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Not An Addict
19th April 2003, 02:52
Title: The Interview
Author: Not An Addict
Rating: PG-13 for language
Category: Angst/Drama
Pairing: Chloe/Lex,
Spoilers: Kinetic, Jitters
Summary: Lex has memories on tape.
Disclaimer: The voices in my head say I own them. The voices in my head also say I can fly and breathe underwater. The voices in my head are not to be trusted.
Author’s Note: WHERE DID THIS COME FROM??????? Out, out damn angst!!!!!! No, seriously, I have NO idea where this came from. I’m sorry. I’ve given Chloe the middle name Anne because, um, well, really just because I like it. Feedback . . . yes, please. This is definitely a change from my usual style, and I’d like to know what you guys think.



The Interview



The grainy background of the tape crackles in the enclosed air, filling the back of the limo with sounds of the past. For tonight, nothing about the present or the future was important. Superman could wait, business was irrelevant. All that mattered was her voice, over the background noise.

“Well, here we are in the Luthor ancestral home, back in the library once again for a second shot at an interview. I saw you had the glass fixed. I don’t suppose you’ve increased security at all, have you?”

A wry chuckle.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall through any windows this time.”

“Good to know. Now, Mr. Luthor, are you going to tell us what really went on in Level Three?”

“As my father and I have told every other member of the press, Ms. Sullivan, the area referred to as ‘Level Three’ was nothing more than a redundant storage facility.”

“I know what you’ve told every other member of the press, Lex; I asked what really went on, not what story you’re feeding everyone. Are you going to fill me in on why you’re smirking at me like that?”

“You called me Lex. What makes you think that I’m ‘feeding’ you a story that’s not true, Chloe?”

She sounds significantly less amused than he is.

“Earl Jenkins.”

“Earl Jenkins is a very sick man.”

“A sick man who claims his illness was caused by exposure to crop experiments on Level Three.”

There’s tension in his voice now, the restrained irritation that is all he ever allows himself to show.

“As I’ve told you before, Ms. Sullivan, I had no idea Level Three even existed until Mr. Jenkins broke into my plant demanding to be taken there. When are you going to believe what I’m telling you?”

Her irritation is not nearly as restrained.

“When you stop stonewalling me, Lex. God, you were the one who suggested this in the first place. Why even bother if you’re just going to feed me the same bullshit all over again? I think our interview is over.”

Angry, rustling sounds as she stuffs her notebook into her bag.

His voice is closer now; he’s come around the desk to stand in front of her.

“Chloe . . . Chloe, don’t leave.”

She still sounds angry.

“Give me one good reason why n—”

Her words come to a sudden stop; there is a long pause. Her voice sounds again, breathless.

“You kissed me.”

He is as out of breath as she is.

“Observant girl.” Another pause, and he sounds shocked, remorseful. “Chloe, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t h—”

This time his is the voice that cuts off. Soft sounds echo through the air; indecipherable, but he knows what they are anyway. A small moan. The sound of fingers scrambling over the recorder’s metal buttons. Her voice, ripe with amusement and passion.

“We don’t really want this recorded for posterity.”

His voice, full of desire but light with teasing.

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s something we might want to look int—”

The crackling sounds louder with the absence of other noise—she’s finally found the stop button. But he’s had the two tapes spliced together, and after a short space the click of a button is heard again. A pause and her amused and exasperated voice sounds over the faint static, pouring into his head as the darkened fields roll by outside his window.

“Mr. Luthor, do you think you can keep your hands off of your girlfriend for a few more minutes so that we can finally finish this interview?”

“No, Ms. Sullivan, I really don’t think that’s possible.”

“Lex,” her voice starts to warn, but is cut of by a sudden gasp.

A smothered moan and the sound of gently creaking leather.

A murmur too soft to be picked up by the tape recorder.

“I will not forget about the interview! We’ve already tried to do this twice with no success.” Another murmur. “You’re impossible.” She’s serious, but there’s laughter in her voice. That’s it, I’m going to have to—”

There is a miniscule bit of nothingness, then her voice again, more composed.

“All right, now that we have you behind your desk where you can’t cause any more trouble, we’ll continue.”

His voice is low, husky.

“I don’t know, Chloe. You remember what happened the last time you got me behind this desk.” A soft chuckle, then his voice filled with mock disbelief. “Chloe Sullivan speechless? Maybe I should call the rest of the press corps. Just as well, though—now I can ask you my question before we get started.”

Teasing in her voice now

“I thought I was supposed to be the intrepid reporter here.”

“Humor me.”

A creaking of his chair as he stood. Little noise as he moved around the desk. Then a faint shuffling, and a female gasp. Her voice is shaky, uncertain.

“Lex?”

“I love you. I know this might seem sudden, but it’s all I’ve been able to think about for years now. Chloe Anne Sullivan . . . will you be my wife?”

A choked sob.

“Are you sure?”

“As sure as I’ve ever been about anything, and as sure as I ever will be for the rest of my life.” A pause, and he can still feel the nervous knots that had been tied in his stomach. “What do you think?”

Her smile was in her voice.

“I think we’re going to have to finish up with a fourth interview.”

A shout of joyous laughter, soon changing to gasping breaths. Then the click of a button, and it’s the end.

The door opening startles him slightly, but he composes himself and gathers the lilies on the seat beside him, steps out into the cold Kansas night. His shoes crunch over the snow and his breath fogs the air in front of him, but he can’t feel the chill. He hasn’t felt the cold in years, not since his heart froze and the blood in his veins fled in place of ice. Not since his heat was taken from him.

There had been no fourth interview.

Two nights on a tape are all he has left of her now, her voice only a dim reflection of what she had been. Her voice holds no more heat for him now than a picture of fire would for someone with frostbite.

But a picture of a fire is better than none at all.

He lays the lilies on the snow before the polished marble headstone. His fingers, encased in black leather gloves, trace the word beneath the dates of her life.

‘Beloved.’

He straightens slowly, turns and walks to his limousine without looking back. The present has intruded long enough.

Tonight, he lives in the past.


END

bluemoongirl23
19th April 2003, 05:07
Man, that was, so horribly good. Need box of Kleenex.

Blue

shipperchick
11th June 2003, 21:18
Incredibly, phenomenal. I loved it. You painted the picture sparingly, but vividly... so much so that I could hear the crackle and hiss of the tape... Wonderful, just wonderful. One of my favorite Chlex fics, definitely. :worship2:

tiff
11th June 2003, 21:22
I remember reading this somewhere else before!! *sniff* It's so good... :crygreen:

Ranting Idiot
12th June 2003, 02:14
What is with the people trying to make me cry around the angst forum? Geez!

: ) Wonderful piece, though.

-Rant

staysixkid
12th June 2003, 04:04
Simply beautiful. Using the tapes....brilliant! :wub: Wonderful story.....beautifully written.

Blaire023
12th June 2003, 05:00
Damn you&#33; I hate this forum <kicks angst forum violently>

Because now I have to cry and my roommate has to look at me as if I&#39;m insane. and then I have to hear the "I told you not to read anything angsty."

And damn him too, cuz he&#39;s always freakin right.

But it was sooo good, and after the tears are all gone, i read it and cry all over again.

<pouts> bad forum.

B

sabby
12th June 2003, 11:51
Oh man, I have to admit, callous bitch that I am, there are a few stories that can still wrangle a few tears out of me and this is definitely one of them.

I loved it from beginning to end Sooooo Saaaaaad&#33;

hugs,
Sabby

kidkarmina
10th July 2003, 00:21
WOW&#33;&#33; I&#39;m not much of an angst fan. I prefer to read an angst story/stories w/happy ending. I know, I know such an oxymoron. However, I have got to tell you, I luv this one.

:sad: :wub: :crygreen: and **sighing**. It was well done :worship2: &#33; It really hit me big time (point to my heart)&#33;&#33;

buffiy18
11th July 2003, 08:05
I don&#39;t know why I never read this story before. It is so well written. The details, like the tape splice, really brought me into the story. I could not wait to find out what happend. Granted it&#39;s in the Angst section so I had a clue, but you can&#39;t blame me for hoping different. :chlexsign1: Glad I stumbled upon it tonight.

lunaluthor
28th July 2003, 14:33
just found your story
I&#39;m trying not to cry but :crygreen: :crygreen: :crygreen:

scorpio
9th August 2003, 10:29
*breathes out slowly*
I still have a lump in my throat...
I feel like I´m gonna cry any second...poor Lex.

Great work. You´re rally a talented angst writer. :)

LaLa
23rd October 2004, 16:24
why did I have the idea to look into the angst section again?&#33; I&#39;m a glutton for punishment and a good dose of kleenex&#33; :crygreen:

man, u made me feel so sad&#33; U ruined my make-up&#33; :crygreen:

meeaz
7th June 2005, 05:11
that was so sad but so good. great job!

kimmie
26th June 2005, 21:03
That was so sad... I need a tissue!

Kimmie

jaxie926
26th June 2005, 21:21
Extremely powerful, and well written. I love it. Very emotional. :)

micah_luther
27th June 2005, 23:23
Wow, that was beautiful. I want to read it again. So simpe and delicate. I loved it

meg20
29th June 2005, 19:01
Yeah well not an angst fan, but this story was so good that it even made me cry and maybe I start reading more angst!

starmoon
4th July 2005, 21:36
that was so sad i wish chloe was alive so her and lex could be happy and get married and start a family. they deserve to be happy but fate is cruel.

darkangel
5th July 2005, 01:06
This was a bit sad but it is still good.

txalb
6th November 2005, 22:38
Ahhh God this is so sad. Man when you want to make me cry you really pull out the big guns.

The imagery at the end of a freezing man and fire and how a picture is better than nothing. God I felt that in my heart. Ouch.

“The present has intruded long enough. Tonight, he lives in the past.” And this right here ladies and gentlemen is where I lost it. Now I have to go and read something happy and so sweet my teeth will fall out.

All tears aside, this is really well written and thanks for giving me a good cry.

txalb

Donutte
8th November 2005, 02:37
OMG *blows nose*... That was such a good story! I was reading it, and smiling, knowing that at some point it would have to have something bad happen (especially with all the good), but for some reason I was sooooo surprised... Beautiful angst fic!

bob_is_strange91
8th November 2005, 03:20
That was beautiful!!! *wipes away tears* Now I'm crying and thanking the Gods that no one can actually see me right now :). Great work!

spaceboi's pixie
30th November 2005, 11:23
great fic but little sad but loved it anyway

Kaimore
11th December 2005, 04:59
*Cries* That was good, but what happened? Did Lionel kill her?

Possibilities Unknown
24th April 2006, 23:32
Sooo sad, but at the same time, sooo good!

zho9
8th May 2006, 09:28
He straightens slowly, turns and walks to his limousine without looking back. The present has intruded long enough.

Tonight, he lives in the past.

This made my heart ache.

elitekat
13th May 2006, 08:50
*sighs* That just broke my heart. I seriously love angst because it makes their love seem deeper. That was great. Thanks for sharing.

persephone47
13th May 2006, 16:57
so wonderfully sad, you've done a great job.

Esther25jm
1st June 2006, 06:43
Oh my, that was so gorgeous. I'm still crying. *sniffles* Splendid ficlet.

BeachBabi
4th December 2007, 12:28
That was BRILLIANT! so so sad, Oh and Chloe's middle name really is ann

chlexous_punk
2nd February 2008, 07:54
oh that was sooo bittersweet!! I absolutley loved it...I think i'm gonna read it again!!!

glasshadow
15th February 2008, 08:45
Lovely. As has been said, your sparse yet descriptive style is very evocative. I can hear and see the entire thing. I'm glad you left out how she died - it's really beside the point. Also, by very simply referring to "Superman" you let us know this was in the future. This is in the angst file so we figure we know where it's going, but your foreshadowing is nonetheless important to pack quite a punch while avoiding the resentment of feeling tricked.

Plus, I personally think a Chlex story that ended in her death would've been a way better storyline for Smallville :) (not that I want to see Chloe dead... far from it... but, well, you wrote this story - you probably know)

karila
24th March 2008, 04:08
This story was really sad but good.

arkakitty
9th May 2008, 10:36
that was so sweet. i'm crying.

Tanschana
18th May 2008, 04:19
*sniffle* tissue alarm *sniffle*
so good, so sad, but so good
and I'm asking myself what happened to Chloe?

Reese
30th July 2008, 04:23
Oh. Wow.

*sits stunned*

How did I never read this before?

I love angst but this...man, this one actually hurt.

I loved the taped recordings, the proposal and yes, even her death. So touching, so wonderful.

Amazing work.

Kit Merlot
21st December 2008, 17:59
This was such a beautifully powerful story, and I can't believe I missed it when it was first posted.

I loved seeing the Chlex romance develop through the interviews, and then the story ends with such a punch to the gut.

Well done.

Nimmie
1st February 2009, 20:59
beautifully mean, writing a tearjerker like that.

Thanks
N

persephone47
14th March 2009, 19:29
Such a lovely one shot. I came back to reread this and you really have done a wonderful job.