Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/5/09
Okay I finally got all caught up on this one. The premise on this is really something different because as authors we so often rely on Lex's wealth and power as an integral part of his characterisation, so this presents a real character study opportunity.
One thing I do want more of is the backstory regarding Chloe's feelings for Lex. They're obviously so complicated and entangled that she can't exorcise them despite what he's done and everything he's become.
Anyway cannot wait to see where you go with this.
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/5/09
A/N - This chapter was my butt kicker, and I have a feeling it's just beginning. I really was ready to hang this one up. BUT cypanache is my savior and helped retool this chapter and hopefully might be persuaded again. Thank you for your help and all the wonderful feedback. On with the story...
New Introductions – Chapter 5
Lex watched as the rows of corn flew past in the vehicle that had only one small window. He silently wondered if the officer across the way from him was going to be the one assigned to him. The man was incredibly large, in a way that was frightening to even Lex. He looked familiar though.
“Do I know you?”
The large man in uniform looked over at him and gruffed. “Your thing replaced me in the Streetfight two years ago. So, my career went down the drain and I went to the police academy.” The man folded his arms over his large body and leaned back against the side of the truck wall. “I’m your officer, Officer Bates,” he slightly smirked as an almost evil chuckle took over.
Lex nodded and then continued to silently look out the window. He was starting to put the pieces together as far as his punishment and had a pretty good feeling who had worked with the judge on it. He wondered if the two years in prison in Metropolis would have been easier, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of winning by asking for it.
“We’re here,” Bates smiled across at Lex, still handcuffed and leg braced as if they should be concerned he could take down the officer across from him. Hopping out of the back of the vehicle, he groaned at sight of the alley behind the Talon. Scenes from events he had been part of, good and bad, flooded his memories to the point he couldn’t think straight.
Lex looked down to see that Bates was hooking another object, not quite as heavy around his ankle. “It’s waterproof and tamperproof,” Bates commented as he looked down at the man while taking his handcuffs off. “You can only go as far as that garbage dumpster or it’ll send a signal that you’ve taken off.” Bates leaned forward and slowly continued, “And then I have to go after you.”
The last look Bates gave him about his running away sealed his fate. Lex pulled his pant leg up and noticed the small engraved initials on the side of the company logo. Nodding his head, he wondered about the irony of it all.
“This way,” Bates led him in the back door of the Talon, which looked nothing like it used to. Lex eyed the whole place seeing that the entire interior had been calmed to what would be compared to a ‘green’ sandwich shop. He looked at the flyer on one of the posts and raised an eyebrow. She closed the old theater finally. There was a perfectly good one on the other side of town, but Lana tried to run the other one for years.
Seeing Bates pointing to a small table, Lex sat down across from the officer and continued eyeing the changes that had occurred in just a few weeks. Shaking his head, he couldn’t place except for Chloe’s dad where she could possibly get the ability to make changes like those.
“Good morning Mr. Luthor.” The man put his hand out and shook Lex’s before sitting down in one of the other chairs. “I’m Mark. I’m the manager and your boss.” The man stopped speaking, looking slightly nervous at Lex.
Lex watched his lips twitch, and questioned, “Let me guess, I did something to you too.” The comment was stated acidly as if he could still rattle someone without having any power.
“#1127 from Chicago 33.1. You remember me or did you have so many of us you couldn’t keep us straight?”
“Mark, that’s enough.” All three men looked up as the front door slammed behind a well dressed and very determined Chloe Sullivan. Walking over, she stopped in front of Lex and held out her hand. “Your ride go ok?”
Lex was beside himself trying to understand why other than owning the building she was there. “Fine. You seem to have dug up everyone that could possibly hate me.”
Chloe sat in the last remaining chair, leaning forward and crossing her hands on the table with a devil’s smile on her face. “I haven’t even scratched the surface, but a lot of that will depend on you.” Her face was expressionless; she had learned that all too well from battling with him and then before with his father. Nodding in silent acknowledgement, Lex remained quiet. “Mark, you will treat him with the same respect as other employees. I will not have you badgering him.”
After Chloe put the manager in his place, Mark continued explaining what Lex would be involved with until the media circus calmed down. Lex silently thanked Chloe that she had the foresight to not let Mark put him on display right off the bat. Then again, Chloe had always treated him differently, respectfully, and he blindly had thrown it away.
***********
“So, now that you have the kitchen down, how about checking out your place?” Chloe squeezed the very large arm of Bates and smiled, “He’ll be ok.” Bates stood at the bottom of the stairs and waited as Mark disappeared into the kitchen. Chloe opened the door and handed Lex the one key he was allowed to now have.
Flipping on the light, he sighed and then gave Chloe a surprising glance. She couldn’t help let a small smile break on her face. “Chloe.”
“I know it’s not the pieces from your place, but it’s as close as I could do on a budget.” She watched as he eyed the painting job of cool blues and grays and then heard his chuckle at the plastic decorations and dishes. “They didn’t allow any glass, except the windows. I tried to convince them you wouldn’t try to kill yourself again, but they didn’t bite.”
He disappeared around the new wall that separated the living room from the bedroom better. Chloe sat on the couch and bounced a couple of time, now understanding what Oliver had been talking about when he had been there. She shook her head and probably assumed the that books on the shelf would be read at the kitchen table.
“And I was thinking this morning about asking to go back to prison.” He came back into the main room, dressed very similar to his look when Chloe first met him. “Do I want to know how you afforded all of this?”
Chloe eyed him from the couch and just ignored the question. “You know your way around here. Let’s go downstairs.” Lex followed behind her and passed Bates once again before disappearing into the back that used to be the theater. Opening one door, Chloe walked in. “Here’s your and the Talon’s laundry room. Across the way through that door is your workout room. I asked for you to have something to do, so there are plenty of psycho babble books upstairs.”
The two walked further back into the now empty theater and Lex looked around. “It’s going to be a new gym that enters from the side. It still needs work though.” Chloe reached up to turn the light off as she felt Lex’s hand on hers. The slight brush ignited a feeling that once never bothered her, one that now made her nervous since so many things had changed.
Looking over her shoulder, she swallowed hoping he wouldn’t notice the motion. “Chloe, you could have just let me go to jail,” he softly stated into the now dark room. He couldn’t exactly tell where she was from the small bit of light that came from under the door she had closed. Taking another step, he felt her against him. “Why did you do it? All of it.”
She jumped slightly as his hand running along her arm as his warmth moved closer to her. “This wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen. You were supposed to just come with me. You fucked it up.”
Lex felt her leg up against his and knew that even in the dark he had her cornered. Running his hand along her shoulder, he felt her slightly shudder and felt her breath hitch. With the dark, her reactions were more telling. “I’m sorry. What was the real plan Chloe? You honestly thought that I would be able to just pick up and do what I’m forced to do now.”
“I just wanted…”
Lex leaned in closer, feeling the heat of her cheek against the palm of his hand. “Did you really say that at the mansion just to get me to leave?” he whispered into her ear as she closed her eyes. Even with no power, no money, he still had her.
Her voice was gone; she opened her mouth and couldn’t picture any words coming out. He couldn’t see her jaw moving to speak but knew he could feel it in his hands. He had been damn confusing to her senses and now she knew that she couldn’t be alone with him and was in over her head.
Lex could feel her nervousness just beneath his fingers. He imagined her face flushed unlike he had seen in years. He wondered if Jimmy could honestly make her feel the same way but seriously doubted it. As much as he wanted to taunt her for having a pseudo affair with him, bringing Jimmy into the equation right now would ruin the moment. He ran his hand back behind her head, entwining his fingers into her hair.
“Lex, stop,” she squeaked out before pulling her body out from his, feeling his lips just graze her forehead instead of her lips as she thought he was hoping for. Flipping the lights back on, she shielded her eyes and headed toward the door. Lex turned in her direction and saw the color of her cheeks starting to already fade. She was complicated and he couldn’t get her to admit anything again. “We need to get back and get you busy. I will see you later this week.”
Lex nodded as if nothing happened and held the door open for her before turning off the light. Following her back into the Talon, he leaned against the counter as Mark handed her a set of invoices. He tried to eye the papers over her shoulder but backed up as she turned and glared at him. “Mark, you have something for Lex to do before opening?”
Mark handed a bucket of warm water and a towel in it to the man dressed in the clothes that he no doubt knew Chloe picked out for him. “Yeah, wipe the tables down once more. They had to do some more drilling for some electrical last night and there’s dust everywhere. Then there’s a broom in the backroom where you can get the floors.”
Lex looked dumbfounded in Chloe’s direction as he took the bucket ungraciously from Mark. She continued flipping through the invoices and checking over figures. Looking up at Lex, she signaled for him to get started. “What are you waiting on?”
“I’ll see you on Wednesday?”
“Depends on when your official visits by the court ordered officer are supposed to occur.” Lex raised an eyebrow. “I’m the court appointed person. See you soon.” Chloe picked up her purse from the counter and whispered a few more things to Mark before slipping out the side entrance. Lex saw her pull away from the front of the building and huffed as Mark watched. Looking up, he noticed the evil eye and proceeded to squeeze the soapy wet rag out before starting on the first table. It was going to be a long year.
************
“Hello?” Chloe giggled at the slight grogginess on the other end of the line. She looked at the clock in her own apartment, 3:30 AM.
“Good morning. Just checking in.”
Lex knew immediately who it was; she had called almost 5 hours ago as he was reading one of the Chicken Soup books that graced his new place. He was in rehab hell. “Chloe, is this really necessary?”
“It’s court ordered and I’m only doing it for a couple of days until the official caller has you put into her schedule. Her voice isn’t quite as nice as mine though.”
“How many more calls before sun up?”
Chloe looked at her log that she was required to keep. “I can’t say, but if I call the Talon for you, you will have to answer.”
“Done. Can I go back to bed now?”
“Lex, of all the people in the world, I thought you would revel in the idea of me giving you a wake up call. I know for a fact that you slept very little when working.”
Lex rolled back over in the bed with the cordless phone still pressed to his ear. “Yes, but I don’t have to work those hours now and when you left I found out what work was. Your friend Mark showed me the other side of the business. I mopped the entire damn place, changed lightbulbs, and finished painting what Mark explained was going to be the new Yoga classroom in what was the flower shop. Yoga?”
Chloe couldn’t help but softly chuckle at the rant that the almighty Lex Luthor was on, and it was only the first day. “Goodnight Lex. You have what – 2 hours until you have to be at work?” Chloe clicked the phone closed and glanced over at the groaning man in the bed. He was going to be a problem in the mix. Putting the phone down, she crawled back into bed, feeling Jimmy’s arm wrap around her as she turned away from him.
********
Two weeks had passed since Lex had first started his time. He was now getting four to six calls at random hours from some woman that sounded like she could break him in half. That was in addition to the brief, even without speaking, visits that Chloe made to make sure that everything was still going as scheduled.
The Talon Green Sandwich Shop had opened the weekend before to rave reviews even from the Daily Planet. The press when Lex first started working there had scrambled in the first few days to catch a glimpse of the billionaire as a work stiff just to leave with a satisfied appetite and a good word of mouth. Lex was safely hidden in the back, earning his keep.
He stared at the already piled high set of dishes from the morning shift. Gone were the muffins and scones and pastries of the coffee house, now replaced with health food that seemed to be actually doing well. He admitted the omelets that one of the cooks made were better than the mansion’s cook. The business, he had to hand it to Chloe, was actually going to make it. She had impressed him once again.
Personally, Lex hadn’t been completely disheartened by the new arrangement. The first few days he could barely reach for a glass after working so physically getting the place ready to open. Now, the laborers were working on the gym and he could just stay in the kitchen, for now. Shaking his head, though, he eyed the shirt he had decided to wear today. The one that used to be white.
He had now been through two weeks of therapy. The twelve steps for AA seemed to be no problem since he was nowhere near any alcohol now. Strangely, he only missed it when he couldn’t sleep. That was where the book came in. He had read every book on the first bookshelf and was now working on the books about solving the pain in your soul or some crap. It went well with the two hour sessions with the therapist, at least this one wasn’t drugging him.
As he lowered the first set of dishes into the sink now filled up to his elbows in water, he still considered what Chloe’s whole intention was. He had noticed small details about the Talon in the last few weeks and knew there was no way her father’s little bit of money would cover the expenses. He knew some of his expenses were carried by the state, but didn’t think Armani Exchange was one of the allowed State of Kansas vendors for prisoners. There was more to his incarceration there.
Then there was Chloe. Since their almost heated passionate moment two weeks ago, she seemed to go through the motions of seeing him, checking in on him, and then leaving without even a word. But there was a look of sadness that invaded her face when he saw her leave the Talon most days she came by. He had to get her to talk to him, maybe try a new strategy because the overbearing, get what I want Lex Luthor didn’t exactly scare anyone anymore.
********
Chloe was running late. She stood in front of the door and waited after she knocked a third time. Talking to herself, she was simply going to check he was in the room, not that the ankle bracelet did that for her, and then leave. No complications, and she could be home by bed time, with Jimmy.
“Coming!” She heard from the other side of the door and then heard the click from several of the locks. She mildly laughed thinking that one little apartment was more secure than the mansion had been. Lex wondered who Bates had let up the stairs as he opened the door. “Can I…Chloe.” He leaned against the door slightly, lifting one side of his mouth like a half hearted smile.
“Hi, I just had to check and see if you were here. I was running late and didn’t catch you at work.” She could smell something in the apartment as her eyes widened. “Are you burning something else?”
Lex turned around and left the door open. “Fuck.” He turned down the fire on the stove and pulled the pan off the stove. “That is the second time I’ve done that. I can’t get it to work like the cook downstairs did.”
“Nice,” Chloe muttered under her breath. She stayed in the doorway and silently argued with herself about entering the apartment at all. The last time they had been alone, things had gone very wrong. Realizing that she really didn’t want to leave right away, she heaved a sigh and closed the door as she entered the apartment. “You know cooking is one of those basics.”
“And I might get to learn to do it if your little henchman didn’t have me mopping floors and washing dishes all the time.” Chloe watched the steam rise up from the sink as Lex dumped the pan in and reached for the water handle.
Chloe came around the edge of the counter and pushed his hand away as she lifted the pan back out of the sink. Lex threw up his hands and stayed out of the way. “I thought you would have appreciated the gesture of not making you serve the journalists that want to write about the great Lex Luthor.”
Lex huffed at her backhanded comment. “"So instead of being the starring attraction in the center ring, I'm being kept as the sideshow for your private enjoyment. How wonderful for me.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter as Chloe eyeballed him.
She was there to check that he was indeed there and that was it. Her visits were to be official and short. The fact of the matter was that she always made these during his working hours and never had to be alone with him, just check he was still there. Tonight presented a problem she hoped to avoid.
Not that she couldn’t keep her wits about her; she was just not interested in a confrontation or argument tonight. She pulled a bowl out of the cabinet and dumped the partially burned entrée into it. “Nice shirt; I didn’t think you were into pink after…”
“Funny. Those brand new maroon towels made five shirts this color.” He paused and watched as she silently handed him another bowl and a bag of salad out of the refrigerator. “So how is the article on the new Lex Luthor going?”
Chloe’s eyes shot up at him standing next to her in the kitchen as she tried to salvage what was left of what she guessed was chicken alfredo. “I’m not discussing it.”
Lex stopped and turned in her direction wielding a spoon. “Why the hell not? I’m right here. I could still say no to that interview you’ve been trying to get but why. You’re going to write what you damn well please anyway.”
Chloe walked around and practically dropped the bowl of pasta on the table before going for some of the plastic dishes where she at least could eat and get out. “Lex, when are going to figure out that your incarceration is not my way of becoming famous. I’m not using you even though you got really good at doing that to others. Now, I usually get a meal from Mark before I leave; I couldn’t tonight because I was running late. So, I’m going to either salvage what you have here for the two of us or leave and be hungry after the three hour drive home.”
Lex didn’t respond. Part of what she said was true he guessed. Still, the Talon felt like a big cage that he was subjected to. Deciding that the slight circles under her eyes and her icy tone was a hint that dinner could be on the table or in his lap before she left, he decided to drop his inquisition. He watched every step she made around the kitchen, noticing she knew where everything was. “Is the place set up like you left it?”
“The kitchen is, minus the real dishes.” She was short and to the point. She didn’t really feel like having a full blown conversation with him even if she was staying for dinner. On the other hand, Lex had guessed right about Perry was breathing down her neck for an update on her lifestyle piece on Lex.
“Can you gently turn the oven on where we can make some garlic bread. Spices are in the cabinet.” Chloe took the items from him and quietly prepared the rest of dinner as he finished mixing a salad. It was a strange feeling standing next to him in what a few weeks ago was her kitchen, and they were making dinner together.
Sitting down at the table, she nervously pushed the food around before taking a bite. It wasn’t half bad even burnt she thought. She knew Lex was watching her reaction to the food and saw his crooked smile as she nodded in approval. “Ok?”
“Good. A little dry. You’ll get better.”
The two ate in what amounted to complete silence. Chloe watched Lex intently trying to recreate a picture of a confident man in front of her. Gone was the wine at dinner replaced by some kind of green tea the therapist gave him to help him sleep at night. After the last few weeks, she wondered if she should ask to have some.
Chloe wanted him to be different. That was the ultimate goal for all the people involved. Luthor caged like a carnival act wasn't the reason for his being there, no matter what he apparently thought. But she couldn't make him believe it, he'd have to come to it or not on his own.
As if he was reading her mind, he placed his fork on his plate and looked up at her as she finished at the same pace he did. “Two weeks have passed. Would you like to hear about my exploits with the vacuum cleaner? It could add color to your piece.”
“I’m curious,” Chloe casually, slightly amused at the strange peace offering.
“I understood the vacuuming part, but the changing of the bag was,” he paused, “ something new. It went everywhere when I pulled on the bag. No one told me to just slip the little seal of the plastic piping. I went through practically another bag vacuuming up what had flown through the air after the accident. Then another couple of hours dusting.” Chloe chuckled at the little story and then the room fell silent again. It was strange; they used to talk to each other for hours without recourse and now could barely say two words without throwing accusations. “How’s Jimmy?”
Chloe nodded her head and rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She looked in his direction and questioned the look on his face. Was he actually seriously holding out the strange olive branch with Jimmy’s name on it? Thinking it wouldn’t hurt to make conversation, she appeased him. “He’s good. He got a couple of his pictures printed on the front page last week of the train crash.”
Chloe noticed the small quirk in Lex’s lip. “I saw them. They were good but he could have used a polarized filter over the lens in that light; cut out the glare.”
Chloe stared at Lex in shock. This was the man that until a few days before his world came crashing down was threatening Jimmy. She saw a strange glint in his eyes that made her uneasy. Pushing her almost still full plate away, she realized her hunger was second to her nervous stomach. He was definitely up to something.
“I guess I’ll be going. I may make it home in time for bed.” Chloe pushed back her chair just to find Lex right behind it holding it out for her. Holding her jacket in the other hand, she smiled limply at his effort to be a gentleman. “Is this how it started?”
“What do you mean?”
“With Lana. The being like a gentleman because it worked with her. It’s an act.” Chloe turned and looked over at Lex as he tossed the dishes in the sink and started the water. She watched him push his sleeves up and then stare at her.
“I wasn’t raised a buffoon.”
“Well, I’m not going to ask why you picked her because I know the song and dance and frankly it’s past. But it isn’t working on me. I was and never will be Lana or anyone like that for that matter.” Chloe could feel her chest tighten as the adrenaline in her system was getting out of control.
Lex moved around the counter and toward her as Chloe backed up to the door. She was not going to be cornered. Putting out her hand, he stopped in the middle of the small living room. “No you never were. Besides, I was simply being polite to you just now. And after our unexplainable falling out…”
“When I came back to life from being blown to high hell and you ignored me you mean. And when did you decide to be polite to me?”
“Because tonight I thought we were having a decent evening.” Lex moved a little closer to her, taking a deep breath and trying to lower his voice. “And as for ignoring you, I didn’t see any reason to make the effort. You never gave me the time of day after that.”
Chloe just wanted the conversation to end. She would not let him rile her up like the night at the mansion. Her mouth, though, wanted to finish things. “So, instead you looked down on me and basically told me that my attitude was the reason why I never had a boyfriend.” Lex’s face went expressionless before he raised his chin to her as she relived his moments before he and Lana became an item. “Yeah, I know you remember.”
“Chloe,” he whispered.
Chloe put up one hand and cut him off. “No, save it for when you actually mean it.” She pulled the door open and stopped at hearing her name again.
The night was not ending the way he had hoped. She wasn’t budging, so he went for broke. “Chloe, why did you arrange all of this? Where is all the money for this coming from?” He stood still with his partially wet hands in his somewhat designer pant pockets.
Chloe turned and looked at him, almost sad. He needed to learn on his own. “Good night Lex.” She lowered her head as she slipped out the door. Hearing the door crack open again as she descended the stairs, Bates looked back in Lex’s direction before walking Chloe out to her car.
*************
“Do you think he’ll ever figure out the purpose of this? Figure out why?” The voice on the other end of the phone was obviously concerned for her.
Chloe shook her head as she kept her eyes on the road. She was only a few minutes outside Metropolis now and incredibly late for her nightcap with Jimmy. “He acts as if I’m going to roll over and tell him everything I know.”
“If you can’t handle the strain, we can put him back in prison.”
“It’s not that. He hasn’t done anything wrong yet to warrant it. Besides, now he would fight the reassignment.” She heard the heavy voice on the other line sigh.
“Let me know if you ever need to give this up. It’s hard weaving a web this long. We could easily try the other option.”
Chloe shuddered at the voice’s suggestion. Even with the strangely placed new found understanding between the two, her stomach churned remembering what he was still capable of, what he was apparently still capable of, albeit for different reasons. “I refuse to see him like that again. You didn't see him the way we saw him after what you did to him. You were a different person then. That wasn’t Lex then; just his body.”
“Similar to now?” The man questioned before sighing again knowing he was upsetting her. “We will continue on this track then.”
“Goodnight,” Chloe sighed.
“Goodnight Ms. Sullivan.”
TBC
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/5/09
Y'know I was gonna PM you today and ask how things were going with this fic and then suddenly there was an update - you must've read my mind ;)
My, but this was intense! I love it! :D Though all else is lost, its clear Lex still has power over Chloe in one way. She can't help but react to his touch, she can't help but love him inspite of everything. Oh, its just going to get more and more interesting, isn't it?
I'm interested to see who Chloe's mystery man on the phone is... The Ms Sullivan makes me think Lionel, but it can't be him. Maybe Oliver? Hmm, I don't know if that seems right either. To be honest, I have no idea, but I'm eager to find out! :)
As much as I love him, Lex deserves everything he's getting right now, and Chloe deserves her revenge which this is whether its supposed to be or not.
Hope you can update again soon, though I understand what it is to get your butt kicked by a story - you have my sympathy! And Cy, I salute you too for helping out and ensuring we get more of this fab fic ;)
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/17/09
Fab update. Its good that Chloe and Lex are starting to air some of the past grievances. That Chloe( along with Lionel) wants Lex to be well and both having hope that he can recovery is wonderful. The complexity of everyone's feelings and conflict Chloe has with her feelings is well done. Thanks for sticking with this story. Dagney
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/17/09
Who was she talking to? You got me intrigued. Lex working in a sandwich shop
amuses me. I like the casual Lex. :)
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/17/09
I'm so glad you didn't give up on the story. Now I'm dying to find out who the man on the other line is.
Fantastic chapter.
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/17/09
What an awesome update! So much has happened, so much good stuff! Okay, now that the niceties are over, argh!!! So many questions!!! I don't know which one to tackle! I want to know who the person on the phone was. I thought maybe Oliver, then I reread it and there was already a mention of him, about the couch. Seriously, liking the mystery but argh!!! Anyway, I love the selection of the staff, Chloe sure knows her stuff. Lex, he may see everything as a punishment, but from the way Chloe was acting, it seems like it really isn't. Well, I can't wait until the next update. In the meantime I guess I'll just return to my argh!!! More soon please.
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/17/09
A fabulous update!
I'm enjoying this story a great deal, and I especially like that Chloe helped set up Lex's sentence because she's convinced that he can change. And I like that Lex keeps trying to win her over, but it will take more then the famous Luthor charm:D
And this paragraph:
Quote:
Chloe shuddered at the voice’s suggestion. Even with the strangely placed new found understanding between the two, her stomach churned remembering what he was still capable of, what he was apparently still capable of, albeit for different reasons. “I refuse to see him like that again. You didn't see him the way we saw him after what you did to him. You were a different person then. That wasn’t Lex then; just his body.”
intrigues me. Chloe is obviously working with a very powerful and influential man--someone who was able to pull strings with a judge and pour money into Chloe's new establishment. Who is it that is helping Chloe help Lex?
I can't wait to find out:grin3: And this story continues to rock.
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/17/09
I´m on holidays and just stopped by a cyber café to check out my e-mails and any feedback on my fics, but I decided to spare some time to read this update- it was really worth it, Mary. I´m glad Cy gave you a push because I´d hate to see this story languish.
Quote:
Chloe shuddered at the voice’s suggestion. Even with the strangely placed new found understanding between the two, her stomach churned remembering what he was still capable of, what he was apparently still capable of, albeit for different reasons. “I refuse to see him like that again. You didn't see him the way we saw him after what you did to him. You were a different person then. That wasn’t Lex then; just his body.”
Just like the rest of us, I´m intrigued about the mystery man. However, this passage seems to suggest we know him/her and ... could it be the "we" refers to Chloe and Clark? And the "you" to Lionel if you chose to keep him alive? Or maybe Lana? The line "after what you did to him" might either refer to the shock therapy at Belle Reve or to Lana walking out on him. Mmm... lots of questions.
What do we have to send you to keep your muse alive?
My fics:
COMPLETE FICS
Second Chances
Payback Time
The Love of Two Men
Hope and Happiness
The Countdown
Shadows from the Past
Finding the Way Back
The Real Thing
The Christmas Gift
Addicted
The Naked Truth
Crossing Paths and its sequel
Rebuilding
Re: The Upper Hand (R) 1/17/09
I thought I had replied, but apparently my short term memory isn't working very well. Sorry, sweetie! *hugs*
I freaking LOVED IT!! The interactions between Lex and Chloe have got me hooked, especially since they are starting to air out things between them. Like everyone, I'm also wondering who's working with Chloe and can't wait to find out. So glad that you're writing this, hon, cause it's awesome. :)
