Songfic of sorts based on The Last Song.Music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin from the album The One. It's always been one of my favourite songs - especially after seeing the video clip. The song is all about reconciliation and love. So this is a speculative piece based on the following scenario – what if Lex does try to save his father in Tempest? Would such an act lead to a reconciliation? I'm not sure if the formatting will work here. Bold italics are from The Last Song and normal italics are Lex/Lionel quotes from previous episodes. Spoilers for Tempest of course.

The Last Song

Lex stood in the stillness of the Smallville hospital room. Only the best for Lionel Luthor of course. Lex was surprised the entire hospital hadn't been evacuated to house the shattered and broken body of Lionel Luthor. The only sound in the room was the mechanical sound of the breathing apparatus which enabled the breathing of Lionel Luthor - businessman, husband and father.

Yesterday you came to lift me up
As light as straw and brittle as a bird
Today I weigh less than a shadow on the wall
Just one more whisper of a voice unheard

Lex's hand went to the deep gash on his face. In his mind's eye he could still see the sight of his father pinned beneath the pillar, the desperation in his eyes as he pleaded with Lex for his life. Lex wondered whether any of the 2,500 former employees of LuthorCorp's Smallville base of operations, Fertilizer Plant No. 3 would have recognised the pleading, pitiful man as the ruthless and powerful CEO of LuthorCorp.

Tomorrow leave the windows open
As fear grows please hold me in your arms
Won't you help me if you can to shake this anger
I need your gentle hands to keep me calm

Lex's reached out his hand, wanting despite himself to touch his father's cheek. He drew back though, waiting, wondering ...... He wondered whether his father had ever embraced him with love.

"I've been harsh on you, Lex, but greatness is a rarefied air one has to be taught to breathe."

Once after the siege at the plant Lionel had pretended to embrace him, but the emptiness of the gesture had filled Lex with bitterness. In his dreams, he had imagined that long ago, in the days before the meteor shower, perhaps there had been love and affection such as existed in other families and that the shock of the meteor shower had blanked such memories from his mind. As he had grown older, he had realised that it was a misguided and vain hope. Even as a child, he had no recollection of any affection from his father.

"You're not my enemy. You're my son."
"I never saw the distinction."

Lionel's eyes flickered open and he stared through a cloud of agony and painkillers at his son's expressionless face. He rasped painfully, his mouth trying to form words.

`Cause I never thought I'd lose
I only thought I'd win
I never dreamed I'd feel
This fire beneath my skin
I can't believe you love me
I never thought you'd come
I guess I misjudged love
Between a father and his son

Lex lowered his gaze. I'm sorry dad – I waited too long. He said quietly. The hesitation had cost his father dearly. His body had been crushed and by the time Lex had managed to extricate Lionel from the wreckage, that proud, arrogant and vigorous body had been maimed for life. The conflicting feelings of hatred, anguish and pain had welled up inside of him as he had seen his father pinned helplessly to the ground, his hand outstretched in supplication. There had been so many unanswered questions in Lex's life, so many silent and solitary moments of deep and intense loneliness.

Memories flooded back to him as fragments. "Luthors are not afraid. We don't have that luxury. We're leaders. You have a destiny, Lex. You're never going to get anywhere with your eyes closed."

Never apologise, Lex Lionel whispered intensely. Luthors never apologise

Things we never said come together
The hidden truth no longer haunting me
Tonight we touched on the things that were never spoken
That kind of understanding sets me free

Lex stared at the machine which blinked and made small beeping sounds. He wondered why he had come. Did he really think that his father would finally speak the words that he had always yearned for.

"I'm your future. Join me, Lex. Join me in Metropolis. How long have you been waiting to hear those words?"
"I've been waiting to hear other things from you for a lot longer, Dad."

He swallowed, his throat tight and painful waiting for the words that would never come. He should have known that even the threat of death would not resolve anything between them.

His father's dark eyes met his wordlessly. Pain shot through Lex. He knew what his father expected of him.

Lex could feel his eyes burning - whether it was hatred or grief he did not know. Lionel stretched out his hand and seized Lex's hand in his, squeezing convulsively as he stared up into Lex's face.

You are the last the last of the Luthors . never forget your obligation to your name. He said harshly.

Lionel's raspy breathing was ragged and strained.

Duty to the last. Lex said coolly, a slow, smouldering anger banked in his eyes that even at this final moment, there was no tenderness, no final words of love or sorrow.

The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways - I to die, and you to live. Which is the better, God only knows." Lionel whispered.

Lex's face was expressionless as he listened to the words of Socrates. He should have known better. Games ..... He should have remembered that there had never been anything between them resembling love, and even at the end, his father was playing a game - using the words of another man rather than his own words.

When his father had made the announcement that he was closing the plant, blaming Lex for mismanagement, the fury and sorrow which had built up inside him had bene almost impossible to contain. It was that emotion which had made him hesitate before saving his father's life and now, he was left to realise that even that act was not sufficient to make his father treat him as a son rather than just an heir.

The emotions building inside of him were so intense he could almost taste them. It was characteristic of Lionel that his final order to his son would be to commit the act that would remove the last shred of humanity from him and torture him for the rest of his days. How like Lionel to be able to ensure that he would be able to reach from the grave to haunt his son for the remainder of his days.

"Lex, did you know that the Caesars sent their sons to the furthermost corner of the empire just so they could get an appreciation of how the world works?"
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Dad."

"Do it." Lionel hissed, knowing that if his son did as he asked, Lex would never again know the peace of a quiet night's sleep. A fitting parting gift from a man such as Lionel Luthor to his son.

Good bye dad. He said calmly.

With his free hand he reached out and flicked the switch on the life support machine.

Silence filled the room.

The End