NS Advent Calendar 2007 - Gifts of Meaning - Complete

**hfce** · 14th December 2007, 17:31

By the way for future reference you are not allowed to say butt on the advent calendar feedback. It is a bad word. Not ass but you can't write b-u- t - t.

Part 12 & 13 Review:

Lex I love you but you are horrible when it comes to lying about surprises. You could have said I have your present in there so you can't come in. But nope you looked and acted guilty as hell. I don't know what to do with you.

Chloe I have some advice for you.

Chloe what is your problem? Come out and say it are you cheating on me? Or it's over something. All of this pity garbage is just stupid. You need to sit your butt down and ask Lex to explain. He never cheated on you for all the time you been together and now you want to betray him?You are a reporter use it and find out what he is hiding. God you are so UGH!!!!!!

**somethingeasy** · 16th December 2007, 22:11

These were a wonderful pair of chapter, Nonky! I find it hilarious how he’s nearly killing himself going crazy finding the most extravagant and ostentatious presents for Chloe. ANY other person in the world would have considered any ‘one’ of the items to be more than enough to set the scene for a beautiful marriage proposal. But no, Lex has to have the shelf of meaningful collector’s edition books, the personally home grown coffee, and the lifetime supply of office supplies. ROTFL! It’s so much FUN seeing him acting unhinged and insane, and not be the slightest bit aware of his psychotic break. And none of his staff members are going to warn him either, because they haven’t reached the level of bold impertinence to tell their boss he’s acting crazy, LOL!

The ONE person who would be able to tell him he’s cracked is the one person who he’s keeping all of this a secret from… oh the irony, LOL!

Chapter Twelve
It was hilarious seeing Lex trying his hand at something that ‘seemed’ so simple like wrapping presents, only to horribly fail at it. It’s just so darned funny seeing Lex so completely out of his depth like this. But it was even more fun seeing how determined he was to ignore his own trepidations and feelings of humiliating inadequacy to carry on by himself, no matter what. LOL!

I loved how the staff was (quietly) laughing at him at how persistently he was humiliating himself. They can probably stand seeing their employers act crazy as long as it’s in the name of love… it’s almost understandable, and nothing to panic about, LOL!

It was so cute the way he kept stalling before bringing himself to facing the mountain of presents, paper and ribbons and dealing with the daunting task of combining all three things into a pretty package. He’s really taking this whole ‘give it a personal touch’ thing WAY too seriously. I don’t think this is what Chloe had in mind when she told that she wanted Lex to put some of his own personality into the gift giving process rather than just letting his secretary pick everything out. LOL, that ridiculous man, he HAS to take everything to extremes.

And speaking of taking everything to extremes… oh dear heavens, I was ROTFLMAO at the way he spent so MUCH time obsessing on wrapping the little bottle of nail polish. Considering how many presents he has, it probably would have taken him another three to five months to finish wrapping everything at that pace, LOL!

“I'm not wrapping all of these, but I'll do an example of each type of thing, and you can follow them,” she said. “I think you'd want to save some trees for your nosy, blond children to run around.”

She pointed out what she would need and Lex brought it to her at the coffee table, taking her gruff kindness with absolute good humour. Mrs. Grimaldi once tried to instruct him how to tie his boots, and she made no secret that she didn't think much of his genius level intellect since he couldn't operate the can opener. But she thought Chloe would marry him and have his children.

“I'm a whiz with the can opener now,” he proclaimed cheerfully. “And Chloe loves me.”

The housekeeper looked up to humour him with a nod. “That ring better be a nice big one,” she said coyly. She used a long roll of wrapping paper to push his half-eaten candy cane away, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

I LOVED the interaction between Lex and Mrs. Grimaldi. He’s so lucky that she was around to help with his inept efforts. I really enjoyed how Mrs. Grimaldi felt absolutely no fear or intimidation for Lex… that she actually felt feeling like amusement, contempt and pity for the poor man… the same kind of feelings one feels for particularly stupid and clumsy pets belonging to other people. Of course, if they’re your own pets, you make allowances for their stupidity... Lex is really lucky that Chloe regards him as HER pet, LOL! (at least, she ‘used’ to).

That wry retort from Mrs. Grimaldi about the ‘ring had better be a nice one’… that has be ROTFLMAO! I loved it! And I thought it spoke well of Lex that he didn’t take offence. He’s really grown up, and is able to take comments like this without bristling with overly sensitive indignation or plotting bloody vengeance. Chloe laughing at and mocking him on a regular basis has obviously been very good for him, LOL!

Chapter Thirteen
The next chapter was also great fun. It was fantastic seeing Mrs. Grimaldi taking charge and supervising Lex. She set the designs and procedures, and he followed her instruction, and they both saved several acres of forest by not letting Lex go crazy with using miles of paper on a single nail polish bottle, ROTFL!

I actually thought Mrs. Grimaldi had VERY good ideas about how to wrap and present Chloe’s gifts. The idea of putting a single notebook with a single pen and pencil inside a little bag was a very subtle and surprising way of letting Chloe know about the lifetime’s supply of office goods waiting for her… But it’s typical that Lex wanted to insist on making a huge, overblown, over-dramatic presentation by shoving all 480 notebooks at Chloe in a single go. LOL! The silly, ridiculous man! He’s REALLY worried about making a good impression on Chloe before proposing to her.

I also liked the way Grimaldi compromised by letting him put the notebooks away in bags, fifty at a time. She’s extraordinarily efficient… the way she carefully weighed and tested the bag’s integrity, and warned Lex not to go over the limit… I LOVE the way she bossed Lex around as if he was a dullard who needed constant supervision and careful, slow instructions to perform the simplest of tasks. LOL! I bet he doesn’t get that a lot… I’m sure it’s good for him to experience this, LOL! If not, it’s immensely fun for the readers!

The quick efficient instruction she gave for the lumps of coal, and for the books on the shelves was also very nicely handled. I suspect there’s going to be a substantial bonus for her by Christmas day… provided Lex has not had his heart broken before signing the check, LOL!

“Yes, we do, and it's a good thing, otherwise we'd be known as crazy rather than eccentric. I'm a weeping sore on the greedy fat rear end of society, but please don't hold it against me. I wasn't raised any better.”

The truth struck a chord, and she sighed. “That's true. I'm surprised you don't pick your teeth with a dagger and swing around like a pirate in the movies.”

He smirked and said, “My masseuse would kill me for the swinging around.”

ROTFL! I loved this part. It was so cute how Lex played his ‘poor little stupid, rich boy’ card to gain sympathy for himself over here. AND the housekeeper fell for it too, ROTFL!

Her coat snagged on the doorknob because he wasn't letting her go any further into the penthouse. Lex's face was pink and his mouth was light red, smearing slightly in the corners. She didn't see a lot of passion in his eyes, but his skin was showing the marks of a romantic evening with someone else. She wanted to make him explain himself, explain the heartache ripping through her chest, but she felt too unfairly self-conscious. She hadn't done anything wrong, but Lex was treating her that way, pushing her out of his life as surely as he had once drawn her closer.

“I forgot my book in the living room,” she said. “I need it to study. I'll just pick it up and leave you to . . . your evening.”

A split-second of panic told her his guest was in the living room, probably drinking heavily and spouting all the gold-digger classic lines to convince him she was a genuine, loving person instead of one step up from a prostitute. Chloe moved to walk around him, a surge of bravery making her quick, but Lex grabbed her gently.

Oh dear GOD! I know Lex is distracted, but he’s being blind to the point of sheer stupidity! He’s not noticing Chloe’s heart is breaking right on front of him… he’s too busy rushing her right out of his life… the poor, idiot fool! It’s going to be SO much fun seeing the state he’s in when he reflects on all his actions, how they must have appeared to Chloe, and all the lost opportunities to set her straight about what was REALLY going on. It’s going to be SO much FUN seeing him suffer, MWAA HA HA HAAA!

He nearly ran down the hallway and returned with the book, seemingly eager to be rid of her and on to the bimbo. Chloe dodged his kiss so it landed with a sticky feeling on her cheek, and she didn't meet his eyes when she said goodnight.

She proceeded calmly to her car and sat in it, no lights or heat to keep her warm. She would have preferred to catch him cheating, just to make it more closed off to any idea of reconciliation. It was less concrete, but she knew lipstick. He wouldn't be tasting hers again, but he wouldn't be lonely. He could fill his bed three times over with groupies.

Oh poor Chloe! I wanted to cry for her. I can see how easy it must have been for her to have misinterpreted what was happening… ESPECIALLY considering her shaky, desperate and stressed out state of mind. The poor girl saw evidence of Lex, not only distancing himself from her, but moving on (in such a callous, fast, cruel, inconsiderate and uncaring fashion) right onto another woman… pr perhaps a group of women. It’s just so sad that Chloe doesn’t believe she warrants a proper break-up scene from Lex… just a hurried ‘please get out while I chat up this other woman, I’ll dump you later’. How horrible!!!

LOL! I'm a mean, sadistic person who is actually having a great time seeing Chloe being tortured like this… AND drooling in anticipation about how Lex is going to be broken once he realizes what’s going on with his (former) girl-friend. I can’t wait to see the chapter of ‘The Big Revelation’. Please post soon.

**hfce** · 18th December 2007, 02:51

Part 15 & 16:

I love both updates. I am so glad Chloe got to see after her pizza with another guy she loves Lex. The fact that she feels guilty tells me Lex is the man she wants. I am glad she is willing to wait it out. She won't be disappointed when she finds out what he has been doing. She is going to feel so stupid. LOL!

**superag** · 18th December 2007, 06:58

The first update was so sad. I was ready to strangle Chloe and then go tell Lex what a schmuck she was being behind his back. So, it was just a pizza but the thoughts were there. Good for Lois to covince her to wait it out!

**somethingeasy** · 20th December 2007, 22:19

Chapter Fourteen
These were an awesome couple of chapters, Nonky! I loved them! HOW do you manage to combine humour and heartbreak within the same sentence. I kept laughing, and then sighing in sympathy for Chloe, and then laughing again… it was a very weird cycle.

I really appreciated how the chapter began with Chloe berating herself for not confronting Lex when she believed he was trying to get rid of her because he was entertaining another woman in his apartment. I liked how Nonky showed it was part of a pattern that Chloe has indulged in whenever she felt rejected… Confrontations were the last thing she did… she would mostly run off, cry and brood, and then greet the heart-breaking bastard the next morning with a big friendly smile.

He was a chronic womanizer, and for all she knew a habitual philanderer as well. It shouldn't surprise her as much as it was. She had believed she knew him, and she did; she knew he was ultimately an insecure man traumatized by every intimate relationship he'd ever had. He might only be able to carry on a normal courtship for so long before he either had to have a disastrous marriage or a spectacular breakup. He craved power and she didn't let him boss her around. He wanted control, though to be fair he had never tried to control her. He wanted a woman who could live in his world full-time, replete with manners from Victorian England and an ability to ignore any controversy surrounding his dinner guests. She had never fit, would never get the chance to try.

Chloe knew Lex could confide in her and she would never tell anyone else what had been said, but she didn't think he knew. He didn't like to see her reading his bad press, even when she was critiquing the writing and finding it biased. He hesitated before saying he'd be in a meeting, as if she would accuse him of being the evil CEO caricature running a plot to take over the world.

It was both funny and sad seeing Chloe moping as she kept finding reasons on why she and Lex were never as serious a couple as she might have initially believed. She’s seriously trying to convince herself about how she should have ‘seen it coming’ and how it was ‘inevitable’ for Lex to dump her and move onto someone else… Poor dejected Chloe! I would have thought that dating Lex would have been GOOD for her ego.

There was a divide between his life and the life anyone else might lead whether they were rich or poor. She did her best to work around it, but had found only Lex's effort could allow her to understand how he was feeling and what he was thinking. Successful couples needed to be able to pry into each other and find the hurts so they could make it better and lend support. She had missed him moving on to another woman, so it was unlikely she ever knew Lex that well.

I really liked this observation about relationships and what makes them work. I think it’s true that nosiness is another feature of being in a strong, honest and open relationship… If you’re not interested in your partner’s dealing, chances are that you will never get full disclosure on what your partner is up to.

I liked the picture painted of Bobbo! I was ROTFL at the nick-name… poor guy! But I liked him, he seemed like a nice, average guy… nothing spectacular and impressive about him, but nothing offensive or weird either.

He laughed. “Our rooms are okay. The bathrooms are arctic. You step in and the water from the previous shower is frozen in drops on the tiles. It's getting to be a bit rank while maintenance puts off fixing it. The only guys showering every day are the ones getting laid.”

She and Robert ate pizza and traded college stories, and he walked her to her car before going back to the newsroom. She had told him there was no need, but he had grinned.

“I'll probably just play internet poker, but if anyone else asks I was typing that story on scholarship funding,” he said, bumping her shoulder with his own.

LOL! He might not have been capable of Lex-like witticisms, but he was amusing and charming in his own way, and I enjoyed the conversation between the two of them. Nice wholesome fun dialogue

She had smiled and as she was driving away she realized she had tried to pay for her half of the pizza and been refused. Robert had paid, and he had been friendly. She didn't know if he thought it was a date, didn't even know if he had a girlfriend.

It had been nice, and one of her options, but she didn't feel any better. She suspected when she woke up she would feel guilty of something. She had run out of anger and was filled with self-pity.

I should have gone drinking, she thought. Dancing stupidly with Lois isn't cheating.

ROTFLMAO! Oh poor obsessed, pathetic, pitiful Chloe! She’s been driven to new lows where she can’t even hang out with some guy ina purely platonic way without becoming obsessed about Lex in a whole new way. She’s concerned about CHEATING?! Because she split a pizza with some guy?! ROTFLMAO! I guess Lex is not the only one who cracked this December, LOL!

Chapter Fifteen
I was really pleased that this chapter started with Lois mocking Chloe’s concerns about ‘accidentally cheating’ on Lex. I was really happy with Lois throughout this entire chapter because she gave Chloe some heave-handed, upside the head slaps to reality. Chloe has been floating in this obsessed paranoid haze for too long, and she needed someone to boot her back to real life… And Lois fulfilled that need perfectly. YAY Lois!!! LOL!

“Do you leave a hairbrush at his place, because that's probably where he got your DNA,” she said. “Maybe he's using your clone to breed. That's it! He's cheating on you with a pregnant copy of yourself!”

ROTFLMAO! Oh dear me! Am I the only one who thinks this would make an AWESOME fanfic on it’s own?! I can very easily imagine Lex going to these levels of crazy, LOL!

Lois spent biology classes in high school flirting with a classmate, and she wasn't much of a student during her short time at Met. U. Chloe forgave her for not understanding the difficulties of cloning a functioning being and the impossibility of Lex having a clone of her older than six. Unless Lex liked vacant gazing into the distance a clone wouldn't work.

LOL! I suppose this was meant to be a poke at the ridiculousness of the clones that keep popping up in canon SV, LOL! If only the producers and writers could also appreciate this little dose of reality

“Well, he's not at it with some brunette bimbo, because he's all glowy and smiley when you're around. He held your hand through dinner and neither of you could cut your food!”

ROTFLMAO! No wonder Lois is so sceptical of Chloe’s theories about imminent dumping. I imagine it must have been absolutely sickening for everyone else to see the saccharine sweetness of the Chlex couple during the Thanksgiving dinner, ROTFL!

“I don't feel like that's what I'm doing. He's different around me, and I have no idea how he spends his time,” she said slowly. “He used to make a bigger effort to call me and meet up even if he was traveling or busy. I've never had a normal boyfriend, but doesn't lack of interest mean there's a problem?”

“Chloe, is it possible you're sending him a vibe that he's not welcome. I hate to be a member of the Woobie Lex Club, but he's kind of sensitive for a guy,” Lois said. “If he felt you wanted space he'd probably move to Cleveland. You've been sort of crabby for a while now.”

squeeee! I love how Lois is driving these home-truths straight through Chloe’s paranoia. It’s fantastic seeing someone talk Chloe down from insanity and back to rhyme, reasons and sense again. I liked the comment Lois made about Chloe searching for excuses to announce herself broken off from Lex… She IS doing that!

And I was ROTFLMAO at the comment of Lex moving to Cleveland if he thought Chloe needed some time and space to herself. LOL! Lois really knows Lex REALLY well. How wonderful, he really has become part of the Sullivan-Lane family.

LOL! Woobie-Lex! Nonky, you actually used that awesome term, ROTFL!

“I'm going to feel so stupid if I've done this to myself,” she muttered. “Okay, so do I call him? I call him, right?”

It’s miraculous! she sees the light! And all it took was some well-phrased sarcasm and mockery from Lois. I should have known that Chloe would have responded better to snark rather than sympathetic reasoning, LOL! Actually, MOST people respond better to mockery of their melodrama rather than gentle reason and sympathy.

She wrinkled her nose and slapped herself on the forehead. Her brain was stuffed with schoolwork and there was no energy left to think of personal things. She was either a huge, masochistic moron or she was being cheated on and about to be dumped.

EXCELLENT! We have made tremendous, wonderful, amazing progress in this one chapter. Chloe bubble of self-pity has been punctured, and now she’s ready for reasonable explanations and/or confrontation. Fantastic attitude adjustment, and it happened perfectly and naturally.

“His name is Bobbo,” Lois reflected. “Maybe you should just not mention him to anyone else.”

ROTFLMAO! Oh dear me! Hilarious! So mean, and hilarious, ROTFL!

Chloe let her head thump onto the desk and her cousin made an uncertain noise in her ear. “Chloe, unless you want out, I think you should do you best with Lex every day. If he's setting up to leave you can't change his mind by whining, but you can show him what he'll be missing. At least you'll have another Christmas with him, and that's a pretty good deal if you love him.”

The blond put her hand under her forehead and thumped it on the desk several more times to beat back tears. She hated this but she knew she was going to wait out whatever Lex was doing because she did want another Christmas in his arms.

“I already bought his stupid present, so I guess I'm hanging in for whatever stupidity is next. Boys suck."

YES! Now THERE is the proper attitude to be approaching this with, Chloe! Yay Lois for digging Chloe’s head out of her self-pitying behind. Heh, the scene is set for reconciliation, but I think Nonky is just teasing and yanking our chains with ‘hope’ for reconciliation before she finally destroys the Chlex relationship. Hold onto your hats everyone! LOL!

**daria_103** · 24th December 2007, 19:13

I'm really enjoying this story, so glad to see another chapter up. I loved that Lex taped his conversation with Gabe, and that Gabe had a son in law tape, both knowing that Chloe would be itching to know the whole story.

Lex making sure there was someone there for Chloe incase she said no was the sweetest thing I've ever read.

This whole fic has been great to read, I can't wait for more.

**somethingeasy** · 25th December 2007, 23:06

Chapter Sixteen

Hopefully she'll laugh, he thought. She wouldn't laugh at me and say no. So if she laughs she'll have to say yes. I'll take the yes any way it's offered.

Lex stopped, let his arms fall to his sides, and stared at his reflection. “Stop being pathetic or she'll leave you for Clark.”

ROTFL! Oh, Lex! You passed Clark’s level of ‘pathetic’ a long time ago. And if it helps, I’m ‘pretty’ sure that when Chloe leaves you, it won’t be for Clark specifically

It was adorable how he was fussing over his appearance before meeting up with Gabe. So many shared family functions, and he still gets nervous around Daddy-in-law… it’s adorable, LOL!

“Yessir,” the billionaire slurred, feeling his face start to crack into panic. He had never called any father of his girlfriends 'sir,' and he found it oddly humiliating he had just done so. “Gabe. I was hoping to speak to you about her, without her adding her commentary.”

He had just insulted her, practically calling her irritating and prone to never shutting up. He backpedaled mentally, but his future father-in-law was chuckling.

ROTFLMAO! I just love how frightened Lex is over here. He’s gone past nervous and into actual terror, ROTFL! I love seeing him so flustered.

A double of several hard liquors would be perfect, but Lex shook his head. He was going to be treated fairly and kindly, and he had been very good to Chloe once he realized he loved her. He had tried to keep the world a safe place for her to wander and investigate. He refilled her windshield wash because she was too lazy to do it between scheduled dealership appointments.

awwww, *swoon* He even fills her windshield wiper wash? THAT is true dedication. And it’s wonderful to see the kind of attention he gives to Chloe on a regular, casual basis as well as the obsessive shopping he’s devoted himself to this past month.

He unfolded a tabletop tripod and Gabe paused. “I have no idea how to phrase this, so I'll be very blunt. Am I going to have to kill you for some reason, and you feel the camera would prevent it?”

ROTFL! I adore Gabe. It’s great fun to see where Chloe got her snark from. I have little doubt that Lex loves Gabe for the same reason too.

Chloe is making me sarcastic, he thought. I'm proud of her for it, but it really is not the time to discover this. Be humble, and gracious, and appreciative. Compliment him.

“I like your chest hair,” he blurted, pointing at it poking out the top of Gabe's casual sweater.

Oh dear Heavens! Lex’s brains have fried out under all the nervous tension. The suave, sophisticated smooth-talker has completely disappeared, ROTFL!

Pulling the neck of the sweater higher, the older man frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you impregnate my daughter?”

“NOSIR!” Lex stood tall with such an aggressive show of veniality even he was impressed by himself. “I love your daughter.”

Relaxing, Gabe nodded. “Then it's the thing with the small metal circle for her finger. Okay. I'll make coffee and get my notes.”

ROTFLMAO! Oh WOW! Gabe jumped four steps ahead of Lex’s plan, and he left Lex floundering in his dust, LOL! It’s fun to see that the whole Sullivan family is capable of making Lex seem and feel like a buffoon, LOL!

“I like you with Chloe, and you know that, but I need to get some information. Are you an illegal drug user?”

Lex shook his head no. He really hoped this interview stayed in the present or he might not be able to deny honestly.

“Are you abusing prescription drugs, alcohol or other substances?”

He was addicted to Chloe, but didn't think it would count, so Lex shook his head.

“Are you asking me for permission to marry Chloe?” There was a hint of chagrin in the question, and Lex knew it would be difficult to explain his reasons. He felt it was right to talk to her father, but not enough to scrap the engagement if he didn't approve.

“Not really. I'd go ahead anyway,” he paused, embarrassed at his unintended rudeness. “I need her permission. But I'd feel better knowing that she has someone who will be able to comfort her if she says no.”

ROTFLMAO! And I thought Lex was an obsessive planner. I can’t believe that Gabe had these cards ready and prepared for this day. He probably did it just to yank on Lex’s chain and assert his authority as the father in law, LOL! Sneaky Gabe! The Sullivans blend perfectly with the Luthors.

“I couldn't comfort her. She'd feel guilty. The last thing she'd be able to do is take my comfort and feel better. I want someone to be able to help her if she can't say yes.”

“So you're not sure about getting married,” Gabe suggested gently.

“I am,” Lex said calmly, “But she doesn't know I'm planning this and she is going to be surprised by it. If she's not ready I'll wait, and I'd appreciate if you could tell her that in case she won't let me.”

I loved Gabe’s questions. I can’t believe he had written all of these years in advance in preparation for this day. The questions are spot-on perfect. And even more the questions, I loved Lex’s beautiful, considered answers to the interrogation. He’s a dream of a future son-in-law.

“We're agreed then. I'll be ready for anything, and you'll be ready if she needs some space from me,” he said. “That's the last of what I needed. Thank you, Gabe.”

heh, so Gabe also knows about Lex’s plans for this holiday? I wonder whether he’s going to spill the beans to Lois, and whether Lois is going to be able to reach Chloe in time before Chloe does something horribly stupid. The tension’s only drawing tighter now, and I can’t wait to see what happens when the dust clears. I look forward to the next chapter.