Falling

A/N: While I have been writing fanfiction for many, many years now, this is my first attempt at "Smallville". Please let me know how I've done. I do not own any of the characters, except my OC, and intend no copyright infringement.

Set in mid-Season 3

Chapter One: Meeting

Clark Kent was walking through the cavernous halls of Luthor Manor as he waited for his friend, Lex Luthor, to finish a meeting with some French businessmen. His keen hearing picked up the sound of glass breaking coming from a nearby room. His pace quickened and he heard a woman's voice: "Ow! Sonuvabitch!"

He turned the knob to the room, which was not locked, and opened the door to a steam-filled room with a towel-wrapped redhead kneeling next to a bubble-filled tub, gingerly picking up broken glass with one hand while one finger of the other hand was stuck in her mouth.

"Oh!" Surprised, Clark turned to look at the door frame. "Ah, are you okay?"

A feminine voice with a slight accent, responded. "Oh! Hallo! Nothing's hurt but my pride and one of Lex's wine glasses. Did ya hope to rescue me from some nefarious villain?"

He released the doorknob and rubbed his palm on his jeans. He smiled, embarrassed. "I – uh – I just heard a crash and a yell and came to see…" He heard footfalls near him and glanced toward the inside of the room.

Her head was barely at his chest level with her red hair piled on top of her head, with damp tendrils curling around her face and neck, her shoulders were pale with a light dusting of freckles but those freckles didn't extend downward to the towel that covered her from chest to knees. Her slender neck met a gently squared jaw that held full, pink lips below a straight, slightly freckled nose and pale blue eyes under arched eyebrows. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you for rescuing me."

"But, I – "

She touched his chest, lightly. "You meant to and it's the thought that counts, after all." She moved past him and headed down the hall.

"Wait!" he said. "I didn't get your name!"

She turned back and tilted her head with a smile. "I never make introductions unless I'm fully clothed. I'm sure we'll meet again. Properly, next time."

His full lips parted to show straight, white teeth as he watched her further down the hall and into a different room. His hand touched the damp spot on his T-shirt, where she'd touched him.

"Clark?"

Clark's smile dissolved and his eyes widened as he turned to look down the other direction and saw the curious look Lex's face. "Lex!" he glanced behind him again, then back to Lex.

"Is everything okay? I thought you were waiting in the study."

"I heard a noise," Clark responded.

Lex narrowed his eyes. "And?"

"I sorta met your guest."

Lex tilted his head. "Sort of?"

"She wouldn't introduce herself."

Lex smiled. "Ah. I'll guess that she was less than decent."

Clark looked over Lex's head, his smile broad, and he could feel the heat rise in his face. "She was in a towel. I think she broke a glass in your bathroom."

Lex chuckled. "I'll let the help know. Come on," he indicated back toward the study. "Let's get you something cold to drink."

Clark glanced behind him one more time, then followed Lex into the study.

Inside the study, Lex poured two glasses of water and handed one to Clark. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Clark," he said. "Is this a purely social call? Or was there something else?"

Clark drank from the glass, allowing the cold water to cool him down a degree or two. "Actually, I came to find out if you still had those Sharks skybox seats."

Lex nodded, his eyebrows brought together. "Of course. When do you want them?"

"My dad's birthday's coming up and I thought it might be fun for us to spend the day in Metropolis together. The game would be the perfect highlight."

"When?"

"Three weeks?"

Lex smiled. "They're yours. I will even throw in transportation, if you want."

Clark shook his head. "No. Part of the fun will be the time to talk in the truck on the way."

"On second thought, I take back the offer for the transportation," Lex smiled. "I like your idea better."

Clark grinned. "Thanks."

"I'll have the tickets for you on Tuesday." Lex moved toward the couch. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Clark glanced back at the hall and shook his head. "Nah. I'd better get home. Still have chores to do."

Lex nodded. "Well, come back anytime. Maybe next time I'll be able to introduce you to my guest."

Clark grinned. "I will."

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Clark walked into the Talon, the local movie theatre turned coffee shop, and headed back toward the serving bar. As he passed the stairs that led up to the apartment above the theatre, he heard a yelp and a gasp. He turned at lightning speed and caught the woman who was falling, backward, from the stairs. Her red hair covered her face and a well-manicured hand reached up and pushed her hair from her face. When he saw who it was, he smiled, broadly, as her blue eyes widened.

"Now this is downright embarrassin'!" she laughed. She didn't make a move to leave his arms. "I swear," her lilting voice insisted. "I am not this clumsy!"

He grinned. "I'm not objecting."

She laughed and reached up to place her hands on either side of his neck. "Nor am I, but I usually like to be introduced to a man before I find myself in his arms."

"If Clark will put you down," Lex's voice held humor. "I'll be more than happy to introduce you."

Clark looked up the stairs to see Lex and Lana standing there. Lex looked amused and Lana was frowning. He looked back down at the woman in his arms and she raised an eyebrow and smirked. Suddenly embarrassed, he dropped her legs and allowed her to slide down to the floor. When her feet touched down, she released his neck and allowed her hands to slide down his chest as she took a step back until they were finally at her sides.

"Clark, this is my friend Merida McConnell. Meri, this is Clark Kent."

She offered her hand. "Mr. Kent."

He took her small hand into his. "Ms. McConnell," he responded with equal formality.

She laughed. "Meri."

He grinned. "Clark."

Without removing her hand, she said. "Lex and Lana were showing me around the Talon. We were comin' from upstairs when I'm afraid my feet got tangled on themselves and down I went. Thank the Saints you were there to catch me! I might've taken out one of Lana's less aware patrons."

Clark smiled. Then he looked back up the stairs and caught Lana's frown, though her eyes weren't focused on him. He slowly released Merida's hand.

She looked from him to Lana and raised an eyebrow, but her smile didn't waiver. Instead, she stepped forward and reached up the stairs toward Lana. "Lana, come show me the kitchen. Let's see if I can make it through that part of the tour without makin' an ass of myself."

Lana's face relaxed into a slight smile and she took Merida's hand, coming off the stairs and guiding the bubbly redhead into the back.

"Your friend?" Clark asked Lex.

Lex smiled. "Yes, Clark. She has sworn that we would never date. Apparently, I dated too many of her friends in school."

Clark looked at his friend with raised eyebrows. "Really?"

Lex nodded. "Well, you have to realize, our parents were in the same circles and we attended neighboring boarding schools for a while, so whenever there was a dance, her school and mine got together – small dating pools. Then, when we were on breaks from school, we would see each other at parties our parents would have." He shrugged. "She's like a cousin to me, Clark."

Clark smile widened. "Great."

Lex chuckled as they sat down. "She's only here for a couple of weeks between semesters at Met U. Don't get too attached."

"What?" Clark could feel the heat rising in his face and he shook his head, frowning. "No. Of course, not!"

At that moment, Lana and Meri emerged from the kitchen, laughing. Lana directed her guest to behind the counter and started showing her how to pull coffee. Lex watched Clark watching them with interest and smiled, knowingly, behind his coffee cup.