Couple(s): Chloe/Lex

Rating: PG-13

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

Spoilers for: nothing

Feedback: Constructive criticism and compliments are grand; flames will be used to keep MR warm in my basement.

Author's Note: This picks up right where seven left off. While it seems like the final chapter, I promise there will be at least one more; beyond that, I can't say.

I Don't Owe You Anything

******

His mouth was parched; he licked his lips, trying to regain his vocal processes. "Are you--are you sure?" he stammered finally, unconsciously holding her tighter.

"Yes!"

"Is it...mine?"

Chloe wiped her eyes, and shot back, "I wouldn't be up here sobbing if it was yours, now would I?"

Though Lex wondered how she could be so certain about who the baby's father was, he bit his tongue; there were some things that women just knew. "What do you plan to do?"

"Lex, I just found out this morning; I haven't had time to think about options yet. I wasn't even going to tell you," she said flatly.

He swallowed and gazed at her firmly. "You weren't going to tell me that you're carrying Guy's baby? Why the hell not?" His attempts at keeping the hurt out of his voice failed miserably. "I need to know these things, Chloe!"

Breaking away from him, she moved to the other side of the king-sized bed. "Don't talk to me like that," she snapped.

He rubbed his face with his hands, feeling a tension headache developing in his temples. "Like what?"

"Like I'm a misbehaving child who needs to be chastened."

Lex paused, blinked. "I'm sorry."

In the dark, he couldn't see whether she smirked or frowned. "It's okay. Just a little sensitive."

"I understand." He moved next to her, touched her hand, felt her jump slightly. "Will you let me hold you?"

She was in his arms, trembling, seconds later. "That bastard's child is going to be inside me for the better part of year; I'm going to give birth to a rapist's baby. Do you have any idea how much that scares me?"

It scared him, too, but he wasn't going to say so; she needed him to be strong. "I'll be here for you always. Regardless of what you decide to do, I'll never stop loving and supporting you. You have my word." He rested his chin on the top of her head and sighed. "We'll get through this together."

"Lex," she whispered, taking deep breaths to ward off sobs, "I want you to kill him today, and I want to watch."

******

John and Lena were fully aware that something was bothering their mother, and, while they certainly couldn't fathom what had caused her such pain, they were concerned. Lex, and later, Martha, had reminded them that they needn't worry--that everything would work out in the end--but to no avail.

The second Chloe left the master bedroom, after cleaning herself up a bit, her children grabbed her. "Are you sure you're okay, Mommy?" John asked gently, gripping her elbow with his tiny hand. Lena was on her other side.

"Yeah, guys. I'm just a little sad," she assured them, descending the stairs calmly. It wasn't an outright lie, but it certainly wasn't the truth either. "How are you two doing?"

"It doesn't matter how we're doing, Mommy," Lena said sternly, dragging her to the living room.

Touched, though a little taken aback by their intense expressions, Chloe dropped onto the couch. Scooping them onto her lap, they shared a hug. "I want to know if you're all right," she said softly, forcing herself to smile.

"We're fine," John answered for them both. "Did you hurt Guy yet?"

She smoothed his fine, blond hair and sighed. "John, I really wish you'd stop thinking about that."

"*Mom*," he replied harshly, "Guy hurt you. Of course you need to hurt him back. Even I know that."

*Oh, yeah; they're definitely Lex's and my children; not taking crap from anyone* "Really, guys, I appreciate your concern, but it's not healthy for you to constantly think about killing someone! So, please, stop." The sharpness in her voice was startling; she never raised her voice at her kids.

"Guy hurting you isn't healthy, either," Lena whispered, sliding off the couch and heading purposefully into the kitchen; presumably for a snack.

"Hey, where are you going?" Chloe called.

"You need us to take care of you, Mom," was the firm response.

John echoed the sentiments and joined his sister.

Leaning against the back of the disgustingly comfortable couch, she closed her eyes for a second, craving a relief from the headache that had been pinching at her nerves all day. Her eyes popped open about a minute later, and she stifled a shout; all she could see on the backs of her eyelids was Guy's leering face.

******

Guy kept doubles of the photos he'd sent Chloe; they were strewn throughout his modest home, so that he'd never be in a room that didn't contain her in some way. His favorite image was the one he kept framed on the coffee table in his living room: a black and white shot of Chloe and John hugging by the Luthors' indoor pool.

Her two-piece bathing suit was dark red; this he remembered very clearly from the day he'd taken the photo through one of the tiny windows. It had clung to her slight frame in all the right spots--especially when it was wet--and he'd had trouble containing himself.

That wasn't the reason why he loved the photo so much, however; his enjoyment stemmed more from the happy grins on her and John's faces. Sometimes, when he missed her terribly, he pretended that the two of them had posed for him; that he'd said something sweet to make them grin like that.

It was that thought that kept him going.

******

"You should talk to someone," Lex told her softly, rubbing her back in a vain attempt to relax her.

Her eyebrows raised. "Since when do you consider therapists to be credible? I thought you hated the idea of sitting on a couch for an hour and telling all your troubles to some middle-aged woman who was more interested in getting paid than listening."

She *was* correct; he'd said something similar to that the day she suggested he see someone to work through his hatred of his father. Needless to say, he hadn't sought out a doctor, and Lionel Luthor's abuse still haunted him on occasion. "I didn't like the idea of doing that for myself, but as much as I want to help you through this, I can't do it alone. Therapy isn't necessarily wrong, Clo."

Sliding down a bit on the couch, she leaned her forehead against his chest. "Paying some old woman to tell me that the rape wasn't my fault isn't going to change anything, Lex; I know it's not my fault. Doing away with him is the only way to get his face out of my head." A pause, then she added, "I want to go immediately. I'm serious this time."

With a nod of agreement, he carefully stood up. "Let me get a few things and tell Martha what we're doing. Are you absolutely sure you want to come with me?"

"Yes, damnit. I want to watch him get what he deserves."

******

Chloe watched with morbid curiosity while he loaded the gun and yanked a bulletproof vest on underneath his blue dress shirt. "Since when do you own a vest?"

Smirking, her husband slipped the weapon into his shirt pocket. "I'm a multi-billionaire; never know when I might need one."

They drove in silence; Lex thinking about how he was going to orchestrate it, Chloe imagining the look on Guy's face when the trigger was pulled. "I want to tell him about the baby," she blurted out so quickly that he slammed on the brakes.

He faced her, shocked. "Why the *hell* do you want to tell him about the baby?"

Her face hardened. "It's his; he has a right to know."

"I don't want you to," he said flatly, starting his convertible again.

"When you carry your rapist's child," she spit back, "you can make that decision. Until then, stay out of it; yes, you can raise him or her as your own--assuming I don't give the baby up for adoption--but you can't decide whether or not the biological father should know. Am I clear?"

He at once admired her for her courage, and mentally yelled at her for not letting him handle things himself. "I don't believe you're in any frame of mind to make such declarations, but if it'll make you feel better, I'll tell him."

Her fingers dug into his arm. "Stop the car again," Chloe said calmly.

He did so, gritting his teeth as her nails scratched his skin. "What now?"

"You're not telling him about the baby; *I* am." He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand. "No, I won't stay in the car; this is my problem, and he did threaten to kill you. He'll be less likely to do so if I'm there."

With a resigned sigh, Lex nodded. "Have it your way; though don't expect me to be overjoyed about this."

"You're allowed to feel however you want to. Now drive."

******

The person at the door held down the bell much longer than he or she needed to; it echoed throughout the house for a solid minute. Groaning, Guy left his bedroom--where he'd been dreaming about Lex's demise--and plodded to the door.

"Hello, Guy," Lex greeted him flatly.

His rifle was under the bed; there was no time to get it, even though it would have been so easy to shoot Lex right then and there! "Luthor," he shot back, his eyes narrowing, "what do you want?"

"I have something to tell you, Guy," Chloe announced, stepping in front of her husband, her face devoid of any emotion.

"My love," he gasped, drinking in her natural beauty as quickly as he could. His fists balled up at his sides when Lex placed a hand lightly on her hip. "Don't touch her," he growled, unable to keep his rage in check.

Chloe continued as though he'd said nothing. "I'm pregnant with your baby."

The overwhelming glee her statement made him feel overshadowed his hatred of her husband. "That's fantastic! I knew you'd come back."

Lex's hand drifted to her shoulder, and she took a step away from Guy. "I'm not here because I care about you, you sick bastard; in fact, I'm here because I loathe you with every fiber of my being." Her tone remained completely even. "Lex and I will be keeping the baby, and raising him or her as our own. He or she won't ever know about you."

His dear, sweet Chloe was betraying him! *It's all Luthor's fault* he reminded himself, *she loves me* "I'll go to court and fight for custody; you and I will, together, Chloe! Don't let this ass control your life anymore." Despite his best efforts, his voice was trembling with anger.

"Maybe you didn't hear me before; I *loathe* you. Lex has been nothing short of amazing to me over the years. How do you show your 'love'? You raped me." Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. "As for custody, you won't be able to attend court if you're no longer considered a living citizen."

Both men watched as she yanked the handgun from Lex's pocket, neither able to react fast enough, and aimed it at her assailant's head. "Goodbye, Guy."

******

When she lowered the gun several seconds later--after emptying an entire round of bullets into Guy's body--she was eerily calm, despite having fatally shot someone.

Lex, silent as he led her back to the car, was proud of her. It took immense strength to stand up for oneself like she had done. Pressing his lips to hers briefly, he stared into her unusually-somber eyes. There was nothing he needed to say; his look said it all: the worst was over, and they'd survived.