The Undoing of Lex Luthor (R) Completed 7/11/08

[planetcal]

Wow I can't wait to find out more about the AU reality that Lex's mind has come up with. Please update soon!!!

[superag]

A/N - Ohhh Lovelies, I am so thankful for all the love bestowed upon my new piece. I really never it saw going anywhere, but I have to especially thank SE, WWW, and CLL for making me think. Love all of YOU!!! Keep the feedback coming and eventually we'll see Lex break through, or not.

Chapter 4 – Untying the First Knots

Chloe woke up the next morning to the sound of the doctor speaking with Lex. She blinked twice and rubbed her eyes. She yawned and stretched over the uncomfortable couch that was in the room with him. She sat up and eyed the nurse working on Lex. He was sitting up with help of the bed. “Good morning,” she strained out as she continued to stretch.

Lex looked over and smiled. “Could you excuse us?” The nurse nodded and left his morning medication next to the bed before heading out the door. Waving her over, Lex smiled and pulled something out of the drawer of the side table. “I had something delivered over here for you.” He handed the small box to Chloe.

She sat down and took the box from him. She pasted on a fake smile and shifted uncomfortably in the chair by the bed. Looking at the small box in her hand, she knew exactly what she was holding. “I thought we didn’t have the money,” she questioned trying to prolong the anguish of being married to the man.

“I talked to our broker this morning, and he cashed in a CD.” Chloe’s face became more questioned wondering exactly who he had talked to. She had to talk to Lionel soon about what exactly he was running. “I know I said it was just a ring, but I really want you to have one. It’s not as big and…”

Chloe opened the box and gasped at the perfect engagement and wedding ring combo. “Lex, you really. Wow.” She shook her head and rubbed her finger across the band of platinum and diamonds.

“Here,” Lex held out his hands and took the small box from her. She bit her lip and nervously glanced around the room. Looking back at Lex, he shook his head and laughed as he pulled the rings out of the box. “You’re as nervous when I first asked you to marry me. Remember?”

“Tell me again.” Lex laughed again and grabbed his chest slightly. “Still hurt?”

Lex nodded and twirled her rings around his little finger as he snapped the box shut. “You had your flight cancelled from San Francisco back to Metropolis. I remember we were going to this party that Clark of all people was actually throwing for your return. Neither of the dad’s were happy about us being together. But I flew out there and picked you up in the jet and proposed totally out of the blue. You had the same look on your face as you do right now.”

Chloe felt herself crack a smile at the out of place informal proposal. She jumped slightly when Lex took her hand and slipped the rings on. “Lex, they’re incredible. You really didn’t have to.” She pulled her hand away and adjusted the bands, trying to not act as if she had never had anything there before. “Thank you.” She readjusted her thoughts and tried to mentally note to remove the rings whenever she was not out with Lex. This act was going to be harder to pull off than she thought.

“Good morning Mr. Luthor. I’m here to take you down for your MRI since you have been stable for the last eight hours. Are you up for it?”

Chloe nodded in agreement as Lex leaned back in the bed and motioned for the orderly to wheel him away. “I’ll see you later? Or are you going to work?”

Chloe stammered, thinking of the right thing to say, “I’ll be here.” She gripped Lex’s hand as he ran his fingers over the ring again. Letting go, she heard him strike up a conversation with the orderly on his way down the hall. She sat down in the chair and sighed in relief.

“No time for that Miss Sulllivan.” Chloe looked up and saw Clark following Lionel into the room. “I got the address from you last night and checked out the place. I checked it out and it’s usable. Now, you will need this.” Lionel handed her a phone and credit card. “Those are both on my accounts. I have suspended Lex’s accounts attached to Luthorcorp to keep up with his story. Oh, also, sign these.”

Chloe stared at the stack of papers that he placed on the table and took the pen. “This is a marriage license. What the hell?”

Clark moved up to the two and placed his hand on her back. “Look, I know this is all very twisted but replacing Lana’s existence in his life is the first thing we need to do. The photo department at Luthorcorp has been busy getting the pictures in the house ready for you and Lex to return to home. The marriage license is just a detail. It’s not legally binding but if prying eyes go looking into public records it’s there.”

“You can’t possibly buy off everyone – the entire world knows Lana died. I’m not his wife.” Chloe held her hands up and backed away from the table. Clark ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“Look, I know that and you know but he believes you are. The rest of the world is as normal. The house he thinks you live at is still incredible but in a newer neighborhood in Metropolis. It’s gated; it’s safe, but not freaky ghost hunter like the mansion. No offense Lionel, “Clark stated looking in Lionel’s direction. “Besides, with you out of the mansion, that gives Lionel and me plenty of opportunity to take of things from there.”

“And Miss Sullivan,”

“I think since I’m your daughter-in-law try Chloe.”

“Chloe, the neighborhood is secure.” Chloe picked up the pen and signed the replica of the marriage license with her name. Chloe Sullivan-Luthor. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths and shook her head.

“It’s too complicated to explain right now but think The Truman Show.” Chloe stared at Clark and then in shock at Lionel.

“No explain please.”

“There’s a master planned community in Metropolis that Luthorcorp started building two years ago that Lex was the front man for the development. He had built him a home there as well in the middle of the community he named Eden. After seeing the address last night, I realized that Lex was substituting that community he built in his mind.”

Chloe backed up and sat down on the couch next to Clark. Lionel sat on the other side of her and stared at the ring. “I see Lex got a hold of his broker,” Lionel smiled as he looked in Clark’s direction.

Chloe flashed an accusing look at Clark and then at Lionel. “You?” Clark shook his head and pointed back in Lionel’s direction.

“I circumvented all of his numbers and they all go to one central location. He thinks he’s calling out and it’s one operating area.”

Chloe leaned back stunned. With her mouth gaping open, she suddenly felt sad for the man. She had wished him ill will but this bordered on the ridiculous. “So you have coerced an entire master planned community and everyone that lives there to know our life history together. All of Lex’s business is going through you.” She stared at Lionel and shook her head, “You manipulative bastard; you finally got the control you wanted over him, and you,” she turned to Clark, “and you’re eating this up.”

“We have to do it this way Chloe. He may get his memory back and suddenly return to find everything from his former life gone. He’ll more than likely come after all of us for this. Or …”

“He’s permanently…and I’m Mrs. Lex Luthor forever.” Chloe stopped and stared straight ahead. She looked at the ring and sighed. It was a story for the outside world that would be as juicy as anything that she had ever read. It beat all meteor freak stories.

“Chloe, dear. Even if Lex is like this permanently, we will get you out of it some way.”

“Yeah, I tried that witness relocation program and it almost killed me. Actually that was you that almost had me killed.” Clark glared at Chloe to drop the accusatory tone.

Lionel scratched his beard nervously and began to pace. “I know, and I am truly deeply sorry. But you are the best at what you do, and he chose you for his little fantasy. So, I promise I will get you out of it and hopefully open the world up to him little by little. But Clark and I need time to take care of things. Lex built this 33.1 facility and his other projects over years. We have to have time.”

Chloe nodded and walked over to the table. Picking up the marriage certificate, she smiled, “And the pictures in the house? How vivid do you think his memories are?”

Clark hugged Chloe and took a deep breath. “Try not to look at them to hard. They’re the ones of him and Lana with you photoshopped in.” Chloe couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry at her sudden complexity of her situation.

“Ok, you better go.” Chloe put the all the materials back in the folder and handed it back to Lionel. As the two walked out of the room, Chloe covered her mouth and ran down the hall after them. “Wait.”

Lionel and Clark turned around and Clark looked up in the direction of the opposite door, “We should go somewhere else; he’s coming back in.” The three ducked out of the hallways into a waiting room at the other end of the hall. “So what?”

“I’m 12 weeks pregnant, but,” Chloe spun around and pointed at herself, “I‘m not anywhere near that. I should be showing soon.” She sat down and waited for one of them to come up with something.

“How good of an actress are you?” Clark asked Chloe and then shrugged in Lionel’s direction. “I say give it a couple of weeks home with him and then we play that card.” Chloe agreed and hugged Clark.

“I’ll call you later, from this phone,” she said looking at Lionel.

“Thank you Chloe.” Lionel leaned in and hugged her as she uncomfortably took the hug. She glanced down the hall and sent them on their way and returned to the room where the television was on.

Chloe walked back down the hall and held the door open for the nurse that delivered lunch for the both of them. “Hey, you look a little pale.”

Lex smiled as he sat the bed up and pulled the tray into him. “More than normal? I didn’t think it was possible.” He grabbed the side bar of the bed and pulled himself over to one side and patted the bed. Chloe continued to stand in the doorway and become flustered from the request. “Baby, I don’t bite. What’s wrong?”

Chloe closed the door and climbed up on the bed next to Lex . She could feel the radiated heat coming off his arm next to hers. Her heart raced as she tried to force a smile and glance in his direction. The air between them was suddenly heavy, and she knew most of it was her fault. She felt for his condition, but truly had no desire to be this close. Picking up her fork, she quietly started eating.

Stiffening up, she trembled as he snaked his arm around her side and pulled her closer to him. Lex kissed her on neck and whispered, “I love you,” in her ear. Turning, she rotated her neck away from his direction and nodded. She stayed still and rigid as his hand moved up and down her back. “Chloe honey relax. Look, I know we’ve been having our problems and I royally screwed up by walking out on you that evening. But what did you expect me to do. You were kissing Clark; you hurt me. It took everything in my power not to kill him. I thought laying him out on the front lawn was enough. I don’t need the law chasing me.”

“I’m sorry,” Chloe whispered. “But what did you expect; he’s been there.” Lex let his hand drop behind her and sighed. He glanced down at the ring and took her hair and tucked it behind her ear.

“I know, and I’m sorry, but just because I’ve been away didn’t mean you had to run to him. You promised me in the ambulance that if I was there for you that Clark…I want us to be a family. And if that means giving up my shitty job under my father’s hold, then so be it.” Chloe sat still and closed her eyes as Lex’s fingers traced up and down her arms and rubbed her stomach. “And besides, we don’t want little Gabriella or Alexis or Joseph or Julian to grow up without both parents.” Chloe’s jaw locked as she concentrated on just breathing. The mere fact of the madman touching her made her stomach turn. She just wanted to jump off the bed and run for the nearest exit.

Lex leaned in and kissed her neck as Chloe tried to turn it to keep him from touching her, but he continued to press. “Lex, lunch is getting cold.”

Sighing, Chloe straightened up and smiled unconvincingly in his direction. Lex cupped her face and pulled her into him. Close enough to feel the breath come from each word, Lex repeated himself, “I love you Chloe.” Running his hands through her hair, he pulled her and kissed her. Pulling out of the short kiss, he gazed at her. “Please don’t leave me – I’ll make it work. You’re my savior.” Pulling her in again, Lex pressed his lips to hers as Chloe tried to keep her mouth firmly closed while closing her eyes. Letting her go, Lex leaned back over and picked up his fork. He couldn’t make eye contact with her, he said, “I guess it’s too soon.”

Chloe silently stared at her food and pushed the main dish around with her fork. Lex had just kissed her, twice. He touched her almost intimately in places she wished other men would touch her. She could still feel her body slightly trembling from the interaction. Thinking about the words that fell from his lips, she fought against the words she wanted to return. If she didn’t say anything, she could possibly get out of the fake marriage with an equally fake divorce, but her chances at the story of the century would be sorely lost. She could just tell him the truth there and risk the backlash that would of course come from it. She bit the inside of her lip until she could taste blood and then turned to Lex. Placing her hand on his arm, she forced the words from her lips, “I love you too and I want to make us work this time.”

Lex turned and gazed at her before throwing his arms around her. Chloe closed her eyes and accepted the kiss on the side of the cheek and repeated apologies casually before forcing a kiss on his cheek. As he let go of her and started eating again, she wondered why this couldn’t be the Lex Luthor that really existed. This one at least acted as if he had an ounce of remorse in his body. Now she just needed more information.

The two pushed the trays away after finishing lunch and sat back against the pillows. Lex flipped the television back on and handed the remote to Chloe. “Pick something.”

Chloe glanced at him and smirked. “Umm, a movie?” Lex leaned back and pointed at the television. Settling on the Last of the Mohicans, Chloe carefully placed her hands in her lap and laid as far over on the bed as possible. She knew that once Lex was now awake, there would be no way for her to sit all the way across the room. He wanted to make amends, which was fine for him. She was another story.

“Come here,” Lex quietly spoke. He put his arm up and pulled Chloe into him. She hunkered down into his shoulder as Lex pulled her arm over across his stomach. Leaning over, Chloe blinked in reaction to the kiss Lex planted on her head. “I love this. I feel like that night I came and visited you in the hospital after you got electrocuted while poking around dad’s factory. You know that dad had the audacity to send me a bill for for the power outtages that occurred.” Lex laughed and started to cough.

Chloe sat up and reached instinctively for the Epipen when Lex waved her off. “Are you going to be ok?” Chloe slid off the side of the bed and poured him a glass of water. Handing the water to Lex, she backed up and waited to see if the coughing ceased. Lex put the glass down and motioned her to come back up and sit with him. “Ok, let’s put your dad on the non-topic list along with Clark.” Chloe joked and halfway smiled as she repositioned herself next to Lex.

Chloe laid and watched the movie with occasionally looking his direction. He looked determined and interested in the movie, but Chloe could still feel him occasionally squeeze her around the side and kiss her head during the commercials. She thought Lex was moving and looked up at him. She giggled at him; he was mouthing the words to the movie.

“My father warned me about you...
Your Father?
Chingachgook, he warned me about people like you.
Oh, did he?
He said ‘Do not try to understand them’.
What?
Yes, and, ‘do not try to make them understand you. That is because they are a breed apart and make no sense’.”

“I thought we weren’t going to talk about dear old dad.” Chloe peered up at Lex and smirked.

Lex smirked back and rolled his eyes playfully, “I said nothing of the sort. I just like the lines of the movie.” Chloe nodded.

“Sure,” she answered sarcastically. Chloe lowered her head and fought the idea of sleep until she succumbed.

When the movie ended, Lex leaned over slightly and looked at Chloe sleeping in his arms. The nurse cracked the door and quietly administered his meds while taking his vitals. Lex stayed absolutely still not to wake his wife. She was finally restful. She had such a hard time; he had made it near impossible for her to stay with him.

Clicking the television off, he carefully removed his arm from behind her and tried to squeeze the feeling back into it. He watched as she instinctively moved closer to him, thus jamming him into the side of the hospital bars. He pushed her over slightly without waking her and stared at the ceiling in the dark.

Even though the fight between them had only been four days earlier, Lex could swear it felt like years. She had been infatuated with Clark from the first time she had laid eyes on him. Lex always knew that he would be trouble. But the stars always seemed to be against the two of them. Both fathers adamantly opposed the nuptials saying that Chloe was too young and Lex was not husband material.

He thought back to when Chloe had arrived at her father’s office and announced that he had asked her to marry him. Gabe marched directly to the elevator and barged in on a conference call that Lionel was having. The two within the hour had gathered both he and Chloe to talk sense into them. The employee’s daughter was not the right choice. She was outspoken and into everyone’s business. Lex halfway laughed thinking that he defended it with the most adult “duh” he could come up with before pointing out that she was going to be the most famous reporter at the Planet or on the Planet. He remembered that was the day his father and he quit speaking.

Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her back over his side and leaned further back into the pillows. Chloe had been that perfect specimen of the untouchable sort. He blamed her father for everything. She was the only girl ever interested in the business and volunteered to run copies in the basement every summer during her seventh and eighth grade years. That’s how he had literally run into her. He was home from being thrown out of college and his father pissed him off. He went to the basement to hide and ran square into her coming around the corner. Binders went flying and Chloe ended up on her back. She was 13 and gawky. They talked for hours until both fathers came hunting for them.

Lex kissed her head and brushed her hair out of her face. She had always had pretty hair; he was happy she has never decided to color it. It was decidingly different than any other woman he had ever been with. Lex wished he could read through the emails they had written back and forth to each other through her years of high school. They never made future plans; she always thought he was out of her league but they stayed the best of friends. He had even picked and dumped girlfriends based on her decisions. Laughing to himself, he realized all those years he was only in love with her.

Now they were going to be parents in six months. He lightly rubbed his hand against her side and whispered, “Sweet dreams,” before kissing Chloe on the head once more and falling into a comforting sleep.

Chloe woke to a bright light coming on as the hallway light came on. Turning and looking up, she gasped and quickly caught her breath seeing where she was. Looking down, she had actually drooled on Lex’s hospital gown. Lifting his arm off of her, she eased off the bed as he adjusted in his sleep. She looked at the clock; 5 AM. Creeping out the door, she ran into the doctor in the hallway.

“Coffee?” Her vocabulary was limited in the early morning. The doctor smiled and walked her into the lounge.

“He’s been cleared to go home tomorrow baring any major changes..” Chloe snapped awake at the announcement.

“He’s still in Lala Land.” She sat down and sipped the straight black brew. It was disgusting but it was caffeine.

“I understand that, but under the circumstances, I can’t hold him here any longer.” The doctor sat down next to her. “You’ll have a nurse and a physical therapist for the first couple of weeks.”

“Then?”

“His recovery is remarkable. He has the highest white blood cell count I have seen in any human.” Chloe put down her coffee cup and gaped at the doctor on duty. She had this information in a file on Lex from long before but it never registered.

“What are you referring to then?”

“Your ‘husband’ has accelerated healing because of it. Most patients that have been in his position died days ago.” The doctor stood up and tossed his mug in the sink before heading to the door. “The release papers will be at the nurse’s station when you’re ready. More patients will be moved into this wing later today to ‘preserve the look of a regular hospital.’”

Chloe finished her coffee and signed the discharge papers. Standing at the end of his bed, Chloe said a silent prayer to whomever would listen. She closed her eyes and tried to gain the strength to play the good wife. She knew nothing of what their life was supposed to be. She felt awful for what she was now doing and sorry for Lex for the first time in years.

TBC

[Starangel148]

Great chapter. I love how you give the reader insight into the fantasy world Lex has created and how conflicted Chloe is starting to seem. I hope you update soon.

[lj715]

Another great chapter. Getting more interesting...how is Chloe gonna play the "good wife" without getting lost in her role?

[westwingwolf]

It's good that Chloe is finally seeing how bad this is for Lex. I'm glad she said what she did to Lionel. He deserved it and is probably happy that he has control of Lex's life. And Clark is an ass for daring to be upset with her. She should just tell Lex everything and let him screw over Lionel and Clark. But that would be damaging to his psyche right now, so best not.

Man has Lex really put effort into this entire fake world. Nothing of his time with Chloe is similar to the real world. It is as if he's from an alternate dimension. Have to say though that I like his world more and more.

I can't wait to see what life is like when they go back 'home'. Also wondering when/if Lex will ever recover and what will he do when he does.

[hfce]

Man what an update. You had me feel like I was there. I can't wait to see how Chloe plays the good wife.

[dagney]

I suspect Chloe will fall into this make believe world rather quickely as she starts to help heal Lex. I also think that finding out the princess lana was not as nice as she seemed maybe the baby was someone elses, she was plotting to have lex killed and it backfired for Chloe to find this out might help her. I'm really into this fic . dagney

[karila]

Your story is really great!
I hope that you will update soon.

[Kit Merlot]

Man, but this story is killing me!

“You manipulative bastard; you finally got the control you wanted over him, and you,” she turned to Clark, “and you’re eating this up.”

Good for Chloe for calling Lionel on his control issues regarding Lex and his secret projects. He's so gung-ho on protecting Clark and his secret that he's forgotten that he needs to look out for Lex's well being, too.

He grabbed the side bar of the bed and pulled himself over to one side and patted the bed. Chloe continued to stand in the doorway and become flustered from the request. “Baby, I don’t bite. What’s wrong?”

This part was awesome--Chloe is completely afraid to be close to Lex, and yet she is supposed to convince him that she wants to work things out with him.

She closed her eyes and tried to gain the strength to play the good wife. She knew nothing of what their life was supposed to be. She felt awful for what she was now doing and sorry for Lex for the first time in years.

This was quite a breakthrough! Good for Chloe for finally seeing just how twisted this whole scheme is. How is Chloe going to handle all of this? Will she see hurting Lex as something that has to be done for the greater good? Or will she be unable to resist his natural charm and fall for him herself? How long will Chloe be able to play the role of loving wife and soon to be mother? And what will happen if Lex learns the truth? Or will he stay in his fantasy world forever?

As you can see, I'm filled with questions regarding this intriguing story

[Impress]

Wow, Lex has concoctoed a completly different reality from well reality. I was expecting that. I feel for him when he discovers the truth. And I feel for Chloe as I know this whole thing is going to be difficult. I hope she can come out of this with only minimal scars.

Looking forward to the next update.