Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters; they belong to DC Comics and to the WB.

Notes: For info on pairing and title and such see chapter one.

Chapter 4

*Lex's POV*

Papers…papers and more papers. That's all I've been seeing for the past few days. Jesus, I think my father is enjoying this, just drop all these paper work onto me. These are one of those moments when I wished I wasn't a Luthor. But thanks to the devil himself I am one. So scratch that thought out.

But couldn't he just like take care of these himself, all he needed was to sign them. Then again, knowing him at times he thinks he's too good to even sign his name. My father can be such a stuck up bastard when he wants too, but when isn't he?

I sigh inwardly as I sign my name onto one of these business papers.  I wonder how Clark is doing. Haven't heard from him in a while, hell I haven't been out this office since god knows when, because daddy dearest ordered me not to leave till all these papers were signed. I mentally roll my eyes.  Luckily I have my personal secretary Julie who helps me out with all these signing. She's a doll and a trust worthy woman.

Then a thought came to me and I pushed down on a button on the intercom on my desk, "Julie can you take over for me in here please, I need to leave the office for a while."

He let go of the button and waited for a second or two till he heard a response. "Of course Mr. Luthor."   A small smile falls upon my lips and I pressed down on the button again, "Thanks Julie, I owe you." Then with that I let go of the button and I get up from my chair and gather up my jacket as I head out my office in search of a person.

A person by the name of Clark Kent.

~*~

*The Kents'*

"But Jonathan, I can't help but worry. He is my son you know and yours as well."

"Honey…."

"But the way you're acting you don't seem to care." Martha Kent said with crossed arms across her chest as she looked onto her husband with a stern look.

"Honey…"

"Don't honey me. Why couldn't he call or leave a note? Is that too much to ask? You…you men you… You two just do whatever you two feel like and don't even care what I go through. He could be hurt out there somewhere. Or worse…and …and here we are…..I can't do anything…" Her face changed from a frown to a concern look of a mother and Jonathan just sighed.

Martha couldn't help but allow her eyes to tear up a bit and Jonathan sighed once more taking a few steps forward and taking his wife into his arms. "Sweetie, I'm sure he's just fine. You know Clark, he wouldn't do anything wrong, anything that would make us worry." Martha snuggled closer into the embrace whimpering with concern. "Besides he's a growing boy, a teenager and he must have just forgotten to let us know where he'll be. He can't be far, he's either with Chloe or Pete at the Talon or over at Pete's house."

Martha pulled a way a bit and looked up at her husband, "And what if he's not there or with either of them? What then?" She asked with a small sniffle. Jonathan softly kissed her forehead before looking down at her and answering. "Then, he must have lost track of time wherever he is at. Either way, I bet he's just fine. If he wasn't he would be here right about now, or would have called. So please sweetie, don't go on worrying yet." He said with a slight smile, gaining a faint one from his wife.

"Alright…if you say…" A knock was heard on the kitchen's back door. Both Kents turned to the right and saw Lex Luthor standing on the other side of the door  through the door shades.

Martha pulled away and wiped at her eyes and headed to the door, as she reached it she opened it and gave Lex a warm motherly smile. "Lex. It's so nice to see you." Her husband just nodded a hello towards Lex's direction, Lex entered with a genuine smile to Martha, "Hello Mrs. Kent, it's always a pleasure to see you as well." He turned to Jonathan. "Mr. Kent."

Jonathan turned to face him as well, "Luthor." After exchanging there short and serious hellos Lex turned back to Martha. "How are you…" Noticing the slight red eyes his smile fell and turn into one of a frown. "Mrs. Kent are you alright? Is there anything wrong?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice.

"Nothing wrong Luthor. Now what reason did you come here? Clark's not here so you can be on your way." Jonathan said with a bit of irritation in his voice.

"Jonathan!" His wife reprimanded him, then she turned toward Lex's and smiled warmly again to him. "Sorry about that Lex, but …oh…it's nothing." She waved her hand in the air a bit in a dismissive way.

"Are you sure Mrs. Kent? Because if there's anything I can do to he-" But Jonathan cut him off before he finished. "No."

Martha sighed, "Jonathan! Behave." She gave him a stern look and he just sighed and turned around and left the kitchen. She sighed once more shaking her head as she watched her husband leave the kitchen. "I'm really sorry about the way he's acting Lex." She said as she turned back to Lex who was leaning quietly against the kitchen counter.

He smiled faintly at her. "It's ok Mrs. Kent, it seems I'll never gain Mr. Kent's respect." He said with a sigh, Martha looked at him with a pair of concern eyes, "Don't worry about it Lex, I'm sure with time he'll change his view about you. You're not what he said; you're a great young man, and an excellent friend to Clark. And to me, well…" She stopped to smile motherly at him. "You're like a son to me Lex, so don't worry much about what Jonathan thinks ok dear?"
Lex grins widely and nods, "Thank you Mrs. Kent that means a lot more than you know." She returned his smile, "Now why don't you sit down here and have something to eat?"

"It's ok Mrs. Kent, I'm not that hungry really…" He tried to sound truthful as possible but it didn't work, "Nonsense…" She said, "Just sit down here," She indicated to a chair "and wait while I'll fix you something to eat."

All thoughts of worry or questions were put aside for now.

~*~

*The Four Friends*

The four young friends have been sitting down on the table chatting along happily with one another until…

Clark was about to start smiling toward one of Chloe's comments until he suddenly stopped. "Clark?" The concerned voice of Pete broke away any laughter from the table. Clark turned to him and smiled sweetly and briefly before slowly lifting his right arm up and lifting his shirt sleeve up to look at this watch on his wrist. At seeing the current time of 5:55 p.m. he swore a bit out loud. "Shit."

"What's matter Clark?" Lana asked softly.

Clark just stood up quickly, "I have to get home asap…My parents are so going to kill me, I had to be home a while ago and help dad with chores." He reprimanded himself. "God I'm such an idiot, I totally forgot about that and knowing my mother she must be worried sick." 

The girls gave Clark comforting smiles while Pete stood along with him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "That sucks man; if ya want I can walk with you?" He blushed a bit and looked towards the floor bashfully, "That's if…if you want me too. I bet you can go faster without me tagging along." Pete said this with a knowing look, which was missed by neither Lana nor Chloe.

Clark just smiled, "Nah…" Now acting like a gentlemen Clark smiled sweetly toward Pete, "It'll be a pleasure walking with you Pete." making the other young man blush a sudden shade of red making him once again look bashfully onto the ground. The other two girls just whistled and giggled at the scene in front of them, making the two boys faces flush with embarrassment.

 After a few minutes of more giggles, the two boys said there good byes to the two young ladies before leaving the Talon, heading out toward the Kent's residence.

~*~

*Lana's POV*

Chloe smiled and turned toward my direction, "Aren't they just too cute together?"

I couldn't help but agree with a serious nod before bursting again into giggles. Clark and Pete are just too cute, they really were. Anyone can see that and they were also so right together.

After a while of me lost in my thoughts, I feel…I can swear someone was staring at me. I felt it through out a bit during the conversation between us four but I dismissed it; believing it was just my imagination. But once again I feel it and I slowly turned toward the direction I feel it the most, my right side and I notice Chloe is still looking at me, though she has this dreamy look upon her and her smile is still intact. It's….it's just odd. A bit on the creepy side, but I don't know what to do. It feels creepy that she keeps staring at me likes she wants to eat me or something; of course it would be a bit scary. Who wouldn't find it like that? But then again, it's a bit on the nice side as well. I don't even know what I mean. It's just that it feels kinda nice to have her looking at me like that, even though it does have a creepy side to it.

Maybe I'm just imagining things again and she's just dosing out on me once more as she did earlier today. Yea, maybe that's it and not what I did believe.

I tried to look away, but it just so hard, knowing that her eyes are upon me. I start to fidget in my seat, hoping she'll look away but she doesn't I hear her sigh softly and I can't take it anymore, "Chloe?"

Another sigh, ok did I not mention this was creepy if not its getting worse, "Chloe?" This time I said her name while shaking her left shoulder a bit.

This is the second time today I startled her, "Huh? Oh, Lana…..Was there something you wanted?" OK, maybe I *was* imagining this …everything. I sigh inwardly and hope to forget that little incident so I smile softly at Chloe, "Oh nothing. You just seemed a bit dreamy there."

She blushes, "I did?"

And I can't help but smile at her again, "Yeah…" When she blushes she looks prettier than she already is. It gives her this nice soft rosy type of color to her face. It's just pretty, makes ya want to smile when you look at her.

I guess I was staring at her a bit too much, because now she's turning a deeper shade of red and I inwardly smile. "So Chloe is there any reason for the dreamy look, or are we just tired?" I asked trying to change the mood here.

Her smiles and her flush look upon her just vanish in seconds and her face turns into a serious look and she looks at me in the eyes for a second or so…but I could swear it feels like eternity and I could get lost in her green/hazel color eyes. With her I can never be sure which color it truly is, seeing as how it changes around with any lighting. But when I just realized that our faces are inches apart, that somehow through out the stare down, well her to me, I just got lost in her eyes (and I could get lost in them all the time) I ended up moving closer to her as she did with me. Without my own knowledge of it, but as it seems as if were about to kiss, she just stood up and turned around, in doing so I was just left to face air where I was, frozen unknown on what to do.

But I couldn't help but feel a sudden loss inside as I realized I was just a few seconds apart from kissing Chloe's beautiful lips.

Wait. A. Minute.

Did I just think that? No way. I was about to kiss Chloe? Chloe Sullivan, my friend….oh shit.

One moment I was having a nice conversation then the next, it's like everything did a whole 180 on me and the scenario changed. I sighed and mentally kicked myself, thinking Chloe must be upset or disgusted with me right about now. And without not knowing what to do, I just sit where I am as I glance a bit up towards Chloe direction noticing she's standing with her back to me and I just look back once more to my hands on my lap, afraid to even move.

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What are you thinking at all?

Your eyes show nothing more

Than a dazed oblivion

What does it mean?

What will I see?

When I look closer, closer

Closer, closer

Ah, yeah

You don't see me

Watching everyday

My smile could warm your frown

And I'd never look away

(Never look away)

There's more to me

Than what you see

            - 'Closer' The Corrs

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