Hope you all had a MERRY CHRISTMAS! I would have so loved to post this on Christmas as a little gift from me to you but...I forgot. I'm sorry! So here it is! A little belated gift. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for the many reviews and maybe a few more will get me back on a roll. Hope everyone has a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It had taken Clark awhile to calm down Chloe enough to venture out to find Lois but when he got outside he couldn't hear her. He started down one street and when his ears couldn't detect the famaliar patterns of her heart, he headed in the opposite direction but still nothing. Taking a quick trip back to The Daily Planet led him to a empty desk and cold cup of coffee. He sighed, rubbing his hand over his neck and looking around the room as if Lois would just suddenly appear.
"Clark....Just come back." Chloe's whisper came through his panicked thoughts and he headed back over to The Talon, where a defeated Chloe laid slumped in her seat.
"What am I going to do?" She asked absentmindedly, her eyes lost in thought. Clark sat down on the love seat, his face just as pensive.
"I have to tell her." Chloe finally said, "I mean...Not telling her would be hurting her and me and I need to tell her."
Clark nodded his head, perching his head on top of his fists.
"Plus, it might set an example for someone else..." She finished.
He raised his eyebrows in question before giving Chloe a grim look.
"I just don't know how?" She continued in frustration, "I mean, how do you tell someone you've known since you were in diapers that you suddenly can sense other people's emotions?!"
"So, is that what we've decided is what's happening to you?"
"Well, I'm getting body aches from Trisha, the pregnant waiter who lives down the block. I seem to feeling Paul's, the antiques seller next door, disgust for mankind and I really don't want to tell you about Greg and Nancy, who live just a few doors down. That one I'll keep to myself."
Clark grimaced.
"Chloe...This just...I mean...How are...?"
"You're asking me." Chloe sighed, playing with the now cold box of chow mien in her hand.
"I just need someone right now. Someone who can look at this with a clear head, who hasn't been effected by years of meteor powered psychopaths. I need Lois."
"And you'll get her." Clark said with a dawning realization.
"You know, it feels weird being on this side of the conversation. I don't know if I rather enjoy having the tables turned."
Clark was still pondering his sudden epiphany, so Chloe's statement went unanswered.
"Clark?"
"Huh?" He broke out of his stupor, glancing at Chloe with blinking eyes.
"I was asking if you would kind enough to drive me over to The Planet tomorrow?"
"Sur-" Clark started, "No."
"What?! Why?!"
"Because Chloe, you're reacting to people's emotions. I mean even now, you're reacting to people who aren't even in the same room as you and you want to go to the busiest and most anxious place in Metropolis. You could come out worst then ever."
She shrugged her shoulders, "So how am I supposed to talk to Lois?"
"I'll bring her to you." Clark decided, nodding his head as if the deal was set.
"Really now? Something tells me that Lois won't be too happy to see you."
Clark took that into consideration. He placed his hands on his hips as a thousand scenarios ran through his head all ending with a steaming cup of hot coffee being thrown in his face.
"Yeah. Well I made up my mind. I'll bring Lois to you." He decided. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, backpedaling to give Chloe a kiss on the forehead before heading out.
"CLARK!" Chloe called out.
Should I tell him?!
"Yeah?" He answered, his head poking through the gap between the door. Chloe didn't need her abilities to see the worry that weighted down Clark's shoulders.
Maybe it's actually better if he doesn't know.
"Never mind." She said, shaking her head.
"Okay." He said before finally closing the door.
Yeah. It's better.
Lois rubbed her aching shoulders as she poured herself a cup of coffee. A night spent sleeping at The Planet's many lumpy couches didn't do her back muscles any justice. She winced as she grabbed a rather high up file.
Well, you've had worst.
As she had laid there, tired of tossing around for a comfortable position, she thought deeply at what she had heard. Her cousin, Chloe, had a meteor power and not even her first. It didn't hurt Lois so much that Chloe hadn't opened herself up to her about this new ability. It hurt Lois that Chloe had kept the previous one a secret. As she had punched her makeshift pillow, she wondered why Chloe couldn't open to her like she did to Clark? Lois wasn't jealous but she just speculated. Chloe and her had always been trustful especially when it came to secrets. Little Chloe had always whispered in Little Lois' ears, telling her about the wonders of Smallville. The weird and unexplained and how she planned on exposing the truth at The Daily Planet one day.
As the moon kissed her softly through the window, and as the gentle roars of Metropolis' traffic pushed her into the void between sleep and consciously aware, Lois just wondered.
Now Lois, sleep deprived, waded through the mass of reporters, taking gentle sips of her coffee as she read over her new assignment.
Mayor exposed. Money fraud. Yadda-Yadda. How exciting.
She sighed as she flopped the file down at her desk. She continued to sip her coffee as her eyes trailed over to a certain someone's desk which laid vacant.
Good.
She didn't know why she was so anxious to see Clark or why she was mad at him?
Maybe I'm not even mad...
"Hello, Lois." A small voice of uncertainty came at her from behind and she slowly spun around, her eyes peeking behind the rim of her mug. Clark anxiously watched everything but her. His eyes flickering towards the ceiling, the floor...the coffee rim Lois left on his newly printed article.
"Hm." That was all she said...If Clark could call it saying. She turned back to her desk, sitting down rather forcefully and pounded the keyboard, her mouth pursed to one side.
"Lois, can we talk?" Clark asked, placing his bag on his desk and removing his coat. Lois barely acknowledge him, instead standing up to retrieve a file she didn't really need.
"Lois!" Clark grabbed her arm and ignoring her shocked outburst, pulled her into the copy room.
"We need to talk."
She glared at him for a moment before softening just a bit.
"Fine but could we lay off the manhandling?" She said, shooting a pointed look to her arm.
Oh. Sorry." He said, releasing her arm immediately. She slightly shook it out, amazed at his grip. Clark watched her, suddenly afraid that he had hurt her.
"Are you ok?" He asked, taking steps toward her.
She backed away slightly, confused...and a bit angry.
"Please!" She scoffed, her snarky repertoire back in full throttle, "You couldn't hurt me even if you tried."
Clark slowly smiled but it slid off his face faster then it appeared. Lois stood before him , arms crossed, mouth set firmly. A thought suddenly occurred to him as he took in her appearance.
"Where did you sleep last night?"
"Why?" She asked suddenly very paranoid about her appearance.
"Because, that's the spare blouse and shoes you keep at your desk just in case you pull an all niter and can't get back home to change."
She glanced down at her self then back at him.
"So?"
"You slept here?" He asked, surprised. Didn't he come here looking for her?
"Well, I couldn't find a decent looking cardboard box." She replied, her voice heavy with sarcasm.
"Lois..." He started, "I know what you must have heard and as much as I would like to tell you, it's not my place to tell."
Lois was a bit startled that he would bring it up so immediately but she recovered. She tunred away from him, unsure of what to say...if she could even say anything at all. Finally, she turned back to him, a confused smile on her face.
"You want to know the strangest part? I'm not even mad." She whispered. She let down the wall for just a moment. A move so new to her she had yet to decide if this feeling of openness was one she liked.
"Hurt? Yes. But mad? No." She walked back over to Clark and looked him deep in the eye. What she was saying to him, she realized, was more for him.
"I just want to be there for her." She stated firmly, her eyes never faltering from his astonished look. He stared at her, that impenetrable snake of emotions that hid in his body acting up again. They both stared at each other unaware that far away at The Talon, Chloe laid asleep, dreaming about bright burst of golden lights. Smiling as harmonic hums tingled through her body. She relished in this feeling...this feeling of love.