~Not my characters, but my AU, my rules...Usage of 'Obscura' and 'Tempest'. How's this for a thought - wouldn't the motivation for kidnapping Chloe make more sense if she was dating, oh, someone famous?...~
~This one will take things on past the end of the series. And away into my AU. Timeline as stands is in Author notes of Brave New World II. (Ever read the JLA/DC story 'the Nail' - posits a world in which the Kents didn't go by Schuster's field? I consider that Chloe's absence in the -original- arc was the cause of all the problems. We Chlex writers are just putting the world the way it -should- be.)~
1. It Only Hurts When...
LANA
Well, that was a strange week, even for Smallville. I had my first 'walk on the weird side' as Chloe calls it. I got to see through a kidnappers eyes. And then I got to see him die.
I still have nightmares about that. Not that you would know. I've learnt to keep a lot of things to myself over the years. Smile and let it all go. The only person I can talk to about this sort of thing is Chloe, and at the moment, she's part of the problem.
She's been seeing Lex for a while now, and I don't think any of us realised how serious it was until that nutcase buried her alive. It was lucky that the police shot him - I think Lex would have been a lot more creative. He came through the doors of the hospital like the wrath of God, refused to leave her bedside. Just sat there, looking at her, with his face closed up.
I hate this hospital. I've been here too many times, visiting Whitney's dad. Then Whitney had to bring me here, after that firestorm. When I had the first 'episode', Whitney and Clark were having a coffee together. That was so, so bad. Seeing them being close, and I feel like such an awful person, because I've agreed to go to the Spring Formal with Whitney. And I want to go with Clark. And he's in love with Chloe.
Standing in the corridor, watching him watching them. He used to look at me like that. And I never noticed, never wanted to admit it to myself, until he didn't do it anymore.
LEX
I've gone beyond anger, beyond fear now. I'm just...cold. Holding a small hand that lies in mine, and willing her to open her eyes. Luthors don't lose. Come back to me.
No-one thought to tell me she was missing. Not for five fucking hours. Mr Hero Kent found her, because he could, and now I want to punch him in his indestructible face as much as I want to thank him. She's mine. Stop looking at her like that, asshole, because you missed your chance.
Had a fight with Jonathan Kent, one step forward, two steps back. He doesn't want me digging in that damn field. But we're dealing with the government now, and I have a loose cannon of my own. Nixon and his nose for a story. Hamilton, set up in a lab that still reports to my father - he's a tough bastard - still trying to run things from his private room in Kane Memorial. And that lunatic crop-duster...the $600 question, and Nixon has it, has evidence, and I can't make -everyone- disappear, not until I find out who knows what. Sneer at the story, trying to throw Nixon off the scent, and I don't know if I succeeded. Kent doesn't understand the need to know. Neither of them do. We need to know -first-, need to have all the pieces, so we can defend ourselves. Clark saw me trash my notes, my research, but I have a very good memory. Too good a memory. I don't forget anything. Not the scent of her skin, not the sound of her breathing when I wake in the night and reach for her.
How did this happen? She's pretty, of course, any idiot can see that. Though one didn't, until it was too late. But she's like me. We need to know the truth, whatever the cost. It binds us as surely as anything. The secret that we share with the Kents. She's tough. Nobody else, except maybe Pamela, ever got away with telling me off. She doesn't let me get away with being the cynical and satanic lord of the manor. She wants Lex - Alexander. Open your eyes, my love. I have things to tell you.
CHLOE
Lying in that little metal box, I knew Clark would save me. It's almost a given, now. He feels responsible for the weirdness in Smallville. In a way, he is. But I know that it isn't his hand gripping mine so tightly that the pain brings me back. And I know whose eyes I will find when I open mine. A rare smile, and suspiciously bright eyes. Not a side of him most people see - he guards that jealously. And I know that I can sleep now, because anything trying to threaten me while he's in the room had better be prepared for a fight. Be it kidnappers, mutants or officious nurses. He won't leave.
I hope that Lex finds the bastard responsible before the police do.
***
Turns out that the culprit -was- the police. We go tearing off to the funfair (and I will never look at carnivals the same way again) and having headed off Whitney the truck-killer from driving, I then had to distract him into phoning for support, while Clark became a blur.
Seeing the guy shot, through his own eyes. That had to be a bitch. Lana looked so small, in the curve of Clark's arm.
CLARK
We have something from the crash site. I thought Lex would let it drop, should have known better. He gets so obsessed, loses perspective. He's driven to know all the answers. I can see why he and Chloe get on.
That is such a strange thing. Two people you would never expect to meet. I never knew what I was missing, until I saw them together. It makes my crush on Lana look so pale. Chloe doesn't let a lot show, but she has expressive eyes. And Lex...he's even worse for clamming up. Unless you catch him looking at her, when he thinks no-one is watching. Standing at the window of the hospital room, I wanted to be the one there, holding her hand. I rescued her. But I don't belong there.
CHLOE
Clark has left a lovely mess in my office. He killed my printer. The paperwork has become an art installation. But someone has been -in- here again. Not Mr Olsen - we have a system of reporting now, carefully edited to keep him sweet. We have a new player in town. I need to tell Lex. The Kents and Clark have become so used to keeping secrets, they don't realise how dangerous it is. Once the knowledge is out there, you can't shut it away again.
We're tied together now. I understand why Lex likes to get in his car and drive so fast. Some days I just want to drive as far and as fast away from here as I can, be just normal. That isn't an option, though. Another thing about knowledge, is that you can't run from it.
I got the internship at the Planet. A hollow victory. I find myself waking in the night now, reaching up to make sure that I can breathe. How am I going to manage in the city?
The first night back in my own house, I didn't know what to do with myself. Didn't want to go to bed. Then there was a knock at the door, a murmur of voices, and Dad let Lex in. He didn't say anything, just came and stood in the doorway, put out his hand. And I led him upstairs.
LEX
I still don't know what to think. Could a simple desire for fame have caused this? For one minute, when I heard the news, I thought I would get a ransom demand. Thought my father might get one. Frantically thought of who knew about us, who would believe that a Luthor would pay. Wondered if it was my father, reaching out to fuck something up, to prove he still had clout. Then it just turned out to be a random lunatic. And the stupid local police shot him before I got a chance to...talk... with him.
I prop up on my elbow, watch my girl sleep. He made her cry, and I would cheerfully have kept him alive long enough to answer for that. If Clark hadn't found her...hadn't found her in time, I would have killed him. Slowly. It doesn't make me proud, but you have to face the darkness in yourself, make sense of it. I don't see my darkness, unless I stand in her light. Too much hospital coffee, not enough sleep - I'm drifting into strange metaphor. So I watch her sleep, because I still have her.
No other woman has ever affected me like this. Maybe there is something in that Greek myth - the being split, forever searching for its perfect other half. I never met anyone that challenged me, matched me, and I certainly never expected to meet that someone in Smallville.
When I knocked on the door tonight, I wasn't Lex Luthor, Gabe Sullivan's boss and de facto acting chairman of Luthercorp. I was Chloe's boyfriend. Because she needed me to be. -I- needed to be. In no small part, the economy of this town depends on me. But tonight, it can all just...fuck off, because I need to hold my girl, know she's okay.
And tomorrow, I have to be strong again. Because I have to solve these puzzles faster than anyone, I'm the one that has to hold the pieces together. Clark might be able to stop bullets, but we're going to be playing in my arena now. We have the government, the press and Luthercorp itself in the mix. And all that stands between them and the small, simple lives of these people is me. My advantage - people think I'm just a spoilt rich kid. They underestimate me. I just have to hope that I'm strong enough, fast enough to deal with it. Is this how Clark feels?
~This one will take things on past the end of the series. And away into my AU. Timeline as stands is in Author notes of Brave New World II. (Ever read the JLA/DC story 'the Nail' - posits a world in which the Kents didn't go by Schuster's field? I consider that Chloe's absence in the -original- arc was the cause of all the problems. We Chlex writers are just putting the world the way it -should- be.)~
1. It Only Hurts When...
LANA
Well, that was a strange week, even for Smallville. I had my first 'walk on the weird side' as Chloe calls it. I got to see through a kidnappers eyes. And then I got to see him die.
I still have nightmares about that. Not that you would know. I've learnt to keep a lot of things to myself over the years. Smile and let it all go. The only person I can talk to about this sort of thing is Chloe, and at the moment, she's part of the problem.
She's been seeing Lex for a while now, and I don't think any of us realised how serious it was until that nutcase buried her alive. It was lucky that the police shot him - I think Lex would have been a lot more creative. He came through the doors of the hospital like the wrath of God, refused to leave her bedside. Just sat there, looking at her, with his face closed up.
I hate this hospital. I've been here too many times, visiting Whitney's dad. Then Whitney had to bring me here, after that firestorm. When I had the first 'episode', Whitney and Clark were having a coffee together. That was so, so bad. Seeing them being close, and I feel like such an awful person, because I've agreed to go to the Spring Formal with Whitney. And I want to go with Clark. And he's in love with Chloe.
Standing in the corridor, watching him watching them. He used to look at me like that. And I never noticed, never wanted to admit it to myself, until he didn't do it anymore.
LEX
I've gone beyond anger, beyond fear now. I'm just...cold. Holding a small hand that lies in mine, and willing her to open her eyes. Luthors don't lose. Come back to me.
No-one thought to tell me she was missing. Not for five fucking hours. Mr Hero Kent found her, because he could, and now I want to punch him in his indestructible face as much as I want to thank him. She's mine. Stop looking at her like that, asshole, because you missed your chance.
Had a fight with Jonathan Kent, one step forward, two steps back. He doesn't want me digging in that damn field. But we're dealing with the government now, and I have a loose cannon of my own. Nixon and his nose for a story. Hamilton, set up in a lab that still reports to my father - he's a tough bastard - still trying to run things from his private room in Kane Memorial. And that lunatic crop-duster...the $600 question, and Nixon has it, has evidence, and I can't make -everyone- disappear, not until I find out who knows what. Sneer at the story, trying to throw Nixon off the scent, and I don't know if I succeeded. Kent doesn't understand the need to know. Neither of them do. We need to know -first-, need to have all the pieces, so we can defend ourselves. Clark saw me trash my notes, my research, but I have a very good memory. Too good a memory. I don't forget anything. Not the scent of her skin, not the sound of her breathing when I wake in the night and reach for her.
How did this happen? She's pretty, of course, any idiot can see that. Though one didn't, until it was too late. But she's like me. We need to know the truth, whatever the cost. It binds us as surely as anything. The secret that we share with the Kents. She's tough. Nobody else, except maybe Pamela, ever got away with telling me off. She doesn't let me get away with being the cynical and satanic lord of the manor. She wants Lex - Alexander. Open your eyes, my love. I have things to tell you.
CHLOE
Lying in that little metal box, I knew Clark would save me. It's almost a given, now. He feels responsible for the weirdness in Smallville. In a way, he is. But I know that it isn't his hand gripping mine so tightly that the pain brings me back. And I know whose eyes I will find when I open mine. A rare smile, and suspiciously bright eyes. Not a side of him most people see - he guards that jealously. And I know that I can sleep now, because anything trying to threaten me while he's in the room had better be prepared for a fight. Be it kidnappers, mutants or officious nurses. He won't leave.
I hope that Lex finds the bastard responsible before the police do.
***
Turns out that the culprit -was- the police. We go tearing off to the funfair (and I will never look at carnivals the same way again) and having headed off Whitney the truck-killer from driving, I then had to distract him into phoning for support, while Clark became a blur.
Seeing the guy shot, through his own eyes. That had to be a bitch. Lana looked so small, in the curve of Clark's arm.
CLARK
We have something from the crash site. I thought Lex would let it drop, should have known better. He gets so obsessed, loses perspective. He's driven to know all the answers. I can see why he and Chloe get on.
That is such a strange thing. Two people you would never expect to meet. I never knew what I was missing, until I saw them together. It makes my crush on Lana look so pale. Chloe doesn't let a lot show, but she has expressive eyes. And Lex...he's even worse for clamming up. Unless you catch him looking at her, when he thinks no-one is watching. Standing at the window of the hospital room, I wanted to be the one there, holding her hand. I rescued her. But I don't belong there.
CHLOE
Clark has left a lovely mess in my office. He killed my printer. The paperwork has become an art installation. But someone has been -in- here again. Not Mr Olsen - we have a system of reporting now, carefully edited to keep him sweet. We have a new player in town. I need to tell Lex. The Kents and Clark have become so used to keeping secrets, they don't realise how dangerous it is. Once the knowledge is out there, you can't shut it away again.
We're tied together now. I understand why Lex likes to get in his car and drive so fast. Some days I just want to drive as far and as fast away from here as I can, be just normal. That isn't an option, though. Another thing about knowledge, is that you can't run from it.
I got the internship at the Planet. A hollow victory. I find myself waking in the night now, reaching up to make sure that I can breathe. How am I going to manage in the city?
The first night back in my own house, I didn't know what to do with myself. Didn't want to go to bed. Then there was a knock at the door, a murmur of voices, and Dad let Lex in. He didn't say anything, just came and stood in the doorway, put out his hand. And I led him upstairs.
LEX
I still don't know what to think. Could a simple desire for fame have caused this? For one minute, when I heard the news, I thought I would get a ransom demand. Thought my father might get one. Frantically thought of who knew about us, who would believe that a Luthor would pay. Wondered if it was my father, reaching out to fuck something up, to prove he still had clout. Then it just turned out to be a random lunatic. And the stupid local police shot him before I got a chance to...talk... with him.
I prop up on my elbow, watch my girl sleep. He made her cry, and I would cheerfully have kept him alive long enough to answer for that. If Clark hadn't found her...hadn't found her in time, I would have killed him. Slowly. It doesn't make me proud, but you have to face the darkness in yourself, make sense of it. I don't see my darkness, unless I stand in her light. Too much hospital coffee, not enough sleep - I'm drifting into strange metaphor. So I watch her sleep, because I still have her.
No other woman has ever affected me like this. Maybe there is something in that Greek myth - the being split, forever searching for its perfect other half. I never met anyone that challenged me, matched me, and I certainly never expected to meet that someone in Smallville.
When I knocked on the door tonight, I wasn't Lex Luthor, Gabe Sullivan's boss and de facto acting chairman of Luthercorp. I was Chloe's boyfriend. Because she needed me to be. -I- needed to be. In no small part, the economy of this town depends on me. But tonight, it can all just...fuck off, because I need to hold my girl, know she's okay.
And tomorrow, I have to be strong again. Because I have to solve these puzzles faster than anyone, I'm the one that has to hold the pieces together. Clark might be able to stop bullets, but we're going to be playing in my arena now. We have the government, the press and Luthercorp itself in the mix. And all that stands between them and the small, simple lives of these people is me. My advantage - people think I'm just a spoilt rich kid. They underestimate me. I just have to hope that I'm strong enough, fast enough to deal with it. Is this how Clark feels?