Chlexville

Season 1

Episode 9 : SURROUNDED BY THESE ROGUES

Chloe recoiled at what the girl in front of her was suggesting. Lana's eyes were opened wide and her perfectly sculpted eyebrows were high on her forehead in that cultivated sincerity that Chloe was just beginning to detest.

"Wait, wait, Chloe. It's not a bad idea."

Chloe turned disbelievingly at the guy who she thought was her best friend. Of course it would not sound like the most horrible idea that it really was to Clark Kent. Spoken from the lips of the fairy princess herself as they were, those words could have been coated gold with all the weight that Clark gave them. "It figures you'd side with her!" she snapped accusingly.

"I'm not siding with anybody," he denied.

But Chloe Sullivan could always see through Clark. And despite his show of concern for her, and he undoubtedly was concerned for her, he would always yield to Lana Lang's opinion no matter how it affected Chloe. To Clark, there were only two types of girls—the esteemed Miss Lang and the rest. It was just like earlier when she and Clark were having an interesting time by themselves and when Lana walked in, it was just like this magic bubble surrounding her and Clark popped out. Angry for still harboring a crush on a boy who would never appreciate her, Chloe retorted, "Yeah, right, Clark. You're completely objective in all things Lana!"

With those words, Chloe stomped away from the Torch office. There was nothing for her to say. She could not bear to look at either of those two. They fully deserved each other. She hated the tears that started overflowing from her eyes and she hastily wiped them away. She had to find someone to talk to. Chloe ran to the bleachers to look for Pete. When she reached the field, her other best friend was right in the middle of practice. Her chest was so tight that she felt it would explode.

Her two best friends were otherwise occupied by people and things they loved. Chloe had never felt more alone in Smallville, not even that day when she first arrived with no one but her father to cling to.

She looked up at the late afternoon sun and decided that missing the last period was justified in her case. She had to get out of school and get as far away from Lana and her manipulative backstabbing as possible. Chloe needed someone who would listen.

Since the bus wouldn't be available for two more hours, Chloe decided to hike. She flung her bag on her shoulders and made her way to the only person she knew would listen.

How many times had he promised to since they met? Chloe had lost count of the frequency when Lex would end an email with the words, 'I'll just be right here waiting.' When he used to call her from boarding school, he always assured her at the end of the conversation, 'Just call me collect. You know you can always talk to me.' Over the years she had never taken him seriously on the offer. Now the most precious thing in the world to her, her identity in this small town really, had been stolen from her by the same person who was slowly but surely stealing her Clark away from her. It was time to cash in on that debt of a listening ear.

Before she realized how much time had passed, Chloe was in front of the Luthor castle and under the evening sky. She rapped the large brass knocker and was admitted almost immediately. Because she was such a regular visitor, the housemaid did not bother to lead Chloe to Lex. She always made her own way around the house.

She took a deep breath and searched her brain for some snarky comments to throw at Lex for leaving her out of the gala in Metropolis. True, she had always complained that she never enjoyed those parties and that she preferred haunting the Luthor Hall of the museum in the privacy of having one close companion. Inviting Lana and Clark was underhanded though. She did not care that Lex thought that she was too good for Clark Kent when she wanted him.

Chloe may have come to Lex because she needed a shoulder to cry on, but she would not be caught dead unprepared to judo. She made her way to the study prepared to do some vocal exercise.

She opened the door to find Lex sitting in front of the fireplace, two square glasses of scotch on the low table beside him, tongue dueling with someone else. Chloe was transfixed by the sight of Lex with another woman. She did not know why she stayed for those several seconds when she should have walked right out. In hindsight, she thought that it was probably because she was giving Lex time to turn and notice her standing right there. In her previous experiences, Chloe would drop what she was doing when he seemed to need her company. And without fail, no matter how important a business call or a board meeting was, when he thought that it was serious, Lex would leave it and come to Chloe.

Chloe thought she appeared in pain enough that Lex would choose to come with her if he saw her over that woman's shoulder. But Lex never opened his eyes.

She had never seen Lex kiss before. He'd always been careful not to show her. Maybe he cared about the little kid too much.

She wasn't a kid now. Maybe that's the problem.

Chloe turned around and quietly closed the door after her. When she was leaving, the maid politely inquired about her visit with Mr Luthor. Chloe just shook her head and told her, "I changed my mind. I think Lex needs some time to himself."

~~

It was the way that Clark said it. That was what irked Lex the most. The way this boy who claimed to be a friend threw that statement, in an accusatory manner, grated on Lex's nerves. "He told me you have secrets."

Lex was a little taken aback. He never talked about those days. The only person he spoke about them to was Chloe, and not even very often. He only told her because she had been part of his life through all of it. He decided to talk the honest road. "There are parts of my life I'm not proud of, Clark." Lex wondered vaguely why he should be apologetic to a kid. 'Don't ever be ashamed of what happened, Lex. It's part of who you are now,' Chloe had always told him. Lex was aware of this. But somehow with Clark, he felt the need to prove himself. Maybe it was because the boy seemed so pure. But then again, didn't Chloe? "But I don't want to see you or your family hurt. Now let me help," he offered as sincerely as he could. They were a good family. Chloe took her first dinner in Smallville in that small dining table in their farm. Of course, she invited herself over but it was not the point.

To Lex's surprise, Clark turned him down. "You can't, Lex. I can handle it on my own."

Lex looked after the Clark's retreating back, crushed by the look on Clark's face. It was easy to read it. He didn't trust him because of Phelan's insinuations. Lex kicked the post beside him. He was sick and tired of this town judging him when they didn't know anything. He took his phone and dialed the person who did know and never once judged.

"Hello." He paused at the voice that he did not expect. "Lana, what are you doing answering Chloe's phone? Yes, I know it's the Torch office, but Chloe's permanently housed herself there that I always get her on the line." Belatedly, he realized his mistake and hurried to add, "The two times that I've called there looking for Clark." He listened to the explanation from the other line. "Kwan did that?" Lex frowned in concern. Why hadn't Chloe called him? She must have been so devastated. He made a mental note to speak with Kwan about possible donations that LuthorCorp may give to assist the students. All he needed was the right background. "That is cause for worry, especially with you students so young."

So when Lana asked him for an idea for the paper, Lex generously pitched in, "Write about your principal's meddling with the fourth estate. That should give him all he's looking for and you can express what you want to."

With Lana bent on finishing the editorial and banner story for Chloe's newspaper, Lex decided that he needed to find Chloe. Hopefully, he would get to talk to her before he had to leave for Metropolis to look at the investigations regarding intelligence that his prized Alexander the Great artifact was going to be stolen.

His cellphone beeped from his pocket. When Lex answered it, his heart dropped a little when he realized whom it was. He should have looked at the caller id first but he had been hoping that Chloe would call him and let him know that she was okay.

"What is it, Victoria?"

"Don't be rude, Lex," she drawled in her thick accent. There was a time that he found it alluring. Now it was only an impediment to his comprehension of what she was trying to say. "I wanted to know what time I should expect you tonight."

"I don't answer to schedules, Victoria."

"Fine. I wanted to let you know what your maid said though."

:If you can't handle the help, I will not handle them for you," Lex sighed, weary of catering to a houseguest when he had more important things that needed his attention.

"Oh but it's utterly delightful in an insulting way, Lex," she told him. "Your help found a charm jewelry outside the library door and thought that it was mine," the woman said snidely. "It's really not my style. Have you been entertaining kids in your house, Lex?"

Lex closed his eyes, remembering a birthday not too long ago for which he insisted on escaping the boarding house and gracing Metropolis to hand a blossoming young girl a silver bracelet that held a quill, a heart and a house.

'It's perfect, Lex! Now I have everything I want right on my hand.'

'Your wrist,' he had corrected.

'Oh don't be a dummy. You know I was speaking metaphorically.'

'Oh. Big word.'

'Of course.' A flash of a grin. 'I'm going to be a writer, didn't you know?'

'Why do you think the quill is there? But you were right. This is your lucky charm to find your perfect match.' He had pointed to each of the three charms when he told her. 'If he's perfect for you, you would know because he will give you his heart, a wonderful family and he will never keep you from your dreams.'

'His love and he'll let me pursue my passion. I got those. I thought by the house you meant a really nice house though,' she had teased.

'If he really loves you, he'll give you the best house in the world too,' he amended. 'If he won't, then you don't have to worry. I love you and I'll give you whatever kind of house you want.'

'Even yours?' the girl asked with a twinkle in her eye.

'Even that.'

Lex could feel the intense throbbing of his head that made him want to drop in his bed and just erase the past 48 hours from his brain. Chloe had seen him with Victoria.

fin