Chapter Nineteen

When dusk fell over Smallville, an inner darkness also fell on the formerly bright disposition of the chimpanzee Beppo. In the blackness of the room, he rocked back and forth on the pads of his feet. He heard the carnival crowd laugh, cheer, and enjoy the rides, the food and the happy atmosphere.

Through the windowpane, Beppo watched every couple that walked by the motor home. He sniffed and spied, waiting for Blonde, waiting for the Tall One to walk on by.

"Hey Beppo," Joe Young. He noticed a huskier frame on the animal, but didn't see the defined muscles, in the dark. He was more concerned seeing the chimpanzee; he'd never seen Beppo so agitated. "Calm down."

Beppo turned slowly and looked at the Nice Man. Joe saw a dullness in Beppo's eyes that had never before existed. The animal pointed at his food basket. It was empty.

"Now, Bep'...you know you get a runny stomach if you eat too much," Joe said.

Beppo jumped from the couch he was on to the basket and got an apple core. He howled and patted his stomach.

"No," Joe said." No food."

Beppo stared at Joe. Suddenly, the apple core hit Joe hard on the forehead. Then another one hit him. Then the basket hit him in the stomach. Joe reeled and fell against the wall.

"Beppo!" Joe yelled. "What the hell !"

The animal patted his stomach fast and stomped towards Joe. He stared at Joe and bared his teeth.

"Ok!" Joe said, scrambling up. "I'll bring you some damn food!"

Ten minutes later, meteor particles flowed through Beppo again, and he felt his muscle fibers snap, grow, and heal with each bite, felt his skin and bones toughen, felt his body grow stronger, faster, his mind keener, and felt his own existance become powerful, with a purpose more than to make a monkey out of himself.

"KLOW-EEE," He said, voice raspy. He was evolving.

He went to the window again.

And he waited.

There were times in his young life that Clark felt uneasy, unsure, and overall undecided how he felt about Chloe; he wanted to be best friends with her like he was with Pete. He also wanted to be more than friends. But he didn't want to break her heart somehow, so he kept his distance, claiming he wasn't ready. But in a simple Instant Message on AOL the night before, from his heart to her heart, he changed the status quo, and he stood in the doorway, her date to the carnival.

He knocked and waited. Unlike in the morning, he knocked right on the door the moment he stepped on the welcome mat. He looked at the mat and he couldn't help but laugh; Chloe and her dad had novelty-themed mat...one with flying saucers and little green men saying 'Welcome Visitors!'. It wasn't pure coincidence that Clark felt very much welcomed at the Sullivan's place.

'I wonder what's up', he thought, wondering why no one came to the door. He was tempted to use his x-ray vision, but he didn't want to spoil the surprise of seeing Chloe all dressed up. He paced a bit on the stoop, excited, hyper and he badly wanted to see his girlfriend. Again, that very notion was surprising and scary and... it felt right. Clark thought about all the times he 'hung out' with Chloe, and everything clicked. Only when a 'meteor freak' was in town did they get 'weird' around each other; Clark was more cautious and she more reckless. And worse, he had to dodge her questions and comments how Clark defeated the 'freaks' 'cat-and-mouse' style.

"Oh Hell," Clark said under his breath when noticed Lana's little red corvette parked on the street, past by the mailbox. 'I thought we were meeting up,' he thought, kicked a rock and pulverized it to dust. 'I hope we don't ride with Lana,' he groaned. 'I get sick just being around her.' Lana's necklace contained a meteorite nugget and that substance always make Clark weak, or ill. Resigned to being driven to the carnival by Lana, the girl that made him queasy, Clark knocked again on the door to meet his date, Chloe and meet his destiny.

"Its customary to make Clark wait if he's early, Chloe," Lana said after she scrambled back into the kitchen. She cornered Chloe, cutting off routes to the front door. "He must wait 15 minutes and since its a first date, 'Lana's Rules' say an extra 15."

"Oh man," Chloe fussed. "30 minutes? I can barely sit still in class for the alloted 45 minutes...and you expect me wait for THE BIGGEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE?" Chloe felt caged. She wondered if she could get past Lana and answer the door.

"Be cool!" Lana held Chloe's shoulders. "You're calm, cool, collected Chloe Sullivan, reporter." Chloe nodded and took a breath. "Thats better. Plus I bet there are going to bigger moments with you two," Lana said with a smile.

"Oh," Chloe blushed. She wanted more moments, too. Bigger moments that filled memory books. "Did he look nice?"

"I won't tell," Lana smiled; she wanted Whitney to ask Clark for fashion tips.

"Why?" Chloe was curious. "Was Clark wearing blue? Was he in a flannel? I hope he wore..."

"Want me ruin it?" Lana interrupted.

"No," Chloe whispered. She liked surprises. "He was color-coordinated at least? Garanimals all matched up...elephants to elephants?"

"Yes, all matched up," Lana laughed and wondered how Clark kept up with Chloe's razor wit. "Right now," Lana said, "we need a diversion."

"DADDY!" Chloe yelled. Outside Clark heard that and looked at the door with eager anticipation. Gabe knocked over the Pepsi can when hopped up from his Lay-Z-Boy recliner bolted into the kitchen.

"What's the matter?" He said, seeing the girls huddled in the corner of the kitchen. "Is there a mouse in here, or something?"

"Not a mouse, Daddy," Chloe said. "Clark's here."

"That's nothing new," Gabe said, thinking silly girls. "Just open the door."

"Mr. Sullivan," Lana turned and smiled. "We need you to stall Clark for 30 minutes."

"Umm...Are you sure about that, Lana?" Gabe answered and looked at his daughter, saw the weird uncertainess on her face. Chloe shook her head for him not to stall. He knew Chloe was waiting for this day since the first day of school LAST year. 'Hell,' Gabe thought, 'I have been waiting too.'

"Yes WE do," Mr. Sullivan." Lana softly elbowed Chloe.

"Well...yeah," Chloe said. "He's early."

"Ok," Gabe said, and went to the door.

"YES!" Lana punched her hand in the air, a quick cheerleader's arm salute, grabbed Chloe's and hustled Chloe upstairs.

"Hey there, Clark, Gabe said after he opened the door. "You're a little early."

"Hi, Mr. Sullivan." Gabe moved aside and Clark walked in and guessed a Hurricane Chloe sighting in a few seconds. But there wasn't the usual bootfalls, or sudden smiley face coming around any corners. "I'm just a little anxious, I guess."

"Lana's just helping Chloe with ...with...something girlie," Gabe perfectly explained. "They'll be down in a minute or two." Clark nodded with a smile. "C'mon. Let catch the end of the 'Sportscenter'. The Metropolis Knights made a trade."

"Who did the Knights get?" Clark asked, quickly followed the fast moving Gabe into the den and he sat on the large sumptuous couch. If Clark didn't watch sports with his dad or Pete, he watched them with Gabe. The Knights were their favorite baseball team; Chloe suffered through at least three and a half hours of nine innings just because she liked watching her dad and Clark watch the boring game. She, however, loved the team colors of steel blue and action red. She got a team cap, but hadn't worn it for Clark yet.

"They got Mostafa Westover and TC Lacey from the Fawcett City Captains for Steven Beellisdee and Jay Bourne!" Gabe said excitedly. It was a a blockbuster trade for both squads.

"Awesome!" Clark pumped his fist and they high-fived each other. They sat back and watched the details of the trade and listened to the reaction by a sports-reporter, Kris Rli, from television station WHIZ, Fawcett City.

"So, Clark," Gabe said when the sports show went to a commercial. He shifted in his chair and Clark looked at him. Clark never seen Gabe look so serious. "Chloe is really taken with ...she is a darling young girl."

"Umm...yeah," Clark nodded and swallowed hard. He suddenly felt very very uncomfortable. "She's great."

"Yeah," Gabe said and leaned in. "She talks about you a lot...and you two have been spending quite a bit of time together." He stood and walked around the den. Clark's eyes followed him. "You two are always off on some crazy adventures and she rambles on and on how you did this or that." Clark blushed. "I hardly ever see her on weekends," Gabe continued, "and when I do...she's babbling about you." He stopped and looked into Clark's eyes. "So...just what are your intentions with my daughter, Clark?...what are your plans?"

"Intentions," Clark whispered and slumped into the couch. "Plans? Oh man..."

"JUST yanking your chain!" Gabe laughed and patted Clark's knee. "GOD! I have been WAITING to do that to you!" Clark wondered if Gabe had any meteorite on him; he felt sick. "You should see the look on your face!" Gabe laughed and sat back down. "Relax Clark...," Gabe said, seeing that Clark was still slumped on the couch. Gabe thought for a kid that was a hero in Chloe's eyes, he certainly had a weakness: a good prank. "Hey...Lets look at the Sullivan Family photo album, ok?...I don't think you've seen it." Gabe got up and Clark thought the flight to Metropolis had nothing on being alone with Mr. Sullivan.

"Can I please go downstairs?" Chloe whined for the 50th time since Lana hustled her into the bedroom.

"No No No," Lana said, tiredly for the 50th time, sitting against the door, knees drawn up. 'I need a wine cooler,' she thought

"Lana...I know My dad...he's probably doing something embarrassing." Her mind raced to the time he put a whoopie cushion on her chair when Clark first had a Sullivan Family traditional dinner (actually Chinese take out); it was loud, realistic and she turned shades darker than the barbecue pork sauce. Chloe made a move to the door. "Oh God. He probably already did. I hope he doesn't start with the poop jokes. Let Me go."

"No No No," Lana said, tiredly for the 51th time, bracing herself against the door. "You have to follow the Rules! Tell Clark to be on time!" Chloe sat back on the bed, and wished she had a frapuccino; Lana sorely needed a malt beer.

"This is Chloe at the Watergate Hotel," Gabe said, sitting by Clark on the couch. He had several albums out. Clark smiled at all the pictures of Mr. Sullivan and Chloe at theme parks, museums, zoos, and many at historical landmarks; he liked the picture of Chloe in front of the White House. "I had to explain to her that she DIDN'T want to be 'Deep Thro...'...well...I'll finish that story later."

"I just know he's telling him weird stuff," Chloe said and frowned dramatically. She bounced on the edge of her bed.

"It can't be all bad," Lana said. Nell was a great buffer for Lana, usually quick with milk and cookies or tea and ladyfinger sandwiches for Whitney. "Can it?"

"...And here's Chloe at Easter," Gabe said, showing Clark a picture.

"Aww," Clark laughed and Gabe nodded; Chloe was dressed in a full bunny outfit, yellow and white fur, a big floppy-eared hood and fuzzy feet. What made it funnier was that Chloe was seven years old.

"She fell asleep hugging her stuffed rabbit on the lawn while we looked for dyed eggs," Gabe said, a little wistful. "After that I called her Snugglebunny...and name stuck when every she wanted to nap or cuddle." Clark smiled and filed that information away...

"Lana, whats that nugget made of?" Chloe asked with resignation, watching Lana fidget with it on the the necklace.

"It's from the meteorite that killed My parents," Lana said softly and closed her eyes. "Nell gave it to me the day my adoption came through."

"Umm...no offense," Chloe looked at her new friend and scrunched her nose. "That's morbid, not sentimental."

"What do you mean?" Lana asked, eyes flashing open, clutching the green nugget; sometimes her head buzzed, eyes had sparkles, and her neck went numb, but she didn't link it to the necklace. "Morbid?"

"Well," Chloe said and knelt by her, "it is morbid." She knew it was a delicate subject to Lana, and to proceed with tact, not snark. "I mean, Kennedy's kid didn't walk around with the Magic Bullet on a necklace."

"Oh my god," Lana whispered.

"Just saying," Chloe said, hunching her shoulders, "that I don't carry a copy of Daddy and Mom's divorce papers."

"You're right! That's so true!" Lana yanked off the necklace and threw it. Chloe ducked, but knew Lana wasn't throwing it at her. The rock pinged against the wall and fell into a mound of colorful panties. "What the hell was Nell thinking?" She looked at Chloe, her cheeks red with anger.

"She meant well," Chloe whispered. "I think."

"I think you saved me four extra years of therapy. Thanks!" Lana said and rubbed her brow. She looked at her watch. "Its time." Lana slid her back up the door and slowly opened it. Chloe rushed into her and they knocked heads. "No," Lana said, rubbing the back of her head. "I'll announce you."

"Ow...ok," Chloe said and hoped she didn't have another concussion; they were starting to add up. "Wait," She said, went and handed Lana her digital camera. "Give to Daddy. I want to save this moment." After a minute or so of rubbing her head, Lana put on her old head cheerleader's smile went down the steps and entered the den.

"Hey Clark," Lana said, standing in the doorway, blocking the view of the last few stairs if the stairwell so Chloe could make a grand appearance. 'Whoa!' She thought. 'He cleaned up damn well!' She waved Mr. Sullivan over and gave him the camera.

"Oh, Lana," Clark said with a wan grin. He waited for the nausea to hit like always. "Hi."

"You're date is ready," Lana said with a grin. Clark was surprised that he didn't reel over. Suddenly he perked up more. He heard his date's boot stomps getting closer. Or maybe it was his heart beat. He couldn't tell.

Chloe rumbled down the steps. But she stopped on the last one. She took a breath. She was thinking about this moment, thinking about many other moments about her and Clark since the day she saw him in Mr. Roxy's homeroom in 8th grade...since the kiss in the barn...since the ill-fated invitation to the Sadie Hawkins dance...since every challenging experience with 'freaks'...since every waking moment she had and in many of her dreams...But all of her desires wouldn't be fulfilled if she didn't take that last step.

She couldn't wait anymore.

She smiled, gave her head a little wiggle, and the last step was crossed.


Chloe waltzed into the den...and stopped and melted when she saw Clark...

Clark took a step around Mr. Sullivan to greet her...and stopped and his heart soared when he saw Chloe...

Gabe lifted the cam to take the picture...and stopped and just looked at them, happy for his daughter, and happy for Clark...

Lana started to cheer...but stopped and wished every date for Chloe and Clark could be start this way...



Chloe and Clark stepped close to each other, looked at each other up and down, saw the new outfits, and saw each smile wider. He took her hand. She shivered."Beautiful," Clark blurted out, blushing. "You look beautiful."

"You look," Chloe said, tugging on his shirt a bit and dipping her head, "really handsome."

"You kids ready to go?" Gabe asked. Clark and Chloe turned and nodded simultaneously. Lana seen them say things at the same time adn now move the same way the same time; she wished Whitney could get in tune with her like that.

"Say Cheese!" Gabe said.Clark wrapped an arm around Chloe's waist. She leaned into him and hugged him. Gabe clicked the button, amazed that they smiled so widely, and looked so perfect together.

"CHEESE!"

click

"My work here," Lana whispered to no one, her hands clasped at her chin, smiling, "is done."