A/N - A long one this time. The saga of Catherine. Tissues possible again. r/r if you want Chlex - need motivation.

Catherine – Chapter 10

She descended the winding stairs and locked the lighthouse behind them without uttering another word to him. She saw his face as the words rolled off her tongue. She wondered if he had the same glazed over sad look covering his face when his mother told him she was dying. She never meant for him to know. She had warned him to not look for her. He brought this upon himself; he wouldn't let it go until he knew. Now he knew, and she knew that it killed him inside.

He followed behind her back up the beach as the sun went down. He watched as she pulled something out of skirt pocket. He was vaguely familiar with the inhaler that she used on more than one occasion on the walk back. He stopped briefly, watching her pick up shells in silence. He pulled out his phone and called.

"Lex, what's going on?"

"It's a long story. Is there anything you might be able to make for dinner?" he could hear Chloe poking through the cabinets.

"There's a little, but not much."

"Ok, try to put something together please." Chloe heard him say please. Something happened down there. "Hey, you ok?"

"I'm fine." No, I'm not – I'm crushed, she thought. "I just wondered if everything is ok?"

"I'll talk to you when we get back." Lex hung up the phone and looked at Catherine, who had gone back to collecting shells after listening to his conversation. She would pick up some and throw them back in the surf. "Why do you do that?"

"Of course, the fancy businessman who studied the Art of War until he was blue in the face would know nothing of the more gentile lessons." Lex walked up to her and saw what she held. "You've never heard the lesson the little boy gave the business man?"

"Why don't you tell me." She watched his almost smart-alecky response.

She stopped and picked up another. "There was this boy that picked these up and the business man thought he would be smart and teach the boy a lesson, kind of like you. He told the boy he was foolish to throw them back since there were too many to save. The boy told him that it wasn't because it made a difference to that one." Lex looked at her as she looked at it in her palm. "You're this one," she whispered as she pointed at it and looked at him. He watched as she threw it back in the surf and continued to walk.

He just watched her. She was young, and yet so fragile. He could see it now. Her face was pale, and she seemed to pant for every breath since their walk up the lighthouse stairs. He wanted to ask about her disease; he could save her. He knew that wasn't what she wanted though. Closing his eyes, he slipped his phone back in his pocket and removed his shoes.

"Why Lex Luthor, I never pegged you for one to enjoy the beach." She smiled like she used to and turned back around.

He halfway laughed, "Yeah, I kind of gave up since the sand inside my shoes is rubbing my feet raw. You know if you hadn't run down the beach, I wouldn't have this problem."

"Ahhh, and now we're back to everything being about you." Catherine giggled. "And I guess that means that those incredibly overpriced pants are going to be used for dust rags once back in Smallville." Lex nodded in some affirmation, knowing she was probably close to correct.

He marveled at how similar she was to Chloe, down to the verbal judo and the amusing looks she gave him. He had been so focused on his own thoughts, he hadn't felt her put her arm around him. Pulling something else out of her pocket, she put it in his free hand.

"A sand dollar," he stated pointedly.

"You know the legend?"

"Is this another lesson that I should know?"

"Yes." He nodded at her smile and waited for her to explain the legend in her own words. He knew something of this one but was curious of her take on it. He watched as she took the sand dollar and broke it in his hand. She poured out the contents. "There. Five doves. They are for good will and peace."

"Then they are probably going to burst into flames in my hands, according to most people." She slapped him on the shoulder and laughed.

"Come on, seriously." She picked up the first set "The first dove is for Julian." Lex sighed as she threw that one back in the water. She pointed. "The second, for your mother." She took his shoes and set them down and put the second set in his hand. "Go on." He exhaled and threw it in the surf.

"Is there a point?"

She ignored him and kept going. "The third set for your father. I know, before you say anything, but he was your father, your blood. And as much as you hate him right now, you will someday miss him in some way." He took the third set and threw it in the surf as she waited.

Ok, maybe she's a little more philosophical than Chloe. On the other hand, she's dealing with something I can't understand and I didn't want to when dad went through it. I get it now. "Catherine, I am so…"

"No, no pity. We still have two left. This one is for Lucas." Lex's mouth dropped when she said his name. "I know; it was in one of the files at the office. I know you weren't close, but still." Lex picked up the fourth and threw it out in the surf. "There's one more."

He understood where this was going. He was supposed to make peace with all the tragedy in his life and move on, and she was trying to tell him that. "No, I'm not going to do this." He folded his hand up over the last dove, picked up his shoes, and started down the beach. She plodded after him, grabbing her chest.

"Wait, stop." He stopped. "Why not? I just want you to make peace with…"

"With your death? I'm not going to let you die; I can get you the finest doctors, I can …"

"What to prolong my life a few months. Look at me Lex. Really... look at me." She was hunched over, baiting for breath now. She pulled out the inhaler and took another puff. That was four times in the past hour.

"No, I'm not listening to this. We are going back to Metropolis and you're going to get the best care there is." He was starting to raise his voice and pace.

"Why? Why can't you just let it go?" She yelled at him but couldn't follow him anymore.

He couldn't take this conversation. She was going to live, "Because I love you." He bit his lip realizing he had said it out loud. He dropped his shoes and fell into the sand. He looked over at her; she was breathing heavier as she approached him.

Kneeling in front of him, she pulled his fist open and looked at the last little dove. She whispered, "Then let me go…please." She released his hand and sat next to him. He looked over at her and noticed she was crying. He picked up the last small dove and gently rolled it between both hands. He gazed over at her and ran his fingers through her hair and down her back. He could feel the fluid in her chest moving about as he touched her. She could barely breathe. She looked over at him with another set of tears welling up and her lip quivering. "Please."

He looked at his hand and exhaled before throwing the last dove in the surf. "What do you…"

"They call it Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. It's basically where scarring builds up in my lungs until they basically give out. The medications are just to open up what parts haven't been attacked yet. And there's not a cure, just prolonged agony, which made giving birth a real fun 20 hours."

Lex opened his mouth to apologize but couldn't.

"Thanks for not saying anything. You didn't know – no one did except for my family. I just went on with my treatments and had oxygen for the night. Actually I was afraid of having an attack after being with you. That's why I always left so quickly; I needed to medicate. Anyway, my grandfather had it so it was partly hereditary. So, I have an old person's disease." She smiled at him and giggled at her very bad joke.

"What have you planned?" Lex couldn't believe he was actually thinking of arranging another funeral. He couldn't look at her.

"My uncle and grandmother have everything taken care of." She smiled over at him and tried to make a joke. "She said you made a nice donation to the funeral effort though." He looked over at her.

"That old woman from the store that hated me?" Lex realized that he had been led astray by her grandmother.

She nodded, "She was just playing her part, not that it worked. I guess I left one too many clues – that picture you found wasn't supposed to be there. I guess it dropped out of my things. Oh, in case you were wondering, the message on the wall was left by your father's minions. That was not part of the set up, just made my leaving town more important." They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Hooking her arm around his, she leaned up against his shoulder and calmly stated, "But I'm glad that you are here."

He reached over and touched her hand. Sadness had engulfed him moments before but he could feel his emotionless strength returning. He knew she didn't want him to feel sorry for her. "Hey, we better go; it's getting late." He pulled her up and watched her as she started off up to the house. Looking up at the house, he didn't see Chloe but suspected her in the living room. Chloe. He couldn't believe that this woman who bore his son was actually pushing him to Chloe. Amazing how she learned more about me than I learned about my father in those few months.

Lex stood and watched her as she slowly made her way up through the heavier sand. She was slower it seemed every step. She stopped and weakly signaled for him to follow and then fell.

Lex ran up to her and caught her before she hit the sand. He felt his heart stop. "I…need…hmm…"

"Don't talk." He picked her up and started up toward the house as Chloe now watched from the balcony. Coming down the stairs to meet him, she noticed the sadness in his eyes. "Go get our stuff please." Lex nodded back toward the stuff he had left on the beach in his hurry.

"Lex."

"Just go, I got to get her inside." Laying her down on the bed, he leaned over. "What can I do; where's your medications or…"

"I don't have them with me," she whispered. She squeezed his hand and pressed her lips together. "Just let me rest; I promise I'll come in and join you for dinner in a bit. The dunes were just too much after running from you." She could barely speak but Lex just nodded in agreement as Chloe walked back through. She stopped and watched as he combed Catherine's hair back and covered her up. She tried a smile in his direction when he looked up and walked back into the living room.

"We need to talk." He sat down at the table and proceeded to stare at the food.

"That's what there was; what's going on?" Chloe tried to keep her voice down; she could tell Lex was truly bothered by something. She watched as he pushed the food around on his plate and then pushed the plate across the table.

"She's dying, and I can't do anything for her."

Chloe tried to optimistic. He had always put money and his ability to buy all happiness for anyone above anything. "Lex," she took his arm, "you can help her."

He nodded, "She doesn't want it; she refuses." Lex got up from the table and locked himself in the bathroom. Chloe sat and stared into the bedroom where she could only see the woman's tiny legs and feet. She could hear her breathing from the other room. She couldn't imagine what Lex was going through. Why does everything awful always happen to him? This isn't fair to him.

Chloe got open the front door to see an older man in a park ranger uniform staring at her. "Can I help you?"

"Yes. I'm here to pick up the key from Catherine. Are you the two people that she said might be visiting?"

"I'm Chloe. Who she said might visit?" Chloe opened the door wider as the older man walked in. "Catherine's my niece. She said that she thought a man and possibly a woman would be looking for her this week. Guess you found her." The man wiped his hands on his pants. "My name is Robert," he said as he shook hands with Chloe.

"Uncle Rob. I'll got get your key." Catherine answered as she crossed over to the bathroom weakly. Chloe watched as her uncle observed her sliding across the floor carefully.

"She has always worked herself up too much, but she's a fighter." The man sat down in front of the plate that was Lex's dinner and started eating. Chloe looked at him funny, pulling another two plates out of the cabinet and served two more places. Sitting down at the table, she watched as the man shoveled food in his face. "Thank you for making dinner tonight. She usually does but looks too tired for it tonight."

Lex turned the corner with Catherine and sat down. "Hello sir. Here's the keys. She wanted to take me up where I could see the view."

"Magnificent isn't it?" He spoke as he shoved another spoonful in his mouth. Lex watched as the man ate ferociously. Catherine giggled.

"He works up an appetite all the time." She smiled at the entire table, signaling for everyone to enjoy their dinner and not worry about the problem on everyone's minds. The three continued talking through dinner about inane topics of the island and Lex's father's trial. They watched carefully as Catherine pushed her chair back and headed to the bedroom. "Chloe, I could use your help."

Chloe glanced at Lex and proceeded to the bedroom. She figured that the amount of past between her and Lex, he could have helped her change as well as she could. After Chloe entered the room, Catherine closed the door behind her. "What do you need?"

"I need you to take care of Lex and Julian." Chloe stared at her.

"I don't get it. Take care of him?"

"He's falling in love with you, like he did me. He falls so fast it causes him to get hurt when things don't work out." Catherine stopped and watched as Chloe sat down on the edge of the bed and stared into space. Pulling up a chair, she took Chloe's hands in hers. "You know what I'm saying is true."

Chloe barely nodded. "I ummm."

"I want him and Julian to be happy; I'm afraid he'll turn into the monster his father was without you there. Please, don't…leave…him." Chloe looked up at her and shook her head. She backed up and pulled the bed back for her. Catherine stripped off the tank and skirt and slipped into a long nightgown. Crawling into bed, she smiled. "You were always his favorite; he talked about you all the time, and after seeing you and talking to you, I know why now." Chloe took her hand and squeezed it.

"Get some rest." She closed the door and walked back into the living room. "Where did Ranger Rick go?"

"Funny, he gave me his number in case of anything and took off." Chloe stood across the living room and watched Lex do dishes. He saw her stare and raised a finger. "Not one word."

"I didn't say anything; I'm going to get my night clothes on." Chloe picked up bag and headed into the bathroom. She returned several minutes later after a needed shower and noticed Lex on the computer. "Anything interesting?"

"Nah, you finished?" He disappeared as Chloe laid back on the couch and looked over the website he had opened. Obviously not interested in the Japanese Market, she put her head back and closed her eyes. "Hey, take the other room and get some sleep."

Chloe got up and started across the living room to pass him. He grabbed her arm and held her. Looking down in her eyes, he finally smiled for the first time it seemed that day. "Thank you," he whispered. Chloe smiled at him and thought he would let go. She continued to look at him. Leaning over he placed his lips lightly on hers and she closed her eyes when he kissed her.

Letting go her arm, he walked back over to the couch and went back to work. Chloe turned and looked at him, but he didn't look back up. Her lips were on fire as she turned away, covered her mouth, and went into the other bedroom. Shutting the door, she sunk into the floor against the door and cried. She was falling for him too.

Chloe scooted across the living room and noticed out of her blurred morning vision that the couch had been slept on. Lex, you could have shared a bed. She continued into the master bedroom and noticed the door cracked open. "Lex," she whispered. She rubbed her eyes and saw his face, covered in tears. His hands wrapped around one of Catherine's. "Oh, God."

Lex held out his arm to her and Chloe fell on her knees next to him. He placed Catherine's hand back on the bed and slid off the chair and into Chloe's arms. She just held him in silence. She felt his body go limp in her arms and tried to hold him up. "Everyone's gone," he whispered. He sniffled and buried himself further into her chest.

She rocked him slightly. He's going to have another mental break. Chloe tried to catch herself and think of what to do for him. "I'm not." She thought about Catherine's words from the previous night. Don't…leave…him…She gripped him tighter, "I'll always be here. And Julian, he's waiting for you at home. Lex, she loved you, and she wants you to continue that love."

Lex sat up and wiped his face, trying to get some composure. "I didn't cry for my father; I wasn't allowed to cry for my brother or my mother, and didn't care to for Lucas. Chloe, you can't."

"It is not a sign of weakness to cry Lex, but for you, what just happened won't ever leave this room, I promise." She raised his head up and wiped his face off with her fingers. Lex stood up and helped Chloe up off the floor.

"She passed away about an hour ago. Robert gave me instructions last night."

"Meaning?"

"We're leaving today, so we have to get ready." Lex turned on his Luthoresque pose and started sifting through papers that had been in Catherine's desk. He walked over and dropped them on the dining table. He looked back at Chloe and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Wait, we're not staying?" She said though the door.

Lex sounded frustrated but Chloe couldn't believe he wouldn't at least stay for a funeral. That was even callous for him. "No, not exactly. She's being buried later this week. We're leaving right after they come and take her." Chloe took a deep sigh of relief and continued to stand there. Lex looked at her irritated when he came out of the bathroom. "Go get ready, please." Chloe nodded and disappeared into the bedroom.

By the time she returned, a group of gentlemen were carrying her body out of the house as Lex watched in stoic silence. He broke and glanced back at her. Walking up to him, Lex put his arm around Chloe and followed the men out the door and down the walkway. He signed a few papers from the mortician and slid into the taxi next to Chloe. She held his hand and looked out the opposite window. Please, don't…leave…him, Chloe thought again. She glanced at his blank stare out the other window. I won't; I promise you won't be alone through this.

'I've seen hard times and I've been told
There isn't any wonder that I fall
Why do we suffer, crossing off the years
There must be a reason for it all'