print this story!

Disclaimer: Smallville and all related elements, characters and indicia © Tollin-Robbins Productions and Warner Bros. Television, 2002. All Rights Reserved. All characters and situations—save those created by the authors for use solely on this website—are copyright Tollin-Robbins Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster.

The Pros and Cons
by Matt Shine

Prologue

Clark Kent had been having trouble getting to sleep lately. Actually, to put a finer point on it, the problem occurred when he actually fell asleep and the subsequent battle to remain asleep. Dreams that he couldn't explain had been haunting him lately. It wasn't totally unexpected after all; there had been some pretty close calls with Lana, Lex, and...Chloe.

Chloe. That name had been getting to him after he went to bed. Oh no, not those dreams that common males had of a sexual encounter; if it where it only that, Clark could simply enjoy it and take them at face value. These were stranger, his sense of helplessness was acute, and he always knew that he was dreaming.

Lucid dreaming was not the consolation here it would be in most cases. Chloe seemed to be a metaphysical sticking point. Twice he had almost lost her. Granted, Lana seemed to be the fixation of the local 'oddities,' but none of those encounters and subsequent saves had mattered in the grand scheme of things. Lana had always talked about them with at least somebody (even if it weren't him). Lana gotten over them with Whitney, which, while it didn't help Clark out much, was healthy. Chloe, on the other hand, refused to talk about her issues, preferring to bottle them up until God knows what happened.

This refusal to open up topped off with the kiss she had given him was a brew that Clark didn't know how to deal with. He could no longer overlook the fact that Chloe had kissed him, and she didn't seem to be overreacting about it either. He knew that the spell she was under made her actively show emotions that she actually had, not conjure up new ones.

All of this thinking (ok, Clark conceded, obsessing) had done the one thing that not even sleeping pills could achieve, get him mentally ready to go to war with his subconscious.

Upon lowering his eyes, the last thoughts Clark could later recall was the sudden ambition to take up some psychology classes and read some Freud.

Chapter 1 – 4:30AM (New in Town)

Clark opened his eyes prepared for whatever lay before him. It was always some fire where those damned green rocks would be placed in a ways that would hinder him, while Chloe would be decked out in some typical outfit in the middle of a rapidly burning circle of grass. What Clark actually saw took his breath away.

It was a beautiful Kansas afternoon. Clouds hovered at a good 24,000 ft and none looked remotely threatening. He did a quick spot inspection of his clothing and immediately recognized them as his favorite pair of jeans with his red flannel button-up shirt with an embroidered 'CK' on the pocket. He had outgrown them years ago, yet they fit fine now.

Slowly getting to his feet, Clark took stock of his immediate surroundings and saw his best friend Pete sitting a few feet away clearly engrossed in some book. Deciding that the questioning could wait a minute, Clark ventured into pockets and found a piece of paper with the date written on it. He had remembered that his mother used to put the month, day, and year on a little note pad, as Clark had a very hard time remembering the proper date. He had gotten that down years ago, so he figured briefly that perhaps his dream had sent him back in time.

Confirming his hypothesis, the date read September 7, 1998. Working on the continued theory that this was accurate, Clark reasoned that he was in the 7th grade. A few other links were made to this date as well (such as the closing of the Smallville library that had served many years to the opening of a new one), but these were insignificant to the one event that had obviously yet to taken place: his first meeting of Chloe Sullivan.

A shrill of a bell cut Clark's pondering short. Wondering what was going to happen now, Pete snapped his book shut and jumped to his feet.

"You almost ready," Pete inquired softly. Clark had forgotten how much his voice had actually changed over the years. He almost sounded like Michael Jackson.

"Um, yeah. Hey, isn't today that the new girl comes in?" Clark honestly didn't wish to arouse Pete's suspicion, but if this dream was going to turn on him, he needed to be prepared.

"Holy God! Kent, you actually remembered something that required you to have some sort of chronological linkage. Wait, I have to write this down. Hold on, what's the date..." Pete looked at Clark with the look of utter glee.

"My inability to remember the date on a semi-consistent basis is not the issue here. Is that girl coming in today?"

"Well, unless there has been yet another natural disaster and it hasn't been announced yet, yes, she will be coming in today." Pete looked at Clark a little worried, but that quickly transformed into comic fodder. "Why the interest? Do you think she will be another Lana Lang, only this one won't be drawn to the jokes, I mean jocks?"

Clark been so baffled by this dream, Lana had completely slipped his mind. Looking toward the quickly draining kick-ball field, Clark saw a young Lana Lang fawning over the person Clark would resent/envy in a few very short years: Whitney.

Picking up their belongings and heading toward the brick building, Pete decided that he hadn't drawn enough blood from Clark's ego yet. "It's amazing, that guy has been MVP of that game since school started this year." Not getting the reaction he would have normally would have received, namely a scowl, Pete was about to try at another shot when Clark uncharacteristically shot back.

"Considering the school year just started mid last week, that is no great feat." Clark knew that he never used to hit back like that, but his mind had other things on it and verbal fencing was right now a waste of time.

Entering the seemingly massive green double doors, Clark felt like he had just walked into Shawshank prison from the Stephen King movie. Yup, everything felt just it used too. All of the same smells assaulted his nose, the same teachers paced about getting head-counts; the same childish graffiti adorned the walls. Clark's heart almost broke at the knowledge that this was only a by-product of his mind. His body was in bed right now, and these times were never going to come back. No 'Wall of Weird' existed yet. The people who had been given their powers had yet to go on the rampage; leaving only him to defend those he cared about. Gone in this time too was the knowledge that HIS abilities would never go away. He didn't know of his roots yet, he lost a lot that night.

Making their way through the seemingly endless mass of heads, Clark made it too his designated classroom that he would call his interim home for the next academic year. Luckily, memory wasn't needed at this point as all of the desks had name plates taped to them so in the event of a substitute teacher, they would be easily identified.

Sitting in the back row of desks with Pete, Clark watched a teacher that he didn't recognize hush the students into silence. The teacher of his memory was a man in his late 50's with a moustache and a beer gut that normally knocked over pens and pencils. This man seemed to be in his mid 20's with longish dark brown hair, blue eyes, over 6ft tall, and no gut or facial hair whatsoever. He was dressed in a black silk suit, but with a simple black t-shirt under his jacket, which was pushed up at the sleeves. The finely polished belt buckle shown just above his waist, and his shoes clicked when he walked.

"People, people. Can we please settle down, there is some business that needs to be attended too?" The unknown man had a very deep voice, which sounded all of the necessary letters in words out and no signs of any sort of accent, but it sounded familiar, like something Clark had heard many times in the past. As the class noise faded into nothingness, the teacher continued. "Today we have a new student from Metropolis joining us." Quickly making his way to the large wooden door, he opened it and in came a tallish blond girl wearing a burgundy velvet skirt and white dress button-up shirt. She didn't have earrings, but did have a solitary gold ring on her left index finger.

Clark had remembered what Chloe had worn when he first laid eyes on her, but he didn't remember the erection that came along with this encounter. Closing his eyes and counting to ten, he slowly took her in again, prepared for whatever was about to attack her. Attacks never came, only the muttering of a few of Clark's immediate surrounding peers.

Waiting for silence once more, the teacher directed Chloe to the one seat available in the room, the one next to Clark. Having never put her things down, Chloe had nothing to retrieve when she silently nodded and approached the empty desk. She was quietly reciting her blessings at being put next what she considered the most handsome guy in the room. Sitting down, she heard herself be talked too once again.

"Ms. Sullivan, I took the liberty of placing you next to Clark Kent for a few reasons. One, he and you have the identical schedule as far as classes go, so you can get notes from him. The other reason is that Mr. Kent is the only boy (shoots Whitney a sidelong glance) that I would trust to give you a tour of our school. Here I have a pass that will get you two both out of the first portion of you next class, so I would suggest that you understand the lay of the land so to speak." Seeing Chloe's odd look, he added, "How I have that ability is that 'I' am your next class teacher. I am your English homeroom teacher, you travel to math, science, gym, etc which are done by other faculty members. I would like you two to please hurry up and do this now."

Getting the message, Clark and Chloe both to their feet and headed to the door. Clark remembered this tour; he and Chloe had a nice long talk that basically cemented the concept of their friendship. In fact, he had heard from Chloe that this was the talk that had opened up the floodgates for her and how she had made up her mind to stay in Smallville. Clark knew that if he didn't do this, he would probably not be friends with...

He could get out of it right now if he wanted. If he refused, they would never have gotten close and she wouldn't have been put into danger. She would have gone back and that Coach would have never tried to burn her, or that freak who tried to steal her body heat. All he had to do was say 'No.'

Chloe had noticed that her would-be tour guide was no longer walking beside her. Upon turning around, Chloe noticed that Clark had stopped just shy of the doorframe with a confused look on his face. Did he not want the job? Was she being rejected already? God, this was the biggest fear of hers; actually that wasn't correct. She hadn't feared anything; she liked being herself, independent, misunderstood, alone...

"Is there a problem Clark?" Clark turned and saw his teacher looking at him with an odd expression on his face. "Don't you want to do this?"

Clark turned and saw the look on Chloe's face. Had he not known her for years, he could have been fooled into thinking that she didn't care one way or another. But, the part that knew this was dream knew that he could use that as an ignorance plea. He saw the look of tentative heartbreak on her beautiful face. He couldn't just say no. How could he face her when he woke up?

"Yes, I do want to do this." Clark saw the relief flood Chloe's features as they looped arms and walked out of the room.

"Hey, Clark!" Clark turned and saw the teacher address him with a slight smile on his face. "This is only a dream, your decision wouldn't have really mattered. Or would it? By the way, wake up!" He snapped his fingers.

Clark eyes snapped open and he sat up as he took stock of his surroundings. He was in bed. The dream was over. WHO in the hell knew was that and HOW in the hell did he know it was dream? Characters in dreams are just figments of our imagination, sometimes based on people we really know, so how did one know it was dream.

Settling back down, Clark felt his eyes grow heavy once more as a warm blanket of unconscious settled over him. In the darkness, Clark saw a light.

Chapter 2 - 4:33AM (Running Shoes)

Clark opened his eyes slowly, taking in the sights and smells. It smelt allot like a meadow of some sort, he could identify freshly mowed grass, and things normally associated with spring. The sights gave away the locale immediately as it was the junior high-school track. The trees had the look of little leaves that were attempting to break from the obscurity of the ever-present branches.

Throwing a look down at himself, he saw to his horror gym shorts and a tank top. He had gone back to one of the infamous gym exercises he had dreaded in his youth, running the track. The coach, in his infinite wisdom, had Clark run the track whenever the temp got above 60 as punishment for not playing the manly sports that the others played. The sports that had been band by his parents he though ruefully.

Tossing a side-glance at the bleachers, Clark saw Chloe and Pete getting ready to run as well. Being the Smallville answer to the three Musketeers, whatever one had to endure, they all had to endure. That included running on this god-awful track, which had actual potholes and ruts.

Clark looked around a bit to get a feel for who else was there. Sure enough, there was Lana and Whitney hanging around each other. Whitney departed for the football field where he would once again show his physical prowess much to Lana's delight, and Clark meanwhile would attempt not run fast enough to shred the tarmac any further. Such was life for Clark, having powers and not being able to use them to impress people.

Clark's trance was short lived as he felt his head be slapped by a very familiar feminine hand. "You know Clark, one day your eyes will fall out if you continue to stare like that." Chloe's sense of humor had been sharpened to a razor fine point even back then.

"Chloe, now you and I both know that such things aren't biologically possible. Then again, that doesn't exclude the very real possibility that Clark could cut them out and give them to Lana," Pete cut in. As much as he loved Clark as a buddy and would die for him, the guy had a bad problem whenever he was around that Lang girl. "Hey, that's an idea Clark. Sure you missed Valentines Day by a little while, but who cares, you can give your optics as a present. Like that Greek guy, um, who was that?"

"That would be Oedipus. He gored his eyes out, but did it after he found out he had slept with his mother and killed his father. None of those three things are in my daily planner just yet. I know I watch Lana, but...I really don't trust Whitney. The guy seems like he has a violent streak in him." Clark hoped that such a reasonably stated argument would at least ease some of the tension he was feeling.

Clark, during both Chloe and Pete's verbal reprimands, silently watched the blonde girl get more and more annoyed out of the corner of his eye. She actually seemed to have her eyes glow red by the end. He had noticed that on the way out to the start line, Lana had tried to say hello to Chloe, but had her advances effectively blown off. Even in his time, Chloe seemed to dislike Lana a little. He knew this was a dream, but maybe he knew something that he didn't realize.

Less than a quarter of the way into the run, Pete had left Clark and Chloe in the literal dust. Falling into step with each other, Clark had decided to talk to Chloe about some things that he might not be willing to ask about if he were awake.

"So, Chlo, how do you like our Smallville so far? Has it met your expectations?" Knowing the blond so well, Clark knew that asking about Smallville was just asking for an ear bending conversation that would provide the opening Clark was hoping for.

"Expectations? And what might those be Mr. Kent? That the library, although new, has less books than a Metropolis coffee shop, or that I must subscribe to a newspaper based quite a distance from here to get anything real in the way of investigative reporting? Or that I have noticed that whenever a local youngster gets to the rip old age of 14, his 'ma' and 'pa' take him out for the coveted 'tipping of the cows.' Yes Clark, in that sense, Smallville is turning out to be one hell of an experience." Chloe, although breathing hard said all of her words remarkably clear. Such as it is with things that one if passionate with.

Clark saw a window of opportunity. He knew that when she got riled, she would be at her most honest. "I noticed that you avoided Lana on the way over to the start line. Any reason in particular?" Chloe suddenly vanished from Clark's peripheral vision. Stopping at once, Clark spun around and his heart cracked at the sight his eyes beheld.

Chloe Sullivan, a woman who had made it her trademark not to cry was tearing up something fierce. Her knee was cut, and her shoes ripped. Her hair, although showed no dirt, was matted and her face was streaked from her makeup that was running from the tears. The marks and abrasions on her elbows and hands gave the story of how she had attempted to protect her face.

Clark remembered this day. While the date was foggy, the contents held firm. She had not tied her shoes before the start of the race, and she tripped on the lace. In the real timeline, Clark had helped her up, but not noticed right away as he saw Lana give Whitney her first kiss. Chloe had not been able to do track with Clark and Pete for a little while, but those shoes, which now one lay in pieces were special to her. Very few people knew that Chloe had been adopted. She had not even told Pete. Apparently, those shoes were one of the few things that her adoptive father had gotten from Chloe's original parents from the agency. She had always thought of them as her mother's. The mother she would probably never know.

Clark rushed over to her and checked her wounds, and more importantly help her emotionally. He knew that he would have some explaining to do if he knew the history of the footwear. Although this was just dream, he had no intention of rocking any boats. These were the best dreams Clark had in weeks.
"Chloe, can you get up? Can you walk with me over to the bleachers?" Clark wanted some sort of response, even negative. She just had to be all right.
"I'll try Clark, hold on." Chloe's voice was strained, the physical and non-physical pain obvious in her vocal inflections. Struggling to get to her feet, Chloe couldn't stand and just collapsed back onto the pavement.

Clark looked around hopelessly. Nobody else seemed to notice them. The players kept playing, and Pete just kept right on running. In fact the only person who seemed to acknowledge their existence at all was the coach. He was leaning against a brick wall where the locker rooms where, just watching Clark and Chloe.

Clark knew that it was the teacher from his last dream; the same guy who knew it was just a dream and apparently made Clark wake up the first time. Getting up, Kent lifted Chloe into his arms and carried her to the stands. She never said a word during this; in fact he would have thought that she has passed out if not for the sharp intakes of breath both when he did it and when he accidentally felt her rear end when his hand slipped.

Fighting his biological need to prolong such contact, Clark reluctantly set her down. Only then did the rest of life seem to take notice of the girls' predicament. Pete, Lana, and some of the other's ran over to her, making sure she was ok. All apologizing for not being there when she needed them. Clark, in the meantime, simply watched the coach walk towards them. Not noticing Lana run after Whitney, who had just scored a winning goal, Clark was fixated on the coach.

"Ms. Sullivan, are you ok?" The coach seemed to be concerned, but his voice gave away very little. "Clark, you did an admirable job in helping your friend." Extending his hand with a smile on his face, Clark simply looked at the hand.

Embracing the hand offered to him, Clark felt a slight jolt of energy. Not like from the rocks, this one seemed to make him more powerful. "Thanks. Is there a first-aid kit here so I can help her?" Deciding that this guy must just be some strange coincidence, Clark turned back to Chloe, and noticed that she had an odd expression on her face, like she was trying to figure out a word problem. He also noticed that Chloe's face turned to stone as she looked over Kent's shoulder.

Chloe for her part was quite amazed. Clark was not ogling Lana Lang for once. She liked this change of pace. She liked being in the center of his attention. That gave her pause though. Why should it matter if Clark watched Lana Lang, and only gave her the time of day when the raven-haired cheerleader wasn't around? It wasn't as if Chloe had some romantic feelings for Clark...did she? While Clark shook hands with the coach, Chloe watched Clark turn to face her. She also noticed his immediate confused expression.

Noticing that her face was a bit contorted, Chloe slowly let her facial muscles go neutral. She liked this moment, until she saw the one person that could suck the importance right out of her: Lana.

Much to Chloe's initial dismay, Clark turned around and saw Lana approach. Figuring he would just drop everything and run to her, Chloe was caught completely off guard when Clark turned back to her and started to treat her wounds. Normally this wasn't done by students, by the coach had once again faded into obscurity and she trusted no one else like Clark.

"It's OK Clark, you can go to Lana if you want. I know that you probably have been waiting for this for quite a while." Chloe knew that he wouldn't pass up an opportunity like this. Normally, she would have not given permission so easily, but he was there when she had fallen when no one was around. He deserved to happy, at least until some sports fanatic catches her eye.

"Chloe, if I honestly wanted to speak to Lana, don't you think I would over there right now rather than listening to you? Yes, I would like to have some time with her, but right now, my best friend is hurt, and right now she needs me more than Lana. Unless of course you are trying to get rid of me? If that is the case, I can comply and hold conversation with a more willing individual.

"Clark, you know that I like being around you, but I also know that you like Lana in a way that you don't like me. I'm kind of used to being put on the back-burner."

"Back burner? I never..." Clark paused when he saw Sullivan's expression of utter disbelief. "Ok, sometimes, I let things come in between us, but that's only because I know that distance make the heart grow fonder. Personally, I think ignoring you helps our friendship in the long run."

"Oh really, you think your helping matters by not paying attention." Chloe's voice betrayed the glee she felt inside. The fact that Mr. Kent would pass up time with Lana so to be around the rabble of normal people, like little old her, was dumfounding.

"Well, it also helps that I don't have to listen too you bellyache about this little town. A town, mind you, that since you decided to stay in, you should probably learn to appreciate a tad bit more." Clark quickly ducked as Chloe's fist narrowly missed his jaw.

The coach stood off to the side silently observing the couple. He was honestly amazed, this was the second time that Clark had chosen not alienate Chloe. Things were going better than he had expected. He could foresee telling Clark who he really was in the very near future. Therein lay a problem, if Clark knew whom he really was, he might mistake him from some sort of enemy, rather than the friend he really intended to be. "Well, rise and shine sleeping beauty."

Clark was talking to Chloe, and hadn't even realized Lana come and gone twice. He honestly wanted to help her in any way possible. Out of the corner, Clark saw an image move. Turning on his heel, he found himself looking at the coach again. The man had a slight smile on his face. While he snapped his fingers, the man said simply, "Clark, wake up!"

Clark eyes opened to a darkened bedroom. How was it possible that he had been asleep for only a few minutes, and yet already had two dreams, both ending with the same looking guy snapping his fingers and telling him to awaken?

Getting up and walking to his room, Clark thought a bit. Using his now near perfect memory, Clark searched back to the day from his dream and recalled the events that actually happened. She fell, and he wasn't there before. She needed her friend, and where was he? Maybe these dreams were giving him the chance to redo some things.
Deciding to let nature take its course, Clark softly went back into his room and lye back down. Feeling his eyes get heavy once more, the younger Kent took one last glance around his room, as if assuring himself that it would be all right so long as he remembered that it was only going to be a dream. His body would never leave the bed, only his mind. Who knows? Maybe that was the most important thing of all.

Focusing on the darkness that enveloped him, Clark's nose picked up smells again that he knew was all in his mind, yet had his mouth watering anyhow. Fresh baked chocolate cookies mixed with coco that had just a dash of cream enticed his senses beyond comprehension. This was already shaping up to be a good dream.

Chapter 3 - 4:37AM (Arabs With Knives and West German Skies)

The setting, ironically enough, was Clark's bedroom. The lights were on, but there were down pretty low. Soft music filled the room as his cd player played some old Led Zeppelin. Clark found himself standing in the doorway holding a tray with contents that he had smelt as he entered this imaginary world. Momentarily not knowing what he should do, he decided to get a grasp of the situation.

Looking around, he saw various notebooks and worksheets scattered around on the floor and on his desk, but the most breath-taking thing was on his bed. Chloe was simply reading a newspaper partially under the covers. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair was simply pushed out of her eyes. She obviously needed a haircut, but it looked cute just getting in her way.

Without even giving him the satisfaction of a glance, Chloe spoke. "Well, it's about time Kent. What happened down there? Your mother try to push another supper down your throat?" Chloe liked Martha Kent all right, but the elder woman did have a tendency to make a bit too much food. Clark and Jonathon had never been afraid to eat their fill and then some, but no one in the Kent clan looked over weight. Good metabolisms must run in the family genetics Chloe mused.

"Uh, sorry, I was just wondering were we should start." Clark had hoped that saying something so all encompassing would have given Chloe the message he didn't know what was going on, without raising to many suspicions.

"Well, considering this is project is for current events class, I suggest we try the newspaper." Chloe looked at her nervous friend, and gave her head a little shake. He looked positively terrified. Following his eyes, she realized that he was gawking at her. It was then that she realized that she was half under the covers of his bed. "Oh, what's wrong Clark? No used to seeing a female in your bed, or is it because it's me and not Lana?"

"Chloe, what I feel for Lana stops short of bed. Not all guys are the same, and shame on you for believing so," Clark snapped back, a tad to sharply even to his ears. "I'm sorry, it's just that I don't like being verbally crucified for liking Lana. It tends to wear a bit thin after a while, that's all."

"Don't worry about it. I know what it's like...well, kind of. If you don't it, why don't you just say so?" Chloe didn't like this subject for reasons that even she wasn't entirely sure of. Lana was a nice girl who never had a cross word to say about anyone. She was the archetypal small town vixen incarnate, and Chloe didn't have a problem with that. The problem came when 'certain' male best friends zoned out at her approach. But if it meant getting Clark to open up to her, speaking the name Lana Lang was a small price to pay.

"I do want to say 'stop' sometimes, but I fear it would only increase my handicap." Clark silently congratulated himself on saying that, now all he had to do was say it while awake. "I mean, I like Lana and all, but she isn't the end all in my life and sometimes you and Pete make it to be just like that. How would you feel if you were in my shoes?"

Chloe blushed suddenly, without really knowing why. The subject of romantic interludes had been breached between the trio of companions. Why would now bring her to crimson, she wondered. Surely it couldn't be because it was just she and Clark talking about it, with her in his bed, and his bed covers draped over her hap-hazzardly... oh boy!

"Well Clark, it isn't me, and it isn't Pete. Not yet anyhow. For now it is just you, so forgive us if we would prefer to use you to fill in our own inter-personal blanks." Chloe knew that that sentence didn't make a great deal of sense, but she hoped Clark would buy it and move on. This conversation wasn't going in a very good direction as far as she was concerned.

"Oh, I get it Chloe. You and Pete, by virtue of lambasting me on a daily basis, are actually using me to fulfil your own non-existent love lives. Sorry, no dice Sullivan. It would be easier to buy something like that if I actually had her as a girlfriend and then you asked me about all of the gritty details. Then I could buy some excuse like that. Ever since I met you, you have always had a... thing when it came to Lana, like you sort of envious of something." Clark knew that he was pushing his luck on that one in many different fronts. On the one side, he didn't know Chloe very long at this point, and on the other side, she would certainly blast him for daring to say that she coveted something of Lana's.

"Me, jealous of Lana Lang? You must be smoking something in that barn of your Kent." Chloe knew that Clark had hit home on something's in that speech of his. Chloe didn't like this. Clark and her relationship had always been friendly, but she had also always noticed his handsome features. That was what had first drawn her to him. It would be quite ironic if that very draw was what destroyed their still new-found friendship. "Clark, let's just drop this right now before I get violent. I don't like being called (shudders) jealous of anybody, especially Ms. Lana Lang, thank you very much." Chloe only hoped that Clark hadn't noticed her blush that snuck out through in the middle of that barraging.

Unfortunately for her, Clark had noticed. "Ok Chloe, I will drop conversation for now, but the next time you criticize me for my feelings about Lana, you will get yours all over again." Clark saw the immediate look of relief that flooded the females' features. "So what are we doing this report on?"

"I'm glad you asked, because we have to start." Chloe always had a knack for writing and wanted to pursue it as a future carrier. It was familiar territory. "There is some hostage situation in Arabia, some journalist has been kidnapped and now being held for ransom. The US refuses to pay the necessary amount of cash to get the guy released."

Clark mused about the Daniel Pearl thing that had gone on a few weeks ago in his time frame. "That sounds interesting. What do we have about the group that did this?"

"Not much, only that they have been operating in some fashion or other since World War 2. Back then they did their dirty work for Hitler and the Nazi's." Chloe knew that Jonathon Kent, and Clark by default had an interest in that and other wars. Something about a close family member dying in combat had sparked the interest.

"Really, so what are the demands? Why won't the government pay? What is the motivation behind this? I find it hard to believe that this faction has no loftier purpose than money." Clark wanted to hear about this. His great grandfather had died in WW2, and his father had always told about the importance to remember the past, lest you are doomed to repeat it. The mass genocide that occurred in the Europe of the 1930's was something that Clark couldn't imagine happening once in modern civilization, never mind twice.

"I heard that there were asking for something like $500 million. Clinton won't pay because he doesn't want them to think that they can just grab an American citizen and automatically win the lottery." Chloe had been expecting this sort of reaction. She knew that Clark had something more than his looks going for him. "In all honesty, I can see where he is coming from. And no, I think money is the primary drive."

Clark jumped to his feet. "I'll be right back, I have to get something." Chloe hadn't even the chance to say 'all right' before he was gone.

When he returned a few minutes later, Clark carried an encyclopedia set dedicated to the Second World War. His father had seen it advertised from Time Life a few years earlier and 'simply had to get it' to use Martha's words. Clark set the books down and grabbed on of them off the top and flipped through it. Midway through, he stopped, went back three of four pages and showed Chloe his discovery.

In black and white was a picture of an aerial battle in the 1940's. Chloe didn't get what she was supposed to see, until Clark's index finger tapped on the lone paragraph. In it, the words described a cult of people who both Germany and Italy had imported from the mid east to capture certain high-ranking people to do their bidding. That was how the axis powers had managed to capture some of the world's top scientists and come close to building a nuclear bomb before the US did it and dropped it on Japan.

Chloe read with interest about how the group slipped through the cracks following the Nuremberg Trial's that saw a number of Hitler's top men hanged. It was conceivable that this was the remnants from that group. This was great stuff, and made for good reading.

Clark in the meantime was simply engrossed in the mid-air battle pictures. He had always wanted to fly, but not like that. Not in some machine that could easily breakdown, he wanted to fly so it was just him and the birds. He had come close a few times after waking up, but he could never manage to stay in the air once he realized when he was. Many a bed slats met their doom to his subconscious disregard of gravity. Seeing Chloe's look of confusion, Clark decided to cover his tracks.

"Chlo, can you imagine what they must have been feeling? Up there with the wind on their backs, not knowing if they would ever touch ground again alive. That must have been the ultimate rush."

"Clark, you aren't going to jump off of a bridge are you? I mean it's not that I think you're actually nuts, but I also never pinned you an adrenaline junkie." Clark, it became more aware to Chloe, had more facets than she had initially thought.

All he could do was smirk. Sure Clark could jump off of a bridge, hell he could do a swan dive off of the Statue of Liberty and all he would do is damage the pavement and hurt a whole bunch of innocent rocks. But, Chloe didn't know that and if he became comfortable telling her in his dreams, he might tell her in regular life. "No Chloe, I'm not planning on doing anything of the sort, I just think that it must have been exciting for them. Knowing that they may drop the bomb that could potentially end the war. Every hit must have been revenge for Pearl Harbor, every hit like a smack across the face of the man who killed millions of people."

"Imagine that, Clark Kent passionate about something other than Lan... ahh, nothing. Other than nothing." Chloe berated herself something awful for that. That would have opened up that very bad topic from earlier.

"Now, Chloe Sullivan, did you just say, or almost say the dreaded name that is also an alliteration? I mean than I could start me off on your..." Clark's tirade was cut short by the hand of his companion as it glided up and quickly and made it's home on Clark's mouth, effectively muffling him.

"It was a mistake Kent, pure and simple. Your actually pretty luckily, I was tempted to slap you."

Clark grinned from under her hand. She wouldn't have liked slapping him, if fact, she would have disliked it as much as one would not like hitting granite. Softly pealing her fingers away, and then licking his lips to regain the lost moisture, Clark simply said, "That's what I thought."

Chloe for her part watched Clark's tongue dart out and around his lips with a sort of perverse pleasure. Warmth spread through her body, and she repositioned herself slightly, not knowing how far her body was willing to take this moment of lustfulness. "Well, obviously you think too often, and speak even more frequently."

Clark, while laughing that last hit off picked his book up again. Looking down at one of the rallies, he noticed something he hadn't seen before. It was a picture of some of the top ranking men in the Reich. One of them was the teacher from his first dream, and the coach from the second dream. Suddenly, the picture came to life and the person winked his eye and Clark saw everything around him fade, as he resurfaced in his bed.

Enough was enough Clark decided. This was the third time in one night that he was awoken by that guy. How long was that guy going to haunt him like this? There was only so much sanity and sleep he could sacrifice. Checking his digital alarm clock, Clark was disheartened to see that once again, his dream had only run a few minutes. Obviously these weren't going to be violent, just oddly normal. Like he was getting the chance to do thing with Chloe that he hadn't done in the past for whatever reason.

Recalling something from the dream he had just awoken from, Clark swiftly rose and ran downstairs, searching for the book that he had shown Chloe. Maybe that guy was in that book, and he was using the image in his dreams as some sort of symbol.

Upon reaching the Kent family bookcase, Clark searched the titles and found his prey. Scanning the pages, he located the picture of the air battle that had destroyed a good part of West Germany, but there was no text. Clark suddenly remembered that no group like that happened in Germany, and there was no hostage situation in Arabia in 1999 that he and Chloe had to do a report on. It wasn't real, and he didn't know it until he had woken up.

Going back upstairs, Clark entered his bedroom and then his bed. Maybe he should let himself go a little bit. Who would he really be hurting? That Chloe and the one he would be seeing in a few hours aren't the same. He thought that as he lost consciousness once more.

Pros and Cons Pt. 4- 4:39AM (For the First Time Today, Pt.1)

The vision that waited for Clark to open his eyes this time was far more than he was expecting. He found himself dressed in a suit and tie inside the old middle school gymnasium. There were red, white, and blue streamers taped to the wall, and on one end of the basketball court was a little DJ booth. The lights were down, with a very clubby atmosphere hovering over him. This was the last dance of his middle school days, done the weekend prior to the 8th graders departure for high school.

Everyone was dressed to the nines, and the most exquisite vision of them all clearly was Lana Lang. Light seemed to hit her, and caress her perfect features, looking remarkably like a hallow from an angel. And to Clark, that is exactly who she was, his angel brought to life. She was dressed in a beautiful flowing dress that clung to her body, yet showed off her midriff. Of course, right next to Lana was Whitney. They were talking to some of his friends and every once in a while they would sneak kisses. It was almost like they couldn't process their own salvia unless it held at least partial mixture of the others as well.

Deciding that this dream obviously wasn't going to be as nice as the previous, Clark looked around for Pete and Chloe. Pete, being Pete, was in the middle of the dance floor with a date. That kid carried himself like people did in those black-exploitation films of the 70's like Superfly and Shaft. He was even dressed the part tonight, with a fur coat and large, gold medallion around his neck.

Looking around further, Clark spied Chloe standing alone next to the entrance. She wasn't talking to anybody, and she really didn't look like she waiting for anybody either. It, to Clark, almost looked like she was there because it was expected of her, not out of genuine interest. She was dressed radically different from Lana. Chloe's dress was red, and it hinted at the curves beneath and left almost everything up the imagination. Only once in a while, when she would move her leg in just a certain way, could one spy the leg beneath through the well-concealed slash in her skirt.

Figuring that having himself and Chloe both without dance partners wouldn't to do, Clark gathered his courage (which he realized was pathetic as it was his dream) and approached her.

Chloe noticed him approach almost immediately. She had been secretly spying on him spy on Lana. It was with great surprise, and great anticipation that Clark slowly walked to her. He wasn't dressed in his flannels and jeans for one, but in a dark charcoal suit and white shirt with a tie that was straight black silk. Calmly, Chloe reminded herself on the method of breathing, because seeing Clark like that not only took her breath away, but also took away the knowledge on how to breathe period.

"Chloe, I'm surprised that you actually showed to something like this. I would have thought that this would have taken too much school spirit." He knew that she was flustered, but why not have some fun; besides this would give her a good way to cover up her growing blush. Chloe didn't disappoint him.

"Actually, I came here to watch you crash and burn with Lana Lang. Oh, sorry, I mean when you ask her to dance." Just as she had thought, Clark's face adopted a look of defeat. She hadn't meant to hurt him, but he did strike first, and that counted for something.

"Indeed. Well, I'll have you know that I have no intention of asking Lana to dance anytime soon." Seeing Chloe's skeptical look, Clark continued, "Yes, you see the reason I came over here was to ask you to dance. That it unless you are...afraid." Clark mock shivered, as if the very concept scared him to the bone. He also noticed that her face became contemplative, with a little spark in her eye that normally meant trouble.

"You're on Kent. Time to prove to the entire school what I know to be true: you have two left feet." Chloe might have been sharp and vile on the outside, but inwardly was a different story completely. Inside she was flying on cloud nine. This could be good night after all. She was going to dance with Clark Kent, and she didn't have to do a Sadie Hawkins in order to get it.

To Chloe there was no longer any questioning of her feelings for Clark, she simply loved him in that non-sisterly way that had Pete in hysterics when he first made the connection about 6 months ago. He had won many an argument using that as his secret nuclear weapon against her. All Pete had to do was say the name 'Clark' and Chloe's eyes grew a strange glaze and she became putty.

Of course, Pete also knew where the line was drawn. That line was Clark himself. Pete was forbidden to tell the object of her desire under penalty of death and or dismemberment. Clark, as Chloe speculated didn't care about her like he cared about Lana and the way she cared about him. Yes it hurt, but times like this were absolute heaven. Just Clark and her in their own little world, as it was meant to be.

Clark took Chloe by the hand and led her out to the middle of the dance floor, letting everyone in the room know that she was spoken for at least for time being. Dancing slowly, Clark let his senses take in all they could. The slight smell of shampoo in her hair that was reminiscent of coconut oil, and the slightly moist skin under his touch. His face and hers were touching, and neither seemed to be in a hurry to break that just yet.

Clark's eyes drifted without a real course, just kind of wandering. He looked at the faces of the other people dancing, Lana and Whitney dancing cheek to cheek as well, Pete looking with astonishment at him and Chloe, and that recurring character from his dreams simply looking at them with a smile on his face. Clark no longer cared about him. Maybe he was a good luck fortune, like a metaphysical rabbit's foot. Whenever he seemed to be around, things would be going well.

It was how all of these dreams focused around Chloe, and how none of them really made anyone else important. It was just he and Chloe, granted he would have preferred Lana. He liked Chloe, but it was like his mind was afraid to go there. He normally considered Chloe like a sister. Of course, the occasional erection he got from looking at her weren't sisterly at all. Besides, even IF he were interested in some sort of romance, surely Chloe wouldn't be. He remembered her always saying that sex ruins a friendship, and if a romance even came about, sex would defiantly be involved. Slapping himself mentally with a force that almost made his exterior body stumble back, Clark turned his mind back on the song. That relative peacefulness was shattered when he heard Chloe let out a groan of disgust.

From Chloe's vantage point looking over Clark's shoulder she had a pretty good view of what was going on around her. That view included Lana and Whitney, and as much as she promised she wouldn't scowl from just looking at her, Chloe couldn't help but looking on as rather odd events started playing themselves out.

It began with them (Lana and Whitney) dancing normally, but then they started talking. All of that would be well and good, but occasionally Whitney would get an angry look on his face, and even more strange was that they would both look at her and Clark and point. It was obvious to her that Lana was debating something regarding Clark, and Chloe didn't like that. Whitney had his jealous face on, and that could only mean trouble. That meant that Lana expressed an interest in her dancing partner.

Watching the drama unfold, Chloe watched Whitney stalk off towards his loser friends and that sent Lana towards her and Clark. Why did she always have to do things like this? Why couldn't Lana just accept that she has one boyfriend and that no matter how much she may want her cake and eat it too, things in life don't work out like that? At least it wouldn't if life was fair, and when Lana Lang was concerned, God seemed all too happy to bend the rules occasionally. She honestly hadn't meant to let out a groan; she honestly didn't know that one was coming on until it had already slipped through. That would get Clark's attention and ask her what was wrong.

"Chlo, what's the matter?" 'Typical' Chloe thought. He's just one huge open book.

"Oh nothing. Lana's heading this way and I think that she may want to talk to you." That got his attention all right, as he spun on his heal, taking Chloe with him like she were a dirty shirt.

"Lana? What's wrong? Where's Whitney? Is everything all right?" Clark had dozens of questions he wanted to ask her, and the cool part about being in a dream is that there were no real consequences to ones actions. Hell, he could make love to her right on the hard wood floor and nobody would look down on him once he woke up.

"Whitney's...talking with his friends. I was just wondering if I could cut in for a dance or two." Lana looked at the other female and noticed the highly unimpressed expression on her face. Not knowing what to think, she simply waited for Clark's answer.

"Um, sure. Chloe and I were just finishing up with this one, right Chlo?" Chloe was fuming and she was ready to gut Lana were she stood, but the pleading look in Clark's eyes made up her mind not to get violent and simply nod in acceptance to Clark's assertion. "See Lana? Hey, Chloe, we'll finish that later on tonight, ok?" He only got a numb headshake.

Chloe, determined to be graceful bowed and left. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes and needed air very much. She failed to see Pete leave his date to follow her, but she did feel him console her as she walked out of the room.

Watching Chloe depart, Clark took Lana in his arms and they started dancing like he and Chloe had been merely five minutes ago. He had noticed that Chloe was kind of working on a sort of auto-pilot in the end, and he also noticed Pete chase after her. Clark wanted to care enough to leave but he couldn't just walk away from Lana. They just started dancing. It would be rude. Besides, this is what happened when he actually lived through this moment in the real world. Chloe was fine, and she would be fine now as well.

Outside Pete was cursing the name Clark Kent. Sure, it wasn't the idiots' fault he honestly didn't know how Chloe felt, but he should have at least made sure that she was actually ok rather than just taking it, and her, for granted like he did.

"I can't stand this Pete! How many times does Lana Lang have to spoil things between me and Clark?" Chloe was crying so hard she shook. Pete had a hard time keeping her as calm as she was. All he could do was not talk and hope that Clark would be her superman and save her from this torment. "I actually thought that I had him. I said to myself 'All I have to do is keep him away from Lana, and that's that.' I figured that Whitney would help me out on that, but no! He went and collapsed like a house of cards." Chloe felt her knees weaken in hurt as she thought of what Clark and Lana might be doing. "How much more of this can I take Pete? How long does this have to happen until I no longer even want to see him as a friend anymore?"

Inside, Clark and Lana finished up the song. Clark had agreed immediately when Lana asked for another turn around the floor. Although this was the moment that he had waited for, Clark felt himself torn. The fact that his 'good luck charm' of a dream person was longer smiling rather giving a look of pure hatred didn't sit well him.

Something was amiss. Thinking about it, Clark had to find out what was bugging him. Like an auction gavel thundering down, the realization hit him like a bolt of lightning. Outside the dream, his theory was that these dreams were giving him the opportunity to undo past wrongs. If that was true, than letting Chloe run out of the gym was no doubt the mistake that he could now rectify.

"Lana, I'm really sorry, but there is something very important I have to do before it's too late." Seeing her confused look, he thanked her for the dance and took off towards the exit.

Pete meanwhile had given up all hopes that Kent would show up. He offered to drive Chloe home to which she willingly accepted. Turning to go back inside to fetch his keys, Pete found himself nose jaw with Clark who made a very simple request. "Pete, can you give Chloe and I a moment alone please?" Much to his relief, Pete gladly agreed and disappeared around the door.

"What's wrong, Lana run off to Whitney?" Chloe was in no mood for Clark's sympathy.

"No, I left her." Seeing her face turn to something of great confusion, Clark decided to show her what he meant. "Chloe, this is something I have wanted to do now for a while, so please let me and don't pull away." Clark then kissed Chloe full on the lips. She was passive at first, but then yielded quickly and returned it ten fold. He had done it. He had fixed the mistake. Clark was to engrossed to notice the unknown man with a large smile on his face snap his fingers once more sending Clark back into reality.

Clark awoke to the feeling of him kissing his feather pillow. He kissed her, not the other way around. He left Lana to kiss Chloe, and he loved it. Not getting up this time, Clark simply got ready for the next dream with wild anticipation. His last thoughts were sad ones: Chloe wouldn't remember what had just happened.

Pros and Cons Chapter 5 - 4:41AM (Go Fishing)

The summer after middle school and before high school was one of Clark's most memorable. He, Chloe, and Pete had spent nearly everyday together and the one that Clark had found himself dropped into in this dream was no different. The sun was shining bright, the large oak was providing enough shade for a group of fifty people (and as such had no problem with the lone three that now occupied it), and the fish were jumping. And to think that less than a few years ago no fish, or water for that matter, inhabited the Kent family property. John and Clark had fixed that about 2 years ago.

After all of the necessary town permits had been authorized, Clark and his dad had dug an actual river from a nearby lake through their property to help with the irrigation of the farm. An unforeseen perk in that digging turned out to be that Clark, in his excitement, had trenched down so far fresh-water fish from the lake now took up residence in the newly created stream. Now, in order to go fishing, all the Kent's had to do was go to the back of their land and fish to their hearts content.

The day the dream had selected had Clark and his two friends fishing and swimming nearly all day long, and that gave him the opportunity to go fishing for something else that trout. After kissing Chloe, he was convinced that his mind had seen something in Chloe's behavior that would have allowed that to happen. After all, given how scared he had previously been to kiss her, he had honestly figured his unconscious mind would have made that come true. It would of course, unless it had picked up on things that would have indicated otherwise. 'I really need to stop thinking about this so much, and simply enjoy it,' Clark remanded himself silently.

Pete for his part had never been the best fisher in the world. Actually, to call himself a fisher at all was patting himself on the back. The only time he had caught anything was that cold the first summer Clark and had done this. Occasionally, he was luckily enough to catch a little thing, but that only happened when he cut himself on the hook and some small fish would be attracted to the blood. Shuddering to himself, Pete looked over at the lone female in the group as she poured over the back issues of the high school newspaper.

Chloe Sullivan was nothing if not persistent. In fact, she had almost said 'no' to Clark's invitation to go fishing and then swimming. With her mind made up, she approached the Kent homestead with full intention of telling Clark that she could be with them today. In her forethought, she had even come armed with a stack of copies of the 'Torch' to show how much reading she had to do. Fate, however, was gambling against her today.

In retrospect, she probably should have called rather than actually coming over. By coming over, she had seen Clark and his face as she said she couldn't stay. Well, to be absolutely truthful, it wasn't Clark's face that had beaten her objections; it was his chest.

Clark had done the most unfair thing that he could possibly do, come to the door with just his swimming trunks on. He was shaped very nicely for someone 15 years old, and he was without any hair whatsoever. His muscles stood out, yet he managed to look soft and creamy. She knew that if she just reached out to touch him, she would have been a lost cause. Still, even after all of this sexual over load of her senses, she had might have been able to stick to her guns after that if she hadn't seen the out-right disappointment of his face as she shot down the concept of her staying. By given the most powerful of Clark's one-two punches, Chloe had crumbled like a sand castle attempting to stand while being hit by the crashing surf.

Well, here she was; the place she had vowed she wouldn't have ended up. Looking at Clark's chiseled chest once more to forget about her anger, Chloe set back to reading. The fact that anybody dared call the 'Torch' a newspaper did a great disservice to the media industry on a whole. She might have complained about the undo influence giants like the 'Daily Planet' and 'New York Times' have on people, but at least they each had one thought provoking story a day. What she read now was simple rubbish.

Who really needs to read an expose on how the football team's winning games always coincided with the 'mystery-meat' Friday's? If she were in charge of that damned paper, she would do some hard-hitting articles that would get the giants interested in her. She was convinced that there were after-effects from that meteor shower that had hit Smallville about a decade before. The amount of radioactivity that must be inside one of those things must have some effect, no matter how apparently minuscule.
Cursing her luck concerning Clark once more, Chloe was forced to think about the dreaded Lana Lang. Lana had one of those meteor rocks around her neck all of the time. Asking her about that once, Lana had said that her parents had died that night when a rock hit their car or something like that, and that she wore it out of respect for them.

Chloe had felt a sympathetic pain flow through her when she first heard that, it reminded her that she didn't have her real parents either. Sure, Gabe was a great dad, and her adopted mother was nice as well (from what little she remembered of her), but they weren't her real parents.

After her adopted mother died, Gabe had decided that he and his daughter would be all right even if it were just they alone. Finding it difficult to live in that same house even after the years had gone by, Gabe had decided to uproot out of Metropolis in favor of the country. He had learned of the growing violence in the local schools, and even though his Chloe went to a private school, Gabe knew that someday it would spread there as well. Bringing his concerns to his boss at LuthorCorp, Gabe had been summarily summoned to Lionel Luthor's office on the 75th story of the LuthorCorp tower in the financial district of Metropolis. He had been in this building only once or twice, and he really didn't like being in it now. Of course, being sent up to the top of the tower was just as dreaded now as it was hundred's of years ago when one spoke of the 'Tower of London.'

Lionel Luthor had a way about himself that inspired fear into those he dealt with. It was like a mouse being sent to the den of a cat, and Gabe sure felt like squeaking when set on the other side of Mr. Luthor's desk. When the man himself appeared seemingly out of nowhere, Gabe immediately stood at attention. Lionel did a half-grin at the fear he obviously caused in this insignificant man.

"Sit down, Mr. Sullivan is it?" Lionel knew his name. He knew his name all right. This was just a test to see how much this man would voluntarily give out when prodded. As the chief executive of one of the world's top companies, Luthor knew most everything there was too know about those who worked around him. The only things that he didn't know where the things worth knowing, like 'is someone loyal enough?' Oh yes, Lionel actually knew everything about this man right down to the size of his...

"Yes sir, Mr. Luthor sir." Gabe knew enough about working for the Luthor's to know when not to say as little as possible, and not just dole out information. What he didn't know was that he had just saved his own job.

"I hear that you no longer wish to live or work in Metropolis. Do you not like working for LuthorCorp?" Test two: see if he becomes paranoid when his loyalty to the company is questioned. Many a top executive lost their job following this test.

"No sir Mr. Luthor. I simply am looking out for my daughter's safety. Metropolis school's are becoming over run with violence, and I simply wish to take her out of harms way." Gabe was contemplating bringing up Lex Luthor in an attempt to bring out the parental streak in Lionel, but he figured that such a tactic would be expected and would have failed.

Gabe was accurate on both counts. Luthor slowly lifted a file from his desk and tossed it to Gabe. "In there is product report for a fertilizer plant in a town called Smallville. Lately, the data has been showing a lack of progress. Were we were out-pacing out own goals, now we simply meet them. LuthorCorp was built on surpassing everybody's expectations, including our own and that plant fails to do so." Luthor stopped to observe the man before him. He hadn't started reading yet, and rightfully so. "Take the next few minutes to look that over and tell me what you think we should do. Sit on the couch over there (he indicated one on the far corner of his office)."

Gabe did as was instructed. After leafing through it, the problem seemed to leap out at him. The current manager was delegating the proper people to do the assignments. If that were fixed, production would no doubt leap at least 25%. Making sure that there was no other things transparently wrong, he lifted himself off of the furniture and walked to Lionel's desk once more.

"Well, did you find a problem?"

"Yes, Mr. Luthor." Lionel didn't ask for the problem to be explained, and Gabe had no intention of doing anything to anger the man before him.

Lionel knew what Gabe was thinking, and mentally applauded him. "And what is it?"

"To be honest, sir, I am positive that it's the plant manager." Seeing Lionel digest this, Gabe decided to continue, "That report describes inexperienced people doing intricate jobs. If the manger simply reassigned the workers to do the things that they know, I am confident that the plant's efficiency will increase by 25% at least."

Lionel heard Gabe talk, and all he could do was think that that was exactly what he had surmised as well. "Mr. Sullivan, your transfer is granted. I would like you to report to Smallville within two weeks. You're the new manager of that facility. The one you just read about was fired. I have been looking for a new manager, and you're it. That is of course, providing you want it."

"Yes, sir. I would be honored."

"Good, you can see yourself out. As of now, you are on two weeks paid company vacation. I suggest you use them wisely."

Chloe remembered that night well. Gabe had told her about his meeting with the top man himself as she just sat in shock. She would be leaving her home. She still had some lasting bitterness that she needed to sort out.

Clark, seeing the look on his friends face, approached her. "Hey, what's wrong? You read about an another prediction for the end of the world?" He knew that whatever she was thinking about was more important than that, but he needed to crack the ice somehow and he figured that humor was the best tool right now.

"Sorry Kent, nothing that full of journalistic credibility in these things. Actually I was just think about the story my father told me once about the time he met Lionel Luthor." Chloe started telling the story, and Clark just sat back in amazement. Not that the infamous Luthor's were so into testing people, but that one actually working in an office 75 stories off the ground. Who could be comfortable that far off the ground after September 11th, but that re-jogged the knowledge that he was mentally back in time.

Nothing like that had happened yet. Sure he had been to Metropolis before, and even had been to New York before. He briefly remembered the time he and his parents had gone to the top of the World Trade Center and the freedom Clark remembered feeling being so high off the ground. He also remembered his parents watching the television on September 11 when those two towers came down.

Clark had remembered the feeling of helplessness that he felt that day. With all of his powers, he couldn't help those people. Now, if he could fly for any length of time and go higher than he normally did, he might have been able to do something.

Chloe, now finished with her recounting, saw the look on Clark's face and noticed that Pete wasn't around. Deciding to interrogate him about one, she choose the one "Clark, where's Pete?" Chloe saw the look of defeat turn to confusion and then slowly became comprehension.

"Oh, him? He remembered that his dad told him to be home before dark." Well, at least that was a half-truth. His dad told him to get home earlier than normal, and Pete decided to leave when he saw Chloe checking Clark out. After giving Clark the news (failing of course to mention what he had seen Chloe doing), he indicated Clark and Chloe with a hand gesture and looked to the female and back to Clark and winked. The mere thought of what Pete had inferred made a blush slowly took hold once again.

Chloe looked around and sure enough, the sun was going down. She looked over at Clark and contemplated leaving. It was getting late and she didn't want to worry her 'father.' Just as she was about to tell him about her having to get going herself, Clark cut her off with, "Chlo, why don't you stay over tonight? We can have a backyard barbeque. Just because I didn't catch anything doesn't mean we can't have some cooked chicken and burgers. I think there's a bacon double cheeseburger with your name on."

Clark really did want to talk with her tonight. He still felt that there was some unfinished business between them concerning today, and he knew that he couldn't wake up until it was resolved. He just hoped that he would see the problem before it was too late.

"Sure, Clark. I just need to call my dad and tell him what's going on, ok?" Chloe, once again, had given into Clark today without really wanting too.

Pros and Cons - Part 6 - 4:47AM (Dunroamin, Duncarin, Dunlivin)

Clark led Chloe up to the house in near record time. Things would have gone a lot faster had she not complained and needed to be pleaded with after every other step. Clark wanted to ask her about her feelings towards him. He wanted to see her face say that she liked him in the non-platonic sense. Even if he knew that it was just a dream, maybe he could gain the confidence to ask her in real life.

Where and when his feelings for Chloe had changed from brotherly to what he was feeling now (which was still relatively unknown and far from the point at which they could be labeled) Clark wasn't exactly sure, but he did know for sure that it didn't originate in these dreams.

As the two teens approached the backside to the Kent farmhouse, Clark could see his father get his charcoal grill going. The slight smells of lighter fluid and the sulphur from the match strike could already be traced in the light breeze. Jonathon Kent may not have been the best at everything he did, but at the barbeque he was in a league that could give George Foreman a run for his money.

Unwrapping a group of steaks and boneless chicken breasts, John prepared enough food to feed an army, or in this case three teenagers and two...slightly older teenagers. So, bearing this in mind, it had come as a great surprise to watch Clark and Chloe come up to the back patio without Amigo number three.

"Hey guy's, where's Pete?" John Kent knew that between himself and his son, nothing would be spared, but he didn't want to start divvying up someone else's dinner.

"Mr. Ross had asked him to come home before dark or something like that."   Clark kicked himself for not telling his parents sooner than this. "Sorry about that. I know that you like to know how many people you would be cooking for, but Pete just sort of sprung this on Chloe and I ourselves."

Clark's father raised his eyebrow, and looked to Chloe. "Well, I sure that your staying. I know how scary it must be going up against the entire Kent family alone, especially at dinnertime."

Chloe smiled, and was reminded of times when such a warning would have been greatly appreciated. Having Jonathon Kent basically plead for her to stay crumbled the rest of her already damaged defenses. "Of course I'm staying. Besides, it might be healthier for you and Clark if I do stay." Seeing both of the confused faces of the male Kent's, Chloe continued. "Yeah, the last time I ate here, it was like the Roman gladiatorial games going for the last piece of lasagne. Clark here ate so fast, I swear there were sparks coming from his silver wear."

All three laughed at that comment, Clark a little less so because the sparks she 'thought' she saw actually happened. That earned him a nice little lecture from both parents about the need to keep his powers secret from everyone. That everyone included Chloe. But, what about in dreams? Who would know if Clark told someone while he was dreaming, other than himself of course?   Different set of rules in dreams, different consequences. Maybe...

Chloe saw the expression on Clark's face and accurately predicted that he was thinking about something rather important. What she inaccurately predicted, however, was that those thoughts revolved around the raven-haired beauty Lang. Unfortunately for her, Clark's father was thinking the same thing and actually voiced it.

"Clark, you now that if you wanted to call Lana and invite her over you can."   Mr. Kent had completely missed Chloe's stricken expression, or that the temperature surrounding the young woman seemed to drop forty degrees. Martha Kent would have probably ended that night a widow if Clark hadn't said what he said.

"Well, maybe some other time, dad. Besides, I'm sure that she and Whitney are having yet another date."   The last part came out of his mouth like a growl, which gave Clark pause. He had admitted that he liked Chloe and that Lana and he would most likely never happen, so why did the knowledge Lana was probably on a date bother him so? Probably just an old habit that was having a hard time dying off, well that will have to hurry up and perish if he was going to tell Chloe the absolute truth about his birth.

Both Chloe and John caught the ominous inflection in Clark's voice and then saw the odd expression that then crossed his face. His was almost like he had wanted to mentally retract what he had said. Chloe put up one mark in the mental chalkboard in the WIN column for herself and one for Lana. Hey, he looked like he wanted to take it back.   Overall, in the wars for the heart of Clark Kent, Lana was kicking her ass.

"Well, maybe some other time." Mr. Kent earmarked this exchange, and the subject of Lana Lang in general, as off limits for tonight (at least until he could confer with his wife/partner in crime later on in bed).

Martha swept out the backdoor gracefully carrying a number of plates, cups, napkins, and eating utensils. Apparently, she wasn't graceful enough, as her antique gravy boat made its' way off of the plates and was now letting gravity drag it to the pavement. All Martha could do was look on in horror as the only piece of her mother's kitchen set she had been given made its' way past her knees towards certain doom.

Clark, for his part, was in the middle of watching his dad put the home-made barbeque sauce on the steaks when he heard his mother gasp. Snapping his head around fast enough to make the act of cutting through the air an actual sound, he watched his mother's expression turn from confusion to horror. Seeing the porcelain artifact tumble downwards, Clark raced over to his mother using all of his powers to get himself there in time.

Martha let out a sigh of relief as she saw her son's hand come out of nowhere and grab her prized possession. Just as Clark straightened himself upright, the gust of wind that he caused caught up with them. Looking at his grateful mother, Clark simply walked it over to the table. "Let me bring this over here. You have enough to carry."

Echoing his sentiment, Chloe approached the other woman and relieved her of some of the burden. Seeing that Clark only had the one item, Chloe laced into him, apparently not seeing what he had just done. "Clark, I know that you pretend to be all weak and such, but I don't buy it. You could have gotten more than just that."

Clark was about to defend himself when Martha cut him off. "The fact that he got that was surprising, best not too push my luck." Even as she gave Chloe something to laugh about, see sent her son a much-deserved 'Thank You' from her eyes.

John hadn't even turned his head during the exchange. He knew that Clark had obviously just been the victim of a verbal hit-and-run by the womenfolk. He remembered being in similar situations himself while courting Martha.   Her father would throw John to the 'wolves' as he would put it just to see if the boy could hold his own.   After a few weeks of that to soften him up, Jonathon graduated to the big guns: papa himself. Mr. Kent looked down at his left hand and saw the scar that still remained from that last 'test.' It was a fight, and not just any fight. First it was verbal (explain why he was worthy of daddies little girl), then it was psychological (too see how long he could go before breaking the rules seeing her again after he was forbidden to), and then it was physical (to see if he could protect her). He had passed all of the tests, and been given Martha as a wife, and her father's grudging respect.

Looking at his son interact with Chloe, John was once again reminded that while his son might not have been born on Earth, he had many of the same human emotions running through him. This was one of the many times that he wished Clark was their son biologically.   He was going to start wanting to settle down pretty soon, and with his powers... Foregoing the rest of that thought, Jonathon made the general announcement that the feast could begin.

Everyone had gotten their plate's set-up, and picked seating. Much to Mr. and Mrs. Kent's amusement, Chloe and Clark seemed to be going through the beginning of the mating ritual. This was the true beginning at that. This was still at the point when they tried to impress each other in childish ways. Oh, it was subtle and they doubted that the kids themselves realized what they were doing, but it was clear enough to the 'veterans.' Even John, who had received many a verbal backhand by Martha for not being able to 'pick up on a signal' could see this as plain as day.

Clark would pretend to slay Chloe's food like a knight killed a dragon, and she would be the maiden who was completely struck by both his looks and chivalry. Afterwards, they would gorge themselves on the spoils of battle and go back for more. It was all very 'cute' to Martha, but it did raise questions briefly about whether or not they should spend so much time unsupervised.   Remembering how Clark was, she nearly laughed out loud. She loved her son more than almost anything else, but he was as dense as a brick when it came to certain things, like woman. She had seen Chloe's obvious affection towards her son for a while now, but neither her husband nor, more importantly, Clark seemed to notice.   Martha loved Chloe like a daughter, but it was clear that she had a more than sibling love for Clark. But...being fair, Chloe was probably the best choice that Clark could make if he were going to make one at this stage in his life.

Both elder Kent's were thinking parallel thoughts without even knowing it.   Both knew that Clark was meant for more than a farm life in Smallville. No one knew his destiny, but they knew this wasn't it. Neither parent wanted to give Clark up, but they knew that this was how children grow up, and how they would learn to be adults.   They just hoped that Clark wouldn't get tied down so early in life, before he had a chance to realize his purpose.

Chloe and Clark were blissfully unaware of the two Kent's pondering when they both finished their food and playful antics and started talking about doing some other things. Chloe didn't want to have been kept here, although not under duress, just to be subjected to another boring evening.

"Hey Clark, why don't you show Chloe the loft? Chloe, you've got too see this thing. It has star charts on the walls and the telescope we gave Clark a few years ago. I knew that he would need some alone time occasionally and that is the perfect place to get it." John puffed his chest out twice its' normal size in pride, much to his wife's chagrin. "I just finished it a little while ago, and it would be a shame if you didn't use it." Jonathon was proud of the work he had done on that hayloft.   He had felt that Clark would need the space to cool off sometimes whenever there were tensions in the house.

Chloe looked at Clark in dismay. "You have another hiding place and didn't let me in on it? Some friend you are." Knowing that would fry Clark's bacon, she pretended to give him the cold shoulder.

"Well, I'm sorry Chlo. I know that you can be a real bi..." Seeing her spin around with an outraged expression on her face, Clark decided to rethink what he was about to say. "Outspoken person, who I was waiting for just the right moment to show the loft to." Chloe's anger drained slowly, and Clark's father whispered, "nice save."

"Well, this had just become the right moment, hasn't it?" Seeing her glare, Clark figured he should just go along with the flow here and nodded dumbly, not really knowing what would happen in that barn if he let her up there. Turning sweet again, Chloe simply bid ado to the elder Kent's and waited for Clark to led the way.

Clark felt like a sheep heading to the slaughterhouse. Chloe reminded him of one of the taskmasters in those movies set in Egypt. Deliverance for him was in the form of getting to their destination without giving her the adequate time to deliver a verbal blow. The inside of the great wooden building was as black as pitch, but it had been light soon enough by the intricate set-up Jonathon rung up around here.   Leading her up the wooden stairs, Clark watched Chloe's face turn from minor irritation to one of amazement.

"Your father came up with all of this? Just for you privacy?" Chloe honestly could believe it. Her father had once offered to make her a dark room, but that was small potatoes to this. Seeing the telescope pointed in an odd direction, she started over toward it and looked through the eyepiece. "I can see your idea of stargazing differs from most people's. While most would have this device set on, oh, I don't know, stars, you have it pointed at little Mrs. Lana's." Clark walked over to the telescope, but didn't look through, rather readjusted the direction with his hands. Chloe looked through the lens once more and this time saw her house. "How..."

"I have memorized where everybody is. Everybody who is important to me that is." Clark looked through the walls and saw his parents in the living room reading. Determining that they would hear or see them, Clark made his move. "Tell me Chloe, what do think about two best friends getting into a romantic relationship?"

Chloe started breathing heavily. She didn't know what he was getting at, but she was willing to bet that she was about to find out. Deciding humor was be the best tool to defuse this potentially explosive situation, Chloe responded, "Why, are planning on asking Pete out?"

Clark stepped forward toward Chloe, making her back up until she bumped into the couch. Clark shook his head 'no' before leaning into the confused blond in a kiss that shook both of their worlds to the core. Gaining confidence, Chloe turned Clark and her around a full one hundred eighty degrees so that it was Clark backed against the potential bed, and she just pushed him down and simply collapsed on top of him. They started covering each other with kisses.

Pros and Cons - Part 7 - 4:50AM (Sexual Revolution)

Chloe and Clark were lying on the couch, Chloe on top of Clark and they were kissing. To think about it in such a manner made Chloe question her sanity. Sure, she had wanted to do this for a long time now, but now that it was actually happening, she was almost without her wits.

Clark seemed to pick up on her hesitation and wanted to know what was wrong. "Chloe, what's wrong? Do you not what this?" Clark found himself praying to the almighty that she would say 'yes.'

"No, Clark, it's not that I don't want this, because I have for long while now. I guess I just wasn't expecting it. I'm sorry. It's just one moment we were looking through your telescope, and the next we are making out of a couch. I had no idea that you felt this was about me."

"Chlo, I'm a guy and you're a an incredibly gorgeous, sexy woman. I have noticed that before, I just never said anything. I guess I was afraid that you'd say that you didn't want to date me." She started kissing him again, and once more there hands started wandering.

Chloe's body was pressed against his, her legs intertwined with his. Clark snaked one of his arms around her back, and slowly massaged the small of her back. He must have been doing something right, as she started groaning slightly. As much fun as this was, he didn't want to hurt her so he figured the best thing he could was ask her if he was. "Hey, are you alright? If I do something you don't like, just tell me ok?"

"Believe me, if you're doing anything wrong, you've managed to fool me."   Both had to work to stifle a laugh as they went back to work.

While Chloe was on the nice end of the massage, she decided that Clark shouldn't do all of the stuff like that, and she promptly pulled his shirt off from over his head. Slowly making a trail of kissing southward, Clark had lost most of his senses. He had never felt anything so exquisite in his life. And to think that he had once doubted a romance between he and Chloe wouldn't work. Who cares if it was just a dream, this was one dream he had no intention of leaving. Regaining some of his bearings, Clark resumed his assault of her mouth, and started removing her pants.

Feeling that her no intention of stopping at thins point, Chloe viewed her choices. She could either let this happen or not. Give into her most primal desires, or not. Have what she has wanted for going on years, or say no and probably never have this chance again. This was her opportunity to banish the desire for a relationship with Lana Lang from Clark and she had a remarkably simple choice to make. Stay or go.

Chloe knew that she and Clark didn't have to go 'all the way' tonight to achieve that. She knew Clark better than to believe that he would be that cruel, to force her to have sex with him, or lose all hope for the rest of time. But, she also knew what would happen if she just walked away, he would blame himself, and wouldn't ever try again. All she had to do was stay and all of those hypotheticals would be demolished. She made her decision and showed it when she started to unbutton his jeans.

Clark, until Chloe's last act, hadn't really been sure whether or not she would actually be willing to do something like this, but now he had his answer. Using one shoe to knock the other off, and the his foot to kick the remaining one off, Clark started to use his now bare feet to pull down Chloe's pants and he even felt her push herself up so he could accomplish his goal all the faster while she worked on his jeans.

Now with bear legs against each other, Clark started on the upper regions of his new-found intimate partner. Removing her shirt and bra, Clark got his first up close and personal look at the female anatomy. Sure he had seen Lana undress that day he had developed x-ray vision, but he wasn't close enough to actually touch what he had seen, or kiss it. He found himself getting mentally aroused when he had seen her nipples get hard, and took it as a sign that he was doing something right.

Had he asked for Chloe's vote as too whether or not he was doing something 'right,' she would do doubt yelled at him. Not because he was doing anything wrong, but because in order to ask, he would had to stop for a moment and that wouldn't have been in his own best interests.   She felt wonderful, and could only hope that she was giving even half of the pleasure that she was being dealt.   She played with his chest a little, nibbling here and there. His skin was very warm, like fire in some places and very firm.  She could feel the infamous 'six pack' in his abdominal regions, and decided to go down there for a closer look. She was absolutely amazed at how he was able to keep in such great shape without a complex diet, vitamins, and a personal trainer.

Clark gently patted Chloe on her head, and silently beckoned her back up to be level with his face. Getting the message, Chloe pulled herself up, colliding with Clark's lips when she got there. Things for the both of them started getting very sluggish, like trying to walk through neck deep mud, although there hands were going everywhere faster than they could think to direct them.

Deciding that now was about the right time to give Chloe and out if she had wanted one, Clark stopped her kissing and body gyrations and asked her if she was sure she wanted this. "Chloe, I won't be angry with you if you want to stop. I know that this happening pretty quickly, but I don't want you to feel at all like you are being rushed into anything that you aren't honestly prepared for.

Chloe had to admit that she was impressed. Not many guys would be willing to stop now, after being brought so close, but she knew why he was doing this. He had reached the point at which he wouldn't be able to stop until it was done. The animal instinct was about to take over, and things were about to take on a life of their own. An idea that didn't scare, rather, appealed to her. "Clark, you know me. You know that if I really didn't want to do something like this, I wouldn't do it. I want this. I know that you're on the edge of losing control. I understand that."

Kissing her passionately on the lips, Clark and Chloe started again with more of a sense of awareness of what the other was thinking. Growing in intensity, Clark lost himself in the moment and he lifted himself and Chloe off of the couch, and when they came back down, he was on top of her and kissing her neck while kneading her breasts, ripping more moans from her. Every time he did something new, Chloe could feel another wave of warmth flow through her like a summer breeze. Her entire body was responsive to his touch. She had always heard that the human body was built to respond to stimulation, and she was getting plenty of that. And to think that she didn't want to stay tonight, and she had just talked to Pete a few days ago that she would never have her chance so long as Lana looked like the quintessential cheerleader. She had him, and she wouldn't let him go without a fight.

Clark wasn't thinking about much of anything that didn't include the here and now.   His inhuman senses worked to his benefit now, just as they should. Every smell was enhanced; every spasm that coursed through his body heightened ten fold.   Clark was left wondering how someone could feel this, and then willingly go through life without it? As of right now, a block party could suddenly convene below and around them, and all he would do was give them a show. As long as no one tried to stop him, a fire could break out and he would simply shield his love, and continue. One of the few waves of conscious thought that managed to penetrate his over sexed brain was the wondering as too how Chloe was able to keep so relatively calm.

Well, after Clark tried a few more things with his mouth, she wasn't. She had lost all sense of herself as well.   She dug her nails into his back, yet drew no blood much to her surprise and relief. She held the back of Clark's head and pushed lower.   Eventually, he started kissing and licking her nipples, getting a cry of passion out his lover. Letting go of his head, Chloe started to remove her underwear, letting Clark have unrestricted access to her entire body.

Clark knew what Chloe had just done, and he drooled at the thought of what was waiting for him, but he was determined not to go that fast. Making his way to her navel, Clark licked it and sucked it for about one half minute before moving down to her belt line, and licked the little lines of impressions that her pants had caused when she had occasionally wore her belt to tight.

Chloe was sure that Clark would now take the literal opening she had given him, but instead he turned her over onto her stomach and started rubbing her shoulders.   After a few minutes of doing that, and letting himself cool down both physically and mentally, Clark nibbled on the back of her neck. Chloe started making a grunting noise, indicative that while she liked it, she wanted something more and pretty soon. Clark didn't want to be rushed, but bowed to her wishes and licked a path down her spine to the very small of her back where he started to nibble and give love bits. That had the desired reaction when Chloe nearly screamed out and achieved pulling the armrest of the couch that she had been clutching for dear life.

Moving a little lower, Clark started to massage, lick, and suck Chloe's backside, sending waves through her entire body that her losing her mind. Turning her back over, he once again claimed her mouth and neck. This was too much for her to handle anymore, and she tried screaming in his ear to stop torturing her, but what came out was a mere whisper against his ear.

Determined to make the rest of this night one that would be forever banded into his memory, Clark didn't take long after that plead to make his way down there and do some exploring with his tongue and fingers. This was a time that his powers once again came to his benefit. Watching her entire body writhe under touch had Clark losing his sanity even more. Using every possible way to extend her pleasure, he used his fingers and tongue to create noises from her that he didn't know people were capable of.

Chloe was getting pissed. Clark was doing everything right. But he was drawing it out like it was some medieval torture. Suddenly, she felt she entire body get a spasm through it that had her ready to rip his hair out his ecstasy.   By the time he had arrived back up at her mouth, Chloe had been willing to swear under oath that she had reached the heights of arousal three of four times. She could taste a new favor on Clark's tongue and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what it was.

Finally willing to allow himself some of the same feelings that he had given her, Clark stayed with his face next to her, and used the other part of his anatomy to explore her lower regions that he had just departed from.   It was then that Clark noticed just how cold the barn had actually gotten. His sweat was cooling his skin faster than a cold shower, and he could use to his advantage. Moving himself on top of Chloe, Clark felt warmth engulf his most sensitive area as he felt Chloe in a way that he had never felt anything before. Quickly feeling the blood rush to that part of his body and the spasms that followed after that, Clark knew that this was what made worth living.

Slowly, Chloe let Clark into her and she felt the man that she loved love her over and over again. She cried out, and Clark once again checked in on his parents. They were both heading up to bed, unaware that their son was going through on the life changing experiences that most people go through: the losing of his virginity. He started having to concentrate on things other than the warmth that was engulfing him so as to keep his self-control. He tried batting averages, reciting the books of the bible, the results of every presidential Electoral College decision from Kennedy on, and he was still losing it. It was like trying to stop the Titanic from sinking using just half gallon bucket to bail the water out.   He had to keep it together for just a few more minutes.

Chloe was the complete opposite. She was welcoming every different peak, and the waiting for the coming ones. When Clark cried out a name, it was hers, not Lana's. That was the way it should be. That was the way it was going to be for the rest of their lives, and Chloe was going to make damned sure that everyone knows the farm boy belonged to her from here on in. No little prissy Lana Lang was going to get between them now, or ever again.

Clark was close, and no amount of lip biting was going to stop that. He had done everything that he could possibly do not get to this point, but here it was. This was the point of no return for the both of them. He started called out Chloe's name over and over again, and that got her right back on the edge once more. Together, as one, the fireworks exploded inside their heads and they both fell off of the Earth as one kissing all of the while.

Clark and Chloe both collapsed back on the couch, entirely satisfied. The mere concept of going to the bathroom was enough to make Clark shudder. There were certain parts of his needed a rest, and he was willing to grant that.   They were both sticky, and smelled like perspiration, but both felt completely wonderful.

Chloe was no different. Her entire body was sore and her chest was swollen to the point the she doubted her bra would fit. She felt like she needed a shower, but all that mattered was that she just made love to the man of her dreams and nobody could take that away from her.

Clark was close to exhausted. He had gotten Chloe to peak more than eight times, and right now he was tired. He had made love to Chloe Sullivan, and never once did he think about Lana. He was falling in love with her here. This was everything that he could have dreamed of. And that, he supposed was the problem. It was a dream.

Chapter 8 - 4:56AM (For the First Time Today, Pt. 2)

Clark and Chloe still lay on their makeshift bed, holding each other.   Although Clark had to fight himself, he refused to fall asleep. He feared, and rightfully so, that if he fell asleep in the dream, he would wake up in reality.

Reality. What a cold, hollow sounding word that was. In reality, he had to deal with loneliness, and the horrid knowledge that while Chloe and he had exchanged bodily fluids in his dreams, there was no chance of them in that 'other' world. He would wake up in his head, cold and alone. His warmth looks like it would only be lived while he slept, and that was a concept that he didn't care for in the least.

Seeing her lovers' disturbed face, Chloe immediately started making interpersonal assumptions like that Clark regretted his decision. Not wanting to just hang there like that, she decided the direct approach would be the best one right now. "Hey, Clark? What's wrong? Do you...wish we hadn't done this?"

Clark's head snapped down to Chloe and saw the reflection of her self-doubt bubbling up to the surface. "No, actually it's the opposite. I was wondering what my life would be life without you in it. Pretty foolish, huh?"

Chloe was lost. Rare was it that a man would say such things AFTER sex. Normally, that kind of stuff was said to get into one's pants. "No, Clark. I don't think that's foolish. Actually, I think it's sweet. Don't worry about me leaving you. I have been in love with you for years, and now that I have you, I won't give you up without a fight."

Warmed by her words, Clark wondered about what her reaction to Lana was going to be now. Hey, maybe this dream can give him pointers if he ever did get Chloe into this position. "What about Lana?" Seeing Chloe's immediate panicked expression, Clark quickly went into damage control. "It's not that I'm interested in her still, but what are you going to do if she slides up to me again?"

"First, I will tell her that you and I are dating. After that, if she still comes around, I will just have to kill her."   Listening to Clark laugh, Chloe choose not tell him that she wasn't joking. "Besides, I have the feeling that she and that idiot boyfriend of hers will be together for a little while longer. We both know had damned jealous he can be at times."

Clark adopted a contemplative expression. "Yes, he can be. You do know Chloe that if he ever tries to hurt her, I will have to lash out at him right? I mean, even though I no longer want Lana in a romantic setting, I still will consider her my friend."

Chloe didn't exactly like that, but as long as no one else got Clark the way she just had him, she could be willing to make...concessions. "I understand that Clark. I trust that if you become friends with her, you will not do anything like cheat on me, or even consider it."

Clark took no time to answer that one. "Chloe, I love you. What I had with Lana was a simple crush that has run its' course." Even as Clark was saying that, he knew that he spoke the truth in both the dreams and in real life as well. He loved Lana, but his feelings for Chloe and Lana had done a switch somewhere along the line. Actually, that wasn't the accurate to say. What he felt for Chloe was much stronger and much more pure.   This was born out of a sturdy friendship, which slowly transformed into something much more.

Clark had no problem saying it for the first time ever. He was in love with Chloe Sullivan, and no matter what will happen after he wakes up, that will always be true. He just had to hope that she could feel the same way about him.

"Chloe, I have a secret I have to share with you." Seeing her puzzled expression, Clark got up and gave her clothes while he put his own on. "There is something that you have to see down in my basement. It will change the way you look at me, but I don't want you to get into this without knowing all of the facts first.

"What is it, a spaceship?" Chloe intended for that to be a joke, but when Clark failed to laugh, she realized that she might have just correctly guessed Clark's secret.

"Just follow me." Leaving the loft, the two teens made their way into the Kent kitchen and down the flight of stairs on the other side of a door that Chloe had never seen opened.   Chloe was very nervous, but she knew that as long as Clark was here with her, nothing bad could happen.

Clark had to be very quiet. His parents hadn't told him of his powers yet, but they would in a few weeks. If they caught him down here, they might ask how he knew that this ship was down here. Clark pulled a chain and a halogen light bulb flickered to life and in front of Chloe was the strangest thing that she had ever seen before. It was a metal egg with spiders' legs on it.

"Clark what in the hell is that?" She already knew. She had seen enough sci-fi movies to know what a spaceship looked like. She touched it, and although it felt cold, heat seemed to be radiating from the inside.

"That meteor shower a few years back was bringing this. It crashed down in Smallville like the rest of those rocks.   It hit by the side of the road, and a married couple driving home saw it hit. They found a young boy in it of about 3 or 4, and they took him and this ship home. They adopted him, and gave him a name, social security number, and got him enrolled in school when the time was right." Clark took a deep, cathartic breath. "He grew up never being aloud to play sports, because he was stronger and faster than anybody else and it would be to easy for someone to be hurt."

Chloe looked down at her hands. For years, she had wondered why the obviously physically fit Clark Kent couldn't play on sports. She had figured Martha was just being over protective, but she had seen Clark lift hundreds of pounds before like it was nothing. It was strange how she had never made the connection before.

Clark continued without looking Chloe in her eyes for fear he would see disgust, or worse...fear. "His parents told him the importance of keeping his secret from anyone, even his best friends, for fear that someday the wrong might find about him and manipulate him into doing things that would hurt or kill other's. All of that went fine until one day when that boy fell in love with his best friend. He had to show her his secret because even though it's his greatest weak spot, it is his origins." Clark looked up and saw the see was still examining the ship. "Chloe, now that you know about this, you should know that this is a secret that you can tell no one. Not Pete, not your dad, not anyone. I will understand if you no longer want to deal with me."

That got Chloe's attention. She looked up at Clark incredulously. "Clark, I will admit that this is a lot to take in for one day. We go from friends, to lovers and then you tell me that you are from another planet. Listen to me, no matter what happens, I am not going to leave you. It's going to take one hell of a good reason to get me to break up with you, and this just isn't it." See looked at Clark, and although he still looked like a lost puppy, there was a glimmer of hope burning in his eyes. "You're still the same person right? Your still Clark, and as I can testify to, you have all the right...parts of the typical human man."

At this, they both blushed. Clark was honestly amazed. He had half expected to treat him like radioactive waste and the other half expected her to run to the Daily Planet to write a story about him.

Chloe had more questions she wanted to ask him, but not here. She can accept Clark, but that ship just freaked her out. "Clark, if it's all the same, I would prefer that we talk back in the loft."

Clark understood why. He too was a little jarred when he first saw it. It was like seeing something just beyond the reach of memory. Something that you know you should be able to remember but can't. He always felt something rather unpleasant stir in him every time he thought about the craft and the symbols that were on the medal bar. Like his mind was purposefully blocking it out for some reason.

Clark turned the light off and he and Chloe headed up the stairs and back the barn. Upon arriving, Chloe jumped right into her questions. "Ok, do you have any powers? Is this why I've never really seen you sick before? Can you read minds?"

Clark was stunned at the barrage of questions, but smiled to himself. She always had a curios mind, and she was simply using what was given to her.

"Yes, I do have some powers. I can run really fast, sometimes beating cars on the highway. That is how I made it too school everyday even after missing the bus. I'm also strong, well... strong enough to bend steel bars. Also, I am almost invulnerable, but although bullets don't hurt me, those meteor rocks can do quite a number on my body. That's why I keep falling over when Lana comes around; her necklace is like poison to me. I just think about it like a severe allergic reaction just being around them."

Chloe was taken aback. He had figured that maybe his being from another planet was the explanation for his not getting sick, but this exceeded anything that she could think of. "Do you see things like I see things?"

"I honestly don't know, as I have never seen things from your perspective.   I have, lately been able to see through things also."

"Like an x-ray sight?" Chloe thought that could come in handy sometimes when someone attractive walked by. "Hey, did you ever see Lana naked?"

Clark's immediate blush answered that question. "It was an accident. Pete and I were climbing the rope in gym class, next thing I know I can see his ribs and skull. I was so freaked out I fell off from nearly the top. When I hit the floor I looked up and saw a wall, but the wall seemed to disappear and I saw Lana getting undressed in the girls locker room."

Chloe grunted. It did sound enough like an accident, but she didn't like it. Chloe sent another look at her new boyfriend and mournfully realized that she was dating a stud. But, too her, Clark's looks were more of an after-thought. Truth be said, he could have looked like Rocky after fighting Apollo in the first movie, and she would still love him. While the fact that Clark was damned good looking may pick up her self-esteem a bit, she realized that she was going to be in constant competition with the Lana Lang's of the world.

Seeing her depressed face, Clark asked her what was wrong, fearing that she was having second thoughts about them.

"Clark, how can I compete with them?" Chloe asked desperately, hoping that the Kent charm could work its' magic once more and take away her worries.

"Compete with who? Other woman?" Seeing Chloe's headshake, Clark almost let out a sign of relief. "Chloe, there is no competition. You've won. I love you, and I always will. The way you look at me as being unkeepable, that's the way I look at you. You are the most special person in my life, I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you, and I hope to God that I never have to find out."

Chloe thanked the Kent charm for saving the day. He always knew just what to say to make her feel better. "Thanks, I don't believe you, but thanks." Looking around the loft, Chloe noticed the star charts once again. "Hey, do you know where you're from?"

Clark lowered his head and shook his 'no.' "I have been looking for a little while, but I haven't found it yet. I really don't think I ever will, considering that I don't know where to start." Looking at her growing smile, Clark couldn't help but feel that he was once again the butt of the jokes. "Why are you grinning like that?"

Chloe had been snapped out of her little daydream to hear Clark's almost accusatory question. "I was remembering that movie 'Starman' with Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen."

"Well," responded Clark, "that was fiction, this isn't. And if you think that I am going to start singing songs from the Voyager probe record, your nuts." A thought hit Clark like that hammer of the god's, what if Voyager had crossed paths with his home planet, and they decided to send him to see if he could survive in the Earth atmosphere. Making an earmark to look that up when he woke up, Clark went back to his dream girlfriend.

"Well, just a thought. Of course Starman also had those magic marbles that helped him get home at the end of the movie." Turning her head southward, Chloe's face caught fire. "Come to think, you might have some more similarities than I thought."

Catching on too what she was thinking, Clark winced to himself. "Chloe that was the most disgusting thing that you have ever..." as he started to verbally reprimand her, he saw that she was looking toward the opening in the loft. Her expression was one of absolute confusion. Turning around, Clark saw the guy from his past dreams. His face wasn't smiling, but his eyes were. Raising his hand, the guy put his fingers into position as to snap them.

Clark panicked. Every time this guy snapped his fingers in the dream, Clark woke up. "No! I don't want to wake up. Not yet, please."

The man lowered his hand, looked at the two, and registered the happiness that reflected in Chloe's face and the pain in Clark's. "You told her about who you really are, didn't you? You've shown her the ship." Clark simply nodded, and the man seemed to make a decision at that moment. "Well, that changes things a little. If you did that, then I have no intention of waking you up." With that the barn and Chloe disappeared.

Chapter 9 - 4:58AM (Welcome to the Machine)

To Clark, this was by far the strangest dream of the night. He was in a room, more like an office. There were 50-foot high ceilings, and filing cabinets that stretched to the top. The floor was black marble, and the lone desk looked like it was made of oak and there was a large computer on the side of the desk. The occupant of this place sure liked things big, as the chair was ten times bigger than any normal person would need.

The only exit door opened, and in walked the unknown man from his dreams. He was wearing something that looked like an Armani suit with a bright red tie. He walked over to Clark, his heals clicking on the floor as he took each step, and shook his hand with a large and genuine smile on his face. "Please, Clark, sit."

Clark hadn't remembered seeing a chair, but as he turned around, one seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Poking it with his finger to check if it were really real, Clark sat down after a moment, and sank back into one of the most comfortable positions he had been in in a very long time.

As for the unknown man, he walked around to the other side of the desk, and sat in the massive chair. He had an amused look on his face as he watched Clark test the authenticity of the seat. "Comfortable?"

"Very." Clark didn't know who this guy was, but he knew how to decorate. It was like something out of the Twilight Zone, but it seemed strangely familiar.

"I'm glad to hear that. I have been wanting to talk to you now for some time."

"Thanks, I have been interested in finding out who you are as well." Clark was also interested as too how this guy could control his dreams.

The man slapped his head in self-loathing. "Forgive me Clark, my name is Kal-El, but you can call me Kal." Kal offered Clark a soda, to which he accepted immediately. "I know that you probably have many questions that you would like to ask me, right?"

"I'll say." Seeing Kal grin that remark, Clark decided on the first and most obvious one. "Who are you?"

"I have already answered that question. I am Kal, but I am gathering that's not the question you meant to ask. You probably meant to ask 'what do you do.'" Seeing Clark nod to this, Kal got up and took a deep breath. "You may no believe this, but I am apart of you. More to the point, I am your unconscious mind put into a form that you can see, hear, and can talk too. That is how I could manipulate your dreams, appearing and disappearing at the drop of a hat."

Clark couldn't believe that for one iota. "Sorry, but what is this place really?   Are you another one of those meteor freaks that belongs on Chloe's wall? God you guys are getting on my nerves."

"No Clark, I am not another 'freak' and this place for the lack of a better term is your brain. Everything that you have ever learned is stored here so that you can use in day-to-day life. Nothing here gets destroyed. Never!"

Seeing Clark's very confused expression, Kal decided to break things down a bit more. "Ok, Clark.  You have had three computers, right?" Clark nods, unable to understand how this 'person' could know that. "Good, the info on that hard drive isn't lost when you turn the computer off right? Hell, if you wake up in an hour and go to a dump and found a computer, you could possibly turn it on and retrieve information correct? Well your brain is a lot like that computer. The info is never lost, unless something injures the brain itself."

Clark blinked in confusion. "What does this have to do with me and you?"

"Good question. There are two major partners in your body as far your brain goes, the conscious and the unconscious. They are supposed to work hand in hand to make a whole individual, but more often than not, that's not the case. When we see things on different levels, I send you little 'post cards' in the form of dreams. Dreams are the one way that I can communicate with you. I may know something about a situation that you don't, so I start up with my shenanigans trying to state my case. Normally with us it works, but not always. But, I have to ask a question: why would it matter if I were a person affected by the meteorites? Why would that be important?"

"It would be important because then I would know it's my fault that you can do this. All of them, the guy who steals body heat, the kid who was going to electrocute at the dance, everybody on the wall. They all would be normal if not for me, including you." Clark expected Kal to have an angered expression on his face, but it was a rather sad expression the Kal wore.

"Clark do you really believe that? Those people aren't your fault. It wasn't your fault the meteors hit Smallville.   That was a coincidence, pure and simple." Seeing Clark's doubtful face, Kal knew that this was going to take a bit of time. Although he knew that he could work wonders in mere minutes, he couldn't send Clark to the next level of this series without making sure that his self-doubt had restraints on it. "I know that you think that you killed Lana's parents that night, and that you honestly believe that she would hate you for that, but I don't think so."

Although his seat was incredibly comfortable, Clark stood up unable to restrain himself any longer. "You don't know that! No one does, even Lana. She wears that damned rock around her neck in memoriam to her dead parents and I'm all but positive that if she knew that those rocks hit and killed them bringing me to earth, she would never forgive me. I have to make sure that you meteor bastards never get the chance to hurt another person, and so help me God, I mean to honor that."

Kal looked at the red-faced Kent and decided to change his tactics slightly. "Clark, you just said that not anyone knows how she would respond, including her.   So, what makes you so sure that she would hate you? Personally, I think that she would be rather glad." Seeing the look of utter disbelief that made its' home on Clark's face, Kal barreled through with his reasoning. "Obviously you don't think I'm correct. Okay, let us think about this for a minute like rational individuals, okay? Yes, Lana lost her parent, but she gained one hell of a friend and that counts for something." Clark nodded at that, and Kal took that as a sign that he had no real counter. "She also will probably know that while the meteors camouflaged your ship, a baby couldn't pilot the thing. Given that, she will most likely realize that you ship was pulled in by Earth's gravity, like the occasional satellite, and that means that you had no real control over where you hit."

Nodding again, Clark thought of something. "Yes, that's true, but from what I have seen about Lana, she can be very passionate and that may get in the way of her logic. Let's face facts here, the meteors wouldn't have hit if I wasn't sent here."

Kal looked at his hands for a moment, and studied them. He had never had hands before, and he admired the lines and little hairs that adorned them. Looking back up at Clark, decided that perhaps they shouldn't have started talking about Lana. It was getting a bit over-bearing, and if Clark didn't start think about Chloe, Kal might have a problem instituting his final dreams.   What they were going to be about, Kal didn't yet know.

"Clark, I know that and you know that. The fact that the meteors came here to mask your ship isn't the point at all. The point is that you didn't have any control over the events that occurred when they hit the town. It's a lot like when babies are born and the mother's die of complications. It's not the child's' fault is it? Of course not, and this isn't your fault."

Clark hadn't really thought about it like that.   It did make a little bit of sense. "You said that you are my subconscious right?" Kal nodded. "Ok, well then why do I like Lana? Is there something from my past? Why do you keep asking questions like that if you already know the answer?"

Kal looked proudly at Clark, he was finally asking good questions. "Clark, I ask you questions about how you really feel because although I know the answer, I want you to figure them out for yourself. You may see me, but I still am inside your head right now influencing your decisions on some basis. As for the other questions, I want you try to answer them if you were in my position."

"I honestly don't know. Hey, can you tell me anything about my real parents or where I'm from?" If Clark was going to able to talk to someone who had access to everything that he had ever seen, he might as well find out about his origins.

"Clark, you do have memories about your real mother and father, but those are memories that will come back to you over the natural course of time. In a dream just isn't the place or time." Clark eyes dropped like a dog that had just been told its mater was killed. "Don't look so down. You will find out pretty soon, that I can promise.   Hey, I can tell you about some of the powers that you might develop though."

Clark's eye picked up at that prospect. Perhaps meeting a part of his mind wasn't so bad. "How can you possibly know about them if I haven't shown them yet?"

"I know about them because I regulate them.   That's right, I control the powers that you are just learning that you have. I control them, at least, until you have the ability to do it yourself.   Take the whole x-ray vision thing: you can use that now whenever you like, right? That's because I showed it too you, and you slowly learned to control it.   It is the same with you other powers, and those that you have yet to see." Seeing that his occupant was exceedingly interested, Kal used this conversation to his advantage. "Clark, I'll make you a deal. If you recognize what I know to be true, I will give you another power and the ability to contain it whenever you want. Is this blackmail, not really as I have every intention of giving this too you later on. This is just an offer to get it ahead of time."

"What kind of power?" This had the desired affect for Kal; Clark was getting ready to burst with anticipation. Unfortunately, knowing might hamper his ambition.

"Now, what kind of surprise would it be if you knew what it will be. Suffice to   say, you will enjoy it very much.   Now, you have a choice, do you wish to go along with the dreams, or wake up in your bed and continue to be in wonderment? I can end of these dreams with just the snap of two fingers." Kal dreaded Clark's answer. He knew that if Clark honestly wanted to wake up, it would no doubt take a very long time for Kal to regain the strength necessary for appearing human to Clark again. This, he knew, was the moment of truth.

Clark looked around at the office that had once almost terrified him, and he shook his head. He wanted this new power, but... these dreams could easily get violent and he didn't want to agree to go through this without knowing what would happen. "I do want this to continue, but how do I know that you won't throw those nightmares at me?"

Kal almost did a summersault with joy. He knew that bargaining was the first sign that he would crumble. "I promise that the remainder of your dreams will not be violent. Actually they will not be all that different from the other one's you had tonight."

Clark grinned. He had his first ever sexually driven dream, if the rest were going to be like that, he could do them standing on his head. "I accept."

"Great, but first I would like to talk with you a little bit more if you don't mind." Kal needed to ask Clark about Chloe, and figured that this was the best time to do it."

Clark looked at Kal curious, he did want to ask him a few questions. "Okay, but me first. From whom did you take your looks after?"

Kal grinned and looked at his computer screen and almost admired his own reflection for a moment. Vanity was never Clark's thing, but everyone had tendencies in that direction. "Well, actually I am a combination of a few people. I am dressed like Lex Luthor, but have your hair and basic body design. I have Pete's ability to sneak up on people, something that you cannot really do without your powers, and the rest are things that I have created of my own choosing. I didn't want to be just like anyone else, but I didn't want you to be almost afraid of me. As for the voice, that was something that I just the sound of."

Clark heard his voice, but couldn't remember hearing anything like it, but it did sound somewhat comforting. "I must admit, you must have had your work cut for you."

Kal shook his head in acknowledgement. "Yes, it defiantly did tax me quite a bit pulling this all together. If you had chosen to wake up, I honestly don't know how long it would have taken me to regain my strength to do this again, and even more honestly, I don't know if I would have even tried. But the potential reward is worth the risk."

Clark nodded. He was sure that if really were who he claimed to be, this must have taken a long time indeed. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, I don't know how well your going to react to this, which is sort of cynically funny considering that you and I are basically the same person, but I want to talk to you about you feelings for Chloe."   Seeing Clark's eyes inflate about two times their normal size, Kal instinctively gripped his armrest for support.

Clark's heart started pounding out of his chest.   His blood started to feel like gasoline going through his veins, and wondered why. "Um, ok, but why?"

Kal took a steadying breath and prepared for the worst. "Well for a few reasons, but the major one is that as part of your mind, I have to confess that I am in love with her."

Chapter 10 - 5:01AM (The Pros and Cons)

Kal had been expecting Clark to do many things, but just sit there wasn't one of them. Clark had a look of absolute confusion on his face, like he was just told that no part of his life had ever happened; it almost looked like he was bordering on the point of physical shock.

"Clark, are you alright? I mean, don't lie to me." Although Kal had said that he wanted truth, a lie would have been just as easily accepted. For the first time in his existence, Kal was terrified. If Clark did something stupid like try and hurt him physically, the damage could be more significant that he could have predicted. Lord knows what would happen to Clark physiologically. "Look Clark, before you try and do anything stupid like hit me or anything, let me remind you that since I am apart of you, you would be literally hurting yourself. And besides, if I am in love with Chloe in a romantic sense, that means you are too. See my point?" Kal prayed that he did.

Clark just looked at the obviously terrified individual in noticeable confusion. How could Kal be in love with Chloe? Does that mean that his entire subconscious was plotting and planning against him getting together with Lana? "How on Earth could you be in love? Are you working against me getting together with Lana?" As he spoke, Clark rose from the chair and clenched his fists of rage.

"It's easy for me to fall in love, but it hasn't been easy to tell you in a manner that you would recognize. As for Lana, well, yes and no. Look, think about that necklace of hers. It's always around, like a constant reminder that you can't get near her without being hurt both physically and emotionally. At some point you may have to realize that maybe looking to someone else for a relationship is the best way out of it."

Kent's head was swimming laps. Yeah sure, that damned necklace has been the bane of his life since she started wearing it, but that was not that important. "So, what do want me to do? Get into a relationship with Chloe because the girl I'm really in love with isn't presently available?"

Kal was aghast at that concept. "Hell NO! I want you to give Chloe a chance because we both honestly think she's worthy of that trust. Admit it Clark, Chloe has been the only girl that you can deal with without getting a royal-blush at her every comment."

Clark had to admit that while that was basically true, the little spitfire had recently been getting him...distracted with her latest wardrobe choices. The black leather one that exposed her midriff was getting to him even now while he slept. "Ok, that it is true for the most part, but not the best of reasons that I had ever heard."

Kal saw Clark's thought and memories on a little monitor below his desk and smiled to himself. This could actually be easy if Clark was already thinking naughty thoughts about the girl 'he only cared for platonically.' "What's wrong Clark, remembering that black dress?" Seeing Clark's eyes snap open and the blush run amok on his cheeks, Kal grinned. "Let's not forget who you're dealing with here, okay? She does look nice in that dress doesn't she?"

"Yeah, she does look terrific, but looks aren't everything. I'm not that shallow to get into a relationship with a girl that's just hot." Hoping to damage Kal's argument with that, Clark watched as Kal seemed to absorb this and spit his remark out without skipping a beat.

"Says the man who watched cheerleader Lana Lang get undressed in the girls locker room. Sorry Clark, you might be from another planet, but you're still a guy.   Besides, who says that what made US fall for Chloe was just a physical thing?"

Wincing at that memory of watching Lana and how his once witty comeback had just been ultimately derailed, Clark decided to take the high ground. "Alright, I will accept that, but why else should I go out with her, if not for the body?"

Kal saw that the proverbial ball was in his court, and he decided to run with it. "Let's see: she's incredibly smart, funny, charismatic, and with one hell of a way with words. She has proved herself a friend more times than either of us could count, and she does all of this without really knowing it. Sure, she's a reporter at the core, but when has she ever let that get in between us? Sounds like on hell of a girl to me."

Staring at the floor, Clark listened as the list poured into his ears and try as he might; all he could do was agree. Kal had said nothing wrong, and that bothered him because that meant that there was no good reason he couldn't date her. "Yeah, your right on all of that.   But, could we really date someone so opinionated?"

"You call that a drawback, I see it as an opportunity for multiple spirited debates. How often have you ever done that sort of thing with that other girl?"

Hearing Kal mention Lana with disgust, Clark once again had to come to the conclusion that he was right. Whenever he talked with Lana, it was always like they worked on similar wavelengths, and often found himself drawn back to Sullivan to get into a good argument to clean the platitudes Lana had nearly drowned him in. "I can't picture myself going out with Chloe, how can I do something that seems so foreign?"

Kal laughed out loud at that one. "Forgive me Clark, but it didn't look like you had much of a problem in the barn. Actually, I think you helped yourself out quite nicely on that one."

Clark swallowed with the memory of that dream.   It did seem right to see her face lying next to him in bed. "Pete would become the odd man out. That really wouldn't be the right thing to do too him."

Kal hated to admit it, but here Clark had a valid point. But, something about Pete had been getting to him over the past few years. "You're right, but I think that Pete would actually endorse a relationship between you and Chloe because I think he's been seeing it now for the past few years." Seeing Clark look at him with incredible disbelief, Kal decided to pull up some of the old memories. "Okay Clark, let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we? First, let's go to one of the night of the dance that I made you relive a few dreams ago. Have you got that into your memory yet (Clark nods an affirmative)? Good, right after you dropped Chloe like a sack of hot coals to start dancing with Lana, who ran after Chloe when she walked outside? How did he know that Chloe was going to need help? Why didn't he just think that she just needed air?"

Clark remembered that, but had never examined it like this. "Maybe he just wanted to talk with her."

"Yes, but he did run pretty damned fast, and the next day at school, didn't Pete give you the cold shoulder along with Chloe for reasons that you were never really sure of? I think he knows more than you or even could possibly conceive."

Clark looked chagrined. He had always figured that Pete had been holding something back from him, and this seemed like the most obvious thing. "Ok, I can agree with that, but what about my powers?"

Kal didn't like to talk about this subject that much when to came to trying a relationship with Chloe, as it was the biggest variable in the entire equation. "Clark, do you honestly think that Chloe would sell you out for a story?   Do you think that she would be willing to sacrifice you as friend or possible romantic partner just so she can get a journalistic scoop? I don't think so. I think that Chloe is noble enough not to say anything." Even as he said it, Kal could help but ask himself the same exact question over and over: 'She really wouldn't do something that cruel, would she?'

Clark looked thoughtfully at Kal. Obviously he had prepared well for this debate, but there were still other things to be brought up. "Both Chloe's and my parent trust us right now to be alone for long periods of time at night. How are they to react if they see us lip locking? I know it would drive my mom and dad up the wall."

Kal knew the over-protective streak in Gabe Sullivan and Martha Kent. Jonathon Kent was seemingly more understanding about things of that nature (being a young man once himself). "Yes, your parents might not like it, but they will get used to it.   They will have to. Both Gabe and your mother know that their children will grow up, and they know that dating is one of the biggest signs that a child is doing just that."

"Okay, I can buy that, but what about the dreams that I've been having lately? How could I possibly work on getting a relationship with her working if I keep seeing her in trouble whenever I close my eyes?"

Kal's face paled and he sunk further down into his massive chair. "Well, now Clark, let us remember that I control dreams. Your dreams of Chloe being hurt and you not being able to help were things that I put into your mind. I wanted you to dream that." Kal was ashamed of himself for obvious reasons, but he really didn't know Clark all that well then as a separate person. Sure, they may have been apart of each other, but they never talked like this. He had never explored getting to know him before, and now that he did, Kal realized that he might have done some significant damage when he had Clark dream those nightmares.

Clark looked confused, then hurt. Kal had been the person torturing him the past few weeks. "You're the reason I was having all of those violent dreams about Chloe? How could you do that too me? I have been a wreck, thinking that part of me actually wanted her to be hurt."

"Yes, it was I doing that. Dreams are completely symbolism, so if something dies in a dream, it doesn't actually die, I just goes away. You were blaming yourself for Chloe's problems and that has been blindsiding to something that could really help us both start to live a semi-normal life."

Clark looked adamant. "But I have never really had feelings of those nature for Chloe."

Kal shook his head his disappointment. "Clark, are you forgetting about your little...encounter with her in that barn? You did say that you love her. Even after she found about your powers, she still stuck by your side.   That's love Clark, and you yourself admitted it to yourself, her, and me when I first showed up."

Clark once again shook his head 'no.' "But the Chloe who did that was just a dream.   That was just a by-product of some sexual tension that I obviously had built up for her. We already said that she is pretty damned attractive, I probably just needed to have a sex dream, and used Chloe to achieve those ends."

Frowning, Kal turned his chair towards the computer and hit some buttons. Suddenly through the speakers in the office, Clark's personal thought's started to play concerning his feeling for Chloe. His inner voice started talking about his deepest feelings for Chloe Sullivan.   How he loved her and that these feelings had to have come from outside the dream, and that he loved her for years and his thing for Lana was over.

Hitting a few more buttons, the voice stopped speaking. Clark looked at Kal. "How did you get those?"

"This is your brain, Clark. It has everything. Every lie you ever said, ever time you checked out you friend Chloe, everything. My question is why are you so...determined not to make it happen anywhere else than in your dreams? Why must you happiness be blocked at the gates of Neverland? I know for a fact that it's not me holding back this time."

Clark looked down toward his shoes. "I just don't know. It's not that I don't care for Chloe, because I do, I'm just so afraid that a romance might not work out, and then I would have lost both.   Besides, I haven't gotten any signal that she is remotely interested in me."

Kal snapped at him, "Well, what do you expect after you ignore her like you do? You never give her the time of day whenever Lana comes into the room."

Clark, putting his best innocent look on, eyed Kal. "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Chloe never gets ignored by me."

Kal didn't know what to do. He hadn't expected Clark to be like this. This had turned into a full-blown debate, and neither seemed to making any real progress with the other. An idea started forming then, small at first, but it gained momentum, and Kal was sure that it would have an affect on the young man sitting on the other side of his desk. "Clark, I have an idea. Why don't you go through a dream were you and she switch place."

Clark snapped out of his chair. "What in god's name are you talking about? What would that accomplish? How would you even try something like that?"

Kal started working things out in his mind. "Well, I will have you be in love with her, and she will be in love with... Whitney, and you will get to see her treat you in the same manner that you always treat her." Kal could feel Clark seething with rage. "What's wrong Clark? Can't see her fall over another guy? If you really believe that you don't put her on the back-burner, than you have nothing to fear, right?"

Clark didn't like the concept of this dream. "Chloe in love with Whitney?   That's rich; he's an asshole and everyone including her know it."

"Both are true in the real world, but not in this one. Enjoy it." Snapping his fingers, Clark felt his body be consumed by the feeling of little needles.

Chapter 11 - 5:06AM (Every Strangers Eyes)

When Kal had told Clark the premise for this dream, to say that it was met with hesitation would have been a grave understatement, but here he was anyways; in the halls of Smallville high, in the middle of a dream that he really couldn't get out of. It was at this moment that Clark decided that perhaps giving Kal the power to continue with these tests was probably not in his best interest.   But, for all of his internal bickering, there was only way through a bad situation, and that to go though it.

Seeing his two best friends standing by the females' locker, Clark noticed the intense emotional connection that he felt when he saw Chloe. Deciding that it was a simple case of missing her. After all, lord knows that the last time he had seen her in any way shape or form, they had sex. Brushing the feelings aside, Clark approached the duo.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" Congratulating himself on the friendly tone, Clark said no more.

"Oh, hey Clark. Did you do that Physics homework last night?" Although Chloe asked the question, she wasn't really looking at him. Rather, she was looking over his shoulder.

"Um, no. I...forgot. What in god's name are you looking at?" Clark didn't like being ignored like this, but at the same time he knew that he really didn't want to see what had her attention like that.

Pete answered when it became apparent that Chloe wasn't going to. "Who does she always stare at like that?"

Clark could no longer not look (it was just too hard). Turning around he saw a sight that almost made him crack up laughing. He knew from what Kal had told him that Whitney and Lana were going to go through a few 'changes' but this was ridiculous.

Whitney was dressed in a purple sweater and khaki pants.   He looked the same, but less like himself at the same time (a paradox to say the least). He carried himself like a non-violent person (for once), and looked very friendly. His smile was so wide that his face looked like it would crack.

Lana on the other hand looked like a real bitch.   Dressed in a leather jacket and jeans, she looked like she would jump down your throat for just bumping into her.   Standing a good three inches taller than normal from the massive high-heels, she looked quiet content kissing the now feeble Whitney.

Clark's observations where put on hold when he heard Pete speak up. "Chloe, if you're really so in love with that guy, just ask him out."

Chloe adopted an incredibly adorable 'but I can't' face. "But he and Lana like each other and it wouldn't be fair to try and move in on another girl's boyfriend."

Pete would none of this. "That and Lana would probably try to come after you with a butcher knife."

Chloe knew that Lana wasn't exactly a stable person, but she also knew that perhaps she was just being blind to her good aspects.   After all, Whitney liked her. "Well, as much as I like to hear your advice, I won't. See you both later." She never even looked at Clark as she paced by him. Her eyes never left Lana's boyfriend.

Clark was stunned. She didn't even say goodbye, it was like she just needed to be alone immediately. Smacking him across the face was the memory of what Kal had said. He was going to be treated exactly how he normally treats Chloe. Clark found himself appalled at his own behavior. Worst of all, this could get worse.

Putting his arm around Clark, Pete took Clark's silence as being a cry of help. "Don't worry, Clark man. Sullivan will come around eventually and when she does, you will get her."

"What are you talking about Ross? Are you insinuating that I have something you Chloe?"   Clark decided to use this to his advantage. If this was how things happen for Chloe everyday, maybe he could extort info from Pete.

"Insinuation nothing. I'm saying it. Correction, I have been saying it now for years." Seeing the look of utter disappointment cross Clark's face, Pete led his friend to class.

Hours later while at lunch, Clark sat without touching his food. The classes he had with Chloe were sort of normal, as long as Fordman wasn't in them.   If he were, Clark was all but ignored.   This was getting highly annoying, but the worst part was that the longer he stayed around her, the more he felt like what Pete had said was true; he was in love with her. He was in love with a woman who completely ignored him whenever Whitney was around. He was in love with a woman who could never hear anything bad about him without retreating in a huff. He was in love with a woman who...was heading his way.

Chloe scanned the cafeteria for Whitney, but having not seen him, she approached Clark. "Hey. Where's Pete?"

Anxious to have some time to talk with her, Clark arranged a list of conversational topics varying from the weather to the next edition of the 'Torch.' "Actually, he went home sick after 3^rd period. Something about his father needing him to do something. He said that he would be back before lunch today, but I don't see him." While he talked, Clark found it extremely easy to lose himself in her eyes. He didn't intend on that happening, but he wasn't going to fight it that hard.

For a spilt second, it seemed like she was under the same spell, but if she was it broke immediately as she saw Whitney and Lana pass by. "Clark...I'll be back in a second."

Kent could barely control himself any longer.   This wasn't something he could deal with for too much longer. Safety arrived in the form of Pete, who slapped his back. All attempts at humor were halted when he saw the pained look on his friends face. "Hey man, what happened?"

"Whitney happened. We were starting to get into a real conversation, and I swear to the gods above, there were mutual sparks. Then it stopped and she ran out of here to talk to that...idiot. I'm sorry Pete, but I have officially lost my appetite." Getting up, Clark stormed out of the dining area. He failed to see Chloe ask Pete what happened to Clark and get a cold look for her response.

Later in the offices of the 'Torch,' Clark once again tried to get a real conversation out of Chloe.

Chloe saw him first, and was glad that he was obviously all right. "Clark, are you okay? I saw how you ran out of the lunch room pretty quick this afternoon."

Deciding to not be as forgiving as he once would have been, Clark choose cynicism. "Oh really, you saw that? I'm actually surprised given the way you took off when you saw Whitney."

Chloe knew that she had run off pretty quick, but there were some important things she had to do. But, in her heart of hearts, she knew that didn't excuse her behavior. "You're right, and I'm sorry.   Maybe you'll understand better when you feel the way about someone the way I feel about him."

Clark winced as he heard the exact words he had once used against Chloe when he had done this exact thing to her. This pill wasn't getting easier to swallow.   Taking a page out of the real Chloe's book, Clark tried her tactics. "Chloe, I just don't like being put on the back burner like that.   Doesn't our friendship count for something even when you do see him."  Chloe's next words hit him like a dagger into the heart. Not because they hurt him so much, but because of how familiar they were coming from his mouth.

"Clark, I don't put you on the back burner and I never have." The rest of what she said never passed his ears. Chloe had been effectively tuned out. Clark was so ashamed of himself.

He scanned the wreckage of his relationship with her in both this world and the real one, and he didn't like what he saw.   He saw neglect and many reasons for her not too ever speak with him again. Yet she did. Why was that?

Chloe in the meantime had thought Clark went nuts.   He was just standing there with an odd look on his face. It was like he just realized that he had committed a major sin. "Clark, are you alright."

Although he knew that Kal was in charge of when he woke up, Clark decided that he was tired of this game he and this Chloe were playing. Gathering his courage, Clark took Chloe's hand and stepped closer to her.

Chloe looked around frantically. Her good friend Clark had this look of intense hunger there, and he looked at her like she was the main course. "What are you doing?"

Not answering, Clark planted his lips on hers and refused to let them off. He realized that Chloe wasn't doing anything to either shorten or prolong the kiss, so he broke from her lips and stepped back. He didn't have that long an opportunity as she grabbed his jacket and pulled him close and this time she was the aggressor.

While kissing her, Clark noticed that his body was going through an odd change, and he felt his kiss with her slowly fade away until he was back in bed. He had woken himself up, and now he lost the kiss. Tearing up, Clark decided that he had had enough of dreaming to last him for a little while. Seeing the sun hadn't yet rose over the horizon, Clark climbed out of bed and got dressed. Going downstairs, he made sure that everything he had retrieved earlier was in its proper place and fled to his fortress.

Upon entering, Clark started up the loft and caught sight of the couch. He laid down on it, and felt all of the things that he did in his dream and smelt all of the smells. He felt the springs, and saw all of the rips. The walls had all of the same charts on them, but this time he was alone.   This wasn't a dream. This was reality.

Deciding to go back in the house and get things ready for school, Clark started off the couch. Walking back towards the stairs, Clark started remembering his dreams with her.   He could feel that same feeling.   He could imagine the feeling of her lips on his, and the scent of her skin. He could hear the sound of her voice on the wind, and it seemed to fill him up to near impossible heights. Only now could he admit that she completed him in ways that Lana never could. He felt so happy in that dream, and now he was alone again. He would give anything to be able to tell her how he really felt.

Closing his eyes, Clark could see her standing in front of him. In seeing her, Clark also saw his last chance at happiness. Clark ran to her and he cried happily when he found that she could be touched and smelt, and he gathered the girl in his arms, kissing her. "Chloe, your here. I love you so much, I love being with you, and having you close! Oh, I'm so sorry I never said it!" Seeing Kal next to him, Clark looked even happier. "Yes, Kal!   This is Chloe! Wonderful sweet, beautiful Chloe! She back, she's..."

His eyes snapped open wide, for they had been closed during his vision, and he stared about in confusion. He was 15 feet above the ground, hanging in mid-air.   A surge of panic swept through him.   He flailed at nothing, and began to drop.

"No Clark!" He heard Kal's voice in his head. "That's the thought that will make you fly! Don't lose it!"

Regaining some control of his faculties, Clark managed to get out "What? How?"

Kal howled inside of his head out of panic, "Don't lose it, it's yours forever!"

Clark eyes shut immediately, his body tensed, and he brought back the image of he and Chloe twirling around merrily and laughing, and imaged the warmth and depth of the love that they could share. He felt himself slow down and then come to a complete stop. Clark opened his eyes again, and he began to rise once more.

Kal screamed out from inside Clark's mind. "YES! You did it Clark! You did it!"

"I did it," Clark whispered, still rising, flooded with emotions that he could even begin to describe. "Look at Kal! I'm doing it. Look at me!"

He twisted about sharply and caromed off a wall. Down he dipped and then up again. All of the trappings of gravity fled Clark in that moment, and all hesitation of Chloe's importance in his life faded like a ghost at dawn. He was reborn. He could now see what he had one time struggled to deny. He liked Lana and all, but Chloe lifted him off the ground literally.

Twisting and tumbling about, he found what it was like to experience unadulterated joy for the third time that night. Once when he made love to his beautiful Chloe in his dream, then when he regained that feeling of having her around, and now as he freely disobeyed the laws of gravity. And to think that mere hours ago he would have never admitted to being in love with his sweet dear Chloe. He was that person no more, and that Clark was never going to come back so long as he had anything to say about it.

He spiraled up through the gloom in the barn, gaining speed and confidence as he went. Finding there was no door on the top of the structure, Clark decided to make one instead.

Chapter 12 - 5:21AM (The Moment of Clarity) - Conclusion

It was a glorious moment for Clark Kent as he sped up toward the top of his family's barn, his earthbound restraints shed, and his love of the sky found anew. He cannoned out of the top of the building and rose towards the clouds above.   The sun hadn't come up yet, but there was enough light to see clearly. He laughed as a few birds cried as Clark split through an entire formation of them migrating. He raced clouds, and then newly formed sunbeams, and even made an attempt at beating the birds.   Clark did mid-air belly flops, and flew upside down, the occasional summersault, and other mid-air antics.   Flying into the heart of Smallville, he got down so low, could run his finger along the banister in the public square. Deciding to head for home, Clark went skyward once more.

Jonathon Kent stepped outside to start the morning chores. Looking at some wood fragments, he raised his eyes to the top of the barn and could see the something had blasted through the very roof. Not knowing what else to do, he simply looked up and saw a very strange object in the sky. It didn't make any sound, so he knew it wasn't a plane, and far to large to be a bird. Suddenly, the flying object got closer and closer and all of a sudden, Clark came in like a tornado, spinning around in circles getting the old leaves rustled up again. Clark stopped spinning, and went into the formation of someone running whilst still in the sky. Deciding to slow it down, Clark slowed in flight, and started doing the backstroke more that eight feet off of the ground.

Seeing John was on the verge of collapse, Clark landed in front of his very befuddled father. "Hey, look at that, huh?"

John was nearly without words. "You can... fly? Hey, you broke the barn roof." Seeing Clark's face, John laughed. "Well, at least you can fix it without a ladder."

Clark's expression darkened slightly, but then he remembered something. "Dad, there is something very important that I have to do right now, okay? I'll be back...soon." Seeing his dad nod in acceptance, Clark departed the ground once more and streaked southward.

Martha stepped outside as well. What on earth was that? The least devastating tornado ever?"

John laughed. "Close, Clark discovered a new ability."

Martha smiled, "Oh, what's that?" Seeing John link his hands together to make a bird-flying symbol with his hands, she nearly collapsed into a deck chair. "Oh."

Chloe had just had her alarm clock go off.   Being jerked out of a good dream that involved a certain idiot farm boy wasn't a wise thing to do, but it had worked.   Hearing a little 'clink' on her window, Chloe rose and opened the drapes. She saw Clark on the ground beneath her.

Remembering that she had many an erotic dream that started like the, Chloe pinched herself to see if she were dreaming still.   Seeing that she wasn't, Chloe undid the window lock and called to him. "What are you doing here?"

Clark couldn't recall a time when she looked so beautiful. "I need to talk to you.   Now!"

Chloe was confused, but she agreed. "Yeah, it will just a be a few minutes." Clark nodded, so Chloe went back into her room to change out of her night-gown. Clark never does this unless it is really important. Grabbing a pair of sweatpants, and her sweater, she raced downstairs.

Clark saw her coming around the corner, and he actually had to fight to keep himself on the ground. She was absolutely gorgeous in that 'I needed about 2 more hours of sleep' look. "Sorry about coming over so early, but I need to ask you a very important question."

Chloe inhaled slowly, not really liking what this could mean. "And what is that, Clark?"

Clark took a calming breath and asked. "Would you be interested in going on a date with me?"   Seeing that his companion was no longer following him, he turned around to see her shocked face. Going into damage control, Clark acted quickly. "I have actually been think about this for a little while now, it actually feels like it's been years, and I want to end our friendship. I want you in a way that we would be best friends, but have something else as well."

Chloe was dumbfounded. She expected Clark to ask her a question about Lana, but he just asked her out. "What about Lana?" Although Chloe loved Clark, she would not play second fiddle to anyone.

Taking a deep breath, Clark answered. "Good question. And the answer is I have realized that I was never really in love with Lana. It was a crush and nothing more." In all honesty, Clark figured out what Kal always had known: Clark though he was in love with her because he felt guilty. He thought that he killed her parents, and that guilt manifested itself into a feeling of love. But rather than tell Chloe his feelings, why not show her. "Chloe, can I kiss you?"

Part of the young blond's brain screamed at her to do it, the other part was waiting for the alarm clock to go off again.   Gathering what little strength she had left, Chloe nodding her head

Clark took her into his arms and kissed her with everything he had. Any fears that either of them had that the kiss wouldn't contain the sparks of a real romance were put to rest as Chloe felt her legs weaken beneath her, and Clark felt both feet rise from the ground. The chemistry was so powerful between them Clark started hovering without knowing it. Unfortunately, he didn't notice it until it was too late. Coupled together with Chloe's legs losing structural integrity while firmly in Clark's arms, and Clark rising from the ground, the girl knew that something odd just happened.

Looking down she saw that they were both about three feet off the ground, and that Clark had an expression that showed he was scared, but not of falling. "Clark, what's going on? You not one of the meteor freaks are you?" Chloe closed her eyes in waiting for his reply. She figured that if anything could go wrong, this would be it.

Clark knew that he would have to tell her at some point, but didn't think it would be so soon. "No Chloe, I'm not a meteor freak that belongs on your wall.   Actually, do you remember that when ever one of them would be on the loose, I would always blame myself?" As Chloe nodded in affirmation, Clark landed them. "Well that's because the meteors were hiding something. They were hiding an alien spacecraft to be exact. Chloe, I'm not from around here."

Chloe took a step back and tried to absorb what she had just heard. Clark, thinking she was scared of his, started to try and fix the problem. As she listened to him, her mind went back to various circumstances in which she remembered Clark doing things that most others couldn't do. Like when he punched through the ice to save her in that swimming pool, or when he would miss the bus and yet be at school when they pulled up. Things like that, when taken one piece at a time simply look strange, but given this new information, it seemed to make sense. Someone had stopped all of the freaks that attacked her and Lana, and now she knew that Clark has that person.

"Chloe, I may be an alien but I'm still Clark.   I mean, I'm all here anatomically, and just because I have a few powers doesn't mean that I can't be gentle as well..." Clark's rambling was cut off from Chloe as she kissed him. Pulling back afterwards, Clark had to ask, "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"

Chloe looked at him, adoration shining in her eyes. "That was for you saving me and the others. That was you wasn't it.   The guy who always there just in the nick of time. You used your powers to help people that became freaks when you came to Earth."

Clark nodded his head. "So, you're not going to dump me? I'm sorry I never told you, but I know that you are a journalist at heart and I was always afraid that the only way you would keep it a secret is if we were dating."

Chloe nodded at this, because he was probably correct. The writer in her, although demoted, did kick in. "What can you do; other than flying of course?"

"Well, I can run very fast, which is how I get to school so quickly. Also I really can't be hurt unless exposed to the meteor rocks. I am like allergic to them. That's why I always fell down whenever I was around Lana; her necklace hurt me. Oh, I can also see through things."

Chloe's eyes brightened at the last one. "Like what kind of things can you see though?   Can you tell me what color underwear I'm wearing?" Clark shook his head, and looked down. After a second, he started to blush, and gave her a look. Chloe knew why of course: she wasn't wearing any.

As happy as he was, Clark was unable to shake that last dream of his, and had to ask. "Chloe? Just out of curiosity, your not attracted to Whitney are you?"

Chloe started laughing out loud. "Are you one drugs? If he were the last man on the planet, I would commit suicide. Why?"

"Oh, I just had this horrendous dream last night, right before I woke up." As the two talked, Clark put his arm around his girlfriend as they slowly made their way back to her house. People were going to be in for one hell of a surprise.

Gabe Sullivan took the news of the new-found relationship pretty well, but he gave Clark the very sound advice that if he ever hurt his little girl physically or emotionally, he had better make himself scarce. Saying only that he met people while working for Lionel Luthor while in Metropolis, Gabe inferred that if he ever hurt her, his remains would be stashed in Jimmy Hoffa's briefcase.

Martha was far less surprised than Gabe, and much less violent sounding to Chloe. Actually, Martha had started making appointments for her and her son's first girlfriend to commence bonding. Jonathon looked like he was passing a kidney stone when Clark admitted that she already knew about his powers and birth origin. The anger was short lived when he heard the story about how Clark had no real control over it.

Pete, confirming Clark and Kal's theory, was all for it, and mentioned to Clark later on that she had wanted to get into a romance with him sooner than they actually did. Clark simply said that apart of him knew that and merely convinced the other side to go for it.

Lana Lang and Whitney Fordman were both astonished by the news, but the latter seemed visibly relieved and even stopped a lot of the animosity that had been previously masticated any communication between them. Lana and Chloe, although the never became the legendary friends that Lana might have once wanted, did become pals in some sense going out occasionally to go shopping with each other.

Lex Luthor was surprised, but he eventually caught on that Lana and Clark weren't going to happen, and that the both of them were all right with that. He and Clark remained friends for a few more years, but that ended with mysterious death of Lionel and Lex's ascension to the throne of the LuthorCorp and subsequent move back to Metropolis.

Epilogue

On the couple's six-month anniversary, Clark and Chloe finally did the deed that he had dreamed about all those nights before, and Clark did just what he wanted to do for so long: fall asleep in the arms of Chloe Sullivan.

That night, Clark had a dream, and in it he found himself at the Beanery sitting across from Kal who nursed a Diet Coke.   To Clark, the memory of what he and Chloe had done right before he fell asleep burned bright and clear in his minds eye

Kal looked up at him, and had to smile.   Clark's hair was disheveled, his clothes out of place, his eyes had this faraway look in them, and he had a grin on his face that never seemed to go away. "So, what's been happening with you and Chloe lately. I'm far too busy dealing with trying to keep you sane to check up on that stuff."

Without the smile leaving his face, Clark said, "Chloe found out her real name. It's...Lois, or something to that effect. She said that she might change it after Gabe dies, but not until. She loves him to much to do that."

Kal looked at him and he sighed. The info, while interesting, wasn't why he came to visit Clark this night. "What about the night of your six month anniversary?"

Clark looked at him. "Why do you think I can't get this smile off of my face."

Kal laughed in spite of himself. "So, was it anything like it was in the dream?"

Clark shook his head. "No, it was better!"