Chapter 22

Harmony did her best to start recovering from Jonathan's death, but she didn't know where to begin. Clark was devastated, Martha was numb, the town was in shock, and there was a growing shadow inside of Lex that Harmony couldn't ignore. The evening after the funeral, Harmony sat on her bed in the mansion and watched the snow fall silently outside her window.

"What's happening, Lex?" she asked softly, when he joined her, sitting rigidly with his back to the window. She was leaned against the footboard so she could look out the window.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and though he looked toward her, he didn't look directly at her.

"With you," she replied. "You're changing. Something's changing inside you. I can feel it. You're slowing turning into the man you've been fighting again for as long as I've known you. Clark feels it, too. What's happening? It's your father, isn't it?"

Lex shook his head. "It's circumstance, Harmony. Too hard to explain."

Harmony crawled across the bed to kneel next to him. Picking up his hand, she looked into his eyes, where she could see the battle raging inside him. "I know you're trying to hold on to the man I fell in love with. Why are you pushing me out when I can help you do that?"

Lex looked away. "I can't- Harmony, how do I- what am I trying to say?" he rubbed his forehead.

Harmony dropped her eyes. "The same thing you said when you were lying in the recovery room at the hospital, the night you were shot," she answered.

"What's that?" Lex asked, puzzled.

"Lana."

Lex jerked, leaping to his feet. "What? No, I didn't. I couldn't. I wouldn't. Harm, I would never-"

"But you did, Lex," Harmony looked up. "When I was there. She wasn't even in town, and I was there all night. And yet, hers was the name on your lips when you were unconscious. Why is that, do you suppose?" Harmony wasn't angry, or jealous, only sad.

Lex stared at Harmony. He didn't know what to say. He knew he hadn't told her about the dream he'd had about the future, the night he'd been shot. In his dream, he'd been living an amazing, simple, middle-income life with Lana. They had a son, and Lana was pregnant again. In his dream, though, Harmony was no where around, and Jonathan was alive. He'd only told Lana about that dream, and even then, only that she'd been in it. No details at all. Here, though, now, Harmony sat before him, looking up at him, confronting him as though she knew about the dream. She acted as though she knew about his hidden feelings for Lana Lang. Yet, she appeared only saddened by something that she thought for sure she knew. Lex felt something inside himself that he hadn't felt in a very long time, something he was afraid that, in the strangeness of the last few months, he'd somehow lost: his love for Harmony Kent. He fell on the bed next to Harmony, pulling her into his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Harmony," the words rushed out, tumbling over themselves. "I don't know what's been going on in my head. I've been so busy, with the campaigning, and fighting with my father, and my company, that I've been neglecting you."

Harmony started, then returned his embrace. It felt nice to be close to Lex again. Maybe things might be ok, after all. But before she let him off the hook entirely-

"So that kiss with Lana in your office-" she began, though she was only partially malicious.

"Drunk," Lex cut her off so fast, Harmony burst out laughing. "I was trashed. You shoulda seen me. Completely wasted. I'm surprised I could even stand up to kiss anyone. Heck, I don't even know how I could even find her lips, I was so drunk. Very, very drunk. Drunk, drunk, drunk."

"Ok, Lex, I got it!" Harmony patted his cheek, still laughing. "You were drunk. We'll let this one slide."

Lex grinned. "Ok," he leaned forward, pressing his lips to Harmony's. "Just to make sure," he whispered.

They spent the rest of the afternoon and late into the night working on wedding plans. Harmony found a dress she liked, even though she wasn't sure it was the one she wanted, so Lex ordered it for her. They also called a wedding planner, who was scheduled to come to the mansion early the following week. To Harmony, though, the highlight of their evening was their discussion about the wedding date.

"Winter!" Harmony clapped. "I want a Christmas wedding."

"No way!" Lex clapped back, though he was being facetious. "Far too cold."

Harmony pouted, and Lex laughed, looking back at the calendar. "You'll get over it, dear."

This made Harmony grin, in spite of herself, so she threw a pillow at Lex, who promptly launched it back, knocking Harmony off her chair and onto the floor. With a snarl, she lunged at Lex, and they wrestled around Lex's office until Lex crashed into the chair that Harmony had been inhabiting and it fell over, smashing into the glass coffee table. Lex jumped as the coffee table shattered.

"Aw, man!" he huffed. "You know how many times I've had to replace that thing?"

Harmony shrugged, breathing heavily. "Well, next time, don't get glass," she suggested, hands on her hips as she tried to catch her breath.

Lex leaned over, hands on his knees, as he too struggled to breath. With an evil grin, Harmony shoved him, and he fell over the arm of the couch to land with his legs flopped over the back, head hanging where his feet should be.

"That wasn't nice," he pointed at her, making no effort to right himself.

"You knocked my chair over," she retorted. "And broke the coffee table."

"Again," he sighed. "Hmm. The damage doesn't look so bad upside down."

Harmony laughed. "Get up, goofball." She turned and walked out of the office.