Chapter 30- That Sounds Like An Apology, Mr. Luthor
"I have to go," Chloe said suddenly.
"You always have to go," Pete complained.
"You try having a baby use your bladder as a mattress. Not fun!" Chloe said, rushing off.
"I'll leave that to the women," Pete told Clark.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Clark replied, chuckling.
"A very good idea," Pete answered with a grin.
"Women are the stronger sex," Clark pointed out.
"And how do you figure that?" Pete asked in amusement.
"All I know is that if I had to do what Chloe's doing, I would not be able to handle it," Clark said.
"Having fun?" Pete asked.
"Yes," Clark answered.
"Alright you two," Chloe said walking back to the guys. One hand was gently pressed to her stomach.
"Adora kicking again?" Pete asked.
"She's very active," Clark pointed out the obvious.
Clark and Pete looked at Chloe's stomach.
Chloe smiled. "Here," she said, taking them each by the hand. She pressed their fingertips to her stomach.
With Adora's next kick Pete chuckled, and a look of awe took over Clark's face.
"Okay," Chloe said, pulling their hands away. "That's enough of you guys touching me for now. Come back tomorrow for a repeat showing."
"Can I buy tickets in advance?" Clark teased.
Chloe swatted his shoulder. "Nice try, buddy."
Clark shrugged at Pete before the trio burst into laughter. Pete threw an arm around Chloe's shoulders and Clark followed suit.
"Here," Chloe said. She removed their arms from her shoulders and put them around her waist, so that they were supporting her.
"Better?" Clark asked.
"A little tighter," Chloe said, smiling when they did as they were told. "Much better."
"So, this is what we're here for?" Pete asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Yep," Chloe answered confidently, as they started to walk.
"It's good to know where we stand," Clark said, looking at Pete over Chloe's head.
"We know our place," Pete agreed.
"Yeah, next to me," Chloe answered with a yawn.
"Are you tired?" Clark asked.
"Very. I can't sleep well at night anymore, because I can't get comfortable," Chloe admitted.
"Is there nothing you can do about it?" Pete asked.
"The doctor said to try propping myself up with pillows, but we only have so many," Chloe complained.
"Then let's go get some more," Clark offered.
Chloe shrugged. "Sounds simple enough."
"Let's go," Pete said a Lex walked up.
"Well, here comes Smallville's own apathetic, bald, millionaire," Chloe said rudely.
Lex stopped at Chloe's words. He glared at her, turned on his heel, got into his car and left.
"Chloe," Clark warned.
"I think he was going to apologize," Pete said.
"Damn! It took him two weeks to get over his ego, and I just screwed it up," Chloe cursed herself.
Clark dropped his arm from Chloe and stared after Lex's car. "He'll be back."
"How can you be so sure?" Chloe asked.
"He once told us that we were his link to reality," Clark said.
"I don't understand," Chloe said.
"Lex spends all day on business. It's a lot of stress and pressure, especially having to deal with his father. At the end of the day, when he's with us, he can relax," Pete explained.
"He can be himself with us. He needs that, and won't give it up no matter what happens," Chloe finished.
"Exactly," Clark agreed.
"He's headed toward the Talon. I can fix this," Chloe said grabbing her phone. "Lana. Lex should be there in a few minutes. Can you run damage control?.We think he was going to apologize, but I made a crude remark and he left without a word. You will?.Thank you so much, we'll be there in a bit.Bye."
"Let's go get you some pillows," Pete said, leading the group into a store.
"What about this one?" Clark asked, reaching for a pillow.
"Feather pillow," Chloe said, pointing to the label. "Not good."
"Here's some, Chlo," Pete said from in the back.
Chloe waddled over to where Pete was. "Very nice, Pete."
"I thought so, too. How many do you need?" Pete asked.
"Three?" Chloe asked.
Pete laughed. "You tell me."
"Three," Chloe repeated surely.
"That was easy enough," Clark said as they paid for the pillows.
"Simple and painless, unlike my snarkish remark a moment ago," Chloe agreed.
"Let's go to the Talon. If Lana could do anything about it, she's done it by now," Pete said.
"I could use some food, too," Chloe said hungrily.
"All you do is eat and pee," Pete pointed out.
"All you do is make fun of me," Chloe said defiantly.
Pete shook his head. "We can put our things in the trunk. Do you want to drive to the Talon or walk?"
"Let's walk," Chloe said. "But let me change my shoes." Chloe grabbed her new pair of slippers out of her bag and put them on.
Clark rolled his eyes. "That's a fashion statement."
"It's an 'I'm pregnant, and if you knew what I was going through you'd do the same thing' statement," Chloe told him.
"Point taken," Clark said with a smile.
"Need us to help?" Pete asked.
"I think I'm okay for now," Chloe said, starting to walk.
When they got to the Talon the first thing they saw was a Ferrari.
"He's still here. Lana's good," Chloe said in relief.
"Don't count your eggs before they're hatched," Clark told her.
Lex immediately walked up to the trio. "Chloe, can I talk to you?"
Chloe glanced at Clark, then Pete. "Sure."
Lex led her to a table cross the room and she sat down. "Do you really believe that I'm apathetic?"
"Subtle is not in your vocabulary," Chloe said.
"I like to get straight to the point," Lex said.
"No, Lex. I don't really believe that you're apathetic. I believe that you mean well, and tend to go overboard. You let your feelings get the best of you," Chloe told him.
Lex nodded imperceptibly. "Chloe, I know what I did was wrong. You're right, I did mean well. I want Clark to be happy. I know you were happy with him at one point, and I'm sure if you two were together you would be happy now."
"We might be, Lex. To tell you the truth, I really think we might be able to be happy together. I also know that I have to do this in my own time, not yours, not Lana's, not anyone else's," Chloe explained.
"I know. It's hard to see the person I call my best friend not able to have something that is right within his grasp," Lex said.
"Is this an apology?" Chloe asked, raising her eyebrows.
"That, or the closest I've ever gotten to one," Lex admitted.
"Apology accepted, Lex. Don't do it again," Chloe commanded.
Lex nodded. "I need to talk to Clark."
"Good idea," Chloe said, placing her hand over his. "I'll go get him."
A moment later Clark sauntered over. "You wanted to see me, Lex?"
"Yes," Lex replied.
"Well?" Clark asked sitting down next to Lex.
"Clark, do you value our friendship?" Lex asked.
"What? Of course I do, Lex. You're my best friend," Clark replied.
"And you're my best friend. That's why I want to apologize for my actions," Lex told Clark.
Clark narrowed his eyes. "You're apologizing?"
"Don't look so shocked, it will only happen once," Lex teased.
"I'm listening," Clark insisted.
"I can't put a value on what your friendship means to me, Clark. I can't lose it," Lex told Clark. "Will you forgive me for what I've done?"
"Yes, Lex. I forgive you. I'm really your best friend?" Clark asked, his eyes sparkling.
Lex chuckled. "No, I mean the other farmboy I spend my spare minutes with."
"Oh, him! He's a good guy!" Clark joked.
"Eh, sometimes," Lex replied with a smirk.
"Really, Lex. It means a lot to hear you say that," Clark said seriously.
"Buy you a cup of coffee?" Lex asked.
"Sure. Let's go where everyone else is," Clark said standing up.
When Lex and Clark sat down Chloe grinned. She reached over and quickly squeezed
Clark's hand. "The Scoobies. Together again."
"I have to go," Chloe said suddenly.
"You always have to go," Pete complained.
"You try having a baby use your bladder as a mattress. Not fun!" Chloe said, rushing off.
"I'll leave that to the women," Pete told Clark.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Clark replied, chuckling.
"A very good idea," Pete answered with a grin.
"Women are the stronger sex," Clark pointed out.
"And how do you figure that?" Pete asked in amusement.
"All I know is that if I had to do what Chloe's doing, I would not be able to handle it," Clark said.
"Having fun?" Pete asked.
"Yes," Clark answered.
"Alright you two," Chloe said walking back to the guys. One hand was gently pressed to her stomach.
"Adora kicking again?" Pete asked.
"She's very active," Clark pointed out the obvious.
Clark and Pete looked at Chloe's stomach.
Chloe smiled. "Here," she said, taking them each by the hand. She pressed their fingertips to her stomach.
With Adora's next kick Pete chuckled, and a look of awe took over Clark's face.
"Okay," Chloe said, pulling their hands away. "That's enough of you guys touching me for now. Come back tomorrow for a repeat showing."
"Can I buy tickets in advance?" Clark teased.
Chloe swatted his shoulder. "Nice try, buddy."
Clark shrugged at Pete before the trio burst into laughter. Pete threw an arm around Chloe's shoulders and Clark followed suit.
"Here," Chloe said. She removed their arms from her shoulders and put them around her waist, so that they were supporting her.
"Better?" Clark asked.
"A little tighter," Chloe said, smiling when they did as they were told. "Much better."
"So, this is what we're here for?" Pete asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Yep," Chloe answered confidently, as they started to walk.
"It's good to know where we stand," Clark said, looking at Pete over Chloe's head.
"We know our place," Pete agreed.
"Yeah, next to me," Chloe answered with a yawn.
"Are you tired?" Clark asked.
"Very. I can't sleep well at night anymore, because I can't get comfortable," Chloe admitted.
"Is there nothing you can do about it?" Pete asked.
"The doctor said to try propping myself up with pillows, but we only have so many," Chloe complained.
"Then let's go get some more," Clark offered.
Chloe shrugged. "Sounds simple enough."
"Let's go," Pete said a Lex walked up.
"Well, here comes Smallville's own apathetic, bald, millionaire," Chloe said rudely.
Lex stopped at Chloe's words. He glared at her, turned on his heel, got into his car and left.
"Chloe," Clark warned.
"I think he was going to apologize," Pete said.
"Damn! It took him two weeks to get over his ego, and I just screwed it up," Chloe cursed herself.
Clark dropped his arm from Chloe and stared after Lex's car. "He'll be back."
"How can you be so sure?" Chloe asked.
"He once told us that we were his link to reality," Clark said.
"I don't understand," Chloe said.
"Lex spends all day on business. It's a lot of stress and pressure, especially having to deal with his father. At the end of the day, when he's with us, he can relax," Pete explained.
"He can be himself with us. He needs that, and won't give it up no matter what happens," Chloe finished.
"Exactly," Clark agreed.
"He's headed toward the Talon. I can fix this," Chloe said grabbing her phone. "Lana. Lex should be there in a few minutes. Can you run damage control?.We think he was going to apologize, but I made a crude remark and he left without a word. You will?.Thank you so much, we'll be there in a bit.Bye."
"Let's go get you some pillows," Pete said, leading the group into a store.
"What about this one?" Clark asked, reaching for a pillow.
"Feather pillow," Chloe said, pointing to the label. "Not good."
"Here's some, Chlo," Pete said from in the back.
Chloe waddled over to where Pete was. "Very nice, Pete."
"I thought so, too. How many do you need?" Pete asked.
"Three?" Chloe asked.
Pete laughed. "You tell me."
"Three," Chloe repeated surely.
"That was easy enough," Clark said as they paid for the pillows.
"Simple and painless, unlike my snarkish remark a moment ago," Chloe agreed.
"Let's go to the Talon. If Lana could do anything about it, she's done it by now," Pete said.
"I could use some food, too," Chloe said hungrily.
"All you do is eat and pee," Pete pointed out.
"All you do is make fun of me," Chloe said defiantly.
Pete shook his head. "We can put our things in the trunk. Do you want to drive to the Talon or walk?"
"Let's walk," Chloe said. "But let me change my shoes." Chloe grabbed her new pair of slippers out of her bag and put them on.
Clark rolled his eyes. "That's a fashion statement."
"It's an 'I'm pregnant, and if you knew what I was going through you'd do the same thing' statement," Chloe told him.
"Point taken," Clark said with a smile.
"Need us to help?" Pete asked.
"I think I'm okay for now," Chloe said, starting to walk.
When they got to the Talon the first thing they saw was a Ferrari.
"He's still here. Lana's good," Chloe said in relief.
"Don't count your eggs before they're hatched," Clark told her.
Lex immediately walked up to the trio. "Chloe, can I talk to you?"
Chloe glanced at Clark, then Pete. "Sure."
Lex led her to a table cross the room and she sat down. "Do you really believe that I'm apathetic?"
"Subtle is not in your vocabulary," Chloe said.
"I like to get straight to the point," Lex said.
"No, Lex. I don't really believe that you're apathetic. I believe that you mean well, and tend to go overboard. You let your feelings get the best of you," Chloe told him.
Lex nodded imperceptibly. "Chloe, I know what I did was wrong. You're right, I did mean well. I want Clark to be happy. I know you were happy with him at one point, and I'm sure if you two were together you would be happy now."
"We might be, Lex. To tell you the truth, I really think we might be able to be happy together. I also know that I have to do this in my own time, not yours, not Lana's, not anyone else's," Chloe explained.
"I know. It's hard to see the person I call my best friend not able to have something that is right within his grasp," Lex said.
"Is this an apology?" Chloe asked, raising her eyebrows.
"That, or the closest I've ever gotten to one," Lex admitted.
"Apology accepted, Lex. Don't do it again," Chloe commanded.
Lex nodded. "I need to talk to Clark."
"Good idea," Chloe said, placing her hand over his. "I'll go get him."
A moment later Clark sauntered over. "You wanted to see me, Lex?"
"Yes," Lex replied.
"Well?" Clark asked sitting down next to Lex.
"Clark, do you value our friendship?" Lex asked.
"What? Of course I do, Lex. You're my best friend," Clark replied.
"And you're my best friend. That's why I want to apologize for my actions," Lex told Clark.
Clark narrowed his eyes. "You're apologizing?"
"Don't look so shocked, it will only happen once," Lex teased.
"I'm listening," Clark insisted.
"I can't put a value on what your friendship means to me, Clark. I can't lose it," Lex told Clark. "Will you forgive me for what I've done?"
"Yes, Lex. I forgive you. I'm really your best friend?" Clark asked, his eyes sparkling.
Lex chuckled. "No, I mean the other farmboy I spend my spare minutes with."
"Oh, him! He's a good guy!" Clark joked.
"Eh, sometimes," Lex replied with a smirk.
"Really, Lex. It means a lot to hear you say that," Clark said seriously.
"Buy you a cup of coffee?" Lex asked.
"Sure. Let's go where everyone else is," Clark said standing up.
When Lex and Clark sat down Chloe grinned. She reached over and quickly squeezed
Clark's hand. "The Scoobies. Together again."