Title: Surprise, Surprise.

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: If you really, even once, thought that they were mine, you are even farther off your rocker than Louis. ;]

A.N: Special thanks to my beta, Megs. I couldn't have done this without her help.

***

Looking at the computer screen with disbelief, Clark felt each word he read fuel the anger festering inside of this indestructible body. The distinct burn of betrayal scorched his skin and made all logical though vanish from his mind.

How could they not tell him? Weren't they supposed to be friends?

Why did the rest of the world know before him?

How could they do this to him? To him!

He'd been their friend when they needed and didn't need him. He'd befriended both of them, even when the rest of the town had shunned them.

He, Clark Kent, had saved both of their lives. Didn't that count for something? Anything? How about a little thing called friendship?

Pacing the minimal space that the Torch office had, Clark didn't even think twice before grabbing the printed article and racing out of the room. He needed to know why. He was going to let Chloe and Lex know that he wasn't going to take this.

He wasn't going to be ignored anymore.


***

"Seriously love, you've got to stop looking at that. You'll go blind." Louis stated dryly.

Giggling a distinctly girly, un-Chloe-like giggle, Chloe gave Louis a dazzling smile. "I can't believe he got me a ring."

Rolling his eyes, Louis wrapped a brotherly arm around Chloe. "I can't believe he proposed without a ring."

Looking down at the massive rock that sat on her finger, Chloe shrugged her shoulders lightly. "That part doesn't matter to me."

"Of course not, pet." Louis chuckled, picking up Chloe's hand and examining the large, yet tasteful diamond engagement ring that Lex had presented Chloe last night, "That's why you can't stop looking at it."

Hitting Louis's stomach playfully, Chloe tore her eyes away from the sparkling diamond. "It's a beautiful ring," she said, trying to defend herself and her sudden infatuation with her ring, a ring that represented so many things.

"Way to point out the obvious there, Chloe."

Tilting her head to the side, Chloe studied Louis's face silently.

"What?" Louis demanded, shifting uncomfortable under his little bird's unnerving gaze.

"Are you happy for me?" Chloe asked softly. She didn't know why, but Chloe was feeling sudden apprehension that Louis would not approve of her decision to marry Lex. She didn't know what she'd do if she had to choose between a man she loved like a brother, and a man she loved nothing like a brother.

"No," Louis replied watching Chloe's face fall, "I'm ecstatic for you."

Her face lighting up as quickly as it had fallen, Chloe hit Louis's arm. "Don't do that," she scolded, trying to hide her smile behind a frown.

"Ow," Louis laughed moving away from Chloe and any future attacks, "That hurt."

"Good." Chloe smirked, going back to admiring her ring.

"I'm going to leave the two of you alone," Louis grinned, gesturing to Chloe and her ring, "I'm sensing that you'd like to bond."

"Shut up," Chloe laughed, throwing a pillow at Louis's retreating form.

"You know you love me," Louis smirked dodging Chloe's fluffy ammunition.

"Sure," Chloe snorted.

"Oh, poise and finesse that you just glow with, love." Louis mock sighed while holding a hand over his heart, "Be still my heart…"

"Oh, just go," Chloe laughed waving Louis away.

Making a grand gesture of bowing, Louis gave Chloe one last smile before slipping out of the room.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Chloe ignored the soreness of her cheeks and the insanely wide smile that had taken up residence on her face since Lex had proposed to her. She wasn't marrying Lex for his money, but Chloe had to admit, it was an amazing feeling looking down and seeing her engagement ring. She still expected it all to be one surreal dream.

But the weight of her ring was a constant reminder that this was real. She was getting married. She was marrying Alexander Luthor. Lex Luthor, Mr. Bachelor of the year, wanted to marry her. Her. Chloe Sullivan was going to become Chloe Sullivan-Luthor. She was surprised no one had called her up on the insanity of the entire situation. Granted Louis was the only one who knew…but still!

Running her fingers lovingly over the smooth angles of her sparkling diamond, Chloe fidgeted on the couch full of nervous energy. Nervous energy and this sick sense of contentment. Sick, because really, all this happiness was making Chloe soft. She didn't think she could bring the snark right now if she tried. Everything she saw was covered with a light dusting of 'aww,' a heaping handful of 'adorable,' and enough 'perfect' to make even the most cynical person smile.

That had been her exact reaction this morning when she'd woken up with Lex's arms wrapped around her like he'd never let go. There had been the unavoidable 'aww' when her eyes had fallen on Lex's peaceful sleeping face, followed by a muffled giggle as he unconsciously pulled her closer, and the muted swelling of her heart when Lex's nimble fingers found her ring brought it to his smiling lips.

Chloe had had no witty comeback for Lex when he whispered against her lips, "This isn't our fairy tale ending. This is just the beginning."

She didn't have the ability to banter with him as she drowned in his kiss.

Any and all snark that she had was temporarily lost every time Chloe's eyes fell on her ring, on the promise that Lex had made to her.

There was still that dull gnawing of doubt at the back of Chloe's mind, the pessimist that resides in all of us, reminding her that it was all too perfect, but all she had to do to drown out the annoying voice was think of Lex. He was her remedy.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Twirling around to face Clark, Chloe clutched her chest with surprise. "Clark," she admonished blind to the rage dwelling inside of him, "don't scare me like that."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Clark demanded again, looming over Chloe now.

Looking at him with surprise, Chloe automatically took a step back when she registered the domineering stance that Clark had taken with her. How could Clark possibly know? She and Lex had only told Louis about their engagement, and it wasn't like Louis and Clark were the best of friends. They barely tolerated each other. Studying Clark's face, there was something about the red in his eyes that scared her. "Clark?"

His face twisting with anger, Clark thrust the piece of paper that he was holding at Chloe. "Why didn't you tell me?" Clark demanded again, starting to sound like a broken record.

"Tell you what?" Chloe asked confused by her usually placid-plaid-wearing friend's off behavior. "Clark, what's going on? Are you all right? Shouldn't you be in school right now?"

"Stop," Clark ordered grabbing Chloe by the shoulders, "Just stop it."

Her eyes widening with alarm, Chloe struggled to free herself from Clark's grasp. "Clark…"

"Why?" Clark demanded forcing Chloe to look at him, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Chloe yelled struggling to free herself from Clark's hands. "You're hurting me, Clark. Let go of me. Please, Clark."

He needed to let go of her. He had to let go of her. Clark didn't understand how the force of his hands reminded her of the touch of another. Clark didn't understand how the panic was starting to set in and how Chloe still struggled with it. Even Lex didn't know that sometimes shadows made her jump and sudden noises made her heart race with fear. Even Lex didn't know that though her bruises were long healed, sometimes she could still feel the hands pushing her down when she was scared.

"Clark," Chloe yelled beating her fists against his chest, "Let go of me."

Stepping back when he finally saw the redness of her cheeks and the fear glistening in her eyes, Clark felt shame cloud his face. What had he done?

Stumbling backwards when Clark finally released her, Chloe moved until her back hit the wall and told her she couldn't flee any further. Her eyes wide with terror, Chloe pawed at the wall blindly and tried to find something that would let her escape. Anything, she'd take anything. She needed to get out of the room. She needed to escape to somewhere safe.

"Chloe," Clark said making the mistake of coming right to her side and catching her wrist in his hand.

Terrified the moment his hand made contact with her skin, Chloe pushed past Clark and ran for the door. She needed to get out of here. She needed to feel safe. She needed Lex.

"Chloe," Clark yelled, using his super speed and blocking the exit, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean too. I don't know what happened…"

His words never reaching her ears, Chloe frantically fought against the memories that blended in with the present. The throbbing in her arms was real, Clark hadn't realized his own strength, but the blurs of figures that were trying to attack her weren't. They were just memories, horrifying memories that were bleeding in with the present and trapping her in an instant that she didn't want any part of.

"Chloe?" Louis demanded racing in the room, "Pet, are you all right?"

Chloe heard a third voice in the room. It quickly wadded through the murky waters of her dread, and swam her to safety

"Chloe?" Louis asked looking down at the trembling girl in his arms. Bringing his eyes up to glower at Clark, Louis put a possessive arm around Chloe and demanded in an angry English tone that told Clark fear was an emotion he'd better be feeling, "What the hell did you do?"

"I…I…"

"Get out," Chloe whispered, her arms securely wrapped around Louis and her face buried in his chest.

"Chloe," Clark pleaded the piece of paper he'd clutched earlier, falling forgotten to the floor, "I'm sorry…"

"Get out," Chloe repeated, her voice stronger this time. The fear was slowly fading away and anger was replacing her blood.

"Cho…"

"Out!" she snapped, in a tone that neither Clark nor Louis had ever heard her use before.

Hanging his head in defeat, Clark practically flew out of the room.


***


"Lex," Lionel's voice boomed over tiny speaker on his desk.

"Father," Lex greeted, his mood even too high for his father to be able to touch and taint.

"My," his father chuckled from Metropolis, "you seem like you're in a good mood this morning. Exactly whose destruction exactly are you savoring?"

"Now dad, isn't that more your cup of tea?"

"And here I always thought that it was a family past time."

'Family,' Lex thought, his mind immediately drifting towards Chloe.

"Lex,"

"Yes?" Lex asked, trying to keep his mind from wandering for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

"When are you coming home?"

"I am home."

Laughing like he knew something that Lex didn't, Lionel didn't reply.

"What?" Lex asked, unnerved by his father's blasé reaction to his answer.

"I'm just surprised,"

"About what?" Lex asked warily.

"Surprised," his father chuckled, "that you haven't realized that Chloe's bored."

"She's not bored," Lex denied a little too quickly.

"Don't be too eager now, son. Haven't I taught you anything?"

Gritting his teeth, Lex didn't give his father the satisfaction by losing his temper.

"Now son," Lionel said smoothly, "I didn't mean bored of you. I meant bored of the town you seem set on spending the rest of your life in."

"Not the rest of my life," Lex replied. More like the rest of his father's life.

If Lionel knew what Lex was thinking, he didn't comment. In all fairness, he didn't have a chance too.

"Mr. Luthor," Madeline, his assistance whispered slipping into his office, "A Louis Harman is on the other line for you." Seeing his hesitance to hang up on his father, Madeline insisted gently, "It sounds urgent."

Feeling his stomach drop when he registered his usually stolid assistant's soft tone, Lex told his father quickly, "I'll have to call you back, dad."

"Lex…"

Hanging up on his father, Lex quickly switched to the blinking line. "Louis?"

"Lex, come home."

Lex sat forward once registering Louis's grave tone. "What's wrong?"

"Just get here. Chloe needs you."

"I'll be right there," Lex promised, immediately out of his chair.


****


"He didn't mean too," Chloe repeated, for what felt like the millionth time.

"I don't bloody care if he meant too or not," Louis fumed, gingerly raising the flimsy material of Chloe's shirt and examining her bruised flesh, "I'm going to have the bloke killed."

"Louis…"

"Don't Louis me," the worked up Englishman snapped, "Look at what he did to you. Look!"

"He was angry," Chloe defended meekly.

"I don't care if some bugger shoved a meteor up his ass and left it there to bloody rot. He had no excuse. Look at your arms! There are marks, Chloe. He bruised you."

Following Louis's angry and hurt gaze, Chloe had to admit that it looked pretty bad. Hell, it hurt pretty badly too. Sighing, she faintly traced the dark purple bruises that were stamps of Clark's fingers, reminders that had Louis up in arms and would no doubt agitate Lex too. Damn, was that the understatement of the year, or what?

"That's it. I'm taking you home," Louis declared, getting up off of the bed and shaking his head resolutely, "Pack your bags, love. We're leaving for Metropolis now. It's not safe here."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"And why the bloody hell not?"

Sighing, Chloe leaned back against the pillows that Louis had propped up behind her, like the mother hen that he was. "What about Lex?"

"He can come too."

"Louis," Chloe frowned, "This is his home. I can just up and leave him…"

"Again, I repeat." Louis said cutting Chloe off, "He can come with us."

"Louis, his life is here. I can't ask him to leave. His home, his job, his friends, they're all in Smallville."

Snorting, Louis gave Chloe an incredulous look. "If all his friends are like Kent, I say we get Lex the hell out of here."

Rolling her eyes, Chloe crossed her arms resolutely. She wasn't going to be the reason that Lex had to leave the first place he'd felt at home in. Ever since coming to Smallville, Chloe had seen Lex smile and laugh more than she could ever remember him doing when she lived here before. No, she wasn't going to take him happiness away from him. She couldn't. "I'm not going to Metropolis, Louis. I can't."

"Can't?" Louis questioned, "Or won't?"

"He's happy," Chloe answered, "If he's happy, I'm happy."

Sitting down beside Chloe, Louis cupped her face tenderly with his hand. "Love, you know that it's you that makes him happy, right? Not this provincial town."

"He's content, Louis. When have you ever known Lex to be as relaxed and happy as he is now?" Chloe asked, pleading with Louis to understand. She couldn't rip Lex away from Smallville just because she was feeling fleeting moments of boredom. That wouldn't be fair. He was finally home.

Sighing with resignation, Louis didn't know whether to throttle her or hug her. It wasn't this dinky town that was making Lex happy. It was her.


***


"Where is she?"

Looking up at the whirlwind that had just sped into the room, Louis sighed at the anxious look that Lex was sporting. That was just what Chloe needed. Too see Lex all worked up.

"Louis," Lex demanded, "Where is she?"

"Sleeping," Louis frowned, not at all appreciating the tone of voice Lex was taking with him. "Wait," Louis said grabbing Lex's arm before he could storm into his bedroom and wake Chloe.

Eyeing Louis and the hand that held his arm, Lex asked firmly, "What are you doing?"

"Saying your sorry arse, that's what."

"What?"

"You cannot go see her like this."

"Like what?" Lex snapped.

Narrowing his eyes, Louis didn't let go of Lex. "All worked up,"

"I'm worried."

"I know you are," Louis sighed, seeing the fear in Lex's usually controlled face.

"What happened?"

Anger sweeping across his face, Louis thrust a crumpled piece of paper at Lex. "You're friend, Clark Kent, that's what."


***

"It's impolite to stare."

Smiling, Lex let his eyes fly away from Chloe's exposed arms and flutter gently over her face. "Your eyes are closed," Lex chuckled running gentle fingers over her closed lids, "How do you know I'm staring?"

Opening her eyes, Lex felt his heart skip a beat as her green orbs danced with amusement. "I just do." Chloe said as she leaned into Lex's warm hand.

Cradling her face lovingly, Lex lazily brushed away her stray golden strands.

Silently studying Lex, Chloe waited for him to say something, anything. His silence was as comforting as it was infuriating. "Louis called you?"

Nodding, Lex didn't offer anymore explanation.

"How long have I been out for?" Chloe asked moving to sit up.

"Not long," Lex answered, tracing the soft contours of Chloe's face with his thumb. His fingers moving down her face and drifting towards her arm, Lex sat on their bed and wordlessly studied Chloe's sparkling ring.

"Lex?" Chloe asked, confused by his behavior.

Never raising his eyes to meet hers, Lex continued to examine Chloe's ring. "He hurt you."

"He didn't mean too."

"That doesn't make it okay,"

"I know."

"You're not angry," Lex observed from the tone of Chloe's voice.

"I'm sad," Chloe confessed, "Sad that he would go digging when I didn't want him too. I'd never do that to him."

Finally raising his eyes to meet Chloe's, Lex was amazed by how wonderful a person his fiancée was. After what Clark had done to her, hid from her all these years, she wasn't angry with him. She pitied him. "You're a better person than I am," Lex confessed, wondering if she would run screaming from him if she knew the different scenarios he had dreamed up while he watched her sleep and contemplated the different methods he could hurt Clark as much as Clark had hurt Chloe.

Smiling softly, Chloe kissed Lex's forehead affectionately. "No, I'm not. I just understand now how much it takes to keep secrets. How tiring it is. Clark's been keeping secrets all his life. He's wasted so much time and energy. It's kind of sad." Chloe whispered tilting her head to the side and letting Lex see the pity shinning in her eyes. There were so many secrets surrounding Clark, Chloe had almost forgotten how much weighted down his shoulders. Guiltily, Chloe was gratefully that she was allowed to forget about Clark and his suffocating secret and lies during her time in Metropolis.

"I'm angry," Lex sighed heavily. He was angry about so many things. Angry that Clark would hurt Chloe and angry that after all this time, all these years and all the bridges the two of them had built, Clark still didn't trust him enough to share the secret, they both deep down knew, that Lex already knew. Clark still, after all this time, didn't trust Lex. Clark didn't trust him the way Chloe did.

Honestly though, Lex didn't think anyone had ever trusted him the way Chloe did.

"I know," Chloe whispered, seeing the anger and hurt swimming in Lex's blue eyes. She understood the bitter sting that rung from Clark's inability to trust. She'd been on the receiving end of it for so long that Chloe knew first hand what Lex was feeling.

Moved by the sincerity in her wide eyes, Lex swallowed Chloe gently in his arms and buried his face in her neck. He could have stayed here forever, in her arms and away from the rest of the world. It was the only place he felt safe. "Chloe?"

"Yeah?" Chloe asked softly, her lips brushing over his cheek like butterfly wings.

"Would you move back to Metropolis with me if I asked you too?"

"Louis talked to you," Chloe frowned pulling away from Lex angrily, "I asked him not to and he goes and…

"Chloe," Lex said gently cutting her off, "Would you move back to Metropolis with me?"

Meeting Lex's curious gaze with confusion and conflicting emotions, Chloe didn't know what to say. She didn't know what the right answer was. "I don't know what you want me to say," she finally confessed in a rush, looking down at her hands.

Slipping a finger beneath her curtain of silky hair, Lex tipped Chloe's chin up and brushed his thumb tenderly over her pink cheeks. "Just tell me that you'd come with me."

"Lex," Chloe sighed trying to look away from his compassionate eyes, "We can't leave."

"You're scared." It was more of a statement than a question.

"I am," Chloe confessed, "I'm afraid that if we leave because of me, you'll resent me for tearing you away from your home. I'd never be able to live with myself if that happened, Lex."

"What are you talking about?" Lex asked confused. Resent her? What the hell was she talking about?

"I see how happy you are here, Lex. I see how content you are with your life here." Chloe continued, "I've never seen you smile the way you smile. Smallville makes you happy, and if you're happy, I'm happy…"

"Chloe," Lex said forcefully to grab her attention, "Stop."

Her eyes widening with surprise, Chloe automatically clamped her mouth shut.

"What are you talking about?" Lex asked trying to follow her train of thought, "Resent you? Why would I ever resent you?"

Swallowing the mysteriously large lump in her throat, Chloe toyed with the edge of her shirt. "You seem so content here, Lex. I can't ask you to leave Smallville just because I'm feeling fleeting moments of boredom…"

The hard lines of his forehead melting into a soft smile, Lex lovingly cradled Chloe's down turned face in his adoring hands. "Chloe," he smiled, "it isn't Smallville that's making me content. It's you."

"Me?" Chloe asked timidly.

"You," Lex answered, leaving no room for doubt. "It's not the quaint fields, the nosy locals or my beloved crap factory that's making me smile. It's you. It's all you." Lex repeated, leaning over to kiss her lightly.

Pulling away, Lex smoothed back her tousled hair and scanned her apprehensive face. She was worried. Not for herself, but for him. His happiness was important to her. She'd never cease to amaze him. "There's nothing in Smallville to keep me here. I never left because I've never had a reason to leave, Chloe. Do you understand that?"

"I'm starting to,"

"Building a life with you in Metropolis," Lex grinned excitedly, "God Chloe, that's more than enough of a reason for me to leave Smallville."

Tilting her head to the side, Chloe studied Lex's sincere face openly. He did mean it. Lex would never lie to her.

"Will you come with me?"

Tangling their fingers together, Chloe told Lex seriously, "I'd go anywhere with you."

"What about…"

"Lex," Chloe chuckled softly, "It's okay. I'm okay. Sure, it's not a nice feeling being attacked in your own home and having your own mother send the thugs, but I'm okay. I'm safe now, right?"

"Always," Lex promised, "I'll always protect you."

"I know, but a girl likes to hear it from time to time," Chloe smirked, resting her forehead against Lex's.

"Do you trust me, Chloe?"

"With my life,"

"I'll always protect you," Lex whispered against her lips.

"I know," Chloe sighed blissfully as she kissed Lex, "I know."


***

"How is she?"

Climbing the last few steps, Lex stood silently behind the towering farm boy who was rapidly becoming a man. This boy was so much like and so different from the one that had saved his life.

"How is she?" Clark repeated turning to face Lex.

"How do you think she is?" Lex asked his eyes hard and his voice cold. The control that Lex had all possessed all through the drive from his castle to Clark's fortress of solitude was slipping as the memory of the bruises on Chloe's arm came rushing back to him.

"Angry," Clark answered, hanging his head with shame.

"No," Lex said shaking his bald head, "She's not. She left that to me."

The brief flicker of relief that Clark felt died in his chest when he saw the raw anger in Lex's eyes. There was no cool calm and collected stare today. Lex had thrown aloof out the window and was going with livid. Clark could practically feel Lex's anger coming off of his in waves.

"You hurt her," Lex seethed through gritted teeth.

"I didn't mean to…"

"But you did," Lex said thrusting the piece of paper that Clark had forgotten at him.

Looking at the battered sheet of paper like it would bite him, Clark told Lex sincerely, "I didn't mean to bring up old memories,"

"I meant physically," Lex snapped, getting right into Clark's stunned face, "You may not have meant too, but you did."

Lowering his eyes, Clark felt his entire body go rigid when Lex's next question rung through the silent barn.

"Forget your own strength, Clark?"

Bringing his eyes up slowly, Clark tried to read Lex's deadly calm expression. He couldn't know…could he? It was impossible. If Lex knew, he would have said something years ago. He would have said something to Clark. He would have confronted him. Lex wasn't one to let things go…was he?

Running a suddenly agitated hand over his bald head, Lex told Clark seriously, "We all have secrets, Clark, and this was hers. I would have expected you of all people to respect that."

Blanching, Clark didn't know what to say in response. Sitting down heavily, Clark felt some of the weight he carried on his shoulders ease, but the nagging in the back of his head grew.

"She didn't tell you because she couldn't. Not to hurt you or exclude you, so pull your head out of your ass, Clark. The world does not revolve around you."

"Why did she tell you if she couldn't tell me?" Clark asked, feeling his hurt feelings and probably pride resurface.

Sighing, Lex met Clark's accusatory look with a hint of pity in his eyes. "She didn't tell me her secret, Clark. I found out on my own."

Feeling Lex's eyes bore right into him and gaze into his soul, Clark swallowed hard. He didn't need to guess anymore. There was no denying it now. Lex knew. He'd always known.

Sitting down on the worn couch he'd actually grown quite fond of, Lex let Clark gather his thoughts before sharing a piece of good news. "I asked Chloe to marry me."

"What?!"

"And she said yes," Lex continued, a smile tugging at his lips, "She said yes."

Having trouble digesting that piece of information on top of everything else, Clark swallowed in a vain attempt to find his voice.

"We're leaving Smallville. There's nothing here to keep us and we both think that it's time to move on."

Ignoring the perplexed expression on Clark's face, Lex rose to his feet gracefully. "If you ever," Lex warned clearly, "ever, hurt Chloe again, you're going to have to deal with me, Clark. Do you understand?"

Clark understood. It was loud and clear. Cross Lex Luthor and pay the price, pay with blood. Rising to his feet, Clark stared down at Lex's unwavering eyes. "The same goes for you,"

Nodding swiftly, Lex spun on his heel and walked out. A promise left lingering in the air and a friendship left teetering on the edge between lost and found, all because of a woman and her infectious spirit. A woman they both loved.

Standing frozen in the middle of his now tainted fortress of solitude, Clark watched as Lex purposefully strode out of his life. Maybe not forever but for more than a day. Until further notice, their friendship was on hold. It would take more than hallow apologies and re-patched lies to bring the two men back together.

Clark had unknowingly forced Lex to choose and Lex chose Chloe.


***

TBC.

*This is basically the last chapter. An Epilogue will follow. Please tell me what you thought. I'd appreciate it.*