Lex Luthor sat at his desk in his office listening to his father's voice on the speaker phone sitting on his desk. Lionel's doctor's had given him the okay to start running LuthorCorp again earlier that week. As a result, Lionel had been monopolizing Lex's time as he went over the reports from the last month since he had been out of the loop. Lionel was questioning every little thing and after the last two days, Lex was starting to lose his patience with his father.

Lex glanced down at his watch. It was still a little early to leave for what he had planned today but there was no way his father would know that.

"Look Dad," Lex said interrupting his father in mid-sentence. "I'd love to continue this conversation but I've got plans for today and I have to go."

"But I've still got questions for you son," Lionel said.

"They'll have to wait until Monday Dad," Lex told him. "Why don't you call Davis and set up an appointment and then I promise you'll have my undivided attention," Lex told him referring to his own assistant.

"You're going to make your own father make an appointment?" Lionel asked with mock hurt.

"It is business Dad," Lex told him. "Seriously though, I've got to go. Bye Dad," Lex said reaching out and hitting the button to disconnect the call before his Dad had a chance to say another word.

Lex grabbed his cell phone as he stood up and headed out of his office. As he walked into the hallway the phone in his hand rang. He glanced down at it and as he expected it was his father. He hit the ignore button and put the phone in his pocket. He was done dealing with his father for the day.

It was just a short distance from his office to the room he had set aside for Cecily's office. He knew that's where she was as she was trying to catch up on things because of moving from Metropolis to Smallville. Today was the day Abigail was leaving for Europe though and he and Cecily were going to Metropolis to see her off.

As he approached her office he saw that the door of her office was open. That was the sign they had agreed upon that it was okay for the other to just go ahead and enter without knocking.

Lex walked into the office to find Cecily standing at the window looking out over the grounds.

"Looks like your getting a lot of work done," Lex commented as he walked over to her.

"I tried getting something done but it just wasn't happening," she said turning from the window and gesturing to her desk which had papers scattered over it.

"Then I guess you won't have any objections to leaving for Metropolis early," Lex commented.

"Not at all," Cecily replied grateful for the excuse to give up even thinking about the work lying on her desk. "Just let me put this stuff away," she told him.

She left the window and walked the short distance to her desk. Cecily quickly gathered up the papers and put them in their respective folders and then piled the files. She still was behind and wasn't prepared for the meeting she had scheduled on Tuesday but she wasn't going to worry about that. Right now, she had a friend to see off. Work was just going to have to wait.

"Yes, it sure is a Sunday night," Lex commented as he strolled up to the counter of the Talon at eight o'clock on Sunday night.

Lana and Stacey, the only other waitress on that night, were behind the counter, elbows resting on it. There were only two customers in the place, a young couple at a corner table.

"I keep telling a certain partner that we should close earlier on Sundays," Lana commented from her spot as the door opened and Mr. And Mrs. Kent walked in and headed for a table.

"I'll get them," Stacey said pushing off the counter and heading for the table the Kents had sat down at.

"Maybe your right," Lex commented as he sat down on one of the stools at the counter.

"Do you want something to drink?" Lana offered her partner.

"No thanks," Lex told her. "Just stopped by to check up on things. I haven't been in for awhile."

"Well from what I heard things aren't exactly status quo in your life. How's Cecily settling in at the mansion."

"Fine," Lex said getting over his initial surprise at Lana's comment. He should have figured Clark would have mentioned something to Lana about him and Cecily by this time. "The problem isn't at the mansion though, the problem is out on the farm," Lex said glancing over at Jonathan and Martha Kent. He hadn't even stopped by the farm since his last conversation with Jonathan Kent and although Cecily had talked to her brother and step mother she had yet to talk to her father.

"Yeah, I heard about that too. All I can say is hang in there," Lana said as the phone rang. She wished she could tell Lex that things would blow over but she knew Jonathan Kent well enough to know when he got his mind set on something not much would change it. "Hello, you've reached the Talon. Lana speaking, how may I help you," Lana said into the phone.

"Can I talk to Stacy please?" asked a tearful voice.

"Yeah, sure," Lana said placing a hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. She looked behind her to see Stacy just coming back from taking the Kent's order. "Phone is for you, Stace. I'll get the order," she told her friend holding the phone out to her.

Stacey took the phone from Lana and handing her the notepad with the Kent's order.

"Hello," Lana heard Stacey say as she went to make the latte and cappuccino that had been ordered. Stacey was still on the phone when Lana left the counter to take the drinks to Martha and Jonathan Kent.

"I can't leave," Stacey said into the phone trying not to cry. "As soon as we close up . . ." Stacey stopped talking went she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Lex standing there. "Hold on," she told her Mom who was on the phone.

"Go ahead and leave," Lex told her.

"You don't even know what's going on?" Stacey said surprised by her boss' words. Her last employer had asked a zillion questions whenever you asked to left early.

"I can see your upset so I know its something important," Lex told her. "And you're always here when you're scheduled."

"But Lana will be here by herself," Stacey told him.

"Business isn't exactly booming," Lex told her gesturing toward the almost empty coffee shop. "And I'll stay and help her close up."

"Thanks," Stacey told him. "Mom, it's okay. I'll be right there. Bye," she said and then hung up the phone. She grabbed her purse and jacket from underneath the counter.

"Thank-you, Mr. Luthor," Stacey said as she put her jacket on.

"No problem, drive safe. I hope everything turns out okay," he told her.

Stacey nodded and then walked quickly toward the exit. Lex grabbed a coffee cup and got himself a cappuccino. It looked as if he was going to be here awhile after all.

"Why did Stacey leave?" Lana asked Lex as she came back behind the counter.

"Family emergency," Lex told her. "I told her to leave. I'll stay and help you close up. We'll be fine," he told her.

Lana nodded. At least it was Sunday. They never got a crowd on Sunday. She hoped that this night wasn't any different. If it was, she might get to see how Lex was at being a waiter, which Lana had her doubts about. However, she also knew he'd pitch in and help her as much as he could, not to mention she would have told Stacey to go even if Lex hadn't been there and she would behere by herself in that case.

"Who you calling?" she asked as Lex pulled out his cell phone.

"Cecily," he told her. "I actually have someone at the mansion who expects me home now," he told her.

Lana smiled. She was happy for Lex. He deserved someone special in his life. Someone who cared about him.