Title: Surprise, Surprise.

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: Yeah...right. If they were mine....no, not enough room here to vent about Lana. Nevermind. ;]

Chapter #9: Three Strikes...and you're out.


"Nervous?" Lex asked, parking his car deftly between two worn looking trucks.

"No," Chloe lied unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Good," Lex chuckled throwing his car door open and getting out. Slamming his door shut, he waited for Chloe to do the same. Already, his appearance in town so early in the morning had the townspeople watching, but the added company of a woman they did but didn't recognize had them gawking a little more than usual. Smiling to himself, Lex observed silently along with the locals as Chloe painted the perfect picture of grace stepping out of his car. Never once did she wither under the curious stares. If anything, she flourished.

Easily unfolding herself from Lex's car, Chloe stood tall under the morning light and the scrutiny of the towns inquiring eyes.

Having shed her teenage skin long ago, Chloe no longer possessed the perky and sometimes awkward nature that she used to have. Now she moved with a grace and confidence that came from growing up too soon. She didn't have time to be bubbly or animated. Nor did she have the energy for false pretenses. Now, what you saw was what you got. What you saw was a woman in her prime, and what you got was a woman who commanded attention and respect.

There was no hesitance or uncertainty about this Chloe, that there was with the old one that Smallville undoubtedly remembered. If anything, there was an arrogant layer that she'd grown to protect herself from the cold and unforgiving world that she'd lived in for so long. The simplicity of life in Smallville was no longer hers. She didn't have time or the patience for the ignorant blinders that they entire town wore. She wasn't living in the perfect little town with the perfect little life. She never had.

Pausing to smile at the faces regarding her with puzzlement, Chloe turned to Lex and matched his smile with a smirk. Coming around to him, Chloe couldn't help but laugh, "I can't tell if they're staring at you or me."

"You," Lex said resting his hand on the small of her back and leading her into the Talon, "Most definitely you. They've had awhile to get used to seeing me loitering around."

Laughing, Chloe walked into the Talon and for one moment, it was almost as if she'd gone back in time. Old faces and new ones greeted her upon arrival. Memories of moments long past and coffee consumed a million minutes long ago flashed before her eyes and blended in with the new. It was good to be home.

"Are we going in?" Lex asked assumed by how Chloe stood frozen in the doorway.

"Why not," Chloe said letting Lex lead her to the counter and a waiting Lana, Pete and Clark. The three musketeers. Cutting through the crowd, Chloe ignored the curious glances and suddenly hushed conversations. She'd forgotten how tactless the dense teenage population of Smallville had been and obviously still were. It was almost enough to make her laugh. Almost.

"Chloe," Lana gushed, her big brown eyes still the same, "It's great that you're back."

Her smile was still sickeningly sweet, Chloe observed. Her innocence was just as blinding as the first day Chloe met her, and her sweater set the very modicum of perfection. All that were missing were the pearls and the martini glass. At least she wasn't wearing that meteor rock around her neck. Chloe never did understand how Lana could wear a piece of something that had killed her parents. It was all so morbid and disturbing, and only Lana Lang could pull it off.

"Hi Lana," Chloe smiled unprepared for the hug Lana was going to envelope in. Immobile, Chloe had to remember to breathe. Bringing her own arms up to pat Lana's back uneasily, Chloe scowled at Lex who was the only one who wasn't oblivious to her discomfort.

Pulling away from Chloe, Lana held her at arms length and scrutinized every inch of her. "You look great," Lana finally declared, showing off her pearly whites.

Chuckling to mask her discomfort, Chloe straightened her sweater and nudged Lex discreetly in an attempt to wipe that smirk off of his face. "Thanks Lana. Hey Pete,"

"Damn girl," Pete said pulling her in for a hug, "you went and changed on us."

"And you on me," Chloe declared taking in Pete's suddenly bulky frame. "Still playing football?"

"Never stopped," Pete told her proudly.

Stepping out of Pete's arms and taking her post beside Lex, Chloe nodded to the last part of the trio. "Hello Clark."

"Hi Chloe," Clark said suddenly feeling nervous in her presence. The logical part of his brain was telling him that he need not be nervous, but the irrational part of his brain was running haywire with doubt and uncertainty. Clark wasn't sure how to act around this new version of Chloe. There were sparks and slivers of the old Chloe every once and awhile, but it was always just brief flashes. Clark was at a loss. It seemed like Chloe had gone and grown up without him.

"Gosh Chloe," Lana said in that breathless tone of hers, "I can't believe how different you look. You look so much older."

Self-consciously running a hand over the soft sweater that she was wearing, Chloe didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or not. Judging from the smile on Lex's face and the frown on Clark's, the two of them were taking it differently too. "Uh, thanks Lana."

"Clark told me that you're staying with Lex," Lana said, her eyes flickering over to her smirking boss.

"Yeah," Chloe confirmed, "I'm staying with Lex."

"Are you going to be staying for awhile?" Lana probed innocently.

"Ah," Chloe said casting Lex a quick look, "I'm not sure."

"There are no definite plans," Lex interjected smoothly, when he noticed Chloe's distress, "Chloe and I are just going to take it one day at a time."

"What he means is he'll kick me out once I out stay my welcome," Chloe laughed, feeling her tension slowly melt away at the feeling of Lex's hand on the small of her back. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by Lana, Pete, Clark or the rest of the Talon.

Smiling easily, Lex added, "Or she gets sick of me and runs back to Metropolis."

"Do you think Louis would take me in if I showed up on his doorstep?" Chloe asked, her eyes lighting up at the mention of their English friend. She was surprised at how much she missed him and his dirty English jokes. He was an adorable bugger.

"Absolutely," Lex assured her, "I'm surprised he hasn't come up here yet to steal you back."

"Who's Louis?" Clark asked, vocalizing the question that both Pete and Lana wanted to ask.

"Just a mutual friend we have," Lex said not offering any more explanation, "Lana, could we get two cups of coffee?"

"Coming up," Lana said giving Chloe one last grin before going back to her post.

"Clark, Pete, would you like to join us?" Lex asked leading Chloe over to an empty table.

"I'll bring the coffee over," Clark said gesturing at Lana and the coffee she was brewing.

"And I'll help him," Pete offered, "Two creams and two sugars for Chloe and…"

"Actually," Chloe said wrinkling her nose, "I take it black with just one sugar."

"Black?" Clark asked surprised, "Since when?" As long as he'd known Chloe, she'd taken her coffee with two creams and two sugars.

"For awhile now," Chloe shrugged, "Thanks Clark."

"I take it the same way," Lex said patting Clark's arm, "Thanks."

"Sure," Clark nodded watching Chloe turn her attention back to Lex and make her way through the throngs of customers to a free table. This day just got weirder and weirder.

Watching Clark as she poured the hot coffee, Lana saw the same thing that Clark and the rest of the Talon did, the new Chloe. "Clark, are you all right?"

Sighing, Clark gave Lana a miserable look. "Do you get the distinct feeling that Chloe went and grew up without the rest of us?"

Looking Chloe over as she dodged patrons and tables, Pete couldn't help but agree. "She grew up all right."

Setting the hot mugs of java on a tray for Clark, Lana gave him a sympathetic smile. "You feel left behind?"

"No," Clark said shaking his head, "just…"

"Just what?" Lana asked reaching over and putting her hand on Clark's arm.

"Yeah, I guess I do feel a little left behind," Clark confessed.

"Don't worry," Lana whispered looking over to where Chloe was laughing at Lex, "I feel a little left behind too. I mean, it seems like she's an adult and we're just little kids, you know?"

"Yeah," Clark agreed, "I don't know what to say to her anymore. It used to be so easy. But it's been so long since we've talked…and I don't know how to approach this new version of Chloe."

Handing Clark the tray, Lana gave him a confident smile, "Just be yourself and you'll be fine."

"How can you be so sure?" Clark asked eyeing Lana skeptically.

"Because being you has never steered you wrong before," Lana beamed, "Now go before their coffee gets cold."

"All right," Clark said armed with a bout of confidence and coffee. Hopefully it would be enough.


***

Settling back in the well worn seats, Chloe let her eyes drift over the Talon and all the subtle changes that seemed to have been made over the years. Soaking up everything, Chloe found herself watching Clark and Lana talking like she used to all those years ago. It was like old times, sitting back and silently observing the two poster children for denial. Chloe could almost predict the scene before it happened. Lana reached over the counter and lightly touched Clark's arms and Clark's face lit up like the morning sun. These two were so predictable.

"Are you still in love with him?"

Her eyes widening with surprise at the sudden question, Chloe whirled around and gave Lex the most incredibly astonished expression he'd ever seen. Realizing that he was being serious, Chloe couldn't help but laugh. Really laugh. It was a real laugh that lit up her entire face and rushed to her eyes, making them come to life in a way Lex was glad to see. Of course, it wasn't the reaction that he was expecting but he'd take it nonetheless.

Clutching her sides, Chloe couldn't seem to stop the laughter.

"I'm glad you find my question so amusing."

Finally getting herself under control, Chloe shook her head at Lex. "Don't be stupid," Chloe ordered, wiping amused tears from her eyes.

"I'm stupid now?" Lex asked, giving her an amused look.

"If you ever thought that I was in love with Clark, yeah you're stupid. Monumentally so."

"Really?" He'd been called peaceful and stupid in one day. What else did Chloe Sullivan have in store for him?

"I had a crush on the guy in high school," Chloe laughed, "I didn't want to bear his children or anything."

"Oh."

"Oh indeed," Chloe chuckled shaking her head, "I can't believe that you thought that I was in love with him. That's too funny."

"What's too funny?" Clark asked setting two coffees and two hot chocolates down.

"Lex," Chloe grinned, "and his crazy ideas."

"Okay," Clark said feeling his forehead bunch up with confusion.

"Ignore her," Lex ordered Clark, "She's not coherent until she's had coffee."

Snorting, Chloe grabbed her steaming mug of heaven. "Yeah, yeah."

A smile splitting across his face at the familiarity that he was beginning to feel, Clark gave Chloe a goofy grin. "Now that you're back, I guess that means you'll be coming back to school. It'll be like old times, Chloe. You can even take the Torch back. I'll happily hand over the reigns as editor."

"And if you need another reporter, I'm sure I can help out." Pete offered, shrugging his massive shoulders.

Giving Lex an apprehensive look, Chloe played with her coffee. "Guys, I'm not going to be going to school with you."

"Why not?" Clark asked confused by the secret looks that Chloe and Lex were sharing, "We've got one semester left before we graduate. I know that it'll be hard to come in a third of the way through the semester, but you're smart. You'll be fine. And if you need help, I can help you…"

"Clark," Chloe said cutting him off. She'd forgotten how good he was at rambling. "I graduated last year."

She what? "You what?" Clark and Pete asked, almost choking on their hot chocolate.

"I graduated last year," Chloe repeated trying to make Clark and Pete understand, "I'm done high school."

"Are you in university?" Clark asked getting over his initial shock.

"No," Chloe said ducking her head.

"Why not?" Clark asked too blinded by his confusion to notice Chloe's ashen face.

"Because she's taking a year off to just live in the moment," Lex covered, resting his hand on the back of Chloe's chair, "It's all very new age of her."

Giving Lex a grateful smile, Chloe nodded at her former best friends. It wasn't a complete lie. It was just a half truth, and all that Chloe was ready to tell them. It was all that Chloe was ready to tell anyone.

"A year off?" Clark echoed, giving Chloe a dubious look. How the hell did Lex know all of that? How the did Lex know more than he did about Chloe? "How does your dad feel about that?"

Strike one. "He had nothing bad to say about it," Chloe told Clark, leaning back into Lex's touch. Because the dead didn't talk.

"Oh," Clark said confused by her choice of words, "How does he feel about you living with Lex?"

Strike two.

"I think that if he were here," Lex said giving Chloe's shoulder a soft squeeze, "he'd have no objections."

Regarding his two friends strangely, Clark didn't ask any more questions, much to the relief of Chloe and Lex. He let the two of them steer the topics of conversation and participated, but never did he lose that nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. There was something that they weren't telling him and he was going to find out what it was. To bad Clark didn't know that would be strike three. Three strikes and you're out.

***

TBC.