Title: Could this day get any worse?

Rating: PG 13- Teen

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from Smallville or Cheaper by the Dozen.

Pairing: Chloe/Charlie Baker

Summary: After witnessing Clark and Lois kissing, a heartbroken Chloe runs away, and ends up with her car breaking down, only to be rescued by one Charlie Baker. It happens that Chloe having no money and no place to stay, makes a deal with Charlie. She will work for him as a secretary for his auto shop in exchange for car repairs and a place to stay. They slowly fall for eachother, but it all turns bad when Clark whose been searching for her for months finally tracks her down with the help of Lex. Clark wants to take her home as does Lex, but Chloe doesnt want to go. What happens When Charlie, who loves Chloe decides to fight for her?

AN: This will be a 4 or 5 chapter story. I have no beta so please don't mind the mistakes. Also this just came to me after watching Cheaper by the Dozen two! I thought that just because Clark is blind to how great Chloe is, doesn't mean that Charlie will be. Hope you like and please read and review! Also Id like to thank Shadowglove for her great input! I don't know what I would do without her!

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Chloe gripped the steering wheel of her little yellow Yaris as she drove down the dark, deserted road. She had been driving for days, only stopping to eat and sleep. The proof was in the back of her car. Fast food wrappers were strewn all over the place and a pink blanket and matching pillow lay neatly folded on the seat in the back.

It was obvious to anyone who looked that Chloe Anne Sullivan was running. But running from what was anyone's guess. No one could guess the truth even if they tried. They may come close of course, but they could never fully comprehend why. Her puffy, red rimmed eyes gave clues. And if anyone had mentioned the name Clark Kent or Lois Lane, the fact that the petite blonde burst into tears would be another clue.

The tale was a sad one indeed. Chloe Sullivan had started her day like any other. She drove to the town of Smallville from Metropolis to see her best friend Clark Kent. She had walked up the stairs to his loft slowly, having a feeling that something was off. And one could never be to careful in Smallville, of this fact Chloe had lots of experience. Although she never expected to see what she did when she made it to the top of the barn.

Chloe remembered it a little to well. Her heart had stopped almost literally. Her breathing had sped up quite quickly. There in front of her eyes, she had seen Clark Kent, her best friend in the world, the man she used to dream of marrying, standing with his arms wrapped around her cousin Lois Lane, and they were kissing! Not the friendly peck on the cheek type of kissing but the, I want to screw you now, kind of kissing. Chloe had been so disgusted, and not just because they were kissing, she could have handled that. But the fact they didn't tell her when she had asked them about it a few days ago is what killed her and broke her heart. They were the closest people she had in her life, and the fact they lied to her face, well didn't that show they really didn't care that much about her? Why didn't they trust her? She would have, could have been happy for them if they had just trusted her and not hid it from her. Didn't Clark know how that would hurt her? Did he not remember when he and Lana hid there relationship from her? It had almost destroyed there friendship for crying out loud!

So without a word to either Clark or Lois, Chloe had packed a bag, took the little money she had saved, and left. She decided to leave Smallville behind. If anyone had a right to leave without a word it was her. She had been to hell and back a thousand times and she wasn't doing it again. She was just going to leave and start over.

Chloe slams her hands down on the wheel and makes a face as her cell phone beeps for the millionth time that day, indicating that she had a new voicemail. Chloe sighs and ignores it. She doesn't need to look to see who it is. Its Clark or Lois, or maybe even both, and she wasn't going to answer, or reply. They didn't deserve it. She had left one message with Lex. She had said she wasn't dead and to tell Clark and Lois, along with anyone else to just mind there business and leave her be.

Chloe narrowed her eyes suspiciously as her car sputtered and came to halt. She slams her head into the steering wheel as tears start to fall.

"Just what I don't need! Stupid CAR!" Chloe cries out in defeat.

--

Charlie Baker is driving down the road to his small log cabin when he spots a small yellow car on the side of the road. It had smoke billowing from the engine, which was never a good sign. He sighs and pulls over next to the car. He steps out and walks to the drivers side window, he knocks gently.

A tiny blonde with a tear streaked face rolled down her window. She looked at him in what Charlie thought was shock. She looked like she had seen a ghost. Which, if Charlie knew the truth, he would be able to understand.

Chloe was in utter disbelief. At first, she thought the man was Clark, that he had found her. But with a closer look she realized this very handsome man had a few small differences from Clark. He had a dimple on his right cheek, and his hair was a shade darker, and more unruly that Clarks. He looked to be a year or two younger as well. Plus he was definitely more defined in the arms. Maybe not as many muscles, but still very well defined. He had to work out. She tried to offer a friendly smile. "Yes?"

Charlie motions to the smoke coming from under the hood. "I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be having some car troubles. I run a local mechanics shop in town, and if you want I can take a look and see what the problem is."

Chloe nods, "That would be great thanks. I know nothing about cars. I know that the gas goes in, you turn the key it starts, and were the gas and break are, but that's about it. I do know that smoke is never a good sign."

Charlie pops the hood and Chloe steps out of the car standing beside him. She hears him sigh and groans to herself, its never a good sign if a mechanic groans. When he stands back up and wipes his hands on his jeans she can tell its not good. "What's the prognosis doc?"

Charlie scratches his head. "Well the good news is, it can be fixed."

Chloe fears his next words. "But?"

Charlie decides to choose his words carefully, "But, its going to take time and money. You have a cracked engine block."

Chloe looks at him in confusion. "I have a what? In English please."

"Basically? You need a new engine." He hurried when he saw her start to tear up. "I can fix it for you given a few weeks. I can order the new engine in the morning and it have it here in two weeks on rush order. Ill do the work myself, and even give you a discount. I do run the shop after all. Plus there's a hotel near by that you can stay. A friend of a family runs the place and I am sure that if I tell her she will be able to get you a discount, and save you a room."

Chloe bursts into tears and falls to the ground in a heap. Charlie leans down, he hated seeing girls cry, but having as many sisters as he did, being 5, he had learned to deal with it. He looks into her eyes. "Hey don't cry, please it will be ok."

Chloe looks up at him sobbing. "No it wont, you don't understand. I cant afford all of that. I have no money, none at all. I have 25 dollars to my name. I-I was hoping to get a job while I slept in my car like I have been since I left Sma-" She corrects herself, "Since I left home a few days ago. So you see my problem? I cant sleep in a broken car! And I doubt there are any jobs in-" She reads a sign a few feet away. "Lake Winnetka."

Charlie lets out a smile at her, and grabs her hands in his. "Actually I have a great idea. You can work for me." He sees her shocked look. He realizes how that must have sounded to her. "NO! I don't mean it like that!" He actually blushed, which Chloe found very cute. "I mean, I am in desperate need of a secretary. You see my younger sister, well one of them was my secretary during the summer, but she went back to New York for school, so me, not being any good on a computer am at a loss."

Chloe raises her eyebrows at him. "What if Im horrible with a computer?"

He looks sheepish. "Anything would be better than me. But," He shakes his head. "As I was saying, you work for me, and Ill fix your car for free."

Chloe sighs, "Ok even if I agreed to that, it doesn't solve the me not having a place to stay problem."

He chuckles at her, there was just something about this girl that made him want to smile, even when she was so close to tears. "I have that solved to. I have a small two room log cabin, and I have nothing to do with the other room. You could stay there. And before you say no just listen kay? Since I work all day my house is in disarray, and if you would be willing to maybe do the dishes and vacuum, I think we could have a good deal don't you?"

Chloe grins a bit. Who knew she would actually meet a genuinely good man? "I don't cook. And its not because I don't want to, I mean I cant. Not if you want your house to stay nice and sturdy and not a pile of ashes."

Charlie lets out a bark of laughter. "Well that's ok because I can cook. I had lots of practice cooking for my younger siblings." He stands up, pulling her with him. "By the way I am Charlie Baker, nice to meet you. So do we have a deal?"

Chloe nods, wiping her eyes. "We do have a deal Charlie Baker. And I am Chloe Sullivan by the way. I will say its nice to meet you, although I have to say I wish it didn't come at the price of my cars life."

They walk to his truck and he opens the door. "Hop in. Ill come by tomorrow and haul your car to my shop. Not like its going anywhere. Oh I hope you like big families, because Ill take you to dinner at my parents tomorrow. The whole family gets together."

Once in the truck before they pull out Chloe asks. "How many siblings do you have? You make it sound like an army or something."

Charlie turns to her with a dazzling smile. "Well not including myself there are eleven kids. Then you have mom and dad, and my oldest sister Nora's husband and young son."

Chloe's eyes widen in disbelief. "Twelve kids? Did your parents accidently mistake themselves for chickens or something?" She pauses, "Wait is your mom the Annie Baker? Author of Cheaper by the Dozen?" At his nod, she laughs, "And here I thought my life couldn't get any more bizarre."

TBC..