Title: Ring in the New
Author: Superag
Rating: Pg-13
Premise: Sequel to The Gift Exchange
Warning: A little angsty possible
Feedback: ALWAYS wanted
Disclaimer: This is my original work, but the characters mentioned are owned and operated by WB/CW/DC. I do not have any rights to the characters or situations mentioned except that I am borrowing from Smallville for my and others entertainment only.
Chloe followed the kindly spoken gentleman into the room and tipped him generously. She wasn’t opposed to the gracious tip since Lex had left her money for the actual such occasion. She had argued at first, but he explained in no uncertain terms that the money was for immaculate service and in no way was he buying her love. Grudgingly she agreed to it after her father insisted.
“He was nice,” her father added as he rubbed his hand along the obviously one of a kind wallpaper adorning the entry hall. The New York Palace was just as the name stated. The three bedroom suite was larger than the Sullivans entire home twice over and seemed to be almost too small for a Luthor.
“Dad, it’s his job. Besides, he probably already knew who we were and was told to behave. You don’t exactly get jobs like this for people like Lex without many years of kindness.”
“I was just saying,” Gabe quipped as he sat down on the ornate couch and looked at the remote. Touching one of the buttons, he watched as the Manhattan skyline appeared from behind the curtains. Hitting another button, a cabinet opened and revealed a large screen television. “Ahh, now this is more like it.”
Chloe glanced over at her father and laughed. She watched as her dad reached for a glass and whatever perfectly aged scotch she was sure Lex had ordered. “Dad.”
“He invited us, but I can’t drink his liquor? Honey,” he half rolled his eyes at his daughter. He didn’t care really what Lex Luthor thought. He wasn’t particularly thrilled with Lex’s infatuation with his daughter but knew it existed from as far back as the previous year. Drinking Lex’s scotch seemed to be a least a subpar tradeoff for the man taking his only daughter away.
“Fine, I’m going to go pick our rooms.” She picked up her bags and headed down through what was evidently a library in the suite.
“Make sure I get the big room,” she could hear coming from the living room. Laughing, she knew her father wasn’t kidding. She knew how he felt about the whole situation. He hoped Chloe would be smart enough not to fall or be swept up in the Luthor spell. She was; she knew she was. Still, a girl, especially her age, could easily find the 5000 square foot hotel room with prepaid spa treatments and her own personal shopper something to fall in love with. Her instructions had been simple. The conversation wasn’t as rosy.
“Here are the plane tickets. I had to put you on commercial since the jets are serviced except for the one for business. But if you have any problems in first class, let me know.”
Chloe took the tickets and looked at them. Staring at Lex, she knew that he didn’t want to hear anything from her about the arrangements. “Lex, we can take care of getting ourselves there.”
Turning, he looked at her from across the desk, still partially buried in his papers and twirling his pen from her around in his fingers. “No, I insist. I don’t want my girlfriend and her father treated like common holiday travelers on New Years Eve. Besides, you are actually doing a little covert work for me anyway.”
Chloe spun around and looked at Lex. “What? I’m a guinea pig?”
Lex glanced up from his folder and put it down. He had seen that look she gave him before. But, for the first time, it was directed at him instead of Clark. Coming around the side of the desk, he tugged gently on her arm and pulled her purse out of her hand. Taking her to the couch, he took her hand. “It’s not like that. The company is very good at what they do. I have on a emergency occasion flown with them as well, but they’re financial bottom line is hurting, and I am putting in to acquire the first class charter service. That way the entire airline will not go under because expensive first class charters.”
“So you’re buying the planes or the company?”
“Both. For personal use and executive rentals. But I just want you to use the reporter instincts you have to just keep an eye and see how the work flows. Are there things that could be changed to save money from the traveler perspective.” Reaching over behind him, he picked up the tickets and again handed them to her. “Ok?”
Chloe nodded her head and took the tickets. Her dad had wanted a vacation; this one he wouldn’t forget. “What else?” she asked as if there should be more.
Lex went to the desk to pick a folder and handed it to her. As Chloe flipped through it, he pointed out the highlights and the plans. “Your name is on the check in list. You should have no problems. There are some vouchers for light dining at the restaurant and my personal shopper’s card. I have instructed her help you find something for that night.”
“Lex.” Chloe cut him off.
“I know. She has a spending limit.” Lex stopped and re-emphasized the word limit to Chloe’s agreement. "You and your father have free reign of the pool on the floor as well as the executive bar on the floor. You have a massage scheduled at 4 and a hair and makeup appointment scheduled right after. Those cards there are in case you want to cancel either one.”
Chloe glanced up and smiled at Lex. “You knew I would argue with you, but both sound deliciously inviting.”
“Good. If your father needs anything – suit, haircut, call Simon at this number. He’s on call for me when I’m in town and knows to answer to whatever your father may want. When you get there, the last bedroom has the best view of the city in the morning. Take that one.” Lex paused. “And if you really aren’t for going out on the town, the ball drop is visible enough from the living room.”
Chloe sat and stared at the spread of business cards and instructions, all hand written by Lex himself. Overwhelmed, she signed and tucked the information back in the folder. “You know this is too much don’t you?”
Without missing a beat, Lex answered, “Yes, but you can take or leave whatever you want. One more thing.” Lex retrieved something from the safe and sat it in her lap. “Before you say no, the money is not for you to go spend on yourself. I know you would never accept it. There’s a tip sheet and cash, some large and small bills. Before I get there, depending on what you go and do, good service during the holidays will cost about $200 and I’ve included 300. Don’t feel like you have to tip, but these people have always been very good to me.”
Chloe nodded and shoved the money deep into the bottom of her purse. She sat and stared at the contents of the folder and rubbed her hand over the fancy appliqué of the hotel’s name. “Put me up in a palace huh?” Chloe joked nervously. She could feel chills coming up over her as Lex’s hand continued to run the length of her back.
“Fit for only my queen,” Lex returned the joke. He looked over his shoulder at the piles of paper sitting on his desk and the blinking email cursor on the computer screen.
“I’ll let you get back to work. Thanks for all of this.” Chloe got up and threw her purse over her shoulder. Lex walked around the edge of the couch and followed her to the door. Catching Chloe as her hand hit the door, he shut it and smiled.
“Thank you for taking a chance on me.” Pushing her against the office door, he filled his palm with her hair and pulled her into him.
Chloe opened her mouth to feel his tongue swirl just inside her lips and around her mouth. He tasted different, like peppermint. She felt her back hit the door and her hand slid down his chiseled arms. Feeling his grip loosen, she slowly opened her eyes to see him smiling at her. “Change of beverage?”
“No, I just know that you didn’t particularly care for the taste of scotch last time I kissed you. You didn’t say anything, but your face did. So,” Lex reached into his pocket to reveal and handful of the peppermint candies that Chloe had put in a stocking with his favorite chocolate.
“Hmm,” Chloe smiled and gripped her folder closer. “Well,” she was cut off by another kiss. “I…” Kiss. “have…” Kiss. “to…” Kiss. “go.” Kiss. Chloe pushed on Lex’s chest and felt resistance. “Really, you have to work.”
Lex opened the door and let her go. In one week, he had fallen for her hard. He wanted her with him, to sit across the desk from him and work, to wake up to in the morning, to hold until he could fall asleep at night. He knew the next year would be a happy one because she would be in his life.
“Ok, I’ll call you later.”
That was a couple of days ago. Chloe opened up her shades and looked out over the city. She wondered what all the small figments of people were doing on the ground, what shows they were attending. Lex and she had tickets to see Les Miserables while her father wanted to actually sit through Hairspray. She rolled on the floor, laughing hysterically at Lex calling for that show with a straight face.
Other things had come out in the last week too. Lex explained the CD and the singing. His mother had sung before his father had destroyed her. They had met at a dinner show, and she had been the lead. But after her death, Lionel had put an end to singing, including the few lessons that Lillian had gotten for Lex. He had remembered everything that ever pertained to his mother. Buried it for later, hoping to hang on to her memory through the little things.
Chloe had been intrigued and promised never to reveal or make fun of him. After making her promise numerous times that the information would not leave the confines of his dining room, he played and sang for her again. She giggled thinking about when he said that she was a better natural talent than he was.
Chloe proceeded to get undressed and change into her free plush robe. Slipping into the houseshoes, she glanced out the door to see her father had not moved. “Dad, are you going?”
“No, baby, go on. I’m very pleased right here. And I found my favorite beer in the fridge so I’m good.” Chloe smiled and walked out the door.
*********
Several hours later, Chloe sat on the couch next to her dad waiting on Lex. His arrival time had been delayed slightly when he called from the plane. Snowstorms aren’t very pretty coming across the country. His meeting had gone well in Brisbane, and Chloe was hoping he wouldn’t be too tired.
She actually was very interested in Lex’s business affairs, not only as a reporter. Lex and she hadn’t discussed the boundaries but she knew someday it would come up.
“Hello?” Chloe said as she picked up the house phone.
“Hey, it’s me. How are you holding up? I got word from the pilot we have to cut south and it’ll be another two hours or so. I’m going to call Simon and have him bring up some things for me where I won’t have to have anything ironed beforehand. You just answer the door for him please?”
“Ok. Is everything alright – you just sound nervous.”
“Not nervous, just irritated. I can control a lot of things but not the weather. And I wanted to be there in time.”
“You will be. Don’t worry. Anyway, I think my father will be plenty passed out by then thanks to your stocking the fridge.”
“Well, I can’t very well make out with you in front of him while he’s sober.” He heard the small chuckle form the other end of the phone and laughed. “I have to go; the line is really bad. See you soon.”
About an hour later, Simon arrived and Chloe watched as the man wheeled in Lex’s new wardrobe and then proceeded in to her father’s room with a suit of exactly the same standards. Accepting his gracious tip, “Happy New Year Ms. Sullivan. Mr. Luthor says he will be along shortly.”
Chloe shut the door and sat back down on the couch, watching the beginnings of the one of the many New Years specials that were being shot on the streets below them. They were supposed to be out there. She wasn’t mad, she couldn’t be mad. Lex wasn’t at fault. Things happen, like the weather.
She continued pacing for a three hours more. The dinner had arrived an hour ago as well as the limo to take them to prime seating in Times Square. It was Christmas all over again, she thought. He’s going to make me hurry up and wait for him. Just wants the big entrance everytime evidently.
She muted the television and stared out the window. They were so far up no noise penetrated the windows. There was absolute silence in the room except for her father’s footsteps. Glancing over, she looked at her father. “You look very debonair dad.”
When she heard footsteps stop, she was surprised her father wouldn’t have a comeback for that. Turning around, she looked at the television as her father spoke carefully, “Baby, I’m sure he’s ok.”
Chloe covered her mouth and slunk into the floor, tears steaming down her face. Her father knelt down beside her, wrapping his arms around her and whispering it’ll be ok repeatedly. Covering her eyes, she couldn’t bare to watch the Luthorcorp logo go up in flames as flashing lit vehicles arrived at the private airstrip.
Chloe sat shaking in her father’s arms until she heard a knock. Getting up and running across the room, she wanted to fall into his arms and kiss him and tell she would never leave him.
“Ms. Sullivan? You and your father are being requested to come with me.”
“Lex? I know about the accident. Is Lex ok?” Chloe could barely get the words out.
“Miss, we need to get going.” Gabe threw Chloe’s coat over her shoulders and shut the door behind them.
TBC
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Re: Ring in the New (PG-13)
Feeling angsty anyone? Part 2. All disclaimers apply
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