Chapter 23
A.N: This is by far the longest chapter of the story so far… It was a lot of fun to write even though it took me two days to do so. I just hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Remember to leave your feedback.
*-*-*-*-*
"Lois", Chloe groaned when she woke up.
She slid of the bed with her eyes still closed trying to go for the bathroom. She bumped into the door and finally opened her eyes.
How did I pass out in Lois's room, she thought.
She looked over to the bed and saw it empty. Lois must have been awake already. Which was weird, considering not even an earthquake could wake her. Chloe finally opened the door to the room and walked to the bathroom. She passed by the mirror and stopped. Something wasn't right. She stared at her reflection. Her blond hair had been switched with darker, longer locks. Her green eyes became hazel over night. And she'd grown an extra couple of inches.
"AH!"
*-*-*-*-*
"Lois", Chloe ran to the couch and tried waking up her cousin, "Lois wake up! Open your eyes…!"
Lois groaned and rolled over.
"Chloe put the coffee on", she mumbled.
"WAKE UP!"
Lois's eyes shot up. That was her voice yelling at her. She sat up in bed and stared at herself.
"Get away from me", she said jumping off the pull out couch, "Who are you?"
"Lois it's me, Chloe."
"Chloe is short and blond", Lois said grabbing the remote as a weapon, "You happen to look like me, but you're not me."
"Look in the mirror", Chloe sighed.
Lois walked backwards towards the bathroom and peaked inside. She saw her reflection was in fact her cousin's.
"Oh my God", she whispered dropping her remote.
"How did this happen", Lois screamed.
"I don't know", Chloe said crossing her arms, "But I'm in your body and you're in mine."
"Okay", Lois said walking closer to her cousin, "Why did this happen?"
"I don't know Lois", Chloe said, "But I think a better question is how long are we going to be like this?"
"Oh my God", Lois repeated the same mantra over again.
"Calm down", Chloe said, "We just have to get Clark to help-"
"No", Lois said, "We can't tell Clark."
"Why not", Chloe asked dropping her arms.
"He'll freak out and the truth is we don't know who or what did this."
"Lois-"
"No", Lois stopped her, "We just have to wait it out. Who knows, maybe it'll be like Freaky Friday and only be a day."
"This is going to be a long day", Chloe groaned.
*-*-*-*-*
"You'll just have to pretend to be me", Lois was telling Chloe in the elevator.
"Fine", Chloe said, "And what if this takes longer than a day?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
They both walked off the elevator towards Lois's desk and saw Clark already sitting down at his computer.
"Hey Lois", he said without looking up.
Chloe didn't answer causing Lois to bump her shoulder.
"Oh… hey Clark", she stumbled.
He looked up and smiled. "Chloe… I didn't know you'd be joining us today."
"Lois wanted to keep me close", Lois answered.
"Have you talked to Jimmy?"
"No", she answered.
"He's been staying at the farm", Clark said, "He misses you…"
Chloe, in Lois's body, smiled and said, "Really?"
Clark raised his eyebrow. "Lois, you're a bit excited about that."
"Well you know", Chloe answered and grinned, "I want my cuz to be happy."
Clark smirked. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine", she grinned.
"Okay", he said, "Stick to decaff, Lane."
"So", Chloe said, "What's on the agenda today?"
"I've got a source to catch up with", Clark said raising his eyebrow again, "For the mayor corruption story we're working on…"
"Oh", Chloe asked, "What do I do?"
"Lois", he said, "Look on your desk…"
"Right", Chloe smiled getting another shove from Lois. This was getting so confusing.
She walked around his desk and sat down, leaning back, it felt good to be sitting there again.
Clark watched her getting comfortable. "You know this is the longest conversation we've had since-"
"Since what", Chloe asked.
"Uh", Lois interceded, not wanting Clark to tell her about their fight, "Lois, I think you should get to work and let Clark get to his source…"
"Chloe", Clark said turning to face her, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah", she smiled and punched his shoulder, "Why wouldn't I be?"
Clark's gazed lowered to where she'd just hit him.
"Okay", he said wondering about how weird both of them were acting, "I'll see you later then."
"Sure thing, Smallville", Lois, in Chloe's body, said smiling.
Chloe's eyes bugged out from where she was sitting.
Clark turned around. "Smallville", he asked.
"Oh", Lois caught herself, "I stay with Lois for a couple of nights and already she's influencing me."
"Right", Clark stretched, "I'll see you later. Stay out of trouble."
"We will", Chloe said sitting up straight.
When he was out of ear shot, Chloe glared at Lois.
"You almost got us caught", she whispered.
"I'm sorry", Lois groaned, "Force of habit."
"Chloe."
Both of them turned around when the name was called.
"Hey Jimmy", Chloe said.
"Hey Lois", he smiled finding it weird for her to greet him so warmly.
She grinned.
"Okay", he smiled and turned to face Lois, "Chloe, how have you been?"
Lois finally looked at him. "Good, Olsen. And yourself?"
"Um, good", he said, "I've been staying at-"
"Clark's", Lois cut him off, "Yeah I heard. That's good."
"Um", Jimmy walked closer to her, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine", Lois said, "Why?"
"Um, no reason", he said, "Listen, I was wondering if we could get together for lunch to talk."
"N-"
"She'd love to", Chloe answered for her receiving a glare from Lois. She shrugged.
"Great", Jimmy smiled, "One o'clock at Antonio's?"
"Fine", Lois clenched her teeth, "One o'clock."
He smiled and waved at Chloe sitting down and walked away.
"Would it kill you to be nice to him", Chloe asked.
"I was nice."
"He thinks you're me and he's not going to want to work stuff out if you don't start treating him like I would."
"I'll treat him better", Lois smiled sarcastically.
"Promise", Chloe warned.
"Scout's honor."
"Lane!"
Both turned around to see Tess Mercer walking up to them.
"How's the article coming", she asked.
"Clark's meeting a source now", Lois answered.
"Thank you, Sullivan", Tess shook her head, "But I asked Lois."
"Right", Lois smiled.
"So hop to it Lane", Tess said, "What are you doing while Clark is meeting a source?"
"I'm going to meet another source", Chloe said standing, "In downtown. Chloe you should tag along."
"Sure", Lois smiled.
"Get to work", Tess said walking back up the stairs.
"Get me out of here", Lois mumbled.
"I second that", Chloe said walking to the elevators.
*-*-*-*-*
"Okay so while I'm lunch with… Jimmy", Lois groaned, "What are you going to be doing?"
"I'll be writing your article so you don't get fired."
"What about your work", Lois asked.
"I'll be fine missing a day", Chloe shrugged, "Tess, on the other hand, can't know anything is wrong."
"Right", Lois smiled, "And remember-"
"No telling Clark", Chloe mumbled, "I heard you."
"Okay then", Lois said, "I'll be at lunch with your husband. You know that sounds wrong, right?"
"Yeah", Chloe scrunched her face.
"Call me if anything happens", Lois said.
"I will", Chloe said as her cousin began to walk off, "And be nice!"
"Yeah yeah", Lois mumbled crossing the street.
*-*-*-*-*
"So how have you been", Jimmy was asking.
"Huh", Lois said playing with her phone, "I'm sorry what did you say?"
"Chloe", Jimmy smiled awkwardly, "Are you listening to me?"
"Yes", Lois smiled putting her phone away, "There all gone."
"Okay", he smiled again, "I asked how you were?"
"Good."
"Just good", he asked.
"Great", Lois tried.
"Um, okay", he said.
"Listen, Jimmy", Lois started, "I don't want to be mean, but I've just got a lot on my mind. Can we start over here?"
"Definitely", he smiled.
"So how have you been", he asked again.
"I've been okay", she smiled softly, "How about you?"
"Okay", he said, "CK just wakes up before the roosters to do chores and it's kind of annoying. Not to mention he drives like Miss Daisy to work."
Lois smiled softly thinking about her life on the farm. "He does doesn't he", she sighed.
"Chloe…"
"I'm sorry", Lois smiled, "Just thinking about when I lived on the farm…"
"You never lived on the farm."
Lois caught herself. "Not officially. I stayed a few times. The Kent's were always welcoming", Lois tried to cover.
"You're acting really weird", Jimmy said.
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah", he said drinking from his cup and mumbled, "Really weird."
*-*-*-*-*
"Oh hey Lois", Clark said smiling.
"You're back", Chloe smiled.
"Yeah", Clark said, "Have you had lunch?"
"No, Lo- I mean Chloe went to lunch with Jimmy and left me all alone."
"Oh, well we could catch up and go to lunch."
"Sure", Chloe smiled, "So how have you been?"
"Good", he stretched hitting the button on the elevator.
"That's good", Chloe smiled, "What are you in the mood for?"
"How about that sub shop down the street, I can go for a chicken salad sub right now", Chloe smiled.
"Wow", Clark said stepping into the elevator with Chloe following, "That's Chloe's favorite food."
"Really", Chloe said covering, "Imagine that. I guess I've been spending too much time with my cousin."
"I guess…"
*-*-*-*-*
Clark watched her eat. She may have looked like herself, but she wasn't acting like herself.
"What's wrong, Clark", Chloe asked.
"Nothing, I'm glad we're finally getting over the whole Bruce thing", he said smiling.
"It's water under the bridge", Chloe waved her hand and took another bite of her sub.
"Still, I need to tell you something."
She placed her sub down. "What is it?"
"Tess Mercer kissed me", he said quickly.
Chloe's eyes bugged out. "Oh-"
"She caught me off guard on the way to the press conference", he was excusing, "But I stopped her."
"Okay", Chloe said sitting back.
"I stopped her because I was thinking of you", Clark said softly, "And of what you'd think…"
"Clark-"
"Wait", he said, "I need to get this out. I'm sorry I got crazy about Bruce. It's like I don't want you with anyone else, and I know that sounds possessive but I feel like you've suddenly become the center of my world. Ever since I told you the truth about me, every reaction, every touch, every support it's like you make me want to be that hero that I see myself as in your eyes. Lois, I think I'm in love with you. And when I saw you asleep with Bruce that night-"
"What", Chloe asked her jaw dropping.
"I was floating outside your window", Clark whispered, "And you two were on the couch. I thought the worst."
"Clark", Chloe said, "There's nothing between Bruce and I."
"I know that", he said, "I just couldn't help it."
"It's okay", Chloe said.
He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "Lois, I'm in love with you."
"Thank you", Chloe tried.
Clark pulled away from her hand slowly. "Not the reaction I was hoping for", he smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry, Clark", Chloe said, "I haven't been myself today."
"Its fine", he said, "It's a lot to take in…"
Chloe nodded softly and closed her eyes feeling guilty.
"Clark", she tried, "How have you been since Lana left again?"
Clark sat back. "You want to talk about Lana?"
"Yeah", Chloe said, "I miss her you know…"
"You miss Lana?"
"Don't you", Chloe asked.
"I mean yeah I guess", Clark said, "Lana and I were over a long time ago though…"
"I didn't mean like that", Chloe said.
"I wish I could have kept her safe", Clark bowed his head, "But you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved."
"That's what I told Lana about you in high school…"
"Lois", Clark smiled, "You're acting really weird today?"
"I'm just not myself", she smiled, "But why did she leave?"
Clark raised his eyebrow in surprise. "We, well she, decided it'd be best. To keep my secret safe she'd need to be as far away from me as possible. I guess I understood… That or I'm just used to people leaving… That's why I didn't want Chloe to know… It was never about trust, it was always about her safety… But, we better get back to the office. We need to type up that article."
"Yeah", Chloe smiled softly and proudly, "Let's go."