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View Full Version : [Completed] A Sketch of Happiness R *Updated March 18, 2010*



sinecure
27th January 2010, 21:17
Title: A Sketch of Happiness (1/3)
Character/Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Rating: Mild R
Genre: Romance, drama
Summary: An idyllic day in the life of Chloe and Lex.
Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville. If I did, fanfic wouldn't be a necessity to fix the show, but a bonus for the Chlex we got on-screen.
Thanks: to momdaegmorgan for the beta.
A/N: Written for the Porn Battle (http://oxoniensis.dreamwidth.org/25077.html). The prompt was 'trace'.
A/N2: This started out as a one-shot, but somehow grew into a trilogy. Go figure.


Lex traced his fingers along the curve of Chloe's back, making her shiver, though they were both spent already. Just his skin on hers made her want him. A touch--one that she'd felt so many times before and been indifferent to--was brought alive and made new by this latest aspect of their relationship.

A relationship that'd taken her by surprise, but he'd taken in his usual, unflappable stride. She wondered if he'd ever imagined them here, lying in bed together, back to being... something between friends and lovers.

"That tickles," she said irritably as he settled his palm half on her hip and half on the curve of her ass.

He leaned down, and she felt his lips press lightly to her shoulder blade. "Does it?"

Bemused, she glanced over her shoulder at him. "You're being very touchy feely."

Eyes lifting to hers, he slid his mouth higher up her shoulder. "I have a specific purpose in mind; one that requires you to be... pleasantly relaxed."

"Is that so?" Intrigued, she settled back on her stomach, resting her head on her crossed arms. "Have at it then."

Lex's hand moved lower, down her hip to her thigh. "I intend to."

Biting her lip, she fought a grin, taking note; Lex was insatiable. Leaning her head to the side, she stared at her phone on his nightstand. There was a message waiting for her from Clark, a call Lex hadn't allowed her to take. She'd had to fight not to answer it at first, but Lex's hands and mouth had easily persuaded her.

She sighed, knowing Clark would probably never forgive her for taking Lex as a lover so soon after Lana's death. But grief did horrible things to a person. And wonderful things too. She just wasn't sure which this was. Horrible to Clark and the newly-returned-to-life Lana.

A little wonderful to her.

Lex's lips smoothed over her middle back, then the curve of her ass. "Right here," he declared.

Well, that sounded-- "What?" Trying to roll over, she felt him press down on her legs. He was straddling them, hands spanning her waist. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," he said quietly, and she grew nervous. That tone of voice was one she knew well. She'd heard it too many times before, usually when Lex was about to do something she didn't like, or had already done it.

"Lex, wh--"

"Shh." He traced his hand over the curve of her back again and she shivered. "Hold still."

She wanted to jerk up and roll over, ask him what he was talking about, why he was so focused on her back, but she stilled herself, trusting him. And that surprised her. Scoffing lightly, she told herself it wasn't like he was going to suddenly pull a gun on her and demand answers about Clark, so in this she could trust him.

It'd been months, she realized, and he hadn't asked her one question about Clark, hadn't pushed, hadn't demanded to know anything she wasn't willing to tell him.

She did trust him.

Swallowing, eyes darting around the room in a panic, she calmed when she felt his lips on her back where his hand had been. Uncomfortable with her realization, she half-rolled over, eyeing him. "Lex, what are doing?"

"This, right here." He pressed a finger to a spot on her back. "It's the last place on your body that I haven't kissed."

Brows rising, she stared at him, mystified. "I-- oh. S-- so, why do you need me pleasantly relaxed to do that?" Shoving down the pleasure rising in her, the happiness because he seemed so intent on touching and kissing every inch of her, she ducked her head.

He chuckled, lips settling near the spot he'd picked out. "Because you're ticklish." He pressed his lips lightly to her skin, and she squirmed away, swatting at him.

"Stop," she giggled, but his lips continued to move around, pressing little butterfly kisses along her hip and back, then his teeth nipped, stinging her.




********



Jerking up, Chloe scooted back as far as the wall behind her would allow, dragging the covers over her naked, shaking body. The dream-- the memories? No, dream. Not real. She wasn't really naked. Lex wasn't with her.

But he was.

"What the hell are you doing? Jesus Christ!" Her heart pounded in her chest, the machines beside her letting everyone in the room know. Several of Lex's scientists glanced her way, but stayed at their equipment. Her eyes darted from Lex standing above her, to the objects in his hand.

The fucking Kryptonite-infused electrodes.

Rubbing her temples, where the electrodes had been moments before, she glared at the gray walls she'd been forced to call home for ten days.

Would Clark ever figure out where she was? Did he care?

A sob rose in her throat, but she didn't let it out, wouldn't give Lex the satisfaction. Bastard.

He stood beside her small bed, face blank, eyes shuttered as they settled on hers. He didn't speak, but his face told her enough. The blank look spoke of lost trust and hurt--something she knew well--but it wasn't aimed at her.

It was about Lana.

"I prefer the nightmares," she bit out, seeing his eyes close down further, and feeling her heart lose some of its strength. He was desperate, and she was... a pawn. Rubbing her fingers over the spot on her back that he'd been so concentrated on, she felt the small bump where he'd put the latest Kryptonite implant.

She was riddled with them now, and no closer to feeling anything but disgust toward him. It had to be killing him that his big plan for getting Lana back wasn't working.

Snickering, she clenched her fists, feeling like a contradiction in emotions. "She'll never want you again, no matter how you manipulate her. And she'll never trust you again either. Not ever."

He valued trust and loyalty to him above nearly everything else. And he knew he didn't have hers, which meant he wouldn't have Lana's. The treatments weren't working.

Never would. He couldn't take a person that despised him and make her feel something for him through dream-manipulation, faked feelings, and Kryptonite. Despite what she felt in the dreams, she didn't feel a thing for him in real life. And her heart didn't hurt for the desperation in him to get someone to love him back. It didn't.

"Again," Lex said coldly, reaching over to jerk her back down on the bed to replace the electrodes.

The sob broke free anyway. "Just stop," she yelled in a panic, jerking her foot free of his tight grip. She didn't want to go back there, back into that idyllic life that wasn't real. This was reality, gray, concrete walls and floors, fluorescent lights, and Lex's cold gaze. This was reality.

Lex's eyes, as dull and unfeeling as the walls and floor, flickered to a man standing a few yards away. "Give her the shot."

"No!" Forcing the next word out, she squeezed her eyes shut and twisted her head to the side, hoping he wouldn't see the tears. Knowing he would. "Please."

But she still felt fingers grip her arm--which looked like a junkie's--and hold it still for the needle. The small pinch was nothing compared to the burning, singeing feeling in her veins, or the world she was going to return to, one she felt a longing for despite herself.

Turning her head to glare at Lex, she jerked her arm free.

Lex bent over and pressed the electrodes to her temples again. A machine whirred to life and they began to glow green. "You don't understand," he told her, pressing them tight. His eyes fastened on hers and she saw the briefest flicker of tenderness. "This was never about Lana."

Her eyes slid shut, releasing her tears as the drug coursed through her.



AN: I'm sorry. I love happy endings. I just can't seem to write one. *cries* I want to write fluff.

Fouzia
27th January 2010, 22:39
Thank you to write such beatiful fic!!!! Everyday I come on the site and read a new fic!! thank you so much !!:grin3:

Kit Merlot
28th January 2010, 01:06
Like I said on your lj, this was damn intense.

If Lex truly does want to win Chloe to his side, he is going about it in completely the wrong way.

Wonderful work:grin3:

hfce
28th January 2010, 02:49
Aww man that was so sad. :(

somethingeasy
29th January 2010, 15:53
This was an amazing story, Sinecure. Imagine me sitting open-mouthed in wonder at the plotting, characterizations and emotional content. I was blown away!

I loved how you sketched two completely different tones within the same story. One half of the story was sweet, sappy, romantic, charming and delightful… the other half was ‘delightful’ in a very twisted kind of way that applies to fic with trauma, torture, sadism, with a very twisted, obsessive, possessive kind of desire/love(?).

The two halves of the fics complemented each other… the two tones being more emphasized because of the stark contrast between them. Damn, I’d LOVE to see this fic continued… with story continuing between these two threads of plot.

Anyhow, I loved the first half of the ficlet for the beautiful way that sweet romance was being spun out for the readers. Chloe and Lex were obviously happily in love with each other, and delighted to be in each other’s company. I especially liked the way that Chloe felt in her own little bubble or sanctuary of peace and happiness… where nothing from the outside world could intrude on this moment. Heh… pretty ironic, eh? VERY nicely done, Sinecure!

I also liked how there was a tiny hint of uneasiness during the sweet moment. When Lex marked a point on her body as ‘right here’, Chloe’s body and/or instincts were shouting at her to beware of whatever Lex was doing. She actually had to convince herself to settle down, scolding herself that she was being silly and that she had no reason not to trust Lex.

I loved the idea that Chloe’s instincts are fighting against this wonderful, amazing, tempting dream-world… trying to warn her that all might not be as it appears. Unfortunately, her instincts are really weak and confused, and can’t shout off enough of a warning to snap her out of it… but it’s heartening enough to know that they’re there at least.

Honestly though, the ‘hint of unease’ was only evident to me on my second (or was it third?) reading of the ficlet, LOL! I was taken completely by shock and aghast horror when the scene changed from beautiful, romantic, warm setting to something cold, cruel and monstrous.

I think the stark contrast between the two environments made it all the more horrific and unsettling for Chloe. She’s literally been torn out of a heavenly, peaceful, beautiful place into her worst nightmare. I’m very impressed that she was able to show as much defiance as she demonstrated… and this is after about ten days of this kind of torture?! Chloe’s strength of mind, spirit and will power is awe-inspiring! I especially loved the way that she choked back her sobs, whimpers and all other signs of weakening because she didn’t want to give Lex the satisfaction of seeing the effects of his torture on her.

I loved the hint woven in that, as strong as she is, Chloe IS weakening. She’s beginning to see that dream-world with a sense of longing and relief… and who can blame her? A few more days of this, and Chloe is going to throw herself head-first into the dreamworld simply to save herself from her torture-filled reality.

I also thought Chloe had a very fascinating and plausible hypothesis that Lex was only using her as a guinea pig for a procedure that he was planning on using on Lana. I found the idea quite intriguing, but also repulsive and enraging that a mind like Chloe’s would be subjected to this kind of ‘breaking’ purely for Lana-centred research.

So it was with a huge sigh if relief (albeit, a very twisted kind of relief) to find out that Lex was focused on Chloe alone… and that he’s doing this monstrous thing because he’s desperate for Chloe’s love, loyalty and devotion. It’s nothing to do with Lana at all. What a relief!!!

Concerning Lex’s involvement in Chloe’s dreamworld. I would love, LOVE to know that Lex is a very active and aware participant in Chloe’s dreamworld… where he’s literally entering her dreams somehow, and interacting with her on the unreal plane of existence that he’s created for both of them. I like the idea of Lex playing out all of his deepest fantasies of Chloe beloved and besotted boyfriend in virtual reality… as a means to brainwash her into accepting virtual as real.

The idea of Lex just standing back and letting Chloe’s brain make up her own dream images with only direction from the drug, electrical prods and scientific data input… it strikes me as rather cold, impersonal and… well… kind of lazy on his part. But if Lex is actually on the dream-plane with Chloe, then that’s so much more satisfying.

Hmmm. I wonder how much satisfaction Lex is going to get from eventually getting a girlfriend whose mind has been broken into a schizophrenic state, where she cannot distinguish dreams from reality anymore. If Lex is being serious about brainwashing Chloe into loving him, then he’s going about it completely the wrong way. He’s not going to ‘win’ Chloe this way, he’s only going to destroy her. The mad fool!


AN: I'm sorry. I love happy endings. I just can't seem to write one. *cries* I want to write fluff.

heh… would you hate me if I admitted that I LOVE your inability to write fluff, Sinecure. There are precious few people who can write great angst of this caliber… so I just thank heavens that darkness flows from your fingertips ;)

momdaegmorgan
30th January 2010, 20:31
I love this! Love the opposing tone to the two scenes. Love that you gave us fluffy and hopeful, then gave us angsty and not as hopeful (though there is still some hope there, even if it's a slightly creepy one).

Good job!

sinecure
15th February 2010, 20:31
Thank you, everyone, for all the fantastic feedback.

skauble
17th February 2010, 02:00
What an incredible story! OMG I love the contrast between the idyllic beginning and the dark ending.

Finding out that Lex was engineering all of this because he wanted to win Chloe over was fantastic. And of course that doesn't even occur to Chloe, and I think that's probably not only due to Lex's pursuit of Lana, but also because of the way that she sometimes seem to doubt her own worth in that regard.

Oh how I'd love to see what happens after this. How much of Chloe's reality can Lex alter? How could he translate that to the real world? What would happen if she faced Clark once Lex's plan came to fruition or if she was rescued by Clark but the treatments had already had some kind of effect on her?

This kind of fic really sticks with me because there are just so many possibilities and I want to see them all play out!

I have to agree with Sabrina here:


heh… would you hate me if I admitted that I LOVE your inability to write fluff, Sinecure. There are precious few people who can write great angst of this caliber… so I just thank heavens that darkness flows from your fingertips

This was an absolutely wonderful story. Great work!

purplemoon123
19th February 2010, 09:47
OMG!!! That was such an unexpected twist!! Amazing!!!

Lynzie914
16th March 2010, 08:50
This was absolutely amazing! I did not expect that twist. I really liked the beginning and would have been content with the sexy fluff, but then you threw in the angst twist and I just loved it! I like some conflict and angst and twistedness to my Chlex (and most other things), and this was just perfect. Again I say, absolutely amazing!

sinecure
17th March 2010, 06:25
A/N: Chapter 2... I've been going back and forth on it for weeks, but it's time to post. Chapter 3 coming soonish.
Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville. If I did, fanfic wouldn't be a necessity to fix the show, but a bonus for the Chlex we got on-screen.
Thanks: to momdaegmorgan for the beta.

"Lex..."

He heard his name called faintly, hesitantly, and he jerked upright, breathing hard, staring around him in confusion. Smoke and dust poured through Chloe's drab cell as alarms blared. Blinking rapidly in the dim, green light, coughing and choking on the smoke, he covered his mouth with the back of his hand, peering at the dead scientists slumped over their computers.

Shot in the head.

Chloe knelt on the floor beside him, watching but not touching, looking ready to run at the slightest movement. She jerked back a little when he returned his attention to her.

"What happened?"

He could guess. Another escape; someone had been careless and now his most brilliant scientists were dead, his labs destroyed. Again. Fury blazed through him. He'd have to start all over. Again. Start the project from scratch, and Chloe....

"What--" he was stopped by a cough deep in his chest.

"A man..." she said, eyes darting around the room, everywhere but on him. "He-- escaped somehow. Your security has never been the best, a flaw I'd think you'd have fixed by now. Seriously, Lex."

He twisted his lips in annoyance. "Thank you for the input. I'll be sure to take the recommendation under consideration."

"Hey," she snapped, then jumped at a noise in the hall. "I mean, I'm-- I'm just trying to help. Aren't you getting tired of being concussed?"

Instead of answering in the affirmative, because he was tired of the injuries and concussions he'd received over the years, he merely raised a brow her way. "Chloe."

She frowned, jerking back further. "He, uh, he was angry. Had some kind of power." She frowned at her wrist, scratching it absently. "The usual meteor-freak thing. Shaking the ground like a demented kid with a snow globe. The walls broke and cracked. The ceiling--" her eyes darted to it nervously.

Andrew Orson.

Sitting upright on the bed, brushing concrete and plaster off of his suit, he stared past Chloe. He knew the man well, though they'd never met face to face.

Probably a good thing, or else Lex would be dead now.

Sliding his eyes back to Chloe, he took in the cuts on her face and the blood that trickled down her cheek and forehead, matting in her hair. He reached out to her in concern, but she jerked away.

"Don't touch me," she snapped, moving out of his reach. "I didn't help you because I--" she shook her head, straightening up and taking a few steps away from him. "I should've just left you here." There was bitterness in her voice, a weary sort of jaded look on her face. "I'm... leaving. Don't try to stop me, or have anyone else do it for you."

Lex quickly jerked the meteor rock infused electrodes from his temples, disconnecting him from the computer, which caused a blaring alarm to sound. It spiraled down, slowing, then silenced after a few weak shrieks. Eyes darting overhead as sparks shot from the ceiling, he saw the fluorescent light, hanging from wires, dangling above his bed. Sparks arced out again in a low hum, sending a white-hot shower raining down on him.

Chloe looked up at it, down at him, then behind her to the door.

The light arced again, then suddenly snapped off the ceiling completely. He rolled off the bed and when he landed on his knees and looked back up again, Chloe was gone.

He couldn't lose her; he needed her.

Needed her here with him. Needed-- just needed her. She couldn't leave him, damn it.

"Chloe!" he bellowed, jumping to his feet and running into the hall. Chaos reigned. Wreckage littered the narrow, gray hallway, dust and plaster coating every surface, and hanging in the air. He coughed a few times, peering through the powder.

Chloe was scrambling up a mountain of rubble a few yards away.

Beyond her, two men, both patients judging by their dull clothing that matched Chloe's, jumped across the railing separating the upper floor from the wide, open lower floor. Sparks shot out and a dust-filled debris cloud rained down on the lower portions. He heard screams and yells and painful moaning as they ran, shouting in glee, across the rounded walkway.

But he saw only Chloe.

The floor between them was riddled with chunks of concrete and rebar; it looked as if the floor itself had been broken upward from below. He hurried toward her, stumbling as he went. It was difficult to see. "You can't go out there, Chloe. They'll kill you."

And him.

There wasn't a doubt in his mind that they'd be gunning for him as soon as they saw him in his suit. His scientists were dead or dying all over the complex--staff members--all of them, fair game for the lunatics now in charge.

Fingers bleeding and covered in white dust, Chloe looked back at him. "I'm one of them." She was more afraid of him than what was waiting for her out there.

That kind of blindness would get her killed.

"You can't--"

"Stay the hell away from me, Lex." She bit back a sob, desperation growing with each word.

A woman ran by on the other side of the debris, then drew to a halt, eyes snapping to Lex.

"Chloe, get down," he warned, voice low, wishing he had his gun on him. Cold dread seeped into his gut.

The woman's eyes lowered to Chloe.

"Ms. Lewis..." he kept his voice soft, but firm; cautious.

She smirked and moved forward. "Mr. Luthor. So formal.... after all we've been through together." She chuckled darkly, eyes sliding to Chloe with a conspiratorial air. "The pain, the blood, the screaming. I mean, if that's not something that brings two people closer together, I don't know what is."

"Sidney, leave her out of this." Fear for Chloe pushed aside all thoughts of calming Sidney. He'd known it was impossible--she was insane by fewer degrees than most of the rest of the patients here, but still ragingly psychotic--still, he'd had to try. "She's not--"

Sidney grinned. "Oh, but she is."

She jumped at Chloe.

"Chloe don't let her touch you!"

Lex darted forward, grabbing Chloe's ankle as she tried to scramble away from the wild-eyed Sidney. She ended up knocking chunks of concrete down on herself as she slid backward, landing on top of him.

He rolled over, trying to protect her, but she jerked free from his grasp with a scream. Her dirty, blood-covered face turned to him, pulling her attention away from Sidney, who was quickly crawling toward them.

"Let go of me!" Chloe screamed, continuing to struggle, shock and desperation battling it out inside her.

Lex pulled her up and pushed her behind him just as Sidney reached them.

"Run," he told Chloe, turning just his head to shout it at her, hoping she'd hear him, but afraid she was too far gone. Because of him. Because of what he'd done to her.

Without hesitation, she turned and ran.

Sidney planted her hands on his chest, and he gasped in pain, head swinging back to her. She pushed harder and he dropped to his knees. The burning, tearing feeling shooting through his chest and limbs singed everything in its path, leaving him shaking and gasping for breath.

But Chloe was safe.

He screamed as tendrils of searing heat reached his head, scorching his thoughts, his memories, crawling amongst them, searching for something to cling to. He'd seen the results of this particular power, forced Sidney to use it numerous times, but he'd never felt it.

Never known this kind of pain.

Another scream was torn from his throat.

The hands on his chest scorched his skin, burning through his clothes, propping him up when his body went limp. Jerking him with each touch of her power--something they'd never quite found a term for, never completely mapped--as it fingered his thoughts and memories like harp strings, plucking a tune out of the soundless, wordless images in his head, he saw filmy darkness creep into his sight. Then even that began to fade.

But Chloe was safe.

The pain faded with his sight and hearing. Sparks flew from the light fixture behind him, quiet and dim. He felt them burn into his back as an image grew, brightening and turning soft, forcing everything else out.

A bedroom. Chloe was on the bed, body beneath his, smiling at him. But she wasn't moving, she was frozen in time, golden and glowing in the morning sunlight pouring through the windows.

He wanted to move toward her, but he was stuck as well, forced to watch from the sidelines, an observer to his own memory.

But Chloe was safe.


********

Chloe had no idea why she was going back.

It was Lex.

He'd locked her up in here, tormented her for weeks with his own special brand of torture. She should be running as fast and as far away from him, and this place, as possible. Instead, she was stumbling over a broken wall two cells away, shoving bodies out of her way, trying to get back to him.

Slipping in the dust and blood, she came face to face with dead brown eyes and a face twisted in pain. She hated this place and everything it represented. Why was she going back for him?

It was Lex.

Shoving to her feet, pushing down the rising panic, she crawled to the corner.

She peered around it, huddling just out of sight.

The scream he'd let out--ripped from his throat, torn from his soul--haunted her ears and made her fingers itch to help him. He didn't deserve it, he didn't deserve her mercy when he'd given her none.

But he'd been her friend once. He'd saved her from Sidney, and now she killing him.

His body fell forward, but Sidney's hands held him upright.

Damn it! Was she too late?

Was he dead?

A sob rose in her throat at the way her heart clenched at the thought. He'd done this to her. He'd forced her to feel things for him and now she was going to lose him. Turning away, she crawled back toward the exit, leaving him to his death, one he'd earned many times over.

Her hand landed on an arm and she jerked back, scrabbling away.

It was Lex.

Shaking her head, she blinked, seeing a blonde woman in a gray outfit. Dead. He'd done this to them. To everyone in here. It was all his fault.

Back against the wall, chest rising and falling heavily, she wiped the sweat and tears and blood from her eyes, staring at the dead woman. He' was just reaping what he'd sown.

But her heart made her head turn and her fingers claw the floor, drawing her toward the hallway again.

Fuck!

She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then stood up, hefting a large chunk of concrete in her hands. Counting to three, she peeked around the corner, ducked back, steadied her nerves, then darted forward, slamming the concrete down on Sidney's head. Sidney jerked back, startled, dropping to the ground. Lex fell to his side, his face hitting something that made blood run down his temple.

Slumped on her knees, Sidney looked up with a snarl, eyes glowing green.

Chloe threw what was left of her chunk of concrete. It glanced off of Sidney's head, stunning her.

Defenseless now that her only weapon was crumbled on the floor, she fell back, grabbing Lex's arm, dragging him with her toward the corner. He was limp, unconscious, no help at all. Dragging him around the corner, leaving a path of dust and blood in their wake, she looked around for help, but there was none.

The smell of burning flesh tickled her nose and she gagged.

It was Lex.

Smoke was curling up from the back of his suit. Smacking at it, she wiped the sparks free, burning the palms of her hands as footsteps quickly closed in on them. She looked around for another weapon, but all she found was an empty beaker.

"Wake up, damn it," she muttered, pulling him into the closest room, a cell similar to her own.

His legs were still sticking out, but Sidney rounded the corner, ribbons of green light licking at her arms and hands, so Chloe dropped him to the ground.

"You should be helping me kill him, not trying to save him."

Chloe scoffed, feeling her heart pull in two different directions. Sidney was right; she should be leaving Lex behind, not saving his life. He was nothing to her, nothing but her jailor. He'd locked her up, forcing her to endure the perfect fantasy with him, forcing her to enjoy everything they did together in that fantasy.

Was that why she wasn't leaving him to his fate?

No matter what he did to her, it seemed she just couldn't hurt him back.

"I'm not a killer."

Sidney sneered and moved closer, the light crackling and snapping around her. "Lex's memories say differently." Lips twisting higher, seeing her words had hit home, she strode closer. "You're a killer through... and through." She laughed, throwing her head back, sending the green light into the ceiling. "We all are!"

Wrapping her hand around the beaker behind her back, Chloe shook her head. "Those were in self defense."

"Liar."

Chloe frowned, worry eating at her. Was Sidney right? "I've never killed in cold blood," she told Sidney, shaking her head defiantly. "I haven't."

"Liar," Sidney sing-songed.

Chloe stood up, straightening, Sidney's denials ringing in her ears. "I'm not going to let you kill him." She wanted to run. Every fiber in her being was telling her to flee, to hide.

But an even stronger instinct was telling her to save Lex.

The ceiling above them rained dust down and she quickly ducked into the room, making Sidney come to her, glaring at Lex as she stepped over his body. He'd done this to her.

Forced feelings on her.

Bastard.

A scream sounded down the hall, and she jumped, spinning around. It was distant, but close enough to worry her. More were coming, and they'd all be gunning for Lex. Tightening her fist around the beaker, she stood beside the door, waiting.

Sidney came closer, kicking Lex in the leg, watching with a smirk as his leg flopped.

Might as well be dead, Chloe thought, heart pounding out a denial.

He couldn't be.

"You know, you're in a lot of his memories," Sidney told her, ducking her head inside the room. "There's a lot of history there--"

Chloe swung the beaker and smashed it into the side of Sidney's head. It broke into pieces, cutting into her face and head, but she didn't go down. She let out a scream and turned her glowing hands to Chloe. Reacting on instinct again, Chloe held the broken piece of glass out before her.

"Don't."

Sidney smacked her hand away and shot the green light at her.

Chloe ducked, reaching out, grabbing Sidney's leg, yanking it out from under her. She screamed and fell backward, light shooting just above Chloe's head.

Sidney landed on the concrete floor outside the door, head hitting the ground with a sickening sound.

She went silent.

Chloe grabbed the piece of glass again and crawled toward her, darting a look down each corridor. Distant sounds of screaming and shouts sounded throughout the compound, but nothing near enough to harm them. Reaching out cautiously, she felt for a pulse in Sidney's neck, but it was still.

Nausea swept through her. She bit it back and crawled back to Lex, straddling his legs. Familiar. Not right. Smacking his cheek, she called his name quietly, keeping an eye on their surroundings. There was a sudden barrage of gunshots and she jerked up, scrabbling off of Lex.

They weren't safe here.

Taking his arm, she pulled him further into the room and closed the door. There was a metal-framed bed, a bank of computers along the side wall, broken and smoking, and a window high up the wall opposite her. The bed was on its side, no longer bolted down. Running to it, she grabbed the end and pushed it in front of the door, scraping and squealing the entire way. Once it was blocking the door, she sat on it, cross-legged, peering around, shaking.

Her feet were cold.

An itch went through her hands again and she stared down at Lex. She wanted to hate him. She should.

Why couldn't she?

Scratching at the needle marks on her left arm, she searched the room, looking for weapons or tools of some kind. Once Lex woke up... but would he? Leaning over the edge of the bed, she reached out to his neck, fingers hovering over his pulse point for a second before lowering to find it there, beating steadily under warm skin.

Familiar. Not right.

Jerking her hand back, she scratched harder, feeling the implant under her skin. Another one.

How many in all now?

The skin began to tingle and burn beneath her nails, but she kept scratching, harder, deeper, cutting the flesh, seeing blood well up. They were doing something to her, making her feel things for him.

She had to get them out.

Leaning over the side of the bed again, she picked up a piece of broken glass and held it over the scratches, hand shaking. Pressing the jagged edge to her skin, sending blood well up, she dug into the flesh with a grunt. It was there, she could see it, so close to the surface. Slipping a finger into the cut, she grasped the tiny implant that looked like a green capsule.

Dropping it to the mattress, she held up her leg, cutting through the gray material and skin beneath. Digging the slippery implant out, she dropped it beside her. There was one in her right wrist too.

Her back.

Her shoulder.


********

Lex's mind slipped into focus seconds after returning to consciousness, but he held still, trying to orient himself.

Still in the lab. He could hear shouting and explosions. Distant.

Safe?

There was a dripping sound nearby. Breathing. Muttering.

Chloe.

His need to know if Chloe was safe was stronger than his sense of self-preservation. Sitting upright, he snapped his gaze to the bed in front of him, mouth dropping open for a split second before he jumped up and grabbed Chloe's hand.

"What are you doing?"

Blood dripped from the glass clutched in her hand, onto the bed beside her.

"I have to take them out. Let go of me." She jerked on her hand, but he held her tighter. Her eyes, bright and shining with tears and something indefinable, landed on his for a split second before moving back to the cut she'd made in her left calf. "Let go, Lex. Let me go. Please, just let go."

She was in shock. Was it more than that? Had he broken her?

Refusing to let go, he stood up, swaying for a horrifying moment. If he passed out, she'd cut herself more. Dropping to the bed beside her, he pried her fingers from the glass and tossed it across the room where it smashed into pieces too small for her to do any more harm to herself.

"Chloe, what are you doing?" He yanked her fingers from the wound in her calf, but she'd already pulled the implant free and dropped it to the bed beside her.

There were a dozen already there.

She stared at them for a moment, then picked them up and threw them across the room with a shout of frustration and pain. They rained down on the glass pieces, sparkling and glowing green amongst the clear glass in the fading sunlight.

Swallowing thickly, he took her face in his hands, holding it up to the dim light from the window in the wall. "Chloe, stop it. They're not hurting you."

She shrugged out of his grip, sliding away from him with a frown. "They're making me do things." She lowered her voice, tucking her chin to her chest and pulling her legs close to her body, wrapping her arms around them. "Feel things."

Hope rose in him at her words. Had he succeeded?

But she didn't want him touching her, didn't want him near her. Didn't want to feel whatever she felt.

"Chloe." When her eyes rose to his, he sighed, knowing this wasn't the time or place to have this discussion. "We need to get out of here. Sidney--"

"She's dead." She straightened up, eyes clearing a little. "We're all killers in here." She pulled the cuff of her pants down. Then again.

Worry ate at him; he couldn't get her only to lose her to madness. He wouldn't let that happen.

Standing up, he brushed off his suit, occupying his hands while he took her in. She was covered in blood and dirt and dust. Her hair was matted with it, her arms and legs coated in it. He needed to get her out of here before she really did lose her mind. His back ached, burned a little, and his head throbbed, but he was in good enough shape to get her out.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, knowing it wouldn't work even before he opened it, he sighed. His security was either making their way toward him, were already dead, or had left him here. It'd been over three hours since the siege began.

"We need to get out of here."

"We can't go out there."

Frowning down at her, he studied her face in the dying light of the sun as it slipped beneath the window, leaving them in near darkness. "We can get to the exits if we're careful, and--"

"I don't want to kill anyone else," she whispered, tightening her grip on her legs, shivering on the bed.

He nodded after a moment and sat beside her, peeling his jacket off. Draping it around her shoulders, he moved closer to the window, trying his phone again. They were surrounded by tons of concrete. Cell phones didn't work here except on the uppermost floors, and even that was a crapshoot.

"All right," he decided, sliding his phone into his pocket as she slipped her arms into his suit coat. "It might be best if we stay here." His security teams could be on their way, but he was doubtful; after all, how many guards had he been through since coming to Smallville? He was sure they were either dead or gone. Only the most loyal would stay, and he wasn't sure any of them were that loyal.

"You're burned," she told him matter-of-factly, staring at his back.

It was sore and he did feel a minor burning sensation, but it was his head that hurt the most; that worried him. His thoughts were sliding around, out of order, shifting and rearranging themselves before slipping back into place.

It was disorienting.

"I'm fine." He was more concerned about the cuts on her arms and legs. Her back, her abdomen, her shoulder. That one was still in there, he'd seen the scrapes on her skin as he placed his jacket on her, but no gash. Turning toward her, he unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, shivering lightly in the cool air. "Those cuts are going to get infected," he murmured, lips tightening at the blood still dripping from her leg to the floor.

She shrugged, resting her chin on her knees, watching him tear his shirt into strips. "Will that make you leave them out?"

"No," he lied, taking her leg and wrapping one of the strips over the wound in her calf. Working by the light of his cell phone, he tied it tight, hearing her wince in the dark room, almost black now but for the glow from the town lights. He smoothed his fingers over the material and then moved on to the next. "Chloe?"

She was silent, letting him bandage each cut, barely responding. "I don't want to feel you," she whispered, voice breaking, "but I do."

He finished tying the strip around her wrist. "I'm sorry."

A scoff left her. "Liar." Her whole body was shaking in the cold. With the power down, the heat was off, and it was only going to get colder before it finally warmed up in the morning.

Snapping his phone closed, he slipped it into his pant pocket and scooted back on the bed beside her.

She sat shivering beside him for a minute before leaning against his side. Wrapping his arm around her slowly, expecting her to start kicking and screaming at any moment, he let out a breath. She didn't exactly melt into him--her body remained stiff and curled around itself--but she didn't pull away either.

Warmth seeped between them after a minute and she began to relax.

Her breathing evened out after another twenty minutes, and her hands dropped to the bed. He pulled her closer, savoring her body so close to his. The dreams weren't enough any more. They weren't real and they disappeared as soon as the time was up and an implant was placed.

This was real.

And though she didn't want to care about him, he knew she did. And that was a start.

Maybe he wouldn't have to start over from scratch after all.

He laid down slowly, taking her with him, curling around behind her. She sighed, and turned toward him, snuggling into him, resting a hand on his chest. His thoughts and memories oriented themselves, sliding back into place, and his back stopped burning.

He was finally holding the real Chloe in his arms.

Real. Familiar. Exactly right.

Kit Merlot
17th March 2010, 16:30
A very exciting chapter!

I liked that despite all of the pain in their past, Chloe and Lex can't turn their backs on each other.

Continued excellent work on this fic:D

somethingeasy
18th March 2010, 17:33
He could guess. Another escape; someone had been careless and now his most brilliant scientists were dead, his labs destroyed. Again. Fury blazed through him. He'd have to start all over. Again. Start the project from scratch, and Chloe....

heh, considering how many times this kind of thing has happened to Lex, you might imagine that he would give up the whole idea of funding, building and maintaining evil labs filled with mad scientists. Instead he continues to build them up, no matter how many times they end up destroyed in fire, devastation and chaos. Is that naked determination, or just uncomprehending stupidity? I would say I was impressed to see how quickly he caught onto what was happening, except it’s so clear that his instant recognition of the situation was mostly due to remembering previous experience rather than observation and deductive reasoning, LOL!

I loved the way that Chloe immediately made a comment about his lacklustre security, and how Lex simply cannot manage to fix these basic problems, no matter how many times he tries, LOL! Good one, Chloe! Good way to hit him while he’s down.


"Don't touch me," she snapped, moving out of his reach. "I didn't help you because I--" she shook her head, straightening up and taking a few steps away from him. "I should've just left you here." There was bitterness in her voice, a weary sort of jaded look on her face. "I'm... leaving. Don't try to stop me, or have anyone else do it for you."

This was a relief. Chloe’s show of concern for Lex had me worrying that he had succeeded in brainwashing her into loving him. Not that I don’t want a Chlexy ending, but I’d like to see Lex struggling yet a little longer to ‘woo’ Chloe. If you can call his twisted scientific machinations a form of wooing that is.


Lex quickly jerked the meteor rock infused electrodes from his temples, disconnecting him from the computer, which caused a blaring alarm to sound.

squeee! Awesome! Excellent! It was only a small note, but it answered all of my concerns about Lex’s methodology and involvement in Chloe’s brainwashing procedure. The fact that he also has electrode implanted at his temples suggests that he was also inside of Chloe’s head, manipulating her dreams first-hand, playing the part of the loving, attentive partner to her make-believe relationship. He was playing an active role in the fake relationship that had been formed in her dream/s, and it wasn’t pure electrical impulses and chemical concoctions solely responsible for the shape of Chloe’s happy dreams.


He couldn't lose her; he needed her.

Needed her here with him. Needed-- just needed her. She couldn't leave him, damn it.

I was both thrilled as well as repulsed to see the sense of possessive entitlement Lex felt towards Chloe, but it was also thrilling knowing that this sense of possessiveness came from a fearful, panicked, needy form of panic. He honestly couldn’t imagine functioning without Chloe, therefore she has no choice but to be with him. I LOVE how Lex can be both creepy and irresistibly exhilarating in this way... both at the same time.


But he saw only Chloe.

The floor between them was riddled with chunks of concrete and rebar; it looked as if the floor itself had been broken upward from below. He hurried toward her, stumbling as he went. It was difficult to see. "You can't go out there, Chloe. They'll kill you."

And him.

heee! Fantastic. I loved the visual of Lex running heedless into danger, because his only point of concern is to make sure Chloe’s alright. He doesn’t even care that HE is going to be the main target of almost any meteor freak that they run into. He simply doesn’t even consider that. He only sees the danger Chloe is in, and needs to protect her from that.

Suddenly, I feel a tiny bit more forgiving of his psychotic manner in ‘wooing’ Chloe with his scientists and machines. A tiny bit!


"Ms. Lewis..." he kept his voice soft, but firm; cautious.

She smirked and moved forward. "Mr. Luthor. So formal.... after all we've been through together." She chuckled darkly, eyes sliding to Chloe with a conspiratorial air. "The pain, the blood, the screaming. I mean, if that's not something that brings two people closer together, I don't know what is."

That was awful! Horrible! I winced at the visuals that this poor woman inspired at her words. She might be making a joke of all the pain, blood and screaming that was involved during her sessions with Lex’s scientists, but I’m sure it was quite god-awful for her when she was actually going through all of that. Her mocking taunts right now show a remarkable resilience quite honestly... which is not a good sign for Lex since this obviously suggest a cold, calm woman who is ready, willing and able to use her powers to KILL him... not that she finally has her tormentor in her sights.

It’s a pity that the woman showed a complete lack of conscience when she decided that aiming for Chloe would be an effective way of hurting Lex. I can understand how her conscience got eroded away during her time in the labs, being prodded like an animal, but it’s still a shame to see such a thing happen. However this woman started out prior to her captivity in the lab, she’s turned into a dangerous killer now, and simply cannot be allowed turned loose on society without safeguards.


Sidney planted her hands on his chest, and he gasped in pain, head swinging back to her. She pushed harder and he dropped to his knees. The burning, tearing feeling shooting through his chest and limbs singed everything in its path, leaving him shaking and gasping for breath.

I hate to say it, but I actually smiled at this bit. I smiled because it seemed like Lex was getting a portion of the punishment that’s due to him. It’s arguable that he deserves to die for what he’s done, but he certainly deserves to have this kind of pain inflicted on him. The fact that it’s one of his former victims exacting her retribution makes it poetic justice. It’s just a pity that this woman wasn’t willing to settle for the ‘eye for an eye’ philosophy, but wanted to go all out and take Lex’s life in compensation for her pain and suffering.

I also liked the suggestion that Lex was accepting this pain, to a certain extent, as a more than fair bargain to secure Chloe’s safety from this mad meteor freak. If his death managed to save Chloe’s life, then he’s more than willing to pay that price. I become less angry at him with every passing page of this fic. Although I STILL firmly believe that more suffering it needed for Lex to pay in full.


A bedroom. Chloe was on the bed, body beneath his, smiling at him. But she wasn't moving, she was frozen in time, golden and glowing in the morning sunlight pouring through the windows.

That was a gorgeous visual. It was especially stunning because this quiet, beautiful, gentle moment was inserted in the middle of a description of intense physical PAIN and torture. The contrast was brilliant. It was amazing imagining that Lex’s final moments of consciousness was spent trying to hold onto one solid image of Chloe. As if he wanted his very last living thought to be of her.

I find myself wondering whether this image was even based in reality. Whether Chloe and Lex really WERE involved in a love affair like this one once upon a time... OR whether it’s an image taken from the dreams that he shared with (forced onto?) Chloe during her brainwashing sessions.

personally, I think Lex is hanging onto an image begotten from an illusion of a relationship in a dream that he forced upon an unwilling woman. I don’t know whether that makes it more endearing or more pathetic. Perhaps both?

The repeated line, despite all the pain, torture and desperation, that Chloe was safe was amazing! I LOVED that Lex held onto that thought right until the very end, as if everything that he’s going through now, everything that he’s losing now (his life, his future, Chloe!) are all worth the price of keeping Chloe safe!


He'd locked her up in here, tormented her for weeks with his own special brand of torture. She should be running as fast and as far away from him, and this place, as possible. Instead, she was stumbling over a broken wall two cells away, shoving bodies out of her way, trying to get back to him.

Slipping in the dust and blood, she came face to face with dead brown eyes and a face twisted in pain. She hated this place and everything it represented. Why was she going back for him?

It was Lex.

That was brilliant! First of all, I loved the fact that Chloe ran from Lex first. Obviously her common sense and survival instincts were in fine working order. But then doubts and second thoughts overcame those instincts, and Chloe couldn’t help but go back to help her kidnapper and tormentor... for reasons she couldn’t fully understand or wish to examine too closely. I thought that was perfect!


A sob rose in her throat at the way her heart clenched at the thought. He'd done this to her. He'd forced her to feel things for him and now she was going to lose him. Turning away, she crawled back toward the exit, leaving him to his death, one he'd earned many times over.

oooh, excellent! I loved the idea that Chloe admitted to herself that she does feel something for this person... even though a larger part of her knows that he deserves every ounce of punishment that had just been inflicted on him. But no matter what she knows he deserves, Chloe just wouldn’t be Chloe unless she tried to save lives everywhere... including the lives of those who she wishes wholeheartedly to be dead! I love the complicated paradox that is Chloe and Lex.

Chloe was awesome in her attempt to knock Sidney unconscious with the chunk of concrete! :D


Chloe scoffed, feeling her heart pull in two different directions. Sidney was right; she should be leaving Lex behind, not saving his life. He was nothing to her, nothing but her jailor. He'd locked her up, forcing her to endure the perfect fantasy with him, forcing her to enjoy everything they did together in that fantasy.

This paragraph in itself is an amazing summation of all the reasons why Chloe would wish Lex Luthor to die a painful death… but also find it unbearable to live without him. Perfection, Sinecure!


Chloe frowned, worry eating at her. Was Sidney right? "I've never killed in cold blood," she told Sidney, shaking her head defiantly. "I haven't."

"Liar," Sidney sing-songed.

Chloe stood up, straightening, Sidney's denials ringing in her ears. "I'm not going to let you kill him." She wanted to run. Every fiber in her being was telling her to flee, to hide.

The quick conversation between Sidney and Chloe was fantastic. Sidney’s views and accusations were forcing Chloe to think about the decisions that she was making here and now in a little more thoughtful detail. it was a great way to get Chloe to examine her stance, and explain (to herself as well as to Sidney) exactly why it felt ‘wrong’ to kill Lex right now, despite how he deserves it.


"You know, you're in a lot of his memories," Sidney told her, ducking her head inside the room. "There's a lot of history there--"

heh, aren’t mind-readers fun? LOL! It’s always enjoyable to find out that they’ve been casually rifting through the memories of other people, and they hold the truth of feelings and memories that might be repressed or hidden within. It’s a pity that Chloe didn’t let Sidney enough time to finish her taunting. But it wouldn’t have been smart to NOT have lashed out while Sidney was distracted by the sound of her own voice.


The skin began to tingle and burn beneath her nails, but she kept scratching, harder, deeper, cutting the flesh, seeing blood well up. They were doing something to her, making her feel things for him.

She had to get them out.

Leaning over the side of the bed again, she picked up a piece of broken glass and held it over the scratches, hand shaking. Pressing the jagged edge to her skin, sending blood well up, she dug into the flesh with a grunt. It was there, she could see it, so close to the surface. Slipping a finger into the cut, she grasped the tiny implant that looked like a green capsule.

Dropping it to the mattress, she held up her leg, cutting through the gray material and skin beneath. Digging the slippery implant out, she dropped it beside her. There was one in her right wrist too.

Her back.

Her shoulder.

This was horrific! The idea of Chloe indulging in self-mutilation...? And this so soon after she has been subject to mutilation and surgeries from Lex’s mad scientists...? It was horrible, horrific and obscene! And yet, despite all that, I couldn’t help but admire Chloe’s fortitude, stomach and iron will displayed while slicing into her own skin to dig out the filthy implants. I was admiring... but also worried about Chloe losing a little bit on her sanity in her willingness to do this.


His need to know if Chloe was safe was stronger than his sense of self-preservation. Sitting upright, he snapped his gaze to the bed in front of him, mouth dropping open for a split second before he jumped up and grabbed Chloe's hand.

"What are you doing?"

Blood dripped from the glass clutched in her hand, onto the bed beside her.

"I have to take them out. Let go of me." She jerked on her hand, but he held her tighter. Her eyes, bright and shining with tears and something indefinable, landed on his for a split second before moving back to the cut she'd made in her left calf. "Let go, Lex. Let me go. Please, just let go."

She was in shock. Was it more than that? Had he broken her?

If I found the visual horrific and obscene, I can’t imagine how Lex felt waking up to find his beloved cutting into herself over and over again, all over, with a dirty, twisted piece of glass that was probably causing even more damage than could be imagined and seen. Once again, I considered it to be a fitting continuation of his punishment for his earlier crimes against Chloe and all the other atrocities he’s committed on the freaks in his lab/s.

I also remember making a comment in an earlier post about how Lex might end up pushing Chloe too far into deluded schizophrenia, unable to tell reality from dream, in his attempts to brainwash her into loving him. I was pleased to see that the thought HAD occurred to him as well... and then I was furious that the possibility of driving Chloe insane had occurred to him, but he continued with the brainwashing regardless.

His intense fear at this moment, whether he has destroyed Chloe’s mind, was a fitting punishment for his decision to carry on with the brainwashing, no matter what the possible consequences. Or at least PART of the fitting punishment that is due to him. I hope to see more of this kind of fear reflected in Lex’s mind later... especially when he’s eventually helping Chloe get over her memories, nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder when she’s recovering from her brutal experience in the lab.


Refusing to let go, he stood up, swaying for a horrifying moment. If he passed out, she'd cut herself more. Dropping to the bed beside her, he pried her fingers from the glass and tossed it across the room where it smashed into pieces too small for her to do any more harm to herself.

Fantastic! I was delighted by Lex’s fierce protective instinct shown over here. It’s an instinct that only seems to come out when people other than himself bring pain and fear to Chloe, but even a dysfunctional protective instinct is better than none at all. Anyhow, I loved how Lex’s panic at the possibility of losing consciousness was rooted in acrid fear for Chloe rather than concern for himself.

I wonder whether Lex himself sees the ‘wrongness’ in displaying these emotions and feelings towards Chloe at a time like this, but NOT when he had her strapped to a table, begging to be released and not cut into by his scientists and techies.


Swallowing thickly, he took her face in his hands, holding it up to the dim light from the window in the wall. "Chloe, stop it. They're not hurting you."

ah HAH! I loved that Lex finally saw that Chloe’s actions of cutting into herself were happening because of something that HE ordered to be done to her… because of those implants that his doctors put into her. I hope it hurts him to see the first signs of Chloe’s post-traumatic stress disorder manifesting itself in front of him.


Hope rose in him at her words. Had he succeeded?

But she didn't want him touching her, didn't want him near her. Didn't want to feel whatever she felt.

Bastard! I wanted Lex to writhe and suffering with guilty agony over what Chloe was going through… over what HE had put her through. But now Chloe’s confession has, in a sense, made Lex feel vindicated in his decisions to brainwash her so brutally.


Worry ate at him; he couldn't get her only to lose her to madness. He wouldn't let that happen.

Excellent! I was so pleased to see that Lex understands the very genuine possibility of Chloe losing her mind completely because of everything that has happened. Being brutalized by scientists, attacked by blood-thirsty, psychotic freaks, and now trapped in a small room with her torturer… I can see why a combination of any two of these things would be enough to make a person’s mind snap, even a mind as strong as Chloe’s.

It was highly satisfying to see Lex’s worry about Chloe’s mental state and unstable emotional equilibrium gnaw away at him. Also part of his punishment! And I’m also hoping that this will give him some semblance of a lesson that playing a game of twister with the mind of the woman he loves is not a friggen good idea!!!


"I don't want to kill anyone else," she whispered, tightening her grip on her legs, shivering on the bed.

He nodded after a moment and sat beside her, peeling his jacket off. Draping it around her shoulders, he moved closer to the window, trying his phone again. They were surrounded by tons of concrete. Cell phones didn't work here except on the uppermost floors, and even that was a crapshoot.

"All right," he decided, sliding his phone into his pocket as she slipped her arms into his suit coat. "It might be best if we stay here." His security teams could be on their way, but he was doubtful; after all, how many guards had he been through since coming to Smallville? He was sure they were either dead or gone. Only the most loyal would stay, and he wasn't sure any of them were that loyal.

I don’t know how you manage to make me both adore Lex and despise him at the same time, Sinecure. Just when I’m working myself into a good, solid rage against him, he then does something incredibly self-less and sweet to cater to Chloe’s needs. I melted at the way that he immediately acquiesced to Chloe’s request to not leave this room because she didn’t want to ‘kill anyone’ out there. He’s handling her so gently, tentatively… as if the smallest push will send her mind rocketing over the deep end. Perhaps he actually IS afraid of that happening…? He certainly wasn’t anywhere near this gentle and tender with her before.


It was sore and he did feel a minor burning sensation, but it was his head that hurt the most; that worried him. His thoughts were sliding around, out of order, shifting and rearranging themselves before slipping back into place.

It was disorienting.

hmmm, are those the after-effects of a concussion? Or did Sidney do something wonky to his mind? It’s been suggested that she strong mind-reading abilities after all…?


"Those cuts are going to get infected," he murmured, lips tightening at the blood still dripping from her leg to the floor.

She shrugged, resting her chin on her knees, watching him tear his shirt into strips. "Will that make you leave them out?"

"No," he lied, taking her leg and wrapping one of the strips over the wound in her calf.

Excuse me?! Was that lie supposed to be comforting?! Why is Lex saying that he’ll happily put those implants back into her first chance he gets?!??? Doesn’t he know that Chloe would panic and scream at such a statement. Does he think that’s funny somehow?!?

Or perhaps I’m just misunderstanding his answer…? :P


Her breathing evened out after another twenty minutes, and her hands dropped to the bed. He pulled her closer, savoring her body so close to his. The dreams weren't enough any more. They weren't real and they disappeared as soon as the time was up and an implant was placed.

This was real.

And though she didn't want to care about him, he knew she did. And that was a start.

Maybe he wouldn't have to start over from scratch after all.

oh crap! This could mean so many different things. Either he plans to start off with Chloe’s brainwashing sessions again, knowing that he has a base to work with now… or perhaps he now thinks that the chemical treatments, electrical shock therapy and surgical implants are no longer needed because he’s created a spark of caring that only needs to be fanned now…?

I seriously cannot wait to see what the future chapter brings. Please update soon!

sinecure
18th March 2010, 21:54
Thanks: to momdaegmorgan for the beta.
A/N2: This is the last chapter, and I'd like to thank all the people who've read and commented on it. Comments are love and they make me want to write more, so, thank you! :)



A loud clap reverberated through the silence of the room making Chloe jump. The gunshot came from somewhere on the other side of the door, near enough that it made her dart her eyes to the doorknob.

Shivering in the cold air, she hugged her arms to her body, longing to be comforted, to be told that everything would be okay, but refusing to touch Lex, to gain any sort of reassurance from him. He was the reason she was in this situation in the first place.

She couldn't trust him.

Shouts and more gunshots rang out, bringing an end to the calm reprieve of a few minutes ago. It almost seemed a more fitting mood when paired with the moonlight shining into the room, covering the floor and walls in a sickly yellow light.

Carefully extricating herself from Lex's side without waking him up or making any noise that anyone outside might hear, she pulled herself into a sitting position. The bed shifted beneath her and Lex exhaled heavily.

Chloe went still, waiting, hoping he was just moving in his sleep. Her heart sped up and her palms grew slick with sweat as a terror-filled scream pierced the night.

"Chloe."

Darting from the bed at the sound of his voice, she spun around, staring at him. Eyes taking in his sleepy gaze, the concern in his eyes, and the weary slump of his shoulders, she fisted her hands at her sides, fighting the concern sweeping through her for him.

Fake feelings. Not real.

She didn't care about Lex, she didn't care about Lex, she didn't care about--

"Chloe--"

The door exploded inward, sending the bed, and Lex, flying across the room. He hit the wall behind her and dropped to the cold floor, blood running in rivulets down his face. Chloe ran to his side in a panic, no hesitation remaining in her.

Clark stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed on Lex, brows lowering. "Chloe. I found you."

She searched futilely for a pulse, feeling Lex's chest for a heartbeat, his lips for breath.

There was nothing.

Tearful face lifting to Clark's, she felt a sob rise in her throat as pain sliced through her. "You killed him."


********

Chloe jerked awake, scrabbling back on the bed, eyes darting over the room. White walls covered in colorful artwork, white bedding, black furniture, and bright sunshine coated everything in a warm glow.

"Where am I?" she whispered, fisting her hands in the silky sheets beneath her. Then, a little louder, a little stronger, "Where am I?"

A noise sounded to her right. Startled, she snapped her head in that direction.

Lex was standing in the doorway, dressed in a fresh suit, bald head as sleek as ever. He looked so handsome, so familiar and warm, that her stomach clenched at the sight.

There were no bruises, no cuts, nothing left on him that told the tale of madness they'd survived in his labs.

Confusion and disorientation began to set in. How long had it been since they'd been rescued?

"Where am I?" she yelled again, clutching the sheets to her chest. Her whole body ached, and her back burned. Little stabs of pain went through her in all the places she'd removed the implants from. Her head throbbed so much that she felt nauseous.

"It's all right, Chloe," Lex replied gently, crossing the room quickly, eyes filled with the same concern he'd shown her in the dream.

Was this a dream as well? The others were. How could she know whether or not this one was real?

Sweet, tender, gentle Lex.

No!

Ruthless, inflexible, heartless Lex.

He sat on the bed beside her, reaching out to touch her. "You're safe here. My security found us a few hours ago--"

"Safe?" She jerked away from his hand, laughing bitterly, nearly hysterical. The laughter turned to tears so quickly that it scared her. She[\i] scared her.

His hand dropped from her cheek. "I won't hurt you."

"Too late."

"It was never my intention--"

"You kidnapped me and held me against my will, did experiments on me to make me love you," she spat, climbing shakily to her feet, taking the sheet with her, keeping it wrapped around her nearly naked body. "What sort of intentions did you have exactly?"

His lips thinned, tightening for a moment before he nodded shortly. "You're right."

Shoving a lock of hair behind her ears, feeling cleaner than she should after the night they'd spent in the ruined cell, she sighed. "Didn't you learn [I]anything with Lana? You can't force someone to marry you or love you. It just doesn't work that way."

"I didn't force Lana to marry me. That was my father." He looked bitter, eyes hard as he stood watching her with a cold gaze. After a moment, he shoved his hands into his pockets and drew in a deep breath and the bitterness disappeared. "I care about you, Chloe. And I know you care about me."

"Because you made me." The bitterness was hers now as she felt her feelings for Lex swim through her veins. She wanted to slap him and kiss him. She wanted to feel his arms surround her, keeping her safe and warm.

A stronger side wanted to run from him as fast as she could.

This had to be another dream. In reality all he ever did was hurt her. And it'd explain his lack of cuts and bruises.

"No. Think about it, Chloe." Lex moved closer to her, voice low and even as if she were a horse he was trying to keep from scaring away. "Really think about it. It's always been there. Throughout the years. All those time you defended me against Clark, against Lana. Against my own father. Even when it looked like it was me, you gave me the benefit of the doubt."

She stared at him, giving her head a short shake. "You can't know that. You can't--"

Realization hit and her mouth dropped open, eyes widening on him.

"You were in my head?" Oh, god. Clark. He knew everything; Clark, his powers. Oh, god. Gasping for breath, feeling like she'd been punched in the stomach, she leaned over, bracing her hands on her thighs. "You went into my head?"

"I didn't have to." He grabbed her by the arms, his touch warm and soothing, crawling along her skin with its trickery. "Think about it. All of those denials. Every time you spoke up for me. You felt something even then."

"I didn't care about you. I was being fair." She thought back to all the times she'd told Clark that Lex was innocent, all the times she'd defended him, all the things she'd said and done in his defense. "I didn't love you. I don't--"

She couldn't finish the lie.

She may not have loved him then, but she did now.

"You put meteor rock implants in my body, and that made me love you."

"No." He slid his hands to her shoulders, drawing her up until she was face to face with him. "That's not what they were for. They didn't make you care. You already did. Think about it, Chloe. Think about all those times you told Clark it wasn't me. All those times." His voice was almost hypnotic as he caressed her skin, rubbing gentle circles into her flesh, relaxing her against her will. "Do you remember them?"

Nodding slowly, she blinked back tears as the memories flooded her mind. Sitting with Clark in the Daily Planet, telling him that Lex was guilty of a lot of things, but she didn't think he was responsible for the death of a doctor that'd been working on a serum to infect people with meteor rocks.

Telling Lana that Lex probably hadn't blown up a house and the family in it just because the mother had dirt on him.

Assuring Lois that Lex wasn't responsible for killing her story. Telling Clark that Lex hadn't had Lana followed. Telling Pete that Lex hadn't tried to run him off the road. Clark. Lana. Lois. Pete. Over and over again, she'd told them all that Lex wasn't guilty of the heinous crimes they'd accused him of.

It washed over her, embracing her with a certainty she'd never noticed before. She could feel it now, sense it, remember it.

Love?

She felt like she was going to be sick. Breaking out of his grip, she dropped to the edge of the bed, breath coming out in harsh gasps. "I can't-- I don't remember..."

But she did. It was all there, in her head, in her heart. She loved Lex, had for years.

"It was never my intention to hurt you." He sat beside her, cupping her cheek, forcing her to look at him. "I just wanted you. But you wouldn't admit that you love me."

"I don't want to," she whispered, lip trembling. She saw him rear back a little, just a small amount, but it broke her heart and that very nearly broke her.

"I know." He sounded resigned. His eyes were shuttered now, face blank. "But I need you. I love you." His gaze darted to the wall behind her for a second, then returned to her, looking clearer. Settled.

Like he'd resolved himself to his decision.

"I love you, Chloe."

She liked the way the words sounded coming from his mouth. The way they sounded knowing he was talking to her. But her mind fought against it. Loving Lex dangerous. He wasn't a good man and he'd swallow her up, leaving nothing behind but bitterness and fury, just like he had with Lana.

And Clark. Clark would be angry. He'd rightfully fear for her and his secret.

"You weren't in my head?"

"No. You saw what Sidney did to me, Chloe. I'd never put you through that."

She believed him. "Of course not." A tentative smile curved up one side of her mouth, though she couldn't quite feel it.

Something lightened in his face, and in the set of his shoulders. "Get some rest," he murmured, sliding his hand from her shoulder to her wrist.

She nodded and let him guide her onto her side, still wrapped up in the silky sheet. Staring at the sunlight bathing the room in a golden hue, she let the memories of him take over again. His touches, the way they warmed her. His voice as he told her he loved her. The teasing, happy side of this man that she was in love with. It all swirled in her head, wrapping around the thoughts and feelings she'd had over the years.

Centering on Lex.

Yes. She loved him too.

Smiling, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


********

Lex let out a breath of relief when Chloe back settled into sleep. A finger casually caressed her face as he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips, smiling when she mumbled his name.

He finally had exactly what he wanted.

A shuffling behind him reminded him that he wasn't completely alone with Chloe. Eyes darting to the doorway, he stood up, covering her bare arms with the blankets.

Jefferson backed into the hallway as Lex crossed the room and shut the door behind him with a quiet click, smile sliding from his lips. Smoothing his tie down, he faced the former resident of room 12, feeling the same unease he always felt in his presence.

"It's done," Jefferson said, back straight, voice flat.

Lex slid his hands into his pockets. "You were able to complete it then?"

It was a sloppier, more down and dirty way of getting what he wanted with Chloe, but at this point, unless he wanted to start all over again--and he had no desire to do so, no desire to put her through... any of that again--then this was the only option he had left.

"Yes." Jefferson nodded toward Lex's bedroom, toward Chloe. "Your nudges in the right direction made her follow her memories all the way back to the beginning. She'll never know the difference." He tilted his head a little to the side, eyes narrowing.

Free me. Release me.

Lex smiled coldly, stepping forward as Jefferson's voice echoed through his mind. "I don't have the implants, Jefferson. Your power is useless on me." He nodded to the men at the other end of the hall. Eyes on the security team, he turned his mind back to Chloe. "Take him back to his cell. Give him a few days of rest... he's earned it."

"No. You can't do this to me." Jefferson turned to grab Lex, but large, muscular arms yanked him backwards. "I did what you wanted. I did what you wanted!"

One of the security guards pulled a needle out and slipped it into Jefferson's neck. Lex waited as Jefferson's eyes drifted closed and he sagged to the floor.

"I did... wha... I did-- you wanted..."

His team caught Jefferson and dragged him down the hallway, slumped between them.

Turning the doorknob, Lex pushed open the door to his bedroom. A smile lifted his lips as he entered, seeing Chloe curled up on his bed, wrapped up in his sheets. Running a hand over his smooth forehead, where the cuts and bruises and abrasions he'd received from their time in the seized labs had been just a few hours ago--before she'd somehow healed him--he walked slowly to her side.

Slipping his fingers into her hair, he leaned down and kissed her softly, feeling that elusive contentment that he'd only had a few times in his life. This one would last longer. He'd guaranteed that.

Everything he wanted was right here in this room, in his life, and would stay with him forever.

He'd made sure of that.

somethingeasy
19th March 2010, 15:10
Thanks for posting up the ending so quickly, Sinecure. I guess you wanted the fic over and done with as soon as possible, eh?

I liked the beginning of the chapter; Chloe waking up vehemently denying to herself that she felt anything to Lex… which was no easy considering how Lex was looking at her so weary, weak and nearly sick with worry for her.

Clark rushing in for the rescue was not much of a surprise. I was actually expecting him to come to the rescue, or at least, I regarded Clark to be a lot more reliable to play the rescuing hero as compared to Lex’s security staff.

I wonder whether it was a complete shock to Clark to find Chloe there. She has been missing for a while yet, so he’s obviously had no idea where she was for several weeks now. It was only after a disaster struck one of Lex’s labs that Clark happened upon Chloe… crying over Lex no less.

I’m a little confused about exactly what happened after Clark found Chloe and Lex. He just seemed to disappear from the picture. Or was that vision of Clark just another false memory concocted by Lex’s pet meteor freak?

I was so pleased to see Chloe wake up trying to take stock of what had happened to her. She might have woke up in a bright, sunlit, comfortable room, but that doesn’t mean she was about to let her guard down for an instant. On the contrary, she started screaming and demanding to know where she was and how she got here, and how long has she been a prisoner in this place this time.

It’s a pity that this state of wary paranoia wasn’t maintained for very long. That brainwashing is pretty effective stuff, isn’t it? But despite the mind-manipulation (through chemicals, electrical impulses AND super-powered freak application), she STILL woke up questioning whether this was yet another one of Lex’s pleasant dreams forced on her. It’s good to see Chloe fighting through the brainwashing, even if it was the tail end of a losing fight.

It was damned tragic seeing all of Chloe’s memories being re-written right in front of us. Chloe was made to seem like a weak, helpless victim who didn’t stand a chance to even see the attack being waged on her, much less fight against it. Lex’s words and reassurances were hypnotizing her into believe ALL of the delusions that he wished on her. She didn’t stand a chance. That was highly upsetting to watch. I like to see Chloe fight, even if she doesn’t win.

As it was, she swallowed every line that Lex fed to her, hook, line and sinker… no questions asked.

While I was glad to see that Lex utilized a ‘gentler’ method this time to do his brainwashing, it was still horrible to watch. I didn’t get to see Lex truly struggling with winning Chloe’s trust and affections properly, the hard way. Instead he took the quick, easy, funded route of using his employees (or pet freaks) to handle his ‘relationship problems’ for him.

I hope this doesn’t set a precedent in Lex’s life. Is this how he’s going to solve ALL of his relationship issues with Chloe? If she complains that he spends too much time at the office, neglects her, commits atrocities that she disapproved of… is he going to just mind-control and brainwash her into going along with HIS wishes all the time? It’s setting a precedent of laziness for him, and Chloe ends up the weak, lost loser in such a relationship.

Anyhow, it was a fantastic premise for a fic, and I loved your plot twists throughout the story. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to see more multi-chaptered fics from you in the future…?

westwingwolf
8th April 2010, 21:32
I love it! It's scheming, manipulative Lex to the max! He is sooooo evil, but he did it so she would love him, and I've got a twisted sense of romance so I don't care. Sure her memories are all jumbled and unreliable but she doesn't know that, and what she is going to receive from this is love...a dark, twisted love but love all the same. The idea of manipulation through dreams his so scary and yet so intriguing. I applaud Lex for his evil genius. I should stop before I go too far and say I wish a guy loved me enough to screw with my dreams and memories to make me love him.

emms14
30th December 2010, 00:19
As much as I enjoyed reading this, I think it might be a tad too twisted for my likes. I tend to prefer my Lex a little less evil. Regardless of my personal preferences though, this was written wonderfully and very interesting to read. :)

-emms14

Ami Rose
13th August 2012, 00:12
Loved it