8.

The gang was at the Talon after hours, occupying the couches in the corner. Clark and Alex was sharing the love seat. Pete was easily reclined beside Chloe, his feet on the magazine covered coffee table. On Chloe's other side was Lex. Sitting in the overstuffed, green chair, he completed the circle.

Clark sighed. Although he felt uncomfortable sitting in his girlfriend's work, beside another girl - woman. One that his girlfriend didn't like for no apparent reason that he could see. It was as if she had 'The Amazing Homing Beacon of Hate' for women he had well, crushes on.

There he had said it, or thought it. Either way, he admitted it to himself that he had feelings for the tall blonde. Whether he'd admit it aloud or not.

"Clark!" Lana's voice shrilly called out to him from across the large room. 'God that is annoying.' He thought with a cringe.

"You don't have to yell, I'm not deaf!" He called over his shoulder. As his arm grazed Alex's he tried not to let the sharp intake of air sound noticeable, as he turned towards the front counter

"Well if you're not deaf then why aren't you over here?" She asked.

Clark had to hold back a laugh when he heard Alex mutter. "I wonder what crawled up her ass and died."

"Meteor rocks." Came Pete's retort.

Lex, Chloe and Alex chuckled as Lana came over to give them a refill. "What's so funny?" Lana asked pouring the rest of the coffee into Pete's cup.

"Surprisingly enough, meteor rocks." Alex said.

Lana tried raising her eyebrow and, as Clark was highly amused by this point, failed. "Really?" She asked not looking at Alex, but at Pete.

"You betcha." Pete said smiling. Clark knew that he was trying not to laugh. It was causing his smile to warp considerably into something reminiscent of a clown face. He watched as Chloe leaned over to whisper something into Pete's ear. She was obviously making it harder for him to contain his laughter.

Finally after it looked like his eyes would pop out of their sockets, Pete finally burst out laughing.

"I whole heartily agree Chlo'." Pete said eyeing Clark. He eyed the relaxed pair on the couch carefully. Something was definitely up with those two. Chloe was planning something. He could tell, there was a familiar glint in her eyes when she locked eyes on him. She was definitely up to something.

========

"So, Lex, what do you think?"

"I think you've lost your mind."

She eyed him cautiously before giving him a seductive smile. "But that's why you like me." Cat-like, she manoeuvred her way towards him.

"Don't get confused. I don't like you."

Pausing, she looked at him in confusion. She moved away from him abruptly. "You don't?" Her voice quivered, as she watched him shake his head.

"I worship you." He said smiling before grabbing her and pulling her onto his lap. "You are my idol. My Goddess. I pray to you every night, hoping that you will still feel the way you do, and not want this to stop. I dream about you. When I am awake, and when I am asleep. God Chloe, I can't live without a piece of you in my life." He said between placing kisses on various parts on her neck.

She pouted softly before kissing his forehead. "Just a piece?"

He smiled. "You really want this plan to go in action don't you?" He asked as he smoothly undid her belt.

"Mmmm." She moaned against his neck. "I think that it will keep people out of our hair for a while." She smiled against his skin. "Or at least my hair." She said moving to remove any and all of his clothes that she could get her hands on.

"In that case, consider it done." He said smiling as he pulled her shirt over her head.

"Thank you." She smiled as she brushed her fingers along the bare skin of his shoulders.

"Now that should prevent most of the interruptions we've been having shouldn't it?" Chloe could only nod.

=====

Alex came home and met up with the smiling face of Barbara Mack.

"What's with the clown face mom?" Alex asked going to the cupboard. Grabbing a green glass cup, that reminded her of their kitchen in Paradise Valley.

"I have a surprise for you." She said conspiratorially looking at her.

"What did you do?" Alex asked raising her eyebrow. Her mother was up to something.

"Oh, nothing." She said smiling. "Don't you have homework to do?" She asked trying to act casual. "You know, upstairs. In your room." She heavily added to her hinting.

"Fine, I'm going. I'm going. I'm going. Don't rush me." She said as she was literally being pushed out of the kitchen. 'Wonder what's gotten into her.' Alex thought as she headed up the kitchen stairs to the upstairs bedrooms.

Pushing open her door softly, she opened the door to find the biggest surprise of her life.