Chapter 3
"Lex Luthor," Lex said into the phone, picking it up from where it lay on his desk.
"Hey, Lex. Is Lana around?" asked a cheery voice.
"What? You don't want to talk to me anymore?" Lex teased.
"You know I absolutely love talking to you, but where's Lana?" Chloe asked again, laughter in her voice.
Lex laughed. "Let me find her. She's here somewhere," Lex said, standing and leaving the room.
"I still don't see how you never lose her in that castle of yours. If I were Lana I would get hopelessly lost," Chloe said, happily.
"Having lived here the last eleven years I know my way around, Chlo. Besides, I know all of Lana's favorite places to go, so I check there first," Lex explained. "Just a second."
"Ok," Chloe said.
Lex covered the phone with his hand, but Chloe could still hear him. "Jessica, have you seen Mrs. Luthor?"
"Yes, sir. The mistress is in the guest bedroom," Jessica replied, lowering her eyes.
As hard as Lex tried he couldn't get the servants to stop treating him like royalty, or at least get them to stop treating him like Lionel. "Thank you. Chlo, you still there?"
"So, I guess you do lose her, huh?" Chloe asked, beginning to laugh.
"Ha ha, very funny," Lex said, swinging open a large wooden door. "Lan, Chlo's on the phone."
Lana was smoothing the dark print comforter over the large canopy bed. She smiled at Lex, kissed him quickly, then took the phone. "Hey, Chloe."
"I heard that," Chloe said in a complaining tone.
"Yeah, yeah, like you never kiss Clark when we're around," Lana said, her eyes lighting up.
Lex began to help her smooth the comforter, but she waved him away.
"Clark has given me the night off. No baby-sitting, no smelly farmboy, no nothing. You want to go do something?" Chloe asked.
"You know, if he smells that bad you can tell him to take a shower," Lana teased, laughing at Lex's quizzical look.
Chloe laughed. "Believe me, on occasion I do. So?"
"Just a sec," Lana said, taking the phone from her ear and looking at Lex. "Chloe and I are going out tonight. Got any problems with that?"
Lex smirked. "What would you say if I did?"
"That I didn't care, I was going anyway," Lana retorted, her eyes daring Lex to comment.
"Then go," Lex said with a wave of his hand and a heavy sigh. "Don't worry about your husband here all alone with no one to talk to."
Lana grinned. "Okay, Chlo."
"Good, and tell Lex that Martha's taking Lauren so he should expect Clark by seven," Chloe told her friend.
"Aw, and he was so looking forward to playing the lonely husband," Lana said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Okay, I'll see you tonight."
"Bye," Chloe replied.
"Bye," Lana said, hanging up. "Looks like you'll have company after all. Martha's taking Lauren, so Clark's coming over tonight."
"Well, that ruins my plans," Lex said, standing as if to leave the room.
Lana reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him in front of herself. She grabbed his shirt and brought him down for a kiss. "Do you have any plans for right now?" she asked sexily.
"Oh you know, this and that," Lex said, trying his hardest not to smile.
"And what about the other?" Lana whispered, laying back on the bed and pulling Lex with her.
"The other's.okay," Lex said with a grin as they began to kiss.
* * *
"This is your idea of a night on the town?" Lana asked, perusing the place of choice.
"Hey, we've had lots of good times here. Don't knock it," Chloe warned, opening the door.
"I'm not knocking it," Lana said, then began to laugh. "I own it."
"And that makes it not the ideal place to spend time away from your worries and problems?" Chloe asked.
Lana smiled. "Only you could make the Talon seem like the place of your dreams."
"I'm just good with words, what can I say?" Chloe asked, sitting in a large, maroon, plush chair.
Lana sat in the chair opposite Chloe's. "It's just that when I think 'night on the town' I think clubs and restaurants."
"And neon lights?" Chloe asked, smiling. "As much as I love our romps into Metropolis to all of Lex's 'hot spots' I just wanted to relax."
"Hey Lana, Chloe. What can I get you?" a waitress asked, walking up to the two girls.
"Espresso frap," Chloe replied, smoothing her hair behind her ear.
"Go easy on the espresso, Madison. Chloe actually needs to sleep tonight," Lana said, earning a dirty look from Chloe. "And I'll take an iced caramel macchiato."
"Be right back," Madison said, leaving the table.
"Hey, you're ruining the fun," Chloe complained.
"Yeah, whatever," Lana said, looking in the other direction.
"Don't blow me off, Luthor!" Chloe said, raising her voice and emphasizing the last word.
"Whatever you say, Kent," Lana retorted, also emphasizing the last word.
Chloe leaned back against the chair ad rested her head, shutting her eyes.
"How are you, really?" Lana asked, looking over at her best friend.
"I'm fine," Chloe said, not opening her eyes. "We're working with Lauren to get her to control her vision. No progress yet. Martha comes over and helps a lot when it gets to be too tiring."
"Is she learning?" Lana asked, tucking one leg under herself.
"She can turn it off, but not on," Chloe said, raising her head and looking at Lana. "How about you?"
* * *
"Whoa," Lex said, as Clark shot a pool ball across the room. "Easy, Clark."
Clark ran a hand through his wavy black hair. "Sorry, Lex."
Lex chuckled. "What's wrong?"
"Why do you think something's wrong?" Clark asked catching the ball Lex tossed to him.
"The only time one of your powers gets away from you is when something's wrong," Lex pointed out.
"How do you know so much about me?" Clark asked, his face growing into a wide smile.
"Maybe eleven years of being friends?" Lex asked, lining up his shot. "So, what's up?"
"You don't know what's up?" Clark asked, sending Lex a sly look.
"I bet I do. It's Chloe. She's upset because Lauren goes to you when she gets her headaches," Lex expertly hit a ball into the corner pocket. "Chloe feels helpless."
Clark sighed and sat on the edge of the pool table. "And I feel helpless because of it. I don't know what to do. Lauren doesn't come to me because she loves me more, she comes to me because she knows I have the same thing and Chloe doesn't."
"She figures since Daddy has x-ray vision, he'll be able to help make it better," Lex rephrased. "Have you talked to Lauren?"
"No. What do you tell a five-year-old who is having flashes of powers? It's not that simple, Lex," Clark explained.
"You tell her that her Mommy loves her, and can help her. That her Mommy knows what's going on," Lex said, gesturing for Clark to take his shot.
"But Chloe doesn't know what's going on," Clark said, easily hitting a ball into the side pocket.
"Chloe doesn't want to believe she knows what's going on. She's afraid, Clark," Lex said, looking at Clark.
"Why would she be afraid?" Clark asked, narrowing his eyes at Lex in concentration.
Lex took a deep breath. "Clark, she knows how to handle these 'flashes.' She's afraid that something else will happen that she'll not know how to deal with."
"Oh," Clark said, sitting on a chair next to the table with a plop.
* * *
"Lana, no!" Chloe said, sitting straight up and reaching for Lana's hand. "You can't think that."
"Why not, Chloe?" Lana asked, shifting in her chair.
"Lana, it can't be you," Chloe insisted, turning her knees so she was totally facing Lana.
"Can we go somewhere more private, Chlo?" Lana asked, standing up.
"Of course," Chloe replied, quickly walking from the Talon. "Let's go to Chandler's Field."
Lana nodded, taking a ragged breath. Once in the field the girls climbed the large windmill. "Chloe, I want a baby."
"I know you do, Lan. I know. You can't stop hoping. You can't give up or you'll never get kids," Chloe insisted, swinging her feet over the edge of the platform.
"Chloe, it's-" Lana started.
Chloe cut her off. "Lana, stop it! You don't know that it's you. Can I tell you something? Don't be angry."
Lana looked at Chloe through the corner of her eye. "I know what you're going to say, but go ahead."
"There's more of a chance that it's Lex," Chloe said, not stopping when Lana's breath caught. "I know it's horrible to say that, but think about it. He was *in* the meteor shower. Not just watching it, *in* it."
"Well, we'll find out tomorrow, won't we?" Lana asked, wiping a tear from her cheek.
* * *
"Lauren, you stay right here sweetie and keep practicing with Grandpa. I'm going to call your Mommy and Daddy," Martha said, trying not to run from the room. She called Chloe and Clark and, after insisting nothing was wrong, had them come right over.
A few minutes later Chloe and Clark were at the door, with Lana and Lex close behind.
"What is it, Martha?" Chloe asked, going straight to Lauren. She kissed Lauren's head.
"Come in all of you. Watch," Martha said as the group gathered around the table. "Lauren, close your eyes tight."
When Lauren had closed her eyes Martha held up a sheet of black construction paper. "We've been practicing with something relatively easy for Lauren to focus through. Lex, give me something from your pocket," Martha said.
Lex handed Martha a pocket watch. "Thanks," she said, setting it behind the sheet of paper. "Lauren, open your eyes. Look really hard and try and see what's behind the paper."
Lauren squinted and scrunched up her small nose. After a moment her eyes seemed to focus. "Uncle Lex's watch," she said happily.
Chloe sunk to her knees by the child and hugged her. "Lauren, you could see through that paper?"
Lauren nodded. "Yes Mommy."
"Can you show me one more time?" Chloe asked, pride showing on her face.
Lauren nodded and immediately closed her eyes.
This time Jonathan picked up a yellow crayon. "Lauren, tell me the color of what's behind the paper," he said.
Lauren opened her eyes and concentrated once again. "It's a yellow crayon."
Clark scooped Lauren up and tossed her into the air. "That's my girl. Great job. I'm so proud of you!"
Chloe stood and smiled. She turned when she felt an arm on her shoulders. "This is wonderful," Lana said, smiling brightly.
Chloe reached up and held the hand that Lana had on her shoulder. "Yes it is," she said watching Lex and Clark patting Lauren and lavishing her with praise.
"Lex Luthor," Lex said into the phone, picking it up from where it lay on his desk.
"Hey, Lex. Is Lana around?" asked a cheery voice.
"What? You don't want to talk to me anymore?" Lex teased.
"You know I absolutely love talking to you, but where's Lana?" Chloe asked again, laughter in her voice.
Lex laughed. "Let me find her. She's here somewhere," Lex said, standing and leaving the room.
"I still don't see how you never lose her in that castle of yours. If I were Lana I would get hopelessly lost," Chloe said, happily.
"Having lived here the last eleven years I know my way around, Chlo. Besides, I know all of Lana's favorite places to go, so I check there first," Lex explained. "Just a second."
"Ok," Chloe said.
Lex covered the phone with his hand, but Chloe could still hear him. "Jessica, have you seen Mrs. Luthor?"
"Yes, sir. The mistress is in the guest bedroom," Jessica replied, lowering her eyes.
As hard as Lex tried he couldn't get the servants to stop treating him like royalty, or at least get them to stop treating him like Lionel. "Thank you. Chlo, you still there?"
"So, I guess you do lose her, huh?" Chloe asked, beginning to laugh.
"Ha ha, very funny," Lex said, swinging open a large wooden door. "Lan, Chlo's on the phone."
Lana was smoothing the dark print comforter over the large canopy bed. She smiled at Lex, kissed him quickly, then took the phone. "Hey, Chloe."
"I heard that," Chloe said in a complaining tone.
"Yeah, yeah, like you never kiss Clark when we're around," Lana said, her eyes lighting up.
Lex began to help her smooth the comforter, but she waved him away.
"Clark has given me the night off. No baby-sitting, no smelly farmboy, no nothing. You want to go do something?" Chloe asked.
"You know, if he smells that bad you can tell him to take a shower," Lana teased, laughing at Lex's quizzical look.
Chloe laughed. "Believe me, on occasion I do. So?"
"Just a sec," Lana said, taking the phone from her ear and looking at Lex. "Chloe and I are going out tonight. Got any problems with that?"
Lex smirked. "What would you say if I did?"
"That I didn't care, I was going anyway," Lana retorted, her eyes daring Lex to comment.
"Then go," Lex said with a wave of his hand and a heavy sigh. "Don't worry about your husband here all alone with no one to talk to."
Lana grinned. "Okay, Chlo."
"Good, and tell Lex that Martha's taking Lauren so he should expect Clark by seven," Chloe told her friend.
"Aw, and he was so looking forward to playing the lonely husband," Lana said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Okay, I'll see you tonight."
"Bye," Chloe replied.
"Bye," Lana said, hanging up. "Looks like you'll have company after all. Martha's taking Lauren, so Clark's coming over tonight."
"Well, that ruins my plans," Lex said, standing as if to leave the room.
Lana reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him in front of herself. She grabbed his shirt and brought him down for a kiss. "Do you have any plans for right now?" she asked sexily.
"Oh you know, this and that," Lex said, trying his hardest not to smile.
"And what about the other?" Lana whispered, laying back on the bed and pulling Lex with her.
"The other's.okay," Lex said with a grin as they began to kiss.
* * *
"This is your idea of a night on the town?" Lana asked, perusing the place of choice.
"Hey, we've had lots of good times here. Don't knock it," Chloe warned, opening the door.
"I'm not knocking it," Lana said, then began to laugh. "I own it."
"And that makes it not the ideal place to spend time away from your worries and problems?" Chloe asked.
Lana smiled. "Only you could make the Talon seem like the place of your dreams."
"I'm just good with words, what can I say?" Chloe asked, sitting in a large, maroon, plush chair.
Lana sat in the chair opposite Chloe's. "It's just that when I think 'night on the town' I think clubs and restaurants."
"And neon lights?" Chloe asked, smiling. "As much as I love our romps into Metropolis to all of Lex's 'hot spots' I just wanted to relax."
"Hey Lana, Chloe. What can I get you?" a waitress asked, walking up to the two girls.
"Espresso frap," Chloe replied, smoothing her hair behind her ear.
"Go easy on the espresso, Madison. Chloe actually needs to sleep tonight," Lana said, earning a dirty look from Chloe. "And I'll take an iced caramel macchiato."
"Be right back," Madison said, leaving the table.
"Hey, you're ruining the fun," Chloe complained.
"Yeah, whatever," Lana said, looking in the other direction.
"Don't blow me off, Luthor!" Chloe said, raising her voice and emphasizing the last word.
"Whatever you say, Kent," Lana retorted, also emphasizing the last word.
Chloe leaned back against the chair ad rested her head, shutting her eyes.
"How are you, really?" Lana asked, looking over at her best friend.
"I'm fine," Chloe said, not opening her eyes. "We're working with Lauren to get her to control her vision. No progress yet. Martha comes over and helps a lot when it gets to be too tiring."
"Is she learning?" Lana asked, tucking one leg under herself.
"She can turn it off, but not on," Chloe said, raising her head and looking at Lana. "How about you?"
* * *
"Whoa," Lex said, as Clark shot a pool ball across the room. "Easy, Clark."
Clark ran a hand through his wavy black hair. "Sorry, Lex."
Lex chuckled. "What's wrong?"
"Why do you think something's wrong?" Clark asked catching the ball Lex tossed to him.
"The only time one of your powers gets away from you is when something's wrong," Lex pointed out.
"How do you know so much about me?" Clark asked, his face growing into a wide smile.
"Maybe eleven years of being friends?" Lex asked, lining up his shot. "So, what's up?"
"You don't know what's up?" Clark asked, sending Lex a sly look.
"I bet I do. It's Chloe. She's upset because Lauren goes to you when she gets her headaches," Lex expertly hit a ball into the corner pocket. "Chloe feels helpless."
Clark sighed and sat on the edge of the pool table. "And I feel helpless because of it. I don't know what to do. Lauren doesn't come to me because she loves me more, she comes to me because she knows I have the same thing and Chloe doesn't."
"She figures since Daddy has x-ray vision, he'll be able to help make it better," Lex rephrased. "Have you talked to Lauren?"
"No. What do you tell a five-year-old who is having flashes of powers? It's not that simple, Lex," Clark explained.
"You tell her that her Mommy loves her, and can help her. That her Mommy knows what's going on," Lex said, gesturing for Clark to take his shot.
"But Chloe doesn't know what's going on," Clark said, easily hitting a ball into the side pocket.
"Chloe doesn't want to believe she knows what's going on. She's afraid, Clark," Lex said, looking at Clark.
"Why would she be afraid?" Clark asked, narrowing his eyes at Lex in concentration.
Lex took a deep breath. "Clark, she knows how to handle these 'flashes.' She's afraid that something else will happen that she'll not know how to deal with."
"Oh," Clark said, sitting on a chair next to the table with a plop.
* * *
"Lana, no!" Chloe said, sitting straight up and reaching for Lana's hand. "You can't think that."
"Why not, Chloe?" Lana asked, shifting in her chair.
"Lana, it can't be you," Chloe insisted, turning her knees so she was totally facing Lana.
"Can we go somewhere more private, Chlo?" Lana asked, standing up.
"Of course," Chloe replied, quickly walking from the Talon. "Let's go to Chandler's Field."
Lana nodded, taking a ragged breath. Once in the field the girls climbed the large windmill. "Chloe, I want a baby."
"I know you do, Lan. I know. You can't stop hoping. You can't give up or you'll never get kids," Chloe insisted, swinging her feet over the edge of the platform.
"Chloe, it's-" Lana started.
Chloe cut her off. "Lana, stop it! You don't know that it's you. Can I tell you something? Don't be angry."
Lana looked at Chloe through the corner of her eye. "I know what you're going to say, but go ahead."
"There's more of a chance that it's Lex," Chloe said, not stopping when Lana's breath caught. "I know it's horrible to say that, but think about it. He was *in* the meteor shower. Not just watching it, *in* it."
"Well, we'll find out tomorrow, won't we?" Lana asked, wiping a tear from her cheek.
* * *
"Lauren, you stay right here sweetie and keep practicing with Grandpa. I'm going to call your Mommy and Daddy," Martha said, trying not to run from the room. She called Chloe and Clark and, after insisting nothing was wrong, had them come right over.
A few minutes later Chloe and Clark were at the door, with Lana and Lex close behind.
"What is it, Martha?" Chloe asked, going straight to Lauren. She kissed Lauren's head.
"Come in all of you. Watch," Martha said as the group gathered around the table. "Lauren, close your eyes tight."
When Lauren had closed her eyes Martha held up a sheet of black construction paper. "We've been practicing with something relatively easy for Lauren to focus through. Lex, give me something from your pocket," Martha said.
Lex handed Martha a pocket watch. "Thanks," she said, setting it behind the sheet of paper. "Lauren, open your eyes. Look really hard and try and see what's behind the paper."
Lauren squinted and scrunched up her small nose. After a moment her eyes seemed to focus. "Uncle Lex's watch," she said happily.
Chloe sunk to her knees by the child and hugged her. "Lauren, you could see through that paper?"
Lauren nodded. "Yes Mommy."
"Can you show me one more time?" Chloe asked, pride showing on her face.
Lauren nodded and immediately closed her eyes.
This time Jonathan picked up a yellow crayon. "Lauren, tell me the color of what's behind the paper," he said.
Lauren opened her eyes and concentrated once again. "It's a yellow crayon."
Clark scooped Lauren up and tossed her into the air. "That's my girl. Great job. I'm so proud of you!"
Chloe stood and smiled. She turned when she felt an arm on her shoulders. "This is wonderful," Lana said, smiling brightly.
Chloe reached up and held the hand that Lana had on her shoulder. "Yes it is," she said watching Lex and Clark patting Lauren and lavishing her with praise.