Title: Fresh Start
Author: Blaire
Disclaimer: Don't own the character or even the whole story idea. Season 5 spoilers...kinda...or is it season 4? I lost track
Rating: PG
Summary: Takes place between season 4 and 5.
***
He was trapped. Darkness closed in around him, suffocating him. It was as if he existed in a shell, a shell he could see out of, but not communicate with. He watched his son yell for help, felt the hands grab him and drag him away to a room, and currently he lay there staring at the ceiling.
There was something in this shell with him. He couldn't see it, couldn't exactly hear it, but he felt it deep in his soul.
He tried to open his mouth, possibly alert someone of the sizzling heat behind his eyes. Get some help with the burning images on his brain.
Instead he internally sighed and stared up at the sheer burgundy canopy above the bed.
Allowing the darkness to comfort him.
***
Chloe had pushed Lex into the cave wall for a few reasons.
"You shoved me, purposely."
Chloe rolled her eyes at him and moved closer to the room the bright light had vanished from.
"It was instinct."
Lex narrowed his eyes at Chloe's back and made an impatient noise. He reached out to grab her and she jerked her arm out of his reach. "Back off, Lex."
Lex growled and stepped forward to take a hold of her and was met with a stinging palm across his cheek.
He slowly straightened his head and stared at Chloe. Chloe glared right back.
They stood like that for what felt like an eternity to Chloe before she cleared her throat. "I'm going to look for Clark."
Lex grunted and rubbed his shoulder where it had struck the wall. "You do that." He muttered and looked around. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog from his vision when the caves shook. Chloe stumbled over her feet and fell against the cave wall at the opening of the extra chamber. Her cheek struck against a jagged rock before she could raise her hands for protection.
Her name being called behind her, she ignored it and the stinging pain on her right side as she forced her way through the shaking cave to the room with the stone slab in the center of it.
Chloe grabbed onto the side of the stone table, ignoring the carvings and symbols, and trying to peer down and around on the floor for her friend.
"Chloe." Lex grabbed the back of her as the cave shook violently. "Chloe, we have to get out."
Chloe struggled to get out of his grasp. "I can't." A thundering boom echoed off the walls around them. "I have to find Clark."
A small sift of powdered rock sprinkled down on them from above. Chloe dropped to her hands and knees to crawl around the tablet. Lex grabbed a hold of the edge of the stone slab and held on as the cave shook again, this time the tremor nearly knocking him off his feet. Once it died down a bit, Lex rushed forward, still holding onto the table and grabbed Chloe by the back of her jeans, lifting her up and carrying her against her will out of the chamber.
"Put me down!"
Her screams did little to assure him it was safe to put her down.
"Chloe, we have to get out before the caves collapse."
Chloe fought against him as he tightened his hold around her waist, holding her up with her back to his chest, the backs of her thighs to the front of his legs, and her feet kicking at air half a foot off the ground.
"Clark's still in there."
Lex dragged her with him until they reached the mouth of the cave and he stared out into the darkness, not seeing anything past the thick wall of smoke.
"Clark's gone. He wasn't in there. You know as well as I do that Clark can take care of himself."
Chloe struggled against Lex when he stopped. He heard the inside of the caves starting to fail, thick chunks of ceiling falling down inside.
"Let me go, Lex."
Lex stilled for a moment. Trying to decide what to do.
"You're not going back in there, Chloe."
Chloe huffed out an indignant breath.
"The caves just collapsed, I couldn't make it back to that room even if it's untouched."
Lex loosened his grip on her and nearly breathed out a sigh when she stood perfectly still, staring out into the wall of gray smoke. He heard her sniffling and let his arm drop from around her stomach when what he wanted to do was pull her against him and let her seek comfort in his warmth. Instead he dropped his arm to his side and took a step back, let her choke back her sobs to get herself under control.
Chloe ignored his presence and took a step forward at the same time he stepped back. Then another one. Lex saw her put her hands out in front of her as if trying to push aside the great curtain.
Chloe halted and looked over her shoulder at him.
"We have to go."
Lex swallowed tightly, ignoring the strain on his throat from the smoke and dust.
"Chloe."
Chloe closed her eyes at the tone of his voice.
"Drop it."
Lex knew she'd be able to read his voice. Over last summer, Chloe had become his closest acquaintance. She was an intelligent young woman. Last summer he'd experienced his first infatuation with a member of the opposite sex in almost a decade.
He knew she was talking about the last year that he'd completely ignored her. Pretending as if she didn't exist. Oh, she had existed all right. In his dreams, every night.
"Chloe." Lex repeated.
Chloe shook her head as if his tone was too much to bear. Instead, with her arms out in front of her, she made her way out of the cave. Away from the heartbreak in Lex's voice. Away from the last year of her life.
And came face to face with the destruction of a town she'd come to think of as her home.
A place she'd had great hopes of leaving behind but now not so sure.
Lex's cellphone rang and he answered it brusquely, "What?"
"Just calling to make sure you're well."
"I'm great." He stared ahead of him at the destruction and chaos. And his eyes continued to travel over to where Chloe stood, arms hanging loosely at her sides, her head tilted slightly back. He could almost feel the sob she choked back as she fell to her knees among the ruin of the once prosperous land that was now littered with craters. He turned his attention back to the voice on the other end of the line. "How is he?"
"He needs a doctor. He hasn't come out of his shock yet, sir."
Lex groaned and rubbed at his temples. "Get him to the hospital, I'll be right behind you."
Lex flipped his phone shut and started toward Chloe until she leaned forward and buried her face in her hands, sobbing openly. He stopped and stared down at her prone figure. As he crouched down behind her he realized she wasn't just crying, but laughing as well.
"Chloe, now is not the time to go into hysterics."
Chloe's laugh tapered off until she started breathing shallowly and in control. "Who's going to the hospital?" She asked as she turned her head and met his eyes with hers.
"We are." He took hold of her elbow and pulled her to her feet. "Come on."
Chloe watched his back as he walked away. She soon hurried to his side and turned around, walking backwards. "Who was on the phone Lex? Who was hurt?"
Lex reached the car and grabbed her arm. "Get in the car, Chloe."
Chloe shook her head and wretched her arm out of his hold. "There was a time you would tell me anything."
Lex looked up at the sky in time to see a rainbow shimmer into view. "If you hadn't noticed, Chloe, I'm not your friend." He looked back down at her, didn't miss the hurt on her face. "Get in."
Chloe stood still as she stared up at Lex's hovering face. She leaned forward and said loud enough for him to hear, "Fuck you."
As she turned to stalk away Lex cursed silently. "My father." When Chloe stopped and turned around to look at him he put his hands out in front of him. "Are you happy now? My father was hurt by one of those stones and he's in shock. He needs a doctor."
Chloe looked away for a moment before taking a deep breath and walking back to Lex. When she reached him she cupped his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. "What aren't you telling me?"
Lex glanced away, not removing himself from the warmth of her palms. When she shook him softly he looked back to her. "I don't want him to die."
The words were so soft, his lips barely moved, and at first Chloe wasn't sure she'd heard him. When he started to pull back she simply moved her hands to cup the back of his neck and lead his face to her shoulder. Lex inhaled a shuddering breath and fought back all the childish insecurities that assaulted him at once. It was true. He didn't want his dad to die. No matter what kind of tough guy facade he put on he still wanted that one person to accept him as he was. He didn't want to live with the ghost of a man who wanted only what he couldn't give.
Chloe held onto him as he tried to pull back, then sighed as he leaned into her, his arms finally coming up and around her to encircle her body in his warmth. Chloe pressed her face into his dusty shirt and clung to him.
When an infinite amount of time had seemed to pass they broke apart slowly.
Lex watched her face for some sign of regret at comforting him but instead he saw the love that he'd seen last summer.
Chloe reached up and cupped his face with one hand. "It's a start, Lex." She pulled back and walked around to the passenger side of his mostly undamaged car. "Let's get out of here."
***
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I really liked the fact that even after everything that has happened between them Chloe was able to offer comfort and that Lex actually accepted it for what it was. It's a step that'll hopefully lead them in the right direction.
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