Couple(s): Chloe/Lex

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Everything but the plot belongs to someone other than me. The title comes from the Smiths song of the same name.

Spoilers for: 'Save Me'

Author's Note: I'm still shocked that Mister Fordman *and* Principal Kwan died in 'Crush'. Wow. Did anybody else want to cry when Lex visited his mother's grave? Anyway, none of that has anything to do with this story; I just wanted to throw that out.

Panic

******

Martha stood in the doorway, shaking the water droplets from her long reddish hair before stepping into the house. "Hello!" she called, peeking into the living room.

Chloe glanced up from the novel she was reading and grinned. "Hey, Martha! Thanks so much for coming over; Lex and the kids are out shopping or something, and I got lonely." Hugs and cheek kisses were exchanged then the women traipsed into the dining room for coffee.

"No problem; I've nothing else to do except bake pies these days. Which reminds me.." She extended a box with a shy smile before taking a seat around the large, square table.

With a squeal, Chloe lifted the lid. "Oh, *Martha*, you're the best." She inhaled the rich apple cinnamon scent and sighed. "I absolutely love you."

Martha beamed with pride. "Consider it a late anniversary present."

Chloe scurried into the kitchen, box in hand, talking over her shoulder while she made fresh coffee. "How have you been lately? We haven't really had much opportunity to chat; is everything going well?" She almost added, 'I know this time of year is hard for you', but decided that a reminder of Jonathan Kent's tragic death was the last thing her dear friend needed.

To her credit, Martha seemed to be her normal, cheery self. "I've been...fine. Granted, I miss him more every day, but the fact that he died so pointlessly doesn't affect me anymore. Well, okay, there are nights when I wake up and wonder if things could have happened differently, had I been with him; then I remind myself that he was the one loading the rifle. Even if I saw it go off, I never would have been able to react--I'm sorry to lay this all on you." Taking a deep breath, she warded off a sob.

Chloe set a pair of steaming mugs on the table then smiled compassionately. "I was actually asking about that; I just didn't want to sound tactless by bringing it up."

Chuckling, the older woman clasped Chloe's hand from across the table. "You're not tactless. I really appreciate your friendship, you know. You've always meant a lot to me." She took a sip of coffee then continued speaking with a wry grin. "I had it on good authority that you would marry Clark someday. Now, don't get me wrong; I adore Lex, and you two are fabulous together, but I envisioned having you for a daughter-in-law."

"That would've been something; Clark marrying me, I mean," Chloe whispered, a bit wistful as she brought her cup to her lips. "But, hell, I'm happy that we get to spend time together; I considered you the mother I never had. Still do, to a certain extent."

They shared a warm smile as they discussed the usual topics: Lex, the kids, work. It was the kind of afternoon that both women secretly cherished. Friends and coffee were always a perfect combination.

Half an hour had passed when a familiar sounding car swung into the driveway. Doors slammed and little feet in little rain boots slapped against the ever-dampening pavement. "We're home," Lex announced dramatically several minutes later.

"Mooooomy!" John and Lena shouted in unison. Their boots left big, wet prints in the carpet while they ran about the first floor, searching for their mother.

"Guys," Lex groaned, "take your boots off *before* you run amok." He tossed his black leather coat on the floor--he'd been aiming for the ornate coat rack--just as his wife made her presence known.

"Leeex," she mimicked, "Hang your wet coat up in the laundry room *before* you declare your undying love for me."

Grinning, he kissed her quickly; moving away when their children rushed back into the foyer and threw themselves at Chloe. "Hey, you two. Where were you, anyway?" she wondered, sweeping them into a hug.

John chewed on his lip to stifle a grin. "'s a surprise, Mommy," he whispered.

Raising her eyebrows in her husband's general direction, she turned to Lena. "I suppose you were sworn to secrecy as well."

Her bright red pigtails bounced, she nodded so hard. "Yup, yup. Daddy bought us *ice cream*!"

"Well," Chloe continued, smirking at Lex, "it just so happens that Martha brought us something yummy. Why don't you go find her?"

"Maaartha!" They were off in a flash, leaving the couple alone.

"A surprise, huh?" she teased, winding her arms around Lex's waist and leaning against his chest. "Feeling guilty about something?"

When he noticed the sly grin on her face, he swallowed the urge to deny what she was implying. "I had to get the kids out of the house; you needed a break. And, anyway, I have to do something with all my money."

Why his statement made her laugh, Lex didn't know. "Do you remember, years ago, when you bought me flowers for the first time?"

Unlike a few days before--when he hadn't recalled how he'd proposed to her--he did remember the event in question. It made him smirk. "Of course I do; after the party that started everything. I called around Metropolis for hours looking for Birds of Paradise. I finally managed to scrounge up a dozen, and then I agonized for two hours about what to say in the card. And then, the next day, you told me to, 'forego the sentimental crap'. I felt like such an ass, though I really, totally knew I loved you; you had the balls to insult me!" It was his turn to laugh.

"Are you guys coming in here to eat some real good pie?" Lena shouted, from the dining room, through a mouthful of apples.

"Just a minute, sweetie," Chloe returned. The pair lazily made their way to the other room, still talking about that day. "I didn't think you were an ass," she assured her husband. "In fact, I was touched by the gesture. Still-"

He groaned in mock annoyance. "Is this your, 'there are other, better ways to show one's devotion than through material things' speech?"

Ignoring him, she plowed ahead. "Still, I *was* a bit peeved that you spent all that money on me, especially when you didn't know how I felt about you."

Their conversation came to a halt when they glided into the dining room. Accepting plates of pie from Martha gratefully, the Luthors slid into chairs next to their children and spent a good, long time with the people they loved.

The knock was loud and succinct. Five heads whipped around in that direction, five pairs of eyes peered into each other. When the sound came again, Lex stood and walked calmly to the foyer.

"Hullo, Mister Luthor. Is your wife around?" This greeting was from a short, thin, exuberant man holding a clipboard.

"What do you want?" Lex wondered casually. A delivery truck was running in the driveway, the man wore a uniform.

The other man held out a stuffed cream-colored envelope. "She has a package that only she can sign for."

Mystified--when couldn't he, Lex Luthor, sign for something?--he rotated around. "Clo, could you come here for a second?"

Footsteps and laughter, then she was by his side. "Yes?"

The clipboard was in her face. "Sign for this, if you wouldn't mind. Seems pretty fancy; you have a secret admirer?" The delivery man grinned, but Lex and Chloe were confused.

She scribbled her signature across the indicated line, thanked the man, and gingerly brought the envelope to the table. It was extremely light, and seemed harmless, but Lex wasn't so sure.

"Let me see it," he ordered, holding out his hand. Once she gave it to him, he hefted it on his palm. He darted to the foyer and returned wearing his leather driving gloves. Gritting his teeth, he pried open a corner.

"Um, darling?" she whispered, laughter in her voice. "It's not that big of a deal, and I *can* do things like that for myself."

Blinking his long lashes, he ceased his careful operation. He was silent for so long that everyone at the table studied him. "Oh, right. I'm sorry, babe. Got a little...worried is all. I didn't want some psychopathic fan of the Ledger to be sending you hate mail."

"No press is bad press," she chirped, prying the half-opened envelope from his loose grip. "Let's see who could possibly be sending me--"

Her eyes widened when the contents were on the table. "Lex, you shouldn't have."

His face was ashen when he replied, his usually confident voice trembling. "I honestly didn't send that to you."

Beside them, Martha gasped as she read a note that had fluttered to the floor. "My *god*."