Red

A Smallville Fanfiction

Chapter One: Return

It's a cold day in Metropolis. Clark Kent dashes into the Daily Planet. He stops short when he sees Lois sitting at HIS desk. He strolls over to her calmly.

"Lois," He says. "Why are you in my seat?"

"Obviously, Smallville, my chair is missing." She says not even bothering to look up from her folder.

"That doesn't mean you steal mine." He looks over at the empty space at her desk. "Where is your chair?"

"I spilled coffee on it." She looks up at him and grins. "It'll be back in less than five minutes."

"I'll get you a chair." He says. He walks upstairs and then dashes through the main office. He finds a chair and dashes back downstairs.

"Man," Lois squeezes her arms. "There's a breeze in here."

"I got you a chair." Clark says holding up the chair and setting it down at Lois' desk.

"I don't know where you got that from." She retorts. "Maybe you should use that seat."

"Lois!" He says very aggravated.

"Fine," She gets out of his chair. "I have the exclusive story by the way."

He sits down in his seat. "Oh, really?"

"Yes," She says. "You don't have to be so jealous."

"What's the story?"

"Well, our favorite billionaire is back."

"Who?" Clark smiles.

"Lex Luthor," Lois says with a smirk.

Clark spits out his coffee. Lex is dead for all he knows. Oliver killed him. Lois notices the look on his face at a fast pace.

"I get it, Clark. Lex stole Lana away from you and tried to kill you multiple times." She says.

He wants to tell her that it isn't that but he cannot. He cannot believe that somehow Lex is back.

"I have to go." Clark says grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair.

"Why?" Lois asks. "You just got here? Wait. Are you going to use some of those detective skills, Smallville? Because if you are I'm coming."

"Lois," He sighs. "This is a one person kind of thing. I want to visit him. We were best friends at one point, remember?"

"And you aren't now." Lois says. "Be careful, Clark."

"Okay." He walks out and then eventually dashes. He doesn't go to the Luthor Mansion. He goes to Oliver's place instead.

Clark knocks on the door. He has a low tolerance right now. "Oliver!" Clark says, knocking again.

Oliver answers finally. "Clark, I'm surprised to see you here."

Clark grabs a fistful of Oliver's shirt and pushes him against the wall. "Have you been lying to me this whole time?"

"What are you talking about?" Oliver pants. "Ease up. Not everybody can take your strength."

Clark lets go. "Lex is alive. What happened?"

"He's alive?"

"Yes."

Oliver sighs. "You're mad that I killed him. But you're upset because he's alive? What is up with that?"

"I'm trying to save a city. I can't help the small crimes if Lex is back on ANOTHER rampage."

"Newsflash!" Oliver says. "You don't have to save everybody, gosh. I help out too. Did you forget that? I could call up Bart and Aquaman if you feel like you have too much on your chest. Or do they mean nothing to you also? Maybe you should just get Kara and leave us alone. Kryptonians are not the only people that help humans. If you haven't noticed, if AC wasn't there to save Lois she could have drowned."

"I went down to save her too, Oliver. Don't even go there!"

Oliver rolls his eyes. "Lex has been here a long time in your life. I'm just saying you need to relax."

"I know," Clark paces. "Sorry."

Oliver just nods him off. "Do you want me to finish the job, Clark? I will if you want me to."

"Don't," Clark says. "Just tell me this." He turns to Oliver. "Does Lex know you tried to blow him up?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should ask him."

"Last time I checked, Lex went down with the Fortress. He still knows about my abilities and my origin."

"I'm just saying that he wouldn't tell anyone. Why would he? Why on earth would he want to hurt a farm boy's reputation?"

"But I'm not just a farm boy from Kansas. I'm an alien from Krypton. Humans have a distinct way of discriminating. Look at the civil war for Cripes sake. They didn't even like themselves. So I say again, why would they accept me, an alien?"

Oliver ponders for a brief moment. "I understand. Just be careful while you're at the Luthor mansion."

Clark chuckles to himself. "That's funny. Lois told me the same thing."

"We both mean it, even though they are for different reasons."

Oliver pats him on the shoulder right before Clark dashes out.

This will be strange. Tess is living here now. What will Lex do, kick her out? Clark knocks on the door. A guard opens the door.

"Hi," Clark says. "I am here to see Lex."

The guard nods. He tells Clark to come inside. Clark finds Lex standing next to his pool table.

"Clark," Lex turns to him. "Or should I say, Kal?"

"Clark fits better," Clark states and clears his throat.

The doors to the Luthor mansion burst open. Tess walks through. "Hello, Lex." She sounds so happy.

"Tess," Lex says. He gives her a grin and a kiss on the cheek. She smiles flattered. "I need to speak to Clark alone."

"Okay," She says. "I'll be upstairs."

"Alright." He says and looks back at Clark. "Somebody tried to blow me up."

Clark sighs. "Really?"

"You wouldn't happen to know who? I'm just saying this because you might not want anyone to find out about your secret."

"I'd never kill you Lex. Even though you so reluctantly tried to kill me."

"It was kill or be killed, Clark." Lex says. "I never wanted things to end like that."

Clark looks away. He knows this is true. "I hope to God that we can be friends again, one day." Clark says. "But I must go."

"Okay," Lex says. "I am again sorry."

"Clark?" Lois calls out when Clark comes home. "Is that you?"

"Yes," Clark says putting his jacket on the hook. "I'm here."

"I was worried sick about you." She comes into view and gives him a hug.

"You were worried about me?"

She blushes and lets him go. "Shut up, Smallville. I fed Shelby for you."

"Thanks." He says.

"Your mom called."

Ever since she confessed that she was the Red Queen, Clark has had a hard time talking to her the same way he used to. "Okay."

"You seem a little tense. Don't worry. Lex won't hurt you, Clark."

Yea, Lex Luthor cannot hurt him physically. He's the Man of Steel. But Lex can surly hurt his reputation. If anyone knows he is an alien they'll go crazy.

"You can tell me what's on your mind. We have no secrets." Lois smiles.
Clark nods. "It's nothing, really. I'm just going to take a shower and I'll take you out for dinner."

She kisses him on the cheek. "I love you, Clark."

"Love you too."

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