~hmm, right, just seen 'Crush' - extensive re-write happening...AU, AU...Right, episode as stands, but without floating office equipment, because Chloe backs off, she's seeing someone. Just friends, she discovers the cartoon strip. Barn scene as stood. Still going to journalism conference with Clark, whilst Lex is at hospital visiting Pamela...~
4. Relative Values.
CHLOE
Well, that was a crappy week. It was the anniversary of Lex's mother's death, and that made him cranky. Keeping out of his way led me to meet up with an old friend, who ripped off a Carrie, and ploughed our Principal back through his garage. Not to be flippant - that was really upsetting. Then Mr Fordman died.
Lana's basically holding Whitney together, and exchanging deep glances with Clark. Clark...is hiding something.
I told Justin I was dating someone - he didn't want to believe it. Discovering that cartoon strip...eeuw.
I have a nasty bump on my head where he hit me with a horse-shoe, but while I was trying to get both my eyes focused, I saw Clark -appear- behind Justin, throw him into a wall. My head hurts, but I'm not confused. I know what I saw. I asked Clark outright, and he checked my eyes for concussion. But I know him well; he's hiding something. That was his 'oh, Pete must have eaten the last donut' tone when he tried to tell me I was imagining things. I hate being lied to.
I want to ask Lex what he knows. I know he obsessed about the accident for a while, and I know him better than Clark does. He won't just let it drop. But I can't ask him yet. He's sitting in a little room, watching another person in his life slip away from him. He doesn't know I'm here. I made Clark take the bus back to Smallville without me, came to the hospital, because I knew he'd be here. So I'm sitting here, with a cup of coffee growing cold in my hand, and listening to Lex read poetry.
He has a beautiful voice.
"Starting from fish-shape Paumanok where I was born,
Well-begotten, and rais'd of a perfect mother.."
I always imagine his schools to have been like the one in 'Dead Poet's Society' - Whitman seems so fitting.
I wake abruptly, when the cold coffee slips out of my hand, over my skirt. The voice has stopped. Panic that he might have left, walked past me, but no, he's fallen asleep, arm under his head on the bedside table. He looks so young like that. The woman in the bed opens her own eyes, sees me, sees him, and smiles.
"You must be Chloe." she says softly, and I'm surprised. Obviously show it, because she beckons me in, with a hand this side of transparent. "He talks about you, described you. You -are- lovely."
"Er...thank you." I don't know how to address her.
"I'm Pamela." I can see why Lex clung to her memory; she has a warm smile and a warm voice.
Our voices wake Lex, because he shifts, blinks instantly awake in that disconcerting fashion of his.
"What are you doing here?" But he puts out a hand as he says it.
"Trying to catch a ride back to Smallville in a nice comfy car?" I smile hopefully, and it raises a weak echo of his usual gorgeous grin.
"Take this man home, make him get some proper sleep." Pamela orders me.
LEX
The only two women in my life to call me Alexander. They grin at each other. If Pamela likes her, then Mom would have done, too.
I send Chloe off to wipe her skirt, because I'm not having coffee all over the upholstery. Pamela looks at me.
"You be good to her, Alexander."
"I will." I kiss a cheek that feels more paper-thin than it did last time. "I'll try and make it back next week."
We both know that could be difficult. My father has stepped up his pressure on the plant, and on me. Knows I'm visiting Pamela, can't stop it, because the stubborn woman won't accept any of my money for treatment.
I hate goodbyes.
I know I'm being silent and grouchy in the car, but Chloe falls asleep before we reach the city limits, and I can catch glimpses of her profile as I drive.
She wakes up when we draw up at the mansion.
"My house got a lot bigger." she remarks, raises an eyebrow at me.
"Stay tonight."
I need warm arms round me, need to feel less alone. And I know she understands this, because she doesn't protest, just smiles at me, fishes out her phone, and won't her father enjoy that conversation at this time of night.
***
CHLOE
Breakfast time, and Lex is in a better mood now.
LEX
I like seeing Chloe in this dining-room. The only other dinner guests here have been Victoria - 'the V-word that we don't mention, do we, Alexander?' - and my father. Some very bad memories, being replaced by new ones.
Giving Chloe lobster for the first time was priceless.
"It's bug. And it's looking at me." Suspicious poke. "A big armoured bug for dinner. How do you get it out of its shell?"
Same way you get a Luthor out of his. Patience and care. Delicate hands with surprising strength in them, intense concentration, big excited grin. Throwing yourself into the fray with passion and fire.
She's got something on her mind this morning. Biting that soft underlip, sidelong glances.
Finally tells me. What she saw. What she thinks she saw.
It's time someone else got to see the vault. Because if anyone can help me unravel the enigma, it's my lively curious darling. She knows Clark better than anyone else.
There has been too much deception, too many betrayals in my life. I never lie to Chloe; this is the bedrock of our relationship. Something pure. A psychiatrist, should I ever let one within spitting distance of me, would have a field-day with the identification. Fairy-tale archetypes, Beauty and the Beast, the Goblin King, something dark and terrible that needs light and purity to rescue it. If I told Chloe, she would probably fetch said psychiatrist. So - I never lie to her. And I'm prepared to trust her with this.
CHLOE
This is a big step. By saying these things out loud, I've made another step away from Clark, the things I thought I knew.
4. Relative Values.
CHLOE
Well, that was a crappy week. It was the anniversary of Lex's mother's death, and that made him cranky. Keeping out of his way led me to meet up with an old friend, who ripped off a Carrie, and ploughed our Principal back through his garage. Not to be flippant - that was really upsetting. Then Mr Fordman died.
Lana's basically holding Whitney together, and exchanging deep glances with Clark. Clark...is hiding something.
I told Justin I was dating someone - he didn't want to believe it. Discovering that cartoon strip...eeuw.
I have a nasty bump on my head where he hit me with a horse-shoe, but while I was trying to get both my eyes focused, I saw Clark -appear- behind Justin, throw him into a wall. My head hurts, but I'm not confused. I know what I saw. I asked Clark outright, and he checked my eyes for concussion. But I know him well; he's hiding something. That was his 'oh, Pete must have eaten the last donut' tone when he tried to tell me I was imagining things. I hate being lied to.
I want to ask Lex what he knows. I know he obsessed about the accident for a while, and I know him better than Clark does. He won't just let it drop. But I can't ask him yet. He's sitting in a little room, watching another person in his life slip away from him. He doesn't know I'm here. I made Clark take the bus back to Smallville without me, came to the hospital, because I knew he'd be here. So I'm sitting here, with a cup of coffee growing cold in my hand, and listening to Lex read poetry.
He has a beautiful voice.
"Starting from fish-shape Paumanok where I was born,
Well-begotten, and rais'd of a perfect mother.."
I always imagine his schools to have been like the one in 'Dead Poet's Society' - Whitman seems so fitting.
I wake abruptly, when the cold coffee slips out of my hand, over my skirt. The voice has stopped. Panic that he might have left, walked past me, but no, he's fallen asleep, arm under his head on the bedside table. He looks so young like that. The woman in the bed opens her own eyes, sees me, sees him, and smiles.
"You must be Chloe." she says softly, and I'm surprised. Obviously show it, because she beckons me in, with a hand this side of transparent. "He talks about you, described you. You -are- lovely."
"Er...thank you." I don't know how to address her.
"I'm Pamela." I can see why Lex clung to her memory; she has a warm smile and a warm voice.
Our voices wake Lex, because he shifts, blinks instantly awake in that disconcerting fashion of his.
"What are you doing here?" But he puts out a hand as he says it.
"Trying to catch a ride back to Smallville in a nice comfy car?" I smile hopefully, and it raises a weak echo of his usual gorgeous grin.
"Take this man home, make him get some proper sleep." Pamela orders me.
LEX
The only two women in my life to call me Alexander. They grin at each other. If Pamela likes her, then Mom would have done, too.
I send Chloe off to wipe her skirt, because I'm not having coffee all over the upholstery. Pamela looks at me.
"You be good to her, Alexander."
"I will." I kiss a cheek that feels more paper-thin than it did last time. "I'll try and make it back next week."
We both know that could be difficult. My father has stepped up his pressure on the plant, and on me. Knows I'm visiting Pamela, can't stop it, because the stubborn woman won't accept any of my money for treatment.
I hate goodbyes.
I know I'm being silent and grouchy in the car, but Chloe falls asleep before we reach the city limits, and I can catch glimpses of her profile as I drive.
She wakes up when we draw up at the mansion.
"My house got a lot bigger." she remarks, raises an eyebrow at me.
"Stay tonight."
I need warm arms round me, need to feel less alone. And I know she understands this, because she doesn't protest, just smiles at me, fishes out her phone, and won't her father enjoy that conversation at this time of night.
***
CHLOE
Breakfast time, and Lex is in a better mood now.
LEX
I like seeing Chloe in this dining-room. The only other dinner guests here have been Victoria - 'the V-word that we don't mention, do we, Alexander?' - and my father. Some very bad memories, being replaced by new ones.
Giving Chloe lobster for the first time was priceless.
"It's bug. And it's looking at me." Suspicious poke. "A big armoured bug for dinner. How do you get it out of its shell?"
Same way you get a Luthor out of his. Patience and care. Delicate hands with surprising strength in them, intense concentration, big excited grin. Throwing yourself into the fray with passion and fire.
She's got something on her mind this morning. Biting that soft underlip, sidelong glances.
Finally tells me. What she saw. What she thinks she saw.
It's time someone else got to see the vault. Because if anyone can help me unravel the enigma, it's my lively curious darling. She knows Clark better than anyone else.
There has been too much deception, too many betrayals in my life. I never lie to Chloe; this is the bedrock of our relationship. Something pure. A psychiatrist, should I ever let one within spitting distance of me, would have a field-day with the identification. Fairy-tale archetypes, Beauty and the Beast, the Goblin King, something dark and terrible that needs light and purity to rescue it. If I told Chloe, she would probably fetch said psychiatrist. So - I never lie to her. And I'm prepared to trust her with this.
CHLOE
This is a big step. By saying these things out loud, I've made another step away from Clark, the things I thought I knew.