Red – Fifteenth Chapter
The Talon, Night-time
Rory took a sip of her coffee and put her notes down, checking her watch. Chloe noticed and said, "Hey, wasn't Clark supposed to be here?"

"Yes," Rory said shortly.

"So… where is he?"

"He'll be here. Soon."

Pete laughed. "Which translates as you have no idea."

"Exactly."

Pete looked at her meaningfully and tapped his head, making sure Lana and Chloe didn't see. Rory understood and found his thoughts. I thought you two had a connection?

Rory grimaced and rolled her eyes. So… you don't?

She moved her eyes from side to side. You do?

She moved them up and down. Doesn't that mean you should always be able to tell where he is?

Rory scribbled something down on a piece of paper and slid it over to Pete stealthily. It said, I can ask him, but he's not answering. It's kinda like a cell phone; just cause you make the call, doesn't mean they have to pick up.

He nodded understandingly just as someone knocked on the door. Lana got up to answer it as Pete said to Chloe and Rory, "I think we should start in the middle…"

Lana opened the door and saw Clark standing there. "Hey Clark… glad you made it," she said, smiling. Gesturing to Pete, Chloe and Rory, she continued, "Uh, we're just doing American History – the Red Scare."

She started to walk back towards them, but Clark didn't move. "Why don't we do it tomorrow instead?" he asked.

Lana turned and walked back to Clark. "Why, is something wrong?" she asked him, a little concerned.

"No, it's really nice out tonight. Let's go for a drive… or we could go dancing," Clark offered suggestively.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Lana said incredulously. Clark noticed Rory's head shoot up and smirked at her as she stared at him, mouth hanging open in shock.

"I'm asking you to have some fun with me," Clark replied intensely, returning his attention to Lana.

She stared at him, unsure what had come over him. She cleared her throat, saying, "This is, uh... a little unexpected to say the least." Hardening her resolve, she said firmly, "But we really have to study."

"Did you know that when you get all serious, your nose crinkles up?" he asked her, amused. She couldn't believe what came out of his mouth next. "It's really sexy," was what Lana thought she heard, but that can't be right. I mean, this is Clark!

Confused, surprised and pleased, all at the same time, Lana couldn't think of a reply, so instead she simply said, "Chloe, Pete and Rory are waiting for us."

Lana turned away and walked back to the table, this time with Clark following her. Rory, Chloe and Pete were still discussing what to study first as Lana sat next to Rory and Clark yanked out a chair, turned it around and sat, straddling it.

"What did you get for number 5?" Chloe asked the group at large, checking Pete's notebook as she did so.

Pete wasn't paying attention though, asking Clark, "Hey, man. Where are your books?"

Clark was silent for a moment, staring at Rory's head. "You guys wanna go to a bar?" he asked suddenly.

Clark was rewarded when his sister looked up so fast she almost pulled a muscle. He smirked at her as she stared at him.

Chloe snorted and said sarcastically, "Clark, you can commit academic Harikari, but the rest of us really need to cram for this test."

Not you, Rors, Clark thought, still smirking.

I happen to enjoy spending time with my friends, and if they are studying, then I might as well.

Clark grinned like the Cheshire Cat and said cajolingly, "You guys, high school is supposed to be fun. This," he gestured at their books contemptuously, "is not fun."

Pete and Lana were both looking tempted. It's times like these I could use your help, sister dear.

Too bad.

"Come on," he continued nonchalantly. "My treat."

"Clark, since when did you and the money truck hook up?" Pete asked jokingly, not expecting an answer.

"Since I decided there's no profit in playing poverty," Clark replied.

Chloe looked at Clark weirdly as she stood up, this being her first encounter with 'New Clark'. "I'm gonna go get a refill, and I'm gonna get you some decaf," she said in her Chloe voice, accompanied by her trademark Chloe look. (Pretty sure you know what I mean)

Lana followed her lead and said, "Yeah, I'll give you a hand." She gave Clark a concerned look.

Catching her looking at him, he smiled at her charmingly. Something in that smile made her breath catch and her heart skip a beat – something she'd never felt before. Lana quickly looked away, the after-effects of... whatever that was still lingering, teasing her.

She followed Chloe over to the counter, barely registering that Rory had been uncharacteristically quiet. Now Pete, Clark and Rory were the only ones left at the table.

Rory watched her brother, unhappy with his sudden, random change in behaviour. As if he could hear her thoughts, a change spread over his face, his eyebrows shooting up, his smirk reappearing. He looked like... like the cat that got the cream, or the canary, or something.

Turning around, she found what he was looking at and gasped softly. She kicked his leg, knowing it wouldn't hurt him but get his attention. Unfortunately, he was so wrapped up in his trance that it didn't work.

"Did you know Chloe has a birthmark on her cheek?" Clark asked Pete, innuendo lacing his voice.

"No she doesn't," Pete replied automatically. He should know, Rory thought, he's always thinking about her.

Back when she had been unable to control her mind-reading power, Rory had often 'seen' into his mind. Mostly when Chloe was around, as they had all been working in the Torch or the Talon. Every time that Pete and Chloe were in the same room as her, she'd find that pretty much every one of his thoughts focused on her.

Now that she could control it, she gave people their privacy. After all, a person's mind is their last sanctuary, and to violate that knowingly and without their permission was just wrong.

Returning to the original conversation...

"Not that cheek," Clark said with laughter in his voice.

Pete looked up at him and quickly followed his eyeline, which was looking at exactly what he had feared... Chloe's backside.

"Are you doing what I think you're doing?" he asked in disbelief.

"Oh believe me, he is," Rory answered disgustedly for him.

"Clark, that's Chloe you're scooping, man!" Pete said, extremely annoyed.

Clark half shook his head and said, "Not just Chloe..."

Pete looked at the girls and saw that Lana was now leaning on the counter too, her back to them. He reached over and waved his hand in front of Clark's face, attempting to cover up his x-ray vision. Which is kinda stupid, I mean he can just look straight through it.

Clark grinned and looked away, Rory still staring at him, trying to express her displeasure without speaking. At all.

"Come on, let's go have some fun," Clark said.

"Clark, this test is half our grade. Now, if you wanna party this weekend, I'm with you, but right now I need to study," Pete said, half laughing.

"What about you, Rors?" Clark asked her, ignoring Pete now that he knew he wasn't coming. "Maybe we can hook you up with some guy – help you get over Jared."

"I am over Jared!" Rory replied heatedly.

Ignoring her, Clark said thoughtfully, "Perhaps you'd like to date Lex."

Rory stared at him in shock, not understanding.

"Oh come on Aurora," he said mockingly. "A blind man could see he's majorly got the hots for you!"

"Lex and I are just friends," she replied.

Smirking, he leaned across the table towards her. "One, that's what I always said about Lana, remember? And two..." He let it hang there, before finishing the thought. "Two, maybe you – and him – want to be something... more."

The almost-challenge lingered in the air as Clark replied to Pete, "So, uh... when you're through with Boring 101, give me a call." He winked at his sister and walked out. Chloe and Lana looked up, Pete turned to watch him leave, and Rory of course was still watching him, making it four pairs of eyes that watched as their friend, possible love interest, best friend and other half/twin brother (respectively) left the building.


A/N A little shorter than normal I know, but it seemed like a good place to finish. There will be one more Red chapter, but then it's back to normal. Hope you liked it.