Disclaimer: No! i don't own Smallville or any of its characters! how many times do i have to repeat myself! XP

Chapter two: Coffee Withdrawals

Chloe growled softly when she finally accepted the fact that the coffee machine was broken. Slamming her mug onto the counter the blonde grabbed her bag and stormed off toward the Talon.

Hopefully Lana had the place open and the coffee makers running. She didn't know how long she could survive without the liquid.

Ten minutes later

"NO!"

Chloe cried as she read the sign. The Talon was closed. For a week! A WEEK! She couldn't survive that long without coffee…could she?

Maybe Clark had some coffee, and she could steal his? No, that boy never drinks the stuff. Lana? Stupid! The Talon is closed!

Letting out a half strangled scream, Chloe hurried off towards the direction of the local high school. Maybe she could take one of the teacher's coffees'?

"Chloe?"

Or maybe not.

The reporter whirled around, coming face to face with Lex. It had been about a week since that field incident. The red mark and long since faded, but her anger hadn't.

"Hello Lex Luthor."

Her hazel eyes were narrowed as she watched him.

"Uh-oh, what did I do wrong now?"

"The Talon is closed."

"Yes it is."

"The Talon is closed."

"Yes Chloe, we've established that."

"Why?"

she asked, begging for an answer.

"Repairs and updates. That's all."

"Noo! Are you allied with my evil coffee machine to make me suffer!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"The damn thing broke down this morning."

"So, no coffee huh?"

"No shit Sherlock!"

Lex looked startled by her use of language. But Chloe didn't care. She was going through Coffee Withdrawal. If she didn't have some soon, she was going to kill Someone!

"Uh, Chloe?"

"Yes!"

She snapped.

"You can have my coffee if you want."

He held it out to her as Chloe noticed it for the first time.

"Coffee! You had coffee and didn't tell me?"

"Uh…"

"Give me it!"

She snatched the Styrofoam cup from his hands and guzzled it down, heedless of the burning sensation as it traveled down her throat to her stomach.

Lex watched her with wide eyes. When Chloe was done, drinking it all, she turned back to him.

"Do you have any more?"

"Any more of what?"

He asked tentively.

"Coffee! What else would I mean!"

Lex took a step back from the angry and still groggy Chloe.

"Uh…"

"Hey Lex! Hi Chloe!"

'Thank god, saved by the farm boy.'

Clark bounced over to the two. Grinning foolishly.

"Did you see that the Talon is closed Chloe?"

"Yes."

The girl all but growled as she crushed the empty cup in her hands.

"I'm going to school, see ya Clark."

"Bye!"

"Lex."

"Chloe."

With that she hurried off toward the high school throwing the cup away in a trash can on her way. Lex watched her go, shaking his head slightly.

'Close encounters with the Chloe kind'

"Um. Did something happen?"

"No. Just your friend here is insane Clark. She was going to kill me for my coffee!"

Clark laughed, until he saw the look on Lex's face.

"Seriously? Chloe? My Chloe?"

"Yes, Clark. And I don't think she'd appreciate you calling her yours."

Clark shook his head.

"Yeah. Man, her coffee machine must have broken."

"It did."

"How do you know?"

"She told me."

"Oh."

Lex checked his watched. Crap! He was going to be late to his meeting.

"I've got to run Clark. See ya! Come over to the mansion later and we can play some pool!"

Lex yelled to the dark haired kid as he rushed off in his Porche, hurrying to his business meeting.

"Uh, ok. Bye."

This day was just getting weirder and weirder. Shaking his head, Clark sped off to school. Maybe he could talk to Chloe about what was going on between her and Lex.

He knew something was up. And the local playboy was in no mood to tell him. Perhaps if he brought offerings to the blonde editor she would.

TBC...