A/N: Happy with the response I got is an understatement. Reviews
definitely make me work faster (hint, hint) because they let me know that
someone else out there is actually enjoying the story. The same bribe as
last time is in place, no reviews, no updates. (I know, evil aren't I?)
*******
Lex paled slightly, Chloe, it was Chloe. The funny, beautiful, intelligent, talented, amazingly articulate girl he had gotten to know back in Smallville. What in the world was she doing here? Frank was right, she had no business being here, she was far too good for this place. What had gone wrong? Why was she here?
"Hello? Lex?" Right, he was still in Frank's office. His old friend tried to continue their small talk, but Lex just couldn't concentrate on the mundane chatter when so many questions were being brought up in his mind. He politely excused himself, and made his way back over to where he had last seen Chloe. She was on break now and he saw her at one of the back tables, hunched over a notebook, scribbling furiously. He walked over to her and cleared his throat loudly. That didn't work. She was so absorbed in whatever it was she was writing that she seemed to be tuning out the world entirely. He tried clearing his throat again, just for good measure, and when it failed a second time, he tapped her on the shoulder.
*******
It was Chloe's favorite time of work, break time. The few precious minutes she had to get what little she could finish of a story done. She never had the energy to work on them when she got home, so this was the only time she got. Occasionally, she got published in one of the papers. She wished she could simply freelance, but the bills she had just wouldn't allow it. The pay for freelancing writers was so meager, that it was barely even worth her time to write. If she didn't love doing it so much, she wouldn't even bother. She heard someone in front of her clearing their throat. She didn't bother to look up, that way they'd catch the hint that she wanted to be left alone and well, leave her alone. When they did it for the second time, she rolled her eyes but did nothing else to indicate that she was even aware of their presence. Finally, she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was then that she assumed that it must be her boss, Frank Parvoti, everyone else knew better than to bug her when she was writing.
Without so much as a glance up, she began to talk to him. "So, I take it you've reconsidered my offer and have decided to add more hours to my schedule, Frank? Because God knows I need the money and-"
She stopped abruptly. The man standing before her wasn't her boss. When she had looked up and directly into those piercing blue eyes, she knew it wasn't him at all. 'Lex?' Her mind asked itself, completely bewildered. 'What the hell is he doing here?' Had he recognized her? God she hoped not.
'Play it cool, just play it cool.' She reminded herself. 'Don't show that you remember him. Maybe he doesn't know it's you.' She thought hopefully. "How may I help you?" She asked him, her face still and emotionless. She had even managed to keep her voice from wavering
"So this is all about money, is it, Miss Sullivan?" He asked her, completely disregarding her question. He took in her appearance. The lovely, energetic sprite he'd known only years earlier had been replaced by an older, sadder, yet still strangely beautiful young woman. He couldn't help but wonder what had made this transformation come about. 'Other than the obvious.' He thought sardonically. He remembered the radiant, energetic young woman he'd known back in bucolic Smallville. As he thought of the determined teenager he'd known he couldn't help but wonder what had happened to make her so desperate as to do this?
'Damn.' She thought. She really wished he hadn't noticed her. Realizing he was expecting an answer, she replied, "Yes, it is. Something you wouldn't understand." She just wished he would leave. She really didn't feel like going through this with him. With anybody.
"You're a talented woman, you deserve so much better than this. What happened to your dreams? Your goals?" He pried.
She smiled a bitter, worn-down smile at him before replying in a soft voice that was obviously laced with years of pent-up emotions. Hurt, regret, bitterness. "Life got in the way."
He stood there for a few seconds, stunned at the honesty and simple eloquence in that answer. He decided then and there that he would help her, no matter what it took. He looked into her eyes and said, "Do you need some help getting back on your feet? With a little help, I'm sure you could those aspirations of yours accomplished in no time."
She stunned him for the second time in as many minutes by replying as soon as the words left his mouth, with an indignant, "No". He just couldn't understand her.
When questioned as to why, Chloe stuck right by her answer. "This may sound completely and utterly inane coming from a stripper, but I want to hold on to a semblance of my pride."
He looked at her, wholly amazed and clearly confused. "You're maintaining your pride by dancing naked in front of a room full of strangers?" He questioned, unbelieving.
"Yes. I am." She replied firmly. At his still obviously confused expression, she elaborated. "Because at least it's real, I'm doing it on my own without any one's help." She looked at him pointedly. "Or pity."
He sighed loudly, frustrated, "So I suppose that if I were to offer you a job working for my company, you'd reject it, all in the name of dignity? Even if I were to offer you more than you could ever imagine making working here?"
She really had to think about that one. Was her pride really worth so much that she couldn't accept a high-paying job that would get her out of this hellhole forever, albeit, a job offered wholly because of pity? Pity felt for her and a scorn at her current lifestyle. That's what she had the biggest problem with; she didn't need anyone's sympathy. She took a deep breath and replied calmly to him, "Yes, I suppose I would. Good day, Mr. Luthor." And with that, she began to walk off and out of his life.
He couldn't let her leave, not like that. "Chloe, wait!" He winced at the pleading laced clearly in his words. His voice had betrayed just how badly he wanted her to stay. Looking back, he's thankful that it did, had it not, he sincerely doubted that she would have stopped her motion and whirled around to face him.
"Yes?" She asked him, clearly sick of the conversation. He played the only card he had left.
Mr. Sullivan had stopped working for Lex three years earlier. He remembered the day clearly, how unusual he had looked when he handed over his resignation, he looked paler and more nervous than he ever had. Lex remembered him mumble something about needing to help Chloe out, how his daughter had needed him. If only he could see his daughter now. He wondered what had happened to make her so desperate.
"Does Gabe know you're working here?" As soon as he said it, he immediately regretted ever having done so. He could see the emotions displayed clearly across her face, the pain he could tell she had been trying so hard to forget.
A tear ran softly down her cheek as she quietly replied, "No, he doesn't. But it's his fault that I am, anyway. I have to pay the bills somehow."
'Okay,' Lex's mind rationalized, 'They must have had a tremendous falling- out. He is going to be so angry with her when he finds out. Her and her stupid pride; too damn stubborn to go home to a father that loves her and would immediately forgive her any trespass, he would just be so happy to see her again.' He asked her carefully, "Could you give me his phone number please? I want to speak with him." He couldn't remember the last time he had used the word please. He figured that he had said it maybe three times in the entirety of his life.
That gesture wasn't lost on Chloe, either. She knew that Lex wasn't the type of man to ask for something, he was more the type to command it and if that failed, to take what he wanted by force, something he could easily do. "I can't give you that. I don't know it." She answered. "I can, however, give you his address." With this she handed over a scrap of paper that she had written it on. "I highly doubt that he's in a real chatty mood, though, so don't get your hopes up for a long conversation. Unless you're a miracle worker, it's going to be pretty one sided."
He nodded briskly to her, accepting this information. He was about to leave, but then thought better of it. He turned back around, coat tails flapping dramatically in true Luthor style, and handed her something. "Feel free to drop by any time. I'll let security know to let you in."
Chloe stared down at the slip of paper in her hand. A business card bearing the Luthor heir's address and private phone line. When she looked back up, he was gone.
*******
Lex raced up the street, towards the address Chloe had given him. He had to get to Gabe, had to tell him the conditions his daughter was living in. He couldn't wait to help Gabe bring Chloe safely home. He looked up at the property resting at the address Chloe had given him. 'No, this couldn't be right.' He thought to himself. He checked the street numbers again; 4250 Mason Street, exactly the address on the paper. Why had Chloe given him the address to a cemetery? It just didn't make sense. And then it dawned on him. 'Oh God,' He thought, 'Gabe is dead.'
*******
Lex paled slightly, Chloe, it was Chloe. The funny, beautiful, intelligent, talented, amazingly articulate girl he had gotten to know back in Smallville. What in the world was she doing here? Frank was right, she had no business being here, she was far too good for this place. What had gone wrong? Why was she here?
"Hello? Lex?" Right, he was still in Frank's office. His old friend tried to continue their small talk, but Lex just couldn't concentrate on the mundane chatter when so many questions were being brought up in his mind. He politely excused himself, and made his way back over to where he had last seen Chloe. She was on break now and he saw her at one of the back tables, hunched over a notebook, scribbling furiously. He walked over to her and cleared his throat loudly. That didn't work. She was so absorbed in whatever it was she was writing that she seemed to be tuning out the world entirely. He tried clearing his throat again, just for good measure, and when it failed a second time, he tapped her on the shoulder.
*******
It was Chloe's favorite time of work, break time. The few precious minutes she had to get what little she could finish of a story done. She never had the energy to work on them when she got home, so this was the only time she got. Occasionally, she got published in one of the papers. She wished she could simply freelance, but the bills she had just wouldn't allow it. The pay for freelancing writers was so meager, that it was barely even worth her time to write. If she didn't love doing it so much, she wouldn't even bother. She heard someone in front of her clearing their throat. She didn't bother to look up, that way they'd catch the hint that she wanted to be left alone and well, leave her alone. When they did it for the second time, she rolled her eyes but did nothing else to indicate that she was even aware of their presence. Finally, she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was then that she assumed that it must be her boss, Frank Parvoti, everyone else knew better than to bug her when she was writing.
Without so much as a glance up, she began to talk to him. "So, I take it you've reconsidered my offer and have decided to add more hours to my schedule, Frank? Because God knows I need the money and-"
She stopped abruptly. The man standing before her wasn't her boss. When she had looked up and directly into those piercing blue eyes, she knew it wasn't him at all. 'Lex?' Her mind asked itself, completely bewildered. 'What the hell is he doing here?' Had he recognized her? God she hoped not.
'Play it cool, just play it cool.' She reminded herself. 'Don't show that you remember him. Maybe he doesn't know it's you.' She thought hopefully. "How may I help you?" She asked him, her face still and emotionless. She had even managed to keep her voice from wavering
"So this is all about money, is it, Miss Sullivan?" He asked her, completely disregarding her question. He took in her appearance. The lovely, energetic sprite he'd known only years earlier had been replaced by an older, sadder, yet still strangely beautiful young woman. He couldn't help but wonder what had made this transformation come about. 'Other than the obvious.' He thought sardonically. He remembered the radiant, energetic young woman he'd known back in bucolic Smallville. As he thought of the determined teenager he'd known he couldn't help but wonder what had happened to make her so desperate as to do this?
'Damn.' She thought. She really wished he hadn't noticed her. Realizing he was expecting an answer, she replied, "Yes, it is. Something you wouldn't understand." She just wished he would leave. She really didn't feel like going through this with him. With anybody.
"You're a talented woman, you deserve so much better than this. What happened to your dreams? Your goals?" He pried.
She smiled a bitter, worn-down smile at him before replying in a soft voice that was obviously laced with years of pent-up emotions. Hurt, regret, bitterness. "Life got in the way."
He stood there for a few seconds, stunned at the honesty and simple eloquence in that answer. He decided then and there that he would help her, no matter what it took. He looked into her eyes and said, "Do you need some help getting back on your feet? With a little help, I'm sure you could those aspirations of yours accomplished in no time."
She stunned him for the second time in as many minutes by replying as soon as the words left his mouth, with an indignant, "No". He just couldn't understand her.
When questioned as to why, Chloe stuck right by her answer. "This may sound completely and utterly inane coming from a stripper, but I want to hold on to a semblance of my pride."
He looked at her, wholly amazed and clearly confused. "You're maintaining your pride by dancing naked in front of a room full of strangers?" He questioned, unbelieving.
"Yes. I am." She replied firmly. At his still obviously confused expression, she elaborated. "Because at least it's real, I'm doing it on my own without any one's help." She looked at him pointedly. "Or pity."
He sighed loudly, frustrated, "So I suppose that if I were to offer you a job working for my company, you'd reject it, all in the name of dignity? Even if I were to offer you more than you could ever imagine making working here?"
She really had to think about that one. Was her pride really worth so much that she couldn't accept a high-paying job that would get her out of this hellhole forever, albeit, a job offered wholly because of pity? Pity felt for her and a scorn at her current lifestyle. That's what she had the biggest problem with; she didn't need anyone's sympathy. She took a deep breath and replied calmly to him, "Yes, I suppose I would. Good day, Mr. Luthor." And with that, she began to walk off and out of his life.
He couldn't let her leave, not like that. "Chloe, wait!" He winced at the pleading laced clearly in his words. His voice had betrayed just how badly he wanted her to stay. Looking back, he's thankful that it did, had it not, he sincerely doubted that she would have stopped her motion and whirled around to face him.
"Yes?" She asked him, clearly sick of the conversation. He played the only card he had left.
Mr. Sullivan had stopped working for Lex three years earlier. He remembered the day clearly, how unusual he had looked when he handed over his resignation, he looked paler and more nervous than he ever had. Lex remembered him mumble something about needing to help Chloe out, how his daughter had needed him. If only he could see his daughter now. He wondered what had happened to make her so desperate.
"Does Gabe know you're working here?" As soon as he said it, he immediately regretted ever having done so. He could see the emotions displayed clearly across her face, the pain he could tell she had been trying so hard to forget.
A tear ran softly down her cheek as she quietly replied, "No, he doesn't. But it's his fault that I am, anyway. I have to pay the bills somehow."
'Okay,' Lex's mind rationalized, 'They must have had a tremendous falling- out. He is going to be so angry with her when he finds out. Her and her stupid pride; too damn stubborn to go home to a father that loves her and would immediately forgive her any trespass, he would just be so happy to see her again.' He asked her carefully, "Could you give me his phone number please? I want to speak with him." He couldn't remember the last time he had used the word please. He figured that he had said it maybe three times in the entirety of his life.
That gesture wasn't lost on Chloe, either. She knew that Lex wasn't the type of man to ask for something, he was more the type to command it and if that failed, to take what he wanted by force, something he could easily do. "I can't give you that. I don't know it." She answered. "I can, however, give you his address." With this she handed over a scrap of paper that she had written it on. "I highly doubt that he's in a real chatty mood, though, so don't get your hopes up for a long conversation. Unless you're a miracle worker, it's going to be pretty one sided."
He nodded briskly to her, accepting this information. He was about to leave, but then thought better of it. He turned back around, coat tails flapping dramatically in true Luthor style, and handed her something. "Feel free to drop by any time. I'll let security know to let you in."
Chloe stared down at the slip of paper in her hand. A business card bearing the Luthor heir's address and private phone line. When she looked back up, he was gone.
*******
Lex raced up the street, towards the address Chloe had given him. He had to get to Gabe, had to tell him the conditions his daughter was living in. He couldn't wait to help Gabe bring Chloe safely home. He looked up at the property resting at the address Chloe had given him. 'No, this couldn't be right.' He thought to himself. He checked the street numbers again; 4250 Mason Street, exactly the address on the paper. Why had Chloe given him the address to a cemetery? It just didn't make sense. And then it dawned on him. 'Oh God,' He thought, 'Gabe is dead.'