"LEX!" Chloe yelled at the top of her lungs, bursting through the library doors with two of Lex's bodyguards trying to hold her out.

"Lex, I know you're here." she yelled again.

"Miss Sullivan please. Mr. Luthor…" one of the guards took hold of her arm, trying to force her from the mansion. She jerked backwards, face flushed in anger. "I'm not leaving until I talk to Lex."

The other guard opened his mouth to protest, but Lex's voice from the upper level stopped him. "Hans, it's alright."

All three occupants of the room watched Lex as he descended the stairs. The guards slipped seamlessly from the room, leaving Lex and Chloe alone. A part of Lex couldn't help wishing they'd stayed. He heard the fury in Chloe's voice, fairly felt it radiating off her. He wasn't eager to hear what she had to say.

Lex approached her slowly, cautiously, working in his head an answer for whatever accusation she might throw his way…

…and stumbled backwards against his desk when Chloe's fist connected with his jaw.

He raised a hand to his mouth where the blood had started to trickle slowly.

"You lied to me." she said, rubbing her sore hand.

He frowned, and walked past her to the bar. Silently, he put filled two glasses with ice and handed her one. "For your hand." he explained at her confused look.

Settling back in his desk chair, he fixed Chloe with a cold look, holding the glass to his lip. "So, what did I lie to you about this time?"

"Lena."

The single word hung in the air, not even broken when Lex's glass fell to the floor, shattering across the wood.

"What about her?" he choked out.

Chloe heard the pain in Lex's voice, the torment that she hadn't known existed. His eyes reflected the terror of what she would say when Lex found out she knew. It was almost as if she could hear the thudding of his heart as he awaited her answer. In that moment she knew; Lex had wanted to tell her. But something, something bad, had forced his silence. She seriously doubted her decision to confront him. Maybe if he didn't know that she knew…

"You know, don't you?"

Chloe looked into Lex's eyes, swimming with fear and regret and wondered briefly if she could lie to him. If she should. But as always happened, her heart got the best of her and she felt tears stinging her eyes. Lex was on his feet and beside her before the first one slipped down her cheek.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.

"She made me promise." Lex knew in his heart that didn't make it right. But he was clutching on to the hope that if he made he see that it wasn't his doing, that he had wanted to tell her, maybe she could forgive him.

"Why? What happens that's so terrible you have to keep it from me?"

Lex felt his heart breaking a million times as the tears streaked down Chloe's face. Proof of his betrayal. Reinforcements of the knowledge that he would never deserve her.

"Chloe," he said thickly, hating himself before he said it, "I can't tell you."

Chloe felt the words like a blow to the stomach. He didn't trust her with the truth. Even after everything they'd been through he didn't believe in her ability to care for him. Fresh tears gathering in her eyes, she turned to leave. Lex put a hand on her arm, a silent plea for her to stay.

"I can't." she whispered. "I can't stay here a second longer knowing that you don't trust me."

"I do. Chloe, I've never trusted anyone more than I do you." he pleaded, floored at the idea.

"Then why can't you tell me?"

"I want to keep you safe." Lex said simply.

"Safe doesn't matter much if you don't know what to protect yourself from."

Lex cautiously took hold of her hands in his, looking down at them. They were so much smaller than his. The wave of protectiveness he had always felt foe he washed over him anew.

"Chloe, do you believe that I would do anything to keep you safe?"

"Yes." she answered without hesitation.

"Do you trust me?" That was harder to answer. She knew instinctively that Lex would never deliberately put her in any danger, and he would risk his life to keep her from harm if need be. But there were things he couldn't, wouldn't, tell anyone. It was hard to trust someone who had secrets that they could never, ever share.

"I don't know Lex." she finally said. "Sometimes I do. Others…"

He held his breath, fearing her response.

"I want to. So much." By this point she had moved closer to him, resting her head against his chest, her cheek directly over his pounding heart.
She listened intently, liking the evidence that he was so human touching her.

"Then trust me when I say that I'm just trying to keep you alive."

Alive.

Chloe's head shot up at the word and Lex's eyes widened in the realization that he'd given everything away. "Chloe, I…"

She placed her fingers against his lips, cutting off his reply. She didn't need to know anymore. Lex had promised her once to do everything in his power to keep her alive. It was a promise he'd taken to heart, and he intended to hold up that promise still. Had he just said safe again, she wouldn't have thought twice about walking away then and never seeing him again. But 'alive.' She was in danger, or would be. And more than anything, Lex would fight to keep her alive, even if it meant fighting her.

Chloe placed her cheek back against his heart, and wrapped her arms around his waist. Lex stiffened at her tender gesture before reciprocating. It was beyond heaven for him to finally be able to hold her like this. But the pain was there. He had now, only now. He'd promised Lena he would give her up. He intended to keep that promise. His daughter was giving her life to spare him the pain of losing Chloe forever. He refused to let her sacrifice be in vain.

Gently, he pried Chloe's arms from his waist, pushing her just slightly backwards so he could look into her eyes. "I think it's best if you leave now."

"Lex…"

"Please…don't argue with me. I really don't think I can take it right now."

Chloe nodded. "This isn't over yet. We have to talk about this."

"We will." he promised.

She walked to the door, but stopped when her hand was on the knob. She turned back and came back to stand in front of him. Confusion and longing swirled in his eyes as Chloe tentatively placed her palm against his cheek. Slowly, she leaned up on his tip-toes and brushed her lips softly against his. "Thank you." she whispered. Then she was gone.

………………..

A/N: I don't really like the way this chapter turned out. I think I may redo it when I have the time. When I update again I was thinking of nice, big fight chock full of angsty Chlexy tension. Anybody interested?