Taking Those Steps Again

By Ryoko Kashino and Kitana Blade Studios

            Hey all!  Anywho as I said before I love reading Chloe and Clark tales. I am still routing for Chloe I hate Lana with such a passion that when she gets into trouble I laugh maniacally!!!! And all of you know I hate posting only 1 chapter at a time so I am posting two at a time.  Oh yeah I have the story finished already, so if I get good reviews I'll post the other two really soon.  I hope I can maybe get this in the looney archivist, Chloe and Clark fanzine!  Hey all who read this if you know LJC send her over this way! Maybe she'll like the story enough to want it in her fanzine! I can only hope!! (my fingers crossed and so are my toes!) Anyway please read and review!  I hope all you guys like this stab at a Smallville fan fiction!  Remember Karma works very well for those who believe!!!!!  Oh yeah here's the legal mumbo jumbo, I don't own Smallville (but if I did seriously Chloe and Clark would be soooo together) please don't sue! I'm only playing with the characters for my own twisted mind oh and for you the readers too! Hehe!

Chp. 2 Things gone wrong

That afternoon Pete stopped by as Clark was finishing up his chores. 
            "C'mon Kent, lemme whoop you at a round of b-ball!" called out Pete from behind Clark.

A loud laugh came from Clark and he took off his flannel, "You can definitely try."

"Hey give me a 10 point lead and no funny stuff."

Pete threw his jacket down and caught the ball he was tossed.  As they played trash was talked and with Clark getting close to winning, Pete, began to cheat.  Clark was about to make a jump shot when Pete said, "So, I talked to Chloe this morning."

That sentence threw Clark off course causing him to throw the ball so hard it ripped a hole in the side of the barn. Pete stood there with his jaw dropped.  Clark ran over the barn and looked at the gaping hole.  Pete slapped Clark on the shoulder and laughed, "Dude, did something happen I should know about?"

"What!?!" Clark exclaimed, "What do you mean? Pete what did you and Chloe talk about?"

"Nothing, she just said she came over to talk to you and that's it, nothing else, why? Wait did something really happen? Spill it Kent!  What happened? Did you guys, ya' know?"

"Pete! Jeez! This is Chloe!"

"Oh, you did!"

"No, Pete. We didn't do anything. I mean we kissed, well… we kinda more like…well we made out."

"That's it! And that caused you to put a hole in your barn?" Pete fell over laughing

"Oh, it's not that funny. C'mon, it was Chloe. I made out with her, that's something right?"

"You're such a school boy. You're seventeen and you think making out is something, God, Clark you're so funny."

Clark huffed and then looked back at the hole in the barn.  The laughing from his friend made him feel like a fool, "That's it, I forfeit. You win."

Pete laughed and then did a happy dance. Once done with his antics Pete followed Clark into the house for a drink.  Clark's face had been serious since he had let Pete have the game.  Pete looked at his glass and then said, "Clark, my man, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"A lot, Lana is still mad with me. And then there's this thing, I dunno, I really can't stop thinking about Chloe."

Pete shook his head, "With Lana that is going to take time to heal.  Maybe you should leave her alone for awhile Clark."

"So you think I'm to blame to?"

"I never said that. I don't know Lana that well, I can't make a guess at how she's gonna act.  Chloe, however, she's a whole other deal.  I know her. She won't wanna be rebound girl."

"She can't be my rebound girl. Lana and I weren't together. We were just friends."

"Then let time heal you and Lana, if she's just a friend, but Chloe has been your friend then you guys took a step forward and then two back.  With her you really gotta watch what you do."

"I know, but I don't know what to do with her. I think and I come up blank but when I remember how I felt when I held her tight and I kissed her, I wanna fell like that again."

"How did you feel, Clark?"

"It's something I never questioned, it just felt right."

"There you have your answer."

"Thanks a lot, Pete." Sarcasm dripped from that comment.

Pete laughed and finished his drink then handed Clark the glass. Pete glanced at his watch, "Dang, I gotta go. I have a date in two hours."

"Yeah, talk to you later man."

Clark watched Pete's car leave the driveway and he walked up to the loft.  He looked about the area and memories played in his mind.  The fortress of solitude held so much, like the late night cram sessions with Chloe, the many times they played like Scooby doo gang taking apart a mystery.  All the times they'd hung out and laughed through out the summers past.  This was his sanctuary, and yet it seemed to be intertwined so much with someone else. This was where she first kissed him and he for the first time last night, Clark had really kissed her.  Clark ran down into the house and grabbed his jacket, he was about to take off, but his dad called him.  Clark ran over to where his dad stood.

"Yeah, dad?" asked Clark.

"Son, there is something you need to do, wait, where were you headed?"

"Uh, I was gonna go see Chloe."

"Oh, tell me first tell me how there got to be a new window in the barn?"

Clark turned his head towards the hole in the barn and his cheeks flashed red. He looked at his dad and smiled that Kent smile.

"Hey, I invented that, it doesn't work on me. What happened?"

"Pete, he…"

"Pete put that hole in the barn?" Jonathan said with a hint of laughter.

"No, I did, we were playing basketball and he caught me off guard. I'm sorry about that."

Jonathan put his hands on his hips and looked at his son shaking his head, "I gotta take a lesson from that kid. Well fix it before you go."

"Yes, sir."

Clark sped away and before Jonathan could tell him not use his powers. In less than a minute Clark was done, whole covered and standing back next to his dad, he smiled and said, "All done."

Jonathan stood there not amused, "Okay you get away with it this time. Go on get out of here before I find something else for you to do as punishment."

Clark waved and ran towards the truck.

Clark sat in the truck across the street from Chloe's house, her car hadn't been in the driveway and he'd left four messages on her cell in the last hour and a half. He was about to drive away when he saw her drive up. Clark stepped out of his truck and then saw Chloe going to the passenger side of the car. She was helping Lana out of the car and with some crutches.  He stopped in his tracks. Clark watched as the two girls struggled up the steep porch steps.  He wanted to run over and help but he was frozen.  It was the first time he'd seen Lana since the hospital that night.  He felt a lump in his throat and jumped back into his car and sped away.

Clark felt like such a jerk.  He'd stayed away like he was told but deep down he knew he shouldn't have.  Lana looked so helpless, here was his savor complex eating away at him again.  He just began to blame himself even more.  Chloe had this whole thing covered, in a way she was picking up the slack left behind by him.  It wasn't fair at least not in Clark's eyes.  He should've been the one helping Lana.  No matter how mad Lana was Clark knew that she really would've let him help her, at least he hoped.

 It was maddening, here he had to stay away from Lana and yet wanting to still be with Chloe.  Problems were all that he really had.  A girl escaped his grasp, okay so he knew he just couldn't have Lana, really it was a pipe dream, although the teasing he'd received from his so-called best friends irked him beyond belief, but he knew friends did that to keep him grounded and from getting too hurt.

 And Chloe, God, Chloe, he couldn't really escape or walk away from her.  She'd been the one thing in his life that made him feel like a normal human.  She could read him like a book. She could rip him a new one and he knew it was only for his own good.  Super strength or not Chloe had powers beyond belief.  A 6' 3" farm boy scared of a 'tell it like it is' pint sized firecracker city girl.  Clark rolled his eyes as he remembered the day Chloe had him cowering backwards over a desk.

Clark knew he still really needed to talk to Chloe.  He knew she'd think she was still second choice.  But she wasn't not to him. To him she was the only choice.  He'd just been so blind.  The perfect one for him had been there the whole time. The silence in the cab of the truck was stifling so Clark reached over and turned on the radio and listened to some funky emo rock he knew Chloe would love.  That made him smile, he knew so much about her, and he never had to ask many questions.  Chloe had always thrwn out all her information, she really was so much braver than he was.  She always had more gusto than him; he was hoping that some would rub off on him.

A ring tone came from his phone.  He answered, "Hello?"

"Clark, what did you need?"

"Oh, hey Chlo, I was gonna stop by your house and talk to you but I was…I saw you helping Lana, and I just didn't think I should stop by.  Can we meet somewhere?"

"Clark, I would love to but…"

The tone in her voice was one he dreaded to hear, god he just wanted to see her. He was lying to himself; his mind flashed the memory of their kiss.  The sensation it had left in him, he needed her, and he wanted to feel close to her again, he just wanted her. 

"But?" he questioned

"But I promised Lana, that I'd help her with some of her home work and we planned a night of vegging out trying y'know let the stress of the past few weeks out."

"Oh,"

Chloe could hear the disappointment in Clark's voice.  She really did want to see Clark but her prior plans were set, she wasn't about to ditch Lana.  Although the still jealous and angry part of her wanted to run out and laugh wickedly, she realized that it just wouldn't be right.

"Hey, how 'bout we meet for breakfast at the diner?" suggested Chloe.

"Sure," Clark's voice sounded strange, was that excitement she heard?  She smiled and set the meeting time, 9:30 A.M. which meant for Clark somewhere around 9:47.  He was always late, as predictable as it was it really was a habit that annoyed her.  Only thing he needed to do was use that Kent charm, that goofy smile set her to become a pile of Chloe gooeyness.  Clark calling her name pulled her back into reality, "Chloe?"

"What?" Chloe said with a hint of a giggle.

"See you tomorrow morning, 'k?"

"Bye Clark."

Clark looked at himself in the driver side mirror, he looked like crap, he had finished his morning chores and speeded himself through a shower and hauled ass to the diner in the truck.  The night had been rough; he was up most of the night trying to get comfy in his bed.  A few times he woke from some very intense dreams with Chloe at the center of it. The final one he awoke with a huge erection and cursed himself as he walked to his bathroom then taking a freezing cold shower.  This was Chloe; there was no real need to be so freaked out.  He could always talk to her about stuff, but he remembered that she didn't really harbor many of his deepest darkest secrets let alone the one that could cause him to be the center attraction on her wall of weird.  He grunted lowly to his reflection then turned to walk to the diner. 

Chloe read her watch, 9:25 a.m. wow a little early but that never hurts, as she pulled her car into the diner's parking lot she spotted the Kent's bright red work truck.  She smiled and thought, holy crap, Clark's early, man I wonder what the hell kind of miracle brought that on.  Aloud she scolded herself, yet she managed a giggle and parked her car.

Clark sat there nursing his coffee, it was a little too hot and it definitely couldn't hold up to any of the Talon's coffee.   Looking up he watched Chloe as she neared the table, he stood and waited for her to sit.  He smiled that 1000 watt smile of his and Chloe chuckled and said, "Wow, Kent charm and you're not even late."

"Chloe!" said Clark as he took the comment wrong; he looked out the window at the busy morning street.

Chloe roared with laughter and then touched his arm, "I'm just kidding! God, Clark, you can be too sensitive."

"Sure, now you say that." Clark rolled his eyes.  Chloe looked at him and knew he was referring the other night in the barn.  It really was one of the few if not the only times she'd seen Clark really upset about something. 

"Clark, I didn't mean anything…" Chloe was interrupted by an annoyed waitress that placed down two menus and looked at Chloe, "What can I get you to drink, hun?"

"Orange juice, please…" As the waitress walked away Chloe, grabbed her menu and shot a quick smile at Clark, "Hmmm, I wonder what's good here?"

"Chloe, you've eaten here a million times before, you know what's good," Clark moved his menu aside and he looked at her.  Wow, she looks amazing,he thought. He shook his head. Stop thinking like that, he told himself, he looked again at Chloe and saw she was nibbling on her lower lip. She always did that when she was thinking, how funny that this time it was so incredibly cute.  Not that is wasn't a cute habit before, it was just more appealing than usual and he got a flash of himself reaching across the table and taking her lips into his.

Clark looked like he was far off in la la land, Chloe knew this was his day dream face, but his smile looked even goofier than usual. She called his name and the smile stayed the same. Finally, she kicked him under the table. Clark came out of it with, "Owe! What was that for, Chloe?"

"You disappeared into a daydream at," Chloe looked at her watch, "9:31 a.m. Day dream on your own time farm boy!"

Clark made his classic forgive me face with a hint of the classic Kent charm. Chloe shook her head and said, "Don't make that face; it'll make me forget everything I know."

Clark raised his eyebrows in that 'I know' tease. Chloe then clobbered him with the menu. 

Twenty minutes had passed since giving their order to the waitress.  Chloe sipped her juice and looked at Clark, for some reason he seemed a little nervous around her, that was so not the Clark she knew. She eyed him for a moment more then figured he must want a favor to get in to see Lana.  God, he would do this, she thought.  It made her heart sink but she then said, "So, what do you want?"

Chloe's voice shocked her, it was laced with acid and Clark brows furrowed together. "God, Chloe, I just wanted to hang out with you, is that such a problem now?" Clark noticed his voice was tense too. 

Minutes ago he was kissing her in his mind and now he was taking the offensive?  What the hell, this kinda stuff happened when Lana was around, but to his knowledge Lana wasn't within 50 yards of this place. Clark just looked at Chloe in shock; all he wanted was to be here with her. His face still covered in hurt, Chloe felt a tinge of guilt pull at her heart.  She really needed to stop thinking so negatively but Clark did have a bad track record.  They both sat in silence for a few moments. Clark decided now was the time to ask her on a date, yeah bad timing but anything to make this awkward silence go away.

Clark fiddled with his utensils as he said, "Chloe, what are you doing tonight?"

"What?"

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing, I dunno, why?"

"Cause they have a new movie at the theater, I wanted to see if you'd like to go with me?"

Chloe's face was covered with surprise, she smiled and then reached up her hand to Clark's forehead, "You okay? You don't feel hot."

Clark grabbed her hand gently and looked at her, "Will you stop treating me like I'm sick.  I don't know why you do that.  Do you really think that you're not worthy of my time?  God, Chlo you're one of my best friends. I know I've treated you badly in the past. I'm trying to fix this. Will you give me a chance?"

Chloe was stunned; Clark never talked to her this way.  His voice had a hurt and very sincere tone.  It reminded her of the other night. Chloe sat there trying to speak, her mouth making movements but no sound escaped.  Still her hand was in Clark's.  He hadn't let go and he was squeezing it gently.

The waitress came over and placed down their plates, she looked at the two kids and said, "You know you're gonna have to let go of her hand to eat."

Clark looked at the waitress like she spoke Martian then looked at their hands. His cheeks flashed pink and he released Chloe's hand then shifted oddly. He half way smiled at the waitress, "Could we have some ketchup and Tabasco, oh and some extra syrup, please."

"Sure, be right back." 

Chloe still sat there speechless.  Clark's little speech made her think.  Why did she think that way?  Since when had she become the scum on his shoe?  She didn't know why she gave herself the last rung on the totem pole.  She knew that there were a lot of things Clark had in his life.  He wasn't the average brain dead care free teenager.  He had responsibities that she knew she wouldn't want at all.  Even though most things she could forget about, but the only thing that really bothered her was the Lana factor.  Chloe was the one Clark had known longer.  Okay, so he and Lana grew up in the same town, but they never talked to one another until 9th grade. Chloe had a whole other year up on that girl.  Not to mention hours logged at the Kent farm and his parents loved her.  Plain and simple it was Lana's fault she felt this way; Lana wasn't the only one to blame Clark could take a hefty portion of it, but Chloe knew she should take a small bit too. 

Clark had begun to ready his meal for eating when the waitress brought by the condiments he asked for.  He reached over to grab the ketchup and noticed Chloe sitting there with a concentrated face on.  He shook her arm and said, "Chloe, you there? Wait what did you tell me? Oh yeah, day dream on your own time my girl Friday!" His light laugh made Chloe smile and they ate in silence.

As the two teens walked out to the parking lot Clark followed Chloe to her car.  Chloe was unlocking the door when Clark spoke, "So did you want to go out with me tonight or what?"

Chloe looked at him; shocked he remembered to ask her again, "I dunno, Clark, I was kind of hoping for a quiet night at home."

"How bout… oh wait. And I can't go over there, can I? How about you come to my place we can watch a movie any movie of your choice, I'll even sit through a chick flick."

"Clark? A chick flick, nice phrasing there pal."

"Hey it's better than saying tear jerker."

"I dunno…"

"Alright, I'll take a hint.  I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"Clark, wait, what do you think you could do? Fix a year worth of ditching and second placing me in one day? How is that gonna make up for all the crap?"

"I just want to let you know you matter to me. Damn it Chloe, I don't know how to fix this it this time. I was hoping maybe by spending more time with you, first.  I just wanna be around you, is that so wrong that I want to be with you?"

"You can't do this, it's not fair! Why do you get to pull all shots? When do I get to be the one who decides what going on?"

"It looks to me like you're the one with all the power right know Chloe.  I know I've asked you to forgive me so many times anyone else would've easily dropped me, but you never have, why?"

Chloe was so angry with herself, why couldn't she have just said 'yes,' cause that would make it too easy for both of them.  It shouldn't be hard to do this, and plus she was hearing words out of his mouth that she never fathomed she'd hear.  And that last question, god she wanted to scream 'because I love your stupid farm boy ass!' Although it wouldn't help; she was looking directly into his eyes and said, "I don't know why. I just…I don't know, Clark," Chloe looked at her phone, "Look call me later today, okay?  I'll be in the mood for this later, but not now. Please just not now."

"Come over right know, I don't have anything planned.  You can have me all to yourself for the whole day. Please, Chloe?

She heard to desperation in his voice.  Any other day she'd have reveled in it she'd have leapt and bounded the gigantic mountains of the earth, but part of her just screamed to her No! He's just trying to get back to her and in your good graces.  Tell him no!!!!!!

Chloe's view hadn't gone back to looking at Clark. If she had, easily she'd have given in.  Her view still rested on her phone, "No Clark, not today. "

As Chloe looked up to see Clark, his reaction was clearly broken hearted. His voice came out only above a whisper. "Fine," he paused and he wanted to say something else but instead he just repeated himself, "fine."

Clark walked to his truck, he got in and revved the engine and peeled out of the lot barely missing another patron entering.  Chloe sighed heavily; she watched the Kent's truck go off in to the distance. As much as she felt relief, she was feeling the same heartache as Clark had felt moments before.  She wanted to cry but not here in the diner's parking lot. No way, she was just gonna lock herself in her room when she got home.