Martha's tearstained face looked up at Lionel as he entered the room.
"Its all a smokescreen isn't it?" she whispered to him, quoting their first meeting months ago, her face breaking into a half smile, followed quickly by his. They both remembered the day in his garden, when Martha read to Lionel, discovered his stock market scheme, and in return was hired.
"I'm glad you are here." She murmured, as he sat down on the bed and gave her a hug. Pete sat in the chair next to Jonathan, who stroked Martha's hand.
"I assume you have heard of the loss of my son Lex?" Lionel said softly. Martha's eyes widened as she shook her head. Jonathan looked toward the floor, as Lionel explained what had happened.
"Oh, Lionel!" she cried, putting her hand on top of his. "I am so sorry. This has been an awful two days for us," she turned and looked at Jonathan and Pete. "For all of us."
"How lucky we all were, only a few short months ago, and we didn't even know it." Lionel said, "Before Helen, and this awful wedding." Martha graspd Lionel's hand more firmly, as Jonathan grasped her other. Pete looked on.
"Mrs. Kent, if I may ask, how are you feeling?" he asked softly, hoping not to make her cry. She turned to look at him, not letting go of either man's hand. She looked at Pete and saw her son's best friend. The little boy whose tears she had dried when Clark accidentally smashed his toy train. The first, and only of Clark's friends to learn of his secret, early on in the year.
"The doctors tell me I am fine. But, I lost my baby, and will never get pregnant again." She whispered, staring at the ground. She closed her eyes tightly, and began to silently weep. But, to Lionel's and Jonathan's surprise, it was Lionel's arms which she collapsed into. Lionel held her, not wanting her to fall, and alarmed, looked at Jonathan. But Jonathan did not seem upset he was only looking at his wife in angst and worry. Pete, fully embarrassed and somewhat ashamed by the answer to his question, and the following reaction, had crept out of the room unnoticed. Martha leaned back on Lionel's chest, and looked up at him. Weakly and wearily, she asked,
"Lionel, did you hire me just to learn about Clark?" Jonathan instantly looked at her sharply. But she was looking at Lionel. Lionel looked down at her.
"That was one of my reasons, Martha. But you grew to be so much more. You helped the company, and you helped me. You gave LuthorCorp a wonderful image when you convinced me to help the boy Byron. It was by the end of that day that I knew you were worth far more than information I could get out of you. You tried to protect me when he was going to kill me. I doubt any other assistant would have even lifted a finger. What's more is you helped me as a person. You became, like my dear late Lillian to me. When I was blind, and I didn't know what you looked like, my mind began to picture you as her. One of the joys of regaining my sight after I was shot was to learn that you did look very much like Lillian. The same hair, the same smile. The same unflinching honesty, I miss that. You made me how I was when I was with her, how I was when she lived. You made me remember that part of me who was the caring father, the generous business man." He glanced up at Jonathan, "Their was a time when I was those things." He returned his gaze to Martha. "You even made me remember those wonderful few days when I was a father to two sons, and we truly were a happy family.
"You remind me of my past," she whispered. "Before I embarked on the wonderful adventure that was my life here; you remind me of Metropolis, and my family, and my life before Smallville. I love Smallville. But I love Metropolis too. I have always felt like I have had to choose between the two, and I have always chosen Smallville, with no regrets. But, when I met you, you reminded me of my life before. And you reminded me of all the opportunities I gave away to be here. I never minded giving it all up, and I would never trade my life now for what I could have had. But I would have liked to have both. You gave me that. I felt, for a while, that I didn't have to choose, and, that I had the best of both lives. And when I got pregnant," she smiled, "I truly did have the best of both lives."
"You have been a reminder to me of what a good man I was before Julian's and Lillian's deaths. When you were around me, you became Lillian to me. And I thought, maybe, I could become that good man again. And I am sorry for it. I am sorry for making you into someone you were not. I am sorry for that day in Metropolis, and for trying to make you love me as I loved Lillian. I am sorry."
"But I do love you, Lionel. I can never be Lillian Luthor, and you can never be my past opportunities. But I can be Martha Kent, and you can be you, Lionel Luthor. I understand you, Lionel. So, be Lionel for me; my employer, and good friend. And a friend to this family. We can't be each other's pasts, but you are welcome to be a part of this family's future. I love you, Lionel. We love you." Martha smiled, leaned back, and closed her eyes. Jonathan looked at Lionel, and Lionel looked a Jonathan. They continued, neither speaking, for quite some time. Soon, Lionel noticed that Martha's breathing had steadied, and her eyes were still closed. She had fallen asleep, with a smile on her face. Carefully, he lifted her up and laid her down on the bed. Jonathan got up, and they both put a blanket over her. Lionel leaned over, and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"Thank you." He whispered, "For everything"
Lionel stood up, and looked at Jonathan.
"I understand if you will not be as forgiving as your wife, Mr. Kent. I do not blame you. I tried to steal your world after all. First, the land of your friends, then your son's safety, lastly your wife." They both glanced at Martha, still sleeping soundly. "World stealing is not exactly a forgivable offense. I believe the ancient Greek Odysseus even executed for it." Lionel grimaced as he spoke.
"It's all right. I understand." Jonathan said, as Lionel made his way to the door. "Please, come see us again, if not here than on the farm. You can be quite a comfort, Mr. Luthor. I mean it, come and visit us. Maybe you and Martha together can convince me about the wonders of Metropolis." He smiled at Lionel, and Lionel smiled back.
Lionel looked at Martha one last time, and left. Jonathan sat down. He did understand, now. Lionel and Martha had left their pasts far behind them, and it hurt. For Jonathan, if he was aching for the good old days, all he had to do was talk to the people around town, they all knew of his glory in high school. But Martha and Lionel couldn't do that. Martha had severed all ties with her past in the city, and Lionel's wife and second son had died, leaving him only with Lex, who was probably dead too. If they ever missed it, they just had to sit and reminisce. No wonder when they found someone reminding them of their past, they felt as if they had it back. Because, it was like the past years for them were in a different world. Not in the center of town, like it was for Jonathan. Lionel and Martha could never go back again. And Jonathan finally understood that. He smiled, and turned to gaze at Martha, still smiling in her sleep.
Author note- okay, tried to tie up some loose ends between Martha and Lionel, and tried to build a bridge for Lionel and Jonathan. It was an attempt to make them all understand the relationships. Martha, in her own way, will always love Lionel, and vice versa. Chloe is coming soon (maybe next ch.) and Jonathan gets up the strength to tell Martha that Clark is gone; possibly next ch., or ch. 6. Maybe more Lana? U tell me. Action will begin to be taken to get the sons home soon. Please R&R!
"Its all a smokescreen isn't it?" she whispered to him, quoting their first meeting months ago, her face breaking into a half smile, followed quickly by his. They both remembered the day in his garden, when Martha read to Lionel, discovered his stock market scheme, and in return was hired.
"I'm glad you are here." She murmured, as he sat down on the bed and gave her a hug. Pete sat in the chair next to Jonathan, who stroked Martha's hand.
"I assume you have heard of the loss of my son Lex?" Lionel said softly. Martha's eyes widened as she shook her head. Jonathan looked toward the floor, as Lionel explained what had happened.
"Oh, Lionel!" she cried, putting her hand on top of his. "I am so sorry. This has been an awful two days for us," she turned and looked at Jonathan and Pete. "For all of us."
"How lucky we all were, only a few short months ago, and we didn't even know it." Lionel said, "Before Helen, and this awful wedding." Martha graspd Lionel's hand more firmly, as Jonathan grasped her other. Pete looked on.
"Mrs. Kent, if I may ask, how are you feeling?" he asked softly, hoping not to make her cry. She turned to look at him, not letting go of either man's hand. She looked at Pete and saw her son's best friend. The little boy whose tears she had dried when Clark accidentally smashed his toy train. The first, and only of Clark's friends to learn of his secret, early on in the year.
"The doctors tell me I am fine. But, I lost my baby, and will never get pregnant again." She whispered, staring at the ground. She closed her eyes tightly, and began to silently weep. But, to Lionel's and Jonathan's surprise, it was Lionel's arms which she collapsed into. Lionel held her, not wanting her to fall, and alarmed, looked at Jonathan. But Jonathan did not seem upset he was only looking at his wife in angst and worry. Pete, fully embarrassed and somewhat ashamed by the answer to his question, and the following reaction, had crept out of the room unnoticed. Martha leaned back on Lionel's chest, and looked up at him. Weakly and wearily, she asked,
"Lionel, did you hire me just to learn about Clark?" Jonathan instantly looked at her sharply. But she was looking at Lionel. Lionel looked down at her.
"That was one of my reasons, Martha. But you grew to be so much more. You helped the company, and you helped me. You gave LuthorCorp a wonderful image when you convinced me to help the boy Byron. It was by the end of that day that I knew you were worth far more than information I could get out of you. You tried to protect me when he was going to kill me. I doubt any other assistant would have even lifted a finger. What's more is you helped me as a person. You became, like my dear late Lillian to me. When I was blind, and I didn't know what you looked like, my mind began to picture you as her. One of the joys of regaining my sight after I was shot was to learn that you did look very much like Lillian. The same hair, the same smile. The same unflinching honesty, I miss that. You made me how I was when I was with her, how I was when she lived. You made me remember that part of me who was the caring father, the generous business man." He glanced up at Jonathan, "Their was a time when I was those things." He returned his gaze to Martha. "You even made me remember those wonderful few days when I was a father to two sons, and we truly were a happy family.
"You remind me of my past," she whispered. "Before I embarked on the wonderful adventure that was my life here; you remind me of Metropolis, and my family, and my life before Smallville. I love Smallville. But I love Metropolis too. I have always felt like I have had to choose between the two, and I have always chosen Smallville, with no regrets. But, when I met you, you reminded me of my life before. And you reminded me of all the opportunities I gave away to be here. I never minded giving it all up, and I would never trade my life now for what I could have had. But I would have liked to have both. You gave me that. I felt, for a while, that I didn't have to choose, and, that I had the best of both lives. And when I got pregnant," she smiled, "I truly did have the best of both lives."
"You have been a reminder to me of what a good man I was before Julian's and Lillian's deaths. When you were around me, you became Lillian to me. And I thought, maybe, I could become that good man again. And I am sorry for it. I am sorry for making you into someone you were not. I am sorry for that day in Metropolis, and for trying to make you love me as I loved Lillian. I am sorry."
"But I do love you, Lionel. I can never be Lillian Luthor, and you can never be my past opportunities. But I can be Martha Kent, and you can be you, Lionel Luthor. I understand you, Lionel. So, be Lionel for me; my employer, and good friend. And a friend to this family. We can't be each other's pasts, but you are welcome to be a part of this family's future. I love you, Lionel. We love you." Martha smiled, leaned back, and closed her eyes. Jonathan looked at Lionel, and Lionel looked a Jonathan. They continued, neither speaking, for quite some time. Soon, Lionel noticed that Martha's breathing had steadied, and her eyes were still closed. She had fallen asleep, with a smile on her face. Carefully, he lifted her up and laid her down on the bed. Jonathan got up, and they both put a blanket over her. Lionel leaned over, and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"Thank you." He whispered, "For everything"
Lionel stood up, and looked at Jonathan.
"I understand if you will not be as forgiving as your wife, Mr. Kent. I do not blame you. I tried to steal your world after all. First, the land of your friends, then your son's safety, lastly your wife." They both glanced at Martha, still sleeping soundly. "World stealing is not exactly a forgivable offense. I believe the ancient Greek Odysseus even executed for it." Lionel grimaced as he spoke.
"It's all right. I understand." Jonathan said, as Lionel made his way to the door. "Please, come see us again, if not here than on the farm. You can be quite a comfort, Mr. Luthor. I mean it, come and visit us. Maybe you and Martha together can convince me about the wonders of Metropolis." He smiled at Lionel, and Lionel smiled back.
Lionel looked at Martha one last time, and left. Jonathan sat down. He did understand, now. Lionel and Martha had left their pasts far behind them, and it hurt. For Jonathan, if he was aching for the good old days, all he had to do was talk to the people around town, they all knew of his glory in high school. But Martha and Lionel couldn't do that. Martha had severed all ties with her past in the city, and Lionel's wife and second son had died, leaving him only with Lex, who was probably dead too. If they ever missed it, they just had to sit and reminisce. No wonder when they found someone reminding them of their past, they felt as if they had it back. Because, it was like the past years for them were in a different world. Not in the center of town, like it was for Jonathan. Lionel and Martha could never go back again. And Jonathan finally understood that. He smiled, and turned to gaze at Martha, still smiling in her sleep.
Author note- okay, tried to tie up some loose ends between Martha and Lionel, and tried to build a bridge for Lionel and Jonathan. It was an attempt to make them all understand the relationships. Martha, in her own way, will always love Lionel, and vice versa. Chloe is coming soon (maybe next ch.) and Jonathan gets up the strength to tell Martha that Clark is gone; possibly next ch., or ch. 6. Maybe more Lana? U tell me. Action will begin to be taken to get the sons home soon. Please R&R!