The Memoirs

Jonathan was nearly frantic with worry over Martha. He'd been out in the back range earlier, finishing the last of the early planting, because Clark hadn't been around to help sow the field this year. He'd just been getting ready to stick his head under the pump outside and cool off when he'd heard the shriek of his name from the kitchen.

By the time he'd gotten in, Martha was already coming to on the floor, and after getting threatened with a divorce if he didn't stop fussing, she had exiled him to the barn. Not just that? She'd called Ethan over, to keep him out of her hair.

Still didn't mean he couldn't worry. His toolbox sat out by the tractor, and he and Ethan were both under it's belly, cold beer sitting in the hay and waiting for them. "Ethan, didn't have to come over cause Martha called, y'know. She's just keepin' me outta her hair."

"Don't I know it. Jon," His voice was filled with absolute horror. "If Id had to go on another brides maids, flowers, the perfect china set hunt with my girl and her crazy best friend, I woulda shot myself dead away. You do not know what I have been going through. Six hours to pick out a bridesmaid's dress!" He shifted and tapped at the fuel line carefully with his wrench, listening to it for a leak as he looked over at his friend. "How's Martha doin?"

Jonathan snorted. "Then mebbe she's doin' us both a favor--gettin' me outta her hair to save our marriage, and gettin' you away from the shopping trips from hell." He traded his wrench for a screwdriver, and started unhooking the oil line. "I'm worried 'bout her, Ethan. I's workin' out the back range today, heard her yellin' for me, but by the time I got there, she'd already fainted and was pickin' herself up off the floor. Damn near chased me out with her rollin' pin."

Ethan snorted softly and shook his head as he helped his friend. "Watch for run off, there. And you know, Peggy used to get 'um with Jason. She'd faint flat out on the floor... something pregnant women sometimes. Fel hasn't done it yet, thank God, cause she's got some meat on her bones, but you mark my words, Toni's gonna be doin' it."

"Got it ready," Jonathan said, grabbing the battered old oil pan. "Here, grab that socket there... yeah. Hold that line. Thanks." Deep sigh as he worked a moment. "It's gonna be the death of me, Ethan. Swear to God it is. First baby she's ever had, twins to boot, at her age, and if that's not enough to worry about, she's takin' now to faintin' spells."

"Nah, don't worry bout it too much. She'll be alright." He held the line for his friend, and rubbed one ankle against the other to ward off a scratch. "How's Clark doin?"

"Better'n we'd thought; got his mid-term report card t'other day, an he's back in the top A's of his class."

"Smart boy, Clark. That boy is gonna go far, Jon." The last word was gritted out as he released a bolt, and gave a sigh of relief when it finally gave. "He's a good kid, though, he's gonna do great things. Already shown he don't give diddly what other people think, and in a tiny town like this, that's actually sayin somethin."

Jonathan grimaced. "Yeah, well... much as I love the boy, and respect the choices... kinda wish it'd been him'n Chloe, stead'a him an' Lex, but all things considered... the boy's stood up better'n I thought, him and Lionel both. Couldn't ask him to be any better to Clark at all."

Ethan turned a smile at him. "Never thought, Jon. Crazy. Hey, careful there with the pipe, don't crush it." A moment. "I meant to ask ya somethin, Jon."

Jonathan just stopped before he wrenched the pipe open. "Yeah. Ask me anythin', and I'll even try'n answer it."

"Would ya mind bein' my best man, ina few weeks?"

Jonathan blinked. Cursed, as he got the pipe open and barely got the oil pan under it in time. "You kiddin' me, Ethan? Course I'll stand up fer ya!"

He laughed, shaking his head as he ducked his head a moment before oil splashed everywhere. "Yer my closes friend, Jon, and Id be honored if you'd do the honors."

Jonathan chuckled. "Course I will; didn't even hafta ask that." Gave his friend a huge grin. "Guess this means I better be callin' round to the strippers and bookin' the Wild Coyote."

Ethan's ears pinked, eyes wide, and he cracked up. "Holy... Jon, you don't hafta do all that."

"Sure do!" He thumped his friend gently on the shoulder. "Yer gonna end your brief period of bachelorhood in style!"

Ethan snorted, loudly, and rearranged his legs out from under the tractor as he shifted, getting the clamp up on the tube again. "If by brief you mean five years. Don't even think you've met Fel, have you?"

Quiet blink as he sorted through his memory. "No, don't think I have."

"She's 'mazing, Jon. Beautiful as all get out. Just been so busy, with LuthorCorp...you and Martha wanna come over for supper 'morrow night?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that'd be great. 'Bout time to meet the little lady that's takin' my best friend." Huge grin. "Think Martha's one of 'er bridesmaids."

"Yeah, she is. So's halfa Smallville, though." He made a face. "Plus her ex, since her pa passed away so many years ago. Dom'nic doesn't seem to hard pressed to give her away though, seemed right chipper about it, so thats taken care of."

"Son-of-a-bitchin' potato-suckin' bastard."

Ethan turned a grin his way. "He ain't so bad. Heard he's clocked you more'n once."

"Only cause I'm bein' a gentleman, doing Ly a favor and not beatin' that little snot back into the ground he came from." Little growl.

Yeah right, but Ethan smiled anyway. "Suuure. You better be civil, or Fellie'll have your liver on a chain for a nice car ornament."

"Won't even look at the little fucker unless he starts it. Cause next time, I'm poundin' his faggy little ass inta the dirt." Whammed his wrench down. "Jesus Christ, Ethan, I had my day of it, but I swear to ya, I didn't shoot flames out my ass."

"Hey not." Ethan chided gently, as he screwed in another bolt. "Like I said, he ain't bad. He and Lionel done lots of nice things for us and Fel, and vice versa. He's a good guy, him and Lionel both." His amusement came over him in waves, as his lips quirked. "You sure bout that last part? No flames, at all?"

"I'm damned sure. The seats of my jeans weren't never singed."

Ethan snorted. "That's cause you had one vision on Jon Channel, and his name was Ly Luthor, with the hot Thunderbird." He side glanced him, still smiling, and rose a brow as he sobered gently. "Maybe you don't like Dom so much cause you're jealous?"

"Little bit. Definitely was that at first, but... naw. Not ny'more." Grunt as he reattached the empty oil line, and it'd be ready for a water flush in the morning. "I just plain-ass don't like the sumbitch. He rubs me the wrong way."

"Maybe he's got the same feelin' for you. Fellie calls it first wife syndrome. I get it sometimes, Dom's gotta get it... he's competin' against you, Martha, and Lionel's first wife. Lotta competition, Jon. Just... don't kill him."

"Won't kill the sumbitch long as he keeps offa me." Surly delivery, but it was a sincere enough promise.

Deep sigh, though it was coupled with a laugh. "Yer hopeless."

"Course I am." Jonathan popped his shoulder. "C'mon in. Get yerself cleaned up, and we'll see if I can't sweet-talk m'wife outta one-a her apple pies and a couple cups of coffee."

"Y'got it."

- = - = -

Chloe was feeling... well. She was feeling great. As weird as it sounded, after all the blood loss, hospital visit, and everything yesterday... she was feeling... okay. Definitely okay, very okay, in fact. She felt like normal, her baby happily tucked against her insides, and she was just… well. She was being pampered. Not that she minded, but it was annoying.

At least her bestest bestest bestest friend wouldn't be bothered to pamper and annoy her, so Chloe waited happily for her friend to get there. She was propped in her bed, pillows, magazines, water, cookies, and tissues set on her little nightstand beside her, and she was thumbing through People with little interest.

Oh, Shayla was ready to pamper her best friend. She'd even begged, cajoled, and finally ordered Clark to move one of Lex's huge TVs and DVD players over Chloe's house, and they were already set up and waiting for her to arrive.

And arrive in style she did.

Lugging a huge box of Chinese food, popcorn, sodas--caffeine free, of course--juice bottles, and more chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. Seven movies, four tapes and three DVDs, a shitload of new CDs that she'd bought with Dominic's credit card, and her boom box to play them in. She was also trailing behind her a huge duffel bag that clanked with makeup, shoes, and accessories.

Boy, she was ready. "C'lo, baby... get ready to party!" she said as she dragged noisily up the stairs.

"Shay! You better have brought Harry Potter!" Chloe squealed out of her bedroom door, and rolled up to her feet, giving the baby a little rub of affection over her slightly extended belly button, and grinned around the edge of her door. "Sweetie, careful, I think you left the kitchen sink at the bottom of the stairs."

"I'm goin' back for the sink inna minute," she grunted. "I got both the Potter movies. And, somewhere in this shit, my copy of the latest book, Order of the Phoenix."

"Kick ass. Now I know you love me." A mock heaved sigh of love and she grinned, coming down the steps to help her friend. "Dominic find out about the credit card yet?"

"GET YOUR LITTLE PREGNANT ASS BACK UP THOSE STEPS THIS INSTANT!" she screeched at the top of her lungs.

She rolled her eyes, and stomped Shay's foot none too gently. "Could you shut up? Jesus Christ. Come on, heave! There we go. Jesus, Shay, I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I can't take anymore fluttering, and neither can George/Steven/Joey/Alexander."

She howled, but didn't surrender any of her burden. "GET BACK IN BED!"

"Shay, shut UP!" She snarled, as she grasped the top stuff, the food and cookies, and pushed open the door to her bedroom with her hip. "Christ, be on my side!"

"I am on your side! I'm like, not wanting you to hemorrhage and die!" she shrieked again, and dropped the rest of her stuff in the middle of the floor of Chloe's bedroom. "So, sit and be waited on!" She jerked the box of food away and sat it down, glaring at her best friend with her hands on her hips.

Chloe glared back. "Don't make me throw my funky moldy socks at you, Shay. I've had them stewing under the window for a week."

"That's completely and totally gross." She made a face at her friend, and then plomped down on the floor. "So what are we watching first?"

Chloe grinned at her, but tugged her up instead, by the shoulder, to get on the big double bed with her, and wrapped her arms around her shoulders and waist. "Pete told me you had a rough night. I can't say I'm not surprised, but its still… its nice. You're my best friend, Shay."

Shayla hugged back carefully, and nodded. "It was. I was so worried about you. Pete let me sleep over and that didn't even help." Tighter hug. "You're my best friend too, and I love you so much, and I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you, so take care of you, okay?"

"I will, sweetie, and I totally love you too." Another squeeze, though tears had flooded her eyes. "Yesterday really sucked. I feel better today… much better, like… like nothing happened. Its weird, and scary. I'm going to the doctor again tomorrow, see what they can tell me."

"Good. I hope you do. I'd be so upset if you didn't!" She hugged back. "Please be okay."

"I will." She smiled across at her friend, gave her cheek a kiss, and snuggled into the pillows. "Alright, what first?"

"Um... hey! How do you feel about a Harry Potter overdose? We can watch both the movies. And? Since we've got Morg's credit card--and yes, he knows I do, he said it was okay--then we can go and buy the four seasons of Buffy on DVD."

She grinned, and shook her head. "Don't need it, Clark told me he's got it on tape. All seven seasons, girl. We can ask to borrow them, maybe?" Another giggly little giggle, as she motioned a socked foot at the bag Shay had dragged up. "What's in there?"

"So does Morg, but let's face it, the DVDs? Better quality." She snorted. "Here? Makeup. Shoes. All the stuff you wanted to borrow."

"Score!" She grinned, as she lay back on the blankets. "Put in the Potter, while I... lounge here like a big oaf."

"You are not a big oaf!!" But she bounded up and put the first DVD into the player. "It was nice of Clark to hook this up." Didn't at all mention the haranguing that had gone into getting it. "Oh, you're going to love this. Morg got me hooked on the books, and I've devoured them all." She bounced back onto the bed beside Chloe, and dragged up the yellow bag of popcorn and two caffeine-free sodas. "Here?"

"He what?" Chloe burst into giggles, and took the popcorn, nodding at her as she tugged the blanket over their legs. "Dominic got you hooked? Dominic? He's a thirty some man!"

"Yeah, he is, and he still got me hooked. Got me hooked on Lord of the Rings, too." She poked her friend gently in the side. "He's got the heart of a five year old, didn't you know?"

Chloe heaved a lusty sigh. Just... yeah. Soft spot. Adoration. Love! That was Chloe, right now, and she felt her cheeks warm as the movie, which she'd seen 18 times, came on. "No shit?"

"No Shit." She snickered. "Man, I hope you like Alan Rickman."

"Who?"

"Alan Rickman. Guy who plays Snape in the movies? He's in about three of these other flicks Pete picked out for us."

Chloe just... rolled her eyes, good naturedly of course, and happily crunched into the first handful of popcorn, slumping back against the pillows as she chewed. "You and bad boys."

"I can't help it. They attract me. I swear, I'm surprised that's Pete's a good a guy as he is." Sniffle.

"Pete's not a good guy at all." Chloe answered, with a snort.

"Yes hell he is! He's the best guy I know!!!" She squealed as the movie came on, then rolled her eyes as the doorbell rang. "We can ignore it, right?"

"Of course we can. Unless its my dad and he forgot his keys." Said with a snort, as she stretched slightly. "Dad'll get it. And no, Pete isn't in any way a good guy. He's a bad boy in sheep's clothing."

"Okay, good. I'm good for ignoring." She snuggled back into the pillows. "Pete's the sweetest guy I've ever met. I don't think I've known him to do anything bad."

"That's cause you haven't known him long. He's blown up six school toilets, wallpapered his house, egged my house, stole his dad's car to go to Metropolis with Clark to see Cold Play... need I go on?"

"That's not bad. That's FUN." She giggled. "That's the best kind of fun, actually. Maybe I can talk him into stealing one of Lex's cars for a joyride and roll in the back seat."

"Yeah right, Lex would--be standing at my bedroom door." Chloe burned bright red at Shay's last set of words as she gazed at her ashimel, and immediately lowered her eyes. She knew what had happened yesterday, how angry Whitney was at Clark, and she flushed quietly.

"And that would be my cue to go and see if I can help Mr. Sullivan with--anything." Wasn't even going to get in the middle of this, and she squeezed past Lex quickly and headed down the stairs.

Lex was leaning against the doorjamb, and had both his hands behind his back. A little shift, and he looked at Chloe. "Can... Can I come in?"

"Yeah… I mean, of course." She paused the movie and set the remote on her side table, almost unable to look up as Shay slipped out. "How... are you okay?"

"I've been better." He slid into the room, hands still tucked behind his back. "I'm so sorry, Chloe."

"Don't be sorry." She looked up, quickly. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Lex. You… you saved my life. Whitney's all freaking out, but he's Whitney." She shifted on the bed, to make him a spot. "Wanna sit down?"

Lex swallowed hard. "I wouldn't have had to save your life if I hadn't... hadn't hurt you in the first place. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Lex." She stressed, softly. "Come on, just come sit. Please?"

"All right." Lex walked slowly over to the bed, and then held out his right hand. "I thought you could use some flowers. Maybe brighten the place up a little." In his hands were a bouquet of white roses, yellow roses, and yellow daffodils and daisies.

"Oh, Lex." She smiled, brightly, and took the beautiful flowers, even as she glared at him. "You didn't have to buy me anything, for heavens sake. You didn't do anything, sweetie... come here." She reached out and took his much bigger hand. "Come on, sit."

His hand tugged gently out of hers and went back again, coming back this time with a box of chocolates.

Another heavy sigh, as Chloe took the box. "Lex.."

"Hmm?" He let her take his right hand this time, but his left was still tucked behind his back.

"What, have you got Fat Albert back there?" Her eyebrow rose, as she tugged him to sit beside her.

"Nope, just this." Out came his other hand, bearing a huge stuffed penguin. "My instincts said jewelry, but then I saw this in the store window and was oddly drawn to it. As far as I know, I have no partiality to penguins, but there you go."

It endeared her, deeply, and she smiled as she took the big stuffed penguin gently, and set it on her lap. "Lex... come on. You don't have to buy me stuff, I'm not angry at you. I..." She looked down at their intertwined hands. "I'd been feeling strangely, all day. I think I'd been losing the baby already."

Lex sat down on the edge of the bed. "That's what Clark said, and I don't believe it. I can't help but think it's my fault." He scooted a little closer to her, and brushed his hand over her cheek. "I know I shouldn't be here; Whitney will be upset that I've come."

Her eyebrows knit. "First of all, Clark doesn't know what's going on in my body. I do. And that's what I think was happening. Second of all, Whitney is my boyfriend, but he's not my keeper, and he's not going to stop me from seeing who I chose."

Lex gave a little laugh at that. "No, he's not your keeper, but he is your boyfriend. And I'm just too selfish to respect his wishes right now. I had... I had to see, for myself, that you were okay."

Chloe's eyebrows came up so hard they hit her hairline, and a fine, slick anger coated the inside of her belly. "Uh, no. You don't have to respect anything h wants. If I didn't want to see you, I would have told you."

"Yeah, I do. Because he is special to Clark, just like you are special to me. There is already enough trouble between them without me adding to the mix." He moved completely into the bed, and curled up beside her in the space that Shayla had evacuated. "I won't be responsible for adding more friction to that."

"Lex? You know I love you, right?" Chloe lay down beside him, gently.

"Yes, I know." He slid his hand once over her stomach, and then pulled it away to rest on his hip instead.

She took his hand, gently in hers, and squeezed. "Snap out of it. You're acting like someone died. No one did. In fact, you saved my life. So, not to quote Buffy, but spank your inner moppet, hun."

Lex coughed once, trying to strangle the laugh. "Nobody died, no. But I hurt people I loved. You, Whitney, Clark, Bruce, my father, Dominic."

"So? They're so wrapped up in their drama they probably mistook whatever you did for their own." Chloe just… rolled her eyes. "I'm alive, I'm fine...actually, I'm great, cause Shay and I are about to have a great fun time. My baby's safe, I'm safe, Whitney's safe, Clark's safe, and I'm pretty sure all those other people you named are, too. So... shhh."

"It wasn't. Bruce... Bruce came all the way down here. He... he'd set someone to watch over Clark and me, I guess, and he found out... and he came down here. He came down here, and I almost... I almost lost my best friend, Chloe. I said something that I shouldn't have, and he almost walked away from me forever."

"But you didn't. See? Even when you're angsting you've got a lick of sense." But Chloe smiled, shook her head, and kissed Lex's forehead. "Get over it, Lex. You're just like your dad, man, you guys just focus on the one thing."

Lex gave a little choked laugh. "You're right. No more feeling bad. Okay?"

Chloe smiled at him, warmly, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "There ya go. I don't blame you, Whitney doesn't really blame you... its just that he doesn't have an outlet for his feelings other than angry right now."

"I need to go and see him, later. But I wanted to see you first." He left his head on her shoulder. "I needed to see you. I needed to apologize."

"I dunno for what, but, everything's forgiven and we're all good again." She smiled again and hugged him tightly. "Come on. Wanna watch Harry Potter with me and Shay?"

To his credit, he didn't recoil.

Much.

"No, thank you." If had been just Chloe? Different story. "I still have to call Bruce, check in with the weekend staff at LuthorCorp and see what the stock numbers were at closing, and pay your boyfriend a visit at his store."

Chloe snorted, and rolled her eyes. "Oh come off it, Luthor. Is it about Shay or Potter?"

"Shayla."

Chloe snorted again, rudely, and kissed his eyebrow. "I'll tell her you had important Hogwarts' business to attend to, don't you worry."

"You could just tell her she's an annoying little thing and as soon as she stops calling me AJ and hitting on me, then we might get along a little better."

"Which she'll never do." Chloe smiled, and shooed him along, hugging her penguin close. "I love you, Lex. Thank you."

"I love you too, Chloe." He straightened up on the bed, and smoothed down his shirt. "I'll call you later? Let you know how it goes when I see Whitney."

"Please do. I might have to kill him afterwards, for acting like a bulldog around me." She smiled anyway, and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later, honey."

"I'll send the Pink Terror back up on my way down." He returned the kiss on her cheek, the picked up her hand and kissed her palm. "Don't be too hard on him; he's only trying to protect you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Said with a soft smile.

He kissed her palm again, and got up from the bed, and paused in the doorway. Was going to apologize again, but didn't. He just smiled at her, and then left.

Took the stairs two at a time, and got to the bottom before he saw Shayla peeking out of the kitchen. "Go on back upstairs, Shayla." He left quietly, just as he'd come in, and Shayla tore back up the steps.

She almost flopped down on the bed, and squealed when she saw the penguin.

Chloe grinned herself, and nodded, holding the super soft fuzzy guy up. "I know. It almost looks like him. Flowers and chocolate to boot, how nice was that?" She left Shay with the Penguin, who she decided was going to be named Ross, and quickly got one of the old vases she had under the sink to fill with water.

"Gimmie that!!" Shayla snatched the vase up and glared. "You hold the penguin. I'll go get water in the vase."

Too late. Chloe snatched it back, and set it under the faucet sink to fill, the roses on the sink beside her. "He was pretty upset.... can you believe Whitney was trying to keep him away from me?"

Growl. "Yeah, I can. I wouldn't do it, but yeah, I can believe Whitney is."

"He obviously has a death wish I wasn't aware of." Chloe muttered as she filled the vase up enough and unbanded the flowers from the crinkly plastic, taking pleasure in sorting them in the face.

"Well... yeah. I mean... there's the whole Gee, my girlfriend nearly died yesterday because of something that happened with Lex and Clark thing. Yeah, I can see where he's coming from."

"Well, yeah. But its our sha'nauch, Shay. I mean, Christ. And no," She looked out the bathroom door. "It wasn't Lex at all. Id been feeling very odd all day, getting bad cramps… I just didn't say anything."

Shayla shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think I wanna know. In fact, I know I don't wanna. I mean... you guys. You have this hugely special thing going, and it's weird, but it's good all at the same time, and then, there's the whole whatever-thing that happened with Lex and his little explosion or whatever, cause that's what I understood. So... I mean. yeah. Worried. But it's not my place, you know?"

"You're my best friend, Shay." Chloe set the flowers on the dresser, arranging the daisies gently, before plopping down on her bed. "Its your place to care for me, and make sure I'm okay. That's what makes you so awesome, that you've got such a big heart."

She snorted. "I am so not awesome, it's not funny." But she sat down beside her friend. "But that's what I mean. I'm your friend, but you don't have to live with me, not like you do Whitney and Lex and Clark. So... yeah. I can think all I want to, but when it comes down to it, it's you who's gotta deal with it, not me or anyone else."

- = - = -

Justin Timberlake's solo career, now that Clark really thought about it, didn't suck as much as he thought it would. Seriously, Justin Timberlake. The guy had an ass for a head, but Clark had to give it to him, he could dance and sing. Now that N'sync was waaay in the past, of course. He'd had Cry Me A River in his head since last week, and he was humming it now, quietly, as he walked up to the front of Fordman's store. He could see, in the window when he passed, Whitney and Dominic's brother, Graham, talking, and he carefully, ever so carefully, pushed open the door. It had been a bit chilly today in a late winter cold spell, and he tucked the dark blue jean jacket tighter on him, arranging the collar a little as he walked in.

The store was strangely empty, for once, though Clark could see where it had been full this morning--the shelves were almost empty. The stockers were working overtime everywhere he looked to get everything restocked, for tomorrow morning when the construction crews, Clark guessed. He quietly stepped around one of the Rubenstein boys, smiling at him before sliding over to the front counter, staying a few steps back from Whitney and Graham.

Whitney knew Clark came in. He'd heard the bell on the door jingle, he'd caught Clark skulking around out of the corner of his eye, and where he might have broken off his conversation with Graham before, he now let Clark stew and wait while he finished talking with the older man.

Graham's cast was coming off on Monday, and when the store was closed on Sunday afternoon, he'd be coming in to get a detailed copy of the stock list, see what the store had, and where he could set up shop.

Whitney shook the man's hand gently, and waited until he'd left the store before turning around to look silently at Clark.

"Hello, Whitney." Clark answered, quietly, uncomfortably, as he shifted. He hated butting in one conversations, and had nodded at the older man as he passed. "How are you?"

"Clark." Quiet pause. "I'm okay." I've been better, was on the tip of his tongue, but he wasn't going to let on how sad, or how angry, he was.

"I just... came to see you. I was on my… way to the Talon, to get the job schedule for next week, so... visiting." He cleared his throat and looked down, hands deep in his pockets.

"Public place, Clark. Don't have to make an excuse to be here." Whitney's knuckles were white as they gripped his clipboard.

Clark swallowed. "I wanted... to see you." Alright. His pride hadn't liked that at all, and it kicked inside of him, but he quieted it gently.

Whitney blinked. "I missed you too."

He nodded slightly, and didn't speak for a moment. "How's Chloe?"

"She's doing good. Her and Shayla camped out at her place today... but you knew that." Delayed reaction as he remembered that Chloe had told him Clark brought over Lex's DVD player and wide-screen TV. "She's feeling a lot better; says she's back to normal."

Fuck. Clark had been trying for conversation, and he just nodded, shifting. "Yeah. That's good."

"Yeah, it is. You going to come over and see her this evening?" Deliberately left Lex out of the invitation. "Maybe have dinner with us?"

Clark caught it, and it nearly set his teeth on edge. Nearly. He was trying to stay civil here, so he just shook his head slightly. "I wish I could, but I can't."

"It'll do her good to see friendly faces," Whitney wheedled. "And, she'll love you for rescuing her from the over-coddling."

"I'm sorry, Whitney." Was all Clark said, because he knew what he was going for. "I'll call her tonight, though, before she and Shayla turn in for the night." Yeah, he knew Shay was staying for a sleepover, and he didn't say anything else.

"Fine, have it your way." Whitney slammed the clipboard down harder than he'd meant to beside the register, but he didn't care.

Clark looked at him, calmly. "I can see you're still angry."

"Gee, do you think? Not like I have any reason to be, you know."

His eyes narrowed, quietly. "It wasn't Lex, Whitney. So you need to give it up. I talked to Chloe myself. Lex saved her life."

"Like I said the other day, he wouldn't have had to save it if he hadn't been the one to put it in danger." He stalked towards the back office, because he wasn't going to have this fight in the middle of the store.

Clark followed, teeth grinding in his jaw, gritting tightly as he closed the door behind him, and glared at his beloved, beautiful ashimel who he loved so desperately. "Whitney, you don't understand, and your ignorance is making you blind."

"No, I understand just fine!" Slammed down a pencil on the desk. "I understand that you and Lex had a fight, and it overloaded onto my girlfriend, nearly killed her, and nearly killed our baby! And I know too that Lex hates the fact that Chloe has a baby and he doesn't, and if he hurts her again, I swear I'm going to make him wish he never had."

"Whitney, I'm going to tell you this once, and just once. Do not bring Mar into this." Clarks voice was dangerously calm. "Because the next time you soil my son's name, even in death, I will kill you, ashimel or not. That's first. Second, how dare you insinuate something like that. Lex took care of your baby, and your girlfriend, when you couldn't. He took her to her hospital visits, he began to buy her all the things she'd need, he put aside his own pain to help his ashikana."

"Right, let's throw that in my face. Because we both know it was my fault my mother died." Choke on the words. "We both know that I wanted her to die just so I could get out of helping my girlfriend through the happiest thing that's happened to either of us. I mean, you've got every RIGHT to think that."

"I'm not throwing anything in your face, Whitney! Jesus Christ." Clark snarled. "I didn't insinuate that at all. We took care of her when you couldn't, and its not your fault you couldn't. I just... you should be more considerate towards Lex of all people, who took care of her! He wouldn't try and kill her just for the hell of it, you stupid person, he adores her, adores her almost as much as he does me. Okay?"

"The hell you didn't insinuate it." Pencil snapped, and he didn't even realize it. "You just told me, that Lex is a better boyfriend to Chloe than I am, because the almighty Lex Luthor could put aside his own pain, and poor little Fordman couldn't do it! I don't need that shit from you, Clark. I really don't!"

Clark just...stared at him. "Whitney, you know what? You believe what you want to believe. Alright? If you really think that I came here to tell you that, then fuck you. I love you, deeply, but I'm not going to take that kind of shit from you, after everything we've been through together. You think I'm telling you Lex is a better for her than you? Do you really think that's what I mean?"

"No, I don't think that's what you mean. But that's sure as hell what you're sayin', and I don't wanna hear it."

"You take it how you want it, man. Alright? Whatever." Clark shook his head, and felt... disgusted, horrified. "I can't believe after everything, after everything, Lex makes a mistake and you... you can't forgive him. What kind of friendship is that? What kind of sha'nauch is that?"

Whitney leaned over the desk. "Could you forgive me if I had done something that put Lex's life in danger? Even if I'd saved it later, could you forgive me for harming the dearest thing in the world to you?"

"Yes, I could." Clark looked at him, head on. "Because you are one of the dearest things to me in the world. I could forgive you anything, if I knew it hadn't been intended. I could forgive you for anything, Whitney."

"Then you're a better man than I am, Clark. But that's not news to anyone, is it?"

Clark's fingers tightened into fists, and he was cursing in many languages in his head, none of it pretty. "After we took you into our home, our bed. I can't believe you would betray like this. I can't believe you can't forgive Lex."

"Go ahead and hit me," Whitney taunted. "Know you wanna." He turned his head and exposed his jaw. "Right there. Go ahead, Clark."

"I won't hit you." Disgusted look. "I won't hit what is mine."

Whitney didn't answer, just kept his head turned.

And Clark took a step back, still snarling.

Whitney stepped forward. "What, Clark? Too scared? Too afraid? I can't hit you back; can't hurt you, anyway. Ball's all in your court."

"I will not hit my ashimel!" Clark took another step back. "I will not harm what's mine to protect, you should know that by now. But you don't, you don't even try to begin what's in your blood, what's there between us. Or is it that you don't care anymore? You don't care about what we are?"

"I always care!" Whitney shouted. "You think I like this? But you won't forgive ME for being angry at Lex, and I'm not going to budge on letting him near my girlfriend!"

"He already went to see her, Whitney." Clark answered, calmly, quietly, as Whitney yelled. "He went to see her, and apologized, and she didn't hesitate to bring him into her heart."

"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Whitney roared. "I'm going to kill that bastard for going near her!"

"No." Clark murmured. "You aren't going to touch him. Its you, Whitney, you who has a problem with all of this."

"You wanna fuckin' bet I'm not?"

"You. Will not. Touch. My aushna'." Clark answered in a quiet, firm voice. "And if you do, I'll kill you myself."

"I love you, Clark, I do, but you're NOT going to tell me what I can and can't do to protect my girlfriend!"

"He won't hurt her. It was a mistake, all a horrible mistake, because we brought you too close, and now you feel. It was a mistake, and I'm sorry for it, but there was nothing that could be done. He almost killed himself trying to save her life, and you aren't going to tell me what I can and can't do to protect my aushna'."

"If you gotta kill me, then I guess that's what you gotta do then, because he is NOT going near her again."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Whitney." Clark repeated the same words, and looked at him quietly. "I'm not going to hurt you in any way, because you are my ashimel. And you know? You can be angry. All you want to. It doesn't really matter, because if Chloe wants to see him, he'll come, and if Lex wants to see her, he'll go to her."

"No, he won't. Even if it means I sit outside the fuckin' bedroom door and guard it. He's NOT getting in there again. I'm NOT going to let him hurt her again."

"He's not going to hurt her." Clark had had enough, just about enough, and it was time to go. "I'm going to leave. I'll see you whenever."

"Either you stop him or I will," Whitney called out after Clark.

"I'm not stopping him, Whitney." Was all Clark said, as he left the office and started for the front door.

"Then I will!" Whitney slammed the office door, and then picked up the phone, almost snarling as he called his girlfriend's house.

Harry Potter was adorable. Between popcorn, soda, cookies and Harry, she and Shay were having a great time giggling over the cute Hogwarts outfits, and trying to pronounce Hermione's name. Chloe glanced, sideways, from the chocolate haven as the phone rang, and picked it up, setting it on her ear as she chewed. "Sullivan res'dince."

"What the fuck was Lex Luthor doing in your goddamned house today?" Whitney snarled.

Chloe's eyebrow rose. "Excuse me, yes, I'm having a wonderful day thank you, and how are you?"

"Answer the goddamned question, Chloe? What the fuck was he doing there, and are you all right?"

"You know what, Whitney?" Her hackles were up. Big time. "I don't respond well to my boyfriend calling me and cursing me out. So I'm gonna hang the phone up, and when, or even if, you do call back? Try to do so in a more courteous manner." And she hung up.

Whitney cursed. Loudly. Picked the phone back up and redialed.

She waited four full rings, eyebrow raised along with Shay's beside her, and picked it up. "Sullivan residence."

"Hello, Chloe, how are you doing this fine day?" Voice was sickeningly sweet. "I was wondering if you could, perhaps, if it's not too much trouble, possibly tell me why Lex was there bothering you today?"

Sarcasm she could deal with. Screaming, yelling, cursing, she could not. She rolled her eyes at Shay, and considered putting it on voice phone, though she didn't. "Yes, he was. He came to drop off some things. Why do you want to know?"

Dropping... off some things. "Might I trouble you as far as asking exactly what he was dropping off?" More falsely sweet, and it was bordering into saccharine.

"Flowers, and a teddy bear." Not that its any of your business, dickwad.

"Hmm. I see. Might I then trouble you with one more question as to the state of your overall well being?"

"I'm fine." She rolled her eyes. "Just fine, in fact. He didn't try and gut me while he was here. He was the perfect gentlemen."

"I'm so very glad to hear that you're doing well." His teeth were audibly gritting over the phone line. "Might I make a polite inquiry as to why you didn't tell him to get the fuck out of the house like I politely asked you to this morning?"

"Because he's my friend, Whitney. He saved me, he helped me. I was losing the baby all day yesterday, and he saved my life. I love him, he's my ashimel, and he is more than welcome into my home whenever he sees fit."

A snarl into the phone, but when he actually spoke again, his voice was still sickening sweetness. "I see. Am I to then assume that what I want means absolutely dick to you?"

"You're hurting my feelings, Whitney." Chloe said, very softly. "Stop it, okay? I understand what you wanted, but I'm not going to turn him away. I have no bad feelings towards him."

"Yes, we wouldn't want to hurt your feelings. Thank you for taking my call; I'll see you when I get home." Whitney hung up the phone, and rather than rip it out of the wall and throw it, as he wanted to do, he quietly walked out, out through the office, out through the employee area with the lockers, and out into the back alley behind the store, where the dumpster and the box crusher was. Without saying a word to anyone he slammed his fist as hard as he could into the side of the dumpster, leaving a fist-sized dent and a smear of blood behind as he calmly walked back into the back, washed his hand as best he could, and opened his locker. Bandages remained behind from his football days, and he wrapped one of the brown elastic bandages around his hand and wrist, and proceeded to go back into the office and sit down, picking up his clipboard on the way and checking off the shipments they'd yet to receive that day.

"I'm going to kick him in the ass." Chloe muttered, after the shock wore away, and set the phone back on the cradle. "Shay, if I dump him, will you move to Tijuana with me to raise our illegitimate love child?"

Shayla was owl-eyed, but she nodded without blinking. "Sure will, baby. I'll even call the airport pretending to be Carolyn, and get one of the LuthorCorp jets to take us."

"Cool." She set the receiver back down, and took her friends hand. "Sometimes Shay, I wonder if you're the only person I can relate to."

Shayla squeezed Chloe's hand in return. "I'm not. It's just... okay. Guys suck. And not just in the fun way. Sometimes? They're such fucking assholes. You're the one who told me that about Pete, remember? Well? Whitney's the same way. He sucks. Just you wait. in a day or two, he'll be kissing your ass and BEGGING for your forgiveness."

"Should I milk it?" She turned tear filled eyes on her friend. "Should I really milk him for all the begging and kissing?"

"Hell yes you should." She wrapped her arms around Chloe's shoulders and hugged. "Milk it for everything you can get out of it."

She sniffled, and hugged her friend right back, rubbing her cheekbone on her shoulder. "He was being all sarcastic. Lex didn't mean to, Shay. Like I told you before... I was feeling it all day... he saved my life, and my babies life. I just... Whitney is such a cock head."

"I know what'll make you feel better." She leaned over and picked up the phone, and dialed in a cell phone number. Tapped her fingers on the back of the phone as she cradled Chloe close to her, and let her rub her cheek against her shoulder. "Ah! Here we go!" she said, as soon as Lex picked up. "Here, baby."

Chloe sniffled, and listened. "Hello?"

Lex's ears pricked up. "Chloe? What's wrong? Are you all right?"

"Hey. Sorry babe... I'm just feeling kinda down." She didn't mention Whitney, and wouldn't. They were already fighting enough. "Hormones, drugs, whatever. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"What did he say? Did he hurt you?" Lex sat up behind his desk, and started to shut down the spreadsheet he was calculating on. "Do you need me?"

"No... stop, Lex. He didn't say anything, didn't hurt me. I just wanted to hear your voice. I'm sorry for this."

"Stop it. Don't be sorry." He paused in mid-motion. "Chloe? Seriously. I can come over. I'll bring the laptop and I'll even..." he swallowed. "Brave Shayla for a while, and I'll work while you guys watch the DVDs."

"If he comes home and finds you, you guys are going to fight." Chloe said, softly. "I don't want you to fight, Lex."

"Then I won't fight him. I'll leave, and if he tries to fight me, I'll walk away. I've done it before, I can do it again. I just... want what's best for you."

"Its okay, Lex. Its really okay. But… do you maybe want to eat somewhere tonight? I mean, I know Whitney's not going to talk to me all night, or if he does he'll scream. So... maybe we can go out to eat?"

"Yes. Definitely. I'll call Clark, and see if he wants to go? Or do you want it to be just the two of us?"

"Just us. And Shay."

"You got it." Soft little smile. "Anywhere in particular you want to go? I've got pull at pretty much any restaurant in Metropolis."

"No...I think staying here, especially with last night, is better. In case anything happens again, the doctor's right here. Maybe Derchi's?"

Lex nodded, and then remembered she couldn't see. "All right. I'll call them and make reservations for the three of us. What time does Whitney get home?"

"Six."

"Then I'll pick you two up at five, all right? Be gone when he gets there. Question is, do you want to go home after that, or do you want to stay with me tonight? I can have the room across the hall made back up for you."

"Its okay... I'll come home. Shay and I have a night of fun planned out." She gripped the phone, and Shay's hand, tighter. "Thank you, Lex."

"You're welcome, Chloe." He paused softly. "You don't have to thank me. I love you. You're special to me."

"I love you." She repeated, and poured her whole heart into the words. "I'll see you at five."

She carefully hung up, then dialed the store.

"Fordman's," Whitney answered brusquely.

"Its me." Her voice was very calm, very professional. "I just wanted to inform you that I'll be dining out tonight. I'll be home by eight."

Whitney's vision went red and he flexed his injured hand. "You and Shayla going out?"

"Yes." Didn't need anything other than that, and she glossed the rest of it over. "Goodbye."

"Fine," he said, and hung up as soon as she did. Gave into his pique and threw a wadded up sheet of paper at the window and watched it bounce off harmlessly.

- = - = -

Lex sighed, as he hung up the phone. This... this situation with Chloe was NOT going well. At all. Whitney was pissed, there was unhappiness and discordance all the way around, Clark was miserable because Whitney was angry at him, and he was ready to break someone's fucking head in.

But he couldn't. He'd made right with Chloe, his father and Dominic would have to wait until they got home, and that left only Bruce.

Christ, this was a phone call he wasn't looking forward to. But he leaned forward and activated the video phone, and dialed Bruce's office, where he knew his workaholic friend would still be.

Hopefully.

Of course Bruce was working. Where the hell else would he be? He was steeped in paperwork a mile deep, ignoring everyone, even Dick, who'd come around three times, and still, Bruce hadn't done more than grunted at him. When he threw himself into his work everything else went numb, and that's just how he liked it. When he wasn't feeling he didn't care, and when he didn't care he didn’t' put his emotions into other peoples hands to take care of. He kept doing that shit.

He looked up, at the light ping his computer made, and said, "Answer phone." The phone light came on, and the screen was flooded with Lex's face.

Great.

"Hello."

"Hey, Bruce. Listen... can you give me about half an hour? We need to talk."

Couldn't say no to that face.

Christ, Bruce was a sucker.

"That's fine. How are you?"

Lex relaxed softly. "I'm okay. Bruce... listen to me. I know... I know what happened. I didn't know this when you were here, but Clark told me later." Little exhaled breath. "When I lost control? Clark wasn't the only person I hurt. I hurt you too, Bruce... because you're so close to me. I'm connected to you, I don't know how. And when I lost control... you got hit with some of it. And that's why. The attitude and everything when you came down here. That's why."

His head tipped. "Want to run that by me again?"

Lex sighed. "It wasn't you reacting. Or, really, it was you reacting, it's just... I influenced that. I was angry, hurt, and you got the brunt of that. Not to mention how bad I felt because we never have time to spend together any more."

His eyes slit a little and he took his glasses off, rubbing his face. "Christ. I thought I was going insane when I woke up this morning and it all felt like some bad dream. Lex... I'm sorry for over reacting. I just kind of freaked out. Its not about not trusting Clark... I do trust Clark. I shouldn't have sent someone to watch you, and I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be sorry. Bruce, it's not your fault. I'm the one who needs to apologize to you." Lex reached out and dragged his fingers down the screen. "I'm the one who fucked up."

Bruce looked up, and quietly pressed his hand against the fingers on the screen. "It was shitty what you said, but I can see why you said it. Wanna tell me how you lost control?"

Lex left his hand on the screen against Bruce's. "Clark and I were fighting--arguing, nothing physical. I'm not that stupid. He asked me if there were anything else I'd hidden from him or lied to him about, anything else I hadn't told him. I didn't mean to do it, but... I just... one second I was yelling and the next second, everything in my head was just pouring it's way out and shoving into Clark's brain. I think... I think whatever touched you, and Chloe, and Dad and Dominic, and Whitney, it happened then. And I just didn't notice it because I was so busy trying to make it stop."

Bruce shook his head, in amazement, in sadness, as he listened. "Lex... that's really not a good kinda thing to do. That's what was happening yesterday with Chloe and Whitney? Christ." He heaved a quiet sound of frustration. "Do you know how it happened... I mean, can you make it so that it doesn't happen that fiercely the next time? Because I don't mind having you on the brain, but yesterday was a disaster."

"Yeah, I know it's not a good thing." His hand pressed harder against the screen as he sighed. "And yeah, I can stop it from happening again. I have, in fact. I've stopped trying to use and develop them."

"That's pretty dumb."

"Maybe, but it's better than the alternative." He sighed again.

"Yes, there is. You learn to control them." He paused, a moment. "You know what I do. I'm a mere man. I'd give my left nut to have powers. Clark, inadvertently as it was, gave you an enormous gift, and now you're going to throw it away like yesterdays mail?"

"You want this?" Lex was deadly serious. "I'll give it to you in a millisecond."

"No. Its not mine. Its yours." He shook his head. "You people. I've already filled out my word quota of the next two months."

Lex gave a little grin at that. "I live to make you speak."

"Don't I know it." Little growl, though the smile cheered him. "Are we okay?"

Lex's entire body sagged in relief. "I was about to ask you the same question."

He shook his head. "We're always okay, Lex. I had time to lick my poor, misshapen wounds." Another little smile. "I know you didn't mean it."

"I didn't. I swear I didn't, Bruce. I wouldn't... I wouldn't say anything to hurt you like that."

"I know. I'm glad to hear it, too." Another soft smile, this time a true one. "So… I've got to get back to work. Thanks, Lex."

"I just didn't want you to be any more upset with me," Lex said softly. "I'm glad... I'm glad we're okay." Little smile. "I won't keep you from work any longer, just... I'm glad you're back."

"I'm back. And I've got to go find Dick, to apologize." He heaved a sigh. "hey, listen... about Wally. If you want to send him back, its really alright."

"No. I talked to Clark about it, and while he's... much, much less than thrilled, he agreed that it was my decision to make, and I decided that if it'll make you feel better, then he'll stay."

"Let him know... I'm sorry for the way I've acted. He's a good kid. I hate him, but he's a good kid." A crooked smile. "Wally's a good worker. He might teach Clark a thing or two, too. Here... hold on." He tapped on the keyboard for a moment, looked at the corner of his screen where all of his files were, and sent Lex an email, attached with Wally's file. "I'm sure you'll find that to be an enlightening read."

A few seconds later, the computer on Lex's desk beeped. "I'll give him the message. And if your Mr. West isn't every bit as good as your recommendation, I'm sending him back to you with my foot up his ass."

Bruce smiled. "He's good. You'll see. I really have to go, though… I'll talk to you... maybe tonight?"

"I've got a dinner date with Chloe tonight at five. That should have me home about eight or so. Is that too late?"

"No, that'll be just fine. If I don't call, that's because I coerced my lover into forgiving me."

Lex gave a half-sad chuckle. "I've got some of that work to do myself." Then he smiled. "Bruce? Stop working. The spreadsheet isn't going to be ready until Sunday anyway, because that's the earliest we can get the predictions for Monday. Go home. Be with Dick."

Bruce shifted. He never left work early. Ever. And yet… he was damned tempted. "Its only three o'clock."

"On a Saturday. When nobody else is in the building."

"I've got the finance people working." Smug little smirk.

Lex rolled his eyes. "So let them work without you brooding over their shoulders."

"I think I just might." He offered a small smile. "See you, Lex."

"I'll see you later, Bruce." Lex closed the phone with a small smile, and sat back in his seat. He felt so much better.

 

-fin-

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