Chapter 37- Bits and Pieces
**"Clark, you have some explaining to do," Lex said menacingly as he advanced on the younger boy.
"Don't do this," Clark pleaded backing away from Lex. "I'm your friend."
"Oh please. You think I don't see the way your parents look at me? The way half the town looks at me? You're no different. Friendship's a fairytale, Clark. Respect and fear are the best you can hope for," Lex sneered clicking the safety off of the machine gun in his hands.
"Lex, don't do this. This isn't you," Clark said holding his hands up in surrender.
Lex chuckled and held down the trigger.
Clark was hit by a barrage of bullets that sent him flying backwards.
**Flash! **
"You know what the emperors you're always talking about were really afraid of?" Lex asked. "That their sons would become successful and return to Rome at the head of their own armies."
"You think you can find your future in Smallville?" Lionel asked. "I'm your future. Join me, Lex. Join me in Metropolis. How long have you been waiting for me to say those words?"
"I've waited to hear other things from you for a lot longer," Lex said pausing to let his words sink in. "I'll return to Metropolis when I'm ready."
"At the head of an army?" Lionel asked.
Lex only looked at Lionel with defiance in his eyes.
**Flash! **
"Do you what my father gave me for my tenth birthday?" Lex asked a shifty looking man. "A copy of The Will To Power. 'Behold the Superman- man is something to be overcome.' Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, Nietzsche, they were the voices that nurtured me after my mother died. My father made every question a quiz, every choice a test. Second best was for losers, compassion for the weak, trust no one. Those were the lessons I grew up with."
"I'll remember that if I'm ever interviewed by the biography channel," the man said sarcastically.
"All I'm saying Dominic, is try to remember who I was raised by. I try to deny it, but I'm still my father's son. Tread carefully," Lex warned the man.
**Flash! **
"My father says you learn more about yourself when you lose," Clark said honestly.
"What'd you learn?" Lex asked curiously.
"That I'm not destined to be a politician. You need two different personalities," Clark explained.
"You don't have to be an elected official to change the world, Clark," Lex told his friend.
"Have you ever thought about going into politics?" Clark asked.
"Someday," Lex answered. "I'd like to be president."**
That phrase brought Chloe quickly out of her dream.
"You okay?" Clark whispered.
Chloe felt embarrassed when she realized she had fallen asleep on Clark's shoulder. She looked straight ahead. The movie was almost over. "Yeah," Chloe answered looking up at Clark.
Clark narrowed his eyes at her in disbelief. Chloe chose to ignore his gaze as she sat upright.
Lex had said he wanted to be president. The thought chilled Chloe's blood. She kept finding out bits of information that proved Cassandra's vision to be right. Didn't this just confirm that Lex was destined to be that monster in her dream? It couldn't be! She wouldn't let it happen!
Chloe almost skipped a detail. Clark had been shot. Not just once or twice, but with a gun full of bullets. That had to mean that this last dream was not reality. Didn't it? Or maybe that one part never happened? Chloe pulled her notepad and pen out of her vintage bag. She quickly jotted down her dream for further analyzing. Just as she shoved the pen and notebook back in her bag the lights came back on in the theater.
"Did you like the movie?" Whitney asked Chloe as the group made their way outside.
"Umm…" Chloe said not sure what to say.
"She fell asleep," Lana said coldly.
Her words shocked Chloe. "Uh, yeah. I guess I was tired."
"Your loss," Pete said noticing the tension between Lana and Chloe, and Lana and Clark.
"Yeah, well," Chloe replied just as her phone rang.
Lana quickly pulled it out of her purse. "It's your house," she told Chloe.
"It may be Lex," Clark said as Chloe jerked the phone out of Lana's hand.
"Oh well," Chloe said flipping the phone up to her ear. "Hello?…Hey, Dad…We just finished watching a movie…He did?…Really?…Why?…What?…It's all part of their not so perfect little plan…Yeah, I'll talk to him…Okay, thanks…Bye."
"What was that about?" Whitney asked.
"Lex has been calling all day. He wants to talk to me. Something about you guys not letting me talk," Chloe said annoyed.
"Well, you can talk to him tomorrow," Pete said.
"No, I can talk to him today," Chloe said defiantly.
Clark took the phone out of her hand before she could say anything. "Remember, no calls to Lex."
"Give it back, Clark," Chloe hissed.
Lana's eyes got wide at Chloe's sudden change in demeanor.
"No," Clark said.
"Now, Clark. I'm not playing," Chloe told him angrily.
"Chloe, it's okay," Whitney tried to reason.
Chloe held her hand out. "I am not kidding," she said in a controlled voice.
"Chloe, what's wrong with you?" Lana asked.
"I just want my damn phone back," Chloe said her face turning red.
"Clark, give it to her," Lana told him.
"No. Stress-free, Lex-free," Clark said not backing down. Even if Chloe came after him she couldn't hurt him.
"Pete?" Chloe asked.
"Clark, man. Hand it over," Pete urged.
"No," Clark said simply. "Calm down, Chlo."
"All I want is my phone so I can call Lex. All I want to do is explain to him what we're doing. That's all," Chloe said trying to calm herself.
"You can tell him tomorrow," Clark said calmly.
"Tomorrow's not good enough," Chloe shouted. The dream on top of this was making her very emotional. She started to shake as Clark talked again.
"Yes, it is," Clark said.
"Clark, please?" Chloe pleaded desperately, trying to control the tears that were welling up inside of her.
"No, Chloe," Clark said softly.
Chloe pressed her fingertips to the sides of her face and sat on a bench outside of the theater. As all her friends watched she began to cry.
"Chlo?" Whitney asked sadly.
Pete and Clark sat on either side of Chloe. "Can you guys give us a minute?" Pete asked Whitney and Lana.
"Sure," Whitney said. "We'll go for a walk."
Lana didn't want to leave Clark with Chloe, but there was something seriously wrong with Chloe. So, she let Whitney lead her away.
"Chloe? What's really wrong?" Pete asked.
"Everything," Chloe said not looking at either boy.
"Chlo?" Clark asked in a voice full of worry.
Chloe looked up at him through her tears. "Did Lex ever tell you he wanted to be president?"
Clark narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Yes, why?"
Chloe shut her eyes as she remembered the dream of Lex in the oval office. To this day it still haunted her.
"What is it, Chloe?" Pete asked.
"I can't explain," Chloe said.
"You had another dream, didn't you?" Clark asked knowingly.
Chloe nodded.
"What happened?" Pete asked.
"Bits and pieces of conversations between Lex and Lionel, Lex and some man named Dominic, and Lex and Clark," Chloe explained.
"What between Lex and me?" Clark asked.
"You were talking about not being good enough to be a politician. Lex said you didn't have to be to change the world. You asked if he ever thought about going into politics," Chloe said.
"And he said he wanted to be president someday," Clark finished for her.
"So it was real," Chloe confirmed.
"That much. Keep going. What else?" Clark asked.
"He shot you," Chloe said sadly.
"What?" Pete asked.
"Lex said that Clark had some explaining to do. He went on and on about how friendship was a fairytale. How Clark didn't care about him. Clark begged him to stop, but he wouldn't. He had a machine gun and shot Clark," Chloe said in confusion.
"Well, that's obviously never happened," Pete said as Clark chuckled nervously.
"Clark?" Chloe asked.
"Nope, not that I remember," Clark said worried she would see he was lying.
"I guess you're right. Otherwise you'd be dead," Chloe said her tears starting to ebb.
"What else?" Pete asked.
"I can't explain anymore," Chloe said.
"Why not?" Clark asked.
"It's between Lex and Lionel and Lex and this Dominic person," Chloe said. "I told you, it's like private conversations."
"Well, one of them must have really shook you up," Clark pointed out.
"Yeah, the one about Lex and politics," Chloe answered truthfully.
"How?" Pete asked.
"It just confirms Lex's destiny. That he'll become what Cassandra saw," Chloe said not giving away much detail.
Pete and Clark knew she wouldn't tell them specifics so they changed subjects.
"You ready to join back up with Whitney and Lana?" Clark asked.
Chloe nodded. "Group hug?" she asked hopefully.
Clark laughed. "Of course," he said as the three stood.
The boys wrapped Chloe in a tight hug. They stayed that way for more than a minute before Chloe pulled away.
"Thanks. I needed that," Chloe said.
"Anytime," Pete answered with a grin.
"Now can I have my phone?" Chloe asked.
Clark shot her a dirty look. "What do you think?"
"Okay, okay," Chloe said as she wrapped her arms around the guys' waists. They threw their arms around her shoulders and went to find Lana and Whitney.
"It's time to go," Lana said as the three approached her.
Chloe nodded. "Thanks for everything you guys. I'm sorry I was such a jerk," Chloe said directing her comment mostly to Lana.
Lana nodded in understanding as the five walked to Clark's car.
"Can you drop me off at Lex's?" Chloe asked as Clark pulled onto the street.
"I don't know," Clark replied glancing at Lana.
"Uh, let me rephrase. Drop me off at Lex's," Chloe said defiantly.
Clark glanced at Lana again.
"Stop looking at her!" Chloe said frustrated. "Drop me off at Lex's."
"He sounded pretty angry," Pete warned.
"Yeah…I know," Chloe answered curtly.
"We'll all go to my house. I'll keep the portable near by and if you need us call," Clark offered.
"Thank you," Chloe said reaching up to squeeze his shoulder appreciatively. "I'll call you when I get home."
**"Clark, you have some explaining to do," Lex said menacingly as he advanced on the younger boy.
"Don't do this," Clark pleaded backing away from Lex. "I'm your friend."
"Oh please. You think I don't see the way your parents look at me? The way half the town looks at me? You're no different. Friendship's a fairytale, Clark. Respect and fear are the best you can hope for," Lex sneered clicking the safety off of the machine gun in his hands.
"Lex, don't do this. This isn't you," Clark said holding his hands up in surrender.
Lex chuckled and held down the trigger.
Clark was hit by a barrage of bullets that sent him flying backwards.
**Flash! **
"You know what the emperors you're always talking about were really afraid of?" Lex asked. "That their sons would become successful and return to Rome at the head of their own armies."
"You think you can find your future in Smallville?" Lionel asked. "I'm your future. Join me, Lex. Join me in Metropolis. How long have you been waiting for me to say those words?"
"I've waited to hear other things from you for a lot longer," Lex said pausing to let his words sink in. "I'll return to Metropolis when I'm ready."
"At the head of an army?" Lionel asked.
Lex only looked at Lionel with defiance in his eyes.
**Flash! **
"Do you what my father gave me for my tenth birthday?" Lex asked a shifty looking man. "A copy of The Will To Power. 'Behold the Superman- man is something to be overcome.' Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, Nietzsche, they were the voices that nurtured me after my mother died. My father made every question a quiz, every choice a test. Second best was for losers, compassion for the weak, trust no one. Those were the lessons I grew up with."
"I'll remember that if I'm ever interviewed by the biography channel," the man said sarcastically.
"All I'm saying Dominic, is try to remember who I was raised by. I try to deny it, but I'm still my father's son. Tread carefully," Lex warned the man.
**Flash! **
"My father says you learn more about yourself when you lose," Clark said honestly.
"What'd you learn?" Lex asked curiously.
"That I'm not destined to be a politician. You need two different personalities," Clark explained.
"You don't have to be an elected official to change the world, Clark," Lex told his friend.
"Have you ever thought about going into politics?" Clark asked.
"Someday," Lex answered. "I'd like to be president."**
That phrase brought Chloe quickly out of her dream.
"You okay?" Clark whispered.
Chloe felt embarrassed when she realized she had fallen asleep on Clark's shoulder. She looked straight ahead. The movie was almost over. "Yeah," Chloe answered looking up at Clark.
Clark narrowed his eyes at her in disbelief. Chloe chose to ignore his gaze as she sat upright.
Lex had said he wanted to be president. The thought chilled Chloe's blood. She kept finding out bits of information that proved Cassandra's vision to be right. Didn't this just confirm that Lex was destined to be that monster in her dream? It couldn't be! She wouldn't let it happen!
Chloe almost skipped a detail. Clark had been shot. Not just once or twice, but with a gun full of bullets. That had to mean that this last dream was not reality. Didn't it? Or maybe that one part never happened? Chloe pulled her notepad and pen out of her vintage bag. She quickly jotted down her dream for further analyzing. Just as she shoved the pen and notebook back in her bag the lights came back on in the theater.
"Did you like the movie?" Whitney asked Chloe as the group made their way outside.
"Umm…" Chloe said not sure what to say.
"She fell asleep," Lana said coldly.
Her words shocked Chloe. "Uh, yeah. I guess I was tired."
"Your loss," Pete said noticing the tension between Lana and Chloe, and Lana and Clark.
"Yeah, well," Chloe replied just as her phone rang.
Lana quickly pulled it out of her purse. "It's your house," she told Chloe.
"It may be Lex," Clark said as Chloe jerked the phone out of Lana's hand.
"Oh well," Chloe said flipping the phone up to her ear. "Hello?…Hey, Dad…We just finished watching a movie…He did?…Really?…Why?…What?…It's all part of their not so perfect little plan…Yeah, I'll talk to him…Okay, thanks…Bye."
"What was that about?" Whitney asked.
"Lex has been calling all day. He wants to talk to me. Something about you guys not letting me talk," Chloe said annoyed.
"Well, you can talk to him tomorrow," Pete said.
"No, I can talk to him today," Chloe said defiantly.
Clark took the phone out of her hand before she could say anything. "Remember, no calls to Lex."
"Give it back, Clark," Chloe hissed.
Lana's eyes got wide at Chloe's sudden change in demeanor.
"No," Clark said.
"Now, Clark. I'm not playing," Chloe told him angrily.
"Chloe, it's okay," Whitney tried to reason.
Chloe held her hand out. "I am not kidding," she said in a controlled voice.
"Chloe, what's wrong with you?" Lana asked.
"I just want my damn phone back," Chloe said her face turning red.
"Clark, give it to her," Lana told him.
"No. Stress-free, Lex-free," Clark said not backing down. Even if Chloe came after him she couldn't hurt him.
"Pete?" Chloe asked.
"Clark, man. Hand it over," Pete urged.
"No," Clark said simply. "Calm down, Chlo."
"All I want is my phone so I can call Lex. All I want to do is explain to him what we're doing. That's all," Chloe said trying to calm herself.
"You can tell him tomorrow," Clark said calmly.
"Tomorrow's not good enough," Chloe shouted. The dream on top of this was making her very emotional. She started to shake as Clark talked again.
"Yes, it is," Clark said.
"Clark, please?" Chloe pleaded desperately, trying to control the tears that were welling up inside of her.
"No, Chloe," Clark said softly.
Chloe pressed her fingertips to the sides of her face and sat on a bench outside of the theater. As all her friends watched she began to cry.
"Chlo?" Whitney asked sadly.
Pete and Clark sat on either side of Chloe. "Can you guys give us a minute?" Pete asked Whitney and Lana.
"Sure," Whitney said. "We'll go for a walk."
Lana didn't want to leave Clark with Chloe, but there was something seriously wrong with Chloe. So, she let Whitney lead her away.
"Chloe? What's really wrong?" Pete asked.
"Everything," Chloe said not looking at either boy.
"Chlo?" Clark asked in a voice full of worry.
Chloe looked up at him through her tears. "Did Lex ever tell you he wanted to be president?"
Clark narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Yes, why?"
Chloe shut her eyes as she remembered the dream of Lex in the oval office. To this day it still haunted her.
"What is it, Chloe?" Pete asked.
"I can't explain," Chloe said.
"You had another dream, didn't you?" Clark asked knowingly.
Chloe nodded.
"What happened?" Pete asked.
"Bits and pieces of conversations between Lex and Lionel, Lex and some man named Dominic, and Lex and Clark," Chloe explained.
"What between Lex and me?" Clark asked.
"You were talking about not being good enough to be a politician. Lex said you didn't have to be to change the world. You asked if he ever thought about going into politics," Chloe said.
"And he said he wanted to be president someday," Clark finished for her.
"So it was real," Chloe confirmed.
"That much. Keep going. What else?" Clark asked.
"He shot you," Chloe said sadly.
"What?" Pete asked.
"Lex said that Clark had some explaining to do. He went on and on about how friendship was a fairytale. How Clark didn't care about him. Clark begged him to stop, but he wouldn't. He had a machine gun and shot Clark," Chloe said in confusion.
"Well, that's obviously never happened," Pete said as Clark chuckled nervously.
"Clark?" Chloe asked.
"Nope, not that I remember," Clark said worried she would see he was lying.
"I guess you're right. Otherwise you'd be dead," Chloe said her tears starting to ebb.
"What else?" Pete asked.
"I can't explain anymore," Chloe said.
"Why not?" Clark asked.
"It's between Lex and Lionel and Lex and this Dominic person," Chloe said. "I told you, it's like private conversations."
"Well, one of them must have really shook you up," Clark pointed out.
"Yeah, the one about Lex and politics," Chloe answered truthfully.
"How?" Pete asked.
"It just confirms Lex's destiny. That he'll become what Cassandra saw," Chloe said not giving away much detail.
Pete and Clark knew she wouldn't tell them specifics so they changed subjects.
"You ready to join back up with Whitney and Lana?" Clark asked.
Chloe nodded. "Group hug?" she asked hopefully.
Clark laughed. "Of course," he said as the three stood.
The boys wrapped Chloe in a tight hug. They stayed that way for more than a minute before Chloe pulled away.
"Thanks. I needed that," Chloe said.
"Anytime," Pete answered with a grin.
"Now can I have my phone?" Chloe asked.
Clark shot her a dirty look. "What do you think?"
"Okay, okay," Chloe said as she wrapped her arms around the guys' waists. They threw their arms around her shoulders and went to find Lana and Whitney.
"It's time to go," Lana said as the three approached her.
Chloe nodded. "Thanks for everything you guys. I'm sorry I was such a jerk," Chloe said directing her comment mostly to Lana.
Lana nodded in understanding as the five walked to Clark's car.
"Can you drop me off at Lex's?" Chloe asked as Clark pulled onto the street.
"I don't know," Clark replied glancing at Lana.
"Uh, let me rephrase. Drop me off at Lex's," Chloe said defiantly.
Clark glanced at Lana again.
"Stop looking at her!" Chloe said frustrated. "Drop me off at Lex's."
"He sounded pretty angry," Pete warned.
"Yeah…I know," Chloe answered curtly.
"We'll all go to my house. I'll keep the portable near by and if you need us call," Clark offered.
"Thank you," Chloe said reaching up to squeeze his shoulder appreciatively. "I'll call you when I get home."