A/N : Here's the next chapter. Thanx to everYours and Koenigsegg for the reviews of the first chapter.

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

CHAPTER 2

"I'm sorry about this" Lex apologised to Chloe, "I thought I'd left competent people in charge when we left"

They were in his Metropolis office, Lex standing behind his desk, sorting through papers, Chloe on a chair on the other side, playing with a couple of paper clips in her hand.

"It's okay, really, I don't mind" she smiled.

He had brought her with him, not willing to leave her on her own at the hotel. Superman, or Clark as they both knew he was now, could show up at any time an Lex had to make sure he was there when he came. He couldn't afford to let Clark and Chloe be alone together, not yet. He was almost certain he had her trust but if the man in the primary colours told the reporter that the billionaire was lying, it was not absolutely clear who she would ultimately believe.

The phone on the desk rang into life and Lex answered it immediately. Two minutes later he replaced the receiver and sighed.

"I have to go to the other office across town, literally to sign piece of paper!" he complained.

"Then go" Chloe told him, "I'll wait here for you"

"No, if I go, you go" he told her, seriously. She got up from her chair and walked around the desk.

"Lex, I know we said we would protect each other but I think you'll be okay going to your other office, in an bullet proof car with two security guards" she grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck "Unless you think I'd make for better protection than all that"

"I'd definitely rather have you" he smiled, kissing her, "But I was thinking of my protection" he pointed out.

"I know, I know" she said, backing away in defeat, "You were thinking of me, and I appreciate it" she admitted, "But I'll be fine, there are guards here and besides I can handle Clark or Superman" she promised him.

For a moment he considered it, and then decided he would go. If he didn't, Chloe would only complain and she was right she could handle herself. Besides, Clark wouldn't be stupid enough to turn up at the office, Lex guessed.

He was wrong.

Just five minutes after Chloe saw the car pull away from the window, she heard a rush of air as Superman landed on the balcony and entered the room through the French doors.

"I expected you to turn up sooner or later" the blonde said coolly, not even turning around.

"Chloe..." he said her name and moved toward her. Sensing his movement, she swung around immediately.

"Don't come near me, Clark" her voice cold as ice and her eyes even colder as she spat his name at him.

"Lex told you" he nodded "I guessed he had"

"Yes, Lex told me" she told him "he told me everything"

"Chloe, I know you like him but you can't trust him" Clark tried to make her see, but he'd used the wrong words.

"Don't talk to me about trust!" she yelled "All those years we were friends, and you never thought to mention to me that you were from another planet!"

Clark looked guilty and felt worse but Chloe wasn't going to give him a chance to explain even if he wanted to.

"It's not that simple Chloe..."

"Y'know it's not even that which makes me so mad" she admitted, laughing humourlessly. All the hate, the confusion, the frustration she had felt after what Lex had told her was coming out now "If you'd have told me about it, trusted me enough to tell me your secret, then maybe I could forgive you. It would've been hard but I think could have done that" she told him.

"So why can't you?" Clark shook his head, not understanding.

"Because it's not just about that, is it? It's not just that you're Superman *and* Clark, it's about Lex too" she explained, but he still wasn't getting it.

"What about him?"

"You tried to tell me he was a bad person, I never understood why when you two were so close before, I mean you were practically brothers" she exclaimed "Now I know why" she added calmly.

Clark's face paled. Lex must have lied to her, exaggerated, told her things about him that just weren't true. She would not be this bad if she had been told the real truth.

"What has he told you?" he asked.

"The truth" she said simply.

"Which version? Because I think his truth would be different to mine" Clark pointed out.

"The real truth Clark, the real honest truth about everything," she raised her voice again, disgusted that he would call Lex a liar after all the lies he'd told her himself "which is more than you ever told me"

Before either of them had a chance to say anything else, a voice came from beyond the opening door of the room.

"What's going on in here...?" Lex asked as he came in, stopping abruptly when he saw the answer to his question "Clark, how nice of you to drop by" he said smoothly, walking up behind Chloe.

"What have you done?" Clark asked him, as calmly as he could.

"I've told Chloe the truth about you" he stated, simply, wrapping his arms around the woman's waist from behind.

"It's more than that" Clark shook his head, feeling nauseous just seeing them standing together like that, Chloe looking so comfortable in his enemies arms "you've told her lies about me and I want to know what you said"

"I don't think I can handle this" Chloe said, wearily "Clark would you just leave us alone"

"Chloe, you're not serious!" he exploded "You cannot stay with him!"

"I can and I will" she said, in her most determined voice, pulling herself up to her full height, but still leaning a little on Lex.

"I think you should go" the billionaire told the superhero.

"I will" he agreed "but I'll come back" he added as he turned to fly away.

"Is that a threat Superman?" Lex called to him.

"No" Clark called back as he floated off of the ground "It's a promise"

As the man became just a primary coloured spot in the distance, Chloe sighed.

"Lex why is he doing this to us?" she asked, turning in his arms.

"I don't know, Chloe" he said, hugging her tightly to him, "But I have a plan, and he won't be able to hurt us"

"A plan?" she echoed, pulling back to look at him, "What kind of plan?"

"Earlier, when I had to go to the other office" he explained, "It was to meet a scientist, he's been working on something for me" he told her "for us" he amended, with a small smile.

"And what is this 'something' for us?" the reporter asked, warily. Lex just smiled.

"Come on" he said, stepping away, but reaching to take her hand, "I'll show you"

A/N : If you read it, please review it - more coming very soon!