Clarks POV

Oh God, Oh God, Oh God. What the hell just happened?

I tried my best to concentrate on the conversation going on between my friends but images of what had just happened between Lana and I flashed through my head making it pretty much impossible to think about anything else.

I tried as inconspicuously as possible to adjust myself in my jeans. No easy feat considering the fact Chloe had her eyes glued to both myself and Lana. She did not look too happy.

Guilt washed over me as it always does when it comes to Chloe. But that guilt was nowhere near as strong as my feelings for Lana. A slight sadness hit me then. I loved Chloe. As a friend. We tried to go down the dating road before and it didn't work. Even then Lana had been my number one priority. I don't know why she can't see that. Or maybe she does and that's why she's so bitter.

"I think I figured out a way to use the lead information to our advantage." Chloe was saying.

Lana looking very uncomfortable but obviously still determined to find out how to capture Alexa asked, "How else could we use the lead? I mean if she sees us walking up to her with lead pipes she's going to run."

"Well, what if the lead doesn't necessarily look like a weapon?" Chloe said. Chloe removed her jacket and pulled her laptop out of her backpack. She lead us out of the living room towards the kitchen table. Each of us took a seat around her and the laptop.

"I did a search on google to see what else lead is used for," Chloe was saying as she placed and opened the laptop onto the kitchen table. She typed in some key words into the search engine and a website popped up on the screen. "As I was reading through some of the material, I noticed an article about necklaces that were being made of lead. Apparently some kids were wearing these necklaces and you know being only kids, they put them in their mouths. Next thing you know, lo and behold, lead poisoning. Obviously the parents were clueless about the material of the necklace and when they did find out they were furious."

Pete scratched his head and glanced at Chloe. "Uh, Chloe while I feel bad for these kids and all, what does that have to do with us?"

Chloe gave Pete a tired look before saying, "I was getting to that Pete. If you'd stop interrupting me I might just be able to get to my point."

"Sorry." Pete muttered under his breath.

"Anyway, my point is, Lana asked before how can we just walk up to Alexa with a lead pipe in our hands. The obvious answer is we can't. When she does come back, we'll all have on either these necklaces or something similar. We all know Alexa isn't done with you guys yet. It looks like her obsession with Clark is pretty strong if she just blabbed out her whole life's story to you."

"Okay, but there's just one thing." I said. "How are we going to get our hands on these necklaces. First of all it's nighttime. Secondly, how are we going to know where they sell it if they still do?"

Chloe turned to me a self-satisfied smile on her face. "Clark, have you ever known me to not do complete research? In the article it stated the name of the company who makes them as AJ Brighton Co. I looked them up and found out they distribute to Toys R Us stores everywhere. Not to mention they fabricate smaller necklaces and put them in vending machines for 50 cents a pop."

"Wow, your kids own personal hospital visit for just 50 cents." Lana said slightly angry.

Chloe glanced at Lana out of the corner of her eye and nodded. "Yeah I know. It sucks, but in this particular situation it can help us."

"Chloe," I started. "It's going to be 9:00PM. The closest Toys R Us is in Metropolis, three hours away and we can't exactly make these necklaces by hand using the lead pipes in my barn."

Chloe gave me a LOOK. "Don't you think I would have thought of that? When did you start losing faith in me Clark?"

Uh, oh. If that wasn't a loaded question, I don't know what is. Somehow I don't think she was just talking about the necklaces.

"Well, Chloe I'm just trying to be objective about this. I'm not disputing that you know what you're doing it just feels like we're running out of time." I said

"Well it didn't look like you were so concerned about the time a little while ago." Chloe spitted out angrily.

I blushed in embarrassment as well as anger. "Is that what this is all about Chloe? Because if it is-."

"Allright you two enough!" Lana shouted. "We have work to do! Arguing is not going to solve anything."

Chloe turned to Lana anger exuding from her. "No arguing isn't going to solve anything, but I suppose making out solves everything down to the world's hunger problem huh Lana?"

Lana jumped out of her seat and stood over Chloe looking down at her. "Your petty jealousy is getting old Chloe. I'm not going to stop living my life just so I can appease you and make you feel better. I care about you Chloe, but you can't continue to be so hurtful."

Chloe jumped out of her seat and faced Lana head on, "ME BE HURTFUL! Are you for real? The only person I see hurting here is me. Not You!"

Pete and I reached for the both of them and sat them back in their seats. "Guys, relax." I said my hands on Lana's shoulders trying my best to calm them down.
"This conversation has absolutely nothing to do with the issue at hand. Please stop arguing. Lets get to the bottom of apprehending Alexa and then we'll deal with the rest. Please." I finished looking Chloe in the eye hoping against hope that she'd agree.

Chloe saw me looking at her and at first stared back at me defiantly but then she sighed and her shoulders sagged slightly. "Fine," Chloe looked at Lana and through gritted teeth said, "I'm sorry Lana. I shouldn't have said some of those things."

Lana looked at Chloe before shaking her head. "I apologize."

Pete who was holding Chloe by her shoulders as well said, "Good. Now can we get back to foxy but deadly Alexa?"

Chloe's lips twitched in an effort to keep her smile in check. "Where were we?"

I cleared my throat as I took the seat next to Lana, "I believe you were going to tell us how we can get our hands on these necklaces."

"Right. So anyway, while the Toys R Us is out of our reach the local 7-11 is not. Remember the vending machines? Well, one of AJ Brighton Co's machines is right here in downtown Smallville." Chloe smiled slightly. "We're just going to have to clean them out. At least this way, we have some type of protection from Alexa until we can get the bigger necklaces from Toys R Us. Oh and about that Clark. I was hoping you would be able to get them for us through Lex."

I gave Chloe a confused look. "Lex? How is Lex going to help us?"

"Well, being that he's got a helicopter that could get to Metropolis a lot faster than any of us can, I was thinking maybe you could call in a favor with him so that he could have the necklaces to us by at least tomorrow morning."

I sighed. "I'll talk to him. I don't know how happy he's going to be shopping for toy necklaces but I'll see what he says."

Chloe closed her laptop and stood getting her jacket back on. "Excellent. Pete why don't you and I got to the 7-11 and get whatever they have left."

Pete stood up and pulled his jacket on as well. "Fine I'll drive. You two stay together." He said pointing at both Lana and I. "Alexa doesn't know Chloe and me know about her so we'll be alright. But she just might come back for you. We'll be back in half an hour tops. Until then sit tight 'till your parents get back. Don't let that pipe out of your sight."

I laughed a little. "Pete we'll be okay."

Pete gave me a seriously worried look. "I know. It's just that this girl seems just a little more dangerous than most of the meteor freaks we've encountered so far." Pete gave me a meaningful look and it dawned on me. He had put two and two together from Chloe's earlier conversation with him and probably had an idea of why Alexa had any type of power over me whatsoever.

"All right Pete." I nodded. "I get it."

Chloe and Lana looked back and forth between us feeling that something was happening but not understanding what.

Pete took Chloe's arm and started to lead her to the door. "C'mon Chloe we got shopping to do."

Chloe reluctantly followed along. "I hope you got quarters, otherwise the guy at 7-11 is going to hate us."

Pete smiled at Chloe. "We'll manage. See you in a few minutes guys."

Lana and I both said our goodbyes and turned to each other.

Oh great. The uncomfortable silence. Just wonderful.

"Lana, about what happened-."

Lana put up a hand and I stopped mid-sentence. "Clark, if you're going to start apologizing, don't. I don't regret what happened. Not for one second." Lana walked toward me and stood right under my nose. "I don't think you regret it either. In fact I think you enjoyed it just as much as I did. Furthermore, I think you should kiss me right now and convince me that it did in fact happen and wasn't a dream." Lana smiled up at me and I felt my heart leap.

"Lana, there is so much we have to talk about. We didn't get a chance to discuss anything." I was hesitant to bring up my secrets. Especially with Lana smiling and not acting angry towards me anymore.

Lana's smile faltered a bit before she said, "Your right Clark. There is a lot to discuss. But right now is not the time. As much as I want to know everything, Chloe and Pete are going to be back very soon and I have a feeling that whatever it is you have to tell me will not take a half hour."

Lana stopped speaking and looked at me thoughtfully.

"What?" I asked.

Lana's lips lifted in a small smile. "You've decided to tell me." She said softly.

Did I? God, when did that happen?

Sometime between when she told me she loved me and when we kissed for the second time. I realized I had never voiced my decision to her. Honestly, I never really voiced the decision to myself. It just seemed right. In fact I was bubbling up inside with the need to release it.

I brought my arms around her waist and looked down seriously at her. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Lana raised her arms around my neck and stood on her tiptoes. "Now about that kiss…"

I grinned down at her and captured her lips to mine. God did she taste good. As our kiss deepened, I felt the familiar stirring of my body and I was a little embarrassed by it. I tried my best not have Lana stand too close in an attempt to hide my arousal. I didn't want Lana thinking I was some kind of sex fiend or something.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for me depending how you look at it, Lana was having none of it. She pushed me up against the nearest wall giving me no option but to have her against me.

"Mmmmm." Lana purred. She dropped one of her hands to the bottom of my shirt and let it slide under. Her hands caressed my stomach and I felt like my heart was going to stop from something this simple. The feel of her skin on mine, touching a place on my body I'm sure she's never touched before, no matter how minimal, brought out a haze in my mind.

Our world disappeared and all that existed was us. Not my secrets, not our pain, us.

I brought both of my hands to her face and held it as we kissed. I let my left hand slide down her neck, down the front of her shirt, passing it lightly over her right breast. I felt Lana shiver slightly as I brought my hand down to her belly and back up to her breast. I felt Lana's nipple harden under my touch and this time I shivered.

Lana's hand was slowly caressing my lower stomach before she slid it up to my chest right above my rapid heartbeat.

I broke the kiss and covered her hand with my own and placed my forehead against hers breathing heavily. "God, what you do to me."

Lana licked her lips and attempted to get her breathing back under control before replying, "Whatever I do to you Clark, will never surpass the effect you have on me. I've never yearned for someone like this in my whole life. All my irrational mind wants you to do right now is make that yearning subside. Even if it's only for a little while."

Man, did she know what she was asking?

My silence must have unnerved her a bit because lifted her head to look at me.

"Clark?" Her hazel eyes searched mine as I thought of a way to respond.

"I love you Lana." Lana's eyes lit up as she realized this was the first time I had spoken the words aloud. "We have a lot of talking to do. When I've finished telling you everything we'll get to the other matters. We'll see how you feel about me then."

Lana's eyes clouded as she responded, "Clark, my feeling's for you will not change overnight. When will you understand that?"

I lowered my head a little. "I hope so Lana."

At that moment Chloe and Pete burst through the kitchen door talking loud enough for the next door neighbor's down the road to hear them.

Christ, they were obvious.

Pete entered the living room first, his pockets filled with the round plastic balls the necklaces came in. "So, Clark, which do you prefer? The heart pendent or the teddy bear one?"

End of Chapter Eight