AN 1: Hey guys, I'm new to fanfiction. I read, but i didn't upload a story. Ever. okay, so here's my first try. Please read and lemme know how you feel about it. This first chapter is full of angst, but don't worry, the following chappies will contain some humor and great loads of adventure. Romance too, who knows? Alright, lemme know then.

AN 2: Okay, so about this story; I've always liked Tess Mercer. She is a strong character in Smallville. Well, my favorite character is Lois lane, what with her motor mouth and witty comebacks, but I've always had a soft spot for Tess. This chapter starts after the Season 10 finale. I opt to think that somehow Tess got saved.

Alrighty, babble over, keep reading!

Chapter One

When she opened her eyes, there was a bright light that blinded her instantly. She closed her eyes once again, trying to ignore the pain that ran through her whole body. She was in pain, her whole body was burning. She wanted to scream, but couldn't move her mouth.

She moved her head as flashbacks ran in front of her eyelids. A laugh, an evil laugh. Family, that is not important. Friends, champagne, a big old Victorian house. Rain, thunder. Bright light. Bright…. Bright light.

She finally tuned her ear to her own heartbeat. The rhythm that made her alive. That thunder. She could hear voices around her. They were saying words such as 'surgery' and 'operation'. Then a different voice, female, asking her to stay alive. They need her. Blonde hair, green eyes. She blacked out again.

When Tess Mercer woke up again, she saw that everything was back to normal. She was in a hospital bed, all alone, hooked up to an IV. She blinked her eyes furiously trying to place what happened. She couldn't remember. But with all those flashbacks, she felt as if she had died, and was brought back to life.

A knife, a bloody knife flashed before her eyes, and Tess gasped. She was holding a hand over her stomach, as if by habit. She touched her stomach through the hospital gown. It felt weird. Since she was all alone, she had to manage on her own. She sat up on the bed, and put her legs down. Slowly taking off the IV drip, cringing at the sudden pain, she stumbled off the bed, but almost fell on her knees.

Her stomach was aching. As if it was burning. As if somebody had driven a knife through it. Family. Tess didn't understand the sudden flashbacks. She was gasping and was tired. She held on to the bed and slowly started to stand up. Testing her legs, she slowly walked to the closet, looking suspiciously at the glass of water on the table. It looked evil.

Leaning against the wall, she opened the closet door and peered in. No clothes. What, did the people who brought her in know that she would run away the minute she wakes up? But Tess had no reason to lie to herself. She was thinking of running away. She didn't trust hospitals. They were dreaded institutions. Tess sighed just as the door opened to her room.

The short cute blonde looked at Tess with wide eyes. She was carrying some documents and a huge bag. Tess narrowed her eyes and quick flashes to an engagement party and a heart to heart in a tall building with no lights, made her recognize the girl.

"Chloe?" she asked.

"Tess, what are you doing NOT resting on your bed?" Chloe started and quickly closed the door.

Tess watched as Chloe Sullivan locked the door and looked around suspiciously, closing the blinds after peering through them. Tess watched clueless, leaning against the wall. Finally, with all entries and exists blocked, she looked at the camera in the far right corner of the room. Tess watched intrigued as Chloe got an iPad and typed furiously. She set it upon a table at the far right corner and sighed.

"Okay, so I've gat all the blinds closed, the radio signals will tap into the camera, blocking the live feeds from this room, and so, they won't be able to hear into our conversation" Chloe said, keeping her bag at the bed side.

She pulled out some baked tarts and offered them to Tess, saying 'Some of Mrs. Kent's finest blueberry tarts'. Tess shook her head. Chloe sat on the bed and pulled out a file, giving it to Tess.

"What is it?" asked Tess, taking the file.

"Everything you want to know about Lex Luthor" Chloe said, taking a big bite from her tart.

The bloody knife flashed through Tess's mind, as she grasped the edge of the bed with the weight of the memory. Chloe was on her feet, aiding the red head back to her bed.

"Tess, are you alright?" she asked, concern, though a bit edgy, dripping in her voice, "Clark was right. You are weak now"

"Clark….." Tess murmured, as a flash of red and blue overthrew in her mind, "Kent. Clark Kent. Where is he? Is he okay?"

"Yep, he's out there saving the world" Chloe said, pointedly looking outside the window.

"And Lois?" Tess asked, her memories were starting to fall into place now.

"Are you okay, Tess?" asked Chloe, frowning, "Lois was never your strong point of concern. But yes, she's doing fine too, working her ass off stories about the Blur. And before you ask, Ollie is doing fine too"

Oliver Queen, her ex, who is married to Chloe now. Tess shook her head, she was missing someone. And the name Lex Luthor….. She looked back at the file, and started to turn the pages.

"Why did you give me this?" asked Tess.

"Well, I thought that you'd ought to get some information about your enemy before attacking him, right?" said Chloe.

Enemy. Lex Luthor. Attack. Now all the pieces fell in place. That night, Lex had told her about her origins. She wasn't an orphan who was left at an all girls school, and was trained to be cold and distant. No. she was Lionel Luthor's long lost daughter, Lutessa Luthor. She was Lex's sister. Half-sister, more accurately. Lex said that he doesn't want her to become the next Lex Luthor, and that's why he was taking her pain. He had stabbed her. Her own brother, the one who she had spent most of her adult years trying to get him back, trying to protect him. He had stabbed her and watched her bleed to death.

"Tess?" Chloe's voice brought her back.

"Yeah…. Yeah. Thanks" Tess was distant.

"I don't think you are strong to take over Luthor, Tess" Chloe said.

"I…" she took a deep breath, "for all the things Lex had done, he deserves to die, slowly. He deserves a painful death. And I am the one to do it"

"Why?" asked Chloe.

"Because….. because I loved him….. like a brother. And he ruined me, over and over again. Chloe, he wanted to kill me. He said that-"

"What did he say, Tess?" asked Chloe

Tess was deep in the memories. Her brother killed her. Her brother. Tess was having a headache by now.

"I want some rest, Chloe" she said and Chloe nodded.

"Okay, whenever you are ready, just give me a call"

Tess nodded. She fell back on the bed and watched Chloe go, through slit eyes. Just as she walked out the door, Tess jumped from the bed, and ignoring the stabbing pain in her stomach, she leaned down and opened the bag. Clothes, finally.

In ten minutes, Tess was dressed in jeans, a black jacket and a grey T-shirt. She wore the black boots and put on a monkey cap, to hide her red hair. She looked inside to find her wallet, and pocketed her cell phone. Then she grabbed the bag and slowly walked to the door.

It's now or never, she said to herself. She slowly unlatched the door and looked outside. People, doctors, nurses and patients were walking everywhere. It was busy. With her head low, she mixed into the patients and the visitors and slipped through the reception.

"Hey, wait a minute!"

Tess froze. Her hands were balled into fists. Her head still low, she stood still, until a guy came in front of her. She slowly rose her head and inspected the guy. He looked like he was in his early twenties. He was in a black suit and a black bag strapped across his chest. He had a smiling face as well. With dark hair and sea green eyes, Tess thought that he was kind of cute.

"You look awfully a lot like the Luthor heiress, Tess Mercer" he said.

"Yes" Tess replied, faking a bubbly tone thatahe hoped would annoy the guy, "Isn't that so? A lot of people say that to me. But believe me, I can never be her. She's so pretty and rich"

"Oh, from everything I've heard, she's a heinous bitch" the guy said.

Tess flexed her fists and smiled thinly at the guy who looked across her to notice somebody else. Excusing himself, he rushed past her and then only Tess let out the breath she'd been unconsciously holding. A heinous bitch? She'd show who the heinous bitch is. As Tess walked away, she thought that she escaped from a hard situation. Judging from the guy's quick detecting, she knew that he was a journalist. Oh, how she hated journalists. Still eyes down, she escaped the hospital.

AN 3: So how'd you liked it? Please comment

*hugs*,

Sarah