Chapter 16
"Lex, I refuse to stay away from Chloe and Clark," Lana said firmly, in the car the next day.
"You may not talk to Clark. I forbid it," Lex said, his voice unfeeling.
Lana turned in her seat. "*You* forbid *me?*" she asked, trying not to laugh.
"Yes," Lex answered, keeping his eyes on the road.
"The image of Lex Luthor may still scare some people into obedience, but you lost that power over me a long time ago," Lana said, amazed at Lex's attitude. "You no longer scare me."
"I'm not trying to scare you," Lex said, is voice like ice.
"You don't intimidate me either. Clark and Chloe are my friends; my *best* friends. What happened was an accident, Lex. Clark didn't know I was there. You know he would never intentionally harm me. What you did was wrong. I know that you were only trying to save me, but Lauren is only a baby. You had no right treating her that way. She's unconscious because of you," Lana said her eyes piercing Lex.
"Don't you think I know that?" Lex raged, turning on Lana. "She might die because of me, Lana. You don't have to remind me. I didn't know it would do that to her. I didn't want you to die. Because of my own selfishness, I might have killed my best friend's daughter."
As his voice rose a cry echoed from the back seat. "Lex, calm down. Now you've woken Meredith." Lana reached into the backseat to replace the pacifier into Meredith's small mouth.
Lex lowered his voice. "I *am* angry with Clark for not being more careful, but it's not only that."
Lana's face softened as she sat back in her seat. "Lex, Clark didn't mean to. Clark has *never* hurt any of us on purpose. Can't you see that? The reason you really don't want me to see them is guilt. You're guilty because of Lauren. Don't let your guilt make you lose the best friend you've ever had."
"Can we just focus on getting Meredith home and situated?" Lex asked, exhaustedly.
Lana sighed. "Whatever, Lex."
* * *
"Lana, you have to set her down sometime," Lex said, raising an eyebrow.
Lana was sitting in the rocker, Meredith sitting on her lap. "No, I don't."
"Lan, she's big enough to sit on her own," Lex reasoned. "Not to mention crawl."
"Just let me hold her, Lex. Don't be such a spoil-sport," Lana told him, hugging Meredith.
"Fine," Lex said, huffing and walking from the room.
Lana stood, grabbed the diaper bag off of the changing table and went to find Lex. "Lex, I'm taking Meredith to Nell's. You coming?"
"Are you going to see Chloe and Clark?" Lex asked, not bothering to look at her.
"Yes, Lexy," Lana sighed, using the nickname she only used when she was upset and tired of arguing.
"Then no," Lex answered.
"Lex, look at me," Lana said, waiting for eye contact. "You can't do this. Whenever something doesn't go your way you pull back from everyone and go into your little shell. I won't let you do it this time. I'm tired of it."
Lex didn't reply, he only turned his eyes back to his paper.
Lana strode to his side, hooked a finger under his chin, and pulled his face up to meet his eyes. "Look, if you won't do it for me, do it for Meredith. We've had her for all of two hours. She needs to get to know you and get used to you."
Lex looked up at Lana silently. "I won't go to the Kents."
Lana's eyes flared. "I am not going to put up with this, Alexander. You are coming with me and that's final. You will *not* act like a child who's had his toy taken away. I don't care if you like it or not, but you *will* come with me," Lana said, her voice filled with controlled anger. "You need to put this pettiness behind you and get over it. Clark hurt me, yes. But I'm fine. You know that, I know that, and he would know that if you would let me within thirty feet of him. So get up off your *ass* and come with me to let everyone see *our* baby."
A shock looked flitted across Lex's face. "You said ass," he said in amazement.
"Ugh!" Lana exclaimed. "That's all you have to say?"
"You never cuss," Lex said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"You're impossible," Lana said, rolling her eyes.
"Okay, okay," Lex said, standing up and kissing Lana's, then Meredith's head. "I'll go."
"Wrapped around my finger," Lana said to Meredith, grinning like the Cheshire cat.
Lex shot Lana a withering look.
* * *
"Nell," Lana called, letting herself into the house.
"In the kitchen, sweetie," Nell called back.
Lana handed Meredith to Lex, then glided into the kitchen. "Nell, I would like to introduce you to your granddaughter?" Lana asked, screwing up her nose. "Your niece?"
Nell laughed. "She can call me whatever she likes."
"I like grandmother," Lana said, smiling brightly.
"I would love that. Now where is she?" Nell asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Lex," Lana called as Lex walked into the kitchen.
"Look at her," Nell said, scooping Meredith from Lex's arms. "She's such a chunk."
"Ne-ell," Lana said, trying not to laugh. "I know. You're right."
"Isn't she beautiful. Those eyes," Nell exclaimed, running the back of her hand over Meredith's cheek. When she looked at Lex he was smiling proudly. "I'm happy for you, Lex."
"Thank you, Nell," Lex replied, watching as she coddled Meredith.
* * *
"What is *he* doing here?" Chloe sneered when she opened the door.
"Believe me, if I had a choice I wouldn't be," Lex retorted.
"Clark!" Lana said loudly.
Clark was at the door in a flash. "Lana!"
Lana handed Meredith to Clark. "Clark, this is Meredith. Meredith, your Uncle Clark. Now excuse me while I deal with these two."
"I'll take her to Lauren's room," Clark said, a wary look in his eyes.
"Is she okay?" Lana asked, letting her attention stray for a moment.
"No thanks to *him*," Chloe growled, glaring at Lex.
"Clark please take Meredith into the other room," Lana said, through clenched teeth. "I don't want her to hear me yelling at these two."
Clark nodded, and carried Meredith away.
"Living room, now," Lana said, looking from Chloe to Lex.
Chloe stalked into the living room and sat on the couch. Lex took the seat as far from Chloe as he could get.
"I wasn't aware I had adopted three children," Lana said, planting her feet and putting her hands on her hips.
"He lost all respect when he hurt my daughter," Chloe said, sitting back against the couch and crossing her arms.
"I don't need your respect," Lex hissed.
"Okay, I obviously picked the wrong time to let you into the conversation," Lana said, narrowing her eyes. "So just sit and listen. You two are acting like children and it's going to stop right now. Look at you. You have always been each other's confidantes. I will *not* allow you two to let an *accident* get in the way of your friendship."
"What *he* did wasn't an accident," Chloe said, glaring at the carpet.
"You do *not* want to interrupt me right now," Lana said, her eyes like fire. "Clark *accidentally* hit me. Alright? *Accident!* Lex didn't know Lauren would get hurt. All he was doing was looking out for me. I wish you two would get that through your thick heads."
"I've already heard this," Lex sulked.
"And you'll hear it again. Get over it. Both of you are so bull- headed it makes me want to scream," Lana said, looking from Chloe to Lex. "Get over it. I won't let you two be mad at each other for weeks. You pull this shit every time you have a disagreement and I'm tired of it. You may talk."
"You cussed," Chloe said, her mouth dropping open.
"Twins!" Lana said, throwing her arms in the air. "You two could be twins!"
Lex smiled grimly. "Calm down, baby."
"Don't you *even* 'baby' me," Lana said, plopping down next to Chloe. "Now I'm tired."
Chloe laughed. "Baby," she teased.
Lana reached over and slapped Chloe's arm weakly.
"Oh, that was pitiful," Lex said. "You can do better than that."
"Would you two just apologize to each other so we can all go see my baby?" Lana asked, laying her head against the back of the couch.
"Only if he goes first," Chloe said, raising one eyebrow.
Lana raised her hand again and Chloe flinched away.
"Alright, alright. No need to get aggressive. Lex, I'm sorry," Chloe said, breaking into a smile.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry," Lex insisted.
"No, no. I was in the wrong," Chloe admitted, sitting up.
"Believe me, I'm more sorry than you," Lex said.
Chloe shook her head. "No, I am."
"Trust me, I am," Lex said, his voice going up a level.
"Maybe you didn't hear me," Chloe said.
"Somebody saaaave me," Lana whined, throwing her arms over her eyes and throwing herself against the back of the couch.
"Let your warm hands break right through, somebody saaaave me," Chloe sang, with a grin.
"Cla-ark!" Lana yelled.
"Hey, that's not how it goes," Lex teased.
"Lex, I refuse to stay away from Chloe and Clark," Lana said firmly, in the car the next day.
"You may not talk to Clark. I forbid it," Lex said, his voice unfeeling.
Lana turned in her seat. "*You* forbid *me?*" she asked, trying not to laugh.
"Yes," Lex answered, keeping his eyes on the road.
"The image of Lex Luthor may still scare some people into obedience, but you lost that power over me a long time ago," Lana said, amazed at Lex's attitude. "You no longer scare me."
"I'm not trying to scare you," Lex said, is voice like ice.
"You don't intimidate me either. Clark and Chloe are my friends; my *best* friends. What happened was an accident, Lex. Clark didn't know I was there. You know he would never intentionally harm me. What you did was wrong. I know that you were only trying to save me, but Lauren is only a baby. You had no right treating her that way. She's unconscious because of you," Lana said her eyes piercing Lex.
"Don't you think I know that?" Lex raged, turning on Lana. "She might die because of me, Lana. You don't have to remind me. I didn't know it would do that to her. I didn't want you to die. Because of my own selfishness, I might have killed my best friend's daughter."
As his voice rose a cry echoed from the back seat. "Lex, calm down. Now you've woken Meredith." Lana reached into the backseat to replace the pacifier into Meredith's small mouth.
Lex lowered his voice. "I *am* angry with Clark for not being more careful, but it's not only that."
Lana's face softened as she sat back in her seat. "Lex, Clark didn't mean to. Clark has *never* hurt any of us on purpose. Can't you see that? The reason you really don't want me to see them is guilt. You're guilty because of Lauren. Don't let your guilt make you lose the best friend you've ever had."
"Can we just focus on getting Meredith home and situated?" Lex asked, exhaustedly.
Lana sighed. "Whatever, Lex."
* * *
"Lana, you have to set her down sometime," Lex said, raising an eyebrow.
Lana was sitting in the rocker, Meredith sitting on her lap. "No, I don't."
"Lan, she's big enough to sit on her own," Lex reasoned. "Not to mention crawl."
"Just let me hold her, Lex. Don't be such a spoil-sport," Lana told him, hugging Meredith.
"Fine," Lex said, huffing and walking from the room.
Lana stood, grabbed the diaper bag off of the changing table and went to find Lex. "Lex, I'm taking Meredith to Nell's. You coming?"
"Are you going to see Chloe and Clark?" Lex asked, not bothering to look at her.
"Yes, Lexy," Lana sighed, using the nickname she only used when she was upset and tired of arguing.
"Then no," Lex answered.
"Lex, look at me," Lana said, waiting for eye contact. "You can't do this. Whenever something doesn't go your way you pull back from everyone and go into your little shell. I won't let you do it this time. I'm tired of it."
Lex didn't reply, he only turned his eyes back to his paper.
Lana strode to his side, hooked a finger under his chin, and pulled his face up to meet his eyes. "Look, if you won't do it for me, do it for Meredith. We've had her for all of two hours. She needs to get to know you and get used to you."
Lex looked up at Lana silently. "I won't go to the Kents."
Lana's eyes flared. "I am not going to put up with this, Alexander. You are coming with me and that's final. You will *not* act like a child who's had his toy taken away. I don't care if you like it or not, but you *will* come with me," Lana said, her voice filled with controlled anger. "You need to put this pettiness behind you and get over it. Clark hurt me, yes. But I'm fine. You know that, I know that, and he would know that if you would let me within thirty feet of him. So get up off your *ass* and come with me to let everyone see *our* baby."
A shock looked flitted across Lex's face. "You said ass," he said in amazement.
"Ugh!" Lana exclaimed. "That's all you have to say?"
"You never cuss," Lex said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"You're impossible," Lana said, rolling her eyes.
"Okay, okay," Lex said, standing up and kissing Lana's, then Meredith's head. "I'll go."
"Wrapped around my finger," Lana said to Meredith, grinning like the Cheshire cat.
Lex shot Lana a withering look.
* * *
"Nell," Lana called, letting herself into the house.
"In the kitchen, sweetie," Nell called back.
Lana handed Meredith to Lex, then glided into the kitchen. "Nell, I would like to introduce you to your granddaughter?" Lana asked, screwing up her nose. "Your niece?"
Nell laughed. "She can call me whatever she likes."
"I like grandmother," Lana said, smiling brightly.
"I would love that. Now where is she?" Nell asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Lex," Lana called as Lex walked into the kitchen.
"Look at her," Nell said, scooping Meredith from Lex's arms. "She's such a chunk."
"Ne-ell," Lana said, trying not to laugh. "I know. You're right."
"Isn't she beautiful. Those eyes," Nell exclaimed, running the back of her hand over Meredith's cheek. When she looked at Lex he was smiling proudly. "I'm happy for you, Lex."
"Thank you, Nell," Lex replied, watching as she coddled Meredith.
* * *
"What is *he* doing here?" Chloe sneered when she opened the door.
"Believe me, if I had a choice I wouldn't be," Lex retorted.
"Clark!" Lana said loudly.
Clark was at the door in a flash. "Lana!"
Lana handed Meredith to Clark. "Clark, this is Meredith. Meredith, your Uncle Clark. Now excuse me while I deal with these two."
"I'll take her to Lauren's room," Clark said, a wary look in his eyes.
"Is she okay?" Lana asked, letting her attention stray for a moment.
"No thanks to *him*," Chloe growled, glaring at Lex.
"Clark please take Meredith into the other room," Lana said, through clenched teeth. "I don't want her to hear me yelling at these two."
Clark nodded, and carried Meredith away.
"Living room, now," Lana said, looking from Chloe to Lex.
Chloe stalked into the living room and sat on the couch. Lex took the seat as far from Chloe as he could get.
"I wasn't aware I had adopted three children," Lana said, planting her feet and putting her hands on her hips.
"He lost all respect when he hurt my daughter," Chloe said, sitting back against the couch and crossing her arms.
"I don't need your respect," Lex hissed.
"Okay, I obviously picked the wrong time to let you into the conversation," Lana said, narrowing her eyes. "So just sit and listen. You two are acting like children and it's going to stop right now. Look at you. You have always been each other's confidantes. I will *not* allow you two to let an *accident* get in the way of your friendship."
"What *he* did wasn't an accident," Chloe said, glaring at the carpet.
"You do *not* want to interrupt me right now," Lana said, her eyes like fire. "Clark *accidentally* hit me. Alright? *Accident!* Lex didn't know Lauren would get hurt. All he was doing was looking out for me. I wish you two would get that through your thick heads."
"I've already heard this," Lex sulked.
"And you'll hear it again. Get over it. Both of you are so bull- headed it makes me want to scream," Lana said, looking from Chloe to Lex. "Get over it. I won't let you two be mad at each other for weeks. You pull this shit every time you have a disagreement and I'm tired of it. You may talk."
"You cussed," Chloe said, her mouth dropping open.
"Twins!" Lana said, throwing her arms in the air. "You two could be twins!"
Lex smiled grimly. "Calm down, baby."
"Don't you *even* 'baby' me," Lana said, plopping down next to Chloe. "Now I'm tired."
Chloe laughed. "Baby," she teased.
Lana reached over and slapped Chloe's arm weakly.
"Oh, that was pitiful," Lex said. "You can do better than that."
"Would you two just apologize to each other so we can all go see my baby?" Lana asked, laying her head against the back of the couch.
"Only if he goes first," Chloe said, raising one eyebrow.
Lana raised her hand again and Chloe flinched away.
"Alright, alright. No need to get aggressive. Lex, I'm sorry," Chloe said, breaking into a smile.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry," Lex insisted.
"No, no. I was in the wrong," Chloe admitted, sitting up.
"Believe me, I'm more sorry than you," Lex said.
Chloe shook her head. "No, I am."
"Trust me, I am," Lex said, his voice going up a level.
"Maybe you didn't hear me," Chloe said.
"Somebody saaaave me," Lana whined, throwing her arms over her eyes and throwing herself against the back of the couch.
"Let your warm hands break right through, somebody saaaave me," Chloe sang, with a grin.
"Cla-ark!" Lana yelled.
"Hey, that's not how it goes," Lex teased.