A/N: Noooo, this is angst, but it's not Chloe/Lex angst. Does that make sense. I promise, there will be no chlex angst. just kinda, chloevsherself angst.
Chapter 4
I hear you're counting sheep again, Mary Jane
What's the point of trying to dream anymore?
Chloe wanderd the halls of the lowest level of the manor, her fingers trailed along the walls, rough edges of stone brushing her fingertips. Silently, mechanically she walked, and walked.
Lex watched from his office on the third floor as she aimlessly made her way through the maze of halls. His forearms resting on the desktop in front if him, his dressshirt unbuttoned at the cuffs and pushed up to his elbows. Hunched over he absently followed the form gliding along the walls. Camera's shifted and changed angles as she turned from one hallway down another.
Pulling her hand away from the wall she rubbed her index finger and thumb together, numb. With a heavy sigh and too much weight on her shoulders she ducked into the next room, lavishly furnished. The walls were bare, but the floor was covered with a great oriental peice. Thick and spongy beneath her feet, she slid out of her shoes and pulled off her socks one by one to let her toes sink into the plush rug. A sigh of content wrapped around her as she sank onto the couch, brushed leather, she thought as she sank into it and laid her head down to rest. Figuring he was watching her from somewhere, she raised her hand as she had many times before and waved to whatever hidden surveillance he had had installed down here.
One day, with a childish smile on her face and a gleam in her eye as she let her lashes flutter shut, one day he was going to get more than he bargained for. If he indeed was watching her, which she was most sure he was, he would get an eyeful. And if he wasn't, there wasn't anything she had to worry about. A resolute smile crept on her lips as she shut off her brain and sank into a long awaited slumber.
*~*
Christmas had been one of her favotire times of the year when she was little. A girl no higher than her father's knee and she had bounded around him, chanting a giddy, 'Merry Christmas to all.' She remembered those times. Insignificant as they were, she treasured them as much as she treasured the years after and the many that would come. This year, however, would be different.
Lana would be leaving for Metropolis to spend the season break with her Aunt. The Kent's were preparing their own meal, a quiet evening in with the family. Pete was lucky enough for his mom to have the time off and to get the hell away from Smallville. Florida, she thought absently twirling a pencil around between her fingers. She could picture him scoping the chicks on the beach, wearing a white Santa beard and red jingly hat.
The Talon was hers for a week. A whole week with splitting shifts with other waitresses, and listening to them complain behind her back that although she'd never worked there before, she had been left in charge. That didn't bother her much. But her father was leaving on Christmas Eve, and there wasn't anything either of them could do to prevent it. The promises were made that he'd be back by New Years and they'd bring in 2004 together, kept her spirits shimmering.
Getting into the Christmas spirit completely was one thing she'd never had trouble doing before. But now, she sat in her room, at her desk with Lana packing anything and everything to get ready for her trip, she couldn't conjure up enough to care. Not about anything in particular. It seemed that everyday, although she was at Lex's house, whether it be wandering the halls or up in her own room, her mind wasn't on work. It was on the last conversation she'd had with Lionel.
The one she hadn't shared with Lex yet.
The one she wasn't going to share with him.
Lana the whirlwind finally sat on her suitcase to zip it shut. "I'm so excited. I've never spent more than a few days in Metropolis, and now I have the whole break." A sullen look crossed her face as she frowned and looked over at Chloe. "I kinda feel bad though, leaving the Talon in the middle of one of the busiest times."
Chloe smiled faintly and set the pencil down on her desk. "Don't worry about it. Between me and Lex and the whole army of tray weilding waitresses you've hired for the season, we'll make it."
Lana stared at Chloe for a moment. That was the most she'd said to her in a few months. But it wasn't that that'd stopped her short. Tilting her head to the side she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Lex? I thought he was going off to that meeting that you're dad's going to."
Chloe shook her head and got up from her chair only to fall stomach down on her bed, resting her chin on her crossed arms. "No, there's this whole share holder's convention for LuthorCorp and they pretty much picked names out of a hat once nobody volunteered. Lex wasn't even invited. Turns out Lionel didn't think it fair for him to hold any precedence over their heads to turn them in his favor."
Lana shook her head with a smile. "How do you know all this stuff? It's like you're a plant for the Luthor family. I bet you know their shoe sizes and everything." She stood and dragged the suitcase off the bed, landing with a bang on the floor. "I know, I know, you're a reporter, you know everything about everyone." She opened her mouth to tell her that she was looking more rested and better than she had in a while, just as the honking from outside drifted through the house. "They're here." She smiled and dragged her suitcase backwards through the bedroom. "I'll call you when I get there to check in, and I might call the Talon once or twice."
Chloe watched in amusement at the struggle but as soon as she heard the front door slam she rolled off her bed and layered up. She had business to take care of before her dad got home from work.
*~*
After knocking for the last few minutes Chloe rolled her eyes and decided if she were going to get busted for a B&E, it might as well be here. Turning the doorknob she nudged it open with her hip and wasn't surprised to find it unlocked, for which she was completely grateful. Shrugging out of her coat she hung it on the hook behind the door to drip dry, and unwound her scarf from around her neck before shaking off her hat. Both accompanied her coat. Clomping the snow off her boots she made her way toward the stairs just as Lex was making his way down them.
"Hi, I wasn't sure if you heard me or not." She smiled up at him where he stopped halfway.
"Actually, no, I hadn't. I sent all the help away for the rest of the week." he smiled back at her curiously as he finished his descent. "Something's different." he murmured and circled around her. "What is it?"
Chloe turned and looked at him, "What are you talking about." She patted her cheeks with her ice cold hands, once again she'd forgotten her gloves. "I'm exactly the same, Lex." The look she shot him had her smiling and shaking her head. "I'm gonna get started, I need to look at a few things before my dad gets home and I have to help him pack." Starting up the stairs she was barely on the third step when his hand grabbed her by the wrist. Slowly, she turned her head to look over her shoulder. "What?"
"Your hair." He said quietly with a smile as he sized it up. "You cut it."
Shifting nervously she played with the ends of it with her free hand. "Yeah." Her small laugh was like music to him. It had been too long since he'd heard it. "Kinda an identity crisis. Just wanted something new."
"It's perfect." He loosened his grip on her and let her hand fall back to her side.
A blush crept up her face even as it started to warm, "Thanks." She said quietly and raced up the rest of the stairs. Lex watched after her, bemused. Two days til Christmas. He had two days to find the perfect gift for her.
*~*
After seeing her father off and closing the Talon for the day, she sat at home on Christmas Eve. Alone. Coldly alone. But it was okay. It was a night, just like any night. The date shouldn't make it any more special than any other day of the year. Staring idly at the decorated tree she twisted the onyx ring on her finger. And nearly jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang.
Lex waited patiently on the other side. The Talon had closed earlier than normal today, meaning she had to be home. It was barely 8, so he figured she wasn't in bed yet. And she wasn't. She opened the door and stood there, still completely dressed, her hair a little out of order, but other than that she looked fine. More than fine. He had to have her. He'd known since the day she'd thanked him by kissing him so innocently, such a warm chaste kiss. Yet it had his blood boiling and reminding him that he was more than a little human.
"Lex." Chloe smiled and stepped back, welcoming any warm soul into the empty house.
"Chloe." His hand cupped her cheek as he stepped through the threshold, his other on the doorknob shutting it slowly, taking all the time in the world. His head bent his lips parted, he slowly, delicately brushed his lips across hers, and on her quick intake of breath he sunk further until her lips were angled with his and her hands were on him. He felt her fingers dig into sides where she held onto him, through his coat. When he pulled away and her eyes fluttered open he smiled down at her and let his hands squeeze into the flesh at her hips. His index fingers brushing against the smooth skin in that small sliver of space in between her shirt and jeans.
She stared at him for hours, maybe minutes, probably seconds. And then she pounced. Her hands dug into his sides as she leaned into him and pressed her lips back against his, his hands rythmically mimicked what their tongues were doing.
Soft heat. She thought with an inward sigh. Clear, soft heat. His mouth, so hot, his tongue, so rough on hers. His teeth sharp when he bit down, the moan passing from his mouth to hers as she sucked on his tongue. All feelings. True passion. Nothing she'd ever felt before. Alive. She thought. She felt alive.
They had made it no father than the couch, and their clothes grew to become a piled heap across the floor, if she had focussed enough she would have seen her underwear dangling from a branch of the tree she had spent ruthless hours perfecting with age old ornaments. Instead she concentrated on the new sensation thrumming in her body.
Slippery against eachother, covered in a sheen of sweat from so much pent up tension, they matched breathing even as he leaned down and bit her shoulder. Grazing his teeth from collar bone to collar bone, lingering only a moment to dip his tongue in the indentation between. Her back arched, her hands sliding off his body, he took the peak of her breast in his mouth and watched and listened in avid fascination as she climaxed beneath him. His name gasped from her lips.
And with the single thought of her doing it again, and again, he rushed ahead and pushed inside her. Brought up short when she screamed the word no and he stilled completely.
"Oh, god." He cupped her face in his hands, resting his elbows on the couch on either side of her face. "Chloe."
Her eyes blinked out tears as she struggled to focus them. She relaxed her body to accomodate him and as she did, he felt her body go lax beneath him. "It's okay." She touched his cheek, following his cheek bone and down his jaw. "I'm okay." Cupping to back of his head she brought him down to her and sank into his lips, and then wrapping her legs around him only to have him sink all the way into her. Slowly the pace was set and she met him move for move.
And when he tumbled into a light of seering colors staring down at her, her face screwed up in complete exstacy followed his lead.
TBC...
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