A/N:  Thanks to everyone for your encouragement.  The reviews to all my fics have been extremely supportive, so as part of Thanksgiving, I'd like to show my appreciation to y'all by updating each one of them.  Hope you enjoy.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Disclaimer in Chapter One

"Wow, she was really mad, wasn't she?"

"Of course, wouldn't you be if your friends were abusing you?"

"Yep, yep, yep.  But I know better than to have my friends trample all over me, Grandpa."

"That's my girl."

Chloe entered the space with much trepidation.  "Lex?" she nervously called out as she stepped forward.  The garden was almost dark, candles serving as the only light to her path.  A bright space was right before her with only a turn around the hedge left between her and the said light.

When she finally made the turn, she was greeted by candles everywhere.  In the middle of everything was an elegantly placed table, where Lex Luthor sat.

Once he saw her, he immediately stood and walked over to greet her.  "Thanks for coming," he told her with sincere appreciation.

She nodded, still speechless from the opulent preparations, but she followed when he led her to the table.  He grabbed a hand bell and rang it twice.  Two servants came out of nowhere, carrying trays of food and drinks.

One of them laid a plate in front of Chloe, and on top was a hefty serving of meatloaf.

"How did you know that this was my favorite food?" she grinned.

The billionaire feigned a look of innocence.  "What makes you think that this was served specifically for you?" he teased.  "The world doesn't revolve around you, Miss Sullivan."

Slightly taken aback, Chloe decided that it was better off to stay quiet, and Lex, sensing her guard being increased, responded before it became too late.  "Chloe, I was kidding," he assured her gently.  "Maybe perhaps someone relayed your dad's claim that you can live the rest of your days with meatloaf to the chef."

Chloe grinned.  "I'm sorry," she conceded.  "I'm just not used to this."

"It's okay," he said softly.  "Tonight is for you..for all of your hard work on the Torch, okay?"

The blonde nodded in response.  The rest of the meal went smoothly as the duo was involved in their usual round of verbal judo.  When the food and the wine eventually disappeared, Lex asked her if she wanted to take a walk around the grounds.

"To familiarize yourself if you decide to snoop around," he joked.

Chloe playfully smacked him on the arm.  "Smartass," she responded.

"Meanwhile, back at her house, bad forces are trying to conspire against the two of them."

"Bad, bad people."

"Exactly."

"I'm serious, Clark!" Lana declared as Clark and Pete listened during a three-way set up by Lana herself.  "I really think that there is something wrong with Chloe."

Pete snickered.  "Lana, just because she wouldn't do your homework doesn't mean that there's something wrong with her."

"It's not that, Pete," she protested.  "I mean, it's only part of her recent meta..meta.."

"Metabolism?" Clark offered.

Pete sighed.  "No, Clark, I think she was aiming for metamorphosis."

"That's it," she interjected.  "I mean, she's gotten so aggressive and rebellious, and that's not her at all."

"As opposed to being the town pushover to you two?" Pete pointed out with disbelief.  "Really, Lana, you're more than exaggerating here."

"Pete, you just don't understand."

"Oh, I understand all right.  I understand that neither of you just get it.  Look, I've got to go.  It'll take me a lifetime to drill the facts through your heads, and frankly, I don't have the time."  With that, he hung up.

"What's up his butt?" Lana asked, still oblivious to Pete's point.

Clark shrugged.  "I don't know."

"Wow, those bad people are really dumb, Grandpa.  Why even bother?" the little girl turned to her grandfather, rolling her eyes.

"Well, sweetheart, you will eventually learn that when people are determined to make your life miserable, there is no stopping them."

She smirked.  "Kinda like what you did with Mom and Dad?"

"Smartass."

"Don't curse, Grandpa.  You may have to pay me like Daddy does every time he curses."

"Smartass," the grandfather added as he reached for his wallet and handed the girl a dollar bill.  The girl stared at the bill incredulously, so he handed her a larger bill. 

She smiled in response.  "Okay, Grandpa, so what happened next?"