who needs the world

She entered his line of vision so suddenly that at first Lex thought he was imagining her. He lowered his coffee cup and peered over the rims of his sunglasses at the woman across the street. She wore a red flowered sundress and sandals, her blond hair longer than he remembered, but still layered and hanging around her face in wisps. She stopped to buy a hibiscus flower from a street vendor, laughing as the older man tucked it behind her ear.

Lex shivered. Even from where he sat in an outdoor Honolulu cafe, he could feel the heat from her smile. She paid the vendor and continued on her way, weaving through tourists, stopping to look into store windows.

Lex dropped some money on the table and stood up. He could see her easily, and he wanted to talk to her. He wasn’t entirely sure what he would say after what happened between them, he just knew he had to hear her voice.

He hurried across the street and began walking briskly to catch up. She was taking in the sights of the busy downtown area, her eyes wide and a smile on her lips. He noticed she didn’t have sunglasses. She shaded her eyes against the setting sun with her hand and Lex followed the curve of her wrist down to her elbow, and back up to her smooth, bare shoulder.

Familiar feelings stirred within him, and he picked up his pace. She was looking into the front window of a jewelry store when Lex approached. He removed his sunglasses and tucked them in his shirt pocket. He forced himself to keep his hands down, to not touch her. See how she would react first.

He stepped up behind her and said her name. He hated how nervous he sounded, but there was nothing he could do about it. He could see the surprise register on her face from the window’s reflection. Slowly, she turned around to face him.

“Lex? What are you doing here?” Chloe Sullivan asked, her voice low.

Lex feared she wasn’t happy to see him, when she threw her arms around his neck. He blinked then hugged her back. His senses reeled from the scent of citrus drifting up from her hair and the feel of her soft curves in his arms once again.

When Chloe pulled away, she didn’t let go, just dropped her hands to his upper arms. Her smile was huge, reaching all the way to her eyes.

“How are you?” she asked.

“I’m doing well. What about you?”

She shrugged. “I’m officially a college graduate, which means I’m unemployed, but I’m fine.”

“You graduated?”

“Just last Saturday. Dad gave me a trip to Hawaii as a gift. So here I am.”

“Yeah,” Lex said softly. “Here you are.”

Chloe looked up at him, her expression turning serious. “I heard about your father. I’m sorry.”

It was Lex’s turn to shrug. “He got off easy. Only five years in prison instead of the life sentence he was given. He still died a vicious bastard.”

“I thought about calling you...” Chloe’s voice trailed off and her hands left his arms.

Lex reluctantly let go of her, too. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”

“Oh, let’s not talk about it for now, okay?” Chloe said, blinking and turning to the side. “What are you here for?”

“Business meetings,” Lex said, guilt tugging at his heart because he knew she was trying not to cry. “But I came a few days early to enjoy myself.”

“So you’re not all work and no play. Good. I’m glad to see you’ve loosened up a bit.”

She turned back to him, fully composed and smiling once again.

“How long have you been here?” Lex asked.

“Just got in yesterday. Haven’t seen much yet. Any suggestions?”

“A few. How much time do you have, and will your friends mind if I steal you away from them?”

“Ten days, and I’m here alone. A girlfriend was supposed to come along, but she got sick and decided to stay home.”

Lex gulped. “You’re here by yourself?”

“I am, but now that I know you’re here, I won’t be scared. You’ll protect me.”

An uncomfortable silence dropped down around them as they both remembered the last time Lex had vowed to protect her.

Chloe let out a small laugh and said, “I guess we just can’t avoid it, can we?”

Lex exhaled and shook his head. “Would you care to join me for dinner? We can talk.”

Chloe nodded, and headed on down the street. As they walked, she slipped her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Lex squeezed back.

As they walked hand in hand, Lex let his mind drift back to five years before. Chloe had agreed to testify against Lionel Luthor, knowing full well the consequences of such a bold action. She was scared to do it, but also relieved to get out from under his thumb. Knowing that she could help stop a real monster also gave her a sense of pride. For Lex, it gave him a deep feeling of dread. He feared for her safety, even while she was in protective custody, not just because she’d gone up against his father, but because somewhere during his time in Smallville, he’d developed feelings for her.

He tried to tell himself how wrong it was. After all, she was six years younger, not even eighteen yet. Her father worked for him, and she was Clark’s friend.

And yet, in a lot of ways, she was like him. Strong willed, motivated, eager to seek out the truth, despite the costs. She knew a darker side of him, the determined side that wanted justice.

While hiding from the wrath of Lionel, Chloe had managed to make a few secretive phone calls to Lex. She surprised him by confessing that she missed him, that she cared for him.

That she wanted to be with him.

Something inside him urged him to hold back, to not let her into his heart, but in a whispered conversation one night, all was revealed. Quickly, he had reminder her that she wasn’t legal yet. They should hold off from doing anything reckless. Chloe agreed.

And then on a clear summer night, with the trees swaying gently in a light breeze, she slipped into his room and into his bed.

“It’s my birthday in three minutes,” she breathed in his ear.

It had taken every ounce of self control he had to wait those three minutes.

The trial was upon them, and Lex could see it in his father’s eyes, in the cold smirk that rested on his lips. Lionel could see that Chloe meant something to Lex, and that alone was enough reason for Lex to push her away. Even with his father tucked away in a maximum security prison, Lex knew Chloe would not be safe. He cursed himself for letting a taste of love reach him under his father’s calculating gaze. Lex made the decision to leave Smallville for Metropolis. Since he needed to take over LutherCorp, it made sense for him to be closer to the action.

Chloe didn’t buy it, and a tiny part of her still believed they could be together. She called his office in Metropolis one day and was never put through. She showed up at the door to his penthouse and was turned away by the maid.

She never contacted him again.

Lex cut himself off from Smallville, from Clark and the Kents, from Lana. It was a decision he regretted every day, but one that he couldn’t undo.

It wasn’t difficult to avoid seeing Chloe and Clark when they came to Metropolis to attend college. The city was huge with a population of millions. But it didn’t stop Lex from knowing how they were doing, especially Chloe. After a few weeks, Lex called off his men, feeling guilty for spying.

Now, years later and with Lionel dead, a tiny seed of hope sprang inside him, wondering if they could leave the past behind them and start over.

“So is the food good here?” Chloe asked as she opened her menu.

Lex hurried around the table to his own seat. “Excellent, and the desserts are heavenly.”

“I love a heavenly dessert,” Chloe said.

Her smile dazzled him. They ordered their meals, along with a bottle of wine, and Lex couldn’t help but stare. She was still Chloe, but more womanly. Suddenly, Lex knew he had to have her back in his life.

“Chloe,” he said, reaching for her hand. “I have a lot of apologizing to do.”

She looked right at him and nodded. “You certainly do. Even though I understand why you left me, I still don’t understand how. You walked away before we could even determine if what was between us was real.”

Lex sighed. “I don’t even understand that. It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, because it was real, Chloe.”

“Why wouldn’t you see me? Tell me to my face? It would have made it easier.”

“I couldn’t because I was a coward. I thought it best, safer, if you just hated me.”

“I never hated you, Lex.” She laughed. “Okay, for a while I did. But then I got over it, because I realized you really did care about me.”

Lex nodded, bringing her hands closer to his lips. He dropped light kisses on her fingertips, eliciting a breathy sound from Chloe.

“I loved you,” he said, “I still do.”

Chloe’s sharp intake of breath told him she hadn’t been expecting this declaration.

“I’m such a fool,” Lex said, his voice softer now and tinged with sadness. “There’s someone else.”

Chloe shook her head. “No, there’s no one else. Dating college boys wasn’t for me. I just...” She hesitated and tried again. “I just don’t know if we can pick up that easily.”

“Of course, perfectly understandable. I don’t want to rush you. I suppose I’m just asking for another chance, even though I don’t deserve it.”

Their food arrived, and Chloe sat up, pulling her hands back. The waiter poured the wine and left. Chloe picked up her glass.

“You don’t deserve another chance, Lex,” she said. “But I’m going to give you one anyway, because something is telling me that this time? You won’t fuck it up.”

Lex let out a hearty laugh and lifted his glass as well. They toasted and settled in for an evening of getting to know each other again.

They shared a decadent piece of tiramisu for dessert, and then Lex suggested a walk on the beach. They talked about what they’d been up to, their new dreams and goals. Lex wanted to turn LuthorCorp around, making it a business that worked for the people, instead of the people working for the business. Chloe wanted to work for the Daily Planet, but feared journalistic competition from her cousin, Lois, who already had a foot in the door.

Chloe stooped to pick up a seashell, her dress blowing around her in a flowered wave, and Lex couldn’t stop smiling. She was a vision of beauty that he was determined not to spoil. She brought the shell to him and they both listened to the surf inside.

“I have an idea,” Lex said. They were sitting on the sand, their shoes off and their bare feet just touching the waves as they slid up the beach.

“Let’s hear it,” Chloe said.

“How would you like to take a day trip to another island? We could rent a plane, stay overnight.”

“Sounds exciting. When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow morning too soon?”

“You can put this together that quickly?”

Lex nodded. “It only takes a phone call.”

Chloe looked at the shell still in her hands, then up at Lex. “Sure, let’s do it.”

Lex pulled out a cell phone and punched a few buttons. Chloe looped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder, listening as he planned.

One hundred yards away, a man smiled as the found again lovebirds made plans. He adjusted his high-tech listening device and made some calls of his own.

~*~*~

The man known only as Stone rose with the sun the next morning and went about preparing for the day. He had a job to do, and he wasn’t going to be paid until it was done.

The gray box had arrived at his home the day after Lionel Luthor’s funeral. It contained detailed instructions, ten thousand dollars in cash, and the first four digits to a Swiss bank account. Once the job was completed, Stone would receive the entire account number and gain access to 20 million dollars. His pay for a job well done.

Stone vowed not to fail.

~*~*~

Chloe arrived at the airport and was immediately greeted by a female security guard.

“Mr. Luthor is waiting for you at the plane, follow me please,” she said.

Chloe carried a small overnight bag with her. She had packed the instant Lex had returned her to her hotel room. Even though they were eager to spend time together, Lex had insisted they take it slow.

Chloe could feel her excitement rising as the guard took her through several doors marked VIP and PRIVATE. Soon they were stepping outside again. Chloe gasped as she took in the gleaming white King Air. Plush red carpet lead the way to the steps of the plane, and standing on the carpet were Lex and the pilot.

Chloe paused for a moment to look at Lex. He was dressed in a light gray silk suit, a white linen shirt and brown Italian loafers. The suit jacket was draped casually over his arm, and Chloe knew that when he went to put it on, there would be no wrinkles.

She suddenly felt underdressed in her khaki shorts, blue t-shirt and sandals. But Lex took her hands and kissed her cheek and told her she was stunning.

“Chloe, this is our pilot, Pierre Collier. He’ll be flying us to Maui and back tomorrow evening.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Chloe,” the pilot said, tipping his hat. “If you have everything you need, we can get this show on the road. Or in the air.” He winked and headed for the cockpit.

Lex took her bag and helped her into the plane. He stowed her things with his in a closet near the front.

“This is going to be an exciting trip,” he said, dropping into the leather seat facing hers.

Chloe was practically bouncing. “This is an amazing plane, Lex. Was it expensive to rent?”

“It was a fair price, but don’t worry about the cost. I intend to make you feel like the queen you are.”

Lex poured champagne and they toasted as the plane took off. They chatted easily, falling into familiar territory again. Time passed quickly for them, and Chloe mentioned how anxious she was to land and explore Maui. Lex turned to look out the window, and Chloe watched as a frown slowly crossed his brow.

“Something wrong?” she asked, sitting up.

“How long have we been flying?” he asked.

Chloe checked her watch. “An hour, possibly an hour fifteen.”

“Too long,” Lex mused.

“What?”

“We should have reached Maui before now.” He checked outside again. “I think we’ve been going in the opposite direction.”

“What does that mean?”

Lex stood up. “Stay here. I’m going to have a chat with our pilot.”

“No way. If something’s wrong, let’s just wait until we land,” Chloe reasoned.

Lex’s expression hardened. “I don’t think we’re meant to land.”

A cold chill crept up Chloe’s spine. She grabbed Lex’s hand. “Be careful.”

“Always.”

He made his way to the front and tried to ignore the rapid beating of his heart.

“Mr. Luthor, you really should be sitting down,” Pierre said.

“Would you mind telling me where we’re going?” Lex asked. “Because Maui seems to be quite a way behind us.”

The pilot fiddled with the controls and shrugged. “Everything is taken care of, Mr. Luthor. Please go back and sit down.”

But Lex wanted to know what was happening. Suddenly Pierre pulled a gun from under his seat and aimed it at Lex. The pilot stood up and began ushering Lex towards the main cabin. Chloe’s eyes widened at the sight of him at gunpoint.

“Have a seat next to your girlfriend,” Pierre instructed.

Lex sat, glaring daggers at the man. Pierre produced a pair of handcuffs and with the gun pointed at Chloe, he locked one around her wrist, then connected it to the armrest, effectively anchoring her to her seat. He then did the same to Lex.

“Have a happy flight,” he said, smiling.

“Who do you work for?” Lex demanded. “Whatever he’s paying you, I can triple it if you let us go.”

Pierre laughed and began backing away. “It’s not just money that interests me, Mr. Luthor. It’s the thrill of knowing I’ve done an excellent job.”

“You bastard!” Chloe cried, her lower lip trembling. She refused to shed tears in front of this man, but she was finding it hard not to panic.

“Miss, that’s the nicest thing I’ve been called all day.”

Pierre disappeared into the cockpit, and Lex and Chloe could hear smashing noises from within. A moment later, he emerged wearing a parachute. He tossed a hammer to the floor and saluted them as he opened the door.

Strong gusts of wind blew at them, and Chloe watched in horror has he leapt from the plane. Lex cursed and tugged at the handcuffs. Chloe did the same with hers. The plane began to dip forward, and Chloe let out a small scream.

“I’m sorry I got you into this,” Lex said. “But I promise to get you out.”

“But the plane, we’re going to crash!”

“We’re not going to die,” Lex said. He scanned the main cabin, watching as glasses fell from cabinets and shattered, papers fluttered about, and the ice bucket that held the champagne tipped over and spilled. Lex yelped as the handle of the ice pick tapped his knee and started rolling away from him. He reached out and caught it by the tip, pricking his finger in the process.

He picked at the lock of Chloe’s handcuffs for a few seconds, until it popped open.

“Find a parachute!” he yelled. “Jump!”

“I’m not going without you.”

Lex blinked sweat from his eyes as he struggled with his handcuffs. Chloe searched for parachutes and came up empty.

“Aha!” Lex cried, forcing himself free. He ran for the cockpit, not surprised to see the radio smashed to pieces and the gas gauge reading near empty.

Chloe was right behind him, looking out the windows. “There’s an island, there. Can we make it?” She pointed to a small strip of land.

“I don’t know. Sit down and buckle up. We’re going to try.”

Lex grabbed the controls, but he couldn’t tell how fast they were going. He tried to lift the nose, and soon they were gliding parallel to the water. He could see rocks jutting up around the island, and he knew to land on them would be deadly.

“I’m going to drop us in the water,” Lex said. “It’ll be a hard landing, but when we hit, unbuckle yourself and move towards the door.”

He glanced over at Chloe, could see the fear in her eyes and hated himself for putting her in danger again. He turned back towards the front.

“All right, here we go!”

Chloe braced herself, said several quick prayers, and squeezed her eyes shut. The water rushed up to meet them, and they hit with such force that all the air was knocked from her lungs. The windshield cracked. Water poured inside from the open door.

“Go, go, go!” Lex screamed, tugging at Chloe’s arm.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and started moving, Lex pushing her from behind. Her legs were unsteady and she stumbled twice before making it out the door.

“Swim,” Lex said. “Let me know if you get tired.”

Chloe gulped and tried to remember the last time she’d actually gone swimming. She wasn’t a very strong swimmer, choosing instead to lounge poolside. Lex, however, was slicing through the water in clean, even strokes. She briefly cursed him for being so athletic.

“Are you all right?” he asked, slowing to stay with her.

“F-fine,” she gasped.

“Take it easy, we’re going to make it. Kick off your shoes, if you haven’t already.” Lex mourned the loss of his brand new loafers, but figured he’d just replace them once he got home.

He kicked to keep himself afloat and watched as the wing of the plane dipped below the ocean. Then he and Chloe headed for shore. They didn’t speak for a few minutes, both concentrating hard on swimming.

“Lex, I can’t,” Chloe said, breaking the silence. Her voice was soft. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her mascara streaking. Her golden hair was plastered to her head.

“You’re beautiful, sweetheart. We’re going to make it,” Lex said. He glanced over his shoulder. “See that? It’s our own private paradise. We can do this.”

Chloe thought the island looked hundreds of miles away, even though it was only a few hundred feet. Her arms were tiring, and she had a cramp in her side.

They moved slowly, until Chloe gasped and started to sink. Lex was on her in a second, pulling her up and wrapping his arm around her.

“I’m sorry, I’m not strong enough,” she whispered.

“Of course you are. Look at what we’ve survived already. Just hold on, I’ll pull you in.”

Inch by inch, he headed towards the island, thankful for all those early morning swims he took in his private pool. But by the time he reached the sand, he figured he could use a few more. They lay side by side, breathing heavily, the waves washing over their legs.

Finally, Chloe gathered her strength and sat up. “We’re alive,” she said.

Lex continued to lie on the sand, staring up at the sky above them. “We are.”

He wasn’t expecting her to roll on top of him and kiss him. It was a pleasant surprise, and with her clothes sticking to her body, he could feel every part of her. His hands roamed over her, his mouth devoured hers. But slowly, very slowly, common sense made its way to his passion-addled brain, and he forced himself to pull away.

“Chloe,” he said, “Chloe, we can’t, we need to. . .”

She took a deep breath and raised herself to look at him. “I’m sorry, I got carried away.”

Lex groaned. “Don’t be sorry. I just think we should hold off until we take care of a few things first. What if Pierre is on this island with us?”

Chloe jerked and rolled off him, her eyes frantically darting this way and that. “You think he could be?”

“It’s possible. He could have been planning for someone to pick him up here. For all he knows, we’re dead inside that plane right now.”

Chloe stood up and brushed sand from her arms and legs. “What should we do? Will anyone know to look for us?”

Lex got to his feet and ran a hand over his head. “Pierre had to file a flight plan before we took off. If he doesn’t call in to close it, the airport in Maui will be a bit suspicious. Plus, our hotel was expecting us at a certain time. We’ll be missed, Chloe. Don’t worry.”

“But will they find us? How will anyone know that Pierre was flying in the wrong direction? What about food? Water? Shelter?”

“We’ll be all right. Look at this place,” Lex said, waving a hand around. “It’s lush, it’s green. There has to be fruit and fresh water somewhere. As for shelter, we can construct something. Remember, I have experience in island survival.” He tapped the end of her nose with his finger and grinned.

Chloe couldn’t help but giggle. “I forgot all about that.”

“Nature didn’t get me then, it won’t get me now. Or you.”

“So, Mr. Survivor, what do we do first?”

“I suggest we take a walk around the island. From the air, it looked quite small. We’ll see what we can see and take it from there.”

Chloe smoothed her hair back from her head and nodded. “Lead on.”

~*~*~

Stone, also known as Pierre Collier to Chloe and Lex, washed up on the opposite side of the island, tired but feeling quite proud of himself for such a smoothly done job. He rolled up his parachute and stashed it behind some rocks, happy to find a well supplied pack of bottled water and food, just where it was supposed to be. Then he checked his waterproof watch. His ride was scheduled to arrive at nightfall, a perk to this particular assignment, arranged by the sender of the gray box. All Stone had to do was hang out for the day, and then he’d be on his way home with an account number for millions of dollars. He rubbed his hands in glee at the thought.

“Easiest job I ever had,” he said. He settled down under the shade of some trees and took a nap.

~*~*~

Lex picked up a large piece of driftwood to use as a walking stick as he and Chloe began their stroll along the beach. Although he didn’t say anything to Chloe, he had chosen this piece of wood because it made a sturdy weapon. If their murderous pilot was on the island, Lex wasn’t going to be caught unprepared. He pushed thoughts of that out of his mind and focused on the moment.

The sky was clear, the water was a beautiful blue, and the air was clean. He was with the woman he loved. It was picture perfect. Except for the whole landing on a deserted island part, courtesy of a hired hitman.

But hey, he shrugged, he was with Chloe, so it wasn’t all bad.

“What are you thinking?” Chloe asked.

“Just how perfect this could be if the situation were different.”

“Funny. I was thinking the same thing.”

They had walked a few yards when Chloe suddenly stopped and pointed to the water.

“What is that?” she asked.

Lex squinted. It appeared to be a box of some sort, and it was being brought towards the beach by the waves. They waited for it to come ashore, then went over to examine it.

“It’s a food chest from the plane,” Lex said, excitement creeping into his voice. He examined the latch, saw it was locked and used his walking stick to break it.

He and Chloe knelt beside the chest and lifted the lid together. Chloe screamed in delight.

“Water!” she exclaimed, picking up a bottle.

Lex counted twelve bottles of water and several packages of peanuts and dried fruit.

“This is excellent,” he said.

“We’re not going to starve. Omigod, this is awesome,” Chloe said.

They pulled the chest up into the vegetation where Chloe pointed out a rock wall jutting out like a small roof and said it would make a perfect shelter.

“Food, water, shelter,” Lex said proudly, waving his arms around. “We can put down some leaves and sleep here tonight.”

“Could it really be this easy?” Chloe asked, and all Lex could do was grin.

~*~*~

Chloe tied her t-shirt in a knot at her belly, while Lex ripped off the sleeves of his linen shirt and tore off the legs of his pants to make them into shorts. The only thing that Chloe desperately wished for was a tube of sunscreen.

They spent part of the day fixing up their shelter, adding a wall with rocks and twigs, making a mat to sleep on out of leaves. They snacked sparingly on the peanuts and dried fruit, and sipped from the water. Though they were confident they’d be rescued eventually, there was no way of knowing exactly when.

There wasn’t much else for them to do after that. No television, radio or Internet to keep them occupied. So they walked, but not far. Chloe suggested they stay near their shelter, just in case a rescue plane flew overhead.

They found a small pool of freshwater and made note of it, just in case they’d need it. They oohed and aahed over the unique birds they saw, and Lex pointed out some mangos they could eat. When darkness fell, they decided to stay in the shelter. A cool breeze chilled them, and with no source of fire, they cuddled together, with Lex lying behind her.

He rubbed his hands up and down Chloe’s arms, not realizing he was causing even more goose bumps to rise on her flesh.

“Lex,” she whispered.

“Hmm?”

“Make love to me.”

Lex’s hands paused and his heart rate kicked up a few notches. “Are you sure?”

Chloe rolled to face him. “I’m sure.”

~*~*~

Chloe woke up to the sound of the surf nearby and wondered when she’d purchased a nature CD. Then she felt the hand on her hip and opened her eyes, smiling. It was Lex’s hand, and they had just spent a glorious night together on an island. She snuggled closer to him, nudging him with her hip.

“’Morning,” she whispered, kissing his nose.

“Is it?”

“Uh huh. How did you sleep?”

Lex groaned and shifted on their mat of leaves. “I’ll be happy to get back to my own bed, that’s for sure.”

“How about a swim before breakfast?𔄙

“That sounds wonderful,” Lex said.

He chased after her into the ocean, splashing her until she squealed with delight. Then he caught her and twirled her around until they were both dizzy, and sitting in the water.

“I love you,” Chloe said, nuzzling his neck. “I love you.”

Lex tilted her head up so he was looking straight into her eyes. “I love you, too, Chloe. I promise never to leave you again.”

“I’m holding you to it, bucko.”

Lex smiled and kissed her.

~*~*~

Stone was pissed. The boat was supposed to meet him at the island at 9pm sharp. It was now 10:34 the next morning, and there was no boat in sight. He was beginning to think he’d been double crossed, hired to do a job, and then left to die on a deserted island. It made him so mad, he wanted to punch something.

He growled under his breath and kicked the hot sand, furious. He left the parachute and the pack of supplies and stalked up the beach, his mind racing. He had to find a way to get off this island and get his money.

He made it to the other side and still hadn’t come up with a solution. Just as he was about to scream in frustration, he heard a sound, somewhat like a laugh. He paused and listened, and it came again. A giggle. A female laugh.

Stone frowned. As far as he knew, this island was uninhabited. So that meant there were some tourists who had ventured out for fun.

Or them.

Then he crept into the vegetation and made his way toward the sound. A few yards down the beach, he spotted them. They were splashing around in the water, smiling and clearly enjoying themselves.

“No fucking way,” Stone muttered. “How the hell did they get off the plane?”

He shook his head to clear it. It didn’t really matter. The fact was, the job had not been completed. And even if he didn’t make it off this island, he was going to make sure they didn’t either.

~*~*~

Lex carried Chloe out of the water and placed her gently on the sand.

“I can’t believe this has happened to us,” Chloe said. “You and me, stranded. It seems so surreal.”

“Who needs the world when I’ve got you right here with me,” Lex said. “Maybe I’ll buy this island when we get back, so it’ll be our private paradise.”

Chloe laughed. “You would do something like that.”

“For you, of course.”

Lex was lowering his head to kiss her when a shadow fell over them. He looked up, barely registering the fact that it was their pilot standing there, when he was kicked hard in the face. He cried out and reeled backwards, landing on his back. He could hear Chloe screaming, but he was too dazed to move.

“You’re supposed to be dead,” Stone snarled, grabbing a fistful of Chloe’s hair and hauling her to her feet.

She flailed with her arms and legs, trying to free herself, all the while yelling for Lex. Lex finally forced himself to stand up, blinking sand from his eyes.

“Let her go, Pierre.”

“The name is Stone,” the man said.

Stone dragged Chloe with him and planted a beefy fist in Lex’s gut. He coughed and fell to his knees, and Stone punched him in the face.

Chloe twisted in the big man’s grip, ignoring the pain of having her hair pulled, and tried to elbow Stone in the crotch. But he was too fast for her and squeezed her elbow with such force, she thought the bone would snap. She gasped and froze, hot fire shooting up her arm. Then he spun her around, and smacked her in the middle of her chest with one well aimed open palm. She hit the sand and lay there, gasping for breath.

Lex seemed to see it in slow motion, and the rage bubbled up from his stomach and erupted from him in a murderous scream. He was up and moving and even landed a solid punch to the back of Stone’s head, although a small part of him thought the man had allowed it, just to see how much of a fighter Lex was.

But Lex found out why the man’s nickname was Stone. He feared he’d broken a finger.

“Mr. Luthor,” the man said, his voice deep and surprisingly calm, almost conversational, “don’t ever do that again.”

Stone tackled Lex and took him down easily, securing his hands behind his back with a length of rope from the parachute. Stone was sweating, but he was actually in a good mood. He was convinced he’d been abandoned, so why not have a little fun before killing them? The blonde was quite cute.

He left Lex facedown, eating sand, and wandered over to where Chloe was clutching her chest, crying.

“Miss Sullivan,” he said.

Chloe blinked up at him with hatred in her eyes. Her throat was dry, and she couldn’t speak. She could read his gaze though, as it raked up and down her body, and she was suddenly chilled all over. Stone lifted her as though she weighed nothing, and carried her further up the beach, into their little shelter. She tried to struggle, but the blow to her chest had rendered her limbs useless. She knew what he was going to do to her, and tears leaked out from her eyes at the thought.

He dropped her on the ground and hovered over her, grinning. She heard Lex screaming himself hoarse, threatening to kill Stone if he laid a hand on her. He did anyway, trailing his fingers up her legs and stopping at her thighs, then skipping up to her breasts. He leaned in to kiss her, preparing to take what she had only ever given Lex, and the strength returned to her, along with pure rage.

She would not allow this monster to ruin the memories she had of this shelter with Lex. She would not give up without a fight. She had survived Lionel Luthor, one of the most ruthless men in the world, and she would survive this man.

With his attention so focused on her breasts, he didn’t see her hands groping out to the side, searching for a weapon of any kind. Her left hand touched a branch, thick and sturdy, and broken at both ends. She tested it with her fingers, felt the sharp, jagged edges, and gripped it like a dagger.

As Stone dropped his mouth to her chest, she let out a cry and jammed the broken stick into his ear. He roared with pain and leapt backwards, frantically pulling at the stick.

“You bitch!” he wailed.

Chloe jumped up, grabbed Lex’s walking stick, and swung it like a baseball bat at Stone’s head. He went down like a lump, a trail of blood soaking into the sand. Chloe circled around him, brandishing the walking stick and counting the seconds. When she reached 120, she moved closer, crouching near the body. With trembling hands, she felt for a pulse and found nothing.

She almost collapsed with relief, then remembered Lex. She untied him and threw her arms around him, sobbing.

“He’s dead?” Lex whispered, holding her tight.

“He’s dead. I killed him, Lex.”

“It was self-defense. He was going to kill us.”

“I know, but, I can’t believe I did it.”

“You had no choice.” He didn’t try to tell it was okay. She would never believe it, even though she knew if she hadn’t killed him, they could both be dead.

The distant sound of a helicopter captured their attention, and they both looked to the sky.

“Omigod, we’ve been found,” Chloe breathed.

They jumped up and began waving their arms in the air. In minutes, the helicopter was hovering above the water.

As they flew back towards Honolulu, Chloe wrapped protectively in Lex’s arms, they didn’t speak. What they had shared on that small island, they would talk about and sort out later.

~*~*~

Chloe was watering the plants on the balcony of her apartment in Metropolis when Lex knocked on the door. She let him in and hugged him. It had been three weeks since they’d returned from Hawaii, and things had progressed smoothly for them. They had spoken with the police, and Lex put a private team of investigators on Stone’s trail, trying to find out who had hired him. The relationship between them was still going strong, and Chloe was going to move into his penthouse apartment at the end of the summer, when she would also begin working for the Daily Planet.

“What’s new?” Chloe asked, sitting down on the sofa.

Lex sat beside her and smiled grimly. “My investigators finished their work today.”

“Why does this not sound good?”

Lex took a deep breath. “It was my father, Chloe.”

“What?”

“He set it all up. He hired Stone to kill me, after he was dead. But he never intended to pay. I would be dead, Stone would die on the island. No witnesses,” Lex said. “Nice and clean. Just his style.”

Chloe searched Lex’s face. She saw extreme sadness, and something else she couldn’t identify. Lex took her hands in his.

“I’m not like him. I never was, and I know that now. And I know that I’ll never be like him either.”

“Why’s that?” Chloe asked.

“Because I’ve known what love is. I don’t need anything else in the world, except for you.”

Chloe felt her heart swell with love, and she knew they were going to be all right.

~end