If I Go Crazy
By Janet Jongebloed
"If I go crazy, then will you still call me Superman?"
Slowly, Lex walked into his office his mind blocked out painful thoughts, leaving him for the moment emotionally dead. Unlocking the cold metal cabinet, he retrieved a small box. Sitting down at the mahogany desk, he set the box in front of him. Just its presence seemed imposing and foreboding. Once he turned down this path there was no turning back.
The lock on the silver box fell open with the turn of a key and Lex was face to face with the reality of what had to do. Sent from Star Labs, it was a heavy piece of Kryptonite. It glowed green innocently, unaware that everything relied on its power.
Lex took it out of molded spot it took up in the box. Calmly he stared at it, the light show it made throughout the room when reflecting off the chandelier. "Clark, what have you gotten yourself into?" His voice was tired, tired of fighting with this choice. Being the only one who could get the world out of this mess was something that fought with his soul.
There had been Lana. She knew the way out too... way back when she was still alive. And the Kents, but they were gone too. Clark had trusted no one else with his weakness. Now his trust would have to be used against him.
Even hiding behind the ultra-security of his fortress like home Lex knew what was going on, how many people were being killed. Safety was a thing of the past, ever since their 'Superman' had fallen from grace. Clark had 'discovered his true purpose' so he said; the Kryptons had sent him to take over. It had quickly turned into a power trip with him, after he realized how much more powerful he was compared to the normal humans. Scared for so many years, once his secret came out and once he realized that it didn't matter and the government posed no threat to him... that was the beginning of the end.
With a pang of regret, Lex put the Kryptonite back in the box and carefully locked it. He decided not to think about it anymore, put it back in the cabinet and closed the door. There had to be another way, something he hadn't thought of yet. This was his friend, he had always thought of Clark as a little brother, there had to be a way to reach him. But could they spare the time it took Lex to find it.
He exited the office and shut the door behind him, squaring away the thoughts for the time being. On the other side of the mansion, Lex found his wife watching the evening news worriedly. Their daughter was asleep on her lap.
"I can't believe it," Lori Luther shook her long blond curly hair. Dismayed by the images that flashed on the flatscreen television. A building in flames, hundred stories high, collapsing in on itself, "Look what Kal-EL did now. Oh, Lex, I don't understand what is going on with the world today."
Pensively Lex sat next to her, trying to comfort her but still lost in his thoughts. Every other day it was something different, Clark seemed content on his mission to destroy the human race. God, how he had changed from the shy compassionate farm boy he once was. Lex kept that part of Clark's past to himself, to tell Lori about who he had been would be fruitless. She'd never believe it, she hadn't grown up in Smallville, hadn't know Clark like Lex did.
Lex shook himself out of his reverie and kissed his wife on the forehead, "Don't worry, I'm sure the government will take care of this. They'll find a way. And we're safe behind here in the manor." Tenderly he cupped her chin in his hands, "Okay?"
"Take care of me Lex," Lori asked, appreciating all that she shared with her husband, "Forever."
"I promise." There was no power in the world that could take his girl from him. She had saved him from an empty loveless life, saved him from becoming like his father.
Careful not to wake the sleeping five-year-old Lex lifted his daughter, the other bright light of his life, up into his arms. "I'm going to take Angie to bed, why don't you go to bed too? It's late."
With a yawn, Lori nodded. Their bedrooms were a short walk down the west wing hall.
"I'll be there in a few minutes." Lex softly said just before he disappeared into one of the rooms.
"I'll be waiting." Lori smiled.
Lavender with white wicker furniture Angie's room was a sharp contrast from the rest of the dark mansion. After he tucked his daughter in, he kissed her on her forehead and prayed to whoever would listen that his family would stay safe. That someday they would be able to live safely in a world void of the pain they had all experienced in the past few years.
He walked over to the far wall where a breeze was coming through the open balcony window.
Someday.
...TO BE CONTINUED...
By Janet Jongebloed
"If I go crazy, then will you still call me Superman?"
Slowly, Lex walked into his office his mind blocked out painful thoughts, leaving him for the moment emotionally dead. Unlocking the cold metal cabinet, he retrieved a small box. Sitting down at the mahogany desk, he set the box in front of him. Just its presence seemed imposing and foreboding. Once he turned down this path there was no turning back.
The lock on the silver box fell open with the turn of a key and Lex was face to face with the reality of what had to do. Sent from Star Labs, it was a heavy piece of Kryptonite. It glowed green innocently, unaware that everything relied on its power.
Lex took it out of molded spot it took up in the box. Calmly he stared at it, the light show it made throughout the room when reflecting off the chandelier. "Clark, what have you gotten yourself into?" His voice was tired, tired of fighting with this choice. Being the only one who could get the world out of this mess was something that fought with his soul.
There had been Lana. She knew the way out too... way back when she was still alive. And the Kents, but they were gone too. Clark had trusted no one else with his weakness. Now his trust would have to be used against him.
Even hiding behind the ultra-security of his fortress like home Lex knew what was going on, how many people were being killed. Safety was a thing of the past, ever since their 'Superman' had fallen from grace. Clark had 'discovered his true purpose' so he said; the Kryptons had sent him to take over. It had quickly turned into a power trip with him, after he realized how much more powerful he was compared to the normal humans. Scared for so many years, once his secret came out and once he realized that it didn't matter and the government posed no threat to him... that was the beginning of the end.
With a pang of regret, Lex put the Kryptonite back in the box and carefully locked it. He decided not to think about it anymore, put it back in the cabinet and closed the door. There had to be another way, something he hadn't thought of yet. This was his friend, he had always thought of Clark as a little brother, there had to be a way to reach him. But could they spare the time it took Lex to find it.
He exited the office and shut the door behind him, squaring away the thoughts for the time being. On the other side of the mansion, Lex found his wife watching the evening news worriedly. Their daughter was asleep on her lap.
"I can't believe it," Lori Luther shook her long blond curly hair. Dismayed by the images that flashed on the flatscreen television. A building in flames, hundred stories high, collapsing in on itself, "Look what Kal-EL did now. Oh, Lex, I don't understand what is going on with the world today."
Pensively Lex sat next to her, trying to comfort her but still lost in his thoughts. Every other day it was something different, Clark seemed content on his mission to destroy the human race. God, how he had changed from the shy compassionate farm boy he once was. Lex kept that part of Clark's past to himself, to tell Lori about who he had been would be fruitless. She'd never believe it, she hadn't grown up in Smallville, hadn't know Clark like Lex did.
Lex shook himself out of his reverie and kissed his wife on the forehead, "Don't worry, I'm sure the government will take care of this. They'll find a way. And we're safe behind here in the manor." Tenderly he cupped her chin in his hands, "Okay?"
"Take care of me Lex," Lori asked, appreciating all that she shared with her husband, "Forever."
"I promise." There was no power in the world that could take his girl from him. She had saved him from an empty loveless life, saved him from becoming like his father.
Careful not to wake the sleeping five-year-old Lex lifted his daughter, the other bright light of his life, up into his arms. "I'm going to take Angie to bed, why don't you go to bed too? It's late."
With a yawn, Lori nodded. Their bedrooms were a short walk down the west wing hall.
"I'll be there in a few minutes." Lex softly said just before he disappeared into one of the rooms.
"I'll be waiting." Lori smiled.
Lavender with white wicker furniture Angie's room was a sharp contrast from the rest of the dark mansion. After he tucked his daughter in, he kissed her on her forehead and prayed to whoever would listen that his family would stay safe. That someday they would be able to live safely in a world void of the pain they had all experienced in the past few years.
He walked over to the far wall where a breeze was coming through the open balcony window.
Someday.
...TO BE CONTINUED...