TITLE: Double, Double, Love & Trouble? – Chapter 21

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: Another short chapter. Is anyone actually reading this?

He sat at his desk, studying a couple reports when the door opened.

"What are you doing son? An exciting new venture, something worthy of a captain of industry?"

He sat down the folders, and looked up, "I'm simply continuing where you left off, Dad. I, uh, can't talk now."

"Well, we better talk," he said as he walked towards the desk. "Genevieve Teague thinks you have the missing element. He shrugged, not understanding where his father was going. "The one from China."

"Come on, Dad. You've raised me to be smarter than that. Why use Genevieve Teague as a threat? Why not just come out and ask for it yourself?"

"I'm here as a father who's concerned about the safety of his son. She had Bridgette Crosby murdered because of one of those elements. You think she'd hesitate to do the same to you?"

Lex got up from his desk and started to make his way for the door. "I don't have it. And even if I did, I'd never trust you."

"Lex." The younger man stops. "We haven't a lot of time left to spend together. You can go on for the rest of your life being mistrustful of me, or you can accept me as your father who loves you." He lowered his eyes, doubting that fact. Then he gave one glance back to his father, and turned to leave. Lionel continued, "She's dangerous, Lex. She… Watch your back, son."

"I always do," was his answer as he left the room.

Lionel sighed. He knew that something else needed to be done to keep his family safe. Safe from what was happening with the women so involved with those stones. He took out his cell phone and started to make a call as he left the study.

The moonlight hit her naked back, making the tattoo stand out from her caramel colored skin. His fingertips lightly grazed over it, his mind turning over and over again. A few times he had almost suggested for her to try and get it removed. Especially since it wasn't something that she had wanted. But, he figured that if she wanted to, she would do it herself. It wasn't his place to try and force her into anything.

Jason laid there in the dark, looking at her. She was asleep. Completely dead to the word. Her face free from worry, or questions. Just peaceful slumber. He used to love to watch her sleep. But now… now he had so many questions. He wasn't awake to watch her. He was awake because he couldn't sleep. He couldn't rest.

Who had taken the stone? Where was the third one? What did they do? What would they do if someone had all three? He glanced at Lana again. Was he really sure that he wanted her to have all of them? Or would it be better if no one ever had all of them? And the small little nagging feeling he had about Clark was still there. He wanted to dismiss it as jealousy. But something told him not to discount Clark in all of this. Little facts, little tidbits from working at LuthorCorp kept popping into his mind.

He sighed lightly. Lana had been slightly different ever since they got back together after China. After I gave her that stone. His mind trailed off on that. Had the stone done something to her? But wouldn't it wear off once it was gone from her possession? Because he had it for a while, and it did nothing to him. His other hand fisted into the sheet. Why couldn't he figure this out?

She moved next to him. He stilled, not wanting to wake her. She rolled over and pressed herself up to his side, snuggling into his frame, and putting an arm on his chest. That made him feel better, as he wrapped an arm around her, nuzzled his nose into her hair, capturing her scent. His mind vowing to figure out what was happening if it was the last thing he did.

Lionel looked down at the bottle of wine in his hands. Reading the label, "It's a 1961 Bordeaux. I am honored." He handed the bottle back over to Genevieve.

She took the bottle and poured the liquid into the awaiting glasses, "Well I assume your visit at this late hour means I have… cause to celebrate."

"Don't all my visits deserve to be celebrated, Genevieve?"

"Some more than others."

"I used to be greeted with much more than a bottle of wine," he chuckled. She handed him his glass with a smile. He sniffed the glass, and then took a sip. "Mmm…"

Smiling seductively she asked, "Do you have something for me?"

"Yes. Information."

She blinked twice. "Information? I want the stone."

"Neither Lex, or I, have your stone."

She shook her head, "Lionel. I swear…" and then she smiled as he touched his throat uncomfortably.

"It's interesting the lengths we will go to, to get what we want." Lionel gasped and dropped his glass. It shattered against the floor. "No limits."

"What have you done?" he choked out as he fell to the floor, gasping and holding his throat.

Genevieve calmly put down her glass and walked towards him. "The wine you've just drunk will kill you in a matter of minutes. I'm told that the pain will be excruciating." Lionel looked up at her with anger in his hazel eyes.

"How about a trade? You give me that stone from China, and I give you…" she reached for the vial on her necklace, "… the antidote." He tried to grab it from her. "One more thing… you, Lex… ANYONE, get in my way of those stones, and this will be only the tip of the iceberg. Is that understood?" Lionel nodded. "Now, were is the stone? Where is that element?"

He couldn't talk, and clutched at his throat again.

She rolled her eyes and yelled, "Henry!" A moment later a very large man entered the room. Obviously a bodyguard. "Watch him. Don't let him do anything."

"Yes ma'am," was his only response as he moved and stood over the choking man.

Genevieve opened the vial and handed it to Lionel. He drank it quickly. The contents slowly seeped through his system. The bodyguard moved the older man onto the couch as she paced back and forth in front of him. "Okay, Lionel. Spill it."

He swallowed a few times. "I don't have it."

She turned in a rage on him, "Lionel!"

"That's the truth. And I truly believe that Lex doesn't either." He watched her fume in front of him. "Though you may not want to believe it. Jason did have it." Her eyes got wider. "He gave it to Lana."

"Doesn't he understand that she will try and kill all of us?"

"Lana won't. Isobel would." He rubbed his throat. "He's in love with her."

"That's it. I've been patient enough." She turned to the big guy, "Take him to the cabin. Watch him. If he escapes…" she didn't need to tell him what would happen.

Lionel was grabbed from the couch. "Genevieve, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"If it concerns my son it does."

"Since Lex doesn't have the stone, you have nothing to worry about."

"That's not the son I'm worried about!" he yelled as the man dragged him out of the door.

She tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the counter. "Jason my boy. You do not betray Mother."

To be continued.