Chapter 13 – Unwinding
Martha and Jonathon sat at the kitchen table when Lex walked in. "Where is she?" They pointed in the living room. The Kents excused themselves and headed out to give the two some privacy. Lex walked into to see her putting her phone back in her purse and picking up her coat. "Where are you going?"
"I gotta get back to the Talon – I'm tired." Lex watched as she passed him up without making eye contact. Grabbing her arm, he breathed in the scent of her hair and closed his eyes.
"Why are you lying to me?"
"What makes you think I'm lying to you?" She looked up at him and pulled away from his grip.
"Because according to everyone, I made lying an art form and you're not making eye contact with me. What's going on?"
"I told you." Chloe started passing into the kitchen as Lex put his arm across the doorway to cut her off. Looking up at him, she rolled her eyes and grimaced. "Get out of my way."
"No, you lied to me – now be honest and I'll move." Taking her by the hand, he reluctantly led her back over to the couch and sat next to her. "What's up?"
Chloe took a deep breath and stared into the empty fireplace. "I'm just stressed out I guess. I'm trying to help you and stay in school and balance everything."
He knew what she meant by everything. She saw the Lana move a few minutes earlier and was worried that she was suddenly in the same place that she evidently had been between Lana and Clark. Even with her help, he hadn't had the courage to admit that her being in his life now was more important to him than ever. He watched as she found ways to avoid eye contact with him. She slightly jumped when he slid his hand over to her knee.
"Let's get destressed then." He saw her glance up at him. "Look, you have to be back in Metropolis for school and I need to get out of here, so let's go unwind tonight. My treat."
"Like a date?" Chloe bit her lip at her sudden slip of the tongue. She couldn't believe that she actually was falling for him. She wondered for a moment that the only reason that she was going after him was because she seemed to follow behind Lana for the same men. But she hadn't had any interest in Lex before or in Whitney. She swallowed hard realizing that Lex had yet to answer her but just leaned back in the couch and grinned. He had such a cute grin – just happy enough but always looking guilty of something – of course, this was Lex Luthor somewhere in there.
"If you want to call it that – come on." He took her hand and handed her purse to her.
"Where are we going?" she asked as she followed him out of the house.
"I don't know yet – follow me back to the mansion and we'll catch a flight to Metropolis. Thanks for dinner and I'll call you tomorrow," he hollered back to the Kents as he headed to his car.
He watched as Chloe hugged the Kents and Clark. Opening the door of the car, she looked at Lex, "Ok, I'll follow you."
Martha leaned over and asked Clark, "Where are they headed?"
"I don't know, but I seriously doubt back to the Talon." The three watched as the two cars tore out of the drive.
"This is incredible! I can't believe that you get to do this every day." Chloe was mesmerized trying to look out both sides of the helicopter. Lex reached over and put his arm across her front as she leaned over, worried that she would flip herself right out of the seat. Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, he signaled the pilot to make a couple more passes of the cityscape. He watched her contently as she slightly hopped up and down in excitement in her seat. "Thank you."
"You're welcome – this is nothing. The city is yours! So, what do you want to do?" He could see Chloe looking out over the city thinking of all the places she hadn't had the chance to visit since work and school had occupied so much time.
Chloe watched as Lex leaned back in the seat across from her, propping his ankle up on his knee. He was so casual, so relaxed. What had his father done to him to make him so uptight and angry those years in Smallville. She really didn't care but didn't want him to change. Pointing down, she saw he was pointing out the top of the Daily Planet building to her. Flipping the control on the headphones, he said something to the pilot and left her out of the loop. "What did you say?"
"It's a surprise." Chloe smiled as she felt the helicopter make a sharp turn and head out away from the city a bit.
Lex held his hand out for Chloe as she descended the stairs of the copter. "Here we are." Chloe looked up at him and grinned quizzically.
"You sure? I thought you said this was one of those memories you wanted to forget." Chloe took his hand as he led her away from the landing site and into the entrance. Chloe pulled closer to him as people started staring at the two. "Lex, they're staring."
"Yeah, they did that back when I was 15 too. But now I just don't care what people think." Chloe followed him contently through the crowd of gawkers as she and Lex made their way through the games and food booths. Pulling her into line, he noticed that the groups of people in front of them parted. "No, go ahead." Lex leaned against the chain divider as Chloe leaned against the opposite side of the railing.
"I guess they really expected that you would want to play your celebrity card."
Looking around, noticing that people still were pointing and talking about the two of them. "Yeah, I guess after always getting your way, it's hard to convince people you're not like that anymore."
"Come on Lex. You can't tell me that you're just going to give up everything that easily. I mean regardless of what your father may have taught you that was twisted." Chloe could feel her reporter instinct creep into her system wondering what Lex was up to. Was this really his new personality or just a confused cover? She was jolted back to reality when he put his hand gently against the small of her back and pointed that they were next. As she entered the small cage, she saw the 'old' Lex slip the operator a large cash bill as he told him to slow the ride down a bit. As they sat down, she continued, "so there's still some of the old you in there?"
Lex leaned over and concentrated on her question. "You're my confidant right? I had another episode today." Chloe leaned him to listen where he wouldn't have to talk too loud. She knew what he meant by episodes – he had been having moments of memories coming back that he couldn't shake or stop. They were random and triggered by nothing but just took over what he was doing at the time. "I remembered the reason for my father being in prison and everything you went through for me. I remember the trial, the safehouse accident, and how Clark was so angry at me for the lying. Looking back, I could have told him the truth and there would have been no problem. In fact, I could have probably gotten to you faster if I hadn't led him on a goose hunt. I almost got you killed." Lex paused.
"Is that it?"
Taking a deep breath, he took her hands in his. "It's just all coming back so fast. I mean in dreams in the middle of the day. I seem to turn a corner and have a new memory. The doctors weren't kidding when they said that it would happen in spurts. I guess I'll be back to normal before too long." Chloe's face dropped as sadness started to prevail. Lex took her by the chin. "That doesn't mean I'm going back to that man though. In fact, remembering who I was might help me make the right decisions this time."
"Yeah, I would like to suggest a few different decisions when you remember them." They both laughed and smiled at each other. The two stared at each other intensely trying to memorize the faces and the moment. "Hey, we're at the top."
Lex looked around and pointed out the downtown skyline. It wasn't quite the same from the Ferris wheel as the helicopter but it was more private. The two sat in silence looking out over the park and the city in the distance as Chloe realized that Lex had paid him to stop at the top. Nervously, she rubbed her thumbs together as she looked out of the cage. Lex watched her – his heart was beating so hard it hurt against his ribs. He swallowed and took a chance.
"I remembered something else." Chloe turned to listen to yet another story. She had her reporter face on and he hoped it would quickly fade. "I remembered our talks that summer. You were always trying to play one upmanship on me. How did that paper on the Civil War go?"
"I made an A."
"That's great – I told you I was right about Sherman."
"Actually, I used your opinions and my research to prove you wrong." Lex leaned back against the carriage and huffed. Shaking his head, he dismissed her remark by not responding. She smiled and lifted her chin in quiet triumph before staring back over the park.
"I remember more from that summer." He looked at the ground as Chloe turned to face him. Sitting across from him, she could see him deep in thought and waited. Lex swallowed and looked at her.
"What would that be?"
"I remember how I felt about you."
Chloe saw his face; she froze and felt her heart hit her throat. "How's that?" she calmly responded, trying to keep her composure.
Putting his head down, she could barely see him looking at her from facing the ground. His eyes just burned her. She was trying to being patient but he was killing her. He had said that he remembered how he felt, what is that?
"You were young and I was in all kinds of trouble, even with my father in jail. People hated me and you were …" Lex trailed off not making any sense. Chloe mused about the fact that Lex was actually without words for once. "I thought you were…" Lex took a deep breath and moved next to her. Chloe looked at him as she felt his arm slide around her waist. She closed her eyes at his touch as she felt his hand through her hair. He whispered in her ear, "I found someone I could really care about."
Chloe looked at him confused but happy nonetheless. She was expecting, hoping for something else but somehow the words came out very much like a Luthor, emotionless yet warm. She closed her eyes as he continued to run his hands through her hair and decided to let the moment pass. Lex gazed at her, watching her thoughts through her eyes. He cursed himself silently not able to tell the truth. Pulling her closer, he held her next to his chest, running his hands through her hair as he heard her sigh.
"Thanks for the evening, but how exactly am I going to get my car back?" Chloe asked casually as Lex walked her to the entrance of her dorm. They both giggled noticing all the other women around pointing and slightly snickering. Chloe looked at Lex and grimaced.
"Don't worry about them – they're just jealous. Anyway, I'll have someone drive it out and catch the helicopter back tomorrow. I'll call you when he gets into town." Lex paused knowing this was the end of the evening. He had tried to pour his heart out to her and knew that she at least on some level understood and reciprocated the feelings. Holding the door open for her, he battled in his mind on whether to kiss her goodnight. He wanted to just once more but his inner Luthor was creeping in and telling him no.
"Lex, it's ok. Just say goodnight," Chloe smiled and coolly spoke as she squeezed his hand.
"Goodnight," he quietly spoke as Chloe slipped her hand from his and closed the door behind her. She turned before getting on the elevator and waved just before he walked away. The rest of the women around the dorm watched the interlude and gawked as the billionaire casually walked off and started whistling.
Chloe quietly turned the key to the room and tiptoed around the room changing her clothes and putting her stuff away. Climbing into bed, she pulled the covers over her head and faded off to sleep with a smile on her face. Across the room, Lana laid in bed facing the wall with her eyes closed. Breathing in she could smell the scent that seemed to attach itself to everything it touched. Her chin quivered in disappointment as she realized that Lex had played her, had lied to her, and was really over her. He was with Chloe.