The end has come… it had to, inevitable as these things always are. I do have a surprise for you all, though, but it won't come out for a couple weeks, so keep your eyes out for it, got it?
Thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart for your responses, encouragement and just plain being your wonderful selves. I'm not sure where I'll go from here, but this as certainly been a summer distraction that I enjoyed above all else. Without further ado (and to announce my last disclaimer) this is Unexpected, signing off. (Epilogue will be up in a couple of days… tied in a nice little bow and everything.)
Unexpected, Month 9…. So to Speak********************************* ~ ************************************
Snap"Dad, come on, stop."
Snap"Just one more."
Snap.
Snap Snap
"Daaaad."
"Okay, okay."
"Thank you."
Snap"That's it, no more grandchildren."
"Oh, Chloe behave."
Chloe rolled her eyes at her dad as she grabbed the camera out of his hands. She threw it back over her shoulder, barely caring where it landed. When her Gabe frowned at her, she looked back and pointed, "Look, it's fine, just there on the couch."
"You're paying for it if it's broken."
"Yeah, dad, those disposables cost so much nowadays. What will that billionaire husband of my do when I come home with that huge receipt?" Chloe smacked at his hands as he began to bend down over the playpen. "You have to stop carrying her so much. She's going to get used to it and then where will Lex and I be?"
"I'm the grandfather, Chloe, it's my duty," Gabe ignored her protests, moving his hands down and picking up Aurelia from where she lay. "Besides, I haven't been able to see her for days."
"Day, dad. Or have you forgotten that you stormed into my house yesterday morning with breakfast and toys that she won't be able to play with for another three years?"
"Ah, mommy's so grumpy," Gabe danced a little jig with Aurelia in his arms, not stopping when Chloe tried to make him stand still. "When did you get such a grumpy mommy? It's not from Grandpoppy, now is it? Is it, baby Lia?"
"Oh, geez," Chloe gave up when he resorted to the baby talk and collapsed on the couch. Wincing, she stood up halfway and removed the camera from under her butt. She gave it an interested look and threw it on to the next cushion. "Might find yourself a fascinating picture there, dad."
"What was that, honey?" Gabe was still dancing around, Aurelia giving him what could only be a baby smile.
"Never mind." Chloe couldn't fight back the smile as Gabe started showing Aurelia the pictures on his mantle as if she could understand every word. She should at least recognize most of them, they're all of her. Every few spaces, though, there were a few of his own daughter: a kindergarten-bound Chloe posing for the camera or one of her staring intently at a computer. He even had a photo of the time she'd dressed up as a photojournalist for Halloween, a little 'Press' card tucked into a fedora and all. Chloe cocked her head in surprise when Gabe started to point out a new frame.
"Which one's that?" Forgetting her feigned fatigue, Chloe joined them at the mantle, a warm smile growing on her face when she saw what was there.
"Family photo, of course," Gabe said simply. Obviously done with showing his granddaughter his collection, Gabe grabbed a rattle and started to shake it in front of her face, crooning baby talk once more. Chloe ignored him as she picked up the frame.
"I don't remember you taking this."
"Of course you don't. Couldn't get you to put down the newspaper, now could I?"
"I guess not," Chloe murmured. Held within the humble wooden frame was a photo of her with Lex and Aurelia. They were sitting a the dining table, both of them caught up in the latest Daily Planet headlines; Aurelia sat in a baby carrier between them on the wooden top, her bright blue eyes appearing to be staring straight at the photographer. Her father may not always have been handy with the camera, but she was impressed with the way he had caught the morning light shining down on all three of them. "People would think we neglect her if they thought what we're always like."
"Foolishness," Gabe announced. "You and Lex dote on her like they wouldn't believe."
"I suppose," Chloe said. She put it back, positioning it perfectly where he'd put it on display. "Can I get a copy of that? I think Lex will get a kick out of it."
"Sure thing, honey."
Chloe pulled on her jacket and then tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. She watched for a few minutes as her father played with the baby before finally giving up and holding out her arms. "Come on, my turn."
"What happened to spoiling her?" Gabe smugly raised his eyebrows at her.
"I'm the mom, I have my own rules," Chloe slipped the baby into her arms and began to bundle her up in warm clothes. "We should get going anyway, I promised Lana that I would stop by the Talon. I've been aching to since my taste buds finally got themselves figured out."
"Who am I to stand between you and your coffee?" Gabe started to refill the diaper bag that had managed to regurgitate all its contents during their visit. He handed it to her, placing a kiss on her cheek and then one on Aurelia's. "You're coming by next weekend, too, right?"
"What would a Saturday be without visiting Grandpoppy?" Chloe returned the kiss on his cheek and started out the doorway. She shivered a little and held Aurelia closer when she was hit by the chilly Autumn breeze. "Whew, cold out there."
"You can stay," Gabe said hopefully.
"Silly," Chloe smiled at him, but began to hurry to her car, Gabe in close pursuit. He overtook her just in time to open the door; Chloe jumped into the backseat and quickly strapped the baby in, rushing to close the door before the cold permeated her daughter's skin. When she was done, she stepped outside the car, ready to give her dad one last hug before leaving. "Thanksgiving dinner, our place on Thursday, okay dad?"
"I'll be there," Gabe squeezed her as tightly as he could despite the puffy jacket she wore. He looked over her shoulder and remarked, "New car, I see."
"Yeah, Lex wasn't thrilled about the two of us running around in that old Bug," Chloe said as she rolled her eyes. She pointed to the SUV behind her, "And Lex wouldn't settle for anything less than his namesake of course. I can feel the screaming soccer mom in me already."
"All those referees are fearing your interference already. Lexus is a good car, though," Gabe observed before shivering. "Better get back inside."
"Go, I don't want you to have a cold," Chloe pushed him to go, but Gabe took one last glance through the back window. "Dad, come on, I don't want you to be sick at dinner."
"I'm just… wow, Chloe," Gabe's breath appeared on the window. "That is one lucky kid."
"Brand new Lexus all for her at only two months, I'd say so," Chloe own breath plumed in the cold air.
"No, that's not it," Gabe shook his head and turned back to her. "I'm just glad that you're getting what I didn't. She deserves to be raised in a house where there's just so much love. I wish I could have done that for you."
"Oh, dad," Chloe put her arms around his shoulders and hugged him close. "I did have a house with a lot of love. Don't ever think otherwise."
"I know, I know," Gabe sighed. "But you deserved parents who loved each other as much as they loved you. At least Lia's got it this time around."
Chloe stood up a little straighter, stepping back from him in surprise. She finally stuttered out, "I-I guess."
Gabe didn't seem to notice her astonishment, instead rubbing at his arms and saying, "Like I said, she's a lucky kid, not enough of them get that these days. Whew, I better get inside. Should work on some reports for that son-in-law of mine, anyway."
"Yeah, yeah," Chloe nodded numbly as she opened the door and got behind the wheel. She waved at her dad as he jogged back into the house, but when he was inside, she dropped her head on the steering wheel in front of her. But before her mind could fly to places that she'd tried to avoid for weeks, Chloe shook her head and turned the car on. "Mommy's being a real idiot, isn't she, Aurelia? I'm sure that's it's nothing a good cup of coffee won't fix, right?"
A gurgle was all she got in response.
"My thoughts exactly."
********************************* ~ ************************************
"Now, this, is heaven, honey. Doesn't matter what anyone tells you, no matter what you see on television… this is the closest we'll get around here," Chloe whispered the words into the baby's ear before taking a deep breath, the thrilling smell of freshly ground coffee beans filling her lungs. "You tried to make me hate it, but the pull is too strong, baby. I'm sure you understand."
"Already trying to mold a future customer?" Lana's amused voice came from behind her.
"I'll get her raised right just yet, just watch me," Chloe said wryly as she turned to the other woman. "Besides, the rich man's easily impressionable baby is your friend around here."
"Hey, Aurelia," Lana bent over the baby carrier and shook her tiny hand. "Want an espresso?"
"Eh, she's more of a latte freak right now," Chloe smiled as she let Lana take the baby from her and walked further into the Talon. "Just make sure you're away from the door, I don't want her to get hit by a draft when someone walks in."
"I know, Chloe," Lana responded brightly, carefully placing the carrier on the far end of the counter. "Hey, Pete should be here in a few minutes. He'll be thrilled to see her."
"What, Pete actually happy to see a Luthor?" Chloe smirked slightly. "Well, we'll be here for a while anyway, I have a lot of coffee-drinking days to live up to."
"Of course," Lana agreed heartily, placing a cup in front of Chloe. She tried to hold back the laughter as Chloe took a deep breath at the wafting aroma before taking a huge swig and shuddering with happiness.
"I think I love you, Lana."
"Get in line, Luthor," Pete's voice drifted in. He hugged her from behind before sitting a stool, leaning in and giving Lana a quick kiss on the cheek. "Where's my Lia?"
Chloe smiled at him as he picked up the baby from the carriage and hugged her. Lana looked a little anxious, giving Chloe a desperate look as Pete began to murmur into Lia's ear. Raising her eyebrows, Chloe pointed a thumb at Pete and mouthed, "What is it?"
Lana spread her mouth in a worried smile before mouthing back, "He's really into kids these days."
Eyes wide in surprise, Chloe glanced again at Pete who wasn't paying attention to them. Mouthing again, she said, "Have you talked about it?"
Lana shrugged.
"What's going on?" Pete finally caught on, breaking the girls' silent conversation.
"Uh, nothing," Chloe cleared her throat. "So…," she couldn't resist, "when are you proposing, Pete?"
"Chloe!" Lana's face blushed automatically.
Pete chuckled, obviously not bothered by the question. "I think that's between me and Lana."
"I don't know, looks like someone's hopping on the baby train," Chloe remarked as Lia's small hand rested on Pete's chin.
"Maybe in a couple years, who knows?" Pete said, casting a curious look at Lana, who was just raised her shoulders again. "We need to talk about it some more."
"Alone." Lana said firmly before Chloe could say anything.
"Aw," Chloe pouted before taking another big sip of her drink. "I'm the old married woman, I need to hear all about the 'young love' while I still can."
"I don't know, it looks like you've got your own case of young love going on with you," Pete said cockily.
"What is with everyone and their insisting that Lex and I are in love?" Chloe asked grumpily, jabbing a stir stick into her coffee. "Okay, so we're married, we have a kid and, yeah okay, so I like the guy. How absolutely exciting. That's better than we started off, but it doesn't mean that we're in love."
Lana and Pete exchanged a look before Lana said, "You're kidding, right?"
"No, I'm not kidding," Chloe lied. She didn't meet their eyes as she stirred the stick in her drink. "You guys just insist on looking at our relationship through rose-colored glasses."
"I think if anyone is seeing something other than the obvious, it's you," Pete said carefully as he laid Lia back down in her carrier. "We talked to Clark, you know."
"I'm gonna kill him," Chloe grumbled.
"Is it really so bad to be in love with Lex?" Lana asked gently.
"Hmm, let me think about it," Chloe pretended to be in thought. "First of all, it's Lex, Mr. I-Still-Need-Anger-Therapy-On-Occasion. Second of all, most of our conversations are centered around Lia this days. Third, HE'S LEX."
"Seriously, Chloe, those are some pretty shitty excuses," Pete said with a smile. He dodged as she threw a packet of sugar at him. "You know, you used to be observant."
"Yeah, well, months off of the beat can take the edge off a person," Chloe muttered.
"Then get back on it," Pete said simply.
"It's not as easy as you think," Chloe sighed. "I have a daughter to take care of now, it's not like I can just go prancing back into Met U."
"OK, is it just me or did you notice the overabundance of money in Chloe's checking account?" Lana joked towards Pete. "Surely she'd be able to get around those little obstacles."
Chloe glared at the both of them as Pete said back, "I dunno, writers have to stay sharp and, like she said, she's lost her edge."
"I have not-"
"Because I mean," Pete spread his hands, "the Chloe I used to know would have seen the way Lex looks at her."
Lana pretended to fan herself, "You're telling me."
Chloe started throwing sugar packets at the both of them, "Just stop it already."
"Chloe," Pete said seriously as he threw a packet at her head, not laughing when it bounced off her ear, "you know how Lex and I used to be, right?"
"Lex? Maybe not. You, however…" Chloe trailed off."
"Okay, me," Pete rolled his eyes. "The thing is, we're on pretty even ground now. It just took a time for me to see that, well, he's an okay guy. Damn, I might even take him up on his offer for a job when I graduate. But the point is, the more I see the both of you together, I don't know. It's like you said, it just fits."
Chloe looked away, not sure what to say back when Lana softly said, "Are you scared that he doesn't feel the same way about you? Because, from what we see, it's pretty apparent on both your parts."
"If it's so apparent, how come we haven't even discussed it?" Chloe shook her head. She didn't care to add that she'd been avoiding her husband like the plague ever since their short conversation in Aurelia's room. "Sorry, guys, but you're wrong. Just leave it alone."
"Chloe," Lana bit her lip and looked at Pete before saying, "maybe you're too scared to discuss it because you're both afraid of being rejected."
"Fat chance of that happening," Pete scoffed. "I'd hate to be in the same room with them when the light bulbs start flashing away over their heads."
"I think," Chloe said slowly after a moment before standing and picking up Lia's carrier, "that I'm going to sit upstairs and think for myself for a bit, okay?"
"Are you going to consider this at all?" Lana's eyes followed her across the room, but her voice rang clear to Chloe's ears.
Chloe just waved a hand over her head and made her way upstairs. Pete looked at Lana and said, "They are just too stubborn, the both of them. It's like they both consider being in love a weakness or something."
Lana cocked her head to the side, "If she doesn't say it soon, we'll have to do it ourselves. The tension is getting insane."
"Ah, leave them to it, they'll figure it out," Pete leaned forward and kissed her soundly. "We don't see love as being a weakness, do we?"
"On the contrary," Lana smiled.
Pete shifted in his seat a little, but was calm when he said, "So, you want to have that talk now?"
Lana's turned a bright shade of pink, but a huge smile grew across her face. "Yeah, I think we can."
********************************* ~ ************************************
Her mood had soared to all sorts and heights today, from high to low, leaving her body in a tumultuous state. Chloe growled into her coffee as Aurelia slept beside her. Luckily enough, the second level of the Talon had been blessedly empty when she'd arrived and stayed that way. She's taken the opportunity to stare over the railing and take in all the people conversing underneath. At first she'd watched Pete and Lana for a bit, thinking of all sorts of comebacks in her head until she saw Pete reached his hands over the countertop and appear to speak seriously. Lana's face had glowed brightly before leaning in for a deep kiss that made all the waiters around her turn red.
Feeling as if she were intruding on something highly personal, Chloe turned away and sat down. The way she saw it, they just didn't realize how lucky they were, having had a courtship that was wonderfully simple and straightforward. Even the factor of Lana's old love, Clark, had measured to very little, Clark giving them his blessing after only a few days worth of tantrum.
Well, he's given us his blessing, Chloe idly thought to herself, we just haven't taken him up on it. Sighing again, she put her coffee to the side. It was much too cold to drink anyway. But with Lex and me, it's never been simple. Even when I tried to make it simple, everything just blew up in our faces. Everything that could go wrong has.
She leaned back against her chair and let her mind wander to the night she and Lex had sat in Lia's room. All she'd wanted him to say was that he'd still have wanted to be with her if Lia wasn't in the picture. But that's the thing, Lia forced us together. She forced me to be with him when I didn't want to. Who's to say this would have ever happened without her? What's to say that he would have given me a second thought if I hadn't gotten pregnant?
Her mind had kept going without her permission, Would I have ever woken up from the Clark dream and realized that there was so much better out there for me?
Chances are, probably not.
Chloe leaned down and looked at her sleeping infant, "Remind me to raise your allowance when you're older."
"Who are you talking to?" Lana appeared from a few steps below, breaking Chloe from her inner thoughts. When she spied Chloe looking at the carrier and grinned. "Never mind."
Chloe ran her hands over her head, pushing her hair back. "What's up?"
"Nothing much," Lana showed her the tray in her hand. "Figured you might want a refill."
"Thanks," Chloe took it put it to her lips, drinking deeply. After she put the cup aside, she turned to Lana and carefully said, "I've been thinking."
"All right," Lana said slowly.
"About a lot of things," Chloe said softly. "For weeks. Weeks upon weeks."
"If you don't want to tell me, it's okay," Lana reassured her.
"No, it's okay," Chloe sighed before turning to her friend and telling her what was running through her head. As she spoke every word, it was as if a weight was lifting off her chest. Lana's face was understanding and it spurned her on, keeping her speaking of her anxiety when it came to what it was exactly that tied her to Lex Luthor.
"Maybe I am just scared," Chloe's voice had grown quiet as she'd gone on. "Which is ridiculous, because I used to be never scared anything. Freaks for dates, teachers trying to burn me alive, insane idiots pushing me out windows. I bounced back from it all."
"You were pretty resilient," Lana agreed.
"So when did that all change?" Chloe looked over at her, curiosity raging. "When did I turn into such a coward?"
"You didn't become a coward, Chloe," Lana insisted as Chloe shrugged her off. "You've just been hit by a lot of stuff at once. It would make anyone gun shy."
"I guess," Chloe murmured. "And what if it is only the baby that'll keep us together? She's the only one who brought us together anyway."
"Does it matter?" Lana questioned gently. Chloe's barely looked up, clearly distracted. "I mean, does it matter how it started when the important issue is that you're actually here?"
"Lex asked me that once."
"Asked what?"
"If it mattered." Sighing now, she crossed her arms. "I said something to the effect that we shouldn't be involved because we didn't love each other and he asked me if it mattered."
"It sounds like something he'd say."
"I guess." Chloe shook her head. "And what if he still thinks that? No matter what you guys think you see, what if you're wrong? I've been in the position where I told someone about my feelings for them and I got a door shut in my face. I don't know what I would do if it happened again-"
When she stopped short, her eyes wide, but Lana laughed out loud. "See?"
"Oh, my gosh," Chloe brought a hand to her mouth. "I didn't say that. You didn't hear me say that."
Lana cackled loudly from beside her, inciting some curious voices from the floor below, but no one came up to interrupt them. "Oh, I love it when Chloe Sullivan lets something slip. It's always priceless."
Chloe, though still thunderstruck by her slip, gave Lana a long side-glance. She said something, but it was too muffled to make out.
"What was that?"
"I said," Chloe responded after she slowly dropped her hand. "I said I'm Chloe Luthor."
"Semantics," Lana said airily, but she was surprised when Chloe jumped up. "What?"
"Damn it, I'm Chloe Luthor," she said firmly as she pounded one fist into her free hand.
"Yes," Lana said slowly. "You are."
A devilish look was growing on her features. "And what a Luthor wants, a Luthor gets. Add a Sullivan to the mix and to hell what someone else cares about."
"Okay, Chloe, you're kind of scaring me now."
"No matter," Chloe started to pull on her jacket, punching her arms through the sleeves. "That's it. That is it."
"Scared… and confused. Help?"
"I don't know where she went," Chloe said quickly as she pulled on her gloves and jammed a hat on her head, "or why I pushed her down so long…"
Lana instinctively looked over at Aurelia, who was sleeping peacefully.
"Hiding behind a baby. Hiding behind Clark even when he was out of the picture. Hiding behind him when he didn't say what I wanted him to. I don't think so," Chloe set her shoulders. "I'm done being a coward. I've had enough of that."
Realization was finally beginning to dawn on her friend; Lana stood excitedly, "Are you doing what I think you are?"
"To hell with Lex. If he doesn't love me, well," Chloe faltered for a bit, "It would kill me."
"Oh, Chloe-"
"Oh, uh-uh," breaking out of the brief sadness, Chloe stood up straight, "I'll make him. I don't know how, but I've got the money these days, don't I? We can buy this sort of stuff, right?"
"Voodoo?" Lana hesitantly offered.
"Voodoo," Chloe determinately nodded. "Or a good swift kick in the ass may wake him up. Either way…"
"I think you're the only one who could get away with kicking Lex Luthor's ass," Lana said with a smile."
"Literal or figurative, it's been a long time coming. Half the people in the relationship have stopped playing stupid. I think he'll get forlorn if he's alone in the game." Chloe's resolve dropped for a moment when she laid eyes on her daughter. "Uh, Lia… Lana, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, I guess."
"Watch Lia tonight? I need to have a talk with Lex." Her eyes brightened, her mind obviously working overtime. "Her diaper bag has enough of her stuff to not need anything new until tomorrow."
The excitement was growing and Lana began to feel it stirring up inside of her, "What are you going to do?"
"It depends," Chloe said breathlessly. She seemed at odds with herself before leaning in and kissing Lia's soft cheek. "We'll have to see."
"Okay," Lana said slowly, giving Lia a startled glance, as if just realizing the extent of the task she's just volunteered to take on. "I think I'll call Pete over, he's better with this stuff anyway."
"Sounds good," Chloe hugged her close before backing off towards the staircase. "Wish me," she thought to herself a second, her cheeks growing warm, "Wish me luck."
"Good luck, Chloe!" Lana yelled after her as Chloe's head disappeared to the first floor. Placing her hands on her hips, she nodded curtly at the baby, "About time they got a clue isn't it?"
********************************* ~ ************************************
"Chloe?" It was like a case of déjà vu to Lex as he popped a head into the baby's nursery. "Are you in here?"
Of course, she wasn't. The darkness should have tipped him off, but she and Lia were usually back from visiting Gabe by this time. Lex took a good look around, noticing that the diaper bag Chloe usually took was missing from its usual spot on the shelf. For all he knew, they could be lost in some other part in the mansion, but something told him that wasn't the case.
Granted, he could have gone with them to see Gabe, but he'd skipped out because he'd had to take care of some of the business that had spilled over from a busy workweek. Liar. A little voice spoke out within him. You didn't want to go because it gets more difficult every time you're with her.
Making up a few rather uninteresting reports hadn't been very hard at all, leaving him with a ready excuse when Chloe had invited him out. Though the words had been welcoming, Lex could sense her hesitation behind the words. He'd just given her a free pass to go along without him.
Be honest, you had that pass set up for yourself. Lex shook his head violently, jogging down the staircase. She's been distant and you've just gone ahead and let her do it and instead of trying to find out why, you've taken it as a chance to hide, too.He was on the verge of telling himself to shut up, quite loudly, when Louis interrupted his inner thoughts. "Mr. Luthor?"
"Yes, Louis?" Exasperated, he turned on his heel to face him.
"Phone call," Louis held out the phone, a strange smile playing on his lips.
A little surprised, Lex took the phone automatically and put it to his ear. "Luthor here."
"Luthor," the voice was soft and feminine. Chloe. "Get in the limo."
"The…" Lex looked at the phone strangely as the dial tone suddenly rang in his hear. "Limo?"
"Oh, you want the limo, sir?" Louis brightened and took the keys out of his pocket. "Let's go then, shall we?"
"Louis, what in the world is going on?" Lex asked suspiciously.
His butler looked as innocent as possible, "I am unaware of anything going on, sir."
"Right," Lex handed him the phone, hesitating before finally dropping it in his hand. "So where are we going?"
"Going?"
"She may have duped me once, but I know better than to fall for it again. What are you up to, Louis?"
He tried to look disinterested, but not even Louis could hide the mischievous gleam in his eye. "I'm sorry, but I'm under direct orders, Mr. Luthor. Your wife can be very convincing."
"I bet," Lex muttered under his breath. Sighing, he finally said, "Well, let's get it over with."
"This way, then." Leading the way with long strides, Louis opened the door before Lex, the limo already waiting just on the other side of the threshold. Lex was close to getting in when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye.
"Wait a second, that's-"
"Oh, yes," Louis looked over at the SUV parked off to the side. "Mrs. Luthor dropped that off earlier."
"She was here?" Appearing more perplexed then ever, Lex didn't put up a fight as Louis opened the door and nudged him into the seat.
"Shortly, sir. All tucked in? Good." Louis shut the door before Lex could ask any more questions.
Lex stared out the windows as they made their way off of the estate and onto the main road. Night had fallen early, leaving him with only the twilight to illuminate the road before them. Soon bored with the view, Lex settled back in his warm seat, idly wondering to himself why Chloe was being so obscure and how she'd managed to rope Louis into it.
Speaking of Louis, Lex sat up when the divider between he and the driver lowered, but before he could say anything, his warmest coat was passed back through the opening. It was closed as quickly as it opened, leaving him with only a cashmere frock in his hands and even more questions. Annoyed by the espionage, Lex pressed the button to drop the divider once more. "Louis, are you going to explain any of this?"
"I would, but I'm under direct orders not to, sir." Louis raised his eyes to the mirror briefly, but then turned his attention back to the road.
"That's it, all contracts are now going to specify Lex Luthor, not just any Luthor that happens along," Lex said grumpily. "I should have done that when I changed Bridget's."
"We all learn from our mistakes, sir."
"I do hope you learn from this one," Lex half-threatened, not really meaning it, but buggered all the same. A sudden thought struck him and he voiced towards the front, "You know what this reminds me of?"
"What would that be, Mr. Luthor?"
"That night when I met Chloe in the Smallville High parking lot. It was night then, too," Lex mused, the memory catching up to him. "A phone call, a cryptic request, you driving me over…"
Lex's voice drifted off when he felt the limo begin to turn. Staring out one of the many windows, even he couldn't help but keep his mouth from dropping in astonishment. "What…"
"Yes, sir," Louis said with mock awe as he looked out the windshield towards Smallville High School, parking next to the curb. "That night does seem similar to this one, doesn't it?"
"Louis," Lex didn't finish the sentence. Instead he stared ahead, not even laughing when Louis comically raised his eyebrows in the rearview mirror.
"Do put your coat on, Mr. Luthor. It's cold out there," Louis closed the divider as he said those words.
"Right," Lex looked blankly all around him before realizing he still had his coat in his hands. Shrugging it on hesitantly he said again, "Right. Coat."
He buttoned up the coat as he stepped out of the limo, stuffing his hands in his pockets as fast as he could as the frosty air bit at his fingertips. Lex looked around, quite amazed when he noticed that even Louis' parking had been straight on.
If everything's the same, which I think it is¸ Lex thought to himself as he glanced around the empty back lot, then she'll be on the other side. Chloe, what in the world are you up to?
Huddling into the collar of his coat, Lex stepped onto the sidewalk and circled around the school, vague ideas popping up into his head. At last turning the last corner, he wasn't surprised to see a little red VW Bug sitting in the middle of the parking lot, far from the other lights. Lex squinted to see if he could see a shadow inside but from what he saw, it was very much empty.
Taming his eager feet, Lex slowed his stride. It was obviously a game, Chloe's attempts to reenact their meeting, but for what purpose? He carefully approached the car, taking quick scans of the lot around him, but not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Well, besides, the bald billionaire, freezing his head off and the wife who's gone incognito, yeah, everything's just standard run-of-the-mill.
Rolling his eyes, Lex finally reached the car and leaned his hands into the open passenger side window. As he expected, the driver's seat was empty. Blinking a couple times in confusion, Lex straightened. He called out, "Chloe, I'm not sure what you're up to, but if we're acting something out, I think you missed your cue."
"Well, there a lot of things different about that night," her voice said from behind him.
"Shit!" Lex jumped in surprise and spun around to face her. "Where the hell were you?"
"Strange," Chloe ignored his question as she drew near the car and ran her hand over the metal. "It's strange how a person can be so focused on one thing that they don't see what's coming right at them."
"Come again?"
"Oh, but that's what got us into this in the first place," Chloe said it with wide eye-innocence. Lex caught her innuendo, a little bit too stunned to say anything, so she continued. "I remember I was thinking so hard, that you came out of absolutely nowhere. Thank goodness Louis was willing to fill in the spots I was missing."
"Yeah, good old Louis," Lex said, sarcasm lacing his words. "He's just great in situations like these."
"That, I don't doubt," Chloe leaned back against the car and stared at Lex intently. "Cold?"
Lex ran a hand over his scalp and shrugged. Clearly not believing him, Chloe took her knit cap off her blonde hair and jammed it on his head. "Is that better?"
Lex looked upwards and scowled. "It's pink."
"It works," Chloe added. She allowed herself a small chuckle. "You really do look ridiculous."
When Lex, however, made to take it off, she stopped him. "Hey, the mom in me is refusing you to let you remove it from your head. Don't piss her off."
"Where is Lia, anyway?" Lex peered into the backseat, but Chloe stopped him.
"She's with the Ross'. Or soon-to-be Ross', whatever," Chloe lifted a shoulder, throwing off any further explanation. "This is something we needed to do alone."
Lex pulled back from the empty car and gave her a curious look. "What are we doing here, Chloe?"
"Oh, I've been thinking," Chloe let out a huge, fake sigh. "Thinking, thinking, thinking."
"And…" Lex said impatiently.
"Will you let me think?" Chloe gave him an exasperated, and very false, glare before looking away and saying lightly, "Hmph. Men. Thank God I had a daughter."
The frustration as building up inside of him, from the way she nonchalantly looked around to everything besides him to the complete lack of answers for the questions that were in his head. Even so, he allowed her a few moments of silence before bursting out with, "So are you going to tell me what's going on or not?"
Chloe gave him a cool side-glance. "Get in the car."
"What?"
"Get in the car."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because otherwise I'll take away that stylish hat of yours and drive home by myself."
Lex grumbled inwardly, but turned and began to wrench open the door, but Chloe put her hand on his and wagged a finger at him. "Nuh-uh. Driver's side, Luthor."
It was just another odd demand to a strange night, so Lex just threw up his hands and walked around the car, sliding into the driver's seat as Chloe stood outside. He gave her a curious glance as she leaned in through the passenger side window, giving him a serious once-over and then opening her own door and getting in. Once inside, she shifted around a little in her seat as if trying to remember something, finally settling her back against the door and staring at Lex.
"Keys?" Lex tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.
"Not yet," Chloe spread her arms, still staring intently at him. At last she said, "I want to go back to school."
"You dragged me all the way out here to tell me that?" Annoyed by his assumption, Lex rolled his eyes. "We could have easily taken care of this at home, you know."
"Consider it a way of breaking the ice," Chloe leaned forward and said, "What do you think about it?"
"About school?" Lex closed his eyes and shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. "It would clearly be a waste for you have to gone for three years and not complete it."
"See, that's what I thought you would say," Chloe said carefully.
"Then why bother asking?"
"Because it's hard to ask you things these days," Chloe said answered, her voice plain.
Lex turned in his seat to face her, truly face her and that's when he saw the way she was looking back at him. It made him push aside the irritations and say, "Are we talking about school or something else, Chloe?"
She answered by leaning forward and taking the hat off of his head, throwing it off to the side. It had brought her closer to him and her voice was low, "You changed my life, Lex."
"It went both ways, Chloe." Lex met her gaze intently.
"Did you really think I would call? Pregnant or not?" Chloe bent her head to the side. "You seemed so sure of yourself when it came to that."
"Of course I did," Lex looked away as he said it.
"Did you?" Chloe cut him deep with only her tone, the words repeating themselves in his head. "Or were you only wanting me to?"
"I want a lot of things, Chloe."
"So did I. I still do," Chloe murmured, drawing back. "I want Aurelia to be healthy. I want to start writing again, though my taste for the reporter's life has waned into something I'm not sure of yet. And I want to know what that is. I want to wake up in the morning and not feel as if there's something hanging over my head that needs to be dealt with."
"Chloe-" He stopped short when she leant across his body, suddenly placing her hand on the driver's side handle and opening the door. She gave him a brief glance right before giving him a hard shove. Lex quickly tumbled to the ground, the cold air surrounding him. "What the hell?"
Chloe tsked as she calmly opened her own door and walked around the car. By the time she reached him, Lex had stood and she was grinning smugly. "So clumsy, Lex. When did that happen?"
"When my wife decided to turn psycho, perhaps?" Lex brushed himself off, his annoyance rushing back to the surface. "I think you had way too much coffee today, Chloe. We're going to have to discuss your limits."
"Your wife," Chloe said thoughtfully. "That's different, too."
"This is getting old, Chloe."
"No," Chloe lightly pushed on Lex's chest, making his back meet the car. "You are not going to interrupt me, got it?"
"How could I interrupt something when I don't know what the hell is going on?" Lex made to step forward, but Chloe laid her hands flat on his chest and stopped him. When she looked up and caught his gaze, it was as if someone had suddenly thrown a handful of sand into his mouth, it went dry so quickly.
She began to slowly unbutton his jacket, Lex watching her fingers go down the entire path. He shivered slightly when Chloe finally reached her hands inside and wrapped her arms around his waist and met his gaze again, but it certainly wasn't from the cold. "This," Chloe emphasized, "may seem familiar."
"Where-" His response was cut off as Chloe rose on her toes and put her lips to his. She was insistent, but then again, Lex didn't need much convincing. Slowly entwining his arms around her, Lex deepened the touch, pushing his head towards her as she met him movement for movement. Her hands clenched at the small of his back, pulling at his shirt; Lex responded in turn by jerking down the zipper of her jacket and pushing his hands inside and pulling her closer to him.
He moved away from the car, Chloe's feet knocking into his as he switched their positions, moving her until her back was where he'd been only moments before. Chloe responded by pulling back slightly, smiling and jumping up, wrapping her legs around his hips and then returning to his mouth.
All sense of the cold was lost as her hands played at his shoulders and her mouth ran across his face, grazing his chin and jaw before returning to his lips. Lex's throat made a noise he didn't recognize as her hair brushed against his face and when she bit lightly at his mouth. He groaned even more when she pulled back from him, looking highly satisfied with herself.
"You were saying?"
Lex couldn't think much when she was still clinging to him like a doll, her heavy breathing ringing in his ears, her mouth swollen from where he'd been only moments before. But when he tried to go back for more, she put a hand to his mouth and said, "I want to be your wife, Lex."
Perplexity settled in quickly. "You are my wife, Chloe."
"By law, yes," Chloe said quietly, playing with his lips. "But so far, not in any other way."
"I'm sure we can sufficiently take care of that, but not here," Lex returned when her words finally made sense. "We might get arrested for indecent exposure. Not to mention, we'd most likely freeze in some sensitive areas."
Chloe laughed lightly, but shook her head. "I wanted to see it from your side, Lex. And do you know what I saw tonight?"
"What was that?" Lex tightened his arms around her.
"That it really didn't matter," Chloe threw back her head and sighed into the sky. "You were right, it didn't matter then."
She dropped her gaze to him, raising her hands and running them over his cheeks. "Because we're here now. And if I have to convince you, if I have to torture you into it, if I have to trap you somewhere and use hypnosis, I'm going to make you love me. Just like you made me stay."
"Chloe," Lex pressed forward so he could cover one of her hands with his. His heart thumped loudly in his chest as she looked at him expectantly, anticipation evident in her eyes. I'm going to make you love me. Who was he to act as if he didn't understand what she meant behind those coy words? "I think you can save yourself the work."
Her mouth dropped slightly and Lex's expression turned pleased when he saw that he'd clearly surprised her. Blood rushed into her face and she very obviously had to catch her breath before responding. "Since when?"
A smile played across his face, "Does it matter?"
Chloe laughed loudly this time, but she shook her head in amazement. "I guess you're right."
She threw her arms around him, saying into his shoulder, "Who would have ever seen this coming?"
"I certainly didn't," Lex said back.
"I don't mind if God's laughing right now."
Lex placed his lips to her neck. "It was a good joke."
"The best."
Chloe drew back and put her hands once more to his chin. Her face grew serious and she said, "I want to go home, Lex."
"Then let's go home."
It was with a light heart that Chloe jumped into the car and Lex slid in behind the steering wheel once more. Chloe bit her lip as she looked over at him and Lex was about to put the car into drive when she put her hand on his.
"What is it?"
"I want to hear you say it."
"You're right, you do want a lot."
"Come on, Lex."
"Why do I have to say it first?"
"Because I asked you to."
"Demanded, more like."
"Just say it."
"Okay."
"…"
"I like you."
"Well, gee, I like you too, Mr. Luthor. I expected a little more than that."
"I appreciate you?"
"I appreciate coffee. Spouses need something more."
"Consider this a two way street."
"Fine. I care for you."
"Oh, I've already heard that one."
"Already taking advantage of it?"
"Wouldn't be a Luthor if I didn't. Say it, Chloe."
"All right, all right… I'm fond of you."
Lex gave her a wide grin and right before he leant in for another kiss, he said, "It's a good start."
