TITLE: Chasing Chloe
AUTHOR: Kaya
EMAIL: deessedelune@yahoo.com
DESCRIPTION: Based loosely on "Chasing Liberty". Chloe wants to escape the craziness of Smallville..and drags Lex along for the ride. CHLEX, CLANA.
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: I own none of these people. I just like to borrow.
CHAPTER ONE
"Augh."
Her head was throbbing harder by the minute. No matter how many massages to her temple she had attempted, Chloe Sullivan could not rub away the growing pains within her head.
And she knew exactly who is to blame her excruciating suffering.
Opting to forgo a trip home from Smallville High, she decided to take a walking detour to the Talon. Hoping that maybe some caffeine might remedy the tension, she opened the door to the establishment with some purpose and scampered to the open table closest to the bar.
After waiting what seemed like forever, she began to wonder why she was not being serviced yet. She finally looked around to see that every waitress, except for Lana Lang, was busy flirting with the members of the jock squad.
"Augh," she said again, exasperated at how awful this day had been.
Like perfect timing, a cup of steaming latte was placed on her table. Before she could protest that she did not order the cuppa, she looked up to find Lex Luthor. She would have replied if he did not immediately said, "You looked like you needed it."
Caring less as to how Lex knew what her favorite drink was, she took it gratefully as she neared the cup to herself. After blowing into the beverage a few times, she eventually took a sip and practically let out a moan.
All this time, Lex made himself comfortable across from her and was enjoying the entertainment she unconsciously provided. When she began to feel the pain subside, her alertness came back. Turning to the older billionaire, she smiled. "Thanks, Lex."
"You're welcome," he replied. Sensing that she had a better mood about her, he finally asked, "So care to share what was giving you a migraine before you came in here?"
Shocked, Chloe stopped in mid-sip. Lex Luthor interested in her personal adolescent miseries? He had got to be kidding.
Yet, like always, Lex read her mind and said, "Come on, Chloe. You'd think that after your brief stay at the castle, we could just go back to being acquaintances? We're actually friends now, you know?"
Then he smirked knowingly. "Unless I'm still Wall of Weird material," he added almost confident that her answer would be in the positive.
Chloe grinned. People were really missing out on Lex's sense of humor. If Smallville would only stop treating the Luthor son as a pariah, they'd be enamored with Lex and his charm.
"Sorry, Lex," she finally mustered. "I'm just having a bad day."
"How so?"
She rolled her eyes, clearly miserable at having to recall the disasters of that day. "Well, if you must know," she said with playful sarcasm. "My father, Clark, Pete and Lana are driving me crazy! My crazy paternal figure has decided to recruit Smallville's most incompetent to 'protect' me, whatever that means."
"Of course, their definition of protection," Chloe added. "Is to dote on me twenty-four hours a day."
Knowing how obnoxious the trio can be, Lex cringed at the thought, which she picked up. Smiling appreciatively, she said, "Exactly."
"So what brought on this sudden need for protection?" he asked.
She looked at him wryly. Could he be any denser? "Your father, Lex," she provided with a bitter tone. "He's not exactly Susie Sunshine when it comes to me."
**********************************************
"He's not exactly Susie Sunshine when it comes to me." A deep frown appeared on Lex's face, realizing that the matters indeed were more serious than just overprotective loved ones. "I'm sorry, Chloe," he offered gravely. "I guarantee you that he won't hurt you ever again."
And Lex was not kidding. He had taken the appropriate steps to ensure that Chloe was well-guarded against his father by making sure that Lionel stayed as far away from her as possible. For now, Lionel was satisfied with a feigned allegiance from his son, but knowing that the older Luthor would want more, Lex knew that he would have to plan a better, more comprehensive plan of action to deter Lionel from interfering with any more lives in Smallville, including himself and Chloe.
"Thanks," Chloe had said sincerely, and Lex felt a swell of pride in his chest. Since his return to Smallville, he had taken a special liking to the girl, who had stood up to his father, despite the possible detrimental consequences.
He felt sorry about having participated in her recent problems with her father's dismissal from the plant and her fall-out with the Daily Planet, but he knew that at this point of his elaborate plan, he could not reveal to Chloe that she and her father were used as pawns to get himself an "in" with his own father.
Besides, even if he did tell Chloe about his plan, she would not appreciate having been used as a prop for his ploy against Lionel. And Lex just felt like he couldn't bear losing her friendship at this time, he reasoned to himself. While Clark had been gracious since Lex's arrival at Smallville, he was too busy with his own share of problems. Chloe was the only one who could possibly sympathize with the misery Lionel had imposed on him.
"You don't have to thank me, Chloe," he finally responded after much thought. "You can always ask me anything. Friends take care of each other."
Chloe guffawed. "If only the rest of my friends were as controlled as you are when it came to 'taking care of me'."
"Speaking of which," he smirked, nodding toward the Talon entrance.
**********************************************
"Speaking of which," Lex smirked, nodding toward the Talon entrance. Chloe turned to see Clark and Lana walking to the café, clearly searching for something. Or better yet, someone. And she knew exactly who that would be.
"Augh," she groaned, feeling the migraine coming on again. She looked around the establishment to see if she can find any solution to her problems, albeit temporary. Her eyes fell on the new TV monitors, which Lana had insisted in installing to increase more customers. Playing was a trailer of the new movie, in which a young girl escapes her doting father and her entourage of Secret Servants by running off with a young man into the crevices of Europe.
Suddenly, an idea came to her. "Lex," she said, getting his attention. "You said that I could always ask you anything, yes?"
"Of course," he answered, unsure at what she was getting to.
"Then help me evade this for a day or two."
Truly curious now, he raised an eyebrow. "And how do you propose to do just that?"
She grabs her purse and coat and then his hand as she stood and made a run for the back entrance, dragging Lex with her, just as Lana and Clark were entering the joint.
Making sure that they could not be spotted from the inside of the café, she stealthily maneuvered them through the alley and into the lot, where Lex's car was parked.
Without having to say anything, Lex opened the passenger door for her, ever the gentleman that he was, and moved his way around into the driver side. When they were finally settled in the car, he sped away.
"Alright, so we've escaped," Lex said teasingly, causing Chloe to giggle briefly. "Should I take you home?"
Chloe shook her head. "Nope," she replied. "Remember that ask-anything I inquired about earlier?"
Lex nodded.
"I want you to take us to Metropolis."