Resurrection

Rating: M in later chapters

Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville.

Spoilers: Up to S4.

Summary: Five years after the explosion in which Chloe Sullivan was believed to have died, Lex Luthor makes a startling discovery which will change his life forever.

Chapter One

It was a freezing cold January morning in Smallville, most of the landscape was differentiated only by the shade of white. The ground as covered in a thick blanket of glistening white snow, with only one set of footprints to mare it. Frost clung to the headstones hiding their names and histories. The few trees standing around were likewise afflicted, it seemed hard to believe that one day they would bloom again; they were now so shrivelled and weighed down. Even the expanse of sky above was a greyish white. The only spot of colour on the horizon came from the lone figure emblazoned against it.

The man was dressed all in black. His long dark coat floated slightly behind him as the wind whipped about him, but that was the only movement since he had climbed to the top of hill over an hour ago. He just stood looking at the newest headstone, his hands in his pockets and his face devoid of expression.

Even through the frost he could just about make out the name "Lionel Luthor". It was not quite as reassuring as he had thought that it would be. He fingered a vile he had in his pocket. In that vile lay the real victory; what was left of his father's ashes. Lex had insisted that he see his father's corpse burned and discarded, keeping just enough to be a constant reminder.

What was in front of him was just an empty grave. It was as hollow as his final victory over his father. He wished that he could have been the one to deal the final blow, but he had not been the one to do it. He had thought of it but had always resisted as it was after all his father. Lionel had died alone in jail of a disease that Lex had not even known he had had. A few years ago, five to be exact, this would have bothered him, but now he felt numb. He turns his back on his father and walked away. The only moisture on his face was that left by the snowflakes.

Lex Luthor bent his head against the wind and made his way to the top of the cemetery where the two largest tombstones lay. As he looked at them there was a flicker of emotion that had not been present before. Lex's gloved hands clawed at the snow which clung to the monuments until the names and dedications were visible.

"Gabe and Chloe Sullivan", he finally spoke. He had come here almost every day since the explosion to look over the tombs, he had said her name every day and yet there was still the emotion present that he had tried to school himself out of. This sort of weakness was insufferable.

After the tragic explosion LuthorCorp had dedicated the tombs to their memory and Lex had made sure that they were the largest and the most ornate, as if honouring their memories would somehow bring them back. Lionel had been responsible and had spent the rest of his days in prison but it was not enough, nothing could be enough to compensate for Chloe's loss. She had been so young, so pure, so good.

Even as he stood there he could remember the first time that he had met her. He had heard of Clark's friend Chloe before of course, but he had imagined a tiny thing, pale with mousy brown hair with large glasses who hid behind her computer. That wasn't Chloe at all. She had brilliant short blonde hair, and a smile and enthusiasm which had immediately impressed him … not to mention a firm handshake.

She caused problems continuously. If there was trouble you could guarantee that Chloe would not only find it but stick her nose it in. Several instances always stayed with him. He had never allowed anyone to get an interview with him and the few people who had continued to try for one normally flattered and pandered to him, promising to ask him only questions that would make him look good. Chloe had not only been bold enough to get the interview but had asked him the questions he had hoped that no one would ever ask.

Even now he could see her face as she had asked those questions, heard her exasperation with Clark for not being well enough prepared. He could still feel the energy in the room as they had their little round of verbal judo. Then she had been thrown through a window. Even then he put her in danger. They never had got to finish their sparing match.

He would give anything to see her again, even if it was as she had been that day when she had been goading him about his baldness. He supressed a groan; in the space of one year she had grown extremely sexy. He knew that she had been infected with a parasite at that time, but that didn't change the way she looked – except for the dark streaks in her hair. He had almost been sad that she didn't remember anything from that episode as he would have loved to have taken her to task

He sighed as he realised that he could have taken her to task about it anyway. He could have spoken to her every damned day. He could have seen her every day. He could have … he could have not wasted the time he had had with her.

Deep down he had always known how special she really was, but he had ignored it. Ignored her. He hadn't paid her any attention until he had thought that he could get something out of her. Before that he had allowed her to be stressed, allowed her to worry about her father and her future. Still she had been so brave. She had taken on his father and won … almost.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, he could feel the familiar headache from too much work, not enough sleep and unadulterated remorse creeping up on him again. Her life had not been what it should have been. She had had so much potential wasted, more than anyone else he had ever known, and it had all been wasted.

She had missed out on so many things. She had only been to one or two dances and both of those had been disasters. She had only experienced a handful of kisses. There were so many articles left for her to write. Hell, she didn't even get to graduate and stand in the sun with her friends or walk into the halls of a college.

Lex heard the crunch of snow underfoot behind him. "Hello Clark", he greeted without turning around.

"I heard about your father", the Clark said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. He had known that this was where he would find Lex and that he shouldn't leave his friend alone at a time like this, but now that he was there he didn't know what to say.

"He had it coming", Lex shrugged, his eyes still fixed on Chloe's grave. "If I had had the courage to do that years ago then Chloe would still be with us".

"You can't blame yourself. We all miss her but we have to get on with our lives", Clark told him. This was not the first time that they had had this conversation. Ever since Chloe's death Lex had been withdrawn. Everyone had been devastated by her death, but five years on the healing process had started for everyone except Lex. It was odd, Clark didn't remember him having had that much contact with her before her death but after her death she consumed his thoughts.

"It was my fault, I promised that I would protect her", Lex stated.

"You couldn't have done anything", Clark said, not knowing whether or not that was actually true. But he said it anyway because he knew that Chloe wouldn't have wanted Lex's world to have stopped with her death. He had never been exactly social but since the explosion and his father's incarceration he was even more reserved.

Lex and LuthorCorp had merged and flourished under Lex's sole control. They were developing into more fields every day; it was now the most successful company in the world. Clark knew that Lex had once thought of entering politics and whilst the thought had always scared him he had actually suggested it a few months back just to see if he would bring Lex out of himself, the richest man in the world had just laughed and said that there was no point now as he could just buy the White House with the change in his back pocket.

This statement had made Clark nervous. Lex had turned cold, hard and ruthless. The list of his conquests in both business and pleasure was longer than ever, Clark would have thought that he had lost his heart completely if he hadn't seen him so often at Chloe's grave and not realised the significance of his merged company being called C-Corp.

"Oh yes I could", Lex whispered.

Lex paced back and forwards, he was encased in tons of concrete and surrounded by the best the US military had to offer; he should have felt safe but he had never been more scared in his life. Every few seconds he kept on glancing down at his watch. They should have arrived by now.

He started to doubt himself. He should never have included Chloe in his plans, he should have taken on his father himself. This plan should work, Chloe would enter the house with her father, they would get them into the tunnels and then set the explosion. But they should have arrived by now.

His pacing continued.

What if Lionel had already got to her? What is she was already dead by this point? What if the FBI agents had been corrupted already and had taken her straight to him? What if she was tied down to a table somewhere being tortured and touched by his father? Lex started towards the door at the top of the staircase that would lead him into the house.

"What are you doing?" A gruff voice asked, restraining him.

"I am going to get Chloe, she should have been here by now", Lex tried to get free.

At a nod from the general, Lex was held back by two soldiers.

"She is only a few minutes later than we expected and the people we have following her say that she is safe and will be arriving in exactly minutes. This will go as planned", the three-star general assured him. He then gave the soldiers another nod and they let Lex go.

"Listen, Lionel wouldn't make his move this soon, at the very earliest he would act at night. We will get them both out before anything can happen. The only ones who will know about this outside the family are you and several of my most select soldiers; these are men who I trust with my life, who have literally been willing to lay down their lives for me and my family. We will get Chloe out of here safely", he still barked, but there was a kindly glint in his eyes.

Lex nodded. "And everything is planned for after that. There is ten million dollars for each of the Sullivan's in the accounts".

"Good, I will protect them", Sam assured him. Then they heard the beep that informed them that the car was pulling up.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Two of the soldiers went up first, opening the door only a crack to peer around, the second that Chloe and her father were safely in and the front door was closed they burst in and started to drag them both down the stairs.

Chloe tried to protest and was fighting the man see saw Lex run up to her. He held out his hand to her and said, "Chloe come on".

"Lex", she gasped but grabbed his hand and followed without further comment. The look of fear and confusion in her eyes would haunt him for years, almost as much as her willingness to follow him in that moment. She had put all of her trust in him and he hadn't lived up to it.

"Come on", he continued to urge her once they were inside the tunnels still holding her hand and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders as she recoiled at the sounds going on above their heads. As the house exploded over their heads she looked back checking on her Dad rather than running and trying to save her own skin.

"He's fine, come on", Lex hurried her forwards. He could see her Uncle ahead of them but was not sure whether or not she had recognised who it was yet. They wound around in the tunnels for several miles, until they came out into the bright light. Only then did he reluctantly let go of her.

The second that he was no longer holding her she tore back and hugged her Dad.

Lex felt a knot forming in his stomach at this display of need. He knew that they wouldn't be together for much longer and that it would be his fault. He could hear Chloe sobbing that she was so sorry and him squeezing her tightly and telling her that it was all alright and that whatever happened he was proud of her because she had stood up and done the right thing.

Uncle Sam and Lex traded meaningful glances; they both knew what was going to happen next.

"Gabe, Chloe", the general started as he walked over them. Lex barely heard what he said as he explained the situation as he hugged both of them, the billionaire was too busy watching Chloe. She dried her tears as if unwilling to let anyone see her distress. He saw her expression change and her father's hand squeeze her shoulder. She must have been told that she was to be taken away, permanently. Away from everything she had ever loved and known. Her father would not even be with her for the first six months or so. She would be with her Uncle on an army barracks the destination of which she would not be told at this point.

Her chin quivered although she tried to hold it together. She turned around and embraced her father once more as if she knew that this may be the last time that they would ever see each other.

Lex's heart broke in that moment. That was the day that Chloe Sullivan died. The body was alive and well but her life was over and as he caught her gaze as she got on the helicopter with her uncle he realised that she knew that.

It had not been hard to fake desolation at her funeral.

Lex gritted his teeth as he tried to rid his mind of the images of Chloe's stricken face, or her voice as she uttered the plaintive words "Goodbye Daddy" to Gabe. She hadn't even said goodbye to Lex, just looked straight at him and blinked away tears as she got on the helicopter. His father had lived his life and made all of the wrong choices, Chloe hadn't even had the chance to experience most of life before she was sent away. She had been confined just as much as his father had been - she had been taken away, forced into hiding, away from everything that she loved and was familiar to her, never having the chance to put down roots as she moved at least once every six months.

Lionel had deserved the miserable existence he had been confined to. Chloe had not. But it had been the only way to keep her safe. When push had come to shove, he hadn't even let her testify. She had made a video several days before the explosion which was to be delivered to the court in the event of her disappearance. That had served to put his father in prison and keep her safe, or so he had thought …

He knew that his father was a powerful man, even behind bars. That was why Chloe had had to be kept moving, just in case he ever caught on. Several months ago, when he knew that he didn't have long to live Chloe had disappeared. He had left it to the last minute, allowing them to think that they had got away with it but live in fear until … she was gone.

Lex's hands clenched into fists. This was all so wrong, he should have just taken a gun and shot his father. No trial. No danger for Chloe. No horrible constant gnawing feeling in the base of his stomach.

He was so distracted by his remorse that he hadn't noticed that someone else had come up behind them, until he heard a low throaty voice which sounded quite a lot like Lois' saying, "You are the last person I expected to find here".

He gritted his teeth; this was not the first time that he had had to deal with people – namely Lois – coming to tell him off for not leaving Chloe alone when it was his fault that she was dead. He sighed, he could tell by the voice that it wasn't Lois but it sounded like another member of the Lane family, that voice was too distinctive.

Clark had turned around, "Who are you?" He demanded, obviously put out by the intrusion.

"Lucy Lane", the voice replied.

Lex turned around. He knew that name, it had been … no it would just be her cousin. He stared hard at the woman in front of him. She looked to be about 5,8 but was probably only 5,5 without her heals on. She was slim and toned, a fact highlighted by her obviously expensive dark wool coat. From the looks of it, she had recently been in Italy as she was wearing the fall collection and dark glasses with her coat. Lex's heart began to beat a little faster but he tried to control himself, he was seeing things.

He focused on her face. Her hair is shoulder length and a rich auburn and her skin was like porcelain, her lips were painted a deep red. She looked different but it could still be her, if only he could see her eyes then he would know for sure.

Taking a step forwards, he asked, a note of desperation in his voice, "Chloe?"