Trust Me (PG-15) not quite R - Complete 8/23/07

YOU CAN READ THE FIRST 22 CHAPTERS OR THE WHOLE FIC HERE: http://www.mediafire.com/file/s7cw2w..._Trust_Me.docx

A/N - PLease review if you read....this fic is feeling neglected....BTW, I cut out the chapter about CLOIS so just to keep you abreast, they're a thing.


Chapter 23 – Back Home

“Just drop me here. I’ll call you.” Chloe got out of the car and headed up the steps.

“Chloe,” Lois jumped out of the car, starting to plead with Chloe.

“Lois, go home and wait for me to call you – I have to take care of this on my own.” Chloe shoved her key in the lock just as the guard opened the door for her. “Hi. I wanted to have another go with Lex.”

“He’s not here right now Miss Sullivan, but you’re welcome to wait for him. How’s the arm?” The guard helped her to her room and waited to see if she needed anything.

“It hurts but bones heal.” The guard excused himself as Chloe started going through her closet as a ruse. When he departed, she headed out the other door of her room through the one that connected to Lex’s room and the office. Sneaking into the office, she looked around and listened. Not hearing anyone coming, she quietly opened the box on the shelf and pocketed the object in it, just in case.


“Where’s Chloe?” Clark ran out to Lois’s car as she got out.

“At the mansion – she said she wanted to figure out what was going on and that she was the only one that was going to be allowed in there. Clark I am really worried about her – if he comes back and finds her there, who knows what he will do to her.” Lois fell into his arms and started to cry. Breathing heavy, Clark closed his eyes and held her for a moment.

“I’m going over there.” Lois grabbed his hand as he started to the truck. “Clark, don’t – I need you.” Lois continued pulling on his hand. “Lex will kill you – he’ll kill both of you.” Clark turned and kissed her passionately and hugged her.

“I’ll be fine – we’re both going to be fine.” Clark got in the truck and drove away.


Chloe continued to tool through the room as the computer loaded. She keyed past the firewall of the computer and started searching the files for the last few days. Stopping on one folder, she noticed that many of the files were identical to the ones from her computer. He’s been stealing from me – not my Lex but still – oh God. Chloe continued reading the file, swallowing hard realizing that her research just set up a massive experiment that Lionel had first started. Sitting back in the chair, she couldn’t believe what he had started, what she had helped to start.

“Nice to see that my fiancée is taking an interest in my business dealings. Why don’t you just ask.” She peered over the computer screen to see Lex leaning over the desk, eyes firmly glued to her. As he pulled the cord out of the computer, he leaned further over the desk, pressing the screen down. Almost close enough to touch her lips, he whispered, “Now, why are you home? Want to go make up?” He smirked as he held his hand out to her.

Chloe got up out of the chair and walked around the opposite side of the desk, trying to avoid him. He moved closer to her as she stopped. She could feel that electricity that she usually felt with his touch as he ran his fingers along the sling her arm was in. “I’m so sorry honey.”

“I’m not your honey,” Chloe breathed as she pulled herself away from him. Starting to the door, she watched as he passed and closed the door.

“Not so fast,” he responded as he turned back around and walked toward her.

“That’s close enough.” Lex stopped suddenly when he saw Chloe pull his gun out of her bag sitting on the corner of the couch. “Back off. What’s 33.1?” She could see Lex’s eyes get bigger when she posed the question.

“You shouldn’t get involved in things – I always knew you were a nosy little bitch. I was really hoping that I wouldn’t have to kill you because actually there is a little of the old me in here and we could have been a great couple.” Chloe held the gun steady as she heard the words roll of his lips. Trying to not concentrate on the words, bitch.

“BACK OFF!” Lex stepped closer to her and held his hand out to pull the gun off her. “STOP RIGHT THERE!” Suddenly the gun went off, and she dropped it on the floor as Lex fell backwards onto the floor.

From outside, Clark watched as Chloe shot Lex in his office but his hearing alerted him to another area of the mansion.



Chapter 24 – RIP?

Clark continued to follow the screaming from inside the mansion as he x-rayed the building, trying to avoid having to hurt any guards. Breaking a window, he jumped into the basement to find several locked vaults. Listening more intently, he could groans of pain coming from the vault in the corner of the basement. Lex.

“Lex, how do I get the door off?” Clark yelled and waited for an answer. Hearing the groans had subsided, Clark closed his eyes and prayed that Lex was ok but unconscious. Putting both hands on the handle, he jerked the door out of the hinges and laid it on the ground. He saw Lex slumped over on the floor with his hands and legs still bound. He was holding his stomach, which was bleeding. Clark picked him up and ran him up to the office upstairs.

“Clark, I think he’s dead.” He could see Chloe leaning over another bleeding body bawling. She was pressing his coat up against the bullet wound. Tears continued to fall on Lex’s body, “I killed him.”

“Chloe, I think we have a problem.” Chloe looked up as Clark put the other Lex down on the floor next to the other body. “Now, Chloe, you remember what happened exactly at the plant that caused this to happen?” Chloe crawled over to the other body and placed her hands on her face, starting to bawl again. She laid her head on his chest, hugging his shoulders. Her Lex. Clark pulled her hands off of him, “Chloe, you gotta help me or we could have a real problem. He could die. Think.”

Chloe sat up and recounted the events in the plant from a couple of days ago and tried to put the pieces together. She looked up at Clark.

“What?”

“We need a meteor rock and a lot of heat.”

Clark breathed in heavy and closed his eyes. “How much heat?”

“I don’t know exactly. It was enough to cause the green meteor rocks to turn to onyx – almost black.” Chloe held Lex’s hand and squeezed. She could hear him barely breathing and touched his chest. “Clark, there’s barely a heartbeat. You gotta do something.”

Clark paced in the office thinking how he could possibly bring Lex back in one piece without giving up his secret. After listening to Chloe’s pleading and hearing Lex’s heart beat to nothingness, he knew he had no choice. “Chloe, you have to keep what’s about to happen a secret, even from Lex and Lois, and we won’t discuss it. No one can know.”

Chloe looked at Clark in confusion. “Ok,” she barely whispered. Clark shook his head and supersped out the mansion door, to the house and back. When he got back a few seconds later, Chloe was still sitting on the floor with a stunned look on her face. “How did you?”

“You promised we wouldn’t discuss it. Now, you want him to live right?” Chloe held Lex’s hand and shook her head.

Clark laid the lead box that Lex had given him years ago down between the two bodies and went up the stairs to the library. “Chloe, open the box, put both of their hands on it, and then get out of the room.” Chloe did as Clark instructed and left the room. She waited outside in the hallway as she could see a blinding light come from office and hear Lex scream in agony. She sunk into a ball in the hallway and waited until the light was gone. “Chloe, close the box, quick.”

She walked in and shut the box just as Clark zipped through the office and disappeared with the box. Laying there next to it was Lex, still unconscious and bleeding but complete. Clark returned and listened. “His heart’s stopped again. The electricity from the crystal started it momentarily. We need to get him to the hospital. Do you trust me?” Chloe shook her head yes as she watched Clark pick him up and head to the door of the office. “I’ll meet you at the hospital.” Clark then was gone, with Lex in hand. Still in shock from what she had seen from Clark, she picked up her bag and headed for her car.


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Chapter 25 – Shadow in the Bunker

“Sir, Lex has been compromised.” The man on the other line said solemnly.

“Is he dead? Is my son,” Lionel stopped realizing what could have happened.

“No sir, I don’t believe so, but the second has been eradicated in some measure.”

“Fine.” Lionel hung up the phone and sat at his desk in the hidden bunker. Looking at the computer screen, he watched as the footage from the mansion’s office showed some kind of explosion that Chloe Sullivan and Clark Kent were involved in.

Turning back to the other computer, he looked over the file open on the computer dealing with 33.1. Well, son, you messed up again. Lionel smiled as he continued to go over sketches of the new facility he was building unbeknownst to his son or son’s fiancée.

Ohhhhh An Evil Twist. Dagney

Scary but good update. :)

Disclaimer in first post

Chapter 26 – RIP? Part II

Clark noticed his parents and Lois arrive shortly after Lex was taken into the emergency room. Chloe must have called them while she was on her way. “Clark, is he going to be ok?” Martha asked.

Clark came out of the emergency room covered in blood and sat down in the waiting room. “I don’t know – he’s in pretty bad shape, with the trauma of the rejoining and all. The doctors wouldn’t talk to me – they want to talk to Chloe first.” Clark saw Chloe walk through the emergency room doors in a panic.

“Where is he?” Clark pointed at the double doors as Chloe ran off down the hall through the doors. Lois grabbed Clark’s hand and leaned against his shoulder, sighing. She didn’t like Lex but Chloe needed him.

“I’m Chloe Sullivan, I’m Lex Luthor’s fiancée – I need to talk to the doctor.” Chloe stood tapping on the counter waiting for someone to respond to her. She wished she was actually Lex because no one would make him wait. After a few minutes, the doctor came out of a small trauma room and walked toward her.

“Miss Sullivan, I’m afraid that Lex has been down for awhile. We have him on life support but he’s struggling.” Lois watched through the small window of the doors separating the waiting room. She ran through the doors as she watched Chloe fall into the arms of the doctor. Holding her up, she could tell from the look on Chloe’s face, things were grim.

“I want to see him.” Chloe could barely get the words out.

“The police are not quite sure that would be a good idea. You shot him.” Lois straightened up as two Smallville officers walked up to Chloe. Chloe started shaking her head no and pulling away from the officers. “They only want to talk to you. I already told them that you were in here after he hurt you, and it’s a domestic issue. But without Mr. Luthor’s statement, they have to be by the book,” the doctor apologized.

“I just want to see my fiancée.” Chloe screamed down the hall as the officers took her into an empty office. Clark walked up to Lois and held her hand. “Can one of us see him? His father is out of the picture and we are his best friends.” The doctor rolled his eyes in thought and shook his head.

“This way.” The doctor motioned that just Clark enter the room. “Don’t take too long.”

Clark walked in and saw Lex baiting for breath, even on the ventilator and watched as his eyes fluttered. He looked at all the machines and noticed the very faint heartbeat that matched the shallow breathing. Pulling the chair over to the bed, he leaned against the bed rail. “Lex, you gotta wake up man. You have to help Chloe. She’s just a shell without you. She needs you. We all need you.”

Clark sat in silence in the dimly lit room until he fell asleep. When he awoke he saw that Chloe had finally been allowed into the room. She had the other chair pulled up against the bed and her hands wrapped in Lex’s, breathing with his every breath, as if it would help him. “Clark,” she whispered, “Go – I’m ok.” Clark looked over at her. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her cheeks were red and warm from worry, but she needed to be alone with him. He nodded and quietly left the room.

“I love you Lex. Don’t you leave me,” she whispered as she rubbed her fingers across his cheek and head. She heard a machine beep and looked up. The nurse walked in and silently changed the bag of fluids and checked his vitals. Chloe watched as she walked around the room completing small tasks, filling out charts, and cleaning up. Chloe breathed deep when the nurse finally left and closed the door.

For three days she never left his side. She fed him ice cubes one at a time and cried as his breathing slowed and sped up randomly. She fell asleep on the couch next to the bed finally after 72 hours.

“Hmp.” Lex loosely grabbed the railing and shook it. Turning his head, he could see Chloe sleeping on the couch and tried to get her attention. “Chloe,” he hacked, not being able to speak with the tube down his throat. Finally, he wiggled the pulse monitor off his finger to send a shrieking sound through the room.

Chloe shot off the couch in a panic and grabbed the bedrail. She felt a hand come up and touch her. Looking down, she smiled through her tears now welling up in her eyes. “Lex,” she whispered as she took his hand and sat in the chair next to the bed. “You scared me, all of us.” Chloe watched as he looked at her funny and tried to speak. “Don’t speak – you can’t until they get that thing out of your throat. I meant the Kents and Lois – everyone has been really supportive.” Lex shook his head and ran his hand along her face and through her hair. Smiling at her, he motioned to her he wanted to write.

Handing him a pad and pen, he wrote “I love you. Thank you. Now get these tubes out of me.”

Chloe smiled and headed out the door. Lex lay in the bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking. She stayed with me – she loves me.


Chapter 27 – Rehashing the Days

Lex and Chloe returned to the mansion after spending the morning checking out of the hospital and convincing the police that Chloe did nothing wrong by nearly killing him. He refused to press charges and would testify in her behalf so there was no case. Walking into his office, he took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry I broke into your computer. I hoped it would put you back together so to speak. Or at least find out what your other half was up to.” Chloe helped Lex to the couch and waited for the retort.

“It’s ok. Bring me the computer. You find anything interesting?” Chloe put the computer down on his lap and turned it on. Lex typed in his password and waited for the history to open up.

Chloe leaned over and looked at the list of files that were last opened. “Lex, it’s not there – the file that had all my information in it and about the experiment that your father had been doing before prison. Your alter Lex had started it up again.” Lex could see the look of fear in her eyes as the files didn’t appear.

Putting his arm around her, he closed the computer and kissed her on the side of the neck. “Let’s not worry about it right now.”

“Not worry about it? Clark saw your other half leave the mansion with Lionel.” Chloe stood up and started flailing her arms in fright. “Your father is out there somewhere no doubt trying to plan another demise for the both of us. Before it wasn’t much since he just was going after me and you separately, but he’s got something bigger planned. Lex, I can feel it.”

Chloe got up and took the laptop over to the desk and started going through old files trying to find the ones she saw earlier. “Lex, how much do you remember? From the separation?” Lex walked over to the desk and looked over her shoulder as she punched more buttons. Looking up as she waited for his email to open, Lex marveled that she casually broke through every security measure he had right in front of him.

He looked back at her, “Nothing from the split – if I did, I would pursue it. Chloe, let’s bother with this tomorrow.” He tried to take her by the wrist as she pulled her hand away.

“No, I’m not giving up on this – I don’t want to end up dead again.” Chloe got up and started for the controls to the cameras in the mansion. In the same instant, Lex grabbed the remote from her. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

“As it happens, right now, I just want to be with you. Look, I understand that somewhere out there is my father but I’ve decided he can’t run my life.” Chloe sat down in front of the computer madder than Hades. She couldn’t believe Lex was putting off his father’s escape that easily. Taking her hand in his, he knelt beside her there behind the desk. “I will find him – in my own way. He’s going to be out of our lives once and for all. I promise – remember I said I will protect you long ago, that hasn’t changed. Trust me?”

Chloe looked at him as she rubbed his cheek before looking back at the computer. On the email list was several messages that hadn’t been deleted. Chloe continued reading, noticing the date. “Lex,” she shifted in the chair and stared at him. “You knew about this before the split? Are you kidding me?” She pushed the chair away from the desk and stormed out of the office.

Running down the hall after her Lex gingerly grabbed her around the waist from behind as she fought to get away. Letting go, he just grabbed her by the wrist, realizing the pain from his ribs was still intensive. “Calm down! I only got that information from some informants that had been researching what my father had been doing before the breakout – that’s it – I swear!”

Pulling out of his grip, Chloe turned and screamed back, “Trust you? We’re getting married and you’re keeping secrets like this from me? Are you mad?!” Lex reached out and touched her arm, “No, don’t touch me!” Chloe pulled away and headed down the hall. Lex followed her but heard the bolt lock turn and knew he wasn’t getting in the room tonight.

Lex went back into the office and sifted through the security tapes and found nothing. Yes, his father and his alter ego had been all over the mansion but had not left one traceable piece of evidence. He reread the emails that had gotten him evicted from his own bedroom. What are you doing dad?

Calling his informant back, he waited as the other line went silent several times before the man returned. “Mr. Luthor, your father was last seen getting on a plane to Twin Falls Idaho. That was yesterday. We lost him there.”

“You find him and call me back – I want to know exactly what he’s doing there.” Lex hung up the phone and sat back in the chair at the desk staring at the blueprints of something that had been neglected to be deleted from the personal recycle bin. “Gotcha.”

Walking slowly down the hall, he slinked down on the outside of the locked door. “Chloe, I have someone tracking him as we speak – I found a set of blueprints on the computer that were in a place you didn’t check. Baby, open the door, please.”

“Where is he?” He could hear her move closer to the door and sit down on the other side.

“In Idaho. He can’t exactly do anything from there. Please, we’ll solve this but I need your help by trusting me – I’ll tell you everything I find out but…” Lex couldn’t continue to plead – it wasn’t his nature. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the door, and ran his fingers under the door.

He felt a soft touch and gentle squeeze. Pressing his eye lids together closer, he heard the lock turn as Chloe pulled the door ajar enough for him to see her face flushed from crying. He pushed the door open slightly more and took her in his arms. “I’m sorry – I’ll never keep anything from you again. And we’ll take care of dear old dad together, but not tonight.” Lex wiped her eyes as she buried herself into his chest and sobbed.


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The next morning after Lex was released Clark and Lois found themselves at the Kent’s dinner table looking at Clark’s parents. They weren’t exactly angry but more concerned. Jonathon finally quit pacing, “Clark, how long has this been going on?”

Clark looked at the tabletop, wiping it with his fingers, “Umm. Since the week you and mom went away.” He looked up as his mother’s jaw dropped. He could see his father’s pacing increased. Looking to the side, he could see Lois start to open her mouth as he squeezed her hand under the table. She immediately closed it.

“How come you didn’t say anything? I mean if you had come to us with this we might not be as upset as we are now. I mean what were you thinking sleeping in the loft together?” Jonathon waited for the moment to sink in and continued, “Lois, I think I need to talk to him alone.”

Lois looked over at him and grimaced. She knew this was going badly. “Good luck,” she whispered as she kissed his cheek and walked away. Clark could feel his face get flushed from her kissing him in front of his parents. He figured it was now in the open and she didn’t care what they thought.

“Lois and I are in love.” Clark waited another moment until his father looked like he calmed down. “And I know what you are going to say – that with my abilities that something could happen. Well, actually … nothing does. At least nothing super.” Clark’s eyes searched all over the kitchen to look other than his father.

Jonathon moved in closer. “I hope you were at least safe.” Clark shook his head yes and got up from the table.

“Look, it’s happened and I love her. I think we should just come to the realization that I’ve entered another part of my life. Dad, I’m 18 and graduating from high school, and.”

“And you’re still under my roof.” Jonathon started the inevitable speech but Martha took his arm. Shaking his head, he realized his son was growing up and that he and Martha had been the same way.

Martha took Clark’s hand and pleaded, “Just be careful.”

Clark smiled and walked outside where Lois was kicking up dirt on the drive. “I think we’re in the clear. He’s not happy – come to think of it, mom isn’t either but I think we’ve avoided the onslaught.” He wrapped his arms around Lois and smiled before kissing her.

“I think I should move out somewhere until you know they’re more comfortable with the idea. I actually asked Chloe if I could move into the mansion and she was going to ask Lex. I really hate that idea but I don’t know what my other options are anymore.” Clark looked at her in astonishment.

“The mansion?”

“Actually I got you something better than that Ms. Lane.” Clark and Lois both spun around as Lex and Chloe headed up the drive from Lex’s car, with Chloe holding the keys.

“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Clark hugged both Lex and Chloe. He felt Lex wince and backed off. “Sorry, I guess you’re still a little tender.”

“Yeah, a little, but I have this great nurse and lots of wonderful drugs.” Everyone laughed as Lex wrapped his arms around Chloe and kissed her. “Anyway, Lois, here are the keys to your apartment in town. It needs some cleaning but it’s paid for. It’s a little place above the Smallville Ledger building, which I bought this morning. They were going under so my fiancée asked me to save it.” Lex looked down at Chloe and gave her a gentle squeeze.

Lois looked at Lex in shock. “Thank you. This is really not needed.” Lex refused the keys back and started heading for the car. Clark noticed he was still slightly limping as he got in the car.

“Chloe, is he really ok?”

“Doctors say he’s making much better progress than they ever expected. I just hope he keeps getting better. He just can’t drive yet, so,” Chloe rattled the keys as she hugged her friends and headed to the car.

“Chloe? What else is going on?” Clark caught up with Chloe as she walked away.

“What do you mean?”

“What are you not telling me Chloe – I know you and Lex are engaged and all but I know you and something’s not right.” Clark looked puzzled as he waited for her answer.

Hesitating, she hoped that Clark would abide by her pleas, “Lionel is still free, and Lex and I are trying to figure things out.” She could see the expression of Clark’s change from confusion to anger. “Now Clark, let me and Lex handle this. This has nothing to do with you and I don’t want you involved.” She looked back at Lex sitting in the car with a more and more concerned look on his face. Chloe moved in closer to Clark and whispered as she acted like she was hugging him. “Check out Twin Falls, Idaho though.” She leaned back and smiled before she got in the car.

“What was that all about?” Lois walked up and wrapped her arms around Clark’s waist.

“Nothing. So, why don’t we go check out the apartment?” Clark grabbed Lois’ hand and headed for the truck as he watched the Porsche pull out of the driveway.

TBC

A/N 1 - Trying to post all this and my others before work starts up again and never get time later. Please review.

A/N 2 - Well, I kind of skipped over most of season 5, mainly because I didn't want this story to go on forever, but I also needed the timeline to match the show a little. So, there's a brief overview of season 5, or what would have been, and I leave it to your imagination how all the things mentioned would have panned out if detailed.

Chapter 28 – Moving Forward

Graduation was odd at best. After everything that had happened in the last year, Chloe couldn’t believe that she had actually graduated with her class. She never asked but knew that Lex had something to do with it since she had virtually no credits to her name that year. And yet, the gang was almost all together. As a joke, Clark had penciled a stick figure of Lana into a picture of him, Chloe, and Lois sitting at the lunch table together in the yearbook.

Lex sat comfortably with the Kents watching the small town ceremony. For once he had made the realization that Chloe was always much more than a high school student but yet knew she was just that – a graduate of Smallville High. He smiled and applauded quietly when she crossed the stage with Clark and Lois. Chloe knew there was no way he would show any emotion in front of the town but she didn’t care. He was there, and that was a start.

Graduation night Lex threw a party for the entire graduating class at the mansion complete with a band and fireworks. People in town had been skeptical when they heard that Chloe and Lex were engaged but happily intrigued when they walked in together. Lex was actually smiling for the cameras, even when Chloe kissed him.

In June of 2005, Chloe and Lex got married in the mansion’s garden. It was much less lavish than the typical Luthor affair, only inviting those closest to them. Lois was, of course, the maid of honor and Clark was the best man. Lex was pleased to have the group back together again in harmony. He was touched even more so when Jonathon answered, “I do,” to the preacher’s question of, “who gives this woman.” After five years, things between him and the Kents were on better footing than they ever had been. Lois and Clark continued seeing each other and got closer. Chloe had overheard Clark actually asking Lex how he proposed to her. She wondered what was Clark was thinking.

For over a year, Smallville seemed to be at peace. Lex had gotten Luthorcorp involved with a car maker in Japan and convinced them to build a plant in Smallville, making the town double in size almost overnight. Of course, Lex saw the bottom line by owning most of the subsidiaries that supplied the plant. Chloe now served as associate editor at the Smallville Ledger and had plenty to write about with the plant acquisition and the new building of homes in the immediate area. Lex pushing for her to move forward, she accepted a job at the Daily Planet and commuted almost everyday with the help of Lex’s helicopter.

Clark and Lois both headed for Kansas State for their freshman year. From the last phone call, Chloe suspected that Clark would pop the question sometime soon. Jonathon and Martha were concerned about the relationship but were happy that Clark had finally moved on after Lana.

They were also busy. Jonathon ran for state Senate on the stance of the small farmer blasting the big business car plant in Smallville. Although Lex had run against him, Lex’s past family history was hard to ignore, at least for the voters. In the end, Lex did as Chloe asked and conceded graciously, very unlike his father. Lex and Jonathon never talked about their political views outside of on-air debates, knowing that could ruin something they finally had – a trust between friends. They chose instead to work together after Jonathon’s win to improve the energy efficiencies of the new homes in the area. Martha opened up a small bakery in town, something she had discussed with Lex and Jonathon, the dream she had since she had moved to Smallville with Jonathon. Everything was on track.

And yet, there was always this nagging feeling - a feeling of being watched that Lex and Chloe both could feel. Lex had repeatedly tried to locate his father while Chloe worked with her own source for knowledge, which she still refused to divulge. Lex was disappointed she kept secrets and didn't trust him, but he tried to comprehend a reporter's confidentiality and left it alone.


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In a dark bunker in the middle of Idaho, Lionel walked down a hallway where several people were screaming at him. Stopping at one cell, he looked in and watched as the person kept snapping his fingers and marveled at the fire from them. He smiled and checked off the name on the clipboard and walked back out of the hall. Sitting down behind a desk, a servant brought him his pills, a drink, and the Daily Planet. He was always interested in knowing what his daughter-in-law, who should be long dead, was up to. Unfolding the newspaper, he put his drink down and choked at the headline.

‘LUTHOR JUNIOR ON THE WAY – Lex Luthor announces at local charity dinner that wife’s due in June.’

Lionel slapped the paper down on the table. “Stan, get me Dr. Bethany.”



Chapter 29 – Questions, Questions

Lois sat in class staring off into space. She had not heard a word said in the last twenty minutes. Looking down at her notebook, she repeatedly wrote all variations of her name. Lois Kent – Lois Lane-Kent – Mrs. Clark Kent. Nudging her, Frannie, her roommate and class partner commented, “You’ve got it bad.”

Lois refocused and slightly giggled at the mess she had made of her chemistry notes. She really didn’t care much since she was failing the class anyway. Preoccupied with getting to go home with Clark for the weekend, she couldn’t concentrate on anything else.

On the other side of campus, Clark paced back and forth in the dorm while frantically talking on the phone. “I’m still not sure if I should tell her.”

“If you ever want her to trust you completely, you have to tell her. You can’t wait until your kids start throwing couches across the room to break the news to her,” Chloe replied.

She could hear a heavy sigh over the phone. “I guess you’re right – she just has to know before – I just don’t know what to say. I mean just saying, ‘hey, I’m an alien and I want to marry you’ seems a little overbearing.”

“I didn’t mean it quite like that. Maybe something a little more subtle would work,” Clark heard Chloe cover the phone handset even though he could still hear her saying ‘hi’ to Lex. “Hang on, Lex wants to talk to you,” Chloe stated as she handed the phone to Lex.

“So, you pop the question yet?” Lex said almost jovial – he had sounded like that for the last week since he and Chloe made the big announcement.

“No, I haven’t quite figured out how to. I want to do something special but nothing comes to mind.” Clark waited as the other end of the line went dead momentarily.

“I’ve got it – everyone’s coming here for New Year’s. We’re having a fireworks show and a buffet dinner until after midnight. Granted there’s going to be a lot of shop talk and politics but I’m sure you might find a moment of quiet. I’ll even set up a nice champagne spread in the private gardens for you if needed.” Lex waited for an answer to his proposal.

Clark couldn’t believe that Lex was setting up everything, and for Lois. He didn’t even like Lois regardless of who he had married. But this was the new Lex. In the past year and a half he had given away over 20 million in charity donations, bought back his mother’s old farm as a family retreat, funded 100 percent of Smallville High’s expansion, and paid for all of Jonathon’s publicity in his run for the United States Senate. Clark chuckled as he responded, “Sure. That sounds like a great plan. Now I just need to get the nerve.”

“You have a ring?” Clark pondered for a moment what he could do. He could get the biggest diamond he could find easily but people would suspect something or think he got his parents to pay for it. Evidently taking to long to decide, Lex cut into his thoughts, “Never mind – I’ll find something for you.”

“Lex, you don’t have to.”

“Never mind Clark; he’s gone. Now back to the other question. What are you going to do?” Chloe had stolen the phone back.

Clark thought and figured that Chloe would find out some time, so then was as good a tie as any. “I think I’ll take her flying. Go somewhere exotic and explain everything.”

Chloe was stunned. “Did you say flying? When did you learn how to fly?”

“Well, it kind of developed over time – I was running real fast one day trying to get to a store before it closed and my feet kind of left the ground. So, at night, I’ve been practicing. I flew by the mansion a couple of nights ago. By the way, you should keep your bedroom escapades in the bedroom.”

Chloe turned bright red, thinking that Clark had seen her and Lex trying something new. “You shouldn’t spy on people like that,” she said flatly.

“Well, I didn’t exactly come and peek in the window – you shouldn’t be naked in the garden.”

“Ok, from now on I’ll let you know before we do anything.” Chloe burst out in laughter at the face that Clark shot her.

Clark turned his lip up in disgust, “TMI…Anyway, I have to go – I’ll call you and let you know how it all goes.”

“Will do – good luck.” Chloe hung up the phone and walked into her husband’s office. He had recently remodeled and Chloe liked the new layout. Gone were the leather couches with no neck support replaced by dark brown leather suede that you could sink into. The brooding sculptures and tapestries were gone, replaced with flowers and bright modern art pieces of her liking. The pool table was moved to the entertainment room to make way for the Angora rug and playpen. Chloe insisted that the piano stay because Lex played it for her to relax. She slightly giggled remembering the first time she had heard him sing and he wasn’t that bad. The major change was the absence of the bar – Lex had finally given it up – no alcohol on the grounds – ever. Instead, he had a refrigerator installed behind one of the bookshelves right under his personal safe. He figured it would soon be filled with juice and baby bottles.

“Hey beautiful,” Lex beamed as Chloe strolled into the office. Coming around the desk, he met her at the couch. “So, what do I owe the pleasant disturbance?”

Chloe looked around the room once more and commented, “You’ve changed so much, but you still have the gun. Why?”

Lex looked at her with concern. “I have to have some protection – I can’t just be vulnerable.” Lex waited for her to respond but nothing. She’s not pleased, he thought to himself.

Taking her hand, he looked into her eyes, “How about I have it put on the highest shelf only I can reach and under lock and key. That way small fingers can’t get to it.” He rubbed her belly and smiled.

Chloe sighed as he continued waiting for a response. “I suppose, but if anything happens...”

Lex pulled her hand into his as he cut her off. “Nothing is going to happen. Besides I have a lot less enemies now than I did a couple of years ago.” He gently touched her face as she leaned back in the pillows and threw her feet up into his lap. Looking at her he couldn’t believe how lucky he had become after so many miserable years.

TBC

A/N - Wow, no replies. I guess I should can this sucker. Let me know. I know there is almost a whole section on Clois but you may skip chapter 30 if absolutely necessary.

Chapter 30 – The Confession and the Bigger Question

Lois and Clark walked toward an empty park after having dinner when Clark stopped. “Lois, we have to talk.”

Lois looked at him, eyes as wide as saucers, “Oh no, you are not dumping me here. I know we’ve been busy lately, but that’s not fair.”

Clark glared at her and interjected, “You think that I’m dumping you? What gave you that idea? Actually, if anyone’s getting dumped tonight, it’s going to be me.”

Lois looked at him in astonishment. Why would she dump him? He was the Jack to her Jill. “Why would you say that?”

Clark pulled her down next to him on the empty bench. “Lois, I have something to tell you, and I hope you won’t hate me for waiting so long.” He watched as Lois squinted in confusion, but she patiently waited for him to continue.

Clark took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I’m not who you think I am. I’m not from here.” He paused as Lois looked even more confused. “Ok, remember when I seemed to always run off when something happened or someone was in trouble. I was actually helping.”

“What?” Lois was almost sarcastic with her response.

This is not going well, Clark thought to himself. He took another breath, taking her hand in his. “Here it is – My real name is Kal-El from Krypton. I’m from another planet and I was sent here to help Earth, I think. Anyway, I have some abilities and get sick around green meteor rock.” Clark could tell from Lois’ expression that she was in shock, and he realized that he may have rambled a little too much all at once.

Clark waited. She had not let go of his hand; hopefully that was a good sign. Five minutes passed as she studied Clark from head to toe. Lois had seen him naked – he seemed so real. Finally she looked up at him. “So, what can you do?”

Clark pursed his lips in a forced smile thinking that if she was asking questions, she was still interested. “I can run real fast, see through things, hear real well, and,” Clark stood up with Lois and her around the waist, “do you trust me?”

Lois looked blankly at Clark, “Why the hell not.” Clark looked at the ground and wondered if she was upset as she sounded. Finally running out of patience, she snorted, “Well?”

Clark closed his eyes and lifted the two off the ground. He felt Lois grab him harder and squeeze his hand. “Oh my God,” was all she could come up with.

She watched as the city went by under them, staring down at all the people and cars they passed. He’s really flying, she mused as they continued past Metropolis and the air got warmer. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

Lois flew in silence trying to take it all in. He’s an alien, but completely human. I’m mad but not really – at least he told me the truth. I wonder how many other people know? I wonder how he deals with his secret? He’s had to live like this all his life, hiding from people – how sad. She felt somewhat betrayed by him not telling her until now but figured it was the best way.

“Hey, where are you?” Clark looked over at her as she felt ground under her feet again.

“How long was I out?”

“A couple of hours. What have you been thinking about?”

Lois started walking and felt sand in her shoes. Stopping in her tracks, she turned to Clark, “Where are we?”

“St Thomas,” Clark paused, “we have a room if you want.” His voice trailed off knowing that after everything that she had been put through, she may actually reject him.

Lois stopped in her tracks and beamed at Clark. “St. Thomas? As in the island?”

“Yeah, Chloe kind of set it up. She heard from Lex that it’s a romantic place and we have a nice place to stay.” Clark stuck both hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels in the sand. Seeing Lois’ smile creep along her face, he took a deep sigh and approached her.

Putting his arm around her, he asked, “How are you, really?”

“Well, my boyfriend’s an alien kind of is awkward – really Clark I am trying to take it all in. And I still love you.” Clark could feel his heart jump a little knowing he hadn’t been completely rejected.

Lowering to one leg, he saw Lois’ face go pale. Pulling a box out of his pocket, he took her hand as he flipped the box open. “Lois Lane, will you marry me?”

Clark took a deep breath and waited. Lois stared at the ring as her mind wandered through all the things that had happened to them in just the last few hours, in the last few months. He was asking her to marry him. He was the boy that she had heard about holding another candle for so long. He would be devoted to her, yes but was she ready to deal with that other aspect of him? She knew she would have to share herself with the rest of the world someday – she could feel it.

Looking up from where she had traced lines in the sand with her toes, she noticed Clark standing in front of her, waiting. “So, will you marry me?”

“Clark.” She pressed her hands against his chest, thrusting herself backwards, “shut up – just stop!” Clark backed off and stared at her. “This is a lot to take in and I just need to take some time.” Lois started off down the beach, stopping briefly to remove her shoes. I really love him but can I possibly deal with all of this. But I love him so much.

Lois stopped and looked down the beach where Clark now was sitting, watching the waves crash. He had told her everything and she had all but rejected him. He was so confused about what to do next. He felt so stupid, emptying his heart and hoping now she wouldn’t just go and tell someone his secrets.

Lois watched as Clark picked up shells and flung them as far the eye could see, some reaching what she thought was the horizon. Walking back over to him, she sat down and took his hand, “I’m sorry I blew up at you – it’s just a lot to process.”

She waited but Clark didn’t respond. “Does anyone else know about…you?”

Without making eye contact, Clark responded vapidly, “Chloe – I had to in order to save Lex when she shot him. Other than that my parents.”

“Oh.”

Clark turned to Lois and pleaded, “Please don’t tell anyone about me – I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you – I just wanted you to know. And I guess the marriage thing was a big mistake.”

Lois wrapped her arms around him and slid her hand into his. Softly she whispered, “Clark, I’ll never tell a soul – I love you, but I’m not quite ready for that road yet.”

Clark looked despondent. Putting her head on his shoulder, she heard him quietly respond, “I love you too.”

Sitting up quickly, she grabbed Clark’s face in her hands. “Hey, I have an idea! Let’s just take a break and enjoy each other’s company. I want to sleep on all of this and clear my head.” Lois stood up and pulled on Clark’s arm.

“Yeah, I guess we should get home,” Clark answered blandly as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“No,” Lois retorted as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I meant where is this place you said we had?”

Clark looked down into Lois’ eyes. They were sparkling. She smiled as she brushed her lips against Clark’s and opened her mouth to allow him to kiss her. Clark returned the gesture as he pulled her closer and filled her mouth his warmth. Running his hand through her hair, he kissed her longer, leaning her back and again into him.

“Let’s go,” Clark took her hand and headed to what undoubtedly would be a very overpriced room since Chloe booked it for them.


Chapter 31 – The Shadow Spins a Web

Chloe sat at her desk at the Daily Planet barely able to keep her eyes focused on the screen. She blinked repeatedly as she typed. “Hey! You ok?” Startled, she looked up and grabbed at her chest as Clark sat down in the chair next to her desk.

“Don’t do that? And no I’m not ok; I slept about two hours last night between the fits of morning sickness. Lex isn’t much better for wear. He called me about an hour ago and said I should come home where I could go back to bed with him. Clark, you think I’m nuts for trying to balance all of this?” Chloe pushed the chair back from the desk and pointed at the desk and her still flat belly.

Clark shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Chloe, you aren’t nuts – just overly involved.”

“So, what did you come here for anyway? I know you don’t just up and come for nothing,” she spoke as she slowly made her way to an empty conference room to devour the crackers from her desk drawer.

Closing the door behind him, Clark sat down next to her and his expression changed. “What’s Lex found on his father?”

“Nothing – the informant turned up missing about a month ago – the day after we announced my pregnancy.”

Clark moved in closer to her and handed her the file that she had given him of the blueprints that Lex had on the computer. “I’ve taken several spins around and the only thing that remotely looks like what Lex gave you is this set of bunkers built in the River of No Return Wilderness area. Supposedly there’s nothing there, but there’s a tunnel under one set of falls that leads to a very large setup under one of the most famous mountain systems ever painted.”

He stopped and waited until Chloe had finished her water and flipped through the pictures he had taken carefully while there.

“Chloe,” he took her arm in his hand, “Lionel’s not there – at least not anymore. But go home and watch this. And watch your back.” Clark waited for her to respond.

“What did you see there? What’s he doing?”

“The 33.1 emails that you saw on Lex’s computer – those were directly related to this project that his father has evidently had in the works for a long time. The files that Lex’s alter ego stole from you – those people have all been collected and are being held in this jail underground. I think he plans on using them for his personal gain.”

“You think? Probably to kill me or something. Clark what are we going to do?”

Clark calmed Chloe down by sitting her down in the chair. “Go home – stay with Lex – stay close, don’t come to work – say you have really bad morning sickness but don’t leave the mansion until we fix this.” Chloe shook her head and called for Lex’s helicopter.


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Lex walked out to the pad to see Chloe exit from the helicopter. “I heard you were on your way home – feeling worse?” Chloe nodded in affirmation and followed Lex in as he wrapped his arm around her body.

She walked into the bedroom and waited for Lex to close the door. “Lex, Clark sent something to me I think you need to see. He wouldn’t tell me where he got it but you need to trust him like I trust you. Ok? No questions. You promise?” Lex sat down on the bed next to Chloe and watched as she shook hitting the buttons on the remote.

When the TV clicked on, he could see why she was terrified. His father was in the video torturing a man shackled to a table and yelling at him to ‘complete the task.’ Chloe glanced to see Lex cringe every time his father hit the man across the face. She squeezed his hand as he pulled her closer to him.

“Shut up – complete the task and this will all stop! Do it! Do it now!” Lionel was yelling from another room now and more intensely as now one of his guards hit the young man. Suddenly, the young man reached out with his hand and grabbed the guard who instantly turned to dust.

Lex’s eyes widened as he watched. To not worry Chloe, he masked his feelings for the first time in years. He stopped the disc and as Chloe ran for the restroom. Running behind her, he held her hair back as she vomited again whether from fright or illness.

“I’m ok.” Chloe shooed Lex off as she wet a washrag and continued watching the disc. The man who lit objects on fire – the woman who breathed and got the guard to tell the truth about how he felt about Lionel. Chloe and Lex looked at each other in aghast – that was Lex’s experiment that he thought he had destroyed. His father had been collecting all this time. Another man touched the guard and switched bodies with him. A little girl melted metal with her touch. Lex by this time had started making phone calls to his new informant about them stepping up their search.

“I don’t care – I want as many people on this as possible. Yes, the River of No Return.

I really don’t care what you think of the name – get a team together and head that way. I will…” He was interrupted.

“Lex. Put the phone down.” Lex clicked the phone closed as Chloe crawled off the bed and over to the television. She hit pause on the disc player and ran her hand along the picture on the television.

“What is it?” Lex walked up and put his hands on her shoulders. He knelt down behind her and enclosed her body in his arms as he felt tears drop on his hands.

“It’s my mother.”

TBC

Chapter 32 – Home Invasion

Chloe had not left the bedroom in the days that past the video viewing. Lex had posted a nurse with her in the room as well as a guard outside the door. Lois had visited several times but remained out of the loop as far as why she remained at home. Chloe had fabricated the doctor’s orders of complete bedrest in order to stay at home.

Lex watched the video of Chloe’s mother over and over. Chloe had told him about how she had left her and her father, saying she had to go away. He had no idea for what reason but now understood. She just held the guards badge and convinced the guard to beat the other one to death. He cringed realizing he could have easily become this man his father was now.

Lex looked at his watch and rubbed his eyes. He couldn’t do anything about it at this hour. His informants had found nothing. Clark and Chloe had hit a dead end as US Marshals stormed the compound to find everything had been swept clean. Lionel was onto them. It was now December and Lex wanted this resolved before Christmas. The last thing he wanted was another ruined Christmas thanks to his father.

“Two AM,” he said to himself. He quizzically looked around the room as the lights flickered. He sat and stared at the computer as the clock rolled over to 2:01 and thought nothing of it. This was Kansas – if there’s a storm in the area, the power goes haywire. He walked down the hall and greeted the night guard. Opening the door, he woke the nurse and excused her for the evening. He noticed the bed empty. She’s bathing now? He pushed the door of the bathroom open and looked around. His heart dropped. “Chloe?” he spoke questioningly as he moved to her closet. Stopping in the middle of the bedroom, he yelled for Damian.

“Yes Sir?”

“Where’s my wife?”

“She was asleep sir.” The nurse returned at hearing the commotion. “Sir, I assure she never left the room.” Seeing Lex’s face turn to anger, the guard ran out of the room as he yelled into his handheld.

The nurse tried to save face, “Sir, she was here the entire time.”

Lex turned to the nurse and frowned, “How would you know – you were asleep.” He stormed out of the room and ran down the hall after the other security guards. Returning, he continued to search the bedroom.

“Anything?”

“Sir, come and look at this.” Matt, his private security, called Lex over to the opposite side of the bed where Chloe’s nightstand had been moved slightly and her wall outlet was scorched. Lex clicked the lamp on the stand several times, but it never came on.

“Matt, call the electric company – I want to see the records for the last eight hours of activity.” Matt followed orders as he left quickly, already with phone in hand.

Lex flipped the phone open and hit speed dial. “This is Lex. Chloe’s gone. I mean vanished. Just meet me here at the mansion.” He hung up the phone and touched the outlet where only black residue rubbed off on his fingers. He stood in the empty room trying to figure out how Chloe would put her investigative prowess to work.


Chapter 33 – Electricity

Clark ran into the mansion office as Lex frantically spoke on the phone.

“You have anything?”

Lex hung up the phone and walked over to the computer monitor. Pulling up the latest email, he motioned for Clark to come look.

“This is a bunker under the Luthorcorp building. Now there is one entrance in and out of this particular location and I am the only one with access. Call it a panic room per se. Now, watch – you see that?” Lex pointed to the slowed version of the video on the computer as a flash of lightning appeared. He stopped the video as the two men stared at the frozen screen.

“What is it?”

“I watched more of the video that you gave Chloe and I have a theory. Let just say I wish my wife were doing this – she’s more the wall of weird investigator type than I am but here it is.”

Lex pulled up the electrical grid to the mansion and analyzed it down to 2 AM. “There,” he pointed at the screen as Clark watched the meter speed up suddenly and then slow back down. “I think whoever abducted her came though the electrical system some way.”

Clark looked at Lex and frowned. Could he possibly be buying this? “Lex, are you sure?”

“Clark , I’m telling you that is the only logical explanation. The power to the mansion flickered – and then turned on my stereo in the office at 2 o’clock. There was a power surge and drain. I know it sounds crazy but imagine if Chloe was rattling this off to you – you would believe her.” Lex waited for Clark’s response.

Clark looked at Lex still confused. Although all the evidence so far was there, it was hard to believe this was coming from Lex. He wasn’t exactly Chloe, but had evidently learned something from her as she had learned business from him. “Ok, I give, now what?”

Lex closed the electrical records and opened the video of Luthorcorp. He and Clark watched frame by frame. After the lightning strike, three shadowy figures appeared before the power flickered in the building. “I checked the grids at Luthorcorp – they lost power there as well not an hour later – the only building in the city. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.” Lex shut the computer and picked up his coat, “Let’s go check it out.”

Clark called Lois from Lex’s cell as the two headed for the Kent farm. The two had returned home for Christmas break courtesy of Clark express.

“What did you find out?” Lois asked hurriedly as she jumped in the back of the Mercedes.

“We think that one of those meteor freaks as Chloe puts it pulled her through the electrical current. I know it seems strange but that’s all we can figure.”

“Doesn’t sound strange for Chloe. Where do you think they took her?”

Lex turned slightly to see Lois and responded, “I think that my father has returned to the Luthorcorp building but is hiding in the fallout shelter under the streets of Metropolis. I have no idea what he is doing there.”

“I’ll give you two guesses.” Lois remarked as she sat back in her seat and blankly stared out the window. The three sat silent worrying about Chloe in their own way.

Suddenly Lois broke the silence and asked, “If your theory is correct, what would happen to the baby?”

Clark glared at Lois to drop the line of questioning as Lex shifted the car into a higher gear and stepped on the gas.

Clark touched his shoulder as he could see Lex’s expression change from determination to fear. “Lex, we’ll find her – she and the baby are going to be fine.”


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Chloe sat up as she felt around her. The small light that protruded from under the door showed that the ground was gravel. She was cold. Standing up she felt around but stopped as she heard the door click open. Seeing the figure enter the small room she backed up into the tiny table in the room.
“Miss Sullivan, oh I’m sorry Mrs. Luthor, have a seat.” The figure pulled out a chair for her and motioned her to sit.

“I’d rather stand.” Chloe moved around the table as she crossed her arms and glared at the man. She watched as another very large man entered the room and closed the door. Walking over to her, he put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her down into the seat.

“There. Now, how is my daughter-in-law doing?” Lionel crossed his arms and sat back in the seat. He waited as Chloe didn’t break her silence and continued to stare intently at him.

Chloe watched as he continued to study her. “Your change of attire is very becoming of you – I'm very impressed. I’m sure you haven’t had any problems becoming a member of high society. You were always very well versed. I actually have to say that you do in deed make a good match for Lex.” Lionel got up and walked around the table. Leaning against the wall behind Chloe, he continued, “I’m also impressed with the amount of money that you two have donated – you’ve turned him into a regular philanthropist.” He walked back around and sat in the seat as another man brought him a file.

Flipping through the pages, he calmly waited as Chloe continued to look around the room.

With glaring eyes, Chloe broke her silence, “How did I get here and where exactly is here?”

“Always to the point Miss Sullivan.” He winked at her saying her maiden name, which made Chloe cringe. Leaning over the table to focus on her better, he motioned for another young man to some in the room. “This is Derek – he’s one of your famous Wall of Weird friends from high school who has been very helpful.”

“You were in the Smallville Electrical Co-op when the meteor shower hit.” The man nodded as Chloe tried to rethink her research on him.

“You see Derek has this amazing ability to travel through electricity, but you already knew that. So, your abduction was very effortless. He simply shocked the nurse enough to knock her out, touched you and the nearest outlet and followed the power lines to here. As to where we are, we’re under Luthorcorp plaza.”

Chloe was dumbfounded. Lionel had orchestrated this from plans that he had from before. “When Lex finds you…”

“When Lex finds me? You think he’ll be angry? You have to remember dear that when Lex was separated, he rebuilt all of this – the new passages with electricity and plumbing – the location in Idaho. Your husband did all of this and just left me in charge.”

“He wasn’t himself.”

Lionel moved closer to Chloe and hissed, “No, he was – that man is still inside him and that’s what still scares you even today.”

Chloe glared at Lionel as he grinned at her. “You’re an ass. I should have never pleaded for you not to get the death penalty.”

“Watch your language Miss Sullivan, not very becoming of a lady Luthor.”

Chloe sat in angry silence for another few minutes as Lionel looked her over. She still had the bite of the young woman he remembered but had developed strength from Lex he was quite amused with.

“Ok Mr. Luthor, what do you want?” Chloe leaned on the table and waited for an answer as she stared down the elder Luthor. Out of prison, he had returned to dressing in his same cold way but had an anger you could read on his face that wasn’t quite there before. Chloe studied his demeanor as he eyed her.

“Simple.” He took a sheet out of his file and slid it across the table. Getting up from the table, he could see tears well up in her eyes as she tried to fight them back. “We’ll see each other soon, Mrs. Luthor.”

Chloe stared at the paper and started crying. She couldn’t contain herself anymore. On a familiar headline was a large red circle around Luthor Junior.


Chapter 34 – Luthorcorp’s Hidden Passages

Clark, Lex, and Lois got out of the car in the basement parking garage in Luthorcorp Plaza. “Look, I’m going for my father. Find Chloe and call me when you get to her.”

Clark nodded – he knew that Lex had to deal with his father on his own terms. He hoped that Lex wouldn’t run into more trouble than he could handle. Lex started off into the elevators of the building when Clark called for him. “Hey, put your phone in your pocket on vibrate. You can speed dial me and leave it on of something happens then Lois and I can pick it up.” Clark watched as Lex adjusted his phone and continued off into the building.

Clark turned to Lois but couldn’t get a word out before she started. “Clark, what’s your plan? I mean you’re going to use …” Clark nodded his head knowing that she now understood the advantage of being different. She watched intently as he seemed to stare at everything in the building. He stopped and took a breath. “What?”

“Come on,” Clark pulled Lois’ arm and headed out of the garage. As they ran across the street, Clark tried to explain, “There’s a holding cell of some sort in that empty building that we passed as we were coming. I want to go check it out.”

“You mean you were using your … while we were driving?” Clark nodded his head as he backed her and himself up against the wall of a building. Turning around, he x-rayed the building again and pointed at the door. Opening the door, Lois spotted a guard that ran toward them as she whipped around and kicked him against the wall. Clark looked at her amazed. “What?! I may not have powers but I am an Army brat.”

Clark shrugged as he headed down the stairs in the building. Lois followed behind him as he opened a door. They both stepped back as the guards from inside started toward them. Clark winked at Lois as they both waited for the guards to come out of the hall and beat them senseless. Walking back toward the hallway, Lois put her arm around Clark.

“I guess we make a good team.” Clark wriggled up his lip and kissed her on the cheek as they entered the hallway. “Clark, look at this list.”

Lois handed him the list – these were all meteor freaks that had previously disappeared somehow. Clark searched the list for a name or ability that might come into use. Lois looked at the list and slapped her hand down on the page. “What is it?”

“Moira Sullivan – Clark, that’s Chloe’s mom.” The two stared at each other and then at the paper again. Cell 29. Clark had remembered that Chloe said her mom had left but never had given much more detail than that. “Hey, we need to go get her.” Clark kept flipping the pages and analyzed the different cells. Lois walked out of the hallway and heard her take down a guard that had since started moving again. Coming back in the hallway of cells, she stared frustratingly at Clark, “Smallville.”

“Ok, here are the names of people that would be useful to us. The rest, I guess explain we’ll be back for them or something.” Clark handed a couple of sheets to Lois as they both headed down the hallway.


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Lex walked into the main part of the Luthorcorp building and up to the front desk. The receptionist, who had obviously had Lex on some level sometime in the past, flipped her hair and smiled but lost her charm looking at his wedding ring. “Call all the security there is in the building and tell them to meet me in my office in five minutes.” The receptionist nodded her head and started a silent all call.

Lex headed to his office and paced. He wanted to see Chloe so bad he ached. He went over in his mind what Lois had blurted about the baby and got even more agitated. “Sir?”

Spinning around, he saw his personal security detail and the building’s security standing for orders.

“My wife’s been missing since 2 this morning, and we have reason to believe my father is here holding her captive in the basement secure cell. I want the building security to sweep every floor of the building. If there is someone you don’t know or is not marked, stun them and ask questions afterwards.” The men nodded. “Oh, there’s a young woman and a young man. The woman in jeans and a white coat and the man in jeans and red coat. Don’t touch them. If they have questions, help them.” He waved the security off and stared at his personal force. “Come with me.”

Lex walked over to his office safe and dialed the handle. Opening the safe, he pulled out the handgun and slipped it into his interior coat pocket.

Heading down in the elevator, he briefed the security team. “Don’t let them touch you. Don’t look at them. Shoot to kill.” He turned to face them as the basement door opened, “But if my wife is anywhere near one…”

“Sir, we understand. Proceed with caution.” Lex nodded as the 4 men followed him closely behind.

Lionel sat comfortably in the front room of Lex’s lead bunker, looking through the mirror at his daughter-in-law. Chloe was frightened and still staring at the paper that he gave her. Looking up at the man behind him, he chided, “I think it’s time that we have ourselves a little operation.”

The doctor nodded his head as Lionel motioned for a couple of well placed guards to open the door. He watched as the men entered the room, and Chloe backed up against the wall.

She raised her chin in defiance and strength. Lionel admired her girth but wickedly smiled as the lights from the other side of the room flipped on. Chloe visibly shook as the darkness revealed an operating table. The doctor approached her and laid his hand on her shoulder. Shrugging it off, she kept her head high and clenched her teeth together as two other men approached. From the loudspeaker, she could hear his voice. “Be gentle – we don’t want to hurt her.”

“HURT ME YOU ASS! YOU’RE GOING TO…” She slurred as one man touched her shoulder and her body went limp into the other man’s arms. The man laid her down on the table and placed her legs in the stirrups.

“Sir, there’s a problem – we have company.” Lionel grimaced as he walked away from the window as Chloe was put into place. Glaring at the security camera, he saw several small figures around a very recognizable Mercedes.

“Take your men and get Roy, Moira, and Clavin out of the pens. You’re going to need them.”

“Sir, we already called over there – there’s no answer.” Lionel was enraged. Growling, he walked across the room, picked up a gun and shot the idiot guard on sight. “You,” pointing at another guard, “go to the pens and see what the hell is going on!” The guard nodded and ran out the door. Calling Derek back in, he pointed in the direction of the pens, “Follow him and make sure he doesn’t run – if he does you know what to do.”

Lionel sat back down in the large chair facing the window. He watched as the guard strapped Chloe in and the doctor cleaned his instruments. He was damned if Lex was going to ruin his comeback.

TBC

NO!! Don't let him kill their baby. You have to update this now!! Please.... :beg:

Wrapping this one up!

Chapter 35 – A Different Kind of Justice League

Lex headed toward the lead door as it opened. Darrell, his security detail, grabbed him by the chest and pushed Lex behind him as the other detail started shooting. Lex ducked behind a wall and dialed Clark.

Clark reached in and grabbed his phone. Hitting the send button he listened as Lex obviously had set the phone down somewhere in the building he was in. Blood left Clark’s face as he listened.

“LOIS, HURRY WE HAVE TO GO!!” He screamed down the hall as she and several other people ran down the hall after him. Lois and the others ran to catch up with him in the main part of the building.

“Clark, behind you!” Clark turned around just as a guard ran across with his gun pulled. He glanced at Lois and the others with her and gulped. He stared at the gun, and the man dropped it, screaming in pain and holding his hand. Lois was amused as she watched the gun turn from flaming red to black again. Finishing him off, she kicked him in the stomach and went back to Clark.

“Ok, who here can locate people by just having something of theirs?” The small group of prisoners glared at each other and hunkered over in fear. “Look, I’m not here to hurt you – all of you and your buddies are getting out of here as soon as we find our friends and we need your help. Really,” Clark stated as Lois shook her head in agreement.

“I believe them. She’s my family.” Moira held her hand out to Lois who ignored her hand and wrapped her arms around her. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s a long story that you might not like. Could we just say that Chloe’s involved – she’s the one in trouble.” Lois grimaced.

A young woman raised her hand. “I need something that I can hold of hers.” Lois and Clark looked at each other as Lois started digging through her purse.

“No, I have something.” Lois stopped as Moira handed the young woman a necklace. The woman proceeded to hold the chain up to her chest and closed her eyes. Clark was impatient and couldn’t stand still.

“This way.” The woman led the small party back into the basement parking garage. “She’s in there. She’s on a metal table and it appears that she’s …” The woman stopped.

“What?” Lois glared at the young woman.

“It looks like she’s going to be operated on.” Lois and Clark choked as Moira covered her face. The young woman hugged Moira as she broke down.

Entering the garage, Clark surveyed the grounds and stopped everyone. “Something’s not right.” He entered watching as a guard closed the lead door across the parking lot from Lex’s car. Lois walked up beside Clark and waited. “I think Lex got in, but I don’t know.”

“Well, look.”

“I can’t see through lead,” he whispered. Turning, he looked at the ragtag group of freaks that they pulled and thought. “Hey, who melts metal?”

A little girl that another young man was holding in his arms raised her hand. Clark walked over and took her in his arms. “I need you to do me a really big favor and go touch that door over there. We will be right behind you.” The girl nodded and walked apprehensively over to the door and stuck her finger out. Clark and Lois gawked at the melting away of the door to reveal a large room and stunned guards.

“GET OUT OF THE WAY!!” Clark yelled as the girl hit the ground. Standing in front of the open space he waited until the guards had exhausted the guns. Lois followed him into the small holding cell and beat up the two men.

“Clark!” Clark glanced up and saw Lex chained to a chair.

“Go get him, I got it here.” Lois turned and kneed another man in the groin watching him grab himself and fall.

Clark ripped the lock off the chain. “How did you do that?” Clark looked uneasy and smiled.

“The lock was rusted. Umm, where’s Chloe?”

“She’s through there, but they got men surrounding my father. He’s completely covered by guards.” Clark nodded and saw the small crowd behind him. Lex turned wondering who the other people were. “Clark?”

“They’re your meteor freaks. There’s a whole hallway full of them in the basement of the building across the street. Let’s just say none of your projects ever died.” Lex could hear the anger in Clark’s voice.

“Look, I didn’t have…”

Lois walked up and slapped both of them, “Shut up and let’s find Chloe – you can fight over the truth later.” Rolling her eyes, she started searching the room for a way to get in and hit a small button as the door opened.

Lex stood next to Clark in front of the rest of the group as Lois backed up against the wall and took a deep breath.

Three guards raised their guns in anticipation as Lionel waved his hand at them.

“Dad.” Lex stared coldly at his father. Clark and Lois glanced at each other in fear. “Where’s my wife?”

“Son, no pleasantries?” Lionel walked across the room as Derek followed behind. Touching his face, Lex pulled away and turned the other cheek.

“Where’s my wife?” he said again more matter-of-factly.

“She’s right in there. You know she is more amazing than she was years ago. And she’s given you quite a glow about you. It’s too bad that someday you’ll drive her to death like you did your mother and Julian.” Lex pursed his lips together and rolled his head in anger. He would have played into his father’s hand in the past but he wasn’t to succumb to him anymore. Noticing this Lionel tried again. “You’ve got much more patience than before too. My son the family man. And friends with Clark Kent again – my, your life is different.” Lionel moved closer to Lex and whispered in his ear.

Lois had since moved to the small group as a couple of guards approached. “Lois, can you get me something that Lex owns – I have an idea,” Moira whispered.

Lois glanced at Moira. “He’s on our side now. I know it’s going to be hard to…”

“Trust me,” Moira cut off. Trusting that Moira was well intentioned, Lois felt in her pocket for a pen that Lex had given her in the car. She handed it to her. Moira closed her eyes and then handed the pen back to Lois.

“What did you do?” Lois whispered.

“Wait.”

To Clark’s surprise, Lex leaned over and gave his father a bear hug and almost smiled. Clark glared at Lex as Lionel smirked in approval. “Ok boys, bring my son in and take care of the rest of these people. Return our acquisitions to the proper place.”

“Lex, what the hell?” Clark grabbed him by the collar as Lionel turned toward the door.

“Give this to Moira, and trust me.” Lex whispered as he acted like he threw Clark against the wall and followed his father into the small room where he spotted Chloe. Lionel closed the door behind them, leaving the guards with the small band. Facing the guards, Lois and Clark nodded at each other and started at them. The two took out the three men easily with the help of the small band of helpers.

Clark walked over to Moira and carefully handed her the object that Lex gave her.



Chapter 36 – Saving Sullivan

Lionel flipped the lights on in the rest of the cell revealing to Lex the position that his wife was in. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Finishing your 33.1 project. It was just convenient that you gave me the perfect specimen.” Reaching over to the mike, he called, “You may proceed.”

Lex started toward his father as his father pulled a gun on him. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I told you that someday you would make everyone hate you and from the tears in her eyes, I see that she thinks that you’re in on it.” Lex stopped and looked at his wife. “Lex, she saw you and I walk in here with our arms around each other. What does she think?”

He read her face and tears. He read her lips. “You bastard,” she mouthed as she turned away from him as the doctor picked up the first utensil and sat down in front of her outstretched legs.

Lex felt ill. He couldn’t do anything but watch his father take his firstborn. “An eye for an eye son.” Just as he said so, Lex cringed watching the doctor move toward his wife, who still didn’t look at him. Concentrating on her, he didn’t notice the gun had moved until the shot rang out.

Looking at his father, he had shot the doctor in the back. He raced for the door and ran into the room. Chloe screamed as she pushed the doctor’s body off her with her foot. She glanced over and saw Lex crying as he ran up to her. Grabbing her off the table, he pulled her to the floor and covered her with his body and coat. Peeking out behind the neckline of his coat, he could just see his father turn the gun on himself and shoot. Jerking away, he choked.

“What happened?” Chloe popped her head up as she heard the gun go off, “Lex, are you ok?” She started feeling his back for bullet marks and then looked up. “Lex, your dad.”

Lex turned around and uncovered her slightly. He winced as he looked at his father, or what was left of him. Chloe buried her face in his chest. “Are you ok?” Lifting her chin, he was nervous. “Chloe I didn’t have…” Chloe covered his open mouth with a kiss as he could feel her tears touch his cheek.

Clark and Lois entered the room with the rest of the gang and covered their mouth. Lionel was …everywhere. Lex pulled Chloe up and walked out into the room with her and out the door. Clark and Lois followed the two.

“You ok cuz?” Lois wrapped her arms around Chloe.

“I’m fine all things considered. What happened?” Lex, Lois, Chloe, and Clark stood confused as the small group followed them out.

“I couldn’t let him hurt my little baby.” Chloe looked up from Lex’s arms. Moira looked confused and afraid that her daughter was in Lex Luthor’s arms. Lex loosened his grip as Chloe pulled away.

“Mom.” Chloe wrapped her arms around Moira as Moira started kissing her on the top of the head.

“It’s going to be okay. It’s over.”

Lex passed up Chloe, rubbing her shoulder and patting Moira on the back as he went back in the room where his father was. He closed his eyes in thought and huffed.

“I’m sorry man,” Clark stated.

“I’m not,” he replied, not looking at Clark. “This is what should have happened a long time ago.” He paused for a moment. Turning and looking at Clark, he sighed, “Are we ok? I mean you seemed really angry out there earlier. I had …”

“We’re ok. It’s just for the longest time, it was so hard to believe you. Anyway, this time you didn’t pull the trigger and that’s what matters.” Clark stood with Lex for a little longer as he could see Lex reliving memories fast and furious. “Let’s go. You need to take care of Chloe.”

“Good riddance dad.” He turned and left the room.


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“Well, that takes care of everything.” Lex moved out behind his computer as he hung up the phone. He sat down on the couch next to Chloe and her mother. Clark, Lois, and Senator Kent sat on the couch across. “It seems I did a lot more things than I thought in my brief ‘separation.’ I let my father out of prison and started up some wild secret project.”

Jonathon leaned over and looked over the documents that Chloe and Lex had put together in the last few days. “Are you still keeping tabs on these people? Lex, they don’t trust you as it is – you need to leave these people alone.”

“It’s just customary surveillance – nothing more. They are all trying to live as normal lives as they could before my father started collecting them and deserve to go back to those lives. I just helped them.”

“By employing them in your plants? Sounds like another one of the Luthor schemes.” Jonathon threw a daggered look back at his son when Clark whispered for him to cool it.

“No scheme Senator Kent, they’re just more protected there,” Chloe interluded as Lex put his hand on her knee to tell her to kindly stay out of it. He watched as Jonathon backed off the topic and moved on.

“So, what now for them?”

“They all have homes, can go back to their families and live normally. If trouble begins again for them, now they’re taken care of.” Lex sat back in the seat and put his arm around Chloe, who smiled at Jonathon. Lois felt that something was fishy but it had been years since Lex pulled a fast one, so she let her fears go. “Now, I hate to be a rude host, but I think Chloe and her mom would like some time alone.”

Lex walked out of the room with Lois, Clark, and Jonathon and then returned to see Chloe and Moira in deep conversation. Sitting down on the couch across from them, he marveled at the amount the two could share in such a short amount of time. He got up and walked over to ring a maid. The maid entered and slightly glanced at Lex.

“Jasmine, please set up the guest room and call the Saks in Metropolis for whatever a woman would need.” Chloe looked up and grinned from ear to ear. Turning to see her, he mouthed, “what size?” Turning back to Jasmine, he saw that she slightly smiled at him. He actually got an emotional overture from a servant. “Size 10,” he stated as he pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her.

“Sir?”

“Go, take the helicopter and get her shopping done. I’ll call and let them know you’re coming. And get something nice for yourself.” Jasmine stood and waited for the punchline but turned and walked quickly as she didn’t want to hear Lex renege on the offer.

Lex returned to the couch to catch the end of the conversation. He heard Moira explain that the ability had also caused her the catatonic state that she was in the last time Chloe had seen her. He saw how Chloe’s heart dropped when she explained that she would return to that state if she wasn’t medicated.

“Who funded the project?”

She leaned forward and looked at Lex, peering at him disdainfully. “You did – you locked me up – you made me take pills and do things, and then one day you were gone. You didn’t return until you were with your father in the caves in Idaho. That was when you moved us. So forgive me – I may have helped you back at Luthorcorp by killing your father but I don’t trust you.”

“Mom!”

“Honey, the Luthors have been the bane of my existence since I was taken from you when you were eight. Now, I understand that he saved you and your father and that’s noble. And I realize that was when he dropped all of his projects and we were all left to fend for ourselves just to collected up again by the evil twin. But honey,” Chloe clasped her hands around her mother’s. She halfway smiled at Lex who was rubbing his chin and visibly uncomfortable.

“Mom, I trust him. I have not wanted to for a long time,” she glanced at Lex as he squinted in confusion and hurt. “But I know that he would do anything for me. And you. Mom, I love him – we’re having your grandchild. Mom, give him – this Luthor a chance.”

Moira shrugged and hugged her daughter. “Ok, I’ll give him a chance.”

Lex got up from the couch and squeezed Moira’s shoulder as he passed her. He could see her give him a passing smile of hope and suspicion. “Hello. Yes, I need the file on Moira Sullivan before you destroy all of them. Send it over immediately as well as any records of the treatments that she was receiving at all her locations. No, just hers – the rest need to be burned. Thank you.”

Chloe smiled at Lex as he hung up the phone and signaled he was leaving where she and her mom could be alone.

TBC

Thanks for the update. I am so glad Lionel is dead. :D