Authors Notes: Thanks to all who reviewed. Chlexers are the nicest people to ever "ship" with. Sorry that a thing called life got in the way of earlier updates. Not too much Clexiness going in this particular chapter. I'm establishing a plot; I can't just throw them into bed together... though that would be cool… but totally inappropriate for my current story and ratingJ
Still events after Tempest… after the events in the previous chapter (common sense alert)
Disclaimer: And If I had a million dollars I could own these characters… but I don't. If the owners of Lex are willing, I have $50 I'd like to place as a down payment on him. Perhaps we could sign a lease statement, with an option to buy? I thought not…
Chapter Two: "Pseudo Revenge"
*Five flights of stairs* Pete groaned, as he heaved onto the landing. "At least I only have to do my imitation of a pack mule on the way up" Pete quipped to the woman standing in the opening of her apartment. Chloe's aunt stood a few feet in front of him, the door to her apartment ajar. She'd been waiting since he buzzed up a moment ago, and had silently enjoyed the spectacle of him carrying his two bags up the stairs. Townies diffidently weren't used to hiking up large buildings.
"You must be Pete," she said, extending her hand, then realizing he didn't have a free appendage to shake, took her hand back, smiling. "Chloe is on the phone in her room, or she would have gone down to meet you. She's the first door on the left. Do you want any help?"
"Thanks" a breathless Pete exhaled. "But I think I can handle the zero incline from here" he shuffled down the hallway, and stopped outside of the barely open door.
"…around 10 AM tomorrow should be good… yeah…" Pete heard Chloe's voice, evidently still talking on the phone. Pete nudged the door open to see Chloe sitting cross-legged on the bed, her back towards him. "I know you're trying to besmirch your evil reputation" she laughed, then turned, seeing Pete enter. She waved ecstatically, but continued her conversation.
Pete dropped his suitcases on the floor, and lay down on bed. *Too many stairs* He concluded that had just been the most consecutive stairs he had ever climbed in his life. He needed something to drink, preferable of the juice variety, but Chloe's conversation had him intrigued. *Who is she talking to?*
"Well, I don't intend to hold up your busy day, you're adversaries won't see the plotting if it takes place on a weekend" Chloe caught Pete gazing at her quizzically, turned away, and stood up, walking toward the window. "Thanks again… oh haha… Yeah…. OK, bye" Chloe clicked the off button on the phone, and set it on the dresser.
"Who was that?" Pete inquired, still in his lazy position on the bed.
"Oh, gee Pete, it's great to see you to! How was your trip?" Chloe sat down next to his flat form and smirked. "Dispense with all the formalities why don't you?"
Pete smiled "Well, since I had to find my way up here, with out the aid of an informed native guide, I assumed we were playing comfy cozy already" Pete quickly drew his hands up to cover his face from the pillow he could already tell Chloe was going to bean him with. Sure enough blue and white-checkered fabric soon enveloped his vision.
"We fall right back into old patterns eh Pete?"
"Mmrrrrppppph muh mmuuuuhhh" Pete said into the pillow. Chloe rolled her eyes and pulled it off. "Ah, sweet oxygen" Pete inhaled. "I dunno Chloe, less then two minutes and you're already accosting me with fluffy objects? I think the city air has been bad for you"
"Maybe it's just an effect you have on people" Chloe stuck her tongue out.
"That's been debated before…" Pete sat upright and wrapped Chloe in a hug "Oh Chloe! How have you been! My how you've grown!" He pulled back and saw Chloe unsuccessfully attempting to hold back a laugh "Now that the greetings are done… Who were you talking to on the phone?"
"Oh, that was just regarding our ride to Smallville tomorrow" Chloe responded. She stood up and walked over to her pile of clothes fresh from the laundry. She busily folded them, avoiding eye contact with Pete. She wasn't sure how please Pete would be with the provider of their transportation.
"Ah, mass transit. The only way to travel" Pete then recalled some of the more interesting portions of her conversation "But I know you weren't that chatty with our friendly Grey Hound ticketers, so who were you discussing with?"
Chloe continued folding "Well, actually, a different mode of travel has popped up" She glanced over at Pete, who raised his eyebrows, indicating for her to continue. "I, uh, ran into Lex when I was with my father and Lex offered us the use of one of his many limos"
"I see" Pete said flatly "The guys who's family bought out my family's business to create the worlds greatest crap factory is now in the habit of giving away free rides? What a shame, I'd been looking forward to experiencing all that the wonders that Metropolis bus station has to offer"
Chloe gave him a withering look, "Pete, lets not go all diva here. It's not Lex's fault about your family's factory. Lex offered because… wanted to. Also my father was there. He's probably trying to build up his public image, and what better way then by assisting two weary travelers. That or he's planning on having the limo blown up so he doesn't have us to compete for Clark's friendship"
Pete stared at her.
"That's a joke!" Chloe exclaimed. "Pete, it's just a limo ride. It's not like you'll even have to see him. You just get to take advantage of his very expensive, very large, very comfy, very not filled with creepy people, limo"
"It would be nice not to elbow our way to an available seat" Pete acquiesced "… And we could use up all his ice cubes"
"A bit of pseudo revenge?" Chloe grinned "How very mature of you. Aren't you fearful of recursive action if you use all his ice cubes?"
Pete thought for a moment "We could set the volume on his in car TV really loud"
"And what makes you assume he has a television in his car" Chloe sighed.
"Satellite conferences, the news, Power Puff Girls?" Pete offered.
"Power puff girls?" Chloe raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Oh, he must be a closet Power Puff fan" Pete laughed. "And what better place to watch then in the privacy of your limo"
"You're really good at the defamation of character gig Pete" Chloe smiled. The image of Lex watching the Power Puff girls was just too amusing. "So, I guess that means that you're willing to accept Lex's gracious offer?"
Pete shrugged "Yeah, sure. Besides, how are we going to get all of that onto a bus anyway?" Pete indicated the pile of five suitcases Chloe had stacked in the corner of the room. "You and your father must have had some shopping trip on Thursday"
"Yeah, Dad even took back a bag for me" Chloe caught Pete's amused glance "Well honestly Pete, this has to supply me the whole school year. I'm not into the Smallville Chic look 'fab in flannel' so I have to stock up now"
"Yeah, if we don't take the limo, I'd be sitting on about three of those, wouldn't I?" Pete perched himself on the edge of the bed. "So, did you have anything planned for tonight?"
Chloe placed the shirt she had just folded inside the suitcase "Not at all, I was gonna wait to see what you were up to, and how dead I'd be after accepting I ride from Lex" She sat on the bed next to Pete.
"OK then" Pete exclaimed, "I have just the thing for us to do tonight" He reached in his back pocket and handed Chloe a small envelope. Chloe opened at stared back at her driver's license; well, what would have been her driver's license if she had been born in 1980.
"Pete, where did you get this?" Chloe gasped, "What diabolical plan has seized your crazed imagination?"
"What indeed" Pete said, borrowing Chloe's trademark smirk. "Since it's our only night together away from Smallville and all the quaint, yet boring, charm it possesses, I thought we could go shake things up a bit"
"I was assuming we'd go for coffee, or a movie Pete" Chloe said, looking at her ID. It actually was pretty damn good she had to admit. "Didn't you have enough time in Florida for illegal activities?"
Pete returned to his spot on the edge of the bed, next to Chloe. "It was all thirteen year olds in Mickey ears, or sixty year old raisins. Not much in the way of nighttime amusements. Besides, this way I get to give you your birthday gift" he said indicating her ID.
"It's not my birthday"
"This is an early gift" Pete feebly explained "And it's not like we'll be able to use it in Smallville, the Talon is hardly age restricted. And we can get coffee every night when we go back home… in fact that's all we'll be doing, when you're not leading us on some crazed man hunt for a meteor-man" He took in Chloe's unsure face "Come on, I just want to experience the night life, I wanna go out. When in Smallville will you get to experience me in all my dancing splendor?" He stood up and demonstrated a couple moves.
Chloe burst out laughing, "Oh my God, I can't believe you are cabbage-patching. OK, we'll go. I just hope you have a place picked out, and an excuse for my Aunt, and Tylenol to counteract the pounding of the bass in which ever night spot you pick"
"Ladies can't resist the cabbage patch" He chose to ignore Chloe's loud snort at that comment "I've got everything planned" Pete grinned "All you have to do is pick out something to wear"
Chloe groaned "Something clubby?" She looked over at her suitcases. She supposed that somewhere in her eclectic mix of skirts, and knee length sweaters she had something appropriate. "I guess I can do that"
"But nothing too clubby" Pete said, "Remember you do have to come home with me"
"Are you sure you aren't the one that will be needing that reminder later?" Chloe said, stealing back her smirk, just as she felt her pillow make contact with her head.
Still events after Tempest… after the events in the previous chapter (common sense alert)
Disclaimer: And If I had a million dollars I could own these characters… but I don't. If the owners of Lex are willing, I have $50 I'd like to place as a down payment on him. Perhaps we could sign a lease statement, with an option to buy? I thought not…
Chapter Two: "Pseudo Revenge"
*Five flights of stairs* Pete groaned, as he heaved onto the landing. "At least I only have to do my imitation of a pack mule on the way up" Pete quipped to the woman standing in the opening of her apartment. Chloe's aunt stood a few feet in front of him, the door to her apartment ajar. She'd been waiting since he buzzed up a moment ago, and had silently enjoyed the spectacle of him carrying his two bags up the stairs. Townies diffidently weren't used to hiking up large buildings.
"You must be Pete," she said, extending her hand, then realizing he didn't have a free appendage to shake, took her hand back, smiling. "Chloe is on the phone in her room, or she would have gone down to meet you. She's the first door on the left. Do you want any help?"
"Thanks" a breathless Pete exhaled. "But I think I can handle the zero incline from here" he shuffled down the hallway, and stopped outside of the barely open door.
"…around 10 AM tomorrow should be good… yeah…" Pete heard Chloe's voice, evidently still talking on the phone. Pete nudged the door open to see Chloe sitting cross-legged on the bed, her back towards him. "I know you're trying to besmirch your evil reputation" she laughed, then turned, seeing Pete enter. She waved ecstatically, but continued her conversation.
Pete dropped his suitcases on the floor, and lay down on bed. *Too many stairs* He concluded that had just been the most consecutive stairs he had ever climbed in his life. He needed something to drink, preferable of the juice variety, but Chloe's conversation had him intrigued. *Who is she talking to?*
"Well, I don't intend to hold up your busy day, you're adversaries won't see the plotting if it takes place on a weekend" Chloe caught Pete gazing at her quizzically, turned away, and stood up, walking toward the window. "Thanks again… oh haha… Yeah…. OK, bye" Chloe clicked the off button on the phone, and set it on the dresser.
"Who was that?" Pete inquired, still in his lazy position on the bed.
"Oh, gee Pete, it's great to see you to! How was your trip?" Chloe sat down next to his flat form and smirked. "Dispense with all the formalities why don't you?"
Pete smiled "Well, since I had to find my way up here, with out the aid of an informed native guide, I assumed we were playing comfy cozy already" Pete quickly drew his hands up to cover his face from the pillow he could already tell Chloe was going to bean him with. Sure enough blue and white-checkered fabric soon enveloped his vision.
"We fall right back into old patterns eh Pete?"
"Mmrrrrppppph muh mmuuuuhhh" Pete said into the pillow. Chloe rolled her eyes and pulled it off. "Ah, sweet oxygen" Pete inhaled. "I dunno Chloe, less then two minutes and you're already accosting me with fluffy objects? I think the city air has been bad for you"
"Maybe it's just an effect you have on people" Chloe stuck her tongue out.
"That's been debated before…" Pete sat upright and wrapped Chloe in a hug "Oh Chloe! How have you been! My how you've grown!" He pulled back and saw Chloe unsuccessfully attempting to hold back a laugh "Now that the greetings are done… Who were you talking to on the phone?"
"Oh, that was just regarding our ride to Smallville tomorrow" Chloe responded. She stood up and walked over to her pile of clothes fresh from the laundry. She busily folded them, avoiding eye contact with Pete. She wasn't sure how please Pete would be with the provider of their transportation.
"Ah, mass transit. The only way to travel" Pete then recalled some of the more interesting portions of her conversation "But I know you weren't that chatty with our friendly Grey Hound ticketers, so who were you discussing with?"
Chloe continued folding "Well, actually, a different mode of travel has popped up" She glanced over at Pete, who raised his eyebrows, indicating for her to continue. "I, uh, ran into Lex when I was with my father and Lex offered us the use of one of his many limos"
"I see" Pete said flatly "The guys who's family bought out my family's business to create the worlds greatest crap factory is now in the habit of giving away free rides? What a shame, I'd been looking forward to experiencing all that the wonders that Metropolis bus station has to offer"
Chloe gave him a withering look, "Pete, lets not go all diva here. It's not Lex's fault about your family's factory. Lex offered because… wanted to. Also my father was there. He's probably trying to build up his public image, and what better way then by assisting two weary travelers. That or he's planning on having the limo blown up so he doesn't have us to compete for Clark's friendship"
Pete stared at her.
"That's a joke!" Chloe exclaimed. "Pete, it's just a limo ride. It's not like you'll even have to see him. You just get to take advantage of his very expensive, very large, very comfy, very not filled with creepy people, limo"
"It would be nice not to elbow our way to an available seat" Pete acquiesced "… And we could use up all his ice cubes"
"A bit of pseudo revenge?" Chloe grinned "How very mature of you. Aren't you fearful of recursive action if you use all his ice cubes?"
Pete thought for a moment "We could set the volume on his in car TV really loud"
"And what makes you assume he has a television in his car" Chloe sighed.
"Satellite conferences, the news, Power Puff Girls?" Pete offered.
"Power puff girls?" Chloe raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Oh, he must be a closet Power Puff fan" Pete laughed. "And what better place to watch then in the privacy of your limo"
"You're really good at the defamation of character gig Pete" Chloe smiled. The image of Lex watching the Power Puff girls was just too amusing. "So, I guess that means that you're willing to accept Lex's gracious offer?"
Pete shrugged "Yeah, sure. Besides, how are we going to get all of that onto a bus anyway?" Pete indicated the pile of five suitcases Chloe had stacked in the corner of the room. "You and your father must have had some shopping trip on Thursday"
"Yeah, Dad even took back a bag for me" Chloe caught Pete's amused glance "Well honestly Pete, this has to supply me the whole school year. I'm not into the Smallville Chic look 'fab in flannel' so I have to stock up now"
"Yeah, if we don't take the limo, I'd be sitting on about three of those, wouldn't I?" Pete perched himself on the edge of the bed. "So, did you have anything planned for tonight?"
Chloe placed the shirt she had just folded inside the suitcase "Not at all, I was gonna wait to see what you were up to, and how dead I'd be after accepting I ride from Lex" She sat on the bed next to Pete.
"OK then" Pete exclaimed, "I have just the thing for us to do tonight" He reached in his back pocket and handed Chloe a small envelope. Chloe opened at stared back at her driver's license; well, what would have been her driver's license if she had been born in 1980.
"Pete, where did you get this?" Chloe gasped, "What diabolical plan has seized your crazed imagination?"
"What indeed" Pete said, borrowing Chloe's trademark smirk. "Since it's our only night together away from Smallville and all the quaint, yet boring, charm it possesses, I thought we could go shake things up a bit"
"I was assuming we'd go for coffee, or a movie Pete" Chloe said, looking at her ID. It actually was pretty damn good she had to admit. "Didn't you have enough time in Florida for illegal activities?"
Pete returned to his spot on the edge of the bed, next to Chloe. "It was all thirteen year olds in Mickey ears, or sixty year old raisins. Not much in the way of nighttime amusements. Besides, this way I get to give you your birthday gift" he said indicating her ID.
"It's not my birthday"
"This is an early gift" Pete feebly explained "And it's not like we'll be able to use it in Smallville, the Talon is hardly age restricted. And we can get coffee every night when we go back home… in fact that's all we'll be doing, when you're not leading us on some crazed man hunt for a meteor-man" He took in Chloe's unsure face "Come on, I just want to experience the night life, I wanna go out. When in Smallville will you get to experience me in all my dancing splendor?" He stood up and demonstrated a couple moves.
Chloe burst out laughing, "Oh my God, I can't believe you are cabbage-patching. OK, we'll go. I just hope you have a place picked out, and an excuse for my Aunt, and Tylenol to counteract the pounding of the bass in which ever night spot you pick"
"Ladies can't resist the cabbage patch" He chose to ignore Chloe's loud snort at that comment "I've got everything planned" Pete grinned "All you have to do is pick out something to wear"
Chloe groaned "Something clubby?" She looked over at her suitcases. She supposed that somewhere in her eclectic mix of skirts, and knee length sweaters she had something appropriate. "I guess I can do that"
"But nothing too clubby" Pete said, "Remember you do have to come home with me"
"Are you sure you aren't the one that will be needing that reminder later?" Chloe said, stealing back her smirk, just as she felt her pillow make contact with her head.