Chloe's world tilted on its axis when Lana kissed her.

It wasn't that they hadn't talked about it before it happened. They'd talked about it a lot. Almost overtalked it, Chloe thought. But the gentle brush of Lana's lips against hers changed everything. She'd even forgotten Clark was there too until his hand brushed through her hair.

Turning to Clark then had felt right, familiar. The three of them sinking to the bed, touching where they could reach, somehow getting each other undressed, and falling into position for sex had been so easy, Chloe had never thought of how Lana's touches had felt…more. She'd simply thought it was newness. She'd never been with two people before, and was still adjusting to the idea.

Being with Clark had felt right, almost familiar. And Lana…she was new and exciting and Chloe had loved every moment that she'd spent with both of them, not sure how or why they'd chosen her to join them. She'd never asked, just enjoyed being with them, loving them.

When things changed, it was very subtle. Chloe didn't pick up on it at all. It had simply been more difficult for Clark to get away from the farm sometimes, and Chloe and Lana were living close to each other.

It was easy for Lana and Chloe to meet. For Chloe to wait while Lana closed the Talon up, and to follow her upstairs, at least on the nights they could wait that long, She'd really thought it was about her being with the more available of her two lovers, and exploring things she'd never explored before. The curve of Lana's back. Her gentle smile. Her fingers, driving Chloe crazy in so many ways. Falling asleep, wrapped in Lana's arms, gentle kisses exchanged until they were too tired to continue. They talked of missing Clark, of wanting him there. They were happy when he was, too. Smiling and laughing, and kissing him, paying him special attention, so he wouldn't feel left out. And if sometimes Chloe would have chosen to take Lana in her arms when Clark was already buried deeply inside her, well, she was just used to it. It wasn't like she minded. Really. Clark felt really good inside her and she could always get Lana to lower herself over her mouth, making Lana scream by the way she used her tongue. But it felt awkward more than it should, and that was when Chloe realised that things had changed.

It wasn't until she came up behind Lana on the phone one night, making polite excuses, that she realised that things had changed for Lana as well. The polite excuses were to Clark, who Chloe could hear, and who was suggesting that he come in, even though it was a little late. Clark had come in to see them much later, but that had been back at the beginning of their relationship. He hadn't come in this late in a while. And Chloe realised that she hadn't missed him.

This was a revelation for Chloe, because she knew that when they'd started, she'd agreed more because she didn't think she'd be able to be with Clark any other way, and Lana, while she hadn't been opposed to being with her, hadn't been the reason she'd agreed to any of it. Not until that kiss, the one that had knocked Chloe's world sideways. And everything else Lana did had continued to knock her sideways, in the very best sense of the word. But she'd really thought it was just experimentation, for them both, even the nights they'd spent together alone.

Lana had flushed when she came to talk to Chloe, admitting that it was the first time she'd consciously tried to discourage Clark from coming in — and Chloe had noticed the use of the word consciously. But of course she could never ask Lana to 'prove' that she'd done it unconsciously — how could they ever know? So she dropped the subject and kissed Lana tenderly, asking if Clark was coming in or not. He was.

So they waited, kissing and touching, planning, as they did on the times when they were all together, to greet Clark from the bed where they were entwined. And they got a little more carried away than usual, and before Clark was even there, Lana's tongue had slipped inside Chloe and was teasing her and Chloe was on the brink, murmuring endearments, saying that Lana was all she could ever want, the things they usually said at times like this…and that was when Clark walked in.

Chloe tried to encourage him to join them, but the look on his face, and the pain in his eyes were too much. She tried to feel ashamed that Lana, unknowing that Clark was there, had still made her come, but she couldn't. She did whisper later to Lana, when Lana had rolled onto her back and offered herself to her, because Chloe knew. The explanation had been easy, though Lana had looked upset. Chloe had gone to find Clark while Lana cleaned up and got dressed.

She was surprised to find Clark sitting in the empty, closed Talon. Chloe couldn't say for sure that he'd been crying, but he seemed upset, and he let it out a little, saying that he'd really not expected them to become so close. He'd even smiled faintly when Chloe had said it was a surprise for them, too. Lana had joined them then, though she seemed awkward with Clark at first.

After a lot of talking, they'd realised what they hadn't admitted yet. Lana and Chloe were in love with each other and Clark wasn't in love with either of them — at least not the same way, he added, sounding a little bitter to Chloe, who wasn't surprised. Lana had agreed with him, and she'd kissed him softly, as had Chloe, before he'd left, and after he did, Chloe was surprised to find herself feeling sad. But she cared about Clark, even though she didn't love him, and it wasn't easy to let him go, even though she had Lana.

Chloe wished Clark the same happiness she'd found with Lana, and with that wish, she turned to Lana, and smiled, offering her hand, and reminding Lana that she had promised to take care of her later.

It was another night they didn't make it upstairs.