Yes, time for another Chloe Clark section :P Sorry I'm posting it in chunks like this but it's the way I find myself writing it. I expect there'll be one more section in chapter 2, probably the longest. If I didn't go ahead and post each section after I was done with them, I'd probably never stop editing and get on to the next one :)



Shadows : Chapter 2b



"This is useless" Chloe sat back and threw her arms up in exasperation. "The problem is that everything significant is in the lack of something. How do you run a search based on the fact that there wasn't a body and that there wasn't a killer? It's like looking for a needle in a haystack except that the needle isn't really a needle, it's an empty needle shaped… void."

"And the haystack is the size of Kansas?" Clark asked.

"Try North America."

Mr. Finn had been quite happy to have visitors. He'd greeted them, expressed sympathy with Clark over the trauma he must have experienced the night before, and he'd even invited them into his office to have coffee and chat for a while. What he hadn't done, despite numerous hints from Chloe that built to an outright request, was allow them to take a look at his guest list.

"Oh no, couldn't do that." He had said, " I gave a list to the police of course but I certainly don't think my customers expect me to give out their names. Besides, you two kids really should leave well enough alone. This isn't the kind of thing you want to get involved with."

The last sentence had carried a hard to miss air of disapproval.

Chloe had wanted to go door to door and interview people directly. Clark had pointed out the pros and cons of bringing the attention of a killer to themselves and she had, after due consideration, admitted that it might not be the safest course of action. Thus they found themselves back at the Torch, a box of half eaten pizza sitting forgotten on a table, with the computer screen taunting them to try searching through just one more news site.

"What have we got." Clark tried to go over it all again piece by piece "We've got a pool of blood, a dead bus driver, a bus that was going from New York to Metropolis but happened to break down in Smallville, and a killer who can not only disappear, but take the body with him."

Chloe perked up at that last part. "Just because you didn't see him doesn't mean he disappeared, maybe you just missed him. I mean, you couldn't have been that close when you heard the scream. " She paused a second before continuing. "That's a good question, how long did it take you to get to the bus after you heard the scream."

Oops.

"Not long." He continued quickly in an effort to stop her from asking any more uncomfortable questions. "I was going right past the hotel when I heard it. It really wasn't that dark, I don't think anyone could have slipped out."

"Clark there was like one light for that entire parking lot." After a moment's consideration Chloe pulled her chair closer to Clark. She could do that, right? They were technically dating, weren't they? Ever so casually she leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. He always smelled so clean… She felt Clark lift his arm around her shoulders and she nestled closer. Apparently he could take a hint. "What were you doing there anyway? I called a couple times on Sunday and your parents had no idea where you were."

"I spent the afternoon at the Beanery"

The Beanery, not the Talon.

"All by yourself?"

"Except for the coffee. There was also a piece of apple pie but it didn't stick around long."

She poked him in the ribs and received a satisfying grunt in response.

"Setting aside why you decided to spend your Sunday afternoon, all alone, at the Beanery, which I will refrain from prying about right now, that doesn't explain how you ended up at the hotel six blocks away when someone decided to scream. What is it with you and dangerous nasty things, it's like you've got radar or something." The chair arm was definitely in the way, she'd have to convince him to try this on a couch. She put that item on her to do list and pushed it right up to second with little debate.

"I decided to take the scenic route home."

Yes… the chair armrest was definitely in the way. Sitting up she looked at Clark's face for a moment, trying to decide what to say next when a light bulb went off inside her head.

"Coffee." She said.

Clark blinked. "Yes… Coffee… they serve allot of that at Coffee shops."

"No. Coffee. Lana. Lana wanted you to talk with her."

Clark simply frowned in confusion. "And we've been busy, I figured I'd just catch her at school tomorrow."

Chloe hit the mental rewind button, pressing play right around the spot where Lana had left the Torch and Clark had walked in. She'd told him Lana wanted to talk to him. She did mention the Talon. Then she'd pushed the topic aside without mentioning the fact that Lana had seemed upset or that speaking to him had apparently been important. At the time she simply hadn't wanted to lose Clark's focus. A slight sensation of guilt knocked on her door, bringing with it a suitcase containing samples of selfishness and callousness for her personal inspection.

"Actually, Clark, she seemed a little upset. I think she was hoping to talk to you tonight."

Clark frowned and looked at the clock above the door. The small hand was pointing prominently at a perfectly shaped number ten.

"Well, It's too late now. I'll have to catch up with her in the morning. Actually…"

"Yah, I know." Chloe let out a sigh before finishing off the thought. "You take care of the pizza. I'll shut down the computer."

"Deal." Clark sent her a smile but his eyes weren't quite in it for the first time in days. Part of him was off in Lana land. That look had gone on vacation for a while, and she hadn't missed it. The guilt at not mentioning Lana's mood disappeared entirely. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it anymore.

The moment didn't last long and by the time they left the torch office hand in hand he seemed to be all hers. Not willing to spoil things over of a single portion of his thoughts she wasn't privy to, she did the only thing she could.

She let it go.