Everything In This World

By Viv

*~*~ Part Twelve ~*~*

"Whoa." Pete sat down quickly onto the edge of his bed. "Back up the Chloe express for a minute. Did I just hear you say what I thought I heard you say?"

"Yes." She waved her arms around her, continuing to rant incoherently.

"So Clark told you that he still kinda has a thing for you?" Chloe nodded vehemently. "And then Lana told you that Clark still kinda has a thing for you?" Chloe nodded again, sure that her head was about to drop off from the sheer force that she was investing in moving it up and down. "On the same day?" He finished incredulously.

"Yes!" She expelled a breath in exasperation. She had already told the entire story to Pete twice, so there was really no need for him to exposition it back to her. He seemed to have forgotten the tiny but important detail that she had actually just lived through it.

Pete couldn't resist a laugh. "Man your life must be a trip."

Chloe threw a hastily grabbed pillow at his face. "Don't make fun of me in my hour of need. I came to you as my only remaining sane best friend and I expect some quality counselling." She slumped to the floor, her back to Pete's bed as she crossed her arms petulantly. "So counsel me already."

Pete's eyes softened as he slid down to join her on the floor. "Sorry Chloe. It's just insane."

"I already got that newsflash." She sighed somewhat melodramatically. She was taking out her agitation on Pete which wasn't being really fair to him. It was bad enough that she was already dumping all of her mind-bending Clark-related crap onto him. Now she was actually asking him to make her feel better which granted, he usually could because Pete was Pete - he was nice, easy going, friendly, non-judgemental and totally bitchable to. Which was so what Chloe needed at the moment. "Has Clark said anything to you about this?"

He shook his head in wonder. "Your surprise was as good as mine."

"What am I going to do Pete?" She stared off into space, waiting impatiently for the words of unique advice that she could only get from him. Which didn't seem to really be flowing at the moment. "Pete? Counselling friend in pain, remember?"

"Oh - sorry." He shook his head as if trying to shake off a daze. Finally he turned to her, his face serious. "Well, how do you feel about this?"

"What - what do you mean?" Chloe asked uncertainly.

"You know." Pete gestured wildly, "Don't tell me you haven't been secretly hoping this would happen. Sassy blonde reporter likes good looking best friend. Best friend likes unattainable girl next door, who promptly becomes attainable, only to discover that best friend actually likes said sassy blonde reporter. They live happily ever after. It's what all great romances are made out of."

Chloe screwed up her face in distaste. "I think you're actually mistaking me for someone who considers trashy romance novels quality reading."

"Okay, so that came out a bit strong. But admit it Chloe, this is the stuff your dreams are made out of. You and Clark had the Thing last year and if he hadn't run out on you, you two would probably be macking even now." Chloe's eyes widened at his straightforwardness. "The question is - what are you going to do about it?"

She bit her lip thoughtfully. Finally she said, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" He asked, somewhat sceptical. "Your dream comes knocking on your door, saying exactly what you wanted him to say and you don't know what you want to do about it?"

"I don't know, okay? Last time I checked, indecision wasn't a capital crime." She huffed in defence.

"So maybe ... it isn't what you really want any more." Pete thoughtfully concluded, as if he had known what she had really felt all along but had carefully prodded it out of her. Through her annoyance, she had to admit that he would probably make a very good counsellor - or even a very good lawyer. He had effectively manipulated her into saying what she hadn't wanted to say aloud, because that meant that she would have to confront her conflicting feelings.

"I know what you're doing."

"Did it work?" He asked mischievously, his brown eyes twinkling.

His infectious grin lifted her mood, and she was forced to smile almost against her will. "Yes." She sighed. "Although I still don't know what I'm going to do."

"Take my advice Chloe, don't do anything." Off the surprise clearly written on her face, he elaborated, "this is between Clark and Lana. They're having their issues, that's all. The best thing you could do is to stay out of it and let them work it out for themselves."

Chloe nodded. It was always a scary, scary thing when Pete Ross made complete and utter sense.

(c) August 2002