This Love - Pg13 (complete + epilogue! 05/11)

[tthjinni]

A/N: Okay, so uber-nervous here. First time posting a fic here. . .only my second Chloe/Lex fic ever. It may seem angsty in this first part, but I promise it will get humorous sooner rather than later. Be kind?

Title: This Love
Author: Jinni (druscilla@cox.net)
Rated: Pg13
Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Disclaimer: All things Smallville belong to DC Comics, the WB, et al. The title of the fic is from a song called *gasp* 'This Love', by Maroon 5. It was of great inspiration while writing.
Distribution: The normal places, if they’d like a pure Smallville fic. My site, when and if I put it back up. And anywhere I choose to post to.
Author’s Notes: In answer to a challenge at the n-s.net forums.
Summary: When Lex’s paranoia gets the better of him, Chloe finds herself in a world of emotional turmoil. So someone. . .well, someone(s). . .step in to exact revenge in her name.

~*~Prologue~*~

“You’re joking, right?”

Chloe looked up, her lips spread wide into a smile, into the cool grey-blue eyes of her boyfriend. The laughter bubbled up from her lips, pouring forth into the otherwise silent bedroom. Her hands ran absently on the bedspread. Silk, just like the sheets beneath it; smooth and refreshing on her skin, especially when she was . . .otherwise engaged in strenuous activities. Her gaze flitted back to Lex and she shivered, eyes narrowing when he didn’t break under her stare, admitting that it was just a joke. Something said to make her laugh, no matter how thoroughly unamusing it had really been.

“Lex? C’mon – this is ridiculous,” she muttered with a shake of her head. She reached up, running a hand through her hair, her gaze never leaving him. Hands in pockets, he just kept staring. The same mask he used with his ‘associates’, she told herself with silent apprehension, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach.

“Is it?”

Green eyes blinked once, then again. She took a deep breath and exhaled, letting the slightly warmed air pass over her lips in a long rush of growing frustration. Was he really doing this. . .accusing her of something that, to be quite honest, made her stomach roll with nausea?

“Your –father-?” she hissed with a roll of her eyes. “You have to be joking – because otherwise you’ve lost your mind.”

~*~*~

He fought back the flinch her harsh words elicited; face a careful mask of indifference. She’d stayed late last night – in the office with his father. Just the two of them, and it wasn’t the first time. Just the first time –that week-. Anyone would get suspicious, he reasoned.

Even though she works for him, the voice of reason niggled in the back of his mind. Even though she had been working for him since before they had begun dating in the first place? Six months of employment compared to three months of dating.

Six months of late night meetings, the dark side of his mind whispered. Six months of the two of them sitting close, going over. . .reports.

There was more than that, of course. More to it that just a few late night meetings. Little looks, careless touches. Things that could be interpreted either way, but that came across as ‘something more’ when he finally began to notice them.

“I can’t sit back and watch this anymore.”

“Watch –what-?” she snapped, eyes blazing as she pushed off of the bed. He followed her angry pacing with his eyes. She turned back to him. “There’s nothing going on between me and your dad, Lex. He’s my boss. Just barely a friend. There’s. Nothing. Else.”

“It’s over, Chloe.”

Sharp gasp of shocked negation, eyes filling with tears. He felt his heart tug at the sight before him, urge him to take it all back – to ‘make it better’. Don’t let the tears fall, because then it becomes real.

They were falling, and there was a part of him that cringed at the sight.

Shame that part of him wasn’t in control today, he reasoned as he leisurely raised his glass to his lips. She was just standing there, not speaking. The great Chloe Sullivan reduced to speechlessness with a few well-placed words. Either he was getting better at this or her skills had dulled during their time together. Had he done that to her – made her less than what she was, diluted her potential, just as she had done to him? With every touch of her hands, kiss of her lips. As she moved him further out of that carefully guarded shell he’d lived for so long in.

It was with a twisted sense of relief that he’d finally seen what was in front of him the entire time. The relationship that Chloe had with his father. Not the one on the surface, the one that they wanted everyone to see and take note of, but the one that went deeper than that. He shouldn’t have been surprised and that pain that flared, in his heart of all places, shouldn’t have been so strong. It wasn’t the first time he’d caught a girlfriend with his father.

He’d just thought Chloe was different than the others.

But, que sera, sera. They could have each other. Falling in love was a weakness, one that he had now been spared from in the nick of time.

“You should go,” he murmured. The corner of his mouth twitched up, a mocking smile meant to cut her to the core. “My father’s room is right down the hall. . . But how could I forget – you already knew that, didn’t you?”

She gasped again, startled. Outraged. The fire that danced in her eyes was liquid heat on an emerald drop. Stand too close and you’d get burned, it seemed to warn with silent admonition.

Her hand flew through the air, striking his cheek with enough force to snap his head to the side.

“Get. Out.” Hard won self control was rapidly fleeing under her gaze, her righteous anger at his accusations. She protested too much, he told himself. Too much for someone who claimed innocence. Even Lucas could see it, so who did they think they were fooling?

No one.

And certainly not him.

He’d miss her, but he’d get over it.

“Go to hell,” she whispered, turning on her heel. Her hand fumbled for the briefest of seconds on the doorknob, before wrenching it open.

The resounding slam that marked her leaving echoed through the room, bringing with it silence.

~*~*~

Adele kept her gaze carefully neutral as the door across the hall slammed, risking only the most brief of glances when Miss Sullivan, no – Chloe – she corrected herself, stormed by.

Crying, face red. She looked for all the world like her –everything- had just been torn to shreds.

Which, Adele supposed, was an accurate assessment of things.

The maid pursed her lips. She’d heard the shouts, the barely restrained tone of younger Luthor, as she’d dusted the hallway paintings nearest his door.

Accusing the poor girl of bedding –

Adele shivered, her eyes watering even as her stomach churned at the disgusting thought of it. What kind of fool was he to even think that, much less say it out loud? It was obvious his young lady loved him more than the stars in the heavens, though she had wisely never said as much. Wise, if only for the fact that he wouldn’t want to hear it. The Luthor men were like that. Emotionally distant. She knew that, as did any of the other staff that spent much time around them.

For that matter, the older Luthor treated her more like a daughter than an object of his affection. She received only a little more attention than his own flesh and blood; but that was to be expected. Fathers were always more indulgent of their daughters, and such was the case in this instance, though the girl was of no relation to anyone living within the house.

Poor Chloe.

She swiped angrily at the hall table, narrowly escaping the urge to throw the beautiful, antique vase on it to the floor, merely out of spite. But, no, that would get her fired.

A slow smile crept over her lips, quickly squashed before any of the many security cameras could catch it on tape. If she got fired she couldn’t do her own, smaller, part to get the younger Luthor back for saying such ridiculous things.

She smiled, hurrying away from the now silent hall, down the stairs. Chloe was well liked in the manor. There were others that would want to be a part of this.

~*~End Prologue~*~

[hfce]

Ok that was nice but when is the funny part coming in? This is the humor section right? I didnt stumble into the Angst section by mistake did I ? :huh:



Hope :ohmy:

[katspell]

oh, this just rocks. I can't wait. Golden rule, don't ever piss off your entire staff at once. *L*

[autumngold]

I hope that the staff not only gets Lex back for what he did to Chloe, but gets them back together!! Great beginning to your story!! :chlexsign4:

[tthjinni]

Ok that was nice but when is the funny part coming in? This is the humor section right? I didnt stumble into the Angst section by mistake did I ?

Yes, see *points to the little A/N at the veeeery top of the fic* Humor coming, but the first part had to be the breakup. *grin* Can't get to the vengeance if I don't have a reason for it. Well, I could, I guess. But I prefer my stories to be so much more complete than that ;)

Jinni

[asharnanae]

:huh: they are getting back together right, this bring the humor section an all, RIGHT!! that said, cool begining.

[Clannadlvr]

*smacks Lex upside the head*

Hello!!!! McFly!!!! *argh*

Ok, Lex is being an idiot. Please fix this...

...but...I can't wait to see what the staff does to retaliate!!

*grins*

[tthjinni]

~*~Chapter One~*~

Word spread like wildfire in the Luthor household, running rampant up and down the corridors, into the garage, throughout the grounds. It ran roughshod over protocol, the manor’s staff slipping out of their normal roles, however briefly and discreetly, to pass the word along to their brethren in other parts of the home.

Chloe, the girl that never had a harsh word for a single one of them. The one that insisted on treating them like actual. . .people, instead of just ‘the help’. Out of everyone that visited the manor, the Kent boy included, she was their favorite. From the cook to the woman that tended Lex’s personal wardrobe, to the maid that cleaned the first floor and the one that cleaned the second. Even the full-time mechanic in the Luthor garage was caught up in the plan, though he’d never had a chance to do more than lay an eye on the blonde at the heart of the entire mess.

They schemed quickly, with an eye to the simplest detail that could cause everything to backfire, careful to keep it all under tight wraps, away from the prying eyes of the Luthors and their spying.

And so it was that before Chloe had even completed the short trip between the manor and her home, a plan had been formed to exact bittersweet vengeance for the girl that had been wronged by a false accusation.

~*~*~

“He should have just asked Lionel.”

“Don’t say his name,” Adele snapped, shooting a glare sideways at her husband. She was sitting on a box of old books, a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead. Only a few hours had gone by since Chloe left, and already they had concrete plans, of which they needed only to fine tune the final details.

Robert rolled his eyes at his wife’s antics. “Or what – the devil himself will descend upon us?”

“Speak of him and he shall appear,” Eliza snickered in a hushed whisper, fanning herself with her hands. The closet was growing heated with the three of them crammed into it, but that was the only way that they could guarantee privacy for the conversation. Their own rooms were under just as much surveillance as the rest of the house. The more paranoid members of the staff doubted that even the bathrooms escaped taping, be it of the audio or visual variety; though no evidence in support had been found – yet.

Best to be safe than sorry. If word got back to the Luthors about their plans –

Well, Heaven itself wouldn’t be able to stop the Devil from exacting his own personal brand of vengeance. Firing every single member of the staff wouldn’t be too extreme for an enraged Lionel or Lex Luthor; and they knew without a doubt that it would come to that were the plans unconvered.

Robert’s soft chuckle filled the confines of the closet, and there was a sound of shifting as he leaned back against the nearest wall, arms crossing over his chest. “As I was saying – young *Mister* Luthor,” he drawled the words with sarcasm that was hard to miss. “Should have just asked his father if there was anything between him and Chloe.”

“Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t lift a finger to deny it,” Adele shook her head. “You know how he likes to play those head games with his boys. Probably make things worse is what he’ll do.”

“Or he could just tell the truth.”

Eliza’s gentle admonition brought laughter from both Robert and Adele, until the two older members of the staff were clamping their hands over their mouths to keep from being too loud.

“I keep forgetting that you’re new around here,” Adele managed to gasp out, quietly, as her laughter subsided. She wiped tears from the edges of her eyes. “The naiveté of youth, eh, Robert?”

Her husband snorted, but turned semi-serious eyes to Eliza. “One thing you need to learn here and now is this – Luthors never tell the truth if a lie will suit them better. They’re manipulative and scheming; they take what they want whether it hurts anyone else in the process. And the father Luthor is the worst of them all. Got that?” He waited for Eliza’s hesitant nod, being sure that she understood completely a lesson that could save her trouble in the long run. “Now – as for this plan –“

“We won’t do anything too awful,” Adele rushed to assure him. “Nothing that could be blamed directly on any member of the staff, for that matter. For instance, tomorrow –“

~*~*~

Lucas paused outside one of the closets; eyebrows flying up as laughter once again came from within. He leaned in a little closer, listening to the conversation going on within.

Well. . .that was unexpected. Lex dumped Chloe because he thought she was dating their father?

Sick.

Twisted.

Just the type of thing Lex would believe, come to think of it. Especially if it suited him in some way, and Lucas had no doubt that it did. Whether it was just because he’d gotten bored with Chloe or not. Nothing his precious brother did was without multiple reasons to back it up. Even something like this, as horrifyingly disgusting as it sounded.

He bit the inside of his cheek, fighting off a laugh. The help sure didn’t like his father much, did they?

Lucas’ smirk grew as he listened to the plans for the next day. He had to hand it to ‘the help’, inventive didn’t even begin to cover what they had in store for his older brother. Starting with –

Oh, the Porsche. Lex was going to have a fit.

Lucas laughed under his breath, leaning against the wall outside of the door now, listening intently to every word that was being said. They were good, that went without saying. Nothing they had planned could be taken as anything other than slight carelessness, lack of foresight or other innocuous behaviors.

So, to tell Lex, or not to tell Lex?

”Decisions, decisions,” he muttered drolly under his breath, mind already made up.

Their plan was good, he wouldn’t spoil it by tattling to his brother.

But there was something that could make it even better, the thought trailed through his brain, bringing pictures of mayhem and mischief with it, all at Lex’s expense. And maybe a little hell for dear old dad, too. Wasn’t like the two of them had time for him these days, anyway. And Chloe had been a nice enough girl, even if she –did- pick the wrong brother to throw her attentions at.

He put a hand on the doorknob and turned, flooding the tiny closet with light from the hallway. A twisted grin lit up his face at the shocked, fearful looks on their faces. He leaned against the doorframe, arching an eyebrow at them in question.

This was going to be more fun that he’d thought, he laughed silently; watching them squirm as they waited for the axe to fall, their lives to be destroyed. Well, he wasn’t his father, or his brother. He could take a good joke.

As long as it wasn’t directed at him.

“Got room for one more?”

~*~End Part~*~

A/N: The muses insisted that I write the next part of this tonight, to make up for causing people to worry about the sad prologue *snicker* But, if you guys need further apologies, I have a completely warm and fluffy oneshot Chlex fic that I can post. Chocolate covered Lex included.

[katspell]

I have a completely warm and fluffy oneshot Chlex fic that I can post. Chocolate covered Lex included

POSt IT!!!!! duh, I'm surprised you need to ask.

Thanks for the rapid update this is only going to get funnier with Lucas involved.

[tthjinni]

POSt IT!!!!! duh, I'm surprised you need to ask.

It's in the Short Stories section, entitled "Sticky".

Jinni

[Clannadlvr]

I *heart* Lucas. Just sayin'....

and proof?:


“Got room for one more?”

*giggles*

Oh, this is going to be sooo much fun.

[gina]

Ooh, this is really fantastic so far! Although I understand Lex's thought process, grrr, he's being so stupid for jumping to conclusions. So, I look forward to seeing him get what he has coming. I can't wait to see what Lucas and the staff are planning to do to take revenge!

[LarkLuthor]

Oh, I love this fic already! :devil: :lol: MORE MORE MORE! umm..please?

Lark

[scifichick774]

Mwaahaahaahaaa :devil:

Oh, I love Lucas. LOVE him. Can't wait to see what they're going to do to Lex and Lionel.

[Impress]

great so far. can't wait to see what the staff and Lucas come up with.

[LarkLuthor]

Originally posted by scifichick774@Apr 14 2004, 03:32 PM
Oh, I love Lucas. LOVE him.
And this adoration is different from any other minute of the day how, Kris? ;)

The Lark

[TheDragonLady]

I need an update, please!

[hfce]

More please... :clap:


Hope :chlexsign1:

[autumngold]

I'm so glad that you included Lucas in the planning!! Now I know the plans will work, and they will be so much fun!! Can't wait for your next chapter, and for the revenge to start!! :chlexsign3:

[sylvia]

Silly Lex. He deserves whatever's coming to him. And Lucas conspiring with the help... you gotta love the guy!

So. What's going to happen to the porsche?

[moultipass1]

Originally posted by tthjinni@Apr 14 2004, 01:17 AM
“Got room for one more?”
:hehe:
Have I mentioned how much I love Lucas lately?

Moultipass :chlexsign4:

[tthjinni]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Hopefully Chapter 2 will be up tonight. I started writing it after getting home (finally) last night, but got too sleepy to form a proper sentence, so gave up *blush* Tonight, though.

So. . .stay tuned for Chapter2 in which Chloe tells Lana and Lana tells. . .everyone. Lex wakes for his first day of hell. And Lucas sits and looks pretty. J/K...he'll do more than that.

[tthjinni]

A/N: This part ended up being a lot longer than I had planned. Twice as long, for that matter. *grin* If my muses don't start making with the abject humor soon, though, I'm going to move this to General. Thank you for all of the feedback. It means a lot, makes me want to write more, quicker, better, etc. And if it seems touch-and-go with the sadder parts of breaking up, just remember that I'm not calling it a Chlex fic for nothing. *wink* Trust in my ability to produce the fluff.

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

~*~Part Two~*~

Chloe looked, blear-eyed, at her alarm clock, watching the minutes tick by slowly, their glaring digital numbers bright pinpoints of pain to her sensitive orbs. The alarm itself was off, she hadn’t slept enough for it to catch her unawares. The room was still blessedly dark, though the sunrise was beginning to creep in through her curtains, bathing her room in a subtle, golden glow.

She sighed, the simple motion of exhaling so sharply and violently causing her entire body to shudder with pain. Her head felt like it was being pounded to the individual beats of a thousand drummers, her mouth was dry, and her eyes were practically swollen shut.

It was official – getting a hangover from crying nonstop was definitely a possibility. She hadn’t felt this bad since the last time she snuck off to Metropolis with –

Lex, her brain sighed, the tears fighting to come back into eyes that were already stinging from overuse. She scrunched up her face, willing them to go away. She just wouldn’t think about. . .him. . .anymore. Nope. Not thinking about him. Not. Not. Not. Not. No-

“Time to get up!”

The blonde winced, groaning softly, her mental mantra shattering into a thousand pieces as Lana’s too perky voice floated through the door. Her hands fluttered for a pillow, shoving it over her face.

“Go ‘way,” she muttered softly, hoping that Lana would hear her and take the hint. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone today, much less someone as overly perky and brightly-clad as –

“Chloe?”

The door was opening, and for once Chloe found she couldn’t think fast enough to avoid disaster. She pushed the pillow down harder on her face, hoping against hope that maybe she could just end it all right then and there, not have to face the inevitable question of –

“What’s wrong?”

Wrong? Chloe thought, her teeth biting into her lip to keep from crying anew. What could possibly be wrong? She hadn’t had the man she’d been stupid enough to fall in love with break up with her. And he certainly hadn’t insinuated the most evil, awful things about her in the process.

He’d never really known her at all, had he? If he could imagine even for one second that she would ever do. . .that. . .with his father. . .

Then there was no way that they could have been as close as she’d thought.

“I’m not feeling good,” she offered up the pitiable excuse, hoping that it would be enough.

She should have known better. If there was one thing Lana was, it was persistent. In the same way that a small puppy would tug at your pant leg.

A bright pink puppy. Yes, that was what Lana was. An annoying pink yippy poodle.

Not fair to her, Chloe reminded herself. Lana wasn’t doing anything other than being herself, after all.

Soft hands pulled at the pillow, prying it gently from fingers that didn’t want to let go. The light of day would be just more salt on the open wound that her heart had become.

Her eyes scrunched tight as the pillow moved away.

“Oh, God,” Lana exclaimed, much too loudly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Chloe lied from between clenched teeth. The drummers in her head had picked up the pace. Boom, boom, boom, went the beat, her heart hammering in time with the pain.

“That’s why your face looks like –“

“Don’t say it,” the blonde moaned, grabbing for the pillow again. Lana snatched it out of the way, her eyes never wavering in their unthinking curiosity. Chloe sighed, shutting her eyes tight. She bit her lip, letting that pain replace, if only for a moment, that which she felt in her heart; as she spoke the words aloud for the first time. “Lex and I broke up.”

~*~*~

“Did you do it?”

Eliza nearly jumped out of her skin at Adele’s soft words. She whirled, gasping for breath. “Don’t –do- that!” She put her hand to her chest, shooting the older woman a glare. “Yes, it’s done. Should be amusing, provided he doesn’t notice until later, of course.”

“Much later.” Adele smiled slightly, just barely a hint in case any cameras caught them together. Not enough to draw attention to them as having anything other than a passing conversation. Just two members of the staff, passing each other in the halls.

Two staff members with an agenda all their own, that was.

~*~*~

He’d woken before his alarm, just as he did every morning, stretching slowly and leisurely beneath his sheets; staring at the ceiling, mind unthinking for those few brief moments before he truly woke. If he didn’t get moving he wouldn’t have time to meet Chloe for –

Lex sucked in a deep breath, sitting up in bed to look around; thoughts of the day before hitting him full on as sleep drew away, leaving his mind clear.

He had broken up with Chloe. She wouldn’t be meeting him for a cup of coffee before school. There was absolutely no reason for him to rush out of bed, unless he wanted to. His chest twinged with a feeling he couldn’t quite place, the idea of Chloe not being there for him in the mornings sparking something almost akin to remorse, loss, for just the briefest of moments.

And then it was gone. Just the loss of familiarity, he told himself, refusing to give weight to the fact that it could be that he had cared for her more than he’d admitted. That maybe, just maybe, the idea of losing her wasn’t as brilliant as it had seemed the day before.

No.

It was better this way.

He didn’t need to be with anyone that couldn’t give him one hundred percent loyalty. By going behind his back, being with his father, of all people, she had broken that trust.

That was really all there was to it.

And that little part of him that was steadily trying to make him ‘see reason’ could be banished just as quickly as any other annoyance. That part of him that cared too much could just. . .learn to quit caring all over again.

He dressed in the semi-darkness that the thick curtains over his window afforded, reaching for the clothes that had been laid out for him the night before. A sharp knock at his door, as he finished buttoning up his shirt for the day, drew Lex out of his thoughts; back to the world he thought of disdainfully as ‘reality’.

”Come in.”

The door opened slowly, one of the maids wandering in without so much as a good morning or a smile in his direction. He frowned, shoving his hands in his pockets as he regarded her evenly. She was the same woman that had cleaned his room every morning, just after he rose, since he came to this little would-be town. And not once during all of that time had she ever been anything less than cordial.

Until today.

He pursed his lips, watching her stilted movements as she began to straighten the bedroom, pulling sheets from the bed, replacing them with new. Every gesture was hard, sharp. . .angry. Any second now he could imagine the silk ripping under her none-too-gentle touch.

“Good morning, Adele,” he offered sardonically, arching an inquisitive eyebrow towards her when she looked his way. Her eyes hardened almost imperceptibly, her reply forced through lips that curled in a fake smile if he ever saw one.

”Morning, Mister Luthor.”

He fought not to appear too shocked at her cold demeanor, chalking it up to the fact that his father, or better yet – Lucas, had undoubtedly done something to get beneath her skin. The staff liked –him-, after all. It would never be a warm relationship, or even friendly, but he liked to believe that he treated them well, if not one hundred times better than his ‘dear father’ would have.

Biting the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something he might would regret later, Lex grabbed his suit jacket and left the room. Whatever issue she had would undoubtedly be worked through before he saw her again, and he’d have a word with Lucas to make sure that, if he was in fact the responsible party for her irritation, it did not happen again.

The dining room was already set for breakfast when he slid into his chair, unfolding the paper. He frowned at it, noting the all-too crinkled pages, random water spots smearing ink and making portions unreadable. His frown twisted into an outright scowl as he pushed the paper away, not even bothering to refold it. He leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs, head lolling back to stare at the ceiling as he waited for his breakfast to be served. This was not the best morning to keep him waiting, and he was half tempted to walk back to the kitchen and let the chef know it first hand.

“Morning.”

The chair fell forward suddenly, Lex’s head snapping back down. “Lucas. . .you’re up early.”

~*~*~

Too funny, Lucas chuckled silently. If he’d known that all it took to rattle his brother was crawling out of bed earlier in the day, he sure as hell would have done it sooner.

Or, maybe not. He clenched his teeth together, smothering the yawn that was threatening to overtake him. Wouldn’t do to let the smug bastard know he wasn’t exactly the calm, collected person he saw sitting in front of him. Cool eyes watched him, waiting for whatever he assumed was ‘coming next’, Lucas knew. It was laughable.

“Am I not allowed to get up early now?”

Lex raised his eyebrows, and Lucas had to fight down a laugh.

“No?”

“Don’t sound so sure there, wouldn’t want to stress yourself so early in the morning.” Now he did let his lips lift, into a taunting smirk that he knew would just further infuriate his brother. “Heard you and the little missus broke up.”

“She’ll break –you- if she ever hears you call her that. And, yes. We have parted company.”

“Because she’s doin’ dad?”

He covered his laugh this time with a cough, reaching for the glass of orange juice that had appeared, almost as if out of thin air, thanks to one of the housekeepers only moments before. If he didn’t know better he’d think that Lex was about to jump over the table and strangle him, right there, in a house full of potential witnesses.

Wait. He swallowed the orange juice, giving Lex the most innocent look he could muster. His brother could very well do just that. Perhaps now wasn’t the time to draw out the big guns, what with everything else that was planned in this wacky day of fun at Lex’s expense.

The decision was made for him, however, when breakfast arrived. Lucas flashed the girl a smile, throwing her a wink when he was sure that Lex wasn’t looking; a startled chuckle escaping his lips when she threw it right back at him, her lips quirking up into a smile.

Perhaps he’d pay a visit to the staff quarters later today.

He looked down at the food in front of him, fighting down his revulsion. Eggs Benedict. One of Lex’s favorites, but definitely not his own. He bit off a sigh and reached for his fork and knife, cutting into it as Lex raised the first piece to his mouth. He took his own bite, chewing the concoction with as neutral an expression as possible, discreetly watching for –

“Bland,” Lex muttered, pushing the plate away after taking another bite.

“Tastes fine to me,” the younger Luthor lied. It tasted like crap, but not for the reason Lex’s did. The chef would have deliberately made Lex’s taste dull. . .whereas his was cooked perfectly.

He just didn’t like it.

Spearing another bite onto his fork, Lucas decided that now was as good a time as any to twist his owns plans into action, before his brother took off for one boring meeting or another.

“So – you and her –did- break up, right?”

Lex’s eyes cut towards him, hard steel undercut by no emotion other than annoyance. “Right.”

“And its because you think she’s doin’ dad?”

“Lucas –“

Lucas put his fork down, holding up his hands. “No worries. I was just wondering if she’s finally free, is all.”

“Did you conveniently miss the part wherein she’s dating our father?” Lex’s tone held warning, though for what Lucas couldn’t quite place. Either his brother really did want him to stay away because he believed that Chloe was dating good old Lionel. Or he was. . .jealous?

Lucas snorted, rolling his eyes.

“In case you haven’t noticed, brother-mine. The only way our ‘father’,” the word left his lips in a sneer, distasteful. “…looks at her is like she’s our little sister.”

Lex snorted, rising from his chair, napkin thrown to the table. “He spends far too much time with her to think of her as family, Lucas. Or do our own relationships with him not show you at least that much? That’s not the way Luthors show affection to their offspring.”

He waited until Lex had left the room before breaking into soft laughter.

Mission accomplished, he pushed his chair out from under the table and stood; sauntering slowly through the house, making sure that his brother was, indeed, gone. He turned on his heel, back towards his rooms. After such an. . .eventful. . .morning, a few more hours’ sleep could only do him some good.

~*~*~

The car was in pieces.

Lex looked around, mouth half-parted in blatant shock.

The Porsche was. . . .

“Routine maintenance, Mister Luthor,” the mechanic was saying firmly, his tone not in the least bit apologetic. “Gotta keep ‘em in top condition, after all.”

Right, so that he could. . .what? Collect the damn things? Lex ran a hand over his scalp, frowning at the little bits of engine that were scattered on the garage’s otherwise pristine floor. Completely and utterly disassembled. His favorite car. The one that he always drove to work, if for no other reason than he liked to tear down the little back roadways. The one that was destined to become the next totaled wreck when he inadvertently did something stupid to crash it.

All the more reason why this maintenance was pointless.

“You couldn’t have done this. . .some other time?”

The mechanic blinked at him, but held his ground. Steel grey eyes met hard black. Neither man budging. Lex breathed in sharply through his nose, hand clenching into a fist as his inner voice reminded him to just calm down. There was nothing that could be done about it now, anyway. It would take hours to get it back together, in perfect working order. He sighed. If this was routine maintenance. . .

But why else would he have done it? Certainly not for the sheer fun of taking it apart, wiping down each and every piece, and putting it back together again. Teeth grinding together in frustration, he turned away from the man, forcing deep, calming breaths into his lungs.

He’d just have to take another car.

Damn it.

~*~*~

“He did –what-? That’s just. . .gross.” Pete looked down at the half-eaten apple in his hand, suddenly no longer hungry, and tossed it into the next trashcan they passed. “Chlo’ would never do that. With him. . . uggh.”

“And you’re sure she’s okay?” Clark interrupted the other teen’s antics, stopping in the hall to look down at Lana.

“She’s. . .not okay.” Lana shook her head. “But. . .she will be. Once she gets past all the crying. It’s hard when you lose someone you love, Clark.”

He bit the inside of his cheek, nodding once. He could only imagine what he’d feel like if he ever –really- lost Lana. Chloe would be heartbroken. And Lex –

Clark frowned. He didn’t even know what to think of his ‘friend’; certainly this had come out of thin air. While he didn’t like the fact that Chloe worked for Lionel Luthor, he had no doubt in his mind where her loyalties lay in the situation.

With Lex.

One hundred percent.

He’d bet his life on it.

And yet Lex had accused her of . . . .

He shuddered involuntarily, drawing curious stares from his two friends.

Pete was right, that –was- a gross thing to think about.

~*~*~

Lex squealed into a parking space, cutting the engine on his Aston Martin as it came to a sudden stop, just inches away from the curb. He looked tiredly into the Talon for any sign of Her, thankful when he saw none. Just Lana.

And Clark.

Just a cup of coffee and then he would go home, to the pile of work that was waiting, the brother that had managed to leave a lingering impression with his irritating antics that morning, and the father he could just as well live without ever seeing again. The day had been hard, one mishap after another. All he wanted right now was to relax with a warm coffee, before delving back into the stress that was his life.

Not that this wasn’t going to be a stress of another sort, he realized too late.

He could feel Clark’s eyes on him the second he entered the Talon. Dark orbs of confused anger. The confusion was normal, Lex thought wryly. Not a day went by when the poor boy didn’t get twisted up over something.

It was the anger he wasn’t used to seeing. At least, not directed at him. But what had he expected, really? Clark was Chloe’s friend first and foremost. It was he that was the newcomer to their close little group. He that would take the blame for the demise of their relationship, whether it was truth or not. To expect them to do anything other than take her side of things would be to underestimate that same closeness that he had envied from the moment he began to truly observe the way they interacted together. They would help her pick up the pieces of her supposedly ‘broken heart’. That was what friends were for, after all. At least, that’s what he’d heard. Wasn’t as if he’d ever had ‘best friends’. The ones that would stand by you no matter what.

Even when they’d found out that she was working for his father, they had stuck by her. Admittedly unhappily, in the case of Mr. Ross. But they’d still been there. And when their own relationship had begun, those same friends had been there for her. Offering words of warning, of encouragement. And threats of bodily harm, to him, should she get hurt.

Perhaps that was the reason for the tension in the back of his neck. Those threats.

No, he’d never had friends like that.

Except for Chloe.

He bit off a sign, ordering as he passed by the counter. Coffee. Black. The girl was new, but it was easy enough that even the most simple mind could manage. It would be dark and bitter, just like his mood.

Warily approaching Clark, Lex nonetheless kept his features in check. Paste on the mask. Don’t show any apprehension. Any feelings of remorse or regret, however small and insignificant they might be, could not be portrayed.

“Hello, Clark.”

Dark eyes narrowed, their depths depicting the conflict that the other man was feeling. Yet he responded anyway, much to the billionaire’s mild shock. “Hey, Lex.”

Silence passed, neither speaking. It grew between them, ever more uncomfortable as each second passed. Lex sighed, shifting in his chair. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, to just break through the proverbial ice –

Only to be saved by none other than Lana Lang herself.

“Coffee,” she offered with a honey sweet smile. She shoved the mug in front of his face, her expression never faltering, though it seemed to dim slightly the longer she held on to it, as if it were no more real than the ones that he gave to the socialites at business functions.

Ah yes, she was Chloe’s friend, too, wasn’t she. A surrogate sister, of sorts. At least her anger came in an overly friendly package, whereas Clark’s was borderline frightening in its intensity.

He took a sip of the steaming coffee, the feel of Lana’s smile and Clark’s glare almost enough to make him nauseous – and promptly felt like choking.

Too sweet. Too fucking sweet!

”I ordered it black, Miss Lang. Not over saturated with sugar.”

“Oh?” Her eyebrows rose to her hairline. “My mistake.”

Mistake, his ass, he groused silently, eyes following her as she wandered back to the counter, sending another waitress over with the correct mug of plain, black coffee. She’d done it on purpose.

“You look like hell.”

Lex’s attention flew back to Clark, to the blunt words that had come from the younger man’s mouth.

“I’ve had a bad day,” he shrugged, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. And indeed it was – for everyone but –him-. There were good days and bad, of course; that wasn’t the difference between him and everyone else.

No, the difference lay in the fact that he rarely, if ever, let it show when he was this. . .off. Perhaps if it had just been one thing, like Adele’s coldness to him, or the cook’s poor attempt at eggs benedict. Or even the files that he could have sworn he put into his briefcase last night. Perhaps then he could have held it in check, not looked as worn down as he no doubt did.

But this had been a day full of nothing but bad luck.

And now he was about to have a fight with Clark, he could just feel it, hovering there at the edge of the horizon. He was half tempted to get up and leave, without another word, before it could get to that point. But like a bystander that could only watch the train wreck, he was powerless to stop it.

Clark’s face was impassive, just this side of uncaring, a state Lex could honestly say he’d never seen before from one of the few people he would even think to call ‘friend’.

“Not as bad as Chloe’s, I bet.”

The softly spoken words, laced with venom, hit Lex like a slap to the face, and he drew in a breath, nostrils flaring ever so slightly.

“This is between her and I, Clark.”

“And your father, too, right? Don’t want to forget about him.”

What did he know of it, Lex thought angrily. He hadn’t been forced to watch the two of them get . . .chummy. . .with each other. The ‘innocent’ touches and caresses they shared.

“My father –“

Clark exhaled sharply, standing and effectively ending Lex’s comment as the billionaire was forced to look up at the towering teen.

“I just hope you’re happy. Chloe would –never- have betrayed you.”

Like the night before, a part of him wanted to believe it. . .and a part of him found solace in the fact that he’d been given his opportunity out of the relationship before it got any more. . .intense. “Clark –“

“Save it. You’re right, this is between you and Chloe. But that doesn’t mean I have to like what you’ve done.” His dark eyes swept over Lex before coming back to rest on his face, the anger softening to mild confusion. “Is there a reason why you’re wearing two different colored socks?”

Lex bit off a curse as Clark walked off, noticing for the first time that, yes, he had on one black sock and one obviously gray sock.

Well that certainly explained those odd looks the board members had given him.

He swallowed the last of his coffee, throwing down some money on the table.

It was time to get home before things got any worse in his day.

~*~End Part~*~

[autumngold]

I am so glad that Lex's first day without Chloe was terrible!! Adele and the staff were wonderful!! Lucas was definitely a highlight of the chapter!! This story actually made me like Lana and Clark!! I'm proud of them for sticking up for Chloe!! Please update again soon, this is such a good story!! :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[katspell]

OMG... this was great. I almost feel sorry for Lex, but only almost.

Lucas, aw Lucas, how we love you. And all the little things that the staff has already managed to get away with.



If my muses don't start making with the abject humor soon, though, I'm going to move this to General

Hey this was funny. No shortage of the giggles from me...

[gina]

Excellent update! I really enjoyed the staff messing with Lex and screwing up his day. Lucas' taunting was especially great. I can't wait to see what else they have in store for him.


A bright pink puppy. Yes, that was what Lana was. An annoying pink yippy poodle.
And this? Cracked me up! Perfect description.

I hope you write more soon! :)

[hfce]

Lex is a dick he deserves it. :tease:



Hope :rolleyes:

[Emsta]

“Is there a reason why you’re wearing two different colored socks?”


love it!!!!

[Clannadlvr]

Fantastic. Just fantastic.

I really like how you're sticking to your guns about Lex believing the worst about Chloe. All his life he's seen people, even those closest to him, betray him without a moment's thought. So it makes perfect sense (even though I do want to smack him) that he'd just accept that his father and Chloe were...ugh...I can't even say it.

But what Lex doesn't understand is that being so quick to believe the worst about Chloe is also a defense mechanism. If he gets rid of Chloe as a part of his life, he won't be prone to falling in love with her...therefore he won't get hurt. Or so he thinks.

So, if you couldn't tell already, (*grins*), I love your characterization in this fic!!

Can't wait to read more.

(p.s. I just joined you BtVS/AtS crossover site!!!)

[tthjinni]

So, if you couldn't tell already, (*grins*), I love your characterization in this fic!!

Awesome. That's one of the things I like most to hear. While I love writing any plot that comes to my warped little mind, its nice to know that its at least semi-plausible when it comes to being in character.

Thank you to everyone for the feedback. It definitely makes the writing of the next chapter(s) easier knowing people want to read them. *blush*

[LarkLuthor]

Yes! We want to read them! We want to read them soon for that matter. Hope you update soon.

Lark

[Impress]

ah poor Lex. one ALMOST feels sorry for him. You know, I'm actually hoping Lucas flirts with Chloe if only to make Lex jealous.

great update. more soon.

[carebear72884]

how often do i find my self cheering for clark and lana and pissed at lex in a chlex fic??? never, this is a first, good job. and yeah for lucas, i love him, i really do..they should put him on SV permently...more soon please.

[TheDragonLady]

I'm going to beat Lex with a big... Hard.... Fraternity-boy paddle... With holes in it, while he is still wet from a shower...


That would hurt him, right...


Yeah.



It would.



Then I'd pull a Bobbit on him.

Yes I would.




I like Lucas normally, but this Lucas... I LURVE!


You know, you are actually making me like Chlunk and Blana. Almost enough to use their real names. Yup.

[Sarah]

[COLOR=blue]I am loving this story more and more each time I read a update. Love seeing how the staff is bonding to get Lex and you just have to love Lucas. Hope you update soon. :chlexsign3:

[tthjinni]

Trying to get Chapter Three written before I leave for vacation on Wednesday. But, just in case I can't, here's a teaser of things to come.



Chloe looked from Lionel’s hands on her shoulders, to Lex’s smoldering glare, and then back at those hands. Stupid. She was just. . .

She stood suddenly, throwing Lionel’s hands from her shoulders as she did so. She turned to level an incredulous frown at first him, then Lex. “I can’t believe the two of you.”

“Shouldn’t that be my line? Really, Chloe – getting comfortable in my office, of all places?”

Her face heated with flames of rage. And yet Lionel did nothing to deny Lex’s accusations. She bit her lip, shaking her head in stunned disbelief; while a part of her taunted that she should have known better. For all that Lionel had never treated her unkindly once she entered his employ. . .he was still Lionel Luthor. And playing screwed up head games with his son was just one thing he did best. Fine. If that was the way he wanted it, and Lex was so willing to latch onto it as any excuse not to be with her anymore. She lifted her head to meet their eyes, each in turn. “You know what. . .I’m through with you. . .and you.”

She wheeled, storming out of the room, slamming the door shut as she passed. Her heart was aching with the desire to run in there and beg Lex to see reason, to tell her what was really wrong, past the flimsy excuse that he thought she was seeing his father.

But pride kept her from doing it.

“You leaving?”

Perfect! As if she hadn’t had enough problems tonight with Luthors, now the head troublemaker himself was striking up yet –another- conversation with her.

“Yes,” she ground out from between clenched teeth, forcing a disaffected smile to her face. It wouldn’t reach her eyes, but she didn’t expect it to. Just as she didn’t expect him to believe that nothing was wrong with her.

She - Just. Didn’t. Care.

“Lex? Or was it dear old dad?”

She drew a shuddering breath, giving him a taste of the glare she’d only just finished imparting on the rest of his family. “Lucas –“

“What? Can’t I ask what’s wrong?” His eyebrows rose, mock hurt spreading across his features. And, despite herself, Chloe smiled.

“Sure, you can ask. Doesn’t mean I have to answer.”

“Let me guess – Lionel played up on Lex’s insecurities, you got mad, told them both off, and left?”

She rolled her eyes. “Watching from the security room?”

“Of course. You three are better than a soap opera.”

“Sure – the ‘Young and the Heartless’. I’m young, your dad and Lex are just heartless.”

Lucas smirked. “All you need now is a dashing love interest to make everything better.”

Chloe shook her head. “Oh no. Uh uh. No more Luthors in my life, but thanks for the offer.”

“Not even to get back at Lex? All fake, of course. Who knows. You might decide you’re better off without him.”

She blinked, the words settling over her like a cold splash of water. Have fun with Lucas. . .make Lex jealous. . . Her eyes met Lucas’, and she didn’t doubt for one moment that he had his own agenda to all of this. Whether it was just pissing off his father and brother, or something else entirely.

But she was going to try really hard not to care.

[Clannadlvr]

woo hoo for teasers!!!!


*grins* Love that you've got Chloe and Lucas teaming up...such a dangerous combination.

[LarkLuthor]

:yay2: :yay2: Oh yummy!

Lark

[autumngold]

Thanks for the preview!! :biggrin: I really hope you get the whole chapter finished before Wednesday!! If not, I hope your vacation is great!! :chlexsign1:

[tthjinni]

~*~Part Three~*~

“Get up on the wrong side of the bed?”

Lex slowly lowered his arms from his stretch, eyes narrowing with annoyance as Lucas dropped bonelessly into the chair across from him. Two days in a row. That had to be a new record. Of course, considering the old record had been set the day before, at one day up before eleven, he was far from impressed. He scratched absently at his thigh under the table, through the fabric of his pants. The sheets on his bed had been starched; at least, that was what he assumed the problem was. Stiff and scratchy in places, he’d lain awake for most of the night before finally tumbling into sleep, too tired to fight it any longer.

And now he was paying for it. Paying for not just getting up and moving to one of the guest rooms, or waking up the housekeeper to change the sheets on his bed. He scratched a little harder, keeping his face purposefully bland as he made a mental note to speak with the housekeeping staff regarding their abuse of his sheets.

Not that he had the impression that they would care, he amended his mental note silently. If he didn’t know better, he would almost assume that these. . .mishaps. . .he’d been experiencing were all some sort of vendetta against him.

But that was nothing short of paranoia. The staff was happy with him.

Most of the time.

“Lucas.” He managed to keep the sneer from his face, though his tone was something altogether different. The younger man raised his eyebrows, but didn’t comment; instead flashing a smile as the housekeeper came into the room, plates in hand.

Lex frowned. He didn’t even know Lucas well enough to guess that the other man would be getting up this early in the morning. How did the staff know?

The little smile that Lucas shared with the girl made that frown deepen even more. Trust his ‘dear’ younger brother to take friendliness with the staff to new levels. Lex held in a sigh. It wasn’t his business if Lucas was having a little fun with the young housekeeper, so long as he was careful about it.

“You’re up early. . . again.”

He looked down at the plate in front of him. Scrambled eggs, lightly seasoned. A sausage. He speared a bite with his fork, glaring at Lucas over the table.

Too lightly seasoned, it would seem. He chewed the first mouthful of food, swallowing it with effort, before reaching for the salt and pepper. The cook was obviously having a bad week.

Lucas shrugged. “Thought I might go out and mingle this morning.”

~*~*~

Mingle? Lucas gagged at his choice of words. Mingle made it seem like he was looking forward to interacting with the boring little hicks in this town, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. He’d woken that morning with one plan and one plan only.

To put his little plan of revenge into action. From the moment the staff had begun their campaign, it had become obvious that they didn’t need his help with ideas. They had more than enough, and were carrying off their aloof, cool attitude towards Lex without even the slightest hitch.

Which meant he had to become more creative. And he knew just how, remembering Lex’s reaction to his interest in Chloe the morning before.

“Mingle?” Lex’s pale eyebrows rose. “Where, pray tell, do you plan on ‘mingling’.”

Lucas smothered a smile, face a mask of contrived innocence. “I’ve heard there’s this little coffee shop where you can meet the most interesting people. . .”

~*~*~

Chloe heard the door to the Talon open and close, and dismissed it just as she had every other time that morning. Saturdays meant that she was due at Lionel’s tonight. Which meant that she had research to finish.

And that meant that she could have chosen a better place than the Talon to try to get her work done. But there was coffee here. Good coffee. Rich, nourishing, life-giving coffee. She reached for the cup without thinking, her eyes still glued to the screen. The steaming liquid rushed over her tongue, startling her taste buds to attention. She moaned softly, letting the warmth embrace her. For this moment all was right with the world. Just her, her coffee, the laptop –

“Oh, to be that mug of coffee.”

And Lucas Luthor, her thoughts ended with a sigh. She looked over the top of her laptop at him. As if doing her work wasn’t enough of a reminder of the Luthors, one of them just had to be sitting down with her.

Not the one she wanted, either.

She nearly dropped her cup at the pang of loss that shot through her. Lex wasn’t sitting here with her because Lex didn’t want to see her anymore. He had ended things, and it was time she just got on with her life. And that meant learning to deal with the fact that he, Lucas and Lionel were all over this city. Everywhere she turned she was reminded of one Luthor or another.

Now all she had to do was learn to not think of Lex’s cold, cruel accusations every time she heard, saw or thought of his family.

“You’re up early,” she frowned at Lucas, unable to think of anything else to say, and hoping that her less than friendly tone would give him a hint. As if the laptop being open wasn’t a flashing neon sign saying ‘stay away, work in progress’.

“And you’re the second person to say that to me today,” he smirked. “Is it so inconceivable that I’d be up normally at this time of day?”

Chloe snorted, setting aside her coffee. “It’s not even nine o’clock on a Saturday morning, Lucas.”

He shrugged. “I’m trying something new, then.”

“Hope it works out for you.” She flashed him a tight smile and turned back to the laptop. The sooner she got this done, the sooner she could get out of here; back to her bedroom where she didn’t risk anyone seeing how torn up she was. Where she didn’t have to worry about maintaining that fake smile that she’d gotten so good at over the last two days.

Her fingers flew over the keys, typing up the next section of her findings. She paused, looking up to see that Lucas was not only still sitting there, but that he was watching her.

And smiling.

She shuddered. Why her? “I’m busy.”

“So work. I’m not stopping you.”

~*~*~

He hid a smirk, fully aware that Chloe had a hard time concentrating when someone was watching her like this. He’d seen Lex do it often enough, just to spite her; or when he wanted attention.

She looked up for a second time, and he met her eyes teasingly. Word would get around quick enough that he’d been here, with her, this morning. And it would only be all the better if he could get her to talk, to laugh.

Lex would just hate that.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and prepared to turn on the charm. If nothing else, she deserved a laugh or three.

~*~*~

Chloe looked up from the file Lionel had all but shoved at her the moment she walked in the door, watching his face as he read over the report she’d prepared. Was he ever aware of the vicious rumors Lex was throwing out about her. . .about –them-? Or did he just not care?

Of course he didn’t. If Lex was pissed, then all the better. She sighed in frustration, faced with the undeniable proof that Lionel didn’t really care about her. She was just another one of his lackeys – an information gathering lackey at that. And she had known better, after all.

All Luthors were alike.

He looked up, catching her eyes before she could snap them back to the report. “Impressive.”

She shrugged, putting her eyes back on the file in her lap, eager to read through it, get her next assignment, and get the hell out of this house, far away from the memories it represented. This room most especially. Lex’s office. Everything about this room sparked a memory of one sort or another from her. This is where she’d first tried to interview him, to a disastrous end. It was also where they’d finally kissed for the first time.

And where they’d tested the sturdiness of that big, wooden desk, she blushed hotly; the lust of the memory warring with the pain of her loss until her stomach felt like it was tied in knots. Rolling her shoulders, she attempted to focus on her work. She heard Lionel stand up, but ignored it. Just keep reading. Let him do his work while you do yours, she told herself.

His hands landed on her shoulders, lightly kneading the muscles at the back of her neck with his strong thumbs. She looked up, giving him a brief smile. “Thanks.”

“Yes. . .so kind of you, father.”

Her heart sped up, only to drop to her feet, at the sound of Lex’s voice. Of course. It was his office, so he’d be wandering in and out, just as he had every other night she’d come over to work. Except this time it was different. She looked up, but he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were cold, hard, and focused entirely on the man standing behind her.

Yet Lionel didn’t remove his hands. Nor did he say anything to disabuse the idea that Lex must have gotten, seeing what he must have assumed was such an intimate moment.

Chloe looked from Lionel’s hands on her shoulders, to Lex’s smoldering glare, and then back at those hands. She was stupid for going through this. Stupid for being a pawn in a game between two men that only really cared about themselves. She was just. . .

She stood suddenly, throwing Lionel’s hands from her shoulders as she did so. She turned to level an incredulous frown at first him, then Lex. “I can’t believe the two of you.”

“Shouldn’t that be my line? Really, Chloe – getting comfortable in my office, of all places?”

Her face heated with flames of rage. And yet Lionel did nothing to deny Lex’s accusations. She bit her lip, shaking her head in stunned disbelief; while a part of her taunted that she should have known better. For all that Lionel had never treated her unkindly once she entered his employ. . .he was still Lionel Luthor. And playing screwed up head games with his son was just one thing he did best. Fine. If that was the way he wanted it, and Lex was so willing to latch onto it as any excuse not to be with her anymore. She lifted her head to meet their eyes, each in turn. “You know what. . .I’m through with you. . .and you.”

She wheeled, storming out of the room, slamming the door shut as she passed. Her heart was aching with the desire to run in there and beg Lex to see reason, to tell her what was really wrong, past the flimsy excuse that he thought she was seeing his father.

But pride kept her from doing it.

“You leaving?”

Perfect! As if she hadn’t had enough problems tonight with Luthors, now the head troublemaker himself was striking up yet –another- conversation with her.

“Yes,” she ground out from between clenched teeth, forcing a disaffected smile to her face. It wouldn’t reach her eyes, but she didn’t expect it to. Just as she didn’t expect him to believe that nothing was wrong with her.

She - Just. Didn’t. Care.

“Lex? Or was it dear old dad?”

She drew a shuddering breath, giving him a taste of the glare she’d only just finished imparting on the rest of his family. “Lucas –“

“What? Can’t I ask what’s wrong?” His eyebrows rose, mock hurt spreading across his features. And, despite herself, Chloe smiled.

“Sure, you can ask. Doesn’t mean I have to answer.”

“Let me guess – Lionel played up on Lex’s insecurities, you got mad, told them both off, and left?”

She rolled her eyes. “Watching from the security room?”

“Of course. You three are better than a soap opera.”

“Sure – the ‘Young and the Heartless’. I’m young, your dad and Lex are just heartless.”

Lucas smirked. “All you need now is a dashing love interest to make everything better.”

Chloe shook her head. “Oh no. Uh uh. No more Luthors in my life, but thanks for the offer.”

“Not even to get back at Lex? All fake, of course. Who knows. You might decide you’re better off without him.”

She blinked, the words settling over her like a cold splash of water. Have fun with Lucas. . .make Lex jealous. . . Her eyes met Lucas’, and she didn’t doubt for one moment that he had his own agenda to all of this. Whether it was just pissing off his father and brother, or something else entirely.

But she was going to try really hard not to care.

~*~*~

“You’ve done it now.”

Lex’s eyebrows shot up into his nonexistent hairline. “Me? Are you forgetting that you are the reason for all of this? If you hadn’t decided to make Chloe your next toy –“

“Enough!”

Lionel’s enraged shout silenced Lex’s tirade. He shut his mouth with a snap, teeth grinding together.

“Chloe and I are. . .nothing,” Lionel spat, pacing the room like a caged lion. A very dangerous, caged lion, Lex reminded himself. And like any wild animal, he wasn’t to be trusted.

“I’ve seen the way you act around her. Don’t bother denying it.”

His father stopped in place, turning to level a withering glare at him. “You’ve seen the way I act around her, hmm? And what exactly have you seen? Nothing. Yes, Lex. Nothing. If you want to end your relationship with her, then so be it. But I will not stand by and watch you run her into the ground and use me as an excuse for it!”

With every word his father’s voice rose, echoing through the wood paneled office until it was a startling thunder of ire-filled sound. Here was the proof he needed, once and for all, he told himself, not really believing it no matter how hard he tried. The proof that his father cared for Chloe.

But why deny it? Lionel Luthor wasn’t the type to deny something of this nature. Not when it was so much more. . .amusing. . .for him to rub it in. To flaunt his conquest about for everyone to see.

Yet he wasn’t doing that.

So –

“Why do you even care?” Lex’s voice was low, dangerous. The complete opposite of his father’s – calm in the face of hardly leashed rage.

“Because maybe, just maybe,” his father began, eyes flashing with anger. “I was looking forward to the day you finally made her a member of this family, -Lex-. Or, if that wasn’t to be – just having her in my employ. A Close. Family. Friend. And now you’ve ruined it.”

“I –“

“Don’t bother denying it.”

Lex didn’t flinch, but the sound of his own words being thrown back into his face was difficult to stomach. The revelation his father had just thrown at him was . . mind blowing, to say the least. So Lucas had been right, after all. Despite the fact that Lionel Luthor couldn’t stand to be around his sons without causing grief or angst, he had taken a liking to a girl he would have as his daughter.

“You’re a frightened little boy. Sending her away because you can’t handle what it means to love someone. And now she’s mad at both of us.”

No, she was more than mad, the still-thinking part of Lex managed, through his haze of shocked disillusionment. She was furious. With him. With his father.

And he couldn’t rightly say that he blamed her.

“You could have said all of this before it went this far.”

“Why? It doesn’t change the reason why you ended it in the first place. She’s still the girl you can’t admit you love.” Lionel sneered and paused in front of him, disgust written clearly in his every movement, the lines of his face, and eyes that still sparked with rage. “You had better hope that I can fix this. She’s too valuable to waste on your insecurities.”

Lex didn’t budge as his father pushed past him, the door of the study slamming shut behind him, just as it had done not even ten minutes before, when Chloe took her leave of both of them.

Permanently, if her angry face had been any indication.

He sighed, now that he was alone, and sank wearily into the chair behind his desk. Leaning forward, he rested his head in his hands, letting his father’s words wash over him.

Scared of being in love?

That sounded about right. He, Lex Luthor, was absolutely terrified at the idea of being in love.

But, worse than that –

He was petrified to think that maybe he’d lost her for good. And of the two, only one was something that he thought he could live with for the rest of his life.

Lex stood suddenly, knocking over his chair in the process. Picking up the pieces of this mess wasn’t his father’s job –

It was –his-.

~*~End Part~*~

A/N: Going away until Saturday. Hope you guys enjoy this in the meantime. Thanks again for all the feedback along the way.

[Clannadlvr]

woo hoo!!

Great job of portraying the Luthors. It's completely in character for Lionel to initially not deny Lex's implications- especially since he wants Lex to stand up, be the bigger man, and fix the problems himself. But when he realizes that Lex is too thick headed to realize the truth...

...well, hell hath no fury like a pissed off Lionel Luthor.

I'm really enjoying your work here!! So glad you've decided to joining the ranks of Chlex fandom!!

[Béatrice]

Woo! Go Lionel! Tell him what's good for him!!!

I love Lucas! :wub: If it was not Lex, I'd like to see her with Lucas. Handsome. Evil. Funny...

Please update soon. Nice job! :biggrin:

[gina]

So glad to see you updated this!


He hid a smirk, fully aware that Chloe had a hard time concentrating when someone was watching her like this. He’d seen Lex do it often enough, just to spite her; or when he wanted attention.
Heh, I can totally picture Lex doing this.

Really enjoyed the Lionel/Lex and the Chloe/Lucas interaction and it was nice to see Lionel knock some sense into Lex. I can't wait to see how he's going to try to fix this.

Hope you have a great vacation! :)

[katspell]

wow. So is Lex going to try to fix it? If so what is he going to do when he finds out Chloe is out playing with Lucas?

[autumngold]

Like I told you at ff.net, I love this update!! I'm glad that Chloe is going to stand up for herself now!! If Lex wants to be an idiot, let him!! Hopefully she won't have too much fun with Lucas though!! It will give Lex another reason to think she's a slut!! Have a wonderfully fun vacation!! :biggrin: :wub: :chlexsign4:

[Impress]

so enjoyed Lionel setting Lex straight and Chloe standing up for herself.

Good update. looking forward to the next.

[hfce]

Lex :rolleyes:



Hope

[sylvia]

Ah awesome work.
About time Lex got things straight in that ridiculous paranoia-filled head of his.
And Lucas and Chloe making Lex jealous? Brilliant.

[LarkLuthor]

Originally posted by autumngold@Apr 21 2004, 12:59 AM
If Lex wants to be an idiot, let him!! Hopefully she won't have too much fun with Lucas though!! It will give Lex another reason to think she's a slut!!
Na, She just needs to wait untill he's regreting it a little more and then the insequirities will turn him into macho-jealous-man instead of ice-hearted-man. Everyone loves a jealous Lex.

Lark

[Sab_Luthor]

well it was about damn time you realise there was nothing between your fzther and chloe you stupid jerk
great update more please

[TheDragonLady]

You're kidding about the Saturday thing, right? RIGHT! HUH! NOOOO!

[scifichick774]

Hmm...you know, this is going to sound mean, but I kind of hope the staff continue to make him suffer for a while. He really screwed things up with her and he deserves to not be taken back right away - to be treated like crap for a while - just to drive home the point a little bit more.

[tthjinni]

Sorry for the delay on the next part! Got back into town yesterday and wanted to do nothing but sleep! Hopefully I'll get it out today or tomorrow.

There's a Chloe drabble in my LJ at the moment, though - a 'teaser drabble' for my new Chlex fic entitled "Going Under". The first part of that should be posted soon, as well.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/tthjinni/...619.html#cutid1 (http://www.livejournal.com/users/tthjinni/35619.html#cutid1)

[tthjinni]

~*~Part Four~*~

She had gone out with Lucas last night. While he was busy making plans to win her back. No, to *woo* her back; she had been out with his wayward younger brother. Lex leaned back in his chair, seething with pure, simplistic anger.

But not at Chloe.

No, never again at Chloe. He’d learned his lesson in that regard. Even if it had taken a verbal slap from his father to get him back on track again, to make him see reason amidst the madness of his own mind. That alone had been enough of an impetus to turn the tide of his anger from outward to inward. Getting relationship advice from his father, of all people. It was shamefully embarrassing.

All his father had ever wanted was for Chloe to be. . .happy. At obscenely odd as the thought happened to be, there it was. His father cared for Chloe, like a daughter.

A daughter that he liked infinitely more than he did his sons, apparently.

So he couldn’t even find it within himself to be angry with his father over this mess. After all, it was ‘dear old dad’ that had helped set him back on the right path. The path that he had been avoiding, whether consciously or unconsciously, out of the stubborn fear that he would be the one getting hurt. He had struck first, and broken Chloe’s heart with accusations that were. . .baseless, rather than let her even have a chance at any point in the future, of breaking his own.

It was all his fault, really.

He couldn’t even be mad at Lucas for taking advantage of the situation; no matter how much he wanted to do just that. Make his annoying little brother disappear once and for all. Did his father really –need- two sons, honestly?

Then again, he reminded himself with single-minded determination to see his thought processes through to the inevitable, condemning end; this wasn’t Lucas’ fault and he didn’t deserve to suffer, even if he had taken Chloe out last night. It was only dinner, and he doubted she would see anything in Lucas anyway.

At least, he hoped not.

So, if he wasn’t mad with Chloe. Or Lucas or his father. Who was he really and truly mad at then?

Himself. The great Lex Luthor, he mocked silently. Playboy billionaire extraordinaire. The man that was unafraid of anything, willing to take calculated risks.

And he had backed away from the most challenging risk of all; to the point where his father was forced to, in his normal tactless fashion, show him the error of his ways.

He was a fucking coward, plain and simple. Let the tabloids print that. Lex Luthor – Scared of Love. Lex Luthor – Paranoid and Lonely.

Lex Luthor – Groveling at Chloe’s Feet.

He reached for the fresh pot of tea that had appeared to replace the half-empty, chilled one that he’d been nursing for the last hour. It was steaming hot as he poured it deftly into a cup, drizzling a bit of lemon in for flavor. He took a slow sip, gagging.

“What in the hell!” he cursed, setting the cup gently back on its saucer. Raspberry. The tea tasted of raspberries. He grabbed for the bottle of water on his desk, draining it dry in an attempt to get the taste from his mouth. His staff knew that he detested berry flavored teas.

Just like they knew that he didn’t like his sheets starched, a little voice whispered in the back of his head.

He sat back heavily in his chair, cycling through the mishaps he had endured since. . . Since when?

The day after his breakup with Chloe.

Chloe, the only one of his girlfriends to ever take time to make friends with the staff. The girl that the staff just adored.

Suddenly it all made a whole hell of a lot of sense. They’d been punishing him.

He growled, throwing his empty water bottle across the room. It hit the wall and shattered, falling to the floor in a sparkle of colored glass.

Lex sighed, shaking his head. He’d have to call someone to clean up the bottle, but he’d make sure to do so when he wasn’t going to be in the room. The last thing he wanted was to be treated to another one of Adele’s disapproving looks. God only new what they had planned next. Firing them was out of the question, and not even an option that he was considering, if the truth be told. A part of him was truly angry at what they’d done.

But a larger part was touched that they cared enough for Chloe to exact vengeance on her behalf. They’d repaid her loyalty with a loyalty all their own.

He could order them to stop, he supposed. Make it a warning of sorts; a statement that he now knew what was going on and wouldn’t put up with it any longer.

Except, that wasn’t the message he wanted to instill in them. Of course, telling them that he had realized his error when handling Chloe, and indeed this entire situation, would no doubt fall on deaf ears. They would only find more covert ways in which to cause their mischief and make him rue the day that he had ever dared break her heart.

All right, then. He would just have to continue enduring it until such time as Chloe was well and truly back in his arms. Which meant, apparently, checking everything twice before putting it on, or crawling into it. Perhaps even learning to change his own sheets and blankets. It couldn’t possibly be that hard, and he was an intelligent man.

The cooking was a different story, entirely. But surely there were restaurants around Smallville that wouldn’t mind catering to him if he asked nice enough.

Just until he got back on the staff’s good side, of course.

Damn it!

But, again, he wasn’t mad at the staff. No, if anything, they deserved a raise for what they’d done. Having the courage to stand up to him for what they believed in, no matter how covertly. It was laudable. Perhaps when all of this was said and done he’d let on that it had been just that, however discreetly. Perhaps give them an extra day or two off for a ‘job well done’.

But, first things first – he needed to speak to Chloe. To explain away what he’d done. She’d understand. If there was one thing he loved about her, it was her intelligence.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, keying in the correct number on his autodial for her cell. The clock on the wall said that it was after ten in the morning. She’d be up, though just barely so. It rang once, twice. By the fourth ring he knew she wasn’t going to pick up, but foolishly sat there waiting, just in case.

“Hey, Chloe here. Leave me a message. Unless your name is Lex or Lionel Luthor, in which case you can go –“

He shut his phone before the inevitable damnation could come from her mouth; cringing despite himself. She was angry, and that was okay. But that didn’t change the fact that he needed to speak with her. Phone still in hand, he dialed her home number, waiting patiently for someone to pick up.

“Hello?”

”Gabe,” he greeted congenially. “It’s Lex. Is Chloe around?”

There was silence on the other end of the line. He held it away from his ear, looking at the little screen to make sure the call was still connected. “Gabe?”

“She’s not available, Mister Luthor. Have a good day.”

Lex blinked in surprise when the phone clicked, a dial tone ringing into his ear. Gabe was pissed. Okay, that was also to be expected, he supposed. At least the other man had managed to still sound civil, which Lex knew was more than he could hope from Chloe, when and if he was ever able to speak with her. Gabe was her father, and that’s what normal, caring fathers did when their daughters were hurt.

That thought alone was almost enough to make him fearful about what his own father would do if his ‘surrogate daughter’ didn’t come around, back to her normal cheery and snarky self, in quick order.

Well, if she wouldn’t talk to him, he’d just have to take a stab at things from another angle.

Wooing didn’t have to be done verbally, after all.

~*~*~

“I think he’s sorry.”

Chloe raised an eyebrow as yet another bouquet of flowers was brought into the house. Five total, so far. And there were thirteen more, according to the delivery guy. It wasn’t her birthday, but she was getting a bouquet for every year of her life on this earth. That was the only sentiment she could come up with to explain the eighteen bouquets, anyway.

“I don’t think I care,” she whispered, turning away from the flowers. She cleared her throat as another deliveryman came in the door. “Take them away. Drop them in Luthor’s front yard.”

“Ma’m?”

“You heard me,” she muttered, fleeing up the stairs, away from the flowers. So he was sorry. Well that was just dandy, she thought sullenly, fighting the urge to cry; wondering if she wasn’t doing the wrong thing by turning his gift away.

No, this was the right thing to do. What he had done couldn’t be fixed with large amounts of flowers. Or sweetly spoken words, she added as her eyes fell on her cell phone. Three messages waiting, and ten missed calls.

But it would take more than that to make this up to her. Days of crying couldn’t be erased in an instant. If he wanted her back, he would fight for it. Sending one delivery back to him wouldn’t deter his intentions in the least if he really meant it.

“They’re gone,” Lana poked her head in Chloe’s room, giving her a wary smile. “I . . .kept this one, if that’s okay.”

Chloe stifled a laugh as the pink carnation came into view. How brightly appropriate. She snorted, nodding her head. “That’s fine. At least one of us should get some enjoyment from them, right?”

Lana shrugged. “I wish I could be there to see his face when they just drop the flowers off at the gate.”

Chloe’s mouth turned up in a grin as she pictured the look of incredulous shock that would no doubt flash, however briefly, across his face; a laugh bubbling from her mouth. “You know what, me too.”

~*~End Part~*~

A/N: Thank you to everyone for the feedback!!! Stay tuned for the next part, in which Lex continues to get the cold shoulder and Lionel finds out what its like to be well and truly snubbed by Chloe Sullivan. Will either Luthor men ever make things right, or will Lucas prove to be the only worthwhile man in the entire house? (No worries though, its a Chlex fic. . . you can guess how it'll turn out.)

[TheDragonLady]

You are a bad, evil person. What a HORRIBLE place to leave off!


I NEED MORE, PLEASE!

PLEASE!!!!

[hfce]

More please...

Hope :cool:

[autumngold]

Your last chapter eased my mind and made me so happy!! :biggrin: Thank goodness Lex is finally realizing that everything is all his fault!! I'm also glad that Chloe isn't going to make it easy on him!! Please post again soon, I can't wait to see what Chloe has in store for Lex and Lionel next!! :chlexsign3:

[tiff]

i'm all caught up and waiting for more, please?

[LarkLuthor]

Great chapter! I really love your stay tuned messege I really like the whole consept and the next part looks fun. Can't wait for the next part.

The Lark

[Béatrice]

Thanks for updating. :biggrin: I feel bad for Lex since everybody around him is trying to make him pay for what he did. The staff. Lucas. Chloe. Lionel. Please, come back and update soon. :chlexsign3:

[sylvia]

Perhaps even learning to change his own sheets and blankets. It couldn’t possibly be that hard, and he was an intelligent man.

Hehe. I love your style of writing.

And I love Chloe's voicemail. Damn that girl has got spunk.

Update soon!!

[Impress]

I agree with Chloe, Lex should have to work at getting her back. Can't wait to see Lionel's attempts at fixing things.

[katspell]

:goof: so much fun!!!

[carebear72884]

dumbass luthors, I kinda like Lionel in this fic, ok, so he is being mean to chloe, but he was attaual nice to her and liked her as a daughter and wants her back in his life, that is about as sweet as lionel luthor gets...kinda reminds me of how lionel is wiht martha..although i don't out right ship them..i always liked the idea of lionel and martha, she fits with him better then johnathan, I wish i knew what lillian was like, i mean she must have been one of the most awesome people..and i think somewhere deep down lionel has a heart, he just doesn't know how to use it..i want to know what he was like before lillian was sick...ok i am rableing, good chappy, update soon.

[scifichick774]

Originally posted by tthjinni@Apr 25 2004, 08:39 PM
will Lucas prove to be the only worthwhile man in the entire house? (No worries though, its a Chlex fic. . . you can guess how it'll turn out.)
I wasn't worried - I was hopeful. :badboy: Sorry, but I love Lucas. I just do. And Lex - for being such a smart guy, he should have known that flowers weren't going to cut it.

[Béatrice]

I would have loved if the Lionel of the show looked like the Lionel of this fic. Instead of threatening her, he would do everything to marry her off with lex. :chlexsign3:

[flower]

Hahahaha!
I love it.
Lionel is so...daddylike in this fic. Towards Chloe AND Lex. *G*

I love it,
update soon.

[Lex]

Wow! Great fic! Can't believe Lex was stupid enough to think such things about Chloe though, what an ass... Still I look forward to see him try and make up for it. Heh, Lex doing housework should be interesting! :biggrin: Anyway I love how you've done Lucas in this and of course the staff, heck even Lionel's an OK guy in this. Can't wait for more, update soon! ;)

[ghostwriter]

even though lex wants to apologise he doesn't seem to understand just how badly he's hurt Chloe. And until he gets a clue he can go to hell.

He's going to have to suffer for a bit longer i reckon... bring it on :biggrin:

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: fantastico!

[gina]

Great update! I'm so glad Lex realized that what has happened is all his own fault. I hope Chloe makes him suffer a little longer. But it'll be interesting to see what other means he comes up with to win her back. Can't wait for more! :)

[ElizabethV]

Lex is really dumb if he would actually believe that Chloe was having a relationship w/ his father... Then again he's been betrayed a lot, but still! I really enjoyed the staff's planning punishment for breaking up with Chloe. :) And Lucas too- he's always great! I loved the extra starch on the bedsheets and bad breakfasts, and the Porsche! :devil: They were all nice touches.
Anyway, can't wait 'til you update again! Lex should keep getting the cold shoulder for a while, until he begs for forgiveness. :biggrin:

[tthjinni]

I wasn't worried - I was hopeful. Sorry, but I love Lucas. I just do. And Lex - for being such a smart guy, he should have known that flowers weren't going to cut it.

Perhaps I'll make a note to myself to write an alternate ending to the fic, then. One wherein Lucas gets what he deserves for being such a sarcastic sweetie. And Lex gets permanently left out in the cold? Either way, as long as she's back 'in the family', I can't imagine Lionel being too upset.

Thanks to all for the feedback.

[Kit Merlot]

This story is fantastic! I like both Lex and Lionel being put in their places. Lex will have to work very hard to win Chloe back, and Lionel needs to make amends too :biggrin:

However, I like Lucas trying to help Chloe out, but it would be to weird if they got together. It would be like they were using each other to hurt Lionel and Lex. Not a good start for a romance :ohmy:

But your story is awesome--I can't wait for the next chapter!

[tthjinni]

~*~Part Five~*~

//I'll fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure everything's alright//

~*~*~

The flowers had been delivered back to the manor, tossed unceremoniously just inside the front gate. Bouquet upon bouquet. Carnations, roses, daisies, tulips. A variety of flowers, in different colors. A rainbow of affection for her and her alone. Each a gift that he had chosen just for her, to say that he was sorry in a way other than words, since she still wouldn’t give him a single second of her time for actual conversation. Not to mention the fact that she’d enlisted her dad and Lana in the effort to make sure that she not only never answered the phone at her home, but also was mysteriously ‘not available’ every time he called.

No one needed to take that many showers.

Lex frowned, leaning back in his chair, eyes fixed blankly on the ceiling. His fingers tapped idly on the hard, wooden surface of his desk; background noise and nothing more to the thoughts running helter-skelter through his mind.

If she wouldn’t talk to him, wouldn’t take his gifts –

What else was left?

~*~*~

“We need to talk.”

Chloe tensed, not bothering to turn to face the man that had invaded her personal space as if it were nothing. She tightened her shoulders, hand poised stiffly over the keyboard of one of the Torch’s computers. They weren’t shaking, she was proud to note. Not with anger or grief or any of the other emotions she should be feeling, yet couldn’t. She felt so numb inside from it all, as if everything finally had caught up to her in one fell swoop and left her senseless.

“So, talk.”

His dress shoes clicked across the tiled floor of the room, the door shutting with a hard push of his left hand. Yet still she looked down at the keyboard, unwilling to look at him lest those emotions she so wanted to keep in check came free. If she looked up her carefully crafted plan might fall apart. The one in which she’d already forgiven him and just wanted to make him suffer.

Such a bastard, her mind whispered to her, reminding her all too readily of his part in her current life drama. He could have set things right, but instead --

“If you’re going to be testy –“

She turned, giving Lionel Luthor a hard stare; the control she had been so proud of snapping like a string pulled too tight. Her eyes widened and darkened, the passion of irritation overwhelming her. “Testy? –Testy-? You want testy, okay. I’ll give you testy, Mister Let’s-Make-Things-Worse. Or is it Mister Fuck-With-My-Son-At-Chloe’s-Expense?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at her with an expression that bordered on mild amusement; genuine displeasure lurking in the back of his eyes though for what reason she couldn’t fathom. It could have been any number of things, starting with the way she was speaking to him, right down to the language she had used. He didn’t like her to curse. Chloe sighed, reigning in her temper. It wasn’t as if he was the one she was still mad at, after all.

“You didn’t have to egg him on,” she muttered darkly, eyes shifting from him to her hands, clasped now in her lap to keep from throwing something at him. Mad or not, what he had done was just wrong.

“What kind of father would I be if I passed on that kind of opportunity?”

“A normal one?” she offered without batting an eye, her eyebrows raising mockingly. She leaned back in her chair to look up at him, fingers drumming on the sides of her chair, in a rhythm that meant nothing yet was soothing all the same.

“Let it never be said that Luthors are. . .normal,” he sneered the word as if it caused a bad taste in his mouth, and Chloe found the corner of her mouth twitching up despite her resolution to at least act as if she were still royally ticked off at him.

“Of course not,” she rolled her eyes. “Regular Wall of Weird material. Sure thing.”

If someone had told her three years ago that she would be sitting in the Torch’s office, making small talk – bantering, to put it mildly – with Lionel Luthor, Chloe would have thought they were stark raving mad. Funny how time changed things. How circumstances grew into something more.

Funny how he was taking a chair now, as if he intended to stay for more than just a minute at the most. She sighed. “Did you want something? Like, oh, to give me an interview, per se?”

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes, though the gesture managed to come off as more than a little menacing. Much more so than when she did it, she laughed to herself.

“Hardly.”

She shrugged. “What then?”

“Am I forgiven?”

“Have you asked for forgiveness?”

His lips curled up into a smile that was predatory at best. Devilish, at worst. It was pure Lionel, though. “Forgive me?”

She laughed. If ever an apology had sounded more forced. . .

“You want to know something completely twisted? It's easier to forgive you because I -expect- you to act like this - treating everyone like we're just your pawns in this game you call life. That’s just how you are, and I’ve gotten used to it. Shocking to find myself in the midst of it, true; but not so much that I can’t forgive you. But I thought Lex was different, at least with me.”

“So I have been forgiven, then?”

Chloe shrugged. “Guess so.”

Lionel’s eyes were laughing when he spoke next. “Very well, then. I must say I’m somewhat disappointed that you didn’t at least try to extort your own newspaper out of me in exchange for your forgiveness. I thought that I had taught you better than that.”

“Well, if you’re offering . . .” she rolled her eyes and turned back to her computer. “Seriously. You’re forgiven. Go back to doing whatever it is you do when I’m not there to amuse you.”

“As of the last time I checked that would be avoiding my oldest son lest I be caught up in this newfound pity party he is throwing in his own honor.”

She raised her eyebrows, the words striking something akin to longing in her heart. Was he acting like he usually did when he was sulking? Sitting in his office chair, just staring up at the ceiling? Probably with paperwork all over his desk, things that he wouldn’t be able to get to because he couldn’t concentrate.

“He’s sorry, you know.”

She shrugged. “Haven’t heard him say it yet.”

“You haven’t given him a chance to.”

Chloe rolled her eyes over to Lionel, not even needing to imitate a confused look. “Playing relationship counselor is hardly your style. If Lex wants to apologize that badly, he’ll find a way to do it.”

“Such as?”

Her mouth twisted up into a bitter, mocking smile at her own expense. “Kidnapping does have its merits, you know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“It was a joke. You know, those things us lowly serfs tell the other lowly serfs in order to add some sense of entertainment to our day? Beneath you, I’m sure.”

The smirk didn’t leave his face, but neither did he join in her good natured joking. She felt the edge of her amusement taper off, leaving her with a warm feeling that was almost akin to happiness.

Almost.

“Well, I need to get this wrapped up,” she gestured towards the computer screen. “Lucas is taking me out tonight.”

“Isn’t Lucas a little beneath –you-? He’s hardly in Lex’s caliber.”

“With warmth like that in the Luthor family, its hard to see why you’re all so screwed up,” Chloe muttered, not bothering to keep Lionel from hearing. His incredulous eyes met hers and she found herself grinning brightly.

“On second thought, perhaps you would be better off with Lucas, after all. No doubt he appreciates your wit. Lex is showing an appalling lack of imagination these days, as it is. Flowers?”

Chloe snorted, chuckling softly. “Eighteen bouquets of the damn things. Trite, huh?”

“Money. Power. He has both – yet he insists on acting like a normal suitor.”

“And Luthors aren’t normal,” she tossed her words back at him with a roll of her eyes. “And there were eighteen bouquets, in case you missed that the first time. Eighteen is hardly normal. One, maybe two – but eighteen? No, that’s ‘eccentric’.”

Silence, she supposed Lionel had nothing to say in response to that. For that matter, she wasn’t sure why she’d said that, either. It had almost sounded like, there at the end, she was sticking up for Lex. Making what he did seem somehow less blatantly pathetic than how she had felt about it yesterday.

But that wasn’t possible, she told herself firmly; because Lex was definitely not forgiven.

“You are still coming for our meeting tomorrow evening?” His quietly firm voice brooked no disagreement, for all that he had formed his demand as a question.

Just another quirk of his that she both adored and hated, all at the same time.

Of course, meeting with Lionel meant getting near Lex again. Part of her liked the idea that he would have another chance to get close to her; that she might see how her casual return of his gift had affected him.

The other part of her, the stubborn part, was far from pleased by getting anywhere near him. He wasn’t forgiven, and she wasn’t ready to do any forgiving yet.

At least, that’s what she told herself when she started to ache, to hurt from the loss of a relationship she missed like nothing else in the world.

She sighed, nodding. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

~*~*~

“I think he knows.”

“What gave it away – when he tried to cook his own breakfast this morning? Or perhaps it was when he slept in his chair rather than take another go at those overly starched sheets of yours?”

Adele raised her eyebrows at her husband. “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Robert.”

~*~*~

He didn’t have a plan to deal with Chloe, but he had a mission to accomplish nonetheless.

And that alone was enough to make Lex feel at least a trifle productive, while his brain wracked itself time and again through the same tired methods of obtaining her attention. Sitting in his office was doing nothing for him aside from reminding him of all the work he had neglected whilst trying to figure out the perplexing mystery that was apologizing to Chloe.

So he had given himself another task to accomplish.

Seek and destroy, he smirked. Except it wasn’t destroying, per se. Unless one counted the subtle ways in which he planned on mocking the staff’s subtle, albeit effective, plan to make him uncomfortable within his own home.

First on the list – Eliza. That sweet looking girl that attended to his wardrobe. The mastermind behind his great sock debacle, if he didn’t miss his mark. She was the only one with access to his private closet. The only one that could have slipped in and out without creating a stir, and switched around his socks. Not just the one pair, either. He’d looked through the drawer with irritated amusement that morning, noting just how careful she’d been. In the dimness that he usually dressed in, he would never have noticed the blue socks paired with the black – it all looked the same in the darkness of his room, with the curtains drawn, as it was every morning.

It was a clever trick. She hadn’t even taken it so far as to change all of the socks. Some were still paired correctly, giving him an on again off again chance at grabbing the wrong ones each and every time he reached in the drawer. So some days he would look as though he could dress himself properly –

And other times he just looked like a simple minded fool.

Lex unclenched his jaw the moment he realized he was grinding his teeth together. He didn’t like being made to look foolish, though he supposed in this instance he had done it to himself more thoroughly than they ever could have. He would stand by his inner promise of not taking this out on the staff, despite their actions.

However that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t put a genuine fear of the Luthor name into the girl. Having this happen once was amusing. If it ever happened again –

Well, that wouldn’t be pretty, now would it?

Above all else, however, he couldn’t just let the staff thing they’d gotten away with things. Either they’d stop, knowing he was on to them. Or they’d figure out something new to torment him with until such time as he was back in Chloe’s good graces or they had grown tired of their vengeance.

He found Eliza just where he had assumed he would, in his closet. He perched at the entrance, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest and face a mask of cool arrogance; just watching her shuffle through the drawers. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. Not at the moment.

Hardly enough to stop him from exacting his own revenge, no matter how minor.

“Busy?”

She jumped, a startled cry leaving her mouth, a handful of shirts dropping to a pile on the floor. Turning, the young woman’s face quickly turned from startled shock to hard nosed irritation.

“Did you need assistance, sir?”

Lex shrugged, unfolding his arms. He pushed off the door, stalking into the room. Eyes locked on hers, he ran his hand over the clothes hanging on the right as he passed by.

“Are. You. Busy?” The words were cool, clipped; and filled with no small amount of menace.

“I was about to take some items to the cleaners.”

He raised his eyebrows. She went to the cleaners twice a week, and today was neither of those days. Though, he supposed she assumed he didn’t pay enough attention to notice that. All that let to the conclusion that she didn’t want to do whatever it was he had sought her out for, even though she didn’t know yet what it would be.

“It’ll wait.” The corners of his mouth tilted up in a fair approximation of a smile, eyes still icy cold. “I need you to work on a special project for me, Eliza.”

“Sir?”

He smiled wider, showing his teeth, arms crossing slowly again over his chest. She was practically twitching with fear now, the anger on her face long since gone.

“My socks appear to have suffered a . . .mishap. Kindly rematch them. And properly, this time.”

~*~*~

Chloe frowned down at the table, sinking into the not-so-comfy red plastic of the booth. What had started as fun and games, a way to piss Lex off, was winding up not being as much fun as she would have liked.

Because Lucas really did like her.

She sighed. “Lucas – you’re great, really –“

It sounded like a kiss of death, even to her; to him it must have sounded like a line. Which, alright, it was. A line spoken especially to give him a hint.

“But I’m not Lex.”

A hint he didn’t need? She looked up at his face, any discomfort or hurt she had expected from him conspicuously absent from his face. She laughed softly. He liked her, yeah. But not that much. Not enough for her to break him. “Obviously you’re not him, given that I’m speaking to –you- and he still hasn’t been able to get a word in edgewise. That and the whole hair thing. There’s no way I could mistake you for Lex.”

Lucas laughed. “Hair is a good thing, you know. Gives you something to grab onto in the heat of –“

“Just stop right there before I’m forced to hurt you.” Chloe held up her hands in defeat, cheeks flushing lightly. Once upon a time ago she could have played this game with the best of them. Flinging innuendo back and forth. Once upon a time ago she had played this game with Lex, for that matter; until they had finally fallen into it, together. . .

And then into bed.

But Lex had spoiled all of that for her. Playing the dance of thinly veiled innuendo only made her uncomfortable now, because it wasn’t with the one person she wanted to be doing it with. All that was left to her was innocent banter, which Lucas wasn’t nearly good enough, for all that he could throw around the suggestive looks and phrases.

“So, you don’t want me. . .you don’t want my dear father, unless you’re hiding something.” Lucas leaned back, milkshake in hand, watching her with amused eyes. He would have preferred something stronger to drink, she knew – but this was her choice for tonight. Milkshakes at the diner. Just her and him, talking and spending time together, to annoy Lex.

“Ugh,” she groaned, rolling her eyes. “Are you trying to make me sick?

“Sorry,” he laughed. “Well that only leaves Lex, then.”

Chloe snorted at the implication. “You make it sound like I’m doomed to be with a Luthor no matter what.”

“Aren’t you?”

Yes, she told herself silently. She was doomed. Head over heels in love with one Luthor and one Luthor only. And it wasn’t Lucas, for all that he was handsome and playful. Definitely not Lionel – the thought alone was enough to make her run cold.

Which only left Lex, per Lucas’ so apt statement.

“I guess so,” she shrugged, a smile teasing her lips.

“That mean you’ll be forgiving him any time soon?” Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Don’t get me wrong, this has been fun – but there’s always that possibility –“

“That he’ll cut off your allowance?” Chloe cut in, laughing loudly at the pout that crossed his face almost immediately, teasing and taunting her with its mockery.

“Don’t even joke like that.”

“Or what? I’m not afraid of you Lucas.”

He smirked wickedly. “I’ll tell Lex that you’ve already forgiven him.”

She raised her eyebrows, hand fluttering up to clutch at her chest in pretend horror. “You’re an evil, evil man.”

Lucas winked, his smirk growing exponentially. “So I’ve heard. From you. Repeatedly.”

“Get used to it.” Chloe said, returning his look over the top of her own drink. If nothing else, this experience had been good for getting to know Lucas. One bright spot in a pit of darkness.

Raising his glass in a toast, the youngest Luthor just had to get the last word.

“Who says I haven’t already?”

~*~End Part~*~

A/N: Thanks to everyone again for all the feedback. You guys totally rock. Updating this fic is so much easier simply because of the level of feedback. On a side note, if there's interest I'll write a Lucas-ending version of this fic. Sort of a "This Love - Remix". Lyrics at the beginning of the chapters are from, surprise, "This Love" by Maroon 5.

[Clannadlvr]

Woo hoo! *dances*

Love that you're getting Lex back in the game...he couldn't be bested by his staff for too long.

Also, I have to tell you how much I loved the scene between Lionel and Chloe. From the way you've written it, in the beginning, with the description of the italian shoes and Chloe's thoughts on forgiveness, the reader thinks Lex is in the room with her- but then you turn it right around and Lionel is center stage. Great element!

[hfce]

Great update :clap:

[tiff]

Yay an update! Good one too. The Luthors are all so likeable here... :biggrin: Can't wait to see what happens next.

[LarkLuthor]

Originally posted by hfce@Apr 30 2004, 07:29 AM
Great update :clap:
I agree! Very nice! More soon? Please!

Lark

[gina]

Nice update! The Chlionel interaction was great, I was glad to see Chloe holding her own up against Lionel.


Lex frowned, leaning back in his chair, eyes fixed blankly on the ceiling.

Was he acting like he usually did when he was sulking? Sitting in his office chair, just staring up at the ceiling?

Really loved that Chloe knew exactly what he would be doing, nice detail.

Can't wait to read more! :)

[Béatrice]

Nice update! :biggrin: But pleeeeaase I want more.

[TheDragonLady]

I need you to update more... Please... Pretty please?!


I adore this ficcy!

[Impress]

Originally posted by Béatrice@Apr 30 2004, 02:37 AM
Nice update! :biggrin:
I agree.

[katspell]

I love the fact that Chloe is comfortable around Lionel but not blind to his foibles. Does that make sense? Just because she 'likes' him doesn't mean she is stupid, ya know? And Chloe, dear, it doesn't do to give Lionel ideas like kidnaping. Not that he wouldn't have come up with it on his own, but, well, now you've kinda of given him permission.

Love the Chloe Lucas too, he is so great in this fic. Nice that he knows right were he stands so there won't be any hard feelings when Chloe finally decides to let Lex back into his life.

[tthjinni]

I love the fact that Chloe is comfortable around Lionel but not blind to his foibles. Does that make sense?

Perfect sense :) She likes him for who he is, in other words; but isn't naive about it either.


And Chloe, dear, it doesn't do to give Lionel ideas like kidnaping. Not that he wouldn't have come up with it on his own, but, well, now you've kinda of given him permission.

*grin* Probably wasn't the best move on her part.

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: FANTASTICO!!!! :yay: :worship2:

[autumngold]

Oh, Chloe can't forgive Lex that easily!! I liked her idea of kidnapping!! :biggrin: This story is so much fun!! I can't wait to see what you have planned next!! :chlexsign1:

[Val]

Heee can't wait to see what Lex will come up with to get back on Chloe's good side! I really do like the kidnapping Idea... Love Lucas and Lionel! :biggrin: More soon!

[Sylyna]

more please! :yay: :yay2: :yay:

[carebear72884]

lovely, more soon please :biggrin:

[Lex]

Great update! I loved the bit with Lionel, you got his character really well but the Chlex angst is sad... Lex better come up with a good way to win her back. I hope you update soon! ;)

[tthjinni]

A/N: I'd like to thank my new beta, Clannadlvr, for getting this back to me so quickly so that I could, in turn, give it to all of you.

~*~Part Six~*~

“Not gonna happen. No way in Hell.”

Lex crossed his arms and met Pete’s icy glare with his own. In what dim corner of his mind had he actually, for even the briefest of seconds, thought that Pete Ross, of all residents in this good for nothing little town, would help him get Chloe back.

“Mr. Ross –“

“Forget it, Luthor,” the dark skinned football player’s frown deepened, his stance and tone firm. “Sure, she’s hurting now. But she’ll be better off without you in the long run.”

“You think associating with Lucas is ‘better’ for her? He’s psychotic on his worst days.”

Pete shrugged. “Everyone’s allowed to have an off day or two. ‘Sides, from what I understand, he tried to kill –you-. That just shows good sense in my book.”

Of course it did, Lex grumbled silently. He had no illusions about how the young man standing in front of him felt about him and his father, though for some reason he spared Lucas that general disdain; a fact that Lex found himself none too happy with right about now.

He growled softly in frustration, tearing his eyes from Pete’s. His arms uncrossed, hands shoving down into his pockets, as he turned to the as yet unresponsive third member of their impromptu group. Clark blinked at him with small town innocence over the top of his mug of coffee. “Clark, you know that she’ll be happier, and safer, with me, right?”

The dark haired young man shrugged slowly, the innocent expression fading from his face. “You said it wasn’t my business and I agree. If you want to apologize to Chloe so bad you’ll figure out a way to get back on her good side.”

Lex felt his gaze harden, his face slip into that mask he wore all too often. The one that said all was right with the world, calm and cool on the surface, even if boiling underneath. Like right now.

“Thanks, Clark.” He smiled tightly for a split second before turning on his heel and leaving.
He’d do this without their help, and laugh in their faces when she was finally back in his arms.

If she came back to his arms, his inner voice reminded him.

~*~*~

He was tired of this game. Chloe avoiding Lex; Lex obsessively trying to get close to enough to even utter a single word to Chloe. In a circle they went, like a crazed animal chasing its own tail.

He’d been content to let the scenario play out as it would; without any further interference on his part.

That is – he’d been content to do so up until about thirty minutes ago when he learned that Lex had skipped a business call to attend to the more pressing issue of pumping Kent and Ross, at that wretched little coffee shop no less, for information.

All was fair in love in war, as the saying went. But he had to put his foot down when business began to suffer. Whatever was going to happen needed to happen and be through with, so that Lex could get back to doing what it was that he did. . .best; even if it was only a very mediocre ‘best’.

Lionel steepled his fingers in front of his face, leaning forward so that his elbows rested on the desk in front of him. A wicked smile turned up one corner of his mouth.

He would have to thank Chloe when all was said and done, for providing him with the perfect method to handle this entire debacle.

~*~*~

She came to with a dull throbbing in her head, and instinctively raised her hand, massaging her aching temple. Her tongue came out, raking across her lips, only for her to find that it, and they, were both bone dry. Her mouth felt like so much cotton had been stuffed inside, sucking away all moisture until she was left scratchy and pained.

Chloe groaned softly. She rolled onto her side, finding the sheets beneath her skin smooth to the touch. Satin-y. Silky. The type of sheets she’d always loved on Lex’s bed.

Her eyes snapped open, frantically darting around the room. No, not Lex’s room, unless it was one in another part of the house. One that she hadn’t been aware of, though she doubted it greatly.

She sat up, wincing at the pain in her head. She could remember now – walking towards the mansion’s door, feeling a presence behind her. And then a stab of pain in the side of her neck. Sedatives, she realized with a startled moan of shock.

She’d been kidnapped.

A bitter smile twisted her lips, as two and two rapidly fell together to equal four. The coincidence of her joking with Lionel only just recently about being ‘kidnapped’ was too great to be pushed aside. He’d done it. He’d actually done it. Probably not himself, since this was the kind of thing you would definitely hire someone to do for you, if you had the kind of money Lionel Luthor did. Amusement warred with confusion and anger, until she didn’t know which end was up in her own head. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, looking more closely at the room. Definitely style a la Luthor, she snorted.

So, the ‘who’ part of the ordeal had been settled. Which only left one real question remaining – why was her mentally deficient employer doing this? If there was one thin she’d learned over these months, it was that he did nothing without reason. Even if it was only to teach her to watch what she said around him, this had a reason, she’d bet her life on it.

Seconds later the answer to her silent questioning was tossed in a heap into the room. She blinked at the still form, watching the rise and fall of his chest as he lay on his side on the floor.

“Damnit, Lionel!” she cursed under her breath. What part of she wasn’t ready to forgive, or for that matter –talk-, to Lex did he not understand? Next time, supposing there was such an occaision, she would be sure to draw the man a diagram so that there were no misunderstandings.

She knelt down next to her fallen ex, trying to shove aside the warm feelings that filled her just from being this close to him again. The urge to collapse beside him, draw him into her arms, and just breathe and –be- with him was almost overwhelming.

But she could be strong, she reminded herself. She didn’t need to give in to those urges, no matter how much her heart yearned for her to do so.

He didn’t appear to be in any worse shape than she personally felt, and she took that as a good sign. Lionel wasn’t in one of those moods lately to do something to kill Lex. They’d moved past that, at least she was hoping so. Which meant that whatever they had used on Lex was just as harmless as what they’d used on her. He groaned as she rolled him onto his back, eyes fluttering beneath closed lids. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him sleep, soft breaths coming from his half-open mouth. She swallowed thickly around the pressure of her rapidly beating heart, the longing that she felt, and gently backed away from him.

Why did Lionel have to play these games?

To be in control, she answered her own unspoken question as she slowly wandered the room. No phone, but that was to be expected. They’d been put in here to either work things out or just out right kill each other. Either way, Lionel wanted it to be a private matter. Something between two lovers that were on the outs. No more family or friends running interference for her.

The door the hired thugs had shoved Lex through was locked, yet another unsurprising thing. Across the room from that was another door, leading to a small bathroom, complete with shower. At least Lionel wasn’t trying to torture them on top of everything else.

Yet, she made a mental note to herself. He wasn’t trying to torture them –yet-. The possibility still existed, she supposed, if he didn’t see the kind of results he was looking for.

There was a mini-fridge against the wall opposite the bed, unobtrusively placed between a mahogany wardrobe and matching desk. She stepped towards it, raising her eyebrows at the plain white envelope lying there, with her name on it.

In Lionel’s handwriting.

She rolled her eyes. As if she needed further proof that she’d been right and he’d actually kidnapped her, there it was – black on white. Plain as day.

Tearing it open with one hand, she toed open the mini-fridge, gratefully grabbing up a bottle of water. Enough food and drink for a couple days, by her estimate. She drained half of her bottle dry before turning her attention to the letter.

“’Get on with it. Lionel.’” She read with a sigh. Way to be brief, Luthor. He just assumed that not only would she and Lex understand what it was that he wanted in the first place – but that they’d jump to acquiesce, as well.

Her eyes narrowed, scanning the room without reservation, for the security camera she just knew she’d find. A firm glare suffused her features when she found it, in the shadows of one of the upper corners of the room.

“You’ll. Pay. For. This.” The words were clear, enunciated dramatically for the benefit of the man that would undoubtedly be sitting there, trying to lip read. She stared at the camera’s lens, losing herself in its mirror-y blackness, glaring at the man on the other side of it. He was most likely having a nice little laugh at her expense right about now, courtesy of her not-so-subtle threat.

“Uggg –“

She jumped in surprise, the sound of another voice in the room breaking her forcefully from her glare-off with the camera. For those brief moments, however long she had stood there waging her silent war, she had forgotten all about her situation and the other occupant of the room. But it all came rushing back quickly enough now. Lex was here with her, she reminded herself. The man of both her dreams and nightmares, waking and sleeping, was in the same room with her for the first time in days.

And apparently he was waking up.

Chloe sighed and took another bottle of water from the mini-fridge. Even through the thin haze of anger that remained, she couldn’t stand to see him suffer. And he was going to be suffering mightily if her own symptoms upon waking were any indication. There was nothing for the headache, but the water would at least dampen his parched mouth.

She stood just to one side, watching as he slowly began to move from his drugged state of sleep back to the waking world. His eyes fluttered open, looking somewhat confused when he met a ceiling he didn’t recognize. They traveled slowly over the plain white ceiling, moving inch by inch, until they rolled down and over, meeting hers in one moment of surprise that took her, and his, breath away.

There was no avoiding him now, just as Lionel had wanted.

Damn him.

~*~End Part~*~

A/N: Only one more chapter to go. Thank you for all of the feedback. Its nice to know there are people out there enjoying it.

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: ohhhhhhhh!!! classsic!!!!!!!!!! wonderful idea!!!!!!! :yay: :worship2:

[hfce]

Oh more please.....



Hope :chlexsign2:

[Clannadlvr]

*grins*

Ahhh...you know I love it already! But I just have to say again how much I love the antagonisitic relationship between Chloe and Lionel!

[tiff]

*giggles* You just made my day...

[gina]

Hah, I love that Lionel actually had them kidnapped!

Awesome update! Can't wait for the last part! :yay:

[carebear72884]

haha, now they have to make up! :biggrin:

[autumngold]

I love the fact that Lionel had them kidnapped!! Smart man!! :biggrin: I can't wait to read your last chapter, even though I'm so sad that this great story has to end!! Please let the story have a happy ending!! Please!! :yay: :chlexsign4: :yay:

[LarkLuthor]

ARG! Talk about cliffhangers! PLEASE UPDATE SOON!!! I love Lionel, he's such and evil cutie!

Lark

[vardaquareien]

Trust the MB to have both of them kidnapped just because Lex missed one phone call!!! :hehe: I love that mad bastard! -oh look he's a double MB not only magnificent but mad aswell!!! :biggrin: I can't wait to see what happens now that they're both awake and trapped in a confined space! ;)

[sylvia]

YES!!! *punches fist in the air* I love the MB!

So... *fidgets* what's going to happen next?

[katspell]

I knew that comment would come back to bite her on the ass.

I just hope that before they do the makeup sex they remember to block the camera.

[TheDragonLady]

Lionel is a god. Hehehe.


MORE, CHLEX!

[tthjinni]

I just hope that before they do the makeup sex they remember to block the camera.

No worries *grin* I've got them covered, so to speak.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Impress]

lol. leave it to the MB. great work.

[Lex]

Yay, the MB to the rescue! Lol! Still at least Lionel actually has the sense to help them work it out. Great chapter and I can't wait to find out what happens next!

[LaLa]

did i tell anyone lately that i love yoyo? (lionel) :devil:

no? well, it's done now. :cool:

:yay: ME WANT NEXT CHAPTER! with the right amount of smut, please :worship2:

xoxoLaLa

[tthjinni]

~*~Part Seven~*~

“Here.”

Lex took the bottle of water that was thrust into his face, sitting up as he stared at Chloe with surprise. How was it that he had ended up here, with her? He frowned, taking a swallow of the water. Then another, and another. It felt good, sliding down his throat; quenching a thirst that he hadn’t even realized he had until the moment he took his first drink. He finished it off, setting the empty bottle aside, still watching her.

“Your father kidnapped us, in case you’re wondering.”

“I was, thank you,” he nodded, more to himself than her. Well, that explained the fact that he couldn’t remember how he ended up here with Chloe. Not that he was complaining. Oh, dear old dad would rue the day he’d pulled this little stunt, but a good part of him was –thankful- for it.

He was locked in a room with Chloe.

Whatever would he do?

He pushed aside that simperingly sarcastic portion of his brain, rubbing absently at his neck. The needle his father’s hired goons had used was far too large for comfort. He supposed they had just wanted to pump him full of sedatives and to hell with his personal well being. And they’d done the same to Chloe, which made his blood boil ever so slightly. “Did they hurt you?”

She shook her head. “You’re the one they tossed on the floor like a sack of potatoes. They were nice enough to put me on the bed.”

Lex sighed, realizing the truth of her words from the not-so-subtle ache in his back. He made a mental note to find out exactly whom his father had used for this little ‘mission’, and deal with them in a suitable fashion, once they were out of this situation. No one treated him like that, even under his father’s orders, without regretting it. Oh, they wouldn’t die, or even be permanently hurt. . .physically, at least. There were many ways to hurt a man without ever laying a finger on him, after all.

He raised his eyes again to Chloe, noting with a small measure of amusement that she was looking at him as though she knew precisely what he was thinking, yet she made no move to tell him not to. Which meant she was just as put out by this little display of his father’s as he was.

”We need to talk.”

His eyes, which had begun to wander the room, jerked back towards Chloe at the sound of her softly spoken words and the sharp sigh that accompanied them. He raised his eyebrows, folding his arms over his chest; that part of him that had been gungho to get back into her good graces was somewhat hesitant at her sudden change in attitude.

“Oh, stop looking at me like that,” she snapped, shattering his thoughts. She pursed her lips and shook her head, moving across the room to the bed he had spied during his brief scan of the room. “You act as if me speaking to you is some sort of miraculous thing.”

Lex blinked at her in surprise. “Well isn’t that what it is? You’ve done your best to avoid me, even once I wanted to apologize.”

He knew he was in trouble the second her eyes narrowed and her chest heaved as she took a deep breath.

“Gee, -Lex-,” she snarled his name as if it were distasteful in her mouth, which he supposed could be the truth of things. “Wonder why that could be. Oh, wait – is it because you accused me of sleeping with your –father-?”

He stood his ground as she slid off the bed, advancing on him. Her eyes were sparkling with fire, and he began to alternate between feeling apprehensive and aroused. She was so beautiful when she was angry. Some of her finest moments had been in fits of rage, he mused silently, watching her stalk across the room.

“You didn’t even believe me when I said I didn’t, Lex. How’s that for trust? I trusted you never to hurt me – that was a big step for me after how Clark jerked me around all the time. And then you couldn’t even trust me enough to believe me when I said that I wasn’t sleeping with your dad? Do you have any idea how gross that thought is? He’s your *father* for God’s sake!”

It was hard not to wince now that she was right in front of him, her finger digging into his chest with every angry accusation. Hard not to take her in his arms, cover her mouth with his, and show her in no uncertain terms that he did love her, did care for her – now and always.

But she wouldn’t stand for that. He knew her too well at this junction in their lives to even try.

“Are you through?” he murmured, looking into blazing eyes without backing down. There was only one thing he could say to her that might cut through the pain she was feeling. The truth. He could tell her the truth about why he’d done what he did – why he’d hurt her so badly.

“I suppose,” she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring up into his eyes.

~*~*~

So here they were. Him and her, in the same room, and she’d even spoken her peace. Or, as much of it as she could remember through this hazy gauze of anger that was suffusing her very being at that moment. His face betrayed no signs of what he was feeling. For once she couldn’t read anything in his eyes or his expression, and that made her stomach churn with anxiety. He’d been ready to apologize and she had flipped out at him. Sure, he deserved it; but what if now he took the whole apology thing back?

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she waited for him to speak, to say whatever it was that he had on his mind.

“I love you.”

She blinked. That wasn’t what she was expecting to hear.

“You. . .”

Had she heard that right? No, couldn’t be.

“I love you,” he murmured again.

There it was again. The pounding of her heart, which she had assumed would die down once he finally said what he needed to say, had only quickened, and she found herself struggling to catch a good breath.

He loved her.

The words she’d dreamed of hearing – the ones she had resigned herself to hearing some time in the distant future, if ever – had been spoken.

And she couldn’t have been more confused.

“You love me?” she whispered, shaking her head. “No. Not possible. If you loved me you wouldn’t have been so. . .mean.”

“You said you were finished.”

Her mouth snapped shut and she glared hard at him. Her heart was soaring in the warm current those three little words had created, but her rational mind wasn’t ready to let Lex off the hook yet. Especially now. “Go ahead, then. Get on with it.”

She winced mentally at her choice of words, thinking of Lionel’s little note to her.

“It sounds melodramatic to say that I did what I did because I was afraid of falling in love with you, but it’s the truth.”

Chloe let the words sink in, her brow furrowing. She licked her lips, finding it very hard to swallow, not to mention that, yes, it did sound melodramatic. Something about that didn’t add up, if for no reason other than - “Luthors are afraid of nothing.”

Lex snorted, the smirk on his face somewhat rueful as he nodded. “You can imagine my surprise, then, finding that you were the one thing that truly made me feel frightened. Loving you scared the Hell out of me, Chloe. It still does. So I took what was in front of me and worked with it. Stupid, yes. Unforgivable – well, that’s up to you. I hope you can forgive me, but I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t. I just wanted you to know that I do love you.”

She sucked in a breath, looking at the lines of his face with eyes opened wide by the admission. He was sincere, in every word and syllable that was being uttered; he was being one hundred percent sincere. She licked her lips, averting her gaze. For once she was completely unsure of what to say. He loved her, and she’d be lying to say that she didn’t feel the same.

”You know I love you, Lex,” she whispered, her voice breaking. Her entire body was reeling from what he had said and the way he had said it. He was frightened of loving her. Scared to get hurt, most likely; that was the only excuse she could think of for why loving someone could be scary. She felt like that, too, and he’d made all of her nightmares come true the day he broke things off with her.

Despite all that, she could understand. It was never a tactic that she, or any other normal person, would have used, but it made perfect sense coming from a Luthor.

Love made him afraid. Fear was a weakness, so he’d tried to cut out the weakness. But -

“How do I know you won’t get afraid again?”

He reached for her hands, and she let him take them, reveling in the feel of their encompassing warmth. She sucked in a breath, letting the security that came from just being near him wash over her. No one had ever made her feel like this. Not even Clark, for all that she was sure he would protect her with his very life. Clark would die for her, just he would for any of his friends. He’d go that extra mile.

Lex. . . Well, Lex would make sure that not only did –she- live, but that he did too. He wasn’t a martyr, or self-sacrificing. She preferred that – someone that would live for her, rather than die for her. It meant more, on levels that she couldn’t even begin to put together in her head to form a coherent argument to or for the concept.

“I might,” he said simply, squeezing her hands in his own. “However, it won’t end like this did. Feeling fear is one thing – letting it rule me is something else entirely. Something that I have no intention of ever allowing to happen again.”

His words struck her; from his lips to her heart, they traveled a direct path straight into her very soul. She bit her lip, nodding to him, though mostly to herself.

“I’m going to hold you to that, you know.”

He smiled. It lit up his face from one corner to the other, perfect white teeth gleaming as the meaning of her words made their impact. “I look forward to it.”

Chloe felt her heart flutter. She let him pull her forward, her eyes mesmerized by the way his tongue snaked out to lick over his lips. Tilting her head up instinctively as his came down, she held her breath without thinking.

When his lips touched hers, she felt herself falling all over again. This was love, her heart whispered. The nervous butterflies in her stomach, the way her heart raced – that was what love was; never getting over that excitement of a first kiss.

She opened her lips to his sweeping tongue, inviting him in with the silent gesture. His hands were on her back, smoothing her shirt as long fingers kneaded gently into her muscles. Relaxing her body even as he worked it into a fine heat with his mouth. She moaned softly into his mouth, arching against him.

“You know what comes after a fight, don’t you?” she grinned wickedly, pulling her lips from his with effort. Her entire body was on fire, deprived far too long of the sensuality of his touch, his mouth, and other parts of his anatomy that she didn’t dare think of yet, lest she lose it then and there.

The corner of Lex’s mouth curled up in a smirk. She squealed as he scooped her into his arms, carrying her towards the bed with no effort at all. Laughter rang through the room, mixing with his soft chuckles, as he threw her down, flopping ungracefully next to her, the answer to her question on his lips, “Make up sex?”

“MMmM,” Chloe moaned, leaning in for another kiss. Her hands fisted the front of Lex’s shirt, pulling him ever closer to her body. God, she had missed this.

It was odd, she conceded, as his tongue began to plunder her mouth again, that she felt more secure in their relationship now than she ever had before.

“No more fighting,” she whispered into his mouth.

He laughed sharply, pulling back to look into her eyes. “No more,” he agreed. “I don’t think I could live through another round of my staff seeing how miserable they can make me.”

“What?” Chloe’s eyebrows rose to her hairline, his tantalizing kisses pushed aside momentarily in light of that curious statement.

“They took your side of things,” he shrugged, murmuring the words into her neck as he trailed kisses up and down the soft skin. “Starched sheets, mismatched socks, ruined food – they even took apart my Porsche.”

Chloe was overcome by his words. The staff, those magnificent people that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure Lex and his family were never uncomfortable, had done just the opposite – and all for her. Right down to taking apart Lex’s prized car. “Awww,” she cooed, cupping his face in her hands. “They hurt your car?”

He scowled playfully. “Can we talk about this later, by any chance?”

Much, much later, she added silently, unable to disagree with his request with his body so close to hers, pressing flush against her. She sighed into his kiss, her hands roaming up and over his body.

But something was nagging at the back of her mind.

She teased his lower lip into her mouth, biting down on it playfully. A low growl escaped Lex’s mouth, sending shivers up her spine.

Yet still she got the feeling she was missing something.

Something. . .important.

His hand slid up under her shirt. Skin against delicious skin, rubbing together in sensuous slowness. She pressed into his touch, urging him up, past her stomach, towards the curves of her chest.

And then it hit her.

“No!” She jerked away from Lex’s touch, rolling over him and out of the bed before he could so much as utter a word of shock. The pillow she took with her was divested of its pillowcase before she had crossed even half way through the room, leaving her with just a bit of smooth cotton in her fingers. With firm strides, she dragged the single desk chair over until it was under the camera.

“Chloe – what are you. . . oh,” Lex’s soft snort of laughter filled the room. “Good thinking.”

She got up on the chair, steadying herself before rising up to face the camera. Looking straight into the lens, she smiled brightly, giving the camera a little wave -

And pulled the pillowcase down over it.

~*~End Fic~*~

A/N: So, as I say at the end of all of my fics that are more than 5 parts - Now that the ride is over, did you enjoy the trip? Feedback appreciated.

[katspell]

His words struck her; from his lips to her heart, they traveled a direct path straight into her very soul. She bit her lip, nodding to him, though mostly to herself.

I loved this line, real great!!! I'm also glad she remembered the camera, the MB doesn't need to watch *ICKY*

I realy enjoyed the ride!!!

[LarkLuthor]

Ah, that was wonderful. :biggrin: But I was looking forward to a nice scene with Lionel at the end. :sad: Or at least the staff and Lucas welcoming them home. Oh well, such is life, nothing is perfect. :chlexsign1:

Lark

[tthjinni]

Oh well, such is life, nothing is perfect.

Yeah, but I try so hard *grin*. So perhaps a short Epilogue. Short, mind you. But I'll see what I can do to make this ever the more so complete for you.

[LaLa]

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! and the quote 'AWWW! They hurt your car?' that got me laughing so hard my boss at work thought i was nuts for a moment lol :blush:

good, me want more fics from u!! :worship2:

xoxo LaLa :chlexsign3:

[autumngold]

What a perfect ending!! I loved Chloe's rant against Lex!! His apology was also perfect, no excuses, just the truth!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this story!! Can't wait to read more Chlex stories from you!! :chlexsign3:

[LarkLuthor]

Originally posted by tthjinni@May 10 2004, 04:21 PM
Yeah, but I try so hard *grin*. So perhaps a short Epilogue. Short, mind you. But I'll see what I can do to make this ever the more so complete for you.
:yay2: :yay2: Yea! I love Luthor family meetings. That familar family feeling of hidden affection, blatant antagonism, and threats. :cool:

Lark

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: WOOT WOOT WOOT!!!!!! loved the ending! great stuff, and chloe remembering the camers was really funnny! :worship2:

[Clannadlvr]

*grins* Ah...you already know I love it!

Just wanted to point out that you're quite handy with writing complete tales. What I mean by this is that you not only give us a resolution to the action of the story, but to the emotional journey as well.

Great job!

[Blaire023]

oh....you mean I missed the updating inbetween the chappies? :sad: That's my fave part.

But now I'm here, and I have some things to say.

Not very often i can say this to a fic writer, but I can say it to you, Jinni. Your characters are on cue, completely.

Just because I know I don't write my characters in character doesn't mean I don't know when they are. And yours are. So congrats, not many people are able to do that, or they just don't....(ie: me)

And I loved the whole sha-bang, which i read in all one sitting. And I didn't even venture off to do something else, (ie: rotate laundry) So congrats. I don't say that to too many people either.

~B

[marrycherry]

<span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>I LOVE IT&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;</span>

GREAT FIC :yay: :yay:

:chlexsign4:

[tiff]

Oh wow. It&#39;s over, that&#39;s sad. The end made me giggle, I loved it. And epilogue? :biggrin: I wouldn&#39;t complain...

[TheDragonLady]

Lionel is just a good character. He is so much fun to play with and oh my goodness that sounded wrong.


HAHAHAHAHAHA&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;




I love this. I love how the staff made Sexy Lexy miserable. And I LOVE Lionel.

[Impress]

good job.

[ElizabethV]

*happy sigh* I really enjoyed this story&#33; From the help making Lex&#39;s life awful to Lionel actually being a stand up guy (surprising&#33;) and helping to get Chlex back together. :) The being locked in a room part was also good. :blinkkiss: And I&#39;m glad Chloe remembered the camera b/c otherwise- EW&#33; Anyway, just wanted to restate that your story was great&#33;

[tthjinni]

The feedback was just about enough to make me blush. Thank you, everyone, for such kind words. I&#39;m glad that you enjoyed the fic. For those that need more closure - the Epilogue has been sent off for beta&#39;ing. As soon as its back, I&#39;ll post.

[gina]

Aww, perfect ending&#33; I really loved how everything got resolved and Lex&#39;s admission of love. So great.

Nice job&#33; I hope to read more Chlex fics from you soon. :)

And I just saw your post about the epilogue, can&#39;t wait to read it&#33;

[sylvia]

Brilliant fic, brilliant ending. Insecure Lex is so sweet.
And Lionel, sigh. I love that MB.
Good thinking, Chloe&#33; :)

[tthjinni]

A/N: You asked for it, and now are receiving. I&#39;m way too giving like that. Thanks for all the kind feedback. A *big* thank you to my beta, Clannadlvr, who was nice enough to volunteer to muddle through the general mess I tend to make of things like . . .oh. . .punctuation. She only beta&#39;d from ch6 on, so anything before that is solely my error. Again, thank you for all of the feedback. Hope this chapter wraps everything up for ya&#39;ll.

~*~Epilogue~*~

“He’s probably unlocked the door by now.”

Lex shrugged, his fingers grazing over Chloe’s bare stomach. She sucked in a breath, feeling skin that she had thought long cooled ignite with just the merest brush of his fingers over her. She wriggled absently beneath his touch, inviting more.

“Are you that anxious to get out of here?”

Now it was her turn to shrug nonchalantly, even as her body was rapidly rising to a fevered pitch. His caressing fingers had turned into stroking hands, grasping and kneading at her skin. She pulled air into her lungs with a deep, shuddering moan, hissing between teeth clenched in pleasure. “N-no. . .not at all. But I thought we had some vengeance to dish out.”

She heard his laughter, soft and sensual, echoed through her ears as her eyes slowly shut, abandoning her body to his expertly questing touch. Her lips curled up as his laughter faded into words – words that promised so much.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get to that. Later.”

~*~*~

Lionel tossed down the envelope of money, lips curling into a sneer as he regarded the darkly dressed young man standing in front of him. “You’ll share that with your. . .associate, I presume?”

“’Course, sir.” The money was snatched up, shoved into a pocket. Greed is what it came down to. The ignorant sap had done what he’d asked with a blank stare and a willingness in his heart that would have been admirable in moderation. As it was, moderation was not a word that Lionel even thought the young thug knew. The door to his office opened quietly, Lucas slipping in with a lift of his eyebrows in the direction of the hired help.

“I would suggest you get out of town expediently,” Lionel offered by way of farewell, tilting his head towards the door, carefully ignoring his younger son’s discreetly questioning looks.

“Sir?”

Lionel smiled coldly, leaning back in his chair to regard the man through narrowed eyes. “You heard me. Of course, whether or not you mind my warning is completely up to you. However, knowing my eldest son, you will be quite sorry when he catches up with you. One would think you forgot who you were handling when you threw him so callously into that room, hmmm?”

Lucas snorted, eyes dancing with barely leashed mirth. The thug glanced over his shoulder, paling ever so slightly to notice that someone had joined them in the room without his knowledge.

“He won’t know it was me,” he swallowed nervously. “No evidence, just like you said.”

Lionel smiled, a short bark of laughter escaping his lips. “Dear boy – he won’t need the evidence when I tell him exactly who I hired. You’re dismissed.”

He had the distinct pleasure of seeing a wash of fear cross the young man’s face before he turned on his heel, exiting the room with a speed in his step that Lionel wouldn’t have assumed a man of his rather bulky size could manage.

“Turning in your own minions now, dad? Is this a new business strategy or just another sign of your carefully hidden insanity?”

Lionel shrugged at Lucas’ drawl. “Allowing that information to fall into your brother’s lap will distract him from taking his. . .irritations. . .out on me for some time.”

“He won’t forget.”

“I didn’t think for a second that he would.”

~*~*~

It was hours later that Lex pulled himself out of bed, kissing Chloe’s forehead gently before tugging on his clothes. His internal clock dictated that, even with that missing period of time during which he’d been sedated, it couldn’t be any later than, perhaps, midnight. He’d have to call Gabe and let him know where Chloe was. She was in no shape to drive home right now – and that was the last thing he wanted her to be doing, anyway.

Peering out of the now unlocked door, Lex found himself rolling his eyes. He thought the room had looked familiar. It was an inner room, in the western portion of the mansion, nowhere that his father had constructed especially for this little foray into petty matchmaking.

He wandered the halls with a purpose, eyes setting with steel as he neared his father’s office. Without knocking, he turned the knob, already knowing that the lunatic would be awake, most likely having waited up just for this confrontation.

“Lex, how nice of you to join us.”

The eldest of the Luthor children cast a chilly smirk towards Lucas. He hadn’t forgotten his younger brother’s place in this mess – making moves on Chloe when she was at her most vulnerable. Any other man might have felt at least a touch of gratitude for the fact that he’d been there for Chloe when she needed someone to turn to.

But he wasn’t any other man.

“Father. Lucas.” He greeted each in turn with a tilt of his head.

“Lex,” his father smiled with all the warmth of a shark. “I trust you enjoyed yourself?”

Lex gritted his teeth together, not rising to the bait. He swallowed, offering up a fake smile, forcing any warmth from his eyes as he regarded the man that had both given him life and tried his damnedest time and again to stifle it. “You had us kidnapped.”

“And yet you still live. I must be getting soft in my old age,” Lionel sneered. “You didn’t even leave the grounds, son. Besides, it was for your own good.”

A sharp laugh escaped Lex’s mouth before he could stop it. “Ah, of course&#33; I forgot that there were acceptable grounds for having a ‘loved one’ drugged and locked in a room. Not to mention the part where I was tossed around. I’ll be sure to remember it for the future, though, dad. No worries.”

He pasted another serene smile onto his lips, leaving the room just as quickly as he had come. Both Lucas and his father needed to be taken down a notch. Nothing too. . .horrible. Just a little push.

And, as he spotted one of the nighttime staff members, he knew just the thing. Something to ensure that his errant staff deserved that bonus he was already planning to give them.

Starting tomorrow his father and brother would get a little taste of the hell he’d had to endure.

Right now, however, he had other things to attend to.

Something that he should have done in the first place, instead of running like a coward from his better emotions.

He was going to face them head on.

~*~*~

She woke to satin sheets, swathed in a matching black satin comforter, filled with the softest of down. Chloe smiled, burrowing down into the decadent warmth that she recognized all too well. Lex’s bed, her mind supplied sleepily. Lex’s warm, soft bed. Nice and big, she thought with a yawn, stretching her arms up over her head.

And empty?

Chloe pushed herself up on her elbows, looking around the room. No Lex. Her lower lip jutted out in a mild pout, quickly forgotten as another yawn overtook her. She laid back down, pulling the comforter up to her chin, reveling in the warmth that being in his bed provided – not just for the comforts, but because of what it meant.

She had forgiven him. And he had offered up an excuse for his actions that actually made something she had previously thought inexcusable not so much so. The door opened slowly, causing the blonde to abandon her pretenses at going back to sleep in favor of looking at the man entering the room.

Lex.

Carrying a tray.

With coffee.

She moaned, sitting up instinctively, reaching for the mug on the tray as if it were her last link to life on this earth. Drink me, it called to her through the sleepy fog that had shrouded her mind.

“Do you have any idea how adorable that is?”

Chloe looked at Lex over the steaming mug of coffee, blinking innocently. Cute. Yeah, right. Cute in the way any addict was when needing their fix, sure.

“Morning,” she murmured. She lifted the mug. “Thank you.”

“There’s food, too.”

Indeed, the tray was filled with pastries and fruit. All fresh, she had no doubt about that. A small vase of flowers adorned one corner, tulips and daises. No pink carnations, she noted with a wry snort of laughter – Lana would be disappointed. She looked over the pastries, eyes lighting up. Chocolate éclair, wonderful sweet heaven.

“I love you,” she moaned in appreciation, both of the heavenly bounty offered and the thought behind it.

“The feeling is mutual.”

She rolled her eyes, grabbing onto the éclair. He loved her, she knew he did, but looking for him to say it all the time could possibly be futile. He still had an image to maintain, after all. An image that she happened to –like- for that matter.

Her fingers slipped on the chocolate as she picked up the tasty treat, and she frowned at it in confusion. That didn’t feel like pastry, more like plastic. She glanced up at Lex, but his face was just as collected as ever, betraying nothing.

O-kay.

She toyed with the seemingly fake éclair in her hand, muttering obscenities under her breath.

Her fingers brushed over a catch and she pushed instinctively at it, swinging open the ‘top’ of the éclair ‘box’.

The light from the half-open curtains caught the object within, making it sparkle like a miniature sun, and Chloe felt her breath catch in her throat. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Words were least on her mind at the moment, as emotions overcamse her in a tidal wave of confusion. She looked up at Lex, begging for an explanation to the sinfully large bauble winking at her from the innards of the fake éclair. “Um –“

“Chloe Sullivan, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

She nearly dropped the chocolate covered box as the words left his mouth, that which she hadn’t been able to give words to now uttered for her to hear.

“Yes,” she whispered. Her eyes shot from his eyes, down to the ring, and then back up again. “YES&#33;”

She accepted his kiss with fervor when he leaned in, taking her lips with his own. A soft, delighted shudder passed through her body.

He had asked –

She had said yes –

“Are you serious?” she pulled back, looking straight into his eyes for any sign of remorse or regret. “This isn’t just an over the top way of apologizing, is it?”

He laughed, a happy, pure sound that she had only heard a few times during all the years they had known each other. Even during their relationship it had been a rare occurrence. Genuine, undiluted happiness.

And it was because of her.

She didn’t care about the chocolate when he pushed the ring on her finger. He could get it cleaned for her.

Later.

Much later.

Her mental amendment was a mere breathy whisper of a thought as once again his hands, and lips, found ways to distract her.

~*~*~

“I heard he had a ring delivered in the dead of the night.”

Eliza sighed dreamily, eyes watering at the thought of it. “So romantic.”

Adele snorted. “He’s a gem, alright. Did you finish with Mr. Luthor’s ties?”

The younger woman nodded and giggled, thinking of the rather disordered state she’d left the elder Luthor’s closet in. Ties paired with shirts that had no hope of matching, socks mismatched, and pants that were pressed in all the wrong places. ‘Careless’ mistakes, each and every one of them.

She was going to enjoy that bonus they’d been promised.

Almost as much as she was going to enjoy seeing Mister Luthor’s face when he realized he no longer knew how to dress himself.

~*~End Fic – For Real This Time – No More Chapters – No More Epilogues~*~

[katspell]

The epilog was great thanks so much, my fav line:

Almost as much as she was going to enjoy seeing Mister Luthor’s face when he realized he no longer knew how to dress himself.

This rocked&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

[LarkLuthor]

Originally posted by katspell@May 11 2004, 06:38 PM
This rocked&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;
Oh, Yeah&#33; Major rockage here&#33; :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Lark

[Mystykitty]

Oh.
*Blub*
I love the humor section. I love tthjinni love love this story.
I plan to be vaugly giddy for the rest of the day with a stupid smile on my face.
Thank you

~Cat

[Blackberry]

couldn&#39;t help but smile&#33; :) the eclair... meep&#33; lovely.... :)

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: Oh a better ending there could not have been&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; :worship2:

[TheDragonLady]

Ay, me&#33; I adore this&#33; HAHAHAHAHA&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

[MissMed03]

That was fantabulous&#33; Would asking for a sequel be too much?

[tiff]

*sigh* that was just...perfect :biggrin:

[Emsta]

~*~End Fic – For Real This Time – No More Chapters – No More Epilogues~*~

oh. *pout* wat a bout a post-epilogue? :worship2:

[sylvia]

Revenge, chocolate, and happy chlexy ending -- perfect. Thanks for writing this hilarious story&#33;

[Kit Merlot]

Beautiful ending--I love the proposal&#33;

WELL DONE :biggrin:

[tthjinni]

Revenge, chocolate, and happy chlexy ending

Yeah, I just can&#39;t resist getting the two of them near chocolate any time I possibly can.

[hfce]

AAWWWW that was such a sweet ending. :blinkkiss:



Hope :chlexsign2:

[Lex]

Awww... That epilogue was fantastic&#33; :biggrin: I&#39;m glad that the two of them finally sorted it out and good thinking with the camera&#33; Lol&#33; Anyways unlucky Lionel, revenge is sweet although I bet he won&#39;t think so :devil: Well great fic and I loved that Lex proposed at the end, yay for Chlex&#33; ;)

[autumngold]

I can&#39;t believe I missed the epilogue to this fabulous story&#33;&#33; What a perfectly beautiful ending&#33;&#33; Thank you, thank you, thank you for this story&#33;&#33; I love it&#33;&#33; :wub: :yay2: :chlexsign4: :yay2: :worship2:

[becky]

aww this was awesome&#33; Just read it in one sitting and thought it was really great... I loved Adele&#39;s sock trick, subtle but oh-so effective. The chlex was yummy (of course, after Lex had endured much-deserved pain and suffering&#33;). Oh, and three cheers for the epilogue&#33;

Take care,

~Becky~

[Ainur]

This fic was so good&#33; The ending made me smile. I loved how ypu portrayed Lionel Luthor. He was evil but not evil . Great job&#33;&#33;&#33; :clap:

:chlexsign3:

[randa]

i just read the entire thing and i loved it all.

that was absolutely hilarious, i loved the help&#33;

randa

[carebear72884]

:biggrin:

[starmoon]

Funny and enjoyble all rolled into one.

[welshy]

That was a great fic :)

[jaxie926]

Completely LOVE lionel in this! GREAT fic!

[micah_luther]

That fic was awesome. Lex should have felt miserable. He can be sooo stupid at times. I'm gald he finally got a great tongue lashing to make him finally succumb to his feelings for Chloe

[ellelea]

awwww! Is it possible to fall in love with a fic? Cause I think I just did. :grin3:

It had all of my favorite Luthors (which is any Luthor! ;) ), kidnappings, schemeing housemaids, and perfectly written Chlex. What more could a girl ask for in a fic, especially one with the added bonus of proposal at the end?

Very great fic. Although, I think it should have been in Romance or General, not Humor.

:)

[meg20]

This was totally great:rofl:

[darkangel]

I just loved this fic. Good job.

[arkakitty]

Sooooo gorgeous!!!
I really enojyed the storyline and your view of the Luthors :)

Loved it.

[ggdoll18]

loved this one!!

[somethingeasy]

I couldn't stop laughing throughout the entire fic. Even the parts where both sides of Chlex were miserable and unhappy seemed hilarious. Chloe comparing Lana to a pink yapping puppy? Loved the image you conjured in my head. LOL

Speaking of hilarious imagery... what about that early scene with three members of the staff stuffing themselves into a closet for a round of planning guerilla warfare on their unsuspecting employer. And just when I thought things couldn't get any better, you had Lucas join into the mix. I LOVED it!!!

Even Lionel seemed... 'cute'... Which is just SO wrong for Lionel Luthor, but I'm glad to see you didn't make him completely fluffy for the sake of humour. Lionel seemed to be thoroughly enjoying Lex's discomfort and misery over losing Chloe and eventually realizing how badly he had screwed up. AND the hilarious kidnapping session he set up when he realized he was losing his chance at brilliant grand-kids (and inspired by Chloe's off-hand remarks no less)... Such a brilliant turn of events, so clever and side-splittingly comical.

Speaking of clever and comic events, I also really enjoyed all the little tricks and pranks that the staff kept playing on Lex. Messing around with his food, clothes and his 'precious' (Porche). Pure evil! Pure Genius!

And then to have Lex realize what was going on, and react to the hostility NOT by firing and/or reprimanding the staff, but by giving them bonuses (all the while trying to fend for himself amidst the household chaos). Such a lovely, unexpected and highly appreciated reaction.

I'll be looking forward to more work from you in the future. Happy Writing to you. :D

[Esther25jm]

This was fantastic!! I loved it from beginning to end. The heartbreak and most def. the laughs, you had all characters written perfectly. Great job!

[chrisrose]

Wow, I'm so glad this thread was bumped up for me to discover and read. Yes, just for me. ;) Seriously, I really enjoyed your fic. Always a fan of the funny fics... not enough Chlex in the Humour section lately - maybe 'cause the characters have become too dark & angsty on the show? I dunno...but I do appreciate fun, relatively light-hearted fics like this one. It's refreshing (even if I can't quite forget that Lionel tried to kill Chloe - but before that happened, I always kinda imagined he'd approve of Chloe and matchmake the Chlex, so... I still enjoy fics where that takes place :))

Even though the ending is perfectly satisfying, I must admit to a teensy bit of curiosity about your alternate ending....the one with Lucas? I'm just wondering how it would've worked exactly. :) You know, I'm the type who has to read all the endings in a Choose Your Own Adventure book, even the not-as-good endings. :P But I guess it's been a couple years so you're probably not coming back to write it, eh? :/

Ah well, now I'm gonna do a search for more of your fics 'cause I like your style! Thanks again for lifting my spirits :D

[~*~Tasha~*~]

LOL ... that was funny what the staff did. That will teach the Luthors to peeve off the staff at all. LOL

[LEXNCHLOEROCK]

Good story. The staff are so sweet to take revenge for Chloe. Then Lionel having them drugged and locked in together. Aaaah that's pretty sweet for Lionel. :)

[juuicebox]

haha loved it!!

[maja]

Awesome fic.

[paploo777]

lovely story, I enjoy the stories where Lionel is fond of Chloe. Good job

[Rachet]

this story realy cracked me up, loved the staff and lucas working together.

[SouthernChlex]

This was absolutely adorable. I love every single Lionel scene in this story, and the proposal at the end was priceless.

[Ami Rose]

Lmao too cute