Taking Over Me (NC-17) (complete) - Part 6, 'Always With You' series

[Not An Addict]

Title: Taking Over Me
Author: Not An Addict
Rating: NC-17
Category: Songfic, Romance/Angst
Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Spoilers: none
Summary: Part Six of the ‘Always With You’ songfic series. Lex can’t let go, and he’ll find her no matter what.
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘Smallville’. But I do own some very incriminating photos. You hear that, Almiles? What do you say about that restraining order NOW, eh? Um . . . I’m just kidding, please don’t sue me.
Author’s Note: All right, we’ve reached the grand finale! This is dedicated to star del mar for delurking—let it be a lesson to the rest of you! don’t lurk!—and to Clannadlvr for being such an awesome reviewer. ^_^ I hope you’ve all enjoyed this series, because I’ve had a blast writing it. A slightly tortuous blast at times, but still. ^_~ All right, here we go!



Chapter One


You don't remember me but I remember you
I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you
But who can decide what they dream?
And dream I do...

The manor was quiet. Its silence seemed to reach out and fold around him, to seep in through his pores until he could barely even hear his own heartbeat. But his heart did beat. It surprised him sometimes, but his pulse was still strong and steady and showed no signs of giving out anytime soon. At times he found himself almost disappointed by that fact; but he kept on living nevertheless, going through the motions day after day after day.

He had fooled his friends well enough. He had put on a convincing show these past few months of moving on with his life. He went to work, he came home; so long as he went out with them once in awhile his friends seemed to buy his excuses of being tired after a long day at work. Lex even managed to convince Clark that he had finally packed up all of Chloe’s things back in Metropolis, and that he was keeping them in a storage facility in the city. Clark had been understanding, said that of course Lex wouldn’t want to get rid of them right away, but that this was a good first step. Lex had nodded and given him a weak smile.

As long as Clark never checked the apartment in the city, Lex had no intention of confessing the truth.

He couldn’t accept the fact that Chloe was dead. He had tried; god knows he had tried. And when he had finally stopped seeing her, stopped talking to her, he had thought that he would be able to move on. Time and time again he reminded himself that she had stopped breathing. That the men that had attacked them had been trying to kill her; not kidnap her, but kill her. There was no reason for Chloe to still be alive. And yet . . .

Lex felt her. Not the same way that he used to—he knew that if he turned around or looked up, that image of Chloe wouldn’t be waiting to talk to him. No, this was different. He felt her inside. As often as he told himself that she was gone, something inside of him called out that she wasn’t. It whispered that she was out there somewhere, waiting for him. It said that he would know it if she were really dead, that he wouldn’t be able to feel her anymore.

The door to his bedroom swung open silently, his footsteps made no noise on the thick carpeting that covered the floor. He had been unable to sleep in their bed in Metropolis, but the bed here didn’t hold her scent. It had been several long months since they had visited Smallville together, and the large bed had long since been changed and aired. This bed held memories. He could deal with memories.

Even as that thought crossed his mind, a rumble of thunder drew his attention to the large French doors leading outside. Unable to stop himself, Lex walked over and opened the doors, closing his eyes as a wave of hot, humid air rolled into the room. He drew in a deep breath and smelled the rain in the air, felt the tension thrumming in the air from the storm that had yet to break. For a moment he almost expected to feel Chloe’s hand on his back, to hear her teasing voice chiding him for not being in the study yet again. He waited, his muscles tensed with anticipation, but nothing happened. Another crack of thunder echoed in the distance, and Lex’s heart contracted with a pain that almost had him doubling over.

The first storm of the season.

Not bothering to close the doors, Lex turned and walked blindly to the bed. His movements were stiff, mechanical as he stripped down to his boxer shorts and climbed into bed. Even after all this time he still only slept on the one side, unable to bring himself to move onto the side he still thought of as Chloe’s. He lay there in the dark and listened to the thunder rumbling outside, watched the occasional flash of lightning that lit up the room. The storm had reached the manor, and now the wind was carrying the thick, wet smell of it into the room. Lex breathed deeply and did his best to clear his mind. He didn’t want to think about Chloe. That only led to sleepless nights, as he had learned very well by now. He had to do his best to think of nothing at all. If he could just do that . . . if he could just get to sleep . . .

“I told you I’d never miss our anniversary.”

The bed dipped down under her weight; he turned at her voice and smiled up at her.

“Chloe.”

He held out his arms to her and she sank down to rest against his chest, her head pillowed against his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her, holding her close.

“I’ve missed you.”

She snuggled deeper into his embrace.

“I’m here now.” She lifted her head and smiled at him. “I’ve always been here. And I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”

She brushed her lips against his once, twice, teasing before she let him deepen the kiss. Their tongues wove together as Lex trailed his hands up and down her back in slow, lazy strokes. She was with him; she wasn’t leaving; there was no hurry. He rolled them over and drank in the soft sigh she gave when he settled on top of her. His lips trailed over her jaw to her ear, tracing his tongue over the delicate shell before blowing gently on it. Chloe shivered and leaned up to whisper in his ear.

“I have a secret.”

He was walking down a white hallway. With every step he took the sound of his footsteps echoed off of the walls, though the sound was faint and distant. At the end of the hallway there was a large plate window and a door set to the side of it. He drew closer and the light in the hallway intensified, until by the time he reached the window the glare was so strong that he couldn’t see inside. Instead, he turned to the door. The knob turned easily under his hand and the door opened silently. Inside the light was dimmer, and the soft hums and beeps of machines filled the air.

On the bed he saw Chloe. There were dark circles under her eyes and a large plastic tube coming out of her mouth. He walked closer, taking in the thin, hospital-issue gown that she wore, watching the slow, regular rise and fall of her chest.

As he watched, her eyes opened to stare up at him.

Lex jerked awake struggling for breath. His first instinct was to reach for Chloe, but as always, he found her side of the bed empty and cold. A deep shudder ran through him at the memory of Chloe staring up at him from a hospital bed. A dream. It was just a dream. The rain was still falling outside; he must not have been asleep very long. Lex lay there and willed his heartbeat back to normal, trying to forget what he had seen.

It was just a dream.


*************************


Early morning sunlight spilled into Lex’s office at the plant, filtering through the blinds that covered the windows. The first morning shift hadn’t arrived yet, and as far as Lex could tell he was practically the only one in the building. He had been there for hours, working on contracts and spreadsheets that really could have waited until later. Trying to purge the memory of his dreams from his mind, Lex had worked like a madman. Now, with the sun just barely over the horizon, he was out of busy work and had nothing left to occupy his brain.

Lex rose to pace across the soft carpeting covering the floor, casting glances back at his desk with every turn. He knew that it was there, sitting in his desk drawer. No. He wouldn’t use it. He would be strong. He would . . . fuck it.

In three quick steps Lex was at his desk pulling out a small black book, one that he hadn’t opened since he started seeing Chloe. She had had so much faith in him, believed so much that he could be a better man, that he had never been able to bring himself to use it. But now there was a name he needed, a name that had never yet failed him. He found it easily—he had used it so many times in the past that the book practically opened to it on its own. Lex grabbed the phone sitting on his desk and punched in the numbers before he could change his mind, fighting the urge to pace as the phone rang. Finally, he heard the familiar voice on the other end.

“This is Lex Luthor. I need you here in Smallville as soon as possible. The helicopter will be waiting for you at the air pad, and I’ll send a car to pick you up in half an hour.”

He heard the confirmation and without another word hung up the phone. Realizing that he was beginning to shake, Lex lowered himself into his chair, bringing his folded hands up to his lips. It was done. Nothing to do now but wait.


*************************


“Mr. Luthor, there’s a Mr. Beruche here to see you.”

“Send him in, Rachel, and go ahead and get some lunch. I won’t be needing anything for a couple of hours.”

“Yes sir.”

Lex took a deep breath and stood up as Simon Beruche opened the door and walked into the room. The man was as tall as Lex, but his thinner, almost gangly frame gave him the appearance of being taller than he actually was. He wore a retro brown suit and thick, square-frame black glasses adorned his round face. A boater hat made of dark brown leather covered thinning hair, and a shining silver St. Christopher’s medal hung from a thin chain around his neck. The entire look together made him seem like a particularly harmless fashion consultant. Lex extended his hand and Beruche clasped it in his callused one. He sat casually in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk and Lex settled down as well, his hands folded on the table in front of him.

“So, Luthor.” Beruche’s thick English accent was accompanied by a wicked grin. “It’s been a while since you’ve called. Got a job for me after all this time, then?”

Lex nodded shortly, slid a thick file across the desk. Beruche glanced from the file to Lex and back again, his grin fading to be replaced by a slightly wary look. He leaned forward and picked it up, opening it to see a picture of a laughing blonde girl, resplendent in a glittering red gown and holding a glass of champagne. He raised his eyebrows and a hint of his grin was back when he looked back up at Lex.

“Tasty. But you should know I don’t do grab jobs much anymore. I might be able to point you in the right direction, but—”

“I don’t want you to kidnap her,” Lex all but snarled. Beruche leaned back a bit, taken aback by the ferocious look in the young Luthor’s eyes. “That’s already been done. I want you to find her.” He nodded to the file. “You’ll find the police report in there, as well as descriptions of the men that took her, as well as I can remember. You will find them, you will give me their names, and you will find out what they did with my fiancée. The rest you can leave to me.”

“This happened . . . three months ago?” Beruche asked, flipping through the police report.

“Ninety-eight days,” Lex confirmed. Beruche glanced up at that but let it pass, merely shaking his head and closing the file.

“I don’t know, Lex. If you had called me when the trail was still hot . . . but after this much time . . .”

“I have faith in you.” Lex’s voice was hard, cold, and final. Beruche had seen and done things that would send most men running for the hills, and he had gone through them without even blinking. He was not easily rattled, could stand up to men with unspeakable power and reach and not break a sweat.

Lex’s voice made his blood run cold.

“I’ll do my best. But you need to remember that there may not be anything left to find.”

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. The helicopter is standing by to take you back to Metropolis. Your usual fee has been wired to your account; I’ll expect your first progress report in no less than forty-eight hours.” Lex’s eyes locked on his and Beruche had to repress a shiver at the steely determination he saw there. “I want you to find her by any means necessary. Do you understand what I mean when I say by any means necessary?”

Here was safer ground. Extreme measures were something Simon Beruche was more than familiar with. He nodded without hesitation and, following Lex’s lead, rose to shake his hand again.

“I trust you can see yourself out?”

Beruche simply nodded again and Lex settled back behind his desk, pulling a sheaf of papers towards him as the man walked quietly from the room. When he was sure that he was alone Lex shoved the papers aside again and buried his face in his hands, trying to steady himself with deep, careful breaths. He had just given one of the most ruthless men he had ever come in contact with carte blanche to do anything he deemed necessary to find Chloe. Countless people could be hurt or ruined in the process, and Lex felt a stab of fear when he realized that he quite simply didn’t care.

He rose from his seat with a violent shove and began to pace yet again. A part of him, the part that had worked for so long to appease his friends, kept whispering that this was all for nothing; that Chloe was dead, and no matter how much he tried to deny it, how many people he was willing to trample in this insane quest, she was never coming back. But a larger part of him was telling him that Chloe wasn’t dead at all. That she was out there somewhere, waiting for him, and that she had been all this time. But now time was running out. Lex didn’t know where this sudden sense of urgency had come from, but he was beyond the point of questioning now.

“You'd be surprised at what you have inside of you. You just have to let yourself feel it.”

The words drifted through his head as he remembered the last time he had spoken with her, the image his grieving mind had desperately conjured up. In all the time since then he had never really thought about what she had said. But now . . . now the meaning became suddenly clear. He had assumed at the time that it had been a reference to some power he had inside of him, some hidden reservoir of strength that would make it possible for him to live the rest of his life without her. And he had found that strength, had tapped it and used it to get through the days.

“If you want to learn the truth, Lex, you have to let go of this version of me.”

He had let go. And instead of the emptiness he had expected, he had found something else.

He had found Chloe.

I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you to live to breathe
You're taking over me

She was still alive; he could feel it. He knew it deep down inside, the same way he knew that the sun would rise each morning. It wasn’t a matter of opinion—it was a fact, pure and unarguable. Lex had considered that he might simply be losing his mind. He truly had. But every time he thought of it he kept coming back to one inescapable conclusion.

He couldn’t breathe without her. It just didn’t seem to work quite right; nothing seemed to work right without her there. Lex had tried to cope with it, tried to move on. But as long as he had this feeling inside, he knew that he never could. Finally he had decided to stop fighting it. He didn’t care what it cost; he was going to find her again. And when he did, he would make damn sure that the people who took her from him paid.


*************************


Simon Beruche settled back into the seat of the limousine. The helicopter had taken off directly from the plant in Smallville, and a short flight later he was back in the city, away from the disconcerting quiet of the fields and open sky of the smaller town. He would be back at his apartment soon, and he could make the call he had been itching to make since he had left Lex’s office. He could use his cell phone to make it from the road; but when you made your living snooping out the well-buried secrets of the rich and powerful you began to develop a healthy sense of paranoia. No sense making the call when he didn’t know what kind of surveillance there might be in the limo. No, he could wait. Waiting was one of the things he did best.

The limo pulled to a gentle stop and a few moments later the chauffeur opened the door for Simon to step out. The doorman gave him a nod of recognition as he strolled into the building and pushed the call button for the elevator. In a matter of minutes he was safely inside his apartment, door deadbolted behind him and blinds drawn. He turned on the laptop sitting on his coffee table and sat on the edge of the large leather couch, tossing his hat on the seat beside him while the computer booted up. A quick scan detected no hidden bugs or spyware on the drives; satisfied that he was at least relatively safe Simon pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket, dialing a number that he had committed to memory while he opened a locked file hidden away in a subfolder. The phone rang several times as he scanned through the data he had accumulated, until finally a terse voice answered.

“Luthor.”

“It’s me. He finally called me, just like you said he would. I told him I probably wouldn’t be able to find anything on a case this cold, but he didn’t seem to buy it.”

“Hmm.” Simon could practically see the older man rubbing at his bearded chin in thought. “Does he suspect something?”

“Honestly? Probably not. Seems to me he just doesn’t want to think about not being able to get her back. I was telling the truth, though; if I were just now getting the information there’s probably no way I could track her down.”

“Well then, I’ll count it fortunate that your knowledge of the situation goes back much further than that. I expect he asked for a progress report within the next two or three days?”

“Forty-eight hours,” Simon confirmed.

“You’ll need to give him enough to tide him over. But he is not to know the situation yet, is that clear?”

“As crystal.”

“Very well. You will call me as soon as you have finished speaking with Lex.”

With no more warning than that, Lionel Luthor disconnected the phone call. Simon closed his phone and tucked it back into his jacket pocket. He scanned through the information he had accumulated on Chloe Sullivan at Lionel Luthor’s request, but only made it through a few pages before he sat back and ran slightly shaking hands over his face.

There was likely going to be a war between the Luthors like none the world had ever seen. And he had just planted himself squarely in the middle.




TBC . . .

[Béatrice]

UPDATE PLEASE!! :worship2: :worship2:

[hfce]

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! You cant stop there. I hate cliffhangers. This is what happens when I get cliffhangers. :cliffhanger: You see what happens. :cliffhanger:



Hope :tease:

[Sab_Luthor]

Originally posted by hfce@Dec 3 2003, 11:37 PM
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! You cant stop there. I hate cliffhangers. This is what happens when I get cliffhangers. :cliffhanger: You see what happens. :cliffhanger:



Hope :tease:
voilà

so UPDATE FOR YOUR OWN SAKE

[happy bunny]

Sooo loving this series. Can't wait to see how this all pans out. Please update really soon.

[Susie Q]

Damn! Lionel always seems to be one step ahead. http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/Shaking_Fist_emoticon.gif I’m feeling a little encouraged that this is not in the angst section. Gives me hope that Lex will find Chloe despite the inteference from the MB. Besides, I really don’t think I can handle any more angst right now. No really, you were killing me there for a minute. http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/obm.gifNow make it up to me by working on an update and devising ways to make sure Lionel gets what's coming to him. Um, please? http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/CaptainsBigsmiley.gif

[Lulucifer]

Aha! So Lionel is behind this afterall. So was Chloe is limbo or what?
:chlexsign4:

[autumngold]

Please, please let Lex save Chloe!! It would be good if he killed Lionel at the same time!! If Simon were smart he would side with Lex not Lionel, even though this is Lionel's game!! Great story, I can't wait for the next part!! :yay2: :chlexsign1: :yay2:

[star del mar]

Can I just say that when I saw my name in the author's note I squealed...is that normal? :biggrin: Anyway, I just wanted to say that was very cool of you and I am definitely enjoying this story...I need more!! You are an extremely talented writer and I'll just sit and wait patiently for another chapter...yea right

[sylvia]

I love the way you write. You have great narrative style and there's just the right amount of tension in your words.

But, like Susie said, all the angst in the previous parts nearly killed me, so I hope you won't be too hard on us this time =P

Can't wait for the next update!

[scifichick774]

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/waffen/violent-smiley-022.gif

Ugh. Really, really bad grrr at Lionel. He needs to die.

[miss_sixty1115]

Ah! You can't stop like!!! I need to know more!!! Please update soon!!!
By the way great chapter!!! Love this story so much!!!

Julie ;)

[asharnanae]

:ohmy: OH MY GOD!!!!!!! :worship2: :worship2: :worship2: :worship2:

[Not An Addict]

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews so far guys. They're fantastic. But I've noticed a common idea running through them that . . . well . . . maybe it's not the best idea to have. I'm just going to give you the very valuable advice that you should never jump to conclusions. All right, here's Chapter Two.


Chapter Two




Have you forgotten all I know, and all we had?
You saw me mourning my love for you
And touched my hand
I knew you loved me then

Every so often Lex would glance down at the carpet in his office, certain that he was wearing a path with his pacing. So far there was no evidence of it, but it was surely only a matter of time. Beruche was due to call sometime in the next hour, and the anticipation was rapidly eating away at what little self-control Lex had left. The man had been working for two weeks now, and so far he had come up with next to nothing. Lex didn’t know how much more waiting he could take; and the longer it took for Beruche to find anything, the less chance there was that Lex would ever find Chloe. He had hired the man before, and even in what he had considered to be hopeless cases Beruche had gotten him his information in a day or two at most. That he was taking so long this time . . . it wasn’t a good sign.

It had occurred to him several times by now that perhaps Chloe didn’t want to be found. He always dismissed the thought, but that became harder and harder to do each time. After all, Chloe may have been attacked by the odd meteor mutant in her day, but she had never been the target of such a deliberate, obviously personal attack before she had met him. Perhaps she had decided that it was better if she simply disappeared from his life altogether.

The sound of a vase smashing against the wall echoed through the still air before Lex had even realized he had thrown it. His chest was heaving, panting breaths fueling the fiery rage burning through his mind. He struggled to calm himself. Chloe hadn’t forsaken him. She had been taken. Long past the point of being afraid of his own violent intentions, Lex let his hands clench, imagining that they were locked around the throats of the men back in the alley. When he found them they would pay for taking Chloe from him. The memory of Chloe’s dead body in his arms flashed through his mind, spurning on his desperate need for vengeance

No. Lex shook his head, doing his best to clear it. Not her dead body. He may not know what had happened to her, but she wasn’t gone. That much was certain. There was any number of explanations for where she could be now. Amnesia. That was an angle he hadn’t had Beruche explore as of yet. God, for all they knew Chloe could be wandering some strange city with no idea of who she was. Lex’s blood chilled as another thought occurred to him. She could have found someone else. His hands curled into fists again at the thought of his fiancée wrapped around some nameless, faceless man.

Lex took a deep breath and raised his hand in front of his face, watching as it shook. He had to get a hold over his thoughts again. Without Chloe there to balance him, Lex had felt himself slipping further and further towards a complete loss of control. And he knew somehow that once he hit that point there would be no turning back.

A sharp ringing came from his left jacket pocket and Lex shoved aside all other thoughts at the sound. There was only one person who had the number to his second cell phone; he snatched the phone from his pocket and opened the line with a sharp stab of his finger.

“Talk.”

It felt as if a hand were clenched tightly around his heart when Beruche began to speak. No news. Again. He let the man ramble on for a while, only half-listening to the mention of records and paper trails. Lex didn’t want to hear excuses. He wanted to hear that he had found Chloe, that he didn’t have to be without her any longer. Finally Beruche ran out of things to say and Lex severed the call. The walls of his office seemed to be closing in around him. He needed to get out of there.

Lex stalked out of the office, barely stopping long enough to tell his secretary that he would be gone for the rest of the day. The air outside was heavy, oppressive, and a hot wind slammed into his face as soon as he stepped through the doors of the plant. Within seconds he was behind the wheel and peeling out of the parking lot. Fields and lanes rushed by his windows, blurring together until he could barely tell one from another. A tiny voice in his head was saying that he should slow down, that if he drove his car off the road this time, Clark probably wouldn’t be around to save him. But the larger, less rational part of him couldn’t escape the need to run as fast as he could, until the pain that was dogging his heels was left gasping in the dust.

Lex let up on the gas slightly in order to make the turn into the manor and finally came to a screeching halt outside the front doors. He sat there for a moment, trying to slow the adrenaline that was racing through his blood after the drive. When he had calmed himself enough that he was sure that he could make it inside with no problems Lex got out of the car and, taking the stairs two at a time, all but ran to the front door.

As soon as he stepped inside every muscle in his body tensed. Something was off. Lex frowned. After he had started seeing Chloe he had bowed to her wishes and hired more stringent security for the mansion and penthouse. There shouldn’t be any reason for this feeling of unease; but there it was anyway. Slowly, cautiously, Lex made his way upstairs. Instinct led him to his study, and what he saw there made the bottom drop out of his stomach before he covered his surprise with an impassive mask.

“Clark. Is there something I can help you with?”

Rather than look embarrassed at having been caught snooping, Clark held up the sheaf of papers he had clenched in his fist.

“What is this, Lex?”

“I’m disappointed, Clark.” Lex sauntered into the room, stopping halfway with his hands in his pockets, his stance deceptively casual. “I would have thought that as the new half of the great team of Lane and Kent you would at least be able to read.”

“I’m not joking, Lex.” Clark’s voice was hard, angry. “You told me—hell, you told all of us—that you were moving on.” He shoved the papers at Lex’s chest, forcing Lex to grab them before they fell. “This isn’t fucking moving on. How long have you had this Simon Beruche guy working on finding her? A month? Two? Since the beginning? We’ve been trying to help you, and you’ve been lying to us.”

“Careful, Clark.” Lex didn’t raise his voice, didn’t move in any way except to toss the stack of progress reports aside. “I don’t think you really want to start throwing stones about keeping secrets, do you?”

Clark paled slightly, and his aggressive stance loosened. He took in a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.

“Lex, I don’t think you should be getting your hopes up like this. I know it hurts, but the truth of the matter is that Chloe’s gone.”

Lex shook his head. “She’s not.”

Clark hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to continue. He couldn’t tell Lex the real reason that he couldn’t believe Chloe was out there somewhere. After the attack he had scanned the area more closely than the police ever could have. He had examined her car when they pulled from the river, had even flown around the area on the slim chance that he would spot her somewhere. But in all his searching he had found nothing. All of the evidence led to exactly the same conclusion that the police had reached; the men had picked up Chloe’s body and dumped it in the river, left it there to rot like so much garbage.

“You’re going to have to accept it, Lex. This obsession you’ve developed . . . it’s not healthy.”

Lex chuckled silently, shaking his head in disbelief. “Of course it’s not healthy.” He walked around Clark and moved to the windows, looking out of one of the few clear panes of glass. “But it’s all I have left, Clark. I know you’re all worried for my mental health. And I appreciate the concern, I really do. But if I believed that Chloe was never coming back . . .” Lex paused for a moment, and when he continued his voice was uncharacteristically strained. “It feels like I can't breathe, Clark. Do you have any idea what that's like? Do you know how hard it is to live, day after day, when you can't even fucking breathe? She is my breath.”

Lex’s words sank slowly into Clark. He thought of all the times that Lana had been in danger, how frightened he had been that she would be taken away forever. Then his mind shifted, and he thought of Lois. If it had been Lois instead of Chloe . . . his blood ran cold at the thought. He wasn’t sure where his feelings for her had come from—especially since it seemed as if she hated him with every fiber of her being—but he knew that they were real. And if something like this happened to her, he was damn well sure that he’d go to the ends of the earth to get her back.

“What can I do?” Lex turned around, looking at Clark as if he had grown an extra head. Clark continued. “I want to help. Tell me what to do.”

The ghost of a smile played at Lex’s mouth for a moment before he nodded.

“There’s really not a lot you can do, Clark. Beruche is the best there is when it comes to this. But any extra research you want to do . . . I’d appreciate it.”

Clark nodded and pushed his glasses farther up onto the bridge of his nose. “I’ll see what I can dig up.” He tilted his head at Lex. “Have you been sleeping ok, Lex? You look tired.”

“It’s nothing,” Lex waved the question away. “It’s just taking longer than I thought it would to get used to the sounds of country life again.”

Clark grinned at that. “Stay at my parents’ house sometime. By morning this place will seem silent.” He glanced at his watch. “Speaking of my parents, I’d better get going. Since I’ve been in Metropolis I think my mom’s been going nuts cooking for just her and my dad. Every time I come back to visit she makes enough food to feed an army. We’re having pot roast tonight; do you want to join us?”

“Thanks for the invitation, but I’m having dinner with Gabe tonight. I don’t see him nearly often enough since . . .”

“Does he know? About Beruche, I mean?”

“No. He seems to be more or less moving on, and I don’t want to hinder that if . . .” He took a deep breath. “If Beruche can’t find anything.”

“All right. Try to get some sleep tonight, Lex. I’ll talk to you later.”

Lex waited until Clark had left the room, then glanced at his watch. Just enough time before he was due to meet Gabe to grab a quick shower and change. Doing his best to push all thoughts of the search for Chloe from his mind, Lex walked from the study. It was time to put on another show.


*************************


Lex gave a sigh of contentment and tightened his arms around Chloe. She was perched in his lap, her hands resting on his shoulders as she nibbled lightly on his ear. The scent of her surrounded him, dizzied his brain in a way he hadn’t even realized how much he had missed. His hands skimmed over her sides before one of them reached up to the back of her neck, pulling her back so that he could claim her mouth with his. She pressed closer against him, weaving her own arms around his neck. Lex let himself sink into the kiss, into the heat of her mouth against his. They both leaned back at the same time, and Chloe placed another, lighter kiss to his smiling lips.

She was gone from his arms. Lex looked around in confusion; he heard a giggle and glanced towards the door just in time to see Chloe disappear through it. A smirk crept over his face. If she wanted to play hide and seek, he was more than willing. He rose from behind his desk and crossed the room with swift, sure strides, stepping through the door she had used.

Lex looked around the Talon, scanning the crowd for Chloe’s blonde hair. He spotted it, finally, as she slipped around the corner towards the back entrance. Fighting his way through the mass of people, Lex followed her. He pushed open the back door and stepped through.

The lingering smell of her perfume drifted through the cool air of the penthouse. A trail of clothing led him across the apartment towards the bedroom. Lex’s blood began to pump faster at the sight and, already anticipating the feeling of Chloe’s bare skin, he strode quickly towards the closed door. He paused for a moment outside, drawing out the anticipation. His hand closed around the doorknob and he turned it quickly, stepping eagerly into . . .

The cemetery. There was a cool breeze blowing, and Lex thought vaguely that he shouldn’t have left the house without a coat. He began to walk, weaving around the tombstones as he went. It wasn’t until he stopped in front of one that he realized where he was going. His heart fell like it was tearing in two as he gently placed his bouquet of white roses on top of Chloe’s grave.

Someone took his hand in theirs. Lex glanced down and saw the ring he had given Chloe, the one that now hung from a chain around his neck. It was back on her finger now, where it belonged. As he looked up at her she smiled sadly and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. A wave of love swept over him, so strong that he almost couldn’t stand it.

I believe in you
I’ll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you to live to breathe
You’re taking over me

Lex opened his eyes to the darkness of his bedroom. The satin sheets on the bed were cool against his skin; he clenched them in his fists, trying to banish the memory of Chloe’s tombstone from his mind. Unable to lie still any longer Lex threw back the covers and got up, walking out onto the balcony and looking out into the still summer night.

The urgency that had been driving him for the past few weeks was stronger than ever now. He didn’t know how, but he had to step up the search for Chloe. There was no more time to waste.


*************************


There were times when Lex couldn’t help but wonder where he got the drive to continue reading the business section. As it was, he couldn’t deny that since Chloe had disappeared he had been focusing less and less on work. And while he knew that that certainly wasn’t what Chloe would want, he simply couldn’t bring himself to care. It didn’t matter what he had to give up, what he had to sacrifice, so long as he got her back. If his business had to take a few hits in order for that to happen, so be it.

Still, more through force of habit than anything else, Lex continued to keep up with the business world. He couldn’t help but smirk when he saw the article on how Lionel Luthor had engineered a hostile takeover of Harding Industries. HI had been an up-and-coming giant, and Lex found himself almost wishing he could have seen that particular battle. All the same, a wave of unease swept through him. He knew that his own business was teetering on the edge, yet there had been not even a whisper of action from Luthor Corp. This was just the sort of opportunity that Lionel would normally be jumping at, and the quiet on his father’s part was beginning to make Lex nervous.

He shook off the feeling of unease and tossed the paper onto his desk. He would deal with Lionel when and if he made a move. For now all he could do was to try and shore up Lex Corp as best he could. Lex turned to his computer and pulled up several windows, planning on skimming over the last few quarterly reports while he waited for the call that was due from Beruche.

“Lex.”

Lex glanced up to see Clark standing uncertainly in the doorway. Though he smirked at the sight, Lex couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was drastically wrong. Clark hadn’t been this nervous about showing up at the manor since the first time Lex had met him. That he was obviously hesitant about being there now sent a cold shiver down Lex’s spine.

“Clark, aren’t you supposed to be in Metropolis? This is a workday, after all.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it is.” Clark ran a hand nervously over the back of his neck and shifted his weight. “But I . . . do you have a minute?”

Lex nodded and gestured for Clark to come into the room. As he walked forward, Lex’s eyes fastened on the folder that Clark had clutched in his hands. Lex stood, rounding the desk to lean against it. Clark stopped a few paces away and simply stood there for a moment, apparently unsure of how to begin.

“I found something,” he blurted out. Lex felt his spine go stiff, his breath stall in his chest.

“You know where she is?”

“No.” Clark shook his head, an apprehensive look still plastered over his face. “It’s not about Chloe. It’s about Simon Beruche.”

“Beruche?” Lex frowned as the tension left his body. “Why were you looking into him?”

“I just . . . I got a bad feeling, is all.” Clark shifted again, and Lex felt his skin start to prickle with unease. “I looked into him, and I didn’t find a whole lot. It’s like he barely even exists.”

Lex smirked, relaxing slightly again. “He wouldn’t be able to do his job very well if everyone knew who he was, Clark. It stands to reason you wouldn’t be able to dig up too much.”

“I know,” Clark said morosely. “But I still had that bad feeling. So . . .” He took a deep breath. “I followed him.”

Lex’s eyebrows shot up. “You followed Simon Beruche? Christ, Clark, do you have any idea how paranoid that man is? You’re lucky you didn’t get yourself killed.”

“I know how to keep out of sight.” Besides, people don’t generally look for people trailing them from 150 feet in the air. “I’d been following him for a few days, and I was about to just write that feeling I had off to paranoia. But then today . . .”

The unease that had been flirting with Lex’s system rushed over him in a wave, and he felt the beginnings of a cold sweat break out on his skin when he saw the mix of sorrow and pity on Clark’s face.

“Spit it out, Clark,” he rasped, wondering on some distant level why his voice didn’t seem to be working quite as it should.

“I saw him talking with . . . god, Lex, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Clark finally held out the file that he was holding, and Lex took it with hands that he was doing his best to hold steady. He opened it and his world narrowed down onto the stack of photographs inside. It felt as if his heart had simply stalled in his chest. The small phone on his desk started to ring. Lex picked it up and answered it mechanically, never taking his eyes from the pictures he held.

“Luthor.”

Beruche’s voice was a buzzing in his ear, one word indecipherable from another. Lex was only vaguely aware of the red that had begun to creep in at the edges of his vision as the man continued to talk, unaware of the rage sweeping through Lex’s body.

Only one word ran through Lex’s mind as he stared at the pictures of his father and Simon Beruche.

Revenge.








TBC . . .

[hfce]

This is how this story is making me feel :cliffhanger:


Hope :cliffhanger:

[Lulucifer]

Go Lex! Make them pay....
:chlexsign4:

[ColumbiaBlue]

Revenge? REVENGE? Revenge on WHO?! Lionel? Oh please let it be Lionel! And you have to come back here and update RIGHT NOW or I'm going to get violent and believe me, it's not pretty when I get violent!!!
:die: :die: :die:

Or maybe I'll beg, plead, bargain, SOMETHING to get you to update soon!!! And it isn't pretty when I beg, plead, or bargain either.
:cliffhanger: :suckup: (<----- i laughed SO hard when i saw this&#33;)

Please update&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

~Manda

[gina]

I just read all the parts in this series and I truly adore this fic&#33; I can&#39;t wait to see Lex take his revenge&#33; Please update soon&#33;

[sylvia]

I loved that update&#33;&#33; You write Lex&#39;s thoughts and emotions really, really well.

So. Now that that&#39;s done with... how about another update? :) :) :)

[scifichick774]

Ah, revenge. Beautiful revenge. More soon please.

[miss_sixty1115]

Great update&#33;&#33;&#33; This story is so amazing&#33;&#33;&#33; Love the way you describe Lex&#39;s feelings&#33;&#33;&#33; Please more soon&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

Julie ;)

[drina]

This stuff is just heart-wrenching, you know...the suspense is slowly killing me&#33; please more&#33;

[vardaquareien]

Sic &#39;im Lex&#33;&#33;&#33;

I...just...and...what...man you know how to stir up emotions girly&#33;&#33;&#33; My fingernails are bitten down to the quick and I&#39;m literally on the edge of my seat due to this fic&#33;&#33;&#33; I&#39;m just hoping there&#39;s gonna be violence in the next chap coz I really need some violence right now&#33;&#33;&#33; Something really graphic and gruesome...do you see what you&#39;ve done to me&#33;&#33;&#33;? Do you? Please update&#33; I need more&#33;&#33;&#33;

[nickielh]

I&#39;ll add to it and say "More soon please&#33;" Go Clark&#33;

Nickie

[lisa]

ohhhhhhh i can&#39;t wait to see what happens next. REPLY SOON&#33;&#33; :yay: :worship2:

[Not An Addict]

A/N: Not nearly as much violence here as I&#39;ve had requests for, sorry. And THIS is why I warned you guys not to jump to conclusions. Bravo Manda for asking the question&#33; See, the way I see it, being a Luthor&#39;s kind of like being in the mob . . . and that&#39;s all I&#39;m going to say. All right, I hope you guys like this. The end . . . except for the epilogue. ^_~


Chapter Three




I look in the mirror and see your face
If I look deep enough
So many things inside that are just like you are taking over

Lex prowled the hallways of the manor, waiting for his father. He was on his way. When Lex had called his office in Metropolis, Lionel’s secretary had informed him that Lionel had just stepped out; further prompting had her confessing that he was flying to Smallville for a surprise visit. It was beyond Lex how he had managed to keep his voice calm and even throughout the entire conversation, but he was fairly certain that none of the emotion that was humming through his blood had shown through in his tone.

So Lionel was coming to Smallville. Lionel never visited without a reason, and the reason was almost never good. In the past Lex might have been curious, might even have felt a slight twinge of anxiety. He felt none of that now; now he felt only a cold rush of satisfaction. He wouldn’t have to search out his father as he had anticipated. Now, Lionel was walking right into Lex’s waiting arms.

Lex had never felt anything like this rage before. It ran through his blood like fire, making him want nothing more than to grab something and pound it into dust. Some small part of his brain was aware that he would have to make an effort to keep from killing Lionel the instant he showed up. Oh, Lionel would pay. Lex would make him hurt until he was begging to die, begging for Lex to simply end it. But first he wanted answers.

First, Lex wanted to know why.

The servants had all cleared out of the mansion on Lex’s orders. Even after all this time it was still second nature to them; Chloe had never been comfortable with the thought of making love in the middle of the hallway when anyone was liable to walk up. Since Lex’s control was much less certain when he was around her, it had always been easier for them to simply send the servants away and see to things themselves. The situation certainly wasn’t the same now that Lionel was coming, but the implication still remained. Lex didn’t want any witnesses.

A flash caught his eye as he stalked down the hall and Lex turned swiftly to his right. Only a mirror. Get a grip on yourself, Lex. Lex stepped closer, slowly approaching his reflection in the mirror. Anger and betrayal were clear in every line of his face, in the rigid set of his jaw, blazing out of his eyes like fire. The image in the mirror seemed to change, and suddenly Chloe was there, soothing away the tension and the pain. He saw her laughing up at him; he saw her under him, her eyes glazed with passion; he saw her next to him, her hand a comforting warmth in his. Then the image changed again and all that was left was Chloe’s bruised, bloodied face, her eyes drifting shut as her breath stopped.

Rage was boiling in his blood again, and now Lex was seeing Lionel’s face in the mirror, hiding a smirk as he spouted false sympathies and reassurances. There was the sound of shattering glass and Lex snapped back to himself; the mirror was smashed, with one jagged piece still in the frame to reflect his wide and startled eyes. The other pieces lay scattered over the carpet, covered in specks of deep, wet red. Lex’s eyes drifted down to his left hand and winced at the sight of his bloody knuckles. The sight, however, rather than cooling his temper, only served to spur him on.

Lex began to stalk down the hallway again, heedless of the broken glass he was leaving behind. He made it all the way to the study before he heard his father’s obviously excited voice calling for him, echoing off of the stone walls of the manor. Every muscle in his body tensed, and it took all of his control to stay where he was. Lex moved to the side of the door, standing completely still as his father’s voice grew nearer. Closer . . . closer . . . until finally Lionel strode confidently through the open door of the study.

“Lex? I have some wonderful ne—”

Lionel’s words were cut off when a hand wrapped around his throat. There was a quick whirling sensation, and he barely managed to keep his feet under him. Then the next thing he knew he was slammed against the hard stone wall, the room dancing with stars from the hard crack his head had received. When his vision cleared Lionel realized that he was pinned to the wall with Lex glaring at him from mere inches away, his hand pressed hard against the older man’s throat.

“I want you to know that there’s no way for you to worm your way out of this,” Lex growled. Lionel wasn’t sure if it was simply the reduced flow of oxygen to his brain, but his son’s eyes seemed to glow with a kind of barely restrained madness. Lex spoke again as Lionel struggled to keep breathing. “Nothing you can say will keep me from making you feel as much pain as humanly possible. But before I tear you apart, I want to know why.”

Lionel could only look at his son in confusion. Why what? Lex snarled and slammed Lionel’s head into the wall again.

“Don’t try to pretend that you don’t know what the fuck I’m talking about, dad.” Lex spit out the word as though it tasted foul. “You’ve been working with Beruche. How long? How long did you have him watching her before you sent your goons out to kill my fiancée? A week? A month? Longer? Why did you do it? Why??”

Understanding dawned instants before Lex screamed the question at him. Lionel tried to choke out an answer, but Lex’s hold on him was too strong. Slowly, reluctantly, Lex loosened his grip. Lionel sucked in a breath and rasped out the one word that he could manage.

“Harding.”

Lex’s brow creased. “Harding? As in Harding Industries? What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

Lionel tried to speak again, but all that came out was a hoarse, rasping sound. With a growl of disgust Lex released him completely, and Lionel bent over double in an effort to drag more air into his lungs. He glanced up at Lex.

“Harding ordered the hit on Chloe.”

“Bullshit,” Lex snarled. “You’re not going to weasel your way out of this one by pawning the blame off on someone else. Not this time.”

“By all means, Lex, kill me.” Lionel straightened and lifted one hand to rub gingerly at his throat. “I’m sure I’ve done more than enough in the past to warrant it. But if you kill me for this you’ll be making a mistake, son. I’m not the one who took her away from you.”

“You’re lying.” But doubt was beginning to creep in, stealing his rage away bit by bit.

“I’m not. I had no reason to hurt Chloe.”

“No? It was her article that had you leaving Smallville with your tail tucked between your legs.”

“That?” Lionel’s laugh rasped out and he shook his head in disbelief. “Son, despite whatever emotional attachment you may have to it, this town is small potatoes. I felt it was prudent to leave, yes; but I certainly bore the Sullivan girl no ill will. I’ve had far more damning things written about me, and those reporters are all still very much alive.” For a moment Lex thought he was hallucinating as a fond smile crossed Lionel’s face. “Chloe didn’t know that, of course; but she published her story anyway. She showed the kind of spark and determination that’s needed in a Luthor. You made a fine choice, Lex.”

Lex shook his head, rage and doubt warring within him. “Even if it were Harding who ordered the hit, that still doesn’t explain why. Harding never even knew her.”

“He didn’t have to. Any fool could see how much you cared for her. Harding Industries was never going to be a giant in the business world without acquiring another well-established company. By taking her away he weakened you. You haven’t been paying as much attention to your business as you should, have you? You’re ripe for a takeover right now, Lex. That was Harding’s design all along. Eliminate the girl to get to you.”

“That’s sick.”

Lionel shook his head. “That’s business. And if you let yourself actually think for a moment, you’ll know I’m telling the truth.”

And despite his intentions, Lex did start to think. He knew that his company was suffering due to his lack of attention, and some small part of him that still cared had been wondering why no one had made a play for it yet. He was a prime target; by all rights Lex Corp should have been hacked into tiny pieces by this point. Yet somehow, his company was still in one piece. Which left only one conclusion, unsettling as it might be—Lionel had been watching his back. He had taken out HI before Harding had gotten a chance to take over Lex Corp.

“Why hasn’t Luthor Corp made a bid on my company?” The words came out before Lex realized what he was saying, but as soon as he had spoken he realized that he truly did want to know.

“I saw what losing Chloe did to you, Lex. I couldn’t take away your company after you had just lost someone that important to you.” At Lex’s disbelieving look Lionel smirked, shrugged. “Or perhaps I simply didn’t want my triumph tainted by taking advantage of what Harding had done. I can take you on at full strength, son; anything less than that would just be a hollow victory.”

Lex nodded. That sounded more like the father he knew. But it still didn’t explain . . .

“And Beruche?”

“I hired him soon after the incident. It took him longer than it usually does—Harding covered his tracks exceptionally well—but he managed to come up with this.”

Lionel stooped down and picked up a couple of files that Lex hadn’t even noticed him carry in. He handed one to Lex and stood back, waiting. Casting a suspicious glance at his father, Lex opened the file. His heart stopped, then started again at a frantic pace when he saw the face of one of the men from the alley staring back up at him. With shaking hands he began to flip through the papers. Pictures of all the men involved, along with reams of information on them, from where they lived to who their family members were to where they had attended primary school. His gaze returned to his father, staring at him with wide, wondering eyes.

“Why did you do all of this?”

Lionel’s jaw tightened. “Regardless of the fact that no ceremony had been performed, Chloe was family. When one Luthor is threatened, the attackers must be prepared for vengeance from the entire clan. There is nothing, Lex,” Lionel locked their gazes, “nothing more important than family.”

“I see.” Though Lionel had done his best to bring him down over the years, his actions now made sense in a twisted sort of way. It was one thing for him to take Lex out; it was quite another for an outsider to do it. Lex glanced again at the file in his hand, and his eyes steeled in determination.

“I know what you’re thinking, son.” Lex’s gaze returned to his father. “But I can assure you, everyone in that file has already been taken care of.” Seeing that Lex was about to say something, Lionel held up a hand. “Oh, I know that you probably would have preferred to deal with them yourself.” He held out the second file. “But I thought you might be more interested in going to see your fiancée.”

For a moment Lex could only stare; an instant later, however, he had torn the file from his father’s grasp and was leafing through it with shaking hands. Medical charts from St. Christopher’s Hospital in Gotham, all with the name Jane Doe plastered across the pages.

“Apparently Mr. Michaels, the man Harding put in charge, simply couldn’t go through with the plan to kill her. He had her stabilized and taken to St. Christopher’s. Beruche called from Gotham an hour ago, confirming that it’s her, and Mr. Michaels received a swift end.” Lex looked up to see a malicious coldness in his father’s eyes. “Rest assured, his associates will not receive such mercy. And as for Harding . . . he’s lost his company, and soon he will have also lost what paltry wealth and power he has managed to accumulate. I have the feeling that it won’t be long before he finds himself unfortunately accosted in the wrong part of town.” A sharp, shark-like smile flashed on Lionel’s face. “I hear that muggings can turn quite violent when the victim puts up a struggle.”

Lex stood there, frozen to the spot. He had found her. After all this time, she was finally within reach. Lionel’s words were no more than a buzzing in his head and his eyes seemed glued to the file he was holding. It wasn’t until Lionel reached out to touch Lex’s shoulder that he finally snapped out of his daze.

“There’s a helicopter outside waiting to take you to the airport, and the jet is standing by. You should be able to make it to Gotham in a matter of hours.”

When the words finally penetrated to Lex’s brain it felt as if a huge surge of electricity had jump-started his system. The file fell unheeded from his fingers and he did something that he hadn’t even considered doing since he was a very young child. His arms wrapped around his father and pulled him into a hug; Lionel stood there for a moment, shocked, before his own arms went around his son. After a few moments more they pulled back, and with a smirk that seemed to say they would never speak of that again, Lex took off out of the room, running full-out for the front door.


*************************


I believe in you
I’ll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you to live to breathe
You’re taking over me

The wind was warm and it rustled the flowers around her in a soothing whisper as Chloe lay back, looking at the purple sky above. She smiled and stretched, relishing the complete and total comfort she was in. Maybe she would make some more flowers later; but for now she didn’t want to do anything to disrupt this blessed state of relaxation.

Her mind had different ideas, however. A niggling little thought kept creeping up despite her many attempts to banish it. Finally she gave in and sat up, trying to remember what she could have possibly forgotten that was important enough to be constantly dancing in the back of her mind. She came up empty in her search for answers; she always did when she tried to remember. A sense of frustration grew stronger within her until she could no longer sit still. She stood and began to walk across the rolling fields, paper flowers rustling as she moved.

Perhaps it had something to do with her double. Yes . . . yes, that seemed like it was leading her in the right direction. While the other had been annoyingly vocal when she had first arrived, over time she had been prone to saying less and less until finally she simply stopped talking at all. Chloe had been glad at the time, but now it was beginning to worry her, though she couldn’t say exactly why. The other seemed to be growing fainter as well, now having reached the point of an almost ghostly translucence. Chloe couldn’t brush off the sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t quite right for someone to simply fade away like that. Things like that didn’t happen in real life.

(What real life?)

It just wasn’t natural . . .

(Nature is whatever I want it to be.)

Chloe shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. The other might be fading, but that wasn’t what she was forgetting. Something to do with something the other had told her once . . . something she had been quite insistent about . . . what had it been?

"You have to leave this place.”

Leave. But . . . leave for where? And how? There was more; she knew there was. But the memories were dancing just out of her reach, and no matter how hard she tried she simply couldn’t get to them. She scowled in frustration. Why couldn’t she remember?

Suddenly there was something warm and wet on her hand; she lifted it to her face and saw a single drop of water roll towards her wrist and fall to the ground. More drops began to fall in a light, steady rain. But unlike the other rains there, this water was hot to the touch. Chloe frowned again. She hadn’t called this up. Gathering up her will she pushed it out, trying to dispel the hot rain, trying to make it leave. However, all of her efforts fell flat, and the rain continued to fall.

Chloe brushed sodden strands of hair from her eyes as she looked around. The rain was everywhere, inescapable. Something had to be causing this. Her eyes scanned the horizon, and off in the distance she thought she saw some shape looming, vague and dark. She made her way through the fields, the ever-present sunlight streaming through the falling rain so that it glittered like gold. The shape drew nearer and nearer, until finally Chloe saw that it wasn’t a person as she had first thought, but something much larger.

Closer still and she could see that it was a crumbling metal tower with stairs leading up to a large platform at the top. Dark rust covered large patches of it, and the ground around it was littered with pieces that had simply fallen off. It all seemed familiar somehow, though Chloe couldn’t put her finger on where she might have seen such a thing before.

She chewed nervously on her lower lip, trying to come to a decision. The tower certainly looked less than sturdy, but if she could climb to the top she could be able to see farther, and maybe she could see whatever was causing this rain. Squaring her shoulders in determination she put her foot on the first stair and started to climb. She tested every step she came to, pressing to make sure that the stairs would hold her weight. There were times when she had to skip entire steps where rust had eaten away large, dangerous holes. She fell several times, slipping on the wet metal. Still she climbed, on and on. But the farther up the tower she got, the more difficult it became to take a single step.

She was five steps from the top. With extraordinary effort she lifted her foot to the next step and pulled herself up. Four steps.

It was so hard to keep going . . .

Three steps.

She should just give up and go back down . . .

Two steps.

Surely this was high enough . . .

One step.

The tower was swaying under her weight; Chloe grabbed at the railing and closed her eyes, willing it not to fall. She took a deep breath and focused all her energy. One foot on the platform . . . her other foot felt as if it were made of lead, almost too heavy to lift . . . she was up. As soon as both feet landed on the platform the crushing weight was gone, and the sudden freedom of movement had Chloe stumbling forward. A strange sensation began to overcome her and then, suddenly, Chloe remembered what the tower was for.

The world was black around her. The plastic tube was gone from her throat; that was nice. The scratchiness of cheap material against her skin had remained; that was less nice. There was still the beeping, still the chirping, still that same harsh scent of chemicals. But there was something else there now, something riding over and under and around the cold, sterile smell. Something warm and familiar. Something she had been waiting for. And there was the feeling of someone’s hand around hers, a comforting warmth that she had missed for so very, very long.

The darkness began to splinter, crack. Light began to show through, dim and gray. Finally her eyes fluttered completely open to the sight of regular, even ceiling tiles. She looked to the left and could see a second hospital bed, this one empty, and a large window being pelted hard with rain. Remembering the pressure on her right hand she glanced down, and her heart all but stopped when she saw Lex sitting next to her bed, his head bent over her hand where he was holding it in his.

“Lex?”

Her voice was raspy, almost nonexistent from long disuse, and she could barely hear it herself. Still, Lex’s head shot up at the sound, and the moisture that Chloe could feel on her hand was explained by the silent tears she could see on Lex’s face. He stared at her for a moment, unblinking, as though afraid that she would disappear if he looked away. Then one hand was holding tight to hers while the other reached for the call button. A doctor and nurse were in the room inside of a minute, and if Lex had been willing to take his eyes off of Chloe he would have been impressed with the way the pair only let their astonishment show for a moment before moving to check Chloe’s vitals.

“I can’t believe it,” the doctor muttered. “She comes in, she’s in a coma for no discernable reason for over three months, with no sign of coming out of it; you’re here for half an hour and she wakes up.”

“Is there anything you need, sweetheart?” the elderly nurse asked, brushing aside the doctor’s comments.

“Water,” Chloe rasped. The nurse nodded and slipped from the room while the doctor shined a light into Chloe’s eyes.

“Seems like everything’s normal,” he told them, disbelief clear in his voice. “We’ll have to run some tests to be sure, but from what I see here she just needs a bit of physical therapy to rebuild some of her muscles before she’s as good as new.”

The nurse came in with the water that Chloe had requested and helped her drink a few mouthfuls while Lex reluctantly left her side to speak with the doctor. As soon as the man stopped talking he was next to her again, sitting gingerly on the bed with her hand held in his. The doctor and the nurse quietly left the room and Lex simply gazed at her for a while, lifting his free hand to brush a strand of hair out of her face. Chloe tightened her grip on his hand and gave him a shaky smile.

“Waited for you.”

Lex lifted her hand to his lips and placed a long, gentle kiss on her knuckles.

“I’m here.”





THE END

[Susie Q]

I’m such a sucker for a happy ending. :hug: Hey, I think I deserve it after all that angst and the bouts of depression you put me through. *pouts* And aww :wub: I’m glad Lionel didn’t turn out to be quite the complete bastard I thought he was.
“Regardless of the fact that no ceremony had been performed, Chloe was family. When one Luthor is threatened, the attackers must be prepared for vengeance from the entire clan. There is nothing, Lex,” Lionel locked their gazes, “nothing more important than family.” Yeah, and so what the theme music from ‘The Godfather’ was playing in my mind. It’s not my fault. It was the mob reference in the A/N. http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/Dunno2.gif So glad Harding and his goons got what was coming to them. Yup, I hope Lionel &#39;hurted them good.&#39; Anyways, enough rambling. I just want to say how much I loved this story and will never ever doubt you again. :tongue: *Skips away happily to wait for the epilogue*http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/Singin_In_the_Rain.gif

[tigerbaby]

That was just :wub:

Who knew that Lionel could be so sweet, in such a chilling Godfather kind of way?

It was freaking me out reading all that angst. It was gut wrenching and I really, really hurt for Lex but thanks for making everything all right&#33;&#33;


“Waited for you.”

Lex lifted her hand to his lips and placed a long, gentle kiss on her knuckles.

“I’m here.”

So simple yet so deep.

Beautiful.

[gina]

Perfect ending to a perfect story. I&#39;m so glad that Chloe and Lex finally found each other&#33; That last scene was just beautiful.

I can&#39;t tell you enough how amazing this fic is&#33; Excellent job&#33; I&#39;m eagerly awaiting the epilogue&#33; :biggrin:

[drina]

this is fantastic&#33; yay&#33; :yay:

[autumngold]

:yay2: :yay2: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; You are a wonderful person&#33;&#33;&#33; I love the ending of this story so much&#33;&#33;&#33; Please, please, please, after all of the sadness and despair I need a lot of happy Chlex moments&#33;&#33;&#33; :chlexsign4: :yay2: :yay2:

[hfce]

This was wow very good. I love your twist with Lionel. Very good my dear. :clap: This story had a lot of gut wrenching scenes but the end was worth it.



Hope :blinkkiss:

[vardaquareien]

Wow&#33;&#33;&#33; That was just... :wub:

I loved Don Lionel&#33; What a Magnificent Bastard&#33;&#33;&#33; What a great twist, that&#39;ll teach us to jump to conclusions&#33;&#33;&#33; :blush: I absolutely adored Lex giving him a big spontanious hug and then the
smirk that seemed to say they would never speak of that againthat smirk was just soo in character&#33;&#33;&#33;

Again, I loved your description of Chloe&#39;s world. The way that she could feel Lex&#39;s tears and the fact that they brought her out was just beautiful. I loved the way that the tower was so unstable, but she just had to get to the top, it&#39;s like she knew subconciously who the rain was coming from and nothing would stop her from getting to him&#33;&#33;&#33;

I&#39;ve loved this entire series&#33; It&#39;s just so well written. Can&#39;t wait to read the epilogue.

[miss_sixty1115]

That was so cute&#33;&#33;&#33; :wub: It&#39;s a perfect ending for a more than perfect story&#33;&#33;&#33; It&#39;s an amazing job you&#39;ve done with this fic&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin: I look forward to reading the epilogue&#33;

Julie ;)

[Not An Addict]

A/N: If you feel that the last chapter was a) not fluffy enough, b) lacking one last smut scene, or c) both a and b, then this is for you. ^_^



Epilogue





“God, it’s good to be home,” Chloe groaned. Lex grinned at her as he opened the door to the penthouse and dropped their bags just inside the door. “Hey, grin all you want to, buddy, but one more day of that constant Gotham rain and I was going to completely lose my mind.”

Lex watched as Chloe strode confidently into the apartment, his gaze filled with pride. She noticed and raised a single inquisitive eyebrow at him.

“You’re doing so much better,” he said in reply to her unspoken question. And as always he felt his heart lighten at the beaming smile that she gave him.

“I am, aren’t I? And it only took a month of physical therapy before they let me leave.” She rolled her eyes, still grinning, and crossed the room to him. “I’m actually really lucky that one of Bruce Wayne’s pet charities provides physical therapy to patients in comas. The doctors say it kept my muscles from atrophying too badly.” She reached Lex and wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling up at him. “We really ought to send him a thank-you card or something.”

“I’ll look into it,” Lex smirked before brushing his lips against hers in a light, gentle kiss. Chloe gave a soft moan of pleasure and pressed closer; the kiss deepened for a moment before Lex pulled back, smiling softly. He brushed another gentle kiss over her forehead and Chloe bit back a sigh. On to Plan B.

“Lex,” she murmured, her hands slipping down to rest against his chest. “Do you think we could go out onto the balcony? I could use some fresh air.”

“Of course.” Lex wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her towards the balcony. They were about halfway there when Lex noticed that an odd, flickering light was coming in through the windows instead of the usual darkness. Opening the door he felt a strong wave of dejà vu sweep through him. Dozens of candles flickered in the heavy night air. Chloe stepped out onto the balcony and held her hand out to him, beckoning him into the recreation of the night he had proposed to her. He shot her a questioning look and she smirked at him, wrapping her arms around him once again when he reached her.

“You’re not the only one who can call to make arrangements, you know.”

Lex pulled her close and Chloe rested her head against his chest. After so long without her Lex didn’t know if he would ever get enough of simply holding her, feeling her in his arms. It was only after a few moments that he finally noticed the huge nest of pillows arranged on one half of the balcony.

“Why, Miss Sullivan.” His voice rumbled in his chest and she lifted her head to gaze innocently at him, her face inches from his. He let his lips curl up in that delicious smirk of his and Chloe felt her mouth begin to water. “Expecting to get lucky?” he asked, nodding towards the mound of pillows.

“Hoping to,” Chloe murmured. In all the time she was in the hospital she and Lex had had to make do with brief, stolen kisses. Now she was out, she was stronger, and she wanted more. Much more. Her hands trailed down and began to undo the buttons of his shirt. “We never did get to try out the whole balcony idea, after all.” She pushed his shirt off and her hands roamed over his bare chest, prompting him to suck in a breath when her nails skimmed over his abs.

“The doctors said you were supposed to rest,” he said, in a voice that most people probably would have been fooled into believing was casual. But Chloe knew him better than that; she could hear the strained desire beneath the calm, and she tilted her head up to nuzzle at his neck.

“They did. But they also said that I should get plenty of exercise.” She leaned back and shot him a playful smirk. “Doctors’ orders, Lex.”

With that she leaned up and sealed her lips to his, no longer accepting the brief brushing and nibbling that had come before. Her mouth moved hot over his, her tongue running over his lower lip again and again until he finally began to respond to her kiss. His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer as their tongues wove together in glorious, heated movements that coaxed soft, broken sounds from Chloe’s throat. He broke the kiss again and Chloe made no effort to muffle her whimper of protest. Lex pressed his forehead to hers, his breathing heavy and strained.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

Chloe tightened her grip on him when she heard the hesitation in his voice. Part of her wanted to stroke and soothe him, assure him that she would be all right, that they would be all right. But the rest of her realized that the best way to make him see would be to show him. She was stronger now, and she wanted him.

“It’s ok, Lex.” Chloe leaned back and peeled off her shirt, watching as his eyes grew darker at the sight of her practically bare before him. She pressed into him again and repeated the words she had told him so long ago. “You’re not going to break me.”

She pulled his head down and caught his mouth in another kiss, harsh and hot and impatient. She could feel Lex’s resolve start to crumble and began to rub herself against him. Her movements had the lace of her bra scraping deliciously over her hardened nipples, and with a gasp of pleasure she pulled herself closer to Lex, fighting for more contact. Despite his intention to be gentle, Lex had been without her for far too long. One hand slipped up to flick open her bra before pinching one of her nipples hard between his finger and thumb. Bolts of mingled pain and pleasure radiated through Chloe’s body at the sensation; she dropped her arms to let her bra fall to the concrete floor and arched into Lex’s hand. His mouth left hers and began to blaze a trail of burning kisses over her neck, her shoulders, down to her breasts.

Chloe’s hands moved over Lex’s bare shoulders, and her nails dug into the muscles there when Lex’s mouth latched over her breast and began to suckle. Her breathing grew heavier and a small, whimpered moan tore from her throat at the glorious pressure Lex was exerting. Without conscious thought she began to rock her hips, desperate to relieve some of the tension building in her body. Lex slipped a thigh between her legs and Chloe immediately began to grind against it. Her eyes opened halfway and a small gasp escaped her at the sight in front of her.

She and Lex were reflected in the glass panes of the doors. The candlelight washed over them, throwing their bodies into highlight and shadow. Chloe both saw and felt when Lex moved his mouth to her other breast, and a longer, louder moan escaped her.

“Lex,” she whimpered, and she grabbed hold of his head, pulling him up to smash her lips into his. Her hands shot down to his pants, raw need making her hands fumble with his belt as her tongue snaked its way into his mouth. Instead of reaching to help her Lex busied himself with freeing her from her own clothes; soon Chloe was stepping out of her skirt and underwear where they had pooled around her feet, and she finally managed to open Lex’s pants, as well. One swift tug had them slipping with his underwear down to the ground. Chloe reached up to wind a hand around Lex’s neck, lowering herself to the mound of pillows and pulling him with her as she went.

Their kiss never broke as Lex settled himself on top of Chloe. She spread her legs for him to settle between them and both groaned when his cock brushed against her lower lips. Lex slipped one hand down to her folds, and a deeper groan echoed into Chloe’s mouth when he felt her already soaking wet against his fingers. His mouth finally left hers, leaving her gasping for breath; hot, wet kisses trailed over her jaw to her neck, and Chloe bucked against him when he scraped his teeth over the vein fluttering wildly in her neck.

“Lex.” Her nails started to rake over his bare scalp and Lex shuddered, thrust against her. His mouth came crashing back onto hers and Chloe began to rock her hips, desperation taking over. Her hand drifted down as his had; hers, however, didn’t bother with testing or teasing. She wrapped her fingers around his cock and stroked it hard once, twice before tearing her mouth from his.

“Slow later,” she panted. Her eyes were hot as she guided him to her entrance, and she moved against him with a low moan when she felt him pressed against her. “Inside me now.”

Before his better judgement could say anything Lex’s hormones had taken over, and he was buried inside of her in one rough thrust. Chloe cried out and they both kept still for a moment, savoring the feeling of complete and utter pleasure. Their pants and gasps for breath, mingled with the sound of traffic from far below, were the only sound for several moments. Then Lex locked his eyes on Chloe’s and began to move.

The exquisite friction of Lex thrusting inside of her had Chloe clawing at his back, her eyes glazing until she was half blind with the pleasure that was building inside her. Lex moved one hand to raise her thigh; Chloe got the idea and lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. With his next thrust Lex slipped even deeper, and their breathing grew ragged, irregular. Lex’s thrusts grew shorter and harder and Chloe moved her hips to meet his, rotating them so that her clit ground against him with every thrust. Her body began to shake and with a loud, broken scream, Chloe felt her orgasm crash over her. The feel of her tightening around him sent Lex over the edge as well and he emptied himself inside of her with a loud cry of her name, Chloe’s internal muscles milking him for everything he could give. He collapsed on top of her and quickly rolled aside to avoid crushing her, pulling her with him until she was settled firmly against his side, her head resting on his chest.

“Boneless . . . good,” Chloe murmured. She felt Lex’s laugh rumbling in his chest and just barely managed to raise her head to smile down at him. As he gazed at her face Lex’s smile gave way to a serious expression, and he lifted a hand to brush a lock of hair out of her eyes.

“God, I missed you, Chloe.”

She nodded and gave him a weak smile.

“Same here.” She settled her head back on his shoulder, letting out a contented little purring noise when he pulled her closer. His hands were drifting languorously over her body, adding a gentle tingle to her sublimely relaxed muscles. “I never thanked you.”

Lex frowned in confusion. “Thanked me for what?”

“You didn’t give up on me. I know what you’re going to say,” she added hastily, raising her head once more to look at him. “Your dad may have tracked down where I was, but . . . I don’t really remember what was going on in my mind all that time. But I remember thinking . . .” She locked her gaze to his. “I didn’t want to live in a world without you in it. If you hadn’t come, I never would have woken up.” Chloe leaned down and brushed a soft, tender kiss over Lex’s mouth. “You saved me.”

She settled back against him and Lex held her close, basking in the feeling of simply being able to hold her. After being sure that he would never get to do so again, the sensation was one that Lex had every intention of savoring every chance he got. A few moments later, however, he felt a cool drop of water land on the bare skin of his stomach. He frowned, and another drop landed on his chest. Several more followed and he heard Chloe start to laugh.

“You have got to be kidding me&#33;” she shouted up at the sky, her smile belying her irritated words. She looked back at Lex and grinned. “Looks like part of Gotham followed us home.” Lex chuckled and Chloe glanced at the pillows they were lying on. “We should probably grab this stuff and go inside

Lex just hummed low in his throat and leaned up to press a kiss just under her jaw. Chloe’s eyes fluttered closed as Lex moved lower, nibbling and sucking at her neck. Before she knew it he had rolled them over and he hovered above her, a smug smirk on his face.

“Or we could just stay here.” He lowered his head to brush his lips over hers. Chloe let herself float for a moment before she broke the kiss; Lex, undeterred, simply let his mouth wander over her cheek to her ear. He nibbled at the lobe before sucking it into his mouth and Chloe shivered.

“Lex.” She had meant for his name to come out firmly and winced when she heard the breathless moan that she had produced instead. “Come on, Lex. I’m willing to bet that that suit is one of a kind. Irreplaceable.” He scraped his teeth over the sensitive skin beneath her ear and she whimpered. “We don’t have to take everything. Just the important things.” Lex sighed and lifted his head up again to look at her.

“I suppose you’re right.” He rolled aside and to his knees. Chloe made as if to get up, but before she could move she felt Lex’s arms slip beneath her and pull her closer to him. Then, suddenly, she was in the air, her arms shooting out to wind around Lex’s neck as he carried her to the doors leading inside. Chloe blinked the rain from her eyes and clung tighter to Lex.

“What are you doing??” Lex grinned at her and stepped into the cool, dark penthouse.

“You said to grab the important things.”

He moved them back to the bedroom and he laid her gently down on the bed, climbing in beside her a second later. She turned and nestled herself against his side once more, her fingers tracing patterns in the drops of water clinging to his chest. Before she could stop herself Chloe’s mouth opened wide and she yawned hugely. She glanced up at Lex, a sheepish expression gracing her face.

“Sorry.”

Lex laughed. “You’ve had a long day, Chloe. Besides, you’re not fully recuperated yet; of course you’re ti—” Lex’s voice broke off on his own huge yawn and Chloe did her best to muffle her snicker in his chest.

“Looks like I’m not the only one who needs to recuperate.”

“Yeah, well.” Lex buried his face in her hair, nuzzling gently. “You always did know how to wear me out.”

Lex reluctantly released his hold on her and drew back the covers, helping her to slip underneath. When both of them were settled Chloe draped an arm over Lex’s chest and he pulled her against his side. Chloe let out a contented little sigh.

“I missed this.” Lex gave a small jerk and she glanced up to see him widening his eyes, doing his best to fight off the sleep that wanted to take over. She nestled closer and stroked his arm soothingly. “It’s ok, Lex. Just sleep.”

“Promise me you’ll still be here,” she heard him murmur. Chloe smiled, brushed a gentle kiss over his heart.

“I’ll always be with you. I promise.”



END

[Lulucifer]

:biggrin: that was so sweet. Love it.

[hfce]

I loved it :wub: that was so sweet. I loved your whole series. Great job girl :applause:


Hope :chlexsign2:

[Susie Q]

Aww, this was so good.http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/cloud9.gif It was just the perfect ending to a really wonderful series. http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/Clap-Hands.gifhttp://www.angelfire.com/emo2/emoticons0/images/Clap-Hands.gif

[gina]

Oh, that was incredibly sweet. Amazing series, I totally loved it&#33; :wub:

You write beautifully, I can&#39;t wait to read your next Chlex piece&#33;

[slayer44]

:ohmy: That was just so sweet. Such a happy ending :). Loved the story from beginning to end.

[Clannadlvr]

*sighs*

This was amazing... and the PERFECT end to the saga.

I *heart* the following sooooo much:

"When the words finally penetrated to Lex’s brain it felt as if a huge surge of electricity had jump-started his system. The file fell unheeded from his fingers and he did something that he hadn’t even considered doing since he was a very young child. His arms wrapped around his father and pulled him into a hug; Lionel stood there for a moment, shocked, before his own arms went around his son. After a few moments more they pulled back, and with a smirk that seemed to say they would never speak of that again, Lex took off out of the room, running full-out for the front door."

Yay&#33;&#33;&#33; Lional and Lex love&#33;&#33;&#33;

This is one of the best fics I&#39;ve ever read...thank you for giving us something with emotions so true. Also, I&#39;m a musician, so the connection with music is a big thing. You took the meanings of all the songs you featured and increased the emotions threefold. Utterly amazing.

(Oh, and thanks mightily for the shout out. I yelped when I saw it&#33;)

[sydsvaughn]

Great story, perfect ending&#33; Thank you&#33;

Sara

[sylvia]

:crygreen: That was so sweet&#33; -sniff-

I just love this series. Your writing is lovely and, in this story especially, brings out emotions so well. Thanks for writing this.

Thank you also for the fluffy ending -- but then again you kind of owe it to us, after all that angst&#33; Again, wonderfully and masterfully done =)

[Hekate]

A perfect ending for a great series. You did a wonderful job of conveying the varying emotions through out all of the stories. It was a masterful stroke to end with the series with this slight lighter story; it made all of the tears and pain that came before it well worth it. This series has definitely made my list of stories to reread&#33;

[Catheryne]

This was so very beautiful I wanted to cry... Adeylan, you&#39;ve perfected angst and you know it... :)

[scifichick774]

Yay for happy Chlexy endings&#33; Great job with this series. :biggrin:

[Val]

Ok, I started reading this series when you posted the 1st part of it. Then I forgot about it... *kicks self* and just the other day I was hm... stalki... taking a look at your fics :blinkkiss: and I remembered that I had to read this, so I started reading from the 1st part again and just last nigth finished reading all of it and well... here is what I think:

It&#39;s awesome&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; I love it Ady&#33; Really love it&#33; You meanie, kept making me think poor chloe was dead&#33; *hugs Chloe* and making Lex suffer&#33; *hugs Lex tightly*

I really loved the plot twists and how you used evanescence songs&#33; I&#39;m all proud of you now&#33; *Pats and gives you a whole box of cookies*

I loved Lionel&#33; It&#39;s good to know how you see it... Will be helpful what to expect from your lionel... *glares* AND *hugs Bruce* he kinda saved Chloe&#39;s life so, go him&#33; heh&#33;

</ end babbling>

[starmoon]

i love this story and i am si glad that chloe is alive and her and lex are tigether again. it was so sad and wrong for lex to be alone and think chloe was dead.

[Madison_Writer]

Bravo! You' ve outdone yourself with this one. I loved Glory in the Sand's gritty dark ambience, but this, this is pure Chlex gold that is not cheesy or annoying. Don't ever dtop writing.

[darkangel]

This fic was a bit sad but I liked it.

I am glad that he did not give up and that he found her in the end.

[hannagreen20]

:respect:


>SOB<WEEP<SNIFFLE< Ok, that was the most wonderful series. EVER!!!
At first I was devestated b/c I thought you killed her but then...she's alive! Well, sort of. It was amazing. Great work!
Jo

[txalb]

Now I have to admit that I was convinced that Lionel was against Lex from the get go. You had me completely fooled (and from the looks of things I wasn’t the only one). I did like that Lionel gave his approval even though it came in such a twisted manner. I thought it was very true to character.

Thank God for happy endings. But really this story needed it and look you were so good to supply us with our needs. I loved the ending. But my favorite part had to be when Lex was arguing with himself about if he was going to call Simon Beruche or not.


Lex rose to pace across the soft carpeting covering the floor, casting glances back at his desk with every turn. He knew that it was there, sitting in his desk drawer. No. He wouldn’t use it. He would be strong. He would . . . fuck it.

This had to be the humorous high point of the story. It made me laugh…or you know, snicker.

Thanks for writing this.

txalb

[elitekat]

That was great. I read the whole series today and I just HAD to post how absolutely amazing that was. I've decided that they needed a happy ending. You had me fooled in the beginning thinking that Chloe was dead and Lex had to work through his grief. All the emotions that Chlex went through were so realistic that you have a good understanding of human emotions and the human psyche. You've definately captured the readers. Excellent quality and it was my pleasure to read. My gratitude in writing a great piece of work.

[zho9]

Ahhh, so lovely.

[juuicebox]

aw, that was so sweet :)

[shuxx]

fantastic

[stampiej]

Oh, reading part 3,4 and 5 I thought she was dead and then came part 6 and oh so sweet:)

[malugargula]

Just perfect
Loved all 6 parts and the ending was perfect

[Ami Rose]

Just perfect
Loved all 6 parts and the ending was perfect

Beautiful ending! Loved them all!