you guys are so great! if it weren't for you, i'd stop writing right now. serious. no lie. i couldn't have asked for better reviews. and you guys just keep em' coming. so thanks. ok. i'll let you get on with reading this next chapter. hope you all like. and, oh, i don't own any of the show, the *show* owns the show, blah, blah, blah. i own notta. not lexy, chloe, lionel(thank god)... so, ok, now i'll really shut up. sorry, my rambling must stop.

why me?

Well, that went surprisingly well. He'd gotten the upperhand, *and* he'd come out looking like the hero.

As he was about to turn the corner, he glanced back, taking note that Chloe had yet to move from the spot in which he had left her. He hated to leave her there, when there were still things he needed to say. But if he stayed, then there was a very big possibility that Chloe could somehow manage to get the upperhand. And he couldn't have that.

He enjoyed the power that he felt right now. It wasn't like the usual power he felt after winning over the competition, or something trivial like that. It was something else.

He was almost to the door, when he heard her voice.

"Lex! Lex! Wait up!" Chloe shouted, running at him full speed.

Afraid she might not be able to stop at the rate she was going, he caught her in his arms, once more, before she flew past him.

The breath temporarily knocked out of him, he couldn't speak for a moment. Nor she. Being out of breath herself from the run.

So, they both stayed there, in each other's arms, Chloe holding onto Lex for fear she would collapse. And Lex, partially to make sure she would not fall down, but mostly just to be able to have his arms around her again. After a minute, which seemed like an eternity,she spoke.

"Lex?" she asked panting.

"Yes."

"Why?" she had regained her balance, but still clung firmly onto him.

"Why what?" Lex thought he already knew what that what was.

"Why are you going to help me? Why are you even bothering? It's not your fault that the Torch was shut down, Clark won't be mad at you." Chloe, noticing now how close she still was to Lex, backed out of his grasp.

Highly disappointed, Lex said, "Because I want to. And, like I said, I enjoy reading the Torch. It's very...educational. Much more interesting than the stock market reports. And, besides, don't you consider us friends."

"I consider you a friend of a friend, which is exactly what you are," Chloe said bluntly.

Damn, he knew this was going to happen. "Yes, well, I *do* consider you a friend."

"So, that's why you're doing this, because I'm a friend?" Chloe still wasn't buying it.

Yes, that and the fact that you're all I ever think about, Lex thought. Of couse, he'd never admit that in a million years. Well, maybe not a *million* years. But definitely not any time soon.

"Why so suspicious? I want to do this because I can. You do want me to don't you? Unless you'd rather the Torch shut down," Lex said, knowing what her response would be.

"Well, of course, I don't want the Torch to shut down," she said stubbornly. "It's my life. But, just the fact that it's you helping me, well, it kinda irks me."

"Irks you?" Lex repeated.

"Yes, irks me. It wasn't too long ago that you would have done anything in you power to get out of doing anything as simple a thing as giving me an interview. Now...now you're offering to help me. It just doesn't make any sense."

All of her insight was getting to him. Why couldn't she just let him do this for her and forget it. Or reward him with one of those lovely little hugs again.

"Look, Chloe. If you don't want my help, then fine, I won't give it. I'm just trying to make up for what my Father has done." There, that should shut her up.

"Well, that's not your responsibility. And, it's not that I don't want your help...It's just that I wouldn't know how to repay you," Chloe revealed quietly.

Again, Lex's thought drifted to the hug.

"You wouldn't have to repay me, Chloe," he said,"it'd be one friend doing a favor for another friend. Or, as you put it, one friend doing a friend of a friend a favor."

Chloe obviously looked as if she were weighing her possible options. On the one hand, she could try and save the Torch herself, but probably end up losing it. Or, she could let Lex handle it, and it would be saved. Lex couldn't understand why she was refusing his help in the first place. When he'd first brought it up, she was thrilled, but now...Maybe the initial shock had worn off, and she had actually started thinking things through thoroughly. Too thoroughly.

"Okay, fine, help if you want," she resigned. "But I do want to repay you somehow."

The things that began to run through Lex's mind on how she could repay him were things she probably would not agree to. So, trying to decide the best way she could, took some thinking. Massage. No, she wouldn't like that. She probably wouldn't like anything along the lines of any bodily contact, which left Lex clueless.

Then, finally making up his mind on something that would work, he said,"Coffee. Join me for coffee sometime."

"Coffee?" Chloe considered.

"Yeah, just a friendly cup of coffee at the Talon," Lex suggested,"how does that sound?"

Knowing that anything that had to do with coffee would be just fine with Chloe, he knew what her answer would be.

"Okay, but I'm paying," she added stubbornly.

Lex, sighing, said, "Deal."

They shook on it.

After that, Chloe said, "Again, Lex thanks. And, sorry for how I acted. I know you didn't have anything to do with it."

"No problem," Lex said honestly.

"And could you please not tell anyone that I...you know...was crying," she asked, silently begging with her eyes.

"Well, you know it would make an interesting story,'Chloe Sullivan, angry and depressed over the loss of the one thing she holds dear, broke down in tears late last week...', how does that sound?" Lex joked.

"Sounds like you'd make a good reporter," Chloe rewarded.

Lex laughed. "Not in this lifetime," he promised.

As Chloe began to walk away, Lex asked,"So, when will our first date be?"

Chloe stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around.

"Date?"

"Yes, you know, coffee?"

"Oh, whenever you want, well, as soon as the Torch is back up, and I know you held up your part of the bargain."

"Alright, then, how about tomorrow?" Lex said, beginning to wonder if this was the best idea.

"Okay, as long as you've..." but she was cut off by Lex.

"'As long as I've held up my side of the bargain,'" Lex repeated.

Chloe laughed,"Yeah, that's right."

"Alright, then, 3 o'clock alright for you?"

"Sure,that's fine," Chloe said.

"And, then we'll decide when our next *coffee* date will be," Lex stated matter-of-factly.

"Next coffee date?" Chloe choked.

"Yes," Lex said slowly, "you didn't think you were going to get off as easy as only having one conversation with me, did you?"

Chloe was stunned,"How many?"she demanded.

Lex thought for a moment,"Five," he decided.

"Five!"Chloe was livid.

"Is there a problem?"Lex asked tentatively.

Chloe, apparently trying to decide what to do, thought for a moment, "Fine, five it is. But, that's it. Five and we're even."

"Alright, then. I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

"Okay," she said quietly. Then, she began walking again. Lex realizing the conversation was over began to walk away as well, thoroughly anticipating the next day, and the four after that. But, also thoroughly dreading having to talk to his father, which was never a good experience.

He was quickly snapped out of his thoughts by Chloe's voice.

"Oh, and Lex, what did you mean by your earlier comment, 'it was pleasant, and we should do it more often,'" Chloe shouted, seeing as to how they were further apart.

"Oh, that," Lex shouted back,"what do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. What. Did. You. Mean. Were you joking, kidding...bluffing, by chance?" Chloe demanded.

Lex laughed. "I never bluff." Then, he left. Leaving Chloe to evaluate his answer. Leaving Chloe to think about what was going to happen tomorrow when she and Lex actually sat down, and there was no place for either of them to escape to.
**
hey, guys. It'll be a little bit before i get another one out. so please try and be patient. i know it sucks, but i need time to figure out where this story is going. but it'll just be a couple of days. that's all. i promise. so, that's all. bye