Author's notes: REVIEWS PLEASE! Do you like it, hate it, don't care either way for it, or OH MY GOD why did you write this crapola!!

--Truth and Propositions.--

Lex called Lana into his office a month after she had been shot. Her wound had been healing nicely under a different Doctor's care.

"You wanted to see me Lex?" Lana asked.

Lex realized his mistake seeing her face; she looked like a kid who has been called to the Principal's office. He got up, rounded his desk and motioned for her to sit on a leather sofa by the fireplace. Many good memories for them had been made here, and it was here, Lex thought, she would feel more comfortable. He rested his elbows on his knees and looked into her crestfallen face. It broke his heart to see her like this; he wanted to take her in his arms and make sure nothing would ever hurt her again.

Lex inhaled and began, "You're not happy Lana, and it's more then the miscarriage that is bothering you."

Lana was about to deny everything, but Lex held up his hand so he could continue. Lex blinked slowly and went on, "You've been moping around here for weeks. I've had my thoughts why, and I was close. First I thought it was Clark, but that is only part of it. You still love him. I saw him at the wedding as we left looking like a wounded, betrayed puppy. He was looking at you with those eyes. Then I theorized why you would marry me if you had these reservations, and then it hit me." He paused since it hurt to continue. "My Father said something to you didn't he?"

Lana blinked. He was so right, but could she really reply without endangering Clark? She opened her mouth to answer, but closed it. She then tried to find her voice to deny everything.

Lex nodded before she could speak. "Don't worry I've made sure this room is free from bugs or any monitoring devices. The room is clean so to speak."

"Yes…but Lex…". She tried to blurt out more, but her emotions took over. "I never meant to hurt you. I love you I really do, but with Clark…things have changed," she said while crying.

Lex figured it had something to do with the secret Clark was always clinging to. Lana had somehow found out the secret that was Clark Kent.

Lex offered up a reason. "Your relationship is unresolved; I can understand that. You are fading away Lana, your miscarriage, and with my Father's thumb squashing you. It's all too much. What my Father has on you must be immense for you to marry a man you don't really love."

Lana could only nod, but she would never tell Lex what his Father was holding over her head. She winced as Lex finished. She did love him, but she wasn't so sure she was IN love with him anymore.

Lex sighed sadly. "You're the nightingale in the guilded cage, too beautiful to let go, but too wild to keep in a prison."

"I don't think of this as a prison; it's just…" Lana began.

Lex interrupted her, "It is prison, and my Father is the jailer. I am an inmate sentenced to life it seems."

Since all this had happened, the light Lana used to carry with her had dimmed. She could light up a room with her presence; but, lately, that light was getting swallowed up by the Luthor darkness.

"Lex please, let me explain." Lana said.

Lex rubbed his eyes. "Lana I could never hurt you, but it is killing me to see you like this. And it is killing you too."

"How do you do it? How do you deal with the pain? I'm a withering wreck, but you just continued on like nothing was wrong." Lana said.

Lex cleared his throat. "It's all an automatic response."

Lana was confused; it was painted clearly on her face. Lex got up and sat beside her. He touched a place near his heart and reached into his shirt. Out of a small pocket expertly tailored into his shirt; he pulled out a small picture. It was a picture of their baby on the last sonogram.

He handed the picture to Lana. "Luthors are not allowed to cry; I was taught that from and early age. It was drilled into my mind and heart; I mourn in other ways. I replace emotions with work and other diversions."

Lana knew what a monster Lionel was, and this revelation did not surprise her. Lex was a victim of intense emotional abuse, and Lana also suspected physical abuse. Lex never asked for pity; just the understanding that his life was not black and white, but a lot of grey areas and closed doors. Lana ran her fingers over the last picture of her child. She wanted to hug it, but she handed it back to Lex.

"So now what?" Lana asked softly.

Lex took her hands in his. "I have a proposition to make. I have a place in France that's all paid for and under the radar of my Father. It's a place my mother and I used to go when she was able to travel. Go there and try to sort out everything without any intrusions." He handed her a small silver phone. "This phone is only one way. No calls can come into it but you can call out on it. That way I won't be able to reach you, no matter how much I want to."

Lana smiled at the little bit of humor. She could tell Lex had thought long and hard on this. She knew he cared for her, and she never wanted this to be a one-sided relationship.

"You're sending me away?" she whispered.

Lex shook his head, "Think of it more like a much needed retreat for a mother in mourning over the loss of a child."

Lex remembered how much she enjoyed studying in Paris and knew this was the perfect move to garner her affections once more. It was a calculating move on the chess board in his mind. He knew his father holding things over her head that made her dangerous to him and Clark's obsessive sniffing around his wife were serving only to confuse her more. It was no coincidence that she got shot shortly after having accompanied his Father to the opera. Like Victoria and Helen, Lana was being used to spy on him. Unlike them and the other women Lex knew, there was something more then money motivating her to betray him.

"What about Lionel?" she asked spitting out the man's name like it was truly vile.

Lex smiled. "I'll handle him; don't worry about him, me, or anyone. Worry about only yourself, and what is important to you. I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes, and I will respect whatever decision you make."

Lana was elated, but unsure as well. It would be good to get away from the Luthor's, but this place was Lex's hideaway. What would stop him from monitoring her? There was his word, but she did not really trust that lately. There was very little Lionel could not find out.

Lex stood up and went to his desk. "I know you are worried about...well...everything; but trust me on this that no one will bother you."

He came back and stood in front of her and handed her a set of keys. Her heart ached over everything that was happening. Perhaps this was a silver lining in an ever-deepening downward spiral that her life was becoming.

"I don't know. Can I think about it?" Lana asked wiping away her tears.

Lex nodded. "You can do whatever you want."

He smiled at her and she could not bear to face him anymore. She left with his offer circling around in her mind. It only took her a week and one frightening call from Lionel for her to take action. Soon, she was bound for Europe to work out everything, but she already knew what her decision would be.