STAND BACK

CHAPTER ELEVEN-THE PARTY CRASHER

LUTHOR MANSION

Elizabeth woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, but for a moment realized she wasn't at the Kent farm.

There was a knock on the door.

"Miss? It's the maid. Mr. Luthor asked me to tell you to come down for breakfast," a female voice called through the door. She had a Spanish accent to her voice.

"Okay, thank you," Elizabeth called.

She grabbed a fresh change of clothes and ran a brush through her hair before leaving the room and heading out into the hall and down the stairs.

Lex was waiting for her at the dinning room table but there were breakfast commodities set on the table.

Lex looked up at Elizabeth and broke into a grin.

"Good Morning," Lex said gently. "Sleep well?"

Elizabeth took a seat next to him and began helping herself to some pancakes and bacon.

"Not really," she confessed.

Lex leaned forward with concern.

"Want to talk about it?"

Elizabeth looked into his face. She liked his kind eyes and realized at once that she'd rather be with him.

"It's nothing. Really. Just being in this big house I guess," she grinned.

Lex grinned back and they began eating.

About 10 minutes into breakfast, Clark entered the dinning room.

"Clark," Lex said stunned. "Would you like something to eat?"

"No thanks," Clark said and his eyes immediately darted to Elizabeth. "Can I talk to Elizabeth for a moment please?"

Lex gave Liz's hand a squeeze before he got up. "Sure,"

Lex headed into his office while Clark talked to Elizabeth.

Clark sat down in Lex's seat.

"I just really want to apologize for yesterday," Clark said. "It was the bite that caused that outburst. It must be the wolf DNA mixing in with mine."

Elizabeth studied him. "I'm sorry too. I should've known that you wouldn't be like that. I had completely forgotten that when I was first bitten I blurted out some things that I shouldn't have. Plus, I didn't really give you a fair chance to explain. Best friends?"

Clark seemed to hesitate on those last words.

Elizabeth grinned. "Great,"

Lex entered the dinning room now.

"Everything okay?" he asked looking from Elizabeth to Clark.

"Oh yeah," Elizabeth said.

"Oh. I almost forgot," Clark said. "Chloe is having a small party. She's invited you and I."

"Sounds like fun," Lex said. "Is there any problem with the moon tonight?"

Elizabeth frowned.

"Don't worry. I'll leave before anything happens and if the necklace glows, I want Clark to restrain me so I wouldn't hurt anyone,"

Clark swallowed.

Lex leaned down and gave Elizabeth a kiss on the cheek.

"Have a good time. I'll see you later?" Lex asked.

Elizabeth nodded and smiled up at him.

Lex left the room.

"You'd think by now he might actually kiss me," Elizabeth said smiling to herself.

"Lex is different," Clark said. "He likes to treat women with respect."

"Yeah. I've noticed that," Elizabeth said dreamily. "So what time is Chloe's party?"

Clark was silent for a moment before he replied. "7:00,"

"At her place?"

Clark nodded.

"Okay. See you in school," Elizabeth said. "Lex will be driving me."

Clark nodded again and left the house more hurt, confused and jealous then when he came in.

SMALLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

9AM.

Elizabeth was helping Chloe on the school newspaper.

Chloe was talking about her party that evening.

"It's basically just a small one. You, Clark, Pete, myself, and some of the seniors that we know well," Chloe was saying happily. "I know Lana would've helped with the guests."

She was silent after she said that.

"I'm so sorry about Lana," Elizabeth said quietly. "I never wanted anyone to get hurt. Including my own mother."

There was another silence in the room.

Chloe sat down beside Elizabeth.

"We know. But we're also glad you came here," she broke into a grin. "Are you okay? You look tired."

"Didn't sleep well last night," Elizabeth explained. "I've got a lot on my mind right now."

"Take a nap now," Chloe said winking. "I'll wake you before next class starts."

Elizabeth grinned at her appreciatively.

Elizabeth crossed her arms on top of the desk beside the computer and rested her head on them. Before long, she was out cold…and dreaming.

I'm a wolf now…running across some large property. Another wolf is there. This one has incredible blue eyes that seem so familiar. The second wolf is black like me except for the eyes.

As I approach, I see two bodies that are also familiar…one has blond hair and is a girl, the other is a colored boy lying several feet beside the girl. As I get even closer, I realized there was blood on the second black wolfs muzzle and nose. It killed the two people. As I watch, the black wolf changes into the person that I know very well. I raise my head to the sky and howl but the howl soon changes into a high pitched scream.

Elizabeth woke up screaming and ended up knocking her books on the floor.

Chloe looked up from typing on the other computer with a look of fear and shock on her face. Clark had just entered the room and dropped his bag by the door.

Chloe and Clark rush over to Elizabeth.

"Are you okay?"

"What happened?"

Elizabeth was too badly shaken to respond.

"Chloe, get her some water," Clark instructed.

Feeling upset and concerned, Chloe rushed out of the room as Clark crouched down in front of Elizabeth and gently took her face in his hands.

Chloe came back shortly with a plastic cup filled with water. She gave Elizabeth a sip.

Elizabeth's eyes were filled with terror.

"I think she had a nightmare," Chloe said carefully studying Elizabeth. "She said she hadn't slept well the night before. I told her to take a nap here."

As the dream remained burned in Elizabeth's mind, she began understanding who those two bodies were. Chloe's and Pete's.

With that, her stomach churned and she leaned over to the side and vomited.

"Oh geeze," Chloe said swallowing. "I'd better go get the nurse. Here. Give her some more water."

Chloe handed Clark the cup of water. Elizabeth wiped the corner of her mouth with the sleeve of her navy blue peasant style blouse.

Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and she had on a black knee-high skirt.

Clark nodded as Chloe ran to get the nurse.

Clark moved his face closer to Elizabeth's.

"What happened? Did you have a nightmare?" Clark asked again in a gentle tone.

Finally, Elizabeth was able to talk.

"Y-yes," Elizabeth said nodding. "I dreamed that a second wolf appeared with blue eyes and killed Chloe and Pete and then changed into someone."

"Who was it?"

Elizabeth swallowed again and stared at Clark, hoping that he'd get the hint. She didn't want to say it.

"Me," Clark said with realization.

Elizabeth nodded slowly.

Clark just searched her face. He really liked her now but he knew that she liked Lex. He wouldn't interfere with anything and besides he was with Chloe.

The nurse came in and checked Elizabeth over.

"She had a nightmare?" the nurse asked Chloe and Clark.

They nodded.

"Weird. From her reaction it sounded more like a night terror," The nurse replied. "But I suggest a good night's sleep with nothing to scare or anything on her mind that would cause her to worry."

"Thanks," Clark said.

He turned to Elizabeth.

"Would you like to come back to the Kent farm or stay with Lex for a few days more?"

"I think a few days more," Elizabeth said. "I'm better now. Trust me."

"Hey, how about if I come stay tomorrow night? Be like a girl's night," Chloe grinned. "We can talk about Lex and Clark while they're not around."

Elizabeth smiled. "That sounds great. I'm okay now. Really,"

Lex showed up a few moments later.

"Who called you?" Elizabeth asked.

"The nurse. She asked me to come and take you home for a good night's sleep,"

"That sounds good," Elizabeth agreed. "I'll see you all at seven later?"

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"I'll be fine,"

"Okay," Chloe smiled. "See you later."

Elizabeth left with Lex.

Suddenly, Chloe's face drained of all color.

"Chloe? What's wrong?" Clark asked.

"What is the nurse's name?"

Clark frowned.

"Um, Nurse Robin Paris. Why?"

Chloe looked at him.

He began cottoning on.

"The mailbox Elizabeth said she woke up in front. 'Paris'," Chloe said.

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" Clark asked.

"I don't know but I just think it's a bit weird," Chloe said. "How'd she know Elizabeth was having a night mare when I didn't even tell her what had really happened? All I told her was that Elizabeth threw up."

Now alarms were going off in Clark's head. Chloe's too.

They grabbed their things and fled from the room.

LUTHOR MANSION

Elizabeth was curled up on the couch sleeping peacefully when she felt a weight at her feet.

Alarmed, she woke up abruptly.

"I'm sorry," Lex said looking upset that he had woken her.

Elizabeth settled down again and sat up, swinging her legs around the right way. She sat close to Lex and hugged his arm.

"I feel really safe with you," Elizabeth said resting her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"Ditto. Besides, you're the first girl that has actually liked me instead of my money," Lex replied.

Elizabeth looked up at him.

"I find that hard to believe. You mean girls went out with you before because of your money?"

Lex nodded.

Elizabeth looked angry.

"That's not right,"

She went back to hugging his arm.

"I know," Lex said his voice dropping several octaves. "I…"

His voice trailed off. He seemed nervous to say whatever he was going to say next.

"I love you," he finally got out.

"I love you too," Elizabeth said smiling as she released his arm and smiled at him.

He leaned forward and gave her a kiss. A real one.

After he pulled back, it was Elizabeth's turn to talk.

"You don't mind that I'm a werewolf?"

Lex shook his head. "Nope,"

Elizabeth grinned and threw her arms around him, hugging him tighter. Lex hugged her just as tightly.

When they each pulled back from the embrace, they just sat talking until Clark and Chloe entered the mansion twenty minutes later.

"Is everything alright? Why'd you leave school so early?" Elizabeth asked worriedly.

"Guess what the nurses' name is?" Chloe said sitting across from Lex and Elizabeth on the other couch. Clark sat down beside Chloe.

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"Robin Paris," Clark replied.

Elizabeth looked puzzled for a moment.

"Yeah so? That was the name on the mailbox that I saw when I woke up,"

"Chloe didn't tell her you had a nightmare. All she told the nurse was that you threw up," Clark continued. "That's cause for some alarm."

"I agree," Lex said. "How'd she know it was a nightmare if Chloe didn't say anything?"

"Okay. I understand. But why would the nurse possibly be the one blackmailing me? I've never done anything to her," Elizabeth said.

"I still say we should keep an eye out for her," Chloe said.

Lex nodded. "I think she's right,"

"Right." Clark nodded.

7:00 PM.

SULLIVAN RESIDENCE.

The party was underway. Guests began arriving. Chloe said Lex could come too to help keep an eye on things. The rest of the guests were happily moving to the music completely unconcerned with what was going on in Elizabeth's mind.

Elizabeth was dressed in a nice light blue peasant style blouse and a long flowing skirt she had borrowed from Chloe. She had small dangly earrings in her ears and a matching necklace.

Lex was dressed in slacks and a satin red shirt. Clark and Chloe were dancing but also keeping an eye on things.

Lex was taking the first turn to keep an eye on Elizabeth.

About two hours later, nothing had happened. Elizabeth was beginning to think Clark and Chloe overreacted, that was until something huge and hairy jumped right through the Sullivan's living room window.

Girl's screamed and scrambled to get out of the way of the animal.

"I don't believe it," Elizabeth breathed.

It was the gray wolf.