*the Obligatory Author's note: Review! Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review, Review!
Oh and thanks to Julie for the beta and the title for this chapter. Chapter nine is coming soon. Review!


PDA 8: Gossip

~Smallville Medical Center Room 302~

*knock knock*

Chloe Sullivan looked away from the TV. "Come in."

The door opened and in walked Clark Kent wearing blue jeans and a red T-shirt. He looked at Chloe lying on the bed and was amazed. Even wearing a hospital gown and no make-up Chloe looked great. She had washed her hair to get all the glass out and put it up with some funky barrettes. Her left wrist had about twelve thin, silver bracelets on them. Anyone besides Chloe would have considered a hospital stay a vacation from style, but not her. Chloe's style was as much a part of herself as the Torch.

When Chloe saw who her visitor was her normal 500 mega watt grin was kicked up about three notches. "Clark!!! I am so happy to see you. You have no idea how boring this place is."

Clark Kent looked at Chloe's enormous grin and smiled. "Oh, I have some idea. Is that Jerry Springer you're watching?"

Chloe looked back at the forgotten TV program. "Oh yeah," she said a little embarrassed as she reached for the remote to turn it off. "Jerry was just about to tell us his final thought."

"What was it today?" Clark asked. "'Transvestite Strippers and the women who love them'?"

"No. It was 'Surprise! I'm cheating on you with your sister.'"

"I can not believe you were watching Springer. You know that stuff is all staged."

Chloe quickly went on the defensive. "Hey it's not my fault. I don't have anything else to do until Lex gets back with all my stuff. Besides this TV only has 12 channels. It's practically inhumane. It was between Jerry, Matlock, and Days of Our Lives."

Clark couldn't help but laugh at Chloe's television viewing predicament. He looked at his watch. "Isn't John Edwards on channel 32 right now?"

"John Edwards! The TV psychic? And you're calling Jerry Springer fake?"

"Are you saying you don't believe in the paranormal? What about all the stuff we've seen? People that can control bees, or suck the heat out of people, or be invisible?"

"Okay, Mulder, calm down. Yes, I believe strange things happen everyday, especially in Smallville. Remember, I was the one that started the wall of weird. But I automatically distrust anyone who displays his psychic powers on television. After all, if you had superpowers, would you go around telling everybody?"

Clark looked at his feet. "Umm, no. I guess not."

"That's what I thought. I am glad you came to see me though. How did you know I was here? Did Lex call and tell you? Or did you see my car and figure that I wasn't in school, or at home, or at Lex's so this is where I must be?"

"No, actually I though it had been awhile since your last hospital stay and that you were about due for another," Clark said with a perfectly straight face.

"Ha ha ha. Very funny. You know those other two weren't my fault. I had no intention of being thrown out of a window or buried alive. I do, however, accept responsibility for driving into a ditch. So, honestly, how did you know where I was?"

"Kayla Albright told me."

"Kayla?"

"Yeah, you know Kayla. She's in my World History class. Long brown hair, freckles, braces."

"I know Kayla, but how did Kayla know where I was."

"Oh. She candy-stripes here in the evenings"

"Ah. I see."

"Kayla told me all about that big fit Lex had, and the weird custody thing."

"Whoa whoa whoa. Back the train up. What big fit?"

"You didn't know? It happened last night."

"I was unconscious last night. I only woke up about ten o'clock this morning."

"Then you might not know about the custody thing, either."

"What custody thing!"

"Last night, Lex went outside and threw a huge tantrum in the hospital courtyard. He started screaming at the flowers. Kayla said he looked nuts. Then, he comes back up here and tells your doctor that he has legal custody of you."

"Oh no."

"Yeah. 'Oh no' is right. Chloe. Do you know anything about this custody thing?"

"No. Lex just told me that he wants me to move in with him. I told him that I couldn't because it wouldn't be legal. I guess he found a loophole."

"Man, Chloe, that's heavy. What about your dad? He won't like you moving in with Lex."

Chloe looked down in her hands. "My dad threw me out, Clark. He told me that he didn't want to see me anymore."

"Chlo, oh my god, I'm so sorry." Clark grabbed a chair, pulling it closer to the side of Chloe's bed. He sat down and took one of her hands in his. "If there is anything I can do for you... just let me know, okay. Chloe, where are you gonna stay?"

"With Lex, I guess."

"You don't want to?"

"It's not that I don't want to. I mean, I love Lex. I love him so much, Clark. I'm just afraid that this is going to put additional stress on our relationship. Not to mention what this is going to do to our reputations. Sooner or later, people are going to find out that we're dating. I'd prefer not to be shacking up with him when that happens."

Clark nodded. "It would be a little hard to explain."

"It would be very hard to explain. I would be the teenaged tart and Lex would look like my sugar daddy. You know that I normally don't care what people think, but Lex is a very important man. This could reflect badly on him, the plant, even Luthor Corp. And you know what is going to happen if something Lex does looks like it's going to effect the company."

"Lionel Luthor will fly down here in his private helicopter and put a stop to it."

"Exactly. I don't care for Mr. Luthor in the slightest, but if Lex is put in the position of defending me against his father, something very bad will happen."

"Lex can handle his father. Remember when we were held hostage at the plant."

"I don't think so, Clark. Not this time. Ever since the tornado, they've been... weird. It's really tense between them."

"So, are you going to move in with him?"

"God. I don't know. I guess I'm going to have to. I don't have anywhere else to go, do I?"

Clark leaned in closer to Chloe. "You know that you could always come and stay with me. I sure my parents would love to have you."

Chloe smiled at him. "Thanks, but I could never do that. I know that the last thing your family needs is another mouth to feed. Besides, what if I got sick or hurt. Your parents health insurance wouldn't cover me. No. I'm going to have to move in with Lex. I just hope that everything works out okay."

"I'm sure it will. You two love each other."

"Yes. We do."

Clark took a deep breath. This next part wasn't going to be easy. "Chlo, there is one more thing I wanted to tell you. Anything the Luthor's do is big news. Kayla didn't just tell me about this whole custody thing. She told most of Smallville High School. By tonight half the town's going to know about it."

Chloe closed her eyes and started to rub her temples with one hand. "Oh, great," she said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"No, no. Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Are you sure there isn't anything I can't do for you. Bring your stuff from your house?"

"No. Lex is getting it. Thanks anyway."

"What about your Metropolis stash?"

"Yeah, he's bring it too. There is one thing you can do for me. Can you tape Farscape for me on Friday. It's on the Sci-Fi channel."

Clark stood up to leave. "Sure. I've got to get back to school. Lunch is almost over."

"I understand."

Clark turned and began to walk out. "Chloe, just one more thing. Do you think Lex was bluffing about having custody papers."

"I don't know how he would have gotten my dad so sign anything, but have you ever seen Lex bluff."

"No," Clark said with a shrug.

"Me neither. Bye Clark. Thanks for stopping by. Glad you got to see me."

Clark smiled. "Bye Chloe. I'll bring Pete by later."

"Okay."

Clark walked out and closed the door behind him. Chloe settled back into the bed. She would need to think about what Clark had told her and consider her next step very carefully.


TBC.......