Title: Graduation

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: Bah! If they were mine, I'd be writing more Chloe and Lex scenes. ;]

**Hehe, this is for Jennifus. Cause she's so funny...and you know, impatient. ;]

DECEMBER

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know."

"How long are we going to be gone for?"

"I don't know."

"What are we having for lunch?"

Looking down at Chloe with confusion, Lex tried to figure out what was wrong with her. All day she'd been Chloe…but off. "I don't know."

Licking her dry lips, Chloe asked seriously, "What are we doing?"

Momentarily thrown by her question, Lex answered truthfully, "I don't know."

"What do you know?" Chloe asked carefully.

Pausing, Lex looked down at Chloe's wide eyes and told asked sincerely, "What do I know?"

"Yeah," Chloe stuttered nervously, feeling uncomfortable under Lex's intense gaze.

Gently catching her cold chin between his warm fingers, Lex titled Chloe's head up to look at him. "I know that there's something special about your smile." Lex whispered looking deep into her clear eyes, "I know that there's something magical about your laughter. I know that there's nobody else I can, or would want to, banter with, but you, Chloe Sullivan."

Stunned with his heartfelt confession, Chloe nodded dumbly when she realized that Lex was waiting for a reaction out of her. "Okay."

Standing in the middle of the busy sidewalk as Christmas decorations peeked out of every possible nook and cranny, and people rushed by them with their own lives and problems, Lex dropped a quick kiss on Chloe's head. "Yeah?"

"For now." Chloe smirked, intertwining her fingers with Lex's.

"Okay," Lex laughed. For now, he had the answers. What happened when he didn't?

`~`~`~`~`~`

"This is a nice dormitory." Lex laughed as Chloe dragged him past hideously in-your-face Christmas decorations that only college students could enjoy. There was tinsel strung at random places, a glowing jolly St. Nick sporting a ski cap and a six pack, and mistletoe flung everywhere.

Rolling her eyes, Chloe pulled Lex past the laughing students and loud music.

"Is it always so loud in here?"

"It's a party," Chloe laughed pulling Lex into her room and leaving the world behind when she shut the door, "Or did you not have those at your prep. schools?"

"I partied at Metropolis U." Lex grinned looking around Chloe's room. "No wall of weird?"

"No," Chloe laughed throwing her jacket off and checking her phone for messages. "No wall of weird. I have other interests, you know."

"Where did this picture come from?" Lex asked surprised to see a picture of him and Chloe tacked onto her wall. Positioned beside a picture of her and her father, above a picture of Pete and Clark and beside a group picture that had been taken on graduation.

"Oh that," Chloe said standing beside Lex, "Lana sent me that. I didn't even know she was taking pictures that day at the Talon. She claims to have more pictures of us gorging on chocolate cake. It seems that Ms. Lang is a photographer in the making."

"Do you think she has copies?" Lex asked already visualizing the picture sitting on his desk.

"I'm sure she does." Chloe smiled. "I have another one."

"Where?" Lex asked scrutinizing the wall.

Pulling Lex away from the wall, Chloe pushed him down onto her bed and grabbed the picture frame she kept on her desk. Sitting down beside Lex, Chloe handed him the simple wood frame. "That's my favorite picture."

Grinning at Chloe, Lex looked down at the picture of the two of them laughing at some forgotten joke and drinking coffee, while Clark sat there with a confused expression on his face. "God, that feels like so long ago."

"I know." Chloe whispered nostalgically.

"Do you miss Smallville?" Lex asked softly, as he traced her smile with his thumb. He was streaking the glass, they both knew, but neither really cared.

"I miss you," Chloe confessed. Hearing the words tumble out of her mouth, Chloe looked like a fish out of water with her mouth gaping open like that. "What I meant was, I…I …I miss hanging out at the Talon with you and…"

Putting the picture frame down onto her bed, Lex smiled at Chloe as she babbled incoherently. Bring his hand up to cup her cheek; Lex gently traced the outline of her jaw with his thumb.

Rendered speechless, Chloe felt her eyelids fluttered shut as Lex pulled her closer to him.

"Chloe?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

Lex would have laughed at the commanding tone of her voice if he weren't so turned on. Lightly touching his lips to hers in an innocent kiss, Lex didn't know it was possible for the slightest touch to spark such electricity through him.

Wrapping her arms desperately around Lex, Chloe deepened the kiss. She was going to die of sensory overload while kissing Lex. She just knew it. There was no better way to die.

Capturing her lips in a searing kiss, Lex felt himself falling into unknown depths. Only to fall harder and faster when Chloe's moan vibrated through his body.

Clutching a handful of his sweater in her tiny fists, Chloe delicately swept her tongue over Lex's bottom lip and was dutifully rewarded with a whimper. She made Lex Luthor whimper. If that's not an accomplishment of a lifetime, she didn't know what was.

Blood rushed though his veins and headed south of the border so fast that Lex felt the room spin. Of course, that could be attributed to the fact that Chloe was kissing him. Kissing him! Never before had a woman aroused him the way that Chloe had. Lex was sure that no other woman ever would. Hearing himself whimper, Lex had no choice but to return the favor.

Grasping onto his sweater desperately, Chloe pulled Lex flush against her body and nipped playfully at his bottom lip. She would have rejoiced in the sounds that she was causing him to make if two warm hands hadn't slipped up the back of her shirt. Moaning, Chloe sank against Lex's chest and pushed him down onto her bed. She was going to die a happy woman.

His hands timidly tracing random patterns on her bare back, Lex felt his breath catch painfully in his chest when Chloe pushed him down onto her bed and added her tongue to the mix. "Oh god," Lex moaned, frantically seeking oxygen and getting back to kissing Chloe.

"No," Chloe whispered between kisses, "it's just me."

Chuckling, Lex wove his fingers through her silky tresses and pulled her closer. He never wanted to let go.

Her head spinning, her heart pounding and her lips burning, Chloe rode the wave of sensations willingly. If she didn't already love him, than she could feel herself falling in love with him.

"Hey Chloe, do you know where…"

Freezing at the sound of her roommate's voice, Chloe looked down at Lex with wide eyes.

"Don't look at me," Lex laughed, "I didn't let her in."

Groaning, Chloe craned her head to look at Lola. "Hey," she blushed slowly extracting herself from Lex's arms.

"No, no." Lola laughed, "Don't stop on my account."

Laughing nervously, Chloe untangled herself from Lex and tugged quickly at her shirt. Pushing her hair away from her face, Chloe sat up. "You were looking for me?"

"Not a big deal," Lola smirked, giving Chloe a wicked grin. "Want to introduce me to your friend?"

"Ah, Lola this is Lex. Lex, Lola."

"Hey," Lex smiled sitting up too.

"Don't get up on my account, I'm not staying." Lola grinned, "Chloe will have you pinned back down the moment I'm gone, anyway."

Laughing, Lex watched as Chloe flushed an even deeper shade of red. Who knew it would be such a turn on? Hell, Chloe could explain to him the finer points of grammar and Lex would be turned on.

Scowling at her cheeky roommate, Chloe wiped at her smudged lipstick in vain.

"So this is Lex, huh?"

"Lola," Chloe groaned burying her face in her hands.

"I'm going, I'm going." Lola laughed grabbing her pillow off her bed, "It was nice meeting you, Lex."

"Yeah, you too."

"I'm see you later." Lola grinned smiling at Chloe.

"Go!" Chloe ordered pointing at their door.

Laughing, Lola got halfway out the door when she spun around and grabbed a hanger from her closet. "So that this doesn't happen again." Lola explained when Lex gave her a funny look.

"Oh," Lex nodded stupidly, "okay."

Winking at Chloe, Lola told her playfully, "Have fun. That's a nice color on you, Lex."

Running his fingers over his lips when Lola disappeared back into the chaos of the party, Lex looked down at the lipstick that stained his fingers.

"You know," Chloe smiled running her own fingers over Lex's lips, "she's right."

"About what?" Lex asked tangling his fingers with Chloe and pulling her back towards him.

"It is a nice color on you."

Laughing, Lex kissed Chloe quickly. "I have a present for you."

"Yeah?" Chloe asked eagerly.

"A Christmas present."

"You got me a Christmas present?" Chloe asked, suspiciously teary.

"Ah, Chloe, you're leaking there."

Hitting Lex playfully, Chloe frowned. "Give me my present."

"Yes, ma'am." Lex laughed climbing off of Chloe's bed and grabbing his jacket. Pulling a beautifully wrapped box out of his pocket, he handed it to Chloe. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Chloe echoed handing Lex a box.

"You got me something?" Lex asked surprised as he took the large box.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Looking up at Chloe, Lex smiled shyly. "I'm surprised, that's all."

"Open it," Chloe said eagerly, "Open it."

"Okay," Lex laughed pulling at the shiny ribbon.

"Faster," Chloe urged impatiently.

"Fine," Lex grinned ripping the wrapping paper with a satisfying yank. Looking at the box in his hands, Lex shot Chloe a questioning glance.

"Open it and you'll know."

Turning his attention back to the large box, Lex gingerly pulled the lid off. Looking down at the book nestled in a bed of tissue paper, Lex slowly pulled the ancient looking tome out. "Chloe…"

"I remember you mentioning that your mother liked to read Robert Frost's poems to you," Chloe whispered watching Lex study the dark cover intently with glassy eyes, "I was at the flea market with Lola, and I saw it sitting in the middle of this table and I had to get it. I pressed a flower between the pages to mark your favorite poem." Chloe admitted shyly.

Delicately opening the old book, Lex found the dried lily easily. The frail yet vibrant petals stood out against the aged yellow pages and the gold lining. Smiling nostalgically to himself, Lex was sure that if he concentrated hard enough, he could still hear his mother's voice. Soft and gentle, like a summers breeze, reading to him as she stroked his arm and lulled him to sleep.

Back out of all this now too much for us,

Back in a time made simple by the loss

"Lex?"

Turning his slightly misty eyes up to Chloe and her worried face, Lex gently kissed her lips.

Of detail, burned, dissolved, and broken off

Like graveyard marble sculpture in the weather,

"Thank you," Lex whispered, resting his forehead against Chloe's.

There is a house that is no more a house

Upon a farm that is no more a farm

Smiling softly, Chloe tenderly traced the smooth lines of Lex's gentle face. "I'm glad you like it."

And in a town that is no more a town.

The road there, if you'll let a guide direct you

Looking deep into Chloe's sparkling eyes, Lex saw himself reflected back. He saw how she opened him up and looked right into his soul. "I love it." Lex whispered, not ready to say the words yet.

Who only has at heart your getting lost,

May seem as if it should have been a quarry –

Understanding his unspoken words, Chloe kissed his forehead affectionately.

Great monolithic knees the former town

Long since gave up pretense of keeping covered.

And there's a story in a book about it:

Burying his face in her yielding chest, Lex closed his eyes and just held Chloe. He could still hear the words.

Besides the wear of iron wagon wheels

The ledges show lines ruled southeast-northwest,

The chisel work of an enormous Glacier

That braced his feet against the Arctic Pole.

Kissing the top of his head, Chloe held Lex tightly and rested her cheek on his smooth head.

You must not mind a certain coolness from him

Still said to haunt this side of Panther Mountain.

Nor need you mind the serial ordeal

Of being watched from forty cellar holes

As if by eye pairs out of forty firkins.

A comfortable silence fell over them as Lex remembered the first woman he ever loved and Chloe stored away another moment spent with the man she had fallen in love with.

As for the woods' excitement over you

That sends light rustle rushes to their leaves,

Charge that to upstart inexperience.

"You remembered," Lex whispered, his lips lightly grazing Chloe's neck.

Where were they all not twenty years ago?

They think too much of having shaded out

A few old pecker-fretted apple trees.

"You seem surprised." Chloe laughed lightly.

"I am." Lex confessed, "It was months ago."

Make yourself up a cheering song of how

Someone's road home from work this once was,

Who may be just ahead of you on foot

Or creaking with a buggy load of grain.

"I remember everything." Chloe reminded him.

"You do," Lex agreed.

The height of the adventure is the height

Of country where two village cultures faded

Into each other. Both of them are lost.

"Especially…" Chloe hesitated.

"Especially?" Lex probed gently.

And if you're lost enough to find yourself

By now, pull in your ladder road behind you

And put a sign up CLOSED to all but me.

Then make yourself at home. The only field

Pulling away from Lex, Chloe looked down at his adorably pink face and intoxicating eyes. "Especially when it's someone I care about."

Now left's no bigger than a harness gall.

First there's the children's house of make-believe,

Some shattered dishes underneath a pine,

The playthings in the playhouse of the children.

Feeling his heart skip a beat at her admission, Lex caught Chloe's lips easily with his own.

Weep for what little things could make them glad.

Then for the house that is no more a house,

But only a belilaced cellar hole,

Now slowly closing like a dent in dough.

"Chloe?"

"Yeah?" Chloe replied, still a little breathless.

This was no playhouse but a house in earnest.

Your destination and your destiny's

A brook that was the water of the house,

Cold as a spring as yet so near its source,

Too lofty and original to rage.

His lips barely a whisper away from hers, Lex told her softly, "This is the best present I've ever gotten."

"Yeah?" Chloe asked, with a magnificent spark to her smile.

(We know the valley streams that when aroused

Will leave their tatters hung on barb and thorn.)

I have kept hidden in the instep arch

Of an old cedar at the waterside

"Yeah," Lex grinned, "Thank you."

"Your welcome."

A broken drinking goblet like the Grail

Under a spell so the wrong ones can't find it,

So can't get saved, as Saint Mark says they mustn't.

"My mother loved Robert Frost," Lex whispered, fingering the book that he still held in his hands.

"She had good taste." Chloe smiled, running her fingers lightly over his head.

(I stole the goblet from the children's playhouse.)

Here are your waters and your watering place.

"She would have liked you."

"What?" Chloe asked, sure that she had misheard him. Her head was already spinning with everything that had happened.

Giving Chloe a genuine smile, Lex laced their hands together and kissed her palm tenderly. "My mother would have loved you."

Drink and be whole again beyond confusion.

Gathering her emotions, Chloe gave Lex a watery smile. "I'm sure I would have loved her too."

"You would have." Lex confirmed, "She was a wonderful woman."

"I know."

"How?"

Leaning against Lex and letting his wrap his strong arms around her, Chloe looked up at his bright eyes. "Because I can see her in you. You're her son, Lex. I see her in you."

Planting a soft kiss on the top of her head, Lex held Chloe securely in his arms and in his heart. He was never going to let go.

"I want my present now."

Laughing, Lex handed Chloe her box. "Now, my gift doesn't seem at all thoughtful. If anything it seems a little selfish."

Giggling like a child on Christmas morning, Chloe hurriedly tore at the expensive wrapping paper. Getting down to a simple black box, Chloe looked up at Lex quickly.

"Open it already!"

"Okay, okay." Chloe chuckled, pulling the lid off. "Oh, Lex…wow."

"I have one just like it," Lex said pulling his tiny cell phone out of his pants pocket, "See? It's all covered, so you can use it whenever you want. I can never reach you and I figured this was a practical thing for you to have."

"Thank you," Chloe laughed throwing her arms around Lex, "I love it."

"You can call your dad on it, or call Clark, Lana, Pete…"

"Or I could call you," Chloe grinned resting her forehead on Lex's.

"You could do that." Lex smirked.

"Did you program your number onto it yet?"

"Speed dial number one." Lex informed her.

"I can call you whenever I want?" Chloe inquired.

"Whenever you want." Lex confirmed. "Day or night. If you want to talk, just press number one."

"Okay," Chloe smiled kissing Lex lightly. "I like that."

"I like that too."

"When do you need to get to the airport?"

"Not for another two hours." Lex said looking down at his watch, "Why? Was there somewhere you wanted to go?"

"No," Chloe grinned brazenly, "I'm okay right here."

"Yeah?" Lex asked running his hands up Chloe's arms.

"Yeah," Chloe whispered lowering her lips to meet Lex's.

`~`~`~`~`~`

Tada! Because every fic needs a fluffy chapter! ;] Ahh, the Chlex love. Gotta love it. So...tell me, did you like it?

-Lucy

P.S. If anyone was wondering, that poem was "Directive" by Robert Frost. I love that poem. ;]