Crossing Paths (PG-13/15) 05/23/08

[Kit Merlot]

I hate that Chloe's crying over yet another jackass who chose Lana over her--it's obvious that this Chance was a moron!

I'm interested in this whole Minervit part of the story, especially this line:

You´d have never let her take Minervit during her pregnancy if you´d known the side effects.

Does this have anything to do with Lana's hatred for her own kids, specifically Lillian?

[SVfan1286]

Great chapter's lexie!

I feel bad for Chloe, to be cheated on, for Lana Lang again must be hard, but Chance so wasn't worth it. *g* I love the background history of Chloe being in-love with Lex during the trial and that summer at the safe house. It's Lex's own fault though, that he decided to try to find 'happiness' with Lana instead of Chloe. Who seems to truly have loved him... idiot!

I look forward to reading more!!

[daria_103]

Great chapters. Love the twist on the summer of the trial, makes everything that's happening now a little more interesting. I hate that Chance cheated on her with Lana, it's heartbreaking that Lana's been chosen over her so many times. It's almost a shame that he's dead so Chloe can't kick his ass for it.

The final scene in the office was brilliant, it was great to see Lex go from hard businessman to doting father and I loved every second of his interaction with Chloe. Can't wait for more.

[hfce]

What a great update. Who knew Lex was consider an old love. I can't wait to see how this develops.

[dagney]

That evening Chloe had read in his eyes something which he never allowed anyone to see- that desperate hunger to be loved, to be worthy of someone´s affection. And it was precisely that naked need which made them so similar, that need to be wanted, to be deserving. Both had lost their mothers at an early age and had courted danger as a means of escape or self-punishment. Unlike the orphan Lana, who had sought retribution by arousing pity in others with her attitude of eternal martyrdom, Lex had resorted to drugs, loose women and fast cars while Chloe had put her safety on the line by stirring up a hornet´s nest with her investigative exploits for The Torch.

Eleven years had gone by and things hadn´t really changed. He no longer did drugs or engaged in one-night stands, but he was continuously courting disaster with his illegal and morally dubious business deals. Meanwhile, Chloe kept collecting enemies and death-threats with her exposés, and felt as miserable as that summer in which Lex had done the honourable thing and chosen to salvage what was left of his friendship with Clark by refusing the gift of her innocence. His decision had been futile because not only had Clark turned his back on him, Lex had hurt Chloe more than he´d ever know. The blonde girl had loved him, and he had interpreted her ardour as pity. Chloe had tried to convince him amidst tears that he was what she wanted, but he had turned her down and given her the cold shoulder once she came back to Smallville.



Lex was a man of amazing contradictions- capable of the greatest good and the utmost evil- but what he didn´t realise was that by turning down the opportunities life offered him to be happy, he hastened his journey to become what he had always feared- his own father. Now, the question was what part of his nature would emerge victorious.


Lexie, your insights into what drives Chloe and Lex were terrific. Also to see how devoted Lex is to his children. I 'm so enjoying this story.

Dagney

[purplemoon123]

This is awesome.

Lex is such a great daddy. Those babies are so lucky to have him.

¨Vintage champagne for eight hundred people. Someone´s feeling guilty? ¨she quipped, leaving the punch and taking the flute from Lex´s proffered hand.

I have a great picture of Chloe saying that. Especially that: "Someone's feeling guilty". *cackle*

¨Chloe? ¨ Lex called her back. ¨Why did you bluff at the beginning of our conversation? ¨

¨It felt nice to be the one holding the cards for a change. It was odd to be the one being threatened, wasn´t it? ¨

Verbal Judo at it's finest.

Gotta ask did Lana know that Chance was dating Chloe??? Either way she's still a bitch. Glad she's gone.

Rocio

[dayamiracle]

Great chapter lexie! I loved the Lex/Chloe interaction...and Alex is such a cute little boy...Cant wait to see what happens next...oh and I really want to know if there was a bigger reason for why Lana seemed to hate her children....

[lexie]

Thank you all girls for your comments. I´m pleased you´re enjoying this fic so much, despite its not being posted in the Romance section I´m so fond of.

You´ve got several questions you want answered, and I promise you´ll get some responses in the following postings.

Lana hates the children mainly because they´re Lex´s and not Clark´s, just as the billionaire´s spat at her in one of their arguments. There might be something more about her animosity towards Lillian, but it´ll be dispelled very soon.

[lexie]

Just wanted to let you know that, God willing, I´ll be posting a final double chapter before the weekend, which I hope will answer the questions that have arisen so far.

I´m currently working on several stories but none of them are finished yet; so I don´t know if there´ll be a new fic of mine next week. Hopefully, my muse will wake up and whisper in my ear what fate´s got in store for our favourite characters.

See you again on Friday if everything goes as planned.

[lexie]

A/N: As promised, here´s the last part of this fic, which I hope you´ll like as much as the rest.

I´m currently working on some ideas for a new story, but I don´t think I´ll be able to post anything new for a couple of weeks at least.

Now, enjoy!

CHAPTER 8: Confused

THE KENTS´- METROPOLIS SUBURBS

Just as Chloe had predicted, LuthorCorp called a press conference the morning after her meeting with its CEO. Lex Luthor´s patrician face appeared next to Metropolis´ ambitious DA on the news programmes of every major channel across the country, announcing the arrest and prosecution of the evaded team of scientists that had worked on the Minervit Project at Cadmus Labs, a subsidiary of LuthorCorp.

¨Typical, ¨ hissed Clark. ¨I wonder what he´s got on the DA to get him to stand by him on that podium and lie to us through his teeth. ¨

¨He´s not lying this time, Clark, ¨Chloe butted in as she poured herself another cup of coffee.

¨What´s made you change your mind? Not so long ago you were ready to crucify him on the front page, Chloe, ¨Clark glared at her. ¨He´s a monster with a cunning mind just like his dad´s. He´s a consummate liar, for God´s sake! ¨

Chloe looked at her friend over the brim of her mug and thought how much he resembled his adoptive father. Sometimes she wondered how things would have turned out for Lex if the Kent men had made a bigger effort to accept him. Lionel Luthor had been a bad seed, but maybe Clark had given up on his former friend too soon.

¨Clark, I agree Lex has done his fair share of questionable deeds- but I can assure you he didn´ t know about this vitamin complex affair until it was too late. ¨

¨I don´t know what lies he´s told you, but... ,¨ he started outraged.

¨Lana was taking them, ¨she cut him off.

¨What? ¨he asked with a puzzled frown.

¨Her gynaecologist was the same as Sylvia´s. Three-quarters of the patients that were taking Minervit were his, and he had a pharmacist give them the prescriptions of the drug that was yet to be approved by the FDA. They were guinea pigs and we both know, Clark, that Lex would have never risked losing Lana or their child. He was a victim just as all those other parents- worse still, he was fooled by his own employees. ¨

¨Are you sure Lana was taking those pills? ¨asked Clark unconvinced.

¨Yes, Clark. And, before you ask, Lex didn´t give me that information; I found it on my own. ¨

¨How come all the babies except Luthor´s died or were born with birth defects? ¨

¨Clark... ¨

¨Do you know the gynaecologist’s name, Chloe? ¨asked Lois as she walked into the living room with a plate of suspiciously-looking waffles.

¨Trying out a new recipe, Lois? ¨Chloe cocked an eyebrow as she eyed the misshaped and half-burnt dough on the dish. ¨Dr Emerson´s his name. Why? ¨

¨Emerson? Are you sure? ¨responded Lois, setting the food down on the table.

¨Of course I´m sure. I´ve seen his name dozens of times during my research. ¨

¨Well, the late Dr Emerson was found in Chicago this morning... with a bullet between his eyes. They say he resisted a robbery, but knowing Luthor, I bet he had him killed, ¨responded Lois, pouring maple syrup over her over-cooked waffle.

¨A bullet in his head, you said? ¨responded Chloe as her cousin tried to cut the food in front of her and ended up chasing it around the plate.

¨Yeah. Damn! ¨exclaimed Lois exasperated. ¨I think I´ll have some toast, ¨she added, leaving the table to throw away her culinary efforts. ¨ Are you talking about my cooking? ¨ she asked when she heard Chloe murmur something with an odd look on her face.

¨I said you´ve fried the toaster, remember? ¨laughed the blonde reporter, shooting a sidelong glance at Clark who had most certainly overheard what she had actually said.

¨Right, ¨Lois sighed in defeat. ¨You´ll have to make do with cereals and orange juice, Smallville, ¨she added, walking back into the kitchen.

¨Chloe, a leopard can´t change its spots, no matter how much you´d like to believe it. I know Lex and his ways. He can charm you in the wink of an eye and, when you wake up it´s too late to get out of his web. ¨

¨Clark, it irks me that you could think so little of me. You seem to forget I´ve experienced the Luthor charm in the flesh, ¨she fumed through clenched teeth.

¨I´m just worried about you getting hurt again. I saw what he did to you that summer, ¨he continued, squeezing her hand.

¨He did nothing to me, Clark. ¨

¨Didn´t he? That wasn´t the impression I got when you came back to Smallville after Lionel´s trial. I´ve always wondered... ¨

¨Well, stop wondering. Nothing happened. ¨

¨Is he the reason you´ve never been able to have a truly meaningful relationship... ? ¨

¨Clark, what gives you the right to judge me? ¨she choked with tears in her eyes, scraping the chair as she got up.

¨Chloe, don´t get mad! I´m your friend. I want what´s best for you. ¨

¨Well, then, stop meddling in my affairs, Clark. ¨

¨I simply wouldn´t like you to end up miserable like Lana. Lex doesn´t know how to love- least of all how to make anyone happy. ¨

¨Lana? ¨she asked half crying half laughing. ¨Oh, yes. Sweet perfect Lana, the Fair Princess who was kidnapped by the evil-hearted nobleman on his black stallion; the poor victim robbed of her innocence and tainted by the devil´s spawn. You never saw the true Lana, Clark. You always had her up on a pedestal, but she had clay feet like any mortal and, believe me, you wouldn´t defend her so much if you knew half the things I know about her. As to Lex... I´m not naïve; he´ll never be a regular knight in shining armour, but what you´ve just said about him shows you´ve never really known him. ¨

¨Is everything all right? ¨ frowned Lois, entering the dining room with a box of cornflakes and a jug of juice.

¨He´s dangerous, Chloe, ¨said Clark tensely.

¨I´m a big girl, Clark. I don´t need Superman to save me, ¨responded the blonde reporter with glassy eyes, picking up her coat and handbag.

¨Hey!¨exclaimed Lois. ¨Will anyone fill me in, please? What´s happened? ¨ she frowned, setting down the cereal and the juice on the table and stretching out an arm to stop Chloe on her way out. ¨Wait, Chlo´. Aren´t you going to have breakfast with us? ¨

¨I´ve suddenly lost my appetite. I´m sorry, Lo´. I´ll phone you tomorrow. Maybe we can go out, do some window shopping and have a cup of coffee, ¨ answered Chloe, trying to give her cousin a Sullivan smile but failing abysmally.

¨Wait! ¨insisted Clark´s wife as Chloe opened the door and rushed to her red Beetle.

¨Let her go, ¨said Martha Kent´s son.

¨What have you done to make her cry, Smallville? ¨ she shouted accusingly.

¨I´ve just told her the truth. ¨

¨About what? ¨

¨Lex. ¨

¨Lex as in Lex Luthor, formerly playboy billionaire? ¨

¨Yes, the only Lex we know. ¨

¨I don´t know.... What about Lex Talionis? ¨

¨Lois, I don´t feel like joking. ¨

¨Somehow I doubt Lex was the only thing that got discussed here. ¨

¨I never thought she felt so bitter towards Lana. ¨

¨Oh, my! Lana ´freaking´ Lang. No wonder my cousin went ballistic. ¨

¨Lois! ¨

¨Well, she was a ´bitch´ if you ask me. I really can´t understand what men saw in her- you included. At least you had the good sense not to marry her. ¨

¨What is it with you and Chloe? ¨exploded Clark. ¨Is this some fit of jealousy or what? ¨

¨Jealous? Jealous of Lana Lang? God forbid I envy a woman capable of abandoning her own babies and cuckolding her husband under his very nose. ¨

¨What? ¨he gasped.

¨Chloe hasn´t told you, I take it. Well... maybe she wanted to spare your feelings... I won´t. Since you´ve hurt my little cousin, I´ll tell you what´s what. Maybe you´ll cut her some slack next time and not be as judgemental as your old man used to be. ¨

Chloe drove aimlessly for half an hour, replaying what had been said in Clark´s dining room. She still couldn´t believe how she had got carried away and let the venom she felt for Lex´s late wife pour out of her mouth. Although she had promised herself she would never mention the brunette in front of Clark after the accident, she hadn´t been able to rein in her feelings when she heard the former Prom Queen´s name on Clark´s lips. However, what was actually troubling Chloe was the fact that she couldn´t be certain her reaction would have been the same if her high school crush hadn´t brought up Lex´s alleged incapacity to love in the same sentence.

By ten o´clock in the morning Gabe Sullivan´s only daughter was starting to experience the nerves characteristic of a caffeine-deprived addict and found herself parking in front of Lex´s pretentious block of flats. She killed the engine and tapped the steering-wheel with shaky fingers. ´What are you doing, Sullivan? It´s Saturday morning. You can´t use the excuse of an interview to seek him out at his home, for God´s sake! Well, you still have it with you, don´t you? It´s there in the glove compartment. Just stretch out your arm, open the damn lock and take it. There´s your excuse. He doesn´t need to know what´s really brought you here, does he? ´

Lex was getting Lilly´s bottle ready when the intercom buzzed and the porter announced Chloe´s presence in the lobby. The billionaire remembered a time when the blonde reporter used to turn up at his doorstep at least once a week, always in the shadow of her impossible teenage love. The doors of the mansion had been permanently open to Clark and his friends, and she had been one of them. For years Chloe had been nothing but his best friend´s sidekick, and Lex had enjoyed their energising bantering sessions over a cup of coffee first at The Beanery, then at The Talon- verbal judo, he used to call them.

It wasn´t until that fateful summer, when her broken heart had led her straight into Lionel´s deadly trap, that Lex had allowed himself to see her as something other than Clark´s snarky friend. For the first time in his twenty-four years he had found someone who was willing to sacrifice everything for him without asking for anything in return.

He had grabbed what she´d offered him because he was used to taking everything he wanted- he had been raised that way. However, he found out he still had scruples one special evening- an evening deeply-imprinted in Lex´s mind. It was the day Lionel´s sentence was passed, and Lex drove to the Sullivans´ safe house to tell Chloe everything was over. He broke down in front of her, and she offered him the only thing she had left, and he just couldn´t take it.

Lex knew in his heart of hearts he had fallen in love with Chloe that summer. He had fought the feeling, telling himself Clark was the only man she´d ever love. If Lex had been selfish enough to take what she had offered him out of pity, he would have only succeeded in robbing her of everything without getting what he really wanted- someone who could love him.

In retrospect, the billionaire asked himself why he hadn´t had the same scruples when it came to Lana. He loathed admitting it, but he had known from day one it would be a question of time before Nell´s niece showed the darkness that resided behind the princess´ façade. It was precisely what Lana was that Chloe would never be that had prodded him to pursue the brunette and tie her to him. While he´d never feel worthy of someone as principled as Gabe Sullivan´s beloved daughter, he saw his own darkness reflected in Lana- a pitch black he could never allow to taint someone as selfless as Chloe.

¨Let her in, ¨Lex told the porter, wondering for the second time in twenty-four hours what Chloe Sullivan would cross his door.

EPILOGUE

Chloe rode up to the top floor of Lex´s building with her stomach tied up in knots. On more than one occasion she felt tempted to press the stop button and get out of the lift, but the need to see Lex in an environment which wasn´t the cold chrome business atmosphere of his office or the artificial surroundings of a political rally egged her on. She just wanted further proof that what she had glimpsed that night at the ball and the previous day at his own office hadn´t been just a figment of her imagination, a concoction to justify her behaviour of an hour ago, when she had argued with her best friend- the man who had once meant the world to her.

Her heart was hammering and her hands were gripping the strap of her handbag tightly when the private lift dinged and the doors opened on Lex´s floor.

¨Chloe, what an unexpected surprise! What brings you to my doorstep this time? ¨ smirked the billionaire.

¨I´ve watched the press conference. I´m glad you decided to turn them in, ¨ responded the reporter, stepping into the hall.

¨Let me assure you I was tempted not to, ¨said Lex sobered, holding Lilly´s bottle in his hand.

¨What´s important is that you didn´t, ¨she answered quietly, looking at his blanched knuckles.

¨Don´t get your hopes too high, Chloe. I´ll never be a saint like your friend in tights, but at least I´m not a hypocrite. I´ve killed people, Chloe. ¨

¨I told you yesterday I´d understand if you... ¨started Chloe.

¨If I had Dr Emerson killed, ¨Lex cut her off with a wry smile.

¨Did you? ¨she swallowed the lump in her throat.

¨In your heart you know the answer to that, ¨he responded gravely as the baby´s whimpering was heard from the other room. ¨Excuse me, ¨he added, coming into the living room where he had left the baby carrier.

¨May I? ¨she asked when her eyes fell on little Lillian.

¨You want to feed her? ¨responded Lex, observing the faintly-veiled emotion in Chloe´s hazel green orbs.

¨Would you let me? ¨she murmured.

¨Sit down on the sofa, Chloe. I´ll hand her to you, ¨he told her, unfastening the straps which were holding the baby safe.

In the meantime, Chloe divested herself of her jacket and set down the bag on the coffee table, leaving Chance´s daily planner where Lex could see it.

¨Take her head like this, ¨he explained to the blonde reporter as he laid his child in her arms. ¨Have you ever bottle-fed a baby? ¨

¨I promise I won´t drop her, Lex, ¨she smiled softly when she read the parental concern on his face.

¨I know you won´t, ¨he responded, boring his steely blue-grey eyes into hers.

¨Here´s the bottle. Make sure you keep it in this angle so that she doesn´t suck in air, ¨he added, lowering his gaze to see his daughter latch to the tit and suckle with enthusiasm.

¨Poor soul, you were hungry, weren´t you? ¨she murmured warmly. ¨You were right, Lex; she´s beautiful. ¨

¨Well, I´m biased, ¨he smiled, grazing the baby´s cheek with his hand.

¨How could someone want to abandon you? ¨Chloe choked as she focused her eyes on the innocent creature, feeling a sudden empathy with her. ¨Did you know my mum walked out on me and my dad, Lex? ¨

¨Chloe, ¨began the billionaire torn by the pain he saw reflected in her eyes.

¨How bad is it? ¨she cut him off, taking him by surprise.

¨How bad is what? ¨he repeated with a frown.

¨Lilly´s condition. How bad is it? ¨she answered, meeting his suddenly cold eyes. ¨Lex... ¨

¨Why are you here, Chloe? ¨he interrupted her, his body coiled up in tension. ¨What is it that you want? ¨he added bitterly.

¨If people knew you were a victim just like them, then... ¨

¨Then what, Chloe? They´d feel sympathy for me? I don´t want anyone´s pity, and I won´t let you or any ambitious journalist use my daughter to advance his career, ¨he snapped at her, taking care not to raise his voice for the baby and Alex´s sake.

¨Do you think I´d stoop so low? ¨asked Chloe with glassy eyes.

¨No, of course, not, ¨he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¨I´m sorry, Chloe. This is a delicate issue. ¨

¨I understand, Lex. I´m sorry I´ve asked. It´s not my place... ¨

¨She´s deaf- completely deaf. Doctors say no surgery´ll correct her inborn defect, but I´ll never give up trying to find a cure. They wanted to kill her- Lana and Emerson. They´d even scheduled the abortion procedure without consulting me. ¨

¨I´m glad you stopped them in time. She´s lucky to have you as her dad, ¨she whispered, locking her eyes with the placid grey-blue orbs of Lex´s daughter.

¨I don´t know about that. I had one lousy role model. Who´s to say I won´t be as bad he was?¨

¨You won´t, ¨she said passionately.

¨I don´t deserve so much blind faith, Chloe. ¨

¨You love your children, Lex. ¨

¨Sometimes love´s not enough. I´ve got too much baggage, Chloe, and no matter how hard I´ve tried to fight it, I´m still a Luthor. ¨

¨We are who we choose to be, Lex. There´s no thing as predestination. ¨

¨Are you positive about that? ¨ he asked enigmatically as his eyes lowered to the coffee table.

¨Take it. It was Chance´s, ¨ she said calmly, cleaning Lillian´s mouth with the towel he had given her.

¨Why would I be interested in his daily planner? ¨he asked coldly, taking the baby from her arms to help Lilly burp.

¨I thought you might need it for closure. ¨

¨Closure? ¨

¨You might have paid for your wife´s real name to appear on that passenger list and concoct some story to explain the world why she was sitting next to your campaign´s PR representative, but we both know why they were together on that plane. I understand the need for a cover-up to protect your children when they grow up. Don´t dare deny it, Lex; you didn´t do this to salvage your reputation as a candidate to the Senate. Just don´t try to sell me the same lie. You know me better than that. Did you know they had an apartment for their secret rendez-vous? ¨

¨I´m not interested in the sordid details, Chloe, ¨he responded coldly. ¨Let me put her to bed. ¨

¨You knew it, didn´t you? It´s not in your nature to leave stones unturned, ¨she said as he came back to the living room.

¨Why are you doing this, Chloe? ¨he asked with concern in his voice.

¨Because I need to understand, ¨she sobbed, getting up of the sofa.

¨There´s nothing to understand. Take it from someone who´s always looking for answers. We can´t help what´s in our nature. ¨

¨That´s bullshit, Lex. That´s what you tell yourself not to accept the truth, because it hurts. Well, I´ve never hidden behind that excuse to turn down whatever chance to be happy life´s offered me. I can´t pretend not to feel anything... I need to understand ... ¨ she choked, ¨to find out what´s wrong with me. To understand why every man that´s ever meant something to me has ended up with Lana Lang, ¨she finished, the tears welling up in her eyes.

Lex looked at the beautiful woman in front of him and experienced a sudden clench in his gut. They seemed to have gone back in time; he could picture Chloe eleven years younger asking a very similar question. The pain in her voice then had been the result of an adolescent crush turned awry, but what he heard now was the despair of a woman who thought she ´d never be loved.

¨I can´t ask Clark because he´d never want to hurt me. Chance... well, asking him is impracticable. That leaves only one person, ¨she wiped the tears off her face, ¨you, ¨she murmured softly.

Chloe´s words rattled him in a way he´d never thought possible. Could it be he had misread her all those years ago? Could it be for once in his life his feelings for someone hadn´t been unrequited?

¨Lex, say something, ¨she laughed amidst tears.

¨There´s nothing to say, ¨he answered collected, walking to the wet bar to
pour himself a drink.

¨You´re the only one who´d tell me the truth without sugar-coating it, Lex. Why did you turn me down that summer? I know you felt something for me. Why did you throw it away and start pursuing Lana?¨

¨I can´t give you the answer you want, Chloe, ¨he responded, controlling the tremor in his voice behind a snifter.

¨What was it she had that I don´t? ¨she asked with anguish in her voice.

¨Don´t do this to yourself, Chloe. ¨

¨Tell me, ¨she insisted, grabbing him by the arm.

¨I´m not doing this, ¨he said through gritted teeth.

¨Lex, ¨she pleaded him.

¨Stop torturing yourself. Lana could never hold a candle to you. Chance and Clark were stupidly blind. ¨

¨Does that make you stupid as well? ¨she said with the ghost of a smile.

¨There´s nothing wrong with you, Chloe. I count myself lucky to have had you in my life all those years ago. As to my being stupid... it´s one way to see it. It wasn´t my intention to hurt you, Chloe, ¨he responded emotionally, placing both his hands on her shoulders- a gesture which reminded her of the morning she went to him and he promised to protect her from his dad. ¨I´m sorry. If I had known... ¨ he swallowed the lump in his throat.

¨Would you have acted differently if you had believed me instead of arriving at the conclusion I was just offering you consolation out of pity? ¨

¨Maybe not, ¨he confessed. ¨Everything I did was just to protect you. ¨

¨From whom? Your dad? ¨

¨You deserved better. You still do.¨

¨Deserving has nothing to do with it. Why did you marry Lana? If there was someone who knew what she was like, it had to be you. You were a worldly man and we were just a bunch of immature kids. ¨

¨I recognised myself in her. ¨

¨You chose her to be your wife out of a twisted need for punishment? ¨

¨There was a time I thought I loved her. I believed if someone could love me, it had to be her. ¨

¨For all your cockiness, you surely have one low self-esteem. You should stop this nonsense of being undeserving. Screw your dad!¨ exclaimed Chloe, thinking how ironic it was to be the one speaking to him about feeling insecure. ¨Lana Lang could have never loved anyone but herself, Lex. She was the most self-centred human being I have ever had the misfortune to meet. You, on the other hand..... you´re a walking contradiction. Half the times I don´t know what to make of you. You´ve done many questionable deeds in your life, still... You used to be there when we needed you without expecting anything in return.¨

¨Don´t try to pass me as a selfless philanthropist, Chloe. ¨

¨I know you aren´t Mother Theresa, but you shouldn´t deny that part of you
I know it still exists. ¨

¨You´re talking about a time in my life when I thought things could be different. A lot of water´s run under the bridge. ¨

¨You can be selfless, Lex. I´ve seen you with your kids, remember? ¨

¨Even monsters can be good to their children. ¨

¨That sounds like something Clark would say. Are you trying to scare me away, Lex? Because, if that´s the case, I´ve got news for you: I´m not giving up on you. ¨

¨What about Clark? ¨

¨Clark can sometimes be too much like his old dad. ¨

¨Do you understand the cost of being around me, Chloe? Are you ready to be looked down on or openly hated? Many people would stop talking to you. Your objectivity would be questioned. ¨

¨If people can´t see what I do... screw them. You´ll prove them wrong. ¨

¨You´re being naïve, Chloe, if you think I can change or that the world will suddenly approve of someone whose surname they´ve hated for decades. ¨

¨We aren´t our parents, Lex. The fact that my mum walked out on me doesn´t mean I´ll repeat the pattern with my own kids. Your father having abused you for kicks doesn´t mean you´ll be a parent like him with Alex and Lilly- you aren´t, and that proves there´s still goodness in you. Don´t turn down the chance to be happy. ¨

¨I don´t know what happiness means, Chloe. I wish I could learn for my children´s sake. They deserve much more than what they´ve had so far. ¨

¨Let me teach you then. Give our friendship another chance, Lex, before it´s too late. Regardless of what you or the world might think, you aren´t lost yet. ¨

¨It won´t be easy, Chloe. ¨

¨Nothing´s ever come easy in our lives, but I´m willing to try if you are. Friends? ¨

¨I hope I won´t regret this, ¨he responded, taking her warm hand in his.

¨Your worries show you´ll make your best not to let me regret it, Lex, ¨she smiled, holding his steely blue-grey eyes.

¨Thanks for your vote of confidence, Chloe. It means a lot to me. ¨

¨You´re deserving, Lex. Don´t let anyone make you believe the contrary. ¨

¨You should listen to your own words of advice, Chloe, ¨ he smirked.

¨I promise I´ll work on it too, ¨she beamed.

The skies, which had been overcast when Chloe had driven away from Clark and Lois´ house, were starting to clear. There were still some black clouds looming on the horizon, but the sunrays were fighting their way through. Although Chloe was aware they had an arduous battle ahead, she had faith it´d be worth it. Lex would still be the complex contradictory man she had met all those years ago, but she´d at least get the satisfaction of knowing she could make a difference in somebody´s life.

Gabe had been an extraordinary, loving father to Chloe but she had missed a mother figure growing up. Seeing Lilly so small and defenceless- abandoned by her mother just as she had been- and so dependant on a father who had always been hungry for affection, touched a cord in Chloe´s heart. The reporter hoped she could bring some light into the lives of Lex´s children too.

Chloe experienced the need to be needed for her own sake, for reasons other than her research and computer skills, and she felt this would be as much Lex´s chance to be happy as hers. He had accepted her back in his life, and she had let him enter hers again with open eyes, ready to embrace both his darkness and his light. What was still good in him was struggling to survive and Chloe promised herself she´d make sure it stood a chance. They were friends again. Only time would tell if they had ever been destined to be something more.

THE END

Read the sequel, Rebuilding.

Find a downloadable PDF version on my master list.