Title: Metropolis
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.
**
"Good morning Dad." Lex walked into the dining room with a smile, poured himself a cup of coffee and plucked an apple from the bowl on the sideboard.
"Lex. Sleep well?"
"As a matter of fact yes. I slept very well. You?"
"Like the dead. Now I've been reviewing the latest projections from the Fairfield plant."
"HELL NO." Lex's good mood vanished in a heartbeat and he was up out of his seat, slamming the coffee cup down on the dining room table. "Whatever you're thinking about- forget it."
"Alexander. Calm yourself." Lionel replied placatingly. "I really don't understand what's so upsetting about my going over the Fairfield numbers for Plant #2."
"Like hell you don't." Realizing that he'd cracked his coffee cup, Lex mopped up the spilt coffee with a linen napkin. "You're not sending me to Fairfield."
"I'm not?"
"You're not."
"Why am I not?"
"Because I've done a good job in Smallville. Not just with the plant but also with public relations. Who knows- there might come a time when you can set foot in that town and not be the most hated man there. It's doubtful- but it could happen. And because you realize that one of these days I am going to get very tired of sent here and there for your amusement and decide to simply *STOP* doing your bidding." Lex leaned over the table invading Lionel's personal space. "And once I stop working for you Dad- then you'll know I've started working AGAINST you and you'll have to stop me. You'll have to stop me cold because I won't stop."
"One of these days Alexander. One of these days you and I are going to lay all of our cards on the table and who knows? We might very well surprise ourselves by what we see." Lionel sedately tore off a piece of croissant and popped it into his mouth. "Now. As I was saying. No. I am not sending you to Fairfield. I am sending your ideas to Fairfield. In the form of a complete report that you will compose outlining everything that you have done in Smallville and your future plans to be used by those fools at Fairfield." He reached out and patted Lex's cheek lightly. "Now. Please return to your seat and have a civilized breakfast for once."
"Dad-"
"First things first. Breakfast."
Lex retook his seat and slowly blew out a breath. There was too much going on here in Metropolis. Lex actually found himself missing Smallville. There was a simplicity there that he was beginning to appreciate the more time he spent with his father.
Of course Lex was certain Smallville's charms would cease to appeal to him once he was back at the crap factory.
"I notice Miss Sullivan was rather flushed when she left last night." Lionel remarked in a deliberately off hand manner. "Is she not feeling well?"
The glare Lex gave Lionel would have sent anyone else scurrying into the woodwork.
All it did was make Lionel smirk.
****
The Daily Planet:
The nice thing about being locked in a supply closet was that it gave a girl time to think.
And at the moment Chloe was thinking about all the ways she was going to eviscerate Lois Lane.
If there were more than one way to eviscerate someone.
Chloe wasn't certain but she was more than willing to find out.
The worst part was that the whole thing was her own fault. If she hadn't trusted Lois she would be at the hospital benefit instead of in the supply closet. But OH NO. She fell for Lois' 'Oh Chloe! The copier's on the blink and you're the only one it'll work for! Can't you fill the toner before you go home to change? It'll just take a second.'
She'd been rummaging through a box for the right toner when she heard the door shut and lock followed by the sound of someone whistling a jaunty tune as they walked away.
And even though Chloe didn't have X-ray vision or anything she just KNEW that Lois was going to steal her invitation. Knew it as sure as the sun coming up in the morning. And to make matters worse- her purse with her cell phone was right outside the door- she could hear it ringing.It was undoubtedly Lex wondering where in the hell she was.
She'd tried pounding on the door. Yelling. Kicking the door (and her foot would show the bruises for that piece of stupidity) and even trying to jimmy the lock with a hairpin which always worked in the stupid movies.
Now she was tired, cranky and hoarse. And even worse missing out on the party of a lifetime and a chance to make a really good impression on Perry.
Her life, in the immortal words of her favorite action hero 'sucked beyond the telling' at the moment. And unless there was a miracle she didn't see it improving any time soon.
***
"What do you mean no one's seen her in three hours?" Lex demanded a seriously uneasy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He'd come to the newspaper looking for Chloe when he'd been informed by her grandparents that she hadn't arrived at their house or called to tell them that she would be delayed.
Already her voicemail was filled with messages from him- he'd been delayed by teleconference with Bruce Wayne and had suggested that he pick her up at the Daily Planet so that they would arrive at the gala fashionably late and not just rudely late.
The young boy he was speaking to seemed to swallow his adam's apple. Jimmy something or other gulped and shook his head. "I dunno Mr. Luthor. All I know is that Lois was supposed to stay late and help me with some of this stuff- but then both she AND Chloe sort of vanished. Chloe was going to get ready to go to the hospital benefit- but nobody's seen her."
Lex swore under his breath. "Damn." Something was wrong. Chloe was many things- several of them infuriating, but thoughtless wasn't one of them. "If she were going to change here where would she do it?"
A suspicious flush crept up Jimmy's face turning it a beet red. "The ladies' locker room."
Lex made note of the flush and reminded himself to tell Chloe never to take a shower there again lest she wanted to end up in some horny kid's personal photocollection. "Where is it?"
"Next to the supply room on the second floor." Jimmy pointed to the stairs. "That's the quickest way."
"Thanks." Lex pulled his cell phone out of his tuxedo pocket as it started to ring. Maybe it was Chloe with some sort of hint as to where in the hell she'd disappeared to. "Lex Luthor. Talk to me."
"Lex is Enrique."
Sighing, Lex continued down the hallway to the stairs. The search was still on. "What's going on Enrique?"
"Your father is here."
"Excuse me?" Lex stopped again at the top of the stairs. "My father is where. Be more precise will you?"
"Your father is here at the hospital benefit." Enrique answered crisply. "Against the orders of his physical therapists and doctors he's here, he's walking on his cane."
The litany of obscenities Lex recited in the stairwell were loud and inventive. "Get him to his table and get him seated. I don't care what you have to do but make him *SIT* down."
"And how do you propose that I do that Sir?"
"For what I pay you Enrique you can damn well figure out a way." Lex growled before slamming the phone shut and opening it again and dialing in Chloe's number. When he reached the bottom of the stairwell, Lex heard a phone ringing in stereo, in the ear that he held his cell phone to and coming from down the hall.
"GOD DAMN IT STOP RINGING! IT'S NOT LIKE I CAN ANSWER YOU ANYWAY!!!!"
Startled, Lex dropped his own phone. When he bent down to pick it up he caught sight of a woman's purse directly outside the supply room. Well- half of his night's problems were solved. He'd found his date. "Why Miss Sullivan. We really should stop meeting like this."
"Lex? Oh God. Tell me that it's really you and I'm not just having a delusion from inhaling the toner fumes."
"Care to explain how you got in there in the first place?"
"No. I want you to get me the hell out of here so that I can go and commit a homicide."
"I do hate to sound cliche but you wouldn't happen to have a bobbypin on you would you?" Lex crouched down next to the door.
"I tried. They don't work."
"Trust me Chloe." Lex replied patiently. "Otherwise you're going to have to wait in there while I find a janitor at this time of night to come and let you out." A few seconds later a handful of bobbypins were shoved under the door. "I only need one." Lifting it he bent it into a familiar shape and began to pick at the lock. "If I'd known you were going to be getting locked up on our date I would have brought proper tools."
"Can you stop teasing me? Please? I've been in here for three hours."
Chloe's tone made Lex's eyebrows shoot up. "What happened?"
"Lois Lane happened. And when I get my hands on that scrawny ..." The rest of Chloe's diatribe was cut off as she fell out into the hallway when Lex jerked open the cloest door. "You-"
"Me." Lex grinned and caught her easily. "We should really get going..."
Looking around the hallway Chloe's face fell. "She took my dress! Lex I can't go like this!" She waved a hand to indicate her rumpled white shirt and colorful skirt.
Privately Lex thought she looked adorable, but the benefit was a black tie affair and she would most definitely stand out. "Give me a second." Reaching for his phone again, Lex dialed. "Debra? Lex. I need you to do something for me. I want you to pick up a woman's ballgown and bring it to the hospital benefit." He snorted. "No I haven't taken to crossdressing. It's for my date. There was a mishap with her gown." Lex listened to his father's frighteningly efficient assistant before rattling off a list of answers. "Blonde. Hazel..." With a sly look Lex then proceeded to rattle off Chloe's measurements and her shoe size, earning himself an indignant smack with the back of her hand. When he hung up, Lex looked at her innocently. "What?"
"Do you want to tell me how you know my bust size?"
"Just consider me a keen observer of the female form." Lex answered scooping up Chloe's purse and pushing it at her. "Now we really have to be going."
"Is she really going to be able to come up with a ballgown that fast?"
"Debra? She once came up with 100,000 white doves in two hours as a gift for a visiting dignitary. I doubt one dress will be too much of a challenge."
"I'm sorry this whole thing's turned into such a fiasco Lex..."
"It's not your fault- besides I'll have hours to think of how you can repay me." Lex leaned over and pressed a kiss against her temple.
"Has anyone told you you're pushy Lex Luthor?"
"Has anyone told you that you're incredibly sexy when you're peeved?" Lex returned, still ushering them out of the building.
Chloe snorted. "Right. I get that all the time. Now I see why Lionel has you managing a fertilizer plant. You're very talented with spreading on manure."
They reached the front of the building and Lex dragged Chloe to a stop right next to the sculpture of the globe. "Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't act as though you're less than what you are. I may lie about a great many things Chloe- but enjoying your company and finding you sexy are not included on that list." He lowered his head so that his face was just milimeters from hers. "I kissed you because you're beautiful and I hope to kiss you more than once before this evening's over." He lightly ran his thumb over her bottom lip, appreciating its soft fullness.
"And if I don't want you to?"
"I'm a Luthor. I always get my way- one way or the other."
"Well I'm a Sullivan and I don't just roll over for anybody."
Lex's lips twitched. "I'll keep that in mind." Stepping out of the shadow of the Planet- Lex held open the limo door for Chloe and climbed in after her.
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.
**
"Good morning Dad." Lex walked into the dining room with a smile, poured himself a cup of coffee and plucked an apple from the bowl on the sideboard.
"Lex. Sleep well?"
"As a matter of fact yes. I slept very well. You?"
"Like the dead. Now I've been reviewing the latest projections from the Fairfield plant."
"HELL NO." Lex's good mood vanished in a heartbeat and he was up out of his seat, slamming the coffee cup down on the dining room table. "Whatever you're thinking about- forget it."
"Alexander. Calm yourself." Lionel replied placatingly. "I really don't understand what's so upsetting about my going over the Fairfield numbers for Plant #2."
"Like hell you don't." Realizing that he'd cracked his coffee cup, Lex mopped up the spilt coffee with a linen napkin. "You're not sending me to Fairfield."
"I'm not?"
"You're not."
"Why am I not?"
"Because I've done a good job in Smallville. Not just with the plant but also with public relations. Who knows- there might come a time when you can set foot in that town and not be the most hated man there. It's doubtful- but it could happen. And because you realize that one of these days I am going to get very tired of sent here and there for your amusement and decide to simply *STOP* doing your bidding." Lex leaned over the table invading Lionel's personal space. "And once I stop working for you Dad- then you'll know I've started working AGAINST you and you'll have to stop me. You'll have to stop me cold because I won't stop."
"One of these days Alexander. One of these days you and I are going to lay all of our cards on the table and who knows? We might very well surprise ourselves by what we see." Lionel sedately tore off a piece of croissant and popped it into his mouth. "Now. As I was saying. No. I am not sending you to Fairfield. I am sending your ideas to Fairfield. In the form of a complete report that you will compose outlining everything that you have done in Smallville and your future plans to be used by those fools at Fairfield." He reached out and patted Lex's cheek lightly. "Now. Please return to your seat and have a civilized breakfast for once."
"Dad-"
"First things first. Breakfast."
Lex retook his seat and slowly blew out a breath. There was too much going on here in Metropolis. Lex actually found himself missing Smallville. There was a simplicity there that he was beginning to appreciate the more time he spent with his father.
Of course Lex was certain Smallville's charms would cease to appeal to him once he was back at the crap factory.
"I notice Miss Sullivan was rather flushed when she left last night." Lionel remarked in a deliberately off hand manner. "Is she not feeling well?"
The glare Lex gave Lionel would have sent anyone else scurrying into the woodwork.
All it did was make Lionel smirk.
****
The Daily Planet:
The nice thing about being locked in a supply closet was that it gave a girl time to think.
And at the moment Chloe was thinking about all the ways she was going to eviscerate Lois Lane.
If there were more than one way to eviscerate someone.
Chloe wasn't certain but she was more than willing to find out.
The worst part was that the whole thing was her own fault. If she hadn't trusted Lois she would be at the hospital benefit instead of in the supply closet. But OH NO. She fell for Lois' 'Oh Chloe! The copier's on the blink and you're the only one it'll work for! Can't you fill the toner before you go home to change? It'll just take a second.'
She'd been rummaging through a box for the right toner when she heard the door shut and lock followed by the sound of someone whistling a jaunty tune as they walked away.
And even though Chloe didn't have X-ray vision or anything she just KNEW that Lois was going to steal her invitation. Knew it as sure as the sun coming up in the morning. And to make matters worse- her purse with her cell phone was right outside the door- she could hear it ringing.It was undoubtedly Lex wondering where in the hell she was.
She'd tried pounding on the door. Yelling. Kicking the door (and her foot would show the bruises for that piece of stupidity) and even trying to jimmy the lock with a hairpin which always worked in the stupid movies.
Now she was tired, cranky and hoarse. And even worse missing out on the party of a lifetime and a chance to make a really good impression on Perry.
Her life, in the immortal words of her favorite action hero 'sucked beyond the telling' at the moment. And unless there was a miracle she didn't see it improving any time soon.
***
"What do you mean no one's seen her in three hours?" Lex demanded a seriously uneasy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He'd come to the newspaper looking for Chloe when he'd been informed by her grandparents that she hadn't arrived at their house or called to tell them that she would be delayed.
Already her voicemail was filled with messages from him- he'd been delayed by teleconference with Bruce Wayne and had suggested that he pick her up at the Daily Planet so that they would arrive at the gala fashionably late and not just rudely late.
The young boy he was speaking to seemed to swallow his adam's apple. Jimmy something or other gulped and shook his head. "I dunno Mr. Luthor. All I know is that Lois was supposed to stay late and help me with some of this stuff- but then both she AND Chloe sort of vanished. Chloe was going to get ready to go to the hospital benefit- but nobody's seen her."
Lex swore under his breath. "Damn." Something was wrong. Chloe was many things- several of them infuriating, but thoughtless wasn't one of them. "If she were going to change here where would she do it?"
A suspicious flush crept up Jimmy's face turning it a beet red. "The ladies' locker room."
Lex made note of the flush and reminded himself to tell Chloe never to take a shower there again lest she wanted to end up in some horny kid's personal photocollection. "Where is it?"
"Next to the supply room on the second floor." Jimmy pointed to the stairs. "That's the quickest way."
"Thanks." Lex pulled his cell phone out of his tuxedo pocket as it started to ring. Maybe it was Chloe with some sort of hint as to where in the hell she'd disappeared to. "Lex Luthor. Talk to me."
"Lex is Enrique."
Sighing, Lex continued down the hallway to the stairs. The search was still on. "What's going on Enrique?"
"Your father is here."
"Excuse me?" Lex stopped again at the top of the stairs. "My father is where. Be more precise will you?"
"Your father is here at the hospital benefit." Enrique answered crisply. "Against the orders of his physical therapists and doctors he's here, he's walking on his cane."
The litany of obscenities Lex recited in the stairwell were loud and inventive. "Get him to his table and get him seated. I don't care what you have to do but make him *SIT* down."
"And how do you propose that I do that Sir?"
"For what I pay you Enrique you can damn well figure out a way." Lex growled before slamming the phone shut and opening it again and dialing in Chloe's number. When he reached the bottom of the stairwell, Lex heard a phone ringing in stereo, in the ear that he held his cell phone to and coming from down the hall.
"GOD DAMN IT STOP RINGING! IT'S NOT LIKE I CAN ANSWER YOU ANYWAY!!!!"
Startled, Lex dropped his own phone. When he bent down to pick it up he caught sight of a woman's purse directly outside the supply room. Well- half of his night's problems were solved. He'd found his date. "Why Miss Sullivan. We really should stop meeting like this."
"Lex? Oh God. Tell me that it's really you and I'm not just having a delusion from inhaling the toner fumes."
"Care to explain how you got in there in the first place?"
"No. I want you to get me the hell out of here so that I can go and commit a homicide."
"I do hate to sound cliche but you wouldn't happen to have a bobbypin on you would you?" Lex crouched down next to the door.
"I tried. They don't work."
"Trust me Chloe." Lex replied patiently. "Otherwise you're going to have to wait in there while I find a janitor at this time of night to come and let you out." A few seconds later a handful of bobbypins were shoved under the door. "I only need one." Lifting it he bent it into a familiar shape and began to pick at the lock. "If I'd known you were going to be getting locked up on our date I would have brought proper tools."
"Can you stop teasing me? Please? I've been in here for three hours."
Chloe's tone made Lex's eyebrows shoot up. "What happened?"
"Lois Lane happened. And when I get my hands on that scrawny ..." The rest of Chloe's diatribe was cut off as she fell out into the hallway when Lex jerked open the cloest door. "You-"
"Me." Lex grinned and caught her easily. "We should really get going..."
Looking around the hallway Chloe's face fell. "She took my dress! Lex I can't go like this!" She waved a hand to indicate her rumpled white shirt and colorful skirt.
Privately Lex thought she looked adorable, but the benefit was a black tie affair and she would most definitely stand out. "Give me a second." Reaching for his phone again, Lex dialed. "Debra? Lex. I need you to do something for me. I want you to pick up a woman's ballgown and bring it to the hospital benefit." He snorted. "No I haven't taken to crossdressing. It's for my date. There was a mishap with her gown." Lex listened to his father's frighteningly efficient assistant before rattling off a list of answers. "Blonde. Hazel..." With a sly look Lex then proceeded to rattle off Chloe's measurements and her shoe size, earning himself an indignant smack with the back of her hand. When he hung up, Lex looked at her innocently. "What?"
"Do you want to tell me how you know my bust size?"
"Just consider me a keen observer of the female form." Lex answered scooping up Chloe's purse and pushing it at her. "Now we really have to be going."
"Is she really going to be able to come up with a ballgown that fast?"
"Debra? She once came up with 100,000 white doves in two hours as a gift for a visiting dignitary. I doubt one dress will be too much of a challenge."
"I'm sorry this whole thing's turned into such a fiasco Lex..."
"It's not your fault- besides I'll have hours to think of how you can repay me." Lex leaned over and pressed a kiss against her temple.
"Has anyone told you you're pushy Lex Luthor?"
"Has anyone told you that you're incredibly sexy when you're peeved?" Lex returned, still ushering them out of the building.
Chloe snorted. "Right. I get that all the time. Now I see why Lionel has you managing a fertilizer plant. You're very talented with spreading on manure."
They reached the front of the building and Lex dragged Chloe to a stop right next to the sculpture of the globe. "Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't act as though you're less than what you are. I may lie about a great many things Chloe- but enjoying your company and finding you sexy are not included on that list." He lowered his head so that his face was just milimeters from hers. "I kissed you because you're beautiful and I hope to kiss you more than once before this evening's over." He lightly ran his thumb over her bottom lip, appreciating its soft fullness.
"And if I don't want you to?"
"I'm a Luthor. I always get my way- one way or the other."
"Well I'm a Sullivan and I don't just roll over for anybody."
Lex's lips twitched. "I'll keep that in mind." Stepping out of the shadow of the Planet- Lex held open the limo door for Chloe and climbed in after her.