Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who gave such great reviews of the first part. I thought the limo appropriate to dispell some of the stupidity of "freshmen" actually driving vehicles. Now I know there are some states that allow permits at fifteen, but the typical freshman (no offense because I completely include myself when I was that age) does not need to behind the wheel of a car, especially ones as nice as those that pop up on the show. This story with soon be posted on my own website, Smallville Stories:http://www.angelfire.com/realm/wolfhowl/smallvillehome.htm. Don't worry - there's more to come :)

Mercy Date: Part 2

by Angelina



"Clark!! The limo's here." His mother's voice drifted up the stairs. Clark tugged on his suit jacket and took one last glance in the mirror, ruefully wishing that he had taken Lex up on his offer of a shopping spree in Metropolis a couple of days ago. But Clark knew his father's wishes and out of deference to them, he had respectfully declined. He knew Jonathan Kent wasn't exactly ecstatic about Clark using Lex's limo but the older man had acknowledged the safety and convenience of the arrangement and didn't forbid Clark from accepting.

Clark took the stairs two at a time, an easy feat with his long legs and natural athletic grace. His parents stood at the bottom, his father's expression unreadable, his mother smiling. Clark had tried to reassure his dad that the party would be completely innocent, no alcohol tolerated because of the number of underage attendees. Jonathan had just grunted a hesitant okay and went back to work in the barn. Clark stopped in front of them as he walked towards the door and gazed down at his mother.

"You look wonderful, Clark," Martha whispered as she picked an imaginary piece of lint off his suit distractedly. "I hope you kids have a great time tonight. It was very nice that you agreed to take Lana's cousin, sweetheart."

Clark smiled one of his disarming, brilliant smiles and picked up his coat from the peg next to the door. "Yeah, I'd better go. Lana threatened me within an inch of my life if I didn't show up on time tonight."

"Be careful, son," Jonathan Kent gruffly admonished. Clark knew it rose out of concern for his welfare, but sometime he wished his father would loosen up a bit. Clark just nodded and slipped into his dress coat before stepping out in the frigid winter air to the warm inviting limo ride to Lana's.

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The plan had been that everyone who going was meet up at Lana's house, then Clark and the limo were to show up there around 7 o'clock. At seven on the nose, the limo slipped silently up the drive at Lana's; bright light from the windows spilled out to glow in patches across the frost-bitten lawn. The horse barns were dark shadowy lumps in the distance as Clark look out from the porch. He nimbly climbed the few steps to Lana's door and rung the doorbell.

A few seconds later, the large glass-adorned door opened and there stood Nell, sophisticatedly dressed as always. She welcomed Clark and permitted him to wait in the foyer while she got the rest of the party. Lana walked out of one of the formal parlors, her soft dark hair piled in soft curls atop her head. Garbed in an iridescent red gown, she practically shimmered and glowed beneath the hallway chandelier. Clark swallowed hard, sneaking a brief up-down glance at her lavishly dressed form, and definitely regretted not shopping with Lex. He felt decidedly underdressed, especially after his escort for the evening followed Lana out into the entryway.

"Clark, this is my cousin Lila." The girl standing behind her could help but be eclipsed by Lana in Clark's eyes. He immediately felt guilty about the ulterior motive behind escorting Lila to Lex's party. But Lana had been right, Lila was pretty...in the conventional sense. Her ash blond hair cascaded down her back in waves, its honey highlights softening its cool color. Her dress, ice blue in color, contrasted attractively with her light blue eyes and pale flawless complexion. A complete opposite of Lana, nonetheless attractive. Any other time Clark would have been flattered by the attention in the lovely woman's eyes, but his attention was completely focused upon Lana.

"Uh...hi...Lila?" The blond woman nodded succinctly, noticing her escort's intense interest in her cousin Lana. She didn't comment on it, knowing it was tasteless to do so. However, she was going to have a talk with Lana when they got back home after the party. For now, it was an opportunity to get away from this yokel environment and off to more hospitable happenings. She knew who Lex Luthor was. What Metropolite didn't? And you certainly didn't skip an invitation to a function hosted by one of the wealthiest men in the country. As she looked Clark up and down assessingly, she came to the

conclusion that the night could be quite bearable as long as he didn't embarrass her in any way. Lana had said Clark was a friend of Luthor himself, hence the limo and special attention, so in Lila's mind, the Smallville farmboy couldn't be all bad.

"Nice to meet you, Clark." Her voice was coolly seductive, not Lana's innocent dulcet tones. All in all, Clark thought he could manage through the night with the 'mercy date', and would be the farm that even Lex would be impressed with the arrangement.

"You showed up, and on time," Lana commented, a small smile forming upon her red lips. Clark turned a charming shade of crimson at the gentle reminder of past transgressions.

"Lex sent the limo to make sure I got here and then for us to get to the estate."

"Good thinking," Lana laughed. Her soft feminine laughter tickled Clark's ears, arousing him slightly. He was startled by his body's betrayal, desperately attempting to control his response to prevent any sort of embarrassment. It occurred to him that he had yet to see Whitney Fordman, the one thing he hadn't looked forward to this evening.

"Where's Whitney?" Clark gazed around warily, half-expecting the blond quarterback to suddenly appear with the mention of his name.

"He's running late and will have to meet us there. He had to go to Metropolis today to meet with some scouts," Lana responded brightly. Clark tried to be as polite and enthusiastic as he could, considering the situation. Would this be the right time to start praying that Whitney has car trouble on the way home?

Lila spoke up. "Well, we'll be late if we don't get going. We don't want to keep Mr. Luthor waiting."

"Actually, I think Lex's kinda used to it by now," Clark replied as he held out Lila's coat for her to slip into. He did the same for Lana, relishing the gentlemanly act a little more when her turn came. The three of them said good-bye to Nell and walked out to the waiting limousine.

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Luthor Manor never ceased to amaze Clark. Not just it's bleak and massive majesty seated quite incongruously in the middle of a Kansas prairie. But also its eerie halls and expensive furnishings, and the fact that Clark realized he had only seen a tiny fraction of the actual house and he had been in more rooms than the farmhouse had. Festive music flowed from several strategically placed speakers around the grounds and inside the house. Inside the typical Dickensonian Christmas trimmings decked every wall and inanimate object. Lex had even hired a small group of costumed carolers to perform in one of the rooms. Overall, an overdone and overly lavish affair a la Luthor.

The girls and Clark removed their coats and handed them to the unobtrusive servants, who just seemed to slink out of the woodwork at a polite request, then back again. Lana and Lila went on ahead, while Clark searched for Lex. Whom he found talking business in another room of the mansion. Clark knew Lex hated things like this and didn't really understand why he even threw them, but Clark's best guess was that Lex hated to be alone, especially around the holidays, even more. Maybe he should ask Lex to come and spend Christmas at the farm.

Lex spied Clark from across the room and breathed a sigh of relief. Well, at least the wayward boy actually arrived on time. Now to do something about that hideously off-the-rack suit. Lex extricated himself from the vainglorious windbag speaking about antiquated business tactics and walked across the floor of the parlor, preparing himself to commit a most heinous and uncharacteristic gaff. Belying his usual agile grace honed from years of fencing, Lex Luthor tripped over a imaginary rough spot in the Aubusson carpet and spilled his completely full tumbler of brandy down the front of Clark's dark (and only good) suit. Auburn liquid streamed down Clark's white shirt, dark tie and heavy wool of his suit, staining it.

"Oh, God, Clark....I'm so sorry." Lex's half-hearted and clumsy attempts to help sop up the wine only made the situation worse. Score one for Lex Luthor. Clark's shoulders slumped in defeat when he realized how mortifying the situation had become.

"It's okay, Lex," Clark replied defeatedly. Now he'd never be able to show himself again. Lana would really think he was unreliable. Lex watched the woeful expression upon his best friend's face with hidden amusement. He took Clark by the arm and lead him around to the back stairs where the servants came and went through the house. Clark would never have imagined that Lex could have had enough strength to almost literally drag Clark up a flight of stair. "Lex, where are we going?"

Lex simply smiled one of his enigmatic half-smiles and opened a door at the top of the stairs. A small bedroom was tucked behind the door, a stylishly handsome formal suit lay upon the bed's coverlet. "See if that will work." He nudged Clark inside and closed the door behind, quite satisfied with himself and the carefully laid plans of a high calibre matchmaker. Surprisingly the suit fit Clark as if it had been tailored for him. Maybe that wasn't so surprising after all. Lex Luthor always got his way, even Clark Kent was intelligent enough to realize that. He studied himself briefly in the mirror and feeling quite proud of his new

attire, eventually found his way back down to the party. Lex hadn't been joking...it was easy to get lost in his house.

Just wait until Lana saw him.....

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Unfortunately he ran into Lila first when he rejoined the party. She noticed his change of clothing immediately and asked politely about it. Clark explained what had happened and of Lex's kind offer of alternative attire for the evening. Lila raised her light lashes and glanced up at Clark, who towered over her by almost a foot. "Your friend has very nice taste," she commented, stroking the material of his suit delicately with her fingertips. "Exquisite material." He could feel the movement of her fingers upon his arm, but there was none of the excitement he felt when he even got within 20 feet of Lana. Her soft, husky voice

pierced through his reverie with a gentle inquiry. "I hope you don't find this rude, but would it be at all possible to meet your friend, Mr. Luthor? I would so very much like to thank him for inviting me to this lovely party."

"Sure," Clark said hesitantly. He didn't want to distract Lex from the soiree again, but he also didn't want to be impolite to the young woman he was supposed to be accompanying tonight. He just hoped Lex wouldn't think him too much of a pest. "Let's go see if we can find him." Clark looked around the room, taking in its occupants. "By the way, where's Lana? Did Whitney ever get here?"

"She's calling him right now to see where he is. I think she's a bit annoyed at him for not showing up."

Lex slipped up behind the stylishly dressed couple and murmured, "Glad to see you could make it, Clark." He handed Clark a glass, the contents of which were unfamiliar to the younger man and for that reason, he refrained from taking a sip right away. Lex eyed Clark's date with an expression that could only be described as predatory. At least, this won't be so bad taking Clark's mercy date off his hands. "Are you going to introduce me to the exquisite creature by your side?"

"Oh, sorry, Lex. This is Lana's cousin, Lila. Lila, this is Lex Luthor, the host of the party." Clark felt lame next to Lex's charm and sophistication. Lila held out her manicured hand in Lex's general direction, who in turn took it in his and raised it in a gallant gesture to his lips. Lila had the good breeding to meet his eyes briefly, then lower her blond lashes in a seductively flirtatious gesture.

"What a pleasure to meet you, Lila," Lex purred. "Have you been enjoying yourself this evening?"

"Very much, Mr. Luthor. It's been a wonderful party," Lila replied, this time her ice blue eyes meeting his steely ones.

Lex turned to regard Clark for a moment. "I just let Lana use the phone in my office. She was trying to call Whitney to see why he was late. Why don't you go and check on her? I could stay here and entertain your date until you return. That is, if you do not object, Lila?" He smiled politely in the attractive woman's direction, instinctively knowing the little social climber wouldn't have a problem with leaving Clark's side, as attractive as he was, if she thought she could get somewhere with Lex. It wasn't out of conceit he understood this, it was simply experience. Lila nodded her acquiescence and Clark grinned briefly at Lex, knowing full well what the incorrigible matchmaker was up to.

Clark wiggled his way through the dense crowd in the hallway until he came to the heavy wooden door of Lex's office. A room strictly off limits to party goers, but Lex had sent him on a mission of mercy, so to speak. The room was poorly lit, so Clark reached over and flicked the switch on the wall to illuminate the room. There on the leather settee across from Lex's desk was Lana, tears trickling down her face as she stared blankly at her hands. Clark moved immediately to sit down beside her, hesitant on how far he should attempt to comfort her.

"Lana, what happened?"

"This time Whitney's the no show. He had car trouble on the way back from Metropolis, and then got upset because I went on to the party without him...with you." She sniffed, blotting at her damp eyes with the back of her hand. When she brought her hand back to her lap, it was streaked with black mascara. She laughed softly. "I know I look a fright."

"No, you don't." Clark whispered as he rubbed her shoulder consolingly. He shivered when the skin of his fingers grazed the warm exposed skin of her back. Lana gazed up at him with glittering eyes and smiled ruefully. "I didn't mean for you to have to miss the party."

"It's okay. Lex's taking care of Lila, and he sent me in here to check on you."

"Always the savior, huh?"

"No..." Clark swallowed, trying desperately to organize his thoughts enough to manage a coherent sentence. "I just don't like to see my friends get hurt, that's all." Lana leaned against his shoulder companionably, but it was Clark could do to restrain himself from closing the distance between them and pressing his lips to hers. The silky strands of her hair tickled his neck as she snuggled closer, his body tensed with the innocent, but very intimate contact. His arm slipped involuntarily around her as they

both relaxed against the back of the settee. His free hand he used to push back the dark waves from his forehead as he thought about what would be the best course of action. "Lana, remember the time I asked you why you went out with Whitney?"

"Yeah?"

"You said it was because he was always there for you. Because he made you feel safe."

Lana leaned up to look into Clark's gleaming green eyes and murmured, "What are you getting at, Clark?"

"I..uh..oh, I don't know..." His words drifted off as he lowered his face to hers, his full lips grazing her mouth in a timidly sensuous fashion.

TBC....