Two days.

It had been two days since she and Lex had returned to Metropolis from Nebraska. Two days where she hadn't caught more than a glimpse of him.

And two nights where her body yearned for him.

She tried not to think about that.

To keep her mind occupied, as well as to follow up on their mission, she hacked the Savage Inc. servers. From there, she was able to keep a careful eye on the distribution records. She had seen no signs that the material was being prepared for shipment anymore. In fact, just this morning a new report had been generated about "the accident" at the Nebraska plant that had destroyed eight truckloads of soil. Savage Inc. was writing it off as a loss.

That had done it.

She knew she should be unashamedly happy, but instead she felt oddly conflicted. She was proud of the fact they had stopped the disaster, but confused by her desire to share the victory...with Lex. Usually the victories were against Lex. So why did she want to call and share in the triumph with him?

Why did she really want to see him at all?

He was Lex Luthor, for goodness sake! She should be running away as fast as Clark now that he knew about her meteor power. What if she was wrong about seeing something in him? Maybe it had all been an isolated incident - his working on the side of good.

But still, she found herself thinking of how best to share the exciting news in a way that didn't seem like she was eager to celebrate the win. With him.

Maybe she was wrong to want to celebrate anyway. There were still so many open questions.

Who was the informant?
Were there still dangerous moles that were willing to hurt innocents to strike at Luthorcorp?
Were more attacks planned?
Was her father involved?

Too many questions and still so few answers. Questions that she also found herself wanting to discuss with Lex.

And maybe she missed him. Just a little bit.

Missed his sharp wit and rarely-seen humor. Missed his stormy blue eyes that seemed to see all of her in a way no one else ever had. Missed his fierce determination and drive that could do so much good instead of harm if only he saw more clearly.

Missed his hands on her body.

Damn it.

She started typing.

Lex,

Savage Inc. has written off what happened at the Nebraska plant as "an accident." All affected soil was destroyed.

We won.

-Chloe

Lex stood looking out the window of his office, sipping on a glass of scotch. The email from Chloe had been good news. Short and to the point, it confirmed all they had risked the past week had been worthwhile.

They had won the day.

So why did it all feel hollow without her here with him? He really shouldn't care as long as he had won. He had never before felt the need to share his victory.

He had kept himself away from her for the past two days as his mind worked over what had happened. He needed to think over the truths and questions that had been uncovered during his time with Chloe Sullivan.

Was he not as lost a soul as he had thought? Could he really be a better man? Did he want to be?

He turned away from the window and back to the monitor with its live security camera feed of the basement level of The Daily Planet. One truth he couldn't deny as he watched her typing away at her desk - he missed her. She had nearly died to save him, but that wasn't most what he thought of now as he watched her. He missed her smile, her humor, the way she pushed him and made him question his decisions, the snap in her eyes, and the catch of her breath when he filled her.

And judging by the way she kept refreshing her email, he had to wonder if she missed him too.

His email dinged again. Lex turned to check the message and felt a smile curve his lips. Sometimes fate worked in mysterious ways.

Another email. Chloe tried to ignore the strange jump in her stomach when she saw the sender was once again .

Penpal contacted me again. Meet at Luthor mansion tonight at 8pm?

Penpal? For a moment, Chloe looked at the screen uncomprehending. That wasn't the reply she had expected. Not that she had really expected a reply. Or wanted one.

Stop lying to yourself, Chloe. You've refreshed your email ten times in the last six minutes.

She brought her mind back to the task at hand. Did Lex mean the informant who had sent him the information about the Savage Inc. project had reached out again? If so, what did Deep Throat have to say this time?

She glanced at the clock. She would need to leave right now, but she could make it back to Smallville with time to spare. Lois wasn't at her desk, so Chloe scrawled a quick note for her that she would be busy tonight. Then she got up and grabbed her coat, just as Jimmy appeared at her desk.

"Hey, where's the fire, Chloe? I had hoped you would have time now to look over these shots from the Coatesville Dog Show with me."

She stopped, unsure for a moment. She had told Jimmy she would help him before she had gone away with Lex. "Oh, Jimmy, I was just..."

"Have you found your true calling writing about craft fairs and lost kittens?" she heard Lex's smirking voice say in her head.

She firmed her resolve. Yes, she could stay and help Jimmy with his dog show pictures instead of joining Lex to investigate what the informant had to say. Before this week, a part of her had thought she and Jimmy might be able to build something again if they tried. But that would mean staying on the sidelines. And that really just wasn't who she was. She was the girl that broke into secure facilities with vexing billionaires to save people from harm. She didn't want to settle by looking over dog show pictures when she could be doing something good...with someone that was trying to do good as well. She didn't want to live a PG-13 version of her life. She wanted what she did to matter.

And she wanted to matter to someone.

And strangely, working with Lex against Savage Inc., she had mattered. Yes, the things she did with Clark were important too, but with him she was the sidekick, she was support. Working with Lex, she was...a partner.

Her cheeks flamed, remembering the time in the motel. And she had been...well appreciated in a way she never had with Clark, and certainly not by Jimmy, despite his efforts.

"Sorry, Jimmy, but there is someplace I need to be."

"Sorry I'm late, Lex, but traffic was..." Chloe's voice trailed off when she saw who stood in the study with Lex.

"Dad?"

Gabe Sullivan turned around and smiled at her. "Hey Honey," he greeted her. She hadn't seen him since she had gone off the Met U three years ago, when he had moved out of state for a job. Followed by another out-of-state job. Then finally, to a job supposedly someplace in Europe a few months back, when he seemed to go completely radio silent. She had told herself it was because of the cost of international calls...but he hadn't even emailed.

So the last person she expected to see in Lex's study was Gabe Sullivan.

Her throat threatened to close on her, but she forced out the words. "W-What are you doing here?"

He smiled sadly. "Trying to do the right thing."

"What?"

He let out a sigh and indicated Lex with a motion of his hand. "I'm the one that sent the manifest and pictures to Lex." He paused, waiting for that to sink in, before continuing. "He told me about how you helped him put a stop to what Savage Inc. was trying to do." His expression softened. "I'm so proud of you."

She blinked, not sure if she was more surprised by his admission or his praise. He hadn't said he was proud of anything she had done since before Lionel Luthor had used him to hurt her. So the only thing she could think to say was, "But why...?"

Lex cut him, in a firmer voice. "Yes, Mr Sullivan. Why send me the pictures and the manifest? You must know how it made you look seeing that file."

Gabe sighed. "Yes, I did, but I needed you to take the threat seriously and personally. I guessed that by showing you that the loss happened under your leadership, you would handle it with utmost priority." He paused. "Even if I had to go down with it."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Gabe, but you've never been the altruistic type. Why risk it?" Lex asked. Chloe was glad he asked that pointed question, because then she wouldn't have to.

Gabe shook his head. "It wasn't altruism. It was guilt. I f***ed up. I didn't do it on purpose, but it was my oversight in not checking those barrels were destroyed. It was part of my responsibility, but I let so much slide because I was angry at you for abandoning Lexcorp. Two minutes to check the transfer documents, and this couldn't have happened." A sad smile crossed his face before he continued. "Then a few months back, I was doing blue-collar auto parts stocking in Tampa, when I got the call from Savage Inc. They offered me a job managing a plant again, and I jumped at it. Stupid me, I though my ship had finally come in."

Then his eyes turned pained. "It wasn't until I saw what they were doing, and who they were working against, that I finally understood why they sought me out. They had a dual hold over me. They had the manifest pointing right to me, and they knew I had a grudge against the Luthors. To them, I was the perfect employee for this type of operation. But when I saw what they were planning, I couldn't let it happen."

Gabe's gaze moved to catch Chloe's eyes. "I guess that need you have to see justice done could be hereditary." His smile was still sad. "I wish I had understood before now. Before..."

Chloe finished the sentence for him. "Before you have to go underground."

He nodded. "Yeah. It won't take Savage Inc. long to figure out who gave them up. Especially not after I swiped this." He produced a disk from inside his jacket pocket. "This is everything I was able to pull from the Savage Inc. computers over the last few days." He handed the disk to Lex and his look was serious. "The shipment of meteor-rock contaminated fertilizer from the plant isn't the only thing they've taken from Luthorcorp." He paused for a moment, holding Lex's gaze steady. "And it is nowhere near the worst. You have to track down the other projects and stop them or a lot of people are going to suffer."

Lex nodded, taking the disc. "I understand."

Gabe turned back to face Chloe. "I'm sorry we don't have more time, Honey. So sorry that I wasted what we did have."

Tears blurred her eyes, but Chloe ran into her father's arms, and she hugged him with all her strength. He hugged her back. For the first time in years, he hugged her back.

Then they all heard the unmistakable whump-whump-whump sound of a helicopter landing. Gabe slowly extricated himself from Chloe and used a sleeve to wipe tears from his eyes. "I think that is my ride." He turned and looked at Lex. "Take care of my girl."

Chloe expected Lex to tell Gabe she wasn't his responsibility, though there was a slight possibility he might play nice for Gabe's sake and say "I will."

Instead Lex smiled, and Chloe was surprised to see it reach his eyes. "No offense, Gabe, but if you think she needs me to protect her, you need to think again."

Gabe blinked in surprise, while Lex continued, "But what I can do is set up some sort of safe conduit for you two to communicate. The new identity I set up for you has multiple separation layers, but I have set up both routine and panic protocols if you need to reach me...or her."

Gabe nodded in response. "Thank you, Lex." Still holding Chloe's hand he met her eyes. "I'll be in touch this time. I promise." He kissed her forehead and then disappeared from her life again.

Chloe sat back into one of the study chairs, looking sightlessly at the stained-glass window that dominated most of one wall. A few moments later, the whump-whump-whump sound of a helicopter grew faster then started fading from hearing. Lex walked over to the sideboard and pulled down two crystal glasses and a decanter of some liquor. He poured a generous amount of amber-colored booze into each glass and walked back to where Chloe sat. Holding out one of the glasses, he said, "I think we both need this."

Chloe accepted the glass and took a large swallow, making a face as the fire of the alcohol hit her throat and caused her eyes to water. Coughing, she gasped out "Thanks."

Lex smirked, but for once she didn't want to slap his face for it. "No problem. We had a deal, and it was the least I could do for my...partner."

Her head snapped up. "What?"

Lex shrugged. "Well, you heard him. Savage Inc. is still a dangerous threat and needs to be neutralized. I assumed you would want in on it."

Chloe blinked. Was Lex asking her to keep working with him? Even with the information her father had just handed over? "Yes, but..."

Lex cut her off. "After all, I still think there is a Luthorcorp mole, and trust is a tough thing to find." His voice grew deep and low. "And I trust you. I trust that you'll get to the bottom of this. You'll stick your nose where it has no business being, until you find the truth, all in the name of keeping people safe."

Chloe felt her eyes narrow at the 'stick your nose where it has no business being' comment, but didn't deny the truth of it. "That may be true, but what about you? Why not just expose Savage Inc. and be done with it?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you think that Sullivans are the only ones that can take responsibility?" His voice grew harsh. "This is my company they want to bring down, and they want to corrupt everything I've been working for to do it. I will NOT allow that to happen." His voice changed tone again, becoming light though she still heard a bit of tension in it, even though he smiled. "So what do you say, Chloe? Care to help save the world with me again?"

Her heart seized, but she ignored it. "Lex, I can't. The Planet..."

He snorted. "Don't be stupid. You'll stay at The Planet, of course. You'll still need a cover while we investigate the leads on this." He held up the disc.

She mattered. Her answer mattered. He wanted her to say yes, but wasn't trying to force her. No blackmail, no threats. It was almost too strange for words, but something in her wanted to leap at the chance.

She fought the urge to say 'Yes,' and placing her empty glass down, got up from the chair. "Lex, this was a one-off, I can't help you..."

His eyes bored into hers. "Then why did you save me if not to do something better? To do things like prevent what almost happened in Nebraska from happening again?"

"Lex, I..."

"I know what you are, Chloe, remember? I know what you can do." He put his own drink down and made his way across the room until he stood inches away from her. Her body was leaning towards his without bothering to check with her head first. His hands reached up and cupped her face as his eyes searched hers. "You are unique, but that doesn't mean you are alone." She blinked, confused. "Your power helps others, not yourself. I didn't know that could happen. Now I wonder if I've been looking at the meteor-infected wrong. They might not all just be problems to be solved and contained. What if you are the first of those that can actually help the world?"

She snorted. "Yeah, like I can heal every person on Earth."

He smiled. "No, but you want to. Look at what happened with me. And I know the strength of your will, your drive. You'll kill yourself in the effort, and by so doing you would make the world a darker place." Then his eyes grew hard. "And I won't let that happen."

She pulled away. "What do you mean you 'won't let that happen.' What I do is my choice. Not yours."

His smile returned. "True. I could lock you up, but something tells me you would still find yourself free. So instead, I offer you this." He held up the disk again. "Something worth living for."

He eyes moved to the disc. He had gotten her true to rights. She had died several times already with her power. She hadn't begrudged the sacrifice, because she had felt the lives she saved had more value than hers, but one day she might not come back. Lex's counter of offering something she had been born to do was hard to deny. Her eyes flashed up to meet his, and she saw something else there. Something she remembered from years ago...and days ago.

He was letting her see inside himself. Not the facade of "Lex Luthor" but the real him. Just Lex.

And that Lex didn't want to lose her.

Something deep in her stirred at that realization. She felt she had known him once, and over the last few days she saw glimpses of that person. When she had decided to heal him, it was because she had seen something in him worth saving. When he taken the bullets meant for her, she had thought that for the first time in years, she thought he saw it too.

He wanted to do something better, to protect his company and innocent people. And he wanted her help.

Wanted her.

It wasn't a promise that he would change overnight. It wasn't even a declaration of love.

Because, honestly, she wouldn't have believed either.

But it was a first step.

She found herself smiling back. "Alright, Lex. I'll help you."

He smiled and it reached his eyes. She saw the unasked question in their blue depths, and replied with her own.

Then he lowered his head and caught her lips in a kiss.

It felt like a new day, a new beginning. For both of them.

- THE END -

Author's Notes: This story was created for apeygirl for the 2114-2015 SecretChlex exchange.

Apeygirl asked for:
as enemies aligning for a cause/forced to work together
sexual tension
3. early season 7 (before Lex's big downslide)

I think I got it all in there. This was a challenge as apeygirl wrote a big S7 Chlex story. I wanted to do something that felt like it fit with her beloved canon, but obviously didn't happen. Though it should have - Dammit!