A/N - Ok, I guess I'll give you a 4th of July gift and post this chappy. It's much longer but I think what everyone has been waiting on. Crazychica, yes there is a little mention for you too. I'm just psychic that way. Anyway, please also read Untitled and see if you can figure out what is going on there. I've got a good start on that story and need some insight, although everyone is leaning to Chlex. What a shocker. :) r/r thanks!
Chapter 18 – The New Lex Girl
Chloe stared into space as she paced in the waiting room of the Luthorcorp building. She had been there so many times and yet had never taken in the cold bareness of it all. The building was literally steel and glass – no carpet even it seemed. How dank. She bit her lower lip as she flipped her phone opened and closed to check the time. He's late – really late. She sat down and closed her eyes, thinking that she had been stood up. This seemed to happen to her a lot but was more used to Clark doing it. Lex she never would have expected to wash out on a date so casually; then again, he had irritated enough women in the same manner as to never calling them again. "Five more minutes," she said to herself.
"Then I'm glad I made it," Lex said leaning against the doorway of the hallway. Chloe turned her head to see Lex in a perfectly black, perfectly fit tux. He walked over and took her hand. Chloe wore a simple emerald green strapless dress. Nodding his head and taking a breath, "you are … stunning beyond belief. Too beautiful for words."
Chloe's smiled widened, "You're forgiven."
"Shall we?" he asked as he held his arm out for her. He was the perfect gentleman, holding the door open for her, keeping his hand carefully in the small of her back but careful not to touch too hard or to move too far south. Chloe wondered if this was how Lex had always been or if this was the new Lex that she was experiencing. She had heard about his playboy days where he was categorized as the definite love em and leave em type. "Hey? You still here?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking."
"About?"
"This evening. I've never gone to anything quite like this." Lex moved across the seat of the limo to sit next to her. She could feel her temperature rise as he brushed her leg.
"You're going to do fine – think, I'm the one that is going to one of these things and am not going to remember everyone. You're my eyes and ears, and my archive section as well."
"So, you're using me?"
"In the best way possible." Chloe rolled her eyes. Moving closer he slightly rubbed her bare arm with his fingers. "You're the best looking newspaper I've ever seen." She noticed him quickly move across the seat away from her knowing that he was about to get slapped but didn't get away fast enough.
"Don't complain – you know you deserved that."
"Yes, I did, but it was funny to see your face." Chloe grinned and shook her head. He was comfortable and relaxed. She had never actually felt so relaxed around anyone, even Clark. She sat back and listnened as Lex recounted the rememberance of Clark's helping him get out of the murder charge for the woman he had slept and casually dismissed. "I was a real jackass, at least when it came to women. I need to be for business but I guess since my parents didn't exactly show me the perfections of marriage, I have a warped perception of what love is."
Chloe sat and listened to his explanation for his past relationships. "You know that we always strive to be something other than what our parents were. Maybe now that you know where you were headed before, you can try another route." Lex looked at her and smiled.
"You have no idea." Lex touched her hand and glanced up as the limo stopped in front of the Metropolis Art Museum. "You ready – to get your picture taken? I know you work at the Planet – now you'll be on the cover without writing a word." Chloe's eyes grew, realizing that she was with him. She had somehow forgotten that regardless of his memory loss that he was still Lex Luthor and would still be popular tabloid, news fodder.
Taking a deep breath, Lex opened the door to a barrage of flashbulbs going off as papers from all over snapped pictures of the elegantly dressed billionaire and his woman friend. She listened to reporters scream at the two of them, "How are you feeling; have you got all your memories back; are you selling Luthorcorp; who's your new girlfriend?"
Chloe stopped briefly and choked on those words. Lex moved her arm closer to his side as he looked down over his shoulder at her. Girlfriend – he had heard it also. He knew that she had heard and was nervous about his response, if any. He gently smiled at her and waved once for the cameras as he silently led Chloe into the museum entrance without saying a word to the reporters. "I'm sorry about all that – comes with the territory. Besides, if you want to say anything about us or my condition, we'll come up with something because I am pretty sure that they're going to ask you on Monday at the Planet."
Chloe glanced at him in understood response. "Lex what would we say?"
"Throw them for a loop – tell them we're dating." Lex smiled. "Come this way – I've got to meet some people from the board that are over there." Chloe followed him through the crowd of people as she thought about what he had just said.
Dating? Us? Are you kidding? He's not kidding.
"Chlo?" Chloe and Lex both turned as a woman a few years older than Chloe came walking quickly across the museum hall and grabbed Chloe around the neck. "Chloe, I have wanted to call you and get together but I have been so busy. I got a job at the Planet! We'll be working together! Isn't that great?!"
Almost not able to form words, she hugged the woman and looked at Lex. He stared at the woman and realized she was the one he had seen in the picture at his and Chloe's wedding. Clearing his throat, "Lex Luthor," he announced, offering his hand. "And you are?"
"Lois Lane, I'm Chloe's cousin." Lois answered and looked at Chloe. "Wow – you hit the jackpot this time cuz." Chloe halfway smiled as Lex played along and wrapped his arm around Chloe's shoulders.
"Lois is it? So what are you doing now at the Daily Planet?" Lex offered the women to move in front of him to find a place to talk.
"I'm on the bottom rung of the reporting pool. You know the gossip pages and I guess I know what I have to write about tomorrow." She snickered. "So, are you guys really a thing or is this for the publicity?"
Chloe and Lex looked at each other with questioning glances. Lois obsevered the strange reponse. Chloe finally chimed in, "I guess you could say we're close friends spending the evening together." Secretly Chloe hoped that wasn't the case as she looked at Lex who nodded in agreement. Hearing those words, his heart sank.
"Excuse me ladies, I need to go mingle." Lex squeezed Chloe's hand and walked off as Chloe watched him leave. Lois watched Chloe's eyes and the smile that crept across her face.
"You know, everyone in this room is watching one couple here tonight and if you don't put away the puppy dog eyes and the 5th grader crush look, everyone here will have their headline printed before you two call it a night." Chloe snapped back to the conversation realizing that Lois was completely right. She and Lois went and sat down at a far table and talked as Chloe kept an eye on Lex, just in case he ran into trouble during the evening.
Lex, on the other hand, seemed to fit in perfectly. Chloe had always known that Lex was a smooth operator when dealing with business moguls and celebrities but had never had the ability or the chance to see him in his element. He worked the floor, shaking hands and making stale conversation with people effortlessly, as if he was simply floating from one place to another. Occasionally he looked over at her and Lois and raised his glass to acknowlege that he had still come with her. Lois watched his movements and secret moments with Chloe in earnest.
"You know you must mean more to him than just a friend."
"Why do you say that?"
"I've been to these parties with Lex Luthor and his dates. He never acknowledges whomever he comes with. He usually sticks her on the wall with the rest of the plastic people and circulates the room just to pick her up in time to take her god knows where to do something I don't want to picture."
Chloe angrily huffed in the response. "He's not exactly that kind of person anymore; at least I haven't seen it. Besides, I don't think I rank as one of the plastic people." Chloe glared at Lois after to her response. She defended him and didn't want to hear anything negative about her man. Her man – did she just think of him as her possession. Now she understood how Lex felt about women.
Lois cleared her throat as Chloe looked up next to her chair.
"Hey, I have some people I want you to meet. Will you excuse us?" Lex took Chloe's hand and nodded as a thank you to Lois, who observed the rest of the room once again watching to see what move he made. The people at this party were used to the normal Luthor move – the entrance, the casual discussion, the grand exit – and this was to be the exit. Lois watched as the people in the room gawked at what looked like Lex Luthor not leaving but introducing Chloe.
"Sir, this is Chloe Sullivan, my date. Chloe, this is Representative Mayer from the 4th district. He and I were talking about the plant in Smallville switching over its production to solar power as a pilot project for energy conservation and pollution reduction."
"Nice to meet you," Chloe politely remarked as she shook the Representative's hand. Looking at Lex and listening intently to the two men, she interjected. Eyes from the immediate area grew wider in response to her entering a Luthor led conversation. "I think that would be a marvelous idea. I know that Senator Kent would be interested in becoming involved in anything that would lessen the environmental effects of the plant on his constituents. You may be able to use him to get your idea in the works and maybe if successful convince the state to move toward a new energy goal."
She glanced around the room and saw the myriad of faces looking at her as if she had lost her mind. She looked up at Lex who's face was somewhere between surprised and interested. She took a deep breath and grimly smiled at the Representative. After taking a drink of his champagne, Representative Mayer cleared his throat and spoke, "Mr Luthor, I'm dutifully impressed." Slapping Lex on the arm he continued, "You know if you keep ones like this one around, you might be able to charm your way into office after all. Give my office a call on Monday and we'll work up a meeting with Senator Kent to get the ball rolling." He took Chloe's hand and lightly kissed the top of it. "Miss Sullivan, it has been a real pleasure." He walked off as people continued to gawk at the couple and wondered what kind of secret tirad would begin.
"Sorry Lex, the reporter in me just kind of switched on and…"
"It's ok," he answered as he took her arm in his. "Actually, I was impressed." He continued with her through the room as people parted ways to let them through, watching the exchange in awe. Leaning over he whispered, "I think we may make the perfect team."
Chloe shivered as he whispered in her ear, not knowing if it was because of his words or the act in general. They continued to the bar area and ordered a drink. Chloe was nervous as she was not obviously 21 but this was Lex Luthor. "Lex,"
"Don't worry about it." He let go of her for the moment and waited patiently as a bartender noticed that he was waiting too long. "No rush – I need a Carl Jung Rose and a Scotch Cooler." He turned back to Chloe as she looked worried. "Don't worry. You'll like it."
Chloe nodded knowing regardless what he had just ordered her that she would have to like it since it was Lex Luthor. She watched as the bartender disappeared and didn't return for a few minutes. "Lex, where did he go?"
"My guess is to the liquor store down the street," he giggled as he thought about what he had ordered. As Chloe shook her head and giggled in return, she watched the bartender uncork the brand new bottle of wine and pour a touch in a glass for Lex. De-alcoholized, she read the bottle. Lex looked at the glass and tasted it. Handing her the glass, he asked, "Try it."
Chloe sipped on the glass and smiled. "That's really good." He handed the glass to the bartender as he produced a clean full glass of the pink wine for Chloe. Moments later he returned with Lex's full bodied drink that made Chloe want to fall over from just the smell.
"Keep yours close to you – mine's a little strong for you." Lex turned and offered her an arm.
"You sent that guy on a mission for something non-alcoholic for me."
"Yes, but the next time we're at a function together, they will know better and already have it stocked behind the bar. Come on, I want to show you off to a few more people." He put his hand in that small of her back, the place she liked it, and led her through the throngs of watching eyes.
Next time? Show me off? Chloe suddenly realized that she wasn't one of his normal trophy pieces but someone he actually planned to have around for a little longer. She felt her heart skip a beat as they toured the room.
The two stayed well into the evening visiting with other government bigwhigs and businessmen. They made a brief stop to shake hands with Jonathon Kent and mention the amicable meeting for Monday, which Jonathon was, as Chloe suggested, very interested in attending. Chloe carried herself gracefully from person to person, learning to talk when glanced at and when to just listen on Lex's arm. She slightly yawned in between two introductions, which Lex spied.
"You ready?" She looked at him as he took her glass and returned both to a waiter skirting around the now half empty room. "Let's go." Lex walked her out to the car and held the door open for her as a few stray photographers took pictures of the not so grand exit.
"Lex," Chloe let out as she yawned again. "I don't want to go back to the dorm. Lana's gone and …"
"And what?" Lex quietly questioned hoping he knew the answer already. He put his arm around her as she melted into the crook of his shoulder.
"Don't want the evening to end. Thank you for tonight."
Lex held her in his arms and hit the intercom button up to the driver. "The penthouse," he simply stated as he felt Chloe's breathing slow down. She was asleep. He looked at her face and kissed her forehead. "No, thank you Chloe."
Arriving at the penthouse, he motioned for the driver to help him with the doors as he took a private elevator up to the top floor. Carrying her into his apartment, he thanked the doorman and pushed the bedroom door open. Laying her limp and tired body on the bed, he removed her shoes and her necklace that he knew had bothered her all night because of the cost. He pulled back the covers and partially covered her body as he unzipped her dress and gently worked it up over her head. He laid her down and covered her in the silk sheets. Dimming the lights, he threw the dress over the chair in the corner and watched her.
"Lex," she mumbled as he saw her hand pop out from under the covers. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand.
"Go back to sleep. I'll be in the other room."
"No," she gripped his hand harder. "Come to bed."
Lex leaned over and whispered, "Are you sure? Chloe, the couch comes out."
Without letting go of his hand, Chloe slightly lifted her head and opened her eyes. "Come to bed."
She put her head back down, let go of his hand, and covered herself back up. Sighing, Lex moved quietly across the room and slipped into the closet to change. Chloe slightly lifted the sheets off her head and peered out as Lex walked across the room in his silk pajama pants and t-shirt to turn off the light. She tried to find him in the dark and slightly shook when she felt his body slide in next to her.
Wrapping his arms around her, he closed his eyes and whispered, "Goodnight."
"Godnight," she responded as she fell back to sleep with her arms encircled in his. Lex watched as her breathing again fell into a slow pattern and closed his eyes. He breathed in her sweet vanilla scent. He strangely didn't need any more than this. Her presence. He remembered from his past the many times he had come to the penthouse with other women, losing clothes and inhibitions before even getting to the bedroom. Yet, this time he just needed this. He was happy…happy with just her light touch on his arms and her body curled warmly into his.
He took another breath before falling asleep and murmured, "I love you."