Title: Princess of the Tower.

Author: NickyJean

Summary: Chloe learns too much and the lengths Lex would go to protect her from his father.

Disclaimer: Not yet but I'm trying…do you think I can get anything with my good looks. Well if not can I use yours?

Timeline: Future fanfic that takes place in late season two.

A/N: Please R/R….this chapter was kind of tough to write so give me lots of info on how it worked or didn't work for you…

Chapter 2 *Funeral for a Friend*

"Mr. Luthor," Bruce Wayne acknowledged with a smile.

"Bruce, what are you still doing here? Didn't my son tell you he didn't need your support anymore? I said I would keep that plant open and I will." Lionel snidely remarked.

"He mentioned it but I didn't have anything pressing to take care of so I thought I'd stick around for a while."

"Oh, is the quaint town growing on you as it has my son?"

Bruce gave his sweetest smile and looked Lionel in the eye, "Well, I must admit, I am intrigued by the going ons here. With that girl, Silvan missing, I'm quite interested in knowing the out come."

"Sullivan," Lex corrected as he entered the room. "I find it hard to believe a man of your impeccable memory would forget a name that's been nothing but the talk of town for the last five days. Especially with that being the reason you are staying."

"You know me Lex, never one to remember much of anything unless it's five foot ten and beautiful."

"Chloe is beautiful," Lex said before downing a glass of Jack he just poured himself.

"Well she was a quaint girl even if she does ask way too many questions. I can almost guarantee if anything has befallen the dear girl it most certainly has to do with that mouth of hers," Lionel suggested almost smiling at his son's growl.

"Father, don't you have a flight to catch. I mean figuring that we just got back from a business trip, I thought our quality time was at an end."

"What, don't I get the least bit of gratitude for helping my son with his dilemma. So he would not need to depend on the kindness of strangers."

"I'm far from a stranger," Bruce injected.

"The point is, I agreed to keep the plant open. Not the best business decision I've made in a while. But I know how important it is to my son. Keeping the plant open helps people like Mr. Sullivan, especially in such a family crisis that he faces right now. His only daughter missing. It must be awful for him." Lionel's sympathy was worthy of an Oscar performance but it didn't impress either Bruce or Lex.

"Father, your presence here is really unnecessary. Even with Gabe's understandable absence, the entire plant has pitched in to cover anything that needs to be done. I can update you on anything that you need to know."

"Why Son, if I didn't know any better I would think you were trying to get rid of me. I find it hard to believe that you would wish that considering the circumstances. I always thought Chloe was a dear friend to you. I would be remiss if I didn't stay here when you needed a father's love most. I'm sure any moment we will hear news of her and I will be here for you whether it be fair or foul."

Lex was about to respond when his father raised his hand to stop him. "Here may be news now. It seems the Kent boy has arrived." Motioning to the window Bruce, Lex, and Lionel watched as Clark hopped out of the truck and dashed up the stairs to the manor's front door.

Lex dropped the glass he was holding and it crashed to the floor. The broken shards went unnoticed as Lex ran to meet his best friend. When Lex opened the door the look on Clark's face shattered his heart.

"They found her, Lex. She's dead. She's dead." Clark repeated the words and Lex just stood there numb. Tears were running down Clark's face and dropping on to the cold marble floor.

"What happened?" The gentle words came from Bruce.

"Chloe's car and another car were in an accident. They were both in a ravine, found on a back road heading for Metropolis. The initial report said it was an accident. The other driver was drunk. They hit her car and the both ran into the ravine. Both cars exploded. It was in Cristin County and they had Chloe as a Jane Doe until yesterday. They did some tests and confirmed her identity early this morning."

"Gabe?" Lex asked in a whisper.

"He's a mess ever since the call. Martha and Dr. Barnes gave him a sedative so he could sleep."

"If there's anything I can do--?" Lex started weakly.

"I think you and your family have done enough." Jonathan said accusingly.

"Dad, that's not fair." Clark said in between tears. "We talked about this. It's not Lex's fault."

"Chloe was looking into something that Lionel didn't want her near and I know you had something to do with this. If I find the slightest shred—"

"I'll have you know that I wouldn't dream of harming some child. I'm not the monster you may want to believe." Lionel was trying so hard not lose control at this farmers gall, no matter how true it was.

Lex shook at his father's words. His eyes were watering with tears. "My father would never hurt Chloe. I would never have allowed him to do that."

'That's right Son, stick to the truth," Lionel almost smirked with the thought.

"You have very little control over your father Lex. He's the one that has control over you. He always has." Jonathan bit out. "In fact I find it interesting that he's still even here, after he sacrificed so much to keep the plant open."

"I couldn't leave while my son was suffering because of this missing girl. Lex was her friend too from what I understand. He has a great respect for people who are strong enough to challenge him."

"Unlike you who despise those who challenge you," Jonathan snapped back.

"Gentlemen, this is not the time for this," Bruce announced. "There is a girl dead and two best friends grieving over her. I think this argument can wait for another time."

Both men glared at each other but Jonathan looked at his son and the obvious suffering that he was feeling. Then he turned attention to Lex. His expression was slightly different, but his pain was just as real. He looked very close to breaking down just as Clark was.

Sighing, Jonathan moved toward Lex. Lionel looked ready to snap at him but stopped as he watched the father of his son's best friend embrace him. Lex actually let out a choked sob then and his body shook slightly. "We're still discussing the funeral arrangements but I will let you know of the final decisions." As Jonathan released him, Lex regained all his control. It was almost like the moment never occurred.

"Thank you, Mr. Kent," Lex said without a trace of misery that he showed but a second ago. "I would really appreciate that." He turned without a word and walked up the stairs, leaving the other gentlemen in his wake.

~*~

Bruce sat in the library waiting for Alfred. Alfred entered silently. If Wayne weren't the man he was he never would have noticed the gentleman's gentleman in the room.

"Did you find anything?" Bruce asked in a flat voice.

Bruce had only accepted Lex's invitation to visit so he could find out about LuthorCorps involvement with Red Claw, the terrorist group. Red Claw had been most recently became active in Gothom. When he saw the opportunity he took it. Then he met Lex and was surprised by how sincere he was in keeping the plant open. He was pitching for Wayne Enterprises to fund part of the operation.

As part of the pitch, he introduced Bruce to Clark, Pete, Chloe and Lana. Clark and he got along but he assumed that it was because Clark got along with the devil himself. At least until he saw Clark and Lionel interact. It was interesting to see those two almost fight over Lex's direction in life.

Lionel had discovered that Bruce had come to town and immediately knew the reason behind it. He made the mistake of accusing Clark of using Lex to keep the plant open in front of Chloe. Bruce had to smile at the rant Chloe unleashed on him. It would have made any lessor man cower. But the Luthors, well not exactly. Lionel didn't get mad. He became furious and her threatening all sorts of things. She simply pulled out her tape recorder and asked if she could quote him on that with an 'I dare you look'. Lex on the other hand just smiled an honest smile as he watched the girl belittle the second son of Lucifer. Wayne had to admit it, he liked her guts.

In fact that little encounter made him agree that night to back LexCorp foundation start up which first order of business was to keep the Smallville plant open.

Bruce had already found the information he was looking for and would have left as soon as he signed on the dotted line but then Chloe turned up missing. It's true that he noticed her sniffing around the same areas he had looked through, but the information he found for the arms deal with Red Claw were encrypted and only a computer genius could have found them.

Both Lex and Lionel left early in the morning just before she was reported missing but had returned within forty-eight hours. Bruce of course suspected them of foul play but all his resources proved they were on a business trip in New York at the time. During which time the father had conceded to the son to keep the plant open.

Alfred pulled Bruce out of his thoughts when he answered. "No, everything we found last week before the Sullivan girl disappeared has vanished."

"Do you think she found the information and the Luthors killed her for it?" voicing his own previous thoughts.

"Maybe the elder," Alfred offered, "But the son, I really believe he's hurting.—"

Lex's shouting interrupted Alfred. Both Bruce and Alfred moved quickly to catch the conversation.

"I don't want to be here." Lex shouted.

"After everything you went through to stay. Now that's just ridiculous." Lionel sat in the chair of the study and swirled the brown liquor in his glass.

"I want to see her now."

"You can't her funeral is tomorrow."

"What a crock? Like you the great Lionel Luthor really want to mingle with the commoners over the death of some girl you believed was standing in your way."

"What kind of message would I send if I didn't accompany you to the funeral of your friend?"

"That you don't give a damn about me, which you don't."

"This isn't about the girl." Lionel sighed, "Maybe I should have just killed her. Then I wouldn't have to put up with everyone blaming me for her death."

"You," at a loss for words, "you are truly incredible. You have absolutely no conscious do you."

"That little twit nearly cost me fifteen million dollars. So yes, she's not exactly one of my favorite people at the moment."

Lex had enough. He grabbed his coat and started for the door. Lionel was close behind him. Bruce and Alfred hidden in the shadows. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"To the Kent farm. A place where a real family is. Where they care if someone dies. Where they have a heart?"

It was on the tip of Lionel's tongue to snap back in anger but instead a smirk appeared on his face, "Don't be gone too long. I'd hate for you to miss your conference call."

Lex seemed stayed for a moment. "I'll be back in time."

"Somehow, I knew you wouldn't miss it."

~*~

It didn't rain. For once the sun shown brightly and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The November chill was absent from the air and the leaves that were still on the trees were red, gold and orange. It was a beautiful day. The perfect day….for Chloe's funeral. Her friends flanked the sides of the coffin. Clark and Pete stood close to each other, comforting themselves. Lana, on Clark's other side, leaned into him sharing what comfort she could. Gabe sat with both Nell and Martha, tears streaming down his face, his only daughter, the love of his love gone. Without an explanation, without a future.

Lex watched from a few feet back. He didn't want to be close to these people. Knowing his emotions would betray him. He wore black like everyone else. Sunglasses to hide his red blood shot eyes.

Bruce couldn't help himself, he turned to Lex, "Are you going to be OK?"

"They always say that everything happens for a reason. I never believe that. Not for a moment. A man is suppose to make his own destiny, not one that the fates divine. She lost her future. The world lost her before she could do what she was destined to do. It's not fair." Lex looked at Bruce for a moment. "I'm rich, I'm powerful, yet I watched as my mother die. Now I have to watch her family and friends suffer as they put some body in the ground that shouldn't be there. Chloe never deserved to have her life taken away. Her future to just vanish. And there is nothing I can do to stop it. All my money, power, it's worthless, when compared to the life of a spirited young girl who deserves to have her future back."

Bruce was speechless. They watched as the coffin was slowly lowered into the ground. Even Bruce was afraid he would cry at any moment for this girl he barely knew. This girl that found a way to drive a Luthor to tears.

After most of the mourners had left, Lex walked to the hole in the ground. Martha and Jonathan had taken Gabe just a few moments before. Pete, Clark and Lana were the only ones left around the grave. Lex kneeled on the ground and took the white rose that he had been holding from his inner pocket. He removed his sunglasses allow the observers to see the tears that now openly fell. His lips touched the petals softly and he said a silent prayer to give him any sign that he was doing the right thing and he dropped the flower to join the other in silent tribute.

"Lex, thank you for coming," Pete's voice shocked everyone. It was hoarse from crying. "I know you and Chloe weren't really close but I knew you respected her and at times I actually think she respected her too. She didn't deserve this. She is – was, to good a person to be taken away like this. I could handle never seeing her again, I just wish she was still alive, you know."

Lex couldn't say a word, for fear of betraying himself. He just gave Pete the lamest smile in appreciation and walked away.

~*~

Lex walked across the courtyard of the Luthor Manor in the Caribbean with determination. He stopped short as he spotted his father. "Where is she?"

"Alexander, finally, it took you long enough. I figured you would be here sooner considering the way you acted before the funeral."

"I would have but I decided to stay two weeks now. To make sure Chloe's settled in her rooms. How is she doing?"

"She seemed fine when I gave her the tape." Lionel offered with more information then required. Which seemed strange considered he always answers a question directly unless something else was involved.

"What tape?"

Lionel smiled at the twinge of fear in his son's voice. "Why the tape of her funeral. She's watching it right now. How many people can say they know how people really feel about them."

"You sick bastard," Lex raced into the manor and up the flight of stairs to Chloe's room.

There she sat on the floor watching the TV. Her hands traced the face of her father, hoping she would remember him. Despite the tears and sadness on her father's face she wanted to remember him. Every detail as he mourned for his daughter. The thought almost made her cry again.

She saw Clark and Pete clutching each other for support. Mr. and Mrs. Kent supporting her father. Lana embracing Clark, kissing him on the check.

This was it. Everything was really gone. She had nothing. Her life was dead.

"Chloe," Lex started jarring her out of her thoughts, "I'm so sorry."

She grabbed the closest thing she could lay her hands on and threw it at him. "I HATE YOU! GET AWAY FROM ME! I HATE YOU, GET OUT, GET OUT GET OUT." He ducked the object and even the second but not the next two that came crashing into him.

"Chloe Please?" he pleaded.

"I HATE YOU I WISH YOU WERE DEAD, GET OUT."

She shoved him out the door and slammed it in his face.

"Better me then you," he whispered as he stared at the door listening helpless to her sobs.