A/N - the chapter you've been waiting for...keep reviewing...thanks!

Chapter 9 – Brunette

Clark and Chloe turned around as they saw Lana's face gape trying to cover up her obvious surprise of Lex's arm around Chloe. Lana was only able to muster, "hi," from her lips.

Lex let go of Chloe and smiled at the two of them, "I really should talk to her."

Chloe left the room as Clark walked up to Lana. "He's not the same Lex that you knew, that any of us knew." Lana flashed him a dirty look.

"Look, I know you are really trying to convince me that you've got him all wrapped up here since your family seems to be running his life right now, but you and I broke up and Lex and I had something," Lana sharply whispered.

Backing off and walking toward the door, he responded, "I'm just warning you."

Lex watched the cold exchange between the two with relative interest. He knew that Clark and Lana had once been some kind of couple but was still confused, yea not filled in, on how their relationship had gotten so rocky. Pretending to mind his own business, he flipped through a magazine until he heard Clark leave the room.

"Come on in," Lex motioned for Lana to come in. "Lana, come and sit with me."

Lana moved hesitantly across the room and sat down with Lex. She looked around and took his outstretched hand. "How are you?"

Lex smiled at her. "I'm as ok as I can be physically besides my head and my ribs of course. The dosage of meds is high enough I barely can tell that I'm sitting." He stopped as he noticed Lana loosen up with a chuckle. "But the surgery affected my memory so I just remember what I've either read or heard about."

"So, what have you remembered?" Lana was fishing for the exact words that she hoped to hear from him. She had heard that his memories were random. Was she a strong enough memory, she had to be, he had been secretly pining for her for years.

"Trivial things really. It's all a bit fuzzy right now." Lex watched as she paced the floor listening to his bland, but true response.

Lana put her head down and stared at the ground. "So about us?"

"Us?" Lex answered blankly.

"Well, we were kind of…working…together." Lex watched as Lana carefully phrased her words. He still wondered if there was already more going on than what she was talking about. As she moved toward him, he caressed her hand and traced his fingers along her arm to see a reaction.

"Working?"

Lana concentrated on his fingers sending pulses through her arm. She felt like leaning over and kissing him but hesitated. "Yeah, we were working on a project for my college class together and we still watch over the Talon together."

Talon – there was a word he knew. "How attached to that place are you exactly?" he asked as he kept rubbing her arm.

"Ummm, I guess I was at one time but now I've let it go." She looked at Lex apprehensively.

Lex let go over her hand and leaned over to grab something off the table across the bed. "Good, I want you to look over this. I had Martha Kent make some calls and I think this would be a wise decision, at least on paper."

Lex handed her the paper. Lana read the multi-layered contract quickly. "You're selling?" She stood up and walked across the small room. "Why are you selling?"

"I thought you just said that you didn't care? It's a business decision and a good one. That's a damn good price compared to what Martha said it was appraised for."

Lana looked at the contract. $150,000 a piece, she thought to herself. "Lex this is pocket change for you – why not just keep it?"

"Because it hasn't made that much since it's been open. Besides, I'm selling to a chain – it's not like I'm turning it into a parking garage."

"Yeah, that was your idea years ago. And I talked you out of it then." She waited for a retort or a sign that he would change his mind again. Instead, he laid a pen out on the table crossing the bed. She looked angry at him as she seethed, "Fine." She slammed the contract down on the table and signed it. Lex picked it up and slid it into a folder on the table.

"Now, why was that so hard?" Lex seemed genuine in his intentions.

Still angry, Lana fired back, "Because it wasn't just about the Talon." Lana took a deep breath to calm herself but Lex kept prodding.

"Then what was it about?"

"Lex," Lana sat on the edge of the bed, "we had something. You bought the Talon way back when for me. You have always been there for me, visiting me in Paris. You kissed me the night that you lost the Senate race. Ever since we have been straddling the fence."

Lex was dumbfounded. He knew she was very important to Clark who he had yet to talk to in detail. But as much as he tried, he could only picture her as the little girl that rode horses and attended cheerleading camp at Luthorcorp center when she was younger. He remembered she was self absorbed and bland. He was in love with her? He had to break it to her.

"Lana, I don't remember honestly." Lana glared at him in disbelief. "Honest hasn't normally been part of my vocabulary, has it?" She shook her head in agreement. He took both of her hands in his. "Look, I want to get back to my life and need to do it at my own pace. I don't mean to disclude you but any feelings there were between us, I honestly don't feel them. I don't even know you. So, I'm going to go back to work and concentrate on that and everything else will hopefully fall into place."

Lex sat back and waited for Lana's reaction. She looked still confused and upset but more understanding. They didn't discuss what others had talked about or discuss old memories. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she just kept him company in silence while he continued reading through more of his work.

Chloe stood outside of the door and watched as Lex moved to let Lana sit beside him. I never get a break – everything that I even think has a glimmer of hope gets taken by the pretty brunette. I mean she's my friend and I would never actually picture Lex and I together but even just a shot.

Clark walked up and saw the concern on Chloe's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it," she sniffed as she rubbed a tear out of the corner of her eye. Clark stared at Chloe for a minute and watched as she grimaced at Lex moving Lana further up on the side of the bed with him.

Putting his hand on her shoulder, he turned her to face him. "You like him, don't you?"

Chloe nodded and halfway giggled trying to put off the obvious. "Clark, that's crazy. Lex? Come on." Chloe turned away and gazed in the window and sighed. "Yeah, maybe. I don't know. I just…"

Listening near the glass, he put his arm around her. "Don't worry." Chloe looked at him and opened her mouth as he covered it. "He told her the truth – he doesn't remember her and told her he doesn't want to force anything."

"He told her the truth?"

"Yeah. And he's selling the Talon. Maybe he's serious about starting over," Clark laughed as he spoke, "and it looked like he wanted to start with you."