Title: Machinations

Author: Teaphile (teaphile@hotmail.com)

Rating: PG

Challenge: Rewrite Shimmer where instead of Amy it is Clark that Jeff defends, because Lex doesn't pay him enough attention. You can write it AU as if Clark were adopted by the Palmers if you like, but it's not essential as there is a lot of AU stuff already. (Jezebel the Temptress)

Also incorporates: For some reason Lex thinks Clark is only after his money and Clark has to try and persuade him otherwise. Clark is very persuasive  (Jezebel the Temptress)

Notes: In this story the Palmers have always lived in Smallville. Certain lines were lifted directly from the original episode. Many thanks to Ambiguous719 for the insightful beta.

Machinations

Clark had to remind himself to actually pass the main drive to the mansion, and take the second lane, the one that led to the caretaker's house. Months of delivering produce to--and just visiting--Lex meant he had the turn signal on way too early for his real destination. Tonight he was visiting Jeff Palmer for the first time since Lex had hired his parents to take care of the house and grounds. Previously, the mansion had been attended by a service, but Lex wanted a more personal relationship with his employees, so he hired the Palmers and encouraged them to move into the small house on the grounds.

Turning the truck into the correct drive, Clark tried to subdue his happiness a little. He and Jeff had been friends when they were children, but when Jeff had started high school two years earlier he'd dropped Clark and gotten a new set of friends. Clark had never really understood why a high-school kid couldn't be friends with a grade-school kid, but he'd accepted Jeff's decision. He knew what it was like to be an outsider, and didn't want Jeff to have the same problems. Now that they attended the same school again, Jeff had made overtures of friendship, and Clark readily agreed.

Clark parked the truck and glanced quickly over at the main house. No lights were on that he could see, so he figured Lex wasn't home. He briefly wondered where Lex was, but shook it off as he rang the doorbell.

Jeff opened the door almost immediately. "Hey. C'mon in," he said, backing away to let Clark pass. Clark looked around at the caretaker's house. He was mildly surprised to find that it looked like any other house in Smallville. He'd half expected the same style as the castle, cold and uninviting, with only its tenants to add warmth. Instead it was brightly painted, with wood floors and thick rugs, and furnished with beat-up couches and old-looking tables.

Clark stuck his hands in his pockets and looked shyly at Jeff. "So."

Jeff grinned. "Yeah. Thanks for coming."

"No problem. It's good to see you again." He took off his jacket and handed it to his host, who slung it over the banister leading upstairs.

"Do you want something to drink?" Jeff started towards the kitchen, eager to be doing something.

"Sure." Clark followed. "Hey, how do you like living here? Is Lex a good boss?"

Jeff shrugged, pulling glasses from the cupboard. "I guess. My parents have never had any complaints about him, and he's always friendly to me and Amy."

"Lex is great that way." Clark took the glasses Jeff handed him, and waited for Jeff to pour the juice he'd retrieved from the fridge.

Jeff looked puzzled. "You honestly like him, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do." Clark tried to cover his too-big smile by taking a drink. "Don't you?"

"He's okay. I wouldn't invite him over to play video games, though."

The two boys made their way to the family room, where Jeff started setting up his GameCube. "Sit down. Let's play."

Two hours later, having given up on the game because of cramped hands, they lay sprawled on the floor, talking. Clark dipped his hand into an available bag of pretzels and chewed on a few thoughtfully. "Hey, Jeff," he said quietly, "what are you going to do when you graduate?"

Jeff shrugged. "I don't know. Get a job, I guess. I like working in the gardens with Dad; I could do that."

"What about college?" Clark rolled over and stared at the ceiling.

"My grades aren't good enough to get in anywhere. The only class I'm doing well in is chemistry."

"Chem's pretty cool."

"Yeah." Jeff sat up, and looked at him. "You?"

Clark shook his head. "I'm definitely going to college, if we can afford it. I don't know what I want to study, though." Tossing the last pretzel in his mouth, he glanced at his watch and stood. "I've got to go. I want to stop in and see Lex, if he's home."

Jeff stood as well, and followed Clark to the front door. "Thanks for coming."

Clark smiled as he pulled on his jacket. "I had fun. Thanks for inviting me."

"I kind of missed you, you know?" Jeff said, studying the floor intently. He glanced up. "You're different than the other guys."

"I know what you mean," Clark replied.

They said their good-byes, and Clark made his way across the lawn and down the well-lit path to the big house. Dusk was coming on quickly, and Clark was already late, so he jogged to the manor. To his great surprise the door opened for him as he reached it. Going in, he noticed Lex. "Hi. Good timing."

"Hey, Clark. I noticed you as I was walking past the window. I was wondering where you were, since I saw your truck at the Palmers'." Lex smiled warmly at him and ushered Clark farther into the house.

Clark shook his head. "I can't stay. I just wanted to say hello. I haven't seen you in a few days."

"Sorry about that." A gleam of amusement crept into Lex's eyes. "Victoria's been keeping me busy."

"I'll bet." Clark hid the bitterness he felt behind a weak smile.

Lex ignored the comment. "What've you been up to this evening?"

Clark gestured out the window. "I was over visiting Jeff. Playing games and stuff."

"I didn't know you two were friends," Lex said, puzzled.

"We weren't for a while. A few years ago he decided we couldn't be friends anymore." Clark shrugged; he'd never really understood Jeff's reasoning, but he'd gone along with it. "Anyway, we've been talking again lately. Just since he's been living here, actually."

Lex frowned and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "That's great. Maybe I'll see you around more, then."

"Yeah, maybe. I have to go, Lex. I'm going to be late." Lex nodded, and Clark left. Things had been awkward between them since Victoria had arrived, and Clark wasn't quite sure what caused it, or how to change it. He hoped their friendship wasn't disintegrating; he enjoyed Lex's company more than anyone else's, except maybe Chloe's. On the drive home Clark decided that he'd have to make more of an effort with Lex. After all, he'd be on the property more, now, visiting with Jeff. He'd have lots of opportunities to stop in at the mansion.

*

The next day Pete was out sick, and Chloe had Torch business to take care of, so Clark sat alone at lunch. He glanced over at the table in the corner; Lana was sitting with Whitney and a few other popular kids. He watched as Jeff approached that table, tray in hand, and hovered there for a moment, listening to them. Curious, Clark strained to hear what they were saying. He caught only the tail end of a joke one of the boys was telling--something about a servant. Jeff's face fell, and he looked around as everyone at the table laughed. Clark caught his eye and waved him over.

Jeff smiled wanly as he sat down. "They're a bunch of jerks, you know?"

"Some of them aren't so bad," Clark replied.

"You like everybody, though." Jeff paused, then leaned over the table. "Can I ask you a personal question?" He didn't whisper, but his voice was pitched low enough that no one else could hear over the random cafeteria noise.

"You can ask," Clark responded in the same tone.

"There are rumours about you and Mr. Luthor. Are they true?"

Clark studied Jeff, trying to figure out what he was talking about, but Jeff's face was blank. "I don't know what rumours you mean."

Jeff laughed. "You really don't know, do you?" He asked incredulously.

"No. Please enlighten me." Clark sat back and crossed his arms.

Jeff waved Clark closer, and Clark obeyed. "People say that you two have more going on than just friendship."

Clark's stomach sank, and then he felt that telltale heat creeping into his face. "It's not true…."

"But you want it to be, don't you?"

Clark didn't respond.

Jeff put his hand on Clark's forearm. "It's okay, Clark. I've gone through the same thing myself. I won't tell anyone."

Clark just nodded, unable to speak. He'd always figured that the first person he'd tell would be Chloe. Then maybe his mom. They'd have mixed, but predictable reactions. This wholehearted acceptance was completely unexpected.

"You can talk to me," Jeff reiterated.

"He's not like that, you know," Clark began. "Victoria kind of proves that he's straight."

Jeff snickered. "Appearances can be deceiving. And, from what my mom tells me, Victoria won't be around long."

Clark was about to question him when he noticed the time. "It's time to go." They both stood and gathered their things. "I'm making a delivery tonight. Will I see you?"

"Maybe. I might have to be out of the house." Jeff waved a little, and headed to class.

*

He didn't know why, but Clark couldn't keep the smile off his face as he presented the crate of tulips to Lex. Behind his mother's back he'd snuck a dark purple one in there just for Lex, and he felt a little as if he was on a date. He knew it was silly, but he couldn't help himself.

Lex grinned up at Clark from his seat on the couch. "The tulips look great."

Clark put the crate on the coffee table. "Yeah, you cleaned us out. Mom said if you want some more, you’ll have to call Holland."

His smile widened as Lex picked the purple one out from the middle and sniffed it, smiling at Clark as if he'd figured him out. "They're Victoria's favourite."

They both jumped as the crate skidded off the table and landed upside-down on the floor. "What was that?" Lex asked.

Clark shrugged, just as puzzled. "I don't know. Maybe the crate was on an angle?" He knelt down and began picking up the flowers, careful not to damage any more.

Lex shook his head. "No. I felt something brush past me."

"Really, Lex. It must have been a breeze." Clark's good mood vanished when Lex narrowed his eyes and gave him that look, the one that meant Clark had said something wrong. Clark blinked, confused, and changed the subject. "So, you and Victoria are getting pretty close?"

Lex was still looking at him. "You seem surprised."

Clark put the last of the tulips back in the crate and shrugged. "She just doesn't seem like your type."

Lex stood, the glare replaced by amusement. "What exactly would my type be, Clark?"

"I don't know. She seems like a golddigger. I picture you with someone nicer, more down-to-earth. Someone different from…." Clark stopped himself before he could finish that sentence.

Unfortunately, Lex finished it for him. "Someone different from me, Clark? Someone more like you, perhaps?"

Clark ducked his head. "No, I mean…."

Lex leveled that cold gaze at him again. "I think I know what you--"

A steady pounding noise coming from upstairs interrupted him. They raced out to the staircase, Victoria joining them as they went. At the top of the stairs the three stopped at the spectacle in front of them. The closed door to Victoria's room was rattling, creating the noise, and a bright, white light shone around it.

"What's going on?" Victoria asked, hanging back.

"Wait here," Lex replied, trading a glance with Clark. They both crept slowly to the door, Lex reaching for the knob. As mysteriously as it started the noise and light stopped, and Lex confidently opened the door. As he did, he was flung back against Clark, who caught him.

Surprised, Lex looked up at Clark. "There it was again. Something pushed me."

Clark, despite the tension of the moment, had to hide a smile. He let his hold on Lex linger for a moment, until Lex pulled away to enter the room. It was flooded with black light, highlighting messages on the walls. 'Leave', and 'Go home' were featured heavily.

Lex smiled crookedly at Victoria, who'd come in behind them. "Someone doesn't want you here," Lex said.

She looked pointedly at Clark. "I wonder who that could be," she replied. Her gaze didn't drop from his as she took Lex's arm in a boldly proprietary gesture.

Clark, confused, made his excuses and went home. He'd wanted to stay, but with Victoria's hostile attitude, he thought it might be better if he tried again another day.

*

"Clark, come in," Lex called from the floor in the den. "You'll have to excuse me for a moment." He felt around under the couch, then crawled to look under a chair.

Clark entered, admiring the view for a moment. "What are you looking for?"

"A watch. My mother gave it to me." Lex stood and started pulling books from the shelves, looking behind each one. "Can you look near the fireplace?"

"Sure." Clark made a show of looking at the mantle and quickly scanned the room with his x-ray vision. He didn't see anything. He started to tell Lex, and felt a breeze. Turning in the direction of the breeze, he noticed a gold watch wedged between two bookcases. Curious, he picked it up. "Is this it?" He waved the watch at Lex.

"Yes!" Lex's eyes lit up, and his joy was nearly palpable to Clark. "Thank you."

Clark frowned. "This is weird, Lex," he said handing him the watch.

Lex examined it closely, checking for damage. "What?"

"I felt your ghost." Clark sat on the couch, and was pleased when Lex sat beside him. "The watch wasn't there the first time I looked in that," he gestured at the bookcases, "crack. Or the second time. Then I felt that breeze, and there the watch was."

Lex sat up a little straighter and pulled back to look at Clark. "Have you noticed, Clark, that the strange things only happen when you're here?"

"What are you getting at?"

"It's awfully convenient that the watch only appeared there when you looked. I must have looked in that crack a dozen times already today, but you show up and presto, there it is." Shaking his head, Lex stood and crossed to the bar. He fiddled with a glass bottle stopper until Clark joined him. "Why did you come here today, Clark?

"To visit, that's all." Clark slumped, frustrated, against the wall. "But Lex, I need to tell you something."

Lex poured himself a drink. Taking a measured sip, he watched Clark over the rim of the glass. "What would that be?"

"It's about Victoria. Lex, don't turn away from me. This is important." Clark waited until Lex was looking at him again. "When I came in I looked for you in the library first and I saw her…." He paused, unsure of how to continue.

"Going through the files on my computer?" Lex's smile was still cold, but amused.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Lex chuckled. "Very little happens in this house without my knowledge."

"Aren't you worried that she's stealing from you?"

"You seem awfully interested in the state of my fortune, Clark. Maybe Victoria was right about you."

"What--" Clark was interrupted by a crash from upstairs. He ran normally until he was out of Lex's sight, then superspeeded the rest of the way into the bathroom. There he found Victoria thrashing in the tub, head underwater, as if she were fighting someone. Except, the person she was fighting wasn't there. Clark rushed to pull her out of the tub, and felt that strange breeze again. He lay Victoria on the floor and covered her with a robe, glad when she coughed and started breathing raggedly.

A few seconds later Lex entered the bathroom, concern plain on his face. Clark stood up from his crouch, ready to approach him, when he was suddenly knocked off his feet. He could have sworn he heard a murmured 'sorry', before Lex was knocked down as well.

Shooting a puzzled glance at Clark, Lex pulled out his phone and called an ambulance for Victoria, moving to her side as he did. He snapped his phone shut. "Would you care to explain?" he asked Clark.

Helpless, Clark just shrugged. "I can't. I just came in here and she was struggling. I pulled her out, and you saw the rest."

"Once again, Clark Kent comes to my rescue," Lex answered stonily.

"Look, Lex," Clark began, taking a step towards him. "I don't--" As Clark reached out to touch Lex's arm, his hand started to hurt and shrivel up. A closer look at Lex's shirt, and Clark understood. "Look," he said, pointing to the sleeve.

"What?" Lex looked at his shirt, then did a double take when he saw that part of his sleeve was invisible. He touched it gently. "Wow."

"Yeah. Someone's invisible."

Lex started to answer, but was cut off by a piercing siren. He shook his head. "I'm going to the hospital with Victoria. Go home, Clark. I'll want to talk to you tomorrow."

"Sure." Clark headed towards the door. "I hope she's okay."

Lex wrapped the robe properly around Victoria, who sat up weakly. "Right," he said.

*

Clark was at his locker after school the next day when Jeff approached him. "Hey," he said, a little distracted.

"Hi." Jeff's smile was bright, and he leaned in towards Clark. "So, some good news last night."

"What?" Clark focused on Jeff, noticing his mood.

"Victoria. Nearly drowned."

"Why is that good?"

Jeff clapped Clark on the shoulder in what was almost glee. "Because she probably won't come back to the castle." He lowered his voice. "Now's your chance."

Clark closed his locker. "I'm not sure I understand."

Leaning forward a little more, Jeff whispered, "You can go after Mr. Luthor with no competition."

Suddenly Clark pieced everything together. "Jeff!" He backed away. "That was you?"

Jeff nodded. "See you later, Clark." He slung his jacket over his shoulder and started to leave. "Remember, I'm on your side."

Clark leaned against his locker for a few minutes after Jeff left, trying to figure out what to do. Obviously whatever made Jeff invisible was made of the meteorite, so Clark was limited in his action. He had to deal with him while he was visible. He decided to go see Jeff that evening, to talk to him and make him see that what he'd done was wrong. Maybe he could convince his friend to stop, and no one would have to know about the attempted murder. Satisfied, Clark went home.

*

Chores finished, Clark headed over to the Palmers' house to try to reason with Jeff, but found that he wasn't home. After questioning Amy about where her brother might be, Clark started up the path towards the mansion. About halfway there he noticed Lex walking down another path. He jogged over to join him.

"Hey," Clark said, trying not to startle his friend.

Lex smiled wanly as he looked up. "Hi, Clark. Visiting Jeff again?"

Clark scuffed his foot into the dirt of the path. "Um…yeah. Kind of. I wanted to talk to you about that."

"About Jeff?" Lex started walking to the house again, and Clark followed.

"How's Victoria?"

"She'll be fine. They're discharging her tomorrow."

Clark cleared his throat. "And then what?"

Lex stopped walking and looked squarely at Clark. "I thought you wanted to talk about Jeff?"

Clark said nothing.

"Victoria will be coming back here," Lex answered the previous question, his voice filled with suspicion. "Clark, I'd prefer if you didn't come up to the house while she's here." He took another step up the path, and then suddenly was flying sideways into a hedge. He landed with a grunt, and lay there stunned.

"Jeff!" Clark called, trying to catch a glimpse of his friend, and realising how futile that was. "Why did you do that?" Giving up his search he helped Lex disentangle himself from the bushes.

"I did it for you, Clark." Jeff's voice sounded loud in the dark. "I love you, but you love him. And you deserve someone like him, someone who's rich and handsome and can give you everything. Not a nobody like me."

"You're not a nobody. You have as much potential as anybody in this town. I'm just not interested in you that way." Still holding on to a dazed Lex, Clark searched with his x-ray vision. "I still don't understand why you would try to hurt Lex."

Jeff laughed bitterly. "I don't know. I just got mad at him for not loving you. For not trusting you. He doesn't deserve you either."

"Then why Victoria? You said she wouldn't be around for long." Clark zeroed in on the sound of Jeff's voice, and caught a glimpse of his skeleton rounding the hedge. Trying to look like he couldn't find Jeff, Clark intercepted him. Jeff dodged around him and went after Lex again.

"She was poisoning him against you, Clark." Jeff grabbed a chunk of stone from the side of the path and swung it up in the air, ready to crush Lex's skull. "Making him believe you aren't worthy of his love."

Clark jumped, shoving Jeff out of the way before he could connect. Jeff went down, hitting his own head on his descent. He lay still. Clark checked to make sure he was alive, then took off his coat and wrapped it around him so he could be seen. "Lex, are you okay?" he called as he put a safe distance between himself and the meteorite.

Lex had recovered, and walked over to examine the invisible boy. "So that's it Clark? This whole thing with Jeff was a set-up? He attacks me, you rescue me, I fall into your arms and shower you with expensive gifts? I knew you were too good to be true."

Clark shook his head in confusion. "Wait, Lex. You know I won't take expensive gifts. I returned the truck, didn't I?"

"Your father returned the truck. I imagine you're holding out for smaller things that he won't know about. Isn't that right, Clark? Cash, maybe?" He leveled his stony gaze at Clark, not letting him hide anything.

Clark stepped in front of Lex, meeting his gaze. "No. Please, Lex, listen to me. I don't want anything from you."

"Except my business." Lex bent down and wiped a handkerchief over Jeff's face, rendering it visible again. He pulled Clark's coat off him and threw it at its owner.

"Did I ask you to buy from us? Did I beg you to buy more produce than you could possibly eat? No. You did that yourself. You shower--or at least try to shower-- me and my family with money, when all I want is your friendship." Clark sighed deeply. "All I want is you, Lex"

"What?"

Clark took a step closer. "I said, if your father disinherited you tomorrow, if you gambled away all your money and ended up living in a cardboard box on the street, I'd take you in. I want you, Lex, not your money. I don't care about things like that."

Lex's expression softened a little. "C'mon, Clark. Everyone cares about money."

"Maybe I was exaggerating a little about not caring about money. I care if I have food and a home, and clothes and medical care." Clark laid a hand on Lex's arm. "But the kind of money you have…I really don't want."

Lex looked at the ground. "You're so naive. There's no such thing as pure altruism. Everyone wants something."

"I'll tell you what I want." He stepped closer to Lex, almost touching him with the length of his body. "I want my friend back. I want love, and companionship, and mind-numbing sex. And I want all of it with you. That's it. That's everything."

"Maybe you just don't know exactly what you want yet. Maybe you have motives you've hidden even from yourself." He stepped away as he spoke.

"What, love isn't a good enough motivation for you?" Clark's voice snapped with anger.

Lex shrugged, and answered mildly, "Having never experienced love, I wouldn't know."

"I love you," Clark responded hotly. "Okay, maybe it's not the love of ages, and maybe it's not anything more than puppy love, but I love you, Lex, whether you want me or not.”

Lex chuckled. "I didn't say I didn't want you, Clark." He allowed his gaze to drift over the form in front of him. I just said I don't know love."

"Well, I'll just have to make you know." Clark closed the distance between them and pulled Lex into his arms.

"Good luck." Tentatively, Lex placed his hands on Clark's back, and smiled slightly when Clark laid his head on Lex's shoulder.

Jeff moaned. Clark and Lex pulled back and looked at each other, then at Jeff, whose eyes were starting to flutter. Lex nodded towards him. "We should take care of him."

Clark didn't want to let go, but recognized the urgency of the situation. "Sure." He dropped his arms, releasing Lex, who went over to Jeff.

Lex grabbed where Jeff's shoulders would be, and lifted him as he started to wake. "Come on, Invisiboy. We need to talk."

Keeping a subtle distance, Clark followed as Lex marched Jeff to the house. "What are you going to do with him?"

Lex caught the concern in Clark's voice. "I suppose that depends on what he'll do next. He needs help, Clark."

They reached the house, and Clark held the door open. "I know. I just don't want him going to jail."

Jeff, aware enough to follow the conversation now, smiled at Clark. "Thanks."

"I meant what I said earlier, Jeff. You have potential. But Lex is right; you need psychiatric help."

Jeff laughed nervously. "Being charged with attempted murder would guarantee me that."

Clark ignored him, but Lex grinned and replied, "Who'd believe the evidence anyway?"

*

A week passed before Clark knew anything about what happened to Jeff. Lex's assistant hadn't wanted to give out information, Lex himself wasn't available, and there was no answer at the Palmers' house. Finally Clark managed to be at the mansion at the same time as Lex, who met him at the door.

"I took care of Jeff," Lex stated without preamble.

Clark shook his head slightly and stuck out his hand. "Hi, Lex. How've you been?"

Lex sighed dramatically and shook the proferred hand. "Good afternoon, Clark." He rolled his eyes and started towards the den. "I'm fine, thank you. How are you?"

Clark laughed and followed, looking around as he did. "Where's Victoria?"

"Metropolis."

"So," Clark clapped his hands together, "Jeff?"

Glaring, Lex sat down on the couch and gestured Clark into the seat beside him. "I talked to the Palmers and we worked out a deal with Jeff. They agreed to move to Metropolis so Jeff could get adequate psychiatric care--which I'm paying for--and I agreed to find new jobs for them."

"Good." Clark held up both hands, palms up. "See? Altruism works."

Lex smiled and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "That wasn't altruism, Clark. I had ulterior motives for taking care of Jeff."

Clark matched his posture. "What would those be?"

Lex looked at him for a long moment. "I thought about what you said."

Thrown, Clark could only respond with a puzzled head-shake.

"You said you'd show me love."

"And?" Clark asked, hope surging through him.

Lex placed one hand on Clark's knee and looked up at him solemnly. "And I think I want you to try."

Clark couldn't help but grin. He slid over on the couch and put his arm around Lex's shoulders. "Good."

Lex cleared his throat and cocked his head to one side, a gleam in his eye. "You also mentioned mind-numbing sex, I believe."

Clark reached up and rubbed his thumb along one aristocratic cheekbone, smiling. "I haven't even kissed you and I know you're amazing in bed."

Lex reflected his smile wickedly. "Maybe you should kiss me, first. Just to see. Then you could make up your mind."

"Okay. But don't think that a sloppy kiss will send me away. Nothing will make me change my mind." Clark leaned in, muting Lex's answering chuckle with soft lips. He felt Lex hesitate for a split second, so he pulled back slightly. "Only you, Lex," he murmured, and sucked gently at a firm lower lip.

In answer, Lex pulled Clark closer and deepened the kiss, hot and wet and perfect and feeling like it could last forever. The intensity of the kiss scared him, and he pulled away abruptly.

"How's your head?" Clark asked softly.

"It's fine." He didn't look at Clark as he answered.

Clark turned in his seat, resting a hand on Lex's shoulder. "Having second thoughts?"

Lex met his eyes briefly. "Maybe. Possibly third."

"I meant what I said."

"Victoria's coming back tomorrow." Lex faced Clark, and took his hand. He stroked it contemplatively. "I can't get rid of her yet. There's too much at stake right now."

Clark laced his fingers through Lex's. "Business?" At Lex's nod he smiled. "I can wait."

Lex returned his smile. "You can?"

"Absolutely." He chuckled, and leaned in for a kiss. "After all, she only wants you for your money."

END