Title: A Chlex Story
Author: MitchPell
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with Smallville, it's characters, DC comics, or the WB. I'm just using them for a little bit of non-profitable fun. Authors Notes: I'm going to state for the record that I went against the advice of my beta reader, Adri, and that she should not be held responsible for my incorrect grammar. Ok, I'm sorry it took me so long to plug this one out too. But I'm finding it really hard to write these Christmas scenes in the middle of July!! I did research for the dance stuff. I do know how to swing dance, but I've never waltzed before. Let me know if I've made any major blunders. I've also done a lot of research about the medical stuff, but if I've made any huge errors let me know. After all, I'm not an expert. I've decided that the episodes are going to take place on the week they were aired. So, since "Jitters" aired 12/11/01, the events that deal with "Jitters" in this fanfiction will take place during the week of 12/11/01. The Christmas party is taking place on Friday 12/14/01. I'll try to let you guys know approximately what time of year it is. I'm going to using any and all spoilers, so read at your own risk. This story is going to be a long one. I already know that it is going to span the course of 7 years, and probably longer. I appreciate any and all feedback. Tell me whatever you think: the good, the bad, the ok, the grammar errors, etc. Trust me, I need the help!!
Summary: Lex and Chloe just seem right for each other. I don't know why, they just do.
Email: mitchpell@yahoo.com
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Adri: Oh yeah! Lex's smile is the best. I can see his little dimples now! *Sighs* So dreamy! Now that the Chlex magic has started I don't think it will end! Woohoo! Even I'm excited. Glad you liked it. Thanks for all of the Beta-reading help!
Tanya: Hope you had a great vacation. Finally you're back! Yeah! Thanks for all the Beta help!
Lrnd: LOL! Glad you liked it. Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of white ones with lipstick kisses, or bright yellow ones with a big smiley face on the ass. Hehehe! I'm going to have so much fun with this. *Gasp* Was that a spoiler?
Trina Casey: LOL! You did not do that, did you? LOL! I laughed so hard when I read that. I'm glad you found it funny. Very few people ever find me humorous. I'm the one that everyone just stares at after I tell a joke. Yeah, I like it when authors write back to their reviewers. I can't remember when I first saw it, but I really liked the idea. So, I decided to do it myself. So, thanks for the idea, whoever that author was!
Kristin: I'm glad you liked it. It is always nice to attract new readers. I hope you continue to read and review.
Kista: Woohoo! I'm going to take that to mean that my writing has gotten better. LOL!! Well, one can wish can't they? I'm glad I caught your attention.
Leanne8582: Glad you liked it! Oh my gosh was that long. It took me forever to write. I have to agree with you though. I like them long myself. I just wish the long ones did take so long to write!
Suzanne: I'm glad you liked the end. I took a couple of tries to get it right. I'm happy to see that I picked the right turn of events!
copper: I'm glad you like it! I'm sorry it is taking so long to get the chapters out. I had a slight case of what I guess you could call writer's block. I knew what I wanted to happen, but it was a matter of getting it on paper. LOL! I can write chapter 30, but not chapter 6. But don't worry. I'm in full writing mode now!
Markers: LOL! You know what, I actually had it written out that she did hug him. But, my betas and I decided that a hug was too much too fast. But don't worry the hugging will come. I promise!
ann: Wow! You liked it so much that you reviewed twice! I'm speechless! I'm glad you liked it.
RedWitch: Wow! You have no idea what a warm fuzzy feeling that gives me! Well actually it is more of a bouncing in my seat, trying not to squeal like the girl I am kind of feeling. But hey, it's all good! I hope I can continue to dish out that kind of caliber writing. It's going to be tough though. But I'm up for the challenge! Thanks again!
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Gabe Sullivan sighed as he hung up the phone. "Well," he said as he turned to Chloe, who was sitting at the kitchen table, "that's it." He plopped down in the chair across from his daughter. "I've called every single woman I know, and I still don't have a date."
Chloe looked down at the coffee cup in her hand. "You know, dad, I was thinking. What if I went with you this year?"
Gabe gave his daughter a puzzled look. "You want to go to the LuthorCorp Annual Christmas Party, this Friday, with your father?"
"Why not?" Chloe asked. "You're always saying that I should expose myself to different things, different aspects of our culture. Shouldn't that include the recreational activities of the rich and famous? Besides, I'm going to need to familiarize myself with the workings of the upper class for when I become an award winning investigative reporter. After all, most scandals and cover-ups revolve around them." She said with a grin plastered on her face.
Her eyes widened as if she just thought of something. "We could make a weekend out of it. Go to the party on Friday, stay at a hotel or at Uncle Sam's and Aunt Ellen's, then spend Saturday and Sunday Christmas shopping and looking at the lights downtown. Ew, we can even go ice skating at the park!" By this time Chloe was practically bouncing in her seat she was so excited.
"I see, and just how long ago did you and Lois make these plans?" Gabe accused through his chuckles. He should have figured Chloe had other ulterior motives for attending the party, besides her journalistic well being.
Chloe grinned at her father. "Last night! She was going to talk it over with Uncle Sam and Aunt Ellen today." At her dad's hesitancy, she added, "Please, Dad! It would be a perfect weekend!"
Gabe sighed. "All right. As long as it is ok with Sam and Ellen I don't see a problem with it."
"Oh, I'm sure it won't be!" Chloe exclaimed while jumping up to hug her dad. "This is going to be fantastic!" She took off towards the stairs as she told her dad she was going to go call Lois. She stopped at the base of the stairs and turned back to him. "Oh, before I forget, can I have some money to go shopping tomorrow? I'm going to need to buy a new dress for the party."
Gabe rolled his eyes. "Is that really necessary? Don't you have anything you could wear?"
"No!"
"What about your Homecoming dress? You looked good in that."
"Dad!" Chloe groaned. "I can't wear my Homecoming dress. That would just be dumb. Plus, it is too cold for a short dress. I want to wear a long one."
Gabe sighed once again. "Fine, but it has to be something I would approve of." Chloe always had, what he considered, a rather eccentric taste in cloths, and he wanted to make sure that she picked out something appropriate. Especially while attending a party of co-workers and company heads.
Chloe was a little hurt by her father's comment. But since she had gotten her way in all other respects she decided to let him have this one. "Don't worry, Dad, I'm sure you'll love whatever I pick out." She smiled at him then ran up the stairs. She only had a day and a half till Friday, and a ton of stuff to do before then.
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Lex rubbed his forehead. The Christmas Party was two days away. He was seriously considering staying home. He hated these parties. They were filled with nothing but boring rich assholes that simply stood around with their noses stuck in the air talking about their big houses, fancy cars, lavish art collections, and extravagant vacations. Then there were the few company managers that his father invited. They, very much like the rich, stood around and traded stories about fishing, family, and who knows what else. Therefore, he was either forced to feel out of place with the boring rich or the lower level managers. He didn't fit in with the rich, because though he possessed the objects of their discussions, he wasn't that conceited. And he didn't fit in with managers, well, because he was rich. Add in the fact that he is the son of the company owner, which shuns him even more from the partygoers, and one can see why he prefers to spend the evening in the coatroom.
"Now I get to have all that fun, after having a round of chemotherapy." Lex told the newly restored grandfather clock in the corner of his office. "I can't possibly see how this evening can get any better." The sarcasm dripped from his voice.
At that moment Gabby burst into his office carrying a dress in each arm. "Lex!" She called. "Which one do you prefer? This one," she said while holding up a short red dress with spaghetti straps and an open back. "Or this one." The other dress was black, long, and strapless with crisscrossed straps across the back.
Lex raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, that would depend on where you're going. Is there something you've neglected to tell me, Gabby?"
Gabby rolled her eyes and sighed. "The Christmas Party, Lex! I know you didn't forget. I don't want to look like a heel in front of your father."
Lex smirked. "You won't have to worry about that, Gabby, because you're not going to the party."
She was shocked. "What? What do you mean I'm not going?" She huffed. Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she was really excited about going to the party. She had never been to an event of high society, and she was looking forward to seeing what it was like.
"I mean just that. Though you will be accompanying me to Metropolis, you will not be attending the Christmas party." Lex replied wirily.
"And just why not," Gabby complained.
Lex sighed. "Because, Gabby, to people outside of this house you are believed to be my personnel assistant. And though, most of the people who will be at this party screw their assistants, they don't bring them to social events." He didn't bother hiding the annoyance, as he explained this to her.
She put her hands on her hips, letting the dresses touch the wooden floor, and pressed her tongue into the corner of her mouth. "Oh, I see. I suppose you expect me to just go with you to your apartment, cook for you, clean up after you, basically be at your beck and call, hold your goddamned hand while you puke your guts out in the bathroom, and yet I don't get to go the party! This is bullshit Lex!" She shouted at him.
He got out of his desk chair and stormed over towards her. He could feel his blood boiling. "Don't confuse luxuries with necessities, Dr. Mai. Just because I have a cook and a maid at my disposal doesn't mean that I can't survive without them. Nor have I ever asked for your assistance other than to administer my medication. Your other endeavors, though appreciated, were done voluntarily. But don't think for one minute that I'm not in complete and total control here. With a simple phone call I can make or break your career. So don't fuck with me!" Having spoken his mind, Lex left the office.
Gabby was a little taken back by his outburst. Though she believed that there was merit to her side of the argument, she had to admit that she had crossed the line. She ran after him, and caught up with him at the front door. "Lex, wait! I'm sorry. I was out of line, and I apologize."
Lex didn't bother stopping nor turning around, but continued walking towards his car of the day, a blue-gray Porsche. "Apology excepted, Dr. Mai. Just don't forget your place here. Aside for issues dealing with my health, you will listen to me, and do as I say without challenging me."
"But you also have to remember something, Lex. I'm not just another servant. I'm not here to abide by your every whim. I deserve respect, and I expect to get it." Gabby said sternly.
"Of course, Gabby," Lex said with a smirk. "We're leaving tomorrow afternoon." He told her. "Be sure to pack two weeks worth of whatever it is we'll be needing." He opened his car door, lowered himself into the vehicle, and shut the door. He started the engine and drove off towards the Kent's. He needed to pick up some extra produce for the apartment. When he hit the main road, the radio started playing "My Way" by Limp Bizkit. He cranked up the volume and sped down the road.
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Chloe looked herself over one last time in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She had to say she looked pretty good. She was wearing a full- length black velvet dress with spaghetti straps, a high back, and a thin piece of chiffon that laid across the tops of her breasts, wrapped underneath her armpits, and ended at the zipper in the back, where the two ends fell in a short train. She pulled her hair up with a bunch of little black butterfly clips. A simple silver chain hung around her neck, and a silver ring with a small black onyx adorned her right ring finger. She had decided to take it easy on the makeup; therefore, she only put on pale pink blush, and matching lipstick and eye shadow. On her feet she wore three inch black heels with straps stretching around her ankle and the end of her foot. The only thing she had left to decide on was a coat.
Chloe didn't really want to wear a jacket. In her opinion everything she owned was just too bulky or simply just not dressy enough. She wanted to wear the simple black wrap she had worn for Homecoming. But that was back in October and it was now December and a whole hell of a lot colder.
"Hey," she said, "I'm going to be inside most of the time anyway, right? So, it really shouldn't matter." Having made up her mind she grabbed the wrap off her bed. Just as she was about to leave her room, she turned back and grabbed her big heavy knee-length winter coat. "Just incase," she said before heading down the stairs to join her patiently awaiting father.
"You look very beautiful, sweetheart." Gabe told his daughter as she came down the stairs. "I'm going to make everyone envious with such a beautiful young woman by my side."
Chloe tried to cover her blush by rolling her eyes. "It's a nice thought Dad, however improbable," she said with a slight frown.
"You're gorgeous, honey." Gabe said. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." He wanted to hug her, but he was afraid he'd mess up her hair or makeup. Which would only succeed in him having to wait another half hour to an hour for her to fix it. So, he settled for merely smiling at her.
Chloe smiled back at him. "Thanks, Dad. You know, you don't look half bad yourself in that tux."
"Well," he said while pulling on the coat sleeves, "it's getting a little small, but it'll do for tonight. I guess I'm going to have to break down and buy a new one for next year."
"You still look good." She paused for a moment then asked, "Are we ready to go?"
"Yep, I've already put our bags in the car. So all we have to do is go." He opened the front door, and gestured with his arm. "After you my dear."
Chloe lead the way out onto the front porch. She waited for her dad to lock the door then the two walked to the car. Chloe got in the passenger side, making sure not to shut her dress in the car door. Her dad plopped himself in his own seat then started the car. As he backed out the driveway, he asked her, "So what did Clark and Pete have to say about you going with me tonight?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Pete did his usual 'you know what the Luthors did to my family' routine." She said as she opened the glove box and pulled out her CD carrying case. "Clark thought it was pretty cool that I was getting to go. Neither of them could understand why I wanted to go all the way to the city to spend an evening with a bunch of people I didn't know."
"What did you say to that?"
"I told them I wasn't going to be with strangers, but that I was going to spend time with my Dad." As she said this she pulled a CD out of the case and ejected the one already in the player.
Gabe chuckled. "They must have really thought you had lost your mind after you told them that."
"Well, Pete did try getting me to lie down, while Clark ran off to get the Nurse." Chloe joked. She put the CD she had selected into the player and turned up the volume, before sitting back in her seat.
Gabe stopped laughing after he saw his daughter put the CD in. He sighed. One thing he and Chloe didn't share was their taste in music. "What god- awful music am I listening to this time?" He asked her.
She grinned at him. "If I have to listen to classic music all night, you can withstand a little Remy Zero on the car ride over." Chloe said before she started to sing along with Cinjun. "Come on, Dad, you know you want to sing along. 'Somebody save me.let your warm hands break right through.somebody save me.I don't care how you do it.just stay.stay.come on.I've been waiting for you." She laughed at his expression, but just kept singing along.
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Lex glanced down at his watch. It was 9:30. He had only been 'mingling' at the party for little over an hour and a half, but it felt as if it had been an eternity. He was bored out of his mind, not to mention slightly nauseated and thoroughly exhausted. He felt it was time to retire to the coatroom. Lex couldn't help but laugh at himself. It was rather pathetic actually. But he knew his father would never look for him there. The idea was so preposterous that Lionel wouldn't even think to consider it.
Lex excused himself from the people he was chatting with, or more accurately standing beside while attempting to appear to be interested in their conversation. As he made his way through the crowd he was stopped by none other than Dominic's wife. Good Lord shoot me now, he thought, as he turned to her. He would have ignored her, but she had made it impossible for him to act as if he hadn't noticed her. "Good evening, Mrs. Senatori. Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked her.
"I'm having a fabulous time. Your father does know how to throw quite the party." She answered in her heavy English accent.
Lex tried not gag. If I ever get like this I hope someone puts me out of my misery, he thought. He re-plastered his fake half-smile on his face. "Yes, he does." He replied dryly. He looked around a little, before returning his attention to her. "And, where pray tell, is your husband? He should know better than to leave such a stunning beauty, as yourself, alone at such a function."
She laughed. "Oh, he's off conversing with your father I'm sure. But really, you're too kind." She waved the first part off, but made sure to empathize the later. "Sadly, I can't say the same to you, Lex darling. You look as if someone mistook your head for a soccer ball. And what did you do to your hand?" She asked.
Lex tried not to roll his eyes. He had been getting this all night. He had tried to cover up the bruise with a little makeup, but it was simply too dark. Yet, he couldn't tell what agitated him more, the fact that he wasn't able to conceal his injuries, or the false sympathy. Lex detested it when people would pretend they cared simply for a personal gain. He had experienced too much of it in his life already. He knew what it was like to think someone cared for you, and how much it hurt when you discovered it was all an act. It was the main reason he chose not to tell anyone about his illness.
"Unfortunately, I was on the receiving end of a rather brutal attack," he told her. "Nothing to be concerned about, I'm sure it'll heal soon enough. If you'll excuse me, I have someone waiting for me out on the balcony." He let his eyes rake over her, not because he found her attractive. But simply to let her know he was well aware of what he was rejecting. "Say hello to your husband for me, won't you?" He added.
"Of course, dear." She replied.
Lex gave the best smile he could muster then continued making his way through the crowd. He really needed to get away from these people, either that or get some alcohol in him. Since he was slightly neutropenic, Lex wasn't allowed the latter. That left the former. He had almost made it to the coatroom, when he heard someone call out his name. He gave a longing look towards his destination then turned around.
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As she stood in a corner of one of the large rooms, Chloe wondered what had possessed her to want to go to this party. If her father was around, she would have glared at him and demanded why he hadn't warned her these things were so boring. But he had gone to the bathroom roughly fifteen minutes ago and had yet to return. He probably was talking with another plant manager about who knows what, which is what he had been doing most of the night. Chloe wouldn't have minded her father chatting with his co-workers, if there were someone she could talk with. It wasn't that Chloe was apposed to or intimidated by talking with people she didn't know. It was simply the age difference. Most of the people attending the party appeared to be her father's age or older. Talk about a snooze fest.
She scanned the crowd one last time. Looking for anyone remotely close to her age. That's when she spotted him. For some reason unknown to her, it never occurred to her that he would be there. I mean it makes perfect sense, she thought. It is the LuthorCorp Christmas Party. Why wouldn't he be there? She wanted to get his attention, but didn't think that screaming his name across the crowded room would be deemed appropriate. So she tried to catch up to him. However, the waters didn't part for her as they did for him. Screw appropriate, she thought before calling out his name.
Chloe was relieved when he stopped and turned towards her. She didn't want to yell his name twice; the first time had earned them enough attention. Ducking her head, she closed the distance between them.
"You're a hard one to catch up to." She said. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought the building was on fire."
Lex smirked. "Why Miss. Sullivan, I can't believe you think me so cowardly, as to turn tale and run without giving the others ample warning?"
"No!" She said with a little more force than necessary then repeated more calmly, "no. If anything, your actions earlier this week proved otherwise."
They looked at each other for a silent moment, during which Chloe took in the man before her. In her opinion, he looked good in the tux, a little tired, but good. Though, she thought, he looked better in the sweats and t- shirt. She smiled at the image that popped in her head. Lex laid out on the couch, haphazardly covered up with a blanket. He had looked touchable then, peaceful, human. She shook herself out of her reverie to find Lex looking at her quizzically. She felt her face turn red, which only helped to give away the object of her thoughts. "So!" She exclaimed after clearing her throat. "Since the building isn't crashing down upon us, where were you going in such a hurry?"
Lex grinned. "Always the reporter, Miss. Sullivan. Didn't anyone ever tell you that you shouldn't mix business with pleasure?" He asked while raising an eyebrow.
Chloe huffed and rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt you could call this pleasure," she said while gesturing around the room.
"Not, having a good time, Miss. Sullivan? I can hardly blame you. These events are rather dull."
"I think that's the understatement of the year."
"Perhaps, I can change that." He stated while letting his eyes rake over her.
She looked at him a little warily. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. After awhile she couldn't take it anymore. "What?" She asked, sounding uneasy.
"Would you care to dance?" He wanted it to seem more like a demand than a question, but even he could hear the smallest bit of doubt in his voice.
Chloe was shocked, to say the least. She simply stared at him for a while, before finally blinking. She stuttered a few times then shook her head and grinned up at him. She looked at him a little disbelievingly. "You, Lex Luthor, want to dance with me, Chloe Sullivan?"
"Yes." He stated matter-of-factly.
"Here, in front of all these people, and to this music?"
Lex gave her a bemused grin. "It's a waltz, Miss Sullivan." When her expression didn't change, he added, "The most popular dance of the 19th century, which, with the help of Johann Strauss, remained one of the most beloved dances in mainstream ballroom dancing."
He spoke as if his words were common knowledge, which Chloe found quite humorous. Does he ever listen to himself talk, she wondered? She couldn't tell if it was just force of habit, or if he really meant to sound as condescending as he did. "Oh, well now that sounds familiar," she teased. "Unfortunately, as much as I would love to dance with you, Mr. Luthor, this poor deprived soul, unlike so many others, didn't have the opportunity to partake in today's mainstream ballroom dancing." Her voice was a mixture of teasing and sarcasm, and emphasis was placed on his name.
Lex smirked. "Not to worry, Chloe, I'm told I'm a fairly accomplished dancer myself. I'm sure I can teach you enough basics to make it through one dance." He said wryly.
Chloe could feel the smile on her face widen when he said her name. "Wow, Lex, for a while there I didn't think you knew my first name." She teased. "I guess you are just full of surprises."
"Yes, I am." He deadpanned. "So, are you going to make me wait all night, or are you going to answer my question?" He asked lightheartedly. He didn't want her to think he was annoyed, because he was anything but. He was just anxious to know whether or not she would accept the offer. Which in itself worried him. He usually wouldn't bat an eye if a woman turned him down, not that it usually happened. When it did happen, though, he would merely spout off some smart-ass retort, and that would be the end of it. However, he thought he would be truly upset if she turned him down.
"I'll probably step on your feet, ruin your shoes."
Though he was able to keep his smile to a minimum, Lex couldn't help but laugh. "I think I can afford to buy new ones." He offered out his hand to her. "Shall we?" After a moment's hesitation, she took it.
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Lex led her out onto a part of the floor where a few couples where dancing. Chloe was relieved to see that there were others moving gracefully to the beat of the music. She hadn't seen them at first, and was afraid that Lex and herself would be the only ones partaking in the event. She let him guide her to an area of the floor that was out of the way of the others. She stopped when he turned to face her.
"Now, the waltz is written in ¾ time. So, there are 3 beats per measure: '1-2-3' or 'quick-quick-quick.' Ok?"
Chloe nodded.
"Like most dances, the waltz has a basic step called the 'box step.' It consists of six steps, therefore two meters. In the first meter, you will start by moving your right foot backwards, and in the second meter, your left foot forward. So its right-left-right, left-right-left." After Chloe nodded again to tell him she understood, Lex stepped in close to her. Chloe unconsciously stepped back. She hadn't meant to, but being so close to Lex made her nervous.
Lex grinned at her. "We have to be close if we are to dance, Miss Sullivan."
"Right. Sorry." She said, while unsuccessfully trying not to blush.
"No need to apologize." This time he reached out and took her right hand in his left. He raised their joined hands and placed them out to the side, pulling their bodies close together. "Place your right foot between my legs," Lex instructed.
Chloe blushed, but complied all the same, making their bodies become offset to the left by half a body length.
"Now, put your left arm up on my shoulder so that your thumb rests on the inside of my upper-arm and your fingers drape over my shoulder." When she didn't get it quite right, he adjusted her hand with his. "Good, now you should apply a little bit of pressure with your thumb and fingers. It will help you follow me better." He took his right hand and placed it just beneath her left shoulder blade. Though, she was wearing a high-backed dress, he could still feel her soft bare skin underneath the fingers and palm of his cupped hand.
After Lex had placed them in the proper closed position, he started showing her the basic steps. "First off," he said, "frame is important. Though I don't lead with my 'free hand'," he said while gently shaking his left arm to indicate what he was talking about, "it is still important that it stays in the proper position. You might feel some pushing or pulling with this arm, though you don't want to simply yield to this pressure. Keep your arm firm, not rigid, but firmly in place. The same goes for your left arm. Frame is essential for me to lead, and you to follow."
"Got it," Chloe said.
"Ok, we start on the first count. I start with my left foot, you with your right. So you go, right foot back. Now, place your left foot off to the side of your right then your right foot next to your left. Bring your left foot forward then place your right foot to the side of your left. Finally bring your left to the close position." As he instructed, he lead her through the steps. "That's it. Can you feel my lead with my right hand?"
"Yeah."
"Good. It helps to count the first few times, so you keep with the music. Most recommend you go: 'boom-tick-tick, boom-tick-tick-and lean. Ready to try this to the music?" He asked while raising an eyebrow.
"I guess. Lead on."
Lex waited for the count then started to lead. "Right foot back, left foot side, right foot close, pause, left foot forward, right foot side, left foot close, pause," he coached as they flowed with the music. After two successful box steps, Lex said, "very good, Miss Sullivan. You're a natural."
Chloe grinned at him. "Why thank you, Mr. Luthor."
Lex frowned and looked away. "Please don't call me that. My father is Mr. Luthor. I'm Lex."
"Alright. Thank you, Lex." Chloe thought about telling him that she would start calling him Lex as soon as he started calling her Chloe. But she kind of liked it when he called her Miss. Sullivan.
They made it through the box step three or four more times without incident, so Lex decided to change things up a bit. On first count, he brought his left foot forward as usual. Except that he turned his foot at a ninety-degree angle instead of stepping straight forward, leading her into a left box turn.
Chloe felt the gentle push of his palm, and followed his lead to the left. She couldn't help but smile at how easily she was able to pick up on the deviation. Even though she would have liked to take some of the credit, she knew that the ease of their motions had mostly to do with Lex.
"That was the left box turn. And I have to say I'm quite impressed on how well you followed me. Are you sure you haven't done this before?" He asked.
Chloe laughed. "Positive." She knew she was grinning like an idiot. But she couldn't help it. She was having too good of a time.
Lex led her through several left box turns and simple box steps with ease. He would have tried to move her further out onto the dance floor, but then thought better of it. He didn't want to accidentally disturb the other dancers. He knew the song only had a few more meters left. So he decided to try an under arm turn. On the first count of the second meter, he lifted his left hand and gently pushed her into the turn. However, when Chloe went to start her turn, she stepped wrong in her heels. In order to prevent twisting her ankle, she quickly took her weight off the foot. Though when she placed the foot back on the ground so she wouldn't fall, she placed it right on Lex's right foot as he was about to step backwards.
Lex knew he was going to go down. He had already started moving backwards, when Chloe trampled his toes. Her weight had pinned his foot down, preventing him from placing it behind him to catch is weight. He let go of her, trying not to drag her down with him. But the uneven surface of his shoe caused her to lose her balance, and she toppled down on top of him.
Somehow, he managed not to smack his head off the hard wooden floor. And as they lied there, he couldn't help but laugh.
Chloe was mortified. She wished that the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She felt the body beneath her start to shake. Her eyes widened in fear that she had hurt him. She put her arms on the floor and pushed herself up so she could look at his face. Her concern quickly turned to irritation. Lex was biting his lower lip, obviously trying to keep his laughter to minimum. She couldn't believe it. "Lex!" She exclaimed while hitting him in the chest, with her right hand. "Stop it!" And to her disappointment, he did. As soon as her hand hit his chest his smile turned into a grimace. She reluctantly pushed herself off of him. She offered out a hand and helped pull him up.
"I'm sorry, Lex. I didn't mean to hurt you." She was mentally cursing at herself. How could she be so stupid? It hadn't even been a week since the incident at the plant. And though she hadn't said anything, there was still a very noticeable bruise on the back of his head, and his hand was still bandaged. She wondered if he had other injuries she didn't know about. She had thought she had felt something underneath his shirt, but she didn't know what it was, something wiry though. "I'm really sorry, I didn't."
He held up a hand to stop her. "I'm fine, Chloe. You just hit a spot that was still a little tender from this week's fiasco. But I assure you, I'm fine." He looked around at the crowd of people who were staring at them, then back to Chloe. "Would you like to get some air, Miss Sullivan?"
Chloe also glanced around the room. She felt like sticking her tongue out, or flipping them off. Didn't people know it was impolite to stare? "It has become rather stuffy in here, hasn't it?" She asked while still glaring at the not so subtle gawkers. She looked back at Lex and smiled. "I'd love to."
He offered her his arm, which she readily took, and lead them out of the room.
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Chloe had to wonder just where Lex was taking her. They had passed several of the balcony doors, and were still moving towards the elevators that had brought them up to the floor of the LuthorCorp building on which the party was being held. "Uh, Lex? Just where are you taking me?"
"I told you, to get some air." He told her.
"Oh. I know I'm no where near an expert in such things, but wouldn't that require going outside?"
"It is a common misconception amongst people." He said while smirking down at her.
Chloe just rolled her eyes, and continued to follow him until they finally stopped outside a door close to the elevators. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. If she remembered correctly, this was where her father and her had checked in there coats. She started to ask when Lex shushed her. Puzzled, she watched as he scanned the crowd. She followed his gaze, trying to see just what he was looking at, or looking for. "Lex, what are.?"
With one swift movement, he pulled open the door and pushed her in. He followed close behind her then slowly pulled the door closed quickly, but latched it slowly to minimize the amount of noise it made.
After dislodging herself from a coat rack, Chloe turned and glared at Lex, who merely raised an eyebrow at her. "Can I speak now?" She asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.
"Of course." He said as he walked over to the only window in the small room.
"What are we doing?" She demanded. "And don't tell me getting some air, because that is hardly something you can do in a coatroom."
Lex opened to small window, and a cold winter breeze blew into the stuffy room. Then he turned and faced her. "Are we off the record, Miss Sullivan?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yes!" She said, slightly exasperated.
"I can't stand these tedious social events that my father insists on throwing. So, after I've made my presence known, I usually slip in here."
Chloe had to take a minute to wrap her mind around that one. It wasn't easy picturing Lex Luthor hiding in a coatroom. "Why here? Why not another part of the building? Doesn't your father live here? Don't you have a room or something that you could go to? I mean this hardly seems like a fun way to spend the evening." She said as she watched him start to pull various fur coats off the racks and toss them unceremoniously in a corner of the room, across from the window.
"Yes, my father does live here. And yes, I do have a private room; in fact I have several. But it hardly does one any good to hide out in a place where everyone expects you to go. You see my father would expect me to retire to my room, or another part of the house. But the coatroom is so far below him, that it probably hasn't even crossed his mind to look here."
"Very clever. But, don't people notice you're in here when they go to get their coats before they leave?" She asked.
"That would be the reason I venture back out into the boring masses approximately a half hour before the party starts to die down. Not only does that insure that my little safe heaven isn't discovered, but it also makes it appear as if I was at the party the whole time."
"Wow. I have to admit it seems pretty fail proof."
Lex looked her with his all-knowing smirk. "Well, I've only had 18 years to prefect the process." He had finished piling about 20 fur coats in the corner, and gestured to them while asking Chloe if she cared to sit down.
Shrugging her shoulders, she took his hand so he could help lower her into the makeshift couch/chair/bed or whatever it was you wanted to call it. It's amazing how further away the ground seems when you're wearing 3 inch heels, Chloe thought. After helping her sit down in the pile of coats, Lex gracefully lowered himself down beside her. She watched him stretch his long legs out in front of him, and carefully rest his head against the soft fur. She wasn't sure, but she thought she might have even saw him grimace. "So, what is it that you do in here?"
Lex looked away from her. He had told Lana about his little hide out, but he had never actually told anyone what it was that he actually did while there. He knew it was nothing to be embarrassed about. But he could still feel the ever-slight blush creep up his cheeks. Never one to blush, Lex noticed that this was twice now that Chloe had caused him to react this way. You hardly even know her, he thought. But, he shrugged it off, blaming the chemotherapy for throwing him off his game.
Lex's hesitance only made Chloe even more curious as to what went on in the 'coatroom.' "Well?" She asked, making sure the draw the word out.
"Depends on my mood." He told her.
She rolled her eyes at that. "You know, you can either tell me what it is you do in here, or I can make something up. And I'll tell you right now, I have a pretty good imagination."
Lex raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm almost afraid to ask what it is you're picturing."
"You should be. You. Should. Be."
Lex chuckled. "Ok, Master Yoda." He said as he watched Chloe's eyes light up with excitement.
"You're a Star Wars fan?" She asked while sitting up and turning on her side to face him better.
"Of course," he replied, "A man who is assumed to be the epitome of evil overcomes his own inner demons in order to kill the one person who started him down the path of death and destruction, ultimately becoming the savior of the entire galaxy and thus everyone who despises and hates him. What's not to like?"
"What!" Chloe exclaimed. "Darth Vader was not the savior of the galaxy! How can you even say that? If anyone saved the galaxy it was Luke!"
"Luke! What did Luke do? Nothing! If it hadn't been for his father the Emperor would have killed him, causing the entire mission to fail, the rebellion to be crushed, and the Emperor to continue his rein of terror."
Chloe looked at him in disbelief. "Nothing, huh? You say Luke did nothing. So I guess destroying the first Death Star was nothing? Saving Han Solo and Leia was nothing? Helping his father come back to the good side was nothing? Well, then I have to say, he sure did a whole lot of nothing!"
"I'm not saying that Luke didn't contribute to Vader's success. All I'm saying is that he wasn't the hero."
"Well, that may be. But if it hadn't been for Luke, Darth would have continued down the wrong path." She paused for a moment then added, "You know, I find it amazing how much the faith of a single person can change everything. In Star Wars, everyone saw Darth. They didn't see Anakin. But, Luke did. He saw what no one else saw, not even Darth himself. He saw the good that was buried inside. And he showed that to Darth and helped him overcome his inner demons. He gave him the strength to defeat the Emperor. And that, is why I believe that Luke is the hero."
"You know what Miss. Sullivan, I think you're right." He said as he looked at her. He couldn't help but think that deep down she was talking about him. And that perhaps she would be the one who could help uncover what he had been forced to bury so deep within himself.
Chloe was getting uneasy by the way he was looking at her. It wasn't predatory, or threatening in anyway. But it was open, and that made her nervous. She didn't know how far she wanted to delve into the world that was Lex Luthor. Because she was afraid that once her toe touched those icy waters, there would be no turning back. Therefore, she cleared her throat to break the silence. "Well, I, uh, I better be getting back. My dad is probably looking for me." She struggled to her feet in the heels then looked back down at him. "Thanks for the dance, Lex." With that she turned and left him sitting there on the pile of fur coats.
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She easily found her father who, as she had predicted, had been looking for her.
"Chloe, where have you been? I've been looking for you for the past half hour." Gabe asked his daughter.
"Oh, I was in the ladies room. I kind of embarrassed myself and had to escape for a while." She replied while praying that he hadn't checked there.
Gabe laughed. "So, you've recovered?"
"I think so." She looked around for a minute before asking, "Are you almost ready to go?"
Gabe just continued to laugh. "Had enough of the rich and famous for one night?" He teased.
"Something like that," she replied absently. "So, can we go?"
"Yeah, just let me get our coats." He said then started to walk towards the coatroom.
"You know what? Why don't I get the coats? I'm sure you want to say goodbye to a couple people anyway." She said while grinning up at him.
Gabe looked at his daughter quizzically. Something was up. But he would push for an answer later. "All right. Meet you at the elevator?"
"Sure thing." She watched her dad move off back into the crowd before going back over to the coat closet. She eased the door open and stepped inside. "Lex, it's just me so." She stopped herself short when she saw him. Lex had rolled over on his stomach, head facing the door. His eyes were closed, and he had that same peaceful expression that he had worn when she had walked in on him sleeping in his study. And just like before, Chloe couldn't help but smile at the site of him. She had to stifle a laugh when she thought about it. Two out of the four times that she had seen Lex, she had found him sleeping. She had to wonder how someone who slept so much could be known for having such a tremendous nightlife.
"Oh well," she whispered, "I guess I'll just have to save that question for next time." She found her father's jacket and her wrap as quietly as possible. Then she snuck back out of the room, silently closing the door behind her.
TBC.
Author: MitchPell
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with Smallville, it's characters, DC comics, or the WB. I'm just using them for a little bit of non-profitable fun. Authors Notes: I'm going to state for the record that I went against the advice of my beta reader, Adri, and that she should not be held responsible for my incorrect grammar. Ok, I'm sorry it took me so long to plug this one out too. But I'm finding it really hard to write these Christmas scenes in the middle of July!! I did research for the dance stuff. I do know how to swing dance, but I've never waltzed before. Let me know if I've made any major blunders. I've also done a lot of research about the medical stuff, but if I've made any huge errors let me know. After all, I'm not an expert. I've decided that the episodes are going to take place on the week they were aired. So, since "Jitters" aired 12/11/01, the events that deal with "Jitters" in this fanfiction will take place during the week of 12/11/01. The Christmas party is taking place on Friday 12/14/01. I'll try to let you guys know approximately what time of year it is. I'm going to using any and all spoilers, so read at your own risk. This story is going to be a long one. I already know that it is going to span the course of 7 years, and probably longer. I appreciate any and all feedback. Tell me whatever you think: the good, the bad, the ok, the grammar errors, etc. Trust me, I need the help!!
Summary: Lex and Chloe just seem right for each other. I don't know why, they just do.
Email: mitchpell@yahoo.com
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Adri: Oh yeah! Lex's smile is the best. I can see his little dimples now! *Sighs* So dreamy! Now that the Chlex magic has started I don't think it will end! Woohoo! Even I'm excited. Glad you liked it. Thanks for all of the Beta-reading help!
Tanya: Hope you had a great vacation. Finally you're back! Yeah! Thanks for all the Beta help!
Lrnd: LOL! Glad you liked it. Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of white ones with lipstick kisses, or bright yellow ones with a big smiley face on the ass. Hehehe! I'm going to have so much fun with this. *Gasp* Was that a spoiler?
Trina Casey: LOL! You did not do that, did you? LOL! I laughed so hard when I read that. I'm glad you found it funny. Very few people ever find me humorous. I'm the one that everyone just stares at after I tell a joke. Yeah, I like it when authors write back to their reviewers. I can't remember when I first saw it, but I really liked the idea. So, I decided to do it myself. So, thanks for the idea, whoever that author was!
Kristin: I'm glad you liked it. It is always nice to attract new readers. I hope you continue to read and review.
Kista: Woohoo! I'm going to take that to mean that my writing has gotten better. LOL!! Well, one can wish can't they? I'm glad I caught your attention.
Leanne8582: Glad you liked it! Oh my gosh was that long. It took me forever to write. I have to agree with you though. I like them long myself. I just wish the long ones did take so long to write!
Suzanne: I'm glad you liked the end. I took a couple of tries to get it right. I'm happy to see that I picked the right turn of events!
copper: I'm glad you like it! I'm sorry it is taking so long to get the chapters out. I had a slight case of what I guess you could call writer's block. I knew what I wanted to happen, but it was a matter of getting it on paper. LOL! I can write chapter 30, but not chapter 6. But don't worry. I'm in full writing mode now!
Markers: LOL! You know what, I actually had it written out that she did hug him. But, my betas and I decided that a hug was too much too fast. But don't worry the hugging will come. I promise!
ann: Wow! You liked it so much that you reviewed twice! I'm speechless! I'm glad you liked it.
RedWitch: Wow! You have no idea what a warm fuzzy feeling that gives me! Well actually it is more of a bouncing in my seat, trying not to squeal like the girl I am kind of feeling. But hey, it's all good! I hope I can continue to dish out that kind of caliber writing. It's going to be tough though. But I'm up for the challenge! Thanks again!
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Gabe Sullivan sighed as he hung up the phone. "Well," he said as he turned to Chloe, who was sitting at the kitchen table, "that's it." He plopped down in the chair across from his daughter. "I've called every single woman I know, and I still don't have a date."
Chloe looked down at the coffee cup in her hand. "You know, dad, I was thinking. What if I went with you this year?"
Gabe gave his daughter a puzzled look. "You want to go to the LuthorCorp Annual Christmas Party, this Friday, with your father?"
"Why not?" Chloe asked. "You're always saying that I should expose myself to different things, different aspects of our culture. Shouldn't that include the recreational activities of the rich and famous? Besides, I'm going to need to familiarize myself with the workings of the upper class for when I become an award winning investigative reporter. After all, most scandals and cover-ups revolve around them." She said with a grin plastered on her face.
Her eyes widened as if she just thought of something. "We could make a weekend out of it. Go to the party on Friday, stay at a hotel or at Uncle Sam's and Aunt Ellen's, then spend Saturday and Sunday Christmas shopping and looking at the lights downtown. Ew, we can even go ice skating at the park!" By this time Chloe was practically bouncing in her seat she was so excited.
"I see, and just how long ago did you and Lois make these plans?" Gabe accused through his chuckles. He should have figured Chloe had other ulterior motives for attending the party, besides her journalistic well being.
Chloe grinned at her father. "Last night! She was going to talk it over with Uncle Sam and Aunt Ellen today." At her dad's hesitancy, she added, "Please, Dad! It would be a perfect weekend!"
Gabe sighed. "All right. As long as it is ok with Sam and Ellen I don't see a problem with it."
"Oh, I'm sure it won't be!" Chloe exclaimed while jumping up to hug her dad. "This is going to be fantastic!" She took off towards the stairs as she told her dad she was going to go call Lois. She stopped at the base of the stairs and turned back to him. "Oh, before I forget, can I have some money to go shopping tomorrow? I'm going to need to buy a new dress for the party."
Gabe rolled his eyes. "Is that really necessary? Don't you have anything you could wear?"
"No!"
"What about your Homecoming dress? You looked good in that."
"Dad!" Chloe groaned. "I can't wear my Homecoming dress. That would just be dumb. Plus, it is too cold for a short dress. I want to wear a long one."
Gabe sighed once again. "Fine, but it has to be something I would approve of." Chloe always had, what he considered, a rather eccentric taste in cloths, and he wanted to make sure that she picked out something appropriate. Especially while attending a party of co-workers and company heads.
Chloe was a little hurt by her father's comment. But since she had gotten her way in all other respects she decided to let him have this one. "Don't worry, Dad, I'm sure you'll love whatever I pick out." She smiled at him then ran up the stairs. She only had a day and a half till Friday, and a ton of stuff to do before then.
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Lex rubbed his forehead. The Christmas Party was two days away. He was seriously considering staying home. He hated these parties. They were filled with nothing but boring rich assholes that simply stood around with their noses stuck in the air talking about their big houses, fancy cars, lavish art collections, and extravagant vacations. Then there were the few company managers that his father invited. They, very much like the rich, stood around and traded stories about fishing, family, and who knows what else. Therefore, he was either forced to feel out of place with the boring rich or the lower level managers. He didn't fit in with the rich, because though he possessed the objects of their discussions, he wasn't that conceited. And he didn't fit in with managers, well, because he was rich. Add in the fact that he is the son of the company owner, which shuns him even more from the partygoers, and one can see why he prefers to spend the evening in the coatroom.
"Now I get to have all that fun, after having a round of chemotherapy." Lex told the newly restored grandfather clock in the corner of his office. "I can't possibly see how this evening can get any better." The sarcasm dripped from his voice.
At that moment Gabby burst into his office carrying a dress in each arm. "Lex!" She called. "Which one do you prefer? This one," she said while holding up a short red dress with spaghetti straps and an open back. "Or this one." The other dress was black, long, and strapless with crisscrossed straps across the back.
Lex raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, that would depend on where you're going. Is there something you've neglected to tell me, Gabby?"
Gabby rolled her eyes and sighed. "The Christmas Party, Lex! I know you didn't forget. I don't want to look like a heel in front of your father."
Lex smirked. "You won't have to worry about that, Gabby, because you're not going to the party."
She was shocked. "What? What do you mean I'm not going?" She huffed. Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she was really excited about going to the party. She had never been to an event of high society, and she was looking forward to seeing what it was like.
"I mean just that. Though you will be accompanying me to Metropolis, you will not be attending the Christmas party." Lex replied wirily.
"And just why not," Gabby complained.
Lex sighed. "Because, Gabby, to people outside of this house you are believed to be my personnel assistant. And though, most of the people who will be at this party screw their assistants, they don't bring them to social events." He didn't bother hiding the annoyance, as he explained this to her.
She put her hands on her hips, letting the dresses touch the wooden floor, and pressed her tongue into the corner of her mouth. "Oh, I see. I suppose you expect me to just go with you to your apartment, cook for you, clean up after you, basically be at your beck and call, hold your goddamned hand while you puke your guts out in the bathroom, and yet I don't get to go the party! This is bullshit Lex!" She shouted at him.
He got out of his desk chair and stormed over towards her. He could feel his blood boiling. "Don't confuse luxuries with necessities, Dr. Mai. Just because I have a cook and a maid at my disposal doesn't mean that I can't survive without them. Nor have I ever asked for your assistance other than to administer my medication. Your other endeavors, though appreciated, were done voluntarily. But don't think for one minute that I'm not in complete and total control here. With a simple phone call I can make or break your career. So don't fuck with me!" Having spoken his mind, Lex left the office.
Gabby was a little taken back by his outburst. Though she believed that there was merit to her side of the argument, she had to admit that she had crossed the line. She ran after him, and caught up with him at the front door. "Lex, wait! I'm sorry. I was out of line, and I apologize."
Lex didn't bother stopping nor turning around, but continued walking towards his car of the day, a blue-gray Porsche. "Apology excepted, Dr. Mai. Just don't forget your place here. Aside for issues dealing with my health, you will listen to me, and do as I say without challenging me."
"But you also have to remember something, Lex. I'm not just another servant. I'm not here to abide by your every whim. I deserve respect, and I expect to get it." Gabby said sternly.
"Of course, Gabby," Lex said with a smirk. "We're leaving tomorrow afternoon." He told her. "Be sure to pack two weeks worth of whatever it is we'll be needing." He opened his car door, lowered himself into the vehicle, and shut the door. He started the engine and drove off towards the Kent's. He needed to pick up some extra produce for the apartment. When he hit the main road, the radio started playing "My Way" by Limp Bizkit. He cranked up the volume and sped down the road.
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Chloe looked herself over one last time in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She had to say she looked pretty good. She was wearing a full- length black velvet dress with spaghetti straps, a high back, and a thin piece of chiffon that laid across the tops of her breasts, wrapped underneath her armpits, and ended at the zipper in the back, where the two ends fell in a short train. She pulled her hair up with a bunch of little black butterfly clips. A simple silver chain hung around her neck, and a silver ring with a small black onyx adorned her right ring finger. She had decided to take it easy on the makeup; therefore, she only put on pale pink blush, and matching lipstick and eye shadow. On her feet she wore three inch black heels with straps stretching around her ankle and the end of her foot. The only thing she had left to decide on was a coat.
Chloe didn't really want to wear a jacket. In her opinion everything she owned was just too bulky or simply just not dressy enough. She wanted to wear the simple black wrap she had worn for Homecoming. But that was back in October and it was now December and a whole hell of a lot colder.
"Hey," she said, "I'm going to be inside most of the time anyway, right? So, it really shouldn't matter." Having made up her mind she grabbed the wrap off her bed. Just as she was about to leave her room, she turned back and grabbed her big heavy knee-length winter coat. "Just incase," she said before heading down the stairs to join her patiently awaiting father.
"You look very beautiful, sweetheart." Gabe told his daughter as she came down the stairs. "I'm going to make everyone envious with such a beautiful young woman by my side."
Chloe tried to cover her blush by rolling her eyes. "It's a nice thought Dad, however improbable," she said with a slight frown.
"You're gorgeous, honey." Gabe said. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." He wanted to hug her, but he was afraid he'd mess up her hair or makeup. Which would only succeed in him having to wait another half hour to an hour for her to fix it. So, he settled for merely smiling at her.
Chloe smiled back at him. "Thanks, Dad. You know, you don't look half bad yourself in that tux."
"Well," he said while pulling on the coat sleeves, "it's getting a little small, but it'll do for tonight. I guess I'm going to have to break down and buy a new one for next year."
"You still look good." She paused for a moment then asked, "Are we ready to go?"
"Yep, I've already put our bags in the car. So all we have to do is go." He opened the front door, and gestured with his arm. "After you my dear."
Chloe lead the way out onto the front porch. She waited for her dad to lock the door then the two walked to the car. Chloe got in the passenger side, making sure not to shut her dress in the car door. Her dad plopped himself in his own seat then started the car. As he backed out the driveway, he asked her, "So what did Clark and Pete have to say about you going with me tonight?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Pete did his usual 'you know what the Luthors did to my family' routine." She said as she opened the glove box and pulled out her CD carrying case. "Clark thought it was pretty cool that I was getting to go. Neither of them could understand why I wanted to go all the way to the city to spend an evening with a bunch of people I didn't know."
"What did you say to that?"
"I told them I wasn't going to be with strangers, but that I was going to spend time with my Dad." As she said this she pulled a CD out of the case and ejected the one already in the player.
Gabe chuckled. "They must have really thought you had lost your mind after you told them that."
"Well, Pete did try getting me to lie down, while Clark ran off to get the Nurse." Chloe joked. She put the CD she had selected into the player and turned up the volume, before sitting back in her seat.
Gabe stopped laughing after he saw his daughter put the CD in. He sighed. One thing he and Chloe didn't share was their taste in music. "What god- awful music am I listening to this time?" He asked her.
She grinned at him. "If I have to listen to classic music all night, you can withstand a little Remy Zero on the car ride over." Chloe said before she started to sing along with Cinjun. "Come on, Dad, you know you want to sing along. 'Somebody save me.let your warm hands break right through.somebody save me.I don't care how you do it.just stay.stay.come on.I've been waiting for you." She laughed at his expression, but just kept singing along.
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Lex glanced down at his watch. It was 9:30. He had only been 'mingling' at the party for little over an hour and a half, but it felt as if it had been an eternity. He was bored out of his mind, not to mention slightly nauseated and thoroughly exhausted. He felt it was time to retire to the coatroom. Lex couldn't help but laugh at himself. It was rather pathetic actually. But he knew his father would never look for him there. The idea was so preposterous that Lionel wouldn't even think to consider it.
Lex excused himself from the people he was chatting with, or more accurately standing beside while attempting to appear to be interested in their conversation. As he made his way through the crowd he was stopped by none other than Dominic's wife. Good Lord shoot me now, he thought, as he turned to her. He would have ignored her, but she had made it impossible for him to act as if he hadn't noticed her. "Good evening, Mrs. Senatori. Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked her.
"I'm having a fabulous time. Your father does know how to throw quite the party." She answered in her heavy English accent.
Lex tried not gag. If I ever get like this I hope someone puts me out of my misery, he thought. He re-plastered his fake half-smile on his face. "Yes, he does." He replied dryly. He looked around a little, before returning his attention to her. "And, where pray tell, is your husband? He should know better than to leave such a stunning beauty, as yourself, alone at such a function."
She laughed. "Oh, he's off conversing with your father I'm sure. But really, you're too kind." She waved the first part off, but made sure to empathize the later. "Sadly, I can't say the same to you, Lex darling. You look as if someone mistook your head for a soccer ball. And what did you do to your hand?" She asked.
Lex tried not to roll his eyes. He had been getting this all night. He had tried to cover up the bruise with a little makeup, but it was simply too dark. Yet, he couldn't tell what agitated him more, the fact that he wasn't able to conceal his injuries, or the false sympathy. Lex detested it when people would pretend they cared simply for a personal gain. He had experienced too much of it in his life already. He knew what it was like to think someone cared for you, and how much it hurt when you discovered it was all an act. It was the main reason he chose not to tell anyone about his illness.
"Unfortunately, I was on the receiving end of a rather brutal attack," he told her. "Nothing to be concerned about, I'm sure it'll heal soon enough. If you'll excuse me, I have someone waiting for me out on the balcony." He let his eyes rake over her, not because he found her attractive. But simply to let her know he was well aware of what he was rejecting. "Say hello to your husband for me, won't you?" He added.
"Of course, dear." She replied.
Lex gave the best smile he could muster then continued making his way through the crowd. He really needed to get away from these people, either that or get some alcohol in him. Since he was slightly neutropenic, Lex wasn't allowed the latter. That left the former. He had almost made it to the coatroom, when he heard someone call out his name. He gave a longing look towards his destination then turned around.
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As she stood in a corner of one of the large rooms, Chloe wondered what had possessed her to want to go to this party. If her father was around, she would have glared at him and demanded why he hadn't warned her these things were so boring. But he had gone to the bathroom roughly fifteen minutes ago and had yet to return. He probably was talking with another plant manager about who knows what, which is what he had been doing most of the night. Chloe wouldn't have minded her father chatting with his co-workers, if there were someone she could talk with. It wasn't that Chloe was apposed to or intimidated by talking with people she didn't know. It was simply the age difference. Most of the people attending the party appeared to be her father's age or older. Talk about a snooze fest.
She scanned the crowd one last time. Looking for anyone remotely close to her age. That's when she spotted him. For some reason unknown to her, it never occurred to her that he would be there. I mean it makes perfect sense, she thought. It is the LuthorCorp Christmas Party. Why wouldn't he be there? She wanted to get his attention, but didn't think that screaming his name across the crowded room would be deemed appropriate. So she tried to catch up to him. However, the waters didn't part for her as they did for him. Screw appropriate, she thought before calling out his name.
Chloe was relieved when he stopped and turned towards her. She didn't want to yell his name twice; the first time had earned them enough attention. Ducking her head, she closed the distance between them.
"You're a hard one to catch up to." She said. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought the building was on fire."
Lex smirked. "Why Miss. Sullivan, I can't believe you think me so cowardly, as to turn tale and run without giving the others ample warning?"
"No!" She said with a little more force than necessary then repeated more calmly, "no. If anything, your actions earlier this week proved otherwise."
They looked at each other for a silent moment, during which Chloe took in the man before her. In her opinion, he looked good in the tux, a little tired, but good. Though, she thought, he looked better in the sweats and t- shirt. She smiled at the image that popped in her head. Lex laid out on the couch, haphazardly covered up with a blanket. He had looked touchable then, peaceful, human. She shook herself out of her reverie to find Lex looking at her quizzically. She felt her face turn red, which only helped to give away the object of her thoughts. "So!" She exclaimed after clearing her throat. "Since the building isn't crashing down upon us, where were you going in such a hurry?"
Lex grinned. "Always the reporter, Miss. Sullivan. Didn't anyone ever tell you that you shouldn't mix business with pleasure?" He asked while raising an eyebrow.
Chloe huffed and rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt you could call this pleasure," she said while gesturing around the room.
"Not, having a good time, Miss. Sullivan? I can hardly blame you. These events are rather dull."
"I think that's the understatement of the year."
"Perhaps, I can change that." He stated while letting his eyes rake over her.
She looked at him a little warily. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. After awhile she couldn't take it anymore. "What?" She asked, sounding uneasy.
"Would you care to dance?" He wanted it to seem more like a demand than a question, but even he could hear the smallest bit of doubt in his voice.
Chloe was shocked, to say the least. She simply stared at him for a while, before finally blinking. She stuttered a few times then shook her head and grinned up at him. She looked at him a little disbelievingly. "You, Lex Luthor, want to dance with me, Chloe Sullivan?"
"Yes." He stated matter-of-factly.
"Here, in front of all these people, and to this music?"
Lex gave her a bemused grin. "It's a waltz, Miss Sullivan." When her expression didn't change, he added, "The most popular dance of the 19th century, which, with the help of Johann Strauss, remained one of the most beloved dances in mainstream ballroom dancing."
He spoke as if his words were common knowledge, which Chloe found quite humorous. Does he ever listen to himself talk, she wondered? She couldn't tell if it was just force of habit, or if he really meant to sound as condescending as he did. "Oh, well now that sounds familiar," she teased. "Unfortunately, as much as I would love to dance with you, Mr. Luthor, this poor deprived soul, unlike so many others, didn't have the opportunity to partake in today's mainstream ballroom dancing." Her voice was a mixture of teasing and sarcasm, and emphasis was placed on his name.
Lex smirked. "Not to worry, Chloe, I'm told I'm a fairly accomplished dancer myself. I'm sure I can teach you enough basics to make it through one dance." He said wryly.
Chloe could feel the smile on her face widen when he said her name. "Wow, Lex, for a while there I didn't think you knew my first name." She teased. "I guess you are just full of surprises."
"Yes, I am." He deadpanned. "So, are you going to make me wait all night, or are you going to answer my question?" He asked lightheartedly. He didn't want her to think he was annoyed, because he was anything but. He was just anxious to know whether or not she would accept the offer. Which in itself worried him. He usually wouldn't bat an eye if a woman turned him down, not that it usually happened. When it did happen, though, he would merely spout off some smart-ass retort, and that would be the end of it. However, he thought he would be truly upset if she turned him down.
"I'll probably step on your feet, ruin your shoes."
Though he was able to keep his smile to a minimum, Lex couldn't help but laugh. "I think I can afford to buy new ones." He offered out his hand to her. "Shall we?" After a moment's hesitation, she took it.
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Lex led her out onto a part of the floor where a few couples where dancing. Chloe was relieved to see that there were others moving gracefully to the beat of the music. She hadn't seen them at first, and was afraid that Lex and herself would be the only ones partaking in the event. She let him guide her to an area of the floor that was out of the way of the others. She stopped when he turned to face her.
"Now, the waltz is written in ¾ time. So, there are 3 beats per measure: '1-2-3' or 'quick-quick-quick.' Ok?"
Chloe nodded.
"Like most dances, the waltz has a basic step called the 'box step.' It consists of six steps, therefore two meters. In the first meter, you will start by moving your right foot backwards, and in the second meter, your left foot forward. So its right-left-right, left-right-left." After Chloe nodded again to tell him she understood, Lex stepped in close to her. Chloe unconsciously stepped back. She hadn't meant to, but being so close to Lex made her nervous.
Lex grinned at her. "We have to be close if we are to dance, Miss Sullivan."
"Right. Sorry." She said, while unsuccessfully trying not to blush.
"No need to apologize." This time he reached out and took her right hand in his left. He raised their joined hands and placed them out to the side, pulling their bodies close together. "Place your right foot between my legs," Lex instructed.
Chloe blushed, but complied all the same, making their bodies become offset to the left by half a body length.
"Now, put your left arm up on my shoulder so that your thumb rests on the inside of my upper-arm and your fingers drape over my shoulder." When she didn't get it quite right, he adjusted her hand with his. "Good, now you should apply a little bit of pressure with your thumb and fingers. It will help you follow me better." He took his right hand and placed it just beneath her left shoulder blade. Though, she was wearing a high-backed dress, he could still feel her soft bare skin underneath the fingers and palm of his cupped hand.
After Lex had placed them in the proper closed position, he started showing her the basic steps. "First off," he said, "frame is important. Though I don't lead with my 'free hand'," he said while gently shaking his left arm to indicate what he was talking about, "it is still important that it stays in the proper position. You might feel some pushing or pulling with this arm, though you don't want to simply yield to this pressure. Keep your arm firm, not rigid, but firmly in place. The same goes for your left arm. Frame is essential for me to lead, and you to follow."
"Got it," Chloe said.
"Ok, we start on the first count. I start with my left foot, you with your right. So you go, right foot back. Now, place your left foot off to the side of your right then your right foot next to your left. Bring your left foot forward then place your right foot to the side of your left. Finally bring your left to the close position." As he instructed, he lead her through the steps. "That's it. Can you feel my lead with my right hand?"
"Yeah."
"Good. It helps to count the first few times, so you keep with the music. Most recommend you go: 'boom-tick-tick, boom-tick-tick-and lean. Ready to try this to the music?" He asked while raising an eyebrow.
"I guess. Lead on."
Lex waited for the count then started to lead. "Right foot back, left foot side, right foot close, pause, left foot forward, right foot side, left foot close, pause," he coached as they flowed with the music. After two successful box steps, Lex said, "very good, Miss Sullivan. You're a natural."
Chloe grinned at him. "Why thank you, Mr. Luthor."
Lex frowned and looked away. "Please don't call me that. My father is Mr. Luthor. I'm Lex."
"Alright. Thank you, Lex." Chloe thought about telling him that she would start calling him Lex as soon as he started calling her Chloe. But she kind of liked it when he called her Miss. Sullivan.
They made it through the box step three or four more times without incident, so Lex decided to change things up a bit. On first count, he brought his left foot forward as usual. Except that he turned his foot at a ninety-degree angle instead of stepping straight forward, leading her into a left box turn.
Chloe felt the gentle push of his palm, and followed his lead to the left. She couldn't help but smile at how easily she was able to pick up on the deviation. Even though she would have liked to take some of the credit, she knew that the ease of their motions had mostly to do with Lex.
"That was the left box turn. And I have to say I'm quite impressed on how well you followed me. Are you sure you haven't done this before?" He asked.
Chloe laughed. "Positive." She knew she was grinning like an idiot. But she couldn't help it. She was having too good of a time.
Lex led her through several left box turns and simple box steps with ease. He would have tried to move her further out onto the dance floor, but then thought better of it. He didn't want to accidentally disturb the other dancers. He knew the song only had a few more meters left. So he decided to try an under arm turn. On the first count of the second meter, he lifted his left hand and gently pushed her into the turn. However, when Chloe went to start her turn, she stepped wrong in her heels. In order to prevent twisting her ankle, she quickly took her weight off the foot. Though when she placed the foot back on the ground so she wouldn't fall, she placed it right on Lex's right foot as he was about to step backwards.
Lex knew he was going to go down. He had already started moving backwards, when Chloe trampled his toes. Her weight had pinned his foot down, preventing him from placing it behind him to catch is weight. He let go of her, trying not to drag her down with him. But the uneven surface of his shoe caused her to lose her balance, and she toppled down on top of him.
Somehow, he managed not to smack his head off the hard wooden floor. And as they lied there, he couldn't help but laugh.
Chloe was mortified. She wished that the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She felt the body beneath her start to shake. Her eyes widened in fear that she had hurt him. She put her arms on the floor and pushed herself up so she could look at his face. Her concern quickly turned to irritation. Lex was biting his lower lip, obviously trying to keep his laughter to minimum. She couldn't believe it. "Lex!" She exclaimed while hitting him in the chest, with her right hand. "Stop it!" And to her disappointment, he did. As soon as her hand hit his chest his smile turned into a grimace. She reluctantly pushed herself off of him. She offered out a hand and helped pull him up.
"I'm sorry, Lex. I didn't mean to hurt you." She was mentally cursing at herself. How could she be so stupid? It hadn't even been a week since the incident at the plant. And though she hadn't said anything, there was still a very noticeable bruise on the back of his head, and his hand was still bandaged. She wondered if he had other injuries she didn't know about. She had thought she had felt something underneath his shirt, but she didn't know what it was, something wiry though. "I'm really sorry, I didn't."
He held up a hand to stop her. "I'm fine, Chloe. You just hit a spot that was still a little tender from this week's fiasco. But I assure you, I'm fine." He looked around at the crowd of people who were staring at them, then back to Chloe. "Would you like to get some air, Miss Sullivan?"
Chloe also glanced around the room. She felt like sticking her tongue out, or flipping them off. Didn't people know it was impolite to stare? "It has become rather stuffy in here, hasn't it?" She asked while still glaring at the not so subtle gawkers. She looked back at Lex and smiled. "I'd love to."
He offered her his arm, which she readily took, and lead them out of the room.
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Chloe had to wonder just where Lex was taking her. They had passed several of the balcony doors, and were still moving towards the elevators that had brought them up to the floor of the LuthorCorp building on which the party was being held. "Uh, Lex? Just where are you taking me?"
"I told you, to get some air." He told her.
"Oh. I know I'm no where near an expert in such things, but wouldn't that require going outside?"
"It is a common misconception amongst people." He said while smirking down at her.
Chloe just rolled her eyes, and continued to follow him until they finally stopped outside a door close to the elevators. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. If she remembered correctly, this was where her father and her had checked in there coats. She started to ask when Lex shushed her. Puzzled, she watched as he scanned the crowd. She followed his gaze, trying to see just what he was looking at, or looking for. "Lex, what are.?"
With one swift movement, he pulled open the door and pushed her in. He followed close behind her then slowly pulled the door closed quickly, but latched it slowly to minimize the amount of noise it made.
After dislodging herself from a coat rack, Chloe turned and glared at Lex, who merely raised an eyebrow at her. "Can I speak now?" She asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.
"Of course." He said as he walked over to the only window in the small room.
"What are we doing?" She demanded. "And don't tell me getting some air, because that is hardly something you can do in a coatroom."
Lex opened to small window, and a cold winter breeze blew into the stuffy room. Then he turned and faced her. "Are we off the record, Miss Sullivan?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yes!" She said, slightly exasperated.
"I can't stand these tedious social events that my father insists on throwing. So, after I've made my presence known, I usually slip in here."
Chloe had to take a minute to wrap her mind around that one. It wasn't easy picturing Lex Luthor hiding in a coatroom. "Why here? Why not another part of the building? Doesn't your father live here? Don't you have a room or something that you could go to? I mean this hardly seems like a fun way to spend the evening." She said as she watched him start to pull various fur coats off the racks and toss them unceremoniously in a corner of the room, across from the window.
"Yes, my father does live here. And yes, I do have a private room; in fact I have several. But it hardly does one any good to hide out in a place where everyone expects you to go. You see my father would expect me to retire to my room, or another part of the house. But the coatroom is so far below him, that it probably hasn't even crossed his mind to look here."
"Very clever. But, don't people notice you're in here when they go to get their coats before they leave?" She asked.
"That would be the reason I venture back out into the boring masses approximately a half hour before the party starts to die down. Not only does that insure that my little safe heaven isn't discovered, but it also makes it appear as if I was at the party the whole time."
"Wow. I have to admit it seems pretty fail proof."
Lex looked her with his all-knowing smirk. "Well, I've only had 18 years to prefect the process." He had finished piling about 20 fur coats in the corner, and gestured to them while asking Chloe if she cared to sit down.
Shrugging her shoulders, she took his hand so he could help lower her into the makeshift couch/chair/bed or whatever it was you wanted to call it. It's amazing how further away the ground seems when you're wearing 3 inch heels, Chloe thought. After helping her sit down in the pile of coats, Lex gracefully lowered himself down beside her. She watched him stretch his long legs out in front of him, and carefully rest his head against the soft fur. She wasn't sure, but she thought she might have even saw him grimace. "So, what is it that you do in here?"
Lex looked away from her. He had told Lana about his little hide out, but he had never actually told anyone what it was that he actually did while there. He knew it was nothing to be embarrassed about. But he could still feel the ever-slight blush creep up his cheeks. Never one to blush, Lex noticed that this was twice now that Chloe had caused him to react this way. You hardly even know her, he thought. But, he shrugged it off, blaming the chemotherapy for throwing him off his game.
Lex's hesitance only made Chloe even more curious as to what went on in the 'coatroom.' "Well?" She asked, making sure the draw the word out.
"Depends on my mood." He told her.
She rolled her eyes at that. "You know, you can either tell me what it is you do in here, or I can make something up. And I'll tell you right now, I have a pretty good imagination."
Lex raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm almost afraid to ask what it is you're picturing."
"You should be. You. Should. Be."
Lex chuckled. "Ok, Master Yoda." He said as he watched Chloe's eyes light up with excitement.
"You're a Star Wars fan?" She asked while sitting up and turning on her side to face him better.
"Of course," he replied, "A man who is assumed to be the epitome of evil overcomes his own inner demons in order to kill the one person who started him down the path of death and destruction, ultimately becoming the savior of the entire galaxy and thus everyone who despises and hates him. What's not to like?"
"What!" Chloe exclaimed. "Darth Vader was not the savior of the galaxy! How can you even say that? If anyone saved the galaxy it was Luke!"
"Luke! What did Luke do? Nothing! If it hadn't been for his father the Emperor would have killed him, causing the entire mission to fail, the rebellion to be crushed, and the Emperor to continue his rein of terror."
Chloe looked at him in disbelief. "Nothing, huh? You say Luke did nothing. So I guess destroying the first Death Star was nothing? Saving Han Solo and Leia was nothing? Helping his father come back to the good side was nothing? Well, then I have to say, he sure did a whole lot of nothing!"
"I'm not saying that Luke didn't contribute to Vader's success. All I'm saying is that he wasn't the hero."
"Well, that may be. But if it hadn't been for Luke, Darth would have continued down the wrong path." She paused for a moment then added, "You know, I find it amazing how much the faith of a single person can change everything. In Star Wars, everyone saw Darth. They didn't see Anakin. But, Luke did. He saw what no one else saw, not even Darth himself. He saw the good that was buried inside. And he showed that to Darth and helped him overcome his inner demons. He gave him the strength to defeat the Emperor. And that, is why I believe that Luke is the hero."
"You know what Miss. Sullivan, I think you're right." He said as he looked at her. He couldn't help but think that deep down she was talking about him. And that perhaps she would be the one who could help uncover what he had been forced to bury so deep within himself.
Chloe was getting uneasy by the way he was looking at her. It wasn't predatory, or threatening in anyway. But it was open, and that made her nervous. She didn't know how far she wanted to delve into the world that was Lex Luthor. Because she was afraid that once her toe touched those icy waters, there would be no turning back. Therefore, she cleared her throat to break the silence. "Well, I, uh, I better be getting back. My dad is probably looking for me." She struggled to her feet in the heels then looked back down at him. "Thanks for the dance, Lex." With that she turned and left him sitting there on the pile of fur coats.
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She easily found her father who, as she had predicted, had been looking for her.
"Chloe, where have you been? I've been looking for you for the past half hour." Gabe asked his daughter.
"Oh, I was in the ladies room. I kind of embarrassed myself and had to escape for a while." She replied while praying that he hadn't checked there.
Gabe laughed. "So, you've recovered?"
"I think so." She looked around for a minute before asking, "Are you almost ready to go?"
Gabe just continued to laugh. "Had enough of the rich and famous for one night?" He teased.
"Something like that," she replied absently. "So, can we go?"
"Yeah, just let me get our coats." He said then started to walk towards the coatroom.
"You know what? Why don't I get the coats? I'm sure you want to say goodbye to a couple people anyway." She said while grinning up at him.
Gabe looked at his daughter quizzically. Something was up. But he would push for an answer later. "All right. Meet you at the elevator?"
"Sure thing." She watched her dad move off back into the crowd before going back over to the coat closet. She eased the door open and stepped inside. "Lex, it's just me so." She stopped herself short when she saw him. Lex had rolled over on his stomach, head facing the door. His eyes were closed, and he had that same peaceful expression that he had worn when she had walked in on him sleeping in his study. And just like before, Chloe couldn't help but smile at the site of him. She had to stifle a laugh when she thought about it. Two out of the four times that she had seen Lex, she had found him sleeping. She had to wonder how someone who slept so much could be known for having such a tremendous nightlife.
"Oh well," she whispered, "I guess I'll just have to save that question for next time." She found her father's jacket and her wrap as quietly as possible. Then she snuck back out of the room, silently closing the door behind her.
TBC.
