A/N: You know, I actually didn't disappear the whole time. My computer ate my chapter 4, so I had to write a new one up in its place. Couldn't remember what I had before, but I think you'll like this better. If that's not fate, then I don't know what is!

Disclaimer: I don't have any affiliation with Smallville or its owners, and I definitely make zero moneys off of this. I do make monkeys off of it though. Also, I have no association with any films mentioned, though I'd LOVE to own Johnny Depp!

Chapter 4: Sullied Names

Lex could have stayed like that all day, just standing there staring back at Chloe's obviously angry expression. It was beyond entertaining to watch the emotions warring over her, which he was guessing were frustration and doubt. Also, Clark and Lana managed to simultaneously make the same face that looked a lot like a deer caught in headlights. He probably would have laughed at the two, who seemed to want nothing more than to know what to say to quell the argument, as was their way, but it wouldn't be appropriate to laugh. Not that he ever truly did. Right now, he was telling himself that he didn't care what she said about him; after all, he heard it several times a day practically every day. Still,…

"Well you would certainly know about sullied names, wouldn't you?"

If he was so indisputably the scum of society, if you could call Smallville's scanty population of farmers a society, then why did Chloe even bother with the formalities every time they spoke? Hadn't they just been joking around a minute ago? Distantly he thought he felt bad for making everyone so uncomfortable, but Luthors don't have remorse, they aren't courteous, and they definitely don't have doubts.

"Well you would certainly know about sullied names, wouldn't you?" Yes, there was still that to deal with.

"I suppose so," he finally agreed, and he sounded more impassive than he'd meant to.

"But I hope you won't hold that against me," he added with an air of a question. He hoped she would take that to mean he didn't feel like arguing, which he didn't, and he wasn't surprised to find her looking rather confused. Even so, it was better than the entertaining but possibly harmful rage he's seen previously. He wasn't afraid of anyone, but he knew he didn't want to get on her bad side. He'd heard things from Clark.

"Of course not," Lana finally interceded with her brilliant Lana Lang smile, still obviously nervous that more arguing would follow.

"Chloe's not like that," she added, and Lex had to wonder if she spoke the truth.

"Yeah, let's just forget it, guys," Clark said, barely any more convincingly than Lana. "We should get inside before it really starts to pour."

What? Actually, without Lex noticing, it had started to sprinkle and the clouds were growing ever more ominous. Chloe finally nodded her consent, and as they filed into the lobby, Lex hoped she'd also decided they were back on good terms. He didn't feel like losing his contact with one of the few people he found to be on his level, or as close to it as anyone in Smallville could get.

Inside the regretfully familiar lobby area, there were several ticket booths with glass windows behind which tired looking teens were hurriedly taking money and handing back little pink and blue tickets. There was a moment where Lex felt an old sense of longing to know what it was like to have such simple teenage experiences as a horrible summer job you loathe. Then, just as quickly as it had come, it was gone and replaced with his usual feeling of stoicism.

Following everyone's gaze upward, he noted the screen-like boxes that listed the movies in long rows a few feet above the employees' heads in their booths. From the disenchanted look on his face, you would have thought he'd actually expected having the option of some sort of foreign film or documentary. However, this was indeed Lex's usual "I'm killing time at the movies yet again" look.

"Okay, so we're agreed on no horror movies?" Lana asked sounded like she was expecting some dissent.

"Yeah, I don't feel like waking up to you screaming in the middle of the night for the next two weeks," Chloe replied, "Not that it isn't hilarious."

Lana looked like she'd been slapped in the face.

"I do not wake up screaming after seeing scary movies!" she said in her best attempt at assertiveness.

"Well then my dad must just get a really girly voice and have nightmares every time we watch Signs or Sleepy Hollow," Chloe laughed, ducking behind Clark to avoid Lana's glare.

"Lana," Lex sighed disappointedly, "…Sleepy Hollow? Honestly? You've got to be kidding me. The scariest thing in that movie was Johnny Depp's impersonation of Ichabod Crane."

"Whoa, watch the Johnny Depp insults, Lex!" Apparently Chloe was a big fan. Great.

"It's nothing personal, Chloe," he assured her, "I just preferred him in other movies like Edward Scissorhands, or Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, or…. that newer one with the guy from Lord of the Rings."

"Pirates of the Caribbean?" she offered, then added, "Wait… I can't believe you've even seen Fear and Loathing. You're a secret Johnny fan, aren't you, Lex?"

He shook his head in denial, though if he had to put himself into a category regarding the actor it would probably be fan related.

"Not exactly. I take it you are?" Then, deciding on a whim to see if she was really holding a grudge, he added, "He's done some pretty R-rated movies. I'm not sure our parents would approve."

There was a second where she just looked confused, as if she'd prepared a long answer for his first question and then lost her train of thought when he continued. Then he saw it dawn on her that he was actually joking about their earlier argument, and he could only describe it as relieving to see her laugh.

"Well, if I remember correctly, they did abandon us at the first sign of trouble, so they might not be the picture of domestic perfection."

Now it was his turn to laugh, and he was surprised to find Lana and Clark staring at his when he did. What were they looking at?

"What?" he asked, suddenly feeling self conscious. That was certainly a refreshing change.

They exchanged amused glances and Clark shrugged.

"It's just kind of weird to see you laughing, Lex," he supplied awkwardly. Then Chloe nodded her agreement.

"Yeah," she said, "Especially since it's not that evil 'my-company-just-totally-owned-your-company' laugh."

Lex tried not to look amused, but he was. Was this really so unusual to them?

"Don't listen to them, Lex" Lana said reassuringly, like he might fall to pieces any second if she didn't support this new side of him, "It's great to see you show some emotion, Mr. Businessman."

Wow, Lana's just not that funny, he thought silently, throwing her a classic smile. Good thing she has her great personality. Why was he suddenly thinking kind thoughts about her? Usually he had trouble not focusing on her weaknesses. Maybe he was actually in a good mood. This was also a refreshing change.

"Don't get too used to it," he cautioned, only half joking, just before realizing they had somehow joined one of the lines leading up to the ticket booth.

"Maybe we should choose a movie?" Clark said with nod toward the list. Everyone stared up at the illuminated box and scrolled through the titles and times. Once again, Lex wasn't shocked to find nothing in his taste. The question was now which one would be the least painful to sit through.

"If you guys have any respect for me whatsoever," Chloe started, and Lex could tell where it was going, "We can not see anything starring a singer-turned-actress or a cartoon character."

"Pretty strict standards considering our options," Lex couldn't help complaining.

"Since you two are such fans, why not see the one with Johnny Depp?" Clark offered with a goofy smile.

Naturally, Lex had no idea which one he was talking about, since it wasn't exactly his routine to watch anything on TV other than the news. And occasionally the food network when Emeril was on… There was just something about watching all those people being thrilled every time he "kicked it up a notch" that held Lex's attention on sleepless nights in the mansion, off the record of course.

"Which--?"

"Finding Neverland? I am definitely up for that!" Of course, it was Chloe. However, it seemed pretty unanimous as Clark and Lana shrugged and nodded, though the jury was still out on whether it was actual agreement or just indifference. They all looked at him for approval, and who was he to deny them? Furthermore, who was he to protest without any real basis for argument other than he just didn't feel like hearing Chloe praise it afterwards regardless of it's quality.

"Guess it's unanimous," he said with fake happiness that Chloe either didn't notice or didn't care to mention out of fear of him changing his mind.

Just then, the overhead lights flickered momentarily and then went out. There was a moment of panic followed by the hum of a back up generator and then the slightly less bright illumination of the lights turning back on. Everyone looked around at everyone else for a few seconds before everything seemed to return to normal.

"Wow, it's really coming down out there," Lana commented, standing on tiptoe to look over the crowd and out the windows at the sudden downpour of rain splattering sidewalks and cars. The clouds had suddenly become significantly more threatening in dark shades of purplish-gray in lack of the sun that had already sunk beyond the horizon, and the wind seemed to be picking up as well as tree blanches swayed at the edges of the parking lot.

"That was fast," Clark added superfluously, "What do you think gives?"

"Looks like a definite storm. Do we all have our buddies picked for the ride home?" Chloe was smiling at her own childlike personification of them, and Lex distantly marveled at how she managed to entertain herself at all times. She raised her eyebrows questioningly at Lex and he got the feeling she was dropping hints.

"I can fit one person in the truck," Clark offered making sure to make eye contact with both Lana and Chloe.

Smooth, Clark, Lex thought.

To be honest, Lex was sickly tempted to offer to take Lana home just to get a twisted sense of enjoyment out of messing up this delicate situation. However, his conscience finally won him over in the end.

Sure, now you show up.

"If no has any problems with it, I say we just keep things simple and go home the same way we got here," Chloe said assertively.

"You mean by car?" Lex quipped, "I agree, that does seem simpler than walking or waiting here until they get sick of us loitering and just haul us off in squad cars."

Lana suppressed a giggle by clapping her hand to her mouth but Clark laughed openly, and Chloe punched his arm lightly, clearly for encouraging the wrong person. Clark pretended to look hurt, but they all knew he was a lot tougher to penetrate, and Lex had to fight down the urge to ponder it further. That line of thought only seemed to cause more problems.

"Yes, by car, genius," Chloe retorted with her arms crossed, "But don't get any sick ideas. I'll definitely notice if we 'accidentally' end up back at your place instead of mine. I'm just forewarning you, I have pepper spray for this kind of thing."

Lex laughed again, and this time he almost didn't notice them staring at him. This could be useful in the future, he thought with a conniving smirk. He'd work it into an evil plot somehow. After all, he had to uphold his sullied name.

A/N: Reviewers, (all, like, three of you. hah) Keep 'em comin'! That's right, you know what I like. LOL Hope this was to your liking….? I know this story is very meandering and seems pointless right now, but if you couldn't tell already there are bad omens for the immediate future in this fic! Stay tuned! Also, I wrote this chapter at 3am so please forgive spelling errors etc., just this once.