5.

Chloe stood up with her laptop tucked under one arm and her purse slung diagonally across her front. Ben stood also, talking as he did. "So, you want to catch that movie?"

Chloe smiled and felt her face flush with warmth. She'd made herself a promise, and it was nearing noon. "I'd like that." Chloe said as she scooted around the booth. "But I'm kind of involved with someone." She didn't feel like it was a complete lie, afterall, even if Lex didn't remember her, she sure as hell remembered him. And his love. If they never had that again, atleast she'd be able to say that she knew what love was. She'd felt it. She'd lived it. Even if for such a short period of time.

"I can manage a friendly outting." Ben smiled his winning smile and Chloe shifted from one foot to another. He obviously sensed her hesitation. "Maybe I can hook up something with Lana and one of the guys." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder to where Lana was standing.

Chloe knew the look on her face was one of total uncertainty. She really didn't want to say no, her only guy friends consisted of Pete and Clark, and they weren't much to write home about. Ben grabbed her hand with both of his and looked pleadingly at her. "I really like you, Chloe. If all you want to be is friends, I can respect that."

"You mean you want more, but you'll settle for friends."

Ben shrugged and flashed a boyishly charming dimple. "Pretty much."

Chloe was about to nod when Lana called out her name. "I'll take a raincheck." She promised him and walked towards the counter as Lana waved her over. "Hey, did you need something?"

Lana had noticed that Chloe was about to leave, and she knew Lex had, even though he hadn't said it out loud, wanted to see her for something. "Uhm, well, actually, I'm kinda short a person, Amy just called in and said she'd be a few minutes late. Do you think you could help out just until she gets in?"

Chloe looked around the packed Talon and watched Jenna clock out. "Sure, I guess." Chloe crinkled her nose at the apron Lana handed her.

"It doesn't bite, I swear."

Chloe laughed and slid her laptop and purse onto a shelf beneath the counter. "No, it just looks absolutely hideous with this particular outfit." She flashed a smile and tied the apron around her waist.

Lana sighed inwardly at having won some of Chloe's time. "So, you and Ben Connelly..."

Chloe looked over at Lana, "Don't even start." She warned and moved to the first table to take an order.

Lana watched Ben watching Chloe and sighed. When had a guy ever looked at her that way? Her lips moved into a pouty position and she jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder from behind. "Hey. Mad at the world today?"

Lana turned to smile at Pete. "Nope, I'm having a great day."

Pete shook his head and chuckled. "Well here comes your partner, and he doesn't look like he's having the best day so far."

Lana turned her head back around to see Lex stop and lean down, saying something to Chloe. And she watched the blood drain out of Chloe's face.

Lex had spotted her as soon he pushed through the doors. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he vaguely wondered why she was wearing an apron and taking orders. But in the forfront of his mind, all he could think of was the picture in his coat pocket. He stopped a foot away from her and cleared his throat. When she stopped talking midsentence and her eyes slowly looked up at him, he knew she knew. "Miss Sullivan." He nodded his head toward the hallway leading towards the restrooms. "I'd like to speak with you in my office."

Chloe gulped and felt her hands shaking, she felt the color drain from her face, could feel her skin go completely cold. She mustered up a smile and tried for a little bit of Lana's cheery attitude. "I'm working right now, Mr. Luthor, but as soon as my break comes, I'll be sure to meet you in your office."

Lex stepped closer and leaned down until his lips were right beside her ear. "I'd like to discuss some photographs of you that you left in my possession." He paused for a calculating moment, letting his words sink in. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Chloe blinked back tears and nodded slowly.

"Take your break now." He ordered in a deathly whisper and stood up straight, then walked past her towards his office. As he passed Lana he glanced in her direction. "Chloe's taking her break now." He stopped abruptly and hadn't realized Chloe had followed him so closely until she barrelled into his back and nearly pushed him over. He heard her muttered apology and looked back at her, raising both brows in amusement. She was flushed, all the color back in her face, if not some extra for emphasis. "Is that a problem, Lana?" Lex asked politely with snide undertones.

When Lana's mouth gaped open and shut like a fish on dry land and she sharply shook her head Lex smiled. "Great." He stepped aside and motioned Chloe with a tilt of his chin. "After you, Miss Sullivan."

Chloe nibbled on her bottom lips and handed the pad and pencil over to Lana, then without looking at Lex she stepped past him and made her way to his office.

"What was that all about?" Pete asked confused.

Lana shook her head and gasped out in a hoarse whisper, "I have no idea."

Pete shrugged and Lana stood staring after them.

Chloe stopped in front of the closed door and Lex reached past her to turn the knob. "Sit down, please."

Chloe nodded dumbly and sat down in the small leather chair facing the smaller than average oak desk. She knew he didn't spend much time here, so she wasn't surprised when he stood instead of sitting behind the desk. He studied her for a moment, while she studied the tops of her shoes. He cleared his throat and was pleasantly pleased when she nearly jumped out of her chair and her eyes clashed with his. "There are a lot of questions I'd like to ask you." Lex started the speech he'd been practicing the whole way here. "But I need to have your full cooperation." When she nodded and then shook her head he tilted his head in silence.

"I can't do that, Lex." Her whispered words felt like a slap. He turned his head as though her hand had actually met his cheek and looked away for a moment.

"Why?" He asked softly.

Chloe looked up at him and felt the tears brimming over and about to spill. "I think you should remember things on your own."

Lex clasped his hands together in front of him and closed his eyes. He tried to regulate his breathing to keep himself from shoutting at her. But what she said next startled him. "It's okay," She said softly. "You can yell at me."

Lex never, never lost his temper in front of an audience. He'd yell and break things on very rare occasion. The fact that she must know that, and that she must have been on the receiving end of one his tantrums only proved what the pictures showed him. There had been a level of love between them. "I'm not going to yell at you, Chloe."

Chloe shifted and stared straight ahead. "I feel like I'm in the principal's office." She whispered and sniffled. Lex left the room and came back with a tissue. He held it out to her and when she took it he laughed outright.

"How in the hell did we end up together?" He asked incredulously.

He regretted the comment immediately when Chloe started shaking her head. "That's a very good question, Lex."

"But not one you're going to answer."

Chloe looked up at him then and shook her head. "I can't answer your questions."

Lex inhaled again and clenched his jaw. "Before you ask me why again, you have to know, it's not because I don't love you." At her spoken words his head whipped around and his eyes locked on hers.

"You love me?" His laughter rang with hurtful anger. "You love me so much you don't want me to remember our time together?"

Chloe stood up and paced in front of him. "Do you think I don't want you to remember? Do you know how hard it is to remember everything and have the person that you love not remember anything?" Chloe stopped in front of him and framed his face with her hands, she could still feel his jaw clenching and unclenching beneath her palms. "It's not safe for you to know about that time, Lex."

He could feel the tears swimming behind his eyes, burning and prickling. Ready to fall free. "What kind of information did I have on my father, Chloe?"

Chloe closed her eyes and let her hands fall to his shoulders, she pressed her face against the smooth material of his shirt. When his hands came up to push her back she shook her head. "Just for a minute." She whispered. She could feel his muscles rippling, his arms drop to his sides, unsure of where to put them. "You could hold me, you know?"

Lex let a small weary smile shift his lips into position, then he raised his hands and ran his fingers through her hair. Something was shifting into place. Chloe moaned softly and let her body relax against his. He directed his hands to her shoulders, down her shoulder blades, down her spine. He locked his fingers together behind her, near the small of her back and leaned his cheek against the top of her head. "I want to know things, Chloe."

Chloe nodded slowly. He pulled back and looked down at her. She was staring at his chest. As if she could see right through him and watch his heart beat pick up wildly as he held her close still. "Okay." She said softly and looked up at him. The smallest of smiles curved her lips. "I'll tell you what you want to know."

They were interupted by the sound of a fist pounding on the door.

TBC...