TITLE: Double, Double, Love & Trouble? – Chapter 22

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: I know it's short. Deal with it! ;)

He paced back and forth as he talked into his phone. The daylight streamed into the large windows of the study, as he went on, "LuthorCorp is the legal conservator of the cave. We can do any excavation work we want down there." Lex stopped in mid-stride when the door opened and Jason walked in. "I'll have to call you back." He hung up the phone, "I thought we'd concluded our business."

"Not exactly." He rubbed the back of his head, trying to think of exactly what he wanted to say. "Listen, let's just state it like it is. I don't like you or trust you. You don't like me or trust me. But there is one thing, though I hate to admit, we have in common."

Lex looked up at him and stated the obvious answer. "Lana."

He nodded slightly, "We both want her safe." He swallowed, "And… I'm worried about her."

That got Lex's immediate attention, "Why? What happened?"

"I'm not sure. She's… She's just…"

"She's what?"

"She's just not herself." He couldn't think of what else to say. "It's just this… feeling I get."

"Is she possessed again?"

"No…" then he stopped, and rubbed his forehead, "At least I don't think so."

Lex sat on the edge of his desk, "You don't THINK so?"

"Well, she's not throwing me around the room. She's basically acting like herself. It's the… little things."

Lex nodded, stood and walked around his desk to sit down in the chair, "Maybe there's just trouble in paradise."

Jason sighed, "Lex… something is wrong. But even if there isn't, she is still in danger. With those stones out there. With who knows who…"

He leaned over his desk, "As you said, I don't trust you."

"Fine. Yes. I took the stone in China. I gave it to Lana. I didn't trust you. With good reason since you were having me tortured." He rolled his eyes, "Which backfired I might add. Good going."

"I'm willing to do just about anything to get what I want and protect the people in my life that are close to me."

Jason leaned over Lex's desk and stared back at the man, "So… am… I."

Their eyes held in an old fashioned stare down. Neither would dare to break away. Finally a small smile came over Lex's face. "Then we have an understanding."

The corner of Jason's mouth curved upwards, "I guess we do." He took a seat in the chair opposite of the other man. "We know there are 3 stones. The one I gave to Lana was stolen." He sighed, "And as we both know now, my mother has another one of them." Lex knew instantly that Jason had figured out whom had truly killed Bridgette Crosby. "But who has the 3rd one? The same person that stole the one from Lana, or someone else."

"How do you know that your mother doesn't have the one from Lana?"

"She's not that good of an actress."

Lex nodded, "How do you know that my father or myself doesn't have it."

Jason laughed, "Same reason."

He leaned back in his chair and touched his fingertips together in thought. "Then who do you suppose has it?"

"Who else knows about those caves? Who else is interested in them?"

That caught Lex's attention. "Why?"

Jason's head tilted at his question. Lex seemed very interested in that. He must know something. "Well the same symbols are on those cave walls. It would seem that whomever is trying to get those stones, would also then know about the caves. Have some interest in them." He leaned forward, "Why, Lex? Do you know someone who is really interested in those caves?"

"I'm not sure."

"You're lying."

Lex gave him a hard look, "I said I wasn't sure."

"Who are you trying to protect?" Jason stood up, "Let me guess…Clark?" He saw the spark in the man's eyes. "What is this friendship you two have?"

"Clark has nothing…"

Jason cut him off. "Oh really. Really? Well… I may hate to admit this. And I would hate to admit it to Lana, because it stems from the fact that they used to go out. But I did a little research on Clark. Do you have any idea what I found?"

"Obviously you aren't that secure in your relationship with…"

Jason stopped him, and waved him off. "You can try and spin this anyway you want. But a few simple facts remain about farm boy."

"So why don't you enlighten me."

He leaned back over the desk, looking Lex square in the eye. He wanted to see what his words would do to the other man. "Well, we could start with the fact that those same symbols at once time were burned into the Kent barn and fields." He saw a small flicker. "Some high school prank. I doubt it." He continued. "Seems Clark also knows Bridgette Crosby." Another flicker. "But what I did find rather interesting, is that Clark has no record of ever being born."

With that Lex stood up, "That's enough."

"Again, Lex, I question. Why are you protecting him?" The other man paced back and forth. Jason pushed himself away from the desk. "Unless, you have more than just friendship with farm..." It would explain a lot.

Lex cut him off with a glare. "Clark is too naive too do anything underhanded."

"Unless he doesn't think it's underhanded. Unless he thinks he's doing the right thing." He knew what that was like.

"Do you honestly think that Clark would steal the stone from Lana?"

"I'm not sure. I don't trust him any more than I trust you."

Lex shook his head, "Is there anyone you do trust Jason?" But then he nodded, "Oh yes, Lana."

Jason almost laughed, almost. Because the question cut so close to home. That was the problem. He didn't trust anyone… even Lana.

To be continued.

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