heard footsteps out in the hall,
but assumed they were the janitor and ignored them.

"Hey, want some coffee?"

Chloe looked up, startled. A small smile crept onto her face.

"I'll have some of that, c'mon in."

Lex walked over to Chloe and handed her a coffee. Chloe took a sip
and her smile broke into a huge grin.

"Grande mocha with a shot of caramel, how did you know?"

"I know many things, Chloe," Lex smiled, "I'm glad to see you in a
better mood."

Chloe glanced back a the computer as she sipped her coffee. It was
sweet of Lex to bring her coffee. Oh my god, was she blushing? What
was going on? She did not like Lex like that, he's Clarks friend,
dad's boss, not dateworthy, is he? Lex sat down across from her,
sipping his coffee.

"So, wanna talk about yesterday?"

"Why do you care," Chloe said as she arched an eyebrow at Lex, eyeing
him suspiciously.

"Well... I don't like being left out of the loop." *And I want to get
to know you better* Lex thought to himself.

Chloe turned her eyes back to her computer, hoping Lex couldn't see
her face.

"Okay, why is it that some people get all their worldly desires,
while others seem destined for heartbreak?"

Lex smiled in understanding at Chloe, leaning back in his chair.

"I think that some people get things given to them, where others
might have to work for what they want. I think to the others that it
means more *because* they worked for it."

Chloe turned to look at Lex, her cheeks still slightly pink.

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their
sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all,"
Lex said.

"But why is Clark friends with me? We don't talk anymore. He spends
time with you and Pete or he drools over Lana." A tear slipped down
Chloe's cheek, but she didn't let it stop her.

"When I was in Metropolis, did I hear from anybody? My dad called
every day, even Pete called and emailed me. Did I hear from Clark?
It was like I disappeared and Clark didn't miss me at all. Then, I
come back, and all Clark wants is find this and research that."

Lex leaned forward, taking Chloe's hand in his.

"Chloe, you are a fighter. You will accomplish great things, things
of legend. Lana and Clark, whether they get together or not, will
probably stay in Smallville forever. Don't let the Lanas and the
Clarks of the world upset you. You are too beautiful a person for
that."

Before Chloe could speak, Lex leaned down and kissed her. Chloe's
eyes widened, surprised. He's kissing me, she thought. And she was
liking it. Why was she liking it?

Lex smiled as he pulled away. Chloe could see Lex's eyes had also
widened a little. Chloe had a puzzled look on her face.

"Good things come to those who wait. Goodnight Chloe." With that
said, Lex got up and walked out.

Chloe sat in her chair, trying to process what had happened.

"Woah."

~The End~