A/N - I will try to update soon, but we are vacationing this week. So, I'll let you sit on this for a bit. I'm so evil.

Chapter 20 – Over Before It Begins

Chloe,

Sorry I had to leave but I had an early meeting that I scheduled with someone last night. You may stay as long as you like – make yourself at home. Call downstairs when you are ready to leave and someone will drive you back to campus. I'll call you.

Always,

Lex

He left the note on the pillow beside her hoping she would see it. He didn't want to leave things that way but felt he didn't have much of a choice. As he moved about the room quietly getting dressed, he watched as she slept, stopping several times just to gaze at her. It was for the best. She was young and vital – she could have the career and the happiness and never have to suffer without him. His father was right – he, like his father, was destined to be alone. Alone and powerful. He hoped she wouldn't hate him for it in the long run. He leaned over and kissed her cheek and quietly closed the door behind him.

Chloe woke with the sun streaming in the large industrial windows. She squinted as she slumped out of bed and pulled the drapes closed. Turning back to the bed, she realized where she was and looked around. Noticing the note, she fell back into the bed and read it. Lex left her without saying goodbye. She knew that he had a pattern and figured he usually didn't leave his dates to hangout at his place at their choosing. She folded the neatly written note up and shoved it in her purse. She got dressed, called for a ride, and left the building.

Three days went by and nothing. She understood he was busy as was she but not even a 'hi' over the phone. Getting concerned, she decided to call him instead.

"Hi, is Mr. Luthor in? This is Chloe Sullivan," she professionally spoke as she waited for a response. She was on hold for several minutes before the polite man came back onto the phone.

"Ma'am, he's not taking any calls at the moment."

Chloe thought quickly at the statement and pondered, "When will he be available?"

"Ma'am, I'm not sure but he says he is not available."

"But you said at this moment?"

The butler became irritated. "Ma'am, I will give him the message and hopefully he will get back to you when he is able." The man hung up the phone as Chloe stared at the other end of the phone.

Did I just get Dr. John'ed by the help? She sat on her dorm bed and continued staring at the phone. I thought we had a good time – he was sincere – he said next time – what the hell happened here?

Chloe pulled the note out of her purse and reread it. She wondered if the note had really been a copout all along. Did he really have a meeting or was that just an excuse? Well Luthor, you'll find out that I am not one of your plastic dates that can take and leave it. Picking up her purse, she stormed out of the door.

Lex stood in the middle of the basement of the mansion as the men in neatly tailored suits with clipboards walked around the large room inspecting and tagging artifacts as he watched. Occasionally, one man would come and ask small details about each item. Lex remembered nearly all the events that had been lost, including moving into the mansion. Since leaving Chloe that morning, he had also regained the knowledge of Lana and him. He sat down in the corner of the basement and recounted the night of the Senate race. He had kissed her – he remembered that – and although she hadn't completely shot him down, she had been hurt, or maybe more shocked at his advance. He shook his head, realizing that would have never worked. And now she was gone anyway.

"Lex!" Chloe yelled across the room as she pounded her way across the basement.

Lex took a exhaled deeply and composed himself. Even angry she still made his heart jump. "Can I help you Chloe? I'm kind of busy – Pei said that he explained I was unavailable." Lex passed her and started walking back to the middle of the room and attempted to look busy.

"Yeah, I got that part – so exactly how unavailable are you?" He heard the indignation in her voice, and it crushed him. He closed his eyes to attempt to block out his feelings.

"Chloe," he spoke softly, consciously avoiding taking her in his arms, "I'm simply getting ready to move and there's a multitude to do. Mrs. Kent is upstairs working right now to get the final arrangements made for the open house for the realtors to take pictures and set up plans for rentals."

He watched as Chloe's face changed from irritation to concern. "You're still planning on moving?"

"I didn't think that was really up for discussion." Lex walked up to the curator in charge of the auction and mumbled a few words to him before exiting up the stairs. Chloe watched and then quickly followed behind him. He could hear her footsteps in time but just behind his. He continued walking until he reached his bedroom and halfway closed the door. He heard the door bounce off her foot, and he knew that she wasn't letting go that easily.

"Lex?"

"What do you want me to say? I'm moving. The end." Lex turned and looked at her. He barely could hold back his desire to tell her why.

Chloe stood in the middle of his room and looked around. This was his haven, one that now she wished she could have gotten to know. The room that she didn't even know if Lana had graced. The room that evidently she would never get to stay in, unless she paid to. She looked at him sadly – he was so good to her, so happy that night when they were together, she was so sure – sure that he loved her as much as she loved him. She loved him.

"Lex," she whispered across the room, watching Lex pulling other smaller objects out of the closet. "What did I do?"

"Nothing. I just have been really busy and figured you were in school."

"I've got pretty good instincts Luthor. I'm a big girl and I have been dumped before." Chloe put her bravest face on hoping he would buy it. She was able to hide it so easily from Clark, who was still enamored with the brunette but Lex was a different kind altogether.

Lex whipped around and stood in the closet doorway. "You think I'm trying to avoid you?"

"Yes."

Lex partially laughed and grinned at her. He knew how he felt and this was getting harder now seeing how she felt. She was fighting for him. "No, Chloe, I would never do that – I'm your friend." He got the courage to take her by the arms and smile his best crooked smile. "Truly."

Chloe bit her bottom lip in frustration. "Well, I see you've finally gotten all those old Luthor traits back. I had at least hoped that you would get over bold face lying to people that you supposedly cared about but I guess that's just ingrained in the blood running through those cold pipes of yours."

Lex swiftly removed his hands and shuddered. "That's not fair. You have no idea what I'm going through," he gruffly answered her.

"Yeah, I don't. And you don't seem to want me to help either," she raised her voice as she threw her purse in the chair. He watched as she pulled out the small note he had left her. "And this little copout - always? You could have signed it never and it would have at least told me where we stand."

"It's a salutation – that's it." He turned and took another deep breath. Turning back around to face her, he raised his chin and continued, "We had a great night – you were amazing with those people but I have to find my way on my own now. I remember almost everything but I have to leave here and find myself."

Chloe crossed the room to him, "So, you're telling me that all that about playing it up that I was your girlfriend, and going out next time was all talk?" Lex didn't answer but stood and stared at her. "Perfect, I was the next Lex girl for exactly 6 hours, unless of course you are counting the overnight stay in those hours. I don't like being used. I got enough of that from Clark – his second hand when Lana wasn't available. You know I expected better from you Luthor. I thought you might have changed; you're just as insensitive as you ever were – you just can't hide it as well as you used to."

Chloe turned, grabbed her purse, and started out the door. Lex watched as she headed down the hall and turned the corner. He closed his eyes, slammed his fist into the bedpost and quickly paced down the hall. Cutting through the office, he cut her off at the main hallway to the front of the mansion.

"What? You want to insult my intelligence anymore because frankly I'm not sure if I can take anymore today. Thank you," Chloe choked out as she raised her arm to push his out of the way and felt him tense up.

"I'm sorry. Really, I didn't mean to blow up at you. And that night, I guess I got caught up in the moment – I didn't mean to give you a false sense of hope." He gazed at her and felt his heart die. Lifting his chin, he removed his arm and stood tall. Chloe looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"You are such a liar – I wonder if you've ever been honest with anyone, especially yourself." He saw her tear up just before she walked out the front door. He leaned against the wall and sighed as he rubbed his head with his hands. He was now alone.