Thank you for all the kind reviews. I was hesitant about posting this fic because it had been so long since I've written anything - but I am glad that people are enjoying it. Well, as much as you can enjoy angst anyway.
Title: Seasons of Change
Author: Lucy Mars
Rating: PG
Summary: Watch as spring turns to summer and the bulbs we planted in the dawn begin to bloom in the intensity of high noon.
Pairings: Chloe/Lex, Lex/Lana, Chloe/Bruce
Disclaimer: If they belonged to me, I would not be so ruthless.
2. London - Summer 2015
Away from him now, alone in the isolation that she's inflicted and granted herself, she dreams in black and white. The images are blurred with shadows of grey regret as she recalls all the moments they shared and all the ones that she's longed for. Awakening in a dark bedroom across the sea, the name she whispers like a prayer fills her with shame and regret.
Restless and various degrees of desolate, Chloe stared vacantly out her window at the dreary London weather and watched as rain fell lazily and grey skies painted the city a miserable hue. Burrowing deeper into her covers to find the warmth she left behind in Kansas, she is left alone with her thoughts as night moves around her.
Her eyes drifting to the simple black phone that lay innocently on her nightstand, she knows that she shouldn't but her fingers stretch across the small space to find the cool metal waiting patiently for her. Weeks of being strong were about to come to a roaring end as her broken heart directed shaking hands to press the first number on her speed dial.
Just a quick hello, her heart whispered to her roaring brain. Just a Happy Birthday and then sleep will finally come.
Sweaty palms cradled the phone to her ear as she waited with baited breath to hear his voice - deep and smooth - say her name like a prayer.
But it is not his voice that answers and it is not his voice that speaks her name.
"Hello?" a laughing voice greets, as the noise of an undoubtedly raging party threatens to swallow them both whole, "Chloe?"
Closing her eyes against the torrent of grief she can feel ripping its way through her, Chloe fought against the tears that were already falling.
"Chloe, are you there?"
"Hi Lana," she breaths, twisting her fingers around the innocent comforter that never did her any harm.
"Hey! How's London?" Lana practically yelled, the clamber of the party making it impossible to have any sort of conversation.
"Good," she lied, hating herself for ever picking up her phone. "How's Metropolis?"
Giggling at whatever it was a teasing male voice called out to her, it takes Lana a few moments to reply to her question. "It's good. Actually, it's great."
Forcing her voice not to waver, Chloe pushed herself out of bed and threw her windows open - mindless of the pouring rain. "You sound busy. I can call back later."
Not calling Chloe up on her blatant lie, Lana merely laughs again. Neither women have spoken since Chloe stepped away from Lex and Lana's stunning figures at the impromptu going away party that Lana threw for her - and both women know that Chloe has not spoken to Lex since. Chloe knows because of the heart wrenching pain that greets her every morning and Lana knows because she has had to live with the silent and sullen man since.
"Sorry, it's just so crazy here right now. I can't seem to find a quiet corner, no matter where I look."
"Sounds like one hell of a birthday party," Chloe offers lamely, wishing she could just let her phone drop out her window and let the conversation be washed away by the rain.
"Birthday party?" Lana's questioning voice is clear over the buzzing phone line.
The moments pause is enough for Chloe to realize what it was the male voice called out to Lana earlier. Congratulations, Mrs. Luthor-to-be.
"You haven't heard!" Lana laughed, her excitement touching Chloe from an oceans distance away. "Lex proposed. Tonight is the engagement party."
Chloe is not sure how she manages it but she hears herself wish Lana congratulations. It may not be heartfelt but it is all she can manage as she sat heavily on her windowsill and wished for the rain to wash her away.
"Hiding from your own engagement party?"
He doesn't need to raise his head to know who it was that had found him. "Bruce," he nodded in greeting as discreetly closed the book he was looking through.
"Why aren't you celebrating on a day marked for celebration?" the dark brooding man questioned, almost predatory in his movements.
Narrowing his eyes at the dark gaze settled upon him, Lex left the unasked questions laced into the seemingly innocent inquiry unanswered. Bruce Wayne was a man of many faces and many minds - and Lex knew better than to let the somber man know anything more than he needed to know. In all honestly, Lex wasn't entirely sure why Bruce was here to begin with. True, Lana had sent him an invitation but the man was notoriously hard to get to attend any functions that did not directly impact his businesses – and he and Lex were anything but friends.
Rising from his chair, Lex tucked his book neatly at his side. "Was there something you were looking for?"
"I'm not snooping, if that's what you're accusing me of." Bruce smiled, the shadows of the room hiding the smirk he was sporting. Holding his phone out as an offering of peace, the billionaire shrugged his shoulders. "I just needed a quiet place to make a phone call."
Distrust written across his face, Lex didn't have a chance to reply. A burst of music and laughter flowed into the room as Lana threw the door open and exclaimed with exasperation, "There you are!"
Stepping back and watching the petite brunette glide into the room, Bruce watched from the silence of his shadows as Lex expertly schooled his expression into one they both knew his fiancée expected him to sport - a look of gentle adoration.
"Just savoring a moment of peace with Bruce," Lex explained, gesturing to the other man in the room.
"Mr. Wayne," Lana sputtered, obviously surprised to find Lex in the same room with a man she knew he disliked immensely, "I didn't see you there."
"Understandable, since you obviously only have eyes for your fiancé." Bruce offered smoothly, rewarded for his troubles by the blush creeping across Lana's face and the scowl Lex was suddenly wearing.
"Is that my phone?" Lex questioned, reaching out for the tiny device Lana was clutching.
"Oh," she said suddenly flustered, "Yes. Yes it is. You dropped it earlier."
His scowl become more pronounced, Lex took the device back and flipped it open. "I didn't even notice. Did I miss any calls?"
"No," Lana replied, with perhaps too much haste as she watched him tuck it into his inner pocket. Grabbing Lex's hand and pulling back towards the noise and bustle of the party, Lana informed him seriously, "We need to get back to the party. People are wondering where you've disappeared off to."
"Of course," Lex replied, his fingers closing around his book just a fraction tighter. "Join us, Bruce?"
"In a minute," Bruce promised, watching the couple with intent interest in his eyes. "Just need to make a quick call to Gotham to make sure you haven't taken over any of my companies in the last hour."
"Don't you boys ever stop working?" Lana sighed, tugging insistently at Lex's hand now.
"Never," both Bruce and Lex replied.
Still smiling, Bruce nodded his head at Lex as Lana pulled him out of the room. Just before the two crossed the threshold, Bruce called out to Lex.
Wary, Lex turned slowly to find other man watching him with a curious look.
"Happy Birthday, Lex."
At a momentary loss for what to say, Lex merely nodded his thanks before following Lana out the door.
Standing silently in the shadows that bathed him with its soothing embrace, Bruce slowly crossed the room to where Lex had been sitting just mere minutes ago. Looking down at the worn leather of the chair, Bruce reached down and picked up the stray item he had been eyeing the moment Lex had unknowingly let it slip from the pages of his book. Carefully picking up the bright and vibrant picture that stood out against the gloom of the room, Bruce found himself looking at a Lex he had never seen before. Studying the faces that smiled up at him, Bruce felt his lips twist into a semblance of a smile as he realized the potential power he held in his hands.
Knowledge was power, and this foreign Lex and the woman in the photo with him, was undoubtedly power.
Lex Luthor, on the night of his engagement party was gazing at a photo of another woman?
Interesting.
Pushing past the endless sea of people that seemed intent on making an already bad morning indefinitely worse, Chloe cursed every deity she could think of for making life completely unbearable during the chaos of rush hour.
Balancing her coffee in one hand and her juggling her overflowing bag in the other, Chloe could not have dogged out of the oncoming collision if she tried.
The softness of her curves meeting hard sharp planes of a man's chest, Chloe let a string of curses fall from her lips as the warmth of her coffee painted her blouse a muddy hue of caramel. Looking up at the hand that had caught her arm before she fell to the ground, she followed the arm up to a face that watched her with expressed innocence and obvious remorse.
"I'm so sorry," the man offered righting her and ushering them both out of the flow of traffic that was rushing by.
More focused, now that conclusion that her day could not possibly get any worse, Chloe realized that the hand that had grabbed her earlier was still holding her. Finding the offender's face once again, it dawned on Chloe as he smiled sheepishly at her that this could either be the biggest break of her life or the biggest cosmic joke ever played.
How many times over the years had she jokingly declared to Lex that closely behind him, Bruce Wayne was the next person she most wanted desperately to interview? As true as her many declarations had been, she had done it mainly to annoy Lex. She had loved the way he had frowned intently at her and assured her that there were countless others more deserving of her attention. It was almost jealously that Lex expressed every time Chloe brought up the other billionaire's name.
The dislike Lex held for the dark man currently holding her arm like he intended to never let go was something that Chloe knew well – and something that had always intrigued her.
"Are you all right?" Bruce inquired as he pulled out a handkerchief with his free hand and held it out to her.
Regardless of the fact that her day was completely and utterly ruined, Chloe couldn't help but perk up a bit at the note of genuine concern he voiced for her. So far away from family and friends, she had been starved for sincere affection.
Taking the offered piece of cloth more out of politeness than actual desire to try and clean the mess of her shirt, Chloe quipped easily, "Ruined blouse aside, I think I'll live."
Smiling, Bruce glanced down at the ugly stain that was painted across her once crisp white blouse and forced his eyes not to linger too long. "I think it gives it character."
Her laughter is like benediction and Bruce knows that seeking this woman out had not been a mistake. Whatever her worth, whatever it was that she meant to Luthor, Bruce was beginning to believe he might just enjoy her company.
"I'm sorry, where are my manners?" Taking a formal step back from where he had practically pushed Chloe against the wall of a building, Bruce held out his hand regally. "Bruce Wayne."
Hesitating for a moment, Chloe pushed her doubts aside and clasped his hand with her own. "Chloe Sullivan."
Summer brings merry blossoms and reckless abandon, as the sweltering heat of the sun makes us drunk with the belief that no wrongs can be committed under such wholesome skies. Blind to the folly of our actions, the season of light and warmth finds us making so many regrettable mistakes.
TBC.
Any and all comments are appreciated for they feed the ego - which in turn feed the muse.