Title: The Change

Author: PeepsRfun2eat

Rating: PG-13 due to some bad language

To my lovely and loved reviewers (if you want to feel the love drop a review)

autumngold Who said that Chloe was going to leave Lex behind? Trust me when I say he'll have more than just a cameo appearance.

carebear11488 Well Lana, Pete, and Clark will be mentioned later and may be in the story later (I think).

Asharnanae Hopefully you enjoy this next chapter as much as the first.

SAnna Thank-you.

Don't own Smallville else the pink princess would not be warrior queen/Goth extraordinaire that they are trying to make her in the series. Or stop trying to shove it down our throats that we are supposed to like her. Ugh! On with the story!

Chapter 2: The Official Welcoming Committee

During the age of prohibition Chicago ruled the country with it's tales of Al Capone on the Southside of Chicago. The nation romanticized the violence that was taking place in the city. After the Valentine's Day Massacre people in the nation and even the lawless city that was Chicago saw that something needed to be done. Gotham never had the fortune of having a Valentine's Day Massacre. Their organized crime was never subjected to the national spotlight quite like Al Capone in Chicago. Gotham's crime learned from the mistakes of other cities. It came in slowly but surely like a virus and started attacking the main components of the city. First the crime, streets, to get the capital to gain power, then the politicians and police to look the other way and establish connections. Finally the people who realized that nothing in their city was untainted and the only way to survive would be to accept that fact.

Gotham had the highest crime rate in the nation, it was contaminated with crime but its geological location of being between a large body of water and mountains made it perfect for transgressions to continue. The city was quarantined and no one on the outside wanted to help.

So why the hell has my father moved me here? He said he wanted me to be safer, maybe it is some reverse psychology thing or he could have just lost his mind, thought Chloe.

After hours of winding through the mountains they were slowly descending into the west and north side of the city that had higher elevation than the rest of the city. It made a person light headed; the clouds surrounded the beautiful mansions giving it a dreamy look. A visitor wouldn't recognize this as the Gotham they had heard of, and Chloe being one was shocked. This Gotham was not the one with a high rate of murders and an equal number of psychos. But to be fair most of mansions were that of local crime lords, politicians, and businessmen on the take. So in a way the visitor was better informed than the local, in that believing crime affected every part of the broken city, it was just hidden behind the high hedges and fences of the west and north part of the city.

As their car continued it's descent from the mountains and through the north and west part of Gotham the differences were startling. The downtown was stark against the pollution filled skyline. The city constantly seemed to have a downpour from the moisture that was in the air. It however was not the stickiness of humidity but had a cold breeze so it chilled a person to the bone and raised the hairs on the back of the neck, even though it was the middle of July at 1 in the afternoon.

Chloe looked out her window and could see from the raised highway they were on, that the areas south of the highway were not exactly prime real estate. Large buildings of low income housing loomed in the distance. Dilapidated buildings and empty lots were visible to the naked eye. It was such a contrast to the perfectly manicured lawns and large houses that she had seen moments before.

The car pulled off the highway and into a neighborhood that seemed to be getting over hard times. Chloe looked over to see her Dad eyeing the area warily.

"What's the address again?"

"It is 1060 W. Addison."

"So this is where we live?"

"A little bit further northwest it is close to your school and my work."

"That reminds me, why after years of living in Smallville did you decide to suddenly pack up and leave?"

"Try another question, Chloe."

"Are we there yet?"

"Try again."

Frustrated at this long 20 hour trip, leaving behind everything she had known and silence on why they had left, she snapped in her will and at him.

"Where are you working and where the fuck am I going to school?"

"Language Chloe."

"Sorry dad, but has been a little frustrating you playing this whole 'the chick from the piano', type routine."

"First I am not a chick and secondly she was a mute Chloe; I have been talking to you."

"You know what I mean, you have been mute on the subjects of what are we doing moving cross country, where I am going to school and what job is so important we had to leave."

"Chloe fine but promise you won't screech or freak out."

"I promise."

"Alright," Gabe sighed heavily wondering if he should tell his daughter the truth, especially since they were in such confined spaces and he was operating a motor vehicle. But against his better judgment he went ahead, "I really don't know yet."

"What?!"

"That was a screech."

"NO THIS IS SCREECHING!" screeched Chloe.

Gabe glanced at his daughter briefly and wondered how he never got in a car accident during these moments.

"Chloe I'm sorry this was a promise I made a long time ago to someone and they called it in and you know we Sullivan's do not back out."

Chloe sighed and the car was silent for several moments as both parties mulled over what had been said in the past few moments. Chloe broke the silence and offered the olive branch.

"I know dad. I'm sorry for freaking out."

"Well I'm sorry for not keeping you up to date. My eardrums just can't take it anymore."

"Dad."

"Yeah Chloe?" said Gabe looking over at his daughter.

"Na!" and Gabe saw his daughter sticking out her tongue at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be a senior in high school?"

"Whatever, I'll forever be your little girl."

"Always sweetie."

Gabe smiled at his daughter and went back to watching the road.

Chloe lay back in her seat watching the neighborhood around her. It looked like an unusual neighborhood. Culture, diversity, and everyone marching to the beat of their own drum, everything Smallville shuns. As if to stress its complete difference from the small Kansas town an extremely tall woman with an Adam's apple and her two companions, one who looked like a beatnik from the 50's and the other a woman who carried a large portfolio. The trio crossed in front of the car. Nope definitely not Smallville, and for the first time this trip a smile crossed her.

"Yeah Clark we've settled in just fine. (Pause) No, Clark. (Pause) No Clark. (Pause) How many times do I have to tell you I have not been a victim of crime. (Pause) Clark how about when it happens I'll tell you first. OK? Listen I gotta finish unpacking talk to you later, tell Lana I say hello. (Pause) No Clark I don't need to talk to her. (Pause) Clark listen I have to...Oh hello Lana, yeah the trip was good. (Pause) No I swear it wasn't because of you that I left. (Pause) Lana I swear not everyone is going to leave you. (Pause) Look at Clark he is still in Smallville as is Pete. (Pause) Well why don't you just apply to Metropolis too. (Pause) No you're smart enough to get in. (Pause) Lana you are not a failure, a 9 out of 10 on the quiz does not mean you won't get into Metropolis. (Pause) Listen Lana, I have to go. (Pause) No I swear I am not trying to just hang up on you. (Pause) No I consider you my friend still and well here is the thing I am really tired and I have a whole bunch of unpacking to do and if I could I would talk to you all night, but I won't be much fun. Listen how about you call me at noon tomorrow, that is 10 our time. Ok? (Pause) Good. Talk to you tomorrow. (Pause) No that's ok, just tell Clark I said bye. No, no...hello Clark, uh-huh, ok listen really gotta go, ok, goodnight."

Chloe quickly hung up the phone before they could continue passing it back in forth in the sadistic game that they called a phone conversation. Why couldn't they just be like Pete and say hello, chat and then hang up before it got completely inane and the phone bills went to high? Oh well at least Lana wouldn't call her 'til 2 p.m. the next day. Chloe snickered at the thought.

Lana had never been good at telling time much less knowing the time zones. Chloe did worry did Lana actually think that Smallville in Central time was ahead of Eastern Time in Gotham? She should never travel, imagine if she went overseas to some place like Paris, would probably get so confused she would lose herself and try and become someone new. Probably stop wearing pink, think she was some sort of warrior princess and at the sudden thought of Lana not wearing pink and dressed like Lucy Lawless, Chloe giggled. That would be an impending sign of the apocalypse or hell was freezing over and soon all the first born would be dead.

"Chloe!" yelled Gabe from the first floor.

"Yeah dad?"

"What are you doing?"

Chloe groaned if she answered nothing then he would make her do something but if she said she was he would come in to see what she was doing. Then if he saw her doing nothing he'd get angry and she'd feel guilty and in the end have to help him. So she decided to skip all the drama.

"Nothing."

"Good could you come help me?"

"Sure dad, be right there."

Chloe looked around her room for her phone stand.

Her room, the apartment, in Gotham, it sounded strange.

It turned out that after realizing this was a neighbor hood that was the antithesis of Smallville and smiling genuinely for the first time this trip the building they were staying in was less than a block away. The Sullivan family got out of the car and stretched, then looked up at the building that was to be their home. It was a large brick building, that was non-descript with seven stories.

The sound of a train broke the Sullivan's out of their daze. Looking half a block down they saw a subway but above ground.

"Don't worry the building is sound proof, so you won't even realize you're in the city, much less the EL," said a voice.

Chloe turned her head to see an attractive man in his twenties standing in front of her and her father. Chloe nearly made a noise for being startled and instead gulped the noise down. The man must have noticed because he chuckled and held his hand out to the both of them.

"Wayne, Bruce Wayne."

"Bruce?" said Gabe.

"Hey Gabe."

"Wow, you've grown up. I can barely remember the last time I saw you."

"I think I was just 7."

"It was really that long ago. It seems just days ago, I guess I am revealing my age."

"You look exactly the same, except not as big."

Both men shared a laugh and Chloe looked around, she knew the name Wayne but she couldn't place it. Both men stopped and Bruce looked at her.

"You must be Chloe; I don't even think you were born when I last saw Gabe."

They shook hands and Chloe couldn't still pinpoint exactly where she had heard his name before. And he looked really familiar. Now why the hell couldn't she remember it?

"May I ask how you know my father?"

Bruce looked at Gabe as if to ask if it was ok to say anything and Gabe must have consented due to the man actually answered the question.

"He used to work for my parents. They called Gabe one of their most trusted and loyal employees, which is probably no surprise to you since he is your father."

"Are you his boss?"

Bruce looked mildly surprised that she figured it out. And at that if it had been a cartoon a light bulb would have appeared above Chloe's head.

"You are aren't you?"

"Now, why would just assume that?"

It was a challenge and let it never be said that Chloe Sullivan backed down.

"Well when I first meet you, I knew you were familiar but I couldn't figure out where from. Then I remember reading about LuthorCorp., being in merger talks with a company that I had never heard of before. It was Wayne Enterprises and so I just did a little homework because my father being a LuthorCorp. employee lay offs are expected during mergers. Turned out wouldn't affect him.

"I would have abandoned it but I was curious why I had never really heard of this company. It turned out their owner a Mr. Bruce Wayne had just come back from a seven year sabbatical that started right after he came into possession of the company he inherited from his parents. Now that he had returned, the company would be starting up again in the poverty and crime stricken Gotham and that he seemed like a hope to help rebuild this city.

"Well were in Gotham, your name is Bruce Wayne and now you just said that your own parents trusted my father and he said that he was coming here as a favor. So I figured you are rebuilding the company by getting the same men that your own parents trusted. Am I correct?"

"Yes and you could put any detective to shame."

"Thank you."

"Well since we all know why were here I'll take you to your place."

Chloe got her bag out of the car and walked up to the building, following her father and Bruce inside. Walking in Chloe noticed a man who seemed to be just lounging around the room, he looked like a tenet. He was tall, over 30 and was wearing just a shirt and jeans, with a large coat.

"Mr. Thomas," said Bruce.

"Mr. Wayne," said Mr. Thomas, who continued to sit on the chair.

Mr. Thomas went into his pocket and pulled out a large sack.

"Hello you must be the Sullivan's? Correct?" said Mr. Thomas.

"Yes, I am Gabe and this is my daughter Chloe," said Gabe who shook the man's hand as did Chloe.

"I'm your doorman," said Mr. Thomas. "So if you ever need anything just let me know."

"Thank you Mr. Thomas," said Bruce who started walking away and the Sullivan family followed as he walked to an elevator labeled "4". "If you want to get your apartment you have to get on elevator '4'."

There was a ping, the doors opened, and the group got on.

"You can press 6 or 7, both are your apartment. Any preferences?"

"No," said both Sullivan's.

It was a fairly quiet ride up to the apartment. The doors opened and they were in a small hallway.

"This is where you need your key," said Bruce who went into the sack Mr. Thomas had given him and pulled out a key and opened the door.

"This is the largest unit in the building, it is two floors and you take up the whole Northwest part of the sixth and seventh floor of the building. You're about four apartments combined together. It's just over 2,500 square feet," continued Bruce

Stepping into the place Chloe suddenly knew how those kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory felt when they saw the chocolate room. It was huge. Probably bigger than the house that they lived in Smallville. Chloe remembered they had sold almost all of their stuff because they couldn't afford to move it. The place was tastefully furnished in an urban classic feel. Bruce was no Mr. Wonka and this was no chocolate room but hell this was probably the closest she'd ever get.

"Wow," said Gabe.

"I take your wow and see it a holy cow," said Chloe.

Bruce smiled watching as the two walked around the place with their mouths open.

After being in shock for a half hour, Chloe and Gabe, with the assistance of Bruce started unpacking. He left after another hour and now it was just the Sullivan's left.

After unpacking and talking with Pete, Lana, and Clark, Chloe was currently checking out what exactly her father needed help with. Looking around the second floor Chloe wondered if she should pinch herself but, nah. Chloe walked down the stairs giggled, and clapped her hands looking around the first floor.

Gabe walked out to see his daughter doing a little dance, giggling and clapping her hands.

"Maybe Bruce is pumping laughing gas in here because this is the happiest I've seen you since we decided to move," said Gabe.

"Dad you'd do it, too, but you're to self conscious," said Chloe.

In perfect imitation of his daughter Gabe rolled his eyes.

"Chloe could you please come help me," said Gabe gesturing towards the front room.

They walked in and Chloe knew this was probably her father's favorite room. It had a big flat screen and two Laz-E-Boys and one really long comfy couch.

"So what's the prob, bob?"

"I can't figure out how to turn on the TV," said Gabe.

Chloe looked down at the remote controls and started laughing.

"Don't laugh I know your generation is more technologically advance than mine but you don't need to rub it in," said Gabe.

"It's not that dad, it's that there are four different remotes and well I have no idea either."

"Well then it will be a learning experience for the both of us."

A few hours later after figuring out that the biggest one controlled the TV/satellite dish, the smallest one controlled the surround sound, the grey one controlled the fire place, and the fourth one controlled well everything. Chloe finally left her new home to find exactly what type of neighborhood she was living in, so she took her first steps out of the apartment and into the elevator.

Chloe got off the elevator and looked around the foyer and nodded to the doorman, she had met hours earlier.

"Mr. Thomas."

"Miss Sullivan."

Sitting in a high backed chair that was in a corner Chloe wondered if this was to be the rest of her summer. Stuck in the apartment while she knew her friends back at home were having a fun time? Joy!

That's when she heard it, "Excuse me, Mr. Thomas where is there a restaurant around here?"

It couldn't be she thought, but the voice was unmistakable. Looking up she saw the immaculate suit, and smooth head of a Mr. Lex Luthor.

Standing up Chloe walked up behind Lex as he was just walking out the door and tried to think of something to say. Well why don't you try his name first said an annoying voice in her head.

"Lex, of all the gin joints in all the towns in all, the world you had to walk into this one."

Turning around Lex smiled at Chloe.

"This is not exactly a gin joint Chloe, and I think gin joint went out back in the 50's."

"Non-sense, gin joint is still cool since the Bogart said it. So Mr. Luthor just why are you here?"

"Miss Sullivan, are you always this inquisitive?"

"I like to think interested."

"Ok, if you must know I am friends with Mr. Wayne. I had some business to attend to in Gotham and he was kind enough to put me up."

"Would that be merger talks in the weapons section of Wayne Enterprises and Luthor Corporation?"

"On or off the record Chloe?"

"Off. Besides I already questioned Mr. Wayne and he gave it all up."

"Why am I not surprised? I still say no comment. But would you like to come out to a restaurant that Mr. Thomas has recommended?"

"I'd be honored."

Lex held the door open for Chloe and the two walked down the street to the restaurant.

Walking home after dinner with Lex, was strange, for one she couldn't believe it was summer, she was wearing her sweater. The other was she just went out to dinner with Lex, sure she had talked to him in Smallville and they bought down Lionel but after all was said and done he had to take care of LuthorCorp., and that required him to move to Metropolis full time. The second half of her junior year Chloe barely saw Lex around Smallville.

They were currently walking down a street and about a block away from her new home. It turned out the charming restaurant that Mr. Thomas recommended to Lex was actually a diner. However the burgers and fries were surprisingly good.

At the restaurant they talked about Smallville and the weirdness that it was. After leaving the diner they were walking in a comfortable silence, Lex even ignored his cell phone. The El was currently going overhead the two of them, but did not bother either.

"So how is your father's stay at Belle Revue going? I had hoped to learn more after hearing about his nasty nervous breakdown, in the state pen," she said.

"His stay has been shorted."

"Really. Why?"

"He requested to be moved to..."

But before Lex could finish answering the question, a large man slid out of the shadows holding a gun.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk why do people even bother walking here at night? Girlie put your fucking hands up and bub. How about you give me your wallet and that watch," said the mugger gesturing to Lex's Rolex. "I'm your official night stroll welcoming committee to Gotham."

Lex saw Chloe pop something into her hands that were up in the air. She flicked something with her thumb.

"Hey don't you know who this guy is?" said Chloe.

"I really don't give a fuck, girlie. And I don't give a shit about you, so just shut your mouth."

"Maybe you should."

"Why is that bitch?"

"Because I know Tanner."

"And I'd give two flying fucks because?"

"They make really good mace."

Chloe then compressed a button on the small canister and mace shot into the mugger's eyes.

"Fucking cunt!" said the mugger who in his daze pointed his gun at Chloe.

Lex knocked the gun out of the mugger's hand and then decked the mugger knocking the man out cold. Breathing heavily Lex looked over to see Chloe was already dialing 911 and talking to the dispatch.

They stood there for a minute or two both in shock and not able to say anything to the other. Lex noticed Chloe was slowly zoning out and looked ready to faint. Touching her shoulder Chloe looked up. Lex noticed there was a track of moisture going down Chloe's cheeks. Lex cupped Chloe's left cheek and wiped away a tear.

"He could have killed us," she whispered.

"Yes he could have, but you saved us, very Demi Moore of you with the mace. You should have said sorry but we're from Smallville. We have handled worse," he whispered back.

She didn't laugh at his attempt at a joke but instead could only stammer and try to breath.

Lex realized this was probably the only time he had seen Chloe in this type of way. She had faced so many things and he had never been there for the after effects. He just threw money at the situation. Having your life threatened several times before your eighteen would fuck anyone up, look at him.

Lex continued brushing her cheek softly, but the tears kept falling. He then did something that neither really foresaw happening.

He pulled her forward into a hug.

A/N

Hopefully no one thinks it is too cliché that Chloe moved to Gotham but well I always liked Gotham more than Metropolis. My Bruce Wayne looks like Christan Bale (b/c he's the new Batman and is really hot. My Bruce is 22 or 23 as is Lex in this story.)

FYI or Stuff/References you may have not gotten.

Lex says: Yes he could have, but you saved us, very Demi Moore of you with the mace.

In the movie One Crazy Summer (with John Cusack classic 80's flick see it!) Demi Moore does a similar thing to bunch of guys who are trying to beat the crap out of the heroes of the movie.

Chloe says: "Lex, of all the gin joints in all the towns in all, the world you had to walk into this one."

Oh yeah should mention don't own Casablanca or Humphrey Bogart, classic line from that movie.

Bruce says: "Don't worry the building is sound proof, so you won't even realize you're in the city much less the EL," said a voice.

EL it is like a subway but above ground. It's called the EL because elevated.

Also don't own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but yeah just citing it because I love it and they are remaking it and Johnny Depp is staring in it! Double Squee! Don't own the Piano but a very strange movie.

Thanks for the reviews! Again thumbs up/ thumbs down, continue/what were you thinking, or 'Read and liked' or 'Read and disliked'. I accept anything even flames seriously. Sorry if you think this chapter sucks compared to one but was hard to write. Chapter 3 is fun and with fun references!

Thanks and go review! Ciao!