Title: Appointments to Keep

Chapter Completed: February 19, 2003

The image of father and child danced on the courtyard lawn, running around after each other. And a mother sitting on the bench, watching her family in happy silence. Laughter bouncing off the empty walls, carefree giggles filling every inch. A happy little family. The perfect image of a family. With a flash the opposite image covered the small yard with the sound of a child's cries. There was no happy child matched with this father. Tears fall down the child's face as freely as the laughs before as it stands in the boarding school suit. Berating the small child for not being strong, for being a child. No! The mother wouldn't allow her child to be treated like this…but had no choice. She wasn't on the grounds with them. She was kept away. Forced to watch from afar.

A pair of arms encircled around her stomach, making Anna jump in a little gasp.

"Hey…did I scare you?" Lex rested his head on her shoulder.

"Just startled," she leaned back on him, sighing a little as she was drawn out of the image reflected on the glass pane in front of her.

"What's wrong?" his hold around her tightening in the protective comfort.

"Nothing…" she rubbed his arms, looking back over the courtyard that was no empty, "Mind was just wandering." She smiled a half-sad smile.

"Then wander back to bed," he swayed her a little bit, practically against her. An amused smile on his face.

She could feel the soft, cool silk of his boxers wisp against the back of her bare thighs, making her giggle.

"What's so interesting about that window anyway?" he tilted his head to stare at it. His face confused because he could find no hidden meaning in it.

"nothing," she repeated.

"You sure?" He was worried about another bombshell being dropped, she was drifting off the same way she had in the car.

The girl turned to face him, smirking, "I'm sure," she lied. They both were. Neither had said anything more about their conversation at the car, the issue of Lionel had been dropped. Even though it was on the mind of both, gnawing between them. They had overlooked and ignored it to roll into bed when they returned to the mansion- with no complaint from either side.

"Good," he smiled, playfully grabbing hold of the lapels of his dress shirt, that she was wearing, "Come back to bed."

"Love to," she kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her hands rubbing up the back of his head.

He made a pleased sound, letting his hand slowly travel over her body. Up from her hips to fondle her breast.

Anna moaned into his waiting mouth, but stepped back, "…but can't."

He groaned in disappointment, "And why not?"

"You have appointments all day," she ran her hand soothingly down his cheek, "And I'll be late to meet Chloe."

"So we'll be late," he leaned his forehead against hers.

"We can't," she giggled, pushing away this time, "You can't keep everyone waiting…and it's just rude."

Chuckling he gave up, "You're going to make me a good man aren't you?"

"Just trying to keep you one," she smiled, tapping his nose with her forefinger.

"Promise?" he kissed the protruding digit.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Clark!" Chloe exclaimed with surprise as she entered the Torch office, "What are you doing here? Before me?" she shifted her eyes.

He smiled brightly, holding up a to-go coffee cup like a prize.

"Aww, that's sweet," She smiled, unloading the bags off of her shoulder on to the desk, "But Pete already treated," she too held up a cup that matched Clark's with a smile that also matched his.

"Oh," the farm-boy slumped in his chair, then with a shrug took a sip from the paper cup.

The blonde shook her head and laughed, "I doubt you came here to drop off a coffee, although that'd be real nice." She walked around the office doing idle jobs, "So, what can I do for you?" stopping to lean on the table across from him.

"I need some direction with my English report…Pete bought you coffee?!" the comment finally hit him.

She laughed again, taking a drink from the gift to hide her smile, "So how are you stuck on that report?" She avoided even looking at the other boy.

He sat slack jawed, looking for the words to voice his confusion. But when he finally found them a knock at the doorframe interrupted.

"Chloe?" Anna's curious head poked into the office.

"Anna, Come in," Chloe openly greeted the interruption and new friend.

"I'm glad I found this place. I was wandering around the halls…and some kind of creepy guy was following me and…"Anna stopped, "Oh, hi Clark." She smiled at the high school boy.

"Hi," he stood to greet her, forgetting about his question for Chloe, "I'd better go…leave you girls to yourselves…and before Mr. Reynolds tracks me down." He laughed to the girls and turned to come face to face with the man of comment.

"Mr. Kent. I'd like to have a few words with you. My office," the principal stepped aside to let the young man through the door, "Miss Sullivan I don't remember clearing this visitor," he motioned to Anna, the girl he had followed down to the basement office.

"I'm sorry Mr. Reynolds," the blonde reporter smiled apologetically, "It was a last minute appointment."

He nodded sternly before disappearing into the hall.

The pair of girls giggled.

"Well, Miss Sullivan, you can certainly pull rank around here," Anna laughed sitting on the table edge across from her.

"Just have to know now to work them," Chloe faked a salutary attitude and laughed.

"Sorry I was late," she picked up Clark's abandoned cup and sniffed it. With a shrug she sipped it, "But Lex wouldn't exactly let me leave on time."

"I don't want to know, do I?" the younger hopped up to sit on the table she was standing at.

Anna smiled and blushed slightly, "Probably not."

She shook her head but kept smiling, "Does that mean he was alright with that whole Lionel 'thing'?"

The other girl went solemn, " Not exactly. We just left that on the side of the road." She was shot a quizzical look, "Never mind…but what about you? Where'd that smile come from?" she returned an inquisitive glare at the younger blushing girl.

She laughed, feeling the colour rising in her cheeks, "This is the only time you will ever hear me say this," she took the finishing sip of her coffee, "I think you might be right about…Pete."

The two girls smiled and laughed.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Clark grumbled to himself as he strolled up the Kent Farm drive. Damn Reynolds was always on his case. And for no good reason. Just because he knows…

"Lex!" he stopped short noticing his friend leaning on his car.

"Clark…" he looked up as the boy approached.

"Wha…what are you doing here?" he was surprised to see him, especially waiting for him, "Not that its not good to see you," he stopped in front of him.

"Rough day?" he quipped without removing his sunglasses to look at him.

With a nod and defeated sigh the farm boy leaned on the car next to him.

"I'm sorry to hear that Clark. I was hoping you could help me," he looked away from his counter, missing his confused expression, "You're the closet thing I have—"

"I'll help anyway I can. You know that Lex."

He buried his hands into his pockets, "I know I've advised you on Lana…" the millionaire stared down at his shuffling feet, "but –"

"Anna," Clark interjected with his bright, enthusiastic smile.

He nodded, looking up but still not at the boy, "And it's complicated." He thought about the baby and his father, but told nothing.

"It can't be that complicated. If you want her, you have to do something. Make that move, "Clark spoke with inflated importance, giving his friend the same advice her received. "Prove it to her before one morning she's not yours anymore," he pouted at that.

"Something happen with Lana today?" Lex turned to face him now that the attention wasn't on his personal life.

"No," the boy of steel looked like he just lost his puppy, "It's Chloe."

"I didn't know you liked Miss Sullivan Clark," he gave him a look of genuine confusion. He always suspected the farm boy had overlooked the feisty young girl.

"I didn't…I don't…I…" Clark fumbled over his words, "Today she just seemed like I wasn't important."

Lex laughed at the clueless egotism he displayed, "You can't expect to have every girl in Smallville fawning over you."

"I know…and I don't," he crossed his arms defensively, sulking, "And weren't we talking about you and Anna?"

"Right," he chuckled at how much he and the polar opposite really did act like brothers, "You were telling me to cement my position with Anna."

"Yeah, right," Clark nodded along. Is that what he said? "So how do you feel about her?" he smiled in a curious way.

Lex looked at him then continued, "Thank you Clark, you've been helpful." He patted his friend's shoulder as he opened the door to his car.

He watched his friend move, deep in thought planning something, with an amused smile. This 'new' Lex answering the question.

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