None of the characters are mine. Hope this provides the twist and turns you requested. Thanks for reading. Becky

God she was amazing how did I not know about this about her? Chloe was so amazingly beautiful, and she was mine. She had managed to keep this talent for singing a secret from us all. I know that that dress was not something that she would normally clothe herself in I hoped that it was for my benefit, selfish I know but she knows that about me and excepts it. I stare at her from across the room to the stage where she has just begun The Rose, feeling pressure on my arm I glance across to Amanda, my guest for this evening.

Amanda had curves in all the right places but she did nothing for me, at one time I might have considered starting something with her but since I found Chloe I haven't got the stomach for the meaningless passionate encounters I used to have.

Chloe changed all that

"So Lex is this your new girlfriend?"

"What makes you think that Clarke?"

"Well, I saw you one evening with a woman and I assumed she was your girlfriend"

"Spying on me Clarke, I never took you for a voyeur"

"No, of course not. I just couldn't sleep and thought a walk would be good it's not like I planned it or anything"

"Relax Clarke, Amanda is an old friend. She's visiting from Metropolis"

"Oh, ok"

A change of subject seemed the best course of action. Clarke might notice that I had evaded his question and ask further awkward questions. If that had been Chloe she would have spotted the misdirection and shot me down for it in a second I never could dodge her enquires as easily as I could with others; that's something she also has quite a talent for.

"Quite a dark horse isn't she" I commented to no one in particular.

"Yes, I heard her one evening in the torch offices. It was late and I had gone to ask if she wanted to come over to the Talon for a chat and a hot chocolate, as I got to the door I heard what I thought was a CD only when I opened the door I discovered Chloe singing. I don't know who was more shocked Her for being discovered or me for finding her singing over her work"

"Lana are you saying you knew about this"

Feeling a little guilty I glance up at Clarke, I could see he was a little hurt. He and Chloe had been best friends for a long time and I can imagine that our growing friendship hadn't escaped his notice. The fact that I knew something like Chloe's vocal talent must cause him a little bit of pain.

"Well, I did find out about her singing by accident. I persuaded her to perform tonight; it's a shame she has never sung in public before. In fact I suggested to her that she have a regular date at the Talon."

"What was her response to that?"

That question didn't come from Clarke but Lex, strange how he seemed to be so interested in Chloe all of a sudden. I mean Chloe looks really phenomenal tonight but she's not really Lex's type.

"She said that probably after tonight if she survived people would probably pay her not to. She seems to not know how good she is"

"I can't believe she never told us about this"

"Sometimes Clarke, there are things a person doesn't want anyone to know about them. You can hide things even from a person you are close too"

"Is that why you evaded Clarke's question about the girl he saw you with?"

Before I could answer Lana turned away and placed her face in the direction of the stage. There was an audible hush that seemed to descend upon the room.

It was then I noticed Chloe's eyes searching for mine.

Like the beam from a lighthouse they reached mine and I was caught in their depths. She was asking me if I approved, looking for the recognition that would say she hadn't made a complete ass of herself.

I told her to wait until I got her alone.

Then I noticed the change as her eye's widened and her body became stiff. Only her dress seemed to move; gliding across her form in the gentle breeze that glanced around the hall. It was then I felt the pressure on my arm and my neck

Amanda

S***

I stood immobile as she shakily replaced the microphone back in its stand and stumbled off the stage and into the pitch that bordered beyond it. Pushing Amanda off I make an exit out of the side door of the hall, hoping the darkness would cover me from the others view.

I didn't know which way to turn but I know that I have to get out of here, I catapulted myself from the stage the only thing I could hear was my own breath unsteady and gasping like a fish out of water.

The heels on my shoes sounded like breaking glass on the floor, suddenly that noise stopped

I realise that I'm on the floor the pain somehow hasn't reached my brain yet and as I pick my body up off the tiles I notice the stickiness that has formed on my knees but I fail too feel anything other than the aching in my heart. Staggering up I feel as if I'm drunk, my head is spinning and I can't seem to make my legs move fast enough, like in a dreams. The fire door which had become my escape route although open seemed miles away.

The wetness on my cheeks has reached my chest and I feel the droplets glide down my skin their heat seems to reach through me causing my skin to pimple in the cool night air.

"Chloe, Chloe stop"

Not needing to circle round to see who was calling me I continue on towards the exit only I suddenly stop when I realise that he wasn't behind me.

HE was standing casually before me the stance seeming to ask me to calm down.

Calm down! How could I do that?

Didn't he realise that my guts were lying on the floor in front of him?

Did he not care that he had severed my heart from my body and had now claimed it as his own?

The courage to sing tonight after swearing to never sing again had come from him; he gave me the confidence to face my demons. But now he was the demon in the foreground. Finally I hit him straight in the eye they locked with mine and I saw the apology in them.

Yes I deserve that, and more.

"Please just let me past, haven't you done enough tonight"

"You were amazing up their why did you never tell me you could sing like that?"

As the words were formed I also heard his breathing closing in on me

"Perhaps for the same reason you never told me about that sexy little number you were wearing tonight"

"It's not what it looks like"

He was within touching distance of me know, it was such a temptation to give in but that would just make it to easy, Chloe Sullivan wasn't a fool, I had promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't let anyone walk over me again.

"And what does it look like Lex, perhaps you should explain that to me?"

"Amanda is an old friend, I decided to bring her..

I couldn't watch his lips moving or the lies that reverberated from them any longer, spinning around I start in the direction I had raced from only a few minuets ago. It was then I feel the reaction in my body from the fall, once again I stumble. This time I find myself being caught before my face hits the cold surface underneath me.

Snatching out of Lex's grasp I start to walk again

"Chloe, please stop you're hurt"

"Yes I am. I'm hurt all right; I'm hurt by you. You DECIDED to bring her that's all you can say? I should have realised that it would end this way. Not sophisticated enough for you, too immature, not attractive as or in any way able to compete with Victoria or any of your other 'old friends'. Whichever one of those reasons caused you to bring her tonight don't bother telling me because I've already listed them. Go home Lex, and leave me to return to mine"

"Don't speak like that Chloe don't you know how much you mean to me?"

"How much I mean to you? I don't mean anything to you, you can't even bring yourself to say you like me let alone love me. I went up onto that stage and sung and I did it because of you. You gave me things that no one else could, the confidence to change, evolve into the woman you see in front of you. I was strong before I met you and I'm much more so now I'm over you"

"Do you know how hard it is for a man too say to the woman he loves that you like her?"

I watch as she once again pauses to look back at me

"I like you Chloe Sullivan"

"Well you have a funny way of showing it"

My heels once again sound along the hallway but they no longer fracture the air as they had before. I not going to get away with this that easily

"But that still doesn't explain Amanda"

"I know, but I promise that she is just a friend. It would look suspicious if I didn't bring anyone with me. Amanda is a friend from university one of the few who looked past everything else. Yes she is attractive and sexy, but you are the only one I see when I close my eyes. You are the one who I wish I could come home too every night for the rest of my life"

I feel the pressure as his fingertips brush away the tears that must streak black down my cheeks. Those hands softened themselves against my lips and I notice the roughness where a pen has rested against his finger. Tasting the sweetness of Pepsi on his lips I felt my equanimity return under the gentle coaxing of his lips

"You do know this doesn't get you of the hook "

I manage to whisper against his lips before we are dragged back to reality

We both hear the sounds around us as they come back into focus

As the haze clears I notice first Lana, who must have chased after me when I dramatically left the stage.

Then Clarke, who apart from worrying about me would follow Lana to the ends of the earth.

Bringing up the rear were Pete, Martha and Johnthan Kent and a few other friends of our acquaintance.

My courage after all that has happened almost fails me until I notice Lex's hand settle itself on my waist.

Everyone else notices this too. Not that it matters because they must have seen and heard everything else as well

"When I said I had a surprise planned for tonight this isn't exactly what I meant"

I said this to no one in particular