Cheryl
8th March 2003, 11:34
Title: Stay With Me
Author: CJ
Summary: Who will catch you when you fall? (slight AU)
Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Archival: Absolutely, but I'd appreciate it if you let me know first
Feedback: Are you serious? HELLO? Feedback-junkie here!
A/N: Just for the record, I'm Dutch. This means that you'll probably find about a zillion screw-ups here. Don't say I didn't warn you!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The streets were quiet and deserted, not a soul in sight. It was already past eleven and Chloe had just recently returned from Metropolis. She had received a call from an old acquaintance a week earlier that it was urgent she come there. As expected, she had done just that and as soon as had she arrived there, she had been informed of the reason for her sudden summoning. Her father had died in a car crash. She had been devastated by the news. Her father had been the only family she had left after her mother died when she was ten. She was forced to arrange the funeral and taking care of all his business and social matters.
The realization that she was now alone in the world had slammed into her, sending her balancing on an emotional cliff, threatening to fall at even the slightest breeze. Seventeen and an orphan. She hated that word. Orphan. It made people pity her. And if there was one thing she hated, it was pity. People would feel sorry for her, the girl who had lost both her parents and had no one to turn to. They would try to comfort her, telling her that it is all part of God's great plan. Bullshit! She had a change of faith long ago. When she was forced to watch her mother being eaten away by cancer. What good could it possibly do to take away a young girl's parents? Remembering how her father had died emotionally along with his wife, her heart filled with guilt. Gabe had never been able to look his daughter in the eye anymore. She reminded him too much of his late wife. When it got too painful for him to even be in the same room with her, he had shipped her off to Smallville. The woman who raised her wasn't anything like the loving and caring person that her mother had been, but Chloe knew she did her best. And then there were the Kents. Although they'll never know it, they were more of a family to her than they could imagine possible. With their open generosity and unlimited love, they had taken her into their hearts. And now that was all gonna change. Her whole life was gonna change. Her father had left her enough money to last her a long while, but she knew it couldn't last her forever. She was gonna have to take care of herself now. That involved a new start, a new life. And that new life wasn't going to involve Smallville. It couldn't.
Even the thought of her staying in this little town made her heart ache. She needed to get out of there. The sooner, the better. Chloe knew she couldn't just leave without saying goodbye to her friends, but also knew that they would try to talk her out of it. They would try to get her to stay, but that was impossible. She would go far away.
She knew that the first thing she would have to do was go home and pack, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't bring herself to face all the memories, afraid she might loose herself. All that had happened, and she hadn't cried once. Not once. That was not her way of getting over something. She never cried. Even as a child, she wouldn't cry, not even at her mother's funeral. What's the point in crying? It doesn't bring anyone back from the dead. It was worthless. Crying was worthless. And Chloe Sullivan didn't do worthless. She did what needed to be done.
But she just couldn't bring herself into going home.
* * * * *
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, trying to relieve her body of the tension, but to no avail. The wind had picked up, playing wistfully with her short blonde hair. Pulling her coat tighter around her body, she looked up, and noticed that she had unconsciously wondered over to the Talon. Suddenly wanting nothing more than caffeine, she started towards the coffee-shop but halted as she thought of the possibility of running into Clark or Pete there. Lana was most definitely gonna be there, but that didn't bother her. What bothered her was that maybe she was gonna have to face her best friends. And she wasn't up to that.
After contemplating for another while longer, Chloe's caffeine addiction finally took over and she entered the Talon. It wasn't busy, on the contrary. It was almost empty, except for a few customers. Taking no real notice of them, she walked up to the counter, waiting for Lana to show up. And then she did. As soon as the girl appeared from the back of the Talon, Lana smiled brightly at her. For a moment, Chloe thought the smile was gonna blind her.
"Hey Chloe! You're back!" Lang replied cheerily.
Forcing a small smile, Chloe nodded, "Yeah, I'm back." Her voice was ragged and grim, but she did her best to hide it. Fortunately, Lana didn't notice and asked her if she wanted the usual.
"Please," the blonde responded slyly and went to sit in a seat in the corner. Sitting down, she only just realized how much her feet hurt from running around all day. In fact, her whole week was tiring. As soon as she got her mocha latte, she wrapped her hands around it, clinging onto it like it was a life-preserver.
Time passed as Chloe stared off into the distance, trying not to think about anything by forcing her mind blank.
* * * * *
Lex walked into the Talon, dressed in a dark suit as usual. He ordered a cappuccino and starting for a seat, when something caught his eye. The funky jacket and blonde hair, there was no doubt, Miss Sullivan was back. Smiling, he slid into the seat across from her, but she didn't see him. She just seemed to peer right through him.
He regarded her for a while, taking in her appearance. The girl looked beautiful as ever, but something was different. He could see that she hadn't spent much time on her hair and make-up and she had dark circles under her eyes.
Frowning, he leaned forward and held a hand over her drink. Cold. Strange, it wasn't like her to waste a good cup of coffee.
* * * * *
Chloe blinked a few times, as if waking up from a deep sleep, and saw a man sitting in front of her, leaning over her coffee. More out of instinct than surprise, she pulled back, clutching the cup against her chest. Lex was both confused and amused by her behaviour and sat back in his seat, smirking. By the time her mind had worked out who the figure was, she sighed and retreated into her former pose, elbows placed on the table.
Out the corner of her eye, she could see him watching her and groaned. "What dya want?" she demanded in a tone so cold it could've frozen hell.
"Me?" he answered casually, "Nothing. Just enjoying the view." He flashed her a smug grin, knowing how much she hated that. "And, Miss Sullivan, may I ask what your business is here, in the middle of the night?"
Suppressing a scowl, she sipped her coffee, screwing her face up at the taste of cold caffeine. She set it down in front of her, facing Lex, "I'm out partying, doing drugs and getting drunk, didn't you notice?" Sarcasm dripped off of every word.
In mock seriousness, he questioned, "And what would your parents say of this?"
He noticed how she flinched at the mention of her parents and an eyebrow arched up, yet he decided not to mention it.
Avoiding his eyes, Chloe did her best not to let any emotion show. "That's none of your business, Mr Luther." Her tone held more menace than poison, and he made a mental note.
"Please, call me Lex," he said smoothly.
"I'd rather not," she shot back and rubbed her eyes. Her energy was fading quickly and she couldn't keep this up much longer. "I'm leaving," she said, tiredness creeping into her voice.
Lex frowned. He'd never seen her like this before. She always seemed so full of life, and had never passed up the chance of throwing him a good line.
"The trip to Metropolis must've worn you out. What did you say it was about?"
Shooting him a hard glare, she answered coldly, "I didn't say."
His brow furrowed and he leaned forward, intrigued, "You can't hide it from me forever. You know I'm gonna find out eventually," he warned with a teasing hint. She, however, didn't seem that amused.
"Yeah, eventually..." Standing up to leave, she grabbed her bag and reached inside it for her wallet, when Lex noticed and stopped her, laying down a few bills himself.
"Let me handle it. Do you need a ride home?" He didn't like the idea of the girl riding home alone. Who knew what could happen to her. The concern he felt for her surprised him, but he put it off as just taking care of Clark's welfare, since he would be devastated if something were to befall her.
Chloe shook her head, "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Mr Luther." Her tone held defiance with a tinge of sadness. Hoping her words held truth, she turned to Lana, giving her a wry smile. The cheery girl returned it happily while skillfully balancing a nearly empty tray.
"Goodbye, Lana," the blonde said. As much as she hadn't expected it, she was gonna miss the girl. They had never actually been good friends, but she had the feeling they could've been.
"Bye, Chlo. See ya tomorrow?"
She sculptured a weak smile onto her delicate features, "You'll see."
Exiting the Talon, Chloe was taken by surprise as the wind caught her legs and threatened to sweep them from under her. Fortunately, two strong arms encircled her from behind, holding her up. Turning around, she stood face to face with Lex. She didn't know whether to thank him, or tell him to get lost.
Seeing the indecision in her eyes, he wasted no time. The storm was getting worse. No matter what the girl did or said, he was not gonna let her go all by herself. Grabbing her hand, he dragged her over to his Porsche, parked near the entrance, and carefully forced her into the passenger seat.
Getting in himself, Lex turned on the ignition, his eyes avoiding Chloe's.
It was only when they were moving, did she let loose. Her lips formed a thin, white line and anger boiled inside her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" She demanded fiercely.
Keeping his gaze at the road, he answered, "Taking you home."
The thought of throttling the guy right then and there crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it, "Take me to the Comfort Inn!"
Confusion played on his features. "What for?"
"Because I'm not going home. And don't ask me why."
"Why?"
"Because!"
"I'm not gonna let you sleep in some motel when it's storming outside!"
"Well, what do you suggest, then?"
Lex, not noticing (or ignoring) the sarcastic hint in her tone, thought for a while, then suddenly made a u-turn with the car, speeding off in the opposite direction. Chloe couldn't believe this. "Where are we going?"
"My place," he replied, just as rain started clashing on the windshield. He kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel, determined to keep them both from being flung into some ditch.
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Look, I don't want to argue with you-"
"Then don't. You're coming with me, period." He was used to people following his orders and this Sullivan kid just infuriated him beyond believe. Why couldn't she just shut up? And to his surprise, she did. He heard no further resistance from the seat beside him, and for a moment, he even toyed with the idea of her being dead. Glancing sideways, he saw her sitting sternly in her seat, trying to calm herself.
"Five *breath* six *breath* seven *breath* eight *breath*....," she whispered to herself, but it didn't work. Turning her enraged eyes to his, she hissed, "You spoiled little brat! "
A brow arched up, but he didn't respond. The rest of the ride was in silence.
* * * * *
Passing through the gates, Lex rode the car up to the Mansion and got out to open the door on Chloe's side. She just rolled her eyes and brushed passed him, heading to the entrance. A butler let her and the Luthor in, and Lex led her through the maze of corridors. She had to keep her mouth from dropping to her ground. The mansion was amazing. How could all of this belong to one person?
Realizing that they had stopped moving, she looked up to see two large doors. As Lex opened them, they revealed a huge bedroom. If you could even call it a bedroom. The place was almost as large as whole house.
"Holy shit!"
"No, I'm pretty sure it's a bedroom." His trademark smirk adorned his handsome face as he watched her jump onto the large bed, bouncing like it was a trampoline. Lex couldn't help but stare at the way her hair flew around her face and how her lips curved into the most amazing smile he'd ever seen.
Oh hell, what was he thinking? Shrugging off those disturbing thoughts, he motioned for the doors, leading to the adjoined rooms. "Bathroom/Jacuzzi, closet-"
"Oh, crap!"
Lex watched as she let herself fall back onto the bed, and furrowed his brows. "What's wrong?"
"My clothes are still in my car, and my car is still outside the Talon," she whacked herself across the head, earning an amused look from her companion.
"Well," he said, walking over to the bed, smirk back in place, "I don't have any women clothing lying around here, so I'll get George to give you some of my own."
She rolled her eyes, getting up from the bed. "You want me to wear your clothes?"
"I don't see any other option. You?"
"Well...no...But I wouldn't fit in those. And do you expect me to sleep in an Armani suit?"
He laughed and images of her sleeping in his clothes floated through his mind. "This may come as a shock to you, Miss Sullivan, but I do own casual clothing."
Her mouth dropped open in mock surprise, and she laid a hand over her heart, "I don't believe it! I didn't think you even knew what casual meant!"
Taking a few intimidating steps towards her, he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Miss Sullivan."
Her head fluttered and a cool chill travelled up her spine, but she was determined not to let him get to her.
*Okay, Chloe, think of something! Say something mean! Tell him you can see the moon reflecting off his bald head! No, that won't work. What about: Hey, buddy, one step closer and you're a dead billionaire playboy man! Nope, that won't work either. Maybe-*
"Miss Sullivan? You still here?"
Averting her eyes to hide the furious blush that had crept upon her cheeks, she took a step away from him. "Ofcourse, where else would I be?" She bit, trying to regain her attitude.
"Somewhere in Chloe World, maybe...," he suggested, earning an un lady-like snort.
'Yeah right,' she thought. 'Where the male population consists of Lex Luthor's.'
Looking up, she saw him grinning smugly. "Oh, god. Did I just say that out loud?"
Lex nodded. "So you were thinking of me?" He questioned, pride apparent in his voice.
"Don't worry. It wasn't anything favourable. Just what a playboy you are. No, wait! That didn't come out right!" She felt the blush rising to her cheeks and didn't have to look to know that Lex was smiling his usual smug smile.
"What I meant to say was that I can't be mean to you. No, wrong again! I was thinking of ways to humiliate you, but I couldn't. But not because there isn't anything you have to be embarrassed about. There are a lot of things you could work on. But I don't mean you're a loser or something! You're hot! No! You're not hot! Bad Chloe! Bad, bad, Chloe! I'll just shut up now and disappear into the hardwood." Glancing around, she noticed, "You know, you've got a lot of hardwood around here. Don't you ever get termites?" Suddenly finding the wooden floor extremely interesting, Chloe shuffled her feet nervously.
"Why, Miss Sullivan!" He practically beamed. "I do believe you just called me hot?"
She couldn't help but stare at the way his mouth curved as he pronounced the word hot, but quickly refrained herself. "Well, you're delusional!"
"What would that make you?"
*Damn him!*
"I already know I'm crazy! Now move that cute arse of yours and get out!" Again realizing what she had said, she groaned loudly. Lex, on the other hand, found this all very amusing.
"As you wish." Watching him exit her bedroom, she let out a breath she had unconsciously been holding.
* * * * *
Not that long after his departure, George dropped off a wide collection of clothing. Lex's clothing! Taking a long, hot shower first, Chloe then tried everything on, but nothing fitted her. It made her feel like a young girl again, trying on her mother's clothing.
Immediately, the earlier events floated through her mind, filling her with dread, but she managed to push them aside. Just as she had found a nice, warm shirt, the lights went out. The typical horror movie scene came to mind, making her shudder. Now that the power was down, it wouldn't be long before the mansion had dropped in temperature.
Crawling into a large sweater that just reached above her knees, she began her quest through the halls.
Most of them were cold and gave her the chills, until she ended up in a long hallway where music filled her ears. Of course, she headed in that direction. Opening two large doors, she peeked inside to see a warm fireplace trickle in the center of the room. In contrast to the rest of the building, this room felt cosy and more like a home. Stepping inside, she carefully approached the fire, seeing a figure on the couch. Deciding not to bother him, she took place in a large, inviting chair.
Lex had heard her, but did nothing to acknowledge her presence. The silence that ensued was nothing like he was used to. Normally, it would be filled with tension, or it held some kind of standoff. But this was different. Comfortable. Nice, even.
Chloe's gaze drifted over the room. It was concealed in darkness, except for the flickering light of the fire, casting shadows over the walls. Everything was just so peaceful, her mind quickly wondered to what was gonna happen the next day.
As if reading her mind, Lex spoke up. "You don't have to leave."
Burying her head further into the sweater, she whispered, "Yes, I do."
"Look, you can just stay here for as long as you want. I'll call your parents-"
"You can't."
For the first time, he turned to look at her, and his breath stopped short. She looked absolutely beautiful, with her blonde hair and soft features in the golden glow. Not to mention her wearing his sweater, that, for that matter, didn't cover quite that much. Lex had to remind himself to breathe. Finally he managed to choke out, "Why?"
Chloe turned her head to face him, and the pain in her eyes again took his breath away.
"They're dead."
He was stunned and overwhelmed with sympathy for the girl. He knew all too well what it was like to loose a family member. Suddenly, he understood everything. When she said goodbye to Lana, she had meant it. Chloe was gonna leave town. She was gonna leave Smallville. Leave him.
The idea of not having her in his life scared him. As much as he hated to admit it, he cared for her. More than he had ever thought he could care for another human being.
Slowly getting up from the couch, he kneeled in front of her chair and gently took hold of her hands, forcing her to look at him. She didn't want to. She didn't want to show him how weak she was, but couldn't help herself. Gazing into his bright blue eyes, she felt herself get lost in them. He didn't pity her. No. His eyes were filled with understanding.
Steeling himself for such an expression of his hidden feelings, he told her, "I lost my mother."
Now it was her turn to be compassionate. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his cheek, softly caressing it. "When did this happen?"
"When I was thirteen." A tear escaped him before he could stop it, and she slowly wiped it away. She had never seen him so vulnerable. She doubted anyone had. When she was with him, she felt safe. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to show him every corner of her soul.
"My mom also died of cancer when I was ten." Suddenly, he felt guilty for not knowing something as important as this about her, but pushed it away as she continued.
"It hurt my dad too much to be around me, so....so he sent me to Smallville. During my time in Metropolis last week, I found out that.... he had a car accident. A drunk driver didn't see him round the corner, and slammed right into him. Dead on impact."
Her voice sounded emotionless, but her eyes told him an entirely different story. Lex brought her hand to his lips and placed a feather-light kiss on top of it in a comforting gesture. That was enough to send her over the edge.
Chloe exploded in tears as she stood up to leave, but he stopped her, pulling her into an embrace. She accepted the warmth eagerly and clung onto him as if her life depended on it.
She inhaled sharply in between sobs, burying her head in his chest. Everything drained out of her. All the pain that had been building up since she was ten.
As she started calming down, Lex loosened the firm grip he had on her and looked down at the tiny body he held in his arms. She looked so innocent and lost.
"Stay with me," he whispered.
She couldn't argue with him even if she wanted to. She didn't have it in her. Silently, she nodded in his chest, making him smile somewhat.
Sweeping her up into his arms, he carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed, covering her with the silk sheets. But before he could leave, she reached out and took hold of his hand. Looking down at the girl, he saw her eyes thanking him, and smiled at her. "It's my pleasure, Miss Sullivan."
Closing the doors behind him, he could just hear her mumble. "Call me Chloe." Letting out a small chuckle, he made his way towards his own bedroom.
This had been one helluva night.
~THE END~
Author: CJ
Summary: Who will catch you when you fall? (slight AU)
Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Archival: Absolutely, but I'd appreciate it if you let me know first
Feedback: Are you serious? HELLO? Feedback-junkie here!
A/N: Just for the record, I'm Dutch. This means that you'll probably find about a zillion screw-ups here. Don't say I didn't warn you!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The streets were quiet and deserted, not a soul in sight. It was already past eleven and Chloe had just recently returned from Metropolis. She had received a call from an old acquaintance a week earlier that it was urgent she come there. As expected, she had done just that and as soon as had she arrived there, she had been informed of the reason for her sudden summoning. Her father had died in a car crash. She had been devastated by the news. Her father had been the only family she had left after her mother died when she was ten. She was forced to arrange the funeral and taking care of all his business and social matters.
The realization that she was now alone in the world had slammed into her, sending her balancing on an emotional cliff, threatening to fall at even the slightest breeze. Seventeen and an orphan. She hated that word. Orphan. It made people pity her. And if there was one thing she hated, it was pity. People would feel sorry for her, the girl who had lost both her parents and had no one to turn to. They would try to comfort her, telling her that it is all part of God's great plan. Bullshit! She had a change of faith long ago. When she was forced to watch her mother being eaten away by cancer. What good could it possibly do to take away a young girl's parents? Remembering how her father had died emotionally along with his wife, her heart filled with guilt. Gabe had never been able to look his daughter in the eye anymore. She reminded him too much of his late wife. When it got too painful for him to even be in the same room with her, he had shipped her off to Smallville. The woman who raised her wasn't anything like the loving and caring person that her mother had been, but Chloe knew she did her best. And then there were the Kents. Although they'll never know it, they were more of a family to her than they could imagine possible. With their open generosity and unlimited love, they had taken her into their hearts. And now that was all gonna change. Her whole life was gonna change. Her father had left her enough money to last her a long while, but she knew it couldn't last her forever. She was gonna have to take care of herself now. That involved a new start, a new life. And that new life wasn't going to involve Smallville. It couldn't.
Even the thought of her staying in this little town made her heart ache. She needed to get out of there. The sooner, the better. Chloe knew she couldn't just leave without saying goodbye to her friends, but also knew that they would try to talk her out of it. They would try to get her to stay, but that was impossible. She would go far away.
She knew that the first thing she would have to do was go home and pack, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't bring herself to face all the memories, afraid she might loose herself. All that had happened, and she hadn't cried once. Not once. That was not her way of getting over something. She never cried. Even as a child, she wouldn't cry, not even at her mother's funeral. What's the point in crying? It doesn't bring anyone back from the dead. It was worthless. Crying was worthless. And Chloe Sullivan didn't do worthless. She did what needed to be done.
But she just couldn't bring herself into going home.
* * * * *
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, trying to relieve her body of the tension, but to no avail. The wind had picked up, playing wistfully with her short blonde hair. Pulling her coat tighter around her body, she looked up, and noticed that she had unconsciously wondered over to the Talon. Suddenly wanting nothing more than caffeine, she started towards the coffee-shop but halted as she thought of the possibility of running into Clark or Pete there. Lana was most definitely gonna be there, but that didn't bother her. What bothered her was that maybe she was gonna have to face her best friends. And she wasn't up to that.
After contemplating for another while longer, Chloe's caffeine addiction finally took over and she entered the Talon. It wasn't busy, on the contrary. It was almost empty, except for a few customers. Taking no real notice of them, she walked up to the counter, waiting for Lana to show up. And then she did. As soon as the girl appeared from the back of the Talon, Lana smiled brightly at her. For a moment, Chloe thought the smile was gonna blind her.
"Hey Chloe! You're back!" Lang replied cheerily.
Forcing a small smile, Chloe nodded, "Yeah, I'm back." Her voice was ragged and grim, but she did her best to hide it. Fortunately, Lana didn't notice and asked her if she wanted the usual.
"Please," the blonde responded slyly and went to sit in a seat in the corner. Sitting down, she only just realized how much her feet hurt from running around all day. In fact, her whole week was tiring. As soon as she got her mocha latte, she wrapped her hands around it, clinging onto it like it was a life-preserver.
Time passed as Chloe stared off into the distance, trying not to think about anything by forcing her mind blank.
* * * * *
Lex walked into the Talon, dressed in a dark suit as usual. He ordered a cappuccino and starting for a seat, when something caught his eye. The funky jacket and blonde hair, there was no doubt, Miss Sullivan was back. Smiling, he slid into the seat across from her, but she didn't see him. She just seemed to peer right through him.
He regarded her for a while, taking in her appearance. The girl looked beautiful as ever, but something was different. He could see that she hadn't spent much time on her hair and make-up and she had dark circles under her eyes.
Frowning, he leaned forward and held a hand over her drink. Cold. Strange, it wasn't like her to waste a good cup of coffee.
* * * * *
Chloe blinked a few times, as if waking up from a deep sleep, and saw a man sitting in front of her, leaning over her coffee. More out of instinct than surprise, she pulled back, clutching the cup against her chest. Lex was both confused and amused by her behaviour and sat back in his seat, smirking. By the time her mind had worked out who the figure was, she sighed and retreated into her former pose, elbows placed on the table.
Out the corner of her eye, she could see him watching her and groaned. "What dya want?" she demanded in a tone so cold it could've frozen hell.
"Me?" he answered casually, "Nothing. Just enjoying the view." He flashed her a smug grin, knowing how much she hated that. "And, Miss Sullivan, may I ask what your business is here, in the middle of the night?"
Suppressing a scowl, she sipped her coffee, screwing her face up at the taste of cold caffeine. She set it down in front of her, facing Lex, "I'm out partying, doing drugs and getting drunk, didn't you notice?" Sarcasm dripped off of every word.
In mock seriousness, he questioned, "And what would your parents say of this?"
He noticed how she flinched at the mention of her parents and an eyebrow arched up, yet he decided not to mention it.
Avoiding his eyes, Chloe did her best not to let any emotion show. "That's none of your business, Mr Luther." Her tone held more menace than poison, and he made a mental note.
"Please, call me Lex," he said smoothly.
"I'd rather not," she shot back and rubbed her eyes. Her energy was fading quickly and she couldn't keep this up much longer. "I'm leaving," she said, tiredness creeping into her voice.
Lex frowned. He'd never seen her like this before. She always seemed so full of life, and had never passed up the chance of throwing him a good line.
"The trip to Metropolis must've worn you out. What did you say it was about?"
Shooting him a hard glare, she answered coldly, "I didn't say."
His brow furrowed and he leaned forward, intrigued, "You can't hide it from me forever. You know I'm gonna find out eventually," he warned with a teasing hint. She, however, didn't seem that amused.
"Yeah, eventually..." Standing up to leave, she grabbed her bag and reached inside it for her wallet, when Lex noticed and stopped her, laying down a few bills himself.
"Let me handle it. Do you need a ride home?" He didn't like the idea of the girl riding home alone. Who knew what could happen to her. The concern he felt for her surprised him, but he put it off as just taking care of Clark's welfare, since he would be devastated if something were to befall her.
Chloe shook her head, "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Mr Luther." Her tone held defiance with a tinge of sadness. Hoping her words held truth, she turned to Lana, giving her a wry smile. The cheery girl returned it happily while skillfully balancing a nearly empty tray.
"Goodbye, Lana," the blonde said. As much as she hadn't expected it, she was gonna miss the girl. They had never actually been good friends, but she had the feeling they could've been.
"Bye, Chlo. See ya tomorrow?"
She sculptured a weak smile onto her delicate features, "You'll see."
Exiting the Talon, Chloe was taken by surprise as the wind caught her legs and threatened to sweep them from under her. Fortunately, two strong arms encircled her from behind, holding her up. Turning around, she stood face to face with Lex. She didn't know whether to thank him, or tell him to get lost.
Seeing the indecision in her eyes, he wasted no time. The storm was getting worse. No matter what the girl did or said, he was not gonna let her go all by herself. Grabbing her hand, he dragged her over to his Porsche, parked near the entrance, and carefully forced her into the passenger seat.
Getting in himself, Lex turned on the ignition, his eyes avoiding Chloe's.
It was only when they were moving, did she let loose. Her lips formed a thin, white line and anger boiled inside her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" She demanded fiercely.
Keeping his gaze at the road, he answered, "Taking you home."
The thought of throttling the guy right then and there crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it, "Take me to the Comfort Inn!"
Confusion played on his features. "What for?"
"Because I'm not going home. And don't ask me why."
"Why?"
"Because!"
"I'm not gonna let you sleep in some motel when it's storming outside!"
"Well, what do you suggest, then?"
Lex, not noticing (or ignoring) the sarcastic hint in her tone, thought for a while, then suddenly made a u-turn with the car, speeding off in the opposite direction. Chloe couldn't believe this. "Where are we going?"
"My place," he replied, just as rain started clashing on the windshield. He kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel, determined to keep them both from being flung into some ditch.
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Look, I don't want to argue with you-"
"Then don't. You're coming with me, period." He was used to people following his orders and this Sullivan kid just infuriated him beyond believe. Why couldn't she just shut up? And to his surprise, she did. He heard no further resistance from the seat beside him, and for a moment, he even toyed with the idea of her being dead. Glancing sideways, he saw her sitting sternly in her seat, trying to calm herself.
"Five *breath* six *breath* seven *breath* eight *breath*....," she whispered to herself, but it didn't work. Turning her enraged eyes to his, she hissed, "You spoiled little brat! "
A brow arched up, but he didn't respond. The rest of the ride was in silence.
* * * * *
Passing through the gates, Lex rode the car up to the Mansion and got out to open the door on Chloe's side. She just rolled her eyes and brushed passed him, heading to the entrance. A butler let her and the Luthor in, and Lex led her through the maze of corridors. She had to keep her mouth from dropping to her ground. The mansion was amazing. How could all of this belong to one person?
Realizing that they had stopped moving, she looked up to see two large doors. As Lex opened them, they revealed a huge bedroom. If you could even call it a bedroom. The place was almost as large as whole house.
"Holy shit!"
"No, I'm pretty sure it's a bedroom." His trademark smirk adorned his handsome face as he watched her jump onto the large bed, bouncing like it was a trampoline. Lex couldn't help but stare at the way her hair flew around her face and how her lips curved into the most amazing smile he'd ever seen.
Oh hell, what was he thinking? Shrugging off those disturbing thoughts, he motioned for the doors, leading to the adjoined rooms. "Bathroom/Jacuzzi, closet-"
"Oh, crap!"
Lex watched as she let herself fall back onto the bed, and furrowed his brows. "What's wrong?"
"My clothes are still in my car, and my car is still outside the Talon," she whacked herself across the head, earning an amused look from her companion.
"Well," he said, walking over to the bed, smirk back in place, "I don't have any women clothing lying around here, so I'll get George to give you some of my own."
She rolled her eyes, getting up from the bed. "You want me to wear your clothes?"
"I don't see any other option. You?"
"Well...no...But I wouldn't fit in those. And do you expect me to sleep in an Armani suit?"
He laughed and images of her sleeping in his clothes floated through his mind. "This may come as a shock to you, Miss Sullivan, but I do own casual clothing."
Her mouth dropped open in mock surprise, and she laid a hand over her heart, "I don't believe it! I didn't think you even knew what casual meant!"
Taking a few intimidating steps towards her, he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Miss Sullivan."
Her head fluttered and a cool chill travelled up her spine, but she was determined not to let him get to her.
*Okay, Chloe, think of something! Say something mean! Tell him you can see the moon reflecting off his bald head! No, that won't work. What about: Hey, buddy, one step closer and you're a dead billionaire playboy man! Nope, that won't work either. Maybe-*
"Miss Sullivan? You still here?"
Averting her eyes to hide the furious blush that had crept upon her cheeks, she took a step away from him. "Ofcourse, where else would I be?" She bit, trying to regain her attitude.
"Somewhere in Chloe World, maybe...," he suggested, earning an un lady-like snort.
'Yeah right,' she thought. 'Where the male population consists of Lex Luthor's.'
Looking up, she saw him grinning smugly. "Oh, god. Did I just say that out loud?"
Lex nodded. "So you were thinking of me?" He questioned, pride apparent in his voice.
"Don't worry. It wasn't anything favourable. Just what a playboy you are. No, wait! That didn't come out right!" She felt the blush rising to her cheeks and didn't have to look to know that Lex was smiling his usual smug smile.
"What I meant to say was that I can't be mean to you. No, wrong again! I was thinking of ways to humiliate you, but I couldn't. But not because there isn't anything you have to be embarrassed about. There are a lot of things you could work on. But I don't mean you're a loser or something! You're hot! No! You're not hot! Bad Chloe! Bad, bad, Chloe! I'll just shut up now and disappear into the hardwood." Glancing around, she noticed, "You know, you've got a lot of hardwood around here. Don't you ever get termites?" Suddenly finding the wooden floor extremely interesting, Chloe shuffled her feet nervously.
"Why, Miss Sullivan!" He practically beamed. "I do believe you just called me hot?"
She couldn't help but stare at the way his mouth curved as he pronounced the word hot, but quickly refrained herself. "Well, you're delusional!"
"What would that make you?"
*Damn him!*
"I already know I'm crazy! Now move that cute arse of yours and get out!" Again realizing what she had said, she groaned loudly. Lex, on the other hand, found this all very amusing.
"As you wish." Watching him exit her bedroom, she let out a breath she had unconsciously been holding.
* * * * *
Not that long after his departure, George dropped off a wide collection of clothing. Lex's clothing! Taking a long, hot shower first, Chloe then tried everything on, but nothing fitted her. It made her feel like a young girl again, trying on her mother's clothing.
Immediately, the earlier events floated through her mind, filling her with dread, but she managed to push them aside. Just as she had found a nice, warm shirt, the lights went out. The typical horror movie scene came to mind, making her shudder. Now that the power was down, it wouldn't be long before the mansion had dropped in temperature.
Crawling into a large sweater that just reached above her knees, she began her quest through the halls.
Most of them were cold and gave her the chills, until she ended up in a long hallway where music filled her ears. Of course, she headed in that direction. Opening two large doors, she peeked inside to see a warm fireplace trickle in the center of the room. In contrast to the rest of the building, this room felt cosy and more like a home. Stepping inside, she carefully approached the fire, seeing a figure on the couch. Deciding not to bother him, she took place in a large, inviting chair.
Lex had heard her, but did nothing to acknowledge her presence. The silence that ensued was nothing like he was used to. Normally, it would be filled with tension, or it held some kind of standoff. But this was different. Comfortable. Nice, even.
Chloe's gaze drifted over the room. It was concealed in darkness, except for the flickering light of the fire, casting shadows over the walls. Everything was just so peaceful, her mind quickly wondered to what was gonna happen the next day.
As if reading her mind, Lex spoke up. "You don't have to leave."
Burying her head further into the sweater, she whispered, "Yes, I do."
"Look, you can just stay here for as long as you want. I'll call your parents-"
"You can't."
For the first time, he turned to look at her, and his breath stopped short. She looked absolutely beautiful, with her blonde hair and soft features in the golden glow. Not to mention her wearing his sweater, that, for that matter, didn't cover quite that much. Lex had to remind himself to breathe. Finally he managed to choke out, "Why?"
Chloe turned her head to face him, and the pain in her eyes again took his breath away.
"They're dead."
He was stunned and overwhelmed with sympathy for the girl. He knew all too well what it was like to loose a family member. Suddenly, he understood everything. When she said goodbye to Lana, she had meant it. Chloe was gonna leave town. She was gonna leave Smallville. Leave him.
The idea of not having her in his life scared him. As much as he hated to admit it, he cared for her. More than he had ever thought he could care for another human being.
Slowly getting up from the couch, he kneeled in front of her chair and gently took hold of her hands, forcing her to look at him. She didn't want to. She didn't want to show him how weak she was, but couldn't help herself. Gazing into his bright blue eyes, she felt herself get lost in them. He didn't pity her. No. His eyes were filled with understanding.
Steeling himself for such an expression of his hidden feelings, he told her, "I lost my mother."
Now it was her turn to be compassionate. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his cheek, softly caressing it. "When did this happen?"
"When I was thirteen." A tear escaped him before he could stop it, and she slowly wiped it away. She had never seen him so vulnerable. She doubted anyone had. When she was with him, she felt safe. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to show him every corner of her soul.
"My mom also died of cancer when I was ten." Suddenly, he felt guilty for not knowing something as important as this about her, but pushed it away as she continued.
"It hurt my dad too much to be around me, so....so he sent me to Smallville. During my time in Metropolis last week, I found out that.... he had a car accident. A drunk driver didn't see him round the corner, and slammed right into him. Dead on impact."
Her voice sounded emotionless, but her eyes told him an entirely different story. Lex brought her hand to his lips and placed a feather-light kiss on top of it in a comforting gesture. That was enough to send her over the edge.
Chloe exploded in tears as she stood up to leave, but he stopped her, pulling her into an embrace. She accepted the warmth eagerly and clung onto him as if her life depended on it.
She inhaled sharply in between sobs, burying her head in his chest. Everything drained out of her. All the pain that had been building up since she was ten.
As she started calming down, Lex loosened the firm grip he had on her and looked down at the tiny body he held in his arms. She looked so innocent and lost.
"Stay with me," he whispered.
She couldn't argue with him even if she wanted to. She didn't have it in her. Silently, she nodded in his chest, making him smile somewhat.
Sweeping her up into his arms, he carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed, covering her with the silk sheets. But before he could leave, she reached out and took hold of his hand. Looking down at the girl, he saw her eyes thanking him, and smiled at her. "It's my pleasure, Miss Sullivan."
Closing the doors behind him, he could just hear her mumble. "Call me Chloe." Letting out a small chuckle, he made his way towards his own bedroom.
This had been one helluva night.
~THE END~