A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update, but I was unfortunately extremely busy with real life concerns and couldn't get the time to update. I should be able to update frequently now. Just a reminder, this fic is set during 4th season (because it was started and planned out that season) so that's why Jason is still around and Lionel is still in his "reformed" stage.

Chapter 2.

The Luthor mansion was much the same as it had always been: large, dark, musty and old. As Chloe walked through its familiar halls she couldn't help but dwell upon the past and the strange and sometimes frightening events that had occurred there. Whispers of these past times plagued her as she wandered through the twisting and winding halls of the great mansion. Echoes of memories chased one another up and down the corridors and chasms of her mind. She could still hear the voices, almost as if she herself had traveled back in time, and was reliving it all over again…

"I'll protect you, Chloe. You have my word."

"Why don't you just walk away from your dad?"

"I look forward to resuming our verbal judo."

"I'll protect you, Chloe. You have my word."

"I was thinking about what you said, and I-I need your help"

"I want him to love me"

"I'll protect you, Chloe. You have my word."

Chloe was so wrapped up in these memories that she almost didn't see the flash of yellow outside the small mullioned window that she was passing. She did a quick double take, and then looked again more closely out the window. This time she saw a figure hurrying through the side gardens away from the castle. A male figure with light hair, and wearing a bright yellow jacket…Chloe's eyes narrowed as she studied the rapidly departing individual. "Jason…" she whispered. Her mind whirled with infinite scenarios and reasons as to why Jason should be skulking about the Luthor Castle instead of attending the funeral of his girlfriend. Chloe was so deep in concentration on this subject that she nearly jumped a mile when a loud, horribly familiar voice boomed out behind her.

"Why, Ms. Sullivan. How delightful to see you again. I trust both you and your father are well?"

Chloe whirled around sharply, and then could only stare in shock at the man standing before her. "What….what the hell are you doing here?" she finally managed to sputter out.

Lionel Luthor laughed heartily. "Please Ms. Sullivan, there's no reason to be frightened of me or to feel threatened by my presence. I assure you that I have completely reformed my ways. I am a new man, Ms. Sullivan, and I'm trying to become a useful and productive member of society now. Surely Lex has told you of the charity that I have started?"

Chloe stared at Lionel in bewildered suspicion. She had of course known that he had been released from prison, and this knowledge had kept her up many sleepless nights, although she would never admit to anyone just how frightened she was. Knowing that Lionel was out and about was one thing, but coming upon him unexpectedly in a dark and lonely corridor was quite another. "What sort of game are you playing, Lionel?" Chloe asked carefully, her voice quivering a bit as she slowly backed away from the still smiling man. Lionel only chuckled in reply, a friendly, almost indulgent smile upon his face, as if he were humoring a small, not very bright, child.

"Game? I'm not playing any sort of game, Ms. Sullivan." He said kindly, moving closer to her, "And I would like to apologize for the dastardly way that I have treated you in the past. It breaks my heart to think of the fear that I must have put you through all last year, knowing that you were completely in my power and sadly helpless against me, with only my son to protect you, although the poor boy could barely protect himself. Knowing that I could ruin the lives of you, your family, and your friends in just a heart beat." Lionel had drifted closer to Chloe as he was speaking, and she had backed up slowly until she felt the cold stonewall of the hallway behind her hit her back. Lionel now leaned in closer, the large, friendly smile still frozen upon his bearded face. "I would like to apologize for my behavior, Ms. Sullivan, and ask your forgiveness." He whispered in a low, sibilant hiss. "Please forgive me."

Chloe could only stare up at Lionel, like a mouse mesmerized by the stare of a deadly snake. Lionel lifted a hand slowly towards her face, and suddenly Chloe awoke from her daze. She gasped, and then shoved him away from her as hard as she could. "Get the hell away from me, Lionel!" she cried out, her voice quivering with both fear and anger, but mainly anger. "I don't know what sort of game your playing, but I'm not going to fall for it. I don't believe this born-again crap that you're spouting. And I don't think Lex will appreciate you skulking around his house without his permission so-"

"But my dear girl," Lionel chuckled, backing away from Chloe. The friendly smile was still plastered upon his face, but Chloe thought that she could detect a strange gleam in his eyes. "I'm not here without my son's permission. In fact, through the kindness of his heart, he's letting me live here with him. It's very important for us to reestablish our father-son bonds." Lionel said in an earnest, sincere tone.

"Lex is letting you live here?" Chloe said in confusion, almost at a loss for words, "After everything you've done to him…to me and my father…Lex is trusting you enough to let you stay here?"

"Unlike certain others I could mention, my son realizes that I have really become a changed man." Lionel's tone grew patient and long suffering, "I can understand that people may not trust me at first, but I do hope that soon they will soon learn to accept and trust me, and not to let old petty prejudices and biases get in the way." He moved over to a nearby window, staring down at the grounds of the castle below, "Ah, it looks as if the rain has stopped at last. That reminds me, Ms. Sullivan," Lionel whirled around quickly to face Chloe again, his face shining with benevolence, "Ms. Lang's funeral was today, was it not?"

"That's hardly any of your business, Lionel." Chloe snapped, her voice tinged with distrust and suspicion.

Lionel's smile deepened. "Ah, poor Lana Lang. The world has surely lost one of its greatest jewels. Oh, by the way, were you aware, Ms. Sullivan, that it rained during your own funeral? When that strange, tragic accident concerning the safe house explosion

occurred-"

"It wasn't an accident!" Chloe interrupted savagely. "You tried to kill me and my father!"

Lionel shook his head indulgently, a glint of kindly amusement upon his face, and continued, "-and everybody believed you to be dead? Unfortunately, I couldn't attend your funeral since I was…er, detained at the time, but a certain friend of mine was able to attend. He said it was quite beautiful. He also mentioned that your relations were able to buy the cemetery plots for Mr. Sullivan and yourself for quite a cheap price. Funerals are a sadly costly business, especially for the unemployed, so it must have been a comfort for them to buy your plots for such a bargain. And it must be a comfort to know that your cemetery plot is still there, already paid for and waiting for you, just in case you should need it sometime again in the near future." Lionel glanced at his watch. "And now it looks as if I shall have to take my leave of you, Ms. Sullivan. I have a meeting to get to at 5:00 concerning my charity. Good day and good luck." And with that he sailed down the hall and was gone.

Chloe could only stare after him, her heart pounding and her legs trembling with a mixture of both rage and fear. She had a wild urge to rush down the hall and attack him, to cause him pain just as he'd caused her and her family pain, but she quickly gained control of herself. Taking a deep breath, she grimly squared her shoulders and shakily made her way towards Lex's office.

A/N: I promise that Lex will be in the next chapter!