Title: Surprise, Surprise.

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: Bah! They're not mine!

Chapter #2: Morning After.

Drifting between that hazy grey space between sleep and reality, Chloe slowly wadded through the muddled colors. Her head was pounding, her mouth was dry and she was surprisingly warm. It was all expected, except for the warmth. It wasn't a bad thing…just different. Inhaling deeply, Chloe felt the soft scent of irises assault her. Well, this certainly wasn't home.

She felt like she was cocooned in blanket of warmth and security. It almost felt like old times. Almost. She could have slept forever, but something was commanding her attention. Correction: someone. Cracking her eyes open to an unfamiliar ceiling and an unfamiliar scent, Chloe rolled her head to the side and found a pair of intense eyes staring back at her. "Morning Lex."

His stomach turning at the causality that she possessed upon waking up in his bed, Lex had to wonder whether or not she was used to waking up in strange places with strange men.

In a scary act of telepathy, Chloe rolled her eyes and pulled herself upright. "Do you want to know two things that I am not?"

"I have a feeling you're going to tell me whether or not I want to know." Lex replied dryly.

Leaning back against Lex's pillows and pushing the soft blanket off of her, Chloe absently fingered the t-shirt that she seemed to have been changed into. "I am not a forgetful drunk. I remember last night, all 14 vodka shots of it. I drank Louis under the table. That was fun."


"And the other thing?" Lex asked, still fighting with that queasy feeling that seemed to have settled in his stomach.

"I'm not a sloppy drunk," Chloe shrugged, "I don't go home with strangers."

"Technically you didn't come home with me. You fell asleep in my car." Lex smiled, feeling the tension slowly ease away, "I would have driven you home, but I had no idea where that was."

"Me and you, alike." Chloe sighed, closing her sore eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing,"

"All right." Lex said letting it drop, "How do you feel?"

"Like I'm hung over." Chloe laughed rubbing her eyes.

"Here," Lex said handing Chloe a glass of water.

"Thanks," Chloe said taking the blissfully cool water and drowning the whole glass.

"Are you hungry?" Lex asked, watching Chloe's face turn an interesting shade of green. "I think I'll take that as a no."

"You're quick," Chloe smiled pushing the sheets off of her silk pants clad legs and slowly pulling herself out of Lex's bed. "Did you sleep in that chair?"

"No, in the guestroom."

Smiling, Chloe slowly padded around the massive room in search of her clothes, "You could have put me in the guestroom."

"The washroom," Lex said pointing at the large oak door "is closer in this room."

"Always thinking ahead," Chloe smiled watching Lex sit in his chair and watch her, "What?"

"Nothing," Lex lied. "If you're looking for your clothes, they're being washed at the moment. I can find you something else to wear."

Smirking, Chloe crossed her arms. "I have a hunch that I wouldn't really fit into one of your suits."

Smiling, Lex got out of his seat and led Chloe out of his room and down a wide corridor. "I do have some women's clothes."

"Ah," Chloe nodded in understanding, "okay."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Sullivan." Lex grinned opening the door of Chloe to step in the sunny room first.

"Well it was either that, or you like dressing up in women's clothes." Chloe teased.

Pulling back a large cherry oak door to revel a walk-in-closet full of clothes, Lex smiled at the awe etched on Chloe's face. "These were my mother's things."

Closing her jaw and looking up at Lex, Chloe nodded in understanding.

"Pick something to wear and shower. I'll have them start breakfast." Before Chloe could protest, Lex swept out of the room and disappeared down the maze of halls.

"Oh-kay." Chloe said to no one in particular.

`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Looking up from his newspaper when Chloe walked into the room, Lex nodded approvingly at the simple black slacks and white cashmere sweater that she chose. It wasn't the outfit that she wore last night, but she still looked beautiful. "You look better."

"See," Chloe said joining Lex at the dining room table, "I can't decide if that was a compliment, or a veiled insult."

"If I was insulting you, you would know." Lex grinned, "Coffee?"

"You even have to ask?" Chloe scoffed holding out her mug expectantly.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm fine," Chloe smiled, trying to act like the Chloe that Lex probably remembered, "Stop worrying."

"After last night, I think I'm allowed to worry."

"I'm 18." Chloe reminded Lex, "I'm a big girl."

"And this," Lex said gesturing to the wall to wall windows that gave a stunning view of Metropolis, "is a big city…"

"Really?" Chloe asked sarcastically, "I hadn't noticed."

"…and you could get hurt." Lex said finishing his sentence.

"I'll be fine," Chloe said getting up, "Thank you for letting me crash here last night, Lex. I appreciate it. Thanks for the coffee and the clothes. I'll get them back to you, I promise. I'll get out of your way…"

"What about breakfast?"

"I'm not that hungry," Chloe said already walking out of the dining room.

"Wait," Lex said getting up, "Do you need a ride home?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"Chloe, when did your father die?"

Freezing with her back to Lex, Chloe closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to acknowledge it. She didn't want any part of it, but she knew that it was never going to go away.

"Chloe?"

"You're the all knowing Lex Luthor." Chloe whispered tightly, "If you can find out that he's dead, than you should also be able to find out when he died. No need to ask me."

"No," Lex said slowly approaching Chloe's still back, "but I am anyway."

"Why?" Chloe demanded.

"Because I want you to tell me what happened," Lex explained calmly.

"What happened," Chloe said whirling around to glare at Lex, "is that my father died."

"Is that why you changed? Is that why you stopped contacting Clark and Pete? Is that why you've become this completely different person?"

Glaring at Lex, Chloe scoffed angrily as he stepped closer to her. "You don't know anything about me, Lex Luthor, so don't act like you do."

"What would your father say if he saw you living your life like this?" Lex asked, grasping Chloe's arms gently.

Fighting against the wave of emotions that slammed into her, Chloe pushed Lex's hands off of her and backed away from him angrily. "Seeing how he's dead, it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"Chloe! Wait."

Ignoring Lex's protests, Chloe stormed out of his penthouse.

Left standing alone in his dining room, Lex sighed tiredly. This being good crap was hard. How the hell did Lana and Clark do it every damn day?

"Mr. Luthor?"

Sighing, Lex looked up at his aging housekeeper. "Yes, Angela?"

"The lady's clothes are done."

Looking at the neatly folded and pressed clothes that his housekeeper held, Lex nodded his head. "Thank you. Tell Howard to bring the car around. I have somewhere to go later."

`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Curled up on the worn chair, Chloe rolled her lukewarm mug of coffee between her cold hands. Her head hurt, her eyes were red and it had nothing to do with what she did last night. It had to do with what Lex had reminded her of this morning. Swallowing hard, Chloe leaned her head back against the worn cushions and willed the sun to go away. She just wanted to curl up in the dark and sleep. That's all.

But life was a real pain in the ass sometimes. Who was she joking? Life was a pain in the ass most more often than not.

Groaning in defeat, Chloe pulled herself up. Whoever was at her door didn't sound like they were leaving anytime soon. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she yelled scuffling across the small space and throwing the door open. Glaring at her unexpected and unwanted visitor, Chloe crossed her arms defensively, "What are you doing here?"

"Chloe, I need to talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about," Chloe snapped, trying to slam her door shut.

Stopping the door with her hand, Amy slipped into the apartment before Chloe could stop her. "Chloe, just hear me out."

"No," Chloe said holding her door open, "Get out."

"Is this how you treat your mother?"

Her eyes burning with anger, Chloe glared at her mother. "I don't have a mother. All I have is a junkie standing in my home. Now get out before I call the police and they arrest you for possession, Amy."

"I need some money, Chloe."

"Right to the point, huh?"

"Chloe," her mother implored, "you don't understand. I need to pay my dealer."

"Than pay him." Chloe snapped, still holding her door open.

"I don't have money! I need you to…"

"No," Chloe said with an angry shake of her head, "No way. I am not funding your drug use. Are you insane?"

"Just this one time," Amy pleaded grabbing Chloe's arm, "If you don't, they'll kill me."

Lurching away from her mother's touch, Chloe stood her ground. "No. I'm not giving you any money. Forget it."

"Just…"

"No."

"I am your mother!" Amy yelled with desperation.

"I'd like to remind you of my motherless state." Chloe shot back, "You're not my mother. You gave up that right a long time ago. Now get out."

"Just a little bit of money," her mother begged, running a ragged hand through her dirty hair, "I just need enough to…"

"Did you not hear me the first five times I said no?" Chloe demanded, "Get out."

"No." her mother answered with a stubborn shake of her head.

"No?" Chloe asked incredulously.

"Not until you give me some money. I know you have it, Chloe. Now give me some."

Staring at this woman who she once recognized, Chloe couldn't believe this. "I don't believe this."

"I know you have some money, Chloe. Give it to me."

Crossing her apartment, Chloe grabbed her phone roughly. "I'm going to give you till the count of ten to get out. If not, I'll call the police."

"You wouldn't dare." Amy yelled frantically weighting her options.

"One, two, three," Chloe counted, her finger positioned over the number nine, "four, five, six…"

"You'll regret this," Amy threatened backing out of Chloe's apartment, "When I show up dead on the six o'clock news, you'll regret this."

Watching her mother flee from her rundown apartment, Chloe put the phone back in its cradle with a shaky hand. The anger that her mother invoked sat heavily in her chest and the adrenaline was still pumping wildly through her veins. She was going to be sick.

"You need to sit down."

Looking up in surprise, Chloe laughed humorlessly. "What are you doing here?"

"Sit," Lex ordered leading Chloe over to her bed and pushing her down, "and take deep breaths."

"I'm fine," Chloe lied brushing Lex's hands off of her.

"No, you're not."

"So besides playing the role of Nurse Ratched, you're also Miss. Cleo?" Chloe asked, smirking at Lex.

It wasn't a smile, but he'd take it. "Yes. Now breathe."

"I'm breathing, I'm breathing."

"Who was that?" Lex asked, watching Chloe methodically taking deep gulps of air.

"No one."

"Chloe," Lex reprimanded, "who was that?"

Avoiding meeting Lex's eyes, Chloe focused her blurry vision on her shaking hands. "A junkie."

"What was a junkie doing here bothering you for money?" Lex frowned, thinking about the people he'd encountered downstairs. This wasn't the best neighborhood in town.

"Because," Chloe whispered, blinking back bitter tears, "she thought she could get a couple bucks from her daughter."

Years of life as a Luthor had taught Lex to mask his surprise, but this time, this time it was different. Luckily, Chloe was too busy studying the floor to see the surprise on Lex's face. Never in a million years, did he think to anticipate that. "Oh."

"Yeah," Chloe sighed, "oh."

Giving Chloe a few minutes to pull herself together, Lex was left to let his eyes scan over the small apartment and he didn't like what he saw. This wasn't any place for Chloe to be living, let alone living alone.

"I know it seems like a bad neighborhood, but it's okay." Chloe said when she noticed Lex's disapproving frown.

Bringing his eyes back over to Chloe, Lex didn't agree or disagree. He just looked at her.

Fidgeting uncomfortably under Lex's gaze, Chloe nervously averted her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"You left your clothes," Lex answered simply.

"Oh," Chloe answered stupidly.

"Yeah."

"While you're here, I'll give you these clothes back." Chloe said looking down at the obviously expensive sweater and pants she was wearing.

Smiling, Lex shook his head. "You can keep them. They look better on you, than they ever did on me."

Laughing softly, Chloe rubbed her face. This was not how she pictured her morning going. Last night she was sure that she was going to wake up the next day hung over, tired and most importantly, alone in her apartment. She'd had more visitors in the last ten minutes, than she'd had since she moved in.

"Have you eaten yet?" Lex asked gently.

Snapping out of her mini daze, Chloe looked up at Lex's carefully blank face. It aggravated her to no avail that she couldn't read him. "What?"

"Have you eaten yet?"

"No," Chloe shrugged feeling her stomach protest at the mention of food.

Smirking when he saw the flash of green, Lex slowly pulled Chloe up. "How about some coffee?"

"Lex," Chloe sighed, "I really don't want to get into this today." She didn't want to get into it ever again. Burying your father was one thing. Talking about burying your father was another.

His gentle hold on her hand not slipping, Lex persisted. "Have you talked to anyone about it?"

"Sure," Chloe snapped, "The minister, the police, the coroner and the funeral director."

"Chloe, I meant have you…"

"I know what you meant." Chloe said pulling her hand out of Lex's grasp.

This wasn't getting him anywhere. "You don't want to talk about it."

"No, I don't." Chloe said shortly.

"All right."

"All right?"

"I'll drop it,"

Playing with the edge of her sleeve, Chloe frowned at Lex. She didn't believe him. "You will?"

"Scouts honor."

Feeling a smile tug at the corner of her lips, Chloe pointed out the obvious, "You were never a boy scout."

"Well I could buy them out and make myself an honorary member," Lex smirked, "if that would make you feel better."

Losing her internal battle, Chloe smiled brightly at Lex. "Would you wear the shorts, the sash and everything?"

"In your dreams, Sullivan."

"Who told?"

His own smirk becoming a smile, Lex held his hand out. "Coffee?"

Biting her lip, Chloe looked up at Lex with uncertainty. She wanted to curl up in a ball and lose herself in memories of a million moments long past, but she also had this overwhelming desire to interact with another person. She'd always loved bantering with Lex, and it'd been forever since she'd bantered with anyone. It'd been forever since she'd smiled the way Lex made her smile.

"Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"Coffee?"

Nodding slowly, Chloe took Lex's outstretched hand. "Coffee sounds good."

***

TBC.