A/N: Have you ever been writing a chapter and realized you'd written part of it before? What cracks me up is that I'd written it 9 chapters ago! I guess I was feeling a little out of touch of my previous writing. If I wasn't trying so hard to keep up, I would go back and read it all. But mostly, it's reactions to things… You know, like when Clark left Chloe at the dance… That Pete found out about Clark's powers… Clark's lust for Lana… You know, stuff like that…


Chapter 15

It didn't take me long to recover and I quickly dressed. Almost of their own volition, my hands grabbed those colors that worked best with my new skin tone. As I dragged them on, I also noticed they were tighter than my previous norm. I looked hot! It would definitely keep or peak Clark's interest… and maybe just get him back for the shirt comment. But at least my subconscious hands weren't impractical and they were clothes I could actually use for what should be a hard work-out.

I tripped down the stairs gracefully, all previous memory of embarrassment banished to a locked closet in my mind. When Clark saw me, his face went pale and then flushed hotly. Smile #4 indicated how much that reaction pleased me. He swallowed hard before he allowed himself to speak. "So, where's my shirt?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

I just tossed my head at him. "Yeah, like you're getting that back…"

He looked at me with shocked eyes, but didn't get a chance to say anything. Dad beat him to the punch. "You wore his shirt to bed?" He looked scandalized and I could hear his doubts returning. I glared at Clark and wondered if Dad had secretly been watching some Lifetime movies.

I laughed and hugged my father. "Daddy, where do you think I got that plaid shirt I've been wearing for four years? You've seen me wear it to breakfast a billion times!" He breathed a sigh of relief and I saw serenity refill his eyes. "Daddy, we're going to the Kent Farm. Mrs. Kent has some of the supplies we need, so we're just going to finish the project there."

He nodded and turned back to the college football game he'd been watching. I was totally tempted to grab the remote and see if he had been watching Lifetime... but let that one go... for now! "What do you want for dinner, baby?"

"Don't know yet. Would you mind if the project runs long that I stay and eat with the Kents?" A distracted nod was all I needed and I pulled Clark out of the house. I glared again at my best friend. "Clark, how could you do that to my dad? I thought he was going to have a heart attack!"

Clark looked a little chagrined, which made me feel better. "Gee, Chloe, I'm sorry… I hadn't even thought about that…"

I was totally exasperated. "Clark, what decade do you live in? We were on a date last night… no matter how it ended…" I chuckled wryly. "He was actually afraid this morning that you were in my room." Clark looked shocked and I smiled. As much as I complained about his naivety and his old-fashioned streak,I didn't really want him to change. To me, he was a shining relief in this cynical and crazy world. I rolled my eyes to keep the pretense up, though. "Come on, farm boy. If we sit here yakkin' all day, I'll never get any practice in."

Clark nodded wryly. He raced ahead of me to open my door for me. I had to bite my tongue rather than snark about getting used to being treated like a princess. That would just tip him over the edge today. I was thankful that the ride to the farm was in companionable silence. We needed those moments to focus on the day. I had no illusions about it being an easy day. As we drove up the driveway, I realized something that had to be decided right then. "Clark, what are we going to tell your parents?"

I could have smacked him when he just shrugged. "It's not really my decision, Chloe. Mom won't pry, but I know she'll be curious." He looked at me briefly with serious eyes. "I know this is really new to you, but I really believe that you need a core group of people that know the secret." He smiled wryly. "They help cover for you in impossible seeming situations. You'd never believe how often Pete…"

That took me entirely by surprise. "I still can't believe Pete knows," my voice trembled with the hurt. Why wasn't I considered trustworthy enough to know before I shared my secret?

Clark grabbed my hand. "I wanted to tell you… but please understand…" He took a deep, calming breath. "Mom and Dad have always insisted that I couldn't tell anyone. They're afraid that one day the government will find out and take me away… Maybe lock me in a lab somewhere…"

I thought about that briefly… and had to admit that he had a point. A couple of years ago, I would have been hard-pressed to understand his desperate need for privacy when I could give everyone solid proof that my best friend was unique and amazing… "I can see where they'd be worried about that… especially with the Luthors around."

He smiled in relief. I wasn't absolutely certain how okay I was with the fact that Pete knew way before me, but it really was water under the bridge at this point. What was the point in making both of us more miserable? And if I made him too guilty or mad, would he still be willing to help me? It just wasn't a chance I was willing to take. So I focused on what had brought it up. "How do you know if it won't freak them out?" I looked at him sadly. "Like I really don't think Dad would have made it if he'd walked into my room to find me floating near the ceiling."

Clark laughed. "I wasn't sure I was up for it, and I already knew your secret! But you'd be surprised at what our parents can handle." He looked pensively out the windshield. "When I think how my parents helped me and accepted all the mistakes I made… Well, I don't know what would have happened to me if they hadn't been the ones to find me."

I thought about that pretty hard. It was true. What if Lionel Luthor had been the one to find him? The world would have gone evil and dark pretty quickly if he had those types of powers at his disposal. After all, look what he had done to Lex… But there wasn't really a lot of time to continue to discuss the issue because we were already parking in front of the farm house. "Clark, if you don't mind, let's leave it as is currently. As much as I love your parents, I'm not ready to start sharing. I don't even want to tell Pete yet… and especially not my dad…"

He smiled at me understandingly and nodded. "I got it… But I'm there for you if you want to do some discrete unveiling…"

I laughed and we got out of the truck. He might have opened my door for me, but I suddenly felt a large desire to do some things for myself. Lately, I've been relying on him a lot… and I haven't ever really gotten used to that. It was endearing, but sometimes I felt like I was losing myself with that growing reliance.

Mrs. Kent was nowhere to be found as we came nearer to the house and I found myself perversely disappointed. I should have been happy because now it would be easier not to tell her the big secret, but I've never been one to have an easy attitude. Clark led me out into the cow fields. After we'd walked what felt like forever, he looked around and stopped. "I don't think we'll be bothered here."

"Where are your parents?" I asked, also looking around. It seemed like the perfect spot because there was absolutely no way anyone could see us from the roads.

"They're on the other side of the property," Clark said. "Dad's working on removing some stumps from some pasture land he wants to develop. We'd gotten all the hard ones out, so I don't feel too guilty for leaving him on his own."

The guilt hit me hard. "Clark, if you should be helping your dad…" I wanted and needed his help, but I couldn't ask him to neglect his duty to his family. For crying out loud, they'd been too good to me for me to turn around and treat them so badly.

He smiled and once again I wondered if he could possibly read my thoughts. "Nah, he's okay. It's just some alder starts that he has to dig out." He laughed. "As much as Dad uses my abilities to help with the hard jobs, I think he really enjoys doing the little jobs by himself. It was probably a relief to him that you needed me before I tugged them all out of the ground in five minutes." His cavalier attitude relieved my mind no end. I smiled back at him shyly and then I wondered what we should do next. I voiced my question and his grin widened. "Chloe, when I've had to learn to control a new power, it's more about controlling myself. Now it's your turn."

I looked at him in wide-eyed wonder. He was making more sense than usual and it gave him a new confidence that I found hugely attractive. But I was his student here and it was more important to get control of my new powers rather than act on the attraction I always felt for him. I looked up at him, trusting that he could help me. "So, what do you suggest?"

He had paled a little and I wondered why, but it was gone so fast that I had to wonder if I'd imagined it. "Let's work on the one that has been hurting you the most… your telepathy. You need to get to the point where you can tune out the thoughts of others if you need to, but also be able to access them as well."

"I don't know if I want to ever access them again, Clark," I said slowly. "I feel like the ultimate Peeping Tom."

He shrugged. "I suppose that's your choice, Chlo, but there may come a time when you need it. Wouldn't it be better to practice both aspects just in case they're needed, but plan on never actually using it?"

He made a lot of sense and I grimaced. That was just what I needed… a logical Clark Kent when I'm feeling anything but logical was not a pleasant feeling. But spending an entire day with Clark when he was focusing solely on me… Well, that made up for a lot of the downsides. I watched him sit cross-legged on the ground and I had to restrain a giggle. I would never have thought of Clark as a meditating sort. I copied his movement and was glad that I wasn't wearing a skirt. As much as I wanted Clark's attention, I wasn't going to be that free with the view…

He clasped my hands in his and took a deep breath. "Okay, Chlo. First, let's try to push out your mental power. Mom and Dad are on the other side of the farm. See if you can hear them."

I closed my eyes and tried to relax when all I was feeling was a nervous tension. It was such a relief to not have the thoughts of others intrude into my head that the idea of consciously looking for that made me a little sick. But he was right. There had to be a reason for this power and if I couldn't control it, its purpose would be null. I tried to reach out in my imagination but tons of things kept distracting me. The feel of Clark's hands covering mine… The sound of a car racing by on the highway in the distance… The rustle of the wind through the tall grass… Finally, I thought I could just make out a faint tendril of something… I put all my attention into finding out what it was.

"I hope Chloe's okay… She sounded so worried on the phone…" I could hear Mrs. Kent's voice as if she were whispering in my ear. I had to smile that she was worried about me. Of all the adults in town, she was most tolerant of all my faults and foibles. She hardly ever got mad at me for the escapades I invariably pulled Clark into.

"Martha is so hot when she helps me bring in the wood. I wonder if she would mind a little tryst in the back forty…" Mr. Kent's voice sounded husky and I blushed at his thoughts. I could almost see a yearning smile cross his lips. I tried to break off contact, but I felt like I was caught fast. And then even more people started in on me.

I gasped and pulled one of my hands free from Clark's to hold it to my head. "There's too many…" I cried. It was almost painful how the thoughts were hammering at me.

"Chloe," Clark said calmly. "You have to concentrate. Just exclude them from your mind." He paused for a moment, obviously trying to think of a better way to say it. "It's like you're building doors that only you have the key for."

I squinted at him, but nodded. It made sense… and I had always been proud of how I could control myself and my reactions. Slowly, I closed the door on each person and the pain lessened with each. When I was done, I could have shouted for joy. "They're gone."

Clark smiled. "That's great, Chlo. Now try again."

I could only gape at him for a moment. "Try again? Are you crazy?"

"Practice makes perfect," he said. I thought he looked a little smug about it, but had to admit that he had a point. I shrugged and closed my eyes. "Okay, now search for a specific person…" he said slowly. "Try Lana…" I grimaced and he sighed. "Okay, maybe that's not the best idea. Try whomever you'd like."

I thought about it for a moment. "Okay, how about my cousin Lois…" I took a deep breath and reached out. For some reason, it seemed really easy to find her.

"Damn that colonel! Who the hell does he think he is?" Her fury was like a cleansing fire, but before I got too involved in her problems, I shut the door.

I smiled, but kept my eyes shut. "That was easy. Who next?"

Clark and I kept up the mental spying as he threw more and more unknown names at me. Distance definitely made a difference and some people felt denser than others, but if I concentrated hard enough, their thoughts were laid open to me. When we stopped to take a break, he smiled at me. "That's great, Chlo."

I smiled back, but had to still a shudder. "I really don't like this type of snooping, Clark… and if you hadn't taken the time to help me practice, it's quite possible that they could have driven me mad. Can you imagine the world's thoughts beating in on you?"

He shook his head slowly. "That's something you either already know or will learn quickly. With great power, comes great responsibility… and the drawbacks aren't always pleasant. But if you do your best…"

We both looked at each other somberly. The euphoria of my success was being drowned in these deep thoughts. I shook myself. "Okay, what do we practice now?"

His serious eyes told me that he acknowledged my change of subject, but I worried that he would bring it up again. But he took a deep breath and just said, "Well, you seem to have pretty good control over thoughts, so maybe we should address your latest…"

I almost jumped up and down in excitement. "You mean the flying? I'm so excited! When Destiny talked about her ability to fly, I was so jealous! Do you think it'll be hard to master? How do we get started?"

Clark laughed and just pulled me back down to a sitting position. "Getting yourself all excited isn't going to help your concentration. Now, center yourself first."

I had to bite back my automatic snark, but he was my instructor right now. I should probably take advantage of his experience. I sank back down to the ground and concentrated on my breathing. I could feel the calm stillness seep into my very pores and when I felt an absolute calm, I opened my eyes and nodded at Clark.

"Okay, Chlo," he said softly as he released my hands. "Just like before, imagine yourself six feet in the air. Your knees would be just below the top of my head."

I could hear him standing and wondered briefly what he was thinking. But that exercise was over and this was something I really wanted to control as soon as possible. I took a deep breath and pictured myself slowly raising into the air. It felt like I was still on terra firma, but I could feel a breeze caress the bottom part of my legs. I almost whooped for joy, but grabbed hold of my calm to finish Clark's assignment. I pictured myself hovering just above his eye line.

A whoop of joy broke my concentration and I could feel gravity reassert its authority. But strong arms grabbed hold of me and whirled me around. I opened my eyes to see an exultant Clark. "Chloe, you totally did it! And you hovered just where I asked you too!"

I laughed and kicked my legs lightly in delight. We were still whirling and it was quite the celebration. I grimaced when we stopped for a moment. "I dropped as soon as I stopped thinking about it, though," I confessed warily. I didn't want to ruin the mood, but this was another "Honesty Moment" between us.

"The important thing is that you did it on purpose, Chlo!" Clark didn't seem willing to let a few drawbacks hinder his celebration. "With more practice…"

I smiled down at him. "Well, I'm not going to get more practice with you holding me, am I?" He blushed and angled my feet to the ground almost immediately. I slowly slid along him until my feet were touching the ground. It was so surprising and our eyes never once broke contact. He was looking at me strangely and suddenly I didn't know what to do. "Clark?" I choked. Suddenly I couldn't make another sound.

"Chloe…" he whispered as his head bent closer to mine. I closed my eyes just before his lips touched mine. Suddenly, I felt like my entire body was on fire. It felt almost too good to be true, but my arms crept up around his neck… almost of their own volition. We could have been standing there for hours or seconds… time made no difference… when suddenly, a voice that I was subconsciously dreading intruded upon this perfect moment.

"Clark!" Lana screeched.


A/N:
Such a lovely day… at least here in Washington. The sun is so bizarrely hot right now that it's sucking all the energy out of me. That is the only excuse I can offer for not posting this sooner. (Oh, and for those that would like to know… I have started a new fic. I'm hoping you'll like it. I'm departing from my norm and writing from Clark's point of view instead of Chloe's. It's strange and exciting… and I can't wait to hear what you think!)

Smile #4 – "I know you want me…" (I think this may be the last Smile numbering reference…)

iluvsmallville1: So, did you check out the video? What did you think? I have plans… BIG PLANS… for future ones. But, unlike Harry Potter, Smallville has so much raw material to work with that it's hard to narrow down the scope. (And I'm glad you liked my private image of her night clothes. If anyone else wants to know, let me know and I'll tell you what I told ILS1. ;D)

MacGateFan: Thank you for your enthusiasm! I hope it never fades!

BabyC2003: I honestly believe the reason they don't put more humor into Clark on the show is because they're going for a teenage angsty feel… which tends to irritate me more than anything. I've been looking at the scripts for the last five seasons and some of the stuff they've written has really gotten under my skin. Grrr… But that's neither here nor there, is it?

markmark261: Here's a longer one for you… I'm sure it's rife with mistakes you can rub my nose in! ;D I couldn't help myself with the shirts though… I mean, all that flannel shouldn't be dedicated solely for the day… I mean… What? Where? Who?

spaceboi's pixie: I'm telling you… those flannel shirts inhabit some of my deepest fantasies… Shoot! I didn't mean to say that aloud… Oh, well. And I'm glad you get my sense of humor. Sometimes I feel like it's too… odd. And of course Clark is helping Chloe… Did you really expect him not to? ;D

Cherri202: Give my love to everyone! ;D