Chapter Twenty-Seven
The night of the Smallville Spring Formal had arrived. Clark was wearing his new tailored blue suit and stood in front of a mirror trying to tie a bow tie of matching material.
"Can I come in?" Lex asked, knocking on the door.
"Sure."
"Need some help?"
"Please."
"Got the lab results back. Your blood work is a match," Lex said as he tied Clark's bowtie. Clark wasn't surprised. If his fingerprints matched, it was highly probable his blood wasn't different either. "We can move forward with Project Asclepius as soon as we get you in to donate more blood. That is, if you're okay with it."
"Yeah. I'll be fine."
"All the same, I think we'll have you donate a few times first to make sure you're comfortable before we announce publicly. As Dr. Hamilton said, a pint can make many doses. But until our scientists can replicate how kryptonite affected my blood, the project will rely on your continual donation." Lex stepped back when he was finished.
"I understand, Lex. I just can't see how I can say 'no' to this."
"Well, I think that's enough business for the day. You have a dance to get to."
The plan was for Clark and Jeff to pick up Chloe and Lois in the limo. Lex followed behind in a separate car, unwilling to trust Gabe's photo taking.
Chloe was wearing a pink dress, and whether it was the same one or different, Clark couldn't tell. All that he knew was Chloe was beautiful. Lois was dressed in black. Clark found it easy to smile at how happy Lex looked as he took photo after photo of all of them together. Lois refused to take a couple's photo with Jeff, since they really weren't each other's date. The two of them left the living room as Lex continued to take photos of Clark and Chloe together.
"So," Jeff shrugged and put his hands in his pockets, "how's the Kent Conundrum going?"
"Normal, sadly. I've been trying to go through all this footage, but it's extremely boring watching someone just lie there. Only visitors are Dr. Hamilton, Lex, and his assistant. Marci, I think. Completely normal." Lois then closed her eyes shut. "Except his memory. So, I know something happened. I just don't know what or where to look anymore. I mean, check this out," Lois dragged him over to the kitchen table where papers and textbooks were scattered everywhere. Without hesitation she reached into the middle of a stack and pulled out the single paper she wanted. "I asked Julian to write down everything he remembered right before the accident and then when he woke up. Something's off, but I can't put my finger on it."
The list read as follows:
Morning chores at farm
Went to Talon for study group. Only Lana could attend.
Coffee was spiked dying my teeth black
Returned to Kent farm; brushed teeth a dozen times. Stayed grey
Went into Kitchen; felt a prick on my neck and passed out
Tied to chair at Miller Homestead. Lucas was holding a gun, said my brother would be coming soon
Lex arrives
Shack catches on fire
I fall over
Lex charges
Gun goes off
Wake up hooked to machines. Marci's there. Runs out to get Lex and Hamilton.
I say my name is Clark Kent
Try to go to Kent farm, fall asleep again
Wake up again at mansion
Have breakfast
Lex explains I'm Julian and been in a coma for a year
"And you think somethings off with this?"
"Yes, but I can't see it. Can you see it?"
"No. But when there's always a problem I can't solve, it helps to get my mind off of it."
"We're done now!" Chloe shouted from the other room.
"Finally," Lois said.
The teenagers got in the limo, which was stocked with soda and chips. The limo drove them around town a few times since the school was so close. They cheered over Chloe's article on Watts being accepted by the Daily Planet. It hadn't been front page news, but Chloe was still going to have it framed.
The theme for this year was "A Night in Vegas". The decorating committee had a wheel set up where people spun it right before taking a picture. The wheel could land on "kiss" or "hokey pokey" and then they had to do it while the photo was taken. Large felt dice were placed around the dance floor and cardboard cutouts of poker chips were hung from the ceiling.
Clark and Chloe spun the wheel and it landed on "kiss". Clark meant it to be on the cheek, but at the last minute she turned her head. Laughing, Chloe insisted Lois and Jeff try it next. Their spin also landed on "kiss" (there were several sections with this choice), and she forcefully turned it to the next one: sing karaoke. The photo taken was one of Jeff covering his ears as Lois belted out White Snake's "Here I go Again".
Clark and Chloe danced through the night. He had made sure to request the DJ play "Perfect Memory" by Remy Zero, and they slow dance with her nestling her head on his shoulder. After the song ended, he noticed Pete and Dustin mocking Jodi for being overweight.
"Would you mind if I asked her to dance?" Clark asked Chloe.
"No. I need a break. Plus, I want to make sure Lois didn't spike the punch bowl."
"Okay." He grabbed her hand. "I promise I will be back."
Chloe walked over to the back wall where Lois and Jeff had been hanging out. "So, how's it going over here?"
"Not bad. Someone asked us to move," Jeff said.
"I'm still not understanding these dances. But it looks like you're having fun. Where's your date?"
"He's playing the hero." Chloe smiled. They all looked over at Clark dancing with Jodi. There was space between them, and they were smiling and laughing as they just swayed to the music. "So, any new theories?"
"Nope. I'm thinking I'll throw in the towel." Lois admitted. "Jeff was just talking about how Dominic thinks the changes in Julian's character is because Lionel died."
"That was not a man you wanted to cross." Jeff added. "Whenever he came to Smallville, you always made yourself scarce. After making sure everything was perfect."
"Hate to admit, cous, but you have one normal boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend," Chloe tried to protest, but blushed at the thought.
"Good. Then that means you're free." Pete said as he sidled up to Chloe and put his hand around her waist.
"Back off!" Chloe shouted as she pushed herself away. Lois immediately stepped in with some choice words. Chloe found herself walking towards Julian, only to feel her arm being yanked.
"Come on, Chloe, just one dance." Pete had grabbed her hand and started to pull her toward the floor.
"Ow!" She growled.
"That's enough!" Clark shouted. Where he came from, Chloe wasn't sure, but was grateful. Clark made sure to grab Chloe around her waist so he wouldn't hurt her.
"Let's go, Luthor!"
With his quick reflexes, Clark was able to see Pete starting to throw a punch. To his relief, Pete let go of Chloe's hand. But, since Clark was still holding Chloe, and he didn't want Pete to hit him since it would crush his hand, he saw no alternative but to lean to his left. Pete's fist hit nothing but air, and his balance was lost, sending him forward straight into the punch bowl on the table behind them. The entire table collapsed, and punch and snacks scattered over the gym floor. Pete sputtered and walked off towards the bathroom in a huff as members of the dance committee tried to clean up the mess.
"Is this how you remember it going the first time?" Chloe asked.
"There wasn't a first time." Clark heard himself say. Despite the incident with Pete, this night had been everything he had imagined. No tornado. No disaster of any kind. He had been able to dance the night away with someone he cared deeply about. Clark brushed a lock of hair off Chloe's face and smiled.
To her chagrin, Lois actually had fun at the dance. She had never been able to have the whole normal high school experience, ping-ponging between military bases. In her mind Lois had told herself repeatedly how stupid they were until she actually believed it. But the night had been fun. Jeff hadn't been that bad of a dancer when they decided to dance. The punch could have used a kick, but the sideshow with Pete Ross had been entertaining.
Chloe was on cloud nine and smiled and hummed as she went about washing her face and brushing her teeth. Her cousin was now in bed, no doubt reliving the night in her dreams. In the meantime, Lois couldn't find herself being able to sleep. She idly turned to see the new text message on her phone.
Lois figured it out. Julian couldn't have been in a coma. Talk more tomorrow
With speedy fingers Lois dialed Jeff. How exactly did he expect her to sleep with a message like that?
What did Jeff notice? I'm really curious to know if people saw what I left or are thinking something else, so get your votes in. Remember, it will be something small. I promise the answer will be revealed in the next update. And then you can tell me if I was stupid or clever.
Side note: Looking back I'm finding it really hard to believe that neither the Kents nor Chloe's father wanted pictures of them going to the dance in Tempest.