Summary: What happens to Chloe when everyone she loves turns their backs on her and she has to go it alone. A new identity, a new life.
A/N: this isn't going to be the best story, but my muse, Trinity, is
keeping me awake at all hours getting this out of me. So thank you
Trini, no matter how much I say I hate you, I really don't. Also,
this changes from third to first person so bear with it, hopefully it
runs smooth enough.
Disclaimer: Would I be here writing this junk if I owned Lex or MR?
Heh, I think not!
Chapter 1: It's better to burn out, than to fade away...
She looked down at the red pool laying about her feet. Dripping ever so lightly from her hand. With each squeeze a trickle would fall. She had counted the drops of blood. 3,459. That's it. Drops so small she decided that it would be enough. And with that she stepped out of the blood and out of her shoes. Her socks still white and spotless. She picked her shoes up and walked out into the hallway with them settling into the bottom of her bag. 'This is it' she thought. 'This is my new life.' A ransom note had been left in her email by an anonymous person, thank you Cindy, wherever you are for being such a tremendous hacker.
She made her way out onto the fire escape through the window at the end of the hall. She had just moved here and already she was in trouble. 'Wherever I go next, I'm staying on the straight and narrow.' All her trouble had started two months ago when Lois beat her out for the spot at the Daily Planet. It was quirky blonde vs all american brunette. She thought it might have something to do with Lois getting a letter of recommendation from Lex. Chloe had thought
of the chance but didn't want him to think she was using him. She had never thought of Lex for his money or his social stature. But when Lois got that damn job she could have strangled Clark. Clark had been the one to go to Lex for help. Clark came to the rescue of his beautiful girlfriend once again. And, of course, my cousin.
However, I can not take the blame for introducing them. That was all my dad's fault. He introduced them a few weeks before graduation and they had suddenly become joined at the hip. It drove me and Lana to become better friends since we, along with Pete, had been put on
indefinite ignore. I mean, come on, I'm her cousin and they don't acknowledge my presence at family holidays. I snicker at that thought. Of course that could be because after she got the job and I didn't I went off on her and threw a few good punches. Nothing she couldn't hide with a pair of Jackie O shades but still, those two black eyes were my trophies.
Onto Lex, well, I emailed him occassionally but never went in depth into anything. I am to this day, four years later, pissed at him for recommending her and not me. Of course, I didn't make it painfully clear that I had wanted him to since he asked me and I said no. I was just trying to be polite. See where that gets you in this world?
Abso-fucking-lutely nowhere. And on top of all that, Lana and Lex started dating after graduation and that just, well, weirded me out. I had always been attracted to Lex and I guess I had felt like he was somewhat attracted to me too, until, they had publicly 'announced' their dating. Never talked to Lana after that.
Pete, now, he is a whole nother story. My best man-bitch. I love him like a brother, but I should have known he was gay. I mean, come on, the way he was always trying to prove his masculinity by having one
woman a week. No level of committment at all. I went to his 'wedding' last December. His man, Keith, is hot. And they are in love and all that mushy stuff, but Clark wouldn't get anywhere near that. He thought it was disgusting and immediately disowned Pete. What an ass.
So there it is. Lana and I, not talking. Lex and I, occassional emails, only business though, never anything personal, the last thing I'd want to hear about is how him and Lana are doing....Gag me please. Clark and I, well, needless to say that crush ended four and a half
years ago. And Lois and I, well, she's just a skanky little whore. Okay well, she's not, but I like her to be in my thoughts that way I'm not such a bad person for hating her. She stole my job, my best friend, and my dignity. She even lived in *my* house in *my* room when I left for the summer after graduation to do an internship at the Inquisitor. Bitch. And I don't even want to think what her and Clark may have done in my bed. ::Shudders::
So here I am, after running a way too legitimate article in the Inquisitor that I shouldn't have, and I admit it, it was my mistake, I was being hunted down. I knew that when I had been cornered in the alleyway behind my apartment. A 'source' told me it would be a good idea for me to leave. And here I am. I knew Luthor Corp held grudges and I had reported on some of the uncoverings of those grudges. Drive by's of former employees in upscale neighborhoods, a few rape and murder cases of the female employees, it was so sickening how everything was perfected to a T. So, what do I do? Fake my own disappearance. Hope that someone will follow the breadcrumbs I leave in place of the anonymous abducter, and get stuck in the dead end I planted.
I climb onto the train and the man tears my stub. "Cart 14 is empty." he tells me. Wow, I must look like hell, even this man has sympathy for me. I'm on my way to Europe. First my train ride will take me to a place called New Haven, right outside of Gotham, it's not even a
stop, I'll have to jump, but that's fine, atleast they won't be able to pin point me. Then I'll take my plane from New Haven to Europe. Unless I like New Haven, then maybe I'll stay. I haven't fully decided yet. What are the odds anyone will run into me in New Haven? Then again, what are the odds anyone will run into me in London? I
rest my head against the back of my seat and watch the darkness scream by outside the window. I can only imagine how much my phone is ringing right now as it lay on the night stand beside my bed. But more importantly, I wonder who's barging into my apartment right now
with orders to shoot me point blank.
*~*
I woke up with that feeling in your stomach when you're hungry but you haven't eaten in so long, you think if you do it'll just come back up. Probably because I haven't had coffee in like 24 hours. Damn the personality changes. I figure giving up coffee will be hard, but it'll be easier than explaining myself when someone finds me by recognition of 'snarky little blonde reporter, always has coffee in
her hands.' I cringe with the thought of my beloved. God, how I'd like to taste you just one more time. I lick my lips and look out the window. The sun is slowly creeping up beyond the horizon. Another day, another life. I let a tear fall down my face. My eyes aren't even wet. I have a feeling this whole one tear a day thing is going to become a habit.
*~*
Status:
Jump: successful
New Haven: Georgeous
One Chloe Sullivan reported missing, yep, there it is. But who is that young lady on the news? Isn't me. Nope, my name is Ivy. I have red hair, well, auburn but it's a really pretty red in the sunlight, and I have a cute little pair of black wire rimmed glasses. Of course, they aren't prescription, just for looks. And might I say I love the new me. Me, Ivy Alexander. I know, you're looking at me
funny. Why did I pick Lex's name as my last? Well, when I finally made it to town and saw the broadcast during lunch in the cafe where I sat it was him who looked up at me. Lex, standing there, his face stoic and almost passive. His jaw chiseled in place and when he
blinked, after quite a few minutes of not blinking, I thought I saw a tear in his eye. I couldn't tell what he was saying because thevolume was muted but as I filled out the application for the waitressing job with my red hair and black glasses I knew I had to keep him, if not no one else in my life. My dad, faithful employee, stood behind him off to the side. Tears flowing freely down his face. 'Where's Lana?' I thought to myself. No matter what Lex does in public, even at LexCorp junkets, she's like a little puppy by his side. Of course that was in the beginning, she hadn't seen the couple in public for about two years now.
I shrug and return to my application. They didn't talk to me when I was alive, what made it any difference now that I was dead? The only people that knew anything were Pete and Cindy. Cindy was almost non traceable. I only met her once, at a Christmas party, she's
undercover CIA, so I don't think anyone will look to her for answers. And Pete, well, the man can keep a secret and hide it well. He kept Clark's secret from everyone for how long? Until he told us himself. Well, not exactly, he told others and my dad relayed the message when
he'd found out. And well, the man's gay; I never knew it, I should have, but I didn't; and I know he'd never endanger Keith's life by sharing the information. Granted, he has no way of getting in contact with her but she needed him to know she was okay and that she'd send
him a sign once she got settled as long as he didn't contact her.
Now only one question remains, how do I pick up my life as a once-reporter and move on in sake of waitressing and volunteering at the free clinic? How am I going to move on?
*~*
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