I own absolutley nothing and no one in this story. Superman/Clark Kent completely belongs to DC Comics and Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster. Smallville is the creative work of Warner Brothers.The song Auld Lang Syne is the property of Robert Burns.I wrote this last year, but never posted it. With the upcoming season, I thught it finally appropriate. Hope you like it.
Auld Lang Syne
Of all the things I wondered what life held for me, what my real parents plans were for me when they sent me away to save my life, this is the last thing I ever thought I'd be doing. It's probably the last thing they wanted for me also. But it's funny how life turns out.
Journalism was the last thing I ever thought of when I thought of career choices. I didn't know what I was supposed to do, but this…this was Chloe's dream. Not mine. I wanted to make a change in the world, do some good. Something I don't think I do much of in this job. My other job, however…
But then again, my other job doesn't pay the bills.
Hmmm, Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis. Chloe used to always tell me, "The Power of the Press, Clark." And look what the power of the press got her. A coma that she's been in for almost two years. After all of these years, she finally got herself into something that I couldn't save her from.
I look down at the white velum envelope lying on my desk unopened. I want to rip it up and throw it away. I know what it is and I'm angry.
My life has changed so much since we were all in high school. All of my friends are gone, and then there are some people I can't seem to get away from.
"Hey Smallville, scooped you again."
Speaking of people I can never get away from…
She scoops the envelope from my desk and opened it. I don't even bother to stop her.
"Oh my God! Clark, do you know what this is?"
"An invitation to the exclusive New Years Eve party at the Luther Mansion." I hear myself say. Do I really sound that tired?
She looks down at me, and I can see her eyes full of different emotions, excitement, cunning, possibilities…
"You're going aren't you?"
"I haven't decided yet."
"How can you even think about not going?" The excitement was running over into her voice. "Do you know how impossible it is to get one of these? And if you're a member of the press, forget it." She looks at me, and I know what she's going to say before she even says it.
"You have to go. And you have to take me."
"Lois, I don't even know if I want to go."
But she wasn't listening, she was scanning the envelope.
"Of course you're going. The invitation was specifically addressed to you." She looked back over at me. "I didn't know you knew Lex Luthor that well."
"It was years ago."
In the end, with Lois' convincing, I did end up sending in the RSVP. I sit in the back of the limo that was furnished for us, doing my best to ignore Lois' chattering and nervous excitement. For her, this is the biggest scoop she could get. And inside and exclusive article of the elusive Lex Luthor, CEO of LexCorp, the most powerful man in Metropolis, and number two on the list of most powerful men in the US.
For me, it meant facing a man I once called friend. For I knew Lex, once I confirmed my arrival, I resigned myself to the fact that I would not leave this party without facing my old friend. A man I have not talked to in over five years. A man who now, without him even really knowing, has become my archenemy.
Walking up the stairs to the mansion, we could hear the music and the people talking inside.
"Look! There he is!" Lois whispered excitedly in my ear, discreetly pointing to where Lex was politely greeting his guests.
There was no way we could pass without his noticing. Not that Lois would hear of it anyway.
Pulling me along, she made her way into the line and soon we were both face to face with him. He smiled politely, taking Lois' hand and kissing it.
"Ah, Miss Lane, welcome to my humble home. I look forward to speaking with you later this evening."
She grinned. "And don't think I won't hold you to that, Mr. Luthor."
He has always had a way with the women in my life. Sneaks right in and earns their trust until they can't see that he has become as twisted as his father, if not more so.
His gaze lands on me, and I fight to keep control of my anger. He smiles slightly, shaking my hand and nodding.
"Clark. I'm glad you could make it."
I grit my teeth. "Thanks for inviting me, Lex."
He smiles again, and then it's over. We're moved along into the heart of the party.
Beside me, Lois is acting like a young girl in a candy factory. I know she's mentally taking notes of the people there; the powerful men and women in Metropolis, legally and not. This will all end up in an article for the late edition of the New Year's Day edition of the Daily Planet. And yet once again, Perry White will kiss her feet for nabbing the exclusive.
"I'm going to scout around." She tells me, and then she's gone. I head towards the bar, wondering if maybe I ran real fast, I could escape with no one the wiser. But I know Lex has hidden cameras all over this house, and I'm willing to bet there is one trained on me at all times, just in case. I'm trapped here until he decides to let me go.
Two hours pass until I notice someone approaching me. Lois is still nowhere to be found.
"Mr. Kent? I'm to escort you to see Mr. Luthor."
I nod. Let's get this over with, I think as I follow the man through rooms and towards a large oak door. The man knocks, and then opens the door, indicating that I should enter.
I walk in, not surprised that the door closed behind me and noone else but us were here.
Lex never did think of me as a threat, which is ironic, because I'm the biggest threat to him now. I'm the only one who can stop him.
"Brandy?"
"Just water, please."
"I forgot. You don't drink."
He turned, holding two crystal hi-balls of liquid. Walking over, he hands me one and motions for me to sit down.
"I drink." I say, sitting in one of the leather chairs. "I just don't indulge myself much."
He acquest and takes a drink from his glass. I wait. If I wait long enough, I'll find out why he summoned me.
Finally, he put down the glass and sat back, his eyes still on me. "I guess you're wondering why I sent you the invitation. Especially after all these years."
"The thought had crossed my mind."
"Thank you, by the way, for accepting my invitation."
"I had no choice. Once Lois saw it, I was doomed to RSVP."
He smiled. "How is the beautiful Miss Lane these days?"
"Persistent."
"Ahh, so I should speak with her before the party is over."
"It would probably be prudent." I agree.
He nods slowly, taking another drink.
"The truth is Clark, I was feeling nostalgic. This is almost the end of a decade for us and I couldn't let this year end without speaking to you at least one last time."
It couldn't be that easy. "That's it?'
He smiled slyly. "And to ask one last time for your hand in friendship."
"Your friendship comes at a high price, Lex." I tell him truthfully. "And I can't afford that price anymore."
He smiled sadly, and for a moment I see the man I used to call friend in his eyes. "There was no harm in asking."
I don't know what made me relent; the holiday season, the fact that I knew the Lex Luthor I knew as a teen was still there in him somewhere.
"I will make you a deal, if you like." I started. I could see him trying to figure out my offer.
"Go on." He urged.
"I will sit in here and talk with you. Until the New Year; until the end of the decade for us. For auld lang syne."
He smiled. "Would you like a refill?" He offered.
For almost three hours we talked. We talked of family; his and mine, we talked of our lives; old and new, we talked of friends and futures and pasts.
"Lana is married to the high school football coach." I told him. He didn't look shocked.
"I'm glad she finally found someone. No offence, but you and she would have never worked out. The two of you were more alike than you realized."
In my high school days, as much as I would have loved for Lana to be mine, a part of me always understood that Lex and I shared her. And now that I'm older, I know he's right. Lana and I were too much alike to have ever been happy together.
"Has there been any change in Chloe's condition?" He asked. I shook my head.
"None. The doctor's don't know if she'll ever regain consciousness."
"I noticed you had set up a trust fund for Chloe's hospitalization." He said. I nodded.
"Her friends contribute as much as they can to it." I said.
When I found out the doctor's didn't know how long she would be in a coma after her accident, I took a large portion of the inheritance I received from Dr. Swann after his death and set it in a trust fund for Chloe. I knew Lois contributed to it bi-weekly and from the statements I received monthly, I knew Lana contributed when she could and that Pete contributed once a month from an overseas account. Last year there was a large amount of money from an anonymous donor, and I always had my suspicions who it was.
"I donated to it last year." He said, confirming my suspicions. "I always considered Chloe a friend. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all. Thank you."
I glanced at the clock, noticing it was fifteen minutes till midnight. Glancing back at Lex, I saw he noticed it also.
"I'm expected to be out there when the ball drops." Was all he said. I nodded, standing up.
"Clark wait." He said, before I could turn to leave the room. "I'm glad we had this time. And if we never see each other again, I want you to know how much your friendship has meant to me, how much it still means to me."
"If situations and circumstances were different…" I trailed off, knowing he would understand. He smiled and nodded.
"Exactly." Stepping forward, he extended his hand. For the last time and without hesitation, I took it.
"Happy New Year, Lex."
"Goodbye, Clark."
The door opened and the man who escorted me in spoke.
"The crowd is ready Mr. Luthor."
"I'm on my way, Parker."
10…9…8…
I looked around the crowd.
7…6…5…
I couldn't find Lois anywhere.
4…3…
Glancing to my right, I spotted Lex on the bandstand smiling with a blond on his arm.
2…
He looked at me, and smiled.
1…
I smiled back.
Happy New Year!
The confetti and balloons fell from the ceiling and I lost sight of everything.
"Ow! Hey, watch those hands Mister!"
I turned to see Lois, glaring at someone to her right.
She looked back at me.
"Hey Smallville. Glad you came now?"
I looked back at her, my thought going back the last three hours.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
"Actually, Lois, I am glad you make me come."
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne.
Smiling, she reached up and kissed my cheek.
"Told you." She said.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
Glancing once more at the bandstand, I smiled again, listening to the words of the song.
Goodbye old friend. I thought, closing the door to another part of my past.
We'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne