"Whitney, I don't think this is a good idea…" I say, hypocritically as my hands slide up his arms to tangle in his gorgeous hair. I have this thing about guys' hair – I love to run my fingers through a nice head of hair. I mean, have you seen Clark's hair? It's beaut…

He chuckles. "C'mon, Chlo… it's lunch and no one's going to walk in because they're all either at lunch or they don't even know where this place is because no one but you come in here…"

"Hey!" I hit him, pretending to be angry but we both know I'm not.

"So, just enjoy the moment… live a little." He pulls me back down for a kiss.

I know that I should and no is going to come… it's true. I'm practically the only one who comes in here. Clark and Lana have been MIA because they're too busy checking out each others eyes to see anything else in this world. Pete's been busy with football and girls – the usual… So, yeah, I deserve this. I smile. It's kinda cool. I've fantasized about having my boyfriend in the Torch office. It's quite the perfect place actually… secluded in the west wing of the school, usually locked, really private. Perfect place for a tryst…

Lana was glad that she'd looked into the window before pushing the door to the Torch open. From her vantage point, she could see Chloe straddling the lap of a certain ex-boyfriend of hers and grinning down at him as he grinned up at her. She wondered if she should feel more jealous than she did but she felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. Whitney had become more of a friend than a boyfriend some time ago and she was glad that he was moving on. Chloe Sullivan was about the last person that Lana would think he would end up with but at the same time it made complete sense. They were both determined, driven, smart people who had been hurt by Lana herself. She momentarily cringed thinking how terribly she'd treated Whitney and how her and Clark's relationship had hurt Chloe and would continue to hurt Chloe but pushed it aside. If they were happy then she was happy. Behind her, Clark shifted.

"What's wrong, Lana? Is it locked? I have keys if you forgot yours…"

She turned and looked up into his naïve eyes. This would drive Clark nuts. He'd probably storm in and freak on the both of them. No, she'd shelter him from this until the couple decided that he should know. It wasn't her place and it certainly wasn't his to judge them and so she'd help in any way she could. "Actually, I think I forgot those papers in Chem class. And I'm starving." She smiled up at him in a way that she knew would melt him. "Let's just go to the caf…"

He nodded, good-naturedly. "Okay." Sliding an arm around her, they started off.

She glanced back, momentarily feeling a tweak of jealousy as she remembered the look on Whitney's face as he looked up at Chloe. He'd never looked at her in that way. She toyed with the idea of spilling it, of letting Clark go back and charge in, insults flying, anger flashing. Then she waved it off. She'd chosen Clark over Whitney and that was her decision. She had to stick with it. She couldn't have both. It wasn't right.

I open my locker to grab my stuff for home and was greeted with a bouquet of daisies. I grab my books and the flowers, close my locker and started out to the parking lot towards my car. I can't get rid of this stupid grin that's plastered on my face. If anything, it's getting bigger… It's starting to get really annoying. How could one person be so full of happiness for so long? Shaking my head, I start off towards home.

Dad, of course, isn't home. He's probably be working until ten, just like every other day. I don't mind though. I love being home alone. I check the mail; put the flowers into a vase and start towards my room with them under one arm and the newest copy of Time under the other and a cup of coffee in one hand. And then the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"What are you doing right now?"

"Hi to you too, Whitney…"

He laughs. "Hi. What are you doing right now?"

"Getting ready to relax with my Time and my beautiful flowers from a secret admirer… why? What are you doing right now?"

"Stalking."

"What? Where are you?"

"Me to know, you to find out… Big mug for such a small girl…"

"What's the pattern, Whitney?" I put down the flowers and the magazine.

"Flowers. Green ones and blue ones and red ones."

I glance down. And they were. I peer out the window with a suspicious expression. "I can see you in the bushes." Even though I couldn't.

"No you can't."

"What am I doing right now then?" I wave.

"Waving. Boring, Chloe, very boring."

"Fine. What am I doing now?" And before I can think twice about it, I lift my shirt quickly up and down. I smirk at the silence then turn bright red. Across the street Mrs. Callahan was looking out her window, a sour look on her face. She shakes her head at me and turned to look down the street. I wrench the curtains shut. "Oh God."

"Nice, Sullivan, very nice. Now let me in." The doorbell rang a few seconds later.

I open it, face red, clutching the phone. "Well, I just flashed the entire street and caused a few heart attacks."

He grins, coming in and kicking off his shoes. "It was worth it… did you like the flowers?"

I stand on tiptoe and kiss him. "I loved them. How did you get them in there?"

Whitney smirks. "I fed them in through the vents…" Then after I elbow him, "I sweet talked the secretary into giving me your combination."

"Should I be worried?"

"Well, if I suddenly get the urge to get with sixty year-old women then yes but until then I think you'll be okay…" He slides an arm around me and we start towards the kitchen.

"Well, thank god. I was really getting worried for a minute there…"

He shrugs. "Well, I'll let you know if it ever gets worse."

"Great."

He stops me in front of the stairs. "Okay, we have to talk…"

"Whoa, Fordman, getting serious on me?" I joke, half-serious. To be honest, I was scared. I knew this was coming… the whole 'I'm moving' talk had been brushed over, we'd ignored it with the help of teenage hormones.

He nods. "Yeah, I'm going to have to again." We sit down on the stairs and he takes my hand. "I need to know what you're thinking about us, Chlo. I know that we're just at the beginning but I need to know that there's something to begin in order to have something to end…"

"Okay."

"I'm going to Metropolis in a month and I don't know what we have here, Chloe, but I want to find out. And I know that sounds cheesy but there you go…"

"Okay."

"And I'd like you to say something other than okay."

I lean on him. "I want to find out too."

A slow smile spreads on his face. "Okay."

"Okay." And I lean forward to kiss him.

ßßß

"I miss you too…" I roll over on the bed, switching the phone to my other ear. "I can't believe that I'm graduating next month. I'm so freaked, Whitney… What am I going to do with my life?"

His laughter filtered through softly, his voice comforting. "What are you talking about, Sullivan? You would die if you didn't figure out every secret conspiracy in the world. You're going to be an amazing journalist and you know it. You're one of the lucky ones…"

I sigh. "Yeah, in high school. That's peanuts."

"Don't even try to pull that with me. I know you and you're obsessed with it and you'll do it if it kills you."

I grin. "Yeah, well… I'm trying to be a normal confused teenager in the last days of her high school career. Don't ruin my scene."

I could hear someone in the background, calling Whitney. "Sorry to cut this short, Chlo, but I have to get to practice. I call you later, okay?"

"Okay. Miss you."

"Miss you too. Bye."

"Bye." I hung up and leaned back against the pillows.

ßßß

"So I got a new job. I start the first of November…"

"That's awesome! I'm so proud of you, Whitney!" I wave off the waiter and take a sip of coffee.

It's three years later and I'm eating sushi at a sushi bar in Chinatown in downtown Gotham City. It's my lunch break from Wayne Communications, where I got a job as a publicity advisor for Wayne Incorporated. Whitney was still in Metropolis and not really liking it. Our relationship was odd. I mean, we're not seeing each other but I haven't been with anyone else in the past two years. I just threw myself into my work and didn't worry about relationships. But I still pined for him… "Mr. Wayne gave me next week off for Thanksgiving so I was wondering what you were doing? Like, if you're going home or back to Smallville or whatever…"

"I was thinking of maybe stopping by Smallville to see the old gang, maybe see you?"

"I'd like that…" A smile spread on my face.

"When are you going back?"

"Not 'til Saturday. I have some stuff to do for Mr. Wayne and I won't be finished 'til then."

I could see him in my mind, sitting in his apartment, flipping through the mail or looking out the window at the busy streets below. "Well, how about I drive down there and pick you up on my way?"

I laughed. "It's not on your way, Whitney…" I chided gently.

"I know but we could pretend it is…"

"Okay."

ßßß

"So what's this new job that you're all hush hush about?"

Whitney looks over at me mischievously. "You'll find out tonight at dinner. If your head doesn't explode in the meantime with curiosity…"

I nudge him playfully. "Jerk."

He grabs my hand. "You love me."

"Yeah, well… I blame the Kryptonite rocks…"

We walk up the path to my house where my dad is waiting.

He sticks out a hand to Whitney. "Whitney, haven't seen you in awhile…"

Whitney shakes his hand. "No, sir. Haven't seen you in awhile either."

"Nothing bringing you around now that Chloe's gone, huh?" Gabe grins as we blush. "Well, come in, come in. The turkey's not going to cook itself…"

We follow him into a busy kitchen, packed with all sorts of partially made cooking: pie shells, the turkey, vegetables.

"Where should we start?" Whitney asks, smiling. Chloe and her dad were exactly the same. When he'd gone to visit Chloe, her kitchen had looked the exact same plus a few takeout boxes of Chinese scattered around.

Gabe looked around hopelessly. "Uh…"

"I'll do the pie," I volunteer.

"And I'll do the turkey," Whitney offers.

ßßß

As we sit down for dinner, Whitney stands up and clinks his glass with his spoon. "Okay, before we have this wonderful meal, I'd like to announce something." He looks down at me and smiles one of those special smiles that he only reserves for me before kneeling beside me. "Chloe Sullivan, I'd like to ask you a really important question and even though I'm pretty sure of your answer I'm still going to be iffy. I've got a job working for Wayne Securities in Gotham City and I knew I wanted to be with you ever since that day at my father's funeral when I saw you standing across from me. You had so much pain on your face that I wanted to protect you. So, now I'm asking Chloe and I'm wondering what your answer's going to be? Will you let me take care of you and cook for you and protect you from all the bad things in the world that I can?"

I stare at him, shocked. "Damn, Fordman, you are a fantastic speech-maker. You should go in with Hallmark…"

He shrugs. "Everyone needs a useless talent." Then he pulls a box from his pocket and opens it, showing a simple silver band with diamonds set in it at intervals. "What'll it be, Sullivan?"

I smile. "Yes, Whitney. Yes I will…"

ßßß

"Whit, I need the newspaper! I want to see if they got my quotes right!" I call up the stairs as I'm wrestling with our four year-old. "And Abby has to get to school!" I then focus my attention on the mischievous blond trying to wriggle out of my arms and out of her snowsuit. "Abigail Fordman, your father's going to be down soon and he's not going to be happy that he has to wait for you to get ready before he drops you off…"

She giggles and grins up at someone behind me. "Daddy doesn't mind, do you Daddy?"

I turn and he's wearing a matching grin. "Not funny, Fordman…"

He hoists Milo, our one year-old further up on his hip. "C'mon Abby, stop terrorizing your mother and get ready for school…"

"Okay." She pulls on her snowsuit and trundles off to find her boots.

"How do you do that?" I ask, standing up for a kiss.

He plants one on me then passes off Milo. "Fordman charm. Always works on the ladies…" He hugs me then kisses my temple. "I'm off. I'll get groceries on my way home if you can pick up Abby…"

"Okay." I go out to the front hall after him watch as he scoops her up and growls.

She shrieks and hits him playfully, giggling uncontrollably. "Stop Daddy stop!"

"Alright, alright," he concedes. "Kiss your Mom and we'll get going." He tilts her down to me and she holds out her arms.

"Have fun at school" I hug her and she gives me and Milo a sloppy kiss each, making Milo wave his arms around and shriek. I bounced him up and down until he settled and then leaned towards Whitney. "Have fun at work."

He kisses me and both kids make happy sounds.

"Ewww, stop!" Abby called.

"See you later…" he adds as they leave, smiling.

I turn back and take Milo into my 'study' as Whitney calls it. "And you and I are going to do some work today, honey." I put him down in his crib and gave him some toys and settled down at my desk to type.

The end…

ßßß

Well, what did you think?