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Savage Midnight
1st August 2003, 09:28
Title: "A Weekend Made For Two"
Author: Savage Midnight
Email: savage_midnight@hotmail.com
Website: http://dreams.digitally-remastered.com
Rating: PG (for now)
Disclaimer: Honestly, if Lex belonged to me, I'd be indulging in my own weekend for two >=)
Summary: Lex and Chloe's lives collide and a reluctant friendship is born.
Authors note: This is the first part of my first ever Chloe/Lex fanfic. Originally a Chloe/Clark fan, I found myself stumbling upon some of the finest Chlex fics around and now I'm irreversibly addicted. For now this is just a general friendship fic, but hopefully the relationship between Chloe and Lex will progress. Please let me know what you think =) Also, I'm looking for a beta who will be willing to help me with the finer details of this fic and others to come, such as characterisation (a snark-less Chloe would not be a Chloe). If you're interested, please email me.

---

Dancing, Chloe Sullivan decided, was far better than sex.

Crammed between masses of sweat-slicked bodies, rotating and grinding her body to the pumping music, the fair-haired reporter had never felt more alive. The violent thrumming of the music seeped through her veins and the adrenaline pushed her forward, and around, and back, and down, and Chloe couldn't help but get lost in it.

She didn't know what song was it. All she knew was that it was heavy and it was loud and it was nothing like she'd ever heard before.

Chloe loved it; Chloe thrived it, and Chloe never wanted it to end.

Body pushed tight against another; a face she didn't recognise and a name she didn't know, she thrush her hips towards him, teasing and wild and so unlike the Chloe Sullivan she knew. But Chloe, girl reporter and best friend, had been left behind in Smallville and now there was just her, alone, with no inhibitations and no worries, in one of Metropolis' many clubs - a particulary interesting hotspot according to her latest source.

She revelled in her freedom and she craved the pulsating music like fine wine.

Of course, the fine wine had come earlier on in the night. And then there had been tequila. And then whiskey. And she was pretty sure she'd managed a pitcher of beer sometime between then and now, but she wasn't certain. She didn't care to remember, and instead let herself go.

She breathed in the smell of sweat and sex and smoke. She listened to the faint buzz in her ears that seemed - strangely - to be louder than the pulsing beat of the music. She closed her eyes against the pleasant dizziness that was a sure sign she had drank too much too fast, and she smiled, contented.

Chloe loved every sensation - every smell, every sound, every touch--

--warm hands curved around her gyrating waist and sweat-soaked fingers lay to rest against the exposed flesh of her stomach. Her body was pulled closer, tighter and she collided against a wall of muscle, her hands sprawling out to rest against it. Eyes snapped open to meet liquid-brown orbs and Chloe couldn't seem to focus enough to see his face. Not that it mattered. Anonymity was her middle name tonight.

Pleasantly numb fingers laced around the hard column of his neck, stroking and combing the hair she found there. Music overtook logic and logic gave way to sensation, and nothing existed but feeling. One song slid into another, and another, and another; heavy and hard and unforgiving in their onslaught. Lyrics got lost somewhere between the pulsing beat of the music and the rapid beating of her heart, and Chloe didn't notice the time disappear with them.

Chloe also failed to notice when the swirling, alcohol-induced dizziness twisted rapidly into a whirlwind of blackness and pain and silence, introducing her slumped form to the hard, polished wood of the dance floor.

---

The house was on fire.

It was plainly obvious, because Chloe could see orange glowing faintly behind her closed lids and something was crackling angrily in her ears.

She should open her eyes, she thought. She should get out of bed and find the nearest exit, wake her dad and warn him before the smoke--

--smoke?

Chloe drank in a heavy breathe of clean, sweet air and resigned to the fact that there was no smoke. Of course, that particular act caused her head to spin and nausea rose up unexpected and clearly unwanted. Reluctantly she cracked a lid open and noted with some relief that the house wasn't on fire, but the logs in the fire place in front of her were.

She settled back down, cushioning her head in the softness of the feather pillow. Her fingers grasped silk sheets to pull them further up her form, and she snuggled deeply into the comfortable warmth. Her eyes fluttered shut and for a brief second there was contented darkness again.

It didn't last long, though, before Chloe's body was up-right and ramrod.

She didn't own silk sheets. Nor did she have a fireplace in her bedroom.

Something didn't fit, and Chloe was pretty sure it was the fact that she wasn't currently occupying her own bed. In fact, she wasn't occupying her own room.

Not that it was a surprise. After all, she had come to Metropolis for a long weekend, but she was certain she would have remembered if her hotel room had a four poster bed and black silk sheets.

This was like a bad romance novel, she thought. The kind she tried so hard to avoid. Any minute now, she was going to cock her head around and find Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome laying beside her.

A quick check reassured her that she was infact alone, but it didn't help to qwell the rising panic inside her. Something wasn't right. Chloe was a smart girl and she never willing found herself in strange peoples bedrooms unless she chose to be there. She couldn't remember choosing to be here, and if she were completely honest with herself, she couldn't remember the past few hours either.

Agitated, she sighed, flinging the silken sheets back and sliding smoothly from the bed. She glanced down at herself and found that, thankfully, no one had tried to undress her. Her shoes and socks had been removed, but as far as she knew, her dignity was still in tact.

At least she hoped so.

"Sleep well, Miss. Sullivan?"

Startled, the blonde leapt forward and her ankle connected painfully with the hard wood of the bed post.

"Shit," she muttered, cradling her throbbing ankle as best she could and hopping around to glare disdainfully at Lex Luthor. He was leant lazily against the doorframe, watching her with mild amusement, his face a mask of unadulterated smugness.

Chloe huffed. "Mind tellin' me what I'm doing here?"

He raised an eyebrow, as if to ask, "don't you know?" but sighed as Chloe's pointed glare sharpened.

"I was at the club," he explained. "It's a hot spot I visit occasionally during my visits to Metropolis. I saw you there, looking quite comfortable infact." He cocked his head, a small smile curving his lips despite the ever-growing scowl she was presenting him with.

"I'm a big girl, Mr. Luthor," she defended. "I can dance with who I please."

He nodded. "I'm well aware of that, Miss. Sullivan. You've no reason to justify yourself." He shifted from his position at the doorway and moved to the small bar hidden in the far corner of the room. A sweeping glance told Chloe that this was no ordinary bedroom. It had it's own living area. A couch and chairs sat to the right of her; a wide-screen television placed snuggly in the corner. In the centre was the bed she'd just recently been occupying, and there was the large fireplace directly opposite her. Lex was stood to her far left, beside the ebony-wood bar and beside him was the door he had just passed through, which she assumed lead to the kitchen and any of the other rooms this particular accommodation might have had.

She glanced back at him, realising he had yet to explain how exactly she had ended up here. "So.. " she probed.

"You collapsed," he told her bluntly. "I'm assuming it was from dehydration. Drank too much, danced too much and didn't take enough breaks. I made the same mistake several times when I was your age."

Chloe let go of her ankle, wincing when she placed her weight back on it. Licking her dry lips and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ears, she tipped her chin towards him. "I suppose this is where you give me the lecture about how irresponsible I'm being, how my father would be so disappointed, yada, yada ya--"

"I'm not responsible for you, Chloe," he said, slipping gracefully into informality.

To Chloe it seemed that everything that Lex Luthor did was graceful. She supposed he planned it that way.

"Like you said, you're a big girl, you can take care of yourself. Who am I to tell you what you can and can't do?"

He stared at her, obviously expecting an answer to his not-so-rhetorical question and Chloe could do nothing but blink. His response had been unpredictable - much the same as he was - and the blonde was lefting nodding firmly and somewhat stupidly. When he finally tore his gaze away from hers, she inwardly wondered where her tell-tale snark and quick-silver wit had suddenly run off to.

Damn Luthors.

She turned back to the bed, plonking herself down on the sheets-from-heaven and scooped up her multi-coloured socks from the floor. She stared at her foot intently as she dressed it.

"Well thanks, anyway. For--you know. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't have been there."

Chloe Sullivan being rescued, by Lex Luthor of all people. She snorted quietly and shook her head. Bizarre.

"I'm assuming that Mr. Up Close and Personal would have scooped you up and whisked you away to somewhere exotic. On my guess, I'd say his bedroom."

Chloe glanced up at him, shooting him a look barely constrained disbelief. He was smiling that annoying little smile that made her want to beat the crap out of him.

"Chloe Sullivan doesn't do scooping and whisking. She's got a fine pair of legs and they were made for walkin'," she countered, tying the laces of her shoes and rising from the bed. She took a step forward--

--and swore loudly when her ankle throbbed in protest.

"Or hobbling," was Lex's smug reply.

She glared up at him and leant feebly against the hard wood of the bed-post. The same bed-post that was the reason for her temporary disability.

She rubbed at her ankle, willing the throbbing pain to dull down and after a few minutes, deemed it well enough to escort her home.

"I should go," she offered, limping pathetically across the expanse of the room. Lex remained stood at the bar, eyeing her with a mild look of amusement, his eyebrow raised at her obvious display of Chloe-like pride.

"You should put some ice on that," he declared, indicating to her injured ankle with a nod of his head and a point of his glass-filled hand. He made no move to help her, instead looking insanely impassive like he always did.

If anyone walked in on them now, Chloe thought, they'd think us strangers and not reluctant-yet-estranged-friends from a small town just south of here.

"And that's exactly what I'm going to do, when I get home."

"Home's three hours away, Chloe."

She rolled her eyes. Ever the funny guy, wasn't he? Honestly, his need to speak to her like she was a six-year-old constantly grated on her nerves, and if it wasn't for the fact that he was her fathers boss and also the soon-to-be owner of one of the biggest corporations in America - and probably Europe -, she'd give him a piece of her mind. Figuratively speaking, of course.

"If you must know, I have a nice little hotel room waiting for me, which I paid good money for and refuse to let go to waste. Is that okay with you, Lex? Or do I need your permission to excuse myself now?" she barked. For a brief second she wondered why Lex always had her on the defensive and instantaneously decided to blame it on like-father-like-son tendencies. There was a reason the Luthor name had a dark, tell-tale shadow attached to it.

"Not at all, Miss. Sullivan." Ah, they were back to formalities now. Great. "I just thought it might be more convenient for you to rest up here for a little while, until you're back on your feet, so to say."

She huffed, transmitting her obvious displeasure of the situation with a dagger-sharp glare and a tight-lipped, "fine". She hobbled back over to the bed and sank into the comfortable mattress. She hoisted her leg up across her lap to examine her ankle further and inwardly scowled at it for getting her into this mess. Upto now, Lex had been nothing but generous (she laughed heartedly at that little tidbit), saving her from a situation that could have turned uglier if he hadn't, and offering not only his bed but temporary accomodation for the night. She was reluctant to admit it, but all in all, she didn't think it was a bad thing she was sharing an evening with a multi-billionaire in his luxurious bachelor pad.

But this was Lex Luthor; the proverbial villian of the piece with a superiority complex that ran a close second to God himself. If he wasn't patronising her, she could guarantee that he was mocking her, and his tendencies to look down on the young blonde without actually sounding or acting like he was looking down on her was annoyingly... well, annoying. Why he had to start being so damn generous and accomodating was beyond her, but all she knew was that now she felt slightly guilty for snapping at him after he'd gone out of his way to help her.

Talk about putting your foot in it, she thought, and frowned again, because it was actually her foots fault that she was here. Dammit.

She tore her gaze away from the injury in question, ready to offer a reluctant and intensely subtle apology to the young Luthor, when she noticed he'd disappeared. Brow furrowed, she skimmed her surroundings in search of the boy-billionaire but found that he wasn't anywhere to be seen. It was at that moment that her actual surroundings jumped up at her, screaming, "not-quite-right" in an obscenely disconcerting way.

Although nicely (and luxuriously) decorated, the apartment wasn't a place she thought that Lex would live in. It was big, the combination of the bedroom, the living area and the bar giving it a spacious - yet strangely cozy - look about it, but it wasn't what she considered Luthor-big, or Luthor-large. Having seen several of the rooms back at the Luthor Mansion in Smallville, she'd expected Lex's accommodation in Metropolis to have followed the same expectations.

It seemed she'd been proved wrong--again.

If Chloe were perfectly honest, she'd admit that she liked this apartment better than his mansion back home. It was cosier, more lived in and less impersonal than the cold, stone walls of his castle-like home in Smallville. She was quite intrigued by the concept of having a bedroom in the living room. It was handy, in a way, and not only that, but the elegant fire-place sat opposite her was an attractive feature to have. Not one for bland romanticism, Chloe was shocked to find herself wishing she had one of her own, so she could curl up with her own honey and drift off to sleep beside the glowing-warmth of the fire.

She snorted derisively.

"Something wrong?"

Her eyes snapped up to meet Lex's questioning gaze and she swallowed heavily. She noted the ice-pack cradled in his large hand and offered him a small smile.

"Ah - no. I was just... admiring the place."

He followed her sweeping gaze, offering a small smile of his own. "Not what you expected?"

Chloe shook her head. "Not exactly. It's nice though - cosy. I like it."

She turned to look at him when he sat down next to her, the mattress sinking beneath his weight. He nodded towards her already-bruising ankle and said, "let me see."

She shifted awkwardly, twisting herself around so he could pull her leg over to his own lap. His warm fingers danced across the soft flesh of her ankle and she hissed when he covered it with the small ice-pack.

"Sorry," she heard him mumble, brushing him off with a casual shake of her head. She could still feel the intense throbbing of her ankle beneath the ice and it still felt slightly over-heated. She cursed herself inwardly for being such a klutz.

"You don't have to do this, you know," she said, hoping he was aware that she was referring to more than just his nursemaid skills. He glanced up at her and offered her a tentative smile.

"It's not a problem. It's not like I have anything better to do."

Her arched eyebrow was her only response.

"What?"

"Lex Luthor relaxing? My God, it's one of the first signs of the apocolypse."

He shot her an amused smile, albeit a small one, and returned to his task of nursing her swollen ankle.

"Wow. I was beginning to think that smiling was a no-go area for you. I'm impressed," she snarked, leaning back on her hands and relaxing a little under his gentle ministrations. She could definitely get used to this.

She smiled brightly when he glanced up to look at her, hoping it removed the ever-present bite from their unusual banter. It was hard for anyone to consider Chloe sincere, because nine times out of ten, she wasn't actually sincere at all. But there were rare occasions when she was and even then she came over more snarky than she'd meant to. That's why she always relied on her back-up - her thousand-watt, birds-are-a-singin', the sun-is-a-shinin', grin á la Sullivan.

Worked everytime.

"Careful. Keep that up and you'll grow yourself a facial tic."

Well, almost everytime.

Chloe finally withdraw her vicious grip on her facial muscles and breathed out a contented sigh. She decided to enjoy this, because frankly, how many opportunities like this would she come across? Okay, so there were occasions when she could barely tolerate the guy, but no girl, sane or otherwise, would turn down the chance to spend a night with one of the richest bachelors in the world while he waited on her hand and foot (or hand to foot, in her case). Chloe may have been a klutz, but she certainly wasn't stupid.

She opened her mouth, ready to break the temporary silence, and snapped it shut again when Lex began to speak.

"So what brings you to Metropolis?" he questioned, lifting the pack from her ankle to examine it for damage.

"My grandparents," she answered. "Occasionally I treat myself to a long weekend here; visit my family, a few friends. That sort of thing." She shrugged casually and ran a hand down her face tiredly.

"And do you usually find yourself in strange places with strange men?" he teased, casting her a look of mock disapproval.

"You're never going to let this go, are you?"

"No."

She sighed and picked at the hem of her shirt absently. "I miss the city sometimes. I miss the lights and the clubs... I miss it all. So I indulge occasionally," she explained. "I treat myself to the odd night out, and I enjoy myself. Is there something wrong with that? Can't a girl let loose for a while, even if she is Chloe Sullivan, cynic-extraordinaire and social retard?"

She gazed across at him with dull, questioning eyes and Lex realised that she really was looking for an answer to her question. She seemed to have caved in on herself, the smile she offered him just moments before a shadow long since passed, and in her eyes blazed a simple longing to know her limitations, to know where she stood and where she fit in. He would have never considered Chloe, at the ripe age of seventeen to have been dealing with her very own identity crisis, but as Lex already knew, the young reporter was far too mature for her own good. More often than not she was shouldering a burden that shouldn't have been her own and the young Luthor briefly wondered if it had anything to do with her mothers unexpected abandonment.

Secretly he hoped he'd have a chance to find out.

"Chloe, when you live in Smallville, everyone is a social retard," he assured her humorously and noted her tentative smile in response. "And you're entitled to a bit of fun now and again. You are, after all, a teenager. I just want you to be careful. Places like that can be dangerous. Trust me, I know."

"Why, Mr. Luthor, I never thought of you as the partying type." Her face lit up suddenly and she perked up from her relaxed stupor. "Don't tell me! You didn't actually do any of that normal stuff, like drinking and having sex, but you made it your priority to prowl the night saving legless blondes from the arms of tall, dark and sleazies? That's why you're so knowledgable about these places, right?"

He smiled at the enthusiastic grin she was presenting him with, any signs of dark and depressed Chloe shoved to the side in light of their playful banter. "Of course, Miss Sullivan. I thought you knew... I have a hero complexion that could outshine Clark's anyday. I like to refer to this little place as my Batcave, and if you'd been awake, you'd have had the luxury of enjoying the ride in the Batmobile, which I'll honorably bestowed upon your 'legless' self."

Her hearty laugh warmed him slightly and with a final check on her ankle, he let go of her leg and rose from the bed. "Well nothings broken, but it's bruised. I suggest you stay off your feet for the next twenty-four hours, until the swelling goes down." He stood, watching her cradle her ankle, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his trousers.

"I only smacked it on the bed-post. It's not like I fell down the stairs or anything," she reasoned. She pressed the offending injury slightly and a tiny "ow" escaped her.

"You've never been one to do things half-heartedly, Chloe," he teased lightly, smirking at her scowling look. "This is no exception, it seems."

She sighed in agitation and reluctantly let go of her swollen ankle. "That's my plans for the weekend shot to hell," she grumbled, flopping down onto the soft sheets.

"There's always Sunday." He moved over to the bar and poured himself another drink, leaning casually against the darkwood. He watched her from across the room, her body sprawled across the expanse of his bed; her short, blonde locks fanned out atop the black, silk streets. The stark contrast was an appealing sight - her pale skin and fair hair against the liquid ebony of the covers made him wonder why his preferences had always lead him to dark-eyed, dark-haired beauties. He had to start rethinking his taste in women.

"But Sundays aren't Saturdays," she reasoned, as if it were the most logicial explanation in the world. "What's the point of even coming here when you're going to spend the best day of any Metropolitan week in bed? It's completely unfair, and might I add, completely insane."

Her smirked at her restrained need to whine like any other disgruntled teenager and was mildly impressed when she opted for beating the air out of his pillows instead. Strolling over to the frustrated reporter, he calmly rescued one of the feather pillows from her grasp, preferring for it to have the same number of feathers it started with. He placed it back with the others and turned to her silently seething form.

"Chloe, it's not the end of the world."

"Speak for yourself, moneybags. Unlike some people, who shall remain nameless," she glared at him, "I don't have the cash to be strolling down to Metropolis every weekend. I only get to do this twice, maybe three times a year, so I'm kinda peeved that I have to waste that time holed up in a hotel room on one of the best days of the week."

"How about I make it up to you?" Lex offered.

Chloe jerked up from the bed and stared at him wide-eyed. "What?" she questioned in complete disbelief. Lex didn't blame her, he was quite shocked himself. It wasn't like him to sacrifice the very little time he had to himself for a seventeen year old girl he didn't even know all that well.

He shrugged nonchalantly, careful to shield his own surprise with a well-placed look. "I'll make it up to you," he repeated. "After all, it was my bed-post that put you in this predicament." His eyes twinkled humorously and Chloes look of shock melted into one of her trademark smiles.

It didn't last long though. "How exactly are you going to make it up to me when I'm not even allowed to walk?"

"Simple. You're going to stay here for the night," he chose to ignore her pointed stare, "and then tomorrow I'll take you out for lunch. We can even watch a few movies, if you want. It's not exactly the best way to spend a Saturday evening, but I'm sure I can make up for that by taking you out Sunday night. How does that sound?"

She looked astonished again, and Lex was beginning to wonder whether he'd started growing hair or something equally as absurd.

"Movies? You watch movies?" she laughed, snorting loudly in disbelief.

"What's so funny?"

Her laughter intensified and Lex could do nothing but stand, looking slightly bewildered, until she got a hold of herself.

"I'm sorry," she sniggered between peels of laughter, "I just had this god awful image of you strolling into a video store and demanding Bridget Jones' Diary." She keeled over again, clutching her stomach and making a show of wiping the non-existent tears from her eyes.

A smile tugged at the edge of his lips. He supposed it was funny, in that demented, Chloe-like way.

"So, what do you say?" he interrupted, taking a generous sip of his drink.

After a further minute, the blondes laughter finally died down to the occasional giggle and with an exaggerated nod, she confirmed her approval. "You've got yourself a deal, Luthor."

She smiled, an evil, mischievious smile that made Lex wonder what had possessed him to make such an offer.

Miss Sullivan was clearly going to be the death of him.

sabby
1st August 2003, 11:33
Hee this is off to a good start *g* can't wait for the next chap. I wonder what kind of movies Lex has in mind *g* Update soon, I like this story and the Chloe you are depicting here is definitely of the good, as is Lex. Knight in not so shining armor *g*.


hugs,
Sabby

Blaire023
1st August 2003, 14:02
*spit polishes Lex's armor* So it's a little out of date.

*le sigh* I love this couple. And I like how you're starting everything out.

~B

staysixkid
1st August 2003, 14:45
Ohh...I like this. It shows signs of pure addiction. It's going to get me back into my habit of checking for updates hourly. :biggrin: I've always liked your writing. If you're the same Savage Midnight from FF...then I'm already addicted to your goods *befallen*??


Update soon....please :blush:

jaded-swan
1st August 2003, 15:22
Ahh... I love it when I find a good Chlex piece like this one! Please continue to update... :biggrin:

scifichick774
1st August 2003, 16:34
Amazing beginning. I simply can't wait for more. Now go update. Go on. *shoos you with hand*

hfce
1st August 2003, 17:41
That was great you deserve applause. :clap: more please ;)


Hope

asharnanae
1st August 2003, 17:57
:chlexsign1: ahh, more lovely chlex, it will be great to find out wherethis one will lead us!!

Dolphin1721
1st August 2003, 19:32
Wonderful :clap: I can't wait for the update.

~Kira

kidkarmina
1st August 2003, 21:46
Can't wait for your next update. I hope it's soon :blinkkiss: ! It is only the beginning and you've already made me smile. :chlexsign1: Please continue....

dsapiro
2nd August 2003, 00:08
Your raiting was in the story, so I just pt it in the title. Just remember to do it next time.

Great job so far on the story.

Tandy
2nd August 2003, 00:18
:blinkkiss: That was wonderful! Great job! i can't wait to see how the movies go!

Tandy :wub:

bluemoongirl23
2nd August 2003, 02:43
Wonderful start. I love the way that you've made them together. Lex trying to be reserved but Chloe managing to get him to break his mask every now and again.

Blue

Brittany
2nd August 2003, 06:16
:biggrin: A wonderful start to a wonderful fic. Please update soon, I want to see what happens the next day with all the movie watching and stuff!

lunaluthor
2nd August 2003, 19:18
superb beginning and you have to write more and soon :yay: :yay2: :yay: :yay2:

Val
2nd August 2003, 23:20
That was GREAT! Your characterization is already awesome and I love the plot! :biggrin:

More soon!

Ranting Idiot
3rd August 2003, 07:28
First of all... WELCOME TO THE CHLEX SIDE! Isn't it great? My poor inner-chlarker has been forced into wicked submission by the Chlexer... it rules!

Second... Great beginning. The little injections of humor were great and I was glad to see Chloe's Metropolis side, it gets forgotten all too easily inl ight of her Hicksville reporting skills.

Third... I'm looking forward to more. Update soon!

-Rant

Savage Midnight
3rd August 2003, 13:52
Originally posted by staysixkid@Aug 1 2003, 02:45 PM
Ohh...I like this. It shows signs of pure addiction. It's going to get me back into my habit of checking for updates hourly. :biggrin: I've always liked your writing. If you're the same Savage Midnight from FF...then I'm already addicted to your goods *befallen*??


Update soon....please :blush:
Yup, that's me =D Currently "Befallen" is being re-vamped, due to my sudden shift from Chlark to Chlex. I'm working on trying to re-direct the fic to relfect the change, without excluding Clark and making him insignificant (because he's very significant). And hopefully, after this fic, I'll be able to start working on it again =)

Savage Midnight
3rd August 2003, 13:53
Originally posted by dsapiro@Aug 2 2003, 12:08 AM
Your raiting was in the story, so I just pt it in the title. Just remember to do it next time.

Great job so far on the story.
I'll make sure to remember next time :P

---

Thanks to everyone whose reviewed. I appreciate it =)

drina
3rd August 2003, 16:55
I like the beginning. Hope to see more soon.

crazygirl
3rd August 2003, 18:20
Lex as a knight in shining armor, now there's a picture that we don't see that often. I loved your Batman-references, and I can't wait to see how the week-end will turn out.

asharnanae
3rd August 2003, 19:25
:worship: oh come oooonnnn! we need more, tis sooo goood!! tis tourture to leave us hanging!!

Savage Midnight
3rd August 2003, 23:09
Thanks for the reviews guys =)

I'm just adding this little bit, because it's still apart of the first chapter. I've decided to seperate this story over three days, the first bit and this lil' bit being Friday night. I'll be posting the chapter for Saturday as soon as it's written, but for now, here's the last little bit of chapter one.

---

"May I ask where you're going?"

Chloe swivelled awkwardly on one leg and turned back towards a quizzical Lex Luthor. "Er... to the guestroom. I don't know about you, but I'm shattered," she explained and tottered towards the doorway.

"Miss Sullivan--"

"--Chloe."

"Chloe, sorry," he corrected, a tilt to his lips, "ah, there is no guestroom."

The young reporter froze and supported herself with hand on the doorframe. Her eyebrows furrowed and she glanced back at Lex to stare at him with a look of barely surpressed shock. "Don't be ridiculous. You're Lex Luthor," she reasoned. "A Luthor without at least twenty guestrooms is like... like Clark Kent without flannel shirts. It's unheard of. It's absurd."

Lex restrained a smile and took a steady sip from his glass. He withdrew his hand from the pocket of his dark trousers and settled himself gracefully on the bed. "Contrary to popular belief, Chloe, I'm not big on the excessive living part of my life. The mansion, and it's twenty guestrooms," he shot her a look, "was my fathers idea. I'm happy with the bare minimal. As you can tell."

Sub-consciously, Chloe cast another look around the small apartment and realised that this was infact nothing like what she'd expect of Lex.

Huh, you learn something new everyday, she mused, before another thought occurred to her.

"Are you telling me you never have guests, Mr. Luthor?" she questioned, eyebrow raised and a small smile tilting her lips.

"Of course not, Miss. Sullivan. But my... guests, don't tend to make a habit of requesting the guestroom."

He smirked, she frowned.

"Too much information," she breathed, and reluctantly hobbled back into the room. "Sooooo... "

"I think it best you take the bed, you need to rest your foot. I'll take the couch tonight." He rose from the bed, over to the bar and sat his empty glass down. He moved to where she was standing, looking incredibly foolish, in the centre of the room.

"Or I could just go back to the hotel. It'd be so much easier and--"

"--don't be ridiculous," he interrupted. "It's three in the morning, and you shouldn't be walking around. Now get some sleep or I'll be dragging you kicking and screaming out of bed tomorrow morning."

He glided over to the bed and grasped one of the pillows, glancing up at her frozen in the middle of the room. "Something wrong?" he asked lightly, and threw the pillow he was holding onto the couch in the corner.

"I'm not letting you sleep on the couch," she said, marching over to where he stood beside the bed, hands buried deep into the pockets of his trousers. "Look at the size of it."

He looked.

"You'll fall off the bloody end." She sailed across to the couch and plonked herself down, cushioning the pillow behind her head. She grimaced when the arm of the couch dug painfully into her back, but she ignored it and wiggled herself further into the cushions.

"Chloe... "

"Mmmm?" she murmured sleepily, burying her head in the crevice of the couch.

"You can't sleep on the couch."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll fall off the bloody end," he mocked, imitating her earlier words and smiling slightly when her head popped up over the edge of the couch. She gazed at him through heavy-lidded eyes.

"I'll survive," was her response before she disappeared again.

Lex sighed and ran a hand down his face. He strode over to the couch and peered down at the blonde, snuggling herself deeply into the cushions in an attempt to get comfy. "Chloe, get in the bed," he ordered.

"No."

"Chloe."

"Lex, it's late. Can we argue about this in the morning?" she huffed, flinging a pillow over her face in attempt to block out the artificial light of the room.

"It is morning," he retorted, removing the pillow from her grasp and staring down into her frustrated gaze.

"I'm happy with the couch," she said, grabbing the pillow back and flinging it angrily over her face again. "Now go to bed, and stop annoying me."

"Chloe," he sighed, "I'd feel better if you slept in the bed. It's not good for your back, sleeping on that thing."

The pillow was lifted and Chloe's blonde head peered out. She studied him with sleep-gazed eyes before nodding. "You're right," she said brightly, rising from the couch, "we'll both sleep in the bed."

She marched--or in her case, hobbled, over to the bed, pillow grasped firmly in her arms, and flopped down, face first, on the bed. Lex turned to look at her, slightly bewildered. "I'm not--"

"Lex," she huffed, clearly frustrated, "I'm not arguing with you. You said that couch isn't good for my back, so it won't be good for yours either. Now get into bed. I'm not going to jump your priceless bones, for chrissake."

He smirked, reluctantly stepping towards the bed. "Are you sure?" he taunted.

"Puh-lease," she huffed, "I have taste." She grinned into her pillow and caught a glimpse of him in the corner of her eye. He was smiling - an honest-to-God smile, and Chloe found that she liked it.

"Are you trying to say my priceless bones aren't upto your satisfaction?" he asked, leaning over towards the overhead lightswitch and flicking it, plunging the room into darkness. Chloe listened to soft russling of clothes and felt the bed dip beneath her as he slid in.

"Like I say, I have taste," she remarked and she heard him chuckle softly beside her. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, she removed her jeans, opting to keep her tanktop on. She shuffled beneath the covers and sighed contently when the soft, cool sheets settled against the bareskin of her arms and legs. She turned to face his back. "Goodnight, Mr. Luthor."

"Goodnight, Miss. Sullivan."

An unladylike snort resounded in the silent darkness of the room.

scifichick774
3rd August 2003, 23:43
LMAO! This chapter, or half-chapter - whatever - sooo funny. Love this fic. Please write more soon.

Val
4th August 2003, 01:12
LOL how cute!
Loved it! More!

hfce
4th August 2003, 02:48
:lol: I love how they argue. They are so cute like a real couple.


Hope ;)

Blaire023
4th August 2003, 04:53
*G*

gotta love it, the banter, the...the...the freakin banter!

LOL

~B

sabby
4th August 2003, 06:27
Heh :lol: Soo good! Finally they get at least something right! I hate it when people go like You take the bed, I take the couch when there's a f*ckin kingsize in the room! What the bloody hell is wrong with those people? Anyway, hilarious lil tidbit, NOW GIMME MORE!


hugs,
Sabby

Tandy
4th August 2003, 06:37
:worship2: That was so good!!! Truly hilarious, i wonder how they'll wake up in the morning...hopefully all tangled up! More soon!

Tandy

lunaluthor
4th August 2003, 20:17
thanks for posting this sweet piece so soon
priceless bones yep she has taste :biggrin:

asharnanae
4th August 2003, 21:02
:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: happy happy happy happy , happy happy happy happy, happy happy happy happy, Ha - a- py!!!!!!!!

All together now, happy...........

great update!!

bluemoongirl23
5th August 2003, 00:49
The old couch vs. bed argument was never so good. And thier comebacks are wonderful. Hopefully, they'll wake up in an interesting position.....*Blue tries to rip mind out of gutter* Nope, sorry, that's its address. More soon, please.

Blue

kidkarmina
5th August 2003, 02:06
I could not stop laughing. I know it's been said before but I truly enjoyed their bantering :chlexsign2: ; very priceless. Please update soon :blinkkiss: . Enjoying every minute of this fic!!!

Impress
5th August 2003, 06:39
wanting more of this fic. soon.

Brittany
5th August 2003, 07:17
:biggrin: That was so cute, I couldn't stop smiling. I can't wait for more, so please update soon! :worship2:

vardaquareien
5th August 2003, 14:27
This fic is great so far!!! As others have said...I can't wait to see how they wake up! :biggrin:

Krys
7th August 2003, 10:04
I reviewed this over at famfiction.net and, when I saw it here, couldn't help reviewing it here too! Your fic is so good I reviewed twice! Aren't you proud?

The absolutely funniest line I've ever read: "Of course not, Miss. Sullivan. But my... guests, don't tend to make a habit of requesting the guestroom."

Please please post more... and quickly! You have us wondering what the morning-after will be like! My vote is they end up tangled together. :devil:

jaded-swan
7th August 2003, 10:38
Hmm... Lex and Chloe on the same bed... right... :devil:

Savage Midnight
8th August 2003, 14:37
Thanks for the reviews guys, they make my day =D This fic is actually turning out to be one of the longest I've written. That's actually a surprise to me, 'cause I'm usually happier writing angst (what an oxymoron =p). I'm still looking for a beta if anyones interested. I especially need help with Chloe's snarkiness, 'cause I'm not all that good with humor -.- Anywho, here's the next chapter guys =)

---

"Chloe."

Silence.

"Chloe, get up."

A groan of protest.

"Chloe, don't force me to man-handle you."

"Fuck off."

Lex sighed in irritation and ran a hand down his face. He peered down at the blonde in his bed - struck by the simple oddity of the situation, because he hadn't even slept with her - and watched as she buried herself further beneath the covers, clamping one of the pillows over her head in an attempt to drown him out.

"What would your father say," he warned.

"He'd probably say fuck off, too," she mumbled and flung herself dramatically over to the other side of the bed. He was inwardly pleased he'd risen early, and that he wasn't currently laid where her flailing limbs had landed. She was obviously not a morning person and Lex briefly wondered how she managed to drag herself out of bed and dress herself appropriately while maintaining top punctuality at school. Some mysteries would never be solved.

"Chloe, it's nearly eleven. If you want to eat at all today, I suggest you get up. I don't have a problem leaving you here, you know."

"I hate you," she said tiredly, flipping back to her side of the bed and gazing up at him from beneath untamed locks. "I hate you with a passion, Lex Luthor." She curled up on her side, cradling a pillow to her chest and let her eyes droop closed again.

"Like I haven't heard that before," Lex muttered, hands buried deep into his pockets. Obviously he was going to have to take drastic measures in order to get this little madam out of bed, and if anyone was the master of drastic measures, it was Lex. With an exaggerated sigh, he bent down so his mouth was mere millimetres from her ear. "You know," he murmured softly, "I never considered you to be the Victoria Secret kind."

"Mmmwha'?"

Lex drew back, waiting for the inevitable response when his words finally sank in. Any minute now she would--

--there. Back rigid, breathing more pronounced. Her legs were pulled tight beneath her, and a split second later, she was upright and flustered.

"Ayahhhhhhh," was her only response before she was diving under the silk covers, a blush burning a trail across her cheeks and down her neck. She was gazing at him wide-eyed, the sheets clamped firmly around her form like she was afraid he was going to jump her priceless bones.

"Good morning, Miss Sullivan," he smirked, "nice of you to join us." He turned away from her, granting her at least some privacy so she could dress appropriately and cover her Victoria not-so-Secret panties. He hadn't meant to notice--hell, he hadn't even given it a second thought until she'd started throwing herself bodily about the bed and revealing inches and inches of creamy-white skin that disappeared beneath her bed-creased tanktop. He had to say, for a girl her age, she'd certainly filled out good. Not that he'd noticed.

Ahem.

With a shake of his head, he strode towards the door, calling over his back, "I'll be in the kitchen when you're ready," and left her to dress in peace.

---

Chloe realised with some dismay that the blush colouring her cheeks had not stopped at her face; her usually pale skin was tinted a dusky red. It made her slightly more angry than she already was. Not only had Lex Luthor purposely embarrassed her, he'd made her blush uncontrollably, and no one made Chloe Sullivan blush--except Clark, but he'd always been the exception. Not even Pete's blatant crudeness could make her blush, and that boy could be damn vulgar when he wanted to be.

With an agitated sigh, she shimmied into her jeans, the scowl on her face growing intensely with every second that ticked by.

How dare he, she thought. Fair enough, they'd slept together (another blush, and now Chloe was feeling damn right homicidal), but that didn't give him the right to oogle her! Maybe she should have been more sensible and kept her partial nudity covered at all times, but was it her fault that she'd forgotten where she was and whose bed she was occupying? If she'd been at home, Lex would have discovered himself what a full-body blush felt like. The blonde was a big lover of cool sheets on naked flesh; the refreshing air from an open window sailing across her skin was a welcomed sensation. To put it bluntly, Chloe was a commando gal; the bare-all and end-all type-a-chick. Not that anybody knew that, but it was true nonetheless.

And why was she even thinking about that?

She sighed (she was doing that a lot lately, she realised) and picked herself up from the bed, hobbling towards the door that Lex had just passed through. Glancing warily through the door, she peered down the two-way hallway and pondered which direction to take. Firstly, she needed a bathroom where she could take a shower and more importantly, pee. But Lex was waiting for her in the kitchen, and it would be good to grab herself a nice cool glass of orange juice to rid the taste of cotton wool in her mouth. Also, she needed to ask him about her lack of clothes and how they were going to attain them before their arranged lunch together.

Tapping her fingers against the doorframe, she cast her head from left to right and finally opted for left. She limped pathetically down the hallway towards the first doorway she saw and peered in. A dimly lit study greeted her.

Concluding that Lex was most definitely not in here, she headed back the other way.

She hit jackpot when she reached the second doorway and found Lex sat comfortably at a large glass dining table, indulged in the mornings paper and drinking what she assumed was a cup of coffee. He looked so normal that Chloe was taken a back at first. He didn't look like the boy-billionaire who was the soon-to-be heir to his fathers throne--a.k.a LuthorCorp. He looked, she thought, like any other young man sitting down for breakfast before he hurred off to work. If it weren't for the ever-present weariness that weighed heavily on his shoulders, she could have easily been fooled.

"I thought you'd got lost," he spoke, not looking up from his paper. Chloe moved towards the table and sat herself down opposite him, taking a moment to study her surroundings. It was a nicely decorated kitchen, but again, not what she would have expected of Lex.

"I did," she answered nonchalantly, folding her hands and resting them on the table. "We have a problem."

Lex glanced up and raised his cup to take a deep swallow of coffee. "We do?"

"Yes, we do," she nodded, "I have no clothes, apart from these, and I'm betting that what I'm wearing now won't be appropriate for wherever you're planning to take me."

"You're right," he answered, folding his newspaper and rising from the table. He placed his empty cup in the sink and turned back to look at her, leaning casually against the kitchen surface. "Your clothes are waiting for you outside the bathroom."

Chloe stared at him. "What do you mean, my clothes are waiting for me?"

"I mean precisely what I said," he replied blankly as if talking to a six-year-old.

"But--" She was stumped. Had she told him where she'd been staying? Had he brought her entirely new clothes?

"I guessed that you were staying at the Comfort Inn. It was near to the club you were in, and it was in your price range. It didn't take much to cross-check my assumption and send someone down there to collect your clothes and sign you out. After all, you did pay good money for it. I didn't think you wanted that good money going to waste."

He smiled at her, arms folded across his chest, and Chloe wondered why she even bothered to ask why or how when it came to him. Lex had a means of doing anything he wanted; she should have learned that by now.

"Thanks for informing me," she said snidely, slightly miffed that he was talking to her like a child, aswell as the fact that he'd assumed she was going to stay here until it was time to go home. So she'd agreed to go to dinner with him, and she'd agreed to let him take her out tomorrow night, but that didn't mean she'd agreed to remain a permanent fixture in his apartment for her three-day stay. Not like she had a choice now. The hotel already thought she'd signed out, and there was no way she would be able to get another room, not on a weekend.

"I just did," was his smug reply. "Now are you going to go get showered and dressed, or am I going to be eating lunch alone?"

"Fine," she hissed, glaring at him angrily and rising gingerly from the table. She made her way slowly out of the kitchen, wishing she were able to make a more dramatic and effective exit. Unfortunately for her, her exit consisted of hobbling miserably across the expanse of the room, silently seething all the way.

---

"You know, I would have been happier with a pizza from Fabio's round the corner," Chloe confessed quietly, leaning in towards Lex so she wouldn't have to speak loudly in the quietness of the restaurant. "I feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman."

There was that damn eyebrow again, arched in a mocking salute.

"I don't know whether to be flattered that you're comparing me to Richard Gere, or worried that I'm dining with a hooker," he jibed, gazing at her intently as she peered out from behind her menu. She didn't seem to have heard his remark; instead she was studying her surroundings with a mild look of panic gracing her face. She was attempting to hide behind the thick leather of her menu, but he found that it didn't prevent her from casting anxious stares around the room. She looked amusingly petrified.

"Chloe, relax," he said smoothly, "they're not going to bite you."

"I know that," she hissed, lowering her menu so she could scold him properly, "but they're looking at me like--like I don't belong here. Which, might I add, I don't."

"Don't be ridiculous," he replied, ignoring her pointed glare, "you have every right to be here."

She sighed, deciding to drop the subject, and studied her menu intently. At least she could understand the menu; she supposed that was a plus. It erased the problem of embarrassing herself when she tried to order something and couldn't pronounce it. It'd happen to her before, in the past when her father had taken her to a place like this when they used to live in Metropolis. It was probably the reason why she felt so nervous here, why she sat anxiously on the edge of her seat. It was damn right annoying; Chloe liked to be relaxed when she ate.

"Any idea what you want?" Lex inquired lightly, glancing over the top of his menu, noting how the young reporter was chewing intently on her lower lip.

"A successful career, a place to call my own, and a Doberman called Bert," she answered off-handedly, still studying her menu with a high degree of seriousness.

"Is that with or without fries?"

Finally, a smile, he thought, as she beamed at him from across the table. He'd been trying to lighten her up ever since they'd got here. She'd been anxious and edgy and in entirely the wrong mood to eat a dinner comfortably. If anything, he liked his companions to be at ease when they were with him, except when he was doing business, of course.

With a tiny sigh, Chloe folded her menu and lowered it. "I'll have the steak," she decided, tapping her fingers against the soft material and glancing at him, obviously waiting for him to decide what he wanted.

"I think I'll have the steak, too," he nodded at the waiter hovering in the far corner. "I haven't had it in a while."

The waiter approached the table and smiled at her. She offered him a nervous smile in return and proceeded to study her fingernails intently. This was too weird for Chloe, because Chloe didn't get anxious, and she most certainly didn't get nervous. Obviously she was still drunk from the night before. It was the only logical explanation for her behaviour.

She heard Lex informing the waiter of their orders, but she failed to listen, instead choosing to study her surroundings again. The restuarant he'd brought her to was probably one of the most classiest she'd ever been in. Decorated in simple golds and burgundys, the windows adorning long, silk curtains and the ceiling dominated by a large, crystal chandelier, it was a beautiful place to be. She guessed at night it would be even more romantic; the curtains would be closed, plunging the room into darkness. The candles placed in the centre of the tables would be lit, casting an ethereal glow around the room, and the light would dance across the surface of the large chandelier. Yes, she could see why Lex liked this place; he probably took all of his dates here. At night, anyway. Daytime was a whole different matter.

"Everything to your satisfaction, Miss Sullivan?" Lex inquired, a teasing smile curving his lips. She seemed slightly awestruck and he guessed she was trying her best not to gawk.

She nodded and rested her chin on her hand. This was better than any ordinary Saturday in Metropolis, which she probably would have spent at the museum. Chloe was secretly pleased that she'd bumped into Lex (she refused to acknowledge that Lex had infact saved her from a sticky situation) because strangely enough, she found she enjoyed his company. Despite him being slightly condescending at times, she enjoyed their playful banter and appreciated the chance to escape the everyday woes of Smallville - more specifically, Clark and Lana. Not once since their run in last night had Lex mentioned the farmboy and his childhood obssession, and she was thankful of that in a way. She'd come here to forget all that, to re-discover the Chloe she used to be when she'd lived here. Although this discovery occurred two or three times a year, she never got bored of it, and although the change was never permanent, she welcomed it. In Metropolis, teenage problems like childhood crushes and unrequited love didn't exist. In Metropolis, Chloe wasn't the weepy best friend she'd come to dislike intensely during the past year. The blonde had always been the strong, resilient type, and lately that hadn't been the case. Now she was determined to get back on her feet, to forget Clark Kent and have a good time.

Which was exactly what she was doing.

"Can I ask you a personal question, Lex?" she asked suddenly, grasping her glass and taking a steady sip of water. She peered at him from over her water glass, gauging his reaction.

Lex stared at her intently.

"Off the record," she raised a hand, "I swear."

"Go ahead," he urged, taking a sip of his own drink.

She took a deep breath, leaning forward in her chair so she wouldn't have to raise her voice.

"Did you ever fall in love with someone you couldn't have?" she asked, her tone hushed. She gazed at him with questioning green eyes, lips parted slightly as she awaited his answer.

He hesitated slightly, wondering why she felt the need to ask such a question. He knew about her obvious infatuation with Clark, but he couldn't think why it had anything to do with him and his past love life.

"Yes," he finally admitted, "I have."

"And did you ever get over them?"

He glanced up at her with a steady gaze, finally realising the need for her questions. She wanted to know whether there'd ever come a time when she'd get over Clark.

"Yes," he said, "eventually. Time changed and so did I. Strangely, we grew closer, and I grew out of whatever infatuation I had with her. We're still good friends today."

Technically, that wasn't true. They had grown closer, but his infatuation had still remained intense as ever, until their three-month affair had ended and she'd returned to her husband. Luckily for him, they did infact stay good friends. Luckily for him, he was no longer in love with her. It would have caused many a problem if he had been.

She fiddled with her cultery absently, and offered him a bright, albeit shaky, smile. "Good. That's--that's good."

She still seemed uncertain, doubt lingering in her green orbs. He knew all too well how she felt. He'd been a teenager once, with the same worries and the same fears. He may not have been like any other ordinary seventeen-year-old, but he'd still felt the same things. He'd still known the taste of rejection, of how it felt to be crushed by someone who didn't even notice you half of the time. Oh yes, he knew.

"Give it time, Chloe. I know it's the biggest cliché in the book, but time really does make a difference. People change and so do feelings."

"I know," she replied softly, "but sometimes I just feel like I'm going to feel like this forever. And I hate it. I hate it because he's made me into this girl I never wanted to be. Do you know what I mean?"

"Strangely, yes," Lex confessed, smiling gently at her. He knew all too well, unfortunately. "The thing you have to remember is that you're your own person. You choose who you are, no one else. If you don't like the girl you've become, then don't be her anymore. Obviously it's not who you really are."

Chloe nodded, twirling the water glass between her fingers. "You're right."

He smirked. "Aren't I always?"

---

Next chapter is still in the works, so be expecting it soon (that's if you want it) =p

scifichick774
8th August 2003, 15:35
Like you even need to ask if we want the next chapter soon. Of course we do! More now please!

Blaire023
8th August 2003, 15:51
vague much? how soon is soon? TELL ME!!!

okay, sorry for the outburst but yeah, soon, i want it soon. I want it so soon I want it right now.

*looks around*

did that make sense to anyone else?

~B

sabby
8th August 2003, 16:51
Oh this is good, now we're at the personal question stage, which means that the getting closer isn't far away, so when you say 'in the works' and 'soon' you mean like today right? Please? Cuz I wanna see what comes next.

hugs,
Sabby

hfce
8th August 2003, 17:04
More more more :clap:


Hope

Impress
8th August 2003, 17:10
I want more too.

dsapiro
8th August 2003, 21:11
Soon is good. The sooner the better.

Susan S
8th August 2003, 21:42
I loved the "wake up" Chloe scene. The fact that they are getting more personal with each other is great. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Susan S

bluemoongirl23
8th August 2003, 23:41
I loved the point about how Clark had turned her into someone she didn't want to be...so true. And Lex making her blush was all sorts of fun.

Blue

Val
9th August 2003, 03:29
hehe that was good!
Your soon better mean today! ;)

Tandy
9th August 2003, 06:50
:yay: The banter is great! the wake up was hilarious and the banter is great!

Tandy

celticangel
9th August 2003, 15:13
Great part!! :yay: Lex was so sweet. :wub:

lunaluthor
9th August 2003, 20:20
so soon is over I want my update now :yay: :yay: :yay:

Brittany
10th August 2003, 07:10
;) Are you crazy, of course we want another part! Please give me more, soon!

ladymichelle
10th August 2003, 08:26
I like your story, and can't wait for more!
Update soon please!
Michelle

shailafter
10th August 2003, 09:54
more please! :biggrin:

Savage Midnight
12th August 2003, 18:17
Thanks to everyone for the reviews - I appreciate them =)

Here's what you've been waiting for - part b of chapter two, which if you're confused, is still the Saturday. I also want to say that this maybe the last bit I'll be posting for the next few days. Unfortunately we're having bad problems with the computer, which will be getting sorted over the past few days. That means I won't be able to write anything or post anything. I don't know exactly how long it'll be for, but I assure you, you'll get the next chapter as soon as I'm up and running again. But for now, enjoy.

---

Dinner stretched ahead into the early afternoon, where they lingered over their coffee, indulged in light-hearted banter and participated in the occasional debate, including which Shakespearian production was the best, why Anne Rice was the master of modern novels to date, and who from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, was the best slayer (Lex agreed that Faith was by far the most realistic).

Their supposed "bite to eat" dragged pleasantly on, past an hour, and then two, and as the third approached, the duo reluctantly rose from their table and headed out into the streets of Metropolis. Lex had a brief business meeting at four, which he claimed would take no longer than an hour. He had, after all, come here to relax for the weekend, and even now he wasn't happy about the short interruption in his vacation.

Chloe didn't have the courage to ask if he was unhappy about her interruption.

After they returned to the apartment, Lex assured her yet again that he'd be no later than five o'clock, and that she should get everything ready for the upcoming evening of movies, movies and more movies.

The young reporter scowled when the playboy instructed that she inform his driver of everything she needed and he'd make sure that everything was taken care of.

"I'm not an invalid, Lex," she huffed, limping over to the couch and settling herself down, "and I'm quite capable of renting my own movies and buying my own snacks, okay?"

According to Lex, it wasn't okay.

"Chloe, you need to take the weight off your foot--"

"--but my foot is fine! It's--"

"--ah, so the whole limping to the couch escapade was just my imagination then?" he interrupted. When her scowl grew, he moved towards the couch and stood opposite her, hands buried deep into his pockets. "Look Chloe, I know you're unhappy about not being able to do everything you wanted to do this weekend, but unless you want to spend another day cooped up in this apartment, I strongly suggest you let my driver sort things out for you. Why don't you just relax? You can do all your running about tomorrow, and then I'll take you out. Is that a deal?"

She peered up at him, hands folded over her chest in an obvious display of dissatisfaction. With a disgruntled sigh she relented, and offered him a resigned "fine" in response.

"Good," he nodded, "just let him know which movies you'd like and what snacks you want and he'll get them for you. I should be back by five."

He strode over to the chair by the bed and picked up his jacket, sliding it on as he headed for the door. Before he left, he heard her voice floating out behind him, as sharp and defiant as its owner.

"I'm paying!"

---

When Lex Luthor returned an hour later, he entered his bedroom to find a chilled-out Chloe slumped out on his couch, buried beneath the quilt he'd had stored in his cupboard for the upcoming winter months. Deeply engrossed in a programme on the television, the young reporter was oblivious to his return as she sat transfixed, occasionally shovelling a spoonful of Ben and Jerry's into her mouth.

He cleared his throat.

Chloe swivelled her head sharply to find Lex stood near the bed, an amused smiling tilting his lips. Her spoon of ice-cream hovered mere millimetres from her lips, and after her initial shock, she rotated the spoon around her tongue and averted her eyes back to the screen. "You said you'd be back by five," she said blankly, "it's ten past."

Lex shook his head, slipping out of his jacket and laying it on the bed. He strode over to the couch and peered down at the oblivous blonde.

Nothing. She remained where she was, legs sprawled out, preventing him from sitting down. She hadn't even noticed he'd moved, instead watching the television like something bad would happen if she tore her eyes away.

Finally, she looked his way, then drew her eyes back to the television. She did a double-take, then foolishly realised that Lex was waiting for her to move her legs so he could sit down. "Oh," she blinked, swinging her feet around and grimacing when her ankle throbbed in protest, "sorry."

Lex smiled and sat down. "What're you watching?"

"No idea," she answered nonchalantly, swinging her legs and resting them in his lap. "Some programme about forensics."

He didn't hear her; instead he was studying the quilt-clad legs that were currently occupying his lap. He smiled wryly and shook his head at the bizarreness of the situation. She'd only be here less than a day and already she was making herself comfortable. Strangely, he found that he didn't mind.

"This is okay, right?" he heard her ask and turned to see her pointing her spoon at her legs. "I mean, if it bothers you I--"

"--Chloe, I'm rich, " he interrupted, "not off-limits."

She offered him a smile and dug her spoon into the depths of the Ben and Jerry's tub. "S'good, just makin' sure," she said, and licked at the ice-cream contently.

"So what movies did you decide on?" he questioned, changing the subject. He watched as her face lit up and she delved behind the arm of the couch, launching a plastic bag full of videos up onto her lap.

"I had no idea what sort of movies you liked, so I got a bit of everything... " She rummaged through the bag, occasionally pulling out packets of candy and bags of different flavoured popcorn. Finally, she pulled out the collection of videos. "We have James Bond. One classic," she lifted a video up, "and a recent one," she held up another. "I didn't know if you liked Bond or not, but then I realised that everyone likes Bond. It's a crime otherwise."

Lex laughed at that, and watched as she dug more videos out of the bag.

"We have The Matrix: Reloaded, because I've been ordered to watch this by he who shall remain nameless. And we have another classic." She grasped the last video between two hands and wiggled about on the couch excitedly. "Cruel Intentions. You can't beat Ryan Phillippe. What. a. God."

"Women and movie stars. I don't understand it," Lex mused, shaking his head at her antics.

"What do you mean?" she questioned, mock confusion written all over her face. "It's Ryan Phillippe. It's a well-known fact that he's the star of all stars. Orlando Bloom runs a close second of course, but that's a whole different matter." She shrugged, and looked at him intently. "So, we have action, adventure, romance, and good ol' British humor. I don't think that's a bad mix if I do say so myself."

She nodded happily to herself, earning her a grin from the otherwise silent Luthor.

"So, which one shall we watch first?" she asked him, shuffling the videos into a tidy pile in her lap.

"Well," he started, "let's leave the tragic romance to the end of the evening."

She peered down at the pile, picked out Cruel Intentions and placed it back in the bag. "You only said that because you don't want drool all over your best couch," she jibed, a mocking frown marring her features.

"I didn't want drool all over my best feather pillows either, but I didn't get a choice in that."

"Hey!" she exclaimed, smacking him lightly on the arm. She laughed softly. "Okay, I think we should leave the mind-boggling flick to later. I'm up for some mindless entertainment." She slipped The Matrix: Reloaded back into the bag.

"So that leaves us with James Bond," Lex observed, taking the pre-offered video from her hand. He rose from the couch and slid it into the video recorder, settling back just as quickly and allowing Chloe's feet to rest back into his lap.

As the movie played - it was an old classic, he noticed - Lex couldn't help but be struck by the sheer oddity of the situation. Back in Smallville, he and Chloe had never really been close friends, more like mutual acquaintances thanks to his bizarre friendship with Clark Kent. He was well aware that the blondes tolerance of him was low because of his namesake, and it wasn't until he'd arrived in Smallville that he'd truly realised the meaning of the phrase, guilty by association. At times he thought it didn't bother him, until his decision to start integrating himself into the everyday society of the small town. It was then that he found it harder to socialise, peoples obvious dislike of him due to his father an unwelcoming obstacle. After a while, it had started bothering him. When a friendship had sparked between he and Clark, he hadn't expected to have been dragged into the young teens small social circle - a circle which seemed to have an obvious dislike of him. Now here he was, sharing his weekend (Lex had never been one to enjoy sharing the only time he had to himself with others) with a member of said social circle, and he was finding it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Infact, it was turning out to be one of the best weekends he'd had in a long time.

Peering over at the blonde, obliviously fixated on the movie, he realised that he enjoyed her company more than he cared to admit. She was more intelligent than she let on, her knowledge far exceeding that of any normal teenager. At dinner she'd willingly participated in his debates, even bringing up some of her own. When they bantered, she matched him jibe for jibe, insult for insult, her dry humor and sharp wit a welcoming change in his usually tedious day. Not only that, but her youthful exuberance was refreshing; a gentle reminder that he was still young himself and was entitled to indulge in mindless, playful activities, like watching movies and pigging out on Ben and Jerry's ice-cream. Despite her maturity, Chloe knew how to have fun, and Lex admired the blonde for it. He'd clearly been mistaken when he'd pinned the girl for a lovesick cynic intent on hating the world and everyone in it. The boy-billionaire could safely say that his opinion of the young reporter had definitely shot up a few notches during the last twenty-four hours.

His train of thought was abruptly cut short when he felt Chloe's small elbow prodding him. He turned to see her offering her tub of ice-cream towards him, and after a brief hesitation, accepted the tub and delved in to the sickly chocolate dessert. He heard her laugh gently at his apparent eagerness, and turned back to the on-going movie.

Yes, this was definitely a bizarre situation. Never in his life would he have thought he'd be spending a weekend - nevermind an evening - with an injured blonde (of which he hadn't even slept with), cradling her bruised ankle in his lap and indulging in Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream while watching old James Bond movies.

Life certainly did have its twists.

---

Due to the fact that Chloe Sullivan had not dragged her sorry carcass out of bed before eleven o'clock, she was nowhere near tired when the television informed them that The Matrix: Reloaded was "to be continued". The credits rolled by, and Chloe rolled uncomfortably about on Lex's sorry-excuse-for-a-couch, wincing everytime the damn arm poked her in the back. With a huff she rose from the couch, limped the short distance to the television and replaced the futuristic adventure film with the tragic romance they'd saved for last.

"You need a bigger, better couch, Lex," she informed him, settling herself back down and scowling because she hadn't been able to find a comfortable position throughout the last three movies.

He turned his head to look at her. "Why? What's wrong with this one?"

"Well for one," Chloe started, "it's too small. And two, there's absolutely no space to get comfy without killing yourself. I highly doubt your guests appreciate having the couch arm ramming into their back, while you're ram--"

"--okay! I get it - new couch," he interrupted, smirking at her cheeky grin.

She turned back to the movie, shovelling butter popcorn into her mouth and he watched, half amused, as she mouthed the words to the song that was belting out; a Placebo classic, if his memory served him correctly.

"I have an idea," he declared suddenly, pushing himself up from the couch and turning towards the blonde, who was staring up at him intently, a handful of popcorn posed near her mouth.

"You do?" she replied blankly, and finally chomped down on the buttery snack.

"I do." He moved over towards and pulled her up from the couch. "Now, how about you go to the kitchen and make us both a drink. Hot chocolate will do me fine."

Chloe didn't move. "And what will you do?"

"I," he said, "am going to solve our problem. You wait in the kitchen for me, I won't be a minute."

She stared at him intently, forehead creased in bewilderment; then she huffed loudly and left the room. She wasn't about to argue, because there was no arguing with Lex. Strangely enough, his stubborn streak far exceeded her own.

---

Fifteen minutes later, Chloe Sullivan was a very happy bunny indeed.

She was snuggled up in silk sheets and a feather quilt, a mass of pillows stuffed behind her back, propelling her forward into a comfortable and ideal position. In front of her was Lex's widescreen television, perched happily atop what looked like a wooden cabinet. Chloe didn't care what it was; all she knew was that she was comfortable and she could see the television perfectly. So could Lex.

"This is perfect," she sighed happily, sucking lightly on a sweet, strawberry lace. "I could stay here forever."

"That's not what you were saying last night," he teased. "Infact, if I remember rightly, you were pretty pissed off about your weekend going to waste."

Chloe chuckled. "What can I say? You've grown on me."

Lex tilted his head to look at her and laughed softly when she smiled impishly at him.

A comfortable silence fell upon them both again as the film rolled on. It was at that moment that pure bizarreness of the situation hit Chloe, as it had Lex earlier. Not even a week ago she disliked the guy intensely, although she had to admit it was mostly because of his relation to Lionel Luthor. Now though, she found she could easily look past his condescending attitude and his slight superiority complex. She'd realised today that it was never intentional, merely a result of growing up too fast in the care of a man who truly believed he was God himself. But Chloe had also realised that beneath it all, Lex was a loyal friend whom she had no doubt she could trust. He could also be quite humorous when he let his guide down, which the young reporter guessed wasn't too often. She found that she liked that side of him; the side that was constantly reminding her that Lex wasn't as old as he acted, and that he himself suffered the same problems, had the same worries and made the same mistakes. Like he had said earlier, even though he was rich, he wasn't off-limits. She'd known that many people would have treated him that way - either too good to be approached or only good enough because of his wealth. Strangely enough, she'd come to learn that money couldn't buy you everything, least of all friends. And it seemed right now that friends was exactly what Lex Luthor needed.

---

Chloe sighed. "I wonder," she rolled over onto her back and popped a chocolate-covered raisin into her mouth, "if I would score myself my very own Sebastian if I hold out on the whole virginity thing." She playfully contemplated this, staring up at the ceiling as Lex turned the television off.

"Something tells me you're holding out for all the wrong reasons," Lex replied wryly, making himself comfortable against the mound of pillows.

"Oh please," Chloe rolled her eyes, "you're not going to give me the speech about how my virginity is a precious gift and I should hold onto it for as long as possible, are you?"

"No," he said.

"Because I'll tell you somethin'," she continued, propelling herself forward from her horizontal position so she could talk to him directly. "I'm not holding out because I believe in all that 'save it for love' crap. It just doesn't work that way."

"It doesn't?"

She shook her head.

He watched her intently and sensed a somewhat passionate speech from Chloe heading his way. Not that he minded. He enjoyed seeing the blondes face light up everytime she had something important to say. And he knew, from experience, that whatever Chloe had to say was worth hearing.

"How does it work?" he inquired.

"That's just it," she said softly, "I don't know how it works. I just know that it... happens. I mean, I'm not exactly in a position to talk... " She shrugged and chewed absently on a chocolate raisin.

"I think you maybe right," he agreed, turning his head to look at her as she settled down beside him. "Love doesn't equal great sex, and vice versa. And if you're happy in the decision that you don't have to be in love to indulge in sex, then I don't see where the problem is. Of course, others would disagree... "

Chloe nodded and turned on her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "It kind of threw me, the first time I came to Smallville," she confessed.

Lex blinked at her sudden change in subject. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean... here I was, this big city girl whose seen pretty much everything. When you live in Metropolis, no one gives a damn about the drugs and the crime and the casual sex. It's just a part of the city, you know? But when I came to Smallville I couldn't believe how innocent it was. It knocked me for six."

Lex smiled at her and she grinned, shaking her head.

"Sorry, I'm rambling... "

"No, you're not," he said. "You've made a good point, and I agree with you. There was a time not long ago that I was a part of that scene, and then I came to Smallville and it changed. I guess you could say that Smallville is a little more... ah, naivè than the city. It's easier to set moral boundaries in such a small community. Not that it's a bad thing, but--"

"--it's restricting."

"Right."

Chloe sighed and flopped onto her back, burying herself beneath the covers. She heard Lex flick the lightswitch off beside her, settling back down into the comfortable warmth of the bed. "I wish I was still a city girl," she whispered into the darkness. "I lived more when I was."

She felt Lex shift beside her.

"You don't have to be a city girl to live, Chloe."

That simple answer stayed with her, even as the darkness claimed what little energy she had left.

---

Chloe Sullivan was not much of a dreamer, but when she did dream, it was usually nightmares that interrupted her sleep. Always intense, always vivid; more often than not they left her with a scream trapped in her throat or tears burning her eyes. She never knew why, it was just the way things had always been.

Since she was a little girl she'd always woken up with what she'd called the "after feeling". Be it a good dream (which were rare) or a cruel nightmare, the blonde would rise still feeling the same as she had in her dream - scared, angry, in love... - and she never managed to shake the feeling until she was very much alive and kicking.

The dream that broke through Chloe's sleep tonight was a black and white horror that caused whimpers to swell up in her throat, unheard by the young blonde. Infact, Chloe was so far gone that she didn't think twice about the strong arm that suddenly wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her towards a hard chest. She was buried in a cocoon of warmth, her head resting just below his chin, her small hands placed atop his own. Subconsciously - without thought - she settled herself into his embrace.

The black and white horror blurred into a comfortable darkness, and the whimpers died in her throat.

sabby
12th August 2003, 19:09
Oh that's nice. Lex is definitely getting attached to Chloe. The scene with the nightmare in the end was just cute *G* Can't wait to see their next day and what happens when they both have to go back to Smallville again. *sighs* Sometimes I wish a weekend had more than two days


hugs,
Sabby

scifichick774
12th August 2003, 19:12
Wonderful chapter. They're becoming attached to each other already and seeing the good points to the friendship. And that scene at the end just made my heart melt. More soon please.

Impress
12th August 2003, 19:40
so good. *sigh* I like how they've both realized there was more to the other than they both thought. The ending was so sweet. More soon.

asharnanae
12th August 2003, 19:44
:wub: ahhh, lex is getting atached to chloe, yay!! he sees the light!! more soon , this is great! :biggrin:

lunaluthor
12th August 2003, 20:39
what a sweet and funn ypart I adore your writing and Lex is so cuddly ahhhhh :wub: :wub: :wub:


so please update soon I'm hooked :yay: :yay:

Tandy
12th August 2003, 21:54
Oh, that was so sweet! :wub:More please!

Tandy

hfce
13th August 2003, 01:10
That was a great chapter. I :wub: it.


Hope

dsapiro
13th August 2003, 03:12
That was so sweet with Lex and Chloe getting all close. More soon!

Val
13th August 2003, 03:47
that was sweet! I want more soon! :biggrin:

bluemoongirl23
13th August 2003, 05:11
I really enjoyed both of their assesments of the person sitting next to them. Realizing what lays behind the fronts that they both put up. And snuggling is always a good thing.

Blue

randa
13th August 2003, 05:58
aww...it's so sweet. my green streak is coming out if full force and i cant help but want the exact same thing..

Brittany
13th August 2003, 07:05
:biggrin: I loved it! That chapter was so cute! My favorite part had to be the couch conversation, it was soo.. funny! Can't wait for the next update, so please hurry!!! :worship2: :worship2:

shailafter
13th August 2003, 10:46
aw can't wait for more embraces, hugs, and sweet kisses! :wub: i'm going into daydream mode now.. *sigh* more please! :chlexsign3:

vardaquareien
13th August 2003, 13:08
Originally posted by Savage Midnight+Aug 13 2003, 02:17 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Savage Midnight @ Aug 13 2003, 02:17 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I highly doubt your guests appreciate having the couch arm ramming into their back, while you&#39;re ram--" [/b]
:hehe: I adore this line&#33; It&#39;s such a Chloe thing to say&#33;&#33;&#33;

Loved their whole talk about sex...whilst lying in bed<!--QuoteBegin--Savage Midnight@Aug 13 2003, 02:17 AM
"I wonder," she rolled over onto her back and popped a chocolate-covered raisin into her mouth, "if I would score myself my very own Sebastian if I hold out on the whole virginity thing." [/quote] ...no but she might&#39;ve just scored herself her very own sexyLexy&#33;&#33;&#33; :satanwink:

...and the very end was just the icing on the cake - him comforting her whilst she has nightmares :wub: Now I wonder whether he was also asleep at the time or fully aware of his actions?

peepsRfun2eat
17th August 2003, 06:53
love this story just found it but now i am addicted. the couch discussion was funny and the whole virginity speech was awesome.
plus Lex is so sweet i want my very own. please update really soon.



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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"God dam it Jim&#33; You are destructive to the expanding of the mind&#33;"
-Said after a friendly game of "Trival Pursuit".
:coffee:

Savage Midnight
20th August 2003, 18:59
Just wanted to say a big thank you for the all reviews you&#39;ve posted guys =) I *really* appreciate them... they keep me going =p

I also wanted to let you all know that my comp is now sorted, although I have to re-organise everything (get my programmes back etc.). Currently I&#39;m up to my eyeballs in work trying to get my e-zine launched by its deadline, so I haven&#39;t had chance to work on the fic. I&#39;ve got part of a chapter written but I don&#39;t want to post a half-written piece. Hopefully if things run smoothly, I should have the next part within in the next couple of days.

Bare with me guys =)

kidkarmina
21st August 2003, 06:22
I truly :wub: this fic. Just update when you can as long as you do :blinkkiss: &#33;

sabby
21st August 2003, 07:43
Hey Savage,

good to hear your comp is back on track. And what&#39;s that e zine about? You got me curious....

Anyway, here&#39;s hoping you get the next part up soon, this is a nice happy story, I need those.

hugs,
Sabby

drina
21st August 2003, 08:26
Today is the day where i have some time to catch up on tons of reading...

I love this story....i like the way u depict their developing relationship..it&#39;s so sweet

kirt30
21st August 2003, 23:47
:worship2: oh come on what happens next :worship2:
:yay: i love this fic :yay:

ghostwriter
22nd August 2003, 00:10
you know you could make it a long weekend... ;)

Ellie

Savage Midnight
22nd August 2003, 03:56
Originally posted by sabby@Aug 21 2003, 07:43 AM
Hey Savage,

good to hear your comp is back on track. And what&#39;s that e zine about? You got me curious....

Anyway, here&#39;s hoping you get the next part up soon, this is a nice happy story, I need those.

hugs,
Sabby
It&#39;s basically a writing/art e-zine that me and a few select people have decided to start. It&#39;s open to anyone who&#39;s interested and you can submit anything, including fanfiction, original fiction, poetry, art, etc. There&#39;s also others options such as competitions, spotlight (where we centre on one specific author, artist or website), reviews, columns and that sort of thing.

There should be some information in the advertisement section of this site, but if you want more information visit http://dreams.digitally-remastered.com/e-zine.htm.

If you want *more* information (that goes for everybody here) then just email me - savage_midnight@hotmail.com - or PM me your email address and I&#39;ll add you to the mailing list. You&#39;ll be updated with any new information and you&#39;ll be emailed the address when it&#39;s launched September 1st =)

And thanks to everyone whose been patient with me. I&#39;m hoping to get the chance to work on the fic this weekend =D

---

ghostwriter - once this fic is done (it&#39;ll end on a Sunday), I&#39;m hoping to do a sequel to it, carrying on from when they return to Smallville and back to their normal lives. I&#39;m tempted to leave this fic sort of... in the middle of the story arch but still bring some sort of closure to this fic, if that makes sense. Either way, you&#39;ll find out soon enough =p

Sab_Luthor
22nd August 2003, 14:47
[COLOR=red] oh they&#39;re so cute together i love it
update soon please[COLOR=red]

Savage Midnight
26th August 2003, 18:03
Thanks for the reviews, guys. Love &#39;emmmmm =D

Here&#39;s the next chapter (part a of Sunday), which will be the last chapter for a while. Other projects are keeping me busy, unfortunately. For one, the launch date of Dea Artis Vox is fast approaching and things need to be prepared. And two, I&#39;m currently working on an original vampire piece, which needs all my attention. I think I&#39;m going to start withdrawing from the fanfiction world now, because it isn&#39;t helping me as a writer at all. I really need to start directing my creative juices to more original works. Don&#39;t worry, though, this fic will be finished =) For now, just enjoy.

By the way - I apologise for the angst in this chapter. Sometimes I just can’t help myself (I’m a sucker for writing angst fics). But don’t worry, it won’t stay that way. A snarky Chloe is far more entertaining that an angsty Chloe =p

---

Chloe wasn&#39;t shocked to find tears streaming down her face when she woke up that morning. It was expected. Although the nightmare hadn&#39;t been as horrifying as usual last night, it had still left her with a vague feeling of sadness; of complete and utter loss that made her slightly breathless.

Chloe wasn&#39;t a public crier; hell, she&#39;d never really cried that often in the privacy of her own home (although that had changed somewhat this last year). She supposed that&#39;s why her tears were always wept after a night of particularly frightening nightmares. Not usually the weepy sort, she&#39;d reasoned that she was entitled to at least the occasional cry, even if they occurred during moments of unconsciousness. She may not have been like the other girls of her generation - a bubbling mass of teenage angst - but she understood that any sane person needed some sort of outlet for the emotional turmoil that every human suffered from occasionally; even if her turmoil had been slightly minimal this past few days.

So no, Chloe wasn&#39;t shocked at all when she woke up to damp eyelashes and wet cheeks.

She was shocked, however, when she felt the soft flesh of a thumb wiping the tears away from beneath her eyes. It wasn&#39;t just any thumb - it was Lex Luthor&#39;s.

Needless to say, Chloe was speechless. Snapping her eyes open to find a steely-gray pair staring back her, the blonde was rendered into yet another bout of speechlessness (she wasn&#39;t sure she could get anymore speechless than she already was) at the obvious concern shining in his gaze.

Lex was never a big shower of emotions. In fact, his usual calm, collected and I-feel-nothing attitude was one of the main aspects of the boy billionaire that irked Chloe to no end. She was, afterall, a reporter; a blatantly nosey one at that, who liked to know what was going on and what people were thinking. It was only logical that a man like Lex would frustrate her, because no one could read him; no one knew what he was thinking or what he was feeling, and if they did it was only because he allowed them to know.

So it was only fair to say that the young blonde was somewhat taken aback by the playboy&#39;s blatant display of emotion. He looked - to her amazement - genuinely concerned for her, as if someone had just broken her into thousands of pieces and he was uncertain whether he could piece her back together again.

She found this oddly endearing.

Despite being shockingly wide-awake, Lex didn&#39;t cease his ministrations, and instead continued, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone and moving to tuck a strand of wayward hair behind her ear.

Chloe swallowed, strangely alien to human comfort, especially coming from Lex Luthor. Tenderness wasn&#39;t a word the blonde often associated with him, but even still, the word kept popping up with every second that he spent gazing intensely at her.

If Chloe didn&#39;t find it so shockingly strange, she would have found it disconcerting.

"Do you care to share?"

It took the reporter a moment to realise that he was speaking to her, and after finally registering what he had said, she responded with a furrowed brow and a blank look.

"The tears," he clarified. "I&#39;m known for my assholish tendencies, but I don&#39;t think I&#39;ve ever brought a girl to tears before. Not intentionally, anyway." He flashed her a smile at that last comment, and Chloe shook her head in mock annoyance.

"Don&#39;t worry," she reassured him, "I&#39;m not suffering a bout of teenage angst, if that&#39;s what you&#39;re worried about." He smirked. "It happens occasionally. Nightmares."

"Ah," he said, finally understanding the reason for her unexpected waterworks.

She nodded to herself. "Yup."

"You were having quite the nightmare last night, if I remember." He stared down at her, his gaze uncharacteristically worried. "Are they always so intense?"

"Usually," she sighed, and immediately asked, "I didn&#39;t wake you, did I?"

"You did, but I was pretty out of it. I fell straight back to sleep."

"Sorry," she replied sheepishly from beneath the quilt she was buried under. "I&#39;m a terrible sleeping companion."

"I&#39;m inclined to disagree. I think you&#39;re a fine sleeping companion."

"Oh?"

"You don&#39;t snore, and you don&#39;t steal the covers."

"And you consider these good attributes for a sleeping companion to have?"

"I do."

"Well okay then." Chloe grinned and Lex had no choice but to offer his own smile in return. After all, who in their right mind could remain unaffected by such a blinding smile? He may have been a heartless bastard, but he wasn&#39;t totally immune. At least he liked to think so.

"So what are your plans for today?" he asked, making no move to get up.

Chloe, it seemed, had the same idea, and opted for yawning loudly and burrowing herself deeper beneath the covers. "Well, I&#39;m meeting an old school friend of mine today at the ice rink. I&#39;m just glad we didn&#39;t arrange it for yesterday, otherwise we would&#39;ve had to wait another God knows how many months &#39;til we saw each other again." She glanced up at him. "How about you?"

"Just this and that; nothing important. I intend on doing absolutely nothing today."

"Well, I&#39;d invite you along but I have this strange feeling that an afternoon of ice-skating isn&#39;t your idea of fun," she teased, grinning mischievously at him.

Lex laughed and said suddenly, "how about I drop you off at the ice-skating rink, run a few errands and then swing by and pick you up again? Does that sound okay?"

Silence wasn&#39;t the answer he&#39;d been expecting. She stared up at him, hazel eyes ablaze with curiosity, and Lex knew she&#39;d slipped into reporter mode. Meeting her gaze head on, he waited for her to voice the question she was obviously contemplating asking him.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Lex would have been offended if it wasn&#39;t for the way she had said it - soft, uncertain and so unlike the Chloe he had come to know. For a moment it made him think, because frankly he wasn&#39;t even sure himself. It wasn&#39;t like him to offer his services (that sounded dirtier than he cared to admit) to teenage girls, even if he didn&#39;t have anything better to do. He found it odd that he was laid here, opposite a woman he hadn&#39;t even bothered to seduce and bed, offering to drive her across town and back again because he felt compelled to. Not only that, but he was taking this woman out tonight.

It was a sure sign of insanity.

With a quick glance at her face he realised she was still waiting for an answer. He sighed. "Because despite what people think, I am capable of being nice. Especially when it comes to my friends."

"You--you consider me a friend?" she asked, slightly surprised and clearly showing it.

"Chloe," he replied, mockingly exasperated, "if I didn&#39;t consider you a friend, you wouldn&#39;t be sharing my bed right now--"

--he inwardly smirked when he saw her blush furiously--

"--and I wouldn&#39;t have offered to take you out tonight, or drive you to the ice-rink. Now does that sound like something I&#39;d do for a stranger?"

"Yes?" she offered meekly, and smiled impishly at him. Laughing softly, she said, "I&#39;m sorry, it&#39;s just... I never saw this coming, you know? I didn&#39;t expect to feel so--so comfortable around you. And that sounds really strange, but I don&#39;t know how to explain it. I--"

"I know," he interrupted, "I wasn&#39;t expecting it to happen either. But all I can say is - I&#39;m glad it did."

She glanced up at him uncertainly. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Oh," she said. "That&#39;s--that&#39;s good."

Lex couldn&#39;t agree more.

---

On the drive to the ice-rink, Chloe was uncharacteristically quiet, and it bothered Lex more than he would have liked.

"Something wrong?" he questioned, glancing over at the silent blonde sat with her head resting against the window of his car. She tilted her head at his words, seemingly aware of his presence but ignoring it in favour of the daze she was currently preoccupied in. He probed further, calling out her name, and was rewarded with a bewildered expression that melted into gentle curiousity.

"Sorry, what?" she said, face scrunched in an obvious display of confusion.

"I asked if something was wrong, but by the look on your face there obviously is."

She blinked. "What? What do you mean? Nothing&#39;s wrong," she laughed softly - nervously - and was rewarded with a raised eyebrow and a pointed stare. She sighed, relenting. "Do you want the truth?"

He nodded, acutely aware that this wasn&#39;t the time for snarky comebacks. Chloe quite obviously had something to get off her chest and Lex wasn&#39;t about to stop her.

For the umpteenth that day, the playboy was surprised at his own selflessness. He had never really been a big listener, and although he occasionally helped his friend - Clark - with his problems, he wasn&#39;t usually one to offer himself as an emotional punching bag for the young and angsty.

He was also well aware he was overreacting. Chloe wasn&#39;t the sort to profess openly about how everyday concerns and worries weighed heavy on her shoulders, or how the woes of the world dragged her down into a mindless, angst-ridden, bottomless pit of despair. The blonde may have been many things but a drama queen she was not. Thankfully.

"I honestly don&#39;t know," she offered, staring blankly out of the window at the passing landscape.

He hadn&#39;t been expecting that answer. If anything he&#39;d been expecting her to mention a certain brown-eyed farmboy and his intense obsession with one Miss Lana Lang; or waiting for her to sigh wistfully and indulge in a deeply spiritual analysis of how the world hated her and how the general population of Smallville was out to ruin her life (which, he realised, she would have every right to do). But no, the blonde beside him, whom he&#39;d always considered to be a grounded, determined young woman who knew exactly what she wanted from life, had replied with an answer that was so uncertain and so confusing that he felt she must be feeling both. Strangely, it bothered him.

"I have this empty feeling in the pit of my stomach," she added, sounding vaguely disconcerted, and trying hard to act like nothing was bothering her, "and I don&#39;t know why."

Lex knew differently, and it was then that he tried hard to pinpoint the exact moment when he&#39;d learnt to see straight through her façades. Disappointingly he couldn&#39;t, and he was mildly shocked that such a development had occurred in the space of two days. Still, he considered it an advantage in the fact that he had more chance of getting to the bottom of whatever was truly bothering the young reporter.

"Yes, you do," he said firmly, "you just don&#39;t want to say it for fear of sounding ridiculous."

She glanced at him sharply. "That&#39;s not true. I--"

His pointed stare cut her off and she scowled, swivelling round to face the window again. A pregnant silence filled the air but Lex waited patiently, well aware that Chloe would talk when she was good and ready.

"I was fine this morning," she confessed softly, the coolness of the window pressing against her temple. "I was laughing, having a good time and for once it didn&#39;t hurt. But now--now I just feel tired and detached, and I can&#39;t seem to care. I feel like the world could go to pot right now and it wouldn&#39;t matter at all. And I&#39;m not even afraid by the fact that I could feel like this forever; that I could feel nothing for the rest of my life and no one would give it a second thought." She paused. "I just. don&#39;t. care."

Lex peered across at her, brow furrowed with deep concern at the obvious despair emanating from the young woman beside him. Chloe had never been one to undermine her own significance in the world and to hear such a desperate confession spilling from her lips was a definite clue that something wasn&#39;t right with the fair-haired reporter. There had to be a reason for her sudden downfall in mood.

"Chloe?"

"Mmmm?" she answered nonchalantly, not even bothering to look at him.

"Your nightmares," he inquired, swinging the car around a particularly sharp bend, "are they usually as bad as they were last night?"

"Yeah, although they&#39;re rare. Why?"

"And do you always feel like you&#39;re feeling right now after a nightmare? Detached, tired?"

At this point, Chloe had turned to look at him, staring at him curiously as if what he was saying might actually made sense. "Actually, yeah. In fact, I usually end up feeling shitty all day and then burst into the tears while doing something trivial, like making coffee. It&#39;s weird." Her forehead creased in deep concentration before she rested her head against the window again. "Guess that explains my mood," she concluded with a sigh.

"Have you ever wondered why you get like that?"

"Not really, no."

"Maybe you should talk to someone about it," he suggested, glancing over at her to gorge her reaction.

"What? You mean like a shrink?" she scoffed. "No, thanks."

"No," Lex countered, "I mean someone like Clark or Lana. Maybe getting things off your chest might help, especially with the nightmares. It&#39;s probably the reason why you have them."

"Oh, really," she replied snidely. "I didn&#39;t know you were an expert."

"I&#39;m not, but I&#39;m well aware of what you&#39;re going through." She snorted. "I know you, Chloe. You&#39;re not much of an open person and you have this strange belief that human emotion isn&#39;t to be shared or talked about, but to be harboured and locked away. Maybe the nightmares are an outlet for that; your subconscious&#39; way of letting you know that it can&#39;t handle that sort of overload. I just figure that talking to someone might be a healthier alternative."

She sighed tiredly and muttered softly, "easier said than done."

"Isn&#39;t that always the case?" he answered lightly and was rewarded with a small, albeit reluctant smile from the blonde.

He pulled up just short of the ice-rink and watched as she stepped, heavy-hearted, out of the car. She bent down, poking her head through the open door to gaze at him intently. "I take back what I said earlier," she said.

"Oh?"

"I am in fact suffering from a severe case of teenage angst," she retorted, smiling widely and adding, "see you at four," before disappearing from his line of vision and slamming the door shut.

Lex shook his head, smiling to himself as he shifted the car into gear.

That girl was really something. He&#39;d seen so many sides of the intrepid reporter this past weekend that he felt he already knew her better than most people. He wasn&#39;t sure whether he should have felt honoured to have witnessed a part of Chloe that he guessed no one ever had, or saddened by the fact that he was the only person to have witnessed it. Either way, it felt odd, acting as a confidant to Chloe of all people.

But strangely, he found he didn&#39;t mind.

tigerbaby
26th August 2003, 19:06
That was just an amazingly beautiful chapter. Sweet, sensitive Lex can come visit me anytime. :devil:

hfce
26th August 2003, 19:11
Great chapter :clap: more please....


Hope :)

sabby
26th August 2003, 20:14
Now that&#39;s sweet. *sighs* But come on, you can&#39;t leave us waiting forever for an update&#33; I mean I understand the whole e zine thing, but please, don&#39;t let us wait too long, kay?

hugs,
sabby

Sunflow
26th August 2003, 20:24
I finally have the time to look around more in the fanfiction forum, and I found this piece - and I love it :wub:
I especially like the way you show their emotions and their confusion over the fact that they suddenly became fond of one another.

But, how&#39;s Chloe going to iceskate since her ankle is not quite all right? Or has it healed overnight? *confused*

Sunflow

Savage Midnight
26th August 2003, 23:18
Originally posted by Sunflow@Aug 26 2003, 08:24 PM
I finally have the time to look around more in the fanfiction forum, and I found this piece - and I love it :wub:
I especially like the way you show their emotions and their confusion over the fact that they suddenly became fond of one another.

But, how&#39;s Chloe going to iceskate since her ankle is not quite all right? Or has it healed overnight? *confused*

Sunflow
She hurt in on the Friday night, and as Lex explains... it would probably take upto 24 hours to get back to normal. She hasn&#39;t sprained it or anything, just wacked the bone a bit hard (I do it all the time). I&#39;m guessing by Sunday morning she would have recovered enough to ice-skate ;)

---

And thanks for the reviews guys. You&#39;ll be getting chapters as I write them, so it all depends on my schedule =)

Val
27th August 2003, 03:15
I love this new chapter, really good&#33;

Good luck with your projects&#33; And I can&#39;t wait for more... :biggrin:

Brittany
27th August 2003, 06:03
:wub: I loved it&#33; I especially liked the part at the beginning. Take your time updating(so hard to say), I&#39;ll try to be patient and please don&#39;t stop writing fanfiction. Your such a great writer, it&#39;d be horrible for all us to miss out&#33; :worship2: :worship2:
Loved the chapter and good luck on everything else your doing&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin:

scifichick774
28th August 2003, 14:21
Aww, sweet Lex. Very endearing. Now if her old friend turned out to be a guy and he found out when he picked her up... :biggrin:

As far as the tapering off fanfic thing, I understand chica. I&#39;ve been feeling that way myself. So, no worries. As long as you finish the stories you have going before you bid us adios.

lunaluthor
29th August 2003, 15:22
more more more more it&#39;s so wonderful :wub:

Sab_Luthor
29th August 2003, 21:41
great chapter
very good written
i&#39;m fond of about this fic
continue please

peepsRfun2eat
29th August 2003, 22:04
love this story this last chapter was so good. something about the whole conversation it was just excellent. keep it going update really soon.



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

"God dam it Jim&#33; You are desctuctive to the expanding of the mind&#33;"
-Said after a "friendly game" of Trival Pursuit.

bluemoongirl23
31st August 2003, 01:23
Keep the greatness coming. I love how you continue to build their friendship and comfort up.

Blue

Savage Midnight
31st August 2003, 16:38
Thanks for the reviews guys, and thanks for being so understanding ;) Currently I&#39;m up to my eyeballs in college work, and on top of that I have so many books to read in less than four days... yargh =| And this original piece I&#39;m writing is taking more research than I thought it would... haha.

But anyway, I&#39;ve been writing little snippets here and there whenever I&#39;ve had the chance, so hopefully I&#39;ll have a reasonably lengthy chapter for you next week sometime.

Bare with me guys =)

Sab_Luthor
1st September 2003, 02:26
ok we can wait
but i warn make it very long if not i call daddy lionel and you know what he is capable to do

Savage Midnight
2nd September 2003, 18:06
Okay guys, after a quick 10k burst, I now have a reasonably lengthy chapter to give you. Usually I seperate the chapters into two parts, a and b, but it looks like chapter three is going to have more than two parts. Don&#39;t ask me when part c will be ready though, because I have no idea ;)

For now here&#39;s part b.

Oh, and a quick note to say that Jennifer Aniston doesn&#39;t belong to me, she belongs to herself. And I bet you&#39;re wondering, "how the hell did you fit Jennifer Aniston into a Smallville fic?". Well read and find out, my friends ;)

---

For reasons unknown to him, Lex Luthor arrived fifteen minutes earlier than he was due.

He ignored the obvious stares as he entered the indoor ice-rink and sat himself on the back row of the wooden stalls lining the edges of the rink.

He spotted Chloe easily among the fair-sized crowd, leaning casually against the side of the rink. She was chatting animatedly with a brown-haired girl - her once best friend, he assumed -, her earlier distress obviously pushed aside by her enthuasium to reunite whole-heartedly with her companion. Occasionally she pushed herself away from the sides and skated small, lazy circles around the other girl, twirling herself elegantly about the floor, smiling energetically over her shoulder while she flew backwards with a vague but noticable grace that Lex had never realised she possessed. He&#39;d never really considered Chloe to be a graceful woman; he was almost ashamed to admit that he thought the blonde to be a clumsy person; not in a flustered, I-can&#39;t-see-where-I&#39;m-going way, but in a stubborn, I-refuse-to-move-until-something-knocks-me-down way. He&#39;d often assumed that her out-right cynicism and openly-displayed determination would automatically make her a rigid person, both mentally and physically. Whenever the word grace came to mind, he&#39;d always thought of Lana - soft, languid, sweet in the way that only she could pull off. When Lex thought of grace, he thought of weakness; an obvious absence of strength in state of mind and state of body. But today Lex witnessed a different kind of grace, and for the first time in a long time, he was being proved wrong. Chloe&#39;s strength became her grace; her undoubted confidence - despite her insecurities - was reflected in the outright trust she invested in her own body, making it dance like she wanted it to dance; spinning her around the ice like she owned it. Instead of the rigidness he had expected, her determination fuelled her and Lex couldn&#39;t help but think of fire and passion and life when she moved. It was in that brief five minutes that he witnessed an entirely different kind of grace. And he liked it. Her exuberance and obvious lust for life reminded him yet again that he wasn&#39;t as old as he felt, that he was still entitled to feel the same childish excitement she invoked in him. Not once this weekend had he felt guilty about laughing and smiling; wasting his weekend watching mindless movies and indulging in inane conversation. For once, Lex Luthor didn&#39;t care and although he should have been mindful of his obvious carelessness, he&#39;d thrown caution to the wind and taken riskier chances than simply choosing to drive over the speed limit. All in all, Lex felt strangely... full; bursting with energy that he prayed would seep out before his whole being exploded under the pressure. Stranger still, the playboy was beginning to realise that he wasn&#39;t sure he could handle being empty again.

He snorted inwardly, somewhat annoyed by the fact that he was over-analysing things more than he usually did. He didn&#39;t care to admit that his revelations worried him a little, and instead concentrated on the young blonde who was now skating freely around the rink, her brown-haired friend racing beside her.

He liked her like this, he realised. In Smallville she seemed somewhat... stifled. As they had discussed yesterday, the small town was far too restricting and far too innocent for such an obvious city girl. Here she seemed a lot more willing to loosen up, to push her limits as far as possible. Back home, although considered a little wild and a little wacky, she was far more caution, unaware of her boundaries and strangely afraid of what she might lose if she overstepped them. Simply put, Chloe was unable to expose everything she was - both the good and the bad - for fear that she would be rejected. And to be rejected in Smallville was to be excluded from the tight-knit community that had been the blondes home since her arrival there. Lex knew all too well why she set her own restrictions and he wondered fleetingly how he would come to look upon her when they returned back to the small town, when she was no longer free to be herself. He wondered whether the sadness - the same he had seen today - would still linger in her sharp eyes; whether she would talk to him so openly and admit outright when something was bothering her. Something told him that things would be different, that she&#39;d succumb to the hold that Clark Kent had over her and continue on her journey of self-torture. She&#39;d forget the things they&#39;d joked over, the conversations they had and the little snippets of their life they had reluctantly revealed. He&#39;d go back to his life, back to his empty mansion with its empty possessions which would invoke in him a bland feeling of nothingness that he&#39;d come to expect and accept. She&#39;d return to school and mourn over the simple things that could never be and beat herself up for being the person she never wanted to become. He knew it would happen, and although it saddened him somewhat, he knew he wouldn&#39;t do anything about it. He knew this because he was a Luthor. He knew this because she was a Sullivan.

Heaving himself up from the stall he sat on, he warily approached the edge of the ice-rink and waved politely to the blonde when she noticed him. He watched as she said her goodbyes to her friend, embracing the girl affectionately and - from what he could tell - promising her that they&#39;d meet up again the next time she was in Metropolis. He waited awkwardly, his hands buried deep in his pockets as Chloe watched her friend leave the ice-rink. He noticed how the blondes smile visibly dropped, how her shoulders sagged considerably with fatigue and the healthy glow surrounding her vanished. It was a heart-breaking sight; one he would never have noticed hadn&#39;t he been paying attention, but Lex was increasingly more aware of Chloe&#39;s moods than he had been two days ago. Strangely he found himself wondering how long she&#39;d had to carry such a heavy burden. She&#39;d certainly mastered the art of well-placed façades and feigned happiness, and that worried him somewhat. He&#39;d come to learn that Chloe Sullivan, whatever she was feeling, felt whole-heartedly, whether she was miserable, excited or outright joyous. Chloe never did things by halves, even when it came to her own heartache. It still didn&#39;t change the fact that she refused to acknowledge, nevermind discuss it.

For the life of him, Lex couldn&#39;t figure out why this bothered

Letting out a low breathe of annoyance, he looked up to notice Chloe skating across the short distance towards him. Lips tilted up in a half smile, she said, "you know, I think you just gave my friend a coronary."

Lex offered her hand and pulled her up the slippery step onto the platform. He cocked an eyebrow and settled down on the bench beside her, absently watching her unlace her skates.

"She was all but ready to fling herself at you, but I told her boy-billionaires such as yourself are strictly off-limits, except to young feisty blondes with an unhealthy addiction to Ben and Jerry&#39;s." She smirked, and pulled a sneaker over her socked foot.

"Did she take it well?" he joked.

"Actually," Chloe started, turning to look at him, face impassive and mockingly serious, "she was quite understanding. In fact she told me to tell you that you have good taste."

Chloe beamed up at him and Lex smiled, rising from the bench as the young reporter slung her bag over her shoulder. She followed behind him as he made his way out of the skating rink. "I&#39;m afraid," Lex said, feigning exasperation and pausing for effect.

The blondes face fell for a split second--

"--she maybe right."

--back came the hundred-watt smile and Chloe was once again glowing, her earlier fatigue forgotten in light of their playful banter. She marched happily through the open doors, towards his car and peered at him from over the roof. "I don&#39;t mean to be a nuisance, but--"

"--you&#39;re not a nuisance--"

"--can we please stop off at my hotel? My cars still there and I need it to drive back in the morning."

Lex slipped into the car, Chloe following close behind him, and with a flick of his wrist he fired up the engine and peeled out of the parking lot. "Anything for the lady."

---

After a quick change of mind, the duo found themselves sat in a quiet corner of a nearby café, munching lightly on an overflowing sandwich and sipping contently on chocolate milkshake - for Chloe - and a coffee - for Lex, who had looked mildly surprised when the waitress had informed him that they only served standard coffee.

From there they ventured on to Chloe&#39;s hotel (or what had been Chloe&#39;s hotel) where the blonde left Lex to pick up her own car, following close behind him and parking it in the garage that housed the playboys array of cars.

By this time it was fast approaching six, and opting to spend a lazy evening dressing for the night out Lex had promised her, the blonde found herself buried beneath a mound of bubbles, the tangy scent of tangerines filling the air as she bathed.

The young Luthor was elsewhere, probably catching a moments peace, Chloe guessed. She didn&#39;t really care right at this minute. She was far too comfortable, relaxing contently in Lex&#39;s oversized bath tub, one of her favourite CDs playing vaguely in the background and a glass of ice-cold apple juice cradled in her hand. This was heaven. Simply. heaven. If the blonde had her way, she&#39;d stay here all night. She had a good book sat on the floor beside her, a large bowl piled high with strawberries, and a tantalizing box of chocolates waiting for her. There was nothing else she could possibly need, except maybe a masseur to massage her aching shoulders. It really was hard work doing nothing for two days.

She sighed, restrained the need to purr and downed her glass of apple juice. Glancing at the clock on the far wall she noted it was time to get a move on, and reluctantly stepped out of the tub, grabbing a large terry-clothe towel and wrapping it around her dripping form. She stretched lavishly, deemed herself well and truly pampered and proceeded to polish herself up for the evening ahead.

---

Almost two hours later, the blonde finally strode out of the bathroom, her chin confidently high, her strides purposeful and relaxed. She was smiling to herself, her painted lips tilted up, her glitter-dusted cheeks rounding with the simple act. Gone was the misery that had shrouded her earlier this morning, and she vaguely wondered why she&#39;d felt so low anyway. She&#39;d had a fantastic, eventful weekend, and tonight was going to be just as good, if not better.

Maybe it was the nightmares, she decided. Maybe Lex was right and it was time she started sharing her misery.

Ha, yeah right.

She didn&#39;t care anyway, because right now she felt positively elated.

She was a sight, and she knew it, though her outfit was simple, a subdued version of her usually wacky attire. Dark jeans, so dark they were almost black, hugged the length of her legs tightly, resting snugly against her back side and coming to an end where her exposed stomach started. It was a moderate amount of exposure, of course, a pale slice of flesh that peeked out from beneath her thin-strapped, burgundy tank-top; a top that bunched her breasts up beneath her, modestly covered by a thin, dark-red shirt that cut off at the elbows and fastened with two buttons across her ribs. A tasteful cleavage peered out at her when she lowered her eyes and Chloe was satisfyingly proud. She&#39;d even gone for a darker look, her eyes now dusted the same colour as her top, a thin streak of black across her lids. Her cheeks glittered darkly, a blend of dusky red and white, and her lips were painted a bronze tint that flared into a deep mahogany when she moved. Yes, she looked a sight. And she was pretty sure Lex would agree.

Lex, of course, was no where to be seen.

She stood, bewildered, in the bathroom doorway, twiddling one of the buttons of her shirt between her fingers. Brow furrowed, she strode across the expanse of the room, towards the door at the far end and peered out into the empty hallways that stretched out at each side of her. Turning around again, she glanced across the room, as if certain that any minute now Lex was going to pop up from behind the bar or the couch and surprise her with one of his secretive smiles.

He didn&#39;t. All that greeted her was an empty, silent room. The fire crackled loudly in the fireplace, the flames casting an orange hue across the walls and the ceiling. It was eerie, in a cheesy movie sort of way.

"Ready, Miss Sullivan?"

Instant reaction: she swore.

"Shit&#33;"

She swivelled around sharply to find Lex leant lazily against the doorframe, staring her at her pointedly, his eyebrow raised in a smug salute. He looked far too innocent for a man who had just scared her out of the very top she&#39;d spent ten minutes struggling into.

Bastard.

"Yes, Mr Luthor," she retorted sharply, her sarcastic tongue emphasizing his surname. "I&#39;m ready."

Obviously so was Lex, and what a picture he made. He&#39;d gone for the traditional, classical look that every guy could get away with - black and white. But for the life of her Chloe couldn&#39;t figure out why he pulled it off better than anyone else she&#39;d ever known. She&#39;d seen him in a suit so many times before, but not like this, without a tie, his white shirt unbuttoned at the cuffs and the collar, offering her a glimpse of his smooth chest. He looked relaxed, at ease and comfortable, with his hands buried in his black pants, his shoulder resting against the wood of the doorframe.

He looked positively edible.

Chloe&#39;s stomach growled, and she looked away, surprisingly flustered. Her cheeks burned and now it felt as if she could feel the glittery-powder upon them. Thank God Lex couldn&#39;t spot the difference.

"So where are you taking me?" Chloe questioned suddenly, stepping through the doorway, listening to the soft steps of his shoes behind her.

"Just a little hot-spot in the centre of town," he replied vaguely, his car keys jingling in his hand.

She turned back to stare at him. "Is that it? That&#39;s all you&#39;re going to tell me?" the blonde questioned, shooting the young Luthor an annoyed look.

He grinned, replied with a smug, "yes", and overtook the reporter, disappearing through the door of his apartment.

Chloe stood still, shaking her head at his antics and followed him out of the door and down to the garage where her carriage awaited her.

It was going to be an eventful night, there was no doubt about that.

---

Lex&#39;s idea of a little hot-spot was a large glamorous venue that was brimming with A-list celebrities, filthy rich businessmen - and women - and even the odd Royal here and there.

Needless to say Chloe was nearly thrown off her feet when she walked into the club, filled with masses of people that had more power in their pinky finger than she could ever dream of. She was no starry-eyed teen with delusions of fame and fortune, but even Chloe had to be impressed. Some of the most important people were here, flocking the dance floor, crowding the bars that lined the walls, and seducing wide-eyed starlets and actors-to-be into the VIP area. This was a place that every teen dreamed of.

But Chloe was far from dreamy. In fact she was now out-and-out depressed because she didn&#39;t want to be here. She didn&#39;t want to be stood next to Jennifer Aniston, didn&#39;t want to see how the young actress looked far more stunning than she did, in an ordinary pair of blue-denim jeans and a casual top, or how her hair was the embodiment of perfection that even Chloe-the-cynic dreamed of.

She was no fool. The blonde didn&#39;t aspire to be every actress that strutted her stuff on the screen, or the models that strutted their stuff on the catwalks. She was quite happy with her body, with the way she looked, but even she was known to wonder why Jennifer Aniston could pull off the casual, under-dressed look while she looked not even half the picture after two hours in the bathroom.

Just. great. She was never going to be able to relax now.

But after two glasses of champagne (of which Lex had firmly disapproved of) and a quick chat with a fast-rising starlet, she was more at ease. These people were no different, she realised. Just richer, more famous. She had no problems when she was with Lex, and he was probably one of the richest here and probably the most famous. She had no doubts that he&#39;d still be in the papers when people were standing around, scratching their head and saying, "Jennifer who?"

So with a little dutch courage to spur her on, Chloe found herself on the dance floor, embedded firmly between a mass of movie stars, politicians and singers. The music wasn&#39;t what it had been the Friday night she&#39;d found herself in Lex&#39;s apartment, but it was enough. The beat was strong enough to cause the blood to pump frantically through her veins. The pulse thrummed across her skin and she closed her eyes, savouring the vibrations that wiggled their way from head to toe. A smile spread far and wide across her perspiring face and she was content, happy again to be back in this trance. Nothing was more satisfying. Not. even. sex.

And with that simple thought an image of a blue-eyed playboy flashed across the back of her eyelids, unexpected but vivid nonetheless. Chloe would have fallen flat on her face if it weren&#39;t for the heaving masses about her, that threw her across the dance floor but never actually allowed her to fall. Her eyes snapped open, her mouth went dry and the beat in her veins trailed off, leaving only a dull, creeping heat that she was certain was colouring her cheeks once again.

That had been a shock. She wouldn&#39;t deny the fact that she considered Lex to be handsome, attractive in his own mysterious way. He had a sensuality not many his age had and although it fascinated Chloe, it had never really fascinated Chloe. But here he was, popping up at the first mention of sex (figuratively speaking, of course) and the young reporter was more than stunned - she was confused.

When had this happened? Because to her knowledge she was sure she only considered Lex a friend, one who had been generous enough to pamper her for the last few days. But it had never been more, and she was sure of it. There had been no strong desire to kiss him, no distant fantasies of a love affair that could never be. No, none of that, but here she was now and somehow Lex had found a way into a sentence alongside sex.

It was absurd, and Chloe had to say it to believe it.

"I want to have sex with Lex Luthor."

It was low, under her breathe, but it was enough and it sent Chloe reeling across the dance floor and over to the bar. Lex was elsewhere, playing the gentleman as ever and indulging in conversation with an ex-girlfriend of his, a politician&#39;s daughter he&#39;d known when he was living in Metropolis.

The blonde ordered three shots of tequila, informed the bartender that Lex would cover the (he&#39;d told her the same thing the moment they&#39;d walked in) and proceeded to knock back two shots, one after the other. She took the last over to a large couch just a few steps up from the dance floor and heaved herself down, cradling the glass in her hands.

She didn&#39;t need this - the confusion, the doubts. Chloe knew that she didn&#39;t feel for Lex like she should have done when considering to have sex with someone. She didn&#39;t love him and there wasn&#39;t an intense attraction between them. It was just simply a fact. Chloe Sullivan wanted to have sex with Lex Luthor.

Maybe it was just to sate her curiosity, to see if Lex was the lover she expected him to be. Or maybe she just wanted to test her theory, to see if dancing was far better than sex. It would be a fascinating experiment she was sure, but one Lex would never even think of participating in. He didn&#39;t like minors drinking, God forbid what he&#39;d say if she proposed sex.

With a disgruntled sigh she knocked back the last shot and lay her head down on the soft cushion of the couch behind her. She wouldn&#39;t think about this anymore. It wasn&#39;t even an issue and the moment she got back to Smallville things would change anyway. She&#39;d be back to mooning over Clark, because despite her promises that she wouldn&#39;t, she could never help it. Either way, thoughts of having sex with the young Luthor would be the farthest from her mind when they returned home.

She hoped so, anyway.

The proverbial icing on her already crumbling cake came when Lex popped up beside her and settled himself down on the couch. She didn&#39;t turn to look at him, merely wondered why she wasn&#39;t drunk yet. Two glasses of champagne and three tequila shots ought to have done it for anybody, nevermind a light-weight blonde who drank no more than three times a year.

She huffed inwardly, tilted her head towards Lex and said, "I&#39;m not drunk, why is that?"

Lex gazed at her pointedly, a small smile curving the edges of his mouth. "You are drunk, Chloe."

"I&#39;m not," she protested, brow furrowed. "I&#39;ve had so much to drink and I&#39;m not even tipsy."

Lex&#39;s smile grew into a smug smirk that irked her.

"Stand up," he said suddenly, and rose from the couch, offering his hand out to her. She stared at it from a brief second, then took it. He pulled her up from the couch and as he did so, the floor fell away from beneath her and the dark club around her tilted on its axis.

She stumbled, grasping Lex&#39;s forearms to steady her and whispered softly, "whoa".

She heard his gentle laughter but she was ignoring him, instead peering over his shoulder at the dance floor just below them. She loved being drunk (she finally admitted to herself that she was indeed drunk). She loved how everything seemed brighter, sharper, the music and the chatter more pronounced. It was a pleasant sensation, until you reached the point where your stomach contents were no longer agreeing to stay put. That was the time to start worrying.

But for now Chloe had nothing to worry about. She laughed along with Lex and took an unsteady step back from him. His hand remained planted on her hip, steadying her as she went and with another grin, she circled around him, heading for the dance floor. She didn&#39;t expect him to follow, and she was right. He was stood shaking his head in amusement when she turned back to smile at him. By the time she reached the dance floor he was sat comfortably on the couch, watching her.

---

He watched her dance dizzily across the floor beneath him, her earlier discomfort forgotten in light of alcohol and music. He was happy to see her unwinding. It wasn&#39;t like Chloe to be intimidated by other people, even if they were celebrities. Chloe took crap from no one and he found that it was one of the many aspects of her that he liked. To see her let loose among this particular crowd was a refreshing spectacle, one he wouldn&#39;t be forgetting anytime soon.

He guessed Chloe wouldn&#39;t remember this particular night in the morning, when she woke up to a head full of cotton wool and an unsteady stomach. It was a pity really. He&#39;d wanted to show her a good night, a night she would remember. But by the looks of it it was going to be a good night she&#39;d never remember, if the amount of alcohol she&#39;d thrown back had anything to do with it.

Lex could have stayed like this, just watching her, enjoying her freedom and her exuberance. But even so late in the night there was always old friends that wished to greet him, ex-girlfriends who were curious to know how long he was in Metropolis for. The couch he sat on never remained empty and the occupants never stopped talking, but all the while he kept one eye firmly on the blonde. He was reminded of the Friday night previous, when he&#39;d caught her form out of the corner of his eye, mildly shocked to find her in Metropolis, and more shocked to find her in that club. And not half an hour later had he scooped her unconscious form from the floor and drove her back to his apartment.

How things had changed since then. A comfortable friendship had settled upon them and Lex had grown more and more intrigued by this young beauty. He just hoped that when morning came and they were forced to return to Smallville, she wouldn&#39;t forget about the person she had become this weekend. Because here she was the real Chloe, the Chloe she should have been and still had a chance to be, and more than anything Lex didn&#39;t want to see that chance go to waste.

sabby
2nd September 2003, 22:11
Woah cool chapter. Loved it. Tho it&#39;s a little sad to see that there&#39;s only physical attraction on Chloe&#39;s part. Well I can&#39;t wait to see where you take this.

hugs,
Sabby

tigerbaby
2nd September 2003, 23:28
This was an excellent chapter. I really love the introspection and it&#39;s interesting that it&#39;s only (for now hopefully) physical on Chloe&#39;s part.

asharnanae
2nd September 2003, 23:56
:biggrin: kinda sad, but fantastic all the same, love the contemplation on both sides. :yay:

Tandy
3rd September 2003, 00:36
It&#39;s so wonderful&#33; Wonderful wonderful wonderful&#33; really amazing job on this fic&#33; :blinkkiss: Update as soon as you can please&#33; :worship2:

bluemoongirl23
3rd September 2003, 01:20
I love the way that the thought of wanting to sleep with Lex hits her like a truck and that she tries to work through why she&#39;s feeling like that. Can&#39;t wait to see if she begins to grow feelings for him. And, I like that he just lets her dance, doesn&#39;t try to stop or control her.

Blue

hfce
3rd September 2003, 02:54
Oh that was great. I love how she can be herself around Lex. He doesn&#39;t try to control the situation. And who is chloe kidding she so wants to do Lex and keep doing him. ;)



Hope :chlexsign2:

Impress
3rd September 2003, 03:25
good chapter. I can see Chloe having a sudden realization like that. Looking forward to more.

Brittany
3rd September 2003, 06:29
:biggrin: Great chapter, can&#39;t wait for the next one&#33;&#33;&#33;

Val
4th September 2003, 05:11
I&#39;m really glad you updated&#33; Love the new chapter, can&#39;t wait for more...

jaded-swan
4th September 2003, 14:38
I love the way you describe chloe&#33; She is so mature and a real city girl&#33; Now if only the writers of smallville will see that and make some drastic changes to chloe in season 3&#33; :biggrin:

Savage Midnight
10th September 2003, 20:41
Thanks for the reviews guys :D The next chapter is still in the works, but with college work piling up and more housework to do (due to my parents being on holiday) I haven&#39;t had the time to write much. I&#39;ve been writing in spurts though, so hopefully I should have a chapter for you before next week. I&#39;m hoping anyway ;)

Sab_Luthor
10th September 2003, 23:09
i hope too
coz i like it a lot
and i can&#39;t wait to see the sequel

Savage Midnight
19th September 2003, 04:37
Ahhh, sorry for the delay guys. Here&#39;s an exceptionally long chapter for you. This is part c of chapter three (Sunday night/Monday morning) and I apologise for the weirdness in this chapter, but I was feeling incredibly spontaneous throughout the time I was writing this. Please let me know if this part has poor flow/logic, because if it does, I’ll try re-writing it logically ;)

There will probably be a part d to this chapter and then I’ll be ending this particular fic (it’s only supposed to be a weekend thing). Hopefully I’ll be writing a sequel to it, that will deal with Chloe and Lex’s friendship/relationship over a longer period of time, especially when they’re back home in Smallville. I’m not sure when I will find the time to do this though, but I’m definitely looking forward to taking this storyline further.

---

The night sailed on, and Chloe remained firmly rooted to the dance floor, even when she saw Lex step gracefully down the small stairway to stand at the bar opposite her. He leant lazily against one of the columns, conversing with a beautiful red-head tailored in a suit that Chloe would have traded her soul for. Occasionally he would shoot her an amused look and she&#39;d offer her own in return, honouring him with a one-of-kind Sullivan smile.

Not that it was anything compared to that of the beauty stood next to him, but it didn&#39;t concern Chloe too much. Hell, she was too far gone to care.

It was probably the reason why, after half an hour of exchanging looks, that the young reporter found herself sauntering across the crowded dance floor and over towards the bar, where she casually and fearlessly pressed her lips against Lex&#39;s.

She blamed the alcohol and the adrenaline, but whoever’s fault it was didn&#39;t change the fact that she had been dying to kiss the young Luthor since her mind-blowing epiphany a few hours before.

Obviously Lex hadn&#39;t shared the same mind-blowing experience because not a split second after she&#39;d covered his mouth with her own was he pushing her off, grasping her forearms between his hands and tearing her away from him. Shocking blue eyes met hers and Chloe clamped her eyes shut, seeing the same blue shoot across the back of her eyelids like electricity. Suddenly she was sober, so very sober and all she wanted was to be elsewhere, anywhere but here. She wanted to be back home, back in Smallville, in her safe little town with her safe little life where thoughts of Lex had never entered her mind and stolen kisses were merely a nightmare.

God, she felt sick. And she just wanted to run. She wanted to tear herself from Lex&#39;s arms, jump in her car and drive back home. But she couldn&#39;t drive, she&#39;d drunk too much, and her car was back at Lex&#39;s apartment.

It didn&#39;t stop her running though.

Casting a terrified look at Lex, she turned wild-eyed to see the red-head staring at her in bemusement. She didn&#39;t give it a second thought. Instead she was running, pushing her way through the throngs of people, down the flight of stairs to the doorway and out into the chilly air of Metropolis, all the while the sound of Lex calling her name echoing behind her.

Strong-willed or not, Chloe wasn&#39;t one to favour rejection. She&#39;d fought her way past the despair of falling in love with her best friend and she&#39;d come out on top. Not to say that she never mourned what could have been, but she&#39;d left her angst-ridden days behind long ago, having realised that the Chloe she had become wasn&#39;t the Chloe she&#39;d wanted to be. So she&#39;d changed that and she&#39;d vowed that she would never succumb to the same heartache again.

And now, tonight, she realised that heartache wasn&#39;t an option, it simply was. Such blatant rejection was a bruise to her ego, and even that could cause the strongest of women - and men - to run, if not to defend themselves but to protect their ego from further bashing. It was instinctive and it was instinct that drove her through the streets of Metropolis tonight.

A sob escaped her, tiny and dry. Inwardly she wept, not because of Lex&#39;s outright rejection of her (though it had hurt more than she&#39;d expected it to), but for the easy friendship she&#39;d torn apart in one foolish act. The humor of the past weekend, the fun they&#39;d shared and the comfort they&#39;d relished in had been tarnished and Chloe couldn&#39;t help but feel as though something vital had been lost. And she was to blame for it. In one evening she&#39;d twisted their perfect weekend into a lifetime of regrets, and not because she&#39;d fallen for the young Luthor, but because she&#39;d acted on simple attraction, truly believing in her drunken haze that Lex would have no obvious reason to turn her down.

How wrong she&#39;d been. How very, very wrong.

Chloe finally slowed and finding herself in unknown territory, she was slightly relieved to see Lex&#39;s car pull up beside her. There was no point in running anymore. She knew she&#39;d have to face him sometime, because for one, she had nowhere to sleep tonight, and two, her car was at his apartment. Maybe if she was lucky they wouldn&#39;t discuss her recent lapse in judgement and he&#39;d leave her to sleep the embarrassment off, leaving her refreshed enough to drive straight home in the morning. There was no way in hell she was staying any longer than she had to.

Despite her decision to confront Lex like the strong-willed woman she was, Chloe still didn&#39;t get in the car. She wanted to walk for a while, wanted to drink in the bitter, winter air and clear her head of the drunken haze clouding it. She quite enjoyed the cold wind against her heated skin, feeling it rush across her face, her cheeks, and down her neck and chest. It was refreshing.

Chloe cocked her head as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and turned to see Lex strolling beside her, hands buried firmly in his pockets. He still looked good, with his collar and cuffs unbuttoned, his shirt blowing in the light wind, and his face possessed the same passive look she hadn&#39;t seen since early Saturday. She hated it.

"Never thought of you as a runner, Chloe," he stated softly, breaking the whistling silence.

That hurt. Something inside Chloe twisted, because now he not only thought of her as a fool, but a coward. And if there was one thing Chloe was not, it was a coward. Didn&#39;t he understand that in a period of one evening she&#39;d been thrown into a whirlwind of confusion? That an unexpected attraction had flared up out of no where, and even worse, only on one side? She was a teenager, for God&#39;s sake. A seventeen-year-old woman who had grown up too fast, was the poster-child for walking clichés and had currently grown a fondness for bald billionaires who were way out of her league and way out of her age range. It was enough to make any teenager turn tail and run. But she hadn&#39;t done it out of corwardness. She had done it because there was no explanation, and as a reporter-in-waiting, this had terrified Chloe. Her life was all about explanations, about reason and logic, and tonight all that had flown out of the window. It left her uncertain and a little shaken.

"If this bothers you," she started blankly, "I can stay at a motel for the night. I don&#39;t really mind. Might be best anyway, considering--"

"--stop it. It doesn&#39;t suit you," he replied sharply, pulling her to a halt and turning her to look at him.

"What doesn&#39;t?"

"Cowardice."

Chloe glared at him, arms folded angrily over her chest. "I&#39;m not a coward&#33; I--"

"--of course not. That&#39;s why I&#39;ve just had to follow you six blocks in my car," he retorted casually.

She let out a low, shaky breathe and ran a tired hand down her face. "Lets just go home," she said quietly, suddenly feeling fatigued, drained. She turned back to where she saw Lex&#39;s car parked a little way down the street and headed towards it, aware of Lex following close behind. She slipped into the car, turning her body towards the window as he slid in beside her, and watched in silence as the lights of the city slipped by unnoticed.

Chloe just wanted to go home.

---

The drive back to Lex&#39;s apartment had been devoid of conversation, which was how Chloe had wanted it.

Now they were finally home and Chloe stepped solemnly out of the car, her shoulders sagged as if she alone bore the weight of the world upon them, and she trudged tiredly up to the front door where she waited silently for Lex to unlock it.

The mornings hangover was arriving early, and the once drunken haze that had clouded her mind - and her judgement - was settling down to a dull throb that twisted her vision and made everything around her look slightly surreal. She was more clear-headed than she had been earlier - Lex&#39;s blatant rejection of her had sobered her up more than she would have liked - but she still felt slightly tipsy, still felt the distant loss of control when it came to instructing her body to do the simplest of things. Like blinking. Chloe was pretty sure she&#39;d been staring at the hard panel of the front door for a while now, and she was feeling a little dry-eyed. She was also very much aware of Lex watching her. He&#39;d obviously unlocked the door while she&#39;d wondered off into a mindless day-dream, and now he was waiting patiently for her to enter the apartment first.

Lex Luthor, ever the gentleman. Snort.

Gripping her forearms between crossed hands to try and hide the tiny trembles of her limbs, she stepped through into the apartment. She headed straight towards the bedroom but as she passed the kitchen she heard Lex talking to her.

"--get you a coffee, or a hot chocolate?"

She turned to face him. "What?" she questioned, confused, and then she shook her head, forehead creased in bewilderment. "No. No, thanks," she replied absently and turned back towards the bedroom just as Lex disappeared in the kitchen.

Once there Chloe power-walked her still buzzing body to the bathroom and locked the door, leaning her head against the cool wood to calm the whirlwind in her head. After a second she scrambled to the shower and twisted the dial until ice-cold water pounded down into the small, glass cubicle. With that she hastily stripped off her clothes and jumped straight in, hissing as the needles of freezing water stabbed into her.

After a brief minute had passed the temperature became bearable, and Chloe stood stock-still under the powerful stream, willing the water to wash off the filthy layer of shame that covered her, and knowing, beneath the drunken haze, that it would never be that simple. Such a thing would not disappear down the drain along with the mascara-black water, no matter how much she willed it so, and it was unfortunately a fact of life that she would have to live with that shame until time dulled the memory, or erased it completely.

Sometimes Chloe despised the universe and it&#39;s twisted logic.

---

When the young blonde reluctantly left the bathroom nearly an hour later, she was surprised to find that Lex wasn&#39;t in bed. In fact, he wasn&#39;t even in the room. This irked Chloe, because she had just spent the last forty-five minutes under a freezing cold shower in hopes that Lex would retire to bed in her absence, and thereby allow her to avoid the awkward conversation she knew would come.

It didn&#39;t matter. She always had a back-up, a plan B - if he wasn&#39;t going to feign sleep in order to save her any further embarrassment, then she would. Simple as that.

Still feeling slightly childish from the alcohol she had consumed, Chloe scrambled to the bed like a frightened cat and hastily dove under the covers, leaning over to switch the light off. She drew in a sharp breathe and held it, listening intently for the sound of Lex&#39;s footsteps, and finally, satisfied that she had not been caught in the middle of her devious plan, she turned her back to the door and settled herself down.

---

Meanwhile, Lex Luthor was sat silently at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of fresh coffee and staring absently at the hard surface as if he could shatter it with his mind alone. His face was blank, a passive mask that successfully concealed the deep-set concentration behind his eyes.

He hadn&#39;t moved from the kitchen since they&#39;d walked through the front door over an hour ago. Tonights events had thrown him - Chloe&#39;s actions had come as a surprise, and Lex wasn&#39;t big on surprises. Not many things could shock the young Luthor, but tonight Chloe had succeeded in doing just that and Lex wasn&#39;t sure how to handle it, because up until now, the young blonde had never given any indication that she was attracted to him. They&#39;d shared an interesting weekend together and as far as he was aware there had been no flirting on her side (or his), no conversations packed with innuendoes (the talk concerning the sleeping arrangements didn&#39;t count) and no obvious signs of attraction. So why had she been dancing the night away one minute and kissing him the next? It didn&#39;t make sense, it was illogical, and Chloe was the most logical person Lex had ever met. Her logic may have been a little... skewed at times, but it was logic nonetheless.

So why on God&#39;s earth had she kissed him?

Lex hadn&#39;t dared to ask, and that&#39;s why he had kept his comments to himself. That and he truly hated watching Chloe squirm.

But he had to ask now. He had to know the reason, to discover the Chloe-like logic behind her actions. Maybe if he heard her out, listened to her explanation then he could better get his head around it and move on. He didn&#39;t fancy spending the night contemplating this little turn in events because frankly, Lex Luthor and sleepless nights didn&#39;t mix well.

Rising from his chair Lex stepped towards the sink in which he poured his full mug of coffee. Anymore and he would be up all night, Chloe-dilemma or no.

He headed out of the kitchen and down the hall, all the while hoping that Chloe hadn&#39;t fallen asleep already. He had been in the kitchen for over an hour and he wouldn&#39;t have blamed her for conking out after such an eventful night. But Lex truly needed to talk to her before he woke in the morning to find an empty bed and Chloe&#39;s car gone. Yes, he knew her well enough to know that as soon as the sun rose she&#39;d be out of there as fast as her reporter legs could take her. And when Chloe ran, she ran.

Unfortunately, as Lex approached the bedroom, he noticed there was no light on, which was a sure sign that Chloe was in fact asleep. Then, suddenly, he paused a few steps from the door and with his hands buried in his pockets, he listened intently to the soft rustling of bed covers and barely audible sighs coming from the room. Chloe wasn&#39;t asleep, she was restless, and Lex knew exactly how she felt.

He stepped silently into the room and immediately her tossing and turning ceased and the sighs of frustration died. Lex remained quiet, well aware that she was feigning sleep in an attempt to sidetrack the conversation that was sure to come.

Lex slid out of his trousers and shirt soundlessly, and slipped beneath the black, silk sheets. He lay still, wide awake, listening.

Silence. Nothing but the uneven breathing of the girl that lay rigid beside him.

"Chloe--" he started, but she cut him off with a soft, firm, "don&#39;t".

He turned slightly and placed a gentle hand on arm in an attempt to turn her to face him. He found the bare skin of her arm cold, almost freezing, and he could feel the small tremors of her limb beneath his hand.

"Chloe," he tried again, and this time she didn&#39;t interrupt. "We&#39;re not going to talk about this. I just want to know why."

Nothing. She refused to look at him and she refused to answer. He stared at her intently, waiting, and then he turned around again so he was laid on his back, his hands folded behind his head.

Minutes passed before Chloe broke the silence. "I&#39;ll probably be gone by the time you wake up," she said blankly, her voice a bare whisper. "So I&#39;ll say thank you now. For the weekend - it was fun."

She sounded detached, distant, and Lex found it strangely disconcerting. The warmth between them had suddenly iced over and Chloe was no longer the wacky blonde he had come to know this weekend. She was cold, formal, like she had been on the night he&#39;d found her in the club. He wouldn&#39;t have minded so much if he hadn&#39;t just spent two days learning more and more about the young reporter. But he had spent two days doing just that and after discovering that he did indeed enjoy the friendship that had bloomed between he and the teenager, he found he disliked the riff that had so suddenly materialised between them. It was frustrating.

"I&#39;m assuming this is the point where we go our separate ways and we forget this ever happened?" Lex drawled.

Silence, and then a small, timid voice whispered, "yes", into the darkness.

And suddenly Lex was angry; angry at her and for her, and it pushed his body upright in bed. "For chrissake, Chloe&#33;" he gritted out, and grasped her cold, trembling arms with his hands and pulled her bodily up, forcing her to face him, to talk to him... to listen to him. For a split second her eyes widened and she paled slightly in the liquid darkness. His outburst had surprised her, and if he were honest with himself, it had surprised him too. Lex prided himself on self-control and he saved any pent-up anger and frustration for the battles that mattered. But here he was, angry at a teenage blonde who was trembling beneath his hands, her cold, cold flesh causing goosebumps to rise on his own.

For reasons unknown to him, Chloe Sullivan had gotten under his skin.

"Don&#39;t you dare play the self-pity card. That&#39;s not your deal and you know it," he scolded her, still holding her body firmly in place with his hands. "You want to wallow? Fine, do it. But don&#39;t expect the sympathy vote from me, because that&#39;s the last thing you&#39;ll be getting. This doesn&#39;t suit you, you know? This whole woe-is-me bullshit, and that&#39;s exactly the kind of shit you&#39;ll try to pull when we get back to Smallville. And I, for one, refuse to sit back and watch you dig your own grave." He paused, moving his face closer to her own so he could look her straight in the eye. Then, slowly, quietly, he said, "he doesn&#39;t want you, Chloe. He wants Lana; it&#39;s always been Lana. The sooner you learn that, the better."

He flinched inwardly when he saw her face pale another shade and her eyes glistened with fresh tears. She swallowed and a choked sob escaped her chest despite her obvious attempts to restrain it. She was doing well in the tears department - none had yet to fall free from her shining orbs.

He hadn&#39;t meant to be so cruel, but he knew it was necessary. Chloe Sullivan needed a wake-up call, she needed to stop worrying about what-ifs and if-onlys and focus on the what-nexts. Only then would she reach her full potential, and only then would she become the Chloe Sullivan she was meant to be. Unfortunately Lex had had to resort to the hard way, because the easy way had obviously not worked.

"Are you done?" Chloe questioned brokenly, eyes downcast because she couldn&#39;t stand to see the anger in the hard lines of Lex&#39;s face.

He heard the soft rattling of constrained sobs against her.

She was trying to pull herself out of his grip but Lex wasn&#39;t finished yet, and Chloe would hear him out whether she liked it or not.

"No," he answered her, "I&#39;m not done. You need to hear this, Chloe. Contrary to popular belief I&#39;m not just a bastard because I can be, I am because I need to be. I&#39;m just trying to make you see that he isn&#39;t worth your time. He doesn&#39;t deserve your devotion. Do you understand me? You give him more than any best friend should and you love him more than is needed. But you&#39;re worth more than that, Chloe. You deserve the same devotion and Clark just can&#39;t give that to you. You have to understand that. You shouldn&#39;t settle with being second best, and that&#39;s all you&#39;ll ever be in his eyes."

He watched her, noticed a single tear slip free and slide down her cheek, and he followed the trail with flat, grey eyes. It was a heartbreaking sight, that single tear that was worth more than an ocean of them. He traced it with the pad of his thumb and wiped it from the pale flesh of her jawline.

She wasn&#39;t paying attention. She was staring off at some point beyond him, her gaze focused on nothing in particular.

"Why are you bringing this up now? Why tonight?" he heard her ask softly, never looking up from her point of concentration.

He released his grip on her arms, but this time she didn&#39;t try to escape him. She remained where she was, still and silent, waiting for his answer.

"Because you kissed me tonight," he said simply, and he noticed her blanch visibly. "And I think you did it to prove a point. I think you did it to prove to yourself that you didn&#39;t need Clark, that there was a possibility that someone else could a part of your life the way he is."

She laughed quietly, nervously, and tilting her face up to look up at him, she said, "you&#39;re wrong." She dropped her chin a little and shook her head sadly. "You&#39;re so wrong," she repeated in a whisper, as if she were talking to herself, as if she believed no one would understand if she said it out loud.

Lex sighed tiredly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Chloe--"

"--you know what, Lex? Ignore me. You&#39;re right," she cut in, her voice suddenly wary. "I kissed you to prove a point, and obviously it didn&#39;t work out." She turned away from him then and crawled out of bed. She slipped out of her pyjama bottoms, not giving a damn that Lex now had a full view of her lace, black panties. She slipped on the trousers she&#39;d been wearing a few hours previous, and just as she was slipping her tank top off, she heard Lex ask, "what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I&#39;m doing?" she retorted sharply. "I&#39;m going home."

"Chloe, it&#39;s nearly three o&#39;clock in the morning."

Off went one top, on went another. "I refuse to share a fuckin&#39; bed with you until morning."

"You&#39;ve been drinking, you can&#39;t--"

"--I&#39;m perfectly sober, thank you. Believe it or not alcohol isn&#39;t the problem tonight."

Lex slipped out of the bed as Chloe came around the side, now fully dressed and moving to grab her suitcase from its position near the chair. The young Luthor blocked her path and stood directly in front of her, his young, lithe body bare, save a pair of Lex-like, silk boxers. Chloe couldn&#39;t help but gaze appreciatively, momentarily forgetting that she hated him right now.

"I&#39;m not letting you drive home like this," he informed her firmly.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Tough shit. You haven&#39;t really got a say in the matter," she replied, stepping around him and heading for the door.

"Fine. I&#39;m coming with you."

The blonde turned sharply to see Lex pulling a pair of trousers on, and with wide eyes she said, "what?"

"I&#39;m coming with you," he repeated blankly. He pulled his white shirt back on and buttoned the first few buttons, leaving his pale chest exposed.

"I don&#39;t think so," she said, shaking her head vigorously.

"Tough shit. You haven&#39;t really got a say in the matter." She scowled at his choice in words. "You&#39;ll have to give me a lift in your car. I came in the helicopter and it won&#39;t be back here until morning."

"Oh hell no&#33;" Chloe responded vehemently. "I can&#39;t even share a bed with you right now, nevermind a car&#33; I&#39;m going alone--"

"--you either get back into bed or I get in the car. Your choice, Chloe."

She glared at him angrily, silently seething as he stared at her patiently, and then with a fierce "fine" she swivelled sharply and stormed out of the apartment. She strode out into the cold, Metropolitan air and dumped her suitcase carelessly into the boot, slamming the hood down hard. She was steaming as she jerked the car door open and settled herself into the drivers seat, and she took a steady gulp of air to quell the rising anger. She exhaled, and her breathe billowed out into an icy cloud of smoke.

Just as she was slipping the key into the ignition, the side door opened, letting in a rush of winter air, and Lex Luthor slipped gracefully in beside her, a black jacket now covering his sheer white shirt. He turned to glance at her and she offered him a fiery look that spoke volumes: she was not happy.

"Lex," she started, but the young Luthor shook his head, indicating that it was not up for discussion.

"If we head off now, we should make it back before dawn," he suggested, turning his head to stare out of the windscreen at the Metropolitan lights.

Finally realising that Lex wouldn&#39;t be moving anytime soon, she sighed in defeat and twisted the key, thankful to hear the engine purr to life despite the frosty weather. She pulled out of the garage and out into the street, and turned to glance briefly at the boy billionaire.

"We&#39;re not gonna talk. You got that?" she declared firmly, softly. "You&#39;ve already presumed the reasons for tonight&#39;s little fiasco, so we&#39;ll leave it at that, shall we?"

Lex looked at her, and Chloe forced herself to keep her eyes on the road, to feign disinterest.

"No," he said simply.

She glared at him, blood boiling dangerously close to the surface. "I don&#39;t give a shit what you want, Lex. We&#39;re not talking about this, and if you have a problem with that then you can get the fuck out of my car," she seethed.

Lex merely glanced at her pointedly. "Have I hit a nerve, Chloe?" he taunted, and he watched her hands tighten on the steering wheel, the harsh white of her knuckles visible in the darkness of the car.

"Don&#39;t you dar--"

"Dare what? Don&#39;t dare to point out that right now you&#39;re acting like a six-year-old child? I&#39;m sorry, Chloe, but I don&#39;t give a shit about your temper-tantrums. You need to realise that not everything is about you and your actions, despite what you think may think."

Now suddenly more furious than Chloe could ever remember being, she jerked the car off of the road and skidded to halt at the side. She couldn&#39;t trust herself to drive right now, couldn&#39;t trust her hands to remain firmly on the steering wheel and not around Lex&#39;s neck.

She turned towards him, disdainful eyes searching him out in the darkness. "And you need to realise that not everything is about Clark fuckin&#39; Kent," she countered fiercely, tiny hands clawing the soft material of the car seat. "Did you ever stop to think that maybe tonight was about more than farmboy?"

Nothing, just silence. He was just staring at her in that cool, collected way that Chloe had come to hate.

"No," she huffed, turning to face forwards in her seat again, "of course you didn&#39;t." She folded her arms agitatedly over her chest and tilted her head to stare out of her side window into the inky blackness outside. The only light came from the singular road lamp that stood a little way up from them, which cast an ugly orange glow across the landscape. Chloe hated it, because suddenly she felt stranded and isolated. She was out of her depth here, sat in her car with an irritatingly calm Lex Luthor tearing into her for no logical reason whatsoever. She wasn&#39;t on her own turf now, she was in the middle of nowhere and she couldn&#39;t simply walk away or force Lex to get out of the car. Well, she could, but she wasn&#39;t sure she could be that cruel, even if the young Luthor&#39;s comments were beginning to sting a little.

For the second time that night, Chloe Sullivan fought back tears. Right at this moment she hated Lex intensely for the ease in which he manipulated her and played with her emotions like they were a fine, string instrument. She was a strong woman, a woman in control, that was only hurt when she let herself be hurt, and now the man sat beside her, whom she had only truly known for two days, had torn the control from her unwilling hands, and had used it against her.

And there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing she could say or do to knock him down a peg, because he honestly believed he was right. He was so much older than her, and believed himself to be wiser, and no seventeen-year-old - even if they were Chloe Sullivan - could change the young Luthor&#39;s mind once it was made up. She&#39;d tried several times tonight, to no avail, and now she was just simply tired. Now she just wanted to go home.

Noting that the boy billionaire wasn&#39;t about to say anything anytime soon, she said softly, "you&#39;ll have to drive. I&#39;m tired." She unbuckled her seat belt and opened her door, giving Lex no chance to protest. She stepped out and around the side, not bothering to look up at him when he passed her on his way to the drivers seat. She just rubbed at her eyes, massaging the light wetness into her skin, and slumped into the car where Lex was already waiting, hand on the ignition key.

He started the engine and Chloe closed her eyes as the car hummed and vibrated around her. She was asleep before Lex even had the chance to speak.

Kendrix03
19th September 2003, 04:53
Thank you, thank you so much (holding back tears). I waited so long and I wondered when you&#39;d update. But with a chapter this good and this long, you&#39;re forgiven. :chlexsign1:

Queen Of Tact
19th September 2003, 04:57
WOW, I have to say that was a great ch.... Boy did Lex read Chloe all wrong.... I hope they talk this out... I can&#39;t wait to read more....

xoxox
CC

hfce
19th September 2003, 05:19
Lex :die: and chloe :hammer: in fact both need :hammer:


Hope :tease:

gravelgerdie
19th September 2003, 05:43
Good Job... Nice fic :biggrin:

Suzanne

star del mar
19th September 2003, 06:58
I never ever post, I&#39;m a bonafide lurker :biggrin: but that was an AMAZING chapter, keep them coming

ghostwriter
19th September 2003, 09:00
:huh: wow :worship2:

This chapter is incredible. and now i am going to be late for school *runs out of door trailing things* but an amazing chapter :biggrin:

scifichick774
19th September 2003, 14:38
GAH&#33; So angsty&#33; You made me want to strangle Lex too. I can understand how he would jump to that conclusion, but man. To be so self-assured in it even after Chloe started to break down in the car...grrrrr.....

tigerbaby
19th September 2003, 15:01
Damn you.

Damn you.

*sniff* I need a hanky.

That chapter sounds like a day out of my relationship.

sabby
19th September 2003, 16:19
Oh man, I really hope they sort this out before the story ends. And don&#39;t you dare leave us hanging with that story-line&#33; I wanna know how they&#39;ll cope after this weekend and what will become of their friendship.

Great chapter, I really liked it. Can&#39;t wait to read the next

hugs,
Sabby

Savage Midnight
21st September 2003, 02:48
Thanks for the reviews guys. Sorry for such a weird chapter, but I really wanted to show that Lex isn&#39;t always right and he doesn&#39;t always fully understand people/situations. For once Lex is wrong about something, despite believing his right and his outright stubborness will be a future obstacle in Chloe and Lex&#39;s friendship/relationship. Hopefully one they will overcome ;)

Part d will be a little delayed, I think, as I&#39;ve been working on chapter two of "Befallen". Some of you already know about this particular fic, which was originally going to be a Chlark piece but since becoming an out-and-out Chlexer, I&#39;ve decided to take it in a different direction and make in Chlark friendly but mainly Chlex. If anyone wants to read it, you can find it on ff.net, under the same pen name :)

I&#39;m hoping to have the next chapter of this by next week guys, but please forgive me if it&#39;s a little longer :p

Tandy
21st September 2003, 03:36
Oh wow&#33; What an intense chapter. I didn&#39;t think it was weird at all, it was really amazing&#33;



Tandy

tigerbaby
21st September 2003, 03:41
Originally posted by Savage Midnight@Sep 20 2003, 08:48 PM
Thanks for the reviews guys. Sorry for such a weird chapter, but I really wanted to show that Lex isn&#39;t always right and he doesn&#39;t always fully understand people/situations. For once Lex is wrong about something, despite believing his right and his outright stubborness will be a future obstacle in Chloe and Lex&#39;s friendship/relationship.
It wasn&#39;t a weird chapter at all. I think it was a very accurate portrayal of a guy who is used to being in control and who is used to being right. I mean who would dare to tell a Luthor he was wrong but for another Luthor. Except our favourite reporter.

I think it was very good. Reminds me of the ex. Controlling and always thought he was right wen he was wrong 99% of the time&#33;

kinipela92
21st September 2003, 09:03
GREAT fic, just loved it&#33; I want more, but I&#39;ll be a good girl and wait.....

By the way I was hoping you could post you&#39;re other fic, I think you called it befallin?, here. FF.net&#39;s spyware is to invasive for my tastes. I&#39;ve already received 2 virus&#39; from them. Thank god for Norton, and wonderful sites like Scifichick&#39;s board&#33; and this one too&#33;

:puke: -has no relevance, I just wanted to use this little sick dude&#33;

vardaquareien
21st September 2003, 11:36
*sigh* Wow...I really don&#39;t have words...what can I say except that that was extremely well done. Wonderfully written&#33; I can&#39;t wait for more.

lunaluthor
21st September 2003, 17:12
very very intense and brilliant hope to read more soon :yay: :yay: :yay:

Savage Midnight
21st September 2003, 19:31
Originally posted by kinipela92@Sep 21 2003, 09:03 AM
GREAT fic, just loved it&#33; I want more, but I&#39;ll be a good girl and wait.....

By the way I was hoping you could post you&#39;re other fic, I think you called it befallin?, here. FF.net&#39;s spyware is to invasive for my tastes. I&#39;ve already received 2 virus&#39; from them. Thank god for Norton, and wonderful sites like Scifichick&#39;s board&#33; and this one too&#33;

:puke: -has no relevance, I just wanted to use this little sick dude&#33;
I should be posting "Befallen" after I&#39;ve finished the second chapter, as the first is mostly Chlark interaction - there&#39;s no Lex in it. But chapter two will be introducing our favourite playboy into the mix :p

drina
21st September 2003, 19:45
Just love great angst...and yours is great. man, both of them have to be brave enough to admit their feelings, then willl they truly be happy.

Brittany
22nd September 2003, 05:54
:biggrin: I loved that chapter, it was so good. I wish it would have been longer. :devil: Lex can be such a stupid jerk, I also would like to strangle him. Anyway, please update soon, and maybe in the next chapter Lex will wise up. :worship2:

peepsRfun2eat
25th September 2003, 05:59
i probably reviewed this at ff.net but i love this story so much. this chapter was not wierd it was spectacular&#33;&#33;&#33; i loved it. you write so well and i am very jealous. please update&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

Savage Midnight
29th September 2003, 22:24
Here&#39;s the final chapter of this particular fic, guys. I will, of course, be continuing this fic but I do have my reasons for ending this one at this particular point. But don&#39;t worry, I&#39;ll be carrying the same storyline over into a sequel ;)

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time out to read and review this fic. I love reading your comments - they motivate me, keep me writing, and without them I think I may have left this particular piece to collect dust. Originally this fic was only going to be a small, stand-alone Chlex piece, but it seems my muse had other ideas for my first ever Chlex fic ;)

So a big thanks to everyone. I hope you enjoy this last chapter =)

---

The light of a new day was just peeking through the heavy grey clouds when Lex finally reached the outskirts of Smallville, an exhausted Chloe still sleeping in the seat beside him.

A quick decision had him heading in the direction of the mansion. He was quite certain that Gabe Sullivan would not appreciate being woke up at six in the morning, especially to find his boss of questionable virtue manhandling his unconscious daughter when she should still have been in Metropolis, tucked safely away in her motel room.

If only he knew. Chloe hadn&#39;t spent a single night in her motel room, because she&#39;d spent two (and a bit) of them in his bed. Strangely enough, he didn&#39;t think Gabe would be pleased to know about that little tidbit.

Lex pulled Chloe&#39;s car into the large drive and stepped out into the cold, morning air. Leaving her suitcase in the boot he lifted Chloe from the passengers seat and peered down at her, noticing that she was still out cold. Nothing would wake her now, even if threw her bodily over his shoulder and hefted her up the stairs to one of his many guestrooms.

Instead he held her unconscious form against him where her head rested against his chest, just below his chin. Wondering how she managed to weigh so little after digesting the snacks she had this weekend, he silently carried up the winding, marble staircase and to one of guestrooms just down from his own. He didn&#39;t want her waking up confused and disoriented, fighting her way through the numerous hallways and rooms of the large mansion. This way he&#39;d be aware when she was awake and at the same time, she would gain the space she so obviously needed. It seemed that spending nearly three days with him had finally taken its toll.

He slipped her beneath the covers of the bed and he watched in amusement as she burrowed herself deep beneath them. Closing the curtains against the glaring sun, he left her to rest and headed for his own room.

---

Monday

The next morning Lex was not in the least bit surprised to find that Chloe had already left. According to one of his staff, Miss. Sullivan had slipped out only a few hours after he had left the guestroom. It didn&#39;t surprise him. He knew she would have fled as soon as the opportunity presented itself, but what he hadn&#39;t counted on was sleeping so deeply that he hadn&#39;t hear her leave. Luthors never slept deeply or peacefully but here he was, only just arising to the mid-afternoon sun.

Strangely, Lex didn&#39;t feel well-rested. He felt unsettled, a little edgy, the way he always felt when he left certain things unresolved. The tension between himself and Chloe had not vanished. In fact, last night had only served to strengthen it and although the playboy had long since grown accustomed to such strain between himself and the people of Smallville, he wasn&#39;t sure he liked the riff that had pushed he and Chloe apart. He&#39;d grown far too fond of her for his liking but he was resolved to the fact that he deserved at least one friend - apart from Clark - who was able to refresh his appetite for life.

He needed to see her. Despite her blatant refusal to discuss what had occurred last night, he knew things would never again be comfortable between them if they didn&#39;t sort this out. He knew why it had happened - he&#39;d seen it happen a hundred times before - and he was well aware that Clark&#39;s obvious rejection of the young blonde had made her feel unwanted. She&#39;d kissed him to prove to herself that she could, that she didn&#39;t need Clark despite her dedication to him, and in a way Lex had been impressed, almost proud of her. She&#39;d taken the initiative, the first step in overcoming her infatuation with the farmboy and for that he had to admire her. But unfortunately she&#39;d taken a step in the wrong direction and Lex knew that such a leap would only end in misery for both of them. And he wasn&#39;t willing to let that happen.

He slipped on his coat and grabbed the keys to his Porsche. They would settle this now, today, whether Chloe wanted to or not.

---

Lex was surprised to find that Chloe hadn&#39;t gone to school that day. Leaving behind the empty Torch office, the young Luthor sped to the one place he knew she would be.

The Talon.

Of course, Chloe had never been a predictable person and the playboy was left standing at the coffee bar of the Talon, scanning the small crowd for the young blonde he knew he wouldn&#39;t find. For the first time that day he wondered why he hadn&#39;t expected her sudden and inappropriate disappearance.

She wasn&#39;t at the Torch and she wasn&#39;t at the Talon and unfortunately for Lex, that didn&#39;t leave him very many options.

Maybe she was at home, hiding. Or maybe she had gone to school today and she was still stuck in class.

Either way Lex was not pleased. There weren&#39;t many places for Chloe to go in Smallville, yet she&#39;d still managed to elude him. Damn her.

He left the Talon resigned, and just as he stepped out onto the sidewalk, he saw the familiar trio heading in his direction. Inwardly he smirked when he saw Chloe&#39;s eyes widen slightly at the sight of him but he quickly averted his gaze to a grinning Clark Kent who was greeting him enthusiastically.

"Lex."

"Hey Clark." He offered his own smile in return and nodded to Chloe and Pete, both of whom shot him a venomous scowl in return. He laughed inwardly.

"So how was Metropolis?" the young teen asked, pushing the door to the Talon open and peering back to look at Lex.

"It was... interesting," Lex replied, and grinned at Chloe who blushed furiously.

"Er, look guys, I think I&#39;ll take a raincheck on that coffee. I need to get ready for tonight," the young blonde suddenly said, already turning to head to her car before Lex had a chance to say anything.

Clark&#39;s brow furrowed and Pete shook his head as they both stepped into the Talon and headed for the coffee bar, the young Luthor in tow.

"What is with her today?" Pete questioned curiously. "She&#39;s been edgy all day."

"You know Chloe," Clark replied, "she&#39;s probably just psyched that she finally has a new case to work on."

"A new case?" Lex inquired.

Clark nodded. "Yeah, something to do with the cemetery. Apparently someone saw a corpse that shouldn&#39;t have been there."

"And let me guess, Miss. Sullivan has taken it upon herself to solve this mystery."

"Of course she has," Clark replied with a smile. "Although I&#39;m not sure I like the thought of her traipsing around the cemetery on her own." The teens smile dissolved into a worried frown before Pete slapped him heartily on the back.

"Don&#39;t worry, Clark. Chloe can look after herself, remember? And if this case she&#39;s working was dangerous we would have heard about it by now, right?"

The young farmboy offered his best friend a sceptical look. "I guess, but maybe I should go with her, just incase--"

"--do you honestly think Chloe wants you playing the hero? I got the impression she wasn&#39;t in the mood for your protective tendencies today, Clark," Pete reasoned, offering his friend a somewhat sympathetic look.

Lex smirked at that comment as he leant lazily against the coffee bar. "She&#39;ll be fine, Clark. Like Pete said, if she was involved in anything dangerous you would have heard about it by now."

Clark stared at him intently and then finally, reluctantly, he nodded. "You&#39;re right, she&#39;ll be fine."

Lex nodded. This was perfect. Not only would he find Chloe alone but there was no possible way she would be able to avoid him in the middle of a cemetery. It looked like the young blonde would have no choice but to talk to him and sort this out.

He smiled to himself. Chloe Sullivan would not elude him this time.

---

Several hours had passed since the sun had set on the leafy little hamlet that was Chloe Sullivan&#39;s home. It was almost eleven when she finally ventured out to the local cemetery, her trusty camera cradled between her glove-encased hands, supported by a thick, black strap around her scarf-clad neck.

For the third time in less than ten minutes she wondered what had possessed her to take up this case. There was no danger involved (the very element that made investigative reporting fun) and as far as she knew, it wasn&#39;t meteor-related. Just a plain ol&#39; ordinary case of body snatching.

Well, not literally of course. News had gotten around school about a body that had been unearthed the day before. A local had been visiting the cemetery just after dusk and had been horrified to find an exposed grave, the decaying limbs of a corpse protruding from the wet soil. There had been no signs of digging - as far as anyone could tell - and Chloe guessed that it had been the harsh winter rain that had worn the soil down to expose the horrid sight.

Okay, so nothing weird about that, except for two things. One, why had the body been so close to the surface? Rain, no matter how heavy, would not have been enough to disposition six feet of soil, and had in fact only removed a small amount from the grave. But the body had still been visible, albeit only barely, and that was definitely not normal. Neither was the fact that the body hadn&#39;t been in a coffin. This led Chloe to two conclusions: either the body had been dumped there intentionally to cover a murder, or the Smallville Funeral Parlour were seriously slacking when it came to routine procedures.

Chloe&#39;s investigative intuition pointed to the latter, because if the body had in fact been dumped there purposely, why had it been in the late stages of decomposition? It was highly doubtful that the body had been dumped there months ago, because Chloe had no doubt that it would have been unearthed long before now.

So her final conclusion, that the Funeral Parlour were in fact cutting costs, had led her to this particular moment in time, where she was stood shivering at the entrance of the cemetery, the Parlor to her far right a little down the road. She was debating whether to visit the crime scene first to take a few pictures, despite the fact that she already knew the finer details, or try the Funeral Parlor instead. She doubted anyone would still be working at this time - if there was, more the better for her - so she figured she could do a little snooping and a little snapping to see if she could unearth more than just a corpse.

First though, the cemetery.

She released her grip on her camera so it fell naturally against her chest, and pushed against one of the gates of the cemetery. She squeezed through the small gap, leaving it open behind her, and ventured silently into the yard.

Straight ahead, turn left, left again, straight up, turn right, should be directly to your right... bingo.

Chloe knelt down at the grave, ignoring the rain-soaked mud that covered her knees. She snapped a couple of pictures, nodding to herself as she went.

She&#39;d been right. The Authorities had already taken it upon themselves to dig the grave out in order to see whether a body had simply been dumped in an old grave, or if the actual occupant hadn&#39;t been lain to rest as they should have been. No coffin had been unearthed - this was obvious by the fact that they hadn&#39;t refilled the grave - which only meant one thing: the Smallville Funeral Parlour were cutting their costs when it came to packaging.

Chloe shook her head. This was unbelievable. Not only had they been stupid enough to cut corners but they didn&#39;t even have the intelligence to bury the body a little deeper below the surface.

The young blonde mouthed &#39;botch job&#39; and rose from the muddy ground, ignoring her stained trousers. She peered around the cemetery curiously and strolled lazily between the headstones, wondering if maybe this wasn&#39;t the only cost-cutting project in the yard. Maybe other graves had been exposed and no one had noticed. Maybe she could catch a grave digger in the process of dis--

--smack. She collided with something hard and warm and a small yelp escaped her. She jumped back a step and peered up with wild eyes to see a smug Lex Luthor stood with his hands buried in the pockets of his coat.

"Miss. Sullivan," he greeted politely, a mockery of the formality they had not long since shared.

After the initial shock wore off she narrowed her eyes and hissed, "what the hell are you doing here?"

Angrily, she stepped around him and started back towards the entrance. She wasn&#39;t in the mood for this right now. Another Luthor lecture was not top on her to-do list tonight and all she wanted to do was stop at the Parlour, get her evidence, and then go home to a nice, warm, cushiony bed. What she didn&#39;t need was Mr. I&#39;m-a-rich-bitch-so-all-ye-lowly-beings-should-bow-before-my-worldy-wisdom Luthor attempting to belittle her in the middle of a freezing cold cemetery. Strangely, it wasn&#39;t her idea of fun. Who&#39;d of thunk it?

Obviously Lex couldn&#39;t take the hint and she seethed silently as he walked beside her.

"I think you know why I&#39;m here," he answered blankly.

She stilled and whirled around sharply to face him."What is this?" she questioned fiercely. "Do you get your kicks out of tormenting teenagers, or do you just enjoy watching me squirm?"

"Chloe, you know that&#39;s not--"

"--save it, Lex. I&#39;m tired of hearing it," she cut him off, carrying on down the gravelled path of the cemetery. "Do you really think I want to listen to you telling me what a mistake I&#39;ve made? How I&#39;m just a confused little teenager looking to prove a point? No Lex, I don&#39;t want to hear it, because I&#39;ve heard it all before. So why don&#39;t you just go home and save us both a lot of time and patience."

He was silent for a second and the only sound that echoed in the dark cemetery was their soft footsteps.

Chloe spotted the front gates up ahead and sighed with relief, picking up her pace in an effort to escape Lex Luthor as soon and as quickly as possible.

"I came here for a reason, Chloe," the young Luthor finally confessed. "I came here to talk this out, because I didn&#39;t want this to ruin our friendship."

Chloe scoffed as she slipped through the gates, Lex following close behind. "Look, Lex, I know I messed up when I kissed you, but it was you that jumped to the wrong conclusions. I&#39;m prepared to let this go if you just accept the fact that this had nothing to do with Clark."

She spotted Lex&#39;s Porsche parked a little way up the street and rolled her eyes. Didn&#39;t this guy know the meaning of inconspicuous?

She turned towards him and added, "can you do that?"

Lex was silent, his head bowed beneath her gaze. She glared angrily and spun on her heels, heading towards the Funeral Parlour. She heard the sound of his expensive shoes hitting the pavement behind her and just as she was passing his car, she felt him grab her elbow, pulling her around so she was almost leant against the silver exterior of his Porsche.

He stared down at her, his eyes sharp and strangely angry. "Why did you kiss me?" he demanded tersely.

Chloe ignored the hand that still gripped her elbow and stared back with the same intensity. "Because I wanted to," she answered simply, fiercely.

"You wanted to?" Lex repeated blankly.

"Yes, I wanted to. Is that so hard to believe?"

Lex just shook his head, dropping his hand from her elbow and pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. "You&#39;re a fool, Chloe Sullivan," he whispered softly, almost as if he was talking to himself.

Chloe&#39;s reaction was sudden. Her body tensed and her fists clenched at her side. Jaw tight and eyes narrowed, she questioned in a dark, controlled hiss, "I&#39;m a fool?&#33; I&#39;m a fool? You&#39;re the one taking this so seriously, Lex&#33; I only kissed you, for God&#39;s sake&#33; I didn&#39;t get down on one knee and declare my undying love for you&#33; I kissed you... that&#39;s all. Is that so fuckin&#39; bad?"

He looked at her with flat, pitying eyes which only served to fuel her anger further. Quietly, softly, she said, "I haven&#39;t fallen madly in love with you, Lex, if that&#39;s what you&#39;re worried about. I&#39;m attracted to you, okay? I&#39;m sorry if it bothers you, but--"

"--Chloe, don&#39;t. Don&#39;t complicate things."

"Why? I&#39;m not expecting you to feel the same way. I just wanted you t--"

--suddenly and without warning, he gripped her forearms and pushed her forcefully against the car. Before Chloe could say anything he was kissing her, lips pressed hard against her own to muffle her cries of protest. The kiss was bruising and merciless in its onslaught, his mouth cold and harsh as his lips slid without passion along her own.

If someone else could see them now they&#39;d think this little scene romantic, but Chloe knew differently. Chloe knew the reason for his harsh, calculating kiss; knew that he only wished to scare her, to force her to back off and let go of whatever feelings she might have had for him. Unfortunately for him Chloe also knew that her attraction could not be simply switched off at his whim, despite his efforts.

He pulled away from her then, but his grip on her arms never loosened. He gazed at her with fierce, fiery eyes and in a controlled, icy voice he asked, "is this what you wanted? Is this what you were expecting when you kissed me, Chloe?"

She gazed at him intensely for a brief second, her eyes glazed with unshed tears. And then she turned and fled down the street, leaving behind a slightly aghast Lex Luthor.

---

It was nearly one in the morning when Lex reluctantly headed home after spending almost two hours in the silence of an empty Talon.

He had decided against following Chloe, well aware that it wouldn&#39;t have been the best choice to make. That, and he wasn&#39;t sure he could have handled seeing the look of disgust and disappointment decorating her youthful features.

Feeling fatigued and edgy, Lex slipped into the mansion without a sound and headed straight for his study, hanging his coat up on the way. He entered the small, homely room and almost tripped over his jaw when he saw Chloe napping quietly on his leather couch.

The young Luthor could safely say that he hadn&#39;t expected to see the blonde here, in his home, nevermind sleeping on his couch.

He leaned over to nudge her gently on the shoulder, and whispered softly, "Chloe. Chloe, wake up."

She groaned quietly and then her eyelids fluttered open to reveal sleepy-green eyes that stared up at him in mild surprise.

"You&#39;re home," she stated, sitting up and rubbing tiredly at her eyes. "I was beginning to think the grave digger had mistaken you for a corpse."

He shook his head in bemusement and sat down in the chair opposite her. "What are you doing here, Chloe?"

That had come out harsher than intended and he winced inwardly at the flash of pain that crossed her face.

"It&#39;s nearly one in the morning. Your father is probably going apeshit."

"I&#39;m a big girl, Lex," she replied defiantly, rising from the couch to pace restlessly across the room. "And I came here to talk to you. God knows why. Whenever we talk it never seems to end well."

"Look Chloe," he cut in, standing up to meet her pacing form, his hands characteristically buried in his pockets. "We&#39;re both tired. Why don&#39;t you head home and we&#39;ll talk about this another day."

"No," was her stern answer and she paused to stare at him, arms folded over her chest. "I heard you out tonight, now you hear me out. It&#39;s only fair."

Lex gazed at her intently. A part of him admired her for the obvious stubborn streak she possessed. He knew Chloe Sullivan wasn&#39;t a girl that easily backed down and this time he knew he wouldn&#39;t win. Chloe had something to say and he was going to hear it, whether he liked it or not.

He nodded warily. "Okay, Chloe, lets hear it."

"Okay," she breathed, and stepped around him, her hands making small, dramatic gestures in an obvious sign of agitation. She paced for a few seconds and then, satisfied with the comfortable distance that lay between them, she stilled and peered up at him uncertainly. "I know you think this whole," she wagged her hands about, "kissing thing had something to do with my infatuation with Clark, but I can promise you it didn&#39;t. And I know you don&#39;t like hearing it, but I am attracted to you, Lex. I can&#39;t just pretend I&#39;m not just to satisfy you and as tonight&#39;s little showdown proved, you can&#39;t use tasteless tactics to put me off."

She paused for a split second to take a deep breath and then continued, not giving him the time to cut in with a witty retort or a heavy dose of wisdom. "Now, if you&#39;d be gentleman enough to just stand there and accept the fact that I, Chloe Sullivan, am attracted to you, then I can get to the next part of this damn speech."

She stared up at him expectantly, waiting with baited breath so she could continue with the conversation she&#39;d been rehearsing since the maid had left her in the study to await the young Luthors return.

Lex didn&#39;t say anything. A minute passed, then another, and Chloe began to wring her hands impatiently.

Finally the playboy gave in. "Okay, fine. I accept that you&#39;re attracted to me."

"Good&#33;" she exhaled, grinning broadly before quickly recomposing herself so she could finish what she&#39;d started. "Okay. So we&#39;ve established that this whole attraction thing has nothing to do with Clark. It&#39;s purely a chemical thing, see? So anyway, I&#39;ve been thinking about something for a while now. In fact, I&#39;ve been thinking about it since Metropolis and I, personally, think it&#39;s a great idea. Now I know you might not feel the same way, but you have to hear me out first. I really think th--"

"--Chloe," Lex cut in with an exasperated breath, "just spit it out."

"Lex&#33; Stop being so impatient&#33; This is a very... very delicate matter, and I can&#39;t just blurt it out because you&#39;re getting antsy." She glared at him with narrow eyes. "So&#33; Before I tell you what this something is, you have to promise you&#39;ll hear me out first before you blow your lid. Deal?"

Reluctantly he nodded. "I promise."

"Okay, great. Now I&#39;ve put a lot of thought into this. This wasn&#39;t in any way a rash decision. I&#39;m a responsible adult, as you already know, and I have more intelligence in my pinky finger than most of my classmates put together. So please believe me when I say that I&#39;ve thought this through thoroughly and the good far outways the bad in this particular scenario. In fact--"

"--Chloe&#33;"

"Okay, fine&#33;" she burst out. "Don&#39;t get sassy&#33;"

He remained silent, his patience fast wearing thin as he waited. He noted the apprehensive look on her face and the uneasy shuffling of her body and probed in a low, tentative voice, "Chloe?"

She laughed nervously and offered him a shaky smile. "See, Lex--"

"--what is it?"

He heard her draw in a sharp breath and he looked across to see her staring at him with steady, determined eyes.

He waited for her to speak, and then, in a soft, confident voice, she said, "I want you to be my first."

---

I&#39;ll be writing the first chapter of the sequel as soon as I&#39;m done with chapter two of "Befallen". But for now I hope you enjoyed this one :)

tigerbaby
29th September 2003, 22:43
That was good. That was very good.

I can&#39;t wait for the sequel and Lex&#39;s reaction. Hopefully he&#39;s not going to be too much of an idiot and pretend he doesn&#39;t know what&#39;s she&#39;s talking about. Aaaand hopefully it won&#39;t take forever for her to convince him otherwise.

Val
30th September 2003, 02:31
Ok wow&#33; I didnt see that coming&#33;
I&#39;m really glad you&#39;re already working on the sequel, I loved this fic, really great and can&#39;t wait to read more&#33; :biggrin:

scifichick774
30th September 2003, 03:41
Oh - wow. So wasn&#39;t expecting that ending line. And I simply can&#39;t wait for the sequel. Love all your fics. :)

hfce
30th September 2003, 04:38
That was wow :ohmy: I wasnt expecting that. I can&#39;t wait until the sequel.


Hope :chlexsign2:

peepsRfun2eat
30th September 2003, 05:18
WHAT?&#33;&#33;??&#33;&#33;?&#33;?&#33;?&#33;? you stopped there&#33; why? :crygreen: i have to see what Lex will say and how he will react b/c well that was pretty fucking huge. great chapter, great story, great writing style, characters are very true (as is the story), i love this story, and you ended it there. you are truly :devil: . can&#39;t wait for the sequel. btw love this story and keep &#39;em coming.

Brittany
30th September 2003, 05:55
:ohmy: Oh my god, I loved it&#33;&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait for the sequel, so you best get on the ball&#33;&#33; I&#39;m really looking forward to seeing how Lex reacts, plus the promise of smut has me very excited&#33; :biggrin: Thanks bunches for the wonderful story and in advance for the sequel&#33;&#33;&#33; :worship2:

Tandy
30th September 2003, 07:22
This fic completely rocks&#33; Go Chloe&#33; And Lex better say yes or :hammer:

Wonderful fic thank you&#33; :blinkkiss:

Tandy

vardaquareien
1st October 2003, 10:25
:yay3: OMG&#33;&#33;&#33; How much can I not wait for the sequal&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; OOooooohhhh He&#39;d better say yes&#33; I really, really can&#39;t wait&#33;&#33;&#33; :yay3:

DawnieAngel
1st October 2003, 16:39
I&#39;m really sorry I didn&#39;t keep up the reviews with this fic while it was on going but it was really really good and i cant wait for the sequel and lex&#39;s reply&#33;

Savage Midnight
2nd October 2003, 18:07
Thanks for your reviews, guys. They make my day ;)

As for the sequel to this fic... it will probably be posted in the NC-17 section. I&#39;m not sure yet, though, because I&#39;m not one hundred percent certain how smutty the sequel is going to be. I&#39;m not a big smut writer (I&#39;ve only ever written two smutty fics in my life) so I need to decide how strong I&#39;m gonna make it. Keep an eye open, though, because I&#39;ll definitely be posting it on these boards ;)

sabby
3rd October 2003, 01:41
Yepp, Lex is definitely going to blow his lid as you put it. Cuz really, he likes her, he won&#39;t just go ahead and say sure I&#39;ll do it. I loved this story beginning to end and I can&#39;t wait to read the sequel.

hugs,
Sabby

Sab_Luthor
4th October 2003, 23:07
you know what
you are a beast and in a positive way
so update soon so i don&#39;t change my mind

lunaluthor
5th October 2003, 18:53
evil evil evil oh you are so lionelesque evil, I want to read more soon so start the sequel I&#39;m dying here :yay: :yay: :yay:

Blaire023
8th October 2003, 14:38
Well, atleast somebody knows how to stick to their ratings. Me? I just let Lex and Chloe screw all over my fics, even when they hate eachother.

Anywho, I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Can&#39;t wait for the sequel.

~B

Kit Merlot
8th October 2003, 18:33
I adore this fic. Chloe offering herself to Lex-TOO COOL :biggrin:

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

Sab_Luthor
2nd November 2003, 22:39
ok where is my update with the smutty
i want smut
so please update soon

Susie Q
7th November 2003, 23:56
*Poke* *Clears throat* *Poke Poke* So umm I believed you promised us a sequel? http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons/51.gif

Savage Midnight
8th November 2003, 02:18
I&#39;m sorry for the delay guys. There will be a sequel, I promise, but I&#39;ve only just got back from France I have homework/college to deal with first. After I&#39;ve written chapter five of "Befallen", I will be working on the sequel, so it should be here in the next few weeks.

Thanks for being patient ;)

randa
9th November 2003, 18:57
i loved it from beginning to end&#33;
cant wait for the sequel&#33;&#33;

randa

ladymichelle
16th November 2003, 05:19
I just found your story, I love it and can&#39;t wait to read the sequel&#33;

Michelle

gina
12th December 2003, 10:39
This is a truly amazing fic. You captured both Chloe and Lex&#39;s characters perfectly and the Chlex banter was great. And geez, what a way to end a story. Heh, I can&#39;t wait to see Lex&#39;s reaction.

I absolutely loved this and I am off to read the sequel now&#33; :yay:

carebear72884
13th December 2003, 00:41
wow, that is a really evil place to leave a story off, lucky for me i waited until you wrote the sequal to read the first part, btw, great job...*runs of to read sequal*

darkangel
15th July 2005, 05:10
this was a very nice fic. i am looking forward to reading the seqeuel.

Thaís
21st February 2006, 20:21
Well, I just have one thing to say to you... Thank God you wrote a sequel to this really interesting story. You really portrayed Chloe an Lex so beautifully and realisticly that I just want to read more and more and more!!!!
Please continue with the wonderful work, and write much more of these wonderful stories for us, will you?!?!

persephone47
22nd February 2006, 16:48
Great story, I can't wait to read the sequel.

sinecure
18th May 2006, 10:57
Nice story. I like the build-up of friendship to attraction, at least on Chloe's end. I'm convinced he feels the same, only because I'm a geek that way. Now, I'm off to read the sequel that I really hope you got around to writing, but since I haven't checked yet, I'm not sure it's out there. Eek.

Nikiys
23rd May 2006, 11:06
Yeah..
u wrote such a nice story

btw...
where the sequel??
i want to read it!!

tell me
please!!

jafrizbee
26th May 2006, 06:51
Great story, I loved the way you showed how Lex and Chloe respect each other so much in their interactions. Off to find the sequel...