A/N Okay so this chapter is a bit more angsty than I anticipated… must be the mood I'm in! Of course we have to get through the rough stuff before we can get to the good stuff. Hope you like. Also thanks for the replies. I'm glad there are people reading this story! Enjoy!

It's All in the Timing

Chapter Four: One Hundred and Eighty One

It could only be described as a cookie warzone. That's the only way that Lois could categorize what met her as she stepped over the threshold into her cousin's apartment. Cookie sheets piled on top of one another littering Chloe's table, counter and any spare space within her kitchen. "Is the Pillsbury dough boy holding your dad hostage?" She asked only semi-jokingly.

Chloe looked up from her spot in the corner of the kitchen a rolling pin still held tightly between her palms. There were streaks of flour on her left cheek and her nose. "Lois; what are you doing here?" She asked slightly out of breath from taking the dough to the mattresses.

Raising an eyebrow she went to place her purse on the table, realized there was no room and set it on the floor instead. Walking further into the kitchen she let her hands come to rest on her hips as she cocked her head to one side. "Okay… let's try this again? What is going on and why does your kitchen look as though it's trying to be the next Keebler factory?"

"What; I'm just doing a little baking." She shrugged absently turning back to the dough running the rolling pin over the dough as roughly as possible.

"A little; Willy Wonka had fewer cookies than you do."

"Willy Wonka sold chocolate Lois, not cookies." She pointed out not bothering to turn around.

"Whatever! It still doesn't explain your sudden fanatical baking spree! Now stop deflecting and spill. This obvious has something to do with Smallville. He's the only one that could muster this kind of reaction." She remarked grabbing an oatmeal cookie from a plate overflowing with an assortment of treats. It was still warm.

"This isn't about Clark! I don't want to talk about Clark! Got it? I know this is a hard concept to fathom but my entire existence does not revolve around him. I mean hello; I got married and guess what; it wasn't to Clark freaking Kent!" She snapped angrily at her wits end.

Lois stared wide eyed at her cousin. "Your oven is smoking." Was her reply biting into the cookie.

Looking down at the stove she threw the rolling pin onto the counter barely hearing it as it clattered on top of the dough. Yanking the door open a billow of smoke filled her nose and without thinking she reached in for the cookie sheet and pulled back just as fast. Holding her injured hand within the other she felt a scream bubble in her chest. "Son of a…" She exhaled on the explicative and went immediately to the sink.

Lois realized that was her cue to do more than just standby. She had already grabbed an oven mitt and pulled the charcoaled cookies from within. Dumping the contents in the garbage she placed the hot metal as far away from her cousin as possible. Coming over she helped Chloe who had put her hand under the cold running water. Grabbing a stick of butter from the fridge she guided her to the table, sitting her down and pressing the dairy product in her palm. "It'll take the sting away." She remarked softly with a small smile which earned a slight laugh from the blonde. They were both short lived as Chloe looked up, the tears now on her cheeks. "Did Smallville hurt you?" She asked sincerely and watched as she shook her head negatively. "Then what is it Chloe? You know you can talk to me right? I'm here for you."

Looking up into Lois's eyes she felt a pathetic laugh burst from her lips. "It's nothing… I mean I don't know even know why I'm crying… or baking." She added the last part as she looked around at the mess in her kitchen. In all truth she didn't know why she was crying. Clark had kissed her… he had kissed her because he wanted to… because he wanted her… right? So then what was there to cry about? She didn't know and for that reason alone she didn't feel up to sharing. "I think maybe it's just… everything. You know… being fired from the Daily Planet, my pending divorce with Jimmy… it all just kind of snuck up on me that's all." She answered. They both knew that she was lying but the pleading look in her eyes was begging Lois not to push… not now… not just yet.

She nodded acceptingly. "Okay… okay…"

"So… really what did bring you to my cookie abode?" She asked looking for any reason to change the subject.

"Well… I was wondering if you've heard about the newest Super chick that has been hitting the streets cleaning up crime all over Metropolis." She asked pulling a few sheets of typed paper from her purse.

"No… I haven't." She furrowed her brow thoroughly interested.

"Don't worry; you will! As soon as I get this printed; it's going to be all over the front page tomorrow morning!" She remarked.

Chloe took the papers in her good hand reading over the article that Lois had recently put together. "Stiletto's aren't just made for Walking." She read the title aloud. She raised an eyebrow at it questioningly but continued on. "So her name is Stiletto and she's claiming to be a superhero that fights crime in 9 inch heels?" She laughed sarcastically at the very idea causing Lois to frown and grab the papers out of her hands.

"She's real. I saw her with my own eyes just last night. She saved some girl leaving Club Pulse." She defended. "Besides what's wrong with her fighting bad guys in style? It's better than that Red Blue Blur everyone is raving about!"

Chloe could sense envy a mile away and for a moment she forgot her problem with Clark and focused on her cousin. "Nothing… it just seems a little impractical that's all. I mean what happens if the girl finds herself fighting out in the desert; she doesn't stand a chance." She smiled but sighed when Lois didn't return the humor. "Okay look you obviously brought the article over here for me to critique so you could get it on the front page; right?" She asked knowingly.

"Something like that." She smiled.

Nodding slowly she reached her hand out for the papers. Lois handed them over without hesitation. "Look it shouldn't take me more than an hour or so before I get to this. Once I have I'll email you anything I think may seem a little out there."

"Deadline is 5pm. I want to get it on tomorrow's front page." She remarked all business-like.

"Got it; No later than 4! Hey wait… where's your picture?" She asked as she flipped through the pages still not seeing it. Looking up she raised her brow at the look on Lois's face. "You don't have a picture!" She observed.

"Well everything happened so fast! It wasn't like I was expecting to see a cape crusader while I was out." She shot back.

"Okay I can tell you right now there's no way you're going to get this article on the front page without a picture Lois! A Pulitzer prize winner could write this article but without photographic evidence to back it up it's worthless."

Lois stared at her cousin knowing that she was right and wondering why she hadn't thought about it. She really was the better reporter. All the passion in the world couldn't make up for her lack of paying attention to detail. She sighed. "I'll work on getting the picture… I just need you to proof my article." She stated walking towards the door.

Chloe stared at her still unsure. "How are you going to catch this… 'devilish diva' in action?" She asked using the words from the first paragraph.

"No worries… I promise." She reassured. With one final smile she was out the door and onto her next mission already pulling out her cell phone and calling the only photographer in town she trusted with this story.

Meanwhile...

Reading over the article she sighed before reaching for her phone and dialing the familiar number. "Hey… are you busy? Can you meet me at the Isis Foundation in 30 minutes… no not here…" Looking around at the mess that was her apartment she sighed. "Definitely not here." When she got his affirmative reply she hung up. Grabbing her coat from the stool she exited her apartment but not before looking over her shoulder; she frowned. Sometimes she really hated Clark Kent.

Thirty minutes later…

He was there when she arrived. He turned as she came through the door and their eyes met. The tension between them was thick but she couldn't find the words to approach the topic so instead she avoided it. "I'm glad you could meet me." She remarked.

"Of course," he answered. If she called he would come. "What's up?"

She swallowed hard pulling the papers from her purse. "Check this out… there's apparently a new superhero in town according to Lois." She stated handing over the papers allowing him to scan the contents. She waited, watching the way his eyebrows came together in concentration and then shot up in slight amusement. She realized in that moment that she knew all of Clark's faces… all of his moods… how many times had he given her that smile that made her toes curl in excitement and wonder? How many times had he looked at her with those soulful blue eyes? How many times had she thought all he would need to do is lean in and kiss her to make the moment all it could be?

His voice broke her out of her reverie. "Is this for real?"

She shook her head. "According to Lois she is. She's got the black cape, black boots and quite a left hook!" She remarked. Walking around him she booted up the main computer system in the center of the room and began typing in information.

"Okay so how do we get to this… Stiletto?" He asked less than impressed by the name.

"Well Lois said something about getting a photo of her for the front page of the Daily Planet…I was thinking that perhaps the Red Blue Blur could be close by to intercede." She stated knowingly trying to focus on the words she was typing in instead of the way he leaned over her and the feel of his body close to her own.

"Sounds like a plan…" He remarked softly. "I guess I should go." But he didn't move.

"The faster the better." She threw out over her shoulder not realizing just how close they were until she looked up into his eyes. She swallowed hard at the way he was looking at her. He had never looked at her that way not until last night. She tried to take a step back but the console blocked her retreat.

"Are we never going to talk about this?" He asked softly.

She shrugged trying to brush him off. "Talk about what, Clark? Last night was obviously a result of a sugar high and Indian Pop music!" She stated.

"Chloe…"He began. Reaching out he placed a hand on her shoulder and frowned when she pulled away from him almost as if his very touch hurt her.

"I mean you obviously had too much soda and I think I ate that entire bag of Swedish fish in the first hour so…" She trailed off.

She smiled brightly at him but it was broken, cracked from years of heartache and regret. It was the smile that she often gave him right after he denied her his love, denied them the chance to find out what waited on the other side of their friendship. It had been a while since he had seen it but here it was again staring up at him like an old friend; begging him once again to simply stop breaking her heart. The circumstances were slightly different now though. Now he wanted to give them a try and somehow he still managed to hurt her by his actions. How could this be?

"I kissed you last night and it had nothing to do with sugar, although you are pretty sweet." He remarked softly.

She furrowed her brow. "One hundred and eighty one," she breathed out softly.

"What?" He asked. She was staring at him looking over his face with a mixture of regret, sadness and what looked to be utter defeat as the smile slipped from her lips.

"Do you know how many moments there were in high school that I thought… this would be a great moment for Clark to kiss me? One hundred and eighty one moments Clark! And that's only counting high school!" She shook her head as she furrowed her brow. "All those missed moments… all those times I looked at you, asked you, wanted you and you just brushed me aside or let me down… what was wrong with those times Clark? Why not then?!" She snapped more harshly than she intended. The tears were in her eyes but she wouldn't allow them to fall.

He was silent and she could see that he didn't have an answer and realized that she never really expected him to. She exhaled a deep breath running a hand through her hair. "I'm not angry with you Clark… I'm just…" She thought over her feelings taking the time to truly feel what was bothering her. "I guess I'm just confused. I don't understand you. I don't understand why you would want me now… and the only reason I can come up with is because Lana is no longer an option for you." She remarked looking him straight in the eyes. She didn't look hurt just willing to face what she believed to be true.

He was already shaking his head denying her claims. "Chloe… that's not true."

"Isn't it? Lana absorbs a massive amount of kryptonite making it impossible for you two to ever be together and suddenly out of the blue you want to pursue a relationship with me. I mean I give you credit for waiting 6 months to get over what will never be but I'm not interested in being the consolation prize… not even for you. I won't be the girl that you settle for because you can't have what you really want." She stated.

He remained silent because he wasn't sure what to say to that. He didn't understand why she would think that he would ever think so little of her. But how could he convince her that this wasn't about Lana… that his feelings for her were completely separate from anything and everything that pertained to his first love?

She closed her eyes mistaking his silence for something else. Turning away from him she went back to typing not sure what her fingers were doing. "You have someplace to be Clark and I have an article to proof." Here statement was dismissive and he caught the meaning. She was trying to be strong… trying to get back to the person that no longer longed for his touch, his endearing looks and love. But even she wasn't made of stone and a part of her simply wanted him to prove that all she was wrong. That somehow… someway he really did just want to be with her.

He swallowed hard looking for the words that just weren't there. Years together and still she always had a way of leaving him speechless. He nodded and then realized that she couldn't see him. "Right…" This time he did super speed out the door and never once looked back.

The tears were on her cheeks and she furiously wiped them away with the back of her hand even as they insisted to flow desperately wanting to stop crying over him and all the things that he could never give her. "One hundred and eighty two." She whispered softly to herself.