Chapter 10: Smallville 101- Never Trust a Luthor
Author's Note: Okay, I've pretty much mapped out the story so I should be able to wrap it up fairly quickly. I think I should be able to conclude it in three chapters. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! Special thanks to coffee-lova85 and Dragi for encouraging me to continue!
Lana sat curled up on Lex's couch reading her astronomy homework for the next day. She scratched out a few equations with her pencil and placed the eraser in her mouth as she contemplated the problem. She was halfway through when Lex came through the double doors slamming them aside in anger. Ignoring Lana, he filled his glass full of vodka and downed the drink in seconds. He placed his hands on the counter seething with anger.
Lana hung back observing him, her breath shallow and her eyes wide with fear. The last time Lex had appeared this defeated and morose was after he was beaten by Jonathan Kent in the senatorial race. Between the anger of breaking up with Clark (temporarily), her ambivalent feelings toward Lex's kiss, and the fear of almost being struck by a bus, it had been an odd whirlwind of emotions that day. There had been a shift in their relationship that day too; the same day Clark decided he couldn't be honest with her, Lex had vowed he would be always be sincere. To this day, he had kept that promise. She sighed at her troubled lover, came up behind him, and entwined her fingers in his.
"What's wrong Lex?"
"It's- it's nothing," he breathed, pouring himself another drink. As he turned to sip, he noticed Lana's confused face. He relented and put down his glass. "It's Clark."
"Why? Is everything alright?" Lana asked; feeling worried for his well-being.
"I guess so," Lex muttered, tracing his finger across the rim of his glass. "I guess we wouldn't know would we? We're not allowed in Clark's impenetrable fortress of secrets," he spat angrily.
Lana nodded, her blood starting to boil as well. "Don't bother Lex. He'll never let you in. God knows I tried," she sighed, despondently. She surprised Lex by copying his actions and downing her own glass of vodka. Lex raised an eyebrow at her finesse. She smirked at his response. "Don't be so surprised Lex. Whitney would get us into cheap keggers all the time at Smallville High."
"Lana Lang, who knew you were such a bad girl?" Lex chided, placing his hand on her hip. She placed her hand on the back of her neck and drew his lips into hers. While he started unbuttoning the top of her blouse, Lana discretely took the liberty of downing Lex's second drink. He gave her a disproving look and she giggled innocently. He laughed and pulled her closer against his chest. She wobbled a bit as she leaned against him. Lex smiled, her actions hadn't gone unnoticed by him.
"That stuff's a bit stronger than your average watered down high school beer," Lex explained.
"I'm fine, Lex!" Lana laughed, flailing her arms a bit. Lex gently took her unstable frame and guided her back to the couch. She leaned into him, a bit goofy smirk evident on her face. "Thanks for trusting me," she muttered into him. Lex smiled and leaned his chin against the top of her head.
"Don't worry Lana, I'll find out Clark's secret. I'll get back at him for what he did for you… and what he did for me," he vowed, thinking of his father. He looked down at her, but she was already fast asleep in his arms. He twirled a small electronic device between his thumb and index finger and smirked to himself.
Back at the Kent farm…
Clark paced in his loft, his heart racing as he tried to rub the image of his mother and Lionel Luthor kissing out of his brain… to no avail. As he raced around his father's watch rang in his ear: ticktickticktick as if his father wasfeeling as anxious and confused as he was. It was true, Lionel had saved his life. Clark could maybe start to regard him as a dubious friend, but as a father or even a stepfather… he shuddered at the thought. He stared at the family portrait he kept on his desk. The family had gone down to Metropolis to see a Sharks game that day. They were dressed in their Metropolis Sharks T-shirts with wide grins on their faces.
Unexpectedly, he felt his mother's hand against his shoulder. He started a little and turned to face her. "Mom…"
"I remember that day too. It was the first real family moment we had since…" she stopped mid-sentence.
"Since I'd run away that summer," Clark finished for her, bowing his head in shame.
"I remember, I didn't even care whether the Sharks won or not, but seeing you two reconnect… it just made my day," she beamed, looking up at her son. Clark squinted, eying her suspiciously. He sighed, pulling a hand down his face, and sat down on one of the haylofts.
"Were you angry with me mom? For running away, the baby…"
"Clark, I couldn't be. It was an accident," she insisted, surprised by his question. She sat down next to him, sensing Clark's need to talk.
"But you miss it sometimes. Thinking you could have raised your own child," he challenged.
"I did. But Clark, blood or not, you're my son. You're the most important thing in the world to me."
"The second most," he mumbled, staring at the floor.
"Clark, look at me," she insisted. "What happened to your father was not your fault. You had no idea what would happen." Martha noticed her son still looked miserable despite her reassurances. She placed her finger on his chin and lifted his head so he was forced to face her. "Clark, why are you acting like this? Why are you wracking yourself with guilt?"
He scowled and pulled her phone out of his back pocket. "Chloe said no one tipped you off about where I was kidnapped," he explained, showing her the phone records. "How is it you knew where to find me?"
Martha took the phone, read the screen, and snapped it shut. She shook her head and stood up. Visibly agitated, she walked over the edge of the loft and placed her hands on the wooden rails. "Your father and I didn't always see eye to eye about your secret. I was the one who always said 'let him live his life. Don't keep his abilities a secret.' I didn't want you to feel like you do now: that you had to lie and deceive the people you cared about. But then, after Phelan and Nixon; I guess I started to agree with your father."
Clark rose and slowly walked over to his mother, rubbing his neck awkwardly. She turned to face him. "Your father said we should take the threats as they came, continue on with routine, and deal with them as they came. But I-I was so worried they'd take you away from me," she choked on her words as tears began to roll down her face. He enveloped her in a tight hug, wondering how he could have ever doubted her love for him. After a beat, she looked up at him. "I wasn't going to let that happen," she declared resolutely. "I've been researching groups that searched for intelligent life on other planets: conspiracy theorists since you contacted Virgil Swann… just in case."
Clark gently loosened his hold on his mother and looked at her in surprise. "Wow, you're amazing Mom. You saved my life that day, you know."
She smiled and nodded. "… So did Lionel," she added, reluctantly.
This time Clark did pull away. "I know… I think he's still hiding something. Did you know he placed a call to Thompson the same night we had dinner at the Luthor mansion?"
Martha spun around in surprise. She felt her cheeks flush as she remembered her moment of passion with Lionel. She had told him how grateful she was that he had saved Clark. He had claimed he cared more for her and Clark than she knew. Touched by his words, she gave into temptation for a brief moment and kissed him. It was at that moment she looked into his eyes and saw a glint of… something she didn't like. She awkwardly told Lionel she had forgotten her phone and dashed home in the middle of the day, asking Lois to hold her calls. Now, with this new information she felt more unsure and guilty for what she'd done.
"Clark, why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"I-I didn't know what to make of it at the time. I didn't want you to worry about me. You have enough to deal with as it is."
"Worrying is part of a mother's job," she smirked. She grabbed Clark's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Clark, we'll get to the bottom of this. I promise."
He squeezed her hand back in response. "Thanks, Mom."
Later that day…
Martha Kent jumped as she heard a loud banging against the front door. She groaned, shook her head, and peeked out the curtains to gauge her unwelcome guest. She knitted her brow in confusion. Lex Luthor? She reluctantly turned the knob and opened the door for the enigmatic billionaire.
"Hey, Mrs. Kent. Is Clark home?" Lex asked, smiling amicably at her.
"No, Lex. He just went off to the supply store," Martha explained uneasily.
"Oh well, when do you expect him back?"
She glanced at her watch. "Should be another half hour or so."
"Is it okay if I wait for him at the barn?" he asked, gesticulating in its direction. Martha raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Uhh… sure. I guess…"
"It's just—I know that's where he usually spends his time."
"Right, of course. Go right ahead, Lex," she smiled.
Lex nodded and straightened his tie as he walked toward the barn. He felt a little guilty for deceiving Mrs. Kent. She had always been kind to him… but Clark's secret had been a secret long enough. It was time to answer those questions.
As soon as he entered the barn, Lex flipped up his cell phone and started dialing.
"He's gone. Move in," he ordered. In moments, a group of men swarmed into the Kent barn. They began scouting the place, strategically mapping out where to place the tiny bugs. Lex nodded at their handiwork and was about to leave the job to the professionals when a familiar face blocked the entrance. Lex was startled.
"Lana… what are you doing here?" he asked, trying to keep the twinge of irritation from his voice.
"I was going to see Clark… to get some answers. Lex, what are you doing here? And who are all these men?" Lana was stunned. She was fully aware she was unwanted and Lex was not pleased to see her.
Lex sighed and placed his hand behind his neck in frustration. "They're bugging the barn."
Lana stepped back in surprise. Her eyes widened in anger. "Lex, this is going too far. Clark is your friend and prying into his life like this—"
Lex cut her off. "Look Lana, I didn't want to do this. This is the last thing I ever wanted to do. But Clark… he betrayed me. He tried to kill me to protect his secret. I have to know what it is." He contemplated his words for a moment and then began circling behind Lana. He placed his hands on her shoulders and began massaging them tenderly. He spoke again breathily into her ear. "I mean, you of all people must be dying to know: how he mysteriously rescued you so many times, why he kept lying to his face, why protecting his secret was more important than his love for you."
Lana shuddered slightly at his touch. A lump formed in her throat as did her sense of indignation. Lex's reasons were compelling, even if they did stray just over the unethical line. She bowed her head in resignation. "Okay Lex… I won't tell Clark."
Lex smiled in triumphant and grasped Lana's hand. "We'll get our answers soon," he promised. He enfolded her and placed his hand on the small of her back tenderly. Lana reciprocated, bowing her head over his shoulder. Her brow knitted in confusion and she gripped him tighter, hoping she had made the right decision.
Back at the Luthor mansion…
Lionel sat at his desk scratching his light beard in thought for a moment, when his cell phone unexpectedly rang. He glanced at the number, and then hastily opened his phone. "I told you never to call me! I call you!" he hissed to the voice at the other end of the line.
"Mr. Luthor, you promised us an alien specimen. He's gone missing, Thompson is dead—"
"Don't you dare defy me now. If you breathe a word of my involvement to anyone I'll have you locked in an asylum before it even hits the presses."
The man at the other end of the line soothed his wild hair anxiously. "Mr. Luthor… you will deliver him to us, won't you?" he asked, almost pleading.
"I'll not only deliver him, he'll stroll right up to your door as an invited guest," Lionel smirked deviously.
"Thank you Mr. Luthor. Its time the world knew the truth."
"Yes… yes it is," he agreed and snapped his phone shut.
Author's Note: Okay, okay, I confess: I love the Lexana. It's… kinda hot actually. And you can understand their pain at Clark's deception. And of course, I wasn't going to make Martha in evil cohorts with Lionel. She's Clark's Mommy after all! Oh sorry about the absence of Chloe. She will play a big part in the upcoming chapter, I swear! Hope this chapter kept you on your toes! ;)
