Author: Vona
Title: Haven
Disclaimer: I don't own Superman, Smallville, or any of these characters.
Pairing: L/L a little bit of H/L
Summary: Set after Precipice *sigh, the fight scene*. Chloe is moving to Metropolis, leaving Lana homeless. Lex swoops in to save the day.
Rating: PG-13
Distribution: fanfiction.net, Envision, Hazardous, The Talon, everyone else just ask!
Haven
Chapter One
Places
Lana Lang set the mug of cappuchino in front of Chloe Sullivan, listening carefully to her friend's words. Her long ebony hair fell over her shoulders, shining silkily around her face. She was unaware that she was being studied by Lex Luthor, local billionare. He sat in a booth, impeccably dressed, eavesdropping on the conversation his favorite employee was having.
"I'm really sorry, Lana, but he found a much better job in Metropolis. We have to move now. It's a wonderful opportunity for the both of us. I can become a correspondent for The Daily Planet. I'll miss you, but we have to do this." Chloe finished up.
Lana sighed, "But where will I stay?"
"You can always move to Metropolis, too, with your Aunt Nell and Dean."
"No way."
"Or someone from Smallville. I'm sure you can find someone who will keep you. What about Henry?"
Lana paused, considering her father as an option. Finally, Lana shook her head.
"No, Henry's wife was going to get a divorce from him because of me. He's trying to repair his relationship with her, and I won't stop him."
Chloe stared at her sympathetically. Lana hadn't even realized that tears sparkled in her green eyes.
"It's okay, Chloe. Really." Lana sighed inwardly. *No. It's not. How could she desert me like this? I know it's not her fault. I know I'm being selfish, but I don't want to leave Smallville. My life is here right now. I have Clark, and I have The Talon and even Smallville High. My father is here. I can't leave right now.*
Lana continued, "I have to serve some customers."
She picked up two cups of coffee and started out behind the counter, a few tears spilling over her apple colored cheeks. She tried to get control of herself. As she wasn't paying attention, she knocked into a table, tripping over her own feet. Strong arms reached out and grabbed her by the waist.
"Lex!" Lana cried out when she saw who the owner was. He smirked boyishly as he remarked snidely, "Lana, your job is not to dump coffee on the customers."
Lana felt her cheeks go hot and she momentarily forgot her reason for being upset. She lifted the cup in question proudly.
"But I didn't spill, Lex."
"You're lucky this time."
He nodded to the bench in front of him.
"Have one of the waitresses take that. I need to discuss something with you."
"I'm thoroughly intrigued." Lana motioned to a waitress before taking a seat. Lex clasped his hands, considering his words. He really didn't want Lana to get the wrong idea of what he was about to suggest. That would be the worst case scenario, though. Best case, she would embrace the idea with open arms. He raised his eyes and met Lana's. She suddenly realized how crystal blue his irises were and knew she'd get lost in them if she held his gaze any longer. She lowered her gaze, thick, dark eyelashes covering her.
Lex began, "I hope you don't get angry with me, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Ms. Sullivan."
"Oh. I don't know if I'll have to leave The Talon or not. I might be able to find some place to live."
"Actually, that's what I want to talk to you about."
"You do?"
"I have the Luthor mansion, you know. We have several rooms, certainly enough for one more person."
Lana's eyes were wide emeralds glittering in the sunlight from the windows. They were innocent. She was innocent. She was so purely perfect that he often wondered if it was possible to allow himself contact with her. He seemed to sully everything around him, why not Lana Lang? She was still staring at him, slightly dense, not having a clue of what he was asking, or at the very least, not presuming what she hoped so deeply he was. Lex immediately understood that he would have to come out directly with it.
"Lana, why don't you move in with me?"
She kept her face blank, so he couldn't tell what she was thinking. He hated not being able to decipher her thoughts. Lana was usually an open book with her feelings. Lex loved that honesty she allowed herself to show. She spoke so quietly, he barely heard her above the commotion of the coffeehouse.
"What will Dr. Bryce think? Shouldn't you talk to her?"
Lex smirked ever so slightly.
"Well, first of all, it is my house. Secondly, Helen won't mind. She likes you. She won't mind us helping you out."
"Are you sure about this, Lex?"
She was obviously trying to give him a way out if he so desired, in which he didn't. He simply wanted to help the girl.
"I wouldn't have offered it if I wasn't."
Her whole face lit up with joy and relief.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Lex nodded, his bald head glinting against the lighting. "I'll talk with your aunt to clear this with her. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."
"That would be bad. She likes you, Lex. She'll say it's okay."
"Wonderful. Now get back to work before I decide to fire you for both clumsiness and laziness."
Lana laughed lightly as she stood. Impulsively, she threw her arms around Lex briefly before returning to the counter where Chloe and Pete now sat.
Chloe started to laugh and she immediately jibed at her.
"What was that hug about with the prestigious Lex Luthor?"
Lana was beaming, a deep contrast to her earlier demeanor.
"Lex offered to let me move into the manor. He heard us talking and asked. I can stay in Smallville!"
Chloe grinned, happy for her friends. She had the feeling Lana thought of Lex more than she wanted to admit. Pete wasn't so glad for the decision.
"You can't move in with the devil, Lana!"
Lana rolled her eyes delicately, putting her hand on his arm.
"I appreciate your concern, Pete, but Lex is hardly Satan. He's sweet enough to offer me a room, I won't complain."
"Don't you realize that nothing comes for free when a Luthor is involved?"
"Pete, Lex isn't going to use this against me. He's not his father."
"Who's not their father?"
Lana turned to find Clark approaching the group. She smiled brightly at him.
"Uh, Lex isn't. He's letting me move in with him."
"But you're living with Chloe."
Lana bit her bottom lip, appearing like a deer caught in headlights. Chloe apparently hadn't mentioned her move to Clark. Since they were hardly speaking, she wasn't exactly forthcoming with information. Chloe visibly blanched as she took a deep breath. Lana sent her an apologetic look which Chloe shrugged off.
"I'm moving to Metropolis in a week, Clark, leaving Lana where she was only a few months ago. Savior Lex swooped in to rescue the damsel in distress, unfortunately for you, he's wearing the armor today."
Clark shifted uncomfortably.
"I'm glad that Lex can help Lana. I'm also sorry that your leaving Smallville, Chloe."
"I'm sure."
An awkward pall settled over the group though The Talon was alive with excitement. Chloe gathered her bag.
"Well, I've got to start packing. I'll see you at home, Lana."
Chloe strutted out the door, leaving the three behind.
Title: Haven
Disclaimer: I don't own Superman, Smallville, or any of these characters.
Pairing: L/L a little bit of H/L
Summary: Set after Precipice *sigh, the fight scene*. Chloe is moving to Metropolis, leaving Lana homeless. Lex swoops in to save the day.
Rating: PG-13
Distribution: fanfiction.net, Envision, Hazardous, The Talon, everyone else just ask!
Haven
Chapter One
Places
Lana Lang set the mug of cappuchino in front of Chloe Sullivan, listening carefully to her friend's words. Her long ebony hair fell over her shoulders, shining silkily around her face. She was unaware that she was being studied by Lex Luthor, local billionare. He sat in a booth, impeccably dressed, eavesdropping on the conversation his favorite employee was having.
"I'm really sorry, Lana, but he found a much better job in Metropolis. We have to move now. It's a wonderful opportunity for the both of us. I can become a correspondent for The Daily Planet. I'll miss you, but we have to do this." Chloe finished up.
Lana sighed, "But where will I stay?"
"You can always move to Metropolis, too, with your Aunt Nell and Dean."
"No way."
"Or someone from Smallville. I'm sure you can find someone who will keep you. What about Henry?"
Lana paused, considering her father as an option. Finally, Lana shook her head.
"No, Henry's wife was going to get a divorce from him because of me. He's trying to repair his relationship with her, and I won't stop him."
Chloe stared at her sympathetically. Lana hadn't even realized that tears sparkled in her green eyes.
"It's okay, Chloe. Really." Lana sighed inwardly. *No. It's not. How could she desert me like this? I know it's not her fault. I know I'm being selfish, but I don't want to leave Smallville. My life is here right now. I have Clark, and I have The Talon and even Smallville High. My father is here. I can't leave right now.*
Lana continued, "I have to serve some customers."
She picked up two cups of coffee and started out behind the counter, a few tears spilling over her apple colored cheeks. She tried to get control of herself. As she wasn't paying attention, she knocked into a table, tripping over her own feet. Strong arms reached out and grabbed her by the waist.
"Lex!" Lana cried out when she saw who the owner was. He smirked boyishly as he remarked snidely, "Lana, your job is not to dump coffee on the customers."
Lana felt her cheeks go hot and she momentarily forgot her reason for being upset. She lifted the cup in question proudly.
"But I didn't spill, Lex."
"You're lucky this time."
He nodded to the bench in front of him.
"Have one of the waitresses take that. I need to discuss something with you."
"I'm thoroughly intrigued." Lana motioned to a waitress before taking a seat. Lex clasped his hands, considering his words. He really didn't want Lana to get the wrong idea of what he was about to suggest. That would be the worst case scenario, though. Best case, she would embrace the idea with open arms. He raised his eyes and met Lana's. She suddenly realized how crystal blue his irises were and knew she'd get lost in them if she held his gaze any longer. She lowered her gaze, thick, dark eyelashes covering her.
Lex began, "I hope you don't get angry with me, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Ms. Sullivan."
"Oh. I don't know if I'll have to leave The Talon or not. I might be able to find some place to live."
"Actually, that's what I want to talk to you about."
"You do?"
"I have the Luthor mansion, you know. We have several rooms, certainly enough for one more person."
Lana's eyes were wide emeralds glittering in the sunlight from the windows. They were innocent. She was innocent. She was so purely perfect that he often wondered if it was possible to allow himself contact with her. He seemed to sully everything around him, why not Lana Lang? She was still staring at him, slightly dense, not having a clue of what he was asking, or at the very least, not presuming what she hoped so deeply he was. Lex immediately understood that he would have to come out directly with it.
"Lana, why don't you move in with me?"
She kept her face blank, so he couldn't tell what she was thinking. He hated not being able to decipher her thoughts. Lana was usually an open book with her feelings. Lex loved that honesty she allowed herself to show. She spoke so quietly, he barely heard her above the commotion of the coffeehouse.
"What will Dr. Bryce think? Shouldn't you talk to her?"
Lex smirked ever so slightly.
"Well, first of all, it is my house. Secondly, Helen won't mind. She likes you. She won't mind us helping you out."
"Are you sure about this, Lex?"
She was obviously trying to give him a way out if he so desired, in which he didn't. He simply wanted to help the girl.
"I wouldn't have offered it if I wasn't."
Her whole face lit up with joy and relief.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Lex nodded, his bald head glinting against the lighting. "I'll talk with your aunt to clear this with her. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."
"That would be bad. She likes you, Lex. She'll say it's okay."
"Wonderful. Now get back to work before I decide to fire you for both clumsiness and laziness."
Lana laughed lightly as she stood. Impulsively, she threw her arms around Lex briefly before returning to the counter where Chloe and Pete now sat.
Chloe started to laugh and she immediately jibed at her.
"What was that hug about with the prestigious Lex Luthor?"
Lana was beaming, a deep contrast to her earlier demeanor.
"Lex offered to let me move into the manor. He heard us talking and asked. I can stay in Smallville!"
Chloe grinned, happy for her friends. She had the feeling Lana thought of Lex more than she wanted to admit. Pete wasn't so glad for the decision.
"You can't move in with the devil, Lana!"
Lana rolled her eyes delicately, putting her hand on his arm.
"I appreciate your concern, Pete, but Lex is hardly Satan. He's sweet enough to offer me a room, I won't complain."
"Don't you realize that nothing comes for free when a Luthor is involved?"
"Pete, Lex isn't going to use this against me. He's not his father."
"Who's not their father?"
Lana turned to find Clark approaching the group. She smiled brightly at him.
"Uh, Lex isn't. He's letting me move in with him."
"But you're living with Chloe."
Lana bit her bottom lip, appearing like a deer caught in headlights. Chloe apparently hadn't mentioned her move to Clark. Since they were hardly speaking, she wasn't exactly forthcoming with information. Chloe visibly blanched as she took a deep breath. Lana sent her an apologetic look which Chloe shrugged off.
"I'm moving to Metropolis in a week, Clark, leaving Lana where she was only a few months ago. Savior Lex swooped in to rescue the damsel in distress, unfortunately for you, he's wearing the armor today."
Clark shifted uncomfortably.
"I'm glad that Lex can help Lana. I'm also sorry that your leaving Smallville, Chloe."
"I'm sure."
An awkward pall settled over the group though The Talon was alive with excitement. Chloe gathered her bag.
"Well, I've got to start packing. I'll see you at home, Lana."
Chloe strutted out the door, leaving the three behind.