Title: Tomorrow

Author: wackochica

Disclaimer: No, I don't own them! duh! If I did...well, let's not go into all that I also don't own the song "Tomorrow" by Avril Lavigne.

Summary: Chloe decides to talk to Lex after the events of Exodus

Rating: PG

Notes: Ok this is a post-Exodus fic and also my very first fic (my second fic is already posted here). Enjoy

Chloe watched from a few booths away as Lex Luthor sat quietly, holding his probably now cold coffee between his hands, staring idly into space. He kept his face emotionless, but she saw the jumble of emotions he was feeling flash rapidly in his eyes. Anger, hurt, disappointment, revenge. She didn't know whether to walk over and comfort him or cower away from the fury in his icy blue eyes. But, being Chloe Sullivan, she decided on the former, never allowing herself to back down once she set her mind to it.

And I wanna believe you,

When you tell me that it'll be ok,

Ya I try to believe you,

But I don't

He would probably tell her to buzz off, mind her own business and stay the hell out of his, and she really couldn't blame him. He had fallen in love with and married someone who's intent from the beginning had been to kill him. She had left him in a descending plane, alone, tumbling toward certain death. Everyone thought for sure that he was dead, but he had returned, much to the surprise and shock of the citizens of Smallville. But he wasn't the same old Lex Luthor that everyone was accustomed to. This Lex was now more secluded, more withdrawn, and Chloe silently cursed Helen for turning Lex into the person she was now watching intently.

When you say that it's gonna be,

It always turns out to be a different way,

I try to believe you,

Not today, today, today, today, today...

She breathed in deeply and got up from her seat, slowly inching her way towards him. After what felt like an eternity, she stood beside him as he continued to stare off into space.

"Hey Lex," she said in a soft, quiet voice, hoping not to infuriate him.

"Miss Sullivan," he replied distantly, not bothering to look up at her. She stood there for a while, waiting for an offer to sit down or a request to leave. When she got neither, she plopped down in the seat across from him and stared directly ahead. When he still didn't respond, she reached forward and placed her fingertips on his coffee cup, confirming her earlier ranting. His coffee was cold. She almost laughed at the randomness of her thoughts.

"Lex...are you okay?", she asked, concern lacing her voice. She mentally questioned herself on when she had started worrying about Lex so much.

I don't know how I'll feel,

tomorrow, tomorrow,

I don't know what to say,

tomorrow, tomorrow

Is a different day

"What do you think, Miss Sullivan?", he lazily replied, obviously not wanting to be bothered. But she pushed on.

"I think you need someone to talk to," she answered frankly.

"And what if I don't want someone to talk to? What if I wanted to be left alone?" he snapped.

"Then you would've told me to leave already!", she snapped back.

It's always been up to you,

It's turning around,

It's up to me,

I'm gonna do what I have to do,

just don't

He stayed silent and she sighed. "Look, I'm sorry okay? But you can't keep isolating yourself from everyone like this," she said in a much softer tone.

He sighed and leaned back into his eat. "Yes, I can. It's quite simple really."

"No, you can't, Lex. I just want to talk to you. After everything you've been through, you need to get it out."

"Well, as I've made perfectly clear, I don't want to talk. Not to you. Not to anyone. Why don't you go find Clark and talk to him?"

He knew he had said the wrong thing as soon as they came out of his mouth. Her eyes widened and she shot out of her chair.

"Bastard," she breathed out and turned to leave. Before he could stop himself, his hand flew to her arm and he turned her around to face him.

Gimme a little time,

Leave me alone a little while,

Maybe it's not too late,

not today, today, today, today, today...

"Look, I'm...I'm sorry, okay Chloe? I didn't mean to bring him up."

She stared down at him and he gave her a half smile.

"Sit," he commanded quietly and after a beat, she sat back down. They sat in silence for a while until she finally spoke up.

"You called me Chloe."

"What?", he asked, confused.

"Earlier...you didn't call me Miss Sullivan. You called me Chloe," she said with a small smile.

"It was a minor slip," he defended, a slight smirk taking over his features.

"It's a slip you should make more often. I call you Lex," she pointed out, still smiling.

"Will do, Chloe."

He let her name roll off his tongue and she shook her head at the teasing look in his eyes.

I don't know how I'll feel,

tomorrow, tomorrow,

I don't know what to say,

tomorrow, tomorrow

Is a different day

"Well, I came over here to ask how you were doing. So..."

"I'm okay I guess, considering everything that's happened. I'm gonna get divorced...again," he added, smiling over at her relaxing form.

"Uh oh. You keep this up and you'll be like the Ross Gellar of Smallville," she replied, laughing.

"Who?", he asked curiously.

"Ross....on Friends. You've never watched Friends?!"

"Um....no?"

She just shook her head. "You really should. You need some humor in your life."

"I'll add it to my To Do list," he replied, relaxing into his seat.

She watched as he physically relaxed in front of her. She smiled to herself, rejoicing in the fact that she was the one who had made him relax and also to the fact that she was still able to make small talk with him. She glanced down at her watch and realized how late it was.

"Lex, I hate to have to leave you, but my dad wants me home before 9," she said sadly. "And seeing as the Talon's about to close..."

"Of course," he replied, a small bit of disappointment in his voice. They had never really talked much before, but now that they had, he felt so much better than he had before. She got up from the booth and he followed suit.

"I'll walk you to your car."

They exited the coffee shop in a comfortable silence and when they got to her car, she turned to him and smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow?", she asked almost hopefully.

He smiled. "Same time. Same booth."

"Great. Oh and perk up Lex. Everything's gonna be okay, just give it some time."

She got into her car and drove away. He watched her car leave until her tail lights were no longer visible. He walked to his car, going over the night's events. He had went into the Talon, hoping to be left alone, only to be confronted by a persistent and friendly Chloe Sullivan. She'd talked to him, even if was only for a little while, and that had meant a lot to him. He found himself wishing they could be as close of friends as she and Clark had been, but he knew that would take time. He got into his car and drove home, anxiously awaiting tomorrow.

And I wanna believe you,

When you tell me that it'll be ok,

Yeah I try to believe you,

Not today, today, today, today, today...Tomorrow it may change