Title: Mrs. Luthor
Rating: R for some sexual scenes and bad language.
Author: Frog Princess
Contact: stdrmf15@shsu.edu; starchaser17@hotmail.com
Archive: On Your Word and fanfiction.net. Ask and ye shall receive.
Disclaimer: The WB and other rich lucky people own Smallville, Superman, and all the characters contained in this story. I own absolutely postively frickin' nothing.
A/N: This sort of a prequel to The Thin Line Between Love and Hate. They can both stand alone or can be read together. You pick. I personally think this story needs lots of tweaking, but I don't have a Beta Reader to either confirm or deny the charge. So this will probably be rewritten sometime in the future. Remember, the author is a slut for feedback.
Summary: The start of Chloe Sullivan and Lionel Luthor's relationship.

***


The Hospital room was dark and quiet except for the soft beeps emanating from the machines. Chloe Sullivan sat next to her father's bed, reading a stack of papers. She sighed and looked away from the papers. All of the papers were bills. Hospital bills, pharmacy bills, rehabilitation bills, bills, bills, and even more bills. And there was no way she could pay them all.

Chloe looked over to her father - he hadn't woken up in nearly a week and the doctors didn't think he was going to wake up at all. A year ago Gabriel Sullivan had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Six months ago he began to pass out; this was the first time he hadn't woken up.

Chloe wiped a tear out of her eye and stood up out of the uncomfortable hospital chair. The doctor had told her to start thinking about long term care and she wanted to go look at different facilities in Metropolis. She leaned over and gave her father a kiss on the cheek and then left the hospital room. She went down to the elevators and patiently waited for the next one.

The hospital ward was practically deserted except for the staff as it was in the middle of a work day. Chloe was relieved when the elevator door opened and she was mildly surprised to bump into an exiting passenger.

"Oh, sorry." She mumbled to whoever it was and stepped out of the way onto the waiting elevator.

"Miss Sullivan. What a pleasure." Lionel Luthor turned to her and he gently laid a hand on the elevator doors, effectively stopping them.

"Mr. Luthor, what brings you to Metropolis General?" Chloe asked, trying to be polite but not really caring. She glanced at his hand blocking the doors.

"I heard your father was ill and I remembered him to be such a valuable employee when he worked for LuthorCorp that I decided to visit him."

Chloe stared at him and took a step out of the elevator. Lionel removed his hand and the doors shut. "Odd. He worked for LexCorp even longer and your son hasn't been to see him yet." Nor has he bothered to return my phone calls about the medical insurance folks being such assholes about paying the medical bills, Chloe thought silently to herself.

"Yes, well, I'm sure Lex has a great deal on his mind." Lionel's gaze seemed to penetrate right into her soul.

Chloe shivered a little, but held his gaze. "Whatever. I was about to go look at some long term facilities for my father. The doctors believe that he is going to need long term health care."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Lionel glanced at the clock on the wall behind the nurses' station. "Would you care to join me for lunch, Ms. Sullivan? Perhaps you can give me some more details about your father's health and we can become...better acquainted."

Chloe hesitated. "I don't know, I have a great deal to do before the evening visiting hours."

Lionel smiled. "Yes, but you need energy to do all of that. And please don't take offense, but it looks as though you haven't been taking care of yourself. Please, allow me to take you to lunch."

As if just to spite her, Chloe heard her stomach rumble. She frowned and unconsciously placed a hand on her stomach. "Well, I guess I can tour the facilities after lunch..."

"Excellent." Lionel hit the button for the elevator and the doors opened. He took her arm, placed it on his own, and led her into the elevator.

***

Lionel had taken Chloe to a small, but extremely elegant restaurant on one of the higher floors of the LuthorCorp building. Chloe hadn't realized how lonely she had been for company, any company at that; she was actually enjoying the conversation with Lionel.

"So tell me, why haven't I seen any more of those splendidly bitchy articles that used to be the highlight of any newspaper?" Lionel asked, sipping his drink.

Chloe looked down at her dessert and then looked back up at him. "When dad became ill, I stopped writing so that I could take care of him."

"Ah. So where are you working now?"

Chloe forced a smile, but it still looked and felt strained. "I wasn't working at all since dad was at home, but now that it appears that he's going to be in the hospital for a while, I'm going to try to find someplace to work."

Lionel's face took on a concerned look. "I take it that medical insurance takes care of the hospital bills?"

"Not quite." Chloe said curtly before setting her fork down with a clatter against the plate. Suddenly she wasn't enjoying the dessert quite as much. "The insurance is saying that they only have to cover less than ten percent of the costs because this is considered a 'pre-existing condition'. I tried speaking to Lex but after Clark and I had that falling out so many years ago..." She choked up at the feeling that she didn't have any friends left and stopped talking.

Lionel slid into the chair next to her's and then laid his hand on top of her's. With his other hand he took her chin and lifted it so that they were looking at each other in the eye. "Don't cry. You're better than all of them. I have the utmost faith that you're going to be able to settle this whole situation in your favor."

Chloe sniffled a little and wiped at her teary eyes. "I'm glad that someone thinks that this will end well. Personally, I don't think it will."

Lionel nodded, almost as if to himself. "Trust me, they will. Shall we go?" He stood up and pulled her chair out for her. She stood and gave him a smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and they walked out of the restaurant.

***

The limo was the ultimate in luxury, with soft almost buttery leather seats and was very large in size. Yet, even though there was more than enough room for the two people sit far enough away from each other that they didn't even need to sit on the same seat, but the two had chosen to sit right next to each other.

"I've really appreciated all of the lunches and your company while looking around Metropolis for an apartment close to dad's home." Chloe said, with a smile on her face.

Lionel and her had become friends when he had started picking her up for lunch everyday at the hospital and helping her look for the right place for her father. Chloe had gotten a job working at LuthorCorp public relations office - with Lionel's help, no doubt - but it was job that more than adequately paid. Currently, they had just returned from dinner and were sitting outside her apartment building in his limo.

"It was a pleasure, my dear. Always a pleasure." Lionel said, leaning closer to her.

Almost unconsciously she moved closer and Lionel closed the gap between them with a kiss that was slow to start, but then became even more passionate. The kiss ended all too soon for Chloe's liking. She sagged against him and leaned her head against his chest as he began to stroke her neck in a sensual manner.

"I..." Chloe was speechless and pulled away from him. She looked him in the eyes and when she thought she had found what it was she was looking for, she found her voice. "Do you want to come upstairs?"

Lionel answered by opening his door and telling his driver that he would call him when he was needed.

***

They had barely made it to her door when they had started kissing in an almost urgent way. She tugged at his tie to loosen it and she pushed his jacket off his shoulders. He grabbed hands to slow her down and then wrapped them around his neck. Lionel then reached behind her and unzipped her dress; they parted long enough for her to slip the dress off and then she slowly unbutton his shirt, tugging it out of his pants.

Chloe took his hand and led him to her bedroom. She turned on a lamp by the bed and turned back to him. She reached behind her back and unhooked her bra, slowly pulling it away from her chest. She sat down on the bed and slipped her panties off. Lionel came to stand in front of her. She ran her hands up and down his torso and then slowly pulled the zipper to his pants down.

Lionel stepped out of his pants and underclothes as she laid back on the bed. He sat down next to her and then started stroking every inch of her body. He laid on his side next to her and then took her hand and placed it on his erection as he kissed her. Chloe pulled him closer to her and then on top of her. She opened her legs wide enough for him to lay between them and then she wrapped them around his waist.

***

Chloe stared at the ceiling. She could feel Lionel's breath hot against her chest, but she just ran her hands through his hair. A sudden though struck her and she stiffened. "Lionel?"

"What's wrong?"

"We didn't use protection."

Lionel pulled himself up and looked at her. "Are you on any birth control?"

Chloe looked away, somewhat embarrassed that neither of them had thought to stop long enough to use a condom. "No. It's never been an issue."

Lionel quirked a smile at her and rolled over to lay next to her. "I seriously doubt you could be pregnant with just one night of sex. Even I'm not that potent."

Chloe laughed, relaxing as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"However, from now on we'll use some form of protection."

"Better safe than sorry?"

"Indeed." Lionel said, but there was a strange glint in his eyes.

***
Two Months Later -

Chloe pulled herself out of Lionel's arms and rushed to the elaborate bathroom in Lionel's penthouse. She collapsed in front of the toilet and proceeded to vomit the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl.
She sighed in relief when it was all over and moaned her appreciation when a cool wet rag touched the back of her neck.

"Did you eat something rotten?" Lionel asked, his voice filled with concern.

Chloe looked at him crossly as she pulled herself up to sit on the edge of the whirlpool bath. "I ate the exact same thing you ate. And this has been happening for more than a week."

"A week."

"A week, Lionel. Apparently you are that potent."

Lionel sat down next to her. "Are you sure?"

"Not completely, but I suspected something wasn't right when I haven't had my period in over two months and then I started getting sick..." She trailed off.

Lionel put a hand on her stomach, as if expecting to feel something there. "A son. Our son." He kissed her but she pulled back.

"Lionel, I'm too young to have a baby. I've got so much to do right now! Dad is still sick, I have work, and there is no way I'm ready for a baby!"

"Chloe you're never going to have to work again. I'll take care of you both." Lionel looked at her and smiled. "Chloe Sullivan, will you marry me?"

Chloe started, but Lionel had a strong grip on her hands. "I don't know..." She stopped when he kissed her.

"Make me a happy man again. Marry me."

"Do you really want this?"

"I want this more than anything. A son! Chloe, just think, this is my chance to finally be a good parent."

"He could very well be a she you know."

Lionel shrugged. "I've only had boys."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Right."

Lionel kissed her. "Chloe, you haven't answered my question. Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

***

Chloe read the article over, and over again with a smile on her face. Lionel had granted an interview to a reporter from The Daily Planet, and during the interview, he had let it slip that he was going to be married to his "young Public Relations Manager from Smallville" as the writer had put it. She giggled just a little and then slid the paper back into her office desk, as she was determined to finish the work she had on her desk before her lunch with Lionel.

***

Lionel Luthor looked up as the door to his office swung open and he heard the cries of his personal secretary. In stormed his son, Lex, who promptly threw a paper onto the desk.

"Married? To Chloe Sullivan? As in the daughter of my former plant manager, Gabe Sullivan?"

Lionel leaned back in his chair. "Ah, Lex, good of you to barge into my office." He looked up at his son. "And thank you on the congratulations to my impending nuptials."

"What's wrong, dad? You knock her up and then she threatened to tell all to a tabloid if you didn't marry her?"

Lionel stiffened ever so slightly as his son sat down. "Actually, Chloe and I have been - what's the phrase you young people use today? Oh yes, we've been seeing each other for well over four months." He smirked. "And congratulations to you also, Lex."

Lex narrowed his eyes. "On what?"

"You're going to be expecting a baby brother in approximately seven months." Lionel smiled as Lex froze.

"Chloe is pregnant."

"Yes. With my son."

"You're older than her father and you're going to marry her and have a baby? What's next? A house in the suburbs filled with screaming children and pets?" Lex leered at his father with a disbelieving look on his face.

"Don't be ridiculous. Besides, I've actually lost count of how many times you've been married." Lionel told his oldest son with a frown.

"What happened? The rubber break?"

Lionel stared at his son through narrowed eyes. "I need an heir to my company. Chloe is going to give me that. A son to mold into my image."

Lex snorted with disbelief. "You must be joking with me. You have two sons already and you want another just to leave LuthorCorp to just to spite them? What a disappointment Lucas and I must be to you."

Lionel raised an eyebrow at his son and stood up to go over to a cabinet to make himself a drink. He turned around and sipped it with a smirk on his face directed towards Lex.

Lex studied his father. "That is what you're planning. You got her pregnant on purpose just so that you could have a child raised in your image." Lex shook his head in surprise. "And what do you think Chloe will think of your plans?"

Lionel's face was devoid of almost all emotion. "Chloe will, of course, have a say in how our child is raised, but I will not make the mistakes I made with you, to say in the least."

Lex rose out of his seat. "Until now, I didn't truly realize how twisted you really are. Congratulations dad, you've managed to shock the hell out of even me." With that he left his the office, leaving his father to stew over their conversation.

Lionel went over to his desk and picked up the phone. "Get security to Chloe Sullivan's office. I don't want her to be disturbed by anyone, do you understand?" He hung up on his mildly shell shocked secretary and then speed dialled Chloe office number.

"LuthorCorp Public Relations Office, Chloe Sullivan speaking."

"Chloe."

"Lionel! I wasn't expecting you to call me until lunch time, is something wrong?"

"Am I not allowed to talk to my wife to be whenever I wish? I do own the company after all." Lionel heard her laugh over the speaker phone. He sat down in his chair and took another sip of his drink.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of this of call, Mr. Luthor?" Chloe's voice was full of laughter.

"I was wondering if you'd like to take an early lunch."

"That sounds splendid. Where at?"

"I know of this small very place with a Caribbean atmosphere."

"I'm becoming intrigued by the idea. Tell me more."

Lionel heard her shuffling papers. "Well, if you would like to go, I can have a maid pack an overnight bag for you and the jet can be ready in under two hours."

"Overnight bag? Jet? Where the hell is this place at? The Caribbean?!" Chloe laughed over her own joke.

"Yes, I own a small island there."

"Oh. Well, I'd really love to, but I have a lot of work to finish today and...hey, hold on, there's some sort of commotion in the outer office."

Lionel cursed silently as he heard Lex's voice over the speaker phone.

***

Chloe stood up behind her desk, a confused look on her face. "Lex, what a surprise. I haven't heard from you in well, a really long time." She looked at the security guard, "Is there a problem? You do realize that you're manhandling Alexander Luthor - as in the owner of LuthorCorp's son?" She gave the guard a frosty stare as he slowly released Lex's arm.

"I was told not to allow anyone to disturb you, Ms. Sullivan."

"He isn't just 'anyone' and if you value your job you'll leave quickly." Chloe ordered, and she watched the guard back slowly out of her office. She sat back down and then motioned for Lex to take a seat. "I'm sorry Lex, there must be some sort of misunderstanding, I certainly never gave such an order."

Lex kept standing. "I have my suspicions on who might have given the order." He paused and stared down at her. "Why are you marrying my father? Is the baby really his?"

Chloe drew in a sharp breath. "How dare you? I realize that you may not get along or even like your father, but you have no reason to attack me! I want you out of here now!" She stood up and pointed at the door.

"You realize, of course, that he's using you, right?" Lex didn't move from his spot.

"Your father and I love each other. I know that you don't understand the concept of love as the only emotions you seem to possess is anger or jealousy, but that is not an excuse for your behavior."

Lex snorted. "He just admitted to me that he's using you. He got you pregnant on purpose! God Chloe, how can you be so blind?"

Chloe frowned and a hand slid down to her belly. She sat down hard in her chair. "I don't believe you; you're lying." She looked up at him. "There is no way he could have planned this. You're lying to me."

Lex shook his head in mild surprise. "You're lying to yourself, Chloe." He pulled a card out of his pocket and placed it on her desk. "When you finally wake up and realize how he's playing you, call me. I'll make sure you're taken care of."

Chloe picked up the card, studied it for a moment, and then tore it into small pieces. "Get out of my office and don't bother me again." She told him in a quiet voice, mostly devoid of all emotions.

***

Lionel Luthor went down to Chloe's office at lunch time. Chloe had never called him back. He entered her office and was mildly irritated to see through the glass door that her office was dark. He whirled on her secretary. "Where is she?"

"Mr. Luthor, Ms. Sullivan left for the day. She said she wasn't feeling very well." Her secretary's voice shook ever so slightly.

Lionel stared at him. "Did she say where she was going?"

"To her home is what I believe she said."

Lionel whirled out of the office without another word.

***

Lionel had called Chloe's apartment, her cell phone, and he still hadn't found her. He stopped at her apartment, used the key she had given him, and discovered the place empty. He was now rushing to his penthouse in the hope that she would be there.

When he arrived at his penthouse, he opened the door to find the place dark and quiet. He cursed loudly, the sound of his voice echoing off the walls.

"I assume that you have no intention of cursing like that around our baby."

"Chloe?" Lionel followed her voice into the living room. He found her sitting in the dark room, staring out at the skyline of Metropolis.

"You know, I didn't want to believe that Lex was telling the truth, but then some things came back to me. Little things really, like your insistence that we just use condoms instead of pills. What would have happened if I didn't get pregnant? Would you have arranged to have a night of spontaneous unprotected sex?" Chloe's voice was just a little shaky and hoarse, as if she was trying not to cry.

Lionel turned on the lights and sat down in a chair across from her. "I need an heir to my company. I remembered what a bright girl you were from our...dealings when you were in high school. When I heard that your father was ill, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to come in contact with you again." Lionel knew that the next few moments depended on his being truthful, so he told her everything.

"You can have a child with anyone. Why did you pick me to ruin my life?" Chloe's voice held a sad note to it.

"I have not ruined your life, as you so melodramatically put it. I arranged for you to get an easy but satisfying job, I pay for a good percentage of your father's care -" He was interrupted by an surprised gasp from her but he continued on. "And all you have to do in return is give me a child for me to raise. Besides, you didn't really think that you had found such a good place for your father at the low price you pay each month, did you?"

Chloe rose angrily from her chair. "I never asked for anything! Not even your love and affection, but you continually lied to me about everything!" She started to leave the room.

"Chloe, I hold a great deal of affection for you." Lionel said to her retreating back. She stopped and turned to look at him. "I realize that you love me - I doubt you would have agreed to marry me if you didn't - but I started this not knowing how fond of you I would become."

Chloe walked slowly back to her chair and then sat back down on it. "I'm never going to be able to trust you again and outside of our child I don't want anything to do with you."

"We're going to be married soon, don't you think it'll be difficult to avoid me when we live as man and wife?" Lionel's voice held a taunting edge to it.

"You don't honestly expect me to agree to marry you when our entire relationship is built on a lie?" Chloe scoffed.

"Indeed I do. You wouldn't want our child to have to deal with the stigma of being a bastard, now would you?"

"It never seemed to bother you before if a child of your's was illegitimate." Chloe shot back.

Lionel narrowed his eyes at her. "I do not want the future heir to my company to bear the dubious title of illegitimate."

Chloe chewed on that silently. "Fine. We'll be married, but I don't want that high society event you planned on. If we're going to go through with this sham of a marriage, we're going to do it my way. Someplace quiet and out of the eyes of the photographers." Chloe's eyes dared him to disagree.

***

Chloe strolled briskly through the door of her office. Her secretary jumped up at the sight of her.

"Oh Ms. Sullivan! I'm so glad that you're feeling better, apparently a small vacation is just what you needed."

Chloe ignored the man. "I want all of my personal belongings packed up."

"Um, okay. May I ask why, Ms. Sullivan?" His was polite but contained a curious note to it.

"I will no longer be working here at LuthorCorp." She told him in a serious tone and then continued on to her office. She sat down in the leather chair behind her desk and started shuffling papers around.

"Ah, Ms. Sullivan..." Her secretary began.

"It's no longer Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Matthews." Chloe paused and looked down at the gold wedding band on her left hand. She looked back up at her poor confused secretary.

"You may address her as Mrs. Luthor, Mr. Matthews." Lionel's strong voice called out from the door way of her office.

Chloe locked eyes with Lionel. "Mrs. Luthor."