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Episode Summary: "Valentines day" Lana and Whitney, Chloe and Clark, Trixie and... who? An old friend of Trixie's comes back from Metropolis. For better, or for worse?

The Talon was much busier than normal since it was a special occasion. Trixie was talking with Lana and laughed at something she'd just said.

"So, what do you think of the party?" asked Chloe, coming over with a cup of soda.

Trixie ginned. "Everything's great. Thanks so much."

"I have a surprise for you." Chloe ginned and disappeared again. Lana giggled, knowing what it was.

Chloe came back with a guy next to her wearing glasses and a happy expression. "Hey, Rix."

"James?" Trixie gasped with surprise and then started laughing, hugging him. "I've missed you so much!"

"I missed you! Everyone really sucks at the tracks without you there." He said.

Trixie laughed. "Yeah well, you guys should come down here more often."

"If we did, we'd have to borrow my dad's truck – you know we're not allowed off-road yet."

Her smile faltered. "So that's your excuse for not coming to visit me, huh?"

Clark, seeing the crowd of long faces, came over. "Hey, what's going on?"

Trixie folded her arms. "This is James. He's an old friend." She put emphasis on old

"Trixie." James called out to her, but she didn't turn back. before turning and stalking off.

Chloe and Lana watched him, awkwardly. He glanced at them and they shrunk back, deciding to go see what was up with Trixie.

"What happened?" Clark asked James, who started to find his plastic cup more interesting.

James suddenly looked back up, narrowing his eyes. "So this is who she came down here for? I gotta say, I would have thought she'd go for someone who carried more than fifty cents in their pocket." He started to walk off but stopped as Clark spoke.

"I'm her brother. And how did you know that anyway?"

James shrugged. "Just guessing. Anyone would be able to just by looking at you." he continued to walk off.

Clark tried to go after him, but the familiar feeling of when he was around the meteor rocks started to take effect and he pulled back in confusion.

. . .

"Sorry about wrecking your surprise, Chloe." Trixie was talking to Chloe at the Talon after the party when everyone had gone apart from both of them, Lana and Clark.

"That's okay, he didn't really seem like much of a friend anyway. I just thought that maybe if you saw someone you hadn't in a really long time then it might cheer you up a little."

Trixie smiled. "It's the thought that counts. I don't really make the best friends…" She laughed, remembering an old memory. "There was this other guy – John." She laughed again. "He wanted to ride my motorcycle to see what it was like."

Chloe wasn't sure whether she should smile or not.

Trixie did. "He never seemed to get round to riding back to where I was standing."

Chloe's half-smile fell quickly into a sorrowful expression.

"Don't worry about it." said Trixie. "Like I said – bad friend choices."

"Well," replied Chloe. "I hope I don't turn out to be a bad friend choice." She ginned.

"I don't think that will happen. Though, I'm having doubts about Lana…"

Lana looked up at them with wide eyes, holding a bag of trash.

"I'm kidding, Lana." Trixie laughed. "You managed to throw the best party ever – not to mention how you actually manage to have a life and run the Talon."

Lana walked past them to another table. "There's not really much to fill your time with around here."

Clark came back into the main shop. Chloe and Trixie looked up.

"Trixie – I was gunna head back, you coming?"

Trixie nodded. "Yeah… see you later guys." She waved at Lana and Chloe who both said goodbye.

Clark and Trixie both headed out onto the main road which was dark and quiet. "Something happened earlier." Clark started to explain. "With James."

"James? What did he do?" Trixie asked, disgusted with the subject.

"When I got close to him, it felt like when I was around the meteor rocks. I think he probably has some."

"I don't think he even thinks they're anything beyond green rocks and I can't think of any reason why he would want any anyway…"

"But shouldn't we-,"

"Clark, I know I got this thing out about how we should stop anyone getting their hands on meteor rocks, but I think it might be safer to leave them scattered. That way no one would be able to find a stash of them to use them. And besides, I doubt he would do anything dangerous with them if he even understands that much." She laughed. "James is stupid."

"You're right, but isn't that a little harsh?"

Trixie rolled her eyes. "He only came down because he probably ran out of girls up in Metropolis." She smiled to herself.

"Can I ask you something?" Clark said after a moment.

"You already did."

"Why were you friends with him if you seem to hate him so much?"

"I was just telling Chloe how I make bad friend choices… I guess he was sweet once and then I just fell for everything else. I try to make people out as who they're not. I guess I just choose to see the good side."

. . .

Trixie was walking through the corridor to get to her locker. Some decorations were around saying it was Valentines day in a few days – probably work of the popular girls. She glanced at one but didn't linger over it too long. She hated Valentines day but didn't admit it because then everyone would think she was love sick. She instead acted like it didn't bother her.

She got to her locker and opened it with a little more force than usual. A guy who she'd seen staring at her in English came over to her with a stupid smile on his face.

"Hey, Trixie." he said shyly.

"Yeah?" she asked looking at him sharply.

He shifted, uncomfortably. "I… um… you look really pretty today."

Trixie smiled. "Thanks, but I think Mary would appreciate you saying it to her."

He squirmed, failing at keeping up his confidence.

"Greasy Mary. Seriously?" Trixie slammed her locker in frustration and turned away.

"Trixie… wait!" he called out after her but she ignored him, heading straight for the Torch office.

. . .

Trixie slammed her books down on the desk next to Chloe. "Six wolf whistles, three sad attempts at asking me out, and two love letters from secret admirers."

Chloe looked up from her computer, awkwardly.

"What is it about Valentines day that screams desperate?" She sat down and folded her arms.

"Wow, it seems like you really don't like Valentines day." She stated.

"It's not that I don't like it. It's that I don't care. Valentines day is just any other regular day."

"Aside from everyone staying at home with love sickness or going on a dating spree."

Trixie rolled her eyes. "If another guy comes up to me to-,"

Someone stood in the doorway, uncomfortably, knocking on the wood slowly.

Trixie turned to glare at him and he quickly ducked out of the room, muttering an apology.

"What is it about me? I don't see guys melting all over you." Trixie stated.

Chloe carried on typing. "Well, you're new so you have that new fresh girl aroma around you. None of the guys here have actually dated you yet so basically they need you a.s.a.p. before anyone else gets to you first."

"This is all because I told Lana I was single." Trixie muttered. "That person overheard us."

Chloe tried not to laugh. "I'm sorry. I'm guilty."

"No! Chloe! You didn't! Please tell me you didn't let the word out I was single…" Trixie begged.

Chloe didn't say anything.

"Crap!" Trixie swore, putting her head on the desk. "Thank you, Chloe."

"I'm sorry – I thought that maybe… there might be someone you… like." Chloe shrunk back in her chair as Trixie gave her evils.

"I'm not safe here." she said urgently. "I need to run and hide and never come back!"

Chloe giggled.

"Not. A funny. Moment." Trixie glared.

Clark walked in and Trixie glanced up quickly. "Oh thank goodness it's only you."

Clark raised his eyebrows, looking offended.

"No, I mean you're the only guy in this place I'm safe from. Thanks to Chloe, every guy has come up to me to ask me on a date. I don't even know most of them yet!"

Clark tried not to laugh, but failed.

"Why does everyone laugh? This is serious! I'm going to die!"

"You're not going to die, Trixie." said Clark, putting his bag down. "Once you've rejected all of them I think they might leave you alone. Besides there must be someone you like."

Trixie stared at him coldly. "For your information, single life is the best, and high school guys are the worst. I always thought big brothers were meant to protect their little sisters." She narrowed her eyes.

"Are you kidding? I think I need someone to protect me from you."

Chloe laughed.

"Ugh, you guys were no help at all! Well, I'm just going to stick around here until they leave me alone."

"You can't hide from them forever." Clark ginned.

Trixie continued to glare.

. . .

Lana was putting her books away into her locker when she passed over a photo of Whitney in the door. She smiled, knowing that they would be spending the day together on Saturday – Valentines day.

Whitney passed the students in the corridor and came up behind Lana.

"Hey." He said softly to her.

Lana turned around, smiling even more now that she could see the real Whitney.

"Hey. I'm so excited about Saturday."

Whitney frowned. "Um… yeah, about that… they've rescheduled the game to this Saturday."

Lana's face fell.

"And we're gunna have to be practising all day. I really don't want to go Lana, I just wanna spend the day with you."

"But you can't." Lana replied.

"I'm sorry."

"You can't fit anything in at all?" Lana asked.

"No…" said Whitney sadly.

"Not even after the game?"

Whitney shook his head.

"Well… I'll come… and cheer you on." Lana smiled again.

"You don't mind? We could do something on Friday… or Sunday?"

"Yeah." Lana nodded. "You just concentrate on winning."

The red motorcycle still stood in the same place where it had been left after Trixie had used it the first time when Lex had bought it for her. She watched it in the barn with a longing expression, but when she wanted to go forward again she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Whenever she took a little step she was blinded with memories of Rebecca. Trixie furrowed her brow and sighed.

Someone knocked on the wood of the barn. Trixie turned around to see who it was.

"He-y?" James asked cautiously.

Trixie tightened her jaw in anger. How dare he come there?

"What do you want, James?" she asked, turning back to her motorcycle, not wanting to even look at him.

"Just wanted to say hi. And I'm sorry that I haven't been here for you in the past few months. I know it must have been really hard for you."

Trixie folded her arms, not turning around to look at him. "How did you know I live here? Did you follow me?"

"No! I… asked around." James walked around her so that he was in her line of sight but she looked away from him as soon as she saw him.

"Can't you at least look at me?" James asked, sadly.

She didn't reply, so he carried on walking towards the motorcycle. He ran his finger across the smooth side and along the 'T'. "Nice." He said, admirably. "I would have thought you'd be riding it non-stop with something like this." He said.

Trixie ignored him. "Get out, James. Go back to Metropolis."

James sighed. "I just wanted to see you – it's been so long."

"You're not even supposed to be here. And you most certainly don't want to be when everyone gets home."

James paused. "I'm sorry. Please give me a chance? Can I take you out sometime to make up for it?"

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"No!" James pleaded. "I want to buy you dinner and make up for it. A movie too, if you want. Where I'm staying – the Smallville inn. Please, Trixie? I really want to make up with you."

Trixie sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "If I say yes, will you leave?"

"Yes." said James.

"Fine." Trixie un-folded her arms. "But you aren't to tell anyone about this and I can only be gone a few hours between six and eight. I'll meet you there – got it?"

James nodded. "See you Saturday, Rix."

Trixie didn't say anything and waited for him to leave. When he had she let out an angry sigh, hoping that he wouldn't think of it as something big or anything. James usually did get the wrong idea.

. . .

Clark was already in the Torch office before Chloe came in.

"So, you got a date for Saturday yet?" she asked, putting down some folders.

"What-?" Clark asked, not prepared for that question. "Oh… no."

Chloe pursed her lips. "How is it possible that Clark Kent doesn't have a date for Valentines day?"

He narrowed his eyes curiously. "What about you?"

Chloe smiled. "Like I'd need another thing to worry about, Clark."

"Has anyone asked you?" Clark returned the smile.

Chloe shrugged. "I think all the guys seem to have their dates this year."

Clark paused. "Maybe we could just hang out on Saturday."

Chloe quickly turned to stare at him, looking freaked out.

"As friends." He added quickly.

Chloe let out a breath she'd apparently been holding. "Yeah… sure."

"Great." Clark ginned.

. . .

Trixie was still staring at her motorcycle in the barn, although she'd moved and was now sitting on the steps. She couldn't move her eyes from it, but she couldn't go over to it either.

She heard someone coming over to the barn and thought it was James again so she called out. "James, just leave me alone!"

"James?" Chloe asked, coming into the barn.

"Oh… hi, Chloe. I thought you were someone else."

Chloe came over to her. "Why would James be here?"

"He came… earlier." Trixie grumbled.

"What did he want?" Chloe asked, concerned.

"Ask me on a date." Trixie replied shortly.

Chloe sat down beside her on the steps. "What did you say?"

Trixie looked away for a second. "Well… I kind of… he wouldn't leave so… yes?"

"When Clark and I said that you might like someone… we kind of meant you to say yes to someone who you didn't classify as a bad friend choice." said Chloe.

"Yeah. Well..." Trixie trailed off. "Hey, you can't tell him – or anyone else." She warned.

"Clark? He isn't even going to find out."

"Why?" Trixie asked, suspiciously.

"Cause' we're gunna be hanging out all day." Chloe beamed.

Trixie smiled. "That's great." She didn't say anything about Clark having a thing for Lana, although it was probably pretty clear to Chloe. But Lana was with Whitney anyway.

"So what were you doing?" Chloe asked. "I don't believe that you're the type of person to just sit here."

Trixie sighed. "I guess I was… I don't know." She glanced back at her motorcycle.

"Memories?" Chloe guessed.

Trixie nodded.

"It's not gunna be like this forever." She said. "I'm mean Clark seems happy enough most of the time, right?"

"I know that, Chloe. I know it's going to get better. I just hate the feeling of wanting to get back the way it used to be but it's not going to be the same again."

Chloe paused for a moment. "When Lana's parents died, she didn't stop doing everything she used to do – she did them more because then she could remember how happy she was when her parents were there. Maybe you just need to start remembering those times instead of how she's never gunna be there with you again."

Trixie smiled slightly. "Thanks, Chloe."

"Welcome." replied Chloe, standing up. "Now, I'm going to the Talon. And so are you."

Trixie rolled her eyes and stood up. "Fine."

. . .

Whitney was talking to Lana before he walked off leaving her to carry on working. Clark, who had just walked in saw Whitney leave and wondered what he had said because Lana now looked a little upset.

"What's up?" he asked, coming over to her.

"They've rescheduled the game to this Saturday." Lana stated. "So all the stuff I planned for us to do doesn't really work out."

Clark watched her sympathetically, trying to figure out how Whitney could possibly put football in front of Lana – especially on Valentines day.

"It's not his fault." said Lana. "I should probably have seen this coming anyway."

"You could come hang out with us?" suggested Clark.

Lana shook her head. "No, it's okay. I'm still going to go. He needs me there." Lana smiled. "What did you have planned?"

"I was going to hang out with Chloe… as friends." said Clark.

Lana's smile faltered. "You know, Clark, I don't think she just wants to be friends."

Clark was about to say something when Lana caught sight of Chloe behind him and he quickly turned around.

"Oh, hey." He said.

Chloe ginned. "Hi."

Trixie appeared as well. "Chloe dragged me here." She stated.

Lana smiled, uncomfortable that they had just been talking about Chloe and she had just walked in.

"Since you made me come out, Chloe, I'm hungry for a muffin." Trixie said, breaking the almost awkward silence.

"Sure." Chloe ginned. "Anything to make you come out in public."

"Ugh."

. . .

Valentines day came faster than Trixie had intended. She'd woken up on Saturday, actually trying to decide what to wear to her 'date' with James, only to realise that she was mad at him and she shouldn't be fussing over what to dress up.

Clark had already gone out by the time she'd got downstairs late in the morning.

"I don't think you've ever slept in so late." Martha teased when she'd come down the stairs into the kitchen.

"I didn't sleep well last night." said Trixie, sitting down with some cereal.

"What happened to not caring about Valentines day?"

"That hasn't changed." Trixie exclaimed. "It has nothing to do with it."

Martha smiled, disbelievingly. "So what were you going to do today, since you don't have a date or in Clark's case – a non-date."

Trixie smiled. "I don't know – the usual I guess. And that doesn't involve being love sick. It involves attempting to ride my motorcycle again."

. . .

Clark and Chloe were walking through the town. Chloe laughed at something Clark had just said and then they were both quiet again.

"Chloe…" Clark started to say. "Lana said something the other night."

Chloe waited.

"About you wanting to be more than friends?"

She sighed and looked down. "Clark… this is nice. And yeah I guess sometimes I think about stuff like that, but I don't have that idea."

Clark watched her, confused. "Oh."

"I mean, I don't want to jeopardise our friendship – if this gets too awkward. And I know you have a thing for Lana. So…"

There was silence for a moment. "Sorry, Chloe. I think I've just made this incredibly awkward."

Chloe laughed. "It's okay. I think Lana just assumed because we've been hanging out more – since Pete's been gone."

Clark nodded. "Yeah. You're right."

. . .

Dinner wasn't exactly small that evening. Trixie tried to eat less than usual without anyone noticing, but Jonathan did since she was always the last one to finish the food. She knew that she would have to make sure she didn't have so much so that she could keep down her second dinner with James without him noticing either.

Clark, however figured something was going on, especially when she found him in the barn.

"So… I noticed something is off." stated Clark.

"Yeah, yeah." Trixie said hurriedly. "Listen, I need a really big favour."

"What is it?" asked Clark, amused.

"I have a date tonight." Trixie said quickly.

"I didn't quite catch that." joked Clark. "Could you repeat it?"

"I have a date tonight." Trixie said again, slower, feeling humiliated.

"I thought you didn't care-,"

"Ok!" Trixie cried, exasperated. "Someone asked me so now I have to go because they wouldn't take no for an answer. I just need you to distract your parents if they want me or anything. Okay? Please, Clark?"

"Alright." Clark smiled.

"Thank you!" said Trixie, heading back out of the barn.

"Trixie?" Clark asked, going after her. "Be careful."

"And you're telling the person who 'you need to be protected from?" Trixie replied, before turning and walking off.

. . .

Trixie made her way to the Smallville inn, trying to make sure no one would be able to see her face from the sides by not pulling it back. She'd dressed casually, not wanting to make it look like she'd tried hard to dress up for him. After all, this was only a pity dinner.

When James saw her outside he ginned. "Come on, let's go." He said trying to be friendly. Trixie didn't smile back, wanting to get it over and done with as soon as possible.

Of course, she couldn't get much in the way of free food since for her cover she had to actually eat dinner at the farm so she wasn't hungry at all. James insisted he buy her practically everything on the menu.

After she'd forced down the food, James leant forward on the table.

"Trixie…" he said softly. "Is there any chance you will forgive me?"

Trixie sighed. "I don't know, James…"

"Come on… please?" James continued, sweetly. He lent even further, taking her hand.

Trixie tried to pull away, but for some reason she couldn't. She furrowed her brow at her hand which was so much weaker.

"Please?" begged James.

"What did you do?" Trixie breathed, feeling faint.

"Just turned on my charm, honey – why, is it turning you on?" he smirked.

"James?" Trixie asked.

"Do you fancy going back to the hotel?" James whispered, standing up and pulling her with him.

Trixie was too weak to push him away like she wanted. He started to drag her away from the table, making it look as realistic as possible if they really were a couple. She tried to get out of his tight grip.

"James, get off me!" she tried to cry out in the street, but her voice faltering and sounding only like she was speaking normally.

"I know what you want, Trixie… so just let me give it to you." He pulled her back to his room. They were already there and he was already pulling her through to his bed. It didn't take Trixie long to realise that this was what Clark was talking about. He didn't' even know who she was with… Regret spread over her as she struggled.

"Come on now, I know you want this." said James, taking off his glasses and throwing them across to the other side of the room.

Trixie suddenly found her strength again and all sickness was gone. She pushed him, hard and he fell backwards. She slipped off the bed and ran from the room before he had time to recover and then she was back out onto the street.

She glanced all around her, seeing the cars go past and then she took off again, running back to where she really should have been this whole time – home.

It was late when Trixie opened the back door. She saw a clock on the wall telling her that she'd been gone for hours. How had hours passed like that? She tried to hold her breath and walk quietly and slowly.

She was just about to get to the stairs when she heard the creek of the top step and she looked up to see Clark at the top.

"Trixie?" he whispered, coming down slowly. "What happened?"

Trixie kept her lips shut and shook her head, motioning him to follow her through to somewhere where they wouldn't have to whisper.

"I lied to you." She said, once they were back outside on the porch. "I did go on a date… but it was with James."

Clark watched her worriedly. "Why did you go? What did he do?"

"Well I didn't think it would be like that… because he seemed okay and he wanted to apologise for how he's been for the last few months. So then he said he would take me to dinner and everything was fine until…" Trixie started to shiver in the cold. "He wanted me to come back to the hotel with him and I kept saying no but when he touched me I don't know what happened… I just started feeling really sick so he could just pull me with him."

"The meteor rocks…" said Clark. "They must be starting to take effect on you."

"Yeah." Trixie swallowed. "I didn't let him do what he wanted. When we were in the room I was okay again. God… I only just got away from him before he was about to-," She cut off, breathing deeply.

"What did he do, when he was in the room?"

"He took off his glasses… I don't know."

Trixie wrapped her arms around herself in the cold.

"Trixie, it's okay. You got away from him." Clark hugged her. "I won't let him hurt you."

"Thanks Clark." Trixie whispered, hugging him back, still shivering.

"There's just one thing." Said Clark.

"What is it?" Trixie looked up, wondering what he was going to say.

"I think we need to tell my parents."

Trixie turned away, resting her hands on the wooden rail lining the porch. "Why do they need to know?" she asked, a little anger showing through her voice.

"Because they know everything that goes on about me and my abilities." answered Clark, coming up next to her. "And since you're a part of it, too, now, I think they need to know."

"But how am I meant to explain something like this?" Trixie raised her voice slightly. "It's so embarrassing… and they… I don't even know where to start… and the fact that I went out when they wouldn't have wanted me to go… and I didn't even tell them. This is going to make me look so bad, and I haven't even earned your father's trust yet."

"So telling them the truth is the only way to go." continued Clark, persuasively. "If you tell them, then it would show that you are putting your trust in them."

Trixie sighed. "Alright, I'll tell them in the morning."

"Tell them what?" she heard Jonathan's voice from the open doorway. Martha also joined him.

Trixie turned around with a painful expression.

. . .

"So you mean to tell us you were out with someone who is obviously not friendly towards you, this late at night without anyone but Clark knowing?" finished Jonathan.

Trixie nodded gravely, finding a new interest in her shoes.

"What if he did something? No one would have known."

"He kind of… tried to do something." Trixie mumbled. "And since I'm starting to get my powers now… the meteor rocks are starting to affect me."

"This just gets better and better…"

"And also, James has some… meaning when he touched me… I couldn't do anything… so he forced me into his room and…" She trailed off.

"Trixie? Are you alright?" Martha sat down beside her on the couch, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine. He took off his glasses and then I was okay again, and free to escape."

"Trixie." said Jonathan. "I think through tonight you've learnt your lesson about doing things like this – but you need to ask us before you go out at night."

Trixie nodded. "Yeah, I don't think I'll be doing this again anytime soon. Sorry for ruining your night."

"It's okay." Martha hugged her. "We're just glad you're okay."

"Thanks." Trixie whispered.

. . .

Managing to survive the weekend, Trixie showed up in school on Monday, like usual. No one else had heard of the incident between her and James on Valentines day, thank goodness. She had only told a few people and they still were Clark and his parents. However when Chloe asked her how the date had gone, she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret. Chloe was her friend – she didn't have a choice.

"I knew James was no good." Said Chloe bitterly after Trixie had finished telling the story. "I just thought that he would be nice to you since you guys used to be friends."

Trixie frowned. "I thought that maybe he was actually trying to make up with me, but he just does it again. Turns around and acts like someone else."

"Someone else?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah – he never used to be like that. He used to act like everyone was better than him. I guess when I left, so did his old personality."

Chloe smiled reassuringly. "Well, at least you won't ever go near him again – and after a night like that I don't think he'll come back after you either."

"He'd better not." Trixie mumbled, leaning back in her chair.

Pete walked into the Torch office.

"Hey, Pete! I thought you weren't coming back for another week!" cried Chloe, running over to him and hugging him.

Pete smiled. "Yeah, well, I wanted to make it back for Trixie's party but I guess I kinda missed it."

Trixie smiled. "I don't mind – we had some... interesting company there anyways."

"Huh?" asked Pete, sitting down on a nearby chair.

"My old friend James... you know what? It's a really long story and I don't really want to explain it again."

"Sure, sure." said Pete, not hanging onto it.

Trixie liked Pete. He never pressured you into saying or doing anything. Sometimes he got into stuff by accident, but his heart was in the right place.

Trixie smiled and stood up. "See you around." She said before leaving the office.

Once outside she sighed, letting her happy expression fall right back into a frown again. She had to keep it up to her friends, otherwise they would worry and ask what's wrong, and Trixie didn't cry. It wasn't her thing.

. . .

Unfortunately, as much as she could avoid Chloe, Lana and Pete all day, she couldn't avoid Clark as easily going unnoticed. Sitting in the cafeteria, looking over something for her next class, she didn't catch him coming in so she couldn't quickly get up and leave.

As her eyes looked up again for the time he sat down opposite her. Trixie smiled, putting her guard back up and also wondering if she should join a drama club or something.

"Hey." He greeted.

"Hi." Trixie replied, looking back down and trying to reread the paragraph she'd just read over for the past five minutes.

"We were all back at the Torch – why don't you come? I told Pete about your new motorcycle by the way and he really wants to come over and see it sometime."

"Uh-huh." Trixie mumbled, trying to concentrate on what the words actually meant in the book.

Clark paused, watching her. "What's up?"

"Nothing – okay, I just really need to finish this for next class."

"Since when have you ever done homework?" asked Clark, curiously.

"Since it had to be due in last week." Trixie replied, leaning on her elbows, still trying to concentrate on the book.

"Do you... want any help?" he offered.

Trixie shook her head, squinting at the words.

"Chloe almost knows that book word for word – I'm sure she could-,"

Trixie looked up, almost angrily. "Clark, I'm fine. Can you just let me get on with this?"

Clark raised his eyebrows, taken aback. Trixie wasn't usually this angry. Sure, she could hide it pretty well, but she wouldn't usually yell like that.

Trixie noticed her mistake and sighed slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell, I just... I can't." She couldn't finish, gathering all her books up quickly, and standing up.

Trixie turned, intending to leave.

"Trixie?" Clark asked after her.

She glanced back. "Sorry." She said before heading off, back into the corridor.

. . .

James still hadn't left Smallville. He was walking down the street, passing the Talon and smirking. Even though he had failed in getting Trixie on Saturday evening, there was still plenty of opportunity to. She was a loner – he knew that well. Often she would ditch her friends and people she knew to be by herself. She didn't like it, but he still knew she did it. And when he saw her walk out of the Talon that late afternoon, without noticing him, he followed her happily behind the Talon.

"Hey, Rix." He called after her.

Trixie didn't look behind her when she heard her name being yelled. It was James – she knew it, but she wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of knowing he'd won - because she hadn't finished fighting him yet.

"Leave me alone." She yelled back, walking faster. "You freak."

James ran up to her and she turned around, trying to get away from him.

"Aww, Rix, don't be like that... you know I only really wanted you that night... because you're so good..."

"I said, leave me alone." Trixie said through gritted teeth. She moved, not letting him touch her.

"Rix..."

"No." Trixie said, defiantly.

"Too slow." He whispered, grabbing her upper arm.

Trixie struggled but the meteor rocks that he had were affecting her. James looked down at her and licked his lips like she was his food. "Stop looking at me like I'm a piece of meat, James." Trixie glared at him, trying to push him.

"You know... when I got these glasses, I thought I would look like a nerd... a geek... a blind idiot. But actually – they're more powerful than you think." He smirked. "I can see more than you can imagine. Like... through things for example."

"You pervert." Trixie hissed, trying to push him again. He pinned her against the wall.

"Uh, uh." said James. "Now, don't be going all like that on me, baby... Come on, I'm hungry."

Just then Trixie saw someone out the corner of her eye and thanked Clark mentally for being unavoidable. James saw her line of vision and swore. He was distracted enough for Trixie to kick him.

James hissed in pain, but kept her pinned against the wall. Clark, however, heard him and looked around. He sped over to them both.

"Get away from her!" Clark yelled.

James smirked again. "Or what?"

"Or-," Clark cut off, being affected by the meteor rocks in James' glasses.

"What is wrong with you both?" James laughed as Clark stood back.

Trixie caught his eye and they both shared a moment of sorrow as James continued to laugh.

"James..." Trixie whispered, delicately. "You're right."

James and Clark both looked at her like she was crazy.

"I can't believe I've been so stupid. I want you... and you want me... so why don't we just go off somewhere private. And you can show me just exactly what you can do." She smiled.

"I'm not falling for that, Rix. I know you're trying to distract me." James said, not fooled.

"No, I'm serious James." said Trixie lovingly. "I really do want you."

James slowly removed his glasses and threw them down.

"Trixie..." James started slowly. "You're not that hard to-,"

James stopped suddenly, looking around. "Hey, where did he go?" he asked, turning back to Trixie.

Trixie smiled. "Does it really matter?"

"You distracted me!"

Trixie continued to smile. "Sure did."

James gaped before getting smacked in the back of the head by a piece of metal. He fell backwards and Trixie quickly moved away from him.

"Thanks, Clark."

"Are you okay?" asked Clark, quickly.

"Yeah – I'm fine." She said. "It's the glasses – they're made with the meteor rocks. He could see through stuff."

Clark looked around and saw them on the ground. He picked up the sheet of metal again and threw it at them. They broke under it.

Trixie walked around to see James' face of annoyance and pain. She frowned.

"Bad friend choices." She muttered.

. . .

"So James could see through stuff with his glasses?" asked Chloe, intrigued in the Torch office.

"Apparently." said Trixie darkly.

"That would explain how he was able to know how much change was in my pocket the other night."

"The thing is..." Chloe said, while typing something on her computer. "why is all of a sudden everything is being made from meteor rock."

"They've got enough of them." pointed out Clark. "It's worthless."

Trixie laid her head in her arms on one of the desks. "What's wrong with other stuff – they've got enough of that. Don't they research on the meteor rocks?"

"I guess so." said Chloe. "But there's only so much information you can get out of them."

"If someone's making things with meteor rocks then isn't that dangerous. People are mutating because of them... everyone's going to get hurt."

"I found something on the glasses." Chloe continued. "They were made by some company that also made Florence's furniture that they get their materials from."

"Where was it?" asked Clark.

"Luthor Corp."

Trixie looked up quickly. "Oh crap. This is my fault."

Clark glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"A while ago... after Lex gave me the motorcycle, I went to him about a favour. I collected the meteor rocks because otherwise other people would get their hands on them and use them, so I asked him if... If he could store them somewhere no one would look for them. I couldn't keep them anywhere else. I'm sorry, I should have told you."

"So Lex is doing this?" Chloe questioned.

Clark shook his head. "No, I don't think he is."

"But he has access to a whole stash of meteor rocks." said Chloe.

"Yes, but so would Lionel." Trixie finished, catching on.

Heh heh heh... *I am so evil* :)

Tell me what you think! No new chapters for a while, while I get up to date with everything and get ideas... reviews make me write faster though.