Title: Wish

Rating: PG-13...that new rule has me scared oO

Pairing: Faint Chloe/Lex...which seems to be getting stronger with each passing chapter...

Notes: Heya Folks! Thank you soooo much for the reviews :hugs: 10 wow! Wasn't expecting so many! I have review thanks at the bottom, and I just want to say if you can bear with me for a bit with this chapter, since I took a vacation and lost my train of thought for this fic, I just hope it's just as exciting, intriguing, etc. So I'm sorry in advance if this chapter for whatever reason disappointed you, please let me know if I succeeded or not, would really help =D. And sorry for taking awhile to respond, I was working on a picture that I still haven't finished. Oh well, again thank you!

Disclaimer: Nope don't own Smallville.

Author: Silent Train Conductor

Chapter 7

"Whhaat?" Well actually the 'what' didn't come out that way, but it sure seemed like it for Lex. Lex couldn't even begin to know what to say next, so he merely repeated. "What?" Chloe raised her eyebrow at him and looked him in the eye.

"Had no idea you were so slow Lex, I said...Ka-lin Pete-r-son Ha-te—"

"I know what you said." Murmered Lex in a bit of a huff. "The statement just surprised me, that's all."

"Why is it so surprising? Most of the school hates Lana Lang. I mean I could go either way since I don't really know her. But after all, she is a human being. That's my argument and I am sticking to it." Chloe nodded, mostly to assure herself on her thoughts.

"Why do they hate Lana?" Lex questioned, after all over the course of time he had grown a sort of affection for the girl. Chloe shrugged.

"Why do people hate anyone? Well I know that Kal hates her because of the way he looks sick whenever she passes by, and not only then. But when other people talk about her, in front of him at least, he scrunches up his nose...which gives him a cute little face and..." Lex held up his hand in irritation.

"Thank you Chloe, but can we get back on the subject?" Chloe cocked her head and gave him a smile, happy to see he got his jealousy stirring.

"Sure, any way, I'm not really sure exactly why Kal hates Lana. And hey if you're so interested in him, have you ever considered talking to him? I mean, like I've said time and time again. All I know about Kal could fit on a sticky note", and she nodded towards the yellow pieces of paper in Lex's grasp. "And it did."

"Actually Cl-Kal hating Lana took up a whole new one." And Lex held it up proudly so she could see.

OOooOO

"Ok, we're here." Chloe nodded towards the farmhouse up in front of them, a far way off indeed. Skinny cows could be seen grazing the grass that could be found, and the whole place seemed to radiate a feeling of dismal proportions. "Are you sure you want to do this today?"

"Of course I am, from what you tell me, this is my only day off." Lex smirked as he got out of Chloe's truck, her argument being 'your car is too rich for my taste'. Chloe didn't smile back.

"Listen Lex, I hear Mr. Peterson can get pretty scary, I hear the meteor shower did something to him and he's a bit off his rocker. I mean, who knows how Kal has survived him this long...but last year he shot at some kids who were trying to sell cookies. Cookies Lex!" Chloe shook her head and continued. "I mean, it was a good thing Kal was there to rush them over to the hospital, but still...the world is filled with irony. Poor Kal...worse yet, Mr. Peterson didn't even get fined, seeing at how he used the argument of 'I thought they weres robbers!' "

Lex stopped in his stride to turn to face Chloe.

"Are you telling me this Peterson fellow, has the signs of an abuser? And why is this being mentioned just now?" Lex cried growing angry on finding out that he could be causing his best friend more pain than he could imagine.

"Because Lex, you knew." Chloe scrunched her eyebrows even further. "Mr. Peterson may be a scary guy to the world around him, but apparently he treats Kal like some sort of...human. No signs of abuse anywhere. What is so funny is why have you taken up an interest in Kal, you have never shown any interest in him before. Why now?"

"Because, he-he saved my life."

"Don't give me that Lex Luthor, do you think I'm stupid or something? We started this hunt before he even got close to saving your life." Not true where I come from, Lex mused inwardly with amusement.

"You're right Chloe, I can't really explain why I am interested in finding Kal. It's more of a gut feeling I have on him, that's all. I mean, don't you think it is a bit odd on how he manages to come to the rescue when he is no where near your problem to start with?" Chloe nodded at his argument.

"Fine then, were both a couple of dead cats." Chloe gave Lex a hesitant smile and that was when Lex realized something.

"Come on Chloe, now that I know where it is, I'll come back later on my own."

"What? Why? He saved my life too you know, and more times than yours may I add."

"Chloe if what you say is true about Mr. Peterson, then I don't want you getting hurt just because I am the curious one."

"Excuse me? Do you even know who you're talking to? Lex, come on it's me Chloe!" Chloe rolled her eyes, a smile still on her lips. "Look, we'll just sneak up to the farmhouse, see if we can somehow find Kal alone, and if he isn't we'll sneak back into my truck. Is that safe enough for you?" Chloe didn't even bother to hear Lex's response and already started 'sneaking' up to the farmhouse.

"Chloe." Lex hissed, knowing he had already lost, and followed in her shadow. Chloe turned and pressed a finger to her lips as they approached the shabby looking farmhouse, and again Lex wondered why he didn't remember this farmhouse back in the real world. Lex still couldn't believe what was going on and on how he was still obsessed about Clark, even though his life was now perfect. He figured he just wanted to see if he could solve the mystery in this world, even if he could never do so in the other. Also, he scolded to himself, to make sure Clark was alright.

"Look." Chloe whispered and motioned her eyes in the direction of the dirty window. Lex squinted and through the dirt and mildew, he could see a figure that was Clark sitting on a chair. Next to him Lex could see a tall, and burly looking man pacing, and muttering as he did so. Lex felt so odd about spying on other people, that is when they had a good chance on finding him out, he usually left this job for others, not for himself.

"Let's go Chloe, seems that he isn't alone." Chloe gave Lex a piercing glare, and motioned for him to stay.

"I can almost make out what he's saying..." It was then the windows shook with the booming voice that followed. "What the f--- I don't understand, is why you saved that son of a b---- 's Luthor's life! You know what he's done to me! You know how much I hate him! And when the chance finally comes for him to die, you save him! Can you be any more stupid!? Why did I even bother taking you in!! Why the hell—" The man's ranting stopped, and Lex could make out Clark staring right at him. "What? Who's out there?" Lex saw Clark quickly turn his eyes away from the window, and barely heard him mutter something.

The man then started up again.

"Don't give me that bull! What the hell did you just see!?" the man screamed at the top of his lungs. Lex looked to Chloe who seemed shaken up by the whole thing; Lex managed to give her a quick 'I told you so' look before he grabbed her arm and quickly dragged her back to the truck. Hoping, just hoping Clark would buy them some time.

OOooOO

Well, they managed to escape without a scratch. Chloe dropped Lex off at his house; his Porche parked neatly waiting for him. Lex stretched as he made his way inside, and to his horror he saw Clark sitting at the kitchen table, Martha fussing over him. Martha stopped and turned towards Lex as she heard the door close. For a minute it felt that he had just awakened from his dream, but it was then Martha spoke.

"Oh honey! There you are! Kal came to talk to you." Martha smiled kindly at the boy, handing him some more of her fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Lex looked to Kal, and then to Martha.

"Kal." He stated simply.

"Lex." Kal nodded with a sly smile. Martha looked to them both and back to her cookies.

"Well I better go to the store and get some milk." Martha commented grabbing her keys. "Can't have cookies without milk." She muttered as she closed the door behind her, knowingly leaving the awkwardness behind her.

"Nice mother you've got there." Kal nodded towards the closed door. "Must feel lucky."

"I do. I'm sorry I can't say the same about your father." Lex slipped in, and Kal quickly shot him a cold look but then softened with a chuckle.

"No, I guess you can't." Kal raised his eyebrow, "But then how would you know?" Kal asked smiling, clearly having fun at Lex's expense. This felt extremely disturbing; usually Lex had Clark in this position of getting caught in lies. Lex knew what Clark was doing however and so he gave him the truth.

"I heard him." Kal's smile grew even wider at the words, and shook his head.

"Wow." He whispered, still smiling. "I didn't expect you to tell the truth, I knew the old Lex wouldn't have." Lex stiffened.

"I don't know what you're talking about." With these words Kal burst out with a large chuckle.

"Now that's more like the Lex we know, I wish I could say love, but I can't." Kal shrugged apologetically. "Now come on Lex, if that's your real name, what is as my 'father' puts it, the hell going on?" Kal asked his head cocked with his old look of confusion upon his face. There was an awful pause in which neither of them dared breathe in, until finally Lex spoke up.

"I'm not so sure myself."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I don't know. One minute I was outside looking up at the starts. The next I'm in the Kent's house!"

"Could've had too much to drink on Friday evening."

"Huh?"

"Don't you only spend the weekends with the Kents?"

"Oh that, I guess I do." Kal nodded expecting his uncertainty. "But what I don't get is how you managed to figure out....whatever you figured out."

"Figuring out you had too much to drink? I don't know it usual seems to be your problem, and so I thought...why not again?" Kal smiled, knowing he was annoying Lex to no end.

"Clark." He said with an icy glower.

"Clark?" Kal echoed. "Whoa...so what did this Clark guy do to you to make you stop drinking? Wait you don't mean..."

"I didn't mean to say Clark, I'm sorry. You just reminded me of someone for a second." At Lex's words Kal frowned and looked to the floor.

"You know something." Kal whispered, suddenly looking up at Lex's eyes, before looking down again. "I've never felt this to be my true life...whenever I get yelled at by that b-man, I know it wasn't my life. Not because I pity myself or anything like that, no. It's because I feel no anger towards him, and that because of that, I should be somewhere else. Better. I never held much hope in the human race, even if I am somewhat part of it. I have often wondered; what would I be doing with my better life? Not here in Smallville but out there somewhere? Would I be the same person? Would I continue out my hopeless quest to saving lives? I have often found myself dreaming, snatches of a life where I have yours. I am no longer Kalin Peterson, but Clark Kent, Clark Kent...I have no idea why... I am happy in that life time; does that make me weak I wonder? Wishing for something I can never get? Instead of living out my own life? Tell me Lex, what would you do if you where in my shoes?" Kal finally finished, not seeming to notice how much he had affected Lex. Who was also looking down at the floor.

"Not saving lives, that's for sure." Lex said with a tight smile. "Now you tell me Kal, why do you save lives if you find the human race hopeless?" Lex saw for once Kalin Peterson's true smile, with his eyes sparkling in joy and wonder.

"Because they don't."

OOooOO

Reviewer Thanks!

Knight/m: Oh I am glad and honored on how much you're enjoying this fic! I just hope after this chapter you continue to do so, I think I may have lost my pacing with this one, but how I hope I haven't Thank you again for put this on your favorites! Meep, hopefully Chapter 8 will be better...:hug:

Ming1214: Well I put a bit more Chloe/Lex in this chapter and I hope it pleased ya. Thanks for your review!! :

Campbti: Oh thank you for your review! And how I hope this chapter had some Chloe/Lex for you to enjoy. Again thank you!! :hug:

autumngold : Oh yes I had a wonderful time at my vacation, I thank you! And I'm glad you're enjoying this fic, and I hope the update was worth the wait, how I hope =/ Thanks again :hug:

Kortbone: Sorry I took so long, and sorry that I really haven't gone into explaining the whole Lana thing =/ I will though, just a bit more. Thank you for your review!!

Aciel: As I've been saying, since it's been awhile I hope this chapter has kept up with its predecessors, and I again thank you for your kind words. :double hug:

Buffiy18: I am glad you think so! I hope it continues to stay interesting! Thank you for your review!!!

XMarisolX: Thank you kindly for the advie, I guess I did repeat my words often enough. And I am glad you have been enjoying the story, and I hope to go deeper into the Clark of this world next chapter. I have some 'splaing to do. Thank you again!

Thanks to those who have kept up with this fic and waiting for me to update! Again my apologies for the long wait!