Title: Epilogue: We Strummed Along
Completed: February 24, 2004
It was amazing how quickly the newlywed year could go by. To Chloe it seemed to fly by with all the adjusting she was forced into, far more than simply the move to Bludhaven; there was her new double life and the birth of her daughter Angela. Even through the blur she still managed to maintain the link to normalcy, by continuing to communicate with Anna.
By the third ring the two women, across the country, were connected and engaged in a conversation as if no time had passed since their last phone call.
"I wanted to thank you and Lex," Chloe continued, "although I doubt Angie needs such an extravagant gift." She was speaking of the silk crib set that had been sent at the child's birth from the unofficial couple.
"Nonsense," Anna quickly replied, she had every intention of spoiling the new little girl.
Chloe just laughed at herself, shaking her head. She knew this really had no point and it wasn't as if she really minded. It was sweet that Anna wanted to lavish affection on her daughter after the witnessed loss of her to be child.
"So, when are you and Lex going to have kids?" she ment it to rib the other woman.
The corners of Anna's mouth turned upward, her hand carefully cradling her abdomen, "We'll see." She slowly paced around the small penthouse room, mirroring Chloe in her Bludhaven apartment. "How are you and Dick?" she quickly changed the subject. She wasn't sure enough about her suspicions to mention the doctor's appointment she had for the next morning. In fact, even Lex didn't know yet.
"Oh, we're doing great," Chloe sung, adjusting the restless child in her arms to kiss her husband. He was in his way out, a night job that wasn't exactly common knowledge. She mouthed a quick cautionary warning, be careful and I love you, before he slipped into the night. She was only beginning to get used to being the wife of a superhero, but the hardest part was keeping it quiet. "He just works a lot," she added quickly, watching the shadowed figure disappear. Nightwing was on patrol.
The lawyer muttered an agreement, she had an idea of what living with a workaholic was like if not fully understanding.
At that moment Lex's bellowing voice filled the rest of the penthouse. "What do you mean if failed!!" He was obviously angry at someone, and at the moment Mercy was suffering at the blunt of it. "I ask for one simple thing and you let a man in tights –"
Anna quickly closed the room's door. His 'business' dealings really weren't something to be shared.
"Have you heard from Clark?" there was a dark humour in the question, but Chloe wouldn't see it.
"Not since Angie was born," she answered the question truthfully.
"I'm sure he keeps busy," Anna picked up a copy of The Daily Planet. The headline 'Superman Saves Factory,' blaring out at her. She rolled her eyes and tossed the paper back on the desk, "He's always around." She tried to hide the sneer in her voice. Every night, if she looked out the picturesque window, she was bound to see the flying hero. And almost as frequently she would hear Lex complain about his meddling. The fact that the unmasked superhero had made visits to her – checking up as he put it – was never discussed with the millionaire.
"I'm sure he is," Chloe replied almost sadly at the loss of another connection to her youth, "But thankfully we still get to talk." The smile was clear in her voice as she spoke of their almost ritualistic phone calls.
"Of course we do," Anna agreed with the same enthusiasm. "And we should visit again soon…before Angie gets much bigger and when I can pull Lex from work."
A slight panic overtook Chloe. She couldn't have Anna and Lex prying about with her husband's secret lying around. The risk of discovery was too great. But she did wish to see her friends again. "Maybe we could come back there," she suggested as a reasonable solution.
Giving an unseen shrug of her shoulders Anna replied, "We'll work something out." She was pacing again, as if searching for something else to discuss. There really wasn't much the pair could share with each other now, the year had changed them almost as much as the previous nine had. There were new secrets, few lies, and just different experiences now. But that didn't mean that the platonic affection wasn't still shared between the two.
"How are you doing?" the concern dipped into her voice.
The new wife and mother smiled; touched by the interest her friend still showed toward her, "I'm so amazing. Really," she gushed, "Of course some things get rocky – it's not a fairy tale after all – but I'm honestly doing amazingly."
An almost relieved contentment washed over Anna as she dropped herself into the leather chair.
"And what about you, still there in the big city?" Chloe gently lowered the sleeping child into her crib, her voice changing into the soft soothing sound as not to wake her.
Anna smiled, leaning back into the chair, "Good. It's very good actually. A lot different now than back in Smallville…be it's so much better now." A dreamy look covered her face as she thought about the way she and Lex fit together now. The new way in which worked as a couple. She was no longer the maid in need of saving, and he was no longer the prince looking to prove himself. Just as she slipped into the warm bath of memory Lex pushed his way into the quiet sanctuary.
He was still huffing and found the tranquil glaze on Anna's face as something curious. He raised an eyebrow to pose the inquiry as to who she was speaking to, and what had provoked the dreamy response.
She smiled up at him and indicated with her index finger for him to wait until she was finished, "And I can only see it getting better."
Lex was perplexed, but sat himself in the matching chair to wait anyway. A quick glance at the nearby copy of The Daily Planet quenched that possible distraction.
"But I think I should let you go," Anna stood then, walking around to the side table to later deposit the phone, fully aware that Lex was watching her. According to him she was, by all means, his and he had the right to do so.
"Yeah, I'm sure there's something I need to do around here," Chloe agreed, only half heartedly, "Be sure to give my love to Lex for me."
"Oh, I will," she acknowledged the millionaire with a quick glance. "Hug Angie for us, and take care of yourself," she turned away to gain a little bit of privacy to end the call, "love you."
Chloe smiled again, "love you too, and be good out there."
Anna almost giggled, "I'll try, goodnight."
The closing salutation was exchanged and she carefully placed the phone back on the table.
When she turned around she found the questioning look still on his face. "Chloe sends her love," she relayed the message with a smile, stepping around to stand at the side of his chair.
Lex smirked, "And how is she and her bartender?" He asked, reaching out to place his hand on her, just below her hip, to beckon her to him.
"Good," she nodded, allowing him to draw her to him. She licked her lips in anticipation.
He nodded, "that's good." The remark was either a response to their conversation of the fact that she had moved to straddle his legs. His hands slide around to the back of her thighs, limiting her choices of movement and caressing the denim clad flesh.
"Umm hmm," she murmured an affirmative reply, being pulled into his lap.
Lex's lips found her neck as her body landed against his. He left soft, wet trails from his mouth leading slowly up to hers. And his hands latched tightly on her hips, ensuring that she stayed, firmly, where she was.
Anna let out a soft moan before her mouth was covered with his. She braced herself by wrapping her arms around the millionaire's neck, effectively deepening their budding kiss. Her tongue darted out to lick across his lips, gaining permission to push itself in, where both lithe muscles began caressing and grinding against each other.
Their bodies began the same dance while seated in the study chair. Anna's apt hands slid from his neck to begin caressing the chest under his button down shirt. Lex's moved along her thighs, the strong strokes suggesting the movement of her body against his. Her hips took the suggestion as they grinded against him in a slow motion.
It was an agonising pleasure where the pair touched and tasted each other, but were unable to fully experience the other. This one exotic moment was a metaphor for their whole relationship – the sweet miseries that made up their existence and were only the beginnings of the story that was to come.
XxX END XxX
A/N: the chapter Titles were from Michelle Branch songs, mostly lyrics from the album The Spirit Room. No greater reason then the fact that I liked them.
All the Batman related information was gathered from various website resources, as well as the character Mercy, mostly concerned with the Comic books.
