A/N: Me again. If you couldn't tell from the last chapter I'm still working out the bugs in this story. But I'll try to update more rgularly and see if that helps. Let me know what you think. Knowing what you guys want helps. Besides, the sooner I finish this story, the sooner I can start on my next one. The idea just won't leave me alone. But perhaps I should wait. Four at once is enough. Any more and I may crack. What do you guys think of this plot: Pete comes back to town determined to win Chloe not knowing that she and Lex have developed feelings for each other. They then compete to win her heart. Any good?
"Whoa, talk about weird." Clark joked as he waked into the Torch office.
Chloe was standing in front of the Wall of Weird gently pulling the articles and clippings down as if she were afraid they would break. "Yeah, the principal thought it best if I removed all of this 'nonsense' before the new editor takes over." she said sadly.
"I still can't believe that the Torch survived the meteor shower when most of the school was destroyed." Clark mused.
"It just goes to show that you can't hide the truth." she joked.
"Speaking of the truth,'' he said slowly, "I spoke to Lex this morning…"
"Cause 'truth' and 'Luthor' often go hand in hand." she quipped.
"Chloe, I believe him."
She sighed heavily and sat down behind her desk. "I believe him too."
Clark looked perplexed. "Then why are you refusing to speak to him?"
"Because I finally realized that what Pete and my dad and what everyone says about the Luthor's is true. They're dangerous Clark. Do you realize I've had more near-death experiences than I have birthday's?"
"Chloe it was an accident." Clark argued.
"A lot of 'accidents' seem to happen around Lex. I'm just tired of it." Chloe told him as she got up and resumed peeling clippings off the wall.
"So you're going to cut him out of your life. Just like that?" he demanded as he came around to stand beside her.
"As I recall you cut him out of your life once too." she said, looking him straight in the eye.
"That was different."
Chloe snorted. "It always is with you Clark."
"But I forgave him." he said finally. "This wasn't his fault."
"It's never his fault Clark." Chloe said sadly. Clark looked down at the floor, unable to meet her gaze. She was right. These things happened often around Lex and probably always would. Maybe she was right to stay away from him. But just maybe… "He misses you."
"Clark, do you know why Lex and I were in his penthouse in the first place? Did he tell you?" she asked after a few minutes.
"No." he replied hesitantly.
"Ever since…Lex wants to…he was trying to seduce me Clark. He has been for awhile now." she admitted.
"What?"
The outrage and slight disbelief on his face nearly made Chloe regret telling him. Nearly. Perhaps this was the push Clark needed to drop the whole reconciliation idea.
Clark sat in the chair Chloe had just vacated. "I can't…this doesn't make sense…he never said…" he muttered under his breath.
"Care to let me in on this little monologue?" she asked.
Clark looked up at her sympathetically. "Lex told me awhile ago that he wanted to pursue a relationship with you. He said he wanted to make sure I was okay with it first. I thought he had genuine feelings for you, I never imagined that…"
"That he was just interested in a one night stand. Or a torrid fling. Face it Clark, that's just who Lex is." Chloe rationed.
Clark stood up in front of her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. I'll live." she extracted herself from Clark's grasp and once more began to remove the last vestiges of the Wall of Weird. Clark walked towards the door, looking back at her briefly before he set out for the mansion. Lex had some serious explaining to do.
………………
After a brief stop at the mansion Clark all but burst through the front doors of the Talon. If Lex wasn't home, there weren't many other places he could be. Clark just knew he would be there.
And he was. Sitting in a corner booth, talking on his cell. Clark scanned the crowd. It was usually sparse this time of day. Better for him. He looked over the other occupants; Mr. Johnson and his son, his mother behind the counter, a few waitresses, Ms. Hawkins, and a girl with long strawberry blonde hair that he didn't recognize. She seemed to be stealing glances at Lex over the top of her magazine when he wasn't looking.
Clark walked over to Lex and yanked the cell phone out of his hand, flipping it shut. Lex looked up at him surprised.
"That was important." he said calmly.
"So is this." Clark replied.
"Well have a seat and tell me what the problem is."
"Chloe." Clark seethed, still standing.
Lex looked down into his cappuccino before taking a long sip. "Has our intrepid reporter gotten herself involved in another little situation?"
"You could say that." Clark told him cryptically.
"Well?" Lex prodded. He would rather die than admit that the suspense was killing him. "What is this time?"
"You."
"Me?"
Clark nodded.
"I'm confused Clark. How am I Chloe's latest situation?"
"You never told me you were trying to seduce her." Clark answered, a tad loudly, and the other patrons looked over at the two with obvious interest.
"Cark, this isn't the place." Lex whispered.
"Oh I think it is."
Martha hurried over upon hearing her son's statement. "Clark, what's going on?"
"Why don't you ask Lex? Or better yet, ask Chloe. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to fill you in." Clark told his mother calmly, his eyes never leaving Lex's.
Martha started a little at Chloe's name, especially used in the same conversation with Clark's earlier statement. "I don't think this is a conversation you need to be having in public Clark."
"No, it's alright Mrs. Kent. Here is fine." Lex stood up and stared back at Clark. "It's true that I'm interested in Chloe. I was up front with you about that. You just failed to realize that not every man's romantic intentions are as pure as yours Clark. I never lied to you or Chloe. I told her exactly where I stood and left it up to her."
"That's not what she said." Clark responded.
Lex smirked. "Did she actually say I did anything to her Clark?"
Clark's stony expression faltered slightly.
"No, she didn't. Because I haven't. I've never even kissed her. So save your righteous indignation for someone who actually deserves it." With that he threw some money on the table for his coffee and walked out the door.
"That went well." Martha said.
………………
"I cannot believe you did that."
Clark looked up from his book as Chloe climbed the stairs into the loft. He knew she'd be there sooner or later.
"What did you expect me to do Chloe?"
"Go to the mansion and talk to Lex, maybe. I never imagined you'd make a grand gesture out of defending my virtue in the middle of the Talon." She at down beside him on the couch.
"I'm sorry."
"You seem to be saying that a lot today. Look Clark, I didn't tell you this to upset you. I was just trying to get you to give up on this whole idea of getting me to talk to Lex again." she confessed.
"I don't want you going anywhere near him." Clark gritted out.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "I'm a big girl Clark. I can handle myself if a guy makes an unwelcome pass at me. Right now I'd just prefer to steer clear of all things Luthor."
"Did he try anything?" Clark looked her in the eye and she could se the threat of bodily harm to Lex if he had.
"I thought he was going to kiss me, but that's as far it went. Nothing happened."
"You'd tell me if it did?" he pressed.
Chloe stood up and began to pace. "What is with the big brother slash guard dog routine? Are you really that afraid that I couldn't resist Lex if he came on to me?"
"I know how women are around Lex Chloe."
"Yeah well, I'm not most women. I can handle Lex's repertoire of smooth moves." she assured him.
"Oh really?" a voice from the stairs said.
Chloe whirled to see Lex standing there. He was wearing his trademark smirk and looked all too confident.
Chloe gulped. She had a feeling that this was not going to end well.
………………
'Damn binoculars.' she thought. 'I can't see a thing.'
She was standing on the outskirts of the Kent farm, trying to see what was going on in the loft. She had seen Chloe arrive, followed a few moments later by Lex. If things ran on track, she knew exactly what was going to occur as a result of this encounter.
And she had to stop it.
………………
"What are you doing here?" Clark demanded.
"So much hostility. I was dropping off the produce order to your parents and thought I'd say hello." he replied, eyes firmly fixed on Chloe.
"I don't suppose the fact that Chloe's car was outside had anything to do with that?" Clark asked.
"As a matter of fact it did."
Chloe looked up at him suspiciously. "Anything in particular, or just eager for a round of clever insults and witty banter?"
Lex smirked. "As pleasant as your company always is Chloe, I actually have a proposition for you."
Clark made to move towards him, fire in his eyes, but Chloe grabbed his arm. "What kind of proposition?"
"I seem to have given off a lot of mixed signals in regards to the nature of my interest in you and I was hoping to rectify it."
"How?" Clark demanded.
Chloe glared at him. Then she turned to glare at Lex. "Well?"
"You go out with me. One date. If you think my actions are in the slightest way inappropriate, or if you believe me to be deceptive about my intentions, we'll call it quits and never broach the subject of romance again." he said.
"That's it? One date." Chloe asked skeptically.
"One date," he replied.
"I don't like it." Clark said.
Chloe rolled her eyes. Of course he didn't. She let go of Clark and walked over to stand directly in front of Lex. Her eyes met his unwaveringly and he smirked.
"You've got a deal."