Devils Night
Part 6: Moonlight and Gunfire

Clark had been phoning his parents to assure them that everything was ok when Dr Spica had popped into see Chloe and handed her a small package. It hadn't been necessary to ask what it was: the look of amusement in the older woman's eyes and the coy smile that plaid across her lips when Chloe had blushed said everything.

Finding themselves in Metropolis with nothing to do, they had spent the day leisurely seeing the sights, trying to put what had almost happened behind them. They had been interrupted twice: once when Elijah had called to make sure they were ok, and again when Lex had done the same.

Deciding to make a proper night of it, Chloe had insisted on buying them formal eveningwear so they could go to dinner at a hideously expensive restaurant. The maitre d' had almost turned them away, but one quick flash of Chloe's platanium card had caused a remarkable change in his attitude.

The food had been good, unlike anything either of them had ever tried before, but there was silant agreememt between the two of them that it wasn't realy theyr sort of thing.

"So." Chloe asked, "How did a small-town farmboy like you hear of a place like this?"

"Lex told me about it once." Clark smiled, "He said it was the most romantic restaurant in all of Metropolis."

"You and Lex discuses romantic restaurants? Should I be worried?"

"I'm not the one who french-kissed Shen."

"That was SO not me, and you know it."

They had walked back from the restaurant, Clark's jacket wrapped around Chloe's shoulders, fending off the chill night air. They had talked and laughed, happily enjoying each others company. They could have been any young couple out for a moonlight stroll. Nobody they saw new the truth about them, and they embraced the anonymity.

Returning to the field office, they had made their way up to the upper floors, stopping outside Chloe's room. They had kissed, and Clark had gone to say goodbye, but Chloe had stopped him, keeping her grip on his hand and she opened the door and stepped inside.

Cold moonlight had filled the room as Chloe pulled Clark into the room, letting the door close behind them with an audible click. Then, wrapping her slender arms around his neck, she had kissed him deeply, pulling her body against his. Clark had responded by enveloping Chloe in a tight embrace, running his hands up and down her soft back.

"Clark." Chloe almost moaned as she broke away from the kiss, "Come to bed."

"Are you sure?" Her boyfriend has asked, looking down into her sparkling green eyes.

"I've never been so sure about anything."

"What about..."

"I saw Angie earlier, and she gave me what we discussed the other night. Not that I wouldn't love to have children with you..."

"Chloe!"

"No more words." Chloe plased a finger on Clark's lips as she pulled him towards the bed, "Not now..."

Martha looked across the Talon to the table where Jon sat, a pile of papers and empty cups in front of him. He'd been there almost the entire day, reading constantly. Every time someone walked in, he'd look up, almost as if he was expecting someone. Something about him seemed a little, odd, but he was polite and paid for his drinks in cash, so there was no real reason to kick him out.

Finally, just before closing time, Jon closed the paper he was reading and placed in on top of the others. He wordlessly opened his backpack and slipped them inside. Then, picking up a hand full of empty cups, he headed for the counter.

The door bell jangled, and a man dressed in a long black coat and dark blue baseball cap stepped in out of the dark, rain filled night. Water dripped off of him as he made his way towards the counter.

"Can I help you?" Martha asked politely.

"Give me all your money, now!" The man drew a pistol from one pocket, pointing it at the terrified woman, before swinging it in line with Jon, "You; on the ground, now!"

"Put the gun down." Jon's voice was low and even, no hint of emotion.

"You trying to tell me what to do?" The gunman almost slammed his weapon into the other mans face, "Ain't nobody tell me what I can do!"

"This doesn't have to end in violence." Jon seemed un-phased, "I can tell from the marks on your arm and how pale your skin is that you are on drugs of some kind. You don't need the money: you need help."

"Maybe I should just give him the money." Martha looked terrified by the gunman, "Then he'll leave..."

"I'll tell you what I'll do, bitch!" The gunman swung his arm round, finger squeezing the trigger.

Jon's arm moved with snake-like quickness, grabbing the other mans hand and shoving it upwards. There was a thunderous bang as the pistol went off, the bullet hitting the wall high above Martha's head. The startled woman dropped to the floor, covering her head with her arms instinctively.

Punching his opponent in the face, Jon broke the gunman's grip on the pistol and pressed the catch that release the magazine, drooping it to the floor. His fingers moved almost instinctively as he quickly stripped the gun into its component parts.

"Like I said; this doesn't have to end in violence." Jon stood steady as a rock, "Now you can run, and have to police chase you. If that's what you want, I won't even try and stop you. But you need help, or one day you're going to get yourself killed."

The want-to-be robber stood grasping his hurt wrist with his good hand, blood starting to drip from the cut on his lower lip. He seemed to be slightly in shock, so much so that the two Sheriff's Deputies who entered the Talon after hearing the gun going off had to order him to put his hands up twice before he complied.

Jon also raised his hands as instructed, a strange smile on his face.

"We have to go home." Clark nuzzled Chloe's neck, "We have school tomorrow."

"Do we have to go?" Chloe buried her self deeper under the sheets, "Can't we stay here?"

"Don't tempt me. But we need to get back if we want to graduate..."

"Life sucks." Chloe pulled the sheets down and looked around the room.

The Planetary Metropolis field office occupied a large building over looking one of the many parks spaced about the city. The living quarters mad been arranged at the front, affording them the best view. Soft sunlight streamed through the floor to ceiling windows and across the rich, cream coloured carpet to the king sized bed.

The Bed: the bed Chloe would always remember for as long as she lived.

Tilting her head to the side, she looked at Clark.

"Have I told you how much I love you today?" She asked.

"A few times." Clark smiled, "And I love you."

"Good." Chloe pulled the covers back over their heads, "We've still got an hour or two before we have to go home...

To Be Continued…

Yes, that was a little fluffy, but it was something I wanted to deal with.