The Lesser of Two Evils - NC-17, Chapter 56 (May 27, 2016)

[cbrunberg]

cant wait for the next chapter.loved that lex got to her and took care of things.i hope chloe can get past this a can be with the lex the man.also hope chloe lets her family and lex help her heal

[kcsgirl82]

Thanks for the update!
I hope Lionel rots in hell for what he did to Chloe and all that he has done to Lex. I hope Chloe will be able to recover from this both mentally and physically. I hope Lex doesn't push Chloe away because he feels guilty for not preventing Chloe's rape, and that Chloe will let Lex and her father be there for her during her long road to recovery.

[somethingeasy]

Chapter Forty-Two

Chloe moaned as she tried to sit up. She blinked as a woman's hands helped her lift up just enough to be propped up on pillows. Her arms were hanging down into her lap. She watched her own fingers twitch with a disconnect that was frightening. Her focus was too shattered to reach out to her own body.

"It's Dr. Concord. You're at Mr. Luthor's apartment and he called me here to help you," the woman said, sounding somehow friendly, placid and upset at the same time.

She put a hand warmly on Chloe's shoulder, and held it there. It was comforting, and she seemed to be trying to help, so the teenager nodded. "Okay."

It wasn't remotely okay. She wanted to be at home, in the twin bed her father had bought for her. She wanted to be safe and untroubled. Chloe knew she had to convince the doctor and Lex she was fine before they'd let her go.

"Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"I was raped." The blunt words crackled with repression, and Chloe shook her head. It was her voice, but it didn't sound like her. It didn't sound human. "He wanted me to get pregnant. I need something to stop it."

Holy crap! The bluntness with which Chloe stated what has happened to her is frightening in its unflinching directness. I don’t know whether it’s a good sign or a bad sign. It could mean that Chloe is confronting, admitting and dealing with everything that happened to her in a very direct, efficient manner. OR it could mean that she’s allowing her trauma to consume and overwhelm her to the point where she finds it difficult to think about other things with which to distract herself.

What the case, I was so, SO relieved to see Chloe FINALLY getting to meet up with a doctor to actually treat her injuries. It only just occurred to me how unspeakably cruel it had been for Morgan Edge to have taken Chloe to a hospital, surrounding her with pain medication as well as medical professionals… and only made her watch her rapist getting medical treatment, while she herself was told to sit quietly in a corner, suppressing her own pain and trauma. Granted, Lionel was being kept as a patient more to control him rather than to ‘treat him’, but it still means that Lionel was getting more medical attention than the girl he had JUST finished brutally raping!!!

The doctor had removed her hand, and was digging in a medical bag. She was sure to look at Chloe's profile when she asked, "Who hurt you, Chloe? I know you were here alone with Mr. Luthor, but you don't seem afraid of him. Is he the one you're talking about?"

A purse-sized box of tissues was placed next to her hip, anticipating a need for them.

"No, his father. His father wanted to replace him and he needed a new heir for the company. Lex came to get me back. Don't blame him," Chloe told her. "Anyway, it's done. I need birth control to make sure and all the STD tests. He didn't use protection."

Now this was indeed a very good sign. Chloe didn’t even flinch… heck, she didn’t even have to suppress a flinch at the question on whether she had been attached and raped by Lex Luthor. A few weeks ago, Chloe WOULD have had to put some effort into suppressing the shudder-worthy memory if her rather brutal, traumatizing and painful loss of virginity to Lex. But now… she’s obviously not even giving it a second thought. She knows exactly who is to blame for all the pain, suffering and trauma that she’s been through so far, and it is most emphatically NOT the younger Luthor. Excellent!

"Everywhere."

It wasn't an exaggeration. Chloe knew she couldn't be as beaten up as she felt, but she wasn't able to convince her body.

"Okay, that wasn't a very helpful question. I'm sorry. Let's try this; wiggle your toes and tell me if that hurts."

Her legs were stiff and her feet cold, but Chloe felt okay until they had moved up to her thighs. She shifted uneasily, and the ache inside flared up.

"My thighs are bruised, I think," she said. "And between my legs."

The childish answers seemed like more than she could manage. Chloe felt tears bead in her eyes and blinked furiously. "My stomach, too."

Dr. Concord was palpating her middle with a careful pressure and an even more careful expression. Chloe took the tissue box and pulled a few out. She had to use her left hand, and the motion was awkward.

"I suppose you haven't eaten a good meal in at least a day?"

Good GODS… that was painful even to listen to! I don’t really want to think too long or too thoughtfully or lingeringly on the kind of agony that Chloe is in right now. I knew that she was hurt really bad… but it’s only now occurring to me the sheer length and breadth of recovery time Chloe is going to require. And that’s for physical recovery only! I think it might easily take years, if not a whole lifetime for emotional recovery.

It also made me flinch realizing that, on top of being brutalized and pummelled… Chloe was also semi-starved into an extra weakened state. It’s, quite frankly, an amazing testament of her intelligence, determined and sheer force of will that she wasn’t broken by this experience. I still remember how, despite her injuries and semi-starvation, she STILL managed to continue thinking and planning the whole time… observing all weaknesses and loop-holes, and trying to desperately skive out opportunities to escape.

Granted, in the end it was Lex who rescued her. BUT, it was pretty obvious that Chloe put her utmost into devising ways and means to get out of this horrific situation before Lex assured her rescue.

"I don't want a cast," Chloe said quickly. "My dad can't see me in a cast or anything."

"I can't promise that. If it's broken a cast is necessary. We can ice it and see what the x-ray shows. Your face is bruised. Are having any trouble inside your mouth? Loose teeth, pain, cuts?"

"No. It wasn't that hard. You're not going to tell my dad, are you? I know Lex said you're discrete, but I want to hear it from you."

"You're my patient and you just turned 18. I can't divulge your records to anyone without your permission. Mr. Luthor did explain the extra risk of your situation. That being said, your family could be a great help to heal."

Chloe shook her head. "He'd just worry. It's me and him and he always feels bad for working so much. I'll follow your instructions really well."

Oh, Chloe! Even now.. even NOW… when she’s been through absolute hell… she still can’t stop thinking of others before herself!!! She’s denying herself the emotional support that her father represents, purely because she doesn’t want him hurt.

Well… ok… I suspect that it’s partially because Chloe doesn’t want her father seeing her as ‘damaged’ or ‘tainted’ in any form. She still wants at least ONE aspect of her life to remain the same after the Luthors as it was prior to Lionel Luthor entering her life. She wants her relationship with her family and friends to still remain the same, stable, predictable set of dynamics that she remembered. I can understand that.

But it still strikes me as so sad that Chloe feels the need to keep such a HUGE aspect of her life a secret from all of her loved ones. This will probably make it more difficult in terms of emotional recovery (and perhaps physical recovery too?) for her?

"I think her most serious injuries are vaginal and to her right arm. I know she was raped. Is her arm a part of that?"

He looked at the floor, radiating guilt. If he'd been smarter, faster, better than his father, Chloe would still be the innocent young woman who had thanked him effusively over the phone less than a day ago. If he hadn't been so quick to call her with what he'd thought was their victory, Chloe wouldn't have let her guard down.

*sigh* Oh, Lex! It’s completely NOT a surprise to see Lex brooding over an inordinate amount of blame over this situation. It’s one of his favourite pastimes, isn’t it? Assuming blame for things that were always, quite honestly, [UI]beyond his control[/I]! It’s both endearing and exasperating!

Hopefully Chloe will emerge out of her own shocked, traumatized state just long enough to let Lex know that she doesn’t blame him for what happened… that she’s actually grateful to him for saving her life… despite considerable risk and cost to himself.

Dr. Concord put up a hand and shook her head. "That's what I want to tell you. I can't treat her here. I know you said there might be people watching outside the building, but it's very early. Is there any way to go to my clinic now? I need x-rays and I'll have to call in at least a few nurses to help. Will I be getting them killed if I call them to work?"

Lex fisted his hands in his pockets. "I can send security over there, but there shouldn't be anyone after Chloe now. We - I made a deal."

Arching her back in irritation, the doctor brushed at her loose hair. "I see. I suppose this deal means she won't get any justice for what she's been through." The set of her mouth was as harsh as her tone was neutral.

Yeouch! Talk about judgmental, eh? BUT, I can’t really bring myself to resent her for this attitude. Any rudeness that she’s displaying towards Lex is out of a sense of outrages protectiveness on Chloe’s behalf. I think Lex grudgingly admires that motivation as much as I do, considering that he’s NOT blowing up at her, or making any icy comments of his own in retort.

"She'll get to live - to outlive the bastards who hurt her. It's all the justice I could give her without getting us both killed. She's already outlived one of them."

The brief charged silence was crushing. Lex hurried to add, "I didn't kill anyone. I wanted to, but I didn't. This deal lets Chloe recover and go back to her life. I know I screwed up, but I'll do anything to make it salvageable."

Woah! The fact that Lex spoke with such blasé satisfaction about Chloe’s rapist (his own father) not living anymore… to a rather suspicious, wary stranger with no real loyalty towards him… it makes me think that Lex is a LOT more tired and run down than he’s letting on. That comment was a slip that could have been taken out of context as a murder confession!! Lex really has to be a LOT more careful about what he says. THINK before speaking, Lex!!!

Sizing him up, she grabbed his wrist and looked at her watch as she counted. "You're pretty close to shock. Trouble breathing? Chest pains?"

Lex chuckled darkly. "I wouldn't be so lucky to die now, doctor. I get to live with how this went down."

She shrugged off his dramatic words, and let go. "You have to come to the clinic with us. Get your security going, and I'll call my nurses. Chloe's been waiting too long."

Heh… is that actual sympathy for the doctor on behalf of Lex. Is she displaying concern for his own injuries because he managed to thaw out her opinion of him? OR, is that just her sense of duty and her oaths as a doctor overtaking her personal sense of dislike and mistrust for the man?

Either way, it’s good to see that Lex was, at least, offered some help for his own injuries too. His trauma might be piddling compared to Chloe… but that’s ONLY because Chloe’s own trauma was just so overwhelmingly vicious, brutal and horrific… that Lex’s own torments, pains and emotional scarring can only look trivial by comparision.

Next chapter… an actual conversation between Chloe and Lex…? Pretty please?!??

Great chapter, Nonky. Thanks for the awesome update. I look forward to the next one. Whether it has an Chlex conversation in it or not… I’m really looking forward to it!

[Rachet]

I'm still dreading the social worker that the MB had in his pocket.

[leeleeginevra]

Yea! Updated! I'm so happy; Thank you for the update!

[luthor&sullivan4eva]

Slightly dark and twisty just the way I like it.

[chlexfan10]

What a great story! Chloe is definitely going to have a long recovery ahead of her. I can't wait for the next chapter.

[Cassandra Jean]

I really hope that Chloe is okay and she and Lex can get past this. Hopefully she is not pregnant with the bastards' baby; any baby Luther that she might produce in the future should be Lex's.

[starmoon]

great update please continue and i love the darkness of the story it rocks. i just hope chloe is going to get better soon.

[Cassandra Jean]

Just went back and re-read a great portion of this story and I must say it is even better the second time around. I can not wait to see how you wrap this one up.