Title: Interludes Around the Table

Chapter Completed: February 20, 2003

"What's wrong son?" Jonathan took notice of his son's sulking form at his kitchen table.

"It's Chloe," he slumped father down on his elbows.

Martha turned from her place at the sink, towel and dish in hand, "What's wrong with Chloe?" She was really concerned by the comment, having never heard her son worry about the girl. She liked this girl, both being transplanted into Smallville from Metropolis, and she had spirit.

"She doesn't like me anymore," Clark said sounding like a spoiled child, "Not like before."

Jonathan chuckled, wiping the tractor grease from his hands and shaking his head at his son. His mother just gave him a disapproving glare.

"What?" he asked still in his child like voice and manner, pouting at his mother's disapproval.

"She's liked you quite a bit Clark," she stood at the other side of the table now, throwing the towel over her shoulder and laying the dish on the surface, "And since you haven't shown any interest in her, it's good for Chloe to move on."

"Mom," he whined.

"Be realistic," she wasn't allowing her boy to act like this, "If you like Lana, who is a lovely girl, then you shouldn't expect or even want Chloe waiting on the sidelines. You can't have all the girls in Smallville waiting around for you."

"She's right son," his father poked his head up from behind the fridge door, then back down again.

The farm boy grumbled to himself about how they all – his parents and Lex had agreed on that, "I know," he rose and stomped off out the room.

Ma Kent shook her head, picking the plate back up and turning to her husband, "You don't value something until it's not yours anymore."

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"Is that banana-nut?"

The question made Lana jump, hurrying to hide the box of brightly coloured party trinkets she was holding, "uh huh," she nodded to Anna who was pointed at the baked good.

"Oh-kay," she drew out the comment, settling on the muffin. She didn't even like bananas but wanted something that flavour during this hunger spell.

The brunette passed over the item and nervously watched the blonde walk back to her table.

"She always that skid-ish?" she asked her company as she sat back down.

"Yes," Chloe replied without thought from behind her mug. Putting down the coffee displayed her smile.

"You know you're bad," Anna mock scalded the younger girl, breaking off a piece of muffin and sniffing it before popping it into her mouth.

"What a face," the comment came from across the table.

"I hate bananas," she explained with a shrug, "but for some reason really wanted this," she held up another chunk before eating it.

"Ah…out of, let's call it morbid curiosity, I was sort of wondering," Chloe fidgeted with her mug, gaining the attention from the older girl, "What's Lex like…ah, privately?" she mustered up the reporter's backbone to look directly at her.

She giggled out of shyness to try to stop the blush from rising on her cheeks, "Miss Sullivan I'm shocked by the nature of your curiosity."

"I…I'm…" she pursed her lips and started again, crossing her arms over her chest, "I'm not saying anything."

"Well, I tell you what, I'll tell you if you tell me all about Pete," the ex-handmaid giggled at her joke but broke into a fit of laughter when the man in question rushed over the table.

"Chloe! I need to ask you something," Pete slid in and leaned close to the girl.

She blushed a little as the pair looked over at Anna. Pete silently asking for them to be alone and Chloe finding the humour of him coming over at the exact moment.

"Don't let me stop you," she rose, "from anything," throwing the younger girl a twisted smile before going over to the counter.

"What did she mean?" he sat on the chair next to Chloe, scotching it closer to her.

"I have no idea," she replied though tight lips to hide her threatening to break smile, "What did you want to ask me?" she went back to her usual self.

"You're obviously going to that party tonight."

"Right," she interjected, drinking from the mug again and careful not to directly look at her friend. She wasn't going to let herself fall like with Clark.

"Well, I was hoping you would do with me…" he left the request hanging.

She nearly choked on her drink, "You mean, like a date?"

He put his hand over hers, "I was hoping that too."

The blonde couldn't hide her smile now, it spread from ear to ear. But the words of agreement never had a chance to be voiced.

"I really hop you two had a chance to talk," Anna reappeared at the table, apologetically, "But you can only stretch out buying juice for so long," she placed the bottle on the flat surface.

"I think we have," Pete smiled at Chloe, "Am I right?"

She nodded a little dumbfounded.

"Good," the older blonde turned to look back at the counter, "Because Lana was really creeping me out with all her fidgeting." Just as she looked at the girl she shifted around nervously. "Weird," she commented, turning back to the table to find a pleasant surprise waiting for her, "Lex!" She smiled, not wanting to admit how much she really missed since that morning, but the hopeful look in her eyes betrayed her.

He said nothing, just walked over to her. Wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her close and closing the small space between their lips. His tongue gliding along her lips asking for entrance into her mouth.

"That's some greeting," Pete quipped from his seat, watching the two of them go at each other as if no one else was there.

Anna's hands moved up to rest on his chest, feeling the beat of his heart as their tongues messaged each other. His hands moving around to her back, making small circles.

Chloe cleared her throat when she noticed that the whole population of the Talon was watching the owner and his girlfriend make out.

Anna pulled away sheepishly. Lex on the other hand stood proudly.

"You're in a good mood," she observed, "Why?" poking him on the chest.

"It's a surprise," he remarked with a smirk, ignoring Pete's comment on how dangerous that could be. "OOoo, banana," he reached across the table to break off a piece of the picked apart muffin, "My favourite."

"That explains that," she mused to herself with a grin.

Lex gave a confused look as he chewed the aforementioned treat.

She shook her head, "Should I be worried?"

"Of course not," he replied in a way that didn't exactly reassure her, or anyone else in the grouping, "Coming home?" he raised an eyebrow to her as his arm curved around her back.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Chloe teased as her friend gathered her bag and juice bottle.

"I'll talk to you later," the older girl laughed at the joke that Lex didn't find as amusing, "Oh and Chloe," she waited to gain the girl's full attention, leaning in to speak just to her, "Amazing." She winked, making the younger girl bite her lip and bury her face to laugh as they left the Talon.

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A/N: I just realised that I love picking on Clark. Hehe