CHAPTER THREE

Disclaimers in Chapter One

Gabe Sullivan could have created a nice little ditch, having paced back and forth for nearly an hour now. When Chloe had not come home for supper as she usually did, he freaked out and called Lana at the Talon. She explained that some customers last saw Chloe escaping through the back door with Lex Luthor.

Lex Luthor.

Of all people to 'run away' with, why would she pick Lex Luthor? Gabe paused his pacing for a moment, took a deep breath and resumed once more. Alright, so things had been hectic around here for his daughter. His neurosis did not help, either. But why run away with the man whom she barely knew?

'Perhaps because her own friends have been driving her nuts in the past few days as well,' a small voice reasoned in his head. And the young Luthor was the sanest person she could find? Gabe guffawed at the thought.

He was about to go into another internal rant about his daughter's escapade when the front door slowly creaked open. Hopeful, he turned immediately towards the entrance and was about to rush the younger Sullivan when he was disappointingly met with Lana and Clark.

"Hey, Gabe," Lana meekly greeted, fully aware of the situation at hand, as she entered the home. She dropped her backpack at the corner by the door as she usually did, while Clark followed her in the foyer. They both kept close to each other, maintaining a good distance from the Sullivan patriarch. Fear and trepidation were quite evident on their faces.

Guilty himself, Gabe sighed at the awkward sight the two made. "Hey, Lana," he responded. "Clark." He nodded to the tall brunette.

Awkward silence followed with the three staring at each other uncomfortably. It continued for another minute or so when Gabe had had enough. "Alright," he finally spoke. "So we all played a role in pushing her to this little escapade. I guess we ought to give her some breathing room."

As if they had been holding their breaths, the younger duo each let out a huge sigh. "Besides," Gabe added. "Even if she is with Lex, he is a good guy, so we can assume that she'll be in good hands."

"I'm sure that Lex will take care of her, Gabe," Clark added.

"I suppose," the older man resigned. "There's nothing we can really do since we have no clue as to where they are."

Then, on cue, the phone rang, nearly scaring the three. Gabe quickly grabbed for it. "Hello?"

"Gabe? It's Lex."

"Gabe? It's Lex," he said discreetly as he looked around to see if Chloe had come back. After she had come out of the dressing room wearing that shred of a shirt, Lex managed to compose himself and stirred his thoughts away from less than pure ones. Feigning to scold the younger woman about what his father would think, he convinced her to get back into the dressing room as quickly as possible to change into less risqué wardrobe choices, which garnered some confusion with the old lady, who still assumed that they were more than friends.

While Chloe was occupied, albeit grumbling, with Lex's rather fatherly demeanor towards her clothing preferences in the dressing room, Lex took the opportunity to check in with Gabe, knowing that the older man was probably going out of his mind.

"Lex!" Gabe said quickly yet enthusiastically. "Please tell me that Chloe is okay."

The young Luthor rolled his eyes. Typical. "Yes, Gabe, she is," he assured the worrisome father. "I've been trying to talk some sense into her.."

"And let me guess, to no avail?" the Sullivan patriarch half-laughed.

Lex threw a gaze toward the dressing room for good measure. "You could say that," he smirked. "You know how she is."

"Don't I know it," Gabe concurred. "Listen, as crazy as this may sound, she might be right."

"Excuse me?" Lex's jaw practically dropped. Sensing where this conversation might be going, he gave himself a moment's pause. If he knew better, Gabe Sullivan was about to ask him..

"She just probably needs some space," Gabe interrupted his thoughts. "Do you think you can keep an eye on her for me?"

Did he just ask me to babysit his teenage daughter? Lex thought as he even went to the lengths of looking incredulously into the phone. "Gabe, are you sure about this?" he asked again.

The older man sighed. "Yes," he finally conceded after a long pause. "You're most likely the only person I can trust that hasn't driven her running away from this town. You don't mind, do you, Lex?"

Mind? The younger Luthor was beginning to question his plant manager's sanity. Minding that he asked was the least of Lex's problems. Dealing with a stubborn teenager while putting his business, his whole life, on hold was the big issue at hand.

Lex was about to decline and suggest that he take Chloe back to Smallville immediately, when the blonde in question popped her head out of the dressing room to search for him. When they had made eye contact, Chloe smiled shyly and mouthed that she might be a while.

Lex nodded in acknowledgement and shook his head at himself. You're digging your own grave, Luthor, he thought to himself.

"Lex?" Gabe checked. "You there?"

"Yeah," he finally answered. "I mean, yes, Gabe. I'll keep an eye on Chloe for the next few days while she unwinds."

The older man breathed out loud with relief. "Thank you, Lex," he said with much appreciation. "I'll owe you greatly for this."

Yeah, you will, Lex silently said to himself, though he knew in his heart of hearts that he himself was mostly to blame. After all, he could have easily refused the favor. Yet, something was nagging him to see where this change of pace in life would lead him. For once in his life, since his wild childhood days, he was going to take the riskier path. He just hoped that he was making the right decision.