21. Christmas is the time of year when we all long to have family close.
Lex looked at the small hand, clutched tightly in his own. It was amazing how delicate she seemed once she was quiet and still. A state that happened so rarely that it was no wonder those words were so infrequently used in connection with Chloe Sullivan.
Of course, he knew that the fragility he sensed at that moment was merely an illusion. After all, this was the woman who, according to his security team, rushed to Metropolis at speeds nearing one hundred miles per hour. Then snuck into a facility which she knew was the site of an active robbery. She heckled their kidnapper; eluded armed thugs to escape with him; and last, but never, ever least, pushed him from the path of an oncoming car, saving him from probable death.
If there was one thing Chloe Sullivan would never be, it was fragile.
And, amazingly, that didn’t seem to be limited to her remarkable spirit. Although she had yet to regain consciousness, her CT scan had come back completely normal, and the only injury her x-rays had shown was her dislocated, left shoulder.
He’d never believed in Christmas miracles, but if Chloe would just wake up, Lex swore that he’d set out milk and cookies for Santa every year.
Reaching over to gently brush some stray hair from her face he told her, “You are so incredible, Chloe Sullivan. No one has ever been there for me the way that you have; done the things you’ve done for me.”
A pained look crossed his face as he thought about the last few months and how he’d tried so hard to push her away. How he had ignored her and focused on Lana.
“I’m so sorry I’ve been such a fool. I’ve wasted so much time with things that were never important compared to you; to us.”
He bowed his head and rested it on their joined hands as he confessed to her, “I love you. I love you so much, and if anything happened to you, Chloe, I’m not at all sure what I’d do.”
“You better mean that, Lex Luthor,” came the raspy reply. “Because if that’s just some kind of misplaced guilt talking then I will hunt you down and hurt you.”
His head shot up at the sound of her voice, and Lex was momentarily stunned at the site of her bright green eyes. Regaining his wits, he processed what she’d said and promised her, “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
Chloe sighed as her eyes slid shut once more.
“Oh, thank God; because I am insanely in love with you, too.”
And the last of the tension in Lex’s chest broke. It had been so long since he had really felt truly loved; felt like he was even capable of eliciting that emotion. But to have some like Chloe love him; someone so good, so strong, so utterly amazing, it was more than he’d ever dreamed of, and so much more than he felt he deserved.
Although he’d never tell her that. Chloe was, above all else, unbelievably loyal. She’d never let anyone disparage him. Not even himself.
Lex smiled at that thought. Being taken care of, protected…he could get used to that.
Unable to hold back for one more second, he leaned down and captured Chloe’s lips, desperate to feel her; to reaffirm that she was really whole and had truly come back to him.
Chloe closed her eyes as Lex’s lips moved over hers. She couldn’t believe how far they’d come in such a short time. She was so sure that he might be falling under Lana’s spell that to find out that it was her that he loved made her head spin.
She had a thousand and one questions to ask Lex about what had happened to Henderson and how they’d come through alright, but at that moment everything faded away except Lex and the way that he made her feel; both her body and her heart.
For as much as she genuinely believed in herself and her worth as a person, it seemed as if she was never anyone’s first choice. To know that Lex was choosing her; that he loved her with the deep intensity that she’d seen in her eyes, it was everything to her.
Her hand moved to the back of Lex’s head and she gently ran her fingertips over the taught skin, delighted to feel him shudder in response. She pulled him closer, wanting - needing to feel more of him.
Lex groaned as he felt Chloe pull him to her. He’d tired to hold back, not wanting to hurt her when she’d just woken up, but feeling her deepen the kiss, he couldn’t help but reciprocate with an ever growing fervor.
However, their moment of passion was destined to die an untimely death as a loud cough sounded from the doorway. Pulling apart, Lex saw Chloe glance over his shoulder at the intruder and let out an endearing little squeak. But all thoughts of her unquestionable cuteness were wiped away at the single word she uttered.
“Daddy?”
TBC
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