A/N: I just want it understood that I kinda' wish Lois would disappear. She shouldn't be on "Smallville" besides in very brief instances and she shouldn't have such an in-depth relationship with Clark already. It's not right. In my head (even though I know it'll never happen in a million billion years), I kinda' have Chloe written in as "Lois" by using her cousin'sname as a pen name. I've decided not to kill off Lois because she's already too established in the "Smallville" mythos. But it's making me decidedly crabby. OK, I just had to get that off my chest. (Oh, and if anyone knows where I could find a copy of Lois's stripper episode… My TiVo recorded "Dr. Phil" instead:O)

For an explanation on the Lana/Lois pushing of Chloe, they both have claims on Clark's affection, but through different circumstances and other reasons, their "relationships" don't work. Ever since Season 1, I've rooted for a Clark/Chloe relationship and have been disappointed around every turn. I can only hope that the writers come to their senses soon, but Kristen seems to have quite the formidable agent!

Chapter 8

Clark could feel himself being borne away on a wave of sensation that he had no desire to resurface from. Even their first kiss hadn't held such promise and longing. The firebrand that was his best friend and the girl that had always loved him was kissing him with abandon. The woman that he had admired through high school and was coming to appreciate moreas time wore on was everything that he'd secretly wanted. Her hands wandered through his hair, across his chest and up his back, dragging him closer with each stroke.

He almost complained as she broke the kiss. Her eyes smoldered with desire for him and he suddenly felt unworthy. "Chloe…" he began.

She silenced him with a finger to his lips. "Clark, just shut up. I need you. Take me, I'm yours!" She started peeling his shirt off his body.

He felt as if he was bursting into flames as she touched his bare skin. An alarm was sounding in the back of his brain, but every motion of her hand 'caused his mind to veer back to how she was making him feel. She was pressing light kisses along his neck and coherent thought was no longer possible. With a sudden strength, she pushed him over onto the floor and straddled him. The feel of the wood against his back shocked him back to reality. "Chloe, you were hurt. We should…"

"You always want to wait, Clark." She smiled at him from above. "You ponder each and every option until the opportunity has nearly passed you by… if you don't miss it completely. Don't you want to take what's yours?"

She captured his mouth again, but that last sentence resounded in his mind over and over until it wouldn't leave him alone. Reluctantly, he broke their kiss. "Chloe, what do you mean 'take what's yours'?"

She looked at him and confusion was written all over her face. "It's fairly obvious, isn't it, Clark?" Her fingers still traced a pattern over his chest as she thought how to explain it. "Clark, you're the most powerful person on the planet. You shouldn't feel like you have to earn every little thing. Everyone loves you and will give you anything you want. Just let it come… You've earned it…"

Clark felt as if he had just been doused with cold water and shuddered. He concentrated on her touch and realized she was tracing the exact shape he'd had of that scar junior year. "Chloe…" He wanted to sob at how this was turning so horribly wrong. "Chloe, you've got to snap out of it…"

"Why would I want to, Clark? I've wanted you forever and now you've chosen me. Do you know how that makes a girl feel? I feel like I've won the lottery, Publisher's Clearinghouse and Miss America in one fell swoop." She laughed in delight. Bending down, she whispered as she hovered over his lips, "And I'm not letting you go again…"

Clark looked at her in dismay. After all of the incidences in high school where he'd crushed her feelings as if they meant nothing, even though it was always unintentional, he couldn't bear to hurt her so deeply now. He had to think of something so she wouldn't hate him forever once he found the cure. "Chloe, my parents would be scandalized."

"Come on, Clark. After the whole Lana incident, I don't think that will be a problem." She smiled and started kissing his neck again.

Clark could feel his restraint starting to come unglued. He didn't have much more time before his hormones burst entirely out of control. "Chloe, how about we go for a flight? I'm really in the mood?"

She squealed in delight. "Clark! Could we really?" When he nodded, she rewarded him with another soul searing kiss, jumped to her feet and dashed to the loft's window. "Let's go!"

Clark smiled, but took his time getting up from the ground. He wasn't feeling too steady at the moment. He buttoned up his shirt and dug around for another of his flannels. "Chloe, why don't you put this on? I don't want you getting too cold."

She gave him a huge hug for a reward. "Clark, you're always looking out for me. What would I ever do without you?" She allowed him to bundle her into his shirt and button it up.

"I was thinking the same thing, Chloe." He smiled. This was one of the best ideas he had… especially since he only had one other resource to tap before he totally ran out of options. "Are you ready?"

She just nodded in excitement and he gathered her in his arms. With no additional effort, he lifted out of the barn and started going north. After 10 minutes of steady flying, she asked, "Clark, where are you taking me?" Clark put on a little more speed. He didn't think that the brainwashing would allow him to take a victim to a place where a cure could possibly be found… and he didn't want to hurt Chloe if she started to struggle. As the landscape below them turned into a steady stream of white, she craned to look him full in the face and demanded, "Clark, you tell me right this second where we're going or turn around."

He sighed. "We're going to the Fortress, Chlo. I want to fulfill my promise."

Just as he thought, the mention of the Fortress started to make Chloe struggle to be free of his embrace. He wondered if she didn't realize that she could plunge to her death at this height or if,in her current state, she just didn't care. "Take me home right now, Clark Kent. I don't want to see that icky Fortress." When he refused to answer her, he felt her still and knew she was going to try a different tactic. After all, she may have been brainwashed, but she was probably still Chloe deep down inside. "There are much more romantic places to go, Clark." She started to unbutton his shirt and kiss whatever skin she could reach. "Wouldn't it be more fun to go to Paris?"

Clark felt himself be tempted and the thought of having Chloe alone in Paris was enough to almost undo his resolve. But this wasn't the real Chloe… no matter how she looked or sounded. He shifted his grip on her so it was more secure and sighed. "Chloe, you said you wanted to meet my father…"

Chloe's struggles increased exponentially and she began to strike out at him. If he hadn't been invulnerable, she could have seriously hurt him. As the Fortress first came into sight, really just a speck on the horizon, she screamed… a scream filled with anger, loss and pain. She whispered, "Clark…" before going totally limp in his arms.

Clark almost panicked, but just poured on enough speed to get to the Fortress as fast as he could and not hurt the girl in his arms. Never in a million years would he have thought that he wouldn't be able to go to his Dad and would instead turn to his biological Father.

A/N: I was complemented for something that I just wanted to comment on really quick. I'm not a huge fan of Lana. The girl gets straight on my nerves and I get cranky fast with Lana-centric "Smallville" episodes. But I think that's mostly because of what the PTB have done with her character in this incarnation. In the comics and the movies, Lana was never like this. Maybe that's why I get so irritated. But I don't Lana bash, unless in a definite parody, because I think it's too easy. That's why I write "Smallville" reviews on my own website where I can do some bashing to my heart's content. :D

iluvsmallville1: I hope my instructions were helpful. And I'm very glad you approve of my treatment of Lana. I wasn't quite so nice to her during my first two fan fics (#1 had her buried in garbage. #2… well, I don't know how to explain her character during "Clarky Horror", but I loved it.) but I gave my reasons why I don't do huge Lana bashing during my Chlark fan fics in the above paragraph. :D

Oh, and I'm glad I could help! I really do look forward to reading your stuff!

qoite: Ahhhhh! A new reviewer! How fantastic! I share your fears that they're going to get rid of Chloe, and I would be seriously upset if this did happen. Perhaps that's why I write so Chlark strong. It drives me crazy that Lana's still on and Lois has inexplicably appeared when Chloe is a better character than both put together. (Breathe, Sara. Breathe!) Hopefully, the PTB don't do the unthinkable… Thanks for the support!

MarkMark261: As always, your proofing is much appreciated. It's annoying sometimes that even withall the effort you put into your work and still stuff gets missed. It definitely makes it seem that multiple proofings are really needed. (And the robotic Lana… Well, how can you not love that?)

KentCharm: Ahhhhh… A new "convert"… How lovely! (Please picture Sara rubbing her hands together with evil glee.) Maybe it is how the girls felt, but hopefully not… but you'll just have to wait and see about the "saving" part:D