Title: Through the Storm

Author: Krys

Email: firerebellion@yahoo.com

Category: Chlex angst

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Would anyone here actually believe me if I said that I owned them? Didn't think so.

Author's Notes: The song mentioned is "With or Without You" by U2, and the title comes from a line in that song. I got the idea for this fic from a scene in the movie "Looking for Alibrandi". It will turn into a chlex, just have some patience. Please give feedback, or I won't bother continuing this.

Summary: They say never look back, but what if you can't move forward?

*

See the stone set in your eyes

See the thorn twist in your side

And I wait for you

 The heavens opened up, sending million drops of water pounding down upon the earth. A painfully blinding flash of light pierces through the dark room, illuminating the bedroom window. Chloe looks up from the letter in time to hear the low rumble of thunder invading the silence. The house shakes with the violent winds, but she hardly feels it. She hardly feels anything at all. She doesn't even feel the small glass shards from the window stabbing through her flesh when a tree branch collides into it. It's not until she sees the red dripping upon the ivory white of the paper does she know anything's wrong. Although the words now blurred, she already knows them by heart. And she closes her eyes; she allows herself to travel back in time. His face, his touch, his words all drift like a familiar melody into the stillness. The memories are all she has now, but she knows she must forget. If only to survive.

Sleight of hand and twist of fate

On a bed of nails she makes me wait

And I wait without you

 And then she's drowning; the cold rain swallowing her whole. She doesn't remember when or how she got outside, but here she stood, in the middle of one of the worst storms to hit the town. And all of a sudden, all the pain and anger and helplessness comes rushing into her veins and then she's running. Running, running until her legs can no longer support her, and she's falling.

With or without you

I can't live with or without you

 She's sharply aware of her surroundings; she's been here before. It was where he told her he'd always be there, whenever she needed him. All she had to do was call and he'd answer. A bitter laugh escapes her lips, realizing he'd never meant it. If he ever did, he'd be standing here right now, holding out his hand. For she's calling his name over and over, but all that replies is the sound of the storm.

Through the storm we reach the shore

You give it all but I want more

And I'm waiting for you

 It hits her then for some reason. He's gone. He's really, really gone. And there's nothing she could do to bring him back into her life. Amazing how in one instant, one not-so-particular moment, everything that ever mattered to you is taken away. And you're just left there in the wreckage, doing the best you can to pick up the pieces, never really understanding.

With or without you
With or without you
I can't live with or without you

 How can anyone ever understand why their father would end his own life? And all out of unreasonable guilt. He was not to blame for the events that happened no less than a year ago. Some things you just don't see coming. If that's true, then why does she feel she could have done something? Something to let him know he's not alone? Now she was the one alone, and she couldn't live with herself.

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give

And you give
And you give yourself away

 Arms seemingly from out of nowhere pick her up from the earth and carry her away, but she does not look to see who it is. She doesn't want to know, in fear that it won't be the one person she wants it to be.

My hands are tied, my body bruised
She got me with nothing to win
And nothing else to lose

 The security don't ask any questions when Lex arrives with the sleeping girl in his arms; they just open the door to the warm sanctuary of the mansion. He carries her to one of the bedrooms, where he bandages her arm and covers her with several blankets. As he leaves, he allows himself one long look at her. He leaves the light on, for he figures she's had enough darkness to last her for a lifetime.