A Smallville Christmas
~~**~~** Chapter Three ~~**~~**
"It's just not worth it Lex." Chloe said, sinking to the ground.
"What isn't?" Lex asked watching her fall.
"This." She gestured around her. "I try to give everyone the perfect Christmas and look what happens. Clark and Pete don't appreciate it, they think I'm some crazed Christmas edition of Hitler. My dad doesn't care, and neither does anybody else. You know, this whole show just could not happen, and no one would care."
"That's not true. A lot of people are looking forward to it."
"I don't know how she did it."
"Who?" Lex asked kneeling beside her.
"My mom." A tear made its way down her cheek. "She made Christmas look so easy. Everything she did was perfect, and I can't even find the perfect Christmas tree. I don't know why I try. It's ridiculous to think I could ever measure up to her."
"You are doing a magnificent job, Chloe. Think about it. This town had never even had a Christmas show before you came along. You have done wonderful things, and don't think no one appreciates what you've done. Everyone does. I do, I booked out the front row of the show for Clark, Pete and Lana's family, and myself, front row center." Pause. "Do you want me to help you find replacements for the show?"
"Who am I gonna call Lex?" Chloe whispered. "Clark and Lana are planning on making it the official first date, Pete's doing the family thing, I have no one left." Chloe looked up at Lex. "I don't suppose you'd do it?"
"I don't know Chloe. You may have heard - this whole town hates me."
"Please Lex? Its all gonna be written out for you, all you have to do is read off the cards on the podium. We can do both shows together, you'll be my co-host or something. Please? I know we have never been close, or even. okay, we are little more than acquaintances but it would be such a great help, and I wouldn't feel like such a failure." Chloe begged.
"When is it?"
"It starts and noon and ends at three." Chloe looked at him hopefully.
"And your sure the towns people will agree to coming if they know the son of Satan will be co-hosting?"
"I think it will make it that little bit more interesting, sell a few more tickets?." Chloe replied, recovering from her breakdown and standing. "You know, the son of Satan celebrating Christ's birth."
"Good to know you're not taking advantage of me."
"Yeah well, what are ya gonna do?"
"Find a tree."
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"I swear to god, if one more person asks me about the show, I am not liable for my actions." Chloe muttered as she picked up her scalding hot coffee later that day.
"Chloe, you don't believe in God." Clark told her. (A/N: I don't know if she does, but I don't)
"If you don't believe in god, then why is Christmas such a big deal?" Pete asked.
"I have my moments Clark. And Pete, it's the principle. Christmas is globally celebrated as family togetherness. Trust me, pick up a Christmas card and you'll see either a fat man in a red suit, a house; symbolising family, a Christmas tree, or for some reason animals and or flowers." Chloe informed the ignorant male. "Never do you see a skinny man pinned to a cross, and cards with the baby Jesus thing, are a dime a dozen. I think their down to limited editions now."
"Good point." Pete considered. "Hey I heard about Paige and Bethne. What are you gonna do?"
"Yeah, I heard about that, you know I would but." Clark trailed off knowing Chloe understood.
"Yeah, babe, I'd love to help out, but my parents are into the 'family togetherness' thing so." Pete shrugged.
"Don't worry about it, Lex and I are gonna co-host over the two days."
"Tell me your kidding." Pete pleaded.
"Nope, sorry."
"How did you con Luthor into a Christmas celebration?"
"With some pretty convincing water works and puppy dog eyes." Chloe smiled.
"You cried in front of Luthor?" Pete gaped.
"I had a weak moment, it doesn't happen often. The poor guy just happened to be there." Chloe shrugged.
"I'm told I have bad timing." Lex said appearing behind Pete.
Pete jumped out of his seat. "Don't do that man!"
"My apologies Mr Ross." Lex smirked letting the boy know on no uncertain terms he wasn't sorry. "Miss Sullivan, when your ready."
"Yup, I just wanna get another coffee. To go." She addressed the waitress.
"Where are you going?" Clark spoke up.
"Seeing Lex is involved in the show now, and he hasn't seen one of mine before I'm going to his place to go through a few things with him, so he knows what he's doing." Chloe said picking up her coffee.
"Hey, did you guys find a tree?" Clark asked as the pair headed out the door.
"Yeah, I figured Christmas would be perfect with any tree." Chloe smiled at Lex as she swept through the door of the Talon.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"So after the choir, we hold the 'Little Smallville' show. Little Smallville is just showing off the younger citizens that everyone forgets about. So the kids enter here." Chloe leaned over the diagram she drew and pointed to a section on stage left. "And we stand here introducing each child."
Lex was watching the animated look on her face as she explained the way she wanted the show to run. 'How could Clark not see what he has in front of him?' he wondered as she went into great detail about something she felt had to be explained.
"So what will you be wearing?" Chloe asked.
'Nothing.' "What?" he hoped he hadn't said that out loud.
"To the show. You know, the one we were just talking about?" Chloe frowned.
Lex sighed in relief, he hadn't. "A suit."
"Wrong answer." She shook her head.
"Well, what's the right answer?" he frowned.
"Could I convince you to wear a Santa suit?"
"No."
"Oh."
"I'll compromise with a red shirt."
"It'll do."
"Good."
*Silence*
"What about you?" Lex asked.
"One of those female Santa suits." Chloe rolled her eyes. "With the little red skirt and jacket? Lined in white faux fur."
"Sounds. interesting."
"Said like a true male." Chloe sighed. "Bethne and Paige chose it, I don't have time to find something else. The show is in 18 hours and I have too much to worry about."
"Like what."
"Like the things I was explaining while you went into LaLa Land."
"You noticed."
"Yes." Chloe rolled her eyes and looked at her watch. "Shoot. I'm gonna be late to meet Lana."
"I heard that you go carolling in the hospital. It's thoughtful of you." Lex said sincerely. "If your going to be late, why don't I drop you of at Lana's instead of your place."
"Could you? That would really help!"
"Of course."
~~**~~** Chapter Three ~~**~~**
"It's just not worth it Lex." Chloe said, sinking to the ground.
"What isn't?" Lex asked watching her fall.
"This." She gestured around her. "I try to give everyone the perfect Christmas and look what happens. Clark and Pete don't appreciate it, they think I'm some crazed Christmas edition of Hitler. My dad doesn't care, and neither does anybody else. You know, this whole show just could not happen, and no one would care."
"That's not true. A lot of people are looking forward to it."
"I don't know how she did it."
"Who?" Lex asked kneeling beside her.
"My mom." A tear made its way down her cheek. "She made Christmas look so easy. Everything she did was perfect, and I can't even find the perfect Christmas tree. I don't know why I try. It's ridiculous to think I could ever measure up to her."
"You are doing a magnificent job, Chloe. Think about it. This town had never even had a Christmas show before you came along. You have done wonderful things, and don't think no one appreciates what you've done. Everyone does. I do, I booked out the front row of the show for Clark, Pete and Lana's family, and myself, front row center." Pause. "Do you want me to help you find replacements for the show?"
"Who am I gonna call Lex?" Chloe whispered. "Clark and Lana are planning on making it the official first date, Pete's doing the family thing, I have no one left." Chloe looked up at Lex. "I don't suppose you'd do it?"
"I don't know Chloe. You may have heard - this whole town hates me."
"Please Lex? Its all gonna be written out for you, all you have to do is read off the cards on the podium. We can do both shows together, you'll be my co-host or something. Please? I know we have never been close, or even. okay, we are little more than acquaintances but it would be such a great help, and I wouldn't feel like such a failure." Chloe begged.
"When is it?"
"It starts and noon and ends at three." Chloe looked at him hopefully.
"And your sure the towns people will agree to coming if they know the son of Satan will be co-hosting?"
"I think it will make it that little bit more interesting, sell a few more tickets?." Chloe replied, recovering from her breakdown and standing. "You know, the son of Satan celebrating Christ's birth."
"Good to know you're not taking advantage of me."
"Yeah well, what are ya gonna do?"
"Find a tree."
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"I swear to god, if one more person asks me about the show, I am not liable for my actions." Chloe muttered as she picked up her scalding hot coffee later that day.
"Chloe, you don't believe in God." Clark told her. (A/N: I don't know if she does, but I don't)
"If you don't believe in god, then why is Christmas such a big deal?" Pete asked.
"I have my moments Clark. And Pete, it's the principle. Christmas is globally celebrated as family togetherness. Trust me, pick up a Christmas card and you'll see either a fat man in a red suit, a house; symbolising family, a Christmas tree, or for some reason animals and or flowers." Chloe informed the ignorant male. "Never do you see a skinny man pinned to a cross, and cards with the baby Jesus thing, are a dime a dozen. I think their down to limited editions now."
"Good point." Pete considered. "Hey I heard about Paige and Bethne. What are you gonna do?"
"Yeah, I heard about that, you know I would but." Clark trailed off knowing Chloe understood.
"Yeah, babe, I'd love to help out, but my parents are into the 'family togetherness' thing so." Pete shrugged.
"Don't worry about it, Lex and I are gonna co-host over the two days."
"Tell me your kidding." Pete pleaded.
"Nope, sorry."
"How did you con Luthor into a Christmas celebration?"
"With some pretty convincing water works and puppy dog eyes." Chloe smiled.
"You cried in front of Luthor?" Pete gaped.
"I had a weak moment, it doesn't happen often. The poor guy just happened to be there." Chloe shrugged.
"I'm told I have bad timing." Lex said appearing behind Pete.
Pete jumped out of his seat. "Don't do that man!"
"My apologies Mr Ross." Lex smirked letting the boy know on no uncertain terms he wasn't sorry. "Miss Sullivan, when your ready."
"Yup, I just wanna get another coffee. To go." She addressed the waitress.
"Where are you going?" Clark spoke up.
"Seeing Lex is involved in the show now, and he hasn't seen one of mine before I'm going to his place to go through a few things with him, so he knows what he's doing." Chloe said picking up her coffee.
"Hey, did you guys find a tree?" Clark asked as the pair headed out the door.
"Yeah, I figured Christmas would be perfect with any tree." Chloe smiled at Lex as she swept through the door of the Talon.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"So after the choir, we hold the 'Little Smallville' show. Little Smallville is just showing off the younger citizens that everyone forgets about. So the kids enter here." Chloe leaned over the diagram she drew and pointed to a section on stage left. "And we stand here introducing each child."
Lex was watching the animated look on her face as she explained the way she wanted the show to run. 'How could Clark not see what he has in front of him?' he wondered as she went into great detail about something she felt had to be explained.
"So what will you be wearing?" Chloe asked.
'Nothing.' "What?" he hoped he hadn't said that out loud.
"To the show. You know, the one we were just talking about?" Chloe frowned.
Lex sighed in relief, he hadn't. "A suit."
"Wrong answer." She shook her head.
"Well, what's the right answer?" he frowned.
"Could I convince you to wear a Santa suit?"
"No."
"Oh."
"I'll compromise with a red shirt."
"It'll do."
"Good."
*Silence*
"What about you?" Lex asked.
"One of those female Santa suits." Chloe rolled her eyes. "With the little red skirt and jacket? Lined in white faux fur."
"Sounds. interesting."
"Said like a true male." Chloe sighed. "Bethne and Paige chose it, I don't have time to find something else. The show is in 18 hours and I have too much to worry about."
"Like what."
"Like the things I was explaining while you went into LaLa Land."
"You noticed."
"Yes." Chloe rolled her eyes and looked at her watch. "Shoot. I'm gonna be late to meet Lana."
"I heard that you go carolling in the hospital. It's thoughtful of you." Lex said sincerely. "If your going to be late, why don't I drop you of at Lana's instead of your place."
"Could you? That would really help!"
"Of course."