----Paris' House----
After rescuing Lucas' punk ass from the guys that want him dead and a meeting with Lionel that left Lex more than a little chilled inside he decided to take Lucas to meet Paris. Partly because he was excited to have finally found his brother and wanted the two to meet and partly because Paris made him feel better more often than not.
Lex and Lucas walked up the steps to her front door, Lex produced a key and opened the door letting them in.
"Now who exactly are we seeing?" Lucas asked.
"Just a friend of mine. She's leaving town for awhile and I wanted you to meet her before she left."
"And you have keys to all of your friends houses?"
"No just hers."
"Alright. I'll play along." Lucas said lightly.
"It's not like that."
"Whatever you say." He gave a smirk.
Lex didn't respond. He walked over to the intercom and clicked the talk button. "Paris where are you?" By this time her new 2 year old dalmnation whom she had just adopted from a rescue shelter came bounding up to Lex. "Hey there Cicero." He bent down to pet the happy pup.
Her voice filled the room. "I'm getting dressed for my meeting. I'll be down in a few minutes."
"Alright."
"What do you need?"
"Nothing. I just have a surprise for you."
"Alright. If it has anything to do with caves or morphing people you can keep it to yourself." She joked.
"I promise that this surprise won't try and kill us. Now hurry up." He let go of the button.
Lucas stood chuckling at the two's conversation. He wandered around the foyer and adjoining sitting room, picking up nick naks and pictures here and there. Nothing particularly interested him, until she came down. Descending the stairs was a beauty that could only have been created by the gods and for his sole pleasure.
Paris jogged down the stairs as fast as her skirt would let her, carrying her black leather knee high boots in one hand, her black leather messenger bag over her shoulder and her jacket and a small duffle in her other hand. "I'm here. What's so important?" She asked Lex, Lucas was out of her line of sight. The dog ran up to her. "Hello my sweetie." She adjusted her belongings and petted the happy dog.
"Paris Stratford. I want you to meet Lucas Luthor. My brother." He gestured behind her.
Paris's jaw dropped open and everything in her hands fell to the floor as she turned around to see Lucas. "Oh my god. We all thought... Oh my god." Paris was at a loss for words. "Hi." She finally squeaked out.
"Hello Ms. Stratford." Lucas walked up to her and kissed the top of her hand.
"Paris."
"Alright. Hello Paris."
Lex handed Paris her things. "Thanks." She looked at him confused. "Coffee?"
Lex smirked at her confusion. "Yes, please."
"Come on." Paris led them to her kitchen, her large almost never been used kitchen, where a pot of coffee just finished brewing. She grabbed some mugs from the cabinet as Lex grabbed the creme from the refrigerator. The dog just walked around the room watching them all very intently. "So Lucas where are you from?"
"Edge city."
"That's a rough place. What were you doing there?"
"A little of this a little of that, mostly cards and pharmaceuticals."
"Gotcha." Paris poured him some coffee.
"What about you Paris. I know Lex is from Metropolis. Where are you from?"
"For now let's say L.A."
"Where'd you go to school?"
"I went to a few different schools in and around New York state before I landed in English boarding school."
"So you get bored easily?"
"No, I just get into trouble easily."
"That seems to be a theme around here."
"So it would." Paris said cautiously, not trusting this kid.
"So will you be enrolling at Smallville High next year?"
"No, I'm not a high schooler."
"Oh. College?"
"Maybe. I'm just trying to concentrate on my family for now."
"That's a good idea."
"Where did you go to college?"
"I didn't go to college, I own a production company and act. My TV show just ended a few months ago."
"Since it looks like you two are getting along so well I'm going to excuse myself to make a call." Lex stepped out into the hall and made his call.
"Finally." Lucas breathed a sigh.
"What?" Paris asked.
"Well I think it's obvious." He got up off the stool he was sitting on and walked over to Paris. He stopped short of actually being on top of her, "I think you and I would work out well together and Lex was getting in the way."
His face was mere inches from hers causing her to intensify her scowl. "Excuse me but Lex was getting in the way of nothing. Besides I'm not dating right now."
"That's why it's perfect. You're single, I'm single."
"No, me saying 'I'm not dating' wasn't an invitation for you to hit on me."
"Are you sure? This could be so good." He reached over and caressed her butt cheek through the tan suede of her skirt.
"Is that your hand on my ass?" She asked through gritted teeth.
"Maybe."
"Well maybe..." She reached back and grabbed his wrist, twisted it and pulled it up behind his back, "I don't want it there. Now sit down and finish your coffee." She let his arm go. Cicero let out a bark.
"Damn, you're a feisty one. I like that." Lucas rubbed his wrist as he sat down.
Lex came back in a few seconds later. "Well I don't want to make you late for your meeting. Lucas we are going to see another friend of mine."
"Lex I need your help with something in the library."
"Can it wait?"
"No. I swear that my Moby Dick is a forgery and I need a second opinion."
"Fine. Lucas why don't you wait in the car?"
"Great. See you later Paris." Lucas took the keys from Lex and walked out of the house.
Lex and Paris walked into the library, which was on the same floor. "Where is this alleged forgery?"
"There is no forgery Lex. God you know that I know my books better than that. Look I don't like this kid." Her voice went down an octive because of her seriousness.
"Oh come on you've known him five minutes."
"Lex he grabbed my ass." She hissed angrily.
"No he didn't. He probably just brushed up against you."
"I don't think so. It had palm on ass contact. Don't try to dismiss me."
"My god you're jealous. You think now that I have Lucas around I won't need you anymore."
"Do you really give me that little credit? Look the kid is bad news."
"I can't believe what a hypocrite you're being. Aren't you the one who complains when Helen does the same thing to you?"
"This is different. This is justified. Where'd you pick him up at Lex?"
Lex waved the question off. "That doesn't matter. I can't believe you of all people aren't willing to give this kid a chance."
"I can't believe you of all people are letting your inflated image of a total stranger get in the way of your better judgment."
"I can't believe that you're lecturing me on accepting someone new in my life."
"Lex he isn't who you think he is and he isn't a replacement for your mother or Julian so take the blinders off and see what's in front of you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you're projecting your feelings of guilt and loss from them onto Lucas and you can't see this kid for who he really is."
"I can't believe you threw that at me. You of all people. You are being so passive aggressive right now I can't even look at you."
"That's good because your head is so far in the clouds that you couldn't see a bird if it hit you in the head."
"I'm leaving. Have a good night in Metropolis, congratulations on winning the script." He said bitterly.
"Your sincerity astounds me. I'll be here when you want to admit you're wrong."
Lex left the room but stopped short of the door. "I'd like to think that if the tables were turned I'd show you the support that I am sorely lacking here." He was monotone.
"I'd like to think that if the tables were turned I'd listen to you. Considering friends are supposed to trust and respect each other." Her tone reflected his.
"I'll be by later to check on Ciciero."
----The Kent's----
Clark and Pete were playing basketball in the driveway when LEx and Lucas pulled up.
Lex got out of his car, followed by Lucas, and walked over to the two teens. "Guys, I want you to meet somebody. This is Lucas, my brother."
Clark looked Lucas over, not trusting the new heir.
"What's up guys?" Lucas tried being friendly with them
Lex looked over to Clark to see watch is reaction was, he didn't know if he had the patience to go through a repeat of Paris.
Pete was oblivious. "Hey Lucas, you want to shoot some hoops?"
"Yeah, sure."
Pete grabbed the ball from Clark before heading over to the hoop with Lucas. "I'll be taking that." they went over to the basket and started a new game.
Lex was amused at CLark's speechlessness. "I didn't mean to drop a bombshell on you." He started back to his car with Clark in toe.
"I thought he was supposed to be, well...uh, dead."
Lex leaned back on the sports car. "Ah, just buried by my father. I've been looking for him for several months."
" Why didn't you say something?"
"Well, because I wasn't sure what I was going to find." Lex's cell phone rang before he could finifhs his thought. After a quick check of the caller ID he excused himself. "I've got to straighten something out with the bank. Lucas, we have to get going!"
"He, uh, you can hang out here if you want." Lex and Clark exchanged a look. "Give me a chance to get to know him a little bit."
"Uh, yeah, sure. Absolutely." Lucas agreed.
"I'll be back in an hour."
Clark walked over to the basketball game.
"So, uh, you and Lex seem close." Lucas mused.
"What, are you kidding? They're like brothers." Pete was not careful in choosing his words. Pete didn't realize his faux pas until Clark began to look uncomfortable.
"So, Lucas... Where did you grow up?" Clark asked as he passed to Lucas.
"All over." Lucas passed to Pete.
"Must be kind of weird not knowing your mom or your dad."
"No, not really. Parents always try to make you little versions of them selves. When you grow up without those constraints, you're allowed to become your own person."
"It's an interesting theory. I don't think I buy it, though." Clark said with a shrug.
Pete passed Lucas the ball. "All right. Let's, uh, let's take you and Lex, for example. If he were raised by your parents and you were raised by Lionel, you wouldn't grow up to be different people?"
"Well, I..." Clark struggled to articulate.
"Trust me, you'd be rich and miserable, and he'd be wearing flannel. But if you were left totally alone, abandoned by your parents, how do you think you'd turn out?" Lucas said with a chuckle.
"I'm not sure." Clark said with a clipped tone.
"It's when you find out what you're really made of." Lucas walked up to Clark as if to challenge him. "Are we going to stand around and chit-chat all day, or are we going to play some ball? Clark, let's see what you got."
"Check it up." Clark glared down at Lucas.
Lucas checked the ball to Clark. Clark shot from the key. When it banked off the rim the boys charged toward the basket, Clark hip checked Lucas causing him to fall.
Pete looked on with trepidation. He pulled Clark aside. "Be cool, man."
Clark nodded at him but he wasn't going to back down. After a few minutes of letting lucas think he was better than Clark he'd had enough. Lucas put up a shot but Clark jumped high and blocked it from the backboard.
" Hey, rocket man, we don't want anybody to get hurt." Pete said warning Clark.
"All right."
Clark and Lucas began playing again. Lucas wasn't going to take anything from Clark. He tried to pivot around him but wound up pivoting straight into him. "Aah!" Lucas dropped the ball and yelped in pain. He gripped his wounded shoulder. Pete glared at Clark for a second and went to check on Lucas. "Sorry, man. No hard feelings right? It's just a game."
"Right." Clark said unsteadily, realizing he took it too far.
Lucas chuckled. "Felt like you had a steel plate in there or something."
Clark gave an uneasy smile and shuffled his feet a bit.
"So what do you guys think of that piece a, that my brother keeps stashed here? Maybe I can convince him to share the wealth, so to speak."
"What are you talking about?" Clark asked astonished.
"You know, brunette, green eyes, body that could make a man beg for mercy."
"Are you talking about Paris?" Pete asked. Clark was still picking his jaw up off the floor.
"Yeah, Paris. I'd like to get to know her a lot better, and horizontally."
"I'm not saying that I don't agree with you but you don't get it. They're friends and inseparable at that. Besides I can guarantee you two things would happen if you went near her 1:Paris would drop kick your butt from here until next week. And 2: Lex would murder you when you landed." Pete gave a friendly smile.
"We'll see about that."
"Anyway isn't she a bit old for you? I mean she's your brother's age, and his friend, a bit weird if you ask me." Clark reasoned.
"Older women have a few advantages over girls our age. Basically they can take care of your needs in ways that would make high school girls run to confession."
Clark didn't say anything. He just stood there fuming.
"Any chance I could get a ride back to the mansion? Dad wanted to talk over some stuff with me this afternoon."
"Yeah, I'll give you a lift." Pete offered.
----Casa de Luthor----
Lex threw the doors of his office open, in anger, and walked in only to find Lionel smirking at him from behind his desk.
"I just spent the last two hours at the bank." Lex spat angrily. "Any idea why my accounts would be frozen Dad."
"You know Lex, I'm tired of your constant attempts at mutiny."
"Yeah, well, you didn't leave me too many options. It was either that or the plank."
Lionel chuckled. "It wasn't wise of you, son, to wager all your assets as collateral against LexCorp when you took out your loan. You see, now that your company is a LuthorCorp property, everything you own belongs to me. I want you out of the mansion."
Lex was shocked but tried not to show it instead he tried to intimidate Lionel with the one card he had left. "Come on, Dad. Isn't this a little futile? Lucas and I will be back home after we vote you out."
Lex turned to leave but Lucas was blocking the door way. "Don't be so sure about that, Lex."
Lex just stared at Lucas in disbelief.
"Lucas and I had a very interesting father and son chat. Long overdue."
Lucas walked in and stood next to Lionel. "It may be hard for you to imagine, Lex, but some sons don't ever question their allegiance to family."
Lex laughed dryly. "You are being incredibly naive if you think you can trust him."
" Something you pick up at the tables, Lex. You size up your options. You never know when you might have to change your strategy mid-hand."
Lex shook his head in disappointment.
"Well, Lex, looks like you loose again."
----Hotel Kent----
Clark was walking down the stairs into the kitchen when he heard a knock on the door.
"I'll get it." Clark called to his parents who were in the other room.
Clark opened the door to see Lex is standing on the porch with Paris' dog.
"Hey, Lex."
"Clark, I'm sorry to bother you."
"No problem. Is everything all right?" Clark asked concerned.
"No, it's not."
Martha and Jonathan walked into the kitchen when they heard the boys talking.
"Lex, what is it?" Martha asked with motherly concern.
"According to my father, I'm uh, no longer a Luthor. That used to be a dream of mine but he's left me with nothing, not even a place to live. So, I, uh, was wondering...." Lex hesitated and glanced at Jonathan "If, uh....I could stay with you for a while?"
Martha spoke up first, she knew Jonathan was warming up to Lex but she still didn't trust this particular reaction. "Not that we mind Lex we're more than happy to have you stay. You're always welcome here but wouldn't you be more comfortable at Paris'. She has more room, and no farm animals."
"She's out of town for the night. In fact I'm supposed to be watching Cicero for her that's why he's with me. I don't want to drag her into my family business, she's had quite enough of that lately and this may push her over the edge. Besides she and I aren't on very good terms at the moment."
"Oh?"
"We had a rather curt discussion this morning I basically called her a hypocrite and a liar and she told me where to shove it, with written instructions on how to get there. And she has a lot of room to gloat right now not to mention no particular reason to help me out. Not that you do either but I was hoping."
"Lex you are more than welcome to stay here until this clears up." Jonathan piped up. Clark smiled.
----Day two---
Martha walked into the kitchen early the next morning to find Jonathan watching Lex do chores. "You're up early... Even for you."
"Ah, I couldn't sleep."
Martha was over by the coffee pot making herself a cup. "Would that have anything to do with our new houseguest?"
"Why would his father throw him out? I mean whatever he's done couldn't have been any worse than the other things he's done in the past. He's not that bad a kid."
Clark ambled down the stairs. "Anyone seen Lex?"
"Yeah, he's out in the barn." Jonathan motioned to the window with a nod of his head.
Clark looked at Jonathan shocked and was about to say something.
"Well, he got up at the crack of dawn, and insisted on doing some chores to earn his keep while he's here."
"Oh, you've got him mucking out the stalls already, huh?"
"Ha ha. Yes." Jonathan chuckled.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Clark said with a grin.
"Yeah. Hey, son.... All kidding aside, I don't want you to forget that he did investigate you for a year. And remember what's in the storm cellar."
"Dad, I trust Lex."
"It's not that I don't Clark, I just don't want him left alone on this farm. He could use it to try and get back into his father's good graces." Jonathan was serious.
Clark looked at his dad with disbelief and betrayal written on his face then headed out to the barn. Clark watched Lex work for a few minutes before speaking up. "Well, I was going to give you some tips, but it looks like you have everything under control." He said amused.
Lex talked as he worked. "My family had a ranch in Montana. I used to go there in the summers with my mom."
Clark sat on a baled of hay listening. "Sounds like fun."
"We would work right alongside the ranch hands. Everyone did their fair share. It was the only time I felt, uh, normal."
"Do you ever go back?"
Lex tossed some more straw into a nearby wheelbarrow as he spoke. "After my mother died, my father sold the property. I guess you could say he was never a, uh, man of the people." Lex put the pitchfork down and headed to where Clark was to grab more straw.
"Let me give you a hand with that."
Lex carried the straw without and trouble. "Thanks Clark, but I'd like to prove to your father once and for all that some Luthors pull their own weight." Lex tossed the straw into a stall and turned to Clark. "See I'm not made of glass."
"No one ever said you were. And my father does like you."
Lex cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really?" He said sarcastically.
"Look he has been warming up to you, a lot. He's trying Lex."
"I know. Him letting me stay here was a bit of a shock though."
"What are you going to tell Paris when she gets home?"
"She doesn't need to know everything. Contrary to popular belief we are not married."
Clark Chuckled. "I know that. But she care and you know that. Plus she'll figure it out when she goes to pick up her dog and you're not there."
"I'll deal with Paris in my own way. Right now I need to finish mucking these stalls and your father mentioned something earlier about post digging."
----Lies, Treachery and Deceit, it's the Luthor way----
Lionel walked into Lex's old office, which now resembled a high priced video arcade, to find Lucas on the couch playing video games. "Lucas. We've got to talk."
"Sure Dad, what's up?" Lucas asked annoyed, not looking away form his game.
"What's "up" is that you have yet to sign over your shares to me as we'd agreed. Please, turn that off." Being a teenager and a royal pain in the ass Lucas ignored Lionel, just like a real son does. "Lucas, please turn that off. Now!"
Lucas finally gave in and shut the game off. "Let's see....what's wrong with this picture? Hmm. I trick Lex, I play along with your little game, and you offer me, what, 10 million dollars to walk away?"
"I'd say it's a little more lucrative than your card scams."
" Hmm. Well, Dad, the deal sounded really good at the time but that is until I realized what a Luthor goes for these days."
Lucas walked over to Lex's desk and grabbed a manila folder. "You see, I went through the LuthorCorp financials, and it turns out I'm worth five times what you're offering me, and that only takes into account what you report to Uncle Sam."
" Don't be getting delusions of grandeur, my boy." Lionel said with a dark chuckle.
"Tell me something, Dad."
"What?"
"Why didn't you try and find me before I was 12?"
"Because you're mother lied to me. She told me you died as a baby."
"But I'm still not worth your time."
"I took care of you the best way I knew how, Lucas."
Lucas began to grow bored and decided to play pool. "Huh. At arm's length, with a checkbook."
"There were scenarios.... Lucas, now it's your turn to live up to our agreement."
Lionel put the papers down and held a pen out to Lucas. "Please. Just sign. Please, son."
Lucas contemplated for a moment then relented. "Okay. Okay, Dad." Lucas signed, but not what Lionel would have hoped for. 'Bite Me' was written on the signature line. "You might want to, uh, have your lawyers look over that."
Lionel wasn't going to argue this. He just left the room.
----The talon----
Clark and Lana were talking at the coffee bar when Lucas walked in.
"You're hired Clark." Lana said before Lcuas walked up to them.
"Don't you think you should check with the boss first?"
Lana had no idea who this kid was or why he was in her face. Clark clarified. "Lana, this is Lucas. Lex's brother."
"Uh, Lex never mentioned he had a brother." Lana said, shocked.
"Well, I wasn't exactly on his Christmas card list." Lucas paused to look at the decor. "Uh, I like the whole Egyptian/Assyrian vibe. It's clear you've put a lot of time and effort into this place."
" Uh, yeah, yeah, Lex does too."
"Well, Lex is, uh, he's not exactly in the picture anymore." Lucas said cockily.
"Lionel threw Lex out of the mansion." Clark said angrily.
"How's he doing down on the farm, Clark?" Lucas said sarcastically.
"He's doing great. He's a survivor." Clark's tone was low.
"Well, I hope that he can survive on nothing, because anything that was his is now mine, including this place. Maybe his little friend Paris can help him out of this one."
"You should know Lex wasn't my boss. He was my partner." Lana said sternly.
"Oh, even better." A bitter smile crossed Lucas' features.
----We haven't heard from Chloe lately. Let's go to the Torch----
Clark entered quietly. "Ahem."
Chloe turned around to see Clark carrying a small brown paper bag and a togo cup from the Talon. "Hey. I didn't know the Talon delivered."
"I decided to make an exception." Clark handed Chloe the bag and cup.
Chloe drank and talked as she walked to her desk. "I assume you got the job, then."
"Apparently, the editor of the Torch put me over the top."
"So how does it feel to be a minimum wage earner?" Chloe asked as she popped a piece of muffin into her mouth.
"Great. But there seem to be some personnel changes over at the Talon."
"Are you talking about Lucas Luthor?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
Chloe chuckled, amused. "Are you kidding? The prodigal Luthor son returns, and to top it all off, the new heir has taken over the castle. I mean, that's the story that could land you a byline on the front page of the Daily Planet."
"I just--I don't trust Lucas. I think he's hiding something."
Chloe straightened in her chair and crossed one leg under her. "Come on Clark, cut the guy a break. He's had a really tough life. He bounced from foster home to foster home. I mean, he never got adopted."
"Well, when you were looking at his past, you didn't find anything weird at all."
Chloe looked over at her monitor and typed something. "Um, just the source."
She grabbed a piece of paper out of her printer, looked at it and handed it to Clark who was puzzled by it.
----Paris' house again----
Paris got home, early afternoon, pulled her new, black, Range Rover into the garage and went upstairs to unpack her things. After everything was in its place she went to the hall and grabbed the mail off the table. She flipped through the normal bills and magazines, an envelope with the LuthorCorp logo caught here eye. She opened the letter only to be shocked and dismayed at what she saw there. "That little shit!" She ran upstairs, grabbed her messenger bag, and threw in the letter, credit cards, bank book and a couple thousand dollars from the safe (just in case). She slipped her jacket on and grabbed her car keys and ran out the door.
----Fortress of Solitude----
Lex read the paper Clark gave him, disbelieving what it said. "Metropolis United Charities."
Clark was standing across from Lex. "Chloe said Lucas's file didn't even exist two weeks ago. Suddenly, there it is."
"Like somebody wanted him to be found. Of course, the detectives I hired failed to mention where they got their information."
"Do you think your father knew about Lucas all along?"
"Do you even have to ask? Lucas was in on this from the beginning."
Lex started to Pace angrily.
Clark didn't know what to do. "If your father was hiding Lucas why would he suddenly let you find him?"
"Because ever since he took LexCorp, he knows I've been looking for an opportunity to get back at him. He co-opted Lucas before I could." Lex wakled to the stairs. "While I've been playing checkers, my father's been playing chess."
Clark shook his head as Lex walked out of the barn.
----Lex doesn't live here anymore----
Lex walked into his office and surveyed what Lucas had done to it. New treadmill, weights, TV, video games, stereo. "Wow. Hey, I love what you've done with the place. Is this newest scam, huh--corporate titan in training? I'm sure some salesman at The Sharper Image is happy."
Lucas stopped his chin ups and grabbed a towel. "Unlike you, Lex, I don't live in my father's shadow. My training's over. What can I do for you?"
Lex shrugged and smirked. "Feeling pretty good about yourself right now, aren't you?" Lex walked across the room and took his rightful place back at his desk. "I got to admit, you and my father played me brilliantly. Just out of idle curiosity, when did he contact you?"
"Three weeks ago. He told me who he was, said you were looking for me. Wanted to use me for some corporate raid." Lucas and Lex exchanged a look. "Let's face it Lex. I'm the son he wants."
"Careful Lucas. You're showing your hand. Come on. What is it you're really after, huh? His affection?"
Lucas smirked, amused at Lex.
"You really believe if you stick around, he's going to love you? Trust me. You don't know him at all."
Lucas was tired of Lex. "Get out, Lex. You lost."
Lex shrugged, gave a shrug and got up. He paused before he walked out the door. "I found you because he wanted me to. High school kids can track you down."
"You mean your friend Clark Kent?"
Lex's tone was amused. "I bet a lot of people are out looking for you. Like your friends from Edge City."
"Oh, wow, Lex, is that a threat?" Lucas said with sarcasm.
"You know, Lucas, the Luthor gene pool is a shark tank, and our father's just chummed the waters."
Lucas didn't say anything, he just stood his ground.
"Good luck. You'll need it." Lex walked out of the office unconcerned.
Lex left the mansion but missed Paris' who got there about an hour later and was about to go on a rampage.
Paris stormed into the mansion in search of Lucas, or Lex, or whichever Luthor would be the unfortunate one to cross her path. "LEX GET YOUR PALE ASS OUT HERE! AND BRING MY DOG!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she ran toward his office. The only one she found was Lucas who was sitting on the couch watching TV.
"I'm sorry Lex isn't in right now. You can leave a message at the beep." He was snide. Te turned the TV off and lounged on the sofa.
"What are you doing in here? Where's Lex?"
"You could say that Lex found different living accommodations."
"I could, could I?"
"Or you could say that my father and I threw the bald freak out on his ass."
"He's not a freak! Don't call him that!"
"He's 22 and bald. That has freak written all over it."
"You don't know anything about him. Why would you do this to him?"
"Because I don't need him anymore." He crossed his hands behind his head and smirked.
"You ungrateful little shit. He's been looking for you ever since he found out about you and this is how you repay him. I hope you are prepared for what he's going to do to you. Because it's not going to be pretty."
"I don't think that'll be a problem. You see Lex no longer has my father's money to play with."
A look of horror crossed Paris' features. "He didn't."
"Oh he did. I am now the sole heir to LuthorCorp and all her holdings. Which will soon include your house and all your property. That is why you came over here isn't it?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "My you are an astute one. What possible interest could my house be to you?"
Lucas got up and crossed the room until he was centimeters from her, he circled her like a hawk circles prey. "You know as well as I do that this isn't about your house. All you have to do to get it back is admit that I am the one you want."
She wouldn't be intimidated. "I'd rather live in a refrigerator box than be with you."
Lucas stopped when they were face to face. "Well then enjoy. Or you could live with the Kents, I hear they've been taking in strays lately. Either way your house belongs to LuthorCorp in two days so I'd get packing if I were you."
"This isn't over Lucas, not by a long shot. I grew up in this world, I used to ruin peoples lives for the fun of it. Lex did the same. It's in our blood. But it's engrained in our souls. You don't know what you just signed on for."
"I'm not scared."
"You should be. Because you are way out of your league" Paris turned heel and left.
---- Kent Farm Dinner Time----
The Kents and Lex were sitting at the table enjoying dinner, talking about their days.
Paris came bounding up the back steps and knocked on the back door.
"Hey Paris. We weren't expecting to see you today. Would you like to join us for dinner?" Martha said as she let Paris in.
"Oh no thank you Martha. I couldn't eat a thing right now." Cicero came bounding in to greet her. "Hey baby. How are you?" She petted her happy pet.
Lex knew the only time Paris didn't eat was if she was either depressed or in a state of severe anger, then she drank vodka, smoked a pack of cigarettes and yelled. Then there was that whole other level of scary that she could reach, that's when the yelling stopped, he was waiting for the scary.
"Paris what's up?" Lex asked cautiously.
Paris stood and glared at him. "Oh we need to talk, now." Paris said deadly serious.
'Yep super scary.' "If you'll all excuse me." Lex pushed himself away from the table and followed Paris outside. They walked to the barn for some privacy, followed by the dog. Paris hopped up on a stack of hay bails while Lex stood in front of her. They sat in silence for a moment so Paris could collect herself. "Look Paris, I've been kicked out of my house, my money is all frozen and I may well lose my company. Can you save the 'I told you so' speech for another time?" Lex said dryly.
"Well then it looks like we have something in common." Paris said as she produced the document from LuthorCorp. "Your father wants my house too." Lex took the documents from her. "I'm sure he'll use it as a breeding ground to make more illegitimate demon spawn."
Lex looked up at her from the papers he was reading. "Well it's official. He wants you out by Monday."
"Well yeah I am literate. The man bought a bank in less than 12 hours. I'm sure getting my house took a snap of his fingers. The question is how do we get it back?"
"You're asking me? In case you've forgotten I don't have a leg to stand on."
"We could work together. What about asking my father for help?"
"And that would go over how?"
"Like the Hindenburg over an oil refinery. I see a duel to the death starring those two, but I'd watch that."
"How are your bank accounts?"
"Full."
"Accessible?"
"Dunno. I grabbed cash before I left, and I have all my credit cards on me."
"Cards are no good. They're traceable. How much cash?"
"$5,000."
"Alright. We're going to have to go in there and take them on ourselves."
"This ought to be fun."
"Like a visit to the dentist. Why don't you go and grab some stuff from your house and I'll get my things together here."
"Are we going on a trip?"
"We can't stay here. The Kents have been more than hospitable to me but I don't want to get them caught up in this. They have more to lose than either of us."
"True. I'll be back." She hopped off the stack.
"Don't go by the mansion."
"I wasn't go...."
Lex cut her off. "I know you. If you even think of going by to talk to my father and Lucas you're on your own. I don't trust them one bit. And you know where the weapons are Miss Anger Management."
"Fine."
Later that evening Lex went out to the barn to talk to Jonathan who was working on a machine.
"Mr. Kent."
Jonathan turned the machine off when he saw Lex.
"I just wanted to say thank you for everything you and your family have done for me."
"You going somewhere, Lex?" Jonathan asked when he saw Lex's bags.
"Well, I need to talk to my brother, and you know what they say about fish and houseguests after three days."
Jonathan chuckled. "You're welcome back anytime."
"That's nice of you to say."
"Look, I gave you every single crappy farm job I could think of. But you did them all. You didn't complain. Not once, that's better than Clark."
Lex just nodded at the compliment.
"You would have made one hell of a farmer. You work hard and you're smart. I'm proud of you."
Lex smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Kent."
Lex tentatively put his hand out and Jonathan accepted and shook.
"Sure. Where is Paris? Shouldn't she be getting back here by now?"
"She should, but you know Paris."
"Not as well as you do."
"I told her not to go to the mansion. And since she can't go inside she probably purposely took the long way to her house so she could scowl at it form the car and shake her fist."
"Are you serious?"
"She's melodramatic."
"She's a smart girl."
"And stubborn with a touch of violent."
"Where is Cicero?"
"He's inside with Mrs. Kent and Clark. Mrs. Kent said we could pick him up when we got everything under control with my father."
As they chatted Lucas entered the barn with Paris, who was handcuffed. He pushed her forward and cocked the gun.
Lex was afraid that this situation might get out of control. "Lucas. What are you doing? Paris what the hell did you do?"
"Nothing." She said timidly.
"You went by the mansion." He assuced.
"Well, yeah."
Lex decided to deal with Lucas now and Paris later. "Lucas put the gun down and Let Paris go."
"Um. No. You two shut up. Lex I'm finishing what you started. With you gone I'll be able to get rid of Lionel and keep LuthorCorp for myself."
"Well that's all well and good, but where do I fit in?" Paris asked.
"You my dear will be my unwilling sex slave."
"I want a change in job description. Let's just down grade me to expensive hostage." She said dryly.
He gripped her smaller wrists tight between his larger hand. "Why don't you shut up and watch me kill my brother?"
Lex put his hands up in a surrender. "Lucas listen to me. No one needs to get hurt here. We can make sure you're taken care of."
"Is that what you think I need Lex? To be taken care of? I'm not some whore who you need to keep comfortable."
That angered Paris. "I feel that was directed at me. And I would like to clarify..."
"SHUT UP!!!" Lucas yelled, causing her wince.
Lex leveled Paris with a glare. "Paris not now. Lucas you need help."
Paris gave Lex a 'Duh' look.
"I don't need help Lex I need you and Lionel dead. So shut up and let me kill you." He was getting desperate.
Paris sighed.
"Do you have any objections?" Lucas said to Paris.
"Bored now."
"Wha..." Lucas didn't get to finish his sentence before Paris stomped on his foot. He yelled in Pain and dropped his gun. "You little." Paris raised her left foot again but Lucas caught it this time, just as she wanted. She used her right foot to jump off the ground and deliver a round house kick to his head, making him fall dropping her. She landed on her shoulders with her arms pinned behind her, Lucas just landed on his back. Jonathan ran over and grabbed the gun, Lex ran to help Paris sit up.
"Are you alright? Did you hurt your wrist?"
"No it's fine. I landed on my shoulder." She said as he helped her to her feet.
"You just had to go by my house didn't you?" He glared at her. "You suck at taking orders."
"Well duh."
"You could have gotten yourself killed."
"Lex..."
Jonathan cut them off. "Um you two there's still the issue of Paris being in hand cuffs and Lucas unconscious on the floor."
"Well I can't very well do anything." Paris said, gesturing with her hands, that were behind her back, for emphasis. Is there a key anywhere?" Jonathan gave the gun to Lex and walked over to Lucas to pat him down. Lex didn't move from Paris' side. She looked over at Lex. "I'm not going anywhere."
Lex looked at her seriously. "I'm debating on whether to be relieved or pissed."
She could see it in his eyes that she had scared the hell out of him and he couldn't take much more. "Which side is winning?"
"The side where I yell and you listen."
"I could call my dad if I wanted that."
"Or you could not be a pain." Lex sniped at her.
"Found it." Jonathan produced a key and walked over, releasing Paris from her bonds.
"Thank you." Paris started rubbing her bruised wrists.
"Can I have those? They may come in handy the next time she tries to play hero."
"Shush. Now what do we do with skippy the sociopath?"
"Mr. Kent could I have some rope?"
"Are we going to hog tie him and let a randy bull make him his wife?"
"No." Lex answered shocked. A grin crossed his features. "I worry about you."
"There's a support group, they meet every other Thursday."
Jonathan came back with the rope. "Lex what are you going to do with him?"
"Don't worry. This is just to keep him secure until we get to metropolis. Paris is there enough room in the trunk of your SUV for him?"
"Yeah."
----Lex's study----
Lionel was lounging in Lex's chair sipping a glass of 200 year old brandy and looking over some documents. The phone rang, disturbing him. He grimaced as he answered it. "This is Lionel."
"Lionel Please help us." Paris's shaking voice came over the other end.
Lionel sat up alert and tried to control his voice. "What? Paris, where are you?"
"I'm in at the office in Metropolis. Lucas has Lex tied to a chair and he's going to kill him. He got distracted and left. I managed to get out of my restraints and ran in here to call you as soon as I could. Lionel get here please." SHe pleaded with him.
"All right, all right. I'll take the, uh, chopper. I'll be there in half an hour. What office does he have Lex in?"
"Yours."
Lionel could hear a door fly open with a crash on the other end and someone stomp up to Paris. "You bitch. Get off the phone." A shot was fired and the line went dead. Lionel paled and hung the phone up.
As soon as the helicopter landed on the helipad Lionel ran out and through the roof entrance to the building. He ran straight to his office and threw the doors open. He saw Lex tied to a chair bound by duct tape, and Paris bound in duct tape on one of the couches. Lucas was standing over Lex with a gun in his face. "Lucas?" Lionel said fearfully.
"Glad you could make it dad, you're about to witness the making of a soul heir."
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Come on, Dad, this is exactly what you wanted."
Lex spoke up. "Pitted us against each other, and we played into your Cain and Abel fantasy just like you knew we would."
"Put the gun down, Lucas. Put it down."
Instead Lucas walked behind Lex and put the gun to the back of his head.
"Lucas don't!" Paris called from the couch, frantic.
"Shut up Paris. You could have made this all go away but you had to be difficult. Now you get to watch Lex die and know you could have prevented it." Lucas cocked the lever. "Watching his brains splatter all over the carpet should make for a lovely visual when you try to sleep."
Lionel tried to handle the situation. "Paris no one's going to die. Boys, calm down. Calm--"
Lucas cut him off. "You're the one who told me I needed to finish what I started. Well, as long as Lex is around, I'll always have to fight for my place in this family."
Paris snorted a laugh. "Hate to say it Junior but you'll never have a place in this family. Their all stocked up on the crazy and dysfunctional."
"You shut up!" He yelled at her as he pointed the gun at her.
"Paris quiet. Lucas, you are not going to shoot your brother or Paris."
A predatory smile crossed Lucas' features. "You're right. You are." Lucas pulled another gun out and pointed it at Lionel.
Lionel, Paris, and Lex all fell silent. Lionel swallowed before continuing. "What do you expect to achieve, Lucas? Tell me."
"Isn't it obvious, Dad? Once we're both out of the picture, young Lucas here inherits everything."
Lucas thrust the gun into Lionel's hand and made him point it at Lex. "Pull the trigger."
Lionel looked fearfully between Lex and Lucas. "Think, Lucas, just think...."
"Lucas. Think this through. I'm not your enemy, Lucas." Lex spoke up.
"Lucas if you let us go we'll make this entire thing disappear." Paris tried to reason.
Lex tried to assure him again. "I'm not the one who deliberately kept you in the foster care system."
"You're not helping things, Lex."
"Lucas your mother's alive. Lionel had her institutionalized." Paris said.
"What?" Lucas asked in desbelief.
"She's lying son. Paris shut up or I'll shoot you."
"If you do that my father will make sure there is no LuthorCorp left over for anyone to inherit. Not to mention that you'll be better hidden than Jimmy Hoffa." She wasn't kidding. This was about to get way out of hand.
Lex spoke up to get the attention off Paris. "Did you ever wonder why you were never adopted... If you were in trouble how you always got bailed out at the last minute? Don't tell me you thought you were just lucky?" Lucas looked between Lex and Lionel with shock and realization of his face. "We're a social experiment. One son gets everything, the other gets nothing."
"That's ludicrous. I would never do that."
"Yeah you would. Just like you made sure I found Lucas when you wanted me to. Just like you put his mother in an asylum."
"Just like you bugged you own son's house, Lionel."
Lucas was getting angry with Lex. "Shut up. You wanted to use me too."
"Yes, I did, and for that I am truly sorry. But trust me, trying to gain his love and respect is not worth it. It's not there and you only wind up with blood on your hands."
Lucas looked back over at Lionel. "Is it true? Is that what you did to me?"
Lionel reached out to Lucas with his free hand. "We've got a lot to talk about, son."
Lucas slapped the hand away angrily. "After you kill Lex. For once, I want the blood to be on your hands." Lucas grabbed the hand with the gun and put it to Lex's forehead. Lucas kept his gun on Lionel the entire time. "Time's up, Dad."
Lionel tried to buy some time by glancing between Lex and Lucas. "No... I can't do it."
"That's just too bad."
"Lucas, please, don't. I will not kill my son."
"Well I didn't want to do it myself. But when in Rome..." Lucas put his gun to Lex's temple. "You may want to move out of the way dad, blood splatter is hard to get out of cotton."
"You psychotic little bastard!" Lionel pistol whipped Lucas, knocking him to the ground. Lionel fired his gun twice directly at Lucas, Lex and Paris flinched as the gun shots filled the room.
Lucas looked up at him panting, a small pool of blood was on his mouth where he was hit, but otherwise he was fine. "It must be in the genes." Lucas said dryly.
Lex and Paris began to chuckle.
Lionel looked down at his gun. "It's blanks."
Lucas stood and pulled the clip from his gun. "This one too."
"Too bad you couldn't always shoot blanks." Paris said from the couch. "Or else we may not be here."
Lex started laughing at Lionel's shocked expression. "Checkmate dad."
Lucas freed Lex from the chair, ripping the tape off. Lionel still stood shocked.. Lucas helped Lex from the chair. Then they walked over to the couch. Lex stood Paris up and held onto her while Lucas ripped the tape off. The three stood with satisfied smiles on their faces. He threw the balled up tape at Lionel's feet.
"Come on, Lucas." Lex called.
"You three orchestrated this whole ordeal?" Lionel croaked out.
"What's wrong dad? Aren't you proud of our team work?" Lex said with a smirk.
"You three are disturbed." There was a vacant look on Lionel's face as he spoke.
"We learned from the best." Lex said before they walked out of the room, leaving Lionel shaking with anger.
----Lex is home----
Moving men were taking the things Lucas had ordered out of the house. Lex looked up from his paperwork. "That can stay." Lex motioned to the TV
"Uh, yes sir." The men left the TV and took the rest of the stuff.
Lionel walked in. "Lex?"
Lex looked at him, but said nothing. The moving men kept working.
Lionel smiled a bit. "Glad to see that you're making yourself at home again, son." Lex still said nothing. "All right, Lex. How are we going to repair this uh rift between us? Hmm?"
Lionel sat down in a chair next to the fire place, Lex said nothing as he got up and walked over to Lionel. Lex sat down in the chair opposite Lionel. "You mean, how are you going to keep the whole Lucas affair quiet?" They studied each other before Lionel spoke.
"I was, uh, thinking of giving you LexCorp back. Majority stake, no strings attached."
"Except for my silence."
"Well, I've always believed that family business should be kept within the family."
"And what about Paris. She should never have been dragged into this and she doesn't have the same obligation to family as I do. I'm sure Malcolm would love to hear that his only daughter was caught up in a Luthor family game of cat and mouse that nearly got her killed."
"Well she has been given her house back and all the property. I think she'll understand that this is a matter we'd like best kept quiet. Besides I've always considered Paris family, you know that."
"I don't know. She was pretty upset."
"Paris listens to you. I'm sure you can get her to see things our way."
"Our way dad? You want me to betray a lifelong friendship just to keep you from going higher on her father's shit list. You obviously don't know me."
"What do you want Lex? An apology?"
"That'd be a nice start."
"Fine. I'm sorry I kept Lucas away from you for so long. The situation was mismanaged.
"Say you were wrong."
"About what?"
"Everything you have done to me in my entire life."
"You have a lot of growing up to do Alexander." Lionel stood to leave.
"And Lucas is under my protection now. You'll never find him."
Lionel pondered the statement. "You remember the fable of the frog and the scorpion, Lex?"
"Yeah, Dad. The frog helped the scorpion cross the river. The scorpion repaid his kindness by stinging the frog."
""Why did you do it?" asked the dying frog asked him. And the scorpion replied, "Because it is my nature." Believe me Lex, your brother will never change. I've watched him over the years. The boy's a sociopath."
"And I wonder which side of the family tree he got that from." Lex dead panned.
Lionel didn't answer, he just looked at Lex.
"Goodnight, Dad. I'll be sure to give Lucas your love."
Lionel walked out og the room in silence.
----Casa Kent----
Clark was unloading bags of feed from the back of the truck when LEx pulled up in his convertible.
"My mom told me you were going to come back and get the rest of your stuff." Clark said as Lex got out and walked toward him.
Lex smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Surprisingly, my dad's had a change of heart."
"I'm sorry that Lucas didn't turn out to be the brother you wanted." Clark said with an apologetic look on his face as he leaned up against the truck.
Lex just shrugged and kicked a piece of gravel. "Considering his father, I'm surprised he's still alive at all."
"Where is Lucas now?"
Lex slid up next to him. "Safe. But I'm going to have some work to do to regain his trust."
"You will. You're not your father."
"Sometimes, Clark, we're all held hostage by the will of our fathers. The only difference is, your dad is a good man. All my father does is push people away. Your dad opened his home to me, no questions asked."
"As long as I live, I don't think I'm ever going to understand your family." Clark shook his head.
"Neither will I. Just remember, my father may try and rule the world, but yours will inherit the earth."
"You know if it makes you feel any better, you'll always be a part of this family." Clark gave Lex a smile.
"Thanks Clark."
Clark felt the conversation was getting too mushy. "So have you um patched things up with Paris?"
"Yeah, I apologized for being a jerk and she listened. Then she apologized for not listening to me and going to the house and I listened. Then I drove her to the airport. She'll be back in June."
"Where's she going for three and a half months?"
"Filming in Canada Albert's up there with her directing so they should have fun."
"Who has Cicero?"
"She took him with. I've got a date with Helen tonight so I'd better get my stuff and go."
"I'll see you later."
"Bye Clark." Lex stepped to leave but stopped Clark looked at him for a minute and hugged him. After he let go Lex nodded. "Thanks Clark."
AN: Yeah, I wanted a nice Clark LEx friend moment because they were so far and few between last season, Schmucky Clark! Anywho. Paris is gone for 13 weeks! That's right Paris isn't coming back until right before the wedding, that's right folks! I smell conflict and strife
!!!
