1-19-06

This fanfic is basically another story line that could be used in an episode of Smallville. This takes place after the episode with Aquaman in it (sorry that I don't know the episode name for all those die hard Smallville fans out there!) I haven't really named it as a whole yet so if there are any suggestions, feel free to input. This is the first chapter of a bigger story I'm going to work on and I'm a newbie so try not judge harshly, but criticism is always welcome if there is anything I can improve. So, enjoy!

Chapter One - The Stranger

"Alright Clark, make sure you put the bills in the mailbox before you go, okay?"

"Will do, Lana." Clark said in a wary voice as she reminded him for the fifth time.

"Okay ... Oh crap! I'm already running late to the interview! How do I look?"

Lana had bought a new outfit for this interview. She had her heart set on it. And on their future.

"Perfect. He'd be nuts if he didn't hire you."

Clark dipped his head to capture Lana's lips.

Lana was never immune to kiss and she knew she never would be.

Ever since they had they're apartment together, things were running smoothly. Clark wasn't always up to his usual secretive antics and, for once, Alexander Luther

wasn't breathing down their necks. Yes, things were... comfortable, just as she had always imagined it would be. No more secrets, no more lies, no more hiding.

Just them. Together. It was a beautiful thing.

And yet, Lana had an interview to get to; otherwise they would never be able to pay next month's rent so being together wasn't so helpful this time.

Lana tried to struggle away from Clark's locked hold but she could only force her kiss away from him.

"I have to go, Clark. We'll continue this later." She said with her hands gently placed on the back of his neck and playing with his hair. He always had an unnatural strength about him and she always felt it when he held her.

"Okay then, good luck, honey."

"Thanks, bye."

Lana closed the door behind her.

"Now to Cloe's place."

Clark ran to their white-walled bedroom where their bay window out looked the parking lot at the far end of their room and where their bed mattress was sitting on the floor with the sheets in a jumble. They just bought a new dresser to put Clark's clothes in since Lana's clothes took up the whole closet. Clark didn't mind at all. All he wanted was to see her happy. Happy and in love with him. Its just too bad that she couldn't find out what he truly was. That he had to keep secret from her for her own safety. But, dammit! He couldn't stand the fact of keeping it from her after they promised to be open with everything.

Things don't always go the way you want them to.

And for Clark Kent, this was true.

But it was for her safety, he reminded himself.

Clark whipped around their room to find his jacket which he couldn't find anywhere. He squinted his eyes and x-rayed the piles of clothes to find his jacket on the bottom of the biggest pile. He picked the pile up in one big heave and careful threw it across the room. Last time he threw a pile of clothes, he almost broke the window. Luckily Lana fell for a bird crashing into it and that was why it was cracked. It was a close call that day. He threw on his jacket and headed out the door.

Damn. The bills.

He unlocked the door and got inside. He retrieved the bills next to the phone and surprisingly, there was a new message on the answering machine. He pressed the play button.

"Hey Clark, and Lana, this is Chloe. Ummm, well I just needed some sugar but you guys obviously aren't home so call me back. You know, I need a complex carb fix. Haha, oh man that was lame. Well sorry to bother. Bye."

The machine beeped and ended. Clark knew immediately what was going on. 'Ineed some sugar' was code for 'get the hell over here because I found something'. Since Lana didn't know about Clark's powers, he and Chloe decided it would be better to hide that little detail.

With anxiety running through his veins, he quickly ran to his car and fumbled with the keys into the ignition.

Lana had never been so nervous in her life. She always excelled at everything. So why was she so anxious now? She forced herself to take deep breath and focus her energy on getting through the interview without stumbling over her words or over her heels that were 4 inches high. She fianlly went through the door with determination gleaming in her eyes. She walked confidently to the front desk that read Luther Corp. in big, bold lettering.

"How may I help you?"

"Hi, Lana Lang, I have an interview with Mr. Luther?"

The lady was plump and had 40 years under her belt with a look that told you not to question her authority but spoke in a sing song voice to Lana.

"Yes, Ms. Lang, please take a seat. Mr. Luther will be right with you."

"Thank you."

Lana exhaled for what seemed the first time since she had entered the room. She took her seat near the corner. The room was pretty big. The beams were stainless steel the shined in the light and all of the walls were made of glass that you couldn't see through. There were many chairs and magazines stocked for year's worth of waiting. Lana caught a glimspe a the magazine Hustler.

She laughed to herself at how he considered the guests that walked through his doors.

Though Lana nor Clark took a particular liking to Lex, he always seemed to offer things to them. But they always came with a price.

This time, it didn't, however.

Lex heard from someplace or another that Lana needed a job to afford the appartment. Lex always seemed to know what was going on; not that that was anything surprising. Lex ran Smallville like he owned the place. You could almost say that he does.

But Lana wasn't stupid. She knew about Lex's ways. Which was exactly why she agreed to take the interview. No, she wasn't fond of him, but she wasn't going to pass up a job oppurtunity just because of it. And, as a bonus, she knew what to expect, especially since Clark and Lex used to be the best of friends.

Used to be.

Sometimes she thought it would be better if everyone just got along.

It would be better if my parents were alive, too.

But that was wishful thinking. The meteor shower almost killed everything she loved.

And then came Clark Kent.

A boy from the Kent farm and family but his origins were from God knows where. She asked him a million times and he claims he doesn't know. But it was just another thing they had in common; they never grew up with their real parents. And she left it at that.

No use in prying, she thought to herself.

But that was Chloe's job. Always prying. Sometimes Lana wondered if Chloe knew more about Clark than she did.

But she put the thought out of her mind. She was happy, in love, and now going to get a job.

She had everything a girl could dream about.

"Excuse me?"

Lana snapped out of her thoughts and returned to reality.

"Excuse me?" the voice repeated again.

Lana shook her head

"Oh, I'm sorry. I got lost in thought." Lana replied and offered him an apologetic smile.

"Lana Lang?"

The masculine voice echoed through her soul and she could see him mouthing her name to perfection. She turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

She could barely get the word out. This man was incredibly beautiful. There was just something about him that made her want to just listen to his lilting voice for days.

"Hi, I'm Atklos Marlionuryian Temptus."

He extended his hand to her in greeting after his long sentence and offered her a welcoming smile.

She wondered what nationality he was to have that long of a name but she was too busy wanting to faint. The man was gorgeous. Like a spell cast over her and his eyes held her in a trance. She looked dreamily into his blue sunset mist eyes but at the same time, they had a wise, aged look to them. The odd thing was they were crystal blue, literally. He had tanned skin that was evenly toned and his hair was spiked and kind of long with a dark tint of blonde but for some reason, it shined a bleach white in the light. He was tall and built to perfection. He wore a black button down shirt with black slacks and a set of black dress shoes that were square at the toe end.

"Most call me Klio." He added continuing his smile when she didn't respond.

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm Lana Lang, well, you already knew that. Wait, how do you know that?" Lana took his hand into hers to return the gesture and felt a shocking burst of warmth. She felt a dizzy spell come on her but then she quickly sobered. She shook her head at the immediate reaction.

"Any friend of Lex's is a friend of mine. And its a pleasure." He said in a kind, patient voice and gave a slight nod in honor. He held his hand in hers delicately and turned it over to place the back of her hand to his full lips. She wanted to burst from the sudden sensation.

"Well... I..."

"Lana Lang?" The secretary's voice inturrupted mid sentence. "Mr. Luther is ready to see you now."

Lana turned to Klio in regret that this sudden meeting had to end.

"It was an honor to finally meet you in person, Lana." Her name rolled off of his toungue like milk chocolate.

"You, too." was all she could force out of herself as she looked at him dreamily.

She turned around to face the door to Lex's office and thought of how that man had such impeccable manners. She never figured a man with spiked hair to have such decency and yet he was the most handsome thing she laid eyes on. He was so...

Lana's focus shot back to the interview. She looked around the room and wondered where all the time had gone.

What was I doing while I was waiting?

"Oh well" she said quietly to herself as she wondered why the last 5 minutes drew a blank to her.

Maybe I was sleeping... I hope not.

When the secretary and Lana finally approached the door, Lana realized how cold it was inside the building. It was almost chilly.

Then why did her right hand feel warm?