Life In Smallville & Metropolis {8}

Chapter 17: Hex

It's Chloe's birthday and Chloe's on the balcony. Chloe gets handed a gift and from Clark and smiles and says, "Clark... you shouldn't have..." Chloe sees it's Oliver and her smile drops. Oliver says, "Uh, Clark's sorry he couldn't make it. He and Bart are off..." Chloe says, "Yeah. Dealing with a crisis in Keystone. I know. Well, come on. Let's uh, let's see what you got." Chloe opens the box and it's a book from her childhood. Chloe smiles and says, "Wow. I haven't seen this in ages." Oliver softly says, "You, okay?" Chloe softly smiles and says, "Yeah. Birthdays just make me a little reflective." Oliver says, "What do you say we get you out of your head and into the party, huh? Come on." Oliver grabs her hand, and they walk back into the party. Chloe looks to see Liana surrounded by a crowd of people and says, "See? Case in point. That was supposed to be my life. Ollie, when did this happen? One day, I'm on the fast track for my dream career as the intrepid reporter, and then I blink and all of a sudden, I'm this underqualified shrink for meteor-infected kids who will probably wake up to be psycho killers, while Liana and Clark are walking the beach with passes together. Oh, and did I mention that I was actually able to hold on to happily ever after for about 2.3 seconds before my marriage imploded?" Oliver says, "Is this the part where you belt out the soprano's aria and drive a dagger into your corset?" Chloe chuckles and says, "Right. Sorry for the operetta. It's just, I would love to know how she does it." Oliver says, "You know, Chloe, if I didn't know you any better, I'd say there was a hint of jealousy in there." Chloe says, "No. It's just... with all these Debbie ups and downers lately... I guess it would be really nice to leave it all behind and be back in the bullpen." Liana walks over to Chloe and Olver with a cupcake that has a candle on it and says, "Hey! One year closer to the sweetest release of death." Chloe smiles and says, "How wonderfully morbid." Liana softly says, "Chloe, I am so sorry. There's been a factory workers' revolt in Mexico City and the "Planet" is flying me down el primero classo. Wheels up in 30." Liana places a tiara on top of Chloe's head that says, "Happy Birthday" and Liana continues to say, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Liana kisses Chloe's cheek and says, "Love you." Liana walks away and Oliver's phone rings. Oliver says, "Oh, Chloe, I have--" Chloe cuts him off and says, "Duty calls. It's fine." Oliver's guilty and says, "I'm-I'm sorry. Happy birthday, Chloe." Oliver then walks away and a woman steps in front of him and says, "Now, there's a man who looks like he needs a little magic in his button up life." Oliver says, "Uh, you know what? I wouldn't wanna steal the hocus-pocus away from the birthday girl. How about a little somethin' special for someone who truly deserves it? Okay?" Chloe says, "Mm-hmm." Then Oliver walks away and the woman looks at Chloe and says, "Rough birthday, huh?" Chloe says, "You ever seen the napalm scene in "Apocalypse Now?" More fire, less cake." The woman says, "Let's make sure tomorrow is a better day, hmm?" Chloe nods and the woman smiles and says, "Make a wish." Chloe looks over to see Liana smiling and laughing on the phone and she blows out the candle. Later, Chloe sits on her bed and goes to sleep. The next morning, Chloe gets out of bed and puts on her bunny slippers. As Chloe walks past the mirror she stops and goes to see herself in Liana's body. Chloe says, "Oh, my God. I'm Liana." Later, as Chloe's getting ready in front of the mirror, she's on the phone with Liana and she sighs and says, "So everything's okay with you in Mexico, Liana?" Liana says, "Everything's great except for government oppression and slave labor. Why?" Chloe says, "Uh... It's just... You're sure? Nothing weird?" Liana says, "No. Chloe, what is going on? You don't sound like yourself." Chloe says, "No, uh, me? Just got a frog in my throat." Liana says, "Okay. Well, you take care." Chloe says, "You too." Chloe hangs up and goes to the "Daily Planet". As she's walking down the stairs people are smiling at her and are saying hi to her. A lady walks past her and says, "Nice job on that City Happ piece, Lane." Chloe's startled to see a man in front of her and he says, "Dry cleaning and your morning coffee, Miss Lane." Chloe says, "Thanks. Um..." The guy says, "Oh, don't worry, Miss Lane. You'll remember my name one of these days." Chloe sighs and grabs the coffee and the dry cleaning and goes to Liana's desk. Chloe's see a lot of press passes on the desk and sits in the chair and searches on the web about Zatanna, since she hexed her. Chloe hears a voice say, "Liana?" Chloe turns to see Clark and says, "Thank God. Clark." Clark says, "You couldn't have been deported that quickly. Why aren't you in Mexico? Isn't there a limit to how tight a shirt can be to meet dress code?" Chloe says, "Really? Even you?" Clark says, "Well... Here's the thing. I never made it to Mexico." Clark says, "What? Liana, are you okay?" Chloe says, "No, I am definitely not alright." Clark's computer beeps and he says, "Well, this should help. Police standoff. Main and 5th. Grab your jacket. Isn't this the part where you tell me to saddle up?" Chloe grabs Liana's clothes and says, "Start your engines... Smallville." Later, Chloe gets changed into Liana's outfit for work and her and Clark out in the streets. Chloe says, "So anything you wanna tell me..." Chloe trips and Clark catches her. Chloe looks at Clark confused and Clark says, "What's the look for?" Chloe smiles and says, "Uhh... You just never looked at me that way before." Clark helps Liana up and they hear a screeching noise and Chloe says, "Oh, there's our story calling." Chloe walks away with Clark behind and he says, "Techincally, is still is a standoff." An officer walks up to Chloe and she says, "So what's the deal with our sophoclean town crier up there?" The officer says, "Yeah, well, here's the situation. Nut job up there on the fire escape he owns Yuri's Antiques over on Main Street. He's been babbling in Latin all day." The officer walks away and Chloe hears the man and says, "Woman... magic cursed on. Book brings death." Clark says, "Since when did you speak Latin?" The man yells, "Zatanna! Zatanna!" Chloe says, "Zatanna. Clark!" Chloe drags Clark away and continues to say, "I bet it is that same witchy woman who did this to me. Now, I know where she's performing tonight. Maybe you can supper speed over to this antique shop and dust off any leads." Clark says, "What do you mean 'did this to me'?" Chloe sighs and says, "Clark, I'm Chloe. Stood-her-up-at-formal Chloe? Planted-one-on-you-because-Zod-was-ending-the-world Chloe? Krypton-Jor-El-fortress-Brainiac Chloe!" Clark realizes this is Chloe and says, "Chloe." Chloe says, "Bingo. And just like that raving wardrobe malfunction over there some magician showed up at my birthday party in fishnets and hexed me, but you'd know that if you hadn't skipped it. Not that I'm dwelling." They then arrive where Zatanna is and Chloe says, "Not exactly hiding out, is she?" Clark says, "You just woke up like this? How did I not pick up on it sooner?" Chloe says, "Forget about it. This is my Shakespearean nightmare. Not yours." Chloe opens the door and it's locked. Chloe continues to say, "Although it has been awfully illuminating." Chloe tries the other door and it's also locked. Chloe tries another door and says, "By the way, "Tales Of The Weird and Unexplained." Nice callback." Clark says, "I thought it might bring you back to a time when, you know, things were--" Chloe cuts Clark off and says, "Weird and unexplained?" Clark nods and Chloe continues to say, "You sound like you miss it." Clark says, "I don't know. It's just there's a whole half of my life where this happens... everyday. Weird has become so normal it's not even weird anymore. Honestly, I like what I'm doing at the "Planet" now. But I would be lying if I said that there weren't days' when I wish I could forget about saving the world and just be a normal reporter." Clark opens the door with his super strength and Chloe says, "Well, for now, how about you not stick to your day job?" They walk into the building and hear Zatanna say, "It won't be much longer, father." Clark says, "Much longer for what?" Zatanna says, "I'm sorry. Have we met?" Chloe softly scoffs and says, "Does an enchanted cupcake ring any bells?" Zatanna remembers and says, "You were the birthday girl." Clark steps forward and says, "You need to reverse the curse that you put on Chloe." Zatanna says, "Curse? Is that what you think happened? You kind of got things backwards. I granted you a wish." Chloe scoffs and says, "And why on earth would I wish myself into this?" Zatanna says, "Beats me. I don't write the magics, honey. I just use them. Now, I'm not saying this is your heart's deepest desire. But in that moment, this is what you wanted." Chloe says, "Okay, just for a second. Maybe I was a little jealous of Liana living my dream life with Clark at the "Planet" but I didn't literally want her life. Not like this." Zatanna says, "Oh, don't worry. It will wear off as soon as you don't want it anymore." Chloe sighs and walks up to Zatanna and says, "Fine. I don't want it." Zatanna says, "You keep telling yourself that." Clark says, "Do you really think that man from the antique shop wanted to end up rambling on like a crazy person?" Zatanna says, "Maybe he wanted a better understanding of dead languages. I wanted an heirloom of my father's. We helped each other out. Fair trade." Clark says, "About that heirloom... What did Yuri mean when he said the book you were after would bring death?" Zatanna says, "Some people can be a... a little superstitious. "Clark says, "And that makes it okay to use them." Zatanna says, "Use them? I give people what they want. Look, everybody has something they're hoping for. Something... something they wish they could change. Even you. I wonder what your little wish would be." Zatanna looks her eyes at Clark and Chloe turns Clark to her and says, "Clark! Oh, no, Clark." Then Zatanna disappears and Chloe says, "Are you okay?" Clark softly says, "I'm fine." Chloe says, "Really?" Clark nods and Chloe continues to say, "Something has to be different." They leave Zatanna's and Chloe says, "I never should have brought you along. I forgot that magic affects you just like the rest of us. Are you sure you're alright?" Clark says, "Yes, Liana. Stop asking me that. And what do you mean by the rest of us?" Chloe says, "It's just that... Wait. What did you just call me?" Chloe then hears someone say, "Help! Somebody, help! Help!" Chloe looks at Clark just standing there, and she says, "Are you gonna do anything?" Clark walks forward and says, "You're absolutely right, Liana." Clark then calls 911 and Chloe rolls her eyes. Later, they go back to the "Daily Planet" and Clark says, "How gullible do you think I am, Liana?" Chloe whispers and says, "I'm Chloe." Clark says, "Right. You just acknowledged I was Chloe before our run-in with Zatanna. She bippity-boppity-booed you too." Clark says, "Liana, there's no such thing as magic. It's all trapdoors and wires." Chloe says, "Okay, Clark, think about it. Right before we walked in there, you were just complaining about how easy it would be if you could just forget the whole hero-alien-everything-weird side and were just a regular, mundane reporter living a normal life." Clark says, "If something seems too weird to be true, it usually is." Chloe looks at Clark confused, and he says, "That's rule number four." Chloe says, "What?" Clark sighs and opens his desk to take out a framed list and says, "Liana Lane Rules of Reporting. Come on. Like you'd never let me forget." Chloe grabs it and says, "And you framed this? Look, you said you wanted only one of your double lives. And whether you meant it or not, the spell thought you did." Clark says, "Exactly what other life is it I'm supposed to have, Liana?" Chloe grabs Clark's arm and drags him to the roof. Clark says, "Liana, what has gotten into you? Now wait a second. We're not allowed to be up here, Liana." Chloe says, "Clark... snap out of it. You're a hero." Clark scoffs and says, "I'm a regular Green Arrow. Liana, I don't make the news. I just report it." Chloe says, "You are the biggest news there is. You're a superhuman being from another planet." Clark smiles and says, "Okay. Just don't tell human resources, alright? Now, I have a deadline to meet." Chloe blocks his path and says, "Uhh..." Chloe goes to lock them on the roof and Clark says, "Did you just lock us up here?" Chloe says, "Open the door, Clark." Clark sighs and says, "Liana, it's locked! We need a key!" Chloe says, "Open the damn door, Clark." Clark grabs the door handle and says, "Liana, if you don't..." Then the door handle breaks off and Chloe says, "Now do you believe me?" Clark says, "What I believe is that this door needs better maintenance. Look at the rust in here. No wonder it just pulled off like that." Chloe goes to stand in front of Clark and says, "Okay." Clark says, "Now we're gonna be stuck up--" Chloe says, "How about this? Listen. Really listen. What do you hear?" Clark tilts his head to listen and looks at her and says, "That's amazing." Chloe smiles and Clark continues to say, "The acoustics up here are incredible. It's like there's some perfect echo point right here." Chloe grabs a pole and swings at Clark, and he moves away and says, "Liana, have you completely lost your mind? That could have really hurt!" Chloe walks forward with the pole says, "No, it..." Clark steps back and Chloe drops the pole and continues to say, "No, it wouldn't, Clark. You've got super speed and super strength and super hearing and X-ray vision!" Clark says, "And I have a deadline, Liana. Now, please, if you would excuse me I need to find a way to get off this roof. Unless my superpowers include an ability... to fly." Chloe sighs and shakes her head and Clark says, "I didn't think so." Chloe sighs wondering how she's gonna get through Clark's thick head. Later, Chloe and Clark go see the man who was shouting earlier at the riot. Clark says, "I'll handle this, Liana." Clark walks over to him and clears his throat and says, "Do you speak English?" The man says, "Yes. You mind telling me who you are?" Liana looks at him and says, "Liana Lane, "Daily Planet." I'm sorry, we thought you were under some kind of... spell?" Clark says, "Well, she did." The man looks at Chloe and says, "You know." Chloe says, "We know Zatanna give you a wish in exchange for some information on a book." The man says, "I never should have told her how to find that book. I'm afraid she's too blinded by her grief to see the danger that she's in." Clark says, "Say, this woman does know magic. What sort of danger are you talking about?" The man says, "She must be stopped from using that book to resurrect her father. She isn't prepared to make the sacrifice." Clark says, "What kind of sacrifice?" The man says, "From what I could decipher, the incantation to bring a life back required the taking of a life in return." Clark says, "So, in order to bring her father back, someone else must die." The man says, "A life for a life. A soul for a soul." Chloe looks worriedly at Clark. Chloe and Clark then leave the hospital and Clark says, "That guy really sounded like he believed in what he was saying." Chloe says, "That's because it was true. Now we just need to find Zatanna before she tried to give dear, old dad one final encore." Then they see a flash of yellow lighting and thunder above the Daily Planet. Clark says, "Except we may be too late." Chloe looks at Clark and says, "Clark, you're the only person who can get up there and put an end to this right now." Clark looks at her and says, "I know what you're gonna say, but--" Chloe cuts Clark off and says, "No, Clark. There are no buts with you. No exception to the rule. Now, super leap up there and stop her." Clark looks up and says, "Look, I don't know. It--" Chloe cuts Clark off and says, "Yeah, okay. Okay, Clark, you don't have to know. If you won't believe in yourself then let me believe in, you. Okay? I know... that deep inside, you don't wanna just be a normal guy sitting behind a desk reporting in disasters while you could be out there stopping them. Now, use the power you feel. The world needs you." Clark nods and looks up and he sees a flash of light out of the corner of his eye and turns around to see Chloe and says, "Chloe! Wait, that's--" Chloe cuts Clark off and says, "Impossible? Only in your mind. Sometimes you just need a little leap of faith. Come on, Clark. You can do this. Up, up, and away." Clark takes off his jacket and super jumps up. The next day, Chloe wakes up and slips on her slippers and smiles when she sees herself in the mirror. There's a knock on the door and Clark comes in with breakfast. Clark says, "Peace offering for missing your party." Chloe says, "Casualties of being a hero. Not everyone could have punched through Zatanna's whammy and saved the day." Clark nods with a soft smile and says, "I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for reminding me who I really am." Chloe says, "Yeah, I guess rebooting your superhero OS rekindled the Chloe fire. Looks like, uh, hero support isn't just a day job anymore. And for that... we eat bagels. Do you remember everything?" Chloe opens the bag of bagels and Clark says, "If you're referring to the just-the-facts-ma'am routine... it did feel as though a weight had been lifted." Chloe says, "Hmm. It must have been hard to harness up again." Clark says, "To be honest, a life without responsibility kind of felt empty. I mean this is who I am, Chloe. Every morning, I wake up with a purpose." Chloe says, "Yeah, you're not the only one who saw the world through irony-colored glasses." Clark says, "Why did you wait so long to tell me what was going on?" Chloe walks to the couch to sit down and says, "Well, let's face it, Clark. My life has been a little less than desirable lately. I mean, with Jimmy and everything. And I can't deny there's an appeal to the dynamic duo's weekly adventures." Clark says, "You could have wished for anything, and you wanted Liana's life, why?" Chloe sighs and says, "She has everything I wanted, and I guess I just wanted to see what her life's like." Clark nods and says, "Are you gonna tell her?" Chloe says, "Yeah, I am." Chloe's just worried how Liana's gonna react.