Chapter 7

Raining blood
From a lacerated sky
Bleeding its horror
Creating my structure
--Raining Blood--by Tori Amos

Chloe dropped her bag in the large over-stuffed chair, and removed her CD player. She threw herself onto her back on the bed, turned on the CD, and got carried away by the music. She jerked when a hand touched her knee. Wrenching off the headphones she sat straight up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

Chloe was off the bed in an instant. "Lex. What's wrong. Are you in pain?" she asked, putting gentle fingertips to Lex's ribs.

Lex backed up a step. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about something," Lex said, clearing off the chair and sitting down.

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows. "Sure. What is it?" she asked, sitting back on the bed.

"Mrs. Kent told me that you were the one that found me," Lex started.

Chloe looked down at her hands in her lap. "Oh, that."

"How did you find me?" Lex asked. "It's not as if I'm on your way home."

Chloe slowly lifted her eyes to meet Lex's. "My dad had some contracts for LexCorp that he needed you to sign, but he wasn't feeling well. It was pouring rain, and freezing cold. I didn't want him to jeopardize his health, so I insisted that I bring them to you."

"You're a good daughter," Lex said thoughtfully.

Chloe's nod was almost imperceptible. "I just wish I hadn't been so good that particular night. As I was rounding the last curve my car hit some ice."

"The same ice mine hit?" Lex asked.

Chloe nodded. "My car spun one and a quarter times. When it finally stopped the headlights were reflecting off of something shiny. It took me a moment to realize it was a car. Your car. The driver's side was wrapped around a tree. It was in the shape of a boomerang. It was amazing, as if it was melded to the wood," Chloe said, her voice softening as she retreated back to that night.

Lex nodded once in understanding. "Go on."

"I got out my flashlight to see if anyone was inside. When I climbed from the car I saw the license plate. That's when I realized it was you," Chloe said, her voice catching. She began to fidget with the hem of her shirt, twisting it up, then down, then back again. "It was like I was walking though molasses. I got slower and slower the closer I got to the car." Chloe's voice was almost a whisper now.

Lex stood and dragged the chair closer to Chloe. He reached out and took her hand. "It's okay if you want to stop, Chloe."

Chloe didn't seem as if she heard him. "All the windows were shattered. The glass sparkled in my headlights. There was something dark on the windshield. I didn't realize until later that it was blood. When I looked in the car, I heard a scream," she said, wiping a tear roughly from her cheek. "It was me. I was screaming."

Lex squeezed Chloe's hand reassuringly. "It's okay, Chloe."

Chloe took a deep breath. "You were lying across the front seat. There was a huge gash across your forehead that was pouring over your eyes. Your lips were blue. I thought you were dead. I tried to run away, but I slipped in the mud. Then I just started throwing up."

Lex didn't know what to say. He had no idea that it had shaken her up so much when she found him. He'd never seen her anything but level-headed. This story came as a great surprise.

"By the time I got to the car I was covered in mud. I called Clark. I didn't know what else to do. Clark's always the savior, so I figured he'd know; that he could help me. I think I babbled incoherently for at least five minutes before I finally told him what happened. I was so scared. I was sure you were dead," Chloe said, finally bringing her eyes to meet Lex's.

"But I'm not, Chloe. Thanks to you," Lex assured her, looking into her eyes.

Chloe smiled softly. "You aren't, are you? I guess that's when I realized that I valued your friendship more than I thought."

"That's why you were so adamant about staying here?" Lex asked knowingly.

"Well, somebody had to force the pills down your throat, and it might as well have been me," Chloe said, her sarcasm slipping back into place. She sniffed and took the handkerchief Lex handed her.

"You're too kind," Lex said, his eyes shining.

"I know, I know. Speaking of kind I have a favor to ask."

"Anything," Lex said sincerely.

"Lana-"

Lex cut her off. "What about Lana?"

"Say that again," Chloe said, her eyes lighting up.

"I don't want to," Lex said, his eyes forbidding any further pushing.

Chloe smirked. "Anyway, I offered my house as a safe house for her when things with Nell got too hot and heavy. Unfortunately, I'm not at my house."

"Get to the point, Chloe," Lex said with a smile.

Chloe grinned. "The point is I invited her to stay here tomorrow night."

Lex's mouth dropped open before he could control it. Quickly shutting it he said, "You did what?!"

"Well, Nell and Dean are apparently having a romantic dinner at home tomorrow night and Lana wants nothing to do with it," Chloe explained. "She can sleep at the Talon if it's okay."

"No, no," Lex said. "Lana can stay here. She can have the room next to this one."

"Who can have the room next to this one?" Chloe asked, trying to trick Lex.

"Now you're pushing it."

"Sorry."

"Here's a key to the front door," Lex said, fishing a key chain out of his pocket. "You have free reign of the house while you're here."

"Thanks," Chloe replied, taking the brass key.

"Just a word of warning, though. I know you can handle yourself, but it's best to steer clear of my father. He isn't exactly thrilled that you're here," Lex said.

"Yes, I gathered that. You're right, I can handle myself, but I'll try and not have a confrontation," Chloe told him with a smile.

Lex chuckled. "Good."