Author's note - Thank you to those who have reviewed, your effort is very appreciated. well, on with the story.

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Chapter 5 - Crash and burn.

Lex couldn't concentrate on the reports in front of him, he tried to clear his mind of his burgeoning introspection, but it didn't work. Fine, you win. his soft tight voice filled his office. Ok, mind, let yourself go, why do you insist on thinking about Eaisland and how you feel about her?' Lex threw the thought questioningly at himself.

How do you feel about her?' said his inner voice.

Your the one who wanted me to think about her, why don't you enlighten me!' Lex shot back the retort to himself.

You care a lot for her, because that means that really you like her, and that scares you.'

I feel sorry for her and want her to be ok. She's undergone a similar pain, and that angers me, that doesn't mean that I care as much for her as your implying, and for the record it wouldn't scare me even if it was true.'

'You don't care for her that much, huh, so you stopped in the middle of the night to pick up a total stranger who was lying on the roadside because you have some ulterior motive for profit, yes, that makes so much sense.'

This is not about why I picked her up, and we know why I did that, have you forgotten Clark?' Lex was getting angry at himself, but decided that he had better face his issues now rather than later, then book himself into a psychiatrists.

No, this isn't about why you picked her up, it's about what you have done since then, and why. You didn't need to help her, you could have just dumped her at the hospital and forgot about her, but you didn't, did you. And why was this?

She requested not to go to the hospital.'
But you complied with her wish because with one panic filled statement she walked ghost like through that big high wall you have.' His inner voice sounded smug.

No, I just felt sorry for her, that's all. Stop trying to make it into something deep and meaningful.' Lex heard the doubt in his own thought.

Right, of course, how silly of me, this from the man who has taken it upon himself to give a home to said girl, get so angry at the man who hurt her he nearly had a hit man go kill him, but instead became said girls guardian and vowed to protect her. Yep, you just feel a little sorry for her, how wrong I have been. One word for you Lex, DENIAL!'

SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, I am not in denial. So yes, I may care for a bit more than than I would a stranger, that's not so odd' Lex felt his anger bubble to the surface.

HA! Not odd! Not frigging ODD! We both know you wouldn't give a damn about someone unless there is a good reason, and we both know that reason don't we Lex, You Care' About Her, A LOT' His inner voice was ruthless.

FINE, I admit it, I care about her, so much it scares me, because I don't want to get hurt. And even if it's just as a friend, I, I ......' Lex's admission to himself trailed off as he desperately tried to stop what he knew he was staring to feel. Something he did not although himself to feel, not since his mother died.

YOU WHAT LEX, SAY IT!'

I care about her enough for it to be called .......'

SAY THE WORD'

L, L ....' God, why am I doing this to myself.

SAY IT'

Lex gave soft voice to the word that described the emotion he had promised himself he would never feel again. He sighed, I care enough for it to be called love.' His blue eyes noticed the clock on his desk and he wiped his hands over his face. I really do need a shrink, I just ranted scitso like at myself for half an hour so that I could admit that I care about someone. I need to go home.' And with that Lex got up from his desk, shut down his computers and collected his coat as he walked away from his office and headed home.

As Lex walked into the mansion he gave his coat to his butler and started to walk in the direction of the lounge , but stopped, turned and asked the butler a question. Do you know where Eaisland is at this time?

Nobody has seen her since you left sir. Lex creased his brow at the answer and concern began to creep into his mind. He dismissed the butler and went in search of her, his concern growing with every step he took.

Lex went to her room first, then his, and after that the game room and the library and the lounge. After that he made his way to his security office and had the guards check the camera's. Nothing. But as the screens flicked and changed before his searching eyes he caught sight of a pair of feet in the top corner of one of the corridor cameras, and he started to run.

And that's how he found her. Curled into a shaking ball, crying, lost to the world.

Lex skidded to a halt and knelt down by the distraught girl and pulled her into his arms and hugged her fiercely. I was ranting at myself for half an hour and she was here, breaking down, and I where was I! That's right, being a self involved idiot.' Lex cursed himself and rocked Eaisland as he felt her uncurl and wrap her ams around him, her head burying itself into his chest.

Lex changed the positions of his arms from around her to underneath her legs and back and picked her up off the floor. He felt her arms circle his neck and pull her closer to him, and he made his way to her room.

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Lex watched her sleeping. She made no sound at all, if he wasn't seeing her breath then he wouldn't think she was. Now he looked back on it he knew it had been to good to be true, she had been just a bit to bright and happy that morning, too normal for someone who had just escaped such a hellish place. He had stayed with her most of the time after he found he in the hallway, she had been in bed for five days now. She only left it to relieve herself when nature came calling. Lex kept trying to get her to eat properly, but she just didn't seem interested in food, in anything. He would stay with her as long as it took, though he hoped for both their sakes that it wouldn't take to long, he did have a company to run. After the first day of her not moving he realised that he could be in for a wait and had a make shift office set up in her room so that he could work whilst watching over her.

His mind wandered, trying to find the reason for her present state. She felt safe here, that is what she said. So why has she retreated like this, just stopped?' Lex ran through it in his mind again. Safe. She felt safe, she trusts me and feels safe here. Of course! She felt safe! Safe enough to let her guard down, to rest, because she has someone to do that for her now!' Lex's eye's widened with surprise as the revelation hit him. He got up and walked over to the bed and sat down on the soft silk. Shifting in her sleep, Eaisland's arms found his leg and snuggled into it. Reaching out his hand he tucked a lock of blond hair behind her ear that had fallen across her face when she moved.

Smiling slightly at his action, Eaisland slowly opened and her eye's and looked at Lex as he smiled back at her. The soft afternoon sun that shone through the windows pooled in her eyes and lit them with a topaz glow. She looked calm, he noted, which was a good sign. He hadn't seen much evidence of an actual person being behind those eyes in the past five days. Bringing her had out from under the covers and finding his where it rested on his knee, she took it as he opened it up for her to hold. She squeezed it softly and gave him a sad smile of thanks.

Thank you. You didn't have to stay here with me, but I am glad you did. It helped, a lot. She paused and then spoke again, It's going to take awhile, but I think that I can get through it if you help me. Her voice sounded softly determined, as if she had just made a promise to herself.

I'll always be hear for you, that you can count on Eaisland. Lex stroked her hair as he reassured her. He felt a wave of satisfaction and contentment wash over him. It was a good feeling to have someone trust and rely on you. He would make sure that she got though this, maybe he would get through it, finally, if they made the journey together.

TBC.....

Authors note - I'm not quite sure ho long this story is going to be, it has got quite a way to go yet. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.