{I just wanted to say thanks for all the replies to this story. Sorry for the delay but for some reason this chapter was very hard to write! I just could not get inspired and I'm still not completely happy with it! I hope you guys enjoy. This chapter is for the Chloe/Bruce fans out there. And the next chapter will be the Christmas party and the appearance of Oliver. Enjoy!}

The Other Side Of Grey

Chapter Six: Secrets

It was early when she arrived at his office. She placed the coffee under his nose with a slight smirk. He reached out, grabbed the cup and took a sip not even bothering to look up from the paperwork in front of him. His loud sigh of contentment was his way of showing his appreciation. She rolled her eyes.

"Really Lucious," She exclaimed putting her hands on her hips when he didn't look up at her.

He looked up with that grandfatherly smile that always seemed to pierce her heart. "Ms. Sullivan, what a pleasure. I hadn't realized you were here… I thought perhaps the caffeine Gods graced me with a gift." He laughed softly.

"Yeah… sure you did the Gods also liked to be referred to as Starbucks these days; so tell me how much you love leaving messages like this on my phone!" She remarked showing him his own cryptic message. "You couldn't just tell me what the results were over the phone?"

"That would be breaking doctor/patient… something or other." He smiled albeit somewhat seriously. "Besides I thought you liked coming to visit."

"Yes you know that I do." She smiled sweetly, holding her grin for a beat before raising her brows and getting down to business. "Okay enough with the guilt… lay it on me." She remarked.

He sighed but handed over the file nonetheless. He watched her reaction as she looked over the results of her latest blood tests. "Wait… this can't be… I mean… this can't be right."

"That was my reaction at first… which is why I ran the tests again and again and one more time just to be sure. There's no mistake… numbers don't lie. Your meteor count is growing…spiking really."

"What does that mean?"

"Well I'm not sure just yet. It could be anything… or it could be nothing. Right now all we can do is continue to run tests and see what transpires." He stated wishing he had more information. "I have never seen a meteor infection multiply on its own."

"Is it because of the Serum?" She asked softly, her brow furrowing in confusion and apprehension.

"That's one theory… The X47 Serum I created was designed to alleviate the time it took for your body to recover from the wounds you took on. We knew that there could be side effects even if not readily apparent… which is why I think taking you off of it would be the best move at this time."

She looked up at him hearing the hesitation in his voice. "What; what is it?" She asked.

He sighed. "Taking you off X47 may not stop this…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well let's examine this for a moment… you told me that this power was dormant for quite some time after your encounter with Mr. Luthor and his experiments… and then suddenly out of the blue… it reappears. Just as strong as before almost as if it never left, right?" He asked and watched her nod. He swallowed hard before continuing. "Then perhaps, just maybe it's not the Serum at all… It could be just a natural progression of your condition."

"There's nothing natural about any of this!" She sighed. "Humans weren't designed to defy death." She whispered softly.

"Humans weren't designed to do a lot of things and yet here we are…"

She shook her head. "You don't understand; you don't get it." He couldn't ever understand… he didn't know the things that she did… he had never seen perfectly good people just turn into walking monsters because of this stupid green rock!

"What is it? What don't I understand?" He asked truly concerned.

She waved it off as she ran her hand through her hair. "Nothing… it's just… let's just do what you suggest, take me off the serum and see what happens… it couldn't hurt." She remarked taking a stand and handing him the file.

"Okay… you do realize that without X47 we don't know how long the recovery process will be from one healing to the next…"

"I'll just have to be more careful." She could see the concern on his face and smiled reaching out and patting his shoulder. "I'll be fine. I have to be."

He nodded. "Yes you do…"

"And if we can keep this just between us…" She let the sentence fall off. He simply nodded letting her know he understood what she failed to say. She smiled albeit a little forced. "See you tonight… don't forget… gift exchange after the party…" She made quotation marks with her fingers around 'party' and smirked.

He chuckled softly and watched her leave. It wasn't until after she was gone that the smile slipped from his lips and he picked up her file again… numbers didn't lie… and somehow he just knew that the serum was the least of their problems.

Later that Evening…

Sometimes when it was dark and late; when he had spent most of the night patrolling the streets of Gotham and was so exhausted that he could barely see straight… sometimes… he would think she was her. It would be in the way she said his name as she came into the room. It was in the way her body would lean in the archway with her arms folded across her chest. The sway of her hair in the dimming light or the slight touch of her hand on his shoulder; it would remind him of her. The way she would cock her head to one side as she listened to him or furrow her brow in concentration when trying to figure something out. If he closed his eyes and allowed himself to just forget for one moment… then he could almost hear her voice. He could almost see her standing before him. And the tragedy that happened three years ago was almost nonexistent…almost.

But Chloe wasn't Rachel. Her smile wasn't soft like Rachel's but bright and wide like that of the Sun. Her mannerisms weren't delicate like a quiet smolder but fierce in nature like that of a storm. She would break down any building, fight any fight if it meant protecting those that she cared about. They were as different as night and day. Rachel was the dark beauty that had eluded him, she was the mysterious shadow of promised love that he always longed for until finally she was taken from him.

But Chloe was here… she was the daylight that he so often shied away from. He had never found comfort in the light, always preferring the dark corners and shadows. Their friendship was such an anomaly. It was so different than anything he had ever known. She was different from anything that he had ever known.

They were such contrasting women. Her eyes were bright like green emeralds reflecting the rays of the sun where Rachel's were deep chocolate orbs of mystery. Everything about them was so dissimilar and yet the fact that he was in love with her didn't surprise him. It almost seemed natural… almost normal. Perhaps it was the only 'normal' thing about him. Being in love with a woman who only saw him as a friend, as a hero, a protector for Gotham was an interesting predicament. Strange that the only normal thing about his life was unrequited love!

These were the thoughts that plagued his mind as he watched her move around Wayne Manor adding last minute touches before his guests arrived. It seemed so natural. It was as if she was meant to be there… be with him. Standing in the archway, hidden in the shadow of the setting sun, he wasn't aware of the slight smile that touched his lips as he moved towards her. "You know I think you have effectively transformed this place from the dark domain that it used to be to something resembling a children's fantasy." He stated with his hands in the pockets of his pants.

She turned to him placing her hands on her hips. "I think so too. You know it's crazy what a little tinsel and ribbon can do to this place." She cocked her head to one side staring him in the eyes. "You hate it don't you?"

"No… I think it looks… well… Christmasy." He stated lamely.

She nodded with a smirk. "Which is code for 'I hate it!'." She smiled not in the least offended. "Don't worry, it will be back to the way it used to be by tomorrow night I'm sure. I know how much brightness and cheer jar your delicate sensibilities." She joked.

"I'm just not a primary color kind of guy!" He defended lightly.

Letting her eyes roam the finely tailored black and white suit she raised an eyebrow. "Obviously," She observed.

"You don't like my suit?" He asked.

"I think the suit is fine… you look quite handsome!" She remarked already reaching out to straighten his tie without hesitation. It was such a natural act that she didn't give it a second thought. "So Clark came to see you yesterday…" She remarked off-handedly.

"Yes he did." He stated.

She didn't look up as she re-worked his tie. "Anything I should be aware of?"

He shrugged slightly causing her to falter in her actions. "Not really… just two men having a conversation."

"Why don't I believe you? You two don't strike me as the kind of men that just sit back and shoot the breeze."

"We talked, I thanked him for what he did for me… and then he left." He summed up leaving out the particulars.

She nodded knowing that was the G rated version. "I don't suppose he mentioned what he was doing in Gotham that night did he?" She asked trying to seem unaffected.

"No… we didn't get that detailed."

She furrowed her brow and finally looked up to meet his eyes. "Are you deliberately trying to be obtuse?" She asked.

"I could ask the same of you." He shot back.

She was silent if only for a moment. "Fair enough." She exhaled deeply. She opened her mouth to say something, hesitated and shut it again. "Wow… I don't even know where to begin." She remarked softly.

"I've always believed that starting from the beginning is a good way." He smiled trying to ease the tension that had settled over her features.

She shook her head sadly. "It's not that simple… it never is between me and Clark." She rubbed her hands on her pants nervously and cleared her throat. "I guess it started when I met Davis… his name was Davis Bloom. He uh… he had this condition that caused him to do these… things… these horrible horrendous things… or at least I thought it was because of this condition." She laughed softly without humor as a shadow of the past crossed her face. "I uh… I overestimated myself into believing that I could save him… that I could help him, thereby helping Clark and because of my arrogance…I lost everything." She finished quietly. Looking up into his eyes she didn't realize that hers were now watery with unshed tears. "I know that doesn't explain anything… but can we just table this until after the party?" She asked.

He nodded. The pain in her eyes was so raw that it seemed as if the incident had just taken place. How had they done so long without ever discussing this? "Okay." Reaching out he brushed a stray hair behind her ear. "We can talk about it when you're ready…" His voice was soft but as always completely sincere.

Looking around she exhaled a deep breath. "I should… should go and get ready." She ran a hand through her hair as she walked by him when his voice stopped her.

"Didn't you have a doctor's appointment today; how did it go?"

She hesitated glad that he couldn't see her face. "Fine… everything is fine…" She remarked and then left before he could ask any further questions.