Back from the Dead (PG-13/R)- CHAPTER 27 plus Epilogue (Aug 17, 2010)

[lexie]

SUMMARY: Almost three years have gone by since Lionel´s murder trial but its effects are far from over for everyone involved. A mysterious meeting in Star City resurrects hidden skeletons and wakes up many ghosts.

AUTHOR: Lexie

RATING: PG-13/R

DISCLAIMER:all Superman and Smallville characters belong to DC Comics and Gough & Millar. No infringement's intended.

A/N: I´m breaking a golden rule of mine here by starting to post a fic that I haven´t finished writing yet. Why? My muse needs a serious boost to keep writing the multi-chaptered stories I love penning. I´ve got enough material so far to give you regular updates every ten days for three months- that´s something, isn´t it? Hope this decision won´t end up biting me in my behind.

Feedback will make my day and push my muse to keep on writing beyond the three months.

ETA: The three-month deadline was reached last October. We're in August of the following year and the fic is done! Mission accomplished!

http://i63.tinypic.com/a0xro5.jpg


Banner by Esther25jm. Thanks for being so generous!


CHAPTER I: Ghosts

STAR CITY- A HOUSE IN THE SUBURBS

Chloe. The name suited her, but so did Karen- the name that had been on her social security card when she had been rushed into the ER of Star City Memorial that fateful summer. For almost three years now she had been `his´ Karen, his wife and the mother of the two-year old who was the apple of his eyes.

She had entered his life unannounced and for the first time in years had made him feel really useful, enabled him to aid someone in a way that actually mattered. He had tended to her wounds and burns with his skilful surgeon hands and sometime along the way he had fallen in love with her; and his love and tender care had helped her survive the anguish of losing a life she had no memory of and cope with the physical pain caused by an explosion nobody could find a reason for.

The reason had come knocking at his door two days ago and he dreaded what it might entail for, even though he had never seen the man face-to-face before then, he knew the kind and was certain his threats weren´t to be taken lightly. His first instinct had been to pack up their things and take his family away where no one could find them, a place where he could still be a loving husband and father to the two most important women in his life, but he was aware it would have been futile to try to hide from such a man.

“Hi,” murmured the sleepy young blond flashing him a lazy smile.

“Hi,” he responded quietly, feeling a big lump in his throat.

“What´s wrong?” she asked in a raspy voice.

“Nothing you should worry about,” he smiled weakly, leaning down to press a
soft kiss on her lips before standing up next to their king-sized bed.

“Are you sure? I know when you aren´t being completely honest with me, Phil,” she said, sitting up and grabbing his hand before he could turn away.

“I´ve got surgery this morning and it isn´t one of those nose jobs or breast enhancements I used to do before I met you. I always get jitters whenever I do reconstructive surgery. They go away once I´m in the OR but...”

“Your patient´ll be in the best of hands,” she cut him off.” I´m proud of you, Phil. You´ve managed to get from under your dad´s shadow and make a name for yourself on your own merits.”

He looked at his wife in her long-sleeved cotton sleepwear and thought of the other women who had been in his life before she entered that ER- well-endowed girls with whom to have a good time no strings attached and who used their bodies to get what they wanted. She was nothing like those women, and she had changed his empty life the moment she opened her deep green eyes when coming out of the anaesthesia. He hadn´t seen the blinding smile for which he woke up every morning until months later but, by then, his heart was already captive of the strong-willed blond. Now the life they had built together was being threatened by her past- a past of which she was oblivious and about which he had just learnt. And Phil swore to himself, once he had found out who the man was and what role he had played in her life, that the bastard would never come close to her again.

Chloe got up while Phil was in his study going over his patient´s medical records and plugged in the Italian coffee maker her husband had given her as a gift last Christmas. Breakfast was always a special meal for them since he rarely came home for lunch, preferring to grab something to eat at the hospital cafeteria or to have some homemade snack in his office. It was early in the morning when she could share with him the latest news about baby Laura or the book she was currently working on. Although she could remember almost nothing about her past, there was something she´d always known, she loved the thrill of researching and writing, and that passion had helped her rediscover who she was beyond the name she had never felt to be her own.

Baby Laura was sleeping soundly in her bed when Phil entered her room on his way to the kitchen. She looked so innocent and healthy, completely alien to the threat which was hovering over them. Sitting down on the bed Phil brushed a few strands of blonde hair off the girl´s face and, leaning down, pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Phil, breakfast´s ready,” murmured Chloe from the doorway as he tucked Laura in. “Are you sure everything´s OK?” she asked him once again, when he left the door ajar.

“Everything´s fine, sweetheart. Let´s have an energising cup of that amazing coffee you´ve brewed, and we´ll discuss how the research for your new book´s going.”

“I didn´t know what you wanted to have this morning so I saved you a piece of chocolate cake and a couple of Danish pastries I brought from the coffee shop yesterday,” she told him, laying a plate with the bakery treats on the table and going back to the work top for the coffee.

“You´ve hit the jackpot with this new caterer. I´ve never had a chocolate cake that tasted this heavenly,” he moaned, savouring the spongy dessert.

“That´s because you´ve never tasted Martha´s baking,” she smiled, sipping her frothy mug of java.

“Martha?” he echoed, shooting her a questioning look.

“Did I say Martha?” she asked with a frown.

“Yes, that´s what you said. Is she someone you used to know before we met?” he said, adding a spoonful of sugar to his coffee.

“I don´t know where that came from,” she shook her head.” Maybe ... She must be, I suppose. I´m not friends with any Martha at present.”

“You know what Dr Spencer said, Karen. Memories might come back gradually. Your mind´ll know when the time´s right.”

“I´ve been having some strange dreams lately,” she told him, shuffling on her seat.

“What kind of dreams?” he asked her, wondering if she´d already started remembering what he wished she didn´t.

“Disconnected things, actually. I see myself in a small office... there are a couple of computers, a filing cabinet and... a huge bulletin board on one of the walls... it´s covered with newspaper clips. I feel happy there... as if it were the only place where I really belonged,” she explained with a far distant look.

“What else do you remember about this ... office?” he egged her on.

“There was a black bird in a poster... a crow, maybe? A couple of nights ago I dreamed I was standing in the middle of that office and everything was in pieces- as if there had been a break-in. I knelt down and picked up what I think was a... copy of a high school newspaper. I woke up before I could make out the name,” she responded with a hint of frustration in her voice.

“I´m sure that...” he began saying only to be interrupted by the front door bell.

“It´s half past seven. Who could it be so early in the morning?” she frowned, starting to get up from her chair.

“Stay,” he told her, resting a hand on hers to detain her. “I´ll see who it is. In the meantime, why don´t you pick me a tie to wear with this new shirt, OK?” he added, smiling and giving her a peck on her lips.

“Something to lift your spirits or to put you at ease?” she cocked her eyebrow, picking up her mug to rinse it in the sink.

“You know me better than anyone. You´ll know what I need,” he responded from the threshold as he made his way to the hall.

As soon as he reached the front door he drew one of the white voile curtains aside and took a peek outside. There was a long black limousine parked in front of the house, an incongruous presence in the middle-class neighbourhood they had chosen to live in when they got married and he decided to prioritise his work at the public hospital. Phil felt a sudden clench in his gut when he spotted the man standing in his porch- he hadn´t waited long.

“What are you doing here?” hissed Chloe´s husband on opening the door.

“Dr Fairchild, I thought we´d agreed you´d give me a call,” answered the man who´d been haunting Phil´s thoughts the last couple of days.

“There was no such agreement. I want you to leave my family alone,” he replied, coming out onto the veranda and closing the door firmly behind them.

“I´m afraid that won´t be possible. You´ve got something I want. Why make things more difficult than they already are? This isn´t the kind of life you´ve always been used to, Dr Fairchild. Just name your price,” he said tersely, slipping his hand into his overcoat to take out his chequebook.

“Keep your filthy money. I´ve got everything I want and need right here,” Phil spat at him. “My family´s not for sale.”

“Isn´t there some place quieter to discuss this? I´m afraid we´re attracting your neighbour´s attention,” said the man, shooting a glance around them.

Phil caught a glimpse of Chloe at one of the living-room windows and decided it´d be better to move this tête-à-tête elsewhere before she came out of the house and things got uglier.

“Come this way,” he murmured, leading the unwelcome visitor to the garage.

Chloe looked at the clock on the mantelpiece and saw it was five to eight- time for her to start getting ready for work. She climbed up the stairs to the master bedroom wondering who that limousine might belong to and what was so urgent that couldn´t be conducted at Phil´s surgery later in the afternoon- her husband had cut down his private practice, but he still kept an office in the city centre where he saw to the patients who required reconstructive surgery and could pay for his services.

“Mummy?” came Laura´s voice.

“What´s wrong, sweetie?” asked Chloe, stepping into her child´s room

“Thirsty,” replied the girl sitting up on her bed and rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“I´ll give you some water and you can go on sleeping, OK. Mummy´ll wake you up when breakfast´s ready,” said Chloe, grabbing the girl´s Winnie-the-Pooh sippy glass and filling it up.

She turned off the washbasin tap and looked at herself in the mirror-she needed a haircut. Maybe she would ask Jerry to cover her for two hours at the till so that she could stop by the hairdresser´s; after all she was the coffee house owner. Yes, she could even take her notepad along and continue the draft for her new book while sitting in the hairdresser´s chair. She smiled and, switching off the light in the bathroom, turned around to walk back into the room. It was at that moment, when the clock struck eight, that two shots were heard and the sippy glass ended on the floor- its content dampening the little girl´s carpet.

METROPOLIS- LUTHORCORP PLAZA

Lex was in the middle of a board meeting when his assistant informed him he had an urgent call. The young billionaire knew Jennifer well enough to conclude the interruption had to be warranted; the young woman would never dare enter a room where he was doing business unless she´d been summoned.

“Luthor,” he said, picking up the handset in the privacy of his own office.

“Sorry for interrupting you, sir. We´ve got bad news, I´m afraid,” replied LuthorCorp´s head of security.

“Was there another break-in?” he asked, massaging the tense muscles of his neck and wondering what made the leaguers in their fancy costumes think they were anything other than terrorists.

“Not today, sir. This call is about that other matter you´ve asked us to keep an eye on,” responded the veteran professional gravely.

“What about it?” he asked the employee, feeling the bile suddenly rise up to his throat.

“You´ve got to fly to Star City, Mr Luthor,” responded the security guy after a slight pause.

“I´m in the middle of an important negotiation, Harris. I´m paying you to handle things. What´s so urgent that requires my being there?”

“He´s dead, sir,” replied the employee in a serious tone.

“Dead?” echoed Lex, gripping the handset tightly. “What happened?”

“He was shot twice in the lower abdomen. He died almost instantly, sir.”

“What was he doing in Star City, Harris?”

“We followed him to a middle-class neighbourhood and stayed under cover.”

“A middle-class neighbourhood?” Lex repeated, thinking that wasn´t the place he´d have envisioned for such a demise- a dark alley in an uninhabited part of town or maybe an empty warehouse on the pier would have been more fitting.

“Do you have a name for me?” he added in a controlled voice.

“Fairchild. Dr Philip Fairchild- a plastic surgeon at Star City Memorial. We still don´t know what kind of business they had.”

“Where are you calling from?”

“We´re stationed a few yards away from the doc´s house... just across the street. The coroner´s ready to leave and CSI´s working on the scene.”

“Tell McCormack to wait for me at the helipad. I´ll be there within the hour,” said an impassive Lex, ending the conversation.

TBC

[Kit Merlot]

This is a damn interesting beginning, and I have a ton of questions:

Who was the man who was shot? He seems to have discovered that Phil was convincing Chloe she was his wife, which is pretty sick. Was the man working for Lex?

So, yes, please continue as soon as you can and let us know what is going on;)

[hfce]

What? ::/: I don't understand was Phil dirty? Did Lex have something to do with it? Why didn't Lex take care of her when she first got injured? Why isn't that child Lex and Chloe's. :( You got a lot of explaining to do missy. :wth:
Update now please... ;)

[ChloeLovesLex]

Oh wow. Very interesting. How is all of this going to affect Chloe? How will Lex handle seeing her again? Update us soon.

[tatie87]

A very interesting start to a new story. I really want to find out how Chloe ended up in Star City and with Phil the surgeon. Can't wait to read more of this fic.

[Fouzia]

I really like the beginning!!!
I hope you update soon!!!! thank you!!

[Gaia]

Interesting. And I am loving it. So the man dead...Lionel? Trying to find Chloe in order to kill her maybe?
Can't wait for more!

[chounette]

Well, very interesting beginning .....
And can't wait to see lex's reaction when he will discover that chloe is alive
The question is the chlid is Lex or Phil ?? I bet on Lex.....because :
a) if she's Phil....well it means chloe got pregnant at the very beginning of their relation and....well she was injured wasn't she ?
b) Phil said that she was "his Karen, his wife" but "the mother of the two-year old who was the apple of his eyes.".....not the mother of his child

And as much as I want to see chloe and lex together, I think it's would be unfair to put Phil in jail for lionel's murder

If you have already written the next why do we have to wait TEN days for reading it

Please please update

[Booksketeer]

Really great beginning to a really interesting story! Very original. I'm wondering if it was Lionel who killed Phil? At least, that's who I think died, right? Very awesome. I thought the girl was Phil's, until I read the other reviews...sneaky plot twist. Can't wait for the next chapter. :)

[malugargula]

Wow, that`s really interesting...
Who was shot??? Lionel??? I`m soooo curious
Is Laura Lex`s child???
I can`t wait for more

[autumngold]

i feel so bad for Chloe's husband!! I'm so glad that he killed Lionel to protect her and his baby!! Now, though, I feel sorry for him!! What is going to happen to him and Chloe's marriage when she meets up with her old life?!! Fabulously wonderful beginning to your new story!! Can't wait to read more!! Please update soon!! ;)

[toryjhay]

great start!!! This one left me filled with so much questions that I am anxious to know the answers to!!! Chloe all married! And not knowing who she truly is, man! Hopefully you'll update soon!!!!

[lexie]

Thank you all for your encouraging reviews. I´ve got to say I´ve had a really nice time reading your comments and conjectures. Some of them are pretty off the mark:rofl:and some of them are "warm":grin3:- others made me ask:"Where did that idea come from?" :eek:

All in all great feedback, girls.

I know you want me to update soon and, maybe I´m being mean, but I´ve got to stick to my plan to make sure there´ll be continuous updates. You know I´ve never done this before and I want to ensure that, at least, I´ll preserve part of my golden rule "never to leave my readers hanging".

As I told you in my foreword, I´ve got enough material on paper to post for 3 months every ten days and I´ve been penning some more. However, my very hectic schedule is starting again next Monday and the last part of the year is going to be really hard on us teachers and tutors in Argentina because of the amount of lessons that have been lost due to strikes/holidays and the Swine Flu epidemic that has struck my country rather hard (our death and infection rate is second after the States). We´ll be pressured to try to recover the time that was lost- an impossible feat, you can´t beat time, but we´ll be pressured anyway (on top of the usual stress of the end of the school/university year).

So... a new update will be up on August 6th- as promised.

In the meantime, you can check out my latest Post-Doomsday one-shot, The Top of the World (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/showthread.php?p=249514#post249514), and my recent Season 8/9 trilogy (From Afar (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/showthread.php?t=7019), Mirror (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/showthread.php?t=7041) and Lean on Me (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/showthread.php?t=7058)), if you haven´t read them yet.

Thanks a bunch for your support!:blinkkiss

[Linda]

Oh Wow what an amazing start. I thought it was Lex at the door but obviously not. Wonder what Chloe/Karen will do now. Since Chloe is starting to come back will her investigative skills kick in?

One thing you can possibly clear up did Chloe get hurt in the explosion in the safe house or somewhere else? This would make her just about 20 in present day yes?

Can't wait until 6th August - you do know that it is more that a week until then don't you?

:)

[ripsconscullmin]

Very intriguing. I'm hooked. Looking forward to reading more so that I get answers to all my questions. How have the intervening years affected Lex? Did Lionel serve time without Chloe's testimony? Did he still have his epiphany? What made him turn up now (I'm assuming that was Lionel)? Had he only just located her or had he waited for an opportune moment? Was he planning on harming her or using her against Lex? Does the child belong to Lex and did Lionel know? What will Lex's reaction be to finding Chloe? So many questions.

Gotta say. Phil, not really feeling sorry for him. In fact, I'm slightly disturbed by him. A doctor that would form a romantic relationship with a patient with amnesia so soon after the patient presents is not exactly someone I would trust. Also, the mention of his father and having to get out from under him felt to me like more than the usual child finding his own way in the world growing pains. Who is his father and what type of man is he? Or maybe I'm reading too much into that. Though, that situation makes him a bit like Lex, so I'm thinking that's what drew Chloe to him.

Anyway, can't wait to read the next update! And good luck with your lessons and the rest of the school term!

[lexie]

You´ve made more than my week; you´ve made my ten-day week! Yes, Linda I know there are more than seven days till August 6th, but I´ve got to keep my resolve.:D

Love to see how many questions this chapter alone has raised in you all. You´ll get some answers in my next posting, and a whole load of new questions.:P

[veronica525]

This is interesting, I really like it so far and I have a ton of questions too.

It doesn't look like Phil is tricking Chloe, I think she just doesn't remember her past and has moved on the best she could. I think her relationship with Phil is sweet, but of course I want her to be with Lex.

I'm thinking the dead man is Lionel.

Was Chloe pregnant by Lex before the explosion or is baby Laura Phil and Chloe's??

Love it so far! Thanks for sharing your talent with us :)

[lexie]

Welcome to the thread, Veronica.

Thanks for taking the time to leave some feedback. Well... I can promise to answer one of your questions in my following posting, the rest will take a longer while to arrive.:D

[starmoon]

very interesting and great start. i hope the baby is lex's and they end up happly together.

[lexie]

very interesting and great start.

I´m glad that the introductory chapter hooked you.:blinkkiss


i hope the baby is lex's and they end up happly together.

You know I´m a sucker for happy or, at least, hopeful endings- so that I think I can promise you. ;)

[lexie]

A/N: Here´s the promised update a few hours before the 6th. Enjoy it and make it last till August 16th when the following chapter´ll arrive.:D

CHAPTER 2: The Past Knocks at the Door

STAR CITY- THE FAIRCHILDS´ LIVING ROOM

Two hours had gone by since the shooting and the detective in charge of the investigation was sitting in the cosy living-room of the Fairchilds trying to get a statement from the young widow. Half an hour ago the paramedics had given her a sedative to help her with the shock and now that it had started to kick in, the police officer wanted to get some answers that might shed some light on the fatal incident.

It was evident that both men had struggled for possession of the gun- a fight which ended with two bullets in the older man´s abdomen and a fatal wound accidentally inflicted on the young man´s body when he tripped and hit his head against a work bench. However, the detective was more interested in the why than in the how, and the fact that a prominent but infamous Metropolis name was involved in the crime didn´t bode well.

“Mrs Fairchild, I know how difficult this must be for you, but I need to ask you a few questions,” the detective told Chloe after she downed a glass of icy-cold water with shaky fingers.

“There isn´t much to say, detective,” she choked as tears welled up in her eyes. “What did that man want with my husband?” she asked, wiping the tears away with the heel of her hands.

“Have you ever heard of... “ the policemen started to ask when a cultured, well-modulated voice was heard in the background.

“ Who´s the officer in charge?” Lex asked a rookie, who was standing at the front door.

“Would you excuse me for a just a minute, madam?” the detective told Chloe as he got up from the armchair and crossed the living-room towards the entrance.

“I´m sorry, sir. You´ll have to wait outside,” the rookie tried to stall Lionel Luthor´s first born.

“It´s all right, agent,” interrupted the detective, recognising the tall patrician man as LuthorCorp´s CEO.”I´ll deal with him. Mr Luthor, I´m Detective Straub- the officer in charge of the murder investigation. I´m sorry for your loss,” the veteran law enforcer said, stepping out onto the veranda and shaking hands with the billionaire.

Lex clasped the older man´s hand in his and took a mental note to request an in-depth profile of the officer to make sure he wasn´t on Lionel´s payroll.

The twenty-six-year-old wanted to discover not just what his father had been doing in Star City, but also what had finally got him killed. Lex had toyed with the idea of hiring a hit man after the safe house explosion in which both Gabe and Chloe had lost their lives; but murder would have been too humane an ending for Lionel Luthor. No, the young CEO had had plans to make Lionel suffer for putting an end to the lives of a man Lex had grown to look up to as a father figure and a young woman who had made him want to be a better man. During the last three years he had had his father followed and investigated in an attempt to build up a new case that could secure his life-imprisonment. Now it seemed all his efforts had been in vain for Dr Fairchild had robbed Lex of the pleasure of putting his dad behind bars and throwing the key. And the young billionaire had to know why.

“Thank you, Detective Straub. Although it´s common knowledge my father and I haven´t been on speaking terms for years.”

“How did you find out about the crime so soon? We´ve barely identified one of the victims as your father,” asked the detective with a puzzled look.

“The fact that we were estranged doesn´t mean we didn´t keep tabs on each other, Detective. When you run a multimillion dollar corporation such as mine you always have to be one step ahead of those that might pose a threat to your empire and your own security. You don´t need me to explain to you the circumstances under which I gained control of LuthorCorp; it was pasted on the front page of every major newspaper around the country,” responded Lionel´s heir, boring his intense blue-grey eyes into the policeman.

“Right,” assented the older man with a tight smile. “Tell me, do you happen to know what your father was doing in Star City and why he called upon Dr Fairchild?” he added as Lex´s eyes strayed to an exquisite portrait which was hanging on the wall immediately behind the officer. “Mrs Fairchild is a beautiful woman, isn´t she? It´s a tragedy for someone so young to be left a widow and a single mum in the bargain,” said the policeman, turning around to observe what had called the billionaire´s attention.

Lex felt a sudden pressure in his chest and a bout of breathlessness he hadn´t experienced since the days of his asthma attacks. Although the professional photograph didn´t show the Chloe he had known- there was something different about her- she had her bone structure and those unforgettable hazel green eyes he´d have recognised anywhere. On seeing the portrait Lex´s first thought was he must be dreaming- maybe projecting on the picture the hurt he had endured when he had failed to protect her and Gabe and started on a dark path which he´d sworn he´d never take. However, his eyes weren´t playing tricks on him- it had to be her; she was even wearing the St Christopher´s medal he had a Florentine artisan make especially for her.

It took every ounce of his Luthor-ingrained self-control and impassiveness to pretend in front of the detective that he hadn´t recognised the young woman who meant more than a mere acquaintance to him.

“She´s a charming young lady indeed,” responded a poker-faced billionaire. “Were there any witnesses?” he asked, looking back at the detective.

“That´s what we´re trying to assess. I understand your need for answers, but I don´t think your presence here would help matters considering... “

“You´re right. I´ll meet you at the station. In any case, I´ll stay in town until my father´s body is released,” complied Lex, handing him his business card and curving his urge to barge into the house and see with his own eyes he´d been lied to three years ago.

“If you´ll excuse me now, I´ve got to finish taking a statement. You´ll get news from me as soon as my report´s ready,” the officer told him, shaking hands at the door. “Don´t let anyone in, Shaeffer,” he told the rookie once Lex was out of earshot. “No one, you hear me?” he said gravely, thinking his first hunch hadn´t been wrong; there was something big behind these two deaths.

“Harris, I want a security detail on Mrs Fairchild 24-7,” Lex snapped on his mobile. ”Be discreet,” he added, remembering how difficult it used to be to have Chloe under protective surveillance with her knack for detecting his security like a bloodhound. “I want a report on her moves twice a day,” he finished, getting into his rented BMW convertible.

What was it that you wanted with her after so many years, dad? What could have driven a well-respected citizen and prominent member of the medical community to murder you and run the risk of losing his young family by going to prison?

Lex fastened his seatbelt and, leaning back against the headrest to relieve the tension in his neck, closed his eyes. He´d have to plan something to keep Lana away for a few days- maybe a trip to Amsterdam to see that Vermeer exhibition he´d read about. He needed time to process that Chloe wasn´t dead and to prepare himself for their first tête-à-tête now that the reason for her staying in the witness protection programme was gone. If need be, his impending nuptials would be put off... indefinitely.

Lex knew he´d never loved the brunette the way he did Chloe, but the former cheerleader was someone he could mould at will, and that fact had provided him with the illusion he was the one in control, when the truth was his world had begun to spiral down the day the safe house was blown up and he lost the two people who had become his compass.

“Jennifer, I need you to pull up a file,” he ordered his assistant on the hands-free while he put the key in the ignition of his sports car. “173. Phone me when you´ve found it and give me the address. And, Jennifer... get Miss Lang a suite at the Hilton in Amsterdam and make all the arrangements to guarantee her VIP treatment at the Vermeer exhibition. Tell McCormack I won´t be needing him and that I want him to fly Miss Lang to The Netherlands. Yes, that´ll be all for now. No, that won´t be necessary, I´ll phone her myself,” he concluded, taking off the earpiece and stopping at a red light on his way to the LuthorCorp´s condo.

METROPOLIS OUTSKIRTS- LATER THAT DAY

Lex pulled up his rented car opposite the old warehouse-turned-tenement and took the key off the ignition. The drive from Star City to his hometown had taken him just a couple of hours on the motorway and had helped him ease part of the tension that had gathered during his interview with the police and later on with the coroner.

There were still the CSI ballistic reports to complete and the evidence from the crime scene was being currently processed at the Star City Police Department Labs. However, the fact that there weren´t any eyewitnesses or that whoever might have happened to see or hear anything wasn´t willing to talk- no surprise at all, taking into account the identity of one of the victims- convinced Lex he himself would have to conduct a parallel investigation to discover what had happened in that garage and, more importantly, what Lionel had threatened Fairchild with.

Looking out of the passenger´s window the young CEO fastened his eyes on the second floor, where the lights were on. Jennifer had phoned him over two hours ago to give him the address he had requested, the address of a man he hadn´t set eyes on since the morning Lionel was acquitted when Chloe failed to appear in court.

Even though Lex knew what he had seen in that portrait, his inquisitive mind gave him no rest. He needed to talk to her, see her in the flesh to convince himself it wasn´t just a dream, but he couldn´t rush things and spoil it all. He had to plan their first meeting carefully. Meanwhile, he´d gather information on the late doctor and his young widow.

Security in the tenement wasn´t particularly strong- a weakness which allowed the billionaire to slip in through the front door without alerting the unsuspecting tenant of his visit. Although he kept fit with an hour´s training in the gym every morning and had fencing and boxing practice three times a week, Lex didn´t feel like chasing an uncooperative contact down those rusty fire escape ladders. `Strike when the victim least expects it.´ That was his motto.

Climbing up two narrow staircases he arrived on the floor where he was sure he´d get some of the answers he was looking for. Walking along the poorly-lit corridor he arrived at apartment #23 and rang the bell, making sure to step aside so that he couldn´t be seen clearly through the peephole. The noise of a dead bolt and then a chain was heard before the door opened just a crack. Seeing the window of opportunity the billionaire put one of his feet in the gap to prevent the man from slamming the door on his face and, leaning his body heavily against it, he pushed with all his might barging into the apartment and grabbing the former FBI agent by the shirt.

“We´ve got to talk,” gritted Lex, kicking the door shut and slamming Loder against the wall.

“I´m done with you Luthors. You cost me my job. What else do you want from me?” spat the forty-something resisting Lex´s tight grip.

“Your incompetence cost you your job. I just signed your sentence and I´ll do a lot more if you don´t answer my questions to my satisfaction,” he responded, dragging him to a chair. “Chloe Sullivan”

“I´ll tell you what I told you three years ago. Both Miss Sullivan and her father died in the explosion. You saw the dental records yourself.”

“We both know they were fake. What did he have on you?” asked Lex through clenched teeth.

“I don´t know what you´re talking about, Luthor. You´ll just have to accept...” he began replying only to be cut off by Lionel´s first born.

“Don´t try my patience, Loder. My father´s dead now. Whatever hold he had on you is gone. Now tell me... did he come to see you before he died?” said Lex tensely.

The former agent seemed to relax a little as the news of Lionel Luthor´s demise sunk in and he eyed the intimidating heir at close range.

“He paid me a visit six months ago,” confessed the man.

“What did he want?”

“He was also interested in Miss Sullivan. I told him what I told you... but he was adamant. He forced me to... reveal the new identity the FBI had provided her with.”

“And you gave it to him?” exploded Lex. “I was right to have you fired. And I´m starting to think I should have done a lot more.”

“I did nothing wrong. After all she was dead. She was no longer part of the programme. What use was there in my keeping that information to myself?” shrugged the man.

“You have the blood of another innocent man in your hands. You drove my father to her again. You left her a widow and a small child fatherless. If only you hadn´t been so sloppy when you were supposed to be protecting Miss Sullivan and her dad.”

“She´s... she´s... alive?” mumbled the man with an appalled look on his face.

“I commend you for your intuition, Loder. Not that my father would have told you anything but... do you happen to have any idea why he was suddenly interested in locating Miss Sullivan?” he asked ironically.

“She must have had something he wanted,” replied the former agent, getting up from the chair and rubbing his neck.

“I surmised that much,” he glared.

“I swear I don´t know what it was,” responded the retired agent tightly.

“We both know the body that´s lying in Smallville´s cemetery isn´t Miss Sullivan´s. You´ll tell me now who took her away from the safe house after the explosion and kept her buried for three years.”

He had had a suspicion of who the person behind the cover-up might be and Loder just confirmed it. He felt an inordinate rage at finding out he´d been kept in the dark for so long. Lex had never been one to put up well with betrayal; however, this one time he was willing to rein in his fury and wait for the man to explain his decision. Lex wanted to hate the traitor for having robbed him of happiness or, at least, of the relief of knowing Chloe was alive; and still... deep in his heart he knew he might have made a similar choice in his shoes.

Lex unlocked the car with his remote and, as he got in, dialled his office number on his mobile.

“Jennifer? I need you to compile a dossier on Mr and Mrs Philip Fairchild. I want to know everything there´s to know about them, starting with how they met, how long they went out before they got married, where they work, who their friends are and their... enemies. Leave no stone unturned. I´m particularly interested in knowing if the late doctor had any connections with LuthorCorp, any of my father´s ghost companies or old associates. Send the information to my laptop. I´ll be staying in Star City until the day after tomorrow. No, I´ll have him cremated. My mother´s memorial is not to be disturbed,” he finished gravely, snapping the phone shut and screeching away into the night.

TBC

ETA: By the way, thanks to those of you who voted my story and helped me win last month´s challenge- The Safe House. If you haven´t read it yet, you´ll find the link in my signature.

[Booksketeer]

Great chapter Lexie! I'm glad you made it clear that both of them died; I thought it was either Lionel or Fairchilde, not both. I'm a little happy that the good doctor died, for two reasons; one, it seems he took advantage of Chloe's state of mind when he began courting her, and two, well-it's just another roadblock to the Chlex gone. lol. Very interesting story, I like the plot and the questions each chapter really make you think about. Great job!

[hfce]

Woo hoo this was great!! I love the mystery and cant wait until Lex solves it.

I am so glad the good doctor is dead to bad he is the daddy. I hate how he was able to deceive poor Chloe. Both her and her kid are innocent victims. :wth:

I want more please... :D

[malugargula]

It gets better and better
:)
I`m so happy that Lex already found out Chloe is alive. I can`t wait to see their first meeting
About Lana... I hope she stays in Amsterdam forever
LOL

[Fouzia]

I love this story but i want more!!!!
Update soon please!!!

[autumngold]

Was I ever stupid with my guesses before on what happened between Lionel and the doctor! I should have realized that with the doctor alive there wouldn't have been a chance for Lex and Chloe. It's kind of sad to see that Lex is repeating his mistakes with Lana in your universe, even if he at least seems to be smart enough here to know that Lana isn't who he really wants. This is such a great story! I can't wait to read more!

[tatie87]

This story is getting more and more interested. Lex is engaged to Lana, scary. I can't wait to find out why Lionel was so interested in Chloe again, after 3 years.

[Kit Merlot]

Somehow this update has left me with more questions then I had before:P


maybe projecting on the picture the hurt he had endured when he had failed to protect her and Gabe and started on a dark path which he´d sworn he´d never take. However, his eyes weren´t playing tricks on him- it had to be her; she was even wearing the St Christopher´s medal he had a Florentine artisan make especially for her.

I love that Lex had the medal made for Chloe specifically, and that he remembers the gift so well.

I also want to know what Lionel wanted with Chloe--please let us know--SOON;)

[lexie]

Great chapter Lexie! I'm glad you made it clear that both of them died; I thought it was either Lionel or Fairchilde, not both.

All of you were right in the end, because either Lionel or Fairchild were good answers.:D


I'm a little happy that the good doctor died, for two reasons; one, it seems he took advantage of Chloe's state of mind when he began courting her, and two, well-it's just another roadblock to the Chlex gone. lol.

You´ll have to wait for several chapters to get a clearer picture of Phil.

Woo hoo this was great!! I love the mystery and cant wait until Lex solves it.

Mystery will abound in this fic.:grin3:

Was I ever stupid with my guesses before on what happened between Lionel and the doctor! I should have realized that with the doctor alive there wouldn't have been a chance for Lex and Chloe.

Blame it on my Catholic upbringing. :D Besides, I´ve never seen either Chloe or Lex as the cheating kind.


It's kind of sad to see that Lex is repeating his mistakes with Lana in your universe, even if he at least seems to be smart enough here to know that Lana isn't who he really wants.

Well, Lex´s life is somewhat different but he´s still the same in many ways, and prone to make similar mistakes.But don´t fret, the Lana issue will be addressed soon.


I can't wait to find out why Lionel was so interested in Chloe again, after 3 years.

Don´t you all? This is one of the big mysteries but you´ll have to read a few updates for a clue.



I am so glad the good doctor is dead to bad he is the daddy. I hate how he was able to deceive poor Chloe. Both her and her kid are innocent victims.


Everyone seems to approve Phil´s out of the picture. :rofl:


Somehow this update has left me with more questions then I had before:P

That´s great! And there´ll be a whole load more to come.:yeahbaby:




I love that Lex had the medal made for Chloe specifically, and that he remembers the gift so well.

The gift has a very special significance and part of it will be revealed in my next couple of posts.

[toryjhay]

OMG! Yup, I am reduced to such reactions. I can't believe it was Lionel. Maybe I am a little on the dense side, but I had no idea it was him. And he's dead, so is Chloe's husband. Man! Loved the introspective look into Lex motivations. Can't wait for more. Too many questions remain unanswered. Update soon please!!!!

[lexie]

OMG! Yup, I am reduced to such reactions. I can't believe it was Lionel. Maybe I am a little on the dense side, but I had no idea it was him.
Well, I´m glad it was a surprise then:D. I wouldn´t call yourself dense, it could have been another powerful man or an emissary of someone eager to settle some business with the Fairchilds.


And he's dead, so is Chloe's husband. Man!

Better kill two birds with a stone and leave no roadblocks for Chlex.


Loved the introspective look into Lex motivations. Can't wait for more. Too many questions remain unanswered. Update soon please!!!!

I´m pleased you´ve appreciated Lex´s inner musings and there´ll be plenty of those.:P

[ripsconscullmin]

I was bouncing in my chair when I saw there was an update and all the up to Lex leaving the house after finding out Chloe was alive. I am so looking forward to reading their first meeting.

Phil is dead, too. I have to say, I was partially looking forward to him being arrested, standing trial and dealing with Chloe's inevitable feelings of anger and betrayal when she found out that he learned about who she was and was planning on keeping it from her, but upon further consideration, this is much better. I wasn't worried that he would be an obstacle once his thoughts on keeping her identity from her were made known. That was a fatal error in judgment. I don't think Chloe would have forgiven him for that choice. Unfortunately, that wasn't the first show of how poor his judgment. Did I mention how him starting a romantic relationship with an amnesiac who had been his patient gave me the squicks? I mean, I can understand him feeling sorry for, protective of or attracted to her, but acting on that so soon and so strongly was just....I can't think of the word I want to use. For a second, I thought maybe I was being too hard on him and that possibly it was a setup to keep her hidden and safe, but after giving it some more thought, it didn't matter in light of him planning to not inform her of what he'd learned and the thought about how she was his (which coming from him was not attractive at all because the choice to marry him wasn't made with any real/full knowledge of Karen's/Chloe's self or situation) and he was going to keep her that way no matter the cost. Ick. Abuse much?

Then there's good old Lionel. Rats. Foiled again on the long-term pain and suffering. I loved reading Lex's plans for Lionel (they had me bouncing in the chair again and clapping). Again, further consideration brought the realization that this was much better. Lionel was a slippery bastard and there was no guarantee that he wouldn't have eluded justice again. Of course, him being gone doesn't mean that Lex and Chloe have escaped whatever he had planned. What did he have planned? That's killing me. I need to know. Was it something nasty and diabolical or was he born again Lionel in this world as well and wanted to somehow make amends for his past and apologize to Chloe and get to know his only grandchild (she is Lex's. Any thoughts to the contrary are unacceptable and anybody saying otherwise will reduce me to the childish behavior of closing my eyes and ears and la-laing in avoidance)?

And Lex. Oh, Lex. I am always proud and saddened by his ability to keep his thoughts and emotions to himself - to hide his reactions. Though, he's not always successful and it would seem that him seeing the portrait of Chloe was one of those times (looks like the Detective picked up on his reaction to seeing it). So far he's handling it well, but that's something that's got to take a toll. I am looking forward to the confrontation he has with the person who kept it from him. I appreciated him acknowledging that he would have done the same thing, but I have serious issues with the person who would allow her to land in the situation she was in when Lionel showed up.

Wow. I didn't mean to write that much. Anyway, eagerly anticipating more!

[ksa]

Hello lexie
i promise a promised feedback and so ... I really, really like this story so far and I can´t wait for the next chapter: What happend to Chloe, were she and Lex in a relationship and is he the father of her daughter? Well I feel a little sorry for Chloes husband, but now the only thing that stands in the Chlex Way is Lana... :wth:
So keep going the excellent work I can not wait till the next update.
Sandra:yeahbaby:

[lexie]

I was bouncing in my chair when I saw there was an update and all the up to Lex leaving the house after finding out Chloe was alive. I am so looking forward to reading their first meeting.

You´ll get a double post next time with the very much awaited first meeting. I´ve decided to give you an extra length update come August 16th because I can´t cut the meeting in the middle without spoiling the momentum.



Phil is dead, too. I have to say, I was partially looking forward to him being arrested, standing trial and dealing with Chloe's inevitable feelings of anger and betrayal when she found out that he learned about who she was and was planning on keeping it from her, but upon further consideration, this is much better. I wasn't worried that he would be an obstacle once his thoughts on keeping her identity from her were made known. That was a fatal error in judgment. I don't think Chloe would have forgiven him for that choice. Unfortunately, that wasn't the first show of how poor his judgment. Did I mention how him starting a romantic relationship with an amnesiac who had been his patient gave me the squicks? I mean, I can understand him feeling sorry for, protective of or attracted to her, but acting on that so soon and so strongly was just....I can't think of the word I want to use.

Well, everyone seems to have strong opinions on Phil- either for or against the guy- that´s good; at least no one´s ended up being indifferent towards this made-up character. There´ll be more background information on him in later chapters; we´ll see if that affects your judgement for better or not.:D


For a second, I thought maybe I was being too hard on him and that possibly it was a setup to keep her hidden and safe, but after giving it some more thought, it didn't matter in light of him planning to not inform her of what he'd learned and the thought about how she was his (which coming from him was not attractive at all because the choice to marry him wasn't made with any real/full knowledge of Karen's/Chloe's self or situation) and he was going to keep her that way no matter the cost. Ick. Abuse much?

We don´t want any man calling Chloe "his" but Lex. :PWe all love possessive Lex and think of possessiveness as psycopathic only in other men that might be interested in the blonde, which is great because that´s the way I see it too.:grin3:



Then there's good old Lionel. Rats. Foiled again on the long-term pain and suffering. I loved reading Lex's plans for Lionel (they had me bouncing in the chair again and clapping). Again, further consideration brought the realization that this was much better. Lionel was a slippery bastard and there was no guarantee that he wouldn't have eluded justice again. Of course, him being gone doesn't mean that Lex and Chloe have escaped whatever he had planned. What did he have planned? That's killing me. I need to know. Was it something nasty and diabolical or was he born again Lionel in this world as well and wanted to somehow make amends for his past and apologize to Chloe and get to know his only grandchild (she is Lex's. Any thoughts to the contrary are unacceptable and anybody saying otherwise will reduce me to the childish behavior of closing my eyes and ears and la-laing in avoidance)?

We haven´t seen the last of Lionel I´m afraid. His presence will be felt throughout the fic even beyond death.I know you´re all dying to know if the girl was Phil´s or Lex´s, and some of you have already made up your minds. Well, I can´t spill the beans either way. :P



And Lex. Oh, Lex. I am always proud and saddened by his ability to keep his thoughts and emotions to himself - to hide his reactions. Though, he's not always successful and it would seem that him seeing the portrait of Chloe was one of those times (looks like the Detective picked up on his reaction to seeing it). So far he's handling it well, but that's something that's got to take a toll.

Lex´ll have to fight really hard to keep his composure around Chloe and not let his mask slip and he´ll fail on occasion- that´s all I´m saying right now.


I am looking forward to the confrontation he has with the person who kept it from him. I appreciated him acknowledging that he would have done the same thing, but I have serious issues with the person who would allow her to land in the situation she was in when Lionel showed up.

There´ll certainly be a confrontation but it´s several updates away because Lex´s got several fish to fry.


Wow. I didn't mean to write that much. Anyway, eagerly anticipating more!

Do write to your heart´s content! By the way, thanks for the PM; I´m really pleased you´re enjoying this fic that much.:blinkkiss

[Julie]

Hello lexie
i promise a promised feedback and so ... I really, really like this story so far and I can´t wait for the next chapter: What happend to Chloe, were she and Lex in a relationship and is he the father of her daughter? Well I feel a little sorry for Chloes husband, but now the only thing that stands in the Chlex Way is Lana... :wth:
So keep going the excellent work I can not wait till the next update.
Sandra:yeahbaby:

*bump*

It got stuck in the post moderation queue :)

[lexie]

Hello lexie
i promise a promised feedback and so ... I really, really like this story so far and I can´t wait for the next chapter: What happend to Chloe, were she and Lex in a relationship and is he the father of her daughter? Well I feel a little sorry for Chloes husband, but now the only thing that stands in the Chlex Way is Lana... :wth:
So keep going the excellent work I can not wait till the next update.
Sandra:yeahbaby:

Thanks for commenting, and welcome to the forums, Sandra. I hope you´ll have a nice time hanging out here. There are tons of great fics to read, vids to watch and threads to enjoy.

You´ll get one answer in my following update.:grin3:

[veronica525]

I love it! You are fabulous, seriously.

I am looking forward to reading about his and Chloe's first meeting...

[lexie]

I love it! You are fabulous, seriously.

You´ll give me a big head.:D It´s nice to know you´re enjoying this.


I am looking forward to reading about his and Chloe's first meeting...

You won´t have to wait that long.:P

[lexie]

A/N: Here´s a new update- a few hours before promised. It´s a double posting this time since I couldn´t find the place where to cut it without spoiling the momentum. :DThis means my following instalment will be up in a fortnight.:P

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 3: Saying Goodbye, Saying Hello

STAR CITY´S CEMETERY

It was drizzling persistently as Chloe´s husband was lowered into the ground and the numerous mourners paid their last respects. Phil had been an admired and beloved member of the hospital community and several dozen of his co-workers and medical colleagues were in attendance. Even Philip Fairchild Sr was present, despite the enmity that had ensued when his son had decided to leave the family´s clinic and work full-time at the public hospital.

Chloe felt the raindrops pitter-pattering on her black umbrella, blinked away a few tears and tightened her hold on baby Laura, who had fallen asleep in her arms. She turned her head to the right and pressed a soft kiss on the girl´s blond hair, closing her eyes and inhaling the soothing smell of baby cologne. It was at moments such as these when Chloe hated not knowing who she was. She would have given the world to have some family she could lean on now- a mother, a father, siblings and cousins. Although she had always felt an affective void she was unable to fill in, she had made a few friends in Star City. Susan- her amazing editor – was one of them and had come to her rescue when the house became a circus after the shooting, taking Laura away while the police and the reporters swarmed in and around the house. Chloe was thankful; the editor had even let them both stay over at her flat. However, now that the funeral was over and Chloe realised the finality of it all, the young woman decided it was up to her to take the reins of her life and be strong for Laura. They´d move out of the house and stay in a hotel until she could clean the small apartment above the coffee house.

Lex had parked his BMW in a lateral lane to be able to attend the funeral unnoticed. Looking at Chloe standing so composed in a classic and simple black dress and holding her child in her arms as she said her final goodbye to the man who had been her husband of three years, the young CEO couldn´t help but remember a similar rainy morning when he had been the one to bid farewell to her ashes for there had been nothing left to bury. Clark and Lois had blamed him three years ago for his inability to protect Chloe, and he had accepted their recrimination as fair; and now he blamed himself for having failed her then because his failure had brought death to her doorstep at present. If he had been more careful, Lionel Luthor would have never got closer to her and her loved ones again. If he had been more careful... there wouldn´t have been a Dr Fairchild in her life and the girl she was pressing to her bosom might have been his instead of her late husband´s.

As the last mourners left the cemetery the rain stopped and Chloe stayed behind for a while under the attentive look of Lex, who remained partially hidden by a tombstone. He wished he could be standing next to her to lend her the support she needed, but he had to console himself with the knowledge he was there for her if only at a distance.

Chloe felt Laura stir in her arms and clutch at the platinum medal which hung from the chain her mum was wearing around her neck. The blonde reporter had never been able to part with the exquisite piece- there was something special about it, something which made her feel protected somehow. The medal was the only physical link to her past and the engraving on its back- Fāta viam invenient (The Fates will find a way)- had occupied many hours of her thoughts more so now that she had a possible name to attach to those initials, Lionel Luthor. What role had the deceased played in her life before the explosion? Could it be they had had something going on? The man had been old enough to be her father. Chloe trembled and told herself she was letting her imagination run wild. Maybe the fact that the late billionaire shared the initials on her St Christopher´s medal was just a coincidence; there were thousands of people out there whose names began with L after all. No, the gift must have come from other hands, hands that hadn´t meant to hurt her.

“Mummy,” whispered the girl drowsily,stretching a small arm over Chloe´s shoulder to point at Lex, “man.”

“Yes, granddad´s waiting for us,” responded Chloe, hoping the older man wouldn´t try to talk her into moving in with them because she really didn´t feel like arguing when her mind was already made up.

“No granddad,” Laura shook her head and the young reporter turned around only to see a metallic blue BMW pull out and drive away.

LUTHORCORP´S STAR CITY CONDO

Lex entered the luxurious apartment he had in Star City for those rare occasions on which he stayed the night after some strenuous business meeting. Even though he hadn´t been there in months, Jennifer had taken care of hiring the cleaning service to make sure everything was spotless for his arrival. There was fresh fruit and vegetables in the fridge and a well-stocked bar, including his favourite bottled-water and imported vintage drink.

Divesting himself of the black jacket and loosening the matching silk tie to undo the first few buttons of his pristine white shirt, he threw the car keys in a crystal ashtray, which he had never used- he had always had a penchant for expensive alcoholic beverages and cordon bleu cuisine, but tobacco had never been amongst his vices.

Walking in a straight line to the wet bar, he removed the stopper of a decanter and poured himself a bourbon. He took a small sip to let his taste buds appreciate the bouquet and then, turned the stereo on to break the deafening silence. Out of the hidden loudspeakers came the haunting violins of Albinoni´s Adaggio, and Lex sat down in a comfortable armchair in front of the fire.

The skies were grey again, foreshadowing an imminent storm. A lightning-bolt illuminated the room, making the panes of the big sliding doors shake, reverberating in Lex in the same way as the first sight of Chloe in the cemetery had. Taking a swing of his snifter he replayed the scene he had witnessed that morning and couldn´t help but feel proud of the young woman´s dignity in the face of fatality.

The little girl´s hair was as golden as her mum´s and seeing them both together had revived in the billionaire his dreams of having the happy family which had never been his. He had tried to convince himself he could build such a family with Lana Lang; however, there was something important missing in that formula: Lana wasn´t Gabe Sullivan´s only daughter and Lex had never felt for the brunette the communion he had experienced with the feisty blond.

Chloe had always awoken his protective side not because she was a run-of-the-mill damsel-in-distress but rather because his feelings for her ran deep and his possessiveness claimed her as his. Being around her kept him on his toes- she was a challenge and Lex lived for them. What´s more, unlike Clark and the Kents, she didn´t see the world in black and white- she was in many ways his reflection but with the moral compass he lacked many a time.

Chloe Sullivan centred him and he needed her back in his life; the question was how he would go about getting her trust now that she knew the identity of the man who had brought destruction to her door. Knowing her as he did, he suspected she must have already started or was about to begin her own investigation, and it was only a matter of time before she discovered Lex´s existence. Moreover, the fact that Lionel´s heir was a fixture on the society and business pages of every major newspaper and economic magazine in America didn´t help his cause. Therefore, asking his assistant to create him a fake identity, family, educational background and the works would be a waste of time. Being hard to forget was an asset when he was intent on intimidating someone but a liability in this particular case.

Stretching an arm he picked up the book from the coffee table- it had arrived by courier before he left for the cemetery and he had only had time to read the back cover and the prologue. Smiling faintly he leant back and opened the volume at the first chapter.

STAR CITY´S GRAND HOTEL

After a revitalising shower and a light brunch in the privacy of their room, Chloe tucked Laura in for a well-deserved nap and slipped under the bedclothes to lie next to the girl. In the semi-darkness she went over the events of the past couple of days, trying to find any clues that might explain what had occurred in that garage. Phil had been unusually nervous and worried that morning as if he had known something bad was going to happen. She had perceived it and when he had denied anything was amiss, she´d chosen to let it slide. Along the way she had learnt there were things he´d never share with her and she respected that just as he respected her need to get away with Laura from time to time.

Phil had been there for her when she had no one to lean on during the difficult months after the explosion, and it had felt natural to say `yes´ when he proposed and yet, she had always sensed there was something more, as if she had seen in him someone she had known in her past. In a marriage there´s always one who loves the most and in theirs it had been Phil. In retrospect Chloe realised it had been in part her loneliness and the need to feel she belonged somewhere what had drawn her to him.

Although there had never been fireworks between the two, now that Phil was dead she regretted not having been able to return his feelings in equal measure because she knew he had loved her, and he had deserved a lot more than her gratitude. She had cried his death as much for the human being he had been as for her own incapacity to give him the one thing he had lavished on both her and Laura- unconditional love. Having no memories of her life before Phil, Chloe relied on her instincts; just as they had told her her first book would be a hit, a sixth sense told Chloe not only that she had loved someone deeply but that she had also been in Phil´s shoes once.

Combing Laura´s golden tresses with her fingers as she looked at the girl lying sound asleep, Chloe swore she´d discover what had led to her late husband´s death- she would take the weekend off for her and Laura and start her inquiries on Monday.

THE JAVA NOOK- SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Jerry was climbing down the stairs which took to the cosy apartment above the coffee house when a tall expensively-dressed man came in through the front door making the wind bell chime. Chloe´s right hand followed the bald patrician guy with his eyes until the customer decided on a small table at the back. The man was decisively a non-regular; not only had Jerry never seen him before, but the rich patron made a careful appreciative examination of the shop- a fact which identified him as a first-timer.

Chloe was proud of what she had done with the coffee house when she took over after the original owner decided to sell to retire to the mountains. Although the place had had a good clientele when Chloe bought it, it increased exponentially once she added a well-stocked library, a reading nook and the specialties baked by a Danish pattissière she´d met by chance one rainy afternoon she sought refuge at an obscure baker´s . Business was good, particularly over the weekends, and now the shop was also attracting the occasional voyeur interested in catching a glimpse of Dr Fairchild´s widow or the murder mystery aficionado intent on meeting the promising novelist Karen Leigh Callahan aka Karen Fairchild.

Lex sat down at the secluded table impressed by the relaxed and homely atmosphere. The place was classy- he hadn´t tasted anything yet but the smells were tantalising enough to make his demanding taste buds water; the coffee and pasties offered were definitely first-class.

“Good afternoon, sir,” Jerry greeted Lex stopping by his table. Although the young man rarely waited on customers, there was something about this particular patron that called his attention. “Would you like to have a look at our menu or would you rather I recommended one of our specialties to you?”

“Thanks. I´ve already made my choice. I´ll have an espresso and... a piece of that appetising chocolate cake I saw on the top shelf of the display cabinet on my way in.”

“Excellent choice, sir. The pattisière baptised that pie `Karen´ after our boss. It´s her own favourite and you won´t find it elsewhere,” smiled the manager and, as if on cue, Chloe made her appearance carrying an empty storage cardboard box. “I´ll bring your order in a sec,” he added, leaving the table to prep the espresso machine.

“Jerry, I´ve finished unpacking the china. Would you do me a favour?
There´s a leak in the sink, and it seems to be getting bigger by the minute. Could you check it out and tell me what we´ll need to fix it? I wouldn´t like to wake up in the morning to find I´m on board the Titanic,” Chloe asked Jerry as they crossed in the middle of the coffee shop.

“Sure. Jerry the handyman at your service, madam,” he grinned, saluting her . “I´ll fill the order for the gentleman at the back and then I´ll see to your sink.”

“Leave the gentleman to me, Jerry,” she responded, shooting a sideway glance at Lex.

“If I haven´t come down in twenty-minutes, send for the lifeguards,” the manager laughed at the bottom of the stairs.

“Any special requirements?” she cocked an eyebrow.

“No inflated lips or enhanced bosom,” he said, stopping on the first step as Chloe fetched the chocolate cake and cut a piece to place it on a dessert plate.

“No Pamela Anderson then,” she responded while grinding the coffee beans to fill the metal filter of the espresso machine.

“I can hear the dripping calling,” he replied as he feigned to prick up his ears.

“Coward´s your surname, Jerry,” she finished, adding a spoonful of whipped cream to the dessert and preparing the tray to carry the order to the back.

Lex, who had witnessed the playful banter between boss and employee, smiled as memories of his old verbal judo sessions with Chloe at The Beanery and The Talon came rushing to his mind. However, the smile disappeared to be replaced by trepidation as he saw her make her way to his table.

“Good afternoon,” said Chloe warmly, laying a table mat in front of Lex to set down his order. “An espresso and a serving of chocolate cake,” she added, raising her eyes to meet a pair of intense blue-grey orbs looking at her as if they could see right into her soul.

Time seemed to come to a standstill while they gazed at each other without uttering a word. Although he had read about her amnesia in the report, he felt a stab of pain the moment he saw no hint of recognition in her eyes- she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Motherhood had given maturity to her curves and the hazel green of her eyes was deeper and more alluring than ever; he read confusion in them and knew he should say something instead of staring like a lecher or an infatuated teenager. He wondered if others were looking at him now the way he and Chloe used to look at Clark when the farmboy was around Lana, but the billionaire couldn´t help it- he had spent too many years in the desert and she was an oasis amidst the chaos his life had become. He drank from those bottomless pools like a man who hasn´t had water in a long time, and his eyes traced the creamy complexion of her face, every memorised mole and the almost invisible scar that disappeared in her hairline to convince himself she wasn´t just a mirage.

Fairchild had done an admirable work with his plastic surgeon hands- one had to look really close to see the faint lines on her face and her neck. Lex had seen pictures of Chloe prior to her surgeries and knew her face was the part of her body least affected by the fire and the shards- her back... He cursed Lionel Luthor and the FBI to hell and back for what they had put her through.

Chloe saw an indefinable emotion flicker in the stranger´s eyes, and she felt herself tremble under his scorching gaze. She experienced a bout of self-loathe when her body started getting aroused, and she thanked the jacket she was wearing on top of her blouse for concealing the tell-tale signs. What the hell was wrong with her? She had buried Phil just two days ago and now a man- someone she had no recollection of- looked at her and her libido was suddenly in overdrive. She felt the urge to slap herself and to tell him... What? In other circumstances, she would have made use of her wit and sarcasm to put the stranger in his place, but this time everything felt really odd. He was devouring her with his eyes, stripping her down as if he were trying to see beyond each and every barrier she had erected and yet... she didn´t feel insulted- it was as if he were worshipping her, as if she meant the world to him.

Seconds elapsed and Chloe tried to find enough coordination to open her mouth and say something to break the spell; however, no words would come out. She wondered if he could hear the thumping of her heart as his eyes caressed the column of her neck and lay on the expanse of milky skin revealed by her scoop neck. Taking her shaky fingers to her quivering bosom, she clutched the St Christopher´s medal as a lifeline and heard his voice for the first time.

“Everything looks delightful. I´m sure I´ll never taste anything better,” he managed to utter once he gained enough control over the commotion Chloe´s presence had caused in him. God! She was wearing that perfume of lilacs which he´d never stopped smelling when he closed his eyes in the solitude of his study. She was just an armful away, and he couldn´t touch her, couldn´t seal those lips with a kiss to find out if they still fit his so perfectly, if her mouth still tasted of java and mint.

“You´ll never have a chocolate cake that tastes like this one- that I can assure you,” she responded slightly breathless, experiencing a sudden and inexplicable urge to cry as the sound of his velvety baritone reverberated in her and her feminine core clenched intimately. “Enjoy your coffee,” she told him with as controlled a voice as she could muster, walking away from the table with her skin slightly on fire.

Lex looked at her receding back and impaled the fork in the spongy cake before dipping it into the whipped cream. Chloe might not remember him, but her body and soul did- he knew her well enough to recognise the signs; she had been aroused when she walked away from him and although he understood the guilt she must be feeling, a part of him was proud of the effect he still had on her.

“Hey, boss! My inspection´s finished and I´ve got a package for you,” said Jerry, climbing down the stairs with Laura by the hand. “Here´s the Princess; just awoken from her nap.”

“Hello, Laurie. Are you hungry?” responded Chloe with one of those smiles Lex remembered from her days at The Torch when a clueless Clark would inadvertently hurt her feelings and she would make an effort to mask what she was actually feeling.

“Is everything OK?” asked Jerry in a low voice, noticing her flushed cheeks.

“Yes. Why do you ask?” she replied, taking a comb to disentangle Laura´s golden tresses.

“Does he make you uncomfortable?” he asked Chloe while looking at Lex out of the corner of his eye. “He hasn´t taken his eyes off you since you came downstairs. If you want, I can...”

“Jerry,” she cut him off,” I know how to handle male attention. I wasn´t born yesterday, you know,” she added under her breath.” So... what´s the verdict?”

“Verdict?” frowned the manager.

“The sink, Jerry. Can it be fixed? Or will we have to stay at the hotel for an extra night, praying you find the main valve before my furniture starts to float?”

“Oh, that! The locknut needs to be tightened, but I´m afraid we haven´t got a wrench that´s big enough for its diameter. I can drive to K-Mart and see if they´ve got one,” responded Jerry, rubbing his neck. ”Unless you want me to cut the water supply and phone the plumber tomorrow.”

“I want to be able to use the sink and take a shower now not in two months´ time,” sighed Chloe as she tied the girl´s hair with a green ribbon.

“Excuse me, I couldn´t help but hear you´ve got a plumbing emergency,” a clearly-enunciated voice interrupted their exchange and the comb slipped from Chloe´s shaky hands. “I´ve got a wrench in my toolbox.”

“I wouldn´t have pegged you for a do-it-yourself kind of guy,” she replied ironically, holding his gaze unflinchingly.

“And I wouldn´t have pegged you for the kind that passes judgement on a person so quickly,” he retorted, taking his wallet to pay the bill at the counter.

“Touché,” she cocked an eyebrow. “I´d really appreciate it if you could lend us that wrench.”

“Let me go for it then. It´s in my trunk,” he smirked, walking to the entrance door. “Keep the change. That cake´s worth every dime and more.”

“Laurie, why don´t you go and fetch your favourite storybook while I fix you some hot cocoa and a plate of those coconut cookies you like so much,” Chloe told her daughter when the door closed.

By the time the billionaire came back she had brewed herself a strong black coffee with her favourite beans and was boiling some milk to fix Laura her hot chocolate.

“I´m back with the wrench,” Lex said to Chloe´s back and saw her jump.

“Shoot!” she exclaimed when she spilt some hot milk and burnt a couple of fingers.

“I´m sorry. It wasn´t my intention to startle you,” he apologised. “Have you hurt yourself?”

“Don´t worry. There´s no permanent damage. Do you always walk so stealthily?” she asked him, turning around and placing her daughter´s meal on her Winnie-the-Pooh´s tray.

“Only when I´m pursuing an elusive target and I´m afraid it´ll dart away,” he responded wryly.

“We aren´t in the forest and I´m no hunter´s game or trophy,” Chloe told him gravely.

“I would never mistake you for one,” he replied, looking her straight in the eye.

“Oh, good! You´re back. That damn pipe´s starting to leak like the Niagara Falls,” exclaimed Jerry, taking the tool from Lex´s outstretched arm.

“Would you like another espresso? It´s on the house,” Chloe offered the young CEO, wondering what this man had that made her body want him and her tongue seek to duel with him.

“You can make free use of my wrench but, if you´re determined to pay for it, I´m ready to take whatever you´re willing to give. An espresso sounds wonderful,” he said with his characteristic poker face.

Damn the man! Why was it that everything he said sounded like innuendo to her ears? It was so wrong; she was in mourning for God´s sake!

Laura found her favourite volume on the shelf where they kept the children´s books, and she leafed through it until she got to a particular illustration. Meanwhile, Lex leant back in his seat as Chloe prepared the espresso machine and the last couple of patrons said their goodbyes at the door. A couple of minutes later, he felt a tug at his trousers and looked down to meet a pair of intelligent eyes.

Stretching her tiny arm Laura laid her book on the table and pushed it towards Lex. “Laura wants you to read,” she told the billionaire.

“The Jungle Book,” he said, looking at the book cover and smiling at the girl. “Laura´s a beautiful name. How old are you?” he added.

The girl put up two fingers just as Chloe got to the table to serve Lex his coffee.

“Sweetie, don´t disturb the gentleman,” the blond reporter chided her daughter.

“She doesn´t disturb me. Laura and I were talking, weren´t we?” he responded, boring his eyes into the kid.

“Man,” said the child, pointing at Lex and raising her eyes to meet her mum´s.

“Yes, that´s what I said. Gentleman,” Chloe corrected her.

“No, no gen´man,” the girl shook her head.” Man,” she insisted, recognising in Lex the man she had spotted at the cemetery.

“It seems I haven´t made much of an impression on either mother or daughter,” he cocked an eyebrow.

“Man´s going to read Laura,” the two-year-old told Chloe once again.

“She likes you. That´s her favourite book and... the only person she´s ever asked to read to her... was my husband,” Chloe confessed with a lump in her throat.

“I´ll be honoured to read her the story then,” replied the billionaire with the ghost of a smile after a pregnant silence.

“Are you sure you don´t mind? I suppose you must have other places to be,” she frowned.

“If you don´t want me to stay, just say the word and I´ll leave,” he said gravely.

“No, no, it´s not that. I just thought... you don´t look like someone who´d have the time to...” mumbled Chloe, hating herself for being unusually inarticulate.

“Read to a child?” he completed her thought. “It´s Saturday and I haven´t got a boss looking over my shoulder.”

“All right. I´ll bring you your cocoa and more cookies, Laura. Let´s sit you on the chair, first,” smiled the young widow as she lifted the child and sat her
next to Lex.

“Do the voices,” the girl told him, kneeling down on the chair and placing a tiny hand on his forearm for leverage as she got closer to be able to see the pictures while he read.

Lex rested his eyes on the golden hair and studied the girl who had dared not only boss him around but also invade his private space and get away with it. That a child would approach him so innocently when he was so unlike the Clark Kents of this world baffled him, and the fact that child was Chloe´s daughter overwhelmed him.

Chloe observed Lex from the counter and wondered what had possessed her to break every sensible mum´s golden rule; the handsome man sitting with her baby was a virtual stranger who could be a paedophile for all she knew and yet... something told her she could trust him. The scene was really incongruous... a well-off businessman, wearing a pair of shoes worth more than she earned with the café in a month- was reading her two-year-old a story, doing voices and looking unflappable as the small child´s hand, sticky with sugar, grabbed his 150-dollar dress shirt.

“Laurie, here´s your chocolate,” said Chloe, giving the girl her favourite sippy-glass.

“I see a pattern here,” smirked Lex.”Is that Winnie-the-Pooh?” he asked pointing at the Disney illustration on the glass.

“Pooh,” beamed Laura, and the billionaire thought that was what Chloe must have looked like when she was a tiny tot- except for her eyes, which were a different colour but as mesmerising as her mum´s.

“I should have never let Phil buy her that DVD. Now she´s got that bear on her sheets, on her nightgown, on her comforter. She´s even got Winnie-the-Pooh-shaped soap, a Winnie-the-Pooh lamp...” the blonde laughed, combing her daughter´s hair with her fingers.

“Does obsessiveness run in the family?” asked Lex, cocking an eyebrow and trying not to betray how much the sound of her laugh had affected him.

“I guess I´m a tad obsessive,” confessed Gabe´s daughter.

`And relentless and intrepid and loyal and giving... and utterly selfless,´ added Lex to himself.

“Do you like reading murder mysteries?” asked Chloe when her eyes fell on the novel he´d left face down on the table.

“My mother used to have a leather-bound collection of Conan Doyle´s complete works issued by this very same publishing house. I read them as a child and then Poe, of course,” he responded, wondering what direction the conversation would take now.

“Poe? I hope you didn´t read Poe at such a tender age,” she frowned.

“My father had me read The Art of War at a tender age. I´d have had Poe any day of the week,” he said ironically.

“What kind of a father would give that sort of literature to a child?” she replied disapprovingly.

“The kind who sees the world as a battlefield and considers people mere pawns to achieve his ends irrespective of the means. The kind to whom love and compassion are signs of weakness,” he stated grimly.

“That´s a monster not a father,” she said with disgust.

“That´s the kind of father I had,” he replied with a guarded look.“Fortunately, not all fathers are like him,” he added with a lump in his throat as he remembered the late Jonathan and Gabe. He had admired the former, despite the older man´s inability to see beyond Lex´s name, and he had loved and respected the latter.

“It isn´t written we´ll be like our own parents,” she said emotionally before veering the conversation. “What do you think of this novel? Is it any good?” she asked Lex, wondering if his stopping by had been either a coincidence or a planned visit.

“It´s a promising first novel. I admire the writer a lot,” he responded with a conspiratorial grin.

“Is that why you came here?”

“I wanted to see you; and I was told you serve the best coffee in town.”

“The plates on your car are from Metropolis. Did you drive all the way just to meet me?”

“Star City isn´t that far from Metropolis. I know of fans that have travelled longer distances to see their favourite writers or stars,” he said helping a tired Laura get down the chair.

“I suppose you´re right. Although you don´t look like the regular fanboy, if you know what I mean.”

“Does that mean you won´t autograph my copy?”

“That´d make me a lousy businessperson. Who should I dedicate it to?” she asked him, taking a pen out of her pocket.

“To Alexander.”

“OK. Here I am at last. Problem solved, boss,” Jerry interrupted them as he dried his wet hands with a tea towel. “Mr Saviour, here´s your tool,” he added, handing the wrench back to Lex and then picking Laura up to wash her face and hands.

“I´ve been called many things in my life, but never a saviour.”

“Well, you´ve been our saviour this evening. If it weren´t for you, Laurie and I would be staying in a hotel room for another night.”

“I´m pleased to have been of assistance, “said the billionaire.” Thanks for the espresso and for this,” he told her, picking up his coat and the autographed book. “Say goodbye to Laura on my behalf; she´s a very interesting young person.”

“She´s special in many ways,” conceded Chloe with a wistful look.

“She must be; she´s your daughter,” he replied, boring his intense blue-grey eyes into her.

“Your being here this afternoon isn´t just a coincidence, is it?” she asked with a hammering heart.

“Do you believe in fate?” he asked slipping one of his hands in his pocket.

“Fate as in kismet? As `I felt an invisible force that dragged me to this coffee house or to enter a bookstore and buy this particular book.´? You don´t seem a man who would do anything on impulse or who would let anyone or anything dictate to him what to do with his life,” she responded, making an effort to hold his gaze and hide how much his proximity was affecting her.

“You can fight fate as much as you want, but it always finds a way,” he told her, applauding her inwardly for her unchanged knack for reading people, for reading him.

“Fāta viam invenient,” murmured Chloe as she clutched her St Christopher´s medal and eyed him speculatively.

“That´s an exquisite piece you´re wearing; St Christopher, Patron Saint of Travellers. The only church on this continent devoted to him is located in Montreal,” he stated resting his eyes on the Florentine jewel and wondering if Chloe´s agile mind had already put two and two together.

Chloe´s head was spinning and her stomach was tied up in knots. Could this attractive and imposing young man- this man who made her feel things she shouldn´t be feeling- be the same one who had given her the platinum medal she hadn´t taken off in almost three years? Were LL his initials? He had told her Alexander was his first name- Xander, Alex... or Lex. He could be, some sixth sense told her he was. However, that´d mean he... Relief and agony was just a question away. Dared she ask it? She wasn´t ready, not if his answer were affirmative. Although she didn’t know many things about herself and her past, there was one thing she had always known. She wondered now if he knew and if that was the reason for his being here.

“I´ll store that piece of information for my next visit to Canada,” she said with a smile, hoping it disguised the tumult inside of her. “Are you a Catholic?”

“My mother was. She loved telling me about the Church´s old saints. When I turned eleven she bought me a box made out of a piece of St George´s armour at a Kasban in Morocco. That and this Napoleon franc watch are the only things I´ve got left of her,” he confessed, pulling up his cuff.

“St George and the dragon. She knew your father well, didn´t she?” she asked him with an ironical smile. “How come you were baptised Alexander and not given some Biblical name?”

“New Testament. Joseph. That´s my middle name,” replied the billionaire with a lopsided grin. `Smooth, Chloe. You haven´t lost your touch.´

“Well, Alexander Joseph, thanks for stopping by. You´re welcome to come back on your next business trip to Star City,” she beamed, walking him to the door as she got ready to close for the day.

“I sure will. Until we meet again,” he told her, stepping out onto the pavement and unlocking his BMW with the remote.

“Goodbye and thanks again for the wrench,” she shouted, locking the front door and flipping the notice to “Closed”.

“The ball´s in your court now, Chloe. Festīnā lentē. Make haste slowly,” he murmured, firing the engine and pulling out as a faint perfume of lilacs accompanied him all the way to Metropolis.

TBC

[Fouzia]

thank you for this wonderful story!!!
I can't wait for the next update!!
thank you for advance::::::grin3::drool2:
I am dying!!!!

[autumngold]

Is Chloe going to be upset when she realizes Lex is Lionel's son? It will probably make her blame herself more for her husband's death. Great update! Please tell me that Lex plans to dump Lana ASAP! Now that he has found Chloe he doesn't need blana anymore. Please come back soon and post another chapter! I can't wait to read more! ;)

[malugargula]

YAY!!! An update one day earlier. Thanks!!!
:)
Loved it. Loved their meeting, loved how Lex gave her something to think about
Can`t wait for more.

[hfce]

Wow what an update. I love how Lex is letting her figure out who she really is. I wish he would tell her. It would be much easier. I was hoping the kid was theirs but what can you do. She is so cute and just like her mommy. :D

I can't wait to see how she puts two and two together. Were Lex and Chloe intimate by the way? Lex was describing some hot flash backs. :drool2:

[toryjhay]

Okay, this fic just keeps me wanting more. I loved this first interaction between them. And Lex with Laura, so adorable!!!! I love the fact that Lex seemingly gave her all the info that she would need. I guess it would be up to her to pursue it relentlessly, in the typical Chloe fashion. Can't wait for more!!!

[Cassandra Jean]

Just found this story and it is wonderful! Hopefully Chloe's memories will start coming back to her.

Update quickly please. :)

[Kit Merlot]

The Chlex banter was spot on, but I'm really disturbed by the idea that this Phil person took advantage of a vulnerable 17 year old girl--yes he saved her life but then he married her and got her pregnant at 18 (if I've done the math right). That's pretty messed up.

I do like that Laura likes Lex upon meeting him, and now we just need Chloe to give into her attraction to him:yeahbaby:

And I like that you have Chloe being a budding mystery writer--nice.

[ksa]

Wow an update. I really like it. The Chlex banter was fantastic. And I love the idea that Lex will do everything to get Chloe back in his life. But I agree that it is a little weird that Chloe is such a young mother, but maybe there is a twist in this scenario in the woods???
And now I will read the new chapter again and I really hope you update very very soon and to remind you I will beg constantly. And that is not a threat is a promise. :blinkkiss
See ya.

[lexie]

Thanks for your awesome feedback, girls.:blinkkiss I´m really enjoying your comments and smiling naughtily at times.:rofl: A few of the questions you´ve posted will be answered in my last post of August.:yeahbaby:

By the way, the Lana issue will be addressed soon.

[veronica525]

I am in love with this story! Lexie you rock, seriously. I cannot wait until the next installment.

I love how Lex has given Chloe little breadcrumbs to follow and how quickly, she has come to the conclusion that the medal around her neck must be from him.

I also love that Laurie has really taking a liking to Lex too.

Great job!

[lexie]

I am in love with this story! Lexie you rock, seriously. I cannot wait until the next installment.

Thanks, darling, I´m pleased you like it so far.



I love how Lex has given Chloe little breadcrumbs to follow and how quickly, she has come to the conclusion that the medal around her neck must be from him.

She might not remember who she is yet, but she´s still the sharp Chloe we know.



I also love that Laurie has really taking a liking to Lex too.

Not only is the girl smart, she´s got very good taste too.:grin3:

[chloedreamer]

Does Lex's know that Chloe doesn't remember anything?

[lexie]

Does Lex's know that Chloe doesn't remember anything?

Yes, he does. There´s a portion of my latest post that I suppose you´ve overlooked.:D Here it is:


Although he had read about her amnesia in the report, he felt a stab of pain the moment he saw no hint of recognition in her eyes- she was even more beautiful than he remembered.

[ChloeLovesLex]

Loved the two recent installments of this. Lex has definitely planted the seed for Chloe's curiosity. Can't wait to see her run with it. Hope Lex has the continued patience to allow it to all come back to her on her own as she uncovers the past.

Update soon :grin3:

[VAgrits82]

I'm loving this twist on an old (favorite) theme! Can't wait for more! :D

[lexie]

Loved the two recent installments of this. Lex has definitely planted the seed for Chloe's curiosity. Can't wait to see her run with it. Hope Lex has the continued patience to allow it to all come back to her on her own as she uncovers the past.

The guy´s known for his patience and we all know Chloe´s never been one to curve her curiosity.:yeahbaby:



I'm loving this twist on an old (favorite) theme! Can't wait for more! :D

Yes, we all love the trial period- it´s what stoked our Chlex theories and sent them to the stratosphere, right? That´s why it surprised me that only five of us came up with stories for challenge #2.::/: Hopefully, my fellow writers will wake up for the new one that closes on the 21st.:wth:

[Gaia]

Of course Chloe will figure it out....but how and when are the things I can't wait for:P

[lexie]

Of course Chloe will figure it out....but how and when are the things I can't wait for:P

Well, she´ll put a few pieces of the puzzle together, though not all of them, in my following installment. I´ll post it next Friday or Saturday.:grin3:

[happybum]

I just read the entire story in one go. I wished I should have slowed down and paced myself because now I have no more to read. I was never patience and savoring was never a strong suit. I just ate it all up like the divine chocolate cake mention in the story. I have a huge weakness for chocolate and cake and put them together I'll sell my leg for a slab. I'll offer my kidney to you but it won't be worth in a dime in the black market. I'll settle with groveling and trying to kidnap Sexy Lexy wrapped with a tiny red bow? =] Please update soon. I want to see how Chloe will unravel the mystery of her past.

[lexie]

I just read the entire story in one go. I wished I should have slowed down and paced myself because now I have no more to read. I was never patience and savoring was never a strong suit. I just ate it all up like the divine chocolate cake mention in the story. I have a huge weakness for chocolate and cake and put them together I'll sell my leg for a slab. I'll offer my kidney to you but it won't be worth in a dime in the black market. I'll settle with groveling and trying to kidnap Sexy Lexy wrapped with a tiny red bow? =] Please update soon. I want to see how Chloe will unravel the mystery of her past.

Having my fic compared to a chocolate cake is a great compliment indeed. As regards a gift-wrapped Lex as bribe, it´s a deal. You´ll get a somewhat long and sexy update come Friday.:yeahbaby:

[ripsconscullmin]

Sorry. Sorry. I’m late.

Poor Chloe. You just know that wasn’t the first time she wished to have family present. This is yet another thing to reinforce my dislike of Phil (not that I really need any more reasons. My dislike of Phil was instant and I doubt that anything that comes out about him will redeem him in my eyes). Did he think about the fact that she had family or others that loved her who would like to know she was alive when he was plotting to keep her identity from her? Oy, don’t even get me started on Phil again.

I hadn’t put serious thought into what Lex must have felt at her supposed death and what he’s gone through in the intervening years. I’m very proud of him that he didn’t allow it to break him or use it as an excuse to completely go darkside. What he must be feeling now. ::huggles for Lex::

::claps madly:: Bravo! I loved their first meeting! I, like Lex, appreciated her instinctive reaction to him. And he’s so proud that he garnered a response even though she has no memory of him. Oh, Lex.

Laura. Noticing Lex at the funeral. Loved that. And I got the warm and fuzzies from her interaction with him at the coffee house. She was too cute yanking on his pants to get his attention, demanding that he read to her with the voices, being so easily tactile with him. His surprise that a child would take an instant liking to him just makes me want to hug him and beat Lionel and hug him some more. And you devil. “Her husband” and not her father. That’s the second time you’ve done that, I think. I’m still waiting for you to state outright that she belongs to Lex. Come on. You know you want to. Their immediate rapport reminds me of a story I read a long time ago, in which a child meeting her uncle for the first time, toddles over to where he’s sitting, rests her hands on his knees and stares up at him. The other character present at the time thinks the child performs this action because she somehow recognizes there is a bond between them – that she instinctively knows they are related. I wonder. Is that what is behind her reaction to him? And him asking if obsessive behavior runs in her family. Does someone suspect something?

The conversation before he left was just perfect. The St. Christopher medal, fate, his name, her piecing things together. Brilliant! Bravo again!

[lexie]

It´s never too late.Thanks a lot for your in-depth review as usual. I´m really pleased you´re enjoying this fic so much as to become so passionate about the characters-canonical or not. I appreciate your comments a lot.:blinkkiss

[kinky]

Love the story, i just start reading it, but i love it!! i like how Chloe put everything together even thought is doesnt remember! i really would like to see you Lex is going to deal with Lana once he got Chloe back! oh and Lex and Laura are soo cute!!!!

[lexie]

Love the story, i just start reading it, but i love it!! i like how Chloe put everything together even thought is doesnt remember! i really would like to see you Lex is going to deal with Lana once he got Chloe back! oh and Lex and Laura are soo cute!!!!

Thanks for leaving your impressions on what you´ve read so far.:blinkkiss

There´ll be news on Lana in the next instalment.:P

[lexie]

A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and your interest in this story.
Here´s a new double instalment- the next one will come in a couple of weeks. The rating jumps to a mild R in this chapter, by the way.

CHAPTER 4: Memories

It was eleven o´clock when Chloe finished organising the kitchen cabinets after sharing dinner with Laura and putting her to bed. The blonde´s inquisitive mind was in a whirl and she cursed the lack of Wi-Fi signal in the coffee house- not only was it too late to go hunting for another café to see if she could get lucky, she wasn´t willing to drag a sleepy Laura along with her considering the recent crime wave which had hit Star City. Her research would have to wait until the damn signal came back or she could drive somewhere it worked.

Divesting herself of her sweaty clothes she stepped into the shower stall and opened both taps till the water reached the ideal temperature. As she lathered her body and let the water run down her coiled muscles, she closed her eyes and remembered the first few minutes of her encounter with the stranger she now knew as Alexander Joseph. She could still feel the heat of his eyes on her now and recall that fleeting look of something which had seemed a lot like devotion. Even though she had seen that very same look in Phil´s eyes on several occasions- while her husband´s had caused pain in her for not being able to give him all that he wanted from her, Alexander´s reached parts of her soul she had kept untouchable and parts of her body which had remained anaesthetised for almost three years.

Rinsing the foam off her full breasts she heard a moan escape her lips as her hands accidentally grazed the pebbled peaks and the caress echoed in her female core. Tears welled up in her eyes as passion and guilt overtook her and her body slid down to the tiled floor amidst racking sobs. “I´m so sorry, Phil,” she hiccupped, lying in foetal position.

Lex was stretched out on his four-poster bed at the penthouse in Metropolis going over the events of the afternoon, trying to recall every word, every look, every smile, every breath of Chloe´s, and telling himself once again he´d been an utter fool to think Lana would ever have filled the void the `death´ of Gabe´s daughter had left in his life.

Lionel had known of Lex´s weakness for Chloe, smelt his deep feelings for her like the bloodhound the old bastard was. Luthor Sr had never forgiven his first-born´s betrayal and had hit where he knew it´d hurt the most. Fate had played against Lex´s father sparing Chloe´s life, but had dealt him a good hand again when Clark´s high-school friend was signed by Sleuth- the publishing house Lionel had bought on a whim in memory of his late wife and her passion for detective stories. The old devil had recognised the blonde spitfire´s prose and even seen a few parallelisms between the storyline of her first novel and some of his old sins in Suicide Slums. Chloe had lost her memory and, still, it appeared some of the things which she had dug up on Lionel prior to the trial were- unbeknownst to her- branded in her brain.

Was it because his father had felt threatened by Chloe´s repressed memories that he had had her followed and photographed? Why had he approached Fairchild and not her? What was the something she had that he had wanted so desperately? So far Lex had got some valuable clues, but they weren´t enough to complete the puzzle.

Patience and careful planning had always been two of his most treasured assets; however, time was against him on this occasion. Despite the fact he had managed to pressure the media to keep all photos of the young widow out of the news when Lionel Luthor´s death made it to the front page, he didn´t delude himself- sooner or later Chloe´s involvement would leak and he would have to deal not just with his own chaotic personal life but with Clark and Lois´ accusations.

After her bout of crying, Chloe stepped out of the shower, dried and changed into her nightdress. She slipped under the bedcovers and fell asleep almost immediately; however, it wasn´t a restful night and her subconscious was more alert than ever, making her dreams troubled and confusing.

“We should stop this, Lex,” she said half-heartily as the masculine hand which had unbuttoned her blouse unclasped the front fastening of her bra and his mouth peppered kisses on the column of her neck.

“Say it like you mean it,” he whispered in her ear; and she could hear the smile in his voice as he cupped one milky breast in his hand and felt her tremble in his arms.

“It´s no use. You know damn well I can´t, but we´re prolonging the inevitable,” she choked, feeling the tears well up in her eyes.

“God, don´t cry,” he cursed when his lips tasted the salty dampness that rolled down her cheeks.”Chloe,” he entreated her warmly,” open your eyes and look at me.”

“It hurts. I thought nothing would hurt as much as his choosing her over me. I was wrong... This hurts a hundred times more,” she sobbed, twisting in his arms, urging him to let her go. “ I can´t do this anymore, Lex. It´s like dying a little bit every time we´re together, knowing there´s no future in this.”

“We´ll find a way,” he told her gravely, tightening his hold on her.

“There´s no way, Lex We´re both realists. We´ve known it from the very beginning, from the very moment I came to you and accepted your help... It was the trial and then the Witness Protection Program for me and dad. We simply chose to deceive ourselves for a little while.”

“He won´t live for ever,” he responded, refusing to accept what he knew was the truth. “Things happen when one is in prison.”

“Don´t say that, Lex, “ she told him in an anguished tone.” Don´t you dare think of that. He´s not worth it; he´s not worth your losing your soul over him,” she added passionately.

“Why do all the best things in my life have to end this way?” he asked in a tormented voice.

“I wish things were different. I didn´t know... If I had known what I do now, we would have been spared all of this,” she said regretfully.

“What´s done is done now, Chloe. We´ll never know what might have happened if I had acted upon my feelings sooner, or if you hadn´t entered that bargain with dad. All that´s irrelevant now,” he stated, pressing a kiss on Chloe´s temple.

“Lex, let me go. Let´s say goodbye now,” she begged him when she felt her body was starting to react to his breath so near her mouth and his hands on her back bringing her closer.” Please,” she sobbed.

“Promise me something and I´ll let you go,” he told her in a raspy voice after brushing her lips with his. “Promise me you´ll come to the mansion one last time before you leave...”

“Lex...” she began only to be cut off by the billionaire.

“Promise, Chloe,” he insisted, cupping her face in both hands.

“This is madness,” she murmured, letting him kiss her one last time before running out of the mansion in tears.

Chloe woke up to find her face covered in tears and her left hand gripping her pillow tightly. Was it all a dream, a projection of the feelings and emotions Alexander had provoked in her? Or had the afternoon encounter stirred a repressed memory? Had she been a witness in a trial against Alexander´s father? Was the explosion connected in some way? Was her real name Chloe and Karen just the one provided by the government when she entered the Witness Protection Program? She had always felt she hadn´t been born a Karen. The dream- which she was inclined to believe was a recollection of an actual event- would explain many things, including the instant attraction towards the handsome stranger and the way she responded to his proximity.

Getting out of bed noiselessly so as not to rouse Laura, who was sound asleep in the room across from hers, Chloe splashed water on her face and then walked to the open window to let the fresh air cool down her feverish skin. She was too overwhelmed to go back to bed and catch any sleep; she´d sit on the ledge for a short while and then try the WI-FI signal again.

“You came,” sighed Lex, feeling his tense muscles relax as he walked around his mahogany desk to meet her half way.

“Against my better judgement. I left dad packing and told him I had some last minute errand to run. I haven´t got much time,” she told him, darting her eyes around the room and avoiding looking at Lex to keep her resolve.

“This won´t take long. I´ve got something for you,” he told her ill-at-ease, making a supreme effort to respect her wishes and not touch her.

“Lex,” she murmured, laying her eyes on his back as he stood in front of the bookcase and pressed a button to open a hidden compartment.

“It isn´t much, but it´s the only thing I could think of that you wouldn´t be averse to wearing,” he explained, grabbing a black velvet case, which he opened in front of Chloe´s eyes. “If I had had my way, I would have given you something more meaningful and binding,” he added, taking the jewel from its bed. “It´s St Christopher- Patron Saint of Travellers. He will protect you on this journey. I´ve had it made specially for you by a Florentine artisan that used to design jewels for my mum.”

Chloe looked at the simple and exquisite platinum piece with glassy eyes. “Lex, “ she said in a raspy voice, “ it´s beautiful. I´ve never seen anything like it in my life, but I...”

“I´ve had it engraved with something for you to remember me, to remember us and that this isn´t over- it´s just got an inscription and my initials,” he rushed to say not giving her the chance to reject it.

“Fāta viam invenient?” Chloe read the engraving when he turned over the medal.

“The Fates will find a way,” he translated for her benefit.

“I haven´t got you anything,” she swallowed, feeling the pricking of tears behind her eyelids.

“You´re here; that´s all I wanted- to see you one last time before you left,” he said throatily.

“Would you help me fasten it around my neck?” she requested, taking the chain from his hands and trying to make the clasp work with her shaky fingers.

“Turn around,” he said warmly before his long fingers grazed hers to work on the clasp. “There it is,” he added, letting go off the chain and feeling the electricity course through his body as his hand accidentally brushed her nape. Chloe´s breath hitched and goose pimples broke out on her skin. Lex´s presence so close behind her was wrecking havoc on her and her body was reacting to him, hungry for his touch after a week of trying so hard to put a distance between them.

Lex heard the deepening of Chloe´s breath as she unconsciously swayed towards his warmth, torturing him with her delicate perfume of lilacs and the proximity of her curvy bottom, which was almost flush with his arousal.

“Chloe,” he whispered as he wrapped one arm around her waist to bring her closer and brushed her pulse with his lips, inhaling the sweet scent behind her ear.

The blonde reporter closed her eyes, savouring the warmth of his lips on her skin and the music of his husky baritone saying her name close to her ear. She could feel his arousal pressed against her buttocks as his arm embraced her possessively, seeking to merge her body with his. Meanwhile, his right hand started undoing the first few buttons of her blouse and Chloe sensed her over-sensitive breasts get fuller awaiting his caress.

Lex heard her moan as his fingers turned her rosy nipples into two tight buds through the feminine lace of her ebony-coloured bra, and he untucked her blouse out of her trousers. It was time she ran away- she´d promised herself it wouldn´t happen again because she wasn´t that strong and doubted she would be prepared to handle Lex if his cool control over his own feelings finally slipped.

“Lex,” she sighed when he undid the button of her trousers and started to unzip it.”Lex,“ she insisted, placing her hand on top of his as he lowered the zip. “This isn´t a good idea.”

“I love you, Chloe,” he responded, making her knees wobble when she heard the actual words coming out of his mouth for the first time.

“It´s not fair,” she choked, trying to disengage herself from his arms.” You can´t say that to me just now,” she sobbed, extricating herself from Lex´s embrace.

“Why not? It´s the truth. What did you think all this was about? Me trying to get you to pay me for helping you get out of this mess? I don´t go about saying these words to get into anyone´s pants,” he exploded hurt by her reaction.

“God, Lex!” she said with glassy eyes when she saw him close up. “I didn´t mean it that way. I know these words have never come easy to you. It´s just that... one thing is to think the other person feels that way for you and another´s to actually hear the words spoken. It seems I´ve been waiting for ever to hear them, and now that I did... I have to walk out on you. I´ve finally found someone that loves me for whom I am, someone I also happen to love, and I have to give him up,” she told him with anguish in her voice, crossing her arms in front of her to hide her arousal.

Lex looked at her two armfuls away- her face flushed and her heart beating fast, as was evident by the quick rise and fall of her creamy breasts. God, how much he loved her!

“I won´t give you up,” stated the young billionaire as a petulant child who´s denied something he wants.

“It´s out of our control, Lex,” she shook her head.

“I need you, Chloe. I need you in my life. Only if I see this as a small bump on the road until we can be together again, I´ll be able to keep my north.
You centre me,” he confessed passionately, getting closer to her.

“You´re a good man. The darkness that´s lurking in the corners of your soul won´t win if you don´t let it. I don´t know if I´m up to the task you´re expecting me to fulfil; I doubt anyone would ever be. I´m not perfect, Lex.”

“I´ve never said you were. God, you´d be boring if you were! You´re right in that everyone´s the maker of his own destiny and accountable for his own choices. I´m not expecting you to be my saviour. I´m simply saying that you make me want to be better, to be worthy.”

“You are worthy, Lex,” she replied huskily when he stopped in front of her. “I wished I had your father in this room so I could choke him with my bare hands for making you believe this nonsense,” she added in a voice laced with venom. “ I love all of you, Lex. You don´t need to pretend with me that you´re some invincible macho. I love strong confident Lex as much as vulnerable and insecure Lex. I love your light and your darkness.”

“I´m not insecure,” he retorted, veiling his eyes for her not to see how deeply her words had touched him.

“The hell you are not,” she contradicted him with the ghost of a smile, stretching out an arm to touch his cheek only to see him recoil and frown at
her. “Oh, you´re such a ninny!” she laughed, mocking him.” Hey! What are you doing?” she exclaimed when he grabbed one of her hands and pulled her towards him.

“I´m showing you what an insecure ninny I am,” he replied in a velvety voice before crushing her lips in a hungry demanding kiss.

Chloe kicked herself for egging him on. She had known how the banter would end and did exactly what she had sworn she wouldn´t do. Her subconscious had betrayed her and now she could feel her body capitulating. Lex teased her lips with the tip of his tongue while his hands slipped down her back and then under her lacy briefs to grip her buttocks. As soon as the petite blonde´s crotch was brought closer to him, she opened her mouth and granted him access, meeting his tongue stroke for stroke. It didn´t take long for her to experience the urge to unbutton Lex´s expensive blue dress shirt, which she did with anxious fingers, earning a playful bite on her neck.

Once she´d untucked his shirt and started to undo his belt, she slipped out of her trousers and let the billionaire lift her up until her legs were securely wrapped around his hips. At this moment he paused and locked his stormy blue-grey eyes with hers. Seeing him hesitate for a second she leant forward and initiated another kiss working on his zip to put him in a similar state of undress.

They had never made love in his study; Lex had always preferred his four-poster, where there was more room to manoeuvre, and she had felt special because he´d never let any of the previous women in his life enjoy that privilege. Being loved in that bed, being granted access to his room and his private space- a space he considered sacred- showed her that she meant a lot more to him than just a notch on his belt; but today she couldn´t handle that.

“Wait,” he stopped her when her caresses became more daring and their kisses more heated.

“What´s wrong? I´m too far gone to stop this now,” she told him breathlessly.

“We can go to my bedroom. It´s more comfortable there,” he told her, brushing a couple of blond hairs off her face.

“Your sofa looks cosy,” she said with a naughty smile.” Or maybe your desk,” she suggested, biting his lower lip before sliding down his body.

“Chloe, this isn´t you,” he snapped, grabbing the young woman by her upper arms when she pushed him towards his desk and the kisses she was scattering on his torso reached the waistband of his underwear making it clear to him what her intention was.

“What do you mean this isn´t me?” she asked him with firing green eyes.

“What are you trying to do?” he queried, boring his blue-grey eyes into her.

“Stop looking at me that way,” she shouted, turning her gaze away.

“Like what?” he asked seriously, making her turn to face him.

“Like that. Like I mean the world to you. Like you won´t survive without me.”

“I´ve never felt this way before. Forgive me if I´ve stopped being the cold insensitive bastard I am for a while,” he bristled, trying to get away from Chloe.

“I´m sorry. I didn´t mean to hurt you,” she sobbed.” I´m such a mess,” she clung to him.

“Chloe,” he murmured,” this will be our last time together for a while. I want for it to be special, to be everything you deserve- the desk isn´t meant for that.”

“I told my dad I´d be back for dinner,” she responded, wiping away a couple of tears.

“You can use the phone upstairs to let him know you´ll be home for lunch. He´s not stupid, Chloe. He´s known all the while where you are.”

And she stayed and they talked or just lay in silence with his arms wrapped tightly around her as he spooned her from behind. None of them catching any sleep, too afraid of being robbed of a minute together. And it was at six o´clock, when the sun started to filter through the bedroom curtains that Lex made her his one last time with the silent promise to wait for fate to bring them back together again.

The grandfather clock in Lex´s anteroom struck five when he got out of bed aroused as he hadn´t been in months and with a splitting headache. He hadn´t dreamt about their last night together in a long time and never in such detail, thought Lex as he had a quick cold shower and then opened the cabinet for some aspirin.

He popped a couple of pills in his mouth and downed them with some water, wondering how much of his headache was due to his dream and how much to Lana´s impending arrival. Although he´d already planned what to say and his decision to end their relationship was final, he dreaded having to waste time which could be put to better use to get Chloe back.

Putting the aspirin back on the medicine shelf, his attention was suddenly attracted by an orange plastic container. He grabbed it and looked at its label. He had had it filled just a fortnight ago; it was a long shot, but he had always trusted his instincts. He´d check the world stock markets, have breakfast and then phone Jennifer.

TBC

[kinky]

Great chapter! love caring, loving Lex! cant wait to see you he is going to handle lana!

[hfce]

Oh my goodness that was both sad and hot! I can't wait until Chloe remembers more. I am wondering if their last night created a little Luthor that was lost in the explosion? :grin3:

[Cassandra Jean]

That was such a wonderful chapter. I am so happy that Chloe is starting to get her memories back...especially the ones regarding Lex. Hopefully she will put it all together soon and they can sit down and figure out what happened.


Please don't make me wait weeks for another update...I know that real life gets in the way, but I serriously check this story every day to see if it has updated.

[toryjhay]

Goodness!

Loved the flashbacks, a peek at what happened between those two was just intriguing! Can't wait until the next one. I am so anticipating the break up with Lana encounter. More soon please!!!

[Gaia]

Of course Lana would cause a headache:P
Loving the story

[Fouzia]

get ou lana!!!
I love your story!!! I was so existing when I see a update!!!
Thank you and update soon please!!!:grin3:

[lexie]

I´m sorry to burst your bubble, girls.::/: Just like Lex I dread wasting time on Lana when it could be put to better use. :D There won´t be a break-up scene as such in my next instalment- there are bigger fish to fry. However, the brunette will make an appearance later on, and I think it´ll be an interesting Lex/Lana face-to-face of sorts.:grin3:

[lkedino]

I love this story so far

[autumngold]

Great update! This story is so exciting! I can't wait to find out what you have planned next! The only thing I know for sure is that everything I think is happening is completely wrong. Please update again soon!

[Kit Merlot]

This was a damn angsty update. but I'm hopeful that Chloe will regain her full memories and then she and Lex can be together:D

[veronica525]

:devil: H-O-T :devil:

Karen/Chloe might not have her memories, but her body and subconscious sure now how to react to Lex... Sweet! I hope she gets a signal soon, she needs to get some research time in!

Lex needs to deal with Lana, ASAP. How he ever thought she might somehow take Chloe's place is beyond me. I'm glad he realizes Lana isn't even on the same playing field as Chloe. I wonder how Lana is going to get the ax and how she is going to deal with it, hopefully she bows out gracefully.

I'm still wondering if Laura is really Lex's.. But does the age match up??? I'd have to re-read..

I love your writing style. I can't help but give you major props. You are really good. Keep it up. It made my day to come here and see that you had updated! In fact I cheered out loud. My husband thinks I'm crazy for getting so excited over "fanfiction". I can't help reading about my fave characters, thanks for making this fantastic!

:respect:

[lexie]

I love this story so far

Thank you, Lara; and welcome to the thread.


The only thing I know for sure is that everything I think is happening is completely wrong.

That´s great. I wouldn´t like for it to be predictable. *devilish grin*


This was a damn angsty update but I'm hopeful that Chloe will regain her full memories and then she and Lex can be together:D

Ultimately that´s where I want to take them. It´ll take her a while to regain them all, but little by little I´m sure she´ll get there. Blame my muse for the angsty mood; that´s what she wanted me to write when I started working on this last January. And it appears she came back with a vengeance for my latest one-shots. I can´t complain, though, she´s helped me pen some of my most satisfying pieces so far.lol


:devil: H-O-T :devil:

Karen/Chloe might not have her memories, but her body and subconscious sure now how to react to Lex... Sweet!

I can´t believe any woman would completely forget someone like Lex, can you?


I hope she gets a signal soon, she needs to get some research time in!

She´ll be in full research mode in my next instalment.



Lex needs to deal with Lana, ASAP. How he ever thought she might somehow take Chloe's place is beyond me. I'm glad he realizes Lana isn't even on the same playing field as Chloe. I wonder how Lana is going to get the ax and how she is going to deal with it, hopefully she bows out gracefully.

Patience; there´ll be a reference to it in my first post of September. Although, as I said in my previous comment, there won´t be a face-to-face Lex/Lana scene until later.



I love your writing style. I can't help but give you major props. You are really good. Keep it up. It made my day to come here and see that you had updated! In fact I cheered out loud. My husband thinks I'm crazy for getting so excited over "fanfiction". I can't help reading about my fave characters, thanks for making this fantastic!

:respect:

Well, I don´t know what to say except that I hope my muse will behave and that it won´t disappoint you. I´m really happy to know my stories keep you entertained and help you wind down. Thanks for your warm words.A little pimping here... you´re welcome to read the rest of my work to make the waiting go by faster.

[daria_103]

Apologies for the lack of reviews Lexie, I usually love your fic and dive on any updates but I've been visiting friends in Canada for the last while and don't have much internet access. I didn't want to start a new fic when I knew I wouldn't get a chance very often to read updates, I've gotten your pm's and I just wanted to let you know that I'm not ignoring your fic or messages I just want to wait until I can give it my full attention as I'm sure I'll end up completely immersed in it as I do with all your stuff :)

So far I've only gotten to glance at it during my quick internet breaks but it looks just as great as all your other stories have been, I look forward to giving it a proper read :)

[ksa]

hello lexie,
a great chapter as always.:blinkkiss the flashbacks were very romantic and erotic and I actually could feel lex desperation and fear of losing Chloe, because of Lionel. It was so sweet and sad. And poor Chloe it´s hard to feel for a stranger so muchmore than to your own dead husband.
But the best part of course is that Lex now is getting rid of Lana :D and then he will start to get Chloe back. I´am really looking forward to this.
Hugs Sandra

[malugargula]

Wonderful chapter
Hot, sad and beautiful
:)
Can`t wait to read more and see Chloe figure out her memories

[lexie]

Apologies for the lack of reviews Lexie, I usually love your fic and dive on any updates but I've been visiting friends in Canada for the last while and don't have much internet access. I didn't want to start a new fic when I knew I wouldn't get a chance very often to read updates, I've gotten your pm's and I just wanted to let you know that I'm not ignoring your fic or messages I just want to wait until I can give it my full attention as I'm sure I'll end up completely immersed in it as I do with all your stuff :)

That´s all right, Linda. I hope you´re having a nice time in Canada. The fic will remain here, so you´re welcome to read it once you´ve settled down.:blinkkiss


So far I've only gotten to glance at it during my quick internet breaks but it looks just as great as all your other stories have been, I look forward to giving it a proper read :)

That´s good to know. Let´s hope I´ll be able to deliver something up to your expectations.:P


hello lexie,
a great chapter as always.:blinkkiss the flashbacks were very romantic and erotic and I actually could feel lex desperation and fear of losing Chloe, because of Lionel. It was so sweet and sad.


Wonderful chapter
Hot, sad and beautiful

If that´s what you felt while reading this instalment, girls, then I feel satisfied because it´s exactly what I was going for.:grin3:

[Aongealach]

I really like this new story. I hope Phil is really a good guy because wouldn't that just be Chloe's luck to find out her Husband and father of her daughter is a scum bag. Poor Chloe, but I have faith that you will bring about a gloriousness never before seen to this story before it is over!

[lexie]

I really like this new story. I hope Phil is really a good guy because wouldn't that just be Chloe's luck to find out her Husband and father of her daughter is a scum bag.

Yeah, Chloe just like Lex has always had the worst of luck with her love life. I suppose you´ll have to wait and see to find out if Phil was one of the good guys or not.:yeahbaby:


Poor Chloe, but I have faith that you will bring about a gloriousness never before seen to this story before it is over!

Thanks for your vote of confidence. I hope I won´t let you down. :P

[purplemoon123]

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!

This is so amazing!!!! I'm just loving all the twist and turns of this story.

And the last chapter has melted my brain.

[lexie]

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!

This is so amazing!!!! I'm just loving all the twist and turns of this story.

There´ll be plenty of twists and turns ahead- that much I can promise.



And the last chapter has melted my brain.

That´s a great compliment for someone who doesn´t do smut!:P

[ThraceC]

I just finished the first chapter in what I believe is the first fic of yours I've read (it certainly won't be the last!). I'm very intrigued. Hooked in fact and damn it I should be studying! I'll be sure to leave FB as I go, how could I have missed your work all this time?

[ThraceC]

For someone who doesn't do smut, you do smut pretty well. This is why I hate reading fics that aren't complete! I'm addicted now so when's my next fix?
Really though, this is a very intriguing story I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. Thanks Lexie.

[happybum]

Chloe you shouldn't feel guilty for being a woman and to finally have you body recognize your former love. If anything it just makes you feel more alive. I am glad that she her dream/part of her memory come back to clarify who the stranger is and gave a piece of her former self. It's sad that Lex thought that he lost his love of his life and he thought that he'll settle for second best to fill the void. Silly Lex, you can't replace true love. I do pity Lana in this, being anyone's substitute is not fair for any party involved. And Lex is scheming again and we all know that he won't stop until he get's what his wants. I wonder how Smallville and Chloe's family and friends will react to the fact that their beloved Chloe is still alive and with a baby girl. I definitely can't wait for the next installment. I agree with ThraceC, you did a superb and believeable job with the loves scenes. You makes it seem like your write with ease like a pro. =] Oh the scene where they spent their last night together ending their relationship made me teary-eyed. It was heartbreaking and beautiful and it's wonderful that their they are getting a second chance to rekindle their relationship together. Yay for chlex.

[lexie]

Wow, girls, you´re going to give me one big head. I hope I´ll live up to your praise.


I just finished the first chapter in what I believe is the first fic of yours I've read (it certainly won't be the last!). I'm very intrigued. Hooked in fact and damn it I should be studying! I'll be sure to leave FB as I go, how could I have missed your work all this time?

Well, you aren´t the only one who doesn´t know what he/she´s missing. lol. Joking aside, I´m glad you´ve clicked on this thread and stayed. Thanks for your warm words, T.


I agree with ThraceC, you did a superb and believeable job with the loves scenes. You makes it seem like your write with ease like a pro. =] Oh the scene where they spent their last night together ending their relationship made me teary-eyed. It was heartbreaking and beautiful and it's wonderful that their they are getting a second chance to rekindle their relationship together. Yay for chlex.

You´ve hit it on the nail. Whenever I include bedroom scenes, I strive to write "love scenes" and that´s the way I see them, not as mere smut. That´s why I say I don´t "do" smut. I want for these scenes to be meaningful and essential to the story. If the fic can be read without them preserving the development of the plot untouched then I much rather leave the thing out altogether.

I´m so glad you were both able to appreciate the nuances.;)

[chloedreamer]

Sorry I didn't get to reply sooner but I've had computer trouble then company staying and finally just tonight got online to check here and found a update thanks so much for the message letting me know about the update.

I hope Lex ends things with Lana before him and Chloe get close again. And of course that Chloe's memories return.

[lexie]

Sorry I didn't get to reply sooner

It´s never too late. :D



I hope Lex ends things with Lana before him and Chloe get close again. And of course that Chloe's memories return.

You´re all impatient about the Lana-affair; I promise there´ll be some news in the following chapter.And, sure, more memories will come back to Chloe- helped by her investigative skills, of course.

[lexie]

A/N: I´d like to thank you all for your encouragement and to show my special gratitude to those of you who read and voted for my one-shot "A Modern Persephone", helping me win the fanfic challenge a second month in a row. :)

If you haven´t read any of the entries, including mine, you can click on the link in my signature.

CHAPTER 5: The Past is Never Left Behind

STAR CITY

Chloe had spent six hours researching Lionel Luthor on the internet, focusing on the period around 2002-2003 in particular, when she came across a series of video files connected with the murder trial. By that time she already knew her real name was Chloe Sullivan and that she had been the editor of a high school newspaper called The Torch. It had just taken her a few minutes to Google herself using the surname Luthor and the information she had got thanks to her dreams- the name Alexander had called her, the high school newspaper and the crow in the poster. Then she´d proceeded to track her relationship with the billionaires from the time LuthorCorp provided The Torch with new hardware to the day her name appeared in The Daily Planet as a witness for the prosecution in the highly-publicised trial of Lionel Luthor.

The videos showed the handsome billionaire who had made her heart leap just a few hours ago descending the stairs of Metropolis Courthouse after his father´s acquittal. Chloe downloaded the imbedded files and transformed them into another format to improve their quality. She played them over and over again, trying to read Lex beyond his apparent indifference and the cold façade he used in front of the microphones as he stood on the stairs informing the reporters of the verdict while they asked him about the star witness who had failed to appear. Despite her efforts, she could see no trace of the hot-blooded man she had remembered in her dreams or the affectionate individual who had read Laura a story. It was evident his public persona was an evolved version of the dangerous man she´d glimpsed when he talked about what might happen to his father in prison.

After fixing breakfast for both her and Laura, she had a quick shower and kept surfing the net while her daughter coloured with some crayons. Having determined her relationship with both Luthors the young widow began a thorough investigation on the son to find out what kind of person and businessman he was. His philanthropic projects were as impressive as the number of articles exposing the allegedly morally questionable LuthorCorp-funded scientific endeavours. Although Lex, as every major newspaper called him, seemed to have become a tycoon as ruthless as his old man, there were several things in his past which clearly differentiated him from Lionel Luthor- deeds which made him appear more humane and not utterly selfish. Chloe had never been blind to people´s flaws- she had never been one to see the world through rose-coloured glasses- and, yet, something deep inside her told her Alexander Joseph Luthor couldn´t be the monster his dad had been. Beyond the physical and the intellectual attraction that had clearly existed between the bald billionaire and her, she must have seen something special in him on the spiritual level, something which her soul recognised as worthy to be loved.

Corroborating the identity of the patrician gentleman had been a source of conflicting emotions for Chloe. On the one hand, it meant she´d finally found out who the someone that had left an affective void in her was. On the other hand, it entailed their past together might have been the cause of Phil´s death. However, what worried her the most was the uncertainty of not knowing if Alexander had come back to her life for the same reason his father had and what she´d do if that were the case.

METROPOLIS

Lex parked his silver Porsche in the underground garage of the exclusive Metropolis clinic he had visited but a fortnight ago. Jennifer had sent him the information he had asked her for and now, he was about to confront Dr Williamson with it and, hopefully, prove the reason for Lionel´s sudden interest in Chloe.

“Good morning, Mr Luthor,” Williamson´s secretary greeted him.” How can I help you?”

“I´m here to see Dr Williamson,” he responded with a polite smile.

“We weren´t expecting you this morning. The doctor has an operation scheduled to start at 11.30 a.m. I can give you an appointment for Wednesday at 9 a.m.,” she told him, consulting the free slots in the diary.

“I´m afraid that won´t do. I have to see the doctor today to discuss a very delicate matter,” he replied with a no-nonsense attitude.”I´m sure he has some free slots for emergencies.”

“I suppose I could squeeze you in,” the bespectacled brunette agreed, leaving the desk.”I´ll be back in a minute,” she smiled, knocking on the office door.

“Thanks,” he smirked, sitting down in an armchair to wait for Williamson.

“The doctor will see you now, Mr Luthor,” said the secretary, coming out of the office.

Lex grabbed the Armani overcoat from the armchair next to his and walked gracefully into Williamson´s surgery.

“Alexander,” the grey-haired man greeted him with a handshake.”I was surprised when my secretary told me you wanted to see me,” he added, sitting down on his swivel chair. “Is everything OK?” he frowned.

“You tell me, doctor,” Lex said smoothly as he pushed a purple folder towards the physician.

“Where did you get this? They´re confidential records,” the sixty-year-old man asked tightly.

“You should improve your firewall, doctor. The question here isn´t how I got them but what I found out you´ve been hiding from me. Tell me, Doctor, did my father come to see you six months ago?” Lex replied tersely.

“Lex...” began the doctor only to be cut off by the billionaire.

“You´d better tell me the truth. I wasted enough time as it is,” said the young CEO threateningly.

“Your father came to see me with some medical records he wanted me to examine. He didn´t tell me who they belonged to- just that he needed a second opinion. I told him I´d rather see the patient myself and start from scratch. He told me that was impracticable and that I´d have to make do with the records he´d given me. After all, it wouldn´t be the first time I saw results such as those. He just needed confirmation.”

“And you gave it to him?”

“I told him there was a simpler and faster way to get to know what he wanted, but he said he couldn´t run the risk if he happened to be wrong. Cases such as the one he presented me with are very rare, as you know very well, Alexander. I told him there was a chance in ten million to be wrong. Your father gave me a telephone number to contact a doctor in Star City.”

“Fairchild?”

“No, Dr Ferguson. Lionel told me to offer him the cocktail and asked me to keep the name Luthor and LuthorCorp out of it. He made me invent some story about there being a national record of people affected by the same syndrome and a project to help them.”

“Have you ever seen the other person on the list behind my back?”

“No. Is she OK?”

“She was perfectly healthy when I saw her last.”

“I´m sorry, Lex. You know what your father was like. I had made some very unwise investments and was up to my neck. I didn´t want Susan to find out and your father used that as leverage. I sincerely thought this person was in some way connected to your dad and that he wanted to keep her a secret.”

“Oh, you were right about that. He didn´t want me to find out about her. I´m 100% sure he was planning to use her in some way to get the control of LuthorCorp back,” said Lex, clenching his fists at the thought of Lionel ever getting close to someone so precious to him.

TWO DAYS LATER

CHLOE´S APARTMENT ABOVE THE COFFEE HOUSE- STAR CITY

Chloe was working on the shop´s bookkeeping while sipping a big mug of frothy coffee when there was a knock on the door.

“Yes?” she spoke up, raising her eyes to the entrance.

“There´s a phone call for you, boss,” answered Jerry´s muffled voice.

“Did they give you a name?” she asked, leaving the sofa and opening the
door just a crack.

“Someone from Sleuth. Should I tell him you´ll call him back?”

“No, it´s all right. I´ll answer it,” she told him, shutting the door firmly behind her and walking towards the stairs with Jerry.

The coffee house was deserted when she crossed it to answer the phone in the small storage room to the left of the counter.

“Hello?” she said grabbing the handset.

“Mrs Fairchild? Or should I say Ms Sullivan?” a man responded on the other end.

“Who´s this?” asked Chloe, tightening the grip on the phone as her old name
rang in her ear and she realised this was no call from Sleuth.

“Let´s just say I´m the one who calls the shots now. The old man died and failed to deliver what he´d promised us, and that´s made us very unhappy,” the man answered tersely.

“I´m afraid I don´t know what you´re talking about,” Chloe told him as she shut the door quietly to keep her conversation private.

“Come on, Ms Sullivan. You know very well who I´m talking about. That sharp mind of yours might have chosen to repress some unsavoury memories, but it made sure to keep what could nail `him´ pretty much alive. That first novel of yours... was a very enlightening read.”

“The past is dead and buried, Mr Mystery. That bastard ruined my life twice, and I just want to move on. I don´t know what you want from me, but...” she replied through clenched teeth.

“It didn´t seem dead and buried two days ago when LuthorCorp´s CEO came to see you at the coffee shop. By the way, does he know? It took us a while to figure out what the old man´s trump card was to get us what he´d promised us. Considering he no longer controlled the voting at LuthorCorp´s board of directors it had to be something big to sway young Luthor´s resolve to keep us out. Something tells me he´d budge now. You´ll convince him for us.”

“First of all, I don´t know who I´m talking to. Second, what makes you think I´d involve myself in Luthor business again? And last but not least, what makes you believe I´d have any influence whatsoever on someone as powerful as Lex Luthor?”

“Don´t sell yourself short, Ms Sullivan. Did you know your knight in shining armour broke up his engagement after visiting you? The Daily Planet gossip column might mention irreconcilable differences as the cause, but we know better, don´t we? What does it feel like to be the love interest of the son of the man who murdered your father and your husband?” asked the mysterious guy.

“I won´t listen one minute longer to a coward who doesn´t identify himself and feels the need to disguise his voice to make a prank call in very bad taste,” hissed Chloe, wondering if there was any grain of truth in what the man had said about Lex´s break-up and if she´d be so lucky this time as to escape Lionel´s legacy unscathed.

“I wouldn´t hang up if I were you, Ms Sullivan. Take a look out of the window, and you´ll see what I mean,” responded the unknown caller menacingly.

Chloe tightened the grip on the cordless phone as a grim sense of foreboding assaulted her. Opening the door of the storage room she approached the coffee house entrance and drew one of the red and white gingham curtains aside to look outside.

“Stay away from her or I swear to God... “ she said through clenched teeth feeling the tears well up in her eyes.

“Tell Luthor to give us what we want and no one will get hurt,” said the man grimly. “We´ll keep in touch,” he added before hanging up.

“Wait!” she exclaimed only to be met by static and then complete silence.

With sweaty hands and a hammering heart she disconnected the cordless phone and, leaving it on a table near the entrance, she rushed through the door towards the young woman and the child that were crossing the street.

“Hi, Karen!” smiled her editor´s eldest daughter, who used to babysit Laura
on occasion when Chloe and Phil had a rare night out. “Is everything OK?” she asked with a concerned look.

“Sure. I just finished the paperwork earlier and thought of taking some fresh air while waiting for you outside. I know I told you I´d need you until dinner, but... you don´t mind, do you? “

“It´s all right. I´ve got to study for my finals, so it suits me just fine.”

“I´ll pay you the usual, though,” Chloe told her, picking up Laura.”How are you, sweetie?” she murmured, rubbing her nose against the child´s.

“Do you like it?” asked the girl showing Chloe her animal-shaped balloon.

“Where did you get it?” replied the blonde as she took the string from her daughter´s hand.

“That man...” responded Laura stretching her little arm to point to her right.

Chloe knew exactly where it had come from- a man dressed in a clown´s costume had given it to the girl while the young widow was being threatened on the phone.

“That´s odd,” frowned the editor´s daughter not seeing the man anywhere. “He was here a few secs ago.”

Chloe didn´t say anything; she just clutched at her baby a little bit tighter and gave her a peck on her cheek. Even though the stranger was no longer there, she could still feel the effect of seeing him close to her child. The blonde´s heart was racing and she could feel the blood pumping in her ears as fear and anguish overwhelmed her. It seemed the past had found her and a foolish mistake made in her high school years had come back to haunt her and put not only her but her offspring at risk.

TBC


A/N. The following chapter´ll be up in ten days. :)

[malugargula]

Wonderful chapter
I`m so so curious about everything
LOL

[Fouzia]

Hi!! I love this story and I hope you update very fast.
Thank you!!!!!:grin3:

[ThraceC]

The plot grows thicker. Will Chloe put herself under Lex's protection again? Find out in the next episode... Which will be posted in 10 days, right?????

[ksa]

Well you know until know I just read fics of yours that were complete... and don´t get me wrong I totally love this story. The plot and the way you discribe the characters: Lex needs for love and a familly and Chloe´s passion and determination ( She found out about about her past by herself just driven by her instinct. Thats our girl!) And then the angst ...
But back to my main argument: now I have to learn patience. normally I am one of those people who read a good story very quickly and this kind of reading is a little bit of torture, but in a good way. So I will wait for another 10 days untill you update. But that doesn´t stop me from begging constantly for one.::/:
Sooo please update soon....
hugs sandra

[hfce]

EEK!! I am so scared for Chloe and her child. :eek:

[purplemoon123]

This just keeps getting better and more interesting.

[autumngold]

I absolutely hate people who threaten children. Please let Chloe tell Lex the truth. Hopefully he will be able to keep her and Laura safe.

Great update! Can't wait to read more!

[lexie]

Yes, the plot´s thickened and it will thicken some more in the coming chapters. You´ll have to be patient to see what decision Chloe will end up making to protect herself and her child.

Glad to see you´re still hooked.:blinkkiss

[lkedino]

I love this story and can't wait until next chapter
:D

[Kit Merlot]

Chloe knows her real name buy her memories have yet to return so she truly is still in the dark. I hope she decides to trust Lex with her and Laura's life again--the mystery caller is rather scary.

[lexie]

Yes, he even gives me the creeps and I´m the one writing him.:D Unfortunately, it won´t be the last time you´ve heard of him.

[Gaia]

Loved it as usual and I need more!!!

[lexie]

And there´ll be more- you´ll just have to be patient. I still have a few chapters written and I´m trying to kick my muse´s butt so that she cooperates. Wish me luck.:P

[lexie]

A/N: I know I´d promised you an update in ten days, but I decided to give you something a couple of days before the deadline. :D Enjoy!

CHAPTER 6: Resolutions

SOMEWHERE AT LUTHORCORP PLAZA

Lex Luthor stepped out of the lift on Level 33.1 and walked purposefully down the corridor to a door at the end. He swiped his keycard and pushed the door open. Clenching his fists, he looked through the two-way mirror at the twenty-something sitting at the table in the small interrogation room.

“Has he talked?” he asked gravely to the man in the shadows.

“He says he was just following orders and insists he´s never seen his boss and that he doesn´t know who draws his cheques,” responded Lex´s head of security.

“Do you believe him?” replied the young billionaire, observing the detainee, whose face was now clear of make-up.

“He seems to be telling the truth, but he could also be a consummate liar. I can´t be 100% sure, sir.”

“You know what to do, then.”

“Shall we use the Levitas serum on the interrogator?”

“That´s ill-advised. I don´t want anyone with such a power on the loose at Level 33.1 - I don´t care how temporary it might be. No. Bring Mikhail. He´ll get us what we want.”

“All right, Mr Luthor,” assented Greul before pressing the button on the intercom to speak to the lackey conducting the interrogation. “That´d be enough,” he told the employee. That would get him out of the room and give the `guest´ a false sense of security. He had no intention of giving the young man a respite and lose what they´d achieved the last three hours; they needed to strike while the iron was hot and get the information their employer was requesting.

Lex Luthor was a man not worth defying or vexing- Greul loved his life too much to run that risk; not that he thought Lex would have him killed. No, he´d use a much subtler and intelligent means of revenge. He´d probably have all records of Greul´s existence erased and a new identity created for him - preferably with a criminal record.

“Wipe out Mikhail´s memory once he´s done,” Lex ordered him before leaving the room and taking the lift to the top floor of LuthorCorp Plaza.

“I´m sorry, madam, but I´m afraid you´ll have to ask for an appointment in advance. Could you tell me what business´s brought you here?” asked Lex´s assistant to the attractive blonde at the reception of the executive floor.

“It´s personal. I´m sure if you told him who it is that´s asking to see him...” explained Chloe while Laura pulled at her hand to let her snoop around.

“I´m afraid Mr Luthor´s busy at the moment. Now, if you tell me your name and what it is you need, I´ll see he gets the message,” Jennifer cut her off.

Chloe clenched her teeth and tried to paste on her best smile. She didn´t know why, but this willowy brunette with her chocolate doe eyes, her perfectly pressed trouser suit, her perfect manicure and fake smile grated on her nerves.

Gabe´s daughter couldn´t explain her animosity towards the assistant and still, she felt as if she had known the woman from another time or as if she reminded her of someone. The damn Rotweiller with her affected voice and saccharine smile wouldn´t deter her from doing what she´d planned.

“Listen, Miss...” the blonde cocked an eyebrow as the assistant fidgeted under the intense scrutiny of the blonde miniature next to Chloe. “You see...”

“Mummy, “ Laura interrupted her, pulling her arm gently.”Gen´man,” she added pointing at Lex, who had stopped dead short in the middle of the corridor on seeing Chloe and the child at the reception of his very own office when he´d thought they were safe and discreetly guarded by his own people in Star City.

“It´s all right, Jennifer. I know Mrs Fairchild,” he smiled at the petite but curvy blonde. “Reschedule my last appointments. You can leave when you´re done; I won´t be needing you till Monday,” he added, once he got closer to his assistant´s desk. “Come this way, Mrs Fairchild,” he invited Chloe to his inner sanctum, resisting the impulse to rest his hand on her lower back to guide her as he´d have done in the past. “Hello, Laura,” he smiled at the girl as she clutched at her teddy bear and look up at him with a mischievous twitch of her mouth. “That´s a very nice bear you´ve got there,” he told the child once he had shut the door of his private office. “Does he have a name?”

“Pooh,” she beamed, flashing him a blinding Sullivan smile.

“Of course, what else would he be called?” he smirked, raising his steel blue-grey eyes to meet her mother´s.

Chloe locked her deep green orbs with his and felt a tightening in her chest. She knew this was going to be hard and had tried to prepare herself for the moment- the moment when she´d come face to face with Lex again, knowing everything she now knew about him, about them. She´d gone over everything she´d say and how she´d say it- she´d even put it in writing and practised it in front of the full-length mirror of her tiny apartment as she changed into different outfits, indecisive of what to wear to the meeting.

Lex studied her discreetly as she shifted her gaze to Laura and carded her fingers through the girl´s golden hair. She´d smiled at him, but he knew her well enough to realise it´d been one of her practised smiles; he´d seen too many of those when Clark and Lana were around before the summer that changed it all. She´d never turned that smile on him and, seeing it now, made him feel awkward and impotent because in the past he´d have had the right to do something about it. He´d never been able to see her depressed and, although she´d just tried to hide her discomfiture, she hadn´t been fast enough.

“Why don´t you sit down, Mrs Fairchild?” he offered, showing her to the leather upholstered sofa.

“You can call me by my first name, Lex,” she answered stressing his name.

“OK, Karen,” he responded, lowering himself on the other end of the sofa as Chloe sat Laura next to her.

“By my real name, Lex,” she corrected him, holding his gaze.

He had expected her to come to him eventually- he had counted on it – but he hadn´t thought it´d be this soon. She must have lost the security detail he had assigned to both of them.

“I´m sorry, Chloe,” he answered with regret in his voice.

“It isn´t you who should be saying sorry, Lex, and I haven´t come all the way to Metropolis for that. We need to talk.”

“How much do you remember?” he asked her, getting up from the seat and walking to the wet bar.

“Bits and pieces. There are still big blanks, but I´ve been able to find some pieces of the puzzle making use of my investigative skills,” she replied with the ghost of a smile.

“Let me make a couple of quick phone calls first. I´ll ask Jennifer to bring us some coffee before she leaves. What shall I ask for Laura?” he said picking up the handset.

“Fresh fruit juice?” she suggested.

“Any preferences?” he asked her, dialling the extension number to get in touch with his assistant.

“Orange... with a straw,” she told him, taking off her jacket. “Could you make sure they pour it into a plastic or Styrofoam cup?”

“Sure,” he smiled as Jennifer picked up his call. “Bring us a carafe of freshly made coffee, two cups, sugar, no cream. And a freshly-squeezed orange juice in a paper cup with a straw,” he said to her before covering the receiver.”Chloe, have you both eaten yet?”

“We´re fine, Lex. Thanks,” she responded, suddenly embarrassed as she noticed his eyes had strayed for a few long seconds to the opening of her shirt to peek at her creamy breasts- where his gift was still lying.

Lex saw a delightful blush cover her before she hid from him by kneeling in front of Laura to tie one of the girl´s shoelaces.

“Jennifer,” he told his assistant, looking at Chloe´s back and remembering the way she´d blushed when he saw her naked for the first time,” have Stevens get some educational toys. Tell him to make sure they have no tiny parts. Yes, for a two-year-old. That´s right. Ask him to bring them to the room we use for our board meetings.”

Chloe thanked Lex for his thoughtfulness. She knew they´d be more comfortable talking while the girl was busy in her own world. Although the ideal thing would have been for her to come to see Lex without the child, she hadn´t been able to leave Laura behind- not when there were people out there who might hurt her. She hadn´t figured out how she´d get to talk with Lex mincing no words with the little girl around, but his quick-mindedness had resolved the issue for her.

“Why don´t you pick up your purse and follow me, Chloe?” he suggested, walking around his desk and leading the former reporter and the child to LuthorCorp´s board meeting room. “Make yourself a home,” he added, pushing the acid-etched glass door open. “The coffee´s ready and the games should be here any minute,” he smiled, drawing back a chair for her to sit down. “Excuse me,” he added, opening the ringing mobile phone. “Luthor. What do you have?” he snapped, walking into the kitchenette and closing the door behind him. “OK. No, that´d be enough. This interrogation has never happened. Make sure he won´t remember a thing. Something else... how come I wasn´t informed Mrs Fairchild had left her residence? I don´t want excuses. You were lucky no harm came to either of them on their way here, but I want to know if they were tailed by someone. Make it happen,” he told his head of security grimly before slamming the mobile shut.

When he stepped back in the room Chloe was looking out of the panoramic windows with a mug of hot coffee in her hands while Laura was busy drawing with her crayons.

“Whose ears have been boxed?” Chloe asked when he heard him pour himself a cup of java.

“Why do you assume something like that´s just happened?” he cocked an eyebrow as he sipped the hot beverage.

“It took me half an hour to get rid of a car that had been following us all day from Star City. A friend´s just called me. The licence plates are in LuthorCorp´s name. You´ve had me... us... followed and it doesn´t take a rocket scientist to know you like to be... on top of things,” she responded, turning around to face him.

“Those men were there for your protection, Chloe,” he said tightly.” They were paid to do their job.”

“I write murder mysteries, Lex. What harm could come to me? Some unsatisfied reader venting his anger because he felt cheated when he found out the butler hadn´t done it?” she replied ironically.

“Come in,” he told his assistant when they heard a knock on the door. “Thanks, Jennifer. Leave them on the coffee table,” he instructed her as the young woman entered carrying a pile of toys, cube puzzles and building blocks.

“You shouldn´t have,” said Chloe after Jennifer left, approaching the table to have a look at the expensive games and toys.

“She can take them when you leave,” he said calmly, looking at the little girl´s enthusiasm as she grabbed a wooden puzzle featuring her favourite bear.

“It´s very generous of you, Lex, but...” she started.

“Chloe... let me do this,” he interrupted her, locking his intense blue-grey eyes with hers.

“You know why I´m here, Lex. Who are they? What do they want with me and my baby?” she asked in a cracking voice.

“They´re trying to get to me through you.”

“You know who they are, don´t you?”

“I´m working on it.”

“Don´t lie to me, Lex.”

“I may have a lead, but I want to be certain before doing anything about it. I promise you that whoever´s threatening you and Laura won´t go unpunished,” he told her fiercely, resting both hands on her shoulders and looking her straight in the eye.

“They said you know what it is that they want. They scared the hell out of me, and I´m not that easily spooked,” she confessed, lowering her voice and glancing away with the excuse of checking on Laura, who was busy with the puzzle, only to escape what looking into those depths was making her feel.

“You can´t go back to Star City- it´s no longer safe for either of you,” Lex stated matter-of-factly.

“Too much has changed in our lives these last few days. I don´t want to uproot her as well.”

“You´ve already paid dearly for my relying on someone else to watch over you once. I won´t make the same mistake twice,” he responded passionately. “You´ll stay with me in the penthouse. It isn´t as big as the mansion, but there are enough rooms for you to choose from.”

“Lex...”

“Please, Chloe. I know asking you to trust me is a lot considering how much pain my family´s caused you.”

“I´m largely guilty for bringing this onto me. Entering that reckless deal with your father was sheer madness. I was foolishly naïve to believe I could outsmart someone like him.”

“There´s more than one party to blame, Chloe. You might have entered that bargain, but I had my part in what happened next. And I´m not talking just about the safe house explosion,” he said huskily.

“It takes two to tango,” responded Chloe, confirming Lex she remembered about them.

“Will that be a problem? Is that why you´re reticent to stay in the penthouse?”

Chloe looked at him in silence and recalled the Lex of her dreams. She knew what having him around could do to her defences and he must be aware of it.

“I won´t be a hypocrite and tell you that isn´t one of the reasons I don´t believe our moving in with you would be such a good idea.”

“And I´d be an insensitive bastard to pretend to pick up things where we left them after everything that´s happened. Not to mention the fact you didn´t remember me until I paid you a visit last weekend.”

Although the prospect of living under the same roof with someone whose mere presence could provoke in her such a turmoil was courting disaster, something in Lex´s demeanour told her he meant what he said and that helped dispel her qualms in part. Still, if she were honest with herself, it was her own weakness around him, rather than his ardour, what she feared.

TBC

A/N: My following update will be posted on September 30th or Oct 1st.

[malugargula]

Wonderful chapter
:)
I can`t wait to see them living under the same roof

[ThraceC]

Anyone taking bets on whether Lex is Laura's real dad?

Thanks for the early update Lexie, I needed a break :). Looking forward to the next installment.

[hfce]

Anyone taking bets on whether Lex is Laura's real dad?

Thanks for the early update Lexie, I needed a break :). Looking forward to the next installment.

Has is that possible? Wasn't Chloe gone for three years? ::/: I think I need to reread the first chapter. :P

Good update and I am glad she is now under Lex care. :)

[ripsconscullmin]

Sorry I didn’t review Chapter 4 before I went MIA. The flashbacks were heartbreaking. They had me fighting the leaky-eyed syndrome.

So Lionel made a deal with another devil and that devil has come calling on Chloe to pay. Interesting. Very interesting. It almost sounds like Lionel didn’t have the upper hand in this deal. What would cause Lionel to make a deal with someone where he wasn’t the one in control? There is no way he would allow someone else to get control of his company (he didn’t even like the idea of Lex in control), so what made them think he would allow them influence or control of his company? What did these people have over him? Of course, I imagine in typical Lionel form, he probably had a plan to double cross them. I can’t wait to find out more about this deal he made.

Poor Chloe. The turmoil she was feeling leading up to and during that meeting with Lex must have been almost unbearable. She handled it admirably. I loved her hackles being raised by his Assistant. That tickled me. Why am I not surprised that Lex already has an inkling regarding who is behind everything? They are seriously underestimating him if they think they’re going to get one over on him without consequence. They dodged the Lionel bullet only to face down the Lex one. I could almost feel sorry for them.

Eagerly anticipating the next installment.

[Gaia]

Great chapter!
And how did the get so many toys so quickly? Guess money really can buy you not only things, but also very quickly.

[Fouzia]

Thank you very much for your story!!!
I can wait to read the next update!!

[lexie]

Sorry I didn’t review Chapter 4 before I went MIA. The flashbacks were heartbreaking. They had me fighting the leaky-eyed syndrome.

They were really emotional scenes to write.


So Lionel made a deal with another devil and that devil has come calling on Chloe to pay. Interesting. Very interesting. It almost sounds like Lionel didn’t have the upper hand in this deal. What would cause Lionel to make a deal with someone where he wasn’t the one in control? There is no way he would allow someone else to get control of his company (he didn’t even like the idea of Lex in control), so what made them think he would allow them influence or control of his company? What did these people have over him? Of course, I imagine in typical Lionel form, he probably had a plan to double cross them. I can’t wait to find out more about this deal he made.

You´ll get a hint soon, but the whole thing won´t be revealed for a long while.



Poor Chloe. The turmoil she was feeling leading up to and during that meeting with Lex must have been almost unbearable. She handled it admirably. I loved her hackles being raised by his Assistant. That tickled me.

I couldn´t help showing Chloe´s barely-disguised jealousy and Lana-resentment echoes in this scene. She might not know it yet but that´s what it was. *giggles*


Why am I not surprised that Lex already has an inkling regarding who is behind everything? They are seriously underestimating him if they think they’re going to get one over on him without consequence. They dodged the Lionel bullet only to face down the Lex one. I could almost feel sorry for them.

Well, he wouldn´t be the Lex we know and love if he weren´t on top of things.And, yes, whoever´s behind this has seriously underestimated the younger Luthor.


Great chapter!
And how did the get so many toys so quickly? Guess money really can buy you not only things, but also very quickly.

Could you imagine a Lex minion daring not jump when his master snaps his fingers? LuthorCorp´s in Metropolis city centre and I´m sure Lex owns a couple of department stores and/or toy shops. After all, don´t businessmen who do business with the military usually have shares in the toy industry as well? In any case, think of it as "Lex snaps his fingers and always gets what he wants". He definitely wants Chloe and the girl in his life; I have no doubt he´d break several necks on the road if somebody stood in his way.ROFL



Thanks for the early update Lexie, I needed a break :). Looking forward to the next installment.

I´m pleased to have helped you wind down a little bit.;)



Has is that possible? Wasn't Chloe gone for three years? ::/: I think I need to reread the first chapter. :P

I´m enjoying the paternity issue and the questions it´s raised. :D


Thank you very much for your story!!!
I can wait to read the next update!!

You´re welcome. I´m glad you´re still excited with it.:blinkkiss

[Kit Merlot]

Still, if she were honest with herself, it was her own weakness around him, rather than his ardour, what she feared.

I love it--Chloe's afraid that if she is alone with Lex, she won't be able to resist him--smart girl:grin3:

[autumngold]

Thank goodness Chloe is going to stay with Lex. Even though she may be afraid of her reactions around him, Laura's safety is her top concern. What a good mom! :)

Thank you for the update. I can't wait to find out what Lex and Chloe plan to do next!

[toryjhay]

Great updates! The mysteries just keep on unfolding. I am just anxious to find out more. I want to know who is behind the phone call, color me intrigued! Cant't wait until the next update!!!!

[lexie]

Thank goodness Chloe is going to stay with Lex. Even though she may be afraid of her reactions around him, Laura's safety is her top concern. What a good mom! :)

Well, Chloe has always had a tendency to think about others first- particularly when the well-being of those she loves is at stake, so it´s a given that in a situation such as this she´d put Laura first.;)



Great updates! The mysteries just keep on unfolding. I am just anxious to find out more. I want to know who is behind the phone call, color me intrigued!

Oh, the mysterious man on the phone! His identity won´t be revealed soon, I´m afraid, but you´ll hear of him again for sure.:P

[ksa]

Hello lexie

first of all thanks for the early update. Your updates always makes my days.:D

I am very happy that Chloe has decided to confident in Lex, again. And Lex will do everything to protect her and laura and this time he will not fail (he better not). On the other hand now that Chloe is back in Metropolis I am sure Lex looking forward to a confrontation with the Daily planet two top reporters. I am a little sorry for Chloe, too. After all the drama (the amnesia and the death of her husband) and now she has to deal with all the bad memories including the death of Gabe and of course Lana.::/: She even can go back to her home ( and I really envy Chloe always wanted to own a coffeshop myself.:P)

So all in all I really enjoy the development of the story. I fell with Chloe and Lex and I really looking forward to the Chloe/Lex and Laura interaction. By the way I still think Laura is Lex´s. So I will patiently wait for the next update :drool2:
hugs Sandra

[lexie]

Thanks for your nice feedback, Sandra. The update´s not so far away.:P

[chloedreamer]

I also think Laura is Lex's but Chloe hasn't mentioned it yet so we will have to wait in see.

[lexie]

A/N: I think this is the instalment most of you have been waiting for. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 7: Moving In

LEX´S PENTHOUSE- FRIDAY EVENING

The afternoon had gone by in a breeze with all the shopping and arrangements necessary for both of the girls to move in with Lex. He´d have preferred for some employee to get everything that they might need for their stay, but he knew Chloe well enough to be aware she´d like to choose what clothes they´d wear and how much she´d let him spend on them. Going around town with the blonde reporter and a two-year-old would have certainly attracted the attention of the paparazzi who were always stalking him, and Lex wanted to keep them out of the spotlight as long as possible.

Lex had made sure as few people as possible saw them by having one of LuthorCorp´s department stores close before time alleging his team had to run a general check up of the alarm system and security measures in the building. Only the manager had been allowed to stay behind and see to both Chloe and Laura´s needs. Hanging around for the procedure had been invigorating and made Lex remember what it was like to negotiate with Gabe Sullivan´s daughter. Having a woman like Lana by his side had almost made him forget what it felt like to deal with someone who knew what she wanted and wouldn´t give an inch so easily.

By the time Lex´s newly-bought car- flashing no vanity plates- was parked in the garage of his exclusive block of flats, the interior decorator engaged to conjure up a nursery in record time had left, and they were ready for dinner.

“I´ve given my staff the weekend off,” explained Lex once Chloe had finished bathing Laura and changing her into a pair of new pyjamas. “I could have ordered some takeout, but the fewer people we have around the better. I´ve fixed us something to eat.”

“It looks yummy,” responded Chloe, looking at the table set for three and the appetising sirloin, steamed vegetables and garlic bread.

“She does eat meat, right?” he asked, looking at Laura with a worried frown,.

“Yes, Lex, and the steamed vegetables are perfect. I´ll just cut the meat for her,” the blonde told him, grabbing her cutlery to start with the task. “About the nursery...”

“It´s been a long day. Shall we sign a truce for the duration of the meal, Chloe? Let´s talk about it after dinner, OK?” he suggested, setting down a jug of freshly-squeezed orange juice.

“OK. It sounds fair,” she responded, sitting down at one end of the table.

“I promise I´ll tell you everything I know once the dishes are in the washer,” he smirked, pouring her a glass of cold white wine.

“That won´t take you off the hook,” she smiled weakly, taking a sip of the drink.

“I imagined that much. You´ve always been a hard nut to crack, Chloe Sullivan.”

Dinner went along splendidly. Lex didn´t only prove to be an excellent cook but a gracious host, who could entertain an adult with his intelligent conversation while- at the same time- make a child feel comfortable and important. A sixth sense told Chloe he must have experienced what it was like to be left on the fringes as a child and that he was trying not to repeat that with the little girl.

“Is she asleep?” he asked in a quiet voice as Chloe let herself fall in one of the cosy armchairs of Lex´s living-room. He knew she was because he´d stopped at her room´s door on his way back from the bathroom and saw Chloe kiss the girl´s forehead before tucking her in. As much as he´d have liked to step in and say goodnight to Laura, the scene had overwhelmed him and he´d sneaked away before things got too emotional to handle.

“With all the hassle she´s been in, she´s sleeping like a log,” she sighed, admiring the way the muscles of Lex´s back rippled as he poked the fire he´d lit to warm the room. Although spring had started a fortnight ago, winter appeared not to want to leave just yet. “OK. Let´s lay the cards on the table, shall we? What is it that these people want from you? And what do we have to do with it?”

“Straight to the point. I´ve always liked that about you.”

“I asked you the same question this morning and you didn´t give me an answer- at least, not one that satisfied me. We both know you already had more than a lead when I met you at LuthorCorp.”

“All right,” he responded, leaving the poker and pinching the bridge of his nose as he collected his thoughts. “You deserve to know why and I´ll try to be as concise as possible. Seven months ago LuthorCorp entered the final stages of the development of a software that´ll put Echelon to shame. It´s a project we´ve been working on for three years.”

“You mean a system which violates the Fifth Amendment and every right to privacy protected by the constitution?” she cocked an eyebrow.

“I´m talking about the ultimate global spying weapon in an era when the enemy has no face and the most powerful´s the one who´s got the monopoly of information. I don´t deny that when I started this project I did it for my own selfish reasons, but living in Smallville and miraculously surviving meteor showers and dangerous freak attacks can put things in perspective. I saw in it a means to protect us all from a potential bigger threat and decided to approach the military. However, LuthorCorp´s image had suffered a lot due to Dad´s trial and I needed an associate to speed up the process and lure the buyers. A month ago, after fighting against a couple of board members who had always voted in accordance with my father´s wishes I managed to find the perfect prospective partner.”

“Who´s this partner?”

“We shall leave him out of this for the time being,” he responded calmly, defying her with his gaze to rein in her inquisitiveness.” Suffice it to say he´s got an impeccable reputation in the world of business and the capability to collaborate with LuthorCorp in a project of this scale. The ones I´m really worried about are those who wanted to be part of this deal and were left out, despite their attempt to bribe several of our shareholders to get the control of Argus.”

“You said attempt... Does that mean they were dissuaded somehow?”

“When I took the reins of the corporation I inherited everything that came in the package. Dad´s secret projects I´ve yet to discover, shareholders that danced to his tune and a whole archive of dirty laundry that people outside and inside LuthorCorp would rather never saw the light- and I´m sure it´s but a portion of what my dad gathered in his life,” he explained, pouring two snifters of brandy.

“That´s a lot of power for one man to wield,” she responded, accepting the drink.

“That´s the way my father always operated,” he told her, bringing the snifter closer to his nose to smell the bouquet.

“And you?” she asked quietly.

“As much as I keep trying to fight against my heritage there are things I´ve learnt that I find difficult to shake off. Although I´ve done my best to differentiate myself from my dad both in my private and my business life, there´s one thing he taught me about the world of affairs that I´d be a fool to disregard...”

“And that would be?”

“The best businessman isn´t just the one who sees opportunities where others only see obstacles, he´s also the one who knows everything there is to know about his competitors-dirty laundry included- and is ready to use that against them to get the best deal.”

“That sounds like something a shark would do,” she said, taking a small sip of the brandy and savouring its woody flavour.

“I´m afraid I´ve been brought up to survive in a pool of sharks. I´ve got that instinct, Chloe, and... although there was no love lost between my father and me, this instinct he helped develop in me has saved my life many a time.”

“What role did your father play in all this?”

“My father´d been trying to get back the control of LuthorCorp by sabotaging several of my merger and acquisition plans. He was no longer a member of the Board of Directors, but he knew a lot of the past lives of some of the oldest members and pressured them to vote against me. I solved that by forcing them to an early retirement and he counterattacked having some of his old cronies buy enough stock to get a couple of puppet votes on the board.”

“Are these new members connected to whoever´s threatened Laura and me?”

“They must be working for them, yes. Last week there was a board meeting and the voting ended in a tie. I need a vote to be able to sell to the military.”

“Who´s behind the other party interested in Argus?”

“I´m working on it,” he said quietly, walking to the wet bar to pour himself another brandy.

“Come on, Lex. Don´t patronise me, “ she glared, slamming the snifter on the end table.

“It isn´t safe for you to know.”

“Not safe?! Not knowing hasn´t kept me or my baby safe, Lex!” she fumed.
“It didn´t prevent a man I didn´t remember and hadn´t seen in three years from killing my husband and threatening my family. It hasn´t stopped these goons from thinking they can manipulate me with my past and my own flesh and blood,” she hissed, walking up and down the room.

“It´s mine too, remember?” answered Lex, locking his eyes with hers and seeing in her deep green pools what look like fleeting fear.

CHAPTER 8: The Truth

The wood crackling in the fireplace was the only sound that filled the pregnant silence in the living-room of Lex´s penthouse. Chloe wondered if she looked like a deer caught in headlights because that was the way she was feeling after hearing Lex utter his final words.

“Don´t be afraid to answer, Chloe,” said Lex, breaking the silence and noticing the emotions which crossed Chloe´s expressive face.

“What is it that you´re expecting me to say or to confess, Lex?”

“Do you remember our last time together?” he asked quietly, standing an armful away from her back as she surveyed Metropolis from the panoramic window of his living-room.

Chloe couldn´t very well tell him she´d been having dreams of him ... of them together for some time now, and that she´d been able to put a face to the passionate man of her dreams only after he visited her in Star City.
Confessing it was mostly the recollection of their intimate encounters that her mind could remember on its own would have meant granting him too much to manipulate her with.

She cursed her body inwardly for reacting to the memories and to his proximity. She wondered if he still knew her well enough to realise what his questions were doing to her and if he could hear the way her heart was drumming from where he was standing.

Lex´s eyes roamed Chloe´s figure leisurely until they reached the column of her neck, which she had left clearly visible by putting her hair loosely up with the aid of a barrette. He noticed her quickened heartbeat as his eyes caressed her pulse, and he remembered what it felt like to press his mouth there. He wondered if her skin was still as silky to the touch and if she tasted the same. He knew he´d made her a promise and he intended to keep it, but having her around was like being in heaven and hell all at once.

“The gaps are bigger than the memories, but I do remember us... yes,” she confessed, trying not to give away too much.

“Then you know exactly what I meant. Your husband might have loved her and raised her like a daughter, but Laura isn´t his, Chloe, and you know it. Laurie was born almost nine months after my dad´s trial was over. How far along were you when Fairchild proposed? Three months? We were exclusive, Chloe. And, before you say anything, we always took precautions- I´d have never run the risk. As much as I´d have loved to tie you to me then, it was hardly the right time. It was nobody´s fault; only fate,” he told her warmly as Chloe´s hand travelled to her neck on its own accord to clutch at her St Christopher and trace the engraved words. Fāta viam invenient.”There´s something I want to show you,” he added after a short pause that felt like an eternity.

Chloe saw him walk towards his impressive library and press a button to reveal a hidden compartment. He took a dossier with LuthorCorp´s logo on its cover and, turning around, looked at her in the eye before stretching out an arm to hand her the documents.

“You´ll find everything you need to know there. You might doubt my word or not remember conceiving our child, but you won´t be able to deny what science´s proved to be true.”

Chloe´d tried not to acknowledge what her sixth sense had been telling her- that Lex was Laura´s father. Self-denial had been the only way of protecting the fragile cocoon that was keeping her and baby Laurie together and safe.

“Where did you get this?” she frowned, leafing through the papers and coming across Laura´s medical records and lab tests. “Stupid question,” she added under her breath, knowing there was nothing impossible for someone with the power and resources of a Luthor. And now the cold scientific facts before her eyes were tearing the flimsy protective fabric she´d spun around her and her baby. There was no use in hiding any more and, surprisingly, a little voice inside her told her it wasn´t the end of the world. “He did know, didn´t he? That´s what he wanted when he came to Star City. He wanted to use his own granddaughter to pressure you at the voting. He needed a vote to break the tie, and why not yours? He must have relished the thought of revenge....”

“I´m sure he did. I can only imagine his surprise and outrage when Sleuth- which is a LuthorCorp-owned company, by the way-published your first novel. He must have recognised your style or, at least, seen a large dirty portion of his young years in Suicide Slums reflected in the book. You might have not remembered the trial, but the memories of everything he´d done to become the man he was were intact in your mind, Chloe. I read it; it´s a wonderfully written and entertaining thriller- the unauthorised biography of Lionel Luthor.”

“I honestly didn´t know.”

“Of course you didn´t. You wouldn´t have jeopardised the lives of your husband and Laura. If you had stayed single and childless... then I can very well picture you publishing the book without minding the consequences because that´s who you´ve always been, and it´s one of the things I admire and love about you.”

“That might explain how he traced me,“ she said holding his gaze and fighting against the treacherous blush she could feel creeping up to her cheeks.”How did he find out about Laura, though?”

“Because of this,” he responded, shaking an orange plastic tube which he´d also taken out of the compartment and stashed away in the pocket of his trousers.

Chloe´s eyes fixed on the transparent tube which she recognised immediately as her baby´s prescription.

“I´m afraid our daughter´s inherited my off-the-charts white cell count- a condition so rare, there used to be only one patient with it and only one treatment provider, LuthorCorp.”

The incontestable evidence of parenthood presented by Lex left her with no way out but to accept it at face value.

“What now, Lex? She´s all I´ve left in this world,” she said, swallowing the lump in her throat as the magnitude of what had been revealed in Lex´s living-room came crashing down on her.

“I´d never dream of taking her away from you, Chloe,” he responded quietly, coming closer to her and grabbing her gently by her upper arms. “But she´s mine too. She´s our daughter. I want to get to know her and her me. Let me be there for you both. Let me protect what´s mine,” he said passionately, feeling her tremble.

“Our daughter´s not a possession; she´s a person. And you´re presuming too much,” she told him, tilting her chin up in a typical Sullivan gesture devised both to cover up how much his touch was affecting her and to convince herself she still had control over her treacherous body in his presence.

“God! I´d forgotten how stubborn you could be sometimes. It was a figure of speech, OK? She´s my own flesh and blood, the child I conceived with the woman I love and still plan to marry some day,” he said boring his eyes into her deep green pools and fighting the urge to crush her lips with a passionate kiss to show her how much it meant to him to have them both back in his life. “Don´t say anything, Sullivan,” he added when he saw a glint of... was it rebelliousness in her eyes? “I just wanted you to know or... to remember that I´ve never been one to give up when I see something I want. I thought you´d appreciate my being honest with you, Chloe. That doesn´t mean I´ll pounce on you or force you into a relationship. I intend to keep the promise I´ve made you. And when the time comes- for it will- you´ll come to me voluntarily.”

“You´ve got a very high opinion of yourself,” she replied, fighting a smile.

“So I´ve been told,” he smirked.

“Was it always like this?” she asked him wistfully.

“Energising?” he said with a twist of his mouth. “Verbal judo, we used to call
it. Yes, it was like that from the first day we met.”

“I can´t remember ever reacting this way,” she confessed aloud, thinking of her marriage to Phil.

“It must be being around me then,” he responded smugly.

“You´re too smug for your own good, Luthor,” quipped Chloe, feeling flushed and more aroused than she´d ever been after foreplay with her late husband.

“You look exhausted. It´s been a very long day for all of us,” he spoke after a tense silence filled with memories of their times together before destiny had torn them apart. “Goodnight, Chloe,” he murmured, strengthening his resolve in an effort to show her he could be trusted.

There would be time to woo her and win her back. Now he had to focus all his energy on finding out who the head of the operation was and making the threat against his family disappear.

TBC

A/N: A new chapter´ll be posted on the 21st.

[autumngold]

Lex must really hate his father now, thanks to Lionel he missed the first years of his daughter's life. Also, because of his father, Chloe was married to someone else. But the worst thing of all is that because all of this Lex had to date Lana! No! That's horrible! ;) Thanks for the update! Can't wait to find out the next twist to your story!

[Fouzia]

Hi!!!

THank you to be on time!!!
Im so in love with this story!

[hfce]

How in the hell did I miss that clue that he had a child? Damn I am stupid. :rofl:I didn't take into account she was already pregnant when she was taken and had the child the next year. :P Yeah I need to go back to school and learn math again. I am so happy she is a Luthor and I can't wait to see how Lex takes care of this. His partner wouldn't be Bruce Wayne would it? :D

[toryjhay]

I had a feeling the little girl was his, more like I wanted Laura to be Lex' chlid :). Great unravelling. And lex, so confident and Chloe so stubborn, quite in character!!! Loved this, more soon please!!!

[Cassandra Jean]

I knew it! I knew that Laura was Lex's daughter.

Awesome chapter. Can not wait for the next update. Actually what I am really looking forward to is when Lana comes back and finds out that not only is Chloe alive and has a child with Lex, but that Lex is still in love with her.

Do we really have to wait until the 21st?

[malugargula]

Wonderful chapters
Laura`s Lex`s. YAY!!!!!!!
:)

[Gaia]

Oh I love it when my instincts are right. :D

[chloedreamer]

So Lex does know that Laura is his daughter wow now if he can just keep them safe everything will fall I'm sure into place for him.

[lexie]

Lex must really hate his father now, thanks to Lionel he missed the first years of his daughter's life. Also, because of his father, Chloe was married to someone else. But the worst thing of all is that because all of this Lex had to date Lana! No! That's horrible! ;)

Yes, there are several people to curse here and the MB certainly tops the list.::/:


Hi!!!

THank you to be on time!!!
Im so in love with this story!

You´re welcome. I hope I´ll be able to continue respecting the schedule.;)


How in the hell did I miss that clue that he had a child? Damn I am stupid. :rofl:I didn't take into account she was already pregnant when she was taken and had the child the next year. :P Yeah I need to go back to school and learn math again. I am so happy she is a Luthor and I can't wait to see how Lex takes care of this. His partner wouldn't be Bruce Wayne would it? :D

Yes, Hope, you´ll have to learn to count again or brush up your biology knowledge.:D

As regards the partner.... I can´t spill the beans, I´m afraid.


And lex, so confident and Chloe so stubborn, quite in character!!! Loved this, more soon please!!!

This is the best compliment you could have made me. Hopefully I´ll remain true to the characters throughout.


I knew it! I knew that Laura was Lex's daughter.

Awesome chapter. Can not wait for the next update. Actually what I am really looking forward to is when Lana comes back and finds out that not only is Chloe alive and has a child with Lex, but that Lex is still in love with her.

Do we really have to wait until the 21st?


I think you´ve missed something in Chapter 5. :PLana´s already come back from her trip and met Lex. The engagement´s already over. Whether she knows the real reason behind the break-up, that´s yet to be seen.:yeahbaby:

“Don´t sell yourself short, Ms Sullivan. Did you know your knight in shining armour broke up his engagement after visiting you? The Daily Planet gossip column might mention irreconcilable differences as the cause, but we know better, don´t we? What does it feel like to be the love interest of the son of the man who murdered your father and your husband?” asked the mysterious guy.


To all of you, I´m glad you were proven right in your assumptions that Laura was Lex´s child- it was more than wishful thinking. :blinkkiss

[superag]

What a nice way to return to reading fanfic. I ave not been ignoring you or anyone for that matter, but this summer and the early football season has been crazy. This is my first wkd home since May it seems. Anyway....

I love this new story. Very intriguing in who is trying to get to Lex through Chloe. I hope they can work through his father's meddling and hopefully get his family put back together.

[lexie]

What a nice way to return to reading fanfic. I ave not been ignoring you or anyone for that matter, but this summer and the early football season has been crazy. This is my first wkd home since May it seems. Anyway....

Yes, I knew "what you were up to" thanks to Twitter. No need to apologise, I knew you weren´t giving me the cold shoulder.:grin3:


I love this new story. Very intriguing in who is trying to get to Lex through Chloe. I hope they can work through his father's meddling and hopefully get his family put back together.

I hope I´ll be able to keep your interest throughout. I´ve still got a few more chapters written. Let´s keep our fingers crossed for my muse to keep collaborating.:P

[ksa]

Haaaa I just knew it... Laura is his daughter!:yeahbaby: Great chapter. I like the way Lex talked to her about the whole thing and chloe´s reaction. The way you let Lex possesion shine through was great and Chloe´s fear and insecurity to show feelings towards Lex and her fear to lost Laura were very good written, too. Both reactions were very characteristic for the two of them.
And I really hate Lionel that bastard using his own granddaughter. That is so evil...
Lol sandra

[lexie]

I like the way Lex talked to her about the whole thing and chloe´s reaction. The way you let Lex possesion shine through was great and Chloe´s fear and insecurity to show feelings towards Lex and her fear to lost Laura were very good written, too. Both reactions were very characteristic for the two of them.

Thank you, Sandra. That´s exactly what I strove for, and I´m really pleased it comes across the way I intended.:blinkkiss



And I really hate Lionel that bastard using his own granddaughter. That is so evil...

He was one sick bastard, wasn´t he?:wth:

[Kit Merlot]

So Laura is Lex's daughter, too--WOO HOO!!

And I really love the idea of Chloe's writing a book all about Lionel's past--he thought he got away with it all, but then this book comes out and he must have flipped.

I love it:D

[veronica525]

Yes! I am so thankful that Laura is Lex's baby girl! Sweet!

I was going to say that I can't believe Lionel would stoop so low as to using his own grandchild in such an awful way, but I can believe it. Lionel is a real bastard, I'm so glad he is dead!

Lex, Chloe and Laura all living together. I love how protective Lex is of them and how Chloe reacts to that protectiveness.

I can't wait to see what other surprises you have in store for us!

[lexie]

And I really love the idea of Chloe's writing a book all about Lionel's past--he thought he got away with it all, but then this book comes out and he must have flipped.

Chloe´s first and foremost a reporter, a writer, a teller of stories, a truth-seeker. That´s why it pisses me off how they´ve forgotten that on the show.Yes, I wish I could have seen Lionel´s face when he realised he hadn´t got away after all. Let´s keep our fingers crossed for Chloe and Lex to be able to escape his hurtful and vengeful legacy.




I was going to say that I can't believe Lionel would stoop so low as to using his own grandchild in such an awful way, but I can believe it. Lionel is a real bastard, I'm so glad he is dead!

No kitty Lionel like the one they wanted us to buy in the last seasons of SV.:D

[veronica525]

The 21st seems so far away! Patiently, ok totally lying here, waiting!

:D

[daria_103]

I'm home now and finally got a chance to read your fic. I have to admit it took me a little while to get past the first chapter, there's something extremely creepy about a doctor playing husband to a patient with amnesia and trying to keep her from remembering her past, especially when it involves keeping her child from knowing her real family, I'm glad he was gotten rid of quickly.

Poor Lex being led to believe she was dead all this time, I hoped from the beginning that Laura would be his and was delighted when it came out that she was, but it's heartbreaking to know he missed out on so much of her life (and she missed out on having him in hers) through no fault of his own.

I can't wait to see where you go from here, it's been a brilliant read so far.

[lexie]

I'm home now and finally got a chance to read your fic.

I hope you´ve had a great time in Canada.


I have to admit it took me a little while to get past the first chapter, there's something extremely creepy about a doctor playing husband to a patient with amnesia and trying to keep her from remembering her past, especially when it involves keeping her child from knowing her real family, I'm glad he was gotten rid of quickly.

I really don´t like having a third wheel in my fics so I put him out of his misery really fast.:D I´m aware that starting a fic with no Chlex in the first instalment is a gamble because not everyone´s willing to come back- particularly if they develop a dislike towards the third party.

You´ll have to wait and see if there are any redeeming qualities in Phil or if he was as creepy as you deem him to be.



I can't wait to see where you go from here, it's been a brilliant read so far.

*blushes* I hope I´ll be able to live up to your expectations with my muse´s aid.:P

[lexie]

A/N: Here´s an update- a little earlier than promised.

CHAPTER 9: Knocking at the Door

CENTRAL KANSAS UNIVERSITY- EARLIER

Friday had been a really intense and busy heroic day for Clark. Even though he´d promised his parents he´d be careful and try not to use his powers away from home, he couldn´t just sit doing nothing when he knew he could be out there helping people and saving lives. He made his best to be discreet and always looked out for prospective Masons and Nixons that might be lurking around. So far he´d been lucky and he couldn´t deny being referred to as the mysterious hero on campus had raised his spirits the last couple of months, which had been particularly difficult with Lex and Lana´s engagement.

The farm boy had begun Friday by saving a bunch of primary school students from falling into the waters of the Elbow River when the driver suffered a heart attack at the wheel of the school bus. Then, his lunch had been cut short by a suicidal sophomore who jumped off the roof of the university on getting the results of a partial. And later, he was dragged away from his favourite Ancient History class by an armed robbery at Kregburne Tavern.

Now he was trying to catch up with the assignments he hadn´t been able to finish due to his weekly heroic escapades and was looking forward to getting home for the weekend since Martha would be coming from Washington to stay in Smallville until the end of the month.

He was finishing drafting his essay on Ethics in the World of Journalism when there was an energetic knock at the door of his dorm room, which made him jump and punch a hole through the paper pad.

“Hello there, Smallville,” Lois greeted him, inviting herself in. “So this is how the other half of Central Kansas live, eh?” she told a baffled Clark while inspecting the room.

“How did you get in?” he frowned, keeping the door open.

“Through the front door. Is there any other way in?” she asked with a lopsided grin.

“Lois,” he told her menacingly.

“OK.OK. I sneaked in. At least you could thank me for being worried enough to come visit you. How are you feeling?” she responded, placing a hand on his brow.

“Feeling?” he asked confused until it dawn on him Lois was also attending Ancient History and that she must have noticed his absence.

“Oh!” I´m feeling better now. I couldn´t stay until the end; that hamburger I had for lunch didn´t sit well on my stomach,” he lied to cover up his faux-pas.

“Must be your delicate farm boy constitution. I´m used to boot camp cooking... My stomach can digest the thickest motor oil. Aren´t you going to close the door?”

“You´re a ... girl;” he hesitated.

“Last time I checked, “ she cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, come on, Smallville!
Don´t be such a prude. I´m not going to jump you.”

“This is the boys´ dorm. You aren´t supposed to be here. You´ll put us both in trouble. Anyway, how did you know this was my room?”

“The doormat.”

“What?”

“Who else but a well-mannered farm boy raised by Martha Kent would have a `welcome´ mat?” she pointed at it, and Clark closed the door quietly with a grimace. “Ah! By the way,” she told him, unfolding what she had gripped in her hand and thrusting it into him as she walked to his desk,” you´ve got mail.”

“Where did you get this?” he asked her looking at the large manila envelope in his hands.

“It was on the mat when I got to the door,” she explained, picking up the pad and perusing what Clark had been working on. “My! Someone was frustrated!” she exclaimed, seeing the hole in the middle.

“Give me that,” Clark snarled, snatching it away from her.

“You´re grumpy, today. You´d better get ready because you aren´t gonna like this. I tried to talk Professor Stein out of it. Hell! I was really surprised when I didn´t see you jump off your chair to protest- that´s when I realised you were missing from your favourite class.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Clark with a puzzled frown.

“It seems we were the only two who had no partner for the hieroglyphic research. So, partner, we´ll have some work to do over the weekend,” she explained, resting her weight on her left foot and hooking her thumbs through the belt loops of her jeans.

“What?!” exploded the farm boy.

“My exact same reaction, Skippy. We´re stuck together. By the way, where´s your travelling bag?” she added, roaming the room with her eyes.

“My travelling bag?”

“You´re slow today, Kent. If you haven´t noticed, the calendar reads Saturday and there´s a storm brewing. I´d rather we hit the road before it starts raining. Don´t want to tempt fate when it comes to Hickville.”

“We?”

“You´ve got to have your hearing checked, Smallville. Yes, we. You´re giving me a lift. Your mum phoned me from D.C. yesterday. She invited me over, said she needs something or other... So... I´m shooting two birds with a stone.”

Clark sighed in defeat. Goodbye to the quiet family weekend he´d been looking forward to.

“So... aren´t you gonna open it?” she asked, pointing at the envelope he still had in his hands.

“Did you ever hear of something called privacy, Lois?”

“OK,” she raised her hands,” I´ll go back to the girls´ dorm to fetch my bag. Shall I wait for you at the parking lot?”

“Yes, give me twenty minutes,” he told her, grabbing a paper knife.

He´d need a few seconds to pack up and be on his way- that had been his plan before hurricane Lois arrived and turned his schedule upside down.


Fifteen minutes had elapsed since they left the campus in the Kents´ red truck and Clark had barely said two words when Lois decided she´d had enough.

“Lois!” shouted the farm boy when rock music started blaring out of the loudspeakers.

“Just checking if you were still among the living,” she told him, turning down the volume.” Geez, I thought I was in a mortuary for a while there.”

Clark gripped the steering-wheel and felt the heavy-duty plastic crack a little under his hands. He hadn´t noticed he´d gone without speaking for so long and hearing Lois´ last sentence only exacerbated the strange mood he was in.

“Are you sure you aren´t gonna puke? I´ve never seen you so pale,” she added, turning around in the seat.

“I´m fine,” he answered, thinking nothing could be further removed from the truth.

“If you say so,” she sighed not really convinced.” If I were you, I´d sue the university cafeteria for serving nuclear waste to the unsuspecting students who are trying to live on a shoe string.”

“Maybe it´s just a twenty-four-hour bug.”

“And maybe one day you´ll fly. Always trying to think the best of people, Clark. You´re gonna fall flat on your face one of these days.”

`If you only knew,´ he thought to himself.

LEX´S PENTHOUSE- SUNDAY MORNING

It´d been a long sleepless night for Lex and he was aware that Chloe hadn´t fared any better- he´d heard her get up in the middle of the night to have a shower before walking to the kitchen to plug in the coffee maker and make herself a cup. The sound of the shower coming from her bathroom had only worsened the hardly contained state of arousal Lex found himself in after waking up from a particularly heated dream- well, more than a dream, a treasured memory of making love to Chloe in the decadent bathroom of his master bedroom at the mansion.

He hated feeling like a horny hormone-driven adolescent because there were more pressing matters at hand and because Chloe meant more to him than someone to warm his bed. He loved her inquisitiveness, her passion, her loyalty, her integrity, that smile that could light up a room and make you feel as if there were no one more important or loved in her world. He loved all about her and, above all, he loved who he was when she was around. He´d missed her warmth, her constant challenges and yes... also the way she made him tremble with need when she touched him and looked at him in a certain way. He´d never been so lacking in control around any other partner. Chloe was the only woman with whom he´d allowed himself to feel and to let it show, maybe not in words but in deeds, both outside and inside the sanctity of his own bedroom.

Chloe had been the first woman to wake up in the morning and find him still beside her, and the only one he´d welcomed in his own bed. She was the one; she´d been the one from the moment he stepped into the office of the school newspaper and, in spite of his inability to say the three words he wanted to say to her each time her body opened to him and he got lost in those emerald eyes, he was sure she knew how deep his love for her was.

There were times he told himself he´d never uttered the words in the most intimate of moments because it´d have sounded clichéd, and he didn´t want her to think he was just a new toy to him. Still, deep inside he knew that what had stopped him had been his terror of admitting aloud there was someone who could make him feel weak. It was only when he realised he could lose her if something went wrong with his plan to keep her safe that he said the words. He would never forget that evening because it´d been their goodbye and the beginning of a new life- the life of the innocent child who lay asleep a few metres away from him.

Lex walked further into the room-turned-nursery to have a closer look at his daughter. He observed the girl´s even breathing and angelic features in repose and smiled at the memory of what Laura was like while awake- an intelligent and cheeky sprite. Overwhelmed by emotion, he fought hard against the tears that threatened to spill when he leant down to press a soft kiss on the girl´s brow only to hear her whisper in dreams: “Bye, daddy.” He knew she must have thought him to be Fairchild, and he could even imagine the man doing every morning what he´d just done. For now, Lex would just pretend it was he himself she´d said daddy to for, as God was his witness, he´d make everything in his power to earn the title he already had by right.

He raised his eyes and noticed the door connecting to Chloe´s room was ajar. The blonde writer seemed to be asleep; Lex thanked that fact because there was something he meant to do before noon and, knowing her, she´d have started bombarding him with questions or insisting on coming along with him. Therefore, he stepped quietly out of Laura´s room and, stopping at the dining-room table where he had laid everything ready for Chloe´s breakfast, he propped a short note against her mug before walking towards the front door.

FORT ADELSON- JUST OUTSIDE METROPOLIS

As a contractor for the military Lex had certain privileges, one of them being entering a base without much ado and, this time, he welcomed the prerogative for it gave him the advantage of surprise. Although the man he was about to call on might not have anything to do with the threat his family was under now, he had some answers Lex wanted to hear and- what´s more- the military man had enough pull and resources to help him get to the bottom of things concerning Project Argus.

Lex parked his silver BMW sedan in front of the base house he´d been directed to by the sentry, killed the engine and got out of the car. He walked along the paved garden path bordered by the well-trimmed lawn as the sprinklers scattered a thin veil of water that dampened both the soil and his expensive trousers and shoes. Lex grimaced in disgust when he stepped on some organic manure no doubt the owner of the house had been using to fertilise the freshly planted flower beds. Despite his authoritative personality and his trademark straightforwardness- character traits which made him a great though politically incorrect leader- the seasoned military man appeared to have green fingers and a “tame” hobby.

After scraping his dirty sole on the concrete driveway, the young billionaire climbed up a couple of steps and rang the bell. A shout and then a curse were heard as the Metropolis star sportscaster announced a touchdown scored by the Sharks- the colourful expletive told Lex his unsuspecting host wasn´t amongst the supporters of the LuthorCorp-owned football team. The truth of the matter was not even Lex was a fan; he had inherited the team as part of LuthorCorp´s assets and kept it because so far the numbers at the bottom of the spreadsheet were positive. In fact, he had never felt an inclination towards heavy-duty team sports- his arena had always been disciplines where he could make use of his two biggest assets, his intellectual power and his knack at strategising. He loved fencing with words just as much as cornering an opponent with his epée and found planning his moves on a chessboard just as challenging as devising a takeover.

The volume of the TV set was turned down and a few seconds later the front door opened to reveal the man Lex hadn´t seen for almost three years. The penetrating gaze he remembered so well locked with Lex´s intense blue-grey eyes through the mesh of the storm door before the decorated officer took the lit cigar out of his mouth to speak up.

“Luthor. I was wondering how long it´d take you to come knocking at my door.”

“May I?”

“You´ve come all this way on a Sunday, you might as well come in,” responded the older man, pushing the storm door open and inviting Lex to step inside.

“I hope I´m not interrupting anything,” said Lex smugly shooting a quick glance at the TV set and noticing the Sharks´ quarterback was giving the visitors a run for their money.

“Watching that thrashing wasn´t any good for my blood pressure anyway,” snarled the military man, dropping the remote on his armchair after turning off the TV. “So?”

“You´re an intelligent man, General. You must already know why I´m here.”

“I have an inkling, yes,” he responded, opening the drinks cupboard to take out a half-full bottle of scotch. “I´d offer you a beer, but you´ve never struck me as the type.”

“It´s all right, General. I don´t feel like drinking right now.”

“Nothing like being sober and alert to handle a third-degree questioning. Smart.”

“Let´s cut to the chase, shall we? I thought we had a deal. You lied to me, General.”

“That´s not exactly true. I abode by the spirit of the letter of our verbal contract. You asked me to ensure her safety, and that´s what I did. We were both right in our assumption that one of the Feds was dirty. The house was rigged with explosives. Unfortunately, we weren´t fast enough. I lost my best demolition man and saw my brother-in-law blow up in pieces in front of my eyes.”

“You knew how to contact me on a secure line. You should have told me Chloe was alive,” complained Lex, trying to get the image of Gabe´s death out of his mind and maintain his cool demeanour.

“The minute I found her bloodied and burnt but breathing under the debris I realised she´d be in no fit state to be seen or walk around for a few months- least of all testify at the trial. Without her testimony your father´d walk away...” he explained.

“I could have taken her far away, paid for the best surgeons and treatment...”

“Let´s say you managed to do that. Then what? Do you think for a minute your father would have let you both get away with it? I couldn´t let anything happen to her, Lex. She´s like a daughter to me; I love her as if she were my own. I knew her well enough to realise she was madly in love with you and, in spite of your Luthor impassive mask, I could tell she meant a lot more to you than a convenient witness to put your old man in prison and throw away the key. Your love for each other put you both in a very precarious position and ...”

“How did she get to Star City?” Lex cut him off with a set jaw, telling himself that as much as he wanted to choke the man and blame him for keeping them apart, he was aware he himself might have done the same in his shoes- take Chloe as far away from the Luthors as possible.

“I took one of my men´s cars and drove her to the medical centre myself. I phoned Fairchild Jr from my cell phone and told him it was time he paid back the favour he owed me no questions asked, and he complied. A few years ago when he was in Med School he got involved in some nasty business. Some of his classmates were using the faculty´s labs to process methamphetamines. He started using and then gave up, but his roommate and best friend wasn´t that lucky. Phil wanted to pull him out and one night he followed his mate to a joint. Things got out of hand and he ended up calling me from a payphone. I used to be friends with his dad back in the old days- when I fought in Nam and Fairchild Sr had just graduated from Med School and volunteered for the front. I called a couple of my most trusted men and we made an incursion into the joint. We got the kid away, broke a few bones and started a fireworks display,” smiled General Lane.

“What kind of a man was Fairchild?” asked Lex, trying to leave the tinge of jealousy out of his voice.

“A good kid fighting to get from under his dad´s shadow. He used to be a problem child and gave Fairchild Sr some very hard headaches, but the old man more than deserved them. He treated him like crap, always comparing him with his eldest brother, who was the perfect student and son in his eyes. No matter what Phil did, his father always found him lacking. I really loved the boy... I was sorry when I had to sever all ties with him,” he said wistfully.” You know, your father had me followed for months... after he was set free. The old devil... he had a sixth sense.”

Lex listened to Chloe´s uncle without interruption as a myriad of emotions flowed through him. Phil´s life sounded a lot like his own but, apparently, Lane had thought Young Fairchild more deserving. The General had not only lied to Lex and betrayed his trust, he had served Chloe- the love of his life- on a silver platter to another man; he had virtually pushed her into Fairchild´s arms and kept Lex away from her and their child. He clenched his fists into two tight balls, curving his urge to pummel the older man´s face and kept reminding himself the older man had something he needed.

“A good Christian shouldn´t wish someone´s death. I´ve never been one, though,” smiled Lane ironically.” Wished I had killed the bastard with my own hands.”

“Don´t we all?” asked Lex tersely.

“A pity so many had to die and suffer for him to enter Hades. I know there was no love lost between you and your father. So why stand on ceremony? How is she?”

“Chloe and our daughter are fine,” answered Lex, observing Lane´s reaction.

“Daughter?” asked the General visibly shaken.

“Chloe was carrying our child when you handed her over to Fairchild. Is that surprise on your face? Or are you an accomplished actor?”

“I swear to you I didn´t know,” confessed Lois´ father.

“Would knowing have changed anything?” asked Lex gravely. “ I didn´t think so,” he added when the General took a minute too long to respond.

“I wish I...” Sam began to say only to be interrupted by the billionaire.

“The past can´t be undone, General. What´s done is done. I can´t pretend to like you right now, and I really don´t know if I´ll ever be able to forgive you. However, you can start making amends. There´s something you can do for me... us. I´m afraid my father´s death hasn´t brought us the peace and quiet we´ve been hoping for. As you must already know, ever since I took the helm of the corporation I´ve had to deal with my dad´s plots to seize the control by having his old friends buy stock using suspicious manoeuvres or by sabotaging my plans resorting to dirty laundry to have the members vote against me. I´ve managed to deter several of them by using my own methods and enjoyed a streak of successful deals until a month ago when two new shareholders earned a place on the board. LuthorCorp´s always done business with the military, and I´ve been personally supervising a project with the idea of selling it to the Armed Forces. I´ve had some secret meetings with the Army, but it appears my father´s secret associates have a different plan and they´ve been trying to force my arm at the voting in vein. Our last attempt ended up a tie, but my father had a secret weapon I knew nothing about.”

“That´s why he went to Star City...”

“Yes, he was planning to use Chloe and Laura against me... force me to vote against the deal with the military.”

“Who did they want to sell to?”

“Actually, I don´t know who these people are or what their plan for this project is. And this is where your help would come in handy. Let´s say somebody decided he´d be better off by speaking... He gave us the name of someone in the military who´s working for my father´s associates. I want you to have this man tell you who his boss is and who´s responsible for the leaking of classified LuthorCorp information.”

“I´m not in Intelligence, Lex.”

“You´ve got contacts and the training to get people to talk. Don´t sell yourself short, General. Look at this as an olive branch. I´ll stay in touch,” he finished, walking purposefully towards the front door without waiting for an answer. He knew the General´s love for his own flesh and blood and didn´t doubt for a minute the man would do what he´d been asked.

TBC

A/N: A new update will arrive on November 11th.:P

[hfce]

Oh man this was so good. I wish you would update this tomorrow. :D

[purplemoon123]

This is so freaking good!!

Love the tension and verbal judo of Chloe and Lex in the previous chapter. It was smoking!!!

When this chapter started with Clark I kinda booed!! But I really both your Lois and Clark. Lois is just a freaking hoot!!

I'm surprised by the addition of Sam Lane. Liked their conversation!! Loved how Sam was very open and honest with Lex about seeing his and Chloe's relationship.

Can't wait for more!!

[ThraceC]

Excellent update Lexie. I wasn't expecting Clark or Lois much at all so that was a pleasant surprise, adds another layer to the plot. Though I do regret that there was no actual Chlex in this chapter, it was well worth it given that the plot grows thicker. Glad you brought Sam into it, I always liked him....

[Fouzia]

thank you for the update!!!!
I really love this fic!!!!:grin3:

[ksa]

wow, not enough chlex for my liking:yeahbaby: But I understand that it has to be for the sake of story development. I really like the Clois conversation. You write them so well. This is how I always imagine Clarks and Lois beginnings. Wish the smallville writers would read your fics and learn something:wth:

Hehee chloe and lex both suffer from sexual abstenence, but I am happy that you keep them apart from now. They need time to know each other better again.

I totally love the moment between Lex and Laura, sigh. So cute. And I must say it was very devlish from you to show us how much pain Lex has to go through the fact that he meet his daughter so late. The fact that Lex want to earn is legal father statuts is just so lex. He is possessive but he wants to be a good dad and he don´t want to be is father. Again you manage to put Lex complicated nature in one sentence. Great work. But the Lex/ Sam confrontation was very hard after the Laura/ Lex scene in a good way.
I really feel bad for Lex, but I can understand Sam. He wanted to protect Chloe at all costs. I don´t understand why Sam didn´t know about Laura. Or did he know about her, but not that she was Lex?

I feel sorry for Sam when Lois finds out, Lex is much more composed. Lois will freak out.:D

Thank you for the early update. It always makes my day. And I am looking forward to more. :D

[autumngold]

I would be so angry if I was Lex! He has missed so many years with his daughter, while his love was sleeping with someone else, because of Lane's decision. It's not Chloe's fault, she couldn't remember him. But Lane knew what he was doing, handing her off to another man. Thanks for the update!

[Gaia]

More,more, more, more!!!!!!!!

[lexie]

Thanks for your enthusiasm and your kind words, girls. I´m glad you found the little Clois bearable and saw it as more than a filler because that was certainly the idea- Clark WILL play a role in the development of the plot. Glad you approve of Sam Lane´s introduction as well.

There´ll be more Chlex next time.:grin3:

[veronica525]

I wasn't expecting Clark, but I love how you have written him and Lois. I love their banter too, different than Chlex, but love it just the same.

Lex looking in at Laura was priceless, and I feel so bad that he missed the beginnings of her life. I love his outlook though, that even though he is her father by blood, he wants to earn the right to be called it. Very sweet moment, though there is always something sweet and innocent with a sleeping child!

I like Lex's confrontation with Sam Lane too. I had a feeling that is who he was going to see.

The plot is definitely getting thicker and I look forward to the next installment, even if Nov. 11 seems so incredibly far away!

Great job Lexie! You definitely delivered with this chapter, which is pretty amazing with there being no Chlex interaction!

Keep up the good work!

[Kit Merlot]

I think Sam Lane did what he thought was best for Chloe, so I can't really blame him. And while Fairchild does seem like a decent person, you have to wonder about a man so willing to live a lie.

I wonder how Lois and Clark will be involved in all of this. Hopefully your version of this pair will be smarter then the ones on SV;)

[chloedreamer]

I was thinking the same thing when Lois finds out well that's when it hits the fan her Dad is so in for it.

[toryjhay]

wow...so much happened!

glad to know that lois and clark are actually going to school, getting a degree and all that (it's one of the things i most dislike about sv these days, that those two did not work as hard as chloe did and yet they just got the job). Anyway, so it was the general who took chloe away from lex, well he better start making amend, poor lex! more soon please.

[lexie]

I wasn't expecting Clark, but I love how you have written him and Lois. I love their banter too, different than Chlex, but love it just the same.

I usually ignore Clark altogether.LOL The two SV non-Chlex characters that I like and tend to include in my fics are Lionel and Lois. I love writing Lexionel scenes and have a ball penning Lois.


Lex looking in at Laura was priceless, and I feel so bad that he missed the beginnings of her life. I love his outlook though, that even though he is her father by blood, he wants to earn the right to be called it. Very sweet moment, though there is always something sweet and innocent with a sleeping child!

You´re right and I´d go a little further and say that even devilish people look tame in sleep. ROTFL.


I like Lex's confrontation with Sam Lane too. I had a feeling that is who he was going to see.

There had to be a Lex scene to counterbalance the Clois and the lack of Chlex in this chapter, and a scene with a strong character such as Sam provided me with the perfect chance..


The plot is definitely getting thicker and I look forward to the next installment, even if Nov. 11 seems so incredibly far away!

Oh, well, that date seems too close to me! I´ve got a little more written but I´ve got to keep on writing and my damn muse is somewhat lazy and capricious- she just wants me to work on my one-shots. Grr!!!


I think Sam Lane did what he thought was best for Chloe, so I can't really blame him. And while Fairchild does seem like a decent person, you have to wonder about a man so willing to live a lie.

Just as Lex himself said, I believe if the billionaire had been in Sam´s shoes he would have done the same thing to protect the person he loves. That doesn´t mean Sam doesn´t deserve a punch in the nose for keeping the baby apart from her dad- although, technically, he didn´t know anything about the parentage.



I wonder how Lois and Clark will be involved in all of this. Hopefully your version of this pair will be smarter then the ones on SV;)

Let´s hope so.


I was thinking the same thing when Lois finds out well that's when it hits the fan her Dad is so in for it.

I bet Lois will make the General pay big time for lying to her.




glad to know that lois and clark are actually going to school, getting a degree and all that (it's one of the things i most dislike about sv these days, that those two did not work as hard as chloe did and yet they just got the job).

That´s definitely one of the things that I object to the most. Yes, in my world they´ll have to DO something to deserve living Chloe´s dream.

[marcy2401]

Great story. I just read it all. I have not been to this site in a couple of months and stories like this one shows me why I like this pairing. Can't wait until Chloe rembers more. Lois is going to have her dads head for not telling her that Chloe was alive. Lex is more forgiving then I would have been. Update soon.

[malugargula]

Wow!!! Great update
I`m glad General Lane is helping Lex
:)
Please more soon

[lexie]

Great story. I just read it all. I have not been to this site in a couple of months and stories like this one shows me why I like this pairing. Can't wait until Chloe rembers more. Lois is going to have her dads head for not telling her that Chloe was alive. Lex is more forgiving then I would have been. Update soon.


Thanks for your words. I´m glad that you came back and discovered this fic:D. As you must have already read in the foreword, this is the first time I started posting a story without having it finished on paper; so I really appreciate my readers´encouragement because my stomach is in twists hoping my muse won´t stand me up.

There´ll be an update in a week, by the way. In the meantime, you´re welcome to enjoy the rest of my work.:P


Wow!!! Great update
I`m glad General Lane is helping Lex
:)
Please more soon

Thanks, Malu. I´m pleased you appreciate the General´s introduction.

[lexie]

A/N: Here´s a new chapter a couple of days before planned.

There´s a pinch of Clois because they´ll play their part in the plot; but don´t fret, there´s Chlex and Laura in this instalment. I hope you´ll enjoy it.

The next update will be posted around December 1st unless my muse starts bombarding me with extra chapters all of a sudden.:D

CHAPTER 10: Family

SMALLVILLE- KENT FARM

Clark had got up earlier than usual and spent three hours doing farm chores that always took him a couple of minutes. He hadn´t been able to sleep at all- his mind being in a whirl after getting that manila envelope in the post. Even though there was no forwarding address on the outside, the brief message enclosed didn´t leave too many options open unless he´d been too careless on one of his recent hero escapades.

Walking out of the barn he removed the gloves his dad used to wear and tossed them on a workbench. His hands would never get calloused no matter what he did, but someone could be out there observing him and he wasn´t willing to run the risk of being discovered.

“Good morning, Clark,” said Martha warmly when he stepped into the kitchen and kissed her on the cheek.

“Good morning, mom,” he smiled, grabbing a freshly-baked biscuit from the baking sheet.

“Just like your father,” Martha told him with a frown, brushing away his hand.
“They´re still hot.”

“Hey, Smallville!” Lois greeted him from her post at the breakfast table.

“Hello, Lois. I thought we´d have to drag your city butt out of bed to have you share our early breakfast,” responded the farm boy, opening the fridge to take the jug of milk.

“You´re kidding! And miss your mom´s homemade cookies? After months of munching sawdust at the college cafeteria I´d give an arm for a batch of Martha´s baking. I´m surprised you´ve doubted me after suffering the after-effects of that nuclear waste you had for lunch yesterday.”

“Clark?” frowned Martha, wondering what all that was about; Clark had never had stomachache in his life.

“Lois thinks I´ve got a sensitive stomach.”

“I think? You should have looked at yourself in the mirror yesterday,” mumbled the General´s eldest daughter unfolding the Sunday edition of The Planet. “I can´t believe it! That rattlesnake got away even in death.”

“What are you talking about, Lois?” asked Clark, shutting the door of the fridge and walking towards the breakfast nook.

“Lionel Luthor; that´s who. It says here the investigation´s closed. Inconclusive evidence... No witnesses,” she gritted her teeth.”The Luthors think they can buy everything and everyone, that they´re above and beyond the law. I wonder if Lex had something to do in all this.”

“I don´t think Lex would take part in a conspiracy to help his father, “said Martha, leaving a baking sheet on the worktop.

“Mom...” began Clark belligerently.

“I know you´re no longer friends, sweetie. And that you blame him because of Lana, but you of all people should know the way his father always treated him and how hard he and Chloe worked to see Lionel pay for what he´d done in Suicide Slums all those years ago. I can´t imagine Lex allying with his father, not after everything that happened.”

“Maybe he didn´t but maybe he doesn´t want the truth to come out because it´s inconvenient,” Clark interrupted Martha.

“Believe me, Martha, I´d have gladly joined the firing squad to wipe the Magnificent Bastard off the face of the earth if Lex had recruited me- and I´m definitely no fan of his. However, I think there´s something fishy here. Did you know Lex had him cremated? What if he didn´t want anyone to know how he died? Perhaps he was trying to protect someone,” concluded Lois, setting the newspaper down on the table.

“And why don´t we nominate him for sainthood, now that we´re at it?” suggested Clark ironically as his eyes strayed to the front page and he sobered.

“Clark!” exclaimed Lois jumping out of her chair when the jug he was holding exploded in a million pieces and the spilt milk soaked his clothes. “Are you hurt?” she rushed to his side, trying to grab his hands to look at his palms, which she was sure the shards must have pierced.

“I´m fine,” he said in a raspy voice, snatching his hands away.”I´ll get changed. Mom...?” he added, shooting a glance at Martha.

“It´s OK, sweetie. I´ll bring the mop and,” she pasted a practised smile on her face,” I´ll fetch you a clean pair of jeans from the laundry.”

“Thanks, mom. I´m sorry,” Clark told her apologetically on his way to the bathroom.

“Gee! Did you see that? What do you feed the farm boy? Those cookies must have a secret ingredient,” Lois babbled on as she observed the pulverised glass scattered on the floor.

“It must have been already cracked.”

“Cracked? I´ll remember to wear an armour while Smallville´s around. Those shards flew like projectiles.”

“Lois, could you watch over the last batch of cookies I have in the oven?” asked Martha, trying to distract her.

“Sure,” responded Chloe´s cousin getting around the spill and the broken remnants of the milk jug.

“I´ll be back in a minute. I´m going to give Clark his jeans,” Mrs Kent told Lois, grabbing them from the laundry basket.

Clark had stripped down to his underwear in record time and was now leaning heavily on the washbasin- his hand gripping the sides with contained strength when there was a knock at the door. He studied his face in the mirror, opened the tap and splashed some cold water on his face.

“Clark, can I come in? I´ve got you a clean pair of jeans,” said Martha´s muffled voice. “Sweetie,” she murmured when he opened the door,” what happened? I know you and Lex aren´t best friends now but... since the engagement was broken, I thought that maybe... you´d be willing to... try and patch things up.”

“Patch things up? After everything he´s done?”

“Clark, it takes two to tango. It was Lana ´s decision to make the choice she did.”

“And Chloe, mom? If he hadn´t interfered, none of this would have happened,” he fumed.

“You don´t know that, Clark. Chloe made a foolish mistake when she accepted Lionel´s offer, but I believe Lex honestly tried to help her.”

“Lex doesn´t do anything unless he´s sure he´ll get something in return.”

“Clark, there are things that you don´t know.”

“What´s that supposed to mean?”

“It was a hard year for you... for all of us. Many things happened around you that you didn´t notice at the time.”

“Like what?”

“We all lost things... someone... that year, and you were too wrapped up in your own emotional turmoil to see how fragile two of your best friends were.”

“That isn´t true. I tried to help Lex... I tried to stop Lionel and... you and dad both told me it´d been for the best.”

“I accept my degree of guilt in making your relationship with Lex more strained. I know how much he valued your friendship and understand his need to have someone trust him. We robbed him of that to protect you. I´m not blaming you, Clark.; I´d do it again in a heartbeat, but in retrospect... I wish there had been another way. I don´t approve of many of the things he´s done in the last few years and still... I can´t help but feel we gave up on him too soon. He just needed someone to believe in him, to trust him...”

“Yeah, Chloe did that and look what it cost her and Gabe.”

“It was Lionel that had that house blown up, Clark.”

“Lex was supposed to protect her! If I...”

“Look, there´s a lot of guilt going around...”

“Hey, Smallville! There´s someone on the phone for you,” Lois interrupted them with a knock on the door.

“Tell whoever it is I´ll get back to him later,” responded Clark.

“I tried to ask him for his phone number, but he said it was urgent.”

“OK. I´ll be right up,” he sighed, buttoning up his flannel shirt. “Must be about my internship application,” he told his mum.

“Go, sweetie,” smiled Martha, grabbing the soaked clothes.

Clark opened the bathroom door- half-expecting to find Lois eavesdropping- and traversed the kitchen to answer the phone call on hold.

“Hello?” he said, picking up the handset.

“Hello, Kal,” responded a smug voice on the other side.

LEX´S PENTHOUSE- 1 p.m.

Chloe had woken up at around ten after spending half the night awake thinking over the events of the day and replaying the conversation she´d had with Lex before going to bed. She still couldn´t believe her reaction or the words she spat at him when he talked so possessively and passionately about her and Laura. It was as if by meeting Lex once again her old self- her real self- had resurrected. She was awake for the first time in three years and wondered where this rebellious and stubborn young woman had been hiding. Maybe Lex was right; maybe she needed him around to feel alive.

He opened the front door of the penthouse to find Chloe comfortably perched on his sofa amidst scattered papers and scribbled notes. He looked at what she had on her lap and thanked his foresight; nothing could be left to chance with Chloe hanging around.

“I hope you don´t mind,” she said, pointing at the laptop.”You don´t have a PC so I used this to hook on the net. I needed to send a couple of e-mails, tell Jerry we´d be away for a few days. We left in such a hurry that I didn´t have time to talk to him in advance.”

“It´s all right. I told you to make yourself at home,” he smirked, picking up a few papers and perusing their contents with a poker face.

“I just... I guess I´m not the type to sit on my butt while things are happening around me. I simply couldn´t stay here doing nothing...”

“Don´t worry, Chloe. You´re welcome to use my laptop anytime. I´m not so sloppy as to keep corporative secrets where anyone could find them,” he said smugly.” And by anyone... I mean someone who used to be able to penetrate the best firewalls and crack any codes.”

“Well, I haven´t used that particular talent in years.”

“I´m sure it´ll come back. There are things which are like riding a bicycle,” he said in a silky voice with a gleam in his eye. “Have you found anything interesting? On the net I mean. I already have an inventory of the penthouse,” he added ironically.

“Are you accusing me of snooping around?” she cocked an eyebrow.

“You wouldn´t be the woman I fell in love with if you didn´t. We´ve always been two of a kind. We´ve never been able to resist digging into other people´s lives, particularly when we believe they´re hiding something from us,” he responded, scanning a printed sheet.

“You can´t blame me for wanting to find answers.”

“I don´t,” he told her, leaving the sheet on the coffee table.

“Have you ever met Lois and my uncle Sam?” she asked looking him in the eye. “I entered this cool site where you can trace your ancestors and relatives and found out they´re in the area.”

“I met Lois a few years ago... yes. She came to Smallville for your... funeral and ended up staying. You have another cousin, Lucy- an interesting character, “ he smiled,” the family´s black sheep. I don´t know what she´s up to now. The last time we heard of her she ran away with one of my Mercedes and $50,000 in bonds.”

“What?!”

“A long story. And none you should worry about.”

“What about Uncle Sam?”

“Sam Lane´s Lois´ dad,” he said curtly.

“Yes, I know that. I mean... have you met him? What kind of man is he?”

“I can´t claim to know him really well.”

“But you´ve met him,” she insisted.

“Briefly, yes.”

“And?”

“He seems to be a very protective kind of guy. Have you had lunch yet?”

“Yes, sorry. It was past Laurie´s lunchtime. I left you something in the oven. Lex, why are you trying to sidetrack me?”

“I´m not.”

“Then why is it that I have the impression you don´t want to talk about this.”

“Hi!” Laurie smiled at Lex as she tiptoed quietly into the living room with her bear tucked under one arm.

“Hello, Laurie,” he said warmly, thanking the girl´s timing crouching down to be at her eye level. “Did you sleep well last night?

“Uh huh, “ she responded, nodding her head.

“What did you do while I was away?” he asked her, hearing the distant sound of a children´s TV programme in the entertainment room.

Chloe felt her eyes turn misty as she observed the exchange between father and daughter and noticed Lex´s faintly veiled hesitation before his hand caressed the girl´s cheek gently to brush a couple of stray hairs off her face. It was evident he wanted to be more tactile with the child and found the experience new to him. Chloe wondered what it must be like for someone used to being so confident to feel so awkward all of a sudden.

“Mommy said watch ´toons, but...” she pouted.

“What´s wrong?” he frowned.

“You don´t have the channel she usually watches at home,” explained Chloe. “But that´s OK, Laurie, right?”

“Well... I suppose I c...” Lex began to say until he caught a discreet gesture of Chloe´s out of the corner of an eye, “... don´t spend too much time at home to know what channels I have,” he added, seeing the blonde reporter relax.

“You don´t watch toons?” asked Laurie wide-eyed.

Lex saw disbelief on his daughter´s childish face and thanked God for having granted her a mum such as Chloe, who was making sure she had a healthy childhood, enjoying the simple pleasures of her age. Lex couldn´t remember ever watching cartoons while growing up- there had been no TV in his room and the only shows that the Luthor household used to tune in had to do with politics and the world market. Even now he could remember Lillian arguing with his father the one time she took him to the cinema to see Snow White their last winter together. Lionel thought there was more to learn from books and the ancient philosophers than in the dark room of a cinema watching a girlie film; he wasn´t going to allow her to make a sentimental weakling out of his heir.

“Tell you what,” he responded to Laura in a gentle voice. “I´ll heat up
something to eat and we can watch some together.”

On hearing Lex´s suggestion the girl´s cherubic face lightened forgetting that a minute before she had been moping.

“Mommy, co´nut cookies?” asked the blonde sprite.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Thanks for not flaunting your Luthor power back there. I know you´d love to change the orbit of a LuthorCorp satellite just to give your daughter the chance to watch every cartoon channel on earth or to send one of your minions on a shopping spree to get every animated movie in the market, but I´ve promised myself Laurie won´t be a spoilt brat. And I can assure you she´d have you wrapped around her little finger in no time.”

“So says the unrelenting mother who´s baking her coconut cookies,” he smirked, setting his lunch on a tray to take to the entertainment room while Chloe was busy sifting a bowl of flour and hunting Lex´s larder for the necessary ingredients.

“Smart ass. By the way, we haven´t finished our conversation. Has my uncle done something to earn the Luthor cold shoulder?” she probed, disposing of the egg shells.

“I have an old debt to settle with him. He made a decision for which I begrudge him and, though I´m trying to be understanding because I know where he was coming from... let´s say the fact that he´s your uncle is keeping him in one piece,” he confessed in an attempt to be as honest with Chloe as he could without actually telling her the whole story. “Does knowing I might act on my animosity towards someone spook you?” he added gravely, looking her in the eye.

“I remember enough to know you can be a dangerous man to cross.
However, I also know you wouldn´t strike back without good cause. I´m aware there´s darkness in you but there´s also a whole other side to you.”

“I´m afraid most people wouldn´t agree with you. And to be honest, although part of their dislike is unwarranted, there are many things I´ve done I´m not proud of. Given the chance I would change a couple of decisions I took not so long ago. There might be things in my life you won´t like, Chloe.”

“As long as I can remember, I´ve always tried not to jump to conclusions about anything. I´m not into passing judgement on a person because of any preconceptions.”

“I promise I´ll try to be honest with you, Chloe. However, there are some things which are non-negotiable.”

“I assume we´re talking about LuthorCorp business here.”

“Mostly.”

“While doing my research after you called on me at the coffee shop I came across some disturbing reports concerning LuthorCorp´s experiments with refined meteor rocks.”

“Ever since I moved to Smallville I´ve been studying them- I won´t deny that. We´ve been trying to find some positive application for something that has caused a lot of pain to numberless people. The majority of the town´s population has been affected by them in some way.”

“Your white cell count and Laura´s, right?”

“Yes, you might see it as a curse, but we could have done worse. Believe me.”

“All these freaks... I´ve been reading the electronic issues of The Torch. I was as obsessed with them as the media seems to believe you are now. Are all as dangerous as the ones I wrote about?”

“In my experience when it comes to them there´s no such thing as being too cautious.”

Chloe opened the oven to remove the first batch of cookies and pondered whether it was the right time to ask him if the buzz which talked about a secret LuthorCorp project called 33.1 was just an urban legend or another Level 3 like the one she´d written about. She was itching to pursue her line of questioning already feeling the thrill of exercising her dormant reporter muscles. Still, there were other priorities to consider first- namely to find out who the people behind the threats to their family were. Funny; they´d been at Lex´s penthouse only a day and Chloe was already thinking of them three as a family.

“Have I ever shown any strange abilities?” she blurted out when a sudden flashback caught her unawares as she straightened up to set down her oven glove on the worktop.

“Apart from your uncanny ability to find yourself in the worst places at the most inconvenient times and shaking more than an occasional hornet´s nest?” he responded with a lopsided grin.

“I was thinking more in the line of meteor-induced powers,” she said gravely before turning around and meeting his steel blue-grey eyes.

Lex looked at her with his mask of indifference firmly in place, wondering exactly what was going through her mind and if her question had been prompted by some recollection of hers or only by mere curiosity. Not only both their lives in Smallville had been filled with the bizarre, she had also acted out of character due to the green rocks more than once.

Nevertheless, there was one particular occasion that remained branded in his mind because of its personal significance. No one apart from themselves had witnessed what was said in his study at the mansion, and he couldn´t remember ever feeling so vulnerable and exposed as he did the day he told Chloe he wanted his father to love him.

“You and Pete were bitten by a parasite in the Kawatche Caves.”

“Pete?”

“Ross. His family owned Smallville´s Creamed Corn Factory until my father bought it and turned it into a fertiliser plant. I´ve never been on his Christmas list; he even tried to murder me once when he was under the effects of an ancient flower powered by green rocks. I couldn´t blame him for charging towards me that once, although he aimed at the wrong Luthor. It wasn´t me who broke the promise not to make changes to his family´s factory and ended up laying off the entire staff. “

“And how did the parasite affect me?”

“You? Well... it revealed the sexy teaser in you. You enjoyed flirting shamelessly with someone else in front of me and made jokes about my baldness. It was sheer torture; especially because I was doing my damnedest not to see you as a sexual being in those days. I didn´t envy Clark more than that morning I saw you in his arms.”

“Clark?”

“Yes, Clark Kent,” he clarified. “You remember him?” he asked calmly, trying not to unleash the jealousy that was threatening to spring up as he wondered whether her memories connected with Clark had resurfaced earlier than theirs.

“Not really. I saw his name in several articles in The Torch. He seemed to be always at the right place at the right time.”

“You, Clark and Mr Ross used to be joined at the hip. Clark´s always been a boy scout. I suppose you´ve read about my miraculous rescue the day I arrived in Smallville,” he added, seeing Chloe nod. “Selfless heroism´s the thing he´s stood out for- and many of us owe him a debt of gratitude,” he conceded, pouring himself a glass of wine and setting it on the tray.“He won´t be remembered by his contributions to the paper, though. Typing the menu for the school cafeteria can hardly be described as serious journalism,” he smiled faintly.

“And my writing articles that only a rag like The Inquisitor would print can?”

Lex took a large sip of wine and felt a muscle on his face twitch. She might not remember Clark but even now she was ready to defend him. Her loyalty to her friends was one of the things Lex admired in her and yet, his jealous streak was always haunting him when it came to her and her close relationship with Clark. He knew it was a childish reaction because he had been sure of her love before the explosion. Unlike Lana, Chloe wasn´t fickle in her affections and alliances and still, Lex´s insecurity when it came to his own capacity to earn someone´s love and trust forever made him fear Clark´s ghost once again. He berated himself for his weakness; they knew each other too well to misinterpret the signs- he only had to look in her emerald eyes and hear the slight breathlessness in her voice when he was around to realise his feelings weren´t unrequited.

“Don´t belittle your talent, Chloe. Clark has never been and will never be the amazing reporter you are.”

“Was.”

“Are. Give it time. It´ll come back just like your memories.”

“You said he´ll never be. Does it mean he´s still in journalism?”

“The last time I heard of him he was studying journalism at Central Kansas... with your cousin Lois.”

“Lois? As in Lois Lane?”

“Yes,” he said gravely .”Chloe, I know it´s killing you not to know more about your past life and that you´d like to see your family and let them know you´re alive. However, I don´t think it´d be the best move right now. Trust me. The fewer people are aware of it the better chance you´ll have of staying under the radar. And believe me, letting your cousin know you´re alive would be like posting the news on the front page of The Daily Planet.”

“What difference would it make?!” she exclaimed frustrated.” These people already know who I am and where I live.”

“It´s true, but if word got out you survived and that you were married to the man who died at that garage with Lionel Luthor, your life would become a freaking media circus and protecting you and Laura would be a nightmare. I don´t want to make things easier for these people than they already are, Chloe.”

“I don´t know how long I´ll be able to handle being cooped up here, Lex.”

“You mean cooped up here with me?” he corrected her.

“Mommy?” a childish voice interrupted them.

“Hi, sweetie,” responded Chloe warmly, cleaning her hands with a tea towel and putting on a smile for Laurie´s benefit.

“Are you angry?” asked the girl in a shaky voice that signalled she was on the verge of tears.

“I´m sorry, Laura,” replied Lex, crouching down to look at her in the eye.
“Mommy and I were just talking some boring adult stuff. We didn´t want to scare you. Everything´s OK, honey. Are you ready to watch that animated film you picked?”

“Uh huh,” she nodded, clutching at her teddy bear as Lex wiped away a couple of tears which were rolling down her cheeks.

“So, lead the way,” he smiled reassuringly, grabbing the tray he had set down on the kitchen island. “Chloe,” he added from the doorway,” will you join us?”

“It´s OK. You go. I´m going to clean the mess I´ve made in your kitchen and take a shower,” she responded with a small smile, turning around to start working on the dirty dishes.

“I wish things were different, Chloe. I hope I haven´t come across as an over-possessive bully that doesn´t want you to step out of his sight. I just want what´s best for both you.”

“I know, Lex,” she told him, blinking a few tears away.

“Are you OK?” he insisted, cursing Lionel Luthor for all the stumbling blocks on their road to happiness.

“I will be once you´ve found these bastards and make them pay. Go, Lex. You´ve missed enough time with your daughter already.”

Lex looked at her back one last time torn by his urge to comfort her and his desire to share his first quality time with their daughter. He shouldn´t have had to choose between them and if God was merciful with him this once, they wouldn´t have to wait too long to be the family he´d always dreamt of and never thought he´d have.

TBC

A/N 2: If you haven´t read it yet, I invite you to check out my entry for last month´s fanfic challenge: "Surrender" (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/showpost.php?p=251861&postcount=6)

[hfce]

What a fabulous update. I love the Luthor family Laura is so cute! I am glad Lex told Chloe why she can't get in touch with her family at the moment. The less people know the better. More please... :D

[Fouzia]

thank you for you story!!!
i can wait to read the next update!!
Bye

[Gaia]

Oh Clark...the paranoia. More please!!!

[Kit Merlot]

"I can´t help but feel we gave up on him too soon. He just needed someone to believe in him, to trust him...”

Martha, you are a wise woman:grin3: I like that she is trying to get Clark to see that everyone--Lana, Lex, Chloe--all have made mistakes but that it isn't up to him to pick and choose who gets forgiven or who gets blamed.

[chloedreamer]

aww Lex just wants Chloe and their daughter to be a family.

[lexie]

Martha, you are a wise woman:grin3: I like that she is trying to get Clark to see that everyone--Lana, Lex, Chloe--all have made mistakes but that it isn't up to him to pick and choose who gets forgiven or who gets blamed.

Martha used to be the only voice of reason in Clark´s life and the one Kent who truly felt for Lex and I´m trying to keep her that way. Glad you approve.:grin3:

To the rest, I´m pleased you´re enjoying the Luthor family dynamics so far. You know that things won´t stay idyllic for long...:P not that they´re perfect right now, but this bonding´ll necessarily be interrupted by the reason that pushed Chloe back to Lex´s arms so to speak.

[ThraceC]

Lex needs to watch his own secrecy before it comes back to bite him in the ass. Chloe is tentatively trusting him now but if he isn't honest with her, she'll bolt. He's trying so hard to man up to the situation, it would suck to see him sabotage himself.

Thanks for posting ahead of schedule, don't keep us waiting too long for an update!

[daria_103]

Great chapters Lexie. Loved the moment between Clark and Martha she was always the only member of that family I really liked on the show, always the voice of reason.

[lexie]

Loved the moment between Clark and Martha she was always the only member of that family I really liked on the show, always the voice of reason.

I couldn´t agree with you more. It´s true that on a couple of occasions she sided with Jonathan when I wished she had stood her ground- that was the case when she supported what he said about Clark not interfering with Lex´s shock therapy (hence my addressing the issue in this chapter). However, she was the one adult female I truly liked.Jonathan I always wanted to choke, particularly when it came to his rapport with Lex, but I loved Martha and her motherly attitude towards the billionaire.

[ksa]

Hey Lexie,
sorrf for the lack of feedback latley, but I just started a new job and my computer decided to take a break, but here we go:

I like the chapter, but I do miss my Chlex action, but I really like the Laura/ Lex interaction. My favourite line was: Don´t think about buying a satelite, so your daughter can watch her favourite cartoon. This is sooo Lex. I get a feeling he will spoil that kid.:D I like the way you making Clark slowley part of the storyline and I can´t wait for Clark and Lois to find out about Chloe and Laura....

How is your muse treading you this days? When I can help in any form, let me know.

Hugs sandra

[lexie]

I like the chapter, but I do miss my Chlex action, but I really like the Laura/ Lex interaction. My favourite line was: Don´t think about buying a satelite, so your daughter can watch her favourite cartoon. This is sooo Lex. I get a feeling he will spoil that kid.:D

He was too neglected as a child not to try to be the exact opposite of his dad when it comes to parenthood. And yes, I´m sure he´ll dote on Laura and spoil her rotten unless Chloe does something about it (though it seems the girl´s already got her wrapped around her little finger).


I like the way you making Clark slowley part of the storyline and I can´t wait for Clark and Lois to find out about Chloe and Laura....

I´m glad you don´t find his inclusion a nuisance. I very rarely write him because I find him so damn boring- who isn´t next to Lex, right?:D


How is your muse treading you this days? When I can help in any form, let me know.

She seems to be awake for the monthly one-shots. Hopefully she´ll be more alert once my teaching year´s over by the end of December. Thanks for your offer.:blinkkiss

[Booksketeer]

Yes! Finally, I'm up to date with all the chapters! And I am just sighing with delight over the way this fic is going.

Chapter 4

Oh, this one starts out so good! I love the angsty moment with Chloe in the shower, and the contrast you showed by following up with Lex's calm remeniceing. And the reasoning behind Lionel's involvement...that was awesome! I loved that little plot morsel.

I'm normally turned off of a fic that facilliates between points of veiw so often, but you've really written it seamlessly here. I love the background we get as well, and both flashbacks/dream sequences really pulled the heartstrings here... not to mention the very yummy Chlex intereaction. :D

And what is up with the bottle of pills?

Chapter 5

I love, love love seeing Chloe in investigative mode! And I am so happy to see her finally discovering her true identity. I wonder what effects it's going to have on her in the future, because she's bound to want to get up close and personal with her past.

And...wow. The convoluted conversation between Lex and the doctor...just, wow. I think I'm starting to see where this is going, and I am just so glad Lionel is dead.

OMG! Who is this guy who needs to be killed? I can't believe someone is threatening her daughter! And I can't wait for Lex to find out about the threats. I hope this situation is resolved quickly; I get nervous when I read about kids in danger. I know, I'm a dork; it's just a story. But I don't want Laura to get hurt. lol.

Chapter 6

Ooh, I love seeing ruthless Lex. His forceful personality coupled with intelligence is just so hot! And having Chloe and Laura show up at Lexcorp to Lex's suprise was just awesome! I loved that she still has her sneaky skills. And it was cute knowing how nervous and flustered she was in meeting him-especially wanting to look her best. Hopefully it's a foreshadowing of some yummy Chlexy NC-17?

I loved seeing the sweet side of Lex as well, though. It's so awesome how he's taking care of Chloe and Laura.

And yes! Chloe living with Lex! Hopefully he breaks it off with Lana soon, though, cause I can't see Chloe being very forgiving if she finds out otherwise. I loved the argument; you can see they both have valid points, and I've already mentioned intelligence is a major turn on! This is just great!

Chapter 7

The almost family like atmosphere is so sweet. I love seeing how comfortable they are, so quickly. I was a little sorry for Lex though, seeing how he seemingly felt like a third wheel when Chloe was tucking Laura in.

However, when Lex starts patronizing her, I can completely sympathize with Chloe getting angry at him, especially since he seems to know who is threatening her and her daughter. If he were in the same situation, he wouldn't stand for not knowing the identity of the people threatening him, no matter what the excuse. And, this last line, "It's mine too, remember?" does that mean Laura is his? Yes!!!

Chapter 8

I love the way you start this chapter off running with so much tension. It's so well written you can almost feel it; you've done such a wonderful job with this scene! I love the sexual undertones too, it's very hot!

And yes! I knew it!!! Lex is Laura's father! And it is so awesome how she has the same unique condition as he does. And I loved the argument; it's very in character for them both, and you can really feel for the both of them, in such a painful situation. And of course Lex wants to be a dad to his daughter! I love how he has mapped out his plan to woo her and marry her, and become a family. It's just so sweet!

Chapter 9

Yay! We get to see Clark and Lois! I can't wait until they find out about Chloe...and Laura. I liked their banter; not as much as Chloe and Lex's, but I did enjoy it.

And the wisful thoughts of Lex's were so sweet. I really feel for him, and am impressed with how much restraint he's showing, waiting for Chloe even though he remembers what it's like to be with her, and it's been so long. And the small interaction he had with his daughter, wondering if she was thinking of the man she knew as her daddy, it was just heart-breaking.

Wow, it never occered to me that Chloe's uncle would have known. And I can't imagine Lois being happy with him witholding something that important from her either. I can see where he's coming from, but he deserves to feel like crap hearing about how his actions caused Lex to lose out on being a daddy to his daughter. I have a feeling it's going to be awesome seeing the General going after those who are threatening his family though.

Chapter 10

Wow...this whole situation with Clark, I'm at a complete loss as to how you're going to connect it to Lex or Chloe's situation, but I am looking forward to it.

I like the fact that Chloe's true self is unleashed by Lex's personality. It just goes to show how much they compliment each other. And everytime you bring Laura into the scene, I just go awwwww. I love her! And I don't normally like OC's.

I also like that Chloe won't let Lex spoil her rotten. It'd be so easy for him...but it's also cute seeing how much he wants to give her anything she asks for. And I love that Chloe is thinking of them as a family as well. And, ooooooh, is Chloe going to have powers? I hope so. That would be so cool...

I can understand how Chloe feels being cooped up, and I think it's a little unfair of Lex to accuse her of being bored with him. I think that was mainly prompted by the jealousy of being questioned about Clark just a few moments prior. I feel so sorry for her; I really feel like Lex needs to be a little more understanding about it, and try to see things from her point of view. But if it were perfect, it wouldn't be as interesting, would it?

Great job, Lexie!

[lexie]

Just as I told you in my PM, Kristine, I thank you for your lovely feedback and I´m really happy you´re enjoying this fic so much.


And yes! Chloe living with Lex! Hopefully he breaks it off with Lana soon, though, cause I can't see Chloe being very forgiving if she finds out otherwise.

Lex´s already broken up with Lana. Here are a couple of references to the deed:

Chapter 4
"He popped a couple of pills in his mouth and downed them with some water, wondering how much of his headache was due to his dream and how much to Lana´s impending arrival. Although he´d already planned what to say and his decision to end their relationship was final, he dreaded having to waste time which could be put to better use to get Chloe back."

Chapter 5
"Don´t sell yourself short, Ms Sullivan. Did you know your knight in shining armour broke up his engagement after visiting you? The Daily Planet gossip column might mention irreconcilable differences as the cause, but we know better, don´t we? "





I loved that she still has her sneaky skills. And it was cute knowing how nervous and flustered she was in meeting him-especially wanting to look her best. Hopefully it's a foreshadowing of some yummy Chlexy NC-17?

I´m sorry to disappoint but the rating won´t reach NC-17. I hope this won´t put you off.The smuttiest I allow myself to write is a very mild R. I prefer innuendo and sexual tension to graphic language. There´ll be love scenes for certain, though.:P

[ripsconscullmin]

Woohoo!! I’m finally caught up!! I threatened a long, rambling review, but I'm going to try to keep the length down as much as I can, so here goes....

Chapters 7 & 8

Hmm, what can I say? I got the warm and fuzzies from the illusion of happy family they presented during the shopping trip and most especially at dinner.

Lex is presenting a bit of a dichotomy here – retreating from the emotions caused by seeing Chloe putting Laura to bed, then forging full steam ahead when letting her know that he loves her and intends to marry her. I love smug, supremely self-assured Lex. He’s at once hot and annoying.

Of course, I did a happy dance for the confirmation that she was his child (doing it again now as I type).

Chapter 9

I wheezed my way through the first part of this chapter. A welcome mat?! Wow! I usually prefer the Clark and Lois in fic to the one's on the show and this is no exception. She is too funny!

Lex’s musings on his feelings for Chloe was nice, but I loved the bittersweet moment with him kissing Laura and pretending she was calling him “daddy.” Oh, Lex. That is so painful that he’s missed any portion of his child’s life and more so since another man was there to enjoy them and claim the child as his own.

As much as I love wallowing in tender emotion Lex, I love driven, calculating, that wasn’t a request, but an order Lex so much more. I would say I shudder to think what he would do if the General failed to provide the information he requested, but as stated, I’m sure he will acquire the information. I’m not sure who would be more terrifying to face in this instance – Lex or the General (talk about being between a rock and a hard place) – but I almost feel sorry for the person working for Lionel’s associates.

Chapter 10



“I accept my degree of guilt in making your relationship with Lex more strained. I know how much he valued your friendship and understand his need to have someone trust him. We robbed him of that to protect you. I´m not blaming you, Clark.; I´d do it again in a heartbeat, but in retrospect... I wish there had been another way. I don´t approve of many of the things he´s done in the last few years and still... I can´t help but feel we gave up on him too soon. He just needed someone to believe in him, to trust him...”


Yes, exactly.

Oh, no. Trouble for the BDA always means trouble for everybody. Methinks Lex should be even more vigilant than he is currently.



“I remember enough to know you can be a dangerous man to cross.”


One of the reasons I love him.

I love the moments between Lex and Laura. I'm looking forward to more moments of Lex as a daddy.

[lexie]

Woohoo!! I’m finally caught up!! I threatened a long, rambling review, but I'm going to try to keep the length down as much as I can, so here goes....

I was looking forward to your long-winded review.:P



Lex is presenting a bit of a dichotomy here – retreating from the emotions caused by seeing Chloe putting Laura to bed, then forging full steam ahead when letting her know that he loves her and intends to marry her. I love smug, supremely self-assured Lex. He’s at once hot and annoying.

Yes, poor Lex is one hell of a contradiction. He´s trying to fight his Luthor upbringing and share what he´s feeling with Chloe and Laura, but he´s so overwhelmed that he´s pulled this way and the other from time to time.

One thing is certain, he knows what he wants and is determined to secure it.



Of course, I did a happy dance for the confirmation that she was his child (doing it again now as I type).

Didn´t you all? I left some breadcrumbs for you to pick up along the way and some of you were really smart when it came to noticing the choice of pronouns and possessive adjectives in the first chapters.:D



Chapter 9

I wheezed my way through the first part of this chapter. A welcome mat?! Wow! I usually prefer the Clark and Lois in fic to the one's on the show and this is no exception. She is too funny!

I knew that including a pinch of Clois was a dangerous gamble, considering they´re not liked very much here. Well,I enjoy writing Lois a lot (it shows, doesn´t it?) but I find it so hard to peg Clark- as I said before I find him so boring and annoying. :grin3:



As much as I love wallowing in tender emotion Lex, I love driven, calculating, that wasn’t a request, but an order Lex so much more.

I love both, but I enjoy exploring his sensitive side a lot. I hated so much when the alleged good guys on the show failed to see he had that in him.


I would say I shudder to think what he would do if the General failed to provide the information he requested, but as stated, I’m sure he will acquire the information. I’m not sure who would be more terrifying to face in this instance – Lex or the General (talk about being between a rock and a hard place) – but I almost feel sorry for the person working for Lionel’s associates.

Lex and Sam are definitely a force to reckon with. Better have them as friends than enemies.



Oh, no. Trouble for the BDA always means trouble for everybody. Methinks Lex should be even more vigilant than he is currently.

Oh, yes! There´s certainly trouble ahead.


Thanks for taking the time to catch up and review; I appreciate it a lot.;)

[ripsconscullmin]

Yes, poor Lex is one hell of a contradiction. He´s trying to fight his Luthor upbringing and share what he´s feeling with Chloe and Laura, but he´s so overwhelmed that he´s pulled this way and the other from time to time.

I love seeing this, though - him fighting portions of that Luthor upbringing in order to be what Chloe and Laura need. It is something I think he is completely capable of doing despite how he is portrayed.



I knew that including a pinch of Clois was a dangerous gamble, considering they´re not liked very much here. Well,I enjoy writing Lois a lot (it shows, doesn´t it?) but I find it so hard to peg Clark- as I said before I find him so boring and annoying. :grin3:

Yes, well, the writers do make it easy to dislike their versions of Clark and Lois. I have no problem with their inclusion in fics because I think fic writers have a better handle on them - they make them more intelligent, accountable/responsible, more likable. Just as Lex can be different in fic, so can those two. Their portrayal by certain fic writers is what keeps me from completely disliking them.



I love both, but I enjoy exploring his sensitive side a lot. I hated so much when the alleged good guys on the show failed to see he had that in him.

I agree, wholeheartedly. That is why I appreciated the admission from Mrs. Kent about their part in the deterioration of the relationship between Lex and Clark, thus in Lex himself. In all their sanctimonious, self-righteousness, they aid in making Lex a villain.

[lexie]

A/N: Well, since all of you have been so generous with your reviews I´m posting a new instalment a couple of days before scheduled. Enjoy because, although I´ve been working on the beginning of the following chapter, I´m not sure when my next post will come. Hopefully, I´ll have something ready in December- keep your fingers crossed.:blinkkiss

CHAPTER 11: The Bad Penny

THE KAWATCHE CAVES

“This place is gorgeous,” said a wide-eyed Lois, looking at the writings and drawings on the cave walls. “How come you never mentioned this place, Smallville?” she asked reproachfully as she tried to climb up aided by a ledge of the rock so as to have a closer look at the hieroglyphs. “Who would have thought Hickville had its own hidden treasure?”

“Careful, Lois!” he shouted, wondering what he´d done to deserve having to hang out with Lois the first free weekend in months and, above all, having her snooping around the caves.

“Aren´t you coming up?”

“I can see perfectly fine from here.”

“Don´t tell me you´re afraid of heights,” she laughed, keeping her grip on the rock with only one hand. “Remind me to introduce you to the beauties of rappel. I´ll ask the General to get us permission to do some practice on the base. We´ll toughen you up, Smallville.”

“I´m not afraid of heights. Anyway, of what use would climbing be to me on the farm or in the bullpen?”

“You never know when something can come in handy.”

“OK. Why don´t you climb down now? I think we have enough material already.”

“My, Clark, why the rush? You´ve looked uncomfortable ever since we set foot in these caves. Do those paintings of a two-headed creature give you the creeps or something? I think they´re cool. Remind me to thank Lana next time we see her.”

“Lana?” asked Clark, swallowing a sudden lump in his throat. “I thought you´d found out about the caves when you borrowed that book from the local library.”

“No, I bumped into Lana while doing the groceries. She was the one that told me about these caves. Besides, aren´t they supposed to be under LuthorCorp´s control? I thought why not? We could have our research done and, at the same time, piss off a Luthor. I simply couldn´t resist the chance,” she smiled ironically. “It´s a pity you´re no longer in speaking terms with Lex. Lana said something about a Dr... Walden? he once hired to study the hieroglyphs. Maybe I´ll pay Lex a visit and see if he can share something about his findings. You know, play a little on his guilty conscience,” she added with a speculative look.

“No!” exploded Clark.

“Wow! I thought you didn´t care about him. You want to spare his feelings now?”

“I´m just worried about your safety.”

“I´m a big girl, Clark. Besides, the Luthors kind of owe my family for what happened to Chlo´.”

“You should let sleeping dogs lie.”

“At breakfast I got the impression you were moving in for the kill. Has
anybody ever told you you´re one lousy liar? You´ve been thinking about visiting Luthor; you just don´t want me to tag along. Maybe you should follow your own advice, Clark.”

“I don´t know what you´re talking about.”

“Lana´s free now. If she means to you as much as you seem to believe, why not forget about Luthor and see if you can rekindle that old flame? She gave me the impression of still being interested. I think she´d rather have you focused 100% on her than on a pissing contest with Lex to show who´s more macho.”

“I don´t remember asking you for advice on my love life.”

“Well, you appeared to need it and since I´ve had more experience than you in the field I thought I could share some pearls of wisdom with you. Besides, by helping you I would be helping myself. Being around a grizzly bear isn´t my idea of fun.”

“Nobody´s forcing you to stay.”

“I promised your mum I´d give her a hand with a few phone calls to rally some support for the new bill, and I´ve no intention of breaking my word. And... you and I have some work to do, buddy. I´m not going to flunk History because you don´t have the guts to fight for what you want. So quit mopping around and be a man,” ranted Lois before walking out of the caves.

Clark was fuming because what really irked him wasn´t so much that Lois was always meddling with things that weren´t her business as the fact that she could read him so well. Perhaps she was right and, were circumstances different, he might consider putting behind the feeling of betrayal he experienced every time he thought of Lana, and try to woo her again. Funny how things could change in the wink of an eye; his love life was the least of his worries now. He wondered how long he´d be able to deflect Lois´ curious nature and how he´d manage to keep everything to himself around his mum.

He stomped out of the caves and walked to where the truck was parked. Lois was already sitting in the driver´s seat, her fingers tapping nervously on the wheel, and Clark felt a twinge of guilt for having to keep secrets from her this time. He shook his head, telling himself it was for the best. God only knew how things would turn out if he opened his mouth.

ROUTE 40- SMALLVILLE´S OUTSKIRTS- TWO HOURS LATER

Martha´s interview with Henry Small had helped Lois clear her head of a certain farm boy in a plaid shirt who had her completely on edge. She thanked God their research was almost done because she didn´t know how long they´d manage to curve their urge to kill each other.

“That went quite well, Mrs Kent, don´t you think?” Lois broke the silence in the truck´s cabin, shooting a sidelong glance at Martha, who was in the passenger´s seat.

“Yes. His contacts with the environmentalists will be helpful to pass the bill,” she agreed, looking out of the window to check out how far they were from the farm. She´d been distracted all morning, anxious to see Clark again and talk things over with him before he did something all might come to regret.

“Is everything all right, Mrs Kent?” asked Lois, noticing the older woman´s restlessness.

“Yes... well... Lois, I... er... I meant to ask you... Have you noticed anything unusual going on with Clark?”

“Unusual?” she frowned her brow. “He´s been grumpier and he definitely needs to get out more. He´s moping too much if I may say so.”

“Well, it´s been really hard for him to see Lex and Lana together... but I wasn´t referring to his love life. Does he confide in you?”

“Who? Clark? You´re kidding, “she snickered. ”He´s like Fort Knox. He knows more about me than I´ll ever know about him. He even knows what my favourite underwear designer is- not that he´s ever seen me modelling it, mind you. No, Clark doesn´t talk much about himself. What I can tell you is that he´s been quieter than usual ever since we left Central Kansas. He was as white as I sheet when we set off; I thought his favourite dog had died on him or something. And then... I don´t know... call me crazy if you will, but I have a hunch he´s planning something.”

“Like what?” asked Martha apprehensively.

“I don´t know...I´ve been getting a kind of Avenging Angel vibe off him lately... I told him he should forget about Luthor and work on his relationship with Lana if she´s what he wants. Talking about the cheerleading brunette, isn´t that her car?” responded Lois, pulling up on the farm´s driveway.

No sooner had Lois said the name of Clark´s eternal flame than she appeared on the stairs leading to the front door. It was evident even at a distance that she was distraught. Martha hoped this was their last fallout because, as much as she wanted Clark to be happy, she was convinced Lana wasn´t the one for him. Although Mrs Kent had never thought of herself as a resentful person, seeing her son standing despondent at the kitchen´s door she couldn´t help but experience a sudden flare of resentment towards this young woman whose insecurities and fickleness had made her son suffer so much.

“Something tells me that didn´t go so well,” murmured Lois before opening the driver´s door.

Martha´s gaze followed Lana as the girl broke into a sprint to get to her car and drive away in a cloud of dust. The older woman wondered how this would affect Clark´s current state of mind and prayed it didn´t drive him to do something foolish about the contents of the manila envelope she had stumbled upon.

LEX´S PENTHOUSE

Chloe was taking a shower when Lex´s mobile started to vibrate in his pocket disrupting the quiet atmosphere which surrounded both father and daughter like a cocoon. Laura had fallen asleep halfway through the film and ended up reclining her head on Lex´s lap, taking the billionaire once again by surprise. Human touch after Lillian´s death had been alien to him, and the fact that a child could seek his warmth and trust him implicitly would never cease to amaze him.

“Luthor,” he said in a low voice, turning off the TV and trying not to stir the girl. “Where´s Jackson?” he asked tersely. “Put him on the phone... I thought I´d been clear when I said I didn´t want any interruptions... I don´t expect you to be a machine, Jackson, but I trusted you´d pass my orders on to your subordinates if you had to do something as prosaic as going to the toilet. No, leave it. I´ll take care of it. And, Jackson, present yourself at LuthorCorp tomorrow morning.” He snapped the mobile shut, closed his eyes and leant back against the headrest of the sofa taking a deep breath.

Chloe was blow drying her hair when there was a knock on the bathroom door. She turned off the device and fastened her bathrobe more securely before opening the door just a crack.

“Sorry to disturb you, Chloe. I´ve got something to see to. It won´t take long. Laurie´s dozed off on the sofa in the entertainment room. Would you rather I carried her to the nursery first?” Lex informed her, focusing on Chloe´s face in order not to add to her evident discomfiture.

“No, it´s all right. She always takes a nap in the afternoons and that sofa´s very roomy,” she smiled trying to hide how vulnerable she felt around him with her damp hair, her face stripped of make-up and only a terry robe as a barrier between them.

“I´ve moved the coffee table away and scattered some extra cushions around.”

“I don´t think she´ll fall, but that was a wise precaution,” she responded, noticing his barely disguised restlessness as he darted a look towards the foyer. “Go. We´ll be all right,” she allayed his concern, curious of what seemed to have cracked his impenetrable coolness for a short spell.

“I´m not leaving if that´s what you´re wondering, Chloe,” he told her perceiving what might be going through her head.

“OK.”

“We´ll be getting answers soon, Chloe, and we´ll nail them. Trust me. You´re safe with me. I won´t let anything happen to either of you,” he assured the young woman, grazing her cheek with his hand, unable to resist the urge to touch her.

“I know,“ she replied quietly, holding his gaze and feeling the electricity course through her body.

“I´ll let you get dressed,” he said walking away and reining in his urge to taste that mouth which was beckoning him with its slightly parted lips.

Chloe shut the bathroom door and leant her back against it with closed eyes. She was trembling and her body was quivering after the brief exchange. What would happen when everything that was standing between them was no longer there? Would she spontaneously combust the moment he touched her? Judging by the reaction that soft caress on her cheek had provoked in her, she had no doubt she´d burn.

Lex grabbed the doorknob and, taking a few seconds to school his features, he turned it to reveal the unexpected visitor standing in the corridor.

“Hi,” said the guest demurely.

“Hi. Are you feeling OK?” he asked, noticing the red-rimmed eyes.

“I didn´t know where else to go.”

No surprise there; he´d heard those very same words dozens of times in the last six years. He thought about the two women who were now in his life just a few metres away and wondered how long he´d be able to keep their existence a secret if he let this visitor in. There were two options open- either he could shut the door in her face and ruin the smooth break-up he´d accomplished a few days ago or welcome her in and risk having her discover the truth and divulge the news to the world- namely, to a tall dark farm boy. Somehow the bloodshot eyes told him the latter wasn´t likely to happen at the moment.

“You know I´m always here for my friends, Lana,” he replied, stepping aside to let her in.

“Thank you, Lex. You´re the only one I´ve got left,” she confessed with a sob.

“Lana, I´m sure that isn´t true. Is this about Clark?” he sighed with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“I was wrong, Lex. I thought that... he was what I wanted... I´ve been deluding myself for so long, putting my life on hold for someone who´ll never trust me. Now I realise what I´ve let pass me by,” she replied, raising her chocolate doe eyes to meet his.

`Oh no. I´m not playing this game again,´ he told himself, seeing where the conversation was going. “Getting over someone who´s been the centre of your universe for so long can´t be accomplished overnight, Lana. You have to give yourself time to grieve.´

Urged by her innate curiosity and the nagging feeling that something paramount was about to happen, Chloe took a detour on her way to her quarters in time to hear a feminine voice say: “I know what I want now. I want to give us a second chance, Lex.” Whatever qualms about eavesdropping the blonde reporter might have had flew out of the window the moment the words left Lana´s mouth. She took a step forward to have a look at the woman who was trying to reintroduce herself in Lex´s life, and she was assaulted by a sudden pang of jealousy and possessiveness when the brunette dared touch his cheek.

Lex grabbed Lana´s wrist to remove her hand gently and, shaking his head, he replied calmly: “I understand your bitterness, Lana; but I don´t have time for these games. I won´t fall in this trap again.”

Chloe released the breath she´d been holding and unclenched her tight fists, grimacing when she felt the way her nails had buried in the skin of her palms. Finding the brunette just a breath away from the object of her desire had triggered an avalanche of memories from her adolescence in Smallville. Lana Lang- that was the young woman´s name. Chloe could see a very romantic scene at the Kents´ barn play before her eyes as if it´d happened only yesterday. She could still remember the feeling of betrayal which had pushed her towards the deadly web weaved by Lionel Luthor.

“Mommy,” mumbled Laura´s sleepy voice, putting an end to Chloe´s trance and stunning the two interlocutors into silence.

“Ch... Chloe?” stuttered Lana wide-eyed, looking from the blonde young woman in a deep purple robe to the man she´d hoped would take her back.

“We need to talk,” Lex told his former fiancée gravely.

AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER

As the doors of the lift dinged close Lionel´s first born bid a definite farewell to what could have been the biggest mistake in his life. Ill-timed as Lana´s visit had been, the unfolding of events had lifted a weight off his shoulders and killed any ideas Nell´s niece might have had of winning his heart- he didn´t have time to put up with immature games or to engage in cunning plans to wound Clark for his lack of faith in him and their friendship. He was determined to focus his energy on the one person who had believed in him and loved him just as he was. This was the second time Chloe´d come to him for protection and he was damn if he´d fail her again because he knew he´d be a dead man in life if he were to lose her and their baby once more.

“I don´t like her,” Chloe snapped to Lex´s back while he removed the stopper from a decanter and poured them two snifters of brandy.

“Are you sure?” he replied smugly, ambling to the sofa where she was sitting.

Chloe knew she´d been tense and curtly during the whole tête-à-tête but thought she´d behaved admirably controlled all things considered. The brunette had turned up at the penthouse intent on seducing him, for crying out loud!

“You don´t trust her either,” she said matter-of-factly, accepting the drink. “If you did, you´d have told her the truth,” she added, shooting a glance at Laura, who was busy with her building blocks.

“I don´t owe her any explanations. And you´re right. Lana´s always been fickle in her allegiances.”

“Do you think she suspects anything?”

“Laurie looks a lot like you, Chloe. She might not connect the dots. Do you regret the fact that I´m her father?”

“She has your eyes. And, no, my question didn´t have anything to do with being ashamed of you or who you are, Lex. “

Looking into the crackling fire to hide from her the emotion he was sure must be reflected in his eyes, he responded, “You shouldn´t worry so much about Lana. She knows better than to betray me.”

“A scorned woman can be a very treacherous creature,” she stated, looking at him over the brim of her glass. “Are you sure she isn´t a Shannon Bell in the making?”

Another man would have choked on his beverage, but he´d learnt how to appear cool and unflappable when taken by surprise.

“I´m no longer the man who could drive someone like Shannon to murder. I treated a lot of women abominably, Chloe, and I have no excuse for that. Everything changed with you. Is this a subtle ruse to find out how many there have been after you?”

“I´d be a fool to believe or expect you to have remained a monk all these years. What kind of an egotist would I be to demand faithfulness of a man who believed me to be dead?” she stated calmly, setting down the empty snifter on the end table.

“That night at the opera... I had hit rock bottom,” he started to explain.

“There´s no need for you to justify your actions, Lex,” she told him, getting up from the sofa and chiding herself for her uncharacteristic lack of control over her emotions. Her voice was telling him she didn´t care, but her heart was saying something different. He had to be blind not see the way the thought of he and another woman was affecting her

“Chloe,” he stopped her, grabbing her hand and standing up to be able to look at her in the face.

“I have to get dressed,” she mumbled, feeling her heart racing in her chest as the vanilla of his perfume invaded her nostrils.

“There were no more one-night stands after her and... nothing ever happened between Lana and me,” he confessed, observing Chloe´s expressive face closely. “I´m not saying I´ve remained celibate...”

“Why are you telling me this, Lex?” she cut him off.

“I just want you to know there´s no reason to be jealous. There´s no one to be jealous of.”

“And who says I´m jealous?” she tensed.

“You should have looked at yourself in the mirror while Lana was around. For a minute there I was tempted to ask her if she´d got vaccinated against rabies,” he said smugly. “I know what it feels like,” he added softly, grazing her right cheek and tilting her chin up to bore his eyes into her. “The moment I found out you were alive.... that another man had seen you naked... that he had touched you... that he´d known what it was like to be enveloped in your warmth and never want to leave you... I was blinded by jealousy. It doesn´t matter he´s dead; I´m still jealous of every kiss that he robbed you and of every morning he woke up to find you lying asleep by his side.”

“Lex, “ she panted as his thumb traced her lips before leaning into her with the intention of tasting the sweet nectar of her mouth once again.

Chloe closed her eyes and was assaulted by a sensory overload- her fuller breasts, her taut peaks chafing against the terry robe which covered her nudity, the pulsing of her feminine core, the warm dampness that was pooling there and the way her skin burnt wherever his hands or his breath touched her. He´d promised he´d stay away and here he was, his lips hovering millimetres away from hers and she couldn´t think of anything else. He was going to kiss her and she was going to let him. She expected it. She craved it. However, fate had other plans in store; the very moment his lips brushed hers the buzzing of Lex´s mobile phone broke the spell.

The billionaire pulled away and, half-cursing half-welcoming the interruption, extracted the mobile from his pocket to look at the caller ID.

“Chloe,” he managed to voice, noticing the way she fidgeted with the lapels of her robe in an attempt to cover the creamy swell of her bosom. “There´s nothing to be ashamed or guilty of. We´re both human and there´s no denying we want each other,” he went on saying, feeling the insistent vibration of the phone in his hand. “Maybe this wasn´t the right place or time,” he added quietly, shooting a glance at Laurie, who was finishing an intricate construction with her blocks. `But that place and time will come sooner than you expect it,´ his eyes seemed to say. `God knows I would have found it hard to settle with just a kiss,´ he finished in his mind, holding her bright emerald gaze as he flipped the mobile open. “Luthor.”

“Make the arrangements. We should meet,” replied a cool voice at the other end of the line.

TBC

[Cassandra Jean]

So, why do I have a bad feeling regarding the fact that Lana knows that Chloe is alive? Is she going to go running to Clark now with the big reveal?

[hfce]

EEK!! That was a great update. :D I love how Chloe got jealous of Blana and how Lex admitted to her that he was jealous of her husband. Those two are so possessive. :P Blana needs to just die already. You so know she will be running to Clark. UGH!!! More please..... :)

[superag]

Great new update. Not looking forward to what Lana decides to blab about. And Lex really needs to learn when to turn that cell phone off!

[Booksketeer]

What a great chapter; I love it when either Chloe or Lex get jealous; and we got a bit of both here. I find myself enjoying the snippets from Lois and Clark's life as well, and that's something I didn't expect, as I generally don't really care about either character. However, the way you wrote them I am very curious as to how that plot line is going to interact with Chloe and Lex's. Loved that Lana was rebuffed by both Clark and Lex; and very interested to see who is right- Chloe telling Lex to beware a scorned woman, or Lex telling Chloe Lana's smart enough not to betray him. And I really loved the warm fuzzy feeling the last scene with the two created...until the phone call. Great job! Can't wait to see who it is on the other line :)

[Kit Merlot]

Good for Lex for finally seeing Lana's true, fickle nature and for not letting her pull him in again, but I'm worried about what she will do with the information that Chloe's alive.

At least the Chlex know that she isn't to be trusted;)

[lexie]

Love you appreciated possessive Chlex and that you´re enjoying my versions of Lois and Clark. :blinkkiss

Unfortunately, obnoxious Lana did have to make an appearance because I´d referred to the break-up briefly through a couple of hints and it was a given that being scorned by the flannel boy she´d try to get her clutches on someone else. And who better than our favourite billionaire whom she´s used as a backup plan from day one, right? She´s always been so predictable.

I also shudder to think what Lana might do now she knows Chloe´s alive- you´ll have to wait and hope for the best because our favourite couple has more than enough on their plate.:D

[Gaia]

So Lana found out.....that is not a good thing.
More!

[daria_103]

Great chapter as always, I liked Lex's rejection of Lana though I'm torn between hoping she just goes away after this and hoping she tries to stir up trouble for them so we can have Chlex put her in her place :)

[lexie]

Great chapter as always, I liked Lex's rejection of Lana though I'm torn between hoping she just goes away after this and hoping she tries to stir up trouble for them so we can have Chlex put her in her place :)

We all wish someone would make her pay for the way she´s always messing everyone´s life with her fickleness and her self-centredness.You´ll have to wait to find out if Chlex will take revenge, ignore her or be the better man so to speak.:D

[malugargula]

Great chapters
:)
I`m not sure I like Lana knowing about Chloe...
Please more soon

[lexie]

Hi, Malu! Welcome back. I was missing your feedback. Nobody´s pleased with Lana knowing Chloe´s alive. No wonder! She´s always meant trouble with capital T.:grin3:

[veronica525]

Okay, Lana needs to do everyone a favor and jump off a cliff. With no new shows on the DVR I started watching my SV collection starting with the Pilot.. I cannot stand Lana, she is so darn irritating!

I'm sure she will stir up trouble, it's all she's good for. I know Chlex will put her in her place. Hopefully that will mean burning in a firery death LOL.

Back to the fic, I loved it. The feelings between Lex and Chloe are coming to a boil, they won't be able to keep it under wraps for much longer. Lex's interaction with Laurie, intensely sweet, as well as his concern with the moving of furniture and pillows. I can totally visualize it! And I'm glad he nipped Lana's advances in the bud right away. Chloe's surge of memories and the jealousy accompanying them were great.

This is why I love Chlex. The dynamic is explosive!

I look forward to the next installment! Great job Lexie :)

[lexie]

Okay, Lana needs to do everyone a favor and jump off a cliff. With no new shows on the DVR I started watching my SV collection starting with the Pilot.. I cannot stand Lana, she is so darn irritating!

Oh, the good old days! There´s nothing like rewatching the first seasons as an antidote to this crapstatic "new" show.



Back to the fic, I loved it. The feelings between Lex and Chloe are coming to a boil, they won't be able to keep it under wraps for much longer.

The sexual tension is sizzling, isn´t it? And it will eventually explode, that´s for certain.:D


Lex's interaction with Laurie, intensely sweet, as well as his concern with the moving of furniture and pillows. I can totally visualize it!

This is a real compliment. I´m trying to make the non-canon scenes look real and the characters´ reactions feel authentic, so I´m pleased with your words.


I look forward to the next installment! Great job Lexie :)

I´m working on a Christmas fic I started around this time a year ago. I hope I´ll be able to finish it and also complete the new chapter of this story, which I started writing a few weeks ago. Keep your fingers crossed for my muse to collaborate. If we´re lucky, there might be something later this month.;)

[lexie]

A/N: Here´s the promised new chapter at last. Hope you´ll enjoy it.:blinkkiss

CHAPTER 12: The Voice Behind the Threats

MONDAY- SECOND LEVEL BASEMENT- LUTHORCORP PLAZA

“I want you to double our security. Nobody goes in or out of the building without my authorisation. And if you suspect any breach- no matter how small- you isolate them both in the panic room. I don´t care if she kicks or screams, you hear me? You have my sanction to handcuff or gag her if necessary to ensure her safety,” Lex spat on the phone. “Don´t you let her sweet talk you. And, Samuels, I hope you´ll live up to my expectations. I wouldn´t like for you to follow in Jackson´s footsteps. If anything happens to either of them on your watch, you´ll wish you were dead,” he finished snapping the mobile shut and clenching his fists tightly.

God! As much as he loved Chloe´s relentlessness this was one of those occasions on which he wished she were easier to manipulate for his own peace of mind. Now that he knew the identity of the man pulling the strings behind the whole operation Lex´s paranoia had increased tenfold.

“Problems?” asked the older man smugly.

“Nothing I can´t handle,” replied Lex grimly, walking back to the table where the dossier of the man behind the threats was lying open.

“I used to wonder which of the two cousins would be a bigger headache to the men in their lives,” chuckled Sam Lane, puffing a ring of cigar smoke.

“How´s this possible?” mumbled the young billionaire, leafing through the folder. He couldn´t wrap his mind around the idea that the man was still alive and kicking.

“It also took me by surprise I must say,” confessed a sobered General. “What are you going to do about it?”

“That´s no concern of yours. I´ll take it from here.”

“Listen, Luthor. I´m truly sorry about the unexpected derivations of the decision I took three years ago. I too would bear a gigantic grudge against the man that kept me away from my loved ones- no matter how honourable his reasons- but there´s no way in hell I´ll stay away from this. Chloe and your daughter are my family too.”

“I have an old debt to settle with this man and I won´t be deprived of the privilege of seeing him pay the way it happened with my father,” responded Lex grimly.” I want to talk with your man.”

“My man? That guy´s a disgrace to the force.”

“Let´s not talk about semantics here, General. Arrange a meeting.”

“You´ll be wasting your time, Lex. He doesn´t know more than he´s already confessed. Believe me; there´s no soldier on this earth that would resist that kind of questioning without breaking.”

“This man´s slipped through my fingers twice,” gritted Lex, shaking the report in his hand. “I won´t let that happen again. If we don´t get his location now, he´ll vanish without leaving a trace.”

“What about Ilianovich?”

“Lt. Graves was his contact. He never met the boss face to face. Do you think Graves won´t give everything away?”

“He either plays for us or gets transferred to a Polar Station; I still have my contacts at the Pentagon. I´d be more worried about the doc.”

“Don´t. I´ve had his wife flown to an avant-garde clinic in Switzerland to get the treatment she needs,” Lex informed him, pulling up a chair to sit across from him.

Ilianovich. The sixtysomething had been smuggled into America all the way from Mother Russia by Lionel Luthor himself. The engineer was a wizard in the field of communications and technology used for espionage. Lex cursed his own obsession with Clark and whatever the flannel boy was hiding. Planning his revenge on Jonathan´s adoptive son had blinded the billionaire and he´d lost sight of the ball for a minute- enough time to make the whole project vulnerable. Missing something as important as the serious illness which was affecting Ilianovich´s wife- a liability that had been used to infiltrate LuthorCorp- was definite proof that it was high time he put a stop to this desperate need to unravel the mystery of Clark Kent; he couldn´t afford making a reckless faux-pas now that his decisions could affect not just him but the two most important people in his life.

“Argus is still non-operational. That much I can tell you,” stated the General. ”We´d need to stall them without making them suspicious. They´ve been very careful at the time of contacting their insiders but if they don´t get what they want soon, they´ll get desperate. You´ve got to pray they make a wrong move. They trusted Chloe would be able to pressure you to either hand the project over to them or to let them join in the business. Two days had gone by...”

“I´ll give them something. Ilianovich will contact Graves and offer them the codes in exchange for protection.”

“Do you think they´ll buy it?”

“They will if they´re the right codes.”

“You aren´t planning to hand them the key to the monster, are you?” glared Lois´ father.

“It´s a risk that I´m willing to run if it makes this snake come out of his lair. It´s the only way to locate a sneaky chameleon like him, Lane. Besides, they´d still have to get one important piece of the puzzle and I doubt they´ll be able to get to it so easily.”

LEX´S PENTHOUSE

Chloe was drinking her fifth dose of freshly-brewed coffee of the morning when she heard Lex unlock the front door of the penthouse. She stopped pacing up and down the living room and tightened the hold on the mug she was cradling in both hands in a futile attempt to dispel the chill that had settled in her bones. Calmly she headed to the foyer to seek him out- her footsteps muffled by the thick carpet which lined the corridor. By the time she reached the hall he had divested himself of his tie and was undoing the first couple of buttons of his immaculate white shirt. It was evident he hadn´t noticed her presence for she was certain he wouldn´t have allowed her to see him lose his trademark cool poise.

His black briefcase was lying still shut on the console table but with its clasps unfastened as if he´d been in the process of opening it and had second thoughts about it. Lex´s weight was resting on his arms as he lay heavily on the attaché case; his hands gripping the shell so tight that they had blanched. Chloe could sense the pent-up energy exuding from him in the tense muscles of his back and his neck.

He took a deep breath and unclenched his jaws, trying to collect himself while he went over the options and analysed how each alternate course of action could impact on his rekindled relationship with Chloe. He wanted to protect her and yet he knew that lying to her or hiding part of what he´d discovered could mean losing her trust and maybe pushing her to take a step which might make her and Laurie more vulnerable.

“I promise I won´t do anything rash,” said Chloe startling him. “Just tell me the truth,” she added meeting his eyes in the mirror hanging in front of him.

“Why did you try to deceive my security, Chloe? You came to me for help. Why were you leaving?” he responded, turning around to face her.

“Who is he?”

“Answer my question first, Chloe. What happened after I left that convinced you to put your life and Laura´s in danger? I thought you felt safe here. “

“It´s not that, Lex. “

“Is it because of what almost happened yesterday morning? I won´t apologise for feeling the way I do. We were doing nothing wrong, Chloe,” he said in a slightly raspy voice.

“I don´t want to talk about it now.”

“OK. We won´t discuss what we feel now but I just want to know if it has anything to do with your urge to leave the penthouse after I left.”

“What´s in that briefcase that you aren´t sure I should see?” she asked, taking a few steps towards the console table.

“Chloe, answer me,” he stopped her, grabbing her left arm.

“You said you wouldn´t pressure me,” she replied with glassy eyes.

He looked into her bright emerald orbs as the tears welled up in them and kicked himself inwardly for being the cause of her distress.

“Chloe...”

“I got a phone call...” she said in a quivery voice.

“What?”

“I talked to him again. I want to see the bastard´s face.”

“What did he say?” asked Lex in a controlled voice as he opened the briefcase and picked up the dossier he´d stashed away.

“It all comes back, doesn´t it? When is it going to stop?” she sobbed, shivering when her eyes alighted on the photos and the name printed on the first page of the dossier.

“What did he want. Chloe?” he murmured, rubbing her back. “Are you sure it was him?”

“I would recognise the voice of the man who threatened my baby anywhere.”

“I´ll need your mobile. It´s a long shot because I don´t think he´d have been so foolish as to jeopardise everything by making a traceable phone call. Unless it´s a trap.”

“He has my mom, Lex. She´s... she´s the one who made the call... they caught her before she could tell me... where they have her.”

“Chloe... how do you know it was her? This man´s as manipulative as my father was. What if he did everything to have you fall in his clutches?”

“And what if... she is, Lex? I lost ...my father for a stupid... adolescent mistake. I won´t have my mother´s death... on my conscience,” she hiccupped.

“Nobody´s going to die,” he murmured in her ear as he pressed her to his chest and she dissolved into tears.

SOMEWHERE IN METROPOLIS

The sun was setting when Clark pulled up in front of the old abandoned building. He´d been reining in his urge to superspeed all the way from the farm to come face to face with the man who had once again barged in his life threatening not only to expose his secret but to harm those close to him if he failed to comply with his requests. Only Martha´s insistence on having a mother-son talk after Lana´s visit and the need to keep a façade of normalcy in front of the naturally suspicious Lois had stalled Clark for a while. He had managed to reassure his mother that he´d be careful and not pursue any personal vendettas and then dropped Lois at Metropolis city centre for her to do some shopping before driving to the address he´d jotted down.

He did a quick scanning of the premises and located just three men- two of them bodyguards judging by their body posture and the guns they were packing. The third one was playing with a very special rosary Clark remembered only too well. Jonathan´s adoptive son knew that once he crossed the door there would be very little he could do; it would be so easy to seal the doors now and set fire to the derelict building with the men trapped inside. It would put an end to Clark´s worries and free The Big Apricot of three specimens of the worst scum. Kal might do it and manage to sleep at night but Clark Kent hadn´t been raised that way.

“Hello. It´s been a long time, Kal. I´m glad you´ve decided to pick up my gauntlet,” said the fiftysomething Clark recognised by his distinctly non-American accent and the colour of his eyes. “Surprised to see me alive? Come, come. Take a seat.”

“This isn´t a social call,” responded the farm boy tersely, standing a few metres away from the long table that would have looked better in a boardroom.

“Oh!” exclaimed the older man with a knowing smile, lifting his right hand which held the rosary made of Kryptonite beads. “Sorry about this. A wise precaution. We wouldn´t like any accidents to happen, would we? So... “

“I want to see her,” snapped Clark, taking a few steps back as the man stood up.

“I´m afraid I don´t have her.”

“Then why did you send me the pictures?”

“I needed to call your attention. You know, you and I aren´t that different. We were both betrayed by our best friend and lied to by a Luthor. Why don´t you ask your former buddy Lex where Ms Sullivan is?”

“What do you want from me?”

“We can both help each other. I can help you get your revenge on Luthor for hiding from you that Chloe was alive, for stealing you your girlfriend and for whatever you deem him responsible and you can give me a hand to secure my own retribution- the one that Lionel promised me before he got shot by Fairchild.”

“I´ll never associate with scum like you.”

“I´m afraid you have no alternative if you want your mother and that lovely Miss Lang to keep breathing. Besides, you seem to forget I know your little secret- I´d never understood Lionel´s fascination with you until I saw you in action. You know, you were part of the bargain. I promised him the `source´ to cure him from his terminal cancer... Oh! You didn´t know?... If the good doctor hadn´t shot him, the old man would have probably lasted a month. I planned to hand you over to him in exchange for LuthorCorp´s latest defence project; then my business with you would have been over. Lex should have known better than to betray his own flesh and blood; Lionel wanted him on his knees as much as I. We had him where we wanted him. Unfortunately, all the staged shooting, the fake blood and your miraculous well-timed intervention were for nothing. He ended up in the loony house and your little friend had to go and spoil it all by making him listen to Lionel´s confession. Now, with Lionel out of the picture and Lex resisting to cooperate I had to rearrange the pawns on my chessboard. This morning I got my checkmate... and you´re my secret weapon to behead the king,” he explained to a kryptonite-weakened Clark.”Bring me the blueprints, Jeff,” he told one of his minions.” Let´s put your freak abilities to good use, shall we, Kal?” smiled Morgan Edge smugly, clearing the table to plan his next step.

Lois cursed under her breath from her hiding place. She had known Clark was keeping things from her and Martha, and a sixth sense had told her he was onto something- a fact which had led her to jump into a taxi and follow the red truck to the old warehouse. However, what she´d seen and heard was well beyond her expectations. The Crime Lord of Metropolis was alive and kicking, Clark was a meteor freak and... the body they´d buried in Smallville´s cemetery three years ago wasn´t her cousin´s.

TBC

[Gaia]

Well things are getting very interesting indeed!

[hfce]

Oh no Lois knows. That is not a good thing. She will ruin Lex and the General plans. UGH!! :wth:

[Kit Merlot]

Quite an interesting update!

Good for Lois for realizing that Clark was keeping secrets from her--the SV version couldn't figure her way out of a paperbag:D

[lexie]

Things have definitely slowed down on the forums and it shows in the feedback (or lack of) that most stories are getting, so I appreciate your stopping by and reading this new update.:blinkkiss

Lois knowing the truth about Chloe will certainly make everyone´s plans more difficult. Hopefully she won´t hinder Lex and the General´s strategy- one never knows with Lois, right?

I´ll try to have something ready before the month´s over or at least for Epiphany.:D

[daria_103]

Things are getting very interesting now! Can't wait for the next update.

[lexie]

The plot will thicken; that's for certain.

I`m crossing my fingers to have something ready before my holidays. Thanks again for reading and reviewing, Linda.

[veronica525]

Great opener with Lex showing his protective side in regards to Chloe and his daughter! I also loved the moment between Lex and Chloe when he held her as she cried. So tender.

Wow! I totally didn't see Morgan Edge coming! So he's the man making everyone's lives miserable.

And now Lois nows everything, or thinks she does. I hope that she helps more than she hinders things, but it is Lois we are talking about LOL.

Great update Lexie!!!!

Can't wait until the next one :)

[lexie]

Wow! I totally didn't see Morgan Edge coming! So he's the man making everyone's lives miserable.

I always try for the unpredictable- that`s why I don`t draft everything ahead. Therefore, I'm glad Edge's introduction took you by surprise.

I'm planning everyone's next steps. In the meantime, you can discover or revisit my Holiday piece The Christmas Gift (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/showthread.php?t=5900) and check out the Advent Calendar (http://network.naughty-seduction.net/advent/) to find the gift I made for all of you which was posted on Xmas Eve. Enjoy! :blinkkiss

[chloedreamer]

Yes things are getting interesting.

[lexie]

A/N: Here's a long update to kick off the new year. Enjoy!

And if you haven't seen it on the Advent Calendar (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/video.php?do=viewdetails&videoid=24) yet, I invite you to check out the Holiday gift I put together for all of you (it was posted on Christmas Eve).

CHAPTER 13: Secrets

Half an hour after finding out what had made Chloe want to sneak away, they were driving in a Mercedes with stained-glass windows to the labs located in a restricted area of LuthorCorp Plaza where Ilianovich was working on Argus. Even though Lex knew better than to believe in Edge’s apparent oversight, he was also aware that they were running out of time and that, so far, the call made by Chloe’s alleged mother was their only lead to establish the whereabouts of his late father’s associate.

Chloe looked out of the car window with haunted eyes, eyes that weren’t really seeing.

`Mom! Mom! Mom, mom, I want you to be the first to read it. "Long live the Loch Ness monster." Mr. Hedges said it was my best story yet -- even better than the one about the alien abduction,’ said Young Chloe enthusiastically as she rushed into the living-room still carrying her school bag.` Something tells me those aren't happy tears. What's wrong?’ she added, noticing Moira’s misty red-rimmed eyes.

`I'm so proud of you... my little cub reporter. Chloe, I'm so -- I'm so sorry,’ replied the older woman, grazing her daughter’s cheek.

`Wait. For what? You didn't do anything?’ asked the young girl with a puzzled frown.

`It's time, Mrs. Sullivan,’ a doctor in a white pinafore butted in as two male nurses approached Chloe’s mum.

`Mom, who are those people? Where are you going?’ shouted the girl with patent despair in her voice.

‘Mommy's just going on a little vacation,’ sniffled Mrs Sullivan.‘By yourself?’ queried Chloe as tears welled up in her expressive green eyes.

“Chloe,” said Lex softly, stretching out his right arm over Laurie’s lap to cover the blonde reporter’s hand with his own.

‘Don't you worry. Your daddy's gonna take good care of you,’ responded Moira, trying to assuage her daughter’s fears.

‘But nobody goes on a vacation by themselves. When are you coming back?’ insisted the little girl in tears as her mother wrapped her tightly in her arms.

”Chloe,” he insisted to get her attention.

“Don’t leave me,” she choked out.”I don’t want you to leave me,” she repeated with a sob, still reliving a long-repressed memory of her childhood.

Lex swallowed the lump in his throat when he saw the hurt in her emerald depths as she slowly turned around coming out of her trance.

“Chloe, love, what’s wrong?” he murmured, tightening the hold on her hand and shooting a worried look at their daughter, who had fallen asleep between them. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly, massaging the knotted muscles of her neck.

“I know,” she responded quietly, snuggling closer and laying her head on Lex’s shoulder.

“Then, what’s worrying you? Do you want to talk about it?” he offered, burying his nose in her chamomile-scented hair and revelling in the fact that she’d made the first move to breach the physical distance they’d tried to maintain.

“I remembered something,” she gulped, inhaling the soothing masculine perfume.

“It didn’t sound like a happy memory,” he murmured.

“It was about... my mom,” she confessed. “When we were... did I ever mention her?” she asked hesitantly.

“Once. It was a hurtful topic, so I didn’t pressure for you to share more than you were willing to.”

“What did I tell you about her?”

“Not much. Just that she had up and left one morning and that neither you nor Gabe ever heard of her again.”

“So she is alive.”

“There’s no evidence to the contrary. I offered to track her down. But you pleaded with me not to. You said you wanted nothing to do with a woman who had abandoned her own daughter when she needed her the most.”

“I’m not sure she wanted to leave me...” she said shakily as fresh tears gathered in her eyes.

“What did you see, Chloe?” he asked, pressing a soft kiss on her hair.

Chloe fiddled with a couple of undone buttons of Lex’s dress shirt as she pondered whether to tell him she thought her mother had been institutionalised. Would his feelings for her change if he knew there was a fair chance she’d end up like her mom? Would she ever do to their child what Moira had done to her? She loved Laura so much... and Lex...

“You don’t have to tell me if you aren’t ready,” he continued when the silence dragged on.

“I want to. It’s just that... " she whispered, lifting her head from his shoulder to look him straight in the eye.

“I understand,” he told her, brushing a couple of damp hairs off her face.

“No, you don’t,” she replied “How could you?” she added, feeling him tense. “I’m sorry,” she rushed to say, fearing he’d clam up.

“It’s OK,” he said calmly, his poker face not giving anything away.

“No, it’s not. I didn’t mean it that way,” she tried to explain. “I want to share it with you. I just... don`t know how. I don’t want you... to look at me differently,” she confessed with haunted eyes.

“Chloe...” he said huskily, wiping away the two big tears that rolled down her cheeks,” whatever it is, it will never change what I feel for you.”

Chloe wanted to believe what he said was true, but how could he be so sure if he didn’t know all the facts? Who would have known a few days ago when this man entered her cafeteria that she’d be so desperate not to lose him and his love? She’d never felt this way about Phil and, as sad as she’d been about her late husband’s passing, she hadn’t experienced that sense of hopelessness that seized her when she thought of ever losing the man sitting beside her.

A slight tremor shook Lex’s body when Chloe turned her head slightly to one side to brush her lips against the hand which was still grazing her cheek and then leant forward and assaulted his mouth with a daring and desperate kiss. Her sudden ardour caught him so completely unaware that it took him a few seconds to respond, time enough for her to start to recoil as if she were ashamed of her spontaneity and her neediness and for him to turn the tables and transform her desperate kiss into a long languid caress. With every gentle brush of his lips against hers and every tentative stroke of his tongue he teased her until she let him communicate her, with a gesture of intimacy he’d longed for days, what he’d just promised her in words.

Chloe knew now without a shadow of a doubt that what she’d believed would happen when Lex touched her again was nothing but the truth; she was burning and floating all at once. And she was so lost in the kiss, she felt so alive after years of being anaesthetised, that for as long as their lips were fused and they breathed as one there was nothing to be afraid of, there existed no foe- tangible or not- they couldn’t conquer.

Lex could hardly contain a moan when she stroked the bump on his head and his taste buds were engulfed once again in the flavour of chocolate and mint he’d been missing these last three years. Kissing Chloe was as intoxicating as ever. The moment she’d opened to him, time stood still; so much so that when he finished the kiss- albeit reluctantly- he was surprised to find out no more than a minute had elapsed.

On feeling the loss of his lips upon hers, Chloe fluttered her eyelids open to find Lex’s intense blue-grey orbs focused on her thoroughly kissed mouth with clear tender possessiveness reflected in them while his thumb brushed the delicate column of her neck to feel the thumping of her still galloping pulse.

“We’ve arrived,” he said with a small smile, seeing her blush when it dawned on her they were in the back seat of one of Lex’s expensive cars- not a limousine with a glass partition- and that the driver must have witnessed everything. “Thomas is paid to be discreet,” he reassured her when she shot a glance at the chauffeur standing outside the vehicle in what must be the underground garage of LuthorCorp.

“Mommy,” mumbled a sleepy Laura, rubbing her eyes with her fists.

“Yes, Laurie. I’m here,” responded the blonde reporter, picking her up and sitting her on her lap. “You know Mommy loves you lots and lots, don’t you baby?” she asked in a raspy voice pressing the girl tightly to her chest, fighting to get in check the tears that were threatening to fall once again as a result of the disturbing recollection which was still fresh in her mind. Their baby was so small yet and she’d been put through so much in such a short time. Chloe had been so afraid of losing her when she found out Lex was the son of the man who´d tried to snatch Laura away from her. Now she knew that would never happen and that the threat of separation might come from her very own nature.

“Lots,” answered the girl, clinging to her neck and pressing a wet kiss on her cheek.” Don’t be sad,” she added in a muffled voice.

“I`m not, baby,” she hugged her, meeting Lex’s enigmatic look over Laura’s head.

“Mommy?”

“Yes?”

“Secret,” Laura whispered close to her mother’s ear.

Lex observed the close connection between Chloe and their child and remembered the one he used to have with his own mother- a deep loving bond Lionel had done his best to try to undermine to make him into the son he’d always wanted. Eager as Lex was to have a fast caring relationship with Laurie like the one Chloe had, he would never plot or sabotage to tear the two apart. Lex wanted to earn the love of his daughter without subterfuge. He wanted for her to have what he had never had. He wanted to have now with Chloe and their baby what he’d always dreamt of having.

“Why don’t you ask him?” suggested Chloe when the girl turned her head in Lex’s direction.

Lex locked his eyes with a pair of intelligent blue-grey orbs that identified the sprite as his and wondered what she was weighing in her mind as she looked between the two adults hesitatingly.

“It’s OK, sweetie,” Chloe reassured her, realising what was worrying the small girl and loving her more for it.

“What’s wrong, Laurie?” asked Lex warmly.

“She wants to ask you something but she’s afraid I’ll be hurt if she does,” explained Chloe, combing the girl’s golden hair with her hand.

“Hurt?” echoed Lex with a puzzled frown.

“Not physically hurt,” she smiled tiredly. “Our daughter seems to believe I’m in need of cuddling today.”

“Are you?” he asked in a velvety voice that put some not very pure thoughts in her head.

“Why? Are you offering to do something about it?” she quipped teasingly, feeling her heart beat faster as his pupils got suddenly darker. “I’ll be OK... She wants you to carry her.”

“Carry as in pick her up?” replied the billionaire, addressing Laurie again.

“Mm,” assented the child, and Lex felt an overwhelming joy settle in his chest.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll be more than pleased to oblige,” he told her with undisguised emotion. “Oblige... That sounded pompous, didn’t it?” he asked Chloe with a smirk.

“She’s a Luthor and a writer’s daughter. She’ll get used to hearing and using bigger and more pompous words than that one,” she smiled back.

“Come here, honey,” he told Laurie, stretching out his arms to pick her up.

“Wait, Lex. Let me do something first,” said Chloe, undoing the button of one of Laurie‘s patent leather shoes.

“Leave them on,” Lex stopped her.

“But your suit... ”

“I don’t care about the suit, Chloe.” What was a potentially soiled jacket that he could have dry-cleaned or disposed of compared to having his daughter ask him to be carried in his arms? “Are you ready to step out? Dr Ilianovich must be already waiting for us at the lab.”

“I’m ready,” she replied after taking a deep breath.

“We’ll find her, Chloe,” he reassured her once she’d got out of the vehicle with his aid.

OUTSIDE A WAREHOUSE- SOMEWHERE IN METROPOLIS

Clark stumbled out of the old building where his meeting with Edge had taken place. His legs could barely support him, weakened by the kryptonite that the Crime Lord had kept close to him at all times. He moved slowly to the truck, which he’d left parked round the corner, feeling the strength coming back to his sinews as the energy of the yellow sun worked its magic on him.

He had been ensnared in a cunning trap of which he saw no way out but to do the blackmailer’s wishes; too many lives depended on it. Never had the farm boy felt so impotent save the time he’d been forced by Sam Phelan to commit felonies for him, and Clark remembered only too well who had almost paid with his life when he’d dared turned the tables on the dirty cop. Jonathan was now dead; however, there were Martha, Lana and...

“So, Smallville, what’s brought you to this disreputable side of town?” Lois spat at him as she leant against the passenger’s door of the Kent truck, her arms crossed over her ample bosom.

“Lois? What are you doing here?” responded Clark, trying to recover from the shock.

“What am I doing here? I asked first. What the hell are you doing hanging out with scum such as Edge?”

“You should step back before you get hurt, Lois. This has nothing to do with you,” he told her, unlocking the driver’s door.

“You have some gall, Mister. We’re talking about my cousin, my family. How dare you patronise me this way? You’d better spill everything you know or there’ll be hell to pay,” exploded the brunette, yanking the door open.

“How...?” mumbled Clark with a frown.

“I learnt to pick a lock when you were in kindergarten,” she cut him off, waving the picklock she had used and then putting it away in her jeans. “So...I’m waiting,” she said through clenched teeth, slamming the door shut after he’d slipped inside the vehicle.

“How did you find me?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Sherlock? I tailed you in a cab; I’d always dreamed of doing that. Stop stalling, Clark. “

“How much did you hear? I assume you must have sneaked in or else you wouldn’t know who I met back there.”

“Don’t worry, Smallville. Your secret’s safe with me.”

“Lois, I don’t know what you think you...”

“Stop treating me like a dimwit, Smallville. You’ve been affected by the meteor rocks like 99.9 % of Hickville. Big deal! I don’t see you any different; you’re still the same obnoxious farm boy I found nude in a cornfield. Oh, come on! Look at you! You’re the same provincial prude.”

“If you want a lift home, you’d better change your attitude.”

“Home? I`m not going anywhere till you come clean with me. How long have you known Chloe’s alive?”

“Not long.”

“The envelope! It was about Chlo`, wasn`t it? It had to be; you looked like a ghost when we left for Smallville.”

“Lois, you should let me handle this. I’ve got it under control.”

“Under control? You got to be kidding. You seem to forget I was in that warehouse. Who else knows you can’t get close to the green rocks without puking your guts out? “

Clark was never sick unless he was in the vicinity of kryptonite but hearing Lois’ last question made him queasy. God! Wasn’t it enough to have to deal with a murderous psychopath? What was he going to do with the General’s daughter short of knocking her unconscious? Well, maybe not knocking her... using the appropriate pressure points would have to do. She wouldn’t be out indefinitely; just long enough for him to do what he had to do without her messing things up.

“I’m sorry, Lois,” he apologised before making use of his superspeed to put her out of the game.

OLIVER QUEEN`S PENTHOUSE

“Clark?” frowned the blonde playboy billionaire when the doors of his private lift open to reveal the farm boy carrying an unconscious woman. “What happened to Lois?” he rushed forward taking her from the young man’s arms.

“She fainted,” said Martha’s son watching Oliver lay Lois on a comfortable couch and plump up a cushion to slip under her head.

“How long ago was this?” asked Queen intent on reviving the brunette with a couple of gentle slaps on her face.

“Wait,” Clark stopped him grabbing his wrist in mid-air.

“Clark? What in heaven’s name are you doing?”

“She knows.”

“She knows? She knows what?”

“My secret.”

“Oh. Well... that’ll have to wait. Lois is in bad need of medical attention. I’ll call my personal physician.”

“Don’t.”

“She isn’t waking, Clark. Damn it! “

“She will. Trust me. I just struck the pressure point in the carotid.”

“You did this?” glared Oliver, leaving the sofa and pointing at Lois’ unconscious form.

“I had no way out. I did it to protect her, Oliver. I need you to keep her safe.”

“What’s going on, Clark?”

“There’s some nasty business I have to work out on my own. Just keep her off my back and out of harm’s way.”

“What nasty business?”

“It’s personal, Oliver.”

“Are you sure? You know, there’s always strength in numbers, Clark. You can’t pretend to stay a solo vigilante all your life. Besides, how am I supposed to...? ”

“Aren’t you the savvy one when it comes to women, Oliver? Use your charm,” said Clark with a wink, fleeing the scene before giving the Green Archer the chance to turn him down.

“Thank you, Clark,” said he through gritted teeth. “Hello, Lois. What do you think about taking the jet to have dinner at Maxim’s tonight? No? I didn’t think so,” mumbled Oliver, wondering what in heaven’s name he’d do with her when she woke up and threatened to crush his bones.

LUTHORCORP PLAZA

“We know the call can be retrieved but what about the location?” asked Lex when Ilianovich took Chloe’s mobile from the billionaire’s hands.

“Mobile phone conversations are saved by the companies, yes, and we can access them from here. Let’s see what we can get from the enhanced audio in case the triangulation doesn’t work,” stated the technician, sitting down in front of his state-of-the-art computer under the attentive look of the blonde reporter.

Lex observed her interest with a smile; the hacker in her was fighting to come back to the surface.

Chloe... it’s mom...

“It’s her voice. It’s my mother, Lex.”

... there’s so much I’d like to say... but there’s no time... they got me... I don’t know who they are... I need your... No! Let me go! Chloeeee!!!

“Can you rewind to the moment when she says ‘There’s no time‘?” Lex butted in.

“Let’s see... Let’s clear that a little bit... That should do it,” said Ilianovich punching some instructions.

... there’s no time... they got me...

“A siren?” asked Chloe.

“Yes, it sounded like a fog horn to me,” assented Lex. “It must be on the waterfront.”

“There’s no GPS. The call wasn’t made from a mobile but a payphone. If I had access to...” explained the older man.

“You’ll have to do without it,” Lex cut him off.

“With all due respect, sir, you know it’d make things easier.”

“What is he talking about, Lex?” frowned Chloe.

“You can do it, Doctor. You still have to prove your complete loyalty to me. There’s no way I’ll reveal to you the location of the last piece of the puzzle,” the young tycoon said grimly.

“Lex?”

“Do you trust me, Chloe?”

“Yes, but...”

“The only thing standing between Edge and absolute power over every form of communication is access to this piece of technology. If he gets it, he will not only gain that; he’ll need your mother no more,“ replied Lex matter-of-factly.”However, there’s another way to find out what we want. Isn’t that so, Doctor?”

“Yes, the old fashion way... My guess is they must have her in a warehouse, “ responded Ilianovich, opening a blue print of Metropolis Port.

“It could be any. There are hundreds of them,” sighed Chloe. “Do you have a map with the location of the payphones?”

“Here we go... Let’s superimpose them... We can reduce the number by half.”

“It’s not enough,” complained Moira’s daughter, shaking her head.

“Replay the phone call, Doctor. Let’s see if we can pick up something that`s escaped us, “ instructed Lex.

“Seagulls,” said Chloe. “It’s only natural.”

“Yes, you’re right. However, there are few places where they`re found in such big numbers,” Ilianovich told her.”Let’s look for big fisheries,” he added, searching the database.

“There’s only one payphone in the area,” smiled Chloe.” Can you check out the list of empty warehouses recently leased in that sector?”

“Luthor,” snapped Lex, flipping the mobile open on reading the caller ID.

“Neptune Fisheries... Galaxy Corp... “enumerated the Russian emigrate browsing the short list of leasers.

“I’m coming,” replied Lex hanging up. “Wait!” he stopped Ilianovich.”Galaxy did you say?”

“Yes.”

“That’s the one. Give us the warehouse number,” he ordered the specialist.

“GH2398,” responded the man while his boss dialled on his phone.

“Hello. Yes, I’ve got news. Assemble your team. We’ve got work to do. I’ll meet you there; there’s something I’ve got to do first.”

“I’m coming with you,” Chloe told him gravely.

“No. You stay here.”

“Lex...”

“Chloe, be sensible. We can’t take Laura there. It’d be too dangerous. Someone has to stay with her.”

“I can’t stay here doing nothing knowing my mother and... you... are out there at the mercy of some unscrupulous psychopath.”

“I’ll have my back covered. Besides, I’m sure Dr Ilianovich could use your expertise. You told me you could have that Trojan ready in half the time if you had an extra pair of hands, Doctor, right?”

“Yes, but I’d need someone with more training than an amateur hacker.”

“Trust me, Doctor, you’ll want her on your team,” stated the billionaire smugly. “Chloe,” he murmured, grabbing her arm gently to talk with her privately. “There’s no guarantee she`ll be there, but it’s a good lead. I just need you to promise me you’ll wait for me here. I have to know you’re both safe.”

“Ok. I’ll wait. I’ll give him a hand with the program,” she complied grudgingly.

“We`re close, Chloe,” he added, tilting up her chin to bore his eyes into her.

“OK. But don’t you dare leave me alone, Lex. You’d better come back home safe or...”

“You’ll have my hind. Got it,” finished the young billionaire with a smirk. “Be good,” he leant forward to graze her cheek with a goodbye kiss.

Chloe stood still in the middle of the lab watching his receding back and wishing she’d had the courage to kiss him properly.

“Lex, wait!” she exclaimed, rushing across the lab door before it shut.”I forgot something.”

“Yes?” he cocked an eyebrow as she got closer.”Chloe, I don’t want to rush you but there’s something I`ve got to see to before I ...” he started to say when time dragged on and no answer came.

Eventually her response did arrive when she snaked her arms around his neck and, standing on tiptoe, pressed a tentative kiss on his mouth. This time Lex’s reflexes were quick and he nibbled at her bottom lip to let him slide inside and taste her sweetness once again. Their tongues met in a loving duel while Lex’s hands, hungry for her, made do with the feel of her lower back through the layers of her clothes. They would learn her curves again, all in due time and on her own terms- it was the least she deserved after all she’d been through because of his blood. For the moment, he savoured the little triumph of being blessed by her kiss.

TBC

A/N: Chloe's flashback was taken verbatim from "Progeny" (6x18)

[chloedreamer]

Nice kiss at the end. I hope Chloe stays safe but knowing her she isn't going to just let Lex go off and recue her Mother alone.

[daria_103]

Great chapter, the plot is definitely thickening now but mostly I was struck by the first half of the chapter. The effect of the flashback on Chloe was so heartbreaking but I love how understanding Lex was about the whole situation with her mother, not pushing her for too much information (both in the present and their previous relationship) but still trying to comfort her and help her through it.

I completely melted at final scene with Laura, I have a huge, huge weakness for daddy Lex and it was so sweet that she wanted him to carry her!

[Gaia]

Brilliant as always:D

[Kit Merlot]

I like that Chloe and Lex are working so closely together to find Moira, and that Chloe is becoming more comfortable with him. And the Chlex good-bye kiss was beautifully passionate:D


“Stop treating me like a dimwit, Smallville. You’ve been affected by the meteor rocks like 99.9 % of Hickville. Big deal! I don’t see you any different; you’re still the same obnoxious farm boy I found nude in a cornfield. Oh, come on! Look at you! You’re the same provincial prude.”

Ah, but Lois you are a dimwit:P Sorry, but my dislike for ED's version of Lois knows no bounds;)

[superag]

This was a wonderful chapter about their growing mutual trust in each other and his care for Chloe and her daughter. Hopefully all will be well with mom and CHloe can be reunited with her.

[lexie]

Nice kiss at the end. I hope Chloe stays safe but knowing her she isn't going to just let Lex go off and recue her Mother alone.

Glad you appreciated the kiss. :grin3: You're right about Chloe; let's keep our fingers crossed for her not to do anything rash.


Great chapter, the plot is definitely thickening now but mostly I was struck by the first half of the chapter. The effect of the flashback on Chloe was so heartbreaking but I love how understanding Lex was about the whole situation with her mother, not pushing her for too much information (both in the present and their previous relationship) but still trying to comfort her and help her through it.

It was a very emotional scene to write and I confess it made me a little misty-eyed.


I completely melted at final scene with Laura, I have a huge, huge weakness for daddy Lex and it was so sweet that she wanted him to carry her!

As you must have noticed, Daddy Lex is one of my favourites. He gives me the chance to show all the love he's got to give and to shower him with the unconditional love he's been missing most of his life.


Brilliant as always:D

*blushes bright read*



I like that Chloe and Lex are working so closely together to find Moira, and that Chloe is becoming more comfortable with him. And the Chlex good-bye kiss was beautifully passionate:D
It was high time someone made a move, right? I thought thirteen chapters were more than enough to share some kissing. The goodbye kiss was added later in my writing- I had finished the chapter with Chloe watching him leave. But then I said... Come on, girl! You are already half in love with the man again, you don't know what he's stepping into and you are letting him leave like that?!



Ah, but Lois you are a dimwit:P Sorry, but my dislike for ED's version of Lois knows no bounds;)

I'm more than aware of your feelings towards SV's Lois. :D You'll have to wait and see if I manage to redeem her or if she ends up being the dimwit you believe her to be.:P



This was a wonderful chapter about their growing mutual trust in each other and his care for Chloe and her daughter. Hopefully all will be well with mom and CHloe can be reunited with her.

Yes, this instalment was more about the strengthening of the Chlex relationship than one to advance the general plot, although there were some developments towards the end of the chapter. Let's hope for a happy reunion.;)

[hfce]

EEK!! I loved this. I am glad she kissed him. :D I am so scared that Lex is going to get hurt. It was cute that his daughter wanted him to hold her. I can't wait until she calls him daddy. :grin3:

[veronica525]

Wow that beginning was emotional.. I think you tackled Chloe's intense feelings of love and loss perfectly. It was so beautiful to see Lex's reaction to her and those feelings.

The physical interaction between the two, superb! They has so much chemistry and you have written it beautifully :)

I am also a huge fan of daddy Lex, which was one of the pulls I have to reading this story. The fact that he wants to earn Laurie's love and trust, oh it makes my heart just melt!

Now here's hoping that Chloe keeps herself out of trouble and just let's Lex handle things!

Great update Lexie!! I also loved the Christmas vid you made! Your work is amazing :)

[Esther25jm]

YAY!! I've finally caught up and must say...I LOVE this story!! Wow, just...WOW!! I wanna hug Lex, Chloe, & Laura, kick Clark's ass - hoping Lois does it for me, & beat the ever-loving snot outta Lana. The plot, especially using Morgan Edge, is very intriguing. I can't wait for more updates!!

I've got a banner in mind, but I don't think it'll work out right now. Will definitely be going over different ideas because I really wanna get a banner made for you. Take care, sweetie!! :)

[lexie]

EEK!! I loved this. I am glad she kissed him. :D I am so scared that Lex is going to get hurt. It was cute that his daughter wanted him to hold her. I can't wait until she calls him daddy. :grin3:

It was high time they kissed, wasn't it? And considering Lex's record when it comes to injuries it's only natural to fear for him.:P

I myself would love to have his daughter use the word he's dying to hear. The moment will arrive; don't fear.


Wow that beginning was emotional.. I think you tackled Chloe's intense feelings of love and loss perfectly. It was so beautiful to see Lex's reaction to her and those feelings.

I was in a very special mood when I penned the beginning of this chapter and it must transpire. :P The scene just popped to my mind and I thought it was the perfect way to bring them closer.



The physical interaction between the two, superb! They has so much chemistry and you have written it beautifully :)

Thanks for the praise. *blushes* Their interaction's a little step to what is to come. :yeahbaby:



Great update Lexie!! I also loved the Christmas vid you made! Your work is amazing :)

Glad you saw it. I know there are a lot of members that missed it. *pouts* Btw, now that the Calendar is down, the vid can be found in the Video Directory. You can access it using the link that is in my signature.

I made it several months ago before the craziness of November/December got to me. I wanted to use one of the most sophisticated programs I have to do something special but unfortunately, exploring them requires time of which I'm usually very short. So I had to make do with my very primitive but trustworthy Windows Movie Maker.



YAY!! I've finally caught up and must say...I LOVE this story!! Wow, just...WOW!! I wanna hug Lex, Chloe, & Laura, kick Clark's ass - hoping Lois does it for me, & beat the ever-loving snot outta Lana. The plot, especially using Morgan Edge, is very intriguing. I can't wait for more updates!!

Welcome back, Esther! I was so looking forward to your feedback. It's a real compliment to have provoked those feelings in you.:blinkkiss



I've got a banner in mind, but I don't think it'll work out right now. Will definitely be going over different ideas because I really wanna get a banner made for you. Take care, sweetie!! :)

I can't wait to see what your muse'll come up with. ;)

[malugargula]

Wonderful chapters
:)
I`m glad they`re back together.
Can`t wait to see what will happen at the warehouse

[lexie]

CHAPTER 14: Confrontations

LEX’S PRIVATE OFFICE-LUTHORCORP

Lex arrived at the acid-etched glass doors of his office on the top floor of LuthorCorp Plaza and, taking a deep breath, grabbed the doorknob to take a step inside.

“It’s been a long time. I was starting to miss these impromptu visits of yours. You’ll have to excuse me, Clark, but I’m very busy now to be lectured with sanctimonious platitudes.”

“Where is she?” Clark asked menacingly.

“So I was right. As usual you’re at my doorstep to issue accusations. I thought you were no longer interested in Lana. She did come to see me after you turned her down. I sent her packing. I’m no one`s second best,” he replied, shuffling through his post.

“I’m not here because of Lana,” barked Clark. “How do you explain this?” he asked, throwing a bunch of photographs on Lex’s mahogany desk.

“Where did you get them?”

“That isn’t relevant. “

“Someone’s playing you, Clark.”

“Stop the charade, Lex! You’ve known all along she was alive and you deliberately lied to all of us.”

“I never lied to you, Clark. And this is very flimsy evidence. They could have been Photoshopped for all we know. Why drag up painful memories? You were at her funeral, Clark.”

“A funeral that you clearly staged for everyone’s benefit. Only a Luthor could have thought of something so sick,” glared Clark.

“You don’t know what you’re saying, Clark. I buried her too.”

“She wasn’t your friend. You barely knew her.”

“You were so wrapped up in your own obsession with Lana that you didn’t realise what was going on with the young woman you called your best friend.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You used her as a spare wheel every time Lana was in between boyfriends or when you didn’t have the guts to go for what you wanted. You didn’t care about her feelings. Maybe at first you were clueless, but then you had to know you were more to her than her best friend. She was always your safe net, your back-up plan, but as soon as your Princess gave you the light of day you forgot all about Chloe but expected her to be at your beck and call. And you call me sick? You blame me for what happened later and I accept my share of guilt, but you weren’t an innocent bystander, Clark. You pushed her into my father’s clutches and set the wheels in motion.”

“You said I used her... and what about you? You only thought about yourself and what you could get from her. You knew what could happen if your father ever found out she was working for you behind his back.”

“You don’t know a thing. Go ahead and call me selfish, cold and insensitive. You’re the biggest hypocrite of them all. I was your best friend too, Clark, and you let my own father lobotomise me and you did nothing,“ exploded Lex.

“That isn’t true. I tried to stop it. I...”

“You are the one who lied, Clark. You have done it straight to my face ever since the day I met you. And you lied to my face after I was released from Belle Rêve. I thought we were like brothers and you betrayed me. Why? To protect your secret? You betrayed both her and me and you have the gall to storm into my house and my office whenever it suits your fancy to lecture me from your pulpit as if you were clean.”

“I didn`t come for this.”

“It isn’t nice, is it- to look at yourself in the mirror? There are many mornings in which I don’t like what I see in mine but I know who I am. What about you?”

“I know what I’m not.”

“Oh, spare me the litany! I haven’t got time for this,” gritted Lex, slamming his briefcase shut.

“Where do you have her, Lex? Nobody’s heard of her since a few hours after her husband’s funeral.”

“I’m not into kidnapping, Clark. After all the media circus surrounding the case, don’t you think that maybe- if she is alive¬- she doesn’t want to be found? I suggest you think carefully about the person that delivered these photos to you. Why is he interested in finding her whereabouts? He’s just using you. And what kind of friend would serve Chloe to him on a silver platter? ”

“I would never let any harm come to her.”

“I can’t believe you’re still so naïve, Clark. Do you think you can outsmart them?”

“What is it that you’re covering up, Lex? Where you afraid LuthorCorp stock would suffer if your father was found guilty of murder? Is that the reason you had the investigation closed?”

“Lionel Luthor hadn’t been part of this corporation for over three years. Nothing he did could affect LuthorCorp. After all he put me through, do you actually think I care about his reputation or that I would move a finger to save his ass after his death?”

“If not for you, for whom? “

“You’re still blind, Clark. You’d never understand.”

“Then explain it to me.”

“What for? You’ve already judged and sentenced me. This conversation has gone on long enough. Take your pictures and leave. Do you know the way out or shall I call security?”

“You’re mistaken if you think this is the last time you’ve heard from me. She isn’t your property and you have no right to keep her away from her family and friends. I will find out where Chloe is and you won’t be able to stop me,” threatened Clark, storming out of the office.

“Sir, the chopper’s ready,”said Lex’s security man slash chauffeur, entering the office through a side door as soon as the unwelcome visitor had left.

“Thanks, Thomas. I want Clark Kent tailed,” he told his minion, massaging his temples.

“Right away, sir. We’ll plant a tracking device in his truck,” nodded the man, grabbing the walkie-talkie.

“He must be taking the elevator now. I want a GPS on him personally. Use Subject 718 to have it done,” he ordered, unwilling to leave anything to chance. Lex might not know what Clark’s big secret was yet, but he was certain of his hidden talents and knowing the farm boy had been contacted and egged on by Morgan Edge did nothing to assuage the billionaire’s fears. He couldn’t have the boy disappear on him; Clark Kent on the loose could complicate things even more than they already were.

OLIVER QUEEN’S PENTHOUSE

Two hours after Clark’s departure Lois came out of her induced sleep to find herself lying on the quilt of a king-size bed in a room that she was acquainted with but which she hadn’t visited in months.

“What the hell?!” she mumbled, propping herself up on her elbows.

“Good evening, sleepyhead,” said Oliver with a smug smile on his face, leaning against the doorframe.

“What time is it?” she asked, massaging her neck.

“Nine o’clock,” he told her after checking out the expensive waterproof Swiss watch on his wrist.

“Not that I don’t appreciate waking up with a hunk in the same room but... Could you please tell me how the hell I ended up here... and wearing this? “ she replied, looking at her body clad only in her underwear and a striped shirt she recognised as Oliver’s style.

“Well... isn’t it obvious?” he cocked an eyebrow.

“Obvious? Excuse me but the last time we talked we agreed we were better as friends...”

“Clearly, you changed your mind and I’ve never been one to resist an enticing brunette.”

“Where’s Clark?” she glared at him, swinging her legs to one side of the bed.

“Clark? I`m not into threesomes. Let’s talk about you and me, shall we?”

“I want to know where he is and I want to know it now, Oliver!”

“I thought we were talking about us,” he frowned. “Why bring Clark into it? Or is he the reason you decided to break up with me?”

“Clark?! You gotta be kidding! We do nothing but fight all the time.”

“You know what they say about the thin line between love and hate.”

“I don’t hate him; he just rubs me the wrong way at times.”

“So you admit you love him.”

“What? Oliver, what the hell are we talking about? “

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

“You’re into this, aren’t you? You men are all the same. You and your little exclusive club,” she fumed, crossing the carpet-covered room barefoot.”He’s asked you to keep me here, hasn’t he? Nothing happened between us. You changed me into this shirt to make me think I got drunk and jumped in the sack with you,” she went on, punctuating each sentence with a push on his chest.

“Is the idea of us so repulsive that you’d have to be drunk in order to consider it viable?”

“Look. I don’t have time to inflate your playboy ego, Oliver. There are more important things right now than my pathetic love life and my never-ending romantic screw-ups. Just show me which way Clark left and I’ll remember you on my Christmas list.”

“Lois...“

“Don’t piss me off, Queen. While you make up your mind, would you please give me my clothes back?”

“OK. Open the closet. You’d better get dressed before the delivery boy gets here. I’ve just ordered your favourite pizza... with double cheese.”

“Don’t try to lure me using my stomach as bait, Queen. I’m not staying.”

“I promised Clark I’d keep you safe and...”

“What are you going to do? Tie me up? “

“You never told me you were into bondage, Lois,” chuckled the billionaire.

“OK. I had enough!” she shouted. “What would you say if I told you Clark’s in deep trouble with Metropolis Organised Crime- think Morgan Edge- and..”

“Edge? Edge’s dead.”

“He’s alive and kicking. I saw him with my very own eyes this evening. And... here’s the cherry on the cake... Lex Luthor seems to be deeply involved.”

“Lex?”

“Yes, your old Excelsior classmate.”

“I’m listening.”

A FEW KILOMETRES AWAY FROM METROPOLIS

Fifteen minutes after leaving LuthorCorp in his chopper Lex met General Lane and his men on an abandoned farm near Fort Adelson, where they planned their strategy to raid the warehouse. The military man had used his old contacts in the Russian intelligence to get a thermal scan of the area and have a clearer idea of what to expect when they got there.

“What’s this grey area here?” asked Lex, pointing at the footage.

“We don’t know. The technician who did the reading told me it had some kind of shield. Our guess is it must be made of some dense metal,” explained Lane.

“Lead?”

“Could be. I wish I had been able to get a state-of-the-art satellite to penetrate it. Unfortunately, this old Russian baby was the only one in that orbit at the time. We have one but the controls at the Pentagon are tougher these days and my American contact wouldn’t risk being discovered. In any case, I thought neither of us would have appreciated having Uncle Sam on our tail,” responded the General, lighting his cigar. “I hope they aren’t housing explosives there or worse.”

“Whatever it is, it must be pretty important to them. I don’t think they’re so interested in containing it as in preventing someone in particular from getting to it,” mused Lex.”What can you tell me about your sister-in-law?” he added, looking back at Lois’ father.

“Moira? She was a very private person. I never got to know her really well. My wife and her had a very close relationship and when... Ellen passed away... Lois grew very attached to her. It was hard for my eldest daughter to lose both women so close together.”

“Were the Sullivans having trouble with their marriage when she left?”

“As I said before, I saw very little of Moira. My career absorbed me in those days...I’ve never been one for socials anyway... I got together with Gabe now and then. Had a couple of beers, watched a game. He seemed to be a happy man then. He had a beautiful baby girl he boasted about all the time... he loved Moira deeply- he didn’t have eyes for anyone else. Losing her was very hard for him; it almost destroyed him... and Chloe- she didn’t speak for three months. Getting that job at the Fertilizer Plant in Smallville was their salvation. Has my niece ever mentioned her to you?“

“Twice. The second time was today. If you had to take a guess at the reason for Moira’s desertion, what would it be?”

“What does this have to do with the mysterious room in the scan?”

“I don’t know. I just want to explore all the possibilities of what we might find there,” replied the billionaire.”This is putting a lot of stress on Chloe and is dragging out a lot of painful memories. There is something about her mother that is disturbing her deeply and I don’t want to pressure her to tell me what it is. But if you know something that could shed some light on the matter, I’d really appreciate it. I want to help her cope with this ... “

“I remember an incident a few weeks after Moira left. Chloe was sleeping over at home. I was working on some reports and I heard her scream. I went to the girls’ room and saw her tossing and turning, crying she didn’t want those men in white to take Moira away. At the time I thought she was just having a nightmare, creating scenarios to explain why her mom had deserted... I couldn’t get a word out of her when she woke up.”

“You believe those men were real? That they were there to commit her mother? The Moira I heard on the phone sounded articulate to me, but a lot of years have gone by since the day she vanished.”

“There were rumours, yes.”

Lex stored the information for later use and resolved to ask his PI to dig into Moira’s past and her first years of marriage. He had a hunch there was something more to her decision than a secret affair or marital problems.

“Thanks for sharing this with me, Lane.”

“I just want for Chloe to find the peace she deserves. I hope you’ll be able to give her that, Luthor.”

“So do I. Let’s take a first step, shall we? “

METROPOLIS PORT- WAREHOUSE# GH2398

“You’re trying my patience, Mrs Sullivan. What did you think you were doing trying to run away this morning? What did you tell your daughter before we got you back?” snapped Edge at the woman now tied to a chair as he pulled her hair from behind to look into her green eyes.

“Nothing,” she gasped.

“You’d better not be lying to me. I was planning to give you a reward for getting us what we wanted, but now I don’t think so.”

“Why don’t you let her go? Why bring more innocent people into this?” she added, shooting a glance at the young woman sitting in a corner of the shielded room.

“You should be more worried about you than the girl. You’re no longer useful to us while she...” grinned Lionel’s old partner, crouching in front of the other woman and lifting the girl’s face by the chin only to be spit at.

“You have spunk. I`ve got to give you that,” said Edge, wiping off the saliva with a monogrammed handkerchief.

“He’ll never give you what you want!” shouted the young woman, trying to untie the rope around her wrists.

“Love makes people weak,” chuckled the middle-aged man.”Tell me, has he ever ... ? “

“Sir!” exclaimed one of Edge’s minions, stepping into the room. “Luthor and his men are here. We should leave!”

“You! “ shouted the Crime Lord, glaring at Moira. “Give me your gun,” he ordered his bodyguard.

“Sir, we’ve already got the codes. We’re close. Take the girl and forget about the lady,” he tried to make his boss see reason.”They’ll be bursting through those doors any minute now. “

A hyperventilated Edge shook his minion off and, clenching his jaws, slammed Moira Sullivan unconscious against the wall before grabbing the young woman to make her stand up.

“Put your claws away and lift up that trapdoor,” he ordered the girl, pushing her to the floor.”Seal the door!” he barked at his two men just as Lex and Lane’s men barged into the building.

“Do you have anything?!” shouted the General at his men on the radio.”They can’t have vanished into thin air.”

“We have men on the roof and all the exits are sealed,” responded Lex, removing his night vision goggles.”There`s only one way out- down,” he added, cocking the hammer of his gun and walking purposefully towards the mysterious room.

“Luthor,” Lane warned him,” we don’t know what’s behind that door.”

“We can`t afford to waste more time, Lane. We`ll blow it up or rip it apart. Tell your demolition man to use C4 or a welding torch,” the young billionaire told him sternly.

Lex observed Lane and his team work against the clock hoping it wasn’t too late. By his reckoning, Graves must have already contacted Edge with the codes Ilianovich had given him in exchange for protection. Lionel’s heir knew the stakes were high but he`d taken the decision before knowing they had Moira and by the time he got in touch with the Russian the codes had already been delivered.

“We’re in!”exclaimed the demolition man. “There appears to be someone down, sir.”

“It’s Moira,” said the General gravely as Lex rushed into the room and knelt down in front of the woman to check her pulse.

“She’s still breathing,” replied the young CEO, sliding his hand behind her skull and feeling the warmth of oozing blood wet his fingers. “Bring a stretcher,” he ordered a member of the team, taking his mobile out of his pocket and asking his pilot to fly in the helicopter.”She’s got an ugly concussion,” he murmured, exchanging looks with Lois’ father.”I hope she`ll make it.”

“She’s a fighter like all the women in Chloe’s family. She will recover. She has to,” stated the General.

“I’ll fly her to the Davis Clinic. A neurologist and my personal physician will be waiting for us,“ he explained to Chloe’s uncle.

“General, there’s no one either on the premises or in the perimeter,” the second-in.-command informed them. “But you might want to check this out,” he added, standing at the threshold of a lateral door.

“We have gophers,” said the seasoned officer, looking at the trapdoor.”Stevens and Shepperton, go down and see where it leads. The damn thing must be new,” he grumbled, looking at Lex before scanning the room and noticing the gleaming green rocks that were scattered all over the place. “What the hell is this?”

“Meteor rocks,” stated Lex, leaning down to retrieve a shining object that had attracted his attention.

“What do you have there?”

“A necklace,” responded the billionaire grimly, recognising the trinket.”Damn it,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Sir, the chopper’s here,” the youngest of the group butted in.

“Tell your men there’s another woman with Edge. I don’t care how eager you are to get the bastard, Lane; remember that we need him to lead us to where he’s assembling Argus and that enough innocent blood ‘s been shed.”

“Yes, Sheppard. Any trace?” snapped the General on the radio.”OK, we’ll pick you up at the pier,” he answered, turning off the walkie-talkie.”Escort Moira, Luthor. The bastard’s disappeared again. Back to square one.”

“We’ve lost a battle but not the war, General,” stated Lex.

Let’s hope the eternal knight in shining armour makes a move to save his damsel in distress and we’ll get our checkmate.

TBC

A/N: There'll be Chlex in the next instalment. Keep your fingers crossed for me to be able to finish my draft in the following two weeks. I'd love to take advantage of my ten-day holiday away from home to have the rest of the fic ready on paper.

[hfce]

EEK!! That was so good. That woman is Lois isn't? They got Lois right? :D

[lexie]

EEK!! That was so good. That woman is Lois isn't? They got Lois right? :D

That's a secret I'll keep under wraps until next posting or the one after next. :grin3:Is it that you want Lois to be the one they got because she's obnoxious or because you're afraid it might be somebody else?:P

[Kit Merlot]

An action packed chapter!

Clark throwing accusations at Lex, Lois yelling at Oliver, and Moira getting resued from Morgan Edge--I hope she's alright from getting hit in the head.

Now I wonder who that other girl was?

Enjoy your vacation and update when you can;)

[hfce]

That's a secret I'll keep under wraps until next posting or the one after next. :grin3:Is it that you want Lois to be the one they got because she's obnoxious or because you're afraid it might be somebody else?:P


Is it Chloe then? :eek:

[lexie]

Is it Chloe then? :eek:

:D Should I say yes or no? I'd rather keep you guessing- I'm evil that way. I'm not toying with the idea of who might be, by the way; it's already planned.:P

[hfce]

:D Should I say yes or no? I'd rather keep you guessing- I'm evil that way. I'm not toying with the idea of who might be, by the way; it's already planned.:P

You are evil. :rofl:

[purplemoon123]

That's just evil!!

I come to get updated on the chapters and find myself with an evil cliffhanger.

Loving everything. Well expect Lana trying to get back with Lex. Did Love when Lex told her to take a hike.

Favorite scene is when Laurie asks Lex to carry her. Such a sweet moment between father and child.

Have fun in you vacation!!!

[veronica525]

Oh no! It has to be Chloe, she's got a necklace..... Very good!!!! Hope you have a fabulous holiday and that you get to write :)

[Gaia]

oh no. Will she be alright?!? More!

[chloedreamer]

Clark needs to wake up and instead of demanding answer he could have answered.

[lexie]

I'm really enjoying your theories and the conclusions you've drawn. Keep them coming!

Thanks for your good wishes for my holidays. I'm having a very nice and quiet time.:blinkkiss

[daria_103]

Great chapter. I'm glad they got Moira back for Chloe's sake, fingers crossed she'll be okay and her and Chloe can work through their past together. I'm assuming the other woman that Edge has is Lana - is it very wrong if I hope they don't get her back?

I loved the whole interaction between Lex and Clark, it's always very satisfying when people write scenes where Chloe or Lex really tell Clark off and point out how he's not as perfect and morally superior as he thinks - such a shame that he's too dim to actually take it in.

[lexie]

I'm assuming the other woman that Edge has is Lana - is it very wrong if I hope they don't get her back?

Is it Chloe? Is it Lois? Is it Lana? Well, I'll give you a small tip... it's one of them.:D



I loved the whole interaction between Lex and Clark, it's always very satisfying when people write scenes where Chloe or Lex really tell Clark off and point out how he's not as perfect and morally superior as he thinks - such a shame that he's too dim to actually take it in.

He more than deserves it. One of the things that have consistently made me mad about the show is that almost everyone on it worships at SV!Clark' s altar as if he were some kind of flawless God.

[superag]

I read this awhile back but I was on the phone and its hard to review that way. Anyway, I really liked the Clark and Lex scene. It played out very much like the battles that would escalate them into dire enemies. And for a much better reason than the ones that SV has given us along the way.

Also I am intrigued by the person that is roaming around the scene. I'm curious to see what kind of trouble Lex makes for that person or vice versa.

Thanks and keep on writing!

[lexie]

Anyway, I really liked the Clark and Lex scene. It played out very much like the battles that would escalate them into dire enemies. And for a much better reason than the ones that SV has given us along the way.

I suppose any of the reasons we fanfic writers might come up with will be infinitely better and more believable than the lame story lines SV writers thought of to pit Lex and Clark against each other.



Also I am intrigued by the person that is roaming around the scene. I'm curious to see what kind of trouble Lex makes for that person or vice versa.

I assume the person you're referring to is Morgan Edge, right? Or is it the woman who's identity is yet to be revealed?:P

[Esther25jm]

Love the new chapter, Lexie! I have a feeling the woman that's captured is Pinkie. Why? Cause she's Clark's weakness and it's total leverage to get him to do whatever is needed. Can't wait for the next chapter!

[lexie]

A/N: Thanks to those of you who took the time to read and comment despite being the slow month of the year.

Here's a longer update than usual. I thought about splitting it up but it would have spoilt the momentum. There are a few advances in the investigation; however, what I believe you'll find most interesting is what happens in the Chlex front. Enjoy!

Warning: The rating of this chapter jumps to R.

CHAPTER 15: Trust

LUTHORCORP-A QUARTER OF AN HOUR LATER

Chloe was working on the Trojan with Ilianovich when her security detail walked into the lab to inform her he had orders to take her and Laura to the Davis Clinic. Hearing those words made her break out in a cold sweat as her mind conjured up a bloodied Lex being rushed to the ER of Metropolis’ exclusive avant-garde clinic. Her heart seemed to stop beating for a second and then started galloping in her chest as she was suddenly assaulted by the urge to throw up. Ilianovich took a step forward to catch her and lead her to a chair when he saw her shaky legs wobble.

“Is Lex...h... hurt?” she asked trembling, the blood draining from her face.

“I’m sorry, madam. I can’t tell you that. I just got orders to take you two to the helipad,” replied the security man.

“Can’t you... use the radio or something?” she croaked as she tried to dial Lex’s mobile and couldn’t get through.

“We’ll try on the chopper, madam. Mr Luthor’s bodyguard said they were urging his security team to turn off their radios, but maybe they’re now stationed in an aisle where it’s allowed to use them,” he explained.

“Mommy,” said Laura in a shaky voice, coming closer to the adults and clutching tight the teddy bear Lex had surprised her with in the morning.

“Laurie, come here, baby,” said a teary-eyed Chloe, picking up the girl. “We have to go with the gentleman now.”

“Can I take Mr Bear?” she murmured, eying Lex’s security with a distrustful look.

“Sure, honey” smiled Chloe, greeting the Russian goodbye with a mouthed ‘Good luck’.

“Will Lex be there? He promised he’d come back, “went on the girl with an unmistakable trace of worry in her childish voice.

“I’m sure keeping his promises to you is the most important thing in the world to him, Laurie, but sometimes things happen that are out of our control,”

Chloe tried to explain as they walked along the corridor to the lift that would take them to the helipad.” He didn’t forget his promise. He couldn’t come so he sent for us, OK?”

“OK,” she mumbled, leaning her head on Chloe’s shoulder.

THE DAVIS CLINIC- METROPOLIS

The flight to the Davis Clinic took them a few minutes and yet, it felt like an eternity to Chloe, who couldn’t help but picture the worst scenarios in her mind. In fact, it wasn’t until they entered the exclusive aisle named after the Luthors and she saw Lex talking animatedly on his mobile that she eased her breath out.

“I know it’s a dangerous move, Bruce, but if he does what I believe, we’ll get more than just Edge... It’s more than just a hunch. He has him exactly where he wants and has secured his cooperation in a fashion that would have made my own father proud,” Lex tried to convince his Argus partner. “Call her... Illianovich should have news very soon,” he added, turning around to see Chloe enter the VIP waiting room. “Hold on...” he told his former boarding school classmate before covering the microphone. “Chloe...” he said quietly, meeting her halfway and noticing the tell-tale brightness of her emerald eyes.

“It`s done,” she replied composedly,.

“Bruce,” he said, uncovering the phone and holding Chloe’s gaze, ”everything’s set. Keep me posted,” he finished, stretching out an arm to wipe away a stray tear off her cheek as she began to relax after the tension of the last fifteen minutes.“Are you OK?”

“I thought... when they came for us... I thought that...” she swallowed, struggling to hold herself together.

“I promised I’d come back in one piece, didn’t I?” he said wryly, feeling satisfied with the knowledge that she had reacted so strongly to the possibility of something happening to him.

“Yes, and let us not forget that the ire of a Sullivan’s legendary, and one that’s better not to provoke,” she quipped with a lazy smile.

“Chloe, there’s something we have to talk about,” he said gravely, leading her to the sofa.

“Did you find my mum?” she asked, feeling guilty at having momentarily forgotten Moira, when she was the reason Lex had run the risk of getting himself hurt in the first place.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. We didn’t get Edge but he left her behind... unconscious. She sustained a heavy blow to her head and is being operated on as we speak to remove a piece of bone that is putting pressure on her brain. They won’t know how extensive the damage is or what functions have been affected until she wakes up.”

Chloe listened to him explain her mother’s critical condition in a businesslike and in appearance cold way which she found strangely comforting; this man was such a bundle of contradictions- unflappable, implacable and fearless in his dealings with the outside world and yet capable of the greatest tenderness when it came to her and their daughter. God was putting her fortitude to the test once again and it made her wonder if He could be so cruel as to take her mum away from her just when Moira had reentered her life. Chloe knew that Laurie and she were no longer alone- Lex was constantly there to make sure they felt protected; however, she wanted to have the chance to talk to her mother, to understand why she’d left and to shelter her heart and her baby’s if the older woman wasn’t there to stay.

“Chloe,” he said, covering her hand with his,”the best doctors in the country are taking care of her. Anything she needs, I’ll make sure she gets it.”

“Thanks,” she replied, swallowing hard.

“She’s your mother and Laurie’s grandma, and you’re all she has. Nothing should have happened to her. I’m sorry we didn’t get to her in time.”

“You didn’t do this, Lex. And we knew there was a chance we wouldn’t find her alive, taking into account who we’re dealing with. So there’s no use beating yourself up about it. We got the Trojan ready and Illianovich’s already contacted Lt Graves,” she replied, leaving the sofa when the head nurse entered the waiting room with Laura in tow.

“Here’s your little lady. Safe and lighter,” smiled the middle-aged health provider.

“Miss...” answered the billionaire, checking out the name printed on the woman’s badge.

“Miss Adair, sir.”

“Miss Adair...” he said gravely, adopting the Luthor trademark authoritative stance.

“Mr Luthor and I appreciate everything you and your staff are doing for our family,” finished Chloe, sensing the serviceable woman was going to get a tongue-lashing from him.

“That’s what we’re here for, madam. You’ve got a very smart little lady. If there’s anything else I might do for you, you know where to find me,” she responded warmly, pinching Laurie’s cheek affectionately before excusing herself.

“You must think I’m paranoid,” he told Chloe when they were left alone.

“No, I don’t. I’m simply trying to preserve some semblance of normalcy. Laurie needed to pee. The woman saw us and offered to show her to the toilet while I came here looking for you. Your security was stationed at the door and one of them checked there was no one inside. You chose them personally to watch over us. Do you mean to imply you don’t trust your own judgement?”

“I’ve been wrong in the past,” he said quietly, noticing Laurie’s eyes were on him.

“Are you hurt? “ murmured Laurie, spotting the blood stains on his cuff.

“No, sweetheart,” he replied, crouching down in front of her.

“I don’t like hospitals,” she stated, holding her teddy bear close to her chest.

“Neither do I, Laurie,” he responded with the ghost of a smile, remembering all the time he’d spent in them either as a patient or as a visitor during Lillian’s finals days.

“That makes us three, then,” added Chloe haunted by her own painful memories.

“Can we go home now?” pleaded the little girl, holding Lex’s gaze and stretching out an arm to take his left hand.

“I want to go home with you too, Laurie,” he replied overcome by emotion on hearing his daughter’s words and feeling her small hand grabbing his.

“Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a little longer. Why don’t we sit here? “ he added, straightening up and inviting Chloe to join them on the sofa.

“What’s wrong?” asked the girl, now sitting on Chloe’s lap.

“Do you remember I once told you I had a mommy but that I didn’t know where she was?” said Chloe with glassy eyes, combing Laura’s hair with a slightly shaky hand.

“Is she here?”

“Mm,” assented the blonde reporter, feeling her eyes well up with fresh tears.

“Is your mommy hurt?” asked the girl with concern in her face.

“Yes,” choked Chloe.

“Is she going to die?”

“We don’t know that, darling,” said Lex, joining in the conversation. “This clinic has the best doctors in the country and they’re doing everything to help your grandma.”

“Do you have a mommy?”

“Laurie,” Chloe chided her, remembering how sensitive Lex was to everything connected with his late mother.

“It’s OK, Chloe. My mom’s in heaven, Laurie,” he answered his daughter, experiencing a bittersweet satisfaction at her curiosity. “She died when I was little.”

“Like my dad. Is he in heaven too?”

Lex raised his eyes and met Chloe’s, wanting to blurt out the truth, tell the girl her dad wasn’t dead, that she was talking to him and that the man she thought was her father should be rotting in hell for having knowingly robbed them so much. However, he couldn’t do that; it was neither the time nor the place and- as much as he resented Fairchild- he’d been a good father and provider and the only dad she’d ever known. He was definitely not going to soil the memory of Phil she had to advance his own cause; God had presented him with the opportunity to rectify the path he’d taken and Lex was determined not to blow it this time. He was NOT going to become his own father by resorting to manipulation with his child.

Chloe saw myriad emotions reflected in his eyes before he veiled them and knew how much it must hurt him to hear their baby talk about Phil and call him ‘dad’. Even though Chloe hadn’t known then what she knew now, there was something she had- that Phil wasn’t Laurie’s dad, and she regretted now more than ever not telling the girl the truth from the very beginning.

“Phil was very fortunate to have you and your mom in his life. He had his very own piece of heaven on earth. I’m sure that he’s watching over you now like my mom is,” he replied, holding the girl’s unwavering gaze.

“Mr Luthor, Ms Fairchild,” said the head nurse from the door,”Mrs Sullivan’s being taken to a private room. Dr Sorensen will brief you in ten minutes.”

“Thanks, Miss Adair,” replied Lex before turning around to address Chloe. “Why don’t you freshen up a little while I take Laura to the cafeteria for an ice-cream. Would you like that, Laurie?”

“Do they have chocolate chip?” she asked excitedly.

“We’ll ask them,” he smiled softly.

“Could you get me a decent cup of coffee?” requested Chloe, leaving the sofa and grabbing her bag.

“Some things never change,” he smirked. “You’ll get your coffee and we’ll meet outside your mom’s room.”

QUEEN INDUSTRIES

“We need to visualise this sector,” explained Oliver to his technician, pointing at the warehouse Lois had located on the map of Metropolis. “Do you think you can retrieve information from the last twenty-four hours?”

“Let’s see what we can get. Our satellite is over Dubai now; we’ll have to check out our records,” said the nerdy employee, punching instructions on the keyboard.

“Maybe we should concentrate on the last six hours,” Lois suggested, looking at the flat screen.

“OK, here we go,” said the technician as the satellite images appeared on the screen. “Let’s adjust the grid to focus on warehouse #GH2398.”

“That’s Clark’s truck. Could you fast forward a little?” said Oliver, getting closer to the big screen. “There. Zoom in. There were three men in the warehouse. Give us a close-up of that room in the left corner. Can we get a clearer picture?”

“The satellite can penetrate through some layers but not enough to show us what’s inside,” explained the employee.

“He’s leaving now,” murmured Oliver, watching an unstable Clark make his way to the door.

“Man, that cafeteria trash surely hit his stomach bad,” Lois butted in, worried about the questions that might rise in Oliver’s mind on seeing Clark moving so erratically on the screen.

“Let’s advance the recording and see what Edge and his men did after Clark left,” said Oliver, looking at Lois out of the corner of his eye. “This is interesting,” he mumbled, when a couple of SUVs appeared on the scene.

“Lex,” gritted Lois. “He might be wearing goggles but that shiny bald head can be spotted a mile away.”

“Zoom in, Stan. It looks like a special assault team. Either Edge’s betrayed Lex in some way and my former classmate decided to make him pay or...”

“Damn it! I’m gonna wring his neck,” hissed Lois.

“Join the club,” smirked Oliver.

“I’m not talking about Luthor, Ollie. That’s my father over there.”

“Your father? What’s your father doing working for a Luthor?”

“He’s got some big explaining to do. All these years...”

“It seems we aren’t the only ones intrigued about that room. Give us audio, Stan.”

“Luthor, we don’t know what’s behind that door.”

“We can`t afford to waste more time, Lane. We`ll blow it up or rip it apart. Tell your demolition man to use C4 or a welding torch.”

“We’re in! There appears to be someone down, sir.”

“It’s Moira.”

“Moira?” frowned Lois.

“Do you know her?”

“Maybe. That might explain my father’s involvement in part. Moira was my cousin Chloe’s mom. She disappeared when we were little.”

“She’s still breathing. Bring a stretcher. She’s got an ugly concussion. I hope she`ll make it.”

“She’s a fighter like all the women in Chloe’s family. She will recover. She has to.”

“Well, that’s cleared any doubts about her identity,” said Oliver, shooting a glance at Chloe’s eldest cousin.

“I’ll fly her to the Davis Clinic. A neurologist and my personal physician will be waiting for us.“

“What’s Lex’s interest in your aunt?”

“I don’t know. His only connection to Chloe is the time they spent together to bring down Lionel Luthor three years ago.”

“What the hell is this?”

“Meteor rocks.”

“What do you have there?”

“A necklace. Damn it. Tell your men there’s another woman with Edge. I don’t care how eager you’re to get the bastard, Lane; remember that we need him to lead us to where he’s assembling Argus and that enough innocent blood ‘s been shed.”

“Did you see his face? He knows who the woman is. You dig up everything you can about this Argus Project, Ollie. I have some family business to see to,” Lois grumbled, grabbing her coat.

“Wait, Lois. Clark…”

“I’m sorry, Oliver, but I won’t be sitting at your penthouse filing my nails while my own flesh and blood is in danger. Clark doesn’t own me and I have a hunch about what Edge is using to lead him by the nose.”

“Do you care to share it with me?”

WAYNE ENTERPRISES- GOTHAM CITY

The doors of the lift opened on the basement of the headquarters of Wayne Enterprises and Gotham’s favourite playboy billionaire emerged wearing an impeccable tailor-made dinner jacket and bow tie.

“Bruce,” Lucius Fox greeted him from his chair in front of the maze of monitors.

“Do we have anything?” asked Thomas Wayne’s only son, approaching the control panel.

“Do I have permission to speak freely?”

“When has anything stopped you?” replied Bruce wryly.

“I think you’re making a mistake.”

“I’m willing to run the risk. You might not understand it now, Lucius, but a break-in is exactly what we need at this moment. There’s a lot more at stake than the future of this project.”

“I don’t get it. What would either you or your partner gain with this? I might have expected an insurance scam from someone bearing the Luthor surname but not from Thomas’ offspring.”

“This isn’t about cashing in an insurance cheque. This is about cleaning the streets of Gotham and Metropolis in one big sweep. Call me if the pigeon lands. I’ve got to take a gorgeous D.A. assistant to the Opera.”

THE DAVIS CLINIC- MOIRA SULLIVAN’S ROOM

It was close to ten in the evening when Lex entered Moira’s room to find Chloe still sitting next to her bed, fighting to keep her eyes open. He looked at her fingers entwined with her mother’s and felt a tightening in his chest when the memory of Lillian’s emaciated body and her bird-boned wrists came rushing to his mind.

“She looks so fragile,” whispered Chloe.

“Chloe...”

“Do you think she knows? That I’m here?” she asked him with a forlorn look in her eyes.

“I’ve been there. I can definitely assure you she does.”

“Is Laurie OK?”

“She fell asleep before ordering dessert at the hospital cafeteria. Chloe, you’ve been here almost eight hours and you have nothing in your stomach except the coffee we brought you early in the afternoon.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“I’ve hired a private nurse to sit with her overnight. The penthouse`s ten minutes away. We can be here in no time if there’s any development. Chloe, she won’t wake up until the doctors make sure the swelling’s gone down and it’s safe to bring her out of the coma,” he said quietly, placing his hands on her shoulders and massaging the knotted muscles of her back.”You need to catch up some sleep and Laurie should be in a comfortable bed. You won’t be abandoning her. We’ll be back in the morning.”

“OK,” she conceded in defeat, giving Moira’s hand a squeeze before getting up and letting him guide her outside.

LEX’S PENTHOUSE-HALF AN HOUR LATER

The drive from the clinic to the penthouse took under ten minutes but it was enough time to lull an exhausted Chloe to sleep. Lex found himself with two sleeping beauties to deal with and a pair of hands shorter to carry them up to his tower in true knightly fashion. Although he could ask one of his security men to give him a hand with Laurie, the fact that the girl had snuggled up in his lap the moment he slipped into the back seat of the limo made him reticent. He basked in her trust and the warmth of her childish frame pressed tight against his chest; he simply didn’t want to give her up. Having any man but him touch Chloe was out of the question too and that left him with only one choice- waking the blonde up to walk to the private lift that would take them to the top floor.

The ride to the penthouse was done in silence with Lex carrying a sleepy Laurie in his arms and Chloe trying to process the events of the whole afternoon without losing her composure in front of them. Seeing him handle their baby with such loving care was wrecking havoc on her and reviving memories of her own childhood with Gabe, making her anguish over the loss of her dad more pronounced. She barely held it together in time to cross the threshold of the exclusive apartment and seek refuge in her guest room while Lex put their daughter to bed.

The penthouse was eerily quiet when he finished tucking Laurie in and giving her his first kiss goodnight. He’d seen Chloe enter her room two doors away from the girl’s and assumed she’d gone straight to bed, so he was surprised to find her standing in the middle of her bedroom with the zip of her dress undone and her clothes still on. He hesitated at the door lying ajar and was starting to retreat when his eyes met hers in the full-length mirror and he changed his mind.

Chloe heard the door click close and stood grounded fighting the urge to flee and hide away. She sensed more than hear his approach and bit her lower lip to stop it from trembling as he parted her dress and the scarred back she always hid from the public eye was revealed to him. The garment slid down her body, pooling around her on the floor, and she felt the prick of tears behind her eyelids when he knelt down behind her to take her high heels off with gentle hands. His movements were slow and featherlike like those of a man who’s dealing with a young colt or a stray dog that’s been abused; and she let him undress her and then carry her to the bathroom where he stripped down to his underwear and join her in the shower stall.

She was stark naked, centimetres away from the man who had been occupying her thoughts during her waking and her sleeping hours for weeks now and still there was nothing of sexual about it. There was love in the way his hands lathered her body and rinse the shampoo off her hair and yet sex was the last thing on both their minds. His being there with her was his way of showing her he could put aside his own needs and desires and be the someone she could not only trust her life to but also her heart and her worries.

Lex finished rinsing her golden tresses and closed the taps to fetch a warm bath towel with which to wrap her up. She seemed more composed and relaxed now so he let her go back to the bedroom to dry and change into her nightdress on her own while he stripped, stepped back into the stall and had a proper shower. He was done in under ten minutes and left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Even though he should have probably had a shower in his own room, he decided against it for practical reasons and also because he wanted to make sure she was all right and asleep before leaving her for the night.

Chloe was already in bed when Lex turned off the light of the bathroom and came back to the room. Although she was lying on her left side and with her back to him, he could tell she was wide awake and her breathing told him her struggle to refrain from crying was lost. Moonlight was streaming through the white voile curtains and illuminated the side of the bed where she was lying in a virginal-looking cotton nightdress aimed at covering the physical reminder of the Luthor destructive power.

She heard him move around the king-sized bed and materialise next to her with a clean towel in his hands with which he proceeded to dry her damp hair. No words had been exchanged since they left the clinic, but the quiet between them was a comfortable silence pregnant with meaning. She didn’t need comforting words to stop her from crying, he was letting her mourn her dad and exorcise her childhood demons through her tears, and his hands massaging her scalp was all the soothing she needed.

Fifteen minutes later her hair was dry and they locked eyes again.

“Stay,” she whispered, grabbing his hand to detain him when he started to get up. “I just want you to hold me,” she added before he had the time to object.

“OK. Let me go for a pair of pyjama bottoms,” he replied, coming back a few minutes later.

Once he’d slipped under the sheets Chloe snuggled closer and he wrapped one arm around her middle, spooning her from behind. She took a deep breath and leant back as he brushed the column of her neck with his mouth before pressing a kiss on her nape and tightening his hold on her.

The tick-tock of the alarm clock on her nightstand and his compassed breathing near her ear told her that this was real, that time hadn’t stood still. She revelled in their closeness and his quiet strength, which made her feel safe and loved.

“Do you still miss her?” she murmured, covering his hand with hers.

“I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing her,” came his answer after a short silence. “I don’t want to and I hate the fact that I get to see her only when I’m fighting for my life. Sometimes I panic when a day goes by without thoughts of her because I believe if I ever were to put everything behind, I would forget what she looked like.”

“I’m afraid, Lex,“ she confessed, haunted by the ghost of her mother’s institutionalisation and by the answers she might get from Moira if she ever woke up.

The memory of his conversation with Lane came rushing to his mind and made him wish his PI had already finished his digging into Moira’s past. Having no answers to give to Chloe other than promises he didn’t know he could keep because they were beyond his control increased his impotence- a feeling he didn’t relish since he’d been its victim too many times in his life.

“I wish I could make it better,” he replied, his voice charged with emotion.

“I can’t ask of you more than you’re already giving me, Lex,” she responded warmly, turning a little in his arms to cup his cheek.

“It never feels enough after everything you’ve been through because of me.”

“You don’t get to say that,” she told him, placing her fingers on his lips to stop him from saying anything else. “What about what you’ve been through? I can see what it does to you to hear Laurie speak of Phil and call him dad. I feel guilty...”

“Chloe...” he tried to interrupt her.

“I knew. I knew he wasn’t her dad. I didn’t remember you... but I knew,,, I should have told her... I should have never let him convince me... that it was for the best,” she hiccupped and Lex felt an inordinate rage overcome him. Fairchild had had no right to manipulate Chloe and take advantage of her vulnerable state. He could understand the man falling in love with Laurie and his urge to tie them both to him, and he loathed the fact that the Lex Luthor of recent years might have followed a similar course of action had he been in Phil’s shoes. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed, pressing her brow against his.

Lex felt her soft lips so close to his and her sweet breath fanning against his face and cursed his body for starting to get hard. He could tell the moment she realised he’d got aroused when her sobbing subsided and she went suddenly quiet. This was supposed to be about her and not him and his urges; he was betraying the trust she’d put in his hands and ruining everything he’d accomplished in the last few days. He should have never given in to the pleading in her eyes. He should have just sat in the armchair until she fell asleep and then leave the room for his bed.

“Don’t,” she murmured when he started to pull away.

“Chloe, “he moaned, closing his eyes when she leant forward to press their mouths together and he felt her taut nipples separate from his chest by her modest nightgown.

Suddenly the tables were turned and he was the one kissing her, running his tongue lightly against the seam of her lips begging for entrance. And she opened to his gentle invasion and let his tongue coax hers with aching tenderness for a while until in a daring move she captured his and sucked on it, forcing him to chase it back. Chloe heard a soul-deep moan come out of her mouth and her cheeks tinged red at her unusual boldness.

Lex unbuttoned the front of her nightdress and carefully parted the cotton garment, gauging Chloe’s reaction. They were rediscovering her body together and, although she’d let him undress her for the shower, the circumstances were different now. This was no longer about her but about them, and he wanted her to feel as at ease with Lex the lover as she had felt with Lex the comforter.

“Tell me if there’s anything that makes you uncomfortable, Chloe. Nothing’ll happen here that you don’t want,” he told her, holding her bright eyes.”I love you, Chloe, and that won’t change when this barrier’s removed. But, if you need more time, if you don’t think you’re ready, I can wait,” he added, brushing his knuckles against her cheek.

“I love you too. I’m ready, Lex,” she responded, helping him get rid of the nightdress she’d never taken off in front of her own husband.

She was even more beautiful now than at seventeen. Her hips had spread a little and her perky breasts were fuller after bearing and feeding their child and Lex couldn’t help the tightening in his chest at the image of motherhood seeing her nude had conjured up. His hands roamed over her curves to her shoulders before tangling in her hair and bringing her closer for another open-mouthed kiss.

Every cell in her body came alive at his touch. Her skin was burning all over and her centre throbbed to the rhythm of the massage his talented tongue was giving to her left breast bud before he pushed her gently on her back to devote the same care to its twin. The sweet torture lasted another couple of minutes until he noticed her laboured breathing and decided to help her reach her first peak with a skilful massage centred on the little bundle of nerves between her shapely legs. The reaction was almost immediate and Lex thought he’d never seen anything more beautiful than her coming undone as he swallowed her strangled cry of release with his mouth.

“Why is it that I’m the only one who’s undressed? If you want to have your wicked way with me Mr Luthor, you’ll have to take away that expensive-looking scrap of fabric you call pyjama bottoms,” she quipped a few minutes later to cover up her nervousness when her eyes noticed the effect her orgasm had had on Lex’s anatomy.

“Your wishes are orders,” he smiled. “Remember what I said, Chloe. Would you feel more comfortable if I darkened the room?”

“Leave the curtains the way they are. I like seeing the moonlight.”

“OK. Let me go for protection.”

“That won’t be necessary,” she detained him, grabbing his hand.“I’m on the pill. My gynaecologist prescribed it to regularise my cycle.”

“I haven’t been with anyone in over a year but if you’d rather, I could...”

“I trust you, Lex,” she cut him off, squeezing his hand before releasing it and lying on her side with her back to him.

If the circumstances were different, her body posture would suggest rejection; but in Chloe’s case, it meant the exact opposite. She was granting him her complete trust and risking his rejection by showing him that part of herself which had sustained the worst damage during the safe house explosion.

Even though Fairchild had done a very good job with his surgeon hands, the bruises and burns had been too extensive to erase every trace off her back. Her milky skin was crisscrossed with scars that had the appearance of a fainting flogging and Lex felt the sudden pricking of tears.

“Lex,” she whispered hesitantly.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured against her skin as he scattered a trail of soft kisses over her abused back as if his lips could be the balm the injuries needed to heal.

Chloe let out the breath she’d been holding and relaxed her tense muscles to enjoy Lex’s proximity and his leisurely caresses. It didn’t take too long for her breasts to feel heavier and for desire to pool once again at her apex as she lay back on his chest bringing his arousal closer to her core. Lex wondered how long he’d be able to resist the gentle rocking she’d initiated before embarrassing himself.

“Chloe,” he said in a strained voice, “is it OK like this?”

“It’s perfect, Lex,” she replied breathless.

“Do you think we could...?”

“Yes, I’m ready now,” she assented, entwining her fingers with his as he placed his right hand on her hip and she welcomed him in her body for the first time in over three years.

Lex closed his eyes and pressed a kiss on her shoulder waiting for her to adjust to the intrusion before starting a languorous advance and retreat which brought them both to a long and powerful climax.

“I wish you could stay with me all night,” she told him quietly as she rested her head on his chest a while later. “But Laurie...”

“I understand,” he responded, threading his fingers through her hair.

“We’ll tell her. Soon,” she promised, locking her eyes with his.”Can you stay a little longer?” she added wistfully.

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep. Now, rest, Chloe. Tomorrow’ll be a long day,” he said pressing a brief kiss on her lips and enjoying the feel of having his love finally in his arms.

TBC

[daria_103]

So I can assume now that it is Lana Edge has and she'll have an unfortunate accident before they find her, right? :) lol.

Great chapter as always. Poor, poor Lex having to listen to his daughter talk about someone else as dad. I loved every moment between Lex and Chloe, beautiful.

[Gaia]

More!!!!!!

[superag]

Loved the mix of action and romance. Such a wonderful scene at the end. Keep it up!

[Esther25jm]

Great chapter, Lexie! You're right, I was waiting for that Chlex scene and it didn't disappoint. I love how intimate and sensual the scene was, especially when Chloe trusted Lex with seeing her scars. Love them.

Heh, knew it was Pinkie. She's always getting in situations like these, especially when someone wants to hurt/blackmail/coerce Clark into doing something.

SQUEE! You brought in my Bruce!! I'm glad that he's not going to be involved with Chlex, but I love that he and Lex are working together to get Morgan Edge. *sighs* Those two together....dayum.....

Love the update and can't wait for more!! :D

[Cassandra Jean]

Wonderful update! Glad to see that Lex and Chloe are working things out and getting their relationship started again.

Can not wait until Lois finds out that her baby cousin is alive...wonder how everything is going to go with dear old General Lane once she finds out his involvment in everything.

[purplemoon123]

Love the chapter!!! It's full of action, mystery and romance.

My favorite scene is when Lex doesn't know what to do when he has both Laurie and Chloe snuggled up on him and he doesn't want to hand them over to anyone.

Much love for the intimacy between Chloe and Lex.

[lexie]

So I can assume now that it is Lana Edge has and she'll have an unfortunate accident before they find her, right? :) lol.

Who would have known you didn't like the Princess? :D



Great chapter as always. Poor, poor Lex having to listen to his daughter talk about someone else as dad. I loved every moment between Lex and Chloe, beautiful.

The extra length was worth it to arrive at that scene, wasn't it? Hopefully, it won't take long for Laurie to learn who her real father is.


More!!!!!!

There'll be more. There HAS to be or I'll have my muse's hind.



Loved the mix of action and romance. Such a wonderful scene at the end. Keep it up!

This compliment coming from you means a lot, Mary. Thanks.



Great chapter, Lexie! You're right, I was waiting for that Chlex scene and it didn't disappoint. I love how intimate and sensual the scene was, especially when Chloe trusted Lex with seeing her scars. Love them.

I'm glad you liked it. It felt particularly tender to me and I got a lump in my throat- even got a little misty-eyes- while writing it.



SQUEE! You brought in my Bruce!! I'm glad that he's not going to be involved with Chlex, but I love that he and Lex are working together to get Morgan Edge. *sighs* Those two together....dayum.....

I`'ve got a soft spot for Bruce so I enjoy writing him in my fics from time to time; he's always a supporting character, poor guy, but he always plays a key role in the resolution of the background story.


Love the update and can't wait for more!! :D

I hope this chapter's given you more to work with. There are still a few more updates to come.




Can not wait until Lois finds out that her baby cousin is alive...wonder how everything is going to go with dear old General Lane once she finds out his involvment in everything.

I think the General should go underground before Lois can catch him. :D




My favorite scene is when Lex doesn't know what to do when he has both Laurie and Chloe snuggled up on him and he doesn't want to hand them over to anyone.

The guy must be on a tactile overdose and enjoying the ride so much. Poor Lex, he's been so deprived of human touch and real love!


Much love for the intimacy between Chloe and Lex.

Big thanks, Rocío. I knew you'd been eagerly awaiting this moment.

[hfce]

Man that was good. I am so glad they finally did it!! :drool2: Now all you have to do is let Laurie know Lex is her daddy and kill Blana. :D

[Fouzia]

Thank you so much for this amazing story!!!:blinkkiss

[Kit Merlot]

The beautfully passionate Chlex love scene was just lovely;)

And this is going to sound strange, but I like seeing Oliver and Lois together. Just like on the show, they fit better together then the contrived Clois.

Great work:D

[lexie]

Man that was good. I am so glad they finally did it!! :drool2: Now all you have to do is let Laurie know Lex is her daddy and kill Blana. :D

Well, there are a few other loose ends to tie on the way, but yes, that would be more less what's left. Although, I'd rather see Lana suffer than give her the benefit of being wiped off the face of the earth.



Thank you so much for this amazing story!!!:blinkkiss

And thank you for reading and leaving me feedback. My readers support is what gives me the will and enthusiasm to keep writing.


The beautfully passionate Chlex love scene was just lovely;)

I'm pleased that you perceived it that way because that was the emotion I tried to stir in my readers.



The And this is going to sound strange, but I like seeing Oliver and Lois together. Just like on the show, they fit better together then the contrived Clois.

It doesn't sound strange, Kit; I know exactly what you mean. Although I've never been able to see Clark with anyone but Lois because... I just can't- and I don't either read or write Clois, only include them from time to time in my Chlex fics- the way they've handled their coming together on the show is just another gigantic mess.I'm not a fan of Oliver either (I can't stand the guy), but I've got to admit they had chemistry on the show.

[athena]

Another awesome chapter Lexie!

I love how controlled and respectful Lex has been about Phil, even feeling that he has robbed him time with his daughter, the intensity of his feelings for Chloe is shown by how careful he’s been around the subject.

I know Lionel is dead, but ultimately everything that happened was his fault.

I truly enjoyed the way you described Chloe’s emotions through the previous chapter leading to this beautiful and touching scene. The way she bares herself – because I think that’s what Chloe did by showing him her scars - and the way he’s careful and puts her needs above his shows how deep their feelings are, and how deep their feelings were before she lost her memory.

I’m still not comfortable with Lex not telling Laurie he’s her dad, but I think time will come.

About Lana, I don’t know why, but in this fic I really feel Chloe and Lex should save her, no matter what happened in the past. Like a closure to the past and a new beginning for both. Also to set a example for little Laurie. Have I mentioned how much I liked her? She’s cute !

So, please, update soon.

[lexie]

I thank Cy for prompting you to go looking for a fic to comment on.:D I knew you'd been reading for a while so it's nice to know what your impressions on the fic are.



I love how controlled and respectful Lex has been about Phil, even feeling that he has robbed him time with his daughter, the intensity of his feelings for Chloe is shown by how careful he’s been around the subject.

You would expect him to act on his resentment towards the late husband; however, Lex's also known for his ability to know when to make a move if he's aware a wrong step could jeopardise his chances of getting what he most wants.



I know Lionel is dead, but ultimately everything that happened was his fault.

Yes, the MB is to blame for more than half the things that always happen to Lex and unfortunately, not even death seems to be able to stop his nefarious influence.


I truly enjoyed the way you described Chloe’s emotions through the previous chapter leading to this beautiful and touching scene. The way she bares herself – because I think that’s what Chloe did by showing him her scars - and the way he’s careful and puts her needs above his shows how deep their feelings are, and how deep their feelings were before she lost her memory.

I'm so happy with the welcome this scene has got from you readers. It's one of the parts that has left me more satisified from the creative point of view; and it's just so great it has resonated with you all.


I’m still not comfortable with Lex not telling Laurie he’s her dad, but I think time will come.

The moment of the big revelation should come soon.



About Lana, I don’t know why, but in this fic I really feel Chloe and Lex should save her, no matter what happened in the past. Like a closure to the past and a new beginning for both. Also to set a example for little Laurie. Have I mentioned how much I liked her? She’s cute !

Lana never fails to stir extreme emotions, doesn't she? Don't fear, I`m not usually blood-thirsty in deed- although I don't deny I've been tempted to do something about it since Season 6.:D:D

Thanks for your words on Laurie. Introducing OCs and making them likeable and believable as part of the SV universe is always a difficult feat.


So, please, update soon.

I'm working on it.;)

[lexie]

A/N: Here's a chapter to advance the plot a little more. There`s also Chlex in it, so don't fear.:grin3:

CHAPTER 16: Grudges

FORT ADELSON- 10 p.m.

Lois’ relationship with her old man had been strained since Ellen passed away and the army brat was saddled with the responsibility of raising her baby sister while the General commanded them like his troop. She’d done her best to please her dad, but Lucy`d always been the apple of his eyes and Lois invariably ended up paying the piper every time her little sister screwed up. Gabe and Chloe had been more of a father and sister to her than her own, and losing them both had had a profound impact on the cynical young woman. And now, she had learnt her father had knowingly kept her away from her favourite cousin or, at least, deprived her of the consolation of knowing that Chloe was alive somewhere raising a family and carving herself a niche in the world of literature. Her baby cousin was a best-seller writer, a mother, a young widow and was again in the Luthor crossfire; and the damn General had kept his mouth shut.

“Good evening, soldier. This is an unexpected surprise,” said the General, opening the door of his house at the base.

“How dare you, dad?!” exploded Lois, storming into the hall.

“You haven’t called in months, Lo’. I’m entitled to be surprised at finding you at my doorstep.”

“The last time I checked my cell was still working. You could have picked up the phone too, see if I was still pissed off. Or were you so ashamed at yourself for having lied to me these three years that you daren’t dial my number? That might make you look more human and even earn you some points in my books,” she spat at him.

“Are you done?” he asked grimly.

“I’m just getting started,” she glared.”What the hell are you doing with Luthor?”

“Why don’t we sit down?” he suggested, showing her to the sofa.

“I don’t want to sit down. You looked me straight in the eye and told me she was dead. I visited her tomb, put flowers on it every week for months. I want you to tell me what the hell’s going on and what Chloe and Aunt Moira have to do in this mess.”

“Lo’, I know that this must be frustrating for you, but we’re dealing with very dangerous people here. Innocent lives have been lost or changed forever, and I wouldn’t like for your name or anyone else’s to be added to that list because of your recklessness. “

“What do you know about Argus?”

“Where did you hear that name? Have you talked to someone else about it?”

“Don’t worry, dad. I’m not planning to sell the exclusive to The Planet. I would never play with my family’s lives,” she said derisively. “Luthor’s involved, isn’t he? And the rat of his father was too. The minute I read the bastard had been cleared of the murder in Star City I knew there was something fishy being cooked. I still don’t get why Lex would cover for the rattlesnake.”

“He didn’t do it for Lionel.”

“You’d better start talking, dad, or I’ll go straight to the source and start asking inconvenient questions.”

GOTHAM CITY- LES ESCARGOTS- 11 p.m.

Bruce was enjoying his first date in a fortnight after a particularly hectic night schedule curtsey of the Crime Lords of Gotham when his mobile vibrated and interrupted the fun part of the evening. Having dealt with the business side of the outing, he was really starting to relax and allow himself the rare pleasure of being himself around the young woman he had befriended as a girl and who still remained part of his life.

“I’m sorry, Rache,” he excused himself, putting his cell phone away. “I hate having to do this but...”

“You have to leave,” she smiled sadly.”Is it connected with what we talked earlier this evening?”

“I won’t know for sure until I get there, but I promise I’ll make it up to you,” he replied, squeezing her hand.

“Wayne, Rachel, good evening,” Gotham’s hot-shot District Attorney greeted them, stopping by their table on his way out of the restaurant.

“Dent,” responded the billionaire with civility.

“Hello, Harvey. I didn’t see you come in,” the young woman greeted him surprised.

“That’s because I was sitting at the back- hidden by that gigantic palm tree- when you two arrived; the mayor’s idea to pass unnoticed,” he told her ironically.

“I’ve just been called away. Would you mind seeing Rachel home?” Bruce cut in.

“I don’t...” started Rachel.

“It’ll be my pleasure,” smiled her boss.

“Thanks,” Wayne told the blond DA, who was giving more than one headache to Gotham’s Crime Syndicate, before addressing his date again.“I’ll call you tomorrow. The evening won’t be such a waste after all,” he smiled, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek.”Dent, a pleasure to meet you once again,” he finished, shaking hands with the man.

“Shall we?” asked Dent, helping her with her shawl once Wayne had walked away to pick up his overcoat from the cloakroom.

“Thanks,” she said quietly, following her childhood friend’s receding back with her eyes.”Would you mind taking a detour on my way home? There’s something I want to talk to you about,” she added, focusing her attention on her handsome boss.

GOTHAM - WAYNE ELECTRONICS- 11.30 p.m.

“I’m sorry to have interrupted your night out, Bruce,” the Afro-American man apologised to his rich employer.

“We’re even. I owe Mrs Fox an apology and a cruise for keeping you away from home so many days a month,” smiled the sleek billionaire, leaning on the work table. “What do we have?” he asked, scanning the scattered images taken by the high-tech security cameras.

“Something I’m sure you’ve never seen before,” he replied, handing him a close-up shot of a red-blue blur. “The sensors didn’t detect anyone entering. We were warned of the breach when the alarms went off but, even if the sensors had picked up something, there’s no way we would have been able to stop him. What is this guy?”

“I don’t know, but he’s done us a great service,” murmured Bruce, taking the photo from Lucius’ hands.

“By stealing for Edge? You’re placing a ticking bomb in the worst hands, Bruce.”

“This guy’s just provided us with a backdoor, Lucius. Give me all the prints and everything the cameras recorded.”

“May I ask what you’re intending to do about this, sir?”

“The least you know the better, Lucius. This way you won’t have to commit perjury when the time comes.”

Wayne didn’t know who this man was that had managed to slip past the plant’s security; however, the fact that he was being blackmailed by Edge using a loved one as bait and that Lex suspected about his superhuman abilities convinced Bruce he was worth covering up, at least, until he could find out more about the Blur.

LEX’S PENTHOUSE-METROPOLIS- 7 a.m.

The smell of freshly-made coffee brought Chloe out of her quiet slumber and the gentle knocking at her bedroom door sprung her into action.

“Chloe, are you awake? May I come in?”

“Just a sec,” she replied, rushing to the toilet to clean her teeth and sliding back under the sheets after bumping her foot against the dresser while looking for the sleepwear that was nowhere to be found.

“Is everything OK?” he asked, hearing her mumbled swearing.

“Yes. You may come in now,” she responded, covering herself up with the burgundy satin sheets.

“Good morning,” he entered the room, wearing a smug smile and carrying a tray with an extra large mug of coffee, toast, her favourite chocolate muffins and a small vase with a red tulip.

“Good morning,” she greeted him, sitting up on the bed and grabbing the sheet, which was threatening to slide down and reveal her nudity. “You’re spoiling me, Lex,” she added when he sat down and arranged the bed tray on her lap.

“I’m a cautious man. I know what a Sullivan’s like without her double dose of caffeine when she wakes up,” he smirked, leaning over the tray to give her a languorous kiss which left them both breathless and decidedly aroused.“You’re addictive,” he murmured against her lips, grazing the underside of one breast and drawing a delicious moan from her mouth.

“And you’re a dangerously gorgeous distraction, Mr Luthor, but I need my sustenance to keep up with you,” she sighed, pushing him gently away. “Would you mind fetching me a shirt? I can’t have breakfast and struggle with these slippery decadent sheets.”

“I wouldn’t complain at the view,” he replied seductively.

“First drawer, Lex,” she told him, cocking an eyebrow.

“Rummaging through your underwear wouldn’t be that bad either,” he told her with a gleam in his eyes, fastening them on the creamy swell of her breasts-where her St Christopher was still resting- and noticing her pebbled peaks behind the expensive satin that was covering her luscious curves.

“Wrong drawer,” she quipped, taking a sip at the frothy mug of java to distract her from the arousing effect of their verbal judo.

“This one’s OK?” he asked, showing her a green shirt she’d bought on a whim a few months ago and never got to use.

“That’ll do until I can get a new nightdress,” she replied, munching on a piece of toast with strawberry spread.

“No more long-sleeved cotton?” he said tentatively, meeting her deep emerald eyes over the brim of her mug.

“I don’t need it anymore now,” she agreed, her voice charged with emotion as his loved blue-grey eyes locked with hers and she saw the same feeling reflected in them.

“I’ll let you finish your breakfast and dress for the clinic while I take this call,” he said, handing her the shirt a few seconds later and flipping his vibrating mobile open. “Luthor,” he snapped, leaving for his den.”Hold on,” he added, closing the door of his study. “When did this happen? Was anything compromised? No, I’ll conduct the interrogation myself. Keep him isolated until I get there. I’ve got another place to be first. That’ll be all,” he finished the conversation, taking a second incoming call. “Bruce, do you have any news? I told you we could count on him... No, Edge won’t touch her... he needs her until the package’s delivered... I`ve got it covered... You did? Then we only have to sit back and wait... Listen, we have to be at the clinic in an hour. Can I call you back later? Good. Bye.”

THE DAVIS CLINIC- METROPOLIS- 8.30 a.m.

Lois was pacing up and down the corridor in front of the nurses’ station when Chloe stepped out of the lift flanked by Lex, who had Laurie’s right hand in his, and stopped stock still. Lex had been the first one to spot the General’s daughter and it had only taken him a look into the brunette’s eyes to realise she knew pretty much everything.

“Oh, my God, Chloe!” gasped the eldest of the General’s daughters, covering her mouth to swallow a sob before sprinting towards the blonde to wrap her arms tightly around her baby cousin,

“Lo’?” mumbled Chloe, returning the embrace after a split-second hesitation.

“Do you... do you remember me, Chlo’?” she asked shakily, trying to fight away the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

“Poor speller, typist and cook. I always had to go over your homework to make sure you didn’t get a D and have to endure one of the General’s colourful speeches. Do you still burn the water?” replied Chloe playfully.

“If I’d known beforehand that your talents didn’t lie in the kitchen, I would have saved a heap of money on my insurance policy for The Talon,” chuckled Lex, meeting Lois’ glare over Chloe’s shoulder.

“Mr Luthor,” Lois greeted him tensely, staying close to the petite blonde.

“Miss Lane,” smirked the billionaire, feeling Laurie’s hold tighten on his hand as she pressed closer to his leg.

“And who would this little lady be?” smiled Lois, crouching down to be at the girl’s eye level and experiencing a sudden clench in the gut the moment the three-year-old bore her intense blue-grey eyes into hers.

“That’d be Laura,” said Chloe proudly, “Your second cousin,” she added, choosing not to say ‘My daughter’ to avoid hurting Lex when all she wanted to do was to introduce the girl as ‘Our daughter. Lex’s daughter.’

“Why are you looking at us funny?” asked Laurie quietly but firmly, holding Lois’ gaze unwaveringly.

“I’m not looking at you funny,” she frowned, shooting a sidelong glance at Lex, who had a possessively protective hand on Laurie’s shoulder. “This is my surprise face. I didn’t know I had a second cousin. That’s a cute teddy bear you have there,” she added, trying to loosen up the suddenly tense atmosphere. “Does it have a name?”

“He’s called Lex,” she stated categorically, catching its namesake by surprise and making Chloe wonder what vibe their daughter had picked up to change Mr Bear`s name in the span of a few minutes and suddenly turn all prickly and territorial as if her father needed protection or some kind of loving acknowledgment.

“Lex, eh?” Lois cocked an eyebrow and straightened up. “Well, it’s the first time I hear that name linked with a teddy bear.”

“Lois,” Chloe cut in, remembering her cousin’s tendency to talk before thinking,” have you seen Mom?”

“No. I got here half an hour ago and they told me I wasn’t on the list of approved visitors,” replied the brunette, turning around to look at Gabe’s only daughter.

“Dr Litvack said the swelling’s progressively going down and that he’s considering bringing her out of the coma tomorrow,” explained Lex for Lois’ benefit.”Why don’t you go in first, Chloe?” he suggested.

“OK. Lois, I’ll tell the head nurse to add your name. I’m sure Mom will love to know her favourite niece has come to visit her,” she smiled before turning back to Laurie. “Baby, why don’t you come with Mommy? Let’s ask Ms Adair if you can hang out with your friend Suzy at the playroom, shall we?”

“It’s all right, Laurie,” said Lex when their daughter looked at her mother’s cousin with distrust. “Go with Mom. Lois and I have to talk about some boring adult stuff.”

“Hug?” whispered Laurie, opening her arms and signalling for him to lean down.

Lois observed the fleeting emotion in the usually unflappable billionaire as he complied with the little girl’s wishes. The gesture was somewhat awkward- no surprise considering what kind of a relationship he’d had with his own father- but the warmth that transpired was evident even to Lois, who raised her eyes to see Chloe enthralled by the scene. Where was the world going if a Luthor was turning all soft and sappy and she- Lois Lane- was suddenly feeling sympathy for the crappy childhood he’d had?

“Bye,” waved the blonde sprite, taking Chloe’s hand and marching up the corridor.

“Is distrust embedded in the Luthor DNA? She doesn’t seem to like me very much,” grumbled Lois when her cousin and the girl were out of earshot.

“That’s because, unlike me, she hasn’t come across some of your most endearing qualities,” replied Lex, putting his hands in the pockets of his perfectly pressed black trousers.

“Is that some kind of veiled compliment?” she cocked an eyebrow.

“No, that’s me being ironical. So...”

“So... It appears the General chose to leave out an important piece of information. Have you told her yet?”

“Have I told who what?”

“Come on, Luthor, Clark can be dense but you are not him. Does the kid know who her real father is?”

“I don’t see what that has to do with you.”

“Chloe and that little girl are the only family I have left.”

“Somehow I don’t think hearing that would make the General very happy.”

“You keep your thoughts about my relationship with my father to yourself, and I’ll do you the same favour about yours.”

“Fair enough.“

“You hurt that kid or my baby cousin, Lex, and I swear to you...” she told him with glassy eyes. “Damn!” she wiped away a couple of tears.”This sucks. Things would be so much easier if I could just lay all the guilt of what’s happened at your doorstep, but...for the record... I still don’t like you...”

“I’d never doubt that. Get to the point, Lois.”

“I suppose what I’m trying to say is... that I’m sorry for the things I said back there. You know, at the funeral. I was devastated. Chloe’s like a little sister to me and ...“

“I deserved everything that you said and probably more.”

“Don’t you dare take away from me this grand gesture, Luthor. You can do your own self-beating later. I simply meant to say that things might have gone more smoothly between us if I’d known... if I hadn’t let Clark and the K... Jonathan... convinced me you had been just using her.”

“It must have cost you a lot to frame that apology, so I’ll take it as a show of good will. Although I must say it’s unexpected, considering you and Clark are practically joined at the hip these days.”

“I’m my own woman, Luthor, and Clark and I don’t always see eye to eye. I’m not saying I believe everything that comes out of your mouth or LuthorCorp’s PR Department, mind you, but neither you nor Chloe or your daughter-for that matter- deserved what happened to you. Now... what are your plans to make that scumbag pay for putting Aunt Moira in a coma?

”I’m working on it,” he smirked.

BASEMENT- LUTHORCORP PLAZA- AN HOUR LATER

Lex had almost forgotten what it was like to deal with Chloe’s whirlwind of a cousin. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle her- she’d never been a match for Chloe when it came to verbal judo- it was just that putting up with her constant prattling and her lousy jokes, which would have put her late Uncle Gabe’s too shame, was simply too much. He now had a monumental headache that had been worth it only because he’d found the perfect excuse to slip away and move a new pawn; Lois was the most trustworthy `babysitter`. Had the circumstances been any different, he would have never left a Sullivan and a Lane together- they were the perfect recipe for trouble. However, Laurie was now part of the equation and neither woman would jeopardise her security. Lois might not be his favourite person, but he knew her well enough to never doubt she’d protect her own like a mother hen.

Stepping out of his private lift, he was joined by his head of security at LuthorCorp Plaza.

“What’s the detainee’s status?” he asked his employee, waiting for the fingerprint scanner to grant them access to the restricted area.

“He’s just come around, sir.”

“Have my instructions been followed?”

“To the letter, sir. He’s been contained and disarmed and is currently waiting for you in an interrogation room without wires or cameras.”

“Good. You can wait here. You’ll get further instructions as soon as I’m done with him,” he finished, swiping his master key card and entering his private code to access the room where the unwelcome visitor was being retained. “Well, we meet face to face at last,” he said, closing the door firmly behind him and eyeing the man in green handcuffed to the chair.”Or should I say face to mask? Not that those dark glasses and hood covered that much. Nervous? Afraid that I’ll finally find out who the leader of the terrorists in costumes is that have been breaking and entering into LuthorCorp facilities of late? I should uncover you and sue you and your Band of Merry Men for stealing and destroying private property.”

“I’m not afraid of you. Even if you get your way now, justice will be served eventually. No one’s above and beyond the law.”

“That’s just grand! Have you had a real look at yourself in the mirror? What makes you and your friends any different from those you claim to be fighting? The fact that you call yourselves heroes? You believe yourselves to be above and beyond the law. You break all the rules and all the laws and hide behind your hypocritical preaching but you’re no better than them. And if you believed in our justice system, you wouldn’t dress up in a ridiculous costume to play judge, jury and executioner in the back alleys at night,” Lex spat at him.

“I’m nothing like you,” gritted Oliver, shaking in an attempt to liberate himself.

“I’m not a hypocritical holier-than-thou ass, that`s for sure. But don’t delude yourself, neither you nor I will ever be him,” responded Lex, looking at his interlocutor with a cynical smirk. “Your millions will never erase who you are or the darkness that is inside you. Oh, yes. Did you think that pathetic excuse of a costume and that voice changer would deceive me at close range? You must think I’m really stupid. I`ve never forgotten a face, least of all that of the man who made my life at Excelsior a living hell and turned me against the only real friend I ever had growing up.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Retribution. However, I’m willing to offer you a deal.”

“I’d never do a deal with a Luthor. My father trusted a Luthor once and ended up in the bottom of the sea.”

“I’m not my father. I will NEVER be like him,” exploded Lex. “And I’m afraid you haven’t got much of a choice, Queen. You see, we caught you stealing some very sensitive information- information that the Military consider classified,” he explained with barely contained energy. “Are you ready to spend the rest of your life rotting in some federal prison? Once the mask comes off the charges will pile up. I have you on tape. All your incursions into LuthorCorp facilities have been saved on my internal servers. Now we have a face to put to the Archer,” he added smugly.

“What exactly do you want me to do?” asked Oliver, clenching his jaws tightly.

“I want you to put your skills at my service. Morgan Edge has kidnapped Lana Lang and I want you to rescue her. I imagine you must have noticed that your new friend in flannel is nowhere to be found. That’s why Lois recruited you, isn’t it?” laughed Metropolis’ billionaire. .” I kind of admire her; she’s willing to go the extra mile to help the one she loves just like her cousin Chloe would- even rally an ex-flame’s aid. And we would do anything to deserve the love of a woman such as them. Clark is going to try to save Lana but if you don’t do something about it, there’ll be two more corpses to add to the count.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Lex?”

“Once Edge gets what he wants to make Argus functional he won’t need Lana anymore, and he isn’t the kind to leave loose ends. He’ll kill Clark, too.”

“He won’t be able to...”

“Listen, Queen, I’ve always known Clark is hiding something and I still don’t know what exactly. However, there’s something I do know. Edge had the warehouse and the cell where he kept Lana and Chloe’s mother rigged with meteor rocks, and I don’t think that was random. He didn’t want for Clark to get near them. He won’t be able to get near Lana this time either; Edge will make sure of it. So... this is what I’m offering you. You save Lana... you save them... and I make this thing go.”

“How do I know you won’t stab me in the back?”

“I stand a lot to lose now. Everything that ever meant something was taken from me once. We found each other again, and I won’t do anything to jeopardise it again. I’m not my father, Queen,” he said fiercely.

“OK. Let’s go get the bastard.”

TBC

[superag]

Love the ties that Queen and Lex are finally building back. Somehow even the careful billionaire is softening in some ways because of Chloe and Laurie. Great update!

[athena]

Yay, update!

First, Laurie. I loved how perceptive she is. A Luthor to the core, ain’t she? She will learn how to mask her intentions and protectiveness in the future, but I do like that she has created a bond with Lex without knowing he’s her father. Telling her right now, would add confusion to the whirl that her little world had become.

Lois: I liked the way she confronted her father but the fact that General Lane gave up so easily makes me wonder if he doesn’t have another hidden agenda. I really hope Laurie gives her a hard time when babysitting.:rofl:

Bruce: always love when Bruce comes into a fic. Can’t help it!:D What was he asking Rachel? I do have a feeling that it wasn’t a “simple” dinner between friends. I believe Bruce asked her to try to convict Edge, am I right Lexie?

Chlex: nice development. I believe they have to approach it slowly because Laurie won’t understand how suddenly Lex took all the roles that she believed to belong to the only dad she knew.

Again, another awesome job. Thanks Lexie!

[Cassandra Jean]

Wonderful update.

Incorporating Bruce Wayne/Batman into the story was very nice. He and Lex playing nicely together...awesome.

The whloe Chloe/Lex relationship is developing nicely.

As for Lois, what can I say? She spent years not being able to see that Clark is Superman, but in two seconds she was able to figure out who Laura's father is.

[hfce]

Oh my goodness this is getting so good. I loved how Lois could see Laura is her father's daughter. She was so cute trying to protect her daddy. I can't wait until they tell her he is her daddy for real. That's soon right? ;)

[Fouzia]

Thank you for you story!!!!:grin3:

[lexie]

Love the ties that Queen and Lex are finally building back. Somehow even the careful billionaire is softening in some ways because of Chloe and Laurie. Great update!

And he's never seen them in person. I bet Laurie would have Queen wrapped around her little finger in no time. It could make him less of an ass. :D



Yay, update!

First, Laurie. I loved how perceptive she is. A Luthor to the core, ain’t she? She will learn how to mask her intentions and protectiveness in the future, but I do like that she has created a bond with Lex without knowing he’s her father. Telling her right now, would add confusion to the whirl that her little world had become.

She's got the perceptiveness of a Luthor and she's definitely as territorial and possessive as her dad. However, the Lane/Sullivan gene might temper that need to mask her emotions and hide her intentions. You would have to see her grow up to judge that.

Telling Laurie point blank that Lex's her dad would be stressful, I agree. We`ll see how that is handled eventually and how it'll turn out.


Lois: I liked the way she confronted her father but the fact that General Lane gave up so easily makes me wonder if he doesn’t have another hidden agenda. I really hope Laurie gives her a hard time when babysitting.:rofl:

Well, the General`s always been a hard nut to crack. but knowing his daughter's tendency to act and think later maybe he decided this one time it would be better to sit her down and talk. Laurie, I'm sure, would be a handful if Lois were ever to babysit her. Although Lex meant babysitter in the sense that Lois would be able to stay with both Chloe and Laurie while he interviewed Queen.



Bruce: always love when Bruce comes into a fic. Can’t help it!:D What was he asking Rachel? I do have a feeling that it wasn’t a “simple” dinner between friends. I believe Bruce asked her to try to convict Edge, am I right Lexie?

I`ve got a soft spot for Gotham's billionaire too- though I've never been able to write a fic centred on him. Still I like introducing him into Lex's world from time to time. Something was cooking at that dinner, that much I can tell you.


Chlex: nice development. I believe they have to approach it slowly because Laurie won’t understand how suddenly Lex took all the roles that she believed to belong to the only dad she knew.

Again, another awesome job. Thanks Lexie!

It certainly is a delicate matter and one they'll find hard to juggle now they are intimate again and have their baby around all the time.



Wonderful update.

Incorporating Bruce Wayne/Batman into the story was very nice. He and Lex playing nicely together...awesome.

Glad you approve. Lex needs a male friend- he needs friends period; and I'm trying to make sure he's got someone on his side for a change.


The whloe Chloe/Lex relationship is developing nicely.

;)


As for Lois, what can I say? She spent years not being able to see that Clark is Superman, but in two seconds she was able to figure out who Laura's father is.

Oh, my Lois is certainly brighter! Besides, you have to take into account that by the time she arrived at the clinic she had already been briefed by her dad. She DID know Lex and Chloe had been intimate. The General had apparently left out the pregnancy, but seeing Laurie at close range, getting her intense Luthor glare, seeing two pairs of unmistakable intelligent blue-grey eyes fixed on her and sensing Lex's air of "This is my property. Don't touch" must have given her enough hints. And the kid's whole protective attitude must have added to the vibe.



Oh my goodness this is getting so good. I loved how Lois could see Laura is her father's daughter. She was so cute trying to protect her daddy. I can't wait until they tell her he is her daddy for real. That's soon right? ;)

You're impatient, Hope, aren't you? :D She'll learn about it soon. I can't tell you exactly when or how, but the moment will come.


Thank you for you story!!!!:grin3:

And thank you for reading and letting me know you're enjoying it. :blinkkiss

[Gaia]

Oliver working with Lex? now this is interesting...

[Esther25jm]

YAY! Great chapter, Lexie!! Can't wait for more! :D

[Kit Merlot]

“Do you... do you remember me, Chlo’?” she asked shakily, trying to fight away the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

Lois' complete and utter devotion to Chloe is a beautiful thing to behold--if only the show could remember that:D

Good for Lois for apologizing to Lex and for giving him the benefit of the doubt in regards to his relationship with Chloe and Laurie.

And good for Lex for working with Oliver to stop Edge from hurting any other people.

Lastly, isn't it sad that I don't actually care that Lana might be in danger from Morgan Edge??!!:P