CHAPTER SIX

Disclaimers in Chapter One

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Psyche as she pointed at the situation in the Kent's barn loft in disbelief.  "What the hell was that?!"

Sheepish, Cupid said nothing, resulting in a glare from his wife.  "I cannot believe that you just did that.  I told you to get Lana and Clark together, NOT Lana and Pete!"

"Well," the love god started slowly as he inched away from her.  "I didn't expect that, either.  I would have thought that Clark would rush to her rescue and Pete would go call the medics or something."

"That did not happen now, did it?" she mocked.  After a sigh of frustration, she shook her head.  "This just got more complicated that I thought.  I expect that you'll fix this?"

"Of course," he nodded without hesitation.  "I mean, the arrows I have been using are the temporary love arrows, so the effect should wear off in a day or two."

"Do you really expect these rural folks to be able to ride this craziness out in two days?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes?"

"Cupid, you can be endearing when you're stupidly slow."

"Is that a good thing?" he inquired, optimistic.  That elicited a small guffaw from Psyche as her anger was gradually pacified.  "Sometimes," she answered.  "But we have to focus here.  Why don't you check on Lex and Chloe while I try to find a solution to our Pete and Lana problem?"

"Okay," Cupid easily conceded as he walked back to the looking glass and eavesdropped on the billionaire and the reporter.

"Argh!" Chloe growled in frustration.  Lex had been driving her mad since their little incident at the mall.  Now there they were at the Talon with Chloe trying not to kill the billionaire and Lex doting on her every move.  She was given a break as he rushed to the counter to get her some coffee.

'What is wrong with him?' she thought to herself as she glanced in his direction.  Just then, he turned to look at her.  Happy that he had her attention, he cheerfully waved at her like an excited schoolgirl.  'That's something you don't see everyday,' Chloe snorted to herself.

As she continued to contemplate every possible cause that could attribute to Lex's madness, he came back, excited and happy to be at her service.  Too enthusiastic it seemed as he tripped and spilt the java all over Chloe's chest.

"Crap," he cursed as he fumbled to grab the few napkins they had on their table.  "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," grumbled a growingly impatient Chloe.  "Just go away."

"No," he refused.  "I'll go get more napkins."  With that, he ran off to the counter.

Frustrated, Chloe took advantage of the opportunity and made her escape.  It wasn't a few steps from the Talon entrance when she ran into someone she'd rather avoid more than Lex if it were possible.  Lionel Luthor.

"Miss Sullivan," he coldly sneered, eyeing her messy shirt as if it were radioactive.  "Just the person I wanted to talk to."

"And why is that, Lionel?" she retorted with spite.

"I am concerned for my son, Miss Sullivan," he told her, eliticing a resounding "ha!" from the reporter.  "It seems as if he has taken a liking to you, and I don't like it one bit."

"Why?  Because we peasants shouldn't mix with royalty?" she mocked.

"Something like that," he replied.  "Lex has a bright future ahead of him, Miss Sullivan.  A future with Dr. Helen Bryce.  A future with Luthorcorp."

"You'll have to forgive me, Lionel, as I may sound unimpressed," she said, not knowing that Lex had caught up with her and was now at the Talon's door.  "While Lex's business is none of yours, I want to have you know that there is no interference from my behalf on whatever dim future you have in store for your son.  Or should I say whatever he has in store for himself."

"I do not like your son," she added.  "Not in the capacity that he may seemed to expect from me.  And I hope that will suffice for you, because that is all I will offer you.  Goodbye, Mr. Luthor."  She moved past the older Luthor and ran to her car.

In her wake, she left a rather smug Lionel silently mocking the patheticness of his son's futile attempts to win over a girl that was clearly not attracted to him.  Lex, on the other hand, was heartbroken. 

Chloe looked over to where the Luthor patriarch stood, and she saw Lex standing by his father.  Realizing that he might have heard her rather harsh words, Chloe found herself unable to suppress the overwhelming guilt.