After the second episode with Helen in the plane Lex made his way back home on auto pilot more or less. Basically he felt that his 'loving' wife, whom his father had paid to date him in the first place, only wanted him so she could kill him and the only person whom he ever really loved since his mother died was MIA and no one seemed to want to talk about it. When he wandered back into his study there was opera music playing and Lionel was sitting at the piano, he was torn between indifference and relief. He walked over to a crystal bowl and tossed his wedding ring in with a 'plink'.

Lionel broke the steady silence. "Well done, Lex. Well done." He walked over to LEx who was standing stoicly waiting for the other shoe to drop. "That was a Machiavellian maneuver worthy of a Luthor."

"I appreciate the kudos, but I don't know what you're talking about." Lex said with a self deprecating half smile.

Lionel gave a knowing grin. "Oh, come on, Lex. Do you think I'd neglect to put surveillance on my planes?" Lionel held up a small video cassette and chuckled. Lex poured a drink, not responding. "Poor Helen. Should we be sending out a search party for her?" Lionel said half serious.

"I have someone on it." Lex said flatly. "But if Helen survives, I doubt anyone will find her until she wants them to."

"You know, Lex, I, uh, never imagined that you would fall in love with Helen. I'm sorry it happened, son, but don't be too hard on yourself."

"You know the sick thing? Of all people, I knew you'd understand." He said as he walked over to Lionel.

"I do. Survival is what matters in life."

"I know that now. If I was anybody else's son I would have died on that island. All the tests you put me through . . . made me a survivor. If I keep my pride in check I know there's more to learn from you. I was hoping your offer still stands to run LuthorCorp together."

Lionel stood in shock as Lex put out his hand to shake on it.

"I, um, I-I don't want you making a hasty decision, Lex. You've just been through an incredibly traumatic ordeal. I think you should take some extra time off to recuperate."

Lex shook his head. "No. I've learned to trust my instincts."

Lionel looked into Lex's eyes for a moment, then took his sons hand in his own, placing his other hand on top.

Lionel's voice choked with emotion. "Good to have you back . . . Son."

Lex slowly walked forward and into Lionel's arms. He rested his chin on his father's shoulder and his eyes fell shut. Lionel's face was a mixed expression of confusion and hesitance. After almost a minute Lionel let Lex go. Lex sat down on the couch across from where Lionel was sitting. Lionel went to get them each a glass of scotch. Lionel handed Lex a glass before sitting back down facing Lex. Lex rolled the glass between his palms, almost contemplatively, before taking a sip.

"What's wrong Lex?"

"Where's Paris? I thought she'd be home by now but I haven't seen her anywhere. Is she distancing herself because of Helen? I know they didn't get along but, Helen's no longer a factor. I drove by the house but it was completely shut up, all the doors were locked..." Lex trailed off.

Lionel looked at his drink sadly before speaking up. "Out of all the people around here I think Paris had the worst summer out all of us. Paris was in a car accident."

"Is she alright?" Lex asked with urgency in his voice.

"Physically she's healed well, but psychologically she is faltering. She was in the accident on the way to your wedding. She was in a coma for three days, she suffered a sprained knee, a double concussion, all of her ribs were broken a burst appendix and..." Lionel stopped, he wasn't sure if he should go on.

"And what dad? Is she a vegetable or something? Please tell me, I need to know."

"With all the internal and external injuries she suffered she had a miscarriage."

Lex was shocked, a look of hurt and surprise crossed his face. "I didn't know she was seeing anyone. Whose was it?" Lex took another sip from his glass.

Lionel didn't say anything he just locked eyes with Lex.

After a moment realization set in and Lex choked on his drink and coughed a bit. "Mine?"

Lionel nodded in the affirmative.

"Who told you?"

"That doesn't matter, no one that could use it against either of you knows."

Lex got up and started pacing. "We only slept together once, well many times in the course of two days from what I've been told. But that was..." Lex stopped to think. "That was six months ago, three months before my wedding. If she knew then why didn't she say anything?!" Lex was furious.

"Son calm down, please. Look at this from her perspective. Her best friend, a man who she has been fighting her feelings for for a very long time, was getting married to a woman who hated her. She finds out she's pregnant. She is faced with two options, either tell you she's pregnant and deal with the anger and hostility that that situation would create tension between you and Helen, her and Helen, her and you, and the inevitable tension between Malcolm and myself. Or she can hide it from everyone, leave town for awhile knowing no one would question her leaving because of her schedule, sell her house citing that she was moving back home to be with her grandfather and deal with some pressing family issues, and raise her child in peace, leaving you to your new life. In her scared state of mind she was saving us all by leaving."

"How do you know all this?"

"I've been in contact with her grandfather."

"Where is she?"

Lionel looked down at his glass not saying a word.

"Dad please I need to go to her. Where is she?"

"We all thought you were dead. When we told her she couldn't handle it. She's in France self destructing."

Lex stopped pacing and sat down. "How bad is she?"

"She's bad Lex. She's in exile, the only time she leaves the grounds is to go party in the city. She drinks constantly, she's mixing antidepressants and painkillers with alcohol and God knows what else, she's pushing her grandfather away and she isn't even speaking to Albert or Bruce. It goes without saying that she hasn't talked to anyone else in the states either, she's completely abandoning her career. She's so beside herself that she couldn't bring herself to come to the memorial service, I think if she did it would have killed her."

"Dad I need to go to her!"

"You don't have to say another word Lex, I can have you on a plane out there tonight. If you're up for it."

"I am. But first I need to go do something." Lex went and gave the Kent's their farm free and clear.

----Lex's Plane---

Given his aversion to flying coupled with his recent string of plane mishaps Lex wasn't usually the person you would see staring out the window of a plane, but Paris was one of the few cities that could make him forget that he was terrified of flying. 'A beautiful woman named for a beautiful city.' He thought to himself, cheesy but true. The pilot came on the P.A as they passed by the Eiffel Tower and over the Arc D' Triumph.

"Mr. Luthor we will be landing in the next ten minutes if you would please fasten your seatbelt."

Lex snapped out of the momentary trance he was in and sat back in his seat for landing. After de boarding the plane he was escorted to a limo his father had pre-arranged for him. The hour long car ride through the French countryside was quite a bit more relaxing than the eight hour flight he managed to stay awake through. As the limousine wound it's way through the gates of the ancient French castle, up the long driveway Lex gathered all his inner strength and braced himself for what lay ahead of him. He had no problem getting on the property unannounced since all the staff knew him. Gustave lived in the main house of the property and Paris's house was in another part of the vast property that her family owned. As he entered the house a feeling of unrest and sadness surrounded him, he could tell that Paris had all the staff on edge. A house maid led him to Paris's bedroom. "I can take it from here." He said. He quietly walked into her room and sat down on her bed. She was sprawled out in the middle of the bed, passed out, presumably, given the half empty bottle of vodka and sleeping pills on her nightstand. She had kicked her covers off, she was sleeping in a pair of black cotton shorts and a tight white tank top. He could see the edges of the bandages wrapping her ribs peeking out from the edges where her tank top wasn't covering. He could tell that she had lost weight. Her hair was in a pony tail, her roots were about three inches long revealing her natural honey brown hair color, all over her head where highlights were. He frowned sadly at the thought of his Paris being reduced to a shell of herself. The usually vibrant, sexy, vivacious 23 year old woman with a love of life and unbelievable drive now looked more like the depressed 16 year old who tried to kill herself so long ago. He ran his knuckles lightly over her now sharper more hallow cheek before deciding to wake her. Gently shaking her shoulders and softly calling her name he coaxed her awake. As she wiped the sleep out of her eyes she couldn't believe what she saw.

"I was told I could find you out here." He said.

She grabbed her pillow. A look of surprise and terror on her gaunt, pale face. She was panicked. "You're a hallucination. You're not here. You died. My doctor told me not to mix prescription drugs and alcohol and I didn't listen. Holy shit I'm dead." She started to freak out.

Lex laughed. "No, you're alive and it's really me. Go ahead and touch me if you don't believe me."

She did just that. She slowly sat up, with Lex's help, being mindful of her healing injuries, she took in his severe sun burn then reached up and touched his forearm, then his shoulder, his ear, and then she ran her fingertips over his cheek, and lips. He captured her hand in his and kissed her palm. "Oh my God." She said, with tears streaming down her face. "But how? They said. She said." Paris was crying hysterically. "It's really you." She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, he in turn put his arms around her thin waist and hugged her back.

"I know, I know. Everyone thought I died but I didn't." He talked into her hair.

"I thought you were gone forever." She was still sobbing.

"Shhh. You need to calm down before you start hyperventilating and you'll hurt your ribs worse." He pulled away and held her shoulders gently, speaking softly.

"This is all my fault."

"What?"

"This is all my fault."

"How exactly did you cause my being stranded on a desert island for three months?"

"Because I lied to you."

"Paris don't worry about that right now. I know all about it. We can talk about it later. Right now we both need to get some rest, okay."

"Uhhuh." Paris nodded her head and wiped some excess wetness from her cheeks.

Lex grabbed a Kleenex from the box on her nightstand and aided her. After lightly pushing her hand away he began to dab her cheeks.

"Thank you." She said smiling as he finished. "I can't believe I'm such a mess." She blushed a bit.

"It's okay. I'm here now and everything's going to be fine. Paris there's something I need to tell you."

"You're an alien?" She joked.

"No, good guess though." He chuckled. "This experience has made me realize something. I need to go with my instincts. Ever since you moved to Smallville I have been fighting something that has been building for years. Ever since we broke up years ago, I have done everything from denial, to substance abuse, working endless days, falling for the wrong women. But I'm not going to deny it any longer. Paris I love you and I want to be with you."

"You love me. Oh I'm gonna cry again."

Lex chuckled. "Please don't I don't think I can handle it."

"Okay. Let's get some sleep. You are staying in here right?"

"If you want."

"I do. I really do."

"Good."

Lex quickly changed into a pair of pj pants and an old Metropolis U t-shirt.

"Well that was quick." Paris joked.

"I know. What can I say I'm in the mood to sleep in a comfortable bed with a beautiful woman." Lex said as he slid in next to Paris. He was laying on his back. Paris turned her light off then turned and rested her chin on his chest.

"Alexander."

"Yes?"

"I love you too."

"I know." Lex smirked.

"Jackass." Paris stretched and kissed him on the forehead. Then she laid her head on his chest, over his heart, Lex wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to him as they fell asleep.

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