Title: Collapse - Part 2
Series: Part 13
Rating: R
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Category: Romance/Angst
Spoilers: Very mild spoilers for Pilot, Metamorphosis, and X-Ray.
A/N: This is a continuation of Collapse - Part 1. It takes place later the same night.
**********
"May I have this dance?" Pete looked hopefully into Chloe's eyes.
"In a minute," she said distractedly.
Pete followed her stare out onto the dance floor where he saw Clark and Lana beginning their second slow dance of the evening. The other guests had been timid about being the first ones on the floor, but following the example set by their host, they began to pair up and join in.
The Talon was hardly recognizable. Balloons rose in bunches from every table and along the bar, and streamers hung down from the high ceiling, waving softly with the wind from the air conditioning. The lights were dimmed and there were lava lamps everywhere, casting a soft pink glow onto the dance floor. It was all topped off by a large disco ball hanging from the middle of the ceiling, sending little sparks of light chasing each other around the room. But despite all the decorations, Chloe only saw Clark and Lana, worry creasing her brow.
"That's my boy," Pete said, smiling in Clark's direction. "I knew it was only a matter of time before those two got together."
"Hmm," Chloe smiled as pleasantly as she could.
She watched Clark closely and could tell that he was having a difficult time. He only made eye contact with Lana in shorts spurts, then quickly jerked his head away and looked around the room as if there were something more interesting going on elsewhere. Lana merely looked up into Clark's eyes sadly, clearly aware that Clark was uncomfortable. Chloe decided that she should make herself available in case Clark needed help.
"You know, I think I'm ready for that dance now."
"Great!" Pete put down the cup of punch he was working on and took Chloe by the hand, leading her only a few feet away from Clark and Lana.
He immediately pulled her close and held her tight around the waist as they began to sway back and forth to the soft music. Chloe felt her heart speed up and she silently cursed the fact that she couldn't just enjoy her date with Pete. But Clark was one of her best friends too, and she was fairly certain he didn't realize how volatile his situation really was. She had to be there for him in case anything went wrong.
As if on cue, Lana spoke. "Clark, is everything okay?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, everything is fine." Clark's eyes hit just about every spot in the room as he said this.
"Are you sure? You seem kind of…" She trailed off.
"Long day," Clark said with sadness in his voice. "Getting ready for the party and everything."
What is going on? Chloe thought. Why is Clark so upset?
"Well, if you need to talk…"
Clark was quiet for a long time, seeming to ponder this. His eyes began to shine and he lowered his head as he spoke.
"I had an argument with Lex earlier. It's no big deal."
"Oh, no," Lana said, immediately concerned. "Well, what did you fight about? Is there anything I can do?"
"No, we're fine. You know how stubborn he can be."
Lana may not have noticed the heart breaking affection with which Clark spoke, but it was very obvious to Chloe, and she tightened her grip on Pete nervously, mentally yelling at Clark to shut up about Lex.
"Believe me. I know," Lana said gently, pleased to finally have Clark speaking to her. "You should try co-owning a business with him. These days I don't feel that my work week is really complete unless Lex and I have had an argument about one thing or another."
Clark laughed softly in agreement. "There's just no getting through to him. It's like he wrote the book on being right or something."
"Exactly. And then when he is wrong, he'll just steer the conversation back to another point that we've already discussed. 'Well, I may be wrong about the furniture,'" Lana began, lowering her voice in an impersonation of Lex. "'But what about the lights? I was right about those, wasn't I?'"
"Oh, you don't even know," Clark said, his voice gaining volume with each word. "He's done that to me several times within the same argument. This one time when we were eating breakfast—"
With that, Chloe decided it was time to break in.
"Hey, Lana!" She chirped shrilly. "This is some party!"
"Thanks, Chloe," Lana replied graciously, if somewhat startled. "But I couldn't have pulled it together without all of you."
"Well, that's what friends are for, right?"
Lana smiled at Chloe, and as she was exchanging greetings with Pete, Chloe took the opportunity to glare pointedly at Clark.
What? Clark mouthed.
Breakfast?! Chloe mouthed back.
Clark's face went white as he realized that he had almost slipped.
Thank you, he worded silently.
She gave him another look of warning and turned back to Pete.
"I'm feeling a little flushed. How about some punch?"
She took Pete by the hand and led him back to the punch bowl, scanning the room for any sign of Lex, but he was nowhere to be found. Picking up a small party napkin from the table, she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. It was no secret that Clark was a loose canon, but Lex was completely unpredictable, and hearing that he and Clark had had an argument worried her even more. What if Lex came to the party on a rampage? There's no telling what he would do if he was angry enough. She only hoped that Clark's friendly demeanor was some indication that he and Lex had parted on civil terms.
Chloe took a long swallow from the cup Pete handed to her, and she didn't notice as Martha stepped in from outside.
Martha walked over to the chaperones' table and scribbled her first name onto a nametag they handed her. Quickly slapping it onto her chest, she looked around for Clark, relieved when she found him dancing with Lana, smiling and talking with her easily.
Good. That meant that Jonathan hadn't gotten to him. Not yet, anyway. She grabbed the edge of the table nervously, wondering whether or not she should warn him, but decided against it. She had taken the truck so there was no way for Jonathan to leave the house, and Clark was obviously enjoying himself. Martha knew that a long, pain-staking family discussion wasn't far off, and she wanted to let Clark have one last night of fun before he had to confront his father. Turning to one of the other chaperones, she started up a friendly conversation, hoping to get her mind off things for the moment.
Outside, the stretch limo pulled up to the curb. Lex remained completely still in the back seat, staring at his shoes as Kate stared at him.
"This is the part where we go inside," she offered.
He looked into her eyes, hoping to find some courage. "What if he won't listen to me?"
"You said he promised that nothing had changed between you."
"He did, but he could have changed his mind."
"I don't buy it. Clark Kent doesn't seem like the type to make idle promises."
Lex smiled. "He's not."
"Then come on."
Kate started to reach for the door, but Lex grabbed her arm, holding her back. "What is it?" she asked.
Lex looked at her for a long time before speaking. His eyes seemed to pierce her very soul as he gazed searchingly into her face. "You loved her, didn't you?"
"What?"
"My mother."
Kate's lips tightened together as she nodded her head. "I loved her."
Lex didn't say anything more, but averted his eyes as if he had brought up a painful subject. He didn't want to cause Kate any more heartache than she had already suffered.
"She loved me, too," Kate said quietly.
At this, Lex looked at Kate again. "She did?"
"We spent three years together before he… before your father came into the picture. And even then, I knew her heart was still with me."
Feeling like his heart was about to break, Lex took Kate's hands in his own. "Tell me about her."
Kate shook her head. "You weren't so young you can't remember, Lex. You don't need me to tell you about her."
"No, I mean when she was with you," Lex said, quickly wiping a tear. "I knew the motherly side that she showed me, and the devoted wife she played when my father was around. But I never knew her when… when she was happy."
"You made her happy, Lex, you know that!"
"I know. I know she loved me, I just… I was her son. I filled a special place in her heart, but there's another place reserved for another kind of love. The kind she shared with you?"
Kate sat for a long time without saying anything. Then she looked into Lex's eyes and recognition brightened her features.
"You have her eyes," she said at last. "The very same icy-blue, like frozen water. But when she was happy, really happy and laughing, they were like fire. The same cool color, but there was so much passion behind them, and drive, like at any moment she could take to the sky. We used to laugh for hours together, usually after we had been crying.
"Your mother would come to me after a fight with Lionel and I would try to talk her through it. Everything would always seem so hopeless at first. Lionel's power was so complete and there was nothing she could do to get away from it. But after a few hours of talking, suddenly it would all seem so ridiculous, so small in comparison to what we felt for each other, that we couldn't help but laugh. Do you remember your mother's laugh?"
"Vaguely," Lex nodded.
"There's nothing on this Earth I can even compare it to. Sometimes it was like bells, or other times it was like heavenly music. But even those don't do it justice. Lillian had a sound that was all her own. It was deep and powerful and feminine and delicate all at the same time. She would laugh until she had to hold her stomach and tears streamed down her face. And when we finally calmed down, I would kiss them away… I-I'm sorry." Kate blushed.
"No," Lex said, smiling painfully. "Go on. How did you meet?"
"Met U. We were both majoring in law so we had a lot of the same courses."
"I remember her saying something about wanting to be a lawyer."
"She would have been amazing. Anyway, with all of our classes together, we finally decided to become friends and help each other study. But the friend part came a lot easier than the studying," she laughed. "What was so funny was that other than our schooling, we had hardly anything in common. She liked classical music, I was into rock and roll. She liked old romantic movies and I couldn't stand anything made before 1970. But somehow it worked. No matter how many trivial disagreements we had, our personalities just clicked. We understood each other in a way that no one else could. That never left us, even after she married Lionel."
"Why did she?" Lex asked almost inaudibly.
"It's a long story," Kate sighed. "But the gist of it is that Lionel was introduced to Lillian by her mother who was one of Lionel's employees. Lillian was raised under the idea that she would marry into money someday, and as much as she loved me, she couldn't tell her mother no."
"So you lost her."
"For a while, yes. But we never fell out of love with each other and I think Lionel sensed that. He knew that Lillian was never really his and it infuriated him, but he didn't know how to fix it. It wasn't until your mother became pregnant with you that she finally initiated contact with me.
"Your father didn't want to deal with her during the pregnancy. She no longer had the delicate figure he had married her for, and her moods were more volatile than he would have liked. So he spent as little time with her as possible and she started coming to see me at one of her houses she had given to me." Kate's eyes began to water again. "I spent all of that first day curled up against her stomach, keeping you both warm. I can even remember the first time you kicked. It woke us both up."
They both laughed in spite of their sadness. "And I was by her side when you were born."
"My father said he was there…" Lex started. "He lied, didn't he."
Kate nodded. "He'll use any edge he can get."
"What happened after that? I don't remember ever meeting you as a child."
"We decided that was best. You were so young it would have confused you. And we were afraid of what would happen if you ever mentioned me to your father."
"I wouldn't have! I would have understood, I wouldn't have said anything…"
"Ssh," Kate soothed, squeezing Lex's hands. "What's done is done. Once your mother became ill, I rarely left her side as Lionel, once again, didn't want to be bothered with it. That's when she made me promise to take care of you. A promise that I'll never break."
Overcome with emotion, Lex embraced her. "It really feels like she's here with me," he cried. "There's a part of her that will never leave you."
"And you," Kate replied. She pulled a tissue from her purse and began to dry Lex's eyes. "Now we really have to go in. Your mother and I let fear get in the way of our love for each other, and I don't want the same thing to happen to you and Clark."
Lex nodded. "I love you."
"I love you, too. More than I can say."
With a final hug, they stepped out of the limousine and onto the sidewalk. They could already hear the muffled base of the loud music blaring through the closed doors, vibrating the glass. As they stepped in, the sound surrounded them and they walked hand in hand toward the dance floor where they found Clark and Lana. They were dancing to the fast beat, clearly exaggerating their movements to look silly as Pete and Chloe did the same not far away.
Lex looked to Kate nervously. "I'll wait till he's alone," he half-shouted. Kate put her mouth to Lex's ear.
"He won't be alone until you make him that way." Nodding sheepishly, Lex forced himself across the floor to where Clark was dancing.
Clark caught Lex's eyes before they were even close enough to speak and stopped dancing in mid step, holding his arms in the air in an awkward pose. As Clark finally lowered his arms, Lex kept walking until he was inches away from where Lana had also stopped dancing. Only Chloe noticed Martha in the background, watching her son with lines of worry deeply creasing her forehead.
"Hello, Clark. Lana."
"Hi," Clark replied quietly as Lana merely smiled.
Turning to Lana, Lex said "Do you mind if I have a moment alone with Clark?"
Looking extremely intimidated, and maybe just a little miffed, Lana was about to nod her head when Chloe stepped in front of Lex.
"You know, Lex, we were just in the middle of a dance. Can't you talk to Clark later?" She tried to make her voice as calm as possible, worried that Lex might explode at any minute, but she could hear her own nervousness seeping through.
Lex, however, was anything but angry, and he smiled at her kindly. "I hate to interrupt, but we really have to talk." He aimed the last part of the sentence at Clark, and Clark put a gentle hand on Chloe's shoulder.
"It's okay, Chloe. I'll only be a minute." Lana watched as Clark and Chloe exchanged a series of glances that could have been mistaken for an actual conversation, and finally Chloe nodded in agreement.
"We'll be here if you need us," she said.
"I know." Clark started walking to the empty bar with Lex when Lana grabbed his arm.
"Clark…" was all she could think of to say.
"It's okay," he repeated. He gave her hand a squeeze and then followed Lex away. Lana turned back to Chloe with intense worry in her eyes.
"What was that?"
"They, uh, had a fight didn't they?" Chloe guessed. "At least that's what I thought Clark said."
"He did, but… Something is really off. Chloe, we have to figure out what's going on."
"Nothing is going on," Chloe said, a little too quickly. "I mean… friends fight. It's not a big deal. I'm sure Lex just wants to apologize and clear the air so that Clark can have a good night."
"Clark was having a good night until Luthor showed up," Pete piped.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Pete…"
"No, I mean it! What is it with Clark and Lex anyway? It's like Lex has more power over Clark than his own parents do. It doesn't matter what's going on, like if Clark is in the middle of something, no matter how important it is, Lex can just walk in and drag him away like a piece of property."
"You know, Pete's right," Lana began thoughtfully.
"No, he's not!" Chloe said, forcing a laugh. "They're friends okay? Friends are there for each other. Why is that so hard to understand?"
"Because Lex doesn't have friends," Pete shot back. "He only has people he can use."
"I can't take anymore of this," Chloe said, pulling her hand roughly out of Pete's. "I have to go to the bathroom." Chloe stormed off to the ladies' room and Pete immediately trailed after her, issuing a string of apologies as he went.
Lana remained where she stood with her arms folded tightly across her chest, watching Clark and Lex talk as they sat next to each other at the bar. She wasn't close enough to hear their conversation, but it looked extremely intense. Intimate.
"I have to tell you how sorry I am…"
"Lex, it's okay. I understand."
"I know you do, but you deserve an explanation."
Clark made a face as if to protest further, but held back, understanding that Lex needed to apologize. But Lex was having a harder time of it than he thought he would. He hadn't had a chance to rehearse any of the things he wanted to say, and he was suddenly drawing a blank. He felt horrible about their argument, and any attempt to explain his cruel words would sound too much like he was trying to justify them. Sensing his hesitation, Clark gripped Lex's hand under the bar and gave it a gentle squeeze. Lex looked into his eyes.
"Did you know that Kate and my mother were in love?" Clark raised his eyebrows, startled. Then he shook his head. "They were. Even after my parents were married. They had their ups and downs like every couple does, especially when my father got involved. In fact, there was a time when they broke it off completely. My mother didn't have the strength to tell my father the truth and Kate was tired of the lies. You'll never believe what brought them back together."
"What?" Clark asked quietly.
"Me. When my mom got pregnant with me, Lionel couldn't give her the kind of emotional support she needed so she went back to Kate. They were together almost every day for most of the pregnancy."
"No wonder Kate feels so much like a second mom to you," Clark said.
Nodding, Lex continued. "I can't help but think of us. No matter how hard it gets or how tired we are of lying to everyone, we always find our way back to each other. Like maybe it's meant to be."
"It is."
"And like the idiot that I am, I keep trying to sabotage it."
"Lex…"
"I have never felt this way about anyone or anything before. When I look at you, I see the happy childhood that I should have had and the mother that didn't die and the loving father I've never met. You touch me and I can feel the warmth of these things just under the surface, like they really exist somewhere and they're just waiting for the right time to show themselves. Because when I'm with you I feel so complete and so perfectly fulfilled, that it seems impossible that it's all coming from one source. But it is.
"That's why I tried to push you away. I wasn't raised with these kinds of emotions, I didn't even know they existed until now, and I keep falling into old habits."
"Lex, it's okay."
"No, it's not, Clark. I love you, and it's about time I started treating you like it. You deserve to be treasured, and I've done nothing but try to brush you under the rug."
"Lex, that's not true. You treat me like a god."
"It's not enough…"
"Listen to me," Clark said, holding Lex's shoulders. "Do you honestly believe that I'm with you out of some sort of obligation or childish naivete? I love you too, Lex, and I couldn't change that if I wanted to. I knew you were special from the first time I met you. I knew that no matter what happened, you would always be a part of my life, that our destinies were bound together and we would always be connected. And I was right, wasn't I?"
"I'm so sorry I hurt you."
"I've hurt you too, Lex, it happens. Love is a scary thing." Clark took Lex's other hand and held them both in his lap. "But you can't tell me it's not worth it."
Lex shook his head at Clark wonderingly. "You're wonderful, you know that? How did I ever find someone so perfect?"
"You hit me with your car."
Lex snorted and hit Clark lightly on the arm. Clark caught his hand and held onto it, suddenly very serious. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you," Lex said, as they simultaneously rose to their feet and embraced tightly. They held on for a long time, breathing each other in, and they were both completely oblivious to the sound of a sputtering motorcycle engine outside. Clark became dimly aware of startled gasps among the people at the party, but he ignored it. One minute all he knew was love and happiness and Lex, and the next…
"Get your hands off my son, you sick bastard!"
Clark felt Lex violently jerked away from him and looked around in a panic, his eyes finally landing on his father.
"Dad…"
"Do you think it's okay?!" Jonathan spat at Lex, momentarily ignoring Clark. "Do you think because you live in a castle and swim in money that you can just take advantage of a young boy?!"
"Dad, stop it!"
"Mr. Kent, it's not what you think—"
Jonathan cut Lex off by grabbing his shirt and shaking him back and forth, causing his head to bounce up and down like that of a doll.
"You think you can just do this to us?!"
"Stop it!" Clark tapped his palm against his father's chest, sending Jonathan to the floor. Lex collapsed into Clark's arms and Clark held him close, glaring down at Jonathan angrily, finally noticing his disheveled appearance.
Jonathan was dressed in jeans and an unbuttoned flannel shirt, revealing an old t-shirt beneath, smeared with motor oil. His arms and face were blotched with the same black goo, and his hair was windblown and stringy with sweat. Upon seeing his bloodshot eyes and the difficulty with which he was getting to his feet, Clark realized that Jonathan was drunk. Martha finally got to Jonathan's side and attempted to help him up.
"Honey, I think we should go," she said softly.
"Don't 'honey' me!" Jonathan pulled out of Martha's grasp and stood up on his own. "As far as I'm concerned, you're as bad as he is!"
"Jonathan, please." Martha was still trying to keep her voice down, but Jonathan wouldn't have it.
"You poison everything you touch," he said, his attention back to Lex. "You turned my wife into a liar and now you're turning my son into a pervert!" Jonathan smiled cruelly as Lex appeared to sink into Clark with shame.
"Dad, that's enough!"
"Clark, please. I'm not angry at you, son, this isn't your fault. Lex is depraved."
"He is not depraved!"
"Just stay out of it, Clark! He is a sexual predator and he has to be stopped!"
"He's not a predator, Dad, he's my boyfriend and I love him!"
Everyone in the Talon had stopped to see what the commotion was about, and with Clark's revelation there were several loud gasps. Pete and Lana both wore expressions of pure shock, and Chloe put her hand over her mouth, crying silently. Kate stood completely still next to the punch bowl, too startled to move.
"So," Jonathan said slowly. "He's even got you convinced, has he?"
"Dad, please, it's not like that."
Martha put a hand on Jonathan's back as he began to sway. "Jonathan, I really think we should take this somewhere private."
"What's the matter, honey?" Jonathan whispered mockingly. "Afraid the whole town will find out that Lex Luthor is fucking your son?" Another ripple of gasps ran through the room, and even a few muffled giggles could be heard.
"Don't worry," Jonathan went on. "I'm sure they've already heard about it anyway. It's always the father that's left in the dark about these things. That is until he walks in on it on his own property."
He aimed the last part at his son and Clark's eyes immediately began to water with anger. He let go of Lex, who was standing very still, too upset to speak. Stepping in front of him, Clark shielded him from Jonathan.
"Well, what did you want me to do, Dad, throw a coming out party? Convince Lex to get down on one knee and ask you for my hand?"
"The truth would have been a start."
"The truth?!" Clark yelled incredulously. "You could hardly handle the fact that Lex was my friend!"
"We would have worked through it, Clark! We could've gotten you help!"
"I don't need help! What I need is a father who isn't a bigot!"
Jonathan staggered back. "Bigot?"
"That's what I said!" Clark screamed. "You always taught me to accept people for who they are and that these little differences didn't matter. But when it's your own son, you just can't take it!"
"Clark, the values I raised you with never included this…"
"And somehow, you conveniently forget about those values whenever Lex's name is mentioned. I'm sick of it, Dad! You think you're so wise about the world, but you don't know anything! You've never even lived outside of this stupid little town!"
"Clark Kent, I know more than you could possibly imagine! I spent a year in prison and I don't even want to repeat some of the things I witnessed there."
"Well, I guess you can thank me for that too! I'm the whole reason Mom didn't get you out sooner!"
Jonathan's breath caught in his throat and he squinted his eyes at Clark, as if that would help him understand.
"Clark, stop this now," Martha nearly barked, then turned to Jonathan. "We're going home."
A voice resounded behind them. "Why go now? It's just getting interesting."
They turned to see who spoke and found Lionel Luthor standing next to one of his bodyguards, a sadistic grin lolling across his face. Upon hearing that voice, Kate finally sprang back into action, hurrying to Lex's side where she proceeded to comfort him. She was careful to keep her face hidden from Lionel behind Clark's broad back.
"Lex, are you okay? Lex?"
He looked into her eyes weakly, but didn't say anything as if he were in a state of shock. She pulled him into her arms and he let himself be held.
"You stay out of this, Luthor!" Jonathan slurred. Lionel merely chucked in reply as Jonathan turned back to his wife. "Martha, what is Clark talking about?"
"It doesn't matter, okay? Please let me take you home."
"What's the point, Mom? Dad knows all my secrets now, why not expose some of yours?"
"Clark, don't do this!" Martha warned, but Clark was beyond her control.
"Did you honestly think Phelan could have come up with the perfect murder over the course of one day?" Clark seethed. "Your case could have been appealed long before it was. But Mom knew if you were free, you'd come looking for me and probably get me arrested."
Jonathan's mouth hung open and Lionel turned his cold gaze to Martha. "So," he said with a smile in his voice. "The old girl's got some bite after all."
"I said stay out of it!" Droplets of spit flew from Jonathan's mouth. Lionel calmly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face, laughing.
"You didn't tell me there was to be entertainment at this party," he said to his bodyguard, who grunted in response.
"Jonathan…" Martha pleaded.
"Is it true?" he asked, caught somewhere between tears and physical violence.
"Honey, please…"
"Answer me!"
The room fell silent and all eyes landed on Martha. She felt as if it was the final Judgment Day and she was being held accountable for all of her sins. With a jagged intake of breath, she felt the burning of unshed tears begin to cloud her sight.
"It's true," she whispered.
Everyone in the room exhaled in a harmony of woeful moans. One of the chaperones shook her head sadly and fell into a chair. The two football players who had previously been laughing at the argument, now looked from Jonathan to Martha to Clark with honest compassion shining in their eyes. Dozens of students from Smallville High, from those who were close friends of Clark's to those who hardly knew him, were suddenly united by his family's pain as the shock finally wore off and the tragedy of the situation began to set in. Martha cried softly as Jonathan continued to stare at her breathlessly.
Kate put a hand on Clark's shoulder and he turned around to see Lex, still unresponsive and trembling slightly as he stared at the floor. Clark went to Lex's side and guided him to a stool at the bar as Kate went to Jonathan and Martha.
"I really think it's time you went home," she suggested quietly.
Martha nodded her agreement, swallowing back more tears. "Let's go, Jonathan."
"I'm not going anywhere with you," he said darkly.
"I, um, I'll call a taxi," Kate said quickly, trying to avoid another scene. This seemed to satisfy Jonathan, and Kate pulled a cellular phone out of her purse and began to dial.
Without another word, Jonathan burst into motion, pushing his way through the crowd of young spectators, and out the front doors of the Talon. Moments later they heard the motorcycle speeding away.
Kate stopped dialing. "Will he be okay?" she asked.
"I think so," Martha said. "He just needs to ride it off, I think."
She didn't sound incredibly sure of this, but Kate decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. She went back to Clark who had finally gotten Lex to speak.
"He was drunk, Lex," Clark was whispering warmly. "You know none of that stuff is true."
"Don't worry about it," Lex said hoarsely. "It's nothing I haven't heard before."
"Lex—"
"Clark, we need to talk." Martha had followed Kate over to the two boys and was now eying Clark with a fury that would have reduced him to tears had he not been so angry himself.
"I don't think there's anything else to say." He held Lex closer.
Martha opened her mouth to say more, but Lex cut her off. "Go with your mother, Clark. I'm okay."
"Lex, I don't want to leave you alone."
"Kate's here. You need to talk to your mom." Clark's eyes begged. "Go. I'll be fine."
Shaking his head angrily, Clark stormed toward the back room with his mother in tow. Kate remained by Lex's side with a strong arm around his back.
"I can't believe this is happening," he said.
"Maybe it's better," Kate replied weakly. "The truth can be very freeing."
Lex gave her a wry look. "Free really isn't the first word that comes to mind."
"Sorry."
Many of the guests had begun to file out the front door along with most of the chaperones. Out of habit, Lana went to a nearby table and started to gather up empty punch glasses and napkins, but her hands were quivering violently, preventing her from getting a strong grip on anything. Chloe came to her side.
"Lana, stop. We can do this later."
"No, it's okay," Lana said in a voice Chloe didn't recognize. "I have to clean up. This place is such a mess."
She reached for the cups again, but Chloe placed a hand on her arm, stopping her. "Lana?" Chloe searched her face, concerned. After a short pause, Lana fell into Chloe's arms with a broken sob.
"Did you know?" she asked. "About any of it?"
Taking a breath to fight the butterflies in her stomach, Chloe nodded. "I knew about Clark and Lex."
"Yeah, I guess you would," Lana returned, somewhat bitterly.
"Well, it's not like Clark just blurted it out. I had to pry it out of him. I've only known for about a week."
"And you didn't tell me? You just let me go on like an idiot, thinking Clark and I actually had a chance together?"
"I'm sorry, but Clark made me promise I'd keep it to myself. Besides, it really wasn't my place."
Pete wandered over to where Chloe and Lana stood, a dazed expression wrinkling his forehead. "I can't believe Mrs. Kent would do something like that," he muttered, mostly to himself.
"Well, I can't pretend to know what was going on in her mind," Chloe said. "But I know she was just trying to take care of Clark."
"Lying to those you claim to love can only turn out badly," Lana said, glaring at Chloe.
"Lana, I told you Clark swore me to secrecy! And in a small town like this, I don't blame him for wanting to keep his relationship with Lex a secret."
"You knew about that?" Pete asked, suddenly alert. "You knew Clark was a... that he was gay and you didn't tell me?"
"Yes, I did!" said Chloe, getting angrier by the second. "I knew all about it and I kept it from both of you. And from your reactions it looks like I did the right thing! I mean honestly, could you two be any more selfish? After everything Clark has been through, all you can think about is how this affects your lives!" She waited a moment for this to sink in before continuing.
"I'm glad he has Lex," she said. "At least he has someone he can go to when the rest of his friends have turned their backs on him."
Chloe stormed off toward a corner table, leaving Pete and Lana alone together, both slightly hunched over with exhaustion and shame. Lana slowly let herself down until she was sitting on the edge of the table, and began to cry, covering her face with her hands. Pete sat next to her and put an unsure hand on her shoulder, feeling on the verge of tears himself.
Very nearby, Lionel had seated himself at another table with his bodyguard and was studying Lex and his companion intently from across the room.
"That's the one he brought to the fertilizer plant?" Lionel asked, receiving an immediate nod from his goon. "I could swear I've seen her before. Of course, who could really tell under all that second rate plastic surgery?" He chuckled at his joke and dismissed Lex and the woman from his thoughts, not at all worried. If he knew who that woman was, he was confident that it would come to him eventually.
"I had hoped to drop my news of next week's plant inspection on Lex tonight, perhaps causing him to create a scene in front of all these guests. His involvement with that boy has got his emotions out of control, and I wanted to show him the danger in that. But it looks like he's learning that lesson very well on his own, doesn't it? Poor boy. I'm afraid this will only get worse before it gets better."
Lionel stopped a passing waitress and ordered an espresso. When she informed him that the Talon was closing, he flashed a twenty-dollar bill, and the young woman rushed to the bar with a smile on her face.
**********
Clark leaned over the steel counter in the Talon's kitchen, staring at his own reflection as his mother yelled at his back. He finally came back to reality long enough to hear what she was saying.
"How did you know about your father? Answer me, Clark!"
"Lex told me," he said casually, turning around and leaning on the counter.
"When? You didn't say a thing."
"Before I even came back," Clark said, knowing he was relishing the moment a little more than he should have.
"You knew…"
"That you were lying to my face over and over? Yeah, I knew."
"Why didn't you say something?"
"What would have been the point, Mom? You had already built this happy little world for yourself. You didn't have time for the truth."
"I built that world for you, Clark! Everything I have done, every lie I have told has been on your behalf! All I wanted was for you to be safe and free… and happy…"
"I am happy! I'm happy when I'm with Lex!"
"I know, honey, and I'm glad—"
"But I am not free!" Clark cut her off. "I have never been free! If I'm not lying about what I am, I'm lying about my relationship with Lex. And when I'm not lying about that, I'm lying to Dad about what really happened. I'm so sick of it!"
"Well, you don't have to worry about it now," Martha rebounded. "Because you just blurted out everything in front of the whole town, and you brought me down with you! So much for keeping our family together!"
"You can't keep a family together with deceit, Mom! How many times have you told me that? What made you think that you could keep this buried forever?"
"We've kept the secret of your abilities hidden, haven't we? The only person we've ever told is Lex, and that's only because he saw me use the meteor rock to sedate you."
"And what a great idea that was." Clark brushed past her and to the other side of the counter where he had more space to breath. The thought of the meteor rocks brought heat to his face and made him feel claustrophobic, not to mention the added fear of his newly discovered alien side. "It's because of that stupid rock that I can hardly remember over a year of my life!"
Martha stopped with her mouth open, clearly in the dark about the new topic.
"Oh, that's right," Clark said. "You weren't told about that part."
"What? What wasn't I told?" Martha asked, worried.
"I guess you're not the only one keeping secrets, huh?"
Martha swept around the counter and grabbed her son by the chin. "Clark, look at me. I want you to tell me what happened right now."
Clark gazed into her eyes for a solid thirty seconds before responding, the bitterness he had accumulated after months of lying building to a sour climax.
"That little rock you used on me? It didn't leave my side until the day I came back."
Martha's mouth was a perfect O as her eyes filled with terror and tears washed her mascara down her cheeks. "No…"
"Yes," Clark said coldly. "Its power was diluted a little from the box it was in, but it was still enough."
"How could Lex do that to you?" Martha muttered, turning away from Clark.
Clark blinked. "How could Lex? How could you?! Lex had no idea how dangerous those rocks are to me, he was just acting on your suggestion! He thought it would be good to keep me calm."
She looked into Clark's eyes briefly, then set her face into a stubborn resolve, unable to believe what she was hearing. "No, he was right. You wouldn't have been stable after what happened with Phelan. It was probably better that way."
"Better? Mom, are you out of your mind?"
"Honey, this is the very same reason I did what I did to your father! If you had been more aware of what was going on, you would have tried to come back and face up to the charges!"
"I can't believe you're trying to justify this!" Clark said, feeling the blood creeping up behind his cheeks.
"It doesn't need to be justified, Clark," Martha retorted, sounding more sure of herself by the second. "You said yourself, the rock's power was weakened. You weren't in any danger of—"
"I almost died!!!" The volume of Clark's voice echoed off the hanging pots and pans, filling the air with a quickly fading hum. Martha's confidence dropped from her face.
"W-what?"
"I was stuck in that room by myself with a tape of Lex! The only person I had contact with in a year and a half was Lex's maid Kate, and half the time I didn't know who she was!"
"Clark, no… I can't hear this…" Martha started walking to the door, waving one hand in the air as if to ward off evil spirits.
Not missing a beat, Clark grabbed his mother's arm and jerked her back around. "Do you have any idea how bad it was?! Do you even care? Mom, in my most lucid moments, I thought Kate was you! I couldn't even remember your name!"
"Oh, baby," Martha sobbed, reaching for Clark's face.
"I couldn't remember anything!" Clark yelled, tears of his own nearing their fall. "I didn't even know I had parents or friends or a life outside of that bed. When Lex finally showed up, I had no idea that he hadn't been there already, that all I was seeing was a videotape of him speaking to me!"
"The tape," Martha whispered with recognition.
"And then when he finally came, he told me that he loved me. I was so drugged I didn't know otherwise so I told him I loved him too. Lex had completely forgotten about the meteor rock and we made love."
"No," she said, raising her hands to her head.
"My first time with Lex – what should have been one of the best experiences of my life – was under the influence of a meteor rock!" Martha continued shaking her head, pulling at her hair. "I hardly even knew what was happening until it was over! Then the next day, when I realized what was going on, I—" Clark's throat caught in a partly stifled sob. "I accused him of raping me."
"Oh, Clark, you didn't!"
"I've never seen him so hurt. I may as well have stabbed him in the heart in that moment, and it's all because of you!"
"No!"
"Yes! You thought you could just play around with people's lives and now it's blown up in your face!"
"It was for you…" her voice was almost nonexistent.
"Nothing is worth that much deceit. Not even my freedom." Clark stormed to the door of the kitchen, leading into the restaurant.
"Where are you going?!"
"I need some air," he said without turning around.
"Don't walk away from me, Clark Kent!"
But Clark kept going, slamming the swinging double doors of the kitchen open as he went. He spared only a second of surprise at how empty the Talon had become. Chloe and Lana were sitting in a corner table with their backs to him, talking heatedly and Kate was seated alone at the bar. He stopped briefly by her side.
"Have you seen Lex?" he said with a shaking voice.
"He went to splash some cold water on his face," Kate replied, motioning to the restroom. "He's worried about you—"
"Never mind."
Clark turned on his heel and resumed his path to the front doors, deciding that another pair of sympathetic eyes burning into his soul was the last thing he needed, even if those eyes belonged to Lex. Once he was outside, he took a deep breath of the fresh night air and sighed, forcing his anger to subside as far as it would go.
Inside Kate watched Clark walk away until he was out of sight, then turned to the bar where she was nursing an iced coffee Lana had prepared for her. Blessedly Lionel was nowhere to be seen. After Clark had left the room, she realized she had better take cover in the ladies' room and when she returned, the old man and his thug were gone.
But just as she was reaching for her cup, a hand clamped down over her mouth from behind and half a second later, she was being dragged from the room. She tried to scream and kick, but the hand was clamped over her nose too, and she couldn't get enough air to make a sound. The second one of her heels hit the ground, the other arm of her assailant lifted her legs completely into the air. Lana and Chloe remained at their table, oblivious to what was going on behind them.
Soon they were out of Kate's view and she was being pulled into an area that was nearly pitch black. Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized she was in the Talon's old movie theater. The mercilessly strong arms that had her in a death grip suddenly jerked her around until she was facing the large movie screen. And Lionel Luthor, who was standing right in front of her. Lionel motioned to his bodyguard and the beefy hand was pulled away from her mouth, but in her sudden burst of fear, she was unable to make a sound.
"Miriam," Lionel croaked. "We meet again. I was under the impression you had been taken care of."
"Killed, you mean?" Kate said shakily.
"Oh come now," Lionel laughed. "Must we use such vulgar terms? It was a necessary business move. Or it would have been, had Mateo actually carried it out. But don't you worry. He will be dealt with as well."
"You're sick."
His laughing only increased. "Please, Miriam, you're embarrassing yourself. We're not here to talk about me. We're here to talk about you and your involvement with my son. Shall I assume that you're responsible for his recent affiliation with the Kent boy?"
"Lex is an adult. He can make his own decisions."
"Yes, well, I'm sure I'd hear the same thing from him, but it simply isn't true. He is young and emotional and that, my dear, is a deadly combination."
"You still haven't stopped with that "emotions are destructive" bullshit, I see," Kate quipped, regaining some of her confidence.
Lionel smiled dangerously. "That 'bullshit', as you so charmingly put it, is what got me where I am. Do you think I could have ascended to my current status by following my heart like a hungry cur follows the smell of rotting food? Not likely. You of all people, Miriam, should remember my M.O. The eye of desperation sees—"
"Spare me, old man. I'm not really in the mood for proverbs right now."
Frozen in mid sentence, Lionel looked into Kate's eyes, furious at having been cut off so rudely, and somehow remaining just as polite as ever. He made eye contact with his thug. "Turn her around," he spat.
Just as suddenly as she had been grabbed, Kate was whipped around by the bodyguard, whose face she couldn't see as her own face was buried in his wide chest. She heard Lionel step forward and begin to rub his hands down her back gently, making her want to vomit. He tugged lightly at her blouse until it was halfway up her back and she shivered as his experienced fingers traced over her scar.
"The Eye of Exile sees the truth," he said under his breath, mesmerized by the raised pattern of pink flesh.
When she thought she couldn't take anymore, Kate was turned around again to face Lionel. He smiled with mock sympathy at the tears that had found their way down her face.
"I think you have more to do with Lex's current love interest than you're telling me," he said. "And even if you didn't arrange it, you're certainly encouraging it. You're just as bad as his mother."
"Lillian was a better parent to him than you'll ever be," Kate whispered, her voice breaking.
The cold clouds of Lionel's face parted for just an instant, showing a hint of surprise, then came back together, covering his emotions. "You know nothing of my wife."
"I know she didn't love you," Kate went on, fuming. "I know that you wanted nothing to do with her when she was pregnant with your son. If you had your way, you would have sent her to a hospital somewhere for the entire nine months so you wouldn't have to see her on her 'ugly days.'"
"Where did you hear that?" Lionel said, recognizing Kate's words as his own.
"And you didn't want her to spend too much time with Lex because she was always encouraging his creativity, telling him it was okay to cry and all that nonsense."
"Did you know my wife?"
"And you were afraid to be by Lillian's side when she was alone on her deathbed! Her diminishing vitality was nothing but a reminder of your own weaknesses and your limited time on this planet!"
"Who are you?!"
"But I will tell you right now that your wife was never more beautiful than she was right before the end! Even then she was alive and full of love! And maybe it was because she knew she only had a little time left, or maybe it was because she regretted throwing her life away on a sick old man like you, but being in her presence during that time was like being near a divine entity. Love came out of her in waves and she was warm and unselfish and unflinchingly devoted to the happiness of her son after she wasn't there to guide him anymore! And that, Lionel Luthor, is a kind of love you will never experience or even understand! You can have your skyscrapers and your three-piece suits and your private jets! But Lillian was truly one of a kind, closer to perfection than most of us can even dream of becoming!"
"Kate," Lionel uttered, with a self assurance that was as frightening as it was sudden.
"What?" Kate blurted.
"You must be the infamous Kate I've read so much about." Kate wrinkled her brow, confused. "In my wife's diary, of course. Another foolish habit that, unfortunately for you, she never broke."
"You know..."
"I know everything about you, Kate. Oh, yes. I remember finding the diary after the funeral and reading about how you were always there for my wife when I wasn't, how warm and caring you were." Lionel was steadily advancing on her.
"I... I didn't..." Kate tried to back up, but the massive body behind her held its ground.
"Oh, but you did. You committed adultery with my wife. You seduced her away from her husband and her child so you could have your twisted sexual way with her. But I must say, it certainly is a shame that you could never satisfy like I could."
Kate's eyes suddenly turned cold, all fear draining from her body. "If you really read her diary," she said slowly, "then you know that simply. Isn't. True."
Fire blazed behind Lionel's eyes as his ears turned a pulsing shade of red. His lips twisted together in a grimace so tight that Kate wondered briefly if he would puncture the skin with his teeth and draw blood. She shrank unconsciously into the arms of the man behind her as the weight of Lionel's stare seemed to penetrate her skin and bring her blood to the point of boiling, and even then, she felt the satisfaction of the truth. Unable to stop herself, she let the corners of her mouth curl up in a victorious smile.
"Cat got your tongue, Luthor?"
As suddenly as his rage had arisen, it seemed to completely subside and he took a deep breath, allowing his face to return to its natural pallor. His eyes rose to those of his faithful servant.
"Take care of her," he said.
Without another look, he was walking toward the exit next to the movie screen, which led to the alley behind the Talon. The arms that held Kate suddenly tightened to the point of severe pain and just as Kate began to scream, the meaty palm found its way back to her mouth, efficiently cutting off her oxygen once more. She kicked and struggled, but to no avail. She found herself being dragged into a dark corner of the theater and her last thought as she began to lose consciousness due to lack of air, was of Lex.
Keep him safe, Clark, she silently prayed. Please keep him safe.
**********
Sitting at the bar, Lex nervously eyed Kate's cooling cup of coffee. When he returned from the restroom and she wasn't there, he assumed she had taken a turn in the ladies' room before he came out. But nearly ten minutes had passed since he had sat down at the bar, during which he had even knocked loudly on the restroom door with no answer, and he was getting worried. To top it all off, Lionel had made a surprise visit, and now he was nowhere to be found either. Lex was sure Lionel had been planning something. He rarely made unannounced visits unless he was about to drop a bombshell, though after seeing the spectacle that was already going on, he probably decided on a change of plan.
But now Lionel was missing, Kate was missing, and Lex was becoming extremely fearful of whatever the new plan might be. If only Clark would finish talking to his mother, he could help Lex search. He would keep Lex from panicking.
At about the moment he thought this, Martha finally emerged from the kitchen quietly, alone and obviously upset.
"Martha," Lex said, rising to his feet. "Are you okay? Is Clark with you?"
Lana and Chloe came over as well, concern in their eyes. Martha shook her head.
"He needed some air," she said flatly.
"You didn't happen to see where he went?" Lex pressed.
"No," she whispered, shaking her head again.
"Damn," he muttered. "I'm worried. I can't find my father or Kate, and now Clark is gone too. I hate to throw this on top of everything that has already happened, but knowing my father, he didn't come here without a reason. Clark may be in danger."
Chloe and Martha's eyes widened in fear at the prospect of Clark being hurt, as Lana narrowed her eyes at Lex angrily, seeming to blame him. He pretended not to notice.
"I'm going outside to look for Clark. If any of you could help me look, it would be a great help."
"I'll look around inside," Lana said curtly. "I have a few things to say to Clark myself."
Cringing at her icy tone, Lex headed for the front doors as Lana went into the back room to look around.
"Lex?" Chloe called. He stopped and turned around. "I'm coming with you."
She caught up to him in a matter of seconds, and together, they made off into the night, calling Clark's name. Soon realizing the futility of such an act, and that if Clark didn't want to be found he wouldn't be, they stopped yelling for him and contented themselves with starting a slow circle around the building. About halfway to the alley along the side of the Talon, Chloe broke the silence.
"I'm sorry about all of this," she said timidly.
"It's not your fault," Lex returned.
"It's not yours either, you know."
Lex was silent for a long time before he spoke again.
"It's just that if I hadn't come into Clark's life, none of this would have happened."
"And if you hadn't come into Clark's life," Chloe added, "he would be in prison right now, maybe even dead. So let's not go there, okay?"
Shooting a sideways smile at Chloe, Lex continued his slow pace with her at his side. "You knew about us already, didn't you?"
"Clark told me about a week ago. How did you guess?"
"Well, although you are one of the more open-minded members of this community, I think even you would be a little more freaked than you are."
"Freaked?!" Chloe cried, feigning offense. "I'll have you know there is nothing freaky about homosexuality! Meteor-powered bug men, shape-shifting teenage girls; now that's freaky. You and Clark are… well you're kind of cute."
Lex made an effort to keep the color from rising to his cheeks. "Still, the age difference has got to be hard to swallow. Not to mention the fact that we're from two different worlds." He stifled a chuckle at his unintended pun, but Chloe didn't seem to notice.
"I have to admit, it made me a little nervous at first. I don't know much about you or your family except what I hear around town. And needless to say, what I hear is rarely any good."
"So you came tonight to make sure I was on my best behavior?"
"You caught me. I wanted to see that you're really treating Clark the way he deserves to be treated."
"And?"
Chloe smiled. "And you didn't disappoint me. You obviously love him very much and you have my blessing." Lex smiled. "Just as long as you know that if you even think about hurting him, I'll kick your ass all the way back to Metropolis."
Lex laughed out loud for the first time that night, and just as they were turning the corner into the Talon's back alleyway, he stopped short. In the middle of the alley stood Clark, looking mildly disoriented.
"Clark!" Chloe exclaimed.
Clark didn't seem to notice them until they were right at his side, at which point the confusion immediately left his face and he grinned moderately. "Hey, guys."
"What are you doing back here?" Lex asked.
"I came out to get some air. I guess I just got turned around."
Lex's eyebrows pulled together, doubtful. It wasn't like Clark to get lost, especially on familiar grounds. Maybe the events of the night had upset him and he just wasn't paying attention to where he was going.
"Well, come on," Lex said, putting his arm around Clark's shoulders. "Let's get you back inside. Maybe you can help us find Kate."
"Kate's missing?" Clark asked.
Before Lex had a chance to answer, they heard a blood-curdling scream from inside the Talon, coming from the door just to their right, the exit from the movie theater.
"Lana," Chloe said.
Without even thinking, they all climbed up the steps, Clark taking them two at a time, and burst through the exit into the dark theater.
Allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, Lex finally recognized Lana at the top of the aisle, her eyes shining and her hand over her mouth as she focused on something high above her head. They all followed her gaze and gasped.
Near the middle of the aisle, a rope was hooked over one of the beams that ran parallel to the ceiling. One end of the rope was tied around the armrest of a nearby seat, and at the other end, swinging gently in the air conditioning, was a lifeless form whose head hung at a frightening tilted angle, the eyes slightly bulging as the noose pulled tightly at the neck. Lex felt his stomach drop as he recognized the figure as Kate.
"Clark," he whispered, groping for Clark's arm to keep him from falling down. Across the theater, Lana uttered the same word.
"Clark…" The tears began to fall from her eyes, and Clark found himself faced with the choice between two people he cared about very much, both needing his comfort.
He stood still for a long moment, looking at the two of them and then up at frightening display that had once been Kate. Then, inexplicably, Clark jogged to Lana's side, embracing her as she began to sob into his chest. Lex's heart pounded even harder and he crumbled into a sitting position on the ground, shaking his head as if he could make it all go away just by willing it. His breathing increased to the point of being out of control and he felt as though he were losing consciousness. He barely noticed as Chloe knelt down next to him, stroking his back up and down as she did her best to utter words of comfort.
"It's okay, Lana," he heard Clark whisper as Lana's sobs increased in volume. "I'm here. It's going to be okay."
Kate's body continued to swing gently above them, the sound of the creaking rope blending hideously with the chirping crickets outside.