A Smallville Christmas Carol
~*~* Chapter Seven ~*~*
Chloe skipped carolling that night. The thought of singing Christmas tunes to people (especially sick people that didn't deserve to have an ill- tempered girl singing happy songs to them) joined by the fact that Lana was going to be there. was enough to make her throw up. Not that she didn't spend half the night over the toilet anyway, the thought of Lex's words combined with the memory of having his lips on hers and his fingers in places where no one she had actually *known* had gone before, kept her there til the wee hours of the morning. And then there was the fact that she had an interview with him that was to make front page of the Torch when school resumed in a month. no way of getting out of that. Unless.
'Maybe I could get Clark or Pete to sub for me.' Chloe thought. She picked up the phone and began to dial Pete's house when she remembered Clark telling her about him holding a gun to Lex's head, and as convenient as that was, Pete hated Lex too much to do it any way. So Clark it was.
"Hey Clark how ya going?" Chloe asked when he picked up the phone.
"Chloe?" Clark asked sleepily. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Chloe frowned. "No."
"Its 4 in the morning. What the hell are you doing awake? You told me you didn't believe in any hour before 8."
"Things change. Keep up." Chloe said, noting for the first time it was still dark outside. "Any way. I know how you love Lex so much-"
"Chloe I swear if you're gonna go into that 'more than friends' speech at this hour, I am not liable for my actions." Clark warned.
"No, I'm just asking you to do the interview today. I'll have the stuff ready by 10 today, you can come pick it up then cos the interview is at 11, and you drop it all off again after the interview. Thanks Clark you're such a good friend. See you at ten."
"Chloe!! Hold on a minute!! What's going on?" Clark shouted into the phone before she hung up.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked doing her best Lana Lang voice.
"Don't give me that." Clark said.
Damn Lana. "I just think Lex and I have had enough of each other. You know, spending those two and a half days doing the show together, we were practically living in each others pockets. I think if I saw him again I'd be si-. I don't really know what I'd do, but it would probably involve property damage."
"That's a bit harsh after two days. I thought you were getting to like each other."
"Putting it mildly." she mumbled. "Yeah, well, things change."
"How could you hate Lex after spending so much time together?"
"He's not who I thought he was."
"Give Lex another chance. I'll bet he regrets what ever it was that happened."
"How do you know something happened?" Chloe asked. Lana must have told, she realised.
"Everyone that saw the show, and the two of you afterward, knows something happened. Now what was it?"
ABORT!! ABORT!!! Chloe's head was screaming. "Nothing, so you'll pick up the stuff at ten?"
"Actually, I'm kinda busy-"
"Clark. I need your help with this. Please."
"I'll be there at ten." Clark agreed. "Bye Chlo."
"See ya Clark." Chloe hung up the phone.
Chloe crawled into her bed and pulled herself into the smallest size possible; hoping maybe when she opened her eyes everything would be different. But three hours later when the inevitable happened, she discovered it wasn't. Suddenly, she remembered one of those rules of dating from one of those lame ass teen magazines she had been reduced to reading in the doctors office earlier that year.
Dating Rule 99: When a guy blows you off, blow him off worse.
Seeing that it was a little after 7, and that any self respecting business man would awake, she picked up the phone and dialled Lex's number. He answered on the third ring.
"Lex Luthor." The voice was crisp and emotionless, unlike a person who had just broken a girls heart.
"Luthor, its Chloe. I was just calling to tell you I can't make our appointment today, I'll be sending Clark."
"Chloe, if this is about-"
"I'm sure you have some witty remark regarding my foolishness yesterday, and before you can comment on it, save it. I know my mistake and I won't be making another where you are concerned, at any time for the rest of my life. So if you have a problem with the fact I wont be doing the interview.you know what? I don't care if you have a problem. You like Clark, and it will be more professional than if I conducted the interview, cos I might get nervous and god knows you're gonna do to calm my nerves this time. So I'll see you round Luthor." She said and hung up the phone.
There. That should do it. Chloe threw the phone on her bed and hurried through the questions she wanted Clark to ask Lex, ignoring the fact she just acted like a child. When she was done, Chloe looked at the time. 9:30. If she knew Clark, and she did, he would be here any minute to talk. 'He's probably gonna try and play peace maker with me and Luthor and get me to do the interview with him.' Chloe realised. "Not in this life." She mumbled to herself and scribbled a note to Clark about having somewhere to be and left for the Beanery, ignoring the phone that hadn't stopped ringing since she put it down earlier.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Lex paced around his study phone to his ear, waiting for Chloe to pick up, knowing she wouldn't. 'it's been two and a half hours Lex, she's not picking up.' He told himself, but he couldn't bring himself to put down the phone. Then he realised exactly where she would be and switched phone numbers. "Clark, do you know Chloe's mobile number? I lost it." He lied. After he copied down the number, he changed phones to his mobile, and called her, jumping into his car.
"Chloe Sullivan."
"Chloe, its Lex."
"How'd you get this number?"
"Clark."
"Who else." He could hear the exasperation in her voice.
"Listen Chloe, we should talk."
"Well I think we're done talking. I'm all talked out, raincheck?" she answered sarcastically.
Lex heard the familiar chime in the background that confirmed his suspicions, she was in the Beanery. "Well I'm not done. I want to explain what happened."
"You've explained. I was nervous. You. helped cure it." He heard her trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. "Then you explained to me oh-so- gently that you weren't actually interested in me, and left me, *crying*, to deal with Lana. So I really don't see what we have to talk about unless you are prepared to get on your knees in a public place, apologise profusely and announce to the spectators that you are the worst form of scum, only then will I *think* about resuming our not-so-polite acquaintance status."
"Will you settle for a simple explanation?" Lex asked from behind her.
Chloe jumped ten feet in the air and after recovering, hung up her phone. "I hope you know you just scared ten years off my life."
"Sorry about that." Lex said taking the seat opposite her.
"Only about that?"
"Can I explain?"
"Nope." Chloe said standing.
"Sit." Lex ordered, seizing her hand and pulling her back down.
"I'm going to be late for work."
"You don't work."
"Oh."
"Sit."
"Fine."
Lex let go of her hand and placed both of his on the table. "Chloe, about what happened yesterday."
"Unless your pleading insanity, I don't want to hear it."
"I am."
"Oh. This should be interesting."
"Do you always cut people off like that or is it just me."
"Don't feel special, I do it to everyone."
"Okay then." Lex wasn't too sure what to do with that, so he continued his story. "When we were up on stage, I saw my father in the back of the hall, and I panicked. I didn't want him too. put you off me, like he has with every other girl I've attempted a relationship with. If I was going to have a relationship with you, I'd want it to be special. I'd want to be sure - more than sure, how you feel about me before he came and screwed everything up for us."
He was saying that he wanted a relationship with her, she'd been waiting for this forever, and now he's saying it, and he's saying he *really* likes me!! No. no, no, no. Don't fall for it. Put your defences up! She told herself. "But what you said to me. it hurt, Lex." Chloe told him, not too sure how she felt about this conversation.
"I know. And I hated saying it. How do you think it felt for me having to tell the one girl I have actually wanted a full time relationship with that what we did meant nothing to me?" Lex told her.
"You wanted a full time relationship with me?"
"You only hear what you want to hear!" Lex smiled. "Yes. I *want* a full time relationship with you." He told her, playing with her hands, staring at her fingers instead of her eyes.
"What about your dad?"
"I'm hoping that you like me too much to take anything he says seriously." Lex admitted still playing with a ring on her thumb.
"I do like you. A lot."
"So can we start by doing the interview the way it is supposed to be done? With you asking the questions." Lex moved closer to where she was sitting and leaned into her.
"I'd say it's possible." Chloe smiled as he leaned in and kissed her fiercely.
~*~* Chapter Seven ~*~*
Chloe skipped carolling that night. The thought of singing Christmas tunes to people (especially sick people that didn't deserve to have an ill- tempered girl singing happy songs to them) joined by the fact that Lana was going to be there. was enough to make her throw up. Not that she didn't spend half the night over the toilet anyway, the thought of Lex's words combined with the memory of having his lips on hers and his fingers in places where no one she had actually *known* had gone before, kept her there til the wee hours of the morning. And then there was the fact that she had an interview with him that was to make front page of the Torch when school resumed in a month. no way of getting out of that. Unless.
'Maybe I could get Clark or Pete to sub for me.' Chloe thought. She picked up the phone and began to dial Pete's house when she remembered Clark telling her about him holding a gun to Lex's head, and as convenient as that was, Pete hated Lex too much to do it any way. So Clark it was.
"Hey Clark how ya going?" Chloe asked when he picked up the phone.
"Chloe?" Clark asked sleepily. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Chloe frowned. "No."
"Its 4 in the morning. What the hell are you doing awake? You told me you didn't believe in any hour before 8."
"Things change. Keep up." Chloe said, noting for the first time it was still dark outside. "Any way. I know how you love Lex so much-"
"Chloe I swear if you're gonna go into that 'more than friends' speech at this hour, I am not liable for my actions." Clark warned.
"No, I'm just asking you to do the interview today. I'll have the stuff ready by 10 today, you can come pick it up then cos the interview is at 11, and you drop it all off again after the interview. Thanks Clark you're such a good friend. See you at ten."
"Chloe!! Hold on a minute!! What's going on?" Clark shouted into the phone before she hung up.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked doing her best Lana Lang voice.
"Don't give me that." Clark said.
Damn Lana. "I just think Lex and I have had enough of each other. You know, spending those two and a half days doing the show together, we were practically living in each others pockets. I think if I saw him again I'd be si-. I don't really know what I'd do, but it would probably involve property damage."
"That's a bit harsh after two days. I thought you were getting to like each other."
"Putting it mildly." she mumbled. "Yeah, well, things change."
"How could you hate Lex after spending so much time together?"
"He's not who I thought he was."
"Give Lex another chance. I'll bet he regrets what ever it was that happened."
"How do you know something happened?" Chloe asked. Lana must have told, she realised.
"Everyone that saw the show, and the two of you afterward, knows something happened. Now what was it?"
ABORT!! ABORT!!! Chloe's head was screaming. "Nothing, so you'll pick up the stuff at ten?"
"Actually, I'm kinda busy-"
"Clark. I need your help with this. Please."
"I'll be there at ten." Clark agreed. "Bye Chlo."
"See ya Clark." Chloe hung up the phone.
Chloe crawled into her bed and pulled herself into the smallest size possible; hoping maybe when she opened her eyes everything would be different. But three hours later when the inevitable happened, she discovered it wasn't. Suddenly, she remembered one of those rules of dating from one of those lame ass teen magazines she had been reduced to reading in the doctors office earlier that year.
Dating Rule 99: When a guy blows you off, blow him off worse.
Seeing that it was a little after 7, and that any self respecting business man would awake, she picked up the phone and dialled Lex's number. He answered on the third ring.
"Lex Luthor." The voice was crisp and emotionless, unlike a person who had just broken a girls heart.
"Luthor, its Chloe. I was just calling to tell you I can't make our appointment today, I'll be sending Clark."
"Chloe, if this is about-"
"I'm sure you have some witty remark regarding my foolishness yesterday, and before you can comment on it, save it. I know my mistake and I won't be making another where you are concerned, at any time for the rest of my life. So if you have a problem with the fact I wont be doing the interview.you know what? I don't care if you have a problem. You like Clark, and it will be more professional than if I conducted the interview, cos I might get nervous and god knows you're gonna do to calm my nerves this time. So I'll see you round Luthor." She said and hung up the phone.
There. That should do it. Chloe threw the phone on her bed and hurried through the questions she wanted Clark to ask Lex, ignoring the fact she just acted like a child. When she was done, Chloe looked at the time. 9:30. If she knew Clark, and she did, he would be here any minute to talk. 'He's probably gonna try and play peace maker with me and Luthor and get me to do the interview with him.' Chloe realised. "Not in this life." She mumbled to herself and scribbled a note to Clark about having somewhere to be and left for the Beanery, ignoring the phone that hadn't stopped ringing since she put it down earlier.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Lex paced around his study phone to his ear, waiting for Chloe to pick up, knowing she wouldn't. 'it's been two and a half hours Lex, she's not picking up.' He told himself, but he couldn't bring himself to put down the phone. Then he realised exactly where she would be and switched phone numbers. "Clark, do you know Chloe's mobile number? I lost it." He lied. After he copied down the number, he changed phones to his mobile, and called her, jumping into his car.
"Chloe Sullivan."
"Chloe, its Lex."
"How'd you get this number?"
"Clark."
"Who else." He could hear the exasperation in her voice.
"Listen Chloe, we should talk."
"Well I think we're done talking. I'm all talked out, raincheck?" she answered sarcastically.
Lex heard the familiar chime in the background that confirmed his suspicions, she was in the Beanery. "Well I'm not done. I want to explain what happened."
"You've explained. I was nervous. You. helped cure it." He heard her trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. "Then you explained to me oh-so- gently that you weren't actually interested in me, and left me, *crying*, to deal with Lana. So I really don't see what we have to talk about unless you are prepared to get on your knees in a public place, apologise profusely and announce to the spectators that you are the worst form of scum, only then will I *think* about resuming our not-so-polite acquaintance status."
"Will you settle for a simple explanation?" Lex asked from behind her.
Chloe jumped ten feet in the air and after recovering, hung up her phone. "I hope you know you just scared ten years off my life."
"Sorry about that." Lex said taking the seat opposite her.
"Only about that?"
"Can I explain?"
"Nope." Chloe said standing.
"Sit." Lex ordered, seizing her hand and pulling her back down.
"I'm going to be late for work."
"You don't work."
"Oh."
"Sit."
"Fine."
Lex let go of her hand and placed both of his on the table. "Chloe, about what happened yesterday."
"Unless your pleading insanity, I don't want to hear it."
"I am."
"Oh. This should be interesting."
"Do you always cut people off like that or is it just me."
"Don't feel special, I do it to everyone."
"Okay then." Lex wasn't too sure what to do with that, so he continued his story. "When we were up on stage, I saw my father in the back of the hall, and I panicked. I didn't want him too. put you off me, like he has with every other girl I've attempted a relationship with. If I was going to have a relationship with you, I'd want it to be special. I'd want to be sure - more than sure, how you feel about me before he came and screwed everything up for us."
He was saying that he wanted a relationship with her, she'd been waiting for this forever, and now he's saying it, and he's saying he *really* likes me!! No. no, no, no. Don't fall for it. Put your defences up! She told herself. "But what you said to me. it hurt, Lex." Chloe told him, not too sure how she felt about this conversation.
"I know. And I hated saying it. How do you think it felt for me having to tell the one girl I have actually wanted a full time relationship with that what we did meant nothing to me?" Lex told her.
"You wanted a full time relationship with me?"
"You only hear what you want to hear!" Lex smiled. "Yes. I *want* a full time relationship with you." He told her, playing with her hands, staring at her fingers instead of her eyes.
"What about your dad?"
"I'm hoping that you like me too much to take anything he says seriously." Lex admitted still playing with a ring on her thumb.
"I do like you. A lot."
"So can we start by doing the interview the way it is supposed to be done? With you asking the questions." Lex moved closer to where she was sitting and leaned into her.
"I'd say it's possible." Chloe smiled as he leaned in and kissed her fiercely.