Title: Standing on Common Ground
Author: Snoogins123
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Smallville they are the property of the WB and superman creators, but I'm not against the idea of them renting out Michael Rosenbaum for an evening.
Rating: PG-13
Notes: There are spoilers for Crush up to the end of the series but this bunny has a mind of its own, so no-one flame me if it doesn't stay particularly loyal to the series storylines. Reviews are always welcome as this is my first attempt at fanfiction.
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Lex sighed, raising his unwanted cup of coffee to his lips. They would be at the city limits soon and the pause in the conversation between him and Chloe was steadily growing into an uncomfortable silence. They had covered the usual topics; school ("fine"), work at the plant ("going to schedule") and Clark ("same as always") on the trip to the coffee shop but now they had run out of things to say, almost.
"So is either one of us going to mention the fact that we just met at a graveyard on what appears to be an auspicious date for us both, or are we just going to ignore it." Chloe grinned at him, obviously revelling in the fact that she was the cause of the infamous Mr Luthor's discomfort.
"I was just waiting for you to say something." It didn't sound convincing to Lex himself and by the expression on Chloe's face, she wasn't buying it either.
"I'm surprised Clark never mentioned your mother before." He decided to ignore the fact that she had seen through him.
"I'm not. She died before I came to Smallville and I've never really talked about her to him. I just couldn't take having the look from him." She turned away from his gaze, her earlier bravado fading slightly
Lex relaxed back into the limo's seat, it would be at least another 2 and a half hours before they reached Smallville and although he was far from being in the mood for a heart-to-heart, a conversation was preferable to the silence they shared before.
"What do you mean the look?"
"Oh come on Mr...Lex" He was treated to a shy smile from under her lashes, "You must know what I mean, that look that people give you when you mention the fact that you've lost a parent. They have a choice of two, either the 'oh the poor poor thing she must be so fragile and broken' look or the more common, at least among my peers, the 'oh dear god this is uncomfortable how do I get out of this conversation'. Personally I'm not really a fan of either."
"Ah yes those ones." He knew exactly what she was talking about he'd spent the better part of a decade seeing those looks on people's faces. Combined with the vulnerability of his bald head, he had often found that people had pitied him, underestimating his power and authority, not that he had let that assumption last long in the people who held it
"I haven't talked too much with Clark about my mother either. I just don't think it's something that he would be too interested hearing about. She was my mother, no connection to him"
Not exactly the truth, but close enough to it to have her leave it at that. When I said I didn't want to be interviewed, I meant it.
"But don't you want to sometimes. Talk about her I mean." There was a wistful edge to her voice that belied the casual expression she wore.
"In the beginning maybe. Just after she died I thought talking to people about her kept her alive somehow. But now I just like to keep her for myself."
Not exactly subtle Lex but if you want to get your point across....
"Right, I get ya". Chloe turned, watching the Kansas countryside race by the limo's window, absentmindedly playing with the hem of her skirt.
Damn it. I didn't actually mean to hurt her feelings. She's just a kid, no need to turn cold on her just 'cause she asked a question. Maybe she just wants to talk. This can't be shaping up to be her favourite day either.
"Chloe, forgive me. I just meant that it has been a long time since I lost my mother, I just want to keep hold of the memories I have left. They tend to fade with time."
She turned back to face him and Lex tried to ignore the watery edge her gaze had taken on.
"It's ok."
The silence between them descended again and Chloe shifted as she fought for something to say. It was Lex however who spoke first.
"What did she do, your mother, for a job I mean?"
He couldn't suppress the smile as he saw her eyes light up before him. It had obviously been a while since Chloe had talked about her mother to anyone besides her Gabe. Lex understood the simple joy that could bring. His father had never been to forthcoming when Lex had tried to talk about Lillian, a simple 'she was a remarkable woman' seemed to suffice for the elder Luthor and had left Lex wanting. The comfort he had found in talking to that rare person that neither pitied nor shied away about his mother had been great. To spend time describing to a stranger this wonderful woman and helping them understand just how incredible she was through his words had helped Lex massively through the grief process as young teen. Not that he would ever let it be known that he, a Luthor, had talked to a therapist. A false name and small, controlled fire in the file room had taken care of that.
"She was a dancer."
"Oh, ballet?"
"More like chorus line. At least she was until she had me, then she worked part-time as a choreographer's assistant."
"That's when you lived in Metropolis?"
"We didn't move to Smallville until after....well you know."
"How old were you?"
Why on earth has my voice gone all quiet and soft? I sound like a goddamn talk-show host, talking to a traumatized guest.
"I was ten, just short of my eleventh birthday."
Jesus, so close to my age when I lost her.
"What was she like?" Lex registered that his voice was barely above a whisper but he worried that a loud voice would break the damn that was holding back the tears that were threatening to fall from Chloe's eyes.
"She was like me."
"Do you mean blonde or tenacious?" He smiled at the young girl, hoping to lift her mood slightly and was rewarded with a weak smile.
"Both, I guess, I look more like her than my dad. He says I have her stubbornness and his sense of humour." She shared a conspiratorial smile, "I'm hoping the sense of humour thing isn't true. Actually, she was a really fun person I always remember how much she used to make me laugh. She loved cook too, something I haven't inherited....yet. She was just one of those great people that everyone wanted to be around, she had so many friends, everyone loved her. I remember that she was addicted to those old black-and-white musicals, Fred Astaire was her favourite. And she had a real passion for shoes, used to tell me 'if you want to lift the blues, nothing beats the purchase of a nice pair of stilettos'." She let a gentle laugh escape her lips as the memory. "My dad always said she was one of those people that no matter who met her they couldn't help but fall in love with her a little bit. I know I loved her....god!' her head dropped to her chest as she brought her hands to her face. "I really miss her"
Lex didn't know what to do, he wanted to comfort her but he didn't know how. Nothing seemed like it could make a difference. Slowly she lifted her head, meeting his eyes.
"Weird how the feelings don't fade with time, isn't it Lex?"
