A/N Just some filler here to make up for my long vacation...

Between Exodus and Exile – Twenty-Fourth Chapter
"It'll do," Rory said, surveying the apartment. It had two king-sized beds, both with silk blue sheets, a plasma TV, stereo system on the wall and lots of other irrelevant stuff.

"You sure you got enough dough ta pay for this? Charity don't pay the bills," said the guy who owned the place.

"Here."

Clark handed the guy a roll of fifty dollar notes.

"That should cover this month's rent, shouldn't it?"

"Thank you, sir, and I hope you and your sister have a wonderful stay here in Metropolis," he said cheerfully, bowing and leaving.

"I'll be right back, Clark," Rory said, shrugging her coat back on quickly.

"Where are you going, Rory?"

"I need a change," she called as she left.

Hairdressers
"So what would you like done?" asked the bubbly young hairdresser.

Rory smiled at her reflection. "I want it chin-length, and all flippy at the edges, if you know what I mean."

"Of course I do," she said with a laugh.

However much longer later...
Rory stared at herself in the mirror. She looked... still recognisable, but nothing like her old, sweet-candy-sugar small-town self.

"Perfect," she smiled, revealing pearly-white straight teeth.

She paid the hairdresser and left, enjoying the feeling of her newly-lightened hair.

The apartment
Rory walked inside, waiting for Clark to look up and see her. He was watching television, and said casually, "So, you're back."

"Uh-huh."

"Where'd you go?"

"Why not see for yourself?"

There was a pause, then Clark looked at her. She grinned at him, relishing the brief surprise that had passed over his face.

"You got your hair cut," he said.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious, I didn't notice."

He smiled at her. "It looks nice."

"Thank you," she said quietly, smiling back.

Some club, a month later
"And tonight, is karaoke night! Remember, we'll be picking a random audience member to sing any song they like in just five minutes..."

Rory tuned out the man talking excitedly on stage. Glancing around, she searched the room for her brother.

He hadn't arrived yet, however, and she sighed, bored out of her brain.

"And tonight's karaoke singer is..."

A light shone in her eyes suddenly. Blinking, she tried to work out what was going on. A roar was going up around her and she still couldn't see!

"And there's our lucky lady! Someone bring her up here, quick..."

Someone, no, several someones, grabbed her arms and pulled her towards the stage. Her vision clearing, she realised that she had somehow been picked for karaoke.

Great. Just great. Freakin' wonderful!

"So what's your name, pretty lady?" asked the karaoke guy excitedly.

She smiled, working out a way to have some fun with this. "Kara."

"Kara! That's a nice name. What would you like to sing tonight?"

Rory leaned forward and whispered a song name, and the band that sang it in his ear. He grinned 

appreciatively and nodded.

"Nice choice! I'll just notify the sound system guys and stuff – you wait here."

Staring out at the crowd, she picked out a few random people – a pretty blonde girl laughing and chatting with friends, an angry guy talking quietly to a girl, a hot guy sitting at the bar staring into his drink.

"Alright, here's a mike, you ready to sing?"

The karaoke guy had returned. She nodded, taking the mike that he was thrusting into her hand.

As the opening riff started, she prepared herself, and when she recognised her cue she lifted the mike to her mouth and started to sing.

Same place, same time, one difference.

Dean stared into his drink. It's been weeks, and I still haven't heard from Dad. Not to mention I've been looking for a while now. I need some help. But who?

He mentally scrolled through a list of people that could help. Sighing impatiently, he muttered, "Yeah, I got jack."

A song he recognised started to play. Looking up at the stage, he saw a pretty blonde girl, preparing to sing karaoke.

"Oh, this oughta be good," he said to himself.

Why, you wanna tell me how to live my life?

Wow. This chick could actually sing.

Who, are you to tell me if it's black or white?
Mama, can you hear me? Try to understand.
Is innocence the difference between a boy and a man.
My daddy lived the lie, it's just the price that he paid.
Sacrificed his life, just slavin' away.

Ohhh, if there's one thing I hang onto,
That gets me through the night.
I ain't gonna do what I don't want to,
I'm gonna live my life.

Shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice,
Standing on the ledge, I show the wind how to fly.

When the world gets in my face,
I say, have a nice day.

Have a nice day.

Dean tried to concentrate on the issue at hand. The problem was, he knew exactly what he had to do – he just didn't like it.

He had to get his brother Sam to help him.

Take a look around you; nothing's what it seems
We're living in the broken home of hopes and dreams,
Let me be the first to shake a helping hand.
Anybody brave enough to take a stand,
I've knocked on every door, on every dead end street,
Looking for forgiveness,
What's left to believe?

The problem was, Sam had given up hunting to have a normal life. He wanted to go to law school, become a lawyer, marry his girlfriend Jessica, have kids, and die peacefully in his sleep.

Not hunt demons, ghosts, werewolves and other supernatural beings until one day one of them finally got the upper hand and killed him.

Well, hey, neither did Dean, but he didn't have a choice – he had to find the thing that had killed their mother, and get his revenge.

But then what? Dean sometimes asked himself. He didn't have any other talents. Hunting was the only thing he was good at. So what was he supposed to do when whatever had killed his mother was dead?

Take it one step at a time, Dean thought. Don't get ahead of yourself.

Ohhh, if there's one thing I hang onto,
That gets me through the night.
I ain't gonna do what I don't want to,
I'm gonna live my life.

Shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice,
Standing on the ledge, I show the wind how to fly.
When the world gets in my face,
I say, have a nice day.

Have a nice day.

The song's guitar solo began as Dean considered his idea. Getting Sam would be helpful, as Sam had the school smarts to balance Dean's street smarts. Plus, Sam was a good hunter when he wanted to be – a definite plus.

Ohhh, if there's one thing I hang onto,
That gets me through the night.
I ain't gonna do what I don't want to,
I'm gonna live my life.

Shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice,
Standing on the ledge, I show the wind how to fly.
When the world gets in my face,
I say, have a nice day.

Have a nice day.
Have a nice day.
Have a nice day.
Have a nice day.

Dean sang along with the next lines quietly.

When the world keeps trying, to drag me down,
I've gotta raise my hands, gonna stand my ground.
Well I say, have a nice day.
Have a nice day.

Dean drained his glass and held it up in a toast, saying with a smile:

Have a nice day.

He left, intent on finding his brother and, with his help, his father, and with their help, the monster that had killed his mother.

Same time, same place, one more difference.

Chloe was having a great time in Metropolis. Her new friends from the Daily Planet were really great, and had offered to bring her to this club.

"I'll get you a drink, okay?" said one of them. Chloe nodded and she left.

Chloe looked around during the momentary lull, trying to find the reason behind the stop in music. She looked up at the stage and saw a vaguely familiar girl with short, choppy blonde hair. Squinting at her, trying to work out who it was, she gasped when she finally recognised her.

It was Rory.

That was her, alright, same white teeth, visible from miles away, same curvy body, same fashion sense – if a little more out there. The only difference was her hair.

And the Kents don't know she's here, either, or she definitely wouldn't be in a notorious Metropolis nightclub.

Chloe decided to wait til Rory had sung her song, then confront her.

"Hey, Clo!"

Chloe took one last look at her best friend, then went to join her new one.

After Rory has finished singing
Rory scanned the crowd, looking for Clark, as she descended the stairs to the floor of the nightclub. Spotting him near the bar, she sauntered over to him.

"There you are, Clark."

"Hey Rory," he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Took you long enough to get here."

Ignoring this, he nodded at the stage. "Saw you singing. You're good, you know."

"Spoken like a true brother," she drawled, "which, of course, you are."

"Rory! Rory, is that really you?!"

Rory recognised the voice instantly. She turned with a scowl on her face to see Chloe behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked furiously.

"I could ask you the same thing," Chloe returned, not showing her sudden, unfounded fear. "Your parents are worried about you! And here you are, partying it up in Metropolis."

"So are you," Rory shot back.

"Yes, but my father knows where I am," Chloe retorted. "Lana cries all the time now, for you as well as Clark. You're her best friend – did you think you could just leave that behind?"

Rory smiled, sending chills down Chloe's spine. "I did leave that behind, Chloe. I'm not the Rory you knew anymore – I'm finally who I truly am."

"You've changed," Chloe said quietly, the music almost drowning her out.

"Haven't we all," Clark interjected, deciding it was high time he announced his presence. "Hi, Chloe. Long time no see, eh?"

Chloe stared at him, shocked, and Rory said irritably, "Oh, don't even try to pretend you're actually surprised, Chloe. Surely you knew that Clark and I stick together, no matter what?"

"Well, you just basically said that everything changes," Chloe argued.

Rory's smile returned. "Not everything, honey."

"Well, I'm going to tell your parents where you are," Chloe said defiantly.

Rory's cheerfulness was gone in an instant. "Tell anyone where we are," she said coldly, "and you won't live to regret it."

"Are you threatening me?" Chloe asked, outraged.

"Yes, actually, I am. Tell anyone, anyone, if anyone from our old life turns up, you will be held personally responsible, and you will pay the price," Rory said, her eyes frighteningly void of emotion.

Chloe nodded fearfully and backed away, finally turning and almost running away.

"Well," Clark spoke up after a pause. "That was subtle, Rors."

"Oh, shut up."

A/N There ya go, that's your filler, happy birthday to Ratdogtwo!
Xx.maddy-sparx.xX

Question 3: Who's your least favourite Smallville character and why? Include Supernatural if you watch it.