Chapter 27- Definition
When Chloe drove up to the mansion she saw Lionel leaving. Chloe was smart enough to be cautious as she made her way to Lex. When she found him he was pacing angrily.
"Hey, you," Chloe said setting her bag on the couch.
"Hi," Lex replied not even bothering to look up.
"Lionel at it again?" Chloe asked.
Lex nodded twice in answer.
"What about this time?" Chloe asked watching Lex go back and forth.
"You. This time and every time," Lex replied sternly.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, walking a few steps closer.
"I'm bad for PR. Lex Luthor dating a high school freshman six years younger than himself. That freshman just happens to be the daughter of one of his employees. What the hell was he thinking? Never mind that his best friend is a freshman who he happened to almost kill with his irresponsible driving. He just can't control himself," Lex said, talking more to himself than to Chloe.
"Hey," Chloe said taking his hand in both of hers to stop his pacing. "What do you think about that?"
"Which one? You or Clark?" Lex asked shuffling his feet restlessly.
"Clark first," Chloe said.
Lex stopped fidgeting and placed his hands lightly on Chloe's waist. "I think that Clark is my friend. My best friend. There have been so many times that I have been ready to give up and let my father take over, and Clark has been the only one who has ever had faith in me. I have never regretted our friendship."
"And me?" Chloe asked.
Lex let go of her and continued to pace.
"Lex?" Chloe asked prompting an answer. Chloe raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms waiting for Lex to speak.
"I don't know, Chlo. I don't know," Lex said.
"Talk to me, Lex. Tell me what you think, not what Lionel thinks," Chloe pressed.
"I don't know," Lex said hotly.
"Then I suggest you figure it out," Chloe replied becoming frustrated. "What is there not to know?"
"Look at us, Chloe. We can't even talk without getting angry," Lex pointed out.
"I just wanted to know why you are suddenly doubting us," Chloe said.
Lex stopped abruptly. "Suddenly? What suddenly?"
"What are you saying?" Chloe asked.
"The doubts have always been there. I've just chosen to ignore them," Lex said continuing to walk back and forth.
"Until now," Chloe finished. "Would you just be still a minute?!?"
Lex stopped once again. "Yes, until now."
"Why? Why now?" Chloe asked angrily.
"Now I've decided to stop ignoring the fact that the woman that I have chosen to love will always care more about someone else," Lex explained.
"Would you quit with Clark?!? Shit! I used to love Clark romantically, but not anymore. If I did I would have gone after him when I found out he liked me, and I'd be with him right now," Chloe said waving her arms as she talked.
"I said 'care', not love. I know how you feel about Clark. I also know that I can't compete with how close you two are. Clark will always be your best friend, he will always mean the world to you. I can't compete with that," Lex explained calmly.
"Are you breaking up with me?" Chloe asked incredulously.
"I don't know what I'm doing, Chloe," Lex replied beginning to walk again.
Chloe grabbed his upper arm and jerked him around to face her. "Then whom can we call to find out?" she almost yelled.
"You are seriously treading on thin ice," Lex said, his eyes a steely blue.
"Treading on thin ice?!? I willingly jumped in headfirst when I asked you out the first time. Don't give me that crap!" Chloe replied, not loosening her grip on Lex.
"What do you want from me?" Lex asked angrily.
"Far be it from me to want some sort of commitment! How dare I want to have some definition of the relationship we have, or don't have for that matter?" Chloe fumed.
Lex groaned in frustration and turned abruptly. His shoulder connected with Chloe's and the momentum sent her sprawling. Chloe grunted in pain when her ribs landed on the hard back of the couch. Lex turned back to her quickly but she waved him off in aggravation.
"I can't even define my life right now, Chlo. Much less yours and mine," Lex explained.
"I love you, Lex. All I want to know is if I'm wasting my time on a guy who doesn't appreciate it," Chloe said grabbing her bag off of the couch. "Call me when you find out."
With that, Chloe left. Lex walked to the window and watched as she got into her car and sped off. When Chloe's car was out of sight, Lex walked to the phone.
"Hey, it's Lex. Can you come over?" Lex asked into the phone. "Good. I'll see you in a few minutes.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chloe decided to go to Lana's. She could always count on Lana to be a voice of reason. Lana answered the door seconds after Chloe knocked.
"Hey, Lana. Can we talk?" Chloe asked.
Lana looked confused, but agreed. "Yeah, let's sit on the porch."
Chloe and Lana sat on the porch swing and Lana curled her legs under herself.
"What's up?" Lana asked after a moment.
"I need some advice on Lex," Chloe said simply.
"I'll try my best to help you," Lana answered.
"First of all I want to apologize. I wasn't totally honest with you. I didn't get the bruises on my arms from falling," Chloe admitted.
"Then how…" Lana trailed off knowing the answer.
"Lex. We got in a fight and he grabbed me again. He got angry because he came back from Metropolis to apologize for that night before he left. Only, to make matters worse, when he found me I was with Clark in his loft," Chloe explained.
Lana looked at Chloe with an almost hurt expression.
"From the look on your face you feel the same way about me and Clark as Lex does, but I'll get to that in a second. Anyway, Clark went into the house and Lex snapped. He grabbed me and started shaking me. I would be in much worse shape if Clark hadn't come in when he did," Chloe finished.
What do you mean that I feel the same way as Lex?" Lana asked.
"You think that there is something between me and Clark. Just because I used to be in love with him doesn't mean that I am anymore, Lan. I will always love Clark, but I'm not in love with him. I can only speak for myself, but I'm not about to pursue a relationship with Clark," Chloe explained.
Lana nodded thoughtfully. "Back to Lex. What happened with Clark? You said if Clark hadn't come in."
"Lex was holding my arms. He was squeezing tighter and tighter and I was screaming at him that it hurt, and to let go. That's when Clark came in. Lex threw me at Clark and Clark told me to go into the house. So, I went into the house and Mrs. Kent talked to me. I have no idea what Clark said to Lex, but they came in a good fifteen minutes later and Lex apologized."
"And you accepted?" Lana asked in awe.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey, Lex. What did you need?" Clark asked.
"Advice," Lex answered.
Clark laughed. "You want my advice?"
"When it comes to Chloe you're as close to an expert as I can get," Lex explained.
"I guess so," Clark said truthfully. "What do you need to know?"
"We had another fight," Lex said. "We just can't seem to get it together."
"I noticed," Clark muttered. "What's the problem?"
"I don't know where our relationship is, where it's going, or if it is even going anywhere," Lex replied.
"How do you feel about her?" Clark asked.
"I care about her, Clark. I really do. She's like fire, Clark. She keeps me on my feet," Lex said fondly.
"But?" Clark asked.
"But I'm afraid to love another woman. I haven't had great luck with that in the past. All we do is fight. She can make me so incredibly and completely angry," Lex said.
"I noticed that, too," Clark said. "What happened?"
"She wants commitment and a definition of our relationship. I just can't give her that now," Lex said.
"Is she worth it?" Clark asked the obvious question.
"What do you mean?" Lex asked.
"Is she worth it? Is Chloe worth the bad PR, the remarks from your father? Is Chloe worth fighting for?" Clark asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Of course, I did," Chloe said. "I can't just turn him away. There's good in him and he needs to know that." Chloe leaned against the wooden swing and gasped when her ribs touched the hardness there.
"What's wrong with your side?" Lana asked fearing the worst.
"I fell," Chloe replied.
Lana looked at her skeptically.
Chloe had to laugh. "I really did! I had hold of Lex, and I made him upset. He turned abruptly and accidentally bumped into me. I fell against the couch. It's my own fault, really."
"Really?" Lana asked not trusting Chloe.
"Lana, I'm through lying to you. Lex didn't mean to. It was purely and simply an accident. It wasn't his fault," Chloe explained.
"So, let's get to the part where you need my advice," Lana pressed.
"I need to know where me and Lex stand in our relationship and he refuses to help me figure it out," Chloe explained.
"How do you feel about Lex?" Lana asked.
"I think I love him, but he's like dry ice. It can be so mesmerizing when it gets started, but when you touch it it burns so badly," Chloe tried to convey her thoughts.
"Is Lex worth it? Is being mesmerized worth it, when you know that you'll get burned?" Lana asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Yes," Lex answered surely.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Yes," Chloe answered confidently.
When Chloe drove up to the mansion she saw Lionel leaving. Chloe was smart enough to be cautious as she made her way to Lex. When she found him he was pacing angrily.
"Hey, you," Chloe said setting her bag on the couch.
"Hi," Lex replied not even bothering to look up.
"Lionel at it again?" Chloe asked.
Lex nodded twice in answer.
"What about this time?" Chloe asked watching Lex go back and forth.
"You. This time and every time," Lex replied sternly.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, walking a few steps closer.
"I'm bad for PR. Lex Luthor dating a high school freshman six years younger than himself. That freshman just happens to be the daughter of one of his employees. What the hell was he thinking? Never mind that his best friend is a freshman who he happened to almost kill with his irresponsible driving. He just can't control himself," Lex said, talking more to himself than to Chloe.
"Hey," Chloe said taking his hand in both of hers to stop his pacing. "What do you think about that?"
"Which one? You or Clark?" Lex asked shuffling his feet restlessly.
"Clark first," Chloe said.
Lex stopped fidgeting and placed his hands lightly on Chloe's waist. "I think that Clark is my friend. My best friend. There have been so many times that I have been ready to give up and let my father take over, and Clark has been the only one who has ever had faith in me. I have never regretted our friendship."
"And me?" Chloe asked.
Lex let go of her and continued to pace.
"Lex?" Chloe asked prompting an answer. Chloe raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms waiting for Lex to speak.
"I don't know, Chlo. I don't know," Lex said.
"Talk to me, Lex. Tell me what you think, not what Lionel thinks," Chloe pressed.
"I don't know," Lex said hotly.
"Then I suggest you figure it out," Chloe replied becoming frustrated. "What is there not to know?"
"Look at us, Chloe. We can't even talk without getting angry," Lex pointed out.
"I just wanted to know why you are suddenly doubting us," Chloe said.
Lex stopped abruptly. "Suddenly? What suddenly?"
"What are you saying?" Chloe asked.
"The doubts have always been there. I've just chosen to ignore them," Lex said continuing to walk back and forth.
"Until now," Chloe finished. "Would you just be still a minute?!?"
Lex stopped once again. "Yes, until now."
"Why? Why now?" Chloe asked angrily.
"Now I've decided to stop ignoring the fact that the woman that I have chosen to love will always care more about someone else," Lex explained.
"Would you quit with Clark?!? Shit! I used to love Clark romantically, but not anymore. If I did I would have gone after him when I found out he liked me, and I'd be with him right now," Chloe said waving her arms as she talked.
"I said 'care', not love. I know how you feel about Clark. I also know that I can't compete with how close you two are. Clark will always be your best friend, he will always mean the world to you. I can't compete with that," Lex explained calmly.
"Are you breaking up with me?" Chloe asked incredulously.
"I don't know what I'm doing, Chloe," Lex replied beginning to walk again.
Chloe grabbed his upper arm and jerked him around to face her. "Then whom can we call to find out?" she almost yelled.
"You are seriously treading on thin ice," Lex said, his eyes a steely blue.
"Treading on thin ice?!? I willingly jumped in headfirst when I asked you out the first time. Don't give me that crap!" Chloe replied, not loosening her grip on Lex.
"What do you want from me?" Lex asked angrily.
"Far be it from me to want some sort of commitment! How dare I want to have some definition of the relationship we have, or don't have for that matter?" Chloe fumed.
Lex groaned in frustration and turned abruptly. His shoulder connected with Chloe's and the momentum sent her sprawling. Chloe grunted in pain when her ribs landed on the hard back of the couch. Lex turned back to her quickly but she waved him off in aggravation.
"I can't even define my life right now, Chlo. Much less yours and mine," Lex explained.
"I love you, Lex. All I want to know is if I'm wasting my time on a guy who doesn't appreciate it," Chloe said grabbing her bag off of the couch. "Call me when you find out."
With that, Chloe left. Lex walked to the window and watched as she got into her car and sped off. When Chloe's car was out of sight, Lex walked to the phone.
"Hey, it's Lex. Can you come over?" Lex asked into the phone. "Good. I'll see you in a few minutes.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chloe decided to go to Lana's. She could always count on Lana to be a voice of reason. Lana answered the door seconds after Chloe knocked.
"Hey, Lana. Can we talk?" Chloe asked.
Lana looked confused, but agreed. "Yeah, let's sit on the porch."
Chloe and Lana sat on the porch swing and Lana curled her legs under herself.
"What's up?" Lana asked after a moment.
"I need some advice on Lex," Chloe said simply.
"I'll try my best to help you," Lana answered.
"First of all I want to apologize. I wasn't totally honest with you. I didn't get the bruises on my arms from falling," Chloe admitted.
"Then how…" Lana trailed off knowing the answer.
"Lex. We got in a fight and he grabbed me again. He got angry because he came back from Metropolis to apologize for that night before he left. Only, to make matters worse, when he found me I was with Clark in his loft," Chloe explained.
Lana looked at Chloe with an almost hurt expression.
"From the look on your face you feel the same way about me and Clark as Lex does, but I'll get to that in a second. Anyway, Clark went into the house and Lex snapped. He grabbed me and started shaking me. I would be in much worse shape if Clark hadn't come in when he did," Chloe finished.
What do you mean that I feel the same way as Lex?" Lana asked.
"You think that there is something between me and Clark. Just because I used to be in love with him doesn't mean that I am anymore, Lan. I will always love Clark, but I'm not in love with him. I can only speak for myself, but I'm not about to pursue a relationship with Clark," Chloe explained.
Lana nodded thoughtfully. "Back to Lex. What happened with Clark? You said if Clark hadn't come in."
"Lex was holding my arms. He was squeezing tighter and tighter and I was screaming at him that it hurt, and to let go. That's when Clark came in. Lex threw me at Clark and Clark told me to go into the house. So, I went into the house and Mrs. Kent talked to me. I have no idea what Clark said to Lex, but they came in a good fifteen minutes later and Lex apologized."
"And you accepted?" Lana asked in awe.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey, Lex. What did you need?" Clark asked.
"Advice," Lex answered.
Clark laughed. "You want my advice?"
"When it comes to Chloe you're as close to an expert as I can get," Lex explained.
"I guess so," Clark said truthfully. "What do you need to know?"
"We had another fight," Lex said. "We just can't seem to get it together."
"I noticed," Clark muttered. "What's the problem?"
"I don't know where our relationship is, where it's going, or if it is even going anywhere," Lex replied.
"How do you feel about her?" Clark asked.
"I care about her, Clark. I really do. She's like fire, Clark. She keeps me on my feet," Lex said fondly.
"But?" Clark asked.
"But I'm afraid to love another woman. I haven't had great luck with that in the past. All we do is fight. She can make me so incredibly and completely angry," Lex said.
"I noticed that, too," Clark said. "What happened?"
"She wants commitment and a definition of our relationship. I just can't give her that now," Lex said.
"Is she worth it?" Clark asked the obvious question.
"What do you mean?" Lex asked.
"Is she worth it? Is Chloe worth the bad PR, the remarks from your father? Is Chloe worth fighting for?" Clark asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Of course, I did," Chloe said. "I can't just turn him away. There's good in him and he needs to know that." Chloe leaned against the wooden swing and gasped when her ribs touched the hardness there.
"What's wrong with your side?" Lana asked fearing the worst.
"I fell," Chloe replied.
Lana looked at her skeptically.
Chloe had to laugh. "I really did! I had hold of Lex, and I made him upset. He turned abruptly and accidentally bumped into me. I fell against the couch. It's my own fault, really."
"Really?" Lana asked not trusting Chloe.
"Lana, I'm through lying to you. Lex didn't mean to. It was purely and simply an accident. It wasn't his fault," Chloe explained.
"So, let's get to the part where you need my advice," Lana pressed.
"I need to know where me and Lex stand in our relationship and he refuses to help me figure it out," Chloe explained.
"How do you feel about Lex?" Lana asked.
"I think I love him, but he's like dry ice. It can be so mesmerizing when it gets started, but when you touch it it burns so badly," Chloe tried to convey her thoughts.
"Is Lex worth it? Is being mesmerized worth it, when you know that you'll get burned?" Lana asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Yes," Lex answered surely.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Yes," Chloe answered confidently.