Author's Note: I've come to a decision. Chloe is 16. Thank you for all the reviews and input. Also, thank you to Julie, who beta'd this chapter. Who else saw Crush? Doesn't it drive you nuts when the writers make an episode that shoots you're story line into an AU. I'm just going to try and finish this before the season finale or god only knows what will happen to my story line.
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PDA
Chapter 3- The Meeting
Lex Luthor was sitting at the huge rosewood desk in his office at Luthor Corp Manufacturing Plant #12, located in Smallville, Kansas. Lex thought it was perfectly ironic that this was the place to which he had been banished. Twelve was Lex's lucky number. Not that he had ever told his father. Lucky numbers, and other superstitions, were considered a weakness by the elder Luthor. Lex could hear the old mans voice now. 'Real men make their own luck,' he would say to Lex over and over again. Lex had never really believed it, though. Ever since that fateful day with the meteors, Lex had known that real men didn't make their own luck, real men were just prepared to deal with any eventuality that fate tossed them.
Lex shook his head to clear away the thought. [God, Luthor, get your head out of the clouds and down to the business at hand.] In front of him, Lex had the full personnel report on Gabriel David Sullivan, known to everyone at work as Gabe. This single folder had all the details of Gabe Sullivan's personal and employment history sorted into neat little boxes.
Name: Sullivan, Gabriel (Gabe) David
DOB: 01/25/59
Marital Status: Widowed (Wife: Sullivan, Christine June, married 03/30/81, deceased 09/05/90)
Children: 1. Sullivan, Chloe Bernadette, born 06/11/85
Residence: 643 W. Maple St., Smallville, KS
Employment with Luthor Corp: Oct. 1992- present
Lex was amazed. This file had so much information, yet it knew nothing at all. This file told him Gabe's name, but it didn't tell him that he was named after an uncle that had died in the D-day invasion of Normandy during WWII. It told him that his wife had died, but spoke nothing of her long, painful battle with breast cancer. It told him where he lived, but didn't mention that the front porch had the best swing in town. This folder also told Lex that Gabe had a daughter, but not that he would fall madly in love with her the moment they first met in the office of a high school newspaper. How could something have so much information, yet be utterly devoid of content.
Suddenly, the intercom on Lex's desk buzzed. A voice. It was Lex's secretary, Grace.
"Mr. Luthor, there is a Gabe Sullivan here to see you."
"Thank you, Grace. Send him in."
Lex looked at his watch. 4:30 on the dot. Lex would have to add punctuality to the things he knew about this man. Lex closed the folder on his desk. He had read all of Gabe's performance review since the beginning of his employment. All of his supervisors had described him as even-tempered, open minded, and courteous. Lex had a feeling that he was about to put all of those attributes to the test. There was a timid knock on the office door.
"Enter," called Lex.
Gabe Sullivan, looking very timid for such a tall man, entered the room.
Lex gestured to the red leather chair sitting in front of his desk. "Gabe, have a seat."
"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," Gabe said, sitting down.
"I'll bet you're wondering why I called you in here."
"Actually, yes I was, sir."
"Please, call me Lex. Let me put your mind at ease. It has nothing to do with your performance. You are an exemplary manager."
"Thank you, si- uh, L-Lex." Gabe paused for a moment, as if gathering his courage. Then he continued. "If this meeting isn't about the plant, then what is it about?"
"Actually, Gabe this meeting is about your daughter."
"Chloe? Oh, god. What has she done now. Please don't tell me she backed into one of your cars. Oh no. Has she been pestering you for an interview? I'll her to stop..."
"No, Gabe. The reason I wanted to talk to you is... I don't quite know how to say this.... Chloe and I have been seeing each other."
"Seeing each other?"
"Socially. For the past two months." Gabe's face still held an uncomprehending look. "We're dating," Lex clarified.
"Oh."
Lex stared at Gabe. The man did not look well. "Gabe, are you all right?"
"Yes."
"I want you to understand that this in no way effects our business relationship. Whatever happens between Chloe and me will not effect your employment here."
"Mr. Luthor, I need to go... now. Home. Lie down."
Lex looked the elder man with concern. "Gabe, I want you to wait in the lobby. I'll have someone drive you home." Lex punched a button on the intercom. "Grace. Arrange a car for Mr. Sullivan."
"Yes, Mr. Luthor."
"Gabe, I want you to go with Grace now. Do you understand?"
Gabe walked out the office door. Lex saw Grace grab a hold of his arm and lead him towards the elevator.
Lex sighed. [It could have been worse. Not much worse, but at least he didn't break anything.] Lex picked up the phone to call Chloe on her cell and tell her what had happened.
TBC
**********************************************
PDA
Chapter 3- The Meeting
Lex Luthor was sitting at the huge rosewood desk in his office at Luthor Corp Manufacturing Plant #12, located in Smallville, Kansas. Lex thought it was perfectly ironic that this was the place to which he had been banished. Twelve was Lex's lucky number. Not that he had ever told his father. Lucky numbers, and other superstitions, were considered a weakness by the elder Luthor. Lex could hear the old mans voice now. 'Real men make their own luck,' he would say to Lex over and over again. Lex had never really believed it, though. Ever since that fateful day with the meteors, Lex had known that real men didn't make their own luck, real men were just prepared to deal with any eventuality that fate tossed them.
Lex shook his head to clear away the thought. [God, Luthor, get your head out of the clouds and down to the business at hand.] In front of him, Lex had the full personnel report on Gabriel David Sullivan, known to everyone at work as Gabe. This single folder had all the details of Gabe Sullivan's personal and employment history sorted into neat little boxes.
Name: Sullivan, Gabriel (Gabe) David
DOB: 01/25/59
Marital Status: Widowed (Wife: Sullivan, Christine June, married 03/30/81, deceased 09/05/90)
Children: 1. Sullivan, Chloe Bernadette, born 06/11/85
Residence: 643 W. Maple St., Smallville, KS
Employment with Luthor Corp: Oct. 1992- present
Lex was amazed. This file had so much information, yet it knew nothing at all. This file told him Gabe's name, but it didn't tell him that he was named after an uncle that had died in the D-day invasion of Normandy during WWII. It told him that his wife had died, but spoke nothing of her long, painful battle with breast cancer. It told him where he lived, but didn't mention that the front porch had the best swing in town. This folder also told Lex that Gabe had a daughter, but not that he would fall madly in love with her the moment they first met in the office of a high school newspaper. How could something have so much information, yet be utterly devoid of content.
Suddenly, the intercom on Lex's desk buzzed. A voice. It was Lex's secretary, Grace.
"Mr. Luthor, there is a Gabe Sullivan here to see you."
"Thank you, Grace. Send him in."
Lex looked at his watch. 4:30 on the dot. Lex would have to add punctuality to the things he knew about this man. Lex closed the folder on his desk. He had read all of Gabe's performance review since the beginning of his employment. All of his supervisors had described him as even-tempered, open minded, and courteous. Lex had a feeling that he was about to put all of those attributes to the test. There was a timid knock on the office door.
"Enter," called Lex.
Gabe Sullivan, looking very timid for such a tall man, entered the room.
Lex gestured to the red leather chair sitting in front of his desk. "Gabe, have a seat."
"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," Gabe said, sitting down.
"I'll bet you're wondering why I called you in here."
"Actually, yes I was, sir."
"Please, call me Lex. Let me put your mind at ease. It has nothing to do with your performance. You are an exemplary manager."
"Thank you, si- uh, L-Lex." Gabe paused for a moment, as if gathering his courage. Then he continued. "If this meeting isn't about the plant, then what is it about?"
"Actually, Gabe this meeting is about your daughter."
"Chloe? Oh, god. What has she done now. Please don't tell me she backed into one of your cars. Oh no. Has she been pestering you for an interview? I'll her to stop..."
"No, Gabe. The reason I wanted to talk to you is... I don't quite know how to say this.... Chloe and I have been seeing each other."
"Seeing each other?"
"Socially. For the past two months." Gabe's face still held an uncomprehending look. "We're dating," Lex clarified.
"Oh."
Lex stared at Gabe. The man did not look well. "Gabe, are you all right?"
"Yes."
"I want you to understand that this in no way effects our business relationship. Whatever happens between Chloe and me will not effect your employment here."
"Mr. Luthor, I need to go... now. Home. Lie down."
Lex looked the elder man with concern. "Gabe, I want you to wait in the lobby. I'll have someone drive you home." Lex punched a button on the intercom. "Grace. Arrange a car for Mr. Sullivan."
"Yes, Mr. Luthor."
"Gabe, I want you to go with Grace now. Do you understand?"
Gabe walked out the office door. Lex saw Grace grab a hold of his arm and lead him towards the elevator.
Lex sighed. [It could have been worse. Not much worse, but at least he didn't break anything.] Lex picked up the phone to call Chloe on her cell and tell her what had happened.
TBC
