CH 8 What once was lost.

/December 2010/

It had been three years since he last saw her, when he started hearing her name in his social circles. He tried to push her out of his mind; love was a weakness he couldn't afford.

But he wasn't at all surprised to see that she rose up so quickly. She was always a brilliant woman.

But what almost stopped his heart and made him choke on the scotch that he was drinking; was the mention of her husband. She got married!!

He knew he sounded like a lunatic when he asked them to repeat what they had just said. He watched them all jump back when he shouted.

They told him that Natalie's husband was murdered two days ago.

He tried to calm down his racing heart; this is what he was talking about love made you weak, he couldn't lose his composure in front of them like that. But he also knew that he was nothing without her.

He excused himself early from the party making up some cock and bull story about a meeting he had to plan. But by now he was at the point that he didn't care if they believed him. He had to get home.

Married; how can she get married he thought while he was searching through the story on the computer.

She apparently started dating a Science Professor from Loyola, whom she met at function she attended in her junior year. After she graduated they were married; she'd been married a little over a year.

He would never forget the look on her face when he told her to go. His heart broke as he watched her face sadden then turn into a cold mask. He watched her walk out of his life and he kept telling himself it was for the best. But it wasn't; he was weaker without her by his side; he needed her, his partner in crime.

He had to get her back.


She pulled the collar on her jacket tighter around her throat. It was another bitter cold night in Chicago.

She walked through the night like she owned it. She wasn't afraid she lived in darkness. She had heard footfalls behind her for at least a block now. The person was walking far enough behind her not to be noticed. An ordinary person would be oblivious. But having been trained in that kind of tactic she knew she was being followed.

She kept walking but her hand moved to her purse and felt the familiar weight of her Glock. She kept her pace steady and then turned sharply into an ally.

Before her stalker could react she had him shoved against the wall with the Glock at his temple.

"Lex?" she asked surprised. "What the hell do you want?" she said still holding the gun to his head.

He was a little taken off balance by how easily she shoved him up the wall. She's gotten stronger he thought smiling. He knew she would sense him behind her.

"I don't like games Luthor....why were you following me?" she said with an angry tone in her voice.

He wanted to answer her but she looked so damn sexy holding that gun; with her long chestnut waves spilling down around her face.

"Not going to answer Lex" she said accenting the last syllable. "You know your skull's to thick for a bullet" she said as she lowered the gun to his crotch.

"I heard about what happened, I just wanted to make sure you were ok." He said while watching her hand holding the gun.

She looked into the familiar blue eyes and lowered the gun. "You came all the way to Chicago to see how I am...how sweet" she said sarcastically and started to walk away.

"Natalie" he said the name still sounded foreign coming from his mouth. She stopped.

"I don't know what you want Luthor, but I'm not in the mood" she said turning to look at him. She remember all he said to her three years ago, but looking at him only slightly visible from the street lamp. Her feelings were still there; she still loved him.

"I just wanted to see if you were ok" he said trying to look innocent.

"A Luthor always wants something" She replied staring at his attempt to look innocent. She smirked slightly. 'I'm fine, since you're so interested"

"Your husband was murdered," he said still feeling anger at saying that word.

"I'm well aware of that Luthor"

"And you're just fine with that?" he asked

"It's my fault he's dead" she replied

"What are you talking about...you were out of the country"

"Well you see in my five years as some else I managed to make...some enemies.

"And you upset one of them?" he asked

"Yes, and he killed my husband"

"Where is this man?"

"He had a little accident," She said staring out into the night

"Oh" he said. Impressed by how quickly she took care of things now.

"Leave Lex" she said her voice sounding cold. He stood there staring at her. Then she turned and started walking away.

"I'll leave" he said "But when you're ready; I'll be waiting"
He was reading the newspaper a few days later and saw the story.

"Local Chicago Businessman Joseph Salvari was found dead this morning, Police are saying that his Lexus had slipped on a patch of ice and spiraled into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan." – Kayla Quinn
/Present Day 2013/

He held her close the whole night and was surprised to see her still there in the morning.

She was sitting on his chair with her legs curled under her staring out the window with a coffee cup to her lips. She was so beautiful.

All the other women he was with, he wanted them to be gone when he woke up. But it was her that he wanted to stay and she never did. But she was here now.

She left after they had a leisurely breakfast; she had to get back to Chicago for her business meetings. She was a busy woman and he had many things he needed to take care of too. The first thing would be to find a way to keep Superman out of it.

TBC