Chapter 4

"Hey." Chloe says, trying to break Clark out of his internal struggle. She is not surprised at all that his encounter with Buffy has blown his mind. He has bottled stuff up so long it was bound to break out of him sometime. Admittingly, she didn't think he would start making out with the girl who kicked his ass and locked him up. Crushing the flare of jealousy and resentment that tries to rear its head, Chloe focuses on helping her friend. She touches his shoulder only to have him flinch away. "Clark, its ok" she assures him.

"How can it ever be Chloe? I ruined everything. I should have listened to Oliver and done what I had to, what I ended up doing anyway. If Jimmy." he tries to say but her finger on his mouth stops him.

"We are all responsible for what happened. It is not all your fault. I made mistakes too. So did Oliver. All we can do is learn from them and do better next time." she states.

"People died because of me!!" Clark practically shouts.

Feed up with his self pity routine, she slaps him as hard as she can. She is proud she doesn't ruin the effect by screaming from the pain in her hand. She doubts she broke it, but it sure feels like it. "Knock it off!!" she orders. "I am so sick of you heroes pretending you are so important that the world revolves around you. Everything is because of you. Reality check: its not. We all play a part. We all make choices. Grow up." she chides.

Speechless Clark stands there mulling what she said. "She doesn't understand. She can't." he thinks to himself trying to sink back into his well of guilt, but there is too much truth for him too. Clark sags down to the floor of his cell and puts his head in his hands. "I just don't know what to do. Ever time I think I figure it out, I end up being wrong." he moans.

Sitting next to him, Chloe replies "Clark that is life. Things are always changing. You have to (thinks for a minute) embrace the moments of happiness you get. Don't waste them. Now stop sulking and go find Buffy. Take her out on the town" She adds with mischief in her voice. "or take her back to the farm and show her the hayloft." She knows all about his encounter with Lana in that hayloft. As hard as it was to listen to Lana describe it, it did sound nice.

Turing red, Clark tries to come up with an argument why he can't, but even he can't find one. "Ok." Clark agrees, then blushes again before clarifying "Dinner would be nice."

Chloe's laughs as she guides Clark out of the cell and up to the control room. Clark is still so wrapped up internally that he doesn't notice the two slayers who were outside the cell following them, but Chloe does. She doesn't say anything though. They have a right to be concerned about their friends. She does feel the need to acknowledge them so she looks back and nods. The two slayers exchange a look then nod back. Willow always has good taste they think in unison.

The slayers stop at the door to the commander center but take up positions by the door. Chloe only finds Willow in the room. "Xander still talking to Buffy?" Chloe asks.

"Yep, but I think they will be done soon. Neither is a chatterbox you know." Willow replies. "Hi Clark, I am Willow Chloe's girlfriend." she says to Clark as she extends a hand. Too late she sees the look of "oh shit" on Chloe's face.

Confused Clark turns to Chloe. Chloe having a mini panic attack blurts out "I would have told you but it I am. Well I am still, It took me a while to, I only told Oliver because Lois wasn't around." She sees the shock and pain and then acceptance of her confiding in Oliver cross his face.

"It just caught me off guard. I didn't know you were seeing anyone since" he stops himself before he says Jimmy but she hears it anyway.

"Since Jimmy. I know. I didn't expect this. You know I have never been interested in a girl before" She saysmoving over to Willow, who is looking a bit like a deer in headlights and intertwines her fingers. "but Willow is special. I really like her. I think I might even be falling in love with her." Chloe says and then looks to Willow as they haven't used the L word with each other yet.

Willow squeezes her hand to reassure her ,as she gives Chloe a smile that melts her heart and her knees. "Don't worry Clark. I will do everything in my power to not hurt her. She is very special to me too." Willow declares then kisses Chloe endearingly on the check.

Now it is Chloe's turn to blush as Willow lips on her always set her on fire. Controlling the urge to drag Willow to the nearest bed, she focuses back on Clark. "Are we ok?" she asks.

To which he answers "No we aren't, but that is my fault. I walked away from you. It is my fault I wasn't there for you like you have always been for me. I am so sorry for that Chloe. I promise I will be a better friend or she can turn me into a toad." Clark walks over to his friend and her friend and hugs them both at once.

"I suggested a cat, so we could still keep you in the house" Chloe snarks letting him know that they are ok.

"Hug fest and no one invited me?" Xander quips as he comes back down from the roof. Seeing Clark looking nervously at him and then the stairs, he adds "She is on the roof so go get her big guy. Remember though I have an army to hunt you down if you hurt her."

"That is the last thing I want." Clark says solemnly as he then zips up the stairs.

"Wow is he serious. I thought Buffy was all business." Xander remarks.

On the roof, Clark finds Buffy staring out over the grounds. She has her arms tight against herself and his super sight can see tracks of where tears just were on her checks. "Buffy?" he asks nervously.

She turns to face him. At first she keeps her eyes cast down but when she raises them he loses himself again for a moment. She is so like him. She forces on a smile just like he does before she says "Hi Clark. I guess we should talk."

"I was hoping we could do that over diner?" he asks feeling like he is back in high school all over again.

Genuinely smilingly she replies "I would like that." She offers her hand which he comes over and takes. They then spend the next hour just watching the horizon holding hands.

After agreeing to pick her up at 7pm, Clark heads back to the farm. For the first time in a long time he is excited about what tonight may bring him. He tries to keep his thoughts pure but the memory of Buffy's lips on his is worse than any Red Kryptonite. Several cold showers later he thinks he can make it through diner without losing his mind. After all he hopes to avoid all his past relationship mistakes this time.

Buffy and Willow are joking and chatting like old friends as they get Buffy ready for her date with Clark. Buffy is glad to have Chloe there too as she not only relaxes Willow with her presence, but knows what Clark likes. Chloe surprises her by suggesting an outfit, saying she knows how turned on Clark is by red and blue. Blushing Buffy doesn't even try to respond. It has been a long slow year, so if Clark is even remotely willing she is going to jump him. While she likes him and hopes for more, but the reality of her life reminds her tonight is all she is likely to get so she has to make the most of it. Several times hopefully.

7 PM comes and goes. So does 7:15PM. Buffy paces in the main entrance way while all the slayers pretend not to be spying on her. Will she get stood up? The pool betting yes is growing the more time passes. Chloe tries to reassure her that there must have been some sort of disaster. Turning on the news they see no breaking news reports but Clark may just be dealing with a mugging. When 7:30PM rolls around Chloe calls his cell but it goes to voicemail. Now Chloe is becoming concerned. Clark wouldn't just stand anyone up. He would at least call. "Expect he disappeared on you dozens of times without a word even after you knew his secret." an annoying voice in the back of her mind points out.

Buffy is trying really hard not to freak out but she is learning she is more fragile than she ever wants to admit. "It is just one stupid date. Chloe is right. He must be off saving someone. How many times have I lost my phone?" she tells herself but it still hurts not to know.

At 8:00 PM a truck drives up the driveway but it is not Clark's beat up pickup. It is a delivery truck. A man brings out a huge bunch of flowers from the back and then approaches the front door. Willow answers and takes the flowers. She hands Buffy the card as it is addressed to her. Hands shaking Buffy opens the card. "Please, please forgive me. Something came up. Can I have a rain check, Clark" is neatly typed on it. Buffy starts forgive but then she sees Chloe's reaction.

Chloe joins Willow in looking over Buffy's shoulder as she reads the card. It is impressive that Clark thought to send flowers and she has to squash another flare of jealousy at the special treatment he is showing Buffy. She then reads the card and it hits her. These aren't from Clark. The word choice is all wrong. Also, Clark would never send a typed note. He always hand wrote anything he sent to Lana or Lois. Trusting her instincts, she grabs Buffy's flowers, vase and all, opens the door, runs over to the well and throws them down. 30 seconds go by, then another minute. Just as she is preparing to apologize to Buffy a pillar of flame roars out of the well announcing that Chloe was right. "Clark is in trouble." she declares.

"First real date in years. Whoever did this is so dead." Buffy swears.