sydsvaughn
22nd May 2004, 18:24
Title: Promises
Author: SaraC
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Through "Covenant"
Summary: Lex makes Chloe a promise he might not be able to keep
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. I own absolutely nothing here, just the plot idea and even that has probably been done before. Nothing is mine!
Notes: This is a quick, one-shot angsty "missing scene" that I think we should have gotten during "Covenant." It takes place after Lionel's trial but before the final :30 seconds. It kinda wrote itself in the half hour after the episode had ended and I had to post it. I don't intend at the moment to make it more than a one shot, but once I finish some other writing, I might be persuaded to write the story that could ensue. Either way, hopefully, this fits with character and the Chlex chemistry that's so DARNED obvious to all who watch!!
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I wish it hadn't come to this."
Lex knew his voice sounded strained, but after the hell of the day they had all been through, he could only hope she understood how serious he was.
"I know, Lex, but it had to be done. I refuse to live under Lionel's thumb. You shouldn't have to either and now, you might stand a chance."
Chloe smiled sadly as he looked at her curiously, obviously waiting for an explanation.
"A chance at what, Chloe?"
Lex did not try to hide his confusion as she stepped closer, oblivious to the people moving past them as the courthouse emptied after what was already being dubbed the "Trial of the Century."
Chloe looked directly into his eyes before replying. "Of becoming the man you truly were meant to be, the opposite of your father."
Luthor's did not cry, but he came close to tearing up as he heard the conviction in her voice and read the belief in her eyes. It was humbling in a way, frightening in another as he realized how much confidence this girl, no, woman, had put in him. What she had risked for him, not to mention herself. Which made it all the more unfair what she would now have to endure.
"Chloe, I wish there were another way--"
"There isn't. You know Lionel won't stop until we're dead. This is the only way we can live without the fear of retribution. It's the only way we will truly ever be free."
Chloe felt the lump in her throat growing as she realized what she was about to do-and for whom. But looking into his eyes, reading the emotions he could not put into words, she could not find it in herself to harbor any regret.
"It's so unfair to you--"
"Life's unfair, Lex, you should know that better than anyone." She cut off his protest by placing a finger over his lips. She tried not to shudder at the bolt of electricity that shot down her arm at the touch of his lips on the pad of her finger. "I don't regret what I did. Lionel is going to prison and Lord willing, he won't be getting out within this life or the next. That makes it all worth it."
Lex did not know how to respond, realizing that Chloe meant every word. She was doing this for him as well as herself, with no ulterior motive. Again, he felt humbled by her actions.
"I told you I'd protect you--"
"You already have, Lex." Chloe allowed a solitary tear to slip down her cheek as she felt his hand come to rest on her waist as he leaned in closer.
"By making you leave your friends, your life, everything you know and love--"
"But I'll be free. So will you." She smiled through the tears as she reached up to cup his cheek with her hand. "That's worth the price, don't you think?"
/Not if it means losing you/
Lex almost wished he had the courage to speak the words aloud, but considering the state of things at the moment, he knew it would be the worst thing he could do. How he wished differently!
"Chloe, sweetie, we need to go."
Turning at the sound of her father's voice, Chloe nodded before turning back to Lex. The tears flowed freely as she looked into his eyes, filled with guilt and perhaps something else, something that started her heart fluttering with something resembling hope.
"I have to go, Lex." Her breath caught as she felt his thumbs rub across her cheeks, catching the tears as they fell.
"I'm going to miss you, Chloe Sullivan."
Lex felt something inside him shatter at the look in her eyes as she tried to smile at him through her tears.
"I'm going to miss you too, Lex. Take care of yourself." She paused, making sure she had his full attention before continuing. "Don't fall into his trap, he'll bring you down any way he can, despite the fact you're his son and he is in jail."
Lex nodded, still stroking her cheeks as they stared into each other's eyes. He didn't want to let her go, unwilling to admit this could be the last time he ever saw her. The clearing of a throat alerted him that time was short and they were still in a very public place. Feeling as if he were losing something precious, he started to pull away, only to be stopped by her hands on his cheeks.
Chloe knew it was stupid and foolish, but she had to, just once. Leaning up, she brought her lip to his, whimpering as his arms wrapped tightly around her and his lips opened against hers. The kiss was hard and frantic, both knowing it would never happen again. Uncaring of what those around them might say, they continued to devour each other, each knowing it wouldn't matter.
After today, Chloe Sullivan would no longer exist.
When he finally pulled back, Lex was gasping for breath, his body alive in ways it had never been in all his 24 years. He wanted to call her back as she smiled through the tears and turned towards her father, who had a resigned expression on his face.
"Goodbye, Lex." Chloe knew her heart was in her eyes and her words as her father led her to the waiting car.
"I will find you, Chloe. Whatever it takes, when this is truly over, I will find you."
Lex knew it was a rash promise, knew he most likely could not keep it for numerous reasons. But as he watched her walking away from him, the feel of her lips against his still foremost in his mind, her sparkling eyes filled with tears and something else he wasn't ready to name, he realized that only an act of God would keep him from fulfilling that promise.
Chloe felt something break and mend in her heart at the same time at his words. Managing a small wave, she turned back to him, her final words for his ears only, drifting to him as if a whisper on the morning air.
"I'll be waiting."
It was a promise she did not know if she could keep, but watching him watching her, she made a vow to herself to keep it, no matter what the cost. With one final wave, she stepped into the car and the door closed behind her.
Lex stood staring after her until the car disappeared from his sight, before turning and squaring his shoulders. There was business to be taken care of and the sooner it was over, the sooner he could get on with his life-with Chloe. Feeling only slightly comforted, he walked back into the courthouse.
~*~*~*~*~
The End... (for now)
Author: SaraC
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Through "Covenant"
Summary: Lex makes Chloe a promise he might not be able to keep
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. I own absolutely nothing here, just the plot idea and even that has probably been done before. Nothing is mine!
Notes: This is a quick, one-shot angsty "missing scene" that I think we should have gotten during "Covenant." It takes place after Lionel's trial but before the final :30 seconds. It kinda wrote itself in the half hour after the episode had ended and I had to post it. I don't intend at the moment to make it more than a one shot, but once I finish some other writing, I might be persuaded to write the story that could ensue. Either way, hopefully, this fits with character and the Chlex chemistry that's so DARNED obvious to all who watch!!
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I wish it hadn't come to this."
Lex knew his voice sounded strained, but after the hell of the day they had all been through, he could only hope she understood how serious he was.
"I know, Lex, but it had to be done. I refuse to live under Lionel's thumb. You shouldn't have to either and now, you might stand a chance."
Chloe smiled sadly as he looked at her curiously, obviously waiting for an explanation.
"A chance at what, Chloe?"
Lex did not try to hide his confusion as she stepped closer, oblivious to the people moving past them as the courthouse emptied after what was already being dubbed the "Trial of the Century."
Chloe looked directly into his eyes before replying. "Of becoming the man you truly were meant to be, the opposite of your father."
Luthor's did not cry, but he came close to tearing up as he heard the conviction in her voice and read the belief in her eyes. It was humbling in a way, frightening in another as he realized how much confidence this girl, no, woman, had put in him. What she had risked for him, not to mention herself. Which made it all the more unfair what she would now have to endure.
"Chloe, I wish there were another way--"
"There isn't. You know Lionel won't stop until we're dead. This is the only way we can live without the fear of retribution. It's the only way we will truly ever be free."
Chloe felt the lump in her throat growing as she realized what she was about to do-and for whom. But looking into his eyes, reading the emotions he could not put into words, she could not find it in herself to harbor any regret.
"It's so unfair to you--"
"Life's unfair, Lex, you should know that better than anyone." She cut off his protest by placing a finger over his lips. She tried not to shudder at the bolt of electricity that shot down her arm at the touch of his lips on the pad of her finger. "I don't regret what I did. Lionel is going to prison and Lord willing, he won't be getting out within this life or the next. That makes it all worth it."
Lex did not know how to respond, realizing that Chloe meant every word. She was doing this for him as well as herself, with no ulterior motive. Again, he felt humbled by her actions.
"I told you I'd protect you--"
"You already have, Lex." Chloe allowed a solitary tear to slip down her cheek as she felt his hand come to rest on her waist as he leaned in closer.
"By making you leave your friends, your life, everything you know and love--"
"But I'll be free. So will you." She smiled through the tears as she reached up to cup his cheek with her hand. "That's worth the price, don't you think?"
/Not if it means losing you/
Lex almost wished he had the courage to speak the words aloud, but considering the state of things at the moment, he knew it would be the worst thing he could do. How he wished differently!
"Chloe, sweetie, we need to go."
Turning at the sound of her father's voice, Chloe nodded before turning back to Lex. The tears flowed freely as she looked into his eyes, filled with guilt and perhaps something else, something that started her heart fluttering with something resembling hope.
"I have to go, Lex." Her breath caught as she felt his thumbs rub across her cheeks, catching the tears as they fell.
"I'm going to miss you, Chloe Sullivan."
Lex felt something inside him shatter at the look in her eyes as she tried to smile at him through her tears.
"I'm going to miss you too, Lex. Take care of yourself." She paused, making sure she had his full attention before continuing. "Don't fall into his trap, he'll bring you down any way he can, despite the fact you're his son and he is in jail."
Lex nodded, still stroking her cheeks as they stared into each other's eyes. He didn't want to let her go, unwilling to admit this could be the last time he ever saw her. The clearing of a throat alerted him that time was short and they were still in a very public place. Feeling as if he were losing something precious, he started to pull away, only to be stopped by her hands on his cheeks.
Chloe knew it was stupid and foolish, but she had to, just once. Leaning up, she brought her lip to his, whimpering as his arms wrapped tightly around her and his lips opened against hers. The kiss was hard and frantic, both knowing it would never happen again. Uncaring of what those around them might say, they continued to devour each other, each knowing it wouldn't matter.
After today, Chloe Sullivan would no longer exist.
When he finally pulled back, Lex was gasping for breath, his body alive in ways it had never been in all his 24 years. He wanted to call her back as she smiled through the tears and turned towards her father, who had a resigned expression on his face.
"Goodbye, Lex." Chloe knew her heart was in her eyes and her words as her father led her to the waiting car.
"I will find you, Chloe. Whatever it takes, when this is truly over, I will find you."
Lex knew it was a rash promise, knew he most likely could not keep it for numerous reasons. But as he watched her walking away from him, the feel of her lips against his still foremost in his mind, her sparkling eyes filled with tears and something else he wasn't ready to name, he realized that only an act of God would keep him from fulfilling that promise.
Chloe felt something break and mend in her heart at the same time at his words. Managing a small wave, she turned back to him, her final words for his ears only, drifting to him as if a whisper on the morning air.
"I'll be waiting."
It was a promise she did not know if she could keep, but watching him watching her, she made a vow to herself to keep it, no matter what the cost. With one final wave, she stepped into the car and the door closed behind her.
Lex stood staring after her until the car disappeared from his sight, before turning and squaring his shoulders. There was business to be taken care of and the sooner it was over, the sooner he could get on with his life-with Chloe. Feeling only slightly comforted, he walked back into the courthouse.
~*~*~*~*~
The End... (for now)