Author's Note: Okay, I hope you liked the last chapter. Also, to clear things up with the Smallville stuff in the story: everything in Season 4 happened, except that Lana still has the mark of transference on her back, and she is still inhabited by the Countess. Lana and Clark were together and broke up, like in Season 5. Chloe knows Clark's secret, and Clark knows that she does, like in Season 5.

Chapter Four

It had been five days since Chloe's encounter with the sisters. She'd thought about her whole situation. Ever since she'd discovered that some of her dreams really happened, she'd been worried about one night in particular. She'd been dreaming that she was in Clark's loft, and she'd been really forward with him. If the sisters were right, then it had really happened, because that was when the fatigue started. What was she going to do? Perhaps it was best to forget about it, because Clark would have mentioned it by now.

"Sullivan!" Perry White's voice cut through her thoughts. "In my office, now." She navigated the path to the office, nervous about his reasons for calling her there. There was silence for a moment. "Sit," he instructed, motioning to the chair across his desk. He took a deep breath. "Chloe, I'm giving you a month off," he said.

"What? Why?"

"I think you need one. You've been working really hard, and you need time off, especially with the work you've been doing lately." At the last sentence, his tone changed. He'd purposely lowered his voice. She'd noticed that, and regarded him with slight suspicion. "As of now, you're officially on a paid leave. You can go anywhere, and do anything," he said. With that, he dismissed her.

As she walked out of his office, Chloe couldn't help but think that her powers had a hand in what just happened. But, she was glad that she'd managed to avoid more evident mishaps. She needed to get a grip on her abilities. She now empathized with Clark. Was this what he'd felt all those years? She'd assumed it was worse for him, since a few of his abilities could kill someone.

Clark was in the barn doing chores. He heard a car approach; it was Chloe. He ran out to greet her.

"Chloe! What a great surprise," Clark said. "How have you been?"

"I'm okay. This week was... interesting. Perry is giving me a month off," she told him.

"Why?" Clark asked. Had something happened to her? Was she working too hard? All the possible reasons that Perry White would let Chloe go ran through his head. Maybe he'd fired her and Chloe was being optimistic. Clark eliminated the last thought. Chloe was an excellent reporter, and Perry knew that. He would be crazy to fire her.

"He said I needed a break. I don't care what he says, though. I'm still going to do work. If I find a story, I am going to investigate."

"Wow. That's a surprise," he said sarcastically.

"Anyway," she said, dismissing his comment, "I think I'll take this opportunity to travel. I think I'll go on a road trip."

"Really? Where to?" Clark asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll go to California and scope out the beaches," she said. "Do you think I could pass for a surfer chick?"

"No. I think you should be yourself... and behave yourself. Maybe I'll come with you to make sure of the last one," he told her. She smiled. It might be fun having Clark around, but she couldn't take him with her. She was going to see Paige and her sisters, and she wanted to get everything straight before she even considered telling him about her new powers.

"Well, maybe you can visit me," she said, "but I don't want you to leave here just because of me. I'll be back soon enough, and we'll have lots to talk about. Besides, I'll have my cellphone. We'll keep in touch." Clark noticed something about her tone and demeanor, and it worried him. She was talking as if she was trying to convince herself of what she was saying. Was she planning on going for good? What was happening to her? He tipped her chin up so he could look into her eyes.

"Promise me that you'll come back," he said. "Can you do that? For me? Please?" He was pleading with her. "I don't know what I'll do if another of my best friends leaves." She was unresponsive. "Chloe?" She nodded before speaking.

"Clark, I'll come back," she said.He smiled at her and gave her a hug.

"When are you planning to leave?" he asked her. He wanted to hang out with her before she left.

"In the morning, so I can try to beat traffic."

"Oh," Clark said, "So soon?"

"I don't want to waste any time." She took a look at her watch, and smiled. "Well, I'd better get going. I have a few more goodbyes, and I have to pack." She turned toward the farm house. "Is your mom home? I want to see her before I leave." He nodded, and she was off into the house.

As Chloe walked into the Talon, Lana smiled. "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?"

"Can't complain," Chloe said. "Any episodes with Isobel lately?" she asked, referring to the 17th century witch that Lana had been harboring. Chloe still didn't comprehend the entire situation, but was interested in it anyway. She was especially intrigued now that she'd learned

"No, thankfully," Lana replied. "And I'd like to keep it that way. So, the usual?"

"Oh, no thanks. I just stopped by to say goodbye," Chloe said.

"Where are you going?" Lana asked.

"I'm not sure yet. When I get there, I'll get you a souvenir."

Lana smiled. "That would be nice." Neither of them realized that Lois had come in.

"Well, I should get going, I still have a lot of packing to do," Chloe said.

"Alright. I'll see you when you get back."

"Whoa, hold the fire. Get back from where, Chlo?"

"Lois, I was just about to come see you," Chloe said. She'd wanted to talk to her cousin in private, and Lois probably wouldn't budge without an explanation. "Can we go talk in private?" Lois was about to protest, but decided against it, and went with her cousin to the upstairs apartment.

"Okay, so now that we're in private, I'll ask once again. Where are you going?" Lois sounded angry.

"You can't tell anyone. I told Clark and Mrs. Kent, but that's it. I'm going to California."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I guess because I want to," Chloe said. "I need to." Lois studied her cousin's face. She was determined to go, so Lois would let her go.

"Just be careful, okay? How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know yet, maybe a month, maybe not. It depends on how much I like it there," Chloe explained. "But, I want you to come hang out with me when I get there," she said.

"Of course. Hey, why don't you get on one of Daddy's super-fast government planes that's not supposed to exist? You'll be there in no time."

"Then it wouldn't be a road trip," Chloe said.

"You can't go on a road trip by yourself! Are you nuts? What happens if you decide to rest somewhere and get kidnapped?"

"Lois, give me a hug, and wish me luck. I'm going home to pack. You can't talk me out of this," Chloe said with a smile. "I'm coming back, you know," Chloe told her.

"I know, I know," Lois said. "But how am I supposed to deal with Smallville? Come on Chloe, don't leave me here!"

"One, you and Clark need to stop the bickering, and two, you like it here, even if you don't want to admit it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go home and do some packing." With that, they went back into the Talon, and Chloe left.

When she got home, Chloe found someone sitting in front of the building. He looked up at her and smiled.

"Jimmy?" She couldn't believe it. Jimmy Olsen was waiting at her front door. She thought she loved him once, but it was a summer fling.

"Hey, Chloe," he said. "I'm sorry for just showing up like this, but I have to talk to you." Chloe noticed that he was nervous and a bit unsure of himself—more so than usual.

"Is everything alright?" she asked him. He took a few steps closer and kissed her. After a moment, he broke the kiss

"No, it's not. Ever since that summer, I've thought about you. I've missed talking to you, being with you. I'm sorry if I've seemed rude since I started working at the planet this week, but I couldn't talk to you. I mean, what was I going to say? I didn't mean to lose touch with you, but, things started to change after a while. We started to have fewer and fewer conversations because of school, and I just... I don't know what happened." He looked at her in earnest. When she didn't speak, he walked away.

He was across the street and almost out of her sight when she finally decided that she wanted him to stay.

"Jimmy!" She wasn't sure of what to do now; she could barely see him. She called out again, and he stopped. "Jimmy, come back!" she shouted. He turned around, and she motioned for him to return. He hurried back to her, and she gave him a hug. "Come upstairs and we'll talk," she said when they finally broke apart.

"Wow. This is nice," Jimmy said as they entered. She closed and locked the door and told him to sit down. He sat on the couch, and she sat on the end opposite him, looking at him, seriously. He cleared his throat, and spoke up.

"Chloe, I'm not asking for us to go back to the way it was. We can't do that, and I don't want to. What I want is for you to give me a chance. I want to see where this could go. It's all up to you. Whatever you want to do, I'll go with," he said.

"This is really bad timing," she said. He looked at her, as if to ask why. "I'm going away for a month."

"Where?" he asked.

"I don't know yet. Wherever the road takes me, I guess." He looked disappointed, but the expression quickly changed.

"We'll make it work. I'll be here when you get back," he said, "and, we'll keep in touch this time. When are you leaving?"

"In the morning," she said. He looked less optimistic, and got up to leave.

"Well, I guess I should let you get ready for that," he said. She stood up to let him out, and he gave her a kiss to say goodbye. It was supposed to be a friendly kiss, but somehow it deepened. Chloe's cellphone rang and interrupted them.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Chloe, it's Lois. What time are you leaving in the morning?"

"I'll probably start out at around 8 or so. Why?" She looked up at Jimmy apologetically and noticed the look in his eyes. She barely noticed what Lois was saying because she was trying to decipher it.

"Actually, Chlo, I have to go now," was all she understood. She hung up and asked Jimmy what was wrong.

"Nothing," he said. "I just don't want to do anything that you don't want to do." Chloe considered his words and what she wanted. She looked up into his eyes and kissed him. Soon, his hands were at her hips, pulling her shirt off. He let his fingertips graze her skin and he pulled her closer to him. Soon, they were heading to her bedroom.

At the Kent Farm

"Smooth, Lois. Very smooth," Clark said. "I told you I should have been the one to call."

"It doesn't matter, now we know when. So, here's the plan: we're going to see if we can get your mom to make breakfast for us, and then we'll head for Metropolis bright and early. We wake Chloe up, surprise her with breakfast and coffee, and voilà! The perfect send-off!"

"She's going to kill us," Clark said. "I'm going to go write my will."

"Okay, you do that. I'm going to call Lana and see if she'll come." She noticed Clark's hesitation. "Don't worry, if you want, you can drive your truck, and I'll drive Lana in my car."

Clark walked away from her, heading to the house to tell his mother what the plan was. As soon as he'd told her, she'd gotten excited. She planned to make Chloe a really special breakfast, along with snacks for her drive. Chloe had become like a daughter to her, so Martha wanted to give her the traditional maternal send-off.

"Mom, I think you're going overboard," Clark said.

"I think I'll go with you in the morning, just to make sure Chloe has all that she needs for her trip."

"I don't think that's such a good idea. I'm pretty sure that she's going to be pretty angry when we show up in her apartment unannounced. You don't want to hear the things that she can say, Mom," Clark said with a slight grin. "But, I'll give her the speech for you."

Lois came into the kitchen, and went over to Clark. "If you even think about warning her about this, I will make your life a living hell until she gets back."

"You're doing that now, so it doesn't really matter, now does it?"

To be continued...

So, what do you think? Reviews please! Constructive criticism welcome.