A/N: Remember me? I can not apologize enough for the long wait. I have no excuse and hope you'll forgive me. What do you say?

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Disclaimer: Oh, the things I could do if it were mine…

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Coming Together

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Chloe woke up the next morning with the slightly eerie feeling of complete peace flowing through her. She hadn't felt that way since she was a little girl. It took a few seconds for her to realize what was causing the feeling.

Lex.

Chloe rolled over and looked at Lex, fast asleep beside her. She smiled as she remembered the day before. She and Lex had spent the entire day talking things out and she'd even managed to get him to open up a little about his mother. They had taken their daily walk through the gardens before they settled in front of the fire for the night. For the first time since she'd met him, she felt like their were no secrets between them.

The last thing she remembered was gazing into Lex's eyes as he told her about his fascination with the fast, ridiculously overpriced cars he drove. Then she had a hazy recollection of Lex picking her up and carrying her to her room. She had thought it was a dream and asked him to stay with her. She couldn't believe he'd actually done it. Lex Luthor had probably never spent an entire night alone in bed with a woman just sleeping before.

Chloe felt a wave of tenderness at that thought. It gave her hope that someday she would get what she had been so desperately wanted for so long. She let her eyes roam over Lex's face while he slept. God, he was beautiful. She laughed inwardly at what Lex would think if he new she'd referred to him as 'beautiful.' But he was. Each and every feature was absolutely perfect. And she had always thought that the absence of his hair just highlighted the fact. He didn't need something distracting from his face. Besides, she'd seen pictures of him before the meteor shower and his hair had been such a ghastly shade of red that he was better off without it. She allowed herself to wonder if his children would have the same color hair. Or would they take after their mother? And who would that mother be?

Chloe felt ridiculous. She was eighteen years old. She shouldn't be picturing what her children would look like if Lex were their father. But then, she had always been slightly…odd. Besides this was Lex. The normal rules didn't apply when it came to him. The power he exuded made people see him differently, treat him differently. As soon as she realized what she felt about him she knew that she was gone. She was his.

At that moment Lex began to stir. His eyes opened and locked onto hers. She smiled softly. He returned the smile hesitantly. Chloe faltered. What if he had changed his mind?

Without warning Lex leaned over and kissed her softly. "Don't think like that." he whispered. It was almost as if he could read her mind. She grinned broadly at him. She knew right then that it would be okay.

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Lex hung up the phone after his business call ended. He stared down at his watch. Fifteen more minutes. Fifteen minutes until Chloe's physical therapy would be over. Then she'd come into his office complaining about what a sadist her therapist was. He'd wait until she ran out of colorful expletives to use and then he'd suggest something for them to do that night. It had been that way for two weeks. The monotony of t all should have bored him out of his mind. With anyone else it would have.

But this was Chloe. The things he'd always known didn't apply with her.

For the past two weeks everything in his life had changed drastically. Chloe had always been one of the most…interesting people in his life. He never knew just what to expect from her. Since her confession it was all settle for him. Without his knowledge Chloe had become the most important thing in the world to him.

He was scared out of his mind.

Chloe made him different. Made him vulnerable. He hated people who made him feel that way. He didn't hate her, wasn't even angry at her. He was thankful. But he was still terrified. His father hadn't found out about the two of them. He couldn't even imagine what Lionel's reaction would be when he found out that Lex was slowly falling in love with the girl that had helped put him in prison. His father had a knack for revenge, and Chloe would surely be at the top of his list after this. Because not only was she dangerous to him, she was dangerous to his son.

Lionel had spent the years since Lex's mother died trying to force any and all compassion and softness out of him. Chloe brought it to the surface. He would not stand for that. Luthor's were supposed to be above that sort of weakness.

That first morning he had woken with a deep sense of contentment flowing through his veins that he'd never known before. He had looked into her eyes and at that moment he knew she was it for him. She may have just been eighteen, but Lex knew in that moment that he was looking at the mother of his children. The face he would think of when he was dying. The love of his life.

The door opened and Chloe walked slowly into the office. She had stopped using the cane a few days ago and was now sporting a brace around each of her legs. She was expected to make a full recovery by the end of the summer. Whenever someone would come to visit her they would remark about the change in her demeanor and her appearance. She was returning to the girl they had known before. He smiled.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she settled herself onto the leather couch.

"Nothing. Just thinking about how much progress you've made." he answered, walking over to join her on the couch.

"Well, I've had an incentive to get better recently." she smiled at him.

Lex reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Really? And just what would that be?"

Lex had been moving closer towards her. She was in turn moving closer to him. "Wouldn't you like to know." she whispered before her lips touched his. Lex groaned. Each time he kissed her he wanted her more. And Chloe made no secret about the fact that she wanted him. But he refused to let anything mess up what they were building. Moving too fast would surely be a mistake. And there was always the ever present threat of his father looming over them.

Chloe didn't feel share his fears. She had been more than a little upset when he'd told her of his intentions to wait. She had tried everything she could think of to change his mind. So far nothing had worked. She sighed against his lips and his arms tightened around her waist. Chloe began to nick lightly at the tiny scar above his top lip. She loved that scar. It was one of her favorite things about him. He moaned deeply against her and pulled her onto his lap. The kiss deepened and both of them were fighting against the need to break apart for a breath.

Finally, Chloe had to pull back or she was sure her lungs would burst. Lex began to nibble at her neck. She knew he was losing the hold on his control. He always stopped around this point. But so far he showed no signs of stopping any time soon. She began to run her hands up and down his back underneath his sweater. His grasp on her tightened even more until she was all but plastered to him. Hi lips returned to hers and she melted against him. His own hand began to creep up her shirt and then suddenly, he pulled back.

"Lex. What's wrong?" she asked when he could speak.

"Chloe-we can't." he panted.

"Why? I love you, and I know you care about me. This isn't a light matter for either of us. It's serious. Isn't it?" her voice got very small at the last two words.

Lex cupped her cheek. "It's as serious as it gets for me. But I'm worried about you."

Chloe smiled and placed her hands on his cheeks. "I'm not. Let your father do his worst. I can handle it. And I know you're worried about rushing things. Don't be." she leaned her forehead against his. "I'm not going anywhere."

Lex kissed her again. He knew this was probably wrong, but he wanted her so much. She was all that mattered. He felt her tugging at the bottom of his sweater and he lifted his arms in reply. She promptly pulled it over his head.

Everything was moving so fast now. Chloe was getting overwhelmed at the passion Lex was expressing. She knew he cared about her, but now it was obvious that Lex was starting to fall for her. It was what she'd been dreaming of but she was scared. Could she handle being loved by such an intense man as Lex? Just then Lex swept his hands over her and stood up, gathering her in his arms. Still kissing her, he began the journey toward his bedroom.

'I can handle it.' Chloe thought to herself as Lex laid her down on his bed and covered her body with his own. 'I have to. I couldn't bear to lose him now.'

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A/N: Short, I know. To make up for it, I'm planning a nice, long update next time complete with Lionel and Gabe's reactions. Until then.