If Only It Were True (Rated PG)

[hannagreen20]

Ha! I remembered to put a rating without having to be reminded! Booya!

Summary: This story is based on the book by Marc Levy of the same name. It's out now under the title Just Like Heaven. It inspired the new movie with Reese Witherspoon.

Totally AU. Pretty much exactly like the book. I took out this and added that but it's still the same. All of our fav(and not so fav characters are here!)

Disclaimers: I don't own any characters from either Smallville or If Only It Were True. They belong to...all those other people. Please don't sue. I'm not making any money off of this. I just wanted to see my favorite story with my favorite characters.

RatingG

PART ONE: MAY

Chapter One: A New Day

Chloe Sullivan lay asleep in bed. Snuggled under her lavender, cotton covers, she enjoyed the novelty of sleeping in. For the last four years she attended the prestigous Whitmore College in Grandville, where she suffered one drama after the other before graduating, summa cum laude with a degree in journalism. She and her cousin, Lois Lane, where planning a week-long spa retreat at Levy, an exclusive spa in Metropolis. Both girls were going two start their new jobs in two weeks. Lois as a junior reporter with the Daily Planet and Chloe as a PR rep for LexCorp, a newly formed business. Suddenly, Krypto, Chloe's chocolate lab, rambled in. He held his leash in his mouth. He walked to the bed and not so gently dropped it on her face.

"Aaaargh," said Chloe, still half-asleep. "Don't look at me like that, I don't even feel human yet!"

At the sound of her voice, Krypto jumped onto the bed and rested his head on his owner's belly. Chloe stroked him and yawned. She glanced over at the clock. 9AM, it read. Just then her phone rang. Looking at her caller id, she answered.

"Hey Lois."

"Morning, Chloe. Are you excited? I can't wait! Are you all packed?"

"Lois, slow down. I just woke up."

"Sorry, I'm just so excited! Look, the reason I called is because I have one last appointment with Dr. Kline. Do you mind going to Metropolis by yourself and all meet you at Levy?"

Chloe smiled. "Sure. I have to drop Krypto off at his doggie camp and then check out my new apartment. So, I don't know how long I'll be."

"Great. See you at seven in Levy's lobby!"

"See you then! Love you."

"Love you too. Bye!"

"Bye."

[hannagreen20]

Chapter Two: Death Is Only the Beginning

Chloe eased the red VW Beetle onto the streets away from Ross' Doggie Camp. She felt silly at how teary she got saying goodbye to Krypto. Pete, the owner, assured her that this was the best place for him. If he was left all by himself in the new apartment he would just become more upset and be very withdrawn when she came back, as they had not moved into the new place, just sent their belongings over.

She turned her radio to 95.1 KBBY FM and turned up the volume. As the car sped through the streets the evening sun began to set. Chloe loved watching the sky becoming an interesting array of of pinks, oranges and yellows as it set.
As she made a tight left onto Bryce Ave., she heard an odd noise, a rattling, perhaps from the transmission. Probably nothing,she thought, as she zoomed down the steep Slope toward Atkins Square. It was near 7pm. She had almost three hours to make it to Metropolis. She would stop by her new apartment, check it out and then meet Lois at Levy. The Beetle was sailing. The lights were green all the way.

Chloe felt exhilarated as the evening air filled her senses. She shifted down to second as she turned onto Main Street in front of the Talon's vast facade. Perfect cornering, a soft squeal of tires, then a strange noise, a series of clicks. Everything was moving fast. The clicking became a blur of metallic sounds.

A sudden bang! Time stopped. All dialogue ceased between the steering and the wheels. The car swerved sideways and skidded on the damp surface. Chloe's hands gripped the useless steering wheel. It offered no resistance, spinning in a limbo of its own. The car continued to skid; the seconds passed in infinitely slow motion. Chloe felt her head spin. The Beetle turned like a tap on the slick asphalt until the wheels slammed into the curb. The front end skidded into the air and was stopped only by a fire hydrant's catching effort, the car rotated on its axis and ejected its driver, by now much to heavy for the gravity-defying piroouette.

Chloe's body was hurled into the air, falling back down to crash against the Talon's facade. The huge window exploded. Chloe lay in a blanket of glass, her blonde hair tangled amid the debris. She lay still, peaceful, at rest. Her features were calm, her breathing slow, even. Her eyes were closed. Her mid-length hair framed her face, her right hand lay across her midriff.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Let's get an EKG and start and IV. I've got a thready pulse and no pressure, respiration forty-eight, cut on head, looks like a closed fracture of the left femur with internal hemorrhage. Get me two units!" said Dr. Sean Owen

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"She's going. Pressure, eighty over sixty. Pulse, a hundred and forty; lips blue.

"...cardiac arrest," said Molly the paramedic.

"Don't do this to us. It's a fine day today. Don't be stupid. Come back!" Dr. Owen said. He told his partner to reload the machine.

"Let her go Sean it's no good."

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Give another shot of epinephrine and go up to four hundred joules!"

"Sean, stop, this makes no sense. She's dead-"

"Shut up! Do it!"

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Damn, damn!" He pounded on Chloe's chest.

"Oh,my God!" Molly said. "She's breathing!"

"What?"

"She's breathing! Quick we've got to get her to the hospital!"

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"What shit were you medics playing at?" Dr. Garner asked Dr. Owen.

" Your handling of this resuscitation was unacceptable for someone of your experience."

"But how can you explain that she started breathing again?"

"I can't explain it and I don't have to. She's dead, Dr. Owen."

After Owen left, Dr. Garner turned to Alicia, the nurse and said, "Disconnect the respirator. I'll be down in a while."

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

At the end of the first hour, the EEG tracing began to wobble, very slightly at first. Suddenly, the needle jerked upward to delinate at a sharp peak, then fell sharply downward before returning to the horizontal.

Alicia the nurse picked up the phone to call Dr. Garner.

"It's me. We have a deep coma with vital signs stable."

[Natasha]

Great Start. I just seen the preview of the movie at yahoo. I haven't had the chance to read the book yet. Update Soon

[hannagreen20]

Part Two: October

Chapter Three: Unexpected

Lex Luthor opened the door to the street level garage with his remote control and parked his Porsche. He climbed the staircase that led from the garge to his new 18th floor apartment, swung his door shut with his foot, put his briefcase down, took off his coat and collapsed on the couch. Only after his relationship with Helen ended had definitely fallen apart had he accepted that it was time to move on, out and in to his own place. It was time for him to start living his own life again.

He'd been lucky to find this apartment. As head of the newly formed, LexCorp, he was amazed at how comfortable he'd immediately felt when he entered this apartment. By no means what he was used to living in, it however had a keen sense of life. Whoever designed this place had created a home of taste and charm-and coming from Lex that was a supreme compliment. He hadn't wanted to change anything, just bought some linens and rudimentary kitchen supplies and he had an instant home.

He changed from his suit into a pair of gray slacks and a black sweater. He began to unpack his books and CDs, preferring to organize them the way he liked himself. He tuned the radio on the shelf above the fireplace to 95.1 KBBY FM. The tunes of Bruce Springsteen filtered through the air. He went to the bathroom and got in the shower. He stuck his bald head under the spray, letting the warm water wash away his stress and worries.

As Bruce turned into Coldplay he noticed the odd, acoustic quality of the song. He stood rim rod straight. It sounded as though the finger-snapping accompaning the song came from his linen closet. Intriuged, he stepped out of the shower and crept over to investigate. As he got closer the sound became more and more distinct. He abruptly threw open the doors. His eyes widened and he stumbled back.

Huddled on the floor was a petite blonde woman with shoulder length hair. She wore a black button up shirt with three-quarter length sleeves and a gray, knee length skirt. Her eyes were closed, humming and snapping along her fingers.

"What are you doing? Who are you?" he asked, shocked.

The woman jumped and her eyes flew open. She looked at him with wide, startled green eyes. "You can see me?" She seemed astonished that he should be looking at her.

"Of course I can see you."

"You can hear me?"

"Seeing as I'm neither blind nor deaf, yes I can. What are you doing here?"

"This is wonderful, amazing!"

Lex saw nothing wonderful about this situation.

"What, I repeat, are you doing in my bathroom closet?"

"I don't think you realize. Here, touch my arm."

"No, I don't want to touch your arm. What's going on here?"

She touched his arm instead. "This is amazing!" He could see, hear and feel her! "This is fabulous!"

Lex was in no mood for games. "Okay, this is enough! What is this a practical joke? Maybe a nightmare?! A call girl from my VP as a housewarming gift?"

"Are you always this rude? Do I look like a hooker?"

Lex sighed. "No you don't. You're just hiding in my closet in the middle of the night."

She slid her eyes down his body, "And yet your the one who's naked, not me."

Lex followed her eyes. Startled, he grabbed a dark purple towel and wrapped it around his waist. He fought for composure.

"All right now the joke is over. You can come out of there, go home, tell Clark it was a dumb joke. A very, very dumb joke."

She told him she knew no Clark and to stop yelling. "Other people may not hear me, but my ears are working just fine."

Lex sighed again. "It seems you're very disturbed, that's not my problem. Please stop whatever your playing and go home. And come out of that closet for God's sake!"

Chloe looked at him sadly, "I'm afraid it's not that easy."

[kimmie]

Oh, update, update, update, I'm really intrigued!!!

Kimmie

[hannagreen20]

Chapter Four: I Like the Movie Better

While in the closet, Chloe explained that she hadn't quite gotten the hang of moving, just yet. She convinced him to give her a minute to focus. Suddenly, she was in another room, on the floor next to the couch.

"This is completely insane!" Lex followed her to the living room and sat beside her on the couch.

She went on explain that this had been her apartment. She had only just moved in. Her father is her legal guardian while she was in her "present condition".

"Are you under hospital care?"

"That's putting it mildly."

"Are you a nutcase that escaped from Belle Reeve?"

"First you call me a whore and now you say I'm a nutcase. That's a lot for a first meeting, don't you think?"

"Fine. Look. I'm exhausted and need some sleep."

She ignored him. "How do I seem to you?"

"Insane."

She rolled her eyes. "I mean physically. How do I look?"

Lex hesitated in speaking while he raked his eyes over her form. "You're about average height, rather slender-long legs, your eyes," he paused. She had the most beautiful, sparkling green eyes he had ever seen. Like emeralds. "Er-you have a full mouth, pale skin and a pleasing face whose sweetness is in total contrast to your behavior. Your hair is a mess and needs a good brushing, but it's a fascinating color. A mixture of white and gold."

She laughed. "Do you always describe women so minutely?"

Lex scowled. "Can you tell me who you are and how you got here? Do you have a set of keys?"

Chloe took a deep breath. Did she have the energy to get this all out? She told him her name, Chloe Amelia Sullivan. She was set to start working in the PR part of his firm, six months ago. She told him she bought this apartment and was going to share it with her cousin, Lois Lane, who worked at the Daily Planet. However, she, Chloe, was in an accident and left in a deep coma.

"This isn't a joke Lex. Go to the hospital and see for yourself."

"All right. Let's go then."

"Really? What changed your mind?"

"Since my nights already wasted I might as well settle this now."

"You should change into clothes first."

Lex glanced down.

"Yeah."

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Thirty minutes later......................

The only sound in the hospital room was the constant beep-beep of the heart monitor. Chloe, the other Chloe, Lex thought, lay ashen on the bed. Eyes closed, there was no trace of movement.

"I believe you," Lex said sympathetically, seeing the sad look on Chloe's face.

Chloe never took eyes of herself. Her other self.

"It's like I'm sort of living that Patrick Swayze movie, where he dies but doesn't leave this world. Ghost? I like watching the movie, rather than living it."

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

An hour later, back in the apartment, Chloe convinced Lex to go to sleep. He offered her the bed, but she insisted the couch was fine. Not mentioning to him that she didn't sleep. Before he left, she asked timidly, "Would you mind giving me a hug? It's been six months since anyone touched me."

He did. She rested her head against his chest. Lex felt awkward. After a few minutes she clumsily dropped her hands to her waist.

"Thanks Lex," she said. "For everything. I'll wake you at eight o'clock."

He went to his bedroom, peeled off his sweater, shirt and pants and crawled under the covers. Moments later he was asleep.

Chloe made a wobbily landing on the arm of the chair in his room.
She watched him sleep. How good it felt to connect with another human being at last. She gazed at him until slumber overwhelmed her too.

[hannagreen20]

Chapter Five: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

Chloe sat up on the couch suddenly. She looked at the clock above the fireplace. It read: 10AM.

"Shoot!"

She burst through Lex's bedroom door. "Wake up!"

Lex rolled over protesting, "Take it easy Helen."

"Wake up. This isn't Helen and it's already past ten."

Lex's eyelids parted slowly, then snapped wide open and he jolted upright.

"It's you, so it wasn't a dream?"

"No. You'd better hurry, you're late for work."

"You were supposed to wake me."

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep, which hasn't happened since the accident. What a relief! I was hoping we could celebrate, but you're obviously not in the mood."

Lex scowled. "Would you mind leaving so I can have a little privacy."

"Since when are you a prude?"

He pleaded with her to spare him the household drama and was foolish enough to finish his sentence with "or else".

Chloe sneered. "Sometimes, 'or else', is two words too many." She coldly wished him a good day and vanished.

Lex went to shower and change but not before checking around the room to make sure he was alone.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

When Lex reached the office, Clark was standing in the reception area. He
looked aghast at Lex.

"Uh, maybe you should take a few days off."

"Eat it. Don't piss me off this morning Clark."

"Too late. Your a real charmer today. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"What is it with everyone? Don't start with me too!"

"Have you seen Helen again?"

" No, I haven't. It's over and you know it."

"So is it someone new?"

"No there isn't anyone new. Now move. I'm late enough as it is."

"No kidding. It's a quarter of eleven. What's her name?"

"Whose?"

"Have you looked in a mirror this morning? Look at your face!"

"What's the matter with it?"

"Come on. How was it? Tell me!"

"There's nothing to tell."
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Lex entered his office , put his briefcase on the desk, sat down and called his secretary for coffee. He swivled in his chair and turned to the window, leaned backwards and tried to think.

A few moments later Lana tapped on the door. She was dressed in a professional, pale pink suit and sensible shoes. She carried a thick folder in one hand and a steaming cup of coffee in another.

"It's black," she said. " I imagine it's the first of your day."

"Thanks," he paused. "How do I look?"

"You've got a 'Haven't-had-my-first-coffee-yet look."

" I haven't had my first coffee yet!"

"Okay, okay. Relax. There's nothing urgent. Are you okay?"

"Fine just a bit tired is all."

At that moment Chloe appeared in the room. Narrowly missing the corner of the desk, she disappeared from Lex's line of sight, falling on the rug beyond his desk. He lept to his feet.

"Did you hurt yourself," he asked her.

"No, I'm okay," Chloe replied.

"Why would I hurt myself?" asked Lana.

"No, not you," Lex said.

Lana looked around the room. "There aren't many of us here."

"I was thinking out loud."

"You were thinking out loud that I'd hurt myself?"

"No, I was thinking of someone else, and I said my thoughts out loud. Doesn't that ever happen to you?"

Chloe, now sitting with legs crossed on the edge of the table, decided to have a little fun. "You know," she said to Lex, "You didn't have to say I was a nightmare."

Exasperated, Lex spoke, "I never said you were a nightmare!"

"I'm glad to hear it," said Lana. "How many nightmares bring you coffee?"

"Lana! I'm not talking to you!"

It was going to be a very long day indeed.

[hannagreen20]

Chapter Six: Vacation

Alone in his office, Lex stared at Chloe. "You've got to stop this Bewitched act. You're going to get me committed to an asylum."

"I wanted to apologize for this morning," she said. "I shouldn't have gone off in a huff like that. I know how hard this must be for you to understand."

"I was in a lousy mood. It's just a lot to take in in a very short time."

Just then Clark opened the door and walked in. "Can I have a word with you?"

"You already are, aren't you?"

"I just spoke to Lana, Lex," Clark said without any trace of a smile. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just because I'm tired and arrived a little late for once doesn't mean I'm having a nervous breakdown."

"I didn't say that."

"No, but that's the implication isn't it?"

"It's just-you look, well, like you had a really rough night."

"It was a bit wild," Lex admitted, unsure of how much to tell Clark.

"I knew it! I knew there was a woman involved! Who is she? When do I get to meet her?"

"It's tricky Clark. This will sound strange, she's-she's a kind of ghost. My apartment is-well haunted. I accidently found out last night. She-we spent the night together-it was innocent," he said at Clark's look. "She's pretty. Well as ghosts go. Not like some zombie or someone who came back from the dead. Are things clearer now?"

Clark was looking sympathetically at him. "Right, Lex. Look, I think we should get you to a doctor. Right. Now."

"Stop it Clark. I'm really fine," he turned to Chloe. " I told you this wasn't going to be easy."

"What's not going to be easy?" asked Clark.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"You were talking to the ghost? Is it here in the room?"

" 'It' is a 'she' and she's sitting next to me on the edge of the table."

"Listen to yourself! It's mind blowing! Maybe you should take a vacation. Just a few days off. Moving is always stressful."

He walked Lex to the door. "Don't worry. I'll make sure everything's taken care of."

Lex thanked Clark sarcastically and left the room. He ran down the stairs. when he stepped around the sidewalk he looked around.

"Chloe?"

She appeared, sitting on the hood of his Porsche. "I'm really sorry. I'm creating a load of problems for you."

"No don't be. I haven't done this for ages!"

"What?"

"Skipped work. Just think, an entire day playing hooky?"

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

From his office window, Clark watched his friend talk to the hood of his car. He decided to call Lex on his cell phone. When he saw that he answered he told him not to start the car, he would be right down and to wait for him. Clark ran down the steps, crossed the street and opened the Porsche's passenger door. He pushed Lex towards it until the latter was sitting.

"Buckle up Lex."

Chloe appeared next to Lex's window. "I'm going to take a little walk. When you're done meet me at Hardwick Point. If it's too complicated you don't need to tell him the truth."

"He's my best friend. I can't lie to him."

"Go ahead discuss me with your glove compartment."

Chloe vanished.

Clark moved to the drivers seat, buckled up and started the car. He drove off.
He launched into a long tirade. Helen wasn't right for Lex. She had hurt Lex, and she wasn't worth it. When all was said and done, the woman was emotionally handicapped and didn't know how to be happy. Was she honestly worth what Lex had gone through since their separation? He hadn't been wasted this way since Desiree. Now Desiree , she was a real loss, whereas Helen...

Lex pointed out at the time of the famous Desiree they were only nineteen, and for the record, he never hit on her. For almost fifteen years now Clark had been bringing her up on the slimmest of pretexts, simply because Lex saw her first. Clark denied ever mentioning her.

"At least two or thrree times a year!" Lex retorted. "Presto, and out she pops, a flash from the past. I can't even remember her face!"

"Then why won't you admit you went out with her? It's been fifteen years, as you say. The statue of limitations has expired, my friend."

"Your getting on my nerves Clark! We're not driving across town because all of a sudden you want to discuss Desiree Atkins!"

"You can't remember her face but you haven't forgotten her last name!"

The car came to a stop in fron tof a generic downtown building.

"Come on," Clark said, getting out of the car. "Follow me. We're going to put my mind to resst now."

Lex let himself be dragged by the arm, non too gently, to the clinic reception area. Clark walked up to the desk and said urgently, "This is an emergency!"

"What kind of emergency?" Victoria asked in a casual tone.

"Cranial shock."

"How did it happen?"

"Love is blind and repeated blows to the head with a long white cane seem to have rattled his head. We need to see Dr. Iman."

Amused, she replied, " Dr. Iman is at a conference. I'll be happy to make you an appointment for tomorrow, though."

"Nevermind," Clark said.

They walked out and towards the car. Clark said he'd take a cab to a meeting. Lex replied that he would call him later so they could talk.

[Krysia]

I wasn't sure if I want to see the movie or not but you just maight help me make up my mind and I will see it,with this story. It's just so sweet. I like how Chloe is playing with Lex, poor guy I'm sure a couple more tricks like that and everyone will think he's overworked. So I wonder what happened with Helen. More, please.

[kcsgirl82]

I love this story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please update again as soon as possible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!