Title: Surprise, Surprise.

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: Bah! They're not mine!

Chapter #6: Tangled Emotions.

Clutching his mother's book, Lex took the steps two at a time as he made his way up to Chloe's apartment quickly debating if he could spare a few more hours in Metropolis. Any and all thoughts quickly flew out of his head when he heard a terrifying scream fill the hollow halls of Chloe's apartment building.

"Chloe," Lex whispered running up the creaking stairs now. Bursting into her apartment, he felt anger swell through him when he saw her struggling against a burly looking man.

"Get the hell away from her," Lex ordered crossing the room and shoving the man aside with a force that surprised everyone. Even Lex.

"What the fuck!" the larger man yelled glaring at Lex after he pulled himself off of the ground.

Before either man could even contemplate attacking Lex, Gus burst into the room and took down both men without breaking a sweat. Standing over the two unconscious men, Gus gave Lex an apologetic look when his eyes fell on Chloe and her shocked state. "Mr. Luthor…"

"Save it," Lex ordered putting a dismissive hand up, "Take care of those two."

"Yes sir." Gus said already on the phone. Within minutes, the two unconscious men were taken away.

Huddled in the corner, her eyes wide with fear and her entire body still shaking with fear, Chloe didn't make a move to come closer to Lex. If anything, she pushed herself deeper into her corner. It was as if she wanted to the walls to swallow her whole.

Slowly approaching Chloe, Lex tentatively reached out for her. He purposely moved slow and kept his hands visible. He didn't want to scare her anymore than she obviously already was. "Chloe?"

Bringing her eyes up to his face, a spark of recognition flashed across her face just before she threw her arms around Lex. Burying her face in his neck, Chloe held on tight.

Tightening his arms around her shivering frame, Lex held her and whispered soft words of comfort as she cried softly against his neck. "You're okay now. You're okay." Lex whispered stroking her hair gently. A soothing motion that his mother used to use on him, "You're safe now, Chloe. I promise."

Taking a shaky breath, Chloe dug her fingers deeper into Lex and vowed to never let go. She was just going to stay in his arms forever. Nothing could hurt her here.

"You're safe now." Lex repeated holding Chloe close. He murmured it over again for her comfort and for his own. His heart was still racing away without him and the adrenaline was still pumping madly through his veins.

Sniffling, Chloe shook her head adamantly.

"What?" Lex asked confused, "You're safe now."

Looking up at Lex, it struck him how young Chloe looked, her face red and streaked with tears and her lips quivering with fear. "Lex?" she whispered, her face a mere handful of millimeters away from his.

Brushing her hair out of her face, Lex kept a firm hold on her warm body. He didn't think he'd ever let go. "Yeah?"

Looking around her ransacked apartment, Chloe whispered softly, "I can't stay here anymore."

"I'll take you away from here," Lex promised stroking Chloe's face.

Tucking her head back into the crook of his neck, Chloe clung to Lex tightly as she asked him, her voice wavering with emotion, "Will you take me away from here? I can't stay here anymore."

"I'll take you wherever you want to go," Lex answered seriously, "Where do you want to go, Chloe?"

"I want to go home."

***

Curled up in the passenger seat and wrapped up in Lex's jacket, Chloe slept fitfully. Even in her sleep she felt shaken and dirty. She would have loved to stand under a scolding hot shower and have the opportunity to wash the feeling off rough hands of her skin, but getting out of Metropolis was more important. Even in her sleep she could feel hands grabbing her and pushing her back against a wall. She could still feel herself struggling to escape a painful hold. She still felt trapped.

Whimpering in her sleep, Chloe fought against the memories until a soothing hand reminded her that she was safe now. She was safe as long as he was here.

***

Navigating the slowing darkening streets, Lex kept one eye on the road that lay before him and one eye on the woman sleeping fitfully in his car. Chloe looked so small and innocent curled up in the passenger seat and swimming in his jacket. Even under the dim light of the dusk sky, Lex could make out a bruise forming on Chloe's pale face. Gripping his steering wheel like it what that bastards neck, Lex welcomed the anger that he felt. The emotions were so raw and strong that he was afraid that he'd burst if he didn't find an outlet soon.

Never before in his entire life had he felt such a surge of anger and rage. It was a blinding white rage that would have led him to kill both men with his bare hands had Gus not arrived when he did. There had been no hesitance in him. There was only a primal need to protect Chloe. He didn't understand any of it, but damn, did he welcome it. Even now, a million seconds later, he still felt it all coursing through him, hot and scolding, threatening to come to the surface if he didn't keep himself in check. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Chloe more than she already was. The last thing he ever wanted to do was scare her.

Lex was glad that Chloe hadn't protested when he didn't call the police. He was glad that she had trusted him enough to take care of it. He was glad that his guards had taken the two men away. Most of all, Lex was glad that they were both probably dead. It was dark and it was probably a disgusting thought, but it was true.

The only thing he regretted was not being able to do it himself….but being with Chloe was more important than vengeance could ever be. She needed him and he was going to be there for her. He would always be here for her.

Chloe looked near broken, curled up in a tight shivering ball and mumbling incoherently as she fought against her body's blatant call for sleep. She was near broken, after all she'd been through the past few months, but Lex knew that she would never break. Never, because Chloe didn't break. She came close on occasion, to that jagged line that life has thrust her towards, but never all the way. She'd never cross it. Her will would never allow her to break. Falling apart was beneath Chloe Sullivan. Crumbling wasn't part of her vocabulary. It wasn't part of who she was, or what she was, and that made Lex proud.

But as unbreakable as she was, Chloe was just as fragile. The two of them were quite the pair. A pile of contradictions rolled into a stubborn persona. As strong and full of gusto and confidence as the two of them were, they were just as fragile. The rest of the world never saw their tears or their fears, because it wouldn't fit the simple picture that they painted of everyone else. Their complexities weren't shared or spared with those who didn't understand.

But they understood each other. They understood each other more than they understood themselves. They each saw past the walls, the still raw wounds and the healed ones. Most importantly thought, they saw each other. They each saw the promise that the other one held. They would always catch each other.

Listening to Chloe whimper broke the last few pieces of ice around Lex's heart. How could he not feel for her? The anger, the frustration and the helplessness was all so new. For once in his life, Lex had no idea what to do.

Reaching over, Lex tenderly stroked Chloe's red cheek and tried to soothe her invisible demons away, if not just for a little while. Opening sleep filled eyes; Chloe blindly reached over for Lex and put her hand over his heart, just to reassure herself that he was really there. That he was real.

Tangling his fingers with Chloe's, Lex held her hand firmly over his heart and even after she fell into a peacefully slumber, he didn't let go. He would never let go.

***

Feeling the wet rain soak through her black sweater, Chloe watched with detachment as they lowered her father's body into the ground. This wasn't supposed to happen. They were supposed to live together and greet every morning together with a smile. He was supposed to see her succeed at what she loved to do. He was supposed to open the Daily Planet and read her award winning exposés. She was supposed to watch him find happiness again. They were supposed to be there for each other. They've always been there for each other.

He brought her home to Metropolis because he thought that he was doing the right thing, that he was protecting his baby girl from the random psychos of Smallville. How ironic was it that Gabe Sullivan left Smallville to keep Chloe safe, and ended up dying in Metropolis? Life was cruel, yes, but it wasn't supposed to be sadistic.

Looking down at the blood red roses that she held, Chloe moved her hand over the dark and deep hole and watched as the red petals swayed with the wind and drifted down towards her father.

"Now," Chloe whispered looking at the stillness around her, "I am truly alone."

***

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Lex watched Chloe struggle in her sleep. He didn't want to wake her, but he didn't want to leave her trapped in a dream that she obviously didn't want any part of.

"Chloe," Lex whispered shaking her gently, "it's just a dream. Chloe, wake up. It's just a dream. Wake up, Chloe. Please."

Her eyes fluttering open at his command, Lex felt his own heart constrict at the pain he recognized in her eyes. The pain of losing a parent.

Her voice hoarse and her eyes wet, Chloe blindly reached up for Lex. "Lex?"

"Yeah," Lex said catching her hand and holding it firmly in his own.

The floodgates open and her defenses broken, Chloe sat up and wrapped her around Lex. She couldn't stop the tears and she couldn't stop the pain. She'd spent so long being numb, that the sudden rush of agony was tearing away at her.

"Shh," Lex soothed holding onto Chloe as she cried for a father who left her and a mother who didn't care enough to want her.

"I miss him so much," Chloe sobbed, clinging to Lex like her lifeline, "I miss him so much it hurts."

"I know," Lex whispered clinging to her as tightly as she clung to him.

"And I hate her so much. She's given me no reason to love her…"

"But you do anyway." Lex said finishing what Chloe couldn't. He understood the hate and love equation that Chloe was struggling with. He was struggling with it too. Lex was sure that he always would.

Her sobs slowly dying down to soft cries, Chloe pulled Lex down onto his bed with her. Through the night they held each other and had silent remembrances for the parents they each lost. She couldn't be alone tonight and even in her sleep, she never let go of Lex. It was the only safe place she had now. He was the only safe place she had now.

***

TBC.