Title: Nobody's Pawn - Part Two

Fandom: Smallville

Genre: Angst/Romance

Pairing: Chloe/Lex, hints of Chloe/Oliver, hints of Oliver/Dinah

Rating: A light R

Spoilers: to the beginning of season 10 to cover myself!

Summary: Sequel to 'Scorned'. Chloe has accepted the terms to Lex's proposal. Now she has to confront those she used to know in her new role – Mrs. Luthor.

Author Note: All comments and reviews are appreciated. For the sake of this fic, Oliver never exposed his identity to the world. Dedicated to Solo, because she needs some cheering up, and I know a bit of Chlex always manages to do that!

The sounds of soft movement in the bedroom woke Chloe the next morning.

Prying her eyes open, she sleepily watched Lex dress for the day as she snuggled further between the sheets.

"Good morning." He said before turning to the bed with a small smile.

"That sixth sense of yours is just creepy."

"But very helpful." He sat next to her as he knotted his tie, "Did you sleep well?"

Chloe stretched beneath the covers and stifled a yawn. "Very."

It was amazing just how relaxed she felt. In part she knew the previous night had been exhausting, but it was only until they had arrived home did she feel the last of her energy leave her.

She had expected Lex to take her straight to bed, or at least have her on the closest hard surface in the mansion.

Instead he had led her to the master bathroom, where he drew a bath scented with oils, before slowly undressing her himself.

It was only after she had soaked for a good half an hour with the bath jets running, did he take her to bed.

Sex between them had always been good, but that had been the first night he had taken the opportunity to leisurely explore her body. He had made her come with his mouth and hands three times before he finally listened to her begging and fucked her.

She was unsure if the power plays from the night had brought on the change, but it was nice. It felt almost as if they were in a loving relationship, where there were genuine feelings. The temptation was there to check if he had kept the feeds blocked, but she knew he would have told her if he had changed his mind.

He was a man of many moods; she just had to write last night off as one of them.

"I'm lifting the security restrictions in place for visitors, today." He said as he inserted his cufflinks.

"So soon?"

"With Luthorcorp's last lingering ties to Queen Industries, it will make business easier."

He looked up at her and gave a look of reassurance, "You don't have to see anyone. Rescinding the order doesn't mean an open invitation."

"I know." She tried to reassure herself as much as him. She needed to think of it as a good thing – at least it would allow her to test the waters with Lois.

He rubbed his hand gingerly across her arm, where as predicted the red marks from the night before had blossomed into bruises. "Don't worry about it for now. I need you to get up; there's something I need to show you before I leave for Metropolis."

Chloe's eyes fell to the clock on the night stand and groaned. No wonder his past wives tried to kill him. "Lex, it's not even six."

"You can go back to sleep after, if you want. I'd just prefer not to wait until tonight to do this," He looked at her openly, "Please."

He rarely asked her for anything outside of their arrangement, so she smiled and dramatically rolled her eyes, before throwing off the bed covers and exaggerating a sigh.

"Fine. But I swear, if this is all for some kinky sex game, I won't be happy Luthor."

His lips twitched slightly in amusement as he passed her a silk robe.

"No kinky sex games, I promise. Not before your first coffee of the day, at least. I've learned my lesson."

She slipped the robe on and tied it firmly in place. "You're a smart man."

Lex stood and with one hand helped her out of bed.

"For this part, you will have to trust me, "He said, as he pulled a silk scarf from his trouser pocket. "And I promise you that my pants will stay on."

"I hate surprises." She complained as he covered her eyes, making sure that her vision was completely obscured.

It wasn't a lie about hating surprises, she always had. Having control issues was something she had lived with her whole life, and her original career plan had done nothing to quell that. Knowledge was power, and being surprised always left her feeling vulnerable and unsure.

"I promise you that it's a good surprise, and only the power of telepathy would give you a clue as to what it is." He said as he she felt him gently guide her from the room.

Chloe tried to mentally keep track of every corner she turned, but it was soon obvious that she wouldn't be able to figure out her destination. She just had to trust Lex, and hope that she didn't walk into a wall.

She was eventually led to a stop, and after hearing the turn of a key in a lock, she was ushered a few more steps before feeling Lex's hands on her shoulders, stopping her.

"Keep your eyes closed." He whispered into her ear.

Resisting the urge to peek, she kept them firmly shut as she felt Lex's cool fingers untie the scarf from around her head.

She felt the silk being placed into her palm and was given a couple of seconds of silence to think of where she could be.

"Open them."

Her eyes blinked opened, slowly getting used to the bright light of the room.

"It's…" Chloe looked around the empty room. There wasn't a single thing occupying the space, "it's invisible?"

"No, the room is my gift to you."

"Kicking me out of your bed already? I'm hurt."

Lex smirked as he handed her the key. He took a few steps into the room before turning in her direction, his arms thrown wide. "This is your space, Chloe. Your sanctuary; your project. Whatever you wish it to be."

"You're giving me a room?"

"I know that having time on your hands is something that you're not used to, and that it is slowly driving you crazy. I wanted to give you something to focus on until you carve your way into the world again."

She was speechless. Financially it hadn't cost him, but a lot of thought had been there. She had never asked for her own rooms as part of the agreement, knowing that it might not portray the right picture to the outside world.

"So I can do what I want with it?" If he was serious, then the possibilities were endless. Once the sun finally rose, the room would be bathed in light. It would be a wonderful little hideaway.

"Anything."

"A study?"

"Yes."

Lex walked towards her, taking her hands in his.

"A little private love nest?"

"Yes." He said with a small laugh

"Turn it into a franchise of a well-known coffee chain?" She said, hoping to find some catch.

"Only if you share the profits."

"Don't be silly Lex; you know I would drink any profits."

"I just want you to be happy. We're not going to last as a partnership if you are miserable."

"You know, you are being particularly nice lately. Should I be suspicious?"

His smile faded quickly, replaced by seriousness. "Not everything about our life together is about bringing down Kent and Queen."

She sighed, and her eyes fell to her feet. "I know; the chance for a marriage not ending in heartbreak for me, or potential death for you."

Just hearing the words was funny, and she would have been laughing if the real tragedy hadn't been that it was true.

His hands found their way to her neck, before cupping her face, making her raise her gaze to him.

"I don't know about you, but I am assuming for that to work that we need to be nice to each other, gradually even friends."

She nodded her head. He was completely right; there was no way that they could act out the next few years together, and God only knew that she needed at least one friend in her life. At least Lex wouldn't set about breaking her heart, he would have the decency to kill her first.

"I know, it's just a lot of getting used to. Even you have to admit that."

He didn't reply, he just stepped closer to her before kissing her chastely on the lips.

"The camera feed will be unblocked in an hour. You might want to be dressed before then."

"Nah, let them look."

He smirked before letting her go. "I'll see you tonight."

Chloe watched as he left the room, wondering if life would ever stop surprising her.

With little else to do until she planned what she wanted from life, Chloe got straight to work on her project.

It would have been easy for her to just use Lex's money and hire a team of interior designers; he probably expected her to do just that, but it wasn't what she wanted.

She picked out her own colours and ventured out of the mansion to buy them herself. If this really was going to be her room, then she would start by truly making it her own.

She wanted a light, bright, airy space. A place that felt comfortable and fresh amongst the dark, authentic rooms that graced the Luthor family home.

By the early afternoon she was surrounded by paint tins, brushes and more decorating supplies than a decorator's van could hold. The only furniture in the room was a small desk and chair, so she could plug in her laptop and shop online if needed.

With sample pots in hand she began to paint patch tests near the window. It was a beautiful day outside, and she enjoyed feeling the sun on her skin; even if it was only felt through a pane of glass.

She stood there for a few moments, just enjoying the heat. There was a time only a few months ago she didn't think she would ever see the sun again. Since then, she had decided to enjoy it at every available moment.

It was then that she felt a change in the atmosphere of the room.

Years of being around some of the most secretive people in the world had led Chloe to develop a sixth sense of her own. Despite being out of the game for over a year now, her 'spider senses' still tingled when her space was invaded by an unannounced guest.

Without the rushing wind that accompanied a man with super speed, she knew at once who had dared to break into Lex Luthor's marital home.

Chloe had known at some point that she would be alone, face-to-face with the man. Their brief encounter the other night was not going to be enough to satisfy his curiosity.

Thousands of planned statements and actions had filtered through her mind, knowing that one day she would be here. Right now, not a single one came to her.

"Hello, Chloe."

She turned to see him standing in the open doorway to her little den, and she was surprised to see that he had come to her not as Green Arrow, but Oliver Queen. He didn't need his gear to slip by security here, but she knew he preferred the identity of his costume when breaking and entering.

"Hello, Oliver. I'm afraid Lex isn't here right now. Feel free to drop by later when he's home, I'm sure he will make time to speak to you then."

He stepped further into the room, looking nowhere but at her. "I'm not here for Lex, and you know it."

"Then I really see no reason for you to be here." She turned back to her wall to continue painting.

"You're the reason that I'm here, Chloe. I'm here to get you away from him, to hide you somewhere safe."

She raised her eyebrows, and caught herself short at laughing. There had been enough hiding away in her life time; she wanted to be out in the open enjoying life. "Then I am sorry for your wasted journey. I'm in no need of rescue; I'm here because I want to be. This is my home."

"Home? This isn't your home, Chloe. It never will be."

She turned to face him, knowing that the moment was finally here. Oliver Queen was here in Smallville because of his bruised ego. She was sleeping with the enemy, and he still didn't understand why.

"This is where my husband lives, it's where I eat, work from, and it's where I sleep at night. What other definition of a home do you need?"

He walked closer to her, only six strides for him to close the gap completely. She felt safe that there was a panic button in the pocket of her jeans. She really didn't want him touching her again.

"Husband? That's the biggest lie of all! What is he holding over your head, huh? Was he involved with Checkmate? Is that why you're here?"

"He's my husband because I want him to be, and that is the truth."

He took another two steps towards her, and her heart began to race. She had no idea what she would feel if he touched her without any aggression involved.

"There is a reason you married him, and I know it wasn't out of love." His voice was soft, almost pleading. He still didn't buy into the marriage.

"I want to be with him! Why can't you understand that?"

"Are you forgetting that this man kidnapped your mother and experimented on her for years? Hell, he tortured you, Chloe! How many times has he been happy for you to die?"

His voice was raised, and he was starting to lose his temper. It was good. She wanted him to feel something.

"He's treated me terribly in the past, but I've moved on, and I can live with that."

"You can live with it?" Oliver snorted with disbelief.

"I can, and do you want to know why?"

"Enlighten me." A hint of his arrogance was shining through at last.

"He has never underestimated me. He knows what I am capable of, and trusts that knowledge," She turned away from him towards her window, not wanting him to see the unwelcome pain in her eyes, "And he will never promise me the world and then rip it away from me."

"You can't tell me you don't care about me anymore. This whole thing with Lex; It's you just lashing out in a way to hurt me."

She let out a small, bitter laugh, "It would only hurt you if you loved me, Oliver. Hurting your ego on the other hand? Sure, it would do that."

"I loved you Chloe, you know that!" He was passionate. Maybe there was a part of him that actually believed what his said, but as always, actions had spoken louder than words.

"I heard the words once through a radio, but let's face it; they were empty of any real truth." She spoke quietly, really trying not to replay that day in her mind.

"You know that's not true."

"If it was true, you would have held on for me. I fought my way to get back to you. I put up with the beatings and the pain. I put blood on my hands to find my way back to you, to make sure you were safe, and to know that I loved you too."

He had no idea what she had gone through to find her way back. She toyed with the idea of explaining in detail exactly what Checkmate had done to her, how loyal she had been despite the temptation to end the agony.

She wanted him to feel the anguish that she had felt on her return. His silence spurred her to continue.

"Do you know what the first thing I saw was when I came home? The Daily Planet displaying a picture of Green Arrow and Black Canary, sealing their partnership with a kiss. If that didn't hurt enough, I sought you out, needing to know if what I had read about Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance was true. I was still bleeding, barefoot, standing in the rain; but it was the sight of you two that made me sick to my stomach."

His voice was quiet as he spoke, "I saw you that day. I tried to get to you."

"You were six months to late." She felt that hard edge drip into her voice, the same tone that appeared every time she felt that cold vice grip her heart, "You didn't deserve to speak to me, just like you have no right to now. You were a hero to me, but all I was to you was an afterthought."

"You were never an afterthought!"

"YOU GAVE UP ON ME!" She screamed at him as she threw her small paint pot, the tears finally showing themselves.

"SO YOU GIVE YOURSELF OVER TO LEX LUTHOR?" He marched towards her and grabbed her by the arms, and she winced as his grip dug into the fresh bruises on her arm.

Seeing her pain he looked down to where his hands were, the marks caused by him the previous night were now painfully visible against her pale skin.

"Is that what I…? I'm sorry Chloe; I didn't mean to hurt you."

That was it right there. He may not have intended to hurt her; he never did. Yet he managed to all the same.

She slowed her breathing down, determined not to give this man any more of her tears or thought.

"I said everything I needed to the other night. I don't owe you any explanations, or reasons for what I do with my life. Just go home and know that I am finally happy. I have no worries, no responsibilities. I am finally able to make a fresh start with someone who cares about me."

"He doesn't care about you. He'll hurt you, and probably have you killed." She could feel the tension radiating from his body, and it was suffocating, "How can you trust a man like him with your life, let alone with your heart? Marriage means nothing to him."

"Lex is a man who takes commitment seriously, he always has. I know that my heart is in safe hands. His past wives all took from him, and never once gave back. I'm not the kind of person who could do that. He and I make sense."

"Make sense?" He ran his hand through his hair, clearly trying to work out his frustration, "You worked alongside heroes, saving the world! He's a murderer."

"So am I. Even you have tried your hand at it, and it was only a few weeks ago that you discovered you had failed! Life has many shades of grey, and I can live with that."

"I don't believe that this is what you really want."

Chloe sighed, seeing that he really wouldn't listen to her, at least not yet. Her frustration was starting to build to match his.

"What I can't understand is what you expected to accomplish by coming here today. Did you want me to fall at your feet and beg you to take me back? Have me return to the watchtower, and pine for you from the side-lines as I watch you and Dinah get married? Do you want me to relive my teenage years, with you replacing Clark in my secret fantasies?"

"No!" His voice was hard and confident, with a stare to match; as if he would imprint his beliefs into her.

"Then what? Because I am two seconds from asking security to remove you from the building."

He huffed out a bitter laugh, "They can try."

"Oliver!"

"You're not supposed to be with him…you're supposed to be with me."

For a moment, there was a feeling of doubt, and it settled in her stomach like a rock. What if she had been wrong? Should she have given him a second chance? If she had heard these words when she had first come back, she probably would have just thrown herself into his arms and pushed aside her pain.

Then the image of him in costume, kissing Canary on a rooftop floated into her mind. It hurt still, but not as much as before. There was more embarrassment at being made a fool of now, and the feeling of naivety for briefly wondering for a second that she may have been wrong to feel this way. She would never feel special if he held her now, just cheap and easily replaced.

"Whose fault is that?" She finally asked.

"Come back with me." Chloe could see that he meant every word. All it would take was the nod of her head, and she would take her from this place, as well as taking back five years' worth of self-respect that she had built.

"No. I'm happy, and I want to stay here."

"You don't love him, Chloe."

She thought about the strange turn her relationship with Lex had taken. Their physical relationship had always been good, but more recently she had noticed small changes; things that he had never done for her before. He was interested in her wellbeing, and how she felt. He did everything he could to make her comfortable, even when he didn't have to.

She was changing too, she realised. He made her smile, and she enjoyed the challenge of forcing a laugh from such a serious man. It had been years since she had seen him happy, and putting that sparkle back into his eyes gave her a warm feeling. She looked forward to spending time with him, exploring who the real Lex was, deep beneath the walls he had built.

He was making it easy to forget all of the ways he had hurt her in the past. They were building a future, and she was looking forward to it. A real partnership.

She loved being with him, so would it really take much for her to fall in love with him over time? There was trust, and after that her heart normally followed.

There was a hint of a smile as she answered Ollie truthfully, "Not in a way you would understand."

After a hard day, in Chloe's opinion, nothing could beat curling up in front of an open fire with a good book, and a steaming cup of coffee.

She felt as if she had been on an emotional rollercoaster of extremes, and she needed time to wind down and reflect.

When she had woken up that morning, there had been no clue as to what she would feel and confront in the next few hours. Lex had greeted her day with surprise, warmth and generosity. Oliver had her relieving the familiar emotions of grief, loss, anger and pride.

Her current surroundings were now giving her the comfort, security and peace she desperately needed.

This little den in the mansion had become her sanctuary within her new home. It was more intimate and lacked the grand space that was the common theme throughout the building. Lex was rarely home enough to spend much time here, so Chloe had gradually added small comforts, steadily infusing their styles.

The soft blanket covering her legs, and the decorative pillow under her head were prime examples of how she was gradually taking over.

The fact that her well-thumbed copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' hadn't been tidied away by the cleaning staff, was a true example of how well known this area was known as hers.

"I'm sorry, but don't you have a room of your own now?"

Chloe smiled at his sarcasm, and turned her head towards the now open door.

"I knew there had to be a reason behind your generosity. You just want your space back!"

"No, I want my couch back."

Lex crossed the room, before lifting Chloe's feet and taking their space on the furniture. His warm hands kept hold of her feet as he kept them in her lap.

"So this is about your couch?"

"Yes. It's comfortable. And from the way you continue to sprawl yourself across it, I know you agree."

She caught the small hint of a smile before he masked it. It was safe to say he was teasing her. "Marriage is about sharing Lex. Unfortunately for you, that includes your furniture."

"I suppose that is a sacrifice I will have to accept." He sighed dramatically.

"A wise decision, Luthor." She said, snuggling further into the cushions.

"I'm sorry I'm late tonight. My last meeting ran late."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. I know that Luthorcorp is going through an adjustment period and that late meetings will be a regular occurrence. Besides, you're not supposed to keep my entertained for every minute of the day."

He leaned over and picked a flick of paint from her hair. "I can tell."

"Damn, I thought I got it all out." She began running her hand through her hair, trying to feel for anything more.

"It's all out." he assured her, "So I take it that you had fun today."

"For the most part," She took a breath while thinking how exactly to approach a subject which was bound to anger him. "It seems that Oliver thought today would be a great day to pay me a visit."

Lex's back straightened, and his grip momentarily tightened around her feet.

"You weren't told?"

He quickly shifted and made to leave the room, his anger plain to see.

"I left instructions to be notified of any unannounced guests on the property in my absence."

Chloe scrambled up from the couch and got to the door at the same time as him. Gently, she took his hand from the handle, and held it in her own. "I don't think he came in through the front gate, Lex. Your security has always had a problem with skilled people."

"You're not discouraging me, Chloe. Right now, I'm seriously considering bodyguards to follow your every step, home and away."

She rolled her eyes at the dramatics. "Let's not go overboard here, shall we? I'm not in anymore danger. He's supposed to be one of the good guys, remember?"

"'Supposed to be' is the exact term of phrase I would use." Lex's eyes fell to the bruises on her arm. "When he was here, did he hurt you?"

"He barely touched me."

"That's not what I asked."

She let out a soft sigh. "He grabbed me once. To be honest, I think he was resisting the urge to shake some sense into me…but he saw the bruises first. They surprised him and kept his temper in check."

Lex pulled her into his arms, holding her close. The move surprised her, but she went with the flow.

"Does he believe you now?"

"Time will tell."

She tried to resist the feeling of comfort that she was drawing from being within his arms. It was warm, strong, and entirely too appealing. More than that, it felt safe; and that was something she both craved and feared. Being comfortable was the easiest way for her guard to come down, and she couldn't afford that.

Pulling away slightly, she looked up enough to make eye contact.

"We're in his head, you know."

"I think it's alright to leave Queen to me now. You don't have to see him again."

She could feel the frustration building within her, and absentmindedly rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I've never been one to sit on the side-lines and let others do the work. You know that. I really don't mind."

"I know that, but when we started this between us, you had me promise limited contact between you and people like him. I'm holding up my end of the deal." He brushed a stray curl from her face, while his gaze held hers.

"I know obsession well, Chloe. It would be too easy for you to devote every minute of the day to making him pay. As much as you've tried to deny it over the years, we're alike in many ways; so when I say let it go, it's for a reason."

Her shoulders sagged as she sighed. She knew that he was right. It would be far too easy to become focused and devote her life to a cause again, but that hadn't been the plan. She was supposed to be satisfied with the revenge she had and then move on with her life.

If she really was going to do that, then it all had to end somewhere. However, she knew herself best and that included her weaknesses. "I really don't think I have it in me to let go."

"And that's why you need to focus your energy on something else."

His thumb was caressing her cheek, and it felt far too intimate to her. It was the opposite of what their relationship was about. Sharing her life and sharing her bed never equalled intimacy to her, but the look he was giving her right now was almost unnerving.

"Careful or I'm going to start thinking you actually give a crap."

"I do."

She could feel his sincerity, and she was yet to see any indication that he was mocking her. Trying not to roll her eyes, she let out a deep, steadying breath. "I meant as a person Lex, not as your partner."

He didn't stop his gentle touching, slowly moving his hand to the back of her neck. "We're in this for the long haul, right?" He asked her.

Frowning, she tried to follow his thought process. "Well, sure. That was the plan."

"Then wouldn't it make sense to be friends? You know I admire you and that I enjoy your company. We used to be once; so why is the thought of picking up where we left off such a crazy thought?"

"Maybe it's just hard for me to recognise friendship anymore."

"Think of it this way – what else could I possibly want from you?"

It was true. Lex held all the cards.

If she left him tomorrow, it might temporarily delay some of his political plans, but on the whole there was nothing else he needed. The past few weeks she had spent with him had given him a psychological edge over Oliver and Clark that he could use for years.

"Friends care for each other, and that is why I worry about you. That is also why I'm telling you to let it go." Lex moved forward and kissed her gently. "The best revenge would be for you to move on and be happy. Just live your life and not look back. Regrets are for weaker people, not us. Luthors learn from their mistakes."

Chloe playfully narrowed her eyes and tried to hold back a smile at the last statement.

"You know, I have a feeling your smooth words are going to have an annoying habit of talking me round."

"I hope so." Lex whispered in her ear, before trailing kisses across her jaw to her soft, eager mouth.

"I'll find a way around your logic eventually." She whispered with back a sigh as he began to caress her body, all while pulling her closer to him.

"I'll look forward to the challenge."

His lips met hers in an almost bruising kiss, completely contradicting the gentle way he held her. He slowly began to pull her to the floor and onto the soft rug.

"Sex by the fire? Cliché much?"

Flashing a wicked grin at her, he eased her onto her back before slowly removing the small cotton shorts she was wearing.

"Perhaps, but I promise you that in two minutes you won't even care."

The predatory gleam in his eye caused a jolt of pleasure to flash between her thighs.

Oh yeah, she was beginning to warm to the idea of friendship – especially when it came with such great benefits.

Oliver couldn't bring himself to close the damn laptop and stop what he was seeing. Instead, he took all of that anger and aggression out on the empty glass tumbler he held in his hand.

There was a small satisfaction as the glass hit the wall and shattered into small pieces.

He wanted to find something that would prove what he was watching was an act, that this display was forced for his viewing pleasure.

They had to know someone would be watching – that he would be watching.

Then again, that was the point, wasn't it? Standing up, he kicked his chair across the room.

The door to his office burst open and in walked the woman he was set to marry. She was dressed in an elegant black dress which floated around her ankles, kicked up by her impatient footsteps.

Taking in the shards of glass on the floor and the disarray in the room, she huffed out a breath loudly before crossing her arms over her chest and began to tap her foot.

"For crying out loud, Oliver! We're supposed to be heading out to dinner in fifteen minutes and you're not even dressed!"

He could feel his frustration building on the anger. A day didn't go by when Dinah found some reason to raise her voice at him. He swore one of these days she would just go ahead and scream, finally shattering his eardrums. It would be a relief – finally the nagging would stop.

Digging his fingernails into his palm, he used the pain as a distraction to calm himself. "I said I would be out in five minutes."

"Yes, and you haven't moved an inch since!"

Spying the laptop and its light reflecting onto the wall, she stepped towards it. "What are you watching that's so important that you're willing to blow off the Mayor, of all people?"

Oliver slammed the lid shut, effectively halting her short lived investigation.

"I'm just checking on a project of mine. It's important."

"Fine! Ten minutes, and you better be ready to head out that door." She warned as she turned and charged out of the room.

Through gritted teeth he replied, "Yes, dear."

Once he was sure she was out of view, he opened the laptop again. Thirty-five seconds staring at the screen, he wished he had left it alone.

He had already seen more of Lex Luthor than he ever wanted to, but it was the look on Chloe's face that made him pick up the computer and smash it into the desk. Those beautiful expressions were etched into his memory because he had so often been the cause of them.

Watching her now with the man he hated more than anything, turned his stomach. This was his punishment, he knew that now, but that didn't mean he was going to sit back and let this happen.

He had always been her hero, and that would never change. If it meant biding his time so he could save her, then he would just have to grin and bear it.

Either way, Lex Luthor was a dead man.