Chapter 2: a whole new world...

She yawns and stretches. It's been four months and the news has died down. Lex Luthor, had offered a pretty penny for the abductor, dead or alive. Chloe thought that was very thoughtful, atleast someone out there was avenging her death. She also read in an online article of The Daily Planet that her funeral had been held a month and a half after she had gone missing. She frowned at that. It should have taken them longer to reach the dead end she had set up, with emails and accounts and all. Oh, well. There was a picture of her funeral, very small, quaint. The picture showed a lot of people she didn't know. But only one man knelt down in the mud on his designer clad knees in front of her coffin being lowered. Lex Luthor. It made her shudder to see that. Why was he so loving towards an empty coffin? She shook it off, that man was always a bit strange. But nowhere in that picture, no matter how hazy and out of focus it was, was there any sight of Lana, Clark or Lois. Pete and Keith were standing behind Lex, Pete's hand resting on his shoulder gently, and her father along with Mr. and Mrs. Kent were off to the side. Her father looked skinny, almost to the point of fragility. She'd need to call Pete soon, make sure he checks up on him.

She leaned over Marco. Yep, She finally had a man in her life. He was about 250 pounds of pure meat and slobber, but she loved her man who protected her from things that went bump in the night, even if he did steal all the covers. Marco licked her arm as she reached over him. She picked up the phone and patted his head, she slowly dialed Pete's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, May I please speak with a Mr. Peter Ross?"

"This is he. May I ask who this is?"

"Do you have caller ID?"

"Yes, Ms. Alexander, is it?" he said furrowing his brow at the name on the caller ID.

"Call me back from your cell phone."

and with that she hung up.

She picked it up on the first ring. "Hey." she said into the phone.

"Oh, my, god, is it really..."

"Ivy. My name's Ivy."

"Pretty name. What's with the Alexander?"

"I couldn't help it. I saw him first on the news and couldn't get that look of his out of my head."

"You're not going to tell me where you are, are you?"

"Nope, just, no, Marco, not now. Jeesh, men..."

"Who's Marco?"

"St. Bernard, he's my boyfriend. 'Big lovey dovey hunka hunka burning love'" The last comment was made to Marco while rubbing his ear with one hand.

"Okay, Chl...I mean, Ivy, has a dog. Never thought I'd see that."

"Yeah, well, I found him at the pound near my house so I decided he needed another chance. I need to ask a favor of you Pete."

"Shoot. You know I'll do whatever you want."

Chloe smiled, she knew that was true. "I need you to talk to my dad. He looks awful, I saw a picture from my funeral. And what was up with the whole Lex, thing?"

Pete shuddered and his voice became tight. "Girl, you have no idea. You think you're dad is doing bad? Lex isn't closing the case. He has so many men out there looking for you. It's almost like he's trying to make up for lost time or something. Oh, and he cut off all ties with Clark and Lois after they didn't come to the funeral. They had made some story about not wanting to be scrutized in the public eye. Ivy, you have no idea what you have done to Metropolis. Keith and I have been trying to keep Lex busy with dinners and little soires, but the man is so damn fidgety. If you gave me the word to tell him I'd hang up on you right now and run as fast I as I could to his penthouse."

"Pete, you know how hard this is for me. I want to see you all, but I have also been reading up on LuthorCorp and I know what's happened there. If they found out I was alive, they would skin me alive. And as much as I'd love for you to be able to come here and see me, I don't think this town would be ready for you."

"Fine. But if you don't want to be found I suggest you let Lex in on this little getaway. That man will stop at nothing. He wants you found, and he's willing to give his right arm."

"Pete, Lex is left handed, so I don't think he'd miss his..."

"Ivy," he said sternly, "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, Yeah, I have to go. I'll try and call you back tonight. Let me think about the whole Lex thing. Okay?"

"Sure, babe, oh, and, I miss you."

"Miss you too."

"Good, and stay out of trouble."

Chloe sighed, "Believe me, I am."

and with those last words she hung up the phone. She let out a deep sigh of breath she had been holding in. A lonely tear streamed down her face. "Ivy Alexander, stop feeling sorry for yourself and get your ass out of bed." she said loudly to herself. She really liked his name tacked on to hers. It was comforting to her. She rolled out of bed and headed to the shower.