Stuff in Italics Is either thoughts or a dream sequence.

Stuff in Bold Italics is emphasized.

Stuff in asterisks are actions.

"Hey." whispered rush.

White light filled the solid boy.

giggle

"hey." A bubbly,

young,

ethereal girl,

with shoulder length loose curls, ran up grabbing the young males hand.

"You wanna see a wish?"

Deep penetrating, green eyes, pulled at him;

coaxing the lithe figure forward through the soft mist.

A warmth engulfed him, as she slowly,

Gingerly,

placed her hand on his shoulders.

"I'll give you your wish." she turned, the fragile being around.

Gasp!

The thin boy reached out, finger tips lightly brushing the hard, glass pane.

Tears formed.

He shattered.

Pieces skittering on the ground around him.

The lithe youth shook, tears trickling down his pale cheeks.

Lex pressed his healthy golden mane against the silvery reflection.

He let go.

His soul pouring out.

The world grew dark around him.

The angel and heaven disappeared.

Lex knelt,

staring,

weeping.

He had hair.

heavy sigh

Dusk was deepening as Lex jumped in his car, reluctant to be leaving the safety of his manor.

'I defiantly am going to have to get Lana to start paying her bills another way.' He thought to himself, imagining the idea of Lana coming over to his placein the "dead of night."

shiver

It's not that he especially disliked the idea, it was just that he didn't trust himself around her. That, and the idea of having someone like that, who he fawned over, who seemed so innocent, coming to his place when it was dark out, terrified him.

Lex shook his head, trying to escape the awkward daydreams.

Pulling up to the Talon he caught the first of a wave of glares, shots of hatred, and incredulous gawks.

Turning the car off he sighed, a powerful feeling of "Don't Go In There!" halting him.

He resisted, pulling himself out of the warm, safe cocoon of his car.

Straightening himself, and checking his character in the cars reflection he strode to the talons doors.

Unbeknownst to the young man, his jaw tensed, as he swung the wide door open. His teeth ground and his mask showed hairline fractures as he visibly tensed, walking into the talon.

"Oh my god!"

"Ohh! Not him!"

"Can't believe it's him!"

"I told you!"

Giggles could be heard just out of earshot. He tensed a bit more knowing someone was fawning over him. The rest of the locals weren't so impressed, as they either tried to avoid him shooting glares and "I can't believe you have the NERVE!" incredulous gawks. Or purposefully "bumped" into him; glaring at him as though if he knew what was good for him he'd get out of there NOW.

Lana catching a glimpse of him, made herself scarce.

Lex's eyes searched, wanting to get this over and done with.

He couldn't help but notice, was it him, or everyone else? It seemed as though what he brought was seen as rudeness, and a cold wind with him.

'must be them.' He had been socialized differently, and if he seemed rude to them; that was their problem.

But he still couldn't get over the feeling, as though he were doing something wrong. As though if he were to change in some way, he'd suddenly be tolerated.

Shaking, Lex, walked up to the counter;

giving in after seeing that every seat in the house was apparently taken.

He ordered a medium something, distracted by the atmosphere, and waited.

Not knowing what else to do with himself he rummaged through his briefcase, making sure he had everything, even though he already knew he had. He hung around the counter till it was obvious his coffee wasn't going to be coming any time soon. Unable to stay where he was, and unable to make a nuisance of himself any longer, he skittered about the room a second time, his search turning up empty. He managed to compose himself long enough; thanks to age, and some experience; to realize a small escape. Letting go of the safety of the counter, he dogged and ducked waitresses and customers, as he grabbed a newspaper. Searching the room a third time, he finally found a suitable back corner, temporarily devoid of all human life. Relaxing a bit, he grabbed his briefcase and quickly made his way over, settling into the "quiet" booth.

Bristled, and on edge, he glanced through the paper, noticing from the corners of his vision that he had picked a spot allowing him to take in all the glares in the entire coffee shop.

Lex shifted, uncomfortable.

clink!

the young man peered over the top of his safe haven, noticing his coffee had finally arrived. The server was a young teen, with pale blonde hair and as thin as a bone. She shot darts at him from underneath thickly painted lashes.

Flustered, Lex managed to compose himself right before she ran off.

"Ahh. Heyahh. Could. Mam?"

The wide hipped girl turned around, rolling her eyes.

"Could you please tell Lana Lang that Her business partner is here?" Lex poison tipped the last of his sentence, finally having enough of this place.

The thin girl politely agreed and rushed off, disappearing into the throng.

sigh

Lex wilted,

relieved that he should be getting out of here sometime soon.

Now all he had to do was wait.

Amazingly this was something he'd managed to get very good at as of late. He found he could now wait;

sitting perfectly still;

his mind completely empty for hours upon hours at a time.

Literally whiling away a whole good day doing essentially nothing.

When he had first moved to this sleepy town, it had been hell to endure such things. Now, with all that he'd been through;

with all that had happened to him in the past months,

years;

he was able to sit.

Perfectly still, in complete silence, for eternities.

sigh

About an hour later Lana showed up, sweaty and in a huff. Her arms full of business accounts, and the like. Lex checked his watch, shocked by how time had suddenly jumped. He glanced around noticing how packed the small shop still was. Even though it was closing time you would never be able to tell it. The place bustled as though it was the middle of the day. Caffeinated teens and elderly zipping about.

chuckle

Lex smirked as he caught sight of an old lady. The pale, fragile grandmother zoomed by, honking a small bike horn on her walker.

"Who's" Lex arched his eye brow and tipped his head.

Lana glanced back, giving a growling sigh. "Oh that's old Miss. Mac Lamore. She's always been cranky."

"Ahh." Lex nodded.

"Yeah and now were adding caffeine to the mix." Lana huffed, as Lex's eyes widened, suddenly noticing the state the lithe girl was in.

"Maybe we should take it away." Lex offered, trying to help Lana with her bundle of papers.

"Take her fix away?" Lana glanced back to where the old lady was muscling through a Seven foot wall of thick foot ball players; trying to leave " I don't think so." She laughed shaking her head.

Lex helped Lana get settled as best as possible then the two set to work.

Lex explained the few things Lana didn't understand, and helped her with the items she didn't get.

He had found only one mistake and silently corrected it on the side figuring she wouldn't notice.

Unfortunately she did and drilled him about why he didn't let her know, and didn't he trust her?

This sent the poor buy in to a flustered explanation of why she couldn't do that and how the numbers would have been wrong anyway, according to his calculations.

Three hours later they were finally done.

Lex gave a relieved sigh and stretched, glad that the weekly ordeal was over with.

"You want a latte' or somethn'?" Lana offered.

"Nah." Lex had already gotten his fill, and was looking forward to returning to the safety of his mansion.

Quickly he packed his belongings, and extra records, as he made to leave.

"Ahh." the thin, rich boy paused, not knowing exactly how to state his concern, " I'm. I'm ahh, gonna be kinda tied up this coming week or so so if you could do me the favor of coming over next week. Sometime during he day." He quickly added, his mask barely hiding the hopeful, begging expression on his face.

"Yeah.ahh. Alright." Lana, finished cleaning up the remains of their business dealings. " I guess. What time?" she stopped, eyes boring into Lex.

The purple clad youth shifted, awkward.

"Ahh, about, Friday, around one or so."

"Okay. One it is then Mr. Luthor." Lana teased, lowering her voice.

Lex fidgeted. Scratching the back of his head, he smirked, looking down.

"Ahh!" finally back in the safety of his manor, and far from the world's reach Lex relaxed.

'I wonder if I'm coming of as cold.' He mused, treating himself to a weak drink, ' I seem to be coming off completely different then I want to be.'

Lex stood gazing out his study window, lost in thought. He grimaced, disliking the sharp sting of the alcohol in his mouth. His father was more of a liquor man than himself. Lex, he was more of a smoker, preferring cigars.

Unbeknownst to him, he had picked up the habit from his dearly despised father. Having watched him when Lex was just a child, puffing away, out on the same balcony, when the world was much younger, and far less diseased.

The drinking was more of an automatic to Lex, something he did without thinking. The smoking he cautiously, purposefully, did. The only thing that would truly relax him without muddling his mind.

As long as he kept it under control.

Lighting up he stepped out into the night.

The darkness wrapping itself around him, enveloping him to where he was cut off from the glowing interior of the house.

He shook, still upset from the day's ordeal. Finishing his second cigarette his legs started to weaken, quivering. Before they lost their strength, he lowered himself to the ground.

Staring out over the grounds of his silent, and empty safe haven.

Lex smiled, finally able to allow the feeling of safety engulf his core.

sigh

He could feel the warm humid, fresh green air wrap it's arms around him.

Healing, starting to repair the damage.

Hiss!

Taking another painful drag, he held his breath, letting the calm of the cigarette wash over him.

Ahhh!

Laying back he breathed out, staring into the ink black sky.

Up this high there were no trees to cover his view, and the stars suddenly magnified with the next inhale; surprising Lex.

The remnants of an old pot high, the last he'd ever do, awoke.

Haunted, frightened; Lex put the cigarette out, trying to rub away the horrible memories.

Hhhaaa

Breathing in he managed to rid himself of the past horrors. He found he wasn't able to breath as deeply as usual. But Lex didn't let it bother him, "cause he was only gonna do this for as long as he needed it."

He watched the stars a bit longer.

Actually a LOT longer.

2 a.m. rolled around.

Lex checked his watch deciding he had better be going in.

Around an hour later he reluctantly pushed himself upright, leaning on his elbows.

He sat perfectly still, letting the dizziness fade.

When he was finally sure that he could move again, he rolled himself onto his hands and knees, before managing to stand.

Steadying his footing, he stumbled off to bed.