Lana POV

As Clark gave Pete a pained look, I took a glance at Chloe and saw her staring at Clark as he argued with Pete over what looked more "Manly". The look wasn't one that was easy to read. It was a mixture of sadness and longing. I felt my heart fall a little as I recognized that look. A look I had seen many a time on my own face. For the same guy.

Chloe must have felt me staring because her eyes lifted to mine and immediately the look disappeared, replaced with defiance. I let my eyes bore into hers, making sure she knew who the number one person in Clark's life would be. Whether or not this was necessarily fair of me didn't matter.

I loved Chloe like a sister, but her reaction toward mine and Clark's relationship was unfair. She was going to have to face facts. If she was going to be mean then so was I.

"Oh come on Clark!" an exasperated Pete was saying. "There's only three of the Teddy Bear and the rest are all hearts, and flowers and girly stuff. You'd look ten times better with that then than I would!" Pete's voice was starting to take on a whiny tone as he held out the offending pieces of jewelry.

Clark pushed the small necklaces back at Pete and shook his head firmly. "Nope. Not doing it. Pass over the Teddy bears."

I broke the staring contest between Chloe and I in order to roll my eyes at the two of them. "Are you two for real? We're trying to catch a potentially psychotic mind reader and all you're worried about is who's going to look less manly than the other?"

Pete turned toward me, "Hey, this is serious stuff man! How else is Alexa going to know how sexy I am if she sees me walking around with flowers around my neck?"

Chloe hit Pete in the arm, "Pete!"

Pete ducked Chloe's next blow, laughing.

Meanwhile, Clark, having snatched them from Pete, was putting on the teddy bear necklaces. One around his neck, the other two wrapped around his wrists.

I looked Clark up and down. "Sexy. Very sexy." I said with a smirk.

Clark blushed as he grinned at me. "Yeah, right. I think I better try to hide them. I think she'd be a tiny bit suspicious if she sees them hanging off of me."

Chloe grabbed a couple of the plastic balls and proceeded to don the necklaces. "Clark? What did Lex say?"

"Uh, Lex?"

Chloe stopped what she was doing and turned faced Clark. "Yeah, Lex. You said you'd call him to ask him if he would get the bigger necklaces. I've been thinking about it and if we can get one a little closer to the neck area we can put it on her for even more security. If it's close enough to the neck she wont be able to just pull it over her head."

Clark nodded his understanding as Chloe looked at him expectantly.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Chloe sighed, "Did you call Lex?"

Clark blushed, "Oh. Uh. No. I didn't get to."

Chloe gave Clark an exasperated look. "Well why not? What the hell were you doing all ………….oh."

Oh god. Enough is enough. "Chloe we just didn't get a chance okay? Listen, Clark just call Lex and ask him. Chloe's right we need this ASAP. I don't suggest we try looking for her tonight, but I do suggest we stick together. There's safety in numbers. Even if this whole lead necklace thing doesn't work, Alexa might not be able to control all of us at the same time."

"Right." Clark said as he walked to the phone. "I'll call Lex and when my parents get home, I'll ask them if you can all stay over after I explain the situation to them."

I glanced at Pete and noticed him looking down in disgust at the choice of necklaces before him. I couldn't help but smile at the pout he had on his face. Pete sighed in resignation and wrapped a particularly fruity flowered necklace around his wrist twice.

Clark was on the phone with Lex no more than 10 minutes before getting off the phone with a huge smile on his face.

I looked at Clark and asked "What happened Clark? What did he say?"

"Lex said he'd help us, no problem. In fact, when I told him about the need for a special necklace for Alexa, he said he'd get us the biggest lead necklace he could find and have it modified with an unbreakable clasp. One that needs a key."

Chloe looked at Clark in disbelief from her place on an armchair. "In one night? How's he going to get something like that? I just wanted him to pull some strings and get us some off the shelves."

Clark gave Chloe a look, "Who are we talking about here Chloe? Remember Lex LUTHOR. All powerful, got more money than Midas, LUTHOR. If anyone can do it it's him."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Sorry. Didn't think before I spoke. Lex Luthor equals extremist. I'm going to get something to drink."

As Chloe walked into the kitchen Clark's phone rang and he picked it up.

"Hey mom……what's the matter? The truck broke down again? I'll come get you……are you sure? But mom……..okay but there's something I have to tell you and dad………."

Pete, and I grew silent as we tried to figure out what was going on. Clark went into detail regarding the situation with Alexa and asked his parents if we could stay before hanging up.

Clark sat down on the couch next to me before answering all of our unspoken questions. "My parents truck broke down when they were in town. The auto mechanic is doing dad a favor and working on it tonight. Mom and dad are going to wait for him to finish and come home most likely in a couple of hours. They said it was okay for you guys to stay." Clark stopped with an impish grin. "Of course, as long as the girls stay in the guest room and Pete and I stay in my room."

I blushed as I realized the Kents probably had no idea how significant that was for Clark and I. They were just being parents. If they only knew how much my body was still burning from earlier with Clark. It was amazing how just sitting next to him had woken up my body in ways I couldn't describe even if I wanted to. The electricity in the air was magnetic.

Clark must have felt it as well because he glanced down at me from his position next to me on the couch and his breathing hitched as he saw the look in my eyes. My hands twitched in the effort it took to hold back the urge to grab him by the back of the head and devour him right there. I took a deep breath and tried to control some of the heat that was crawling over my face and placing a blush over my entire body.

"Helloooo! Earth to Clark!"

Pete was waving a hand in between our two faces trying to get Clark's attention.

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry Pete. What was it that you asked me?" Clark rubbed his palms up and down his jeans. Were his palms sweating? I know mine were. Oh god. What's happening to me?

Pete snickered. "I asked what you wanted to do for dinner, cause I'm starved. But, uh it looks like me and you are hungry for two different things."

"Pete!" Clark cried out.

I groaned inwardly, vowing to try and be a little less obvious about my feelings.

Pete laughed out loud as Chloe walked into the room with a glass full of juice. She looked at Pete curiously. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing Chloe. Clark's parents said it's okay for us to stay tonight." Pete held back a smile and I tried not to look at Chloe.

Chloe sat across from us and sighed. "Fine. So guys, what's the plan? I know we're not going to look for Alexa tonight, or at least until the authorities have something for us, but we need to come up with something just in case. Like for instance, how do we expect to get that necklace on her?"

Clark leaned forward a bit and I felt some semblance of control come back to me as he wasn't in my immediate vicinity. "If by the morning the sheriff hasn't tracked her down we'll go looking for her. Once we find her, the lead won't let her control us anymore. She won't be nearly as powerful as before. We'll just have to take her down and force the necklace on her. We'll call the Sherriff, she'll haul her off and boom problem solved."

Chloe's lips settled into a frown as she contemplated what Clark just said. "That's if we find her."

"We will." Clark replied.

"You make it seem so simple. I just hope it goes as smoothly as you think it will." Chloe's frown deepened.

"I hope so too Chloe."

Pete got Clark's cordless and dropped it in Clark's lap. "Order some pizza Clark. I'm starved."

Clark glanced around, "Is that cool with everyone?"

Everyone nodded their agreement. Chloe and Pete started talking about school, Clark got on the phone to order the pizza and I was left alone to my own thoughts.

I should have distracted myself.

Suddenly, my mind wandered to the confrontation with Alexa.

"You know Clark I've met very few people that took me so long to penetrate their minds and emotions. Usually those few had some type of power of their own or had a very strong will. But you……….your different. It not only took me a considerable amount of time to penetrate your mind but I also can't read everything about you"

"You have so many…….doors in your head. Locked doors."

I bit my lip in frustration. Clark was different. I know this for a fact. I just wish I could ask him now and get a straight answer from him.

Be patient Lana. He said he'd tell you and he will. Just be patient.

But I was tired of being patient! That's all I've been so far and that's gotten me nowhere. I guess I'm just afraid Clark will turn tail and run. There have been so many promises made in the past and so many broken.

I looked at Clark. He was off the phone and he was smiling at something Pete and Chloe were talking about and my heart jumped.

God, please don't let that happen this time. I love him too much.

As if he had heard my thoughts, Clark turned his head and looked directly at me. He looked into my eyes and I guess he saw the turmoil there. He reached for my hand and squeezed it slightly. I smiled at him and squeezed back. Suddenly Clark's eyes darkened and I felt the heat that was somehow now always apparent when we were in each others close vicinity, come right back into focus. It might sound cliché but the room disappeared. Chloe's and Pete's conversation faded and all I saw was Clark.

My smile disappeared. I licked my lips in nervousness and saw Clark's eyes drift down to them. Clark leaned down, his face mere centimeters away from mine. His lips a heartbeat away from mine.

"Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Get a room guys!" Pete exclaimed.

Clark and I jumped apart as my heart pummeled my chest. I glanced quickly at Chloe as a short pang of guilt went through me. Chloe's lips were pressed together and the anger I saw in her eyes was murderous.

Chloe jumped up out of her seat. "I need some air. I'll be back." With that she strode toward the doorway.

"Chloe wait," Pete said. "We should stick……….together." Pete's last words came out as the door slammed behind Chloe. He looked at me and Clark sheepishly. "I think she's a tad bit upset. I'm going to go talk to her."

Clark ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Fine. Just be careful."

Pete nodded and left.

I let a sigh come out of my mouth and flopped into the back of the couch, my head slightly tilted back.

"Why can't it just be easy Clark?"

"Nothing worth it ever is." Clark replied softly.

I turned my head to the side and looked at Clark as he stared at me. My heart flip flopped and the room grew incredibly warm once again. Clark's face lowered to mine and this time we kissed without incident. A jolt of electricity went through my body, slightly stronger than the last time. Clark's mouth opened and his tongue licked the outside of my lips coaxing them open. My tongue met his and the kiss deepened. Clark quickly pulled me to him and placed me so I was straddling him, never breaking the kiss.

I knew I should stop him. I knew Pete and Chloe could be back any second now. But I also knew at that moment I could have cared less.

Clark's hands were under the back of my shirt caressing the exposed skin underneath. He rubbed my back before bringing his hands higher to where the clip of my strapless bra was. Clark caressesd the silky material before bringing his hands to the front of my tank top directly over my breasts. I moaned encouragement and he took one of my nipples in between his fingers and pinched slightly through the material of the bra. I bucked in his lap at the sensation and felt both nipples go hard.

Clark let a muffled moan escape him as he lowered the cups of the bra and pushed them to the side. He lifted the tank top up and over my exposed breasts and broke the kiss. His eyes darted back and forth as he stared at my breasts intently as if trying to commit them to memory. I should've felt at least slightly embarrassed, but I didn't. Instead I only felt an overwhelming heat radiating out from my most private parts.

I leaned slightly toward Clark, not sure what I was silently asking for but sure Clark would know anyway. Clark lowered his head slowly to my right nipple. His tongue darted and he licked the nipple hesitantly, unsure. I gasped and grabbed Clark's head to my breast. Clark, needing no further encouragement, opened his mouth over the nipple and sucked it into his mouth letting his tongue swirl around it. He brought up his other hand and softly fondled the left breast, never breaking mouth contact with the right.

My breath was coming out in loud gasps as I threw my head back, my arms wrapped behind Clark's neck for leverage. I could feel Clark's dick throbbing in between my legs and at that moment I wanted to throw caution out to the wind and feel him inside of me, feel him on top of me, making me feel………..complete.

Clark pulled my head down to his once again and we kissed softer than before but no less passionate. Suddenly Clark tensed and pulled his lips from mine.

"What is it Clark?" I croaked out.

"Shhhhh." Clark tilted his head slightly before his eyes widened. He pulled my bra up and my shirt down. "Sit down next to me. Chloe and Pete are coming back to the house."

I looked down at him, confused. "How do you know that? I don't hear anything."

Clark gently lifted me off of him and placed me next to him. "Trust me."

I sighed in frustration. My body was humming in anticipation and I couldn't get my lower extremities to understand that this particular liaison was over.

I glanced over at Clark and saw him struggling to fix his jeans so that his hardness wasn't so obvious. Clark finally just pulled his shirt over the front of his pants and I suppressed a giggle.

I wasn't very successful and Clark's head shot up in my direction. "You think this is funny? Because I don't think it's very funny."

I tried to get a hold of myself as I replied, "No. I'm just laughing because I know exactly how you feel. I'm sure if I had, uh, one of those, I'd be having just as much of a problem. If not more."

Clark laughed a little as well and kissed the top of my forehead. When he pulled away, I noticed his smile had disappeared and his face was thoughtful. "I'm sort of glad we stopped Lana."

"Oh. Really?"

"We have too much between us for this to be happening right now. But I can't seem to stop myself."

"I know what you mean. Clark?"

"Yes?"

"Once this situation with Alexa is taken care of, promise me you won't go back on your word. Promise me you'll tell me everything."

Clark closed his eyes as the doubt in my voice brought him to the realization that a part of me didn't think he'd follow through on his word.

"I promise Lana. Believe me." Clark reached over to the coffee table behind him and grabbed three plastic balls. "Now turn around and lift up your hair. You have yet to put on any of these necklaces."

I turned away from Clark and felt the cool necklace against my overheated skin. Clark clasped the necklace and placed a small kiss on the back of my neck. I shivered and said, "I've never been kissed there before."

I felt rather than saw Clark smile, "Then let me be the first."

The kitchen door slammed and we heard Chloe and Pete run into the living room.

Pete stood there gasping before saying, "Guys, we have a problem."

Chapter Nine