Post- Introductions
"Lex!"
"Chloe."
"Hey."
"Chloe?"
"Yes that is my name, though I've been thinking of changing it to Lisa. What do you think," she asked her tone sarcastic.
Lex just shook his head. How could she have a child? She couldn't be more than what? Twenty-two. 'Twenty-three,' his mind supplied for him after doing the math. 'That means Joey minus 4 equals 19 minus 9 months of pregnancy equals she got knocked up pretty quick upon leaving Smallville.'
'Or maybe it was before she left Smallville,' his annoying inner voice spoke up. 'That would mean it was. No. Never.'
Chloe snapped her fingers in front of his face and waved at him when he blinked. "You all right there?"
"Yes. Sorry just doing some numbers for a business meeting this afternoon," he lied smoothly, glancing at the young boy who was currently unraveling his remaining mitten.
"Oh. I'm sorry. This is Joey. Joey this is Lex Luthor," she said remembering her manners.
"Alexander Joseph Luthor," Joey corrected stressing the likeness in their names.
"We've already met," Lex stated still puzzled at the situation he was in. Chloe smiled up at him and he ignored how quickly it warmed him up. The warmth he felt reminded him of the chilly air and as if on cue Chloe shivered. For the first time since their encounter he took in how she was dressed. A knee length, plain, black skirt adorned her lower half and her dark green top was covered with a long sleeved jacket that wouldn't have stopped the cold even if the wind weren't blowing. Her short hair was up in clips leaving her neck exposed to the elements. He frowned at her lack of warm clothing and assessed that all in all she looked down right cold, and, that it looked far too cute for comfort.
Without thinking he pulled of his heniously expensive jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders trying to cover her up a little. 'Nope. Didn't work. She still looks cute.'
Chloe just stared at him. After a moment she shook her head and motioned towards The Green Room. "I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
"Which one of us is the billionaire," he asked the blonde who was already halfway to the trendy shop pulling Joey behind her.
"Which one of us gets the employee discount of 100%," she shot back holding the door open for him.
"You work here," he asked honestly surprised. He wasn't a regular, regular but he frequented the place enough to have recognized Chloe if he had seen her.
"Yep. We'll consider it a celebration of surviving two weeks in this yuppie- infested, overly trendy 'coffee' shop," she said putting air quotes over coffee, and helping Joey into a chair at the table. "If I have to tell one more person that whipped cream defeats the purpose of coffee, I'm going to put my head in the espresso machine and put a quick end to it all. I had the morning shift today and I swear someone voted it national whipped cream day because every other person who came in ordered it Ughhh."
"What happened to being a reporter," he asked. He hadn't kept close tabs on her back in Smallville, but he had followed her work for the Torch and some editorials she had published in the Daily Planet.
"Life got in the way," she said giving him a smile far too sad for someone so young. It looked like his when he was her age. "Maybe when he goes to college I'll go back as well. It's only what, twelve more years?"
Reporting was still her passion but it didn't put food on the table. She continued to write in her spare time, which was becoming less and less frequent. Working around Joey's school schedule with her work schedule meant spare time was spent doing things like cleaning up their apartment or paying bills. All the real life stuff your parents warn you about but you never think will happen to you.
"Why isn't he in school right now," he asked remembering that it was a lunch hour on a weekday and that a four-year-old would be in school right now.
"It was cold," Joey supplied now playing with a pin on Chloe's bag.
"The heater broke. You know public schools. So they called me to come pick him up halfway through my shift."
"Which doesn't bode well with your brand new boss," a woman standing beside the table finished for her. She was tall and thin, with short dark hair, and black, square glasses. She wore a waiters apron and carried a pad and pen. She pulled up the seat next to Chloe and leaned over to give her a quick hug.
"Lucky for me I have the best boss in the world." She said smiling brightly at the woman sitting beside her.
"Hey Joey my man," she said to the young boy sitting across from her.
"Hey Miranda," he looked up from his now shredded napkin. "It's a dinosaur." He smiled at his creation that still held more bearing to a shredded napkin than a dinosaur.
"Miranda this is." Chloe started.
"Lex Luthor," she finished for her again. "I know about him what with being among the living and all. So Mr. Luthor what brings you to this humble abode.
"Good coffee, and good company," he said smiling at Chloe, just a little surprised when she didn't swoon. It wasn't that he wanted her to swoon he was just used to it. 'You've been hanging around to many well painted Barbie's, Luthor.'
"Please call me Lex," he said turning back to Miranda, and flashing her his trademark smirk.
She raised her eyebrows at him and turned back to Chloe. "You didn't actually buy that did you," she questioned before laughing loudly, and patting Chloe on the back. After regaining some of her composure she took their orders and got up to place them.
"Why didn't you buy my charm back in Smallville," he asked watching her expression change to one of nostalgia.
"I was a little too busy placing bids on someone else's," she replied, grabbing Joey's hand before it got to the salt and pepper shakers, and handing him her napkin to shred.
"Clark." He didn't even try to hide the coldness in his voice.
"Are you still mad at him," she asked him the lilt in her voice unbelieving.
"He lied to me," he replied simply. It was as simple as that. Clark Kent, Superman: Lex Luthor's enemy number one. If someone had asked him to recall the event that changed their friendship into the bitter torn rags of memories he couldn't have told you. It wasn't a falling out or a fight, or any singular event, rather a large melting pot of lies and deception that led him to being hell bent on destroying his former friend. But, if someone really wanted to know he would have told them that the one person he trusted lied to him.
"He lied to all of us. Don't take it so personal." How could she be so flippant about it? He had a carefully constructed empire built on his dislike for Clark and her was a tiny blonde girl telling him not to take it so personal.
"He should have just told me," he said sounding more and more like the four- year-old sitting next to him.
"Well let's see why he didn't tell you. He probably thought you would look at him with complete disgust, run out of the room and then over the proceeding years attempt to kill him. Oh, wait a minute that is what you did. Whoops."
"What you have had me do? Throw him a party, a coming out of the closet for our dear friend," he asked letting his anger slip just a bit. Knowing Chloe, she would step up to the plate.
"You know you're right Lex. All the secrets you shared with him really built up that trust. You can't just expect someone to sit down and tell you the deep dark past," she challenged him the former glint returning to her eyes.
"What's your deep dark past, Chloe," he said unblinking. She was saved from answering when Miranda returned with their orders.
"Hey Chlo, Sadie just called in sick so if you wanna' pick up some extra hours you could work her shift," she said placing a coffee down in front of the other girl.
"Thanks. Ummm, I'll call Clark and see if Joey can hang out with him today," she said pulling out her cellular. Lex tried not to notice that Clark was on her speed dial. His inner voice started listing off things that he could do to get on her speed dial. He attempted to get it to shut up before he said something stupid.
"I could take him." Something just like that. 'You've resorted to baby sitting for her. Why don't you just offer to carry her books for her.'
"Huh," Chloe looked at him like he was crazy.
'Say "Nothing. I didn't say anything. You must be hearing things you crazy, pretty, girl." Say that.' "I could take him," he repeated.
"Umm. That's okay," she said ending the call with Clark before he picked up. "I'm sure you have better things to do."
"Just a business meeting with my father that shouldn't take more than ten minutes." 'You're trying to talk her into letting you baby sit. Hahaha. You're no better than Clark with Lana.' He gave her his best mature adult smile.
"Okay," she said laughing just a little. "Okay just drop him back off here at seven. Joey you're going to spend the afternoon with Mr. Luthor, alright. Now I want you to be on your best behavior, young man."
Joey nodded in approval. And grabbed Lex's hand. "Here's my number. Call me if you need anything," she said jotting her number on one of the un- shredded napkins. "I'll be here if you get sick of him or anything. Umm, and try to watch your language. He copies what he hears."
Lex wanted to laugh at Chloe giving him parenting advice. "I'll take good care of him. We'll see you at seven. Bye, Chloe."
"Bye." Ohh this is going to be interesting both adults thought at the same time.
"Lex!"
"Chloe."
"Hey."
"Chloe?"
"Yes that is my name, though I've been thinking of changing it to Lisa. What do you think," she asked her tone sarcastic.
Lex just shook his head. How could she have a child? She couldn't be more than what? Twenty-two. 'Twenty-three,' his mind supplied for him after doing the math. 'That means Joey minus 4 equals 19 minus 9 months of pregnancy equals she got knocked up pretty quick upon leaving Smallville.'
'Or maybe it was before she left Smallville,' his annoying inner voice spoke up. 'That would mean it was. No. Never.'
Chloe snapped her fingers in front of his face and waved at him when he blinked. "You all right there?"
"Yes. Sorry just doing some numbers for a business meeting this afternoon," he lied smoothly, glancing at the young boy who was currently unraveling his remaining mitten.
"Oh. I'm sorry. This is Joey. Joey this is Lex Luthor," she said remembering her manners.
"Alexander Joseph Luthor," Joey corrected stressing the likeness in their names.
"We've already met," Lex stated still puzzled at the situation he was in. Chloe smiled up at him and he ignored how quickly it warmed him up. The warmth he felt reminded him of the chilly air and as if on cue Chloe shivered. For the first time since their encounter he took in how she was dressed. A knee length, plain, black skirt adorned her lower half and her dark green top was covered with a long sleeved jacket that wouldn't have stopped the cold even if the wind weren't blowing. Her short hair was up in clips leaving her neck exposed to the elements. He frowned at her lack of warm clothing and assessed that all in all she looked down right cold, and, that it looked far too cute for comfort.
Without thinking he pulled of his heniously expensive jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders trying to cover her up a little. 'Nope. Didn't work. She still looks cute.'
Chloe just stared at him. After a moment she shook her head and motioned towards The Green Room. "I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
"Which one of us is the billionaire," he asked the blonde who was already halfway to the trendy shop pulling Joey behind her.
"Which one of us gets the employee discount of 100%," she shot back holding the door open for him.
"You work here," he asked honestly surprised. He wasn't a regular, regular but he frequented the place enough to have recognized Chloe if he had seen her.
"Yep. We'll consider it a celebration of surviving two weeks in this yuppie- infested, overly trendy 'coffee' shop," she said putting air quotes over coffee, and helping Joey into a chair at the table. "If I have to tell one more person that whipped cream defeats the purpose of coffee, I'm going to put my head in the espresso machine and put a quick end to it all. I had the morning shift today and I swear someone voted it national whipped cream day because every other person who came in ordered it Ughhh."
"What happened to being a reporter," he asked. He hadn't kept close tabs on her back in Smallville, but he had followed her work for the Torch and some editorials she had published in the Daily Planet.
"Life got in the way," she said giving him a smile far too sad for someone so young. It looked like his when he was her age. "Maybe when he goes to college I'll go back as well. It's only what, twelve more years?"
Reporting was still her passion but it didn't put food on the table. She continued to write in her spare time, which was becoming less and less frequent. Working around Joey's school schedule with her work schedule meant spare time was spent doing things like cleaning up their apartment or paying bills. All the real life stuff your parents warn you about but you never think will happen to you.
"Why isn't he in school right now," he asked remembering that it was a lunch hour on a weekday and that a four-year-old would be in school right now.
"It was cold," Joey supplied now playing with a pin on Chloe's bag.
"The heater broke. You know public schools. So they called me to come pick him up halfway through my shift."
"Which doesn't bode well with your brand new boss," a woman standing beside the table finished for her. She was tall and thin, with short dark hair, and black, square glasses. She wore a waiters apron and carried a pad and pen. She pulled up the seat next to Chloe and leaned over to give her a quick hug.
"Lucky for me I have the best boss in the world." She said smiling brightly at the woman sitting beside her.
"Hey Joey my man," she said to the young boy sitting across from her.
"Hey Miranda," he looked up from his now shredded napkin. "It's a dinosaur." He smiled at his creation that still held more bearing to a shredded napkin than a dinosaur.
"Miranda this is." Chloe started.
"Lex Luthor," she finished for her again. "I know about him what with being among the living and all. So Mr. Luthor what brings you to this humble abode.
"Good coffee, and good company," he said smiling at Chloe, just a little surprised when she didn't swoon. It wasn't that he wanted her to swoon he was just used to it. 'You've been hanging around to many well painted Barbie's, Luthor.'
"Please call me Lex," he said turning back to Miranda, and flashing her his trademark smirk.
She raised her eyebrows at him and turned back to Chloe. "You didn't actually buy that did you," she questioned before laughing loudly, and patting Chloe on the back. After regaining some of her composure she took their orders and got up to place them.
"Why didn't you buy my charm back in Smallville," he asked watching her expression change to one of nostalgia.
"I was a little too busy placing bids on someone else's," she replied, grabbing Joey's hand before it got to the salt and pepper shakers, and handing him her napkin to shred.
"Clark." He didn't even try to hide the coldness in his voice.
"Are you still mad at him," she asked him the lilt in her voice unbelieving.
"He lied to me," he replied simply. It was as simple as that. Clark Kent, Superman: Lex Luthor's enemy number one. If someone had asked him to recall the event that changed their friendship into the bitter torn rags of memories he couldn't have told you. It wasn't a falling out or a fight, or any singular event, rather a large melting pot of lies and deception that led him to being hell bent on destroying his former friend. But, if someone really wanted to know he would have told them that the one person he trusted lied to him.
"He lied to all of us. Don't take it so personal." How could she be so flippant about it? He had a carefully constructed empire built on his dislike for Clark and her was a tiny blonde girl telling him not to take it so personal.
"He should have just told me," he said sounding more and more like the four- year-old sitting next to him.
"Well let's see why he didn't tell you. He probably thought you would look at him with complete disgust, run out of the room and then over the proceeding years attempt to kill him. Oh, wait a minute that is what you did. Whoops."
"What you have had me do? Throw him a party, a coming out of the closet for our dear friend," he asked letting his anger slip just a bit. Knowing Chloe, she would step up to the plate.
"You know you're right Lex. All the secrets you shared with him really built up that trust. You can't just expect someone to sit down and tell you the deep dark past," she challenged him the former glint returning to her eyes.
"What's your deep dark past, Chloe," he said unblinking. She was saved from answering when Miranda returned with their orders.
"Hey Chlo, Sadie just called in sick so if you wanna' pick up some extra hours you could work her shift," she said placing a coffee down in front of the other girl.
"Thanks. Ummm, I'll call Clark and see if Joey can hang out with him today," she said pulling out her cellular. Lex tried not to notice that Clark was on her speed dial. His inner voice started listing off things that he could do to get on her speed dial. He attempted to get it to shut up before he said something stupid.
"I could take him." Something just like that. 'You've resorted to baby sitting for her. Why don't you just offer to carry her books for her.'
"Huh," Chloe looked at him like he was crazy.
'Say "Nothing. I didn't say anything. You must be hearing things you crazy, pretty, girl." Say that.' "I could take him," he repeated.
"Umm. That's okay," she said ending the call with Clark before he picked up. "I'm sure you have better things to do."
"Just a business meeting with my father that shouldn't take more than ten minutes." 'You're trying to talk her into letting you baby sit. Hahaha. You're no better than Clark with Lana.' He gave her his best mature adult smile.
"Okay," she said laughing just a little. "Okay just drop him back off here at seven. Joey you're going to spend the afternoon with Mr. Luthor, alright. Now I want you to be on your best behavior, young man."
Joey nodded in approval. And grabbed Lex's hand. "Here's my number. Call me if you need anything," she said jotting her number on one of the un- shredded napkins. "I'll be here if you get sick of him or anything. Umm, and try to watch your language. He copies what he hears."
Lex wanted to laugh at Chloe giving him parenting advice. "I'll take good care of him. We'll see you at seven. Bye, Chloe."
"Bye." Ohh this is going to be interesting both adults thought at the same time.