A/N - This is my favorite chapter. I had a lot of fun with this one. I make several references to previous episodes. Season 2 "Skinwalker" and "Rush" among them. There are also minor hints back to "Progeny".

Scene 1: Clark & Chloe - Talon Apartment

Scene 2: Kara & Lois - LA Coffee shoppe

Scene 3: Clark & Chloe - Talon Apartment

Scene 4: Kara & Lois - LA Coffee shoppe

Scene 5: Clark and Chloe - Talon Apartment

Please post a review. I would love to know what my fellow Chlarkers think.

The Pair-Bonds

Chloe shuffled around the room, gathering the requested items, as Clark sat down on the sofa. She placed the golden-green bracelet on the coffee table and held the handcuffs. Clark was looking at her strangely. She sat down next to him and flinched a smile when their eyes locked. He was exceptionally nervous. This has got to be good, she thought.

Clark breathed purposefully, having made up his mind to tell her everything he suspected—about them, as pair-bonds.

"This one here" Clark picked up the golden-green bracelet. "I've had, for a very long time."

Both of them looked at their hands and the three bracelets before them. Chloe played with the handcuffs and Clark imitated Chloe's nervous energy. He turned the ornate bracelet around and sideways. He finally held it up to her, and advised her on where he got it.

"It belonged to Kyla Willowbrook."

"Wait a sec'. Isn't she the girl that could change, into a wolf?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah" Clark answered. "This bracelet, might have been how she did it."

"So" Chloe wriggled her nose and squished her eyes together. "You want me to turn, into a wolf?"

Clark did not laugh. "Not a wolf, Chloe."

Chloe looked smug.

"It's not funny."

"Maybe not. It's a little strange though. Even for us."

Clark shook his head. "You remember the story of Naman, right?"

They knew the local Indian legend better than anyone, better than the Native Americans living on the reservation in Granville. The story was painted ages ago in the local cave system around Granville and Lowell Counties. It was a pictorial representation of Clark's destiny.

Over five hundred years ago, another traveler from a distant planet had a prophetic vision. The prophet predicted Naman would fall from the sky, have the strength of ten men, and shoot fire from his eyes. The legend identified Clark as Naman, as it almost perfectly addressed his arrival on Earth, and his powers.

"There's more to the legend, Chloe. Stuff I never told you. According to Professor Willowbrook, Kyla's grandfather, the legend also says, that the Kawatche people are part alien."

Chloe blinked. "Clark, that's a pretty incredible claim. A lot of people around here have ties to the Kawatche tribe, including me. My mother was born in Granville. You know that."

Clark didn't respond to Chloe implication.

"This alien prophet, that predicted Naman, he fell in love with an Indian woman, and the Kawatche people started with them. I think, that this bracelet, was his gift to her. It was passed down, until Kyla inherited it. And after she died, Professor Willowbrook gave it to me. He believes I am Naman. He told me, that, I'm supposed to give this to the true one in my life." Clark said. His eyes flickered at Chloe. His voice was tight. That's you, Chloe, he thought. He handed the bracelet to her.

Chloe was touched. "With Lana back, I'd think, that you'd want to give it to her."

Clark frowned. "Lana can't handle it. I wish she could, because you're right, it's not fair to her or to us. But there's a difference between trueness and love. I think you know that—without my poor attempt of explaining."

Chloe bit her lip and got up, letting the bracelet hold her spot on the couch. She found her shoulder bag and pulled out Lana's police file. She sat down next to Clark and looked at him, apologetically.

"Do you mind if we sidebar a moment?" Chloe asked. "I'm so tired, if I don't mention it as I think about it, I'm going to forget."

Clark looked stressed. He had a lot of ground to cover.

"What is it?"

"It's Lana's police record." Chloe said. "Lana's up to something."

Clark stared back at her blankly. "She's been going to Metropolis a lot lately. Her Aunt Nell's opened another flower shop."

"Clark—all I'm asking of you is to read this file" Chloe said. "We can talk about details later."

Clark took the paperwork from Chloe. He leafed through it, raising an eyebrow and then folded it over. Tucking it into his hidden interior pocket, he tried to pick up from where he was. He was lost in a train of thought, until Chloe got his attention again.

"Sorry to interrupt you." She picked up the Kawatche bracelet. "Do you want to help me with it?"

She gave the bracelet back to Clark, so he could place it on her wrist. Clark wasn't expecting Chloe to want to wear it immediately. He shook his head.

"There's more Chloe." Clark said. "I don't want you to wear that bracelet, at least, not yet."

"Why not?" Chloe asked.

"On Krypton, a bracelet is like an engagement ring."

"You're not?" Chloe gave Clark a double take, she was confused. "Okay, let's shuttle back five seconds on this conversation. I think, I just heard you say, that you're giving me an engagement bracelet. As in, engaged to be married. And I know that can't be true, because you're in a domestic situation right now with the ravened haired Lana Lang. Never-the-mind that you've always loved Lana that way and not me."

"Chloe" He didn't know how to say it. "I… feel things for you. Don't… sell yourself short."

"So, you're saying…? You want to…? Now?"

"Quit babbling Chloe. Unions on Krypton are different." Clark said. "And I'm a Kryptonian, it's just, engagement is the best translation I know."

"Well, what do you mean?" Chloe prodded. "I want to hear it, cuz I doubt confusion's going to help the situation."

"Well, I don't have all the answers, Chloe, there's a lot of guesswork on my end.

"Kryptonians pair bond."

Clark looked at her, hoping his three word utterance would answer all her questions. Chloe just looked back at him, ready for him to expound.

"In nature, pair-bonds are a breeding pair. I'm not sure how to explain this. I found someone a few years ago that I declared as my pair bond. Of course, I didn't know what I was doing. All I knew was that she was in danger from another suitor. So… I made bracelets for her, and ah, now I protect her, instinctively."

For a few moments, Chloe wanted to ask about the bracelets Clark made for Lana. Then it occurred to her, Clark wasn't talking about Lana. Based on his intense stare at her, Lana was actually the furthest thing from his mind. Her heart skipped, as understanding washed over her. Her eyes fell on the handcuffs left on the coffee table, and the echo of her own words reverberated in her head. "You made them into bracelet when you broke the chain."

"Whoa" Chloe said.

"I didn't know what it meant when it happened, but, I felt a shift between us soon after, and, I didn't really know what it was about."

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean. I've always suspected something odd about you, but, after that football game, I was on to you." Chloe confessed. "I knew that you were super-powered, even if I hadn't seen anything."

"Kryptonian pair-bonds are linked psychically." Clark explained. "Maybe that's why you knew."

"Well, I like thinking that I deducted the conclusion from facts." Chloe said. "You were the only one that knew I was in danger. But, at the end of the day, I'm not Kryptonian. Awkward factor eight aside, nothing can come from this."

Clark licked his lips to moisten them, his entire mouth was dry. "Please give me your hand."

He held his left hand in front of Chloe. His palm was flat and open to the ceiling. His fingers curled slightly at the joints. She put her left hand into his. Clark closed his fingers around hers. With his right hand, he gently clamped the True One bracelet around her wrist.

"You need convincing" Clark said.

The bracelet was warm from being held. Chloe looked at the green design in the band, as he rested his right hand on hers, sandwiching Chloe's. "I'm not saying anything will happen or won't happen. I don't know. But, this bracelet belonged to a skinwalker; a girl that could change…species."

Chloe dropped her jaw.

He shrugged. "Awkward factor eight aside, it's possible. I think, Jor-El would have made sure of it."

"So, you're an alien?" Lois said, as they sat in a nearby coffee and pie shop. "Well, that's one you don't hear everyday." Her finger ran around the rim of her mug. "And, it was your spaceship that I touched?" Lois said. Lois had been repeating these statements for a while.

"Yeah" Kara nodded. "I'm sorry I attacked you. How's your head?"

"Hangover from hell. Tomorrow."

Lois snorted suddenly. "Does that mean Clark's an alien too?" Lois peeled with laughter uncontrollably. Clark is such a hick. There was no way he could be as cool as that.

Kara looked down, not answering her question. "I want to talk about me."

"Well" Lois dipped part of a napkin into her ice water and patted her forehead with it. She was starting to feel queasy. "I guess you guys can't be really related. I mean, Clark's adopted and, the chances are like what? One in a ka-drillion? Times a million! Two aliens. Clark's a good natured guy. If he can be kind he will. I totally see him harbor and hide an alien, just to be nice."

An attentive waitress brought over some crackers for Lois when she refreshed Kara's coffee. Lois munched down on a saltine, dug out some ibuprofen from her purse, and downed eight ounces of water.

"You have super-powers, right?"

Kara indicated yes, by tilting her chin.

"What are they?"

In a very low voice, Kara detailed them. "Um… I can fly and run in a blink. I'm super-strong. I can start fires with my eyes and see things in an x-ray mode."

Lois was impressed with Kara's list, but, even in her inebriation—her competitive streak kicked in. "Chloe has a huge secret." Lois said. "And I know what it is, I think Clark does too. I'm not sure though."

Kara's eyes were bugged-out. This wasn't going exactly how she wanted. She just told Lois that she was born on another planet, and Lois, didn't seem to care at all. It was still about Chloe and Clark.

"Chloe saved my life." Lois let her chin rest on the table. "I was dead, you know."

"You were?" Kara whispered, sinking back against the vinyl of the booth, trying to maintain eye contact with her confidante.

"Yeah. I've been dead before. I know what it's like. Chloe found me and pulled me back to the land of the living."

"That's not possible." Kara said.

"It happened." Lois said, lifting her head. "I know she did it. I don't know how it's possible. She's not an alien like you are, but Chloe; she's got to be the most powerful being in the universe."

"Lois" Kara smiled.

Lois straightened her back, obviously trying to fight the nausea.

"Chloe's not the most powerful being in the universe." Kara said. "I'm the most powerful woman you'll ever know."

"Nope. That's Chloe. Chloe fought death for me, and won." Lois said. "She overcame a universal certainty. If that's the most astonishing thing I've ever wrapped my mind around, I don't know what is."

Lois drank more coffee and wanted a cigarette in her hand. She had quit three years ago, but, when drunk, she always felt a need to smoke.

"So, why visit Earth?" Lois asked, rather loudly. The table across the way stopped talking, to stare at them.

"I'm not visiting. I'm a refuge now. My family, my entire planet is destroyed." Kara said, to encourage Lois to follow up with a probing question. Hopefully, one that would lead Kara into talking about Aago, her father, and her crystal.

Lois looked at Kara's pie. The smell of the warm, sticky filling was making her stomach clench. She couldn't take her eyes from the soft apple chunks. Chunks, she thought.

"I'm gonna puke." Lois suddenly got up and made her way to the back of the restaurant. Kara sat solemnly in her seat, trying to ignore the nagging of her conscience.

"What a second." Chloe interrupted. "Do you not hear what you're saying? Clark, you're telling me, we're suppose to procreate?"

"Well, Chloe. I suppose for us, it could mean other things. We still have freewill you know, we're not birds."

"Well, you're supposed to be able to fly."

He looked at Chloe, who wore a face of incredulousness. He was losing the argument.

"Oh, com' on Chlo', I'm serious here." Clark said.

"Humans don't have pair-bonds" Chloe said sensibly.

"How do you know that?" Clark asked. "We like each other, reaching beyond the term 'friendship'. Pair-bonds change and adapt for each other. You've adapted for me. You said so tonight. And, I've changed for you, too."

"Clark!" Chloe shouted, as she uncomfortably shifted next to him. "Why do you believe this hocus pocus?"

"Because it makes sense Chloe. I'm the first to agree, there are a lot of what-ifs here, but a pair-bond, assuming that we are, explains something that's troubled me for almost three years. You can trigger my super-hearing."

"What do you mean?" Chloe said as her eyes dilated with concern.

"Okay, okay… Here's an example. Kara remained in suspended animation for eighteen years, because she couldn't even hear her ship crash land on Earth. You, were able to pull me out of my training stasis, when you called for me. You cut through the powerful, hypnotic trace my mind was in, and I woke up to save you."

"That's just one example, Clark. Where's the pattern?"

"Alright! Here's another one. Chloe, when you were dead for those few hours, I lost control of my hearing. My mind was desperate to find you. I never what to feel like that again."

Chloe opened her mouth to say something, but Clark wouldn't let her.

"And I know what you're going to say. That I was having a natural human reaction. I'm telling you, it was not a human reaction. I was devastated when Lionel told me Lana died, but I didn't lose control of my body. When you died, the bond was broken, and, I lost myself until I heard you call my name. I need you alive."

Astonishment didn't even begin to cover all the emotions that crawled across Chloe's face.

"I've got more examples if you need them, but it doesn't change a simple truth I learned long ago. When it comes to you, and my super-hearing, you're in charge. Not me."

"Clark, you should have told me." Chloe said, mortified. She crossed the room and prepared herself some ice water. She muttered under her breath. "This can't be right. In both those cases, I called for you by name."

Quietly, Clark said. "Even tonight, I found you, by listening for your heartbeat. Seriously, I think I could pick out your heartbeat, if I stood on the other side of the world. It's more than the pounding and the rush of circulation, it sounds so distinct." He pointed his finger at his head. "It's the bond we share."

Chloe brought Clark his own ice water, as she sat down on the coffee table to face him.

"No—there's another reason." She chugged her water until the ice cubes clinked. "I think I know what's going on."

"A Wall-of-Weird explanation?"

"Yes. The infection is in my heart, Clark." She talked as if she were trying to convince herself. "It sounds distinct to you, because—well, because my heart is full of kryptonite. Not because of voodoo."

Clark looked at her sternum, tempted to use his x-ray vision.

"No you don't" Chloe said, slapping her hand over his eyes. "Dr. Knox said that the 'concentration of meteor-rock in my heart was extraordinary'. I'm 'one-of-a-kind'."

Chloe removed her hand, revealing mischievous eyes. Clark looked like he wanted to say something to her. He seemed to be choking on his own respiration. He got up from the sofa and walked to the fireplace putting distance between them.

Chloe—don't you see how wrong you are? He had to tell her. "Um, Chlo'. You just proved you're supposed to be my mate. Your heart will weaken me. I'm pretty sure, sex… I mean, love." Clark was falling all over himself, he rushed it all out at once. "We could do it and be okay. You'd be okay. I mean."

Chloe's mouth hung open. Sex with you might plaster me to the ceiling, she thought.

Why are you looking at me, that way? Clark returned to the couch to sit opposite from Chloe. His face was only a foot away from Chloe's now. His throat was soft from the cool drink. He was tired. He felt like giving in. He saw that she was still wearing the bracelet, his bracelet. His mind was a circuit board of understanding and moral indecision. Chloe was his mate: his pair. He could be in her face, if he wanted. Or run his fingers through her hair. Our pull her into his lap.

The last time he had kissed her with intensity, was when they were sophomores in high school. He knew perfectly well how far one kiss with Chloe would take them. She could make him a father. Clark wanted to father a child, desperately. Chloe could give him the family he thought he'd never have. One day, I'm not pulling back.

Clark took Chloe's wrist in his hand and removed the bracelet. He handed the jewelry over to her. "It doesn't mean we have to. You understand that right? We still have to agree to things."

Chloe licked her upper lip, her body disappointed with Clark's retreat. Her mind understood that he was being honorable. He had Lana and she had Jimmy. They had freewill and obligations, but her voice reflected disappointment. "It's just seems like Fate and Destiny have teamed up to give us a huge hint."

After ten minutes went by, Kara got up from the booth and went to the Ladies' Room and found Lois. She was done vomiting, but looked awful. Her eyes were red and watery. Kara helped Lois up and assisted her to the sink. Lois washed her face with brown paper towels and pink, liquid soap.

"I wish I had a toothbrush." Lois moaned.

In a flash Kara ran and brought her friend a new toothbrush and some toothpaste. Lois scrubbed out her mouth, removing the acid burned in her tongue. Lois pulled her long hair into a loose knot and straightened her skirt, trying her best to look dignified.

"Are you feeling better?" Kara asked.

"A little. I owe you." Lois said. "I'm not being a very good friend, am I?"

"You're doing okay for the circumstances." Kara said. "I just thought, it would be different—if I told someone."

"You thought we'd be B-F-Fs?" Lois said.

"Something like that." Kara admitted. "I just want a companion and Clark…"

"Not everyone can be as tight as Chloe and Clark." Lois interrupted. "It's like they have some sort of bond. They're so like minded."

"Um"

Together, the women managed to come out of the Ladies' Room to gather their things. Kara requested the check. "Lois. I want to ask you, you didn't happen to see a blue crystal in the grain silo? It looks like an icicle."

"No, but I suspect I'm going to see flying monkeys. I better call Chloe, let her know what's going on."

"Please don't tell Chloe that I'm here, with you."

"Relax" Lois said, almost slurring her words.

Kara watched Lois dig through her purse. Lois opened her phone and dialed.

"Chloe? Kara just told me she's an alien."

Oh my God, Lois! Kara thought.

Kara heard Chloe's calm reply squeak through the tiny speaker and into Lois's ear.

"Lois—how many shots did you have before you cashed in the chips?"

"I have no idea. And that's so unlike me." Lois said. "I don't lose count, usually."

"How much money did you make?" Chloe asked.

"I made rent!" Lois said. "I remember that—for now."

Kara frowned. All she wanted was one person to share her secret with. How could she have misjudged Lois so grossly? She wasn't who she said she was at all. Lois didn't feel exceptional that Kara had chosen her to keep her secret. It completely didn't matter to her at all.

"Well, from my experience, don't have Kara fly you back to Smallville. Stick with the plane ticket. I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"Yeah—tomorrow's not going to be fun." Lois burped. "Bye"

"Why didn't you tell me you can fly? You can save me some money."

Kara gritted her teeth. I did, you just don't remember! Telling Lois her secret was a horrible mistake. Lois wasn't impressed at all. Kara wasn't amazing or special. She was just Kara—Clark's estranged cousin. Lois didn't want to be her confidante. She wanted Kara to be her taxi.

"You're drunk Lois." Kara said. "You should sleep it off."

"You're absolutely right" Lois uttered, as she slumped down the back of the booth.

Clark's face fell as he watched Chloe talk with Lois. Lois knew Kara was an alien, which, most likely meant, Lois knew he was an alien. Clark tried to think back to all those contingency plans he and Chloe devised for situations like this. They usually involved Clark begging Lois not to tell anyone that he's an alien and Chloe, offering herself up as the bad guy in the scenario, channeling pressure off of Clark.

Chloe hung up the phone.

"She knows" Clark said. "Kara kept saying she was going to tell her she's an alien."

"Relax, Lois is wasted" Chloe laughed. "She'll black out on the plane and not remember a thing. There's nothing to worry about."

"One day, it's gonna happen Chloe." Clark said. "For real."

"I'm sure it will be fine, when it does. Don't worry about it." Chloe added. "You have me."

"And you have me." Clark said, acknowledging the change in topic. One day, they were gonna to make love, maybe even tomorrow.

Clark looked at his watch, shocked to see that it was past six. "I need to leave and do chores. Take care of the cows."

"And Lana" Chloe said. She handed him his jacket. "Don't forget your reading assignment."

"I won't" Clark said.

As Clark put on his jacket, Chloe braved up to share something with him.

"Clark" Chloe said. "One thing that didn't get mentioned tonight."

Clark zipped up the bottom portion of his blue coat. "What's that?"

"This infection and the fact that I heal and brought Lois back," Chloe muttered. "Brace yourself for the possibility, I'm very long lived."

Clark's eyes shimmered and he smiled, reminding Chloe of younger and simpler days. He reached Chloe in two steps, and kissed her on the check. She was his friend and his companion, for his unnaturally long life. "You still need to eat and sleep."

"See you soon?"

Clark smiled. It was a rhetorical question. She already knew his answer, as he blurred his way back to the farm.

TBC

I actually do feel that Lois would make an excellent secret keeper. Kara's timing is just poor. You'll see, because I'm not quite done yet. One more chapter and then it's complete.