Author Note: This would be my first non-Chlollie fic. Tess isn't a character I write often, because I'm afraid that I won't give her justice, but I believe the finale didn't give the justice she deserved, and while I wanted to do a Chlollie-finale fic... I don't think I can beat what's already out there. So this is me offering something a little different. Hopefully you enjoy it.
Her Final Act
They say that you can't get too close to the sun without being burnt. Even though Zod had literally burned her last year, it was this moment that Tess truly understood the truth of that statement. She had told Lex that she'd never receive her redemption, but what he didn't know was that her final act would serve as its final piece.
Everything Lex did had a reason, a purpose, and Tess had been waiting, counting the seconds before the cool metal plunged into her body. She yelled out in pain, because no amount of preparation could ready someone for being stabbed by their own brother, or even a clone of the man. Lex had long been dead, and the only reason he stood in front of her now was likely because of an alternate form of their father and the force which sought to infect the world with darkness.
Sneaking a peak at what just might be the end of the world Tess knew, she knew that there was a chance that everything she just did would be for nothing, but she had to hold onto the hope that Clark and Oliver would save the day, just like they always did. After all, they did save her.
Sure, Oliver and her had a rough past, but they had worked past it to become, dare she say it, friends. He no longer looked at her with a look of disdain, there was a respect there, and that inch of faith he had in her brought her miles.
As for Clark, he had no reason to trust her. He was one of the few that actually knew Tess was a Luthor, yet he accepted her, brought her to the team, and trusted her enough to run Watchtower. Sure, that room would always be Chloe's, but Tess was more than grateful to be a substitute. That invitation to walk through the double doors of Watchtower allowed Tess to have a chance of experiencing a sense of family that she hadn't known in years. That was the reason she couldn't let them down now.
Lex looks over her as she slumped down into his arms. He tells Tess that he's saving her from becoming him, but Tess just barely manages a smirk. She had her run at being a villain, a 'true Luthor,' but all that time, she never once felt the satisfaction that she did when she helped the team save the day. Lifting her hand up to touch his face, she tells him it's too late... that Clark, his rival, beat him. Tess also had half a mind to tell him that she had beaten him, even as she bled out on the floor, seconds from her demise, but she held back, as his expression said it all. He drops her to the floor and walks away, realizing that his memories about to fade, while she tries to remember everything before her world turns permanently black.
First up were the faces of Clark and Lois, who she hoped were able to be married before the world got in the way. Next were Chloe and Oliver, who she prayed would get over their fears and let their love guide themselves to happiness. Then, one by one, the smiles of the team, the team she never really got to meet while she was on their side. Finally, his face flashed in front of her eyes.
Feeling a final tear fall, she wonders how Emil would take the news. Not long ago, they hardly knew each other, but since she took over Watchtower, he always seemed to listen, or have faith in her, even when she didn't. Sure, there was the one night where things went a little further than planned, but even before then, they gave each other an escape from all the drama they faced every day. What hurt the most was that Tess rarely brought out the best of someone, but she felt that was the case with him. She could only hope that Emil would find happiness in the future, he deserved that much.
She started to feel her blood run cold, so she closed her eyes, oddly satisfied at how her life would end. True, things in her life were finally starting to pan out, but Tess knew that was probably a sign that it was her time to die. She hated being the tragic hero in the story, but for once in her life, she was a hero, and she could die knowing that she had helped the heroes that had saved her.
This was her redemption.