Author's note- okay, what is Mr. Clark's first name????
Clark woke up and momentarily did not know where he was. Then he remembered his escape from Jor-El, and how he had gone to a Metropolis hotel. He rolled out of bed, went to the desk and checked out.
Mr. Clark awoke, and walked into his kitchen. Throwing bread into the toaster, he went to check up on his daughter. He looked into her room, and smiled. Martha was fast asleep, with a smile on her face. He missed her, he truly did. Having his daughter home to spend time with, okay, having his daughter willingly speak to him was a great improvement then the past.
20 years ago Martha marched in the door of her father's house. Previously her house until this morning.
"Dad!" she screamed. Mr. Clark walked into the front hall. He held a pack of ice to his eye.
"Sweetheart, Martha, I'm glad your home."
"You called Jonathan a hick?!?! Said he wasn't good enough to support me?!?!" she screamed at him. Martha had never been angrier with anyone in her entire life. She could hardly believe Jonathan when he came up to her with what her father had said. Jonathan had insisted on asking Mr. Clark for Martha's hand as a gesture of goodwill. A gesture that ended up giving one man a black eye and one man a broken spirit.
"Yes, and I stand by my decision. And after I said that, your hick boyfriend gave me a black eye!" he shouted back at her.
"My fiancé Jonathan had good reason! I can't believe you! Why are you doing this to me?" Mr. Clark dropped the ice pack, which clattered on the marble floor.
"You-your still marrying him?" he sputtered.
"Yes I am marrying him! He asked you to be nice, to try to create a bond between the two of you. He did it because it was the right thing to do! The bond the two of you share now is a injured soul in the car outside, and the mark on your face."
"He is outside of this house?" Martha began to walk the other way, out of her father's view. She walked down the hall, toward her room.
"Yes he is outside, he is waiting for me to get my things. Then we are leaving for Smallville."
"You are actually going with that man?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes I am. I love him, and I am going to spend the rest of my life with him. Now, I need to get my things."
"Why, why do this? You are so smart, you have so much potential. You have dreams! You could go to any law school in the country. I- I hoped, that eventually, you could have the practice." He knew it was low, trying to bribe her to stay here. And he knew if his daughter had turned out in any way the way he wanted her to be, it wouldn't work. But he had to try. "You could come work for me now, if you want. Please, don't do this to yourself. Don't throw your life away!" Martha grabbed a small duffel bag from her closet. To her father's surprise, it was already packed.
"You've been planning this?"
"No, the plan was to go down there today to plan the wedding. But since it is obvious you won't want to attend, we will go down there to plan and have the wedding. I will send you a card of the reception." Martha walked out of the room, and to the front hall. She shrugged.
"Dad, I love him. I always will. Please, be happy for me. I'm going to get married, have a family." She smiled up at him. He did not smile back. She sighed and looked to her side.
"Well, goodbye then dad. I love you. I will call you when we get there. You're welcome to come visit us. Goodbye." She hugged him, and left. As she walked down the steps to the car, her father peered through the window. Jonathan hopped out of the car and took her bags. As she opened the door, she looked straight at her father. Quickly, she turned her head and got in the car. It drove away.
Martha slowly opened her eyes, and saw her father in the doorway, staring off into space.
"Hi dad." She said. She knew he was thinking of the day she left. She always got a distant look on her face when she thought of it too. After that day, she had tried to talk to him on the day of the wedding, and after they came home form the honeymoon. Both attempts had failed. The only other time she had truly talked to him was when she found out she couldn't have children.
17 years ago
"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, to have to give you bad news." The doctor said, looking at the young couple sadly. Jonathan clasped Martha's hand tighter. She shook out of fear, fear of what the doctor was about to tell them.
"Yes doctor?" Jonathan asked. Martha remained silent as a tomb.
"I am sorry, but the results show that Martha is unable to conceive. She can't have children." The doctor looked at the young couple gravely. Martha had begun to cry, Jonathan teared a little too.
"Thank you doctor." He mumbled. Martha had cried all the way home, and for hours after that. She cried herself to sleep, and nothing Jonathan did could comfort her. Finally, the next morning, she felt he had enough composure to make a telephone call. She called her father. The phone rang twice, and then he picked up.
"Hello?"
"Daddy?" she whispered.
"Hello Martha."
"Dad, I have something I need to tell you."
"What is it? Have you and the farmer gone broke? Do you need money?" Mr. Clark knew he should control himself but couldn't, "do you want a divorce? Did you get injured milking a cow or what not? Did he abandon you?"
"No, nothing like that!" she said, feeling herself beginning to get hysterical.
"So, what? Did he get you pregnant?"
"No! I will never get pregnant! I can't get pregnant! We tried, and went to the doctor, and found out yesterday I can't conceive! I will never have a child! I will never be a mother! So there will be no children of Jonathan's and mine to shame you!" she slammed the phone down and burst into tears.
Martha's thoughts of the past stopped, and found herself staring at her father. He knew what she had been thinking about, he had thought the same thing.
"I'm sorry, you know. I never meant,"
"I know dad." Martha said gently. She got up and walked towards him. "So, whats for breakfast?"
"Toast for me, whatever you want for you." They walked out into the kitchen, and opened the door to the living room, planning to go sit. However, they saw Lionel, fast asleep on the couch.
"How do you know Mr. Luthor?" her father asked.
"From town. Jonathan, Clark and I keep getting thrown into situations with him and his son. I worked for him at one point."
"Martha, why is Mr. Luthor asleep in my living room?" he asked her. Mr. Clark said it so simply, she could not help but smile.
"Dad, I don't know. I had him lay down there, he was feeling sick. I went to bed, I thought he would get up and leave but he didn't."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Mr. Luthor, Lionel, he is a very sad man, dad. He lives a life of many regrets."
"Don't be cryptic."
"I'm sorry dad, but be kind to him. He is a very good friend of mine and of Jonathan."
"I assumed so, your husband wouldn't ask just anyone to come up here and keep you sufficiently entertained. Martha, the one thing I cannot understand is,"
But Mr. Clark never got to say the one thing he could never understand because at that moment, Lionel stirred and Martha went over to him.
"Lionel," she whispered. "Lionel, please wake up." Lionel slowly awoke and looked at Martha groggily. For a moment, he thought she was Lillian. He sat up.
"Oh, I am so sorry for falling asleep here. I just lay down to rest my eyes, and the next moment, I am being woken up. Once again, I do apologize."
"Nonsense, Mr. Luthor, it wasn't a problem at all. Come and have some breakfast with us." Mr. Clark said heartily. Martha mouthed "Thank You" to him and he smiled as he led Lionel into the kitchen.
Lucas walked into the Metropolis Mental Heath Hospital. He walked up to the front desk and said.
"Hello, I am here to see Rachel DunLeavy." The man at the desk typed something into the computer, blinked at the screen, and said.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. DunLeavy is not allowed visitors." Lucas sighed and put a hundred-dollar bill on the desk.
"Hello, I am here to see Rachel DunLeavy."
"Room 506, make sure no one sees you, or we'll both be in trouble." The man told him as he grabbed the bill. Lucas walked down the hall. "Room 504, 505," Lucas muttered to himself, reading the door signs. He stood in from of Room 506, and walked in. inside was padded white wall, and a small cot. A newspaper lay strewn on the floor. A small woman sat on the bed.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked, pulling her red hair back.
"I'm Lucas mom, I'm your son."
Pete walked into Chloe's room, where she was reading a book. She put it down.
"Oh hi Pete. How are you? I haven't seen much of you around lately."
"I've been at the Kent farm a lot, helping Mr. Kent."
"Why? Now that Clark is gone the Kents are suddenly unable to do anything on their own?" she asked moodily.
"No," Pete replied, his voice rising slightly, "Mr. Kent needs help with farm chores. With Clark gone and Mrs. Kent in Metropolis, he doesn't have enough time to do everything himself."
"Mrs. Kent is in Metropolis?" Chloe questioned, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes, apparently she is off visiting her father. I think she needed more time to recover from the accident, and needed to get away from the town."
"Do the Kent's know that Lionel Luthor is also in the city? Oh, and do you know why Jonathan's head is wrapped with bandages?"
"No to both questions." Chloe raised her head slightly.
"I feel sorry for the Kents. Clark was their whole lives, and now he is gone. And that baby, the chance of their lives, is gone too." Pete could stay silent no longer.
"Goddamnit Chloe!" he shouted. Surprised, she looked at him,
"What?"
"You haven't seen a lot of me, but I've seen a lot of you. Or, your writing. All these, reporter speaks out articles. All that stuff about Clark, Chloe, why? It's tearing the Kents apart. Mr. Kent's head is bandaged because he smashed it into a mirror, in response to everything going on. Mrs. Kent is in the city because Mr. Kent asked her to, because he didn't want her to have to go through anything more. Your articles are not helping. They aren't helping anyone, not even you. Chloe, what happened to you? Where is my friend, where is Clark's friend?"
"I was sick of Clark's secrets. I am sick of everyone's secrets around this place!" she shouted back at him.
"Yeah, well, I've got a secret for you! I loved you!" he shouted at her. She looked at him in shock. "Yep, I was head-over-heels, full blown out completely and totally crushing on you. I never made a move because I thought you liked Clark, and I was right. But I didn't mind admiring you from afar." Chloe was speechless. And then, a little part of her felt something she hadn't felt before, with Clark or anyone. Then, she realized something.
"Pete, I think I feel the same way about you." she whispered.
"That's too bad," he screamed. Pete didn't know what he was saying. Everything was just so out of control. He felt guilty for what had happened to everyone, and he couldn't hold it in. and now, with Chloe acting this way.
"Chloe, I used to love you. I liked you, before you changed. Now, I'm not sure if we can even be friends." He whispered. He left the room. Lana walked into the hallway, wondering what all the noise was about. She was shocked to see Pete storm out of Chloe's room.
"Pete, what's going on?"
"I'm sorry Lana, I got to go." He replied, without looking at her. Lana looked into Chloe's room, where Chloe was sobbing. When she looked back at Pete, he was gone.
"Oh Lana!" Chloe cried between sobs, "I've made a horrible mistake!"
Clark walked around Metropolis. So this is where mom grew up, he thought to himself. It was a big city, full of skyscrapers. The new york city of Kanses, to give an example. He found himself outside the Luthorcorp building. What can it hurt? He thought. Clark went inside.
Lex sat up in the hospital bed, talking to his docters. He was on the island of Merl, a French Isle known for its wine. He spoke fluent French at one point so was able to communicate. He had been found on teh beach by a young boy who had gone out there to play. People don't often go on that beach, and children aren't allowed, he had been told, it was too rocky and the waves too high for it to be safe. Lex had nodded, he knew that from the unfortunate experience of washing up there and almost dying, then being stranded there for a week.
"You see, I must return to the states as soon as possible. I have business to attend to." He told the docter in french.
"Mr. Luthor, we understand. But your health is the most important business of all. You are not well enough to travel. You are in good hands here, but we do not have the technology of America. It will take you longet ot recover here."
"You don't understand, you see, my wife, she tried to kill me. That's how I ended up here. I need to find her. I need to know why." The docter smiled sypathecticly.
"I am sorry Mr. Luthor. But we do not have the rescources to move you." The docter left the room.
Mr. Clark, Lionel and Martha slowly finished up breakfast.
"I was thinking," Lionel said, dabbing his mouth with his napkin, "That Martha and I could go to my office today. Sort of a reunion for the former personal assistant, and sort of an extra help to me. How does that sound?"
"Excellent." Martha replied.
"Its settled then. We will leave soon, spend the morning in the office, and then go out to lunch at a fine Metropolis restaurant. Then, I thought we could visit your old high school, and then your old college, and you can show me where you met Jonathan. Then, we can return here, and the three of us can go out to dinner."
"Sounds great!" Martha said enthusiastically.
"Sounds good to me; but Mr. Luthor, I must ask you one question. Why are you doing this for me and my daughter?"
"Please, call me Lionel. And I am doing this because I promised Jonathan I would look after the two of you. For some reason he says that if I left you here aloe together, Martha would have been gone for Smallville the first night." Mr. Clark smiled; he knew Lionel was telling the truth. For some reason unknown to him, Lionel was keeping Martha in the city. And the city is where Martha needed to be.
"We'll be off then Dad," Martha said. She and Lionel left the apartment and went to the Luthorcorp building. Martha did some exploring, and Lionel tried to do some work. Little did Martha know that she was in the same building as her son.
Clark wandered around the building, talking to random people, reading the posters on the walls about the company, etc. the people thought he was an intern, and happy to answer any of his questions. When he got to Lionel Luthor's floor, the first thing he saw was a large portrait. He looked at it closely. It was obviously a family portrait painting, of a stern looking man, a red-haired lady, and a young boy, also with red hair. After looking at it closer, he noticed that though the man looked stern, his eyes were gentle and smiling. The lady had a gentle smile on her face, and rested her hand on her stomach. He realized that she was pregnant. The young boy had his mother's hair and smile, and his father's eyes. Clark felt as though he had seen them all before. But where? Then it hit him. This was the Luthor family. The boy was Lex, and the man and lady were
"Lionel and Lillian Luthor." A soft voice said from behind him. Clark turned. A short, elderly man stood there. "I see you are impressed by the work." Clark nodded. "This was when Lionel and Lillian were still very much in love. You see she is pregnant? She is pregnant with their second son Julian. Such a beautiful baby. Such a tragedy when he died. The family was never the same. See how happy Mr. Luthor looks here. He insisted on frowning, but he looks happy just the same. And their little boy, Lex. Such a charming boy." The man sighed. "Now the family is much different. Lillian is gone, and Lionel never smiles, with his eyes or otherwise. And Lex, he is carving his own path, strong son that he is, but he has made a disastrous turn. And other members of the Luthor clan plan to take over, Lucas, and his mother. But hope still remains for the cursed Luthors. Lillian, they say, was their angel. And some are saying that Lillian walks the halls of the building again today. Good luck to you young man." Clark turned to face the man, but he had disappeared.
"Whats going on?" Clark said to himself. Then, he felt a breeze, and turned to his left. He saw a person walking down his way. They got closer, and he could see it was a lady with red hair. "Lillian walks the halls again," he mused to himself, transfixed on the approaching figure. The he realized who it was.
"Mom" he cried, and ran down to greet her.
She saw him running toward her, but couldn't believe her eyes.
"Clark, honey, Clark?" she rasped. He ran up to her and hugged her.
"Mama, its me! I love you mom! I'm sorry I left, I will never leave you again!" he cried. Martha began to cry. She looked over Clark's shoulder, and saw the elderly man smiling. She blinked, and he was gone.
Clark woke up and momentarily did not know where he was. Then he remembered his escape from Jor-El, and how he had gone to a Metropolis hotel. He rolled out of bed, went to the desk and checked out.
Mr. Clark awoke, and walked into his kitchen. Throwing bread into the toaster, he went to check up on his daughter. He looked into her room, and smiled. Martha was fast asleep, with a smile on her face. He missed her, he truly did. Having his daughter home to spend time with, okay, having his daughter willingly speak to him was a great improvement then the past.
20 years ago Martha marched in the door of her father's house. Previously her house until this morning.
"Dad!" she screamed. Mr. Clark walked into the front hall. He held a pack of ice to his eye.
"Sweetheart, Martha, I'm glad your home."
"You called Jonathan a hick?!?! Said he wasn't good enough to support me?!?!" she screamed at him. Martha had never been angrier with anyone in her entire life. She could hardly believe Jonathan when he came up to her with what her father had said. Jonathan had insisted on asking Mr. Clark for Martha's hand as a gesture of goodwill. A gesture that ended up giving one man a black eye and one man a broken spirit.
"Yes, and I stand by my decision. And after I said that, your hick boyfriend gave me a black eye!" he shouted back at her.
"My fiancé Jonathan had good reason! I can't believe you! Why are you doing this to me?" Mr. Clark dropped the ice pack, which clattered on the marble floor.
"You-your still marrying him?" he sputtered.
"Yes I am marrying him! He asked you to be nice, to try to create a bond between the two of you. He did it because it was the right thing to do! The bond the two of you share now is a injured soul in the car outside, and the mark on your face."
"He is outside of this house?" Martha began to walk the other way, out of her father's view. She walked down the hall, toward her room.
"Yes he is outside, he is waiting for me to get my things. Then we are leaving for Smallville."
"You are actually going with that man?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes I am. I love him, and I am going to spend the rest of my life with him. Now, I need to get my things."
"Why, why do this? You are so smart, you have so much potential. You have dreams! You could go to any law school in the country. I- I hoped, that eventually, you could have the practice." He knew it was low, trying to bribe her to stay here. And he knew if his daughter had turned out in any way the way he wanted her to be, it wouldn't work. But he had to try. "You could come work for me now, if you want. Please, don't do this to yourself. Don't throw your life away!" Martha grabbed a small duffel bag from her closet. To her father's surprise, it was already packed.
"You've been planning this?"
"No, the plan was to go down there today to plan the wedding. But since it is obvious you won't want to attend, we will go down there to plan and have the wedding. I will send you a card of the reception." Martha walked out of the room, and to the front hall. She shrugged.
"Dad, I love him. I always will. Please, be happy for me. I'm going to get married, have a family." She smiled up at him. He did not smile back. She sighed and looked to her side.
"Well, goodbye then dad. I love you. I will call you when we get there. You're welcome to come visit us. Goodbye." She hugged him, and left. As she walked down the steps to the car, her father peered through the window. Jonathan hopped out of the car and took her bags. As she opened the door, she looked straight at her father. Quickly, she turned her head and got in the car. It drove away.
Martha slowly opened her eyes, and saw her father in the doorway, staring off into space.
"Hi dad." She said. She knew he was thinking of the day she left. She always got a distant look on her face when she thought of it too. After that day, she had tried to talk to him on the day of the wedding, and after they came home form the honeymoon. Both attempts had failed. The only other time she had truly talked to him was when she found out she couldn't have children.
17 years ago
"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, to have to give you bad news." The doctor said, looking at the young couple sadly. Jonathan clasped Martha's hand tighter. She shook out of fear, fear of what the doctor was about to tell them.
"Yes doctor?" Jonathan asked. Martha remained silent as a tomb.
"I am sorry, but the results show that Martha is unable to conceive. She can't have children." The doctor looked at the young couple gravely. Martha had begun to cry, Jonathan teared a little too.
"Thank you doctor." He mumbled. Martha had cried all the way home, and for hours after that. She cried herself to sleep, and nothing Jonathan did could comfort her. Finally, the next morning, she felt he had enough composure to make a telephone call. She called her father. The phone rang twice, and then he picked up.
"Hello?"
"Daddy?" she whispered.
"Hello Martha."
"Dad, I have something I need to tell you."
"What is it? Have you and the farmer gone broke? Do you need money?" Mr. Clark knew he should control himself but couldn't, "do you want a divorce? Did you get injured milking a cow or what not? Did he abandon you?"
"No, nothing like that!" she said, feeling herself beginning to get hysterical.
"So, what? Did he get you pregnant?"
"No! I will never get pregnant! I can't get pregnant! We tried, and went to the doctor, and found out yesterday I can't conceive! I will never have a child! I will never be a mother! So there will be no children of Jonathan's and mine to shame you!" she slammed the phone down and burst into tears.
Martha's thoughts of the past stopped, and found herself staring at her father. He knew what she had been thinking about, he had thought the same thing.
"I'm sorry, you know. I never meant,"
"I know dad." Martha said gently. She got up and walked towards him. "So, whats for breakfast?"
"Toast for me, whatever you want for you." They walked out into the kitchen, and opened the door to the living room, planning to go sit. However, they saw Lionel, fast asleep on the couch.
"How do you know Mr. Luthor?" her father asked.
"From town. Jonathan, Clark and I keep getting thrown into situations with him and his son. I worked for him at one point."
"Martha, why is Mr. Luthor asleep in my living room?" he asked her. Mr. Clark said it so simply, she could not help but smile.
"Dad, I don't know. I had him lay down there, he was feeling sick. I went to bed, I thought he would get up and leave but he didn't."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Mr. Luthor, Lionel, he is a very sad man, dad. He lives a life of many regrets."
"Don't be cryptic."
"I'm sorry dad, but be kind to him. He is a very good friend of mine and of Jonathan."
"I assumed so, your husband wouldn't ask just anyone to come up here and keep you sufficiently entertained. Martha, the one thing I cannot understand is,"
But Mr. Clark never got to say the one thing he could never understand because at that moment, Lionel stirred and Martha went over to him.
"Lionel," she whispered. "Lionel, please wake up." Lionel slowly awoke and looked at Martha groggily. For a moment, he thought she was Lillian. He sat up.
"Oh, I am so sorry for falling asleep here. I just lay down to rest my eyes, and the next moment, I am being woken up. Once again, I do apologize."
"Nonsense, Mr. Luthor, it wasn't a problem at all. Come and have some breakfast with us." Mr. Clark said heartily. Martha mouthed "Thank You" to him and he smiled as he led Lionel into the kitchen.
Lucas walked into the Metropolis Mental Heath Hospital. He walked up to the front desk and said.
"Hello, I am here to see Rachel DunLeavy." The man at the desk typed something into the computer, blinked at the screen, and said.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. DunLeavy is not allowed visitors." Lucas sighed and put a hundred-dollar bill on the desk.
"Hello, I am here to see Rachel DunLeavy."
"Room 506, make sure no one sees you, or we'll both be in trouble." The man told him as he grabbed the bill. Lucas walked down the hall. "Room 504, 505," Lucas muttered to himself, reading the door signs. He stood in from of Room 506, and walked in. inside was padded white wall, and a small cot. A newspaper lay strewn on the floor. A small woman sat on the bed.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked, pulling her red hair back.
"I'm Lucas mom, I'm your son."
Pete walked into Chloe's room, where she was reading a book. She put it down.
"Oh hi Pete. How are you? I haven't seen much of you around lately."
"I've been at the Kent farm a lot, helping Mr. Kent."
"Why? Now that Clark is gone the Kents are suddenly unable to do anything on their own?" she asked moodily.
"No," Pete replied, his voice rising slightly, "Mr. Kent needs help with farm chores. With Clark gone and Mrs. Kent in Metropolis, he doesn't have enough time to do everything himself."
"Mrs. Kent is in Metropolis?" Chloe questioned, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes, apparently she is off visiting her father. I think she needed more time to recover from the accident, and needed to get away from the town."
"Do the Kent's know that Lionel Luthor is also in the city? Oh, and do you know why Jonathan's head is wrapped with bandages?"
"No to both questions." Chloe raised her head slightly.
"I feel sorry for the Kents. Clark was their whole lives, and now he is gone. And that baby, the chance of their lives, is gone too." Pete could stay silent no longer.
"Goddamnit Chloe!" he shouted. Surprised, she looked at him,
"What?"
"You haven't seen a lot of me, but I've seen a lot of you. Or, your writing. All these, reporter speaks out articles. All that stuff about Clark, Chloe, why? It's tearing the Kents apart. Mr. Kent's head is bandaged because he smashed it into a mirror, in response to everything going on. Mrs. Kent is in the city because Mr. Kent asked her to, because he didn't want her to have to go through anything more. Your articles are not helping. They aren't helping anyone, not even you. Chloe, what happened to you? Where is my friend, where is Clark's friend?"
"I was sick of Clark's secrets. I am sick of everyone's secrets around this place!" she shouted back at him.
"Yeah, well, I've got a secret for you! I loved you!" he shouted at her. She looked at him in shock. "Yep, I was head-over-heels, full blown out completely and totally crushing on you. I never made a move because I thought you liked Clark, and I was right. But I didn't mind admiring you from afar." Chloe was speechless. And then, a little part of her felt something she hadn't felt before, with Clark or anyone. Then, she realized something.
"Pete, I think I feel the same way about you." she whispered.
"That's too bad," he screamed. Pete didn't know what he was saying. Everything was just so out of control. He felt guilty for what had happened to everyone, and he couldn't hold it in. and now, with Chloe acting this way.
"Chloe, I used to love you. I liked you, before you changed. Now, I'm not sure if we can even be friends." He whispered. He left the room. Lana walked into the hallway, wondering what all the noise was about. She was shocked to see Pete storm out of Chloe's room.
"Pete, what's going on?"
"I'm sorry Lana, I got to go." He replied, without looking at her. Lana looked into Chloe's room, where Chloe was sobbing. When she looked back at Pete, he was gone.
"Oh Lana!" Chloe cried between sobs, "I've made a horrible mistake!"
Clark walked around Metropolis. So this is where mom grew up, he thought to himself. It was a big city, full of skyscrapers. The new york city of Kanses, to give an example. He found himself outside the Luthorcorp building. What can it hurt? He thought. Clark went inside.
Lex sat up in the hospital bed, talking to his docters. He was on the island of Merl, a French Isle known for its wine. He spoke fluent French at one point so was able to communicate. He had been found on teh beach by a young boy who had gone out there to play. People don't often go on that beach, and children aren't allowed, he had been told, it was too rocky and the waves too high for it to be safe. Lex had nodded, he knew that from the unfortunate experience of washing up there and almost dying, then being stranded there for a week.
"You see, I must return to the states as soon as possible. I have business to attend to." He told the docter in french.
"Mr. Luthor, we understand. But your health is the most important business of all. You are not well enough to travel. You are in good hands here, but we do not have the technology of America. It will take you longet ot recover here."
"You don't understand, you see, my wife, she tried to kill me. That's how I ended up here. I need to find her. I need to know why." The docter smiled sypathecticly.
"I am sorry Mr. Luthor. But we do not have the rescources to move you." The docter left the room.
Mr. Clark, Lionel and Martha slowly finished up breakfast.
"I was thinking," Lionel said, dabbing his mouth with his napkin, "That Martha and I could go to my office today. Sort of a reunion for the former personal assistant, and sort of an extra help to me. How does that sound?"
"Excellent." Martha replied.
"Its settled then. We will leave soon, spend the morning in the office, and then go out to lunch at a fine Metropolis restaurant. Then, I thought we could visit your old high school, and then your old college, and you can show me where you met Jonathan. Then, we can return here, and the three of us can go out to dinner."
"Sounds great!" Martha said enthusiastically.
"Sounds good to me; but Mr. Luthor, I must ask you one question. Why are you doing this for me and my daughter?"
"Please, call me Lionel. And I am doing this because I promised Jonathan I would look after the two of you. For some reason he says that if I left you here aloe together, Martha would have been gone for Smallville the first night." Mr. Clark smiled; he knew Lionel was telling the truth. For some reason unknown to him, Lionel was keeping Martha in the city. And the city is where Martha needed to be.
"We'll be off then Dad," Martha said. She and Lionel left the apartment and went to the Luthorcorp building. Martha did some exploring, and Lionel tried to do some work. Little did Martha know that she was in the same building as her son.
Clark wandered around the building, talking to random people, reading the posters on the walls about the company, etc. the people thought he was an intern, and happy to answer any of his questions. When he got to Lionel Luthor's floor, the first thing he saw was a large portrait. He looked at it closely. It was obviously a family portrait painting, of a stern looking man, a red-haired lady, and a young boy, also with red hair. After looking at it closer, he noticed that though the man looked stern, his eyes were gentle and smiling. The lady had a gentle smile on her face, and rested her hand on her stomach. He realized that she was pregnant. The young boy had his mother's hair and smile, and his father's eyes. Clark felt as though he had seen them all before. But where? Then it hit him. This was the Luthor family. The boy was Lex, and the man and lady were
"Lionel and Lillian Luthor." A soft voice said from behind him. Clark turned. A short, elderly man stood there. "I see you are impressed by the work." Clark nodded. "This was when Lionel and Lillian were still very much in love. You see she is pregnant? She is pregnant with their second son Julian. Such a beautiful baby. Such a tragedy when he died. The family was never the same. See how happy Mr. Luthor looks here. He insisted on frowning, but he looks happy just the same. And their little boy, Lex. Such a charming boy." The man sighed. "Now the family is much different. Lillian is gone, and Lionel never smiles, with his eyes or otherwise. And Lex, he is carving his own path, strong son that he is, but he has made a disastrous turn. And other members of the Luthor clan plan to take over, Lucas, and his mother. But hope still remains for the cursed Luthors. Lillian, they say, was their angel. And some are saying that Lillian walks the halls of the building again today. Good luck to you young man." Clark turned to face the man, but he had disappeared.
"Whats going on?" Clark said to himself. Then, he felt a breeze, and turned to his left. He saw a person walking down his way. They got closer, and he could see it was a lady with red hair. "Lillian walks the halls again," he mused to himself, transfixed on the approaching figure. The he realized who it was.
"Mom" he cried, and ran down to greet her.
She saw him running toward her, but couldn't believe her eyes.
"Clark, honey, Clark?" she rasped. He ran up to her and hugged her.
"Mama, its me! I love you mom! I'm sorry I left, I will never leave you again!" he cried. Martha began to cry. She looked over Clark's shoulder, and saw the elderly man smiling. She blinked, and he was gone.