If anything sounds scientific from here on out, please note that it is based on very little science and more in my crazy brain.
Chapter 2
Clark rushed to her side but his presence continued to upset her. She felt dizzy, and then a familiar pain rising from her stomach to her throat. She only had time to utter two words before she emptied her stomach again. "Clark, leave."
Her father was holding her hair and rubbing her back to try and soothe the pain. Meanwhile Lois pushed Clark out into the hallway and called for a nurse.
"I have to help," Clark pleaded with Lois as he tried to move pass her and back into Chloe's room.
"You'd have better luck getting by a rabid Doberman Pincher than crossing me if your what's making Chloe sick," Lois said as she pushed him towards the waiting room.
"That doesn't make any sense. Why would I be the reason?"
"I don't know, but she was perfectly healthy before you entered."
"Well why is she here anyway?"
"She was investigating a chemical plant. She accidentally spilt one of the experiments on herself."
Clark wanted to ask what she was doing alone, but then he remembered he was part of the reason for that so he went with a safer observation. "Maybe it took a while for the effects to take place and it's all just a coincidence."
"Pretty big coincidence especially since she specifically asked you to leave." Lois saw no need to calm Clark's fears.
Dr. Lambert appeared before Lois had a chance to make Clark feel worse. "Chloe's better now but I want to test something. Could you both follow me?"
The group stopped in front of Chloe's room. A male orderly was waiting outside the door. Clark was about to ask about the man's presence before Dr. Lambert began speaking to him. "I want you to wait here for a moment. I'm going to call for you but you must leave when I tell you. Understand?" At his nod, she and Lois both entered the room and left Clark outside with orderly. He now understood what it felt like to be Shelby whenever he broke something in the house.
"Chloe, I know you feel much better but I'm going to have to try and make you sick in order to see what's wrong," Dr. Lambert explained.
"Someone's been watching too much 'House'," Chloe was glad she could still snark even if she felt like crap.
"Just be glad I'm sober right now. Do you have the bucket ready?" After Chloe picked up the bucket with as much enthusiasm as she could manage, Dr. Lambert called for Clark.
As soon as he entered, Chloe began to heave once again. So Clark left and the doctor waited a few minutes for Chloe to recover. She then called for the orderly. And just like Clark he had to leave as soon as Chloe again reached for the bucket.
Gabe pressed a cold washcloth to Chloe's forehead and asked "What was the point of all that?"
"I suspect that any man in Chloe's presence will force her to involuntarily regurgitate. We are still researching the substance but the preliminary tests show that the chemical that Chloe was exposed to has changed her body's composition. Whatever this substance is has a process that's similar to an animal nature's when identifying others."
Since she was beginning to feel better, she felt the need to interject. "You mean like pheromones?"
"Yes, but these pheromones seemed to be only triggered by males."
"But I was fine last night and I don't feel sick around my dad."
"That's what observation is for. We had to see if anything occurred before we sent you home. Apparently, the chemical has had to time to set into your system. From what I can tell, the reaction has caused you to feel normal around your father because his scent, for lack of a better word, is similar to yours and therefore causes no harm. Unfortunately, I'm not sure why it only makes a difference with males. We have to run some more tests. In the meantime, you are going to be placed in isolation."
"No way is that going to happen." Chloe had already begun to get up from the bed before Gabe stopped her.
"Think about it Sweetie. You won't be able to avoid men out there. What are you going to do, carry a trashcan everywhere you go? It won't do you any good to get dehydrated and pass out from this sickness."
"Fine, I'll bow to your fatherly wisdom just this once." Gabe smiled at Chloe's answer as Dr. Lambert left to make arrangements for Chloe to only be treated by female nurses and orderlies.
Lois finally spoke up. "I'll go let Clark know what's going on. He's probably worn a hole in the floor. Unless, you want him to suffer some more?" She gave Chloe a hopeful look, but left as soon as she received her cousin's look of annoyance.
"I bet you're happy about this whole deal, Dad."
"No father likes to see his daughter sick. Even if it does mean that he won't have to worry about unworthy suitors for a while." He shared a small smile with Chloe until the weight of his words finally sunk in and she looked like she might cry.
Gabe put his arms around Chloe and spoke gently but with determination. "Hey, no worries kid. The doctors are working to figure this all out. And when they do, they'll have a cure."
Chloe wanted to ask how he could be so sure, but instead she decided to accept her father's hug and did her best not to cry on his shoulder.
She failed.
Don't worry, Lex is in the next chapter.
