Title: Recovery 4/8
Author: Amanda
E-mail: ficklemuse02@yahoo.com
Summary: Set in the summer between Season 2 and Season 3 - looks at what our favorite Smallville residents have been up to in the three months since 'Exodus'.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own anybody. (But oh, what a glorious notion... owning Luthors....*sigh*) Smallville belongs to Millar/Gough etc.
** **
Ladies Room:
"Enjoying yourself dear?" An elderly woman sat at the vanity table sorting through her purse.
Chloe stopped and decided her makeup could use a little touch up too. Thank God for Lana and her painstaking Cover Girl way of life. Chloe knew about makeup before Lana moved in, but it was never something she really put to use. Watching Lana in all her girly glory had been a real education.
"Very much. It's beautiful." Sitting down beside the older woman, Chloe pulled blush and lip gloss from her purse.
"It's nice to see young people at the opera. When I was a girl we never missed a performance. I noticed you shared a box with Lionel."
"Yes. Lio- Mr. Luthor-" Chloe stumbled but recovered quickly. "He's been mentoring me for a position with LuthorCorp public relations."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It's a high school outreach program from LuthorCorp charities."
The woman nodded. Before replacing the items in her purse. "Of course dear. You're quick. That's good. But 'charity' from Lionel? No one who knows him will believe it. You be very careful with him my dear. Lionel Luthor plays a deep game. I would hate to see someone as young as you get caught up in it."
Irritated, Chloe stood up as well after a final slick of lip gloss. "Sorry, my father warned me not to take advice from strangers. Now if you'll excuse me *Lionel* is waiting."
Silently seething Chloe made her way back to Lionel's box. Like she didn't already know she was making some sort of deal with the devil? She didn't need some meddling old woman pointing out to her that she was in over her head. It was obvious.
** **
Lionel felt the vibrations from his cellular phone and pulled it from his pocket. "Hello."
"Sir, we have a situation at the penthouse."
"What type of situation?"
"An intruder. A young man just broke the lock on the penthouse door and walked right in. He hasn't stolen anything, just sat down and turned on the television. He fits the description of the boy you've been looking for. Clark Kent."
"Really? How fortunate Mr. Kent's turned up. Don't call the police. In fact, give no indication that you know he's in the building. If he tries to leave before I get there have him tailed. I want to know where he does, what he does, anyone he speaks with. Do you understand?"
"Yes Mr. Luthor."
"And whatever you do, don't contact my son." Lionel closed his phone just as Chloe rejoined him. "Back just in time I believe." Lionel noted the disgruntled expression on Chloe's face. "A problem?"
"I ran into an admirer of yours in the ladies room. She took it upon herself to warn me about you." Chloe rolled her eyes dramatically. "She says you're dangerous."
Lionel bared his teeth. "I would say she has a firm grasp of the blatantly obvious. It's an unfortunate fact Miss Sullivan that people fear power almost as much as they crave it. I don't deny that I have more than my share of enemies I've earned each and every one of them by being smarter, faster and stronger. I don't ask to be loved I demand to be respected."
"Well as far as I can tell you're doing pretty good with at least one of those." Chloe commented dryly before reaching for her cup of tea. "Of course I still want to know why you're still showing this much interest even after I told you I won't investigate Clark Kent for you."
Lionel rubbed his chin. "Ah- it's that loyalty Miss Sullivan. Such a rare commodity these days especially in the circles I travel in. Loyalty, intelligence, directness. All great assets. I just hope that in your case that loyalty isn't misplaced."
The rest of the performance passed quickly and once the cast had taken their bows, Lionel discreetly handed a handkerchief to Chloe.
"That was amazing. It's just amazing."
"I'm pleased you enjoyed it so much my dear." Lionel offered Chloe his arm as they stepped out of the box and proceeded down the dark red velvet and mahogany staircase to the front doors of the theater.
"Do I get my notebook back now?" Chloe demanded as she was jostled by some of the other theatergoers into Lionel.
He steadied her with a hand on her waist as she fell into him coming out of the entryway and into a dozen photographers.
** ** **
L.A:
"FUCK!" Lex practically bellowed at the harsh brush of terrycloth and antiseptic.
"Don't be such a baby." Cordelia chastised as she continued to apply the antiseptic to the matching puncture wounds on Lex's throat.
On the third pass, Lex caught Cordelia's wrist in a steely grip. "I've got it thank you very much."
Cordelia shook her hand loose and stepped back to lean against the bathroom sink. "I don't know what your problem is- you ruined two weeks of work tonight slick."
"You looked like you were killing that guy! What was I supposed to do? Stand there and watch?"
"Hello! Did you not see the fangs? Of course I was trying to kill him." She peered at Lex. "Are you sure you didn't get brain damage? You hit your head pretty hard. Or were you not too bright before this?"
Lex felt his own temper reach a boiling point. "Listen Ms. Chase. Considering the fact I just nearly got eaten by something tonight I don't think I need to put up with any snide remarks about my intelligence." Lex held the cloth over the wounds on his neck and glared at the woman in front of him. He hadn't been lying when he told the bartender that his life sucked. He just almost had it sucked right from him in the alley by the cute defenseless redhead.
He'd reached the back alley to find Cordelia trying to shove a sharp wooden stick into the man's chest, naturally that was kind of alarming. He'd tried to step in and stop her only to have the red head grab him from behind and sink her freakishly long teeth into his neck.
"Do you mind telling me now what the hell was going on?"
"There was only supposed to be one of them." Cordelia began placing First Aid supplies back in David's kit under the sink. "He was supposed to be the vampire. She was supposed to be the innocent victim." She turned on the taps to scalding hot water and scrubbed them furiously. "Now I'm going to have to tell her husband that his wife's never coming back. Sometimes I really hate this job."
"Can we get back to the part where something TRIED TO EAT ME?" Lex knew he was losing the every unflappable Luthor demeanor- but really, what he'd seen in that alley was strange even by Smallville standards. Even worse was the more unhinged by it he got, the less phased Cordelia Chase seemed in comparison.
"It was a vampire. They're bad. Long pointy teeth. Don't tan well. Like 'real' bloody Mary's. They can out run and out fight just about anybody. Holy water's good. Stakes are better and hey- if you can get them to hang around outside at noon or hold still long enough to be decapitated- that's just dandy." Turning off the water, Cordelia dried her hands. "And fire. But I haven't found a socially acceptable way to walk around carrying a flame thrower."
"Vampires?" Lex repeated.
"Vampires." Cordelia confirmed.
"Want a drink?" Lex exited the bathroom and went straight for David's bar. Thankfully David preferred YooHoo to alcohol so he always left a full bar. A few minutes and two drinks later Cordelia joined him.
"Funny, but you don't act all that shocked." She accepted the glass of scotch and sipped it.
Lex shrugged. "I've seen some strange things this year. But vampires? They're supposed to be the stuff of horror movies." Lex finished his third drink and felt his mind shift gears to what fascinated him most. Science. The mutants in Smallville were obviously that- their DNA was altered in some way by the green pieces of meteor fragment. Something had spurred their mutations. But vampires…
Cordelia took her drink and settled back against the sofa cushions, tucking one leg up under her. "I know. Believe me. I know. The way *I* had it explained to me, and this was by someone who knows his stuff was that a long time ago- way before there were humans demons lived in this reality…"
"Demons?"
"Don't skip ahead. That's the next chapter." Cordelia huffed impatiently. "Anyway- humans started to come along and the demons lost their grip. And before the last demon left this reality he bit a human and made the first vampire. A little bit human, a little bit demon. They're sort of like Oreo cookies."
"Excuse me?"
"They look human on the outside, but on the inside they're demons. Like the way Oreos look black from the outside but inside they're all white. Same difference." She rolled the glass between her palms.
"And you found out about this when?" Lex asked wondering silently if maybe he'd missed a memo at some point.
"Around sophomore year in high school. That's when I met Buffy."
"Buffy?"
"Don't get me started. That's a whole other story." Cordelia sighed. "Anyway- the town I grew up in was really weird. I guess when you're a kid you don't notice things as much."
"Weird how?"
"Like you know how most towns have stuff at night? Like fairs and concerts in the park and stuff? Sunnydale never had any of that. It's like the town mostly folded up at night. And there were always so many new people. People would come and go like you wouldn't believe. But it's not like they were moving- they'd just *poof* disappear. Sunnydale's the only town I've ever been in where the obituary section is just as big as the real estate section. Anyway another important thing to remember about vampires, they can't enter a person's house unless someone that lives there invites them in. So be careful about issuing blanket invitations to people you don't know like 'Why don't you all come over tonight?'"
"They look like animals." Lex filed away the bits of information Cordelia was doling out for future reference.
"The only difference between them and us is that vampires don't have souls. They understand the difference between right and wrong, but they don't care." She shrugged and finished her drink. "Sort of like politicians with fangs."
** **
Penthouse:
"Why Mr. Kent. This *is* a surprise. As far as I knew you were still a missing person."
Clark deliberately propped his feet up on the glass coffee table and folded his hands behind his head. "Hey! Lionel! I didn't know you'd be here. I was looking for Lex. And I couldn't be a missing person. I always knew right where I was."
"Very good. Very good. Please. Make yourself at home. I'm sure Lex will be disappointed he missed you but he's out of town for a while."
"I will. Thanks." Clark poured a glass of scotch and downed it in one gulp.
"I didn't know 16 year olds had an appreciation for fine scotch. I certainly didn't. At least not until I was 18." Lionel commented dryly.
"Well you know us kids these days. We grow up quicker than back in the dark ages." Clark replied. "I'm sorry Lex is out of town. I got myself in a little bit of trouble and I was counting on him to help me out. He told me before I could stay here. And I think I'm going to do that. So why don't you run along and get yourself a nice hotel suite?"
"I don't see why that would be necessary. There's certainly more than enough room here."
"Sorry- but I don't swing that way Lionel. I mean…" Clark gestured to the television screen. "I know you like 'em young these days cause I saw you and Chloe on E!"
"I was under the impression you and Miss Sullivan were friends."
"Oh we're more than friends Lionel. A lot more." Clark stood up in a fluid movement and advanced on Lionel aggressively. "Has she let you close enough to see her birthmark yet?
"Exactly what sort of trouble have you gotten yourself into Mr. Kent?" Lionel changed the subject. "What have you been doing this summer?"
"Oh- this and that. Nothing very exciting." Clark sized up Lionel. "But wouldn't you like to know? You're so predictable Lionel. Just like Lex. You always want to know everything. Study everything. Classify everything. It's pathetic. You think knowing gives you some kind of power."
"Doesn't it?"
"Not even close. And I think deep down you know that. You may have the money but I've got power you've never even imagined before. Not in your wildest dreams."
"I've found that having power is useless unless you use it." Lionel took a seat in his favorite chair and watched the young man curiously. Clark Kent was an enigma, one Lionel was determined to solve.
"That's true!" Clark spun around. "That's what I've been saying for the last couple of years but no one will listen to me. And when I finally USE my power I get busted for it."
"Is that why you left Smallville?"
Clark's expression closed up. "I don't want to talk about Smallville. It's the past. I want to talk about the future. I can do things for LuthorCorp…" He grinned. "For a fee."
"Tell me more…" Lionel coaxed. "Tell me everything."
** **
Author: Amanda
E-mail: ficklemuse02@yahoo.com
Summary: Set in the summer between Season 2 and Season 3 - looks at what our favorite Smallville residents have been up to in the three months since 'Exodus'.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own anybody. (But oh, what a glorious notion... owning Luthors....*sigh*) Smallville belongs to Millar/Gough etc.
** **
Ladies Room:
"Enjoying yourself dear?" An elderly woman sat at the vanity table sorting through her purse.
Chloe stopped and decided her makeup could use a little touch up too. Thank God for Lana and her painstaking Cover Girl way of life. Chloe knew about makeup before Lana moved in, but it was never something she really put to use. Watching Lana in all her girly glory had been a real education.
"Very much. It's beautiful." Sitting down beside the older woman, Chloe pulled blush and lip gloss from her purse.
"It's nice to see young people at the opera. When I was a girl we never missed a performance. I noticed you shared a box with Lionel."
"Yes. Lio- Mr. Luthor-" Chloe stumbled but recovered quickly. "He's been mentoring me for a position with LuthorCorp public relations."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It's a high school outreach program from LuthorCorp charities."
The woman nodded. Before replacing the items in her purse. "Of course dear. You're quick. That's good. But 'charity' from Lionel? No one who knows him will believe it. You be very careful with him my dear. Lionel Luthor plays a deep game. I would hate to see someone as young as you get caught up in it."
Irritated, Chloe stood up as well after a final slick of lip gloss. "Sorry, my father warned me not to take advice from strangers. Now if you'll excuse me *Lionel* is waiting."
Silently seething Chloe made her way back to Lionel's box. Like she didn't already know she was making some sort of deal with the devil? She didn't need some meddling old woman pointing out to her that she was in over her head. It was obvious.
** **
Lionel felt the vibrations from his cellular phone and pulled it from his pocket. "Hello."
"Sir, we have a situation at the penthouse."
"What type of situation?"
"An intruder. A young man just broke the lock on the penthouse door and walked right in. He hasn't stolen anything, just sat down and turned on the television. He fits the description of the boy you've been looking for. Clark Kent."
"Really? How fortunate Mr. Kent's turned up. Don't call the police. In fact, give no indication that you know he's in the building. If he tries to leave before I get there have him tailed. I want to know where he does, what he does, anyone he speaks with. Do you understand?"
"Yes Mr. Luthor."
"And whatever you do, don't contact my son." Lionel closed his phone just as Chloe rejoined him. "Back just in time I believe." Lionel noted the disgruntled expression on Chloe's face. "A problem?"
"I ran into an admirer of yours in the ladies room. She took it upon herself to warn me about you." Chloe rolled her eyes dramatically. "She says you're dangerous."
Lionel bared his teeth. "I would say she has a firm grasp of the blatantly obvious. It's an unfortunate fact Miss Sullivan that people fear power almost as much as they crave it. I don't deny that I have more than my share of enemies I've earned each and every one of them by being smarter, faster and stronger. I don't ask to be loved I demand to be respected."
"Well as far as I can tell you're doing pretty good with at least one of those." Chloe commented dryly before reaching for her cup of tea. "Of course I still want to know why you're still showing this much interest even after I told you I won't investigate Clark Kent for you."
Lionel rubbed his chin. "Ah- it's that loyalty Miss Sullivan. Such a rare commodity these days especially in the circles I travel in. Loyalty, intelligence, directness. All great assets. I just hope that in your case that loyalty isn't misplaced."
The rest of the performance passed quickly and once the cast had taken their bows, Lionel discreetly handed a handkerchief to Chloe.
"That was amazing. It's just amazing."
"I'm pleased you enjoyed it so much my dear." Lionel offered Chloe his arm as they stepped out of the box and proceeded down the dark red velvet and mahogany staircase to the front doors of the theater.
"Do I get my notebook back now?" Chloe demanded as she was jostled by some of the other theatergoers into Lionel.
He steadied her with a hand on her waist as she fell into him coming out of the entryway and into a dozen photographers.
** ** **
L.A:
"FUCK!" Lex practically bellowed at the harsh brush of terrycloth and antiseptic.
"Don't be such a baby." Cordelia chastised as she continued to apply the antiseptic to the matching puncture wounds on Lex's throat.
On the third pass, Lex caught Cordelia's wrist in a steely grip. "I've got it thank you very much."
Cordelia shook her hand loose and stepped back to lean against the bathroom sink. "I don't know what your problem is- you ruined two weeks of work tonight slick."
"You looked like you were killing that guy! What was I supposed to do? Stand there and watch?"
"Hello! Did you not see the fangs? Of course I was trying to kill him." She peered at Lex. "Are you sure you didn't get brain damage? You hit your head pretty hard. Or were you not too bright before this?"
Lex felt his own temper reach a boiling point. "Listen Ms. Chase. Considering the fact I just nearly got eaten by something tonight I don't think I need to put up with any snide remarks about my intelligence." Lex held the cloth over the wounds on his neck and glared at the woman in front of him. He hadn't been lying when he told the bartender that his life sucked. He just almost had it sucked right from him in the alley by the cute defenseless redhead.
He'd reached the back alley to find Cordelia trying to shove a sharp wooden stick into the man's chest, naturally that was kind of alarming. He'd tried to step in and stop her only to have the red head grab him from behind and sink her freakishly long teeth into his neck.
"Do you mind telling me now what the hell was going on?"
"There was only supposed to be one of them." Cordelia began placing First Aid supplies back in David's kit under the sink. "He was supposed to be the vampire. She was supposed to be the innocent victim." She turned on the taps to scalding hot water and scrubbed them furiously. "Now I'm going to have to tell her husband that his wife's never coming back. Sometimes I really hate this job."
"Can we get back to the part where something TRIED TO EAT ME?" Lex knew he was losing the every unflappable Luthor demeanor- but really, what he'd seen in that alley was strange even by Smallville standards. Even worse was the more unhinged by it he got, the less phased Cordelia Chase seemed in comparison.
"It was a vampire. They're bad. Long pointy teeth. Don't tan well. Like 'real' bloody Mary's. They can out run and out fight just about anybody. Holy water's good. Stakes are better and hey- if you can get them to hang around outside at noon or hold still long enough to be decapitated- that's just dandy." Turning off the water, Cordelia dried her hands. "And fire. But I haven't found a socially acceptable way to walk around carrying a flame thrower."
"Vampires?" Lex repeated.
"Vampires." Cordelia confirmed.
"Want a drink?" Lex exited the bathroom and went straight for David's bar. Thankfully David preferred YooHoo to alcohol so he always left a full bar. A few minutes and two drinks later Cordelia joined him.
"Funny, but you don't act all that shocked." She accepted the glass of scotch and sipped it.
Lex shrugged. "I've seen some strange things this year. But vampires? They're supposed to be the stuff of horror movies." Lex finished his third drink and felt his mind shift gears to what fascinated him most. Science. The mutants in Smallville were obviously that- their DNA was altered in some way by the green pieces of meteor fragment. Something had spurred their mutations. But vampires…
Cordelia took her drink and settled back against the sofa cushions, tucking one leg up under her. "I know. Believe me. I know. The way *I* had it explained to me, and this was by someone who knows his stuff was that a long time ago- way before there were humans demons lived in this reality…"
"Demons?"
"Don't skip ahead. That's the next chapter." Cordelia huffed impatiently. "Anyway- humans started to come along and the demons lost their grip. And before the last demon left this reality he bit a human and made the first vampire. A little bit human, a little bit demon. They're sort of like Oreo cookies."
"Excuse me?"
"They look human on the outside, but on the inside they're demons. Like the way Oreos look black from the outside but inside they're all white. Same difference." She rolled the glass between her palms.
"And you found out about this when?" Lex asked wondering silently if maybe he'd missed a memo at some point.
"Around sophomore year in high school. That's when I met Buffy."
"Buffy?"
"Don't get me started. That's a whole other story." Cordelia sighed. "Anyway- the town I grew up in was really weird. I guess when you're a kid you don't notice things as much."
"Weird how?"
"Like you know how most towns have stuff at night? Like fairs and concerts in the park and stuff? Sunnydale never had any of that. It's like the town mostly folded up at night. And there were always so many new people. People would come and go like you wouldn't believe. But it's not like they were moving- they'd just *poof* disappear. Sunnydale's the only town I've ever been in where the obituary section is just as big as the real estate section. Anyway another important thing to remember about vampires, they can't enter a person's house unless someone that lives there invites them in. So be careful about issuing blanket invitations to people you don't know like 'Why don't you all come over tonight?'"
"They look like animals." Lex filed away the bits of information Cordelia was doling out for future reference.
"The only difference between them and us is that vampires don't have souls. They understand the difference between right and wrong, but they don't care." She shrugged and finished her drink. "Sort of like politicians with fangs."
** **
Penthouse:
"Why Mr. Kent. This *is* a surprise. As far as I knew you were still a missing person."
Clark deliberately propped his feet up on the glass coffee table and folded his hands behind his head. "Hey! Lionel! I didn't know you'd be here. I was looking for Lex. And I couldn't be a missing person. I always knew right where I was."
"Very good. Very good. Please. Make yourself at home. I'm sure Lex will be disappointed he missed you but he's out of town for a while."
"I will. Thanks." Clark poured a glass of scotch and downed it in one gulp.
"I didn't know 16 year olds had an appreciation for fine scotch. I certainly didn't. At least not until I was 18." Lionel commented dryly.
"Well you know us kids these days. We grow up quicker than back in the dark ages." Clark replied. "I'm sorry Lex is out of town. I got myself in a little bit of trouble and I was counting on him to help me out. He told me before I could stay here. And I think I'm going to do that. So why don't you run along and get yourself a nice hotel suite?"
"I don't see why that would be necessary. There's certainly more than enough room here."
"Sorry- but I don't swing that way Lionel. I mean…" Clark gestured to the television screen. "I know you like 'em young these days cause I saw you and Chloe on E!"
"I was under the impression you and Miss Sullivan were friends."
"Oh we're more than friends Lionel. A lot more." Clark stood up in a fluid movement and advanced on Lionel aggressively. "Has she let you close enough to see her birthmark yet?
"Exactly what sort of trouble have you gotten yourself into Mr. Kent?" Lionel changed the subject. "What have you been doing this summer?"
"Oh- this and that. Nothing very exciting." Clark sized up Lionel. "But wouldn't you like to know? You're so predictable Lionel. Just like Lex. You always want to know everything. Study everything. Classify everything. It's pathetic. You think knowing gives you some kind of power."
"Doesn't it?"
"Not even close. And I think deep down you know that. You may have the money but I've got power you've never even imagined before. Not in your wildest dreams."
"I've found that having power is useless unless you use it." Lionel took a seat in his favorite chair and watched the young man curiously. Clark Kent was an enigma, one Lionel was determined to solve.
"That's true!" Clark spun around. "That's what I've been saying for the last couple of years but no one will listen to me. And when I finally USE my power I get busted for it."
"Is that why you left Smallville?"
Clark's expression closed up. "I don't want to talk about Smallville. It's the past. I want to talk about the future. I can do things for LuthorCorp…" He grinned. "For a fee."
"Tell me more…" Lionel coaxed. "Tell me everything."
** **
