Chapter 8
Lana's knee-length, purple, spaghetti-strap dress flared at the hips as Lex spun her around. Her face was lit in a bright smile. Lex twirled her back in close to him and when he put his hands on her waist, her hips swayed to the beat.
"When'd you learn to dance like this?" Lex asked, pulling her closer.
"Clark taught me," Lana teased, shooting Lex a sexy look.
"Then maybe you should go dance with him," Lex said, spinning Lana out and letting go of her hand.
"Heyyy," Lana complained, smiling when Lex broke into a grin. Lana moved back in front of Lex, and he put an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Their bodies swayed as the song came to an end.
"I remember the first time we came here," Chloe said happily. "We had so much fun."
Lana laughed. "Yeah, you and I sang. We were.young."
"This time you could actually get in the club legitimately," Lex smiled, taking a drink.
"We weren't legitimate last time?" Clark asked, looking skeptically at Lex.
"Clark, you were nineteen; almost twenty. How did you think you got in? I had slip the bouncer a few hundreds," Lex said, almost laughing at the question. "It's expensive getting underage teenagers into an over twenty-one club."
"Ah, but now we're older and wiser," Lana said, standing to order another drink.
"Lana," Chloe warned, her eyes sparkling.
"What?" Lana asked innocently, her brown eyes questioning.
"Since we're on the track of old memories, do you remember what happened the first time we came?" Chloe asked, smirking. "You threw up in the bathroom and practically passed out in the limo."
Lana sat back down, sulking. "Fine, I won't drink anymore."
"Do you want to throw up?" Clark asked, looking at Lana.
"No," Lana replied.
"Alright, less talking, more dancing," Chloe said. When everyone gave her a funny look she added, "It's not every night we all come to Metropolis. I am determined to enjoy myself."
"Then let's go," Clark said, pulling Chloe from her seat.
"Oh yeah," Chloe said, her ankle-length, blue, strapless dress swishing around her ankles. "Nervous?"
Clark gave Chloe a withering look. "Why would I be nervous?"
"Cause you're dancing like two feet away from me, Clark. We're married, you *can* get closer. Actually, I recommend it," Chloe said, a smile playing at her lips.
Clark pulled Chloe to him in one swift motion, almost knocking her breath away. "That better?"
Chloe laughed, her body pressed against Clark's. "I think so."
"Good," Clark replied, leaning down to kiss Chloe's neck.
Chloe laughed and turned, pressing her back to Clark's chest as they moved to the beat of the music. Clark's arms went around her waist.
"Mmm," Chloe murmured. "We don't do this enough."
"Hey, don't tell me that. Tell Lex. He's the big Metropolis guy," Clark said, moving Chloe's body with his.
"Hey, Lex," Chloe said to the couple next to her, raising her voice to be heard over the music.
"Yeah?" Lex asked, turning Lana so that he was facing Chloe.
"Why don't we do this more often?" Chloe repeated her earlier question.
Lex smiled. "We can do this every Saturday if Martha and Jonathan will watch Lauren."
Chloe tilted her head back to talk to Clark. "Remind me to talk to your mom."
Clark, Lana, and Lex laughed, causing Chloe's face to take on a pout.
"I was serious," she said, sticking out her bottom lip.
Clark kissed her. "I know you were," he said, turning her back around.
"What time is it?" Lana hollered over the booming bass beat.
"Midnight," Clark yelled back. "Why?"
Lana lifted her hair off her neck. "It's hot in here. Let's go for a walk."
Lex looked at Chloe and Clark. "Guys?"
Chloe shrugged. "Fine with me."
"Let's go," Clark said, walking back to the table. He picked up Chloe's red jacket and slipped it over her shoulders.
Lex draped Lana's white wrap over her shoulders, before slipping on his own jacket.
The two couples walked hand-in-hand back to the limo. "The park?" Lex asked.
"Ooh, yeah," Lana replied, stepping into the limo.
"Want to change?" Clark asked, once they were all seated and on their way. They had each brought a set of casual clothing in case they decided to do something after the club.
"Nah," Chloe answered. "I'm just going to change my shoes."
"I can't believe you brought those," Lana said, trying not to laugh.
Chloe was pulling on blue slippers with white clouds. "Hey, they're comfortable, and after four hours of dancing I bet you would like to wear them. Besides, they match my dress."
"I think they're cute," Lex said, changing his own shoes.
"Aw, you're cute too," Chloe teased, winking at Lex.
Lana pulled open a duffel bag and extracted her own pair of shoes. She tried to hide them from Chloe, but to no avail.
Chloe mouth dropped. "You're making fun of me when you brought those ratty old purple house shoes?"
Lana hung her head guiltily as she pulled on her own slippers.
* * *
"Claaaaaaark!" Chloe screeched as Lex picked her up and carried her to the water. "Saaaaaaaaave me!!"
Clark slid his arm around Lana's shoulders. "What do you think I should do?"
Lana looked up at Clark with a smile as they walked after Lex and Chloe. "Eh, she needs a bath anyway."
"Lana, I will never speak to you again if you don't tell your husband to unhand me," Chloe said loudly. "Clark. Are you going to let some guy *manhandle* me?"
At the last comment Lex started laughing. He laughed so hard that he dropped Chloe. She had her arms around his neck, and when she fell she took him down with her. They ended in a pile on the cool grass.
"I wasn't aware," Lex said between gasps. "That I was manhandling you. And I'm not just some guy, thank you."
Clark reached down to help Chloe up, but she pulled away. "Some husband you turn out to be. I end up kidnapped, almost drowned, and then I'm thrown to the ground."
Lex continued to laugh, stood, and pulled Chloe up.
"You better not have gotten a grass stain on my dress," Chloe warned, turning in circles trying to see her bottom.
Lex started to laugh again, and put an arm around Lana for support.
"I'm glad I amuse you so," Chloe said, wiping grass from her skirt.
"I would have saved you, only I'm sure.well, there was a meteor rock here somewhere," Clark said, looking around. "Give me a second and I'll find one.I mean it. I'll find it."
Chloe punched Clark's shoulder, and shot him a dirty look.
"Why do you do that when you know it won't hurt him?" Lana asked, her eyes full of laughter.
Chloe straightened her shoulders. "Because it makes me feel better," Chloe said, turning to Lex. "Why do you always pick on me? Lana's the puny one."
"Gee, thanks," Lana replied sarcastically.
"Because Lana won't fight back," Lex said seriously.
"I won't?" Lana asked, throwing herself at Lex.
Lex grabbed her arms and tried to dodge her flailing body, but she got a hand free and punched his abs lightly.
"Hey," Lex complained, trying to grab her free arm before she could take another swing.
"I'll show you who won't fight back," Lana said through her laughter.
"Okay, okay," Lex said, spinning Lana around and pinning her arms behind her. "I understand. Not a damsel in distress. Got it."
Lana struggled against Lex's hold, but she couldn't get free. "Cla- ark. Saaaave me!"
Clark threw his hands up in defeat. "I'm tired of being the savior. Save yourself."
Lana's mouth dropped open. "Fi-ine. I don't need you anyway. Chlo will help me."
"Not after you said I needed a bath," Chloe answered haughtily.
Lana sighed and tilted her head to look at Lex. "Lex, I'll love you forever if you let go."
"And you won't if I don't?" Lex asked, smirking.
"Uh.if you let go I'll kiss you?" Lana tried again.
Lex immediately let go and Lana stalked off.
"Hey," Lex complained for the second time.
Lana turned and stuck out her tongue.
"We're acting like a bunch of teenagers," Chloe said, a smile playing at her lips.
"We're only twenty-six, Chlo," Lana said. "Except for Lex who's the old man of the group."
"You think that I am an old man at thirty-two? You have got to be kidding me," Lex said, moving to stand next to Chloe and Clark.
Lana stuck out her tongue again, and began to walk backwards towards the water. "Come on you guys. We never get to play around anymore. It's always 'Lauren this', or 'LexCorp that'. Not that I don't love Lauren and LexCorp, but adults need to play, too." Lana kicked off her slippers, and waded into the lake.
Chloe grinned, kicked her own slippers off, pulled up the skirt of her dress and followed Lana into the water. "Wow, it's cold!"
"Come on guys," Lana urged.
Clark and Lex looked from each other, to the girls in the water, then back to each other. They shrugged, removed their socks and shoes, rolled up their pants, and followed the girls into the water.
Clark sloshed his way over to Chloe, making big splashes.
Chloe backed away. "Don't get my dress wet," she warned.
Clark continued to advance on her. When he didn't stop she turned and started to walk quickly away. She didn't realize the rocks on the bottom of the lake were covered in moss and she slipped. Clark sped forward to grab her, but didn't make it in time and Chloe splashed into the water.
"Kent!!" Chloe fumed, turning on him. "Now my dress is ruined."
"Just think of it this way, now you can be in the wet dress contest," Clark teased, reaching a hand out to Chloe.
Chloe took his hand and with a quick motion Clark was in the water next to her. His mouth fell open as he took in his wet pants.
"Ha! Ha ha ha!" Chloe exclaimed, splashing water into his lap for extra emphasis.
"That wasn't nice," Clark said, in amazement at what Chloe had done.
Lana and Lex erupted into laughter.
"What are you two laughing at?" Chloe asked, splashing as hard as she could in hopes of getting one of them wet.
Lana shrieked and tried to get away. In the scramble her legs tangled with Lex's and they both ended up sprawled in the water.
Chloe burst into loud laughter. "You guys are wet," she said in a sing-song voice.
"So are you," Lana sang back in a mocking tone.
"Well, we might as well have some fun as long as we're wet anyway," Chloe said, dumping a hand full of water onto Clark's hair.
"Hey," Clark whined, splashing the front of Chloe's dress.
"Well, I'm just glad I chose not to wear the white dress," Lana said, laughing. When she tried to stand Clark grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the water.
"Where do you think you're going?" Clark asked as Lana splashed back down.
"When I said I wanted to have fun, soaking my best dress was not what I meant," Lana said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"I'll just buy you a new one," Lex said simply, splashing Lana playfully.
From that started an all-out water war between the four. By the time they were done they were all dripping wet. Lana's and Chloe's hair clung to their faces in wet clumps.
"Okay," Lana said, wrapping her arms around herself. "Now I'm just cold."
Chloe yawned, causing a chain reaction in the group. "Ah, the power I have."
"What power?" Clark asked, narrowing his eyes at Chloe. "Is there something you haven't told me?"
Chloe laughed and climbed onto the grass, wringing out her long skirt.
"Aren't we a sight for sore eyes?" Lex asked, looking at his friends.
"Well, we can't say we didn't have fun tonight," Clark admitted, pulling on his shoes.
"You can say that again," Chloe replied, retrieving her slippers.
"Well, we can't say-" Clark started. He was cut off by one of Chloe's slippers hitting him in the back of the head.
The friends laughed and walked arm in arm back to the limo, leaving a water trail behind them.
Lana's knee-length, purple, spaghetti-strap dress flared at the hips as Lex spun her around. Her face was lit in a bright smile. Lex twirled her back in close to him and when he put his hands on her waist, her hips swayed to the beat.
"When'd you learn to dance like this?" Lex asked, pulling her closer.
"Clark taught me," Lana teased, shooting Lex a sexy look.
"Then maybe you should go dance with him," Lex said, spinning Lana out and letting go of her hand.
"Heyyy," Lana complained, smiling when Lex broke into a grin. Lana moved back in front of Lex, and he put an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Their bodies swayed as the song came to an end.
"I remember the first time we came here," Chloe said happily. "We had so much fun."
Lana laughed. "Yeah, you and I sang. We were.young."
"This time you could actually get in the club legitimately," Lex smiled, taking a drink.
"We weren't legitimate last time?" Clark asked, looking skeptically at Lex.
"Clark, you were nineteen; almost twenty. How did you think you got in? I had slip the bouncer a few hundreds," Lex said, almost laughing at the question. "It's expensive getting underage teenagers into an over twenty-one club."
"Ah, but now we're older and wiser," Lana said, standing to order another drink.
"Lana," Chloe warned, her eyes sparkling.
"What?" Lana asked innocently, her brown eyes questioning.
"Since we're on the track of old memories, do you remember what happened the first time we came?" Chloe asked, smirking. "You threw up in the bathroom and practically passed out in the limo."
Lana sat back down, sulking. "Fine, I won't drink anymore."
"Do you want to throw up?" Clark asked, looking at Lana.
"No," Lana replied.
"Alright, less talking, more dancing," Chloe said. When everyone gave her a funny look she added, "It's not every night we all come to Metropolis. I am determined to enjoy myself."
"Then let's go," Clark said, pulling Chloe from her seat.
"Oh yeah," Chloe said, her ankle-length, blue, strapless dress swishing around her ankles. "Nervous?"
Clark gave Chloe a withering look. "Why would I be nervous?"
"Cause you're dancing like two feet away from me, Clark. We're married, you *can* get closer. Actually, I recommend it," Chloe said, a smile playing at her lips.
Clark pulled Chloe to him in one swift motion, almost knocking her breath away. "That better?"
Chloe laughed, her body pressed against Clark's. "I think so."
"Good," Clark replied, leaning down to kiss Chloe's neck.
Chloe laughed and turned, pressing her back to Clark's chest as they moved to the beat of the music. Clark's arms went around her waist.
"Mmm," Chloe murmured. "We don't do this enough."
"Hey, don't tell me that. Tell Lex. He's the big Metropolis guy," Clark said, moving Chloe's body with his.
"Hey, Lex," Chloe said to the couple next to her, raising her voice to be heard over the music.
"Yeah?" Lex asked, turning Lana so that he was facing Chloe.
"Why don't we do this more often?" Chloe repeated her earlier question.
Lex smiled. "We can do this every Saturday if Martha and Jonathan will watch Lauren."
Chloe tilted her head back to talk to Clark. "Remind me to talk to your mom."
Clark, Lana, and Lex laughed, causing Chloe's face to take on a pout.
"I was serious," she said, sticking out her bottom lip.
Clark kissed her. "I know you were," he said, turning her back around.
"What time is it?" Lana hollered over the booming bass beat.
"Midnight," Clark yelled back. "Why?"
Lana lifted her hair off her neck. "It's hot in here. Let's go for a walk."
Lex looked at Chloe and Clark. "Guys?"
Chloe shrugged. "Fine with me."
"Let's go," Clark said, walking back to the table. He picked up Chloe's red jacket and slipped it over her shoulders.
Lex draped Lana's white wrap over her shoulders, before slipping on his own jacket.
The two couples walked hand-in-hand back to the limo. "The park?" Lex asked.
"Ooh, yeah," Lana replied, stepping into the limo.
"Want to change?" Clark asked, once they were all seated and on their way. They had each brought a set of casual clothing in case they decided to do something after the club.
"Nah," Chloe answered. "I'm just going to change my shoes."
"I can't believe you brought those," Lana said, trying not to laugh.
Chloe was pulling on blue slippers with white clouds. "Hey, they're comfortable, and after four hours of dancing I bet you would like to wear them. Besides, they match my dress."
"I think they're cute," Lex said, changing his own shoes.
"Aw, you're cute too," Chloe teased, winking at Lex.
Lana pulled open a duffel bag and extracted her own pair of shoes. She tried to hide them from Chloe, but to no avail.
Chloe mouth dropped. "You're making fun of me when you brought those ratty old purple house shoes?"
Lana hung her head guiltily as she pulled on her own slippers.
* * *
"Claaaaaaark!" Chloe screeched as Lex picked her up and carried her to the water. "Saaaaaaaaave me!!"
Clark slid his arm around Lana's shoulders. "What do you think I should do?"
Lana looked up at Clark with a smile as they walked after Lex and Chloe. "Eh, she needs a bath anyway."
"Lana, I will never speak to you again if you don't tell your husband to unhand me," Chloe said loudly. "Clark. Are you going to let some guy *manhandle* me?"
At the last comment Lex started laughing. He laughed so hard that he dropped Chloe. She had her arms around his neck, and when she fell she took him down with her. They ended in a pile on the cool grass.
"I wasn't aware," Lex said between gasps. "That I was manhandling you. And I'm not just some guy, thank you."
Clark reached down to help Chloe up, but she pulled away. "Some husband you turn out to be. I end up kidnapped, almost drowned, and then I'm thrown to the ground."
Lex continued to laugh, stood, and pulled Chloe up.
"You better not have gotten a grass stain on my dress," Chloe warned, turning in circles trying to see her bottom.
Lex started to laugh again, and put an arm around Lana for support.
"I'm glad I amuse you so," Chloe said, wiping grass from her skirt.
"I would have saved you, only I'm sure.well, there was a meteor rock here somewhere," Clark said, looking around. "Give me a second and I'll find one.I mean it. I'll find it."
Chloe punched Clark's shoulder, and shot him a dirty look.
"Why do you do that when you know it won't hurt him?" Lana asked, her eyes full of laughter.
Chloe straightened her shoulders. "Because it makes me feel better," Chloe said, turning to Lex. "Why do you always pick on me? Lana's the puny one."
"Gee, thanks," Lana replied sarcastically.
"Because Lana won't fight back," Lex said seriously.
"I won't?" Lana asked, throwing herself at Lex.
Lex grabbed her arms and tried to dodge her flailing body, but she got a hand free and punched his abs lightly.
"Hey," Lex complained, trying to grab her free arm before she could take another swing.
"I'll show you who won't fight back," Lana said through her laughter.
"Okay, okay," Lex said, spinning Lana around and pinning her arms behind her. "I understand. Not a damsel in distress. Got it."
Lana struggled against Lex's hold, but she couldn't get free. "Cla- ark. Saaaave me!"
Clark threw his hands up in defeat. "I'm tired of being the savior. Save yourself."
Lana's mouth dropped open. "Fi-ine. I don't need you anyway. Chlo will help me."
"Not after you said I needed a bath," Chloe answered haughtily.
Lana sighed and tilted her head to look at Lex. "Lex, I'll love you forever if you let go."
"And you won't if I don't?" Lex asked, smirking.
"Uh.if you let go I'll kiss you?" Lana tried again.
Lex immediately let go and Lana stalked off.
"Hey," Lex complained for the second time.
Lana turned and stuck out her tongue.
"We're acting like a bunch of teenagers," Chloe said, a smile playing at her lips.
"We're only twenty-six, Chlo," Lana said. "Except for Lex who's the old man of the group."
"You think that I am an old man at thirty-two? You have got to be kidding me," Lex said, moving to stand next to Chloe and Clark.
Lana stuck out her tongue again, and began to walk backwards towards the water. "Come on you guys. We never get to play around anymore. It's always 'Lauren this', or 'LexCorp that'. Not that I don't love Lauren and LexCorp, but adults need to play, too." Lana kicked off her slippers, and waded into the lake.
Chloe grinned, kicked her own slippers off, pulled up the skirt of her dress and followed Lana into the water. "Wow, it's cold!"
"Come on guys," Lana urged.
Clark and Lex looked from each other, to the girls in the water, then back to each other. They shrugged, removed their socks and shoes, rolled up their pants, and followed the girls into the water.
Clark sloshed his way over to Chloe, making big splashes.
Chloe backed away. "Don't get my dress wet," she warned.
Clark continued to advance on her. When he didn't stop she turned and started to walk quickly away. She didn't realize the rocks on the bottom of the lake were covered in moss and she slipped. Clark sped forward to grab her, but didn't make it in time and Chloe splashed into the water.
"Kent!!" Chloe fumed, turning on him. "Now my dress is ruined."
"Just think of it this way, now you can be in the wet dress contest," Clark teased, reaching a hand out to Chloe.
Chloe took his hand and with a quick motion Clark was in the water next to her. His mouth fell open as he took in his wet pants.
"Ha! Ha ha ha!" Chloe exclaimed, splashing water into his lap for extra emphasis.
"That wasn't nice," Clark said, in amazement at what Chloe had done.
Lana and Lex erupted into laughter.
"What are you two laughing at?" Chloe asked, splashing as hard as she could in hopes of getting one of them wet.
Lana shrieked and tried to get away. In the scramble her legs tangled with Lex's and they both ended up sprawled in the water.
Chloe burst into loud laughter. "You guys are wet," she said in a sing-song voice.
"So are you," Lana sang back in a mocking tone.
"Well, we might as well have some fun as long as we're wet anyway," Chloe said, dumping a hand full of water onto Clark's hair.
"Hey," Clark whined, splashing the front of Chloe's dress.
"Well, I'm just glad I chose not to wear the white dress," Lana said, laughing. When she tried to stand Clark grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the water.
"Where do you think you're going?" Clark asked as Lana splashed back down.
"When I said I wanted to have fun, soaking my best dress was not what I meant," Lana said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"I'll just buy you a new one," Lex said simply, splashing Lana playfully.
From that started an all-out water war between the four. By the time they were done they were all dripping wet. Lana's and Chloe's hair clung to their faces in wet clumps.
"Okay," Lana said, wrapping her arms around herself. "Now I'm just cold."
Chloe yawned, causing a chain reaction in the group. "Ah, the power I have."
"What power?" Clark asked, narrowing his eyes at Chloe. "Is there something you haven't told me?"
Chloe laughed and climbed onto the grass, wringing out her long skirt.
"Aren't we a sight for sore eyes?" Lex asked, looking at his friends.
"Well, we can't say we didn't have fun tonight," Clark admitted, pulling on his shoes.
"You can say that again," Chloe replied, retrieving her slippers.
"Well, we can't say-" Clark started. He was cut off by one of Chloe's slippers hitting him in the back of the head.
The friends laughed and walked arm in arm back to the limo, leaving a water trail behind them.