Title: Something to Believe In
Author: Cassandra Mulder
Rating: PG
Spoilers: "Fragile"
Disclaimer: Not mine. If it was mine, you'd know it.
Written: April 14 - 15, 2006
Word Count: 1240
Summary: Clark tries to find out what's bothering Chloe after "Fragile".
A/N: I don't have much of an explanation for this; it just popped in my head. Besides, can I I ever /I leave those two crazy kids angry at each other? No.

Clark had the good sense to give Chloe a couple of hours to cool off, but as soon as he thought it was safe, he softly knocked on the door to her dorm room.

When she called out, "It's open", he peeked in, relieved to see that she was alone.

Chloe glanced up, still a little bit annoyed at the man standing in her doorway looking very sheepish. "I don't think Lana's coming home any time soon," she said, focusing on her laptop again.

Clark entered the room, closing the door behind him. "This isn't about Lana, and you know it," he said.

She sighed and snapped her computer shut, tensing for the fight she felt coming. "Since everything seems to be about Lana, I'm not so sure I can take you at your word," she said as calmly as she could manage.

"Chloe..."

She held up her hand. "That's not going to work, Clark. I know you think you can just walk right in here with those big green eyes, flash some teeth, and make me forget. But not if I don't let you."

"I don't understand what I did, Chloe. You were instantly defensive, and that's really not like you."

Chloe looked at him, complete hopelessness on her face. "You never do, Clark. Ever. But I can't do this anymore."

"What?" he asked, trying to understand.

"I am not going to be the go-between for one more minute. If you want to know how Lana is, ask her. If she wants to know how you are, she'll have to ask you. I'm not having any part of it."

"I never asked you..."

"You ask me all the time, Clark. You rarely even realize what you're saying. Inquiring about the state of Lana Lang is almost as natural as breathing to you, it seems."

Clark had the decency to look a little embarrassed.

She stood up and placed her laptop on the desk next to her bed, then turned to face him. "Look, I'm sorry about biting your head off, okay? It's been a rough day, and I guess I'm feeling a little sensitive about... some things. I didn't mean to react like that, but I can't be your twenty-four/seven Lana news network. She's a big girl and you're a big boy, and you'll just have to handle it yourselves."

Clark looked concerned. "Chloe, did something happen? Did Lana say something to you?"

Chloe bit her lip.

"Chloe."

She sighed. "Only after I confronted Lex about her." They were honest about everything else, so she figured this qualified.

"You talked to Lex?" he asked.

"It was... It was stupid. I thought she was vulnerable. I thought there might be something going on with them, and I still think there might be. Somehow I went into overprotective friend mode, and it blew up in my face. Lana doesn't want either of us doing anything for her, Clark. It's time we both realized that. It's like I don't even know her anymore. Maybe I never did." She wrapped her arms around herself. If he didn't already suspect something, she had no idea what his reaction would be.

He took a couple of steps forward. "I'm sorry I haven't realized the position I put you in."

Chloe let out an involuntary laugh.

"What?" he asked, frowning.

She put a hand over her mouth and shook her head. "That's just not what I was expecting you to say. You did hear the part about Lex and Lana, didn't you?"

"Yeah. But you're right about Lana. She's pulling away from everyone, not just me. I have to come to terms with the fact that Lex may be her choice, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. If she won't listen to either of us, she's definitely going to find out who he really is the hard way."

Chloe's eyes were wide, her mouth practically hanging open. "Wow," she finally said.

Clark looked at her questioningly.

"Uh, are you sure I didn't fall asleep in front of my computer? Is this the WishVerse? Because only some dream or alterna-world Clark would be that calm about this," she said skeptically.

"Are you implying I can't let things go?" Clark asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not implying anything," Chloe teased. Damn, she thought. I still suck at staying angry with him. She ran a hand over her face. "It's amazing how mere hours can seem like days when you're in this deep," she mused out loud.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I feel something coming, Clark, and I don't know how to explain it. It's either going to be really horrible or really fantastic, and it's the not knowing which that's stressing me out."

"Don't tell me you're psychic now," Clark said, only half-joking.

"I'm a woman. We're already psychic in some ways," she said, smiling up at him.

Clark pulled her into his arms, and she laid her head against his chest without hesitation. She savored the feel of his arms around her, and the beat of his heart beneath her ear. She sighed and felt him hold her a little tighter.

"You've been saving the day a lot lately, Chloe. Maybe you're the one that's superhuman after all."

Her laugh was muffled against his shirt.

"I'm serious. I'm sorry I haven't told you how much I appreciate your help. I've realized there are a lot of things I couldn't do without you. Especially if you go psychic on me."

She slipped her arms around his waist. "We're a team, Clark. Please don't thank me, because I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled to herself. She didn't need or necessarily want his gratitude, but it was nice to know that she was appreciated anyway.

Clark pulled back till he could look at her. "So, are we good?"

"We're good," she said with a firm nod and a big grin at the look of relief on his face.

"You're sure you don't want to talk about what was bothering you earlier?" he asked gently.

"I'm sure. I'm fine now. It was really dumb, now that I think about it."

"Okay," Clark said, pulling her close to him again.

Maybe they were both in desperate need of the physical contact; she wasn't sure. But as she laid her head on his shoulder she knew that she couldn't let certain nasty arguments of the afternoon bother her anymore. She felt that Lex and Lana were caught in a web of deceit that one or both of them might not come out of. She would keep an eye on the situation, but even she knew where I not /I to stick her nose again. Not if she had any interest in keeping it.

While they were busy making themselves miserable, she knew she was the lucky one, no matter what a particularly snotty Luthor might think. She had Clark on her side, and regardless of what their relationship was or was not, he was always the one constant in her life. The one she knew she could believe in no matter what. As long as she had him, no one could make her believe she was lacking for much in her life. No one else had their own personal superhero that could save them in more ways than he could ever imagine.

Finis