"It's just for a couple of months Lexi." Steven smiled as he sat next to his sister on the couch, "I just really need you to do this for me, mom won't let me out of this arrangement because of the cost of tuition and I really need to take this trip."

Lexi shook her head, "All I'm sayin is there are too many people at that school that know me, someone will know I'm not you." She placed her hand on his shoulder, "Sorry Bro I can't pull off that switch, anything else and I would do it for you in a heartbeat but this isn't possible."

"What if I told Oliver what we were doing?" He chuckled, "I'm sure he'd love to spend the extra time with you, and since he's my roomate he could help us pull the switch off."

"Oh and that would work out sooo well." Lexi scoffed, "He'd be better off not knowing." She chuckled, "I can't believe I am actually thinking about doing this, I act nothing like you!"

"But you know exactly what I'm like, if there is anything you have learned over all these years it is exactly how react in every situation." He grabbed a folder from the coffee table, "This is my schedule, a list of practice times for fencing and soccer, everything you need to know for school is in here."

Lexi took the folder flipping thru the pages inside, "Fencing I can do, but I have never played soccer on an actual team."

"You used to play at the beach all the time when you and dad were living on the Rez." He laughed, "And if memory serves me correct you kicked ass."

"That was for fun, and I was playing with the pack so I didn't have to be careful."

"You don't have to be careful on the field, the guys get rough, bones have been broken." Steven smiled, "Just go out there and play, don't sweat the small shit." He laughed, "And try not to make me look too good at fencing, you always were better than me."

Lexi rose from her spot on the couch, "Guess I better go raid your closet." She smiled as she slapped his shoulder, "Gotta look the part."

"Relax, you can pull this off. You are practically one of the guys anyway."

"I might be one of the guys, but I am far from being you."

Steven laughed, "Strap those puppies down and no one will ever know that you're not me. You are more guy than you realize sis."

Lexi punched him in the arm, "Just because I can piss standing up doesn't mean I can pull this charade off easily."

"What are you going to do about school?" Steven asked as he opened his closet.

"Don't worry, I've got it covered. But I will have to tell mom what we are up to so I can can skip out." Lexi shook her head, "She's not going to like this."

"The ammount of money she's paying for me to go to Excelsior and make business contacts, she won't mind." Steven chuckled, "I still don't get why you decided to go the public school route."

"I for one don't want to be judged by what my family is worth financially. Besides Smallville is nice, I like being with dad." Lexi tossed a shirt aside, "I need to go shopping, you don't have much in the way of clothes."

Steven handed her a large garmet bag, "This is all you need, I have five, one for every day of the week, send them out to be cleaned on Saturdays."

Lexi unzipped the bag, "Your kidding right?" She sighed as he shook his head no, "Fuck, this is ugly as hell."

"School uniforms aren't ment to make a fashion statement." Steven laughed, "Now you know why my regular wardrobe is limited, I only wear that stuff on weekends."

"Can I at least wear my boots?" Lexi frowned at the dress shoes, "These look uncomfortable, and I can't fit in them anyway, way tooooo big!"

Steven laughed, "If you are going to wear boots, you need a new pair. Those bedraggled things your wearing won't pass, they need to be shiny black, not scuffed and 10 years old."

"Alright, I'll buy new ones, but I'm still going shopping for clothes." Lexi smiled, "Don't worry I won't buy anything you wouldn't wear and when you come back from your trip it's all yours."

Steven pulled her into a hug, "You have no idea how much of a lifesaver you are. If I was to miss two months of school they would throw me out."

"Be happy I go to public school, they won't miss me for two months and mom can pay them off so I keep my grades and that will make her happy, and as long as no one finds out she paid them off that will make me happy." Lexi ruffled his hair, "You are so going to owe me for this."

"I'll buy you a present on my trip." Steven smiled, "Maybe a new set of throwing knives and a couple new swords?"

"You know the way to my heart." Lexi smiled, "Call me the moment you are back so we can plan a switch."

Steven grabbed his suitcase, "I will call you the moment I land." He hugged her again placing a kiss on her cheek, "Thanks sis, tell mom I said hi."

Lexi stepped back, reaching down she picked up his other bag. "I will." She shoved the bag into his arms, "Now hurry or you'll miss your flight."

Steven turned as he reached the door, "Might want to buy a pait of soccer cleats as well."

Lexi laughed, "I will, I will ! Now get out of here!"

Lexi walked thru the lobby of Queen Industries, as she made her way to the front desk she returned the greetings she recieved with a short nod. As she leaned against the front desk she smiled as the lady behind the desk finished up her phone call.

"Miss DuLac." Anna greeted as she hung the phone up, "Is your mother expecting you?"

Lexi shook her head, "Nope, I'm here totally unannounced, is she busy?"

"She's in a meeting at the moment, closing the aquisition, but they are almost finished so I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you dropped in." Anna scrolled down a screen on the computer, "She's in the 15th floor conference room."

"I can wait until they are finished, the aquisition of Queen Industries is more important." Lexi smiled, "How are you today?"

"I'm wonderful Miss DuLac, thanks for asking." She smiled, "Once the aquisition is complete I become your mothers personal assistant."

"That's great! Mom really likes you, she told me all about your drive to succeed." Lexi leaned on the counter, "Stick with mom Anna, she'll get you where you want to go. Once you finish your degree I have a feeling you will climb the ladder quickly. And I wish you would just call me Lexi, I've known you long enough to drop formalities"

"What about you Lexi? I mean after Graduation are you going to join the family business?"

"Oliver asks me the same thing, after he graduates he will take his parents place in the company, and yes mom wants me to step up and do the same here in Metropolis so she can get back to global in Paris but I don't know if I really want to. Oliver could easily handle this branch of the company on his own."

"He could, but it would be nice to have members of both parties involved here in this office."

Lexi Smiled, "I don't know, I have the full year to decide. I might step up if mom would let me keep you here."

Anna smiled, "I'm sure she would, she just came back available on her office phone want me to call her and tell her you're here?"

"Nahh, I'll just head up there." Lex chuckled as she walked over to the elevator, she quickly stepped inside pressing the button for the 15th floor. When the doors opened she stepped out into the lobby of DuLac International.

"Hey Lexi." Mike greeted from the information desk, "She just got back in the office a few minutes ago."

"Thanks Mike." Lexi smiled "Is she in a good mood?"

"Better than this morning, go on in she'll love to see you."

Lexi made her way down the hall pausing in front of the large glass doors of her mothers office before pushing them open. "Hey mom!" She laughed as she walked across the room plopping on the couch by the windows that looked out over Metropolis.

Chantile smiled, "I didn't expect to see you today Lexi, where is your brother?"

"That's actually what I came here to talk to you about." Lexi fiddled with the remote to the office lights, "He should be on a plane by now."

"I hope it's a short trip, he knows school starts tommrow." Chantile glanced to Lexi, "He's not going to be back in time.. is he?"

"He realizes the importance of him being at school to make connections."

"Yes it is very important, most of the children at that school have parents that the business needs on our side."

"Well because of that we sat down and decided that I would take his place."

"But Lexi, darling that is an all boys school."

"We know, I'm literaly taking his place." Lexi chuckled, "On my way to see if Nick can help me with looking just like Steven."

Chantile smiled, "Shorter hair and that is easily accomplished, you two are identical so it's not hard. I just worry about if you can pull this off because you and brother might be alike in many ways but he is very different from you in many aspects."

"I know my personality is a little out there, but I can tone it down if I have to."

"Lexi you have always been the more outgoing one, if you are really going to do this just be careful." Chantile smiled, "Are you really doing this to spend more time with Oliver?"

"No! No, I'm not even going to tell him what's going on. This is about keeping Steven from getting suspended for missing two months."

"Two months?" Chantile looked to Lexi nervously, "There is no way you can get away with this little charade for two months! You're not doing this it's too risky."

"I can do it mom quit worrying." Lexi placed a hand on her mothers shoulder, "I need you to pull a few strings for me at Smallville High so I can miss school to do this."

"I'll take care of it." Chantille sat at her desk turning the computer on, "Now I want you to call me if you think there is going to be any trouble alright!"

"I can handle it mom, but if I think I might not be able to I'll call." Lexi shifted looking tward her mother, "Should I tell Oliver what is going on?"

"That's up to you, but I have a feeling he will know within the first hour you are there." Chantile chuckled, "You have habits that your brother doesn't have and Oliver knows those habits, that and everytime you are near Oliver you undress him with your eyes and anyone will notice that look."

"I'll have to watch what I'm doing." Lexi glanced at her watch, "Shit ! I'm late! NIck is going to have a fit!" Jumping up she walked over kissing her mother on the cheek, "Thanks for understanding, Steven and I owe you."

"Just be careful is all I ask." Chantile hugged her, "I'll be at the school sometime tommrow and will look you up, now go before Nick has a panic attack."

Lexi ran into the small shop, "Sorry Nick, I got tied up waiting on mom to get out of a meeting and lost track of time."

Nick smiled, "I was about to start calling, I was starting to think something had happened."

Lexi laughed as she slugged him playfully in the arm, "Drama Queen!" She plopped down in the chair, "So can you pull the look off?"

"Are you actually wanting to cut your hair?" He gasped as she nodded, "Oh girl, there is no way I will cut your beautiful hair off."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"You just sit back and let me figure out the details." He smiled, "You and brother look exactly alike this can't be too hard, you both have the skin of a porcelin doll it's so beautiful." He fidgited with her hair, "If you really want to cut it, I guess I can do something with it in two months."

"You will have to cut it again before then, you know how fast my hair grows out after I cut it."

"When your brother came in two weeks ago he had me cut his different but I remember exactly how he wanted it, I'll do the same thing to yours." Nick sighed, "I might cry Lexi, cutting your hair off is going to kill me."

"It will grow back out Nick, no worries." Lexi chuckled.

"But if you cut it, you won't be able to see anyone until it starts to grow back out."

"Shit that's right, what are my other options?" Lex sighed, "This is turning out to be a real bitch!"

"If I trim your hair slightly, I think I might have a wig in the back that we can use." He shook his head, "You might not like it at first but you'll get used to it."

"What if it falls off?"

"It won't, trust me." He smiled as he began to run a brush thru her hair, "I'll make sure it won't budge an inch baby girl."