Chapter 4.

Chloe sighed. For once she felt totally alone sitting in a darkened Torch office, only illuminated by the computer screens pale glow. Usually she only felt the thrill of chasing a particular story or was too deep in work to think about anything else. Or Clark or Pete would keep her company, something she felt extremely grateful for, especially the times Clark would come alone to help her finish an especially difficult paper.

Outside the rain poured in sheets from the roof above, and the wind shock the windowpanes so they rattled. The weather was a long way from the beautiful sunlight that had greeted the day. According to Chloe that was very fitting, since the dark gloomy Torch was a big step from the bright day the morning had promised.

She had never thought she felt worse than she had done as the bus had made its way down past the Kent farm. She hadn't gotten a drop of caffeine since early the night before, which she had spent working on the English paper from hell. The paper was also the reason she hadn't gotten enough sleep either. Lack of sleep coupled with lack of caffeine had made her a wreck.

As Clark had stepped on the bus she had hid her face in her hands. He had spent the entire day before avoiding her, and she didn't want to find out why. Since her mind had already spun out a couple dozen reasons, none of which were pleasant, she had felt she could do without another. And then he had surprised her.

Turning up in front of her, he didn't only ask forgiveness for being a jerk and not helping her with the paper, but saved her day with a cup of caffinated heaven. And what had she done?

She had fallen asleep on his shoulder. She hadn't been meaning to, but she still shivered when she remembered how close he had been. Waking up to his smiling face looking down on her, his strong hand caressing her face…It could drive a girl insane just thinking about it, and it certainly had waking up to the blaring of an alarm clock beat hands down. Sighing, she hoped that she hadn't drooled on him at least. Pete had told her she had drooled like a pitbull, and considering what she had been dreaming about that wasn't that unlikely.

It had started out as one of the often reoccurring dreams involving Clark Kent that had beset her since the day they had met. Clark and her dancing on a cloud. Well, it was a dream, wasn't it?

It always started out the same. They were dancing, her head on his shoulder, feet barely touching the ground, and as she looked up she saw his smile beaming down on her, making her heart melt. He held his arms wrapped around her, and lowered his lips towards hers. Then everything always went wrong. Cutting trough the music, ruining her perfect moment and making him turn away was the voice she feared hearing, the voice that she had learned to connect with pain. The voice of Lana Lang. Even in her dreams the raven-haired girl managed to hold Clark's heart in her hand.

And, as he always did, he had pulled away from her, the attempted kiss forgotten. Abandoning her for the girl of his dreams yet again. Feeling him slipping from her grip even though she tried with all her strength to hold him close, she steeled herself for was what came after this. What always came after this. Clark and Lana embracing each other, lips locking in a perfect kiss. Except, this time, it didn't.

As the bus pulled up next to the school parking lot he breathed out a sigh of relief. Gently trying to remove his arm failed when her sleeping form grabbed it in a rather determined grip. Chloe obviously didn't want to lose her pillow. Seeing her clinging to him Pete grinned and, without a word, left him, along with everybody else in the bus.

Instead of him slipping from her grip, he turned back. As his gaze fell on her she could swear she had felt her heart melt. Leaning in towards her once again, the famous Kent grin plastered over his face, she found herself once again in the deep embrace of the man she loved and was struck unmoving in shock. The dream had never gone like this before. But seeing his face inches from hers made her sure of one thing. Change was good, and she wouldn't dream of wasting it.

Closing her eyes, she leaned in to his embrace and awaiting his kiss. And felt him once again slipping from her arms, releasing her from the embrace and pulling his arms from her grasp. Shocked her eyes opened, fearing the dream was cruelly playing with her feelings and she would see him leaving her. No, Not now!

Alone in the back of the bus he once again tried to disentangle his arm from her grasp, without success. Whispering her name, likewise, proved unsuccessful as it didn't get her to wake up, although it seemed to make her smile. Looking into her half-closed eyes he cupped her cheek carefully with his free hand and fought the urge to trace a finger along her jaw line.

As she opened her eyes she saw his brilliant smile as he merely shifted position, pulling her even closer, until she was pressed full against his chest, heartbeat racing. Cupping her face in his free hand he leaned in once again, his breath hot against her face, lips slightly parted.

Pausing he gazed into her eyes, making her shiver, and breathed out a single word.

"Chloe."

The memory still made her shiver. Even though it had been just a beautiful dream, the word had sounded incredibly real.

"Chloe, wake up. Please!"

Chloe's eyes had fluttered open. Only to find herself staring directly into Clark Kent's eyes, inches from hers. The dream had vanished from her mind immediately. Her mouth had dropped open. He had been so damned close! Quickly raising her hand to her mouth she had hoped to disguise the open mouthed staring as a small yawn behind her hand as she looked up at him, eyes wide, still half asleep. Her brain couldn't decide if she was still dreaming or not. Her chin was pressed against his chest and she could almost hear his heart beating. Why is my head on his shoulder? And why am I questioning what could possibly be the greatest moment of my life?

She didn't even remember what she had said, her entire attention being focused on the feeling of having him this close. But it had been something on the lines of; Where's everyone? Not that she had cared for the answer. Feeling secure in his arms she wouldn't have cared if the bus was on fire.

"They left. We're kind of the last ones." She could feel his chest move under her as he breathed. She was alone with Clark Kent. How was that bad? He's in love with another girl. Yeah that's it. But she was still not moving her head. "You were asleep and I…well, I was your pillow." He really has to stop the deep breathing…

"My pillow…I like the sound of that" Yawning for real, she had closed her eyes and let her head rest on his shoulder. Still more than half asleep she had mumbled something, while being entirely true, she really hadn't meant to admit to anyone.

"I love you, you know…"

She had said it before, of course, even that very day as he handed her the coffee. But that had been different.

Meaning that she hadn't been pressed so intimately close to him she breathed in the scent of him with every breath. And she was pretty sure she hadn't said it in the same tone either.

She had known that this was the end; this was the end of friendship, the end of the bright smiles, and the end of his strong arms around her.

"I didn't mean…I…Please forget I ever spoke." Looking away, not willing to meet his gaze, she had blushed. She had been searching desperately for an escape. Not being able to stand his gaze, not daring to meet it, afraid to see the rejection or the disgust she pictured it containing.

And then, when she had needed an escape more than air to breath he had handed her one.

"Look… You haven't slept, you haven't had your coffee yet and I bet you haven't eaten anything either." She looked at him as he nudged her with the cup. Straight into his eyes. Nothing she was afraid and everything she had hoped had been shining from his eyes. "Drink some. It's cold and it comes in a plastic cup, but the caffeine may help clear your head." She took the cup and drank some; even if it was cold and in a plastic cup it was accompanied by the thing she needed most of all at that moment. An excuse.

Hiding her discomfort at her sudden confession behind a happy grin she had managed to mumble out words she would remember for ever.

"Yeah, it definitely was the lack of coffee talking."

Remember them because they where the greatest lie she had ever told.

"Okay, now that we have made sure that you are in no way responsible for what you say when not on the influence of caffeine, I guess we should get off the bus. Since by the look of it the drivers kind of pissed to be kept waiting." Taking her unresisting hand he had led her of the bus.

Seeing his untroubled expression, she knew he had believed it. And it made her feel like crying.

I've told Clark Kent I Love him… And he doesn't even care…

The thought had echoed in her mind, suffocating everything else.

But then he had surprised her once again.

"But if you think I will forget what you said…You realize I could this over your head for, like, forever?" Clark had said as they emerged into the fresh sunlight, flashing his perfectly white teeth and making her heart melt. Again.

With a groan she had hid her face in her hands, enduring the sound of his laughter. But she had been smiling into her hands, her troubles forgotten, as if the sound of his voice was magically making them disappear. She remembered making a sound of mock anger and punching him lightly until he wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close to his chest, pinning her arms against him. After that she remembered nothing. She had kept resisting for a few moments, not wanting him to know how easily she would surrender to his embrace. Or how willingly, especially after the recent declaration of her love.

"I liked you better as a pillow."

"Is that how you see me? Pillow and bringer of caffinated beverages?" Clark had said in mock surprise, easing the embrace alittle and looking her in the eye. Suddenly feeling the effects of both his gaze and the close proximity she had felt the need to hide behind the familiar façade of Snarky best friend.

"That sounds about right. If I could fit in personal spellchecker and carrier of heavy stuff you could be the ideal man for me." As if you aren't already. Leaning her head against his shoulder she sniffed loudly. And almost fainted because of a sensory overload. He smelled of fresh soap, newly cut grass, and something else entirely. Something that made her knees weak and her body tingle. "That is, if I could ever get you to smell like something besides hay." But she didn't lift her head from his shoulder until they had entered the schools hallways.

She hadn't planned to then either. In fact, as far as she had planned anything at that moment, she planned to stay as close as she could until he made an effort to remove her. Voluntarily moving away from Clark's embrace? Not unless fire or physical pain was involved.

Allowing herself to drift of, daydreaming, she realized she had told Clark Kent she loved him and had walked trough the hallway doors to Smallville High with his arms wrapped around her.

But in the haze of hormones and daydreaming that had filled her mind; she had spotted something before Clark did. This in itself was strange, since even if you didn't count on his eagle-like eyesight, Clark would probably spot this particular person even in total darkness.

Lana Lang. The person that accomplished what would have taken either fire or imminent death to accomplish otherwise. She had left Clark's arms like he had been white-hot.

At first he had looked at her, confused. Then his head had turned towards her, drawn in her direction as metal to a magnet. She had looked away, unwilling to witness his face turning into the admiring mask it always donned when he looked at her.

"Clark, could you help me with my biology paper after school? Whitney's gone to Metropolis for the rest of the week and it's due tomorrow."

Please! Lana Lang asking if Clark would be able to spend time alone with her while her boyfriend's out of town?

Not wanting to hear him practically scream yes, she made as if to leave. Only to have him surprise her yet again.

Even now, several hours later, she couldn't believe what had happened.

No answer had come. Glancing at him, afraid to see him moonstruck beyond words, she had nearly swallowed her tongue in shock.

Faced with a moment he probably had waited for since he was five, he looked to her.

Looking into her eyes as if to ask permission, he kept his silence. When she was sure he would be jumping in joy to be able to hang around Lana, he looked at her.

Even now, several hours later, she couldn't believe what she had done.

Panicked by the sudden change of events, She had shrugged, as if to say; I don't care.

Now the thought gave her no respite.

She had let him walk away with Lana.

She sat alone in the dark while Clark was happily explaining basic biology to Lana Lang.

Because she had let him.

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Please R&R.

Nothing more to say really. Hope you like it.

//TheUnwelcomeVisitor