Freak - PG-13 - COMPLETE!

**hfce** · 14th September 2004, 17:39

:lol: she did have a bad day but it was exciting. :lol:

Hope

**Béatrice** · 15th September 2004, 11:56

G-R-E-A-T!!! :biggrin: Can we have more please?

**tiger04** · 16th September 2004, 02:00

Can't wait for more. i really really want to know what is going to happen.
Please please update soon

AT

**Kit Merlot** · 17th September 2004, 17:59

How did I miss this fic?

This is a wonderful concept, and I like how you've captured Chloe's feistiness.

Can't wait for more :biggrin:

**carebear72884** · 17th September 2004, 18:34

This is great, I can't belive I missed it, Chloe as a ghost, what a great idea...more soon please.

**chrisrose** · 21st September 2004, 09:20

Very interesting! But so sad that she and Lex can't really be "together". :/ You're really writing the characters well, and I can't wait for them to discuss how they feel about this whole situation. Hey, all they *can* do is talk, right?

Please write more soon!

**AlabamaWorley** · 22nd September 2004, 03:40

A/N: As always, the feedback is wonderful! I'm so glad y'all are feeling the story, I'm kind of stepping carefully with this one - it could easily go on for eons, but I want to make it sort of short. However, I don't want to be totally cold about their emotions, either.

Unfortunately, real life conspired against me updating as often as I wanted, so now I'm in a bind to finsh it before the premiere wipes away all of my inspiration for taking the story this direction! I'm going to try my hardest to write the last ?three? scenes before tomorrow night, but if I don't make it... well, at least I got this much done

This shortish scene is all Chlex, I hope you enjoy it - thanks again for reading.
************************************************** *****

Later that night, Lex found Chloe sitting outside in the garden muttering to herself.

“Am I interrupting?”

She jumped, then put her hand over her still chest.

“God Lex, I’m supposed to be the scary one!”

“Sorry.” He sat down next to her on the marble bench. “Though I have to say, I find the fact that you are having such an intense conversation with yourself mildly disturbing.”

“How do you know I’m not talking to Elvis?”

“I have it on very good authority from one of the custodial technicians at the plant that Elvis is alive, so unless he is hiding in the rose bushes, I have to assume you are not.”

“Okay, I am the reigning expert on all things conspiratorial and weird, and even I know Elvis is dead. You should screen your employees more carefully.”

Lex smirked at her.

“Which is completely unrelated to the fact that you were talking to yourself… rather animatedly.”

She gave him a dirty look.

“I have no paper, no laptop, and no tape recorder… I have to work through my thoughts somehow.”

“I see.” He tried to sound serious, but the smirk was joined by a raised eyebrow. Chloe very pointedly scratched her temple with her middle finger, and Lex’s face melted into a real smile.

“I’ll take that as a concession of defeat.” When Chloe tried to make an indignant protest, he raised his hand. “Kidding. But I really do need to talk with you.”

Sighing dramatically, she nodded.

“Truce then… for now.” She shifted to straddle the bench so she could look at him without turning her head. “What’s up?”

“Have you had form since the moment you died?”

“Um… no.” Chloe shifted uncomfortably.

“When did it happen? And how did you wind up in my office?”

“I was… uh… already there. Sort of. I… My body appeared about thirty minutes before you found me. There was no warning. It just happened.”

Lex raised his eyebrows. She winced and continued.

“Well… God, this is kind of embarrassing.” She rose and began to pace in front of the bench. “When the house exploded, my first thought… my first thought was that I had to get to you, because I knew you would keep me safe. I was halfway here before I realized that I’d left without my body. I had no form at all. It was like… it was like my thoughts and my eyes and my ears were blasted free of my body. So I went back, because I knew I had to be misunderstanding something.” She fell silent and stared off into the garden. Lex waited patiently for her to speak again. “After I realized that I was actually dead, I thought I might be able to find my dad nearby, but... I guess it doesn’t work that way. So, I figured I might as well come here anyway. I… I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“So you’ve been in the mansion… the whole time?”

She hesitated before answering.

“Pretty much. I did go to the Kent Farm once, that’s how I knew Clark wasn’t around. I didn’t know he was actually missing until you told me, though. I didn’t go to the funeral because… I just couldn’t. It was too much.”

“You were here…” The meaning in his unfinished query was clear.

“I was here when you were lying in a pile of glass on the floor. I was by your side in the emergency room. I was there when you found out about my father and me. I was here every night when you woke up from your nightmares calling my name. And I was completely helpless… all I could do was watch.” The sparkle of unshed tears reflected some otherworldly light, framing her eyes in lashes that glittered like diamonds. Lex couldn’t tear his attention from them as he slowly replied.

“You were there this morning. You spoke to me while I was dreaming.” It wasn’t really a question.

“Yes.” She returned to her place beside him and they sat for several long minutes, allowing their shared silence to wrap around them in lieu of a comforting embrace that they both might have shunned even if contact had been possible. Finally, Lex spoke.

“You said you have no idea where Clark was today?”

“I couldn’t even see more than a couple of feet around us.”

“You were corporeal there. Do you think he was also…”

“No, he was alive, I’m sure of it. Breathing, pulse, warm skin… all the usual suspects.”

Lex rubbed his face and sighed.

“It would really be helpful if we could get him home.”

“For the case, you mean? Don’t worry, Lex, I’m going to find something on your dad to keep him behind bars.” She smiled reassuringly, wishing she could squeeze his hand.

“I don’t think we have that kind of time, Chloe. Barring any new developments, my father is scheduled to be released in 48 hours.” He glanced at his watch. “Actually, make that about 37.”

“Oh.” They sat in silence for several moments before she continued. “Well, okay, I just have to figure out how to get Clark here before then. I can go back and try to wake him up and--”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Lex, I’m already dead, I don’t think--”

“If you have a body there, you could get hurt. Then you’d both be trapped… or worse.” Lex’s voice was suddenly flat and tired, and Chloe realized she wasn’t going to come up with any solutions that he hadn’t been over a thousand times already in his head. She closed her eyes and rested her head in her hands.

“If your dad gets out, it will only be a matter of time before he either kills you or forces you to kill him.”

“I know.” His cellphone rang and he stood to answer it. “Luthor. Yeah, what do the numbers look like?” Still talking, he raised a finger to Chloe before walking back toward the house, signaling her to wait.

When he returned, she was gone.

(TBC)