Title: Princess of the Tower.

Author: NickyJean

Summary: Chloe learns too much and the lengths Lex would go to protect her from his father.

Disclaimer: Nope not mine....blah, blah, blah

Distribution: Please tell a friend, then tell me…drop me an e-mail…then have at it…

Chapter 6 - Terms of Freedom

November 2003 – Luthor Castle

Lex entered unnoticed into the library. The firelight gave a deceptively warm, homey feel. Lionel and Chloe sat on opposite sides of the chessboard. Lionel appeared in deep compilation why Chloe on the other hand seemed bored.

"Chloe, why on earth would you do that," referring to the jeopardy of her knight leaving her king open to attack. "Are you trying to lose?"

Chloe gave Lionel a look of utter disbelief. "Duh."

"What kind of word--?"

"Mr. Luthor, we've been playing this game for hours. I told you I didn't like it."

"But you are so talented. With just a bit of tutelage you could be as expert as Alexander."

She sighed, rubbing her temple hoping to ease her ever-increasing migraine brought on by Lionel's persistence. "Again," she started purposefully, speaking slowly, hoping not to repeat herself yet again. "I said I didn't like it. I never said I wasn't any good."

"How can you not like something you so obviously have a natural talent for," Lionel griped in astonishment.

Chloe only glared in response.

"You show great potential. You're gambits, though cunning, lack the ruthlessness it takes to win. But practice will cure that."

Lex would have laughed if he hadn't noticed how tense Chloe was becoming. "I believe I entered an alternate universe. My father actually giving lessons on chess. I thought that was beneath you. Not too mention complimenting me on my chess playing ability that according to you is just this side of adequate."

They both turned at the sound of Lex's voice. Lionel almost snarled at the light of amusement in his son's eyes. Chloe's face, in contrast, lit up at his arrival. She rushed from her seat and was with in an inch of Lex before she realized she was about to hug him in relief. "How was your flight from France," she asked looking down at her toes and shuffling her feet from side to side.

Lex smirked as he saw her intentionally restrain herself. "Not as half as eventful compared to your day, I'm sure."

"Chloe sit back down and finish this game," Lionel harped annoyed slightly.

Chloe's cold resolved dropped instantly. Her eyes flickered something akin to that of desperation. "I'm so happy you're here. You have to help me. I'll do anything."

"Something else I've never dared to dream hearing." Lex turned to his father with a mockingly stunned expression. "Did my plane crash on the way here?"

Both Chloe and Lionel glared at his light-hearted sarcasm. "As if you died and by some unnatural means found entrance to heaven," Lionel scoffed.

"Hostile glares from Chloe and parental disapproval from you," he announced while wiping imaginary sweat from his brow. "All is right with the world."

"You are not the least bit amusing," Lionel remarked showing disinterest in his son's arrival. "Now, Chloe, return to your seat and finish the game."

Chloe's eyes grew wide at the thought of continuing this farce of what Lionel called 'stimulating fun'. "But Lex is here now. We only put off dinner until he arrived. Lex is here now."

"Alexander will, of course, change for dinner. We will have plenty of time to finish our game while we wait."

Lex knew an order when he heard one and turned to leave.

Chloe grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare," she hissed.

He couldn't help but smile. She hadn't touched him since the hurricane. When their eyes locked his trademark smirk melted away to a genuine smile.

Lionel noted the intensity that illuminated with his son's body language. He had been watching for months, as his son would glance at Chloe longer then necessary. How Lex's eyes would dance as he teased her. They sparred constantly and Lionel hated to admit it but he enjoyed watching them. At times they would act like eighth graders the way they would banter back and forth, but they always did so on a scale that if you weren't paying close attention you would miss the most cutting jibes.

Lionel knew nothing could ever come of it of course. It's not like Lex could marry the girl. He was a Luthor after all and had to have an advantageous marriage much like that of a king. Lionel knew a time would come when they would eventually become lovers but anything beyond that would be impossible. Besides as stubborn as Chloe was they may never even become lovers.

Lionel refused to dwell on his son's love life, or lack there of. "Chloe, quit hiding behind my son and—"

"Maybe she's just hungry, Father?" Lex offered. He was rewarded with a grateful smile that lit up Chloe's face.

"Hungry, yes, I'm starving. We really should be making our way to the dining room."

"After Lex is changed, we will eat. I'm tired of repeating myself, Ms. Sullivan. Get over here and finish the game."

"You can't do this, Mr. Luthor," Chloe persisted. "It's torture. It's inhumane." Both father and son shot up identical eyebrows.

"Chloe dear," Lionel spoke as if to a naïve child. "This is far from torture. There are much worse things then this."

"When I agreed to this imprisonment thing..." Both Lex and Lionel actually had the nerve to laugh but she continued as if not interrupted. "I did so believing I would NOT be needlessly tortured."

"Do you recall her agreeing?" Lionel asked smirking at her.

"Do you recall asking?" Lex countered mirroring his father's smirk.

She smacked Lex for his betrayal on the shoulder. "OW. What was that for," Lex said grasping his pained joint. It didn't really hurt and all concerned knew it. Humor danced in Lex's eyes.

She glared at him as she responded. "You are supposed to be on MY side."

Lex couldn't hold his laughter in any longer. His laughter only seemed to make Chloe want to hit him more so she did. Hard at first but then the strikes lost some of their strength as they unintentionally became more playful. Lex in self-defense grabbed Chloe around the waist and maneuvered his hand to her side. Before she knew it she had lost her advantage and was being tickled into submission.

"Children, this is a library not a rumpus room," Lionel said trying to hide his amusement behind a disapproving glare.

Chloe and Lex broke apart still slightly laughing. Chloe sobered first trying to hide her guilt over having fun with one of her abductors. Lex watched as her body language changed from ease to tense almost instantly.

Lionel noticed too and let out a sigh as he watched his son's eyes turn from humor to the slight depression he always had in her company. Something Lionel dubbed regret. He refused to allow his son to feel sorry for himself. It wasn't good for the ideals Lionel had been trying to instill in him. Lionel intentionally changed the course of his son's thought by turning them onto himself. "You win children. We shall join in the dining room. Now hurry up before I just decide push aside our little agreement and rid myself both of you. Lord knows I will certainly be saving myself from being tortured needlessly."

Lionel watched Lex's eyes turn from regret to almost disdain. Lex knew what his father was capable of it. He moved a protective hand to the small of Chloe's back, as if to reassure himself that she was still near him. They watched as he left the room, neither saying a word. They knew he always had to have the last word. It was a trick Chloe learned only a month after being in his company and something that Lex learned at an early age. So they both just let him leave without comment.

Lex went to the door and shut it after his father's departure. He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Chloe laughter brought him out of his stupor. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," she said. But Lex didn't seem easily deterred. "It's just sometimes when he does that…"

"Threatens our lives constantly?" Lex offered.

"Yeah, that. I just think, 'Sleep tight, Chloe. I'll most likely kill you in the morning." Speaking the words seemed to make it that much more hilarious as Chloe started laughing that much harder.

"Stop it, Chloe. My father happens to be very serious." Lex started, making Chloe laugh harder then she thought possible.

"And I'm sure when you take over for the Dreaded Pirate Luthor, you will be just as serious," she said between fits of laughter.

"Chloe, come on. It's not funny," he argued.

"I know. But if I don't find a little humor in the situation, then I'll go insane and probably do something reckless and stupid."

"You mean more then usual," Lex said pointedly.

"Now that's the spirit. I knew I could get you looking on the bright side of life."

"I am not," Lex disputed.

"Then why are you smiling?" Chloe asked smugly.

"I am most certainly not smiling," Lex retorted.

"Oh, well, it's not your typical smirk," Chloe said her eyes filling with mirth.

Unwilling, the smirk increased to a real smile. Chloe just watched it grow larger and larger, with each, "See, I told you so. You are too smiling," that before long he was laughing just as hard as she was. The joy finally subsided leaving them breathing heavy.

"Come on Lex, I am hungry and Lionel's going to kill us if we take too long." She said the last part so sarcastically that laughter threatened to spill over again. But they resisted as they walked to the door.

As they approached the dining room the food was waiting to be served. "Well, it took you two long enough," Lionel grunted in disapproval. He watched as Chloe gave Lex a knowing look as he seated her at the table.

Once the meal was underway, Lionel took the silence as an opportunity to introduce his new proposal. "So Lex, explain these precautions you have for Chloe to be on-line and not e-mail her friends for help."

Chloe choked on the water she was drinking and Lex almost choked on his cream corn. "Excuse me," Lex asked, not sure if he heard his father correctly.

"From what I understand, she could very well have the capability to contact her little friends and try to escape. What have you done to make sure that doesn't happen?"

Lex took a deep breath for strength, "Well, you see, I'm having all of her movement tracked. Everything she types out is filtered through a special office I set up and read before it's sent. Not to mention everything she searches. Like the doctor there. The information she found on him was amazing." Lex watched as she turned slightly red at the compliment. "I had no idea, anyone had such research experience until I saw her work for myself," turning to Chloe, "Do you know it takes three guys to monitor your movement?"

"Lex please?" Chloe pleaded, with Lex watching her with pride. "I'm not doing anything that can't be done by anyone else."

"Don't be so modest Chloe. If I could hire someone with your talent, there would be a stone left unturned when LexCorp ventured into a contract or sought out a business venture."

"That's actually what I wanted to discuss," Lionel admitted, gaining both of their attention. "I've decided that it's foolish to waste such talents by bottling it up. I would like for you to consider doing some investigative work for me."

"Excuse me," it was Chloe's turn to whisper in disbelief.

"I want you to looking into—"

"I know what you said, but why on earth would you think that I would for one minute want to help you in your illegal dealings."

"Not all my dealings are illegal," Lionel insisted with hooded eyes.

"Well, there's a shocker," Chloe snapped.

"The point is, I have something you want," Lionel stated waiting to gauge her reaction.

"Yeah, my freedom," Chloe seethed slamming her hands on the table. "I want to go home and somehow I doubt you're going to let me go for just logging in some on-line hours."

"You're right I won't let you go back home, but it's a big world out there. There are many things you could experience out there in anonymity. Things that you only dreamed about."

"You mean like seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, touring the pyramids of Egypt or maybe going on safari in Africa. Is that what your talking about?"

Lionel just nodded.

"Well, just so you know, those things mean nothing to me. I'm not one of your elitist debutantes. I can't be bought off with expensive trips or exotic locales." She took a breath, choosing her words carefully, "None of this, your money, your power, mean anything to mean. The only think I want from you is to go home and be with my father and my friends. Since we both know that isn't going to happen, I don't think you really have anything to offer me." She slid back from the table and tossed her napkin over her remaining food. "Now if you'll excuse me, I lost my appetite."

Lex stared at his plate. He hated what he was about to do, but he prayed that one day it would be worth it. He slid his chair back, gaining his father's attention that a moment before was forcefully watching his plate. "I'll go talk to her."

That took Lionel by surprise, which rarely if ever happened. "You agree with this idea of mine?"

"She's been with us over half a year. We may be able to make the world believe she's dead but we can't keep her pinned up in mansions forever. She lives for adventure. This imprisonment might eventually kill her if she doesn't get out and experience life."

Lionel nodded in approval and Lex took his leave. Lex raced up the stairs to her room. He softly knocked on her door. Lex expected a 'Go away,' or a 'Come in.' Instead she opened the door herself and then walked sadly back to her bed where she flopped down. "How'd you know it was me?"

"Your father doesn't knock, you know the whole lord of the manor thing. No one else comes here when I'm mad. Just you, oh faithful Heratio, would dare to enter the forbidden sanctuary."

"Are you OK?" Lex asked worried about her calm exterior.

"Yeah," Chloe huffed without looking up from her position. She lay lengthwise across the bed on her stomach. She clutched a pillow under her chin. "I just can't believe your father would think I would willingly help him." She looked up from the floor than and locked eyes with Lex. "I mean the guy is holding me hostage and blackmailing you. Why on earth—" There was a look in his eye that stopped her tirade. "Lex, what is it? Is he going to do something if I don't agree?"

"No, nothing like that." He visibly slumped, which was out of character for him. He took a seat at her computer desk opposite the bed. She moved so she was sitting Indian-style on the bed still clutching the pillow. He looked her in the eyes and found all the courage he could muster. "I think you should do it."

"WHAT?"

"Just hear me out--."

"I don't believe for a minute that Lionel didn't have something to do with you being up here. What did he threaten you with?"

"Nothing, I swear. But you're right, he does have something to do with me being up here. He's holding you in captivity Chloe. You maybe able to joke about it sometimes and hide from the fact at times, but not forever." He moved from the chair to the bed, sitting right across from her. "You don't deserve to lose everything in life. You deserve to be out in the world, even if it is in the controlled situation of my father's. You should see the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids, and safari in Africa." Chloe wasn't buy it, not one word, so Lex decided to tip his hand a bit. "But most importantly, the real reason I think you should do this. You might be able to escape."

Her eyes changed from suspicion to hope. "You mean it don't you. You think I have a better chance of getting out of here if I do what Lionel wants. If he trusts me."

"Yes, I do. The more we go out, the more chance you have of getting home. It might not be the best of plans but it's the only one I have at the moment."

She leaned forward and hugged him with all her might. "I knew you wouldn't be some patsy for your father. I knew you still wanted to help me."

Her embrace was the last thing he expected but also the one thing he wanted most. He couldn't stop himself from returning it. His arms wrapped gently around her, nothing like her oxygen-depriving grip. His hands caressed her in small circular patterns that she didn't notice. She pulled away from him without noticing the affect her departure had on him.

With her hands still on his arms she gave him one of her most charming smiles, "Thanks Lex, thanks for helping remember that all is not lost. I might just one day get home and get my life back and don't think for a second that I would forget all the support you give me when I think I'm at my lowest."

"Does this mean you forgive me for getting you permanently kidnapped?"

"Of course I do. If you wanted me to be alone with me you just would have asked for an interview." She laughed at her own joke causing Lex to smile.

Something flashed between them. Something in the way Lex was looking at her, the way his smile made her slightly weaker. She pulled back, putting some distance between them. Chloe was surprised to feel something like this, like a little flame inside her. She cleared her throat trying to push the tension that seemed to appear out of nowhere aside.

Lex noticed her change and unlike her, knew where it was coming from. He wasn't going to push her in anyway, so he rose from the bed and started for the door. "Well, it's late and you need some sleep. We can discuss things with father in the morning."

"OK, sounds like a plan. Sleep tight Lex, he'll most likely kill us in the morning." They both laughed for a moment. "Seriously though watch your back. I don't want my only knight to end up dead before he can save me from the evil dragon."

Lex gave trademark smirk and shut the door. He leaned against the door allowing all the tenseness he felt to leave his body. "As you wish," he whispered hoping only the wind heard his confession.