Deep in the Heart - R

[Blaire]

Rating: R/ COMPLETE ANGST
Title: Deep in the Heart
Author: Blaire
Disclaimer: Oh, don't even try it, you know I don't own SV or it's
characters.
Pairing: Chloe, Lex/Other
A/N: Don't ask where this came from, I honestly don't have a clue,
but I had to get it out. The title of the fic comes froma Save Ferris
song. Don't own anything that has to do with that either.
Archival: Go ahead, you don't have to ask.

Chapter 1: Gone

Chloe leveled the bags in her arms evenly as she knocked her elbow up
against the door to her apartment, "Joey, baby, let mama in."

No answer. Chloe furrowed her brow. It was her lunch hour and the
beginning of summer vacation, she had decided to do a little grocery
shopping and spend an hour or so with her son. "Joey." She repeated
sternly.

Joey was only 9, but he was a latchkey kid, considering they lived in
an upscale apartment complex with tighter security than Fort Knox, she
had never thought him unable to stay alone for a few hours. "Joseph
Sullivan, open the door this instance!" Gritting her teeth, Chloe
silently swore under her breath. "Jesus, do I have to do everything
myself?" Plopping the bags down heavily on the hard marble floor of
the hallway she rummaged blindly through her purse for her keys. As
her fingers skimmed across them they jangled, alerting her of their
whereabouts. "Gotcha!" She smiled triumphantly.

The smile soon faded as she inserted the key and turned the knob only
to find it was unlocked. "Joey?" Her hushed voice filled with fear.
She pushed open the door, dragging the brown bags behind her as she
leaned over slightly. "Joey?" Her voice rose a notch.

A darkness swept over her as she took in her surroundings. The coffee
table overturned, the tv lay on it's side, the window open to the fire
escape. "Oh, God." Her hands flew to her mouth as she walked quietly
and slowly into the room. "Joey?" Her voice a choked whisper she
frantically ran down the hall to his room throwing open all doors on
her way. "Oh, my god. Oh, my God." Her mantra spilled from her
mouth repeatedly as she felt her earlier meal creep up on her.

Chloe picked up the phone from the floor, the charger somewhere under
the kitchen table. "911, emergency dispatch, how can I help you?"

"I think my son has been kidnapped." Chloe's eyes overflowed with
tears.

"I'm sorry ma'am, can you repeat that? We need to know your name."
The room spun in all directions and she felt her knees go weak.

"Chloe Sullivan, my name is Chloe Sullivan." After rambling off her
address and the dispatch telling her to stay on the line, Chloe hung
up. She had to tell him. He needed to know. Because if anyone had
the capability of getting her son back, he did.

Chloe stared down at the phone in her hand. It had been years since
she'd spoken to him. 5 to be exact. Joey had been nearing his fifth
birthday when the divorce was finalized. As if surged with an
electric shock, her fingertips itched and she quickly dialed out the
number.

"Luthor." The answer of the phone is not what chilled her bones, it
was the female voice answering his personal line.

"Lex, please." Chloe barely contained the urgency in her voice.

"He's busy," the voice suddenly broke into a bout of giggles
indicating what exactly had been interupted. "right now, can I take a
message?"

"No, you can not take a message," her blood boiled and her teeth
clenched tighter. "I need to speak with Lex and I need to speak with
him now!" Her voice boomed through the receiver and the woman on the
other end hissed back.

"I said he was busy, call someone else."

Chloe pulled the phone away from her ear as the dial tone sounded off.
"Bitch." She threw the offending peice across the room and the
impact with the wall shattered it into peices. Rocking slowly back
and forth she jumped, startled at the knock on her door as it silently
pushed open.

"Chloe Sullivan?" Chloe looked up at the blue uniforms walking into
her apartment. "Miss Sullivan, can you tell us what happened?"

*~*

"Did you get a name?" Lex bit his wife's ear playfully.

"No, some woman, you aren't cheating on me now, are you?" She winked
casually but Lex could see the tension in her features, the way her
body momentarily stiffened at his touch.

"Now, now, what makes you think that?" His lips were on her skin once
again and all coherent thought escaped her.

"Mmmm, cuz you did it to your first wife." Her reply was small but
hit Lex like a ton of bricks. He pulled back, assessing her with his
eyes sharply.

"I did not cheat on any of my wives." He stood up causing his wife,
Veronica, to fall to the floor from his lap. "You know damn well,
I've always been faithful."

Veronica grinned and fixed her clothes as she walked over to him.
"Yes, well, you weren't exactly divorced for our first time in Reno,
were you?" Lex went completely cold, it had been two days after he
had filed for divorce. Paternity tests of their four year old son had
come back to them negative. She had cheated on him. It was only fair
for him to pay back.

"I suppose you're right." Lex shrugged and turned to sit back at his
desk. "Do you have any idea who it was?"

"God, Lex, just star 69 the number if you're that worried about it."
She stomped from the room and Lex sighed heavily, picking up the phone
and listening to the recording of the phone number that had just
contacted him. Same area code as his, but the number wasn't at all
familiar. He jotted the number down on the pad of paper in front of
him. Staring at it he struggled internally on whether or not to
return the call, fingers steepled together in front of him. Just as
his hand reached for the receiver his butler burst through the door.

"Adams, what the hell is the meaning of this?" Lex's voice boomed in
his office, despite the growing migraine in his left temple.

"Your ex wife is on the main line, sir, it's urgent." Adams stood
completely still and Lex stared at him blankly. When the butler
didn't elaborate, Lex motioned with his hands.

"Would you care to be more specific, I do have more than one exwife as
you well know." Lex sat back coolly until the answer was revealed.

"It's Miss Chloe." Lex's eyes shot to the phone beside him as the
first light blinked. He retrieved it quickly.

"Lex here." Attempting to stamp down the emotion he felt, she hadn't
contacted him in five years. The last time he'd seen her in person
had been at Lana and Pete's wedding, and that was briefly. It had
also been a week after the divorce had been finalized.

"Lex!" her voice broke over the airwaves in a relieved sob. "I've
been trying to call."

"Yes, Chloe, I apologize for Veronica's behavior."

She shuddered on the other line and the male voice in the background
had Lex's senses on full alert. "Lex." She whispered.
"I...ummm...I...."

"Chloe, please, I have a meeting in a few minutes if you could just
spit it out." The harsh tone of his voice made him cringe and close
his eyes as it made her freeze.

Calmly collecting herself Chloe cleared her throat. "Sorry, Lex, umm,
stupid me, it was just a misunderstanding, everything's fine." With
that she hung up the phone quickly. Staring down at it, tears that
had painfully halted now rushed forth again. Now her son wasn't only
gone, but his father didn't have the heart to give her the time of
day. Rocking slowly once again the phone rang and she shook her head
at it. Picking it up quickly as a few uniformed officer's watched it
ring for the fifth time she spoke quickly. "Not now, Lex." And hung
up. 'Not now, not ever.'

Chapter 2: Wait, there's more...

Lex stared at the phone as the dial tone hummed consistently in his
ear. "What the @#%$?" He swore under his breath as Veronica burst
through the door to his office. Suitcase wheeling in behind her.

"I'm leaving for Bali." Lex nodded a reply and didn't look up at her.
"Lex?"

His eyes peeled away from the phone to stare at her white on white
casual suit, her expensive shoes, her matching handbag, her long wavy
dark hair. A repeat of his name brought him back to reality. "Huh?"

With a disgusted sigh she turned and dragged her suitcase with her
down the hall. Lex slumped back into his seat. Chloe had to be in
some type of trouble, there was no way she'd come that close to asking
for his help without there being a reason. Picking up the phone once
again he rang information and jotted down the corresponding address
that belonged to the phone number.

*~*

Chloe's eyes darted around the room, from her position on the floor
she mostly saw the destruction and chaos from whoever had been here.
"Ma'am, we're just dusting for prints and then we'd like a statement."
She nodded once and leaned back against the wall, her chin rest on
top of her knees, her legs pulled up to her chest. Arms hugging her
tightly around her shins she looked back down at the phone. No matter
how much she was going to regret it, if she couldn't get Lex's help,
there was only one other man who could aide her. It had to be Superman.

Chloe leaned over slightly to reach for the phone when a large figure
stepped into the apartment and the curses coming from the uniforms
informed her that there may not be any need for Clark afterall. She
was pretty sure if she looked up at the shadow casting over her, it
would be her exhusband. Tears rolled down her cheeks as he squatted
low to the ground in front of her. "Chloe." His voice formal enough
to chill her blood she closed her eyes tightly.

"I told you to forget it." She made the move to stand only to feel
his hands on her elbows, assisting her to an upright position.

"Where's Joey?" Lex's eyes seemed to burrow straight into hers,
turning away quickly, the chief of police came up beside them.

"Mr. Luthor," He gave a curt nod to the billionaire. "Miss Sullivan,
there seems to have been a bit of a struggly, obviously from the
overturned furniture. There is also a tiny amount of blood, we need
to know if your son has had any cuts or nosebleeds that the blood by
the couch may have been from."

Chloe wavered back and forth, blinking slowly, light, dark, light,
dark, she felt a pair of hands shaking her at her shoulders as her
gaze focused back on Lex. "N...No, I don't recall him hurting himself
lately." The officer nodded in reply and left them to their own.

"What happened Chloe?" Lex's voice seemed to have raised an octave
and she shook her head at his tone of voice.

"It's nothing that concerns you." Her reply stung him, although Joey
hadn't been his son, he had raised him as he was. Considering he'd be
ten soon, and Lex was yet to see a recent picture of him...his
thoughts interupted by the sound of a female officer.

"Ma'am, We've confirmed your suspicion of a kidnapping, and we'd like
to collect any recent photographs you may have of your son." Chloe
immediately broke free of Lex's grasp and led the two through the
hallway and into the master suite. Lex stilled as he entered her
bedroom. It looked as if some part of Chloe had erupted in her room.
It was filled with vibrant colors and patterns, nothing like what
their bedroom had projected. Their bedroom had been dark, royal
colors. Reds, blue's, purple's, black's. This was the complete
opposite, and it served to remind him of the part of Chloe he had
fallen in love with back in Smallville so many years ago.

Chloe pulled the photo album from the bookcase and sat it down on the
bed. Opening it, it had started off from the first day they moved
into the apartment. The first day of the rest of their life without
Lex. She flipped to the back couple of pages, the most recent one, an
Easter picture where he was dressed handsomly in a dark grey suit.
Lex studied the picture over the officer's shoulder as Chloe ran a
finger over her son's face.

His head shaved, his blue eyes startling. His posture, the slight
sneer on his face. He looked exactly like Lex. The officer glanced
up out of the corner of her eye, she had obviously made the same
connection. Lex let a slip of an uneasy breath out and tore his eyes
away from the angelic face on the picture, to that of his exwife.
Chloe's gaze met his steadily. She handed the picture over to Lex.
"Keep it." She sighed and placed it in his hands. She then turned
her head away from him to look at the officer. "I have more of that
one." The officer seemed to nod her approval in a reassuring fashion
and Chloe walked back over to the bookcase and pulled down a shoebox,
decorated in pictures of her and Joey. She tore off the lid and flung
it onto the bed before dumping the box upside down. Several stacks of
pictures, bound together by rubberbands plopped down onto the comfortor.

"These are the most recent." She picked up a stack and handed them
over to the cop. "His hair isn't quite that short, he's a natural
blonde." She exited the bedroom feeling claustrophobic. She needed
air, and fast.

Lex followed her from the bedroom and out into the hallway, a few of
her neighbors glancing down the hall to the open door nervously.
"He's mine, isn't he?" Lex's voice tired and unrelenting, she
trembled slightly.

"I told you that already." She turned from him and took in a deep,
lung shattering breath. A cop noticed it and offered her a cigarette
which she gladly accepted. After lighting it for her she moved to the
open window at the end of the hall. Leaning against the wall, her
cigarette dangling from between her lips she stared down at the
bustling street beneath them.

"The tests said..." before his shaky voice finished the sentence she
cut him off.

"Your father administered those tests, Lex. You knew he did. You
knew he hated me too." Her eyes searched his and her fingers brought
the cigarette from her mouth after a long heavy drag and expelling it
from her lungs with a sigh.

"I had no reason not to trust my father. We were business partners."
Chloe snorted in disbelief as her eyes roamed the streets below.
Down there somewhere, her little boy was being held against his will.

"If it makes you feel any better, I knew about Veronica. Your father
sent me the pictures a few days after I recieved the divorce papers."
She snubbed the cigarette out on the window sill, not caring that the
oak frame of the window was most likely ruined. "That's why I didn't
fight in court. I didn't care anymore." She turned to look up at him
and a look of relief swept her face as she heard her very informal
name called from the opposite end of the hallway. Lex turned as he
heard two high pitched shrieks of laughter call out "Mama."

The red heads bounded with delight out of an elderly ladies grasp and
latched onto her legs. Chloe's eyes met his wearily. "Oh, by the
way...this is Lily and Lizzie."

Lex's eyes drank in their features. They looked exactly like Chloe,
except for the strawberry blonde locks hanging loosely around their
faces. "How old are they?" His voice nearly croaked and she stared
at him. Chloe's eyes burned into his. "They'll be five next month."
her hand ran smoothly through one head of hair, cut in a short bob,
hanging to her shoulders. A finger of the other hand wrapped a long
wavy tendril of red around itself.

Lex stared back at her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

His blue eyes sparkled with something akin to disappointment and
anger. Yet the unshed tears he blinked back told her much more
emotion resided there. "We didn't end things on a good note, and I
didn't find out I was pregnant until a few days after Lana and Pete's
wedding."

Lex nodded solemnly as an elderly woman walked up behind them. "Come
now, angels, lets get something to snack on." Lex watched as the
girls were led, hand in hand, to an apartment at the end of the hall
where they had started running from earlier.

"You should have told me." He quietly warned her in what appeared to
be a most nonthreatening way.

"You should have believed me about our son." Pushing her way past him
back to her apartment she gulped in a shaky breath. 'Now that that's
done with.'

Chapter 3: Wrong Move

Upon returning to her apartment after dispelling the rest of her life
onto Lex, which held not much more than the children she had raised
for the last five years alone, the police chief gave her a weary look.
"Ma'am, we have a photograph, and we've collected as much evidence as
we could find." His faultered voice caught in her own throat, she
leaned back against the counter, seperating the kitchen from the
formal living room.

"And?" Lex motioned for him to continue, his impatience obviously
displeasing the officer in front of him if the frown that marred the
older man's features told anything.

"We don't have any fingerprints. Not even yours, Miss Sullivan."
Chloe gulped, she hadn't dusted since the weekend, there should have
been something, some thin layer of dust residing somewhere in the
confines of what she was coming to think of as her own personal hell.

"You mean someone took the time to clean?" Her eyes roamed the living
room and darted quickly over to the window before lightly pressing her
eyelids in with her fingers. Small patterns floated in absolute
darkness as Lex's question bounced back and forth across her mind.
Someone was in her home long enough to have cleaned. Was it before or
after they had kidnapped her little boy? When was is, and would she
have made it home in time if she hadn't stopped at the store? So many
unanswered questions haunted her. Joey's voice stuck in the thickest,
this morning before kissing her goodbye for the day he had told her he
loved her. He had asked her to stay home with him, take the him and
his sister's to the zoo. Chloe shuddered and felt a strong familiar
arm wrap around her.

Her head turned and burried into familiar fabric and she breathed in
deeply before an earth shattering sob escaped her lips. "Max." She
cried evenly as the young man ran his hands up and down her back
shushing her with a soft, tentative voice.

"It's okay, baby, let it out." His voice soothed her and she pulled
back, but not completely out of the strong hold he had on her, to look
into deep green eyes. Lex cleared his throat and she leaned her cheek
against a firmly toned chest before turning her eyes on his bluish
grey ones, hinting at a touch of hurt.

"Lex, this is Max, Max, my exhusband, Lex." Max let one arm fall from
his hold on her and he shook hands with Lex briefly.

"Max, I'm a family friend." His voice smooth and calming Chloe shut
her eyes breifly.

"Mr. Luthor." The female officer who had collected the pictures
earlier turned up at their sides. "Would you also like to make a
statement?"

Lex looked at her in disbelief. "I'd like to offer a reward, if
that's okay." He looked over at Chloe, who's eyes had narrowed
conceivably and then cursed himself for even mentioning it.

"Lex, you can't put a price on my son's life." Her voice biting and sour.

"He's my son, too, Chloe." Chloe's posture went rigid as she stepped
back from Max. She appeared as though she were ready to go into battle.

"No, Lex, when you divorced me and cut all contact with him, you took
your rights as a father and shoved them up your own ass. Lex, you
can't do this. These people may not even think you're his father."
She had a valid point, and if they didn't know, then he could be
placing the boy in more harm's way. Just then the twins noisily
entered the room and Chloe pushed past the crowd of blue uniforms to
get to her daughters.

Lily was the first to speak. "Mommy? Why are all the policey men
here?" Her blue eyes stared into Chloe's and she sank to the floor to
scoop both children into a tight hug.

"There was an accident of sorts, babies. Joey's lost and the nice
police are going to help us find him." Lizzie merely nodded before
her eyes peered over her mother's shoulder and fixed intently on Lex's
eyes.

"Who's that man?" Lizzie's eyes narrowed as Chloe's had earlier,
loose ringlets swayed about her face as she whipped her head around to
look at Chloe.

"That's Mr. Luthor, honey." Chloe motioned with a hand for Lex to
come over, her followed and stooped beside them.

"He looks like Joey." Lily whispered and Lizzie silently nodded her
agreement. "And he's bald." She said quiet enough to where only the
four of them heard. Lex let out a startled laugh.

"Yes, I am." His grin weakened into a slight smirk. "I was
wondering...do you two want to play a game with me?" His voice hushed
and Chloe eyed him suspiciously, her grip on them tightened
considerably. They nodded slowly, both sets of eyes curiously taking
in his demeanor. "I was hoping we could play Simon says. Would you
like that?" His eyes searched theirs for any sign of admittance into
their hearts. He hadn't been there for Joey, and he hadn't been there
for these two lovely young ladies in front of him, curled comfortably
in his exwife's arms. They looked up at Chloe and she let a worried
grin play at her lips before nodding and fixing her eyes in a steel
cold glare at Lex.

The nodded and held their hands out to him, he led them down the
hallway and into the only room he knew in their home. Chloe's
bedroom. Seconds after disappearing down the hallway she heard Lex's
laughter ring through with both of the girls' laughter and shook her
head slowly. It was too surreal. Happening too fast.

And then arms were around her pulling her up with them. "Chloe." His
voice smoothing over the rough edges. "Everything will be okay."

Chloe burried her face into her neighbor's chest and swallowed
tightly. Max had been nothing more than a companion to her when she
wanted to vent. A journalism student himself, and a few years younger
than Chloe, he has always been there to lend a helping hand. Nothing
had passed the bridge from friendship to romance between them, which
made her even more comfortable in his arms. His stroke of her arms
putting her at complete ease as police filed from her house. A
television, lamp, endtable and the blood specked curtains from her
window leading to the fire escape were ushered out of the room with
the last few badges.

Max led her to the sofa where she dumped her body onto it. "Are you
thirsty?" His calming action made her jump.

"A little, yeah."

max grinned and focused on the kitchen and everything being in it's
place. "So is he back to stay for good?"

Chloe sighed and rubbed her temples with her index and middle finger
of each hand. "No, he's remarried." Max's eyebrow arched as he set
the glass of icewater down on a coaster and hovered above her still.

"He moved on that fast? Jesus, Chloe, you haven't even been on a date
since your divorce." Chloe's shoulders slumped further into the
brushed leather of the couch and sipped gently at the cold force meant
to waken her up.

Lex leaned in the doorway of the bedroom, listening as Max made
smalltalk with Chloe. Anything between them seemed harmless enough.
And then he heard the comment of her being single, still. His eyes
widened slightly and he turned to where both girls were completely
spent, laying on top of the comforter of Chloe's bed. Their eyes shut
softly and their breathing evened out. As he took in their appearance
one more time, he had to smile as Lizzie's hand held onto Lily's for
dear life. 'I think I could get used to this.'

Slowly he made his way to the living room where Max's arm was draped
carelessly across the back of the couch behind Chloe. 'That, I'm not
so sure about.'

[Blaire]

Chapter 4: Memories...

Max turned his head and saw Lex watching from the
hall, Chloe's head rest against his shoulder as they
sat side by side on the couch. Slowly his lips
quirked upwards and with eyes still watching Lex he
let his lips touch base on her forehead. Stormy blue
eyes narrowed sharply as Lex watched the young man
provide Chloe with the comfort she had once turned to
him for. "I should probably get going." Max's voice
broke upon the room. Chloe lifted her head to look up
at the man beside her.

"Thanks, Max. You've been wonderful." She smiled
wearily at him and gasped as his lips brushed against
hers. Was that supposed to be friendly? Her mind
sped as thoughts of what the hell he was doing shot
through her endlessly. His lips hardened on hers and
her eyes shot a panicked look to Lex's figure leaning
in the hallway. With one look from her Lex stepped
forward and rest a hand on the man's shoulder,
squeezing the muscle underneath with just the hint
that it was time for him to go....NOW.

Max shrugged his hand off and stood. Chloe's hand
felt her lips in awe. "What the @#%$ was that?" Her
voice carried low and undertoned with every inch of
hostility she felt growing deep inside her. "Max."
She shook her head and then realized Lex was holding
the door open for him. Her eyes darted from Max's to
those familiar ones of her exhusbands. "Goodnight,
Max." The absolute feral comment dripped from Lex's
tongue as Max smiled at Chloe and stepped out the
door. Turning to say his goodnights he was met by the
door slamming against his nose.

Chloe's confused, deer-in-headlight, eyes searched
Lex's. "I have no idea..." She shook her head
slightly, her eyes still connected to his across the
room. "I don't know what got into him." Suddenly not
caring about what had just happened and the
realization of her son, her only son being taken from
the comfort of their own home, she began to berate
herself. Here she was confused and appalled at a pass
made on her by her neighbor, yet her son was out there
somewhere with god only who knew and her stomach
rolled as she felt the uneasiness of the whole day
settle into her. "I think." Her hand covered her
mouth as she flew from the couch to the kitchen and
threw up stuff she hadn't even realized she had
consumed. Lex came up behind her, pressing his cold
hands to the back of her neck.

"I, can't...Lex." His name rolled off her tongue as
she collapsed onto the floor and sobbed as hard as she
could into her hands. Lex knelt beside her, he had
been biting his tongue in the presence of company, but
now, he had no choice but to console her with
meaningless words. His hand ran through her hair as
it landed on her nape once again and he pulled her to
him. "Shhhh." He whispered things into her hair that
weren't quite audible, and his low soothing voice
controlled her emotions as she settled against him.
"It's okay, baby." His term of endearment had her at
an undecision, not sure if she should stiffen in his
embrace or pretend as though nothing had ever gone
wrong in their lives. As if she could rewind five
years and do things differently. As her inner voice
attempted at advising her to move away quickly, the
shrill ring of her phone made her jump back.

She stood quickly, Lex following closely as she
reached the phone and the reciever was pressed close
to her ear. "Hello." Control overrode her, from
being a Luthor for half of a decade, she still had a
few tricks up her sleeves. Surprise was only evident
in her gut as her voice took on an unemotional tone.

"Miss Sullivan." A low steady voice captured the
hairs on the back of her neck and she stilled at Lex's
hand on the small of her back.

"This is she." Lex's brow furrowed as his hand
dropped from it's resting place and he moved beside
her, to take in her outward appearance.

"Are you ready to meet some of my demands?" The
masculine voice had her hooked.

"Depends." She was playing hardball with an absolute
psychopath, as all that she knew, and Lex's eyes on
her nearly broke her resolute composure.

"I really don't think you are in any position to make
deals, Miss Sullivan." A noise carried over through
the phone and the sharp sound of glass broke on the
other end. "Your son, Chloe, he's quite the fighter."
The man muttered as Chloe sank down onto the
coffeetable. Her eyes closed breifly until she felt
hands on her shoulders, easing the knots away slowly.
Leaning slightly into the all too familiar feeling she
had to remember one thing, there wasn't a chance her
and Lex would ever be what they one time were. He was
a married man. No matter how much she wanted to
change that. "Miss Sullivan." A rather impatient
tone carried over.

"Yes."

"Do we agree that you will meet my demands."

Tired and hurting and wanting just to curl up in the
past, have strong reassuring arms wrap around her as
they had so many times before. "Anything." She
sighed in agreement.

"Good, now, I'd like to know how exactly Lex Luthor
fits into your life."

"I don't see how his involvement in my life is of any
concern to meeting your demands." Her voice stern and
hard, Lex dropped his hands and took a seat on the
couch, watching her back as the tension was ever so
present thorughout her body.

"Well, Miss Sullivan, that's where I should make
myself clearer. I want you to deliver 50 million
dollars to me."

"Done." Chloe's voice held a bout of confidence. She
would get the money, she could get the money, but she
knew the only person she couldn't turn to was the man
sitting behind her.

"Perfect. You have 24 hours to make the drop. I'll
call you back in the morning with the details." The
phone disconnected and Chloe stared down at it in her
hand.

"That's it?" The anger she felt bubble deep inside
her, finally won over and seconds later the offending
object connected with the wall.

"Chloe." Lex's hand was on her elbow and he pulled
her towards him. She turned on the coffee table and
stared back at his concerned eyes. Worry lines
clearly etched where there were usually none present.
"What do they want?"

Chloe let him pull her over on to the couch and she
tucked her feet in beneath her leaning back, her eyes
closed against the stillness of the room. Her heart
pounded at a steady rythym and she could only faintly
hear her own breathing as her head pounded through her
ears.

"Fifty million."

Lex shook his head and pulled her closer to him,
tucking her into his side. "That's fine." Chloe
stiffened as she realized he was going to pay it and
she leaned her head back to look up at him. His money
wasn't welcome and he could see that. "You weren't
going to ask me for it, were you?"

Chloe leaned back into his side. "No, I have a friend
I can get a loan from."

"Anyone I know?" Sounding more like a sigh and that
he was already pretty sure where she'd be getting the
money.

"Probably." His lips touched the top of her head and
she relaxed further into him.

"You three can stay at the penthouse, Chloe, I'd like
you to."

She shook her head solemnly. "Somehow I don't think
your wife would appreciate the company, and I want to
be here in case anything else happens."

"Are you going to keep the girls here with you?"

She shook her head again. "No. I'll call my father
and they'll be safe with him back in Smallville."

Lex nodded in agreement. There was a long pause, it
surprised Chloe how comfortable she was to sit with
him after all these years of being apart.

"What are you thinking?" Lex's voice cut through her
peaceful thoughts of their past.

"The past."

"Me, too."

"I don't hate you." She suddenly felt the need to lay
it all out there, hoping that it sounded like she
actually meant it, which she didn't.

"Yes, you do." Lex sighed and bowed his head to lock
his eyes with her. "And I don't blame you."

Her gaze stilled at his lips and she tentatively
brushed hers against them. She had wondered what it
would feel like after so long. His lips stayed soft
and pliable as her eyes fluttered close and she
deepened the kiss.

Lex's arms were around her in one swift move and she
was pulled onto his lap. Her hands on either side of
his face, she directed his head to tilt as her tongue
slid against his. His arms tightened around her waist
pulling her hard against him.

It felt too right. After all this time, there was
still the chemistry she remembered. She felt at ease
in his arms. It reminded her of the times they spent
laughing and smiling, it reminded her of the first
time she kissed him. The first move she'd made on
him.

She knew she may not have him for long. She knew it
wouldn't work between them. But for tonight, she
needed him, and tonight, she would have him.

Chapter 5: Demands...

Lex hissed her name as her lips wet a path from his ear to his jugular. She sat back and looked at him. "I missed you." Her fingertips trailed a sensual trail across his cheekbone down to his chin. He opened his mouth, she placed her fingers over his parted lips. "Just, just let me." He nodded and she removed her fingers, her lips meeting his softly. Lex's hands gripped onto her hips and loosened, each time grinding her into his aroused state. Chloe sighed onto his lips and ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders.

her left hand then proceeded back down his chest, over his stomach and pulled the belt quickly from its buckled place. Once her hand was inside his pants Lex's breathing shallowed and she squeezed tightly, turning her wrist as she stroked his length. Lex's eyes shut tight, knowing it was wrong, and that he shouldn't be doing this. But her touch sent a spark quickly shooting to his spine and up his sternum, resting comfortably in his heart. All too familiar hands, heating his body. It wasn't until he felt her lips wrap around him, that he gasp. His eyes opened wide and his hands rest on the back of her head. He could die right now, and be a happy man.

Lex gasped her name as he came in her mouth, her throat working diligently as she swallowed every last drop of him. Licking her lips, she gently tucked him back into his pants and zipped him up.

The pained look on his face had her smile up at him. "Don't worry, I won't make a habit out of it." he nodded in acceptance, figuring it had to do with being in control. She resumed her position beside him and curled into his arms, he held her tight, knowing that she needed the reassurance that he wasn't going to leave her just yet. Within minutes she was sound asleep and he let his eyes focus on everything in the room, from one peice of furniture to another. His gaze ended on the window.

It was early morning when she woke from the phone. It's remnants somehow peiced back together and placed in the charger. Strong arms still wrapped around her. His breath near her hair. He spoke at a loud whisper. "You need to answer it." She nodded and lunged for the phone on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"And how are you this morning, Chloe? Nicely rested I take it. Quite the excursion you had with Mr Luthor last night, is that right?"

Chloe throat seized on her. Her mouth parched as she realized that whoever it was, had seen her on her knees.

"What do you want from me?" Her voice choked out a sob.

"My money, and I want it today. Are you up for a drive, Miss Sullivan?"

"I want to speak to my son." She stated without conviction. "I need to know that he's okay."

"He's fine." The voice snapped and Chloe flinched from the sudden abruptness of the voice.

"Mom?" Joey's voice sounded shaky. Chloe covered her mouth, breathing out a sigh of relief at the same time. Lex was now standing beside her, her knees buckled and his arms circled her waist from behind, his ear on the other side of the phone. Tears slipped past her cheek and ran to the hollow of her throat.

"Joey. Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Mom, I'm okay."

"Did he hurt you?" Her voice at a notch just above a whisper.

"No. I'm okay."

"God, Joey, I love you so much, I'm going to get you back. Stay strong sweetie." Chloe's voice grew stronger with each word until she almost believed what she was saying. She glanced to Lex's face the phone seperating them and saw the unshed tears in his eyes. His brows creased together, fending off the tears.

"Happy now?" The low voice caught her off guard, expecting to hear more from her son.

"Where do you want me to drop off the money?" Chloe's hand held tight onto Lex's still resting around her waist. he squeezed her fingers, showing her support as his eyes focused on the male voice.

"I wish it were that easy Miss Sullivan. See, I know you haven't contacted the police again yet, but I don't know if you will or not. I'll give you two hours to get the money, I'll call back with directions then. If you haven't guessed by now, your apartment is wired and under surveillance. If anyone disconnects either taps, the deal is off." The phone went dead and Chloe's hands began to shake. Lex extracted the phone from her hand before she dropped it.

He led her to the couch and set her down easily. "He's okay." His hands enfolded hers and she shook her head.

"I need to call someone." She took the phone from him gently and dialled a number she knew all too well.

"Wayne, here."

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. "I know it's early there, but I need a loan."

Bruce yawned and stretched. He immediately recognized the voice from the other end. Chloe Sullivan, once Chloe Luthor. She had done a bit of journalism in Gotham after her divorce. Her second Life Style peice on him would be gracing newspaper stands everywhere next month.

"What can I do for you, Chloe?"

"I need to borrow fifty million dollars."

Bruce emitted a low whistle. "Should I ask what this is about?"

"Life or death, Bruce." Lex's spine stiffened as he fixed her coffee in the kitchen. He hadn't been one hundred per cent sure of who she was going to call, but Bruce had been near the top of the list, knowing she had spent some time in Gotham with him for a few months recently.

"Okay. I'll do this for you Chloe, but as soon as that money is in your possession, I want to know everything."

"Deal." She hung up the phone and placed her head in her hands.

"Bruce Wayne, Chloe?" Lex handed her a cup of coffee.

"Don't, Lex, please." Her voice wounded she sipped at the heavenly liquid as it ran down her throat and hummed in appreciation. "I just want to get this over with."

Lex nodded, deciding not to press matters any further. It was none of his business if she spent time with another man. Even months for that matter. He didn't even know she was living in Metropolis until yesterday. "Do you want to talk?"

Chloe shook her head and her hand shook as she reached for the phone again, it's ringing endlessly echoing in her ears.

"Hello?" She had slept last night, but her dreams had consisted of her and Lex and their children. Everything she couldn't possibly ever have.

"Chloe, honey, is there something the matter?" Chloe shuddered with relief.

"Dad." Her voice broke and uncontrollable sobs broke through to the other end. Lex took the phone from her to speak with Gabe.

"Gabe, it's Lex."

"Lex." He could tell the he was a bit confused.

"Chloe needs you to watch the girls for a little while."

Gabe's brow furrowed together. "Ummm, okay, is everything okay there?"

"Yeah, yes. Everything's fine."

Gabe immediately picked up the code word that meant 'trouble' at work. He had worked with LexCorp long enough that he could tell, the word 'fine' in this sentence meant the complete opposite and that more than likely, something or someone was in danger.

"Okay, well, you can drop off the girls anytime, really. Afterall, it is the weekend, and I did miss them last weekend."

Lex nodded an affirmative at Chloe and she shut her eyes softly leaning her head back on the couch. "They'll be on their way as soon as they wake up."

"I'll be looking forward to it. Tell my daughter I love her and that she should call me when she gets a chance."

"Will do, Gabe."

"Thanks." Gabe hung up the phone and paced. Something wasn't right, but they obviously couldn't talk about it. He ran his hands through his hair and called Jonathan and Martha's, he needed to track down Clark.

Lizzie and Lily came around the front of the couch still holding hands. "There's a strange man in the bedroom." Chloe looked from one girl to the other and up at Lex's narrowing eyes. She jumped up from the couch and over the back of it running to her bedroom.

Chapter 6: Visitors

Chloe's mouth dropped open as she took in the red and blue spandex clad Clark Kent standing in her bedroom. "What the hell are you wearing?"

Clark rolled his eyes and stood with his hands on his hips. Chloe laughed as a breeze blew through the open window and his cape thingy fluttered in the wind. "Jesus, Christ, Clark Kent the Superman." She put her hand to her forehead and shook it lightly. "Original touch with the 'S', I recall a certain project back in highschool, looked pretty similar to that."

"I didn't come here to talk about my exceptional accorizing intution, Chloe. Your dad called my parents, he was worried about you."

Chloe cringed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Joey was kidnapped and the money for the ransom is being wired to me."

"And you're just now telling me this?" He stood in front of her and Chloe, in all her delirium, couldn't help but pull a part of the form fitting spandex away from his leg and let it snap back into place. She let out a soft sigh she hoped was somewhat covering the bout of laughter she was nearly thrown into when she looked up into Clark's face to see dissappointment there.

"I was going to tell you when it happened but then Lex came over and has been helping me cope with it."

Clark closed his eyes for a second and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Lex is here?"

"Clark." Lex nodded from the doorway. After setting the girls at the kitchen table for breakfast he had decided it would be an interesting little reunion.

"Lex." Clark all but seethed at the multi billionaire who had moved his estate back to Metropolis and had devised many plans of bringing the Superman down.

"Well before you two whip em out and start with the pissing match, I need to get the girls out of here, and then I need to get to the bank." Chloe went to her closet and pulled out a sweater and jeans. She stripped in front of them and at their questioning glances she gave them a disgusted roll of her eyes. "I don't have anything neither of you two have never seen before."

Lex winced, he had heard of her and Clark's brief affair after the divorce. "I didn't mean it like that, Lex." She narrowed her eyes and pulled the sweater on over her head. "I meant I'm pretty sure Clark has seen a naked woman before, and if not, he's seen one in a bikini and that's the equivilant to my underwear."

She made her way out of the door. "And Clark, tell my father nothing's wrong. No one is to get wind of this. No one." She stared back at his unwavering glare for a minute silently tacking onto the end of that statement 'and not even your nosy ass little skank of a girlfriend.'

Clark nodded and his gaze shifted from Chloe's retreating back to Lex's cold stare. "Do you know anything?"

Lex put his hands in his pocket and a wry smile slid over his features. "Not a thing. But thanks for showing your support. I suppose you can let yourself out." He turned on his heel and left Clark to his own devices and the open window.

Clark took off to go in search of any possibilities. Lex would stoop low enough to get back into Chloe's life. Kidnapping was probably no big deal in his line of work. Lex was a ruthless business man. Lex could be behind the whole thing.

Chloe stood at the front doors of the apartment building, two little girls tucked behind her legs and two suitcases sat to the left of her. "Lily, Lizzie" Chloe stooped down in front of the girls. "You'll only be with Grandpa for a little bit. As soon as Joey's back we'll all be together again."

"Even daddy?" Lizzie looked into Chloe's eyes as they started to tear over.

"Maybe, sweetie. Maybe." She ran her hands lovingly through her daughters hair and pulled her close to put her lips to her forehead and whispered another maybe. False hopes was all she had to live by at the moment. That was fine by her. Lily smiled halfheartedly and wrapped her arms around Chloe's neck.

"I love you mommy." Chloe smiled and let a silent tear drip down her cheek.

"I love you too. I love both my babies." She hugged them both to her and the back door of a limo opened. The driver ushered both children into the backseat, made sure they were buckled in and nodded once at her. She wiped the tears away with the palm of her hand and nodded back. A steady pounding trailed from her heart to her head. She felt herself overcome with emotion and turned away from the limo, walking back up the stairs to collect her purse, she still needed to get to the bank.

Lex watched as Chloe's car was brought to the front by the valet. She slipped in quietly and took off in the direction of the bank. Lex locked up behind him, heading over to the penthouse to collect a few things. He had a feeling he may be here for a while.

*~*

Chloe sat by the phone, Lex stood over the couch, hands resting on the back of it, just behind Chloe's shoulders. Chloe was visibly shaking and was taking long drags off her cigarette to try to calm her nerves. It wasn't working one bit. "He said he'd call, why hasn't he called?"

"He will."

"When?"

"Just wait."

"I'm sick of @#%$ waiting Lex, I want my god damn son back!" Her shrill outburst was cut off as the phone rang, she snatched it up. "I want to speak to him."

"I don't think that would be wise Miss Sullivan."

Chloe gritted her teeth together and screamed. "Let me talk to my son, now!"

Seconds later Joey was on the other end. "Mom?"

Chloe's heart ripped open with a sigh of relief. "Hi, sweetie." her voice unnaturally calm. Lex's hands were on her shoulders now, rubbing slowly and softly. "How are you?"

"I'm okay."

"Did they tell you to say that?"

"Yes."

"Are you hurt?"

"A little."

"I love you."

"I love you too mommy." Chloe closed her eyes as tears poured from behind her lids.

A gunshot rang out and Chloe's eyes shot wide open. A cackle was heard on the other end and then the phone was picked back up. "My finger must have slipped." The harsh voice continued. Chloe's knuckles turned white as she held the phone in a death grip.

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine. Now about the money."

Chloe rocked back and forth on the couch cushion. She had dropped off the money over three hours ago and there still hadn't been any word. Lex paced in front of her. Momentarily he'd stop and look down at the phone or at Chloe. The phone rang and she lunged for it, nearly taking out the coffee table with the tackle.

"Yeah." Her answer was short.

"Chloe?"

Gabe's voice was not what she wanted to hear. "Hey, dad. What's wrong?"

"I didn't mean to worry you or anything, but I thought you said you were going to have the girls brought here."

"I sent them off about five hours ago."

Gabe's end was suddenly very quiet. Chloe placed a shaky hand to her mouth and dropped the phone as realization hit. She bolted for the bathroom and Lex heard her hurl repeatedly. He picked up the phone to find out what was going on. "Gabe?"

Silence.

"Gabe? Hello?"

"Lex." Gabe didn't sound too well. "Did the girls leave five hours ago."

"Yes, why?" Suddenly he knew why and didn't have to hear anymore. "You've got to be @#%$ with me, Gabe." Panic spread throughout his body. He felt an electric surge spread through his body, spanning out the entire length of his torso and ending at his toes and fingertips.

"I'm sorry, Lex." Lex shook his head silently.

"This can't be happening." tears slipped down his face. It couldn't but it was. And Chloe was still throwing up in the hall bathroom. Call waiting came through and Lex dicsonnected with Gabe, saying he'd call him back if anything turned up.

"Yeah?" The other line was silent for a few seconds.

"Is this Mr. Luthor?" A deep scratchy voice came through.

"Yes, and I have a few questions."

"Your wife is really something. Veronica. Beautiful."

Lex narrowed his eyes, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. "Where are Lily and Lizzie?"

"Ahhh, the girls, yes, they're with their brother. They're fine."

"I want to speak to them."

"And your relationship to them would be?"

"I'm their father."

"You know, Veronica sure if pretty. She doesn't look too bad with the broken nose either, I bet she'd be a hellion in the sack."


"Let me talk to the girls." Lex's voice was hard and demanding.

"So you don't care what we do to your wife?"

"I could give a @#%$ less."

[Blaire]

Chapter 7: More and more

"Mr. Luthor" the man's voice on the other end stopped his rant. "I think maybe your ex wife may need your help in the bathroom. We'll continue this conversation later." The phone was dead before he could protest.

Chloe had her head between her knees, sitting on the edge of the toilet when Lex went into the bathroom. His hand rubbed at the back of her neck gently. "Are you okay?" Chloe's eyes lifted to meet his and he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes once again. "I'm sorry." He crouched down in front of her and pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms, rubbing her back with palms splayed out. "I'm so sorry." A choked sob escpaed him and Chloe clung to him tighter.

"I.." She sniffled and burried her head into his shoulder. Trying to hide from the damage the world had laid upon them. "I want my children back."

Lex nodded, his hand stroking through her hair, the other one wrapped tightly around her, rocking back and forth, trying to calm himself as well as Chloe down. "I want them back too."

Chloe nodded absently and wiped her face on his shirt. She pulled back to look at him and their noses touched. "They're my world Lex. Lizzi and Lily and Joey. They're all I have."

Lex cupped her face in his hand. Stroking her cheek bones with his thumbs. "We're going to get them back. They'll be okay." He hugged her tighter to him until her face was burried in his neck again. "Everything will be okay." The soft whisper of his voice was lost in the tangle of her hair.

The phone rang ten minutes later, Chloe and Lex sat on the bathroom floor, limbs tangled in comfort. Chloe's head moved an inch or so and she held her breath. Lex slowly got up carrying her with him and picked up the phone. "Sullvan residence."

"Mr. Luthor I presume." Lex knew the voice sounded familiar but couldn't place it. Something was a little off.

"This is he."

"Your wife is dead."

Lex barely blinked. His body was numb. He stood for a second before putting a hand out behind him and leveling with the couch, blindly reaching out to lower himself onto it. Once in the sitting position he saw dark spots dance before his eyes. "And the girls? What about the girls and Joey?"

Chloe huddled into his side. Her arms wrapping around his waist. She was shaking against him, reminding him that he had to hold on to the last shred of sanity burried inside him if only for her. "They're fine. Veronica, however, had a nasty little accident. I'm sure if you turn on the television you may get a glimpse of her last moment alive." Lex reached forward and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. He turned on the television and put it on the local news station. There in slow motion was Veronica jumping from the Metropolis bridge. Chloe gasped and squeezed her eyes shut as the sound of water splashing came from the low volume on the tv.

"Why?" Lex didn't want to see the kids falling to their deaths like that. He didn't even want to think about any harm coming to any of his three children. "What did she do?"

"She tried to get away. And she did. I'm sure she's in a better place now." A short laugh followed on the other end. "You have very beautiful girls, Mr. Luthor. Very beautiful indeed."

"Where do you want us to drop off the money?"

A brief silence followed. "Miss Sullivan is to drop off the money downtown. About half an hour from where she lives. There's an old warehouse there, she's to leave the money in a black, unmarked duffle bag. Just inside the garage doors are three yellow containers. The duffle bag makes it into the middle container and by the time you both get back to the apartment, the children will be safe and sound." Another silence as Lex worked to steady his breathing. "Let me make this clear to you Mr. Luthor. Miss Sullivan drops off the money, you drive. You don't get out of the vehicle under any circumstances. You stay put in the driver's seat and leave the drop off to her. I'll have a man watching and the second you even look like you're getting out of the car, I'll have her shot on sight. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Good." The man severed the line and Lex clenched his right fist before launching the phone out of his left hand at the wall across from him. His temper was the last thing on his mind at the moment. Chloe didn't budge she simply held on to him. The phone flew to the floor in peices. Peices that wouldn't be put back together. Lex leaned back for a moment, his arms went to Chloe and she shifted until she was in his lap once again, her body shook uncontrollably.

"Where's the money?" Lex's voice was soft and the phone rang again. This time the shrill sound came from her purse. Chloe reached over to the other end up the couch and dug through it shamelessly pulling things out left and right, tossing them aside until she found her phone. Chloe flipped the phone open and her trambling hand made good work of holding it steady to her ear.

"Bruce?" Lex shifted uncomfortably beneath her and she leaned one side of her head onto his chest, the other ear covered by the phone.

"Chloe. Mind telling me what this is all about?"

Chloe fought with herself for a moment. She didn't want to get Bruce Wayne involved in Metropolis' anything but she definitely owed him an explanation. A long sigh escaped her and she closed her eyes listening to the steady rythym of Lex's heart beat. "Joey, Lily and Lizzie are being held for a ransom." The other line was deceptively quiet. "Bruce?" Chloe picked her head up from its resting place and looked into Lex's eyes. They were shielded and soft at the same time.

"Have you contacted your caped friend yet?"

Chloe closed her eyes for another second, understanding the rift of the two masked men. "Yes. Clark knows." Lex's eyes narrowed for a second as understanding sawned on him that Chloe not only knew who Clark Kent was, but that she had also been let in on Bruce Wayne's alter ego also. "I'm not sure the help is needed. I'm going to deliver the money and the kids will be home safe."

"I don't buy it."

Chloe had enough experience as an investigative journalist. Even though this was the fate of her children, she thought it sounded too easy. She had heard the conversation Lex had with the man on the other end. Her ear had been pressed up against the phone also. "Me neither, Bruce, but I have to put some faith in it. I can't risk their lives."

"Are you taking someone with you?"

"Lex is driving me."

Silence again. "I'm coming into town to visit. I would tell you to wait for me, but I doubt you'd listen." Silence. Bruce was particularly good at thinking about what he was going to say before it actually came out. "The only thing I can offer you before I get there are a few words of wisdom. Be safe." He said a quick goodbye and hung up. Chloe pitched her phone onto the couch cushion at the other end of the sofa.

"Well?"

Chloe remembered what they had been talking about before Bruce's call. "It's in the bedroom."

Lex hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head. "This has got to stop." Chloe agreed and extracted herself from Lex's grip and stood in front of him.

"I'm ready."

Chapter 8:

Chloe struggled to keep the waves of nausea rolling over her at bay. Her body in a straight position, the duffel bag full of hundreds between her feet in the floor. The zipper nearly bursting at the seams. Fifty million dollars. All of this over money. She closed her eyes for a second and felt the car turn to the side of the road and come to a stop along the curbside. Feelings of uneasiness rippled through her stomach. She looked over at Lex and met his eyes. They held onto eachother's gaze for a moment before he held his arms out and leaned over. In one swoop she was in his embrace, his head leaned against hers, his mouth dangerously close to her ear yet comforting all the same. She had to remember the last time she felt this close to anyone. In all truth, it had been Lex. It had been a long time ago, but it was still him all the same. She pulled back from him and forced a smile. "It's going to be easy right?"

Lex's nod seemed unsure as he replied. "All you have to do is walk to that open garage and put the bag in the middle yellow canister."

"And you have to stay here." She thought saying the demand out loud would keep her from wanting to drag him in their with her. It didn't. She wanted him to come along and knew that there was no way he could. Not if they both wanted to stay alive.

"It's for Joey and Lily and Lizzie." Lex stated as if that made the only difference in the world. And it did. It reassured her little by little. She gave him another half hearted smile and told herself she'd be fine and Lex'd be fine and then they'd go back to the apartment and Joey and the girl's would be fine. But nibbling away somewhere in her instincts and her gut, she knew something was a little off beat. "Chloe?" Lex waited for her to acknowledge him. When she looked back up at him he ran his hand down the side of her face and to the back of her head, ending on the nape of her neck. "I love you."

Chloe closed her eyes for a second and in the next moment she was out of the car, walking slowly and carefully to the raised garage door. Three yellow canisters sat just inside the door, she removed the lid of the middle one and dropped the dufflebag in, replacing the metal lid securely. She turned to exit the garage and without sparing a glance back at anything she ran for the car, had the door open in no time and slid into her seat. Lex took off, sprung a U turn and raced back to the apartment. Chloe was barely buckled in when Lex's cell phone chirped to life. He flipped it open and kept one hand on the steering wheel, the other held his phone to his ear. "Luthor."

"Let me speak to Miss Sullivan."

Lex looked over at Chloe, her eyes set straight ahead, her mind nowhere to be seen. She was in a daze, she looked how he felt. He passed the phone to her and she blindly accepted it and put it to her ear. "Chloe here."

"Miss Sullivan." The man did a sing song voice with her name. "There's a bomb in the car."

The phone went dead and Chloe still held it up to her ear. She turned her head to look at Lex and his eyes met hers for a second, when he realized her eyes wide in panic he looked more clearly at her. "What? What'd he say?"

"There's a...a ummm...bomb in the car." She swallowed the lump in her throat and Lex careened to a halt, skidding to the side of the road. He noticed Chloe not moving and in a flash he had her unbuckled and pulled across the console and out his door. They ran to the other side of the street and into a connecting alleyway. Lex dove beside a dumpster, tackling Chloe from behind as an explosion erupted from the street. Lex was pretty sure what had blown up. He panted heavily as his body covered hers. They were out of harms way in the alley. For now atleast. Chloe's face turned to the side and she looked up to see Lex. "Am I dead?"

Lex raised both eyebrows and manuevred himself into a hovering position as she turned over beneath him. "No, we're not dead."

"I feel like it."

"You look like it."

"Well you don't look too hot yourself baldie."

"You wound me with your words."

Chloe rolled her eyes and looked back into Lex's staring down at her. "What?" She asked quietly, but she knew what was coming.

"I want to kiss you."

She tilted her head to the side, the back of her head rubbing against hot concrete, the sun beat down on them from above. "What are you waiting for?"

Lex lifted the corners of his mouth before his lips swooped down and met hers. Soft and pliable and then needy and demanding. Chloe's legs lifted to wrap around his waist as he knelt between them. A moment's hesitance appeared in both of them when the kiss was broken. Lex keeping eye contact and Chloe trying to avert her own. "I want to do that again."

Chloe opened her mouth to say something and he took her by surprise, covering her mouth with his once again.

They broke away both panting for air. Chloe shifted beneath him until he settled between her legs. Lex groaned as his aroused state rest at the warm apex of her thighs. Chloe lifted her hips to his and opened her mouth, closing her eyes as she gasped. She opened her eyes slowly and Lex leaned down to kiss her again just as sirens whirred a few blocks down from them. "Maybe we should go."

Chloe nodded in a silent agreement. Lex flipped out his cell phone and called a cab. Within minutes they were back at the apartment. Chloe sprang from the backseat as Lex threw a few twenties over the front seat. "KEEP THE CHANGE." He yelled as he bolted after Chloe.

Bypassing the elevators Chloe threw open the door to the stairs and ran with all her might up the first four floors, footsteps climbing the stairs behind her. As she came barrelling out of the emergency exit down the hall from her home she paused for a moment. Lex nearly took her out as he ran into her waiting form. "Chloe?"

"Something's wrong." She said in a hushed scratchy voice. "I just feel it."

"Come on." Lex's finger interlaced with hers and he pulled her gently towards her apartment door. Chloe stopped in her tracks, pulling him back to her to a stop.

"Something's wrong, Lex." Her eyes met his all wide eyed and innocence and Lex couldn't help but lean forwards and press his lips to her forhead.

"Everything's fine. Just take a deep breath."

Chloe inhaled through her nose and let the air escape her lips. She took a step forward and fought with the key in the door. As soon as she heard the lock click out of place she threw open the door. Chloe's heart fell at the sight in front of her. Her hands flew to her mouth as her eyes fluttered to keep the tears at bay. Lex's right hand covered his own mouth as his left arm wrapped around her stomach, bringing her back to meet his chest. Chloe kicked and struck out with her arms, attempting to get away from the strong hold he had on her. Her arms dropped to her sides and she screamed.

Chapter 9:

Max stood silent. The barrel of his gun pressed into the back of Joey's scalp. His other hand wrapped tightly around the boy's neck, half choking him, half holding him still and silent.

Chloe saw dark spots jump before her eyes. She leaned back into Lex's body and unconciously felt his jaw clench and unclench. A sure sign that he was pissed. His body shook behind her and his hand had fell from his mouth, both arms now wrapped tightly around her body, keeping her in an upright position.

"Close the door." Max's voice was hard and calculating, emotion pouring from his wild eyes. Joey sputtered to breath and his grip tightened considerably.

Lex kicked his foot out and the door clicked shut. "Let go of him." Lex stared down Max. Neither giving up anytime soon. Max snorted in distaste and loosened his grip a litte, Joey sucked in as much air as he could and tried to lean forward, away from the cold metal of the gun. "Let go of him and take me. I'll give you anything you want." Lex ordered. Max's eyes crackled with flames. Chloe eyes fluttered and a hot wave rushed her body, a cold sweat broke out across her flesh, hair standing on end.

"Max." Her voice pleaded with him. She worked to control the sobs flowing from her. Lex's grip tightened when she attempted to step forward. She shook her head and stepped back into his body. "What are you doing?"

"DON'T TALK TO ME!" His voice rang high through the apartment. His words shrill. "You bitch." He hissed out. Chloe closed her eyes momentarily, she opened her mouth to speak but Max cut her off. "I did this for you. I've spent years, YEARS, trying to win you over. Did you ever once look at me like you looked at him?" His eyes darted up to Lex and then quickly focused back on Chloe's. Her eyes locked with him and an unrepressable shudder racked over her. "I've spent all my time coping with your trust issues. Your @#%$ PROBLEMS!" He breathed in raggedly and started talking again. "I tried, Chloe. I tried to get you to love me. Then you leave to go visit Bruce Wayne. Bruce @#%$ Wayne. One billionaire to the other, was it? WAS IT?" Chloe knew the question was rhetorical but couldn't stop her head from shaking in the negative. "Yeah, right." His sneer stuck in her mind. His normally calm eyes now betraying him. "When you came back I thought you were over him. Over your ex husband. But you weren't. Everytime you got quiet I would look at you and I could tell, I could just TELL you were thinking about, Lex Luthor." He snorted in disgust and tightened his grip on Joey's throat. "The father of your children. What kind of father puts a price on his own child's life? Not a very good one, right Lex?" Joey's eyes were focused on Lex now. Max's were also, but the only thing Lex could see were bright blue eyes boring into his own. Joey's eyes staring at him, emotion flashing brilliantly.

With a corner of his mouth lifted into a sour grin, Max cocked the safety of the gun back. "Know what your precious money means to me? NOT A DAMN THING." And the trigger was pulled. Chloe's scream rang out in the silence of the apartment and Joey's body fell to the ground. Max stood there, the gun shaking in his hand, his eyes staring in disbeleif at the child slumped onto the carpet. The bullet hole staring back at him. "I didn't mean to." he repeated the words the gun slipping from his finger. "Oh, my god." His eyes stayed focussed at the floor in front of him as the gun fell to the padded rug. Chloe's hands covered her mouth as she surged forward and fell to the ground beside her baby boy. Her hands patted at his hair, blood staining her fingertips. Lex stood in the doorway, shock written across his face. Tears ran from the corners of his eyes as the scene played in his mind over and over again. The heat rose to his scalp and within seconds he was holding Max by the throat.

He pushed him back onto the couch and Max stumbled over it, landing behind it. Lex retrieved the gun from beside Chloe and pointed it at Max's head. "You sick @#%$." Chloe winced as she heard the gun slap across flesh. A gash appeared at Max's eyebrow when his head snapped back to look at Lex. Chloe held onto Joey, she knew there was no hope. He had been shot square in the back of the head. She didn't dare turn him over. It didn't take an idiot to know the exit wound was always bigger than where the bullet entered. "Tell me where the girls are." Lex's voice was hushed as he tore through his emotions, his pulse beating rapidly in his ears. "TELL ME!"

Chloe sobbed openly. She looked up at Lex, his eyes focussed solely on Max. Max's head nodded behind him, "They're in the bedroom."

"Chloe, go to them."

Chloe shook her head in confusion. She couldn't leave Joey, she just couldn't. "CHLOE, GO!" She sprang up from the carpet and ran into the bedroom, ignoring the blood soaking through her clothes. The girls sat in the corner of her bedroom. Hugging eachother as close as they could, crying silently. Chloe knelt down in front of them and checked them over for any sign of being hurt.

"They're okay!" Inside her head she screamed it, but outwardly, she wasn't sure if she had even whispered the words. In the next instant she heard the gun unload, five shots rang out through the silence. She rocked the girls in her lap, sitting on the floor with them.

"Mama." Lizzie cried out in a whisper, one arm staying around her sister and the other attached to her in a deathgrip. "What happened to Joey?"

Chloe bit her lower lip as hard as she could until she felt the metallic taste in her mouth. "Shhhh, everything will be fine." She cradled their heads close to her chest and stroked their hair, tinting their hair with the blood of her son from her stained fingers and hands. "Everything'll be fine." She couldn't for the life of her beleive her own words. It wasn't fine. Joey was dead. That thought alone had her crying just as hard the girls. Arms wrapped around her and sirens blazed in the distance. No longer was she the one rocking. The man behind her enveloping all three of them in a tight embrace. His lips warm against her ear. Whispers of words with no meaning to them hung in the air over their heads. Lex's breath against her skin caused her to lean into him. Safety. That's what he was.

[Blaire]

Chapter 10: Time to wait

Chloe woke up in her bed, two little girls tucked in close to her and Lex. She wasn't sure how long they had stayed huddled together. Lex had left them when the police arrived. The girls had sank even further into her, clinging to her. Her heart broken and shattered into a million peices. Her little boy was gone. Chloe stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes glazed over with fresh tears. A firm hand reached across the red heads that lay between them. His fingertips brushing away the tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't want to look over at him. She didn't want to see anyone elses pain. She couldn't handle it. She had to hang on for the girls. She couldn't hold him together too. She still regretted that Lex killed Max. She had wanted to be the one to do it. She wanted to press the gun to his head and pull the trigger repeatedly. She wanted to be the one to cause the pain. Spoon feed it to him and watch the emotions flitter across the face of the bastard that stole her son away from her.

And Superman. She seethed well into the night. If she ever saw Clark again she would lay into him so hard that she'd break him and his spandex in half with her words.

How could he have just not been there. He stopped floods, avalanches, kittens from dark alleyways. Yet he couldn't seem to pop up when he was really needed. She wished he didn't even exist. She wished within every inch of her life that she could destroy him. Empty @#%$ promises toyed with her mind. His words echoing through her. He had promised to take care of them. When Lex had filed for divorce Clark was there first, picking up the peices, helping her find a job based on her qualifications. A voice cleared from the doorway and Chloe squinted her eyes at the ceiling before turning just as Lex did to look at the dark figure standing in the doorway. Chloe lips strained to form a small smile and she sat up, getting out of bed to meet her dear friend.

"Bruce." Chloe met him and kissed his left cheek, then the other. "Glad you could make it."

Bruce nodded to Lex and Lex did the same, curling his arms around Lizzie's body when a sob escaped her, her eyes shut tight, obviously a nightmare. Chloe heart skipped a beat, watching Lex with the girls. She turned her back to the sight, knowing Lex would never know his own son. A son he had been there for for the first five years of his life. And no longer.

She led Bruce from the doorway and into the kitchen. Slowly working around the kitchen, her body shifted into autopilot as she made coffee. Strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her into his chest, Chloe's head burried deeply into the warm material and let loose. Her fists weakly struck at his chest as she sobbed into a row of buttons. Her body wracked with hatred for a hero known to the rest of the city. Had she been in Gotham, she truly beleived Batman would have been watching over her closely. She knew Bruce never would have let her down. Her palms flattened again his chest and she gripped the material there, willing herself to hang on just a little longer. A little longer and Joey would come rushing into the house, telling her about the old busdriver nearly running off the road again. Chatting wildly about anything and everything under the sun. His mouth racing a million miles a minute. Something he had no doubtedly learned from her. Chloe yanked at the material before shoving it back at bruce and her arms slipped to dangle by her sides. Bruce held her comfortably, not a single tensed muscle in his body. His arms wrapping her in a security blanket.

"I know, Chloe. I know." Chloe nodded against his chest and pulled away, wiping her face with the long sleeves of her shirt pulled down far past her hands.

"I need him, Bruce. I want my baby back." She covered her face with her hands. Her blonde hair disheveled. Her red rimmed eyes stung with fresh tears every time she blinked. "Why?" She whispered softly and this time a different pair of arms wrapped around her. This time her arms extended and she embraced him, pulling him to her. "Why?" She whispered into Lex's ear. "Why us?"

Lex shook his head and swayed with her. Side to side. Comforting, soothing, his arms, his breathing, the rise and fall of his chest and the way his heartbeat madly. Chloe pulled away and looked up at him. "Why Joey?" Her eyes searched his and she was met with tears spilling over Lex's own eyelids.

"I don't know." His words somehow relaxing, the fact that he didn't know anything more than she did. She cupped his face in her hands.

"I love you, Lex." His adam's apple bobbed in a tight swallow and he pulled her back into him. Her cheek resting against his shirt. "I do."

Her words struck deep in his heart. He had never stopped loving her. No matter what had happened, when they had lost touch. Whenever him and Veronica made love he hadn't been able to say her name. When his mouth opened the only thing that wanted to come out was his exwife's name. He had wanted her back for so long. Whether Joey was his or not. Instead her pride had swelled just as much as his had. Neither would make the first move back into eachother's life. Now his wife was dead. His son was dead. And a small peice of Chloe was dead as well. One man, one Superman was to blame. Empty @#%$ promises. When he got his hands on Clark he'd kill him. He'd shove meteor rocks down his scrawny little throat as soon as he got his hands on him. Superman had to be dealt with accordingly.

Bruce exited the kitchen to go watch over the girls. Dread hung in the pit of his heart at not being here. Not being here to help a good friend of his. This was Metropolis, though, this was Superman's territory, not Batman's. He leaned against the wall watching over the girls as they slept peacefully, their eyes puffy and rimmed in red. He couldn't help but think there was someone else out there. Max, her neighbor, couldn't have been in it all alone. He thought of the money first. Where had she deposited the money? His mind strayed from the innocent little boy who had been brutally murdered the night before. Thinking only of Joey would distract him, and distractions weren't something he had the time for. A cold stab pained his heart as the little boy's face drifted through his mind. He couldn't help but blame himself a little for getting her a fraction of the time too late. He had been too late. The sole of his shoe rested against the wall he leaned back against. He'd have to talk to Chloe about the money. If there was a drop off point he could figure out within the time and distance whether or not there was a second person. Especially if the money was still there.

As if reading his mind Lex cleared his throat softly. He leaned against the doorjamb, looking pointedly at Bruce. "I'm thinking I should take you to the location of where the money was dropped off. It's not that far from here."

Bruce nodded, their eyes met in understanding at the fact that they were both thinking the same way. "Will Chloe be okay by herself?"

Lex nodded once and stood up straight, his shoulders evening out. "We've already spoken about it, she'd like to be here when the girls wake."

Bruce nodded and pushed himself away from the wall with his foot, he followed Lex out of the bedroom and through the kitchen where Chloe was propped up against the sink, staring into thin air as her eyes were focussed on the window in front of her.

"We'll be back shortly." Lex called out softly to her. Chloe nodded, not turning to look back at the men. She was on the watch out for one person and one person only.

Chapter 11: Say Goodbye

Chloe stood in the same spot for what felt like forever until she felt a cool breeze behind her.

"You're late."

"Chloe." His voice laced with apology, his right hand resting on her shoulder. Just a few steps back and she could be huddled against him.

"Clark." She hissed and whipped herself around. "How dare you come here, HOW DARE YOU come into MY home after what you did?"

Clark backed away with each step she took toward him. Her fists clenched tight in tiny balls of rage, hung loose at her sides. "I don't understand..."

Chloe cut him off with a startling growl. "Of course you don't. Of course SUPERMAN," She said his name with such distaste. "OF COURSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND."

"Chloe calm down." He began to reach out to her and saw the ire burning in her eyes. "Chloe." Her voice slipped out, not meaning to say it in that pleading tone of voice.

"Clark." She gritted her teeth. If he would ever get a chance it would be now.

"I...I don't know what to say." Wrong answer. Settling her hands on anything she could find, knowing he was impenetrable and that she couldn't hurt him anyways, she grabbed a dinner plate from when her and Lex were first married and smacked him over the head with it. Much to Chloe's surprise he fell to the floor, the tiniest cut of stones littered around him.

"Clark?" She took a step closer and saw the agony on his face as he tried to pull himself away from the jewels that had been encrusted on the edge of her and Lex's china. And here she had always thought they were emeralds.

She allowed the lift of one corner of her mouth as he writhed on the kitchen floor. His muscles tensed into one big network and then settled themselves again, his face crumbling before her eyes. Her eyes flashed with mischief. 'Good' She thought. 'Now he knows what pain feels like'.

Chloe hopped up onto the counter and grabbed an apple, watching him closely, the way he seemed to become stronger over time. It had been nearly two hours since he'd fallen to the floor. Biting into her snack she watched him prop himself up against the wall. Chloe smiled her sickeningly sweet smile. She could throw another plate. But for some reason she didn't want to just yet. She wanted him to live with the knowledge that someone held the power to bring him down. 'And with meteor rocks, no less.' As Clark got to his feet his hands led him along the wall and when he was far enough away he looked back at her, a scowl in place. All hard lines etched into his features. "Don't do this, Chloe."

Chloe was a madwoman. She heard the laugh rip from her throat. It had to be the most evil thing she had ever heard. It rang in her ears as the maniacal cackling wore down. And he was gone. And she still held the glint of a smile on her face.

After cleaning up the plates and fixing breakfast for the girls who had woken up after sleeping off exhaustion Lillie stood next to her. Her hand fisting in the bottom hem of her mother's sweater. "I don't want to live here anymore, Mom." Chloe looked down, startled at the grey eyes staring back at her. Every ounce of her screaming Lex.

"We'll move." Chloe reassured her. Lily looked up at the from the breakfast table.

"When?"

"Soon." Chloe whispered to the quietness that had folded around them. "Very soon."

*~*Meanwhile*~*

Bruce and Lex stood leaning against the car, arms crossed in front of them, challenging the warehouse to tell them something without actually having to go inside. "Shall we?" Lex took the first step forward. Bruce looked at the back of his head.

"Let's go." Bruce and Lex took the strides long across the street to the open garage door. It looked just like it had yesterday. Upon reaching the empty vats Lex looked down at the middle one.

"Let me." His voice grave and deserted. Popping the lid open he removed it and saw the bag at the bottom.

"That it?" Bruce looked down into the barrel.

"That's your money." Both of them kept their eyes on the money for a moment, waiting out the other. As Bruce reached in to get it a loud clank sounded off from the back of the garage. Bruce narrowed his eyes, focussing them in the darkness. Lex's gaze was locked on the source of sound, an empty barrel lay on its side. Bruce nudged him with his elbow and motioned with his head for Lex to go to the right while he covered the left. Lex nodded once and started the prowl. His vision becoming clearer as he moved in deeper.

Bruce continued to the back of the room off to the left. Determined that whoever they found here had come for the same thing they had. No doubt in his mind it would be Max's partner.

As he turned a corner a dark figure nearly plowed him over. Bruce reached out and in one swift motion had the man by the neck, holding him off the ground. "Who are you?" He said, his voice plain as day.

"No...No one." The figure stuttered and wriggled to get free.

"Over here!" Bruce shouted tightening his grip on the man's neck.

The man gasped for air as he struggled harder against the bulk of Bruce Wayne. "The gig is up." Bruce said as Lex came up behind him. "Your partner killed the boy."

"No." The man strangled out as he felt his breath coming in shorter, quicker gasps.

"Yes." Bruce replied shortly as he looked over the shoulder to Lex. Lex's eyes gleamed in the darkness.

"Kill him." Bruce shook his head at Lex's orders.

"No."

"If you don't, I will."

Bruce's eyes locked with Lex's and he saw the hatred there. With a snap of his wrist he rose his other hand to the man chin and pushed in a counter clockwise motion, snapping every man's bone in his neck. Dropping him to the ground Lex and Bruce stood over him, staring down.

"Think he was in it for the money?" Lex looked back up at Bruce.

Bruce stared down at the body. "Would be my guess."

"Let's get out of here."

Bruce nodded and leaned down, touching his fingertips to the guys neck. No pulse. Good.

Upon arriving back at Chloe's apartment, Lex confided in Bruce that they'd be fine. Bruce left with his money. A brief goodbye to Chloe and the girls and a short kiss on Chloe's forehead and he was gone. 'Like always.' She mused with a small quirk of her lips. Bruce was a good man, just like Lex.

As the girls settled in for a nap Chloe met with Lex on the couch. "We need to talk."

Lex looked over at her and held out his left arm, inviting her to move closer. She obliged, moving into his warm embrace. His arms wrapped around her lovingly. "About what?" He whispered into her hair.

"About a lot, but first thing's first." What he loved about Chloe, straight to the point.

"Go on." Her head leaned against his side, her arms wrapped around his stomach.

"Clark Kent for starters." Lex tensed under her.

"Clark Kent or Superman?" Lex sneered at the thought.

"Both, they both have a weakness."

"Brunettes with the initials L.L."

Chloe let the laugh warm her. "Good thing you were a redhead."

Lex smiled and leaned down, his mouth placing a kiss to the crown of her head, her scent filling her senses as it always did. "What weakness?"

"Kryptonite."

Lex laughed and she pulled back to look at his wild blue eyes dancing in front of her. "The meteor rocks?"

Chloe nodded with a slight grin. "I smashed a plate over his head, one of the ones from our good china set."

Lex's lips curled in a half smile. "And?"

"You should have seen him, he was there for about two hours, laying in a heap in the floor."

Lex nodded, taking in the information. "So now, the question remains..."

Chloe finished his thought for him. "What shall we do about Superman?"

It was rhetorical, they knew what they were going to do.

Chapter 13:

Chloe sat in the penthouse, their suitcases bulging at the seams. "Mommy, where are we?" Lily asked as she stepped forward and looked around. Lizzie twirled a lock of hair around her finger and blew a bubble with her bubble gum.

"Wow, this place is huuuuuge." She looked up at the vaulted ceiling. "Is this where daddy lives?" Curious eyes turned toward their mother.

"Yes, angels, this is where your daddy lives and we'll be staying here for a little while."

Lily and Lizzie nodded in unison. "Cool."

Lex's hand appeared on her right shoulder. "Let me show you your rooms. Come on." He took the girls hands and led them further into the penthouse, showing them their rooms and getting them situated.

"Thanks, Lex." Chloe said as Lex came back through the foyer. "I really appreciate this."

"I'll always take care of you, you know that, Chloe."

Chloe nodded, she wanted to believe it, but she also knew that she couldn't stay here. Her and the girls would leave as soon as she found a new place to stay. "Where'd they go?" Chloe stared down the narrow hallway.

"I had a playroom set up for them." Lex led the way down the hall and into his kitchen. "I figured it would keep them busy for a while."

Chloe nodded and sat on a barstool at the counter, overlooking the kitchen. "I can't stand this Lex. I miss him."

Lex looked up at her from the coffee he was pouring. "You're going to leave me aren't you?" he could tell just by her body language and the way she wouldn't get close to him.

"I have to. We have to." Lex finished pouring the coffee.

"Well, I have some business I have to take care of. If you go out, be careful. Please." He put the mug in front of her and exited the kitchen. Business to take care of indeed.

*~*

Clark sat at his usual table, enjoying his meal on his lunch break. A scream from above had his attention completely focused on it. He didn't feel the prick of the needle slide into his neck until the first drop of meteor rock hit his veins and pumped through him. His throat closed as he thrashed around violently, his plate knocked off the table. Air was getting shorter by the minute and every time he breathed he felt the slow ache of his heart slow down. With each pump of his veins the green liquefied substance trailed through his skin, seeping out through his pores, veins bulging out of his muscles. Another scream pierced his ear drums and he barely recognized it as his own. Looking up he saw the intense gaze of his once best friend.

"Clark?" Lex's voice cut through the silence and the thump of his erratic heart beat pulsing in his head. "Clark? Are you okay?"

The slow smile that spread over Lex's features twisted into an evil calculating grin. "Should I call an ambulance?"

A small crowd had gathered around them, keeping their distance as the green oozed onto the floor. Lex stepped back as a small puddle appeared around Clark slumped body. Lex furrowed his brow as a siren was heard in the distance. Not like they could do anything to help him now. Leaning down, carefully, Lex clasped his hands together to speak into Clark's ear.

"I hope you feel the pain for an eternity." Getting up he brushed off his slacks and made his way through the crowd. He had done what needed to be done.

Clark's eyes rolled up into the back of his head as the thrumming of his heart beat simmered down. Thump.....thump......thump.....thu..... The last thing he was aware of was the lowered, challenging voice of Lex. And then a peacefulness washed over him.

*~*

Lex sat on the couch, Chloe curled into his side as he flipped on the news.

'An unexpected event today at the Daily Planet cafe has people wondering if aliens do in fact live among us. Daily Planet star investigative reporter, Clark Kent apparently suffered from had an outbreak of until now, an unknown green substance permeating through his pores like sweat. Business tycoon Lex Luthor was present at the time and witnessed the scene unfold before his own eyes. He was unable for a comment. Details for the cause of his death are being withheld by the MPD for the time being. Stay tuned for any further updates concerning the unknown activity here from your local news station at LNN.'

Lex put the TV on mute as he wrapped an arm tighter around Chloe. Tears ran down her cheeks as she stared lifelessly at the television. "We're leaving as soon as I can find a new place."

"You don't have to, Chloe. I want you and the girls to stay with me."

Chloe shook her head silently. "I can't do that, lex. I can't stay with you."

Lex turned to her and took her hands in his. "Why?"

"I just..."

"Chloe. I love you. I know, I know we've had our fair share of problems in the past, but that's what it is, it's all in the past."

"No, Lex, it isn't in the past, I feel it every time I look at you. God, I love you so much." Her fingers trailed down his face over his cheekbones and down his jawline. "I do love you. I've never quit. But what you did was unforgivable. I can't stay with you. I'm sorry."

Lex let her get up from the couch and watched her walk down the hall into her room. He would find a way to make her stay.

Epilogue~One year later

Chloe stood beside the grave, reading each word printed on the headstone carefully. 'In Loving Memory of Joseph Alexander Sullivan Luthor, Beloved son, brother and best friend.'

Chloe wiped the tear off her face with the black lace handkerchief she had come prepared with. Strong arms wrapped around her from behind. "How are you?" She leaned back against his body, the wind whipping around her ankle length dress.

"Missing you." She sighed as she closed her eyes and sighed. "I miss you so much."

Lex dropped a kiss to her bare shoulder. "I miss you too."

"You should see the girls, Lex." A wistful smile crept across her face. "They're so big."

Lex's lips turned into a smile against her hair, blonde locks swatting at him in the breeze. "I'm sorry I can't be there."

"I know. I love you." She whispered and he chuckled softly against her. His chest vibrated with warmth straight to her bones.

"You never stopped."

"Neither did you." She turned and looked up at him.

"No, I didn't." He smiled down at her and raised a lace gloved fingertip to his mouth, kissing it softly.

Chloe ran her tongue along her dry bottom lip, "I waited for you." She said softly. The wind nearly taking her words with it as her hair whipped across her face and his. "Feels like I've waited forever."

"Hasn't been that long, darling." His lips brushed against hers. Chloe sighed and leaned her forehead against his chest.

"Feels like it."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"That's not true." Her startled hazel eyes looked up into his. "That's not true, Lex."

"I know." He lowered his lips to hers again, pressing delicately against them. "Do you want me to leave?"

Chloe shook her head as she looked back at the headstone. "No."

"I'll wait for you." He smiled down at her as the back of his knuckles brushed against her cheekbone.

"No, you won't. I'm the one that waits for you." She smiled softly up at him and turned back to the grave, pressing a kiss to her fingers and running them across the letters etched there. "Sleep well, prince."

Lex waited for her as she said her goodbyes. Upon returning to his side he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and nestled her closer to him. "Where to?" he asked as he led her towards the limo.

"Home." She risked a look back. "Take me home, Lex."

Lex opened the door for her and held her arm until she was safely inside. "And the girls?"

Closing her eyes she leaned against him as they settled into the heated leather of the seats. "All of us."

The End