Chapter 2

As they pulled into the Talon parking lot, they were able to park next to Jack's SUV. Chloe had fun driving Jack around the town. She marveled at how relaxed he had seemed. She had never met anyone so at ease in their own skin. The only problem was that damn aftershave or cologne or whatever he was wearing was wearing kept distracting her. She almost crossed the center line twice. "Wow, he smells good. Funny thing is I don't think I think I ever smelled it before," she thought. Back when they were friends, Lana would drag Chloe to the mall were Lana would spritz cologne after cologne into the air asking if it would be good for Whitney, Jason, or Clark, depending upon on the flavor of the month.

Chloe became so comfortable with Jack that she had started telling him some carefully edited versions of her "Wall of Weird" stories. After her first story she carefully watched his reaction. When she told some one new about the things that went on in her home town, she usually got one of two reactions: disbelief or freak out. Jack had neither response instead he acted like it was just another routine day at the office. When they were in the Talon parking lot she decided to push the weirdness envelope. "Pretty much all of the freaky stuff around here happens because of people who become infected by meteors found around the town."

"Meteors? Do people dig them up or do they just fall here pretty regularly? Do they think it is viral, bacterial, or some sort of radiation?" Jack asked.

Chloe's reporter instincts caught the slight change in his voice. His voice had shifted ever so slightly from Peter Pan care-freeness to something resembling professionalism. "There have been two major meteor showers to hit this town in the last 20 years. The most recent was about 3 years ago. We aren't sure what causes the effects. The meteors have to get into the blood stream somehow and not everybody is affected." Jack had turned to face out the side window. She could barely hear him mumble under his breath. She was able to make out the words: "f***ing, Unit, warned them." "What was that, Jack?"

"Nothing, I just hope the government helped out," Jack said. Jack saw the sour look on Chloe's face and said, "But, I'm guessing from that frown, that they did what they are best at which is about nothing." He clapped his hands. "Enough depressing talk. I make it a rule to limit depressing talk on a first date and I think we went over that limit."

"First date?" Chloe acted surprised but was delighted at Jack's attention.

"Of course it is. Why do you think I asked you to drive me around today? You see, I've already been to Smallville before. But to tell the truth, it has changed a lot from the last time I was here." Jack opened up his car door and got out of Chloe's VW. He turned around and leaned in beaming his smile, "I count this one as the first and tonight as the second. That way I can get around all those pesky first date rules you folks have in place now of days.) With that he leaned in further and lightly kissed her cheek. Before she could react, Jack had gotten back out and closed the door. "I'll see you tonight Miss Sullivan."

Chloe reached up and touched her cheek. She watched the SUV pull out of the parking lot and head in the wrong direction for the only hotel in Smallville. She thought about honking to get his attention. She had forgotten to get his cell-phone number. She decided against honking. She guessed he would figure it out anyway. The direction he was going was where the old hotel was, the one that had burned down 50 years ago.

Chloe went into the Talon and started for her apartment when she was intercepted by a guided missile known as Lois. Lois grabbed her by the arm and practically drug her smaller cousin up the stairs to the apartment they shared again. They were no sooner through the door when Lois pointed to the couch and commanded, "Sit, spill, and leave out no detail."

Chloe tried to look at Lois with an incredulous look, but her smile ruined the effect. "Lois, I only played tour guide for Jack. I showed him around, told him some stories from the wall of weird and gave him direction to Clark's place. You know, just normal everyday stuff." Chloe shrugged.

"Right. If every tour made the guide smile like you're doing now, I would quit my job and go to work at Metropolis Natural History Museum. And what's with your cheek? You keep touching it." Lois pointed out.

"All right I'll spill. Jack's really a lot more complicated than he seems. When I talked about the stuff that goes on here, he didn't blow it off or freak out. He listened and asked intelligent questions. So brains plus charm."

"And a nice butt," Lois interrupted.

"There is that. Plus beautiful eyes and a smile that I think comes with a warning label. But I do have to admit he is pretty full of himself. He said the tour was our first date." Chloe said.

"So what's wrong with that?" Lois asked.

"He said he wanted to count that as our first so tonight could be our second date. He said he wanted to a loophole around the first date rules." Chloe blushed and she replayed her conversation with Jack.

Lois laughed, "Wow, he's forward isn't he? What did you say?"

Chloe brushed her cheek, "Nothing. He leaned into the car and kissed my cheek. Which, by the way, was very nice. I was so stunned I couldn't think. He said he would see me tonight and drove off."

Lois laughed again, she should feel sorry for Chloe feeling off balance, but Chloe's smile told her it was OK. "So, Cuz, what are you do?"

Chloe looked into her cousin's eyes and smiled even more. Her decision made. "Wear something uncomplicated, I guess. It is the second date after all."

Lois tossed a couch cushion at Chloe, "I am such a bad influence."