Set right after Season eight's Eternal.

Like I said, this is a horrible, reprehensible fic. Save yourself! Walk away now!

Chapter One

Clark stormed into The Talon. Tess had graffitied "I KNOW" all over his house in red and blue and now he was starting to worry...

What if she found out his secret?

There was only one way to relieve the pressure. "Chloe?" He spied her at the bottom of the stairs and furrowed his brow concernedly. "We need to talk about what you did." He sighed, relaxing already. There was nothing like a good lecture.

Chloe's shoulders slumped and the tray in her hands tilted slightly. "Is this about pulling the lever on Davis again, because he was starting to beast out and I just reacted and..."

"Not that," He said, crossing his arms heroically. He nodded to himself. "But remind me later."

"If you mean about not knowing that Davis was killing people..."

"Also completely your fault and in no way a mistake anyone could make." Though that was a good one, too. He'd have to prepare a lantern-jawed speech for the near future.

She sighed. "Okay. I get it. I didn't believe Jimmy when he was on painkillers and said the seemingly kind paramedic was a murderer. My bad. I must have been..."

"Guess again," Clark said, thinking any of those might have worked as well. But now that he was positive Chloe was reckless, he was reexamining the past and he was realizing just how much lecturing she needed.

"Uh..."

"It was three and a half years ago. You had just found out my secret. That was my first mistake," he said with valorous thoughtfulness. "I should have denied it till the end." He stroked his chin and paced in front of her. "It seems to be working with Tess so far."

"Really? Cause I'm pretty sure she knows."

"Of course, I can't keep up this dance with her forever," he went on fearfully... yet stoically. "Someday, I'll slip up, but until that day comes..."

"See, I don't see any dancing. I really think her showing up in your barn and calling you the Traveler pretty much means the jig is..."

"Chloe, will you let me finish?"

"Hold on." She sat on the bottom step and put the tray in her lap. She gestured to him. "Go on. Tess has no idea about anything and I did something terrible three years ago..."

"Three and a half years ago." He looked off into the distance... or the wall. But nobly. "I remember it well. I wasn't there, of course. But it doesn't change what I know. You killed, Chloe. You killed Gabriel."

"You mean... Daddy? But he joined the Krishnas, Clark. I swear I'm not making that up. He even refused to come to my wedding citing religious differences."

"Not him. That... other Gabriel." He snapped his fingers brilliantly. "The one with the bomb that wanted to blow Smallville off the map and..."

"Oh, Gabriel Duncan." She frowned. "But I didn't..."

"You killed him," he hissed bravely. "Just like you killed Davis."

"Actually, I technically didn't kill D..." She glanced to her left. "Never mind. But, see, Gabriel was trying to blow up the town. And he had a gun."

"And?"

"And he shot you."

"And?"

"And he was going to shoot me."

"And?"

"And we wrestled for it and it went off. It was actually an accident and... I don't know. I kind of saw it as self-defense."

He shook his head stoutheartedly. "Was it, Chloe? Was it really? Just like it was self-defense when you poured liquid kryptonite on Davis?"

She tilted her head. "Well, if you think about it, he could have killed us both right then and once the bony monster..."

"Shh!" He moved to her, thought of opening his arms for a valorous, brawny hug, but remembered that he'd long ago replaced that with mild smirking. It just saved time. He patted her head dependably instead. "Poor, misguided Chloe."

She sighed and stood. "You're right, Clark. You're always right. You even knew Jimmy must have somehow been right with no reason to know. I really should follow your light from now on. Maybe you should go so I can better contemplate how to change my ways."

He smiled indulgently. "That's all I needed to hear." He started out, then turned back. "Oh, I almost forgot. You mean more to me than you know or something. Good da.." He narrowed his eyes as she stopped near a gray set of doors. "What are you doing, anyway?"

"Me?" Chloe turned and leaned against the doors. "Oh, nothin. Just hangin."

"With a tray?" he asked daringly, suddenly noticed that she was doing... things. And without him!

"You got me, Clark. After journalism and counseling didn't work out, I've taken up waitressing."

"But The Talon hasn't had customers for two years."

"I know that," she said with a snort. "I'm practicing." She pushed at him with her free hand. "And I don't want an audience, so..."

"Is that cocoa?"

"Well..."

"Hey, Chloe?" She froze at a voice from behind the door. "Could you make sure there are extra marshmallows? They calm the beast inside. Okay? Thanks."

"What?" He pushed her to the side dashingly and pulled open the door. He barreled down the stairs. What he saw was horrifying. It was Davis Bloome! Sitting on a bed! With pillows! And a chenille throw!

"Yikes." Davis bit his lip. "Hi. Not dead." He shrugged. "What're you gonna do, right?"

"Damn it, Chloe! You're hiding Davis!" Clark whirled on her. "And you're having cocoa with him? That was supposed to be our thing."

"Really? We have a cocoa thing?" She searched the ceiling. "I thought we had a coffee thing."

"Yes we do. We have coffee in the daytime when I tell you how much you mean to me, then talk about some other girl that means more to me than you. But at night, we have cocoa and I tell you how much you mean to me, then talk about some other girl that means more to me than you." He glared boldly. "Next thing you know, I'll find out you aren't even a waitress!"

Chloe shrugged. "Well..."

"That's it!" Clark took her tray and tossed it down. "Now nobody gets cocoa!"

Davis stood and clenched his fists at his sides, eyes turning red. "I... wanted... cocoa."

"Okay, settle down." She squeezed Clark's shoulder. "Sorry, Clark. Duty calls." She rushed past him to Davis and pulled his head down, quickly shoving her tongue down his throat.

Clark paled. But epically. "Chloe? What are you doing?"

More to come…

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