Authors Notes: I wrote this literally right after watching "Heat". My muse hit me on the head with a 2x4. It was sweet of her. I hope you all enjoy.

Events right after Heat. Shall I call it a missing scene? Sure, why not. I wrote this quick, and it got proof read faster, so hopefully Timmy did his job right. If not, no cookie for him.

Disclaimer: In my mind, they're already mine : ) But in the real world, sadly no


~Passion~

Lex gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove away from the Kent Farm, the air conditioner on full blast. Clark hadn't seemed to take things too badly, but inwardly Lex was. He had allowed himself to be manipulated by someone. If there was one thing Lex prided himself on, it was the fact that he was his own person, despite the intentions of his father.

No, Clark didn't understand, and how could he? Clark had somehow maintained immunity from the charms of Desiree, though he had found her enticing. He just hadn't fallen under the full thrall that Lex had. Clark hadn't lost control; therefore he couldn't understand Lex's desire to be rid of the passion that had held him.

Lex's thoughts ran away from him, as he caught sight of a car sitting on the shoulder of the road. Lex pulled over to see what could be wrong. It wasn't usual for there to be abandoned cars on the side of the road, and this area was near some Luthor Corp. land. Plus, the chivalrous side in him thought that perhaps he could come to the rescue of someone. His ego was in major need of a boost, and helping a stranded person could be just the thing.

He slowly pulled his car in, behind the red vehicle, and stepped out of his car. In a few strides, he was at the driver's side of the other car, but there was no one inside. Lex squinted into the darkness, and off in the distance he saw something stir among the grass. He walked in that direction and soon came upon a small figure lying on the ground, eyes closed.

"Chloe?" Lex asked.

"Lex" Chloe responded, opening one eye. "You're blocking my moonlight". She was lying down on a blanket, in the middle of the field. Next to her was a thermos, and her head was resting on a large bag.

Lex stepped to the side, and eyed the girl with amusement. "Is there any reason that you're, moon bathing in the middle of nowhere?"

Chloe opened both eyes and sat up, crossing her legs. "It's too hot in my house, and too hot outside for meteor beasties. So I grabbed some ice" she held up the thermos "and came out here to catch what little breeze there was, and do some thinking" She brushed a strand of hair off her forehead that was sticking there. "You can sit down you know", she indicated the vacant spot on the blanket.

Lex contemplated for a moment, before lowering himself to the ground. He shifted for a moment, and then finally settled in a comfortable position.

"You done fidgeting?" Chloe smirked.

"Well, if you had picked a more comfortable place, then I wouldn't have to fidget, would I?" Lex countered.

Chloe shrugged, as she took a piece of ice out of the container, "Hey, don't blame me. Mother Nature is comfy enough for me" She popped the ice cube in her mouth and sucked on it for a moment, before crushing it with her teeth. "Ice cube?" She offered.

"I'm fine" Lex said, though a small dotting of sweat was beginning to form on his brow.

"In about five minutes you'll be begging me for some nice cool ice" Chloe smiled. "So, how are you dealing with the repercussions of living up to everyone's worst expectations of you?"

Lex sighed "Is this becoming an interview?"

Chloe shook her head. "Nope, just purely asking as a friend of those you screwed with"

"I'm not really sure what happened" Lex conceded. "I just lost my mind around that woman. Seems like everyone did, except Clark"

"Yeah, Clark" Chloe bit at the words, and looked away.

Even in the limited light, Lex was sure he caught her eyes get a bit watery. He chose not to comment, on it, and continued, clearing his throat. "Yes, it's a good thing he was around. That is honestly the last time I give in fully to love"

Chloe turned her head back quickly. "Oh, but you can't give up"

"Really?" Lex said evenly. "You don't understand what it's like to have everything you do be influenced by someone who you are supposed to love, and who is supposed to love you. I hurt a lot of people close to me because of what I thought I felt. I'm not going to let that happen again" Lex whipped his hand across his brow. His shirt was already sticking to his back. He reached for an ice cube, and put it in his mouth.

Chloe sighed. "You can't just give up though" she insisted. "I mean, so love sucks. You fall for people and they don't actually care" she looked away, reliving her own painful memories "You can't just shut it off, though. I mean, it can stink and all, but I wouldn't want to live my life without passion" she looked back at Lex.

"Passion only leads to pain, Chloe" Lex said, locking his eyes with her in the dark. "You have to be able to be in control at all times, and passion doesn't let you do that. You make mistakes, you get hurt, and people get hurt"

Chloe nodded, and looked down, thinking of what he said. She absently rubbed an ice cube along her collarbone, trying to cool herself off. The heavy air was weighing down on her, but Lex's words were bearing down on her more.

"I guess I just don't see things your way" she bit her lower lip, continuing to think.

Lex's eyes watched her slowly slide the ice cube along her pale skin. Suddenly he felt much hotter then he had before. Amazing that such an innocent thing could be so enticing. "How do you see things then?" he asked.

Chloe pondered a moment longer. The ice cube melted away, and she brought her cooled hand back to the blanket. "Passion, while it can be a source of pain… can also bring pleasure. And I don't think that just because something has a negative side to it, that you should ignore the positive"

"I see" Lex nodded. "So that good out weighs the bad, in your theory?"

"It's kind of like…" Chloe thought of the correct way to say it. "It's kind of like you"

"Like me?" Lex repeated. "Now you have me intrigued"

"Well, you see" Chloe began, picking up another ice cube, this time rubbing it in between her hands, "You have a negative side, what with your being a Luthor and all, however, you also have a good side. You are intelligent and generous, and very charming. You wouldn't want people to give up on you based on what they see as bad in you. You'd want them to see that you are more then just a rich boy from an snobby family. You want them to see you are more then that."

Chloe shifted her position. "It's just like passion. You have to see the whole thing, not just the negative side"

Lex nodded his head, absorbing what she had said. "You make an interesting point"

"Oh, that's all you have to say" Chloe threw a piece of ice at him. "You need to chill out Luthor. I swear. Someday you'll realize that you're just being a hypochondriac and you'll thank me for this pep talk"

"I suppose" Lex said, flinging the cube back at her. "If I ever found someone worth wasting my passion on"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Don't be so mellow dramatic. I'm not going to fall for the 'sad, lonely, no body understands me so I'll be moody cause I'm rich and can be', thing"

"I never thought you would" Lex smiled.

"Good then" Chloe's eyes met Lex's, and suddenly she felt very self-conscious. Here she was on a blanket, in the middle of nowhere, with the heat bearing down on her, and a handsome guy only inches from her. "So, now you just have to figure out how to move on" she pulled her eyes away from his. Even in the dark Lex's eyes seemed as crystal blue as the mid day sky. Why was she noticing this all now? "You'll find that moment, when it all your worries don't seem to matter anymore"

"This moment isn't too bad" Lex said softly, almost too softly for Chloe not to hear, but she did. She turned her gaze back to Lex, and he was looking at her intently.

"Except it is a little hot" Chloe returned. Was it her imagination, or was he closer then before?

"It is a bit hot" Yes, he was diffidently closer.

"Would an ice cube help?" Chloe offered meekly. Lex seemed only inches away. She reached for the thermos, and grabbed a cube. She went to hand it off, and Lex just closed his hand over her own, trapping the coldness between the two of them. Chloe looked at their intertwined hands, and then back up to see Lex close enough to taste.

And then it rained.

Chloe blinked her eyes, as the fat drops fell on her, her hand still linked with Lex's.

"Looks like the heat broke" she whispered. She retracted her hand from Lex's, leaving him with a hand full of what was now the melted ice cube. She hurriedly threw the thermos in her bag, and stood up.

Lex stood up as well, and grabbed the blanket for her, and she shoved it into her bag. Together, they ran back to the road. Chloe stopped outside the driver's side of her car, and fished out her keys. She opened the door, and got ready to step inside, but a hand reached out to shut the door. She turned around to see Lex standing there, now soaked from the rain.

Chloe held her breath, as Lex leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. First softly, then more assertive. After what seemed like forever, he released her. To Chloe it felt as though he had reached in, pulled out her soul, and danced with it till dawn. "Sometimes, the heat doesn't break" he whispered in her ear. He opened the door, and Chloe climbed in, stunned. She started the car, and glanced out the window at Lex, who was standing a few feet from her car, as she drove away.

Lex walked slowly back to his car. He certainly felt better. He was starting to see the whole thing, not just the negative side. And he liked it.

~the end~