Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Those of you who have expressed concerns, don't worry, Clark will be back, I've already got him writen back in. Just a matter of time. I hope this chapter will give you some hints about what's coming next, and because I myself am a spoiler junkie, I've included some spoilers at the end of this chapter. Procede with caution!

Metropolis was alive with activity when Lex finally arrived. He had time for lunch before his meeting, and ordered for some Thai food to be brought to his office in Luthor Corp Plaza. On the top floor, across the hall from Lionel's, Lex's office had an impressive view of the city.

He looked down at the world below him, feeling unusually insignificant for someone who was quite literally on top of the world. The giant globe on top of the Daily Planet building pushed his thoughts immediately to Chloe, not that they'd ever really strayed far from her all day anyways. He'd overheard her side of the conversation with Lana and felt indescribably guilty about it.

Lex wasn't the type to eavesdrop, but when he'd heard the hurt in Chloe's voice, he hadn't been able to tear himself away. He knew that she was hurting, and he also knew that she would hide it forever before she confessed her pain to him. He didn't blame her.

He'd been known to hide his emotions as well, but he didn't want Chloe to turn out like he did; emotionally reserved and coolly calculating. A part of him was glad that he'd overheard her, because now he knew just how much Smallville was crushing her right now. He didn't think Metropolis would be the place to help her either.

He walked over to his desk and pressed down the call button on the phone. "Yes Mr. Luthor?" the voice of his secretary came in through the speaker.

"Can you come in here please?" Lex asked her. Moments later the door opened and a pretty redhead rushed in, notebook in hand.

"Yes sir?" she asked him eagerly, pen poised over the paper and ready to go. Lex turned back to the Daily Planet building once more.

"I need you to make some arrangements for me," Lex told her over his shoulder. "I'll be going to Paris next weekend. Could you please arrange a pilot and accommodations?"

"Yes sir," she began writing. "Would you like your father's usual suite?"

Lex hesitated. "As long as there are two bedrooms," he turned around now. "I'll be traveling with company."

"When would you like to leave?" she asked.

"Friday evening," he said decisively, beginning to get excited now, though he'd never let her know that. "Around nine; I'd like to arrived in Paris in the morning."

"Yes sir, I'll take care of it right away," she smiled and made her way to the door.

"Thank-you," he called absently, turning once more to the window, a small grin on his face. If Chloe wouldn't open up to him, maybe she would talk to Lana Lang.

Pete and Chloe helped the movers load up the last of the boxes into the large truck Lex had sent over. "I'm glad Luthor thought to send them," Pete slung an arm around her shoulders. "Moving sucks."

"Thanks guys," Chloe waved to the movers when they climbed into the truck. "Walden will show you where to put them." They nodded and drove off.

Pete followed Chloe back into the now empty house. He watched her look around the room and sigh. She told him about her conversation with Lana, and now he was beginning to reconsider his plans to leave on Thursday evening.

"Chloe?" he asked her. She turned to him blankly. "I was thinking that maybe I would stay for another week or so..."

She shook her head. "Pete you moved for a reason," she sat down on the stairs and he joined her. "I appreciate you coming out here for me, but the fact is that you don't live in Smallville anymore. You should go back when you planned."

"I could stay longer," he sighed. "I don't want you here alone."

"I'm not," Chloe told him, clearly not really believing it herself.

"Clark is gone, and Lana is in Paris," Pete pointed out. "If I go too, all of your friends will be gone."

"I've spent summers alone before Pete," she reminded him. "Besides, Lex is still around."

He frowned at that. "Yeah...about that," he ran a hand over his head, not really wanting to anger her but having to express his concern. "I'm not sure that I like that idea...even though he has his good moments, the guy's still a Luthor."

She frowned now. "So? It's Lex," she told him, as if that should really mean something to him.

"But his father is Lionel Luthor," Pete stressed. "You know what he's like..."

"Yeah I know," she snorted bitterly. "But Lex isn't his father, Pete. He's better than that."

Pete bit his lip. "He's done some pretty bad stuff Chloe," he finally told her, referring to what Jonathan Kent had told him about Lex investigating Clark. Of course, Chloe didn't know about that. "Look, if it gets bad there, promise me you'll let me or the Kent's know. You don't have to stay there."

"Pete," she smiled a very tiny smile, sad. "I don't really have anywhere else to go."

"That's not true," he shook his head. "The Kent's offered their place, or you could stay with your aunt and uncle..."

"I don't know my aunt and uncle," she cut in. "And as soon as Clark comes back the Kent's will want me out. It'll be all secrets and lies again."

"And life with Luthor will be one endless truth telling session?" he snorted. She had to smile at that.

"Thanks for the concern Pete," she squeezed his hand affectionately. "But I'm not going to be staying with Lex forever."

"I know that," he slung his arm around her shoulders again. "I just worry about you."

"Awww," she leaned her head on his shoulder and looked around the empty living room sadly. "I love you too."

"Yeah?" he forced a laugh, hoping that she didn't notice his discomfort. Usually Chloe telling him that she loved him would be a dream come true, but he knew that she didn't mean it the way he wanted her to. "How much?"

Chloe smiled slightly. "More than coffee," she whispered. Pete whistled.

"I'm a lucky man," he chuckled genuinely this time and kissed her forehead quickly. Chloe snuggled deeper into his embrace and closed her eyes tightly, happy to have him there.

Wednesday passed relatively quickly; Chloe and Pete hung out in Clark's loft most of the day. On Thursday morning they took Lex's limo into Metropolis. Chloe had a meeting with Gabe's lawyer, where she informed him that the house was ready to be put on the market.

"I don't want to keep it," she told him certainly. "Please get rid of it."

"All right," the lawyer, Keith Anderson, nodded gravely at her request and shuffled through some papers. "Also, have you decided what you want to do about the custody situation? Are you going to file for emancipation or remain under Lex Luthor's guardianship until you turn eighteen?"

Chloe bit her lip, still unsure. "I don't know yet," she admitted. Keith nodded and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"That's fine," he told her gently. "You don't have to decide right away. Just be aware that the process can take some time to be approved by the court."

"If I were to go ahead with it," Chloe leaned forward on the table. "Would I be able to financially support myself? Would I have to quit school to work?"

"Oh you would be quite all right I think," he smiled. Chloe hadn't really paid attention when they'd gone over her financial information two weeks before; she'd been too distracted. "Your father had used most of his savings during the months that he was unemployed, but his life insurance policy grants $500,000 in case of accidental death."

"Seriously?" she gasped. She'd never expected that much before.

"Yes," he smiled again. "Gabe was very clear about his desire that you be taken care of should something happen to him. He wanted you to be able to attend any university you want, and be comfortable financially."

Chloe nodded and averted her eyes, studying her hands intently. Her eyes welled up and Keith closed his folder slowly. "I think that's all I have for today," he told her kindly. "Unless you have anymore questions?" She shook her head. "All right then. You have my card? Let me know what you decide to do, if you want to push for emancipation I will start on the paperwork. Okay?"

"Yes," Chloe stood up when he did and shook his hand. "Thank-you."

"Take care Chloe," Keith told her and held the door open. She said goodbye and joined Pete in the waiting room.

"All done?" Pete stood up when she walked over.

"Yeah," she nodded slightly.

"Okay then," he threw his arm around her and led her to the elevator, Quinn following behind them. "Let's go eat."

They ate lunch at a small bistro next to Luthor Corp Plaza. Afterwards they headed up to the top floor of the office building, to Lex's office, where the billionaire was going to meet them and go with them to the airport.

"We're here to meet Lex," Chloe told the secretary in front of his office.

"Name?" the woman asked her, eyeing them sceptically.

"Chloe Sullivan," Chloe told her. The woman's face slid automatically into a sickly sweet smile.

"Oh Ms. Sullivan," she cooed. "Mr. Luthor said that you are to be shown in immediately." She stood quickly and let Pete and Chloe to the door just behind her desk. She knocked on the door, just beneath the platinum coloured plaque that read Alexander Luthor, Vice President. They heard Lex's voice call for them to go in. The secretary pushed the door open and ushered Pete and Chloe in. "Ms. Sullivan is here sir."

"Hey guys," Lex greeted Pete and Chloe, slipping his suit jacket on. "Thank you Chelsea." The secretary smiled adoringly at him and then left.

Once she was gone Pete flashed Lex a grin. "I like her," he told them.

"I bet you do," Chloe muttered and made her way over to the large windows overlooking the city.

"Are you all packed?" Lex asked Pete while he tossed several papers into his briefcase and snapped it shut. He turned the key lock on the case and picked it up.

"All set," Pete nodded. "Quinn is taking my bags to the car."

"How's he working out by the way?" Lex asked Chloe. She pulled her hand quickly away from the window, not realizing that she'd been staring longingly at the Daily Planet office.

"I like him," she assured them, allowing Lex to lead them out of the office, his hand on the small of her back. "You know his wife's pregnant?"

"I did," Lex told her. "I'm hoping that by the time the baby's born his services won't be needed anymore."

Chloe nodded; glad to hear that Quinn's wife wouldn't have to worry about her husband's safety while she was taking care of their baby. They took the elevator down to the main floor and walked outside, where the limo was waiting.

Chloe winced when a camera flash went off, causing both Pete and Lex to look up. A reporter with an Inquisitor Press Pass, clipped to the lapel of his ugly brown suit, lowered his camera. "Mr. Luthor," the man greeted and gave them a nasty looking smile; he had a gold tooth and bore a remarkable resemblance to a used car salesman. Lex gestured for Pete to climb in the limo.

"George Green," Lex returned stonily, reading the name on the press pass. He gave Chloe a hand into the limo and stood in front of the door, blocking her and Pete from the camera's view, and providing Chloe with a more interesting view of his Armani-clad backside. "Isn't there a three headed dog somewhere that you should be photographing?"

Green smirked, giving Chloe the immediate thought of oil and too much hair gel. "Not today Lex," he peered over Lex's shoulder the best he could, eyes raking over Chloe. "You know that you're far more interesting than the run of the mill chemical mutations."

"I'm touched," Lex remarked dryly and slid into the car.

Beside her Pete snorted. "This guy's obviously never been to Smallville before," he muttered to Chloe, earning a grin from her.

"Who's the girl Lex?" Green leered at Chloe. "She's a a little young isn't she? Even for you?"

Lex's face grew dark, but before he could reply Chloe leaned over his lap and grabbed the door handle. "You're the investigative reporter here," she snarked. "You figure it out." With that she pulled the door roughly shut and flicked the button to lock the doors.

Pete chuckled and her and even Lex smirked slightly. "Metropolis International Airport," Lex told the driver and then pressed the switch that slid a black privacy window into place.

"Right across the street from the Daily Planet and it's the Inquisitor taking my picture," Chloe sighed. "I feel dirty."

Lex bent forward and opened the mini fridge. He handed Pete a root beer and gave Chloe a bottle of Starbucks iced coffee. "Welcome to my world," he poured himself a brandy and sipped it thoughtfully.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at Pete and opened her drink; Pete popped open his root beer and took a sip. "Must be rough," he snorted into the drink and him and Chloe both eyed the crystal glass that held Lex's brandy. Lex shot them an annoyed look.

Pete and Chloe burst out laughing.

TBC....

SPOILERS, in order:

-Exodus Pete

-Enter Lana and a original minor character, not a Mary Sue, just someone in there for a little humour.

-Exodus Lana

-Enter an old friend of Lex's...hint, he's gonna one day be known as Batman

-Exodus Batman

-Enter Lionel's goons

-Enter Clark Kent