What You Don't Know...

“So, I’m guessing that we know each other.”

Suddenly long fingers reached out and wrapped around the hand lying closest to him as his eyes warmed and his features softened.

“I would hope so; otherwise our wedding would have been a very awkward affair.”

Chapter One


Chloe’s gasp at the unexpected response turned into a brief coughing fit. When her lungs finally gave up there spasms a glass of cool water was pressed into her hand as the man who claimed to be her husband spoke.

“I’m sorry; but there really wouldn’t have been a good way to tell you would there.”

“That I’m married to an insensitive bastard? Guess not.”

Her words were harsh but her faint smile washed away any sting they might have held and Lex was both amazed and gratified to see that so much of the Chloe Sullivan he knew remained.

Taking a sip of the water, she set the glass aside and peered at him curiously. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Of course,” he replied, relieved by her seeming acceptance.

“What is your name?”

Lex’s deep, rich laughter filled the room and Chloe was glad to hear it. She loathed people who lacked a sense of humor. Not that she had recalled that about herself; more that after hours of the tight lipped, solemn medical staff she could honestly say that she’d kill for even a meager ‘knock, knock’ joke.

“Lex. Lex Luthor.”

She hadn’t been expecting that, and for a few moments Chloe silently pondered what it meant.

“Well, Mr. Luthor,” she inquired with an arch of her eyebrow, “is there any particular reason that I’ve been told, repeatedly, that my name is Chloe Sullivan?”

The smile he gave her was designed to inspire trust. Lex knew it worked well; he practiced it a lot before lying to people.

“Well, even if I could convince you to give up your maiden name, it hasn't become an issue just yet. We’re newly married.”

Chloe’s face twisted in horror and Lex quickly reclaimed her hand.

“Chloe! What is it? What’s wrong?”

Looking as if she was about to cry, she asked in a small voice, “Did I ruin our wedding?”

Realizing that he was apparently going to be as perplexed by the new Chloe as he had been by the old, he nevertheless hurried to soothe her.

“Of course you didn’t. Why would you even think such a thing?”

Thankful to hear that she hadn’t destroyed such a momentous occasion, even if she couldn’t remember it, she gestured weakly to his attire. “Well, everyone’s been calling me Sullivan, and we don’t seem to have exchanged rings, and you’re here in a tuxedo…I just kind of thought that maybe I’d done something stupid like tripped during the ceremony and knocked myself unconscious on the altar.”

Laughing again, Lex decided that he liked this side of Chloe. Previously, their humor had always found an outlet in the slightly acerbic banter that was often as guarded as it was entertaining. Unfortunately, they’d had the type of relationship that didn’t lend itself to prolonged periods of levity, as their time together was generally motivated by whatever dire emergency was taking place at the moment. It was nice to see the open, playful side that she reserved for those that she didn’t consider potential enemies.

He also had to admit that he was exceedingly impressed by her powers of observation. Evidently journalism wasn’t her just career choice, but an inherent part of who she was. Even after a head trauma and the resulting amnesia, she still managed to find the oddities in her situations and the inconsistencies in his story. No wonder Clark had managed to keep his secret for so long with Chloe covering for him, he thought in frustrated admiration.

“You didn’t ruin our wedding, Chloe. It was a very simple affair with no injurious altar in sight. We’ve only been married for seven weeks which is why everyone here was referring to you as Sullivan before my arrival, since that was the name on your identification. As for the rings…well, that’s a little more complex and I don’t want to upset you right now.”

Her brow furrowed in concentration and Lex could see that she was trying to recall anything that would help her decipher his last statement. He sat silently, waiting for her questions. He was counting on Chloe’s inability to deny her curiosity. Lex began to understand then that his plans might not be as difficult as he had believed. Apparently the baseline Chloe was very similar to the Chloe he had known; and while he was satisfied with the development, it caused an odd feeling inside of him to realize that he actually knew someone so genuine.

“Okay…Lex. Explain the ring thing.”

“Chloe,” her name a weary exclamation, “the doctors were very specific that I not fill your head with information that might interfere with the return of your memory.”

“Please, Lex,” she was surprised at how easy the name fell from her lips, “I know that you can’t tell me everything. Believe me; I’ve heard the lecture from three different doctors. But there has to be something that you can tell me. Doesn’t anyone get that maybe its more distressing for me to know that there are these “upsetting” things out there that I’m completely unprepared to deal with?”

With a sigh of resignation that he hoped was convincing, Lex arranged his features in a persuasive imitation of concern.

“Chloe, your best friend was a young man named Clark.” He knew that he had to be careful not to give her too much information. “You were very close, but when we started dating he took it badly. Although he and I had also been friends previously, he didn’t approve of me as your suitor.”

Rubbing gentle circles on her skin with his thumb, he allowed a small silence to build, conveying a sense of impending doom.

“But by then it was too late. Every second I spent with you found me more and more in love. Even your loyalty to Clark in the face of his rants and accusations towards you made me fall harder.”

His eyes locked with hers and he could see that she was absorbing his words; the frightening void in her mind lending them greater effect.

“I hated seeing you hurt, but you were determined to try to salvage your friendship, and so I agreed not to tell Clark how serious things had become between us. But I drew the line at us putting our lives entirely on hold because of the tantrums of one jealous boy. So we decided to elope, hoping that when we did tell Clark he would finally realize that our marriage was a fait accompli and that he had no choice but to accept it.”

Lex watched a number of emotions flit across her face until, finally, only confusion was left.

“Okay; that explains the lack of rings, but it doesn’t seem all that upsetting. I mean, it’s not like I remember this Clark guy, so I can’t say that I’m too bothered that he’s off having a conniption fit about something that doesn’t really seem like his business. So why did you seem so reluctant to tell me…apart from the whole misplaced memory deal?”

“Earlier today you called me. You sounded…” his pained voice briefly halted. “You sounded so upset. You were crying and all I could make out was something about Clark. I wanted to go to you right then. God, I should have just followed my instincts despite what you said.”

Even though she had no memories of the man before her or the things he was speaking of, he looked so consumed with guilt that she couldn’t resist the urge to offer him the same comfort he’d extended to her. Turning her hand in his, she gently squeezed it in a soothing gesture of reassurance.

His gaze snapped down in surprise as he felt Chloe’s warm hand clasp his. Knowing that, realistically, she had less than an hour of memories of him and yet was still trying to calm his distress revealed a great deal about her character that would be useful to him in this new endeavor. He heaved a heavy sigh and continued with his tale.

“You begged me not to leave work to find you. You said Clark was already gone and you were on your way to meet me here anyway.” He answered her question before she had time to ask. “We were going to a benefit tonight. You said that you were tired of hiding; that our real friends would be those that celebrated our happiness with us.”

“Wow, I’m pretty smart, huh?”

“Indeed,” he declared, bringing her hand to his lips for a soft kiss.

“Not that I want to discourage compliments and romantic gestures, but if we could get back to you telling me whatever it is that you’re trying to not tell me, that would be good, too.”

Years of practice allowed his features to remain impassive as Chloe did exactly as he’d predicted. It wasn’t that she was easy to manipulate; on the contrary. All of the observations she’d made and the conclusions she’d drawn were quite logical and signs of both her intelligence and perceptive nature. She just didn’t know him well enough to take everything he said with an entire salt mine.

And he planned to use all of those traits to his benefit. He would allow her clever mind to point out the purposefully hidden aspects of his accounting of her life, knowing that if she believed that she was learning about things he was reluctant to tell, she would give the information greater credence. Lex also understood that in her newly formed innocence she would see his hesitation to be forthcoming as an act of protection as opposed to manipulation.

“You wouldn’t tell me exactly what happened with Clark. You told me we’d talk about it tonight. But Chloe,” he leaned forward, to help convey the import of his words, “whatever he said, whatever he did, I haven't ever heard you that upset. For a few moments you seemed almost hysterical. I’ve never been so frightened in my life…until I saw you lying in this bed tonight.”

“Sounds like your day has been almost as bad as mine, huh? I’m sorry you were worried.”

And as he looked into her clear green eyes, he could see that she was. It had been a while since anyone had shown genuine concern for his well-being, emotional or otherwise. It was nice but, as it was destined to be short lived, he decided to pay little attention to the feeling.

“Worried doesn’t begin to encompass the dread I’ve experienced today. And frankly it’s a dread that I probably shouldn’t be sharing with you right now. But since I’ve already forsaken doctor’s orders, I need you to do something for me, Chloe.”

“Of course,” she agreed, thankful that he’d been willing to go against prevailing opinion and give her even a tiny glimpse of her life.

“Clark and I were friends for a long time, but Chloe – you’re everything to me and I won’t let anything jeopardize that. Not even Clark. I don’t know what happened today and you can’t tell me; but I know that it must have been bad to upset you as much as it did.”

Lex practically vibrated with intensity and determination as he delivered the coup de grâce .

“Dr. Heideman has suggested that you don’t struggle to remember anything, and despite the fact that I’ve just broken half of the medical directives I received before coming in here, I don’t disagree. However, if you remember anything about Clark – tall, dark hair, green eyes – anything dangerous, threatening, or that even just strikes you as out of the ordinary, I need you to promise that you’ll let me know. If anything ever happened to you…”

Oddly enough, the anxiety radiating from the man who she’d just learned was her husband was strangely comforting. Without any firsthand knowledge of her past everything she learned seemed a little surreal and mildly suspect. But this near tangible fear – for her, of losing her – made clear why they were together.

Untangling her hand from his, she brought her fingers up to brush the lines of worry from his face.

“I promise.”

Chapter Two


Lex no longer hired true believers. Fanatics were unruly and unpredictable; lead not by his instructions but by the courage of their convictions. No; now the people who surrounded him did so for money. Because he had more of that particular commodity than most it made his employees infinitely easier to manage.

And for this reason his instructions regarding Chloe had been followed to the letter. In fact, whatever shock, if any, that Dr. Heideman had felt at Lex’s dictates never showed on his face as the man seemed to take in stride the deception and veritable kidnapping of a vulnerable young woman.

Lex liked getting his money’s worth.

And so he’d sat in silent satisfaction as Heideman and his staff imparted to Chloe the information that he had approved. A mixture of medical fact and subtle fabrication, Lex was relatively confident that Chloe would be convinced of the necessity of the actions he would be taking to reach his objective in a timely manner.

First, they had explained to her the importance of avoiding direct interaction with people and places from her past, claiming that the popular myth of “jogging” one’s memory often left the patient feeling pressured and confused as their mind tried to create memories based on what they were told about their past.

Then they had emphasized how important it was that she alerted her “husband” of every memory so that they could begin to discern a pattern to her recollections so that they would be able to generate a more focused treatment plan.

Lastly, they absolutely forbid any kind of stress. No work, no school, and limited exposure to any kind of media. Of course, he smiled at the memory, Chloe had questioned that last order. Lex had expected nothing less, and Heideman had provided the answer that he had been given – every news item to which she was exposed would engender subconscious expectations that she should be able to place it contextually. The byproduct of such belief, no matter how unintentional, would be a growing sense of anxiety that would hinder her recovery.

Once again the old Chloe seemed to peek through as she balked at the restrictions being placed on her. It was only his refusal to take her home that assured her compliance.

But she had agreed, and now, three days after her foolhardy stunt, they were speeding their way out of the city, past the suburbs, to a small estate that he’d purchased little more than a year ago.

Glancing over at her seated across from him he couldn’t help but notice how much better she looked than she had even earlier that morning. It appeared that hospitals still didn’t agree with her. Lex suspected that was due to their inherent constraints on her naturally boundless energy. But now, away from there, her skin had regained a healthy glow from which even the fading bruising at her temple could not detract.

In keeping with the story they were husband and wife, Lex had purchased an entire wardrobe for her and, when he’d come to retrieve her, he’d brought with him a sleeveless silk blouse in a light spring green and a simple, knee length skirt in a darker, richer shade. The color enhanced that of her eyes, and he found himself drawn to them repeatedly as they gazed at him with an open curiosity, all hints of their former animosity missing.

They were nearing there destination when Chloe finally broke what had been the surprisingly companionable silence.

“I know that I’m supposed to be patient and rediscover myself at the pace my mind sets, but there really are some things that I have to know so I don’t drive myself crazy.”

“Well,” Lex said thoughtfully, “why don’t you tell me the questions you have and we’ll decide which ones are safe to answer.”

After days with what was fast becoming clear was her overprotective husband, Chloe realized that was the best offer she was going to get.

“My family. Aren’t they going to worry?”

“Of course they’re worried. But I explained Dr. Heideman’s orders, and since all they want is you to recover as quickly as possible, they’ve agreed to give you time.”

Which of course wasn’t even remotely true. Gabe had passed away late in the previous year; a good man, Lex had truly regretted his passing. But that just left Chloe’s uncle and cousins and, although they all loved her, only Lois was around enough to actually notice Chloe’s absence. So Lex had handled her in the same way that he had dealt with Clark.

He had his security team retrieve some personal items from Chloe’s apartment, along with her laptop and her car from near the facility to make it appear credible that she had left town. And then, with a computer expert to break through the rather remarkable security and a specialist in linguistics to compose two messages that would reflect her speaking pattern, he had emails sent to Lois and Clark detailing an amazing lead on a story in California and her desire to be the one who broke it. It would be abrupt, but not out of the realm of possibility, and Lex was hopeful that his plan would reach fruition far before any serious suspicions could be raised.

“Okay,” he prodded, seeing her still inquisitive look, “out with it. Let’s have the rest of the questions.”

“Dr. Heideman said no school or work. How big of a problem is this going to end up being for me when I finally remember everything?”

Not that Lex regretted his deception of Chloe, but he was still glad that he could genuinely set her mind at ease on these particular matters.

“Actually, you decided against taking classes during the summer semester so that you could focus on your internship, which I think is a subject that your doctor’s would rather you remember for yourself. I did, however, explain the situation to your superiors and they’ve agreed to hold your position indefinitely.”

Most of which was true. Oh, he had ensured that her internship would be waiting for her; he had no desire to truly damage Chloe’s life. But he made certain that his name was in no way connected with the matter. Instead, he had sent a few of the higher profile Metropolis lawyers who had done work for him before, but were not currently on the Luthor payroll, to meet with the owner of the Daily Planet. They had intimated that they were there on behalf of Chloe’s family, most notably her uncle, General Sam Lane.

Explaining to the man that Chloe had been injured investigating a story that was far to dangerous for an unsupervised intern, they had hinted about massive repercussions in the form of prolonged litigation. However, they had assured him that Miss Sullivan only wanted to be able to return to her position once she had recovered and that their employer was predisposed to allowing her her way and dropping the matter if her place was guaranteed to be waiting for her.

Not surprisingly, her position as a Daily Planet intern had been secured, in writing, within the hour.

Seeing that she still seemed slightly troubled, he reached over a clasped one of her hands in his. The doctors who had treated Chloe had all concurred that the best way to both achieve his goal of convincing her that he was her husband and lessen the chance that he himself would trigger memories, other than those of Clark, was to act in a manner that was appropriate to their current situation and with a marked difference than their previous interactions. As such, he took every reasonable opportunity to offer demonstrative touches or affectionate words.

“What else?”

The indulgent tone soothed her nerves as did the hand wrapped around hers. She had to admit that she appreciated the comfort that Lex had offered consistently since she’d awoken. But even more than that, she was grateful that Lex took her curiosity and consequent reflective inquiries as normal, if not expected behavior, whereas the doctors she’d been dealing with treated every display of intelligence on her part as if she were a dog who’d just learned how to roll over.

“We’re not poor, are we?” Chloe asked with a pointed look around the lush interior of their limousine.

A smirk tilted Lex’s lips at yet another question he’d been awaiting from his ever observant “wife” since he’d bundled her into the sleek, black vehicle. “Not particularly, no.”

He watched as her small white teeth began to worry her lower lip in an increasingly familiar gesture as he waited for her to come to some kind of decision regarding what he’d just revealed.

“Huh. I probably liked being rich, didn’t I?”

She smiled as Lex’s laughter filled the small space. She loved the husky sound and, sometimes by the look on his face when it subsided, she wondered if he’d had enough opportunities to indulge his sense of humor in his life. Not that it mattered. As his wife she would see to it that his very appealing smile made every possible appearance in the future.

“I can honestly say that you were one of the few people who couldn’t have cared less about my money.”

Chloe was relieved to hear the confirmation but couldn’t help reply, “Sure. I bet I was a scheming gold digger who’d just lulled you into a false sense of security so I could steal your fortune and now all my hard work is for nothing.”

No matter how long they may or may not have been married, Chloe couldn’t help the blush she could feel burning across her cheeks as Lex brought her hand up to his lips and, in a gesture far more intimate then the last time, turned it over and laid a gentle kiss on her palm.

“Chloe, everything I have is yours for the asking.”

Lex watched as her pink cheeks flushed an even deeper and quite pleasing color. The car slowed to a halt and he was surprised at how enjoyable the trip had been, especially when one considered the circumstances. As the driver opened his door, Lex kept hold of Chloe’s hand, using it to draw her out through his side.

He observed her somewhat stunned expression as she looked up at the house that was modest by Luthor standards, but not by that of any other reasonable person. Wrapping an arm around her back he pulled her into his side and bent to whisper in her ear.

“Welcome home.”

TBC