Chapter 14
"Blow the Candles Out"
A Smallville story by Xica
Characters: Clark, Chloe, Pete, Lana, Lex, and Mari
Disclaimer: All the usuals apply. All I own is my poor Smallville infested brain and the characters that are created from it.
Finally it is finished. Now I can finally move on to something else…but I'm not above a sequel. Thanks for all the continued feeback You guys really inspired me to get this thing done.
5.27.03 - UPDATE
Just a little update. I wanted to flesh out some things that I felt were rushed in this last chapter, but nothing has really been changed. I also want to clarify the fact that Mari does not really know what the deal is with Clark. Based on the incident in the woods, and the fact that she's not completely blind (the way everyone in the SV canon is) she knows that something is weird about Clark. As would anyone who spent a great deal of time with someone who was constantly rescuing people and doing things that no human could possibly do. I'll write something to make that a little more obvious in the sequel. My point with the sequel was to get more into the Clark/Mari thing, but I figured everyone would want the Chlark instead. Thanx for all the love everyone.
Several months later…
"You know she's going to kill us for this right?"
"Paybacks a bitch. I told her I didn't want a party and she gave me one anyway"
"Well as I remember it, things didn't turn out too bad in the end"
Chloe turned away from her work and faced her boyfriend. "I definitely agree with you on that one" she said as Clark pulled her close.
The last few months had been interesting to say the least. Ever since her birthday she and Clark had been nearly inseparable. In the interest of spending more time with her Clark had taken a more active role at The Torch, and had found that he had a talent for journalism that went beyond typing up the lunch menu.
Having Clark at helping out at The Torch took some of the stress off of Chloe and she'd been able to express some of her other interests as well. As it turned out Chloe had a natural talent for painting. As a result Clark's barn walls were covered with Chloe's artistic expressions.
"Why is it that every time I see you two you're pawing each other like horny rabbits?"
The couple turned to find Lana staring at them, her arms crossed, an amused smirk on her face. Recent events had seen a completely different Lana Lang emerge from the lacquered pink shell of her former self. Lana's long straight mane had been chopped short. It's raven hue shocked by the bright streaks of color running throughout, her cowboy boots and peasant blouses replaced by Pumas and funky t-shirts. The tight jeans however, survived the transformation.
"Could it be because you're always around?" Chloe asked in mock annoyance.
"Listen roomie, its not my fault Clark conveniently forgets his own address everyday after school. If you would just make proper use of the old darkroom at the Torch we wouldn't have this problem".
Clark laughed, and turned his head away to hide the color rising in his cheeks. It was hard to believe that Chloe and Lana were now friends, let alone living together after everything that had happened between them. It was a true testament to the type of woman that Chloe was that when Lana had almost had to leave Smallville, Chloe had stepped in and come to her rescue. Lana had been intensely grateful and after a bit of a bumpy start the two had become quite close. Of course it didn't hurt that Lana had done a complete 360 on the personality scale and was obviously no longer after Clark.
"Speaking of extracurricular activities" Chloe said with a smirk, "will your better half be joining us this evening?".
Lana smiled and blushed.
"I'll take that as a yes" Chloe laughed. During a weekend visit to visit her aunt in Metropolis Lana had met a guy who lived in Nell's apartment building. Lana had immediately flipped for him, but in a complete role reversal he hadn't seemed at all interested. Eventually she bit the bullet and asked him out on a date, and the rest was history. Although Lana admitted that the frequent drives to Metropolis were a constant pain in the ass, it was more than worth it. Adam had taken the time to get to know the girl behind the perfect façade and in turn he had helped her discover who she really was.
"I just talked to him a few minutes ago. He'll be here just in time".
"Alright everybody, I'm here! The party can officially begin!" Pete said as he strode into the dining room.
"Get over yourself" Chloe said in mock disgust, unable to stop a small smile from escaping. "Wow, Erica you look great".
"Thanks" Erica replied, smiling broadly lacing her fingers through Pete's. Chloe smiled at the gesture, thankful that Pete seemed happy. After the party Pete had withdrawn from the group for a while. He'd plead that he was just busy, but everyone knew better. He'd had a long heart-to-heart with Mari, and while their relationship was less than stable, they were at least friendly again. Clark had done his best to pull Pete back in, but between his responsibilities at the farm, his new role at the Torch, spending time with Chloe, he hadn't done a very good job. Interestingly enough it had been Lana who'd had the most impact on Pete. No one else in their group knew about their long evening chats at the Talon, and neither of them felt the need to tell. Eventually Pete made amends with Erica, and while they weren't a couple, they did go out together occasionally.
"So what's the ETA on the birthday girl?" Lana asked, curling the ribbons on a bunch of brightly colored balloons.
"Lex went to pick her up, they should be here any minute now", Clark said.
"So how did you guys keep this a surprise anyway?" Pete asked.
"Well Mari thinks that Lex is taking her to Metropolis for dinner. After he picks her up he's going to pretend that he needs to come back to the mansion on the way and voila! Here we are with the perfect birthday dinner".
"Sneaky" said Lana, "I like it".
"That's my girl" Clark said, throwing an arm around Chloe, eliciting a groan from everyone in the room.
Lex stood at the door seized by a curious case of total paralysis. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. Not necessarily the part about the birthday party, but everything else. He hadn't been necessarily surprised to find his bed empty when he returned on that day, many months ago. But what did surprise him was the sense of loss he felt. He'd played the situation with Mari as a moderately staked cat and mouse game. Truthfully he hadn't thought far past what would happen once he got her into bed. He never did. But when he woke up next to her, the last rays of sunlight playing on her skin his head threatened to explode. He'd leapt from the bed as if it was on fire and hastily scribbled a note, saying he was 'working', when in truth he'd retreated to his office to think. Almost an hour later he realized that he'd probably been gone too long and he crept quietly back towards his room, only to find that she was gone.
Days passed and he ventured out, only to his office at LuthorCorp. He screened his calls, and didn't know whether to be relieved or saddened by the fact that she didn't call. On day three of his standoff he received a visitor.
*********************
"Hi Clark" Lex said recognizing the heavy footsteps without even looking up.
"Uh, hi Lex" Clark stammered out and Lex sighed. This was not going to end well. "I tried calling, but…"
"Well I haven't exactly been up for visitors" Lex replied, swiveling in his chair to face Clark. "Have a seat".
"Thanks" Clark said, quickly sitting down.
They sat in silence and Lex studied his friend and for the first time Lex truly took into account how strange his relationship with Clark must look to people. What on earth could former Metropolis playboy turned businessman Lex Luthor have in common with shy, awkward farmer's son Clark Kent? To be completely honest, nothing really. But there was a bond that held them together. Clark had saved his life, on more than a few occasions and it had forever linked them.
"So what can I do for you Clark?" Lex said even though he had a feeling he knew exactly why the young man was here.
Clark's eyes went wide as saucers at Lex's unaffected tone and Lex almost laughed. "Lex, I don't mean to pry and you can tell me to but out if you want, but there was a rumor going around and I…I just wanted to know if it was true".
"Wanted to know if what was true?" Lex challenged.
Clark paused and took a deep breath; he couldn't believe Lex was going to make him say it. "Did you…I mean is there…what's going on with you and Mari?" Clark finally sputtered out. Lex was tempted to tell Clark the truth, but he decided he needed to know what exactly Clark already knew.
"What would make you think there was?"
"Well Pete said he saw you coming from Mari's room, and that Mari had changed clothes and then and I think Chloe knows something but she told me to mind my own business and Mari has been acting really weird the past few days and nobody knows what to do" Clark said in a rush of words and Lex could no longer contain his laughter. His life had become fodder for high school gossip.
Clark was relieved that Lex was laughing; maybe all of this was just a big misunderstanding. He couldn't wait to tell Pete how paranoid he was being.
"Well as convincing as that argument is Clark I don't see how it proves anything", Lex said with a smirk, watching the relief flood over his friends face. But he realized that whether it was Clark's business or not his friend would find out what happened. He thought of Clark as his best friend, but he wondered how loyal Clark would be if he told Clark something he desperately did not want to hear.
"Yeah I guess not", Clark said smiling, visibly relaxed. He trusted Lex, but sometimes that trust didn't expand to the people in his life. He felt sometimes like he needed to protect Lex from his friends and family and vice versa. Clark thought that it would be best if those parts of his life never met. Whenever they did, it always ended with someone getting hurt.
"But Clark I won't lie to you" Lex started to say and Clark froze. "Something has transpired between Ms. Wesley and myself, something very personal" Lex elaborated, placing extra emphasis on his last word. Clark seemed to get it, and he stared at Lex his eyes wide. "Is that why she's acting so strange?" Clark asked and Lex shrugged.
"I wouldn't know, I haven't seen her since…it happened".
"Why not!" Clark demanded, and at any other time Lex would have found this overprotective streak endearing.
"Because she walked out on me Clark".
"What do you mean?"
"Do I have to draw a diagram for you?" Lex spat out, visibly angry. "She snuck out of here, without so much as note".
"Did you try talking to her?" Clark asked rationally.
Lex was at a loss for words; he didn't want to admit to Clark his failure to own up to his problems.
"I didn't think so. She's been walking around for days, acting like her world is falling apart and you're sitting here like everything is alright with the world"
"Do you think this easy for me!" Lex said bitterly, his restraint going out the window.
"I haven't seen anything that would indicate otherwise" Clark said, surprised at the iciness in his tone. Lex stood pushing his chair out from behind him. He stormed out of the room and Clark followed him.
"You can't run away from this Lex!" Clark yelled from behind him. "She deserves better than this". And at that Lex stopped short. He turned and faced Clark, a look so sinister on his face that it halted Clark immediately. "Does she Clark? How do you know what she deserves? She knew exactly what she was doing when she showed up here and I gave her plenty of opportunity to back out. I don't know what she's led you to believe Clark but she's no sweet, innocent girl. If I didn't know better I say she was a pro-" and even as he said the words, he knew he didn't mean them He regretted them even more as he saw the anger flash in Clark's eyes, and felt the pain of Clark's fist connecting with his jaw. Lex went flying to the floor.
"Clark! What are you doing?" a female voice screamed. Clark looked up from Lex's collapsed form to see Mari standing at the end of the hallway, a look of horror on her face. Her eyes darted back and forth between Clark's still clenched fist, his eyes, and Lex's body. She ran to Lex's crumpled body and flipped him over, eliciting a groan of pain. He wasn't unconscious, but he wasn't entirely coherent either. Clark crouched near her.
Mari turned her gaze away from Lex and her eyes locked with Clark's. "You could have killed him Clark. We both know that", she said somberly, a flicker of understanding passing between them and Clark started to apologize.
"You don't need to apologize Clark, I heard what he said. He deserved it"
"He didn't mean it Mari" Clark said earnestly.
"I know, but that doesn't excuse it. He still said it, and it still hurts. Do you think its broken?"
Clark focused in on Lex's face. He scanned Lex's jaw and saw no sign of a break. "Umm I don't know, we'd better get him to the hospital anyway, just to be on the safe side".
*****************
Months later the events of that evening still haunted the three people involved. That night, after they left the hospital, Mari and Lex returned to the mansion. They'd talked for hours and the end result had been that they wouldn't see each other anymore. It was just too complicated. Clark had greeted the news with relief, but a tad bit of skepticism. He didn't believe for a second that things were resolved between them but at Chloe's insistence he had let it go.
For Mari's part, she'd done her best to move on. She joined the Torch staff in an attempt to occupy her time. She was as popular as ever with the male population of Smallville high but it didn't matter. No one ever came close to matching the thrill of her short affair with Lex Luthor. She wondered privately if anyone ever would.
And on the outside Lex seemed to come out of it unscathed. His world returned to business as usual. He had apologized to Clark and things returned to normal between them. He had brief flings with various Metropolis socialites, women who were more his equal. But none of them had the same effect on him as the smart mouth teenager that had touched him in a way that he had never thought possible. And the worst of it all was that even though he saw her every now and again, he missed he terribly. When he caught glimpses of her, laughing with her friends at the Talon or walking through town something inside him lurched. But the thing that bothered him the most was the things that he didn't know. He didn't know what made her laugh, or what scared her. He didn't know what made her happy, or what soothed her soul. But these desires he kept hidden, until the day that Clark had approached him to help with Mari's dinner and he leapt at chance.
**********************
"C'mon Chloe, I just need to change clothes real quick and then I'll be ready".
"Sure, fine, whatever. You mind if I hop on the 'net real quick?"
"Mmff fwores lot" Mari called out, her voice muffled as she pulled her sweater over her head and stepped into her bathroom.
Chloe looked at her watch, knowing that it would be more than a few minutes before she went anywhere. A few clicks on the mouse brought her to the website of the "Daily Planet". Chloe was reading a feature story about insider trading when the phone on Mari's desk rang.
The bathroom door flew open and Mari yelled out, "would you get that for me?" over the running water, "I've got cleanser all over my face". But the phone continued to ring.
"Chloe?" Mari called out. Receiving no answer Mari quickly rinsed off her face and rushed back into her room, finding Chloe staring at the phone in her hand.
"Chloe, what is it?"
"It's Lex" Chloe said blankly and handed the receiver to Mari.
Mari quickly pushed the "talk" button, but was hesitant to actually speak. She had no doubt that Lex would wait. He could be patient/stubborn in that way. She felt a hand encircle hers and she found that Chloe was sitting on the bed next to her. She nodded thanks to Chloe and then heaved a heavy sigh.
"Hi Lex".
Silence.
"Lex?"
"Yeah, I'm here".
"Sorry, it took me so long to pick up, I just…" she trailed off.
"I understand".
"We need to talk" she said, at the exact time that Lex said, "I've missed you".
Mari's fingers began to tremble as she processed the words she hadn't been aware she wanted to hear.
"When can I see you?" he asked.
"Now" she replied.
"I'll be there in ten minutes", Lex replied, "….and Mari?"
"Yes Lex?"
"For both our sakes, put on a turtleneck or something".
In spite of herself, Mari laughed. "I'll see what I can do about that".
After she hung up the phone, Mari sat still for a while.
"Mari?" Chloe said.
"He wants to talk".
"Are you ready for that?"
"I've been ready since the second I walked away from him".
"Do you want me to go?"
"In a little while. I think I still need some moral support".
"I'm here for you".
"I know" Mari said quietly before collapsing into her friends arms and sobbing. Months of heartache, anger, and confusion came streaming out of her in a seemingly endless stream. She didn't stop when Clark called, wondering why they hadn't met them for the movie, nor when Chloe went downstairs to answer the doorbell. Only when a familiar strong hand placed itself on her shoulder did she stop. The warmth of Lex's touch had a calming effect, and she lifted her face to meet his gaze.
The sight of Mari's puffy red eyes and tear-streaked face was almost enough to send him fleeing. He knew in his heart that he would make it a personal mission to severely punish anyway who ever made her feel this way. He wasn't sure how to reconcile himself to the fact that his own cowardice had brought them here. He sank down on the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. There were a million things he should say, any number of gestures he could make, but for right now, holding her in his arms was enough. Everything else could wait.
Eventually they had left Mari's house and traveled back to the mansion, in the interest of privacy. He'd held her for hours while they talked. He asked her all the questions that had been eating him up inside. But restrained himself from being anything but friendly. It was just too soon. Ever since then he'd talked to her every day and they'd regained a tentative friendship.
Now here he was standing on her front porch, a bouquet of seventeen perfect red roses gripped in his hand, under the guise of stealing her away to Metropolis. He forced himself to snap out of it and he tentatively rang the doorbell. After a few seconds he heard her heels clicking on the floor and his heart started to beat faster.
The door swung open and Lex felt his breath catch in his throat.
"Hiya Lex" she said lightly.
"You look beautiful", he stammered out.
"Its not too much is it?" she asked, giving a little twirl. "I know we're only going to dinner, but it is my birthday after all".
"You look perfect" Lex said, hoping his voice wasn't really as shaky as it sounded.
"Are those for me?" Mari asked, eyeing the bouquet of roses hanging limply at his side.
"Oh, yeah" Lex stammered out slightly. Get it together Lex! He reprimanded himself. Schoolboy nervousness was not his style.
"They're beautiful", she said taking the roses from him and inhaling deeply. "I've always wanted a big bouquet of roses. I love them Lex".
She looked up from the bouquet and smiled at Lex and it was just too much. His eyes lingered on the curve of her lips and he remembered all too well how they had felt pressed up against his. His palms itched to caress her skin, his fingers ached to tangle themselves in her hair. He felt his resolve coming back, he had to have her, preferably now.
"Lex are you okay?" Mari asked, noticing the flush in his skin.
"Never better".
The exquisite bouquet of roses went smashing to the ground as Lex pressed his lips to Mari's in a frenzied kiss. He pulled her body close to his and it felt so familiar as if the last few months had been a bad dream and he had never really let her walk out of his life. After what felt like an eternity Mari pulled away, gasping for breath.
"Took you long enough" Mari said with a smile. In reply Lex kissed her again. Mari stepped backwards pulling him into the house with her.
"Mari we can't do this now, we've got to go…"
"Back to the mansion?"
"How did you know about that?"
"I've got my sources. My little 'surprise party' is going too have to wait" she said rubbing her body against his. "Something 'came up' that needs my immediate attention".
"You're a naughty girl Mari".
"I learned from the best" Mari replied, gasping as Lex picked her up and carried her towards the stairs.
"Happy Birthday Mari" Lex whispered in her ear. And indeed it was.