The next day, Cole Turner shimmered into the Luthor mansion. He looked around and began walking, until he found the doors to the dining room. He then peeked in.
Lex had a cabinet open and was fiddling around with a tape. Cole waved a hand towards the tape, then shimmered out of the mansion.
Meanwhile, Lex was in a rather murderous mood! Lana had decided to sleep in another room, because she needed 'space'! Well, he needed Lana...with him and by his side.
This tape would make sure that he got his wish. Lex heard someone coming, and hurriedly closed the cabinet, hiding the TV.
It was Lionel. He was speaking on a cellphone and sounded very displeased! He hung up and threw the phone across the room! It hit a wall and smashed!
"Problems?" Lex asked wryly. But Lionel was in no mood for games.
"That was Gunnar Teague. He has used his power and influence...power and influence, that for some ungodly reason, trumps mine, to speed up Lois Lane's trial date!"
"Trial date? She didn't even have a hearing yet!"
"Gunnar Teague is on the war path, that much is for sure!"
"Well, Lana is protected, that's all that counts."
Lionel gave his son a look.
"She will never love you, son. You have made a mess of everything over her, and now it's beginning to spill into my life! I won't have it and I have taken steps to ensure that my future with Martha is secure."
Lex began to feel sick! He knew his father, perhaps too well. And Lionel was perfectly willing to ensure his own happiness, at the expense of his own son's.
"What have you done, Dad?"
Lionel took a deep breath and walked over to the cabinets, that shielded the TV. He opened them abruptly, snatched the tape out of the VCR, dropped it to the ground and smashed it with his foot!
Cole shimmered back into the mansion and watched this unfold. He lifted a brow. Hmmmm. Not that anyone would have seen anything anyway. Cole had erased the tape with dark magic...but Lionel's smashing it, would do as well!
"We're not watching trash as the breakfast table, Lex. Specifically, Ms. Lang will not be watching this tape...or living here."
Lex closed the space between himself and Lionel.
"What are you talking about?"
"I sent her away...during the night."
"You WHAT?"
"Yes," Lionel purred, "something you would have known, if she had been in your bed. I didn't kidnap the woman, Lex. She needed to get away. She is very torn between her feelings for you, and my new step-son. By the way, I will be offering Clark a job with LuthorCorp. I'll expect you to help me in anyway."
Lex laughed softly. This was unbelievable!
"First of all, I'm not worried, because Clark would rather be dead than take anything from you. And secondly, I don't believe for a moment, that Lana left of her own accord! And if you have done anything to harm her..."
"No...she's fine. She has no idea that she's really being kept prisoner." Lionel smiled at his son, then walked over to a table to get himself some coffee. Lex followed him.
"Prisoner!"
Lionel sighed, as if he were explaining his warped logic to a 5 year old.
"Martha wants Lois cleared of all of this nonsense, which is what it is. I stepped on Genevieve Teague. No one knew she was alive anyway, so all we had to do was bury her somewhere. But no, you wanted to get cute and make someone else take the blame...WHEN NO ONE HAD TO KNOW SHE WAS ALIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE, LEX!" Lionel hissed loudly.
"So, what are you saying, Dad? Why do you have Lana?"
"She's insurance, son. Gunnar Teague is out for blood, and if things look especially bad for Lois Lane, then yes, I will be turn Lana Lang over, as the real murderer of Genevieve Teague. I only care about making the woman I love happy. Now, I suggest you keep your voice down, because members of our 'extended family', are starting to come in here..."
Martha avoided Clark's eyes, as they walked towards the dining-room.
"Mom? Will you answer me, please? Did the drug work on Lionel or not?"
But before Martha could lie, they were already to the dining-room. Martha ignored Clark and smiled at Lex.
"Good morning, Lex."
Lex smiled wanly.
"Good morning, Martha, Clark."
Clark did not respond, then scowled, as his mother seemed to drift into Lionel's arms. They kissed. Clark coughed/wretched, then found a chair to sit in. He looked around.
"Where is Lana?"
"Don't worry about it." was Lex's answer. Clark raised a brow, but said nothing. He looked back towards the door. Lois should be coming down soon too...
He had not slept very well. And he did not know if it was because of all that was going on in his life, or the fact that he had had to sleep alone. Probably a little of both.
Lois hurried down the stairs. She would be able to tell from Martha's face, how last night went! God...she couldn't IMAGINE being forced to have sex with Lionel Luthor!
As she began to make her way to the dining room...Cole appeared...seemingly out of nowhere!
"Uh...Cole? What are you doing here? And is it my imagination, or did you just suddenly appear?"
"Lois, we need to talk. Can we go in here?" Cole gestured towards a closed door. Lois nodded, feeling wary. He still had not explained that magic trick, he had pulled in front of her very eyes!
Cole lead her into Lex's study and closed the door behind them. She sat down on a couch. Cole sat beside her. He opened up is briefcase, then turned to her.
"Lois, Gunnar Teague has thrown a lot of money around. Your trial will start in a week."
Lois slowly stood up.
"Trial! No! No, Cole! Now...what about the coroner's report? Surely that showed that my car didn't kill this woman?"
"Actually, it did."
"No, Cole! Now yes, my car was on top of her body, but Genevieve Teague was probably already dead when that happened! I've been framed!"
Cole stood up and put his hands on her shoulders.
"I know that, Lois. I do. That's why I'm going to use everything in me, to get you off. But you have to do something for me."
"What? Anything!"
Cole let go of her and reached down into his briefcase. He pulled out another set of papers.
"I need you to sign these papers, Lois."
"What are they?"
"The first ones that empowered me to act as your attorney, got destroyed."
Lois raised a brow and took them. She sat down and began to read them. Cole smiled. The first time she had been too overwrought to read them carefully. Thus, she missed that part about her signing her first born child over to him.
This time, there was no way she would not be able to see it. And that's the way Cole wanted it.
Lois's eyes rolled back at all of the legal jargon, and she turned the page. She came across some suspicious small print and began to read it. Cole walked over to Lex's liquor stock, and poured himself a drink, readying himself for Lois's outrage.
Lois frowned. Was this a joke! She walked over to Cole with the papers.
"Cute, Cole. Cute. But I'm in real trouble here, and I would feel better if you could white out this Rumplestiltskin part here."
Cole turned around to face her.
"You mean about wanting your first born children? No, Lois. It's not a joke. And yes, I'm a demon. So all the warnings you got about me were true."
Lois's mouth dropped open! Her eyes roamed over him.
"But...b...but...you're too cute to be a demon!"
Cole morphed into his Belthazor form briefly, causing Lois to scream! He then reverted back to his human half.
"Now that you've screamed, I'm sure Kal-El will come running to your rescue. So we have to make this quick."
"What! Who's Kal..."
Lois suddenly had a flash of memory. Those two weirdos that showed up at the hospital...after the meteor shower...one of them wanted to know where 'Kal-El' was.
He and Clark had to be the same person.
"You know about Clark?" she whispered.
"I know everything. I know you'll have children by him, and I know that they will BOTH be powerful. My boss wants to adopt them."
Cole could hear footsteps. He grabbed Lois's arm and shimmered off with her, just as Clark, Lex, Lionel and Martha burst into the room!
"Clark, I didn't hear anyone scream! This study is sound proof anyway." Lex grumbled. But he went along with it, because obviously, Clark was able to hear things because of his 'illness'. He really should get to a doctor!
Clark walked over to Cole's briefcase. He looked at Lex.
"Is this yours?"
"No."
Lionel frowned and walked over to it.
"I recognize this case as Cole Turner's. He and Lois must be about somewhere."
"Why did she scream then?" Clark asked tensely. Martha walked over to him.
"I'm sure it's nothing. They're around here somewhere, I'm sure."
Lex eyed Martha, as an idea came to him. If his father was going to take his woman away from him, then Lex was going to make damned sure that Martha would end up 'missing' as well!
"I'm going to search this place for them." Clark said. He also decided to pay Chloe a visit, just to make sure that either her, or Spike, cleared Lois.
HELL
"A.C.!" Lois screamed, running to him. She knelt beside his dried out body and glared up at Cole.
"Get him some damned water! What have you done!"
"You have the power, Lois, to get 'Flipper' here, out of this hell-hole, no pun intended. Just sign the papers, and he's free as a bird."
"Lois!" A.C. rasped. "Don't...do..."
Lois stroked his weathered face.
"Shhhh. Let me handle this, okay?" she said, trying to keep a calm front. She stood up and turned to Cole.
"Give me the papers and a pen. And when we get back to the real world there, I want you to take us to A.C.'s cabin." she ordered Cole, snatching the pen he offered to her, and signing away her first born children to The Source. Lois wasn't especially worried. She had very, very good birth control. She just would not get pregnant...and...well...her and Clark did not have a future together anyway.
So this piece of paper was moot.
Lois threw the paper back at Cole.
"By the way, you're fired."
"Now, now, Lois. I don't like this anymore than you do, but what can I do, you know? My boss is partial to children with special abilities, which your children with Kal-El will have. Oh, and if I don't defend you Lois, you won't have any future whatsoever. So, let's just keep this quiet, and I'll get you off."
Lois ignored him and hurried back over to A.C.. She glared back at Cole.
"Get us the hell out of here!"
ONE WEEK LATER
Clark Kent was very uneasy...and sad.
Lois's trial began tomorrow. And it was clear that she was being railroaded.
She also refused to see him. She gave the excuse that Cole and her had to work on her defense. Then, she said A.C. was sick, which he found strange, since Clark thought he had left town. Either way, Clark wasn't buying it. Nor was he about to allow this trial to happen.
He planned to come forward about his abilities.
Clark had moved in with Chloe and was staying with her. Chloe spent a lot of time at work...and a lot on the Internet, Instant Messaging Spike, who had disappeared for parts unknown.
Chloe and Spike had not been believed, when they tried to tell the police what they had seen. The part about them being shrunk, sort of made them not believable, and the authorities were convinced they both had been on crystal meth.
Lana had taken a trip somewhere...and now so had his mother. She had left him and Lionel a note, and now Lionel was bickering with Lex more than ever...
Clark regretted his three month absence from Smallville, more than ever.
It was now raining, and Clark stood at one of Chloe's windows, in her Metropolis apartment, staring out. Things were semi-strained between them. Because of Lois. The farm was still being repaired and Lois had moved back to the military base with her father.
Chloe glanced back at Clark, while typing in a message to Spike. He looked so down. Chloe typed to Spike:
Chloe: I'd better get off. Clark looks down.
Spike: So? Tell the ponce to slag off! Why are you letting him stay with you anyway?
Chloe: I can't tell him to leave. I'll contact you tomorrow. Bye!
Chloe then got off line and turned to face Clark.
"Lois is going to make it through this, Clark. Your mother will survive marriage to Lionel Luthor and Lana will come back when she's ready."
Clark dropped the curtain.
"Where is A.C.? I mean, I know he and Lois have problems, but you would think he'd be here for her. She took care of him when he was supposedly sick."
"Well, Clark, he knows about Lois and you. He probably figures you'll be there for her."
Clark gave her a look.
"What about you? Can you be there for her?"
Chloe sighed.
"Clark, I'm trying, I really am."
"No, you're not. I know the idea of Lois and I, has been a big shock to you. But the very least you can do, is be upfront with her about what you learned about Lucy's murder."
"I can't, Clark, okay? I promised my Uncle Sam I wouldn't."
Clark's eyes widened!
"Sam Lane doesn't want you to tell Lois anything? Why? He has to know this isn't helping his relationship with her!"
"Why don't we talk about something else, okay? All we can do is be there for Lois tomorrow at the trial."
"I'm going to tell the authorities the truth." Clark said firmly. "I'm going back to Smallville right now."
"Clark, no! Lois wouldn't want that and...and Cole is going to make sure that she doesn't have to."
"Am I the only one that's bothered that Lois is being represented by a demon?"
Chloe shook her head.
"No. I was talking to Spike online. He wants to know why Lois is still using him, and why her father hasn't gotten her someone else. I get the feeling Lois is the one that's behind keeping him. That and...well Clark you're forgetting that Spike and I were there, remember? Those men didn't show up until AFTER you left. You really can't say what Lois did, or did not do, after you left the farm."
"I'm still going to see Lois." Clark said, looking around for his jacket.
GOTHAM CITY
Spike put a cigarette out and looked around. This whole set-up was bloody cheesy! Like something one would see in one of those old gangster movies.
He had just walked out of one of those Internet Cafe's, after getting off line with Chloe. He had told the young blonde reporter, that he was heading to L.A., to look up some 'old friends'. And he had. Spike had went to Wolfram &Hart, the evil law firm that his 'grandfather', Angelus, a.k.a., Angel, now ran(what the hell was up with that anyhow?).
Spike had not had time for pleasantries, and was quite surprised when Angel and his minions, gave him the information he needed, no questions asked(Spike suspected Angel just wanted him gone).
The information was about Genevieve Teague...and a witch named Isobel, and just why the bloody hell a woman of means such as she, had been hanging around a nothing place like Smallville, Kansas anyway.
Spike found out more than he had anticipated. He had found out about Genevieve and Jason Teague...and their connection to Lex Luthor's current girlfriend, Lana Lang.
But for Spike, none of that was important. It was the information he discovered about Genevieve's LAST documented visit to Smallville. That and a car rental joint, that had been compensated for the loss of a vehicle, supposedly rented to Genevieve Teague, some months back.
The car rental agency was 'compensated', but Lex Luthor.
Lex...Lana...
And now, as Spike stood on the Gotham City docks, thinking that even for him, a vampire, the fog was a bit eery, he waited for his contact, and wondered at the same time WHY he was bothering to go through all of this trouble? It wasn't as if he owed Chloe anything.
But he did. She had allowed him to stay with her, and made him whole again. That and...well, he hated to see a nice girl like her, pining over a do nothing like Clark Kent.
Or maybe it was his inexplicable fear, that if he did not hunt this information up, Chloe would. And she would be no match for the people, that did not want her to find any of this out.
Which brought to mind the same question, why did he care? Lois was nothing to him. And now that he was whole, he needed to be off...to see Buffy.
Buffy, who did not love him, but cared enough to tell him so, when they both thought it was the end...
Spike's attention was diverted from his own morose thoughts, to the figure coming out of the fog. He peered. What the bloody hell?
It was A.C. Curry. He frowned when he saw Spike.
"Dude, what are you doing here?" he asked Spike.
"I could ask the same of you. And somehow, I don't think it's a coincidence." Spike sighed, frustrated.
"I'm here to meet a guy about a videotape," A.C. responded. Spike raised a brow.
"So am I."
A.C. frowned again.
"Why? I know your guy isn't my guy...by the way, what are you doing here again?"
"I thought I'd help out Chloe's cousin...why aren't in Smallville with Lois? You know that lawyer of hers isn't worth a damn."
"Yes, I discovered that, loud and clear. Clark is there for her. He'll get rid of him."
"That's not what Chloe told me. Clark hadn't gotten rid of anybody! Lois is still being represented by the bloody bastard!"
A.C. shook his head!
"Damnit! Don't tell me she didn't tell Clark abou..."
"Tell him what?"
A.C. sighed.
"Never mind...I have to get this tape."
Spike put his hands in the pockets of his leather duster.
"If this tape is the same one I'm after, then there will be a bidding war. This guy was fired from Luthorcorp. He wouldn't be selling it if he didn't need the funds."
"I'll pay whatever it takes. If it proves that Lionel Luthor shrunk Genevieve Teague, then stepped on her, I think Lois will be home free."
Spike lifted a brow.
"What?"
"I take it your tape will be different?" A.C. asked.
"My tape should show Lana Lang killing Genevieve Teague, then Lex covering up for her. But...your version would explain why her body was smashed."
"And your version might explain how she got into a position to be shrunk and stepped on." A.C. replied.
"There is still the problem of Belthazor. I mean, why the hell is he helping Lois? And he knows all of this! He has to! You know what's really going on there, don't you?" Spike asked him.
A.C . wasn't going to discuss that damnable contract with Spike. He changed the subject.
"So...you're really doing this for Chloe?"
"If I don't, then she'd be down here by herself, trying to take on some thug."
"Hmmmm. I got the impression that you had other business...elsewhere."
"Is there a question in there or what?" Spike asked, his tone bored sounding.
"No...just that whatever you're thinking could happen between yourself and Chloe, isn't going to happen. You can't even walk around in the sun!"
"And you probably have to piss every couple of minutes, with all of that water you drink and live in, which is why it would've never worked out with Lois." Spike said knowingly.
A.C. was about to respond, when they both heard a noise. It sounded like a vehicle of sorts. The fog seemed to get getting thicker.
"Mate, that engine sounds damned close!" Spike said, trying to peer around.
A.C. nodded.
"I know, dude. Only I can't see a..."
Suddenly, a wreaking ball came out of nowhere, hit A.C. in the face, and knocked him into the water! Spike waiting for it to swing back to him, and jumped onto it! They would just see who was working this thing!
But the operator of the wrecking ball, never allowed it to swing back close to the controls. Spike managed to jump off, and still stay on the docks! A.C. climbed out of the water.
"It's a trap! I think we need to get back to Smallville for Lois's trial." Spike said. A.C. sniffed, dripping wet.
"Oh, I'll go back alright! And as soon as we do, I'm breaking into the Luthor mansion. He's behind this!"
"Or Belthazor?"
"No...it's to his advantage to get Lois off."
Spike shook his head!
"What the bloody hell is going on there! You know something, don't you? How can you be so calm about a demon defending your girl?"
A.C. didn't answer. He would always love Lois, but she was hardly his 'girl'.
Clark got that honor now.
Spike realized he was not going to answer, and decided to just drop it for now. They began to carefully walk off in another direction...one that was opposite of the wrecking ball. The mist grew heavier, as Cole suddenly appeared and grinned after them. He thought a fireball would be too obvious! He cleared the fog a bit, just around him, and waved a hand over the wreaking ball machine, making it disappear. It was important that the Seer's visions be fulfilled. The dire circumstances that would cause Clark Kent to take Lois Lane to his Fortress of Solitude, had to play out. And the only way that would happen, was if NO evidence was found, that would clear her.
Lois was looking through her closet, looking for something appropriate to wear. Something that would make her look as pure as the driven snow.
That made her smile...and think of Clark. She then blinked back tears.
Once she had nursed A.C. back to health, he berated her for signing that contract, telling her she should have just let him die(RIGHT!). But it was then, when the magnitude of what she had done, set in.
That and...she loved Clark. And the idea of having any child by him at all, made her strangely happy.
Then she thought about the contract. And the tears came.
She hid them from Cole, who had not only prepped her so well, despite this God awful deal she had made with him. Lois did believe he could get her off.
Clark had been left off of that witness list for the defense. Cole and her thought that was best.
Lois's thoughts were interrupted by her window opening, then closing. She blinked...hard.
Clark.
"Okay...I guess I don't have to ask how you got onto the base. Let me get you a towel."
Clark reached out for her arm.
"Forget it."
"You could catch cold."
"I don't get sick...usually. I've never had a cold."
"Oh." Lois answered, suddenly feeling tongue tied. She looked on her bed and gestured towards it.
"Why don't you help me pick out an outfit to wear to court tomorrow?"
"Talk to me, Lois! Why have you cut me off? Why are you letting Cole defend you? What does your father think about this? Why didn't he get you a different lawyer?" Clark asked, firing questions at her a mile a minute.
Lois looked into his eyes and realized she had to tell him the truth. Cole being a demon/lawyer...she didn't think there was any getting around that. She opened her mouth and began to tell Clark the real story...
By the time Lois was finished telling Clark everything, they were both sitting on her bed. They had shoved aside the clothes. She was surprised to see that Clark did not look as panicked, as she felt on the inside.
"So," he began, "let me get this straight: Cole's 'boss', wants our future child...or children. So he's really going to get you off, to ensure there will be children between us, correct?"
"Yes, something like that."
"Okay...so you signed this piece of paper, because Cole was holding A.C. hostage and torturing him...in hell...right?"
"Yes." Lois answered.
"So...the reason you've been keeping me at arm's length is..."
"Well, I just figured Cole could get me off, and we would not give him any children to steal."
"Okay...but that would mean..."
"No sex, Smallville. None ever again. We just have to go on with our lives." Lois said, standing up. Clark stood up as well.
"I'm not going to allow some demon to steal our future children, Lois. I'm not going to allow anyone, to steal our future, period."
Lois looked down. She didn't quite know how to respond to that. Clark continued.
"Chloe made me realize, that I can't really help you, Lois. I mean...once we came back down from the clouds, and once I left, I saw nothing. But...telling the court AND showing them what I can do, might explain some of the time discrepancies that the prosecution is going to try and use against you..."
"No! Now you said yourself you didn't see anyone frame me. And the police thought Chloe and Spike were on drugs. I'll let Cole get me off and then..."
"And then I'll deal with Cole." Clark said firmly. Lois nodded. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence, before Lois finally broke it.
"Well...goodnight." she said.
"Goodnight." Clark answered.
Neither of them moved.
"Clark...you can't stay. And the only reason you want to stay, is because you can't have Lana."
Clark's mouth dropped open!
"Since when did you become so insecure?"
"I'm not insecure." Lois said calmly. "But you would agree, that if Lana had accepted you that night, you would've never returned to the farm. Nothing would have ever happened between us. You'd be with Lana right now."
"I can't answer that, Lois."
"I can," she said, nodding. "And I know with Lana seeing Lex, telling her the truth could be dicey, but you need to find her and really, really tell her. Then you'll know for sure that it is over between the two of you."
"It IS over, Lois! Why don't you believe me? You're pushing me towards her, so that there will be no chance of children between us, is that it?"
"Smallville, do you really want to take the chance of your children being raised by demons? Just go, okay? Maybe I'll see you in court tomorrow, okay?"
But Clark still didn't move. Lois didn't know how much longer she could pretend to be indifferent to him...or pretend that she had not missed seeing his face...
"Goodnight, Lois." Clark said again, reaching out toward her. Somehow, someway, he managed to rip her shirt! Clark's mouth dropped open!
"Lois, I'm sorry! I don't know my own strength sometimes..."
Lois shrugged and took off the shirt. She then reached out and ripped his wet, plaid shirt!
"I DO know my own strength. And I have always wanted to do that."
"You've always wanted to rip my shirt off of my body?" Clark asked, grinning.
"Well...it was more about not seeing you wear plaid, than wanting to see you without a shirt."
"Oh." Clark replied, before the two of them leaped into one another's arms, and fell onto her bed...that was still littered with clothing.
HELL
Cole shimmered down into the Source's cavern on of hell. There was a new Seer there, one less attractive than the other one, but that was beside the point. He moved over towards her, and watched what she was watching.
Clark Kent and Lois Lane, making love, again, in her room at the army barracks. Cole shook his head! If he didn't know that these two would conceive twins, in the Fortress of Solitude, he would think that now would be the time...with the way those two were going at it.
The image suddenly changed. Cole frowned, then looked at the Seer.
"What the hell is this!"
The Seer did not answer. Cole watched the image with frustration. An image that showed himself, questioning Clark Kent on the witness stand. Then, suddenly, Clark began to fly out of his seat! People in the courtroom were screaming and Lois was seen slapping her forehead! What the hell was going to happen tomorrow in court! Clark wasn't even on his witness list!
The Source shimmered back into hell. He sighed with disgust. He was glad he had rid himself of that human form. It was most undesirable...
And Gunnar Teague, now free from demonic possession, but still in shock about it, sat up in bed clutching his chest! He then collapsed backwards onto his pillows, dead.