Title: Second Chance Author: Blaire Rating: Pg13 Disclaimer: Nuh uh, don't own nuffin.
Archived: Whereever you want.
Summary: This is a loosely based Chloe/Lex fic. However it is based upon Lionel's new personality, his chance to make everything better.
Feedback: Yes, please. I have one thing to ask of you, tho. If you do leave fb, PLEASE don't say, "Lionel's creepy." He may feel that way to you, but this is my fic and if everyone starts saying, "oooh, creepy" I'm not going to be all that happy about updating and it could disappear. So if you don't like it, just don't say anything, and if you do like it, leave feedback but don't add on the creepy part. If you've read my stuff before you've realized that I've never really cared about feedback, but this fic could easily become deleted because I was unsure of how I would work it out.

"When the soul is given anew, there are many ways in which to crush its hope."

1.

"Ms. Sullivan."

Chloe looked up at the sound of her name. Her first instinct was to cower and back towards the corner, cover her head and rock herself to insanity. She, instead, stood up straight from her hunched over position. "Lionel."

Lionel smiled and tucked his hands into his pockets. He rocked back on his heels and looked her over, from her sleek blonde hair down to the fashionable boots she wore. "You look exceptional."

Chloe was startled into complying by jerking her head back.

She tried to tell herself that this was the man that killed her. This was the man that had ruined her life. Not only had her father been blacklisted, she had as well. She knew that no time in her life would she ever become a reporter after how her stint had ended with The Daily Planet.

But looking at him now, how we walked further into his room, seemingly shy as he looked around in curiosity at the various clippings she had left up on the Wall of Weird. She'd taken most of them down, so the few up there were just ones that she'd staked a personal interest in. But watching him move his lips as he read one of the articles, how he was relaxed into a natural pose standing in the same room with her.

He'd even given her his back.

Either Lionel Luthor was extremely arrogant or he was truly going insane.

She'd had little contact with Lex since Lionel had been found guilty, and although she'd read in the paper that he'd been released and Lex had informed her of his staying in Smallville, she hadn't thought he'd break the restraining order she'd had filed against him so early on in his release. Lionel turned his head and smiled, Chloe felt no fear, her hair didn't prickle on the back of her neck, and oddly enough she found herself wanting to return it with one of hers. Instead she pressed her lips together.

"These are fascinating." Lionel turned back toward the wall and nodded to the one of her safe house explosion. "Strange memento, even for you, Chloe."

Chloe wet her lips and tried to breath deeply in order to relax herself. At the moment she was standing with her spine straight and her limbs at attention and was challenging her fight or flight mode.

"Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Luthor."

Lionel turned around completely and took his hands out of his pockets and strode toward her desk. He saw the change in her body language as she stiffened up and the way her eyes darted to the door of the small school office.

Instead of answering he shook his head and stopped where he was. He didn't want her to run away. He just wanted to make amends, to apologize for everything he'd done. He felt the first tear slip out of the corner of his eye. Saw Chloe staring at him in a mix of fascination and horror. Lionel raised his hand to his face and used his thumb and forfinger to rub at his eyes.

He had no idea where to start. No idea how to make it better. How to give back an innocent teenager her life. So instead of making an even larger fool of himself he closed his eyes and fought to realign his priorities.

Because he was sure that if he could convince Chloe to accept the changes that had been made in his heart, he was sure Lex would be right behind her.

He opened his eyes and stared at the girl in front of him. He'd had such high hopes of her when he'd manipulated her before. He remembered his past persona and still it made him sick inside. And although he was searching for her acceptance now, he didn't want to manipulate her into it.

He truly was a changed man, and he could see in Chloe's eyes as she studied his in return that she was fighting with herself not to beleive it.

Chloe crossed her arms in front of her and tapped her foot impatiently. "Answer me one question, Lionel."

Lionel clasped his hands together behind his back and nodded his head. "Go ahead."

Chloe felt her chin quiver, tried to stop it. She felt her vision go watery, tried to blink back the tears. Felt a wretched sob catch in the back of her throat, swallowed it back down. Her whole body was vibrating with the need to let it all go. "Why did you try to kill me?"

After the question was asked she raised her hands to her face, let her body convulse with the pain, the memories, the loss.

Lionel moved forward immediately and wrapped her in his arms. "Shhh." He stroked her hair lovingly and he was reminded that she was just a little girl on the inside of the adult veneer. He spoke the truest words he could find because he knew she needed them. And as vulnerable as they both were at the moment, he wanted her to beleive him so bad. "I'd never do anything to hurt you, Chloe." She started shaking her head violently. He palmed the back of her head and pressed her to his shoulder. "I had nothing to do with that."

Chloe tried to pull back and Lionel loosened his grip on her. He ran his hands down to her arms and held her gently there. "I'm telling you the truth, Chloe." She stared at him, wanting to beleive. "Never, Chloe. I'd never physically hurt you."

Chloe hurled herself back into his arms and hugged him tightly. Afraid to let him go. At one time in her life Lionel Luthor had become an icon to her. He'd taught her the alphabet of ruthlessness. He'd been her mentor.

She'd loved him like a child would. Hung on his every word. And still, after she'd put him in jail. After she'd been relocated and torn away from her father. She'd missed him terribly.

Lionel hugged her back feircely. Afraid to let go. Afraid that if he did he'd screw up his only chance at being a father. Not just the father figure he knew Chloe had once though of him as. But as the father figure his own son had never even caught a glimpse of.

He heard her whispered words on his skin and smiled against her cheek. "I missed you too, Chloe."

He knew, deep down in his renewed soul, that with this second chance he'd been given, he could turn it all around and be the man he should have been from the very beginning.

(TBC?)