A/N - Ok, we have to solve a nagging issue of who the mother is. So bear with the next couple of chapters. They are not very Chlex but incredibly angsty. It's been raining non-stop here in Texas for four days and I'm depressed, hence the way the story goes. Tissues possibly needed. You've been warned. Shoutout to Westwingwolf for her little insight on South Carolina that I have stolen for this and a later chapter. BTW, I stole the title from a Kenny Chesney tune that got stuck in my head several days ago.

On the Coast of Somewhere Beautiful – Chapter 9

The two had virtually spoken not two words to each other the entire trip out to South Carolina. Just passing glances and stares. Chloe watched as Lex continued researching the island that they were about to head to. Occasionally, she could feel his stare penetrate her as she watched the world go by below the clouds.

"We're preparing to land." Lex leaned over and closed his laptop. Leaning back in the chair, he sighed. "I didn't mean for you to lie to Clark today."

"It's ok, after all the times he's done things to me, he had it coming." Chloe halfway smiled and somewhat jumped at the plane hitting the ground. "That was kind of a rough landing."

"Well, landing on a private airstrip is usually not maintained as well." Lex got up and grabbed his things, "Let's go check out Catherine's place." Chloe took his hand and felt another spark. It wasn't the time or the place to feel it – they were on assignment of sorts and if he found her – she would be all but forgotten anyway.

At the bottom of the stairs, a man from the resort met them. "I have heard that you have information for me on this woman." Lex handed the man the picture as he pointed them in the direction of a car. Entering the car, the man sat back.

"She came to us and checked in about three months ago. We haven't seen her around lately though. She stayed some time while she was obviously ready to give birth. She returned with a baby and had us set up a nursery for it but never spoke about it. She left a week and half ago, and we haven't seen her since, at least she hasn't needed anything from us. That's it. I'm sorry I can't help you anymore."

"So you don't know if she could be there or not?"

"No sir. From the few people on the beach, they said they haven't seen any activity from that particular house in the last week or so. Here are the keys." The manager of the properties handed Lex the keys and exited the car at the rental office. "Please just let us know if you need anything or when you are ready to leave."

Lex shook his head as the manager closed the car door. The driver continued down the small path and stopped at the end of the driveway. Chloe and Lex looked at each other and knew it was time to find out the truth. Opening the door, Lex helped her out of the car and looked at the two bedroom beach house that his son had lived in for the first two months of his life. "Here goes nothing," Chloe broke the silence.

The two walked up the steps of the house and watched the car pull away from the driveway. Lex set their two bags down. He had taken Chloe by Lois' to pick up some things in case they didn't make it back in time for nightfall. Chloe had secretly adjusted her thoughts when he suggested that they may have to spend the night together. She sighed in relief when she found that the beach house was two bedrooms.

Lex opened the door and looked around. It was the typical beach house with some nautical decorations adorning the walls. He passed through the living room and found the nursery that was still set up. The management would have never rented this unit out without redoing the room. The manager anticipated his return and left the place as is, probably to her request. Chloe followed him in and looked at the pictures on the wall. She and his son on the beach. It was something that Lex had never pictured seeing. She was peaceful. Closing his eyes, Chloe observed a soft smile creep across his face as he thought of being there with her.

Leaving the room, Chloe sat down on the couch and was sure if he found her that anything she had started feeling for him would be defeated. "What happened to you?"

"I just thought you needed a moment." She looked at him and noticed all the pictures from the wall were in his hand. Taking them from his hands, she put them in his bag. She watched him walk into the kitchen and fumble through the drawers and cabinets. Nothing, except for the typical kitchen utensils and a couple of ready to eat meals. The place was so perfectly clean.

Lex walked into the bedroom that opened to the beach. He went through all the drawers and closets to no avail. There was no sign of her. The trail was dead cold. "Find anything?"

"Nothing. Everything is gone; there's no sign any one was ever here." He walked out on the balcony and gripped the handrail, shifting his weight forward and back in frustration. Chloe walked up behind him and rubbed her hand down his back to comfort him. Not directly talking to her, he went on, "I was sure she wanted me to find her. Why would someone leave all the clues and the card if they didn't want to be found?"

"Maybe she changed her mind." Chloe looked into his eyes. He was confused. "Lex, maybe we should just let it drop. I know I led you on this chase, but maybe she was right and just wanted you to give your son a better life."

Lex shifted his weight quickly from her, almost angrily. Raising his voice, "Ok, then explain how someone who supposedly wants to give her child up to me because I can give him a better life, so she thinks, can afford to pay for a place like this. Chloe, this place runs a cool 1000 a week. She was here for three months. She wasn't exactly without means."

"Ok, let's try this from another angle. What did you find out when you got her bank files?"

Lex walked back through the bedroom and into the living room. Turning on the computer, he sat back and let Chloe obviously do what she was best at. She could break into his computer; he knew she was better at hacking into some bank records. He paced the floor of the living room and waited. Chloe tried to calm him by explaining that things take time, and he needed to calm down. She wasn't used to this. Clark was the person that ever been around when Lex lost it; she was almost afraid if she didn't find something, what he would do to her.

She watched as he disappeared back into the bedroom, obviously to vent silently to himself instead of continuing the scene in front of her. "Damn it," she said softly as she was continually locked out of the bank system. She continued trying her software program that she had hijacked from a computer friend, but it didn't work. The bank was covering their track quickly and as soon as she broke a code, it changed.

Lex leaned back on the banister and looked lazily inside the house, trying to figure what could have happened to her in just a week. Looking in the reflection of the sliding glass door, something caught his attention. A figure coming out of the corner of the reflection of the glass. He could tell she had stopped, noticing him. Lex didn't turn around; he was afraid she would run. "Chloe, I'm going downstairs," he called to the other room.

She heard him call her name but had no idea what he had said after that, so she walked into the bedroom. She went out on the balcony and saw his coat laying on a lone chair. Looking out over the banister, she watched as he descended the stairs. She finally noticed the woman at the other end of the beach, who was now walking away. Catherine. Her blonde hair and long flowing skirt blew in the wind as she turned away when she saw Lex.

Chloe descended the stairs and followed suit without Lex noticing her. The sand was incredibly thick in parts and she opted to lose her shoes. She briefly realized how difficult this was for Lex to move in his clothing. Looking up, Lex was running after the woman who was now running on the hard padded sand, but he was catching up to her quickly.

"Catherine, stop!" He called out to her as the woman insisted on running. Reaching out, he almost had her skirt tail.

Turning her head slightly, "You were supposed to leave me alone; that's all I asked of you." She turned back around just to feel arms grab her around the body and immobilize her.

"Stop. Just tell me why it has to be this way. We just came here to help – you wouldn't leave the trail if you didn't want the help." Lex was fighting her movements with all of his strength. She continued to flail her arms and feet every time he picked her off the ground.

"What trail? I tried to disappear but you're so damn insistent in making sure you know every detail about everything, you couldn't just resist. I wanted him to have a good life and," she stopped moving and Lex let her go, hoping he would never have to run like that again.

Leaning over and balancing his hands on his knees he panted, "and what?"

"To be left alone." She turned and now walked slowly up the beach as Chloe continued to now slowly plod up the wet sand.

Stopping where Lex was Chloe breathed, "I need your exercise regime." Lex motioned for her to follow him. They slowly stood up and followed her. Catching up to her, they wanted to both know why the disappearing act.

"Here's your answer," she panted as she continued walking. " I wanted our son to be safe and happy. At first, I was going to keep him here with me. It was peaceful but too expensive. Your father had told me in no uncertain terms that I was going to die because he knew I was feeding you information. When I found out I was pregnant, I tried to avoid you and your father in the courtrooms, but the partners sent me to see him once for the internship. You and I hadn't spoken for a month of that time and found it not an issue; you had moved on to someone else. When I got there, though, he had pictures of my sonogram." She stopped and turned to face the two.

"I was terrified. He told me he knew it was yours, and after your family's strange past and your father's obvious anger, I disappeared. I decided that you would never know out of fear for our son's life. My life. You could handle your father, but I was just a student." She started walking again as Lex and Chloe looked at each other. Chloe started feeling like this was a little personal.

"I'm going to head back," Chloe said as she patted Lex on the back and walked away. Catherine and Lex looked at each other, knowing why she was leaving.

"But why leave him with me now? My father's dead, and no one's going to be looking for you. I'm thrilled and sometimes scared that I'm a father, but you can be with us now."

Catherine took his hand in hers and continued down the beach. "No, I can't. I can't do this to you and …"

"Julian."

"Of course, Julian." She turned and looked at him. She had fallen in love with him during their few months together. She knew he had used her, but she had fallen for his charm nonetheless. Money never had anything to do with it; they had commonalities that made them match. Her parents had passed in her teenage years, and her grandmother had raised her in Central City until she got frustrated with Luthor politics and sent her to the family summer home. She asked him not to look for her, but he did. This would just make it harder, especially knowing his background.

"Do what?" Lex stopped her and looked down into her eyes. Running the back of his hand down her face, he felt a tear hit it. Leaning in closer, "what?"

She closed her eyes and bit her lip. She nodded and looked up over his shoulder. "Look, the views better from up there." Lex shook his head and let the issue drop momentarily. Following her up the winding stairs, he almost became dizzy after the impromptu jog from earlier. Opening the door, she spun around on the small platform. "It's beautiful up here. I come here every night."

"I think it's actually closed."

Walking around to the side, she leaned over and said, "My great uncle is the ranger. I have the key to lock up when we leave." She walked around the platform of the lighthouse as Lex stood and watched. He was torn. It had been so long since he had seen her and yet there was still the attraction. But every other time he seemed to glance at her, he thought of the other vivacious woman back at the beach house. "I know what you're thinking."

"What?" He halfway smiled.

"You're thinking about what we could have been if your father hadn't screwed up your life yet again."

"Maybe." She loved how he lowered his head and just looked up with his eyes; she thought she wouldn't make it through the conversation. Reaching out, she took one of his hands in hers.

"But then again, you keep glancing back in the direction of the house." Lex's head popped up at her observation. "Don't give me that 'not me' look. I can read you." Swaying her hand in his, she kept on, "You don't love her, not yet. But you will." She saw the look of confusion on his face mixed with a little of his always present smirk.

She let go his hand and leaned up against the rail. "Lex, I saw the way you looked at her in the courtroom when she was on the stand. There was more than an appreciation for her helping with your father. I know she was too young then, and I know that you have changed, grown up maybe. But you and she belong together; I can see it in your eyes."

"I think you're confused. I came back for you." Lex pulled her into him. She pushed away from him and grabbed the hand rail, frustrated.

"No." She was crying now, and Lex couldn't look at her for fear he would too. She stood and watched the trees sway for a few minutes and then whispered over the wind, "You need her – she completes you. She will keep you from becoming your father." She spoke as if she was pleading with him. She turned to face Lex and paused. "And I'm dying."