Chapter 8

"Dad are you home?" Chloe called out as she walked through the front door

"In the living room" Gabe called back

Chloe put her bag on the banister and walked into the living room

"Hungry?" Lana asked when she saw Chloe holding up a box of Chinese out to her

Chloe nodded "Thanks" Chloe said as she took the box off of Lana and sat down next to her and frowned at Lana "I thought you had to close?"

Lana nodded "I did. But Casidy wants to head off early tomorrow and offered to close for me" Lana said happily

Chloe nodded as she began eat some of the chinese and then frowned "Where's dad?"

"Here" Gabe said as he walked into the living room and sat down in his seat

Chloe looked at him and wondered how he was taking the bomb that she dropped earlier "How are you?"

Gabe nodded as he picked up a box and began to eat "I'm coping"

Chloe nodded

Gabe frowned "Where did you go?" Gabe asked, wondering she had been all afternoon

Lana looked at them and then at Chloe "You went out chasing a story again, didn't you?" Lana said shaking his head "Been back a couple of hours and already back at it" Lana said with a smile

Gabe looked at Chloe and knew that wasn't the case

Chloe shook her head "No, not really" and Lana raised an eyebrow at Chloe's remark and Chloe looked at Gabe who nodded knowing what Chloe was secretly asking him and then turned to look at Lana "Lana I'm going to tell you something, that not a lot of people know but I'm going to tell you, but you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Not even Clark until I've had a chance to tell him"

Lana looked at her and nodded "I won't tell anyone" Lana said with a smile thinking to herself 'wow two secrets about Chloe in one day, this must be my day. First that thing about Bruce now this'

Chloe nodded and took in a deep breath and after a quick glance to Gabe who nodded in reassurance and then Chloe told Lana her secret "Lana I'm pregnant"

Lana's eye's nearly popped out of her head "What? Are you sure? Who's the father?"

Chloe nodded her head "Yes I'm sure that I'm pregnant, I'm about four months along" Chloe said in a way that made it sound that she had said that part a thousand times "The father, well the father" Chloe trailed off

"That's where you went to see?" Gabe asked and Chloe nodded "But I thought you said that he doesn't live here?"

Chloe shook his head "He doesn't. He has family here though"

Lana frowned "Is the father an older man or something?"

Chloe nodded and she let out a small chuckle "Yeah he is" Chloe said shaking her head 'Yeah older than you think too'

"Are you going to tell us his name?" Gabe asked, wanting to know who the father of his grandchild is going to be

Chloe took a deep breath in and was about to take the biggest plunge of her life in which she would be telling her father and room mate that she'd been sleeping with Lionel Luthor, when the doorbell rang "I'll get it" Chloe said jumping up, glad to have these extra minutes to think of what she was going to say, leaving Lana and Gabe just sitting there wondering what Chloe was about to say

"Hello" Chloe said opening the door with a smile and not looking through the peep hole and that soon turned into a frown when she saw the three men in front of her "What are you doing here?"

Lucas smirked "Family sticks together" Lucas said in a way of reply

Lionel frowned at Lucas and then looked at Chloe "Have you told him yet?"

Chloe shook her head "No I was just about to tell dad and Lana"

Lucas smiled "Lana's home" Lucas said with a cheeky grin

Chloe shook her head "Yes Lucas she is"

"Good" Lionel said as he stepped into the house before Chloe could put up any sort of a protest as Lex and Lucas followed him inside. Lex shrugged at Chloe with them both knowing that once Lionel had set his mind to something there was little anyone could do about it. Chloe closed the door behind them

"We're just eating" Chloe said as she led the three Luthor men into the Sullivan's living room

"Who was at the" Gabe started and trailed off when he saw the Luthors. Lionel standing next to Chloe with Lex standing next to her and Lucas standing on the other side of Lionel. With Gabe looking at them wondering what they were doing in his home,

"Lex" Lana said seeing Lex and then she saw the others "Mr Luthor" then Lana smile turned into a frown when she saw the other Luthor "Lucas" and she said his name with disgust, wondering what he was doing back in town.

"Lana" Lex replied with a nod

"Miss Lang" Lionel said with a nod

"Princess" Lucas said with a grin

"Lucas" Chloe said in a scolding tone and then she heard him mutter

"Sorry"

Lex leant into Chloe's ear and whispered "You got that down pat" and Chloe just shook her head in response

Gabe just stood up and looked them all in the face and shook each of their hands and then frowned "Mr Luthor, I didn't know that you were in town"

Lionel nodded "I only just decided to come to town, I have a few things to sort out"

Gabe nodded "So how long are you in town for?"

Lionel looked down at Chloe and put a small smile on his face "Indefinitely, I'm planning on moving here and working out of Smallville"

Gabe nodded and then looked at Lionel "No offence Mr Luthor, but what are you doing here?" Gabe asked with a raised eyebrow and then looked at Chloe and wondered if she had done something "Chloe hasn't done anything has she?"

Lionel laughed and shook her head "No she hasn't" Lionel paused "Well that I'm aware of" Lionel said looking down at her and Chloe just laughed

"No I haven't"

Lana was just watching everyone and looked at Lucas "So Lucas how long are you here for?"

Lucas smirked "Awhile. Why you interested?"

Lana glared at him "No"

"Leave her alone" Chloe said to Lucas hoping that it wouldn't get too bad, as she was starting to get tired

Lucas nodded to Chloe and then shrugged knowing that he should tone it back a bit "Well I'm just here to get to know my brother" Lucas said throwing a look at Lex and a passing glance at Chloe

Lana nodded and then a look of realisation came across her face and pointed to Lucas "It's you isn't it?" and she was met by confused looks of everyone in the room trying to figure out what she was talking about

And Lucas looked even more confused at what Lana was going about now "It's me what?"

"You're him, the one" Lana said standing up next to Gabe and by everyone's blank looks Lana continued "Older, not from around here. And it totally explains why they're here" Lana said motioning to Lionel and Lex

"What?" Lucas asked, his face paling, hoping that Lana was alluding to what he thought she was alluding to "Its me what?"

By this time Lionel, Lex and Gabe were all looking from Chloe to Lana to Lucas trying to figure what was going on

And Gabe looked at Gabe, his face paling a little at what Lana was thinking "Is she right?"

Chloe shook her head at Lana's obvious conclusion "No Lana's he's not" Chloe rubbed her hands over her face and looked at Lana "I only met Lucas last night"

Gabe nodded and let out a breath as the colour returned to his face

Lucas looked between Lana, Gabe and Chloe and then asked Chloe "Would you please tell me what is going on" Lucas demanded

Chloe rolled her eyes "Lucas you need to stop acting like a two year old" Chloe paused to see the smug look on Lex's face as she told Lucas off and to see an impartial look on Lionel's as Lucas just nodded, listening to Chloe cause he knew the good part was coming up and then Chloe continued "And the answer to your question, Lana thinks that you are the father"

A smile slowly appeared on his face and that turned into a laugh which earned a glares from Lionel, Lex, Gabe and Chloe "Sorry, I just thought that was funny that's all, considering we just met last night" Lucas managed to say as he calmed himself down

A look of shock came across Gabe's face as he took in what Chloe had just said, "He knows?"

"That I'm pregnant?" Chloe asked and Gabe nodded "Yes he does"

"He knows" Gabe muttered to himself and then looked at the other two Luthor's

"And they know too" Chloe said, answering Gabe's unspoken question

"Then" Gabe said as his face started to pale again and looked at Lex and then at Lionel "That would explain why he's here"

Chloe shook her head, knowing exactly what Gabe's line of thought was "No Dad, Lex isn't the father either"

Gabe looked at Chloe with disbelief "Then who is?"

"Oh my God" Lana said as a look of horror came across her face "It's Lionel's isn't it?"

Gabe looked at Chloe and pleaded with her "Please say no"

"Dad sit" Chloe said as she led her dad to his seat

Gabe looked at her as the three Luthor men stood to the side and watched Chloe handle it

"Chloe please tell me that Lionel isn't the father of your child"

Chloe sat on the edge of the coffee table so she could look her dad in the eye "Dad I can't"

Gabe shook his head "I didn't think you two even knew each other" Gabe muttered, wondering why Chloe would keep her relationship with Lionel a secret from him but understanding why she did though

"We met awhile ago, just before Lex's wedding when I had the damage at the Torch, Lionel came and asked if there was anything that he could do about it, and I said no but he helped me rebuild it anyway with the condition that next time that I was in Metropolis that we met for coffee"

"Coffee?" Gabe asked with a frown wondering what Chloe meant

Chloe nodded "Yeah"

Gabe frowned "What did you talk about?"

"Anything and everything, from local politics to whether or not the Sharks we're going to win this year" Chloe said, repeating what both her and Lionel had prepared in case anyone ever found out

"Then how come I didn't hear anything about Mr Luthor's help in rebuilding the Torch?"

"Because he wanted to be an anonymous donator"

Gabe nodded, and began to digest the news as Lex began to wonder how much of Chloe's life Gabe actually knew about and whether he'll ever find out the truth about how his father and Chloe had really gotten together. Lionel just stood there, nodding silently at the performance an the obvious lie that she had told her father, and realised that she was good at it and wondered if it was the first time that she stretched the truth when telling her father something

Silence came across the room before Lana spoke up "So is it a boy or a girl?" Lana asked with a happy tone

Chloe stood up and turned to look at Lana "I don't know, and we're not going to know either" Chloe said looking at the Luthor men

"I already agreed that I won't find out" Lionel said nodding

Lucas nodded "I wont find out either" Lucas said with a smile

Chloe glared at Lucas "And no starting a pool on the sex either"

Lucas mumbled "Ruin my fun why don't you"

Chloe smiled "Yep" and then she turned to Lex "Well?"

Lex shrugged "I'll be fine with waiting"

Chloe nodded "Good, just so we are clear no going to the doctor or to anyone to find out the sex until the day the baby is born, there we will find out together. Ok?"

The Luthor men all nodded

Lana frowned "So who knows that Mr Luthor is the father?"

"Just the people in this room" Chloe said moving to stand next to Lionel who then in turn wrapped an arm around Chloe's waist

Gabe sighed "As much as I have a problem with you having my boss's child, what are your plans now?"

Lionel decided to take this one as he noticed Chloe stifling a yawn "Mr Sullivan"

Gabe shook his head "It's Gabe, you are the father of my grandchild after all"

"Well" Lionel said as he moved away from Chloe and stood in front of Gabe "First off we're getting married" Gabe's eyebrows shot up at that and shot a look to Chloe who just nodded, Lionel noticed this "I've had one child out of wedlock and I refuse to have another"

"Your going to marry him?" Lana squeaked, not believing what she had just heard

Chloe looked at Lana and smiled "Yes Lana I am"

Lana just stood there looking at Chloe, opening and closing her mouth

Lucas moved to stand next to Chloe and whispered in her ear "Always thought she'd make a good fish" Chloe faced Lucas and glared "Sorry but it's true"

Chloe smiled and let out a small laugh and Lex just shook his head and smirked

"So you want to make an honest woman out of her then?" Gabe tried to joke

"Dad" Chloe said in response to his bad attempt at a joke

Gabe nodded "Well what about school?"

"Chloe will continue to attend Smallville high or wherever she wishes" Lionel said, his tone showing that he didn't like that but he knew that Chloe would fight him on that and anything else

"Which is what I want" Chloe said as she picked up a drink that was on the coffee table

Lana nodded "So when are you getting married?" Lana said slowly getting used to what Chloe had told her

"Well before I turn into the human blimp" Chloe muttered, but loud enough for Lionel to hear

"You won't look like a human blimp" Lionel said shaking his head

"Whatever" Chloe muttered "Well before school goes back anyway"

Gabe frowned "That's in a few weeks"

"I know" Chloe said nodding

"You can't pull off a wedding in less than two weeks" Lana said shaking her head

Chloe smiled and gave a quick glance at Lex who smirked, both knowing that you can pull off a wedding in less than 24 hours. "You can Lana"

Lana frowned "You can't"

"You can when you want a small one"

"Why would you want that?"

"Because I don't want a large one"

"Why not?" Lana said, starting to sound like a two year old to the Luthor men and Chloe

Lucas moved into Chloe's ear again and whispered "And you live with that?"

"Yep" Chloe whispered back

"My condolences" Lucas said, wondering how Chloe had maintained her sanity living with her

"Because I don't, and a wedding isn't supposed to be a place where you can do a business deal or what ever" Chloe said looking at Lionel, knowing that if he had his way it would be a large one and that he would do one or two business deals in the process.

Lionel nodded "True, and I already agreed to a small one"

Gabe looked at them "I hate to ask, but what about the press? Cause they are going to have a field day with this?"

"We're going to keep the ceremony as quiet as possible, but we are aware that it wont stay a secret for long, but we'll be able to keep it quiet for awhile and then release it when we're ready"

"After the wedding and before school starts" Chloe said in a way that it was already a foregone statement

Lionel turned and looked at Chloe "You sure?"

Chloe nodded "That way we can contain it and let it out on our own and put it in a light that will less damaging to you and the company"

Lionel nodded agreeing with what Chloe was saying, and pleased that she was thinking several moves ahead and also knew how the press will take it and looked at Chloe who had just yawned yet again

"You ok?" Lionel asked, concerned, concern that caused both Luther son's to look at Lionel with raised eyebrows knowing that he rarely spoke with any concern in his voice at all and knowing that it wasn't faked either.

Chloe smiled "Yeah I'm fine, just tired that's all"

Lionel nodded "Why don't you go up to bed and we'll talk about everything tomorrow then?"

Chloe nodded "I will after I've eaten"

Lionel nodded "We'll head off then"

"Ok" Chloe said around another yawn

Lionel smiled, remembering how much being pregnant can take out on a woman as well as all of the emotional stress that Chloe had to entail, in telling not only himself and his family that she was expecting but her family as well and she hadn't even gotten to Clark yet, which he had already decided was going to take more out of her than she realised.

"We'll go" Lionel said looking at his two son's

Chloe nodded "I'll show you out"

Then the Luthor men followed Chloe out after they bid their goodbyes to both Gabe and Lana

"Night Chloe" Lex said as he walked through the front door and towards the waiting Limo

"One down One to go" Lucas said with a smile to Chloe

Chloe smiled, remembering her promise to Lucas "I'll call you when I go and tell him"

Lucas nodded and then smiled "Did you see the look on her face?" Lucas said with a laugh

Chloe laughed "Night Lucas"

"Night" Lucas said as he walked to the Limo after giving Chloe a small wave

Leaving Lionel and Chloe on the front door step and frowned at Chloe "What was that about?"

Chloe smiled "I promised him that he could be there when I told Lana and Clark about you and me"

Lionel nodded "That's a good idea"

Chloe shook her head "I think he just wants to see the looks on their face's more than anything"

"True" Lionel smirked "But it is a good idea, that you won't be alone"

Chloe shrugged her shoulders

"I want Lucas or Lex to be with you when you tell Clark" Lionel said in a serious tone

"I'll be fine"

"Physically maybe, but I know your history with the Kent boy so I'm talking emotionally here"

Chloe nodded "If that's what you want, then Lucas will be there" and then Chloe looked at him and lightly poked him in the chest with her finger "You know when the Kent's find out they're going to be on the front door step to the mansion to talk to you"

Lionel nodded "I can handle the Kents"

Lionel moved and pulled Chloe into a hug and placed a small kiss on the top of her head, as Chloe wrapped her arms around Lionel's waist and hugged him back

"Now darling a suggest that you get something to eat and then go to bed, because tomorrow will be a long day"

Chloe nodded "I'll be over after I've spoken to Clark"

"Just call Lucas"

"First thing" Chloe said around another yawn

Lionel pulled away "Are you sure you want to tell him, cause I could tell him"

Chloe smirked "You would love that" Lionel shrugged "No I will, I owe him that much, friendship and all"

Lionel nodded "Alright. Till tomorrow"

Chloe nodded back "Till tomorrow"

"Night darling"

"Night" Chloe said as she watched Lionel walk to the Limo after he gave her a quick kiss, and she knew that Lionel wouldn't leave until she was inside.

In The Limo

"She's inside Mr Luthor" the driver said over the intercom

"Let's go" Lionel said as he saw for himself the front door closing and then the Limo pulled away from the curb and made its way back to the mansion. Lionel looked at both of his boys "I want one of you with her at all times from the moment she tells that Kent boy, until I get her security sorted out"

Whilst Lucas thought to himself that it would be a chance to get to know Chloe, Lucas and Lex both nodded but it was Lex who spoke up "That won't be a problem, but you know that she wont take to lightly you having someone following her around, and knowing Chloe she'll notice them"

Lionel chucked "She probably will, that's why I'm going to find the best and keep them on a rotational basis"

Lex nodded "That might be best"

Lex and Lionel both sharing a knowing look that Chloe has a tendency to find out things that even the paid professionals that they hire never find out.

Lucas looked at Lionel "I'll stay by her if you want"

Lionel raised an eyebrow "Now why would you want to do that?"

"Well" Lucas started "Lex already knows her, and you know her and I don't, if she's going to be my step mother I want to get to know her"

Lex sat back and smirked

"Why are smirking son?"

Lex turned and looked Lionel "I'm just imaging her reaction when she finds out about the security"

Lionel smirked back and Lucas just had a confused look on his face "And why's that?"

"Because Chloe's reaction will be fiery, she doesn't like it when people interfere with her life"

"That's one thing you will learn quickly about Chloe, is that she'll fight tooth and nail for something and she'll argue with you until your blue in the face as well" Lionel said remembering the arguments that he had with Chloe, and loving everyone of them.

Lucas looked at Lex for some sort of confirmation, who just nodded "Why didn't I meet her last time I was here?"

Lex shrugged "I don't know, she was in town for part of your visit but she was in Metropolis for most of it though"

The three Luthor men, sat in the Limo in silence all wondering what would happen tomorrow and Lionel started planning the upcoming nuptials with his bride-to-be.