Chapter 8
Even if Lucas hadn't been awoken the previous night in a rude fashion, he would have known that something was wrong by breakfast. The average person would have been considerate enough to stay out of other people's business or wise enough to know not to get in the middle of anything.
Lucas didn't care to have either of these qualities.
"So Lex, do you want to tell Chloe why I have to find a new place to stay?"
"You're kicking him out, why?"
Lex stared at his brother with a look that warned him to keep quiet or die, and then turned his attention to Chloe with a warm smile. "Since it seems that Lucas will be staying in Metropolis for a while, I thought that he'd want a place where he doesn't have to sleep on the sofa. Lucas' care is very important to me and I'd hate for him to suffer needlessly." Lex looked back at Lucas with a smirk before adding "Who knows how much pain might fall upon him if he slept here any longer."
Chloe was smart enough to know not to buy what Lex was saying but she didn't press the issue. "No need for that. I've decided to move back in with Lois, so Lucas can have the guestroom."
"Move back with Lois? You mean above the Talon?" Lex tried to sound natural but it was obvious to both Lucas and Chloe that he wasn't happy with that idea.
"Yes, I appreciate the offer to stay here until I'm cured, but who knows when that will be, and I can't depend on you for the rest of my life."
"I know that, but this is the only place for you. There is too great a chance that you'll encounter male odors at the Talon. Plus, Queen will probably be there at all hours. And Clark will have an easier time trying to see if you've miraculously gotten over his smell." Silently he added 'and I won't get to see you anytime I want.'
"Has Clark been trying to enter the building?"
"I may have had to send security to deal with him one or two … dozen times."
Chloe let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, you win. I'll stay."
Again, Lucas couldn't just let things sit. "So why are you so eager to leave now?"
"I told you. I feel like I'm overstaying my welcome."
"Right, but Lex said yesterday that you weren't a burden and you were fine then. So what changed from yesterday afternoon to this morning?"
"Nothing! Nothing changed. I just… don't want to talk about this now. I have work to do." Chloe left the table before Lucas could push for more answers.
"Don't you have hotels to be calling?" with that Lex left his brother alone and went to speak with Chloe.
Lex entered Chloe's room without knocking, unfortunately for him, his life wasn't a sitcom so he didn't catch her in the middle of changing. "I can't believe I'm saying this but Lucas does have a point. Why are you trying to avoid what happened last night?"
"Last night … was the result of cabin fever and an end of the world scenario that finally caught up with me."
"I don't understand."
"Think about it Lex. When you are stranded with one person, something is bound to happen, but that doesn't mean that it should happen."
"So that's it? You just kissed me because you've been stuck with me for the last few days?" His tone showed that he either didn't or didn't want to believe her.
"Yes. I've just been going crazy trying think about the point of the project and find out how to fix it, and Lois wasn't be helpful."
"What does Lois have to do with this?"
"She kept telling me to use this time to my advantage. I think I just kissed you so I could shut up her voice in my head, but I didn't really think it was a good idea. I … I …didn't want to do it, and I know that you just naturally reciprocated so it doesn't mean anything."
Lex wavered between correcting her and saving face before finally making a decision. "You're right. It didn't mean anything, so it won't matter if you stay here. You can continue to stay here because that kiss had no effect on our friendship what so ever."
"Okay. We're agreed." Their words did nothing to resolve the tension in the room; and if either thought for a moment that the other wasn't being honest, then they weren't saying anything.
Not being able to stand the silence any longer, Lex asked her, "Did you find out the purpose of the project?"
"Not conclusively, but I think it's used as a mate finder which is a completely crazy idea if you ask me."
"Why? Because you don't think it worked in your case?"
"Just because people seem to have some kind of biological match doesn't give them an excuse to have a relationship."
"Is it so horrible to have an easy answer to whom one is meant to love? Shouldn't it be a great idea to not have to put your heart on the line only to have it pummeled time and again?"
"Yes, Lex, it's nice to not have to worry. But you aren't thinking clearly. I don't want to be with someone just because we have the right body chemistry. Stop smirking you know what I mean." Lex let out a small laugh at the fact that she knew exactly where his mind went. Sensing she had more to say he motioned for her to continue.
"I want to know I'm with the right guy because I know it in my heart, not because I can refrain from emptying my stomach every time he kisses me. Imagine if we were in love and had found out that we weren't pheromone compatible. What would you have done if you had gotten infected by this substance?"
"I would have carried around barf bags because it would be worth it to be around you."
"That's actually kind of romantic if not a little disturbing that you'd take the risk of vomiting on me."
"I guess all great loves have their sacrifices."
Chloe laughed at that. "Do you understand now?"
"Yeah, I just…I guess it's a good thing that we are just friends." Not wanting to reflect on how much that statement hurt, he moved forward. "Do you have any other information? Can you remember if you saw any elements that the chemical was made from?"
He noticed that she hesitated before answering which probably meant she was holding something back but if she didn't find it necessary to tell him yet, he wasn't going to ask. "No, but I think we are going about this the wrong way. Testing the substance and hoping to find out how it works isn't doing anything. I need to go back to that lab and find out more on my own."
"Okay, even if you somehow managed to get passed me, how would you to and into the lab without stopping every few minutes to throw up? And even if you powered through, don't you think the sounds of your vomiting would alert the guards to your presence?"
"Fine, then you and Lucas go for me. It will take two of you to get the same amount of work done that I could do alone, sick or not."
"I don't doubt that, but I don't think it will be necessary. I will contact the owner personally and found out what I need to know and if she knows of a cure."
"What makes you think she's just going to tell you everything let alone meet with you in the first place?"
"If I tell her that I heard about her business through some contacts and have an interest in investing, she will. After that I'll make her tell me." The conviction in his voice left no doubt in her mind that he would be able to do just that.
"Why didn't you offer to do this from the start?"
"I was hoping my scientists could find a cure without you getting in trouble for breaking and entering."
"And now?"
"Now, it's not important."
"It's not important if I go to jail?"
"It's not important to wait if you want to leave." Chloe nodded but didn't say anything, so Lex left to make all the arrangements.
She knew the risks when she went to the lab. She also knew that Lex wouldn't allow her to go to jail, but she couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness when Lex was so convinced that she wanted to leave him. She knew that he was only reacting to what she told him which made her feel even worse. She hadn't been this sick since Lex broke off their friendship, and she knew it had nothing to do with biology.
