A Clean Pair Of Eyes (18/R)

[ruafair]

A Clean Pair of Eyes
Author: RuaFair (AKA Fiona)
Email: redwitchire@yahoo.co.uk
Rating: R
Spoilers: Everything to date to be safe-Season 1 & 2
Disclaimer: Smallville and its characters belong to someone else. (Sigh) I’m just borrowing them.
Feedback: Please, let me know what you think, the muse craves it.

A/N: This starts during the season 1 finale and the season 2 opener. Every thing from then on is AU and some of the storylines have been mutated for my needs one being the plant was never going to be closed. This is dedicated to everyone who has read and reviewed my other fics. I hope you enjoy it. The title is taken from a David Gray song.



Chapter One – Into Darkness

“Alexander, ALEXANDER,” Lionel Luthor’s voice rang through the mansion. Windows had been blown in, scattering the floor with shards of glass. Although the tornado had been building for a while, it had hit the mansion with great speed and ferocity.

As he trawled over rubble and upturned furniture, Lionel kept calling Lex’s name. His voice growing more panicked with each utterance. “Damn it Alexander, aren’t you a little old for hiding from me?” He was starting to feel a little angry as well. He refused to entertain the notion that his son was lying dead somewhere.

Precariously he made his way to the library. “Jesus,” he muttered when he saw the devastation. This room seemed to have borne the most damage. Lionel was turning to leave when he heard a soft groan. He paused, trying to decide if he imagined it or not.

After a moment he heard it again. “Lex,” he whispered, and made his way towards where the sound had come from. When he had clambered over upturned bookcases he was greeted with the sickening sight of his son, the lower half of his body covered with a bookcase. Blood flowed from a large gash at the front of his head. Lionel knelt down by his son’s side. “Lex,” he said, “LEX.” His voice rising, but the younger man didn’t move.

Lionel glared at the bookcase that partially lay atop his son as if the power of the Luthor glare could move it. He pushed and pulled at it but Lex started whimpering in pain through his unconsciousness, so he stopped.

He laid an awkward hand on the top of Lex’s head. “Please Lex, wake up. You have to be ok.” His voice wrought with the kind of emotion he was famous for not possessing. Fishing in his pocket for his cell-phone, he called for an ambulance.

He remained kneeling there by Lex’s side while he waited. Lionel didn’t know how much time had actually passed when a voice rang out. “Is there anyone there?” Composing himself Lionel shouted, “We are in here.”

Two paramedics came into the library. “Over here,” said Lionel when he saw them. Moving as quickly as they could of the debris they reached him. One of the paramedics began examining Lex. “His breathing is very erratic and his heart rate is very slow. There is no response to any stimulus.

“Are you ok Mr Luthor?” the other paramedic asked Lionel.

“I’m fine,” he snapped, the *real* Lionel Luthor making his appearance, “I am not the one unconscious.”

The man tending to Lex has placed a brace around his neck and managed to stoop the bleeding from his head. “Ok, I’ve give him something for the pain and he’s as stable as we can make him,” he said to Lionel.

“So why aren’t you moving him?” he demanded.

“Mr Luthor, your son’s legs are trapped, if we move him without the proper equipment we could be contributing more to whatever damage he’s already been caused,” said the senior paramedic. “Or would you rather your son paralysed?” He was getting tired of Lionel’s tone.

“I’d be very, very careful about what tone you use with me,” said a threatening Lionel.

“The fire department are here now with their equipment,” the younger paramedic said, hoping to stop the other two from coming to blows. As he spoke the four men and women of the Smallville Fire Department entered the room. The three men stood back out of the way as the fire service moved in to lift the bookcase that Lex was pinned under. Lionel watched them as they moved slowly and methodically.

“Hurry up,” he snapped, “get him out.”

Everyone just ignored Lionel and concentrated on Lex. Finally after what seemed like forever to Lionel, the bookcase was lifted and moved off his son.

As soon as he was clear the paramedics examined his again and then gently lifted him onto a stretcher. Gingerly, they moved through the rubble to the ambulance outside. When they had secured Lex in the back, Lionel got in and they left for the hospital.

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Chloe sat as still as she could while the nurse tended to her wounds. After Clark had run out on her at the dance she, foolishly, went looking for him. While heading for her car she got hit by some falling branches. She wasn’t badly injured just some cuts and bruises. But her heart and her pride were a lot more damaged.

“There you go dear,” said the nurse with a kind smile, “all cleaned up.”

“Thanks,” said Chloe. She got down from the examination table and moved to the waiting area till her dad arrived to collect her.

‘Damn Clark Kent,’ she thought, ‘I am never going to forgive him. That’s it I’m not sure I even want to be friends with him after this.’

Chloe got bored very quickly and decided to take a walk around the hospital. She caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror. She was still clad in her prom dress, although it looked a little worse for wear now. Her once carefully styled hair was now a mess around her face. “Yeah right, like Clark would *ever* pick me over the perfect Lana Lang,” she whispered to her reflection.

She turned the corner and then she saw him. He was standing, staring in the window of a room. His tuxedo was dusty and torn in places. Quietly she moved up beside and peered in. There, lying in a bed was Lana. ‘God, even lying there she manages to look all perfect and tragic,’ thought Chloe. Taking a deep breath she spoke, “is she going to be ok?”

Clark dragged his eyes from Lana and turned to Chloe. “Yes, a few bumps and bruises and a slight concussion.” He paused for a moment, “look Chloe, I’m sorry about…”

“Save it Clark,” she interrupted, “I’m sure in *your* mind you have a perfectly good reason for breaking your *promise* to me but personally, I don’t care anymore.”

“But Chloe, it was Lana…”

“That’s just it Clark, it’s always Lana. Look I’m glad she’s ok but I’ve had it. Have you even noticed that I’m slightly bruised and battered? No, of course not, because *Lana* is hurt. I’m a sick and tired of settling for being second best.”

“What…what are you saying Chlo?”

“I think we shouldn’t spend so much time together Clark, well for a while anyway. I’m only going to end up hating you and despite everything, I don’t want that too happen. So outside of school we aren’t going to hang out. I don’t know how long for but it will be for the best in the long run.”

Taking advantage of Clark’s silence she turned to walk away. She could feel tears fill her eyes, but refused to let the fall, she didn’t want him to see her cry.

“Chloe,” he whispered. But she kept on walking, not in the least bit surprised that he didn’t follow her. Chin up she walked out of sight, her heart aching.

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Lionel stood looking over his son as he lay in the hospital bed. There had been no spinal damage and Lionel had breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor told him there would be no paralysis. Lex hadn’t woken up yet, but Lionel was confident that everything was fine. Lex’s pale skin was marred with bruises, and Lionel couldn’t help but notice how much younger than his 22 years he looked just lying there.

He had called in a specialist form Metropolis just to be sure; he was due in Smallville in the morning. He left the room to make some calls and bumped right into Chloe. “Oops I’m sorry,” she said and then gasped when she saw who it was.

“You should watch were you are going,” said Lionel, glaring at her.

“I said I was sorry Mr Luthor, no need to get your underwear in a twist,” she snapped back. Lionel smirked at her and Chloe wondered how he managed to make it look sinister, while when Lex smirked he made it look sexy.

“Gabe Sullivan,” he said. “Excuse me,” replied Chloe.

“You are Gabe Sullivan’s daughter, aren’t you? The *reporter*.” He said the word reporter like it was a disease or something. “Yes, in answer to both,” she said with a grin.

Lionel was about to reply when a cry came from Lex’s room. He turned and hurried back, closely followed by Chloe. He ran to Lex’s side, while Chloe stood in the door.

“Lex, what’s wrong?” asked Lionel, as the cries got louder.

Lex opened his eyes once more, “I…I can’t,” he rasped, “I can’t see. I’m blind.”



Chapter Two – Angry Words and Strange Conversations

“I’m blind, I’m blind.” Lex kept repeating over and over, the desperation in his voice brought tears to Chloe’s eyes. Lionel just stood there, staring open-mouthed at Lex. Shaking herself out of the trance she seemed to have fallen into, Chloe left the room to find a doctor. She returned moments later, practically dragging the doctor with her.

The doctor immediately went to Lex’s side and tried to calm the young man down so he could examine him. He called for a nurse who came in with a sedative and between the two of them managed to get the needle into Lex's arm. Within seconds, Lex’s body went limp.

“What the hell is wrong with him,” shouted Lionel. “You told me everything was ok.”

“I told you that there was no paralysis Mr Luthor,” replied the doctor. “I also told you that we hadn’t run a complete CAT Scan because *you* wanted to wait for *your* specialist.”

‘He looks ready to explode,’ thought Chloe as she looked at Lionel. A sudden jolt of bravery ran through her and she went over to him. She gently placed her hand on his arm. “Mr Luthor please calm down, you’re not helping Lex,” she said softly.

He turned his head slowly from the doctor and looked down at the small hand on his arm. He brought his eyes to hers and his face softened for a moment as he looked at Chloe. But the moment was fleeting he yanked his arm away as if he had been burnt. “Miss Sullivan this is none of your business. I suggest you leave now.”

“But…” she began.

“NOW Miss Sullivan before I call security,” Lionel all but snarled at her.

Chloe sighed and moved towards the door. “Oh Miss Sullivan.” Chloe turned back to him. “Yes.”

“I expect to see *NONE* of what happened here appearing in any of the papers, including that school rag you write for.”

Chloe said nothing she just turned away and left the room, closing the door behind her. She didn’t close it all the way and stood outside listening.

If it had of been Lionel lying in the bed she would have had no qualms about printing a story. ‘Odious man,’ she thought. But it was Lex, and the naked desperation in his voice still rang in her ears, and her heart went out to him. ‘Blind,’ she thought, ‘poor Lex.’ She didn’t think the proud younger Luthor was going to handle this at all. For someone so in control of absolutely everything this could destroy him. She moved a little closer to the door to see what she could hear.

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“Now doctor, I’ll ask again. What the hell is going on?” Lionel was ready to kill someone and at the moment the doctor in front of him was looking like the perfect victim.

“Mr Luthor, I can’t possibly say without conducting the proper tests…”

“I don’t give a fuck about you and your damn tests,” he shouted. “My son says he’s blind. How much clearer do you want it to be?”

“Your son took a very heavy blow to the head which could have been a factor in the blindness. But we won’t know for sure until the CAT Scan has been performed.”

“Well is it permanent? Can it be fixed?” an impatient Lionel demanded.

“I don’t know Mr Luthor.”

“Wrong answer,” shouted Lionel, “I don’t care how long it takes, start the tests, start them now. And I don’t want them stopped until I know how long this *blindness* is going to last for.”

“But Mr…”

“NOW doctor, or I start withdrawing the very generous donations Luthor-Corp make to this hospital. Start the tests, I have to make a call but I’ll be back soon.”

Chloe moved from her spot outside the door and quickly made her way back to the waiting area. “Chloe, sweetheart, are you ok?” a frantic Gabe said as he pulled her into a hug. “Dad, I’m fine,” she said. Gabe said nothing he just hugged her tighter.

“So are you ready to go home?” he asked, a moment later. Chloe nodded and they turned to leave. “Ah, Mr Sullivan, the very man I was looking for.” Lionel stepped into view and walked up to them.

“Mr Luthor,” said a baffled Gabe.

“My son has had a *slight* accident Gabe,” he said, looking at Chloe. “He’ll be out of action for a little while, so I’ll need you to put in some extra hours at the plant until he’s back on his feet. You will, of course, be compensated for the extra work. I’m trusting that it won’t be a problem.”

“No, not at all,” said Gabe, “I hope he gets better soon.”

“He will,” said Lionel, walking off, “he’s a *Luthor.*”

“Well that was weird,” said Gabe, “do you know what’s going on with Lex?”

“No,” said Chloe, “not a thing.” She hated lying to her dad but if what happened to Lex was going to get out she didn’t want to be the source.

Gabe sighed, “ok, let’s go home sweetie.”

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THE FOLLOWING DAY

Chloe took a deep breath and walked up the steps to the hospital entrance. She hadn’t slept well; visions of Lex had plagued her dreams. She had to find out how he was. So here she was at the hospital under the pretence of seeing how Lana was doing.

As she moved through the building she felt a little apprehensive as she neared Lex’s room. They weren’t exactly friends; they only knew each other because of Clark. And there was another problem, Clark, but she was determined not to fall for his puppy dog look, she was going to stick by what she had said yesterday.

She peeked into Lex’s room and groaned when she saw it was empty. “Damn it,” she muttered. “Ok Sullivan, he might just be gone for some tests or something.” She made her way to Lana’s room. The door was open and Lana was alone.

“Chloe, hey,” she said when she saw her, “come in.”

“Hi Lana, how are you feeling?”

“I’m much better. Thanks to Clark I wasn’t hurt too badly.”

“Yeah, that good old Clark for you, everyone’s super man,” said Chloe sarcastically. Lana just smiled, Chloe’s sarcasm going right over her head.

She was saved from having to make small talk with Lana by the arrival of Clark. “Hey Lana…” he trailed off then he saw Chloe.

“I was just leaving,” said Chloe. “Lana I’m glad you’re feeling better.” She moved past Clark and quickly left the room before he could say anything to her. ‘Well done Chloe,’ she thought to herself and headed back to Lex’s room. When she got there he was lying in the bed. She checked around to make sure the *ogre* also known as Lionel Luthor wasn’t around.

Breathing a sigh of relief when she saw he wasn’t she slowly entered the room. Lex lay motionless in the bed as if asleep. An ugly bruise stood out on his forehead. ‘He looks so pale,’ she thought. ‘Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.’ She started backing out of the room and bumped into a chair. “Shit,” she muttered.

“Who is there?” a soft voice from the bed spoke.

“Hi…Mr Luthor, its Chloe, Chloe Sullivan.”

“Well this is a low I never thought you’d sink too,” he said, “I see your pursuit for a story has no limits.”

“I’m not here to get a story or to interview you,” she said sincerely, “I…I just wanted to see how you were.”

“*See* how I was,” he spat out, “didn’t you hear the news, I can’t *see*.”

“Yes I heard. I was here yesterday.”

“And you then thought you’d come back and see how the mighty have fallen.” His voice was laced with bitterness. Outside the room Lionel stood listening to the conversation.

“Mr Luthor I can’t even imagine to know what you’re going through, and your anger is perfectly understandable. But I only wanted to see how you were, there is no other reason.”

“Well Miss Sullivan you have *seen* now get out. I don’t want your sympathy or pity. I don’t want anyone’s.”

“Mr Luth…”

“GET OUT.”

Chloe turned and practically ran out of the room.

“Giving up so easily.”

She gasped when she saw Lionel. “You don’t strike me as someone who always does what they’re told Miss Sullivan.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lionel took a deep breath. “The tests came up with nothing. Lex is blind and the doctors don’t know if it’s permanent or not. They said it could last a week, month, year, 5 years or the rest of his life.”

Chloe was shocked that *Lionel Luthor* was confiding, for want of a better word, in her. ‘This is surreal,’ she thought.

“I know my son, he’s going to shut himself off from everybody because of this.”

“No offence Mr Luthor, but he pretty much shuts himself off from everybody anyway. Well everyone except Clark.”

“Ah yes the young Mr Kent. If he visits Lex and Lex tells him to get lost and never visit again, what do you think he’ll do?”

“He’ll probably never visit Lex again and mope about it constantly,” said Chloe.

“Exactly,” said Lionel, “my son and I have a…”

“Pretty crappy relationship,” Chloe finished for him.

“Complex relationship,” said Lionel with a glare, “and one of the things the doctor said was that he shouldn’t lock himself away from the world, that if he did it would hinder his recovery. Unfortunately Lex is not going to listen to me, even if I shout and threaten him.”

“Mr Luthor, what are you getting at?”

“Nothing Miss Sullivan, nothing at all,” he said with a smirk, and this time Chloe could see the resemblance to Lex. “Like I said, I don’t think you’re the kind of person to give up. I think rising to the challenge is part of your nature, well that’s what Lex told me about you.”

Lionel turned and entered his son’s room, closing the door behind him.

Chloe stood staring at him, her mind trying to absorb what he was saying. “I need caffeine,” she mumbled. She threw one more look at the closed door and turned to head to the Talon.



Chapter Three – If At First You Don’t Succeed

Chloe sat staring out the window, absently stirring her coffee. It had been two days since her *conversation* with Lionel Luthor. She had gone over every single word of it at least fifty times. And each time she came to the conclusion that he wanted *her* to try and help Lex. And every time she reached that conclusion, one question kept popping up. Why? Why on earth would he want her to help? He didn’t even know her, and come to think of it, neither did Lex. And then that comment about Lex telling him that she didn’t give up easily where had that come from. The thought of Lex talking about her to his father slightly unnerved Chloe.

She hadn’t been anywhere near the hospital since then. Pete had told her that Clark had tried to visit Lex but was told he was accepting no visitors. And as Lionel had rightly pointed out, Clark did as he was told. She had also told Pete about her talk with Clark, he had seen both their sides, as only Pete could, and all he wanted was for his two best friends to be best friends again.

Chloe sighed, with her self-imposed *exile* from Clark she had no other friends bar Pete to talk too. She could hardly confide in Pete about Lex, seeing as he hated everyone and every thing Luthor. Lana was so not an option; they weren’t exactly friends. Normally she would have spoken to Clark about this. ‘I need to make more friends,’ she thought.

“Penny for them.” A voice jolted her back from her thoughts. She looked up and saw Martha Kent sanding there.

“Oh hi Mrs. Kent, sorry I was miles away.”

Martha smiled that motherly smile of hers for a moment before asking; “may I sit down?”

“Sure,” said Chloe, “please do.”

She sat down opposite Chloe. “What had you so deep in thought?”

“Just the events of the last few days,” said Chloe, wondering if Clark had told her about their talk.

“Yes Clark told me,” she said, in answer to Chloe’s unspoken question. “And for what it’s worth I understand what you’re doing. I love my son more than anything, but when is comes to matters of the heart, he’s…” she trailed off.

“A typical guy,” Chloe finished for her with a weak smile.

“Yes,” sighed Martha, “unfortunately.”

“I don’t want to lose him as a friend,” said Chloe softly, “and I’m afraid I’ll end up hating him if I don’t…well…get him out of my system. And I can’t do that if we’re constantly in each other’s company.”

Martha placed her hand over Chloe’s, “I understand Chloe,” she said, squeezing her hand gently.

“Thanks Mrs. Kent. I just hope Clark understands as well.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then Chloe spoke up, “Mrs. Kent, if you’re trying to reach out to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. And it happens to be someone you don’t really know all that well, how do you go about get them to open up?”

“Well Chloe, does this person actually need help?”

“*Very* much so,” said Chloe, “but they are quite proud for one thing, and stubborn and a whole lot more.”

“There’s nothing for you to do, except be persistent. If you really want to help them just don’t give up, keep on and on at them. Be the extremely stubborn Chloe Sullivan that we all know and love.”

Chloe smiled. ‘Well I’ve got my work cut out for me if I go ahead with this,’ she thought.

“Chloe, just make sure that you *want* to help this person before starting down the path, because if your heart isn’t 100% in it, you’re not really going to help them and you will just be wasting your and their time.”

“I understand,” she said with a nod, “and thanks for everything Mrs. Kent.”

“You’re welcome Chloe.”

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Lionel stood staring in the window of the room at Lex. The doctor was checking over his injuries, but it wasn’t the physical injuries that Lionel was worried about; it was the mental ones. He could literally see his son shutting himself off. He had tried shouting at him, throwing his usual demeaning comments and threatening to disinherit him. But Lex just lay there, he wasn’t even sure he had heard a word.

‘Damn it Alexander, now is not the time to start becoming the spineless fool I expected you to turn out like,’ he thought. Granted he had no idea what it was like to be blind, but Lex had already overcome so much, losing his hair in that damn meteor shower and feeling like a freak, losing his mother, almost losing his life to drugs when he was going through his wild playboy phase, handling his *banishment* to Smallville by hating him more, he should be able to conquer this.

The doctors said it might not be permanent; so that was something to aim for. He would pay for all the experts in the world to help Lex see. But if he didn’t believe himself that one day he would there wasn’t anything a damn expert could do. And there was no way he would speak to a therapist.

Lionel sighed as the saw the doctor leave the room shaking his head. Lex was too damn stubborn for his own good; he got that particular *talent* from his mother. He said that Lex could go *home* in a few days. And at the moment he had people at the mansion making some of the rooms easier for Lex to find his way around.

He had, so far, been able to keep the news out of the papers, but those tabloid parasites would find out eventually. And the two security guards at his door kept everyone but the pre-approved medical staff away. Lionel had given them very *strict* instructions on who should and shouldn’t be entering the room.

“Well Lex, you’ve managed to piss the doctor off *again*,” he said, striding into the room. “My heart bleeds for him,” sneered Lex. “When can I get out of here?”

“You can leave in a few more days, they want to run a few more tests.”

“What? They need *all* these tests to confirm I’m blind? Looks like *your* money doesn’t buy the best anymore dad.”

“Please Lex, don’t waste your juvenile sarcasm on me.”

“I bet you’re loving this dad. You’ve got me right where you want me, completely helpless. No way the blind boy is going to overthrow you. Looks like you’ll have to get one of those young girls you like surrounding yourself with pregnant, you know, maybe this time produce a healthy heir, one with all their senses.”

For the first time since this happened Lionel was glad his son couldn’t see. He had no idea how he would of reacted to the look of hurt and anguish that crossed his face at those words. And Lionel realised how Lex felt when he said hurtful things to him.

“Truth hurts, doesn’t it dad?”

“Very tiresome Lex,” he lied, “as much as I hate to end this conversation I have to go check on the plant.”

“Don’t hurry back.”

Lex heard the door open and close and sighed. “I want to die,” he whispered.

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Chloe moved silently through the hospital and found herself coming up to Lex’s room. Two rather large men stood in front of the door. “Shit.” Taking a deep breath she walked towards them, and to her complete surprise they stood out of the way for her.

‘Weird,’ she thought and opened the door, stepped into the room and closed it behind her.

“Back so soon dad.”

“It’s Chloe Sullivan.”

“Get out.”

“No.”

“I want you to leave now Miss Sullivan.”

“Well we can’t always get what we want Mr Luthor. Now there isn’t really a lot you can do, so shut up,” she said, sounding a lot braver than she felt. She pulled a chair closer to his bed. “I believe you’re a fan of poetry, I don’t know what poets you like so I’m going to read you some Shelley, because he’s my favourite.”

“I don’t like Shelley,” said Lex, still not believing that Chloe Sullivan was giving out to him.

“Well tough shit,” she said. She took the volume of poetry out of her bag and began reading; her voice nervous at first but she soon shook that off…

{When The Lamp Is Shattered – Shelley

When the lamp is shattered
The light in the dust lies dead --
When the cloud is scattered,
The rainbow's glory is shed.
When the lute is broken,
Sweet tones are remembered not;
When the lips have spoken,
Loved accents are soon forgot.

As music and splendour
Survive not the lamp and the lute,
The heart's echoes render
No song when the spirit is mute --
No song but sad dirges,
Like the wind through a ruined cell,
Or the mournful surges
That ring the dead seaman's knell.}

Lex closed his eyes and let her voice wash over him, and for a little while tried to forget what was happening as he pictured the cute blonde in his mind.

She continued to read,

{When hearts have once mingled,
Love first leaves the well-built nest;
The weak one is singled
To endure what it once possessed.
O Love! who bewailest
The frailty of all things here,
Why choose you the frailest
For your cradle, your home, and your bier?

Its passions will rock thee,
As the storms rock the ravens on high;
Bright reason will mock thee,
Like the sun from a wintry sky.
From thy nest every rafter
Will rot, and thine eagle home
Leave thee naked to laughter,
When leaves fall and cold winds come.}

And soon heard his breathing even out, indicting he had fallen asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief and moved onto the next poem.
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Lionel stood outside the room looking in and listening. He smiled gently and turned to leave as he heard her begin the second poem.



Chapter Four – One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

“Done and done,” said a satisfied Chloe. She had just finished putting the final touches to the post-tornado edition of the Torch. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes; she rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on from staring at the computer screen too long.

She thought back to yesterday at the hospital. She still couldn’t believe she had sounded off at Lex Luthor and even more unbelievable was that he *let* her. Granted if he hadn’t of been so obviously tired she wouldn’t have gotten away with it. She had read for about an hour after he had fallen asleep and then stopped when her voice started to get hoarse. And then for some strange reason that she didn’t want to dwell on she had just sat there for about another hour staring at him.

She had watched him sleep, sure Chloe had always thought Lex was good looking but last night she had come to the conclusion that, even with the almost faded bruises on his face, he was beautiful. Pale to the point of being almost ethereal and current situation notwithstanding Lex gave off this air of, well, greatness. Here was a man that commanded your attention; he made it impossible for you to ignore him.

Her conversation with Martha Kent ran through her head as she sat looking at him. Chloe *wanted* to help him, and part of what Lionel Luthor had said to her about not giving up had contributed to that. Sometimes she was too stubborn for her own good. But that wasn’t the main reason; in fact Chloe couldn’t quite put her finger on what the main reason was. She did feel a little sorry for him, but it wasn’t pity that was driving her.

Also the elder Mr Luthor was up too something, she knew he was behind the security guards letting her into Lex’s room. They had refused entry to everyone else, including Clark, so it had to be on Lionel orders that she was allowed pass. What he was up to she couldn’t even comprehend, this was Lionel Luthor; the man who ate large corporations for breakfast and demeaned his son for dessert; she didn’t even want to know what was going on in his head.

But why did it seem to involve her? He didn’t even know her. What the hell was going on?

“Argh, too many thoughts,” she muttered to herself, throwing her hands up in the air, “I wish my brain would shut down sometimes.”

“And then where would we be?” a voice from the doorway sounded.

Chloe turned quickly in her chair and saw a grinning Pete standing there. “Way to give me a heart attack,” she said, grinning back.

“Talking to yourself again Chlo, not a good sign.”

‘Nobody else too,’ she thought. “So Pete I take it you’re here to take me for a coffee.”

Pete’s face fell, “I’m not, I just dropped bye to say hello, I’m meeting Vicki and then hooking up with Clark and Lana, we are sort of going on a…”

“Double date,” prompted Chloe, feeling a little left out.

“Yeah it’s Clark and Lana’s first and they…” mumbled Pete. “Look Chlo, it’s not like we…”

“Hey Pete, it’s ok. I mean you have your life as do Clark and Lana, you guys are all friends why shouldn’t you all got out?”

“So you’re cool about this,” he asked.

Chloe plastered what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face and nodded.

“Ok, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Bye.”

“Bye Pete.”

“Yep you have your lives and I have…none,” she whispered when he had left.

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“Doctor Jennings, Lionel Luthor is waiting for you in your office.”

“Thank you Janet,” he said to his secretary. He took a deep breath and stepped in. “Mr Luthor, what can I do for you?”

“Your job, would be a good start,” replied Lionel.

“Mr Luthor, I am not a miracle worker.”

“We can discuss your inadequacies at another time,” said Lionel. “ I want to take my son home.”

“There are still more tests that…”

“I’m sorry doctor maybe I didn’t make myself clear, let me rephrase for you. I’m *taking* my son home. His external injuries are all but healed; I have organised for a specialist to stay for any help he may need with this blindness. So, you will sign the release form and I can then stop wasting my time here.”

The doctor sighed, “very well Mr Luthor, you can take him home this evening. All the paperwork should be completed by 8.00pm.”

“Perfect,” said Lionel and left the office, heading in the direction of Lex’s room.

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Lex lay in his bed staring up at what he guessed was the ceiling. All he could *see* was blackness. He was scared, although he would never admit that anyone, he was scared of what was happening, of what was going to happen. His life was over. ‘Well at least I’ve spent more time with good old dad in that last few days that I have in the last six months,’ he thought sarcastically.

His mind drifted back to Chloe Sullivan. She had pretty much taken up residence in his thoughts since yesterday. They way she spoke back to him, the slight nervous hitch in her voice when she first began reading the poem, how her voice grew in confidence with each word, how he had fallen asleep with her face in his mind.

“Jesus Lex, being blind does not give you a licence to get all soppy over some high school girl who was only here out of pity.” He said to himself. He needed to stay angry; anger was the only emotion that made him feel alive. Everything else was dead, dead like his eyes. He was exhausted yesterday when she had called, that’s why he had let her continue. Lex kept telling himself this; he needed to fuel the anger.

“Who’s there?” he said, as he heard the door open.

“You’re leaving here later,” his father’s voice sounded, “you’re moving back to the mansion.”

‘NO,’ his mind screamed. He didn’t want to go back to the mansion, he wanted to leave Smallville; he wanted to get as far away as he could.

“Well Lex, nothing to say. I didn’t think the thought of going *home* would render you speechless.”

“It’s not my home, it’s a pile of bricks that *you* spent a ridiculous amount of money on,” said Lex, “I thought *I’d* be heading back to Metropolis.”

“Why?” asked Lionel, “aren’t all your *friends* here? Wouldn’t you rather stay here in Smallville?”

“So I can be the main freak in your little zoo. I don’t fucking think so.”

“Stop being so childish Alexander, it’s becoming very tiresome,” snapped Lionel, he was starting to lose his own temper. “I don’t care whether you want to stay or not, at 8.00pm this evening you will be leaving this hospital and coming back to the mansion. Do I make myself clear?” He all but roared the last part.

“What’s that dad? Do I hear *emotion* in your voice?”

“Don’t push me Lex. I’ll be back at 8.00pm.” And with that he stormed out.

“Missing you already,” Lex sneered in the direction of the door.

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“You are pathetic Chloe Sullivan,” she said, “you have been sitting in your car for almost an hour, in front of the hospital, trying to work up the courage to go in.” She didn’t know why she was reluctant; she had done it yesterday.

“Right that’s it.” She got out of her car and walked purposely towards the hospital main entrance. But as she got closer to Lex’s room, her bravado started to fade a little. Yesterday she had the poetry book; today she decided not to bring anything. ‘Yeah like you’ll dazzle him with your wit and charm,’ she thought.

The security guards saw her approach and moved out of her way, she gave them both a small smile and entered the room.

“Lex,” she said gently.

“Ah Miss Sullivan, I was wondering when you’d show up again.” Chloe tensed slightly at his tone of voice.

“How are you doing?” she asked, cringing the moment the question left her lips.

“You’re a smart girl. Take a *wild* guess. I’m lying here useless and blind, you do the math.”

“Just because you can’t see doesn’t mean you still can’t do things.”

“Oh really, and you became an expert on this when? Miss Sullivan; don’t take yesterday’s momentary lapse of reason on my part as a sign of things to come. Why don’t you run along to Clark? Oh wait, he’s probably saving someone life or fawning over the lovely Miss Lang. So which is it?”

‘Bastard,’ she thought. “He’s…he’s out with Lana,” she said, cursing the stammer in her voice.

“So poor Chloe was left all alone *again* and decided to visit the freak.”

“I don’t think that. Being blind doesn’t make you a freak.”

“Just because your friends don’t want your company, doesn’t mean I do. What on earth could *I* have in common with some little girl who chases meteor stories? Although now I’m a freak maybe you could find a spot on your wall for me.” Lex was furious, everything over the last few days had been building to this, his anger needed to be directed at someone and unfortunately for Chloe that someone was she.

She began to cry, that quip about her friends hit a nerve. “Congratulations Mr Luthor, you’ve managed to turn into your father.” And with a sob she ran out of the room and straight into Lionel.

He saw her tears and was about to speak but she ran off before he could. “Damn it,” he whispered and headed into the room.

“Back for *more* Chloe?”

The sound of hands clapping answered his question, followed by his father’s voice. “Well Lex, it takes a real *man* to make a teenage girl cry. You’ve made me proud son,” sarcasm dripping from every word.

Lex said nothing.

“What’s wrong Lex, do you only have insults that can be directed at teenagers?” Still he remained silent. “Let’s get you home.”



Chapter Five – Hurricane Chloe

Lex had been back *home* for three days now. And he had yet to go anywhere other than the 2 rooms that had been set up for him. Nobody came near him. His only *visitors* were his father, a maid who brought him his meals, which he hardly touched, and the *specialist* Lionel had ordered to help him cope with his blindness.

But the majority of the time he was alone. And while that never really bothered Lex before, now being alone meant every word hurtful word he had said to Chloe rang out clearly in his mind. The stubborn, angry part of him refused to feel guilty for what he said that quip she made about turning into his father hurt. But that part was being muffled out by his conscience. Even though he couldn’t see her face he could easily imagine the look of hurt that was on it. He had heard the pain in her voice and the tears.

‘She was only being friendly,’ a voice inside him spoke him. ‘I don’t want her friendship,” he whispered back. “It’s not a question of wanting it,’ the voice spoke up again, ‘you *need* it.’

“Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP,” he screamed.

Lionel stood outside the room, listening to Lex shouting at whatever demon that had decided to bother him today. He was getting decidedly worried, Lex was barely touching his food, and he refused to even speak to the specialist. His entire tone was full of anger and sarcasm.

“Mr Luthor,” a timid voice spoke up.

“Yes Maria,” he said turning to the maid.

“Sir, there is a Clark Kent at the door asking to see young Mr Luthor. What should I tell him?”

“Tell him to get…No wait a moment, show him in and let him see Lex.”

The maid threw him a strange look before heading off to let Clark in.

Moments later the maid led Clark through the mansion to the door of Lex’s room. She knocked on the door once and opened it. Clark walked in and she closed it behind him, scurrying off without saying a word.

“Who’s there?” Lex voice sounded.

“Hey Lex it’s me, I came to see how you were. I heard you had been let out of hospital.”

Lex turned to face Clark, trying to focus his useless eyes on exactly where his voice was coming from. “Go away Clark, I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

Clark stood staring at him; he shifted on his feet a little. Sure he heard the rumours that where floating around Smallville about what was wrong. Everything from Lex being crushed by the tornado, to lying in a coma with brain damage, that the tornado hadn’t injured him at all that he was actually recovering from a drug overdose. The most common rumour was that Lex was in a wheelchair.

‘His eyes,’ thought Clark. He noticed that Lex wasn’t really looking *at* him. Feeling kind of stupid Clark began waving his hand in front of Lex’s face. There was no reaction from the other man. He gasped, “You’re blind.”

“Give the farm boy a prize,” said Lex, “now get out.”

“Oh my god Lex, I’m so sorry.”

“Why Clark? Why are *you* sorry? Where you the cause of it?”

“Why didn’t you say anything Lex? Have you any idea of the rumours going around about you?”

“You think I care about rumours? I don’t give a fuck about them; they can say what they like. “

“What have the doctors said? Is it permanent? Can I do anything for you?”

“Yes you can do something for me Clark, you can get out and not come back. Run along and play with your friends. I’m sure Miss Lang has broken a fingernail or something and needs your help. Or maybe Miss Sullivan has a meteor story for you to investigate.” Lex heard Clark sigh ever so softly at the mention of Chloe.

“Lex why are you being like this? We’re friends, I want to help you.”

Lex let out a bitter laugh, “well Clark unless you can make me see again there’s nothing I want from you. And that includes your friendship. Now for the last time GET OUT.”

“Lex.”

“NOW Clark and don’t come back.” Lex turned his back to Clark who stood in shock for a moment. He sighed deeply and slowly walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He gave the door one final look and walked down the corridor and out of the mansion.

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Clark made his way to the Talon and as he was heading towards Lana, he spotted Chloe sitting on her at the back, a very forlorn expression on her face. They hadn’t spoken more than two words to each other since that night at the hospital. He missed his friend. He went over to her, “hey Chloe,” he said softly.

She looked up at him, “oh hi Clark.” And then immediately started staring at her coffee again. Clark was worried, he had never seen Chloe so…so quiet and reserved, she was always so full of life.

“I’ve just been to see Lex,” he said, sliding into the chair opposite her.

Chloe’s head snapped up at the sound of Lex’s name. “Oh…and how, how is he?”

“He’s blind Chloe, can you believe it…blind.” Clark was a little taken aback by the lack of surprise on Chloe’s face to his announcement. “Chloe, Lex is blind.”

“I know,” she said, “no need to tell me three times.”

“What…when…how?” he stammered.

“I know he’s blind, since the night it happened, I was at the hospital at the time,” she said in answer to questions.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Well Clark, firstly it wasn’t my place to say and Lionel Luthor asked me not to, secondly he’s *your* friend, and thirdly…thirdly you’ve been preoccupied with Lana.”

“He’s really down Chlo,” said Clark, moving away from getting into an argument with her about Lana. “I don’t think he’s eating, he wouldn’t talk to me and shouted at me to get out and said he didn’t want my friendship.”

“Yeah, well, he’s always been an asshole,” murmured Chloe.

“Come on Chloe, cut him some slack, he’s blind.”

“Yes Clark, blind, not dead, and that still doesn’t give him the right to be a complete bastard to everyone, especially those who just want to help.” She refused to take out her anger for Lex on Clark. She was already mad at herself for letting what Lex had said get to her so badly. After she’d left the hospital and got home, she had cried herself to sleep. Something she hadn’t done since her mom left.

“It must be really hard for him,” lamented Clark.

“Yeah, well we all have our handicaps to overcome each day Clark. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to be somewhere.” And with that she stood up and walked out, leaving an open-mouthed Clark staring after her.

--------------------------------------------------

“Please wait here,” the maid told Chloe before she shuffled off. The minute she left the Talon she had got in her car and headed straight for the Luthor mansion. She was Chloe Sullivan and she wasn’t go to let anyone speak to her like that not even Lex Luthor. He was going to get a piece of her mind.

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“What is it now Maria?” said Lionel.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, but that young woman you said might call, Miss Sullivan, well she is here.”

‘Interesting,’ thought Lionel. “Very well Maria, you may show her to Lex’s room.”

--------------------------------------------------

Five minutes later Chloe was standing outside the door to Lex’s rooms. The maid had left her there. Taking a couple of deep breaths she opened the door and stepped in. She saw him immediately, sitting in a large armchair, eyes closed.

She closed the door loudly, causing Lex to slightly jump. “I said I didn’t want anything to eat Maria,” he said.

“That’s good to hear because I haven’t go anything for you,” she replied.

“Miss Sullivan, never put you down as a glutton for punishment, but then again fawning after Clark all this time…” he trailed off.

“Mr Luthor, don’t take my momentary lapse of reasoning the last time as a sign of things to come, I was exhausted and not my usual self,” she said, throwing his words back in his face.

Outside the room, Lionel was listening intently to what was going on, and smirked at Chloe’s response.

“First off,” she continued, “I wouldn’t let my *dad* speak to me the way you did. How dare you? You don’t know me, and with the exception of Clark, you don’t know my friends. Just because you have none doesn’t mean you can use it as an excuse to belittle those who have. And as for my relationship with them, news flash, it’s none of your business. All I was doing was trying to be a friend, you know it’s the kind of thing *normal* human beings do. But oh no, the mighty Lex Luthor is above the rules that govern us mere mortals. You’re blind, and while that is tragic it’s not the end of the world.”

“How would you know?” interrupted Lex, trying to get control of the conversation.

“Ok so *I’m* not blind, but there are hundreds of thousands of people around the world who are, and are they locking themselves away in their mansions, well ok they probably can’t afford mansions, but that’s not the point. The point is your life is not over, you are blind, not dead. You’d swear you were the only person in the world afflicted with this, well get over yourself, you’re not. These other people manage to live their lives with as much normality as they can. They have jobs, relationships, jeez Lex they even manage to have *friends*, as alien as that concept may seem to you. You’re young, healthy and you have the kind of money that makes you better off than most people that have all their senses.”

“I want you out of here,” said Lex, his voice lacking any conviction.

“What’s wrong Lex, can’t take it. Oh it’s ok for you to totally make someone feel about 2 inches tall, but it seems you’re not *man* enough to take it yourself.”

Lionel stood listening intently, not quite believing that this slip of a girl was talking to Lex the way she was. Part of him was impressed.

“Well Lex, nothing to say, no smart answer or demeaning comment,” she said. She didn’t feel angry anymore, she just felt tired. “I guess not,” she said when he had remained silent for a while.

She walked back to the door and opened it, but before stepping out she turned to face Lex again. “I’ve heard a lot of words used to describe you Lex, a few of them good, a lot of them bad, and even some complementary,” she took a deep breath before continuing, “but I never thought I would add the word *pathetic* to that list.” And with that she left, closing the door behind her.

Lionel stood out of sight and watched as she walked off his admiration for the young woman increasing ten-fold.

Back in his room, Lex sank to his knees when he heard the door close, tears spilling down his face. “Chloe,” he whispered.


Chapter Six – Starting Again

It had been 48 hours since Chloe Sullivan had read the riot act to Lex. Lionel had refrained from visiting him, wanting his son to mull over the words that had been directed at him. Lex needed someone to be hard on him and hammer home a few home truths. But over the years he had built up an immune system to almost all of Lionel’s tirades, so when he started, Lex just ignored him.

The same with doctors, specialist’s etc, well pretty much anybody in an authoritative role, Lex wasn’t going to listen to a damn thing they said. But it still surprised Lionel, and it had been a *very* long time since anyone or anything had surprised him, that a seventeen-year-old girl would be the one to let him have it. And she had been brutal, she didn’t hold back at all. Lionel knew that his son and Chloe didn’t know each other that well, but Lex did talk about her. Any time he mentioned Clark, he was sure to mention Chloe as well.

Lionel reached the door to Lex’s room and was about to walk in when he heard voices. Lex was talking to Doctor Matthew Ford, the specialist he had paid a large amount of money for to come and talk to Lex about *adjusting* to blindness. ‘Now there’s an interesting development,’ he thought. When Dr. Ford had first arrived, Lex did nothing but shout abuse at him and refuse to listen to a word he said.

His son was strong, Lionel knew that, and he had complete confidence that he would overcome this. Deciding not to interrupt them, Lionel slipped away to ring Gabe Sullivan to check on things at the plant.

--------------------------------------------------

“So Lex, if it’s ok with you we can start with direction, first inside the rooms you have, then around the house,” said Dr. Ford.

“Yes fine,” said Lex, trying not to snap at the man.

“Good, well tomorrow morning we’ll start.” And with that, Dr. Ford said his goodbyes and left.

Lex sighed in relief when he heard the door closed. ‘God that was tough,’ he thought. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the armchair. He had been talking for about an hour with Ford, and the effort he had exerted to keep his anger in check had made him exhausted.

“I am *not* pathetic,” he murmured to himself. ‘Yes you are,’ the voice inside spoke up. That voice had become a lot louder and more insistent since Chloe had been here and it also seemed to sound like her too. He had thought very long and hard over every single word she had said. Which wasn’t very difficult since they all seemed to be tattooed on his brain, he couldn’t forget them even if he tried.

Every thing she had said was true and that’s what hurt. The clock chimed 4.00pm jarring him from his thoughts. Lex reached out and felt his way around the table for the phone, he picked up the receiver and picturing the numbers in his head dialled the number to the Torch Office. It rang a couple of times.

“Hello, Chloe here,” she answered.

Lex hung up the phone. “Ok maybe I am pathetic,” he whispered. He sat still for a moment, his hand still on the phone. “This is ridiculous,” he said, “I said terrible things to her and she said terrible things to me, get over it Lex.” He put the receiver to his ear and dialled the number again.

“Hello, Chloe here,” she answered cheerfully after a few rings.

Lex stayed silent. “Hello,” she said again, “anyone there.”

“Chloe,” he blurted out.

“Yes, who’s this?”

“It’s…its Lex Luthor.”

“What do *you* want?” she said, her tone changing completely.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if you wanted to… talk?” He said.

“I think you and I have said all we are going to say to each other Mr Luthor, and I’m not really in the mood for another round. So why don’t you find someone else to demean.”

Lex cringed slightly at her words and thought carefully about his response. “Look Chloe, you and I both said things in the heat of the moment that we shouldn’t off.”

“I don’t know about you,” she interrupted, “but *I* meant every word I said. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some work I need to get done.”

“Please Chloe.”

It was the word *please* that stopped Chloe from hanging up on him. “Well ok talk then,” she said after a moment.

There was no answer from the other end of the phone. “You know Mr Luthor, talking usually requires you to open your mouth and say words.”

“I can’t think of anything to say,” he admitted.

“Well there’s a first,” she replied, her voice still a little guarded.

“I was wondering if you would call by the mansion on your way home,” he said, “it might be easier.”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea, like I said before I don’t want to get into another bout with you,” she said.

“Please Chloe, I promise it won’t turn into that, I just…I just want to *talk*, no shouting, no snide remarks or comments,” he didn’t even bother to try and hide the slight note of pleading in his voice.

Chloe sighed deeply, “Ok, I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”

“Thank you,” he said. “Thirty minutes then.”

“Bye Mr Luthor.”

“Goodbye Chloe.” And he hung up the phone, feeling slightly better.

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Chloe put down the phone and stared at it for a few minutes. “Did I enter some weird alternate reality,” she said, “because that’s the *only* explanation I have for what just happened.”

She saved the document she had been working on and shut down her computer. She put on her jacket and grabbed her bag. Switching off the lights she made her way out of the school to her car. “If Lex Luthor makes *one* derogatory comment or if he looks like he’s even *thinking* of one, I am slapping him in the face and walking out of there,” she decided. “And I will never, ever speak to him again.”

That decided she started her car and headed for the Luthor mansion.

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Lex had been literally counting the seconds in his head since he had put down the phone. He didn’t know what had possessed him to ask her to come over. But he was telling the truth when he said that he couldn’t think of anything to talk about.

And sitting here waiting for Chloe to arrive he racked his brain for a good conversation starter. ‘This is crazy,’ he thought, ‘I have never had a problem with words before.’

‘How about starting with an apology?’ the annoying inner voice of his conscience piped up.

“Fat chance of that happening,” murmured Lex, “I’ll *think* about apologising when *she* apologies.”

‘Then your *talk* will never get going,’ the voice retorted.

“Stop it, I refuse to have an argument with myself.”

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”This way Miss Sullivan,” said the maid, and Chloe followed her through the house. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest.

“Maria, has my son had…” Lionel trailed off as he saw Chloe.

“Had what Mr Luthor?” said Maria.

“Doesn’t matter,” said Lionel dismissively, “that will be all Maria, I will escort Miss Sullivan to Lex.”

Maria looked between Lionel and Chloe before shrugging her shoulders and leaving the two of them.

“What makes you think I’m here to see Lex?” asked Chloe.

“Because I seriously doubt you are here to see *me* Miss Sullivan.”

‘Did he just make a joke,’ thought Chloe, ‘did Lionel, the devil incarnate, Luthor just make a joke?’

“You look a little startled Miss Sullivan. Is every thing ok?” He asked.

“No Mr Luthor, not really. I think I’ve stumbled into the twilight zone, that or someone spiked my coffee with some drugs that are making me have a very strange trip…” she said, confusion evident on her face.

Lionel smirked. “Well here we are,” he said when they reached Lex’s room. “I’m sure you know the rest of the way yourself. Nice seeing you again Miss Sullivan.” He turned on his heel and walked off.

Chloe shook her head, took a deep breath and knocked gently on the door. “Come in,” she heard Lex say. She opened the door and stepped in.

“Chloe?”

“Yes Mr Luthor it’s me.”

“Please have a seat.”

Chloe moved and sat in the armchair opposite the one Lex was in. They sat in silence for a moment; the only sounds were the clock ticking and the fire crackling. “Mr Luthor I could be sitting in silence at home, and without the awkward tension,” she said.

Lex turned his head in the direction of her voice, his unseeing eyes on her face. “I’m sorry Chloe,” he said softly, “I’m sorry for what I said, I was angry, yes, but that still gave me no right to take it out on you.”

“Ok, I wasn’t expecting that,” said a shocked Chloe. There was an expectant look on Lex’s face as he waited for her to continue. “Hey if you are waiting for me to apologise Mr Luthor you will be waiting a long time.”

“But…”

“But what? You were acting like an asshole, and you needed to be told. I’m not going to say I’m sorry for speaking the truth.”

Lex said nothing, ‘she’s right you know,’ his conscience said smugly. He closed his eyes briefly. “Do you have to go immediately?” he said, changing the subject for the time being.

“No, not really. Why?”

“Well I thought maybe, maybe you could read for me again.”

‘I am definitely having a psychedelic drug trip,’ she thought. “Ok, do you have anything particular in mind?”

“Anything but Shelley?”

Chloe smiled softly to herself and stood up to peruse the books; she chose one and sat back down again. “How about some John Donne?”



Chapter Seven – Ray Of Light

Chloe packed her books away quickly. She checked her watch, 3.45pm. ‘Just enough time,’ she thought. It had been a couple of weeks since she and Lex had *cleared* the air. And in that time she visited him every day. Sometimes she read to him, sometimes he just sat there while she ranted about the evils of school and on very rare occasions he talked.

He told her about his growing up and losing his mother. On those occasions Chloe would leave the mansion with a heavy heart. Lex Luthor had a lot of emotional luggage. And even with the blindness she had a feeling that she had barely scratched the surface to the many layers that made Lex up.

But despite everything they were, slowly, becoming friends. She had told no one, except her dad, about the visits and he had thought that it was a good idea. Her dad liked Lex and wanted him to get better. Everyone in town knew about Lex’s blindness. Clark had told Lana of course, who in turn told her aunt Nell, who just couldn’t keep her mouth shut and pretty much told everybody.

Her dad had been spending a lot of time at the plant, but as Lionel had said that night at the hospital he was being compensated well. Gabe had nearly had a heart attack when he saw his pay cheque; he almost went to Lionel to ask him if he had made a mistake.

She and Clark had also started talking more and Chloe found that she was ok around him again. But that was probably due to the fact that most of her thoughts were consumed with Lex. She made her way to the Talon for a quick caffeine fix before heading to the mansion. The Talon was fairly empty when she got there, the Friday afternoon rush hadn’t happened yet. She spotted Pete and Clark talking over in a corner. The aroma of coffee stirred her senses and she headed to the counter.

“Hi Chloe,” beamed Lana.

“Hey,” she replied, “Can I get a large mocha to go please?”

“Sure,” said Lana, “Hey we haven’t seen you around much lately.”

‘*We*,’ thought Chloe, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, I’ve been busy. Things to do and such.”

“Well you’ve been missed,” said Lana.

“Missed,” exclaimed Chloe, “and who exactly has missed me?”

“Well Clark, Pete, me.”

“Lana, you and I are hardly friends, how the hell could you of missed me?”

“Well…you know…but,” stammered Lana, not quite sure how to answer that. Chloe said nothing as Lana turned away to get her order. “Here’s your mocha,” she said a moment later, handing it over to Chloe.

“Thanks,” said Chloe sweetly and reached into her pocket for some money.

“Let me get that for you Miss Sullivan.” Lionel Luthor’s voice sounded behind her.

“Thank you Mr Luthor.”

He handed the money over to a shocked Lana. “Oh Miss Lang, tell your aunt that when she feels the need to gossip she had better choose a different topic than my son or she will find herself on the receiving end of a very nasty law suit. Because believe me I can come up with some *very* interesting things to sue her over.”

He turned on his heel and walked towards the door. “Goodbye Miss Sullivan,” he said before heading out. Chloe couldn’t help laughing a little. ‘Talk about making a departure,’ she thought. She turned to look at Lana. The other girl stood open-mouthed, staring at the door Lionel had just exited.

“What the hell was that about?” said an angry Clark as he and Pete approached the counter.

“I think that was Lionel Luthor telling Lana to tell her aunt not to gossip anymore,” said Chloe with a grin.

“It’s not funny Chloe,” said Pete, “he threatened her.”

“Oh please,” said Chloe.

“Since when do *you* defend *Lionel Luthor*?” said Clark.

“For God’s sake I’m not defending him. But he has a point. No offence Lana but your aunt must of being burning up phone lines in a bid to be the one to tell everybody about Lex’s blindness. Lionel Luthor was just making a point about protecting what is pretty much nobody’s business.”

“That’s not fair Chloe,” whined Clark.

Chloe snorted, “Short memory much Clark. Weren’t you the one who read the riot act to me for looking into *your* adoption.” With that she grabbed her coffee from the counter and left the Talon.

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“God damn chair,” shouted Lex, as he bumped into it for about the fifth time in as many minutes. He had been able to find his way around the room with no problems. But then Dr Ford decided to move a few things around to purposely confuse Lex.

‘Fucking sadist,’ thought Lex, ‘I’ve a good mind to stop payment of his next cheque.’

Deep down Lex knew he would never fully accept his blindness. When he woke up to be greeted by the never-ending darkness he always broke out in a cold sweat and fear gripped him. But as Chloe had pointed out he still had a life to lead. He had come to depend on Chloe and that scared him as much as the blindness did. Whenever he felt himself slipping into a depression, her words hit him full-force and he quickly snapped out of it.

Lex had never met anyone like her, and he valued her friendship. Unlike Clark she stood up to him, and intellectually he found her an equal. Some of their conversations turned into full-scale debates over various writers and books etc. And as pathetic as it sounded in his own mind, she was a *light* in his dark world.

He bumped into the chair again, “that’s it,” he said and kicked it across the room. He heard it hit a table and was greeted by the sound of word breaking. “Ha,” he sneered, “got you.”

The door opened and he turned in its direction. Chloe saw the chair and smiled. “I think you killed that

[ruafair]

Chapter Eight – Turning A Corner

“I’m worried about Chloe,” said Pete as he slid into the seat opposite Clark and Lana. “She doesn’t seem to be around at all lately. And it’s not like she’s working on the Torch because when I’ve dropped by there, she’s nowhere to be seen.”

“I dropped by her house a few times and there was nobody there either. And I know her dad has been putting in long hours at the plant, so it’s not like they’re out together,” added Clark.

“Maybe she’s found herself a secret boyfriend,” piped up Lana with a smile, “and she’s keeping him hidden from the rest of us.” Both Clark and Pete laughed at this and were soon joined by Lana. “But seriously,” said Clark after a moment, “we haven’t been around much either and it’s not like Chloe has many other friends.”

“Ok, let’s have a night out, the four of us,” said Pete.

“I don’t know about me going along,” said Lana. “You two are Chloe’s best friends, she might prefer just the three of you.”

“Nonsense,” said Clark, squeezing Lana’s hand. “She’ll be fine with you being there as well.”

“Ok, I’d like that,” said Lana, “but only if you’re sure Chloe won’t mind.” Chloe’s comment about them not really being friends a few days ago was still niggling Lana. “Of course she won’t,” said Clark with a big grin.

Then as if on cue, Chloe walked into the Talon. “Hey Chlo, over here,” waved Pete. She manoeuvred her way through the tables over to them. “Hi Chloe,” said Clark and Lana.

“Hey,” she said, sitting down beside Pete. “What’s up with the big grins on everyone’s faces?”

“*We*,” said Clark, pointing around the table, “are going to have a night out.”

“What, you guys all double dating with Pete again?” she asked.

“No silly, I mean the four of us. Tonight.”

“I can’t go tonight,” said Chloe, “I have something else arranged.”

“But Chlo,” whined Clark, “we never see each other anymore.”

“And that’s my fault?” she asked.

“Of course it’s not,” said Pete. “But come on, can’t you cancel whatever your plans for tonight are. Hey what could be more important than going out with your friends?” As soon as he had made that statement, Pete realised that he shouldn’t have. Even Clark and Lana shook their heads.

“Excuse me?” said Chloe, anger evident in her voice. “Explain to me Pete, why *I* should be the one too cancel *my* pre-arranged plans so we can all go out? Last week I told you I was free, but *you* had a date and couldn’t cancel it. So why should I?”

“But it was a *date* Chloe,” pleaded Pete weakly. “Come on, what’s happening that you can’t go? Why can’t you cancel it?”

“Because, one, I made a promise to someone, and unlike *some* people,” she directed at Clark, “I like to *keep* my promises, and two as for what it is, that’s none of your business. Look guys I don’t want to fight with you, but I don’t see why I should be the one to alter all my plans because you all decide it’s time to go out.”

She stood up, “if you want to arrange it for another night let me know and I’ll *see* if I’m free. Bye.” And with that she stormed out of the Torch.

“It’s definitely a guy,” said Lana, as all three stared after her.

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Chloe took a deep breath when she got outside. She hadn’t meant to sound off like that but she was sick and tired of been walked over by Clark and Pete. Just because they were free they automatically assumed she would drop everything to go out with them.

She wondered if she hadn’t been visiting Lex would she have gone with them. She liked to think she would of made something up to say she couldn’t go. But that didn’t matter, she had promised Lex she’d be there and she would keep that promise.

Chloe smiled softly to herself as she got into her car. In fact, every time she thought about Lex these days she smiled. Over the last few days he had seemed a lot happier. Oh she knew the blindness was something he still couldn’t fully accept, but he seemed to be putting up with it. And their walks outside had been getting more and more frequent. The next big thing to get him to do would be to leave the confines of the Luthor estate and maybe take a trip into town.

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it,” she whispered, “it too get Lex Luthor to the Talon for a coffee.” She started her car and headed home to pick up a book, the theme tune from Mission Impossible ringing in her head.

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“Dr Ford says you are doing well,” said Lionel as he took the armchair opposite Lex. “He says you’re finding your way around quickly, even with him moving things around.”

“Yes and no other items of furniture had to die,” said Lex with a smile as he thought of Chloe walking in when he had kicked the chair across the room.

Lionel watched as a far away look crossed his face. They had been having these little *chats* quite regularly now. While they weren’t exactly at the father/son meaningful talks stage, things were indeed improving.

“I was talking to Gabe Sullivan today, he sends his best by the way. But he has the plant running exceptionally well. So well in fact, he might just help us turn a profit.”

“He’s a good man,” said Lex, “and a very good plant manager.”

“Yes and that *goodness* seems to run in the Sullivan gene. His daughter has inherited it in abundance.”

“She really is something,” said Lex wistfully, as she pictured the blonde reporter in his mind’s eye. “I’ve never met anyone like her and I don’t think I’ll ever met anyone like her again.”

“Well she seems to have done wonders for your rehabilitation,” said Lionel.

“More than you know,” whispered Lex. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while. “Argh,” said Lex loudly and brought his hands to his head.

“Lex, what’s wrong?” said Lionel, concern in his voice.

“It’s nothing, just a headache. I…I think I’ll go lie down for a while. Wake me when Chloe arrives.”

Lionel watched with concern as Lex made his way to his bedroom and close the door behind him. A frown appeared on his face. ‘How long have they been happening?’ he thought, making a mental note to talk to the doctor about it as soon as possible.

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When Chloe made her way through the mansion after been let in by Maria, she was surprised to see Lionel sitting there. “Oh Mr Luthor, I hope I’m not disturbing anything,” she said.

“Not at all Miss Sullivan, Lex had a bit of a headache and went to lie down. He’s been asleep for about an hour.”

“Is he ok?” she asked, concern etched on her face.

“He said he was fine but…” began Lionel.

“…But you’re going to talk to the doctor anyway,” finished Chloe with a grin.

The older man nodded yes. “Well then,” said Chloe, “I’ll head back home and not disturb him. Will you let him know that I called?”

“There is no need to leave. Lex asked that he be woken when you arrived. Please have a seat?” Chloe sat down in the chair Lex normally sat in. They sat in silence for a moment and Chloe thought he was going to wake Lex. But he just sat there. She shifted in her seat. “Do I make you uncomfortable?” he asked.

“Well not so much as uncomfortable Mr Luthor, but to be honest you do make me a little nervous.”

“You shouldn’t believe everything you’ve heard and/or read about me. Not *all* of it is true.”

“Ah like the one about you not being seen in daylight, and that you only come out at night is a lie,” she said with a smile. Lionel laughed and the action surprised Chloe. If Lex was difficult to make laugh, then Chloe thought it near impossible to make his father laugh.

“That’s a new one,” he said. “I’m usually portrayed as the devil, a vampire is a new one.” He stopped laughing and looked intently at Chloe. “What?” she said after a while.

“Chloe,” he said, “can I call you Chloe?” He added after seeing the shocked expression on her face. “Yah sure,” she said, a little baffled.

“Chloe,” he said again. “I wanted to say thank you. I think Lex would of locked himself away in his room if it hadn’t of been for you.”

‘Could this get any weirder?’ thought Chloe, ‘Lionel Luthor saying thank you.’

“I don’t think it was just me Mr Luthor. I’m sure the doctors and you helped as well.”

“No, it was all you Chloe, and you may not believe that but it’s the truth. You were honest with him, brutally honest and he needed that. He needed to get out of the spiral of depression and *you* got him too.”

Chloe smiled softly. “I was happy to help,” she said, “and I’m glad he’s doing better.”

“You have an unfailing honesty for someone so young. And it’s refreshing as well as annoying,” he said with a smirk. “Try to told onto it Chloe, the world has quite enough liars and people who tell you want they think you want to hear as it is.”

“You should have woken me.” Lex’s voice prevented Chloe from answering Lionel. She turned to see him standing in the doorway of his bedroom. “I’m not here long,” she said.

“I’ll leave the two of you alone,” said Lionel and moved to leave. “Mr Luthor,” she said. He turned to face her. “Yes.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. Lionel directed a small smile at her and left the room.

“How’s your headache?” she asked Lex. “Better,” he replied. “What was all that about with my father?” Lex couldn’t help but feel a little jealous at someone else taking up Chloe’s time.

“We were talking about you actually,” she said.

“Oh now there’s a conversation I’m glad I missed,” he replied as he moved to a seat. Chloe was impressed at how effortlessly he now moved through his room. “Are you sure your headache is gone? Because if you need to rest some more I can go.”

“Chloe I’m fine, the headache is gone and I don’t want you to leave,” said Lex.

“Ok, but you will tell me if it starts again,” she said seriously.

“Yes nurse Sullivan,” said Lex with a smirk. “Don’t be cheeky,” she retorted with a laugh. “Now what do you say to maybe taking a trip into town tomorrow. We could go for a coffee.”

“No Chloe. I don’t…I don’t want to be around people.”

“Why not? You can’t tell me that you care what they think. I thought Lex Luthor didn’t give a crap about things like that.”

“I *don’t* care. I just don’t want the staring and pitying me.”

“So what if they stare. And as for pity, I wouldn’t flatter myself if I were you Lex. Pity and the name Luthor don’t tend to make it into the same sentence.”

“I suppose, and it’s not like I can *see* them stare.”

Chloe was shocked and speechless for a moment. “Lex…did…did you just make a joke about being blind?”

“Yes, I guess I did.”

“Oh my God,” she said, and before she knew what she was doing she jumped up and hugged him tightly. Lex was slightly taken back by her actions but soon rested his own arms around her shoulders and hugged her back. Vanilla filled his senses and he sighed.

“Oh I’m so sorry,” she said pulling back and blushing furiously. “It’s ok,” he said with a smile, “I must make a joke more often if that’s the reaction I’m going to get.”

Chloe moved out of his arms and back to her seat. Her face was still bright red. “So, does that mean we’re going for coffee tomorrow? We can go early so there won’t be many people around.”

Lex sighed, as his arms felt empty. “Yes Chloe, we’ll go for coffee.”



Chapter Nine – The Real Lex Luthor

Chloe groaned again as he made her way up too the main door of the Luthor mansion. What on earth had possessed her to tell Lex that they’d go early for coffee, because as a result she had to get up at 8.00am on a Saturday morning? She didn’t even know that there was an 8.00am on a Saturday morning.

So here she was at 8.35am knocking on the main door. “Good morning Chloe,” said Maria, letting her in. “Well it’s most definitely morning. But I’m not sure if it’s good. It’s way too early to be good.” The older woman laughed as she shut the door after Chloe. “Mr Luthor is up, and seeing how you know the way, I’ll be off.”

“Bye Maria,” she said and headed towards Lex’s rooms. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. She knocked again, this time a little louder, and again no response. Opening the door, she stepped into the room. “Lex,” she called out.

“God Damn It,” came her reply, a moment later. Chloe moved closer to the door of Lex’s bedroom. She knocked on the door, “Lex,” she called.

“Chloe hi, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Is everything ok?” she asked.

He was silent for a moment. “It’s silly really,” he said, sounding almost embarrassed.

“Tell me,” she said.

“Why don’t you come in and I’ll show you.”

‘Lex’s bedroom, Lex’s bedroom,’ ran though her mind as she opened the door and stepped in. In the middle of the room stood Lex, wearing a suit for the first time in ages as far as Chloe was concerned. A number of ties were scattered on the bed.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Since we were going out. I thought I would dress more appropriately than the sweats that I have grown accustomed to wearing as of late. But…unfortunately, I can’t seem to tie my tie.”

Chloe bit her lip as she looked at him. He looked immaculate of course. Charcoal pants, sapphire blue silk shirt. ‘Lex Luthor is *looking* like Lex Luthor,’ she thought.

“Would you like some help with your tie?” she asked, knowing he would never come right out and ask for help.

“Yes, please,” he said. She chose a silk tie of a slightly darker blue than his shirt. She moved to stand right in front of him and lifted up the collar of his shirt. Her fingers brushed his neck softly, and the action caused him to take a sharp intake of breath.

“Lean forward a little, please?”

He did as she asked and Chloe wrapped the tie around his neck and began to tie it. She could smell his cologne. She looked up at his face and his eyes were fixed intently on hers. And even though she knew he was blind, she still felt like he was looking right through her.

“There, all done,” she said a minute later. “Thanks,” he replied, before straightening back up again. “Your jacket sir,” she said, holding it out. He smiled and allowed her to help him on with it. “So, how do I look?”

‘Delicious,’ she thought. “You…you look great,” she said.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said with a sigh. “Lex, if you don’t want to go we don’t have to.”

“Hey, I put on suit, we’re going.” He took her arm and they left his bedroom.

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Chloe had been silent from the moment the limo had driven out of the Luthor estate. She stole a quick glance at Lex, who by now had donned a pair of shades.

“I sincerely hope you’re not going to sulk for the entire time we are out,” he said with a smirk.

“I am *not* sulking,” she said. “I just don’t know why we had to go in the limo. We could of gone in my car; I do know how to drive. Or if *my* car wasn’t good enough for a Luthor to be seen in, I…I could of driven one of yours.”

“So, that’s it, you just want to get you hands on my Porsche,” he said with a laugh.

“No, the Ferrari,” she muttered.

“No offence to your car or your driving Chloe, but I’d rather travel like this for the moment. But, I promise you I will let you take a spin in the Ferrari.”

“Really…you will…when?” babbled Chloe.

“I don’t know yet, but I will let you.”

“Thank you Lex,” she said, fighting the urge to hug him again.

“It’s the least I can do,” he said softly, “after all you’ve done for me.”

Chloe took his hand, “I’m not doing this to drive your sports cars or doing it for anything in return Lex. We…we are friends and I just wanted to help.”

“Despite our less than perfect start,” he said, squeezing her hand gently. He was thinking back to their initial arguments.

“Well if anything they were character building,” joked Chloe, thinking about the same thing. They sat in silence as the car made it’s way to the Talon. “We are here,” she said as the car parked in front of the coffee shop. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be Chloe.”

“Like I said, there aren’t many people around. And we can leave as soon as you want. Now Lana will be here of course, so that means Clark won’t be too far behind.”

“Let’s go. I think I’ve deprived you of you caffeine fix for long enough now.

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“Oh. My. God,” exclaimed Lana. “What? What is it?” said Clark and turned his head to look at what had prompted Lana’s exclamation. “What the f…?” he trailed off as he watched Lex and Chloe walk into the Talon. They both watched as Chloe led him to a small table not far from the door. Clark narrowed his eyes as he saw Lex’s hand firmly placed on Chloe’s arm. ‘What’s going on there,’ he thought.

“Well, you’re being stared at,” Chloe whispered as they took their seats. “Lana and Clark are doing their fish impressions. You know, big eyes and open mouths.”

Lex laughed softly at her description. “Is there anyone else here?”

“A few couples scattered around who just glanced up when we came in and then turned back to whatever they were doing. And that’s it.”

“Is there any chance of some service today,” Lex said a little loudly, and Chloe couldn’t help but grin. A flustered Lana made her way over to them.

“Lex hi, how…how are you feeling?”

“Miss Lang, I am fine thank you. It doesn’t *sound* like this place is very busy. I will probably take a copy of the accounts with me when I’m leaving. But for the moment I will have a cappuccino and Chloe will have a low fat latte.”

“Ok…sure…I’ll get them,” a still flustered Lana stammered before heading back to the counter and Clark.

“Welcome back Lex Luthor,” said Chloe, putting her hand over his. Lex just smiled in her direction. ‘That felt good,’ he thought.

“I’ll bring those over,” said Clark, when Lana had got Lex’s order. “Thanks,” said a relieved Lana and Clark took the cups and headed over to their table.

“And now it’s Clark turn,” said Chloe, causing Lex to smirk.

“Hey Chlo, hi Lex,” said Clark putting their coffees on the table.

“Clark,” replied Lex, “won’t you join us?”

He sat down, “so, how have you been? I haven’t…emm…well…” he trailed off.

“*Seen* me Clark. You know it is ok to use words like that around me. I don’t, unfortunately, have the money or the power to change the English language and remove all the words associated with seeing and sight. Well, not yet anyway.”

Chloe laughed at Lex’s response and Clark turned to glare at her. “What?” she said, “it was funny, so I laughed.”

Lex could feel the tension between Chloe and Clark and made a mental note to ask her about it when Clark left.

“Well, it’s good to see you again Lex,” he said, “I have to go, chores to do and such.”

“Bye Clark,” said Lex. And then after a moment turned to Chloe. “Ok, what was that about?”

“What was what about?” said Chloe.

“Chloe, I could *feel* the tension between you and Clark. What’s going on?”

Chloe sighed deeply. “Ok, here’s the short version. The night of the tornado as you know Clark and I went to the dance. When the tornado hit, Clark, of course ran off to look for Lana. Then I, like a fool, went looking for him, got hit by some branches and ended up at the hospital. I met Clark there, told him he was a jerk, well sort of, and that outside of school we shouldn’t hang out. As I wandered the hospital, I bumped into your dad and found out about you being blind. Are you with me so far?”

“Yes please continue,” said Lex.

“Since then I haven’t been spending much time with Clark or Pete. Clark and Lana are now dating, woohoo. And they are all too busy double dating. But when they decide to have a night out to *recharge* our friendship, they expect me to change *my* plans to suit them. I wouldn’t, hence the tension.”

“Did you tell them you were spending time with me?” asked Lex.

“No, because it’s none of their business what I do and I didn’t know if you wanted it to be general knowledge,” she replied.

”Chloe, I don’t want to come between you and your friends,” he said sincerely.

“Lex you’re not. Lana Lang had that honour before you. Oh Nell Potter has just entered the Talon, and she’s noticed us, and making her way over.”

“Lex, this is a surprise,” she said. “Oh hi Chloe.”

“Why is it a surprise? I do *own* the place. Why shouldn’t I be here?”

“Well I just thought that because of your…your handicap…” she didn’t finish that sentence.

“I’m blind Ms Potter, not dead,” he said, quoting Chloe’s words. “So I’m sorry if me being here doesn’t quite fit in with the bullshit you’ve been spreading about me. And I do believe my father told you what would happen if you continued to spread rumours.”

“Lex, I never…”

“Chloe, I’m ready to go now,” he said, cutting Nell off. “Would you mind getting a set of the Talon accounts from Lana for me please?”

“No problem,” said Chloe, and headed over to the counter to collect the books Lana had ready for him.

Lex stood up and waited for Chloe to return; when she arrived back at his side he took her arm. “I hope these books have a happy ending Lana, or I might have to look at our business arrangement. And Ms Potter if you ever feel the need to spread manure again, I’m sure I can find you a job at the fertiliser plant.” And with that he let Chloe lead him out of the Talon, quite aware that everyone was staring at him.

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They got into the waiting limo and the driver set off for the mansion. “You really enjoyed that, didn’t you?” said Chloe with a laugh.

“Every minute of it Chloe, every minute.” He took of the shades and dropped them on the seat. He reached out his hand and ran it along Chloe’s face till he had managed to up her cheek. His thumb made small circles on her satin like skin and Chloe leaned into his hand.

“For the first time since all this happened, I felt like Lex Luthor again in there; and its all because of you Chloe.” He bent his head and brushed his lips against her forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Chloe placed her hand over the one on her cheek, “you are more than welcome Lex,” she said honestly. They sat like that for a moment before both removed their hands.

They spent the rest of the journey in comfortable silence, both thinking about their unique friendship.



Chapter Ten – Gathering Storm Clouds

Lex’s lips moved slowly over her face, placing little light kisses till he reached her mouth. Once he had covered her lips with his, the kiss became more passionate and possessive. Chloe moaned into his mouth as his tongue tangled with hers. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself closer to his body as she returned his kiss with as much passion as she possessed. His hand slipped under her shirt and slowly moved up her stomach till it grazed the underside of her breast. His hand cupped the soft mound and she gasped…

Chloe woke up with a start and the noise of the alarm echoed in her head. “Oh God,” she groaned, “I cannot be having dreams like that about Lex Luthor. I refuse to have a crush on him, have I learned nothing from my disastrous crush on Clark.”

She flopped back down onto the pillow. It had been almost two weeks since Lex’s heartfelt thank you after their trip to the Talon. And all Chloe could think of when they were together was the way his hand felt on her face and his lips on her forehead. She knew she was being silly and there was nothing but friendship and gratitude behind his actions. But the more time she spent with him, the harder it was to ignore that what she was starting to feel for him was more than friendship.

“Well as long as it stays in my mind, everything will be just fine,” she mumbled, “I’ll get over it, after all I should be use to having guys I like not reciprocate those feelings.”

After a moment she dragged herself out of bed and headed to the bathroom to get herself ready for school.

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‘These are getting worse,’ thought Lex as he swallowed down a couple of painkillers. Over the last few days he had been getting headaches and they felt like they were getting progressively worse. He had said nothing to Chloe or his father about them, if he did they would both insist on him going to the doctor. And he really couldn’t face the doctor. If he were honest with himself he would admit to be scared of letting the doctor examine him. Deep down Lex believed that if the doctor didn’t actually come out and say that his blindness was permanent there would always be that small chance that his sight would return.

He lay back against the pillow and closed his eyes as he waited for the painkillers to kick in. He smiled softly to himself as he thought of Chloe and his father ganging up on him to see the doctor. Things between Lionel and himself had never been so good. They actually *talked* to each other, instead of trading insults. And then there was Chloe; he smile grew as he thought about her. Since their first trip to the Talon they had gotten closer. Lex felt like he could talk to her about anything.

As he thought about her, his conversation with Clark replayed in the back of his mind. A couple of days after the visit to the Talon, Clark came to see him. His first words before Lex had even a chance to say hello where, ‘what’s going on between you and Chloe?’ Lex has assured Clark that there was nothing going on, other than they where friends and that she was helping him come to terms with what had happened.

He hadn’t told Chloe about the conversation. Things between her and Clark were already strained and he didn’t want to make it worse. But it angered him slightly that Clark would be put out by any kind of a relationship between Chloe and himself. He had Lana now, and Lex had been tempted to ask Clark if he missed Chloe having a crush on him. But he resisted; Lex didn’t have many friends that he could afford to push Clark away as one.

His head started to feel better and he opened his eyes, “hello darkness,’ he murmured as he sat up in the bed. God how he hated that darkness. ‘Chloe will be here later,’ he thought, ‘at least I have that to look forward too.’ He didn’t know what he’d do if she didn’t visit every day, and even though part of him felt guilty that he took up most of her time, the rest of him was far too busy enjoying her company.

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“Hey Chlo,” said Pete as he sat beside her in the school cafeteria. “Hi Pete,” she replied, a bit surprised that he had sat down. Since her friendship with Lex had become public knowledge due to their frequent trips into town, Pete hadn’t been around much.

“So, how are things?” he asked.

“They are fine Pete,” she said, “what’s up with the small talk? I thought I was persona non grata with you because I was associating with the Luthors.”

“Ok I guess I deserved that,” he said, “it’s just that, well, I missed my friend.”

“I’ve missed you too Pete, but you’ve got to understand that Lex and I are friends. I mean you still talked to Clark when he became friends with Lex, so why should it be different for me? What am I not allowed to have any other friends but you and Clark?”

“No that’s not it at all. I don’t know what the reason is, I just know that I want us to be friends again,” he said sincerely.

“Me too Pete,” said Chloe.

“Cool, so let’s just put all the crap behind us and start again?”

“Ok, now give me a hug.” And with that Pete gave her a big hug. Clark walked into the cafeteria just as they were hugging and made his way over to them. “Am I interrupting?” he said with a grin as he sat down.

Pete and Chloe pulled apart, “of course not,” said Pete, “me and Chlo were just declaring peace.”

“That’s good to hear,” he said. “Well now that’s been sorted I’m going to head off, I have a few things to do,” said Pete. “Talk to you both later.”

“Bye Pete,” they both said.

“No Lana today,” said Chloe when he had gone. “We are not joined at the hip Chloe,” he replied.

“Since when?” she said with a smile.

“How are things between you and Lex?” he asked.

“They are fine, and way to change the subject Clark.”

“You do know I only went to talk to him because I was worried about you.”

“Went to see him when? What are you talking about?”

“A couple of days after seeing the two of you in the Talon I went to talk to Lex, didn’t he tell you?”

“No he didn’t,” she said softly. “And what did you talk about?”

“Nothing much, I just asked him what was going on between the two of you, and he said nothing, that you were just friends.”

“And what gave you the right to do that Clark?” she said, beginning to get angry. “Why is it lately all you seem to do is make me angry?”

“I’m sorry Chlo, like I said I was only worried about you. Why are you freaking out?”

“Jeez Clark you can be really stupid sometimes. I’m a big girl and I can look after myself. And I can also make friends with whomever I like. Or are you the only person in Smallville allowed to be friends with Lex? If you had a problem with me being friends with him, you should of come to *me* Clark, not gone behind my back.”

“What happened to us Chloe?” said Clark sadly. “I don’t know,” she replied, “but I do know I don’t like it and we need to do something or we’ll end up hating each other. And a good way to start would be for you to butt out of my life.” With that she stood up and left, leaving a forlorn looking Clark staring after her.

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The clock chimed 6.00pm and immediately after it stopped a rather irate Chloe stormed into the room. “Why didn’t you tell me that Clark had been to see you?” she asked.

“Have a seat Chloe and calm down please,” said Lex.

“I’d rather an answer Lex,” she said as she began pacing the room.

“I didn’t want to make things worse than they already where between you and Clark. And I thought telling you about him coming to see me would of done that.” He replied as his eyes tried to follow the sounds of her pacing.

“Why does everyone think they know what’s best for me? Do you and Clark think me not capable of making my own decisions?” she said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

“Not at all Chloe I think you’re very capable. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, and I’m sorry for assuming it was the best thing for you.”

Chloe sighed deeply and took the seat opposite Lex, “promise you won’t do it again?”

“I promise. Did you ask Clark to make the same promise?”

“No, I told him to butt out of my life, he got the full force of me being pissed off, and I have calmed down a little since then. I…I just don’t like being treated like a child, well unless it’s my dad and he does sort of have the right to, but that’s not important, the impression I get from you and Clark, that you think I’m a child.”

Lex reached out his hand and Chloe took it. “I don’t think of you as a child,” he said. ‘In fact there are some thoughts about you I shouldn’t be having,’ he added silently to himself as he remembered some of the dreams about her lately that he’d been having. “So, are we ok now?” he asked a little nervously.

“Yes, we’re ok,” she said. “Just as long as it doesn’t happen again.”

“Don’t worry Chloe, it won’t,” he said sincerely as he squeezed her hand. ‘It definitely won’t,’ he added to himself.



Chapter Eleven – Plans Within Plans

“Dad, what are you doing here?” said Chloe as she arrived home from school and saw her father sitting at the kitchen table.

“Well I *do* live here,” he replied with a smile.

“Ha. Ha. No what I mean is why are you home earlier than usual? Is everything ok?”

“Everything is fine sweetie. I had a meeting with Lionel Luthor earlier and he wants me to go to Metropolis for a couple of days to attend some meeting. I told him I’d check with you first.”

“Hey I’m fine about it”

“And you don’t mind me leaving you on your own. I’ll be heading off tomorrow and I won’t be back till late Sunday evening.”

“It’s ok dad. I’m sure I can occupy myself over the weekend,” she said. “Anyway far be it for me to deprive Metropolis of it’s newest business executive.”

“Don’t be cheeky,” laughed Gabe. “So how are things going with Lex? How is he getting on?”

“He’s doing really well. He’s accepted the blindness as much as he’s going too. But he’s seems happier and is even making jokes about it.”

“Well I think what you are doing for him is amazing,” said Gabe with obvious pride in his voice. “And anyone who can earn the praise of Lionel Luthor has to be someone special.”

“Hey I’m not the only Sullivan who is high up in Lionel’s estimations, you are practically running the plant and he’s sending you to Metropolis for the meeting.”

“What can I say?” replied Gabe with false modesty,” we Sullivan’s make a great team.” And both he and Chloe laughed.

“I am very proud of you sweetheart,” said Gabe a moment later. Chloe blushed with embarrassment.

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“Maria,” said Lionel, as he saw the housekeeper pass by his office.

“Yes Mr Luthor.”

“Maria, when Miss Sullivan arrives can you ask her to stop by my office before going to see Lex?”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Thank you Maria. That will be all.”

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Chloe parked her car in front of the Kents. Her last talk with Clark had been plaguing her and she really wanted to try and smooth things over between them. So as she was on her way to Lex’s she decided to stop by his place first.

She made her way to the barn and Clark’s *fortress of solitude*. “Hello anyone here?”

“Chloe? I’m up here.”

Chloe made her way up the steps and found Clark sitting on the couch. “Hey.”

He gave her a small smile in reply. Chloe sighed and moved to sit on the couch beside him. “I’m sorry Chloe,” he said, as she was about to speak, “I’m sorry for everything I don’t know what has happened between us, but I do know most of it is my fault. I’m sorry for being a jerk.”

“Well jerk’s a polite word for how you’ve been acting,” she said with a smile. “I’m sorry too for sounding off at you even though you did deserve it.”

“Do you think things will ever go back to the way they were?”

“I don’t know Clark, a lot has changed since then. But I do want us to be friends and I want us to be able to talk with out getting into a argument.”

“So do I Chlo.”

“I think we should just take things easy and see how we get on. What do you think?”

“Perfect,” said Clark, a slight grin on his face. “Actually do you think you could use you’re considerable influence over Lex and ask him not to sack Lana from the Talon. She’s really worried about it.”

Chloe rolled her eyes, ‘of course he’d think of Lana above everything else,’ she thought. “First off Clark I do not have any influence over what decisions Lex makes nor could I change his mind. Second, he’s your friend as well, what do you ask him?”

“Yes, well he and I haven’t been talking much lately,” said Clark.

“Jeez Clark have you pissed off all your friends?” she teased. “I’m beginning to think I have,” he replied.

“Ok, I’m not saying I will, but if the subject of staff at the Talon comes up in conversation, well we’ll see,” she said, knowing full well it wouldn’t. And part of her was loathed at the thought of helping Lana Lang out in any way.

“Thanks Chloe.”

“I’m glad we had this chat Clark, it seemed to have cleared the air a little. I’m going to head off now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, maybe?”

“Sure Chloe, tell…tell Lex I said hello.”

“I will, bye.”

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“Oh God,” cried Lex in pain, as his head felt like it was going to explode. The painkillers didn’t seem to be working anymore. He reached out and grabbed the edge of the table in time to prevent himself from falling.

“Please stop, please stop,” he begged, and then groaned as another wave of pain penetrated his head. He sank to his knees as tears filled his eyes; he blinked a couple of times and felt them run down his cheeks. His body shivered with the pain a couple of times, before it started to subside.

Lex took deep breaths as the throbbing in his head lessened. The pain didn’t go completely, there was still a lingering headache, but unlike the excruciating pain earlier this was bearable.

“Ok, that was the worse one yet,” he whispered. He wiped the tears from his face and remained kneeling on the floor a few minutes longer till it was safe for him to stand up again.

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“Come in,” said Lionel when he heard the knock on his office door.

“Mr Luthor, Maria said you wanted to see me.”

“Ah yes Chloe, please have a seat.” Chloe sat in the chair in front of Lionel’s desk. She wondered what he wanted. Despite the almost pleasant conversations they had been having lately, she still wasn’t too sure of how to act around him. As it was she still couldn’t get quite use to him calling her by her first name.

“Chloe,” he began when she was seated. “I am thinking of having a small semi-formal dinner party for a few business associates, probably about six people including partners, here in the mansion. And I would really like Lex to be there. In your honest opinion, how do you think he’ll react to the idea?”

“Truthfully Mr Luthor, he’ll hate it. It was hard enough to get him to go out and interact with people he knows, and although he’s ok about it now I don’t think he’ll want to be involved with this.”

Lionel sighed, “I was thinking along the same lines myself. Maybe it would sound better coming from you? If I mention it he’s going to think I have some ulterior motive.”

“I don’t think my asking will make any difference,” she said. “And I thought you always had an ulterior motive, that it was ingrained into the Luthor genes.” First Clark and now Lionel, why does everyone think I have any influence over Lex,’ she thought.

‘Good answer Chloe,’ thought Lionel. “Oh it will Chloe, it will. And as for an ulterior motive maybe I do, but it’s not the one Lex is going to think it is.”

“Mr Luthor, I hardly think me saying, ‘oh Lex, by the way there is a dinner party being organised for some business associates and their partners, you know just a small social gathering, so put on your tux you’re going,’ is going to cut any ice with him.”

“Well not if you put it that way, it isn’t,” he said with a small laugh. “Just mention it to him, oh he’ll know I put you up to it, but please just mention it.”

“Ok,” she sighed. “But I still don’t think it will make any difference.”

“Thank you Chloe. That’s all I wanted to ask you, you can go see Lex now if you like.”

“Ok, bye Mr Luthor.”

“Bye Chloe.”

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Lex was still in his bedroom when he heard Chloe’s voice. “I’ll be with you in a moment Chloe,” he said. Taking a deep breath he sluggishly made his way out to her and managed to make to his chair. “Lex, are you ok?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

“I’m fine, why do you ask?”

“Well…you look in…pain.”

‘Damn it,’ he thought. “It’s nothing, I just have a slight headache,” he said. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

Chloe moved towards him and knelt down by his chair, she took both his hands in hers. “It’s more than a *slight* headache Lex,” she said softly, “you look almost in agony.” She watched as a number of emotions flitted across his face. “Dr Ford moved around some things in my bedroom and I banged my knee rather hard against the leg of a table,” he lied. “That’s where the real pain is coming from.”

She didn’t believe him for a minute. “Which knee?”

“Left,” he said automatically, and then gasped softly as he felt her hand rub his left knee gently. “Ch…Chloe.” For her part Chloe couldn’t believe what she was going, and almost pulled her hand away, but the way he said her name stopped her. She applied a little more pressure, “feeling better?”

“Much better,” and Lex completely forgot about the pain in his head and concentrated on Chloe’s hand, part of him wishing she’d move it higher.

“Good,” she said, patted his knee once and stood up. He groaned as he heard her move away. “I was talking to your father earlier. And he wanted me to mention something to you.”

“Oh, and what is it?” he said.

“He wants to hold a small dinner party here for some business associates and he wants you to go.”

“Absolutely no fucking way,” said Lex.

“Ok, now tell me how you really feel,” she said with a small laugh. I guessed that would be your response, I think your father was expecting pretty much the same. But you’ve given your answer; so let’s forget about it. So what do you want to do this evening?”

“You mean you’re going to drop the party thing, just like that?”

“Sure,” she replied, “what’s the point in discussing it any further? You’ve given your answer.”

“Well what kind of dinner party is he planning?”

“I don’t really know you’d have to ask him. But he said there would be six people consisting of these associates and their respective partners. And you and him would make eight. And that it would be semi-formal.”

“My father doesn’t know the meaning of semi-formal. What he means is that is will be black tie. And *if* I decide to change my mind, the total count will be nine.”

“Nine,” repeated Chloe, “Who have I forgotten?”

“You of course,” he said with a smirk.

“Me, I so don’t think so Lex. Why on earth would I be going? No don’t answer that, because it’s not going to happen.”

“Ok, now tell me how you really feel,” said Lex, repeating her words from earlier. “No it’s perfect Chloe, I’ll go only if you do.”

“That’s not fair, this has nothing to do with me. Your dad wants *you* to be there, nothing was ever mentioned about me,” she said.

“But I do think that’s an excellent idea,” said Lionel as he entered the room.

Chloe groaned, and had the sneaking suspicion that this is what Lionel had planned all along, that she would be going as well.

“So that’s settled,” said Lex with a grin. “You can have your dinner party dad, and myself and Chloe will attend.”

“It will be organised for Saturday night,” said Lionel, “beginning at 7.30pm.”

“Hey,” spoke up Chloe, “I never said yes, anyway I wouldn’t have anything to wear to a semi-formal dinner party.”

“That’s a trivial matter Miss Sullivan, not an excuse,” said Lionel. “I will arrange an appointment for you at the boutique in town for tomorrow afternoon, so there is your clothing sorted. And seeing as it will probably be a late night on Saturday, and the fact your father is away you can stay the night here, we do have *plenty* of room after all.” And with that Lionel turned and left the room.

Lex stood there with a smirk on his face after his father’s speech, while Chloe stared open-mouthed at the door.


Chapter Twelve – Falling Into Place

‘This has got to be the twilight zone,’ thought Chloe, ‘that or an X-File and Mulder and Scully will be here in Smallville soon to investigate it. Because I have no other explanation for what’s going on.’

She had been sitting the Torch office finishing up her editorial when she had got a call from a woman called Caroline, who said that Lionel Luthor had made an appointment for her, and she was ringing to confirm that he fitting was scheduled for 5.00pm. As Chloe’s mind cursed and damned Lionel she told the woman she’d be there.

And so here she was sitting in the rather large dressing room she had been ushered into, clutching a cup of coffee and waiting for ‘Caroline’ to show up.

She had told her dad earlier that morning before he headed off about the dinner party on Saturday and that she had been invited. She did not, however, tell him that she would be staying the night. She didn’t think that would have gone down well. Pete and Clark knew nothing about the party either.

Just then the door opened and a rather glamorous woman in her early forties entered the room. “Miss Sullivan, my name is Caroline, we spoke earlier.”

“Hi,” said Chloe, “and call me Chloe please.”

“Very well Chloe, now have you any idea of what kind of dress you’re looking for?”

“Not really,” sighed Chloe, “did Mr Luthor say anything?”

“He said, that it was a small gathering, black tie and that you needed to be *dressed* for it as you didn’t think you had anything suitable to wear. And that was pretty much it. Now stand up for me please and would you take off your coat as well.”

Chloe did as she asked and stood there rather uncomfortably, as the older woman looked her up and down. “Ok,” Caroline said after a minute, “I’m thinking silk, just above the knee, spaghetti straps, curved bodice and colour wise, maybe pink…no I’m not getting you in pink, lilac, that’s it lilac.”

Chloe watched somewhat fascinated as Caroline agreed and disagreed with herself for a few more minutes. “Arms up please.” Chloe lifted her arms up and was rewarded with a tape measure being wrapped around her as Caroline took her bust measurements. “Wait here Chloe, I’ll be back in a moment.”

As soon as she had left the room, Chloe sat down again. Five minutes later she breezed into the room with an armful of dresses, followed by another woman with shoes and another with underwear.

“Ready Chloe,” she asked.

‘Shoot me now,’ she thought. “No, not at all,” she replied.

Caroline smiled at her, “just relax dear.”

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At 8.30pm an exhausted Chloe got home and collapsed onto the couch. She had tried on about thirty different dresses, about ten different pairs of shoes and she was drained. When they had finally decided on the *perfect* outfit, Caroline said everything would be delivered to the Luthor mansion by 1.00pm on Saturday.

After a moment Chloe reached for the phone and dialled Lex’s number. After a few rings it was answered.

“Hi Lex, its Chloe.”

“Chloe, is everything alright? You haven’t been around,” he said, concern in his voice.

“I’m fine Lex, I’m just exhausted. Your father had an appointment organised for me to get a dress for this stupid dinner thing tomorrow and I couldn’t escape until Caroline was satisfied,” Chloe drew out the other woman’s name.

Lex chuckled softly.

“It’s not funny Lex,” she said, “I had to stand there and try on millions of dresses and shoes, ok not millions, but it felt like millions. And then have three women, none of whom I know, stand there and say things like, ‘too much leg showing, not enough leg showing, not enough cleavage, too much cleavage, etc’. Have you any idea what that feels like?”

Lex said nothing; he was too busy picturing Chloe with too much cleavage showing.

“Lex,” she said, “Lex are you still there?”

“What? Yes, sorry Chloe.”

“I don’t know about this dinner party Lex,” she said softly.

“You’ll be fine, and I would really like you there. My father has promised that we would be sitting together, and that we could leave as soon as dinner was over if we wanted. Come on, it might be fun?”

“I suppose so,” she sighed. “Anyway the dress etc will be delivered to your place tomorrow at 1.00pm and I have a few things to do tomorrow morning and I’ll be there about 2.30pm.”

“A room has been made up for you, it’s the one across the hall from mine. What did you tell your father?”

“I told him about the dinner party and that I was invited, but I didn’t mention that I was staying the night. I know my dad is cool, but I don’t think he’s that cool,” she finished with a laugh.

“So I take it you’re not calling over tonight,” he said.

“I will if you want me too Lex,” she said.

“No it’s ok, you sound tired, anyway you’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Well I don’t have to go immediately, we can talk for awhile. You can tell me about these business associates of your father’s that are going to be there.”

“I don’t think so Chloe, like I said I want you to go. Telling you about them might totally tureen you off the idea,” he laughed.

“Please Lex.”

“Ok, ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” and they proceeded to talk for a couple of hours.

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Saturday 2.45pm

“And this is your room Chloe,” said Maria. “If you need anything, just give me a call. Oh young Mr Luthor is resting at the moment.”

“Thanks Maria.” When the housekeeper had left, Chloe took a good look around the room, “wow it’s huge, so much bigger than my own room,” she murmured.

All the boxes and packages from the dress shop had been delivered and were left neatly and unopened on the bed. Chloe dumped her own overnight bag on the floor and sat down on the edge of the bed.

There was a knock on the door. “Come in.”

“Ah I see you’ve settled in,” said Lionel, “I trust the room is ok.”

“Ok, it’s perfect Mr Luthor. And thank you for the dress.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said, “dinner will be served at 8.30pm, and the guests will start arriving at 7.30pm, so please be ready by then.”

“Mr Luthor, it does *not* take me FOUR hours to get ready,” said an incredulous Chloe.

“Chloe, in my experience four hours isn’t even enough time for a woman to get ready,” he replied with a smirk.

“We’ll see about that,” she mumbled.

“I shall see you later,” he said and left the room. ‘Cheek of him,’ she thought.

She made her way into the bathroom and gasped when she saw the sunken bath, “I’m in love,” she said. Bottles and bottles of various bath oils took up at least three shelves. Before she had time to talk herself out of it Chloe turned on the tapes and began running the bath.

She perused the bottles and chose one, pouring a generous amount into the bath; she closed the bathroom door and began to strip off.

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Chloe was leaving the bathroom after a nice long soak, when there was a knock on her door. “Who is it?”

“Chloe, it’s Lex can I come in?”

She looked down at herself. She was wearing just a towel. ‘Well he is blind,’ she thought, but still felt a little uncomfortable. She went over to the door and opened it, “sorry Lex, come in.”

“I haven’t been in this room before Chloe,” he said.

Chloe took a deep breath and took his hand and led him in. “Chloe, why is my hand wet?” he asked.

“Damn, sorry about that, I’m…I’m just out of the bath.”

Lex shivered slightly at the thought that he was standing in a bedroom with Chloe Sullivan, the subject of some very *hot* dreams as of late, and she was wearing just a towel. ‘Damn this fucking blindness,’ he thought. “I’m sorry Chloe I didn’t mean to disturb you,” he said, still holding her hand.

“Oh no, it’s ok, I was done anyway, I’m trying to prove a point to your father that I can get ready in less than the four hours he thinks it’s going to take me,” she said with a laugh.

He laughed as well. “You smell nice,” he said, as the scent of jasmine it him.

Chloe blushed, “thanks,” she said timidly.

“I just wanted to make sure you had settled in ok. Well I’ll leave you to get ready, just knock on my door when you done. I’ll probably need help with my bow tie.”

“No problem.” They walked back to the door and he reluctantly released her hand, and Chloe watched as he went into his own rooms and closed the door.

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“Why Chloe Sullivan, I do believe you look amazing,” she said to her reflection after she had finished getting ready. She check the time, 6.45pm, “ha, in your face Lionel Luthor I’m all ready to go and I even managed to have a brief chat with Lex. A rather embarrassing chat as far as I was concerned seeing as how I was wearing just a towel.”

She gave herself one more look over and let her room, heading across the hall to Lex’s. She knocked on the door, “come in Chloe.”

She stepped and was greeted with the sight of an Armani clad Lex Luthor, looking absolutely gorgeous. The black pants fit perfectly and she found herself staring at his ass. “Looking good Mr Luthor.”

He held out his bow tie in her general direction, “would you please?”

She took the tie and set about tying it, “ok all done.” He smiled and she helped him on with his jacket.

“Describe what you’re wearing Chloe?”

“What? Why?”

“Please Chloe I want to know what your dress looks like, I want to be able to picture it.”

“Ok, it’s silk and is a lilac colour. It falls three quarters way down my thigh, it’s gathered slightly at the waist and the bodice has tiny little pearls sewn into it. Thin spaghetti straps, and it dips in the back as well as the front. Strappy shoes of the same colour, with 2-inch heels complete the ensemble.” As she spoke Lex had closed his eyes and was picturing her wearing what she had described.

“Beautiful,” he whispered, opening his eyes again, “just beautiful.”

His words touched Chloe; she took his hand and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered back.

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, “just speaking the truth.”

“Well Mr Luthor shall we go?”

“Lead on Chloe,” he said. ‘I’ll follow you anywhere,’ he added silently.

[ruafair]

Chapter Thirteen – At Last

When Chloe and Lex had made their way downstairs, Lionel was already there. “Ah Miss Sullivan, you look divine,” he said as they walked in. “Caroline has done well.”

“Thank you Mr Luthor, you look well yourself.”

Lionel smirked to himself as he saw Lex tighten his hold on Chloe’s arm as they spoke. “I’m impressed Miss Sullivan, four hours was obviously more than enough time for you to get ready.”

Chloe rolled her eyes at him. Lex listened to their conversation, he was amazed at how relaxed almost, his father seemed around Chloe. And she seemed at ease around him, and more importantly she wasn’t afraid of him. He could feel the silk of her dress against him and really wished he could see her. But as it was he had to settle for picturing how beautiful she was in his mind.

“Are you ok?” she asked softly, when she heard him sigh. “I’m fine Chloe.”

“So, what has Lex told you about our guests?” They made there over to sit down, Lionel took an armchair while Chloe and Lex sat beside each other on the couch.

“I was rather polite in my descriptions,” said Lex.

“Well,” began Chloe, “first up was Mr and Mrs Roger Denton. Both in the late forties, he’s a financier, very wealthy; she likes to spend it but comes from old money herself. They are big into charities etc and putting up the front of helping those less fortunate than themselves.”

“Yes and they been married 22 years and have no children and are exceedingly snobby,” added Lionel.

“Next are Mr and Mrs Michael Barry, both in their mid-fifties, two grown up children, no grandchildren. He’s retired.”

“They are actually ok,” said Lex. “Can be a little too nice at times, but for the most part they are bearable.”

“And last but not least,” said Chloe, “Chris Murray and his new wife Selina. He’s 45 and she’s 23. And can I just add a great big ‘eew’ to that.”

Both father and son laughed, “why Miss Sullivan?”

“Hello, he’s old enough to be her dad. That’s just gross.”

“So you’re not into older men,” teased Lex. “Well not men old enough to be my dad,” she retorted. ‘You on the other hand are just perfect Lex,’ she thought.

“So Miss Sullivan, I have no chance then,” teased Lionel.

“Sorry to dash your hopes Mr Luthor, but in a word, no. And can we change the subject please or I’m not going to be able to eat my dinner. I know the whole ‘too each their own’ but…”

“Ok Chloe, we’ll change the subject,” said Lex, resting his hand on her leg.

“Can I ask something? What did you tell them about me?” She said.

“Nothing other than you were Lex’s guest for the evening,” replied Lionel.

“Ok, I was just wondering.”

Maria entered the room; “Mr and Mrs Murray are here. Shall I show them in?”

“Yes Maria, thank you?” said Lionel. Minutes later they entered the room. He was a rather ordinary looking man, while she was a busty brunette, not unlike Victoria, dripping in jewellery. ‘Obviously married him for his money,’ thought Chloe.

“Chris,” said Lionel, his voice dripping with insincerity as he shook the other man’s hand. “And Selina you look well.” Kissing the woman’s cheek.

He turned to Lex and Chloe. “You both of course know Lex, and the young lady is Chloe Sullivan.”

“Miss Sullivan,” said Chris, “delighted to meet you, don’t you look delicious.” And Chloe suppressed a shiver and he kissed her hand. His wife barely acknowledged Chloe, turning her attention to Lex. “Oh Lex, I was devastated to hear what had happened, how are you holding up?”

“I’m doing fine Selina. Chloe has been a great help.”

“But darling if there is *anything* I can do and I do mean *anything*, you will let me know?” Chloe gasped softly at the very obvious meaning behind those words. ‘Her husband isn’t two feet away,’ she thought. Before Lex could answer her she had flounced over to Lionel and her husband.

“They have a rather *open* marriage,” whispered Lex as if reading her mind. “I’d like to push her out of an open something,” muttered Chloe, causing Lex to laugh.

Maria arrived again and announced the other two couples. Chloe watched fascinated as lots of insincere hellos and air kissing occurred. What really impressed her was Lionel, since Lex’s accident she had seen a side to the older Luthor she doubted anyone saw, but now he was the hard-nosed businessman everyone talked about.

“Lex, how are you dear?” Mrs Barry asked. “I’m fine Joyce, oh this is Chloe Sullivan.” Chloe had stood right beside Lex and gently put her arm around his waist.

“Well aren’t you just adorable,” she said, looking Chloe up and down. “Michael come here,” she called to her husband, “don’t these make the most adorable couple?”

“Sorry to hear about the accident,” said her husband. “And yes dear they are adorable.”

The Denton’s then made their way over to them and the usual false sympathy was dispersed. Chloe could see that Lex was getting pissed off and tightened her arm slightly around his waist. After a few moments though they were left alone. “How are you doing?” she asked. “Wishing I was anywhere but here,” he replied. “So what do you think of everyone?”

Chloe thought for a moment before answering, “well Mr Murray is a bit creepy and his wife most definitely has her sights set on you.” She laughed slightly at Lex’s groan to that comment. “The Denton’s are ok but as your father said, very snobby. And the Barry’s are…well…adorable.”

He laughed out loud at that comment causing the others in the room to look over at them. “Ok, now you’ve got them staring,” she said.

“Shall we move to the dining room,” said Lionel, “dinner is about to be served.”

Lex took Chloe’s arm and she led him into the dining room. Lionel set about showing everyone where they were sitting, causing Selina Murray to pout when she saw that she wasn’t been placed next to Lex, in fact she found herself seated opposite him.

There wasn’t much talking other than business over the starters and main courses. And Chloe laughed inwardly at the glares Selina threw at her and the come hither looks she threw at Lex. It was as if she had forgotten that he couldn’t see her.

“So Chloe, what is it that you do dear?” asked Mrs Barry as dessert was being served.

“I’m in my final year at high school,” she replied.

“Chloe is editor and star reporter of the high school paper, and has quite a career ahead of her,” said Lex.

“A *reporter* at your table Lionel,” said Mr Denton, “my how times have changed.”

“And *what* is wrong with reporters Mr Denton?” said Chloe, turning her attention to him.

“Well all that prying into your private life etc,” he replied.

“They are not reporters, they are just story hunters working for tabloids, and they just look for scandal. Reporters, real reporters look for the truth, as to why, say, large financial organisations give inordinate amounts of money to businesses that have been shown to have links with, ooh I don’t know, organised crime say.”

Roger Denton paled slightly at her words. ‘Good girl,’ thought Lionel and Lex just smirked.

“So a high school girl,” said Chris Murray with a gleam in his eye, “and how old did you say you were?”

“I didn’t say,” she retorted. “So Mrs Barry what do your children do?”

“Our son is a lawyer and our daughter has just qualified as a doctor,” she said with obvious pride in her voice.

The conversations drifted again as dessert was served and afterwards Lionel suggested moving back to the lounge to have coffee. As everyone shuffled in, Lionel waited for Chloe and Lex.

“How did you know about Roger Denton?” he asked her.

“Mr Luthor, did you honestly think I wouldn’t do *some* research on the people I would be meeting tonight?”

Lionel just laughed and followed the others. “What’s wrong?” she asked when she noticed Lex wasn’t moving.

“You know you really are amazing Chloe,” he said sincerely. “Why do you say that Lex?”

He reached out an arm and clumsily wrapped it around her waist and used it to pull her close. “Because you just are,” he whispered in her ear. She shivered as his breath fanned the sensitive shell of her ear. “I think you’re pretty amazing too Lex,” and she wrapped both arms around his waist and hugged him. Lex sighed contentedly and hugged her back, relishing in the feel of her body pressed against his.

Lionel stood in the shadows watching them, a smile on his face.

“Where did Lex and his *little friend* get too?” Mrs Murray’s shrill voice sounded.

Lex sighed and reluctantly released Chloe, “we’d better go in,” he said. He took her arm, “lead on into the lion’s den,” he murmured.

Lionel saved Lex from Selina’s clutches by dragging him over to talk business with Roger Denton. As Chloe tried to make her over to Mrs Barry, Selina cornered her.

“Aren’t you a little young for Lex?” she sneered.

“Aren’t you a little young for your husband?” replied Chloe sweetly.

“Listen little girl, don’t think you can take me on and win.”

“Oh *Mrs* Murray I don’t *think* I can win, I *know* I can. You’re nothing but a glorified prostitute, actually you give prostitutes a bad name, they at least admit to what that are. Now if you excuse me I rather be anywhere but talking to you.” And with that she left the other woman, who by now had turned bright red, staring open-mouthed after her.

“I think Chloe has insulted Selina,” said Lionel to his son. “Good,” replied Lex, “she deserved it.”

“She’s quite a remarkable young woman Lex, definitely a keeper.” Before Lex could reply to that comment, they were interrupted by the Denton’s.

Chloe was quite aware of Chris Murray’s eyes on her every move as she talked to Joyce Barry, and it was beginning to creep her out. Politely excusing herself she made her way over to Lex and had just reached him when Chris Murray grabbed her hand.

“And where are you off too?” he said, his speech slurred. “I’m going over to Lex,” she said, trying to pull her hand free.

He grinned at her and ran his other hand along her neck. “Get your hands off me,” she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Relax honey.”

“Don’t honey me, if you make one more lewd comment or innuendo, and ogle me once more you will find yourself lying on the floor clutching a pair of bruised balls.”

The room was silent for about 10 seconds and then Lex and Lionel burst out laughing. Mr Murray blushed and his wife was by his side immediately, “Chris I want to go home, NOW.” With out so much as a goodbye they left the room to the sound of laughter.

Chloe made her way over to Lex. “Miss Sullivan, I apologise,” said Lionel. “Its ok,” she replied, “I kind of enjoyed telling him off.”

“I’m feeling a little tired,” said Lex, “I think I’ll go to bed.”

“I’ll go with you,” said Chloe, and then blushed when she realised what she had said. “Well...well not with you…just…you know…go,” she stammered.

“I know what you mean Chloe,” said a smirking Lex.

“Goodnight Mr Luthor, goodnight everyone,” she said, her face still red. Lex said his goodbyes and they left.

“Lionel she’s perfectly delightful,” said Joyce Barry and Lionel could only agree.

--------------------------------------------------

There was a moment of awkward silence when they had reached the door of Lex’s room. “Thank you for being there,” said Lex after a moment.

“Hey despite Mr Leech and Mrs Sluttish I quite enjoyed myself,” she replied.

Lex raised his hand to her face, “More than anything I wish that I could see you Chloe,” he whispered. Without any hesitation Chloe pressed her lips gently to his. Before she could pull back Lex’s arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her to him and kissed her back. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip and she opened her mouth. They wrapped their arms around each other as the kiss deepened. Chloe moaned into his mouth as his tongue danced with hers.

When oxygen became an issue he released her mouth and both were breathing heavily. Chloe hugged him tight. “Goodnight Lex,” she said.

“Goodnight Chloe,” he replied and kissed her softly.

She waited till he had gone into his room and closed the door before going into her own. She fell back onto her bed, “I kissed him and then he kissed me,” she whispered, and then laughed softly.

In his own room Lex couldn’t keep the smile off his face, as he got ready for bed. As he closed his eyes all he *saw* was Chloe.

Chapter Fourteen – Heavenly Start, Hellish End

Chloe woke suddenly. Rubbing her eyes she looked over at the clock on the bedside table. 3.15am flashed at her. ‘Must have been a weird dream that woke me,’ she thought. She settled back on the pillows and pulled the blanket over her and closed her eyes again.

A moment later she sat up in the bed again, “what was that,” she whispered. She listened closely but there was nothing but silence. “You are losing it Chloe.” And she lay back down.

“Ok that was definitely something.”

She got out of bed, opened the door and she heard the sound again, but it was faint and she wasn’t quite sure what it was. She placed her ear against the door of Lex’s room and heard the sound.

She knocked lightly on the door and opened it soon afterwards. “Lex,” she said. Cautiously she moved to the door of his bedroom. “Lex,” she called again as she knocked on the door.

There was no answer, Chloe took a deep breath and opened the door. A small light was on, “oh Lex,” she gasped when she saw him.

He was curled up on the bed, his head in his hands and he was groaning in pain. She rushed over to the bed and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. He jerked his head up immediately and Chloe could clearly see the pain etched on his face. “Who’s there?” he managed to get out.

“Lex, its Chloe.”

“Oh Chloe, make it stop, please make it stop.”

Chloe’s heart almost broke at the pleading in his voice. “What…what Lex? What is it?”

“The pain, my head…” he groaned again.

“Let me get your father to call for a doctor. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t, don’t leave me, please.”

“Lex you *need* a doctor.” Lex fumbled and groped till he had wrapped his arms around her waist, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, “please stay with me. Don’t go.”

Tears in her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It pained her to see him like this. This was Lex Luthor, and to see him almost, *broken* and in so much pain was killing her. She could feel moisture against his neck and knew it was from his tears, and she tightened her hold on him.

Chloe wasn’t quite sure how long they sat like that, but eventually the groans of pain from Lex turned to whimpers and then he was silent. “I’m sorry Chloe,” he murmured against her neck after a while.

“What, sorry, why are you sorry?”

“I’m sorry that you had to see me like this.”

“Don’t you ever say that,” she said. “Lex, how long have these headaches being going on?” There was no answer from him. “Lex.”

“A few weeks,” he whispered and Chloe gasped. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Lex lifted his head up but kept his arms around her, “at first it was just a headache and after I’d take a couple of painkillers the pain would go. But then they got worse and worse and my head felt like it was going to explode.”

“Lex you have to tell the doctor, and…and if you don’t I will.”

“I’m afraid too,” he whispered. “I’ve been clinging to the hope that as long as the doctors didn’t actually come out and say the blindness was permanent they was always the small chance that my sight would return, and I didn’t want to go to the doctors in case…in case…”

“They said there was no hope,” she finished.

“Yes.”

“But Lex you can’t continue on like this. It could be very serious and it’s needs to be seen to by an expert.”

“I know. Chloe in the morning we’ll tell my father and I’ll go to the doctor.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. She removed her arms from his shoulders and made to pull away from him. “Stay with me,” he said softly.

Chloe hesitated for about a millisecond before saying, “if you want me too.”

Lex removed his arms and lay back on the bed, Chloe pulled the cover of him and she lay down beside him. His arms once again weaved around her waist and he pulled her close, spooning his body around hers. She placed her hands over his and sighed.

Lex fell back asleep before Chloe and it was a long time before she joined him.

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Lex awoke to the clock chiming 9.00am, he moved slightly in the bed and felt the body beside him press closer. ‘Chloe,’ he thought, and remembered what had happened to lead to her being in bed with him. ‘Not the way I would have liked to end up in bed with her,’ he thought.

Lex sighed. He would have to tell his father about the headaches and then go to the doctor. He rubbed his temples and tried to get rid of the slight pain that still lingered from the headache.

“Still hurting you,” she said.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he replied.

“It’s ok, how are you feeling?”

“There is still a little pain, look Chloe about….”

“We are telling your father Lex I mean it, if you don’t I will,” she said and turned so that she faced him. ‘Ok how weird is this?’ thought Chloe, ‘me in the same bed as Lex Luthor.’

She cupped his cheek gently, “you know you have too Lex. I can’t bear you being in so much pain.”

Lex leaned into her hand and nodded. He moved his head forward and kissed her cheek, then moved down to her mouth. He moaned when her mouth opened and her tongue touched his. Mouths still locked he rolled them till he half lay on top of her. Chloe wrapped one hand around his neck and pulled him closer to her.

‘This is so not the right time for this,’ he thought, but his brain was losing the battle with the rest of his body. Ever since their kiss last night all he could think about doing was kissing her again and again. A hand slipped under the nightshirt she was wearing and she whimpered as he danced his fingers over the smooth skin of her stomach.

She pulled her mouth from his and gasped his name. Lex began kissing her neck and she titled her head to give him better access and ran her hands over his bare back. He shivered and moved his hand higher till it grazed the underside of her breast.

“So soft,” he murmured, “like silk.”

Chloe pulled his mouth back to hers and kissed him deeply. Both were lost in the passion of the moment that they failed to hear Lex’s name being called. But the loud knock on the bedroom door caused them to pull away from each other.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me,” his father’s voice rang out. “Oh shit,” mumbled Chloe.

“Lex, would Miss Sullivan be with you by any chance?” said Lionel, and both could hear the obvious amusement in his voice.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” said Lex. “I am so embarrassed,” whispered Chloe. “Not about what happened between us Lex, but…”

“Being caught?” asked Lex.

“A little, but mainly being stopped,” she admitted. Lex groaned and fought the temptation to finish what they had started even with his father standing outside.

They got out of the bed, “are you going to tell him about the headaches now?” she asked.

“I’ll tell him I have to talk to him and when you dressed etc I‘ll tell him,” said Lex, “I want you with me when I do.”

When they left the room, Chloe saw Lionel sitting in one of the chairs, a huge grin on his face, and despite her best efforts she couldn’t stop blushing.

“Lex, Miss Sullivan,” he said. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“Mr Luthor,” said Chloe. “I’d better go,” and she hurried out of the room.

“Dad,” said Lex when he heard the door close, “will you be here in about an hour?”

“Yes, why?” Lionel was worried; Lex rarely called him ‘Dad’.

Lex took a deep breath, “I need to talk to you about something, it’s quite serious.”

“And why can’t you tell me now?” said Lionel, a little concerned. “Please dad, I’ll tell you everything later,” said Lex.

“Ok I suppose, I’ll be back in an hour.”

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An hour later Lionel sat in the same chair, staring intently at his son, who now had Chloe sitting beside him.

“I’ve been having these really bad headaches lately,” he began.

“How bad?” asked Lionel.

“I’ve never experienced pain like them before, it feels like my head is about to explode. And they have been getting worse.”

“Did you know about these?” he asked Chloe.

“No, I only found out during the night. I woke up and heard a noise coming from Lex’s room, when I went in he was in agony. I wanted to get you immediately, but Lex wanted to wait till this morning.”

Lionel sighed, “you are going to the hospital now, no arguments.” And took out his phone and rang ahead.

--------------------------------------------------

“I’m sorry Mr Luthor that I didn’t get you immediately,” said Chloe as they sat in the waiting room while the doctor examined Lex.

“Nonsense,” said Lionel, “I’d say you had a lot to do with him telling me about it now.”

“It was really bad,” she said, “I have never seen someone in so much pain.”

He was prevented from replying by the appearance of the doctor. Both Lionel and Chloe stood up. “Well,” said Lionel.

The doctor glanced at Chloe, “I want her to hear this as well,” said Lionel.

“It’s not good Mr Luthor, not good at all. Your son has an ever increasing blood clot in his brain, and the extreme headaches he has been experiencing are being caused by the clot growing.”

“And when can you operate?”

“Mr Luthor you don’t understand the seriousness of his condition, even the operation itself has its risks.”

“What are you saying?” asked Chloe.

The doctor took a deep breath, “if we don’t operate it will kill him. And if we do there is a chance the procedure will kill him anyway.”

“How high of a chance?” asked Lionel.

“Well it’s almost impossible to put a percentage on this kind of thing, you have to take into consideration many factors…”

“Put a percentage on it,” shouted Lionel, causing Chloe to jump.

“Your son has about a 40% chance of surviving the procedure.”

“Oh God,” said Chloe.

Lionel closed his eyes and rubbed a hand across his temples. “And if he doesn’t have the procedure, what time frame are we talking about?”

“Impossible to say,” replied the doctor, “today, tomorrow, next week. Your son is walking around with a *time bomb* in his head.”

“Have you told Lex?” asked Chloe.

“Yes,” said the doctor, “and he wants the procedure. He quite adamant about it.”

Lionel felt like his legs were going to collapse from under him, ‘I’m going to lose my son,’ he thought. He felt Chloe take his arm and led him over to the chair and he let her gently push him till he sat down.

“When are you going to do it?” She asked the doctor.

“Twenty-four hours from now. 1.00pm tomorrow to be exact.”



Chapter Fifteen – Heart to Hearts

Chloe was still in shock as she tried to let the doctor’s words sink in. ‘He could die,’ she thought, ‘Lex could die.’ She looked over a Lionel. The older man was still in the chair she had guided him into. He had a look of disbelief on his face and Chloe felt his pain. Despite what people said about him and Lex and despite the less than perfect father/son relationship they had, Chloe knew Lionel loved his son. From the first moment Lex discovered he was blind Chloe could see Lionel’s feelings for his son clearly etched on his face.

She didn’t even want to try and comprehend how Lionel was feeling at the moment. Added to the fact that even with his billions Lionel couldn’t help his son, the man must feel almost numb.

Chloe’s mind drifted back to earlier and Lex’s bed. And what would have happened if they hadn’t been disturbed. She didn’t know when the exact moment it had happened was, but Chloe was falling in love with Lex Luthor. ‘Jeez Chloe, way to live a soap opera,’ she thought.

She slipped quietly out of the room and got two coffees from the vending machine. When she got back Lionel still hadn’t moved at all, and only for the fact that he was breathing Chloe would have been really worried about him.

“Mr Luthor,” she said timidly. “I thought you could use this.” And she held out the cup of coffee.

Lionel looked blankly at her for a minute and then just reached out and took the cup from her. Chloe settled into the chair beside him. “I didn’t imagine all of it, did I?” he said after a few minutes.

“No Mr Luthor, you didn’t.”

He took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on Chloe. ‘What was it about this girl, a reporter no less, that made you want to talk,’ he thought.

“The worst day of my life,” he began, “was the day my wife died. Regardless of what was said by people or written in the papers, the moment she drew her last breath a part of me died as well.”

Not knowing what to say, Chloe gently laid her hand on his. Lionel glanced down at her small hand and then returned his gaze to her face. “The day the meteor shower hit, Lex and I were in Smallville. He was out in a cornfield and I was finishing up some business. Suddenly the air changed and these *rocks* came hurtling out of the sky and hit the field. My heart almost stopped when I realised Lex was in that field. And when I found him, lying there, shaking with shock and fear, his hair almost completely gone, I had never been so relieved in my life that he was ok.”

He paused for a moment. “Over the years Lex and I have moved further and further apart from each other. I push and challenge him at every opportunity because I want him to be all that he can. And because of all that pushing I drove Lex to hate me. I succeeded in keeping the Luthor tradition, my father drove me to hate him and I did the same to my son.”

“Mr Luthor, Lex doesn’t…he doesn’t hate you,” said Chloe. “I don’t think he likes you very much but he doesn’t hate you.”

He gave Chloe a small smile before continuing. “After the Tornado and the realisation that Lex was blind, a…a tiny part of me rejoiced. Not that he was blind but that something had happened that would give me a second chance at rebuilding my relationship with him. Does that make me all evil and selfish?”

“Evil, no way,” she said. “Selfish, well maybe, but for the right reasons. Hell Mr Luthor it took Lex getting blind for he and I to become friends. How crazy is that?”

“My son could *die*. If he has the operation he could die, and if he doesn’t he will die. I think God has finally found the way to most effectively punish me for being a complete bastard for all those years.” He finished his speech with a bitter laugh and Chloe’s heart went out to the man.

“As you have said on many occasions, Lex is a Luthor,” said Chloe, “and I thought the art of survival was a God-given right to you Luthors.”

Lionel smiled at her, “Lex was right, you really are incredible, Chloe Sullivan.”

She blushed slightly and looked away. Her eye caught the clock. 7.27pm. She couldn’t believe that they had been at the hospital for so long.

A nurse appeared and told Lionel that Lex wanted to talk to him. He gently squeezed Chloe’s hand and left with the nurse.

--------------------------------------------------

‘A brain clot…Serious...Could die,’ all this kept running over and over in Lex’s mind. He was, once again, lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to a number of different machines. “I really, really hate hospitals,” he murmured. He heard the door open and close, and then the sound of footsteps approaching him.

“Dad?” he said softly.

“Yes Lex, it’s me.”

Both men remained silent, neither quite sure of what to say. “Well this is a first,” said Lex, breaking the silence, “you and I having nothing to say to each other.”

“Don’t die Lex.”

“Well I’m going to do my damn best not to,” joked Lex weakly, “I am a Luthor after all.”

“Chloe said the same thing,” said Lionel. “Is she still here?” asked Lex.

“Yes,” said Lionel, “she’s in the waiting room. I don’t think she’d pay any heed to me if I was to tell her to go home.”

“She’s stubborn like that,” replied Lex with a smile.

“And not unlike someone I know,” retorted Lionel with a smile of his own.

“I don’t want to die,” Lex whispered and Lionel felt his heart constrict and his eyes fill up with tears.

“I’d…I’d better let you get some rest,” he managed to choke out.

“Send Chloe in please,” Lex called after him.

Lionel left the room and leaned his head against the door, “I love you Alexander,” he whispered. He then composed himself and went to get Chloe. Inside the room Lex waited till he heard the door close, “I love you too dad,” he whispered.

--------------------------------------------------

Chloe had gone to ring her dad in Metropolis to let him know what was going on in case he was trying to contact her. She felt a little better hearing her dad’s voice; he could always make her feel happier. She was contemplating calling Clark when Lionel entered the room. Despite his best efforts Chloe could tell the older man had been crying.

“Are you ok Mr Luthor?”

He gave her a weak smile. “Lex wants to talk to you.”

She smiled back at him and headed towards the room Lex was in. She knocked gently on the door when she got there.

“Come in Chloe.”

She entered the room and managed not to gasp as she saw him lying there, with various machines hanging out of him. “You certainly have a flair for the dramatic Lex.”

“What can I say? I like to keep a lady interested.”

She walked up to the bed and took his hand, intertwining their fingers together. “I’m scared Chloe,” he admitted.

“I have no idea what to say to you Lex. Somehow ‘everything’s going to be ok’, doesn’t quite sound right.”

“Do you know that even *if* I survive the operation I’ll still be blind. How that for a kick in the teeth?”

“I’d rather you alive and blind, than dead,” she whispered.

“Thank you for staying,” he said. “Thank you for everything.”

“I didn’t have anywhere better to be.” She bent down and pressed her lips to his and they kissed gently.

“You had better come out of this Lex,” she said when they parted. “You still owe me a spin in your Ferrari.”

Lex smiled and then grimaced in pain. “Not again,” he moaned. Some of the machines around him began beeping and a nurse came into the room. Closely followed by the doctor.

“Another headache,” said the doctor. “Miss you have to leave,” the nurse said to Chloe and she began to usher her out of the room. Chloe ran to the waiting room. “He’s having another headache, the doctor is with him,” she said to Lionel.

Just as they were going to head back to Lex’s room the doctor appeared. “What’s going on?” demanded Lionel.

“Your son has had another headache, and this was the big one. He is, at the moment, being prepped for surgery. We are going to operate immediately.”

“Why? Why now?”

“Because Mr Luthor the next headache will cause the clot to burst and then your son will die,” said the doctor. “I suggest the two of you get comfortable, this is going to be a very long night. I will send a nurse down to move you both to a more private waiting room nearer to the theatre. As soon as there is any news you will be informed.”

Chloe just nodded at the doctor, and he left the room.

Lionel reached out and grabbed Chloe’s hand tightly.

“Lex,” he whispered.



Chapter Sixteen – The Waiting Game

Fifteen minutes after the doctor had left them with the bombshell that Lex was going to be operated on immediately, a nurse entered the room. She led them to a waiting room on the same floor as the operating theatres. It was a much bigger room than the other and Chloe guessed it was designed for long stays, as it appeared very comfortable.

About an hour after the nurse had left them, Lex’s doctor came to see them. He went on in great detail about the procedure they were going to perform on Lex. Chloe tried to follow what he was saying but he used far too many medical terms. She glanced briefly at Lionel during the doctor’s speech and she could see that he was looking like he was about to hit the man. Finally, as if sensing he was close to getting a broken nose, the doctor left.

“Patronising, odious little man,” mumbled Lionel.

Chloe shook her head and smiled and moved to leave the room.

“Where are you going?” asked Lionel.

“I just want to ring my dad at the hotel to give him an update, and I think we should let Maria know what’s going on,” she said. “I won’t be long.”

“But you *are* coming back,” he said, making it sound more like an order than a question.

“Yes Mr Luthor I will be back.” She gave him a small reassuring smile and left to make her calls.

--------------------------------------------------

Lionel collapsed onto one of the couches in the room when Chloe had left. He sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair.

He really should send Chloe home, even though she would probably have to be physically dragged away. But deep down he didn’t want her to go. It was a kind of comfort having her stay.

He sighed again and thought of his wife as she lay in her hospital bed towards the end, soon her face was replaced with Lex’s. And as he thought of his son, Lionel Luthor did something he hadn’t done in a very long time. He prayed.

--------------------------------------------------

“Ok dad I will,” said Chloe. “You take care too. I love you. Bye.”

She hung up the phone grateful in the fact that she had the best dad in the world. He completely understood why she was staying and told her that his thoughts were with Lex.

She had rung Maria earlier and the poor woman had burst into tears. “Poor, poor Mr Luthor, and poor, poor Mr Luthor senior,” she kept saying. She made Chloe promise that she’d ring as soon as there was any news.

Chloe picked up the receiver again and dialled a number quickly before she lost her nerve. After a few rings the phone was answered. “Hello.”

“Hi Mr Kent, is Clark there?”

“Hi Chloe, yes he is. Hang on.” She heard the phone been put down and then Jonathan calling Clark. A moment later, “hey Chlo. What’s up?”

“Clark, I want you to *promise* me that you will repeat to no-one what I’m about to say.”

“Chloe, what…what’s wrong?”

“Just promise me Clark, and mean it this time.”

“I promise you Chloe.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m at the hospital, it’s Lex, and he’s not good. They are operating on him as we speak. He…he might not make it.”

“Oh my God Chloe. I can’t, I mean, poor Lex. Do you want me to come over?”

“No that’s ok I don’t know how Mr Luthor would react. I just thought that you should know.”

“Chloe, you will call me if there is any news. Good or…or bad I want to know.”

“I will Clark, and you won’t say anything?”

“Don’t worry Chloe, I promise. And I’ll keep it this time.”

“Thanks Clark. I’d better go. Bye.” “Bye Chloe and take care.”

She hung up the phone and headed back to the waiting room.

--------------------------------------------------

They had been in the room for a few hours. And for the last twenty minutes Lionel had been pacing around the room. Chloe knew the man was worried but his pacing was beginning to get on her nerves. After a few more minutes she couldn’t take it anymore, “Mr Luthor, please *stop* pacing.”

“I have to do something Chloe,” he said.

“I understand that, but wearing a trench into waiting room floor isn’t the best thing to do.”

With a sigh Lionel sat down again. “Thank you,” muttered Chloe. He smirked slightly at her. “And what is so amusing?” she asked.

“I don’t *ever* remember taking orders from a seventeen year old girl before,” he said. Chloe just rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m going to take a walk,” he said after a moment. “Would you like anything brought back?”

“No thanks,” she replied and he left the room.

--------------------------------------------------

It was a couple of hours later that Lionel returned to the room. When he got there he found Chloe asleep on the couch. Taking one of the blankets from the table he draped it over her. He settled himself onto one of the armchairs and continued to wait.

--------------------------------------------------

“Mr Luthor…Mr Luthor.”

Lionel woke with a jump and found a nurse standing before him. “Mr Luthor, the doctor will be in to see you in a few moments.”

“What’s happening?”

“You will have to wait for the doctor,” she said, and left the room.

He stood up and stretched, glancing at his watch he saw it was 6.00am. He had been at the hospital all night. He looked over at the couch and noticed Chloe was gone. As he was heading out to find her, she arrived back with two cups of coffee.

“Thank you,” he said, accepting a cup. “A nurse was just here, she said the doctor was on his way.”

Chloe gasped. ‘Let it be good news,’ she thought. ‘Let him be ok.’

Before she had a chance to ask Lionel anything, the doctor entered the room. He looked like he had come straight from the operating theatre. And Chloe didn’t want to dwell on the fact that the blood on him was probably Lex’s.

“Well,” said an impatient Lionel when the doctor didn’t speak immediately.

“Mr Luthor, your son…survived the procedure,” he said.

“Thank God,” said a relieved Chloe, while Lionel felt the twenty-five years he had aged since yesterday morning disappear.

“But…” said the doctor, causing both Chloe an Lionel to look at him. “He is not completely out of the woods yet. He lost a lot of blood, and there is always the trauma of undergoing such a complicated and dangerous operation. But, on the plus side, he is over the worst of it and the clot has been removed. The next twenty-four hours are critical, he will be under constant supervision and before you ask, no you can’t see him yet. In my opinion I think he’ll be fine but we won’t know for sure until tomorrow when we do the brain scan.”

“Thank you doctor,” said Chloe, while Lionel just mumbled at him. The doctor nodded at both of them and left the room.

“There’s that stubborn Luthor gene working to it’s fullest,” she said.

“He’s going to live, he’s going to live,” was all Lionel could think or say at the moment. He looked over at Chloe and for the first time since they had arrived at the hospital the full-on Chloe Sullivan smile graced her face. He also noticed how exhausted she looked.

“I think you should go home Chloe and get some proper rest,” he said. “As the doctor said, we aren’t going to be able to see Lex for a while yet. I need to get home as well to take care of a few things. If there is any update from the hospital I will call you immediately.”

As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. There wasn’t anything they could do at the moment and she did want to see her dad. He was probably almost home by now. “I suppose so Mr Luthor.”

“Come on then Chloe, I’ll drive you home.” After informing the nurse to call him as soon as there was any change or news, Lionel drove Chloe home. The trip back was travelled in a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts about the doctors’ news.

As the pulled up to her house, her father was just coming out of the door. “Chloe,” he said and pulled her into a big hug when she had excited the car. A very relived Chloe hugged him back.

“You look exhausted sweetheart,” he said when he released her. “I’m ok dad,” she said.

“Mr Luthor,” said Gabe when he saw him, and shook the other man’s hand. “How is Lex?”

“He’s making progress Gabe, not completely out of danger yet, but he’s getting there,” said Lionel.

“I’m delighted to hear that,” said Gabe. “I won’t bore you with the details of the meeting. Just let me know when you are ready to go over it.”

“Thank you Gabe. Well I have to go.”

“Goodbye Mr Luthor,” said Chloe, “and don’t forget to call me if there is any news.”

“I won’t. And thank you Chloe, thank you for being there.” He got into his car and drove off.

Gabe pulled Chloe into another hug. “Come on sweetie, you can tell me everything over some food. Starting with when Lionel Luthor started calling you Chloe.”

Chloe smiled at her dad and with her thoughts very much on Lex she went inside her house.

[ruafair]

Chapter Seventeen – Crossroads

Chloe barely contained her cry of delight as her final class of the day finished. Her father had been quite adamant about her going to school today. “I’m sure if there is any news Mr Luthor will inform you,” he said. And despite her protests he wasn’t budging. If people thought Chloe was stubborn it was nothing compared to her dad.

She ran out of the class, and was stuffing her books into her locker when Clark caught up with her. She had called him last night and given him an update. She had also gone into more detail about what the operation was about.

“Hey Chlo, any news?”

“Nope, nothing yet. I’m going to give Mr Luthor a call from the Torch office. I tried the hospital earlier but they said since I wasn’t a member of the immediate family they couldn’t give me any information.”

“I’ll walk with you, if you don’t mind,” said Clark.

“Not at all,” she replied, and they made their way through the halls to the Torch. When she got there she found Lionel Luthor standing in front of her ‘Wall of Weird.’

‘Oh deja-vu,’ she thought. ‘That’s were Lex was standing the first time I met him.’

“Mr Luthor, hi,” she said.

He turned around, “Ch…Miss Sullivan,” he said, correcting himself when he saw Clark. “Mr Luthor,” said Clark.

Noticing that Lionel wasn’t going to speak with Clark there she turned to him, “thanks Clark. I’ll talk to you later.” Clark glanced between Chloe and Lionel, “ok Chloe. Talk to you.” And he left.

“Lex has woken up,” said Lionel, “he’s still a little groggy but he’s awake. Unfortunately he is still blind.”

“Have you spoken to him?” asked Chloe.

“No, not yet,” replied Lionel. “But I thought you might like to accompany me to the hospital.”

“I’d love too,” she said.

As they made their way through the school to the main door Chloe was well aware of the stares she was getting from the few students and couple of teachers that were still around. But she supposed it did look weird, Lionel Luthor walking through the school. She glanced at him briefly and noticed he had a smirk on his face, he was quite aware of the attention he was getting.

If someone had told her before the tornado had hit, that as a result of it, Lex would be blind, she and he would be *close* friends and that she would be having regular, friendly conversations with Lionel Luthor. She would of put them up on her wall of weird and then have them committed.

When they got outside, the driver was standing beside the limo. “Travelling in style I see Mr Luthor,” she said with a grin.

“Well one does have a reputation to uphold,” he replied.

It still surprised Chloe when he made a joke. Even though he seemed to be doing it a lot more frequent of late, she still couldn’t quite get use to the idea.

They got into the limo and the driver headed for the hospital.

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“Well Mr Luthor,” said the nurse, “how are you feeling?”

“Like crap,” muttered Lex. He had just gone for a CAT scan earlier and he was now just sick and tired of being prodded and poked at.

“Well your father and girlfriend are on their way in to see you. That should cheer you up. I’ll be back later to check on you.”

Lex was about to correct her on the *girlfriend* remark, but he actually liked the sound of it. He didn’t know exactly what was happening between him and Chloe but somewhere along the line it had shifted from being *just friends*.

‘Now if only I could get my fucking sight back,’ he thought. He supposed he should be grateful that he was alive but still he hated the blindness.

--------------------------------------------------

The doctor was waiting at the door to Lex’s room for Lionel and Chloe to arrive. “Mr Luthor, Miss Sullivan,” he said.

“Is everything ok?” asked Chloe.

“Yes it’s fine,” said the doctor. “I just wanted to see you both. We have the results of the CAT scan, and I thought you’d like to be there when I gave them to Lex.” The doctor opened the door and Chloe and Lionel filed in after him.

“Lex,” he said, “how are you?”

“Crap,” he muttered again.

“Yeah you look pretty crappy as well,” said Chloe.

“Chloe,” said Lex, his face breaking out into a smile. He held out his hand and Chloe immediately went over to him and took it. Lex brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Lionel just smiled at their interaction. “Your father and the doctor are here as well,” she said.

“Told you I’d do my best Dad,” he said. “Never doubted you for a minute Lex,” said Lionel, relief evident in his voice.

“And doctor, I thought you would have been sick of seeing me.”

“I have the results of your CAT scan, and you’ll be happy to know there is no residual effects left from the clot. And all traces of that are gone.”

Lex squeezed Chloe’s hand at the doctor’s word. “When can he come home?” asked Lionel. “We’ll keep him here until the weekend. You can take him home on Saturday,” replied the doctor.

“What about the blindness?” asked Lex softly.

“The diagnosis on that hasn’t changed. As in we don’t know what’s causing it, so my original answer is the same, your blindness might not be permanent.”

Lex breathed a sigh of relief. While it was not the answer he really wanted, like being told they knew how to give him his sight back. At least this answer didn’t totally shatter the hope that it may return one day.

“Lex, I’ll leave you and Miss Sullivan to talk,” said Lionel. “I will call back later.”

“Mr Luthor it’s…” started Chloe.

“I’ll be back later,” he repeated, and left the room with the doctor.

“Are they gone?” asked Lex.

“Yeah, but I didn’t mean for your dad to go.”

“It’s ok Chloe, this is my father we’re talking about. If he thought he might be even a tiny bit emotional there’s no way he’d be like that with others around.”

She let go of his hand. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’m just getting a chair Lex.” She got one from the other side of the room and placed it beside his bed, she sat down and took Lex’s hand again.

“The last time you were here like this, it was under much different circumstances,” he said.

“That had to be one of the worst nights of my life,” admitted Chloe. “Your father and I spent it here at the hospital.”

“You BOTH stayed?”

“Of course,” she said. “Also my dad sends you his best, and so does Clark.”

“Say thanks to your dad for me. And you told Clark?”

“He is still your friend Lex and I thought he should know what was going on.”

“I’m still blind though,” he whispered. “Part of me hoped that I would wake up from the operation and be able to see again. That after all the shit that has happened to me, the fates had decided to cut me some slack.”

“I wish I could make it better,” she whispered back.

“You’ve already made it bearable Chloe, and for that I am grateful,” he said seriously. She felt her eyes fill with tears and squeezed his hand.

“Do you think we would have become such good friends if I hadn’t of been blind?” he asked after a moment.

“Honestly I don’t know Lex. I’d like to think that we would have, but I don’t know for sure. I think we’d definitely keep up the verbal judo though.”

“When I get out of here and the doctor says it’s ok for me, we’ll take that spin in the Ferrari,” he said. “We can drive anywhere you want.”

“Well I want to go where Lana Lang and Nell Potter can see me,” she said with a laugh. “Does that make me petty and shallow?”

“Not at all,” said Lex with a laugh, “that’s perfectly understandable.”

“Good, then I want the she-devil to see me as well.”

“Who is the *she-devil*?”

“Mrs. Murray,” said Chloe. “Of course, I’d much rather run her and her husband over but I wouldn’t want to damage the Ferrari in any way.”

Lex laughed at her comment. “Remind me *never* to really piss you off Chloe.”

She reached out her hand and cupped his cheek; “oh I think you and I have pushed each other as much as we’re going to. Things are going to be fine between us.”

“How fine Chloe?” he asked softly, as he leaned into her hand.

“As fine as you want Lex,” she replied and placed her lips on his. ‘This is what I want Chloe,’ he thought as they kissed, ‘this and so much more.’

Both were aware a shift had happened in their relationship and both welcomed it.



Chapter Eighteen – Confrontation

Lex smiled as he heard Chloe’s voice outside his door, as she talked to Maria. He had been home since Friday, the doctor deciding to let him out a day earlier, after giving him the all clear. Mid-way through his stay in the hospital his father came to see him and they talked for about two hours, it was the longest conversation he could ever remember having with him. They talked about the business, his blindness, and most surprisingly his mother. Lex had been so caught up in his own grief when his mother died, that he had forgotten completely about the fact that his father has lost his wife. They were rebuilding their relationship, and while they would never be the perfect father/son, say like Jonathan and Clark Kent, Lex didn’t think they would ever go back to the way they were. The one were they tried to hurt each other emotionally on a regular basis.

The other big change was Chloe. Since that first visit after his operation they seemed to have moved up a gear in their relationship. Whereas Lex was sill cynical enough not to put a boyfriend/girlfriend or couple label onto it, they were acting slightly more intimate. In fact, he couldn’t stop touching her. When he was in the hospital bed, he always held her hand while they talked or stroked her face. A couple of days before he was let home he was allowed to get out of bed and walk around the hospital, and on these occasions he held Chloe closer to him than before.

And to top it all off there were those kisses, those wonderful, take your breath away kisses. ‘I’m turning in a sap,’ he thought. He liked to think they would have had the same closeness if he hadn’t of been blind. Physically he had been attracted to her the moment they met, but after the ill-fated interview when she proved herself as intelligent as he thought she was that attraction grew. In fact he purposely began to avoid her, he wasn’t use to feeling like this where a woman was concerned and at first he didn’t like the lack of control it generated.

So he threw himself into acquaintances with one brunette bimbo after another, women who only wanted his money. So he used them and discarded them when he was finished, or in Victoria’s case drove her to his father. He still shuddered at the thought of her.

The third relationship that had occurred since his *accident* was the one between Chloe and his father. And this was definitely the ‘wall of weird’ one, as he liked to call it. Never in a million years did he think those two would ever get on. But for some reason they did, he did know for a fact that Chloe impressed him, his father had told him as much. And Chloe wasn’t as nervous around him anymore. She spoke to him as she spoke to anyone, and Lex got the impression that his father enjoyed that. During their chat earlier in the week they had talked about the dinner party and the way she had handled the guests. And Lionel had told him about a similar incident with his mother. It was before they were married and his father had thrown a much bigger part and Lillian had ended up dunking some senator’s head in the punch bowl after he’d pinched her ass one too many times. Lex could actually picture his mother doing it.

His mental road trip was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. “Sorry I’m late,” said Chloe, “but I couldn’t get away from Maria. She’s a nice woman and I really like her, but that woman could talk for America.”

“It’s ok,” he replied, “I was just having a revaluation of the last few weeks.”

“And what conclusion did you come too?” she said as she sat down beside him on the couch.

“I’m still working on it, but I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”

“Good,” she said. “Oh Lex, I was just wondering, now that your back home and such…I was wondering when I could, you know…”

“Take the Ferrari out,” he finished.

“Yes.”

“Well, how about now?”

“Really, you’re not kidding. Like now.”

“Yes Chloe, like now.”

“Oh my God,” she exclaimed and threw her arms around him. Lex wasn’t prepared for that and the force pushed him back on the couch with Chloe on top of him.

“Although we could stay here like this for a while,” he said with a smirk. She wriggled on top of him, and he manoeuvred his hands to her waist to still her movements. “Chloe,” he warned.

“Don’t you like that?” she said innocently, and began placing little kisses on his face. ‘I like it too much.’ he thought. He moved one of his hands to the back of her head and drew her mouth to his, kissing her hard. He sucked her tongue into his mouth, causing her to groan. She tasted of coffee and peppermint. When air became an issue he released her mouth, “wow,” she gasped. “I second that ‘wow’ and raise you an amazing,” said a breathless Lex.

She rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. “While this is very nice Lex,” she said after a minute, “I really want to drive that car.”

“Ok, ok, let’s go,” he said.

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Twenty minutes later they were sitting in Lex’s Ferrari. Chloe was in the driver’s seat and Lex was explaining the finer workings of the car.

“Lex,” she interrupted, “I do know how to drive. We have had this conversation before. I am not going to *break* your car. So just sit back and enjoy the ride.”

She started the car and put it into gear. “Chloe, just…”

He didn’t get a chance to finish as Chloe hit the accelerator and the car took off in a cloud of dust. She sped down the driveway of the Luthor estate, “I love this car,” she shouted.

“Chloe, slow down,” said Lex.

“Lex ‘I go as fast as I want too and screw what the sped limits say’ Luthor is telling me to slow down. You’re getting old Lex,” she said with an exaggerated sigh.

“Don’t try that with me Chloe. I mean just slow down a little.”

She laughed but did as he said and they drove *comfortably* fast towards town. “How about a coffee?” she said, as they neared the Talon.

“I’d love a coffee from the *Talon* Chloe,” he replied with a laugh. She parked the car in front of it, well aware that Nell Potter was watching their every move. She got out and went around to help Lex. He took her arm and they headed into the Talon, “Nell was watching everything,’ whispered Chloe.

“Well it’s not like she has a life of her own,” said Lex, with mock sadness. They were still laughing as they made their way to the counter. “Oh hi Lex, hi Chloe,” said Lana.

“Hey Lana, can I get two cappuccinos to go please,” said Chloe.

“So how are you Lex?” she said as she got their order.

“I’m fine Lana,” he replied. “How’s business been?”

“It has started to pick up, I think you’ll be happier with the accounts this time.”

“I hope so Lana, I’ll get them off you in a couple of days.”

“Ok here you go, two cappuccinos,” and she placed them on the counter. Chloe handed over the money.

“Now Chloe drive a bit slower back, I really don’t want coffee all over my Ferrari,” said Lex with a smile.

“YOU drove a Ferrari,” gasped Lana, a hint of jealously in her voice.

“Yep,” said Chloe, “and I have to tell you Lana is it amazing. My poor car will never feel the same to me now after driving it.”

“That’s great,” she said, very obviously put out.

“Well we’d better go, bye Lana,” said Lex, taking Chloe’s arm.

“Yes, bye,” she said.

When they got outside Nell was looking at the car. “Lex, Chloe,” she said.

“Ms. Potter,” said Chloe, while Lex said nothing. She helped Lex into the car and went around to the driver’s side.

“Chloe,” said Nell, before she got in, “I hope you don’t think I’m being forward but I thought you should know that there are…certain people talking about you.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes, “and what are these *certain* people saying?”

“Well just that it seems a bit strange all the time you’ve been spending with the Luthors especially Lex and that it could be seen as, well you know what I mean. A young girl, a rich older man.”

“No Ms. Potter I have no idea what you mean. Why don’t *you*tell me?”

“Well that you’re offering more than…friendship.”

“So what you’re saying is that I’m whoring myself out to the Luthors. Who the fuck do you think you are? And as for certain people, that’s bullshit; it’s all coming from you. Just because Mr Luthor and Lex threatened you about gossiping about them you decide, because you have no life of your own, to take a stab at mine and make up this utter crap about. How dare you? You know absolutely nothing about me. “

“Chloe, I never alluded to that…” stammered Nell.

Lex got out of the car; he had been listening to every word of the conversation and was just as angry as Chloe. “Listen to me very carefully Nell,” he said, his voice dangerous as he looked in her direction, “you are skating on very thin ice, slander is a serious offence and Chloe has real grounds for it. And also know that I wouldn’t think twice about pulling out of the Talon and then you’d have to live with the guilt of ruining things for your niece. As for my relationship with Chloe; it is none of your business.”

His speech finished he got back into the car, followed by Chloe. And they drove off leaving a humiliated Nell speechless by the side of the road.

“I cannot believe the nerve of that woman,” seethed Chloe, “please give me one good reason why I shouldn’t go back there and run her over.”

“I’ll give you two reasons. One, murder and/or attempted murder is a crime, and two, you’d dent the Ferrari.”

“Thanks Lex,” she said as his remark got her to smile. “She just makes me so angry, her and her holier than thou attitude.”

He rested his hand on her knee and squeezed it gently, “I know she does Chloe, but she’s not worth your anger.”

“I’m just worried about my dad hearing something,” she sighed. “I hate for that to happen.”

“Your father is a good man and he wouldn’t believe it if he heard it.”

“I know he wouldn’t, I just don’t want him to have to hear it,” she said.

“I think Nell Potter was sufficiently scared. She won’t be spreading any more crap,” said Lex.

“I guess you’re right, but I’d still like to run her over.” She felt a little better now, but decided to talk to her dad later just in case something was to get back to him.


Chapter Nineteen – Fathers’ Blessing

Lex and his father were discussing the plant when there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” said Lionel. Maria entered the room, “I’m sorry to disturb you both, but there is a Gabe Sullivan here to see the two of you.”

“Show him in please Maria,” said Lionel. “I wonder what this is about?” he said to Lex.

A few moments later Maria showed Gabe into the room and left the three men alone. “Please take a seat. Is everything ok at the plant Gabe?” asked Lionel.

“Everything is fine Mr Luthor and I’m sorry for disturbing you but I wanted to talk to the both of you,” said Gabe as he took the seat offered to him.

He turned his attention to Lex, “before that I just wanted to say I’m glad you are doing so well Lex, and that the operation was a success.”

“Thanks Gabe,” said Lex, turning towards the sound of Gabe’s voice, “and I should thank you for the amazing job you’re doing with the plant.”

“Yes…well,” began an obviously embarrassed Gabe, “you had it running perfectly Lex, I’m just keeping that going.”

“Don’t be so modest Gabe,” interrupted Lionel, “the figures for this quarter are showing a healthy profit and that is all down to you.”

“That’s very kind of both you to say,” replied Gabe, “but I’m not here to talk about the plant.”

“Why are you here Gabe?” asked Lex.

“Chloe,” said Gabe.

“Has something happened to her?” asked a worried Lex.

“No, no, nothing like that. Yesterday she told me about the *altercation* with Nell…” he said.

“Gabe, I hope you don’t think there’s any truth to what Nell was alluding to,” interrupted Lex.

“Of course I don’t. It’s just that it upset Chloe, although she said it didn’t, I know my daughter and she wouldn’t of told me anything if it hadn’t of got to her or she had been worried about me hearing something. And believe me I intend to have a few choice words with Nell myself. I will admit that at the beginning I was a little apprehensive about her spending so much time with you Lex, but friends are very important to her, and she will do anything for them.”

“Gabe, believe me when I say I would still be locked in my room hiding from the world if it wasn’t for Chloe. When I gave up on myself, she didn’t, and I will forever be grateful to her for that.”

“I know Lex, and I am very proud of her,” continued Gabe, “it’s just that while she’s very good at listening to everybody’s problems, she not the best at talking about her own. And while I’m fond of Clark and Pete I do think they ignore her when she’s having problems, and as a result she doesn’t talk about them much. And I’m just worried that there have been other *conversations* she hasn’t told me about.

“Did she tell you about the dinner party she was invited too?” asked Lionel. Gabe nodded. “Well at that she managed to put a few…assholes in their place,” continued Lionel.

“Oh God what did she do?” groaned Gabe.

“Make you even prouder of her, a couple of the *guests* took to treating her rather badly and well she wasn’t standing for it and threw some very well-placed words at them.”

“She does have quite a way with words,” smiled Gabe.

Lex was silent as his father and Gabe talked. He thought over the many conversations he had with Chloe, and it hit him that it was very rare for her to talk about any problems she was having. Other than the one time she was giving out about Clark and Pete expecting her to change her plans because they wanted to go out, she usually listened to him.

“Does you coming here Gabe mean that Chloe’s not going to visit as much?” asked Lex, a hint of worry in his voice.

“No not at all. The two of you are friends and I wouldn’t stop her from visiting, I just wanted to let you know that she had talked to me and I wanted to say thank you for what you said in her defence. And also to find out if there had been other incidents.”

“Does Chloe know that you were coming to speak to us?” asked Lionel.

“Yes she does, and she wasn’t too happy about it. In fact she was quite embarrassed about it,” he replied with a small laugh.

“Well Gabe I think it’s a parent’s right to embarrass their child,” said Lionel with a smirk, “they tend to embarrass us on a regular basis.”

“So there’s no need to worry Lex,” said Gabe. “Chloe will be dropping by after school.” He smiled at Lex’s sigh of relief.

“I should be heading back to the plant,” said Gabe after a minute, “thank you both for your time.”

“Thank you for coming to see us Gabe,” said Lionel and echoed by Lex.

“Lex I’ll be back in a moment I’m just going to show Gabe out.”

Goodbyes were exchanged and Lionel and Gabe walked to the door. “There was one other thing Lionel,” he said when the reached he front door.

Lionel looked at Gabe in surprise at his use of his first name. “Well this is a father to father thing, so I think I can use your first name,” offered Gabe as way of an explanation.

“Gabe I have no problem with you using my first name it was just a surprise to hear to using it.”

“Lionel, would I be wrong in saying that there was a little more than just *friendship* between Lex and Chloe.”

“No you wouldn’t be wrong,” he replied. “Is that a problem for you?”

“She’s my little girl, and I don’t like to think of her growing up. I will admit I would of never put her and Lex together. But I know from listening to Chloe talk about him she does care for him.”

“He does care for her as well. I personally think she’s very good for him.”

“No offence, but is he good for her? Your son has quite a…reputation when it comes to women, and blind or not I will hurt Lex if he hurts her.”

“I understand your concerns, but Lex has changed, and for the better, and that is down to your daughter. And he would never hurt her. Gabe none of us are going to be around forever and although Lex and I have never had the best of relationships, deep down all I’ve ever wanted is for him to be happy.”

“In that we are the same Lionel, all I want is for Chloe to be happy. And at the moment being with Lex makes her happy, so as long at it stays like that I won’t be interfering.”

Lionel laughed as a thought hit him. “Do you know that if this was the nineteenth century we would probably be discussing the announcement of their marriage?” Both men laughed for a few minutes.

“Again thanks for your time,” said Gabe “and I’ll talk to you tomorrow at the weekly meeting.”

“Bye Gabe,” and Lionel closed the door when Gabe had driven off.

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“Hey Lex,” said Chloe as she entered the room. “Lex,” she called again.

“I’ll be with you in a minute Chloe,” he said from his bedroom.

Chloe seated herself on the couch and waited for him. A few minutes later he emerged from his bedroom.

“Everything ok,” she asked.

“Yes fine,” he replied and made his way to the couch, sitting down next to her. “Chloe, I know Smallville is hardly the cultural capital of the world, but I’m not quite ready for Metropolis yet. There is a production of the opera Carmen on at the playhouse this Friday, and I was wondering if you’d like to go.”

Chloe smiled, over the course of the time together Lex has introduced her to opera. While she never paid much attention to it before mainly because she didn’t understand it, they had spent many an afternoon listening to some and as Lex had explained what each one was about Chloe found herself becoming an opera fan.

“Lex Luthor, are you asking me out on a…date?” she half-teased.

He reached for her hand, “yes I guess I am. So would you like to go?”

“I’d love to Lex. I’d love to go with you.”

“Well then Miss Sullivan, Friday at 7.30pm, it’s a date.”


Chapter Twenty – The First of Many

Friday couldn’t come soon enough for Chloe. And when it finally arrived the day just seemed to drag on and on. Even though school was finishing up at 1.00pm the morning seemed never ending. At last classes where over and she rushed to the Torch office to collect a couple of things before heading off.

“Whoa Chlo, where’s the fire?” said Clark as she ran into the office. He was in there with Lana and Pete.

“Clark hey, sorry I’m just a rush.

“Hot date,” said Pete.

Chloe said nothing and just blushed as she gathered up the files she needed.

“You DO have a date,” said Lana, “so come on, who is it?”

“Lex,” mumbled Chloe.

“You are going on a date with Lex Luthor?” exclaimed Pete, “as in Lex Luthor.”

She turned to face him, “why do you say that like it’s a crime?”

“Jeez Chloe it’s Lex, I know the two of you have become friends and that you’ve been helping him since he went blind, but isn’t this taking it a bit too far?”

“I like him Pete, a lot, and he likes me. Oh I know you have this hatred for the Luthors that’s of like biblical proportions but I would of thought that you as *my* friend would of respected my judge of character.”

“Yeah well doesn’t mean I have to like it,” he mumbled and left the room. Chloe sighed and decided to give him time to cool off and then she’d talk to him again.

“Well Clark don’t you have your two cents to add,” she said turning to him.

“I just didn’t realise things had gone that far between you,” he said. “I never pictured you and Lex together, you’re so much different from what he usually dates.”

“So what? Why should that make it difficult for you to believe that he could be interested in me?”

“It’s not that, I mean you and I, and I thought…” he trailed off not quite sure what he was saying or why he was feeling so funny about the thought of Lex and Chloe together.

“Clark, you made it perfectly clear that you weren’t interested in me as anything other than a friend and I accepted that and moved on. Lex…Lex makes me feel special. We have fun together.”

“So are you like a couple? And where are you off too?” asked Lana, not quite liking Clark’s jealous type reaction to Chloe’s news. He was dating her why should it matter who Chloe was seeing.

“I wouldn’t say a couple as such Lana,” admitted Chloe. “We’re going to the Playhouse, there’s a performance of the opera Carmen on.”

“I didn’t know you liked opera,” said Clark.

“I didn’t, but that was because I didn’t understand it, but I’ve listened to some with Lex and I found that I do kind of like it.”

“But it’s never something you mentioned before.”

“Jeez Clark it’s opera, when have *we* ever had a discussion about opera? Lex is a fan and things just progressed from that,” said Chloe, wondering why Clark was being like this.

“Well have fun Chloe,” said Lana.

“Thanks. I have to go there are a ton of things I need to get done. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Bye,” and with that Chloe grabbed all her things and left.

“What was that all about Clark?”

“What are you talking about Lana?

“You acting all weird and jealous almost about Chloe and Lex.”

“I’m not jealous, I’m just concerned about Chloe. I don’t want her to get hurt, she my friend and I care about her,” said Clark.

Lana said nothing, wondering whom Clark was trying to convince with his statement.

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Chloe was still mumbling about Clark and Pete while she was getting ready. She tried not to dwell on their reactions, she didn’t want anything to spoil the night, but they just made her so mad.

“Is it too much to ask,” she said to her reflection, “to have them say ‘I’m happy for you Chloe. That I’m glad you’ve found someone.’ But oh no not my friends, Pete has to go off on the ‘I hate the Luthors’ rant and Clark, hell I don’t know what was going on in Clark’s head.”

She sat down on the end of her bed and sighed deeply. She was going to continue to see Lex despite what they said but she would have liked them to be ok with it. She stood up again and slipped on her shoes. “Come in,” she said to the knock on her door.

Her father stepped in, “wow, you look beautiful sweetheart.” Chloe blushed. She had chosen a dark red dress she had bought on a whim on one trip to Metropolis and hid at the back of her closet, in fact she had completely forgotten about it until she went rummaging for something to wear. It reached her ankles with a slit on the right side that reached her thigh. The back was a criss-cross of straps and the front showed a hint of cleavage. It was topped off with a black wrap.

“You don’t think it’s too much,” she asked.

“I think it’s perfect. My baby girl is all grown up.”

“Thanks for being ok with all this dad.”

“Sweetie as long as your happy I’m happy,” he said. Chloe gave her dad a hug.

“Oh Chlo, there’s a limo downstairs waiting for you,” he said after a moment. “Lex was going to come in but I told him it was ok.” Gabe held out his arm, “shall we Miss Sullivan.” Chloe laughed and took his arm.

When they got outside Lex was standing by the limo door talking to the driver. When she saw him dress in a tux she knew she had picked the right dress.

“Have fun Chloe,” said Gabe kissing her cheek. “I will,” she replied.

She walked up to Lex; “you look great Mr Luthor.”

“And I know you do even without being able to see,” he replied. She kissed him softly and then assisted him into the car and she got in bedside him. The driver started off.

Standing in the shadows Clark watched the proceedings before turning around and heading home.

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They arrived at the playhouse and Lex took Chloe’s arm. There were met at the main door by a valet who would be escorting them to their seats.

“He’s taking us in a different direction than the others,” whispered Chloe.

“That’s because I’ve arranged for a private box for us,” replied Lex.

They manoeuvred their way up the steps to the box and the valet left before they went in. Chloe gasped when she opened the door. There was a very comfortable looking couch for them to sit on, and ice bucket stood to the side with a bottle of champagne in it, on the small table was a single red rose and champagne glasses.

“This is beautiful,” said Chloe as they sat on the couch. “Thank you Lex,” she said, kissing his cheek.

“I know you’re not old enough to drink but I thought that a glass or two of champagne couldn’t hurt.”

“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble Lex.”

Lex took her hands in his, “it wasn’t any trouble, and even if it was you are worth it.”

Before she could answer, the lights dimmed and it was announced that the performance was beginning.

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Lex closed his eyes and listened to the music, he could feel Chloe beside him, her thigh pressed against his. She had her hand on his knee and she would squeeze it every now and then.

At the interval she couldn’t sit still going on and on about everything, although her giddiness could have had something to do with the champagne.

When it started up again she curled up beside him, her head on his shoulder.

“That was incredible,” she said when it had ended and the cast had been given their stand ovations. “Actually incredible does even come close to describing it.” Lex smiled.

“Thank you so much,” she said and kissed him. Lex quickly deepened it and they wrapped their arms around each other. Lex released her mouth and kissed along her neck.

“I think we should leave,” panted Chloe, “before we give them another show.”

Lex chuckled and slowly Chloe led them back to the car.

When they got into car Lex wrapped his arms around Chloe and pulled her close, “now where were we,” he whispered. Chloe brought his mouth to hers and ran her tongue along his bottom lip. With a moan he opened his mouth and their tongues duelled. His hand found it’s way to her thigh and he caressed the soft flesh gently through the slit in her dress.

The only sounds from the back of the limo were the breathy moans of the couple currently wrapped around each other.

“I think we’ve stopped,” said Chloe after a while. She glanced out the window to see that they were parked in front of her house.

“Are you home?” asked Lex.

“Yes,” she said a little sadly. “Come by early tomorrow Chloe.”

“I will,” and they kissed goodnight.

“No need to walk me to the door Lex, I know my dad is cool but I don’t need him to see us making out on my front porch just yet. Goodnight Lex, thanks for the most incredible night of my life.”

“It was just the first of many Chloe. Goodnight.” She got out of the car and went to her house.

“She’s entered her house Mr Luthor,” the driver said. “Thank you Andrew, we can leave now.”


Chapter Twenty One – With Friends Like These Who Needs Enemies

Chloe left her house on Saturday morning still on a high from the night before. Everything about her *date* with Lex had been perfect. ‘Especially the make-out session in the limo,’ she thought with a blush. And then to top it all off Lex had said that last night was just the first of many.

“Now if only I could get Clark and Pete to be a little more supportive, then life really would be perfect,” she said as she drove towards town. “Well that and Lex getting his sight back of course.”

She parked in front of the Talon to collect the coffee shop’s accounts for Lex. Chloe saw Nell watching her from the window of her flower shop and Chloe couldn’t help but wave at her. Nell turned away from the window quickly and busied herself with some flowers. Chloe knew that her father had said something to the woman, but he didn’t tell her what. He just said that she didn’t have to worry about Nell Potter’s gossiping anymore.

She entered the Talon but saw no sign of Lana, ‘damn it,’ she thought. She ordered a coffee and spotted Pete in the corner. After getting her order she took a deep breath and made her way over to him. “Hey,” she said, “Can I join you?”

“Hi Chloe, sure,” he replied.

“So,” they both said at the same time causing them to laugh. “Well at least that’s the ice broken,” said Chloe.

“I’m sorry Chlo about yesterday,” he began, “but I…I just can’t…you and Lex.”

“I know Pete, but can you do one thing for me please?”

“What?”

“Still be my friend,” she said.

“We’ll always be friends Chloe, and I’ll try not to bad mouth Lex around you,” he replied, “well not too much anyway.”

“Thanks Pete, you’re the best.”

“Yeah well, just don’t be expecting me to go on any double dates with you” he said, “Opera is so not my thing.”

Chloe smiled at him, and out of the corner of her eye she spotted Lana. “I need to talk to Lana. So are we cool again Pete?”

“Yeah I guess we are.”

“Good,” she kissed his cheek and made her way back to the counter.

“Hi Chloe, how was your date last night?”

“It was perfect,” she replied with a smile. “Oh Lex asked me to pick up the accounts.”

“Can you give me five minutes and I’ll get them together for you?”

“Thanks Lana.” Lana made her excuses and headed into the small office at the back. Pete waved his goodbye as he left, and almost immediately Clark came in. “Oh no,” groaned Chloe, when she saw him make his way over to her. She really didn’t want to deal with him if he was in one of his funny moods.

“Chloe,” he said, when he reached her. “Hi Clark, if you’re looking for Lana she’s just in the office and should be back in a few minutes.”

“So…so how was last night?”

“Clark it was the best,” she said a big smile on her face.

“I take it now we are going to see even less of you than we have been,” he said.

“And what exactly is that suppose to mean?”

“Since you and Lex became friends you’re never around,” said Clark.

“And yeah Clark we spent *so* much time together before that. I mean between you running after around after Lana in case I don’t know she sneezed and there was no one around to give her a tissue, and then there was all the time *you* spent with Lex. The only time you had for me was when you wanted to talk about Lana or needed research done. And did I ever get thanks for it; no I don’t think so, it was take the information and off Clark goes to save the day. I thought we were over all this arguing. What is your problem?”

“I don’t know Chloe, I just think Lex is going to hurt you.”

“Or are you hoping he does Clark, so you can get to say ‘I told you so’ like with Sean and Justin. Or is it that you are suddenly not the centre of attention anymore?”

He didn’t answer; Chloe’s remarks hit a little too close to home.

“Here are those accounts for you Chloe,” said Lana, suddenly appearing, “I think Lex will be happy with these.”

“Thank you Lana.” And with that she took the books and left without saying anything more to Clark.

--------------------------------------------------

“Did you have a good time last night?” asked Lionel. Lex said nothing he just smiled.

“Well I take it by the smile on your face you did.”

“It was almost perfect. It would have been perfect if I could see her,” said Lex after a moment.

“When is your next check-up with the doctor?” asked Lionel.

“Monday, 10.30am,” replied Lex. “I’m guessing everything will be fine, I haven’t had a headache of any sort since the operation.”

“Lex, I hope you’re not going into this check-up with the mindset that he’s going to give you some good news about your blindness.”

“I have to think that,” he whispered, “that thought and Chloe pretty much get me through the day. Dad, I am *never* going too fully accept my blindness, so I need that hope in my mind. Even if he says no change, that’s fine, at least it still not permanent.”

“I can understand that Lex, but have you given any thought to the fact that you might *remain* blind for the rest of your life?”

“No, and before you say that it might be a possibility, to me it isn’t,” said Lex, his tone quite defiant. “That would be like admitting defeat,” he trailed off with a whisper.

“Even the strongest of men have to admit defeat sometimes,” said Lionel in a soft voice.

“I can’t on this,” replied Lex, “I *need* to believe that there is still a chance.”

Lionel sighed; Lex was never going to be able to really start getting on with his life until he accepted the fact that his blindness might be permanent. “Ok Lex we’ll discuss this again at another time.”

‘I’m still not going to change my mind,’ thought Lex.

“What plans have you for today? I take it Miss Sullivan is coming over.” Lionel smiled at the way his son’s face lit up at the mention of Chloe. He knew they would be perfect together, and even better was the fact that Gabe seemed ok with the change in their relationship.

“Yes she is coming over,” said Lex, “and we have no plans.”

“Excellent, well I’m going to drop by the plant, Gabe wants to go over a few things with me. Invite Chloe to stay for dinner, I should be back around 6.00pm. I’ll see you both then.”

“Ok,” said Lex.

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Chloe did her best to push the latest argument with Clark out of her mind as she approached Lex’s room but it wasn’t working. When she entered the room he was sitting on the couch, his eyes closed and Chopin was drifting from the stereo.

“Lex,” she called.

He opened his eyes and turned his head in the direction of her voice, “sorry Chloe I didn’t hear you come in.”

She sat down beside him, “that’s ok. I left the books from the Talon in your father’s office. Lana says she thinks you’ll be happier with the figures this time.”

“I hope so, they were pretty bad the last time,” he said with a smile.

Chloe sighed and snuggled up close to him, Lex put his arm around her and held her close. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t want to bother you with it,” she murmured.

“Tell me,” he pushed gently

“I had another argument with Clark. I thought everything was semi-ok between us, but he’s…he’s being a jerk again,” she said.

“What’s his problem now?”

“You and I,” she whispered.

“I thought he was ok with us being friends,” said Lex.

“It’s not the friends part that he has a problem with.”

“Oh,” said Lex. He tightened his hold on her. “Chloe…”

“I don’t care what he thinks,” she interrupted. “I like…I like what we have and I don’t want that to change.”

“Chloe, Clark and you have been friends for awhile, I don’t want to be the cause…”

“Clark and I started drifting apart the night of the prom when, after he promised me he wouldn’t, he left me. I don’t know exactly what his problem is, and frankly I don’t care anymore. When he wants to talk to me with out being an asshole things can start to get back to normal. I’m sorry to dump all this on you Lex.”

“It’s ok,” he said, his face buried in her hair. He kissed her forehead and Chloe lifted her head to meet his lips with hers.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?” he asked when they parted, “my father specifically said I was to ask you.”

She laughed, “Well with an invitation like that how could I possibly refuse.”

He pulled her to him again glad she was happier. ‘I think I’ll have a word with Clark Kent,’ he thought and pulled her closer.

[ruafair]

Chapter Twenty Two – Shades of Grey

“Mr Luthor, Clark Kent is here to see you,” said Maria.

“Thank you Maria,” said Lex, “you may show him in.” After what Chloe had told him about her argument with Clark he decided to have a few words with his friend. So when Chloe had left after what turned out to be a very enjoyable dinner in which the two of them had ganged up on his father, Lex had called Clark and asked him to come over the following morning.

“Hey Lex.” Clark’s voice rang out.

“Clark, thank you for coming over” said Lex. “Please have a seat. Thank you Maria that will be all.” Lex heard the door being closed.

“So what did you want to talk about?” asked Clark as he sat down.

“Chloe,” said Lex.

“What…what about her?” said Clark.

“Clark, if you have a problem with Chloe and I being together I would of thought you man enough to confront me directly and not try and make your friend choose.”

“I never did that,” protested Clark.

“Then what is your problem? Did you think Chloe was exclusively *your* friend, or that I was?”

“You’re going to hurt her,” blurted out Clark, knowing it was a weak comeback, but he was beginning to feel very uncomfortable with this conversation. That and the way Lex’s eyes were totally fixed on him. Even though Clark knew he was blind, Lex’s stare was still unnerving.

“I care about Chloe, a lot,” said Lex, “and the last thing I would ever do is hurt her. You have no idea Clark of what she has done for me. I was giving up and for some reason this incredible woman wasn’t going to let me.”

“I wanted to help Lex, but you told me to go away and not come back,” exclaimed Clark.

“Yes and unlike Chloe you actually listened to me and did what I said. While Chloe after having me say some terrible things to her came back and boy did she, she hit me with some very hard to swallow home truths. She has made being blind so much more bearable, I honestly don’t know what I would do if she wasn’t around.”

“And what happens if you get your sight back?”

“Then I’ll be even happier. Mr Ross’ reactions are perfectly understandable he hates the Luthor name. But you…you Clark I’m surprised with. Chloe and I are both your friends, you are with Lana now, I would of thought you’d be happy for us.”

“I don’t know what the problem is,” said Clark, “I just know that I’m not comfortable with you and Chloe being…involved.”

“Do you want me to tell you exactly what your problem is Clark? Your problem is that you can’t accept that she has gotten over her crush on you. It must have been a comfort to you to know that if things didn’t work out with Lana you’d always have Chloe there pining for you. But now, now you have Lana and Chloe has moved on. What did you think Clark that she’d just sit there waiting for you? Be your second choice?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about Lex. I don’t want her to get hurt and your track record with women doesn’t do you any favours.”

“I bet there’s a part of you hoping I’ll hurt her. So she’ll come running to you and you get to be the hero and say I told you so.”

Clark was speechless; Chloe had said the exact same thing to him yesterday. That couldn’t be how he really felt, could it?

“I don’t want us to stop being friends,” said Lex when Clark hadn’t spoken. “But…Chloe means too much to me to give up, and if I have to choose, she’s going to win every time.”

He heard Clark sigh deeply and shift in his chair. “I don’t want to lose you or Chloe as friends either, but I need to get a few things straight in my head before things can even try to go back to normal.”

“I understand,” replied Lex, “but next time try and talk to Chloe without turning it into an argument. She really doesn’t like arguing with you.”

“I’ll try,” said Clark. “I’d better go Lex, I have stuff to do on the farm.”

“Ok Clark thanks for coming over.”

“Yeah bye Lex. I’ll make my own way out.”

Lex sighed when he heard the door close. He waited a few minutes and then called Chloe.

“Hello,” she answered after a couple of rings.

“Hi Chloe it’s me.”

“Hey Lex, what’s up?”

“Chloe, remember before when I didn’t tell you about my…”

“You talked to Clark didn’t you?” she interrupted. “I sort of guessed you would.”

“And you’re ok about it?”

“Well I’d rather you hadn’t but then again you wouldn’t be Lex Luthor if you didn’t. Anyway Clark did sort of deserve it. And at least you where going to tell me, even if it was *after* the conversation had taken place.”

“Ok, ok Chloe point taken, so…what are you up to?”

“Just finishing up my homework and then I have to drop some Torch stuff off at the printers, and then I’m all yours.”

“All mine,” he said with a laugh. “Now what ever will I do with you?”

“Ha. Ha. Lex, that’s not what I meant. It’s a nice day out, how about a walk?”

“That will be fine for starters. When will you be over?”

“I should be there in a couple of hours.”

“Ok, well I’ll let you get back to your work. Bye Chloe.”

“Bye Lex, see you later.”

--------------------------------------------------

As Chloe made her way through the mansion Lionel stopped her. “Chloe I wanted to have a word with you. Can you spare a few moments?”

“Sure Mr Luthor, what is it?”

“Lex has an appointment with Dr Jennings tomorrow, now I’m fairly confident that the whole clot business is done with. I’m still concerned however about Lex’s refusal to accept that his blindness might be permanent.”

“There’s nothing wrong with him having that hope Mr Luthor. The doctor has said that they can’t confirm if it’s permanent or not.”

“But he is never going to be able to really get on with his life if he doesn’t accept the fact that he might be blind for the rest of his life.”

“Mr Luthor, he’s *never* going to accept the blindness, even if the doctors where to tell him different,” said Chloe softly. “As for getting on with his life I think he’s doing that. He’s just doing it his way and at his own pace.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I think Mr Luthor that *you* need to accept that Lex might see. You’ve resigned yourself to the fact that he’s going to remain blind. And that’s why you need him to accept it as well. You’re a businessman Mr Luthor, and if the papers and your bank balance are anything to go by you’re a pretty good one. I seriously doubt that you would have been quite so successful had you accepted every first offer you were given.”

Lionel remained silent as he let Chloe’s words sink in. She was right, and once again she had managed to impress him with her insight.

Chloe got a bit worried when he didn’t speak. “I hope I haven’t said something I shouldn’t,” she said, “It’s just that’s how I see it.”

“No Chloe, everything you said makes perfect sense. It’s just that since all of this started I’ve been trying not to think of Lex as a business negotiation like I use to.”

“And I’m not saying that you should go back to thinking of him like that. He’s *your* son, that’s Luthor blood flowing in his veins,” she said with a grin.

“Point taken Chloe,” said Lionel with a smile. “Are you *sure* journalism is what you want to do?”

“Very sure Mr Luthor.”

“I see, well I’ll let you get to Lex. Thank you Chloe.”

“No problem Mr Luthor,” she said with a smile and headed off to Lex.

--------------------------------------------------

They had been walking around the grounds for about an hour. “It looks like the Talon is going to remain open for another while at least,” said Lex with a smirk. “I went over the books with my accountant this morning.”

“Well I think you scared Lana the last time and she’s really putting in the hours to turn a profit.”

“That was the plan.”

Chloe laughed. She was about to say something to him when her foot caught on a branch hidden by the grass and she fell forward.

Lex, on reflex, reached out to try and keep hold of her arm, and she pulled him down with her as they rolled down the grassy bank. “Ouch,” said Lex when they came to a stop at a tree, which he had hit with his head.

“Lex, are you ok? I’m so, so sorry,” she babbled.

“I really think my head is a magnet for bumps and bruises,” he groaned. He could feel Chloe’s hands on his chest. He opened his eyes and then gasped loudly as he closed them again.

“Lex what is it? What’s wrong?”

He took a shaky breath and opened his eyes again. “Oh my God,” he whispered. Instead of the usual inky blackness that greeted him everything was now sort of grey, light and dark shades of grey.

“Lex,” said Chloe and moved her face close to his. “Chloe,” he whispered as a darker shade appeared in front of him and he could almost *see* the outline of her head. He reached out a shaky hand and found her cheek.

“It’s…it’s not black anymore. It’s not black.”


Chapter Twenty Three – Silver Lining

“Lex I don’t understand,” said a confused Chloe. “What’s not black anymore?” She was getting worried about him. He was still sitting on the grass, leaning against the tree he had hit. One of his hands still held her cheek while the other rested on her waist and a look of pure joy on his face.

“What I see,” whispered Lex, “its not all darkness anymore.”

“Oh my God!” exclaimed Chloe when she realised what he meant. “So…so what do you see?”

“It’s grey, shades of grey. Your face in right in front of me, I can’t see it fully, but the outline is a different shade and I can make that out.” Lex couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice, and he pulled her into a hug. “Do you know what this means Chloe? It means my sight is coming back.”

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. His excitement was infectious. He pulled back and stared intently at her face, marvelling at almost being able to *see* her face, ok it wasn’t her blonde hair, or hazel eyes or creamy skin, it wasn’t anything near that but it was infinitely better than the darkness.

“We have to tell your father and the doctors…” she trailed off and the expression on Lex’s face.

“No,” he said, “not yet. I will tell the doctor myself tomorrow.”

“But your father Lex, he needs to know as well,” said Chloe. ‘He *really* needs to know,’ she added silently, thinking back to her conversation with the elder Luthor earlier.

“I know he does, but…but I can’t tell him yet, at least not until I talk to the doctor. Please Chloe, promise me you won’t tell anybody.”

She took a deep breath. This was the most amazing news since the accident and she could understand him wanting to keep it somewhat quiet, at least till the doctor had checked him out. But she couldn’t understand why he would keep it from his father.

“Promise me Chloe, please,” he whispered.

“Ok Lex I promise. But you promise me that after the doctors tomorrow, despite what he says, you will tell your dad.”

“I promise Chloe.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her. She opened her mouth immediately and he slipped his tongue in to dance with hers. His hands left her face to wrap around her waist and he pulled her into his lap. There had been some amazing kisses between them since that first one, but nothing matched the sheer passion of this on. He was literally causing her head to spin.

He released her mouth and rested his forehead against hers, both were breathing heavily. “Wow,” panted Chloe after a moment.

His arms tightened around her waist and he pulled her even closer. Somehow, during their kiss, Chloe had manoeuvred herself to straddle him. Lex now sat with his back to the tree and Chloe in his lap, her legs loosely around his waist.

Their mouths met again, their tongues slick against each other’s. Chloe moaned into his mouth and one of her hands lightly caressed the back of his head.

‘And again this is not the time for this,’ thought Lex through his lust. But it was getting more and more difficult, especially now as Chloe had, unconsciously, began rocking her hips gently against his. The amazing discovery about the change in his blindness, coupled with the fact Chloe was with him when it happened, all combined to this make-out session in the open air of the Luthor estate.

She moaned louder as his hands moved under her shirt. She laid her forehead against his shoulder as his hands moved around to her front and cupped her breasts. She arched slightly to give him more room. “Lex,” she gasped and rocked harder against him causing him to groan.

Lex had been dreaming about making love to Chloe for so long and as much as his body was demanding that he continue with this, he couldn’t, not out here in the open, not for the first time anyway.

He reluctantly moved his hands from her breasts and dropped them to her waist, which he squeezed gently. “I think we should stop Chloe, while we still can. I don’t want our *first time* to be out here in the open.”

Chloe blushed. “You’ve thought about our first time?” she asked softly.

“Ever since that first time we went to the Talon,” he admitted, “the moment I realised how much you meant to me.”

Chloe eased her legs from around his waist and settled against him. Her head rested on his chest, her arms around his waist. Lex wrapped his arms around her and sighed contently. ‘Things are looking up,’ he thought. ‘Please let there be good news tomorrow,’ he prayed silently and tightened his hold on Chloe.

--------------------------------------------------

NEXT DAY

Lex sat in Dr Jennings’ waiting room. When had woken up earlier he half expected to see the blackness again. But no, yesterday had not been a dream; the greyness was still there. ‘My new favourite colour,’ he thought with a smile.

He was nervous and had insisted to his father that he would see the doctor alone. So Lionel had dropped him off at the hospital saying he was to call when he was ready to leave.

As they drove to the hospital Lex had to fight the urge to tell his father, especially as the drove along and Lex could vaguely make out the outline of the trees and other vehicles on the road. He had almost blurted out, ‘we’re here,’ when they got to the hospital, the outline of the huge building very clear to Lex.

Chloe was right, his father deserved to know but even though their relationship was a hundred times better, the previous years of Lionel’s *parenting* skills still weighed on Lex. Telling his father, without confirmation from the doctor, and then finding out the respite was temporary would make Lex feel like he was letting his father down again.

“Ah Mr Luthor,” the doctor’s voice stirred Lex. “Shall we proceed?” he said. Lex nodded and took the doctor’s arm and they went into the examination room.

--------------------------------------------------
Chloe just couldn’t concentrate. She knew Lex would be at the hospital now. She hoped and prayed the doctor would give him good news. He had been so excited yesterday. Actually excited was still to mild a word for his mood. Especially considering what they ended up doing. And Chloe couldn’t help but blush as she thought about how hot and heavy things had gotten between them.

“Miss Sullivan, are you listening to me?”

Chloe’s head shot up to see her algebra teacher glaring at her.

“Sorry,” she muttered.

“Try and keep your mind on the subject in hand Miss Sullivan, or you might find yourself staying back after school.”

“Yes sir,” she said and tried to pay attention.

--------------------------------------------------

“Well Mr Luthor, everything came back clear. There are no traces of the clot,” said the doctor, “and I take it there have been no more headaches.”

“None at all,” replied Lex. “There is one other thing Dr Jennings, yesterday I had a bit of a fall and banged my head. And as a result…my sight…my sight has started to well *improve* for want of a better word. Everything is a grey colour now, I can make out the outline of people and things.”

“And this happened yesterday? Right after you hit your head?”

“Yes,” said Lex. “Is it…is it…temporary?”

“Mr Luthor, blindness caused by accidents such as yours was are notorious difficult to explain. Physically we cannot find anything wrong with you, but you still can’t see. The brain is extremely complex and for what ever reasons it decided to affect your sight as a result of the accident.”

“This is all very interesting doctor, but is it temporary?”

The doctor smiled. “We never said your blindness was permanent, and this could very well be the first sign of your sight returning. The bang on the head you got probably triggered something in the brain. What I’m getting at Mr Luthor is that and although I’m not 100% certain, is that, no I *don’t* think it is temporary.”

“I knew it,” exclaimed Lex, “I knew it would come back.”

“I understand that this is great news, but don’t get too excited,” said the doctor. “It could be days, weeks, months or even years before there’s another improvement, it’s impossible to say. And I don’t recommend you go around purposely banging your head. We’ll run some tests and keep an eye on you.”

Lex didn’t care what the doctor was saying; it wasn’t temporary, which was all that mattered at the moment.

--------------------------------------------------

Lionel stood in the waiting room for Lex. He had just driven around and around since dropping him off at the hospital.

Lex appeared with a nurse, a huge smile on his face. He waited for the nurse to leave before speaking. “Well?” asked Lionel, “how did it go?”

“Its coming back dad, my sight is coming back.”

“What…what are you talking about?”

Lionel stood open-mouthed as Lex explained what had happened yesterday, and what the doctor told him. “Why didn’t you tell me this yesterday?” he said when Lex finished talking.

“Because part of me was sure I’d wake up this morning and everything would be black again.”

“This…this is incredible news,” exclaimed Lionel. “Incredible.”

He crossed the room and grabbed his son in a fierce hug. For a moment Lex was shocked but soon put his arms around his father and hugged him back.


Chapter Twenty Four – Hold Onto Me

It had been two weeks since the *breakthrough* with Lex’s blindness. They had been no other changes but the improvements in Lex were very noticeable. He seemed a hundred times happier; he was even going into work at the plant one day a week. The news that his sight was showing signs of returning had not been made general knowledge, Chloe had only told her dad, deciding that if Lex wanted everyone to know he would tell them himself.

Whenever they were out she would watch as Lex followed people around with his eyes. He could now make out things much better and she found him staring at her a lot. Not that she minded in the least but sometimes his stare was overpowering.

Also in the last week their make-out sessions had been getting *very* hot and heavy, but Lex always stopped when it looked like things were going too far. Sometimes Chloe hated him for doing that because when he did it always left her very frustrated.

The other very noticeable change was how closer Lex and Lionel had got. Having been witness to the growing improvement in their relationship since the beginning Chloe wasn’t at all surprised to see the two of them acting like father and son. A few days after Lex’s visit to the doctor Chloe had arrived home to the biggest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen. When she checked the card all it had said was:

{Thank you…L.L}

Chloe knew they had been from Lionel and was incredibly touched by the man’s gesture, but she also knew that he wasn’t the kind of man to say anything else on the subject. So all Chloe did was the next time she saw him she simply said ‘you’re welcome’ and left it at that. While she was privy to a side of Lionel Luthor that no one else saw or would ever see Chloe knew quite well that he was still a ruthless businessman and she wouldn’t like to cross him.

“Penny for them,” said Lex beside her.

“What…penny…” she stammered.

“Very articulate Chloe,” he said with a smirk. “You’re very quiet I called your name a couple of times.”

“I’m sorry Lex I was miles away,” she said.

Lex stared at her; still marvelling and how pronounced her face was to him. In fact Chloe and his father were the two people he could recognise immediately from their outlines if they walked in front of him. “So what were you thinking about?”

“Just about everything that’s happened in the last two weeks” she said, “and to think it all came about from a bump on the head.”

Lex laughed, “Never had I been so happy to bang my head,” he said. “I knew it would come back Chloe, even when my father said I should start trying to accept that it might be permanent, I just couldn’t. And now my sight will only improve, I want to be able to see you Chloe, I want to see you first,” he finished with a whisper.

Afraid to speak because her voice would crack with the emotion she was feeling; Chloe turned and hugged Lex tightly, which he soon reciprocated.

‘I love you Chloe,’ he thought, ‘and I will be brave enough to say it out loud eventually.’ He covered her mouth with his and they kissed slow and languid.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused them to part reluctantly. Chloe blushed slightly when she saw Lionel standing there smiling at them.

“Sorry to *disturb* you,” he said, “but we’ve had an invitation to a dinner party at the Barry’s for tomorrow evening. And they specifically asked me to invite and I quote “Lex’s perfectly delightful little girlfriend,” unquote.”

Chloe blushed even more as she remembered the Barry’s and especially Mrs Barry and her use of the word ‘adorable’.

“Where is it?” asked Lex.

“It’s at their house in the country, so it will be an overnight stay. So what do I tell them?”

“Yes,” replied Lex.

“Hang on,” said Chloe, “I need to clear this with my dad first, seeing as how it’s overnight.”

“Already done Miss Sullivan,” said Lionel with a smirk, “I said it to your father today and he said it was fine, especially when I told him that *I* would keep an eye on the two of you.”

“I’m going to kill him,” muttered Chloe and then she remembered something else. “Oh no please tell me that I don’t have to go to ‘Caroline’ for a dress. I really can’t handle that.”

“No you don’t,” said Lionel, “a dress and accessories have already been organised and are packed and ready to go. And we leave at 10.00am tomorrow.”

“Jeez do I even get a say in what I wear or whether or not I even want to go to this party,” said Chloe.

“No,” said both Lex and Lionel at the same time.

“Great I’m being ganged up on by the Luthors, someone up there doesn’t like me,” said Chloe with a smile.

“Excellent so it’s all settled, I will let Joyce know,” and with that Lionel left the room.

“Why do I get the impression that your father had already got all this organised and what we said on the subject didn’t even matter.”

“Because that’s exactly what he did. Chloe, my father *likes* organising peoples lives and I think it’s a trait about him that he’s never going to change.”

Chloe laughed and snuggled up beside Lex again. She was excited at the thought of the party, although she would be having words with her father when she got home.

--------------------------------------------------

‘Oh my God,’ thought Chloe when she was shown to her room in the Barry’s *country* house. The room was almost as big as the entire ground floor of her *house*. ‘Who the hell needs a room this big,’ she thought. She knew Lex was in the room next to her; in fact they had adjoining rooms, a door separating them.

The drive to the house had been pleasant, the three of them in the limo, and Chloe decided that she could get quite use to travelling by limo all the time.

She knocked gently on the door between her and Lex’s room. “Come in,” he said.

“This house is amazing,” said Chloe when she entered the room.

“From what I can remember it is and they are very proud of it,” replied Lex. He sat on the end of his bed and held his had out to Chloe. She took it immediately and sat down beside him. “How many are going to be here tonight?” she asked, laying her head on his shoulder.

“About twenty I think,” he replied.

“Twenty,” whispered Chloe. “You’ll be fine, don’t worry,” reassured Lex.

Chloe glanced at the clock, “I better get ready,” she stood up and kissed him gently.

“Call me when you’re done,” he said.

--------------------------------------------------

“She maybe an extremely annoying woman, but Caroline knows how to pick a dress,” murmured Chloe as she looked at her reflection. She was encased in apple green silk, a simple enough dress; it was strapless, her cleavage holding it up. She wore a simple gold chain, a present from her dad. Chloe smiled at herself in the mirror.

“Time to face the music,” she said, and knocked on the door to Lex’s room.

“Come in Chloe,” he said. She entered and found him standing there waiting for her.

“Ready to go?”

“Not really,” she said walking over to him, “but since I got all dressed up, I *suppose* I should make an appearance.”

Lex laughed softly and wrapped an arm around her waist, “and I bet you look beautiful. My perfectly delightful little girlfriend,” he added with a smirk.

“How *adorable* of you to say Lex. Oh god are they all going to be talking like that?”

“Probably,” he said.

“Just don’t leave me with any of them Lex, please.”

“I won’t Chlo, let’s go.”

They left his room and slowly made their way down the grand staircase. Chloe saw Lionel at the bottom talking to Mr Barry. They began making their way over to him when the shrill voice of Mrs Barry called out, “Lex darling, bring the adorable Chloe in here I want you to introduce her to some people.”

“Please shoot me now,” muttered Chloe.

“Just hold onto me Chloe, everything will be fine.”

Chapter Twenty Five – Friends and Lovers

‘My GOD rich people are exceedingly boring,’ thought Chloe, as she listened to two of them comparing yachts. She glanced around the room and saw Lex talking with Mr Barry, a bored expression on his handsome face.

The dinner *party* was in full swing. The eating had been finished and everyone was in the large ballroom. Various conversations were taking place, and some couples were dancing. Chloe could literally *smell* the money in the room. She doubted that anyone in the room, other than herself, had less than a six-figure bank balance.

“And what do you think Miss Sullivan?” said one of them to her. “Is a 25ft yacht better than the 15ft one?”

“Well I’ve always thought that it wasn’t the *size* of the yacht that mattered, but how long it could be kept in the harbour,” she replied, “Now if you’ll excuse me gentlemen I really need to talk to Lex.” And with that she left leaving the two men staring after her.

Lionel, who had been standing close to where she was, smirked at her response and watched as she made her way over to Lex.

Lex jumped slightly as he felt an arm encircle his waist, and then settled when he realised it was Chloe. “Hi Mr Barry,” she said.

“My dear, are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.

‘Like a hole in the head,’ she thought. But didn’t want to upset the man, he was actually ok. “I am Mr Barry, you have a beautiful house.”

“Yes, Joyce and I are very proud of it.”

“Michael there you are, can I have a word?” said Lionel.

“Of course, Lex, Chloe please excuse me.”

“Thanks dad,” muttered a grateful Lex.

“So how are you really doing?” he asked Chloe, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Better now,” she said, kissing his cheek. “It’s not actually too bad, it’s just that it’s not really my scene.”

“Chloe I grew up going to parties like this and they are *still* not my scene. My father calls it networking, which roughly translates into who can he screw over with a business deal.”

“How are you holding up?” she asked.

“I’m tried of talking, my eyes are hurting me slightly, but it’s nothing to get worried about, the doctor told me they probably would.”

“Are you sure?”

“Chloe, I’m fine. I learned my lesson from the last time, if there was anything wrong I would tell you,” he said.

“Good,” and she wrapped her other arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder.

“Let’s get some air,” he said, and they moved out onto the balcony. Lex stood behind her and wrapped his arms around his stomach and she leaned back against him, resting her hands on his.

“Now *this* is much better,” she said softly. Lex smiled and kissed her bare shoulders.

“How about a dance?” asked Lex after a while. Chloe turned in his arms and wrapped her around his neck, while he tightened his around her waist, and they swayed gently to the music.

“The only things good that came out of me being blinded was my father and I becoming close, and *you* Chloe,” he whispered. “Especially you, I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t in my life.”

“I’m not going anywhere Lex,” she said, and kissed him gently. “I’ve kind of gotten use to having you around,” she added with a smile when they parted. ‘And I love you,’ she added to herself.

“Good, because I plan on being around for along time,” he said. ‘I plan on being around you forever,’ he added silently. He placed kisses along her neck up to her mouth; he teased her with his tongue before plunging in and kissing her passionately. He could feel her lips swell from his kiss and she moaned softly.

One of her hands left his neck and slid under his jacket, running gently up and down his back.

---------------------------------------------------

“Ah to be young and in love,” commented Joyce Barry to Lionel as they observed Lex and Chloe. “They really are adorable together.”

“She’s good for him,” said Lionel.

“She reminds me of Lillian a little. Not in looks but in personality, all fire and ‘I don’t care who you are’ attitude.”

Lionel smiled softy as he remembered his wife. “Yes she does,” he agreed. “I think Chloe and Lily would have gotten on very well. She would have approved of her.”

“I’m sure she approves already,” said Joyce softly and moved silently away.

Lionel watched as his son and Chloe broke their kiss and hugged each other tightly. ‘I think she does,’ he thought.

---------------------------------------------------

A couple of hours later, with the party winding down, Chloe and Lex said their goodnights to everyone that was still present.

They made their way to Chloe’s room and she sat on the bed and kicked her shoes off. “Ah better,” she said. Lex just stood there, staring at her.

She moved over to him. “Everything ok?” she asked, resting her hand on his chest.

He smiled at her, “everything is perfect,” he said and kissed her. “I should probably head to my room,” he said softly when they parted.

“Stay, please.”

“Are…are you sure Chloe?”

She pressed her body as close to his as she could and kissed him passionately, sweeping her tongue through his mouth. “Yes,” she panted when they parted.

Lex groaned and crushed his mouth to hers. Chloe pushed his jacket off and he let it fall to the floor. She pulled his shirt from his pants and ran her hands up and down his bare back.

His hands found the zipper to her dress and he slowly pulled it down. He released her mouth and slowly knelt down, pulling the dress with him. He wished he could see her, but he didn’t need his eyes to make love to her. He placed wet kisses on her stomach and slid his hands up her torso to her breasts, groaning when he discovered she wasn’t wearing a bra.

“Lex,” she groaned as he teased her nipples till they were almost painfully hard. He stood up again, capturing her mouth. Chloe’s hands made light work of his shirt and it soon joined his jacket and her dress on the floor.

Mouths still fused together Lex lowered her onto the bed. “Oh God Lex,” she gasped at the delicious feeling of him pressing her down further into the bed. Lex moved his lips along her collarbone and he licked a path to the valley between her breasts.

He moved to one taut nipple biting and suckling before laving it with his tongue, and then repeated the process on its twin. His kissed and licked her stomach and groaned when he smelt the evidence of how aroused she was.

This was equal parts pure heaven and pure torture of Lex. Pure heaven that he was touching Chloe this way, and pure torture that the feel and taste of her skin, the breathy moans and the way she was saying his name were all combing to make him harder than he had ever been before.

He rubbed her gently through her panties, feeling the material get wet. He stood up briefly to take off the rest of his clothes, groaning in relief as his erection was freed from the confines of his pants.

He let his eyes look down her form, picturing in his mind what she looked like. He crawled back onto the bed and Chloe pulled his mouth to hers. As they kissed Lex removed the last barrier between them and dropped her panties on the floor.

He slipped a finger inside her, moaning when he felt how wet she was. Chloe gasped and arched her back as he slowly moved his finger in and out, he soon added a second.

“God, Lex please, please,” she begged, moving her hips in time with his fingers.

He couldn’t wait anymore, he would explore her body and let her explore his in greater detail another time, now, now he *needed* to be inside her.

He gently spread her legs wider and positioned himself at her entrance. He slowly slid into her, moaning her name as her tight wet heat gripped him. Chloe breath came in hitches as he pressed forward. He covered her mouth with his and thrust in hard, swallowing her cry. Chloe gripped his shoulders hard, digging her nails in. He held still, fighting against the urge to move till she got use to him. “Are you ok?” he whispered.

She moved one hand to cup his cheek, “I’m fine,” she said, and rocked her hips. Lex groaned and pulled back and pressed forward again. Chloe soon picked up on his rhythm and moved in time with him. He began lengthening his strokes and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

There was a chorus of moans and gasps that steadily grew louder as they reached their climax, Lex moved a hand to were their were joined and placed the right amount of pressure on her clit. The sensation was too much for Chloe and she came, holding onto Lex as if her life depended on it. The feeling of her tightening around him was all Lex needed to spiral into his own orgasm.

“Chloe,” he groaned as he pulsed his last into her. She opened her eyes to look up at him and placed two light kisses on his closed eyelids. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled at her.

He rolled to his side, pulling her with him. “I love you Chloe,” he whispered. “I know it sounds clichéd saying it just after we’ve made love, but it’s…it’s the truth…I love you.”

“I love you too Lex,” she whispered.

[ruafair]

Chapter Twenty Six – The Dying of the Dark

“Hello stranger,” said Pete, sliding into the seat opposite Chloe.

“Do I know you?” she retorted with a smile.

Pete laughed. “I see you’ve managed to drag yourself away from the glitzy parties and lavish lifestyle dating a Luthor has brought.” Although there was humour in his words, Chloe could still detect a slight hint of bitterness.

“Well yes Peter, I decided to mingle with the peasants today,” she replied with a laugh.

“So how…how is he doing?”

“I think I just saw a pig fly,” exclaimed Chloe. “You, Pete Ross, asking how Lex Luthor was?” she explained to the baffled look on his face.

“Hey I may not like the guy, or the fact you’re with him, but I wouldn’t wish going blind on anybody, not even a Luthor.”

“You are the best Pete,” said Chloe with a smile. “He’s doing very well, he says his ‘shades of grey’ as he calls them are getting more and more pronounced. And distinguishing things and people is much easier. There’s still no idea on when the next improvement will be, but I think Lex’s sheer will alone could make it sooner than later.”

“That’s good news. Have you spoken to Clark much lately?”

“Now and then. I never thought he’d have more of a problem with Lex and I together than you would. I mean he’s friends with Lex.”

“You know Clark, a mystery to one and all.” And both laughed.

“Hey Kent, we were just talking about you,” said Pete a moment later as Clark and Lana approached them.

They took the other seats and all four sat around the table. “Man, I can’t remember the last time we did this,” said Clark, his eyes on Chloe.

“Which is why it’s even more special this time,” she replied, glaring slightly at him.

“So Chloe, how have you been?” asked Lana.

“I’m great Lana, thanks, things are going great. And congratulations on the very impressive profit the Talon made.”

“It was tough,” said the brunette, “but I’m pretty proud of myself. And on the subject of profits, I’d better make sure I have one this month. I’m just going to check on everything.” She kissed Clark’s cheek and headed over to the counter.

Pete kicked Clark under the table and titled his head towards Chloe, before standing up. “I need to get something for my mom,” he said, “I’ll be back later.” And left Clark and Chloe alone.

“Good old Pete,” said Chloe as she watched him leave the Talon, “about as subtle as a ton of bricks. I hope he didn’t kick you too hard.” She turned her gaze back to Clark.

Clark stared at her; she seemed…almost…older. But then again Clark always thought Chloe was, mentally anyway older than the rest of them. ‘Probably why she and Lex connected,’ he thought. He suddenly sat up straighter in his chair as if the light bulb had finally gone on in his head.

He reached out and took Chloe’s hands in his. “I’m sorry Chlo, about everything, Lex, the way I’ve acted and been acting. I’m sorry.”

Chloe was speechless; this was the last thing she expected Clark to say. She didn’t know how to respond.

“Wow I rendered Chloe Sullivan speechless, the world must be about to end,” he said with a grin when she sat there staring at him.

Chloe threw her arms around Clark and hugged him tight. “You’re my best friend Clark and I love you,” she whispered, “even when you’re being an asshole.”

Clark hugged her back. “I love you too Chlo.”

“So what brought on this moment of insight?” she said when she released him and sat back in her chair.

“It literally just made sense right now,” he said honestly. “I’ve realised that you and Lex are perfect for each other. You’re both smart, stubborn and destined for great things.”

“I think Clark Kent, out of all of us, *you* are the one destined for the great things,” she said. “Although *I* fully expect to be right up there with you.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.

--------------------------------------------------

Chloe practically sailed through the mansion to see Lex. Her talk with Clark had put her in a very good mood. Having been told by Maria that he was in the study, she made her way there. She knocked on the door, “Lex,” she called.

“Come in Chloe,” he said. When she entered he was seated at his desk, talking on the phone. “I’ll be finished in a moment,” he said, and returned to his phone conversation.

She made her way over to him and sat on the edge of the desk facing him. Lex was discussing something about the plant and he looked bored with the conversation. She leaned forward and kissed him gently. “MMMM,” Lex said into the phone as she deepened the kiss, and manoeuvred herself to straddle him.

She began kissing; biting and licking her way up and down his neck. “Stop,” he whispered, but without much conviction. And Chloe smiled against his neck as he leaned his head back to give her more access.

One hand reached under her long skirt and he squeezed her thigh rhythmically as she ran her tongue over his neck. ‘Oh God,’ he thought, ‘I have to end this call now.’

She moved her hand to the front of his pants and rubbed gently. “Chloe,” he groaned, almost dropping the phone. She smirked and took the phone from Lex’s hand; “this is Mr Luthor’s secretary,” she said, “I’m sorry but Mr Luthor has been called to a *very* important meeting, he will call you back later.” She hung up the phone.

“Vixen,” Lex muttered and kissed her hard, her mouth opening immediately their tongues dancing.

“That was an important call,” he panted. “Of course it was,” she said, unzipping his pants and slipping her hand inside. Lex closed his eyes and rested his head on Chloe’s shoulder as she stroked him, his breath coming in gasps.

It had been five weeks since the party at the Barry’s place and the first time they’d made love and Chloe was convinced she was turning into a sex maniac, she literally couldn’t keep her hands off him.

“Chloe,” he moaned, “we should…oh God…we should move somewhere more private.”

There was a knock on the door and the sound of Lionel’s voice. “Shit,” said Lex. Chloe merely turned to face the door and kept her hand where it was.

“Lex did you get the…” he trailed off when he saw Chloe. “Miss Sullivan, I didn’t realise you were here? And are you ok Lex? You look a little…flushed.”

“He’s been working to *hard*, I was hoping to give him some relief,” said Chloe with a smirk. Lex grabbed her wrist and stilled her hand, silently thanking the Gods that the desk was high enough so that his father didn’t get an eyeful.

“I’m *fine*,” he stressed.

“If you say so,” said Lionel. “I’ll get the report from you later. Miss Sullivan as always a pleasure.” And he turned to leave, when he reached the door he faced them again, “oh and you might want to move to a bedroom next time or at least lock the door.” And then left and they could hear him laughing as he walked down the corridor.

Chloe laughed as well. “It’s not funny Chloe,” said Lex, his voice sounding equal parts embarrassed and frustrated.

“Ah poor Lex, want me to finish what I started?”

“I think the *mood* has been ruined, but we’ll definitely finish it later,” he added with a smirk.

“I had a talk with Clark today,” she said, “and everything is perfect. He apologised for his behaviour over the last few months and we’ve put all that behind us. And guess what Lex, he said he has realised that you and I are perfect for each other.”

“Of course we are,” said Lex, “and I’m glad you and he are friends again.”

“I keep waiting to wake up,” she said softly after a moment.

“What do you mean?”

“All this, everything that has happened. I keep expecting to wake up and discover it’s all been a dream,” she clarified. “I’m being silly aren’t I?”

“Well it has been quite a surreal experience,” he said, holding her close. “Want me to make it even more surreal,” he whispered in her ear. She nodded her head.

“That’s a beautiful red top you’re wearing.”

“Thanks, I got…what do…how…red,” she stammered.

“This morning I started seeing colours, reds, yellow, pinks, bright colours. The doctor has been here and it’s all normal. I could…*see* in a matter of weeks.”

Chloe couldn’t speak, for the *second* time in one day someone had rendered her speechless.

“Chloe, say something,” said Lex after a moment.

She launched herself at him and kissed him hard. “Why wasn’t that the first thing you said to me when I arrived?” she said.

“I was otherwise engaged,” he smirked.

“Lex this...this is the most amazing news, we should, I don’t know, celebrate. I mean this is big, your sight, you can see, we,” she babbled

Lex laughed. “My father has already arranged something,” he said, kissing her neck. “And I wanna celebrate by getting naked and sweaty with you.”

Chloe shivered, “want me to lock the door?”


Chapter Twenty Seven – Beginnings

“It’s not fair,” pouted Chloe.

“That’s life Chloe,” replied Lex as he leaned over and kissed her, nibbling gently on her lower lip.

While the doctor had said it would be at least two weeks before Lex got his sight back fully, in true ‘I’m a Luthor and I do things in my own time’ fashion, Lex had his sight back in just over a week. Chloe could remember clearly everything about that afternoon when he announced it.

He was so excited and Chloe could see the tears in Lionel’s eyes even though he did manage to cover them up well.

To the outside world Lionel Luthor was a cold-hearted bastard, who didn’t care whom he had to step over to get what he wanted. And despite all the drama over the last while that was still the impression he gave. But out of sight from everyone, in the mansion, with Lex, he was a completely different man. Ok they still argued but they wouldn’t be human if they didn’t. But father and son had reached an understanding, and Chloe believed it was the best thing that could have happened to them. Had things continued on the path they were going on prior to the tornado they would have destroyed each other. And over everything with Lex’s blindness Chloe developed a respect for Lionel, and although he would never admit it, she knew he respected her too.

“It’s my car Chloe and I’m going to drive it,” he said after releasing her mouth. They were seated in *her beloved* Ferrari about to head into town. Over the last week Lex had pretty much not left the mansion, he had spent the time getting use to being able to *see* again. And today was the first time he’d been behind the wheel of a car since the accident.

He had chosen to drive the Ferrari because he knew it would piss Chloe off. When he could see everything again, he had been a little worried about his relationship with her. They had become friends and then fallen in love while he was blind and part of him fretted over how she would feel now that he could see.

But the night after he had made his announcement she had relieved him of all his fears. They had talked for hours about literally everything, and she had admitted to feeling a little worried as well about what would happened between them now he could see. And when they had made love afterwards both knew that there were no problems between them.

“It’s my car,” she repeated sarcastically, “it’s my car.”

“Don’t be such a baby Chloe,” he said as he started the car.

He couldn’t wait to see her face in a couple of weeks when she saw what he had bought her for her 18th birthday, her own custom made Ferrari. He had been a little concerned about buying her such an expensive gift and had spoken to Gabe about it before hand. He had, of course, chastised him for spending so much and told him Chloe would do the same, but she would love it.

They drove the short distance to the Talon, Lex loving the feel of driving along the roads, although not at the breakneck speed he normally drove at. He pulled up and parked out the Talon, and turned to Chloe.

“What?” she said after he’d been staring at her for a while.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, and smiled as she blushed. “I always thought you were,” he continued, “but now, after not being able to see you for so long, now I can’t help saying it.”

Chloe cupped his face and kissed him gently. “Underneath the cool, suave, mysterious front that you like to put up,” she said, “you really are a hopeless romantic.”

“Well not hopeless,” he said with a smirk, and kissed her passionately. “And only since I met you,” he added when they parted.

“I think we nearly gave Nell at heart attack with that kiss,” she said, “she’s watching us like a hawk at the moment.”

“Only nearly,” he said with a grin, “maybe we should work on that.” He pressed himself as close to her as he could within the confines of the car. “Why Mr. Luthor, whatever are you up too?” she said coyly.

He smirked at her, leaned in and kissed her; their arms wrapped each other. As their tongues danced, Chloe tried to crawl onto his lap. Finally oxygen became an issue and they parted. “Well?” Asked Lex.

“She has the ‘oh-my-God’ expression on her face, but unfortunately she’s still standing,” replied Chloe.

“As erotic as the idea of having sex with you in the Ferrari is Chloe, I really don’t want to get arrested,” he said, with a hint of regret in his voice.

“I suppose so, let’s head in then,” she said.

--------------------------------------------------

Lana watched as Lex and Chloe strolled into the Talon hand in hand. They walked up to the counter. “Lana,” said Lex, “you’re looking well. That colour suits you.”

“Thanks I…on my you can see, like everything now,” she exclaimed.

“Yes it came back fully a week ago, I’ve been reacquainting myself with pretty much everything,” he said.

“Congratulations Lex I’m delighted for you,” said Lana sincerely.

“Oh wow, that’s great news Lex,” said Clark coming up behind them.

“Thanks Clark, Lana.”

“So what are you plans now?” asked Clark, as they all sat down around the nearest table. “Well, back to work full time for starters, although I doubt there will be much to do at the plant, Gabe has had the plan running so efficiently I’m surprised I’m needed.”

“Believe me Lex,” said Chloe, “my dad will be delighted to hand the reins back over to you, I think he’ll be quite happy to return to just being the plant manager.”

“I hope that’s not what he’s expecting,” said Lex, “he really impressed my father during his time in charge and we all know how rare an occurrence that is. So dad is planning something for him.”

“And how are things with your dad?” asked Clark.

“They couldn’t be better,” replied Lex, “and I mean that literally, things are great between us. Too bad it took me going blind for a while for us to reach that, but life can be like that.”

“And then,” he continued, “as soon as school has finished for the holidays, Chloe and I are going away for a vacation.”

“We are?” she asked.

“Yes, we’re going to Europe.”

“Is this another one of those things that has been arranged on my behalf with any input from me,” she said. “You, your dad and my dad planning my life for me again.”

“Pretty much so,” said Lex with a smirk.

Chloe rolled her eyes, “*we’ll* discuss the planning of *my* life later,” she said to him. “And what exactly will this *discussion* entail,” said Lex, leaning closer to her.

“Me showing you who is the boss where my life is concerned,” she said with a grin.

“Oh so you want to be on top this time,” replied Lex, causing both Clark and Lana to blush.

“Yes,” said Chloe, “and you in the handcuffs.”

“Guys please,” spluttered Clark, “too much information. Get a room or something.”

“Is the office free?” asked Chloe.

“Chloe!” exclaimed Lana.

Lex and Chloe burst out laughing at the expressions on the others’ faces. “Sorry,” said Lex, “couldn’t resist teasing.”

“Who said anything about *teasing*?”Said Chloe, with a smirk

--------------------------------------------------

They had spent a few hours talking at the Talon before heading back to the mansion.

Chloe stood in the library looking out over the grounds of the estate; Lex came up behind her wrapping his arms around her waist.

“As crazy as this may sound,” he began, “but going blind was the best thing that ever happened to me. Granted it was also the most frightening and terrible thing as well. But if…if I hadn’t my dad and I would still hate each other, and you and I…” he trailed off.

Chloe turned in his arms to face him. “What happened, happened,” she said. “Don’t think about what might have been, think about now Lex. You and your father get along fine, you and I are together.”

He kissed her nose gently. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said.


Epilogue

Eight Years Later

“Lex don’t stay out too long, it’s getting quite cold,” said Chloe.

“I won’t, I’ll be back in fifteen minutes,” he said, kissing her gently. He shut the door of the limo behind him and headed off towards his destination.

“I should go with him,” said Chloe.

“No, this is something he needs to do himself Chloe,” said Lionel, “he’ll be fine.”

“I guess,” she sighed, sinking back into her seat.

Lionel smiled gently as he looked over at his daughter in law. He had been right about Lex and Chloe being perfect for each other, ever since that first argument they had in the hospital when Lex had been blinded. He shuddered slightly as he thought back to that terrible time. And then perked up as the remembered how this amazing woman opposite him stopped Lex feeling sorry for himself and helped him live again. In a way she was responsible for Lex and he getting on as well.

So here they were eight years down the line, married. Lex had proposed to Chloe on her twenty-
first birthday, and they got married shortly after her twenty-second. And they had just celebrated their third wedding anniversary.

“It’s to be a small wedding,” she had told him, “I don’t want Luthor overkill on this.”

And small and private it was. They had gotten married in Smallville with only family and friends around. Doctor Jennings had been invited as had Maria the housekeeper. Chloe even insisted on Michael and Joyce Barry being there, and of course they had thought the whole thing *adorable*.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” asked Chloe.

“Your wedding day actually,” he replied.

Chloe raised an eyebrow in surprise, “and what has brought on this train of thought?”

“Nothing really, just reminiscing, I suppose it’s the day that’s in it,” he said.

“Maybe you should have gone with Lex then.”

“No, he needed to do this by himself,” he replied. “I’m fine, like I said just reminiscing.”

“Chloe don’t look at me like that,” he said after a moment.

Chloe rolled her eyes, “pardon me for being concerned *Mr Luthor*.”

Lionel smirked; she only called him ‘Mr Luthor’ when she was being snarky with him. “Your concern is duly noted and appreciated ‘Miss Sullivan’.”

“Thank you Lionel,” she said with a smile.

“You’re welcome Mrs Luthor,” he replied with a smile of his own.

--------------------------------------------------

Lex made his way to the large monument at the back of the graveyard. When he reached it, he sighed deeply.

“Hi mom,” he said. “I know it’s been awhile, but you know how I hate talking to you in this place.” He waved a hand around the graveyard.

“I’ve brought someone very special to meet you,” he glanced down at the precious bundle in his arms. “Mom, this is your grand daughter, Lily. Next to Chloe, she is the most important person in my life. She is five months old and totally rules our lives. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.” He looked down again as his daughter moved slightly in her sleep, and he kissed her head gently.

“She’s beautiful,” he continued, “she looks just like her mother. Although Chloe says she has my temperament. I do find myself staring at her for hours, still not quite believing she is actually mine. Lily is going to know every single day that I love her and when’s she old enough to understand we’ll tell her all about you. You should see dad with her; she has him completely wrapped around her little finger. And he loves playing the grandfather role. At least Chloe and I are never short of a babysitter with him and her dad around.”

Lex traced one hand over the lettering of the word ‘Lillian’. “I still miss you mom,” he whispered. “That void of not feeling loved lasted for so long after you died. And then…then along came a seventeen-year-old girl full of attitude that didn’t care that I was a Luthor, or had a questionable past. To her I was just Lex and that meant so much; she loves me because I’m me. Ok it took me getting blind for a while to make us fall in love. I so wish you could have met her, you two would get on so well. Dad absolutely adores her, and I think deep down he knew from the start we’d end up together.”

Lily moved again in his arms and he looked down to see her open her eyes. “Hi sweetheart,” he said softly to her. “This is where your namesake is, your grandmother Lillian. She was an incredible woman and I will tell you all about her when you’re older.”

He held out one finger to her and she grabbed it in her tiny hand. “So precious,” Lex murmured. Ten years ago if someone had told Lex that by the time he was thirty he would be married and a father he’d of laughed in their faces. The way his life was heading before being *banished* to Smallville, he was convinced he would have been dead before he was twenty-five.

“I wonder if dad knew all along what he was doing sending me to Smallville,” he said softly to Lily. “Because if he hadn’t, then you my sweet might not have been here.”

“Everything ok,” a soft voice sounded behind him.

“Yes its fine Chloe,” he replied with a smile.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you, I just wanted to make sure you were ok,” she said. “Hello my love,” she said to Lily, dropping a kiss on her head.

“She just woke up now,” he said.

“Probably getting hungry,” said Chloe. “Did you get to tell your mom everything that you wanted to?”

“Pretty much so, I really just wanted to introduce Lily. I know it seems a little silly, but…”

“It is *not* silly Lex, it’s very sweet. I would of loved to have known your mother, and for Lily to have known her. That’s why she was named after her.”

Lex kissed Chloe gently. “As usual Mrs Luthor you are right.”

Chloe smiled at him and took the baby from his arms, and moved slightly back.

“Bye mom,” he said softly, “I won’t leave it as long next time to visit.” He took one last look at his mother’s resting-place and moved over to his wife.

“Ready to go,” she said.

Lex wrapped his am around Chloe’s shoulders. ‘My family,’ he thought.

“Let’s go home Chloe,” he said.

The End

[ryuu-chan]

I can't remember the last time I laughed and cried this much over a fanfic! *snifs*

Loved it!!

[Blaire023]

I can't even tell you how many times I've read this fic, I've lost complete count. Between this one and all your others i can totally lose myself at malu's site.

However, this has to be my fave. Not sure if I ever left feedback for it, but I do love it. I will always love it. If i could actually make an episode out of this, I would.

Blaire

[sydsvaughn]

Lovely, absoultely lovely. I so like how you portrayed Lionel in this one and I love how you developed the father/son relationship. Not to mention the Chlex was great, especially the standing up to Clark.

Laughed and cried and realized this is truly one of my favorite stories you've done. Great job!

Sara

[Sunny]

This fic was one of the first chlex fic I have read... Great job! :chlexsign1: :worship2:

[Elviriel]

congratulations it,s the one of teh best chlex fics i've ever read !! Wow !

[Katharina]

Wow...I don´t know what else to say, cause I am truly impressed. This has to be the best fanfic ever. Your amazing. :worship2: :worship2: :worship2:
I just loved this and even though it was very long it didn´t get boring. There were no filler chapters and I couldn´t stop reading. Actually I´m glad that I was able to read it all at once, I don´t think I would have survived waiting.
The best part of this fic has to be the growing of the characters. You didn´t just manage to display them accuratly and not the slightest bit out of character, but also they changed during the course of action. This made the story even more believeable.
You´re amazing! :applause:

[Sab_Luthor]

:clap: :applause: congratulation :applause: :clap:

i love it. it's beautiful. sincerely good job. you're great :worship2:

[Charmingjen]

Wow! I love the ending...it's the first fic that made me cry! I loved it! I hope to read more of your work soon! Great job! ;)

~Jen

[sara_noele]

Wow, that was amazing!!!
Lex being blind and then Chloe, who doesn't give up and then coming together. That was all just perfect.
One of the best fics I've read. :yay:


sara_noele

[kidkarmina]

I remember this now. I have read this before and all I can say is.... :worship2: !!

I love it :cool: ! It hits you right here...pointing at my heart!!

Good job,
JJ

[TwirlWriter]

Oh GOD this is one of my all time Fav Chlex fics! I have read it over 5 times! I love it! Wonderful plot idea! :biggrin:

[prosthetic ballerina]

just wanted to say...BEAUTIFUL story!! its the best i've read so far, i love how despite its length, it always had my attention...and ive read it twice! absolutely fabulous, no wait, ADORABLE. damn right. muah! :blinkkiss:

:wub:
p to the b

[shailafter]

Oh My Gosh! just finished reading this story.. and i'd like to say that it's so sweet! :wub: :chlexsign3:

[lunaluthor]

waht a wonderfull brilliant story and the writing was superb :worship2: :worship2:


thanks for posting it here :wub: :wub:

[Val]

This fic is just so absolutelly great!
I loved it, congrats!

[Lel]

:wub:

Wow, This was amazing. So well written and the characters were great.

I Loved It
:worship2:

[happy bunny]

This story was truly amazing! One of the things that I liked most about had to have been the relationship between Lionel and Lex. While Lex may think that his father hates him, Lionel spends most of his time trying to help his son. It's just too cute. I have to read more fic by you!

[Sab_Luthor]

oh it's one oh the better fic i ever read. i adore it
i swear i read it at least 10 times so much i love it.
they are simply so cute and they obviously made for beig together
oh and dearest daddy lionel nice it's to much lovely
congratulation fiona you've made a graet job whith this fic and the others but this one is my blow of heart or in french cause i don't if we call it as it "mon coup de coeur"

[lisa-jayne]

absolutely beautiful story. :) it made me heart very happy and my heart ache with saddness. very well done. :) one of the best chlex fictions out there. :)

:worship2:

[SexInStilettos]

do you know how amazing you r??? I loved this fic, it had everything, and you wrote it so well. You didn't have them just fall into each others arms when they first met, you made it realistic.....IT WAS ABSOLUTLY WONDERFUL!!!!! :worship2: not to mention great smut scenes.... :smut:

[ColumbiaBlue]

Aaawww, this is such a cute story! I :wub: it!

Columbia :balloon:

[sylvia]

I like the premise for this, it's very believable and the plot's pretty good too. You also did a great job writing the secondary characters, which adds a lot to the story. An *adorable* piece :)

[autumngold]

I love this story so much!! :wub: I think it's my favorite one that you've written!! :biggrin: Well, except maybe "His Girl Friday" or "Wild At Heart", or. . . Actually, I love all of your stories!! ;) I hope you start a new one soon!! Please!! :chlexsign4:

[KawaiiRyu]

I have tears in my eyes because the ending was so amazingly sweet! This story is the best finished Chlex story that I have ever read. I was bursting out laughing randomly(I'm sure my family thought I was going crazy) and was sniffling at some of the sadder parts. Poor Lex...but not for long! The UST was amazing, the charactorization was superb, everything was awesome! :worship2:

[Clannadlvr]

Great job! It's so neat to see Lex so vulnerable... and you were able to do it in such a sincere way. By the way, I LOVE the description of Lionel you gave.

"the man who ate large corporations for breakfast and demeaned his son for dessert"

nice!

:chlexsign1:

[Shay]

OH MY GOODNESS! This story was/is amazing. I laughed, I cried, I was angry (mostly at Clark and Nell) but I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Shay

[Sab_Luthor]

yay this is one of the best fic i ever read in my whole life
i so loved it
oh and by the we have finished to translate the fic
thanks

[pop55]

I so agree with her, i love that fic, it's my favorite and all people on our french forum love it too

[Sab_Luthor]

yes that's right :yay:

[estrellalily]

*sniffel* i loved this story! Not to be cheesey but i really laughed AND cryed. it was so great at the end i am still a little teary. Please write another story! :biggrin: :wub: :biggrin: i am such a happy ending person that this story had like my ideal ending, marrage, babies, hot sex, etc. ;)
Thanks so much for the fanfic :chlexsign4:
~estrellalily

[Robyn]

This is the greatest fic I have read in a while! It's simply amazing. I spent like 2 hours reading last night, nonstop and I just now finished. I loved it sooo much! :wub: Great job!

[newbatgirl]

I've read this story about five times now and it gets better every time. I love your Chloe. She rocks!

[PromisMe]

W O W !

that was.... amazing... *wipes the tears away* i've never had so many emotional reactions to a single story!!! :wub:

thank thank thank you for making this a continuous story!!! i wouldnt have lived otherwise... :worship2:

[Sab_Luthor]

oh my god i just finish to read this fic one more time
and wow i loved it
i'm completly in love with this fic
maybe you can do a sequel? :biggrin:

[MagnusXXN]

All I can say is 'wow'!

I loved that whole thing. Right from the start where CHloe told him off, then when he started going around her because he missed her.

You have to write a follow up!









): )

[Swamy]

Oh my God.. this is the more beautiful story I aver read about Lex&Chloe! :blush: :wub:

[becky]

that was totally amazing....

so well written (as usual!) and full to the brim with emotion. You handled Lex's condition brilliantly, and the ending was beautiful. I loved the chloe/lionel/lex dynamic in this fic and thought it was particularly well done... completely enthralling, consuming and addictive... I've been sitting here for three hours reading it!

excellent, excellent job,

~Becky~

[Ami Rose]

This story was soooo cute...

[Janet]

Ooooh.... this was a wonderful fic! :) Sorry to revive an old fic, but I just found it among a list of recommended fics... ;)

Very interesting, Lex being blinded instead of Lionel. Loved what it did to all the relationships. You handled the blindness well - you could have made it a miraculous instantaneous recovery, but you did it realistically, giving Lex his sight back more gradually. Great!

Bravo Fi!

[Smallville_Sitton]

Beautiful!! I cried when Lex and Lionel exchanged I Love Yous after Lex found out about the blood clot. I love this fic and it despirately needs a sequel!!!! LOVE IT!!




:chlexsign1: :chlexsign2: :chlexsign3: :chlexsign4:

[ghostwriter]

Awesome

:worship2:

:biggrin:

Eleanor

[norahcynthia]

This is an older fic but I've only recently got a chance to read it and so thought I should give fb on it. It is definitely one of my favorite Chlex fics of all time. The relationship between Chloe and Lex is so well written and beautifully done in this fic, I absolutely loved it. I also like the kinder, more benevolent Lionel and his relationship with Lex was beautifully handled. :worship2: :worship2: :worship2: :worship2: Just an all around wonderful, compelling romance fic.

[Luna]

I must admit that this is one of my favourite Chlex fics.
The relationship between Lex and Chloe is beautifully described and I absolutely love how you didn't rush them into a romantic relationship but take your time to build it slowly.
Not to mention, you handled Lex's blindness very realistically.

Thank you for sharing this. :heart:

[planetcal]

This ia an amazing story!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[starmoon]

I like this story it is sweet. I can't belive what Lex said to Chloe at first, and a little surpised she didn't chew him out right away. When they started as just friends it was sweet and nice. Chloe was goood for Lex and Lionel. I like how there relinship went from nothing but hiding there love to showing it. That is how a father and son should be. Chlex forever. :chlexsign4:

[starmoon]

Wow!!!! this story was funny, cute, sweet, sad and so much more all in one. i got so mad at some points but in the end i am very happy for chloe and lex they are perfect for one another.

[summer_enchanted]

Love this fic. I've read it a few times now and think it's great. Really love the sweet ending.

:love2::love2::love2:

[cephysia]

I've just finished to read your story and I think it's wonderfull. I love the idea of Lex being all vulnerable and Chloe coming to the rescue. I was really well written so thank you for that great time spent reading it.

[welshy]

This is an amazing story, I loved the interaction between Chloe and the Luthors :wubs:

[arkakitty]

I looooove this story. I still can't believe, jow much I have been fascinated with it ...I couldn't sleep, until I read it all.

[w1cked]

okay, did no one else think that with a the title 'a clean pair of eyes' SOMEONE had caught lex and chloe doing something irrevocably naughty together? well, i did. although i was dissapointed that No, they did not get caught in a compromising position i was so glad i stuck around - this fic is fucking fantastic.

[pipersmum]

This was a really lovely fic :D You actually made me like Lionel which is a first :shocked: juat wish the writers would get Lex and Chloe together already :yeahbaby:

[cristiel82]

This was fantastic. Wow!!
This is in top 5 best Chlex fic I've read. I love it!

[ggdoll18]

I really liked this! Quite refreshing to have Lionel portrayed like that. Loved baby Lily at the end too, how sweet!

[buddyfozzy]

This story was so amazing! I love stories where Lex isn't so in control of everything in his life. I liked that Chloe wanted to help Lex, even though she did'nt really even know him in the beginning, and that she was persistent. I also really liked the mended relationship between Lex and Lionel.

Oh, and lovely Clark bashing throughout too.

Well done!!

[darkangel]

This fic was so good. The author is very talented. I just loved the epilogue.

[Thaís]

Such a fantastic story!!!! The way Lex, Chloe and Lionel interact, the way father and son discover a way to be on a healthy relationship again, and how a stuborn Chloe was able to bring Lex out of his shell after the acident...
Oh, and the end... Baby Lily and Lex's conversation with his mother... So beautiful...

[Shane77]

WOW! What can I say else?
You are a genius. This is amazing. No sorry this is more than amazing!
I can't describe in words how good it is!
I really love it!
Make us lot of stories like that!
See you!

[kimmie]

I love this fic, it makes you laugh and cry all at the same time, I especially liked the Lex, Chloe and Lionel interaction in this story...

Kimmie

[itsjustXchar]

Great story!!! KUDOS, MAD KUDOS!!! :drool2: btw:kudos r a good thing lol

[WingsofZephyr]

You know those moments when you laugh, cry, exude confidence in one moment, vulnerablity in the next, and I'm not just talking about paying the bills. Seriously, this story is truely touching, slow roasted romance, villians magically become human, and ridiculously expense cars become apart of our lives. Keep writing and preserving Lex/chloe stories for all of your admiring fans.

__________________________
'What is this color, it was supposed to be Honey Mist Auburn.'
'Honey, you missed Auburn big time.'

Funny story about hair dye disasters, I love homophones

[Ann]

This fic was everything a fic should be. Sadness, happiness, romance, angst, fear, exc. It has it all. I absolutely loved it and will most likely read it at least one more time if not more than that. And I absolutely LOVED Lionel in this fic. There aren't too many where he actually turns out to be good and it's nice to see. Definately my favorite! :)

[txalb]

I loved this story. I love the entire idea of Chloe kicking Lex into gear to get him to stop feeling sorry for himself. I love that Chloe stuck by him and that she showed Lionel that he was being closed minded. I don’t think there was much I didn’t love about this story.

I did catch a few grammar errors but nothing that was glaringly obvious. So good job there.

You did a great job on it. Thanks for writing.

txalb

[Donutte]

I just had to say how much I've enjoyed reading this story over the last two days. I loved how it truly had a happy ending for everyone involved. I loved how Lex and his father had made amends because of his blindness, and how weird (yet cool) it was that Lionel seemed to be pushing Lex and Chloe together, right from the beginning. An interesting twist on "Tempest", and I must say, I enjoyed it so much. I was riveted, and could not stop reading yesterday until my eyes began to close on their own accord due to exhaustion. Thank you for sharing that lovely story with us (even if it was two years ago :P). I enjoyed every chapter of it; it was a perfect blend of almost every genre, and that in itself was very cool. Kudos :)

Do'

[redniblet]

That was great!! Very romantic:)

[Vampbabe20]

I absolutely loved reading this story. I couldn't get any work done because of it. Thank you so much.

[persephone47]

that was so sweat, the last chapter made me so tear-y, great job, there needs to be another part...

[Slythhearted]

This is the Chlex story I keep coming back to for a fic 'pick me up'. It never fails to leave me with a smile.

[musicbrat_0901]

oh my god! i loved this fic!

[~*~Tasha~*~]

I am staring in awe at the screen after reading this piece of fiction in its entirety. You have a wonderful way with words. Each scene was painted well, and I felt each emotion that the characters felt. You really do know how to weave a tale. Excellent, original piece. I liked your viewpoints on all the characters, and I personally think you were spot on with all of them. This is a way that things might have been if certain events were slightly different.

Life is full of turning points, and you took one of those points to blossom out into a wonderful and entertaining story. It was an amazing journey of snark, pain, love, regret, hope, family, and friendship. Bravo!

[jaab]

Good job...really good work. Loved it :)

[purplesquint]

I absolutely adored this. I just loved your Lionel and I like the fluffy Chlex. Nicely done.

[lexie]

Fiona, I came across this lovely fic a couple of days ago. I´ve really enjoyed reading it and I´d love to see new fics of yours posted here soon.:blinkkiss

[Vampirelover]

NOw that is a Chlex story to the fullest. I love how everyone is like they are in the show except for lionel, I like how you made him in your story. Everything was perfect. Great job. more please. lol;)

[Linda]

That was beautiful. It's so well written and the emotions you conveyed had me laughing and crying along with the characters.

Thank you, now I'm going off to read it again.

[blackheart_me]

This was such a beautiful fanfic. It's the first Chlex fanfic that I've finished and it's really trumped places over my heart :D. Everything about it was just AMAZING! I really really enjoyed reading it. It's taken me four hours but they were SOOO worth it. Ur beginning immediately hooked me and I just love how you wrote the dynamics and the chemistry. The fact that in the end they also had a baby just made me feel so giddy inside. AMAZING STORY!!:D

[tatie87]

I just found this story and I absolutely fell in love with it. I loved the relationship b/t Lex and Chloe.

[dce]

I've read this story numerous times in the past and just re-read it today, and I just wanted to say thanks so much for sharing this. This is definitely one of my favourite Chlex fics. :wub:

[Tanschana]

Wow! I simply love your stories!
Your stories are always so amazing and captivating I can't help myself but read one after the other!
I'm in love :wub:

[Jennyt82]

As usual your fics rock. I just finished and loved every minute of it.;)

[flowerf1]

love it love it love it

[tanza]

Wow! This was so amazing!

[Lillian]

I read this fic some time ago and I loved it. It's a wonderful story.

I'm impatient for read a new Ruafair's fic... the second part of "Sanguis..."? That will be great :D

[maja]

Amazing fic. I love how you wrote Lex and Chloe.

[Lillian]

Great!! This is my favorite fic of all times... wonderful.

[mag]

I love this fic! This is one of my favorite fic.

[Lillian]

This fic is wonderful, it's one of my favorite like "Sanguis..."
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

[Joy]

I remember reading this, and it's still so good to read it again.
Not tiring or boring, but it was just as sweet and amazing.
Love the twist!

[Artemis09]

This story is amazing. I have read it more than 5 times since i found it.

[chicablue]

love this fic

[starmoon]

i just love this story and i am glad kitten helped me find it.

[langelic1]

Wow, this was great!

[emms14]

What a beautiful ending, I cried! This was a very good story and I loved watching the relationships between Chloe and Lex, Chloe and Lionel, and Lionel and Lex develop. Fantastically written!! :)

-emms14

[starmoon]

i love this story every time i read it.

[ajl_gurl84]

Okay...

I love this story!!! :love2: :love2: :love2:

It's unique what with Lionel being nice. It's sweet with how the Chlex relationship start and Clark wasn't too much of an ass.

Didn't think it woulod have been that easy for Lex to accept Chloe at the beginning but I'm glad he did.

The interaction and overall characterisation was good. I could picture this happening (if only) in the series had the writers took pity on us and gave us some Chlex storyline.

Glad you wrote this story! :clapclap: :D Very much enjoyed it.

Thank you! :wub:

[carebear30]

One of my favorites that I love re-read!!

[skyblue78]

I love this story more every time I read it!

[chlexfan10]

This story is really great! Their characters were developed really well. Chloe is spunky (as she should be!) and I can't help have a soft spot for Lionel too. Lex's adapting to Chloe and falling in love with her was perfect! Congrats on a well written story. :grin3:

[Artemis09]

This is a very beautifull story. I have read this story man times since the moment i have found it.

[Annie13]

this is a great story, i really liked reading it

[sarena]

Great story.... I only found it a week ago and have re read it twice

[jstarr713]

so sweet at the end. I love seeing lex as a dad

[ghaziak]

awww... so sweet!

[Unifred]

I love this story. Greate job.

[jaab]

I just love this story, I have read it I dont know how many times, but I love it.

[TrinityR]

You don't whimper when you're unconscious. You simply pass out either from the pain or trauma, but you don't feel pain when you do!

[lia00027]

Completely amazing story. That's the story of chlex that i wanna see.

[dixie326]

Loved this story so much. The emotions just came right off the page and brought the characters to life.