Title: Metropolis Chapter 2
Author: AmandaG
Summary: Chloe and Lex find themselves leading parallel lives while spending the summer in Metropolis.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places contained here in. I just like to take them out and fiddle with them when no one is looking.
E-Mail: ficklemuse02@yahoo.com
Feedback: Replies and reviews are lovely things.
**
Chloe's Grandparents:
"Sir? Miss Chloe just arrived. She's freshening up and will be in in just a moment."
"How is she Phyllis?"
"All grown up Mr. Reed. All grown up and the spitting image of her mother. And just like her mother she's no bigger than a minute."
"Actually Phyllis I think I'm exactly 61 seconds big." Chloe remarked with what she hoped was a smile on her face. She'd practiced it in the mirror a few times- and early attempts were ... less than pretty. "Hello Grandmother."
"Chloe dear." Evelyn Reed rose to her feet and held out both her arms. "Phyllis didn't exaggerate. You're the very image of Eloise."
Dutifully Chloe closed the gap between them and pressed a light kiss to her grandmother's perfectly made up cheek. Everything about Evelyn Reed was perfect. Her makeup, her Ann Klein ensemble all the way to the subtlely colored roots of her greying hair. Nothing about Evelyn had changed. Not in four years. And Chloe felt unaccountably sad about that.
A gentle clearing of the throat behind her, made Chloe snap out of her dark thoughts and embrace her grandfather with a smile. "You didn't have to take the day off Grandfather."
"Of course I did. It's not every day that you come to spend the summer with us." Richard Reed placed a fond kiss on Chloe's forehead. At 6'5 and 330 pounds Chloe came up to the third button from the top of his dress shirt. "How was your trip?"
"Awful I would assume Richard! You did take the *bus* didn't you Chloe?"
Sliding into a seat on the Queen Anne love seat, Chloe nodded. "Yeah, my car and I aren't exactly on speaking terms this summer. I decided to leave it in Smallville and let a friend of mine work on it."
Evelyn's brow furrowed. "Like one of your highschool friends? Is that wise Chloe?"
"Pete's good with cars, and his oldest brother Jeremy is a mechanic. They've worked on it before and they work for chocolate chip cookies."
Richard snorted. "Tough to find a good mechanic willing to get paid in bakery goods these days."
"While you're here you should use one of our cars." Evelyn looked to her husband. "The Towncar?"
Chloe had a sudden image of herself behind the wheel of one of her grandfather's land yachts. The only 16 year old non-pimp driving a Towncar. Then to make matters worse she pictured herself in a polyester pantsuit with a wide brimmed hat and platform shoes. . . When she realized she'd laughed out loud, Chloe realized there were some serious disadvantages to having an overactive imagination.
"What's so funny Chloe?"
"I'm sorry Grandmother. It's just- it would take three of my cars to make up one of the Towncars. It would be like going from a kayak to the Titanic."
"Not to mention it's an old person's car." Richard replied knowingly. "No teenager lies awake dreaming of a good sensible car Evelyn. But I agree that Chloe will need a car while she's here. And I think I have the perfect solution. We'll discuss it after dinner."
Little prickly fingers of dread tapped along Chloe's spine.
She hated being suspicious of everything they did and said- waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop, but experience had taught her not to let her guard down. "Phyllis is already threatening my waistline."
"Damn." Richard exclaimed suddenly. "I forgot to tell her to lay an extra setting at the table."
Chloe watched as her grandmother loosed a long suffering sigh. "Richard..."
"I know Evelyn. I know. But I want these property rights taken care of as soon as possible..."
Sensing the beginnings of an argument- and not wanting to push her good luck, Chloe cleared her throat. "Dinner is still at seven?"
"Yes dear." Evelyn answered.
"Then if you'll excuse me I'm just gonna go up to my room and get unpacked and lay out my clothes for tomorrow."
"That sounds like a good idea. And since we'll be having company- please dress for dinner."
Chloe groaned as soon as she was out of the library. "Argh."
"Ooh- that's a new record. You've only been home for a few minutes and already you're talking to yourself." Phyllis stood in the hall holding the tea tray.
"Grandfather's invited someone for dinner..."
"I've worked for that man for more than 30 years and he still can't remember to tell me when I'm feeding another mouth." Phyllis' expression was fond in spite of her irritated words. "Fortunately I always make a little extra."
"Fortunately you always make enough to feed two armies!"
"Well if we're having company you'd better get unpacked and decked out in your finest."
Chloe groaned. "Don't remind me." She slowly moved down the hall to the foot of the sweeping grand staircase. She could still remember the first time she'd been in this house.
**
"Oh Mommy! It's so pretty!"
"Isn't it beautiful baby?" Eloise Reed-Sullivan let go of her squirming daughter's hand, watching her turn in circles in the foyer. She knelt down and brushed her fingers over Chloe's cheek, directing her gaze to the elegant spiral of the staircase. "When Mommy was a little girl she used to slide down that bannister."
Chloe could remember her eyes widening. "All the way down?"
"Well... maybe halfway down." Eloise replied. "Let's go upstairs and you can see Mommy's old room."
"Eloise. I wasn't aware you were in Metropolis."
Evelyn's voice came from the patio doors.
"Mother!"
"Have you come home Eloise?"
Chloe could feel her mother's heavy sigh. "No Mother. Gabe is attending a conference here and I thought I would show Chloe where I used to live." She rested her hands on Chloe's shoulders. "Sweetheart, this is your grandmother. Mother- this is Chloe."
"Hello Chloe." Evelyn's expression and voice softened slightly.
"Hi." Chloe backed up against her mother's legs and rested her head against her knees waiting for something to happen.
"She's lovely Eloise."
"She's my baby. She's perfect."
Evelyn gestured to the library. "Stay for tea?"
"We really should be getting back."
"Ah yes. Back to the garbage man."
"MOTHER!"
Chloe jumped at the sharp sound in her mother's voice. She'd never heard her mother yell. Not at anybody. Her mother laughed all the time.
"What? Eloise the man is an overpaid garbage man. You infatuation was excuseable when you were younger and single. But this- living with that man. Raising that sweet child in the gutter..."
"Now you know Mother why Gabe and I don't live in Metropolis anymore. Gotham's been good to both of us."
Eloise sniffed. "Yes. I've read your lovely Christmas cards."
"Why do you have to make this so difficult? Why can't you be happy for me? Gabe makes me happy."
"You would have been happy without that man- he's been your *ruin* Eloise." Evelyn's voice softened slightly. "She's sick Eloise."
Chloe's mother frowned until she realized what Evelyn was talking about. "What?"
"She's dying. Your father plays tennis with her cardiologist..."
Now Chloe could feel her mother shaking.
"Please. Mother. Don't. Don't say that. Don't do this. It's sick. If she's got a heart condition you should be feeling badly for them both and most of all for her son. Not thinking of ways I could replace her."
"Life goes on Eloise. That's the fundemental rule of the universe. I'm not saying this to upset you. But you know how your father and I expected you to marry-"
"No! I am married. I have a husband and a daughter and a life that makes me happy. I'm sorry that you and Daddy can't be happy for me. I'm sorry that you can't be a part of my new life. But I won't stay here and listen to this for another second." Reaching down Eloise scooped Chloe up in her arms and whirled around on her heel. "Now if you'll excuse me- we have to get back to my husband."
**
Hearing the insistent chiming from the grandfather clock at the end of the hall, Chloe forced herself out of her memories and back to the task at hand.
Dressing for dinner.
She wondered if she had time to research the ancient ritual of Hari Kari.
**
Author: AmandaG
Summary: Chloe and Lex find themselves leading parallel lives while spending the summer in Metropolis.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places contained here in. I just like to take them out and fiddle with them when no one is looking.
E-Mail: ficklemuse02@yahoo.com
Feedback: Replies and reviews are lovely things.
**
Chloe's Grandparents:
"Sir? Miss Chloe just arrived. She's freshening up and will be in in just a moment."
"How is she Phyllis?"
"All grown up Mr. Reed. All grown up and the spitting image of her mother. And just like her mother she's no bigger than a minute."
"Actually Phyllis I think I'm exactly 61 seconds big." Chloe remarked with what she hoped was a smile on her face. She'd practiced it in the mirror a few times- and early attempts were ... less than pretty. "Hello Grandmother."
"Chloe dear." Evelyn Reed rose to her feet and held out both her arms. "Phyllis didn't exaggerate. You're the very image of Eloise."
Dutifully Chloe closed the gap between them and pressed a light kiss to her grandmother's perfectly made up cheek. Everything about Evelyn Reed was perfect. Her makeup, her Ann Klein ensemble all the way to the subtlely colored roots of her greying hair. Nothing about Evelyn had changed. Not in four years. And Chloe felt unaccountably sad about that.
A gentle clearing of the throat behind her, made Chloe snap out of her dark thoughts and embrace her grandfather with a smile. "You didn't have to take the day off Grandfather."
"Of course I did. It's not every day that you come to spend the summer with us." Richard Reed placed a fond kiss on Chloe's forehead. At 6'5 and 330 pounds Chloe came up to the third button from the top of his dress shirt. "How was your trip?"
"Awful I would assume Richard! You did take the *bus* didn't you Chloe?"
Sliding into a seat on the Queen Anne love seat, Chloe nodded. "Yeah, my car and I aren't exactly on speaking terms this summer. I decided to leave it in Smallville and let a friend of mine work on it."
Evelyn's brow furrowed. "Like one of your highschool friends? Is that wise Chloe?"
"Pete's good with cars, and his oldest brother Jeremy is a mechanic. They've worked on it before and they work for chocolate chip cookies."
Richard snorted. "Tough to find a good mechanic willing to get paid in bakery goods these days."
"While you're here you should use one of our cars." Evelyn looked to her husband. "The Towncar?"
Chloe had a sudden image of herself behind the wheel of one of her grandfather's land yachts. The only 16 year old non-pimp driving a Towncar. Then to make matters worse she pictured herself in a polyester pantsuit with a wide brimmed hat and platform shoes. . . When she realized she'd laughed out loud, Chloe realized there were some serious disadvantages to having an overactive imagination.
"What's so funny Chloe?"
"I'm sorry Grandmother. It's just- it would take three of my cars to make up one of the Towncars. It would be like going from a kayak to the Titanic."
"Not to mention it's an old person's car." Richard replied knowingly. "No teenager lies awake dreaming of a good sensible car Evelyn. But I agree that Chloe will need a car while she's here. And I think I have the perfect solution. We'll discuss it after dinner."
Little prickly fingers of dread tapped along Chloe's spine.
She hated being suspicious of everything they did and said- waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop, but experience had taught her not to let her guard down. "Phyllis is already threatening my waistline."
"Damn." Richard exclaimed suddenly. "I forgot to tell her to lay an extra setting at the table."
Chloe watched as her grandmother loosed a long suffering sigh. "Richard..."
"I know Evelyn. I know. But I want these property rights taken care of as soon as possible..."
Sensing the beginnings of an argument- and not wanting to push her good luck, Chloe cleared her throat. "Dinner is still at seven?"
"Yes dear." Evelyn answered.
"Then if you'll excuse me I'm just gonna go up to my room and get unpacked and lay out my clothes for tomorrow."
"That sounds like a good idea. And since we'll be having company- please dress for dinner."
Chloe groaned as soon as she was out of the library. "Argh."
"Ooh- that's a new record. You've only been home for a few minutes and already you're talking to yourself." Phyllis stood in the hall holding the tea tray.
"Grandfather's invited someone for dinner..."
"I've worked for that man for more than 30 years and he still can't remember to tell me when I'm feeding another mouth." Phyllis' expression was fond in spite of her irritated words. "Fortunately I always make a little extra."
"Fortunately you always make enough to feed two armies!"
"Well if we're having company you'd better get unpacked and decked out in your finest."
Chloe groaned. "Don't remind me." She slowly moved down the hall to the foot of the sweeping grand staircase. She could still remember the first time she'd been in this house.
**
"Oh Mommy! It's so pretty!"
"Isn't it beautiful baby?" Eloise Reed-Sullivan let go of her squirming daughter's hand, watching her turn in circles in the foyer. She knelt down and brushed her fingers over Chloe's cheek, directing her gaze to the elegant spiral of the staircase. "When Mommy was a little girl she used to slide down that bannister."
Chloe could remember her eyes widening. "All the way down?"
"Well... maybe halfway down." Eloise replied. "Let's go upstairs and you can see Mommy's old room."
"Eloise. I wasn't aware you were in Metropolis."
Evelyn's voice came from the patio doors.
"Mother!"
"Have you come home Eloise?"
Chloe could feel her mother's heavy sigh. "No Mother. Gabe is attending a conference here and I thought I would show Chloe where I used to live." She rested her hands on Chloe's shoulders. "Sweetheart, this is your grandmother. Mother- this is Chloe."
"Hello Chloe." Evelyn's expression and voice softened slightly.
"Hi." Chloe backed up against her mother's legs and rested her head against her knees waiting for something to happen.
"She's lovely Eloise."
"She's my baby. She's perfect."
Evelyn gestured to the library. "Stay for tea?"
"We really should be getting back."
"Ah yes. Back to the garbage man."
"MOTHER!"
Chloe jumped at the sharp sound in her mother's voice. She'd never heard her mother yell. Not at anybody. Her mother laughed all the time.
"What? Eloise the man is an overpaid garbage man. You infatuation was excuseable when you were younger and single. But this- living with that man. Raising that sweet child in the gutter..."
"Now you know Mother why Gabe and I don't live in Metropolis anymore. Gotham's been good to both of us."
Eloise sniffed. "Yes. I've read your lovely Christmas cards."
"Why do you have to make this so difficult? Why can't you be happy for me? Gabe makes me happy."
"You would have been happy without that man- he's been your *ruin* Eloise." Evelyn's voice softened slightly. "She's sick Eloise."
Chloe's mother frowned until she realized what Evelyn was talking about. "What?"
"She's dying. Your father plays tennis with her cardiologist..."
Now Chloe could feel her mother shaking.
"Please. Mother. Don't. Don't say that. Don't do this. It's sick. If she's got a heart condition you should be feeling badly for them both and most of all for her son. Not thinking of ways I could replace her."
"Life goes on Eloise. That's the fundemental rule of the universe. I'm not saying this to upset you. But you know how your father and I expected you to marry-"
"No! I am married. I have a husband and a daughter and a life that makes me happy. I'm sorry that you and Daddy can't be happy for me. I'm sorry that you can't be a part of my new life. But I won't stay here and listen to this for another second." Reaching down Eloise scooped Chloe up in her arms and whirled around on her heel. "Now if you'll excuse me- we have to get back to my husband."
**
Hearing the insistent chiming from the grandfather clock at the end of the hall, Chloe forced herself out of her memories and back to the task at hand.
Dressing for dinner.
She wondered if she had time to research the ancient ritual of Hari Kari.
**