Couple(s): Chloe/Lex

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Everything but the plot belongs to someone other than me.

Spoilers for: nothing

Feedback: I think everyone knows the drill by now. :-)

Author's Note: I wrote this without having any idea where to take it; I'm hoping it isn't too disconnected from the rest of the chapters. I apologize for any and all sappiness; I frequently get carried away with these two. Hopefully it will taper off in the next few sections, but I'm promising nothing.

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

******

She found her family in the dining room; until they found another tutor--the interview process took a long time--Lex was supervising John and Lena's education. The three of them were bent over text books, Lex speaking softly and patiently. If Chloe weren't so torn up, the sight would have made her smile.

"I'm home, guys. Sorry to disturb you."

Three heads whipped around. The younger ones grinned and called 'hello' to their mother. Lex, on the other hand, gazed at her firmly, nodded slightly. "Hey," he said finally, "I'll talk to you when we're done; in about an hour."

"Okay. I'll be in my office," she replied casually, smiling for the benefit of her children.

Quietly shutting the door to her office behind her, she dropped onto her desk chair. "Where was I?" she muttered, digging through a haphazard stack of papers, searching for her notes. When she located the sheets she needed, she flipped open her laptop and began to write.

The article--a piece about a local kidnapping--was a far departure from anything else she'd done for *the Ledger*; there were no meteor rocks in sight. However, the topic being so close to her heart, Chloe had jumped at the chance to help. Her hope was that the article would convince people who knew something about the kidnapping to come forward.

She was so engrossed in her work that she nearly fell out of her chair when someone knocked suddenly. "Uh, yeah. Come in," she called.

Lex--looking concerned, not surprisingly--glided inside and pulled a chair up in front of her desk. Once he was seated, he folded his hands on the desktop, and smiled genuinely. "Hi."

Saving her document and shutting her computer, Chloe made herself return his smile. "Hi. How did it go?"

"Just fine," he remarked. "How was your appointment?" His eyes were pleading with her to say that it went fabulously; that she was okay again. They both knew perfectly well, however, that one session couldn't change much.

"To be honest, Lex, it was awful." When his face fell, she sighed and placed her hand over both of his. "She had some interesting things to say, but it wasn't...it didn't feel right. I'll never be comfortable around her--she's so bloody intimidating--and I constantly felt like she was patronizing me. I know you want me to go back, but I won't. We can get through this on our own."

"I'm not going to fight you, Clo; do what you want. I just...God." He slipped his hands free and massaged his face. "I miss you so much. I miss *you*--the bright, sexy, sarcastic woman I fell in love with. I'm aware it'll take you a while to get over everything, but I'm tired. Tired of fighting, tired of wondering if you're going to still be next to me in the morning, tired of watching you hurt. That's a selfish thing to say, but..." He trailed off when she walked around the desk and sat on his lap.

Her hand rubbed his neck absently; she rested her forehead against his. "You really don't want this baby, do you?" *Worth a shot* she decided, thinking that Nadia had to be right about *some*thing; even if she didn't want to believe her.

His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her even closer. It had been so long since they'd cuddled. "I don't know. I've always wanted to have another baby, but no matter how hard I try, I don't think I can forget whose child he or she is. I doubt my abilities to love him or her completely, without bias. I feel like a terrible person for saying so."

Chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully, Chloe sank even deeper into his embrace. "We can give the baby up for adoption, if that's what you really want," she whispered, emotionless.

He kissed her quickly, if for no reason other than to remind her that he was no longer angry over what she'd said during their fight the previous morning. "What do *you* want?"

She took a deep breath, making certain she was sure. "I don't want this baby, Lex; if he or she is ultimately going to make things tense between us, it'll be best if we don't keep him or her. I don't know if I have the strength to give birth then give the baby away, however. I'm afraid I'll freak out at the last minute."

"You have more strength than you realize," he returned firmly. "You can handle it."

For the first time in weeks, a smile touched her eyes. "You do know that I love you, right? When I said I didn't, I was--" She stopped abruptly when he placed a finger over her lips.

"I understand; I wasn't the most sensitive person the other day, so I don't blame you. I love you, too, Clo. I swear I'll never leave." Pause, then, "can I kiss you now?" As he asked, he was already drawing her face toward his.

"You never have to ask."

******

Their marriage was salvaged; Lex let this fact sink into his brain slowly. They had survived several awful fights, a rape, a murder, and an unwanted pregnancy. Granted, there was more to be done to repair their relationship fully--especially after the baby's birth--but things were 'okay'.

Chloe snuggled closer to him while she slept, her comforting silk nightgown rustling against his bare chest. Content, Lex finally drifted off to sleep.

Little did he know what she was planning.

******

Morning. He awoke slowly, stretched his arms. It didn't surprise him when he discovered she wasn't in bed; she usually got up before him. He was, however, thrown off-guard when he noticed the hastily written note on her cool pillow.

"What the hell?" Lex muttered, rubbing his eyes in order to read her handwriting clearly. "Oh, my God."

'Dear Lex,

I'm going to try to avoid filling this with clichéd apologies and promises; all I'll say is that I'm doing the right thing.

I'm going to turn myself in once I finish writing this; last night I decided that the guilt I carried is heavy enough that I had to do something about it. I won't let you pay anyone off to reduce my sentence--I'm pretty sure confessing and having good enough evidence keeps me from doing 'life', anyway--even though you said you would if anyone asked questions.

I'll have the baby in the prison hospital, and they can give him or her up for adoption. There's nothing for you to worry about; I called Martha and explained what I'm going to do. She's planning to move in permanently.

If you can forgive me--so much for avoiding clichés--I'd like it if you'd visit some afternoon. If you tell John and Lena where I am, tell them that everything will be fine, and that I still love them.

You're a great man, Lex, despite being a 'Luthor'. Don't wait for me; make yourself happy with someone else.

Thus ends the sappy, predictable portion of this note.

I love you,

Chloe'

When he finished reading the letter for the third time, Lex expected to feel angry or hurt. Oddly enough, he was 'okay' with the whole situation; his heart was breaking, but he accepted what she'd done. He was, truth be told, proud of her for standing up for what she believed, despite his objections.

He stood up slowly and stuffed the paper into the top drawer of his dresser. Then he went to wake up their children, mentally fabricating an excuse to make up for her absence.