MY FIRST TASTE
EPISODE 9
'Shattered'
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing Broken your servant I kneel It seems what's left of my human side Is slowly changing in me 'Down With the Sickness' - Disturbed
When Lex was 7 years old, his father hosted an elaborate celebration party for the newly elected Kansas governor, Mike Hayden. Lex had been sent to his room to play with Pamela until bedtime because children were considered a nuisance - not to be tolerated until they were old enough to hold an intelligent conversation. Unfortunately, Lionel's strict and thorough education of his son was enough to have already instilled a strong interest in politics, and Lex couldn't suppress the bitterness he felt at being left out.
After Pamela went to bed, Lex dressed and snuck through the mansion, making his way silently down to the party. He hid in corners and crevices, behind various pieces of furniture, until he found himself right in the heart of the party, tucked safely beneath the buffet table. For over an hour, he watched the feet of the attendees as they gathered around the table, listened to the conversations that floated down to him, acquired information about various affairs and black mailings that he could have cared less about. Only a few conversations held any interest to him - one that involved a new toy store one of his father's guests was opening in Kansas City and another about a polo pony that was for sale.
Other than that, Lex was bored for the most part, sprawling on the marbled floor on his stomach, head tucked against his arms as he occasionally drifted off to sleep. Eventually, he saw his mother's low-heeled pumps approach, stopping just a foot or so from his father who was speaking with the governor about a new tax break for business owners. She announced that she was headed upstairs to check on Lex and kiss him goodnight.
Lex panicked. Knowing he needed to get back upstairs before his mother beat him there, he scrambled as quickly as he could out from under the back of the table, accidentally kicking the table leg in the process. It was enough to knock over one of the candles above, right into a dish of flambéed bananas. The alcohol in the dish instantly ignited and within moments, the entire buffet was in flames.
By the time the fire department departed along with the last remaining guests, Lex could barely remain on his feet from the trembling of his legs as he waited for his punishment. His father wasted little time with yelling - he called Lex a stupid, misbehaved brat and then backhanded him across the face. Lionel's ring caught his upper lip, tearing it open with the hit. Later that night, as Lex lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, the last of his tears streaming down his cheeks, he silently vowed that one day he would kill his father.
Now, that day had come.
Three days earlier.
It was difficult to pay attention to the words on the page in his hand. Lex took a quick breath, blinked and focused again as he moved down the hall toward the study. The anger was simmering just beneath the surface, and so far, he was pleased with how well he'd controlled it. Since he returned to the mansion after the surprise announcement by his father regarding closing the Plant, Lex hadn't destroyed anything. He hadn't yelled at a single staff member or given into the desire for the childish tantrum he was longing to throw. Of course, there was too much on his mind to give in to the numerous emotions raging through him. He had calls to make, plans to devise, a proposal to put together. And somewhere, he had to locate a hell of a lot of money.
Time was of the essence, and it was the one thing Lex knew he had very little of. His father was already far out in front, continuing to make his moves while Lex floundered in the background, trying to figure out where to move next. He wasn't going to lose this one - there was too much at stake. It wasn't so much that he'd found a home, it was that he'd finally taken control of his life. Lex wasn't about to let his father take that from him again. Not ever.
Setting his jaw, Lex rounded the corner into the study, only to come to a halt at the sight of Hudson standing at his desk, her back to him. She'd left messages on his phone all morning, asking him to call her when he had the chance and, unfortunately, he hadn't had the chance. That, coupled with the fact that he didn't know if he could handle her questions at the moment made for an enormous amount of discomfort at the coming conversation.
"Hudson, I got your messages but I've been having a bad day."
She spun around at his voice and a tentative smile appeared on her face. She was holding the strange octagonal disc that his team uncovered in Miller's Field -the same one Dr. Hamilton claimed was made of something unidentifiable. His gaze drifted from the disc to her face, curious at the almost guilty expression that was present. It was possible that Hudson didn't enjoy getting caught touching things that weren't hers in the first place. He was tempted to make a comment to that effect, just to make certain she didn't do it again, but instead decided to let it go.
"Are you okay?" She asked, moving to meet him in the center of the room. She slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him briefly before glancing up, the expression of guilt having given way to earnestness.
"That's the most ridiculous question I've heard yet," Lex remarked blandly before pulling away from her embrace and moving around the desk.
"Sorry." Hudson dropped her gaze to the object in her hand, twirling it around in her fingers as the silence stretched between them.
Well, he might have made it without attacking his staff but apparently the same couldn't be said of the only person in this town who really seemed to give a damn.
Suppressing a sigh, Lex dropped down into his chair. "No, I'm sorry, Hudson. You didn't deserve that. I'm just. on edge."
She nodded before slipping into the seat across from him, still refusing to meet his gaze. She seemed fascinated by the disc, almost as much as he was.
Trying to lighten the mood a little, Lex folded his arms onto his desk and leaned over with a forced smile. "Sure you can afford to be seen with the town pariah?"
Hudson looked up at that, a smile hovering. "I'll take my chances." Her eyes dropped back to the disc for a brief moment before meeting his once more. "What happened, Lex?"
"The two theories seem to be. " Lex leaned back in his chair thoughtfully, as if taking a moment to remember everything he'd heard so far. "Either I ran the Plant into the ground through incompetence, or did it deliberately so that I could go back to Metropolis."
Hudson frowned over his reply. "But your dad already offered you a job in Metropolis. Just tell people the truth."
Lex shook his head over her naivety. "Then I get stuck with the incompetence rap. Being reviled is the lesser evil."
"I don't understand."
"No. And I hope you never do, Angel," Lex replied, searching her eyes.
She blinked before glancing back down at the disc that had settled into the palm of her hand. "I guess you're going back to Metropolis then." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Lex didn't want to get her hopes up, nor did he wish to see her so upset. "That's why my father orchestrated this coup," he told her with a nod. "But this isn't over."
Her head popped back up, gaze curious. "You have a plan?"
"Maybe."
Sure, he had a plan. Being raised in the family he was, you were taught to always have a plan. The question was, would it work? Was it enough to get past his father, or was he still that many steps ahead of Lex? Had his father already anticipated his next move? There were too many questions. He needed to regroup, think, clear his head before he jumped ahead and possibly made a stupid mistake.
He was not going back to Metropolis.
"You have a lot of work to do."
Lex broke from his reverie at Hudson's voice, glancing at her as she stood. Brow furrowing, he stood as well, moving around the desk to reach her before she walked away. Catching her chin with his fingers, he drew her closer to him and kissed her lips lightly.
"Thanks for stopping by, Angel. It means a lot."
She smiled just a little and Lex tried not to think that he was responsible for the sorrow in her gaze. They'd had so little time together the past few weeks and now with this. Damn his father!
Lifting her eyes to his, she replied, "What're friends for?"
"You mean besides make-out sessions on the couch?" Lex teased softly.
A bigger smile. "Yeah. Besides that."
Smiling for real for the first time that day, Lex drew her closer, his lips pressing against hers gently, before deepening the kiss. He found himself wishing they could go back to yesterday, before he had any idea of the upheaval that was to take place in his life. When he simply looked forward to the summer and Hudson being out of school, more afternoons and later nights to spend together. They'd been interrupted by his father's call yesterday, and today, Lex could barely think of anything other than his father - and how much he wanted to beat him at his own game.
Lex broke the kiss before he became too wrapped up in it and the fact that Hudson tasted like peanut butter. He was suddenly filled with the strangest urge for a peanut butter and honey sandwich.
"You'll be okay?" Hudson's expression was one of disappointment, but for once she wasn't pushing, wasn't using her innocent charm to make him let her stay.
"Yeah. I'll be fine," Lex assured her, taking a step back. "Go on. I'll talk to you later."
She flashed him a smile and turned to leave.
"Hudson?"
"Yeah?" She glanced over her shoulder.
Lex pointed to her hand. "You have something of mine."
She followed his gaze, her eyes widening a little as she seemed to realize she was still holding the octagonal disc. "Oh. Oh! Sorry." Hudson moved back up to him and held it out. "What is it?"
"Just a scrap my team discovered in the field last week." Lex shrugged.
After their conversation in the loft regarding the farmer's claim of a ship coming down with the meteors, he wasn't certain he wanted to share all of his information with Hudson just yet. While she hadn't outright laughed at him, Lex could tell that she'd been upset by his comments, probably believing he would fall for anything. As much as he tried to explain that a part of him simply needed to know what caused the meteor shower, why it happened that particular day -- why he was left bald and freakish and terribly alone - Lex didn't believe that Hudson could ever truly understand. She believed in living for today, ignoring the past, looking on to the future. And he didn't want that to change about her, not ever. He just wished that she would understand he couldn't live the same life as her.
Hudson was staring at the disc as he held it, before finally raising her gaze back to his. "Well, I'm going to go and get my chores done. If you need anything. "
"I know." He smiled again when she leaned up to kiss his cheek. And then she was gone.
Lex lifted his hand, his eyes moving over the octagonal shape before him. Dr. Hamilton's words came back to him 'There is nothing like this alloy on this earth'. He wanted to locate Eddie Cole, question him some more; he wanted to have Dr. Hamilton conduct more research; he wanted.
He had work to do. Sighing, Lex slipped the disc into a small box on his desk before going back to the file he'd been working on.
Present.
Hudson could honestly say that night was the first time she actually was having fun as a teenager with other teenagers. She'd already been asked to dance by two different guys - only one of which was actually in her class - and not counting Pete, with whom she giggled the entire time they danced because she towered so far above him. Chloe had her share of dances as well and, when they weren't dancing, they gathered around with Lana and Erica and talked about dresses and boys and what they were going to do over the summer. The band was an up-and-coming group from Metropolis, and though Hudson didn't recognize any of their music, Chloe said they were quickly becoming one of her favorite bands.
Occasionally, as the conversation around her drifted to topics Hudson wasn't very interested in, her gaze would drop to the corsage that was tied at her wrist. Three lavender roses with tiny lilac hydrangea blossoms and an ivory colored ribbon. She brushed her fingers over the petals, smiling a little at the memory of receiving it that afternoon. Lex had said something about wanting to give her more but knew her parents wouldn't allow her to accept it. She'd been surprised to see him at all, let alone that he would bring her a corsage when there was so much going on in his life at the moment. He'd said. she was that important to him.
That afternoon.
Violet.
That was the color of her dress. Chloe wanted her to go with black, her mother had preferred the pink, her father hadn't liked it in any color. It was strapless, which hadn't pleased him at all, and a little more expensive than what they had agreed to. Hudson produced some extra money she'd stowed away from her allowance and there wasn't much he could say after that. Her mother thought it looked beautiful on her; and she was sixteen now, so there was no reason she shouldn't be allowed to wear a strapless gown.
Hudson chose the violet because it reminded her of the shirts Lex wore. Even though he wasn't attending the dance with her, she thought he would appreciate the color. Of course, she hadn't admitted as much to anyone and she loved harboring the secret, smiling to herself as her mother complimented the color on her, silently thinking how it would be her own little way of having Lex with her throughout the evening. She was such a sap.
It would be another hour before Chloe arrived to pick her up. She was hiding out in the loft, safe from her dad and his camera obsession. With any luck, she and Chloe would be able to hurry off to the dance before he cornered them both, humiliating them through a half hour session of 'Kent Keepsake Photography'. As predicted, the photo album of her freshman year was almost completely filled. Hudson figured they would be purchasing a new album before spring was over.
Picking up the pearl necklace her mom gave her to wear for the evening, Hudson held the clasp back with her fingernail then lifted it up around the back of her neck to secure. Unfortunately, it closed before she could slip the ring into the clasp. Frowning, she brought her hands back around, fiddled with it again, then pulled it behind her neck once more. Letting the clasp close, she let go, only to have the necklace slide over her shoulders, down her collar bone and into the front of her dress.
"Hell!"
Shoving her hand into the bodice, Hudson grabbed the necklace, shook it in her fist for a moment as if she could teach it a lesson, then went through the entire process again. Hearing footsteps, she sighed.
"Mom, I need help!"
"I'm not 'mom', but I'm always willing to come to the rescue of a damsel in distress."
Hudson whirled around, smiling brightly as Lex cleared the last step into the loft, returning her smile with a slight smirk. "Lex, I thought you were holed up in the mansion?"
"I needed to get out and clear my head." He shrugged as he moved closer to her. "And what do you know - I ended up here. Could you use some assistance?"
She held the necklace out to him. "I've got butterfingers tonight, or something. I can't make it behave."
"Turn around." He waited until her back was to him, and then looped the necklace around the front of her neck, clasping it in the back. "There."
"Thanks." Hudson remained still as she felt his fingers drift over her shoulder blades, up around the top of her shoulders, then down her upper arms where his fingers closed over her skin gently. She trembled slightly when his lips pressed against the back of her neck.
"You smell good," he whispered, his nose nudging the back of her ear.
"That's called perfume, dork."
Lex lifted his head and Hudson glanced over her shoulder to see him flashing her a frown. "Did you just call me a dork?"
She nodded, turning back to face him. "I did, indeed. D-O-R-K." She spelled the words out with her finger drawing them in the air between them. "Dork."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "See if I ever give you another compliment."
She grinned.
Shaking his head, Lex took a step back, his gaze sweeping over her. "That's a different color for you."
"Do you like it?" She picked up her skirt and twirled around for him, showing off the gown.
"I'd say yes but I might be called a dork for doing so." He flashed a teasing smile.
Hudson stuck her tongue out at him. "What's got you in such a good mood?"
Lex shrugged, moving up to her once more, one arm slipping around her waist. "I don't know. Maybe you just have that affect on me."
"Or maybe you were sniffing glue in your study."
Lex took a deep breath as he stared at her. "You're in rare form today. Keep that up and Chloe might kill you before the night is over."
"I can take her."
Smiling, Lex pulled her closer, his hands drifting over the curve of her ass. "You're not planning on secretly meeting your new boyfriend at this dance tonight, are you?" Lex asked softly, his gaze intent on hers.
"And what if I am?" Hudson teased, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. They swayed a little, as if dancing.
"Then I might have to get jealous and angry," Lex warned, only half-teasing as he leaned in closer, his mouth hovering over hers.
"And break things?"
"Maybe."
Hudson shivered a little as his lips brushed lightly across hers, warm breath tickling the edge of her upper lip.
"I'd have to teach you who you belong to," he continued, tongue moving out to caress the corner of her mouth. "So that you never forget."
A sound escaped her throat, a whimper maybe, before Lex completely claimed her mouth with his, tongue quickly pushing past to meet hers, twisting around it. Her fingers curled into the material of his coat, just so that she had something to hold on to, fearing that he might, at any moment, let go of her waist and she knew she couldn't hold herself up. Her toes were curling; his kisses had a way of doing that to her.
Lex broke the kiss, trailing a few brief pecks over her lips before finally pulling away. He smiled at her. "You're getting better at that."
"I have a good teacher."
"We're going to have to resume those lessons soon." He reached into his pocket and held out his hand to her. In it sat a clear plastic container, a spray of fresh flowers inside. "I brought this for you."
"Oh, Lex!"
Sweeping it from his hand, Hudson opened the lid, pulling out the wrist corsage of lavender roses and lilac hydrangeas. It matched her gown perfectly.
She lifted her gaze to his. "But. how did you know what color I was wearing?"
Lex smirked. "A little bird told me." At her frown, he added, "I can't divulge all my secrets, Angel. Then there would be very little mystery left. I wish I could give you more but your parents. " He trailed off and shrugged.
Shaking her head, Hudson slipped the corsage onto her wrist, admiring it for a moment before looking back up at him. "Thank you, Lex. It's perfect. And much more than I expected. I mean, with everything going on right now, I didn't think I'd even see you. "
Cupping her face with his hands, Lex held her gaze silently as his thumbs moved over the line of her jaw. Finally, he replied, "I don't care what's going on in my life, I don't care how many factories my father closes or what kind of hell he is currently raising, nothing is more important to me than you. Nothing. "
Present.
The longer Lex stood there, the wind howling around him, the walls of the castle creaking beneath the strain, his father calling out to him, the more reasons he came up to just leave his father there, to walk away, pretend there was nothing he could do. And it had to do with more than the scar that was permanently affixed on his lip, the one that would always remind him of just what a bastard his father really was. It had to do with more than the fact that he hadn't been allowed to properly mourn for his mother's death (Luthor's don't cry! Stop acting like such a child, Lex!). The list went on, would probably go on for the rest of his life, because Lex was almost certain his father would outlive him, just out of spite, just so that Lex never forgot what it was to be properly humiliated and kicked while he was down. This could be his only chance to be free.
So whatever it was that spurred him to move, to shove aside those thoughts and change his mind, Lex didn't question it. Deep inside, he knew that it was right - he couldn't let his father die. For whatever kind of bastard Lionel Luthor might be, he was still his father and the only family Lex had left. If he lost him now, Lex would never have the chance to show him that he was worthy, that he was good enough. He would never have the chance to make his father proud.
"Dad!" Lex called out to him, moving forward in the hope that he would be able to pull the fallen debris from his father and get him to safety.
At that moment, the wind seemed to grow fiercer and the ceiling above cracked and groaned and more debris began falling around them. Lionel cried out as more chunks of wood and plaster flew toward him.
"Dad!"
Lex panicked, fearing he moved too late. A large piece of plaster slammed into him, knocking him off of his feet. He scrambled to his knees, reaching for his father, who now lay silent and unmoving beneath the column.
One day earlier.
Lex believed that the meeting with the managers of the Plant had gone well. Though they weren't one hundred percent convinced that his plan would work, none of them had outright refused. And Gabe. Lex had a feeling Chloe's father might be his staunchest supporter. There was something in the man's eyes as he listened to Lex's proposal that slowly changed from disbelief to hope. It was something, at least. If Gabe believed in him, then he might be able to fully convince the others. And they might have a chance.
Everything was based on if's at the moment, and Lex hated that. He wanted certainty, he wanted to know absolutely that he would be able to beat his father at this game, that he could walk into LuthorCorp Monday morning, hand over his proposal and a bank draft, and walk out with the ownership papers. But his father would never allow it to happen that way; Lex knew he had to prepare for every eventuality. And that was why when Lex next glanced down at his watch, it was already one o'clock in the morning and he was still staring at stock reports, calculating numbers and plotting his next move. He knew he wouldn't sleep - hell, he probably wouldn't be able to do so until he finally secured his future away from his father. The bastard.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lex rubbed at his eyes for a moment, silently willing the exhaustion he felt to go away. He was already irritable enough, something which Dodd would likely vouch for considering the dinner his cook prepared for him ended up all over one of the kitchen walls. Maybe that would teach Dodd the next time Lex says he doesn't want to eat, no amount of coddling will get him to do so. Fuck, sometimes he wondered if he wasn't worse than his father.
"You should be in bed."
Lex sighed. "Don't you start in on me, too, Hudson. I'm not in the mood."
"Ouch. Sorry."
Dropping his hand away, Lex looked up to see her standing in the doorway of the study, a plastic coffee cup in her hand. "Besides, I'm not the one up past my bedtime."
She rolled her eyes and walked into the room, her long legs carrying her over to the desk quite quickly. "I don't have a bedtime, Lex. Here. Lana and I were doing homework at the Talon so I brought you some cappuccino."
Lex took it gratefully from her hand. He might not be hungry but caffeine in large doses was a very good thing. "Thanks." Lifting the lid, he took a tenuous sip, surprised at how warm it still was, and then glanced up at her. "Aren't your parents going to worry about where you are?"
"They think I'm with Lana," she replied with a wave of her hand. "I could be gone for days and they wouldn't worry as long as I'm with her." Hudson leaned over to peer at the monitor screen. "What's all that?"
"Curious much?"
Lex set the cup down and pushed out from his desk slightly, holding out his hand in invitation. Flashing him a smile, Hudson slipped onto his lap, curling against him as he wrapped his arms around her.
Kissing the top of her head once, Lex nodded a little toward the figures in front of them. "That is me."
"Huh?"
"The sum of everything I'm worth - trust fund, stock in LuthorCorp that I inherited at eighteen, the small return on investment out of the Talon so far." He hated admitting that the whole of his life could be summed up with dollar signs and stock figures. It's what he amounted to - the Luthor heir.
Hudson leaned out of his embrace a little, drawing closer to the screen. "Holy shit, Lex! That's a lot of money!"
He sighed. "Not enough, unfortunately."
She turned back to him, her gaze searching his. "What do you mean?"
"I'm ten percent short of what I need to proceed with an employee buyout of the Plant." Lex watched her for a moment before looking back at the figures. "I've asked the other managers if they're willing to go in with me - basically put their savings and retirement on the line and take a chance. Either this notion of mine is pure brilliance. or absolutely the stupidest thing I've ever done." Hudson drew his gaze as she shook her head. "What?"
"Oh, I can think of much more stupid things you've done, Lex."
He stared at her before responding, "I'd slap you upside the head for that remark but I'm too tired."
Hudson flashed him a brilliant smile, the kind that Lex quickly learned he couldn't ignore, couldn't say no to, couldn't help but feel as if the world just might be a better place as long as she's in it. "Just trying to make you feel better."
"Usually people turn to Hallmark for such a thing."
"Which would you prefer - a card or me?" She sat up and held out her arms, presenting herself.
Lex sighed again in resignation. "The card would be less mouthy."
"Pot meet Kettle." She took his hand and shook it in hers.
He didn't have the strength to fight the smile that appeared. "What would I do without you?"
"You'd spend the entire evening staring at that screen instead of relaxing." Hudson tugged at the top few buttons on his shirt.
"What are you - "
Lex broke off when her mouth pressed against his collar bone, tongue snaking out to trail over his skin as her fingers moved beneath his shirt. It was on the tip of his tongue to protest but Lex knew that a few minutes weren't really going to make a world of difference in locating the money he needed for the buyout. No one else was up at this time to call, there were a few emails he simply had to wait for replies to and. well, it was difficult to ignore the eager mouth that was currently attached to his neck.
The past week hadn't afforded them much opportunity for time alone with Hudson studying for finals and Lex's on again, off again need to berate himself for allowing a relationship to occur between them in the first place. Lucky for him (or unlucky, depending on his mood), Hudson was tenacious - now that he had given in, she wasn't going to let him back out. Lex couldn't decide if he was pleased with that aspect of her personality or not. Sometimes it caused him to feel a little out of control, which he hated, and at other times he thought he was the one manipulating the relationship, leading her down a path she should have never discovered. He refused to consider whether or not he was pleased with that thought.
When Hudson's mouth closed over his, Lex gave in to the desire burning through him, and silently repeated to himself that he could spare a few minutes. Tangling his fingers into her dark hair, he slowly stood, never breaking contact with her mouth as she slid off his lap to her feet and he pressed her backwards, around the desk, across the study and onto the couch. He tried not to think about how good it felt to lie over her, their bodies rubbing against one another, or how much better it would be if there were fewer clothes separating them. He had to remind himself: Stop thinking, Lex. Just enjoy.
His fingers slipped easily beneath her t-shirt but the jeans she wore were another matter. One day Lex was going to have to explain to her the joy of women in skirts. But for now he fought with the button that didn't wish to cooperate and the zipper that tried to take a hunk of skin from his knuckle. Pushing her shirt up, Lex moved away from her mouth to rain kisses over her stomach while his fingers brushed against the skin just above the edge of her panties. The day's events quickly melted away as he lost himself in the scent of her skin, the soft whimpers from her throat, the continual bucking and squirming of her hips. It'd been years since he'd actually 'dry humped' anyone and Lex couldn't figure out why the thought of doing so with Hudson seemed so. charming. Maybe it was simply the idea of doing something potentially naughty with someone so blatantly innocent.
Lex knew he wouldn't be able to refer to Hudson as innocent for long. She would always be an innocent compared to him - and god help anyone who tried to take that from her, as Lex would have to kill them. But there was a sensuality to her that couldn't be denied. The sexuality that resided within her was screaming for release, and the power that came with being the one to ultimately give that to her was practically overwhelming. If Hudson were anyone else, Lex could train her to use that inborn power to conquer every man she came into contact with. Fortunately, she belonged to him now and Lex would prefer to lose a thousand battles with his father than allow another man to ever touch her.
Present.
"H.C.?"
Turning at the voice, Hudson flashed a smile at Whitney as he appeared beside her. "Hey, Whitney. Having a good time at the last dance of your high school career?"
He grinned and shrugged as his gaze wandered around the dance floor, crowded with students. "Strangely enough, I think I'm going to miss this place."
"One week in Aggieville, and you'll forget all about Smallville High."
"You have a point." He gave her a smile. "Wanna dance?"
Hudson glanced over at Lana who was laughing at something Erica said. "What about Lana?"
"She knows. Besides, she's too busy talking to dance right now. Come on."
Taking her hand without an answer, Whitney tugged Hudson out to the dance floor, moving their way through the crowd until they were closer to the center. Slipping an arm around her waist, he took her hand into his and began swaying to the music. Hudson didn't know what to say so she just danced silently with him, her gaze moving over the students around them, wondering to herself how she could be having fun, yet still feel so out of place.
"Sometimes I forget how tall you are."
Hudson pulled from her reverie to glance back at Whitney. "Oh. Yeah. You're like only the second guy I've danced with tonight who was actually as tall as me."
"The coach must be clamoring for you to be on the basketball team daily," Whitney teased.
"Something like that." Hudson was embarrassed by her height. She couldn't seem to get over that, even when Lex called her beautiful.
"You know, H.C., I haven't been the nicest guy to you this past year and I just wanted to say. well, thank you for sticking by me." He offered a brief smile. "It seems like you're always there to protect any one of us when we need someone, even if we don't deserve it -- "
"Whitney," Hudson broke in, her face flaming with discomfort over the acknowledgment. "I just - "
"Stop. Stop the music, please. Excuse me for a second. Can I have everyone's attention please?"
The music stopped as the vice principal moved up to the microphone. Hudson glanced at Whitney once, who shrugged at her questioning gaze, before they both turned their attention to the stage.
"Um, thank you. The National Weather Service has just issued a tornado warning. Apparently three funnels have been spotted heading toward Smallville."
Murmurs broke out through the crowd as Hudson looked over her shoulder to find Chloe, Pete, Lana and Erica moving up beside them.
"Now, uh, please, everyone stay calm. The twisters are going to set down south of here, but for your own safety, we are going to move everyone down into the basement."
Hudson turned away as he began calling out instructions to get the students in line and down the stairs to the safety beneath the building. Heart hammering her chest, she glanced toward the exit. While she knew her parents were used to seeking cover during tornado season, she wasn't as certain with Lex. Tornadoes rarely ever touched down in Metropolis - he might not be prepared.
"I have to get to Lex," she mumbled, moving past her friends.
"H.C." Chloe grabbed her arm. "I'm sure Lex is fine. Come on. We'll call him before we reach the basement. My purse is by the door."
"Yeah. I'm sure he's fine," Whitney agreed as he began guiding Lana toward the stairs.
Hudson watched as her friends fell in line with the others, then sped her way out of the gym toward the mansion. She feared Lex might have too many other issues on his mind than to worry about the storm around them.
Four days earlier.
Hudson wandered into the open stables, her eyes widening as she glanced around the previously unexplored building. From the fourteen foot stalls to the polished wood and carpeted floor beneath her feet, it certainly didn't resemble any stable she'd ever entered before - though she'd seen a few like it in magazines. It also didn't smell much like a stable, and she couldn't help but wonder if Lex had more people on staff working in the barn than in the mansion.
Setting her backpack down as she moved over to the first occupied stall, she peered in over the door. Hudson also never realized that Lex actually owned horses, which left her curious as to why he invited her over that afternoon to meet in the stables after school in the first place. Apparently he was full of surprises. She clucked to the thoroughbred in the stall, holding out her hand to him as he warily approached. After sniffing at her fingers, he moved in closer and Hudson caressed his nose. He was a dark chestnut color, with four white stockings and stood a good 17 hands tall.
"Like what you see?"
Starting at Lex's voice, Hudson jumped away from the door guiltily, only to come to a surprised halt at the vision that greeted her. Lex was standing at the entrance, dressed in beige riding breeches, tall, shiny black boots and a light blue long-sleeved pullover that clung to his chest and shoulders. She'd seen him dressed in many different styles of clothing but this. God. If she hadn't been in love before, she sure as hell was now. Hudson barely even noticed that he was moving closer, and he could have been sticking his tongue out at her or something and she never would have known because she couldn't stop staring from shoulders down. The breeches were. well, little old ladies might have referred to them as obscene.
"Hudson. You're catching flies."
"Huh?" She glanced up at his comment, wondering at his smirk until he reached out and touched the tip of her chin, pressing upwards to close her mouth. Oh. "Oh. Ummm. Hi. Lex."
Lex chuckled. "You never fail to amuse me, Hudson."
She couldn't decide if that was supposed to be a compliment or not. Then Lex leaned in and kissed her and she decided it didn't really matter anyway. He caught her upper lip gently with his teeth, tugging just a little before letting go. Hudson suppressed a whimper as he pulled away, moving closer to the stall.
"What do you think?"
That I want more, dammit! Oh. He was talking about the horse. "He's beautiful. I didn't know you had horses." Hudson took a step closer to Lex, reaching out to pet the gelding's cheek as he leaned his head over the stall door.
"I don't get much chance to ride anymore but I didn't feel like giving them up." Lex stroked his hand over the soft nose. "This is Bonaparte. I've had him since I was fourteen." Taking her hand in his, Lex led Hudson down the corridor, stopping beside the fifth stall. "This is Cleopatra."
Hudson looked over the door to see a sleek, black mare staring back at her. She smiled. "Oh, Lex! She's beautiful!"
"I thought you'd like her." He held out his hand and the mare immediately walked over him, nickering softly as she pressed her nose against his fingers. "She belonged to my mother. She's seventeen now but still a challenge to ride. My mother always loved the fact that she never seemed completely tamable."
"Did you and your mother ride together a lot?"
Lex grew silent, his gaze on the mare a moment longer before he turned and continued down the hall, replying quietly, "Occasionally."
Realizing she had accidentally wandered into territory that Lex didn't generally invite people to share, Hudson clamped her mouth shut from asking further questions and hurried after him to the last occupied stall. The gelding inside was shorter than the others, and nickered instantly when he saw Lex, hurrying over to be petted. Hudson couldn't help but smile at the obvious affection shared between horse and owner.
"And this is Ulysses, my polo pony," Lex introduced, allowing a slight smile as the gelding nudged his shoulder, knocking him slightly off- balance.
"He's pretty." Hudson patted the silver neck.
"One of the best polo ponies in the country."
Somehow, Hudson wasn't surprised by that information. Though she had never actually seen a complete polo match, she could easily imagine how nice this particular pair must look on the field together. "Do you think you'll ever get back into playing polo regularly?"
"Only if I quit my job at the Plant and become the wastrel I was back in Metropolis," Lex replied blandly.
"That's ridiculous." Hudson shook her head. "You can't work all of the time. You have to put at least a little time aside for recreation and fun."
Lex looked over at her, a smile hovering. "I thought that's what I was doing now."
Hudson rolled her eyes with a smile, causing Lex to chuckle. She gave the gelding a final pat before leaning back against the stall door to regard him for a moment. "You never cease to surprise me, Lex."
"Then we're even," he remarked, glancing away from her, watching Ulysses.
The tone of his voice was too serious to be teasing and Hudson vaguely realized that his comment wasn't meant as a compliment. She suppressed the sigh that threatened at his continual reference to her secrets and turned back to petting the gelding. Silence fell between them, broken only by the occasional snort from one of the other horses in the stable and the buzzing of the cicadas outside. It was on the tip of Hudson's tongue to just excuse herself and go home to do her chores when Lex moved up beside her, slipping his arm around her waist and giving her a soft smile.
"Ready to go riding?"
His mood swings were just one of the tiny inconsistencies regarding Lex Luthor that Hudson was attempting to grow accustomed to. "You're going to expect me to ride in one of those tiny little English saddles, aren't you?"
His smile grew. "Is there any other way to ride?"
She poked his chest with her finger. "This is Kansas, pal. The Old West. We ride in Western saddles."
"Pal?" He repeated incredulously as he grabbed her hand in his, kissing the tip of her finger. "I don't believe anyone has ever called me 'pal' before."
"You're changing the subject, Lex."
"Am I?" He kissed her finger again, his thumb caressing the palm of her hand as he held it. "Or are you just afraid of riding in a saddle that doesn't have a handle?"
"Oh, that's it!" Hudson flashed him a look of mock outrage. "I can ride anything you can ride - and better, too!"
Lex laughed and let go of her hand to pull her against him. "Sounds like a challenge, Miss Kent. Should we make a wager?"
"As long as it doesn't involve cars or large sums of money."
Raising an eyebrow at her reply, Lex tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before trailing his fingers through the length of it over her shoulder. "Hmmm. Then what do you have to offer that I would want?"
There were too many responses that she could formulate in reply to that question. Shoving each of them aside, she grinned up at him. "The chance to take me to the Spring Formal!"
Lex barked with surprised laughter. "As honored as I would be to have you at my side, Hudson, I'm not dance material. Not to mention, we would be the talk of the town the next morning." He turned to move towards the tack room.
"According to Chloe and mom, we already are."
Stopping Lex glanced back at her. "What are you talking about?"
Sighing, Hudson grabbed her backpack from the floor and walked over to him, setting it on a hay bale. "Mom told me that some of our customers have been making comments to her and dad about my being friends with someone so much older and more sophisticated and how it doesn't look good. I guess Mr. Keighley said something like that and dad almost hit him."
Lex frowned but remained silent.
Hudson continued, "And Chloe said she heard some of the jocks say - " She cut herself off quickly, realizing that Lex probably wouldn't want to hear the very rude comments that Chloe had repeated to her. "Well, you don't want to know what they said."
Turning to face her, Lex placed his hands on her shoulders, squeezing lightly. He tried to smile but it didn't come out right. "Now do you see why this is a bad idea?"
"No, not really." Hudson shrugged. "I mean, if they were already talking about us that way when we were just friends, what's the difference? What's that song? Let's Give Them Something to Talk About." She grinned.
Lex seemed to fight rolling his eyes, and lost the battle. "What am I going to do with you?"
She smiled, looping her arms around his neck. "Kissing me would be a good start."
"Do you deserve a kiss?"
"I always deserve a kiss. "
Present.
Fields flew past her as Hudson sped her way across town from the school to the Luthor estate. As she neared her destination, rain turned to hail, littering the ground beneath her in ice. She knew she was close. Just as she was about to slow her speed something very large and heavy slammed into her from the opposite direction, picking her up off her feet and flinging her through the air. She landed hard against the ground, glancing up just in time to see the car that had hit her now sailing towards her. Hudson kicked her legs upwards, catching the car as it fell into her and tossing it back. Scrambling to her feet, she glanced around.
The wind was blowing so hard around her that sticks of hay and twigs were saying through the air like missiles. They hit her skin and bounced off but she actually felt the strength of their impact. Her dad once told her about a tornado that came through Smallville when he was a kid and hit the farm. Pieces of hay were lodged into the side of the barn. Now she understood what he meant.
Looking ahead, Hudson saw the funnel only a few yards away from the castle. Screaming Lex's name in fear, she broke into a run once more, determined to get to him, tornado or not.
Yesterday.
The scary part hadn't been the explosion of the farm's truck. While it had been surprising when Hudson turned the ignition key only to have flames erupt around her, she'd never felt a moment's fear. Instead, she calmly kicked the door off, climbed out and discarded her burning t-shirt before her bra decided to catch fire as well. What upset her most about the incident was the idea of telling her parents that one of the most important vehicles on the farm was completely destroyed.
No, the worst was yet to come. Hudson's scariest moment from the explosion came later that day when she stopped by the Talon to drop Lana's English notes off to her. That was when a reporter from the Inquisitor approached her, knowing about the accident, asking her about it. And it wasn't just that he knew the truck had exploded - he somehow knew that she was in it at the time. His knowledge was almost enough to throw her off, enough to cause her to make a mistake. She'd hesitated in her reply to him, only to be saved by Lex's appearance. Luckily, Lex had enough experience with reporters that he'd been able to chase the man, who introduced himself as Roger Nixon, right out of the coffeehouse.
Hudson seriously doubted that a reporter was simply hanging around the farm for no reason and just happened to see the explosion. If he knew about it, then it was very possible he set it up.
Why did these things have to happen to her? Why couldn't she just have a normal teenage life with homework and a boyfriend and late night cow- tipping escapades? Instead she was an alien from another planet, dating an adult male, whose father was one of the richest and most powerful men in the world and seemed to like to prove that to his son over and over again. And don't leave out the part that it was the arrival of her ship that caused her twenty-two-year old boyfriend to lose his hair. He, of course, knew none of this.
God, her life would make a great Lifetime TV movie.
Hudson returned home to find her dad working in the shed, her mother sitting on the table beside him, sipping at a cup of tea while they talked quietly. As she silently watched them, t was hard not to feel as if their lives would be so much easier, so much more peaceful if she wasn't around. They wouldn't have to constantly feel the need to protect her, protect the family. No more would they be forced to suffer the fear that her secret would be revealed, that she might end up in a lab somewhere. That they could lose her. It was difficult not to consider the fact that the life of every person Hudson knew would be better off simply if she wasn't in it.
Her father was the first to notice her standing in the shadows. "Hi, honey."
Taking a few steps forward, Hudson opened her mouth to speak and promptly shut it.
Jonathan frowned. "Something wrong?"
"A journalist from the Inquisitor wants to do a story on me," she told them quietly, dropping her gaze to the floor. "He. he knows I was in the truck. I don't think it was an accident...I think he set it up... To test me." She lifted her eyes, darting her gaze between her parents to watch their reactions.
"How'd he know you'd survive?" Martha queried.
Hudson gnawed her lower lip. "He must have seen me do something before."
Her father sighed and turned away for a moment and Hudson knew what had to be going through his mind - this happened before. Would the cycle never end?
Panicking, she blurted, "Ever since Phalen I've been so careful!"
"H.C., it's not your fault," Jonathan assured her quietly as he turned back to face her.
She felt like crying. "What do I do?"
"Carry on like everything's fine. Go to school, go with Chloe to the dance, and if this reporter's really got something, I'm sure he'll come talk to us."
Martha nodded in response to her husband's advice.
Hudson knew they were right. She had to continue living her life - she couldn't just hide out in the storm cellar like her ship. Not just because some tabloid reporter was threatening to write a story about her. And blowing up their farm equipment. Sighing, she turned to leave the shed, then remembered the other bit of information she hadn't shared with her parents yet. She knew they would panic, especially since they didn't know Lex as well as she did. Still, it was their right to know.
As if sensing her indecision, her mother called out, "Is there something else, honey?"
Taking a deep breath, Hudson turned to face her parents. "I think Lex has a piece of the spaceship."
Jonathan frowned, staring at her intently. "Are you sure?"
"I saw it on his desk," she replied quietly with a nod. "It's the missing piece. He must have found it in the field. I doubt he suspects anything but. you know how persistent Lex can be. He'd never hurt me but -- "
"It's not Lex that worries me," her father broke in. "It's the people around him who could hurt you, H.C. The people he could expose you to."
"He can't trace it to us," Martha commented, shaking her head. "We have no cause to worry yet."
Nodding in agreement, Jonathan added, "You're mother's right, sweetheart. We'll just keep our heads low. When you do your chores, don't use your abilities. And whatever you do, stay away from that storm cellar.."
Present.
"Dad!"
Lex reached his father as the ceiling continued to creak and groan above him, the howling of the wind around him increasing. His hands scrambled for purchase around the column in an attempt to lift it but it was quickly proving to be too heavy for him. Below him, Lionel squirmed, trying to dislodge himself from beneath the debris. There was a loud snap and his father looked up, crying out in fear or warning, causing Lex to follow his gaze just as more debris began raining around them as more of the ceiling began to give way.
A piece of molding broke off, slamming into Lex's shoulders and knocking him to his knees. He blinked against the wind, vision blurred, as he searched once more for his father.
"Dad!" He called out, only this time his call was met with silence.
Panic filled him as he found his father's still form. No, he couldn't be too late.
"Lex! Lex, where are you?!"
Hudson. Somehow, he knew she'd come. He knew she would be there when he needed her.
"Hudson! Help me!" Lex screamed above the wind.
She appeared at the door, a vision in tattered violet. For some reason, it reminded Lex of the night of the Smallville High Homecoming, when he'd found her stumbling along the side of the road and they'd danced. He had yet to actually see Hudson remain in untouched perfection for more than a few minutes - if her clothes weren't torn or dirty, then her hair needed to be brushed or a smudge of dirt marred her cheek.
"Lex!"
Hudson moved quickly to his side, seemingly immobile against the winds, ignorant of the flying and deadly debris that swirled around her. Lex knelt there, motionless as she approached, slightly awed by the fact that the world seemed to move around her, or she moved through it, and neither saw fit to interact with the other. Maybe she wasn't even a part of it - maybe she was just a figment of his imagination.
"Lex, are you all right?" She asked, reaching for him.
Her question seemed to snap him out of the fugue he'd settled into. "My father!" He pointed to Lionel. "You have to help me!"
Nodding once, Hudson moved around Lex, motioning to Lionel's shoulders. "Grab him and pull when I give the signal."
Lex had no idea what she planned on doing but he did as she instructed, grasping his father beneath his arms and looking up to watch in disbelief as Hudson took hold of the column, set her feet apart and lifted it upwards. She looked quickly to Lex, nodding for him to remove Lionel from beneath the structure and he did so automatically.
Letting the column fall back to the floor once Lionel was out of harm's way, Hudson ran to Lex's side, taking the burden from him and pushing him towards the door. "Go to the underside of the staircase. We'll be safe there!"
Following her instructions, Lex stumbled and half-crawled his way out of the study and toward the overhang of the stairs. His vision continued to grow blurrier, a dull throbbing in his head making it difficult to heed much of the atmosphere around him. He collapsed against the wall, whimpering as the back of his head hit a little too hard and stars exploded once more behind his eyes. As the pain settled, he reached up to brush sweat from his forehead that kept dripping into one eye, only to pull his hand back and discover blood covering his fingers. Oh, that was why Hudson seemed so upset.
"It's almost over."
Lex looked up at her voice to see Hudson kneel beside him. His father was lying prone beside them. He tried to focus but he was too dizzy and nauseous to do so. "My father. "
"It'll be all right," she assured him quietly, soft fingers moving against his cheek. "I'll get help for both of you."
There was something he needed to ask her, but at the moment, Lex couldn't remember what it was. He blinked, trying to focus on her face. "Hudson. I. "
"Shhhh." She leaned over and kissed his forehead, pressing a cloth over his eye where he discovered the blood. "Relax. You're safe."
He reached out for her but the world tilted suddenly and he gasped a little at the sensation. His eyes shuddered closed. "Hudson. how did you. "
Darkness claimed him.
To be continued.
EPISODE 9
'Shattered'
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing Broken your servant I kneel It seems what's left of my human side Is slowly changing in me 'Down With the Sickness' - Disturbed
When Lex was 7 years old, his father hosted an elaborate celebration party for the newly elected Kansas governor, Mike Hayden. Lex had been sent to his room to play with Pamela until bedtime because children were considered a nuisance - not to be tolerated until they were old enough to hold an intelligent conversation. Unfortunately, Lionel's strict and thorough education of his son was enough to have already instilled a strong interest in politics, and Lex couldn't suppress the bitterness he felt at being left out.
After Pamela went to bed, Lex dressed and snuck through the mansion, making his way silently down to the party. He hid in corners and crevices, behind various pieces of furniture, until he found himself right in the heart of the party, tucked safely beneath the buffet table. For over an hour, he watched the feet of the attendees as they gathered around the table, listened to the conversations that floated down to him, acquired information about various affairs and black mailings that he could have cared less about. Only a few conversations held any interest to him - one that involved a new toy store one of his father's guests was opening in Kansas City and another about a polo pony that was for sale.
Other than that, Lex was bored for the most part, sprawling on the marbled floor on his stomach, head tucked against his arms as he occasionally drifted off to sleep. Eventually, he saw his mother's low-heeled pumps approach, stopping just a foot or so from his father who was speaking with the governor about a new tax break for business owners. She announced that she was headed upstairs to check on Lex and kiss him goodnight.
Lex panicked. Knowing he needed to get back upstairs before his mother beat him there, he scrambled as quickly as he could out from under the back of the table, accidentally kicking the table leg in the process. It was enough to knock over one of the candles above, right into a dish of flambéed bananas. The alcohol in the dish instantly ignited and within moments, the entire buffet was in flames.
By the time the fire department departed along with the last remaining guests, Lex could barely remain on his feet from the trembling of his legs as he waited for his punishment. His father wasted little time with yelling - he called Lex a stupid, misbehaved brat and then backhanded him across the face. Lionel's ring caught his upper lip, tearing it open with the hit. Later that night, as Lex lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, the last of his tears streaming down his cheeks, he silently vowed that one day he would kill his father.
Now, that day had come.
Three days earlier.
It was difficult to pay attention to the words on the page in his hand. Lex took a quick breath, blinked and focused again as he moved down the hall toward the study. The anger was simmering just beneath the surface, and so far, he was pleased with how well he'd controlled it. Since he returned to the mansion after the surprise announcement by his father regarding closing the Plant, Lex hadn't destroyed anything. He hadn't yelled at a single staff member or given into the desire for the childish tantrum he was longing to throw. Of course, there was too much on his mind to give in to the numerous emotions raging through him. He had calls to make, plans to devise, a proposal to put together. And somewhere, he had to locate a hell of a lot of money.
Time was of the essence, and it was the one thing Lex knew he had very little of. His father was already far out in front, continuing to make his moves while Lex floundered in the background, trying to figure out where to move next. He wasn't going to lose this one - there was too much at stake. It wasn't so much that he'd found a home, it was that he'd finally taken control of his life. Lex wasn't about to let his father take that from him again. Not ever.
Setting his jaw, Lex rounded the corner into the study, only to come to a halt at the sight of Hudson standing at his desk, her back to him. She'd left messages on his phone all morning, asking him to call her when he had the chance and, unfortunately, he hadn't had the chance. That, coupled with the fact that he didn't know if he could handle her questions at the moment made for an enormous amount of discomfort at the coming conversation.
"Hudson, I got your messages but I've been having a bad day."
She spun around at his voice and a tentative smile appeared on her face. She was holding the strange octagonal disc that his team uncovered in Miller's Field -the same one Dr. Hamilton claimed was made of something unidentifiable. His gaze drifted from the disc to her face, curious at the almost guilty expression that was present. It was possible that Hudson didn't enjoy getting caught touching things that weren't hers in the first place. He was tempted to make a comment to that effect, just to make certain she didn't do it again, but instead decided to let it go.
"Are you okay?" She asked, moving to meet him in the center of the room. She slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him briefly before glancing up, the expression of guilt having given way to earnestness.
"That's the most ridiculous question I've heard yet," Lex remarked blandly before pulling away from her embrace and moving around the desk.
"Sorry." Hudson dropped her gaze to the object in her hand, twirling it around in her fingers as the silence stretched between them.
Well, he might have made it without attacking his staff but apparently the same couldn't be said of the only person in this town who really seemed to give a damn.
Suppressing a sigh, Lex dropped down into his chair. "No, I'm sorry, Hudson. You didn't deserve that. I'm just. on edge."
She nodded before slipping into the seat across from him, still refusing to meet his gaze. She seemed fascinated by the disc, almost as much as he was.
Trying to lighten the mood a little, Lex folded his arms onto his desk and leaned over with a forced smile. "Sure you can afford to be seen with the town pariah?"
Hudson looked up at that, a smile hovering. "I'll take my chances." Her eyes dropped back to the disc for a brief moment before meeting his once more. "What happened, Lex?"
"The two theories seem to be. " Lex leaned back in his chair thoughtfully, as if taking a moment to remember everything he'd heard so far. "Either I ran the Plant into the ground through incompetence, or did it deliberately so that I could go back to Metropolis."
Hudson frowned over his reply. "But your dad already offered you a job in Metropolis. Just tell people the truth."
Lex shook his head over her naivety. "Then I get stuck with the incompetence rap. Being reviled is the lesser evil."
"I don't understand."
"No. And I hope you never do, Angel," Lex replied, searching her eyes.
She blinked before glancing back down at the disc that had settled into the palm of her hand. "I guess you're going back to Metropolis then." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Lex didn't want to get her hopes up, nor did he wish to see her so upset. "That's why my father orchestrated this coup," he told her with a nod. "But this isn't over."
Her head popped back up, gaze curious. "You have a plan?"
"Maybe."
Sure, he had a plan. Being raised in the family he was, you were taught to always have a plan. The question was, would it work? Was it enough to get past his father, or was he still that many steps ahead of Lex? Had his father already anticipated his next move? There were too many questions. He needed to regroup, think, clear his head before he jumped ahead and possibly made a stupid mistake.
He was not going back to Metropolis.
"You have a lot of work to do."
Lex broke from his reverie at Hudson's voice, glancing at her as she stood. Brow furrowing, he stood as well, moving around the desk to reach her before she walked away. Catching her chin with his fingers, he drew her closer to him and kissed her lips lightly.
"Thanks for stopping by, Angel. It means a lot."
She smiled just a little and Lex tried not to think that he was responsible for the sorrow in her gaze. They'd had so little time together the past few weeks and now with this. Damn his father!
Lifting her eyes to his, she replied, "What're friends for?"
"You mean besides make-out sessions on the couch?" Lex teased softly.
A bigger smile. "Yeah. Besides that."
Smiling for real for the first time that day, Lex drew her closer, his lips pressing against hers gently, before deepening the kiss. He found himself wishing they could go back to yesterday, before he had any idea of the upheaval that was to take place in his life. When he simply looked forward to the summer and Hudson being out of school, more afternoons and later nights to spend together. They'd been interrupted by his father's call yesterday, and today, Lex could barely think of anything other than his father - and how much he wanted to beat him at his own game.
Lex broke the kiss before he became too wrapped up in it and the fact that Hudson tasted like peanut butter. He was suddenly filled with the strangest urge for a peanut butter and honey sandwich.
"You'll be okay?" Hudson's expression was one of disappointment, but for once she wasn't pushing, wasn't using her innocent charm to make him let her stay.
"Yeah. I'll be fine," Lex assured her, taking a step back. "Go on. I'll talk to you later."
She flashed him a smile and turned to leave.
"Hudson?"
"Yeah?" She glanced over her shoulder.
Lex pointed to her hand. "You have something of mine."
She followed his gaze, her eyes widening a little as she seemed to realize she was still holding the octagonal disc. "Oh. Oh! Sorry." Hudson moved back up to him and held it out. "What is it?"
"Just a scrap my team discovered in the field last week." Lex shrugged.
After their conversation in the loft regarding the farmer's claim of a ship coming down with the meteors, he wasn't certain he wanted to share all of his information with Hudson just yet. While she hadn't outright laughed at him, Lex could tell that she'd been upset by his comments, probably believing he would fall for anything. As much as he tried to explain that a part of him simply needed to know what caused the meteor shower, why it happened that particular day -- why he was left bald and freakish and terribly alone - Lex didn't believe that Hudson could ever truly understand. She believed in living for today, ignoring the past, looking on to the future. And he didn't want that to change about her, not ever. He just wished that she would understand he couldn't live the same life as her.
Hudson was staring at the disc as he held it, before finally raising her gaze back to his. "Well, I'm going to go and get my chores done. If you need anything. "
"I know." He smiled again when she leaned up to kiss his cheek. And then she was gone.
Lex lifted his hand, his eyes moving over the octagonal shape before him. Dr. Hamilton's words came back to him 'There is nothing like this alloy on this earth'. He wanted to locate Eddie Cole, question him some more; he wanted to have Dr. Hamilton conduct more research; he wanted.
He had work to do. Sighing, Lex slipped the disc into a small box on his desk before going back to the file he'd been working on.
Present.
Hudson could honestly say that night was the first time she actually was having fun as a teenager with other teenagers. She'd already been asked to dance by two different guys - only one of which was actually in her class - and not counting Pete, with whom she giggled the entire time they danced because she towered so far above him. Chloe had her share of dances as well and, when they weren't dancing, they gathered around with Lana and Erica and talked about dresses and boys and what they were going to do over the summer. The band was an up-and-coming group from Metropolis, and though Hudson didn't recognize any of their music, Chloe said they were quickly becoming one of her favorite bands.
Occasionally, as the conversation around her drifted to topics Hudson wasn't very interested in, her gaze would drop to the corsage that was tied at her wrist. Three lavender roses with tiny lilac hydrangea blossoms and an ivory colored ribbon. She brushed her fingers over the petals, smiling a little at the memory of receiving it that afternoon. Lex had said something about wanting to give her more but knew her parents wouldn't allow her to accept it. She'd been surprised to see him at all, let alone that he would bring her a corsage when there was so much going on in his life at the moment. He'd said. she was that important to him.
That afternoon.
Violet.
That was the color of her dress. Chloe wanted her to go with black, her mother had preferred the pink, her father hadn't liked it in any color. It was strapless, which hadn't pleased him at all, and a little more expensive than what they had agreed to. Hudson produced some extra money she'd stowed away from her allowance and there wasn't much he could say after that. Her mother thought it looked beautiful on her; and she was sixteen now, so there was no reason she shouldn't be allowed to wear a strapless gown.
Hudson chose the violet because it reminded her of the shirts Lex wore. Even though he wasn't attending the dance with her, she thought he would appreciate the color. Of course, she hadn't admitted as much to anyone and she loved harboring the secret, smiling to herself as her mother complimented the color on her, silently thinking how it would be her own little way of having Lex with her throughout the evening. She was such a sap.
It would be another hour before Chloe arrived to pick her up. She was hiding out in the loft, safe from her dad and his camera obsession. With any luck, she and Chloe would be able to hurry off to the dance before he cornered them both, humiliating them through a half hour session of 'Kent Keepsake Photography'. As predicted, the photo album of her freshman year was almost completely filled. Hudson figured they would be purchasing a new album before spring was over.
Picking up the pearl necklace her mom gave her to wear for the evening, Hudson held the clasp back with her fingernail then lifted it up around the back of her neck to secure. Unfortunately, it closed before she could slip the ring into the clasp. Frowning, she brought her hands back around, fiddled with it again, then pulled it behind her neck once more. Letting the clasp close, she let go, only to have the necklace slide over her shoulders, down her collar bone and into the front of her dress.
"Hell!"
Shoving her hand into the bodice, Hudson grabbed the necklace, shook it in her fist for a moment as if she could teach it a lesson, then went through the entire process again. Hearing footsteps, she sighed.
"Mom, I need help!"
"I'm not 'mom', but I'm always willing to come to the rescue of a damsel in distress."
Hudson whirled around, smiling brightly as Lex cleared the last step into the loft, returning her smile with a slight smirk. "Lex, I thought you were holed up in the mansion?"
"I needed to get out and clear my head." He shrugged as he moved closer to her. "And what do you know - I ended up here. Could you use some assistance?"
She held the necklace out to him. "I've got butterfingers tonight, or something. I can't make it behave."
"Turn around." He waited until her back was to him, and then looped the necklace around the front of her neck, clasping it in the back. "There."
"Thanks." Hudson remained still as she felt his fingers drift over her shoulder blades, up around the top of her shoulders, then down her upper arms where his fingers closed over her skin gently. She trembled slightly when his lips pressed against the back of her neck.
"You smell good," he whispered, his nose nudging the back of her ear.
"That's called perfume, dork."
Lex lifted his head and Hudson glanced over her shoulder to see him flashing her a frown. "Did you just call me a dork?"
She nodded, turning back to face him. "I did, indeed. D-O-R-K." She spelled the words out with her finger drawing them in the air between them. "Dork."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "See if I ever give you another compliment."
She grinned.
Shaking his head, Lex took a step back, his gaze sweeping over her. "That's a different color for you."
"Do you like it?" She picked up her skirt and twirled around for him, showing off the gown.
"I'd say yes but I might be called a dork for doing so." He flashed a teasing smile.
Hudson stuck her tongue out at him. "What's got you in such a good mood?"
Lex shrugged, moving up to her once more, one arm slipping around her waist. "I don't know. Maybe you just have that affect on me."
"Or maybe you were sniffing glue in your study."
Lex took a deep breath as he stared at her. "You're in rare form today. Keep that up and Chloe might kill you before the night is over."
"I can take her."
Smiling, Lex pulled her closer, his hands drifting over the curve of her ass. "You're not planning on secretly meeting your new boyfriend at this dance tonight, are you?" Lex asked softly, his gaze intent on hers.
"And what if I am?" Hudson teased, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. They swayed a little, as if dancing.
"Then I might have to get jealous and angry," Lex warned, only half-teasing as he leaned in closer, his mouth hovering over hers.
"And break things?"
"Maybe."
Hudson shivered a little as his lips brushed lightly across hers, warm breath tickling the edge of her upper lip.
"I'd have to teach you who you belong to," he continued, tongue moving out to caress the corner of her mouth. "So that you never forget."
A sound escaped her throat, a whimper maybe, before Lex completely claimed her mouth with his, tongue quickly pushing past to meet hers, twisting around it. Her fingers curled into the material of his coat, just so that she had something to hold on to, fearing that he might, at any moment, let go of her waist and she knew she couldn't hold herself up. Her toes were curling; his kisses had a way of doing that to her.
Lex broke the kiss, trailing a few brief pecks over her lips before finally pulling away. He smiled at her. "You're getting better at that."
"I have a good teacher."
"We're going to have to resume those lessons soon." He reached into his pocket and held out his hand to her. In it sat a clear plastic container, a spray of fresh flowers inside. "I brought this for you."
"Oh, Lex!"
Sweeping it from his hand, Hudson opened the lid, pulling out the wrist corsage of lavender roses and lilac hydrangeas. It matched her gown perfectly.
She lifted her gaze to his. "But. how did you know what color I was wearing?"
Lex smirked. "A little bird told me." At her frown, he added, "I can't divulge all my secrets, Angel. Then there would be very little mystery left. I wish I could give you more but your parents. " He trailed off and shrugged.
Shaking her head, Hudson slipped the corsage onto her wrist, admiring it for a moment before looking back up at him. "Thank you, Lex. It's perfect. And much more than I expected. I mean, with everything going on right now, I didn't think I'd even see you. "
Cupping her face with his hands, Lex held her gaze silently as his thumbs moved over the line of her jaw. Finally, he replied, "I don't care what's going on in my life, I don't care how many factories my father closes or what kind of hell he is currently raising, nothing is more important to me than you. Nothing. "
Present.
The longer Lex stood there, the wind howling around him, the walls of the castle creaking beneath the strain, his father calling out to him, the more reasons he came up to just leave his father there, to walk away, pretend there was nothing he could do. And it had to do with more than the scar that was permanently affixed on his lip, the one that would always remind him of just what a bastard his father really was. It had to do with more than the fact that he hadn't been allowed to properly mourn for his mother's death (Luthor's don't cry! Stop acting like such a child, Lex!). The list went on, would probably go on for the rest of his life, because Lex was almost certain his father would outlive him, just out of spite, just so that Lex never forgot what it was to be properly humiliated and kicked while he was down. This could be his only chance to be free.
So whatever it was that spurred him to move, to shove aside those thoughts and change his mind, Lex didn't question it. Deep inside, he knew that it was right - he couldn't let his father die. For whatever kind of bastard Lionel Luthor might be, he was still his father and the only family Lex had left. If he lost him now, Lex would never have the chance to show him that he was worthy, that he was good enough. He would never have the chance to make his father proud.
"Dad!" Lex called out to him, moving forward in the hope that he would be able to pull the fallen debris from his father and get him to safety.
At that moment, the wind seemed to grow fiercer and the ceiling above cracked and groaned and more debris began falling around them. Lionel cried out as more chunks of wood and plaster flew toward him.
"Dad!"
Lex panicked, fearing he moved too late. A large piece of plaster slammed into him, knocking him off of his feet. He scrambled to his knees, reaching for his father, who now lay silent and unmoving beneath the column.
One day earlier.
Lex believed that the meeting with the managers of the Plant had gone well. Though they weren't one hundred percent convinced that his plan would work, none of them had outright refused. And Gabe. Lex had a feeling Chloe's father might be his staunchest supporter. There was something in the man's eyes as he listened to Lex's proposal that slowly changed from disbelief to hope. It was something, at least. If Gabe believed in him, then he might be able to fully convince the others. And they might have a chance.
Everything was based on if's at the moment, and Lex hated that. He wanted certainty, he wanted to know absolutely that he would be able to beat his father at this game, that he could walk into LuthorCorp Monday morning, hand over his proposal and a bank draft, and walk out with the ownership papers. But his father would never allow it to happen that way; Lex knew he had to prepare for every eventuality. And that was why when Lex next glanced down at his watch, it was already one o'clock in the morning and he was still staring at stock reports, calculating numbers and plotting his next move. He knew he wouldn't sleep - hell, he probably wouldn't be able to do so until he finally secured his future away from his father. The bastard.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lex rubbed at his eyes for a moment, silently willing the exhaustion he felt to go away. He was already irritable enough, something which Dodd would likely vouch for considering the dinner his cook prepared for him ended up all over one of the kitchen walls. Maybe that would teach Dodd the next time Lex says he doesn't want to eat, no amount of coddling will get him to do so. Fuck, sometimes he wondered if he wasn't worse than his father.
"You should be in bed."
Lex sighed. "Don't you start in on me, too, Hudson. I'm not in the mood."
"Ouch. Sorry."
Dropping his hand away, Lex looked up to see her standing in the doorway of the study, a plastic coffee cup in her hand. "Besides, I'm not the one up past my bedtime."
She rolled her eyes and walked into the room, her long legs carrying her over to the desk quite quickly. "I don't have a bedtime, Lex. Here. Lana and I were doing homework at the Talon so I brought you some cappuccino."
Lex took it gratefully from her hand. He might not be hungry but caffeine in large doses was a very good thing. "Thanks." Lifting the lid, he took a tenuous sip, surprised at how warm it still was, and then glanced up at her. "Aren't your parents going to worry about where you are?"
"They think I'm with Lana," she replied with a wave of her hand. "I could be gone for days and they wouldn't worry as long as I'm with her." Hudson leaned over to peer at the monitor screen. "What's all that?"
"Curious much?"
Lex set the cup down and pushed out from his desk slightly, holding out his hand in invitation. Flashing him a smile, Hudson slipped onto his lap, curling against him as he wrapped his arms around her.
Kissing the top of her head once, Lex nodded a little toward the figures in front of them. "That is me."
"Huh?"
"The sum of everything I'm worth - trust fund, stock in LuthorCorp that I inherited at eighteen, the small return on investment out of the Talon so far." He hated admitting that the whole of his life could be summed up with dollar signs and stock figures. It's what he amounted to - the Luthor heir.
Hudson leaned out of his embrace a little, drawing closer to the screen. "Holy shit, Lex! That's a lot of money!"
He sighed. "Not enough, unfortunately."
She turned back to him, her gaze searching his. "What do you mean?"
"I'm ten percent short of what I need to proceed with an employee buyout of the Plant." Lex watched her for a moment before looking back at the figures. "I've asked the other managers if they're willing to go in with me - basically put their savings and retirement on the line and take a chance. Either this notion of mine is pure brilliance. or absolutely the stupidest thing I've ever done." Hudson drew his gaze as she shook her head. "What?"
"Oh, I can think of much more stupid things you've done, Lex."
He stared at her before responding, "I'd slap you upside the head for that remark but I'm too tired."
Hudson flashed him a brilliant smile, the kind that Lex quickly learned he couldn't ignore, couldn't say no to, couldn't help but feel as if the world just might be a better place as long as she's in it. "Just trying to make you feel better."
"Usually people turn to Hallmark for such a thing."
"Which would you prefer - a card or me?" She sat up and held out her arms, presenting herself.
Lex sighed again in resignation. "The card would be less mouthy."
"Pot meet Kettle." She took his hand and shook it in hers.
He didn't have the strength to fight the smile that appeared. "What would I do without you?"
"You'd spend the entire evening staring at that screen instead of relaxing." Hudson tugged at the top few buttons on his shirt.
"What are you - "
Lex broke off when her mouth pressed against his collar bone, tongue snaking out to trail over his skin as her fingers moved beneath his shirt. It was on the tip of his tongue to protest but Lex knew that a few minutes weren't really going to make a world of difference in locating the money he needed for the buyout. No one else was up at this time to call, there were a few emails he simply had to wait for replies to and. well, it was difficult to ignore the eager mouth that was currently attached to his neck.
The past week hadn't afforded them much opportunity for time alone with Hudson studying for finals and Lex's on again, off again need to berate himself for allowing a relationship to occur between them in the first place. Lucky for him (or unlucky, depending on his mood), Hudson was tenacious - now that he had given in, she wasn't going to let him back out. Lex couldn't decide if he was pleased with that aspect of her personality or not. Sometimes it caused him to feel a little out of control, which he hated, and at other times he thought he was the one manipulating the relationship, leading her down a path she should have never discovered. He refused to consider whether or not he was pleased with that thought.
When Hudson's mouth closed over his, Lex gave in to the desire burning through him, and silently repeated to himself that he could spare a few minutes. Tangling his fingers into her dark hair, he slowly stood, never breaking contact with her mouth as she slid off his lap to her feet and he pressed her backwards, around the desk, across the study and onto the couch. He tried not to think about how good it felt to lie over her, their bodies rubbing against one another, or how much better it would be if there were fewer clothes separating them. He had to remind himself: Stop thinking, Lex. Just enjoy.
His fingers slipped easily beneath her t-shirt but the jeans she wore were another matter. One day Lex was going to have to explain to her the joy of women in skirts. But for now he fought with the button that didn't wish to cooperate and the zipper that tried to take a hunk of skin from his knuckle. Pushing her shirt up, Lex moved away from her mouth to rain kisses over her stomach while his fingers brushed against the skin just above the edge of her panties. The day's events quickly melted away as he lost himself in the scent of her skin, the soft whimpers from her throat, the continual bucking and squirming of her hips. It'd been years since he'd actually 'dry humped' anyone and Lex couldn't figure out why the thought of doing so with Hudson seemed so. charming. Maybe it was simply the idea of doing something potentially naughty with someone so blatantly innocent.
Lex knew he wouldn't be able to refer to Hudson as innocent for long. She would always be an innocent compared to him - and god help anyone who tried to take that from her, as Lex would have to kill them. But there was a sensuality to her that couldn't be denied. The sexuality that resided within her was screaming for release, and the power that came with being the one to ultimately give that to her was practically overwhelming. If Hudson were anyone else, Lex could train her to use that inborn power to conquer every man she came into contact with. Fortunately, she belonged to him now and Lex would prefer to lose a thousand battles with his father than allow another man to ever touch her.
Present.
"H.C.?"
Turning at the voice, Hudson flashed a smile at Whitney as he appeared beside her. "Hey, Whitney. Having a good time at the last dance of your high school career?"
He grinned and shrugged as his gaze wandered around the dance floor, crowded with students. "Strangely enough, I think I'm going to miss this place."
"One week in Aggieville, and you'll forget all about Smallville High."
"You have a point." He gave her a smile. "Wanna dance?"
Hudson glanced over at Lana who was laughing at something Erica said. "What about Lana?"
"She knows. Besides, she's too busy talking to dance right now. Come on."
Taking her hand without an answer, Whitney tugged Hudson out to the dance floor, moving their way through the crowd until they were closer to the center. Slipping an arm around her waist, he took her hand into his and began swaying to the music. Hudson didn't know what to say so she just danced silently with him, her gaze moving over the students around them, wondering to herself how she could be having fun, yet still feel so out of place.
"Sometimes I forget how tall you are."
Hudson pulled from her reverie to glance back at Whitney. "Oh. Yeah. You're like only the second guy I've danced with tonight who was actually as tall as me."
"The coach must be clamoring for you to be on the basketball team daily," Whitney teased.
"Something like that." Hudson was embarrassed by her height. She couldn't seem to get over that, even when Lex called her beautiful.
"You know, H.C., I haven't been the nicest guy to you this past year and I just wanted to say. well, thank you for sticking by me." He offered a brief smile. "It seems like you're always there to protect any one of us when we need someone, even if we don't deserve it -- "
"Whitney," Hudson broke in, her face flaming with discomfort over the acknowledgment. "I just - "
"Stop. Stop the music, please. Excuse me for a second. Can I have everyone's attention please?"
The music stopped as the vice principal moved up to the microphone. Hudson glanced at Whitney once, who shrugged at her questioning gaze, before they both turned their attention to the stage.
"Um, thank you. The National Weather Service has just issued a tornado warning. Apparently three funnels have been spotted heading toward Smallville."
Murmurs broke out through the crowd as Hudson looked over her shoulder to find Chloe, Pete, Lana and Erica moving up beside them.
"Now, uh, please, everyone stay calm. The twisters are going to set down south of here, but for your own safety, we are going to move everyone down into the basement."
Hudson turned away as he began calling out instructions to get the students in line and down the stairs to the safety beneath the building. Heart hammering her chest, she glanced toward the exit. While she knew her parents were used to seeking cover during tornado season, she wasn't as certain with Lex. Tornadoes rarely ever touched down in Metropolis - he might not be prepared.
"I have to get to Lex," she mumbled, moving past her friends.
"H.C." Chloe grabbed her arm. "I'm sure Lex is fine. Come on. We'll call him before we reach the basement. My purse is by the door."
"Yeah. I'm sure he's fine," Whitney agreed as he began guiding Lana toward the stairs.
Hudson watched as her friends fell in line with the others, then sped her way out of the gym toward the mansion. She feared Lex might have too many other issues on his mind than to worry about the storm around them.
Four days earlier.
Hudson wandered into the open stables, her eyes widening as she glanced around the previously unexplored building. From the fourteen foot stalls to the polished wood and carpeted floor beneath her feet, it certainly didn't resemble any stable she'd ever entered before - though she'd seen a few like it in magazines. It also didn't smell much like a stable, and she couldn't help but wonder if Lex had more people on staff working in the barn than in the mansion.
Setting her backpack down as she moved over to the first occupied stall, she peered in over the door. Hudson also never realized that Lex actually owned horses, which left her curious as to why he invited her over that afternoon to meet in the stables after school in the first place. Apparently he was full of surprises. She clucked to the thoroughbred in the stall, holding out her hand to him as he warily approached. After sniffing at her fingers, he moved in closer and Hudson caressed his nose. He was a dark chestnut color, with four white stockings and stood a good 17 hands tall.
"Like what you see?"
Starting at Lex's voice, Hudson jumped away from the door guiltily, only to come to a surprised halt at the vision that greeted her. Lex was standing at the entrance, dressed in beige riding breeches, tall, shiny black boots and a light blue long-sleeved pullover that clung to his chest and shoulders. She'd seen him dressed in many different styles of clothing but this. God. If she hadn't been in love before, she sure as hell was now. Hudson barely even noticed that he was moving closer, and he could have been sticking his tongue out at her or something and she never would have known because she couldn't stop staring from shoulders down. The breeches were. well, little old ladies might have referred to them as obscene.
"Hudson. You're catching flies."
"Huh?" She glanced up at his comment, wondering at his smirk until he reached out and touched the tip of her chin, pressing upwards to close her mouth. Oh. "Oh. Ummm. Hi. Lex."
Lex chuckled. "You never fail to amuse me, Hudson."
She couldn't decide if that was supposed to be a compliment or not. Then Lex leaned in and kissed her and she decided it didn't really matter anyway. He caught her upper lip gently with his teeth, tugging just a little before letting go. Hudson suppressed a whimper as he pulled away, moving closer to the stall.
"What do you think?"
That I want more, dammit! Oh. He was talking about the horse. "He's beautiful. I didn't know you had horses." Hudson took a step closer to Lex, reaching out to pet the gelding's cheek as he leaned his head over the stall door.
"I don't get much chance to ride anymore but I didn't feel like giving them up." Lex stroked his hand over the soft nose. "This is Bonaparte. I've had him since I was fourteen." Taking her hand in his, Lex led Hudson down the corridor, stopping beside the fifth stall. "This is Cleopatra."
Hudson looked over the door to see a sleek, black mare staring back at her. She smiled. "Oh, Lex! She's beautiful!"
"I thought you'd like her." He held out his hand and the mare immediately walked over him, nickering softly as she pressed her nose against his fingers. "She belonged to my mother. She's seventeen now but still a challenge to ride. My mother always loved the fact that she never seemed completely tamable."
"Did you and your mother ride together a lot?"
Lex grew silent, his gaze on the mare a moment longer before he turned and continued down the hall, replying quietly, "Occasionally."
Realizing she had accidentally wandered into territory that Lex didn't generally invite people to share, Hudson clamped her mouth shut from asking further questions and hurried after him to the last occupied stall. The gelding inside was shorter than the others, and nickered instantly when he saw Lex, hurrying over to be petted. Hudson couldn't help but smile at the obvious affection shared between horse and owner.
"And this is Ulysses, my polo pony," Lex introduced, allowing a slight smile as the gelding nudged his shoulder, knocking him slightly off- balance.
"He's pretty." Hudson patted the silver neck.
"One of the best polo ponies in the country."
Somehow, Hudson wasn't surprised by that information. Though she had never actually seen a complete polo match, she could easily imagine how nice this particular pair must look on the field together. "Do you think you'll ever get back into playing polo regularly?"
"Only if I quit my job at the Plant and become the wastrel I was back in Metropolis," Lex replied blandly.
"That's ridiculous." Hudson shook her head. "You can't work all of the time. You have to put at least a little time aside for recreation and fun."
Lex looked over at her, a smile hovering. "I thought that's what I was doing now."
Hudson rolled her eyes with a smile, causing Lex to chuckle. She gave the gelding a final pat before leaning back against the stall door to regard him for a moment. "You never cease to surprise me, Lex."
"Then we're even," he remarked, glancing away from her, watching Ulysses.
The tone of his voice was too serious to be teasing and Hudson vaguely realized that his comment wasn't meant as a compliment. She suppressed the sigh that threatened at his continual reference to her secrets and turned back to petting the gelding. Silence fell between them, broken only by the occasional snort from one of the other horses in the stable and the buzzing of the cicadas outside. It was on the tip of Hudson's tongue to just excuse herself and go home to do her chores when Lex moved up beside her, slipping his arm around her waist and giving her a soft smile.
"Ready to go riding?"
His mood swings were just one of the tiny inconsistencies regarding Lex Luthor that Hudson was attempting to grow accustomed to. "You're going to expect me to ride in one of those tiny little English saddles, aren't you?"
His smile grew. "Is there any other way to ride?"
She poked his chest with her finger. "This is Kansas, pal. The Old West. We ride in Western saddles."
"Pal?" He repeated incredulously as he grabbed her hand in his, kissing the tip of her finger. "I don't believe anyone has ever called me 'pal' before."
"You're changing the subject, Lex."
"Am I?" He kissed her finger again, his thumb caressing the palm of her hand as he held it. "Or are you just afraid of riding in a saddle that doesn't have a handle?"
"Oh, that's it!" Hudson flashed him a look of mock outrage. "I can ride anything you can ride - and better, too!"
Lex laughed and let go of her hand to pull her against him. "Sounds like a challenge, Miss Kent. Should we make a wager?"
"As long as it doesn't involve cars or large sums of money."
Raising an eyebrow at her reply, Lex tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before trailing his fingers through the length of it over her shoulder. "Hmmm. Then what do you have to offer that I would want?"
There were too many responses that she could formulate in reply to that question. Shoving each of them aside, she grinned up at him. "The chance to take me to the Spring Formal!"
Lex barked with surprised laughter. "As honored as I would be to have you at my side, Hudson, I'm not dance material. Not to mention, we would be the talk of the town the next morning." He turned to move towards the tack room.
"According to Chloe and mom, we already are."
Stopping Lex glanced back at her. "What are you talking about?"
Sighing, Hudson grabbed her backpack from the floor and walked over to him, setting it on a hay bale. "Mom told me that some of our customers have been making comments to her and dad about my being friends with someone so much older and more sophisticated and how it doesn't look good. I guess Mr. Keighley said something like that and dad almost hit him."
Lex frowned but remained silent.
Hudson continued, "And Chloe said she heard some of the jocks say - " She cut herself off quickly, realizing that Lex probably wouldn't want to hear the very rude comments that Chloe had repeated to her. "Well, you don't want to know what they said."
Turning to face her, Lex placed his hands on her shoulders, squeezing lightly. He tried to smile but it didn't come out right. "Now do you see why this is a bad idea?"
"No, not really." Hudson shrugged. "I mean, if they were already talking about us that way when we were just friends, what's the difference? What's that song? Let's Give Them Something to Talk About." She grinned.
Lex seemed to fight rolling his eyes, and lost the battle. "What am I going to do with you?"
She smiled, looping her arms around his neck. "Kissing me would be a good start."
"Do you deserve a kiss?"
"I always deserve a kiss. "
Present.
Fields flew past her as Hudson sped her way across town from the school to the Luthor estate. As she neared her destination, rain turned to hail, littering the ground beneath her in ice. She knew she was close. Just as she was about to slow her speed something very large and heavy slammed into her from the opposite direction, picking her up off her feet and flinging her through the air. She landed hard against the ground, glancing up just in time to see the car that had hit her now sailing towards her. Hudson kicked her legs upwards, catching the car as it fell into her and tossing it back. Scrambling to her feet, she glanced around.
The wind was blowing so hard around her that sticks of hay and twigs were saying through the air like missiles. They hit her skin and bounced off but she actually felt the strength of their impact. Her dad once told her about a tornado that came through Smallville when he was a kid and hit the farm. Pieces of hay were lodged into the side of the barn. Now she understood what he meant.
Looking ahead, Hudson saw the funnel only a few yards away from the castle. Screaming Lex's name in fear, she broke into a run once more, determined to get to him, tornado or not.
Yesterday.
The scary part hadn't been the explosion of the farm's truck. While it had been surprising when Hudson turned the ignition key only to have flames erupt around her, she'd never felt a moment's fear. Instead, she calmly kicked the door off, climbed out and discarded her burning t-shirt before her bra decided to catch fire as well. What upset her most about the incident was the idea of telling her parents that one of the most important vehicles on the farm was completely destroyed.
No, the worst was yet to come. Hudson's scariest moment from the explosion came later that day when she stopped by the Talon to drop Lana's English notes off to her. That was when a reporter from the Inquisitor approached her, knowing about the accident, asking her about it. And it wasn't just that he knew the truck had exploded - he somehow knew that she was in it at the time. His knowledge was almost enough to throw her off, enough to cause her to make a mistake. She'd hesitated in her reply to him, only to be saved by Lex's appearance. Luckily, Lex had enough experience with reporters that he'd been able to chase the man, who introduced himself as Roger Nixon, right out of the coffeehouse.
Hudson seriously doubted that a reporter was simply hanging around the farm for no reason and just happened to see the explosion. If he knew about it, then it was very possible he set it up.
Why did these things have to happen to her? Why couldn't she just have a normal teenage life with homework and a boyfriend and late night cow- tipping escapades? Instead she was an alien from another planet, dating an adult male, whose father was one of the richest and most powerful men in the world and seemed to like to prove that to his son over and over again. And don't leave out the part that it was the arrival of her ship that caused her twenty-two-year old boyfriend to lose his hair. He, of course, knew none of this.
God, her life would make a great Lifetime TV movie.
Hudson returned home to find her dad working in the shed, her mother sitting on the table beside him, sipping at a cup of tea while they talked quietly. As she silently watched them, t was hard not to feel as if their lives would be so much easier, so much more peaceful if she wasn't around. They wouldn't have to constantly feel the need to protect her, protect the family. No more would they be forced to suffer the fear that her secret would be revealed, that she might end up in a lab somewhere. That they could lose her. It was difficult not to consider the fact that the life of every person Hudson knew would be better off simply if she wasn't in it.
Her father was the first to notice her standing in the shadows. "Hi, honey."
Taking a few steps forward, Hudson opened her mouth to speak and promptly shut it.
Jonathan frowned. "Something wrong?"
"A journalist from the Inquisitor wants to do a story on me," she told them quietly, dropping her gaze to the floor. "He. he knows I was in the truck. I don't think it was an accident...I think he set it up... To test me." She lifted her eyes, darting her gaze between her parents to watch their reactions.
"How'd he know you'd survive?" Martha queried.
Hudson gnawed her lower lip. "He must have seen me do something before."
Her father sighed and turned away for a moment and Hudson knew what had to be going through his mind - this happened before. Would the cycle never end?
Panicking, she blurted, "Ever since Phalen I've been so careful!"
"H.C., it's not your fault," Jonathan assured her quietly as he turned back to face her.
She felt like crying. "What do I do?"
"Carry on like everything's fine. Go to school, go with Chloe to the dance, and if this reporter's really got something, I'm sure he'll come talk to us."
Martha nodded in response to her husband's advice.
Hudson knew they were right. She had to continue living her life - she couldn't just hide out in the storm cellar like her ship. Not just because some tabloid reporter was threatening to write a story about her. And blowing up their farm equipment. Sighing, she turned to leave the shed, then remembered the other bit of information she hadn't shared with her parents yet. She knew they would panic, especially since they didn't know Lex as well as she did. Still, it was their right to know.
As if sensing her indecision, her mother called out, "Is there something else, honey?"
Taking a deep breath, Hudson turned to face her parents. "I think Lex has a piece of the spaceship."
Jonathan frowned, staring at her intently. "Are you sure?"
"I saw it on his desk," she replied quietly with a nod. "It's the missing piece. He must have found it in the field. I doubt he suspects anything but. you know how persistent Lex can be. He'd never hurt me but -- "
"It's not Lex that worries me," her father broke in. "It's the people around him who could hurt you, H.C. The people he could expose you to."
"He can't trace it to us," Martha commented, shaking her head. "We have no cause to worry yet."
Nodding in agreement, Jonathan added, "You're mother's right, sweetheart. We'll just keep our heads low. When you do your chores, don't use your abilities. And whatever you do, stay away from that storm cellar.."
Present.
"Dad!"
Lex reached his father as the ceiling continued to creak and groan above him, the howling of the wind around him increasing. His hands scrambled for purchase around the column in an attempt to lift it but it was quickly proving to be too heavy for him. Below him, Lionel squirmed, trying to dislodge himself from beneath the debris. There was a loud snap and his father looked up, crying out in fear or warning, causing Lex to follow his gaze just as more debris began raining around them as more of the ceiling began to give way.
A piece of molding broke off, slamming into Lex's shoulders and knocking him to his knees. He blinked against the wind, vision blurred, as he searched once more for his father.
"Dad!" He called out, only this time his call was met with silence.
Panic filled him as he found his father's still form. No, he couldn't be too late.
"Lex! Lex, where are you?!"
Hudson. Somehow, he knew she'd come. He knew she would be there when he needed her.
"Hudson! Help me!" Lex screamed above the wind.
She appeared at the door, a vision in tattered violet. For some reason, it reminded Lex of the night of the Smallville High Homecoming, when he'd found her stumbling along the side of the road and they'd danced. He had yet to actually see Hudson remain in untouched perfection for more than a few minutes - if her clothes weren't torn or dirty, then her hair needed to be brushed or a smudge of dirt marred her cheek.
"Lex!"
Hudson moved quickly to his side, seemingly immobile against the winds, ignorant of the flying and deadly debris that swirled around her. Lex knelt there, motionless as she approached, slightly awed by the fact that the world seemed to move around her, or she moved through it, and neither saw fit to interact with the other. Maybe she wasn't even a part of it - maybe she was just a figment of his imagination.
"Lex, are you all right?" She asked, reaching for him.
Her question seemed to snap him out of the fugue he'd settled into. "My father!" He pointed to Lionel. "You have to help me!"
Nodding once, Hudson moved around Lex, motioning to Lionel's shoulders. "Grab him and pull when I give the signal."
Lex had no idea what she planned on doing but he did as she instructed, grasping his father beneath his arms and looking up to watch in disbelief as Hudson took hold of the column, set her feet apart and lifted it upwards. She looked quickly to Lex, nodding for him to remove Lionel from beneath the structure and he did so automatically.
Letting the column fall back to the floor once Lionel was out of harm's way, Hudson ran to Lex's side, taking the burden from him and pushing him towards the door. "Go to the underside of the staircase. We'll be safe there!"
Following her instructions, Lex stumbled and half-crawled his way out of the study and toward the overhang of the stairs. His vision continued to grow blurrier, a dull throbbing in his head making it difficult to heed much of the atmosphere around him. He collapsed against the wall, whimpering as the back of his head hit a little too hard and stars exploded once more behind his eyes. As the pain settled, he reached up to brush sweat from his forehead that kept dripping into one eye, only to pull his hand back and discover blood covering his fingers. Oh, that was why Hudson seemed so upset.
"It's almost over."
Lex looked up at her voice to see Hudson kneel beside him. His father was lying prone beside them. He tried to focus but he was too dizzy and nauseous to do so. "My father. "
"It'll be all right," she assured him quietly, soft fingers moving against his cheek. "I'll get help for both of you."
There was something he needed to ask her, but at the moment, Lex couldn't remember what it was. He blinked, trying to focus on her face. "Hudson. I. "
"Shhhh." She leaned over and kissed his forehead, pressing a cloth over his eye where he discovered the blood. "Relax. You're safe."
He reached out for her but the world tilted suddenly and he gasped a little at the sensation. His eyes shuddered closed. "Hudson. how did you. "
Darkness claimed him.
To be continued.
