Chloe was amazed to see Lana and even more amazed by the purpose of her visit.
"Come in Lana!" I have just made a coffee. "how are you, what's been happening?"
"God you would not believe how much my life has changed. This suit means everything. It has given me powers amongst my wildest dreams" boasted Lana
"Last thing I heard you were doing great things in Asia, saving loads of lives"
"Asia is another world, they all worship me there. I have done so much to help them. I think they feel as though they owe me something."
"How are you, Chloe? I was so shocked to hear about Jimmy. Are you holding up ok?"
"Things are getting a little better, I still think of him every minute of the day. I think Clark feels... "
Before Chloe could finish sentence, Lana interrupted. "On the subject of Clark, where is he? I called by the farm and Ben said something about Clark being away, but he wasn't sure where"
Chloe answered "Yeah him and Lo are away on an undercover mission, out of cell phone range."
"Where abouts is he? I want to go and give him the fantastic news. Dr Grohl has extracted the kryptonite from my suit so me and Clark can be together, just like we want. I can finally live with Clark and be on an equal footing with him. He will be so excited."
No, he won't, Chloe thought to herself. There is no way Lana will even put a dent the feelings he has for Lois. But that is up to Clark to tell Lana himself. She was not going to play piggy in the middle with these two again.
"Sorry, Lana. I cannot tell you where he is. You could blow their cover and I won't risk it."
Lana was annoyed by Chloe's reluctance to tell her. "He would want me to know. Lois won't mind if I go and see him. She knows the depth of feelings between us. I'm sure she can make herself scarce"
Like hell she can, Chloe thought. "Sorry Lana, I won't tell you. He will be back next weekend. "
"Ok Chloe I will head off back to Asia. Nothing worth staying here for. He will be so thrilled to hear about my exploits. Please don't tell him I have been back or the news. I want to see his face in a few weeks when I'm back. "
"I hope he doesn't get jealous of my saves." Laughed Lana. "You know that train that Clark saved a few months back on main street saving 34 lives. Well I caught a train last week in Tokyo and saved 438 lives. "
Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. Lana was a power hungry freak... She doesn't love Clark, she loves being in control. Lana couldn't stand being in his shadow. The only person she cared about was herself.
Well Chloe was not going to keep her promise to her 'former' friend. She was going to warn Clark...
Clark rushed into Tess's office. She smiled at him
"Welcome back, Clark. " "What did you want me to come all this way for." Clark snapped
Tess smiled, "had a little row with Lois, have you? Touched a nerve, have I. Sure your little girlfriend is enjoying herself without you"
"Cut the bull, Tess and tell me what you want?"
"I just needed to clarify with you about what was happening with the case in Arizona"
Clark was very annoyed "you wanted me to come all the way back to ask me that"
"Well come on Clark, how was I to know that you would actually take the plane home when you have a much faster means of getting here. Lois doesn't know yet does she?"
"That is none of your business" he said defensively
"I take that as a no then, shall I. Bet she wasn't very happy about you leaving her there alone."
Clark proceeded to tell Tess the story about what they had seen. Just as he was about to leave.
Tess said "I have sent a message to Lois to say you won't be back at Mirage as you are needed here to go to a conference in Geneva with me for a few days"
Clark stormed out the office without giving Tess an answer. He was going to fly up to get Lois and Tess could forget his job. Lois was much more important!
Clark tried to get hold of Lois but with no success. There was no phone number listed for Mirage due to confidentiality and privacy issues, so he went to see Chloe to see if she could help get in contact with her.
Chloe was surprised but pleased to see Clark. "When did you get back..., we need to talk, where is Lois?
Clark explained what was happening.
"Good on you Clark for standing up to Tess but you have a much bigger problem... Guess who's back!"
Lois was still mad but determined to enjoy herself. She would be if she hadn't caught food poisoning from dinner last night. Still feeling nauseous, she decided that it was not going to hold her back so she went on a horse trek with Jenna through the Arizona Desert. Anything was better than moping around. It had been a few years since she had gone horseback riding, the last time being when living with the Kents just before Jonathon died.
She wished Clark was riding alongside her. She didn't know what had come over her when she pushed him into an argument. She had been very touchy recently probably due to sexual frustration. She knew she was wrong. Clark was not interested in Tess but why did she feel so insecure. He had proved how much he loved her. Nothing would change that.
When she got back to the hotel, she asked to use the phone and made a lie up about a family emergency. She took the mobile back to her room and dialled Clark's cell phone.
"Lana... why?" he asked, all confused
Chloe told him about their conversation and broke the bad news "She is back for one thing...you."
Clark went white. "What about the Kryptonite suit?"
"Dr Grohl reversed the effects, she can come near you now"
"You know what.." Clark replied "That is the worst news I could hear. What I had with Lana was pure obsession for reasons I never worked out why. Her leaving was the best thing that could have happened. If she hadn't, I wouldn't have seen the gorgeous creature that had been in front of me for the past five years."
"I am so happy you have come to your senses. Lana is just after power and control."
"She does not even register when I compare her to Lo. We have broken down barriers between us that I never even contemplated with Lana"
Chloe went red. "You mean you and Lo did...No Clark, on second thoughts, I don't want to know about my cousin's sex life."
Clark smiled... His cell rang. It was a private number.
"What a time for a sales call." He said frustrated
Unfortunately he had pressed the answer button instead of the reject button, and Lois was on the other end of the line.
Lois was just about to talk when she heard a familiar voice...Clark
"Talk about a bad time to call" Clark was annoyed now, he slammed his phone down on the table. Lois wondered what the thud was and realised Clark had meant to hang up on her.
"Why can't she just accept that I don't love and don't want her anymore" Clark announced
Chloe responded. "I think you need to tell her as she has no idea that this is how you feel."
"The thought of spending time with her just fills with me with dread. I would die of boredom. Life was mundane once she moved in. There is absolutely no spark left between us. She has turned into one of the most pathetic, selfish human beings you could imagine" ranted Clark
Chloe reacted "That bad, huh."
Lois was in shock, she froze to the spot. Why was Clark talking this way, was all this because of their little fight. And why was Chloe not defending her.
Clark continued."She honestly believes that we are meant to be together forever, who is she kidding? If I never saw her again it would not be soon enough. I will tell her as soon as I see her. Suppose I better put her out of her misery."
Lois could not take any more, her heart was shattered in to a million pieces. She hung up before the heaving sobs began. She fell onto the bed, and cried until there were no tears left...
Chloe finally got the number for the Mirage Center and he tried to call Lois.
"She checked out about two hours ago, muttered something about going to the airport" the receptionist said, adding "She did seem to be very upset, like she had been crying"
Clark was worried as she had her cell switched off, he had to find her and apologise for the fight. He went to the airport and would wait there until her flight got in. He had so much to tell, not least that he loved her so much it hurt.
Lois was in a right state. She decided what she had to do. She needed someone to talk to that she trusted. She had to plan her next move. There was only one place to go...
She frantically searched through her bag for a piece of paper and a pen. She looked in her diary so she could tear out a blank page. She turned to last week's pages and was about to tear one out and she noticed an asterisk against last Wednesday.
"God no, please no..." The tears started to fall again as she realised. She was late, and she was never late..
