So sorry about how long it has taken to get this chapter written and up… But Life seems to be very busy right now, you know the end of term and essays and exams. Blah! But the next chapter should be up sooner and I should have this fic wrapped up soon too. Thanks to all who are still reading. Ruby Ice, I'm glad you're enjoying! *smile*
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Title: Visitors
Chapter Completed: April 8, 2003
Chloe rested her head on the back of the chair. Anna had been taken for a few tests and a bit of a check-up, so she was determined to rest in the thoughtless silence. But her mind wouldn't slow, nor her heart stop aching. It had been an exhausting day of crying, but she was glad to be there for her friend. She always hated being alone in hospitals, too many times personally. Visits were always great, but comfort would be nicer.
She had just closed her eyes when she was interrupted.
"Anna!" an older, unknown to Chloe, man burst through the door, slamming it against the wall. He frantically darted his eyes around the room, not even noticing that girl. "Where's my daughter?" he bellowed back into the hall.
It was that comment that introduced the young reporter to the good Doctor Clarkson. Out of curiosity she followed the scene out into the hall.
"Where is my daughter?" he was shaking in the slightest, through his arms, rejecting the nurse's request for quiet, "Where is Anna Clarkson?" He was still bellowing like a man of power demanding the respect and attention that was owed to him, but that all seemed to take the energy out of his slumped figure. His chestnut hair was grey-peppered and his wire-rimmed eyes were tired – suggesting he was aged beyond his forty-five years.
"Arthur, I'm sure she's in the best of hands," a familiar smug voice made him and Chloe turn to the equally smug face of Lionel Luthor.
"Luthor," the man snarled, his top lip curling, "I don't want you anywhere near my daughter!"
"You had no issue with that when you sent her to me," Lionel's face twisted with amusement and satisfaction, in a way that made Chloe shutter.
She had no idea Anna let that man near her, let alone touch her.
"You inhuman monster," Arthur advanced toward the shrewd businessman, which only amused him farther.
A small audience began forming. Nurses, the Kents, Clark and Lana had arrived in the hall. It must have been after school, or they had made it a short day to visit. Chloe was embarrassed, she could feel where this going, what was going to get out.
Lionel was smiling now. As if it were a perverted thrill to have an audience, or merely the twisted game, "At least I never whored out my child." His voice was calm and even.
Chloe's eyes grew wide and Dr. Clarkson lunged toward him, "You son of a –"
Jonathan Kent stepped between them, preventing the attack. Not that he wanted to protect Lionel, but this just wasn't the place. Besides he might actually receive medical attention if he was beaten here. "Just calm down," he told the raging visitor, although he didn't know what this was about exactly, but could bet it was justified.
He did as told, regaining himself, "You never gave me another choice." His index finger pointed squarely at the other, his eyes fixed with conviction.
"There was always another option Arthur," he reminded. He was so calm and smug. There was no threat from the broken man in front of him, looking over the other man's shoulders, that twinkle of evil in his eyes, there was no threat.
"Daddy?" Anna had appeared behind her father. She and Lex were walking back toward her room when the scene in the hall began unfolding. Lex had straightened himself up enough to return at her side: a strong cup of black coffee and a mental slap in the face. Jonathan's words had had their desired effect on the moody millionaire.
Arthur moved forward to her daughter, his arms outstretched for her – but she raised her hand to stop him.
"What other option? Was there another option dad?" she was fighting to keep herself together. And it couldn't be true, could it? There was no way her father could have sent her away like that if he had another choice.
He couldn't look at her, sending his eyes to the floor. He ignored her urgent question and pleading eyes.
Anna moved now to the earthly demon, standing strong with the strength of anger and determination. In reality she was swaying with nausea at the very ideas in her head. Lex was carefully taking on a supporting role, his hand was pressed to the small of her back with care. But he was observant to give her needed space. He knew that when confronting his father you should not be seen as dependent.
Anna locked eyes with the man in front of her, ignoring the fact that there was anyone else in the hallway, "Did you give him another option to repay you?" Her voice was quivering, either from rage or fear or both.
They all waited in anticipation for the response. Every eyes of witness was wide and transfixed, even their collective breaths were held. Jonathan, Martha and Lana not knowing why, by Clark and Chloe were sick with their knowledge.
Lionel maintained the eye contact with the young woman. He noticed the fire in them that he was never privy to before. There was a shadow in the blue orbs that interested him. The shadow of a spirit broken and rebuilt, still threatening to shatter. He saw he prefect time to test her, to see what she was worth, "There was always another option my dear. He could have simply handed over the research…instead of you."
He had punched her in the gut, knocking all the breath out her without actually touching her. She turned slowly to face her father again, pushing away the strong hands bracing her and bringing her eyes to meet his.
"Anna. Sweetheart…"he began stumbling over the words, tripping on her tongue, "You…you know how important that research is…"
She slapped him. The crisp sound of her palm coming into contact with his bristled cheek. And a slight, collective gasp escaped around her.
She could have yelled at him, berated him for ruining her life. Disowned him, hurt him, humiliated him with lies and truths and words and questions. She could barely open her mouth to speak that would threaten a fall into hysterics. She closed her eyes and calmed her breathing. Staring him straight in the face she spoke quietly and calmly, "I wish you had just let me die." With that she returned to the small sanctuary of her hospital room, completely calm. Unaware that all her feelings of quilt and fault were abolished. It was not her fault. Her father had victimised her.
Chloe followed, feeling uncomfortable with how calm the girl was after all this. She was too quiet too calm and it was eerie. All things considered, she knew she wouldn't be all right.
Arthur moved to follow his daughter: To explain, to clarify, to justify, to make himself feel better.
Lex grabbed his arm, pulling him back, "You're not going in there," his teeth were gritted.
He snapped his arm away from the young man, how dare he order him around! Turning to glare at him, he recognised him. Lex, who had had his hands on his daughter, "What have you people done to her?"
A growl came from the young Luthor's throat.
Clark now stepped between them, filling in the hero persona. "I think you should leave," he offered to the doctor
"Not without my daughter!" he tired to push past the farm-boy, but found him unmoveable.
"I doubt she wants to see you, or have anything to do with you for that matter," Lionel almost laughed that out. Interjecting for the mere fun of it.
"Dad," Lex tired to dismiss and quiet him. This was no time for his verbal games, or even time for him to deal with them. "I think you should both leave," he took notice of the pair of approaching security guards. The nurses had rung for them once Dr. Clarkson would not quiet down.
Lionel ran his tongue over his front teeth, "I just came to check on how the young lady was doing," he began retreating down the hall, giving a curt nod to Martha before leaving. He hid any traces of guilt for her accident under the egoistic surface. He would never show guilt that was a weakness. It was something to be exploited not expressed.
They all silently turned to Clarkson. Wanting to see what was next, what way the tide would turn now.
"I'm not leaving without my daughter," he crossed his arms over his chest like an unco-operative child, desperate and pathetic.
Lex nodded to the guards, who were quickly on the other man.
"No. Hey, let go," he gave a little struggle against the two large men as they easily pulled him away. "Anna! Anna!" he screamed as they ushered him to the elevator. It was all like a moment from a bad movie.
Lex closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve the pressure on his head. It was all too much for the one day; his baby, their fathers and cheap scotch. All too much.
"I guess it's not a good time to visit," Lana's voice squealed into the millionaire's ears, the equated to fingers on a chalkboard.
He opened his eyes to glare at her, "No…I don't think it is."
She nodded, slowly walking backwards, grabbing on to the arm of Clark's jacket to have him shield her from the intense eyes, "We'll get going then."
"Say hi to Anna for us," Clark gave his lopsided, half-sad smile.
Lex simply nodded.
Martha wanted to go in and check on the girl, both of them actually, but knew it wasn't her place. She may be a stand in mother for the group, but she couldn't replace the comfort of a girlfriend. She resorted to a motherly smile to Lex and led her husband away. Both making a mental note to ask Clark about what had just occurred. There were a lot of unexplained comments that could explain a lot of things.
Lex closed his eyes again. He was almost happy in the silence of his head when Clark bounded back over.
"Are…are you okay?" he asked carefully, "I mean this has been a really bad time…" he explained against the stare from the millionaire's eyes.
"Fine Clark," he replied evenly.
Clark's forehead scrunched up, he didn't buy it. He could tell that the untouchable Lex Luthor was crumbling, "Okay…but if you want…" he let the offer of support hang out there, knowing that his friend knew what he was saying.
Lex just nodded.
"And remember," he smiled openly now, a cheerful thought entering his head, "You have Anna." Clark patted his shoulder with that, and went back after his parents and Lana.
Lex thought. He did have Anna, but should make sure that he always would.
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Anna sat on the cold floor on the far side of the bed. Her hands were cupped over her ears, she was trying to block out her father calling to her. To her she didn't have a father anymore, she lost him the day he sold her to the devil.
Chloe sat at her side, using all her willpower to hold back on her questions. And she had so many. But she had to remember to keep her guard down with Anna, that was how their friendship would work. So she rested her head back against the mattress and waited.
When it quieted in the hall Anna slowly lowered her hands, oddly calm. She closed her eyes and let out a haggard breath. She opened her eyes and glanced over at Chloe, "They're gonna let me out of here tonight." A little smirk crossed her lips.
Chloe raised her head and smiled, "Good." She really did think it would be good for her to get out of the drab hospital. All the best recovery happened at home anyway, but Anna didn't exactly have a home here. "You wanna stay with me for a while?" she offered, biting her lip and shrugging unsure of how the offer would be taken.
"That's sweet," the older girl gave a little smile, "But I doubt your father would be happy with me on top of Lana there," and even laughed a little, "Three girls in one house would drive him crazy."
Chloe laughed too, "I forgot about Lana. Selective memory?" she teased. She was happy to have the slightest mirth escape the pair. It had been an impossibly hard two days.
"I'll be going home with Lex," she rested her head on her drawn up knees, "He needs me to." She felt wrong. She didn't feel like anything about her was right, there was something that neither the baby or the visits today could explain. She was lost and needed to find a way to herself again, or at least an escape from all this.
Chloe bit her tongue – she wanted to ask why what Lex needed had to come before what Anna did. Because it was obvious that she was in need. But she kept her mouth shut. "Well, it's a little more roomy then my house," she started joking, "and you get your own bathroom…hey maybe I should stay with you." She smiled, lost in a little fantasy about a castle and vast space.
"And leave your father with Lana? How vicious," she replied dryly, a slight curl to her lips.
The young girl nodded in agreement. "Are you alright?" she let that question slip. She hated when that happened and it showed in her scrunched up face. "I mean, I know," she expressed with her hands, "but…" she stumbled over words, giving up with a shrug.
"fine," the other girl replied without emotion.
Chloe didn't buy it, but couldn't question it: Lex had walked in.
"Anna," he stood over them, his hand held out to her. She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet.
Chloe watched their silent scene with an undefined curiosity, there was going to be a turn she could feel it.
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A/N: I know this isn't the best chappy, but it was more of a plot advancer. I'm looking at 2 more chapters for this one! Keep your eyes open!