I don't own Smallville, I don't claim to own them, I make no money from
this, don't sue me. BTW bald is sexyA conversation in this chapter takes
place in French, the French is on top and the English is under it,
supposedly in italics, we'll see. I'd like to give a big thank you to
they provide me with all my English to French needs.
----Smallville Kansas, early November, late afternoon----
A small, silver, Porche 911 quickly winds its way through the sleepy country roads of Smallville's countryside. License plate reading "PMS 911." A young woman with long, honey brown hair with dark blonde and auburn highlights, wearing a pair of mirrored sunglasses is driving, smiling to herself.
----The Talon----
Lana is behind the counter preparing a drink for a customer. Chloe is at a corner table typing on her laptop, Pete is sitting across from her reading a comic book.
Pete looks up. "I know you know Chloe."
Chloe looked up puzzled. "Excuse me! You know it's not nice to start a conversation in the middle especially since I have no idea what the first part was about."
"Come on Chloe, don't play dumb with me. You're stealthy investigative reporter girl. Tell me you don't know who Lex's friend is?"
"Oh that." Chloe pouted a bit. "You know Pete I hate to admit it but I think we're going to have to let Lex tell us himself."
"So what you're saying is you couldn't find anything." He said with a slight smirk on his face.
"Not a clue." She remarked dryly, turning her attention back to her computer. "Now hush I need to finish this article."
Lana walks up carrying two cups of coffee for her friends. "Hey guys. Whatcha talking about?" She sets the drinks down in front of her friends.
"Hatching a plan to take over the world." Pete joked, closing his comic to talk to his friend.
"Oh. I thought that maybe you two were trying to figure out who this mystery friend of Lex's is."
"Well see that's the beauty of our plan. When we take over the world he'll have no choice but to tell us who his friend is."
"And this is easier than waiting until tonight how?"
"I dunno, it sounded cool in my head."
"What sounded cool in your head?" Clark asked while sitting down.
"Pete thinks that if he and Chloe take over the world they'll be able to get Lex to tell us who his mystery friend is. Mind you they plan on doing all this before this evening."
Clark chuckled. "Right, because Lex routinely does what people tell him to." He smirked.
"Well I have to get back behind the counter. I'll see you all later." Lana walked back to the coffee bar leaving her friends to themselves.
Chloe who had been quiet for the past few minutes spoke up. "I bet it's a woman."
"I thought you we're writing an article and couldn't be disturbed." Pete said with mock indignation.
"Well I'm finished now."
"Alright back to the real question here." Clark directed the conversation back to it's original topic. "Why do you think this friend of Lex's is a woman?"
"How many male friends does Lex have that he would subject us to spending time with?"
"Okay."
"And Lex does have that playboy rep. For not having any hair, the man has some serious game." Pete remarked.
"Well he is a 20 something billionaire. Some girls will overlook a little aesthetic feature like hair when you have Luthor money. " Chloe said.
"Very true on both accounts, but with the exception of the girl he brought to my ill fated party, how many of his girlfriends has he introduced us to?" Clark asked.
Chloe was getting excited now. She shifted her position so she was sitting on her knees, and she was just a little higher than her male counterparts. She started talking with her hands. "That's because none of them have ever stuck around long enough. Oh my God I bet they're GETTING MARRIED!" She said the last part a little loud, drawing attention from other customers. "Sorry." She quieted down, and sat back in her chair.
"If Lex was seriously thinking about marrying this woman wouldn't he have brought her here before now?" Pete asked his caffinated blonde friend. Clark looked equally perplexed.
"Clearly you both suck at romance, try and follow me here boys. He obviously hasn't proposed yet. He's bringing her here this weekend you know show her around town, spend time with his friends, get acquainted with the castle." Chloe was getting excited again. "I bet she's royalty, or a model, maybe even a KENNEDY!" Chloe disturbed the café again.
Pete was having fun with this conversation. "Slow down, there, Chloe. Let's say he is planning on marrying mystery model Kennedy woman. Why hasn't he talked about her before now?"
"Well maybe they met when he was away on business or vacation or something. Didn't he just get back from Greece a few weeks ago?"
"Yeah." Clark replied.
"Maybe they met there and had a whirlwind romance and neither of them could bear to see it end. But Lex had to come back here so they've been keeping in touch with phone calls and e-mail and he's decided to bring her here to surprise her with an engagement. I bet she's beautiful, goddess like."
Pete spoke up again. "You know I don't want to encourage her fantasy too much here, although it is better than anything I could think up. But Lex has seemed extra happy lately. Which is kinda odd considering Lex looks barely enthused most of the time."
Clark looked like something finally connected. "That's true. I caught him smiling the other day at absolutely nothing. And when I asked him what that was about he just shrugged and said 'Oh nothing. Just a memory.' Since when does Lex Luthor reminisce?"
"See I'm right."
None of the table's occupants had noticed their topic of conversation walk in the door and up to the counter.
"Hey Lex." Lana smiled at him. "What can I get you?"
"Hi Lana. Just a large mocha cappuccino to go please." Lex turned around and leaned back against the counter, surveying the scene, while scanning the crowd for his friends. He finally spotted them in a far corner huddled around Chloe's laptop. They quickly looked away from him as he noted their presence. He turned round to talk to Lana. "Hey Lana what are Nancy Drew and the Hearty Boys up to over there?"
"They're trying to figure out who your mystery friend is. Since I left them I've heard Chloe shout the words getting married and Kennedy."
"Where did she get the from?" Lex smirked.
"Truthfully I have no clue, but I bet it came from a really fun and scary place inside her head." She said handing him his order.
Lex chuckled. "I bet it did. Thanks Lana, I'll see you later tonight." He strode silently over to the booth holding his teen friends who were now pretending to study.
"Marrying a Kennedy Chloe?" Lex asked, smiling.
She looked up at Lex. "It's not impossible."
"No you're right, it's not. I'd love to hear the logic behind it but I have to get going. I just came over to say hi."
"Will you at least give us some small clue as to who your mystery friend is?" Clark asked. "Just so we don't look like complete idiots."
"Alright, Chloe you weren't entirely wrong. My friend is a woman, but we are not getting married, and she's definitely not a Kennedy." Lex couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl upward somewhat. He let himself get lost in another thought.
"Earth to Lex." Clark waved a hand in front of Lex's face, he had been staring out into space for a few seconds.
Lex quickly shook the image of him and a beautiful woman, about the same age, in formal attire sitting on a grassy hill laughing. "Sorry, I have to stop doing that. I can guarantee you that no matter how many theories you come up with or how many hours you spend looking up clues on the internet you will never figure out who she is and even if you do, nothing will prepare you for her."
"So what you're saying is she's pretty amazing."
"Amazing doesn't even begin to describe her. Well I've already told you too much. I'll see you all later." Lex turned and walked out the door.
"Okay that was Wall of Weird, weird." Chloe said.
"Definitely." Pete agreed.
"I think it's nice that Lex is excited about something. Clark said.
Pete and Chloe looked at him like he had grown another head. "What?"
----Lex's Castle-----
Lex pulls into his drive way and sees a Porche already parked there with the license plate 'PMS 911'. He smiles and shakes his head slightly before parking his car behind it.
"Mr. Lex. We told Ms. Stratford to make herself at home, like you instructed, I believe she's in your billiard room." Jenny the maid greeted him at the door.
"Thank you Jenny." Lex walked down one of the many corridors of his spacious home until he reached the billiard room. He could hear the sounds of music and a game of pool being played. He opened the door quietly and crept in. Paris was bent at the waist lining up a shot, she was wearing a pair of tea stained Abercrombie and Fitch jeans with strategically placed rips, that hugged her legs and hips in all the right spots with a tan off the shoulder sweater and brown leather boots, her hair was up in a looped pony tail to keep it out of her face. The lighting of the room complemented her hair and lightly sunned skin. He cocked his head slightly to the side and down to better appreciate the view. Lex had to refrain from walking up behind her, turning her to face him and taking her right on the pool table. 'You can't have sex with Paris! Why not, it's not like you haven't done that before, and she does that thing with her tongue on your. Stop it, she may be beautiful and exquisite and have a body men would kill for, but she's your oldest friend you dumb shit. Besides you dated once before and it didn't end well. Well it wouldn't have ended at all had it not been for you fathers. Shut up! You love her but you can't be in love with her.' He silently fought himself in his mind.
After shooting she turned around, placed the pool cue on the ground next to her and leaned on it slightly. Her voice still had a slight hint of a British accent. "Alexander are you going to skulk in the shadows all day or are you going to come over here and say hello?"
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I was just admiring your technique. And hello Paris."
"Yeah I'm sure. Did you enjoy the show?" Lex walked over to the pool table and stood next to her.
"Very much thank you. PMS?"
"No I'm good until next week, but thanks for asking." She smiled slyly at him.
"Cute. No I was referring to the rather crude license plate adorning your Porche."
"There's nothing crude about my license plate." She said with mock anger. "P-M-S, my initials, Paris Margaret Stratford. If you want to blame anyone for that, blame my parents. I always do."
"I've been in therapy longer than you, who else would I blame?"
"I really have no clue. Pick up a cue, and let me hand you your ass at pool."
"I never let you hand me my ass at pool. I've never gone easy on you."
"Yeah I know, which is what makes the victory even sweeter." She placed her cue on the table, turned and wrapped her hands around his neck, hugging him tightly and getting lost in the intoxicating scent of his cologne. "I missed you so much, people in LA suck at Verbal Judo." He wrapped his arms around her slender waist just as hard, fighting the urge to slip his hands under her sweater and explore the smooth supple skin that lay beneath. She loved the way his hands felt on her waist she had forgotten how good and safe it felt to be embraced by Lex. 'Oh, I could stay like this forever. And his hands, god the things that man can do with his hands. And he does that thing with his tongue.' She thought to herself. 'No you can't have Lex, it hurt too much to lose him last time, and he was so hurt he got into so much trouble after that, it's be selfish to do it again, just be glad you have him like this!'
Lex's smooth voice broke through Paris's thoughts. "I missed you too. I'm glad I convinced you to move here." He was once again lost in the luscious scent of her hair and perfume. 'I don't want to let this woman go, ever again. You have to you idiot, she's not yours she can never be yours! Her father will stop at nothing to make sure of that. You stupid pussy, since when does someone's dad saying 'you can't date my daughter' stop you, you're Lex fucking Luthor. No this is Paris she's not some girl, she is beautiful and smart, and funny and she deserves better than what would happen if you two tried to go for it again. Besides she's only staying with you for a few months. But she's staying in Smallville. NO, stop it!'
They reluctantly broke their hug and tried to get back being nonchalant. "So, how was your drive?" Lex picked up a cue and walked over to the other side of the table while Paris racked the balls.
"Not bad. Kinda boring but I didn't mind. Gave me time to think."
"Think huh?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Shut up." She retorted jokingly.
"I don't know why you just didn't fly here, it would have only taken an hour and a half by air, as opposed to 22 hours by car."
"Come off it Alexander. Here break." She tossed the cue ball to Lex. "I broke it up into three days, and I enjoyed myself, for the most part. Besides you enjoy flight about as much as I do."
He shot. "Yeah but I would have sent one of the corporate jets to pick you up, it would have been a safe comfortable flight."
She sighed loudly. "Alexander, I'm here and I'm fine. Don't you think that I could have had one of my father's jets fly me here, all I had to do was ask. I've lived most of my life being flown in corporate jets and driven around by other people. People who were hired by someone else, namely my father, to make sure I got where I needed and stayed out of trouble because my father was too bust to pay any attention to me. You remember you were there. Hell you're still there. I wanted drive here, all by myself I don't need people to do everything for me. Damn it, I like doing things by myself, I like living on my own, I like doing my own laundry, I like driving my cars. God, you sound like my father sometimes. "
"Nice rant. If their job was to keep you out of trouble then they should have been fired years ago." He teased.
She laughed. "Yeah I know."
"But the part about me being like your dad was uncalled for."
"Well it's true. Do you listen to me when I talk to you, ever?"
"Yes, I listen to you. Your shot by the way."
"Thanks." She takes her shot and sinks it. "If you listen to me why are we having this conversation?"
He looked at her and smiled broadly. "Because, I like to annoy you when we shoot pool. Chances are you'll work yourself up into a frenzy and blow a few key shots."
She misses her second shot. "Asshole." She joked dryly.
They continue shooting their game of pool. "I love you too." He smirked his patented Lex Luthor smirk. "That crack about me 'still being there' was a low blow by the way."
"Well it's not like it's a lie."
"Ouch. You're just extra snarky today aren't you?"
"I've had only myself to talk to for three days and the first thing you say to me when I get here is comment about my license plate and then say 'you should have flown'. Am I supposed to be happy about that?"
"You know you wouldn't have it any other way. You've been dying for a good match of Verbal Judo admit it."
"Okay so you're right about that." She smiled. "My father called me not fifteen minutes after I pulled into the driveway. So that made me extra pissy. I swear the man has built in radar."
"What did dear old dad have to say? Good things I'm sure." He quipped lightly.
"Oh yeah, you know my dad, he's freaking Santa Clause. I got a two hour phone lecture about my direction in life among other things, first you forgo college to pursue your acting career and then you get sick of LA and quit, you're living where?, I swear young lady, remember Lionel he can't be trusted blah blah blah. And I said dad I talked to you about this already. I've been working for the last four years straight I need some time off, you knew I was staying with Lex until my house is done and I won't be having any in depth business meetings with Lionel so you don't need to worry about that. He, surprise, surprise, claims we had no such conversation. And he still doesn't understand why I felt the need to leave Los Angeles to live in Kansas. When I, in his words, 'could live in one of my family's many luxurious houses just about anywhere in the world'. To which I said, that just means we have too many houses. And then I told him that he doesn't understand my logic because he never took the time to understand me. Then he launched into another one of his patented 'you have no respect for me or the memory of your mother' lectures, and that's about the time I tuned out. I felt like I was six years old again and I just broke one of those statues he has in his office, after he told me not to touch it."
"I remember those statues. And if I remember correctly you threw a stapler at my head, missed, and blamed me for breaking one."
"You colored on my picture after I told you not to and if you wouldn't have ducked it wouldn't have been a problem. Besides I got away with it. He wasn't going to yell at you he loved you, you were a boy. I on the other hand will always be his problematic daughter who should have been a boy."
"Well my dad still adores you, wanna trade?"
"You couldn't pay me enough to trade dads with you. At least mine stays distant and out of touch for the most part, you work with your dad."
"Don't remind me." They finished their game of pool. After handing Lex her cue Paris hopped up and sat Indian style on the pool table.
"So tell me about these friends of yours."
Lex walked over and leaned on the table next to her. "They're in high school, sophomores."
"Ah sophomore year, I have vague memories of mine. You?"
"Same here. Anyway Clark, he's the one who pulled me out of my car after my accident."
"You mean when you were speeding carelessly while talking on your cell phone and drove off a bridge taking said pedestrian with you, into the WATER below. Dumb ass."
"Yes, and how long have you been storing that one away?"
"Long enough. Worry me like that again and I'll hurt you."
"Sorry, mom." Lex gave a fake apology with a slight pout. Paris breathed a chuckle. "Anyway, Clark's family owns the farm a few miles down the road from where you're going to live. They're a totally functional family unit, the exact opposite of our families. His mom, Martha, is very nice, and a great cook. His dad on the other hand." Lex paused.
"His dad thinks you're the devil in Armani."
"Exactly."
"And I'm guessing that this has more to do with Lionel than you."
"You're on fire today. Where was I? Oh yeah. So Clark's great, down to earth, farm boy. A little strange though."
"How so?"
"I can't put my finger on it. Whenever something happens, he's right there to stop it, and nothing phases him. I swear the kid could stop a bullet." Lex shook the thought from his head. "On to Chloe Sullivan. Short, blonde, sassy reporter for the Torch, the high school paper. The Torch is her baby. Chances are she'll want an interview with you. Chloe has a mad crush on Clark, even though she'd never admit it out loud to any living soul. She and her father, Gabe, moved down here from Metropolis last year so he could be my plant manager."
"Her mom?"
"Left awhile ago."
"Oh."
"Here's the fascinating part about Chloe. She has this thing called the Wall of Weird to the casual observer it's a bunch of newspaper articles. But they are all articles that mention the meteor rocks and odd happenings around here. She has this theory that everything weird the happens in Smallville is directly linked to the 1989 meteor shower."
Paris looked over to Lex. "How do you feel about her theory?"
He ran a hand over his smooth head. "Can't say I disagree with her."
"Me either."
"Yeah I'll let her explain it more in depth to you. Pete is Clark's best friend. His mom is a judge. He's a pretty cool kid. Still doesn't fully trust me though. And that leave's Lana Lang. She is the 'other woman.' Clark's loved her from a far for quite awhile. Her parents were killed in the meteor shower. She lives with her aunt Nell, works at the Talon. She has this beautiful tragedy air about her. Almost like a Disney princess. Almost every guy who meets her is instantly attracted."
"Let me guess, this gives Chloe a bit of an ugly step sister complex."
"You bet."
"Can't wait to meet them. They actually sound like descent human beings."
"They really are. A nice change from the people we were exposed to at their age."
"No one should have been as old at sixteen as we were."
They sat in comfortable silence for a minute, reflecting on their youth.
Paris broke the silence first. "So, do I need to change before they get here?"
"If you want those girls to like you and the boys to be able to stand for any part of the evening I suggest putting on a different pair of jeans. But feel free to wear those around here as much as you like."
"Sure thing." She teased. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything. Telling me to move here, letting me stay here. I actually feel relaxed."
"You're welcome." She kissed him quickly on the forehead as she hopped off the pool table and walked out the door.
----The doorbell to Lex's mansion rings at 9:00 on the dot----
Jenny the maid opens the door to see Chloe, Lana, Clark and Pete all on the stoop.
"Ah come in children. Mr. Lex is waiting for you in the study."
"Thanks Jenny." Clark says before filing past her into Lex's study.
"Alright Lex we're here and it's 9:00." Chloe said enthusiastically as she charged into the study.
"Yes, it is Chloe."
"Oh come on Lex. Where is this she?" Clark joined. Lex just leaned against his desk holding a glass of scotch in his hand and smirking.
"Yeah Lex, you've kept us in suspense for a week now." Lana whined.
"Where is this mystery woman of yours?" Pete added.
Just then a woman appeared in the doorway behind Lex's desk. Now wearing a pair of dark blue boot cut jeans a black peasant top with that hugged her breasts and torso flaring slightly at the bottom and black leather boots, her long hair was down hanging past her shoulders the ends falling in their natural loose curls. "Mystery woman Alexander. What have you been telling them?" Paris said as she walked into the room.
"Oh my." Chloe couldn't say another word.
"You're." Lana stopped.
"I can't believe you're." Pete couldn't go on.
"Standing, here, in Smallville." Even Clark was stunned.
"Absolutely nothing." Lex replied smugly.
"I'm sorry for Alexander's behavior. He can be such an ass sometimes." Paris swatted Lex's arm before walking over to the group.
"Hi I'm."
"Paris Stratford." Chloe finally regained her power of speech. "I watch your show all the time."
"And we've seen all of your movies." Lana added quickly.
"Yeah I have that issue of." Pete stopped suddenly when Clark jabbed him in the ribs. "Ow!" Pete whined as Clark scowled at his friend. Paris and Lex both chuckled knowing that Pete was referring to an issue of Maxim.
"It's an honor to meet you Miss Stratford." Clark said excitedly as he extended his hand to her.
"Please call me Paris. I'm not that much older then you guys." She shook Clarks hand. "You must be Clark Kent."
"Yeah how'd you know?"
"Chatty Kathy gave me the inside scoop on you all." Paris joked, nodding back toward Lex. Clark chuckled at her calling him 'Chatty Kathy.' Lex rolled his eyes and smiled.
"And you are Chloe and Lana and Pete. Did I get it right."
"Yep." Chloe chirped.
They all walked over to the seating area and sat down. "So what brings you to Smallville?" Lana asked.
"Well as you all know my show's last episode will be airing in the next few weeks."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Pete found his voice again.
"Don't be, two of the co-stars dying within a year of each other on top of the outrageous demands that certain others were making, it was just the right time. Anyway I was on the phone with Alexander one night a few months ago complaining about how I hated LA and wanted to move to a quiet peaceful place and he suggested I build a house in Smallville. I'm staying here until it's done. So here I am." Paris smiled and sat back in her chair.
"Okay but what about the bigger question here?" Chloe spoke up. "You were accepted to Yale, Harvard, Gotham U, Metropolis U and Stanford, but decided to pursue your dream of acting, following in your mother's footsteps, you were on a hit television show for the last four years and had six blockbuster movies. You've won 2 Golden Globes, 3 Emmy's and an Oscar, all before the age of 25. You're mother a French actress, was once ranked as one of the most beautiful women in the world, your father an English businessman owns a multi-national corporation. And your grandfather is a French diplomat." After stopping to take a breath. "So how do you know Lex?"
Paris looked over to where Lex was sitting across form her. "You were right about this one. She's good. Do you want to answer that or should I?"
"I believe she asked you."
"Alright, but feel free to fill in any gaps." Lex nodded in agreement. "You're right about everything you just said Chloe. "You're right about all those things, by the way I'd love to see where you get your information from. The simple answer is Alexander and I grew up together." All eyes turned to Lex.
"That's the only reason she gets away with calling me 'Alexander.'"
She nodded emphatically. "I'm special like that."
"Wait you grew up with, you know, her and you never bothered to tell us." Clark was disappointed.
"You've heard us talk about her show and rave about her movies like a hundred times." Lana was astounded.
"You never asked." Lex answered simply. Clark just shook his head.
"Like I said he's an ass, a cocky ass."
"And you're a stuck up Brit."
"Um, I'm a French Brit, thank you very much."
"You're not really helping your cause here."
"You didn't mind when we were dating." They stopped their banter when Pete started choking on his water.
Cough CoughCoughAfter he finished. "You two. Dated?"
"Don't look so shocked Pete." Lex answered.
"I didn't mean, just, I, she's." Pete stuttered.
"Oh I can help you with that Pete." She turned to look at Lex. "He means because I am smart, funny, literate, successful, I don't dress like a living Barbie Doll, I'm not a gold digging bitch who has dated half the available billionaires from coast to coast, basically not your normal run of the mill Lex Luthor girlfriend." Chloe and Lana were stifling giggles on the couch.
"Thank you Paris for that ever needed dig at my personal life. Don't forget your humble nature."
"No problem and thank you for reminding me, it gets lost among my many other fine qualities." Lex seceded with a shake of his head.
"I do believe this round of Verbal Judo has been won by our visiting contender." Chloe announced.
"Alexander you've been teaching them."
"A little bit."
Just then one of the servants walked into the room and whispered something into Paris's ear.
Her eyes went wide and she looked a bit shocked. "Excuse me." She bolted to her feet.
Five pairs of eyes looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong?" Lex asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe nothing, I don't know. Just keep talking I'll be back." The servant followed her out of the room and directed her to a private room down the hall.
"You can take it in here miss."
"Thank you." Paris's voice was unsure and her hands were shaking a little. She sat down in one of the plush chairs next to the telephone. She took a deep breath and counted to ten before pushing the blinking green button. "Bonjour le Grand-père. Etes-vous bon?"
"Hello Grandfather. Are you okay?"
"Oui cher. Je'l'amende de m. Pourquoi demandez-vous?"
"Yes dear. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"Parce qu'il'le s quatre dans le matin en france et la dernière fois j'ai reçu un appel de vous ce tardif vous aviez seulement avait un assaut de coeur. J'ai pensé vous étiez au Japon. Comment votre voyage était-il?"
"Because it's four in the morning in France and the last time I got a call from you this late you had just had a heart attack. I thought you were in Japan. How was your trip?"
He was chuckling on the other end.
"Il'le s pas drôle, vous m'avez effrayé la moitié au mort."
"It's not funny, you scared me half to death."
"Je'm désolé mon cher enfant. Vous êtes doux, mais vous devriez't se soucie de ma santé, je'l'amende de m. Mon voyage était le prospère."
"I'm sorry my dear child. You are sweet, but you shouldn't worry about my health, I'm fine. My trip was successful."
"Bien je vous se soucie de. Rien vous dites pouvez arrêter cela. Je vous aime le grand-père."
"Well I do worry about you. Nothing you say can stop that. I love you grandfather."
"Je sais mon cher. Je vous aime aussi. Vous're mon préféré grandiose enfant vous sait."
"I know my dear. I love you too. You're my favorite grand child you know."
She smiled broadly and laughed. "Grandpere je'm votre seul petit-enfant."
"Grandfather I'm your only grandchild."
"Approuver si vous gagnez par défaut. Est-cela une mauvaise chose?" ?
"Okay so you win by default. Is that a bad thing?"
"Je devine le pas."
"I guess not."
"Bien alors. Soutenir à la raison que j'ai appelé. J'ai reçu de l'avion et je me suis rendu compte que j'avais't a parlé à mon Paris aujourd'hui. Comment votre voyage de pays de croix était-il?" ?
"Alright then. Back to the reason I called. I got off the plane and I realized that I hadn't talked to my Paris today. How was your cross country trip?"
"Pas mauvais une fois je sorti des montagnes et sur la terre plate c'étais des champs de maïs pour quant à comme l'oeil peut voir. Pour qu'a crevé d'ennui, mais ordinaire pour qu'était un plus."
"Not bad once I got out of the mountains and on flat land it was cornfields for as for as the eye can see. So that got boring, but uneventful so that was a plus."
He chuckled. "Hmmm de champs de maïs. Et vous pensez que vous serez plus heureux dans les champs de maïs que LA?"
"Cornfields hmmm. And you think that you will be happier in the cornfields than LA?"
Paris answered with mock anger. "Et seulement ce que fait que signifie?"
"And just what does that mean?"
"Il signifie que je vous sais Paris. Vous avez grandi en haut dans New York, Londres et Paris. Vous aimez la ville. Vous prospérez sur la bousculade et la confusion. Vous avez besoin du bruit et du gens."
"It means that I know you Paris. You grew up in New York, London and Paris. You love the city. You thrive on the hustle and bustle. You need noise and people."
"Ouais, mais cela reçoit si mondain et la routine. Et le paparazzi est de contrôle. En plus vous'oubliant de nouveau que j'ai tendance à créer des ennuis dans la ville. Et le pays relâche tout à fait de ce que je l'entend."
"Yeah, but that gets so mundane and routine. And the paparazzi is out of control. Besides you're forgetting that I have a tendency to get into trouble in the city. And the country is quite relaxing from what I hear."
"Oui c'est le " He decided to agitate her a little. "vous savez si vous avez voulu relâcher dans le paysage j'ai une plutôt grande maison dans la maison de France que vous êtes bienvenu à. Et j'ai pensé vous aviez géré pour rester d'ennui pour tout à fait un instant le maintenant."
"Yes it is. You know if you wanted to relax in the countryside I have a rather large home in the house of France that you are welcome to. And I thought you had managed to stay out of trouble for quite awhile now."
"Oui je suis tout à fait familier avec cette maison. Et c'est beau, mais mon spectacle a terminé seulement et le déménagement quatre états sont loin assez durs sans parler de déplaçant un continent loin. En plus je veux pouvoir regarder la maison et dit, 'cela'la mine de s et je peux faire quoi que je veux avec cela' et personne peut recevoir pissed à moi pour l'il.' "
"Yes I am quite familiar with that house. And it is beautiful, but my show just ended and moving four states away is hard enough let alone moving a continent away. Besides I want to be able to look at the house and say, 'that's mine and I can do whatever I want with it' and no one can get pissed at me for it."
"Je sais cher. Vous savez que je suis fier de l'indépendante jeune femme vous devient."
"I know dear. You know I am proud of the independent young woman you have become."
"Merci le grand-père."
"Thank you grandfather."
"Maintenant laisser'le s reçoit à la vraie raison que vous s'êtes déplacé hors le là-bas."
"Now let's get to the real reason you moved out there."
"Que? Je viens de dire vous. Je've a été sur un spectacle pour le passé quatre années et a relâché six films et j'ai deux attente être relâchée. Je j'ai envie de've a vieilli vingt années dans le dernier quatre. Je'm a fatigué et je le refuge't la neige vue dans une année et un demi."
"What? I just told you. I've been on a show for the past four years and released six movies and I have two waiting to be released. I feel like I've aged twenty years in the last four. I'm tired and I haven't seen snow in a year and a half."
He was enjoying this argument. "Ceux-là sont toutes bonnes raisons cher mais a laiss'le s reçoit au VRAI raison."
"Those are all good reasons dear but let's get to the REAL reason."
"Je mets't reçoit ce que vous le moyen."
"I don't get what you mean."
"Paris cher qui vous a demandé se déplacer là-bas?"
"Paris dear who asked you to move there?"
"Non, nous ne jouons pas ce jeu visqueux. Alexander et je suis des amis. Nous've a été des amis puisque nous étions petits. Je vieux lui je pensais du déménagement et il a suggéré que je me déplace ici il'le s tout je voulu."
"No, we are not playing that viscous game. Alexander and I are friends. We've been friends since we were little. I told him I was thinking about moving and he suggested I move here it's everything I wanted."
"Umhm. Garder dire vous qui le cher."
"Umhm. Keep telling yourself that dear."
"Seulement que signifie-t-qui?" ?
"Just what does that mean?"
"Il signifie que vous vous déplaceriez aux fins de la terre pour Alexander et il ferait pareil pour vous. S'il vous avait demandé de vous déplacer à Zaïre vous a."
"It means that you would move to the ends of the earth for Alexander and he would do the same for you. If he had asked you to move to Zaire you would have."
She replied half joking. "Non je ferais't a. Ils ont le malaria."
"No I wouldn't have. They have malaria."
"Vous savez que je signifie. Je sais quand vos pères ont fait vous terminez votre relation les sentiments vous deux avaient pour chaque autre étaient toujours là-bas. Et puisque vous deux refuge't a été a permis d'agir sur eux pour tout à fait un instant maintenant ils ont seulement a été le glouglou au dessous de la surface. Vous êtes déplacé pareille la petite ville comme lui et vous restez à sa maison. Ces sentiments sont un aller venir dépêcher au surface."
"You know what I mean. I know when your fathers made you end your relationship the feelings you two had for each other were still there. And since you two haven't been allowed to act on them for quite awhile now they have just been bubbling below the surface. You moved to the same small town as him and you are staying at his house. Those feelings are a going to come rushing to the surface."
"Uhhuh. Bien il'le s tardif et vous'parlant de nouveau le discours fou. Se couche. J'aime le vous."
"Uhhuh. Well it's late and you're talking crazy talk. Go to bed. I love you."
"Je vous aime Paris. Et mettre't a peur d'agir sur votre sentiments."
"I love you Paris. And don't be afraid to act on your feelings."
"Vous venez de tete le papa'l'explose."
"You just want to see dad's head explode."
He chuckled. "Bon Paris de nuit. Et dire Alexander je dis le bonjour."
"Good night Paris. And tell Alexander I say hello."
"Je ferai. Le bon Grand-père." de nuit
"I will. Good night Grandfather." She set the phone down in it's cradle and chuckled.
When Paris walked out of the room she saw the servant who had led her there on the first place.
"They have moved to the recreation room Miss."
"Thank you." She nodded and walked toward the rec room she had talked to Lex in before. She could hear arguing from outside the door.
Clark's voice came through the door. "Isinglass is not a word. You can make like five words out of it but not one run on like that." Paris stood in the doorway silent and unnoticed, enjoying the scene before her.
"Yes it is." Lex argued.
"Use it in a sentence." Chloe, Clark's scrabble partner argued.
"The isinglass was rather delectable." Lex stated confidently.
"You're saying it's a food. Cheater." Chloe accused.
"You know Lex I'm your partner and even I don't buy that." Lana said playfully from her seat next to Lex.
Paris decided it was time to rescue Lex from his teenage accusers. "Actually it's a clear gelitan made from the bladder of fish." She said matter of factly as she walked up to her seat next to Pete.
Chloe scrunched up her face in disgust. "Are you serious. That sounds disgusting."
"I couldn't make something that nasty up." She said sitting down.
"It's not that bad." Lex said, looking for an argument.
"You're not the one who wound up close and personal with the toilet that night."
Lex laughed at the memory. "Yep. You turned seven shades of green."
"Yeah because I had food poisoning. And who gave me said tainted fish jello?" She said laughing at the memory herself.
"I didn't mean to get you sick."
"I was in the hospital for a week after that." A look of confusion crossed her face.
"What's wrong?"
"It just seems weird that you and I ate the same thing but I ended up in the hospital and you didn't."
Lex remembered that night, it was five years after the meteor incident. Five years after he lost his hair and stopped being sick. He had to think quickly. "No, I handed you my plate for a second and you ate it. I never ate any."
"Oh."
Lex wanted to change the subject. "So I take it everything is okay?"
"Yeah that was just grand-pere. He says hi by the way."
"How is Gustave?" Lex understood why she was concerned before. he was happy to hear it was her grandfather and he was okay.
"He's fine." Paris shook her head and chuckled to herself.
"What's so funny?" Clark asked from across the table.
"It's nothing, you have to know my grandfather. It's too hard to explain. Whose turn is it?" She asked hoping for a subject change.
"Ours actually and we're getting beat bad." Pete who was sitting next to her said.
"Never fear, Paris is here."
"Watch out for her." Lex warned Clark and Chloe. "She DOES cheat." Lex accused.
"Do not."
"Yes you do. You use French words. That's not allowed." He started a playful argument with her.
"If we were playing in France it would be. Besides it's my first language what do you expect?"
"Well we're playing in America so I expect you to use English."
"Now when you say 'English' do you mean."
Lex cut her off. "No you can not use any of your British nonsense, I mean American English."
"What about words that mean one thing in America and another in England?" She countered him.
"Those are fine."
"Fine. Will you quit bitching so we can play?"
"Fine."
Pete and Paris deliberated for a minute before Pete laid down their word.
"Epilogue. Last time you laid down 'graze' and now you have epilogue?" Chloe couldn't believe it.
"That's because I was flying solo last time and I had crappy letters."
"Let me see. We have 'epilogue' worth 25, plus the triple word score, and we also have 'gold' and 'it' worth four, and we used all our letter's for an extra thirty five points. Look at that. We're beating Alexander the great." Paris gloated playfully. Pete snickered from his seat next to her.
"You talk trash while playing scrabble." Pete turned to Clark and Chloe. "I love my partner." The table burst into laughter.
"Yeah well twenty..." Paris raised her eyebrow in warning at Lex before he could finish the number. "Twenty four years of her gloating and prancing can rake the nerves a bit but you get used to it ."
"If you didn't like it you wouldn't keep me around."
"No I've just been conditioned to deal with the insufferable and obnoxious it's what comes form living with Lionel." 'Check and mate.' Lex thought to himself, smirking the Luthor smirk.
Paris jaw dropped and she pointed an accusing finger at Lex, trying to utter anything. Paris and Lex were both enjoying their argument, everyone else was being thoroughly entertained. "I'll get you for that one."
"I do believe that round was won by our home town champ, Lex Luthor." Chloe announced causing laughter from around the table.
"You cheated. You compared me to Lionel."
"You compared me to your father earlier."
"Yeah but I was joking, and in a bad mood and we were playing pool. And you, well that was just ugly and mean." Paris was being dramatic.
"I still win."
"Fine. But no more cheap shots mister or I get to make Mr. Clean jokes."
"Fine."
"So Paris you said you and Lex grew up together." Chloe's curiosity was getting the best of her. "I bet you have some great stories."
"You wouldn't believe the things I know. You know Chloe I bet the Torch readers would love a few good Lex Luthor stories, they can be pretty entertaining."
"No!" Lex said with mock sternness.
"Why not? Don't want people to know about 'Mr. Quacks'?" Paris rested her elbow on the table and her chin on the palm of her hand smiled at him.
Lex's jaw dropped. "Duck killer."
"Barbie axe murdered."
"What are you two talking about." Lana was confused.
"When I was young I had a stuffed duck named Mr. Quackers." Lex began his story. "And Paris. Well Paris did the unspeakable. We were sailing in Italy and Paris threw him overboard. I'm going to get you for this." Lex was blushing.
"Anyway. Alexander had Mr. Quackers forever and he went everywhere. I was never allowed to touch Mr. Quackers, he was a sacred cow so to speak. Nevertheless, we were sailing in Italy and he was being a particular brand of mean to me."
"You hit my sunburn."
"I didn't mean to. God what were we like eight? So any way we had been getting on each others nerves a little and he was sunburnt and I ACCIDENTLY ran into him and he was mad at me so he took my favorite Bob Mackie Barbie doll and cut her hair off and ripped her dress. So when the chance presented itself I kidnapped the duck and threw his ass overboard."
"So Lex what did you do in retaliation?" Lana asked.
"I tried to throw her overboard. But my dad stopped me. So the next day I got a hold of her Grover doll and tied a rather large string around his neck."
"You didn't." Clark's mouth was agape, almost laughing.
"He did." Paris was smiling.
Lex nodded in the affirmative. "I went over to where she was, making sure she didn't see the rope and 'threw' Grover over the side of the boat. She screamed in horror. By this time our moms were coming over to see what the hell we were doing. My mom was in the middle of yelling at me and she was crying hysterically and I pulled him back on board. And she kicked me in my poor sun burnt shin."
"I bought you a new duck as soon as I got home."
"Well he wasn't the same."
They went on talking and trying to finish scrabble until 11:30.
Clark looked at his watch. "Man it's late. I've got to do chores in the morning."
"Yeah I have to open the Talon tomorrow." Lana agreed.
"I really don't have anything to do." Pete wanted to stay.
"Yeah well I'm your ride and it's time to go." Chloe reminded him.
They group made their way to Lex's drive way where their cars were waiting. After bidding good night's and thank you's the four teenagers were off.
Lex made it half way to his front door when he realized Paris wasn't with him. He turned to see her standing in the driveway her arms crossed over her chest, staring up at the sky. 'She looks like an angel.' He thought to himself. He walked back over to where she was standing and stood beside her, looking up also.
"What exactly are you looking at."
"All of it. The sky is so.big.out here. I can actually see the stars. Can't do this in LA"
"I know, it's the second most beautiful sight in the world."
She stopped looking at the heavens and looked at him. "What's the first?"
He looked at her seriously. "You."
She was thankful for the darkness so he couldn't see her blush, or the tears of happiness in her eyes. "Thank you."
"It's the truth. No woman in the world can compare to you Paris."
"You shouldn't say things like that. It just makes everything harder."
"I know. Come on it's cold out here and I don't want to deal with a sick Paris." He put his hand on the small of her back and lead her to the house, where they went to their separate bedrooms and slept soundly.
----Smallville Kansas, early November, late afternoon----
A small, silver, Porche 911 quickly winds its way through the sleepy country roads of Smallville's countryside. License plate reading "PMS 911." A young woman with long, honey brown hair with dark blonde and auburn highlights, wearing a pair of mirrored sunglasses is driving, smiling to herself.
----The Talon----
Lana is behind the counter preparing a drink for a customer. Chloe is at a corner table typing on her laptop, Pete is sitting across from her reading a comic book.
Pete looks up. "I know you know Chloe."
Chloe looked up puzzled. "Excuse me! You know it's not nice to start a conversation in the middle especially since I have no idea what the first part was about."
"Come on Chloe, don't play dumb with me. You're stealthy investigative reporter girl. Tell me you don't know who Lex's friend is?"
"Oh that." Chloe pouted a bit. "You know Pete I hate to admit it but I think we're going to have to let Lex tell us himself."
"So what you're saying is you couldn't find anything." He said with a slight smirk on his face.
"Not a clue." She remarked dryly, turning her attention back to her computer. "Now hush I need to finish this article."
Lana walks up carrying two cups of coffee for her friends. "Hey guys. Whatcha talking about?" She sets the drinks down in front of her friends.
"Hatching a plan to take over the world." Pete joked, closing his comic to talk to his friend.
"Oh. I thought that maybe you two were trying to figure out who this mystery friend of Lex's is."
"Well see that's the beauty of our plan. When we take over the world he'll have no choice but to tell us who his friend is."
"And this is easier than waiting until tonight how?"
"I dunno, it sounded cool in my head."
"What sounded cool in your head?" Clark asked while sitting down.
"Pete thinks that if he and Chloe take over the world they'll be able to get Lex to tell us who his mystery friend is. Mind you they plan on doing all this before this evening."
Clark chuckled. "Right, because Lex routinely does what people tell him to." He smirked.
"Well I have to get back behind the counter. I'll see you all later." Lana walked back to the coffee bar leaving her friends to themselves.
Chloe who had been quiet for the past few minutes spoke up. "I bet it's a woman."
"I thought you we're writing an article and couldn't be disturbed." Pete said with mock indignation.
"Well I'm finished now."
"Alright back to the real question here." Clark directed the conversation back to it's original topic. "Why do you think this friend of Lex's is a woman?"
"How many male friends does Lex have that he would subject us to spending time with?"
"Okay."
"And Lex does have that playboy rep. For not having any hair, the man has some serious game." Pete remarked.
"Well he is a 20 something billionaire. Some girls will overlook a little aesthetic feature like hair when you have Luthor money. " Chloe said.
"Very true on both accounts, but with the exception of the girl he brought to my ill fated party, how many of his girlfriends has he introduced us to?" Clark asked.
Chloe was getting excited now. She shifted her position so she was sitting on her knees, and she was just a little higher than her male counterparts. She started talking with her hands. "That's because none of them have ever stuck around long enough. Oh my God I bet they're GETTING MARRIED!" She said the last part a little loud, drawing attention from other customers. "Sorry." She quieted down, and sat back in her chair.
"If Lex was seriously thinking about marrying this woman wouldn't he have brought her here before now?" Pete asked his caffinated blonde friend. Clark looked equally perplexed.
"Clearly you both suck at romance, try and follow me here boys. He obviously hasn't proposed yet. He's bringing her here this weekend you know show her around town, spend time with his friends, get acquainted with the castle." Chloe was getting excited again. "I bet she's royalty, or a model, maybe even a KENNEDY!" Chloe disturbed the café again.
Pete was having fun with this conversation. "Slow down, there, Chloe. Let's say he is planning on marrying mystery model Kennedy woman. Why hasn't he talked about her before now?"
"Well maybe they met when he was away on business or vacation or something. Didn't he just get back from Greece a few weeks ago?"
"Yeah." Clark replied.
"Maybe they met there and had a whirlwind romance and neither of them could bear to see it end. But Lex had to come back here so they've been keeping in touch with phone calls and e-mail and he's decided to bring her here to surprise her with an engagement. I bet she's beautiful, goddess like."
Pete spoke up again. "You know I don't want to encourage her fantasy too much here, although it is better than anything I could think up. But Lex has seemed extra happy lately. Which is kinda odd considering Lex looks barely enthused most of the time."
Clark looked like something finally connected. "That's true. I caught him smiling the other day at absolutely nothing. And when I asked him what that was about he just shrugged and said 'Oh nothing. Just a memory.' Since when does Lex Luthor reminisce?"
"See I'm right."
None of the table's occupants had noticed their topic of conversation walk in the door and up to the counter.
"Hey Lex." Lana smiled at him. "What can I get you?"
"Hi Lana. Just a large mocha cappuccino to go please." Lex turned around and leaned back against the counter, surveying the scene, while scanning the crowd for his friends. He finally spotted them in a far corner huddled around Chloe's laptop. They quickly looked away from him as he noted their presence. He turned round to talk to Lana. "Hey Lana what are Nancy Drew and the Hearty Boys up to over there?"
"They're trying to figure out who your mystery friend is. Since I left them I've heard Chloe shout the words getting married and Kennedy."
"Where did she get the from?" Lex smirked.
"Truthfully I have no clue, but I bet it came from a really fun and scary place inside her head." She said handing him his order.
Lex chuckled. "I bet it did. Thanks Lana, I'll see you later tonight." He strode silently over to the booth holding his teen friends who were now pretending to study.
"Marrying a Kennedy Chloe?" Lex asked, smiling.
She looked up at Lex. "It's not impossible."
"No you're right, it's not. I'd love to hear the logic behind it but I have to get going. I just came over to say hi."
"Will you at least give us some small clue as to who your mystery friend is?" Clark asked. "Just so we don't look like complete idiots."
"Alright, Chloe you weren't entirely wrong. My friend is a woman, but we are not getting married, and she's definitely not a Kennedy." Lex couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl upward somewhat. He let himself get lost in another thought.
"Earth to Lex." Clark waved a hand in front of Lex's face, he had been staring out into space for a few seconds.
Lex quickly shook the image of him and a beautiful woman, about the same age, in formal attire sitting on a grassy hill laughing. "Sorry, I have to stop doing that. I can guarantee you that no matter how many theories you come up with or how many hours you spend looking up clues on the internet you will never figure out who she is and even if you do, nothing will prepare you for her."
"So what you're saying is she's pretty amazing."
"Amazing doesn't even begin to describe her. Well I've already told you too much. I'll see you all later." Lex turned and walked out the door.
"Okay that was Wall of Weird, weird." Chloe said.
"Definitely." Pete agreed.
"I think it's nice that Lex is excited about something. Clark said.
Pete and Chloe looked at him like he had grown another head. "What?"
----Lex's Castle-----
Lex pulls into his drive way and sees a Porche already parked there with the license plate 'PMS 911'. He smiles and shakes his head slightly before parking his car behind it.
"Mr. Lex. We told Ms. Stratford to make herself at home, like you instructed, I believe she's in your billiard room." Jenny the maid greeted him at the door.
"Thank you Jenny." Lex walked down one of the many corridors of his spacious home until he reached the billiard room. He could hear the sounds of music and a game of pool being played. He opened the door quietly and crept in. Paris was bent at the waist lining up a shot, she was wearing a pair of tea stained Abercrombie and Fitch jeans with strategically placed rips, that hugged her legs and hips in all the right spots with a tan off the shoulder sweater and brown leather boots, her hair was up in a looped pony tail to keep it out of her face. The lighting of the room complemented her hair and lightly sunned skin. He cocked his head slightly to the side and down to better appreciate the view. Lex had to refrain from walking up behind her, turning her to face him and taking her right on the pool table. 'You can't have sex with Paris! Why not, it's not like you haven't done that before, and she does that thing with her tongue on your. Stop it, she may be beautiful and exquisite and have a body men would kill for, but she's your oldest friend you dumb shit. Besides you dated once before and it didn't end well. Well it wouldn't have ended at all had it not been for you fathers. Shut up! You love her but you can't be in love with her.' He silently fought himself in his mind.
After shooting she turned around, placed the pool cue on the ground next to her and leaned on it slightly. Her voice still had a slight hint of a British accent. "Alexander are you going to skulk in the shadows all day or are you going to come over here and say hello?"
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I was just admiring your technique. And hello Paris."
"Yeah I'm sure. Did you enjoy the show?" Lex walked over to the pool table and stood next to her.
"Very much thank you. PMS?"
"No I'm good until next week, but thanks for asking." She smiled slyly at him.
"Cute. No I was referring to the rather crude license plate adorning your Porche."
"There's nothing crude about my license plate." She said with mock anger. "P-M-S, my initials, Paris Margaret Stratford. If you want to blame anyone for that, blame my parents. I always do."
"I've been in therapy longer than you, who else would I blame?"
"I really have no clue. Pick up a cue, and let me hand you your ass at pool."
"I never let you hand me my ass at pool. I've never gone easy on you."
"Yeah I know, which is what makes the victory even sweeter." She placed her cue on the table, turned and wrapped her hands around his neck, hugging him tightly and getting lost in the intoxicating scent of his cologne. "I missed you so much, people in LA suck at Verbal Judo." He wrapped his arms around her slender waist just as hard, fighting the urge to slip his hands under her sweater and explore the smooth supple skin that lay beneath. She loved the way his hands felt on her waist she had forgotten how good and safe it felt to be embraced by Lex. 'Oh, I could stay like this forever. And his hands, god the things that man can do with his hands. And he does that thing with his tongue.' She thought to herself. 'No you can't have Lex, it hurt too much to lose him last time, and he was so hurt he got into so much trouble after that, it's be selfish to do it again, just be glad you have him like this!'
Lex's smooth voice broke through Paris's thoughts. "I missed you too. I'm glad I convinced you to move here." He was once again lost in the luscious scent of her hair and perfume. 'I don't want to let this woman go, ever again. You have to you idiot, she's not yours she can never be yours! Her father will stop at nothing to make sure of that. You stupid pussy, since when does someone's dad saying 'you can't date my daughter' stop you, you're Lex fucking Luthor. No this is Paris she's not some girl, she is beautiful and smart, and funny and she deserves better than what would happen if you two tried to go for it again. Besides she's only staying with you for a few months. But she's staying in Smallville. NO, stop it!'
They reluctantly broke their hug and tried to get back being nonchalant. "So, how was your drive?" Lex picked up a cue and walked over to the other side of the table while Paris racked the balls.
"Not bad. Kinda boring but I didn't mind. Gave me time to think."
"Think huh?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Shut up." She retorted jokingly.
"I don't know why you just didn't fly here, it would have only taken an hour and a half by air, as opposed to 22 hours by car."
"Come off it Alexander. Here break." She tossed the cue ball to Lex. "I broke it up into three days, and I enjoyed myself, for the most part. Besides you enjoy flight about as much as I do."
He shot. "Yeah but I would have sent one of the corporate jets to pick you up, it would have been a safe comfortable flight."
She sighed loudly. "Alexander, I'm here and I'm fine. Don't you think that I could have had one of my father's jets fly me here, all I had to do was ask. I've lived most of my life being flown in corporate jets and driven around by other people. People who were hired by someone else, namely my father, to make sure I got where I needed and stayed out of trouble because my father was too bust to pay any attention to me. You remember you were there. Hell you're still there. I wanted drive here, all by myself I don't need people to do everything for me. Damn it, I like doing things by myself, I like living on my own, I like doing my own laundry, I like driving my cars. God, you sound like my father sometimes. "
"Nice rant. If their job was to keep you out of trouble then they should have been fired years ago." He teased.
She laughed. "Yeah I know."
"But the part about me being like your dad was uncalled for."
"Well it's true. Do you listen to me when I talk to you, ever?"
"Yes, I listen to you. Your shot by the way."
"Thanks." She takes her shot and sinks it. "If you listen to me why are we having this conversation?"
He looked at her and smiled broadly. "Because, I like to annoy you when we shoot pool. Chances are you'll work yourself up into a frenzy and blow a few key shots."
She misses her second shot. "Asshole." She joked dryly.
They continue shooting their game of pool. "I love you too." He smirked his patented Lex Luthor smirk. "That crack about me 'still being there' was a low blow by the way."
"Well it's not like it's a lie."
"Ouch. You're just extra snarky today aren't you?"
"I've had only myself to talk to for three days and the first thing you say to me when I get here is comment about my license plate and then say 'you should have flown'. Am I supposed to be happy about that?"
"You know you wouldn't have it any other way. You've been dying for a good match of Verbal Judo admit it."
"Okay so you're right about that." She smiled. "My father called me not fifteen minutes after I pulled into the driveway. So that made me extra pissy. I swear the man has built in radar."
"What did dear old dad have to say? Good things I'm sure." He quipped lightly.
"Oh yeah, you know my dad, he's freaking Santa Clause. I got a two hour phone lecture about my direction in life among other things, first you forgo college to pursue your acting career and then you get sick of LA and quit, you're living where?, I swear young lady, remember Lionel he can't be trusted blah blah blah. And I said dad I talked to you about this already. I've been working for the last four years straight I need some time off, you knew I was staying with Lex until my house is done and I won't be having any in depth business meetings with Lionel so you don't need to worry about that. He, surprise, surprise, claims we had no such conversation. And he still doesn't understand why I felt the need to leave Los Angeles to live in Kansas. When I, in his words, 'could live in one of my family's many luxurious houses just about anywhere in the world'. To which I said, that just means we have too many houses. And then I told him that he doesn't understand my logic because he never took the time to understand me. Then he launched into another one of his patented 'you have no respect for me or the memory of your mother' lectures, and that's about the time I tuned out. I felt like I was six years old again and I just broke one of those statues he has in his office, after he told me not to touch it."
"I remember those statues. And if I remember correctly you threw a stapler at my head, missed, and blamed me for breaking one."
"You colored on my picture after I told you not to and if you wouldn't have ducked it wouldn't have been a problem. Besides I got away with it. He wasn't going to yell at you he loved you, you were a boy. I on the other hand will always be his problematic daughter who should have been a boy."
"Well my dad still adores you, wanna trade?"
"You couldn't pay me enough to trade dads with you. At least mine stays distant and out of touch for the most part, you work with your dad."
"Don't remind me." They finished their game of pool. After handing Lex her cue Paris hopped up and sat Indian style on the pool table.
"So tell me about these friends of yours."
Lex walked over and leaned on the table next to her. "They're in high school, sophomores."
"Ah sophomore year, I have vague memories of mine. You?"
"Same here. Anyway Clark, he's the one who pulled me out of my car after my accident."
"You mean when you were speeding carelessly while talking on your cell phone and drove off a bridge taking said pedestrian with you, into the WATER below. Dumb ass."
"Yes, and how long have you been storing that one away?"
"Long enough. Worry me like that again and I'll hurt you."
"Sorry, mom." Lex gave a fake apology with a slight pout. Paris breathed a chuckle. "Anyway, Clark's family owns the farm a few miles down the road from where you're going to live. They're a totally functional family unit, the exact opposite of our families. His mom, Martha, is very nice, and a great cook. His dad on the other hand." Lex paused.
"His dad thinks you're the devil in Armani."
"Exactly."
"And I'm guessing that this has more to do with Lionel than you."
"You're on fire today. Where was I? Oh yeah. So Clark's great, down to earth, farm boy. A little strange though."
"How so?"
"I can't put my finger on it. Whenever something happens, he's right there to stop it, and nothing phases him. I swear the kid could stop a bullet." Lex shook the thought from his head. "On to Chloe Sullivan. Short, blonde, sassy reporter for the Torch, the high school paper. The Torch is her baby. Chances are she'll want an interview with you. Chloe has a mad crush on Clark, even though she'd never admit it out loud to any living soul. She and her father, Gabe, moved down here from Metropolis last year so he could be my plant manager."
"Her mom?"
"Left awhile ago."
"Oh."
"Here's the fascinating part about Chloe. She has this thing called the Wall of Weird to the casual observer it's a bunch of newspaper articles. But they are all articles that mention the meteor rocks and odd happenings around here. She has this theory that everything weird the happens in Smallville is directly linked to the 1989 meteor shower."
Paris looked over to Lex. "How do you feel about her theory?"
He ran a hand over his smooth head. "Can't say I disagree with her."
"Me either."
"Yeah I'll let her explain it more in depth to you. Pete is Clark's best friend. His mom is a judge. He's a pretty cool kid. Still doesn't fully trust me though. And that leave's Lana Lang. She is the 'other woman.' Clark's loved her from a far for quite awhile. Her parents were killed in the meteor shower. She lives with her aunt Nell, works at the Talon. She has this beautiful tragedy air about her. Almost like a Disney princess. Almost every guy who meets her is instantly attracted."
"Let me guess, this gives Chloe a bit of an ugly step sister complex."
"You bet."
"Can't wait to meet them. They actually sound like descent human beings."
"They really are. A nice change from the people we were exposed to at their age."
"No one should have been as old at sixteen as we were."
They sat in comfortable silence for a minute, reflecting on their youth.
Paris broke the silence first. "So, do I need to change before they get here?"
"If you want those girls to like you and the boys to be able to stand for any part of the evening I suggest putting on a different pair of jeans. But feel free to wear those around here as much as you like."
"Sure thing." She teased. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything. Telling me to move here, letting me stay here. I actually feel relaxed."
"You're welcome." She kissed him quickly on the forehead as she hopped off the pool table and walked out the door.
----The doorbell to Lex's mansion rings at 9:00 on the dot----
Jenny the maid opens the door to see Chloe, Lana, Clark and Pete all on the stoop.
"Ah come in children. Mr. Lex is waiting for you in the study."
"Thanks Jenny." Clark says before filing past her into Lex's study.
"Alright Lex we're here and it's 9:00." Chloe said enthusiastically as she charged into the study.
"Yes, it is Chloe."
"Oh come on Lex. Where is this she?" Clark joined. Lex just leaned against his desk holding a glass of scotch in his hand and smirking.
"Yeah Lex, you've kept us in suspense for a week now." Lana whined.
"Where is this mystery woman of yours?" Pete added.
Just then a woman appeared in the doorway behind Lex's desk. Now wearing a pair of dark blue boot cut jeans a black peasant top with that hugged her breasts and torso flaring slightly at the bottom and black leather boots, her long hair was down hanging past her shoulders the ends falling in their natural loose curls. "Mystery woman Alexander. What have you been telling them?" Paris said as she walked into the room.
"Oh my." Chloe couldn't say another word.
"You're." Lana stopped.
"I can't believe you're." Pete couldn't go on.
"Standing, here, in Smallville." Even Clark was stunned.
"Absolutely nothing." Lex replied smugly.
"I'm sorry for Alexander's behavior. He can be such an ass sometimes." Paris swatted Lex's arm before walking over to the group.
"Hi I'm."
"Paris Stratford." Chloe finally regained her power of speech. "I watch your show all the time."
"And we've seen all of your movies." Lana added quickly.
"Yeah I have that issue of." Pete stopped suddenly when Clark jabbed him in the ribs. "Ow!" Pete whined as Clark scowled at his friend. Paris and Lex both chuckled knowing that Pete was referring to an issue of Maxim.
"It's an honor to meet you Miss Stratford." Clark said excitedly as he extended his hand to her.
"Please call me Paris. I'm not that much older then you guys." She shook Clarks hand. "You must be Clark Kent."
"Yeah how'd you know?"
"Chatty Kathy gave me the inside scoop on you all." Paris joked, nodding back toward Lex. Clark chuckled at her calling him 'Chatty Kathy.' Lex rolled his eyes and smiled.
"And you are Chloe and Lana and Pete. Did I get it right."
"Yep." Chloe chirped.
They all walked over to the seating area and sat down. "So what brings you to Smallville?" Lana asked.
"Well as you all know my show's last episode will be airing in the next few weeks."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Pete found his voice again.
"Don't be, two of the co-stars dying within a year of each other on top of the outrageous demands that certain others were making, it was just the right time. Anyway I was on the phone with Alexander one night a few months ago complaining about how I hated LA and wanted to move to a quiet peaceful place and he suggested I build a house in Smallville. I'm staying here until it's done. So here I am." Paris smiled and sat back in her chair.
"Okay but what about the bigger question here?" Chloe spoke up. "You were accepted to Yale, Harvard, Gotham U, Metropolis U and Stanford, but decided to pursue your dream of acting, following in your mother's footsteps, you were on a hit television show for the last four years and had six blockbuster movies. You've won 2 Golden Globes, 3 Emmy's and an Oscar, all before the age of 25. You're mother a French actress, was once ranked as one of the most beautiful women in the world, your father an English businessman owns a multi-national corporation. And your grandfather is a French diplomat." After stopping to take a breath. "So how do you know Lex?"
Paris looked over to where Lex was sitting across form her. "You were right about this one. She's good. Do you want to answer that or should I?"
"I believe she asked you."
"Alright, but feel free to fill in any gaps." Lex nodded in agreement. "You're right about everything you just said Chloe. "You're right about all those things, by the way I'd love to see where you get your information from. The simple answer is Alexander and I grew up together." All eyes turned to Lex.
"That's the only reason she gets away with calling me 'Alexander.'"
She nodded emphatically. "I'm special like that."
"Wait you grew up with, you know, her and you never bothered to tell us." Clark was disappointed.
"You've heard us talk about her show and rave about her movies like a hundred times." Lana was astounded.
"You never asked." Lex answered simply. Clark just shook his head.
"Like I said he's an ass, a cocky ass."
"And you're a stuck up Brit."
"Um, I'm a French Brit, thank you very much."
"You're not really helping your cause here."
"You didn't mind when we were dating." They stopped their banter when Pete started choking on his water.
Cough CoughCoughAfter he finished. "You two. Dated?"
"Don't look so shocked Pete." Lex answered.
"I didn't mean, just, I, she's." Pete stuttered.
"Oh I can help you with that Pete." She turned to look at Lex. "He means because I am smart, funny, literate, successful, I don't dress like a living Barbie Doll, I'm not a gold digging bitch who has dated half the available billionaires from coast to coast, basically not your normal run of the mill Lex Luthor girlfriend." Chloe and Lana were stifling giggles on the couch.
"Thank you Paris for that ever needed dig at my personal life. Don't forget your humble nature."
"No problem and thank you for reminding me, it gets lost among my many other fine qualities." Lex seceded with a shake of his head.
"I do believe this round of Verbal Judo has been won by our visiting contender." Chloe announced.
"Alexander you've been teaching them."
"A little bit."
Just then one of the servants walked into the room and whispered something into Paris's ear.
Her eyes went wide and she looked a bit shocked. "Excuse me." She bolted to her feet.
Five pairs of eyes looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong?" Lex asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe nothing, I don't know. Just keep talking I'll be back." The servant followed her out of the room and directed her to a private room down the hall.
"You can take it in here miss."
"Thank you." Paris's voice was unsure and her hands were shaking a little. She sat down in one of the plush chairs next to the telephone. She took a deep breath and counted to ten before pushing the blinking green button. "Bonjour le Grand-père. Etes-vous bon?"
"Hello Grandfather. Are you okay?"
"Oui cher. Je'l'amende de m. Pourquoi demandez-vous?"
"Yes dear. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"Parce qu'il'le s quatre dans le matin en france et la dernière fois j'ai reçu un appel de vous ce tardif vous aviez seulement avait un assaut de coeur. J'ai pensé vous étiez au Japon. Comment votre voyage était-il?"
"Because it's four in the morning in France and the last time I got a call from you this late you had just had a heart attack. I thought you were in Japan. How was your trip?"
He was chuckling on the other end.
"Il'le s pas drôle, vous m'avez effrayé la moitié au mort."
"It's not funny, you scared me half to death."
"Je'm désolé mon cher enfant. Vous êtes doux, mais vous devriez't se soucie de ma santé, je'l'amende de m. Mon voyage était le prospère."
"I'm sorry my dear child. You are sweet, but you shouldn't worry about my health, I'm fine. My trip was successful."
"Bien je vous se soucie de. Rien vous dites pouvez arrêter cela. Je vous aime le grand-père."
"Well I do worry about you. Nothing you say can stop that. I love you grandfather."
"Je sais mon cher. Je vous aime aussi. Vous're mon préféré grandiose enfant vous sait."
"I know my dear. I love you too. You're my favorite grand child you know."
She smiled broadly and laughed. "Grandpere je'm votre seul petit-enfant."
"Grandfather I'm your only grandchild."
"Approuver si vous gagnez par défaut. Est-cela une mauvaise chose?" ?
"Okay so you win by default. Is that a bad thing?"
"Je devine le pas."
"I guess not."
"Bien alors. Soutenir à la raison que j'ai appelé. J'ai reçu de l'avion et je me suis rendu compte que j'avais't a parlé à mon Paris aujourd'hui. Comment votre voyage de pays de croix était-il?" ?
"Alright then. Back to the reason I called. I got off the plane and I realized that I hadn't talked to my Paris today. How was your cross country trip?"
"Pas mauvais une fois je sorti des montagnes et sur la terre plate c'étais des champs de maïs pour quant à comme l'oeil peut voir. Pour qu'a crevé d'ennui, mais ordinaire pour qu'était un plus."
"Not bad once I got out of the mountains and on flat land it was cornfields for as for as the eye can see. So that got boring, but uneventful so that was a plus."
He chuckled. "Hmmm de champs de maïs. Et vous pensez que vous serez plus heureux dans les champs de maïs que LA?"
"Cornfields hmmm. And you think that you will be happier in the cornfields than LA?"
Paris answered with mock anger. "Et seulement ce que fait que signifie?"
"And just what does that mean?"
"Il signifie que je vous sais Paris. Vous avez grandi en haut dans New York, Londres et Paris. Vous aimez la ville. Vous prospérez sur la bousculade et la confusion. Vous avez besoin du bruit et du gens."
"It means that I know you Paris. You grew up in New York, London and Paris. You love the city. You thrive on the hustle and bustle. You need noise and people."
"Ouais, mais cela reçoit si mondain et la routine. Et le paparazzi est de contrôle. En plus vous'oubliant de nouveau que j'ai tendance à créer des ennuis dans la ville. Et le pays relâche tout à fait de ce que je l'entend."
"Yeah, but that gets so mundane and routine. And the paparazzi is out of control. Besides you're forgetting that I have a tendency to get into trouble in the city. And the country is quite relaxing from what I hear."
"Oui c'est le " He decided to agitate her a little. "vous savez si vous avez voulu relâcher dans le paysage j'ai une plutôt grande maison dans la maison de France que vous êtes bienvenu à. Et j'ai pensé vous aviez géré pour rester d'ennui pour tout à fait un instant le maintenant."
"Yes it is. You know if you wanted to relax in the countryside I have a rather large home in the house of France that you are welcome to. And I thought you had managed to stay out of trouble for quite awhile now."
"Oui je suis tout à fait familier avec cette maison. Et c'est beau, mais mon spectacle a terminé seulement et le déménagement quatre états sont loin assez durs sans parler de déplaçant un continent loin. En plus je veux pouvoir regarder la maison et dit, 'cela'la mine de s et je peux faire quoi que je veux avec cela' et personne peut recevoir pissed à moi pour l'il.' "
"Yes I am quite familiar with that house. And it is beautiful, but my show just ended and moving four states away is hard enough let alone moving a continent away. Besides I want to be able to look at the house and say, 'that's mine and I can do whatever I want with it' and no one can get pissed at me for it."
"Je sais cher. Vous savez que je suis fier de l'indépendante jeune femme vous devient."
"I know dear. You know I am proud of the independent young woman you have become."
"Merci le grand-père."
"Thank you grandfather."
"Maintenant laisser'le s reçoit à la vraie raison que vous s'êtes déplacé hors le là-bas."
"Now let's get to the real reason you moved out there."
"Que? Je viens de dire vous. Je've a été sur un spectacle pour le passé quatre années et a relâché six films et j'ai deux attente être relâchée. Je j'ai envie de've a vieilli vingt années dans le dernier quatre. Je'm a fatigué et je le refuge't la neige vue dans une année et un demi."
"What? I just told you. I've been on a show for the past four years and released six movies and I have two waiting to be released. I feel like I've aged twenty years in the last four. I'm tired and I haven't seen snow in a year and a half."
He was enjoying this argument. "Ceux-là sont toutes bonnes raisons cher mais a laiss'le s reçoit au VRAI raison."
"Those are all good reasons dear but let's get to the REAL reason."
"Je mets't reçoit ce que vous le moyen."
"I don't get what you mean."
"Paris cher qui vous a demandé se déplacer là-bas?"
"Paris dear who asked you to move there?"
"Non, nous ne jouons pas ce jeu visqueux. Alexander et je suis des amis. Nous've a été des amis puisque nous étions petits. Je vieux lui je pensais du déménagement et il a suggéré que je me déplace ici il'le s tout je voulu."
"No, we are not playing that viscous game. Alexander and I are friends. We've been friends since we were little. I told him I was thinking about moving and he suggested I move here it's everything I wanted."
"Umhm. Garder dire vous qui le cher."
"Umhm. Keep telling yourself that dear."
"Seulement que signifie-t-qui?" ?
"Just what does that mean?"
"Il signifie que vous vous déplaceriez aux fins de la terre pour Alexander et il ferait pareil pour vous. S'il vous avait demandé de vous déplacer à Zaïre vous a."
"It means that you would move to the ends of the earth for Alexander and he would do the same for you. If he had asked you to move to Zaire you would have."
She replied half joking. "Non je ferais't a. Ils ont le malaria."
"No I wouldn't have. They have malaria."
"Vous savez que je signifie. Je sais quand vos pères ont fait vous terminez votre relation les sentiments vous deux avaient pour chaque autre étaient toujours là-bas. Et puisque vous deux refuge't a été a permis d'agir sur eux pour tout à fait un instant maintenant ils ont seulement a été le glouglou au dessous de la surface. Vous êtes déplacé pareille la petite ville comme lui et vous restez à sa maison. Ces sentiments sont un aller venir dépêcher au surface."
"You know what I mean. I know when your fathers made you end your relationship the feelings you two had for each other were still there. And since you two haven't been allowed to act on them for quite awhile now they have just been bubbling below the surface. You moved to the same small town as him and you are staying at his house. Those feelings are a going to come rushing to the surface."
"Uhhuh. Bien il'le s tardif et vous'parlant de nouveau le discours fou. Se couche. J'aime le vous."
"Uhhuh. Well it's late and you're talking crazy talk. Go to bed. I love you."
"Je vous aime Paris. Et mettre't a peur d'agir sur votre sentiments."
"I love you Paris. And don't be afraid to act on your feelings."
"Vous venez de tete le papa'l'explose."
"You just want to see dad's head explode."
He chuckled. "Bon Paris de nuit. Et dire Alexander je dis le bonjour."
"Good night Paris. And tell Alexander I say hello."
"Je ferai. Le bon Grand-père." de nuit
"I will. Good night Grandfather." She set the phone down in it's cradle and chuckled.
When Paris walked out of the room she saw the servant who had led her there on the first place.
"They have moved to the recreation room Miss."
"Thank you." She nodded and walked toward the rec room she had talked to Lex in before. She could hear arguing from outside the door.
Clark's voice came through the door. "Isinglass is not a word. You can make like five words out of it but not one run on like that." Paris stood in the doorway silent and unnoticed, enjoying the scene before her.
"Yes it is." Lex argued.
"Use it in a sentence." Chloe, Clark's scrabble partner argued.
"The isinglass was rather delectable." Lex stated confidently.
"You're saying it's a food. Cheater." Chloe accused.
"You know Lex I'm your partner and even I don't buy that." Lana said playfully from her seat next to Lex.
Paris decided it was time to rescue Lex from his teenage accusers. "Actually it's a clear gelitan made from the bladder of fish." She said matter of factly as she walked up to her seat next to Pete.
Chloe scrunched up her face in disgust. "Are you serious. That sounds disgusting."
"I couldn't make something that nasty up." She said sitting down.
"It's not that bad." Lex said, looking for an argument.
"You're not the one who wound up close and personal with the toilet that night."
Lex laughed at the memory. "Yep. You turned seven shades of green."
"Yeah because I had food poisoning. And who gave me said tainted fish jello?" She said laughing at the memory herself.
"I didn't mean to get you sick."
"I was in the hospital for a week after that." A look of confusion crossed her face.
"What's wrong?"
"It just seems weird that you and I ate the same thing but I ended up in the hospital and you didn't."
Lex remembered that night, it was five years after the meteor incident. Five years after he lost his hair and stopped being sick. He had to think quickly. "No, I handed you my plate for a second and you ate it. I never ate any."
"Oh."
Lex wanted to change the subject. "So I take it everything is okay?"
"Yeah that was just grand-pere. He says hi by the way."
"How is Gustave?" Lex understood why she was concerned before. he was happy to hear it was her grandfather and he was okay.
"He's fine." Paris shook her head and chuckled to herself.
"What's so funny?" Clark asked from across the table.
"It's nothing, you have to know my grandfather. It's too hard to explain. Whose turn is it?" She asked hoping for a subject change.
"Ours actually and we're getting beat bad." Pete who was sitting next to her said.
"Never fear, Paris is here."
"Watch out for her." Lex warned Clark and Chloe. "She DOES cheat." Lex accused.
"Do not."
"Yes you do. You use French words. That's not allowed." He started a playful argument with her.
"If we were playing in France it would be. Besides it's my first language what do you expect?"
"Well we're playing in America so I expect you to use English."
"Now when you say 'English' do you mean."
Lex cut her off. "No you can not use any of your British nonsense, I mean American English."
"What about words that mean one thing in America and another in England?" She countered him.
"Those are fine."
"Fine. Will you quit bitching so we can play?"
"Fine."
Pete and Paris deliberated for a minute before Pete laid down their word.
"Epilogue. Last time you laid down 'graze' and now you have epilogue?" Chloe couldn't believe it.
"That's because I was flying solo last time and I had crappy letters."
"Let me see. We have 'epilogue' worth 25, plus the triple word score, and we also have 'gold' and 'it' worth four, and we used all our letter's for an extra thirty five points. Look at that. We're beating Alexander the great." Paris gloated playfully. Pete snickered from his seat next to her.
"You talk trash while playing scrabble." Pete turned to Clark and Chloe. "I love my partner." The table burst into laughter.
"Yeah well twenty..." Paris raised her eyebrow in warning at Lex before he could finish the number. "Twenty four years of her gloating and prancing can rake the nerves a bit but you get used to it ."
"If you didn't like it you wouldn't keep me around."
"No I've just been conditioned to deal with the insufferable and obnoxious it's what comes form living with Lionel." 'Check and mate.' Lex thought to himself, smirking the Luthor smirk.
Paris jaw dropped and she pointed an accusing finger at Lex, trying to utter anything. Paris and Lex were both enjoying their argument, everyone else was being thoroughly entertained. "I'll get you for that one."
"I do believe that round was won by our home town champ, Lex Luthor." Chloe announced causing laughter from around the table.
"You cheated. You compared me to Lionel."
"You compared me to your father earlier."
"Yeah but I was joking, and in a bad mood and we were playing pool. And you, well that was just ugly and mean." Paris was being dramatic.
"I still win."
"Fine. But no more cheap shots mister or I get to make Mr. Clean jokes."
"Fine."
"So Paris you said you and Lex grew up together." Chloe's curiosity was getting the best of her. "I bet you have some great stories."
"You wouldn't believe the things I know. You know Chloe I bet the Torch readers would love a few good Lex Luthor stories, they can be pretty entertaining."
"No!" Lex said with mock sternness.
"Why not? Don't want people to know about 'Mr. Quacks'?" Paris rested her elbow on the table and her chin on the palm of her hand smiled at him.
Lex's jaw dropped. "Duck killer."
"Barbie axe murdered."
"What are you two talking about." Lana was confused.
"When I was young I had a stuffed duck named Mr. Quackers." Lex began his story. "And Paris. Well Paris did the unspeakable. We were sailing in Italy and Paris threw him overboard. I'm going to get you for this." Lex was blushing.
"Anyway. Alexander had Mr. Quackers forever and he went everywhere. I was never allowed to touch Mr. Quackers, he was a sacred cow so to speak. Nevertheless, we were sailing in Italy and he was being a particular brand of mean to me."
"You hit my sunburn."
"I didn't mean to. God what were we like eight? So any way we had been getting on each others nerves a little and he was sunburnt and I ACCIDENTLY ran into him and he was mad at me so he took my favorite Bob Mackie Barbie doll and cut her hair off and ripped her dress. So when the chance presented itself I kidnapped the duck and threw his ass overboard."
"So Lex what did you do in retaliation?" Lana asked.
"I tried to throw her overboard. But my dad stopped me. So the next day I got a hold of her Grover doll and tied a rather large string around his neck."
"You didn't." Clark's mouth was agape, almost laughing.
"He did." Paris was smiling.
Lex nodded in the affirmative. "I went over to where she was, making sure she didn't see the rope and 'threw' Grover over the side of the boat. She screamed in horror. By this time our moms were coming over to see what the hell we were doing. My mom was in the middle of yelling at me and she was crying hysterically and I pulled him back on board. And she kicked me in my poor sun burnt shin."
"I bought you a new duck as soon as I got home."
"Well he wasn't the same."
They went on talking and trying to finish scrabble until 11:30.
Clark looked at his watch. "Man it's late. I've got to do chores in the morning."
"Yeah I have to open the Talon tomorrow." Lana agreed.
"I really don't have anything to do." Pete wanted to stay.
"Yeah well I'm your ride and it's time to go." Chloe reminded him.
They group made their way to Lex's drive way where their cars were waiting. After bidding good night's and thank you's the four teenagers were off.
Lex made it half way to his front door when he realized Paris wasn't with him. He turned to see her standing in the driveway her arms crossed over her chest, staring up at the sky. 'She looks like an angel.' He thought to himself. He walked back over to where she was standing and stood beside her, looking up also.
"What exactly are you looking at."
"All of it. The sky is so.big.out here. I can actually see the stars. Can't do this in LA"
"I know, it's the second most beautiful sight in the world."
She stopped looking at the heavens and looked at him. "What's the first?"
He looked at her seriously. "You."
She was thankful for the darkness so he couldn't see her blush, or the tears of happiness in her eyes. "Thank you."
"It's the truth. No woman in the world can compare to you Paris."
"You shouldn't say things like that. It just makes everything harder."
"I know. Come on it's cold out here and I don't want to deal with a sick Paris." He put his hand on the small of her back and lead her to the house, where they went to their separate bedrooms and slept soundly.
