TITLE: Double, Double, Love & Trouble? – Chapter 20
WRITTEN BY: Heather Ferguson (fergus80)
RATING: PG-13 (NC-17 where applicable will be separate)
SUMMARY: Rewrite from the end of the episode 'Unsafe.'
SPOILERS: Everything!
DISCLAIMER: All Smallville character belong to their respective whatever, the WB, etc. etc.
FEEDBACK: Always makes me smile:)
DEDICATION: To all the fellow Nuns, writers, reviewers, and readers at NWP, and of course Jensen!
RANT: hehehe, I had fun with this one! There is still a lot to go. Hope you guys all stay with it. (The few of you who are reading this.) Hint… you could tell others that this Smallville fic is actually okay… ;) lol
It was late. She wanted to go. She wanted to go, now. Her eyes scanned the almost empty room. The so-called 'geeks' had already made it a night. The couples and other 'popular' groups had already left, for the local motels, more than likely. Which left the awkward groups. The few who wanted that one last dance. For this oh, so perfect night to never end.
Isobel sighed. She thought the night would NEVER end. She was beginning to wonder, if the stones were really worth all this trouble. Then a smile came over her face. Once she got her hands on all three, she would make everyone pay for making her go though this night of torture.
"Your punch."
She almost jumped at the sound of his voice. "Oh, thanks." She looked up and took the glass from Clark. She had forgotten that she had asked for some so that she could sit down and get away from him for a minute. She took a few obligated sips, and then looked up. "Clark?"
"Yes?"
"Ummm… I don't want to be a…" She stopped, and tried to think of what the exact terminology was. Lana's knowledge sprang to her mind, and she continued, "party pooper. But… I'm exhausted."
He smiled back at her, "Yeah, it is pretty late. Do you want to go home?"
She just about laughed at the tone of voice to his question. She could tell that he didn't want to take her home. But exactly what was this goody goody REALLY going to try for tonight? "If you wouldn't mind."
"No problem," he said and offered her his arm. She took it and stood. They made their quick goodbyes, and he escorted her out of the gym and to the car.
She stood at the table, pruning one of her plants as the door opened behind her. She didn't turn to look whom had come into her hotel room. She already knew. Could tell by the scent of the cologne.
"Genevieve. You know, I'm not accustomed to being summoned like a lapdog."
She grinned, "Don't be silly, Lionel. I'd never allow you on my lap… again. We all know how that turned out."
His hazel eyes danced as he chuckled and then replied, "So, why am I here? If not for the pleasure of your company." He dropped his jacket on the coffee table, and she turned around to face him.
"It's time to repay old debts, Lionel. Arranging your release from maximum security prison was not an easy task, and I have yet to receive even a hint of gratitude."
He smiled, "Well, I've been racking my brain trying to write a thank-you note, but words could never express the way I feel."
"Your son just returned from China with a lost element, and I would like you to retrieve it for me."
He laughed, "Only thing is. You are thinking of the wrong son. It was Jason who brought the stone back home."
"No, no," she shook her head, "Jason's incapable of such subterfuge. While he received his genes from a cunning source, he was raised by my husband's side of the family."
"Yeah, I never thought you married well." He poured himself a drink.
"But Lex, on the other hand, also grew up with you."
"You know, there were other treasure seekers in China, Genevieve," he said as he sat on the couch.
She smiled, "A farm boy, an ex-cheerleader, and Lex Luthor."
"Mm," was his only response.
"Whom do you think ended up with the prize?"
"Well, MY son hasn't been listening to me. What do you want me to do, give him a good spanking?" He chuckled and took a long drink.
She glared at him, "You know, Lionel, I don't think either one of us wants me to go after Lex myself."
He suddenly got very serious, "You be careful, Genevieve. I regard a threat to ANY Luthor as a threat to me."
"Interpret it any way you like. I want that stone, Lionel." She turned and walked back to her plant.
He finished his drink, sat it on the table and walked to the door. He turned back to her, "You should ask YOUR son. But then again, he probably wouldn't tell you." He saw the shock in her eyes. He stared at her for a moment, "The one weakness ALL Luthor men seem to have… the love of a woman." She blinked twice at his small confession before he exited the room.
He sat on the window ledge looking out into the dark. His eyes kept moving from the dark street, to the clock and then to large envelope in his hand. The longer he waited, the more he thought, the heavier his heart was getting. There was something wrong. Something seriously wrong and he couldn't figure it out.
Jason looked down at the package in his hands. It was from Central Kansas. He knew it was her acceptance letter and paperwork. They had been hoping and planning on her getting in so they could be together at the same campus in the fall. He had found it when he came into the apartment. It had been sitting on her kitchen cupboard, unopened. From the date on the letter, it must have been there a few days. It just didn't make sense.
None of this made sense. Lana hadn't been making sense. But he couldn't put his finger on it. It was like she wasn't herself. He had even entertained the notion that she had been possessed again, but had quickly dismissed the possibility because of the times that she was his Lana. She had all her memories. She answered to Lana. And his biggest clue was that he wasn't being thrown around the room.
But still, this was not her. Lana would have told him about the letter. Lana would have opened it when she got it. Lana would not have been dancing with Clark like…
His eyes went back to the street. It was past midnight. She said she would try to be home early and that he could come over. His hands gripped the envelope tighter. Unless she had went somewhere with…
His train of thought stopped as he saw a sports car pull up outside the Talon. He didn't recognize it. He squinted trying to make out who was in the car. It wasn't Chloe's or Lois's car. It also wasn't Clark's truck. But he didn't have to guess anymore when Clark got out of driver side and walked around to open the other door. His hand reached in and helped Lana out of the car.
Jason felt his heart in the pit of his stomach. His brain still trying to tell him that there was an explanation for all of it. He watched him walk her to the door. He watched him lean in and… she hugged him. He stopped breathing as he watched. As she pulled away she gave a soft kiss to his cheek. She pulled her keys from her purse as they talked a little, and then he turned and headed down the steps.
His head was spinning. He wasn't sure what to make of the whole thing. They had danced. He had driven her home. They hugged. She kissed his… cheek. What the hell was that supposed to mean? He could take it as being friends. That's what he WANTED to believe. But it could mean a lot more. He rubbed his forehead as he heard the keys in the door.
He sat at the window as he watched her walk into the dark apartment. She sat her stuff down, kicked off her shoes into the corner, and then reached for the light. He decided to catch her off guard, "I decided to surprise you."
"Jason?" She said with wide eyes, "Wow. This is a surprise." She stumbled slightly. She saw him sitting at the window. She knew he saw Clark drop her off. "I was just going to call you."
He just nodded as he stood from his spot and walked towards her. She eyed what he was holding, and pointed at it. "What's that?"
He tilted his head to the side, thinking, "You don't know what this is?" Isobel shook her head no. "Well, since it was sitting in a pile of your mail, I thought you would know what it was."
She shook her head again, and then tried to read where the letter was from. Central Kansas. Her brain suddenly caught on. The university. "When did that come?" She tried to play it off.
"Lana, we have been planning on you coming to Central Kansas with me since I got here."
"I didn't see the letter." She tried to defend herself.
He held up the thick envelope, "You didn't see this?"
"I've not been thinking that straight lately."
Jason nodded, "Uh huh. Because of Clark?"
She blinked. She knew this was coming. "So the real reason comes out." But she wasn't prepared for his next statement.
"I was at the school. I saw the two of you dancing."
Her whole will tried to make her body language not betray her shock or concern. "So?" She asked, not willing to give up anything.
"So?"
"I danced with a friend. Is that a crime?" But her whole brain was screaming at her to find out what he had seen. Was he there the whole night? Because if he was… Well, there was no explaining that.
He walked closer to her, threw the letter on the counter, "I saw the dance. It was a slow song. You had your head on his shoulder."
The dance. He had said the, as in single, not plural. She wanted to smile. She took a step towards him. "Are you going to blame me for wanting to have one slow dance with a guy at my senior prom?"
His jaw clenched. "I came to the dance, so that you could."
"But I didn't know that." She saw the wavering in his eyes. She just had to push a little bit more. "Clark is a friend. It's not like I was dancing with a stranger. We all came as friends. He danced with Lois and Chloe too." She lied through her teeth.
"He dropped you off at the door."
She continued to play through it. "He dropped Lois and Chloe off at the door too. He was sorta doing triple duty for us girls. He was being his normal, sweet, self."
Jason pulled his shoulders back, and let out a breath. It was all plausible. It could all make perfect, innocent sense. And that was the problem. Too many things lately could be one way or another.
She moved closer to him, and ran her hand up over his chest, to the back of his neck. "Jason… I left Clark at the door, and I was coming up here to call you. If that doesn't tell you anything…" She smiled up at him through her lashes, "Then maybe this will." Her hand pulled him down to her. Her lips caught his in a soft kiss. Her other hand moved up and into his hair as she deepened the kiss, and leaned her body into his.
He could feel himself giving in. His heart was yearning to believe her. Most of his brain wanted to believe her. But part of his soul was not accepting it. He pulled away slightly out of breath, "Lana… I want to believe you. But you and Clark…"
Her hands lightly moved over his cheek, "Clark and I may have been an item. A very short term item at that. But that was in the past. I'm leaving the past behind for a future." She smiled up at him. How true were those words? The past was dead and gone. She now had a new future to live. "My future involves you." That was for sure, but exactly how she hadn't yet determined.
She looked over at the envelope. "Jason. I seriously didn't know it had come." She turned on the hundred-watt smile, "I can't wait till the fall. To be at the university with you." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him again.
His arms went around her, and he held her tight. Grasping to the belief that it was all true. He pulled back, and his hand cupped the side of her face, his eyes looking deeply into hers. Trying to see her. Trying to see her soul. See the truth. "Lana…" it seemed to almost be a question.
"Yes?" When he didn't go on, she decided to move things forward, "Now, if I remember right. You were going to help me out of this dress."
Her playful tone. The seductiveness in her eyes. She was his weakness, and she knew how to capitalize on it. His hands went to her hair, and slowly he removed the clips and the flowers. Her eyes closed at the soothing and loving way his fingers moved in her hair. She was surprised at the jealously that it brought forth in her. Because even though he was doing this to her, he was actually doing it to Lana. But she refused to think like that. Especially when his lips traveled over the nape of her neck.
A small moan rushed past his ear, as his fingers slowly moved down her back, taking the zipper with them. Her hands found their way under his shirt and up to his bare shoulders. Her feet stepped out of the dress after it pooled at her feet. Her arms then pulled him backwards with her towards her bedroom. His body almost too willing to enter the lion's den.
To be continued.