Part 4: Ashes, ashes

"It's all a test and they continue to be clueless..."

Chloe didn't respond, her eyes never leaving the computer monitor before her, her hands flying over the keyboard without a hitch. He would have thought she hadn't heard him if not for the tension in her shoulders, her eyes suddenly squinting in annoyance. He sighed resignedly, moving to stand behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders gently.

"They move like pawns – just as predictable and gullible as always." He smirked.

She tried to shrug his hands off, "Don't touch me."

"Now Chloe, don't be like that..." He murmured smoothly, gently massaging her shoulders. "You know it's all for the greater good and there's no reason for you to be upset."

"Lex, I really don't have time for this right now, so save your games for someone more willing to play along." Chloe pushed her chair back, forcing him to release her shoulders and back away from her. She stood up and whirled on him, her eyes glittering angrily as she continued. "As if things aren't difficult enough, you decide to go out of your way to fuck with my reality."

He looked at her quizzically, scowling faintly as he watched her, "And how exactly have I fucked with your reality?"

She glared at him accusingly, "I finally have someone I can confide in, someone willing to listen to my hopes, my belief in you and us – regardless of the mess we constantly make of our relationship – and you go and fuck it up!"

Lex scoffed at her, "Fuck it up? What exactly did I unknowingly fuck up?!"

"Lois." She stated flatly.

Lex rolled his eyes at her mockingly, "And what does Lois have to do with anything?"

"Lex, I can understand you not wanting to listen to Lois and her inconsequential lecture on elections and other such trivialities, but I like to think name calling is a little beneath you."

"Name calling? I didn't call Lois names!"

"A muffin peddler, Lex – you called her a muffin peddling college drop out!" she wailed, pacing back and forth before him, her hands flying through the air in emphasis, "I mean seriously, of all the insulting things you could have said you chose to insult her educational woes and career status, or lack thereof in this case! Goddamn it, Lex, you could have been nice and called her a nosy bitch, or a lazy trollop or something equally trite and forgivable, but noooo, Lex Luthor had to bite where it would hurt the most and now I'm stuck wi—"

Chloe stopped short, glaring at Lex as he chuckled. "Lex, it's not funny." She said, crossing her arms over her chest in disapproval. "The one person I had on my side is now pissed at you and looking for revenge."

"Well, let her have her revenge. I'm sure I can handle whatever the muffin peddler throws at me." He said dryly, leaning against the desk behind him. He looked around, pausing on the flowers on Chloe's desk. "Something you'd like to tell me?" he asked coolly, effectively changing the subject.

"Thank your father." She answered, rolling her eyes in distaste. "He seems to believe I actually welcome such acts of kindness on his part. I'm starting to think he's completely lost his mind."

"Lost his mind?" Lex looked at her thoughtfully, "What gives you that idea?"

"Uh, first off, he seems to believe I've completely forgotten about the fact that he tried to have me killed. And it appears rather strange that he's feeding me information regarding you without any concern about my not –" Chloe paused abruptly, her brow furrowing as realization lit her eyes.

"Fucking…I can't believe I've been so stupid…" she muttered. "If not before…certainly…that rotten, motherfucker…"

Lex stared at her strangely, "Chloe…are you all right?" he asked worriedly.

Chloe looked at him, her eyes boring into his, "He knows, Lex – he knows and he's just been playing with me." Chloe walked towards him, stopping in front of him and placing her hands on his chest, leaning into him. "This is just another one of his…games…" she whispered, glancing over her shoulder suspiciously. "He's probably watching us now…"

Lex grunted, rolling his eyes dubiously, "Come on, Chloe. How could he know? He's barely been around lately and we've always been very careful about our behavior in public."

Chloe stared up at him incredulously. "Lex, I can't believe you'd continue to underestimate you father after all of the underhanded shit he's done in the past." She shook her head at him disbelievingly, "He knows everything…I don't know how, but he knows…"

"Chloe, I think you're being paranoid," Lex began, only to have Chloe interrupt him.

"No, Lex, I'm not being paranoid, you are just being foolish." She turned around, putting her back to him as she continued to mutter to herself. "He's up to something…"

Lex bit back a groan, reaching out and grabbing her by her shoulders and pulling her back against him. He wrapped his arms around her, lowering his head to nuzzle her neck affectionately as he rubbed his pelvis on her ass. He tightened his hold on her as she squirmed against him, trying to move away from him.

"Lex, stop that." She moaned, wrenching herself from his embrace and turning to face him. "We can't fool around here, so keep your hands to yourself."

Lex scowled at her, his displeasure obvious in his stance, his shoulders tense, his hands fisted at his sides. She smirked at him teasingly, waggling her eyebrows as she stared pointedly at the bulge in his pants. She snorted in amusement, "Lex, you really need to get control of that thing…"

His scowl intensified until he was glaring at her, "Well, typically I don't hear you complaining." He stated crossly, pushing away from the desk and moving to walk past her. "And since you obviously are in no condition to focus on me right now, I suppose I'll make myself useful and check out your theory on my father."

Chloe reached out, placing her hand on his arm to stop him, "Hey, don't be angry with me for being concerned about your father's motives concerning his possible knowledge of our relationship. We both have good reason to distrust him and even when things appear concrete, we know there are cracks in the foundation of every truth."

Lex placed his hand over hers, squeezing reassuringly as his gaze softened, "I know, Chloe, and I'm not angry. I'm frustrated with the fact I can't spend more time with you and I'm disappointed that I didn't consider the implication of my father's sudden interest in you."

He pulled her closer to him, not quite touching her but close enough so that she could feel the heat radiating off his body. "And I want you." He stated matter-of-factly, his eyes boring into hers, blatant lust taking her breath as he continued. "I want to strip you bare, rid you of everything but me – my body on yours, my hands on your skin, my mouth on your lips, my cock buried inside you…"

Chloe's lips parted on a gasp, her breasts heaving as she panted slightly from the desire coiling in her core. "Lex…" she breathed, "We can't…I want you…but…not here…"

Lex smirked at her knowingly, mentally reveling in her obvious physical reaction to his words. "I know, baby. That's why I'm going to amuse myself by picking my father's brain until you're free to entertain me." He cupped hr cheek briefly, stroking his fingers down her cheek lovingly. "Call me when you're ready."

Chloe nodded in silent agreement, unable to speak as his words resonated throughout her brain. She watched him leave, squeezing her legs together as her depths quivered in anticipation. She seated herself, putting Lex to the recesses of her mind as she entrenched herself in the task at hand.

Lionel. Luthor.

Lex looked up from his computer as Lionel walked into his office, his expression neutral and emotionless.

"You wanted to see me, son." Lionel stated, meeting Lex's gaze directly.

"Yes, that would be the point of the summons, dad…"

Lionel waited for Lex to elaborate for a brief moment, then "Well, get to the point, Lex, I haven't got all day."

Lex ignored him and stood up, moving around his desk and walking to the bar, "Would you like a drink….dad?" he asked mockingly, picking up the decanter and turning towards Lionel expectantly, "You might as well – this could take a while and it is some of the finest scotch in the world."

Lex didn't wait for him to respond, just poured the scotch into two glasses and carried them back to his desk, handing Lionel one and motioning for him to take a seat. "Please, dad, have a seat. I think we have some catching up to do." He said impassively, seating himself and eyeing his father as he reluctantly sat in the chair across from him.

They eyed each other for a few moments, Lionel skeptically, Lex thoughtfully. Finally Lex smirked, raising his eyebrows questioningly, "So…how've you been…dad?"

Lionel raised a brow at Lex condescendingly, his eyes shuddered and cool as he responded, "Lex, I don't know what's gotten into you, but please inform me of your reason for demanding to see me on such short notice. I'm a very busy man and I do not, for one second, believe you've had a sudden urge to bond."

Lex nodded sharply, "Fine, I'll get to the point." He sat up, leaning towards Lionel, "Explain to me your sudden interest in Chloe Sullivan." Lex watched him intently, searching for even the tiniest clue as to his father's motivation for seeking Chloe out after almost a year of disinterest.

Lionel blinked, "And what kind of interest might you be referring to?" he asked blandly.

"A source told me you've been sending her emails, you've phoned her and most recently you even brought her flowers." Lex's hands fisted unconsciously. "Surely, you must have a reasonable explanation for such attentions. An agenda, of sorts."

Lionel's eyes widened slightly, his gaze flickering to Lex's fisted hands, the obvious tension in his arms and shoulders, the clenching of his jaw. He snickered internally, relishing his son's blatant jealousy. He quickly schooled his features, his voice unwavering as he answered, "Can't I just be supportive without wanting anything in return?"

"No." Lex stated without hesitation, "You never do anything without some kind of selfish motivation."

"Lex…you wound me…" Lionel peered at Lex innocently, his gaze open and revealingly disguised.

Lex glared at him, shaking his head in disgust as realization dawned. Chloe was right. He sighed heavily, "How'd you find out, dad?"

"Find out about what?" Lionel asked ingenuously, his voice smooth and gratingly neutral.

"You know, so quit feigning ignorance and just tell me the truth." Lex looked at him pointedly, his gaze intent on his face as he waited.

Lionel smirked at him, "A business man never gives up his sources."

"Goddamn it, dad, if nothing else reassure me that you do not have the mansion bugged, or under surveillance or any other dubious activity that would put Chloe a risk."

Lionel shook his head in denial, "Nothing like that, Lex, I have no reason to keep tabs on you. I found out about your torrid affair completely by accident."

"By accident?" Lex asked skeptically, "And how exactly did you manage that?"

Lionel sat back in his seat, sipping his scotch leisurely as Lex watched him. He enjoyed his last few moments of having the upper hand, savoring the fine liquor as Lex stewed before him. "Someone happened to stop by the mansion one evening…"

Lex's eyes widened, anger simmering hotly in his gaze. "Someone?" he queried. "Someone stopped by the mansion and saw us together…doing what exactly?"

Lionel frowned slightly, "Let's just say, the soundtrack gave it away before she had to actually witness the act…"

"She –" Lex leaned forward, "Was it Lois?"

Lionel frowned again, "Lois? No, it wasn't Lois…"

Lex sat back in his chair, disappointment and mild confusion evident on his face. "So, someone showed up at the mansion and heard me and Chloe in an – intimate – situation." He scowled faintly, "How'd they know it was Chloe?"

Lionel squirmed slightly in his chair, raising a brow at Lex as he explained, "You said her name, Lex…quite heatedly and quite gutturally from what I was told. There was no doubt what-so-ever as to what you two were doing."

Lex ran a hand over his face tiredly, the sudden knowledge that more people knew about his and Chloe's so-called secret relationship momentarily stunning him. "And this someone, she, thought it necessary to seek you out?" Lex looked at him doubtfully, "Why is it I'm having a difficult time accepting this as being the truth?"

"I'm telling you the truth, Lex. She accidentally walked in on you and Miss Sullivan having an intimate moment in your study, and not knowing what else to do she sought me out to discuss it." Lionel shrugged, "I took the initiative to throw a few bones to Miss Sullivan in the off chance she would bite – as a way to test her devotion to you."

"First of all, dad, I don't need you testing Chloe's devotion to me and second, I don't appreciate the implication behind you doing so." He gritted, "Now tell me who else knows about my relationship with Chloe."

"I don't think that's a good idea…"

"And why not?" Lex asked incredulously.

"Because there's no point in your knowing," Lionel stated, "She's not going to say anything to anyone and I wouldn't want you and Chloe acting embarrassed around her."

"Dad, tell me or else I will not be held accountable for my actions." Lex ground out menacingly.

Lionel sighed in exasperation, "Seriously, Lex, what does it really matter?"

"Dad…"

"Fine, if you must know I'll tell you, but I really don't understand why it means so much to you. You'll only be discomfited by the knowledge anyway."

"Tell. Me. Now." Lex gritted.

"You really need to learn the difference between relevant information and too much information Lex, but don't say I didn't warn you." Lionel paused, taking a deep breath, "It was Martha."

Lex blinked. "Come again?"

Lionel rolled his eyes at Lex condescendingly, "I said, it was Martha…Martha Kent overheard you and Chloe in your study…"

Lex stared at him, his mouth open slightly in shock, his brow furrowed in disbelief. Lionel shook his head, tsking at him disapprovingly, "I told you, son. Learning the limits of TMI is a very delicate thing…"

Lex barely heard his father muttering to him. His brain was overloaded, his emotions battling for supremacy, anger, resentment, embarrassment. Not for himself but for Chloe.

He knew he had to tell her.

Knew how humiliated and crushed she would be.

Knew their relationship – once thought to be untouchable– would never be the same.