Chapter 4

Chloe had seen Lana pull up in front of the Talon. With a grin she hopped up from her table and ducked behind one of the pillars as Lana walked through the door. Chloe saw Lana stop and stand just past the pillar she was hiding behind. She quietly stepped out and behind Lana. Lana giggled and Chloe grinned.
"May I get you something, Miss?"
"Oh you must be the new---CHLOE!"
Chloe was not prepared to have Lana launch her 110 pound body into her arms. Because she was not prepared for this, they both lost their balance and landed on their butts. Several things happened at once. Gabe came running from behind the counter "What happened? Are you both okay?" Several customers started to rise from their tables to see what was going on, and Lex Luthor picked that moment to walk into the Talon.

Lex looked at the two attractive girls on the floor in front of him. 'Interesting position', Lex thought with a grin, 'I wonder if they would like company?' Instead he just raised an eyebrow "Ladies, do you need some help?" Chloe and Lana looked at each other. 'This is so embarrassing' Lana thought. Chloe's thoughts were the same but when they looked at each other, they started to giggle. Then they started to laugh like loons. It got even worse when someone snorted.
"Okay girls. I think you've given everyone enough of a show today" Gabe said. He started to offer them a hand up when he noticed Lex already extending both of his hands to the girls. "Hi Lex! If you don't mind I need to get back to the counter."
"I think I can handle our graceful ballerinas, Gabe. I'll talk to you in a bit regarding that advice you needed."
"Thanks Lex"
Lana and Chloe at this point could not see. They groped for Lex's hands panting to catch their breath. Finally, after a few stumbling attempts, Lex managed to get them both on their feet.
"My stomach hurts now!" Lana said
"Yours? Mine hurts too AND I have a bruised butt!" Chloe said. They looked at each other and started to laugh again.
"Oh no you don't," Lex said with a chuckle. "I can't go through this again!"
"Sorry Lex" they said in unison
"Welcome home Miss Sullivan."
"Miss Sullivan? What happened to Chloe?"
"Well, it looks like my Chloe has grown up in the past year."
"Whatever Lex!" Chloe snorted. She was secretly pleased that someone of Lex's sophistication noticed her budding maturity. She blushed slightly.
"Welcome home Chloe" Lex said again and pulled her into a hug. Chloe only stiffened a little bit, not only from her fears, but also surprise. Her and Lex were friendly but never physically like she was with Clark, Pete and Lana. They were always touching or hugging each other, but she had never seen Lex hug anyone. Chloe blushed a little more.
Lex had noticed the stiffness of the hug from Chloe, but then he felt her relax. He knew that Chloe was surprised from this impromptu show of affection, but he sensed it was because of something else. Maybe a little digging in Gotham was required. "Welcome home to you as well Lana." Lex took Lana's hand and brought it to his lips. "How's Nell?"
"She's fine and sends her best to you. So, to what do we owe the honor of your presence today Lex?" Lana asked.
"Other than coming to the aid of two lovely ladies such as yourselves, I came to speak to Gabe regarding some business."
"What kind of business? Is something wrong?" Chloe asked.
"I don't think so Chloe. I'm not sure what it's about, but I know the Talon is doing well. Don't worry." Lex gave her a smile and thought again that he should make a call to his friend in Gotham. Something was bothering him about Chloe. He didn't know her well, but he had always respected her intelligence, tenacity, grit, honesty and her innate sense of herself. He liked her for those same reasons. Because of Clark and his friends like Chloe, Lex himself was a better person. He would forever be in their debt, whether they knew it or not, and would go to great lengths to protect them. There was something wrong with Chloe. She was thinner and her eyes, well, there was something missing.
"If you will excuse me, I have a meeting in an hour so I need to talk to Gabe. How about dinner at the mansion Saturday night? Clark will be home by then."
"That would be great Lex. Thanks!" Lana said. She turned to Chloe, "Where the hell have you been? Why haven't you called me? I'm very mad at you right now!"
Chloe was not prepared for the verbal attack. 'Uh-oh' she thought. "I know, I know Lana. All I can say is I'm sorry. My last couple of weeks of school were", she paused "intense. I'm transferring to Met U this fall and I had to ace all my subjects." Lana softened when she heard that Chloe was transferring to Met U. "That's great Chloe! Clark will be thrilled. He seems so lost with out you and Pete. But that does not get you off the hook chicky!" Lana put her hands on her hips.
'Oh crap. I'd better think of something fast. She's taking no prisoners this time.' She thought.
"I wanted to surprise you guys with my coming home—I was afraid you'd guess if I called." Chloe said. 'Oh Lord that was lame, has my brain gone on vacation?'
Lana narrowed her eyes for a few seconds. "Well, since I am glad to see you, I'll let you buy me a cup of coffee as an apology. But don't do that to me again. I was worried."
"I promise I won't. I don't want to be tackled again." Chloe grinned as she rubbed her butt in mock pain.

Clark was sitting in his dorm room, counting down the hours until his last final. He had charmed his lit professor in letting him take his exam early so he could go home Thursday instead of Friday. Today was Tuesday, and he was driving himself nuts. He wanted to go home. He told himself it was because his family needed help on the farm, but deep down, he wanted to go home to Chloe. She looked so different, somehow, and he didn't know why but he felt very protective of her. He had stolen glances at her all last weekend, and when she didn't catch him, he saw a look in her eyes that he couldn't explain. He knew it didn't have to do with him, or at least he hoped not, but he wasn't going to push her. 'She'll tell me if something's wrong', he thought, 'she always does.'
The phone rang. It was nine o'clock. 'Right on time Pete' Clark thought.
"Hiya Pete!"
"Clark, my man! Are you ready to go home?"
"Oh, yeah! Lex is having a dinner at the mansion Saturday night. Guess what? I know something you don't know."
"Not if it's about women."
Clark snorted. "Hey, Pete, I'm not wearing my hip boots so cut the crap. Seriously, Chloe's home."
"What? When? I haven't heard from her in weeks man." Pete paused, "Is she okay?"
Clark frowned. "Yeah, why?"
"Um, don't tell her I told you this, but the last time I talked to her, she was crying. Don't ask me what she was saying cause nothing made sense. Before she hung up she mumbled something about drinking."
"Chloe doesn't drink. Not since the great peach schnapps incident of '03"
"Yeah, I know, maybe she went to a party. She sounded really weird though. Even for Chloe."
"She seems a little off, but she said she had a hard time with her exams. Maybe she was stressed out."
"Who? Chloe? Naw…." Pete laughed. "How about we surprise her?"
"With what? I need to get even with her since she surprised me by showing up at the farm."
"I'm coming home for the summer and staying with Dad."
"Hot damn!" Clark yelled. Thankfully his roommate was not in the room. "When?"
"Saturday—just in time for Lex's dinner." Clark could hear Pete's grin over the phone. They talked for a few more minutes and then hung up. Clark went to bed that night with a smile knowing that everyone he loved would be in one place for the summer. He dreamed of his family and friends that night, and one blonde in particular