Chlex Fanfic: Orchestrato, Chapter 7

[babydee1]

Hola, my lovelies!  Been a long time since I made a Chlex update. :-) 

Enjoy!  Awesome banner by ctbn60 

Title:              Orchestrato 
Author:          BabyDee 
Pairing:          Chlex 
Rating:           PG13 for now, NC-17 later 
Warnings:     Some chronology-shifting with the events of Episode 4.1  (Gone) 
Timeline:      Safehouse Summer of Love, End of Season 3/Beginning of 4  
Disclaimer:   All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.  
Summary:     Lex inexplicably bonds with Chloe whilst keeping her survival a secret from the world 
Feedback:      …makes me squee. :)

Read previous chapter here. 
Read story from the beginning here.

***

Chapter 7

“Ah - Lex!” Lionel greeted as his son walked into the entry room.  “Just the person I was waiting for.” 

Lex gave his father a sardonic stare through the prison bars and said nothing.  Lionel’s arms were outstretched, but not in greeting; there was a man in the cell with a tape measure getting the length of his father’s shirt sleeve and inside leg.

“It’s Saturday morning, Dad,” he said sourly. 

“So?  A good-looking boy like you has no need for beauty sleep,” Lionel joked. 

Lex wasn’t amused.  “Why have you summoned me?” 

“I need your opinion on something,” his father replied.  “Vittorio here is an exquisite tailor, but I’m not too convinced about his sense of colour.” He crossed the room and picked up two swatches of expensive fabric.  “I’m of two minds, torn between the dove-grey pinstripe and the classic navy.  What do you think?” 

Lex shrugged.  “Personally, I think it’s a waste of a new suit.”

“Oh, come now, son,” Lionel chuckled.  “I think it’ll still come in useful in convincing the jury of my innocence.” 

“And you honestly think they’ll believe you’re innocent?” Lex challenged.

“In this suit? Definitely,” was the smart reply.  “Even if Miss Sullivan were alive to testify against me, they’d probably still find in my favour.”  

White-hot rage bubbled up in Lex, and he clenched his hands into tight fists.  “Look at you,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain.  “You cut down a bright young woman with her whole life ahead of her, just because she got in your way…and you’re not even sorry.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Lex,” Lionel replied swiftly, his voice hardening.  “I’m sorry that you ever thought it wise to betray your own father.” 

“Are you threatening me, Dad?” Lex queried softly.  “Well, go ahead; threaten me all you want. I’m not afraid of you.”

“Of course you’re not,” Lionel said, smiling at the young tailor and thanking him in Italian.  The young man took his heave, and Lionel stared coldly at Lex. 

“You’re not scared because I raised you to stand on your own two feet,” he said stonily.  “All those tests I put you through were designed to make you stronger, and they did.  So whatever it is that made you the man you are today, you have me to thank for it.”  

“And that just eats you up inside, doesn’t it, Dad?” Lex goaded softly, smiling as his father’s right eyelid twitched in annoyance.  Lex trailed a finger across the steel bars, causing an inappropriately pleasant tinkle in the starkness of the prison that he hoped his father found most annoying. 

“You’re a murderer,” Lex said harshly.  “And I’m not going to stop until you’re convicted for killing my grandparents.” 

“And I’m not going to stop until I’ve taken back everything you’ve clawed from me, Lex,” Lionel replied, his voice measured and menacing.  “This isn’t over, not by half.  With every sip of wine you take, every key you turn, every word you speak, you’ll wonder where I and what I’m planning to do to you.  I swear to you now: you will never know another moment’s peace.” 

Lex swallowed hard, and despite his best efforts to remain unaffected he felt a twinge of fear at his father’s ominous words.  He schooled his expression and straightened, stepping back from the bars. 

“You know what, Dad?” he said as he backed off.  “Tell me all this again in a week, when you’re a convict in a custom-made tangerine-tinted jumpsuit.” 

He turned and walked away, signalling for the guard to secure the door behind him. 

***

Lex drove up his driveway and shut off the engine, then closed his eyes and briefly rested his head back on the plush leather headrest of the seat.

It was good to return to the Mansion; visiting his father was always physically and mentally draining, not to mention worrying.  Lionel took perverse pleasure in goading him, and recently he’d taken to probing him for information about Chloe.  It was subtle, but it was there, and Lex was careful to pick up on it and not say anything that might indicate that Chloe was still alive. 

But from the smugness of his father’s attitude, Lex suspected that Lionel knew Chloe was alive, and had probably rightly guessed that Lex knew her whereabouts.  He’d always been very careful when visiting Chloe at the safehouse, and he’d noticed over the last couple of days since moving her to the Mansion that someone had been tailing him.  He’d done all he could to create false trails, such as go out in the evenings simply to mislead whoever might be watching him and create an impression that even if she were still alive, she wasn’t at the Mansion with him.  It was tiring and bothersome, but there were only three more days left until the trial; he could hold on for three more days. 

He glanced up at the windows, and was satisfied that Chloe’s quarters appeared un-lived in from the outside.  He’d cautioned her against touching or even looking out the windows, because the risk of being spotted was too dangerous.  She’d done exactly as he’d asked and also kept away from the main areas so that she wouldn’t be seen by staff.  But now that they were so close to the end of this incredible situation, he could sense a growing restlessness in her whenever he checked up on her. 

He stared up at the silent window and wondered what she was doing; probably either reading, or blogging on that Sentinel website of hers.  He had tested her connections, and she had covered her tracks well, but it was only a matter of time until someone close to her read one of her articles, put two and two together and came up with the obvious four.  He was tempted to seize her computer until after the trial, but that would have been far too restrictive.  It was bad enough that she’d been denied her freedom for three whole months because she was helping him to put a murderer behind bars.  She’d sacrificed enough. 

He got out of the car and smiled to himself as he locked the door and headed for the house.  The poor girl probably had an advanced case of cabin fever by now; he decided to give the staff the weekend off, so Chloe could move about more freely over the next few days.  It would be nice to sit and have coffee with her in front of the library fire. 

As he approached the front door it opened, and his butler stepped out to greet greeted him. 

“Welcome back, sir.  Miss Lang is waiting for you in the study.” 

He stopped.  “Lana’s here?”  He turned back towards the grounds, and was surprised to see her SUV parked next to his.  He hadn’t even noticed. 

Lana.  At one point he’d actually considered seducing her; in addition to being incredibly pretty, she would have been a good source of information on the elusive Clark Kent.  But after she moved to Paris his interest waned, and before he even realised it, it was Chloe who was on his mind. 

Now Lana was back, and waiting expectantly.  What did she want? 

“Thank you, Angus; I’ll see her now.  Oh, and…” he gave the older man a knowing smile.  “You and the team are excused for the rest of the night, and for the weekend.” 

Angus’s brows rose.  “All weekend, sir?” 

Lex nodded.  “All weekend.” 

Angus glanced towards the study, probably assuming that Lex wanted privacy to spend the weekend with Lana.  “Very good, sir.  Enjoy your weekend, and please call if you need any of us.”    

Lex watched him go, and then strode purposefully into the study.  Lana looked up as he entered, and rose to her feet with a smile. 

“Lex,” she greeted warmly, extending her arms.  “It’s good to see you.” 

“Welcome back, Lana,” he said, accepting her hug and kissing her chastely on the cheek.  “How was Paris?” 

“Paris was…enlightening,” she finally replied.  “Being there opened my eyes to quite a few things.  I learned a lot.” 

“So I see,” he said.  And the top of her learning list had been modifying her fashion sense, apparently.  Gone were the alice bands, ballet flats and the soft pink and baby-blue sweaters she used to favour.  In their place were black high-heels, black leather pants and a matching halter-neck chiffon blouse which left her shoulders and arms bare, further emphasised by the way her hair had been pulled away from her face in a severe ponytail.  Her lips were dark crimson, her eye make-up stronger and more defined. 

Yep, there were definitely some changes here.  He wondered whose benefit it was for, and sincerely hoped it wasn’t his. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked. 

“There’s something I need to ask you,” she began carefully. 

“Oh, dear.  Are you going to accuse me of hiding Chloe, too?” he asked, trying to keep his voice light. 

“Actually, I need a favour,” she replied.  “I wanted to find out if the apartment above the Talon is vacant; and if it is, I was hoping that I might rent it from you.”  

So she was here for herself.  That figured.  “The answers are yes, and yes,” he replied politely.  “I’ll just grab the keys for you.” 

“Thank you.”  She sat down and absently studied her manicure whilst he walked over to his wall cabinet and went through the keys on the hooks.

“I take it you’ve heard about Chloe,” he said after a while, studying her carefully.  

“I have,” she whispered, and bowed her head.  “Such a shame; she was my best friend, and I really miss her.” 

Lex narrowed his eyes and watched as she appeared to grieve for all of two seconds before examining her nails again. 

“Life goes on, huh?” he said as he took the Talon keys over to her. 

She nodded and gave him a sad smile.  “I guess.  So…what are the terms and conditions of the let?” 

She certainly moved on fast, he thought sardonically.  He’d always known she was a tad selfish, but still…

“I’ll draw up a rental agreement and drop it off later in the week,” he replied. 

She smiled.  “Thanks, Lex.  I trust you’ll be fair with the rent rate; not that you really need the cash.” 

She teetered off on her ridiculously high heels, and Lex almost shook his head in disbelief.  Her toes must be killing her in those shoes; why was she torturing herself by wearing them where hardly anyone could see them?  It was just Smallville, after all.  She’d probably be a whole lot better off in army boots and combat trousers. 

Speaking of girls in army boots and combat trousers…

He pulled out his smartphone and typed out a message. 

Your friend was just here. 

A few seconds later, she replied.  Clark?

Nope; the other one. 

Oh, Pete’s back? :-)

Lex rolled his eyes.  Wrong again, he replied.  The other ‘other’ one - Lana.

Aw.  I wish I could have seen her, Chloe texted back. 

No, she didn’t, he thought with a light chuckle.  Lana had been so wrapped up in her own needs, she’d barely spared a passing thought for her ‘dead’ friend, and even then he’d been the one to bring it up.   

Care to join me for coffee in the study? he offered.

In your own words, ‘that would be most unwise,’ she replied.  You know I can’t be seen. 

There’s no-one to see you but me, he responded.  I sent the staff home for the weekend. 

And the security cameras? She asked.

All disabled, I told you, he replied.

Oh!  She replied with a smiley face.  Well, if you’re sure…

He chuckled to himself, and tapped out a reply.  I’m sure.   

In that case, see you in three…two…

He heard her footsteps approaching along the hallway, and he smiled expectantly at the top of the stairs as he waited for her blonde head to emerge. 

“I told you Chloe was alive!” Clark shouted, barging into his study without warning. 

“Clark!”  Quickly Lex pocketed his smartphone and glared at his unwelcome guest.  “Jesus, didn’t your wonderfully perfect parents ever teach you to knock?” 

“Chloe’s alive,” Clark repeated, ignoring him.  “You know she is.” 

Lex gulped.  Busted.  “Listen, Clark—” he began.

“Look at this,” Clark interrupted, shoving a page from a newspaper in his face.  “This article, right here.  The Sentinel?  That’s Chloe.” 

***

Chapter 8…

Comments

[babydee1.livejournal.com]

"New chapter!!!!

Finally! :-) Yes, it's been a while.

"Thanks for that.... So Clark recognize Chloe article....
And i was co waiting for some "weekend alone" for Chloe and Lex ;-)"

You may still get it, Maddie! ;-)

Glad you like!