Chapter 27 – Rehashing the Days

Lex and Chloe returned to the mansion after spending the morning checking out of the hospital and convincing the police that Chloe did nothing wrong by nearly killing him. He refused to press charges and would testify in her behalf so there was no case. Walking into his office, he took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry I broke into your computer. I hoped it would put you back together so to speak. Or at least find out what your other half was up to." Chloe helped Lex to the couch and waited for the retort.

"It's ok. Bring me the computer. You find anything interesting?" Chloe put the computer down on his lap and turned it on. Lex typed in his password and waited for the history to open up.

Chloe leaned over and looked at the list of files that were last opened. "Lex, it's not there – the file that had all my information in it and about the experiment that your father had been doing before prison. Your alter Lex had started it up again." Lex could see the look of fear in her eyes as the files didn't appear.

Putting his arm around her, he closed the computer and kissed her on the side of the neck. "Let's not worry about it right now."

"Not worry about it? Clark saw your other half leave the mansion with Lionel." Chloe stood up and started flailing her arms in fright. "Your father is out there somewhere no doubt trying to plan another demise for the both of us. Before it wasn't much since he just was going after me and you separately, but he's got something bigger planned. Lex, I can feel it."

Chloe got up and took the laptop over to the desk and started going through old files trying to find the ones she saw earlier. "Lex, how much do you remember? From the separation?" Lex walked over to the desk and looked over her shoulder as she punched more buttons. Looking up as she waited for his email to open, Lex marveled that she casually broke through every security measure he had right in front of him.

He looked back at her, "Nothing from the split – if I did, I would pursue it. Chloe, let's bother with this tomorrow." He tried to take her by the wrist as she pulled her hand away.

"No, I'm not giving up on this – I don't want to end up dead again." Chloe got up and started for the controls to the cameras in the mansion. In the same instant, Lex grabbed the remote from her. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"As it happens, right now, I just want to be with you. Look, I understand that somewhere out there is my father but I've decided he can't run my life." Chloe sat down in front of the computer madder than Hades. She couldn't believe Lex was putting off his father's escape that easily. Taking her hand in his, he knelt beside her there behind the desk. "I will find him – in my own way. He's going to be out of our lives once and for all. I promise – remember I said I will protect you long ago, that hasn't changed. Trust me?"

Chloe looked at him as she rubbed his cheek before looking back at the computer. On the email list was several messages that hadn't been deleted. Chloe continued reading, noticing the date. "Lex," she shifted in the chair and stared at him. "You knew about this before the split? Are you kidding me?" She pushed the chair away from the desk and stormed out of the office.

Running down the hall after her Lex gingerly grabbed her around the waist from behind as she fought to get away. Letting go, he just grabbed her by the wrist, realizing the pain from his ribs was still intensive. "Calm down! I only got that information from some informants that had been researching what my father had been doing before the breakout – that's it – I swear!"

Pulling out of his grip, Chloe turned and screamed back, "Trust you? We're getting married and you're keeping secrets like this from me? Are you mad?!" Lex reached out and touched her arm, "No, don't touch me!" Chloe pulled away and headed down the hall. Lex followed her but heard the bolt lock turn and knew he wasn't getting in the room tonight.

Lex went back into the office and sifted through the security tapes and found nothing. Yes, his father and his alter ego had been all over the mansion but had not left one traceable piece of evidence. He reread the emails that had gotten him evicted from his own bedroom. What are you doing dad?

Calling his informant back, he waited as the other line went silent several times before the man returned. "Mr. Luthor, your father was last seen getting on a plane to Twin Falls Idaho. That was yesterday. We lost him there."

"You find him and call me back – I want to know exactly what he's doing there." Lex hung up the phone and sat back in the chair at the desk staring at the blueprints of something that had been neglected to be deleted from the personal recycle bin. "Gotcha."

Walking slowly down the hall, he slinked down on the outside of the locked door. "Chloe, I have someone tracking him as we speak – I found a set of blueprints on the computer that were in a place you didn't check. Baby, open the door, please."

"Where is he?" He could hear her move closer to the door and sit down on the other side.

"In Idaho. He can't exactly do anything from there. Please, we'll solve this but I need your help by trusting me – I'll tell you everything I find out but…" Lex couldn't continue to plead – it wasn't his nature. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the door, and ran his fingers under the door.

He felt a soft touch and gentle squeeze. Pressing his eye lids together closer, he heard the lock turn as Chloe pulled the door ajar enough for him to see her face flushed from crying. He pushed the door open slightly more and took her in his arms. "I'm sorry – I'll never keep anything from you again. And we'll take care of dear old dad together, but not tonight." Lex wiped her eyes as she buried herself into his chest and sobbed.

The next morning after Lex was released Clark and Lois found themselves at the Kent's dinner table looking at Clark's parents. They weren't exactly angry but more concerned. Jonathon finally quit pacing, "Clark, how long has this been going on?"

Clark looked at the tabletop, wiping it with his fingers, "Umm. Since the week you and mom went away." He looked up as his mother's jaw dropped. He could see his father's pacing increased. Looking to the side, he could see Lois start to open her mouth as he squeezed her hand under the table. She immediately closed it.

"How come you didn't say anything? I mean if you had come to us with this we might not be as upset as we are now. I mean what were you thinking sleeping in the loft together?" Jonathon waited for the moment to sink in and continued, "Lois, I think I need to talk to him alone."

Lois looked over at him and grimaced. She knew this was going badly. "Good luck," she whispered as she kissed his cheek and walked away. Clark could feel his face get flushed from her kissing him in front of his parents. He figured it was now in the open and she didn't care what they thought.

"Lois and I are in love." Clark waited another moment until his father looked like he calmed down. "And I know what you are going to say – that with my abilities that something could happen. Well, actually … nothing does. At least nothing super." Clark's eyes searched all over the kitchen to look other than his father.

Jonathon moved in closer. "I hope you were at least safe." Clark shook his head yes and got up from the table.

"Look, it's happened and I love her. I think we should just come to the realization that I've entered another part of my life. Dad, I'm 18 and graduating from high school, and."

"And you're still under my roof." Jonathon started the inevitable speech but Martha took his arm. Shaking his head, he realized his son was growing up and that he and Martha had been the same way.

Martha took Clark's hand and pleaded, "Just be careful."

Clark smiled and walked outside where Lois was kicking up dirt on the drive. "I think we're in the clear. He's not happy – come to think of it, mom isn't either but I think we've avoided the onslaught." He wrapped his arms around Lois and smiled before kissing her.

"I think I should move out somewhere until you know they're more comfortable with the idea. I actually asked Chloe if I could move into the mansion and she was going to ask Lex. I really hate that idea but I don't know what my other options are anymore." Clark looked at her in astonishment.

"The mansion?"

"Actually I got you something better than that Ms. Lane." Clark and Lois both spun around as Lex and Chloe headed up the drive from Lex's car, with Chloe holding the keys.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Clark hugged both Lex and Chloe. He felt Lex wince and backed off. "Sorry, I guess you're still a little tender."

"Yeah, a little, but I have this great nurse and lots of wonderful drugs." Everyone laughed as Lex wrapped his arms around Chloe and kissed her. "Anyway, Lois, here are the keys to your apartment in town. It needs some cleaning but it's paid for. It's a little place above the Smallville Ledger building, which I bought this morning. They were going under so my fiancée asked me to save it." Lex looked down at Chloe and gave her a gentle squeeze.

Lois looked at Lex in shock. "Thank you. This is really not needed." Lex refused the keys back and started heading for the car. Clark noticed he was still slightly limping as he got in the car.

"Chloe, is he really ok?"

"Doctors say he's making much better progress than they ever expected. I just hope he keeps getting better. He just can't drive yet, so," Chloe rattled the keys as she hugged her friends and headed to the car.

"Chloe? What else is going on?" Clark caught up with Chloe as she walked away.

"What do you mean?"

"What are you not telling me Chloe – I know you and Lex are engaged and all but I know you and something's not right." Clark looked puzzled as he waited for her answer.

Hesitating, she hoped that Clark would abide by her pleas, "Lionel is still free, and Lex and I are trying to figure things out." She could see the expression of Clark's change from confusion to anger. "Now Clark, let me and Lex handle this. This has nothing to do with you and I don't want you involved." She looked back at Lex sitting in the car with a more and more concerned look on his face. Chloe moved in closer to Clark and whispered as she acted like she was hugging him. "Check out Idaho though." She leaned back and smiled before she got in the car.

"What was that all about?" Lois walked up and wrapped her arms around Clark's waist.

"Nothing. So, why don't we go check out the apartment?" Clark grabbed Lois' hand and headed for the truck as he watched the Porsche pull out of the driveway.