Welcome To My World - Sequel To The Gatehouse (NC-17)

[scifichick774]

Title: Welcome To My World
Author: scifichick774
Rating: NC-17
Category: Drama/Romance/Supernatural (sort of)
Spoilers: none really, but it’s the sequel to The Gatehouse, so you might want to read that one first.
Summary: Sequel to The Gatehouse. Chloe’s curiosity gets the better of her and she returns to the gatehouse to explore.
Disclaimer: Not mine, no infringement intended, please don’t sue.
Feedback: Yes please.
Archival: Go ahead, just let me know where.
Author’s Note: Finally my muse returns to me, but does it inspire me to work on the fics I’ve already started? Noooo. Stupid muse. Also, this will probably be a long one; just warning you ahead of time in case that’s not your thing. This part takes place in December.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“No,” Lex stated vehemently. Chloe gave him her best impression of Clark’s puppy dog eyes and he crossed his arms. “No,” he said again. “Or do you not remember what happened the last time you went in there?” Chloe grinned.

“I slept with an alternate reality’s version of you,” she said.

“And what if that happens again Chloe?” He asked. Chloe grin grew wider.

“That’s a chance I’m willing to take,” she said in a teasing voice. Lex tilted his head at her.

“Funny,” he responded dryly. “But it’s not a chance that I’m willing to take, so you’re not going.”

“But I’ll have my digital camera with me this time,” Chloe pleaded. “I’ll be able to get actual evidence that other realities exist.” Lex opened his mouth to speak, but Chloe cut him off. “And we already know that I’ll make it home safely, just remember what happened last time.” Lex looked pensive and then shook his head.

“No,” he repeated. Chloe closed her hands into fists in frustration and Lex gave her a gentle smile. “Don’t you remember what Lana said? The timelines aren’t concurrent. Whatever reality you go into this time…” Lex sighed. “Even if you are only gone from here for a day, you could be stuck there for a long time.”

“A long time with someone else,” Chloe said, as if she were reading his mind. He nodded once and she touched his arm compassionately. She smiled mischievously. “You could always go with me,” she said in a playful tone. Lex arched an eyebrow.

“I have no desire to relive that experience, thank you,” he said curtly.

“But you wouldn’t be reliving it,” Chloe tried to explain. “We’ll go into another room, a different world, and…”

“Have you talked to Alison about this idea of yours?” Lex asked. “Because if you haven’t, we would be trespassing on private property.” Chloe smiled, only hearing the part of the sentence that she wanted to hear.

“We?” She asked hopefully. Lex groaned. “Come on Lex. Just think about it. If we can bring back evidence,” she trailed off as she got a gleam in her eye. Lex smirked.

“You’ll get your own by-line in The Daily Planet,” he said. She smiled and nodded. “Which will happen eventually anyway.” Chloe placed her hands on her hips in mock anger.

“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to,” she said. “But I’m going.” She turned to start walking away from him and he grabbed her arm. She tilted her head to look at him as he turned her around. Lex brought her into his arms and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” he said. Chloe smiled.

“I won’t,” she replied.

“You can’t promise that,” he said as he looked down into her eyes. “What if you end up in a worse place than the one you were in before? With worse people? Have you thought about that?” Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I can take care of myself,” she responded. Lex arched an eyebrow.

“Yes, and you did such a good job of it last time,” he said sarcastically. Chloe’s lips narrowed.

“I didn’t get pregnant,” she said.

“Luck,” he said dryly. “But from what you’ve told me…” He stopped talking and squared his jaw. “Chloe,” he started in a hushed and choked voice. “He raped you.” Lex turned his head so he could look at the wall instead of at Chloe.

“He thought I was his wife at the time,” she said softly. “I’m sure that he never would have if…”

“Are you?” Lex asked. “Are you sure? Because he slept with you again even after he knew his Chloe was dead.” Chloe bit her lip.

“Ok-ay,” she strung out. “That’s a valid point.” Chloe paused for a moment as she stepped away from him. “But if you went with me then anyone there would know for sure.” Lex closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

“You’re not going to let this go are you?” He asked. Chloe smiled.

“Nope.”

“Have you talked to your friends about this?” Lex asked. He doubted that Clark and Lana would agree to let her go through with such a foolhardy scheme, and he wasn’t above using them to get Chloe to stay with him.

“Well… no,” Chloe admitted. “But they don’t need to know. They would just try to stop me.” Lex stared at her blankly.

“Maybe that should tell you something,” he responded. Chloe shook her head.

“After comparing everyone’s experiences, mine was by far the worst,” she said. “And if ‘I’m’ willing to take the chance, then it should be ‘my’ chance to take.”

“Chloe,” Lex pleaded. “Have you even started on your Christmas shopping yet? It’s only a few weeks away. Wouldn’t you rather be doing that than going to a haunted house?”

“No Scully, I wouldn’t,” Chloe bit. Lex furrowed his brow and Chloe tried to explain. “You know, the Christmas episode of the X-Files, where Mulder drags Scully to a haunted house and they just barely get out of there alive?” Lex’s expression remained the same and Chloe shook her head. “Never mind.”

“You’re comparing this to an episode of the X-Files where the main characters almost die?” Lex asked in disbelief. “No offense, but if you’re trying to convince me to let you go, then you’re doing a horrible job.” Chloe couldn’t stifle the chuckle that came from her throat. Lex noticed and smiled. “You see my point then?”

“Yes, I see your point,” she said. “But I still want to go.” Lex glared at her.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll make you a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” Chloe asked and raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms. Lex grinned.

“You get Alison’s permission, along with Clark, Lana, and Pete’s approval, and I’ll go with you,” he said. Chloe smiled broadly and practically leapt at him, engulfing him in a giant hug. Lex started laughing. “You have to get all of them to agree though.”

“Don’t worry, I will,” Chloe said in a chipper voice. Chloe was sure she could convince her friends to approve, providing that she left out certain details; and Lex was just as sure that she would never be able to get their permission, even if he had to bribe them.

~*~*~
Ch. 2
~*~*~

“You’re kidding right?” Clark asked. Chloe crossed her arms and gave him a determined look. His eyes grew wider with the realization that she wasn’t joking. “Chloe, you can’t go back there,” he said. Lex grinned smugly at her.

“There’s your answer,” he told her. Chloe didn’t even look in Lex’s direction. She knew what his position was on going back to the house; what she needed to do was to concentrate her energy on the two people that might be more willing to cave into her idea.

“Clark,” she said and flashed him a small pout. Lex looked at her through the corner of his eye and inwardly groaned. She was going to get her way. There wasn’t a man on earth who could resist that look, let alone her best friend. “Please,” she begged. “Don’t you see what a giant thing this will be if I can prove it?” Clark looked at her hesitantly and then glanced at Lex.

“You told her ‘no’ right?” He asked his friend, to clarify the situation. Lex nodded once in confirmation. Chloe pursed her lips and was just about to start ranting when Lana pushed her way into the conversation.

“Well I think she should do it,” Lana said. Her voice seemed to possess a great deal more confidence than she did in speaking the words. Chloe looked at her in pleasant surprise and a smile spread across her lips.

“You do?” Chloe asked.

“You do?” Lex and Clark mimicked in a completely different tone. Lana nodded.

“You know that she’s going to find a way to go with or without your approval,” Lana said. “It would be better if you went with her to keep her safe,” she reasoned. Lex and Clark exchanged a look and Lex looked back to Chloe, whose expression now seemed more determined than ever.

“No,” he said, restating his previous objection. Chloe got a glint in her eye and one corner of her mouth curled upward.

“You know, I could,” she said, rolling the idea around in her head. “It’s not like anyone will know, I can just say that I have to go somewhere for a story. Dad won’t expect me back at a decent hour because of that, and if he does, I can always get someone to cover for me.” Lex could see that she wasn’t talking to anybody in particular, and that she was just thinking aloud.

“No,” he said a little louder. She snapped out of her thoughts and turned to face him.

“It could work,” she said. He sighed and brought her to him. He leaned down and kissed her softly before pulling his lips away.

“Under no circumstances are you to go there by yourself,” Lex warned. A smile spread across Chloe’s mouth and she wrapped her arms around him in a big hug.

“So you’ll go with me?” She asked in a hyper-excited manner. Lex frowned.

“You still haven’t gotten Alison’s permission,” he reminded her. Chloe’s smile faded, but quickly reappeared when Lana spoke.

“Oh, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Lana said. “Ali’s so laid back.” Lex’s head swung around to glare at her. He shot a look to Clark too, who in response just groaned.

“You need to keep a tighter reign on your girlfriend Clark,” Lex warned. Clark and Lana both looked embarrassed and shook their heads.

“She’s not---” Clark started.

“We’re not---” Lana said at the same time. Chloe rolled her eyes and looked at Lex.

“Not this again,” she said. She turned her attention back to Clark and Lana. “It’s been over a month guys. You kissed. You never go out with anybody else. Well, except for Pete and he doesn’t count. You---”

“We’re just friends,” Clark interrupted. Lana grinned and nodded her head in agreement.

“And the kiss,” Lana added with a blush to her cheeks, “that was just being caught up in the moment.” Chloe and Lex shared an exasperated look.

“They’re your friends,” Lex said. Chloe gave him a playful glare.

“Yours too,” she reminded him. Lex frowned.

“Damn,” he jested. Chloe smiled and brought his head down so she could kiss him. Clark and Lana observed the passionate couple for a moment in uncomfortable silence. Lana shook her head slightly.

“Ahem,” she said, not even bothering to clear her throat.

“Guys,” Clark said in a louder voice. Chloe and Lex pulled apart from their kiss and smirked at each other. Clark rolled his eyes and Lana giggled.

“Not to be a spoil-sport, but you still have to ask Alison,” Lana reminded Chloe. Lex didn’t turn his head to acknowledge that Lana had said anything. He leaned down and brushed Chloe’s ear with his lips.

“Or we could come up with a better use for our time,” he suggested in a hopeful voice. Chloe smiled.

“We could,” she agreed. She kissed him again, but quickly ended it, flashing him a bright smile. “Right after we call Alison.” Lex rubbed his face with his hand. When Chloe got her mind set on something, there was no distracting her.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “But don’t get your hopes up. Remember that she avoided all of you at school for the week following what happened.” Chloe and Lana both frowned.

“I forgot about that,” Chloe said.

“Me too,” Lana said. Clark and Lex both grinned smugly. Clark shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked on the balls of his feet.

“Guess you probably won’t be going then,” Clark said. Lex’s grin turned into a smile.

“Guess not,” he agreed. Chloe sloughed off their comments with a wave of her hand.

“You guys give up too easy,” she commented. Lana grinned and gave a curt nod. “Lana, do you have Alison’s number?” Lana looked thoughtful.

“No, but Pete will,” she replied. Lex grinned to himself.

“That’s right,” he said off-handedly. “You still have to get Pete’s permission as well.” He glanced at Clark. “And I don’t remember Clark ever saying that he agreed to it.” Chloe’s mouth dropped open slightly, but she quickly closed it. She gave Clark a pleading look and started to walk toward him.

“Clark?” She asked in a hopeful voice. “Please?” Clark looked very uncomfortable.

“I don’t know Chloe,” he replied. “Last time you had such a hard time with everything. I’d hate to see you go through that again.”

“But this time Lex will be with me. Well, you know, *my* Lex,” she explained. Lex arched an eyebrow.

“I don’t remember agreeing to that,” Lex said. Chloe raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

“You said, and I quote, ‘if I could get all of them to agree to letting me go, then you would go with me’,” she said, paraphrasing the lines that had come out of his mouth earlier that day. Lex smirked.

“And so far you only have Lana’s permission,” he countered. “You still need Clark, Pete, and Alison to agree to this ridiculous scheme of yours.” Chloe was about to start tearing into him, but instead she just plastered a grin on her lips. Lex narrowed his eyes at her expression. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Think about what?” She asked in a faux-innocent tone.

“Chloe,” he warned. “I mean it.” Chloe’s grin grew larger, as did the mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“I’m sure you do,” she replied. Clark looked back and forth between them.

“What are they talking about?” He half whispered to Lana. Lana smiled moved her head closer to Clark’s.

“She’s thinking about just going by herself,” she answered. Clark furrowed his brow and straightened his spine.

“No Chloe,” Clark said. Chloe kept her eyes fixed on Lex, but pointed her finger at Clark.

“Stay out of it Clark,” she said. Unfortunately, it came out in a teasing tone and she started laughing.

“Chloe,” Lex said again in frustration. He ran a hand over his smooth head. Lana crossed her arms as she watched them with amusement. A gleam sprung up in her eyes as well.

“I’ll go with her,” Lana said. That got their attention. Clark and Lex both whipped their heads around to look at Lana.

“What?!” They both asked in astonishment. Chloe caught Lana’s grin and stance and she copied it, crossing her arms and grinning almost evilly herself

“What a great idea Lana.”

~*~*~
Ch. 3
~*~*~

“That’s not funny,” Pete said and crossed his arms.

“Really guys, you shouldn’t even joke about that,” Alison added. Pete nodded in agreement. Chloe was amazed that the two were still dating. True, they weren’t an exclusive couple, but neither one of them seemed to mind the arrangement. She shook her head to clear her thoughts as her friends’ words made their way into her head.

“But we know we can get back this time,” Chloe argued. Pete made a ‘hmph’ sound and shook his head.

“Yeah,” he said. “But you don’t know how long you’ll be there for. You could come back here at midnight our time and be an old woman.” Chloe glared at him and he shrugged slightly. “I’m just sayin’.”

Lex looked smug with Pete’s disapproval. He hadn’t needed to bribe any of them. He didn’t know what was going through Lana’s mind when she said she’d go with Chloe, but one friend giving her permission wasn’t enough according to the agreement they had made. Chloe was determined though, so she might not stick to the deal. He inwardly groaned. Of course she wouldn’t stick to the deal. And if Lana went with her, who knows what kind of trouble the two of them could get into? Lex folded his arms across his chest and looked at Chloe.

“I believe you needed Alison’s permission since it’s her parents’ property,” he reminded her. “And you don’t have it, so you would be trespassing.” The nagging voice inside his head kept telling him that no matter what he said, it wasn’t going to work.

“And I suppose you’d tell the police all about it?” Chloe bit. Lex smirked and nodded once.

“Absolutely,” he confirmed. Pete grinned. He still didn’t care for Lex, but at least the guy was looking out for Chloe. Unfortunately, the women in Smallville had a way of throwing the men for a loop. Alison smiled, bemused with their banter. Out of all of Pete’s friends, Chloe and Lex were by far the most entertaining to watch.

“I never said she couldn’t go,” Alison said in a sing-song voice. Chloe, Lex, and Pete all swung their heads around to look at her.

“Really?” Chloe chirped. Alison shrugged, the smile still on her face.

“I don’t mind if you go.” She paused and tilted her head. “I think you’ve lost your mind, but I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble for trespassing.” Lex glared at Alison and she shot him a look that was pure arrogance, like she was daring him to say something. He wondered when he had lost his touch for being able to scare people with a mere glance. Lex pumped his hands into fists and then out again.

“Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. He looked at Chloe. “I’ll go with you, not Lana.” Chloe smiled broadly and engulfed him in a huge hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she said, peppering his face with kisses. Lex started to chuckle and she pulled back. “You won’t regret this.” Lex arched an eyebrow.

“I already regret it,” he said. She playfully rolled her eyes and then turned to Alison.

“So when can we go?” Chloe asked. Alison shook her head a little in amusement.

“Whenever,” she answered. “Just as long as you promise not to sue if things get bad there.” Chloe sloughed off the comment.

“No problem,” Chloe said. “So tomorrow morning would be alright?” She asked cheerfully. Alison nodded. Lex eyed Chloe suspiciously.

“Tomorrow morning?” He asked. “Why not this afternoon, or tonight?” He couldn’t help wondering if she was going to try and ditch him to chase her story early. She got a gleam in her eye and stood on her tiptoes. She lightly brushed her lips against his and he grinned. “Oh.”

Alison observed the couple with a look of sweetness. She leaned toward Pete.

“Aren’t they just the cutest thing ever?” She whispered. Pete rolled his eyes.

“No,” he answered. He cleared his throat to get their attention and Chloe looked over at him. “You do realize that even if you go there that nobody is going to believe you? They’ll just think that you did something to manipulate the pictures.” Lex raised his eyebrows in surprise. Why hadn’t he thought of that argument? Chloe appeared pensive.

“You’re right,” she agreed. Lex grinned.

“So we’re not going?” He asked hopefully. Chloe smiled at him.

“No, we’re still going,” she clarified. “I’ll just have to bring my camcorder too.”

“Why do I get the feeling that I’m going to be the one lugging all of this stuff around for you?” Lex asked dryly. Chloe smiled sweetly.

“Because you’re just so smart,” she replied and gave his cheek a little pinch. He glared at her playfully.

“And?” He asked. She smiled again and brought his head down to kiss him.

“And you’re the best boyfriend in the world?” It was an obvious attempt to butter him up. Lex smirked.

“Just remember that when some other guy tries to hit on you there,” he said. “Even if it’s another me.”

~*~*~*~*~

It was cold and dark. The sun hadn’t risen and the dew on the grass was still in a frozen state. At least it hadn’t snowed. If there had been snow on the roads, Gabe Sullivan would have never let his daughter leave the house to go on a story hunt. She had omitted certain details when telling him about it, making it sound much safer and saner than it actually was. Chloe rubbed her gloved hands together as she looked at the house. It was still creepy and she suppressed the shudder that went through her body at the site of it. Lex wrapped his arm around her back and rested his hand on her hip.

“You’re sure you want to do this?” He asked. She nodded, keeping her stare fixed on the house.

“I’m sure,” she said. Her warm breath formed a cloud of steam as she spoke. “Do we have everything?” Lex chuckled.

“How many times have you checked?” He asked. She turned her head and gave him a mock glare and smiled.

“There’s nothing wrong with being prepared,” Chloe said. The familiar sound of a truck driving down the dirt lane to the house made Chloe smile. She and Lex both turned to see Clark pulling his truck over. Chloe went over to the passenger side as Lana stepped out.

“So we’re actually doing this?” Lana asked in an excited voice that covered her nervousness. She gave Chloe a hug. Chloe nodded.

“Yep,” she confirmed.

“So what’s the plan?” Clark asked as he walked over to Lex.

“I’m going with Chloe, you’re going with Lana,” Lex answered. He saw Clark’s hesitation and gave him a serious look. “You two don’t have to do this Clark. I’m sure Chloe wouldn’t want either of you to get hurt.” Clark shrugged.

“Lana’s set on it,” he answered. “And I don’t want her going in alone.”

“Of course not,” Lex said. He furrowed his brow as another car, one he didn’t recognize, came driving down the road. It pulled beside the Kents’ truck, but he couldn’t see who was inside because of the dark tinted windows. He smirked when he saw Pete step out of the passenger side of the vehicle. “Mr. Ross,” Lex greeted. Alison got out of her car and walked over to Chloe and Lana. Pete grumbled as he headed toward Lex and Clark.

“What are you doing here Pete?” Clark asked in surprise. Pete frowned.

“Ali said she was feeling left out,” he answered. “So here we are.” Lex sniggered and Pete glared at him. “Not funny Luthor.”

“I apologize,” Lex said dryly. “I’m a little surprised that you gave in when you were so against Chloe coming though.” Pete let out a resigned sigh and brought his hands up to his mouth to blow warm air on them.

“Yeah, well,” Pete mumbled. Clark smiled broadly and chuckled.

“She has you wrapped around her finger doesn’t she?” Clark asked. Pete glared at his friend and gave him a bitter grin.

“You’re here too,” Pete pointed out and made the sound of a whip snapping. Clark rolled his eyes and was about to retort when Chloe’s voice wafted through his ears.

“You guys ready?” She asked. Clark inwardly frowned. He hadn’t even noticed the girls walk over to them because he was so wrapped up in his conversation with Pete. He was going to need to keep his guard up better than that if he was going to protect Lana. Pete grumbled again and Alison gave him a peck on the cheek that seemed to placate him.

Chloe didn’t wait for them to answer as to whether they were ready or not. She grabbed her bag with her camera and small camcorder in it and started toward the front door of the house. Lex watched her and shook his head. He took one last look at the house before following her.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” he mumbled to himself. Lex caught up with Chloe and wrapped a possessive arm around her back. She looked over at smiled at him. He could see the nervousness etched on her face as they entered the house. Lex bent his head down as they began to ascend the stairs and kissed Chloe on the top of her head in a reassuring manner. “It’s not too late to turn back,” he said in a half whisper.

Although he would never admit it, the house was giving Lex the chills too. It was dark, cold, and the wood floor squeaked as they walked on it. It wasn’t just that though. The house had an indefinable quality, one that made it entirely uninviting. They all reached the top of the staircase and Chloe looked down both hallways. She turned around to face the others and grinned shakily.

“This is it,” she announced. She eyed Lex. Chloe couldn’t see him well in the almost black surroundings, but he was close enough for her to make out his form. “Which way do you want to go?”

~*~*~
Ch. 4
~*~*~

Chloe took a step in one direction, her bag hitting her side as she carried it over her shoulder. She held out her hand for Lex and he took it, giving it a little squeeze to reassure himself that he wasn’t going to lose her on this outing. They walked toward a door and Lana suddenly yelled out.

“No!” Lana screamed. They swung their heads around to look at her. The beginnings of light started to show through the old windows and they could see her shape a little better now.

“What’s wrong?” Chloe asked.

“That’s the door Lana went in last time,” Clark explained. Chloe made an ‘o’ shape with her mouth and nodded in understanding.

“Right,” Chloe said. “Smelly medieval times with King Whitney.” Lana giggled. “Pass. Thanks for the warning.” Alison furrowed her brow.

“Well I want to go,” Alison said stubbornly, dragging Pete by the hand to the door. “I’ve always wanted to be a princess.”

“Ali, that’s not the way it---” Clark started to explain, but Alison had already pulled Pete into the room and the door had shut behind them. “---Works,” he finished. Lana smiled at him unsurely.

“Oops,” she said. Clark took a deep breath and then released it.

“Yeah,” he agreed. Lex cleared his throat and Clark looked over.

“So which room did you go in Clark?” Lex asked. Clark narrowed his eyes at him.

“Why?” He asked suspiciously. Lex grinned.

“You said it had a red sun,” Lex said. “I think I’d like to see that.” Chloe let go of his hand and placed her hands on her hips.

“Since when do you get to choose which door we go in?” She asked in a half teasing voice. Lex smirked and tilted his head toward her.

“Since you drug me along on this foolhardy expedition,” he answered. She arched an eyebrow at him and he kissed her on her forehead. “Besides, if our counterparts are still there, at least I know that they’re married, or soon will be, and I won’t have to worry about him hitting on you.” Chloe laughed.

“Well I’m glad to see you’re being so grown up about this,” she said sarcastically. Clark paled.

“Uh, yeah,” Clark said hesitantly. “But you might have to worry about my double.” Lex eyed him carefully.

“You said that she was going to marry me, I mean,” Lex paused, “you know what I mean.” Clark nodded.

“Right,” Clark said. “But I don’t know how, you know, the other me, reacted to that news.” He rubbed his hand around the back of his neck nervously. “I think he was out of town or something.” Chloe and Lana stared at him blankly.

“So you just messed up somebody else’s life?” Lana asked. “How could you do that Clark?” His eyes grew wide.

“Hey, you were going to marry Whitney,” Clark said in rebuttal. Lana had her hands on her hips.

“Only because I was stuck there and the other me didn’t want to,” Lana said. Clark opened and closed his mouth quickly.

“Oh, and that makes it so much better,” Clark said sarcastically. Chloe and Lex looked at each other, a somewhat bemused expression on both of their faces. Lana glanced at them and noticed.

“What?” Lana snapped. Chloe held back a chuckle, but couldn’t stifle the smile that spread across her lips.

“Nothing,” Chloe answered. “I mean, are you sure you two aren’t going out?” Lana’s mouth dropped open slightly and her face colored. She quickly composed herself and raised an eyebrow at Chloe and Lex.

“Weren’t you two supposed to be picking a door?” She asked. Lex rolled his eyes and Chloe smiled.

“You had to bring that up again,” Lex mumbled. Chloe rose on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her, lowering his head to kiss her properly. After a few seconds, Lana rolled her eyes at Clark, who was openly gaping at the couple. She tugged on Clark’s arm.

“Come on,” she whispered. “Let’s give them some privacy.” Clark had the grace to blush when he realized that he had been staring at them. He grinned dopily and nodded at Lana. They started walking in the other direction until Lana stopped and turned to face him. “You wanna pick the room?” She asked. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Nah, your choice,” Clark said. Lana grinned at him and her breath hitched.

“Clark,” she started carefully. “No matter what happens, we’re still going to be friends right?” He looked surprised.

“Of course Lana,” he answered. She gave a curt nod.

“Okay,” she said. Lana looked around at the doors surrounding them. “Eenie, meenie, miney, moe?” She asked with a giggle. Clark chuckled.

“We don’t have to do this at all if you don’t want to,” he said. Lana got a stubborn look on her face.

“Oh no,” she said in a determined voice. “If Alison can just jump right in, so can I.” She set her sights on a door and took Clark’s hand. “That one.” She opened the door and the two walked in. The door closed loudly behind them, the sound reverberating through the house. Chloe and Lex pulled apart. She shook her head as she panted for breath.

“Dang it,” Chloe said. “It was *my* idea to come here, and they’ve all gone ahead of us.” Lex laughed.

“Somehow I think you’ll survive. It’s not as if they’re going to ‘scoop’ you,” Lex said. “After all, you’re the one who brought all the equipment.” Chloe’s lips curled up into a grin.

“Good point,” she said. Lex chuckled and looked around the hallway. It was a lighter than it had been when they first arrived.

“So which door are we going through?” He asked. Chloe’s face lit up.

“You’re going to let me choose?” She asked hopefully. He rolled his eyes.

“You knew I would,” he answered. She smiled.

“True, but it was nice to hear it,” Chloe said. She looked around in thought and then started walking toward the end of the hallway. She stopped at the very last door. Lex placed his hand on her shoulder and she turned around.

“Promise me---” he started. Chloe nodded.

“I won’t flirt or sleep with anyone else but you,” she said and gave a roll of her eyes. “The same goes for you buster.” She poked her finger at his chest and he smiled.

“I’m not the one who slept with the other me,” he replied. Chloe smirked.

“I should certainly hope not,” she said snarkily.

“Funny,” he said dryly. “You know what I meant,” he said. She nodded.

“I know. So do we have a deal?”

“Deal,” he said. She smiled and reached out for his hand as she opened the door with her free hand. They walked through the door into the black room and the door closed behind them. Suddenly, they were in what looked like one of the hallways in the Luthor castle. Chloe’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“We’re in your house?” She asked. Lex looked around.

“So it would seem,” he agreed. “Interesting.” Chloe set the bag down and Lex arched an eyebrow at her. “I thought you wanted to explore?”

“I do,” she confirmed. He noticed that she was rotating her shoulder. He smirked when he realized that the bag had just gotten too heavy. Lex quickly picked it up and draped it over his shoulder. Chloe smiled at him.

“Shall we?” He asked as he offered her his free hand. She nodded and they started walking down the hallway. There was a flickering blue light coming from one of the rooms and Chloe and Lex could hear the sound of a television. Chloe smiled.

“At least we know we’re not in the twenties,” she said happily. Lex chuckled. She slowly pushed the door open to look inside and motioned to Lex to get the camera out. He stayed behind in the hallway to get her gear out of the bag as she took a few tentative steps into the room. “Anyone here?” She asked hesitantly. There was a bristling of clothing against upholstery and the Lex of that world stood up. She noticed that this one had hair that was much in the same style as the previous Lex she had met. She smiled uneasily and gave a small wave. “Hi.” His eyes grew wide.

“Chlo – Miss Sullivan,” the man said, sputtering over his words. “What, what are you doing here?” Chloe noticed that he seemed almost nervous.

“Before we get into this,” she started. “I should explain that I’m not the Chloe you know.”

“Excuse me?” He asked. She smiled and started fidgeting with her fingers.

“This may be kind of hard to believe, but I’m from a different reality,” she said. He looked at her like she was crazy. Lex came walking in through the door with her camcorder in hand.

“So where do you want this?” He asked. The Lex of that world’s eyes almost buldged out of his head and he turned to Chloe.

“You weren’t kidding?” He asked. She shook her head. He nodded once and found a seat quickly before he passed out from the shock.

“Listen, Lex, I know this might be hard to understand,” Chloe said to the man. He looked up from his seat at her Lex.

“You go by Lex?” He asked. Lex stared at him. He had hair. Life just wasn’t fair sometimes.

“You don’t?” He retorted. The man in front of him shook his head.

“Alex,” he answered. Chloe smiled.

“Well that should make things easier,” she said. It could have gotten messy if she kept saying Lex and had two guys responding to her. Lex and Alex both looked at her. “Shouldn’t it?”

[scifichick774]

~*~*~
Ch. 5
~*~*~

Pete looked around the small tower room they had walked into. The smell wafting in from outside made his face cringe and he was suddenly thinking that agreeing to go with Alison was an even worse idea than before. Alison, on the other hand, was positively giddy. She looked out the small window like slit between the stones and jumped up and down. Pete stared at her blankly as he covered his mouth and nose with his jacket sleeve. She turned around and smiled at him.

“Isn’t this great?” She asked. Pete shook his head and she rolled her eyes. Alison placed her hands on her hips and arched an eyebrow at him. “You’re surrounded by farms in Smallville Pete! The smell isn’t that much worse!” He nodded as to disagree with her.

“Yes it is,” he mumbled through the material. Alison chuckled and grabbed his arm, leading him to the door.

“Come on,” she said with a gleam in her eye. “I want to explore.”

“That’s what got us into this mess to begin with,” he argued. The door was heavy and Alison pouted her bottom lip to get Pete to help her open it. Unlike when Lana had been there, the door was now unguarded from the outside. Pete looked down at the winding stone staircase. The cold and damp air hit his face immediately as he took a tentative step down. “I have a really bad feeling about this.”

“Will you stop complaining?” Alison asked as she began to charge down the stairs. Pete quickly caught up to her and she smiled. “I mean, maybe you’re like a knight or something here.” Pete’s face lit up at the prospect.

“Yeah, I could see that,” he said smugly. Alison laughed and it echoed through the stairwell. They were almost at the bottom when they heard loud footsteps coming toward them. Pete protectively stepped in front of her and held his hand out to his side as if it would prevent her from passing by him. Two large guards suddenly appeared in front of them and Pete and Alison both grinned nervously. “Hey guys,” Pete greeted with an apprehensive smile. The two men stared at the couple and then exchanged a look with each other. They had never seen anyone in the manner of dress that Pete and Alison were clothed in.

“Who are you?” One of the men asked in a heavy accent, his hand already reaching for the long dagger that lay in a leather loop on his waist. Pete shook his hands out in front of him to protest.

“No need for that,” Pete said. “I’m Pete, this is Alison. Everybody just calm down.” The other guard narrowed his eyes at him.

“I think we should take them to see the king,” he said to the other guard. The other guard nodded and grabbed Pete’s arm, yanking the boy toward him. Alison held up her hands when she saw a large arm jetting out to grab her as well. She walked in front of the guard.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she said, trying to make light of the situation. “No need to resort to violence.” The guards exchanged another look; it was unusual for women to speak back to anyone in that manner, the only exception being if they were talking to their husbands. Pete and Alison missed the suspicious look the guards shared and they were marched forward down the long and foreboding hallway. Pete tilted his head toward Alison.

“So, if Whitney was the prince, then his dad should be the king, right?” He whispered. Alison nodded once.

“Makes sense,” she whispered back. One of the men behind them cleared his throat to let them know that speaking to each other was unacceptable and Pete and Alison caught the hint. They arrived at a closed door and one of the guards stepped forward to open it. The other pushed the two teenagers through it once it was open. The site before them was enough to make Alison gasp. It was a room that looked like it was straight out of a Camelot-esque movie. Pete’s mouth dropped down as well, but for a different reason. There was a man sitting on the throne at the far end of the room, but it wasn’t Whitney’s father.

“Whitney?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Lana looked at the horizon in front of them and shook her head. There was no one there, no civilization whatsoever.

“Okay, that was weird,” she said. “I expected to walk into a house or something.” Clark nodded.

“Me too,” he agreed. Clark looked nervous. “You see any signs of life?” Lana shook her head slightly and smiled.

“Not yet, but maybe we should look around,” she suggested. Clark raised an eyebrow and gave an impish grin.

“You mean because we have no way of getting back yet?” He asked. Lana narrowed her eyes playfully at him.

“So?” She retorted. Clark chuckled and held out his hand for her. She looked at it for a moment without taking it.

“I don’t want to risk getting separated here,” Clark tried to explain. “I came to keep you from getting into trouble remember?” Lana rolled her eyes and walked ahead of him.

“Just try to keep up,” she threw over her shoulder. Clark shook his head in defeat and began to follow her. They walked for what seemed like forever to Lana. She was a little winded and her legs were sore. She glanced over at Clark, who didn’t seem to be affected at all. ‘How does he do that?’ She wondered to herself.

“Hey, I see something,” Clark said excitedly. Lana looked in the direction of her gaze and squinted her eyes.

“You do?” She asked. She didn’t see anything. Maybe he was more affected than he let on and was beginning to see mirages or something. He pointed.

“Looks like a small house,” he said. A smile spread across his lips. “And some farm land.” She looked around. It did look like farm land. Rudimentary farm land where they used no heavy equipment to get the job done, but farm land none the less. At least they probably wouldn’t starve here. Clark grabbed her hand and started to walk toward the house that Lana didn’t see. They finally came within a distance where it came into Lana’s sight and an expression of disbelief crossed her features.

“You could see that from way back there?” She asked in astonishment. Clark blushed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Far sighted?” He offered. Lana’s look indicated that she didn’t believe him.

“Uh huh,” she said sarcastically.

“Right, well,” he stammered. “We should see if anyone’s home.” Lana continued to look at him, making him nervous. “What?” He asked. She paused for a few seconds before answering.

“Someday I’m going to find out what you’re hiding Clark, and when I do, I hope it’s because you’ll trust me enough with your secrets to just tell me,” she replied. Clark stared at her dumbstruck. There wasn’t much he could say to that, except for the truth.

“I’m an alien?” He said. It came out as intended, in question like form and Lana’s stern frown turned into a smile. Despite her resentment with him for not trusting her enough to share what was going on, she found his ‘explanation’ amusing. Lana let out a sigh and shook her head slightly.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you Clark Kent,” she said. Clark smiled to himself as Lana walked ahead of him again. The smile faded when he started to wonder what she would say if he eventually told her that he wasn’t joking.

~*~*~*~*~

Lex cleared his throat loudly. Alex had been mooning over Chloe like a lovesick schoolboy for the last two hours. He stammered when he spoke and was obviously nervous around her. In some ways, it reminded Lex of how Clark used to act around Lana. He just never pictured himself ever acting that way, let alone watching his double do it to his girlfriend. He had to give Chloe credit though. She didn’t even seem to notice Alex’s reaction to her.

Lex was beginning to get nervous though. Alex said that the Chloe from his world had moved to Metropolis with her father just under a year ago. Her mother never left them here and had died from cancer a short time before the move. Gabe decided to use the sizeable insurance check to give Chloe a chance at a better education in Metropolis. Lex thought that was the reason that Alex wasn’t together with ‘his’ Chloe. That, and the fact that he doubted that Chloe in any reality would want a man who couldn’t carry on a conversation without babbling like an idiot. Lex heard Alex let out a contented sigh and he cleared his throat again. Alex turned his head at the sound of Lex’s half-cough.

“Chloe, I’d like to talk to talk to *Alex* for a minute alone. Do you mind?” Lex asked politely. Chloe arched a suspicious eyebrow, but the grin on her lips gave her away.

“Dare I ask why?” She asked. Lex kissed her gently and she smiled, allowing him to deepen the kiss. She pulled away and gave a mock sigh. “I suppose it would be alright. Maybe I can look up my friends, or you know, their doubles, in the phone book or something.” Lex curtly nodded.

“Good idea,” he agreed. Alex was about to protest, but Chloe left the room before he got the words out.

“Bad idea,” Alex corrected Lex.

“Why?” Lex asked. “Because now she won’t be in your immediate vicinity and you won’t be able to constantly drool over her?” The sarcasm wasn’t lost on Alex, but he chose to ignore it.

“No,” Alex answered. “Because if her friends are the same here as they are there, then you’re about to lose your girlfriend.” Lex furrowed his brow.

“Who are her friends here?” He asked.

“Lana Lang, Pete Ross, Whitney Fordman,” Alex started listing off the names and Lex smirked.

“No problem then,” Lex said. “Same friends. And although I’m sure they have their idiosyncrasies, they can’t be that bad.” Alex gave him a hard glare that unnerved Lex for some reason. “What?”

“Do you know a Clark Kent on your world?” Alex asked. Lex nodded.

“He’s a friend,” Lex responded. Alex seemed slightly hesitant to continue.

“I don’t know how your Clark is, but---” Alex started. Lex cut him off by groaning and running a hand over his face.

“Let me guess,” Lex said. “Clark is in love with Chloe here.” Alex nodded.

“Why do you think I never made a play for my Chloe?” Alex asked. Lex shrugged.

“She’s in Metropolis or her father would frown on the relationship,” Lex offered. ‘You’re an incompetent version of me,’ he thought to himself. He tried not to be too quick to judge though. If Chloe hadn’t gotten involved with the twenties’ mob version of himself, then he may have never gotten the courage to leap into his own relationship with her. Not that he would ever admit it. “There’s a variety of reasons,” Lex said. Alex shook his head.

“One reason,” Alex corrected. “Clark Kent.”

“You feel that you would be betraying him,” Lex said aloud. He had the same thoughts before he started going out with Chloe. Alex looked at him strangely.

“No,” Alex said. “I feel that I would be a dead man if I asked her out.” Lex chuckled.

“I doubt he’d kill you,” Lex said. He immediately regretted saying the words when he remembered that Chloe’s other Lex and Clark experience had ended exactly in that manner.

“He promised he would,” Alex said. “And Clark Kent never breaks a promise.” Lex’s eyebrow rose.

“You’re scared of him?” Lex asked in a surprised tone. Alex looked at him with an emotionless stare.

“You’re not?” He responded seriously. Lex grinned.

“Of course not,” Lex said. His mind went back to the way Alex had been acting around Chloe. “So let me see if I have this straight. You’re not willing to fight Clark for your own Chloe, but you’re willing to go up against me for mine?” Alex grinned.

“Clark can pick up cars with one hand, and he’s obsessed with Chloe. She even thought about taking a restraining order out on him, but chose not to when she and her dad moved to Metropolis.” Lex paled. Clark had super human strength on this world? And he wanted Chloe instead of Lana? This wasn’t good. “So yes,” Alex said, snapping Lex out of his thoughts. “Given the choice between an untimely death at the hands of the psycho wonder boy and you, I’m more than willing to take you on to get what I want.”

“Your Chloe is in Metropolis now,” Lex reminded him. “And wants nothing to do with the Clark here. Why not just make a quick trip down there?” Alex snorted.

“My Chloe doesn’t want anything to do with me either. But your Chloe---” Alex trailed off as a smirk spread across his face. “Is just as beautiful and smart, and seems nice too. I think I need to show her how unworthy you are of her affections.”

‘Okay, not so incompetent,’ Lex thought to himself. Alex was showing him a side that hadn’t been present when Chloe was in the room, a side that was much more like the selfish and manipulative part of himself that he knew.

“You’ve forgotten one thing,” Lex said. Alex arched an eyebrow in query. “She’s in another room, probably talking to Clark right now.” Alex frowned.

“Why would she be talking to Clark?” He asked.

“Because in my reality, they’re friends,” Lex answered and then paused. “She actually used to have a huge crush on him.” It was Alex’s turn to lose all the color in his face.

“Oh God,” Alex mumbled and had to fight back a wave of nausea. “So what do we do?”

“We?” Lex asked. Alex stared at him.

“You may not like me, and the feeling’s mutual, but if you want to keep Clark from running off with the woman that both of us have feelings for then,”

“You don’t have feelings for Chloe, not my Chloe anyway,” Lex interrupted.

“I felt an immediate connection with her when we started talking,” Alex admitted. “And you must have seen it too or you wouldn’t be so intimidated by the fact that I want her.” Lex frowned. “Like I was saying before, if we don’t want to lose her to Kent, then like it or not, we’ll need to work together.”

~*~*~
Ch. 6
~*~*~

Whitney stared at the two people in front of them and then looked beside them at the guards. He frowned and waved his hand.

“Leave us,” Whitney ordered.

“But sire, we caught these two---”

“Leave us,” Whitney repeated, a little more sternly. The guard who had been interrupted paled and nodded. The two large men left the room, closing the large door behind them. Pete smiled. This was going better than he thought it would, or at least he thought it was. Whitney stood up and walked around them, carefully observing how they were dressed. “Why did she bring you here?” Whitney asked. Pete and Alison shared a confused expression and then looked back at Whitney.

“Who?” Alison asked. Whitney glared at her for a millisecond before clamping his hand around her throat. She coughed slightly and Pete tried unsuccessfully tugging at his other arm to get him to stop it.

“Let her go!” Pete said angrily. Whitney easily knocked him to the floor by barely shoving him with his free hand and Pete stared up at him with amazement and fear in his eyes.

“Why did the sorceress bring you here?” Whitney asked Alison again, speaking slowly and pausing between each word to make sure she understood his question. Despite the fact that Whitney wasn’t exerting a lot of force into the squeeze, Alison was gasping for air. She tried shaking her head to indicate that she didn’t know what he was talking about. He released her and she collapsed against Pete on the floor. They helped each other stand up and Pete stared at Whitney.

“We don’t know any sorceress,” Pete tried to explain.

“We’re not from your world, dimension, or whatever,” Alison added.

“I can see that,” Whitney responded dryly. He turned his back on them and walked back to his throne. After he sat down, he looked at them pensively.

“If she did not bring you here, why did you come?” Whitney asked. Pete shot Alison a look and she got an incredibly guilty look on her face. Whitney arched an eyebrow at her expression.

“I, um,” Alison started. She paused and shrank back a little at Whitney’s intense gaze. “I was curious,” she mumbled. Whitney looked at Pete and Pete shrugged.

“Like she said,” Pete said, pointing at her. “She was curious and I got dragged along for the ride.” Alison scowled at him and semi-playfully swatted him on his arm. He smiled at her. Whitney watched their exchange with amusement.

“I see,” Whitney said, bringing their attention back to him. “And how did you get here if my fiancée didn’t summon you?” Pete stared blankly at him.

“The sorceress is your fiancée?” Pete asked. Alison looked confused.

“I thought you were marrying Lana,” she said. An expression of rage crossed Whitney’s features and Pete and Alison both stepped back, even though Whitney hadn’t risen from his seated position.

“How do you know of the princess?” Whitney asked angrily. Alison grimaced, but quickly covered.

“Oh, um, I just assumed. You know, because your doubles were going out in our reality,” she said, hoping that he would buy the explanation. It seemed to work. He gave a curt nod and leaned back against his throne.

“You know them?” Whitney asked. Pete smiled.

“Yeah, they’re friends of ours,” Pete said. Whitney didn’t look as if he believed him.

“If you are a friend of hers then you cannot be a friend of mine,” Whitney argued.

“Well, people aren’t the same in every reality,” Pete explained. “You guys got along there. We were friends with both of them.” Whitney seemed to think about this.

“You should be careful who you swear your allegiance to here,” he warned. Pete nodded.

“Gotcha,” he said. “If we’re friends with you then we’re not friends with her. No problem.” It was a problem, because Pete didn’t like how dark this Whitney seemed to be, or how strong, but he reasoned that they wouldn’t be there for that long and it was better to be friends with a king than someone who was being hunted by the king. Alison decided to change the topic of conversation. She flashed her best smile at Whitney.

“I know I shouldn’t be asking this, but,”

“Then don’t ask it,” Pete interrupted in a whispered voice. The corners of Whitney’s lips curled upward.

“Proceed,” Whitney said to Alison. She smiled smugly at Pete.

“Okay, so you’re marrying the sorceress. No offense, but that seems like kind of a weird match. How did you hook up?” Alison asked. Whitney was surprised by her bluntness, but answered the question anyway.

“Like you, I also have to be careful of who I ally myself with. There is an enemy at foot and I believe that war with him is eminent,” Whitney said. Pete was impressed at the royal air with which Whitney suddenly presented himself. Before he had just kind of seemed like a thug who had power, but now he could see how the Whitney here could be called a king. “I have heard from reliable sources that Prince Alexander is interested in obtaining my sorceress for his own power because of her abilities. By marrying her, I am securing her loyalty to me.” Pete shared a look with Alison, which didn’t go unnoticed. “Something I should know?” Whitney asked.

“Maybe,” Pete said. He had no doubt in his mind that Prince Alexander was Lex, and Alison obviously concurred with the assumption.

“Has the prince met the sorceress?” Alison asked. Whitney scoffed.

“Of course not,” he answered. Pete smiled.

“Well, as long as you keep that from happening, you shouldn’t have a problem,” Pete said. He was consumed with a happy feeling. Pete never liked the idea of Chloe and Lex being together on his own world, and if he had a chance to keep it from happening here, he was all for it.

~*~*~*~*~*~

As Clark and Lana got closer to the house, Lana got a better look at it. She grinned.

“Look, we’re in Little House on the Prairie world,” she joked. Clark shook his head and chuckled.

“Great,” Clark said sarcastically. “All the doors you could have picked, and we got the one where I’m going to be doing chores again.” Lana laughed loudly.

“Sorry,” she said, although it wasn’t in an apologetic tone. They reached the front door and Lana just stared at it. “Will they even be able to hear us if we knock?” She asked. Clark shrugged and Lana knocked on the door. They waited for a while, but there was no response.

“Guess not,” Clark said.

“Or they’re not home,” Lana suggested.

“That could be it too,” Clark agreed. He looked at the farmland surrounding the property. “Or they could be out in the fields. It looks like it’s close to harvest time here.”

“So if we get stuck here for a while, then I’m going to have to wait for Christmas?” Lana pouted. Clark laughed.

“I think you’ll survive,” he said. “Besides, it will give you time to sew that quilt that you’ve always wanted to make for me.” Clark’s body was shaking with laughter as he teased her. She gave him a mock scowl and hit the back of her hand against his stomach.

“Ouch,” she said as she pulled her hand away. Clark stopped laughing.

“Are you okay?” He asked. She looked at her sore hand.

“I guess,” Lana said. “Geez, how many sit-ups do you do a day?” Clark smiled.

“And here I thought you’d never notice,” he teased again. Lana blushed and turned her head away. She paused and then cleared her throat.

“So should we go look for them or just wait for them to come back?” She asked, emphasizing the latter. It had been a long walk just to get to the house, and she wasn’t wearing walking shoes. Clark looked around again.

“We could go take a look,” he answered.

“Or you can take a look and I can stay here in case someone comes back,” she said hopefully. Clark raised his eyebrows at her.

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea Lana.”

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself Clark, especially when all it entails is sitting here waiting to see if someone comes back or not,” she argued. Clark grinned and crossed his arms.

“Your feet hurt don’t they?” He asked smugly. Lana narrowed her eyes at him, but then gave up and let out a sigh. “I told you not to wear those shoes.”

“Well, how was I supposed to know that we would be doing so much walking, let alone through the middle of fields?” She retorted. “And I had to wear these shoes, they go with my outfit.” Clark chuckled. “Ugh! Will you just go already?” He shook his head.

“Get on,” he said. Lana arched an eyebrow.

“Excuse me?” She asked. He turned his back to her.

“I’ll give you a piggy-back ride, get on,” he said. She tilted her head at him.

“Clark, you’ll get too tired,” she said. Clark rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, because you’re sooo heavy,” he said sarcastically. Lana pursed her lips.

“Fine,” she said. She found a small wooden box near the front door and indicated that he should move closer to that so she could climb onto his back. She got on, and immediately noticed how muscular his back and arms were.
“Ready?” He asked.

“Um, yeah,” she said. Lana was grateful that Clark couldn’t see her blush. Clark didn’t have to walk far before he saw someone working in a far corner of one of the fields. He immediately started heading in that direction. “Why are we going this way? Shouldn’t we keep going straight?” Lana asked.

“I thought I heard something coming from this direction,” Clark said.

“Uh huh,” Lana said. Clark smiled.

“Honest,” he said. Lana rolled her eyes.

“I’m onto you Kent,” she said. “First you think you see the house in the distance, which was way too far away for anybody to have seen. Then, you think you heard something in this direction, which means that somebody will probably be there. Not to mention the whole saving me from the twister thing, and I still haven’t figured out how you did that.” Clark paled. “You want to hear my theory?”

“Do I have a choice?” Clark asked.

“No,” she said. “I think the meteor rocks made you into some kind of hawk boy or something.” Clark laughed. “What?”

“I think Chloe’s been rubbing off on you,” he said. Lana smiled.

“Well, that’s a good thing,” she said. “Chloe has always been strong, independent,”

“Crazy,” Clark added.

“Oh please,” Lana said. “You’ve run into enough of her freaks of the week to know that something is going on.” Clark nodded slightly.

“Good point,” he reluctantly agreed. Lana smiled again. Clark Kent wasn’t bad transportation, and he didn’t seem to even be winded yet. Most guys would have set her down a long time ago.

“So can I start calling you H.B.?” She teased. Clark arched an eyebrow.

“H.B.?” He repeated.

“Hawk boy,” Lana clarified. Clark groaned. He had a bad feeling that he was never going to hear the end of this. He was tempted to use his super speed to get to the person working in the field faster, just so he wouldn’t have to hear her joke about it, but he doubted that would do much to get her to stop in the long run.

As they came closer to the man in the field, Lana narrowed her eyes. He looked familiar. She saw him rise up to stretch out and her eyes grew wide.

“C-Clark,” she said. Clark’s mouth dropped open a little.

“It’s me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Chloe!” Lex’s voice boomed through the castle walls as he jumped out of the room and started searching for her. He wasn’t going to let Alex anywhere near her now that he knew his intentions, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let some psycho obsessed version of Clark get his hands on her. She stepped out of one of the rooms and smiled at him.

“Hey!” She greeted as she walked up to him. “You’ll never guess what.” Lex took her hand and started walking them toward the stairs. “What’s going on?”

“We’re leaving,” Lex stated. Chloe pulled her hand away from his and stopped walking. He turned around to face her. “Chloe, don’t argue with me on this. I’ve found out things that you haven’t.” Chloe placed her hands on her hips.

“We’re not leaving,” she said. “I already called Clark and explained what was going on. He actually believes me.” Lex’s face fell as the words came out of Chloe’s mouth. Of course she had already called Clark. Now he just had to steal one of Alex’s cars and get Chloe and himself the hell out of town before she could meet up with him.

“Chloe,” Lex said, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Clark, the Clark here is *not* the Clark you know. He’s some meteor affected psycho who’s completely obsessed with the Chloe of this reality. She almost had to take a restraining order out against him.” Chloe folded her arms across her chest in a defensive posture.

“Really?” She asked. “Because I just talked to him on the phone and he sounded perfectly normal to me.”

“Chloe, Alex said that---”

“Oh yeah, Alex. That’s a reliable source of information,” she said sarcastically. Lex arched an eyebrow at her. “Clark said that Alex is the one who was affected by meteors here, that he’s the one who’s obsessed with this world’s Chloe.” She shook her head. “You saw how he was around me Lex. He was stuttering, he wasn’t confident at all, it was like he was star struck or something, but for no reason.”

“Except that he’s in love with you,” Lex mumbled. Chloe looked at him expectantly. “Or her,” he corrected. Lex sighed and rubbed his face. He didn’t know who or what to believe. As far as he knew, the Clark of this world could be the one telling the truth. It would certainly fit with how Alex had been acting around Chloe. On the other hand, was he really willing to take the chance and find out if Clark was the bad guy all along? “I think we should leave.” Chloe opened her mouth to argue but Lex held up a hand to silence her. “Hear me out,” he said. “We don’t know who we can believe here. For all we know, Alex and Clark could be arch enemies or something and just be using us as their pawns.”

“Arch enemies?” Chloe repeated with a smile. She placed her hands on his chest. “We’re not in a comic book Lex.” He grinned at her.

“That you know of,” he said. Chloe chuckled and shook her head.

“Well, if you ask me, I don’t believe either one of them,” she said. “I think they’re both completely normal. Sure, Alex is a little shyer than you are, but it’s kind of sweet. And as far as Clark goes, he really did seem completely normal on the phone.” Lex sighed. Chloe could be so stubborn sometimes.

“What can I say to convince you to leave town with me?” He asked. Chloe smiled brightly.

“Are you asking me to run away with you?” She teased with a twinkle in her eye. Lex smirked.

“Absolutely,” he replied. Chloe chuckled and Lex leaned down to kiss her. It started out as a few soft pecks and nibbles and quickly progressed into more. The clearing of a throat made the two pull apart. Chloe looked over Lex’s shoulder.

“Hi Alex,” she said in a half embarrassed voice. Alex smirked.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” he said. Lex squared his jaw.

“Actually you were,” Lex responded dryly. Chloe gently nudged him as a hint to be more polite.

“Be nice,” she said to Lex. Chloe looked back at Alex. “After all, we don’t want to offend our host.” Both Lex and Alex arched an eyebrow at her and she grimaced. Chloe started fidgeting with her fingers and looked at Alex. “Well, we don’t really have a place to stay and since your place is so big, I thought that maybe---”

“You’re welcome to stay here Chloe,” Alex interrupted. Chloe smiled at his answer, neglecting to notice that his initial apprehension of being around her was no longer there. Lex looked pleadingly at Chloe.

“We could just get a hotel room,” he said. She rose onto her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

“No we can’t,” she said. “People will think that you’re him and that he just shaved his head or something.” Lex glared at Alex.

“Somehow I doubt that he would mind people thinking that he was dating you,” Lex responded. Alex smiled.

“Of course not,” Alex agreed. Chloe looked surprised and Alex shrugged. “You’re beautiful, you’re smart, and people could only get a better impression of me.” Chloe laughed.

“What happened to the shy guy we met when we first came in here a few hours ago?” She asked. Lex clenched his teeth while he waited for Alex to answer.

“He got to know you,” Alex said in a tone that bordered on seductive. Chloe rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, well, just remember that I’m taken,” she said. Lex smirked at Alex and wrapped his arm around Chloe’s back. She turned to Lex. “We should go now; I promised that I’d meet them at The Beanery.” Lex and Alex shared a look, but Lex grinned down at Chloe.

“Okay, you win,” Lex said. “But if Clark does turn out to be a psycho, can we leave then?” Chloe smiled impishly.

“I don’t know,” she said in a teasing manner. “A Clark Kent who’s obsessed with me instead of the other way around. It might be kind of interesting.” Lex glared at her and she chuckled. “You can never take a joke.”

~*~*~
Ch. 7
~*~*~

Alison looked down at her new attire. Whitney had his servants provide her and Pete with more appropriate clothing, and suddenly Alison was regretting ever getting involved in this, as the corset-like top was incredibly uncomfortable. She twisted her torso back and forth to see if it would loosen the material any, but it only made it more binding. She cursed under her breath and glared at the older servant woman. The huskily built woman just gave her a stern look and crossed her arms in response. Alison winced and began to silently pray that they wouldn’t be trapped in this world for long. There was a small rapping on the door and the servant went to answer it. Alison could have sworn that she heard the woman growl at the person on the other side. Pete, completely unfazed by the woman’s response to him, pushed his way passed her. He smiled and looked up and down Alison’s body.

“Sweet outfit,” he said. Alison simply chuckled. She was used to this side of Pete; the side where his hormones were in complete control of his body. He held his arms out to his side and turned around in a full circle for her to take a look at his outfit. Alison frowned. Not because of Pete’s outfit, but because of her own discomfort with the dress that had been provided for her. Pete shot her a worried expression. “What’s the matter? It doesn’t look good?” He asked. Alison barely managed a small grin.

“Sorry Pete, it looks fine,” she said. Pete frowned and walked over to her.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, placing his hands on her arms and forcing her to look at him. Alison sighed.

“I just thought,” she said and then paused and looked thoughtful. “I just thought it was going to be different,” she admitted. “I mean, you see all those movies and stuff, but they never bring up how much these stupid dresses hurt, or how bad this place smells, and I don’t even want to think about what the food is going to be like here.” Pete frowned.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I hadn’t thought about that.” He gave her a hug and then released her. “Dang!” She looked at him questioningly and he pouted. “No pizza?” Alison’s lips curved up into an amused grin, while Pete looked more and more horrified at the prospect of staying there without his favorite foods. “No cheeseburgers?” Alison shook her head. “Ice cream?” She barely stifled a giggle. “Twinkies?” Pete asked hopefully. Alison finally let her laughter explode and Pete looked completely distraught. “I can’t believe you chose this dumb world,” he mumbled.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I thought I was going to be a princess,” she said. He shrugged.

“You’re dressed like a princess,” he offered. Alison snorted.

“It’s not the same without the power Pete,” she said. Pete looked at her for a split second before he erupted in laughter.

“I can’t believe you said that with a straight face,” he said. She smiled.

“So no princess title for me and no good food for you,” Alison said carefully. She glanced over at the servant woman, who was still standing there looking at them disapprovingly. “Could I have a minute alone with him?” Alison asked her. The woman grunted and shut the door as she left the room. Alison turned back to Pete. “Maybe we should ditch the plan about helping Whitney marry Chloe and just get her to help us get home faster.” Pete frowned and gave a defeated nod.

“I think you’re right,” he said. He paused as a sad look crossed his face. “But I was going to be a knight.” Alison grinned.

“A knight without twinkies,” she reminded him. Pete looked at her.

“Right. Let’s go.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well?” Lana asked, hopping down from Clark’s back. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go introduce you to you.” She made a face as she made the comment. Clark smiled, but it faded when he looked back at his double.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not Lana,” he said. Clark was worried that this Clark, if he had the same abilities, wouldn’t be as private about them. Lana gave him an irritated look and placed her hands on her hips.

“What are you afraid of?” She asked. “That he’ll have the same secrets you do and expose them to me?” Lana’s mouth dropped open when she realized that she was right. “Oh my God! You’re so paranoid!” Lana yelled at him. Clark’s double looked over at them when Lana’s voice rose and he and Clark made eye contact. Clark’s double walked over toward them, but Lana failed to notice. “I can’t believe you think that,” she continued. “This is an entirely different reality! There’s no way that anyone can have all the same weird issues that you do!”

“Lana,” Clark tried to interrupt as his double was almost directly behind Lana now.

“The universe cannot be that messed up!” Lana yelled again. Both Clarks exchanged a look.

“Lana!” Clark finally yelled back. Lana stopped her rant and Clark pointed to the other him right behind her. Lana turned around.

“Oh,” she said. “Sorry.” Lana couldn’t pull her eyes away from the other world’s version of Clark. His shirt was open and his muscles were glistening with sweat from working out in the field. Lana’s mouth hung open a little as she found herself in a daze from looking at him. Her Clark rolled his eyes and reached over to lift her jaw with his fingers. Lana blushed and turned her face away to try and hide it. The two Clarks eyed each other.

“You’re probably wondering what’s going on,” Clark said. The other man nodded and Clark took a deep breath. “You’ll probably find this kind of hard to believe, but I’m you – just from a different reality.” He searched the other Clark’s face for any signs of a reaction, but he just stared back at him blankly. ‘Geez, I hope I don’t look like that when I don’t understand something,’ Clark thought.

“Oh,” the other Clark finally said. “And how did you get here?”

“Long story,” Lana answered and flashed him a brilliant smile. Clark’s face contorted in confusion.

“You believe us?” He asked. His double smiled.

“It’s kind of hard not to when someone who looks just like me, wearing strange clothing, is standing right in front of me,” he replied. Lana smiled again, almost flirtatiously, but Clark’s double didn’t pay any attention to her. Her smile fell. Her Clark would have completely melted at that smile and given her a good blush, but this Clark didn’t seem to notice that she even existed as a woman.

‘Maybe he’s just stunned from meeting the alternate reality version of himself,’ she thought to herself. Because how different could the two Clarks be? She realized that she hadn’t been listening to a word they said when she heard her name.

“Lana? Earth to Lana?” Clark waved a hand in front of her face.

“Oh, sorry,” Lana said. “I just kind of spaced out for a minute there.” Clark nodded.

“It’s okay. Jerome has offered to let us stay at his house until we go back to our world,” Clark said. Lana creased her brow.

“Jerome?” She asked. Clark smirked.

“You really were spacing out, weren’t you?” He observed. Lana narrowed her eyes playfully.

“Come on, I’ll get you settled in,” Jerome said and motioned in the direction of his house with his head. Lana smiled again.

“Sounds good,” she said. She took a few steps before the blisters on her feet started to hurt. Her face cringed up and Clark chuckled and stopped walking.

“Get on,” he said. She grinned gratefully and he helped her onto his back. Jerome arched an eyebrow at them and Clark smiled.

“It was a long walk to your house,” Clark tried to explain. Jerome grinned and shook his head in amusement. They began walking again and made it to the house where Jerome showed Clark and Lana to a small room with one bed. Lana and Clark looked at each other.

“I have to finish my work in the fields, but I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Jerome said. “Make yourselves at home.” Clark smiled.

“You need help?” Clark asked. His double was kind enough to let them stay with him; the least he could do was help out with the chores around the farm. Jerome shook his head.

“I’d appreciate some help tomorrow, but I think right now you and your wife should get some rest,” Jerome said. He left them in the room and they heard the outer door close as he left the house. Lana looked up at Clark with wide eyes.

“Wife?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“You guys didn’t have to come,” Chloe said. Lex and Alex both shot each other a glare as Chloe opened the door to The Talon.

“Yes I did,” Lex said, placing a possessive hand on the small of her back.

“So did I,” Alex said. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into here Chloe. The Clark Kent that I know is a grade A psycho.” Chloe waved her hand to dismiss the comment and Lex sighed.

“She’s stubborn,” he said to Alex. Alex smirked.

“I noticed.”

They entered the coffee shop and Lex felt Chloe being ripped away from his touch. Clark grabbed her and swung her around the air in a huge hug. Chloe laughed and Lex growled. Clark smiled and set her down, but didn’t release her from his embrace. He glanced over toward Lex and Alex and his eyebrows rose in surprise. Chloe smirked and playfully hit his chest.

“You didn’t believe me,” she said. Clark looked back to her and then back to them.

“I did,” Clark argued. “I just didn’t realize you would be hanging out with Alex Luthor, let alone someone who looks just like him.” Chloe smiled and pulled herself out of his arms. He frowned until she took him by the hand and walked over to Lex.

“Clark Kent, this is Lex Luthor, from my world,” she introduced. Clark eyed him suspiciously, especially since Lex stuck his hand out for Clark to shake. They shook hands and Clark looked down at Chloe.

“That still doesn’t explain why he’s here too,” Clark said. Chloe smiled and moved over to stand next to Lex. She wrapped her arm around his waist and he grinned down at her.

“Lex is my boyfriend,” Chloe explained. Clark’s eyes narrowed and he glared at Lex.

“Really?” Clark asked dryly, with a tone that bordered on being threatening. Lex wasn’t intimidated and he smirked. “How long have you two been going out?”

“Couple of months,” Chloe said nonchalantly. Okay, so she was rounding up. It’s not like he would know. Clark’s expression went from menacing to scheming immediately after she made her comment.

“That’s not long,” he said in a cheerful voice. Chloe smiled and rose onto her tiptoes to kiss Lex on the cheek.

“It’s not the quantity, it’s the quality,” she said. Clark smiled. It was a creepy and threatening smile that Lex and Alex both noticed, but Chloe didn’t because she had already started looking around The Talon for the rest of her friends’ doubles.

“You still want a tour?” Clark asked and offered her his arm. She smiled and nodded, but didn’t take his arm.

“Yeah,” she said. “But where is everybody else? I thought you said you were going to call Lana and Pete---”

“And Whitney,” Clark finished for her. “But I got their answering machines,” he lied. Chloe’s face fell a little.

“Okay,” she said. Clark smiled at her again and picked up her hand in his in as friendly of a manner as he could fake.

“Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to see them while you’re here,” Clark said. He gave her hand a small squeeze and released it when he saw Lex glaring angrily at him. He grinned evilly at him. ‘Plenty of time,’ Clark thought to himself. ‘Because you’re not leaving.’

~*~*~
Ch. 8
~*~*~

Chloe looked at the two strangers suspiciously.

“If you are from the other Lana’s reality, then why did you come here? Did she not warn you of this world?” Chloe asked. Pete shot a look at Alison, who looked incredibly guilty.

“*She* wanted to explore. *She* wanted to be a princess,” Pete accused and pointed Alison. Chloe smiled.

“You want to stay here and marry the king instead of me?” She asked. Alison appeared thoughtful, but Pete tilted his head at her with a warning expression and she smiled.

“I guess not,” Alison said.

“The dress?” Chloe asked knowingly. Alison nodded. “I understand.”

“So can you help us get home faster?” Pete asked. Chloe shrugged.

“I don’t really know,” she admitted. “Lana opted not to use my help.” She saw Pete’s fallen expression and offered him a compensatory grin. “Take comfort in the fact that she was only here for a few days, so you will most likely be here for a similar period of time.” Alison thought about it and then shook her head.

“Not true,” Alison said. Pete and Chloe both looked at her with quizzical expressions. “Last time you guys got to the party around nine at night,” she explained. “This time we got to the house early in the morning. So if each hour there represents a day here---” Pete groaned.

“Just give me the bad news math girl,” he said. Alison counted on her fingers silently.

“We should be here for about eighteen days,” she finally answered. Pete’s mouth dropped open. “Give or take,” Alison quickly added. Pete shook his head and slumped his back against a wall until he sat on the floor.

“I should have never let you talk me into this,” he mumbled. Alison came over to sit next to him, but couldn’t because of the discomfort of the dress.

“It’s Chloe’s fault,” she said. Chloe looked offended. Alison waved her hand as if it were nothing. “The other Chloe,” she explained.

“Why would my other self want to venture here?” Chloe asked. Pete frowned.

“She didn’t,” he said. “She wanted to go to an alternate reality, take lots of spiffy pictures and videotape as evidence, and then come home. She didn’t want to come to this world, because *she* was smart enough to listen to Lana.” Chloe frowned.

“Dimensional travel is very dangerous,” Chloe said. “Why would she risk it just for evidence that other realities exist?” Pete shrugged.

“Got me,” he said. “I don’t know why she does half the stuff she does.” Alison rolled her eyes.

“Don’t start on the whole she shouldn’t be going out with Lex thing again. She’s not even here to hear your lecture this time,” Alison said. The corners of Pete’s lips curled upward.

“This Chloe is,” he said. Pete turned his attention back to Chloe. “Whatever you do, don’t go out with Lex. He’s *evil*, even though you think he’s not, he is. Trust me.” Chloe furrowed her brow.

“Lex?” She questioned. Pete got an understanding look on his face.

“Oh yeah, you don’t even know him here. Good. Keep it that way.” He stood up and walked over to Chloe, who was still looking at him like he had lost part of his mind. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Marry Whitney, make little blond magical babies, and live happily ever after.” Chloe stepped away from his touch and eyed him warily.

“I have no desire to marry King Whitney, but I have been informed that it is to be so,” Chloe stated.

“You could leave,” Alison piped in. Pete shot her a look, which she promptly ignored. She didn’t like the fact that Pete was trying to keep Chloe and Lex apart. They seemed so cute on their world, maybe they would be here too. “You know? Like you helped your Lana do?” Chloe shook her head.

“My place is here,” she said. “I have always known that. I just never realized that I would have to marry him.” She sighed and looked the other direction. “Do you ever regret the decisions that you’ve made?” Pete snorted.

“Every minute I’m here,” he mumbled under his breath.

“No, no,” Chloe said and turned back around. “I mean about important things.”

“Like you helping Lana leave?” Alison asked in a knowing tone. Chloe nodded.

“I was trying to help my cousin. He loved her, and I know she loved him, and now they have both been slain because I helped her escape,” Chloe said. Pete’s eyes widened considerably.

“Clark was your cousin?” He asked.

“Clark and Lana are dead?” Alison added immediately after. Chloe nodded and began to fidget with her hands. Alison came over and put her hand on Chloe’s upper arm.

“Do you think Whitney will kill you if you don’t marry him?” She asked. The look in Chloe’s eyes answered her question. “Oh.” Chloe turned away again.

“It doesn’t matter. The past is the past. Nothing can change that now,” Chloe said. Pete sighed loudly.

“Well, maybe you could see if Lex can help,” he mumbled quickly. Chloe and Alison both turned in the direction of his voice, but couldn’t make out what he said.

“What?” Alison asked, completely sure that she had heard him incorrectly. He frowned.

“I said maybe she could see if Lex can help,” he admitted. He threw his arms in the air. “There. Are you happy?” Alison smiled and gave him a big hug. He chuckled slightly and then Alison turned back to look at Chloe.

“What do you think? It’s worth a chance right?” She asked. Chloe shook her head.

“I do not know any ‘Lex’,” Chloe said. Pete frowned again and ran a hand over his head.

“Yeah, well, I could be completely off on this, but I’m pretty sure it’s Prince Alexander,” he said the name with disgust and Chloe looked shocked and horrified.

“My king’s enemy?” She sounded affronted and clasped her hand to her heart. “You want me to seek council in my future husband’s greatest adversary?” She shook her head. “You have gone mad.” Pete smiled and shrugged as he looked at Alison.

“Hey, well, if she doesn’t want to,” he said. Alison narrowed her eyes at him and then looked at Chloe.

“Chloe, our Chloe,” Alison specified. “She and Lex are sort of – an item.” Chloe creased her brow.

“An item of what?” She asked suspiciously. Alison smiled.

“No, you don’t understand,” Alison said. “They’re together. Girlfriend and boyfriend together.” Chloe still didn’t seem to understand, or rather, she didn’t want to. The words coming out of their mouths sounded insane.

“They are married?” Chloe asked hesitantly. Pete snorted.

“No. Thank God,” he said. Chloe shook her head again.

“Then I do not understand,” she admitted. Alison bit her bottom lip, trying to think of a way to explain it.

“Don’t you have couples here who aren’t married?” She asked. “Like you and Whitney. You’re not married yet.”

“So your Chloe and this other man, they’re courting or engaged?” Chloe asked to clarify. Alison smiled.

“Courting,” she answered happily. Chloe didn’t seem at all pleased by this information.

“I see,” Chloe said. She paused for a moment before speaking again. “Did he force her into the relationship, or was some sort of agreement made between their families?” Alison looked at her strangely.

“Uh, no,” she said. “They just like each other.” Pete rolled his eyes and tried to shut as much of the conversation out as he could. Chloe shook her head.

“This is not good,” she said. Pete heard that part. He smiled.

“Finally someone agrees with me!” He said in a happy voice. Suddenly, a commotion could be heard echoing through the walls of the castle. Fighting to be more precise. Chloe went to her small slit window and looked out at what appeared to be an attack on the castle. She frowned.

“We are under attack,” she said. “It looks like members of Prince Alexander’s army.” Chloe looked worried and started to fidget with her fingers again. “It is a good thing that the king is not here today.” Pete gave her an incredulous look.

“You’re joking right?” He asked in disbelief. “We’re under attack. We. As in *us*. As in we could get killed. And you’re glad that the king isn’t here?” He shook his head. “Unbelievable.” Chloe whipped her head around and looked at him sternly.

“Don’t ever question my loyalty,” she warned. Pete held his hands up in surrender.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “I just thought, since you didn’t want to marry the guy that you probably didn’t, you know, like him.” Chloe took a deep breath to calm herself, but it didn’t work very well as she could hear the noises in the hallway getting closer.

“I do not love him as a woman loves a man, but we have grown up together, and he is my friend. And even if he weren’t, I would still maintain my loyalty to him for the mere fact that he is our land’s king,” she stated. Alison looked surprised at Chloe’s semi-speech.

“Wow,” Alison said. “Patriotic. Who knew?” Chloe was about to say something in response when the door to the room they were in began to pound to try and break the wooden lock on the inside.

“Crap,” Pete muttered. “I don’t suppose you have a back door to this place?” Chloe shook her head.

“If I had more time, I could get the ingredients for a spell to remove us from this place, but I don’t have all of the things I need here,” Chloe rambled in a frightened voice. The lock broke through and three very large knights in full armor stood on the other side of the door as it was opened.

“Don’t wound her, I need her alive,” a man’s voice floated from behind them. The men stepped aside and allowed their leader to move forward. He quickly glanced at Alison and surmised that she was not King Whitney’s sorceress, simply based on her manner of dress. That, and she was clinging to the only male in the room as if her life depended on it. He looked over to Chloe. She was frightened, but she was covering it well. She had even taken a defensive posture. Alexander’s first thought was how beautiful and strong she looked. He smirked at her and she narrowed her eyes at him. “Sorceress,” he said, taking a few steps toward her. Chloe stood her ground and crossed her arms.

“I am not yours,” she stated with determination. “You may not call me by the title I hold in this court.” Alexander’s smirk turned into a smile and he threw his head back in laughter.

“By what name may I call you then?” He asked. Chloe squared her jaw.

“You may not call me by any name,” she answered. Alexander arched an eyebrow and stepped even closer to her. He was close enough to reach out and tuck some of her hair behind her ear. She tried to move her face out of the way of his touch, but she was unsuccessful. He took another step forward and moved his mouth to her ear.

“Please,” he said in a half whisper. It came out sultry and sent a shiver down Chloe’s body. “I need to know the name of my future queen.” Chloe took another deep breath to steady herself. She hadn’t expected to be so affected by a complete stranger’s proximity to her.

“I am not yours,” she repeated. Alexander couldn’t resist. The sorceress’s nearness to him set off every hormone in his body. He darted his tongue out and traced along the shell of her ear.

“You are now.”

[scifichick774]

~*~*~
Ch. 9
~*~*~

“Wife?!” Lana asked again, much louder this time. Clark gave her a bashful smile.

“I had to say something Lana,” Clark said. “Men and women don’t travel together here unless they’re married or related.” Lana paled slightly and sat down on the bed.

“I guess that makes sense,” she finally said.

“And don’t worry, I’ll sleep on the floor,” Clark offered. Lana grinned.

“Really?” She asked. He nodded.

“Yeah,” Clark answered. “Of course.” That seemed to make Lana feel a little bit better.

“Okay,” she agreed. “Thanks Clark.” Clark simply smiled and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“So what do you want to do for the next couple of hours?” He asked. Lana shook her head and then tucked some hair behind her ear.

“I don’t know.” She stood up and left the bedroom, taking a good look around the small house. “It’s so clean already or I would suggest helping him out.” Clark nodded and Lana furrowed her brow. “How do you think he does it?” Clark raised his eyes from the floor to look at her.

“Does what?” Clark asked.

“Clark,” Lana said. “I don’t have to tell you what hard work keeping a farm up is. He has more property than your parents do and he’s working it all by himself, and then he still manages to keep his house clean.” Lana looked baffled. She could barely keep up with her homework and her responsibilities at The Talon. Clark’s eyes grew wide and he quickly turned his head so that Lana wouldn’t notice that he knew something.

“Maybe he’s good at time management,” Clark suggested half heartedly. He knew it wasn’t true though. He suspected that his double had the same abilities that he had, which Clark realized should have been obvious, seeing as how they were both from another planet and there was a yellow sun on this world.

“Maybe,” Lana agreed suspiciously. She paused for a second while she took in Clark’s nervous body language. “Or maybe he has the same secrets you do?” Clark ran a hand through his hair and refused to make eye contact with her. “Clark, why won’t you tell me what’s going on with you?” Lana pleaded. Clark let out a suffered sigh.

“I want to Lana, I just---”

“You just won’t,” she said. Clark saw the tears welling up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away with her hand. “I’m your friend Clark. I don’t see why you don’t think you can trust me.”

“I *can* trust you,” Clark said. “I *do* trust you.” He shook his head slightly and looked at the floor. “But I can’t tell you this. You’d hate me.” He said the last part so quietly that Lana almost didn’t hear it. She came over to him and touched his arm compassionately; trying not to notice how firm the muscle was underneath her hand.

“I could never hate you Clark,” Lana said. She grinned a little. “You’re not going to tell me that you’re a serial killer or something are you?” Clark chuckled.

“Don’t ask if you’re not prepared for the answer,” Clark teased and waggled his eyebrows at her. Her grin turned into a smile and she laughed lightly. There was a small lapse in the conversation and then Lana crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow at him.

“You’re still not going to tell me, are you?” She asked. “I won’t tell anyone else if that’s what you’re worried about.” He eyed her as he contemplated his situation. The odds were that she’d find out anyway, since they were going to be living under the same roof as his double. He closed his eyes and nodded.

“Okay,” he finally said. “But I think it might be easier to show you than to tell you.” Lana was stunned. He was actually going to tell her what his secret was. She was going to be able to trust him, and they might be able to take another step toward the relationship that she so desperately wanted to have with him.

“Alright,” Lana agreed. Clark looked around the inside of the house, but didn’t see anything of substantial weight to be able to impress her. He held out his hand for her.

“Come outside,” he said. She took his hand and they walked out the door. Clark smiled when he saw an old piece of a log lying on the ground. He stood far enough away from it and then cast a small smile toward Lana. “Just watch,” he ordered. She nodded and carefully watched him. Clark used his heat vision and the wood leapt into flames. Lana’s eyes grew wide with what she had just seen.

“H-how did you do that?” She asked. Clark was already over at the log, trying to put out the small fire he started.

“It’s kind of a long story,” he said. Lana grinned.

“My schedules free,” she responded. Clark smiled and walked over to her.

“I can also run really fast, jump pretty high, and then there’s the strength thing. I have a really hard time getting hurt too,” Clark said. Lana was so surprised at this revelation, but it all came together for her now.

“That’s how you saved me from the tornado, you jumped up into the truck,” she mused. Clark nodded. “Clark, why didn’t you just tell me this before? Were you afraid that I’d call you a meteor freak or something?” Clark looked down and began to shuffle one of his feet back and forth.

“I’m not,” Clark said quietly.

“That’s not what I meant,” Lana said. “Of course you’re not a freak, I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.” Clark looked up at her with sadness in his eyes.

“No, I mean, my abilities aren’t because of meteor exposure,” Clark explained. “In fact, the meteor rocks I do come across make me really sick and weak.” He decided that now wasn’t the best time to bring up the fact that red kryptonite turned him crazy. Lana stared blankly at him.

“Oh.”

“That’s why I couldn’t be around you for a long time,” Clark said. “Because you wore that necklace.” Lana let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she had been holding in.

“So, if your ‘super’ powers aren’t because of the meteor rocks, what are they from?” Lana asked. There it was. The question that Clark had been dreading.

“The rocks,” he started and then paused. “They sort of came down with me when I was a baby.” Lana looked confused. “I’m not from this world Lana.” Lana rolled her eyes.

“I know *that* Clark, neither am I,” she said. “Now stop avoiding the question.” Clark smiled when he realized that she thought he was speaking of the alternate reality.

“No, I mean, I’m not from our planet,” Clark said. Lana furrowed her brow.

“You’re an alien?” She asked with disbelief. Clark looked to the side.

“Well, yeah, but you don’t have to say it like that,” Clark said. Lana giggled.

“Sorry,” she said. “But I thought that aliens were supposed to be, you know, like little gray men with big eyes and long fingers.” Clark smiled.

“Closet sci-fi fan?” He teased. Lana rolled her eyes again and then shook her head.

“You’re serious aren’t you?” She asked. Clark nodded. The atmosphere suddenly turned very intense with her words and Clark was unsure of how she was actually taking the news.

“Are you okay?” Clark asked. Lana grinned.

“I’m fine,” she said. She moved to get closer to Clark and then wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. Clark was surprised by the action, but not displeased. He embraced her and grinned to himself. “Thank you for finally telling me.” Clark tightened his grip a little and then kissed her on the top of the head.

“Just don’t tell anyone else,” he said in a hushed voice. “I don’t want to be on Chloe’s wall of weird or have the government experiment on me.” Lana let his words sink in. No wonder he had been so afraid to tell her. His life would be hell if anyone found out, if he ended up staying alive at all.

“I won’t tell anyone,” she promised. The two pulled apart from each other when they heard Jerome clear his throat to alert them of his presence. He nodded at them as a greeting and then walked passed them. Clark and Lana followed him into his house. “I thought you said you were going to be gone for a couple of hours?” Lana mentioned. Jerome turned around to look at her and he grinned.

“Got done early,” he said. He shared a look with Clark and then an expression of comprehension crossed Lana’s face.

“Oh,” she said, now in understanding of the situation. Jerome furrowed his brow and looked at Clark.

“Does she know?” He asked. Clark nodded.

“Yeah, but don’t worry, she won’t tell anybody,” Clark said. Lana smiled up at him. He trusted her. It was such a nice feeling, and she hadn’t gotten used to it yet. Jerome grinned and crossed his arms.

“I guess if you trust her, then I can too,” Jerome said. Lana turned to face him. He was still glistening, but she figured that had more to do with the heat that had fallen upon them rather than the work he had been doing. He looked so good, and she suddenly wondered why she hadn’t taken advantage of her many opportunities to ogle Clark when he was doing farm work.

She shook the thought from her mind. They were friends, and she wasn’t sure that he’d want to be more than that anymore. In a way, Clark telling her the truth had complicated their relationship. They had feelings for each other, she knew they did, but would he want to act on them now? What if he wanted to end up with someone from the planet where he was originally born? She placed an unsure grin on her face as she looked back up at Clark, and made a mental note to talk to him about it later.

~*~*~
Ch. 10
~*~*~

“Wow,” Chloe said unenthusiastically as they walked down Smallville’s main street. “It looks the same.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Clark asked and then frowned at the possessive arm Lex had draped around Chloe’s back. Chloe shrugged.

“I guess not,” she said. Lex grinned.

“She was just expecting something more like the last world she went to so she could get an exclusive,” Lex said. “Pictures of an identical town aren’t going to sell papers.” Chloe grumbled.

“My stupid luck I had to pick a world that was exactly like ours,” Chloe said under her breath.

‘Not exactly like ours,’ Lex thought to himself as he noticed Clark leering at Chloe through the corner of his eye. Clark noticed Lex’s glare and he smirked. Lex and Chloe may be going out, but they weren’t married, which left time for him to ‘convince’ her to stay with him. Clark stopped walking abruptly and the others turned around to face him.

“Something wrong?” Chloe asked. Clark leered at her and both Lex and Alex scowled at the look of pure driven lust in his eyes. Clark looked over at Lex menacingly.

“I challenge you,” he said simply. Lex raised an eyebrow and Alex winced. Alex was afraid that this was going to happen once Chloe set up the meeting with Clark. He had hoped to keep them back at the manor, or at least away from town, where he could challenge Lex himself. At least he had a chance of winning against Lex since they were evenly matched.

“You challenge me?” Lex asked. His voice carried confusion and surprise. Clark motioned to Chloe with his head.

“You’re her boyfriend, but she hasn’t been promised to you yet,” Clark explained. Lex furrowed his brow. He didn’t like the way this was sounding.

“Which means,” Alex cut in, “that you can be challenged for her.” Chloe stared at the men in disbelief and her mouth hung open slightly.

“I’m not some sort of prize!” She protested. Alex shrugged.

“It’s the law here Chloe,” he tried to explain. “And it works both ways. If a man or woman is dating someone, but hasn’t already been promised to marry them, then their girlfriend or boyfriend can be challenged by an outside party.”

“And what is this challenge?” Lex asked, an angry steel-like quality lining his voice. Alex ran a hand through his short-cropped hair. He stepped toward Lex and spoke in a half-whisper.

“You won’t win,” he warned. “Clark is the strongest guy anyone knows of.” Lex didn’t turn his head toward Alex’s voice.

“Do I have to accept?” Lex asked and then grinned. “Or can I just say ‘screw you’ and leave with Chloe?” Clark narrowed his eyes at him.

“If you decline the challenge, then you forfeit her,” Alex said dryly. Lex squared his jaw.

“What kind of challenge?” Lex asked Clark.

“Wait a second! We’re not even from here! We don’t have to abide by your laws!” Chloe argued.

“But we’re here now Chloe, and we don’t know when we’re going home,” Lex said as calmly as he could. “What kind of challenge?” He repeated. Clark kept his gaze solely on Chloe as he responded.

“Physical, mental, and emotional,” Clark replied. “There are three separate tests that make up the challenge.” Alex pursed his lips.

“You’ll need official judges,” Alex said. “And that might be hard to come by given the time of year.” Clark chuckled.

“It’s amazing how reasonable people can be when they see what you’re capable of,” he said threateningly. Chloe frowned and spoke softly into Lex’s ear.

“Okay, I take it back. You were right, I was wrong; the Clark here is a psycho – who interestingly enough reminds me of your dad. So can we get out of here now?” Chloe asked. Lex smirked and leaned down to kiss her on the top of the head. He stiffened his spine and put on his ever present confident face.

“We can’t leave yet Chloe,” he said. “I’ve been challenged. And a Luthor never backs down from a challenge.” Chloe closed her eyes for a moment and cursed under her breath. She needed to find a way to keep Lex from doing this. She had no doubt that Lex could beat Clark hands down in any mental or emotional competition, but if this Clark was as strong as her Clark was, then he could easily pummel her boyfriend into a pile of bloody pulp. She stood on her tiptoes again to speak into his ear. This time she used the half whispering sultry voice that she knew drove Lex crazy.

“Fine,” Chloe said. “Then I challenge you to walk away from this for now and come back to Alex’s house to make love with me.” Lex’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he turned his head toward her. She was serious. Chloe brought his face down to hers and captured his mouth in a searing kiss. She licked along his bottom lip and he immediately spread his lips apart to grant her tongue access. Clark growled in anger and Alex felt incredibly uncomfortable. Watching Chloe do that with someone who looked almost exactly like him, except for the hair of course, was extremely erotic. They finally pulled apart to breathe and Lex rested his forehead against Chloe’s. He turned back to look at Clark, but kept his arms tightly embraced around his girlfriend’s body.

“Your challenge will have to wait Clark,” Lex said. “Chloe has just issued a more interesting one.” Chloe smiled. Her plan to get him away from an imminently dangerous situation was working. Clark glared at Lex. The man in front of him was going to lose, and he would soon be the one that Chloe was doting over. An evil smile came onto his lips.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” Clark warned. “I’ll be setting up my challenge for Chloe for tomorrow.” Lex gave him a curt nod of his head.

“You do that,” Lex responded, completely unthreatened by the young man shooting daggers at him with his eyes. Lex looked back down at Chloe. “Shall we?” Chloe grinned and they started to walk back toward Alex’s car. Alex sighed and eyed Clark hesitantly.

“You’re going to make the physical competition first, aren’t you?” Alex asked. Clark smirked.

“Of course,” Clark said. “I need to show her that I’m capable of providing her with strong offspring.” Alex stared at him with an emotionless face.

“You’ll kill him,” he said simply. Clark’s smirk turned into a broad, creepy smile.

“If I have to,” Clark replied coyly.

“You know as well as I do that there’s no ‘have to’ about it. You’re ten times stronger than any normal man. You’ll kill him,” Alex said. Clark shrugged.

“He should have thought about that before he accepted the challenge,” Clark responded. Alex shook his head.

“You really don’t have any good in you, do you?” Alex commented. Clark tilted his head to the side and smiled.

“Not that I’m aware of.”

The first part of the drive back to the manor was done in a distressing silence. Alex drove carefully and Lex shot Chloe a couple of looks, which she chuckled at. Alex stared straight ahead when they came to a stop sign.

“So what’s with you anyway?” Chloe finally asked Alex from the back seat of the car. “You’ve been quiet and --- disturbed ever since we left Clark.” Alex glanced at her in the rearview mirror, and then he looked over at Lex.

“He’s going to kill you,” Alex finally said. Lex arched an eyebrow and looked bemused.

“I doubt that,” Lex said. “I may not look as strong as he does, but I’ve had several years in martial arts training.” Alex shook his head and started driving again.

“It won’t matter,” Alex said. “One good slug on his part and your head will be separated from the rest of your body.” Lex and Chloe looked at each other.

“Look, I know that you said he was strong, but---” Lex started but Alex cut him off.

“I wasn’t exaggerating if that’s what you’re implying,” Alex said. “He’s not human.”

“Funny,” Lex said. “He looks human.” His tone was teasing and Alex’s grip on the wheel tightened.

“You said you knew him back on your world,” Alex said. “Didn’t he tell you?”

“What? That he’s from another planet?” Lex asked with a chuckle. Alex looked at him through the corner of his eye and Chloe noticed that Alex seemed completely serious.

“Lex,” she said. “He’s not kidding.” Lex furrowed his brow. A part of his subconscious reminded him about his car and the test results they found indicating that he had hit Clark.

“He’s---”

“Clark’s an alien,” Chloe said in complete shock and rested her back against the seat. “I can’t believe this.”

“Well, believe it,” Alex said.

“It certainly explains a lot,” Lex said. Chloe nodded absently.

“It does,” she agreed. She looked at Lex. “So does Lex still have to fight him? Shouldn’t Clark be disqualified because he’s not human?” Her voice grew quieter with the last part of her question. A big part of her still refused to believe what Alex was telling them.

“You’d think so,” Alex said. “But no.” Chloe reached forward and placed her hand on Lex’s shoulder.

“We need to get out of here.”

~*~*~
Ch. 11
~*~*~

Pete & Alison's World

~*~*~*~*~

Chloe jerked away from him and shot him a hostile glare.

“I am *not* yours,” she repeated angrily. Alexander leered at her. He hadn’t expected to have such a physical reaction to her, but now that he did, he wasn’t about to let her go. Not that he would have anyway. He advanced toward her again and she retreated backward until her back hit the wall. Alexander placed his hands on the wall beside her, effectively trapping her there. He smirked at her and leaned forward. He had been about to capture her mouth for what he was sure would be an amazing kiss when he felt a sharp stab of pain to his groin.

Chloe kneed him and watched him grip him stomach. She took the opportunity to run to the door, but was detained by one of Prince Alexander’s massive guards. Chloe struggled frantically in the arms of the man, but one of the other guards came over and hit her over the back of the head. Her body immediately fell into a limp, unconscious form. Alexander stalked over to them with fire in his eyes.

“I told you that I needed her alive,” he yelled. The guard seemed surprised by his reaction.

“She hurt you your majesty,” the man protested. “Surely you would have us seek retribution?” Alexander snarled at him and kneeled down next to Chloe’s body. He ran his hand around her neck and let out a breath when he felt that she still had a pulse.

“You’re incredibly fortunate that she still lives,” Alexander said as he stood up. “Take her to one of the wagons and make sure she cannot escape during our travel back to my kingdom.” The guard nodded and picked her up, and then proceeded to carry her out the door.

“Your grace,” one of the other guards called to the prince. Alexander turned around. The guard motioned to Pete and Alison with his head. “Are they to die?” He looked thoughtful as he glared at them.

“Bind them so they may not leave, but keep them alive. I need someone to tell King Whitney that I took his precious sorceress,” Alexander stated. Pete and Alison shared a look.

“Dude, you’ll be starting a war,” Pete said to him. Alexander observed him with humor.

“Precisely,” he agreed and turned on his heel to leave. The guard tied Pete and Alison up, gagged their mouths, and left them sitting in one of the corners of the room.

Alexander, and the small part of his army that he brought with him, began their long journey home. Chloe awoke to the rattling of the wagon beneath her and the night sky above. She didn’t know how long she had been out, but she was now bound tightly to the inside of the wagon. It didn’t matter. She had ways around those ties. Chloe said a small spell in a whispered voice and the ropes around her limbs disintegrated. She carefully looked over the side of the wagon to see if anyone was paying attention to her. They weren’t.

‘Fools,’ Chloe thought. She quietly moved to the end of the wagon. There were soldiers behind her, but they seemed too entrenched in the ride to be watching her. Still, she wouldn’t be able to jump out without them noticing. She frowned and sank back down into the wagon. Chloe needed to formulate a plan to get out of there and away from Prince Alexander. Her mind drifted back to how her body felt when he was next to her and her heart started to race. If this was how their doubles from Pete and Alison’s world were, she could understand why they were together despite the fact that their families hadn’t arranged it. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

She didn’t know Prince Alexander, and she would never betray her king like that anyway. So why couldn’t she release the memory of the electricity that pulsed through her body when he licked her ear. When he had been so near her and about to kiss her before she wounded him? ‘Probably shouldn’t have done that,’ she mused to herself. ‘He’s definitely not going to take it easy on me now.’ Chloe was ripped out of her thoughts by the sound of a horn blowing.

Her body tensed as she felt the wagon slow to a stop. It was still night, and she couldn’t make out much around her other than the soldiers she had seen earlier. She heard a man clear his throat and she turned to face him. Prince Alexander was leaning on his forearms against the side of the wagon and smirking at her. Chloe subconsciously scooted as far away from that side as she could and his smirk seemed to grow. The look in his eyes made Chloe feel decidedly uncomfortable.

“Why have we stopped?” She asked. Her voice betrayed her nervousness and Alexander crossed to the back of the wagon and unlatched it. He offered her his hand to help her step down, but she ignored it and climbed off the wagon herself. She crossed her arms defensively and grinned. “Are you leaving me out here surrounded by nothing?” Alexander arched an eyebrow.

“You sound like the idea pleases you,” he observed. She nodded.

“It does,” she confirmed. His head leaned back as he released an evil sounding laugh. Chloe frowned. “If you’re going to kill me, then get it over with.” Alexander’s laughter came to a halt, but his eyes still twinkled under the starlit sky. He stepped closer to her and only the solid wall of muscle behind her kept her from retreating. He was within a couple of inches of her and he leaned down to speak into her ear. His warm breath caressed her cheek and wove its way through her hair.

“Why would I kill my betrothed?” His voice was low and Chloe found herself closing her eyes.

“I am the king’s betrothed,” she argued half heartedly. Her voice came out almost like a whimper and Alexander grinned and ran his fingertips up and down her arm.

“I will soon be the king,” he said confidently. She opened her eyes to look at him.

“I am King Whitney’s betrothed,” she corrected. Alexander gave her a seductive smile and his fingers moved to the top of her breasts that her dress didn’t cover. Her breath hitched and Alexander swept his cheek against hers.

“He will be most disappointed when he finds out that you and I have married then, won’t he?” Alexander asked. He could feel his blood pumping faster as he increased their physical contact. He began to nibble on her earlobe when he heard her speak in a quiet voice.

“He’ll kill you,” she said. It was a hushed sound, and if he hadn’t been right next to her then he may not have caught it, but it came out with a confidence that alarmed him. Alexander pulled back slightly and tilted his head at her.

“He loves you?” Alexander asked. Chloe stared straight ahead, refusing to meet his eyes with her own.

“That is a question for him,” she answered. Alexander squared his jaw.

“Do you love him?” He asked.

“We are to be married,” she said cryptically. Alexander growled loudly.

“Do you love him?!” He demanded. He didn’t know why the idea incensed him so much. He only met the woman two days before when they raided Whitney’s castle. But still, there was something. There was some force that drove him to want to be near her, that was making him crave her. His blood boiled at the thought of her being with Whitney, at the thought of her being with anyone but him. She didn’t answer him and he took a handful of her hair and yanked her head backward. His face came down to within millimeters of hers. “Do you love him?” He repeated. She looked him in the eyes.

“Does it matter?” She asked. He furrowed his brow and didn’t let go of his hold on her. “You’re going to kill me now or kill me after you have gained his kingdom,” she pointed out. “It should not matter who I love or who I do *not* love.” She looked at him as she said the last part and his nostrils flared.

“No,” he agreed. “It shouldn’t matter.” He paused and motioned for a man in a cloak to come over. ‘But it does,’ he thought to himself. “You and I shall be wed now,” he told her and let go of her hair. She looked at him like he had lost his mind.

“You can’t do this,” she argued. Alexander stood up straight and smirked at her.

“I think you’ll find that I can,” he replied and pointed at the edge of the forest they had just come through. “You see those woods?” She nodded. “They are the boundary between my kingdom and King Whitney’s.” He said Whitney’s name with disgust and Chloe’s eyes grew wide.

“B-but --- how long was I asleep?” She asked. Chloe knew that Alexander’s kingdom was at least a week away, and that’s if you were riding at full speed and still traveling through the night. She surmised that there was no way she could have been unconscious for that length of time and still lived.

“Two days,” Alexander replied and let his lips graze the top of her head. “Almost three.” She shook her head.

“That’s not possible,” she said, more to herself than to anybody else. He grinned at her.

“There’s a shortcut,” he said. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t cut off as much time as I’d like.” She paled. If he knew of a shortcut into Whitney’s kingdom, then his army had a significant strategic advantage. “It almost seems like fate that you should have woken up when you did,” Alexander mused. “Now,” he said and placed his hands on her shoulders to turn her to face the man he had summoned. The priest began speaking in a language that Chloe didn’t understand and only too late did she realize that it wasn’t a normal wedding ceremony.

A green fog began to swirl around her and Alexander and seemed to be physically pushing them toward each other. The priest stopped speaking and gave a curt nod to Prince Alexander, who then reached out and cupped Chloe’s face and brought his mouth down to meet her own. She struggled and tried to push him away, but the fog was still tightening around them. His arms wound around her back and head and Chloe started to feel lightheaded. His lips against hers, their bodies pressed together; the sensations were almost intoxicating. Her hands slowly crept up his chest as she began to relent and return his kiss. Alexander let out a small moan and traced his tongue along her lips, begging for entrance. She opened her mouth just slightly and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Their tongues writhed against each other and both felt incomplete when they had to pull apart for air.

Chloe stood there with a stunned expression on her face. How could she have just kissed her king’s enemy? Her eyes grew wide as the situation hit her. She was now married to Prince Alexander. When Whitney found out he would kill them both, and he wasn’t known for being merciful in his slayings. She paled and felt her legs start to weaken. She gave Alexander a sorrowful look.

“You should have killed me,” she whispered before collapsing to the ground, unconscious once again.

~*~*~
Ch. 12
~*~*~

Clark & Lana's World

~*~*~*~*~

Clark and Lana watched with amusement as Jerome rifled through some old wooden boxes. He found what he was looking for and then threw the items at Lana. She furrowed her brow when she looked at the long dress and all the underlying accessories that went with it.

“What’s this for?” She asked. Jerome smiled nervously at her and ran his hand over the back of his neck.

“Your clothing isn’t exactly --- appropriate for this world,” he answered as delicately as possible. Clark sniggered and Lana shot him a warning look. She held up the dress.

“I don’t think this is going to fit me,” she said. Jerome frowned.

“It was my mom’s,” he said and let out a small sigh. “She was bigger than you are. I don’t know if any of her clothes are going to fit you.”

“What about Clark?” She asked Jerome and then gave Clark a smug grin. He rolled his eyes.

“Obviously we’re the same size, so he can just borrow some of my clothes,” Jerome responded. Clark nodded.

“Thanks,” he said. Lana frowned.

“Well that still doesn’t help me,” she said. “And I don’t want to be stuck in this house for the entire time we’re here.” She thought back to her last experience in another world, about being locked in a tower room, and she shuddered. Clark placed a comforting hand on her back. Jerome looked thoughtful.

“There might be one other possibility,” he said. “And I’m sure she’d be willing to help, she’s great like that. But it might take some fast talking to get passed her brother.” Lana and Clark looked at each other and then back at Jerome.

“Who’s great like that?” Lana asked in a teasing tone. Jerome blushed and ducked his head. “You like her,” Lana observed. “Who is it?” Clark grinned.

“You may as well tell her now, because she’s just going to keep hassling you about it,” Clark said. Lana’s mouth dropped open and her hands went to her hips.

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to bring joy to other people’s lives Clark,” Lana protested. Jerome looked confused.

“She’s going to try and set you up with whoever this girl is,” Clark explained. Jerome’s lips made a perfect ‘o’ shape. He looked panicked.

“I don’t think you’d get very far,” Jerome said. “Alex would have to approve of me wooing her, and so far he hasn’t let anyone get near her other than as a friend.”

“Alex?” Clark asked.

“Her brother, well, step brother technically,” Jerome clarified. Lana’s nose wrinkled up.

“Why would he have to approve?” Lana asked. Jerome shrugged.

“He’s the closest living male relation,” he answered. “Her father died when she was very young and her stepfather died along with her mother in the tornado last year.” Lana frowned. She got so caught up in Jerome’s description of the mystery girl’s past that she forgot why they originally started the discussion. She couldn’t help comparing her own life to the one that Jerome had just recanted. Her parents had both died, but she recently found out that her biological dad was alive and well and she was starting to develop a relationship with him.

“Why doesn’t he like her?” Lana finally choked out. Clark and Jerome both creased their brows in confusion. “Her step brother,” Lana said. “Why doesn’t he want her to be happy?” Clark gave her a small hug while Jerome, not knowing Lana’s history with her own parents’ deaths, looked at her like she was an emotional basket case.

“We don’t know everything about what’s going on Lana,” Clark said consolingly. “Maybe he’s just trying to do what he thinks is right for her.” Jerome nodded.

“They actually get along very well,” Jerome added. Lana sniffled and pushed a smile onto her lips.

“Okay,” she said. “But you still haven’t told us her name.” Clark shrugged at Jerome’s surprised expression.

“I told you she wouldn’t give up,” Clark reminded him. Jerome shook his head in amusement. One minute Clark’s wife was happy, the next bossy, then she was practically blubbering over someone she didn’t even know. True, she was pretty, but Jerome was suddenly very glad that her double wasn’t in his world.

“Chloe,” Jerome finally answered. Clark and Lana looked at him in stunned silence. “Her name is Chloe.” Lana’s mouth dropped open.

“Chloe?” Lana repeated. She placed her hands on her hips and then turned to Clark. “Geez, do you like her on every world?” Clark blushed a little and ducked his head.

“Not on ours,” Clark offered hopefully. Lana swept aside his comment.

“But you did,” she countered. “I saw the way you looked at her at the Halloween party and you did take her to the spring formal.”

“You were going out with Whitney,” Clark argued.

“Would you have asked me if I wasn’t?” Lana asked. Clark opened his mouth to say something, but Jerome cut him off.

“You guys know Chloe?” He asked. Clark and Lana both turned to look at him.

“Chloe? Yeah, well, you know, our Chloe not your Chloe,” Clark stammered. Jerome seemed uncertain of what he wanted to say next and Lana smiled gently at him.

“Sorry, we didn’t mean to argue in front of you,” Lana said.

“It’s okay,” Jerome said. “Clark, why don’t you get changed and we’ll go into town. Chloe’s usually there around this time of the day and we can ask her about getting some clothes for Lana.” Clark nodded.

“Okay,” he agreed. “Be right back.” Lana grinned at Jerome and shuffled one of her feet on the floor.

“So, I guess---” She stopped talking when Clark came back into the room only seconds after he left and had a different outfit on. Lana blinked rapidly and looked back toward the door. “How did you?” Clark smiled.

“I like to call it super speed,” he said. She arched an eyebrow at him.

“I bet you do,” she teased. He blushed and smiled.

“Are you going to be okay here by yourself?” Clark asked. Lana nodded.

“Yep, I’ll be fine,” she said.

“Okay, we’ll be back soon,” Clark said. Lana blinked and they were both gone. She shook her head.

“I’m never going to get used to that,” she said aloud. Lana looked around the small house and her eyes grew wide as she realized something. ‘Oh no,’ she thought. ‘If Jerome likes Chloe, then Alex must be Lex.’ She groaned and flopped herself onto the bed in the room Jerome was letting her and Clark use. “This is not going to end well.”

~*~*~*~*~

Clark and Jerome sped toward town and only stopped using their super speed when there was a chance that they might be seen by others. They walked into town and almost every head turned in a double take. Jerome smiled broadly when he saw Chloe outside the local mercantile and Clark barely even recognized her. Her hair was long and hung down in a loose braid in the back and she was wearing a dress that was high style for the time period.

“Chloe,” Jerome said. Chloe swung her head around and smiled brightly at Jerome. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of someone who looked just like him. She was about to ask what was going on when Jerome nodded toward Clark. “Chloe, this is my cousin Clark Kent. He and his wife Lana are visiting for a while. Clark, this is my friend Chloe Luthor.” Chloe smiled, awestruck by the similarity in appearance between the two young men. Clark tried to hide his surprised expression at her last name.

“Nice to meet you Mr. Kent,” Chloe said and extended a hand. Clark nodded, smiled, and shook her hand.

“You too,” he said. Chloe looked around, but didn’t see a female with them.

“Where’s your wife?” She asked.

“She didn’t come with us,” Jerome explained. He got a bashful look on his face and gave her a puppy dog expression. “That’s kind of why we’re here,” he said in a hushed tone as he leaned in toward her. “I need a favor.” Jerome placed his hand on her back and proceeded to explain to her that the styles were very different where Clark and Lana were from and that what she came with would be considered too risqué. Chloe smiled.

“She’s welcome to some of my dresses,” Chloe said. “That must be a very difficult situation to be in for her, having traveled all this way and then to have people not accept you just because of your clothing.” Chloe made a tisking sound with her tongue and shook her head. “Would you like me to bring them by later?”

“Bring what by later?” Alex asked as he stepped outside the store. He immediately noticed the hand that Jerome had on Chloe’s back and how close they were standing. Alex went to stand next to Chloe and Jerome stepped away from her a little, removing his hand from her back. Chloe smiled at Alex.

“The Kents had some of their things stolen while they were traveling here, so I offered to let his wife borrow some of my dresses for the length of their stay,” Chloe smoothly lied. Alex finally noticed that there seemed to be two Jeromes and Chloe let out a small giggle. She motioned toward Clark with her head. “Clark Kent, Jerome’s cousin,” she said.

“Extraordinary resemblance,” Lex said. He extended a hand. “Alex Luthor.”

“Clark Kent,” Clark said and shook Lex’s hand.

“So you’re married Mr. Kent?” Alex asked. Clark nodded.

“Yeah,” Clark answered. “You?” Clark already had a feeling in his gut that Alex wasn’t married and that the reason for it was the blonde woman standing in their circle. Alex grinned.

“No,” he answered. Chloe eyed him and then a Cheshire-like smile crossed her lips.

“Do you know anyone who’s available Mr. Kent?” Chloe asked. “None of the women in our town or the surrounding areas seem to be able to catch my brother’s attention for more than a week.” Clark cast a knowing look at Alex, who seemed surprised at the boy’s intuition.

“No, sorry,” Clark said. Alex grinned at Chloe and placed his hand on the small of her back. He leaned down so that he was almost next to her ear.

“Maybe I’ve already chosen who I want to wed,” he said in a hushed and husky voice. Chloe turned around and looked at him in bewilderment.

“Who?” She asked. He said nothing, but instead smirked at her. “Who?!” She hit his arm playfully. “Alexander Joseph Luthor, you tell me right now.” The smirk on Alex’s face grew a little and was almost bordering on becoming a full smile.

“Can’t tell,” he said.

“Why not?” Chloe asked. He smiled broadly.

“It’s a secret,” he teased. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“You know I’ll find out,” she said. Alex shrugged.

“You haven’t figured it out yet,” he countered. Chloe frowned. She had never seen him with any woman for more than a week, and for the last several months he hadn’t been with anyone at all. Alex stopped teasing her, but his smile didn’t fall. He looked over at Clark and Jerome.

“Why don’t we have someone bring some things by and then our coachman can you give you all a ride back to our house for dinner?” Alex asked. Chloe and Jerome looked very surprised. Chloe smiled.

“Wow, that’s so nice of you Alex,” she commented. He grinned.

“Just trying to be hospitable,” he said. “So how about it?” Jerome and Clark shrugged.

“Sure,” Clark said. “That would be great.” Alex shook his hand and then he shook Jerome’s.

“See you tonight then,” Alex said. Normally he wouldn’t have invited anyone to dine with Chloe and him, but he saw that look in Clark’s eye. He didn’t know how, but the stranger knew that he liked Chloe. And he needed to keep an eye on him to keep him from ruining his plans.

[scifichick774]

~*~*~
Ch. 13
~*~*~

Chloe & Lex's World

~*~*~*~*~

“There’s got to be another way,” Chloe said as she paced back and forth in the bedroom Alex gave them.

“You sound like you don’t think I’ll win,” Lex observed. He already had his shirt unbuttoned and it was hanging open as he came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his face against her neck. She leaned back against him, but even his attention couldn’t distract Chloe from worrying about what was going to happen. She placed her hands over his.

“You’re smart, so you’ve got that on him,” Chloe mused. “Plus the emotional thing, whatever it is, will be an easy win. But ---”

“You’re worried about the physical part of the competition,” Lex finished for her. Chloe nodded. “Alright, what are our options?” He began to kiss her neck and gently nibble at it. Chloe let out a small moan when he started to suck on a vein.

“Mmm,” she said as a familiar pleasure started to course through her body. “We could ---” Her breath hitched in anticipation as Lex removed her shirt.

“We could,” he repeated. He turned her around in his arms and leaned down to kiss her. His tongue ran along the crease in her lips, silently begging for entry. Chloe opened her mouth and her tongue slid against his slowly. Lex let his hands roam over her back until he got to her bra clasp. He quickly unfastened it and let it fall down her arms until she shrugged it off. He kissed his way down her jaw and neck to her collarbone and then to her breasts. His breathing was a little faster and he stood up straight. “I believe I have another challenge to take care of before we worry about the other one.” Chloe smiled and Lex grabbed her legs, just under her butt, to raise her from the ground. Chloe wrapped her legs around his waist and he walked them to the bed. He slowly leaned her down on top of it and the rest of their clothing was soon discarded. Lex crawled on top of her and kissed her passionately as Chloe’s legs crept up along the sides of his body until they were completely wrapped around his waist again. He started to kiss down to her breasts again when Chloe pushed herself away from him a little. Lex furrowed his brow.

“Did you bring any condoms with you?” She asked hopefully. Lex groaned and rolled completely off of her. Chloe frowned. “So that’s a ‘no’ then?” Lex sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t even think about it. To be honest, I was hoping to talk you out of coming here.” Chloe moved to snuggle up next to him.

“I could go to the store,” she offered. “They’ve got to have some here since our worlds are so similar.” Lex eyed her skeptically.

“If you leave this house then Clark could abduct you or something,” he responded. “I can go.” He started reaching for his boxers, but Chloe grabbed his arm to stop him.

“If you go out then he’ll probably try and kill you,” Chloe said. Her concern was evident and she wished that she had never brought them to this world. Lex smirked.

“You’re worried about me?” He teased. Chloe’s expression didn’t soften. She pulled his face to hers and kissed him with desperation. They finally pulled apart to breathe and Lex swept a hand through her hair, clutching the back of her skull to bring her to him again. His tongue darted into her mouth immediately, and he leaned them back down against the bed. Lex separated his mouth from hers and moved down her body to her breasts. He traced one nipple with his tongue and then moved to the other. Chloe arched her back to his actions. Her fingernails dug into his back as he began to suckle one nipple and tease the other with his thumb and index finger. Her arousal only grew when she felt his hard length pressing against her.

Chloe lost her ability to think rationally and began to act on primal instinct alone. She spread her legs and one of Lex’s hands moved down her body to tease her clit. She started rubbing herself against him rhythmically until Lex couldn’t stand it anymore. He positioned himself between her legs and thrust into her. Chloe let out a gasp at the sensation. She hadn’t meant to get carried away like this, and her body wouldn’t let her stop now. Lex pumped in and out of her until her vision went almost white and her body started to shake. He gave a few more thrusts and then collapsed, falling to her side with fatigue. They both struggled to catch their breath and the room fell into an uncomfortable silence as the realization of what they just did hit them.

“Chloe ---”

“It’s okay,” Chloe said. Lex shook his head and turned to look at her.

“No it’s not,” he argued. “I didn’t mean to lose control – I just ---” Lex stopped speaking when Chloe smiled reassuringly at him.

“It’s okay,” she reiterated. She reached over and started to stroke his arm with her hand. “Really.”

“And if it’s not?” He asked.

“Wow, you have a lot of faith in our relationship,” she answered sarcastically. Lex grinned and leaned toward her to kiss her.

“Chloe, when we get out of this place, assuming we’re still alive that is, I ---” Lex wanted to tell her all of the romantic lines he rehearsed in his mind, but now wasn’t the time. She would just think he was telling her that he thought about marrying her, and that she was the woman he felt destined to be with for the rest of his life, because of the possible consequences of what they had just done. She wouldn’t believe that it was because he had really been thinking about it ever since his last experience with an alternate reality. Chloe kissed him again. She slid off the bed and dug through the bags of clothing they had purchased earlier that day. She got a short cami set on and tossed Lex the silk pajama pants he had picked out. She moved to get under the covers and Lex realized how late it had gotten. She smiled at him.

“Are you coming to bed?” She asked. “You need your rest for Clark’s challenge tomorrow.” She creased her brow slightly at the expression on his face. “What?” He grinned and put the pants on, then slipped under the sheets with her.

“I was just thinking that we’ve never actually done this before,” Lex responded. Chloe stared blankly at him. “Slept together,” he clarified. “Where sleep is the primary activity,” he said with a smirk. Chloe chuckled and shook her head.

“No, I guess we haven’t,” she said. Chloe snuggled up next to him and draped her arm across his stomach. “It’s nice,” she mused. Lex allowed his arm to stroke her hair and then move down to embrace her.

“It is,” he agreed. She yawned and let her eyes close. “May I ask you a question?”

“Mmm?” Chloe answered sleepily.

“Are you against getting married?” Lex asked. That woke her up right away. Chloe’s eyes shot open and she turned her head to look at him.

“What do you mean? You want me to marry Clark?” Chloe asked in disbelief. Lex grinned.

“God no,” he said calmly. “I meant in general.”

“Oh,” she said. “I guess I haven’t really thought about it before,” she admitted. “Why?”

“You haven’t thought about being opposed to it or you haven’t thought about getting married?” Lex asked.

“I’m not opposed to it in general,” Chloe said. “I think if you find the right person then that’s great. The trick is finding the right person.” Lex nodded. “As far as thinking about getting married myself, I don’t know. I’m sure it’s still a long way off, regardless of what psycho Clark says. Why?”

“So you’re not ruling it out as a possibility if you found the right person?” Lex clarified. Chloe shook her head.

“Of course not,” she replied. “But like I said, it’s not like I’m going to be getting married anytime soon – unless you lose the challenge, and I don’t think you will. I don’t know how they judge, but you’ve got two out of the three parts covered easily.” She said the last part with a small smirk that Lex smiled at.

“If by some fluke I lose tomorrow,” he trailed off and Chloe frowned. She didn’t want to think of that possibility. It had been traumatic enough when she saw the Lex from the first world she went to get gunned down. ‘It’s now or never; especially with what’s happening tomorrow. I have to know,’ he thought to himself. Lex kissed her forehead.

“Close your eyes,” Lex told her. She looked at him suspiciously, but did as instructed. Lex chuckled when he saw that she wasn’t closing them completely. He took her hand and placed it over her eyes.

“Spoil sport,” she said.

“It’s not going to be a surprise if you know what it is,” Lex countered. Chloe’s face lit up with a broad smile.

“You got me a surprise?” She asked almost giddily.

“Just keep your eyes closed,” he said. Lex got out of bed and dug through one of the bags Chloe brought with them. He climbed back into bed and held a small black box out in front of him, but left it unopened. “Okay, you can open them.” Chloe removed her hand and opened her eyes. Her eyebrows pushed together in confusion.

“You got me jewelry?” She asked. “When did you have time to do that today? I was with you the whole time.” Lex grinned.

“I got it at home,” he explained. She arched an eyebrow at him.

“You remembered to bring me a present but not a condom?” She asked. Lex shook his head. Chloe obviously wasn’t relating what they had been discussing to the box in front of her.

“My apologies,” he said. “But I think once you open it, things will make sense.” She eyed him suspiciously, but couldn’t remove the smile from her lips. She took the box and lifted the lid. Chloe’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. “I’ve managed to make you speechless,” Lex observed. “I hope that’s a good sign.” Chloe looked at him with complete shock on her face. The box contained a large emerald cut diamond ring with two matching triangular red stones on the sides. Lex pointed to them. “They’re meteor rocks,” he explained. “I thought you’d want something unique and ---” Chloe slammed her lips against his and he smiled as they kissed. Chloe pulled away from him and tears were starting to well up in her eyes. She smiled brightly as she looked at the ring.

“It’s perfect,” she said. Lex smirked. Despite the jeweler’s protests, Lex knew that including the meteor rocks would be the clincher.

“So will you?” He asked. Chloe looked at him through the corner of her eye and smiled impishly.

“Will I *what*?” She asked. Lex arched an eyebrow, but almost laughed at the fact that she wanted to be properly asked.

“Are you going to make me get down on one knee and the whole bit?” He asked. Chloe turned to him with a stubborn expression on her face and Lex gave a mock sigh. He grabbed the box away from her and Chloe pouted. Lex smirked as he slid off the bed and got down on one knee. “Chloe Elizabeth Sullivan, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she answered. Chloe was about to say ‘but’ when Lex interrupted her.

“I know, it won’t be for a while, and I hope you know that I would never rush you into anything,” he said. Chloe smiled as Lex sat back down on the bed.

“I know,” she said. They kissed and Chloe reached for the box in his hand. Lex held it out of her reach teasingly. “I don’t get to wear it now?” She asked. Lex smirked.

“I suppose,” he relented. He took the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger. Chloe held it up so it shone in the light. Lex started laughing. “If I knew you were going to love it so much, I would have given it to you earlier.” Chloe turned her face to look at him.

“How long have you had it?” She queried. Lex arched an eyebrow.

“If I tell you that, then you might change your mind,” he said. Chloe tilted her head at him and Lex grinned. “I had it made a week after we got together,” he admitted. Chloe’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

“You’re joking,” she said. Lex shook his head. “Wow.”

“Good wow or bad wow?” Lex asked.

“Good wow,” she said with a smile. She looked at the ring again. “Plus, great timing giving it to me now.” She caught his eyes with hers. “Maybe evil Clark will give up when he sees it.” Lex frowned.

“Somehow I doubt that,” he responded. He leaned over and kissed her. “We should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.” Chloe nodded in agreement and they turned off the lights. Chloe wrapped her body around his and kissed his cheek.

“Maybe we’ll get transported back home before the competition,” she mused. Lex smiled.

“If we do, promise me that we never go back to the gatehouse, no matter how big the story,” he said. Chloe grumbled and Lex chuckled. “You’re incredibly stubborn, you know that?”

“And you love me,” she said. Lex moved to kiss her.

“And I love you.”

~*~*~*~*~

The next morning came entirely too soon for Chloe, but she considered that it might just be because she wasn’t a morning person. They showered and went down to have breakfast with Alex. Chloe watched Lex’s double pick at his food and she grinned at him.

“Alex?” She asked. He looked up at her and noticed the ring on her finger, but said nothing. “Have you thought about contacting your Chloe?” Lex looked over at her in surprise. The question seemed to come out of nowhere. Alex nodded.

“Thought about it,” he replied.

“But ---”

“But she’s convinced that I’m like Clark,” he answered. “He and I actually used to be friends.”

“And you’re judged by the company you keep,” Lex filled in. Alex nodded.

“Maybe I could talk to her, you know, explain things,” Chloe said. Alex arched an eyebrow at her with an amused look on his face.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with you not wanting to marry Clark would it?” He asked.

“Actually no,” Chloe said. “Lex will win his stupid challenge, so I’m not worried about that.” ‘Okay, maybe a little,’ she thought to herself. Alex scoffed.

“He won’t live through the physical competition and then Clark will win by default,” Alex said. Chloe scowled at him and he shot her an apologetic look. “Sorry.” Chloe’s concern for her new fiancée came rushing back. She reached over and held his hand. Lex gave her hand a comforting squeeze and then turned his attention to Alex.

“You said that he’s not from ‘here’,” Lex said. “Does he have any weaknesses that you know of?” Alex appeared pensive and then shook his head.

“Not that I know of, but it’s not like he would tell me if he did,” Alex said.

“Good point,” Lex agreed. The butler came walking into the dining room and all three turned their heads to look at him.

“Mr. Luthor,” the man started.

“Yes?” Alex answered.

“Clark Kent is here with two officials. He said it was for a challenge that was issued,” the butler said. Alex looked over at Lex.

“You ready for this?” He asked. Lex shrugged and dabbed his mouth with his napkin. He stood up and Chloe quickly followed.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Lex said. They walked toward the foyer and Lex squared his jaw when he saw Clark. Never before had he wanted to kill his best friend, but he had to remind himself that this wasn’t his best friend. This was a warped version who wanted to take Chloe away from him for good. “Clark,” he greeted with animosity.

“Lex,” Clark replied with a smug grin. Lex took note of the two officials who looked nervous and almost scared to death.

“Do you mind if I have a word with these gentlemen before we start this challenge of yours? I’d like to be filled in on the rules and such,” Lex said. Clark shrugged.

“Go ahead,” he answered. “It’s not going to help you.” Lex and Alex took the officials to one side of the room. Lex tried to explain to them that he and Chloe were from an alternate dimension, had just gotten engaged, and every other reason he could come up with to try and convince them to call off the competition. Alex nodded in agreement and was actually supporting his positions, which Lex found a little surprising. In their attempt to get the officials to negate Clark’s challenge, they momentarily forgot that Chloe had followed them into the foyer. In the meantime, this fact didn’t escape Clark’s attention. He stalked over to her almost immediately.

“Save it,” she said and rolled her eyes. Chloe placed her hands on her hips. “You might scare everyone else here, but you don’t scare me.” False bravado is not always a good thing. Clark smirked at her and before she had an opportunity to blink, he had his arms wrapped possessively around her and his lips pressing against hers with a fury. She struggled in his arms, but made no progress at getting him to release her. Clark shoved his tongue into her mouth and Chloe tried to scream. Lex glanced over at Chloe when one of the officials mentioned her name. His eyes grew wide and angry at the site in front of him. Chloe was obviously trying to push Lex away and having no success.

“Hey!” Lex yelled to get Clark’s attention. Clark didn’t turn around and Lex practically ran over to the other side of the room to pry the evil version of his best friend away from Chloe. Alex exchanged an apprehensive look with the officials. Lex grabbed Clark’s arm and Clark released the arm from around Chloe, keeping hold of her with the other. Clark threw Lex across the room and against the wall. He smirked at the site of Lex’s unconscious body on the floor and the blood spatter on the wall. Chloe screamed and Clark allowed her to rush over to Lex, since he figured that Lex was probably dead anyway. Clark looked at the pale faces of the officials and smiled evilly.

“I believe I’ve won the physical competition.”

~*~*~
Ch. 14
~*~*~

Pete & Alison's World

~*~*~*~*~

Pete and Alison woke up to the sound of a familiar voice. Whitney tilted his head at them and Pete made a garbled noise and motioned to the gag in his mouth. Whitney had a guard untie them and release their gags, but he was far from friendly. Whitney’s arms were folded across his chest and his eyes were blazing in pure anger.

“What happened?” Whitney growled out. Looking at him, Pete could see why Chloe’s double had been too afraid to cross him. Whitney must not have known that she was the one who helped Lana escape, because from Chloe’s reaction she obviously knew for certain that her life would be forfeit.

“Le- Prince Alexander, he attacked the castle and took Chloe with him,” Pete answered. Whitney squared his jaw and dropped his arms to his sides where he clenched his hands into fists. Alison saw his reaction and quickly covered.

“The only reason he left us alive is so we would tell you that he’s the one who took her,” Alison said.

“He wants a war,” Whitney observed. The fire raged in his eyes and he spoke through gritted teeth. “He’s got one.” He turned on his heel and motioned to his guards. “Inform the first charge that we leave at dawn.”

“Is that a good idea?” Pete asked. Whitney turned around and Pete held up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just sayin’ that he’s probably expecting you. You’ll be walking into a slaughter.”

“My armies are composed of the finest warriors that exist,” Whitney said arrogantly. “His people will be the ones who die, not mine.” Pete and Alison exchanged a look. “What would you have me do? He took my fiancée.”

“Ye-ah,” Alison strung out. “About that ---” Whitney looked at her suspiciously.

“She did *not* go with him willingly,” Whitney said with a growl. Alison shook her head.

“No, no, she didn’t,” she agreed. “But he did mention something about marrying her.” Her words rushed together incoherently and Whitney furrowed his brow. Pete cringed because he knew that he was going to have to be the one to tell him.

“He’s going to force her to marry him,” Pete said. Whitney’s face paled and his eyes darted around the room.

“You lie,” he finally responded. Pete shook his head.

“I wish,” he said. Whitney rested his arm against a wall to try and steady his balance.

“This cannot be,” Whitney said under his breath and primarily for himself. “I cannot lose her.” He looked completely distraught and Pete actually found himself feeling bad for him. Alison noticed Whitney’s reaction as well and stared blankly at him. She thought he was just forcing her to marry him to gain more power for himself, but he wouldn’t be acting like he was if he didn’t care about her on some level.

“You love her,” Alison said quietly. Whitney’s head turned in her direction. He quickly turned it away again, not being able to face the girl who spoke the truth he had been trying to bury for so long. Pete looked at Alison like she was crazy.

“No way,” Pete argued. “He was in love with Lana. He was going to marry Lana. Remember?” Whitney closed his eyes for a moment and then dismissed the two guards who remained in the room after the others had left to tell his army to prepare. He faced Pete and Alison, but when he opened his mouth to speak no words came forward. He shut it again and turned his face the other direction. Pete was surprised by his reaction. “Really? You love Chloe? But I thought ---”

“Your thoughts were incorrect,” Whitney interrupted. “Lana and I were to be married out of an arrangement that our parents made, not because of love.”

“Then why kill her when she ran away with Cl – the other guy?” Alison asked, just barely catching herself from saying Clark’s name. Whitney ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

“I had to,” he said. “I would have been perceived as weak and unable to lead if I let her betray her allegiance to me and then let her go.”

“Oh,” Alison replied. Pete frowned.

“So does Chloe know that you love her?” Pete asked. “Because it didn’t seem like ---”

“No!” Whitney said vehemently. “And she must never be told. I know she does not reciprocate my feelings for her. I could not bear her rejection and ---”

“And what?!” Alison rudely interrupted. “You would rather she think that you’re a monster who’s forcing her to marry you for her power rather than someone who actually cares about you?” Alison had her hands on her hips and was glaring angrily at Whitney. “What the hell is your problem?!” Pete motioned to her to shut up, but she ignored him. “Did you ever think that if you just told her then maybe she felt the same way?! And that you could have been married to her already and Lex wouldn’t be able to steal her away?! Idiot!” Alison shook her head and crossed her arms.

She was breathing heavily from her rant at the king and she was trying desperately not to walk over to him and punch him. The only thing stopping her was the fact that it would probably hurt her more than him. Pete looked at Alison wide-eyed in shock. She rarely lost her temper like that and to see her let it loose on Whitney was a little unsettling. Whitney’s expressions ranged from surprise to pain to anger. Pete held his breath. Alison was going to die here and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. Luckily, Whitney’s anger wasn’t to be directed at Alison.

“She will *not* marry him,” Whitney stated. “She may not love me, but I know that she would never betray me. Her loyalty lies with me alone.” Pete nodded but Alison rolled her eyes.

“She said as much,” Pete agreed.

“You’re forgetting the key word ‘force’,” Alison said. “As in she won’t have a choice in the matter.” Whitney squared his jaw. He had just about as much of this girl as he could take.

“He wouldn’t be able to in my kingdom,” Whitney replied. “And it takes a week to get to his.” Pete ran his hand around the back of his neck.

“I – uh – I think I may have heard one of his people say something about a shortcut,” Pete said. Whitney glared at him.

“What?” He asked, making sure he heard him correctly. Whitney started slowly walking toward Pete and Pete nervously smiled.

“I don’t know anything about it though, like where it is or anything,” he said. “Sorry.” Whitney stalked right up to Pete and grabbed his shirt. He lifted him into the air effortlessly and held him there.

“If he has forced her to bed by the time I reach his kingdom, then you are both dead men,” Whitney said. It sounded incredibly more like a promise than a threat and Pete looked down at him in horror. Whitney dropped him to the floor and Pete looked up at him in disbelief. “You’d better hope you can find this ‘shortcut’ you spoke of, otherwise I have no use for either of you.” With that, Whitney turned around and exited the room. Alison gave Pete her hand to help him stand up.

“Are you okay?” She asked. Pete shook his head and kept his gaze fixed on the door Whitney just left through.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Pete said. Alison gave him a compensatory grin.

“What tipped you off?” She asked sarcastically. Pete looked over at her.

“No, you don’t understand,” Pete said. Alison furrowed her brow. “I don’t think Clark was the outsider here,” he mumbled to himself. It would certainly explain why Whitney was able to kill the Clark of this world so easily.

“Clark?” Alison asked. “What does this have to do with Clark?” Pete shook his head.

“Nothing,” Pete lied. “Just talking to myself.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Chloe awoke in a strange room with bed clothing on that wasn’t familiar to her. The events of the past few days came back to her and she felt someone squeeze her hand. She looked over and saw Alexander sitting on the side of her bed.

“Where am I?” She asked.

“In my castle,” he replied. “In our bedroom.” Alexander lovingly stroked her hair, pushing it out of her face. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“We didn’t – I mean, I would have remembered if ---” She stopped talking when he leaned down and nuzzled his cheek against hers. Her eyes grew wide and she stared at him in shock when he just barely pulled away from her.

“I was worried about you,” he admitted in a quiet voice.

“Why?” She asked suspiciously. The smirk she was expecting to show on his face didn’t and she frowned.

“You’re my wife,” he answered honestly. Chloe shook her head.

“I would have had to agree, we would have had to have bonded, I never ---” Chloe’s words were cut off by Alexander sealing his lips against hers. Her lips were still partially open from speaking and he took advantage of the fact. His tongue darted out to taste her, then again to explore the deep recesses of her mouth. Chloe let out a small whimper and then a moan when her body felt the heat from his hands softly caressing her skin. Alexander kissed his way down her jaw to her neck and gently suckled.

Chloe’s eyes closed as the arousal spread through her. She didn’t realize that her hands had snaked around his neck, pressing against the back of his head for more pressure. He moved further down her body, peppering her skin with small kisses. Alexander began to untie the nightgown she had on when Chloe realized what was happening and snapped back to her senses. She pushed against his chest to try and get him to rise, but he persisted. She grunted as his weight began to press down on her and then she used her abilities to force him off of her. He went flying through the air until he landed in a standing position a few feet from the bed.

“You are not my husband until we have consummated the relationship. That is the law in your land as well,” Chloe stated. “And I will *never* betray my king.” Lex stared at her in disbelief. The connection between them was so strong that he could barely think while he was in her presence, and she was denying it? His breathed in gulps of air and his doubtful stare turned into a forceful rage.

“*I* am your king!” He said angrily. Chloe sat up, gripping her nightgown to her to cover anything that may be exposed by his loosening of the ties.

“You are a prince, not a king,” Chloe protested. “And even if your father died and you gained his throne, Whitney would still be my king.” Alexander thought about it. He would need to change tactics if he was going to get her to agree to consummate the relationship.

“Then he will die by my hand,” Alexander asserted. He turned to leave the room but paused at the door. “Just as my father died yesterday.”

~*~*~
Ch. 15
~*~*~

Clark & Lana's World

~*~*~*~*~

Clark and Jerome sat in the small living room, listening to Lana mutter obscenities in the other room. The coachman Alex sent by opted to stay outside with the carriage, insisting that Mr. Luthor would be most displeased if he left it unattended. Lana cursed again and Jerome grinned.

“She’ll want you to come in there soon,” he said to Clark. Clark raised a questioning eyebrow. “My mom always had trouble with her dresses and my dad would have to help her with them,” Jerome explained. Clark’s face fell in sympathy.

“Do you miss them?” Clark asked. Jerome’s grin fell and he nodded.

“It’s been hard,” he answered. “Not work wise, because I can take care of that, but I haven’t had a lot of people to lean on.” Clark nodded in understanding.

“What about Chloe?” Clark asked. “It seems like you get along with her pretty well.” Jerome’s mood seemed to improve considerably with the mention of her.

“She’s been a good friend,” Jerome agreed. “I just wish that ---”

“I know,” Clark said as Jerome trailed off. Jerome rubbed his hands against his legs nervously.

“So do you think I might have a chance?” Jerome asked. “I mean, Alex has never invited anyone to have dinner with them. Maybe he’s warming up to me?” Clark tried to hide the apprehension he felt, but it showed up anyway.

“Maybe,” Clark said doubtfully. “But I think there’s something that you should know about ---”

“I can’t believe that women actually wear this stuff here,” Lana said loudly to herself. She was having trouble tying up the corset like back on the dress and she finally blew some hair out of her face in frustration. “Clark!” Clark looked toward the outside of the bedroom door from where he and Jerome were sitting. Jerome smiled.

“Told you so,” he said. Clark tilted his head at him.

“You don’t know that she’s having trouble with the dress,” Clark countered. Jerome scoffed.

“Right. I’m sure she’s calling you in there using her angry voice so you can embark on a romantic interlude,” he said sarcastically and with one eyebrow arched in the air. Clark smiled and went to the bedroom door. He gave it a soft knock and Lana opened it, shielding most of her body from view.

“Just get in here,” she said. Clark went in and Lana quickly closed the door behind him. Clark openly gawked at her holding the top of the dress up with her hands. Lana blushed and cleared her throat. She flashed him a small smile when he looked back into her eyes. “Could you help me?”

“Sure,” Clark replied with a smile. He stepped around to the back of her dress and took hold of the laces. “Um ---”

“They’re already laced through, you just need to tie it tight,” Lana explained. Clark nodded even though she couldn’t see him.

“Okay.” Clark pulled on the strings and pulled tight. Lana let out a gasp of pain and Clark grimaced. “Did I hurt you?”

“Oww,” Lana whined. “A little, but I think it’s supposed to be that tight.” Clark tied up the laces and walked around to face her.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” He asked with a sympathetic face. Lana contorted her face in pain as she got used to the dress.

“I’ll be fine,” she said as reassuringly as she could. “I just hope we’re not stuck here for long.” Clark smiled and then an awkward silence fell over the room as they just stood there looking at each other. Lana ducked her head and looked the other way and Clark cleared his throat.

“Okay, well, I’ll just wait for you to finish getting ready then,” Clark said. Lana looked at him expectantly. “Out there,” he said as he motioned with his hands. “Right. I’ll wait for you out there.” They both tried to hide the fact that their cheeks had colored with the underlying implication and Clark hurried out of the room. He found Jerome leaning against the door frame of the main door, but he couldn’t decipher the look on his face.

“Is she almost ready?” Jerome asked. “Luthor’s man is getting kind of antsy.” Clark smiled at Jerome’s language. For some reason, it reminded him of something that his mom would say. Clark shrugged.

“Almost,” he responded. Jerome grinned and tossed Clark a small box. Clark furrowed his brow after he caught it. “What’s this?”

“I noticed that you two weren’t wearing rings,” Jerome explained and Clark opened the box to find matching wedding bands inside. They were simple gold bands, and looked old and well cared for. “It doesn’t matter to me, but with the way Alex was glaring at you earlier, I think you’ll need them.”

“Oh,” Clark said with a stunned expression on his face.

“They may not even fit,” Jerome said. “But ---” Clark shook his head and tried on the men’s ring. It was a perfect fit and he held it up for Jerome to see. Jerome grinned. “So now Lana ---” Clark frowned at the bedroom door. He knew Lana wasn’t happy with the fake marriage arrangement as it was, and he didn’t know if the rings would be pushing the matter. Lana came out of the room and turned around in a circle with her arms out.

“Does it look okay?” She asked. Clark smiled and nodded, taking a few steps toward her.

“Um,” he said, not sure of where to begin. He held out the box with the remaining ring in it. “Jerome is loaning these to us so we won’t get hassled,” Clark said meekly. Lana’s eyes went to the ring, to Clark’s face, and then back to the ring again. She carefully plucked the ring from its resting spot inside the box and bit her bottom lip in hesitation. “If you don’t want to wear it, you don’t ---” He trailed off as Lana slipped the ring on her finger. It too was a perfect fit. Lana looked at Jerome and gave him a small grin.

“Thanks,” she said. Jerome nodded.

“So we’re all ready then?” He asked. Clark and Lana looked at each other and then nodded. Clark offered Lana his arm and she took it, giving him a nervous smile and then ducking her head.

The ride to the Luthor estate was less than desirable. Lana had always pictured the old west as kind of a romantic setting, with horse drawn carriages and pretty clothes; but as her face turned a pale shade of green from the bumpy ride, she was quickly rethinking that position. Not to mention the fact that she didn’t think there was any way she would be able to eat in the tight corset style dress. Clark draped his arm around her shoulders supportively and she flashed him a thankful smile. The coach pulled to a stop and Lana took in a deep breath of air.

“Finally,” she murmured. She reached for the door, but Jerome’s hand stilled her.

“He’ll expect to get it for you,” he explained. Lana nodded and soon enough, the coach man opened the door to the carriage and offered her his hand to help her down. They walked up to the main entrance of the castle and Lana shook her head.

“It looks the same,” Lana mused. Clark smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“It’s been in their family for a long time,” he said. Lana nodded and the door swung open. Chloe came bounding out of the house with a bright smile on her face, almost knocking their butler over on the way.

“Jerome,” Chloe greeted happily. They touched hands and Chloe turned her attention to Clark and Lana. “Mr. and Mrs. Kent,” Chloe said, her smile unfaltering. Lana took in Chloe’s appearance. The longer hair and more demure clothing of the era suited her well. Lana returned her smile.

“It’s Lana,” Lana said and stuck out a hand for Chloe to shake.

“Nice to finally meet you Lana, I’m Chloe,” Chloe said. She frowned as she took in Lana’s attire. “How did you ever get that dress tied so tight?” Chloe asked. Lana gave a small glare in Clark’s direction and Clark grimaced.

“Sorry,” he apologized again. Lana shook her head and giggled.

“No big deal,” she said. Chloe smiled again and took hold of Jerome’s arm.

“We should get inside before Alex starts wondering where I am,” Chloe said. They walked inside the castle and Clark and Lana’s mouths both dropped open. Although the outside of the manor was nearly identical to the Luthor home that they were familiar with, the inside was very different. It was lavishly decorated, almost to the point of being overdone. Chloe laughed at their reactions. “My mother’s influence I’m afraid,” she said. “She had a taste for expensive things and loved to decorate.” Lana grinned politely. She couldn’t handle a discussion about dead parents on top of everything else.

“You said that Mr. Luthor will wonder where you are?” Lana asked as she changed the topic. She congratulated herself on the use of Lex’s proper name instead of using his nickname. Chloe rolled her eyes.

“As if it wasn’t bad enough before my mother married his father,” Chloe said cryptically. “Now he’s either with me, or knows where I am almost every minute of the day. He’s entirely too protective.” Jerome smiled as they continued to walk down the hallway that Chloe was leading them down.

“He’s just trying to look out for you Chloe. He doesn’t want you to get in any trouble,” Jerome said. Chloe rolled her eyes again.

“And when have you ever known me to get in trouble?” She asked. Jerome arched an eyebrow at her and her grin erupted into bubbling laughter. “Alright, so there may have been a couple of times here and there. But a girl’s got to have *some* fun, don’t you think so Lana?” She smiled at Lana and Lana’s face lit up with mischief.

“Absolutely,” Lana agreed.

“You could always decorate,” Alex chimed in as he walked out of the dining room door into the hallway. Chloe smiled at him.

“I don’t think there’s any room left in this place *to* decorate,” Chloe replied somewhat snidely. Alex chuckled.

“I suppose you’ve got a point,” he agreed. Chloe let go of Jerome’s arm and went to stand next to Alex.

“Alex, you met Mr. Kent earlier today,” she started.

“Of course,” Alex said politely and shook Clark’s hand.

“And this is his wife Lana,” Chloe continued. Alex nodded at her instead of shaking her hand, an action that took Lana a little off guard; but then, she figured she didn’t know all of their customs in this world, so she merely smiled. “And, of course, you know Jerome.” Alex grinned tightly and stuck out his hand to shake Jerome’s.

“How are you this evening Jerome?” Alex asked affably, although it seemed forced.

“I’m doing well,” Jerome answered. “And you?” Alex nodded as if that were an adequate response.

“Dinner is ready to be served, so I suggest we all take our seats at the table,” Alex said. He allowed their guests to pass by him into the dining room, and was a little surprised when he felt Chloe’s hand on his arm. She pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear.

“Be nice,” she said in a hushed warning voice. “I’m hoping that Jerome’s cousins will influence him in a positive manner and perhaps he’ll consider courting me soon.” Alex smirked at her and placed his hand on the small of her back.

“We’ll see.”

~*~*~
Ch. 16
~*~*~

A/N: Chloe and Lex’s world. There’s a disturbing Chloe/Clark scene in this chapter – the story has the rating for a reason – so just FYI. All I can tell you is that you guys are going to be so mad at me. Just remember: if you kill me, then I can’t finish writing the fics I have going, and this is necessary for the plot line.

Disclaimer in part one.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Chloe took in Lex’s appearance. He wasn’t moving, and from the position he was in she couldn’t tell whether he was breathing or not. She shook his body lightly.

“Lex?” No response. “Lex?” She asked a little louder and shook him with a little more force. Chloe hunched over Lex’s unmoving body as panic took over her body. She reached out a shaky hand and felt his neck for a pulse. It was faint, but she could definitely feel it.

“Oh thank God,” she said to herself in a hushed voice. She looked over at Alex. “Call an ambulance!” Alex nodded and took out his cell phone. Clark scowled at him and stalked over to Chloe. She noticed him out of the corner of her eye and got up from the floor. She should have been afraid, and she probably would have been in any other circumstance, but at this time she was far too angry to be intimidated. She marched up to him. “You could have killed him!” Clark glanced at Lex’s body, lying still on the floor.

“I thought I did,” he said callously. Chloe’s eyes widened in disbelief and then her lips narrowed. If Clark had known this Chloe, then he would have known that was a bad sign. She pulled back her left hand and flung it across his face, not noticing that her ring had turned around on her finger. She quickly reeled her hand back to a cradled position at her body. The slap had definitely hurt her more physically than him and she tried not to whimper at the pain. Clark, on the other hand, felt something quite different. Chloe gave him a strange look as the veins in his face started to pop out with an eerie red color. Clark stepped back from her and shook his head to try and clear the feelings that were suddenly overwhelming him. “I ---” he trailed off as he looked at her with emotion filled eyes. His gaze transferred to Lex and Clark felt like he was going to be sick. He fell to his knees and started breathing in large gulps of air. Alex exchanged confused glances with the officials and then walked over to Chloe.

“What did you do to him?” Alex whispered to her. Chloe stood there staring at Clark.

“I didn’t do anything, I just slapped him and his face went all weird,” she said and lightly shook her head. Her voice took on an introspective tone as she tilted her head at Clark. “He looks like my Clark now.”

“*Your* Clark?”

“The Clark from my world,” Chloe clarified. “He looks like ---” Clark stood up and both Chloe and Alex could see the unshed tears pooling up in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” Clark said. “I didn’t mean – I did, but I don’t know why – I ---” He couldn’t seem to come up with the words to express his regret for what happened, and so he just looked sorrowfully at Chloe. “I’m so sorry Chloe.” Alex narrowed his eyes at Clark, not sure whether to believe him or not. He had never seen Clark like this before though, and he had certainly never heard him apologize for anything. Alex noticed Chloe turning her engagement ring around on her finger and she gave him a small grin.

“It’s a little loose,” she said. He nodded, not immediately putting the connection together. The ambulance sirens could be heard coming up to the house and Chloe went over to Lex again and sat beside him. Clark looked completely forlorn. Not only did he feel awful about what he had done to Lex, but his heart was breaking with the sight of Chloe choosing to be with Lex over him. The paramedics came into the house and started to take Lex’s vital signs. They loaded him up on the gurney and Chloe kissed the top of his head and started to follow them out the door. Alex noticed Clark eyes following Chloe and he frowned.

“Are you going ahead with the challenge?” Alex asked. Clark turned to look at Alex, but only for a moment before his stare returned to Chloe’s retreating form.

“I don’t know,” Clark admitted. Almost the second after Chloe completely exited the building; Clark felt a small radiating tingle sweep through him. It only lasted a minute, but it was enough for Alex to notice that Clark was changing back to how he was before. He saw the dangerous glint in Clark’s eye and Alex took a few steps back. Alex opened his mouth to speak, but Clark left in the blink of an eye. Alex ran a hand over his face and his gaze crept over to where the officials where staring at him with a mixture of fear and disbelief.

“She had to have done something,” Alex said to himself. “I just need to find out what it was.”

Outside, the paramedics loaded Lex into the back of the ambulance. One of them looked around and frowned.

“Where’s that girl who was with him?” He asked. The other man shrugged.

“Probably wanted to take her own car,” he said. “You know how rich people are.” The first man nodded and they climbed into the front of the ambulance to take Lex to the hospital.

~*~*~*~*~

Chloe barely felt the hit on her head that caused her to pass out into Clark’s waiting arms, but she was definitely feeling the after effects. When she woke up, she sat up and rubbed the back of her head. There was a small lump forming on her skull and she frowned. She was on an oversized bed in what appeared to be a large bedroom. ‘Scratch that, a hotel room,’ Chloe thought as she saw the room service menu on one of the side tables. ‘Or a suite,’ she thought as she took in the size of it. Chloe heard a shower running in the bathroom, and she gasped and quickly covered herself with a sheet when she realized that she was naked under the covers. Panic started to set in as she realized that she couldn’t remember what happened or how she got there.

In fact, the last thing she remembered was her dad telling her that he had to leave for a business trip. ‘Maybe I talked him into letting me go with him,’ Chloe mused. She quickly sloughed off the idea though, because her dad would have gotten her a separate room and there was no way he could afford something as nice as this. Let alone the fact that she would never sleep naked with the possibility of her dad knocking on the door and waking her up. She turned her head toward the sound of the shower and her eyes grew wide. Had she had some sort of a one night stand that she couldn’t remember? Chloe shook her head. ‘I would never do that,’ she thought. The light filtering in through the cracks in the curtains hit the diamonds on her rings and her eyes grew wide. The ring Lex had given her had been replaced by two platinum bands; one of which had a surreally large diamond on it, the other had diamonds in a channel setting all the way around.

“Okay, something really weird is going on here,” she said to herself. Chloe heard the water turn off and she gripped the sheet closer to her body. The bathroom door opened and she could hear a familiar voice humming. Chloe furrowed her brow as she tried to place the voice.

“Hey, you’re up,” Clark said with a smile as he walked into the bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Chloe let out a breath of relief and Clark looked at her with surprise.

‘I’m just dreaming,’ Chloe thought, clearly calmed by what she thought was a revelation. Clark came closer to the bed and Chloe saw the platinum ring on his wedding finger. She lay back down on the bed and closed her eyes. “Thank God. For a few minutes there I thought I was going crazy.” She felt Clark’s weight on the bed as he sat down.

“You’re not surprised to see me?” Clark asked. “You’re not angry?” Chloe opened her eyes and looked at him.

“Why would I be surprised to see you Clark?” She asked in confusion. ‘And why is he asking me that? Like he hasn’t been in my dreams for the last three years?’ Clark tilted his head at her and she looked at him expectantly. “What?” She propped herself up on her elbows and smiled at him.

“Chloe, what do you think is going on here?” Clark asked. Chloe shrugged.

“I’m dreaming,” she explained. A grin twitched at the corners of Clark’s mouth.

“What makes you think that?” He asked. Chloe arched an eyebrow and then motioned at their rings.

“You know, typical Clark dream,” she said and rested her head back against the pillow. “Well, except for the headache part. I wonder if I fell out of bed or something and just didn’t wake up,” she said to herself. Clark leaned over her and gave her a leering smile.

“You dream about me?” He asked in a sultry voice. He moved closer and started to nip at her ear. Chloe closed her eyes and smiled.

“You know I do,” she said. Clark’s tongue darted out and traced along the shell of her ear. “Mmm,” Chloe said with delight. She placed her hands on his chest and slowly ran them up to his shoulders.

“And when Lex comes for you?” Clark asked, his warm breath making her shiver. Chloe pulled back in confusion when Clark’s words sank in. She furrowed her brow at him.

“Lex? Lex Luthor?” She asked. Clark nodded. “Why would he come for me?”

“Because you’re not dreaming,” Clark answered, pulling himself closer to her again so that there were just millimeters between them. Chloe laughed.

“Yeah, right,” she said sarcastically. “Because you’ve forgotten all about Lana and decided to marry me, even though we’re both too young.” She laughed again when Clark raised an eyebrow at her. Clark leaned down and captured her mouth with his own. When they finally pulled apart to breathe, Chloe smiled at him. “Even if that were true, it doesn’t explain why Luthor would be coming for me.” Clark kissed his way down her jaw to her neck and then started moving lower. Chloe closed her eyes and let the sensations sweep through her. It felt great, but Chloe frowned. It felt so real, too real, and yet somehow it felt wrong. Chloe grabbed Clark’s face with her hands and looked at him. “Why would Lex be coming for me?” Clark eyed her, as if he was trying to tell whether she was pretending to like him just to gain her freedom, but she honestly didn’t seem to remember.

‘I must have hit her harder than I thought,’ Clark thought to himself. “You really don’t remember, do you?” Clark asked. Chloe shook her head. ‘This could definitely work to my advantage,’ he thought. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“My dad was getting ready for some boring convention thing in Metropolis and then,” Chloe let out a frustrated sigh, “then I woke up here.”

“So you don’t remember anything about *us*?” He asked in the best wounded voice he could fake. Chloe frowned.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She tried to push herself out from underneath him, but Clark kissed her again.

“It doesn’t matter,” he murmured against her lips as he pulled away. “What’s important is that we’re together now.”

“But ---” Clark kissed her again and swept his tongue into her mouth. He moved his mouth to her ear as he let his hand pull away the sheet and towel that separated them.

“It doesn’t matter,” he repeated. “Let me make love to you,” he whispered. Chloe’s breath hitched as she felt Clark’s naked form against hers. “Let me make love to my wife.” He didn’t wait for a response and moved his mouth down her body. Chloe looked at him warily.

“Clark, I don’t think that ---” Her voice gave way to a gasp and then hum of pleasure that radiated from her body as Clark began to suckle on one of her nipples. He teased the other one with his thumb and finger and Chloe arched her back to give him more access. ‘I can’t do this,’ she thought. “Clark, I ---” Clark moved to kiss her again and she turned her head.

“Chloe?” He asked.

“I can’t do this,” Chloe said in a weepy tone. “I’m sorry. I know in your mind that we’re married and everything’s probably great, but I don’t remember being married to you. You’re my friend and ---”

“Your friend who you dream about,” he murmured in her ear. He didn’t see the tears starting to well up in her eyes.

“Clark, please? Help me get my memory back?” She pleaded. Clark kissed her neck while he thought about it, so as not to let her see any emotions that flickered across his face. If he helped her retrieve her lost memories, then she would know that he had killed, or almost killed, Lex and that he had stolen her away from him when Lex was being loaded on to the ambulance. But who was to say that she needed to recover her true memories? Certainly he could come up with stories of their times together – things that should have happened with the Chloe from his world if she hadn’t shunned him. Clark grinned and raised his eyes to look into hers.

“Of course sweetheart,” he said. Chloe took a deep breath and then released it in relief.

“Thanks Clark. I think the first thing we should try and find out is how I lost my memory in the first place,” Chloe said in her investigative voice. Clark pushed himself off of her and went to retrieve some of his clothes. Chloe pulled the sheet back over herself. “Do you have any idea what might have happened?” Clark had his back turned to her while he pulled his jeans on.

‘Think of something,’ he told himself. An evil smile crept across his lips, but he managed to pull off an apologetic look when he turned around to face her. “I think it might be my fault,” he said. Chloe creased her brow.

“What?” She asked. Clark walked back over to the bed and sat down.

“I brought you back some food this morning and I didn’t know you were right behind the bathroom door and,”

“And it slammed into me,” Chloe finished.

“You remember?” Clark asked in a hopeful voice that was clearly forced. Chloe shook her head.

“No, just guessing,” she said.

“Oh.”

“Well, that explains why my head hurts so much,” she said. Clark reached over and stroked her hair, tucking some of it back behind her ear.

“Do you need to see a doctor or something?” He asked. ‘Please say no.’

“No,” she said and gave a light shake of her head. “Unless I can’t get my memory back.” Clark nodded.

“So what do you want to do today?”

“I don’t know,” Chloe said. “Look through pictures to try and jog my memory maybe?”

“I don’t think we brought any with us,” Clark said. Chloe glanced around the room again and then looked back at Clark and blushed.

“Right,” she said. “So, why are we in a hotel anyway?” Clark looked at the ground and then brought his eyes up to look at Chloe. Chloe had to force herself to not give into the puppy dog eyes he was giving her.

“Honeymoon in Gotham,” he explained. The color drained from Chloe’s face. She opened her mouth to speak and then quickly shut it without saying anything. She looked down at the comforter that had gathered around her legs.

“Oh, Clark. I’m so sorry,” she said in a hushed voice. He leaned over and kissed her, resting his forehead against hers when they finished.

“It’s okay Chloe. All that matters is that we’re together,” he said. ‘And I’m going to make sure it stays that way.’

[scifichick774]

~*~*~
Ch. 17
~*~*~

Whitney growled as they stomped through the caves. He was starting to believe that Pete didn’t know anything about where the real shortcut was and that he had just led them there in a last ditch effort to save his own life. He was about to turn his army back around when his enhanced hearing picked up sounds coming from the direction they were heading. He motioned with his hand for everyone to be silent so he could listen. There it was. People were definitely headed toward them. He grinned maniacally. Alexander would pay dearly for taking Chloe away from him. Pete and Alison watched as Whitney was there one minute and gone the next. Alison creased her brow and looked around the dimly lit cave.

“Where did he go?” She asked Pete in a hushed voice. Pete frowned. He couldn’t tell her the truth. It wasn’t that he had any qualms about betraying Whitney, because at this point he was ready to tell everybody that Whitney was an alien, but he knew it would have repercussions on Clark back home. Alison had heard him compare Whitney to Clark, and he knew that she would put it together. Instead of answering, he merely shrugged, and hoped that would be enough.

Alexander and his men charged through the cave system. They knew the paths well, and he was determined to get to Whitney’s kingdom quickly so he could dispose of him. Whitney’s death would bring about the two things that Alexander wanted most: the extension of his kingdom by conquering Whitney, and Chloe. Alexander tried to ignore the feelings that were boiling inside of him because of the latter. He had only wanted her for her power, and the power she could bring to him – that, and the added bonus of taking Whitney’s fiancée away from him. But now, things were different. He didn’t love her. He hadn’t known her long enough to love her; or at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. But the connection between them was undeniable. It was like his entire being was entranced when he was around her; when their skin was so close to each other’s and --- Alexander shook his head. He couldn’t let himself start daydreaming; not when he was about to engage in battle. As if from out of nowhere, Whitney appeared before him. Alexander raised his sword and looked passed him.

“You brought no army to help you?” Alexander asked in surprise. Whitney smirked and crossed his arms. Alexander arched an eyebrow. “And you carry no sword?”

“I don’t need one,” he responded smugly.

“We’ll see.” Alexander leapt toward him, thrusting his sword directly at Whitney’s heart. The sword shattered into a thousand pieces and Alexander and his guards looked on in wide-eyed horror. Finally, Alexander met Whitney’s stare.

“What are you?” Alexander asked accusingly. Whitney came toward him and grabbed his throat with one hand, shoving him into the air with no effort. The look on Whitney’s face was enough to scare the group of men Alexander had brought with him, but Alexander himself showed little emotion. He was too busy trying to breathe.

“Where is my wife?” Whitney asked threateningly. Alexander chuckled and gasped for air all at once.

“She’s my wife,” he replied.

“Wrong answer,” Whitney said and threw Alexander toward the knights. His back met them with a resounding crash and most of them fell to the cave floor. Whitney stalked toward him again. “Where is she?” Alexander wiped some blood of his lip and forced down any emotions that might be showing on his face.

“She’ll never be yours,” Alexander said. “Never.” The last part came out so quiet that it was almost a whisper, but Whitney heard him and growled.

“Has she gone to your bed willingly?” He asked. Alexander’s eyes kept a cold stare at Whitney, but he said nothing. Whitney smirked. “I thought not.” A thought crossed his mind and the smirk fell into an evil gnashing of his teeth. He quickly grabbed one of the sharp pieces of remaining sword from the ground and held it up to Alexander’s throat before Alexander even knew what was happening. “Did you *take* her against her will?” A slow grin curled at the corners of Alexander’s mouth. Although admittedly, it wasn’t the smartest thing to do, he needed time to rile Whitney up. Once Whitney’s attention was distracted from the fight, he and his men might have a chance at getting out of the caves with their lives intact.

“She’s my wife,” Alexander repeated. Whitney angrily tore into Alexander’s face with the sharp metal and Alexander let out a howl of pain. The cut wasn’t along any major arteries or veins, so Alexander reasoned that if he had it treated within a couple of days’ time, then he should be alright. Alexander frowned when he realized that was Whitney’s intent. Whitney forced him to stand up and then pushed him toward his men.

“She is not your wife unless she was with you by choice,” Whitney pointed out. “You will show me where you’ve taken her so that I may return her to my kingdom.” Alexander laughed loudly.

“Even if I take you to her, she will never be yours,” he said. “As you so keenly observed, she would have to come to one of our beds by choice – and it won’t be yours.” Whitney narrowed his eyes at him, but Alexander continued. “The ceremony of Ma’at Mal has already been performed. She will choose to cement our union within a matter of days.” Whitney’s eyes flashed with anger as Alexander spoke.

“You used her own powers against her?” Whitney asked scathingly.

“You think she would betray you otherwise?” Alexander retorted in anger. He calmed himself down slightly, but his nostrils still flared. “You would have done the same. You *were* forcing her to marry you after all.” Whitney thought about what action to take next and Alexander motioned for his men to retreat.

“There is only one way in which that ceremony’s bond can be broken,” Whitney said pensively. Alexander’s posture grew stiff. He had obviously been incorrect in his assumptions about King Whitney. He had originally believed that Whitney would be no competition for him, physically or mentally. The first part Whitney had already proven to be untrue, and the second --- if Whitney knew about sorcerers’ magic and ceremonies, then Alexander realized he was in real trouble. Whitney tilted his head at him. “One of you must die before the seal can be completed.” One corner of Whitney’s lips curled up into an evil lopsided grin. “And it won’t be Chloe.”

Pete, Alison, and the rest of the men Whitney brought with him, finally caught up with him. Pete’s eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw Whitney throwing Alexander forcefully against a wall. The cave walls shook and pieces of rock fell down with Alexander’s body.

“Whitney – no!” Pete yelled. Whitney’s head whipped around to look at Pete. Pete held his hands up in front of him. “You don’t want to do this, at least not in here. You want to kill him? Fine. But not in the caves. We’ll all die.”

“I won’t,” Whitney said surely. Pete noticed a sparkle of green out of the corner of his eye and then he concentrated on Whitney.

“You will,” Pete said. “Trust me on this one.” Whitney ignored him and stomped over to Alexander again. Alexander’s eyes were open and he was glaring at him while clutching his stomach and coughing up blood.

“She’ll never be yours,” Alexander said in a gurgled whisper. Whitney picked him up and slammed him against the wall again, causing more rock to fall down, and revealing more green kryptonite. The veins in Whitney’s hands started to pop up with a green tinge and he suddenly felt weaker than he ever had before. Whitney fell to his knees and breathed heavily. He glanced at Pete in desperation.

“What’s happening to me?” Whitney asked. Pete went over to him and tried to help him stand.

“I tried to warn you, but would you listen? Noooo,” Pete said. The expression on Whitney’s face told Pete that he wasn’t in the mood for anything Pete had to say that wasn’t related to getting him better. Pete motioned toward the green glowing rocks embedded in the cave walls. “The meteor rocks,” he explained. Whitney looked at him with confusion before his eyes closed and his body fell limply out of Pete’s arms and to the floor. Alison walked up to Pete and touched his arm.

“How did you know?” She asked. Pete’s eyes darted from Whitney to Lex as he ignored her question. Both of them were lying unconscious on the ground and the sound of rocks falling could still be heard as it echoed through the cave system. Pete was getting more than a little frightened. There was no Clark Kent to help him out of the situation this time. He turned to look at Whitney’s guards.

“We need to get out of here,” Pete said. One of the men frowned and motioned in the direction Alexander and his men had come from.

“We’ll have to go that way,” he said. “The other passage has been blocked off by a rock slide,” the man explained. Pete frowned and then nodded once.

“Okay.” He glanced at Whitney and Alexander again. There was a possibility they were still alive, and as long as that possibility remained, then he had to try and save them. Despite the numerous quips he had made, Pete didn’t want anyone to die. He went over to Whitney first and felt for a pulse. “He’s still alive,” Pete said. One of the guards got the hint and came over to pick him up. Pete walked over to Alexander’s body and flinched when he saw the blood and bruising. He hesitantly reached out to feel for a pulse. He let out a resigned sigh when Alison gave him a questioning look. “Someone come over and get him,” he threw over his shoulder. One of Whitney’s knights came over and tilted his head at Pete.

“We should leave him here,” he said.

“He’s still alive,” Pete argued.

“The king would have killed him had he not been injured,” the knight pointed out.

“And you don’t think he’ll want the pleasure of killing him after he recovers from his injury?” Pete countered. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not taking that away from him; but then, I value my life.” The knight frowned and looked at Alexander thoughtfully. If his king did survive, he would almost certainly want to be the one to carry out his vengeance against Alexander. “Not to mention the fact that we’re going to be going into this guy’s kingdom. I think we’ll be treated a little bit better if we show that we saved his worthless life.” The man finally nodded and leaned down to pick him up. He threw Alexander over his shoulder and the group started off in the direction of Alexander’s kingdom. Alison caught Pete’s arm and pulled him back in the line to talk to her.

“That’s twice you’ve dodged my questions now Pete,” she said in a whispered voice. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on or what?”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on,” she said. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. For one, how did you know that the meteor rocks would hurt Whitney? And how did you even know that there would be meteor rocks in the caves?” Pete sighed and shook his head.

“I can’t tell you Alison. I wish I could, but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Hey, if Whitney was the only one who was going to get hurt by me telling you, then you’d know by now. But he’s not. Other people, people from our world, would get hurt. Do you understand?” Pete asked.

“Not really,” Alison admitted. Pete wrapped his arm around her back.

“Just trust me, okay?” He pleaded. Alison reluctantly nodded. They heard a groan of pain echo through the cave. “Which one?” Pete asked the guards ahead of them.

“King Alexander,” the guard answered. “He’s slipping in and out of consciousness.” Pete frowned.

“Great,” he said sarcastically, only thinking about how much Alexander had heard about the meteor rocks being Whitney’s downfall. Pete had no idea about the ceremony that had been performed between Alexander and Chloe, or the side effects that were starting to take place. If he had, he wouldn’t have been so callous in his regard of Alexander’s condition.

~*~*~*~*~

Chloe tossed and turned in the bed as she writhed in pain. She had never felt such agony in her life, and it had come on so suddenly. One of the hand maidens came over and felt her forehead.

“She doesn’t have a fever,” she whispered to the other women in the room. “I don’t understand what’s wrong with her.” Chloe started coughing, her whole body jerking with the movement, and blood came spraying out of her mouth. “Oh, God. What do we do?” The other woman shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. She looked at the fellow servant hesitantly. “Do you think we should call the king’s sorcerer?” Both women looked back at Chloe, who now seemed to be completely unconscious and unmoving. The first woman nodded.

“I don’t see any other choice without the king here,” she agreed. The two women started toward the door and the first woman turned back. “Have you seen the way he looks at her? If she dies then so do we.” The second woman nodded in agreement.

“So does everyone else who was supposed to be taking care of her in his absence.”

~*~*~
Ch. 18
~*~*~

Clark & Lana's World

~*~*~*~*~

“So how long have you two been married?” Chloe asked Lana. Lana and Clark exchanged an embarrassed look and Lana pushed the food around on her plate.

“Not long,” Lana answered. Chloe smiled; completely unfazed by the short answers Lana and Clark had been giving about their relationship and history together.

“And your wedding? Was it big or small?” Chloe asked. Lana refused to make eye contact with Chloe for fear that Chloe would realize she was basically lying about everything.

“Small,” Clark interjected. “Very small.” ‘As in non-existent,’ he thought. Lana grinned thankfully at him and he reached over to squeeze her hand.

“Aww,” Chloe said. “You two are so cute. Aren’t they cute Alex?” She kicked him under the table and he forced a small grin onto his lips.

“Adorable,” he said teasingly. Chloe shot him a look and he smirked at her.

“How long are you in town for?” Alex asked Clark.

“I’m not sure,” Clark said. “We were really planning on just passing through, but I barely ever get to see Jerome.” ‘God, I’ve turned into such a liar,’ Clark thought. ‘Although, the part about not seeing Jerome was true, since I technically didn’t even know he existed.’ Alex nodded.

“I see,” he said. Clark eyed him carefully. It was time to bring up the topic he had been dreading all day.

“Jerome tells me that you haven’t approved of any suitors for Chloe,” Clark said pointedly. Alex and Clark stared at each other and then Alex squared his jaw.

“I hardly think it’s my fault that the only men who have tried to court her haven’t been worthy of her,” he responded. One corner of Clark’s mouth turned upward as he decided that he was going to have a little fun with the situation.

“And what attributes would someone need to be considered worthy of her?” Clark asked, keeping the uncomfortable stare between Alex and himself. Lana tried to plead with him by using her eyes, but he didn’t look over at her. Jerome ran a hand over his face in embarrassment. How could Clark do this to him? Alex glanced at Jerome and then at Chloe.

“He needs to be smart, strong, loyal, handsome, and wealthy wouldn’t hurt,” Alex said the last part dryly. Chloe rolled her eyes.

“I don’t need him to be wealthy Alex,” she said.

“I just said it wouldn’t hurt,” he replied with a small smirk. Clark moved his attention to Jerome.

“Well, you meet four out of five,” he told him. Jerome’s cheeks colored and he looked down at his plate as Alex’s jealous gaze focused on him. He quickly put on an emotionless mask and looked at Clark.

“Are you implying that your cousin wishes to court Chloe, Mr. Kent?” He asked. Chloe looked at Alex hopefully. It was the first time that he had ever actually discussed the topic without throwing the young man in question out of the house immediately. Jerome cleared his throat and Alex looked back over at him.

“Yes, sir,” Jerome answered. Normally he wouldn’t call Alex ‘sir’, but a time like this commanded the utmost respect for the person who would be deciding his fate. Chloe’s eyes grew wide and she smiled at Jerome.

“Really?” She asked. He returned her smile and Alex clenched his jaw. Alex loved her, but if making her happy meant giving her up, he wasn’t entirely sure he could do it. He looked down at his plate and poked at his food.

“I’ll consider it,” Alex said quietly. Every head at the table turned to look at him in surprise.

“Alex?” Chloe asked in disbelief. He forced himself to grin at her and she leapt out of her chair toward him. Chloe wrapped her arms around him tightly and he patted her on the back, just barely resisting the urge to bury his face in the crook of her neck. Chloe pulled back slightly and kissed Alex on the cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered. He arched an eyebrow.

“I haven’t said yes yet,” he reminded her. She smiled.

“I know, but you’ve never even said that you’d consider it before,” she said and took her seat again. “Whoever the woman is, she’s obviously having a positive effect on you.” Alex looked at her with confusion.

“Woman?” He asked. Chloe’s smile fell slightly.

“The woman you said you had in mind to marry,” she explained. She couldn’t read the expression that crossed Alex’s face and that worried her. “Alex?” Alex looked down to avoid eye contact with her.

“It looks like that might not work out after all,” he said quietly.

“Oh, Alex,” Chloe said and reached her hand over to touch his. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Alex cleared his throat and looked at Clark, Lana, and Jerome.

“I’m sure our guests don’t want to hear about my personal life Chloe,” he said. Clark opened his mouth to speak, but Lana kicked him under the table and he smiled instead. Lana smiled politely at Chloe and Alex.

“This has been a wonderful evening, but I’m still feeling a little worn down from our trip,” she said. “Would you mind if we left early?” Chloe and Alex shared a look and then Chloe shook her head at Lana.

“Of course not,” she said.

Chloe and Alex walked their company to the door and Alex sent them back to their house in his coach. Chloe frowned when she saw him heading up the stairs so soon after their guests had left. It had been such an eventful evening, and she wanted to talk to him about it. She wasn’t sure why the mystery woman problem was taking up more room in her mind than the fact that Alex had told her that he would consider letting Jerome court her. After all, she could be on the verge of getting everything she wanted. It was what she wanted --- right? Chloe shook her head and called out to him.

“Alex!” She watched him stop half way up the stairs and turn around to face her. “You’re going to bed so soon?” Chloe started up the stairs so she could meet him where he was. He sighed and refused to look her in the eyes.

“It’s been a long day Chloe,” he mumbled.

“Alex,” she said as she got to where he was standing. She reached out a hand and touched his arm, immediately causing his eyes to dart to the contact. “Tell me what’s wrong. You look like you’ve just had your heart broken.” He paused for a second and then turned to start his ascent up the stairs again.

“And if I have?” He asked. Chloe followed him to the top of the stairs and caught his arm. She wrapped her arms around him lovingly and rested her head against his chest.

“Tell me who she is and I’ll kill her,” Chloe said seriously. Alex felt a grin tug at the corners of his mouth. His arms went around her and he kissed the top of her head.

“I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Then tell me what’s wrong. Why won’t you be marrying her?”

“She’s in love with someone else,” Alex said, keeping her in a tight embrace.

“I don’t see how that’s possible,” Chloe said. “How could she choose someone else over you?” She felt his fingers drift into her hair and she lifted her chin to look at him. She didn’t realize that his face was still leaned down from when he kissed her head, and now their mouths were so very close together. It was all Alex could do to not kiss her. He didn’t realize that he was having a similar effect on her. Chloe stared at his lips and then looked up into his eyes. This was wrong. She loved Jerome, as a friend anyway. She wanted Jerome. Or did she? “Alex,” she whispered. The sound of his name on her lips was all it took. Alex quickly covered the small gap between them and brushed his lips against hers. Chloe stared at him with wide eyes, but they fluttered closed as his mouth became more persuasive against hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck and Alex tangled his hand into her hair to rest at the back of her skull. His tongue crept out and traced along the crease of her lips, which she instinctually opened for him. They finally pulled apart when they were in desperate need of air. Alex rested his forehead against Chloe’s.

“Do you love him Chloe?” He asked in an almost choked voice. Chloe was still breathing hard when she allowed her eyes to look back into his.

“Who?” She asked in true confusion. Alex couldn’t help the tiny smirk that graced his lips and moved to capture her mouth again.

“I believe you just answered my question.”

~*~*~
Ch. 19
~*~*~

Lex’s eyes open and he squinted as he took in his surroundings. He realized he was in a hospital, and winced with pain as he tried to sit up.

“Take it easy, the doctors said you almost died,” Alex said. Lex turned his head toward the familiar voice. Everything came rushing back to him the second he saw Alex’s face.

“Where’s Chloe?” Lex asked. Alex sighed and looked at the floor. “Where’s Chloe?” Lex asked a little more insistently.

“She’s gone,” Alex said quietly.

“What do you mean *she’s gone*?”

“She’s *gone*,” Alex repeated. “We think Clark took her against her will, but ---”

“That son of a ---” Lex groaned as a sharp stab of pain hit his head when he tried to get up from the bed. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and then looked at Alex again. “Do you know where they are?”

“I have people looking for them.”

“But you don’t know where they are.”

“It’s only a matter of time,” Alex said.

“Time we don’t have,” Lex said. “He’s probably raped her by now --- God. How did this happen?”

“Look, like I said, I have people looking. Every police agency around the world is on alert,” Alex said reassuringly.

“Did you check with the airlines?” Lex asked. Alex looked confused. “Passenger lists? Descriptions?” ‘Idiot,’ Lex thought.

“They wouldn’t have taken a plane Lex.”

“Then why are you bothering to check all over the world? You should be ---”

“He can fly,” Alex interrupted. Lex stared blankly at him.

“What?”

“Clark. He can fly,” Alex explained. Lex felt his stomach fall.

“Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I wish I could.”

“They could be anywhere!” Lex started yelling, the anger pumping through his veins even faster now.

“They could,” Alex agreed with a nod of his head. “But ---”

“I know, you have people looking for them,” Lex said bitterly. He sighed. “You know him. Where would he take her?” Alex took a seat next to Lex’s bed.

“Could be anywhere, but I’m guessing a bigger city, makes it easier to hide,” he answered. Lex nodded. That was pretty much Criminal Behavior 101.

“So, Metropolis, Coast City, Edge City, Gotham ---”

“You think he’d go to Gotham?” Alex asked.

“It’s a bigger city here, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, but ---”

“*But*?”

“That’s where his parents were killed,” Alex said. Lex frowned.

‘The Kents are dead? Well, that certainly explains a lot,’ he thought.

“It’s also where his so-called arch enemy lives,” Alex said. Lex arched an eyebrow and one corner of his mouth lifted into a disbelieving grin.

“Clark has an arch enemy?”

“You say that like it’s amusing,” Alex said. Lex chuckled and then shook his head.

“Sorry. It’s still hard to think of him as a bad guy rather than how my friend is back home,” Lex explained. Alex nodded.

“You’re lucky,” he said. “Your world’s Clark is a good guy, you have Chloe --- speaking of which, how did you get her anyway?”

“I have no idea,” Lex replied. Alex seemed thoughtful about something and Lex tilted his head at him. “I hope you’re not thinking about rescuing her for yourself?” Alex shook his head.

“No. I was just thinking – after Clark threw you against the wall, Chloe slapped him.”

“Good,” Lex said dryly. Alex grinned.

“And he seemed to get better for a couple of minutes,” Alex continued.

“Get better?”

“He seemed nice, apologetic, pained that he had hurt you,” Alex clarified. “I just wish I knew what caused it.” Lex was listening more closely now. If there was something to make ‘Evil Clark’ go good, then he needed to know what it was.

“Think back to what happened,” Lex said. “Any little detail that you might have forgotten.” His voice was almost pleading and Alex closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and then released it as he replayed the scene in his mind.

“She called him a name and then slapped him hard. It looked like it hurt her more than him; it even made her ring turn around on her finger. Oh, and she said it’s a little loose, so if we get her back, then you should take care of that,” Alex rambled absently.

“When,” Lex corrected. Alex stared at him in confusion. “*When* I get her back.” Alex nodded.

“Right,” he said, not wanting to argue the fact that there was a very real possibility that they wouldn’t get Chloe back. Lex thought about what Alex had said.

“It was the meteor rocks,” Lex said with certainty.

“Pardon?”

“Chloe’s ring. I had red meteor rocks placed on the sides of the diamond because of her wall of weird,” Lex said. Alex arched an eyebrow.

“Does she know this?” He asked with a teasing smirk. Lex returned the smirk.

“I’m pretty sure that was the selling point for getting her to accept my proposal.”

“Huh,” Alex mused. “So, if you’re right, then after we find out where they are, we should just need to have some red meteor rocks in the room and he’ll behave.” Lex shook his head.

“Chloe was wearing her ring the entire time he was in the room. It must need to make skin contact,” he said. Alex nodded.

“Okay, so we need to trick him into wearing a ring or something,” he said.

‘Or something,’ Lex thought angrily.

“I’ll get someone working on it right away,” Alex said and stood up. He made it to the door before Lex spoke again.

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“Concentrate your efforts on Gotham,” Lex said. Alex furrowed his brow.

“Why?”

“I have a feeling that’s where he took her.”

“Do you have anything to back up this hunch of yours?” Alex asked and crossed his arms. Lex stared at him and wondered what had been so different in Alex’s life as to not make him trust his own intuition.

“He’ll want to confront his nemesis – show Chloe that he’s better than him.” Lex paused and grimaced. “He’ll also probably take her to see the place where his parents died.” Alex nodded.

“I’ll call Gotham PD and Bruce,” he said. Lex furrowed his brow in confusion. “Wayne,” Alex clarified. “He’s friends with Batman.” Lex’s eyebrow arched.

“Clark’s nemesis calls himself Batman?” He asked with a mixture of disbelief and amusement. Alex shrugged.

“Like I said, you’re lucky you’re not from here.”

~*~*~
Ch. 20
~*~*~

“Can you help her?” The servant woman asked. The old man stood next to Chloe’s unconscious form and then held a hand out over her body. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again they had turned completely into the color of the green meteor rocks.

“The bonding must be completed or they will both die,” he finally responded. The woman looked worried and started fidgeting with her hands.

“But his highness ---,”

“Is on his way here,” the sorcerer answered and his eyes flicked back to a normal looking appearance. “But he is not well. Dispatch his troops to retrieve him from his enemy’s arms.” The woman obediently nodded, curtsied, and then took a few steps toward the door. “Wait.” The woman spun around on command and saw a green mist swirl around the man’s open hands. A large chunk of green rock magically appeared. She furrowed her brow in confusion. “It is his enemy’s only weakness,” he explained and placed the rock in her hands. “Give it to the knight in command.” The woman nodded again and headed out the door.

The old sorcerer looked back at Chloe and his face contorted in sorrow and pain. He fell to his knees and closed his eyes, allowing the tears to pour down from them.

“I’m so sorry Chloe,” he whispered. “I just wanted to help you escape, like you helped me.” He shook his head, the tears still running down his cheeks. “I should have known that he wouldn’t let you go. Please forgive me.” Chloe’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of the whimper. Her vision was blurred and the room was dark, but she could almost make out the face of the old man. He let out a breath of relief when her eyes opened and then grabbed her hand in his. Chloe finally regained her focus, creasing her brow when she saw a face that was unfamiliar to her.

“Who ---” She trailed off as the man stood and a similar green mist that she remembered from the ‘wedding ceremony’ encompassed the man. His form began to change. His old wrinkles giving way to young skin and the grey hair that rested almost all the way down his back seemed to sheer itself and darken in color. Chloe’s mouth dropped open in shock when the mist disappeared. “Clark!”

The cousin she thought was dead now stood before her with a smile on his face. He leaned over her and she reached up with her arms to hug him.

“How is this possible?” She whispered. “You were dead.” Clark shook his head and frowned.

“Please forgive me for my deceit.”

“What happened?” She asked in a hushed voice. Chloe glanced toward the door to make sure no one was listening or watching their conversation.

“It’s safe for now,” Clark said, answering her unspoken question. She looked back at him and graced him with a weak smile. He frowned at the fact that she was still in pain.

“Tell me,” she said almost pleadingly and pushed herself up to a sitting position.

“I,” he paused and took a deep breath. “I altered a dead soldier’s appearance to look like me,” he admitted. “And then I came here and changed my own form by using one of the books I took from your sanctuary.” Chloe frowned.

“I was wondering where those books went,” she thought aloud.

“I’m sorry. I know it was wrong and I ---”

“It’s alright Clark, I understand,” she said. “You were just trying to stay alive.” He nodded. “I cannot believe they thought you were a sorcerer.”

“Only because your books taught me enough to pull it off,” Clark said with a slight grin.

“And Lana? Where is she?” Chloe asked with a smile. Clark’s face fell into an expression of pure heartbreak.

“Before they started hunting us --- she grew very ill, and I couldn’t help her. She didn’t make it,” Clark answered in a choked voice.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. We need to concentrate on your life right now.”

“My life is not in jeopardy,” she said.

“Yes it is,” he argued. “You and King Alexander have not completed the bonding yet; and he is severely wounded.” Chloe stared passed him to the bare wall.

“He went after Whitney. It is his own fault,” Chloe said sadly.

“He didn’t know of Whitney’s powers,” Clark protested.

“They are *not* Whitney’s powers! They are *your* powers, given to you at your birth, and ---”

“And they were transferred to *him*,” Clark interrupted. “The Gods obviously didn’t see fit to leave them with me.” Chloe scoffed.

“The *Gods* had nothing to do with it. You were struck by the same bolt of lightning. Not to mention the fact that you didn’t seem at all upset to be a *normal* person when it happened.”

“And who do you think sent down the lightning?” Clark countered. He sighed and ran a hand through his now short hair. “Now is not the time to engage in a religious discussion. If you and your king haven’t completed the ceremony by midnight tonight, then you will both die, regardless of whether his wounds are healed.”

“Whitney is my king,” she said angrily. “And the only ceremony that requires such a bonding with threat of death is the ---,” she trailed off as her eyes grew wide. “You performed the Ma’at Mal?! Have you lost your mind?!” He motioned with his hands for her to lower her voice.

“I had to. King Alexander specifically requested it,” he explained. Chloe crossed her arms and glared at him. “And how was I to know that you would protest bonding with him?”

“You think me disloyal to Whitney?”

“I have never questioned your loyalty Chloe. But I heard he was going to force you to marry him, and I couldn’t stand it. I knew that if it happened I would never see you again. Was it so wrong to want my only remaining family to be here with me?” Clark asked.

“By forcing me to marry King Alexander?”

“It was the only way,” Clark argued. “He started asking more and more about different abilities and ceremonies, and ---” Clark stopped and took a deep breath. “And I ran across something in one of the old texts here, but I would need a *real* sorcerer or sorceress to perform the ritual.”

“For what?” Chloe asked skeptically.

“For me to get my powers back from Whitney,” he answered. He tilted his head at her and a grin twitched at his lips. “But you need to be alive for the ceremony to work.” Chloe was in complete shock and blinked her eyes a few times before she responded.

“And to be alive, the Ma’at Mal must be concluded,” she said thoughtfully and quietly. Clark nodded and then looked at her hopefully.

“I realize I have no right to ask this of you ---”

“Alright,” Chloe agreed without looking at him. Clark stayed silent, not knowing whether he had heard her correctly. “If you can get him back here, I’ll help you.” Clark smiled thankfully and Chloe frowned. “I can hear someone coming. How quickly can you change back into your other form?” Clark smiled and the green mist began to surround him. ‘He’s picked up some really good magic,’ she thought to herself. Soon he was in the form of the old man again and there was a slight rapping on the door.

“Enter,” he said. The same servant woman who was there before came in, breathing hard as if she had run all the way back there.

“Sir,” she greeted. “The guards have returned. Do you want his highness brought up to this room or to another?” The woman took notice of Chloe sitting up in her bed and she smiled. “Thank heavens,” she said. “Please pardon me for speaking out of turn, but you’re looking much better, your majesty.”

“Thank you,” Chloe said. The woman looked back to Clark for the answer and he nodded.

“Bring him here,” Clark said. The servant curtsied and left the room almost as hurriedly as she had come in. Clark turned to face Chloe. “Are you sure?”

“He and I will both die if I don’t,” she reminded him. “And right now, my desire to live far outweighs my desire to pummel you into the ground for performing a ceremony that you had no right performing.”

[scifichick774]

~*~*~
Ch. 21
~*~*~

“Why are you telling me this?” Jerome asked in aggravation. Clark looked sadly at him.

“Because you needed to know,” he explained. “Because you need to move on.” Jerome shook his head vehemently.

“Just because the Chloe and Alex from your world are together, doesn’t mean that they feel that way about each other here,” he protested. Lana bit her lip and gave Clark a hesitant yet expectant expression.

“Tell him,” she said in little more than a whisper. Jerome narrowed his eyes.

“Tell me what?” He asked. Clark sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“It’s not just our world,” he answered. Jerome looked confused, so Clark began to elaborate. “It’s most of the worlds that we’ve been to – which granted, isn’t very many ---”

“But it’s enough to see a pattern,” Lana interrupted. Clark nodded once in agreement. “In fact, in most worlds they’re either already together or ---”

“Or about to be,” Clark finished.

“What?” Jerome asked in disbelief. He shook his head again and stared at his two visitors.

“We’re not saying this to try and upset you Jerome,” Lana said. “We just felt you should know.”

“You honestly think that Alex *likes* her and is going to end up marrying her?” The baffled look on his face spoke volumes. “I don’t believe it. She would never like him like that.”

“Maybe not yet, but you can already tell that he likes her,” Lana said.

“And Lex isn’t the kind of guy to back down from something he wants,” Clark added.

“Lex?” Jerome asked.

“That’s what he goes by in our world,” Clark explained.

“And you think that he – the Alex here,” Jerome clarified, “likes her?” He swallowed after barely being able to get the words out. Even as he was asking the question, a part of him already knew the answer to be true.

“I think he loves her,” Clark replied. After a brief pause, he spoke again. “I’m sorry. We weren’t trying to hurt you by telling you.” Jerome looked like he was ready to collapse from the emotional blow he had just taken.

“It’s alright,” he lied. “I just – I’m tired, and I’d like to get some sleep. If you’ll excuse me?” Clark and Lana nodded and said goodnight to him as they watched him retreat toward his bedroom. Lana turned to Clark and slowly stepped toward him. She rested her head and hands on his chest and let out a tiny sigh.

“I feel so bad for him,” she said.

“I know,” Clark said as he wrapped his arms around her. “But we couldn’t let him keep believing a lie.” Lana looked up at him.

“What if it wasn’t a lie?” She asked. “What if we’re wrong?” Clark frowned and held her tighter.

“We weren’t.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Me?” Chloe asked in astonishment. She shook her head lightly and stared at Alex. “But ---”

“What did you think it meant when I kissed you, Chloe?” Alex asked, taking a step toward her.

“I thought – I thought you were upset about losing ---”

“You,” Alex finished. “I was upset about the possibility of losing you to Jerome.” Chloe’s mouth opened and closed as she couldn’t find the words to say. “You had to have suspected.” He saw her eyes growing wet as she shook her head again. “Oh.” Chloe looked down as she tried to comprehend what was happening. The man who she had previously considered to be her brother, even though he wasn’t, was proclaiming his love for her. “I would never pressure you into anything, Chloe. I’ll give you as much time to think about what it is that you want.” He frowned when Chloe didn’t look up at him. “It’s late. Get some sleep.” He kissed the top of her head before walking past her down the hallway to his bedroom.

Chloe went to her room and changed into her nightgown, all the while in a daze from what had happened with Alex. She thought about what he said as she crawled under the covers in her bed. He loved her, but would never pressure her into returning his feelings. The problem was that she had a gnawing feeling in her gut that she already returned them. After all, she had been more upset about Alex’s broken heart than she had been excited about the possibility of Alex letting Jerome court her. And then there was the kiss. When they kissed, she felt like her entire body was on fire. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep as all of the thoughts and feelings kept twisting through her head. She got out of bed and wrapped a dressing robe around herself.

Her feet padded softly down the hallway until she reached Alex’s room. Chloe hesitated before knocking, her hand seemed to stick in the air, not sure whether to make contact with the wood of the door or not. She drew a large breath of air and let her closed hand fall against the door; letting out a light rapping sound that she wasn’t sure would even wake him. She heard movement from inside the room and the door slowly creaked open. Alex looked at her questioningly as Chloe took in his appearance. He was only wearing the lower half of his pajamas, and before she lost her nerve, Chloe reached out and grabbed his face with her hands; then practically slammed her lips against his. Alex’s eyes widened, but he quickly began to reciprocate.

Their soft mouths moved together and their tongues began to dance. Alex slowly started to back into his room, bringing her with him as they kissed. He reached behind her and closed the door, but Chloe didn’t notice. The arousal she felt seemed to be consuming her body and the only thought in her mind is that she needed more of him.

Alex moved his mouth to Chloe’s cheek, then to her jaw, then to her neck, and she gasped when she felt his teeth scrape against the bare skin. He slowly started to suckle the spot and Chloe’s breathing became labored as she let out a small moan at the enhanced sensations that were now coursing through her body.

“Alex,” she said a whispered moan. Alex moved to kiss her again. His lips were passionate, yet coaxing, and it wasn’t long before Chloe relaxed into his embrace. Their tongues slowly slid against each others and Alex turned them around so that he was now backing her toward his bed. His fingers moved to untie the loose knot that held her robe closed. It slipped off her shoulders and quickly, in the haze of kissing and caressing, they were both pressed against each other, skin against skin. Alex stilled a moment as his eyes ran over her body with appreciation. He leaned her back against the bed and hovered over her as they adjusted their positions. Chloe’s fingers reached up and touched the concerned look on Alex’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Have you ever ---?” He trailed off, but the question he wanted to ask was apparent. He knew that many women, especially ones of Chloe’s breeding, saved themselves for marriage; but Alex wasn’t under the delusion that Chloe was like other women. She was spirited. And although he tried to keep a close eye on her, she could have very well have had her share of affairs without telling him. It didn’t matter to him if she had though, because those men were in the past; he just wanted to know so he didn’t hurt her. Chloe bit her lower lip and shook her head. Alex was surprised, but managed to hide it well. He nuzzled the crook of her neck with his nose and mouth. “It might hurt at first,” he warned her. Chloe nodded and Alex began to kiss her neck again.

His mouth moved from her neck to her collarbone. Chloe bent and spread her legs as he repositioned himself between them. Her eyes closed in anticipation of what was to come next, but it wasn’t what she was expecting. He was taking his time with her and Chloe’s eyes shot open when she felt his mouth on one of her nipples.

“Alex?”

“Shh.” He gently began to suckle her and roll her other nipple between his fingers. Chloe’s mouth hung open in a deep moan as she arched her back to encourage his actions. Her hips started grinding against him in a desperate attempt to seek release. Alex almost lost it when he felt her wetness against his skin, but he wanted to make this special for her, wanted to make her know that no other man would be able to satisfy her like him.

His free hand traced down her skin to her curls and Chloe’s hips bucked when she felt his thumb rub against her clit.

“Aaaah,” she let out a strangled cry as Alex slowly inserted a finger inside of her and began to pump, at the same time rhythmically rubbing her hard nub with his thumb. “Alex – please.”

Alex removed his finger and, no longer able to control himself, thrust his throbbing cock into her in one swift motion. Chloe screamed at the initial pain as he broke through her innocence, but soon pleasure took place of the pain and they were rocking against each other as he pumped into her. The motions grew faster and more frenzied, and Chloe’s vision started to blur into a white haze as her body started to shake with her orgasm. Alex felt Chloe’s inner walls contract around him and it pushed him toward his own release. He spilled his warm seed inside of her and then collapsed from the exhaustion of their lovemaking. He gently stroked her hair with his hand as they both breathed heavily.

“I love you,” he murmured into her ear. Chloe opened her eyes and looked at him. Her lips reached his and they brushed against each other lightly before it turned into a substantially more passionate kiss.

“I love you too.”

~*~*~
Ch. 22
~*~*~

Chloe bit her lip and avoided eye contact with Clark at all costs as they walked through the park. Before they had left the hotel room earlier, she had been looking around for anything that might remind her of her former life, and was surprised when she couldn’t even find airplane tickets. She asked him about it and he gave her a quirky smile, one that she had grown to really dislike in the two days she had been awake to spend with him – but what came next shocked the hell out of her. Clark floated.

He folded his arms across his chest and his body rose from the ground as if he had been doing it his whole life. He went on to explain that he wasn’t originally from Earth and that the Kents had only adopted him, but that his biological parents had left a message for him inside his space pod basically telling him that he would be a God among men there and that was his strength. It was a lot for Chloe to take in all at once and she almost collapsed. Clark suggested a walk outside since the weather was finally nice and Chloe had agreed, but now she was wishing she hadn’t.

The best friend, the guy she had dreamt of returning her love for so long, wasn’t human. A nagging voice in the back of her head told her that wasn’t the only problem. So, they had flown via Clark to Gotham and for some weird reason she could accept that; but how did Clark afford the lavish hotel suite or the huge rock resting on her finger?

Clark’s family had never been wealthy, and although she lost her memory, she doubted that much could have changed in the years that she couldn’t remember. She never imagined that he would use his superior abilities to easily get what he wanted. It was amazing what people were willing to give you when they were threatened with unspeakable pain and death.

It also bothered her that every time she looked in a mirror, she still saw a teenager’s reflection staring back at her. Granted, she did look a little older than what she remembered, but not by much – maybe only a year at the outside.

Her dad was another missing piece to the bizarre puzzle. She tried calling him at home, on his cell phone, and even at work – only to be told by people at all three numbers that there was no Gabe Sullivan there. The man who answered the phone at the LuthorCorp plant said that there was a Sullivan who used to work there, but he and his daughter had moved to Metropolis a long time ago. Chloe couldn’t figure it out and it was making her angry. Why would her dad move them away from Smallville after his countless speeches about company loyalty and how much he loved his job there?

Then there was the Lex Luthor issue. Chloe knew she was probably making a big deal out of nothing, but Clark said that Lex would come after her, and every time she brought it up since then, he would dodge the question. And, for some reason that she couldn’t explain, every time Clark moved to kiss her she would picture Lex’s face in her mind. It startled her the first time it happened and she had quickly pulled away from Clark with a strange look on her face. But then the dreams came. Even when she was just napping, images of her and Lex together, intimately together, would run through her mind.

And then the most surreal thing would happen. On her ring finger, she would picture an engagement ring. It would never be something she would pick out for herself, so she wondered why she pictured it in her dreams of him – unless they weren’t really dreams. Chloe had finally accepted that the dreams she was having might actually be memories and it scared her. She had loved Lex Luthor and he had apparently loved her back?

‘So, I got bonked on the head, got amnesia, and woke up in a parallel universe where nothing makes sense,’ she thought jokingly to herself as she and Clark continued to walk along the park’s path. With that thought, Chloe stopped dead in her tracks. She was suddenly overwhelmed by images of her life and memories that were too real to be called dreams. Lex’s unconscious bleeding body on an ambulance gurney was the last thing that sprung into her mind and her eyes grew wide in horror as she finally remembered what had happened. Clark stopped and looked at her questioningly.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“I’m not your wife,” she stated. Clark raised an eyebrow.

“I think the state of Kansas would disagree,” he said calmly.

“Y-you killed Lex and ---” she took a few steps backward.

“You remember,” Clark said knowingly. He eyed her carefully, as if planning his next move, and then gave her a small grin and a shrug. “It doesn’t matter. You’re still my wife.” Chloe shook her head.

“I’m not,” she protested. He stepped closer to her, and this time Chloe didn’t move away because she was too stunned by his assertion to move.

“Actually, you are,” he said. “The judge threw a fit about marrying us while you were unconscious, but he came to his senses.” Chloe’s mouth dropped open a little. “And, before you even ask, it’s completely legal. All they needed were our thumbprints for the license to be valid.” Before she knew it, Clark had his hands resting tightly on her waist and he was smirking at her. “You’re mine – for as long as we both shall live.” Chloe overcame her stint of surprise and her emotions quickly turned to anger.

“You can’t do this!” She yelled. Clark swiftly leaned down and captured her mouth with his own before she could say anything else. Chloe tried desperately to push him away, but to no avail. He was much stronger than she was, and was intent on them being together. A man in the shadows who had been observing the couple since they left the hotel decided it was finally time to act. Chloe saw the tall, well-built man come up behind Clark and she shot him a pleading look with her eyes as Clark continued his assault on her mouth.

The stranger took out a small lead box and opened it to reveal a glowing green meteor rock. Clark felt the weakness sweep through his body and he fell to his knees. He stared up at the young man with confusion until the man looked down at him and Clark recognized the face of his nemesis.

“Wayne,” he spat in an angry and pained voice.

“Kent,” Bruce Wayne acknowledged. He looked at Chloe and motioned for her to leave with his head. “Go to the first police station you can find.” Chloe didn’t need to be told twice and she took the opportunity to run as fast as she could away from the two men.

“Put the rock away and we’ll settle this like men,” Clark told Bruce as he breathed heavily to try and counteract the rock’s affects on his body. Bruce gave a light, almost pitying shake of his head.

“You’re not a man,” he reminded him. “You’re a monster.” Clark glared at him and Bruce squared his jaw. “You abducted another man’s fiancée and claimed her as your own.”

“She’s my wife now. There’s nothing you can do about that,” Clark said surely as he writhed in agony on the park’s trail. Bruce frowned.

“Yes there is,” he said, the sorrowful and pitying look back on his face. “I can kill you.” Clark let out a small chuckle and smirked at him.

“But you won’t. You’re too play-by-the-rules boy to do that. You never kill your enemies; you just send them off to prison or asylums,” he said. Bruce observed him almost stoically and then knelt down beside Clark, the rock in its case still opened in the palm of his hand.

“I’m willing to make an exception in your case,” he said before lifting the green rock out of the small box with his fingers. Clark’s eyes darted to the rock and then back to Bruce.

“How did you know?”

“Luthor figured it out actually,” Bruce admitted. “The ring his double gave Chloe affected you strangely when she slapped you.” Clark gave a partial nod of his head.

“Why not just strap some of the red stuff to me and let me go then? So I can be a good little citizen?”

“I would if I thought you were capable of rehabilitation,” he answered.

“But you know better,” Clark said.

“But I know better,” Bruce agreed emotionlessly and placed the green rock against the skin of Clark’s neck. The veins bulged out green even more than they already were and Clark’s breathing became considerably more labored as his body shook in convulsive pain. Bruce saw his enemy’s eyes start to close as he slipped into unconsciousness and minutes later he reached down to feel for a pulse, but there wasn’t one. He sighed and pushed himself up to a standing position, then looked toward the trees and nodded once.

A few police officers and detectives came out of hiding and walked over to him. Bruce stared down at Clark’s dead body as they began to speak.

“You didn’t have to do that Mr. Wayne,” one of the men wearing a suit said. “There was no need for you to put your life in danger like that. I could have sent one of my officers to do it.”

“We didn’t know if it would work, and your men don’t have the experience I do when it comes to dealing with Clark Kent,” Bruce responded. The man gave a brief nod as acceptance of Bruce’s statement.

“And the woman?” The police detective asked. Bruce shoved his hands into his overcoat’s pockets as he took in their location.

“At the twenty-third precinct by now,” he said and turned to face the man he was speaking with. “She’s been through a lot. I’d like to have a chance to talk to her if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem.”

Bruce saw the police start to mark off the scene and he heard the cry of sirens filling the air before starting off in the direction he had seen Chloe run. He reached into his jacket pocket and took out his cell phone, hesitantly dialing a number that had been given to him the day before. True, Clark had abducted her and did God knows what to her in the time she was missing; but who was to say that Alex’s double wasn’t just as bad, just as evil? Maybe Chloe was only with him because she was being forced to be. Bruce recognized it as a possibility, telling himself that it had nothing to do with the fact that his world’s version of her had turned him down as well.

“Luthor,” Alex answered.

“It’s done,” Bruce said plainly. He heard Alex let out a breath of relief.

“Is she okay?”

“I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to her yet,” Bruce said. “She got her memory back while they were in the park though, and from what I could tell, she looked pretty rattled.”

“I’ll tell Lex when he wakes up,” Alex said. Bruce drew in a breath before continuing.

“Tell me the truth Alex; is she with him by choice?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “It sure seems like it though.”

“But you’re not sure?” Bruce asked. Alex grinned tightly.

“Don’t even think it Wayne,” he said in a half warning, half teasing voice.

Bruce quickly reached the station and saw Chloe sitting on one of the chairs in the reception area. Their eyes met and he gave her a reassuring look.

“I have to go,” he said.

“Bruce, I mean it,” Alex said. “I really think she actually cares about the guy.” Bruce hung up his cell phone without saying goodbye and then sat down next to Chloe. He stuck his hand out for her to shake.

“Bruce Wayne.”

“Chloe Sullivan,” she said in a still somewhat fearful voice.

“He won’t be bothering you anymore,” he said. Chloe felt the tears well up in her eyes and she smiled in gratitude.

“Thank you,” she said in a hushed voice. An uncomfortable silence took over for about a minute before Bruce spoke again.

“Alex tells me you’re from another plane of existence.” He watched Chloe nod and a tiny grin curled the corners of his mouth upward. He stood up again and offered her his hand. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”

~*~*~
Ch. 23
~*~*~

Pete and Alison’s world.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Chloe fidgeted with her hands as she paced the room. She was more and more nervous with every minute that went by, and soon Alexander would be in her quarters expecting to cement their relationship. She was beginning to wish that she hadn’t told Clark that she would go through with it. Sure, she would die if she didn’t, but she wasn’t sure she could be with Alexander in that way without losing every sense of herself at the same time. Her head turned at the sound of the knocking on the door and she took a deep breath.

“Enter,” she said.

The door opened and two guards walked in, dragging Alexander’s heavily beaten and bruised body in between the two of them. Chloe’s heart sank. She had no idea how badly he was hurt. She had felt his pain for a while, but she mused that was nothing compared to what he must still be feeling. The guards deposited him on the bed and one of them gave her a curt nod before they left. She bit her lip and walked over to sit next to his collapsed form on the bed. He slowly opened his eyes and took in the vision in front of him. He groaned and closed his eyes again.

“Go to him,” he said weakly. Chloe furrowed her brow in confusion.

“What?”

“Go to him,” he said a little louder, but with his eyes still closed. “I did not succeed in killing your king as I promised.” Chloe briefly closed her eyes. She was glad that he hadn’t killed Whitney, even though Clark had already told her as much. She hesitantly repositioned herself and slowly leaned over him.

“*You* are my king,” she said softly. Alexander opened his eyes again with a very confused expression on his face. Chloe gently kissed his split lips and Alexander’s eyes grew wider. He didn’t know what had possessed her to accept him in his defeat, but he wasn’t going to argue with her. His hands crawled around her sides to her back and he brought her body flush against his as the kiss filled with more passion. Chloe pulled away and stood up.

“Have you changed your mind again?”

“No,” she answered and held out her hand to help him up. He arched an eyebrow at her, but took her hand. “But we can’t complete our bond with the shape you’re in.”

“I’ll be fine,” Alexander protested, but then winced at the pain radiating through his body. She grinned. Her husband was stubborn even when he was dying. She almost had a mental fit when she realized that she had internally referred to him as her husband, but decided to let it go since he soon would be.

“Hold still,” she commanded. He looked at her questioningly and Chloe held out her hands and started to spout old words in a spell that Alexander didn’t recognize. He saw the visible wounds begin to heal and felt the hurt start to leave his body. Within minutes, he was completely healed and was staring at Chloe in awe. After hesitating for a second, she stepped toward him and rose on her tiptoes to kiss him, resting her hands on his chest as she did so. Pleased didn’t begin to describe Alexander’s state of mind. His body was healed and the woman he had been craving since the first moment he met her was now offering to make their union complete.

His lips separated from hers and moved to breathe heavily next to her ear as his fingers fumbled to untie her dress in the back. Their clothes were torn away from each other’s bodies and strewn haphazardly around the room as they frenzied to get closer to each other. Alexander kissed her as he backed her toward the bed. Chloe felt the bed hit the back of her legs and she started to lie down as Alexander quickly followed her and practically hovered over her. His mouth trailed from her lips to her neck, leaving a path of moisture behind it.

His lips moved down her body and Chloe’s back arched in anticipation of what was to come. Alexander’s tongue darted out to taste her nipple and Chloe let out a small whimper. The corners of his mouth curled upward into a small smirk at the sound and then he moved his lips over the erect nub and began to suckle and gently rake the sensitive tissue with his teeth. He teased her other nipple with his finger and thumb and Chloe’s body responded immediately. She started to rock against him, desperately seeking the friction that she desired.

His free hand trailed down her body until it reached her curls. Alexander’s breath hitched when he felt the moist heat radiating from her core. His thumb swept across her clit and Chloe’s hips bucked at the sensation. He tentatively inserted a finger and her nails dug into his back as she began to writhe in rhythm against it. The last of Alexander’s control was lost when he felt Chloe’s inner walls spazaming around his finger. In one swift movement, he removed his finger and began to push his throbbing cock into her. Chloe’s mouth dropped open in a gasp as he slowly entered her and her body began to accommodate him. With a final thrust, he was fully encased inside her and he started to move in and out. Chloe’s hips rose to meet him with each thrust and he leaned down to kiss her again.

The same green mist that had been present during the first part of their union began to swirl around them, but they were both too involved in the passion of the moment to notice. Chloe’s vision started to be encompassed by a white light and her body started to shake as her orgasm swept over her. She tightened around him, causing Alexander’s release to come only after two more thrusts. He moaned her name and collapsed on top of her. Their mouths moved against each other, not quite kissing, but just seeking contact. Sadly, their post-coital bliss was interrupted only too soon.

A loud knock came at the door and Alexander closed his eyes in a pathetic effort to will the person away. Chloe laughed and Alexander stared down at her smile. It was the first time he had seen her smile and he couldn’t help but think how lovely it was on her.

“You’re a sorceress, make them go away,” he said with no real threat behind his words. She laughed again and shook her head.

“I can’t do that. It might be important,” she replied.

“I sincerely doubt that.”

She laughed again and pushed herself out from underneath him. She gave a wave of her hand and they were both fully clothed again. Alexander looked down at his clothing and then looked at Chloe.

“Why did you not use your magic to get us *undressed* that quickly?” He asked. She rolled her eyes and went to answer the persistent knocking on the door. She opened the door and smiled at Clark, who looked like the old sorcerer in the doorway. He gave her a questioning look, silently asking whether they had completed their bonding or not. Chloe nodded and then glanced down and saw the old book cradled in his arms. She held out her hands to receive it and Clark flipped to the page where the spell to return his powers was. Alexander strode over and gave the old man a suspicious look. His arms wrapped around Chloe from behind and his mouth moved to her neck. “You dared to disrupt my time with my wife to ---” he trailed off as he looked down at the book that Chloe seemed to be studying intently. His focus went back to the sorcerer. “This had better be important.”

“We must act now,” Clark told Chloe, avoiding Alexander’s harsh glare. Chloe nodded absently and as Clark backed up she followed him out of the room. They began to walk down a series of hallways and stairs until they reached the door to the dungeon.

“What is the meaning of this?” Alexander demanded. He had followed the sorcerer and his wife down the maze of corridors in the castle, each step bringing a more unsettled feeling in his gut than the next. And it certainly didn’t help to ease his mind when neither Clark nor Chloe was speaking at all. Clark led Chloe to the cell that housed Whitney and Alexander clenched his jaw. Clark unlocked the door and they stepped inside. All of the rage Alexander felt about his enemy came rushing back to him at once and he stepped toward Whitney’s unconscious body. “He shall die, NOW!” Clark extended his arm and stopped him.

Alexander looked at him with surprise. How was it that an elderly man could have enough strength to hold him back? Clark caught saw Alexander’s shock and caught Chloe’s eye. She nodded once in approval.

“You’ll need to be back in your true form for this to work anyway,” she said. Alexander watched in awe as the old sorcerer transformed into Clark’s youthful self. After the astonishment passed, he felt a modicum of jealousy sweep through him. Instead of the old man who had been standing there, it was now a handsome young man who he judged to be around his wife’s age. The fact that she obviously knew the stranger didn’t help to quell Alexander’s jealousy. Her eyes glanced up at Clark. “You’ll need to touch his hand while I’m performing the ceremony.” Clark nodded and squatted beside Whitney’s body, reaching out his hand so the flesh from his hand was touching Whitney’s.

Chloe began to read the words in the ancient book in a plethora of lights seemed to come out of nowhere. They swirled around Clark and Whitney’s bodies in a double-helix formation, making a humming sound that was almost louder than Chloe. After what seemed like an eternity, Clark yelped in pain and fell completely to the floor. Chloe closed the book.

“It is done,” she said and then turned to Alexander. “Help me get him out of this cell.” The green meteor rock had been draining Clark’s energy, but once they drug him out of the cell and shut the heavy lead door he seemed to regain some of his strength. “How do you feel?”

The further they walked away from the cell, the better Clark felt. Clark flashed a grateful smile at his cousin and then pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you,” he said in a hushed voice. Alexander frowned. Not only did Chloe know this stranger, but she was close to him. He cleared his throat loudly and Chloe smiled at him.

“Forgive me, I forgot,” Chloe said. She turned to Clark. “He does not know you in this form.” Clark nodded understandingly. Clark, this is my husband, Alexander.” Clark smiled at him and stuck out his hand. “Alexander, this is my cousin, Clark.” Alexander’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and relief when Chloe introduced the man as her cousin. He shook Clark’s hand and a grin teased at his lips.

“I should have known. Magic must run in your bloodlines.”

They walked out of the dungeon, closing and locking the door behind them.

Alison peered at Pete through the bars of her cell.

“O-kay,” she strung out. “That was weird.”

“Yeah,” he agreed and then gave her a small smile. “But at least they didn’t say anything about killing us.”

“Good point.”

The lights that had surrounded Clark and Whitney hadn’t completely dissipated and Alison’s eyes grew wide as they started to near her and Pete’s cells.

“Um, Pete?”

The lights twirled around them and the next thing Pete and Alison knew, everything around them went dark.

~*~*~
Ch. 24
~*~*~

Clark and Lana’s world.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Jerome stood outside; his gaze on the night sky as he thought about what Clark and Lana had told him. Surely it couldn’t be true. If there was such a thing as destiny, why would it be so cruel as to put Chloe and Alex together? He shook his head and then stared off in the direction of the Luthor estate. Earlier that evening, Alex had said that he would let him court Chloe. Jerome frowned. No. Alex said that he would ‘consider it.’ Jerome’s jaw set with determination. He needed to find out for himself whether there was a possibility of truth to what Clark and Lana had spoken of.

Using his super speed, Jerome reached the manor quickly. He circled around outside to the part of the house where Chloe’s room was located and stared up at it. Even before using his x-ray vision, he got a sinking feeling in his gut. His abilities could truly be a curse sometimes. He stared intently at her room, as he had many nights before, and saw that she wasn’t there. His heart started beating faster, fearful of what he was going to find if he kept looking, but he had to know. He looked through a couple of the other bedrooms on the upper floor until his sight landed in Alex’s room.

Jerome suddenly felt ill and looked away after he saw Chloe and Alex’s entangled bodies sleeping on Alex’s bed. He couldn’t believe that Chloe would choose Alex over him, even after seeing it with his own eyes. What killed him most was the look of pure contentment on Alex’s sleeping face. In all the years he had known him, he had never seen Alex content with any situation in his life. But now, Alex looked like he had finally found the one thing he had been searching for. Clark’s words kept ringing in Jerome’s head.

‘They’re together on almost every world --- I don’t know if I believe in soul mates, but ---’

Jerome sped away from the estate as quickly as he could, and when he reached his house he found Clark sitting on a wooden box, waiting for him outside. Clark gave him a knowing and sympathetic look.

“You wanna talk about it?” Clark asked. Jerome closed his eyes and let his heartbreak wash over him. He lightly shook his head, but Clark didn’t get the hint. “I tried to warn you,” he said quietly.

“I know.”

“So, they’re ---”

“Do you think that’s why he wouldn’t approve anyone to court her?” Jerome interrupted. “Has he loved her for so long?” Clark grimaced and then gave Jerome a compensatory smile. There wasn’t much he could say beyond what he had already told him.

“Probably.”

Jerome leaned on the outside wall of the house and closed his eyes again.

“I’ve never seen him like that,” Jerome said quietly. “He has always been so --- pained. But the look on his face tonight --- he seemed happy, content.”

“Sorry,” Clark said. Jerome sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I know you liked her, but you’ll get over it. Just give it time.” Jerome didn’t look as sure and he paused for a minute before speaking again.

“You and Lana ---”

“Yeah?”

“Are you together on most worlds?” Jerome asked hesitantly. Clark shook his head.

“Some, but not most,” he admitted. “Why?” He asked a little suspiciously. “Do you like Lana?” Jerome made a face in disbelief.

“No,” he said. “I was a little surprised that you do.”

“Hey!”

“No offense,” Jerome quickly added. “She just doesn’t have the right --- spirit for me.” Clark stood and walked over to his double. He laid his hand on the other boy’s shoulder and gave him a small grin.

“You’ll find her. It may take a while, but you’ll find the woman you’re supposed to be with,” Clark said. Jerome arched an eyebrow and Clark gave him a confused expression. “What?”

“You sounded like my dad just then,” Jerome said.

“Oh.” Clark wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or not.

“You should get back into bed before Lana misses you,” Jerome said. Clark nodded.

“Yeah,” he said half-heartedly, not wanting to admit that Lana was most of the reason he was out there to begin with. “Good night.”

Clark went back inside the house and paused in the doorway of the small bedroom that Jerome had let he and Lana use. Lana was seemingly asleep on the bed and Clark frowned. As much as his hormones disagreed, he had no plans to take advantage of the situation.

“How’s he doing?” Lana asked in a hushed whisper. Clark was surprised when the voice came from her mouth, but her eyes were still closed. He went to sit on the side of the bed.

“Not good, but I think he’ll be okay,” Clark answered. Lana rolled over onto her side to look at him, but decided there wasn’t a lot she could say to comfort him. She gave Clark a small grin and then patted the bed beside her.

“It’s late. Come to bed.”

Clark’s eyes widened and he blushed, causing Lana to smile broadly.

“For *sleep* Clark,” she clarified. He blushed again, but crawled under the thin covers beside her. Still sleepy, she snuggled up next to him and rested her head on his chest. Clark wanted to pull her closer, but knew he should push her away before she noticed his body responding to her.

“Um, Lana ---”

Lana looked up at him through heavy eyelids and then repositioned herself so their faces were close together. She bit her lower lip and they started to lean toward each other. Their mouths lightly brushed before the moonlight covered room fell into total darkness. Lana opened her eyes, but because of the surrounding blackness, it didn’t seem like she had. And she knew for certain that they now seemed to be sitting on a hard surface rather than a soft mattress.

“Clark?”

“It’s okay,” he said, keeping his grip on her upper arm from before everything went black. He pushed himself up to a standing position, bringing Lana with him. “I think we’re back at the house.”

“We never left the house,” Lana said with a little confusion.

“No – I mean, I think we’re back at the gatehouse,” Clark clarified.

“Oh!” Lana exclaimed in surprise. “Well, we should get out and see if the others are okay.”

“Good idea.”

Clark used his x-ray vision to find the wall that led to the hallway and he held Lana’s hand as they walked surely toward the door. He opened the door and let Lana walk out first. She looked at him in awe.

“That was amazing, Clark,” she said. “You must have some sort of incredible sense of direction.” Clark looked at the floor and Lana realized that he must have used one of his abilities to lead them to the door. “Oh. Well, that’s good too,” she said with forced chipperness. Clark smiled at her, but looked beyond her when he saw two figures coming their way.

“Hey! There you guys are,” Pete greeted, shining his flashlight in their direction.

“So, how was medieval world?” Lana asked. Alison shook her head and held her hands out in front of her.

“Never again,” she stated. Lana giggled.

“That bad, huh?”

“We were put in prison,” Pete said.

“Ouch,” Clark responded.

“Yeah, we were just lucky to get out of there before they executed us,” Pete said. “So, what was your world like?”

“Kind of like ‘Little House on the Prairie’,” Lana answered glibly. She glanced around the hallway and then back to Pete and Alison. “Where are Chloe and Lex?”

“Haven’t seen them,” Pete answered. “Did you see which room they went in?” Clark and Lana shook their heads.

“We went first,” Clark explained.

“Okay. Well, let’s start looking,” Pete said.

[scifichick774]

~*~*~
Ch. 25
~*~*~

Chloe and Lex’s world.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“You’re *sure* he’s alright?” Chloe asked for what seemed like the millionth time. Bruce resisted rolling his eyes and one corner of his mouth twitched slightly, threatening to spread a grin across his lips.

“I’m sure. He’s pretty bruised, and he broke a couple of ribs, but he’s alive,” Bruce said. Chloe relaxed back into the limousine’s back seat and bit her lip as she stared out the window. “You seem nervous. You don’t have to see him if you don’t want to, it doesn’t matter if you were engaged.”

“We’re still engaged,” Chloe protested, but then looked uncertain. “As far as I know anyway.”

“”I doubt he would have asked for assistance in getting you home safely if he didn’t still love you,” Bruce said.

“This isn’t my home,” she reminded him quietly.

“No. Of course not,” he said and then paused for a second before continuing. “You’re missing the point.”

“The point being ---?”

“Everything that happened with Clark, none of it was your fault. He knows that.”

“You’re wrong,” Chloe said. “It’s *all* my fault. *I’m* the one who insisted that we go back to the stupid gatehouse, just so I could get proof of alternate realities for a story. He didn’t want to go. It’s my fault.”

“You had no idea that your friend Clark would be evil here,” he countered. Alex had filled him in on the situation, and although Bruce found it difficult to believe at first, he was finding himself accepting the story little by little with every minute that passed.

“I should have though,” Chloe said. Her eyes rose from the floor of the limo to Bruce’s and he could see them welling up with tears. “The last world I went to ---” she trailed off with a choked sob.

“The last world you went to ---” Bruce prompted when she didn’t continue. Unfortunately for him, she didn’t feel the need to elaborate. Instead, she looked at him sadly and incapable of forming the words that she knew she would start crying over.

There was no way to sum up in a few minutes how she had practically fallen in love with an alternate reality version of Lex before she and her Lex were going out. Or that her double had been having an affair with the Clark of that world and he ended up having her killed and delivering her head in a box to Lex. Chloe let some of her tears dribble down her face when she thought of the last part. There was no way to tell Bruce how she promised to stay with Lex if she was pregnant and then Clark had gunned him down mercilessly, leaving her to fall to her knees and sob over his body before returning to her own world. There was just no way.

Chloe noticed the Luthor castle out of the corner of her eye and fixed her gaze on it so she wouldn’t start crying over something that couldn’t be changed. Instead, her sadness was replaced with a constricting feeling in her gut. Bruce was right; she was nervous. She knew Lex wouldn’t blame her for what happened with Clark, but that was part of the problem. She didn’t know exactly *what* had happened with Clark. She had lost part of her memory and acted on feelings that she had for her Clark back home some time ago. Would Lex be mad when he found out that she had kissed the other man? Chloe was also frightened, because she didn’t know what else had happened with Clark. When she awoke in the hotel suite, she was naked in the bed; and Chloe couldn’t shake the feeling that Clark may have taken advantage of the situation before she had woken up. The thought made her cringe and Bruce reached over to squeeze her hand as a show of support.

“It really *is* okay if ---” Bruce trailed off when he saw two Alexander Luthors standing in front of the house as the limo pulled into the driveway. He really hadn’t been sure whether to believe the alternate realities story or not, but now there was evidence. Bruce blinked a couple of times as he took in the matching men’s appearances. One of them was bald, and he was bruised and bandaged, so Bruce guessed that was Chloe’s ‘Lex’. He frowned when the thought hit his brain, knowing that the Chloe sitting beside him really wasn’t from his world and the one who was wanted nothing to do with anybody because of her experience with Clark.

The second Chloe saw Lex she wanted to jump out of the car and run to him, but she forced herself to wait until the limo pulled to a stop. When it did, she quickly opened the door and slid out of the vehicle, leaving Bruce behind with a somewhat surprised expression on his face. Whatever nervousness she felt until that point had obviously gone away when she saw her fiancé. Bruce sighed as he watched the woman run to the other man’s arms and give him a big hug. He was thankful that no one heard the snicker escape his lips when he saw Lex wince with pain at the forcefulness of the hug.

Alex strode over to the car, using the excuse of not wanting to intrude on Chloe and Lex’s reunion. He peered into the back seat and nodded once, sticking his hand out in a friendly gesture.

“Bruce,” he greeted. Bruce mimicked Alex’s motions and gave him a curt nod as he shook his hand.

“Alex.” Bruce stared over at Chloe and Lex and frowned. “I wasn’t sure I believed it.” Alex followed his gaze and then nodded again.

“It’s a little surreal,” he agreed. The car was still running and Alex tilted his head at his friend. “You’re not staying?”

“I have no desire to see her with him any more than you do,” Bruce answered and then grinned. “And unlike you, I’m not a glutton for punishment.”

“Since when?” Alex quipped.

“Funny,” Bruce said sarcastically. Alex grinned broadly and shoved his hands in his pockets. “By the way, thanks for the meteor rock. How did you figure it out?”

“I didn’t,” Alex said. “*He* did.”

“Ah. So, not only does he have everything you have, but he’s also smart.”

“And he has the girl,” Alex mumbled. Bruce gave him a consoling look and then nodded.

“Keep in touch, Luthor.”

“You too, Wayne.”

Alex watched Bruce’s limousine turn around and drive out toward the street before turning to look at Lex and Chloe. They were standing there, wrapped in each other’s arms, but not speaking. It was almost as if they were clinging to each other to make sure the other one was real. He frowned with envy.

There had been a time when he thought that he and the Chloe of his world could be happy together. They had been friends, or at the very least friendly acquaintances. He missed the days when they used to banter and she used to confide in him. His friendship with Clark had put a stop to that. Clark had always lived outside of the law, figuring that the normal rules didn’t apply to him. It hadn’t bothered Alex, because that had been how he was raised. Money and power let you get away with anything. He learned the hard way that it didn’t.

Clark fixed his sights on Chloe as someone he wanted as more than a friend, but she didn’t reciprocate his feelings. Within a relatively short time, Clark began stalking her and Alex’s friendship went from blossoming to non-existent. It had even gotten to the point where she insisted that he address her formally if they ever ran into each other. He had never understood that, but he accepted it.

Alex was so entranced in his thoughts that his mind barely registered the sound of a car coming up the driveway. It stopped beside him and a hesitant looking blonde woman stepped out. Alex’s eyes grew wide as he looked at the person in front of him as if he were hallucinating.

“Is it true?” Chloe asked as she fidgeted with the key ring in between her fingers.

“Depends what you’re referring to,” Alex answered. She took a step closer to him.

“I got a message on my machine. Caller ID said it was someone from Gotham. They said that Clark is dead,” she rambled. “Is it true?”

“Why come to me to find out?” Alex asked somewhat bitterly. “I’m sure you could have called any news source in Gotham.”

“I did, but ---,” she took a deep breath before continuing. “I’m sorry.” Her words took Alex completely by surprise.

“What?”

“I should have never let Clark destroy our friendship. I ---”

Alex closed the space between them and lowered his mouth to meet hers. Chloe’s eyebrows shot up in shock and at first she tried to move away from him, but he stilled her by gripping his hands to her waist and pulling her body closer. Alex’s mouth was persistent against hers and soon her hands were running up his chest as the kiss deepened.

Chloe and Lex looked at their doubles and Lex couldn’t help but notice the tiny smirk gracing Chloe’s face. He leaned down to speak into her ear.

“You wouldn’t have had anything to do with that, did you?”

“Maybe,” Chloe answered noncommittally. She turned around in Lex’s arms. “We should probably talk about everything that’s happened,” she said quietly. Lex kissed her forehead and then rested his own against it.

“We should,” he agreed. “But - later. Right now I’m just happy to have you back.”

“But – he took my ring and I ---”

“I’ll get you a new one,” he said.

Chloe smiled in relief and rose on her tiptoes to kiss him. Their lips touched, and despite Lex’s bruised face, the kiss became passionate quickly. With their eyes closed, they had no idea that their surroundings had faded into a pitch black setting. They pulled apart to breathe and Chloe blinked in confusion.

“Who turned out the lights?” She quipped. Lex chuckled and rubbed small circles on her back.

“If I’m not mistaken, I believe we’re home.”

“Now?!” Chloe made a loud, disgruntled sound. “It chooses *now* to send us home? Why couldn’t it have sent us home before you got hurt? Or before Clark tried to have sex with me?”

“What?!”

~*~*~
Ch. 26
~*~*~

“You have no idea how happy I am to be back in normal clothes,” Alison said. Lana nodded while Pete and Clark just rolled their eyes. The girls had been talking about the dresses in the alternate worlds and how awful it was to wear them for the last five minutes while they searched through the different rooms for Chloe and Lex.

“I know,” Lana agreed whole-heartedly. “I wasn’t even in our world for as long as you guys were in yours, and I got bruises because Clark tied my dress too tight.”

“You did?” Clark asked as he turned his head toward her. Lana nodded and smiled.

“But they seem to feel better now,” she said more to herself than to anyone else.

“Oh!” Alison suddenly squeaked, grabbing Lana’s arm as she did so. “And you’ll never believe how weird our world was.”

“Well, I *was* there the first time.”

“No,” Alison said, shaking her head vehemently. “If you had mentioned anything about Whitney having super powers, I’m pretty sure I would have remembered it.”

Clark’s head swung in their direction, lucky that the only light was coming from Pete’s flashlight and the moonlight drifting into the house from the windows, or Alison would have seen that his skin had paled a few shades.

“What?”

“I know,” Alison said, completely oblivious to the reason behind Clark’s shock. “And that’s not even the really weird part. Chloe was a sorceress – ooh, and Lex was a king – a *bad* king – and he kidnapped her away from Whitney – and – oh my God, you won’t even believe this next part. Chloe somehow transferred Whitney’s powers into Clark, but I think she only did it because Clark was her cousin there, because she and Whitney loved each other – I just *know* they did, and ---”

“What?!” Lex’s loud voice echoed past the room he and Chloe were in and out into the hallway, cutting off whatever else Alison was going to ramble on about.

“Speaking of Chloe and Lex,” Pete said halfway under his breath and began to walk with the others in the direction they had heard Lex’s voice come from.

“He tried to sleep with you?! Did he touch you?!” Lex yelled angrily, although the anger was directed more at himself for not being able to protect her.

“Uh, well ---” Chloe started and then paused hesitantly. “It’s a long story.”

“I can’t wait to hear it,” Lex said through gritted teeth. If the Clark from that other world wasn’t already dead, he was more than tempted to go back just to kill him now.

‘Yes you can,’ Chloe thought.

The door to the room creaked open and Pete shined the flashlight on them. Chloe and Lex both held their hands up to act as blinders for the sudden burst of light coming in and being flashed on their faces.

“Hey guys,” he and Clark said almost at the same time. Pete directed his flashlight toward the bags on the floor and he grinned at Chloe. “Get any good pictures?”

Chloe and Lex exchanged a look, and Chloe noticed that all of Lex’s bruises and bandages were gone. She lifted her hand carefully to his face and slowly ran her fingers down his cheek.

“You’re okay,” she said softly and with a touch of amazement. Lex’s hand caught her wrist to keep her hand from leaving his face. He slowly leaned his head down to kiss her and Pete groaned. Lex and Chloe ignored him and started to kiss, Chloe’s arms moving up around his neck and his hands moving to her waist and drawing her closer as their embrace deepened. Pete rolled his eyes and started to turn away, shoving the flashlight to Clark on his way out the door.

“At least I didn’t have to watch this in the world we just came from,” Pete said and went back to stand in the hallway. Clark blushed as Chloe and Lex started to make out right in front of them. He cleared his throat to let them know that other people were still there and they reluctantly pulled apart. When Pete saw that they weren’t kissing anymore, he shook his head lightly in amusement.

“What’s with you guys? You’re acting like you haven’t seen each other in years.”

“Feels like it,” Chloe murmured. Their reunion at Alex’s house had been far too short, and they hadn’t been able to touch or kiss too deeply because of all of Lex’s wounds. Now, Lex seemed to be miraculously better and all either of them could apparently think about was making up for lost time.

“Well, um ---” Clark trailed off and ducked his head for a second. “Need help with the camera equipment?”

A thought snapped into Lex’s mind. Not only were he and Chloe back in the attire they had come to the house in, and all of Lex’s injuries were gone, but the camera bags Chloe had insisted on bringing were still there as well – which meant that something else might still be there. He glanced at Chloe quickly before squatting down and unzipping one of the bags. His hand delved in, feeling along the different materials inside until he came upon what he had been looking for. One corner of his mouth turned upward as he stood up, the little black box in hand. Chloe couldn’t make out what he had in his hand in the dark, so she furrowed her brow at him.

Lex opened the box and plucked the ring out of it. He lifted her hand and quickly placed the ring on her finger.

“I believe this belongs to you,” he said quietly and then kissed her on the forehead. Chloe’s mouth dropped open and her eyes started to water up. Chloe grabbed his jacket and pulled him to her, bringing his head down so she could slam her lips against his. Lex’s eyes were wide for a second because of the sudden action, but then fluttered closed as they kissed. Clark noticed the ring on Chloe’s finger as her hands haphazardly ran across Lex’s back.

“Y-you ---?”

“You’re getting married?” Lana completed for him, seeing the same large diamond with two red stones on either side of it that was sitting upon Chloe’s ring finger. “But, but ---”

“You’re too young!” Clark burst out. Chloe and Lex kept kissing, ignoring the protests that started to spew from their friends’ mouths.

“And your dad will never let you!” Lana said to Chloe.

“And he’s evil!” Alison half-yelled, motioning wildly with her arms. Pete smiled and patted her back.

“That’s my girl.”

Clark tilted his head toward Pete and gave him a warning look, but Pete just held up his hands in mock surrender.

“Hey! You weren’t there, man,” Pete said. Alison nodded in agreement.

“He kidnapped her away from Whitney even though she and Whitney were supposed to get married, and Whitney loved her so much, and then ---”

“That was *there*,” Clark reminded the obviously somewhat distraught girl. “Not *here*.”

“But ---”

“Yeah,” Lana chirped. “I mean, if the worlds overlapped, wouldn’t Clark have Whitney’s powers here?” Clark’s eyes grew wide and she gave him a look that said for him to go along with it.

“I – I guess,” Alison said, still a little confused by the entire ordeal they had just been through. She looked over at Lex and Chloe and fidgeted with her hands uneasily. “They *do* seem happy.”

“They seem *horny*,” Pete quipped before directing his full attention to the couple. “Hey! Knock it off you two! We need to get out of here before we end up getting sent to the world you guys just left.”

That statement alone was enough to pull Chloe and Lex apart and Chloe had the courtesy to blush when she looked over at her friends. Lex picked up the bags and handed them both to Clark as he and Chloe left the room. Clark looked at him questioningly as he tried to balance the bags and the flashlight in his arms.

“Later,” Lex said and returned Clark’s look with a knowing expression that caused an unsettling feeling in Clark’s gut. Clark realized then that Lex knew.

The group left the house with Clark being unusually quiet. Something must have happened in Chloe and Lex’s world to tell them who and what he really was, and Clark silently wondered whether he would be able to lie his way out of this one, or if he should even try. Sure, he could use the excuse that their doubles were different people and just because the Clark from the world that Lex had just been to turned out to be an alien, it didn’t mean that he was. Clark shook his head lightly. Lex would never believe that. Not after everything that had happened in their own world.

He let out a sigh and met up with Lana at his dad’s truck after dropping the bags off by Lex’s car. Lana rested her hands on his chest and leaned her head to the side.

“What’s wrong?”

“Lex knows,” he replied in almost a whisper.

“What?”

Clark looked pointedly at her and Lana’s mouth formed a perfect ‘o’ shape.

“Well, maybe that’s not so bad,” she said. “He’s your friend, Clark. It’s not like he would tell anybody – well, except for Chloe, and since she was there then she probably already knows too,” Lana rambled. A panicked expression crossed Clark’s face.

“Not helping,” he said.

“Sorry,” Lana said. “So, what are you going to do?”

Clark shook his head and looked at the ground. He and Lana turned their heads at the sound of a car door slamming closed and Chloe gave them a little wave as Lex pulled his car up beside them. Chloe rolled her window down to talk to them.

“We’re taking off. Talk to you later?” She gave Lana a small smile and Clark couldn’t help but notice that Chloe was completely avoiding looking at him at all. Lana smiled and nodded.

“Yeah. See you tomorrow,” Lana said. She and Clark watched the car drive away and Lana frowned. “Well, that was weird.” She turned to look at Clark. “It was like she didn’t even want to look at you. I know she and Lex are together now, but still ---”

“Yeah,” Clark agreed.

“So, what *are* you going to do?” Lana asked again. Clark stared off in the direction Lex’s car had gone and shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

~*~*~
Ch. 27 - The End
~*~*~

Lex sighed and leaned his head down to rest his forehead against Chloe’s.

“That’s it?” He asked. She gave a partial nod of her head.

“That’s it,” she said. Chloe had just gotten through telling him everything that had happened to her – at least what she remembered – after the other world’s Clark had taken her. And to her own surprise, she had actually been completely honest with him, and was now waiting for the shouting match that she was sure was inevitable.

“You do realize that he could have taken advantage of you while you were passed out?” Lex asked quietly. The color drained from Chloe’s face.

“I ---” she trailed off and swallowed nervously, “I hadn’t thought of that. Oh, God.” The last part came out as a moan as Chloe suddenly felt like throwing up at the revelation. She took a step back and looked up at Lex. “You don’t think he would have, do you? Not really? I mean, because he was still sort of Clark, and he had to have *some* morals, and ---”

Lex brought his mouth down against hers and started to kiss her. Chloe was startled by his response to her rambling, but she wasn’t about to trade it in for him yelling at her instead. Her hands crawled up his chest as Lex swept his tongue into her mouth. Their tongues entwined and Chloe felt the tingle of arousal start to warm her body. A whimpering sound released from her throat and Lex’s fingers started to drift under the hem of her shirt, lightly skimming along the expanse of soft skin he found underneath.

In one swift moment, Chloe stepped away from the kiss and pulled the shirt over her head, tossing it to the corner of Lex’s bedroom. Her eyes grew wide in surprise when Lex kneeled in front of her, only to bring his lips to her stomach. His hands gripped her hips and his tongue swirled small circular patterns against her skin before his teeth lightly grazed the area. Chloe’s body was heated and her breathing was becoming more and more labored. She loved being with him, but she wasn’t sure how much more of this she could stand after not having been with him for what felt like so long.

“Lex,” she said in a moaning voice, “I --- aaaah.” Her breath hitched as she felt Lex’s mouth around her nipple on the outside of her lacy bra. The material scratched against her sensitive skin as he started to tease her, bringing both of her nipples to firm peaks with his mouth and fingers. Chloe arched into him and Lex had to fight hard to keep the smirk he felt inside from rising to his lips.

She was *his*. She had pushed evil Clark away when he tried to sleep with her, because she told him that something felt wrong. Despite Clark’s chiseled perfection, he wasn’t what Chloe needed. Chloe needed *him*. Lex rose to a complete standing position and started to kiss her again. Passionately, possessively, as he remarked his claim to her. There was a reason their doubles ended up together in every world he thought; and even though he had never believed in destiny before, he definitely liked the way this one was turning out.

Without words, they shed the rest of their clothing and moved toward the bed. Lex palmed her jaw with both hands and slammed his lips against hers. Chloe felt his hard erection pressed against her stomach and her hands reached to the back of his skull in a futile attempt to bring him even closer. All of the pent up emotion they had to endure while they were in the other world was finally begging for release, and she knew from the way he was kissing her that he felt the same. Chloe felt the bed hit the back of her legs and Lex started to lie her down on it.

His body hovered over hers as he moved his mouth to her neck and started to nip and suckle at the sensitive skin. The second that Chloe started writhing beneath him, Lex knew he couldn’t hold out much longer. It had already been too long. He pulled back slightly and gave her a questioning look, only to see the dark desire housed in her eyes.

He let his fingers explore her silken folds until he reached his intended target. Chloe threw her head back and let out a scream of pleasure when his thumb flicked across her clit and his long, hard length entered her with one primal thrust.

They started to rock against each other, their bodies arching and thrusting in rhythm as they both neared climax. Chloe reached up and brought Lex’s head down to kiss him. Her tongue ran into his already open mouth and the sensitive flesh started to twist and turn against his own. Lex pulled away from the kiss and dropped his head to burrow in the crook of her neck. He meant to be gentle, but with the strength of his thrusting, his nip became a more significant bite. The pain mixed with pleasure sent Chloe spiraling over the edge.

Lex felt her inner walls convulse around him and with two more pumps he moaned her name and breathed heavily as he collapsed upon her. Chloe ran her hands along his back in a soothing manner and turned her head to blow in his ear. Her tongue flicked out and traced along the shell before blowing again, sending a shiver and a shot of arousal down his body. He leaned up on his elbow and half-smirked at her.

“Keep doing that and we’ll never get out of here,” he teased in a seductive voice. She arched an eyebrow.

“You wanted to?”

Lex chuckled and shook his head.

“No,” he admitted. “But I have a feeling that Clark will be coming by soon to make sure everything is alright since we weren’t exactly friendly toward him when we came home.” He saw the expression on Chloe’s face fall and he leaned down to brush his lips against hers. “It’s not him,” he reminded her.

“I know, but ---”

“It’s hard to separate,” he finished for her. Chloe frowned and nodded.

“I don’t want to feel like that, but I can’t help it.” She paused for a second and then let a small smile lift the corners of her mouth. “Not to mention the fact that he’s been hiding the fact that he’s an alien from us.”

“I guess we can’t really blame him for that,” Lex said, returning her smile. She shook her head and began to sit up.

“No, I guess not,” she said. “Although, if I had known about all his powers before, then I might not have gotten so mad at him for taking off all those times.” Lex snickered and tossed her some of her clothes.

“Or worried about him having a thyroid problem because of all the adrenaline he was supposedly producing,” he joked. Chloe started laughing and Lex enjoyed the view as he watched her body shake and her lips smile. She stopped abruptly and Lex looked quizzically at her worried expression.

“Le-x?” She asked, stringing out his name.

“Yeah?”

“If the red meteor rocks made the bad Clark be good, what do they do to *our* Clark?”

Lex couldn’t hide the surprise from his face. He hadn’t even thought about it. He nodded once after the scenarios ran through his mind.

“Are rubies okay?” He asked. Chloe smiled and stalked over to him, leaving her clothing on the bed.

“I like garnets better,” she said almost shyly. He grinned down at her.

“Okay. We’ll get them replaced later today,” he said and kissed her forehead. “Now, I don’t really want *our* Clark to see you like that, so ---”

Chloe rose on her tiptoes and kissed him. Lex returned the affection, but then looked at her questioningly.

“It’s almost two o’clock in the morning,” Chloe explained. “Clark’s not coming over this late. He’ll be lucky if his parents let him out of it without grounding him.” Lex creased his brow.

“Speaking of parents ---”

“Dad’s already asleep; he thinks I’m on that girl’s weekend bonding thing with Lana and Alison that I told him about,” she interrupted. Lex arched an eyebrow in amusement.

“And he believed you?”

“Hey! I can be really persuasive when I want to be,” she said.

“Can you?” He asked suggestively. Chloe smiled and took his hand.

“Come back to bed.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Clark finally showed up to Lex’s house late the next afternoon. He had been dreading it, and had admittedly put the visit off for that very reason. He had barely slept at all with the suspicion of Chloe and Lex knowing his secret lingering in his mind. He sucked in another breath as he followed the butler down the hallway and the man looked at him through the corner of his eye.

“It’s cold,” Clark said with a shrug. The butler nodded once and showed him to Lex’s study, where Chloe and Lex were smiling and laughing about something. Their heads turned to look at him as he appeared in the doorway and he gave them a little wave. “Hey guys.”

“Clark,” Lex stood up and held out his hand for the younger man to shake. Chloe smiled awkwardly and waved at him.

“Hey,” she greeted; knowing that he wasn’t evil Clark, but still being a little creeped out by his mirror image. Clark shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor for a second.

“So ---”

Chloe’s smile became less hesitant and it broadened. This really *was* her Clark. The same boy who was raised with high morals and would probably think kissing Lana was about as good as it could get. She shook her head lightly and shared a look with Lex, who nodded for her to go ahead.

“We know you’re an alien and that you have super powers – and don’t worry, we had the red stones in my engagement ring changed to garnets this morning,” Chloe said all in one breath. Clark looked up at her and blinked his eyes rapidly.

“W-what?”

“Clark, it’s okay,” Lex said sincerely. “Sure, we were a little hurt that you didn’t feel you could share it with us, but we understand.” Chloe nodded in agreement.

“And at least you’re a good guy,” she said. Clark tilted his head and looked at her strangely, not quite believing what he was hearing.

“Was the Clark from ---”

“Not a good guy,” Lex answered, his face turning from the friendliness it showed earlier to a hard expression. Clark nodded once. That explained a lot. He knew that when he had been under the influence of red kryptonite, he didn’t really care who knew what.

“So, where do we go from here?” Clark finally asked. Lex and Chloe looked at each other again, already having discussed the topic between themselves earlier. Chloe smiled at Clark.

“You’re still our friend, Clark. I hope you know that we’ll keep your secret,” she said. Clark let out a breath that he didn’t realize he had been holding in and then smiled gratefully at Chloe.

“Thanks,” he said. His smile fell a little when his gaze dropped to the large shiny stones on Chloe’s wedding finger. He looked over at Lex. “So, how are you going to get Mr. Sullivan to agree to letting you marry Chloe?”

“That,” Lex said with a half-smile, “is an entirely different story.”




The End

[kidkarmina]

:wub: :wub: :cool: I really love it when there's Lex/Chloe/Clark triangle. And :chlexsign1: always rules :blinkkiss: !

Now, I'm off to read other stories!

[Lady Candy]

A succession...I go to bed but I stamp this ff, tomorrow: comments!

[Sab_Luthor]

as always great

[Lady Candy]

Chloe is looking for troubles, thanks to God there is Lex ;)
However the sequel is better then the first one :)
I like it!

[KawaiiRyu]

As always, awesome job! I really liked this one and how in all the worlds Lex and Chloe got together--major Chlexy goodness!

[stwbrrydelight]

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful
It's like going on a two day binge...I read the Gatehouse lastnight and now just finished Welcome to My World (while at work none the less)
Great writing skills...now will go in search of more of your publications...thank you for supporting my habit...heheh :biggrin:

[summer_enchanted]

:chlexsign3: Really enjoyed this story, it's even better than the first one. I hope you make a sequel to this one also, it's really good.

:chlexsign2: chlex rules!!!!!

[starmoon]

Wow! is all i can say.

[txalb]

I love that you explored even more worlds with this sequel. I liked seeing all the different places where Lex and Chloe were together. It made their relationship seem even more inevitable. I also liked the fact that they all went as couples this time. It made the different worlds that much more interesting to see it from both sides.

I loved it. Thanks for writing.

txalb

[~*~Tasha~*~]

Excellent sequel, and very original plot lines. I like your different takes on the various realities. Loved this one.

[kitten]

Hi again,

I know this is the second part to the haunted house stories, and both had their strong points. The friendships in the group of kids and Lex are nice, civil and reminiscent of the good days they had together. Allison is a good foil for Pete's lack of enthusiasm for adventure. The alternate versions are the same but different and there's a lot of action here. For this one, the mystery is less because we know somewhat how things will go, and that they will get home safely, but it's a wild ride to get there.

[sm2]

hi i really loved ur fic. r u going continue it?

[starmoon]

i just love this story it is a great sequel to the gate house which i also love.

[Ami Rose]

Amazing story. Loved all Chlex scenes! :)