**Note: Sorry this took me so long to get posted. I am trying to write longer chapters but i came down with a
vicious cold last weekend and got nothing done and then had to spend the week playing catch up with my
college courses. I'm pretty much there now so I'm hoping to be updating regularly again. Sorry for the
wait! **Medie**
----
"She make her flight on time?" Scott asked as Erin removed her helmet and dismounted from her bike.
"Yeah." The blonde mutant's stride didn't slacken as she passed by him. "Where's the Professor?"
"In his office. He says he's been waiting for you."
Ordinarily, that comment would at least give her pause. Xavier was the telepath not her. It was natural to
stop and wonder, maybe even ask others an opinion before going to see him but not this time.
This time she knew what it was about.
------
Laptops were a beautiful invention. At least in Chloe's opinion they were. She barely noticed time passing
on the flight, instead focusing intently on the contents of the computer screen. She knew jumping back
into school would be difficult so she spent the flight going over course material they'd sent ahead for her.
It seemed they'd barely taken off from Westchester when the pilot announced they were about to land in
Metropolis. Surprised, she hurried to get her things put away and her seatbelt back on before the plane
touched down.
Her father was waiting with an armful of flowers and she couldn't help the wide grin that crossed her face
as she raced out of the gate to hug him tightly.
"Hey gorgeous!" Her father announced with a laugh, swinging her around. "It's so good to see you again!"
Chloe clung to him and laughed as well, feeling what passed for normalcy beginning to creep back into her.
"I missed you too, Dad."
"Stand back sweetheart, let me get a good look at you." Holding her at arms length, he smiled broadly.
"You look fantastic."
She waved it off and shouldered her bag. "They've got a great athletic program."
"So I've heard." Taking her arm, he began navigating through the crowd to get her luggage. "Professor
Xavier updated me pretty regularly on your progress but now I want to hear it all from you. Everything
you can remember about the school. How's your friend by the way? Marie?"
"She's doing great." She replied with a bright smile. "Her friend Logan's coming back in a few weeks to
visit the school so she's totally psyched about it."
"Logan...you mentioned him right?"
"Uh huh." She nodded. "He's the guy with the metal skeleton."
"Metal? How the..." He shook his head. "Nevermind. I get the feeling that there's a very long story behind
that."
Chloe laughed. "Dad...you have absolutely *no* idea."
"Good to have you home sweetie..."
"It's good to be home, Dad."
----
"It hates me." Clark Kent stared balefully at the computer screen, Pete Ross leaning over his shoulder. "It
absolutely hates me."
"It's a computer." His friend pointed out, barely hiding a grin. "It doesn't have feelings."
"I know it doesn't." He flopped back in the chair and waved at the screen. "But I swear that thing hates me."
Pete chuckled. "Move man, lemme try."
"By all means!" Pushing himself out of the chair, the taller teen stood back and watched his friend sit
down and reach for the keyboard.
After a moment or two, the computer beeped again and without hesitation, shut itself down; leaving Pete
to stare at the screen in astonishment. "What the hell..."
Clark grinned widely. "You know, you're right. It's just a computer. It can't have feelings. Right?"
"Very funny man," his friend groused. "You weren't doing great with this thing yourself."
"No, but it didn't shut down on me." He pointed out, his neutral tone belied by the mischievous twinkle in
his eyes.
Pete looked back at him and started to say something then laughed. "Point taken."
They shared a chuckle then Clark shrugged. "It just misses Chloe. She had everything in this office
practically singing for her."
"We all miss Chloe." His friend agreed, watching his reactions carefully. He had his suspicions about how
*much* Clark missed their mutual friend but Pete wasn't saying anything; the biggest reason being he was
pretty sure that his best friend was completely unaware of just how much he really missed her. He'd long
been teasing Chloe about her feelings for Clark but he was now beginning to suspect that those feelings
went both ways...though neither one truly realized it.
Sometimes it was kinda fun being the only one who knew what was really going on and others...it really
sucked. He wasn't sure which this was yet.
"When is she coming back? She email lately?"
"No." Pete frowned. "Not for a while."
They shared a long look, unspoken worries hanging in the air. Something wasn't right and they could feel
it. They didn't know what it was but they knew something wasn't right with their friend and whatever it was,
it was big enough that she felt she couldn't share it with either of them and that was the worst worry of all.
What was so bad that she couldn't tell them?
----
She got a ride to school the first morning back. It was best in her mind. She didn't want the first time she
saw her friends to be on the bus with everyone watching.
With Clark running the Torch in her absence, she knew that was probably where he and Pete would be
before classes started so when her father dropped her off, that was where she headed.
----
Chloe stopped outside the office and listened with a wide grin as Clark and Pete bickered about the
computer. They had no idea how hilarious they sounded.
God, she'd missed them.
Leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes, content to just listen to them. It was so good to hear their
voices again. She'd missed them more than she could say but being here...listening to them...the ache of
it came back with sudden, biting strength.
When they began to talk about her, she opened her eyes and straightened up. Guilt flooded into her
when she heard Clark ask about the emails. She had meant to email more but...she hated lying to them.
She hated it but she didn't have much choice. Erin was right. She couldn't put them in the same situation.
She just couldn't.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked in. "Hi guys."
-----
"Chloe." Clark stared at his friend with mixed feelings even as a wide smile crossed his face. It was a
shock, seeing her just standing there. After the time that had passed it felt to him like there should have
been more of a build up. More than just the door opening and Chloe walking in. It was almost anti-climatic,
He felt like something else should have happened. Something he should do. Something he wanted to do
but he wasn't sure what that was.
"Hi." She smiled .
"When'd you get back?" Moving forward, Pete hugged her firmly.
"Yesterday afternoon." She watched Clark walk out from behind the desk and over to stand in front of her.
"How was Westchester?" He asked, leaning down to hug her tightly, adding in a whisper, "It's good to see
you again."
"It's good to see *you* again." She returned, equally soft, her eyes barely able to keep from revealing just
how good. She'd forgotten just how much his presence could affect her. Having him this close was bringing
back that memory with sharp clarity.
In a louder voice she answered his question. "It was really great. The school is amazing." She grinned at
Pete. "You'd love their athletic program. Their football team could *so* ghost the Crows easy."
"Yeah right." He grinned back. "Not even a chance of that."
"You'd be surprised." She countered with a laugh. He really would be. The running rule was 'no powers'
but when it was an in-school scrimmage...the games got pretty interesting. Looking around, she dropped
her bag on the nearest desk then hurried behind the desk. "What'd you do to my computer?"
Her friends looked to each other then back to her, twin expressions of innocence on their faces.
"Nothing."
She shook her head. "Just tell me the Torch is still the bastion of truth and hard-hitting journalism it always
was?"
"Sure Chloe." Clark grinned winningly. "We've even done a couple exposes."
"Uh huh..." Pete leaned forward as if to confide the most shocking of secrets. "The mystery meat in the
cafeteria? It's really tofu."
"No." She plastered an expression of mock-horror on her face. "You can't be serious!" Dropping into the
chair, she pressed a hand against her chest and the other to her forehead. "Oh the horror!"
Feigning a faint, she opened one eye and grinned at them. "How was that?"
"Oscar-worthy." Clark confirmed with an echoing grin. "Definitely Oscar-worthy."
"Yeah, Chlo'," Pete added, smiling widely. "You could show Nicole Kidman a thing or two."
"Yeah, right." She sat up and looked at the computer. "Not in this lifetime boys. Now, c'mere."
"What?"
She waited until they were standing behind her before grinning. "Watch and learn, boys. Watch and
learn."
When Chloe knew she had their full attention, she leaned over and flicked the hard drive once then
reached for the mouse, clicking on an icon on the screen...the computer obediently responding.
"How did you do that?" Pete looked from the screen to her face and back again. "It wouldn't work before."
She smiled up at them enigmatically. "Sometimes it just takes a woman's touch."
----
"So," Looking across the table at him, Chloe had to fight the temptation to blurt out her secret. She didn't
know why exactly but she just wanted to tell him so badly she could taste it. She'd been right. When she'd
told Erin she'd hate herself for lying to Clark she'd been right. She hated this. She hated lying. But she
didn't have a choice. Not yet. Maybe some day but not yet. "How was your first taste of a real career in
journalism?"
He smiled at her. *That* smile. God, she loved that smile. Loved it and hated it. That smile made it harder.
Made the guilt worse. Made her want to blurt out 'Clark, I'm a mutant.' and to hell with who heard it. But
she didn't. She couldn't. Instead, she settled for lifting her cup of coffee to her lips and sipping while he
answered. "It was pretty good. Great." He chuckled. "Even if every piece of equipment in that office hates
me."
She laughed. "They're just machines, Clark. They can't hate you."
"I don't know about that." He grinned. "Maybe the meteor shower has affected them somehow and they're
all plotting to take over the world and run it in a logical, computerized fashion. Maybe Bill Gates is really an
android and their leader or something."
Chloe set her mug on the lacquered surface of the table and shook her head. "Goof."
His eyes lit up with laughter and she had to fight not to stare. Guys weren't supposed to be beautiful but
he was. He was and she couldn't help loving the sight of him. Loving him period.
'No, Chlo',' she told herself. 'Best not to go there. Not right now. You go there, you won't be able to keep
it from him. How you feel or what you are. Don't go there.'
Taking another swallow of coffee, she looked into his face.
God he was gorgeous.
She hated lying.
"Seriously, Clark." Forcing herself back on the 'safe' topic, she smiled again. "I read a couple articles you
wrote...you seriously have a real talent for writing. I've had a writing genius living underneath my nose this
whole time and I was completely unaware of it." She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with journalistic
interest. "What would you think of helping out on the Torch? In like some kind of full time capacity."
"As what?" He questioned with interest. "A reporter?"
"Maybe." She nodded. "If you'd like to. Don't get any designs on my job." A mischievous light entered her
eyes. "I'm not giving that up any time soon. But I really mean it. You've got the talent for this Clark. You
really do."
Without thinking about it, she reached out and covered his hand with hers.
And without even thinking about it...they stayed that way.
-----
"So, how was it?" Listening to Erin, Chloe could hear the sound of water and knew the teacher was
enjoying her favorite relaxation. Long, hot bubble bath.
"It was hard." She confessed, lying back on her bed and staring at the ceiling. "Really hard. I mean, I'm
so happy to be home it's bizarre but I didn't think it would be this hard."
"How so?"
"Seeing him." She didn't have to specify who *him* was. Erin knew. "We went to the Beanery tonight.
Pete was supposed to come but he had a paper to finish, so it was just me and Clark. It was great. We
talked for hours. I told him about the school. Well, what I could tell him anyway and he told me about
everything I missed in Smallville...about the weird stuff that's gone down while I was gone. Which, by the
way, could fill a *novel*. And we talked about the paper." She paused for a moment. "He's a phenomenal
writer, Erin. I'm not kidding. He really is."
"I can bet. You trusted the Torch to him." Erin's smile came through the line loud and clear. "But how was
it? Talking to him?"
"I wanted to tell him so bad it was almost an ache." It was after a long pause that she finally spoke those
words. She was glad they were talking on the phone. She didn't know that she could have admitted it face
to face though she wished desperately that they could be having this conversation in the kitchen eating
ice cream like so many others. She missed her friends at the school already. More than she'd expected.
"I needed to tell him and I don't know how I managed to keep from blurting it out. I hate this Erin. I really,
*really* hate this."
"I know you do, Chlo'," the teacher replied sympathetically. "It's not an easy life we lead."
"No kidding." She rolled onto her stomach and picked at the bedspread.
"How are you doing? Aside from that, I mean."
"Good." Chloe surprised herself by saying it but it was true. "I'm good. I forgot how much I liked it here. I
mean, I know it's the capital of all things weird, bizarre, and completely whacked out, but I really like it here
and I know this sounds crazy but I kinda like being seen as just Chloe. No mutancy. No powers. Just me.
I can almost pretend like it never happened."
"Except?"
"Except for the fact I have to watch everything I do." She sighed heavily. "That's the worst. Watching
everything I do. Always on the watch for anything that could 'accidentally' trigger my powers. I hate that. I
hate the constant reminder that I'm different."
"I know. I wish I could take that away, I really do." Erin paused for a long moment. "But I can't...if it's any
consolation, you're handling much better than most. Better than I do."
"Thanks." Chloe replied quietly. "It helps...kind of." She thumped a fist on the bed. "It's frustrating! I wish
...I wish...I don't know what I wish! I just..." She growled slightly. "I don't know. I just *wish*." She paused
then ducked her head. "I'm sorry. I'm just..."
"I understand. Believe me I do." The elder woman's voice was soft and supportive. "I don't know what I
could say to make it different. I don't think there is anything I could say but I will say this. You're a strong
person, Chloe. Stronger than me. Stronger than a lot of people and if anyone can deal with this...you
can."
"I wish I could believe you."
"You do." Erin countered confidently. "You just don't know it yet."
"That makes absolutely no sense." Chloe told her with a laugh.
"Does too."
"Does not."
"Did you understand it?"
"Yeah."
"Enough said."
"You're crazy Erin."
"Totally but who's crazier? Me? Or you for understanding me?"
"I plead the fifth."
"Oh sure...*now* she pleads the fifth."
Chloe grinned. "You trying to say something?"
"Not a thing." The other woman replied innocently.
"Yeah, sure. Right. You and the guys."
The groused comment earned a snicker. "Go to bed Chloe."
"Good night Erin." The teen replied serenely before thumbing off the phone and flopping back on the bed.
It was good to be home.
vicious cold last weekend and got nothing done and then had to spend the week playing catch up with my
college courses. I'm pretty much there now so I'm hoping to be updating regularly again. Sorry for the
wait! **Medie**
----
"She make her flight on time?" Scott asked as Erin removed her helmet and dismounted from her bike.
"Yeah." The blonde mutant's stride didn't slacken as she passed by him. "Where's the Professor?"
"In his office. He says he's been waiting for you."
Ordinarily, that comment would at least give her pause. Xavier was the telepath not her. It was natural to
stop and wonder, maybe even ask others an opinion before going to see him but not this time.
This time she knew what it was about.
------
Laptops were a beautiful invention. At least in Chloe's opinion they were. She barely noticed time passing
on the flight, instead focusing intently on the contents of the computer screen. She knew jumping back
into school would be difficult so she spent the flight going over course material they'd sent ahead for her.
It seemed they'd barely taken off from Westchester when the pilot announced they were about to land in
Metropolis. Surprised, she hurried to get her things put away and her seatbelt back on before the plane
touched down.
Her father was waiting with an armful of flowers and she couldn't help the wide grin that crossed her face
as she raced out of the gate to hug him tightly.
"Hey gorgeous!" Her father announced with a laugh, swinging her around. "It's so good to see you again!"
Chloe clung to him and laughed as well, feeling what passed for normalcy beginning to creep back into her.
"I missed you too, Dad."
"Stand back sweetheart, let me get a good look at you." Holding her at arms length, he smiled broadly.
"You look fantastic."
She waved it off and shouldered her bag. "They've got a great athletic program."
"So I've heard." Taking her arm, he began navigating through the crowd to get her luggage. "Professor
Xavier updated me pretty regularly on your progress but now I want to hear it all from you. Everything
you can remember about the school. How's your friend by the way? Marie?"
"She's doing great." She replied with a bright smile. "Her friend Logan's coming back in a few weeks to
visit the school so she's totally psyched about it."
"Logan...you mentioned him right?"
"Uh huh." She nodded. "He's the guy with the metal skeleton."
"Metal? How the..." He shook his head. "Nevermind. I get the feeling that there's a very long story behind
that."
Chloe laughed. "Dad...you have absolutely *no* idea."
"Good to have you home sweetie..."
"It's good to be home, Dad."
----
"It hates me." Clark Kent stared balefully at the computer screen, Pete Ross leaning over his shoulder. "It
absolutely hates me."
"It's a computer." His friend pointed out, barely hiding a grin. "It doesn't have feelings."
"I know it doesn't." He flopped back in the chair and waved at the screen. "But I swear that thing hates me."
Pete chuckled. "Move man, lemme try."
"By all means!" Pushing himself out of the chair, the taller teen stood back and watched his friend sit
down and reach for the keyboard.
After a moment or two, the computer beeped again and without hesitation, shut itself down; leaving Pete
to stare at the screen in astonishment. "What the hell..."
Clark grinned widely. "You know, you're right. It's just a computer. It can't have feelings. Right?"
"Very funny man," his friend groused. "You weren't doing great with this thing yourself."
"No, but it didn't shut down on me." He pointed out, his neutral tone belied by the mischievous twinkle in
his eyes.
Pete looked back at him and started to say something then laughed. "Point taken."
They shared a chuckle then Clark shrugged. "It just misses Chloe. She had everything in this office
practically singing for her."
"We all miss Chloe." His friend agreed, watching his reactions carefully. He had his suspicions about how
*much* Clark missed their mutual friend but Pete wasn't saying anything; the biggest reason being he was
pretty sure that his best friend was completely unaware of just how much he really missed her. He'd long
been teasing Chloe about her feelings for Clark but he was now beginning to suspect that those feelings
went both ways...though neither one truly realized it.
Sometimes it was kinda fun being the only one who knew what was really going on and others...it really
sucked. He wasn't sure which this was yet.
"When is she coming back? She email lately?"
"No." Pete frowned. "Not for a while."
They shared a long look, unspoken worries hanging in the air. Something wasn't right and they could feel
it. They didn't know what it was but they knew something wasn't right with their friend and whatever it was,
it was big enough that she felt she couldn't share it with either of them and that was the worst worry of all.
What was so bad that she couldn't tell them?
----
She got a ride to school the first morning back. It was best in her mind. She didn't want the first time she
saw her friends to be on the bus with everyone watching.
With Clark running the Torch in her absence, she knew that was probably where he and Pete would be
before classes started so when her father dropped her off, that was where she headed.
----
Chloe stopped outside the office and listened with a wide grin as Clark and Pete bickered about the
computer. They had no idea how hilarious they sounded.
God, she'd missed them.
Leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes, content to just listen to them. It was so good to hear their
voices again. She'd missed them more than she could say but being here...listening to them...the ache of
it came back with sudden, biting strength.
When they began to talk about her, she opened her eyes and straightened up. Guilt flooded into her
when she heard Clark ask about the emails. She had meant to email more but...she hated lying to them.
She hated it but she didn't have much choice. Erin was right. She couldn't put them in the same situation.
She just couldn't.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked in. "Hi guys."
-----
"Chloe." Clark stared at his friend with mixed feelings even as a wide smile crossed his face. It was a
shock, seeing her just standing there. After the time that had passed it felt to him like there should have
been more of a build up. More than just the door opening and Chloe walking in. It was almost anti-climatic,
He felt like something else should have happened. Something he should do. Something he wanted to do
but he wasn't sure what that was.
"Hi." She smiled .
"When'd you get back?" Moving forward, Pete hugged her firmly.
"Yesterday afternoon." She watched Clark walk out from behind the desk and over to stand in front of her.
"How was Westchester?" He asked, leaning down to hug her tightly, adding in a whisper, "It's good to see
you again."
"It's good to see *you* again." She returned, equally soft, her eyes barely able to keep from revealing just
how good. She'd forgotten just how much his presence could affect her. Having him this close was bringing
back that memory with sharp clarity.
In a louder voice she answered his question. "It was really great. The school is amazing." She grinned at
Pete. "You'd love their athletic program. Their football team could *so* ghost the Crows easy."
"Yeah right." He grinned back. "Not even a chance of that."
"You'd be surprised." She countered with a laugh. He really would be. The running rule was 'no powers'
but when it was an in-school scrimmage...the games got pretty interesting. Looking around, she dropped
her bag on the nearest desk then hurried behind the desk. "What'd you do to my computer?"
Her friends looked to each other then back to her, twin expressions of innocence on their faces.
"Nothing."
She shook her head. "Just tell me the Torch is still the bastion of truth and hard-hitting journalism it always
was?"
"Sure Chloe." Clark grinned winningly. "We've even done a couple exposes."
"Uh huh..." Pete leaned forward as if to confide the most shocking of secrets. "The mystery meat in the
cafeteria? It's really tofu."
"No." She plastered an expression of mock-horror on her face. "You can't be serious!" Dropping into the
chair, she pressed a hand against her chest and the other to her forehead. "Oh the horror!"
Feigning a faint, she opened one eye and grinned at them. "How was that?"
"Oscar-worthy." Clark confirmed with an echoing grin. "Definitely Oscar-worthy."
"Yeah, Chlo'," Pete added, smiling widely. "You could show Nicole Kidman a thing or two."
"Yeah, right." She sat up and looked at the computer. "Not in this lifetime boys. Now, c'mere."
"What?"
She waited until they were standing behind her before grinning. "Watch and learn, boys. Watch and
learn."
When Chloe knew she had their full attention, she leaned over and flicked the hard drive once then
reached for the mouse, clicking on an icon on the screen...the computer obediently responding.
"How did you do that?" Pete looked from the screen to her face and back again. "It wouldn't work before."
She smiled up at them enigmatically. "Sometimes it just takes a woman's touch."
----
"So," Looking across the table at him, Chloe had to fight the temptation to blurt out her secret. She didn't
know why exactly but she just wanted to tell him so badly she could taste it. She'd been right. When she'd
told Erin she'd hate herself for lying to Clark she'd been right. She hated this. She hated lying. But she
didn't have a choice. Not yet. Maybe some day but not yet. "How was your first taste of a real career in
journalism?"
He smiled at her. *That* smile. God, she loved that smile. Loved it and hated it. That smile made it harder.
Made the guilt worse. Made her want to blurt out 'Clark, I'm a mutant.' and to hell with who heard it. But
she didn't. She couldn't. Instead, she settled for lifting her cup of coffee to her lips and sipping while he
answered. "It was pretty good. Great." He chuckled. "Even if every piece of equipment in that office hates
me."
She laughed. "They're just machines, Clark. They can't hate you."
"I don't know about that." He grinned. "Maybe the meteor shower has affected them somehow and they're
all plotting to take over the world and run it in a logical, computerized fashion. Maybe Bill Gates is really an
android and their leader or something."
Chloe set her mug on the lacquered surface of the table and shook her head. "Goof."
His eyes lit up with laughter and she had to fight not to stare. Guys weren't supposed to be beautiful but
he was. He was and she couldn't help loving the sight of him. Loving him period.
'No, Chlo',' she told herself. 'Best not to go there. Not right now. You go there, you won't be able to keep
it from him. How you feel or what you are. Don't go there.'
Taking another swallow of coffee, she looked into his face.
God he was gorgeous.
She hated lying.
"Seriously, Clark." Forcing herself back on the 'safe' topic, she smiled again. "I read a couple articles you
wrote...you seriously have a real talent for writing. I've had a writing genius living underneath my nose this
whole time and I was completely unaware of it." She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with journalistic
interest. "What would you think of helping out on the Torch? In like some kind of full time capacity."
"As what?" He questioned with interest. "A reporter?"
"Maybe." She nodded. "If you'd like to. Don't get any designs on my job." A mischievous light entered her
eyes. "I'm not giving that up any time soon. But I really mean it. You've got the talent for this Clark. You
really do."
Without thinking about it, she reached out and covered his hand with hers.
And without even thinking about it...they stayed that way.
-----
"So, how was it?" Listening to Erin, Chloe could hear the sound of water and knew the teacher was
enjoying her favorite relaxation. Long, hot bubble bath.
"It was hard." She confessed, lying back on her bed and staring at the ceiling. "Really hard. I mean, I'm
so happy to be home it's bizarre but I didn't think it would be this hard."
"How so?"
"Seeing him." She didn't have to specify who *him* was. Erin knew. "We went to the Beanery tonight.
Pete was supposed to come but he had a paper to finish, so it was just me and Clark. It was great. We
talked for hours. I told him about the school. Well, what I could tell him anyway and he told me about
everything I missed in Smallville...about the weird stuff that's gone down while I was gone. Which, by the
way, could fill a *novel*. And we talked about the paper." She paused for a moment. "He's a phenomenal
writer, Erin. I'm not kidding. He really is."
"I can bet. You trusted the Torch to him." Erin's smile came through the line loud and clear. "But how was
it? Talking to him?"
"I wanted to tell him so bad it was almost an ache." It was after a long pause that she finally spoke those
words. She was glad they were talking on the phone. She didn't know that she could have admitted it face
to face though she wished desperately that they could be having this conversation in the kitchen eating
ice cream like so many others. She missed her friends at the school already. More than she'd expected.
"I needed to tell him and I don't know how I managed to keep from blurting it out. I hate this Erin. I really,
*really* hate this."
"I know you do, Chlo'," the teacher replied sympathetically. "It's not an easy life we lead."
"No kidding." She rolled onto her stomach and picked at the bedspread.
"How are you doing? Aside from that, I mean."
"Good." Chloe surprised herself by saying it but it was true. "I'm good. I forgot how much I liked it here. I
mean, I know it's the capital of all things weird, bizarre, and completely whacked out, but I really like it here
and I know this sounds crazy but I kinda like being seen as just Chloe. No mutancy. No powers. Just me.
I can almost pretend like it never happened."
"Except?"
"Except for the fact I have to watch everything I do." She sighed heavily. "That's the worst. Watching
everything I do. Always on the watch for anything that could 'accidentally' trigger my powers. I hate that. I
hate the constant reminder that I'm different."
"I know. I wish I could take that away, I really do." Erin paused for a long moment. "But I can't...if it's any
consolation, you're handling much better than most. Better than I do."
"Thanks." Chloe replied quietly. "It helps...kind of." She thumped a fist on the bed. "It's frustrating! I wish
...I wish...I don't know what I wish! I just..." She growled slightly. "I don't know. I just *wish*." She paused
then ducked her head. "I'm sorry. I'm just..."
"I understand. Believe me I do." The elder woman's voice was soft and supportive. "I don't know what I
could say to make it different. I don't think there is anything I could say but I will say this. You're a strong
person, Chloe. Stronger than me. Stronger than a lot of people and if anyone can deal with this...you
can."
"I wish I could believe you."
"You do." Erin countered confidently. "You just don't know it yet."
"That makes absolutely no sense." Chloe told her with a laugh.
"Does too."
"Does not."
"Did you understand it?"
"Yeah."
"Enough said."
"You're crazy Erin."
"Totally but who's crazier? Me? Or you for understanding me?"
"I plead the fifth."
"Oh sure...*now* she pleads the fifth."
Chloe grinned. "You trying to say something?"
"Not a thing." The other woman replied innocently.
"Yeah, sure. Right. You and the guys."
The groused comment earned a snicker. "Go to bed Chloe."
"Good night Erin." The teen replied serenely before thumbing off the phone and flopping back on the bed.
It was good to be home.