Saturday June 21, 2008- This Is Still Not a Date (I Think...Yeah, Uhmm, I Really Don't Know. Sorry.)

He found her sitting at the big Daily Planet fountain in the back of the building, the one they both used to hang around when work days crawled slowly by and she need a lunch break. The fountain that was now pouring water out of a beautiful angel holding a globe, with brightly illuminated floodlights that basked Chloe in it's glow.

She knew he'd find her. He always did. Even when she ran, he'd be right beside her, making sure she didn't trip or get kidnapped, or something so random and unlikely that it made her want to shake him hard and tell him to stop being to paranoid. That was just how Clark operated, and for some reason, she hated that piece of firmware inside of him.

He sat next to her gently, waiting patiently for her to speak. He sensed something was on her mind, the way she stared at the vast nothingness sullenly, looking but definitely not seeing. And so he stared too, wishing and waiting for something good to happen in the world, in this mess that he had to ingeniously caused.

"Why did you come find me?" she said quietly, shaking her head. "Why do you always come find me when I least deserve it?"

"Because you're my date. My best friend. My girl."

She twisted her head slightly to get a peek at him, yet all she saw was truth in his words- truth she didn't want to hear.

"Tell me you hate me. Tell me I don't deserve you."

He raised an eyebrow at him. "If you're trying to make me feel like I'm better than you, it's not going to happen. You're too late, in fact."

She snickered softly and elbowed his granite-like body. "That's what I want to hear."

"Why?"

She sighed. "What makes you think I do deserve you, Clark? Why do you have this stupid mental image of me that I'm some heaven-sent angel here to make everything better?"

"And you don't believe that?"

She exploded. "No, I do not believe that! I don't believe any of this! When I look in the mirror, I don't see what you see, Clark. I see Chloe Sullivan, bad-ass reporter who's too selfish to have any relationship come out well! I've driven so much away...It's not fair that you keep forgiving. Keep coming back," she said, her speech winding down to a sad whisper.

"Why shouldn't I? Chloe, if anyone doesn't deserve the other, I think that would be me. All the messes I've caused, the lives I've unhinged. Here comes this tiny little city girl into some unmapped town of Kansas, and suddenly her life is ripped apart...for the better, I think."

He elbowed her softly in the ribs, and she gave a little smile.

"So tell me, Chloe Sullivan, bad-ass reporter...what would you do without me?"

She swung her heels around on her finger. "What would you do without me? How do you know that your life would be worse without me? Why are you so sure that Lana isn't your best choice? That Lana isn't your destiny?"

"You're about to make my destiny, just by one little word."

She scoffed. "And if I said yes right now? Then what?"

"I'm not asking you to say yes right now. Sleep on it for awhile."

She twirled her shoes harder and harder, losing herself in thought. Round and round they went until at last, they disappeared, making a small 'plunk' in the fountain's water. She shrieked.

"My Jimmy Choo's!" And she immediately scrambled off the edge to peer over into the water.

Clark gave her a hearty laugh as Chloe stared at the fish who swam around her heels in horror. She spun around and glared at him, hands on her hips.

"You! You could've caught them!"

"Eh...yeah, I guess I could've."

"But you didn't!"

"You've owed me a good laugh...consider your debt repayed."

She shrieked again. "Those shoes cost more than that shirt!" she hissed, eyeing the oddly-fabricated white shirt under the black formal jacket.

Clark fake-grimaced. "Well then...you better go get those."

And with that, he scooped her up, dress and all, and tossed her into the freezing water. At first, all he could hear were little cries and splashes. Then came the scream, along with a string of profanities that hit Clark right in the ears. Lastly, the musical peals of laughter that bubbled out from her lungs like a long-lost friend, warm and cheerful, and very, very missed.

She hadn't laughed like that in a long time.

She scooped up her Jimmy Choo's, climbed out of the fountain, jumped on his back and whacked him on the head with her shoes, wishing she had a coating of kryptonite on the sharp heels. He supported her weight easily and held onto the wet legs that wrapped around his stony waist.

"Where to?"

She giggled and tightened her arms around his neck.

"Home."

A/N: Sorry this chapter was so short, but bear with me. Thanks sooo much for reading! More to come later on. XOXO, douces.