Part Four
Chloe had barely joined Lex in the helicopter when he realised that he wasn't going to get any information out of her that night. She was shaking slightly as she perched on her seat next to him, with his jacket held tightly around her. She was clearly cold and tired.
"Did everything go alright with your cousin?" He asked, ferretting around under the seat.
"Y-yes", Chloe said with a nod and a tight smile. Lois had been worried when she couldn't find Chloe in the apartment but once Chloe had explained that she had just gone out and not heard her cell phone Lois had only been mad that she hadn't waited for her – "we could have had a fun girls' night out" – the fact that her cousin was underage seemed not to bother her in the slightest. Nor had she asked how Chloe had got into the club to start with, although Chloe was expecting to receive a text asking about that some time tomorrow when Lois had put two and two together – late at night was not Lois' best time … nor was early morning. Chloe expected that she would be bombarded with questions around lunchtime.
As for her cousin heading home early, Lois would miss her but was glad that she wouldn't have to go back on the bus – it was cheaper than taking her car – for three hours the next day and just asked if her rich helicopter owning friend was cute. That was when Chloe had announced that she had to go, but had promised to give Lois all of the details later. If she didn't she knew that her cousin would hunt her down and beat it out of her, it was a shame that Lois had no journalistic aspirations as she would have been a natural.
Chloe was glad that she had got that phone call out of the way, she hated making her family worry, especially Lois – she had done enough of that last summer. Chloe had then made her way to the helicopter as quickly as possible as it was freezing on the LuthorCorp roof. Now that she was safely inside she was sure that she would warm up soon, especially once the engine started up but for the moment she was freezing and was going to have to give up the scant warmth provided to her by Lex's jacket.
She felt uncomfortable enough around him at that moment without keeping his jacket. It had been very sweet of him to offer it to her, she shouldn't take advantage of it, besides he probably needed it, although he didn't appear to be shaking … just looking for something under the seat.
Steeling herself, as Lex turned back to her, she slipped off his jacket and held it out to him staring at him as he looked oddly at her.
Lex raised an eyebrow at her and tried to keep his eyes on her face rather than on the evidence of the chill in the air, clearly visible through her top. Why was she giving him back his jacket when she obviously needed it?
He placed the flask that he had found down for a moment before taking the jacket off her and rewrapping it around her shoulders saying, "You keep it, you're cold".
"Thank-you, but you must be cold too", she said as if it were obvious. This earned her another hard stare from Lex as he tried to work out if she was seriously suggesting that she would sit there getting a chill just because he might be cold. Normally people had no problems taking things from him without worrying about things like how he felt about it. He realised that she was in earnest as she began to shrug off the jacket again.
"No, I'm not cold", he told her, placing his hand on her shoulder to still her movements. He noticed how small her shoulder felt under his hand. Seeing that she still looked like she might refuse he said, "Really, I insist, I will be fine".
"Um … okay. If you are really sure", Chloe submitted looking at him. How could he possibly not be cold? It was true that he was better covered than her but he was not made of stone. She dearly wished that she had thought to bring a coat, that way she would not be sitting there looking like an idiot who couldn't even think of the most simple things – although Lex did not appear to have brought a coat either but then again she had never seen him wear a hat however cold it got and being bald he must lose loads of heat from his head.
As she thought this, Lex was unscrewing his flask and pouring a hot beverage which looked and smelled deliciously like hot chocolate. She could feel her stomach gnawing; she had been too busy to eat that day and too tired the night before. She had always been an erratic eater, too concerned with what she was doing to think about food until the need to eat became overwhelming and then she would bolt far too much of whatever was closest to hand – often junk food -, but she knew that she had got much worse about it the last few months. With everything that had been going on with her and her father proper nourishment was the last thing on her mind.
"I'm always sure, Chloe", Lex said sounding annoyingly arrogant but destroyed the effect by smiling as he saw how intently her gaze was fixed on the hot chocolate, it was a good job that he had thought to order it for her. He knew that however brave she was, she had been through a lot that night and would need some sugar … plus he knew how she felt about chocolate.
"Here", he handed her the mug, not giving her the option to refuse.
"Thank-you, it smells divine", Chloe beamed as she clasped her fingers around the mug and blew gently on the steaming liquid before sipping it. Luckily her years of coffee drinking meant that she could consume liquids that would have scalded the mouths of lesser mortals. As the thick, rich liquid slid down her throat Chloe closed her eyes in contentment, a look of pure ecstasy on her face and a soft half sigh half moan escaped her lips.
She had to find out what this stuff was exactly, it wasn't like any hot chocolate she had ever tried before. It tasted like – and had the consistency of – pure melted chocolate of the most delicious variety she had ever experienced with a hit of something else, she suspected alcohol. In the past she had frequently wondered why Lex put up with his father and didn't just pack it all in - being a millionaire would be just as satisfying as being a billionaire she imagined – although when she had asked him he had said that it was because he wanted his father's love she suspected that it might have something to do with being able to afford such yummy drinks. She was sure that this one was very expensive. Maybe if she sold her car she could buy a couple of cups of the stuff.
When her eyes fluttered back open she noticed that Lex was staring at her, an amused expression on his face, one eyebrow raised.
Chloe blushed, she tended to get a little over enthusiastic about food in general but especially chocolate. She shrugged a shoulder, "I like chocolate".
"So I see", Lex took her now empty mug from her and refilled it noticing as he did so that the tops of her nails were a faint purple colour. He frowned, he knew that she had been cold but she should not have been that cold, nor should that have happened. He wondered if she had poor circulation, maybe she wasn't getting enough protein, first thing tomorrow he would have to get her medical records and check.
Misinterpreting his frown as one directed at her greed, she shook her head at the second cup only to have it pressed into her palm.
"Drink, you look like you could use it", Lex kept his eyes fixed on her face, waiting for another semi orgasmic reaction to the beverage all the while telling himself that the only reason why he had ordered her chocolate and was plying her with it was because he wouldn't get any information out of her until she was comfortable.
She should have been grateful, she was grateful but she could not help snapping at him, "Do you have to stare at me like that?"
Lex smirked, "What can I say, I find your response to chocolate fascinating".
Chloe scowled at him. She knew that she was not considered particularly attractive and that part of that was due to her choices – something that Lois had made painfully clear when threatening several of her tops with scissors recently – but there was no need for her to rub it in. She knew that she could stand to lose a couple of pounds. She wondered what Lana weighed exactly, something like this would never happen to her, but then again she probably wouldn't have drunk the entire mug so quickly, or with such relish, either.
"Sorry, I suppose that I should be more ladylike and simper 'Oh Lex, I simply couldn't. It will go straight to my thighs'", she did her best valley girl accent.
Lex chuckled, and shook his head. "It seems that your knowledge of what men like and what is truly ladylike is as limited as your knowledge of what looks will work on anyone who isn't a teenaged farm boy". He was rather pleased with himself for not having made any comment about joining the chocolate at her thighs, that would have been inappropriate, which was a shame as it would certainly have passed the flight very pleasantly and probably warmed her up too.
Before Chloe got the chance to respond to this statement, the captain announced, "We are ready for take-off Mr Luthor".
"Okay, one minute", Lex replied. "Cheers", he raised his drink to Chloe and drained it – they had to get rid of the liquid before took off. It was very good, he noticed that they had taken his instructions to only get the best to heart although he was not too pleased that they had put a couple of shots in there but he supposed that they couldn't have known that the 'young lady' accompanying him was really young and actually a lady in the classical sense of the word. It didn't both him, a couple of shots would have no effect on him but he could already see Chloe's eyelids getting heavier as she savoured the last of her chocolate.
Lex put the cups away and gave the order to the pilot, enjoying the slightly odd expression on Chloe's face as they took off. He had long ago got used to the odd feeling in the tummy that came with flying but it was sweet to see that Chloe did not try to hide her reaction. The other girls who had been on his chopper had all tried to seem experienced even when they weren't.
He sat back in his seat and was pleased to see that Chloe did so as well, clearly more relaxed now although as she fell asleep less than two minutes later that could just have been exhaustion. Her head lolled to the side in a way that Lex thought must have been rather uncomfortable so he slipped a little closer and gently put his arm around her shoulders, supporting her neck. She instinctively sought out his warmth, nuzzling into him, and resting her head on his chest.
A lock of hair fell across her face and Lex brushed it away. It was so rare that he just got to look at her, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. Of course he had the security footage, but it wasn't the same. And the few times that he had been in her company they had both been trying to ignore each other so he had not had the chance to really get close to her and expect her.
Chloe was gorgeous, he had always known that. When she was awake Chloe was so full of life, wit, intelligence and, well, snarkiness. But as she slept, she looked like an angel although he was sad to say that he could not say that she looked entirely at peace.
He had suspected as much earlier, but now that he looked closer there was no denying that she had lost weight and not in the healthy way. He supressed a growl, he knew that she had been working too hard, he knew that it had not been because she had going to the gym as she had given up her membership in September … or rather it had ended with her death and she had never renewed it. Come to think of it, other than running around for The Torch and after Clark, Lex was not sure if she actually got to exercise properly. That was another thing, she spent too much time on Clark's problems, the evidence of which was under her eyes. Even through the make-up he could make out the dark circles. She had always been busy, but he could not remember her ever looking really tired before last summer.
Resisting the urge to wipe the make-up off her face, Lex tried to stop himself thinking of that last torturous summer he had enough to deal with in its aftermath without reliving it.
He could do nothing about it until he got her home, but then he would get a better security detail for her – after finding out what the hell had gone wrong that night -, and get the information from her the next morning … along with her medical records. He was most put out, her doctor was supposed to be keeping him updated of any problems with her but he had not received any indication that she had even been to the clinic even though she clearly wasn't well. It would be just like Chloe to suffer through it without telling anyone, well he would put a stop to that.
Could he put a stop to that? A little voice asked him. He had to admit that he was not widely liked in Smallville and even Clark seemed to trust him a little less. Well he could hardly blame him, although it wasn't as if wonder boy had ever been completely honest with Lex either. Still, if he had to he would go through Clark to make sure that Chloe was being looked after as she should be. Not that Chloe was going to like that, he thought, still it had to be done.
He knew that he should stay away from Chloe Sullivan; she brought out the worst in him. He had been bred not to show emotions or mercy and had thought that he had mastered this ability. Yet twice now she had made him not only doubt whether beating his father was worth the price, but also reveal that he cared about her. The time when he had been willing not to use her against Lionel he had dismissed as he had just been through an ordeal, but there was no excuse for what had happened earlier that evening when he had got out of the limo. He had shown quite clearly that he cared, he had been ready to leave with the words on the tip of his tongue but being angrily bitten back as usual when then he had thought of her all alone and doubting him … he had had no choice. He had shown weakness.
It was a mistake, it had to be; it was everything that his father had always taught him not to do, but he hated his father now. What would his mother have wanted him to do? Probably to tell the truth and shame the devil, that was what she had always said. Well he had certainly done that.
What was the other thing that his mother had forever been telling him?
"To receive trust you must give and earn it".
Lex swallowed, that would be very difficult. He was not even sure that he could do something like that with Clark, and possibly that was why his only friend had never trusted him in turn. But what about Chloe? He had just taken it for granted that he could not have her in his life, she would be in too much danger and he could not hurt her. Besides, after the way that he had treated her recently he doubted that she would even want to be his friend.
However hard it had been to say those words, it would be worth it if one day she could learn to trust him again. He knew that she would never feel about him the way that he did about her but that was okay, he would settle for just having her in his life – once he could do so safely.
He breathed deeply, it would be difficult but he would find a way if it meant that he could have Chloe. Had he not put business on the back burner tonight to ensure her comfort? If that wasn't something special from Lex Luthor then … well, nothing. It was an amazing feat for him and that was that. He would do anything if it meant having Chloe.
Lex couldn't understand how Clark could have had a crush on Lana for all of these years when Chloe was around. It was true that her hairstyles hadn't always done her justice and that her wardrobe at some points had been downright terrible. She certainly didn't have Lana's coyness either, but from the first moments that he had seen her he had been attracted to her. The intelligence and curiosity which lit up her eyes could not be ignored. Or rather it could, but only by Clark. Lex briefly wondered if maybe Clark might need glasses.
Chloe always looked fantastic. Even when they had been in the tunnels as her new home exploded over their heads she had kept herself together, holding her father's hand and putting on a brave face. There was only one time that Lex could remember seeing her look broken and that was in the safe house he had created for her.
Her father had been taken to a separate location just to ensure that there could be no errors and she had been alone accept for the guards. Everyone she loved – except her father – believed that she was dead and she was afraid for her life. She had busied herself around the house and done a lot of research and school work – Lex was fairly certain that she had already done enough school work to graduate before she actually returned to school.
All day she would work at her laptop, not being able to go outside even for a few minutes, declining to eat anything or tear herself away from her laptop; acting as if she believed the world would fall apart if she stopped working. Well, that was exactly what had happened when she had stopped, to her world at least. Every night she would go to bed later than Lex thought prudent and try to sleep hoping that exhaustion would overtake her only to toss and turn for an hour before bursting into tears. She would sob for about an hour for the first month but less the second, and only a tear or two in the third. The one thing that would never change was that she would the slip into the kitchen and bring back around 2,000 calories of junk food and binge.
Lex knew that he shouldn't have been watching her. Of course it was necessary to have a camera in every room including her bedroom for her protection and it was even more necessary that he should be the only one to have the feed for the same reason, but he could have forward winded as he knew nothing had happened to her but he couldn't help it. She was his responsibility and she was hurt. He longed to go there, to hold her and stroke her hair and tell her that it would all be alright, but someone might follow him and then she would be in danger, he couldn't' do that to her. At his lowest moment as he watched her almost choke on a biscuit she gnawed on as she was so desperate after not having eaten in 24 hours he considered killing his father. Then he could go to Chloe, the only thing that had stopped him was the thought of the look on her face if she ever found out what he had done.
Instead he had ensured that the guards put a large tray of nicer foods in her room for her every night along with the best movies he could find – that seemed to help a little. It was interesting to be able to watch a TV and see her reaction to everything that was happening on the screen, sometimes he felt like he was right there with her. Lex had watched more TV that summer than he had in the rest of his life, every night when he got back from business he would check the feed and sit down and watch the TV with Chloe. He found out that she liked Buffy with made sense as she was a fighter too and judging by her expression she had genuinely believed that Faith could be saved.
They hit some turbulence and Lex was pulled out of his reverie but was happy to see that Chloe was still asleep and snuggled up next to him. He had never been a good flier, it was something that he had learned to do but which would never feel entirely natural to him. He could remember all too clearly the scene between his father and him on the day of the meteor attack. He wondered what would have happened if Chloe had been in that situation, he would bet several million that even as a child Chloe had been assertive and would probably have loved flying, but if she had not would have told Lionel so in no uncertain terms and demanded that he land the helicopter immediately.
"We are about to land, Mr Luthor", it was the pilot's voice which disturbed his thoughts this time. That had to be the shortest half an hour that he had ever passed and he was rather sad to be home as it meant that he was now going to have to wake Chloe up and loose her closeness. Unless … she really did look tired, it would be a shame to wake her just to put her to bed – he was determined that he would not pump her for information until she was properly rested. Really the only gentlemanly thing to do would be to help her out.
Once they were on the ground and the pilot had opened the door, Lex moved the arm which had been draped around Chloe's shoulders more security around her back keeping her head against his chest. Then he looped his free arm under his knees and stood up. The warm weight of her in his arms should have tired him rather than renewing his energy. He felt like a knight of old with the fair maiden in his arms, rescuing her from the belly of the beast … or the helicopter as it was. Not that Chloe couldn't have dealt with a dragon if awake and necessary, he smirk at the image of her giving the dragon a withering look, making him sit and telling him that he had been very naughty – as he had once seen her do to one of his guard dogs when it had snapped at her.
Chloe murmured something in her sleep and wrapped her arm around his neck and shifted a little as he carried her across the lawn as quickly as possible, hoping that the cold would not wake her. He would hate to be deprived of his precious burden now, he had already refused every offer from the guards to take her off him.
When he reached the best guest bedroom he was glad to see that everything was in order and placed her on the bed and slipped her boots off before covering her in several heavy blankets. He should leave then, he knew it. She looked comfortable, if her hugging part of the blanket was anything to go by, but he couldn't resist bending over her once more to press a tender kiss to her brow.
It was a mistake, as he breathed in her clean soapy smell and heard her "ni nigh", clearly having no idea what was going on, he knew that he couldn't be without her. Whatever it took, she would be protected and if that meant his father's death then so be it.
With that he left her room to let her sleep, everything else would have to wait until morning.