CHAPTER 4
"Hey Clark……No, no I'm fine. Sorry if I worried you…….No I wasn't kidnapped or anything. Ollie's in town and he needed my help……No one died but Victor needed my help……Yes I know I need to be careful but I didn't use my powers this was a computer thing only. Oh I have great news." Chloe walked around Oliver's kitchen making herself coffee and toast, while she talked to Clark on her cell phone. "I got a great job at The Daily Star in Star City. It's not completely set in stone…"
"Yes it is, you have the job." Oliver interrupted her as he walked over to the fridge pulling out a carton of Orange Juice.
"I haven't agreed to the full terms yet Ollie. Oh sorry Clark. The job? Traveling reporter. I get a regular spot and I get to travel. This way I can be Watchtower, see the world and still be the reporter I always wanted to be….I know it's wonderful. Look I've got to go, I just wanted to talk to you before you got too worried. Don't tell anyone my news yet. I want to tell Lois myself. Thanks, talk to you later." Chloe hung up her cell phone and poured herself a large cup of coffee, before sitting on the stool to watch Oliver make breakfast. "So is this one of the perks of the job? A personal chef?"
Oliver laughed. "It could be. So what terms do we still have to work out?"
"Do I have a specific topic I stick to or is it a whatever I want to write about? How much do I get paid? Do I get travel expenses? Medical dental etc. I still want to talk to the editor, see if they really want me on the job. When do I start? What's the first country I get to visit?" Chloe listed everything off so quickly, Oliver just started laughing again.
"Should I be taking notes?" Setting another pan on the stove, he placed bacon in the already heated pan to cook. Quickly mixing eggs in a bowl, he poured the contents into the second pan. "You ok with scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast?"
"Yeah that's perfect." Looking around the apartment she finally noticed something was missing. "Hey where are the guys? Aren't they usually up and going by now?"
"I thought they deserved a little vacation. Plus I needed to work out the logistics of hiring you and work on Queen Industries business." Oliver made up two plates of food before cleaning up the kitchen area quickly. He grabbed the plates and brought them over to the table, motioning for Chloe to join him. "Like I said last night I have been thinking about hiring you for a while now. I've got some papers for you to look over, detailing everything. The salary, perks, benefits, and expectations or job description. I can arrange a video conference with the editor this afternoon. But there is one thing you have to do before I can hire you."
Chloe sat down next to Oliver. "Oh yeah what's that?"
"You have to quit The Daily Planet. It would be a major conflict of interests." Oliver joked.
"I already sent in my letter. Lex should get it first thing this morning. I wish I could be there, to see his face. I wrote some pretty nasty things." Chloe grinned. Her face dropped suddenly, "Oh crap, I haven't told Lois. I called Clark but I forgot to call Lois. I should have called her first. I'm sure she'll be a little worried since I wasn't home all weekend."
Getting up from the table she rushed back to the kitchen to grab her cell. She hit auto-dial and called Lois's cell phone. "Crap! It's her voicemail. Hope she doesn't hate me for this…. Hey Lois, it's Chloe. Sorry I didn't call you this weekend. I won't be at work today since I decided to quit. Got a great job offer and can't pass it up. Call me later. Love ya."
"Nice message." Oliver joked as she walked back to the table. They joked and talked about mostly nothing for the rest of he meal. When Oliver finally did get up to leave he grabbed her empty plate and placed it in the sink. Motioning to the living room as he walked back towards his bedroom he told her. "There is a packet with your name on it on my desk. It has all the information I told you about. I've got to go get ready. Nice outfit by the way."
"Thanks, I thought I was going to have to go to work straight from here." Chloe watched him walk away before turning herself to grab the packet. 'This is so awesome. He really does way too much for me and the guys. Sometimes I forget he is a billionaire and the CEO of a major company. Who knew that my cousin's ex was going to become one of my best friends.' Bringing the papers with her to the couch she sat down cross legged and started reviewing them. Without realizing it she began thinking about how he looked the night before. 'God does that man have a great body. Perfect toned muscles, nice ass, and gorgeous eyes. He's intelligent and funny and caring. Charming too. If I'm not careful I could fall in love with that man.'
While in the shower Oliver began thinking of Chloe. 'When I first met Chloe I never thought she would become one of my best friends. But here we are, two and half years later, and I couldn't imagine my life without her friendship. Whenever I'm with her I feel so normal, it's great. She's smart and snaky. Beautiful and brave. I wonder what would have happened if I had met her before I met Lois. Would I ever have dated Lois? Would I have ended up with Chloe?' Shaking his head slightly he let the water rush over his face. 'I've got to be careful. I think I'm falling in love with my best friend.'
Lois stormed into Lex's office at The Daily Planet, slamming the door behind her. "What the hell did you do to my little cousin?"
Lex looked up at her with an amused look on his face. He had only gotten to his office 10 minutes before and had not even looked through the pile of mail on his table. Casually he looked through the pile as he responded, "I have no idea what you are talking about Ms. Lane. I have done nothing to Chloe."
"Then why did she just quit. This is her dream job. Well maybe not what she is, or should I say was, doing in the basement. But she always wanted to work for the Daily Planet. What did you do to her to make her quit?"
"What do you mean SHE QUIT?" Lex glared up at Lois. "You must have heard wrong, as far as I know she is still working for the Daily Planet."
"That's not what she told me in her message. She said she got a great offer and decided to quit." Lois glared right back at Lex, leaning against his desk as she yelled at him. "Now, what did you do to her?"
"I haven't done anything. And unless you want to find yourself out of a job you will stop yelling at me. If Chloe did quit she would have written a letter or something. I have not received any such letter and I was not told that she had quit." Lex growled.
"You mean this letter. From your expression I see this comes as a complete shock to you." Lois said grabbing the piece of mail that had Chloe's handwriting on it and waving it in his face. "Now that I know it was her idea to quit I'm actually glad. She no longer has to put up with you killing every one of her stories. Good day, Mr. Luthor." Lois stomped out of the room.
Lex was dumbfounded. He opened the letter and read the pages over and over. Chloe Sullivan had quit!? She called him every name in the book and had not held back any of the things she had obviously wanted to say to him for a long time. Lex crumpled the papers and angrily threw them in the trash. 'Damn it! I felt for sure she would be at work. Then I could corner her. But never did I think for even a second that she would quit. How am I going to get her now?' Turning his back to the room he looked out the windows. 'You can't hide from me forever. I will find you it will only be a matter of time.' Determined, Lex got up to leave the room. Before he did, he pulled out her letter of resignation, smoothed it out and placed it in his pocket.
"Yes Lois I know. She called me earlier this morning and told me……No I'm not sure what happened this weekend to make her decide to quit. I saw her Saturday but aside from being a little mopey she seemed fine……Look it hasn't been easy on her since you got promoted. You got the position she wanted, while she was stuck in the basement. If she got a better job then we should just be happy for her……I've got to go Lois. Chores to do, you know. I'll talk to you later. Bye." Clark sighed heavily as he hung up the phone. Leaning back on the couch he ran a hand over his face
"I take it Lois found out?" Lana asked coming up beside him.
"Yes. She's convinced it's a big conspiracy or something." Clark told her. "Did we get rid of those strawberry sodas?"
"Yeah. I can't believe you stripped. I wish I could have been there to see that." Lana laughed. Before becoming serious. "So when are you going to tell everyone?"
"About my stripping, NEVER." Clark joked.
"No, I mean about you leaving." Lana said.
"You know?" Clark asked.
"Yes. When are you going to tell people?" Lana persisted.
"I'm not sure how to. I have to go back but I'm not even sure how long I will be gone. How do I tell the people who don't know my secret? I'm leaving for I don't know how long, doing something I can't tell you about, at a place I can't tell you about. That will go over well, especially with Lois." He leaned forward resting his arms on his knees.
"Maybe you'll have to ask Chloe to help you come up with a better cover." Lana said reaching out a hand to grasp his. "But of course you have to tell her about it first."
"You're right." Clark looked up at her and smiled. "I'm glad we were able to get back to this, Lana."
"I am too." Lana rolled her wheelchair closer to him. "I'm glad we were able to become friends again. Still a little sad at times. But it's good we finally realized we were only meant to be friends."
"Yeah. Some people think we are crazy though. They can't understand how we can live together but not be together, especially knowing our history." Clark commented.
"I suppose that would seem odd. But I love this place." Lana said.
"I'm glad." Clark stood up and headed outside. "I'm going to go to the loft. If Lois calls back tell her I'm not here please. But if Chloe calls just yell."
"Don't want to listen to another rant from Lois do you?" Lana laughed at his retreating figure.
"No comment." Clark yelled back.
Clark sat on the couch with his eyes closed. Images kept popping into his head, that he couldn't seem to shake. 'What is wrong with me?'
She lay across the desk, hair shimmering in the light, eyes closed as he ran his hand over her breast. Slowly he thrust into her body. So warm and wet. It sheathed him perfectly. He moaned when he felt her inner muscles squeeze him. Grabbing her leg he repositioned her placing the leg over his shoulder. She bit her lip as he moved inside her. The blonde hair covering her eyes fell to the side as he pumped into her harder but slower.
"Oh god, yes." she moaned.
Clark whipped his eyes open, thinking he had just heard her. Looking at the desk he couldn't tell if what he remembered was real or just a fantasy. 'Did I really have sex with her or was it all just a vivid dream?
'You know the answer to that Clark. Maybe you are just too much of a coward to admit it.'
'Just shut up. It can't be real. And You! You aren't real either.'
'Of course I'm real. I'm more real then you are. I go after what I want you hide from it. I'm the one that got to have sex with her. You were to afraid too. I'm the one that had her moaning, not you.'
'That's not true. She would have told me. Wouldn't she?' Running his hand over his face he began to worry. 'I don't understand what happened. Every time I've been infected by Red Kryptonite I remember everything. Why is it all just a blank?'
'You don't deserve to remember. She's mine Clark. You will never get to possess her like I did. All you will ever get is flashes. Chloe is mine Clark.'
'What did you do Kal?? No. What have I done?' Clark looked up at the ceiling and noticed something very odd. Hanging from one of the rafters was a lacy bra. He hung his head, knowing for sure now that he had stepped over the line. 'Why didn't she tell me? How can I face her again?'
