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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Chloe turned and walked away from the grave side. The rain was steadily seeping into her clothes but she seemed beyond caring, the downpour was heavy and she would be completely soaked in a matter of minutes. Lex had watched Lana and Clark's exchange over the grave of Mr. Fordman taking in Chloe's look of resignation as she watched the boy that she liked and the girl that he dreamed of silently speaking volumes to one another.

Was Clark saying goodbye to his infatuation with Lana or simply putting it on the back burner as she deals with her boyfriends grief? Either way I doubt very much that Chloe is going to mark this as a good day.

He had watched the Fordman funeral from his car, tucked behind a large tree overhanging the main road through the graveyard. He had told himself that he was simply using the route a short cut on his way to the hospital but had offered himself no explanation when he had parked. The family's grief had been so evident as they emerged from the limousine, Whitney clinging to Lana for comfort.

My father hadn't allowed me to cry at her funeral, it 'wasn't dignified' to be seen showing emotion in public. I remember wanting to scream when they lowered her into the ground.

The service had been short and the rain had poured steadily throughout. Clark had stood away from Chloe, next to his parents. She had stood alone slightly aside from the gathering, looking not at the coffin in front but at some point in the distance. Lex did not have to guess what was the cause of the slight frown that hung on her lips.

The crowd was dispersing now and he pulled away from the road side, headed east out of Smallville Memorial Park, slowing to a stop as he reached the now drenched Chloe. Putting down his driver's-side window, he momentarily hesitated - taking in her wet clothes and thinking about his leather seats before saying,

"Get in."

Although she had stopped when he had driven up beside her, she suddenly looked surprised to see him there.

"I'm wet."

"I know. Get in."

"Your car.."

"Is warmer and dryer than outside. Get in."

A small nod of the head and moments later she was sitting beside him as he started the car again.

"We have to stop meeting like this Lex."

"How are you Chloe?"

"I've been better."

"Clark?"

"Among other things." Her sigh was long as her body sagged into the seat. "I take it you saw the grave side exchange between him and Lana."

I'm not even going ask why she automatically assumed I was watching the funeral.

"I'm not naive, I know that girls like Lana are the kind guys like Clark dream of, but would it kill him to just once take his eyes of what he can't have and give someone else a look?"

"Someone like you." It wasn't a question.

"I'm not asking for the romance of the century but to not always come in second to the former Miss Pom-Pom would be nice."

Ah the 15 year-old male, blinkered to everything else but the pursuit of the ideal girl.

"Maybe the journalism symposium will help Clark to put you first."

"Oh he told you huh? Yeah well we'll see."

O.k. conversation closed. Clark I hope you decide what you want soon.

Lex glanced over at the young intrepid reporter beside him, currently un-folding and re-folding her damp beret in her lap. He was gripped by how lost she looked.

"Among other things?"

"Huh?"

"The other things you mentioned that were bothering you."

"Oh."

As they slowed to a stop at the red light, Lex turned to his companion, unable to hold back a wry smile.

"Well is either one of us going to mention the fact that we just met in a graveyard for a second time, after a funeral no less. Or are we just going to ignore it?"

She led her head fall forward and laughed softly.

"Sorry I couldn't help myself. But do you want to talk about it?"

He swung the car smoothly into the space in the parking lot. Where he realised that the laughter of before had been replaced by the soft sound of Chloe Sullivan crying.

Jesus, I should have just left well enough alone. I knew that the funeral must have been hard from her but I just couldn't resist the opportunity for a little quip could I?

"Chloe?" He reached out and placed his hand gently on her shoulder, unsure of how to comfort her. "Chloe, I'm sorry. I know today must have been hard. I just thought you might like to talk about it."

"I didn't think it would be so hard." Her voice was muffled behind her hands that covered her face.

"The funeral?"

Slowly she raised her head and turned to meet his gaze. Her face was wet with tears, her eyes already taking on a red hue.

"It rained at my mom's funeral as well."

He drew back his hand, letting her speak.

"I remember my dad had the same expression that Mrs Fordman did, like the centre of his world had fallen away and he didn't understand why. He held my hand the entire time, gave me a yellow rose to put on the coffin. I wanted her back so much my stomach hurt, it just seemed so unfair. I hadn't done anything wrong and my mom was gone, it was so unfair......Jesus why did I go? Why did I do this to myself?"  

Her small frame shook with sobs and Lex's hand returned to her shoulder as he waited for the crying to subside before he spoke.

"Two years after my mother died, my father's vice president had a heart attack. I begged to be taken to the funeral, even told my father it might be good PR to show a united front. The truth was that I wanted to prove to myself that I was alright. I made it all the way through the service until the procession. My father blamed my sudden departure to the church bathroom on a bad bout of the flu. It takes a long time to be able to deal with the memory of a parent dying Chloe."

"Does it get any easier?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"Not really, no."

Dad had been so angry when we got home. 'What the hell were you thinking Lex? You embarrassed me today. How do you think that looked to my business associates? My son running to the bathroom, like an over-emotional child. You're mother would have been ashamed.' I had wanted to yell that she wouldn't, she would have understood that I just missed her. But I hadn't. I just stood in his office, staring at the floor.

Chloe, ran a finger under eyes, wiping away the tears, turning back to look out the windshield.

"Umm, Lex? What are we doing here?"

The realization dawned on Lex that, without thinking, he had driven them both directly to the hospital.

"I was on my way here to see someone. Sorry, I'll take you home." He reached for the keys still hanging from the ignition.

Her hand on his elbow stilled him.

"Who are you here to see?"

Please don't ask me that Chloe.

"An old friend. She used to work for my father."

"Is she a patient?"

"Yes."

"Is it bad?"

"Cancer."

Chloe's intake of breath made his stomach tighten.

"Is she dying?"

He noticed he was gripping the steering wheel tightly, making his fingers ache.

"Yes."

I should just start the car and get out of here. I can't have this conversation.

"What did she do?"

"Pardon?"

"She worked for your dad, what did she do?

"She was my nanny."

"Oh Lex."

Don't. Please don't feel sorry for me. You don't know, you don't know what she did.

"She left after my mother died."

"Why?"

"My father sent her away. I didn't see her again for a long time."

His fingers were starting to burn, he forced himself to let go of the wheel awkwardly placing his hands in his lap.

"That day, in Metropolis, she was the person you were never expecting to see.

I'll say it again, she'll make a great journalist. Her deductive skills are definitely well honed.

"She came back to ask for my forgiveness."

"Why?"

"The day she left, my dad told me it was because she had got what she needed and had quit. And by that he meant she had my mother's money and didn't need to stay around anymore. I never saw her again, until recently."

"Jesus! You must have been so angry."

"I was."

"But you aren't now?"

"She's sick Chloe."

"So? Doesn't mean you can't still be angry about her leaving."

Lex stared out the window, not wanting to look Chloe in the eye. The woman in the next car was crying, he wondered who she had just been to visit.

"Maybe I am still angry but I have to see her."

"Why?" Her voice had lowered to barely above a whisper.

"Because I never got a chance to say goodbye to my mother."

She didn't offer a response but he found himself continuing regardless.

"When she was sick, I found it hard to be around her. She was so fragile, she used to be such a strong, vibrant woman and now she couldn't even breathe without an oxygen tank. I was scared. The day she died I hid in my bedroom. I just didn't want to face what was happening. My dad came and took me to the hospital but I couldn't go into the room. When he told me she was dead, I went back to the car."

He felt Chloe's hand tighten on his arm.

"I need to see her. She's one of the few connections to my mother I have left, and she's dying."

It had stopped raining and he watched the sun make an appearance from behind the clouds.

What the hell am I doing? I'm sitting here spilling my guts to a 16 year-old girl in a hospital parking lot.

"Fuck!" He slammed his hand into the centre of the wheel, Chloe jumped at his outburst but didn't remove her hand from his arm.

"I'm sorry Chloe. I have to go. Can you make your own way home?"

He didn't wait for an answer before throwing open the door and stepping out. He locked the car after Chloe had got out and was walking towards the entrance when he heard his name.

"Lex!"

Chloe jogged up to him.

"Would you like some company?"

He didn't answer, but slowed his pace to match hers as they walked through the ambulance bay.

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Closing the door gently behind him, Lex suddenly felt very tired. His visit with Pamela had drained him. Chloe was waiting for him in the chairs by the nurse's station. Her usually spiked hair had dried to a soft curl, Lex decided that he liked it.

He didn't have the strength to analyze the reasons why he let her, or the implications of doing so, but as they waited for the elevator Chloe took his hand in hers.